Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 159

Texas judge throws out rule that would have capped credit card late fees

By JUAN A. LOZANO

HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas judge on Tuesday threw out a federal rule that would have capped credit card late fees after officials with President Donald Trump’s administration and a coalition of major banking groups agreed that the rule was illegal.

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The ruling by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman in Fort Worth came a day after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and a collection of major industry groups that had filed a lawsuit last year to stop the rule announced they had come to an agreement to throw out the rule. The groups that sued included the American Bankers Association, the Consumer Bankers Association, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The banks and other groups had alleged the new rule — proposed last year under the administration of President Joe Biden — violated the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure or CARD Act of 2009, which was enacted to protect consumers from unfair practices by credit card companies. The groups claimed the new rule did not allow credit card issuers “to charge fees that sufficiently account for deterrence or consumer conduct, including with respect to repeat violations.”

“The parties agree that, in the Late Fee Rule, the Bureau violated the CARD Act by failing to allow card issuers to ‘charge penalty fees reasonable and proportional to violations,’” attorneys with the CFPB wrote in a joint motion on Monday with the banking groups to vacate the rule.

The banks have been pushing hard to stop the late fee rule, due to the potential billions of dollars the banks would lose in revenue. The CFPB estimated when it issued the proposal last year that banks brought in roughly $14 billion in credit card late fees a year.

“This is a win for consumers and common sense. If the CFPB’s rule had gone into effect, it would have resulted in more late payments, lower credit scores, higher interest rates and reduced credit access for those who need it most. It would have also penalized the millions of Americans who pay their credit card bills on time and reduced important incentives for consumers to manage their finances,” the banking groups and others said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

Even if the lawsuit had gone forward, the banking groups had a good chance of winning as Pittman in a December ruling had said they would have likely prevailed as he found that the new rule violated the CARD Act by not allowing credit card issuers to charge penalty fees that are reasonable and proportional to violations.

The CFPB has been in turmoil since the Trump administration earlier this year began dismantling it, targeting it for mass firings and dropping various enforcement actions against companies like Capital One and Rocket Homes. A federal judge last month issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily stopped the agency’s demise.

The CFPB was created in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis to protect consumers from unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices by a wide range of financial institutions and businesses.

Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at juanlozano70

Pentagon senior adviser Dan Caldwell ousted during investigation into leaks

By LOLITA C. BALDOR

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dan Caldwell, a senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has been placed on administrative leave and was escorted out of the Pentagon by security on Tuesday, two defense officials said.

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The officials said Caldwell’s sudden downfall was tied to an investigation into unauthorized disclosure of department information. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters.

Caldwell, who served in the Marine Corps, was one of several senior advisers who worked closely with Hegseth. Caldwell’s ties to the secretary go back to Hegseth’s time as the head of Concerned Veterans for America, a nonprofit that fell into financial difficulty during his time there. Caldwell worked at CVA beginning in 2013 as policy director and later as executive director.

AUSTIN, TX – JULY 6: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), right, with moderator Dan Caldwell, Director of Concerned Veterans of America, holds a town hall meeting to address veteran’s and health care issues on July 6, 2017 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Erich Schlegel/Getty Images)

He also was the staff member designated as Hegseth’s point person in the Signal messaging chat that top Trump administration national security officials, including Hegseth, used to convey plans for a military strike against Houthi militants in Yemen. The chat, set up by national security adviser Michael Waltz, included a number of top Cabinet members and came to light because Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic, was added to the group.

The officials did not disclose what leaks are being investigated, but there has been a crackdown across the Pentagon and the Trump administration on the disclosure of sensitive or classified information.

Caldwell’s ouster was first reported by Reuters.

On March 21, Hegseth’s chief of staff, Joe Kasper, said in a memo that the Pentagon was investigating what it said were leaks of national security information. Defense Department personnel could face polygraphs.

The memo referred to “recent unauthorized disclosures” but provided no details. Kasper warned that the investigation would begin immediately and result in a report to Hegseth.

