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Superintendent Skipper says exam school admissions changes are being ‘actively looked at’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:59:59 GMT

After months of back and forth between parents, BPS officials and school committee members, Superintendent Mary Skipper said the district is actively looking into “incremental” changes to alter the controversial policy at Wednesday night’s school committee meeting.“The Chair, Vice Chair and yourself have been clear that you would like us to look for a change, be it incremental,” Skipper answered Committee member Brandon Cardet-Hernandez’s inquiry into next steps for the exam school admissions. “And so the team is actively doing that.”The exam school admissions policy alterations kicked off for the 2023-24 school year, implementing complex changes aiming to increase diversity and opportunity within the schools. Wednesday’s update follows the release of a BPS memo on the data and history of the policy change at the previous committee meeting.In addition to GPA and exam scores, the new policy grants students in situations like homel...

Celtics’ Jaylen Brown cleared to play vs. Grizzlies following injury scare

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:59:59 GMT

Jaylen Brown was cleared to play in Sunday’s game against the Grizzlies after the Celtics star suffered a mild right adductor strain in Friday’s win over the Raptors.In the final seconds of Friday’s victory, Brown slipped on the court and walked away gingerly. He blamed the new special In-Season Tournament court at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, which caused several players to slip throughout Friday’s game.“I think, as players, we’re all here for the In-Season Tournament because it’s going to generate revenue, excitement, competition, but we’ve got to make sure the floor is safe to play on,” Brown told reporters in Toronto after Friday’s win. “We can’t put our players out there and risk their health.“Tonight, I thought the floor was unacceptable. I think guys were slipping all over the place, not just me.”Brown told reporters in Memphis that he had an MRI that confirmed the injury wasn’t serious. It’s unclear if he’ll play in both games of the Celtics’ back-to-back, ...

Man in 40s arrested after 12-year-old girl sexually assaulted on TTC bus in Scarborough

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:59:59 GMT

A Toronto man is facing charges after he allegedly sexually assaulted a girl on a TTC bus in Scarborough last week.Officers were called to the area of Pharmacy Avenue and Finch Avenue East around 3:10 p.m. on Wednesday for reports of an assault.Toronto police allege a 12-year-old girl got onto a TTC bus in the area and was sexaully assaulted by a man on board as she walked past him.Police have arrested 42-year-old Celestino Liscio, of Toronto, and charged him with sexual interference and sexual assault.He is scheduled to appear in a Toronto courtroom in January.

Chicago LGBTQ+ groups honor trans & gender non-conforming people who have lost their lives

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:59:59 GMT

CHICAGO — Three LGBTQ+ groups paid tribute to transgender and gender non-conforming people who lost their lives due to violence and discrimination this year. The organizations co-hosted an event in the West Loop on Sunday to honor the memories of those lost and uplift the community ahead of Transgender Day of Remembrance on Monday."It’s also a time for us to remember our fallen trans siblings this year," said Jae Rice from Brave Space Alliance, a Black and trans-led LGBTQ center on the South Side. Stevenson students help peers in Africa learn how to use technology It was over a decade ago when Rice said he became his true self. "There’s a lot of misinformation and There’s a lot of bigotry that’s been emboldened lately, so this is why we have events like this, so that people can see the humanity in us and to see that we actually have a community that loves and supports and cares for each other," Rice said. Sunday's event celebrated those who are thriving and honored the long l...

Wandering moose continues central Minnesota trek to stardom

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:59:59 GMT

Rut the moose photographed on public property Tuesday, Nov. 14, “just outside of Sauk Centre.” (Contributed / Danielle Magnuson)SAUK CENTRE — The wandering moose who has appeared on more screens in west central Minnesota than any other moose since Bullwinkle of television cartoon fame continues his trek to stardom.In the past week, the Central MN Moose on the Loose Facebook group dedicated to tracking the wandering moose has posted images and sightings of the young bull in the Sauk Centre and Melrose areas. Three days ago, he was spotted near the Sauk Centre airport, and the more recent sightings indicate he remains in the area.He’s been given names ranging from Rut to Bullwinkle. Photographs indicate he is a young bull, quite likely a yearling.The most recent Facebook postings indicate concern that he will need to cross Interstate 94 if he remains on his current, northerly trajectory.“Rut” the moose walks southward along the east shore of Green Lake in rural...

