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Marijuana job lands Oregon Secretary of State in trouble

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:32 GMT

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan is in hot water, with Republican lawmakers calling for her resignation and the Democratic governor seeking investigations because Fagan took a consulting job with a marijuana firm.The matter came to a head Friday after Fagan’s office released an audit of the state’s marijuana regulators, the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission. The audit called for the OLCC to “reform” some rules for marijuana businesses, saying they are “burdens” when combined with federal restrictions on interstate commerce, banking and taxation.Fagan, a Democrat, recused herself from the audit because she is a paid consultant of an affiliate of marijuana retail chain La Mota, Fagan’s spokesman Ben Morris said at a virtual news conference about the audit’s release.La Mota’s co-owner has hosted fundraisers for top Democratic Oregon politicians, including Fagan, while the co-owner, her partner and their business allegedly owe $1.7 million in unpaid bi...

No winning ticket sold for Friday’s $13 million Lotto Max jackpot

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:32 GMT

There was no winning ticket sold in Friday’s Lotto Max $13 million draw.The jackpot for the next draw on May 2 will be an estimated $18 million.The Canadian Press

Oklahoma’s top education official embraces culture wars

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:32 GMT

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — When Oklahoma’s newly elected Republican head of public schools campaigned for the job last fall, he ran on a platform of fighting “woke ideology” in public schools, banning certain books from school libraries, empowering parents with school choice and getting rid of “radical leftists” he claims were indoctrinating children in classrooms across the state.While the political strategy was successful and Ryan Walters won the race for superintendent of public instruction by nearly 15 percentage points, many expected him to pivot toward more substantive education policy: working with lawmakers to improve education outcomes and overseeing the state’s largest — and most-funded — agency.Instead, Walters, a former public school teacher from McAlester, has doubled down on his political rhetoric, focusing his energy on culture-war issues like targeting transgender athletes in schools, banning books and fighting what he calls “Joe Biden’s radical agenda.” In doing so,...

Best available Day 3 draft prospects for Broncos: Not many double ovens left, but “probably a couple dishwashers out there” for Denver to find

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:32 GMT

Before the draft started, Sean Payton outlined one of the basic tenets of picking players by using a kitchen appliance metaphor: Don’t take toaster ovens when there are double ovens available.After trading up twice on Day 2 and heading into Day 3 with only a pair of sixth-round picks — Nos. 183 and 195, to be precise — left in the quiver, what’s a realistic expectation?“I think there’s probably a couple of dishwashers out there,” Payton said.Yeah, it won’t exactly be a thrill-a-minute Saturday on tap for the Broncos. When Payton turned to George Paton and asked what exactly they had left, the general manager said with a hint of disappointment, “a pair of sixths.”And yet, good players remain. Payton outlined the ideal: “If you can address a need and you can draft a higher-quality player, then that’s the utopia you live in. …“Two sixes, though, and look, we just finished looking at the running backs. … Procuring more players and looking at each one through the lens of, ‘Ho...

Avs stave off elimination with Game 6 win at Seattle Kraken, setting up Game 7 on Sunday

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:32 GMT

SEATTLE — Unfriendly greetings thundered in the Avalanche’s ears and an unsightly ending threatened their minds. But vanquishing a champion — no matter how depleted — is not that simple.Before hopping on a charter plane to Seattle, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar reflected that he couldn’t recall a season in his playing or coaching career with obstacles as constant as this. “The adversity for this team has been relentless this year,” he said.The Avalanche staved off their adversity and their elimination for at least one more game Saturday with a 4-1 win at Climate Pledge Arena here Friday night. The Avs and Kraken play a deciding Game 7 Sunday (7:30 p.m. MT) at Ball Arena in this first-round playoff series.“It’s going to be a great atmosphere,” said Artturi Lehkonen, who scored twice in Game 6 to add to his repertoire of clutch goals.Elimination games might feel unfamiliar to the defending champs, but a Game 6 on the road afte...

