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Oakland teacher’s strike day 3: OUSD and union don’t reach weekend agreement; strike still on for Monday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:02:27 GMT

The Oakland Unified School District and Oakland Education Association did not reach a bargaining agreement over the weekend, launching the strike affecting 34,000 students into its third day Monday.The latest package from the school district included pay bumps for teachers and staff, one-time bonuses of $5,000, and responses to some of the union’s demands, such as training staff to de-escalate mental health crises.The two sides appeared closest on compensation changes, as the district was offering to boost salaries from 13% to 22% for the next school year.The district and union discussed “common good” items on Sunday, which the union has strongly advocated for throughout the negotiation process. The union’s common good demands include aid with housing for the districts 1,500 unhoused students, according to the union, alongside safety and racial injustice concerns.“[Sunday], the district did discuss Common Good items with us, including Community Schools, for t...

LeBron James’s son Bronny commits to USC basketball

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:02:27 GMT

Sierra Canyon’s Bronny James will don the cardinal and gold.The 6-foot-3 senior guard announced his commitment to play at USC on Saturday afternoon via Instagram. James picked USC over scholarship offers from Ohio State and Memphis. Oregon was also reportedly among one of James’ top schools.James was selected as a McDonald’s All-American this year after averaging 14.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 27 games. The combo guard is rated a four-star recruit on ESPN and a five-star prospect in the 247Sports.com composite rankings.James – the eldest son of Lakers star LeBron James – has had a wild four-year high school career at Sierra Canyon. Since his freshman season, the program’s reputation combined with the star-studded last name created a circus of flashing lights, Youtube videos that garnered millions of views, filled NBA arenas, and even a documentary on Amazon Prime called “Top Class”.“First of all, congratulations to my son on his next journey, on picking a great univers...

TasteFood: Roman restoration of a classic Italian pasta

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:02:27 GMT

Pasta carbonara is the Roman’s answer to comfort food. It’s composed of a humble trio of ingredients — eggs, cheese and noodles — which, with the elemental magic of heat and water, alchemize to create a glistening bowl of pasta that’s as restorative as it is comforting. Crispy pancetta is a traditional ingredient in a carbonara, and its rendered fat adds salt and flavor to the dish. While less traditional, sweet peas add brightness and balance the pork in this recipe.This carbonara comes together quickly, so it’s important that your ingredients are prepped before you begin cooking. The most important element is the egg and cheese mixture, which coats the hot noodles and creates the slick sauce that binds the dish. Add the whisked eggs and cheese to the hot noodles away from direct heat, stirring constantly to thoroughly coat the noodles. The heat from the pasta will help to cook the eggs, and the stirring will prevent them from scrambling. It may ...

Where have all the birds gone from a Cupertino neighborhood?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:02:27 GMT

DEAR JOAN: Where have all the birds gone this spring? I have not seen my two hummingbirds for six weeks, despite changing out the food every week, and we have not seen any songbirds. We do have some crows but not that many to account for the scarcity of our bird life.Is this widespread in the area? Any idea why?— John M. Bonds, CupertinoDEAR JOHN: I’ve been writing this column for more than a decade, and I get at least one of these questions every spring. You’d think I’d have a better answer, but “because nature” is the best I’ve got.While it’s unsettling for your yard to be suddenly devoid of bird song, the birds are out there — just not in your neighborhood. It might seem like a dire warning that something’s wrong with the environment, but it’s more likely that it’s just nature at work. Our unusually wet winter and spring have created an abundance of wild flowers and insects, and birds are taking advantage of that.Other factors could be in play. If you or your neighbor...

Petaluma police search for drive-by shooting suspect

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:02:27 GMT

(KRON) -- The Petaluma Police Department is searching for a suspect vehicle in a drive-by shooting that happened on Sunday afternoon. Police received reports of the shooting around 4:11 p.m. near Crinella Drive and Baywood Drive.Police said a shot was fired from a moving vehicle at a motorcyclist after a disagreement about the right of way at a previous intersection. The victim was not hit or injured. 5 injured after early morning shooting in Redwood City The suspect vehicle fled north on Crinella Drive. It is described as a small or mid-sized SUV, light in color.Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Petaluma Police Department at 707-778-4372, or utilize [email protected]. 

