Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 12

Horoscopes Oct. 8, 2025: Bruno Mars, choose your battles wisely this year

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Ksenia Solo, 38; Bruno Mars, 40; Sigourney Weaver, 76; Chevy Chase, 82.

Happy Birthday: Choose your battles wisely this year. Refuse to let emotions lead the way when achieving good results requires common sense, patience and attention to detail. Refuse to let ego or jealousy impact how you handle situations, people or lifestyle changes. Set aside aggression, and channel your strength, courage and energy into what matters most to you. A clear-cut plan, along with fortitude and determination, will lead to victory. Your numbers are 3, 15, 23, 27, 33, 42, 45.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Listen carefully and consider the suggestions and information you receive. You may not like what you hear, but if you turn the information into something positive, it can ultimately become a win-win situation for you and anyone else you encounter or interact with today. Dealing with institutions can offer valuable insights and results. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Explore your options, feelings, and what and who influences and affects your life. Keep an open mind, and reflect on past experiences to determine the best course of action for you at this time. Physical and emotional changes can appear promising and help address issues you’re struggling with. Lead the way, rather than letting others dictate the outcome. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gather data and base decisions on facts. Move into the mainstream, where you’ll get a front-row seat on how to turn your intentions into something tangible. Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you when effort on your part is necessary. Timing is critical if you want to get the best results. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Attend events that combine work and pleasure, and you’ll connect with people who interest you personally and professionally. Sharing your views and suggestions can have a significant impact on your future. Broaden your horizons through learning and setting up a budget to accommodate your pursuits. Home improvements can enhance your comfort and convenience. Romance is favored. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Put a plan in place before you start sharing your intentions with loved ones or associates. Knowing what you might encounter ahead of time will help you anticipate and address questions that others may ask. Your charm will only get you so far; exuding both brain and brawn will be impossible to resist. 2 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Sit tight, wait, watch and put together possible options. Preparation will make a difference, so pay attention to detail and have alternatives ready in case anyone questions your intentions. Fine-tune your relationships, appearance or approach to helping or making a difference. Taking some downtime will help you gain perspective regarding your options and how to proceed. 5 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Look for solitude when dealing with personal matters and how you want to live your life. Refuse to let others dictate what’s best for you. Call on your feelings, experience and long-term plans to help you make choices that point you in the direction of your choosing. It’s up to you to maintain peace. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t hide out when you should network. To succeed, you must participate. Attend events, make cold calls and share your history, thoughts and experience with other players who share your concerns and interests. Partnerships are worth considering, but be sure to devise a proposal that is fair, well-defined and written with worthwhile incentives. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Consider your health and well-being before agreeing to something that may be physically taxing, and make a counteroffer that allows you to use your skills without jeopardizing your life in other ways. Clear-cut rules, standards or hours will make a positive difference for you and those you plan to work alongside. Romance is in the stars. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Refrain from letting emotions stand in your way. Look at the big picture; consider where your steps lead if you put your energy into combining both domestic and professional needs into a schedule that brings life back to your dreams, hopes and wishes. Share your thoughts, and opportunities will unfold. Love looks promising. 5 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’ll require patience, tolerance and reserve when dealing with others or trying to enforce changes at home or to your lifestyle or routine. Look for unique possibilities that resonate with what motivates you, as well as those with whom you want to maintain a good relationship. A financial investment or job opportunity looks promising. 2 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Count your blessings, and do whatever it takes to push your journey forward. Engage in activities and events of interest that expand your circle of friends and human contact. Put your phone down and talk face-to-face; you’ll gain insight into what makes you happy. Build new memories instead of living vicariously through past experiences. 4 stars

Birthday Baby: You are sensitive, insightful and proactive. You are intense and impulsive.

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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Both parties pack the ballot for US House special primary in Tennessee

By JONATHAN MATTISE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Democratic and Republican ballots aren’t short on candidates in Tuesday’s Tennessee primary special election to replace a GOP congressman who stepped aside this summer, including one who landed President Donald Trump’s endorsement last week.

