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Editorial: The $800k DougCo settlement is the price of school district secrecy and cover-ups

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:53 GMT

A new era of secrecy and cover-ups has infected Colorado school districts. Board members shield records from public scrutiny, hide important discussions from the public in executive sessions, and meet secretly one-on-one to cut deals via emails, text messages, and verbal agreements.And in this climate of growing disregard for the Colorado Open Records Act and Colorado Open Meetings Law, lawmakers are considering a bill that would make it more difficult to challenge a school district that fails to properly disclose closed-door meeting topics. Public districts are already operating too much like private businesses; they don’t need encouragement from lawmakers too.The $832,733 paid out to fired Douglas County Superintendent Cory Wise is the best possible case to be made for school board members to get their acts together and start acting like elected officials representing the public in a transparent and open manner. Taxpayers will foot this bill to cover school board membersR...

Cloud seeding catching on amid Rocky Mountain drought

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:53 GMT

LYONS, Colo. — Garrett Cammans and his brothers sometimes don’t talk about their toughest moments on the job in the cloud seeding business, like the time when one of them got stuck in deep mountain snow and had to hike out alone in the dark.“They’re going out into some pretty remote and rural areas,” Cammans said. “And there have been a few close encounters with wildlife we don’t like to discuss at the family dinner table.”RELATED: Can cloud seeding bring more water to the drying Colorado River Basin?But snow — as much as possible — is at the heart of the Cammans family business, Utah-based North American Weather Consultants, which holds cloud seeding contracts throughout the U.S. West, centered in the Rocky Mountains.Lately, business is up. Amid two decades of drought, cloud seeding — using airplanes or ground equipment to waft rain-and-snow-making particles into clouds — is on the rise in the Rockies.Colorado has added three new programs in the last five years. W...

Helicopter crew assessing fire burning on 1,400 acres in southeastern Colorado

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:53 GMT

A 1,400-acre fire burning grasslands and brush along the Arkansas River in southeastern Colorado Wednesday morning drew firefighters from multiple agencies with air support.The fire broke out Tuesday afternoon amid hot, dry and windy conditions west of Lamar and north of John Martin Reservoir, forcing the closure of U.S. Highway 50, which on Wednesday morning had reopened, Bent County Sheriff Jake Six said, confirming dispatcher reports that the blaze was still burning.Air tankers on Tuesday dropped water on the flames and a helicopter crew on Wednesday morning was assessing the fire.The fire did not damage buildings and no injuries were reported, Six said. The cause of the fire remains uncertain, he said. “Fire investigators are on scene today.”

Ralph Yarl making stunning recovery, family lawyer says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:53 GMT

By MARGARET STAFFORD and JIM SALTER (Associated Press)KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ralph Yarl was shot at point-blank range in the head by a white homeowner but miraculously survived the bullet to his skull, the attorney for the family of the Black teenager said.As Yarl, 16, recovers at home, the 84-year-old owner of the Kansas City, Missouri, home where Yarl mistakenly went to pick up his brothers faces his first court appearance Wednesday. Andrew Lester is charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He could face life in prison if convicted. Lester does not yet have an attorney listed, according to Missouri’s online court reporting system.“Do you all understand that this 16-year-old boy was shot at point blank range in the face?” Merritt asked the crowd of about 150 supporters Tuesday at a downtown rally. “A bullet traveled from (Lester’s) gun less than 5 feet into his upper temple, penetrated his skull, and they scraped bullet fragm...

UN says India to be world’s most populous nation by mid-2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:53 GMT

By KRUTIKA PATHI (Associated Press)NEW DELHI (AP) — India is on track to surpass China by mid-2023 as the world’s most populous nation, United Nations data said Wednesday, raising questions about whether a booming, young Indian population will fuel economic growth for years to come or become a liability.While India’s 254 million people between ages 15 and 24 is the largest number in the world, China is struggling with an aging population and stagnant population growth. That has sparked expectations that the demographic changes could pave the way for India to become an economic and global heavyweight.India’s young citizenry could drive the country’s economic growth for years to come, but it might just as easily become a problem if they aren’t adequately employed. Economists have cautioned that even as India’s economy is among the fastest-growing as its population rises, joblessness has also swelled.Tech giant Apple, among other companies, hop...

