Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 111

High School softball: Salinas, King City open NorCals with wins

SALINAS — Rekindling that fire, refueling the flame came with some much-needed time off.

While most teams in the State Northern California tournament were coming off emotional section title wins, Salinas sat around for a week after falling in the Central Coast Section Open Division softball semifinals.

“We gave them some time off, let them do their graduation parties, relax and rest,” Salinas coach Ron Guzman said. “The break was good. Now it’s a matter of building up their momentum. Today was big. We made a lot of plays.”

The No. 2 seeded Cowboys have advanced into the NorCal Division II semifinals after a 5-2 decision Tuesday over Casa Grande of Petaluma.

Co-champions of the Gabilan Division, Salinas (20-8) will host No. 6 seed King’s Academy of Sunnyvale — 6-3 winners over No. 3 seed Destiny Christian Academy.

Runner-ups in the Peninsula Bay Division to Capuchino, the Knights (21-7) won the CCS Division I title last weekend with a 1-0 win over Gilroy. Salinas was extended an invitation to the NorCal tournament after winning a game in the CCS Open Division.

It took one bunt for Guzman to take advantage of a Casa Grande defense that often left the third base bag open, enabling runners to go from first to third on a sacrifice.

“The first time we bunted, I noticed they were vacating third,” Guzman said. “I told the girls as soon as you round second, take third. No one was there. We were aggressive on the bases. We executed. Having girls that can run is beneficial.”

Staring at a 1-0 deficit in the third inning, the Cowboys responded with Kelsie Domenighini doubling home a pair of runs during a three-run outburst.

Domenighini continued to sting the ball at the plate for Salinas, collecting three more hits — two triples and a double — and two clutch runs batted in.

“She hit everything thrown to her,” Guzman said. “We did the simple things. We were smart in running the bases and played solid defense.”

That included right fielder Jaslyne Coronado, who had two diving catches in the outfield, including one over her shoulder.

“The girl is a stud,” Guzman said.

The five runs was more than Gabilan Division Pitcher of the Year Abi Jones needed as the Grand Canyon University-bound hurler allowed just four hits, while striking out seven.

King City 11, Matilda Torres 1, five innings: Still emotionally charged after capturing the program’s first CCS title 72 hours earlier, the Mustangs needed just five innings to dispose of Torres of Madera in the Division V quarterfinals.

“We’re still on such an adrenaline high from Saturday,” King City coach Artie Carrillo said. “School gets out this week. But these kids are so excited to still be playing.”

With No. 7 seed Balboa crushing No. 2 Foresthill 20-3, the No. 2 seeded Mustangs will host a second game on Thursday at 4 p.m. for a spot in the Northern California Division V title game.

“We’ll try and find out what they have in the next 24 hours,” Carrillo said. “Beating a team 20-3 is impressive. Our game plan is don’t go outside what we do. Stay aggressive.”

In four playoff games, the Mustangs have outscored the opposition 47-8.

Champions of the San Francisco Section after avenging an earlier season loss to Lowell last weekend, the Buccaneers (14-4) have won five straight games.

One of Balboa’s losses this year was a 6-0 setback to South San Francisco, who the Mustangs throttled 11-4 in the CCS finals last Saturday.

Only two teams in the county have ever won Northern California divisional softball titles, with Monterey being the first in 2022 in Division IV and Alvarez winning it in 2024 in DIV.

A three-run double from Raylie Moore ignited a six-run first inning for King City (19-11), providing more than enough support for sophomore hurler Alizah Carrillo, who struck out seven over five innings.

“We watched some of the title game of Torres last week,” Artie Carrillo said. “They play a lot of small ball and bunt. We felt if we could take that away from them, we would be okay. Our infield was on it, and we made them adjust.”

Avery Munoz, Amity Hearne and Moore all collected two hits for the Mustangs, while Crystal Paramo drove in a pair of runs.

High School baseball: Maxon’s slam carries Carmel past Morro Bay

CARMEL — It’s not that opponents overlook Matt Maxon’s production at the plate. It’s just that his pitching numbers are filthy with an 8-1 record, a 93 mph fastball and a 0.90 earned run average.

The Stanford-bound pitcher has built quite a resume as a pitcher for Carmel. Yet, his numbers in the batter’s box have been equally dominating this spring.

The junior ripped his 11th homer of the season — a grand slam — as the No. 2 seeded Padres opened the State Northern California Division III playoffs Tuesday with a 9-0 over Morro Bay.

On the heels of the program’s 10th Central Coast Section Division III title last week, Carmel (22-10) will host No. 3 Rancho Cotate of Rohnert Park — 7-2 winners over Kingsburg — on Friday at noon in the semifinals.