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The race to replace former U.S. Rep. Mark Green centers on one of three districts that GOP lawmakers drew as safely red in 2022 by dividing left-leaning Nashville. The Dec. 2 general election could gauge the popularity of Trump’s aggressive second-term agenda, especially with suburban Republican voters.

The 7th Congressional District spans 14 counties, bordering both Kentucky and Alabama. Its voters elected Green by 21 percentage points in 2024 and by nearly 22 points in 2022. Along with parts of Nashville, it includes rural areas, wealthy suburbs and part of the Fort Campbell military installation.

GOP weighs late Trump endorsement

With 11 Republicans on the ballot, Matt Van Epps turned heads when Trump backed him on Friday, the day after in-person early voting had ended. The endorsement prompted another high-profile candidate, state Rep. Lee Reeves, to announce he was suspending his campaign and backing Van Epps, a former general services commissioner in the administration of GOP Gov. Bill Lee. The governor and Green had already endorsed Van Epps. Trump lauded Van Epps for his military service.

It was too late to remove Reeves’ name from the ballot.

The field includes two other Republican state representatives, Gino Bulso and Jody Barrett. Bulso is a Brentwood attorney who has been an outspoken advocate for socially conservative policies, including those that target LGBTQ+ people’s rights. Bulso has poured almost $700,000 of his own wealth into the race.

Outside groups have spent more than $3.1 million, almost all on the GOP side, with upwards of $1.1 million opposing Barrett.

School choice interests who have denounced Barrett’s vote against Gov. Lee’s statewide school voucher expansion are behind many of the attack ads against Barrett. Barrett, an attorney from Dickson, has said he pushed back against the “elites” in his own party and has praised a school choice tax credit initiative touted by Trump. He has the House Freedom Fund’s backing.

Those three have drawn the most attention, but they aren’t the only well-funded GOP candidates. Mason Foley, a health care businessman and former staffer for Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, loaned his campaign $325,000. And Stewart Parks, who was pardoned by Trump after entering the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, contributed roughly $300,000 to his campaign through contributions and loans.

The state flag of Tennessee stands outside the office of Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District in Washington, Sept. 2, 2025, which has a seat that became vacant following the resignation of Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn. on July 20. (AP Photo/Robert Yoon)

Also vying for the GOP nomination are Montgomery County Commissioner Jason Knight; Adolph Agbéko Dagan, a Clarksville businessman; former state legislative staffer Tres Wittum; and Joe Leurs, a retired Nashville Police undercover detective. Stuart Cooper, a Franklin businessman, also suspended his campaign and endorsed Van Epps after Trump’s endorsement.

Democrats attack Trump policies

The four Democratic candidates in the race, meanwhile, have attacked the legislation Trump dubbed the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” in addition to his tariffs.

Rep. Aftyn Behn is a social worker and community organizer who has focused on women’s reproductive health rights, including as a plaintiff in a lawsuit against a Tennessee law banning adults from helping minors get an abortion without parental permission. A judge has halted the provision’s enforcement.

Rep. Vincent Dixie, a businessman in the bail bond industry, has touted his record of having served as the first Black leader of a legislative caucus in state history. He said in a campaign video from a garbage truck that “Washington has been piling up garbage for working families.”

Rep. Bo Mitchell, who works in employee benefits, has focused on access to health care and his roots in Dickson County, a rural part of the district.

Darden Copeland founded the public affairs firm named Calvert Street Group and has worked as a consultant on Democratic campaigns. He has seized on being in the private sector amid a field of elected officials.

Isolation issue: Warriors pinpoint area of improvement ahead of second preseason game

SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors dazzled fans – at least for the first half – with stellar passing and shot-making in their preseason opener against the Lakers.

Game No. 2 on Wednesday against Portland, however, will see the team focus on a more individualistic side of the game that is favored by Jimmy Butler.

Coach Steve Kerr expressed a desire to work on his team’s alignment in half-court and isolation sets, which will feature more 5-out looks this season with the addition of sharpshooting center Al Horford, who has developed instant chemistry with his teammates.

