By Daniel Wine, CNN

Welcome to 5 Things PM! Well, here’s a twist I didn’t see coming. Scientists just discovered that the “oldest octopus” in the world isn’t an octopus after all.

Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day.

5 things

1⃣ Deportations hit snag

In an effort to accelerate deportations, the Trump administration devised a plan to enter into agreements with other countries to accept immigrants regardless of whether they were from there. So far, it has been a struggle.

2⃣ Tax surprise

Some people who have Affordable Care Act coverage might owe the government money for premium subsidies received during the previous year. Here’s what you should know.

3⃣ Seeing double

Scientists created precise virtual replicas of diseased hearts to help doctors learn how to better treat the real thing. The technology could save the lives of patients with irregular heartbeats.

4⃣ ‘We’re happier’

A Miami couple felt something was missing and decided the city wasn’t the right environment to raise their children. After two years in Italy, they can’t imagine living anywhere else.

5⃣ Now that’s a bargain

A work of art by Picasso valued at more than $1 million will be raffled off for 100 euros — about $116. See what it looks like.

Watch this

Tearful reunion: Michelle Hundley Smith disappeared in 2001 and was only recently found after a tip to police. Watch the emotional moment when she sees her daughter again.

Top headlines

• Trump threatens to sink Iranian ‘fast attack ships’ that come near blockade
• House Ethics Committee announces investigation into Rep. Eric Swalwell
• Automatic military draft registration takes effect in December. Here’s how it would work

Check this out

Vintage style: From grainy YouTube videos to coveted jerseys and popular reissues, a new generation of soccer fans is bringing the past into the present.

For CNN subscribers

• Analysis: Melania Trump tried to sweep the Epstein saga away, but she ended up reviving it
• Trump seeks sphere of influence Read more

The post County Supervisors Can Improve Justice — and Save Millions appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

Por Fernando Ramos, CNN en Español

La utopía animal del difunto Pablo Escobar, uno de los más sanguinarios jefes del narcotráfico en Colombia, terminó convirtiéndose en una verdadera pesadilla ecológica. Este lunes, el Gobierno de Colombia oficializó una de las decisiones más complejas y debatidas en materia de biodiversidad: la autorización para aplicar la eutanasia a 80 hipopótamos que pertenecieron al capo narco.

Los animales viven en los alrededores de la llamada Hacienda Nápoles, un predio rural ubicado en Puerto Triunfo, departamento de Antioquia, que perteneció a Escobar y hoy está dedicado a actividades turísticas. La presencia de cerca de 160 de estos gigantes africanos en el corazón de Colombia no es un accidente de la naturaleza, sino el resultado de la excentricidad y el poder desmedido del narcotráfico en los años 80, según el Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible.

Irene Vélez, ministra encargada de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible, explicó que tomaron la medida de autorizar la eutanasia de 80 de estos ejemplares debido al crecimiento descontrolado de esta especie invasora en la cuenca del río Magdalena.

“Sin esa acción es imposible controlar la población, y, como ya vimos, en las estimaciones implicaría que a 2030 tendríamos al menos 500 hipopótamos afectando nuestros ecosistemas y a nuestras especies nativas, como el manatí y como la tortuga de río. Es con responsabilidad con nuestro ecosistema que tenemos que tomar estas acciones”, dijo Vélez este lunes en conferencia de prensa.

En 1981, Pablo Escobar, jefe en ese entonces del llamado Cartel de Medellín, decidió construir el zoológico privado más grande de América Latina, una forma de ostentar su poder y dinero. Para eso, adquirió una gran variedad de especies, como cebras, elefantes y jirafas, que fueron importadas ilegalmente desde un zoológico de Estados Unidos. Entre los animales exóticos que llegaron había cuatro hipopótamos: un macho y tres hembras.

A diferencia de otras especies, que murieron o fueron trasladadas tras el abatimiento del capo en 1993, los ahora llamados “narco hipopótamos” fueron abandonados a su suerte. Debido a su agresividad y al enorme costo de su transporte, las autoridades ambientales de la época prefirieron dejarlos en los lagos de la hacienda, creyendo que no sobrevivirían o que su población se mantendría controlada.

Lo que nadie previó fue que el valle del río Magdalena se convertiría en un paraíso biológico para la especie que se ha reproducido sin control, amenazando a especies nativas e incluso convirtiéndose en un peligro para los habitantes de la zona.

La decisión de aplicar la eutanasia responde a una crisis ecológica que ha venido siendo evaluada hace años por diferentes sectores científicos y de defensa del medio ambiente. La ejecución de este plan contará con una asignación equivalente a unos US$ 2.000.000, dada la complejidad de rastrear y sedar a estos mamíferos de hasta tres toneladas en zonas de difícil acceso. “La ciencia nos pide actuar. Las acciones son indispensables para evitar un desastre ecológico irreversible en nuestros ríos”, afirmó la ministra Vélez durante la presentación de una circular técnica sobre el tema.

