UK retail sales volumes grew at a fast pace in the year to April, slightly above seasonal norms, new figures show.

SAN BERNARDINO >> U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is visiting North Park Elementary School Friday to offer her condolences and thank school staff for their response to the April 10 shooting there that left a special education teacher and student dead and another student wounded.

San Bernardino City Unified School District spokeswoman Linda Bardere said in a telephone interview the event was closed to the news media.

“She’s here to offer her condolences to the families of the victims and to thank staff for their response to the crisis,” Bardere said.

Bardere said if time permits, DeVos will visit classrooms and read to students.

Veteran teacher Karen Elaine Smith was fatally shot by her estranged husband, Cedric Anderson, about 10:30 a.m. April 10. Anderson turned the gun on himself and committed suicide after shooting Smith and two students, police said.

Students Jonathan Martinez, 8, and Nolan Brandy, 9, were also shot. Martinez died at the hospital shortly after he was shot. Nolan survived and has since been released from the hospital.

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More to come.

San Juan Capistrano-based tradeshow and events operator Emerald Expositions raised $264 million in its initial public offering on the Nasdaq exchange Friday.

The firm owned by Toronto-based Onex offered 15.5 million shares at $17. Its pre-IPO estimate had been $18-$20. At midday the shares were trading at $19.50.

Emerald Expositions is listed under the symbol EEX. The company has 430 employees.

In 2016, the group generated $323.7 million in revenue, most of which came from trade shows and events.

Money raised in the IPO will be used to pay off company’s loans. Lead managers on the IPO included BofA Merrill Lynch, Barclays, Goldman Sachs, Citi, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and RBC Capital Markets.

In January, there was speculation Emerald Expositions was exploring a sale of the company for $2 billion. Onex Corp. bought Emerald, then called Nielsen Expositions, in 2013 for $950 million.

Emerald Expositions in 2014 began acquiring at least 12 companies.

“U r an idiot.”

Of 20 or so emails I received from Donald Trump supporters in the past week, this one from Michael J. Coldiron was the most concise.

The story provoking the responses looked at a new Southern California poll — in which nearly half of the 800 respondents said the president was “making America worse” — and placed that in the context of historical nationwide Gallup polling on other presidents’ first 100 days in office.

I had written that Trump took office with the lowest approval rating (45 percent) since Gallup began polling the 100-day question.  with Dwight Eisenhower. The front-page article said Trump was on track not only to post the lowest rating at the 100-day mark of any president, but that he also was likely to see the biggest drop in approval ratings since being sworn into office.

“At some point you might stop being so biased and act like a journalist,” suggested Luan Fogg. “Not all of us fell into a depression or spend our days crying over the election.”

My article noted that 23 percent of Southern Californians polled by SurveyUSA News thought Trump was on his way to “making America great again,” but some Trump supporters didn’t feel they were adequately represented. Not helping matters, I suspect, was my listing of the presidents’ failed effort at reforming healthcare laws and the courts’ blockage of his travel bans. In trying to explain why his numbers dropped, I also enumerated administration picks who either resigned, were fired or dropped out of the running.

“I wonder if writers like you … are allowed to write about the positive things Trump has accomplished,” wrote K.R. McClelland, who went on to cite the praise of Fox News’ Sean Hannity for Trump’s efforts with Israel, China, fighting terrorism and for Trump’s plans to cut taxes.

Steve Gasparro also saw bias and pointed to Trump’s Supreme Court nomination of Neil Gorsuch as evidence of success.

“The selection of Supreme Justice (sic) Gorsuch was a Grand-Slam,” Gasparro wrote. “It would be nice to give the president a chance like America did with President Obama.”

My story pointed out that Gorsuch’s confirmation was possible only because Republicans changed the rules to avoid a Democratic filibuster. It also pointed out that the farthest a president had ever fallen in Gallup’s 100-day approval ratings was 3 percentage points — and that Obama was among those who experienced a 3-point drop.

Let me note that I’m using the names that accompanied the emails although I was unable to immediately verify the identities of all but a few.

And, for the record, I don’t feel pressure or encouragement from my bosses to favor one side over the other. I write for all our readers, across the spectrum — not to reinforce their political positions but to provide them with information that’s as accurate as possible from all sides of an issue. I particularly think of the average non-partisan who might actually watch both Fox News and MSNBC.

‘More fake news’

“Same polls predicted Democrat victory,” wrote Jimmy Honaker. “More Fake News.”

