Around 10:20 p.m. Easter Sunday, , California Highway Patrol (CHP) Newhall Area Units observed a black Chevrolet sedan on the northbound 14 Freeway near Escondido Canyon Road in Agua Dulce, said Officer Carlos Burgos-Lopez, spokesperson for the CHP Newhall Area Office “The Officers conducted an enforcement stop on the suspect vehicle the driver exited the freeway at Escondido Canyon Road,” Burgos-Lopez said Officers conducted an investigation and ultimately arrested Gabriela Catalan for misdemeanor DUI At the time of the DUI Catalan had a juvenile passenger and was additionally charged with child endangerment Catalan was booked into the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station jail by officers and the minor was transported home safely and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Attorney Early mornings just got better for South Daytona residents, following the opening of a brand-new Colombian coffee shop. Aguadulce Colombian Café started serving guests at 569 Beville Road several weeks ago after first teasing the opening on social media in April a Colombian native who runs the coffee shop with her husband hopes to diversify the city’s culinary scene with an authentic array of sweet and savory creations that she grew up enjoying “We really wanted to bring a little bit of our culture to the area because Colombian culture has always been very stigmatized … and we want people to know Colombia for its greatness,” Angel said “Our coffee is considered the best in the world so we can change the concept people have about our country.” Restaurant news: Family-owned soul food restaurant to open in Edgewater Looking for the best beach bars in Volusia-Flagler? Here are several of our favorites The family-owned shop boasts a lengthy hot and iced beverage menu with options ranging from the café con leche it’s very common in the countryside,” Angel said is then boiled down and used as a base for various drinks “Both of my grandmothers grew up in the countryside and that was always something we had at home — agua panela which is sweet water … you can use it as a base for coffee,” she explained the café offers “sweet and savory treats” including cuatro leches like the Cuban and Hawaiian grilled cheese ‘Farm to cup’: New café brings specialty coffee, Italian pastries to Daytona area Though the shop sources many items from Sabores there are a handful of homemade goods Angel said have been instant hits including the empanadas — beef or chicken during my recent visit; the pandebono; and Maracuya Carlota “It’s cute because my grandma’s name is — was — Carlota and that’s the name given to the passionfruit dessert (Maracuya Carlota),” Angel said because it has layers of Colombian crackers and homemade cream it’s creamy and a little sour — not too sweet.” The café's coffee is sourced from a small farm out of Colombia though “not massively produced,” is packaged for purchase at the shop After moving to the area from Colombia in 2004 Angel began working at a local Mexican restaurant where she remained an employee for seven years Though she went on to pursue other career paths studying interior design and later cosmetology her love for the restaurant space never faltered When Angel quickly noticed the lack of Latin representation in the area often traveling to Orlando for an authentic Colombian meal she planned to ultimately take matters into her own hands Angel welcomes guests to her very own Volusia County café — a place she says brings with it a good deal of pressure “Everybody has been loving it … but It’s nerve-racking in the beginning Even though I’ve been working in the field for so many years It’s my name and it’s my concept,” she said but not a lot of ethnic restaurants in this area Aguadulce Colombian Café is located at 569 Beville Road in South Daytona and is currently open 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Saturday, though hours may change in the coming months. For information, visit facebook.com AGUA DULCE — Agua Dulce's quest for another District 16-2A Division II championship took a step in the right direction in Friday's matchup against Woodsboro at Bud Bailey Stadium The Longhorns erupted for 46 first half points recovered three fumbles and finished with three interceptions on defense to capture a convincing 59-14 win and improve to 7-0 Agua Dulce went to work early behind quarterback Lane Ranly "I'm a defensive coordinator and I'd hate to go up against our offense," Agua Dulce head coach Jason Calvez said and we've done a good job getting them conditioned to play We don't tolerate a lot of slack-off attitudes More: Gregory-Portland takes to the air to pull away from Carroll in Battle of the Bridge Getting it doneEspinoza put the Longhorns on top for good with his 13-yard touchdown run 48 seconds into the game Ranly followed with a 21-yard touchdown pass to John Aguilar and Martinez scored on a 59-yard run two minutes later Ranly added a 61-yard touchdown throw to Espinoza to highlight a 27-point opening quarter Martinez scored on a 29-yard touchdown run to open the second quarter followed by a pick-6 by Espinoza to put the game out of reach John Aguilar scored on a 9-yard carry for Agua Dulce's final points of the first half Espinoza added another interception on defense to start the second half and scored on a 38-yard touchdown on the Longhorns' next play Amarian Zambezi put the Eagles on the board with a kickoff return for a touchdown and added a 18-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter Ranly connected with Christian Lara for Agua Dulce's final touchdown of the game we're hitting," Ranly said of the Longhorns' offense Espinoza finished with 151 yards of offense and four total touchdowns which included two interceptions on defense and a pick-6 Ranly completed 12-of-15 passes for 172 yard and three touchdowns Martinez added seven carries for 163 yards and three touchdowns Ethan Cadena also recorded an interception on defense for Agua Dulce Zambezi led Woodsboro with both of the team's touchdowns in the second half The Longhorns will play another key district game next week when they face Ben Bolt which is coming off a 44-0 win against Bruni "Were going to have to put more time into it and study more film," Calvez said about next week's game against Ben Bolt "A lot of these kids from Agua Dulce and Ben Bolt are friends They have a good ball club and good coaches but we have a good ball club and good coaches What's next?Woodsboro is open; Agua Dulce at Ben Bolt Natural gas price transparency & key data for the N Learn More: EOD natural gas forward price curves at 70+ key North American trading locations Forward curve prices of natural gas in North America Mexico natural gas pricing data & fundamentals Insight into tomorrow's natural gas prices and historical data Pricing and market developments for shale and unconventional plays and market developments for shale and unconventional plays The Agua Dulce natural gas pricing point in southern Texas is gaining ground on Henry Hub as it takes the shape of an export pricing location Agua Dulce is a major trading hub for Mexico Some 7.5 Bcf/d flows through the Agua Dulce’s inbound and outbound pipes Kinder Morgan Inc.’s 2.2 Bcf/d NET Mexico pipeline flows out of the hub and connects with the Los Ramones system in Mexico The Valley Crossing Pipeline LLC header system also moves south and supplies the 2.6 Bcf/d Sur de Texas-Tuxpan offshore pipeline which moves gas into eastern and central Mexico [Forward Look: Quickly understand where the price of natural gas is headed with these graphic day-on-day comparisons of NGI's forward curves at 70 locations. View Now.] senior vice president of research and analysis “NGI’s Agua Dulce index includes trades not only with pipelines in Nueces County that can ship gas south to Mexico but also gas traded in San Patricio County that is ticketed to flow to Cheniere Energy Inc.’s Corpus Christi LNG export facility we believe our Agua Dulce index is very much an overall export pricing location.” As such, when President Trump on March 4 announced tariffs on international trading partners Canada, Mexico and China, prices at Agua Dulce rose by around $1.00 to $4.000/MMBtu, according to NGI’s Daily Historical Data Prices at the South Texas hub have seen a general strengthening over the past year Cash prices were trading at around $3.290 on Wednesday (March 26) compared to $1.260 on the same day last year “Expected growth in both LNG and pipeline exports to Mexico should lend support to Agua Dulce prices over the next few years,” Rau said He noted that NGI’s forward curves show Agua Dulce trading at an average of 39.0 cents below Henry Hub in 2026 “but that deficit shrinks to minus 29.0 cents in 2027 and either side of minus 20.0 cents in 2028-2030.” NGI’s Forward Look data as of Wednesday show Agua Dulce fixed prices hitting $3.671 this summer before rising to $4.543 next winter. Henry Hub forward prices point to $4.182 and $4.906 exports to Mexico flow through South Texas “There seems to be a correlated relationship evolving between Agua Dulce and South Texas exports The troughs and valleys in export levels seem to almost mirror the daily Agua Dulce price so far this year,” said NGI senior energy analyst Josiah Clinedinst Starting May 1, TC Energy Corp.’s 1.3 Bcf/d Southeast Gateway Pipeline is expected to add additional demand for Agua Dulce natural gas The Southeast Gateway is an extension of the Sur de Texas-Tuxpan pipeline New Fortress Energy Inc. (NFE) has also been pulling gas from the Sur de Texas-Tuxpan pipeline. Last August, the company’s floating terminal offshore Altamira became the first LNG re-export project to begin liquefying and sending out U.S.