Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 16

Horoscopes Sept. 14, 2025: Emma Kenney, take precautions and safety measures

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Emma Kenney, 26; Dilshad Vadsaria, 40; Kimberly Williams-Paisley, 54; Robert Herjavec, 63.

Happy Birthday: Think twice, gather the facts and distance yourself from people and situations that don’t align with your plans. Taking precautions and safety measures first will put your mind at ease, making it easier for you to follow through with your plans. Emotions will be close to the surface this year. It’s up to you to determine the outcome. A secretive, observant attitude is in your best interest. Your numbers are 5, 12, 23, 30, 37, 41, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Emotional situations will require your undivided attention and discipline. Set boundaries and establish clear rules to protect yourself from anyone who tries to take advantage of you. Don’t waste time on petty differences or unnecessary excess. Focus on finishing what you start and sticking to your budget. Prioritize physical activity and romance. 4 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Simplify your life; don’t share secrets or personal data. Avoid making unnecessary changes or getting involved in someone else’s drama. Expand your knowledge and interests, and build a strong foundation to showcase your capabilities and promote your availability. Utilize your experience and connections to advance your career, and leverage your drive and determination to meet deadlines. 4 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Pay attention to your needs. It’s OK to put yourself first and to enjoy a moment of “me time.” The break will energize and encourage you to devise an efficient way of handling any problem areas in your life. Personal growth and self-improvement are excellent starting points for a new journey. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): An open mind will spark your imagination regarding home and personal improvements. Put together a plan that fits your budget, and you’ll ward off overdoing and overspending on things that aren’t necessary. A financial injection looks promising if you apply for a higher position or sell items you no longer use. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Spend more time at home. Enhance your space to accommodate projects that will increase your comfort and convenience. Research and physical preparation will make the home improvement process more manageable and less stressful. The time you share with someone special will bring you closer together. A commitment you make will promote long-term security. 4 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keep your emotions hidden when handling business deals or people you don’t trust. Set boundaries and goals that help you navigate your way forward with the least amount of interference. Say no to temptation, indulgent behavior, and donating or spending more than you can afford. Keep your life simple and maintain a healthy lifestyle. 2 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Gather information, verify facts and put together an affordable plan that will help you invest more in your future. Distance yourself from what holds you back. It’s time to build your confidence and recognize how much you have to offer by diversifying your skills to accommodate positions of interest. Socializing and romance are favored. 5 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Attend an event that is conducive to engaging in conversations with people who spark your imagination. The information you receive will point you in a direction that allows you to mix old ideas with current trends. It’s time to explore the possibilities and expand your qualifications and skills to meet demands. Keep the momentum flowing. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Be open to information, ask questions, talk to experts and make decisions contingent on facts. Recognize problems, and you’ll find solutions that can transform your life and bring you closer to those you love. A reunion will reconnect you to someone you remember fondly. Expose your feelings, and something good will transpire. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Refuse to let your emotions cloud your view or lead you down the wrong path. Take note of what’s happening around you, but don’t rely on secondhand information. An opportunity to join forces with someone trying to achieve a similar goal can help you save time and money by sharing information and expenses. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take a pass if you don’t like what you hear, what something costs or what’s expected of you if you participate. Set goals to incorporate physical activities, a healthy diet and a strict budget. Taking on a financial or emotional burden will leave you with little time for yourself and your loved ones. 5 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Trust your instincts, not what you hear from a third party. Take the path that feels right, not the one everybody else is on. Conflicts are best left alone. Dance to the beat of your own drum, and refuse to let outside influences tempt or confuse you. Home improvements will cost more than anticipated. 2 stars

Birthday Baby: You are controversial, headstrong and independent. You are resourceful and analytical.

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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Pro Soccer: Union’s slide continues in falling to Hartford

SEASIDE — It was hopeful that a significant homestand would cure what has ailed Monterey Bay FC for eight straight weeks for a potential postseason run.

Instead, the Union have sunk to the bottom of the Western Conference of the United Soccer League Championship, as a winless streak was extended to eight matches Saturday after a 4-0 loss to Hartford Athletic.

