Rising Folsom Lake College science building on schedule for 2025

Science and Health

Construction on Folsom Lake College’s expansive new science building is making significant progress just one year after breaking ground and continues to remain on schedule to host students in 2025.Drivers on East Bidwell Street can’t possible miss eyeing the impressive 75,000-square-foot facility that has risen out of the hillside off College Parkway. Once complete, the building will be the largest science facility in the Los Rios Community College District, housing six biology labs, six chemistry labs, and a 4,000-square-foot science center. The project’s  $64.9 million cost is funded by Measure M, a bond approved by voters in 2008 to support the construction and modernization of Los Rios Community College District facilities, as well as state funding. Designed by HMC Architects, with Otto Construction as the lead contractor, both firms bring more than 75 years of experience serving the Sacramento region.“This 75,000-square-foot science building will be one of the cornerstone pieces that completes our college,” Folsom Lake College President Art Pimentel told Folsom Times in an earlier interview about the project as it got underway.” We’re excited to offer six biology labs and six chemistry labs, providing every local student pursuing a science degree a place to learn close to home.” The facility will also include a flex lab and additional classrooms, addressing the current capacity issues and waitlists in science courses the district has long experienced. Folsom Lake College data shows a high demand for careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, and the college’s current resources are stretched thin, creating backlogs and waitlists for many science courses. The new building will allow for substantial program expansion, supporting the college’s growing student population and better preparing graduates for in-demand careers. According to Pimental, the new building aims to create a sense of community and provide students with hands-on learning experiences, preparing them for future careers and further education. The project is part of the college’s long-term master plan and seeks support from alumni and the community through donations. In addition to its educational impact, the building represents Folsom Lake College’s commitment to sustainable construction, with plans to achieve LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The facility will include eight electric vehicle charging stations and will reduce greenhouse gas production by minimizing gas usage.The new science building is set to be completed by May 2025, with classes projected to begin in fall 2025. Folsom Lake College, which serves about 9,000 students across its Folsom, Placerville, and Rancho Cordova campuses and online, offers associate degrees, career certificates, foundational skill-building, and pathways for transfer to four-year institutions. Renderings courtesy of Folsom Lake College, Los Rios Commuity College District illustrate what the new facility will look like when completed in May of 2025z

Spikes in violent theft frightening customers, damaging business of brick-and-mortar retailers

Business News

Chander Sheikher still has nightmares about three men pointing guns in his face at a Connecticut jewelry shop while they smashed display cases and beat the elderly owner.

“It shook me up and I’m still taking meds,” Mr. Sheikher, the manager of ABC Jewelry, told The Washington Times in a phone call Monday. “We put on safety glass and got a security guard, too, which is the only thing making me feel a little more protected right now.”

Mr. Sheikher recently returned to work at the store in Bridgeport, where a judge sentenced 32-year-old assailant Adam Buster to seven years in prison and five years of probation Wednesday for his role in the June 10, 2023, incident.

He is one of thousands of Americans victimized annually by violent crimes at retail stores. Only a handful ever see their attackers end up in jail.

Recent industry reports suggest staffing shortages, urban shoplifting trends and soft-on-crime policies have contributed to rising prices and a growing perception of danger among brick-and-mortar shoppers.

Nationally, Capital One recently estimated that retail theft losses will swell from $121.6 billion last year to over $150 billion by 2026. It noted that stores catch shoplifters 2% of the time, with police arresting the average offender just once out of every 100 incidents.

“Recent data shows that while overall crime rates have fallen in 2024 across 39 major cities, rates of retail crime have spiked,” said Tom Wickham, vice president of government affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a business lobbying group. “This makes it more crucial than ever that we work together to find solutions supporting businesses and providing a safe shopping environment for everyone.”

Mr. Wickham said companies have faced “unprecedented challenges” in hiring workers as the trend worsens.

In a digital survey of 613 consumers that market researcher Premise conducted Thursday-Friday, 44% agreed with the statement, “Violent crime at physical retail stores has increased in recent years.”