-sourced gas The added demand has led to record flows on the Sur de Texas-Tuxpan line NFE plans another export terminal at Altamira for 2027 Other projects adding demand to the Agua Dulce area include the Corpus Christi LNG Stage 3 expansion. Cheniere recently signaled substantial completion of Train 1 at the facility This could lead to an additional 1.5 Bcf/d of gas demand at Agua Dulce by year-end 2026 “But the big question is whether the 2.4 Bcf/d Rio Grande LNG Phase 1 project will go into service in 2027 as expected but legal challenges threaten to delay that in-start date which could cause Agua Dulce basis differentials in the latter part of the decade to widen,” he said More gas is expected to flow into the hub too The 2.5 Bcf/d Blackcomb Pipeline would move natural gas from the Permian Basin to Agua Dulce Operator Whitewater Midstream LLC expects the pipeline to enter service in 2026 Christopher was promoted to Managing Editor having joined NGI as a Senior Editor for Mexico and Latin America in November 2018 he was a Senior Editorial Manager at BNamericas in Santiago he has covered Latin American energy markets since 2009 as a reporter He has an MA in International Economic Policy from Columbia University and a BA in International Studies from Trinity College Natural gas futures searched for direction for much of Monday as traders weighed weak near-term weather demand against looming summer heat and stagnant production the prompt month retreated amid profit-taking but analysts bet against a prolonged slump Global natural gas prices continued to slide on Monday following oil lower as energy demand remains weak amid the trade war ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy’s Golden Pass LNG project on the Texas coast could begin commercial operations before the end of the year slightly earlier than envisioned a few months ago has completed a major Mexico natural gas pipeline and is waiting on one permit to start flowing gas the first natural gas export project in the country remains on track to begin commercial operations by mid-year After opening sharply higher on Sunday evening natural gas futures were flat in early trading on Monday as cooling degree days remained elusive Believing that transparent markets empower businesses Natural Gas Intelligence (NGI) provides natural gas price transparency and key news and data for the North American energy markets has reached a new milestone with the recent handling of the APL Fullerton The port successfully handled the CMA CGM-operated vessel which is 398 meters long and 51 meters wide This makes it the largest ship to approach Colombia’s coast said: “The arrival of this vessel is a testament to our ongoing evolution and adaptation to the demands of global trade “This achievement demonstrates that we are prepared to face the challenges of the international market and continue being the preferred terminal on the Colombian Pacific.” In December 2022, the recent handling of the CMA CGM Argentina, the greatest capacity vessel to arrive in Colombia, saw Puerto Aguadulce reach a new milestone Kalmar has completed a repair project for a ship-to-shore (STS) crane leg at the Nhava The Port of Rotterdam Authority has introduced Carbonbid a sustainability initiative that allows companies to Arkas Line has added a second company-owned vessel to the USA Express Service (USX) Moller—Maersk (Maersk) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) Chittagong the first privately-owned container terminal in Bangladesh DP World is set to implement OneStop Modal and the OneStop Vehicle Booking System (VBS) This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Agua Dulce Winery with Jahnoe Candles will host a candle-making class sipping a favorite drink and making candles Call (661) 268-7402 or email steve@aguadulcewinery.com to RSVP and reserve a spot You can be the first one to leave a comment Mission Statement: to assist the integration of foreign residents living in Spain and this is never more accurate than when you establish yourself as a foreign resident in a new country Being able to quickly familiarise yourself with the culture and customs can help ease the transition during a challenging time This is why Euro Weekly News makes it our mission to provide you with a free news resource in English that covers both regional and national Spanish news – anything that we feel you will benefit from knowing as you integrate into your new community and live your best life in Spain you can forget about translating articles from Spanish into awkward English that probably don’t make much sense Let us be your convenient and essential guide to all things that will likely affect you as a foreign resident living in Spain If you’re looking for a unique and artistic way to spend your evening La Noche Frida in Aguadulce is just the event for you Taking place on the 26th of October at 19:30 this Frida Kahlo-inspired night offers a themed painting workshop combined with a buffet full of Mexican delights Frida Kahlo surreal self-portraits that explore themes of identity often drawing from her cultural heritage and personal experiences Whether you’re an experienced artist or someone just looking to explore your creative side You’ll get to design your very own piece of art while enjoying a vibrant buffet of snacks inspired by the rich flavours of Mexico Hosted by Marian’s Kitchen and Pintando al Alba this event promises a lively atmosphere where you can immerse yourself in Mexican culture while connecting with fellow art enthusiasts it’s essential to reserve your place by calling 620655467 or 699887897 if you’re looking to enjoy a creative night out filled with delicious food and the chance to create a unique masterpiece Come along and experience a colourful blend of art Find more Euro Weekly News. Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox Euro Weekly News is the leading English language newspaper in Spain by delivering news with a social conscience we are proud to be the voice for the expat communities who now call Spain home With around half a million print readers a week and over 1.5 million web views per month EWN has the biggest readership of any English language newspaper in Spain The paper prints over 150 news stories a week with many hundreds more on the web – no one else even comes close Our publication has won numerous awards over the last 25 years including Best Free Newspaper of the Year (Premios AEEPP) Company of the Year (Costa del Sol Business Awards) and Collaboration with Foreigners honours (Mijas Town Hall) All of this comes at ZERO cost to our readers All our print and online content always has been and always will be FREE OF CHARGE Download our media pack in either English or Spanish first responders responded to a brush fire named Summit Fire  between Jupiter Valley Road and Penman Road in Agua Dulce more information will be added as it becomes available 2022 Little League Baseball® World Series – August 17-28 The team won the Panama Region tournament after finishing 5-0 and outscoring its opponents and in 2024 will continue to have the opportunity to earn the right to go to Williamsport by competing in the Latin America Region Tournament Puerto Rico will be joining Panama with direct entry in 2022 These three countries were selected for the expanded international rotation because of the high-level of Little League programs within their respective countries Aguadulce Cabezera LL becomes the first team to punch its