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From the Classroom to the Living Room: Three Ways Families Can Help Children Build Early Literacy Skills

NNPA NEWSWIRE — In a recent survey, 91% of early childhood educators underscored the importance of parent/caregiver engagement for developing early literacy skills in young students. This echoes a wide body of research that shows the positive links between involved families and student achievement.

Published

1 year ago

February 10, 2025

Oakland Post

By Nicol Russell, Ed.D.

As a young child, I’d help my dad comb through coupons in the Sunday newspaper each week. With his guidance, I’d find familiar pictures and letters and pieces together to recognize words, connecting the text with meaningful ideas and objects from my life before I could even read. I didn’t know it then, but this weekly activity not only created fond memories with my father, but it helped build a foundation of important pre-reading skills that would support my journey to literacy. Today, just one in three fourth graders are reading on grade level, signaling an urgent need to ensure all children can build reading and writing skills even before they enter kindergarten.

State lawmakers have responded to the nation’s call for action. Most states have adopted policies to transform classroom instruction to teach young children to become competent, confident emerging readers through evidence-based pedagogy aligned with the science of reading. Now, it’s time to turn those policies into strong practice — from the classroom to the living room. As an early childhood curriculum leader who started her career in the classroom, I’ve seen first-hand the importance of ensuring educators — including those who teach children in the critical year before kindergarten — have access to high-quality curriculum, assessments to measure learning progress over time, and meaningful training on how to best use those tools with their unique students.

I’ve also seen, in my work and as the parent of a young reader, the importance of building a strong home-school connection. In a recent survey, 91% of early childhood educators underscored the importance of parent/caregiver engagement for developing early literacy skills in young students. This echoes a wide body of research that shows the positive links between involved families and student achievement. So, how can families help young children build a strong foundation for reading and writing? Here are some suggestions that are both fun and free.

Read.

It seems like an obvious suggestion, but the power of reading — as families and independently — cannot be overstated. Research shows the number of different types of literacy materials in the home, the amount of home reading, and the opportunity to discuss reading are all related to reading proficiency. Families can start their literacy journey together by taking a trip to the public library together. At the library, children can engage in storytime events and explore the stacks for books and magazines that catch their attention. Adults, too, should pick titles they are interested in reading independently, as modeling good reading habits is also beneficial. Back at home, families are encouraged to set aside time each day to read together. Families can make storytime more engaging for children by pausing throughout the story to ask questions about the plot or about how certain themes in the story make their child feel; using different voices for the different characters; or even acting out the story with toys.

Incorporate literacy skills into everyday activities.

Families don’t have to spend a lot of money on activities or programs to help their children on their journey to literacy. There are many ways to incorporate reading and writing skills into everyday life that are both free and fun.

Try, for example, simply making a list. Lists are an easy way to get your child to write. Consider:

Making a grocery list. Ask your child about their favorite meal or treat and work together to write down all of the ingredients you’ll need to make it. For younger children, you can read your grocery list aloud, playfully emphasizing the letter sounds and showing them the ingredients at the market to keep them engaged.
Writing the steps of an everyday chore. Invite your child to write and illustrate the steps in an everyday chore, like doing laundry. Then use that list for your child’s future reference.
Taking an order. Role play you are dining in a restaurant, and encourage your child to write down your order.

At the end of the day, ask specific questions.

It can be difficult for young children to remember what they did during the day so asking, “What did you do today?” may not generate a lot of conversation. So, ask different, more specific questions to help them recall some events, such as:

“What story did you hear or book you read today? What was it about?” Retelling stories encourages comprehension, sequencing, and use of narrative language, which are essential for literacy.
“What was the best song you sang or heard today?” Songs and rhymes strengthen phonological awareness and help children recognize sound patterns in words.
“What new word did you hear today? Help me learn what it means.” Discussing or introducing new vocabulary enhances a child’s language skills and comprehension.

The nation is grappling with a literacy crisis that has only been exacerbated by the pandemic. We have an opportunity to reverse course — but a new law, curriculum, or literacy coach alone won’t bring about the real change our children need. Policymakers, educators, advocates, and families alike must unite to support our young readers. And even simple actions, like combing through the Sunday newspaper for coupons, can have a lasting impact.

Dr. Nicol Russell is the Chief Academic Officer at Teaching Strategies.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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