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Santa Clara County’s Family and Children Services Director Damion Wright is resigning, after more than a year of controversy over the fentanyl overdose death of an infant who the agency – under policies pushed by Wright’s predecessor – refused to separate from her drug-abusing father. Wright’s resignation is effective Jan. 17, according to a farewell letter obtained by San José Spotlight . Wright said the decision comes after the death of his father, which prompted him to “reevaluate” his priorities and accept another opportunity in Southern California. Wright joined the the department as an assistant director in early 2021. He became director last August, after his predecessor, Daniel Little, was promoted to Social Services Agency director. “During my tenure as Director, since late August 2023, I have dedicated myself to establishing a robust safety net for children and families in partnership with DFCS staff and internal and external stakeholders,” Wright wrote. “Together with our staff and partners, we have made significant strides toward enhancing workplace practices that prioritize child safety.” Related Stories Wright, who could not be immediately reached for comment, took over the agency several months after the May 2023 drug overdose death of a 3-month-old Baby Phoenix in San Jose. County officials confirmed Wright’s resignation. A county spokesperson said they anticipate announcing an interim director in the coming days. “We thank Damion for his continued dedication to ensuring the safety and well-being of children residing in our County and wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” a spokesperson told San José Spotlight. Phoenix’s death – and a Mercury News investigation – raised questions about the county’s family preservation policies pushed by Little, which gave county lawyers more of a say over the removal of children from families and aimed its focus more on healing through classes and programs. But social workers said those policies trumped child safety. Mercury News reporting showed that social workers assigned to Phoenix’s case repeatedly objected to giving the child back to her parents. The agency has since committed to reforming its child welfare policies and practices, which came under scrutiny from two different state reports. “I firmly believe that by adhering to the pathway forward we have laid out for safe children and safe communities, we can continue to uphold the safety of our vulnerable populations during this transition and beyond,” Wright wrote in his farewell letter. “My commitment to ensuring that children are protected, whether in their homes or through necessary court interventions, remains steadfast.” Alex Lesniak, a social worker who has been outspoken about the county’s child welfare policies since Phoenix’s death, said her heart goes out to Wright for the loss of a loved one. But she said social worker morale has been at an all time low since county’s handling of the Phoenix scandal. “I have been hearing that from people who have been here for 15, 20 or even 30 years — including people who don’t typically speak up at all — who are telling me (the morale) as bad as they’ve seen it,” Lesniak told San José Spotlight. She said Wright’s departure raises questions about a potential power vacuum over Family and Children Services. “What does leadership look like for the next step?” Lesniak said. “A lot of us know that the person who implemented the policies and procedures that led to Baby Phoenix’s death is still the agency director for the Social Services Agency.” Contact Brandon Pho at [email protected] or @brandonphooo on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The five-part series will debut globally on December 10, following elite global players on and off the field as they compete in the US Open Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida. A trailer for the series titled Polo, executive produced by Harry and Meghan, was released on Thursday, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the “fast-paced and glamorous world of polo”. In a statement, Harry said: “This series offers audiences an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look into the passion and determination driving some of the world’s elite polo players, revealing the grit behind the glamour. “We’re proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport — and the intensity of its high-stakes moments.” It has been produced by the Sussexes’ Archewell Productions, having previously released three documentaries with Netflix as part of a multimillion-pound deal with the streaming giant. Heart Of Invictus, which aired last August, followed a group of service members on their road to the Invictus Games, the Paralympic-style sporting competition set up by Harry in 2014 for injured and sick military personnel and veterans. Netflix also released the documentary series Live To Lead and the controversial six-part Harry & Meghan documentary in December 2022. Harry and Meghan moved to the US in 2020 after stepping down from royal duties.
