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How schools fought chronic absenteeism over the past year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:43 GMT

(NewsNation) — Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools across the country saw a huge increase in rates of chronic absenteeism where students racked up weeks of unexcused absences. For instance, almost half of the students in Washington, D.C., were considered chronically absent last year. These absences will help compound the impact of learning loss, where students fall behind because they're not getting quality instruction.As students transitioned out of pandemic protocols in 2023, educators and administrators got creative to bring down these high rates of absenteeism and return students to the classroom. Home visitsPonus Ridge STEAM Academy Middle School in Connecticut reduced chronic absenteeism from 32% during the 2021-2022 school year to around 10% the following year.They got there by streamlining their system for parent communication, which included home visits to families where children had seen many days out of school. ‘Crisis of vacancies’: Nevada teachers won’t ...

$2M winning lottery ticket sold in north Austin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:43 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A winning $2 million Texas Powerball ticket was sold in Austin, according to Texas Lottery.In Wednesday's drawing, there was one winner who got five out of five numbers correct with Power Pay, which doubles winnings. The winning numbers were: 3, 8, 41, 56, 64, and the Powerball number was 18. Almost 2,000 Texans have won more than $1 million in state lottery history The ticket was sold at Winners Corner TX LLC, located at 7817 Rockwood Lane Suite 101B.The next drawing will be held Saturday, with an estimated annuitized jackpot of $535 million, which has an estimated cash value of $257.6 million.

ERCOT CEO: Power grid 'ready and reliable' ahead of winter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:43 GMT

Editor’s note: The above video shows KXAN’s morning headlines for Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023.HOUSTON (Nexstar) — State and industry leaders assured Texans on Thursday morning that the state's energy grid is sufficient for the cold months ahead, comforting concerns still lingering among many Texans since the devastating blackout of 2021."The power grid is as ready and reliable as it has ever been for the winter season," Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) CEO Pablo Vegas said. "We have more generating and dispatchable resources available to the grid than we have had in any prior winter in history. So we are ready for that." Virtual power plants to provide power to ERCOT grid for the first time, PUCT says Vegas said ERCOT has performed more than 1,500 inspections of power plants in the last two years and expect to complete 500 more this winter."The power plants are ready," he said.Gov. Greg Abbott echoed that confidence, saying Texas is "better prepared than we've ever been" ...

City looks to provide financial assistance for additional dwelling units

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:43 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin City Council passed a resolution Thursday that directs the City Manager and his staff to explore options that would give financial assistance to low and moderate-income homeowners who are renovating their home or adding an additional dwelling unit. This resolution comes a week after council passed phase 1 of the H.O.M.E. initiative which now allows people to build up to three structures on a single-family lot. The resolution calls for access to down payment assistance for Austinites who qualify. What is the HOME initiative? What to know about Austin’s latest push for more housing The resolution was brought forward by district 3 council member José Velásquez. His resolution also directs the Manager to come back next year with an update on two prior resolutions that deal with ADUs. "I am very proud of the work this dais has accomplished and the sense of urgency we've moved to make Austin more affordable for all," Velásquez said before the vote Thursday. "Thi...

Texas men charged in Roseville ATM ‘hook and chain’ heist, a growing problem across the U.S.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:43 GMT

Five Texas men are accused of using a stolen pickup and a chain to yank an ATM from its foundation outside a Roseville bank early Tuesday in a heist that was foiled by an alarm and an officer who pulled up to the scene.Law enforcement and banking security officials say these “hook and chain attacks” are gaining in popularity among thieves in the U.S. and rising to unprecedented numbers.Roseville Deputy Police Chief Joe Adams said Thursday the FBI is among law enforcement agencies working to see whether the Roseville suspects are tied to a Texas-based organized group known as the “Hook and Chain Gang” carrying out the thefts across the U.S.“The hard part is going to be whether these five guys are the gang or whether there are like 100 guys doing this,” Adams said.In the Roseville attack, one suspect was captured after he sped away from Great Southern Bank, across from Rosedale Center, in the stolen pickup and crashed. The others were tracked back to a nearby h...