With five matches left in the regular season, the Union are skating on thin ice, sitting six points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Owners of three consecutive setbacks in which it has been outscored 7-1, Monterey Bay FC is 0-6-2 in its last eight matches, the third worst winless streak in the franchise’s four-year existence.

Hartford, which will face Sacramento for the USL Jägermeister Cup title next month, has all but clinched a spot in the postseason, having gone 9-1-3 in its last 12 matches on the pitch.

Since occupying first place during the first month of the season, the Union (6-13-6) has slid 12 spots in the Western Conference, with three of their final five opponents playoff bound.

It’s been over two months since the Union won a match, beating Orange County 2-1 on July 11. In fact, two of their four USL wins this year have come against their Southern California rivals, including their only road win this season.

Four of the Union’s final five matches are at Cardinale Stadium, where despite Saturday’s loss, are 5-4-2 home. The four-goal loss was their worst setback of the season.

Having won 12 matches in their inaugural season in 2022, the Union have fallen in the win column in each of their four years and are in danger of finishing with the franchises worst record ever.

Monterey Bay FC was held scoreless for the 12th time this year in USL play, this time by former goalie Antony Siaha, who led the league in saves last season while a member of the Crisp and Kelp.

SF Giants allow 13 runs in loss to Dodgers, waste chance move up in standings

SAN FRANCISCO — In the moments leading up to first pitch, the scoreboard at Oracle Park flashed an updated look at the NL wild card standings. The New York Mets lost their eighth straight game, and the stakes in San Francisco were set. With a win, the Giants would own the third and final wild card spot.

If the Giants are going to usurp the Mets, they will have to wait at least one more day.

Following Friday’s dramatic walk-off win, the Giants lost 13-7 to the Dodgers as Logan Webb endured one of his worst starts of the season, matching his season-low for innings (four) and season-high for earned runs (six). Entering Sunday, San Francisco remains 0.5 games back of New York for the final wild card spot.

“Everybody knew what was going on today,” said manager Bob Melvin. “We had our hitter’s meeting today and the game was just finishing up. Everybody knows, but we’re trying to stay pretty simple and keep riding this momentum that we have.”

“With that team losing, it was in our hands and I did a bad job,” Webb said. “I just got to try to go out tomorrow and me, personally, just cheer on the guys as much as I can and try to win a series.”

Webb said he knew Saturday’s game was going to be weird when Shohei Ohtani began the evening with an infield single, a base hit that Webb believes “set the tone” for the night. The right-hander also pointed to Clayton Kershaw allowing four runs in the first as another oddity given Kershaw’s track record of success. The most peculiar part of Saturday’s loss, though, was Webb’s pitch mix.

The sinker has long been Webb’s foundational pitch. Entering play, Webb’s sinker accounted for 35.4 percent of his pitches since 2021, the highest usage rate of any pitch in his repertoire. Against the Dodgers, Webb effectively abandoned his trusty two-seamer.

On Saturday, Webb only threw eight sinkers against the Dodgers. That’s not just the fewest he’s thrown in a single game this season, but it’s the first time he’s failed to throw at least 10 sinkers in a single start since Sept. 2, 2020.

The few sinkers that Webb did throw weren’t exactly fooling the Dodgers. One of those sinkers ended up being a 454-foot home run off Ohtani’s bat. Two others resulted in singles for Ohtani and Freddie Freeman. Regardless, it was a stark departure from the pitch that has made him San Francisco’s ace.

“Even scouting them, so many at-bats that I probably overthought it a little bit today,” Webb said.

It’s possible that Webb wanted to switch up the game plan against the Dodgers given how his last outing against them unfolded. On July 11, Webb allowed six runs over 5 1/3 innings and surrendered a pair of two-run homers to Ohtani and former Giant Michael Conforto. Webb induced two strikeouts with his sinker that night but also allowed a single, double, homer (to Conforto) and plunked Mookie Betts.

“Fifth inning came around and seemed like I was trying to be cute with everything,” Webb said. “I’m throwing six cutters to a right-handed hitter. I don’t do that. I don’t know why I need to do that. Just overall, not good.”

