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Diversity initiatives within Missouri agencies run into GOP attack on ‘woke’ government

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:51 GMT

High employee turnover has plagued Missouri’s Department of Social Services for years.The department’s staffing woes have contributed to a range of problems — from foster children languishing in state care for longer than they should be to disabled residents waiting months to receive federal food benefits to investigators unable to keep up with child abuse and neglect complaints.Gov. Mike Parson dispatched one of his top lieutenants — his former deputy chief of staff, Robert Knodell — to the agency in 2021 to address the long list of challenges, top among them employee morale and retention. In a November presentation to the governor’s cabinet, Knodell zeroed in on one retention measure he believes has proven especially promising.The “Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging” group that the department formed in 2020.According to Knodell’s presentation slides during the cabinet meeting, obtained by The Independent through a Sunshine Law request, more than 400 employees had participated...

Posthumous pardon sought for Black man executed in 1908 in Illinois

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:51 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Joe James, a Black man, was asleep under a tree when he was grabbed, beaten and then arrested for the murder of a white man in Springfield, Illinois.Before he was put on trial and later executed, a white mob seeking vengeance for the crime James was accused of committing took out its hate and anger on other Black people in the state capital.The 1908 race riot left Black-owned businesses and homes looted and burned. At least two other Black men were lynched weeks before an all-white jury convened in the aftermath of the violence found James guilty, according to legal teams petitioning for a pardon 114 years after the fact. Their argument: The jury was racially prejudiced and James did not receive a fair trial.The riot and its aftermath fueled the formation a year later of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.“James’ factual innocence is not the focus of this petition, because the passage of time and the destruction of evidence have m...

Ozark Schools on lockdown, several districts report false threats

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:51 GMT

OZARK, Mo. - On Monday, March 27, at about 2:25 pm Ozark School District announced on Facebook that the school is on lockdown after a "shot's fired" report was received and all students and staff are being evacuated while police investigate.The Ozark Police Department and Christian County Sheriff's Office said that all roads to the High School are closed until the investigation is complete."All buildings in Ozark School District are on lockdown procedures after being given notice of a possible threat. Safety & security are always our top priority & we are following our proper lockdown procedures. We will keep you posted as more information is available," the announcement reads. 3 children, 3 adults killed by female shooter at Nashville school, police say; shooter also killed "All Ozark buildings will remain in lockdown until given the all clear from OPD and CCSD. Due to the lockdown all buses will be running behind. Dismissal instructions will follow," reads an update from...

What we know about the next storm headed for Southern California

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:51 GMT

Enjoy the warm, dry weather while you can. Another storm is headed for Southern California with rain in the forecast starting late Tuesday and continuing through Thursday."A cold storm system originating from the Gulf of Alaska will bring rain and mountain snow to the region ... followed by showers and unsettled weather," meteorologists with the National Weather Service office in Los Angeles said.Coastal areas and valleys can expect .50 to one inch of rain with higher amounts in the foothills and mountains. Interactive California Weather Coverage "The storm will come in two waves," said KTLA weather anchor Kacey Montoya. "We'll get a break in the rain late Wednesday, and then by Thursday we'll see more heavy rain."In addition to the rain, five to ten inches of snow is expected in the mountains above 5,000 feet, the NWS said. Light snow is also possible through lower mountain passes. Temperatures are expected to drop significantly. After high temps in the upper 60s and low 70s on ...

Homes evacuated after landslide in Pacific Palisades

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:51 GMT

A hillside collapsed in the Pacific Palisades Sunday evening, sending a wall of earth crashing into a home.The landslide occurred around 7:30 p.m. in the 900 block of Las Lomas Avenue, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.Sky5 footage shows a roughly 100-foot by 200-foot section of the hill gave way in the backyard of one home and slid into the house below.Sky5 video showed a roughly 100-foot by 200-foot section of the hill gave way in the backyard of a home and slid into the single-family home below in Pacific Palisades on March 27, 2023. (KTLA)Sky5 video showed a roughly 100-foot by 200-foot section of the hill gave way in the backyard of a home and slid into the single-family home below in Pacific Palisades on March 27, 2023. (KTLA)Sky5 video showed a roughly 100-foot by 200-foot section of the hill gave way in the backyard of a home and slid into the single-family home below in Pacific Palisades on March 27, 2023. (KTLA)Sky5 video showed a roughly 100-foot by 200-...

The Top 7 Web3 Podcasts

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:51 GMT

As banks run, Facebook builds the metaverse, artists find new markets, and gaming companies double down on in-game assets, it’s still vital to stay up-to-date with the development of Web3. From the creation of a new financial system to the reinvention of the art world, here are seven podcasts that will keep you informed and in touch.BanklessBankless is more than a podcast. It sees itself as a community that guides its members to a new financial future free of centralized banks. Its team includes Mark Cuban and DeFi builder Stani Kulechov, and the community puts out daily articles discussing the latest crypto developments. Bankless has no fewer than four podcasts, including a weekly round-up, a basic introduction to the crypto world and two podcasts featuring interviews with leading crypto figures. It’s the whole crypto world in one place.Coinbase: Around The BlockInterview subjects on the Bankless podcasts have included Brian Armstrong, CEO and founder of Coinbase. But you don’t nee...

From Being Homeless to Raking in 8-Figures: How Tommy Rodriguez Built (and Sold) An 8-Figure Amazon Business

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:51 GMT

Building a business from scratch and selling it for a whopping 8 (eight) figures would be a dream come true for many entrepreneurs. In the world of e-commerce, the Amazon Automation space has become a gateway to making that dream a reality. Tommy Rodriguez is a name that’s making waves in this space. From being homeless in his 20s to creating a successful Amazon automation company, Tommy has overcome insurmountable odds to achieve this coveted dream.Tommy’s journey began when he discovered he wanted to be different from everyone else. Despite hailing from a humble background, his determination to make something of his life never wavered, and he eventually found his way into a corporate job. There, he learned the value of hard work and persistence, skills that would serve him well in his future endeavors.After several years in employment, Tommy decided to pivot his career and start his own business. He knew that the future of commerce was in the digital space, and he was determined t...

CEO of Numo Discusses Health Trends To Watch for 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:51 GMT

Numo is a health brand with a mission to “kickstart your gut health and empower you to live your best life.” The brand is no stranger to innovation, too.For example, its flagship product, Numo Gummies, taps into the power of ACV (apple cider vinegar) through vegan, certified organic ACV gummies. These are meticulously made using cold process manufacturing to maintain live cultures from “the Mother.”As a pioneer in effective gut health gummy supplements, Numo’s development team understands that the health world is always changing. Trends, in particular, are a dime a dozen. Some of these move health forward, while others aren’t worth the time it takes to read about them.Now, Numo’s visionary CEO, John Occhipinti, is peeling back the curtain on other health trends that are worth watching in 2023. Here are some of Occhipinti’s thoughts, especially in the area of gut health and how it impacts overall health.Mental Illness Is Coming Into the SpotlightMental health issues are nothing new. ...

Danville’s queen of biryani: G-Mama’s Halal Indian Food

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:51 GMT

Before opening G-Mama’s Halal Indian Food, Purnima Kalra had a feeling, call it a premonition, that notoriety would be hers. But it’s not what you think. There was no fortune or red carpet in these visions.“I used to pray that I would find a small kitchen where I could stand and cook and give food to people,” says Kalra, sitting at one of the three tables in her tiny take-out joint located at 480 San Ramon Valley Blvd., on the outskirts of downtown Danville.Kalra, who is the chef and owner, opened the restaurant in 2020 at the height of the pandemic and quickly earned a reputation as the biryani whisperer. G-Mama, as her grandchildren call her, firmly guards her recipes, but we know that she peels her own garlic, blends her own spices and loads her massive and aromatic basmati rice dishes with caramelized onions, a flurry of fresh parsley and a generous amount of tender, slow-cooked meat. No skimping here.“That bugs me, when you are looking for the meat...

Bay Area Storms: Another Tuesday blitz — rain, winds, cold expected

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:51 GMT

As another Tuesday approached, so, too, did another foreboding storm, promising at least some of the same menace as the two previous ones to whip through the region.By now, all that’s needed is the theme music from “Jaws.”“We’re gonna see the winds increase,” National Weather Service meteorologist Rick Canepa said Monday afternoon. “We’re gonna see more rain. It’s going to be cold. And you’re going to see it along all the coastal sections from Sonoma County all the way down to Monterey County, into the Santa Cruz Mountains and along the East Bay Hills.“All of the locations in the region will see similar conditions.”And so it goes. Lately, if it’s Tuesday, a nasty weather system is swallowing the region.On March 21, a furious atmospheric river storm clobbered the Bay Area, ushered in 70 mph winds and killed five people. On March 14, winds hit nearly 100 mph. Both of those storms left trees down, thousands o...