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Soucheray: Does the DFL’s budget plan really reflect our values?

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:25:00 GMT

It’s all but official that the DFL plans to spend the $17.9 billion surplus, as feared, resulting in a new and fattened state budget of not $52 billion, but roughly $70 billion. That means that at least almost $18 billion on top of what we were to have generated has to be generated every year from now until we all melt from catastrophic climate change.Whatever they dream up to swallow the new windfall will never go away.They are tearing through money up on that hill like they won a lottery. They did, with your money. Just like that they bloated the government with unimaginable consequences, well, except inevitable tax increases to cover the bloat. The governor said that the budget increase is the result of compromise and that it reflects Minnesota’s values.Who did you compromise with, governor? Your party owns the House and the Senate and your office. And let’s talk about values. Touting values makes the presumption that your wild and irresponsible spending improves our lives, that ...

Working Strategies: A quick primer on informational interviews

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:25:00 GMT

Amy LindgrenIf you’re thinking about changing careers, or if you’re trying to make decisions about your first career out of school, now is a good time to think about informational interviews. As a working definition, these are one-on-one conversations between a not-yet job candidate and a more experienced person in the candidate’s field of interest.In this process, the candidate is “not yet” because he or she hasn’t yet confirmed the decision to search for these types of jobs. That’s the point of the conversation — to provide information that would inform the decision or guide the next steps.Before starting, it’s good to clear up some common misunderstandings. For example, although informational interviewing is often described as a type of networking, or as a job search step, it’s really neither.It’s not job search because, well, it’s just not. When you ask to learn more about someone’s work, it’s not cool to use the meeting to ask for a job. That said, if you decide later tha...

Movie review: ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ delivers with sublime action, locales

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:25:00 GMT

The nearly three-hour fairy tale of firearms that is “John Wick: Chapter 4” is a sprawling, Shakespearean orgy of violence, a salute to stunt choreographers, and a return to the original film’s roots — at the heart of the matter, it is the fundamentally the story of a duel, and a dog.For four bloody installments, Keanu Reeves has played the sorrowful, taciturn assassin John Wick, directed by his former stunt double Chad Stahelski, who has proven to be quite the cinematic stylist. Together, these two have offered up a completely unique blockbuster action franchise, one that dares to be somber, centering the doleful Reeves as the grieving John Wick. It also dares to embrace bold aesthetics — color, style, production design and location shooting — which feels downright revolutionary in the age of endless greenscreen and computer-generated landscapes.These films are long on style, but narrative complexity is not on the menu here — the “John Wick” films are merely conduits for long dream...

This is the time-to-crime rate for firearms in St. Louis.

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:25:00 GMT

The average time between the purchase of a gun and its recovery from a crime scene has gotten shorter in recent years, 2023 data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives shows.This span of time, known as 'time-to-crime,' is used to gauge levels of criminal intent in the purchase of firearms, as well as to deduce where hubs of gun trafficking are located. A shorter time-to-crime indicates that weapons were likely purchased with criminal intent and might be objects of firearms trafficking.The ATF traces firearms in order to aid law enforcement in generating suspect leads when guns are used in crimes, as well as to ascertain how and where guns are moved. To do this, members of law enforcement must voluntarily submit trace requests to the ATF, which can evaluate a gun's place of manufacture and where it was first purchased.Because not all guns recovered during crimes are reported to the ATF—some police departments report more consistently than others—the accuracy of ...

Grading the Week: Northern Colorado’s Andrew Alirez proves there’s no place like home

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:25:00 GMT

Find someone who loves you like Andrew Alirez loves Greeley.A world-class wrestler who had the eye of several college wrestling powerhouses after winning his fourth state title for Greeley Central in 2019, Alirez instead opted to stay home and help build something at Northern Colorado.Four years later, after claiming the 141-pound national title last Saturday night in Tulsa — the program’s first since the 1960s — Alirez has taken the UNC Bears to a level they haven’t seen in decades.The Grading the Week staff can’t help but stand up and applaud.Andrew Alirez — A+The way Alirez did it, with a six-point move in the second period that came just as he appeared to be on the brink of disaster, would’ve been good enough for us. But to then throw “G-Town” a shout-out within 40 seconds of his post-match interview on ESPN melted our hearts.Half of the enjoyment that comes from the NCAA Division I wrestling championships is luxuriating in the int...

