Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 155

Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: More homeowner’s insurance concerns

If you own a home in California, you may have already seen spikes in your homeowner’s insurance or, worse yet, been notified that your insurance carrier will not be renewing your coverage. Due to wildfires, natural disasters and some California insurance laws, more and more insurance companies are just refusing to write insurance for homeowners.

Now there is one more issue to be concerned about when it comes to insuring our home and this came to light as a result of the Los Angeles wildfires and the massive devastation of homes. If you have gone through the time and expense of putting together an estate plan which includes a revocable or living trust, you have also, most likely, transferred the title of your home to your trust. Making sure our assets are held in the trust title ensures that our estate plan will work the way we want it to when the time comes.

Recently, the estate planning community became aware of a situation in which a Los Angeles homeowner was denied his insurance claim because he had not notified his insurance carrier that he had transferred the title of his home to his trust. His home burned down in the fire and, when he asked the company to provide funds to rebuild, they pointed out a clause in the policy which stated that the company must be notified on change of ownership. He had not notified them.

The bottom line is, when you transfer title of your home to your trust, notify your carrier. Unfortunately, with insurers becoming so skittish about writing policies in California, they could use this change of ownership to discontinue coverage! Regardless of the risk that your insurance company might back out, you should still notify them if you have transferred title to your trust. You don’t want to have a loss, report it to your insurer and have coverage denied due to a “loophole” set out in the policy.

If your insurer backs out of providing coverage, contact The California Fair Plan which can be found at: www.cfnet.com or (800)339-4099. Remember, however, that the coverage that The California Fair Plan provides is limited so you may need to add additional policies to cover liability and other coverage normally provided under a standard homeowner’s policy.

Further, advise your successor trustee or executor that they must contact your insurer when you pass away and they step in to take care of the administration of your estate. If a fire or other loss were to occur during the administration of your estate, without such notification, an insurer could deny coverage. As a professional trustee, we find that upon this kind of notification most insurance companies let us know that they will not renew when the next renewal date comes up. In this way, at least we are confident that until that date we have coverage and if the home is not sold or distributed to heirs before then, we will need to get coverage through The Fair Plan.

There are so many ways to get tripped up when it comes to estate planning and the insurance issue is just one more. Speak with your insurer to be sure coverage will continue if your home has been transferred to your trust and warn your successor trustee. Forewarned is forearmed.

Liza Horvath has over 30 years of experience in the estate planning and trust fields and is the president of Monterey Trust Management, a financial and trust management company. This is not intended to be legal or tax advice. If you have a question call (831) 646-5262 or email liza@montereytrust.com

Letters to the Editor: April 20, 2025

Tesla protest

I was at the protest in March in front of the Tesla dealership in Seaside.  The Progressive Left and their allies were out in full force, chanting their usual chorus of, “Hey hey, ho ho, Elon Musk has got to go.” A much smaller crowd of MAGA, Libertarians and Conservatives had their “USA” chant too. Yes the protest was peaceful but most of the anti-Trump signs were redundant. Many were laced with the “F bomb” or the ubiquitous accusation of ”Nazi,  Rapist and Felon.” What I found interesting is none of the signs showed much knowledge of what is actually going on. Nothing about the tariff wars, the banning of DEI and transgender males in women’s sports, the drop of the Dow Jones, the national debt crisis. Most of the signs on the left side of the street showed mostly pure fear. An emotional reaction to change, instability, an abrupt turn about in the status quo. Well, I agree, there is something to be fearful about, because these changes, in my opinion, are going to happen. Buckle up, my friends, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

— Carol Marquart, Pacific Grove

Abortion

Most of the public discussion on the issue of abortion has been motivated by religious belief, rather than science.  Hardly anyone refers to scientific evidence about when a fetus becomes a living human being.  Most of the information exchanged on that issue comes from religious sources.  Catholics believe life begins at conception; Protestants, sometime between then and birth, Jews, at birth, with the first breath.  So, without question, abortion is a religious issue, and so, equally without question, it is not an issue to be resolved by government.

The First Amendment to the Constitution prohibits Congress from intervening with the free practice of religion, and the Supremacy Clause in Article VI extends that prohibition to the states.