La decisión del Ministerio plantea un debate entre la protección del ecosistema global y el derecho a la vida de animales individuales que ha estado presente durante los últimos años en Colombia.

“Desde el Instituto Humboldt continuaremos aportando conocimiento en apoyo al Ministerio y a las Corporaciones Autónomas Regionales (CAR) para controlar los #HipopótamosInvasores”, afirmó este organismo de defensa del medio ambiente en su cuenta oficial en X.

“Por los manatíes, nutrias, bagres rayados, y por supuesto, también por la gente de las comunidades locales, este es el paso en la dirección correcta. Aplaudo que

NIPOMO, Calif. (KEYT) - A multi-phased modernization project to replace aging portable classrooms at Nipomo High School is now underway.

Over spring break last week, Lucia Mar Unified School District began work with the removal of eight portable classrooms that were located in the middle of the campus, with an additional nine to be moved in the near future.

"This is relatively a new school that opened in 2002," said Nipomo High School Principal John Denno. "However, over 80% of the classroom buildings were portable and so this is long overdue for us to actually get some permanent structures on our campus. We have 17 classrooms that are being removed and we'll have 17 brand new classrooms here in about 18 months."

Once all of the portables are removed, the ensuing construction project will replace the old buildings with brand new "stick frame" constructed classrooms.

"Permanent, structures are really nice because each of these portable classrooms are 20 feet by 40 feet," said Denno. "It's a rectangular build and sometimes it makes it very challenging for teachers to configure their classrooms in the best learning environment to engage students. The new stick built classrooms will be more square in shape that allow for much more engaging classroom space."

Denno, who has been principal at the school since 2014, added the new classrooms will provide students several more advantages to their overall educational experience, as well as the school and district.

"Not only for just the morale of the campus, and the pride that the community has," said Denno. "We have a lot of permanent buildings at the entry points of our campus, but once you're on the campus, we've got a large percentage of our classrooms are portable. They are not energy efficient. In fact, Nipomo High School has one of the largest energy bills in the district due to the fact that portable classrooms don't retain heat and they don't retain cool air. They're a much better educational setting. The configuration being a little more open, a little freer for teachers to reconfigure classrooms. Teachers will kind of get away from that, row and column structure, and have forward facing classroom space where students can work more collaboratively and focus on those 21st Century skills."

The post Nipomo High School starts modernization project to replace portable classrooms appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

NIPOMO, Calif. (KEYT) - A multi-phased modernization project to replace aging portable classrooms at Nipomo High School is now underway.

Over spring break last week, Lucia Mar Unified School District began work with the removal of eight portable classrooms that were located in the middle of the campus, with an additional nine to be moved in the near future.

"This is relatively a new school that opened in 2002," said Nipomo High School Principal John Denno. "However, over 80% of the classroom buildings were portable and so this is long overdue for us to actually get some permanent structures on our campus. We have 17 classrooms that are being removed and we'll have 17 brand new classrooms here in about 18 months."

Once all of the portables are removed, the ensuing construction project will replace the old buildings with brand new "stick frame" constructed classrooms.

"Permanent, structures are really nice because each of these portable classrooms are 20 feet by 40 feet," said Denno. "It's a rectangular build and sometimes it makes it very challenging for teachers to configure their classrooms in the best learning environment to engage students. The new stick built classrooms will be more square in shape that allow for much more engaging classroom space."

Denno, who has been principal at the school since 2014, added the new classrooms will provide students several more advantages to their overall educational experience, as well as the school and district.

"Not only for just the morale of the campus, and the pride that the community has," said Denno. "We have a lot of permanent buildings at the entry points of our campus, but once you're on the campus, we've got a large percentage of our classrooms are portable. They are not energy efficient. In fact, Nipomo High School has one of the largest energy bills in the district due to the fact that portable classrooms don't retain heat and they don't retain cool air. They're a much better educational setting. The configuration being a little more open, a little freer for teachers to reconfigure classrooms. Teachers will kind of get away from that, row and column structure, and have forward facing classroom space where students can work more collaboratively and focus on those 21st Century skills."

Once completed, classrooms will be inside three different buildings that are expected to have a lifespan likely up to 70 years.

"Over spring break, we removed half of the portables that we plan to remove, and we'll remove the rest this coming summer," said Andy Stenson, Lucia Mar Unified School District Facilities Executive Director. "This coming summer is the first phase of the project with rerouting of utilities. The project will begin in earnest from a construction standpoint, probably in early fall."

Stenson added the cost of the project's first phase is slated to be $13 million.

The school district was fortunate to pass Measure H back in November of 2024," said Stenson. "That provides a funding stream for this project. In addition to that, we will go through the process to apply for state matching funds, and with some luck, we should be eligible for about $5 million in free state match money on this project."

A second phase of the project is the addition of a new multi-purpose building that would serve as a secondary gym, not only for Nip