Kristen Taketa
The Union-Tribune
Dallas, TX, United States
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Past articles by Kristen:
Mihir Konkapaka of Sabre Springs wins San Diego spelling bee
Mihir Konkapaka's winning word was 'exsufflation,' which means forceful breathing. → Read More
Bills would cap child care costs, raise reimbursement rates
The proposed reforms aim to fix long-standing structural issues in the child care system, among them problems The San Diego Union-Tribune detailed in an in-depth series on the real costs of child care. → Read More
'Data security incident' caused Sweetwater schools' outage
The district doesn't believe student information was compromised but was less clear about staff data. → Read More
San Diego Unified student COVID vaccine mandate struck down
The district's COVID-19 vaccination mandate for students — one of the first enacted around the state in 2021 — has been on pause since spring of last year. → Read More
How much are San Diego County school superintendents paid?
The same three people were the highest-paid in both 2020 and 2021: County Superintendent Paul Gothold, Cajon Valley Union’s David Miyashiro and Fallbrook Union Elementary’s Candace Singh. → Read More
Sweetwater schools internet outage disrupts student learning and could last all week
The district has not said when the systems will be restored or whether data has been compromised. → Read More
Could a new San Francisco tax be a solution to the child care crisis?
A new commercial tax aims to do something novel in California: provide child care financial aid for middle-class families and set a minimum wage of $28 an hour for early education teachers. → Read More
'It's a chance to restart': Hundreds celebrate Lunar New Year in San Diego with food, music, wishes
News of Los Angeles-area Lunar New Year shooting did not deter large crowds from attending festival in Little Saigon area of City Heights → Read More
22-year-old woman killed in suspected DUI crash in Pacific Beach
A driver in a Toyota Tacoma went onto the sidewalk around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, striking the woman and a 24-year-old man who was with her, police said → Read More
Man shot, critically injured after bar fight spills into Sherman Heights street
Two people were detained in connection with the shooting, which was reported around 4 a.m. near the intersection of Imperial Avenue and 22nd Street → Read More
Hundreds of millions in child care funds go unused, even as some providers wait months for money
California has set aside money to expand subsidized child care to serve more than 100,000 more children — but just allocating money doesn't guarantee it can go to use. → Read More
Reporter's notebook: How child care informs K-12 education
I usually cover K-12 education. But as I reported a series on the real cost of child care, it became clear how quality education and care for younger children can help prevent achievement gaps later in life. → Read More
California pays child care providers less than their costs
California reimburses providers based on what families can pay, rather than what it costs to provide care. To bridge the gap, providers serving the state's neediest children must get by on low pay → Read More
California day care guide: How to get child care assistance
Where should you look for child care? What does it cost? How can you get help paying for it? There's aid available, but the system can be tough to navigate. Here's what you need to know. → Read More
California's child care aid misses hundreds of thousands of families who need it
The state is supposed to help families afford child care. But few qualify for help, and most of those who do are not being served. → Read More
Apartment building blaze in La Mesa kills dog, displaces half a dozen people
A child witness said the fire had started with a Christmas tree. → Read More
Firefighter injured in Pacific Beach blaze that destroyed two-story under construction
The firefighter, who got minor burns, was evaluated and released later Christmas morning. → Read More
Lifeguards rescue two people stranded at Sunset Cliffs cave
The U.S. Coast Guard alerted lifeguards about the stranded people around 7:15 a.m.; the two were found below Point Loma Nazarene University → Read More
Driver killed in rollover crash Sunday night on I-15 in Escondido
The man's car veered off the roadway, hit a barrier wall, then rolled over multiple times in the crash 11:30 p.m. Saturday, authorities said → Read More
Store clerk shot during armed robbery at Oceanside convenience store
Police said the robbery occured around 4:25 a.m. at a store on Oceanside Boulevard; the clerk was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries → Read More