Great spacing is more than just having all five players dotted a couple feet outside the 3-point line, though. 

“Sometimes it means there’s a big in the dunker spot, and sometimes it means you have a guy in the corner and the other three guys are all around the 3-point line and nobody is in the paint,” Kerr said after Tuesday’s practice. “There’s all these things that are possibilities, and we have to adjust and react to what the circumstances are.”

Spacing remains a factor in Jonathan Kuminga’s playing time with the veterans. Though Kuminga made a 3-pointer against the Lakers’ backups, he, Draymond Green and Butler are not big threats from outside the arc.

“There wasn’t much spacing, which is the big concern, but we have to continue to give them some looks,” Kerr said. “But I think Al changes the equation here, and I’m really intrigued to put Al and JK together.”

The shooting center makes an impact on the other side of the ball, too. 

With Horford’s addition, the Warriors now have another experienced and versatile defender to play next to Green. 

The 39-year-old newcomer had three blocks in just 14 minutes on Sunday, and that was not by accident. 

“I felt like he had my back out there, and he allowed me to go out and make some plays,” Horford said of Green. “To be aggressive and go and block some shots and do things with him back there.”

One of Golden State’s youngest players is also benefiting from Horford’s presence.

“I feel like I can learn from him, where he picks his spots to be aggressive, whether that be in short rolls or quick seals,” second-year center Quinten Post said. “He’s very aggressive with his shots, and he even attacks the rim out of those closeouts.”

Horford on Curry connection

Horford had three assists against the Lakers, none more spectacular than his give-and-go bounce pass to a cutting Steph Curry in transition. 

“He’s such a smart player and it’s easy to play off of him,” Horford said of Curry. “When he passed me the ball, I knew he was going to cut. So I guess that’s the unspoken chemistry right there. He expected me to pass the ball, and I did.”

Horford later added, “He just does a good job of terrifying everybody in the league every time he moves. That’s something I’m going to take advantage of.” 

Matter of minutes

The veterans – Curry, Horford, Green and Butler – all played fewer than 15 minutes against Los Angeles. None of the four played in the second half, something that will likely change against Portland. 

“We usually ramp them up a little bit each game,” Kerr said. “I imagine it will be  a little bit more than the other night, but I’ll wait and see what (team doctor) Rick (Celebrini) says.”

Rancho Cañada Floodplain Restoration in Carmel moves to in-stream work

CARMEL – The Rancho Cañada Floodplain Restoration project marked a major transition in September from heavy equipment work to shifting focus on planting and final in-stream work, according to a report from the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District’s planning and conservation program manager.

The major stream restoration project’s goal is to return the Carmel River’s natural flow through what was once a twin 18-hole golf course. About a mile of the waterway and surrounding land is part of the three-phase project designed to rewild the lower Carmel River, reconnect its historic floodplain and create a more resilient landscape for wildlife and the community.

Phase one of the project officially broke ground in June and runs through June 2026 concentrating on the western, downstream half of what is now part of Palo Corona Regional Park.

The Park District acquired the 185-acre Rancho Cañada Golf Course property from the Trust for Public Land in April 2018, adding it as a unit of Palo Corona Regional Park and opening it for public use. The 36-hole former golf course was once the second-largest water user on the Carmel River.

At the MPRPD Board meeting last week, Planning and Conservation Program Manager Jake Smith’s update on construction progress for the project reporting that September marked a major transition, winding down heavy equipment work and shifting focus towards planting and final in-stream work. Segments of the new trail system are now under construction, and the former golf cart bridge has been removed. Work in October will focus on completing habitat structures, completing replanting and reseeding efforts, demobilizing construction equipment and preparing the site for winter conditions.

By reconnecting the Carmel River to its historic floodplain in this area, this multi-year project is transforming a former golf course into thriving river, wetland and upland habitat that will support native wildlife, including threatened steelhead trout, help reduce flood risk by allowing the river to spread more naturally during high flows, and create future opportunities for public recreation and outdoor learning. The project is being completed in three phases over three years. Construction continues with funding from state and federal sources.

