Latest news with #Perry
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Texas to expand how schools discipline students
Texas schools will be able to use harsher punishments to discipline students after the Texas Legislature passed a sweeping package on Wednesday — part of their efforts to stem student violence after the pandemic . 'Disruptions are impeding both the ability of teachers to teach and the ability of students to learn,' said state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock. House Bill 6 would extend how long schools can place students in in-school suspensions from three days to as long as they see appropriate. Principals would need to review the placement every 10 days. Students facing in-school suspension still complete schoolwork in a different classroom on school grounds. Because the bill would allow schools to use out-of-school suspensions to discipline all students when they engage in 'repeated and significant' classroom disruption or threaten the health and safety of other children, it would make it easier for schools to discipline students experiencing homelessness and the state's youngest students. That's because the bill would reverse state laws from 2017 and 2019 that put limitations on when and how those students could be disciplined. When schools do out an out-of-school suspension to students in kindergarten through third grade, they'll need to provide documentation of the students' disruptive behavior. Both chambers have approved the legislation — the Senate last week and the House last month. With the House's approval Wednesday of 19 Senate amendments to the bill, 114-19, it now heads to the governor. The legislation also amends when schools send students to alternative education settings, a strict environment that often leans on computer-based work and is in a different building. While students caught vaping were previously required to go to alternative education settings, schools can now give students caught with a vape device less severe consequences if it is their first offense. Schools can also teach students in alternative education programs remotely — a mode of instruction that was shown to contribute to learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perry, who shepherded the bill in the Senate, said the legislation was six years in the making. 'We've reached a crisis point where there's just some kids that absolutely are such a deterrent to the overall learning process that we have to find a better way,' Perry said on the Senate floor last week. 'With that, HB 6 found that balance. I like where we landed.' The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Eater
9 hours ago
- Business
- Eater
Five Months After the Eaton Fire, Altadena Restaurants Are Finally Reopening
On a sunny Saturday morning in late April on Lincoln Avenue just south of Altadena, husband-and-wife team Perry and Melanie Bennett are prepping catering orders as they get ready to open their shop, Perry's Joint. The team makes irreverent deli-style sandwiches, like the Pastrami No Chaser featuring pastrami with classic fixings, or the Hey Joe, which doesn't hold back on stacking its hot pastrami, roast beef, toasted hot link, cheese, and more. Served in an eclectic jazz-inspired interior, Perry's Joint's sandwiches have beckoned diners into the shop since 2004. Like so many businesses in and around Altadena, the reality for those who survived the Eaton Fire has been anything but easy. The fire began on January 7, 2025 and was fully contained on January 31, eventually taking 14,000 acres, more than 9,000 structures, and 18 lives in its wake. Altadena's business owners, many of whom are residents themselves, now face a naturally fading news cycle and declining foot traffic as many residents remain displaced. This feeling is particularly exacerbated for restaurants, which already operate on razor-thin margins. While places like Perry's Joint, Prime Pizza, and El Patrón can rely on a lunchtime clientele of recovery workers, that business is temporary. 'How am I going to adjust when the workers leave? I don't know,' Perry Bennett says. 'As a dreamer, I live in the possibilities of the future, but this situation has completely shut that down.' Randy Clement, co-owner of West Altadena Wine and Good Neighbor Bar, and his wife and partner April Langford have been at the forefront of representing the community since the fire began. In the days following the fire, Randy and April helped countless residents confirm the fates of their homes, dodging blockades to traverse Altadena and give hope or closure to as many people as possible. The couple, which operates multiple businesses around Los Angeles, opened their Altadena outpost in 2024. 