Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 12

Horoscopes Sept. 18, 2025: Aisha Tyler, find your comfort zone and do what you want

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Jason Sudeikis, 50; James Marsden, 52; Jada Pinkett Smith, 54; Aisha Tyler, 55.

Happy Birthday: Find your comfort zone and do what you want. Working toward a goal that soothes the soul and satisfies your curiosity will position you for adventure, success and so much more this year. Be open to change, but disciplined enough to stick to a budget and timeline that’s reasonable. Call the shots and live the life that makes you feel happy. Personal satisfaction is your responsibility; proceed to the finish line. Your numbers are 1, 6, 20, 28, 31, 37, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Channel your energy to finish what you start instead of taking on something new. It’s time to get rid of what you no longer need, and clear a path for a bright future. Reflect on what brings you joy and the path that leads to a peaceful mind. It’s up to you to make things happen. 5 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Choose your course of action wisely. Set your sights on what you want to accomplish and what’s possible, and use common sense to ensure you don’t take on more than you can handle. Your energy needs guidance to help you evolve. Look around you, evaluate your lifestyle and living space, and adjust only what’s necessary. 2 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Traveling, changing up your routine and discovering something new and exciting will broaden your scope regarding the possibilities. Stick to the basics and go with what flows naturally, and you will make the most of your day. Refuse to let others talk you into doing something questionable. Say no to temptation, indulgent behavior and overspending. 4 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Avoid costly encounters that can jeopardize your chance to advance. Handle work relationships carefully. An honest and open approach will help you maintain your status quo. Use your charm and intelligence to navigate your way forward. Take notes; document events, conversations and any other occurrences that make you feel uncomfortable. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Pump it up, do your thing and engage in events and pastimes that challenge you intellectually. What you learn will help you choose the most satisfying path. Educational pursuits, upgrading qualifications and networking with individuals who can shed light on something you want to pursue will prompt new beginnings and contribute to your success. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Don’t trust others to see your vision. Fine-tune what you’re working on before sharing. Research will change your perspective regarding travel or educational pursuits. Network, listen and discover new options that can lighten your load and encourage your success. Refuse to let the past interfere with your pursuits. Timing is everything; put your plans in motion. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Welcome new experiences, and you’ll discover something about yourself that will change how you proceed. Explore possibilities, develop your ideas and utilize your intelligence, discipline and imagination to achieve your goals. You are overdue for a change, and connecting with people from different backgrounds or professions will help you take a leap of faith. 4 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Be careful what you wish for. Use your energy wisely and refrain from revealing your plans prematurely. Do the legwork and see how you feel before making promises or claims that you may not want to fulfill. Assess your intentions before you act. Participate in networking functions or engage in talks with those who can influence your destiny. 2 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Venture out, be observant, share thoughts and engage in something entertaining, novel or educational. Put your energy where it counts. Do your best to pitch in and help bring about positive change. A change to your lifestyle, domestic situation or the way you work looks promising. How you express yourself will determine the outcome. 5 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A dose of realism will help you recognize what’s best for you. Listen carefully, and direct your time and effort toward something that interests you. Expanding your knowledge and meeting new people are encouraged, but be sure to validate whatever you discover before sharing it or investing in something you know little about. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Consider options, get your papers in order and discuss your plans with those who share common ground. A domestic change that lowers your overhead or helps you become more efficient or aware of where your money goes will help you adjust your routine and lifestyle to fit your budget. Romance and personal gain are favored. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Get out, mingle, converse and activate your social skills. Explore what’s available in your community and participate in events that help you expand your social circle. Dedicate time and patience to those close to you, and incorporate them into your plans. Invest more time into how you look, feel and manage your money. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are outgoing, astute and orderly. You are valiant and dependable.

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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Federal judge orders Alabama’s largest county to redraw racially gerrymandered districts

By KIM CHANDLER

A federal judge on Tuesday ordered Alabama’s largest county to redraw county commission lines after ruling that the districts were unconstitutional because of racial gerrymandering.

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U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala ruled the county map was unconstitutional because race was the predominant factor when the Jefferson County Commission drew districts. The ruling came in a 2023 lawsuit that says the plan overly packed Black voters, who make up 40% of the county population, into just two districts.

