Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog

Horoscopes Sept. 28, 2025: Hilary Duff, trust your instincts and express your feelings

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Hilary Duff, 38; Ranbir Kapoor, 43; Mira Sorvino, 58; Janeane Garofalo, 61.

Happy Birthday: Trust your instincts and express your feelings this year, and you’ll gain momentum. Refuse to let anyone step in and take over. It’s up to you to run the show your way if you want to achieve the lifestyle you desire. Refuse to let laziness take hold, allowing others the chance to displace you from your position. Stop talking, start doing and turn your dream into a reality. Your numbers are 5, 17, 22, 31, 35, 42, 46.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take measures to verify and rectify situations and partnerships that need a positive adjustment. Holding back will limit your chance to advance or to get yourself sorted out and ready for your next leap of faith. Don’t overthink what you want. Create a to-do list, and you’ll feel accomplished when you complete your tasks. 5 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Treat yourself to something that makes you happy or feel good about yourself. An updated look, a healthy lifestyle or socializing with people who bring out the best in you will help you realign yourself for positive action. Clear a space to explore new possibilities. A meditation corner or hobby room can help ease stress. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Craving change and making it happen are not the same. Set your mind free to wander, and let your imagination turn an idea into something tangible. Stop being so hard on yourself, and let your focus drift toward something that builds your enthusiasm and encourages you to incorporate what you love doing into a lucrative mission. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Keep your plans to yourself until you can release your intentions without recourse from others. Your energy is better spent doing than defending what you want to pursue. Spend more time at home, where you can go undetected and accomplish what you set out to do. A moneymaking idea will lead to new possibilities. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Avoid a scene by refusing to engage in an unnecessary argument. Don’t waste time on something that doesn’t bring you happiness. Take responsibility for yourself and your life. It’s OK to be different and to follow your heart. A change of scenery, networking or activities that spark your imagination are favored. 5 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Put your emotions aside. Be practical and use common sense when dealing with others. Choose to put your energy to good use and where you can make a moral difference. Redesign your surroundings to fit the lifestyle you want to live. Personal growth, self-improvement and a healthier lifestyle will boost your ego and your options. 2 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Express yourself with color, passion and kindness, and you’ll gain respect and make progress. Ease stress by facing and dealing with situations before they have a chance to escalate. Invest more time and effort into your surroundings to ensure you have a place to unwind and regain your perspective on life, love and achieving happiness. 4 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Take control, make the call, question others and hold yourself and those close to you accountable to ensure you reach your goal. Idle time can lead to fretting and create unnecessary stress, which can cause a shortsighted approach. Travel, learn and confront your demons, and the result will be clarity and a desire to move ahead. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Feel your way forward. Question everything, and hold yourself accountable to tighten your budget and simplify your lifestyle. Making the right choices will determine your level of success. Use your imagination to devise a plan that helps you meet your demands. Protect your health and emotional well-being from outside influences and risky ventures. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Check your ego at the door and prepare to get real. An honest approach to whatever you might like to pursue will help you cut through any ulterior motives someone else may try to impose on you. It’s up to you to captivate your audience and hold them through your actions, not your words. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Budget for the improvements you want to make to your surroundings, yourself or your lifestyle. Home improvements, investing more time and effort to achieve what brings you happiness and speaking up for yourself will encourage positive change and access to those who can help you make your dreams a reality. Declutter and minimize stress. 4 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take control. A financial situation requires speed and accuracy to come out on top. Take a critical look at yourself and adjust your schedule to include programs, activities and events that help you become the best version of yourself. Feeling good about how you look will offer the strength and courage to pursue your dreams. 2 stars

Birthday Baby: You are persuasive, chatty and energetic. You are questioning and perceptive.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes.
2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others.
3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals.
4 stars: Aim high; start new projects.
5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

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High School football: Hard luck Aztecs fall to Scotts Valley

SANTA CRUZ —  Learning how to finish, how to put a complete game together. It is part of the maturation process for a young program fighting for respect.

While Soledad can’t hide the frustration of being winless four weeks into the season, its 11 sophomores and one freshman are providing glimpses of the future, even if the results on the scoreboard aren’t showcasing it.

For the second straight week, the snakebitten Aztecs failed to hold a second half lead, falling in the final two minutes Saturday to undefeated Scotts Valley 24-20 at Harbor High.

“It’s been tough the last two weeks,” Soledad coach Eric Rodriguez said. “Some of it is youth related. We as coaches have to do a better job in finishing the game on offense. We as a team have to learn how to finish games.”

Last week Soledad (0-4) squandered a 19-point lead to Monte Vista in an eventual 34-27 setback. Two weeks earlier, it was only down by seven to 4-1 North Salinas before the walls caved in during the second half of a 27-7 loss.