“I expect to be informed immediately if this effort results in information identifying a party responsible for an unauthorized disclosure, and that such information will be referred to the appropriate criminal law enforcement entity for criminal prosecution,” Kasper said in the memo.

Caldwell, who graduated from Arizona State University in 2011, also worked as a public policy adviser at Defense Priorities, a think tank based in Washington.

Judge orders federal agencies to release billions of dollars from two Biden-era initiatives

By MICHAEL CASEY

BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to release billions of dollars meant to finance climate and infrastructure projects across the country.

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U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy, who was appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term, sided with conservation and nonprofit groups and issued a preliminary injunction until she rules on the merits of the lawsuit. The injunction is nationwide.

McElroy concluded that the seven nonprofits demonstrated that the freeze was “arbitrary and capricious” and that the powers asserted by the federal agencies, including the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, in halting the payouts were not found in federal law.

“Agencies do not have unlimited authority to further a President’s agenda, nor do they have unfettered power to hamstring in perpetuity two statutes passed by Congress during the previous administration,” she wrote.

Diane Yentel, the president and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits and a plaintiff in the lawsuit, welcomed the decision. It is the second legal victory for the organization, after a judge in February prevented the administration from issuing a broad freeze on all federal grants and contracts.

The nonprofits said that an executive order issued by Trump resulted in projects funded by these two laws being put on hold. As a result, funding from many federal agencies has been frozen for everything from urban forestry projects to weatherization programs to lead pipe remediation and has resulted in “serious and irreversible harm” to many groups.

“This funding freeze has already caused serious harm in communities, as nonprofits that provide critical services to our country’s most vulnerable have been forced to scale back operations, cancel projects, and consider laying off staff,” Yentel said. “This injunction offers much-needed relief and a path forward.”

Plaintiffs argued the freeze violated the Administration Procedure Act and contradicts a directive from the budget office that said the pause in funding in the executive order didn’t apply to all the funding. They also said there is no statutory provision that allows the federal agencies to freeze the funding.

Lawyers for the federal government responded that Congress gave agencies broad latitude to select recipients for the funding and that the plaintiffs failed to show that three of the seven agencies they sued have caused them any harm. They also argued that plaintiffs couldn’t seek relief through this lawsuit since they are already pursuing a similar challenge in a different court.

An electric vehicle charging station operates in a parking lot, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Evansville, Ind. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)FILE – A construction crew works on a new segment of Interstate-395 on May 6, 2021, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier, File)The Warrick Power Plant, a coal-powered generating station, operates on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Newburgh, Ind. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)FILE – A bridge along Interstate 26 is destroyed in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Oct. 4, 2024, in Erwin, Tenn. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)Show Caption1 of 4An electric vehicle charging station operates in a parking lot, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Evansville, Ind. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)Expand

The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided $550 billion in new infrastructure investments, but is set to expire in 2026. Another $30 billion came from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, including for projects focused on clean energy and climate change.

Administration officials have said the decision to halt loans and grants funded by these two laws and others was necessary to ensure that spending complies with Trump’s recent blitz of executive orders. The Republican president wants to increase fossil fuel production, remove protections for transgender people and end diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Horoscopes April 15, 2025: Emma Thompson, smart financial moves will lead to improvements

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Emma Watson, 35; Seth Rogen, 43; Danny Pino, 51; Emma Thompson, 66.