The Denver Post, other news outlets sue DPS for recording of closed-door meeting after East High shooting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:32 GMT

The Denver Post and five other Colorado news organizations sued Denver Public Schools on Friday, accusing the district’s elected Board of Education of breaking the law by creating public policy in secret the day after a student shot two administrators inside East High School.The lawsuit, filed in Denver District Court, alleges the school board violated the Colorado Open Meetings Law and demands the release of the recording of its closed-door meeting on March 23.The board members met privately for five hours that day before emerging and voting to approve, without discussion, a written memorandum directing Superintendent Alex Marrero to put armed police officers back in Denver high schools as a safety response to the East High shooting.The lawsuit alleges the Board of Education violated state law in two ways. First, board members improperly declared the meeting an executive session because they failed to specify plans to discuss the board’s 2020 policy that removed police ...

Kraken-Avalanche Game 6 Quick Hits: If Cale Makar had to sit game, Jordan Eberle’s cheap shot warrants same punishment

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:32 GMT

Initial observations from the Avalanche’s 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken in Game 6 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series …1. Avs are skating Sunday in Denver. Jordan Eberle shouldn’t.Sunk? Not these Avs. We’ll see you Sunday at Ball Arena … but Jordan Eberle shouldn’t. At all. The Seattle winger laid out Avs veteran Andrew Cogliano at the 17:44 mark of the second period with the hosts trailing 3-1 — a blow that looked familiar to Colorado fans. And it looked familiar because the slamming of a helpless Cogliano, who was taken back to the locker room, looked eerily similar to the shove Cale Makar directed at the Kraken’s Jared McCann back in Game 4. For that last one, Makar, one of the league’s cleaner players, got slapped with a one-game suspension, missing a nip-and-tuck Game 5 that the Avs eventually lost at home by a goal. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety wanted to send a message about justice — and fair play — to Makar. If they let Eberle skate i...

Fentanyl deaths skyrocketing in Southern California, legislators want stricter laws

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:32 GMT

The number of fentanyl-related deaths in California has skyrocketed over the past six years.For comparison, around 230 fentanyl deaths were reported in 2016. Now that number has jumped to nearly 5,800 in 2021 — marking an increase of over 2,000 percent.That alarming number has local leaders and victims’ families speaking out and demanding more legislation, including extra safeguards on social media and stricter penalties for fentanyl dealers."As a mom, this scares the hell out of me,” said Irvine Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris. “As a legislator, I am determined to act."Petrie-Norris is pushing for stiffer penalties for fentanyl dealers caught selling the drug on social media. “The reality is that dealers don't need to lurk in dark street corners or remote parking lots,” said Petrie-Norris. “Now they are connecting with our kids on platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp.” Baby found dead in South El Monte park Irvine Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris speakin...

Teen who disappeared in Orange County found safe

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:32 GMT

A teenage boy who went missing in Irvine on Thursday morning has been found safe on Friday.The teen, 17-year-old Alejandro Xavier Ramirez, was last seen leaving Northwood High School around 8 a.m., according to Irvine police.At around 4:11 p.m., he was possibly seen in Baldwin Park near Ramona Boulevard and Baldwin Park Boulevard. Parents upset over fights breaking out at Riverside schools "Alejandro Ramirez was found safe in Baldwin Park," said police in an update. "Thank you to everyone for your concern."The conditions surrounding the teen's disappearance were not released.

Janitorial services supervisor charged with sexually abusing subordinate at Palo Alto VA hospital

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:32 GMT

PALO ALTO — A supervisor for a janitorial services company is facing charges he sexually abused a subordinate while the two were working at the Palo Alto VA Medical Center, federal authorities said.On Friday, Onofre Salas-Lozano, 40, of Palo Alto, pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse and making a false statement to a government agency.Salas-Lozano and the victim both worked for a janitorial services company that cleans the Palo Alto VA Medical Center, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement.According to an indictment, Salas-Lozano allegedly forced the victim to engage in a sex act at the hospital on July 2, 2021. He was the victim’s direct supervisor at the time.Salas-Lozano is also accused of lying about the alleged sexual abuse during an interview with a VA Office of Inspector General special agent, according to the indictment.The aggravated sexual abuse and sexual abuse charges each carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. If convicted o...