Webb is referring to his battle with Betts in the top of the fifth, one that ended with Webb issuing a leadoff walk. That free pass was the beginning of a six-run inning for the Dodgers, a frame where they took the lead from San Francisco for good.

Prior to the fifth, the Giants positioned themselves to not just secure a series win but leap ahead of the Mets in the standings.

In the bottom of the first, the Giants responded to Freeman’s RBI single with a four-spot against Kershaw, who was making potentially his final start at this venue. Willy Adames, Matt Chapman and Luis Matos had RBI singles, and Jerar Encarnacion  manufactured a run by beating out a double play. Going into the second, the Giants led 4-1 with their ace on the mound.

From there, the Dodgers score eight unanswered runs.

Ohtani’s 454-foot solo homer and Teoscar Hernández’s RBI double in the third trimmed the Giants’ lead to one run. In the fifth, the Dodgers landed a six-run haymaker that knocked Webb from the ballgame.

Webb faced three batters in the fifth and didn’t retire a single one, departing the game after loading the bases on a single and two walks. José Buttó entered to put out the fire but he couldn’t prevent the Dodgers from flexing their muscles.

Hernández drove home two with a double. Conforto contributed a sacrifice fly. Ben Rortvedt doubled home a pair. Betts singled home a run, the final blow that ended Buttó’s night. Left-hander Matt Gage following Betts’ single, the Giants’ third pitcher of the inning, and retired Freeman to finally end the inning.

The Giants countered by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double by Encarnacion and a two-run double from Friday’s hero Patrick Bailey. The Dodgers got those three runs right back in the top of the sixth against Gage, two coming on a double from Miguel Rojas.

San Francisco could not pass New York in the standings on Saturday, but another opportunity may present itself on Sunday as Robbie Ray takes the mound against Tyler Glasnow.

Community College football: Lobos survive late Santa Rosa charge to stay undefeated

MONTEREY — Those palpitations are real. So is the feeling that the hair on his arms is standing straight up. Still, no one seems to be relishing the moment more than Adrian Gallegos.

The first-year head football coach begged for Monterey Peninsula College to jump into the California Community College Athletic Association’s National Division this fall.

Growing pains?

To a degree, they are occurring in each game. Yet, three games and three wins into the season and the Lobos are living up to the expectations cast upon themselves, holding on Saturday for a 20-18 win over Santa Rosa at MPC.

“We have a lot of young guys playing right now,” Gallegos said. “Kids are stepping up. This haven’t been easy or pretty. But at the end of the day, we’re 1-0. It was another great finish.”

That makes the No. 13-ranked team in the state 3-0, improving its state-leading winning streak to 14 games. Two of MPC’s wins have come against state-ranked teams. All three have been decided in the final seconds or in overtime.

“As the offensive coordinator the last two years, I was a little more risky, trying to be explosive,” Gallegos said. “Sometimes it is about protecting our defense. As the head coach’s perspective, I see the big picture a little more. I just want to win.”

The nervous tension Gallegos might be feeling is coming from the fact that the Lobos have watched back-to-back double-digit leads evaporate in the second half, as Santa Rosa cut a 17-point deficit to two in the fourth quarter.

“I have to be a better playcaller,” Gallegos said. “We got up 20-3 and let the foot off the gas. Maybe I need to delegate some of my other responsibilities as a head coach. But our defense was playing so well.”

Defense and special teams rescued the Lobos as Santa Rosa had a chance to tie the game, but failed on a two-point conversion. On its ensuing series, it had an opportunity to take the lead with a field goal with 1:18 left, but dropped the snap.

The No. 19-ranked Bears, who fell by a touchdown last week to No. 3 Modesto, got the ball back one more time, only to see the Lobos defense clamp down on the game’s final two plays.

“A lot of kids stepped up,” Gallegos said. “We recruited to be two or three deep at every position. Joey (Fernandez) had a nice punt. You saw Harold Lusk come in and play safety, even though he’s our backup quarterback. We found a way.”

On the strength of quarterback Simon Manuel Lopez’s legs, the Lobos jumped out to a 20-3 lead, as the freshman had touchdown runs of 19 and 61 yards — both coming on fourth-and-short situations.

