Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 11

Horoscopes Oct. 9, 2025: Brandon Routh,

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Brandon Routh, 46; Scott Bakula, 71; Tony Shalhoub, 72; Sharon Osbourne, 73.

Happy Birthday: Pay attention to spending, overhead and investments. Focus on where you benefit most and head in that direction. Create opportunities, and the rewards will offer greater satisfaction. Draw the line when dealing with people who tend to be a bad influence. Saying no to excess and indulgent behavior will enhance your reputation and encourage you to foster stronger relationships. Be a leader, not a follower. Your numbers are 4, 11, 16, 27, 31, 39, 45.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Let your actions send a message to onlookers and friends alike. How others respond will be a telltale sign of what’s possible and how to go about putting your plans into motion. Cap your spending to ensure you can sustain your course of action to completion. Discipline and hard work will lead to financial gain and prestige. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A positive turn of events will position you for success. Don’t hesitate to reach out to those who can help you. Send out your resume. Ask, and you shall receive. Opportunities await those willing to put in the time and effort. Leave nothing undone; draw up agreements, fill in the blanks and shoot for the stars. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Set your sights on learning something or exploring new places, people or pastimes. Those you encounter will meet your expectations, and so will the possibilities and suggestions that follow. Travel or attending a reunion will influence your perspective regarding where or how you live. Don’t let anyone hold you back or cramp your style. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Don’t second-guess yourself or defer to someone else due to a lack of confidence on your part. A passionate presentation or conversation can have a profound impact that influences how someone feels about you. Participate in pastimes or events that motivate you, and the outcome will be newfound friends and opportunities. Romance and personal growth are favored. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Emotions will fluctuate depending on how and with whom you spend your time. Domestic issues will arise that divert attention to home improvements, relocation or maximizing the use of your space for profit. It will be necessary to set a strict budget and enhance your qualifications, interests or skills to raise your earning potential. 2 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Communication is the key to receiving the help you need to meet your deadlines. Be wary of those who offer too much and fall short. Anger will not help you get things done, but organization and motivating those you work alongside will. Put time aside to rejuvenate. A commitment will offer greater security and stability. 5 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Put your energy into getting things done on time and to the best of your ability. Steer clear of anyone trying to tempt you into doing or spending on something unnecessary or beyond your means. Choose to do what’s best for you, rather than trying to fit in or please someone else. Stick close to home. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Participate in events, and you will gain experience. Visiting a place that stimulates your mind and encourages you to learn something new will be a bonus. Opportunity is within reach; look around you and be the one to make the first move. Volunteering to help a cause or someone you care about can lead to emotional rewards and stronger bonds. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Organize your schedule and get your house in order. Tidy up, prepare to host an event, or make a lifestyle change, commitment or move. Keep your money and possessions in a secure location, and protect yourself against scammers. A workspace designated to something you enjoy doing will be uplifting and encourage personal growth. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Establish your expectations and be open with friends, associates and family who may be affected by the changes you implement. Being transparent will help you convince others to get on board and help you reach your goal. Investing time and money in yourself and what you want to achieve will help you fulfill your dreams. 5 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Tend to your health, wealth and personal life. A change to your living arrangements will offer comfort, convenience and ease. Sharing expenses or lowering your overhead will have an impact on how you move forward. Adopting a minimalist attitude will help you declutter your life and space. Let go of the past. 2 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You have options. Stop worrying about what others do, and set your sights on what you want. Let others know how you feel and what your intentions are, and find out where you stand. Take the path that leads to your happiness. A commitment will come easily if it’s written in the stars. Romance is in the stars. 4 stars

Birthday Baby: You are helpful, intelligent and thrifty. You are persevering and devoted.

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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Instant Warriors analysis: What happened when Golden State went big against Blazers

SAN FRANCISCO – With one deft change to the starting lineup, Warriors coach Steve Kerr demonstrated the biggest difference between this season’s roster and this year’s iteration.

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Out went the returning 6-foot-4, 205-pound Brandin Podziemski, and in went the 6-9, 260lb newcomer Al Horford.

The new lineup saw Moses Moody and Jimmy Butler moved to guard and wing respectively, and Draymond Green shifted to his more natural power forward position and away from guarding 7-0 giant Donovan Clingan.

There was plenty to analyze in Golden State’s 129-123 victory over the Blazers at Chase Center on Wednesday night.

Butler scored 12, while Curry put in 10 and Buddy Hield scored 13. Moses Moody scored 10.