That means the Supreme Court did not go far enough in its decision overturning Roe v. Wade.  That decision was based on the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution:  All powers not delegated to the United States in the Constitution; nor prohibited by it to the states, shall be relegated to the states respectively, or to the people.   The First Amendment to the Constitution prohibits the power to regulate religion in the United States — Congress shall make no laws interfering with the free practice of religion — and the Supremacy Clause in Article VI extends that prohibition to the states.  What else could that mean but that the Supreme Court must go further now to extend the prohibition it applied to the United States to the individual states, as well.

The Tenth Amendment is commonly known as the states’ rights amendment, but It is also a people’s rights amendment.  Abortion is neither a national nor a state’s right; it is people’s right, as it should be.  Aren’t we a government by the people?  If not, then, what does “our democracy” mean?

— Ron Weitzman, Carmel

Rodeo

It is truly appalling that there is an actual Hall of Fame to laud those who participate in the suffering of animals. Rodeos are nothing short of sanctioned animal abuse and cruelty. What’s next? A Hall of Fame for those that organize dog fighting?

Every year thousands of animals suffer extremely painful injuries while being forced to participate in rodeos. And every year hundreds of animals die due to their injuries.

It is shameful that humans find the suffering of animals entertaining. And it is shameful that this newspaper only covers one side of the story.

It would show courage and exhibit fair journalism if this newspaper published an article exposing the truth about what a truly barbaric spectacle rodeos are.

— Wendy Ledner, Salinas

DOGE

The Trump-Musk administration is actively dismantling the central pillars of our country: government, education, business, law, and the media.   Musk at DOGE is firing thousands of federal workers. There is a plan to eliminate FEMA. The Department of Health and Human Services has cancelled more than $12 billion in federal grants.  That money supported mental health services, addiction treatment and programs to track infectious diseases.

Senator Angus King, an Independent from Maine, has said that “what’s going on is the destruction of the agency from the inside out, and it’s accelerating … What they’re doing now is unconscionable. All the cuts being made are hurting the American people. We must actively oppose them.

— An McDowell, Monterey

Matchups: Where do Warriors have advantage over Rockets in NBA playoff series?

HOUSTON – Weaknesses will be difficult to find in the Warriors’ first-round Western Conference playoff series against the second-seeded Houston Rockets. 

Neither team has a glaring weak spot, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t advantages. 

Here’s how Golden State (48-34) stacks up against Houston (52-30) at each position – plus coaching – ahead of Game 1 on Sunday: 

POINT GUARD

Warriors: Steph Curry

Rockets: Fred VanVleet, Aaron Holiday

Breakdown: VanVleet (14.1 points per game) is a solid starting point guard who helped beat Curry’s Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals as a member of the Toronto Raptors. But Curry (24.5 ppg) is arguably the greatest point guard of all time and still plays at an elite level. There’s just no comparison. 

Advantage: Warriors 

SHOOTING GUARD

Warriors: Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield

Rockets: Jalen Green

Breakdown: Podziemski (11.7 ppg) appeared to be breaking out offensively before hitting a brief slump in the last week of the season, and Hield (203 made 3-pointers) is a mercurial off-the-bench shooter who can go for 30 in any game. However, Jalen Green (21 ppg) is a bonafide scorer with a 40-inch vertical who has also shown a willingness to defend and pass. Green’s higher ceiling gives him a slight edge. 

Advantage: Rockets

SMALL FORWARD

Warriors: Moses Moody

Rockets: Amen Thompson, Tari Eason

Breakdown: Moses Moody (9.8 ppg, 0.8 steals per game) has been the team’s top stopper on the perimeter and has remained a dangerous 3-and-D scorer next to his more ball-dominant teammates. However, Amen Thompson (14.1 ppg, 1.4 spg, 1.3 blocks per game) is arguably the best 1-through-4 defender in the league and has a blossoming offensive game built around his generational athleticism. Tari Eason is also a versatile defensive forward.  

Advantage: Rockets

Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) dunks over Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, center, and Rockets guard Jalen Green, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

POWER FORWARD

Warriors: Jimmy Butler, Gui Santos, Jonathan Kuminga 

Rockets: Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith

Breakdown: “Playoff Jimmy” – who scored 38 points in the Warriors’ play-in victory against Memphis – is one of the great postseason performers of his generation and one of the few stars in the league capable of taking over a game by himself. Brooks (14.0 ppg) and Smith are good players, but there’s an appreciable gap. Santos (1.3 offensive rebounds per game) is also a wildcard on the offensive glass, and Kuminga’s athleticism could be a factor if he gets playing time.  

