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Woodland Park School District drops gag order that violated teachers’ First Amendment rights, union says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:04 GMT

The Woodland Park School District has removed and replaced a school board policy that the local teachers union called unconstitutional because it prohibited educators from speaking to the press or posting on social media about district decisions without consent, the Woodland Park Education Association announced this week. The teachers union sued the district and its Board of Education in federal court over the summer, alleging employees’ First Amendment rights were violated by the policy. The decision to replace the policy with a new one, which the union says “protects the First Amendment rights of educators,” was made during federal court mediation, according to a news release. “This is a huge win for Woodland Park educators following the outcome of our lawsuit,” said Nate Owen, president of the Woodland Park Education Association, in a statement. “We’re overjoyed that teachers and other employees can finally speak on matters of public conc...

No, ETIAS won’t become operational in 2024, EU sources say 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:04 GMT

The European Union has once again postponed the launch date of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), EU sources have confirmed.While so far, the EU has continuously claimed the ETIAS would become operational by mid-2024, an EU official has confirmed for SchengenVisaInfo.com that the go-live date for ETIAS has now been delayed to May 2025.We had initially hoped for the EES to become operational by the end of this year or, at the latest, the beginning of the next year. Due to unforeseen delays, it has become evident that this timeline is unattainable. As a result, the implementation of the ETIAS has been rescheduled to May 2025, with the possibility of further postponement. EU OfficialThe Entry /Exit System (EES) is another EU border security system, an automated IT system that, in the future, will register travellers from third countries each time they cross an EU external border. The system has been continuously postponed alongside the ETIAS.Both sys...

5 Hospitalized after Multi-Vehicle Collision on E Florence Avenue [Los Angeles, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:04 GMT

Vehicle Accident on Compton Avenue Involving MTA Bus and More Cars Left Five Individuals InjuredLOS ANGELES, CA (November 2, 2023) – Sunday evening, five people sustained injuries following a multi-vehicle collision on E Florence Avenue.The incident happened around 7:55 p.m. on October 29th, near E. Florence Avenue and Compton Avenue.According to the LA County Fire Department, the crash involved two cars and an MTA bus. The car rear-ended the MTA bus and then a second car hit the first car from behind.Paramedics arrived and took five people with injuries to a local hospital. The victim’s name and condition are unclear at this time.Furthermore, both directions of the roadway were temporarily shut down to allow for cleanup and preliminary duties. However, the street has since been reopened to the public.The cause of the crash on E Florence Avenue remains unknown, however, the investigation is still underway.One small driving mistake can lead to multi-vehicle crashes. That is why...

Man Dies in Hit-and-Run Bicycle Accident on Van Nuys Boulevard [Los Angeles, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:04 GMT

40-Year-Old Male Cyclist Fatally Struck in Deadly Collision near Calvert StreetLOS ANGELES, CA (November 2, 2023) – A hit-and-run bicycle accident on Van Nuys Boulevard claimed the life of a man Monday night. At approximately 11:40 p.m., authorities were alerted to the incident near Calvert Street in the Valley Glen neighborhood.Officers eventually discovered a man lying in the roadway. Initial investigations revealed that the cyclist was struck by a southbound vehicle while traveling in the same direction on Van Nuys.The driver of the vehicle immediately fled the scene without offering any assistance or notifying the authorities.A witness reported that the suspect’s vehicle carried the victim beneath it as it traveled from Van Nuys to Burbank Boulevard. The victim was finally dislodged from the suspect’s vehicle when they reached Hatteras Street. First responders later declared the 40-year-old male cyclist deceased at the scene.As more information becomes availabl...

Child, Two Others Hospitalized after Two-Vehicle Crash on Palm Drive [Desert Hot Springs, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:04 GMT

SUV Versus Pickup Collision Near Yucca Drive Left Three People InjuredDESERT HOT SPRINGS, CA (November 2, 2023) – Monday afternoon, three people were hurt including a child in a two-vehicle crash on Palm Drive.The collision took place at approximately 2:45 p.m. within the vicinity of Palm Drive and Yucca Drive in the city of Desert Hot Springs.According to law enforcement, a northbound white Subaru SUV swerved into the southbound lanes of Palm Drive as it approached Yucca.Consequently, the Subaru was involved in a head-on collision with a black Toyota pickup. Paramedics who responded to the scene transported the 37-year-old La Quinta resident driving the Toyota and a 10-year-old passenger to a hospital in critical condition.Meanwhile, the 81-year-old driver from Sky Valley who was inside the white Subaru received a medical evaluation right at the scene.In response to the incident, the police temporarily closed Palm Drive between Mission Lake Boulevard and San Marcus Road to al...

