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Opinion: How to stop the fentanyl crisis in California schools

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Earlier this year, The Mercury News made an alarming discovery after polling 33 Bay Area school districts: More than a third hadn’t trained teachers and staff to recognize the signs of students overdosing on fentanyl. Additionally, more than a quarter of the surveyed districts hadn’t made naloxone readily available in schools, despite the fact that the opioid antagonist can rapidly stop the types of fentanyl overdoses that are killing 18 Californians each day.Why? Does another child need to die on campus before we change our policies?California can no longer justify withholding knowledge and tools that can save young lives. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin, has exploded across California. The drug is now responsible for one in every five deaths among young people, surpassing the combined total of all other drugs. In my legislative district of Santa Clara County, the number of young lives lost to fentanyl spiked an astonishing 365% in recent years...

Watsonville police seek more victims in child luring case

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:00:00 GMT

WATSONVILLE — Detectives are opening up an underage-sex case to the public in an effort to determine the existence of additional victims.Martin Cruz Diaz (Watsonville Police Department — Contributed) Watsonville police arrested Martin Cruz Diaz on June 6 on several felony charges while he was out on bail during a 2022 child sex crimes case.In his new case, Cruz Diaz, a forklift operator who is a 26-year-old Watsonville resident, allegedly posed as an 18-year-old on social media to enter into a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl.“Our ongoing investigation has led us to believe there may be additional victims,” a Watsonville Police Department representative posted to the agency’s social media.Cruz Diaz pleaded not guilty during his July 10 arraignment to felony charges of committing a lewd act with a child 10 or older, unlawful sexual intercourse, arranging to meet a minor with lewd purposes and communicating with a minor for a lewd act, according to court records. Relat...

Teen killed, toddler injured in shooting at Southern California park

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:00:00 GMT

A 16-year-old boy was killed and a toddler was injured in a shooting at a Granada Hills park late on Wednesday, July 19.Los Angeles Police Department officers were called to the park at Petit Avenue and Chatsworth Street at 11:20 p.m. after witnesses reported a shooting. When the officers got there, they found the 16-year-old dead and the 2-year-old wounded.Officers took the toddler to a nearby hospital, where they were recovering Thursday. The teenager died at the scene, according to LAPD.It’s still not clear who shot at the 16-year-old and the baby, and why. LAPD has not said whether investigators have identified suspects in the shooting.ABC7 reported the shooting occurred with the mother of the toddler nearby.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | California man convicted of killing elderly neighbor during rape attempt Crime and Public Safety | East Bay man killed in spray of gunfire that left 60 shell casings is identified Crime and Public Safe...

NFL owners approve the $6 billion sale of Washington Commanders

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:00:00 GMT

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — NFL owners unanimously approved the sale of the Washington Commanders on Thursday from Dan Snyder to a group led by Josh Harris and including Magic Johnson for a record $6.05 billion.All 32 team owners voted for the sale, which is the highest price paid for a North American professional sports team. After the finance committee approved the agreement with the new ownership group, Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, a special league meeting was called to consider and vote on it before the 2023 season begins.Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones beamed as he walked off an escalator and headed toward the meeting room, granting a brief interview with reporters about the impending sale of his team’s division rival.“It’s a hallmark day,” Jones said. “I’m excited about the prospects of going into Washington and giving them some capital punishment.”Snyder had owned his favorite boyhood team since 1999, when he bought it for $800 million. Success was fleeting, both on and...

Tony Bennett, legendary American singer, dies at 96

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:00:00 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Tony Bennett, the eminent and timeless stylist whose devotion to classic American songs and knack for creating new standards such as "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" graced a decadeslong career that brought him admirers from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga, died Friday. He was 96, just two weeks short of his birthday.Publicist Sylvia Weiner confirmed Bennett's death to The Associated Press, saying he died in his hometown of New York. There was no specific cause, but Bennett had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016.The last of the great saloon singers of the mid-20th century, Bennett often said his lifelong ambition was to create "a hit catalog rather than hit records." He released more than 70 albums, bringing him 19 competitive Grammys — all but two after he reached his 60s — and enjoyed deep and lasting affection from fans and fellow artists.Singer Tony Bennett arrives for his 90th birthday celebration at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Plaza on Wednesday, ...

Russia targets Ukraine’s farm storage sites after days of hitting Black Sea port facilities

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:00:00 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian cruise missiles destroyed farm storage buildings in the Odesa region early Friday, Ukrainian officials said, as the Kremlin’s forces expanded their targets following three days of bombardment of the region’s Black Sea port infrastructure.Other Russian missiles damaged what officials described only as an “important infrastructure facility” southwest of the port city of Odesa, in what appeared to be part of an ongoing effort to cripple Ukraine’s food exports.Attacks in recent days have put Odesa in Russia’s crosshairs after Moscow abandoned a wartime deal that allowed Ukraine to send grain through the key Black Sea port.In the attack on the storage site, two of the low-flying cruise missiles hit initially and started a blaze, and then another struck during firefighting efforts, regional Gov. Oleh Kiper said. The barrage injured two people, damaged equipment and destroyed 100 metric tons of peas and 20 metric tons of barley, Kiper said.Russia targeted Ukrai...

Stock market gains help pave way for IPO resurgence in 2023 after worst year since Great Recession

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:00:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A strong stock market turnaround is helping spur a resurgence in companies going public a year after the number of Wall Street newcomers fell to the lowest level since the Great Recession.Some 55 initial public offerings, or IPOs, have priced so far this year, raising $9.7 billion in proceeds, according to IPO tracker Renaissance Capital. Last year, 71 companies went public, raising $7.7 billion.The last time there were fewer IPOs was 2009, when 63 companies went public.All told, 100 companies have filed IPO documents this year, compared to 83 at this point in 2022, said Matt Kennedy, senior strategist at Renaissance Capital.“We are expecting just continued, gradual pickup in the second half (of the year), gaining momentum heading into 2024,” he said.Historically, between 150-200 companies go public every year, so the IPO market this year has a ways to go to return to a more normal pace, something Kennedy doesn’t expect will happen.“It’s definitely going to be a s...

Live updates | Protesters disrupt British Open at 17th hole

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:00:00 GMT

PROTESTERS DISRUPT OPEN AT 17THHOYLAKE, England (AP) — Three environmental activists have briefly interrupted play at the British Open.The Just Stop Oil protesters went onto the 17th hole, with one throwing what appeared to be orange paint to the side of the green. Another was led away from the green by American player Billy Horschel.The three protesters were escorted away by police.Just Stop Oil is an organization that wants the British government to stop new oil, gas and coal projects. It has interrupted a slew of major sporting events in Britain in recent months, including Wimbledon, an Ashes cricket test and the world snooker championship.Ahead of the Open, R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said there were “significant security procedures in place” to deal with protesters and that players have been advised to not get involved.___WHAT TO KNOW— A day of surprises at British Open.— South African amateur Christo Lamprecht is a big man with a big game— Rasmus and Nicolai first ...

Possible tornado strikes Pikes Peak leaving behind large debris field

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:00:00 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — A possible tornado may have hit Pikes Peak Thursday afternoon leaving behind a trail of downed trees in its wake.At around 2 p.m., the Pinpoint Weather team noticed some severe weather in the Pikes Peak region in El Paso County and rotation on the radar. Some witnesses also reported seeing a path of damage. Coroner: Altitude contributed to hiker’s death in RMNP Brad Carroll snapped some shots of a large debris field on the Pikes Peak Highway just a few miles short of the summit. He described it as a "clear path of destruction" as multiple trees had been downed and dispersed.A possible tornado may have struck Pikes Peak on July 21 leaving behind a path of downed trees and debris. (Credit: Brad Carroll)A possible tornado may have struck Pikes Peak on July 21 leaving behind a path of downed trees and debris. (Credit: Brad Carroll)Pinpoint Weather Meteorologist Liz McGiffin said the National Weather Service will head up to the 14er to survey the damage and look at the ...

Judge sets a trial date for next May in Trump’s classified documents case in Florida

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge in Florida has set a trial date for next May for former President Donald Trump in a case charging him with illegally retaining hundreds of classified documents.The May 20, 2024, trial date is a compromise between a request from prosecutors to set the trial for this December and a request from defense lawyers to schedule it after the 2024 presidential election.