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BRP Inc. executives said the Ski-Doo maker needs to stay calm in the face of tariffs proposed by U.S. president-elect Donald Trump — tariffs that could hurt a manufacturer that depends on Mexican production. "I don't think we should overreact right now," chief financial officer Sébastien Martel told analysts on a conference call Friday. "We should not speculate too much, because there are hundreds of different possibilities." Last month, the incoming president threw markets into turmoil when he threatened to slap a 25 per cent tariff on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico. Trump also proposed a 10 per cent tariff on Chinese imports. Some 70 per cent of BRP's production stems from Mexico, Martel said. The company also churns out Ski-Doo snowmobiles and some of its Can-Am three-wheeled motorcycles at a factory in Valcourt, Que. He stressed the advantage of Mexico's lower labour costs as well as its skilled workforce and the benefits of a North American free trade agreement. "We believe we would not be the same company had we not had that footprint in Mexico," Martel said. Roughly 10 per cent of BRP's goods are sourced from China, Martel noted, adding that those parts are "less technically complex." "There are parts that we could easily transfer to another supplier," he said. "Obviously, it would require work." Many observers have framed Trump's tariff threat as a gambit to gain negotiating leverage, rather than an announcement set in stone. "We are used to dealing with evolving trade agreements and have always succeeded in finding solutions to new tariffs," said CEO José Boisjoli. National Bank analyst Cameron Doerksen said the "uncertainty on this issue" remains a problem. "With the return of the Trump administration, the risk of tariffs on powersports imports into the U.S. market has risen materially, with BRP potentially vulnerable," he said in a note to investors. The uncertainty over tariffs could hardly come at a worse time for the company. BRP saw earnings plunge across all product lines amid dropping demand last quarter, capping off a tough year for the recreational vehicle manufacturer. Net income at the Sea-Doo maker fell 70 per cent year-over-year to $27.3 million in the quarter ended Oct. 31. Third-quarter revenue decreased 17 per cent to $1.96 billion. "Our retail performance was as anticipated, reflecting a challenging market dynamic due to soft industry trends," Boisjoli said, stating that discounts from competitors added to the company's woes. A slow start to the snowmobile season has not helped either. "The snow is a bit late, but now it’s catching up. And we expect good retail this season," Boisjoli said, adding that Ski-Doo sales over the next three months remain a "big question." After an urge for outdoor activity sparked a sales boom during the COVID-19 pandemic, buyers responded to inflation and interest rate hikes by pulling back from pricey recreational purchases. BRP's revenues have fallen year-over-year for eight straight quarters. Last month, the company laid off more than 120 employees in its home province of Quebec. The cuts followed some 1,150 layoffs across North America earlier this year, leaving it with roughly 20,000 workers globally. In October, BRP put its marine businesses up for sale as it looks to focus on powersports products and cut the cable to its money-losing boat brands. Nonetheless, its diluted earnings of $1.16 per share beat analysts' expectations of 69 cents, according to financial markets firm LSEG Data & Analytics. The performance boosted BRP's stock price seven per cent; it closed at $72.75 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Friday. The company forecast that sales of seasonal products such as Ski-Doos and Sea-Doos will fall by more than 30 per cent this year. The category accounted for a third of BRP revenues last quarter. It predicted sales of all-terrain vehicles and other year-round products — comprising more than half of revenue in the quarter — will drop by more than 20 per cent. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:DOO) Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian PressFormer Rep. Anthony Weiner Files to Run for New York City Council
Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math ... oh my! Did you know that there is a regular STEAM Team program for kids ages 6 and up at the Wando Mount Pleasant Library? The engaging program combines literacy and multimedia with hands-on experiences on a different STEAM topic each session, with instruction from a former elementary school teacher and current children’s librarian. Every session of STEAM Team follows a similar format: a fictional book, a song, an informational book, an educational video and a hands-on activity, all focused on a single STEAM topic. The different modes of learning are based on Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, which explains that people process and learn information in different ways. Participants engage in academic discussion throughout each session, answering questions based on the scientific method. The method incorporates activating prior knowledge, asking a question, forming a hypothesis, conducting an experiment and making a conclusion based on the data. The KWL Strategy focuses on the following questions: What do you Know? What do you Wonder? What did you Learn? What were your misconceptions? Read aloud portions of the program point out various text features within the books to enhance reading comprehension. Past STEAM Team sessions focused on a variety of topics. Children have investigated bubbles and experimented with bouncing bubbles using a homemade solution, learned about flight and experimented with different paper airplane designs, identified constellations and created take-home constellation projectors. Kids learned about mechanical engineering by designing their own catapults and learned about motion and forces by making their own bouncy balls. For October, participants all got their hands dirty dissecting pumpkins and took home pumpkin seeds to grow. Children learned about block coding on the computer for one STEAM Team session that was such a hit, it led to the creation of a new Coding Club program at the library for kids! Future topics include chemical reactions with volcanoes, states of matter with homemade ice cream, gravity with an egg drop challenge, buoyancy with boat building and more. You can find upcoming STEAM Team program dates and topics on our monthly program calendar at ccpl.org or by subscribing to our weekly children’s email newsletter. For further information, email us at WMTP-ChildrensServices@ccpl.org . Kristina Seiden is a former elementary school teacher and a Children’s Librarian at Wando Mount Pleasant Library located at 1400 Carolina Park Blvd. Call us at 843-805-6888.None