Dating back to last year, the Aztecs have dropped six consecutive games, the second-longest current losing streak in the Pacific Coast Athletic League, behind Harbor’s 12 straight losses.

“Once we get that first win, we’ll ride that momentum,” promised Rodriguez. “I don’t know if the kids understand how close they are. Once we get it together, we’ll be a dangerous team. These kids have no quit in them.”

Scotts Valley, who has already surpassed last year’s entire win total at 4-0, came into the game having allowed just six points all season.

Yet, two touchdown passes from DJ Valenzuela to Christian Gonzalez and Daniel Garcia gave upset-minded Soledad a 14-10 lead in the third quarter.

When Scotts Valley — who travels to Stevenson next Saturday in a battle of unbeatens — retook the lead, the Aztecs had an answer when Garcia found a seam for a 15-yard touchdown run with 7:34 remaining.

Soledad had the ball with 2:43 left before a turnover gave the Falcons the ball back, enabling them to go downfield and score on a Jack Locatelli touchdown run with 1:43 left in the game.

With its stadium and field being completely overhauled. Scotts Valley is practicing and playing its home games this season at Harbor High.

San Lorenzo Valley 20, Greenfield 0: The Bruins are struggling offensively as they failed to score a touchdown for the third time this year in falling to 0-4.

Greenfield has produced just one touchdown in 16 quarters of football this fall, and has yet to score an offensive point in the first half, having been outscored 64-2.

Dating back to last year, Greenfield has dropped 10 of its last 11 games. Two years ago, it tied the school record with nine wins in capturing the program’s first ever league title in the Santa Lucia Division. It now plays in the Mission Division South.

Travis Ryan continues to be a bright spot in the somber season, rushing for over 100 yards for the third straight game for the Bruins, who visit Monte Vista on Friday.

Frankie Hernandez and Raul Luengas ignited the defense for Greenfield, with Hernandez intercepting a pass and Luengas forcing a fumble.

Pro soccer: Rebollar’s goal keeps Union’s playoff hopes alive

SEASIDE — On life support when the match began, Monterey Bay FC has a pulse and a heartbeat as its flickering playoff hopes are still within reach.

The Union snapped a nine-game winless streak Saturday, using a late goal from Watsonville native Adrian Rebollar to upset Sacramento Republic 1-0 at Cardinale Stadium.

Not only did the win move Monterey Bay FC out of last place in the United Soccer League Championships Western Conference, but it pushed them to within three points of the eighth and final playoff spot.

The Union (7-13-7) will take their final regular season road trip next Saturday to Tampa, before closing the season with home matches against playoff-bound Pittsburgh and last place Las Vegas.

The Union are just 1-9-4 on the road this year, with the one victory coming back on March 22 at Orange County.

For the first time since July 11, the Union walked off the pitch with a victory, improving their home record to 6-4-3 at Cardinale Stadium.

Rebollar, one of the original signings when the Union became a franchise four years ago, took a pass from Tarik Scott in the 71st minute and drilled it through the bottom left corner to break up a scoreless battle.

The former Cal State Monterey Bay sniper is tied for second on the Union in goals this season, having collected four goals.

Scott, who is on loan from Major League Soccer’s FC Dallas, has been a contributor since his arrival in August as a distributor, injecting a little life into the Union’s offense.

Sacramento, which sits in second place in the Western Conference and is playoff-bound, came into the match riding a four-game unbeaten streak.

Goalie Nico Campuzano, who leads the USL in saves, earned his sixth shutout of the season between the pipes for Monterey Bay FC.

In the team’s last meeting on August 9, the roles were reversed as Sacramento produced a goal at home in a 1-0 decision over the Union. They are now 3-5-1 lifetime against their Northern California rivals.

 

Community College football: Pascone, Hartnell run past Contra Costa

SALINAS – When Art Berlanga was piecing together a roster just hours after being hired at Hartnell College in mid-June, he emphasized patience.

The situation was nothing new for the Panthers’ head coach, having been down this road on two other occasions. There are no quick fixes when you’re given six weeks to build a football team.

“We had guys not showing up until August,” Berlanga said. “We haven’t been together for even two months. To put a product out there with the time we’ve had, I can’t be upset about that. I can’t be impatient. We’re in a good spot with the time we’ve had.”

Hartnell running back John Nombrano breaks into the secondary in the first half of Saturday’s 40-24 win over Contra Costa at Rabobank Stadium. (Donald Fukui -- Herald Correspondent)

The Panthers put themselves in a better frame of mind Saturday, erupting for a season high in points in snapping a three-game losing streak with a 40-24 win over Contra Costa at Rabobank Stadium.

After going winless last year at home, the Panthers — who have a bye this week — are 2-1 this fall at Rabobank, doubling their entire win total from last season.