“Because the 2021 plan violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s protection against racial gerrymandering, the Court permanently enjoins the Commission and its agents from using the 2021 plan in Jefferson County Commission elections,” Haikala wrote.

Jefferson County is Alabama’s largest county and home to Birmingham, the city center of the largest metropolitan area in the state. A new map could shift the balance of power in the county. The commission is made up of three Republicans and two Democrats.

Cara McClure, the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit, said she is looking forward to the commission “coming to the table to finally draw a map that is fair to Black voters in the county.”

“The County Commission is responsible for so many things that impact our everyday life. The main thing is making sure every voice and every vote is heard and counted. And that’s not what has been happening,” McClure said, who is executive director of Faith and Works Statewide Civic Engagement Collective.

The judge gave the county and plaintiffs 30 days to file a report on the development of a remedial redistricting plan.

“We are currently reviewing the order to determine next steps,” Jefferson County Attorney Theo Lawson wrote in an email to The Associated Press.

Kathryn Sadasivan, assistant counsel with NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said the existing plan overly packed Black voters into the two districts while the county sought to maintain set racial ratios in the other three.

“It’s a problem of not just those two districts that were maintained at super majority Black status without consideration of what the Voting Rights Act required, but also an explicit attempt to maintain the racial ratios of Black voters to white voters in every other district,” Sadasivan said.

Haikala noted in a footnote that the results of the case might be different if the commission showed that the higher percentage of Black voters was required to ensure they could select the candidates of their choice. But the judge said the commission offered no such evidence.

Jefferson County was the site of some of the most infamous moments of the Civil Rights Movement, including the 1963 bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church that killed four girls. The industrial city has evolved into a corporate economic engine fueled in part by the banking and medical industries.

Brothers testify about box left with them by man accused of trying to assassinate Trump

By DAVID FISCHER

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A pair of North Carolina brothers testified Wednesday about a box left with them by a man accused of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course last year.

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Samuel and Lazaro Plata described in Spanish through translators how Ryan Routh left the container filled with pipes, bullets, wires and other items at Lazaro Plata’s home in Greensboro, North Carolina, in April 2024 — about five months before the alleged attempt.

Both men have known Routh for about 30 years and had previously worked at his roofing business. They contacted authorities last September after seeing news of Routh’s arrest.

Wednesday was the fifth day of testimony in the trial of Ryan Routh, who prosecutors said spent weeks plotting to kill Trump before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club.

Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had initially blocked off more than three weeks for trial at the Fort Pierce federal courthouse. But prosecutors have said they should be able to rest their case by Thursday or Friday, and Routh’s witnesses have been subpoenaed to appear by Friday.

Both brothers testified that they never opened the box until after Routh’s arrest. Lazaro Plata testified that he didn’t have any reason to think there was anything suspicious about Routh leaving the container.

An FBI agent testified that he found a 12-page letter in the box addressed to “Dear World.” Prosecutors only wanted the first few lines included as evidence.

“This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you,” the handwritten letter said. “I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.”

Routh had asked that the entire letter be allowed into evidence, arguing that the first few lines lacked context. He was specifically interested in a line that referred to shredding Trump’s plane. Routh said the letter doesn’t say anything about a golf course, the location of the alleged attack.

Cannon sided with prosecutors, saying the rest of the letter was irrelevant or hearsay.

Routh has indicated he plans to call a firearms expert, as well as two character witnesses. He hasn’t said whether he plans to testify himself. He tried to use the Plata brothers as de facto character witnesses during cross examination, asking questions like, “Did I teach your whole family how to roof and do construction?” and “Have I ever got into a physical fight?”

The judge gave Routh some leeway but eventually brought the questions to an end.

Also Wednesday, Ronnie Jay Oxendine testified that he sold Routh the SKS rifle used in the alleged assassination attempt, according to local news outlets. Oxendine was convicted of a weapons charge in July and was testifying against Routh as part of his plea agreement.

Recounting the incident at the Trump International Golf Club, a Secret Service agent testified last week that he spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot.

Law enforcement obtained help from a witness who testified that he saw a person fleeing the area after hearing gunshots. The witness was then flown in a police helicopter to a nearby interstate where Routh was arrested, and the witnesses said he confirmed it was the person he had seen.