Quinten Post put up 20 points and LJ Cryer had 14 while leading a thrilling fourth quarter comeback alongside Pat Spencer. The Warriors outscored the Blazers 51-26 in the fourth, putting up the most points in a quarter in preseason franchise history.

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) dribbles against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first quarter of an NBA preseason game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

On the first possession, Green showed his chemistry with his new frontcourt partner, lasering a pass to Horford for a layup, albeit one not converted.

However, over the first 6:47, the lineup produced mixed results, as it fell behind 18-12 and forced Kerr to call a timeout.

The interior defense was sensational in allowing just four points in the paint. But with a slower frontcourt, the Blazers peppered Golden State from behind the arc, starting 4 of 6 on wide-open looks.

Green was surprisingly effective as a shooter, nailing a couple of open triples, and though Horford began 0 of 3, he did make a nifty pass to Butler while leading the fastbreak.

That was all the spectators at Chase Center got to see of the starting unit, with that combination not playing together again in the first half. To start the second, Curry, Butler, Green and Horford were not on the bench.

The Warriors were down 73-57 at halftime, and Kerr did not mince words.

“We weren’t ready, we were not,” Kerr said. “We were careless with the ball, and they were flying by us every play.”

Same amount of minutes for starters

After playing around 15 minutes each in Sunday’s preseason opener, the Golden State vets – Horford, Curry, Butler and Green – were expected to play more minutes.

“We usually ramp them up a little bit each game,” Kerr said after a recent practice. “I imagine it will be  a little bit more than the other night.”

In reality, the ramp-up was minimal. Butler played 17 minutes while Green and Curry each played 16 apiece. Horford actually saw a decrease in playing time, seeing the floor for just 11 minutes while going 0 of 4.

Moody and Post were the only Warriors players to crack 20 minutes.

Podziemski … point guard?

Golden State Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski (2) drives past Portland Trail Blazers’ Blake Wesley (1) in the second quarter of an NBA preseason game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Kerr put starting shooting guard Podziemski in the role of floor general in the first quarter.

The results were … not pretty. Portland ended the first quarter on a 13-0 run, with Golden State struggling to generate open looks with only one natural ballhandler on the floor.

Butler returned to start the second quarter and took over de facto point guard duties. It also saw Jonathan Kuminga spend time with Horford and Butler, which produced five quick points to begin the second quarter.

Podziemski finished the game with five points and three assists, and appeared much more effective when playing off either Butler or Curry. Kuminga, who had two assists, once again played the part of a willing passer against the Blazers. He repeatedly made the extra pass, including a couple of dishes to Curry that did not show up in the stat sheet.

The Warriors will play their first road game of the season at the Lakers on Sunday.

Other notables

Oakland native Damian Lillard did not make the trip back to the Bay Area. He tore his Achilles in the first round of the playoffs for Milwaukee and is still rehabbing in Portland.After using 18 players in the opener, Kerr slightly cut the rotation down on Wednesday. He played 17, with Marques Bolden not entering.Seth Curry was healthy but did not play. Because he entered training camp a few days later than the rest of the team, Kerr said he is “ramping up” his activity.Summer League sensation Hansen Yang was unable to recreate the magical passing and interior scoring he flashed against the Warriors in Las Vegas. He fouled out, and only had four points and one assist while looking a tad bit frazzled against real NBA competition. Golden State Valkyries center Iliana Rupert’s younger brother, Rayan, suited up for Portland.Portland Trail Blazers’ Yang Hansen (16) looks to pass against the Golden State Warriors’ Quinten Post (21) in the second quarter of an NBA preseason game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga (1) lays up a shot against Portland Trail Blazers’ Donovan Clingan (23) in the second quarter of an NBA preseason game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Jimmy Butler III (10) lays up a shot against Portland Trail Blazers’ Jrue Holiday (5) in the second quarter of an NBA preseason game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga (1), Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) and Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) look on in the second quarter of an NBA preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Al Horford (20) dribbles as he looks to pass against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first quarter of an NBA preseason game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Moses Moody (4) drives past Portland Trail Blazers’ Blake Wesley (1) in the second quarter of an NBA preseason game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga (1) drives past Portland Trail Blazers’ Deni Avdija (8) as Golden State Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski (2) and Golden State Warriors’ Al Horford (20) move over in the second quarter of an NBA preseason game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)Portland Trail Blazers’ Jrue Holiday (5) gains a rebound against the Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II (0) in the second quarter of an NBA preseason game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) lays up a three point basket and draws a foul against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first quarter of an NBA preseason game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Trump to undergo physical exam Friday as health questions linger

By Lauren Dezenski, Bloomberg News

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump will undergo a physical exam on Friday following mounting questions about his health prompted by noticeable bruising and swelling in recent months.