ticket to the 2022 LLBWS and will be competing as one of the 20 teams from all over the globe to compete in the event in August Aguadulce Cabezera LL has been to the LLBWS three previous times representing the country as Latin America Region Champion in 2012 This trip marks Panama’s 11th overall trip to Williamsport and its first since 2018 earning its sole victory over the Canada Region Champions from Whalley Little League in Surrey when David Doleguita Little League finished as the LLBWS runners-up Panama has also seen two of its former Little League Baseball World Series participants go on to careers in Major League Baseball in Ruben Tejada (2001 – Activo 20-30 Little League – Santiago Panama) and Christian Bethancourt (2004 – Curundu Little League – Panama City The 2022 LLBWS marks the 75th Anniversary of the iconic event and will include celebrations throughout the year leading up to this year’s World Series in August. More information about the 2022 Little League World Series tournaments, including game schedule, attendance policies, and more, will be made available in the coming weeks at LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries Come prove which ribs reign supreme at the Agua Dulce Winery Rib Cook-Off event Saturday Agua Dulce Winery is located at 9640 Sierra Highway Whether a master of the grill or just love the taste of perfectly smoked ribs Compete for the title of Rib Champion or simply come to enjoy mouth-watering ribs with friends and family To enter the competition, email Steve@aguadulcewinery.com to secure a spot on the grill Don’t miss out on a delicious day of fun graduated from TAMUCC in 2019 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Myra and the KRIS 6 Digital Team recently won an Edward Murrow Award in May 2024 The Texas Department of Public Safety has provided details on a crash that occurred around 7:07 a.m The crash involved a black Volkswagen Jetta which was at a complete stop in the eastbound lane of travel The driver of the Volkswagen stopped to check on another vehicle that had mechanical issues and was parked in the center median "A silver GMC Sierra was traveling eastbound on SH-44 and crashed into the rear of the Volkswagen both vehicles crossed the center median and came to rest in the westbound lanes of travel," according to DPS State Trooper Guadalupe Casarez "Another passenger to the Volkswagen Jetta was transported to Christus Spohn Hospital in Alice and later succumbed to their injuries," added officials DPS Troopers will continue to investigate this fatal crash further The victims of the Agua Dulce car crash have been identified as Cindy Moreno and her two children All three were members of Agua Dulce Baptist Church Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating a fatal three-vehicle crash that left three people dead early Wednesday morning on Wednesday on Texas State Highway 44 between Alice and Agua Dulce The superintendent for Agua Dulce Independent School District confirmed two students were involved in Wednesday's fatal crash but the district did not confirm if those students were killed Agua Dulce ISD officials are not releasing any students' names at this time but they would like the community to know that they will have counseling services available for the next week The fatal three-vehicle crash is currently under investigation Texas DPS officials will provide more details on the fatal wreck once an investigation is complete A prayer vigil for the Agua Dulce ISD Moreno family on February 1 at the Agua Dulce Baptist Church "Please keep all in prayer," stated school officials on the Agua Dulce Elementary Facebook page The recent handling of the CMA CGM ARGENTINA the greatest capacity vessel to arrive in Colombia saw Sociedad Puerto Industrial Aguadulce (Puerto Aguadulce) reach a new milestone The landmark underscores Buenaventura’s status as a critical port city for the nation’s international trade with the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world The ship’s arrival also highlights Puerto Aguadulce’s excellent operational capabilities alongside its dedication to restoring Colombia’s economy Sociedad Industrial Puerto Aguadulce President spoke on the significance of this recent event: “This is a message of confidence and credibility for the Aguadulce terminal for its dedication and commitment in terms of service levels and the application of high international standards in its operations.”  READ: Gasum makes first delivery of LNG to CMA CGM Containerships the 1,572-TEU vessel is owned by the CMA CGM group and sails under the Maltese flag.   Puerto Aguadulce is a latest generation container terminal which began operations in November 2016.  Its two major shareholders are two of the world’s leading port operators: International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) of the Philippines and PSA of Singapore Former Agua Dulce Independent School District's science teacher was accused of having improper sexual relationships with several students She was magistrated by Justice of the Peace Matthew Schmidt Wednesday morning According to Agua Dulce City Marshal Joe Martinez an investigation began after a student in the district was caught with marijuana vapes law enforcement officials learned about the improper relationships 25-year-old Jaden Renee Charles was having with students Martinez said they were able to interview five different male students He said four of these students confirmed the improper relationships including that Charles was providing THC vapes and alcohol to some of the students Alice Police Chief Eden Garcia said Jaden Charles told law enforcement she was pregnant at the time of her arrest Law enforcement believes there may be 12 potential victims said one student told police he had sex with Charles in her home Police don't believe any sexual activity took place on campus Alice Police Chief Eden Garcia said they had obtained video of Charles with a student at an Alice hotel but they cannot confirm what took place there Jaden Renee Charles was turned into the City Marshal's Office by her mother Charles was taken to the Alice Police Department for questioning and Agua Dulce City Marshal Joe Martinez and Alice Police Chief Eden Garcia said when the interview began Charles was taken to the Jim Wells County jail and charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault and two counts of grooming she will be required to wear an ankle monitor and cannot have any contact with any of the victims or their families Charles will not be allowed to have any contact with minors and she is expected to report monthly to an adult probation office A former teacher with Agua Dulce Independent School District was arrested Tuesday morning for allegedly having sexual relationships with multiple students Jaden Renee Charles was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two counts of grooming Former Agua Dulce teacher Jaden Renee Charles was arrested on allegations of having sexual relationships with students She was booked into the Jim Wells County jail and has a total bond of $200,000 She will be taken to Nueces County jail for the additional charges According to Agua Dulce City Marshal Joe Martinez the investigation continues as more possible victims come forward KRIS 6 will have more information as it becomes available For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App. (Buh Records)There’s heart-thumping tension and catharsis as the musicians aim to reconnect the Peruvian percussion instrument with its slave roots Workers would put down their wooden crates and begin using them as drums beating out rhythms and producing dances that have since become part of folk tradition The artwork for Agua DulceFor Peruvian artist Ale Hop and percussionist Laura Robles the cajón’s subversive past has been obscured by its contemporary ubiquity they present nine tracks of electronically processed and deconstructed cajón rhythms aiming to reconnect a percussive sound with its rebellious roots Taking its name from a traditional Afro-Peruvian dance Robles’s electric cajón thunders through fuzzing reverb and gives the original’s skittering rhythm a menacing The dark atmosphere continues on the slow crawl of another folk dance while the galloping pace of Fuga en Alcatraz pits Robles’s dextrous cajón-playing against an eerie synth tone that rings out for the entirety of the track’s seven minutes Each composition treads the line between establishing a stable danceable groove and its collapse – making for an often unnerving listening experience The title track fades the cajón