Just nine weeks earlier, Trump had survived an attempt on his life while campaigning in Pennsylvania. That gunman had fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Trump’s ear. The gunman was then fatally shot by a Secret Service counter sniper.

Rudy Giuliani is ordered to pay $1.36 million in legal bills

By MICHAEL R. SISAK

NEW YORK (AP) — It’s another blow to Rudy Giuliani’s withered wallet: A judge has ordered the former New York City mayor to pay $1.36 million in legal fees he racked up during investigations into his efforts to overturn President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss.

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Judge Arthur Engoron made the ruling Tuesday in a lawsuit brought by lawyer Robert Costello and the law firm Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP. In granting summary judgment for Costello and the firm, Engoron rejected Giuliani’s claim that he never received any bills for legal fees.

With interest, Giuliani owes nearly $1.6 million. He must also pay lawyer costs that Costello and the firm incurred in fighting to recoup his unpaid legal fees, the judge ruled.

Engoron, a Democrat, is the same Manhattan judge who last year ordered Trump to pay a massive civil penalty after finding that he had engaged in fraud by exaggerating his wealth for decades. The fine ballooned to more than $500 million with interest before an appeals court overturned it last month.

Giuliani’s spokesperson said the ex-mayor will appeal.

“The idea that Judge Arthur Engoron is permitted to sit on a case involving President Donald Trump’s good friend and former personal lawyer, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, flies in the face of justice and demonstrates the partisan political nature of this decision,” Giuliani spokesperson Ted Goodman said.

Messages seeking comment were left for Costello and Davidoff Hutcher & Citron.

The decision is the latest financial setback for Giuliani, once celebrated as “America’s mayor” for his leadership after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

In recent years, the Republican has filed for bankruptcy; been threatened with jail for failing to pay money owed to his third ex-wife, Judith; and reached an undisclosed settlement to keep his homes and belongings, including prized World Series rings, after he was ordered to pay $148 million to two former Georgia elections workers he defamed.

Last month, Giuliani, 81, sustained a fractured vertebra and other injuries in a car crash in New Hampshire. Soon after, Trump announced he was awarding Giuliani the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Costello and Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP sued Giuliani in 2023, accusing him of paying only a fraction of nearly $1.6 million in legal fees for their work representing him in investigations related to his alleged election interference.

Giuliani was disbarred in New York and Washington for repeatedly making false statements about the 2020 election, and he was criminally charged in Georgia and Arizona in connection with efforts to undo Trump’s loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Giuliani has denied wrongdoing.

Costello and the law firm alleged Giuliani paid them just $214,000, leaving a $1.36 million tab. Giuliani’s last payment was $10,000 on Sept. 14, 2023, about a week after Trump hosted a $100,000-a-plate fundraiser for Giuliani at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club.

Costello was Giuliani’s lawyer from November 2019 to July 2023. He represented Giuliani in matters ranging from an investigation into his business dealings in Ukraine, which resulted in an FBI raid on his home and office in April 2021, to state and federal probes of his work in the wake of Trump’s 2020 election loss.

Costello and the firm said in their lawsuit that they also helped represent Giuliani in various civil lawsuits filed against him and in disciplinary proceedings that ultimately led to his disbarment. The lawyer and the law firm accused Giuliani of breaching a retainer agreement by failing to pay invoices in full in a timely fashion.

Costello, a former federal prosecutor, has since left Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP and was hired last in September 2024 as a lawyer for Republican-controlled Nassau County on Long Island.

Last year, Trump’s lawyers called Costello as a witness at the president’s hush money criminal trial in an effort to attack the credibility of a key prosecution witness, former Trump lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen. Costello irritated the judge, Juan M. Merchan, by making comments under his breath, rolling his eyes and calling called the whole exercise “ridiculous.”

House turns back effort to censure Rep. Ilhan Omar over remarks about Charlie Kirk

By LISA MASCARO

The House declined late Wednesday to punish one of its own over commentary in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, but the effort showed the reach of President Donald Trump’s push for political retribution and set the stage for more to come.

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The 214-213 roll call shelved a resolution from GOP Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina to censure Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and have her removed from two House committees: Education and the Workforce, and Budget. The two have feuded viciously on social media.