Honaker wasn’t alone in pointing out that most pre-election polls showed Trump losing last November.

Since McClelland had countered my story by pointing to Fox News reporting, I asked if he bought into the Fox News polls. They showed Trump at 43-percent approval rating in mid-March and 45 percent in a poll done this past week — a few points higher than Gallup, but still record lows.

“I don’t think any of this is 100% truthful,” he wrote back.

Two readers pointed to an April 25 analysis of an ABC-Washington Post poll that showed Trump would beat Hillary Clinton today, 43 percent to 40 percent. Neither mentioned that the same poll had Trump at a 42-percent approval.

Several of those writing didn’t attack me or the polls results, but simply aired their frustration. Some of that frustration targeted poll respondents.

“Did the survey people explain to them they are idiots?” wrote someone identifying themselves only as Toni.

One last statistic:

Nationwide, the Washington Post found that just 2 percent regretted voting for Trump and SurveyUSA reported that only 5 percent of Trump’s Southern California voters wished they’d cast a ballot for someone else or wished they hadn’t voted at all.

In other words, those who voted for Trump overwhelmingly remain loyal to him.

At least if you believe the polls.

Placentia leaders have changed the rules for building in the downtown’s Packing House District to allow developers to create mixed-use and residential projects near the Metrolink station slated to open in 2020.

“It’s a game changer, said City Administrator Damien Arrula. “There are a lot of things happening in this area that are both unique and very exciting for Placentia.”

The zoning change has already generated interest from several transit-oriented developers that want to be part of the revitalization of the district – a 28-acre area of predominately empty lots and old industrial buildings along Crowther Avenue south of the Metrolink station and its adjoining parking structure. The new rules approved this month also set out a plan for how the district should look with pedestrian-friendly streets and sense of charm.

Integral Communities, in partnership with Lyon Living, has submitted a preliminary site plan to build a five-story, luxury apartment complex on 2.95 acres on Crowther Avenue where the Boys & Girls Club once was. The 215-unit project would be similar to a luxury apartment complex they built in Santa Ana, the Nineteen01 apartments, which include a clubhouse, pool and fitness center atop a concrete parking garage.

The resort-style living would appeal to everyone from millennials to empty nesters who want to benefit from public transportation and accessibility to shops, restaurants and public amenities, officials said.

“This is the type of project we were envisioning,” Placentia’s Director of Development Services Joseph Lambert said. “I believe it will be a great fit for the area and will help us accomplish our goals.”

In addition, the historic Packing House at the corner of Crowther Avenue and Melrose Street could turn into a gathering spot for dining and entertainment similar to the Anaheim Packing House or the Claremont Packing House.

“It’s exactly the kind of planning that both the state of California and industry experts have been advocating for,” said Mike Balsamo, CEO of the Building Industry Association of Southern California. “We have to begin looking at using our urbanized areas more efficiently in terms of land use, given the need for housing in the region.”

The Packing House District, anchored by the Metrolink station, has the potential to create up to $1.5 million in annual revenue generated from sales tax, property tax and vehicle registration fees and $15 million in one-time revenue, including development impact fees, a city economic report said.

According to the economic benefit analysis by Kosmont Companies, development projects would support 2,684 construction jobs and 333 permanent jobs to help boost Placentia’s economy.

“It will move us forward,” Arrula said. “From an economic development standpoint, it will help us out significantly in making our budget more sustainable. It will allow us to do a few more things in terms of city services and building reserves.”

Zuhair Murad knows how to make a beautifully ornate dress, showing in his latest bridal offering the type of lavish embroidery and sensuality found in his other collections. He was inspired this season by the Jardim Botanico in Rio de Janeiro, working in themes of lush gardens, florals and imaginary birds via tulle and chiffon confections, crystal and pearl embroideries, and a romantic lightness in silhouettes. There was a sense of daring with the introduction of a hand-beaded body-hugging jumpsuit, styled with a voluminous removable overskirt with the magical effect of elevating any slim gown.