The game was originally supposed to be played on Thursday at 4 p.m., but Rancho Cotate is graduating that day. So the CIF ruled that the game would be moved to Friday — which is the day Carmel graduates.

Runner-ups in the North Coast Section, the Cougars (17-13) have one 5-1 since enduring a five-game losing streak, with the one setback coming from section champion Acalanes.

“I don’t know anything about them,” Carmel coach Mike Kelly said. “Our focus was on Morro Bay. But in this day and age, you can start learning stuff really quickly about your opponent.”

Maxon, who is chasing a .500 batting average on the season at .479 coming into the game, finished with three more hits and now has 40 runs batted in on the season.

“He’s really separating himself and showcasing,” said Kelly, in speaking about Maxon. “He’s talented like that. We knew that when he arrived as a freshman.”

On the heels of a dramatic eight-inning win on Bo Lewis’ walk-off single in the CCS title game, the senior delivered again with a two-run homer for the Padres, while John Beretti, Dean Briant and Kaleb Herro all collected two hits.

“There’s a lot of momentum that has carried over from the CCS title game,” Kelly said. “We’re playing at a different level for us. We have our limitations. We’re so young. But we’re starting to play older than we actually are.”

Sophomore Lucas Rocha continued his dominance on the mound in the postseason for Carmel, stretching his scoreless streak to 11 innings after needing just 38 pitches to throw four shutout innings.

“We hope it’s a three-game week for us,” Kelly said. “So we pulled Lucas early when we built a big lead, with the thought of being able to use him later in the week.”

A Southern Section finalist, Morro Bay came into the game 26-6, having gone undefeated in league play. Because the Pirates are a team that swings early in the count, Rocha induced a lot of first-pitch strikes.

“He was throwing strikes and the other team was swinging at it,” Kelly said. “I think he walked the first batter, then the next pitch was a double play. We’re playing good defense and that helps limit the pitch count.”

The Padres infield turned three double plays to keep Morro Bay off the scoreboard.

Stevenson 5, Matilda Torres 2: With a state championship golf team providing support, the Pirates used that momentum to end Matilda Torres’ season in the Northern California Division V quarterfinals.

“It’s a quick turnaround going from such a high in winning a section title to getting back at it,” Stevenson coach Nick Wilcox said. “It will be the same thing on Thursday. We feel fortunate to still be putting the jersey on and playing baseball.”

The Mission Division and CCS Division V champion Pirates will host No. 6 Lincoln of San Francisco — 14-4 winners over No. 3 Vacaville Christian on Thursday at 4 p.m. in the semifinals.

“There is so much team chemistry,” Wilcox said. “It’s a close knit group. The kids love showing up each day. If I told them there was no practice, they’d convince me we need to practice. It’s a special group. It’s helped with our success. It’s so much fun to show up.”

Phinn Thomas put the Pirates on his back at the plate and on the mound with six innings of one-hit ball, striking out 10. He also contributed three hits and an RBI.

“Torres battled late,” Wilcox said. “Looking at their season, it had a lot of late-inning wins.”

Reggie Bell opened the Pirates scoring in the first inning with a ground-rule double, with Thomas singling him home. Jack Bucich drove in two runs, while Jacob Hall doubled home a run.

Posey changes tune on top prospect Eldridge amid SF Giants’ massive slump

SAN FRANCISCO — In the midst of a frigid offensive stretch, the Giants promoted top prospect Bryce Eldridge from Double-A Richmond to Triple-A Sacramento. The next step, naturally, is the majors — a step Eldridge could conceivably take this year.

“I think all of these decisions and conversations are fluid,” said president of baseball operations Buster Posey. “Things can change. I still think that for Bryce, it’s best to get reps. But again, things change, so we will continue to have conversations and watch his progress.”

During his conversation with beat reporters on Tuesday, Posey appeared more open to the idea of Eldridge making his major-league debut compared to last December.

At MLB’s Winter Meetings, Posey tempered expectations regarding Eldridge playing with the Giants in 2025, citing how the 20-year-old would only be a sophomore had he attended college. With Eldridge excelling and San Francisco struggling at the plate, a debut sometime this season may not be out of the cards.

“We’re monitoring his progress and most definitely want to put him in a position to succeed,” Posey said, “but yeah, ultimately the goal is to win games at the big-league level.”

Eldridge has shown he has the potential to aid the Giants’ offense down the line. The 6-foot-7 first baseman owns a career .887 OPS in the minors, and this season, Eldridge had a .280/.350/.512 slash line with seven home runs and 20 RBIs.

