West valley schools: Site provides virtual showcase for arts educators
Joan L. Boiko
After some Palm Springs Unified School District arts educators participated in a virtual art show through a local college at the end of last year, a district arts teacher was inspired to expand the idea into a wider platform for his colleagues to share their talents.
Matt Cauthron, the digital imaging instructor for the Digital Arts Technology Academy (DATA), recently launched the “PSUSD Arts Showcase,” which features the talents of PSUSD teachers in genres including photography, dance, instrumental and vocal music and documentary video. The collection can be viewed through the PSUSD website at this link: PSUSD.us/TeachArts.
PSUSD officer arrested in domestic extremism probe pleads not guilty
A Palm Springs Unified School District patrol officer arrested during an investigation into domestic extremism by an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force pleaded not guilty today to a felony weapons charge.
Alfredo Luna Jr., 41, was arrested on Inauguration Day,
Jan. 20, stemming from a prior search of his home that turned up an unregistered assault rifle, according to court papers.
Luna was arraigned at the Larson Justice Center in Indio before Riverside County Superior Court Judge James Hawkins, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for July 23.
Luna, who remains out of custody on a $250,000 bond, is charged with one felony count of possession of an assault weapon, which is illegal to possess in California.
A former Cathedral City police officer and Palm Springs Unified School District patrol officer who was arrested on Inauguration Day pleaded not guilty Monday to a charge of illegally owning an assault rifle discovered during a search of his home as part of an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation of domestic extremism.
Alfredo Luna Jr., 41, was working as a patrol officer for Palm Springs Unified School District at the time of his arrest. Luna was put on paid administrative leave soon after, but no longer works for that department as of April 7.
Luna submitted his plea to Judge James Hawkins at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, and requested that his bail be reduced from $250,000 to $35,000. The request was not ruled on during Monday s hearing and he is due in court again to discuss the matter on June 18.
More efforts in the Coachella Valley are being taken to get more students vaccinated
Monday, Desert Healthcare District, Desert Care Network, and Palm Springs Unified School District will begin providing COVID-19 vaccines to thousands of students. Starting Monday and continuing through Wednesday, vaccination clinics will be held on different campuses throughout the Coachella Valley. The Pfizer vaccine will be the shot available since the Food and Drug Administration approved emergency use of this vaccine to children ages 12-15. We ve been providing vaccinations to our community since January, and are honored to be working with PSUSD to now provide vaccinations to teachers, students 12 years old and older, and their eligible family members, in the convenience of their school, said Linda Evans, Chief Strategy Officer for Community Advocacy for the Desert Care Network. “Knowing that sometimes kids are high carriers of the COVID virus, to ensure that the teachers feel safe and the p
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