For the reporting period from late August through late September, completed construction activities included removing a pedestrian bridge that was a former golf cart bridge located near the center of the site, allowing restoration of riverbanks to provide more room for natural river flows in that area, the construction of new aggregate trail segments through the site, native plant installation across multiple zones, with newly installed irrigation systems activated to support new growth, and construction of gravel riffles (cobble rock ramps) in the main river channel. Dewatering operations continued in coordination with wildlife monitoring teams to protect sensitive species during in-stream work, like installation of the in-stream rock riffles and soil sharing with the adjacent Rancho Cañada Village project continued, final grading and shaping of upland areas currently underway, and old rock (riprap) armoring removal along the riverbank near Bridge 3 after its removal.

The $35 million project to reconnect the river to its historic floodplain habitat received funding from several federal and state sources including $10 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s National Coastal Resilience Fund, $6 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management, $13 million from the Wildlife Conservation Board and $6 million from the California State Coastal Conservancy.

During the reporting period, the project team facilitated multiple tours with project funders and technical advisors, including the State Coastal Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Board, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the project’s Technical Advisory Committee.

Abortion providers say Missouri’s attorney general is trying to get patient records

By JOHN HANNA

Missouri’s Republican attorney general is trying to get the medical records of Planned Parenthood patients who’ve had abortions, officials who oversee clinics in Kansas City and St. Louis said in legal filings.

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The fight over the subpoenas is playing out in a lawsuit filed last year by Planned Parenthood Great Plains, the abortion provider’s affiliate for Kansas City, and Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, the affiliate for St. Louis. Planned Parenthood officials argue that the state’s restrictions violate an amendment to the Missouri Constitution narrowly approved by voters in November to protect abortion rights.

The Missouri attorney general’s office issued subpoenas starting in late August to two employees of the Kansas City Planned Parenthood affiliate, a physician contracting with it, and two former board members of the St. Louis-area Planned Parenthood affiliate, according to Planned Parenthood court filings last month. One filing seeking to quash the subpoenas said the attorney general demanded patient records, reports on adverse events and communications about patient care, along with clinical protocols, equipment maintenance records, contract documents and records related to compliance with state requirements.

“Despite the Missouri Attorney General’s blatant attempts to overturn the will of the people, all patients expect and have the right for their medical records to be private,” the two affiliates said in a joint statement Tuesday. “Politicians have no place in the exam room with patients and their medical providers.”

Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s office did not immediately respond to an email Tuesday requesting comment. But in a filing in June, the state questioned Planned Parenthood officials’ repeated statements that “abortion rarely involves medical complications” and that state requirements do not improve patients’ health.

“The purpose of litigation is to ‘ascertain the truth,’” the filing said.

Abortion policy has been in flux nationally since the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and allowed states to enforce bans. Twelve states now ban abortion at any stage of pregnancy, with limited exception, and women now are more likely to cross state lines for abortions or to obtain them via pills shipped in by prescribers elsewhere.

A multiyear legal battle has seen Missouri swing back and forth between banning and allowing most abortions. Before last year’s ballot question, the state had a near-total ban.

In July, Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Jerri Zhang, in Kansas City, blocked enforcement of many of the restrictions while the lawsuit proceeds, including licensing requirements and a 72-hour waiting period for abortions.

Planned Parenthood clinics are doing procedural abortions in St. Louis, Kansas City and Columbia, home to the University of Missouri’s main campus. Planned Parenthood Great Plains also has two clinics performing abortions on the Kansas side of the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Medication abortions remain on hold in Missouri while Planned Parenthood officials wrangle with the state over abortion regulations.

Last year’s measure amended the state constitution to guarantee a right to abortion until fetal viability, generally considered sometime past 21 weeks of pregnancy.

The Republican-led Legislature wants to return to a ban, with exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape and incest. It approved a proposed constitutional amendment in May to do that, but the explanation for voters that lawmakers wanted on the ballot in 2026 became tied up in another lawsuit, filed in Cole County Circuit Court the state capital of Jefferson City by a doctor who championed last year’s ballot question.