“It just shows that preparation during the week matters,” Berlanga said. “We’re starting to figure that out. That’s a very big piece to this. We had our best week of practice. There was a different tone.”

The growing pains of a freshman-loaded roster were evident in the past three weeks, when Hartnell gave up 160 points and was outscored 87-23 in the second half.

“Based upon what had happened the last three games, we’ve been a one-half team,” Berlanga said. “Today, we put it together for four quarters. It wasn’t perfect. But we’re improving. We’re getting better.”

That includes the Panthers’ offensive line, which opened massive holes for Justin Pascone to run through, as the North Salinas graduate set the tone in the opening minutes with a 48-yard touchdown run.

Pascone, who went over 100 yards on the ground for the second time this year and has already surpassed last season’s entire rushing totals, hurdled and ran over defenders to a tune of 243 rushing yards.

“Justin is just a stud,” said Berlanga, who took Forge Christian High in Denver to a spot in the state championship game last fall, and guided Gonzales to a school record 11 wins in 2018.

Pascone’s physicality got contagious when quarterback Adam Shaffer ran over a defender on a scramble, keeping a drive alive, finishing with 111 yards on the ground, while John Nombrano piled up 110 rushing yards.

Hartnell’s Justin Pascone drags Contra Costa defenders for a short gain on Saturday. (Donald Fukui -- Herald Correspondent)(Donald Fukui -- Herald Correspondent)Hartnell defenders Christian Campos and Asa Sagrero stop Contra Costa’s Antonio Hines in the first half on Saturday. (Donald Fukui -- Herald Correspondent)Brock Billings and Asa Sagrero apply defensive pressure on Conta Costa quarterback Santana Ortiz in the first quarter. (Donald Fukui -- Herald Correspondent)Hartnell quarterback Adam Schaffer and head coach Art Berlanga confer during a timeout in the first half on Saturday at Rabobank Stadium. (Donald Fukui -- Herald Correspondent)Hartnell coach Art Berlanga watches from the sideline during the Panthers’ 40-24 win over Contra Costa on Saturday at Rabobank Stadium. (Donald Fukui -- Herald Correspondent)Show Caption1 of 6Hartnell’s Justin Pascone drags Contra Costa defenders for a short gain on Saturday. (Donald Fukui -- Herald Correspondent)Expand

“Our offensive line gets better every week,” Berlanga said. “With the way these kids are responding to adversity, I couldn’t be more proud. Now it’s a new season.”

Berlanga was speaking about the start of the American Golden Coast Conference season, where the Panthers will visit 5-0 De Anza on Oct. 11.

“The entire nonconference season is to prepare you for conference play,” said Berlanga, just the third head coach at Hartnell to have also worn the maroon and gold. “We have a tall task in De Anza. I’ll be looking at film tonight.”

Shaffer, who turned to his legs to help the Panthers’ offense in the first half, used his arm in the second half with a pair of scoring tosses to Gonzales’ product Adrian Perez covering 39 and 49 yards.

“Adam found himself in the second half,” Berlanga said. “I have to be patient with him. I’m asking him to do a lot. I’ve put a lot on his plate because I know he can handle it. I want him to be a complete college quarterback before he moves on.”

The Panthers rushed for a season high 464 yards, with three players going over 100 yards on the ground for the first time in three decades.

“We want to establish the run game,” Berlanga said. “In our scheme, that’s what opens up the playbook, enables us to be more effective throwing the ball.”

Shorter fields didn’t hurt either as the Panthers’ defense rose to the occasion in big moments, such as Sean Nimuan tipping the ball and intercepting it at midfield, while Palma graduates Caden Scherer and Dominic Chaidez combined for 17 tackles.

“We forced a turnover inside the 5-yard line,” Berlanga said. “The defense made big plays in big moments. I’m going to go home and enjoy this over dinner. Then it’s back to finding ways for us to get better.”

Monterey Peninsula 48, Redwoods 27

There was supposed to be growing pains in a new league, adapting to the physicality of facing top-ranked teams in the state each week.

And there has been for the Lobos. Jumping a division with a new head coach, returning just three full-time starters and 50-plus freshmen has resulted in on-the-job training.

“It hasn’t been easy,” MPC coach Adrian Gallegos said. “We’ve had some bad moments. I’ve been too aggressive at times with my playcalling. Maybe I coach with a chip on my shoulder. I heard the comments.”

Gallegos hasn’t heard much of late as the state’s No. 7-ranked team became bowl eligible, improving to 5-0 after erupting for 40-plus points for the second straight game, in beating Redwoods at Cal Poly Humboldt.

“We’re bowl eligible,” Gallegos said. “But our eyes are on the playoffs. We know we have a gauntlet of teams in front of us in our conference. The next five games will probably be the best teams we’ve seen this year.”