Happy Birthday: Smart financial investments are your ticket to lifestyle improvements. Be patient. Anger leads to mistakes, but gathering information from experts will give you the confidence to get off the fence and alter how you live, what you do and the goals you establish to be successful. Put your energy toward worthwhile things: physical fitness, networking and a strategic use of time, energy and skills. Your numbers are 10, 16, 23, 28, 31, 34, 44.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take a moment to observe what’s happening before you respond. Expend your energy wisely. Make fitness, health and self-healing your goals, and you will feel the benefits of healthy eating and scheduled exercise. Check out innovative fitness equipment or formats you can enjoy rather than begrudge, and stick to your routine. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Discuss the changes you want to implement with anyone affected by your choices. Check into the costs, set a budget and put your plan in motion. Knowledge and support are necessary if you want to reach your goal. Do as much preliminary work as possible to lower your overhead. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Keep an eye on matters creating uncertainty to ensure you aren’t stuck with something you don’t want. You must be willing to contribute if you want to have a say. Offer your time, do your research and make suggestions beneficial to the majority. Don’t be afraid to take a leadership position. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Build momentum, initiate change and show efficiency in your pursuits. Understanding what’s important to those you are dealing with will be your ticket to winning the support you require to achieve your objective. Networking will help you spread the word and put forth your agenda. Personal and professional gains are possible. 5 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Pursue an outlet conducive to overcoming obstacles without anger. Discovering your options and determining your best route forward will help you micromanage your passage to success. Learn by listening to others and watching how they react. Flock to the place that offers the best view of incoming problems. Preparation defeats incompetence. 2 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Talk is cheap but valuable. Attend meetings, make phone calls and connect with experts in fields of interest. A day trip, getting together with an old friend or seeing firsthand what’s necessary to reach your objective will help you make better decisions and impress someone you want to partner with personally or professionally. 4 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Gather information and make plans. An open conversation will be telltale regarding what’s possible and who you can count on for help. Regarding money matters, take your time, budget wisely and only buy what you need. A disciplined approach to earning your living will secure your position. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Look for a fun outlet that will get you in the groove and encourage you to mingle and socialize with unique people who have plenty of different views to ponder. Being well-informed is the best way to levy your chance to advance and fulfill your curiosity simultaneously. Romance is favored. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Emotional mind games will leave you at a loss. Recognize when someone is toying with you and retreat quickly to protect your heart, rights and prospects. Leave nothing to chance and do not let anyone scam you. Say no to anything that sounds too good to be true. Deception is apparent. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Congregate with people who share your interests, and friendships will develop, giving insight into reinventing and rearranging your routine to suit your needs. It’s up to you to set the rules you live by and the schedules you put in place. A positive attitude evolves from having something to look forward to. 4 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Control your emotions and focus on home, family or broadening your interests. Explore the possibilities and alter your space to accommodate what you want to incorporate into your daily routine. An idea you devise has the potential to turn into additional income. Organization and hard work will pave the way to success. 2 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Say no to outside influences and those tempting you with grand ideas. You stand to come out on top if you stick to your devices and do what you do best. Trust your instincts and follow your heart instead of letting someone else dictate what happens next. Commit to what makes you happy. 5 stars

Birthday Baby: You are adaptable, energetic and thorough. You are curious and inventive.

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.

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Adames hits first home run of season as SF Giants rout Phillies

PHILADELPHIA — Willy Adames was worried. Not in earnest, of course.

Adames entered Monday at Citizens Bank Ballpark having yet to homer as a Giant. He was struggling to hit, period. When he stepped to the plate in the second inning, he hadn’t homered in his last 123 regular season plate appearances dating back to his time with the Milwaukee Brewers. Including the postseason, it was 135 plate appearances. For someone who entered the day with 150 homers to his name, it was unsurprisingly the longest streak of his career.

“I thought I lost my power,” Adames laughed. “I was like, ‘Man, I can’t homer anymore. I can’t even get a hit.’”

The power, as Adames proved in the Giants’ 10-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, is still very much there. Adames hit his first homer since signing a franchise-record $182 million deal with San Francisco, one of three home runs the Giants hit as they won their third game in four tries of this grueling 10-game road trip.

“As long as we’re winning, I really don’t care,” Adames said. “Obviously, I want to perform great. I’m just trying to help the team in any way I can right now.”

Along with Adames, Tyler Fitzgerald broke a slump in his own right by finishing a single shy of the cycle, doubling, tripling and hitting a three-run homer as part of that six-run first inning.