DEA chief faces probe into 'swampy' hires, no-bid contracts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:53 GMT

A federal watchdog is investigating whether the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration under chief Anne Milgram improperly awarded millions of dollars in no-bid contracts to hire her past associates, people familiar with the probe told The Associated Press.Among the contract spending under scrutiny by the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General is $4.7 million for “strategic planning and communication” to hire people Milgram knew from her days as New Jersey’s attorney general and as a New York University law professor – at costs far exceeding pay for government officials.At least a dozen people have been hired under such contracts, including some in Milgram’s inner circle handling intelligence, data analytics, community outreach and public relations — work often requiring security clearances and traditionally done by DEA’s own 9,000-person workforce.Also under scrutiny is $1.4 million to a Washington law firm for a recent review of the DEA’s scandal-plagued foreign operations...

Presale Codes for Boy George and Culture Club The Letting It Go Show Tour

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:53 GMT

If you come and go, you come and go — then there’s an upcoming show that you might very well want to go to: Boy George and Culture Club are going on a big ‘ol tour dubbed the “Letting It Go Show” Tour. The 80s new wave mainstays will be hitting 25 cities in the trek, with support from special guests Howard Jones and Berlin. The tour launches on June 24 in Plymouth, UK before making their way stateside on July 13 to West Palm Beach, FL, eventually wrapping with three dates here in Southern California — August 19 in San Diego and August 25 and 26 at the Hollywood Bowl — see below for all dates. Passwords and presale codes for the Boy George and Culture Club The Letting It Go Show Tour tickets are as follows:Presale codes for Boy George and Culture Club The Letting It Go Show TourPresale tickets for Boy George and Culture Club The Letting It Go Show Tour go on sale today, April 19 and we’ve been told the following presale codes and passwords may work...

Trey Lance trade scenarios: Why would 49ers move on with Purdy health uncertain?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:53 GMT

SANTA CLARA — Trading away Trey Lance seems like a preposterous idea for a team that just ran out of quarterbacks to dash last season’s Super Bowl bid.A week away from the NFL Draft, other teams are at least inquiring about Lance, according to an NFL Network report Wednesday morning.No trade is imminent and the 49ers are “fielding the calls, not making them, with teams aware that Brock Purdy is likely the future star,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport clarified in a Twitter thread.The 49ers just opened their offseason program Monday, with Lance, Purdy and newcomer Sam Darnold in their quarterback stable. Purdy is only 5 1/2 weeks removed from elbow surgery that will keep him sidelined into the summer.Lance figures to serve as QB1 when practices are allowed to start May 1, through the minicamp in mid-June, and likely into training camp, all while being challenged by Darnold, formerly of the New York Jets and the Carolina Panthers.If Lance leaves, it’s Da...

Man who shot Denver boy in stolen car had been accused of impersonation, lying to police

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:53 GMT

The man who police say fatally shot a 12-year-old boy who was in his stolen car was previously arrested in Maryland after the emergency lights on his car drew police attention, according to records obtained by The Denver Post.The Maryland charges, which included impersonating a firefighter and making false statements to police, were dropped. No reason was given.Denver police records identify Jack Reed, 35, as the man who shot and killed 12-year-old Elias Armstrong on Feb. 5 while the boy was in Reed’s stolen car near downtown Denver. Police determined someone in the car fired shots during the confrontation, and said the boy was killed in an “exchange of gunfire.” Denver District Attorney Beth McCann declined to press criminal charges against Reed.Records obtained by the Post show Reed was frustrated by the tepid police response to his stolen vehicle that night, telling dispatchers he was armed and had to act because police would not.Earl Armstrong, Elias’ uncle, said of the shooting...

Broadway hits ‘MJ,’ ‘Mrs. Doubtfire,’ ‘Funny Girl’ headed to SF

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:53 GMT

BroadwaySF has announced its 2023-24 season lineup.Highlights include the pre-Broadway revival of “The Wiz” — which is the first revival of that musical in 40 years — and the smash hit “MJ” based on the life and work of Michael Jackson.Other offerings include the Broadway revival of “Funny Girl,” Marianne Elliot’s Tony-winning version of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s “Company,” the popular “Mrs. Doubtfire” musical and “The Girl From the North Country” featuring the music of Bob Dylan.Rounding out the offerings is a special return engagement of “Disney’s The Lion King.” (Renewing/new BroadwaySF members get immediate first access to purchase tickets.)New subscription packages range from $328-$1,197 and are now available. Subscribers can also renew their accounts now, Subscriptions/memberships are available at broadwaysf.com.Single tickets for individual shows will go on sale at a late...