“I think [it’s] the natural progression, just to challenge him more, see some different pitching,” Posey said. “He’ll probably be attacked differently in the next league up. I look forward to seeing him continue to progress.”

Eldridge’s defense at first base, a position he picked up last year, remains a work in progress. But if Eldridge continues to produce at Sacramento, it wouldn’t be surprising for the Giants to use him at designated hitter as he continues to work on his defense.

“What’s the most promising aspect of not only seeing it with your eyes that he’s getting better, is his willingness to work and his willingness to take direction from the staff,” Posey said. “Take direction from Joe Panik when he comes in or it’s Will Clark. He’s eager to learn. He’s eager to get better. He wants to be great at it. He still has a lot of work to do, and I think he knows that as well, but it’s nice that he’s moving in the right direction.”

Added manager Bob Melvin: “He’s a hard worker. There’s a tremendous amount of skill offensively. He works really hard on his defense and that’s something that he continues to do, but I think it was the work ethic (that stood out) and he was all for trying to get better.”

Eldridge can help the Giants’ offense down the line, but the team is still searching for solutions in the here and now.

Over their last 15 games, the Giants have only generated 30 runs. They haven’t scored more than four runs in a single game since Wilmer Flores hit three homers against the Athletics on May 16, going 13-for-99 (.131) with runners in scoring position during this stretch. In May, San Francisco finished with a losing record (13-14) despite its pitching staff posting a 2.51 ERA and Robbie Ray winning National League Pitcher of the Month.

The Giants received a much-needed reinforcement on Monday in Jerar Encarnacion, who was activated off the 60-day injured list. With Encarnacion back, the Giants could roll out lineups featuring Encarnacion in right field and Casey Schmitt at first base as they did on Tuesday night, depending on the matchup. But Encarnacion alone will not cure the team’s offensive ills.

“From my vantage point now, it’s looking at ‘Are there different options out there? What are the different options internally?’ We’re at a strange point in the season as far as other teams’ willingness to make trades at this point with us being still a couple of months away (from the trade deadline),” Posey said. “From our perspective as a front office, we’re not satisfied with the production. So, we’re trying to exhaust all options.”

Most of The Giants’ lineup is in a funk, and LaMonte Wade Jr. in particular hasn’t found his footing the entire season, his .546 OPS being the eighth-lowest mark in all of baseball (min. 150 plate appearances). Wade is currently day-to-day after being hit in the right hand with a 95 mph four-seam fastball Monday night by the Padres’ Stephen Kolek.

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“We’ve been as consistent with him as we have been because of the track record,” Posey said. “I’ve watched this guy play for quite a while now and I know that it’s in there. We just have to find a way to get more runs across the board as well as we’ve pitched. We need a little bit more.”

Patrick Bailey, too, is searching for answers with the bat. Bailey remains one of the most valuable defensive players in baseball, but the catcher enters Tuesday with a .517 OPS over 52 games.

“He’d be the first to tell you that he wants more production than there has been to this point,” Posey said. “He is extremely valuable behind the plate. He’s done a nice job managing the staff. I feel like that’s been an improvement this year. The framing is there, the throwing is there, the ability to keep the ball off the backstop. But no question, he’s working hard. I don’t want to put words in his mouth, but I assume he’s not satisfied with where he is right now.”

Mexican girl is granted humanitarian parole to continue receiving lifesaving care in US, lawyers say

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A 4-year-old Mexican girl who receives lifesaving medical care from a Southern California hospital was granted permission to remain in the country weeks after federal authorities said she could be deported, her family’s attorneys said Tuesday.

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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security granted the girl and her mother humanitarian parole for one year so she can continue to receive treatment she has been getting since arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2023, according to a copy of a letter received by Rebecca Brown, an attorney for the family.

An email message was sent to the Department of Homeland Security seeking comment.

The decision came after the family said they were notified in April and May that their humanitarian parole was being revoked and they would be subject to potential deportation.

The Trump administration has been pushing to dismantle policies from President Joe Biden’s administration that granted temporary legal status for certain migrants and allowed them to live legally in the U.S., generally for two years.

The girl was taken to a hospital upon arriving on at the U.S.-Mexico border with her mother in 2023 and released once she was stable enough. She receives intravenous nutrition through a special backpack for short bowel syndrome, which prevents her from being able to take in and process nutrients on her own, and lawyers said the treatment she receives is necessary at this stage for her to survive and isn’t available in Mexico.

Humanitarian parole, which doesn’t put migrants on a path to U.S. citizenship, was widely used during the Biden administration to alleviate pressure on the U.S.-Mexico southern border. It was previously used on a case-by-case basis to address individual emergencies and also for people fleeing humanitarian crises around the world including Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos during the late 1970s.