Fitzgerald admitted that he lost his confidence in spring training after hurting his back, saying that he developed some bad habits and his swing got long. In recent days, Fitzgerald has been able to shorten his swing with the help of Giants great and special advisor Barry Bonds, who has helped him get his swing more downwards.

The 27-year-old began the road trip with a .219 batting average and .546 OPS but began finding his footing against the New York Yankees, totaling two hits, a walk and a steal. On Monday, he flashed the power that made him one of baseball’s best rookies last season. Fitzgerald said that he would’ve been mentally “gone” if he experienced this type of slump last year, but thanked the coaching staff for sticking with him amidst the lows.

“It’s about time the bottom of the lineup stepped up for the top of the lineup for once,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m just happy to participate in the runs. We have some guys carrying us so far this season with (Wilmer Flores) and Jung Hoo (Lee). It’s important for some other guys to step up every now and then.”

Mike Yastrzemski continued to stay hot as well, driving in three runs and hitting a two-run homer off left-hander Tanner Banks, his first homer off a lefty since his walk-off against the San Diego Padres’ Ray Kerr on June 19, 2023. Manager Bob Melvin remembers that home run well on account of the fact that he was the opposing manager.

“Of course I remember that. That was the last one? Thanks for telling me that. He’s never going to face a lefty again,” Melvin joked.

Landen Roupp didn’t have his finest outing as he allowed four earned runs over five innings, but the start was impressive in that Roupp was able to bounce back from a three-run first inning.

Roupp needed 36 pitches to record his first three outs, forcing manager Bob Melvin to get Spencer Bivens warmed up when Roupp got to the bottom of Philadelphia’s lineup in the first. If Melvin didn’t retire Alec Bohm to end the inning, Melvin would’ve pulled the plug on Roupp’s day altogether.

After striking out Bohm to end the inning, the Giants’ offense picked up Roupp by dropping a six spot on right-hander Taijuan Walker. With a three-run lead instead of a three-run deficit, Roupp composed himself and gave the Giants four more innings after the first, the lone blip in the latter part of his outing being a solo homer to Nick Castellanos.

“He’s a tough kid,” Melvin said. “It certainly didn’t go his way in the first. They have a way of getting guys early and it puts the pressure on you. To be able to get through five like that was huge for us.”

Roupp’s bread and butter against the Phillies was his curveball, a pitch he went to early and often. The right-hander threw 56 curveballs, the most thrown in a single outing by a Giants pitcher in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008). Roupp also generated 15 whiffs with the curve, which is also the most with that pitch in a single game by a Giant in the pitch-tracking era.

“The game plan was definitely curveball heavy, offspeed heavy,” Roupp said. “I don’t know that we planned to throw that many, but as you go through the game and you see the reaction, the swings of hitters, you flip the script on that and that’s what we did.”

A Palestinian activist expecting a US citizenship interview is arrested instead by ICE in Vermont

By PATRICK WHITTLE and HOLLY RAMER

A Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University was arrested Monday at a Vermont immigration office where he expected to be interviewed about finalizing his U.S. citizenship, his attorneys said.

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Mohsen Mahdawi, a legal permanent resident who has held a green card since 2015, was detained at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Colchester by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, his lawyers said.

The attorneys said they do not know where he is. They filed a petition in federal court seeking an order barring the government from removing him from the state or country.

“The Trump administration detained Mohsen Mahdawi in direct retaliation for his advocacy on behalf of Palestinians and because of his identity as a Palestinian. His detention is an attempt to silence those who speak out against the atrocities in Gaza. It is also unconstitutional,” attorney Luna Droubi said in an email.

According to the court filing, Mahdawi was born in a refugee camp in the West Bank and moved to the United States in 2014. He recently completed coursework at Columbia and was expected to graduate in May before beginning a master’s degree program there in the fall.

The petition describes him as a committed Buddhist who believes in “non-violence and empathy as a central tenet of his religion.”