Advantage: Warriors

CENTER

Warriors: Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Quinten Post

Rockets: Alperen Sengun, Steven Adams

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Breakdown: This one is too close to call. Sengun (19.1 ppg, 10.3 rebounds per game) is an all-star and Adams (2.9 orpg) is arguably the league’s best offensive rebounder. Green (1.5 spg, 1.0 bpg) is a front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year, Quinten Post (40.8 3-point FG%) is a revelation as a rookie stretch big, and Looney remains a solid rebounder and screen-setter. 

Advantage: Even

COACHING

Warriors: Steve Kerr

Rockets: Ime Udoka

Breakdown: Both are great coaches, and Udoka has taken Houston from laughingstock to a legitimate contender. But Kerr has won four championships and has repeatedly proven himself under the brightest lights. He also has won a head-to-head series between the two (2022 NBA Finals) when Udoka coached the Boston Celtics. 

Advantage: Warriors

SERIES PREDICTION

The Rockets have athleticism, but the Warriors have championship pedigree.

Warriors in 6.

Horoscopes April 19, 2025: Hayden Christensen, be the one to light the way

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Hayden Christensen, 44; Kate Hudson, 46; James Franco, 47; Ashley Judd, 57.

Happy Birthday: Participation will help you gain momentum. Initiate what you want to unfold this year and make your voice heard. Rework your schedule, set up a routine that feeds your soul and bankroll the activities and events that motivate you to do and be your best. Set yourself up for success. Take responsibility for your life, health and happiness. Be the one to light the way. Your numbers are 2, 9, 17, 24, 30, 37, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Attend an event and participate in meaningful conversations. Stick to the facts and question anything that sounds far-fetched. A lifestyle or professional move will change how you do business and handle your finances. Look over your options and do what’s best for you. Try something unique; it will change your perspective on life. 2 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Giving up or giving in is unacceptable. Consider your options and implement your ideas and desires into your daily routine. Take the initiative and head in a direction that builds confidence and offers a positive path forward. Make life choices that can stand the test of time and give you peace of mind. 5 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be open to suggestions and participate in activities that make you think and motivate you to try something new and exciting. Participate in life, make new friends and discover how to put your attributes to better use. Times are changing, and meeting the demands is up to you. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Sort out any differences with partners or those close to you. Nothing will change if you aren’t willing to find common ground and compromise. Shared expenses or space can quickly lead to disputes regarding who gets or pays for what. Joint ventures require a written agreement. Neglect will not solve anything. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Change begins with you. Don’t sit back when participation is necessary. Study matters carefully, and you’ll devise a plan to benefit you and those who share your concerns. Attend a gathering that offers access to playful banter and establishes closer bonds with those you love. Romance is in the stars. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You are in a good position to make things happen but tend to take on too much. Take a closer look at what’s involved and incorporate essential changes. Build a solid base, and you’ll find a way to complete your mission when the time is right. 5 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Look at the big picture before implementing change. Refrain from letting emotions interfere with what’s right and best. Changing your surroundings will give you a different perspective regarding your next move. A lively conversation with an expert or someone who looks out for your best interests will help you make better choices. 2 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Set your sights on something that intrigues you and participate in it. The more you interact with others, the broader your scope of what’s possible. Evaluate yourself, how you look and feel, and what you have to offer, and consider ways to update yourself to meet current standards. Market yourself for success. 4 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Exaggeration is apparent. You can control overselling something or promising more than you can deliver, but you cannot control what others say and do. Mull over information, verify facts, and believe and invest in yourself. Opportunity and scams are both apparent. Protect your interests. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Emotions will be close to the surface. Think twice before you say something you’ll regret. Spend more time on perfecting yourself and less time criticizing others. A simple lifestyle adjustment and positive transformation are in your best interest. A change at home will have a positive impact on your closest relationships. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Pay it forward. Doing something nice for someone else can impact how you feel about yourself. A change at home will positively affect your ability to get things done. Decluttering and organizing your space to suit your routine will lead to more free time with loved ones. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Do your best, but don’t take anything for granted. Oversee everything you do personally to avoid being taken advantage of or disappointed. Emphasize personal growth, a healthy attitude and honing skills to help you advance in all aspects of life. Set a game plan and turn it into a reality. 4 stars

Birthday Baby: You are energetic, talkative and helpful. You are passionate and enchanting.