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“On Friday morning, President Trump will visit Walter Reed Medical Center for a planned meeting and remarks with the troops. While there, President Trump will stop by for his routine yearly check up,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Wednesday. “President Trump is considering going to the Middle East shortly thereafter.”

While the White House described the visit as his regular yearly physical, the 79-year-old president had an annual exam just six months ago, on April 11.

Since then, Trump has been spotted with swollen ankles and a persistent bruise on his right hand. The White House said in July that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, but physicians had otherwise found the president to be in “excellent health.”

Trump’s ankle swelling, his doctor said, is related to the vein disease, which occurs when damaged valves inside the veins struggle to keep blood flowing from the legs back to the heart. Leavitt previously called it a “common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.” The disorder affects about one in 20 adults, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

A subsequent memo from White House physician Sean Barbabella said doctors found “no evidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or arterial disease” and that “no signs of heart failure, renal impairment, or systemic illness were identified.”

The White House also said the bruising on Trump’s hand, which has remained visible for months, was “minor soft tissue irritation from frequent hand-shaking” and a side effect of aspirin therapy, which the president takes as part of a cardiovascular prevention routine.

Trump in January was the oldest president ever sworn into office. He himself has boasted of being in good health, telling Newsmax in a Monday interview: “I feel the same or better than I did 30 years ago.”

His predecessor, former President Joe Biden, dropped out of the 2024 election amid questions about his acuity, and Trump in his first term was reticent to disclose when he underwent medical evaluations.

©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

State Supreme Court justices share their wisdom with local students

MONTEREY — Lizeth Pena said she felt nervous as she approached the lectern and asked her prepared question to the justices of the Supreme Court of California.

Yet, at the same time, the Greenfield High senior realized she had a rare opportunity to address the justices directly and engage with the judicial system on a new level.

The justices were at Monterey’s Colton Hall Wednesday for a special session celebrating California’s 175th anniversary. They heard oral arguments about four cases and fielded questions from local high school students.

Pena asked Associate Justice Carol Corrigan how young people can get more engaged in understanding the judicial system.

“The law touches everything we do,” Corrigan said. “You might just decide that it’s really intriguing and interesting to you to be on the inside and be part of a system that can have so much impact on our lives.”

Corrigan urged students to engage more with local civics, such as attending outreach sessions or inviting legal professionals to speak at their school.

The special session was a part of the Supreme Court of California’s annual outreach sessions, held to educate and engage students with the California judicial process, as well as a larger celebration of California’s 175th anniversary in Monterey throughout October.

Students asked questions of the justices about their careers in law, important skills for judges to have and how they remain objective in their rulings.

When Anahi Hernandez, a senior at Greenfield, asked Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero what lessons the court can learn about maintaining public trust, Guerrero said civic education – both inside the classroom and within the community – is one of the best ways to build a deeper understanding of how the judicial process works and therefore understand how decisions are made.

“Some people are losing hope, I have hope still for our country and the judicial branch,” Guerrero said. “The reason is because of all of you here in this room.”

The room – lit only by sunlight and battery-operated candles – was packed with around 50 students, public servants and other Monterey community members. Two overflow rooms were provided to accommodate viewers alongside the session’s live broadcast.

Attendees heard arguments about an appeal for a previously ruled death sentence, what constitutes one or multiple strikes under California’s Three Strikes law, a review of funding concerns for pension obligation bonds, and whether a defendant’s ability to pay should impact fines.

Celestino Reyes, another senior at Greenfield, said he found the session to be more engaging than he expected.

“It was nice seeing both sides argue and counter-argue with each other,” Reyes said. “I thought it would be boring at first, but it’s actually more interesting and it’s more filled with emotion too.”

During the session, Pena said she felt more emotion from seeing the court in person than she anticipated. She said the death sentence appeal, an Alameda County murder case originally ruled on in 2007, elicited the most emotion as she listened to both sides argue their cases.

The Supreme Court of California was created during the first constitutional convention in Colton Hall, said Brian Edwards, library and museums director for the City of Monterey, so having the court return to Colton Hall was a reflection of its history.

Edwards, who helped organize the session, said he was pleased with both the student turnout and with online viewership.

Seeing a court operate in person was eye-opening to many viewers, Edwards added. Some people may have only had experience with the legal system through television and movies, he said, so getting to view how a court actually interacts helped viewers see how a legal system actually works.

