profiles | people, places & goings-on in education facilities and business
Father of shooter in fatal Georgia high school attack is found guilty of murder
A father whose son is accused of fatally shooting four people in 2024 at a Georgia high school has been found guilty of murder and other charges after providing his son the gun allegedly used in the shooting.
USA Today reports that a jury in Barrow County found Colin Gray, 55, guilty of numerous charges. Prosecutors said Gray provided his then-14-year-old son with a gun and should have known the danger the boy posed.
Colt Gray allegedly opened fire in September 2024 at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. The attack killed students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie. Nine others were injured.
The case against the father was "about who armed Colt and who enabled him to do what he did," prosecutor Patricia Brooks told jurors.
The younger Gray has not yet been tried. He is facing 55 charges, including murder, aggravated assault and cruelty to children.
Colin Gray testified at the trial that he gave his son the rifle allegedly used in the shooting as a Christmas present.
Ohio State University appoints new president
Ravi V. Bellamkonda has been appointed president of Ohio State University following the abrupt resignation of Walter "Ted" Carter Jr.
Bellamkonda has been Ohio State’s executive vice president and provost since January 2025 and previously served as an administrator at Emory University and Duke University.
His promotion to the university president's job came only a few days after the board of trustees accepted Carter's resignation. Carter left his position for personal reasons after disclosure of "an inappropriate relationship" he had with a woman seeking public resources for her personal business.
First building approved for new University of Texas at Arlington West campus
The University of Texas System Board of Regents has approved construction plans for the first building on a new campus--The University of Texas at Arlington West in far west Fort Worth.
Chron.com reports that the regents allocated $94.4 million for construction of a 150,000-square-foot facility on the 51-acre campus that is being developed on the western edge of Fort Worth near Aledo. UTA West is projected to welcome its inaugural class in fall 2028.
An additional $55.1 million has been approved for design services, fixed equipment and project management.
Construction is expected to begin on the building next month. Final completion is projected for May 2028.
Construction begins in California district on housing for teachers
The Santa Cruz (California) district is building a 100-unit Educator Housing Development to provide affordable spaces to live for teachers and support staff who work for the district.
The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports that the $85.9 million, four-story housing complex will consist of 11 studio apartments, 28 one-bedroom apartments, 50 two-bedroom apartments and 11 three-bedroom apartments. The development will charge rent at 60% to 70% of market rates.
The project has been in development since 2015. The Santa Cruz district has found it difficult to keep teachers on the job because of high rent prices in the city. New teachers were leaving the district after three to five years, Santa Cruz Superintendent Kris Munro said, because high housing costs often forced them to live with roommates. Around 95% of declined job offers are attributed to high housing costs, the district said.