Cole County Judge Daniel Green ruled last month that summary originally written by lawmakers was unfair and failed to tell voters they would be repealing last year’s measure. He ordered Missouri’s secretary of state to rewrite it.

The revision Green approved Tuesday notes that the new measure would “Repeal Article I, section 36, approved in 2024,” but it doesn’t explain what that entails.

Associated Press journalist David A. Lieb also contributed from Jefferson City, Missouri.

Democrats in governors races see political opportunity amid government shutdown

By MIKE CATALINI and OLIVIA DIAZ, Associated Press

GLEN RIDGE, N.J. (AP) — Democrats say fallout from the Trump administration’s aggressive tactics during the shutdown of the federal government could give them a welcome boost in the only two governors’ races on the ballot this year.

In Virginia, 175,000 people work for the federal government, according to the Congressional Research Service. In New Jersey, where federal workers number roughly 23,000 by the CRS’s estimate, the Republican administration has announced the freezing of $18 billion in funding for a rail tunnel connecting the state to New York City.

The Nov. 4 elections in Virginia and New Jersey represent the next big tests of how voters view both President Donald Trump’s second term and Democrats’ reaction to it. They take place against the backdrop of the shutdown fight, ignited by Senate Democrats’ decision to oppose a Republican-backed funding bill in hopes of negotiating an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies.

Shutdown puts Trump ‘front and center’

The Republican president’s threats to lay off more government workers and stop the tunnel project has left Democrats anticipating an unexpected boost in the off-year elections.

“I think this decision by Donald Trump on the Gateway tunnel is devastating for Jack Ciattarelli,” said Democratic Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey. “It puts Trump front and center.”

Ciattarelli is the Trump-backed Republican nominee for governor of New Jersey, a state that tilts toward Democrats but has shown a willingness to support the GOP in governor’s races. He’s running against U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a four-term Democratic congresswoman who has made Trump administration tactics a centerpiece of the case she’s been making to Garden State voters.

Democrat Mikie Sherrill responds to questions during the first general election gubernatorial debate with Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Lawrenceville, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

The shutdown, and Trump’s decision to pull the plug on the tunnel project, fits seamlessly into Sherrill’s narrative. Outside a suburban New York City train station recently, she said the project is a boon for New Jersey laborers and commuters and blamed the president and her rival.

“We’re risking the failure of a century old tunnel. That means over 200,000 people every single day,” she said. “It’s despicable that the president of the United States is costing us so much money and attacking our economy. And it’s despicable Jack Ciattarelli is going right along.”

Republicans put the blame on Democrats

Ciattarelli, in turn, blames Sherrill and her Democratic colleagues in Congress.

“Instead of doing her job, she chose to play partisan politics,” said campaign strategist Chris Russell. “She should be embarrassed.”

Republican Jack Ciattarelli responds to questions during the first general election gubernatorial debate with Democratic opponent Mikie Sherrill, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Lawrenceville, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

While Democrats see an opportunity in the shutdown and its aftermath, Republicans aren’t ready to concede the point. Even those critical of Trump say it probably doesn’t matter.

New Jersey state Sen. Jon Bramnick, the lone Trump critic in this year’s GOP primary, said voters he talks to all seem to have their minds made up already. They either love the president and back his policies — and Ciattarelli as his choice for governor — or dislike him intensely.

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“It’s all baked in,” he said.

New Jersey Republican Assembly member Brian Bergen said he doesn’t see the shutdown “taking” as an issue in the race. Despite the president narrowing the Democrats’ margin of victory in New Jersey in 2024, he’s still likely “underwater” with many in the state, he said.

He said the length of the shutdown could be a factor but didn’t see it damaging Ciattarelli.

“I don’t think that’s gonna translate to a negative effect to Jack,” he said, pausing briefly before adding: “Every day is a new day. Anything can happen, especially with President Trump.”