rhythm in and out over squeaking electronics like an undulating wave while Defensoras del Morro builds faster from techno to breakbeat before abruptly ending These unpredictable contexts and electrified elements push the cajón into exciting new territory – far from the acoustic folk jam settings it is often found in today In making its bass tone boom and allowing its higher registers to hiss with reverb the duo create a modern reimagining of the instrument’s raw power its heart-thumping tension and physical sense of catharsis saxophonist and ex-member of Ethiopian music group Debo Band releases his first solo album as Dragonchild (FPE Records) Mekonnen traverses everything from Ethio-jazz to groove-laden funk and Afrobeats all unified by the clarion call of his horn MC Yallah returns with her fantastic second album pairing machine gun flows with bass-forward with highlights the screamo-influenced No One Seems to Bother and the dancehall euphoria of Big Bung Producer Alex Figueira’s debut album Mentallogenic (Music With Soul) might prove to be a crate digger’s delight trading heavily on dancefloor cumbia rhythms but with a raw lo-fi recorded feel perfect for sound system atmospherics An Agua Dulce ISD teacher was arrested Tuesday for child grooming and sexual assault of a child According to the Jim Wells County Sheriff's Office jail roster was still in custody Thursday after a Tuesday arrest The jail roster lists four felony offenses including two counts of child grooming and two counts of aggravated assault of a child The arresting agency was Agua Dulce Marshal's Office Charles is listed as a secondary science teacher in the Agua Dulce ISD online faculty and staff directory An agenda from a February Agua Dulce ISD Board of Trustees meeting shows that Charles was a member of the secondary high school's campus education improvement committee tasked with the 2023-24 secondary campus improvement plan Alice Police Department criminal investigation division sergeant Juan Martinez said the investigation into Charles began with a runaway case A parent told Alice police that their child had snuck out police heard rumors that Charles was having inappropriate relationships with students After speaking with potential victims and viewing surveillance video Alice police asked for an arrest warrant for charges of child grooming Alice police worked with the marshal's office in Agua Dulce Martinez said that Alice police had identified three victims but he could not provide information about the sexual assault charges or other potential victims identified by the marshal's office in Agua Dulce The port is pledging funds for Bob Hall Pier. Here's why that matters. Search for missing Texas A&M student Caleb Harris expands across North Padre Island Agua Dulce has relied on young talent all season in its run to the District 16-2A Division II title It was only fitting that a sophomore and freshman made the plays of the game in the Longhorns' bi-district playoff win against Center Point second-year quarterback Lane Ranly scored a game-tying touchdown and freshman Christian Lara kicked the extra point to give Agua Dulce a 42-41 win and punch its ticket to the area round for the second time in five seasons "It's funny because we hadn't practiced situations like that before," Agua Dulce coach Jason Calvez said "When you have an experienced ball club it's easier Calvez was the defensive coordinator when the Longhorns snapped a 25-year playoff win drought in 2019 it's the play of two seniors and a group of underclassmen leading the way in Calvez' first full season as head coach "The kids are fun to be around and they do a good job focusing on what we need to do," Calvez said "We talked about being district champs and we accomplished that Then we wanted to be bi-district champs and we did it." The Longhorns are 9-2 and have won eight consecutive games ahead of Friday's area round game against No The development of Ranly and the explosiveness of running back Bryan King have helped Agua Dulce average more than 40 points in its last five games Ranly began the playoffs with 1,136 passing yards and 21 touchdowns which puts him in the top three in touchdowns passes in the area for Class 3A and below King entered the postseason with the second-most rushing yards and touchdowns in that category with 1,348 yards and 19 scores "He's come a long way," Calvez said of Ranly "He's put in a lot of work and has learned a lot The offensive line has to get a lot of credit but he's had time to throw and our offensive line has given him time to throw "When he has opportunities to hit a hole or get to the edge He was constantly telling us he wanted the ball." Calvez said the team's success has been because of every player contributing and not just one or two The play of the offensive and defensive lines John Aguilar and Lara have been key down the stretch "The receivers have done a great job running routes and we have a lot to offer," Calvez said "We're so young and these kids have come a long way." Calvez said the turning point of the season came after Week 3 during a 28-20 loss to Santa Maria It was the second straight loss for the Longhorns but it was also the start of an impressive run Agua Dulce went on to win its next eight games and is hoping to make it nine on Friday against the 10-1 Pirates "We felt we had an opportunity to win against Freer in Week 2 and we made mistakes against Santa Maria in Week 3," Calvez said "From that point on we've built confidence every single week They practiced and the more they kept winning They learned that the little things can lead to big things You have to lean on each other and you have to play for one another More: High School Football: Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend playoff schedule More: Top performers from Tuesday's high school basketball games in and around Corpus Christi The first ticket to the 2023 Little League Baseball® World Series has officially been punched as Activo 20-30 Little League of Santiago de Veraguas took home the Panama Championship title with a 2-1 win over the defending champion Aguadulce Cabezera Little League to seal its direct entry into this year’s tournament Activo 20-30 Little League finished the country tournament with a 6-1 record its only loss coming in the first game of the three-game championship series against Aguadulce Cabezera Little League before bouncing back to claim the series title and direct entry to the World Series This will be the 12th time a team from Panama makes the trip to Williamsport, and the second time for this community after it made the trip in 2001 with future MLB infielder Rubén Tejada highlighting the roster in the tournament’s first year of expansion to 16 teams the league finished the World Series with a 1-2 record in pool play picking up its lone victory with a 6-1 win over eventual World Series champion Panama has also seen another baseball star make his way from the Little League Baseball World Series to the major leagues with 2004 LLBWS graduate Christian Bethancourt (Curundu Little League – Panama City is your neighborhood reporter for Robstown and western Nueces County. CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The foundation Wyatt Ranches gave the city of Agua Dulce a $250,000 amount to sustain their law enforcement needs. Nora Lopez is the elementary school principal in Agua Dulce; she was also born and raised there. Lopez says even though it is a small city, law enforcement is something the city always needed. “Whenever we had a situation occur, we would call 911, but sometimes it would take 15 to 20 minutes for 911 only to get out here. And that is because we are such a rural area,” said, Lopez. Agua Dulce Marshall's Office requested to continue funding for their city marshal’s office. This amount will continue funding the city Marshal services and serve the community. Joe Martinez, the Agua Dulce City Marshal, says this grant is crucial for the city. “This grant, we depend on it every year, as our annual grant, for our salary, our equipment,” said Martinez. The city of Agua Dulce has a population of nearly 900 people, which is why they didn’t have enough money for their own police department, but in 2018 Wyatt Ranches donated enough money for the city to open up their own city Marshal service. Agua Dulce has three officers, a deputy, a marshal and a school officer. The mayor of Agua Dulce, John Howard, says these funds will cover salary, overtime, vehicles, and equipment. “It’s beneficial for the citizens to know they are in a safe environment,” said Howard. Residents say they are