“I think it’s really insightful for people to see how our system works,” Edwards said. “I appreciate seeing the community out there and seeing the youth out there being involved in the process.”

High School athletics: Long awaited multi-purpose field complete at Monterey

MONTEREY – A bond was passed nearly a decade ago to pay for it, however the project was held up by numerous court battles. But perseverance turned a vision into a reality this week on the Monterey High campus.

The completion of a sparkling multi-purpose turf field has changed the landscape of this more than 100-year-old school and its sports facilities.

“Absolutely, this is the catalyst for our entire athletics program, as well as our physical education programs,” Monterey Principal Tom Newton said.

While the field was primarily built to be a softball facility, it was constructed to be used to hold practices for lacrosse, soccer, field hockey and football, as well as field events in track and field.

“We’ll have students on site rather than having to travel to other sites to practice,” Newton said. “It’s a marvel. It will enable our kids to do so much more.”

For decades, each time Monterey hosted a field hockey game, 80-plus football players would lug their equipment a half mile up a hill to practice at Via Paraso Park.

The new multi-purpose artificial turf field at Monterey High. (John Devine -- Monterey Herald)

The Toreadores flag football team has often called Via Paraso Park home for practices since their inception. The park has a patch of uneven grass that is roughly 80 yards in length and littered with gopher holes.

The softball program – which has won a pair of Central Coast Section titles and a Northern California crown in the past five years – hasn’t played a game or practiced on campus in 25 years.

“The entire project was tied in with the stadium lights,” Newton said. “Unfortunately, the project was slowed by litigation and lawsuits.”

Once all the hurdles were cleared in court about a year ago, the project began on a barren part of the campus that was nothing more than dirt and weeds.

“I remember playing catch with my dad when I was young on that site,” Monterey softball coach Travis Elder said. “The idea of playing on a state-of-the-art field forever is an awesome thing. It makes for better softball and a better game.”

In addition, the lights went up on the football stadium above the multi-purpose field, where an official ribbon-cutting was held for the Toreadores home opener last month.

“It is as positive a situation as you can imagine in all phases,” Newton said. “The aesthetics of the campus look much better.”

For the better part of a century, the only outdoor facility that the entire campus had for athletics and physical education classes was the stadium field.

Over the years, the football team – with three levels – has shared half the field with the field hockey program for practice.

During the winter, the boys and girls soccer teams were either forced to share the field or alter practice times before darkness set in. JV games often ran out of light.

In the spring, lacrosse engulfs the stadium field for both boys and girls, while the track and field team has use of the facility as well, dodging rubberized balls.

“No question, there was a safety issue involved,” Newton said.

With the new facility, the softball program – arguably the most successful sport on campus along with boys basketball in the last decade — will practice and play home games a few steps from their classrooms.

“When I was in high school, there was a grass softball field there,” said Newton, a 2001 grad. “It got used as a parking lot, which made the field unusable for anything.”

Sitting to the northeast of the campus, the field has dimensions and lines along the outfield and part of the infield that will enable the football, soccer, field hockey and lacrosse teams to practice on it.

In addition, a shot put and discus ring were part of the project outside the facility, where the outfield fence comes down, enabling Monterey to host track and field meets.

The new facility at Monterey High features a softball field, something the school didn't have before. (John Devine -- Monterey Herald)

Monterey’s freshman football team is now using the facility, instead of a small patch of grass near the gym.

The newest brand of turf is unique in that it does not have any grounded rubberized pellets or cork in it, which allows the use of metal or rubber cleats.

“It is a brand new type of turf that does not use fill,” Newton said. “We did some research and went up and looked at it as the University of San Franciciso. It’s amazing when you step on it.”

The infield portion of the facility is brown, including the circle and home plate. The bases can come out, where turf is put in to enable use of the entire field for soccer or lacrosse practices.

The infield is a shade lower than the rest of the field to avoid slowing ground balls down off the bats during games or practices.

“It’s as plush as I’ve ever felt,” Newton said.

The entire project, which also included a new press box, bleachers on the visiting side and a redone parking lot with ADA access to the stadium, will include a strength and conditioning room behind the new facility, which is slated to begin in January.

Forgive Newton if he has to pinch himself after years of battling lawsuits campus’ neighbors to make this vision a reality.

“It seems like an absolute dream,” Newton said. “I just couldn’t be more pleased for the students.”

Warriors’ Summer League standout signs with team in Middle East

SAN FRANCISCO – The best player from the Warriors’ ragtag Summer League squad will not return to the Bay Area. 

Australian point guard Taran Armstrong signed with Dubai Basketball in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. 