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.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

Want a link to your daily horoscope delivered directly to your inbox each weekday morning? Sign up for our free Coffee Break newsletter at mercurynews.com/newsletters or eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.

SF Giants lose second straight despite Webb’s gem against Angels

An overpowering performance by Logan Webb wasn’t enough for the Giants to overcome their difficulties against left-handed pitchers Friday night.

Lefty Tyler Anderson gave up no runs in six innings and three relievers finished things off for the Los Angeles Angels in a 2-0 win over the Giants at Angels Stadium.

Webb (2-1) was dominant through six innings, tying his career high with 12 strikeouts in six innings with no walks. He gave up two runs, one of them earned, and  threw 105 pitches, 70 of them strikes. The Angels’ 3-4-5 hitters – Mike Trout, Jorge Soler and Logan O’Hoppe – put the ball in play just once and Trout struck out three times.

It was the first time in franchise history a pitcher struck out 12, walked no one and took the loss. Webb told reporters he was “super excited” about his change-up, which had the Angels flailing all night.

All those strikeouts piled up the pitch count, however, and Webb was done trailing by two runs after six innings. Five of his strikeouts were on called third strikes.

“After I was done, guys are coming up, joking with me, saying I was a strikeout pitcher,” Webb said. “I’d honestly rather get seven strikeouts and go seven or eight innings and not give up those two runs. I got into a lot of deep counts. that’s just how the game went.”

It’s just the second time the Giants (13-7) have lost two in a row this season, the first coming on April 7 and 8 in back to back shutout home losses to the Cincinnati Reds.  The Angels broke a four-game losing streak and are 10-9.

It was the first of a three-game series and the eighth in a 10-game road trip which saw the Giants win two of three against the Yankees in New York and split a four-game series with Philadelphia.

The Giants have struggled against left-handed pitchers, coming into the game with a .208 batting average against lefties overall and .185 against left-handed starters.

Anderson (2-0) was done after six innings, giving up three hits – two of them to Jung Hoo Lee – with two walks and six strikeouts before giving way to Brock Burke, another left-hander. Anderson, who pitched for the Giants in 2020, threw 96 pitches, 64 of them strokes. He struck out six and walked two.

Burke, Ryan Zeferjahn and Kenley Jansen finished off the Giants, with each pitching a scoreless inning. The Giants had four hits and just two runners reach second base, none from the fourth through the ninth innings. Jansen pitched the ninth for his fifth save and 452nd of his career.

Webb retired the first five batters, striking four of them, before giving up two runs in the second.

A.P. PHotoAngels left-hander and former Giant Tyler Anderson pitched the first six innings of a 2-0 shutout Friday night at Angels Stadium.

Zack Neto got the Angels on the board with a run-scoring double at 106.4 miles per hour that shortstop Willy Adames got a glove on but couldn’t handle. It brought home Nolan Schaunel, who doubled to center.

Kyren Paris reached on an error by Matt Chapman at third, with Chapman cutting in front of Adames with the ball bounding into the outfield to bring Neto home with the second run.

It took Webb 29 pitches to get out of the inning and led to his removal after the sixth.

“That’s a really good performance,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “We’re seeing him with the added pitches being able to strike some guys out too. It was next-level stuff for him. But the one inning cost us some pitches and also cost us one of the runs. He pitched great, good enough to win the game.”

NOTES

— Landon Roupp (1-1, 4.80) starts for the Giants Saturday night against Kyle Hendricks (0-1, 4.20) at 6:38 p.m.

— Friday’s game was the first time Giants G.M. Zack Minasian and his older brother, Angels G.M. Perry Minasian, faced each other while both held the title of general manager.

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— Casey Schmitt was originally in the starting lineup but was scratched with left side tightness in favor of LaMonte Wade Jr. Wade didn’t start for the second consecutive game with a left-hander on the mound for the Angels. Wade came in hitting .102 (5-for-41) with a home run and seven RBIs. Schmitt came in hitting .174 (4-for-23) with no homers and two RBIs, got the start. Wade didn’t start in the series finale against Philadelphia against lefty Cristopher Sanchez.

— Outfielder Jerar Encarnacion (left hand fracture) will be in a splint two more weeks before he can begin rehab and is expected to be sidelined eight weeks total.