7 Hospitalized after Two-Vehicle Collision on West 81st Street [Los Angeles, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:04 GMT

Seven Injured in Multi-Car Accident near 110 FreewayLOS ANGELES, CA (November 2, 2023) – A collision involving two vehicles occurred on West 81st Street Wednesday afternoon, resulting in injuries to seven individuals. Shortly after 1:00 p.m. on October 4th, police responded to an incident in the 200 block of West 81st Street, located just east of the 110 Freeway.Law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance and identified a robbery suspect who was driving. They requested helicopter assistance to manage traffic and apprehend the suspect. The suspect collided with another vehicle, which had six occupants.Additionally, one of the vehicles involved in the collision struck a nearby power pole. Medical personnel arrived at the scene and transported all seven individuals to a nearby hospital. Three children, aged five months, four years, and five years, sustained injuries that are not life-threatening.Currently, an active investigation is ongoing to gather more information ab...

Anthony Gomez Dies in Multi-Car Accident on 405 Freeway [Van Nuys, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:04 GMT

28-Year-Old Man Pronounced Dead after Multi-Vehicle Collision near Sherman WayVAN NUYS, CA (November 2, 2023) – Early Monday morning, Anthony Gomez died Monday morning in a multi-car crash on the northbound lanes of 405 Freeway near Sherman Way.The fatal incident occurred around 4:38 a.m., on October 30th. Investigators say a driver lost control and spun out for reasons unknown. The vehicle then came to rest facing the wrong way where it was hit by two additional vehicles.Medical personnel arrived and pronounced 28-year-old Gomez, dead at the scene. In addition, multiple occupants inside the red car and truck sustained minor injuries.Authorities later closed off several lanes during clearing operations. Once available, further details will be provided.The team at Sweet James sends out their heartfelt sympathies to the friends and family of Anthony Gomez. May you find comfort and strength during this devastating time.The death of a family member is always a traumatic experience...

Bay Area doctor guilty of accepting kickbacks for patient referrals that were a sham

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:04 GMT

A jury on Wednesday convicted a Bay Area doctor of healthcare fraud, as well as accepting kickbacks for patient referrals, authorities said.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Here’s the first glimpse of who is spending money to oust Alameda County DA Pamela Price Crime and Public Safety | East Bay man charged with tossing bombs at SF officers during pursuit Crime and Public Safety | 69 people treated for exposure to chemical at East Bay Hobby Lobby Crime and Public Safety | Family was followed home from East Bay shopping center, robbed at gunpoint, police say Crime and Public Safety | San Jose man charged with driving to East Bay to meet undercover cop who posed as 13-year-old girl online Dr. Henry Geoffrey Watson, 67, an Oakland resident, also made false statements relating to a health-care matter, the jury decided, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Thomas Colthurst of the Northern Dist...

Why up to 80 bird species are about to get new names

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:04 GMT

By Leah Asmelash | CNNAfter years-long discussion, birds will no longer be named after people — a decision meant to dissociate the animals from problematic eponyms.The American Ornithological Society announced Wednesday that all common English-language names of bird species named after people will be changed, along with other monikers that have been deemed offensive. In total, approximately 70-80 birds — primarily in the US and Canada — will be renamed.“There is power in a name, and some English bird names have associations with the past that continue to be exclusionary and harmful today,” said Colleen Handel, president of the AOS, in a statement.Many birds sport names that come from White men with “objectively horrible pasts,” according to the group Bird Names for Birds, a grassroots initiative that has been advocating for this change. Having their names memorialized in this manner is similar to building a statue in their honor, the group argues.The Hammond’s flycatcher, for exampl...

Researchers report mass bleaching of coral reefs in warming Florida oceans: ‘Like a forest without trees’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:04 GMT

Adriana Pérez | Chicago TribunePeering over the edge of research vessel Coral Reef II as it sailed through the Florida Keys, Shedd Aquarium postdoctoral fellow Shayle Matsuda saw white.Matsuda and a group of researchers from the aquarium and other institutions witnessed firsthand how coral reefs that were healthy and vibrant just two months earlier had quickly bleached by the time they returned to the Sunshine State for their most recent trip.An unprecedented rise in ocean temperatures off the coast of Florida early in the summer made headlines as it caused countless dead fish to wash ashore. But the impact had an even wider reach than was initially evident, according to the Shedd’s research in partnership with the University of Miami, Palm Beach Zoo and the University of Southern California.Between 90% and 95% of corals they surveyed at 76 sites across the Keys and Dry Tortugas over the span of a week showed signs of extreme bleaching, said Shedd research biologist Ross Cunning. So...