Gallegos has silenced critics for now with the Lobos blistering start. When Gallegos asked to be moved to the National Division, it was met with skepticism, even on campus.

“I had multiple people tell me we will see you back in the ‘B’ Division in two years,” Gallegos said. “People on campus said it. I took it personally. I said ‘we’ll see.’ We don’t fear failure.”

Owners of the state’s longest current winning streak at 16, MPC started the season unranked, yet has jumped to No. 7, behind six other programs in the state that remain undefeated.

Three of the Lobos’ wins this fall have come against programs that are ranked in the state, including an overtime win, a come-from-behind win, and a defensive stand in the final minute for another victory.

“We feel like we can only stop ourselves,” said Gallegos, whose Lobos will host Reedley in their National Valley Conference opener in two weeks.

At times, the Lobos have been their own worst enemies, squandering a 19-point lead before rallying to win, and a 17-point cushion in the second half before recovering.

Yet, its last two games have been vintage Gallegos with his play-calling, as the Lobos are averaging 43.5 points a game, closer to their average from last year when they were scoring 45.2 points a game in the American Division

“Maybe I shouldn’t be going for it on fourth-and-17 in our territory,” Gallegos said. “But I have confidence in these kids. We are going to be aggressive. We’ve scored 40-plus points two weeks in a row.”

Part of that has to do with the performance of freshman quarterback Simon Lopez, who accounted for five touchdowns against Redwoods.

In his last two games, Lopez has thrown eight touchdown passes, with Julius Robinson and Karendus Poe each catching a pair of touchdowns against Redwoods.

“We talked about being better in the third quarter and we went out and scored 21 points,” Gallegos said. “Our (reserves) came in and rolled.”

Some of that came on the defensive side when Hendrick Lusk picked up a fumble and darted to the end zone to open the third quarter in what was at the time a seven-point game.

“We preached all week about this team always playing us tough,” Gallegos said. “Don’t judge them on their record. We only scored 21 points against them last year.”

Before beating them last year, the Lobos had dropped two straight games to Redwoods. In fact, their last road loss in the regular season came at Redwoods, which plays its home games at Cal Poly, Humboldt.

Having built a 14-point lead to open the game on touchdown runs from Lopez and David Roberts, MPC let Redwoods sneak back in the game when a pick six knotted the game at 20.

“That was on me,” Gallegos said. “Horrible play call. I have got to be better.”

Unfazed, Lopez put the Lobos up for good just before halftime with a touchdown pass to Robinson, staking them to a 27-20 lead.

“We’re down to 58 guys,” Gallegos said. “But I love quality over quantity. A lot of kids are growing up. Almost all of our starters are new on both sides of the ball. We took another step in the right direction today.”

SF Giants’ Verlander caps off year with victory against Rockies

SAN FRANCISCO — Justin Verlander had to experiment.

On seven occasions this year, Verlander exited a game in position to receive a win only to end up with a no-decision after his bullpen blew a lead. The Colorado Rockies were threatening to make it eight on Saturday.

Ryan Walker, who was responsible for four of those blown leads, couldn’t shut the door in the ninth. He allowed a homer to his first batter, cutting the Giants’ lead to one run, then gave up a double that put the tying run in scoring position.

As Walker departed with runners at the corners with one out, Verlander’s final start of the season — and perhaps his final start as a Giant — looked destined to end with one final no-decision.

“I just tried to stay calm,” Verlander said. “I found a different place to sit in the locker room than I had all season. I had a different brand of beer. I was doing whatever I could.”

The different seat and the different beer worked as Spencer Bivens, seldom used in high-leverage situations, doused the flames.

Bivens struck out Warming Bernabel for the inning’s second out. After plunking Ryan Ritter, he induced a game-ending pop out off the bat of Ezequiel Tovar to secure a 4-3 win. For Verlander, who allowed two runs over six innings with seven strikeouts, a year filled with frustrations ended with his 266th win of his career, tying him with Bob Feller for 34th all-time.

“I look back at some of the toughest moments in my career: core surgery, Tommy John (surgery). When I look back at those now, I look back at them really fondly,” Verlander said. “I learned so much through those processes to sustain the success that I did after those incidents took place and met people that have helped me along the way. I hope I can look back at this first half as the same type of thing.

“Maybe a few years from now, I get that 300th win and it’s like, ‘That first half that I really grinded through in San Francisco really taught me a lot and allowed me to get where I wanted to.’”

The 42-year-old Verlander ends his 20th major-league season with fine numbers: four wins, 11 losses, 29 starts, 3.85 ERA, 137 strikeouts, 152 innings. But those fine numbers fail to illustrate the tale of Verlander’s two halves.