Mace has said Omar, an immigrant who criticized Kirk’s views of gun ownership and race relations in the aftermath of George Floyd’s 2020 death in Minneapolis, should be deported to her home country of Somalia.

Omar said Mace is pushing a false narrative to raise money “and boost her run for Governor.”

“Is this what civility looks like in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives?” implored Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

“We live in an era of intense political violence as we have seen with the recent assassinations of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk,” he said, referring to the shooting of lawmakers in Minnesota.

The legacy of Kirk’s personal and political influence runs wide and deep on Capitol Hill — House Speaker Mike Johnson is among those who considered the young conservative leader a friend — and, in the week since Kirk was assassinated, he has been memorialized in ways large and small.

A candlelight vigil was held late Monday evening inside the Capitol’s Statuary Hall, and a House resolution in his honor is expected to be swiftly approved. One lawmaker, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., who wrote that she owes “my entire political career to Charlie Kirk,” is seeking to place a statue of Kirk in the Capitol “to honor his legacy.”

At the same time, Republicans have unleashed a series of legislative proposals echoing Trump’s call for action against what he characterizes as the “radical left” — those challenging his views, and those of the slain conservative leader.

Rep. Chip Roy of Texas to set up a select committee to conduct a “full scale investigation of the coordinated network of leftists attacking us.”

GOP Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has promoted his bill to add rioting to the list of prosecutable offenses under racketeering laws, and GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah wants Congress to revive a Cold War-era law that would “prohibit the U.S. government from engaging in domestic, political propaganda.” He’s calling it the Charlie Kirk Act.

GOP Rep. Buddy Carter of Georgia, offered another resolution focused on reprimanding Omar, while Mace also proposed the Education Department strip federal funding from schools that fail “to act against staff who excuse or glorify the murder of Charlie Kirk.”

Many of those putting forward the proposals, including Roy, Carter and Mace, are all running for higher office in their states, showing the importance of carrying Trump’s message to their broader base of voters and supporters.

“In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, policymakers must do all they can to stop radical left-wing violence,” wrote the Heritage Foundation’s political arm, Heritage Action, in supporting Roy’s proposal for a new committee to delve into “the forces behind the radical left’s assault on America.”

It’s not the first time Congress has taken action against Omar or other lawmakers.

In 2023, Omar was stripped of her assignment to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the last Congress set a new standard for meting out censures and punishments.

This time, when Mace offered her resolution to go after Omar, Democratic Rep. Greg Casar of Texas put up a swift response: A counter-effort to reprimand Republican Rep. Cory Mills of Florida with a censure over allegations involving his personal and professional conduct.

Mills was among four Republicans to join Democrats in rejecting the resolution against Omar.

More recently, the House appears to have been cooling these efforts. Lawmakers rejected a resolution to censure Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., and remove her from a committee assignment as she faces federal charges stemming from a visit to an immigration detention facility.

ABC suspends Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show indefinitely over his remarks about Charlie Kirk’s death

By DAVID BAUDER, AP Media Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — ABC has suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show indefinitely after comments that he made about Charlie Kirk’s killing led a group of ABC-affiliated stations to say it would not air the show

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Kimmel, the veteran late-night comic, made several comments about the reaction to Kirk’s assassination on his show Monday and Tuesday nights. He said that “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk.”

ABC, which has aired Kimmel’s late-night show since 2003, moved swiftly after Nextstar Communications Group said it would pull the show starting Wednesday. Kimmel’s comments about Kirk’s death “are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse,” said Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division. Nexstar operates 23 ABC affiliates.

There was no immediate comment from Kimmel.

On X Wednesday night, White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich posted: “Welcome to Consequence Culture. Normal, common sense Americans are no longer taking the b———- and companies like ABC are finally willing to do the right and reasonable thing.”

In his monologue on Monday, Kimmel said that “we hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”

Kimmel said that Trump’s response to Kirk’s death “is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish, OK?” He also said that FBI chief Kash Patel has handled the investigation into the murder “like a kid who didn’t read the book, BS’ing his way through an oral report.

He returned to the topic on Tuesday night, mocking Vice President JD Vance’s performance as guest host for Kirk’s podcast.

He said Trump was “fanning the flames” by attacking people on the left. “Which is it, are they a bunch of sissy pickleball players because they’re too scared to be hit by tennis balls, or a well-organized deadly team of commandos, because they can’t be both of those things.”

