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Breakout performances make ‘Radical’ soar

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:10:17 GMT

A “To Sir with Love” for a new generation, Mexican drama “Radical” from writer-director Christopher Zalla (“Blood of My Blood”) features an award-worthy turn by superb lead actor Eugenio Derbez as an idealistic teacher of disadvantaged children and break-out turns by several members of its youthful cast. The film, based on a Wired article, tells the tale of Sergio Juarez Correa (Derbez), a sixth-grade teacher at Jose Urbina Lopez Primary School in Matamoros, Mexico in 2011, where gangs employ and recruit school-age boys. Heavily-armed soldiers maintain checkpoints, and schools are in decline.On his first day at a new post, Sergio runs afoul of the principal whose first name is Chucho (a fine Daniel Haddad), as well as a jaded fellow teacher. Some of Sergio’s students are experiencing “pubertad.” Others look more like children. In spite of her diminutive size, Lupe (a fiery Mia Fernanda Solis) is cook and caregiver at her home, where her mother has just had another baby. Sergio...

Editorial: New House Speaker on to something with debt commission

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:10:17 GMT

Getting the nation’s soaring debt under control should be a national priority. But many special-interest groups don’t agree.Last week, newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson told his colleagues that he would soon hold a vote on forming a bipartisan commission to study the nation’s fiscal trajectory.“The greatest threat to our national security is our nation’s debt,” he said. “We know this is not going to be an easy task, and tough decisions will have to be made. But the consequences if we don’t act now are unbearable. We have a duty to the American people to explain this to them so they understand it well. And we’re going to establish a bipartisan debt commission to begin working on this crisis immediately.”The speaker’s comments exude common sense. The deficit this past fiscal year hit $2 trillion. The debt has soared past $33.7 trillion. The interest payments on the debt now exceed defense spending and will continue to crowd out other priorities. Simply borrowing more money to f...

Dear Abby: She wants to outlaw in-laws for holidays

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:10:17 GMT

Dear Abby: My daughter’s in-laws have no place to go on holidays. They have two children, but haven’t spoken to one of them in several years, so my son-in-law is their only family close by.I enjoy entertaining and having family over, but I really don’t care for their company. It’s a different vibe when they’re here because her father-in-law, “Sam,” and my husband drink too much and talk politics (both activities I avoid). They know how I feel, but make comments behind my back, thinking I don’t hear them.My husband loves their company and goes out often with my son-in-law and Sam. My daughter understands how I feel. She doesn’t like to cook or entertain, but will host a holiday once in a while. However, it doesn’t solve the problem, because I end up doing a lot of the work and I miss not entertaining in my own home. Please advise. — Catch-22 in New YorkDear Catch-22: I’m not sure why you feel it’s your resp...

University of San Diego launches Master's program in restorative justice

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:10:17 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A new Master's program is coming to the University of San Diego that will be the first of its kind in California.A graduate program in restorative justice -- called the Master of Arts Restorative Justice Facilitation and Leadership -- is set to be launched within the university's School of Leadership and Education Sciences in the fall 2024 semester.The 17-month program will be one of only four that center the alternative criminal justice approach across the U.S. Southwestern College raises Filipino flag As opposed to the traditional punitive approach, restorative justice uses a collaborative method to address harmful incidents, seeking to examine its impact and then determine what can be done to repair it while also holding the person who caused it accountable for their actions."Restorative justice is a much needed approach to harm and conflict in our highly divided society," said Dr. David Karp, director of the USD Center for Restorative Justice in the School of Lead...

St. Paul Academy advances to state championship; beats Holy Family in overtime

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:10:17 GMT

The St. Paul Academy and Summit Spartans defeated the Holy Family Catholic Fire 2-1 in overtime in the Class A boys state soccer tournament semifinals Wednesday night.The first 40 minutes were mostly a battle of defenses, with only two goals total being scored between the two teams in regulation. The only goal of the half came from St. Paul Academy’s Liam Sullivan in the 24th minute to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead, which they carried into halftime.The second half had a lot of the same defense-focused strategies from both teams. Holy Family tied the game at one apiece with a goal from senior Jas Czeneszew in the 53rd minute. Both teams’ defenses remained strong for the rest of the half, with the game staying tied at one for the remainder of regulation.Knotted at one, the two teams entered sudden death in the overtime periods. With one minute left to play in the first overtime period, the fate-sealing goal was scored by St. Paul junior Ethan Peltier in the 89th minute, giving the Spar...