Prolonged drought still bringing trouble for lower Mississippi River

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:59:59 GMT

An extended drought is causing low water levels in key shipping channels like the Mississippi River, and officials trying to address the problems say the fix is out of their hands.“Rain across the Mississippi River Valley is really what we need, and in the Ohio River Valley, the Missouri River Valley,” Matt Roe, a spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers, said this month.But the National Weather Service is forecasting little to no rain and a continuing drop in water levels in the Lower Mississippi River until at least early December.A truck reverses to get loaded with fertilizer coming from a barge on the Mississippi River in Finley, Tennessee, in the US South, on October 11, 2023. For the second straight year this largest North American river has sunken to record low levels amid ongoing drought, leaving the majestic Mississippi as a mere shadow of its former self.From the Great Lakes in the north to Louisiana in the south, plants are taking over newly exposed river banks. Salt wat...

Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson misses sixth straight game with hamstring injury

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:59:59 GMT

DENVER — Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson is getting close to returning from his hamstring injury. He’s just not going to do that until he’s back at 100 percent.After initially listing him as questionable, the Vikings downgraded Jefferson to out leading up to Sunday’s road game against the Denver Broncos. It marked the sixth straight game the 24-year-old receiver has missed since suffering his hamstring injury last month.The fact that Jefferson sat out wasn’t surprising considering the way he has slowly progressed through the recovery process over the past couple of weeks. Though he has started to ramp things up in practice, Jefferson still has not been a full participant since being designated for return from injured reserve.There’s no doubt the Vikings have been exercising caution with Jefferson as they prepare for the stretch run. They have reiterated they won’t rush him back, and while they could activate him next week before hosti...

Woman dies in St. Louis County crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:59:59 GMT

BLACKJACK, Mo. -- A fatal car crash at Jerries Lane and Parker Road has left one dead and two injured. Responding to a call at 10:51 AM, officers found that a Chevy Equinox had veered off Parker Road, striking a speed limit sign. The driver collided head-on with another vehicle.The passenger in the second vehicle died from her to injuries at the hospital. The driver of that vehicle is being treated for serious injuries, while the Equinox driver is in critical condition.The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information can contact St. Louis County Police at 636-529-8210.

Nuggets can’t overcome Nikola Jokic’s foul trouble against Cavaliers, lose fourth consecutive road game

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:59:59 GMT

CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers were missing two of their three leading scorers, but then again, the Nuggets were missing their two best players, it turned out.That wasn’t the plan, but it’s how a 121-109 loss to the depleted Cavs unraveled Sunday. Already missing the hamstring-strained Jamal Murray, the Nuggets were battling uphill against Nikola Jokic’s foul trouble all night as they erased one double-digit deficit but failed to overcome another. The result was their fourth consecutive road loss and their first time losing back-to-back games since Games 3 and 4 of their second-round playoff series to Phoenix in May.Donovan Mitchell, inescapably intertwined with Murray ever since their electrifying battles in the 2020 bubble, fittingly missed the game with an identical injury to the same ankle, while Caris LeVert was also ruled out before tip. Without them, the Cavaliers were still more than capable against the defending champions, led by 26 points from point guar...

A few wobbles aside, the Avalanche is a destructive force of nature in third periods this season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:59:59 GMT

NASHVILLE — The Colorado Avalanche are the kings of the NHL in the third period so far this season.That feels like a very weird sentence to digest, given the two embarrassing losses to Vegas and St. Louis, the latter of which included coach Jared Bednar calling his club’s third period against the Blues the worst he’s seen among the 500-plus in his tenure.But it is irrefutably correct, as of Sunday morning. After decimating Dallas in the third period Saturday night during a 6-3 comeback win, Colorado led the league in total third-period goals with 28 and on a per-game basis at 1.75. Only three clubs had allowed fewer than the 13 goals the Avs have yielded in the final period.Colorado has a plus-15 goal differential in the third — no other team is better than plus-9.“Maybe we feel a little guilty for coming out slow, you know?” Avs forward Fredrik Olofsson said. “We talk about wanting to come out with a good start, but we stuck with it. Maybe it’s a...