Because Golden State tendered a qualifying offer to the 6-foot-5 Armstrong in June, the NBA team retains his exclusive negotiating rights in the event that he returns to the NBA. 

The 23-year-old signed with the Warriors in February and played 11 games for Santa Cruz, but did not suit up for the Warriors in the regular season or playoffs. 

Before that, Armstrong won the at Cal Baptist in 2022, and played pro basketball in Australia following his early departure from college.

Armstrong averaged 7.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists for the Warriors across five Summer League games in Las Vegas and San Francisco in July.

He credited the Golden State veterans for his improvement over the summer. 

“It was such a cool experience being in the playoff locker room, and being able to sit in and be a part of those meetings and see what goes into preparing for a game seven,” Armstrong told the Bay Area News Group in July.

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He was previously linked to Serbian powerhouse KK Partizan, a perennial participant in the EuroLeague competition.

Dubai will also participate in the EuroLeague this season. He is expected to play a featured role on the team, something that he would not have had with the Warriors.

At shooting guard, the Warriors added Steph Curry’s younger brother and noted sharpshooter Seth Curry this offseason, and expect third-year Santa Clara product Brandin Podziemski to take a more featured role. The team also drafted Will Richard out of Florida in the second round, and still has Buddy Hield as a sixth-man off the bench. 

Retired Justice Kennedy laments coarse discourse of Trump era and its effects on the Supreme Court

By MARK SHERMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Retired Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy said Wednesday he was troubled that partisanship seemed to be “creeping its way into the court,” and that the state of political discourse in the country has gotten so vulgar and vile that he worries for the country.

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The tone of recent opinions bothers him more than outcomes of cases, Kennedy said in an interview with The Associated Press in his court office in advance of next week’s publication of his memoir, “ Life, Law & Liberty.”

“The justices have to resist thinking of themselves as being partisan,” he said. “In our current discourse, it seems to me, partisanship is creeping its way into the court.”

He declined to identify any justices or opinions, but at another point he returned to the personal nature of some court opinions.

“Of course, when you disagree, you criticize the other, but you criticize the opinion and the reasoning. You don’t criticize the author,” he said during the nearly hourlong interview. “And that point seems to be eclipsed. Some of the recent opinions are attacks on your colleagues, on the judges. I was astounded, very worried about it.” From members of Congress who use “ the four-letter F-word ” in public to President Donald Trump, Kennedy said he is routinely put off by what he is hearing.

“Concerned. Worried. Disappointed with,” Kennedy said. “The rest of the world looks to us to see how free speech works, how democracy works, and in many respects they will not be impressed by what they see,” he said. ”I think our high officials ought to elevate the content and elegance of our discourse.” With the nation’s 250th birthday approaching next year, the 89-year-old Kennedy cast a baleful eye at the future. “What about the next 250? I’m not so sure. I’m not so sure,” he said.

A nominee of Republican President Ronald Reagan, Kennedy was the decisive vote in many of the court’s most impactful cases, leaning left on abortion and gay rights and right on guns and campaign finance.

He has had little to say publicly since he stepped down from the court in 2018.

The memoir, published by Simon & Schuster, explores his roots in Sacramento, California, before turning to his 43 years as a federal judge, including 30 on the Supreme Court. The writer, Joan Didion, a childhood friend who died in 2021, looked at some early drafts and offered encouragement, Kennedy said.

It is being issued as Kennedy still is grieving the sudden death of his son, Gregory, in January. When the conversation turned to family, Kennedy retrieved a picture of his son and daughter-in-law on their wedding day some 30 years ago.

A copy of Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s latest book, “Just Shine!” lay on a bookshelf, a level below a photograph of a granddaughter who is a professional ballerina in New York.

The Supreme Court, decidedly more conservative after Kennedy’s retirement and the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg two years later, has overturned several of his opinions, including a decision he co-authored in 1992 that had preserved the right to an abortion.

“That was a close and difficult case. In my view, our earlier decision was correct,” he said.

In the same 2022 case from Mississippi, Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that Kennedy’s opinion giving constitutional protection to same-sex marriage should be next.

Uncomfortable discussing the case, Kennedy said he thought the decision might survive because so many people have relied on it and overturning it “would cause great hurt” to same-sex couples and their children.

As it happens, the court will soon consider an appeal from Kim Davis, a former county clerk in Kentucky, who is asking the justices to overturn the 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. The court wasn’t immune from individual criticism when he served, but they were exceedingly rare. In the book, Kennedy recounts one occasion, Justice Antonin Scalia’s dissent in the same-sex marriage case, in which a personal attack led to cooled relations between the two men.