The first three-and-a-half months of the regular season were not kind to Verlander, who joined the Giants on a one-year, $15 million deal. He not only went into the All-Star break with a 4.70 ERA but no wins to his name, making no progress in his pursuit of 300 wins.

Verlander opened up the second half by allowing four runs and recording five outs against the Toronto Blue Jays, but with the help of some mechanical tweaks, the right-hander found a formula for putting up zeros.

Beginning on July 23, the day he recorded his first win, Verlander posted a 2.60 ERA over 72 2/3 innings with 70 strikeouts in his final 13 starts. Along the way, Verlander passed Walter Johnson and Gaylord Perry on the all-time strikeouts list, currently residing in eighth place. Verlander described tying Feller on the all-time wins list as a full-circle moment, noting how he met Feller during his time at Old Dominion University.

“Obviously, you’d always rather it go well, but it’s nice to be able to turn it around, especially after a few months,” Verlander said. “It gets really draining. It’s tiresome. You just gotta come in every day and have a positive mindset and keep working hard. That relentless pursuit of finding something — or anything — to make it click paid off.”

“The longer the season went on, the better he’s pitched,” said manager Bob Melvin. “He’s found things late in the season by experimenting and being who he is and always determined, looking for something to make himself better. Not only has it been great to watch, it’s been great for all our other guys to watch, too. That started in spring training. He’s made quite the impact here.”

In the coming weeks and months, Verlander, an impending free agent, will have to decide whether his next start comes with the Giants or another franchise.

Verlander said he hasn’t had time to think about his future, noting that he’s been “scratching and clawing trying to find anything to be successful and pitch well for the San Francisco Giants.” Melvin said prior to the game that he wouldn’t be shocked if Verlander receives a two-year deal, but Verlander said he would be more inclined to take things year-by-year.

Would he consider a reunion in San Francisco and re-join a rotation alongside Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Landen Roupp?

“I’ll consider anything,” Verlander said. “I really enjoyed the guys here. Obviously, it was a tough season personally. But as far as an organization and the guys I got to play with here, it was so class. Off the field and in locker room, one of the more fun seasons I’ve ever had.”

While Verlander can go into the offseason having finished strong, it’s impossible to overlook all the wins that were left on the table due to bullpen blowups, defensive miscues or offensive mistakes.

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Verlander, who will be 43 by the start of next year, doesn’t think 300 wins is out of the question even after making minimal progress this season. That said, he’s aware that hitting that milestone is now all the more difficult.

“It’s definitely harder,” Verlander said. “If you make 29 starts, you’d like to win 10-to-15 games. It wasn’t in the cards this year. But maybe this year wasn’t meant to be for wins. Maybe this year was meant to be for health and re-finding myself and getting used to taking the ball every five, six days and going out there and being able to log some innings. Maybe that’ll carry me where I need to go.”

Invasive tree-killing beetle spotted in Santa Cruz

SANTA CRUZ — After infested trees were recently discovered near the Tannery Arts Center, the city of Santa Cruz is asking community members to watch out for signs of an invasive beetle that has the potential to damage or kill a variety of trees.

According to a statement from the city, “the Santa Cruz County Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the University of California Cooperative Extension, has confirmed the presence of the invasive shothole borer beetle in trees located in the Tannery area of the city of Santa Cruz. Arborists identified two affected trees, prompting local agencies to call on the public’s help in early detection and prevention of further spread.”

The tiny nonnative shothole borer is about the size of a sesame seed and tunnels into its tree host, where it introduces a fungus called Fusarium. The fungus subsequently causes the tree to develop a disease called Fusarium dieback, which has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of trees in the state and poses a threat to the integrity of forests, according to the University of California.

The invasive beetles do not eat wood, but create channels in host trees where they farm a symbiotic fungus that serves as their food. At-risk trees include the box elder, California sycamore, valley oak, Japanese maple and American sweet gum. The beetles range in size from about one-eighth inch to one-sixth inch and range from brown to black in color.

Because the shothole borers spend most of their lives living inside of the host tree, the best indicator that a tree is infested is the presence of round holes, about the size of a ballpoint pen tip. The abdomen of beetles can sometimes be spotted protruding from the holes, which may be covered by sap or frass, which is the sawdust left behind by boring. Other symptoms include wet staining, gumming and a sugary buildup around the holes.

According to a statement from the city, a heavily infested tree was recently found in Paradise Park, upriver from the Tannery, “with hundreds of entry holes — clear evidence that more beetles are present and spreading. Local officials want residents to be aware and vigilant in spotting early signs.”

To determine whether a tree is showing symptoms, complete the Invasive Shot-hole Borers Assessment at ucanr.edu.

Last October, the beetles were spotted along a section of Zayante Creek, south of Graham Hill Road, after tree damage was spotted by a Felton resident while hiking in the area.

