The pandemic was over, but nearly 2 million California students were still chronically absent. Why?

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:24:37 GMT

The pandemic was over, but nearly 2 million California students were still chronically absent. Why? Skyline High School is tucked away in the Oakland hills, and physically getting students to the school has long been a challenge. But today — three years since the onset of the pandemic — the problem with attendance has gotten more complex.“We spent 12 years getting kids ready … (for working) a nine-to-five day, basically,” said Eric Shapiro, Skyline’s community schools manager, describing the pre-COVID pattern. “But you break people out of that, and you’re seeing it with adults too — we’re having such a hard time going back to work and adjusting to that whole mode.”Skyline is far from an outlier. A new analysis has found that one in four students across the country were chronically absent from school, defined as missing at least 10% — or 18 days or more — when California children returned to in-person classes for the 2021-22 academic year. That’s according to Stanford University professor Thomas Dee and The Associated Press, which dug into ...

Person shot in Berkeley Thursday afternoon

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:24:37 GMT

Person shot in Berkeley Thursday afternoon (KRON) -- The Berkeley Police Department responded to a shooting on Thursday afternoon, it confirmed to KRON4.Police responded to the 3200 block of Adeline Street at 2:26 p.m. after receiving a call from the victim. The victim had been shot in the leg, and they were transported to Highland Hospital for treatment. Concord student robbed at gunpoint on HS campus The suspect was seen running away from the scene. BPD has not reported an arrest. Police located physical evidence of the shooting. A BPD investigation is ongoing.

Paralluelo’s extra-time goal gives Spain a win over the Dutch and a Women’s World Cup semifinal spot

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:24:37 GMT

Paralluelo’s extra-time goal gives Spain a win over the Dutch and a Women’s World Cup semifinal spot WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Salma Paralluelo scored deep in extra time to give Spain a 2-1 win over Netherlands on Friday and send the sixth-ranked nation into the semifinals of the Women’s World Cup for the first time.The teenager struck in the 111th minute of a tight knockout match between European soccer heavyweights whose men’s teams already have storied World Cup histories.Netherlands lost the final to the United States in France four years ago, and now both teams have exited the tournament.The 19-year-old Paralluelo made her break down the left, pivoted momentarily and from a difficult angle launched a left-foot shot into the back of the net for the winner. “It’s important for everyone,” Paralluelo said. “We have succeeded. We have fought until the end. We have believed.”Netherlands defender Stefanie van der Gragt had turned from villain to hero in the last 10 minutes of regular time. She conceded a penalty for hand ball in the 81st minute which Mariona Caldente...

Mercury set WNBA record with 45 first-quarter points, hold off Sun 90-84

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:24:37 GMT

Mercury set WNBA record with 45 first-quarter points, hold off Sun 90-84 PHOENIX (AP) — Brittney Griner had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and the Phoenix Mercury set a WNBA record for points in a quarter with 45 in the first before holding off the short-handed Connecticut Sun down the stretch for a 90-84 win on Thursday night.Phoenix broke the record of 44 points in a quarter set earlier this season by New York to build a 21-point lead. But the Mercury only scored seven points in the second to have their lead trimmed to 52-48 at the break. The 38-point difference was the largest drop-off in points from one quarter to the next in WNBA history, according to ESPN Stats & Info.DeWanna Bonner, Connecticut’s leading scorer, left with a back injury early in the first quarter and did not return.Moriah Jefferson scored 17 points, and Diana Taurasi had 16 points and made four 3-pointers for Phoenix (9-20). Sophie Cunningham, who scored nine on three 3-pointers, reached 1,000 career points. Rebecca Allen scored a season-high 24 points and Alyssa Thomas had 2...

Clayton Kershaw gets no-decision in return, Dodgers beat Rockies 2-1

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:24:37 GMT

Clayton Kershaw gets no-decision in return, Dodgers beat Rockies 2-1 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Max Muncy drew a bases-loaded, two-out walk to force in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, Clayton Kershaw returned from the injured list and the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to beat the Colorado Rockies 2-1 on Thursday night.It was Daniel Bard’s 36th walk in 40 innings for the Rockies.The NL West-leading Dodgers won their fifth in a row against the division’s worst team. They extended their lead to 6 1/2 games over the San Francisco Giants.Pinch-hitter David Peralta walked leading off the eighth against Tommy Doyle (0-1). Pinch-hitter Jason Heyward grounded into a fielder’s choice to second, erasing Peralta. Mookie Betts singled before Bard came in and walked Freddie Freeman to load the bases.Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar made an over-the-shoulder catch of pinch-hitter Will Smith in shallow left-center field for the second out. Bard then walked Muncy before Chris Taylor flied out to end the inning.Kershaw gave up one run and three hits in five innings, stru...