Scalia noted that he’d rather “hide my head in a bag” than join Kennedy’s opinion and also said Kennedy was not a genuine Westerner because “California does not count.”

Seven months later, Scalia apologized in a visit to Kennedy’s office that ended with a hug. Scalia was about to leave for a hunting trip in Texas that, he told Kennedy, would be his last long trip. Scalia died in Texas just over a week later.

Kennedy’s views about Trump are difficult to pin down. Several passages in the book seem to be written with him in mind.

Retired Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, 88, poses for a portrait, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in his office at the Supreme Court in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

“The Constitution does not work if any one branch of the government insists on the exercise of its powers to the extreme,” Kennedy wrote.

Responding to questions Wednesday, he said the president was among those who make intemperate remarks.

But when Kennedy wrote about his visit to the White House after he told his colleagues of his plans to retire, he described Trump as “gracious, cordial and eager to talk.”

He acknowledged that the White House consulted with him on Trump’s choice of Justice Brett Kavanaugh and other judicial nominees.

But he said there was no discussion of his plans with Trump or anyone else in the Republican administration beforehand and no effort by the president to induce his departure.

Kennedy also sought to explain a comment he made to Trump that was picked up by microphones following the president’s address to Congress in March.

“Thank you for teaching young people to love America,” Kennedy said.

He confirmed the remark while wondering how the seemingly private moment went public.

“I said that. Sure. I said, that should be your principal mission,” Kennedy said on Wednesday.

Asked to evaluate how Trump is doing in that regard, Kennedy said, “Well, I’m not totally sure.”

Community Foundation for Monterey County president/CEO to retire

MONTEREY – After a successful 16-year tenure at the helm of the Community Foundation for Monterey County, President and CEO Dan Baldwin will begin his planned retirement in 2026, the philanthropic and grantmaking organization announced on Wednesday.

Baldwin will continue to lead the Community Foundation until a successor is selected as a national search for the next leader of the organization begins this fall.

“It has been an honor to be part of the CFMC’s family,” said Baldwin in a press release. “Monterey County is blessed with a strong spirit of philanthropy. Being able to connect generosity to community need – to know we’re truly helping people – has been tremendously rewarding. The staff, board of directors and our donors have helped make this possible.”

Since joining the Community Foundation for Monterey County in 2010, Baldwin has led the organization through a period of growth and change.

“Dan has provided exceptional leadership for the foundation,” said Board Chair Elsa Mendoza Jimenez in the release. “Our growth and impact reflect this. His retirement is much deserved, but he will be sorely missed.”

The mission of the Community Foundation for Monterey County is “to inspire philanthropy and be a catalyst for strengthening communities throughout Monterey County,” according to the organization. Thanks to generous individuals, families and businesses who have partnered with the Foundation to create charitable funds, the Community Foundation has granted more than $400 million to nonprofits since 1984.

Highlights of Baldwin’s tenure include creating the mission, vision and strategic plan, growing total assets from $130 million to $450 million, tripling the number of charitable funds held at the Foundation from 300 to more than 900, and increasing grants from $6 million in 2010 to $44 million in 2024. He also helped facilitate opening eight disaster relief funds, leading the COVID-19 collaborative and coordinating the VIDA Community Health Worker Initiative, among other accomplishments.

Under Baldwin’s leadership the Community Foundation purchased its Monterey office building and expanded and renovated the Salinas office. It also created the Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) program.

A unifying theme throughout Baldwin’s tenure has been his ability to bring people, nonprofits and resources together around important community issues, says the organization. His leadership has inspired donors, empowered staff and expanded the Community Foundation’s role as a catalyst for healthy, safe, vibrant communities.

Baldwin has held numerous local and national leadership roles beyond the Community Foundation for Monterey County, including chair of League of California Community Foundations, founding chair of LCCF Public Policy Committee, founding member of League DEI Committee, Steering Committee for Community Foundation Awareness Initiative, Council on Foundations Community Foundation Advisory Committee, member of Monterey County Leadership Council and Bright Futures Core Convener.

Before his time at the Community Foundation for Monterey County, Baldwin served as president/CEO of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation in Iowa. He spent the earlier part of his career in museum leadership, including executive roles at the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library in Cedar Rapids, Old City Park Museum in Dallas, and the Missouri Historical Society in St. Louis.