To report suspected infestations, the city asks property owners to call the Santa Cruz County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office at 831-763-8080 or email Brian Woodward with the UC Cooperative Extension, Santa Cruz Mountains Forests Program at bdwoodward@ucanr.edu.

Magnified photo of an adult female invasive shothole borer beetle (Courtesy of John Kabashima/UC Cooperative Extension)

Who’s winning the fundraising battle in California’s redistricting race?

With less than 40 days until voters decide the fate of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to redraw California’s election map, major fundraisers on both sides of the ballot measure have raised more than $112 million in total, drawing political donations from Silicon Valley billionaires as well as Republican and Democratic leaders in Washington, D.C.

So far, Newsom’s Yes campaign has outraised its two main fundraising opponents 2-to-1. Proposition 50 supporters reported hundreds of thousands of individual donations, while the No camp has relied primarily on a single wealthy donor.

[image error]Newsom’s gerrymandering proposal explicitly seeks to flip five seats held by California Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives by persuading voters to approve new maps tilted in favor of his Democratic Party. The goal is to counter a similar move by GOP lawmakers in Texas at the direction of President Donald Trump ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

“The outcome could very well determine control of the House of Representatives in 2026,” said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College. “The presence of big money indicates big money donors understand those stakes.”

As the Nov. 4 election draws nearer, the Yes and No campaigns are using that cash to flood voters’ social media feeds, television screens and mailboxes with a barrage of political ads.

This week, popular New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared in ads in both English and Spanish imploring Californians to support the measure, which would allow Democrats to temporarily draw gerrymandered maps in response to what they describe as a “power grab” by Trump and his Texas allies. Republicans, meanwhile, have turned to Arnold Schwarzenegger, who pushed for California’s current nonpartisan election maps while governor, to make the case against the proposal.

Newsom’s campaign committee has raised more than $77.5 million from his allies, including Bay Area tech titans and labor unions, according to campaign filings submitted this week. The campaign said it has received more than 750,000 individual donations.

“Prop 50 is America’s best chance to stop this reckless and dangerous president, and we will keep doing everything we can to ensure every Californian knows the stakes and is ready to vote Yes on 50 this Nov 4th,” Hannah Milgrom, a spokesperson with the Yes campaign, said in a statement.

The largest individual donor on the Yes side is the Fund for Policy Reform, an advocacy group funded by liberal billionaire megadonor George Soros, which contributed at least $10 million to the campaign. The California Teachers Association donated $3 million, while venture capitalist and California Forever backer Michael Morowitz contributed $2.5 million.

Trump, who has previously demanded that Soros be jailed, this week asked the Department of Justice to investigate Soros’ Open Society Foundation, The New York Times reported Thursday.

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and his wife, businesswoman Wendy Schmidt, each contributed $500,000 to a separate committee supporting the measure. There are no limits on campaign contributions to ballot measure committees in California.

The primary campaign committee fighting the redistricting plan is being bankrolled by Charles Thomas Munger, Jr., a Palo Alto billionaire, physicist and son of a former Berkshire Hathaway executive. He has funded nearly all of the roughly $30 million the committee has raised so far.

“We started communicating with voters early about the consequences of having politicians draw their own lines. We are confident we’ll have the resources necessary to continue through Election Day,” the No campaign said in a statement. “Our coalition is a bipartisan, diverse group who believe that people, not politicians should draw the lines.”

Powerful interest groups representing Democrats and Republicans in Congress have also poured money into the race.

The House Majority PAC, which supports Democrats in congressional races, has contributed $7.6 million to Newsom’s redistricting campaign. According to election filings, the group’s Republican counterpart, the Congressional Leadership Fund, accounts for the vast majority of the roughly $5 million raised by a committee led by former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from Bakersfield.

Pitney said deep-pocketed donors’ plans to continue shelling out millions to sway the election could depend on whether other states follow the lead of Texas and California and move forward with redistricting proposals before the midterm elections.

It could also depend on polling results as the election approaches, Pitney said. Last month, a UC Berkeley poll found that 48% of voters support the measure, 32% oppose it and 20% remain undecided. Younger voters and voters of color were more likely to be unsure about the proposal, according to the poll. The measure needs a simple majority to pass.

Political analysts have forecast campaign contributions in the race could reach as high $200 million. While expensive, that would still fall far short of California’s priciest ballot measure battle — the $460 million fight over dueling initiatives to legalize sports betting in 2022.

Still, Pitney said he wouldn’t be surprised to see more campaign money flow into the redistricting battle.

“This is existential,” he said. “On the House side, everything hinges on who’s in the majority. Very few things are more important than this. Maybe nuclear war, but not much else.”