That came after Texas-based communication platform Theatro reported that 78% of consumers responding to a recent survey feared for their safety and security while shopping in person at stores. Nearly half expressed frustration that understaffing makes them feel less protected from theft and violence.

Theatro makes a wearable device that retailers give their employees to report thefts and other safety issues as they unfold.

“Understaffing increases the opportunity for theft and violence because there’s no one to call for help,” said Kimberley Drobny, Theatro’s chief marketing officer. “You’re starting to see everything from chapstick to lotion locked up at stores in places like California and Colorado, and it creates an uneasiness about where you’re shopping. You wouldn’t have to do that if it was a safe place to shop.”

Paying for crime

Job openings nationwide number 8 million, with just 6.8 million unemployed workers available to fill them.

“Retail stores are experiencing staffing shortages because they now have to pay their entry-level workers combat pay to survive on the job,” said Andrew Crapuchettes, CEO of Idaho-based jobs board RedBalloon. “To boot, in-person stores just don’t have the revenue to afford better security and higher wages.”

According to the FBI, which doesn’t report retail numbers separately, violent crime dropped by 10.3% nationwide in the first six months of 2024.

In a statement emailed to The Washington Times, the bureau nevertheless said it was aware of industry reports that organized gangs of shoplifters have become more violent since the pandemic. 

“We prioritize efforts to combat it by working with our law enforcement partners at all levels to identify these organizations, dismantle them using an enterprise theory of investigation, and employ sophisticated investigative techniques,” the FBI said.

California has become ground zero in the struggle, as hundreds of crime-ravaged stores have closed in urban centers such as San Francisco the past few years.

According to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, the California Highway Patrol netted 106% more arrests for organized retail thefts in July than in June. He said 128 investigations led to the arrests of 167 suspects.

“The state’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force is responding readily and at record pace to crack down on organized criminals attempting to rip off California’s storefronts — demonstrating a continued commitment to enforcing public safety and protecting our communities,” Mr. Newsom said in August.

Christopher Tang, a UCLA business professor, said high-profile arrests and recent policy changes have failed to reassure shoppers or stem a rising tide of violent incidents at stores and malls.

“We need stiffer penalties and we need stronger law enforcement,” Mr. Tang said. “And we need more security in public places.”

He said high-profile shootings at shopping malls, throngs of mentally unstable homeless people near stores, smash-and-grab robberies, weak shoplifting laws and minimal jail sentences for offenders have all helped scare off shoppers.

Under California law, the theft of goods valued at $950 or less is a misdemeanor — and shoplifters can be prosecuted for federal theft crimes only if they steal goods worth more than $5,000 in a single heist.

“On top of that, the law enforcement is weakened since the Black Lives Matter movement, and police need to tread more gently,” Mr. Tang added. “These fears are real.”

Retailers have instructed their employees to ignore thefts in recent years, opting to absorb financial losses rather than risk the financial liability of a violent conflict.

Nelo Lucich, CEO of the tech toy company Skyrocket, said the theft of small, high-priced items has become “a constant part of the retail landscape” at stores.

Last month, the National Retail Federation sponsored a letter that 211 retailers sent to congressional leaders urging them to establish a center to coordinate federal, state and local law enforcement efforts to curb retail theft. The signatories included Walmart, Target, Walgreens and dozens of small businesses.

NRF spokeswoman Mary McGinty said rampant shoplifting has persisted even as retailers add security guards, cameras and loss-prevention gadgets.

Her advocacy group reported that 57% of consumers responding to a recent survey expected to make holiday purchases online this year compared with fewer than half who planned to shop at brick-and-mortar locations.

“We know from speaking with our members as well as conducting NRF research in the space that safety and security are a top priority for retailers,” Ms. McGinty said in an email.

Soft on crime

Retail thefts started rising during COVID-19 lockdowns, with reports of increased looting in stores and violent incidents in depopulated shopping centers.

According to economists, efforts to combat the trend through task forces and enhanced store security have proved largely ineffective.

“States like California have worsened the situation by reducing the crimes to misdemeanors,” said Daniel Lacalle, a professor of global economics at IE Business School in Spain. “Some retailers have invested significant amounts in private security, but the inflation spike has made it difficult for most, as costs have soared.”

Peter C. Earle, an economist at the free-market American Institute for Economic Research, said another problem is public officials minimizing or ignoring the problem. He pointed to estimates that shoplifting incidents rose 10% in the first half of 2024 from the same period in 2019.

“Two of the issues voters have indicated as among their major concerns in the coming election are inflation and crime,“ Mr. Earle said. “In both cases, government officials are telling U.S. citizens not to believe their eyes, but rather what they’re being told.”

Americans’ biggest frustrations at the airport revealed as almost all flyers endure one of four travel nightmares

Travel

ALMOST all Americans suffered some kind of travel nightmare in the past 12 months after forking out serious cash on trips.A new study has found seven in 10 Americans have had their travel plans go wrong within the past year.4There are four flight nightmares that every traveler has experiencedCredit: Getty4Losing luggage is one of Americans’ biggest fears when they travelCredit: GettyThe poll of 2,000 US adults who have traveled in the last 12 months found 46% have had flights delayed or canceled, 28% have lost their luggage, 15% have had their reservations changed without notice and 11% have had their personal belongings damaged.Four in 10 said their travel woes, including unexpected events and accidents, have completely derailed their trip — some citing they’ve had to endure hurricanes, blizzards, car breakdowns, stolen luggage, plane damage, missing pilots and even military operations.Commissioned by AXA Partners and conducted by Talker Research, the study also found the average person plans their trips eight weeks in advance and will spend $1,120 to make their travel arrangements.Seventy-seven percent agreed the cost of travel today is uncomfortably expensive, and many will omit travel essentials and niceties just to stay under budget. Read more on travelTravelers said they give up premium car rentals (52%), premium seating (50%), in-flight entertainment (46%) and luggage fees (45%) if they need to.More than a third (36%) will even skip out on buying travel insurance, believing it either won’t be used (40%), that it’s too expensive (36%) or that they won’t need it for short trips (26%).Despite this, 58% admitted they were concerned about an unexpected event or accident occurring while they travel. And 63% know they would be left feeling frustrated if something were to happen.“We can always hope that our trips are nice and smooth, but it’s hard to predict when the unpredictable might happen,” said Stephen Samataro, Chief Revenue Officer at AXA Partners. “When the cost of these trips are seemingly always increasing, there’s a sense of urgency to make sure you’re getting every cent’s worth — but when the unexpected happens, it can have dire consequences beyond just what you’re paying.”The study found 42% of travelers said they bought travel insurance ahead of their last trip, and a majority of them found it to be worth the price. Airport finds 25 abandoned cars left for years in car park – when they tracked down owners they got a shockHalf said they were able to get fully reimbursed for canceled trips. Meanwhile, others were compensated for their lost luggage (25%), were covered for a personal injury that occurred on vacation (21%) or were compensated for damaged personal belongings (20%).More than nine in 10 (92%) said their experiences with travel insurance were so worth it, they would likely purchase it for any future travel they have. And 88% would recommend others get it as well, based purely on their own experiences.“I believe having peace of mind goes hand-in-hand with travel,” continued Stephen Samataro. “People deserve to enjoy their travels without the added worry and stress of something going wrong. “The survey shows that a majority of people are likely to have some disruption in their trip.”And when that occurs, there’s nothing that can bring an immediate sense of relief than having your entire trip covered by insurance.”Read More on The US SunIn related news, a travel expert revealed the holiday mistakes to never make before booking a trip.And there are specific days that tourists should book flights to save money.4Others reported that weather troubles were their worst nightmaresCredit: Getty4About one-third of tourists admitted they don’t buy traveler’s insuranceCredit: GettySurvey methodologyTalker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans who have traveled in the past 12 months — domestic OR international; the survey was commissioned by AXA Assistance and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between September 13 and September 19, 2024.