Trump has yet to provide Congress hard evidence that targeted boats carried drugs, officials say

By AAMER MADHANI, SEUNG MIN KIM, MATTHEW LEE, KONSTANTIN TOROPIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has yet to provide underlying evidence to lawmakers proving that alleged drug-smuggling boats targeted by the U.S. military in a series of fatal strikes were in fact carrying narcotics, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

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As bipartisan frustration with the strikes mounts, the Senate was voting Wednesday on a war powers resolution that would require the president to seek authorization from Congress before further military strikes on the cartels.

The military has carried out at least four strikes on boats that the White House said were carrying drugs, including three it said originated from Venezuela. It said 21 people were killed in the strikes.

The officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly about the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the administration has only pointed to unclassified video clips of the strikes posted on social media by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and has yet to produce “hard evidence” that the vessels were carrying drugs.

The administration has not explained why it has blown up vessels in some cases, while carrying out the typical practice of stopping boats and seizing drugs at other times, one of the officials said.

The Republican administration, in a retroactive memo justifying one of the strikes last month, declared drug cartels to be “unlawful combatants” and said the United States is now in an “armed conflict” with them.

The declaration has raised stark questions about how Trump intends to use his war powers. It also has been perceived by several senators as pursuing a new legal framework to carry out lethal action and has raised questions about the role of Congress in authorizing any such action.

Trump administration points to videos as proof

Asked about the lack of underlying evidence provided to Congress, the Pentagon on Wednesday pointed to videos of the strikes, which do not confirm the presence of drugs.

The Pentagon also noted public statements by Hegseth, including a social media post following the latest fatal strike in which he said, “Our intelligence, without a doubt, confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics, the people onboard were narco-terrorists, and they were operating on a known narco-trafficking transit route.”

Lawmakers have expressed frustration that the administration is offering little detail about how it came to decide the U.S. is in armed conflict with cartels or even detailing which criminal organizations it claims as “unlawful combatants.”

Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine said Wednesday that he and other members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a classified briefing this week, were denied access to the Pentagon’s legal opinion about whether the boat strikes adhered to U.S. law.

His comments came at a confirmation hearing for Joshua Simmons, a top legal adviser to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to be the CIA’s next general counsel. At the hearing, Simmons refused to say whether he had partaken in any deliberations over the targeting of cartels in the Caribbean, saying any legal advice he gave Rubio or other U.S. officials would’ve been confidential.

Attorney General Pam Bondi was pressed at a Senate hearing Tuesday about what advice she’s provided Trump to legally justify the strikes. She said, “I’m not going to discuss any legal advice that my department may or may not have given or issued at the direction of the president.”

A White House official suggested that lawmakers were being disingenuous with their criticism and that the Trump administration has been “much more forthcoming” with the legal rationale than Democratic President Barack Obama’s administration was when it carried out strikes targeting militants in the Middle East.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Pentagon officials have held six separate classified briefings to Congress on the operations.

Trump administration officials have argued that the strikes are necessary acts of self-defense as cartels funnel drugs into the United States that they say are leading to thousands of U.S. deaths. While Venezuela produces cocaine, the bulk of it is sent to Europe.

A few in the administration are said to be driving the push for strikes

Trump has largely bypassed traditional interagency processes in formulating his strategy to carry out strikes against drug cartels, according to the U.S. officials and a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.

A small group of top administration officials — including Rubio, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Trump aide Stephen Miller — has driven the push to carry out the fatal strikes, officials said.

Rubio, dating back to his days in the Senate, has advocated for taking a harder line on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

During Trump’s first term, Maduro was indicted on U.S. federal drug charges, including narcoterrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. This year, the Justice Department doubled a reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, accusing him of being “one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world.”

Trump has focused attention on the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which he claims is serving as “front” for Maduro, and said members of the gang were in the first boat targeted last month. No details on alleged affiliations have been released in the three other strikes.

Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term in January despite credible evidence that he lost last year’s election. The U.S. government, along with several other Western nations, does not recognize Maduro’s claim to victory and instead points to tally sheets collected by the opposition coalition showing that its candidate, Edmundo González, won by more than a two-to-one margin.

A pause in diplomacy

Early in his term, however, Trump dispatched special envoy Richard Grenell to Caracas to meet with Maduro. Six Americans who had been detained in Venezuela were freed by Maduro’s government during Grenell’s visit.

But diplomatic efforts with Caracas have been largely paused in recent months, with Grenell mostly sidelined, said the person familiar with the matter and a congressional aide, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Maduro says the boat strikes are an attempt to undercut his authority and try to foment unrest that would lead to his ouster from power.

The State Department pushed back against the notion that the administration had been involved in anything other than an operation targeting drug traffickers.

