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A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 3 February 2018
Handlers: Punxsutawney Phil sees 6 more weeks of winter

ed more winter 103 times a three-decade veteran of
while forecasting an early weather predictions — did
spring just 18 times — in- not see his shadow. That
cluding last year. There are means he’s predicting an
no records for the remain- early spring.
ing years. New York Mayor Bill de
At the Staten Island Zoo Blasio skipped Friday’s cer-
In New York, Staten Island emony, several years after
Chuck had a difference of dropping a groundhog
opinion with Phil. Chuck — that later died.q

Prosecutors: Gun

went off in girl’s

backpack at LA school

Groundhog Club co-handler Al Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating
groundhog, during the 132nd celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney,
Pa. Friday, Feb. 2, 2018.
Associated Press
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) winter continues. If not, tion is typically contained
— Pennsylvania’s most fa- spring comes early. in a short poem.
mous groundhog foresees In reality, Phil’s prediction “Up early this morning.
no early end to winter. is decided ahead of time Far from home. Are you
The handlers of Punxsutaw- by the group on Gobbler’s searching for the Phil-oso- Los Angeles Fire department spokesman Erik Scott, center briefs
the media outside the Belmont High School in Los Angeles
ney Phil said the furry ro- Knob, a tiny hill just outside pher’s stone? Well, even Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018.
dent has called for six more Punxsutawney about 65 my best friends, they don’t Associated Press
weeks of winter after seeing miles (about 100 kilometers) know. Is it an early spring or
his shadow at dawn Friday. northeast of Pittsburgh. just more snow,” the proc- By AMANDA LEE MYERS and ing a weapon on school
The top hat-wearing mem- Thousands of people gath- lamation read. “My faithful MIKE BALSAMO grounds, prosecutors said.
bers of the Punxsutawney ered overnight to await followers, your hands (and Associated Press Jordan Valenzuela, a
Groundhog Club’s Inner the forecast, bundled up my paws) are getting cold LOS ANGELES (AP) — A 12-year-old classmate of
Circle reveal Phil’s forecast against the cold and enter- so here is my forecast. Not semi-automatic handgun the girl’s, told The Associat-
every Feb. 2. It is based tained by folk music and a lead, but solid gold: I see went off accidentally in- ed Press that he was in the
on a German legend sur- fireworks display, with tem- my royal Shadow! Six more side the backpack of a room next door when the
rounding Candlemas. The peratures around 11 de- weeks of Winter to go!” 12-year-old girl in a Los An- gun went off and talked to
legend says if a furry rodent grees (minus-12 Celsius). Records dating to 1887 geles middle school class- her minutes later.
casts a shadow that day, The groundhog’s predic- show Phil has now predict- room, sending a single “She was crying,” Jordan
bullet tearing through the said. “She was like, ‘I didn’t
wrist of another girl before mean to. I had the gun in
hitting a boy in the head, my backpack and I didn’t
police said Friday. know it was loaded and
Los Angeles police spokes- my backpack fell and the
man Josh Rubenstein said gun went off.’”
detectives are trying to Jordan said he saw a hole
figure out where the girl in the backpack, which the
got the gun, which was girl was holding, when she
unregistered, and why asked him to hide the gun
she brought it to school. It for her.
wasn’t clear what made it “I said ‘No,’” he said. “Then
fire. I moved away from her
The girl, who was taken into because I was a little bit
custody minutes after the scared.”
shooting, has retained an The shooting sent children
attorney and isn’t answer- screaming and crying from
ing questions, Rubenstein the classroom as blood
said. poured from the two stu-
She is expected to be ar- dents who were hit.
raigned Monday on two Police descended on the
felony charges, including school, which was put on
being a minor in posses- lockdown, and the girl was
sion of a firearm and hav- arrested without incident.q