Newsom says PG&E, other utility customers can expect bill credit

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced this week that customers of PG&E and other utilities would see a climate credit on their October bills as part of a decade-old state program. At least one consumer group stressed it’s still not enough to lessen the impact of high electricity costs.

“Millions of California families will see money back on their electricity bills in October,” Newsom stated in a prepared release. “That refund will be even bigger next year thanks to new laws I signed last week.”

The October refunds are part of a California Climate Credit effort that began in 2015. The credits appear twice a year on state utility bills – once in April and again in October.

The governor issued a similar announcement in March ahead of the April installment.

While the twice-a-year credits offer a welcome relief to elevated costs in California, the reductions don’t address the fundamental challenges of expensive utility rates, said Mark Toney, executive director of The Utility Reform Network, also known as TURN.

“These are refunds,” Toney said. “They don’t address electricity rates.”

The average credit for PG&E residential customers who receive electricity services is slated to total $58.23 during the October billing cycle, according to Oakland-based PG&E.

“This credit helps ease energy costs for our customers and reinforces our commitment to a more sustainable and climate-resilient energy future,” said Vincent Davis, a PG&E senior vice president for customer experience.

Newsom said the monthly bill credits would be “supercharged” starting in 2026.

“Up to $60 billion will go back in your pockets, cutting your electric bills while we keep our historic momentum transitioning away from polluting fossil fuels,” Newsom stated.

It wasn’t immediately clear how much of a twice-a-year bill credit PG&E and other utility customers would receive starting in 2026.

“Any relief is great, but the rebates don’t address the fundamental problem of affordable electricity bills,” Toney said.

The announcement of the already expected climate credit arrives at a time when California’s electricity and natural gas costs are among the nation’s highest, as sketched out in a report for July that the California Center for Jobs & the Economy issued.

“Average energy prices remained the highest among the contiguous states and Washington, D.C. for electricity and fuels, while average residential natural gas rates notched up to the third highest,” the report stated.

SB 254, one of the laws the governor signed this month, will help ease costs being endured by utility customers, Toney said.

The governor and backers of SB 254 argue that the bill could trim a few dollars off monthly bills — although they didn’t offer specifics.

Among the provisions of SB 254:

— Requirements would be strengthened to ensure that PG&E, Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric, and other investor-owned utilities pursue the most cost-effective ways to prevent their equipment from sparking wildfires.

— Utilities would be prevented from earning shareholder profits on the first $6 billion they spend on wildfire prevention upgrades.

— Low-interest loans would be created to cover the construction of new transmission lines.

“TURN supports SB 254 as an important first step in the right direction for ratepayer affordability,” the consumer group stated.

PHOTOS: Monterey Jazz Festival returns for 68th year

River Voices performed two sets Friday at the Courtyard Stage for the Monterey Jazz Festival. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Grace Kelly was the second and last live performance in Dizzy's Den on Friday for the Monterey Jazz Festival. After her set, the space was used as a Lyons Stage Simulcast. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)River Voices performed two sets Friday at the Courtyard Stage for the Monterey Jazz Festival. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)The Alfredo Rodriguez Trio performs in the Pacific Jazz Cafe on Friday for the Monterey Jazz Festival. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)River Voices performed two sets Friday at the Courtyard Stage for the Monterey Jazz Festival. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)The first day of the 68th annual Monterey Jazz Festival saw a large turnout. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Grace Kelly was the second and last live performance in Dizzy's Den on Friday for the Monterey Jazz Festival. After her set, the space was used as a Lyons Stage Simulcast. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)The first day of the 68th annual Monterey Jazz Festival saw a large turnout. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)[image error]Grace Kelly was the second and last live performance in Dizzy's Den on Friday for the Monterey Jazz Festival. After her set, the space was used as a Lyons Stage Simulcast. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)[image error]The Alfredo Rodriguez Trio performs in the Pacific Jazz Cafe on Friday for the Monterey Jazz Festival. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)River Voices performed two sets Friday at the Courtyard Stage for the Monterey Jazz Festival. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)People danced along to the various Monterey Jazz Festival performances. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Grace Kelly was the second and last live performance in Dizzy's Den on Friday for the Monterey Jazz Festival. After her set, the space was used as a Lyons Stage Simulcast. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Edgardo Cambon & Candela perform on the Tim Jackson Garden Stage on Friday during the 68th annual Monterey Jazz Festival. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Edgardo Cambon & Candela perform on the Tim Jackson Garden Stage on Friday during the 68th annual Monterey Jazz Festival. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)The Alfredo Rodriguez Trio performs in the Pacific Jazz Cafe on Friday for the Monterey Jazz Festival. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Edgardo Cambon & Candela perform on the Tim Jackson Garden Stage on Friday during the 68th annual Monterey Jazz Festival. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Show Caption1 of 17River Voices performed two sets Friday at the Courtyard Stage for the Monterey Jazz Festival. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Expand

Review: Monterey Jazz Festival gets off to a fine start on Day 1

Christian McBride had one question for the large crowd assembled before him on Day 1 of the 68th annual Monterey Jazz Festival:

“Whose idea was it to put me on after Gregory Porter?” remarked the gifted bassist, who was following the remarkable vocalist on the festival’s big Jimmy Lyons Stage on Friday at the Monterey County Fairgrounds. “I remember one time going on after Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. It was wrong. It did not end well for me.”