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Los Angeles-based stylist sisters Maryam and Marjan Malakpour and their footwear brand Newbark have linked with Theory to design capsule collections beginning with a pre-fall collection launching next Thursday in Theory’s Melrose Avenue flagship.
“We met Andrew Rosen when we were selected as CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists last year, so that’s how the opportunity came up, and we’ve been working on this for the last six months,” Maryam said.
The Malakpours took their core loafer and sandal styles and used Theory’s ready-to-wear fabrics and leathers such as red velvet, zebra print calf hair, denim and Army green cotton retailing for $264 to $345. The retailer already sells shoes from the regular Newbark collection.
The collaboration will launch with a two-week pop-up inside the Theory in Los Angeles before rolling out in other Theory stores. At Thursday night’s party, where hipster singer Cherry Glazerr will perform, guests will also be able to customize their shoes with one-of-a-kind Swarovski patches.
The sisters launched Newbark in 2009 with a folding leather travel flat, after growing tired of aching feet from traveling. “It’s like when your feet are barking it means they’re hurting, that’s where the name comes from,” Marjan said.
They expanded into a full footwear and accessories

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Gwyneth Paltrow knows how to draw a crowd. The founder and chief executive officer of Goop and Alison Loehnis, president of Net-a-porter and Mr Porter, celebrated Paltrow’s Mother’s Day edit and launch of Goop beauty products on the e-tailer with a wellness-minded brunch in Venice, Calif., with designers Rosetta Getty, Anine Bing, Brigette Romanek and Lisa Marie Fernandez; jewelry designers Lisa Eisner, Andrea Fohrman, Anita Ko and Jennifer Meyer, and Erica Pelosini, Fuschia Kate Sumner, Kelly Sawyer and Estee Stanley, among others.

Jennifer Meyer and Kelly Sawyer at Goop and Net-a-porter’s L.A. brunch. 
EMMAFEILPHOTO

Guests indulged in mini-treatments from Goop’s favorite wellness pros, which included reflexology, crystal therapy from Style Rituals, manicures from organic nail-care company Tenoverten and facial massages from Face Love. Butcher’s Daughter’s fresh juices, beauty elixirs and healthy bites were served up throughout the morning.

Fuschia Sumner, Anine Bing and Nola Singer at Goop and Net-a-porter’s L.A. brunch. 
EMMAFEILPHOTO

Goop and Net began their relationship six years ago and have thrown three events together, including one last summer at Paltrow’s home in Amagansett. Thursday’s event marked the first time they’ve taken the partnership to the West Coast. Net began selling beauty and grooming products in the spring of 2013.
“This is the first one

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DANCE OFF: A self-proclaimed Anglophile, Gucci’s Alessandro Michele returned to London on Thursday night to celebrate the label’s pre-fall 2017 campaign with i-D magazine.
Called “Soul Scene,” the campaign was met with approval from the industry for its statement on diversity. Launched earlier this month, it features people of color and draws inspiration from Northern Soul, a music and dance movement that developed in northern England in the late Sixties.
Gucci brought the campaign to life by hosting the party in the home of Northern Soul, the historic Mildmay Club in North London, where the campaign was also shot by Glen Luchford. The space, which came complete with a stage with sparkly foil curtains, disco lighting, retro-striped wallpaper and pink bow-engraved walls, transported guests back into the Swinging Sixties.
The dance floor quickly filled up with guests who moved to the beats of Northern Soul, encouraged by ongoing performances from dancers clad in sparkly, colorful Gucci pre-fall outfits.
The event drew a young, alternative crowd of up-and-coming designers, musicians and actors, the kind that grace the pages of i-D. Whether they were dressed in Gucci or not, their flamboyant styles and command of the dance floor fit with the label’s magpie aesthetic.
“Take me to

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UPTOWN GABFEST: Women buzzing by Blushington’s Upper East Side location Thursday had the added bonus of checking out spring styles from Tucker by Gaby Basora, and meeting the designer.
“The Sugar Detox” author Brooke Alpert was one of the 40 women who picked up a blouse during the all-day trunk show. Having gone from having a lot of wholesale accounts to being largely direct-to-customers, Basora said events such as the one at Blushington are “really great since people have been e-mailing inquiring where they might be able to try things on and feel the fabrics. We’ve been having a nice turnout doing little collaborations with people that we adore.”
As one brand owned by Resonance’s Lawrence D. Lenihan and Joseph Ferrara, Basora’s company is based in the West 28th Street building that once housed The Tunnel nightclub. The designer plans to use the facility’s bleacher seating for readings and other special events that will include a shopping element. With many people short on free time, it can be difficult to find time for both, Basora said.
Having recently attended a Women in Innovation Forum where BareMinerals’ founder Leslie Blodgett was among the speakers, Basora said, “It’s an interesting time right now with people

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