— Broadcaster and former second baseman Duane Kuiper has the best batting average in Angel Stadium history (.360) among all players with at least 120 career at-bats. His career slugging percentage of .416 at Angels Stadium is his highest in any ballpark.

 

EEOC instructs staff to sideline all new transgender discrimination cases, employees say

By CLAIRE SAVAGE, Associated Press

The federal agency tasked with protecting workers’ civil rights is classifying all new gender identity-related discrimination cases as its lowest priority, essentially putting them on indefinite hold, according to two agency employees.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission held a meeting on Wednesday clarifying how it would treat new worker complaints of gender-identity discrimination in view of President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order declaring that the government would recognize only two “immutable” sexes — male and female.

Staff who handle incoming charges, or intakes, were directed to code them as “C,” the lowest categorization in the EEOC’s system that is usually reserved for meritless charges, according to the agency employees who attended the Microsoft Teams meeting for intake supervisors, district directors and support staff that was led by the EEOC’s national intake coordinator. The employees asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to reveal the meeting details.

An EEOC spokesman declined to comment on the meeting, saying that “per federal law, we cannot discuss investigatory practices.”

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The decision is the latest step by the EEOC to back away from defending the rights of transgender and nonbinary workers in a major shift in civil rights enforcement under the Trump administration. In February, the EEOC moved to drop seven of its own pending lawsuits alleging discrimination against transgender and nonbinary people.

EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas, a Republican, has said one of her priorities will be implementing Trump’s executive order on gender and “defending the biological and binary reality of sex and related rights.” She had previously ordered that any worker discrimination charge that “implicates” Trump’s executive order on gender should be elevated to headquarters for review.

This latest decision to bury gender identity-related complaints leaves transgender and nonbinary people experiencing discrimination at work with limited recourse. U.S. workers must file discrimination complaints through the EEOC in most cases before they can seek other legal avenues.

Giving gender identity-related cases the lowest priority essentially pre-determines that they are meritless, said Chai Feldblum, who was an EEOC commissioner from 2010-2019.

“If they say they are bringing it to a central location to give them due consideration, they at least have the facade of doing something,” Feldblum said of Lucas’ previous directive on gender identity cases. “If they are sweeping them out the door as “C” charges, they are not doing their job.”

The EEOC has said that it will still issue “right to sue” notices in gender-identity related cases upon request, meaning workers can decide to pursue a lawsuit on their own. The agency will also honor requests for mediation, according to the employees who attended Wednesday’s meeting. But if mediation fails, the EEOC will take no further action on the case, the employees said.

The EEOC’s new approach to gender-identity related discrimination has raised a debate over whether the agency is acting in violation of the Supreme Court’s 2020 ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, a landmark case that established that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits workplace discrimination based on gender identity.

Civil rights activists have accused the EEOC of illegally defying the Supreme Court and abdicating its duty to enforce anti-discrimination laws by abandoning gender-identity related lawsuits. Lucas has previously told The AP that the EEOC has a duty to comply with Trump’s executive orders but she has not directly addressed the criticism that the agency’s handling of gender-identity cases are in tension with the Supreme Court.

The EEOC in fiscal year 2024 received more than 3,000 charges alleging discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and 3,000-plus in 2023, according to the agency’s website.

Associated Press business reporter Alexandra Olson contributed to this report.

The Associated Press’ women in the workforce and state government coverage receives financial support from Pivotal Ventures. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Tropical drinks by the pool? Not so fast, says senator who visited Abrego Garcia in El Salvador

By MEG KINNARD, Associated Press

There was the pool furniture in the background. There were the tropical drinks, which looked to be margaritas garnished with cherries. And then there were the deported prisoner and the American senator, sitting and chatting.

That senator, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, accused El Salvador’s government on Friday of aiming to paint the picture of a leisurely respite for the wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia by staging their meeting with drinks appearing to be alcohol, and angling to set the meeting by a hotel pool.

Van Hollen referred to the stagecraft with a term that had ricocheted around social media for much of the day: “Margaritagate.”

“Nobody drank any margaritas or sugar water or whatever it is,” the Democratic senator said, calling the whole situation “a lesson” in “the lengths that President Bukele will do to deceive people about what’s going on.”

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A Salvadoran citizen who was living in Maryland, Abrego Garcia was sent to El Salvador by the Trump administration in March despite an immigration court order preventing his deportation.

