Lawmaker seeks to change policies limiting what teachers can tell parents
Corona woman serving life for murder pleads guilty to running stolen identities ring
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Riverside County students participate in 1st phase of 2023 National History Day contest By Staff
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he results are in for the 2023 Riverside County National History Day competition that took place Saturday at Canyon Springs High School in Moreno Valley, the County Office of Education announced. "Large exhibit boards, performance props, website pages, and documentary videos, were just a few of the categories of student projects" at the competition, which featured 203 projects involving 356 students on the theme of “Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas," according to the Office of Education. The competition showcased the work of students in grades 4 and 5 who took part in the poster and podcast categories, while junior division
Ava George, a student at Corona Fundamental Intermediate School, performs at the 2023 National History Day competition during the Junior Individual Performance category. | Photo courtesy of the Riverside County Office of Education
students in grades 6-8 and senior division competitors in grades 9-12 created projects in the categories of documentary, performance, exhibit,
paper, website and podcast. After the day of competition and judging was completed, students and their families attended an awards ceremony
— 73 projects by 129 students were selected to advance to the statewide competition, the Office of Education reported. "The top three finishers
in each category in the junior and senior division, and the top four finishers in the poster
competition for 4th and 5th grade students, advanced to the National History DayCalifornia State Competition to be held April 14-16, 2023, at California State University, Sacramento," according to the Office of Education. "Winners at the state level advance to the National History Day Competition, June 11-15, 2023, at the University of Maryland, College Park." Students from the following Riverside County school districts and private schools are set to participate: Alvord Unified School District, Banning USD, Corona-Norco USD, Crossroads Christian High School, Moreno Valley USD, Perris Union HSD, Riverside USD, Romoland SD, St.
See National History Day Page 13
Board OKs series of changes to Riverside County's cannabis ordinance
Case against school counselor accused of sex abuse expands, moves to San Diego
By City News Service
By City News Service
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he Board of Supervisors Tuesday tentatively approved a series of proposed changes to Riverside County's commercial cannabis ordinance, establishing avenues for the revocation of licenses due to non-operation, loosening regulations on signage and permitting marijuana manufacturing in previously restricted zones. The proposed changes to Ordinance No. 348, the "Commercial Cannabis Activities" regulatory apparatus, were prompted by requests from different supervisors, as well as changes in state policies. The 5-0 vote Tuesday followed a first reading of the amendments. Another vote is scheduled before the end of the month to formally approve the revised ordinance. One of the most significant adjustments to the ordinance was instigated by board Chairman Kevin Jeffries, who has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with cannabis operators that have received county licenses and reached development agreements locally but have not made any progress toward opening their doors. The chairman's frustrations have stemmed, in part, from a stipulation that operators be at least 1,000 feet apart. When a permit-holder has been granted the freedom to begin a sales or distribution business but doesn't move forward, allowing the site to languish, other prospective operators are prevented from establishing their outlets there due to the buffer zone requirement.
former school guidance counselor in Banning accused of sexually assaulting a female student several decades ago is also accused of abusing three girls in San Diego County, where the criminal matter will be heard going forward, authorities confirmed Tuesday. Ruben Rico Franco, 64, was arrested in December following a Banning Police Department investigation that spanned nearly two years. Franco was charged in January with four counts of forcible lewd acts on a child, three counts each of oral copulation of a minor and sexual penetration of a child, and one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, also known as statutory rape. The defendant had been scheduled for a preliminary hearing at the Banning Justice Center on Monday. But Riverside County prosecutors informed Superior Court Judge Mark Singerton that the matter was being transferred to San Diego County, where Franco is charged in a three-victim sexual abuse case awaiting disposition. According to the District Attorney's Office, the Riverside County and San Diego County cases are being consolidated, and further proceedings will be in San Diego County Superior Court.
See Cannabis ordinance Page 28
See Abuse Page 28