In Mexico, the girl was largely confined to a hospital because of her medical condition, according to her mother, Deysi Vargas. After joining a program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, she can now receive treatment at home in Bakersfield, California, and go to the park and store like other children, Vargas has said.

Lawyers said the girl’s medical treatment, which requires 14 hours a day of intravenous nutrition, will not be necessary indefinitely but that she is not at the point where she could live without it.

Federal lawsuit accusing Peter Navarro of using unofficial email account dropped

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is dropping a lawsuit that it filed against White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, a case in which he was accused of using an unofficial email account for government work and wrongfully retaining presidential records during the first Trump administration, according to a Tuesday court filing.

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The joint filing by the Justice Department and an attorney for Navarro doesn’t explain why they are abandoning a case that was filed in 2022, during President Joe Biden’s term in office. The one-page filing says each side will bear their own fees and costs.

The lawsuit accused Navarro of using at least one “non-official” email account — a ProtonMail account — to send and receive emails. The legal action comes just weeks after Navarro was indicted on criminal charges after refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Navarro served a four-month prison sentence after being found guilty of misdemeanor charges.

The civil cases alleges that by using the unofficial email account, Navarro failed to turn over presidential records to the National Archives and Records Administration.

The government notified the court of the lawsuit’s dismissal a day before U.S. Magistrate G. Michael Harvey was scheduled to preside over a status conference for the case.

A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment. A lawyer for Navarro didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Navarro served as a trade adviser during President Donald Trump’s first term. A longtime critic of trade arrangements with China, he has been named senior counselor for trade and manufacturing for Trump’s second administration.

Trump asks Congress to claw back billions in approved spending targeted by DOGE

By JOSH BOAK

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Tuesday officially asked Congress to claw back $9.4 billion in already approved spending, taking funding away from programs targeted by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

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It’s a process known as “rescission,” which requires President Donald Trump to get approval from Congress to return money that had previously been appropriated. Trump’s aides say the funding cuts target programs that promote liberal ideologies.

The request, if it passes the House and Senate, would formally enshrine many of the spending cuts and freezes sought by DOGE. It comes at a time when Musk is extremely unhappy with the tax cut and spending plan making its way through Congress, calling it on Tuesday a “disgusting abomination” for increasing the federal deficit.

White House budget director Russ Vought said more rescission packages and other efforts to cut spending could follow if the current effort succeeds.

“We are certainly willing and able to send up additional packages if the congressional will is there,” Vought told reporters.

Here’s what to know about the rescissions request:

Will the rescissions make a dent in the national debt?

The request to Congress is unlikely to meaningfully change the troublesome increase in the U.S. national debt. Tax revenues have been insufficient to cover the growing costs of Social Security, Medicare and other programs. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the government is on track to spend roughly $7 trillion this year, with the rescission request equaling just 0.1% of that total.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at Tuesday’s briefing that Vought — a “well-respected fiscal hawk,” she called him — would continue to cut spending, hinting that there could be additional efforts to return funds.

“He has tools at his disposal to produce even more savings,” Leavitt said.

Vought said he can send up additional rescissions at the end of the fiscal year in September “and if Congress does not act on it, that funding expires.”

“It’s one of the reasons why we are not putting all of our expectations in a typical rescissions process,” he added.

What programs are targeted by the rescissions?

A spokesperson for the White House Office of Management and Budget, speaking on condition of anonymity to preview some of the items that would lose funding, said that $8.3 billion was being cut from the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development. NPR and PBS would also lose federal funding, as would the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, also known as PEPFAR.

The spokesperson listed specific programs that the Trump administration considered wasteful, including $750,000 to reduce xenophobia in Venezuela, $67,000 for feeding insect powder to children in Madagascar and $3 million for circumcision, vasectomies and condoms in Zambia.

Is the rescissions package likely to get passed?

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., complimented the planned cuts and pledged to pass them.

“This rescissions package reflects many of DOGE’s findings and is one of the many legislative tools Republicans are using to restore fiscal sanity,” Johnson said. “Congress will continue working closely with the White House to codify these recommendations, and the House will bring the package to the floor as quickly as possible.”

Members of the House Freedom Caucus, among the chamber’s most conservative lawmakers, said they would like to see additional rescission packages from the administration.

“We will support as many more rescissions packages the White House can send us in the coming weeks and months,” the group said in a press release. “Passing this rescissions package will be an important demonstration of Congress’s willingness to deliver on DOGE and the Trump agenda.”

Sen. Susan Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, gave the package a less optimistic greeting.