U.S. President Donald Trump and El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, said this week that they have no basis to return him to the United States, even as the Trump administration has called his deportation a mistake and the U.S. Supreme Court has called on the administration to facilitate his return.

During a news conference Friday at Dulles International Airport, just after returning from El Salvador, the Maryland Democrat said Bukele is aiming to “deceive” people about what happened during his meeting with Abrego Garcia, in part by posting a photo with drinks appearing to be alcohol.

When he and Abrego Garcia first sat down for a meeting at the hotel where Van Hollen had been staying, the senator said, they “just had glasses of water on the table, maybe some coffee.”

Subsequently, Van Hollen said, “one of the government people” on the sidelines of their half-hour meeting deposited other beverages on the table, with salt or sugar around the top — “but they look like margaritas.”

On X Thursday night, Bukele posted photos of Van Hollen seated with Abrego Garcia, including with the drinks, garnished with maraschino cherries.

“Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the ‘death camps’ & ‘torture’, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!” Bukele wrote, adding an emoji of a tropical drink.

Van Hollen also noted that the Bukele government had initially proposed that he and Abrego Garcia conduct their meeting poolside at the hotel, rather than in the restaurant setting where they convened.

“They want to create this appearance that life was just lovely for Kilmar,” Van Hollen said.

In Friday’s news conference, Van Hollen also revealed that Abrego Garcia told him that he was no longer being held at the high-security Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, where he and others were initially taken upon leaving the U.S. Van Hollen said he was initially denied entry to the facility but surmised Friday that had been because Abrego Garcia had already been moved from there to a detention center with better conditions.

“They decided that it was not a good look to continue to detain Abrego Garcia without anybody having access to him,” Van Hollen said. He added that Abrego Garcia told him he had not had contact with anyone outside prison at all since he was removed from the United States.

It was unclear where Abrego Garcia was taken after the meeting with Van Hollen.

Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, wiped away tears as Van Hollen spoke of her husband’s comments about wanting to speak with his wife. She did not speak during the news conference.

Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

SPCA warns against interacting with fawns, baby wildlife

With the arrival of spring, flowers and wildlife are making appearances again across Monterey County, as well as baby animals which many have seen passing by in walks and drives in the area.

However, the Monterey County SPCA is urging residents not to mistake newborn wildlife for orphans in need of rescue.

Every year, the SPCA Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center says they receive a wave of fawns brought in by well-meaning people who assume the babies have been left behind. But more often than not, these fawns were right where their mothers left them.

“Fawns are supposed to be alone most of the time,” the SPCA explained in a recent press release. “Mother deer hide their babies during the day and only return during dawn and dusk. It’s their natural survival strategy.”

A fawn curled up quietly, lying low to the ground, is likely just waiting for its mom to return. In fact, the mother is probably nearby— watching.

There are a few clear signs that a fawn may actually need help:

•Labored breathing

•Vocalizing and wandering for over an hour

•Blood or visible injuries

•Lying on its side instead of in a curled position

•A confirmed deceased mother nearby

If any of these red flags are present, the SPCA says do not intervene on your own. Instead, call the SPCA Wildlife Center at (831) 264-5427. Their trained technicians will assess the situation and provide next steps.

Fawns are extremely sensitive to stress, and just one day of human handling or an incorrect diet can be fatal.

“Even when people mean well, that stress can do irreparable damage,” the SPCA wrote. “Bringing a fawn into your home can kill it.”

Residents are encouraged to observe quietly from a distance and keep dogs far away. If left undisturbed, the mother deer will almost always return.

To learn more or support local wildlife rescue efforts, visit www.SPCAmc.org.

How Warriors plan to combat Houston’s rough-and-tumble style in playoffs

SAN FRANCISCO – One does not have to look far to find reasons for the Warriors to have bad blood with the upstart Rockets during the team’s first-round Western Conference playoff series that starts in Houston on Sunday.

As a member of the Grizzlies, Houston wing Dillon Brooks unleashed a flagrant foul that broke Gary Payton II’s elbow during Golden State’s championship run in 2022. 

Warriors forward Draymond Green infamously kicked Steven Adams in the ground during the 2016 playoffs when the center was playing with Oklahoma City, and Rockets coach Ime Udoka recently was seen talking trash with Steph Curry during the teams’ April matchup. 

So it is no surprise that staying cool and collected was a major point of emphasis for the seventh seeded Golden State.