Signet Group President on jewelry trends, consumer behavior

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:02:27 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Signet Jewelers Ltd., considered the world’s largest retailer of diamond jewelry, still shines in a sector where stubbornly high inflation has tempered shoppers’ overall willingness to spend on baubles.Like many jewelry chains, Signet has seen some shoppers, particularly in the lower-income bracket, pull back. But the chain, which operates 2,800 stores under such banners as Kay Jewelers, Zales and Peoples, reported in March fourth-quarter earnings results that beat analysts’ expectations, and it offered a solid annual profit forecast. It’s also focusing on higher-income consumers as the economy weakens. In April, the Bermuda-based company said its goal is to reach as much as $10 billion in annual sales within the next five years, up from $7.8 billion in the latest year ended Jan. 28 That growth should be fueled by a continued rebound in U.S. engagements and demand for pricier jewelry. Shares of Signet are up 2% so far this year.Signet’s ...

What is horse racing doing to prevent catastrophic injuries?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:02:27 GMT

The deaths of seven horses at the home of the Kentucky Derby has once again intensified the debate over the safety of horse racing.Two of the deaths occurred as the result of race injuries on Derby day, when more than 150,000 people jammed Churchill Downs. “While each incident reported has been unique, it is important to note that there has been no discernible pattern detected in the injuries sustained,” the track said in a statement that called the incidents “unacceptable.” In recent years, the industry has instituted a series of veterinary and medication reforms, which led to the fatality rate dropping. Here’s a look at what horse racing is doing to try to prevent injuries and deaths.HOW COMMON ARE INJURIES AND DEATHS?The deaths at Churchill Downs gained greater attention because they occurred in the week leading up to the Kentucky Derby.There have been spates of deaths in recent years, most notably 30 at Santa Anita in California in 2019. Those led to a series of safety ref...

NBA Playoffs: Jokic, Booker posting stats never seen before

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:02:27 GMT

Nobody ever finished an NBA playoff game with at least 30 points, 17 rebounds and 17 assists.That is, until Nikola Jokic did it on Friday.Nobody ever finished an NBA playoff game with 53 points and 11 assists, either.That is, until Nikola Jokic did it on Sunday.And the Denver Nuggets went 0-2 in those games anyway, those stat lines — and some incredible numbers from Devin Booker, too — mostly overshadowed by Jokic getting into a bit of a thorny situation during Game 4 with a fan who just happened to be Mat Ishbia, the new owner of the Phoenix Suns.The Suns-Nuggets Western Conference semifinal series is tied at 2-2, in large part because Booker cannot miss. He shot 20 for 25 in Game 3, 14 for 18 in Game 4 — the first player in NBA playoff history to shoot that well in back-to-back games while taking that many shots.Booker leads the playoffs with a 36.8-point scoring average, and he’s on pace to be the first player to shoot 60% from the field, 50% from 3-point range and 85% from...

Hoops Hall of Famer Ray Allen receives degree from UConn

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:02:27 GMT

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Twenty-seven years after hitting his last jump shot in the building, Ray Allen walked back into Gampel Pavilion on Sunday wearing a cap and gown. The 47-year-old basketball Hall of Famer sat in the stands with other graduating students, under a banner commemorating the retirement of his UConn jersey, then took his place in the procession t o receive his bachelor’s degree in general studies.The two-time NBA champion was greeted with a loud ovation as he was handed his diploma and gave a thumbs up to his family.“It’s never too late to learn,” Allen told the Hartford Courant. “This day isn’t about me, it’s about the people that helped me along the way to finish this mission, be on this journey to graduate from college.”Allen, who averaged 19 points during his three seasons at UConn, left school early for the NBA. He began taking classes again during the second half of his 19-year pro career. He said he got serious about finishing his degree during the h...

Dianna Agron responde a una década de especulaciones sobre su relación con Taylor Swift

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:02:27 GMT

(CNN) — Hace más de una década se especuló que la estrella de “Glee” Dianna Agron y Taylor Swift podrían haber tenido una “Historia de Amor”.Ahora, Agron acaba de abordarlo.En una entrevista publicada recientemente en Rolling Stone, se le preguntó a la actriz por ser una supuesta inspiración para el single de Swift de 2012 “22” del álbum “Red”, ya que Agron aparece en las notas de acompañamiento.Agron respondió: “¿Yo? ¡Oh, ojalá!”.Taylor Swift y Joe Alwyn se separan después de seis años“Eso es más por una amistad que por ser la inspiración de la canción”, dijo. “Pero yo no sería la persona indicada para preguntar sobre eso. No puedo afirmarlo”.La pareja salió un poco entre 2011 y 2012 y la publicación también le preguntó acerca de ser “shipped”, es decir, retratada como si estuviera en una relación por algunos fans e informes.“Eso es muy interesante. Yo… quiero decir, hu...