“Despite this fast track, the Senate Appropriations Committee will carefully review the rescissions package and examine the potential consequences of these rescissions on global health, national security, emergency communications in rural communities, and public radio and television stations,” the Maine lawmaker said in a statement.

Why does the administration need Congress’ approval?

The White House’s request to return appropriated funds is meant to comply with the 1974 Impoundment Control Act. That law created the process by which the president can formally disclose to Congress the appropriated money it intends to not spend. Congress generally has 45 days to review and approve the request, but Vought is arguing that the end of the fiscal year would enable the administration to bypass a vote.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a fiscal watchdog group, said in a 2018 backgrounder that the Senate can pass rescission packages with a simple majority, instead of the 60 votes needed to overcome a possible filibuster. Between 1974 and 2000, presidents requested $76 billion worth of rescissions and Congress approved $25 billion.

Bobby Kogan, senior director of federal budget policy at the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, said in an emailed statement that the Trump administration was already “illegally impounding additional funds,” as withholding money has “always been illegal without explicit Congressional approval.”

On CNN on Sunday, Vought insisted that the Trump administration was complying with the law, but it simply had a different view of the law relative to some Democrats.

“We’re not breaking the law,” Vought said. “Every part of the federal government, each branch, has to look at the Constitution themselves and uphold it, and there’s tension between the branches.”

CIF State boys golf: Stevenson secures state championship

PEBBLE BEACH —  A wave of emotions surrounded Luke Brandler as he walked up the 18th hole at Poppy Hills. On one end of the spectrum, he tried to ignore thoughts of knowing this was his last round of golf for Stevenson.

Yet, on the other, he could see the joy on his teammates’ faces as he walked to the green, knowing the Pirates were going to be CIF State champions.

“I told myself, I’m not done yet,” Brandler said. “I still have to hit one more shot. I was focused on finishing my last hole. But once my shot hit the green, I let it soak in. I looked up at my teammates. At that point, I don’t even know what I was thinking.”

Embraced by head coach Justin Bates upon finishing his round, Brandler began to sense how special the moment was with fellow seniors Johshveer Chadha, Steven Lai and Marc Gabriel Sasetia.

For the first time since 2013, the Pirates are state champions, shooting 353 Tuesday to outdistance runner-ups De La Salle and Santa Margarita, who both carded 362’s.

“I could barely stand to watch the final hole,” Bates said. “It hasn’t sunk in. This was about as anxious as I’ve ever been, probably in my entire life.”

Stevenson is the second program in the county to bring home a state championship this school year, as Carmel won a state football title last fall.

For a program that’s been on top in the Pacific Coast Athletic League for the last 14 years, the moment wasn’t too big for Stevenson, who put forth arguably its best team effort of the season on the sports’ biggest stage.

“Honestly, I can’t really believe it,” said Lai, who was third as an individual last year. “It’s a dream come true to do this as a team. It was such a tough round, a grind for 18 holes. It’s just really cool.”

For a program that struggled for an identity in the first half of the year, Bates points back to a tournament in Palm Springs in March, where the Pirates spent three days together with no distractions, finishing third among 60 schools from throughout the country.

“Our goal is to get to the moment,” Bates said. “If we were to play these teams nine out of 10 times, I don’t think it happens. But if you get to the moment and the boys show up confident and relaxed, they can do what they did today, which is amazing.”

All Bates had to do was point back to last week’s Northern California finals, where Stevenson went from seventh to second over the final nine holes, falling by two strokes to De La Salle, who it defeated by 11 strokes Tuesday.

“In pressure situations, what this team has done is instead of wilting on the back nine, it rises to the occasion,” Bates said. “Being here before helps a ton. This is about as good as it gets.”

Brandler, who will play golf next year at Princeton, carded a 4-under par 67 for the Pirates, finishing in a tie for fourth overall, with Lai finishing at 2-under.

“I was actually hitting really poorly on the range in warm-ups,” Brandler said. “Over the weekend, I was a little under the weather. I was a little fatigued. I was worried on the range.”

Concern turned to confidence when Brandler struck the ball well on his drives over the first three holes, got himself into a rhythm, enabling him to rechannel his thoughts on his game.

“I had a little doubt in my mind,” said Brandler, the Gabilan Division’s Most Valuable Player. “Once I got out on the course, I got off to a decent start and got my confidence back. I rode it all the way through.”

Brandler never looked at the team results until the ninth hole — the only time over 18 holes. Seeing that his teammates were having a solid round fueled his emotions.

“I knew we had a decent lead,” Brandler said. “But we weren’t even close to getting it done. There were so many holes left to play. I tried to keep it in the back of my mind and keep the focus on my game.”