'The fundamental difference in operating in Altadena now is that decision-making, planning, intuition — they don't apply after something like this, so we take it one day at a time.' Other businesses that survived but remain closed struggle with the idea of reopening at all. This is particularly poignant for those restaurants offering dinner service who cannot rely on recovery workers at lunchtime and whose local patrons are still displaced. Tyler Wells, co-owner of Bernee, opened his restaurant in December 2024, just weeks before the Eaton Fire. A warm and inviting space with a wood-fired hearth, Bernee represented something new for Altadena, attracting diners for its intimate experience and plates like a Wanderer New York strip steak topped with compound butter or local vegetables charred on the grill. Reopening a restaurant of this genre, in a building that directly neighbors many that did not survive, poses specific emotional and logistical challenges. 'Even after remediation, if we reopen, it's a challenge if you're only serving 20 people per night,' Wells says. 'When I see our staff, I get jazzed up about reopening, but then I go to the restaurant and think, my God, this is just not possible right now.' 'We can't rely on the word of mouth we were expecting because so much of Altadena is gone.' David Tewasart, owner of neighboring business Miya, a home-style Thai restaurant, also weighed the benefits of reopening in a neighborhood that is simultaneously processing a communal loss and contending with evolving safety concerns, and eventually opened on May 27. Miya quickly became a local favorite after opening in 2023, emanating genuine Altadenan hospitality. Initially started as a to-go window, its weekly menu was always handwritten on butcher paper, offering diners a taste of Thai home cooking from its loving staff. As its popularity grew, so did the dining room, which more recently expanded to dine-in for both lunch and dinner service. Keegan Fong, owner of Woon Kitchen, opened his second location in Pasadena, on East Washington Boulevard south of Altadena, just days before the Eaton Fire began. It temporarily shut down after the fire and then reopened on January 18, after utility companies gave them the green light. 'We can't rely on the word of mouth we were expecting because so much of Altadena is gone,' says Fong. He says that with business consistently down at least 20 percent, Woon is relying more heavily on delivery platforms and catering opportunities to try to meet its revenue goals. While these pivots help, they do not dependably make up for slowed business. 'I want to host all the locals through this door that I wanted here in the first place, and now I have to accept that we'll have delivery drivers through the door instead,' Fong says. 'At the same time, we were dealt this hand, so let's do our best to figure out how to work within it.' Over on Allen Street, Zak Fishman, co-owner of Prime Pizza, remains busy filling lunch orders for recovery workers in the area. Prime Pizza was one of the first Altadena restaurants to reopen after the fire on February 6. 'It feels like we're approaching the stage when people forget. It's natural, it's not good or bad, but humans cannot live in that heightened emotional space forever,' he says. Altadena Beverage & Market on Allen Street in east Altadena also reopened on May 3. 'It's really emotional, but we're excited to see everyone, ' says co-owner Kate Vourvoulis. Fishman says that now is the time for businesses to work behind the scenes to advocate for state and federal financial support. However, many small businesses in Altadena, an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County with a lower tax base, may struggle to see that as a realistic — or timely — support solution. While opportunities like federal loans provided relief during the pandemic, nothing close to that level of aid has been provided to fire-impacted business owners. The county initially offered small fire relief grants and, more recently, introduced a small business loan program. With the initiative of owners like Clement, the county is now also issuing permits to expand business operations into parking lots. However, there has been no continuous or more robust county or state-level financial support to supplement what will amount to months or even years of consistently lower revenues for surviving businesses as the town slowly repopulates. 'Smaller businesses cannot weather this downsize,' Fishman says. 'People need to understand what a dire situation this is for Altadena.' Clement describes the circumstances as isolating. 'You look to other business owners for support and it starts to feel like a group therapy session, trying to emotionally triage your neighboring businesses,' he says. 