This image taken from a video provided by Christopher Helali shows Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University, being detained at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Colchester, Vt., on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Christopher Helali via AP)This image taken from a video provided by Christopher Helali shows Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University, being detained at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Colchester, Vt., on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Christopher Helali via AP)Show Caption1 of 2This image taken from a video provided by Christopher Helali shows Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University, being detained at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Colchester, Vt., on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Christopher Helali via AP)Expand

As a student, Mahdawi was an outspoken critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and organized campus protests until March 2024. He co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia with Mahmoud Khalil, another Palestinian permanent resident of the U.S. and graduate student who recently was detained by ICE.

Khalil was the first person arrested under President Donald Trump’s promised crackdown on students who joined campus protests against the war in Gaza. On Friday, an immigration judge in Louisiana ruled that Khalil can be deported as a national security risk.

Christopher Helali, a friend of Mahdawi who lives near him in Vermont, was present outside the immigration office when Mahdawi was detained and recorded a video of Mahdawi being led away by authorities. In the video, which Helali released on social media Monday, Mahdawi is shown giving a peace sign with his hands and being led away to a car.

Helali described Mahdawi as a peaceful demonstrator who has worked to foster dialogue about the struggle of Palestinians in his homeland. Helali said he and Mahdawi were aware that Mahdawi could be detained today and that his friend went forward with the appointment anyway.

“And rightfully so, he was nervous for what was going on around him. But he was very much resolute in coming to this interview and coming today because he didn’t do anything wrong and was a law-abiding citizen, or soon-to-be citizen,” Helali said.

Vermont’s congressional delegation issued a statement condemning Mahdawi’s arrest, saying that instead of taking one of the final steps in his citizenship process, he was handcuffed by armed officers with their faces covered.

“This is immoral, inhumane, and illegal. Mr. Mahdawi, a legal resident of the United States, must be afforded due process under the law and immediately released from detention,” said the statement from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Peter Welch and Rep. Becca Balint.

Pacific Grove council to vote on stained glass butterfly piece championed by community

PACIFIC GROVE — The battle over a stained-glass butterfly window is landing back before the Pacific Grove City Council on Wednesday, as many in the community continue to push for its installation.

The council is set to revisit the donation application for the colorful stained-glass window donated by Nader Agha. The window, entitled “The Butterflies,” consists of three panels forming a 12-foot by 8-foot semicircle. The piece spent decades as a feature at the Holman Building in Pacific Grove.

In October, the council proposed the piece be displayed at either the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History or to hang the panels at city hall.

The piece has been offered to the city for public display. But despite community enthusiasm, the museum’s leadership has concerns about the installation and upkeep proposal.

In a letter dated March 31, the museum foundation’s board chairman, John O’Sullivan, reiterated their opposition, calling the proposed installation “an unplanned financial and operational burden.” The museum cited concerns ranging from poor lighting and exhibition interference to maintenance costs and a mismatch with their mission.

“This isn’t about personal opinions,” the letter reads. “This is the official position of the Museum Foundation’s leadership.”

This will not be the first time this debate has surfaced. The application was originally set to be heard in September 2024 and again in October — but both times, it was pulled before reaching a vote.

The museum’s “Changes” exhibit, which occupies the mezzanine space where the window would potentially go, is already grappling with visibility issues, according to board leadership. Museum leaders argue that installing a stained-glass window would only make things worse, compromising both lighting and the display experience. On top of that, the museum says it lacks the resources to care for yet another delicate installation.

For those advocating for the window’s placement in a city facility, many say it has nostalgic value and a connection to Pacific Grove.

The council is expected to vote on whether to accept the donation and begin a location search, or decline it altogether.

The Pacific Grove City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Pacific Grove City Hall, 300 Forest Ave. The meeting will be streamed online and you can participate via Zoom at https://www.cityofpacificgrove.org/Zoom_CC.