Lai, who is flying back to China after the tournament, was playing two holes in front of Brandler, and one of three Stevenson golfers that shot under par, joining sophomore Zachary Hawkins (70).

“Everything was pretty good, especially my drives,” Lai said. “I hit every fairway. I hit 16 greens. I had a few mistakes, but it didn’t affect my game — just a steady round. This is basically our home course. We know it pretty well. It was to our advantage.”

And it showed in the effort of all six golfers for the reigning three-time Central Coast Section champions, as sophomore Calvin Etcheverry shot a 73, with Chadha and Sasetia both finishing with 74’s.

“I have no idea how we’ll celebrate,” Lai said. “I’m leaving for China tonight to go home. I don’t know when I’ll be back here. But I’m going to enjoy this with my teammates for as long as I can.”

A bag of emotions filled the mind of Bates, as the final match also means the final time with the four seniors that have been with him for this journey for four years.

“It’s obvious a celebratory moment,” Bates said. “But it’s the last time with these seniors. I will miss them a lot. What is going to be the hardest part is saying goodbye. There’s sadness, but obviously excitement in what they’ve accomplished.”

Competing as an individual, Carmel’s junior Julien Cho shot a 2-over 73 to finish in a tie for 21st.

Federal officers in tactical gear went into a Latino community in Minneapolis. A protest followed

By STEVE KARNOWSKI and MARK VANCLEAVE

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Dozens of protesters converged in the heart of the Latino community in Minneapolis on Tuesday after a large force of federal and local authorities wearing tactical gear conducted what they called a law enforcement action.

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The protesters flocked to the area near a Mexican restaurant and other Latino-owned businesses after seeing livestreams that claimed an immigration raid was underway, reflecting opposition to such raids in a city that has declared itself a sanctuary for migrants. However, statements from local authorities said it was not an immigration enforcement matter, but a criminal case.

“While we are still gathering details, this incident was related to a criminal search warrant for drugs and money laundering and was not related to immigration enforcement,” Mayor Jacob Frey said in a Facebook post soon after the police action. “No arrests were made.”

But several dozen protesters remained at the intersection occupied by federal agents hours earlier, using cars to block traffic. A few held signs saying “abolish ICE” and “stop the deportations.”

A driver went through the crowd. At least one person appeared to have been knocked to the ground but got up and said they were OK. Protesters deflated the car’s tires; police moved in to take the driver away, and a scuffle ensued. At least one man was taken into custody.

Bystander video showed officers wearing logos from local agencies but also federal ones, including the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations. An armored vehicle at the scene bore the initials of Homeland Security Investigations. Minneapolis’ police chief also was present.

FBI officers secure the area as federal agents conduct an operation in Minneapolis, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Michelle Gross, president of the local Communities United Against Police Brutality group, said the show of force appeared designed to “terrorize people into submission.”

“This is jackbooted thuggery, and we aren’t having it in our city,” she said.

Onlooker Jennifer Davila, who works in the community, said it already had been on edge because of raids. It’s tight-knit, and “if something happens, we know about it,” she said.

“They had a white van, a black van and a tank. For a raid, that’s pretty excessive,” Davila said. “And then coming into a brown community and doing this, because we have all kinds of immigrants, not just Latinos.”

Protesters confront ICE, ATF, and FBI officers as federal agents conduct an operation in Minneapolis, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)ICE, ATF, and FBI officers are seen as tensions escalate between community members and federal agents following an operation, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minn. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)Federal agents detain a man during an operation, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minn. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)ICE, ATF, and FBI officers are seen as tensions escalate between community members and federal agents following an operation, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minn. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)ICE, ATF, and FBI officers are seen as tensions escalate between community members and federal agents following an operation, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minn. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)ICE, ATF, and FBI officers are confronted by protesters as federal agents conduct an operation in Minneapolis, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)Protesters confront ICE, ATF, and FBI officers as federal agents conduct an operation in Minneapolis, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)FBI officers stand on an armored vehicle as demonstrators gather in Minneapolis on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, after multiple law enforcement officers entered a restaurant in a Hispanic neighborhood, escalating tensions in the community. (Kerem Yucel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara walks down a street as protesters clash with federal agents on Tuesday June 3, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minn. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara walks down a street as protesters clash with federal agents on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minn.. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)A Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officer fires a chemical agent as federal agents conduct an operation in Minneapolis, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Kerem Yücel /Minnesota Public Radio via AP)Federal agents detain a man during an operation, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minn. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)Community members protest as federal agents, including officers with the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), conduct an operation, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minn. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)ICE, ATF, and FBI officers are seen as tensions escalate between community members and federal agents following an operation, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minn. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)Show Caption1 of 14Protesters confront ICE, ATF, and FBI officers as federal agents conduct an operation in Minneapolis, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)Expand

While the mayor said there were no arrests, a few protesters were at least temporarily detained as tensions grew between the crowd and the law enforcement officers. A Minnesota Public Radio photographer was pepper-sprayed and had his camera broken.