'For our regulars, we represent a part of home. I want that to grow and to be here for people as they return.' People who call Altadena home or own businesses here feel a sense of responsibility to preserve what makes it special. From its notable history as a haven for Black families seeking to buy property following aggressive redlining practices in the 1960s, as well as for artists seeking creative sanctuary, Altadena's story and diverse demographics have set it apart from other neighborhoods in the city. For a place steeped in the wide expanse of urban Los Angeles, Altadena retained a novel small-town feel and a distinct microclimate that revolves around the backdrop of picturesque Echo Mountain. Many residents, myself included, displayed their town pride with a 'Beautiful Altadena' license plate holder, which was sold at the local pharmacy. Los Angeles residents and businesses rallied to provide overwhelming support to fire-impacted Angelenos early on through financial donations, food and clothing campaigns, and emotional support. But Altadena needs sustained action over a longer period of time to fully rebuild the community. Most residents remain displaced and dispersed across the city and beyond, with limited emotional, financial, and logistical bandwidth to support Altadena's businesses. For these fire victims, no one else can manage their insurance claims or temporary housing needs, which demand time and money that would otherwise be spent in and on Altadena. Altadena's commercial sector now relies on consumer participation from greater Los Angeles, well beyond Altadena's community borders. With local clientele temporarily lost, many businesses struggle to encourage customers to make the effort to visit Altadena. Local business owners do not want Altadena treated as a disaster tourism site; rather, they want Angelenos to know that Altadena is open for business. 'The bar is now filled by people unafraid to engage with or see people going through tragedy,' says Clement. 'If someone from Mar Vista came out to support us on a Wednesday night, I'd say God bless you, thank you for caring and being willing to understand that life is not rose-colored glasses.' It's that type of gesture that Clement thinks helps offset the sadness — the heaviness — of a community recovering. Fong similarly describes the opportunity to support Altadena businesses as simple: 'If I'm going to order pizza tonight, I'm ordering from Prime.' This sense of genuine community permeated through the town's businesses, many of which are owned and operated by local residents. 'It's my regulars, my Altadena family that helps me stand up. My emotions fluctuate, I'm tired, I cry, but if my business survived — there's a reason,' says Maggie Cortez, owner of homey Mexican restaurant El Patrón on Lake Avenue. 'It's going to be tough, but I'm not giving up,' she says. Frank Kim, owner of Highlight Coffee on Lincoln Avenue, offers a similar vision of the future. 'For our regulars, we represent a part of home. I want that to grow and to be here for people as they return.' The Altadena business community's resilience highlights a commitment to collectively navigating the long road ahead and a shared desire to press forward in the face of immense challenge and uncertainty. 'My saving grace is that, being born a Black American, you have to be able to survive the system. So when the town burns down and your retirement plan is sitting in a pile of ash, you think — I've been through this,' says Bennett. 'Look what my ancestors went through for me to be here today. I'll be alright.' Related Wildfire Coverage on Eater LA Sign up for our newsletter.
IOL News
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Tyler Perry's ‘She the People' is a political comedy that misses the mark
Terri J. Vaughn as Antoinette Dunkerson in a scene from 'She the People'. Image: X Tyler Perry's first foray into political satire on Netflix with 'She the People' is more of a show which serves as background noise while scrolling on your phone than it is a compelling comedic masterpiece. The first eight-episode drop of the comedy, which premiered last week and is written, directed and produced by the renowned actor and film-maker, pales in comparison to other stellar series in the genre with shows like 'Veep', 'Spin City' and 'Parks and Recreation.' The storyline, which sees an ambitious lawyer become Mississippi's first black lieutenant governor while battling personal and professional challenges, has much room for exploration. But much of the dialogue falls flat, the jokes barely land, and the overall production fails to leave a lasting impression. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The series also includes a dynamic cast, spearheaded by the acclaimed Terri J. Vaughn, who plays the titular character of political newbie Antoinette Dunkerson. The actress, who is acclaimed for her roles on 'The Steve Harvey Show' and 'All of Us', is well-versed in Perry's production's having starred in 'Daddy's Little Girls" and 'Meet the Browns.' For 'She the People', Vaughn is joined by familiar faces from the Perry universe, including Jo Marie Payton, Karon Riley and Robert Craighead. Terri J. Vaughn and Robert Craighead in a scene from 'She the People'. Image: X You would think that this assembling of some of the stars from Perry's project would result in some of his finest work, but instead, there is not much chemistry between them, and many of their performances are lacklustre. And while the next instalment of the show, which will be released in August, could redeem its poor debut, it will take a lot for that to happen and for it to rank among Perry's best work. 