Kimmel, like CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert, has consistently been critical of President Donald Trump and many of his policies on his ABC show. CBS said this past summer that it was canceling Colbert’s show at the end of this season for financial reasons, although some critics have wondered if his stance on Trump played a role.

SF Giants avoid sweep as Verlander shines, offense scores five runs in 11th inning

PHOENIX — For four months, Justin Verlander arrived at a ballpark seeking answers.

What’s the way out of this? How do I make the adjustment? What do I need to do? What’s wrong?

Verlander didn’t hide his frustrations in April and May and June and July. He maintained a high standard of excellence — a standard he was not meeting. At the All-Star break, Verlander owned no wins and subpar numbers. For Verlander, it was one of the most frustrating — if not the most frustrating — starts to a season he’s every experienced.

That struggle is what’s made this current run of success so much more vindicating.

Verlander tossed seven shutout innings Wednesday on an afternoon at Chase Field where the Giants beat the Diamondbacks 5-1 in 11 innings, snapping a four-game losing streak. Despite a no decision, Verlander helped keep San Francisco’s playoff hopes alive as Arizona’s Brandon Pfaadt pitched nine scoreless before the Giants erupted for five runs in the game’s final frame.

“I can only recall a few (seasons) that went the way you want from start to finish. I can also recall a few that were very difficult for most of the year, this being one of those,” Verlander said. “Kind of a relentlessness to find your way out of it and never give in and always adapt has helped me tremendously. Obviously, I would like to finish strong. I’ve got a couple more left. But in a weird way, it’s a bit more vindicating because you put in that much work every day.”

Verlander has made his share of history in recent weeks, currently sitting at eighth on the all-time strikeout list after passing Walter Johnson then Gaylord Perry. With seven shutout innings, he joined Roger Clemens as the only pitchers age 42 or older to not allow more than one run in four straight starts in the last 125 seasons.

“I get to talk about him and a milestone and breaking somebody’s (record) — Gaylord Perry, Walter Johnson — almost every start now,” said manager Bob Melvin. “That just kind of signifies who he is as a pitcher and how he continues to pitch at such a high level again.”

Added center fielder Drew Gilbert: “What he’s been doing is kind of unhuman. If we’re not playing our hardest behind him, I don’t know what we’re doing.”

Verlander was the beneficiary of several great catches by Gilbert, the most crucial coming in the fifth when Gilbert tracked down Jake McCarthy’s deep drive to the right-center field warning track to keep the game tied at zero. The next half inning, Gilbert lined a single into right field to break up Pfaadt’s no-hit bid with a one-out single.

“I’m going to be honest, when I first looked up and started tracking the ball and saw where he was playing, I didn’t think he was going to catch it,” Verlander said. “Then I saw him make up some ground and he made a great play. Great route, great read.”

“The ball (Gilbert) got was a game-saver at that point,” Melvin said. “That gets down, it’s a whole different deal. With Justin, you know there are going to be some balls in the air. … Even though Gilbert didn’t do a whole lot at the plate — he got one hit — he was instrumental in the win.”

Gilbert’s grab was invaluable on an afternoon where Pfaadt pitched the best game of his career, tossing nine shutout innings with seven strikeouts. Like Verlander, Pfaadt got stuck with a no-decision as Spencer Bivens and Ryan Walker followed with scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth.

Walker nearly allowed his second walk-off in the last 24 hours when the Diamondbacks loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but the cross-firing right-hander wiggled his way out of trouble and sent the game to extras.

San Francisco and Arizona both failed to score in the 10th, pushing the ballgame to the 11th inning. It was then, with Verlander and Pfaadt having long since departed, that the Giants broke the stalemate.

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After top prospect Bryce Eldridge drew a leadoff walk, reaching base for the first time in his career, Jerar Encarnacion flipped a single into center field that drove in Matt Chapman and gave San Francisco the game’s first run. The insurance runs would soon follow.

Following Patrick Bailey’s bloop single, Christian Koss delivered a two-run double with the bases loaded, giving the Giants a 3-0 lead and sending fans to the exits. Following Grant McCray’s sacrifice fly and Rafael Devers’ RBI single, the Giants owned an emphatic 5-0 lead.