Teachers press school safety at Colorado Capitol in wake of East High shooting

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:25:00 GMT

Colorado teachers flooded into the state Capitol Friday to press for better protections for students and school staff after a 17-year-old Denver student shot two administrators, fled to the mountains and killed himself.Roughly 1,500 teachers and their supporters called for improved school security, more mental health support and tighter gun control measures, adding to pressure on lawmakers a day after students and parents converged at the Capitol to make similar demands.School shootings are becoming increasingly frequent in the U.S., and teachers at the rally voiced the fears they feel during safety lockdowns that are now regular occurrences.They also raised questions about the circumstances surrounding Wednesday’s shooting at East High School, which came as the boy was being patted down for weapons, a daily requirement because of his behavioral issues including a pending firearm charge, according to school officials.Some East High School teachers at Friday’s rally said they did not...

Record-breaking Powerball winner double dips, purchases second luxury home: report

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:25:00 GMT

As reported by Dirt.com, Powerball winner Edwin Castro purchased a 5-bed, 5-bath home located on the 2100 block of Midlothian Drive in Altadena, California. (KTLA)As reported by Dirt.com, Powerball winner Edwin Castro purchased a 5-bed, 5-bath home located on the 2100 block of Midlothian Drive in Altadena, California. (KTLA)As reported by Dirt.com, Powerball winner Edwin Castro purchased a 5-bed, 5-bath home located on the 2100 block of Midlothian Drive in Altadena, California. (KTLA)Just days after closing on a mansion in the Hollywood Hills, the winner of the largest Powerball jackpot in history has purchased another luxury home to the tune of about $4 million.Earlier this month, Edwin Castro purchased the Hollywood Hills luxury complex for $25.5 million. According to Dirt.com, which was the first publication to identify Castro as the mansion's new owner, Castro apparently was not done shopping.The man who purchased the $2 billion winning lottery ticket from a gas station in Altad...

Driver left with costly insurance bill following alleged car crash scam

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:25:00 GMT

A Southern California driver was left with a sky-high insurance bill after he claimed a Yucaipa man crashed into his vehicle intentionally.“He knows what he’s doing and he knows how to not be at fault for them,” said Jeremy Perales, a victim who said he was struck by the suspect, Christopher Phelps, 40.Christopher, along with his wife, Kimberly, 40, were arrested on Wednesday and accused of intentionally causing car crashes that were posted on a YouTube channel.The couple is accused of causing collisions in an attempt to collect fraudulent insurance payouts, according to the California Department of Insurance.A YouTube channel under the name “BLU3 GHO57" allegedly housed around 162 videos of “vehicle collisions, attempted or near collisions, road rage incidents, and other content involving the couple,” officials said.It was in April 2022 when Perales said his insurance premium shot up after an accident involving Christopher.A rear dashcam video of the crash was posted on Christopher...

LAUSD, union workers reach 'historic' deal after 3-day strike

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:25:00 GMT

A tentative deal was reached Friday to end a labor dispute involving the Los Angeles Unified School District and tens of thousands of union workers who staged a three-day strike this week, the district announced.The deal includes a series of retroactive raises going back to 2021 as well as pay bumps this coming July and January that will collectively hike worker pay by about 30%, said Max Arias, executive director of SEIU Local 99.The deal also sets the district's minimum wage at $22.52; provides a one-time $1,000 raise for any worker who was employed in 2020 in appreciation of their work during the COVID-19 pandemic; and creates a $3 million educational and professional development fund for union members, district Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said at a news conference.The tentative agreement will be moved to union members to vote on its approval. "This week, the eyes of our entire nation were on the cooks, custodians and classroom aides who make education possible in Los Angeles...

Gusty winds, dry weather for the weekend; rain returns next week 

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:25:00 GMT

Southern California will see a respite from the persistent rain this weekend, but the dry conditions will be accompanied by strong winds, according to the National Weather Service. Wind gusts of up to 55 mph are expected in wind-prone areas such as the Interstate 5 corridor and Antelope Valley. The gusty northerly winds will most likely make their way into some coastal areas, and will stick around through the weekend and into Monday.  “Hazardous driving conditions, downed trees and power outages are possible,” said NWS. A wind advisory is in effect for Northern Ventura and Los Angeles counties until 9 a.m. on Sunday. Another storm that will bring more rain and mountain snow will hit the area on Wednesday. Those showers will continue into Thursday, with drier conditions for Southern California by Friday. “It will be pretty heavy at times,” said KTLA meteorologist Kacey Montoya. “The shower activity will be lightening up quite a bit on Thursday, but still a chance of rain i...