Ivan Prosvetov stars in first Avalanche start, helps halt brief losing streak

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:10:17 GMT

One of the biggest question marks for the Colorado Avalanche when the 2023-24 season began: Could the club find someone to help out Alexandar Georgiev in net?It took a while for him to get his chance, but Ivan Prosvetov’s first impression was certainly a strong one. Prosvetov stopped 27 shots in a 4-1 win Wednesday night against the St. Louis Blues to help the Avs end a two-game losing streak.Georgiev started the first eight games of the season, but coach Jared Bednar said it might be time to give him a breather Tuesday, and then tabbed Prosvetov as the starter the following day. This wasn’t a particularly sharp performance from the rest of the Avs, particularly for stretches in the first two periods, but Prosvetov looked locked in for a guy who had a little more than eight minutes of action this season.“I knew my job coming in here,” Prosvetov said. “They told me I have to be patient, and I was. I was in the backup spot last year, so I know how to take...

At least 1 hospitalized after officer-involved shooting outside popular Calabasas bar

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:10:17 GMT

Authorities are responding to an officer-involved shooting outside Sagebrush Cantina in Calabasas on Wednesday night.The shooting happened shortly before 8 p.m. at the popular restaurant and bar located at 23527 Calabasas Rd. in the historic Old Town area.At least one person was transported to the hospital, police confirm. Officers first responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon.Video from the scene showed a large police and emergency crew presence in the restaurant's outdoor patio area and outside the business.“I was in my truck and all of a sudden I see LAPD police cars come in and they said through their loudspeaker, ‘Everybody get inside, lock your doors!’,” a witness, who was not identified, told KTLA. “They were chasing somebody and I believe somebody ran across the parking lot. Then I heard gunshots as I was transitioning inside to the restaurant.”Police repsonded to an officer-involved shooting outside the Sagebrush Cantina in Calabasas on Nov. 1, 2023. (KTLA)P...

Canters Deli in Fairfax District hit with antisemitic graffiti

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:10:17 GMT

L.A. police are investigating a possible hate crime after antisemitic graffiti was found in the parking lot of an iconic Jewish delicatessen in the Fairfax District Wednesday morning, authorities confirmed to KTLA.  Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to the 400 block of Fairfax Avenue at around 10:40 a.m. on reports of the hateful messages sprayed across the building.  A photograph of the graffiti in the Canters Deli parking lot showed three different areas beneath a mural depicting Jewish history in L.A. defaced with phrases that read, “Israels only religion is capitalism,” “How many dead in the name of greed?” and “Free Gaza.”  Antisemitic graffiti seen on a wall at Canters Deli that depicts local Jewish history on Nov. 1, 2023. (@TheGussreport)Sandie Sampson-Stellavato and her husband Chris had come to Canters for some comfort and and were disturbed to learn that that landmark had been the victim of a possible hate crime. "There's so much antisemitism ...

Second-ever case of local dengue virus reported in Southern California

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:10:17 GMT

Long Beach health officials confirmed the city’s first case of locally-acquired dengue fever on Wednesday.The virus is a mosquito-borne disease that is typically connected to those who have traveled outside of the country.Long Beach’s case marks the state’s second locally-acquired case without travel. The first-ever case was confirmed in October 2023 after a Pasadena resident contracted it and was hospitalized.Both the Long Beach and Pasadena residents had no history of traveling to a region where dengue is common, officials said. Both patients have since recovered and no other suspected cases have been identified, health officials said.Dengue is a disease caused by a virus that spreads through mosquito bites, according to the L.A. County Department of Health.“When a mosquito bites someone with dengue virus in their blood, that mosquito can then spread the virus to others,” city officials said.Most people who are infected with the dengue virus have no symptoms, but about 1 in 4 infe...

Klay Thompson drains last-second jumper as Warriors sneak out win over Kings

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:10:17 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — This one had all the makings of a “trap game,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before tipoff Wednesday.His team was bleary eyed. Their opponents, the Sacramento Kings, were missing their star guard, De’Aaron Fox. It would be easy to overlook this one-off home game sandwiched between trips to New Orleans and Oklahoma City and five more games away from Chase Center.Despite all those factors, together with an off-night for Steph Curry, the Warriors prevailed, 102-101, to earn their first win in front of their home fans.It took until the the 6-minute mark of the second quarter for Curry to make his second shot from the field, but he finished with a team-high 21 points. Down 1 with less than a minute to play, Curry crossed over behind his back and converted an acrobatic go-ahead layup.But it took the heroics of Klay Thompson to seal the victory after Damontas Sabonis answered with a bank-shot jumper. Two tenths of a second were left on the clock when Thom...