Virginia’s Democratic nominee runs against Trump

Virginia Democrats see opportunity in the shutdown as well. The party’s nominee for governor, Abigail Spanberger, has released ad after ad casting her opponent Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears as a MAGA Republican who “speaks for Trump” and supports his firing of federal workers and the Department of Government Efficiency.

“Virginians are already facing the dire impacts of DOGE, reckless tariffs, and attacks on their healthcare coverage,” she said. “And now, our Commonwealth faces totally unnecessary job cuts as President Trump promises to enact mass firings.”

Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears speaks to a crowd during a campaign rally in Chesterfield, Va., Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (Mike Kropf/Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP)

The president’s aggressive tactics have also surfaced in the Virginia House of Delegates campaign, where every seat will be on the ballot next month.

Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, a Democrat, said in an interview with MSNBC that Trump’s visit to a Naval base in Virginia on Sunday came as the paychecks of the service members he spoke to were being jeopardized because of the shutdown, adding: “Virginia voters are going to send a very strong message to Trump this next November.”

Earle-Sears has not directly addressed Trump’s role in the shutdown. Her campaign did not respond to an email asking about the impact of the shutdown.

Sarah Lamm, a federal worker from New Jersey who said she’s currently working without pay as an “excepted” employee, declined to say who she’d be voting for in the governor’s race but said the shutdown would definitely be on her mind. She said she’s getting by because she’s been financially “responsible” but doesn’t know how long her savings could hold out.

Her message, she said was: “I’m somebody’s community member. I exist. This is a hardship for myself and my family right now.”

State Supreme Court visit: Local students to get chance to question justices

MONTEREY – Local students will have the chance to question California Supreme Court members about the state’s judicial system before Wednesday’s special session of the court in Monterey, the first time the court has met in the city in more than 45 years.

The session, which begins at 9 a.m., consists of four oral argument sessions to be attended by students and teachers from schools in and around Monterey County, as well as the general public.

The California Supreme Court previously held oral arguments in Monterey County in 1979, 1970 and 1959, according to a press release from the Supreme Court of California.

The special session will be held at Colton Hall Museum – the location of California’s first constitutional convention in 1849.

Jorge Navarrete, clerk and executive officer of the California Supreme Court, said the special sessions provide access for anyone in a community the court visits to understand the role of the Supreme Court and the judiciary system within society. Navarrete said that, particularly for students, the special sessions can be helpful in discovering new career opportunities for students who may be unfamiliar with judicial and legal systems.

“This is really to provide access to justice for everyone,” Navarrete said. “And for everyone to be able to understand the role the Supreme Court and the judiciary plays in our society.”

Before Wednesday’s session, Navarrete said, attorneys visited schools around Monterey County to speak to students about the judicial process so attending students have a basic understanding of what they will see. Navarrete added that the court’s goal was to help the students understand how the cases they view moved through the system.

Students from K-12 schools in and around Monterey County such as Greenfield High School will be in attendance, as well as higher education institutions like Gavilan College in Gilroy, Navarrete said. The session will also be open to the public.

The special session is one of several events in Monterey celebrating California’s 175th anniversary. The Monterey Public Library also held two constitutional convention reenactments at Colton Hall Sunday and there will be an evening walking tour of Colton Hall and the Old Jail Oct. 29.

“We are excited to see the students come and be a part of our proceedings and for them to be exposed to and learn more about the Supreme Court and more about the justices,” Navarrete said.

Priority seating Wednesday is for student groups, but additional streaming locations will be at Monterey Public Library, Monterey City Council Chambers and Irvine Auditorium at Middlebury.

A list of oral arguments being heard by the California Supreme Court can be found at: https://supreme.courts.ca.gov/case-information/oral-arguments/oral-arguments-calendar.

Wanted felon arrested in possession of firearm, illegal drugs

SALINAS – Monterey County Sheriffs arrested a known wanted felon, Kory Yokomizo, on Sept. 29.

Around 10:18 p.m. a Deputy Sheriff spotted the 38 year old convicted felon and documented Norteño criminal street gang member near Alvin Drive and Natividad Road in Salinas.

