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Editorial: Polis’ new free preschool needs immediate fixes

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:24 GMT

The rollout of universal preschool in Colorado for 38,000 kids has understandably been rocky.But the great success of the program – providing funding for 15 hours of preschool for thousands of 4-year-olds and getting kids kindergarten-ready – is at risk of being overshadowed by the flaws in the new system.Leaders with the state’s new Department of Early Childhood Education must act swiftly to make sure kids aren’t falling through the cracks and that enrollment for the 2024-25 school year is more equitable.In 2020 voters approved increased tobacco and nicotine taxes to finally fund 10 hours of preschool in this state for every child a year before they attend kindergarten. Over the next two years, lawmakers built a new state department to run the program and passed laws creating rules around the program. Funding projections were optimistic and the state agreed to fund 15 hours of school for every kid and 30 hours for kids at risk of falling behind in school.That program kicked off thi...

Alleged DUI driver crashes into Orange County garage

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:24 GMT

An allegedly intoxicated driver slammed his BMW into the garage of an Orange County home early Monday morning, smashing into the resident's Mercedes-Benz in the process.At about 1:50 a.m., the driver, only identified as a man, struck the garage door of a home in the 8000 block of Winterwood Avenue in Stanton, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department."There's some damage to the garage and we have a building official coming out to investigate," said Capt. Jonathan Pahissa of the Orange County Fire Authority.The BMW also apparently damaged a Toyota Camry parked nearby.The driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital to be treated. He was also arrested for alleged DUI.No other injuries were reported.Nancy Fontan contributed to this report.

7 spooky Bay Area adventures, from a haunted forest to a tarantula fest

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:24 GMT

It’s that special time of year, when the nights get darker, grotesque gourds proliferate, and we pay money to get lost in mazes of corn – so much corn. Yes, Halloween season is upon us, and with it, an abundance of creepy and supernatural ways to celebrate this most ghastly of holidays.California has no shortage of ghastly history and eccentric wildlife, so it’s fitting that these adventures and day trips feature a ghost story from the Great Earthquake, a forest pervaded by turn-of-the-century tragedy, a nocturnal bat-watching excursion and a tarantula festival.Whether you favor chilling tales or strange sights, here are seven spooky places to explore in October and beyond.The ghostly Lady of Stow Lake, San FranciscoEvery parent’s nightmare haunts Golden Gate Park’s popular Stow Lake. You turn your attention from your child for just a moment, and then that child is gone.According to legend, the Lady of Stow Lake ended her life after suffering this ordeal. And ever ...

The top 10 spookiest spots in the U.S. include one right here

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:24 GMT

Paranormal adventures aren’t just a Hollywood thing. Some travelers are obsessed with them too, eager to spot the unsettled spirits of the not-quite-departed-enough and hear haunting tales of, well, hauntings.To slake that thirst, Travel and Leisure, the travel magazine and website, is offering up its own take on the 20 most haunted cities in the U.S. We’re not talking single-ghost destinations like Lizzie Borden’s house in Fall River, Massachusetts. These are entire cities brimming with spooky sightings.San Francisco, for example, makes the list in the No. 15 spot thanks to its abundance of ghosts on Alcatraz Island, the magazine notes, as well as at China Camp State Park (ahem, not SF — it’s in San Rafael)  the Mare Island Shipyard (again, not SF — Vallejo ) and aboard the USS Hornet, which is in Alameda. There have been so many ghost sightings on the latter ship, Cal Tech has an entire web page devoted to the stories.The legendary city of New O...

Queen’s Brian May was part of NASA project that collected asteroid sample

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:24 GMT

Brian May has once again proven why he is rock royalty. Not only is he the Queen guitarist, but he is also an astrophysicist who recently helped NASA return its first ever asteroid sample to Earth.May said he was “immensely proud” to be part of the team that collected the sample from the asteroid Bennu.“Hello NASA folks, space fans, asteroid aficionados. This is Brian May of Queen, as you know probably, but also immensely proud to be a team member of OSIRIS-REx,” the 76-year-old musician said in a clip aired Sunday on NASA TV.A capsule that separated from OSIRIS-REx landed Sunday morning in Utah’s Great Salt Lake Desert, carrying samples from Bennu.May played a crucial role in the mission, creating stereoscopic images from the spacecraft’s data that allowed the leader of the mission, Dante Lauretta, and the team to locate a safe site to land and collect a sample.In the clip, May apologized for not being with the team on the momentous occasion.“I’m rehearsing for a Queen tour but my ...