Seahawks WR Cade Johnson taken to hospital as precaution for evaluation for head and neck injuries

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:24:37 GMT

Seahawks WR Cade Johnson taken to hospital as precaution for evaluation for head and neck injuries SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle wide receiver Cade Johnson was taken to a hospital during halftime of the Seahawks’ preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night to be evaluated for head and neck injuries. The Seahawks said Johnson was placed on a backboard as a precaution and transported to Harborview Medical Center. The team said he was in stable condition. Johnson was attended to in the medical tent behind the bench for several minutes late in the first half by Seattle’s training staff and medical personnel. He was placed on a backboard, loaded onto a stretcher, taken across the field and up a tunnel to where ambulances are parked during games at Lumen Field. There was no obvious play where Johnson was injured in the first half. Johnson had one rushing attempt for 2 yards and was targeted twice with no catches. He also had one kickoff return for 17 yards.Johnson is in his third season out of South Dakota State. He had two receptions over three games last season for the Se...

San Diego Red Cross CEO heading to Maui to aid in relief effort

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:24:37 GMT

San Diego Red Cross CEO heading to Maui to aid in relief effort SAN DIEGO – The Red Cross Southern California Region is sending its CEO to Maui to aid in massive relief efforts underway following devastating wildfires.“It is going to take weeks and months to respond to something this large," Sean Mahoney said.Mahoney is not only CEO of the Red Cross Southern California region, but he is also a San Diego resident. Mahoney has been with the Red Cross for almost six years and dedicated his time and skills to several major relief efforts around the country like the Paradise Fire in 2018.He joins a total of 20 Red Cross volunteers from across California and countless more from around the country, all heading to Maui after wildfires swept through the western community of Lahaina.“The Red Cross responders respond by themselves. They might have a skillset, they might be a shelter manager, or a feeding manager, or a government ops supervisor. They will get a one-way ticket. They’ll bring a sleeping bag and some clothes and they go,” Mahoney said. Local...

Ex-tech CEO pleads guilty in $150 million fraud on Qualcomm

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:24:37 GMT

Ex-tech CEO pleads guilty in $150 million fraud on Qualcomm SAN DIEGO -- A former technology executive pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday for his participation in a $150 million fraud on the San Diego-based semi-conductor company Qualcomm, prosecutors said.Sanjiv Taneja, the ex-CEO of tech firm Abreezio, which was sold to Qualcomm, admitted to one count of money laundering related to a $1.5 million transaction involving proceeds of the fraud on Qualcomm, Kelly Thornton with the Office of the United States Attorney Southern District of California said in a news release.Taneja confessed that he, co-defendants Karim Arabi and Ali Akbar Shokouhi of San Diego and others schemed to hide Arabi’s involvement in Abreezio, according to his plea agreement."Arabi was a Qualcomm employee throughout the entire marketing period, and hiding his involvement in the firm and the development of its patented technology allowed Abreezio’s principals to claim that the company was an 'angel-funded' outside firm while disguising its true connections to Qualcom...

Maui residents had little warning before flames overtook town. At least 53 people died.

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:24:37 GMT

Maui residents had little warning before flames overtook town. At least 53 people died. LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Maui residents who made desperate escapes from flames, some on foot, asked why Hawaii’s famous emergency warning system didn’t alert them as fires raced toward their homes, in interviews at evacuation centers Thursday.Hawaii emergency management records show no indication that the warning sirens were triggered before a devastating wildfire killed at least 53 people and wiped out a historic town, officials confirmed Thursday.Hawaii boasts what the state describes as the largest integrated outdoor all-hazard public safety warning system in the world, with about 400 sirens positioned across the island chain. But many of Lahaina’s survivors said they didn’t hear any sirens and only realized they were in danger when they saw flames or heard explosions nearby.Thomas Leonard, a 70-year-old retired mailman from Lahaina, didn’t know about the fire until he smelled smoke. Power and cell phone service had both gone out earlier that day, leaving the town with no real-time...

Illinois Supreme Court plans to rule on semiautomatic weapons ban

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:24:37 GMT

Illinois Supreme Court plans to rule on semiautomatic weapons ban SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois Supreme Court plans to issue an opinion Friday on a lawsuit challenging the state’s ban of the type of semiautomatic weapons used in hundreds of mass killings nationally.The lawsuit, filed by Republican Rep. Dan Caulkins, of Decatur, and like-minded gun-owners, alleges the law violates the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. But it also claims the law is applied unequally.The law bans dozens of specific brands or types of rifles and handguns, .50-caliber guns, attachments and rapid-firing devices. No rifle is allowed to accommodate more than 10 rounds, with a 15-round limit for handguns. The most popular gun targeted is the AR-15 rifle.Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Protect Our Communities Act hours after lawmakers sent it to him in a lame-duck session in January, months after a shooter using a high-powered rifle killed seven and injured dozens on Independence Day 2022 in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park. The new law...