After attempting to hide, Yokomizo fled on foot once contacted by deputies.

A foot pursuit ensued, during which Yokomizo attempted to ditch a firearm, a loaded 9mm Smith & Weston semi-automatic handgun.

The pursuit ended when Yokomizo fell to the ground where deputies and a Salinas Police officer took him into custody without incident. After being transported to the Monterey County Jail, deputies located 2.03 grams of methamphetamine hidden in Yokomizo’s clothing.

In addition to his prior felony arrest warrant, Yokomizo was booked into the Monterey County Jail for resisting arrest, carrying a concealed firearm as a gang member, being a felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm in public and possession of narcotics in a jail facility.

“Thanks to the quick action of our deputies, a wanted felon was taken off the streets before he could do more harm,” said Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto in a press release. “A loaded firearm and illegal drugs were recovered, removing both from our neighborhoods.”

Monterey police search for suspect after hit and run

Monterey Police Department is searching for Emmanuel Espinosa Juarez after the suspected hit and run of a 17 year old pedestrian on Sept. 27.

Monterey Police Officers responded to a reported hit and run on Sept. 27, after a vehicle hit a pedestrian at the intersection fo Del Monte Avenue and Camino El Estero.

The incident took place at approximately 10:32 p.m., when a 17 year old pedestrian was using a crosswalk to cross Del Monte Avenue. Traffic was stopped for a red light while the pedestrian crossed, however the light turned green before the pedestrian could get out of the intersection.

After the light turned green, a sedan accelerated, striking the pedestrian before fleeing east bound on Del Monte Avenue.

The pedestrian sustained significant, though not life threatening, injuries and was transported to Natividad Hospital’s trauma center.

After speaking with witnesses and using Automated License Plate Reader cameras, officers were able to identify the suspected vehicle. Later that night they located the vehicle in the 400 block of Alcalde Avenue, Monterey, with damage indicating it had recently been involved in a collision.

Officers confiscated the vehicle as evidence and determined the driver to be Emmanuel Espinosa Juarez, a 44 year old resident of Seaside.

Officers have obtained a warrant for Juarez’s arrest for a felony hit and run.

Juarez’s location is currently unknown. The case remains under active investigation and members of the public with any relevant information are urged to contact Lieutenant Ethan Andrews at (831) 646-3822. Anonymous tips may be submitted via (831) 646-3840.

A judge has blocked a Trump administration effort to change teen pregnancy prevention programs

By GEOFF MULVIHILL, Associated Press

A judge Tuesday blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from requiring recipients of federal teen pregnancy prevention grants to comply with Trump’s orders aimed at curtailing “radical indoctrination” and “gender ideology.”

The ruling is a victory for three Planned Parenthood affiliates — in California, Iowa and New York — that sued to try to block enforcement of a U.S. Department of Human Services policy document issued in July that they contend contradict the requirements of the grants as established by Congress.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, who was appointed to the bench by former President Barack Obama, blasted the administration’s policy change in her written ruling, saying it was “motivated solely by political concerns, devoid of any considered process or analysis, and ignorant of the statutory emphasis on evidence-based programming.”

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The policy requiring changes to the pregnancy prevention program was part of the fallout from a series of executive orders Trump signed starting in his first day back in the White House aimed at rolling back recognition of LGBTQ+ people and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

In the policy, the administration objected to teaching that promotes same-sex marriage and that “normalizes, or promotes sexual activity for minors.”

The Planned Parenthood affiliates argued that the new directives were at odds with requirements of the program — and that they were so vague it wasn’t clear what needed to be done to follow them.

Howell agreed.

The decision applies not only to the handful of Planned Parenthood groups among the dozens of recipients of the funding, but also nonprofit groups, city and county health departments, Native American tribes and universities that received grants.

The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the program, declined to comment on Tuesday’s ruling. It previously said the guidance for the program “ensures that taxpayer dollars no longer support content that undermines parental rights, promotes radical gender ideology, or exposes children to sexually explicit material under the banner of public health.”