very grateful for this donation. “I would thank the Wyatt Ranches, for again giving us peace of mind and letting us feel safe. We feel safe because we know they are there,” Lopez said. The city marshal services said they are now looking forward to serving the community and promoting safety. AGUA DULCE, Texas — The Agua Dulce Longhorns earned a UIL District 32-2A 13-2 win over Ben Bolt on Wednesday, but it was the celebration before the game that impacted the Longhorns the most. Seeing how community members can help a program grow from the ground up and flourish. A simple handshake between Wyatt Ranches and Agua Dulce Superintendent Richard Wright built a field of dreams for the Longhorns. "We feel that this project, this baseball field or property that we donated is an investment in the future of the Agua Dulce, not just the school district, but the community of Agua Dulce," Billy Wells, Wyatt Ranches senior business adviser, said. "We're investing in the future." That agreement planted a seed. Agua Dulce received a donation of land for their much-needed baseball field, valued at approximately $40,000. "We were sharing the field with the city and it's out south of town about a mile and a half, so we had transportation issues," Richard Wright, Agua Dulce Superintendent, said. "We had maintenance issues and the field out there was in the situation where we would probably have to put about $100,000 into it to fix it up and we didn't own it." On March 22, it was time to play ball. Welcome to Wyatt Ranches Baseball Park. "We're ecstatic. We've been waiting for this day all year. Our field last year was horrible," Miryk Hensley, Agua Dulce baseball captain, said. "There was not bleachers, no nothing. It just means a lot to us for Wyatt to donate this because we haven't had a field here in a long time, and we're just very excited to play on it." "You know I think it's been a dream for the whole community for quite some time," Mark Gonzalez, elected district attorney for Nueces County and Agua Dulce 1998 grad, said. "You know we go to other schools and we play in beautiful facilities and we didn't have one of our own." 1998 Agua Dulce graduate, Mark Gonzalez, received the honor to throw out the first pitch. His donation ended the game with a 13-2 win for the Longhorns. "It's a complete honor to have my name in my hometown on a scoreboard on a field that I am so glad and happy to have for our community," Gonzalez said. "I'm just blessed to be able to do that for our school." "It's all about the students," Wright said. "I mean I can't tell you how much it means to us that our students can participate here at Agua Dulce's baseball park, Wyatt Ranches Baseball Park, on our property. It's an incredible feeling." AGUA DULCE, TX — An Alice woman has been arrested after law enforcement officials said she misused funds from the Agua Dulce Athletic Booster Club. 44-year-old Kara Launn Strait was booked into the Jim Wells County jail Monday morning after the arrest. Strait was the former president of the booster club. Agua Dulce City Marshal Joe Martinez told KRIS 6 News that Strait had misused over $3,000 using credit cards from the booster club. This money had been set aside as scholarship money for four students. However, the students were unable to receive the scholarships because of Strait. “The point in case is that we have a lot of angry parents because there’s four students that are in college right now, that graduated, that were going to receive $500 scholarships," Martinez said. "And, they don’t have their money, and they’re in school and some of the parents are upset. You can’t blame them now-a-days with the economy the way it is, every bit helps.” Martinez said that Strait used “a lot of that money in the illegal maquinitas” (game rooms) in the small town before they were shut down. The booster club and the Agua Dulce Independent School District (ADISD) operate separately. However, ADISD Superintendent Richard Wright said the district will help the booster club with some things such as a yearly audit. That’s how they became aware of the missing money back in May. Wright spoke to the families who he said are understandably upset. “There’s disappointment, there’s no question about that. But on the flip side, they’re also understanding. I don’t think there was malicious intent or anything of that nature. But, when students loose money for their scholarships, obviously its a sad day for everyone involved," Wright said. Wright said law enforcement were made aware after they discovered the money was missing. "She was given ample opportunity to pay this money back, " said Martinez. "If I'm not mistaken she had a little over two months with the school district and then she had the time we investigated it for her to pay it back and she didn't." Wright said this was an isolated incident he doesn’t believe will happen again. “We’ve had a complete turnover in our booster club and so I don’t believe that will be the situation from here on out. I think that was an unfortunate incident, one time action,” he said. Martinez said the card allegedly used by Strait was in the name of another woman with the booster club. The affidavit lists that person as Maria Delcarmen Garza. Martinez said the account the money was taken from was overdrawn and sent to collections. Garza will have to work with her bank and the collections company to resolve the impact to her account and credit score. Strait was charged with credit card/debit card abuse which is a state jail felony. She was released after an hour and a half in custody on a $2,500 bond. Print The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors agreed Tuesday to pay nearly $2.6 million to a former Fire Department captain who was shot by a fellow firefighter at the Agua Dulce station where they worked Sandoval suffered serious injury, including paralysis, according to his lawsuit. In his lawsuit, Sandoval said that he’d recommended to county authorities that Tatone be transferred to another fire station but that the recommendation was dismissed “as unnecessary.” In a letter to the board, Dawyn R. Harrison, county counsel, said the $2.575-million settlement was recommended “due to the risks and uncertainties of litigation, and resolution at this time would avoid further litigation costs.” Richard Kinnan, who represents Sandoval, said the shooting could have been avoided “if they had moved the shooter or fired him.” “It was a tough case, it was a tragic case,” Kinnan said. “We are very grateful that the county stepped up and settled.” The L.A. County Fire Department declined to comment, citing other pending litigation tied to the shooting. In a statement, L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger called the shooting “tragic” and “still painful.” “There continues to be a lot of community trauma related to this incident that took the life of a brave and selfless firefighter and harmed countless others,” Barger, whose district includes Station 81, said in a statement. “It is my hope that, with the new leadership change at our County’s Fire Department and a greater focus on employee wellness — an incident like this will be prevented and never occur again.” California Officials with the Los Angeles County Fire Department knew firefighter Jonathan Tatone was targeting a colleague. They did little about the harassment. Then Tatone struck. On June 1, 2021, Tatone, who was off duty, drove to the station and fatally shot 44-year-old Carlon. Fellow firefighters heard Tatone say: “Payback’s a bitch, motherf—!” When Sandoval stepped outside to investigate the noise, Tatone shot him, too. After Tatone fled the station, he set his Acton house on fire and fatally shot himself. Sandoval was shot in the stomach and the bullet penetrated his spine, according to Kinnan. As a result, Kinnan said, Sandoval cannot walk without crutches or braces. The Station 81 shooting stemmed from a workplace dispute between Tatone and Carlon, a career firefighter and father of three girls. Carlon and Tatone worked different shifts. But when one relieved the other, they were expected to provide a shift “pass down,” detailing what their workday had entailed. Tatone complained that Carlon didn’t finish work that needed to get done on the engines, leaving him to complete the jobs. In 2019, Carlon began documenting increasingly tense interactions with Tatone on his department calendar and in a notebook. At one point he wrote that Tatone told him he didn’t like or respect him and that “things aren’t going to work between us.” He said Tatone told him the next step would be “fists