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Stock indexes drifted to a mixed finish on Wall Street as some heavyweight technology and communications sector stocks offset gains elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 slipped less than 0.1% Thursday, its first loss after three straight gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Gains by retailers and health care stocks helped temper the losses. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. The Labor Department reported that U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years. Treasury yields fell in the bond market. On Thursday: Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a weekTrump, Vance still back embattled Hegseth; Biden ‘reviewing’ further pardons before White House exit: Live
Providers of supported living services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are asking the Legislature for more funding to increase wages in an increasingly difficult-to-staff field. People with disabilities can sometimes require intensive 24/7 care to help them live as independently as possible. Those who meet certain eligibility guidelines can qualify for in-home or group home care with costs covered by the state. But workers who provide these services, known as direct support professionals, often earn low pay, leading to high turnover, staff shortages and long waitlists. Advocates are asking lawmakers to increase rates for these workers by 9.5% in both 2026 and 2027, which would cost the state roughly $99 million a year. That’s based on recommendations from a 2023 Department of Social and Health Services rate study report that found providers were severely underpaid compared to living wage benchmarks. At the time, the average hourly wage for a direct support professional was $20.12. “Pay is one of the most needed things to stabilize supported living,” said Randy Hauck, executive director at Community Living, a nonprofit that provides supportive living services. Most of the funding for direct care professionals comes from Medicaid. The money flows mostly through the Department of Social and Health Services Developmental Disabilities Administration which determines the rate at which staff get paid based on need and available funding. The Department of Social and Health Services has not submitted a 2025 budget request to Gov. Jay Inslee for the rate increase. Other efforts to secure the funding could run into a roadblock as lawmakers are facing a deficit over the next four years estimated to be in the $10 billion to $12 billion range. Washington has about 14,000 direct care professionals who serve about 4,600 people. But the turnover rate in this field is high, currently around 37%. That can be especially problematic for people with developmental disabilities who rely on consistent relationships. “If you bring in 10 people that you’re training, you look around the room and know three or four of them are going to be gone by the end of the year,” Hauck said. Aaron Pickus, a communications specialist for supported living groups, said there was about a 388-person waitlist with people who were approved for services but can’t get a placement as of October. Most of those – about 185 people – are looking to move out of a family home. Another 54 are in state-run institutions, and another 36 are in a hospital or state-run psychiatric hospital. Once someone is approved for benefits, it can take more than 100 days for them to get placed. The more time someone spends in a state-run institution, the higher the cost can be for the state, Pickus said. “This underscores a need to invest taxpayer dollars as efficiently as possible so that those with intellectual and developmental disabilities are able to find a home that best fits their needs in the community,” Pickus wrote in an email. It may be an expensive request now, but pushing off a pay increase will be more expensive for the state in the long run, Hauck said. The rate study report, which used 2022 data, determined providers were about 10% underfunded. With inflation, that’s now about 18% – hence the 9.5% increases advocates are asking for in each of the next two years. “The state could save lots of money if they put a little bit of money into making sure we have staff,” Hauck said. It’s the second year in a row that care providers and their allies have asked for this funding. Last year’s request resulted in a 2.5% increase – or about a 50-cent-per-hour bump in pay . Lawmakers tend to be inconsistent with funding increases for supported living, Hauck said. Some years, they’ll get a big boost, but then for years afterward, they will only get meager increases like last year’s 2.5% increase. With the multi-billion dollar deficit looming , Hauck acknowledged the request may be difficult to get through. Budget leaders in the governor’s office are already asking agencies to propose cuts in programs and services. Gov. Jay Inslee will release his budget proposal in mid-December. That will be the starting point that lawmakers use to write their budget by the end of the legislative session in April. The Washington State Standard is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news outlet that provides original reporting, analysis and commentary on Washington state government and politics. We seek to keep you informed about Washington’s most pressing issues, the decisions elected leaders are making, how they are spending tax dollars and who is influencing public policy. We’re part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
Colorado Offers $50,000 in Grants to Support 'Born to Be Wild' License Plate Promotion for Wolf Conservation