Monday Morning Lights: Why Campo’s win was important. WCAL play heats up this week.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:24 GMT

Welcome back to Monday Morning Lights, our weekly feature that sheds more light on the high school football weekend and peeks ahead to the new week. If you haven’t already, please subscribe. Your contributions keep us going.CAMPO: WHY WIN OVER MONTE VISTA WAS IMPORTANTCampolindo’s 38-14 victory over Monte Vista on Friday night could be the most consequential result of either team’s season.They are two of 11 schools competing for eight North Coast Section Division I playoff spots.De La Salle, San Ramon Valley and Pittsburg are a lock to get in.Clayton Valley figures to be there, too.The others in Division I are California, Liberty, James Logan, Amador Valley and Antioch, along with Campo and Monte Vista.If Logan wins its league and Amador Valley captures the East Bay Athletic League Valley Division to become automatic qualifiers, that could leave just two more openings.When considering who makes the cut, the section will look at big non-league wins, something Campo’s players were kee...

Newsom approves bill protecting teachers' retirement benefits from undue penalties

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:24 GMT

(BCN) -- A bill seeking to protect the monthly benefits of retired public school teachers is set to become law after receiving approval from Gov. Gavin Newsom. The governor on Friday signed Senate Bill 432, proposed by Sen. Dave Cortese, D-San Jose, ensuring retired teachers will have legal protection against penalties arising from errors made by the California State Teachers' Retirement System or CalSTRS. "Caring for California's students means taking care of all the people who work at our public schools," Cortese said in a statement Friday. "Governor Newsom recognizes the importance of ensuring that retired teachers are not penalized through no fault of their own." California gas prices go up 14 cents in the past week The senator added that the proposed law will bolster the teaching profession "during a time when it's needed most," amid rising living costs across much of the state. According to Cortese's office, mistakes made by the CalSTRS can put retired teachers...

Maryland Food Bank hopes newly-expanded kitchen will help further hunger-relief efforts across the state

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:24 GMT

This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.After two years of major construction, the nonprofit Maryland Food Bank hopes to serve as a central point in the state for hunger relief efforts and expand its culinary job training program as it pushes for increased community efforts during national Hunger Action Month.Community members who work for the organization, helped support the cause or directly benefited from the food bank’s assistance gathered last week to celebrate the completed remodel and look towards the next chapter for the nonprofit’s hunger relief efforts.The Maryland Food Bank has been part of the hunger relief network in Maryland for over 40 years. For the organization, the grand re-opening of the facility will help them organize increased efforts to provide not only food assistance but also job connection opportunities, as many Maryland families continue to...

Simone Biles dice que le “rompió el corazón” ver las imágenes de una niña negra ignorada en una ceremonia de gimnasia

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:24 GMT

(CNN) — La cuatro veces medallista de oro olímpica Simone Biles dijo que le “rompió el corazón” ver a una joven negra ignorada para una medalla en una ceremonia de gimnasia en Irlanda, cuyas imágenes se hicieron virales.En el video de un evento de GymStart de marzo de 2022, que volvió a circular por las redes sociales en los últimos días, una fila de niñas recibe medallas, pero la única niña negra no recibe ninguna.“Cuando circuló este video, sus padres se comunicaron”, dijo Biles en X, antes Twitter. “Me rompió el corazón verlo, así que le envié un pequeño video. No hay lugar para el racismo en ningún deporte en absoluto”.En un comunicado emitido el viernes, Gymnastics Ireland dijo que había recibido una queja por presunto comportamiento racista de un padre después del evento y que se llegó a una resolución en agosto de este año.“El funcionario en cuestión aceptó plenamente que lo que había sucedido no era aceptable, pero subrayó que ...

EEUU está cerca de un cierre del gobierno, las negociaciones siguen en un punto muerto

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:24 GMT

WASHINGTON DC – Estados Unidos está cada vez más cerca de un cierre de Gobierno para el que no parece haber solución a la vista: los republicanos afines al expresidente Donald Trump (2017-2021) están en plena rebelión y se resisten a aceptar una solución a corto plazo que financie a las agencias federales más allá del 30 de septiembre, cuando se acaban los fondos disponibles.Si la Administración pública se queda sin fondos, la mayoría de las agencias gubernamentales, museos y parques nacionales cerrarán sus puertas, mientras que cientos de miles de empleados federales se quedarán temporalmente sin trabajo y sin sueldo, lo que podría acabar teniendo un impacto en la economía.La situación actualmente se encuentra en un punto muerto y la Casa Blanca ya ha pedido a las agencias federales que hagan los preparativos necesarios para echar el cierre. Qué es un cierre de gobierno y por qué sigue ocurriendo en EEUU Republicanos del Congreso no ll...