St. Paul Coastal Seafoods moving, adding dive bar and classrooms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:43 GMT

Coastal Seafoods’ St. Paul location is moving a few blocks down to 286 S. Snelling Ave., and the new location will feature a dive bar as well as an enhanced market.The market is set to open Monday, but the bar, which will be called Coastal Dive Bar and Oyster Palace, won’t be ready for service until sometime in January, said Keane Amdahl, Coastal’s director of culinary marketing and retail operations.The historic, stand-alone building dates to 1907 and has been fully renovated. Front and center will be the new market, which will sport a new lobster tank, a case for dry-aging fish and other new equipment, Amdahl said.The back of the first-floor space will house the bar, which will seat about 30 inside. There will also be a “big patio for spring, summer and fall,” Amdahl said. Upstairs, there will be classroom space for seafood-centric classes.The menu at the bar and restaurant will be similar to what Coastal Seafoods sells from a little counter-service operation at its Minneapolis lo...

Men charged with killing 3,600 birds, including bald and golden eagles, to sell on black market

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:43 GMT

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Two men killed about 3,600 birds, including bald and golden eagles, during a “killing spree” on Montana’s Flathead Indian Reservation and elsewhere, then sold eagle parts on a black market that has been a long-running problem for U.S. wildlife officials, a federal grand jury indictment says.The men worked with others to hunt and kill the birds, according to the indictment, and in at least one instance used a dead deer to lure in an eagle that was shot. The two defendants conspired with others who weren’t named to sell eagle feathers, tails, wings and other parts for “significant sums of cash” across the United States and elsewhere, the indictment said.Simon Paul, 42, of St. Ignatius, Montana and Travis John Branson, 48, of Cusick, Washington, face 13 counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and one count each of conspiracy and violating wildlife trafficking laws.Text messages obtained by investigators s...

Things to do in the Capital Region this weekend: December 15-17

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:43 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The weekend is almost here! From Disney on Ice to Saratoga SantaCon to holiday performances, there are quite a few things happening on December 15, 16, and 17. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! Here are some of the events going on around the Capital Region this weekend.Friday, December 15Disney on Ice, MVP Arena in Albany, 7 p.m. You can buy tickets on the Ticketmaster website.Adirondack Thunder vs. Newfoundland Growlers, Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls, 7 p.m. You can buy tickets on the Seat Geek website.Jared Freid, Albany Funny Bone in Crossgates Mall, 7:30 p.m. You can buy tickets on the Funny Bone website.The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Cohoes Music Hall, 7 p.m. You can buy tickets on the Cohoes Music Hall website.Miracle on 34th Street by Classic Theater Guild, Proctors Theatre in Schenectady, 7:30 p.m. You can buy tickets on the Proctors website.Million Dollar Quartet Christmas, Capital Repertory Theatr...

Nursing home escape leads to sweet adventure at 'The Fountain'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:43 GMT

ST. LOUIS - One woman's lunch Wednesday at a St. Louis eatery led to an unexpected twist of holiday joy. Staff members at "The Fountain" helped the woman reunite with her caretaker after she briefly escaped her nursing home and also sent her home with some free goodies. Danni Eickenhorst, owner of "The Fountain on Locust," shared more about the heartwarming experience via Twitter. Asian elephant ‘Raja’ leaving St. Louis Zoo Eickenhorst says that staff members received a phone call Wednesday to check on one customer at the restaurant. They learned that one nursing home caretaker was checking on a woman who disappeared and left behind a note that read: "You can find me at The Fountain."The manager confirmed the woman was sitting alone in a booth in the back, and she seemed in good spirits. A nice holiday gesture followed. "Her caretaker came up, and instead of taking her home and ruining her lunch, she came and sat down with her," said Eickenhorst in a phone call with FOX 2. "They...

Broomfield High junior, 2nd person killed in crash near school

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:43 GMT

A junior at Broomfield High School and a second person died Tuesday in a car crash that happened near the school during the school day.The multi-vehicle crash happened in the area of Main Street and Miramonte Boulevard, the Broomfield Police Department reported at 1:47 p.m. Tuesday on X.In a letter sent Wednesday to students and families, Broomfield High School Principal Ginger Ramsey said Riordan Powell, a student at both Broomfield High and the Boulder Technical Education Center, died in the crash.The other person who died has not been publicly identified. Another person was injured and taken to a hospital, police said.It is not clear who was driving when the crash happened or how many cars were involved.Broomfield police did not immediately respond Thursday to questions about the crash.Police said the Adams County coroner will identify the other person killed.The Boulder Valley School District’s trauma team and counselors were available to students, faculty and staff.Relate...