Clipboard: Clements a catalyst at the top of the order for UCLA

Hitting in the leadoff spot for national softball power UCLA, Santa Catalina grad Jessica Clements is batting .388 in 41 starts this spring.

A transfer from Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, the left-handed swinging Clements is second on the Bruins in runs scored with 48 and hits with 52. She leads the team in stolen bases with seven.

A former all-county softball selection from Santa Catalina, Clements has also walked 18 times and sports a .516 on-base percentage for the 36-5 Bruins.

Clements has shown some pop in her bat as well with a pair of homers, driving 31 runs for UCLA, which is ranked No. 9 in the nation.

In the outfield, Clements has yet to commit an error in 39 catches in centerfield. Dating back to her days at Cal Poly, the senior has started 176 consecutive games.

The Big West Player of the Year last spring at Cal Poly, Clements was a three-time All-Big West selection, earning second team All-West Regional honors last year.

A two-time conference batting champion, Clements is Cal Poly’s all-time leader in career batting average at .411. She’s ranked fourth all-time in stolen bases and ninth in hits over three years.

Segura moved to the bullpen

Sophomore hurler Eric Segura from Soledad has moved to the bullpen for the nationally-ranked Oregon State baseball team, having made eight appearances this spring.

An All-Pac 12 honorable mention selection last year as a freshman, the Soledad graduate is 4-1 as a reliever with 38 strikeouts in 24.1 innings.

The 6-foot-2 Segura is 10-2 in two seasons at Oregon State, striking out eight in a four-inning relief outing against Cal Poly. He also tossed three shutout innings against Virginia, with eight strikeouts.

The Herald’s Baseball Player of the Year in 2022, Segura is second on the No. 8-ranked Beavers in wins, third in strikeouts and third in appearances.

Tulua making the most of at bats

When called upon, true freshman Kaimi Tulua has delivered at the plate for the Syracuse softball team.

Having just 32 plate appearances this spring, Tulua has turned 11 of them into hits, raising her batting average to .344, which is No. 3 on the team.

The former Seaside High slugger has a home run to her credit, driving in 15 runs – which is fifth on the team, despite playing in less than half the games.

The 5-foot-11 power hitter hit over .700 during her junior season at Seaside in 2023, earning a spot on The Herald’s All-County softball team.

Used primarily as a pinch hitter for Syracuse, Tulua is 4-for-7 in that role over her past seven games, with four runs batted in.

Carmel’s Ozel helps Cal State LA

Returning to a golf course where she spent the first four years of her collegiate career playing on, Brenna Ozel made it a memorable homecoming.

The Carmel High graduate finished in the Top 18, helping the Cal State, Los Angeles women’s golf team capture the Sonoma State Invitational in Santa Rosa.

Ozel, who transferred to Cal State, LA as a graduate student to pursue her master’s degree, had two top three finishes and 20 top 10 placements while at Sonoma State.

An all-leaguer at Carmel, Ozel put together her best performance of the spring, as Cal State LA takes aim at a California Collegiate Athletic Association team title.

The Golden Eagles have had six top five team finishes this season.

Johnson-Toney Football Camp

The Boys and Girls Club of Monterey County will showcase the 13th annual Johnson-Toney free football camp.

The camp for boys and girls ages 9-14 and will be staged from June 24-27 at the Cal State Monterey Bay soccer fields, with the boys and girls camp for ages 15-17 slated for July 22-25 at Rabobank Stadium in Salinas.

Ron Johnson and Anthony Toney, who both played for the Philadelphia Eagles, have been a part of the camp since its inception when it was called the Herm Edward Football Camp.

The camp is non-contact, mirroring the NFL Play 60 Character Camp. Coaches will teach basic football skills, as well as gratefulness, self-control, loyalty, honor, truthfulness and integrity.

The youth camp is limited to 300 participants, with the high school portion limited to 100 kids. Deadline to register is June 23. Register online at bgcmpc.org

Coaches needed

Alvarez is looking for coaches for flag football. Go to brian.vazquez@salinasuhsd.org

Salinas is looking for a boys and girls cross country coach and a girls water polo coach for this coming fall. Go to art.hunsdorfer@salinasuhsd.org.

Soledad is looking for a girls’ volleyball coach. Go to aztecathletics@soledad.k12.ca.us

Officials needed

Peninsula Sports Incorporate is looking for high school and middle school officials for all sports this season. Varsity officials are paid $100 a game.

There is an immediate need for officials for the fall for football, girls flag football, volleyball, boys and girls water polo and field hockey. Training is provided. Call Tom Emery at (831) 241-1101.

Why Harper, Schwarber, Turner believe Posey will excel as SF Giants’ team president

PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper spent years competing against the Giants teams that Buster Posey led on the field. Now, he’ll have to contend with the teams that Buster Posey creates off the field.

“He’s got my dream job,” Harper told this news organization Monday before the Giants’ series opener with the Phillies. “Being able to be president of an organization, really cool opportunity for him. Obviously, one of the best to ever do it behind the plate. Three World Series titles, MVP, countless awards and accolades. Just an all-around good person.

“I think he’s going to do a lot of really cool things over there and kind of let everybody do their jobs as well. I think that’s a big thing. Super excited for him.”

Harper wasn’t the only Philadelphia player who shared that sentiment. Shortstop Trea Turner and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber both offered praise for Posey as well, pointing out his potential to combine the numbers with the intangibles.

“I’m excited to see how it goes because he can kind of mix the best of both worlds with analytics and the clubhouse feeling and baseball feeling and baseball smarts,” Schwarber said. “It’ll be exciting to see how things go over there and I think it’ll be a pretty cool change to see what happens.”

Added Turner: “You can’t measure chemistry and people and whatnot. Everything’s a number nowadays. I think there’s a real advantage for the old-school right now just because everyone’s so analytical. There’s always a balance needed in both of those. You definitely need to have the technology and the information, but you also need to be able to play the game. I think he’s kind of a prime example for that.”

Posey had his share of battles with Harper, Schwarber and Turner during his Hall of Fame career, meeting their teams in the playoffs at some point in his career (Schwarber was injured during the 2016 NLDS). Turner, in particular, played in Game 5 of the 2021 NLDS, the final game of Posey’s career. Schwarber recalled a particularly memorable at-bat during his rookie year when Posey was behind the plate and Jake Peavy was on the mound.

“I’m coming up to the plate at Wrigley (Field) and Peavy starts screaming at me from the mound,” Schwarber said. “I looked down at Buster and I’m like, ‘Is he talking to me?’ Buster looks up at me and he goes, ‘Yeah.’ It was funny.”

“It felt like when he was catching, you never knew what pitch was coming,” Turner said. “He was really good at calling the game and moving around. You can tell how smart he is by how he called games.”

Over the next four days, Harper, Schwarber and Turner will have to contend with a team Posey helped build, one that’s off to its best start since 2003.

The Giants enter Philadelphia fresh off taking two of three from the New York Yankees, their first series win in the Bronx since the beginning of interleague play. San Francisco’s record stands at 11-4, a mark that’s all the more impressive given most of the lineup is struggling offensively.

Jung Hoo Lee, in particular, is coming off his best series as a Giant. He totaled four hits, four walks, five runs scored, seven RBIs and three homers — two of which were hit on Sunday against Carlos Rodón.

“You bring in Willy Adames. You got Matt Chapman, they’re kind of anchoring down that infield,” Schwarber said. “Jung Hoo is playing a great center field coming off the injury and looking great. The bullpen is kind of a unique bullpen where there’s a lot of different arms and different angles. The starting pitching, you get some different looks and it’s going to be a different gameplan every day.”

Koss checks off major milestone

It wasn’t how Christian Koss imagined he’d get his first hit, but it’s a first hit he’ll take regardless.

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Before Lee hit his second homer on Sunday, Koss set the table with his first major-league hit by beating out an infield single. The play could’ve been ruled an error since the slow roller slipped under shortstop Anthony Volpe’s glove, but with Koss’ speed and the difficulty of the play, the Yankees’ official scorer gave Koss the base hit.

“It’s surreal,” Koss said with an ear-to-ear smile. “You dream about it. Probably not that way, but getting a hit is a hit.”

Koss also helped push a run across the plate in the top of the seventh inning, though he wasn’t credited with his first career RBI. With Casey Schmitt on second base, Koss hit a 96.2 mph ground ball to Paul Goldschmidt. The four-time Gold Glover misplayed the grounder as Koss hustled down the line and Schmitt scored from second base.

The 27-year-old rookie has checked off quite a few firsts in the last month. He made an Opening Day roster for the first time in his career, a surprise selection over other players with major-league experience. He appeared in his first game on April 1 against the Houston Astros, reaching base in his first career plate appearance by drawing a walk against right-hander Hayden Wesneski.

Judge in Vermont considers whether he has jurisdiction of detained Tufts University student’s case

By KATHY McCORMACK, Associated Press

A federal judge in Vermont who is considering whether he has jurisdiction over the case of a Turkish Tufts University student detained by immigration officials in Louisiana raised the possibility Monday of having her brought back to his court for a hearing.

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U.S. District Judge William Sessions took under advisement arguments over Rumeysa Ozturk, 30, a doctoral student taken by immigration officials as she walked along a street in the Boston suburb of Somerville on March 25. After being taken to New Hampshire and then Vermont, she was put on a plane the next day and moved to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Basile, Louisiana.

Ozturk’s lawyers are challenging the legal authority for ICE’s detention. They are asking that she be immediately released from custody, or in the alternative, be returned to Vermont for further proceedings.

A lawyer for the Justice Department said her case should be dismissed, saying the immigration court has jurisdiction. But Ozturk’s lawyers, who initially didn’t know where she was for hours and first petitioned for her release in Massachusetts, argued for her to be released from detention while her immigration case continues.

Lawyers for Ozturk in the immigration proceeding asked Monday that she be released on bond, her legal team in Vermont said.

Sessions brought up the idea of a hearing in his court in May if he were to assume jurisdiction over her petition.

“Why not do that at the same time that the removal proceedings continue on?” he said.

Lawyers on both sides said they would need to consult further to provide details on the amount of time needed for such a hearing.

Ozturk is among several people with ties to American universities whose visas were revoked or have been stopped from entering the U.S. after they were accused of attending demonstrations or publicly expressed support for Palestinians. On Friday, a Louisiana immigration judge ruled that the U.S. can deport Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil based on the federal government’s argument that he poses a national security risk.

Ozturk was one of four students who wrote an op-ed in the campus newspaper, The Tufts Daily, last year criticizing the university’s response to student activists demanding that Tufts “acknowledge the Palestinian genocide,” disclose its investments and divest from companies with ties to Israel.

Ozturk’s lawyers say her detention violates her constitutional rights, including free speech and due process.

“Ultimately, unfortunately, the heart of what’s happening is that she is stuck in detention for an op-ed,” her immigration attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai, said outside the federal building in Burlington after Monday’s hearing.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said last month, without providing evidence, that investigations found that Ozturk engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group.

A State Department memorandum showed that Ozturk’s student visa was revoked on March 21 following an assessment that she had been involved in associations “‘that may undermine U.S. foreign policy by creating a hostile environment for Jewish students and indicating support for a designated terrorist organization’ including co-authoring an op-ed that found common cause with an organization that was later temporarily banned from campus.”

The Washington Post reported Sunday that another memorandum, written by an office within the State Department before Ozturk was detained, determined that there was no evidence showing that she took part in antisemitic activities or made public statements supporting a terrorist organization.

Ozturk’s lawyers said Monday that the memorandum has not been supplied to them.

A message seeking comment from the department on the report was emailed Monday afternoon.