flying.” Carlon voiced his concerns to L.A. County Fire Department captains and chiefs, his wife, Heidi, previously told The Times, “but nobody did anything.” A station captain later told investigators that Carlon had voiced concerns about Tatone, including that his harasser would one day shoot and kill him. In an interview with investigators soon after the shooting, Sandoval described Tatone as a loner and an aggressive, angry individual who didn’t fit in with the rest of the crew. He said that more than one battalion chief was aware of the issues between Tatone and Carlon. “Everybody recommended that they be separated,” Kinnan said. “This was just festering, festering, festering. You could see it, you could feel it, and sure enough one day he just shot up the place. “If there are signs, someone has to take some action,” Kinnan added. “This event could have been avoided, there’s no doubt.” Heidi and her three children also filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against L.A. County and the estate of the gunman, alleging that Tatone’s “dangerous conduct” was known to fire officials for years. The family of slain firefighter Tory Carlon and a captain who survived the shooting say officials were aware the gunman posed a danger to co-workers. Earlier this year, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge denied the county’s attempt to have the Carlon family’s case dismissed and ruled they could proceed with a claim against the county for wrongful death and negligence. Politics Climate & Environment Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Tx — Agua Dulce officials are warning people to not cross the railroads for their safety if they see or hear a train coming after a recent death According to DPS, on Tuesday at approximately 4:45 p.m.,75-year-old Erasmo Castillo ducked under the rail guards at the railroad crossing on County Road 78 and attempted to cross over He were hit and killed by an incoming train The railroad crossing was located north of FM 38 Agua Dulde Marshall Joe Martinez said on many occasions they have helped this elderly man cross the road Even warning him to not cross the train tracks if the train guards were down "We did tell him numerous times to be careful because of his medical condition and I believe because of his medical conditions I think this probably cost him his life because he made a fatal mistake thinking he could beat the train," Martinez said Martinez said this is a common problem in the area and stresses to people not to do this "We hear stories all the time that people go around the arms and they look to see if train is coming and again judging the distance of a train is really hard and the arm is there for as reason so just do not cross," Martinez said Martinez said several years back three undocumented migrants died at this same exact location trying to cross the tracks when a train hit them Mayor John Howard of Agua Dulce said it's not worth putting your life at risk so you have to abide by the rules to stay alive," Howard said Officials hope everyone thinks twice before putting their lives at risk Tuesday's incident is still being investigated Print An off-duty firefighter killed a fellow firefighter and critically wounded a captain in a shooting at Agua Dulce fire station Tuesday morning The suspect then fled to his home on Bent Spur Drive it had been reduced to near rubble by the flames A firefighting helicopter drops water on a house on fire in Acton on Tuesday (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) A person believed to be the suspect was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in a small pool on the property Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Daryl L Osby said it was a “tragic day for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.” Los Angeles Fire Chief Daryl L. Osby addresses the media after the fatal shooting of a firefighter. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) More visual journalism from the photography staff of the Los Angeles Times Agua Dulce Winery will host StompFest on Saturday Agua Dulce Winery invites you to come out for a fun event full of surprises Please be sure to book your reservation when you RSVP by calling (661) 268-7402 The Local Europe ABVästmannagatan 43113 25 StockholmSweden Spain is being hit with another ‘DANA’ storm which is already causing torrential rain and flooding in the southern Andalusian province of Almería Following the forecast from Spain’s state meteorological agency (Aemet) on Monday pre-emergency phase protocols were activated due to the risk of flooding in the province which was then changed to orange in the evening READ ALSO: What exactly is Spain's 'DANA' weather phenomenon? Así baja la Rambla de las Hortichuelas por Aguadulce, Almeria!! 🌧 👇Mucha precaución!! ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/jUsYJuvqCf At the Dalías-Los Hornillos weather station 74.1mm of rain had been recorded by 5.15 pm downpours which lasted only a few minutes according to the Meteorological Association of Southeast Spain (Ametse) and caused a deluge given the sheer volume of water Almería city and Balanegra were the municipalities most affected on Monday Almería in Andalusia, Spain earlier 👀pic.twitter.com/rMaRjgHxOm The downpours caused flooding on roads and in buildings Spanish media reports that large pools of water have accumulated on major roads such as the A-7 and flooded properties in the Poniente area of the province No sé... quizás sea hora de empezar a cuidar el planeta. No podemos estar así cada dos por tres. El cambio climático existe. Ya tenemos suficientes pruebas.#Almeria#DANA pic.twitter.com/zXExIKswj4 Videos shared on social media show torrential downpours in areas such as Aguadulce Three people had to be rescued from their vehicles in Vícar the people rescued had been trapped under the Culebra bridge Almería, nadie les aviso, no hubo alarma... pic.twitter.com/tigFWzP2kf Severe rain in the Balanegra area has caused the outflows of the Los Infantes and Balanegra ravines to rise causing several overflows in areas where the rivers converge Nuria Rodríguez, mayor of Balanegra, told local newspaper Diario de Almería that “the council has activated the local emergency plan and the authorities have taken preventive measures to control access to the ravines and minimise the risk to the population”  “Maintenance work is already being carried out on the affected roads to restore traffic as soon as possible,” she added Rain has also been particularly heavy in Vícar According to Aemet forecasts for Almería heavy rains will continue on Tuesday afternoon and evening and then begin to slow from Thursday morning and early afternoon Please log in here to leave a comment. ROBSTOWN — Randal Garza did not walk away disappointed but knew he could have had a better day. Garza, the ace left-handed hurler for Agua Dulce, was starting in a District 31-2A game against Refugio and their ace pitcher Jared Kelley. It was a matchup between two small-school stalwarts that have the ability to do big things in their future. On this day, Kelley finished with the upper hand. Kelley, who has committed to Texas, struck out all 12 batters he faced in four innings in a 16-0 drubbing of the Longhorns. Garza, a Houston signee, left in the third inning because of a popped blister, something he says is common early in the season during his career. He said after a few starts a callus will build and he's good for the season. On Tuesday the matchup at Fairgrounds Field lost some luster thanks a 12-run inning by Refugio but it does little to take away what the two have accomplished and will likely accomplish beyond this season. “In a situation like that, you just want to come out and do the best you possibly can,” Garza said after a post-game run around the field. “I wouldn’t say it’s disappointing because you are going against a good guy but absolutely you want to give the best effort against them.” Kelley is among the top pitching prospects in the country in the class of 2020 and played for Team USA in the fall, helping them win an international championship. Garza, meanwhile, has plied his pitching trade in tiny Agua Dulce, the western Nueces County town more known for being the hometown of current District Attorney Mark Gonzales than producing college pitchers. And Garza has done it almost unnoticed. Garza has been pretty darn good, too. He’s been an All-South Texas selection in football and baseball and in November became what is believed to be the first baseball player from the school to sign with a Division I school when he inked