'She the People' kicks off with Dunkerson making her political intentions known during a local television news interview, only for her to be met with a condescending presenter who insists that she is unlikely to succeed. But Dunkerson is determined to prove her critics wrong. Things then take a turn on election night when she unintentionally goes viral after punching a teenage boy in defence of her daughter at a house party. This spikes her ratings, and she is elated when she wins the election, but her excitement soon dwindles when she meets Governor Harper (Craighead), a sexist politician who is stuck in the past. Harper and his team are determined to sideline her, forbidding her from hiring her own staff and not taking any of her innovative ideas seriously. She even shuts her out, making himself unavailable for any meetings with her. Dunkerson also faces embarrassment when she is sent out on bizarre events to represent the governor, including a pig hollering contest and a country fair where she is verbally attacked by the governor's loyal supporters. While she is attempting to find her feet in this unfamiliar political arena, she is also forced to contend with her zany family, including a rebellious teenager Cleo (Payton), a socially-awkward son Titus (Tré Boyd), an old-school mother Lola (Drew Olivia Tillman) with interesting takes on discipline, as well as her politically-uneducated cousin Shamika (Jade Novah) who she is forced to hire. There is also Basil (Dyon Brooks), Tamika's exuberant boyfriend and Jed (Kevin Thoms), a staffer at the governor's mansion. They both fail to leave a comedic impression, and their characters don't offer depth to the series. Another aspect of the storyline I feel could have been better introduced is Dunkerson's romantic interest in her bodyguard. Much of their interactions are confusing and not as funny as Perry might have intended. In addition, aspects of the show which include political corruption are also featured in a predictable way, and this part of the series failed to leave viewers pondering deeper societal issues as satire sets out to do. 'She the People' might include universal themes of battling self-doubt, overcoming self-doubt and dealing with family conflicts, but it does it in a way that has played out many times on our screens before. As Dunkerson's journey continues on the second part of the inaugural season of 'She the People', here is hoping for less silliness and a more comedic and poignant offering. * I rate 'She the People' 2 out of 5 stars.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Edmonton Oilers' Corey Perry, 40, Ties NHL Playoff Record With Four Hockey Hall Of Famers
Edmonton Oilers right winger Corey Perry continues to make his mark this post-season. The veteran recorded two points in Edmonton's 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars in Tuesday night's Game 4, which gives the Oilers a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference final. Both points were on the man advantage, beginning with a secondary assist on Leon Draisaitl's opening goal. Later in the game, he took an interference penalty that resulted in the Stars equalizing. But less than three minutes after Jason Robertson made it a 1-1 game, Perry avenged the penalty with a power-play marker of his own. Perry's six goals tied defenseman Evan Bouchard for the second-most on the Oilers this post-season. He also joined elite company in NHL history. Perry, 40, tied four Hockey Hall of Famers for the most goals in a single post-season by players aged 39 or older. He's equalled Teemu Selanne in 2011, Mark Recchi in 2010, Ron Francis in 2002 and Jean Beliveau in 1971. 'There's ups and downs in a game, in a series, at any time,' Perry told Sportsnet's Gene Principe post-game. 'I was trying to get to the bench on that penalty, (the referees) thought I was setting a pick, it is what it is. It was nice to see that one go in and get that power play going again.' Edmonton's power play ended up being the difference in this game. The Oilers went 2-for-3 on the man advantage on Tuesday, improving their power-play percentage in this series to 35.7 percent. 'Our PP came through tonight,' Perry told Sportsnet's Gene Principe post-game. 'Those were some big goals at crucial times in a hockey game.' Perry took on a big role on the Oilers' first line after Zach Hyman left the game with an injury in the first period. Perry finished the game with 16:51 of ice time, the most in a game that didn't go to overtime for him in these playoffs. This isn't the first time Perry made history in these playoffs related to his age, either. Against the Vegas Golden Knights, he became the oldest player in Edmonton Oilers history to have a multi-goal game. Perry is also now one win away from playing in the Stanley Cup final for the sixth time in his 20-year career. He would be the 78th player in NHL history to accomplish that if the Oilers advance to the final. The veteran does not have a contract for next season. However, he has not made any comments or hints at retiring, and his production suggests he has more to give. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas likely to expand medical marijuana program eligibility amid looming hemp ban