On Friday morning at Chase Center, longtime coach Steve Kerr said the much needed four-day rest between Tuesday’s play-in win over Memphis and the Sunday showdown in Texas will help the team abide by that mandate. 

“The rest and preparation that’s going into this, I think that will helps us be composed and poised, because that’s what it takes in the playoffs,” Kerr said. 

Saying it might be easier than doing it considering the way Houston – fourth in defensive rating (110.8) and tops in offensive rebounding per game (14.6) – approaches the game against a team it held to under 100 points in 3-of-5 matchups. 

Kerr invoked the names of fellow coaching greats Pat Riley and Chuck Daly when discussing how his opponent plays.

The Rockets had no problem grabbing, holding and daring the officials to bog the game down with whistles when they beat the Warriors 106-96 on April 6. It is a tactic those legendary coaches did not hesitate to employ during Kerr’s playing days during the 1990s, and a play-style that has once again become more prevalent in 2025.

Officials called only 18.6 fouls per game, the lowest in NBA history. Houston was whistled for just 19 a game, while the Warriors were a smidge over at 19.2 a night. 

“The game, this year in general, is more physical,” Kerr said. “They’re letting more stuff go, and that’s all part of the equation. It’s not anything we worry about or talk about.” 

The Rockets’ gameplan of sticking the uber-athlete Amen Thompson onto Curry and having the San Leandro native play tight man-to-man on- and off-ball contributed to the Warriors superstar shooting just 1-of-10 and scoring three points. 

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No matter how the No. 2 seeded Rockets decide to guard the league’s all-time leading 3-point shooter, Curry’s teammate believes that poor shooting night was nothing more than a one-off.  

“What I do know is that they’re not holding him to three points again,” Warriors big man Quinten Post said, before pausing for a beat and adding, “I know that for a fact.”

Kerr emphasized Curry’s ability to play off his teammates thanks to his elite understanding of spacing and positioning, and breakout second-year guard Brandin Podziemski said that the Warriors will look to take advantage of his pace to stay a step ahead of the Rockets (52-30). 

“Spacing, cutting, transition,” Podziemski said. “Because they’re really good when they score and can set up their defense in the half court and play with so much pressure. ”

While the Rockets have their fair share of playoff experience, including Adams, Brooks and former Warrior slayer Fred VanVleet, no team in the league has a group that can match Golden State’s postseason pedigree. 

“A factor for us is always playoff experience, and I mean, we’ve been at this for a long time and the fact that Steph and Draymond and Loon are still here, 10 years later, is remarkable,” said Kerr, who also praised perennial playoff riser Jimmy Butler. 

And if veteran wiles is not enough, Golden State (48-34) is not above a little rough play too. 

“By the way, we’re a very physical team too, and we’ve been very good defensively in the playoffs by playing a physical game,” Kerr said. “So I welcome all of that.”

Judge blocks Trump administration from passport changes affecting transgender Americans

By MICHAEL CASEY, Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration from enacting a policy that bans the use of “X” marker used by many nonbinary people on passports as well as the changing of gender markers.

In an executive order signed in January, the president used a narrow definition of the sexes instead of a broader conception of gender. The order says a person is male or female and it rejects the idea that someone can transition from the sex assigned at birth to another gender. The framing is in line with many conservatives’ views but at odds with major medical groups and policies under former President Joe Biden.

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U.S. District Judge Julia Kobick, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, sided with the American Civil Liberties Union’s motion for a preliminary injunction, which stays the action while the lawsuit plays out.

“The Executive Order and the Passport Policy on their face classify passport applicants on the basis of sex and thus must be reviewed under intermediate judicial scrutiny,” Kobick wrote. “That standard requires the government to demonstrate that its actions are substantially related to an important governmental interest. The government has failed to meet this standard.”

The ACLU, which sued the Trump administration on behalf of five transgender Americans and two nonbinary plaintiffs, said the new policy would effectively mean transgender, nonbinary and intersex Americans could not get an accurate passport.

“We all have a right to accurate identity documents, and this policy invites harassment, discrimination, and violence against transgender Americans who can no longer obtain or renew a passport that matches who they are,” ACLU lawyer Sruti Swaminathan said.

In response to the lawsuit, the Trump administration argued the passport policy change “does not violate the equal protection guarantees of the Constitution.” They also contended that the president has broad discretion in setting passport policy and that plaintiffs would not be harmed by the policy, since they are still free to travel abroad.