with the Cougars. Like many small town baseball players, their chance on the big stage comes on the summer travel circuit playing against players from larger schools. Garza hit better than .500 at Aqua Dulce last season, but it was his performances in the summer that helped Houston notice him. “We traveled … I don’t know how far,” Garza said. “It’s just the experiences and seeing new things. It’s learning new things from different pitchers and programs.” Tuesday afternoon not withstanding, Garza has been a four-year stalwart constant for his hometown high school and helped it achieve athletic success not seen in nearly 20 years. He is also the team’s quarterback, who threw for 2,116 yards and 27 touchdowns this past season, and helped them to the playoffs. Garza said he does not go out with something to prove each time he pitches but said he’s proud to represent his community and school, along with all the small school players across the state. “I don’t know if I would call it (a chip on your shoulder) but kids at a 2A school can make it big, not just the big 5A and 6A schools,” Garza said. “Small town schools they can do the job and kids can get it done.” LOOKING BACK • Ray's 4-3 win against Carroll on Tuesday could be just the beginning in a District 30-5A baseball race that could come down to the wire. With one week of tournaments remaining, it looks like there are at least six teams that are playoff contenders and Veterans Memorial remains the district title favorite.  The Texans win Tuesday, which included a solid performance on the mound by Ray left-hander Ronnie Vasquez, puts them in the playoffs mix and Carroll will now try to regroup with key games against Veterans Memorial and Moody on next week's schedule. • Robstown's softball team turned some heads last season with a playoff appearance and now has put itself in the thick of the race for the district title after an 8-7 win against Rockport-Fulton. The Cotton Pickers scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game and then won it with a run with one out in the eighth. Robstown (2-0 in 31-4A) faces district title favorite Beeville on Friday. • A busy week for District 30-5A softball concludes on Saturday with a marquee matchup between Carroll and Veterans Memorial. The noon game at Cabaniss could go a long way in determining the district title in the nine-team league. Class 5A — 1. Veterans Memorial; 2. Calallen; 3. King; 4. Moody; 5. Ray; 6. Carroll; 7. Tuloso-Midway; 8. Gregory-Portland; 9. Flour Bluff; 10. Alice; 11. Miller Class 4A and below — 1. Sinton; 2. Bishop; 3. Refugio; 4. George West; 5. IWA; 6. Banquete; 7. John Paul II; 8. Rockport-Fulton; 9. Robstown; 10. Falfurrias Class 5A — 1. Calallen; 2. Veterans Memorial; 3. Flour Bluff; 4. Carroll; 5. Tuloso-Midway; 6. Gregory-Portland; 7. Moody; 8. King; 9. Ray; 10. Alice; 11. Miller Class 4A and below — 1. Santa Gertrudis Academy; 2. Beeville; 3. Sinton; 4. Robstown; 5. Bishop; 6. Rockport-Fulton; 7. Mathis; 8. George West; 9. Three Rivers; 10. Ingleside Print Nearly eight months after a Los Angeles County firefighter fatally shot a colleague and wounded a captain at the Agua Dulce fire station county officials are facing a pair of lawsuits connected to the shooting The widow of 44-year-old firefighter Tory Carlon and their three children filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against L.A. County and the estate of gunman Jonathan Tatone, alleging that Tatone’s “dangerous conduct” was known to fire officials for years. Capt. Arnoldo Sandoval, who was shot while trying to intervene, brought a separate suit alleging assault and battery against the county and Tatone’s estate, and negligence against the county. Both cases were filed in L.A. County Superior Court last week. Investigators search for answers after attack that left one firefighter dead and another wounded. “Tatone worked as a firefighter engineer and for years had clearly demonstrated to fire department leadership that he was unstable mentally and was a dangerous condition to those around him,” according to the complaint in the Carlon family’s suit. “He was angry, unpredictable, violent, and eventually deadly.” The morning of June 1, Tatone went to L.A. County Fire Station 81 in Agua Dulce while off duty and fatally shot Carlon, according to L.A. County Sheriff’s Department investigators. Sandoval heard the gunfire, went to see what happened and was also shot. After the attack, the gunman fled to his home in Acton, where he barricaded himself, set the house on fire and was found dead in a small pool on the property after flames subsided, investigators said. Law enforcement sources said Tatone and Carlon worked at the station but on different shifts and had been clashing for some time over operations and other issues. Their dispute escalated into the shooting, investigators said. Case documents in the Carlon family’s lawsuit described Tatone as “an open wound” at the station and alleged that L.A. County Fire Department leadership chose to “ignore, normalize, and ratify” his dangerous conduct despite warnings by Carlon and others. Friends and family remember Tory Carlon, who died Tuesday in a workplace dispute in Agua Dulce, as a soft-spoken and calming presence. “Although Tatone pulled the trigger, it was Los Angeles County Fire Department leadership’s ratification of Tatone’s years of dangerous conduct that was the substantial factor in the death of Tory Carlon,” the suit alleged. Sandoval suffered serious injury and paralysis from the shooting, according to his civil complaint. The county had no comment on pending litigation, said Michael Wilson, a spokesman for the L.A. County chief executive’s office. The Carlon family and Sandoval are seeking unspecified damages, according to their suits. A representative of Tatone’s estate could not be reached for comment Monday. Gregory Yee was a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Before joining the newsroom in 2021, he spent five years covering criminal justice and breaking news for the Post and Courier in Charleston, S.C. He was a native Southern Californian and graduated from UC Irvine in 2012 with a degree in journalism and Spanish literature. Yee died Jan. 4, 2023. KQED Live EventsPRX Podcast Garage EventsEvents Around the Bay AreaMember Benefits with KQED LiveVideos from KQED LiveWatch recordings of recent KQED Live events FeaturedThat's My WordAn ongoing exploration of Bay Area hip-hop history See Senior Director of TV Programming Meredith Speight’s recommendations from this month’s KQED 9 Watch recordings of recent KQED Live events Support KQED by using your donor-advised fund to make a charitable gift stems from her experience as a school board member in Santa Clarita With Smith is Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris D-Laguna Beach. (Max Whittaker/CALmatters)One was a charter school operator desperate for authorization after years of rejection by multiple school districts The other was a tiny district in Southern California’s rural high desert facing insolvency and in dire need of revenue part of a larger charter network of the same name and the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District at the northern edge of Los Angeles County answered each other’s prayers in 2013 when they partnered In a novel use of California’s charter school rules the district approved the elementary school’s charter and agreed to oversee it even though the school was located about 20 miles west of Acton-Agua Dulce’s geographical boundary within another district that had previously rejected the charter Acton-Agua Dulce collected oversight fees of 3.5 percent of the school’s revenue a formula that officials quickly replicated with more charter authorizations the district had approved and was collecting fees from a growing stable of charters netting an additional $1.9 million in revenue The Albert Einstein elementary school program was ultimately shut down in 2018 because of concerns with its financial model and sustainability, the Santa Clarita Valley Signal reported But this creative arrangement between district and charter became the kindling for a prolonged legislative and legal battle over reforms to California’s system for authorizing charter schools Citing claims that the district and the charter network improperly gamed the system, Democratic lawmakers are now redoubling efforts to tighten the rules and better prevent small, financially-strapped districts like Acton-Agua Dulce from boosting their budgets by offering authorization and oversight to charter schools dozens or even hundreds of miles from