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Temecula school board fires superintendent amid book ban controversy

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:15:52 GMT

In a closed-door meeting Tuesday night, the Temecula Valley School Board voted to fire the district’s superintendent amid controversy over the district’s decision to block curriculum that mentions gay rights leader Harvey Milk.Jodi McClay's dismissal comes after the right-leaning board voted earlier this month to ban a textbook that mentions Milk, who was the first openly gay politician to be elected to office in California, from kindergarten through 5th grade social studies curriculum.No reason for her firing was provided. The board elected Assistant Superintendent Kimberly Velez as interim superintendent. Gov. Newsom blasts Temecula school board president over banned book During its May 16 meeting, the majority of board members said the book, “Social Studies Alive!," contained ”morally objectionable material.'' Board president Joseph Komrosky called Milk a “pedophile” in a recent meeting.The comment drew the attention of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.“An offensive statement from ...

Johnny Depp to donate $1M in settlement money to 5 charities

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:15:52 GMT

Amber Heard has paid the $1 million settlement to Johnny Depp stemming from last year's defamation case. According to PEOPLE magazine, the "Edward Scissorhands" actors will donate the funds to five charities. Make-A-Film Foundation, The Painted Turtle, Red Feather, Tetiaroa Society, and Amazonia Fund Alliance will each get $200,000 of the pot.The Make-A-Film Foundation pairs young people "diagnosed with critical or terminal illness" to create "five-minute film legacies" by pairing them with "noted directors, writers, actors and producer mentors."The Painted Turtle is a non-profit founded by Paul Newman, which allows children with serious medical conditions a chance to experience camping. Red Feather provides housing assistance to Native American communities. Marlon Brando's Tetiaroa Society will also receive the $200,000. The organization focuses on the conversation and sustainability of the "Tetiaroa terrestrial and marine ecosystems and the wildlife t...

Southern Baptists refuse to take back SoCal megachurch over women pastors

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:15:52 GMT

The Southern Baptist Convention has refused to welcome Saddleback Church back into its fold, rejecting an appeal by the Southern California megachurch over its February ouster for having women pastors.Southern Baptist church representatives at their annual meeting here also rejected a similar appeal by a smaller church, Fern Creek Baptist of Louisville, Kentucky, which is led by a woman pastor.The results of the Tuesday votes were announced Wednesday morning on the concluding day of the the two-day annual meeting here of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, whose statement of faith asserts that only qualified men can serve as pastors.The convention hall packed with about 12,000 Southern Baptists was quiet after the announcement, appearing to have listened to the earlier urging by SBC President Bart Barber for them to show restraint.“I know sometimes there are churches where people wind up in biblical divorce,” he said. “But we don’t throw divorce parties at church. And what...

Richard Coin Killed in Pedestrian Collision on Olive Highway [Oroville, CA]

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:15:52 GMT

53-Year-Old Oroville Man Fatally Struck by Vehicle in Pedestrian Accident near Kampong CourtOROVILLE, CA (June 14, 2023) – Wednesday evening, Richard Coin was fatally struck in a pedestrian collision on Olive Highway.The incident occurred around 8:19 p.m., on the southbound shoulder of Olive Highway near Kampong Court.According to reports, first responders located an unconscious man on the south shoulder of the highway. Per reports, the driver of a 2015 Dodge Challenger failed to stop in time and struck the pedestrian.Due to the extent of injuries sustained, medics pronounced 53-year-old Coin dead at the scene.Meanwhile, the involved driver stayed at the site at the scene and cooperated with the investigation.At this time, it was unclear whether intoxication played a role in the incident. Police are encouraging anyone with additional information about the fatal pedestrian-auto collision to contact them at 530-538-2448.No words can mend the broken hearts and sorrow felt during ...

Lester Hogan Atkinson Arrested Following Hit-and-Run Crash on Highway 12 [Fairfield, CA]

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:15:52 GMT

Motorcycle-Auto Collision Near Pennsylvania Avenue Left Rider Critically InjuredFAIRFIELD, CA (June 14, 2023) – On Thursday, police arrested Lester Hogan Atkinson after a hit-and-run crash happened last month on Highway 12.The collision happened on May 31st, at around 10:50 p.m. along westbound Highway 12, near Pennsylvania Avenue.According to reports, a southbound vehicle on Pennsylvania Avenue hit the motorcyclist going west on State Highway 12.However, the driver did not stop to render aid and instead left the scene, ran a red light, and continued to travel westbound on State Route 12. The first responders to the site of the collision said the rider suffered life-threatening injuries.Later, a search warrant served on a Fairfield home led to the arrest of the hit-and-run driver. The suspect was identified as 32-year-old Lester Hogan Atkinson of Fairfield. Additionally, officers recovered a firearm inside his home.The Fairfield Police Department is asking anyone with addition...

Fox chyron calls Biden ‘wannabe dictator’ after Trump charges

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:15:52 GMT

By David Bauder | Associated PressNEW YORK — Fox News said Wednesday that an onscreen message that called President Biden a “wannabe dictator” was taken off TV immediately after it aired and “addressed.”The headline appeared Tuesday night under onscreen video of former President Donald Trump speaking to supporters live following his arrest, next to Biden speaking at an earlier White House event.The message, called a chyron, read in full: “Wannabe dictator speaks at the White House after having his political rival arrested.”Fox said in a statement Wednesday that “the chyron was taken down immediately and was addressed.” There was no explanation about how it was addressed. The website Mediaite reported that the message was onscreen for 27 seconds.The White House has said Biden has had no contact with Attorney General Merrick Garland about the indictment by special counsel Jack Smith, which accuses Trump of illegally hoarding classified d...

‘Just tired of it.’ Family with trans teen to leave Missouri

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:15:52 GMT

By Peyton Headlee | KMBC via CNNKANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — An area family said they are fed up with threats and attacks against their transgender teenager. So, they’re leaving town and the state of Missouri.This comes as the Human Rights Campaign declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. More than 75 anti-LGBTQ bills have been signed into law in states across the country. Two of them were signed in Missouri.The Jackson family has always lived in Missouri. They have roots in Kansas City and their family lives close by. But they said it’s time to move somewhere that their trans teen can thrive.For almost a decade, Debi Jackson has been advocating for transgender youth. Debi is a mother of a trans teen.“The first few years, we honestly thought, like so many others, that visibility was the key to change,” Debi Jackson said. “That if people just saw our kids, if they saw trans people, they would recognize their humanity. And that’s all that we need...

Single-family house sells in Saratoga for $3 million

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:15:52 GMT

18363 McCoy Avenue – Google Street ViewA 2,212-square-foot house built in 1956 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the 18300 block of McCoy Avenue in Saratoga was sold on May 22, 2023, for $2,980,000, or $1,347 per square foot. The property features four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a garage, and two parking spaces. There’s also a pool in the backyard. The unit sits on an 8,040-square-foot lot.Additional houses that have recently been purchased close by include:In January 2023, a 1,128-square-foot home on McCulloch Avenue in Saratoga sold for $5,200,000, a price per square foot of $4,610. The home has 2 bedrooms and 1 bathrooms.A 1,948-square-foot home on the 18200 block of Purdue Drive in Saratoga sold in October 2022, for $2,600,000, a price per square foot of $1,335. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Paseo Lado, Saratoga, in November 2022, a 1,232-square-foot home was sold for $2,050,000, a price per square foot of $1,664. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bath...

Michigan community bans Pride flags on city property

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:15:52 GMT

Associated PressHAMTRAMCK, Mich. — A Detroit-area community has banned LGBTQ+ flags from publicly owned poles after a tense hourslong meeting that raised questions about discrimination, religion and the city’s reputation for welcoming newcomers.In protest, a woman speaking during the public comment portion of the Hamtramck City Council meeting kissed a woman standing next to her Tuesday night.“You guys are welcome,” council member Nayeem Choudhury said. “(But) why do you have to have the flag shown on government property to be represented? You’re already represented. We already know who you are.”Some members of the all-Muslim council said the Pride flag clashes with the beliefs of some members of their faith. Businesses and residents aren’t prohibited from displaying a Pride flag on their own property.“We want to respect the religious rights of our citizens,” Choudhury said.Hamtramck, population 27,000, is an enclave surrounded b...

Tesla Devil’s Slide crash: California regulators bar accused doctor from practicing medicine

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:15:52 GMT

California medical regulators aren’t taking any chances on a Southern California radiologist accused of driving his Tesla sedan off a cliff near Pacifica in a desperate bid to kill his family.The Medical Board of California moved this week to bar Dharmesh Patel from practicing medicine — especially if he were released on bail — while he faces numerous attempted murder charges related to the Jan. 2 crash. The move was necessary, regulators argued in court filings this week, because Patel represented “an alarming danger to the public” in light of an “impairment of cognitive abilities needed to safely practice medicine.”The request, which was made with the help of an attorney with the California Attorney General’s office, was approved by San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Rachel Holt at a hearing Monday.Patel, 41, remains held without bail in the San Mateo County jail since his arrest.Investigators suspect Patel drove his family off a cliff on Jan...