With the Mets losing today, the Giants are two games back of the final NL wild card spot (technically three games back due to the tiebreaker) with 10 games remaining. If the Giants are to have any shot at the postseason, they’ll need Verlander to continue churning out vintage performances.

“Our destiny is not in our hands. That’s not something we can control,” Verlander said. “The only thing we can control is trying to win as many baseball games as possible and see what’s what. We’ve been a streaky team all year. When we find a way to be on a hot streak, we can roll through anybody and win a lot of games very quickly.”

September showers on the Monterey Peninsula?

MONTEREY — Tropical storm Mario, off the coast of Mexico, has dissipated and is no longer being tracked by the National Weather Service, but remnants from the storm have been making their way north, bringing a little rain to the Monterey Peninsula on Wednesday afternoon and the possibility of more this week.

There’s a chance for showers Thursday and an even smaller chance for thunderstorms into the afternoon. The forecast is mostly cloudy with a high near 72.

“At first it’s going to be showers, but Thursday afternoon we could see heavier pockets of rain,” said Dalton Behringer, meteorologist for the National Weather Service Bay Area headquartered in Monterey.

Thursday evening will be mostly cloudy with a low of around 59. The rain is expected to pick up and there could be a little wind.

“The chance for a thunderstorm is low, but we could see a lightning strike or two,” Behringer said.

The rainy weather will continue Friday morning and into the afternoon. A foggy Friday evening is forecast before the weekend.

Several Monterey County areas have been experiencing high temperatures, even in coastal areas. The rainy weather is expected to help cool the area down a little.

“Temperatures are going to come down due to the cloud cover and rainfall,” Behringer said. “The extra moisture will help.”

The rain is expected to be less than 1/10th of an inch, with no advisories for flooding or road closures.

Joby plans to participate in White House eVTOL Integration Program

MARINA – Joby Aviation will be taking advantage of an opportunity that ensures mature electric vertical take off and landing aircraft can begin operations in select markets ahead of full Federal Aviation Administration certification, a critical step in preparing for scaled commercial service.

The eVTOL Integration Pilot Program was included in a presidential executive order to the Department of Transportation and FAA . Entitled “Unleashing American Drone Dominance,” dated June 6, President Trump declared that it is the policy of the United States to accelerate the safe commercialization of unmanned aerial systems technologies and fully integrate them into the National Airspace System, as well as eVTOL and other Advanced Air Mobility aircraft operations.

The  Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program is designed to allow mature aircraft designs to demonstrate eVTOL use cases, such as passenger transportation, cargo delivery and emergency response, ahead of achieving certification. The program requires participating partners to have a high level of maturity in aircraft capabilities and a degree of readiness that facilitates operations from the time that community projects are chosen.

“President Trump has long recognized the significance of America’s leadership in the next era of aviation and this initiative ensures our nation’s leadership will continue,” said Greg Bowles, chief policy officer at Joby, in a press release. “We’ve spent more than 15 years building the aircraft technology and operational capabilities that are defining advanced aerial mobility and we’re ready to bring our services to communities. We look forward to demonstrating our aircraft’s maturity and delivering early operations in cities and states nationwide.”

The focus of this pilot program will be achieving ambitious national objectives in core areas that are in the public interest, according to the Screening Information Request from the Department of Transportation. Operations that are envisioned include piloted and unmanned approaches including air taxis – short range, on demand flying eVTOLs connecting to ground transport, and demonstrating reduced noise impacts. Other possibilities include longer-range, fixed wing flights moving people in new forms of advanced regional aircraft with capabilities such as short takeoff and landing that could unlock new and more economically viable possibilities in air travel. Cargo services using novel aircraft, including potentially fixed wing aircraft, logistics and supply that demonstrate new airlift and emergency management services, such as eVTOL operations for servicing energy facilities off-shore and improving medical transport capabilities with lower costs and impacts on local communities are other possibilities.

With the completion of its expanded manufacturing space in Marina, Joby plans to double its production capacity to up to 24 aircraft per year across a total of 435,000 square feet at the Marina Municipal Airport. The site also provides key capabilities, including Joby’s initial FAA production certification, conforming ground and flight testing components, pilot training simulators and aircraft maintenance. (Joby)

Joby says it is well positioned to deliver on fronts including operational readiness as it has the most mature eVTOL aircraft in the sector and has validated its aircraft capabilities in a variety of contexts. The company also has scaling production capacity supported by Toyota.