their supposed minders The issue strikes close to home for the legislator behind this year’s proposal to clamp down on so-called “far-flung charters.” Democratic Assemblywoman Christy Smith of Santa Clarita sat on the board of the Newhall School District where the Einstein charter school her district had rejected was located the school sat directly across from the district’s administration building Other measures would cap the total number of charter schools allowed to operate statewide and limit the ability of charters to appeal district petition denials to county and state authorizers the longstanding rivalry between those two politically powerful forces has typically ended more or less in a draw Both the governor and the state’s top school administrator were elected with strong backing from teachers’ unions which blame declining enrollment and funding independently operated charters that are mostly staffed by non-union teachers Gavin Newsom has signed a fast-tracked law that requires charters to follow the same open meeting and conflict of interest laws as traditional schools in the public school system Moorpark Unified and Conejo Valley Unified — and the Los Angeles and Ventura County education offices each denied Einstein’s charter petition appeals legislative testimony and local media reports denied four separate petitions from the school the districts and counties raised similar concerns over the school’s financial viability and lack of specifics on how it planned to educate specific student groups such as special needs students and English language learners “We took a look at the finances — again four different times — and nothing added up,” said Joan Lucid a retired superintendent of the Saugus Union School District we’re going to have a grant from someone Someone’s going to give us some money We’re thinking we’ll have this or we’ll have that.’ And when we actually did an analysis of the figures that were there the founder of the Einstein charter network downplayed the financial concerns raised by school districts in their charter application denials and said he felt school districts in the Santa Clarita Valley were innately hostile toward charters is why he believes charter authorizations should be handled primarily at the state level we would’ve been fine,” Blazer said the Albert Einstein charter school network discovered Acton-Agua Dulce a district where enrollment had been declining so inexorably for so long that in one five-year stretch after the 2008 recession one elementary school had lost more than half its student body overall enrollment had fallen by more than 40 percent Blazer said he saw “a cooperative district” that “was willing to work with us.” Then-superintendent Brent Woodard had proposed a plan that called for Acton to “approve approximately 24 high quality diverse charter schools” by summer 2016 as a way to bring in more students according to a presentation to the school board The district expected to earn more than $1.2 million in revenue as part of its multiyear plan a governing school board can approve a location in another district if no suitable site is available in the chartering district Shortly after the new Einstein school opened, the Newhall school district sued the Acton-Agua Dulce district and the charter school they oversaw the role of charter school authorizer was fairly new territory for Acton-Agua Dulce the district had never authorized a charter school it had about twice as many students in charter schools than it did in non-charters School boards and district officials pushing for tighter restrictions on charter locations contend that they have the responsibility for — and thus should have the ultimate authority over — the learning programs offered by public schools within their boundaries Newhall alleged that Acton’s authorization had usurped its local control “You have locally elected school board members who were supposedly making the determination for educational programs inside their district and then some other district decides what’s best for that district,” said Marc Winger a former Newhall superintendent who served when Smith sat on the school board we have proof that they’re doing it for money.” Outrage mounted as more and more Acton charters popped up in communities outside its boundaries Santa Clarita Valley school officials went to Sacramento and began lobbying other school districts also went to court over other far-flung charters: Suits were filed by Pasadena Unified and Los Angeles Unified where Acton approved another charter school in the San Fernando Valley rural Alpine Union School District for authorizing another Albert Einstein charter within its boundaries Commenting in a May 2014 Santa Clarita Valley Signal article about Albert Einstein Academy accused Acton of “engaging in pay-to-play practices,” called the Einstein authorization a “rubber stamp” and called on the state “to put an end to these abusive practices and waste.” “Am I opposed to this type of bad actor in the charter business Newhall eventually won its suit, and Senate Bill 1263, which would have required permission from the host districts for a remote authorization Brown, who had been a strong proponent of charter schools while he was mayor of Oakland, and helped start two in the city, expressed concerns that the bill’s language might uproot existing charters. Yet in his veto message he acknowledged that “some districts and charter schools have gone against the spirit of the law and the exemption has instead become the rule.” By early 2017, Brent Woodard, the superintendent who oversaw Acton’s rapid charter growth, had left the district, citing “multifarious reasons,” the Santa Clarita Valley Signal reported Then, in November 2017, the California State Auditor released a yearlong report, at the request of the Legislature that detailed school districts’ financial incentive to approve charter schools outside of their boundaries the audit noted that the district approved charter applications — including one for the Einstein school in Agua Dulce — that did not have the required number of signatures from prospective parents and teachers meant to gauge community support and demand The state’s audit also found that the Einstein school “consistently failed to meet the district’s minimum (financial) reserve requirement,” putting it at risk for closure Action had authorized some 15 charter schools including three other Albert Einstein Academy schools — one based in Agua Dulce and two others in Valencia and Beverly Hills more than 14,000 charter school students are enrolled in the district many of them in non-classroom based programs Less than one-tenth of Acton’s total enrollment is in its traditional public school classrooms and its charter enrollment total trails only San Diego and Los Angeles the state’s two largest school districts California’s directory of public schools shows that Acton has approved 27 separate charter schools since 2012 including some that appeared never to have actually operated before they closed By June 2018, all charter schools in California affiliated with Einstein charter school network had closed as the district “began to question publicly in discussions with the board their financial status,” said Lawrence King “The financial problems that we predicted (in 2010) came true.” King describes the district’s approach to charters as “the farthest thing from a rubber stamp or a financial motivation.” Though he acknowledges that the district oversees a large number of charter schools he points out that the district has not authorized a new charter since October 2017 It is unknown exactly how many of the state’s 1,300-plus charter schools are based outside of their authorizing district’s boundaries State auditors in a 2017 report that investigated the Acton-Agua Dulce district noted it was next to impossible to tally a count of far-flung charter schools in part because the state does not require charter schools to list all of the locations of their classrooms Smith’s office declined to grant an interview to discuss her proposed legislation she said her bill “continues to address charter transparency goals that have been set forth by Governor Newsom and the Legislature.” “restores the right of individual districts to have oversight of schools located within their boundaries neighboring districts abused this loophole and authorization privilege and families were impacted because of this.” The original version of this article appears on the CALmatters site CALmatters.org is a nonprofit nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy.