![]() ![]() In February 2022, the state auditor once again urged the state to take action, calling Epic Charter Schools mismanagement the largest abuse of taxpayer funds ‘in the history of this state’. What was the response from the governor Stitt protected Epic Schools by removing John Harrington as the president of the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board. ![]() Stitt has received $10,900 in donations from individuals associated with Epic. In her December 2021 resignation letter, the vice president of Epic’s governing board, Kathren Stehno, accused the company of improperly withdrawing students for truancy, failing to notify board members of key information and handing out “extremely large and unapproved” staff bonuses.Įpic has given out hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to Oklahoma politicians. Only months after Epic was let off the hook, the company is embroiled in controversy again. It did not do nearly enough to punish the company or hold it accountable for its misuse of taxpayer dollars. (One of the members on the oversight board Harrington was trying to remove was a family member of Epic’s founder.)Īfter Harrington’s removal, the termination proceedings against Epic were delayed for months and ultimately abandoned in April following a settlement agreement that required Epic to be more transparent. ![]() What was the response from the governor? Stitt protected Epic Schools by removing John Harrington as the president of the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board after he initiated contract termination proceedings against Epic and challenged two board members about their conflicts of interest with the company. A scathing state audit of Epic found that the company had even sent $200,000 worth of Oklahoma tax money to one of its schools in California.The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation further alleged the company was a vehicle for owners Ben Harris and David Chaney to illegally take profits from taxpayer dollars, receiving $10 million in profits from the company that managed the charter school. Nearly $46 million in taxpayer dollars were sent to Epic Youth Services – even though it had zero employees besides its two founders during most of the time it was receiving funds. In recent years, millions of tax dollars have been misused by the for-profit arm of Epic Schools - one of the largest campaign donors in Oklahoma - and a contributor to Kevin Stitt’s campaign. ![]()
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![]() Apple's post-shot bokeh looks sharp - it's been getting better by degrees thanks to software tweaks since Apple introduced it in beta last year - but you have to be in Portrait mode to get it, which I don't often make my default because of its specific distance needs. Third-party apps already offer similar manipulation, and other phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S9 and LG G7 have shipped with blur adjustment first. Will I really use it? Sarah Tew/CNETįor the 2018 models, Apple now also uses software to let you adjust background focus after you've shot a photo. It's also not entirely necessary, but if you're into taking the best photos regardless of price or use your phone as a pro camera tool, it's an upgrade worth considering.Īdjusting bokeh blur effect is possible now. ![]() That extra zoom can be helpful, and delivers great close-up shots for me on lots of occasions. ![]() The telephoto lens on the XS and XS Max have 2x optical zoom and work in a telephoto Portrait Mode, just like the iPhone 7 Plus and 8 Plus cameras. The one camera advantage of the iPhone XS: dual rear camera Enthusiasts of perfect displays or pros needing top-notch detail might want the XS or XS Max. However, in normal everyday use, it's sometimes hard to tell the OLED from LCD to a casual eye. It's a great display, and better than the iPhone XR's lower-res, lower-contrast LCD. The new display looks subtly brighter and richer at maximum brightness over last year's iPhone X, which already looked lovely. I noticed side-by-side improvements on the iPhone XS versus the X when watching Blade Runner 2049 and other HDR movies. The iPhone X OLED screen already looked great, but the XS OLED does it a bit better. Sarah Tew/CNET That HDR OLED display looks mighty nice In fact, it's the first choice you should make in buying a new iPhone. But for the vast majority of people, those are far from dealbreakers. It's faster and has better battery life than 2017's iPhone X, but has only a single rear camera (equipped with its own software-aided portrait mode that simulates depth of field bokeh effects), and a lower-res LCD screen instead of OLED. There's a notch at the top of the screen, too. Starting at $749, it has Face ID and a depth-sensing front camera instead of a home button, just like the rest of the iPhone X gang. The iPhone XR is Apple's "affordable" X model, and the best iPhone to buy right now. That feeling holds true now that I've reviewed the XR. When I first reviewed the XS, I considered it a modest upgrade over the X, and to wait for the XR (which was released more than a month later). ![]() This year, the trio of iPhone X models represent a spectrum from $749 to nearly $1,500, should you choose to pay for all the storage. The iPhone X was a singular design in 2017. ![]() ![]() ![]() Romantic ocean front wedding gazebos and a gazebo located in the midst of the golf course for picture-perfect sunset weddings.Oversized ocean front master suites feature private plunge pools and direct beach access.Sparkling pools include a relaxing free-form pool and an ocean front infinity pool.Resort features a unique protected mangrove of indigenous flora and fauna.Only 35 minutes from the Cancun International Airport.All-suite resort boasting spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea from most of the 424 suites, as well as ground floor suites with direct swim-out access to a pool from a private balcony.Minutes away from the championship 18-hole Playa Mujeres Golf Course, designed by golf legend Greg Norman.Complimentary traditional Temazcal ceremony located at Dreams Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort.Access to all pools, bars and restaurants and the dolphin habitat at Dreams Playa Mujeres right next door.Situated on a gorgeous stretch of white sandy beachfront in an idyllic location just minutes north of downtown Cancun.Guests at the unique Secrets Playa Mujeres Golf and Spa Resort will also have these added benefits! 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Secrets Playa Mujeres offers an array of beach and pool activities every day including beach volleyball, Hobie Cat, paddle boards, kayaks and their PADI dive center offers snorkeling and diving options. Settled on pristine, white-sand beaches, in a privileged gated community, this adults-only, all-suite resort sits adjacent to an 18-hole signature Greg Norman golf course. Offering spectacular views, swim-out suites, an Unlimited-Luxury® experience, gourmet dining and more, Secrets Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort creates the perfect setting for a vacation in paradise. It's on Isla Blanca, a long, sandy peninsula that juts out of the mainland, eventually fading into nothing at its tip.Secrets Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort is an all-inclusive resort, located in beautiful Cancun. Secrets Playa Mujeres Golf Spa Resort is a luxury adults-only hotel on the Yucatan Peninsula, in eastern Mexico. 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