The Texas Senate advanced a bill Tuesday that will expand the conditions eligible for the state's medical marijuana program, including chronic pain and Crohn's disease, and allow for smokable products to be sold by prescription. House Bill 46 by Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, which had seven amendments, will allow patients in the state's medical marijuana program to use products like cannabis patches, lotions, and prescribed inhalers and vaping devices. The House already approved the bill 122-21 earlier this month, and the Senate gave it unanimous approval Tuesday. If it becomes law, the list of qualifying conditions would also expand to include chronic pain and terminal or hospice care. The next step for this bill is for Gov. Greg Abbott to sign it before it becomes law. Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, clarified that those who will be eligible under the chronic pain designation are most likely those who are already prescribed an opiate for it. 'When you get an opiate, that is the highest level of pain you can get in our bodies, right? The medical board threaded that needle and we are using that definition,' he said. 'There wasn't a legislative definition, but there was a medical one, and we tied it to that.' The bill would also allow licensed dispensers to open more satellite locations, which supporters say is necessary to prevent the industry from collapsing, and adds nine dispensers, pushing the total to 12. Perry said the first three dispensers will be picked from the previously submitted list, and then it will be opened up to the public. In Texas, licensed medical cannabis providers must house all operations — including cannabis cultivation, processing, extracting, manufacturing, testing, and dispensing — under one roof. State regulations also prohibit inventory storage of medical cannabis products in multiple locations, so products must be distributed from the central dispensary. Any prescriptions scheduled for pickup outside the central dispensary must be driven daily to and from the pickup location — sometimes thousands of miles round-trip. This has made their products more expensive and limited where the medical marijuana program can reach, hampering the small medical cannabis market in Texas. House Bill 46 is meant to correct some of this problem by allowing medical marijuana distributors to store their products in various satellite locations instead of having to drive across the state to return the product to the original dispensary every day. 'This should help alleviate some of the costs because they will be able to store it in those distribution centers,' said Perry. However, the most significant potential change would be allowing smokable marijuana products, such as vapes, into the program, helping to match the popularity of products found in the hemp industry. The Texas medical program can currently only sell gummies, lozenges, topicals, beverages, and tinctures, as smoking or vaping products have not been approved. Many hemp products, which are unregulated and sold more freely in smoke shops, also give the same high as medical marijuana, but are cheaper for consumers, and don't require a visit to a medical professional for pre-approval to purchase. This ease of access has pretty much made the medical marijuana program irrelevant, according to the medical marijuana industry. Texas lawmakers recently passed a bill that will essentially wipe out the hemp market, and the blowback has been noticed. 'What we have done this session, members, is eradicate bad actors who are poisoning our community, children and adults, and making a massive profit off people,' said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, during the hearing for HB 46. 'We have wiped them out and are now building one of the biggest Compassionate Use Programs in the country.' Some of the most vigorous opposition to the all-out ban on hemp products has come from those who use it for medical purposes. Veterans, parents of children with mental health or physical disabilities, and the elderly spoke to lawmakers this year about the importance of having easy access to hemp products, not the medical marijuana program. 'I want to reiterate since we got so many calls. This body has always made a commitment to our veterans. But we also have a commitment to our kids, and it's to keep them safe from narcotics that they shouldn't be doing until they are 25 and under a medical setting,' said Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, during the hearing Tuesday night. 'Never under any terms did we intend for a child to go to the convenience store and get a vape pen. We had to grab the reins of a pretty strong horse. We all had to do that, and we all got grief for it, but we never authorized it in the first place.' First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