Joby Aviation has over 40,000 miles of flight testing across its fleet, with nearly 600 flights in 2025. Joby recently completed its first flight between two public airports – Marina Municipal and Monterey Regional –during which it integrated with commercial air traffic. In addition, the company’s flight tests across five countries have demonstrated the resiliency of the aircraft in a variety of conditions, including multiple flights and full VTOL transition in Dubai’s extreme heat conditions.

With the completion of its expanded manufacturing space in Marina, Joby plans to double its production capacity to up to 24 aircraft per year across a total of 435,000 square feet at the Marina Municipal Airport. The site also provides key capabilities, including Joby’s initial FAA production certification, conforming ground and flight testing components, pilot training simulators and aircraft maintenance.

Joby Aviation, which has been doing business at the Marina Municipal Airport for about seven years, has designed and is producing an electric air taxi that will carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds up to 200 mph and offer high-speed mobility with a fraction of the noise produced by helicopters and zero operating emissions. Joby Aviation plans to operate these aircraft as part of aerial ridesharing networks in cities and communities around the world.

West Coast states issue joint vaccine recommendations ahead of CDC advisers meeting

By GENE JOHNSON

SEATTLE (AP) — Four Democratic-led Western states announced joint recommendations Wednesday about who should be vaccinated for seasonal respiratory viruses, including the flu and COVID-19, saying the Trump administration has jeopardized public health by politicizing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii early this month formed the West Coast Health Alliance in an effort to combat what they describe as the “weaponization” of federal health agencies to advance antivaccine policies, despite decades of scientific research showing that vaccines are safe and effective.

Their recommendations follow those of major medical organizations and came a day before a panel of CDC advisers were due to begin meeting to review recommendations for some vaccines, including COVID.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a leading antivaccine activist before becoming the nation’s top health official, fired the entire 17-member panel earlier this year and replaced it with a group that includes several anti-vaccine voices. Former CDC chief Susan Monarez told senators on Wednesday she was fired after 29 days on the job after refusing Kennedy’s demands that she sign off on changes to the childhood vaccination schedule without data to back up the changes.

“Public health leaders warn these moves dismantle independent, science-based oversight and inject politics into decisions that protect Americans’ health — undermining the CDC’s credibility at a moment when trust and clarity are most needed,” the West Coast Health Alliance said Wednesday.

In a written statement Wednesday, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesman Andrew Nixon criticized the effort.

“Democrat-run states that pushed unscientific school lockdowns, toddler mask mandates, and draconian vaccine passports during the COVID era completely eroded the American people’s trust in public health agencies,” Nixon said. “HHS will ensure policy is based on rigorous evidence and Gold Standard Science, not the failed politics of the pandemic.”

Clinic support supervisor May Fengmei Lin, CMA, displays a syringe of the Fluarix flu vaccine at International Community Health Services, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

The recommendations from the West Coast Health Alliance include that all residents older than 6 months get a flu vaccine and that all babies receive protection from RSV. Among those who should receive the COVID vaccine are children 6 months to 23 months old; all adults over 65, and everyone younger than 65 who has risk factors or is in contact with people with risk factors; anyone pregnant or planning a pregnancy; and “all who choose protection.”

Kennedy’s moves have prompted debate and action in the states. Florida has taking steps to become the first state to get rid of school vaccine mandates, with some states looking to follow its lead. Others are promising to protect vaccines for children and adults.

Democratic Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey governor has said the state is requiring insurance carriers to cover vaccinations recommended by its public health department, regardless of whether they are endorsed by the federal government. Her state is also leading a bipartisan coalition of eight Northeast states that met over the summer to discuss coordinating vaccine recommendations.

In New Mexico, pharmacists have received the go-ahead to administer COVID-19 shots based on state health department guidelines rather than just the federal government’s immunization advisory committee.

Pennsylvania’s pharmacy board voted this month to protect the availability of COVID-19 vaccines for those most in need and to make it accessible across the state, at the urging of Gov. Josh Shapiro. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson have directed health officials to make sure residents are able to be vaccinated against the virus.