Indeed, Porter was a tough act to follow, as he delighted the audience at this outdoor stage with a 75-minute set that was full of dynamic vocal work, winning personality and, in general, numerous reasons why this Sacramento-born artist — who was raised in Bakersfield — is considered one of the best in the game.

Porter’s high-flying set, no doubt, will be the one the most people will be talking about from Day 1 of the festival. Yet, McBride — one of the top instrumentalists and band leaders in all of jazz today — also delivered the goods during his own 75-minute set with his versatile band Ursa Major.

And, really, each of those great acts accounted for just two of a number of reasons why the 68th annual Monterey Jazz Festival — which was co-founded by music critic Ralph J. Gleason and radio DJ Jimmy Lyons in 1958 — got off to such a good start. Other artists that delivered winning Day 1 performances included saxophonist-vocalist Grace Kelly and Latin jazz pianist Alfredo Rodriguez.

The Alfredo Rodriguez Trio performs in the Pacific Jazz Cafe on Friday for the Monterey Jazz Festival. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

Yet, we should be clear upfront about one thing:

Monterey Jazz remains, however, a festival in transition.

It’s still recovering from its pandemic woes and trying to find its footing in the post -era, after the longtime artistic director stepped down from his position following the 2023 festival. Jackson’s position was quickly filled by acclaimed composer Darin Atwater, but that tenure proved to be very brief — with Atwater and Monterey Jazz parting ways after just one festival (2024).

Bruce Labadie, an extremely savvy booker known for his work with San Jose Jazz Summer Fest, the Mountain Winery, Villa Montalvo and too many other Bay Area arts organizations to mention, has since stepped in as interim artistic director and has done a superb job with what he’s had to work with.

Yet, that hasn’t stopped people from noting — and complaining — that the 2025 edition is a downsized version of the festival, with fewer sets of live music, fewer stages and fewer marquee names on the bill than what fans were accustomed to seeing prior to the pandemic.

And while all of that is true, it certainly hasn’t stopped both fans and artists from enjoying being back in Monterey.

“I love how y’all get down at the Monterey Jazz Festival,” remarked Grace Kelly, looking out at the crowd midway through her energetic set on the Dizzy’s Den stage on Day 1. “We’ve got people in cowboy hats dancing in the aisles”

Growing up as a musical prodigy, the 33-year-old artist has certainly performed at some impressive venues and big occasions over her still-young career. For starters, she performed at 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama at age 16 and as a soloist with the Boston Pops — playing an original composition — at just 14. Since then, she’s played the Hollywood Bowl, spent time as a member of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” house band and released more than a dozen albums.

Grace Kelly was the second and last live performance in Dizzy's Den on Friday for the Monterey Jazz Festival. After her set, the space was used as a Lyons Stage Simulcast. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

Yet, she was still thrilled to be making her debut in Monterey — at the longest continuously run jazz festival in the world — on Friday.

“Thank you everyone for coming out,” said Kelly, who proved to be an equally entertaining vocalist, saxophonist and frontwoman during her Monterey Jazz set. “It’s the start of a great weekend.”

Opening day would reach its crescendo — as McBride alluded to — with the performance by Porter, who was opening the festival’s main arena stage for this 68th edition.

Porter sounded brilliant as he melded jazz, pop, R&B, Motown and gospel into his own distinct vocal approach — one that has twice won him a Grammy in the best jazz vocal album category. He’d highlight both of those winning albums (2013’s “Liquid Spirit” and 2016’s “Take Me to the Alley”) during his set, while also taking time to tell stories and joke around with the crowd.

“It’s wonderful to look out on this crowd and see so much wisdom,” Porter said to a mixture of groans and guffaws from the crowd. “Hey, nobody is calling you old.”

The 2025 Monterey Jazz Festival is set to continue through Sunday. Fans can expect to see performances by supremely talented vocalists Ledisi and Dianne Reeves, as well as bluesmen J.C. Smith and Mr. Sipp, on Saturday. Sunday’s expected highlights include New Orleans favorites Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and Latin jazz great Pete Escovedo.

For more information, visit montereyjazz.org.

The first day of the 68th annual Monterey Jazz Festival saw a large turnout. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)