“Maduro is not the legitimate leader of Venezuela; he’s a fugitive of American justice who undermines regional security and poisons Americans and we want to see him brought to justice,” said Tommy Pigott, a State Department spokesman. “The U.S. is engaged in a counter-drug cartel operation and any claim that we are coordinating with anyone on anything other than this targeted effort is completely false.”

Senate Republicans vote down legislation to check Trump’s use of war powers against cartels

By STEPHEN GROVES and MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans voted down legislation Wednesday that would have put a check on President Donald Trump’s ability to use deadly military force against drug cartels after Democrats tried to counter the administration’s extraordinary assertion of presidential war powers to destroy vessels in the Caribbean.

The vote fell mostly along party lines, 48-51, with two Republicans voting in favor and one Democrat voting against.

It was the first vote in Congress on Trump’s military campaign, which according to the White House has so far destroyed four vessels, killed at least 21 people and stopped narcotics from reaching the U.S.. The war powers resolution would have required the president to seek authorization from Congress before further military strikes on the cartels.

The Trump administration has asserted that drug traffickers are armed combatants threatening the United States, creating justification to use military force. But that assertion has been met with some unease on Capitol Hill.

Some Republicans are asking the White House for more clarification on its legal justification and specifics on how the strikes are conducted, while Democrats insist they are violations of U.S. and international law. It’s a clash that could redefine how the world’s most powerful military uses lethal force and set the tone for future global conflict.

The White House had indicated Trump would veto the legislation, and even though the Senate vote failed it gave lawmakers an opportunity to go on the record with their objections to Trump’s declaration that the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with drug cartels.

“It sends a message when a significant number of legislators say, ‘Hey, this is a bad idea,’” said Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat who pushed the resolution alongside Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California.

What is the War Powers Resolution?

Wednesday’s vote was brought under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which was intended to reassert congressional power over the declaration of war.

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who has long advocated for greater congressional power over war powers, was the lone Republican to support the legislation ahead of the vote, though Schiff and Kaine said others had expressed interest. A number of GOP senators have questioned the strikes on vessels and said they are not receiving enough information from the administration.

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“Congress must not allow the executive branch to become judge, jury and executioner,” Paul said in a floor speech.

Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, acknowledged “there may be some concern” in the Republican conference about the strikes. However, Republican leaders stridently argued against the resolution on the Senate floor Wednesday, calling it a political ploy from Democrats.

“People were attacking our country by bringing in poisonous substances to deposit into our country that would have killed Americans,” said Sen. Jim Risch, the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “Fortunately most of those drugs are now at the bottom of the ocean.”

Risch thanked Trump for his actions and added that he hoped the military strikes would continue.

What has the administration told Congress about the strikes?

Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee received a classified briefing last week on the strikes, and Cramer said he was “comfortable with at least the plausibility of their legal argument.” But he added that no one representing intelligence agencies or the military command structure for Central and South America was present for the briefing.

“I’d be more comfortable defending the administration if they shared the information,” he said.

Kaine also said the briefing did not include any information on why the military chose to destroy the vessels rather than interdict them or get into the specifics of how the military was so confident that the vessels were carrying drugs.

“Maybe they were engaged in human trafficking, or maybe it was the wrong ship,” Schiff said. “We just have little or no information about who was onboard these ships or what intelligence was used or what the rationale was and how certain we could be that everyone on that ship deserved to die.”

The Democrats also said the administration has told them it is adding cartels to a list of organizations deemed “narco-terrorists” that are targets for military strikes, but it has not shown the lawmakers a full list.

“The slow erosion of congressional oversight is not an abstract debate about process,” Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a floor speech. “It is a real and present threat to our democracy.”

A visit from Rubio

Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the Republican Conference for lunch Wednesday to emphasize to senators that they should vote against the legislation. He told the senators that the administration was treating cartels like governmental entities because they have seized control of large portions of some Caribbean nations, according to Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota.

“These drug trafficking organizations are a direct threat to the safety and security of the United States to unleash violence and criminality on our streets, fueled by the drugs and the drug profits that they make,” Rubio told reporters at the Capitol. “And the president is the commander in chief, has an obligation to keep our country safe.”

Still, Democrats said the recent buildup of U.S. maritime forces in the Caribbean was a sign of shifting U.S. priorities and tactics that could have grave repercussions. They worried that further military strikes could set off a conflict with Venezuela and argued that Congress should be actively deliberating whenever American troops are sent to war.

Schiff said, “This is the kind of thing that leads a country, unexpectedly and unintentionally, into war.”

Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed.