Latest news with #Galaviz
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘Believe in accountability': Kern County lawmaker asks Newsom to deny parole to convicted killer
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A Kern County lawmaker is speaking out on the case of Amanda Zubia, the 17-year-old brutally murdered in 2004. 17 News has been in close contact with the Zubia family ever since. In a shocking twist for them, the only convicted killer who remains in custody has been granted parole, and local efforts to reverse that decision are ramping up. In any parole case, California Governor Gavin Newsom has the power to deny someone's release. We're awaiting his response in 47-year-old Maricruz Galaviz's case, and State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) is pushing the governor to reverse the granting of parole for Galaviz. In July 2004, Amanda Zubia was tortured for hours, suffocated to death, then buried inside a cement barrel in an east Bakersfield home by Maricruz Galaviz and four others. Galaviz was sentenced to 25 years to life for first-degree murder. Comedian Marlon Wayans set to perform at the Fox Friday But she was granted parole mid-April. Shortly after, state Sen. Hurtado wrote in a letter to Governor Newsom in part, 'In the Central Valley, we believe in second chances—but we also believe in accountability.' Hurtado emphasized, 'Releasing Amanda's killer would not reflect the values our communities live by. It would betray them.' In response, Newsom's team stated they would consider her remarks when making their decision on Galaviz's parole. We asked the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation what happens next. The department clarified that while Galaviz was eligible for a parole hearing — and was granted parole — she will have to wait until at least her minimum eligible parole date of July 2029 to actually be released. Simply put, that's due to ongoing state litigation on the topic of early parole for criminals. But again, this parole decision may not even matter, if Governor Newsom, reverses it. Only time will tell. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Canutillo ISD superintendent to retire at end of 2025
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Canutillo Independent School District Superintendent Pedro Galaviz is retiring after nearly 13 years guiding the district, CISD announced in a news release on Thursday, May 15. Galaviz, who took the helm of the district in May 2013, will retire at the end of the 2025 calendar year, the school district said. 'Serving as superintendent of this incredible district has been the honor of my life,' Galaviz said. 'This community embraced me and my family from the moment we arrived. Canutillo has become our home, and I will always be grateful for the opportunity to lead and grow alongside our students, educators and families.' Since taking the helm in May 2013, Galaviz has overseen a period of historic growth and transformation for the district, Canutillo ISD said. Under his leadership, Canutillo ISD earned three consecutive A ratings from the Texas Education Agency — becoming the only district in the El Paso region to achieve that distinction, the district said. Other highlights of his tenure include, according to the district: ● Earning the U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School Designation for Northwest Early College High School. ● Leading the district to be named the Best Small School District in Texas by the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards — the first and only El Paso-area district to receive this recognition. ● Launching the region's first public Montessori program, providing a student-centered approach to early education. ● Opening two groundbreaking middle school programs: the STEAM Academy at Canutillo Middle School and the Public Service Academies at Alderete Middle School, which offer specialized academic pathways in science, technology and public service careers. ● Guiding the successful passage of the 2024 Bond, a voter-approved measure that will modernize campuses and accommodate future student growth across the district. 'None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the hard work and vision of our teachers, staff, principals and the families who support us,' Galaviz said. 'Together, we built something special. Canutillo ISD has become a model for what's possible when a community commits itself to equity, excellence and innovation in education.' Galaviz also noted the challenges facing public education in Texas, including ongoing state underfunding, increasing political pressure on schools, and the need for continued support of educators. 'Public education is at a critical crossroads,' he said. 'Now, more than ever, we need our communities to remain engaged and united in support of public schools. Our educators and students deserve our full backing, and I encourage everyone to stay involved, stay informed, and continue advocating for what's best for all children.' Galaviz also said he is confident about the district's future, adding that he will continue to be part of the Canutillo community. 'I may be retiring from my role, but I'm not leaving Canutillo,' he said. 'I live here. I raised my family here, and I remain committed to supporting this district and its success however I can. I am Puro Canuto!' The Board of Trustees will discuss a transitional process, including the appointment of a potential interim superintendent and the hiring process for a permanent superintendent, at an upcoming school board meeting, the district said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Idaho legislators set aside $9.6M more for ITD Boise campus repairs, but more funding will be needed
Extensive damage is visible during a Dec. 19, 2024 visit to the Idaho Transportation Department's former Boise headquarters. (Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun) The Idaho Legislature's powerful budget committee set aside another $9.6 million in state funding Tuesday to renovate the Idaho Transportation Department's flood-damaged and mold-infested former Boise headquarters. The $9.6 million from Tuesday is on top of the $32.5 million Idaho legislators set aside last year to renovate the property located at 3311 W. State St. in Boise. That brings the total to $42.1 million. However, that funding level still falls more than $22 million short of the state's $64 million to $69.4 million estimates to renovate the damaged building. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Rep. Soñia Galaviz, a Boise Democrat, made the motion to approve the Idaho Transportation Department's fiscal year 2026 budget enhancements that included the new funding for renovations. The decision came during the Idaho Legislature's Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, or JFAC, meeting at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. JFAC is a powerful committee that sets every budget for every state agency and department. The $9.6 million for renovating ITD's former Boise headquarters came from zeroing out a $9.6 million request for the Idaho Transportation Department to relocate its District 4 headquarters from Shoshone to Twin Falls. In an interview Tuesday, Galaviz said the new funding can pay to clean up some contamination that will need to be addressed before the real renovations can begin. 'We had heard that there were some abatement issues, some asbestos and other hazardous materials, that if they had this money they could get started on them because that has to happen before any of the remodels can,' Galaviz said. 'So we were hoping that this would allow them to get moving.' Galaviz and Rep. Rod Furniss, R-Rigby, told the Sun that funding and renovating the State Street property will require a multiyear effort. They expect to come back next year and consider a request for additional funding. 'This gets them started, then when they get into it they will know what to ask for,' Furniss said. The Idaho Transportation Department's former Boise headquarters was built in 1961. On Jan. 2, 2022, the building flooded and was contaminated with asbestos. It has been vacant since 2022. During a tour of the damaged building in December, state employees pointed out mold to a reporter with the Idaho Capital Sun. The elevators and fire suppression systems do not work. Electrical systems and wiring dangle from ceilings. Walls and ceilings show visible signs of water damage, including dozens of holes that crews drilled into walls in an attempt to let water escape. The interior of the building is filled with tangled wire and ruble. The heat and power only work in parts of the building. The summer after the flood, in August 2022, the Idaho Transportation Department's board declared the former Boise headquarters and the 44-acre campus it sits on 'surplus property.' That opened the door for the state to sell the property after other state agencies did not express an interest in the property. The state put the State Street campus up for auction, and a group of buyers including Hawkins Companies, FJ Management and Pacific West Communities submitted the high bid of $51.7 million, according to documents provided to the Sun by the would-be buyers. CONTACT US During a tour of the campus in November 2023, Idaho Department of Administration Director Steve Bailey told the Joint FInance-Appropriations Committee that the state sold the property to Hawkins and its partners for $51.7 million, the Sun reported at the time. But on March 1, 2024, JFAC blocked the $51.7 million sale of the property, told the state to keep the property and set aside $32.5 million to renovate it. At the time, legislators said they thought it was more financially responsible to keep the building and renovate it. '…(E)verything I have heard is any time the state has sold some property, two or three years later they go, 'well, we shouldn't have done that' and they've actually tried to buy some of it back,' Sen. Kevin Cook, R-Idaho Falls, said at the time. The $32.5 million JFAC set aside last year for renovations was a rudimentary, sight unseen estimate prepared by the Idaho Division of Public Works that did not take into account the extent of the flood damage and HVAC repairs, the Sun previously reported. Then, in December 2024, the Idaho Department of Transportation released a 207-page report that estimated it would cost between $64 million and $69.4 million to repair the former Boise headquarters. On Tuesday, Galaviz said she knew the new funding isn't enough to repair the building, but she hopes the new funding at least gets the project moving. 'Because they have to do the abatement first before they can do anything else with the remodel,' Galaviz said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