A Facebook post from the sheriff’s office said it “partnered with federal agencies on a criminal investigation and part of that investigation included the execution of multiple search warrants at multiple locations in the metro area.”

Frey said the police department’s only role was helping with crowd control, and that the department was not involved in “anything related to immigration enforcement.” Both the police department and sheriff’s offices have policies against cooperating with immigration enforcement actions.

The sheriff’s office said that in conducting criminal investigations, “We work with federal partners regularly.” A local FBI spokesperson, Diana Freedman, declined in a text message to provide details about the operation.

Associated Press writers Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, contributed reporting.

Kurtenbach: Are the Thunder the next Warriors? Don’t bet on it

The NBA Finals start between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, and it’s a series that matters to the Warriors of the past and future.

In fact, the series hasn’t even started, and the Warriors are already in the crosshairs.

Well before Game 1, ESPN already compared the Thunder to the last NBA dynasty — the Warriors. The similarities, ESPN’s Zach Kram wrote, were “startling.”

Well, the premise might be.

Yes, before the Thunder have won a game in the Finals, much less won a title or the multiple titles required to have the “dynasty” word tossed around, they’re getting prime-era Warriors comps.

And while the Thunder’s organic (and Clippers-aided) rise has been fantastic — leading, obviously, to fantastical prognostications — if there is one thing we know about this new, fiscally punitive era of the NBA, it’s that dynasties are the exception, not the norm.

This is not yet the time to argue about if parity is good for the league (OK, a hint: I don’t think it is), but it’s also not the time to cast doom-and-gloom about the league’s future, with some team from Oklahoma running the show and everyone else unable to even contend.

We’ve heard that nonsense before.

The Lakers were supposed to be contenders year after year following their title in 2020. LeBron’s prime would never end, Anthony Davis had taken a step to the next level, and the Lakers’ brand and market supremacy would surely rule the league — right?

Then there was Milwaukee in 2021. Giannis Antetokounmpo had two MVP trophies and then, at age 26, a title. Elite role players, a great coach — Milwaukee was poised to dominate for years to come.

We can skip over 2022 — we all know that was the end of something great, not the start.

But in 2023, it was Nikola Jokic’s league. Like Giannis, he had two MVP awards and then a title, with elite role players and a great coach. Denver was poised to dominate for years to come.

And we all entered this season expecting the Celtics to double down. Boston was +300 to win the title in the preseason — odds twice as good as the next-best team on the list and three times better than the Thunder (who had my preseason bet, in case you were wondering). But with a cash crunch coming for the roster and Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tendon ruptured, the Celtics are now 20-to-1 to win the title next season. And that feels generous.

Those, coincidentally, are the same odds the bookies are giving the Warriors.

In a league defined by dynasties, pundits and talking heads can’t help but anoint them prematurely. The league, its cheap owners and the basketball gods always have other ideas, it seems.

Now, I wouldn’t bet on the Dubs to win the title next season. They’ll only be older, and their age didn’t serve them well this past season. But the idea that the Warriors shouldn’t even bother to try — a suggestion I’ve heard from a few fans now — is absurd.

Such a tactic was somewhat justifiable during the Dubs’ salad days. No one was touching that team, which didn’t last as long as it could or should have. Titles were a foregone conclusion with two of the league’s three or four best players and the financial might to ignore the luxury tax.

But how did that work out for the Rockets? They bottomed out with the expressly stated goal of waiting out the Dubs. And while Golden State won another title in the 2020s, the Rockets finally made the playoffs for the first time in five years this April, just to play Steph Curry, Draymond Green and the Warriors again. Whoops!

Perhaps some things are inevitable in the NBA.

Not only does the Warriors’ front office owe another swing at the playoffs to Curry, Green and head coach Steve Kerr, but their puncher’s chance is better than you might think.

It’s not as if the Thunder didn’t go to seven games in the second round with a Nuggets team that has plenty of flaws around Jokic.

It’s not as if the team the Thunder beat in the Western Conference Finals, the Timberwolves, didn’t look flummoxed in Curry’s 13 healthy minutes of their second-round series. It won’t take much convincing for me to believe the Dubs could have won that series if Curry’s hamstring had stayed intact. (Or even if the Warriors had won Game 3.)

The NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement might as well have been written to undercut teams like the Warriors — big-market teams with the means to maintain a dynasty. Boston had bad luck with Tatum’s injury, and now the new spending rules will take care of the rest of their title hopes this summer.

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And if it can take out the richest, strongest teams, what will those rules do to a small-market team?

The Thunder might be at the start of something great and long-lasting. They also reside in one of the smallest NBA markets, have never paid the luxury tax before (remember when they traded James Harden?) and employ MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is eligible for a massive extension this summer and a larger one next offseason.

But I’m sure the Thunder will be able to keep it rolling with a player making more than $80 million in a single season. When the Warriors “ruined the league” by signing Kevin Durant, the salary cap jumped from $70 million to $94 million. A decade later, there’s a player poised to make roughly that much himself.

Dallas — a massive market — balked at paying Luka Dončić. Will Oklahoma City do the same with SGA?

(What? If we can prematurely give the Thunder dynasty status, I can prematurely break them up.)

For now, I expect the Thunder to win this title with relative ease. It might even be a sweep for an all-time great team.

But Oklahoma City is a boomtown.

That also makes it a bust town.

Enjoy the high, Thunder fans. Even Warriors fans can tell you, they don’t last long these days.

Horoscopes June 3, 2025: Anderson Cooper, separate your emotions from what’s rational

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Rafael Nadal, 39; Anderson Cooper, 58; James Purefoy, 61; Deniece Williams, 75.

Happy Birthday: Relax, consider what’s next and determine how to position yourself for success. Separate your emotions from what’s rational, and align yourself with those privy to information and networks that can help you reduce costly mistakes. A change can be good if it is well-thought-out and executed promptly and efficiently. Make this a year to remember for making the best choices, not doing things on a whim or having regrets. Your numbers are 3, 14, 20, 27, 32, 38, 46.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Choose your words wisely. Conversations will take a turn if you let your emotions take over. Bide your time, see how everyone else reacts and learn from your observations; you will come out on top. Time and patience are your tickets to a healthy and successful transaction. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Leave nothing unfinished. Focus on completion, staying out of trouble and offering an innovative and insightful alternative to anything that doesn’t sit right with you. Look over your options and consider transitioning from a dead-end position to one offering a healthy challenge and long-term promise. Avoid joint ventures and emotional decisions. 5 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Avoid social or networking events that are a waste of time or costly. Put your energy into improving your home life and building better relationships with like-minded people who can offer positive input and hands-on help to achieve your goals. Press forward with confidence, and opportunities will unfold. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Stick close to home, make your surroundings user-friendly and consider what and who contributes to your happiness and emotional well-being. A shift is taking place, and even if you don’t like change, it’s necessary to consider what’s best for you and push forward. Distance yourself from people using pressure tactics. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Stop worrying about what others do and pay attention to what you can achieve. Put your energy into personal growth and gain, and look for positions that will help you earn and learn more. Change is within reach, and affiliating with the right people will help you reach your destination quickly. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Stop, look, listen, evaluate and carry on with confidence and vision. A change will do you good, but first, you must determine what and who you need, and eliminate dead weight. Strategy is everything, and there is no room for error. Precision and detail are essential to reach your goal. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Clear your head and make room to expand in areas that will help you discover who you are and what you want. Choosing the best path forward depends on gathering pertinent information to help eliminate fear and replace it with clarity. Mix discipline with innovative ideas, and act on your own behalf. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Participate in events that give you the wherewithal to bring about change. Embracing what and who moves you the most will help build confidence and insight into how to achieve happiness. Don’t follow others when discovering the path to peace of mind is your destiny. Be true to yourself and your needs. 4 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Get moving, see the sights, take in what life offers and find a path to do something you enjoy. Socialize and network to find your circle and share ideas, concerns and opportunities. You have plenty to gain if you are open to trying something new and engaging in lifestyle changes. Romance is favored. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Look at your options, but don’t make a move. Formulate, rethink and design a future that is tailor-made for you. Nothing happens overnight, but with time, effort and persistence, you can turn the framework you build now into something lucrative in the future. Don’t lose sight of hope when patience is necessary. 5 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Say no to changes you don’t want. Refuse to let anyone talk you into something that isn’t your cup of tea. Trust your instincts, know your budget and do what makes you smile. An energetic and confident attitude will draw remarkable acceptance from the right people. Love is in the stars. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You’ll accomplish the most in a work-from-home situation. Take a moment to organize and make your life easier; it will help you achieve the most in the least amount of time. Refuse to let anyone talk you into something you don’t need or want or tempt you with indulgent behavior. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are insightful, talkative and sensitive. You are forceful and confident.

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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