“The quarterback did a nice job running the ball,” Gallegos said. “We talked about the need to score on the opening drive and we did. We scored on our first drive in the second half and didn’t do much else.”

Manuel Lopez was sharp on the Lobos’ opening drive, connecting with Julius Robinson and Mark Harris to get the ball inside the 20-yard line, setting up the game’s first touchdown, erasing a 3-0 deficit.

MPC, which was among the state leaders in points and turnovers last year, used a pick-six from Stephen Richardson to open up a 13-3 halftime lead.

“I’m not concerned about the offense,” Gallegos said. “The biggest thing is we can’t play behind the sticks. Penalties are killing us. We had a first-and-40 on one drive. We have to eliminate that and play better on first and second down.”

The Lobos, who are expected to get two of their top linemen back next week, will play a rare college Friday game when they visit Laney of Oakland at 5:30 p.m.

Los Medanos 56, Hartnell 23

Staying the course. That’s what was preached all week and again after Saturday’s setback to unbeaten Los Medanos.

“There are a lot of great things we’ll see on film that are very encouraging,” Hartnell coach Art Berlanga said. “We are improving. That’s enough motivation to keep these kids on course. But we have to stay the course.”

On the heels of a dismal 1-9 season last fall, Berlanga — the Panthers’ third coach in three years — didn’t come in with unrealistic expectations.

Hired in June, the former Gonzales High football coach and Hartnell defensive back built a team from scratch in just two months, getting nearly 60 players on the roster.

“It can be hard to stay together when you’re down by 30,” Berlanga said. “But you’re not seeing any finger-pointing. There was a lot to build off of in the second half. I’ll take it.”

That would include the progress of quarterback Adam Shaffer, an all-conference player as a freshman in 2023, who missed all of last year with a knee injury.

Having struggled with his timing in his first two games, the former Salinas High and Herald All-County Offensive Player of the Year threw for 207 yards and a touchdown in the second half, while rushing for his third touchdown of the year.

“Today was our best offensive day from a production standpoint,” Berlanga said. “We ran the ball well in the second half. And Adam threw the ball well. I think he’s starting to find his rhythm. He went a whole year with no reps.”

Shaffer is also learning a new system for the first time in six years, having had the same coordinator in high school and his first year at Hartnell.

“It’s a new scheme for him,” Berlanga said. “I’m pleased with him being able to adapt and lead our guys and pick things up that we’re trying to teach him.”

Where the Panthers have struggled in their losses to Delta of Stockton and Los Medanos is in matchups.

“We couldn’t match their speed,” Berlanga said. “Physically, our strength isn’t there against these good teams. Mistakes are hurting us. Guys, though, are passionate about saying the right things. We will match up better in conference.”

Justin Pascone added a touchdown run for Hartnell, who will travel to Feather River (2-1) next Saturday.

 

Saturday high school football: Soquel ends Carmel’s PCAL best winning streak

CARMEL — With it becoming clear in the third quarter that the longest winning streak in the county was in jeopardy, substitutions came in mass amounts for Carmel.

Staring at a 35-point deficit and overmatched, Carmel coach Golden Anderson didn’t see the need to put players at risk, not with eight games remaining in the season.

“What would be the point in trying to score a touchdown, still lose by 40 and have a player or two go down,” Anderson said. “We were physically outmatched. The good news is we got to see a lot of guys get in the game and no one got hurt.”

Still, there was a dose of humility Saturday as the Padres were soundly beaten 49-0 by defending Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division champion Soquel in both teams’ league opener.

Carmel’s Kanan Seeklander hangs on to Soquel wide receiver Cash Moran in the second quarter as Carmel teammates Logan Phares and Ethan Haas converge. (Donald Fukui -- Herald Correspondent)Carmel quarterback Kaleb Herro scans down field for a receiver in the second quarter. Carmel fell 49-0 to defending league champion Soquel on Saturday at Carmel. (Donald Fukui -- Herald Correspondent)Carmel running back Max Goldsmith gains short yardage in the first half of Saturday’s 49-0 loss to Soquel. (Donald Fukui -- Herald Correspondent)Carmel’s Matthew Maxon looks for running room behind lineman Jack Benson in Saturday’s Gabilan Division game at Carmel. (Donald Fukui -- Herald Correspondent)Show Caption1 of 4Carmel’s Kanan Seeklander hangs on to Soquel wide receiver Cash Moran in the second quarter as Carmel teammates Logan Phares and Ethan Haas converge. (Donald Fukui -- Herald Correspondent)Expand

It was the first time Carmel was shutout since 2003 that Carmel has been shut out. The only other team to hold its offense without a point in the last 22 years was Soledad in 2022 — a 28-2 defeat.

The setback snapped a PCAL-leading 16-game overall winning streak for the defending CIF Division 5AA champions and halted a 23-game regular-season run. It also ended a 12-game home winning streak.

Ironically, Soquel has had a hand in ending all three runs, beating the Padres at home 36-8 in 2022, when both were a part of the  Mission Division. Carmel’s last loss was 35-10 to the Knights in the 2023 CCS Division II playoffs.

“There are Gabilan Division programs and Gabilan Division teams,” said Anderson, whose program was thrown into the league for the second time in six years after last year’s record-setting 15-0 run. “They are a Gabilan Division program.”

The conversation at halftime shifted toward the future for the Padres, who were staring at 28-point deficit on the strength Sam Whelan’s three touchdown passes for the 3-0 Knights.

“We told the kids this doesn’t mean we’re horrible at halftime,” Anderson said. “We just haven’t experienced this. Let’s not believe in what we’re doing. We got whipped pretty good. You’re not going to feel good about it. Sometimes you’re outmanned.”

Soquel has gone from a Santa Lucia Division team seven years ago into one of the elite programs in the Central Coast Section. Nine of its 11 wins during its Gabian Division winning streak have been double digits.

“We know people are thrilled when we lose,” Anderson said. “Maybe people wish we were more mad than we are. I’m proud of how our kids behaved.”

With the exception of its opening drive, when Carmel mustered a pair of first downs, its offense was grounded by the Knights, forcing them to punt three times in the first half, more than it did in five playoff games last year.

“We knew Soquel would be stronger than us on the line and a little faster at the skill positions,” Anderson said. “And we knew we had to play flawlessly, and they’d have to make some mistakes.”

Which occurred in the first quarter when Matt Maxon stepped in front of a pass and returned an interception inside the red zone, only to see Carmel turn it back to the Knights on the ensuing play.

“We thought we’d be able to hang around,” Anderson said. “I was pleased with how the defense played. It was more of a lack of first downs by the offense. The defense was on the field a long time. We started platooning our guys.”

The Padres defense wasn’t without flashes, recording three sacks, with Indy Gabrielson and Don Desai having solid games on the defensive line.

“They calculate how they take chances with the quarterback,” Anderson said. “But he’s (Whelan) really good. He’s a legitimate talent. We got some pressure on him. He was able to make plays.”

At times, Whelan made it look too easy, avoiding pressure and calmly stepping into the pocket to pick apart the Padres’ secondary for chunks of yardage in the first half, throwing just three incompletions in the first half.

The last time Carmel faced Whelan in 2023, he completed 13-of-16 passes, throwing for a pair of touchdowns in a 35-10 win, the first step toward the Knights run at a state title.

“We thought we were clear about what Soquel’s plan was going to be,” said Anderson, whose team will visit North Salinas next Saturday at 1 p.m. “I would rather not have experienced it. We will learn and grow from it.”

Sobrato 35, Seaside 4

The Spartans are still searching for an identity on offense and their first win after picking up two safeties in a loss to Sobrato of Morgan Hill.

Two of Seaside’s losses this fall have come against two teams that are a combined 5-0 this season. It has one final tune-up before the start of Santa Lucia Division play when it hosts Archie Williams of San Anselmo next Saturday.

Peter Manikham produced one of Seaside’s safeties.

Trinity 50, Coastal Christian 6

Daniel Dirkes accounted for six touchdowns — five through the air, as the Warriors improved to 2-0 after knocking off Coastal Christian of Pismo Beach in 8-man football.

The 50-point eruption was the most points Trinity has produced since scoring 58 in a win over Laten in 2019. The last time the program recorded a winning season was in 2017.

Trinity will look for its first-ever 3-0 start when it hosts BASIS Independent Silicon Valley in their homecoming next Saturday at Pacific Grove High.

Dirkes threw for 265 yards and five touchdowns for the Warriors, connecting with Brady Ramones three times and Eli Robertson twice. The senior quarterback added a 71-yard touchdown run — his first of the season.

Robertson also rushed for 163 yards and a touchdown for Trinity, while Ramones collected three sacks, and Adrian Perez three sacks and a fumble recovery.

SF Giants place Dominic Smith on injured list with hamstring strain; Encarnacion reinstated

SAN FRANCISCO — Dominic Smith sacrificed his body for the Giants on Friday night. Now, there’s a possibility that his regular season is over.

Smith landed on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain prior to Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, leaving San Francisco without its best defensive first baseman for at least the next week-and-a-half. With 15 games remaining, Smith may not have enough time to rehab the injury and return for the end of the regular season.

In a corresponding move, infielder/outfielder Jerar Encarnacion was reinstated from the 10-day injured list after he dealt with his own right hamstring strain.

“He’s not a speedster, but hamstrings typically take a couple weeks,” said manager Bob Melvin. “I know he’ll be itching to (return). It just kind of depends on what we need him to do, but our doctors will have more clarity today.”

Smith, 30, injured himself in the top of the fourth on Friday. With runners on second and third, third baseman Matt Chapman made a diving stop of Andy Pages’ grounder and fired to Smith, who inadvertently did the splits. Smith’s extended lunge was needed as Chapman’s throw barely beat Pages’ speed, but Smith instantly collapsed onto his side.

As the Dodgers challenged the call, Melvin and assistant athletic trainer Ryo Watanabe met Smith near first base to assess Smith’s health. Melvin had Wilmer Flores pinch-hit for Smith in the bottom of the fourth.

Smith has been a valuable contributor since joining the Giants during president of baseball operations Buster Posey’s roster shakeup in early June. Over 63 games, Smith has a slash line of .284/.333/.417 with five home runs and 33 RBIs (115 OPS+). On Aug. 29, Smith hit the 107th Splash Hit in Oracle Park history.

“He’s been great, both offensively and defensively,” said manager Bob Melvin. “Hitting in the middle of the order, getting big hits for us. I think this is probably as comfortable as he’s been in a long time with a team, too. He’s well received here. He’s respected here. You’re going to have injuries over the course of the season that are impactful. This is definitely one for us.”

In Smith’s absence, Rafael Devers and Flores will serve as the Giants’ first basemen. Devers, who is starting at first on Saturday, has fared well there despite having no experience at the position prior to this season. Over a very small sample of 178 innings, Devers has been worth one defensive run saved.

“I think he’s way more comfortable now than maybe he was early on,” Melvin said. “He looks like he’s fine out there. The only thing I worry about a little bit was the ankle thing he had going on, but I think he’s past that now. Talking to him yesterday, he was ready to play first base today either way.”

Encarnacion has been limited to only 10 games this season due to a left hand fracture in March, a left oblique strain in June and a right hamstring strain in August, the last of which was especially brutal.

On Aug. 5, Encarnacion was reinstated from the injured list and homered in his first game back. The next day, Encarnacion hit a 442-foot homer in his second at-bat of the game, then injured his hamstring in his third at-bat as Encarnacion tried running out an infield single.

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“He brings a lot of power, and he’s hit left-handed pitching too,” Melvin said. “It was a short stint, but he made a big impact in those games in Pittsburgh that he played. We wanted to give him the proper amount of at-bats (with Sacramento). We wanted to maybe play him through the weekend, but obviously, the need was to get him now.”

Miller, Whisenhunt throw bullpens

Left-handed starter Carson Whisenhunt and left-handed reliever Erik Miller both threw bullpen sessions on Saturday afternoon, though Whisenhunt is closer to returning than Miller.

Whisenhunt (back strain) threw his full repertoire of pitches on Saturday and said he is going to Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday to throw a couple innings. Miller (left elbow strain) threw exclusively fastballs during his bullpen and is “still a ways out,” according to Melvin.

PHOTO: First game under new light

Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: Keeping documents safe

Question: You have written about safe deposit boxes at banks and how they should be titled. Overall, do you think keeping my title documents and other important papers in my safe deposit box is the best place to keep them safe and available to my next-of-kin when they are needed?

Answer: Keeping documents in a safe deposit box is a good option depending on the documents and when they might be needed. I have written that if you have a trust, your safe deposit box should be titled in the name of the trust, rather than in your name. When a box is titled in the name of your trust, the person who is named as trustee in your documents can access the box at any time. This means that during your lifetime, you are your own trustee and have full access to the box. If you were to become incapacitated or after you die, the person named as the successor trustee in your trust will step in as trustee and, by the terms of your trust document, has access to the box.

As with all other legal matters, there are some loopholes. If a trustee is stepping into the trustee position on your death, they will need to present a death certificate along with the trust document to the bank to gain access to the box. Sometimes, if your successor trustee is stepping in during your lifetime because of incapacity, banks require that you, the original trustee, come to the bank to sign off. If you are confined to bed or otherwise semi-immobile, this can cause obvious challenges.

You should be aware that many banks are in the process of closing down their safe deposit box offerings. One major bank is currently contacting all box holders to advise them to come in, remove the contents and close out the box. Banks are concluding that holding safe deposit boxes for customers is not profitable enough so we will, most likely, see more of this in the future.

On 9/11/2001, I was working in a bank and, as you may remember, all banks closed their doors that morning and stayed closed for three or more days. Customers were knocking at the door pleading for access to their boxes – it was awful. Also, if you receive word on a Friday afternoon that you must travel for a family emergency and your passport is in your box, you will need to delay the journey until the bank opens on Monday. Not great scenarios, right?

Rather than having a bank safe deposit box, consider installing a safe at home. Most hardware stores sell fire-slow safes or you can find good ones online. If you decide to go this route, either get a box that is too large to be easily moved or bolt your safe to the floor. You can also conceal the safe in your home. As with all important information, make sure your successor trustee knows where to find your documents and the combination to a safe, if any.

Question: I hear and read about year-end tax planning but seldom hear anything about year-end estate planning. Are there things we should review in our wills and trusts on an annual basis?

Answer: What a great question and the answer is yes, absolutely! While not necessarily driven by a Dec. 31 deadline, it is important to revisit our estate plans regularly. Attorneys differ in their recommendations on the frequency of such a review but at least a quick consideration of the following points on an annual basis should keep your plans in tiptop shape:

Significant changes in the family such as marriage, divorce, a child or grandchild developing an unhealthy addiction, a child or grandchild attaining a certain age, the death or serious illness of a spouse or a beneficiary, or the need to fund a grandchild’s education are all significant factors that can affect planning. Most documents address changes but if you feel the situation is not adequately clarified in your current plans, schedule a review with your attorney.

If you or your spouse received an inheritance, if your Bitcoin finally cashed in or if there have been other significant changes to your wealth, revisit your plans. Also, did you make a loan to a child or grandchild? Remember to document the loan and clarify whether any unpaid balance upon your death would reduce their share of your estate or the loan will be forgiven. Your trustee will thank you.

Confirm that any new purchases like a ski cabin or a new investment account are titled in the name of your trust. If you refinanced your mortgage, the lender may have required that title be taken out of the trust. Be sure it was subsequently transferred back into your trust name.

Finally, revisit the trustee or executor appointment. If you named a family member or friend, is this person still in a position to execute their duties when the time comes? Will the appointment be a burden because they are busy with their own family or career? If you name a professional, be sure they have the information they need to help you when the time comes. Your named successor trustee, whether family or professional, should be provided with current addresses of beneficiaries, asset information and copies of any updated documents.

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

California temporarily blocks Trump policy barring some immigrants from food banks, health care, Head Start and more

California has secured a court order temporarily blocking the Trump administration from barring immigrants living in the country illegally from accessing dozens of federally funded programs, including child care, health care and education services.

As part of the Trump administration’s proposed change, federally funded programs would be required to verify recipients’ immigration status — reversing a Clinton administration policy that extended “public benefit” programs to people living in the country without legal permission. The Trump administration said the change was necessary to ensure taxpayer-funded “public resources are no longer used to incentivize illegal immigration.”

The new court order comes a few months after California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 20 other state leaders sued the administration over the policy change in July.

In July, the California-led coalition secured a temporary pause preventing the administration from implementing the changes before Sept. 10. The new preliminary injunction — signed by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island — blocks the Trump administration from implementing the changes indefinitely while litigation continues.

Programs included in the Trump administration’s restriction would include childcare services for low-income families, adult education, mental health and substance use disorder programs, temporary housing assistance, food banks, cooling centers and shelters for at-risk youth and domestic violence survivors, among others.

The proposed restriction would also include Head Start — a national program that serves more than 750,000 low-income children aged 0 to 5-years old across the U.S. The program provides free school meals and medical screenings, child care, and support and job assistance for parents.

Bonta and state leaders said that in addition to causing irreparable harm to vulnerable families, the proposed restrictions barring some immigrants from participation would have a “chilling effect” on all participants of the programs, regardless of immigration status. The states’ lawsuit also said the proposed verification requirements would cost states’ economies hundreds of millions of dollars.

“With today’s decision, vital education, nutrition and health programs like Head Start — and the families who rely on their services — can breathe a sigh of relief,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The Trump Administration continues to pull the rug out from under California families just trying to get by, but we’re fighting back. We’re grateful that a district court has put a stop to this cruel new directive while our litigation continues.”

Kurtenbach: Brandon Staley’s time with the 49ers was unremarkable. His Saints defense is anything but

The NFL is a small world — a high school reunion with shoulder pads.

Guys are shuffled around the deck of 32 teams year in, year out. And all too often, they end up staring across the field at someone they used to game plan with.

That’s what’s happening this Sunday in New Orleans. Kyle Shanahan and his San Francisco 49ers will be in town, and on the other sideline, waiting for them, will be Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.

And Staley, who was an assistant with vague assignments for the Niners last season (he was certainly not the team’s shadow defensive coordinator), has a defense that’s an absolute nightmare for Shanahan’s wide-zone run game.

Yes, this game will be anything but Big Easy for San Francisco.

Staley’s defensive scheme was, ironically, popularized by Shanahan’s predecessor in Santa Clara, Chip Kelly. It’s called the Tite Front, and it’s a real nasty look to face if you’re a team whose entire identity is based on the wide zone run.

It’s a 4-0-4 front, which means you’ve got two big defensive linemen lined up in the “4i technique” — smack dab between the offensive guards and tackles in the B gap — and an even bigger nose guard staring the center eye-to-eye. It’s a front designed to gum up the works for a team that wants to stretch the field horizontally.

And that’s exactly what the 49ers want to do. Particularly with a backup quarterback at the helm, likely down the team’s top two pass catchers from 2024.

Kelly, the offensive mad scientist, cooked this scheme up back in his Oregon days. He made it to stop his own offense. Seriously. His run-pass-option scheme became so dominant, he had to invent a defense to counter all the teams that were ripping it off. It turns out that defense is just as good at making life miserable for the wide-zone mafia that dominates the league.

The basic idea is that those defensive ends at the 4i force the offensive tackles to occupy them. The whole thing creates a traffic jam that makes it near-impossible for offensive linemen (typically the guards and center) to do their two main jobs on zone runs: double-teaming along the line and then getting to the second level to block linebackers.

While most guys on defense these days want to get into the backfield as fast as possible, Staley preaches a different kind of gospel. His linemen are supposed to fill one gap off the snap and then, depending on where the ball carrier moves, fall into another. It’s called a “gap-and-a-half” defense, and when it works, it frees up the linebackers to clean house and stop the run before it even gets started. It also lets Staley keep two safeties deep in the pass game, but because those second-level blocks rarely arrive on time (if at all), they can crash down in the run game, too.

In short, the Tite Front allows defenses to receive all the benefits of stacking the box without actually doing so.

This is the kind of defense that once made Staley a hot commodity on the coaching market. Both Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan saw his work and decided they’d rather hire the guy than have to face him. McVay brought him to the Rams in 2020 after seeing his work with the Bears, where he helped devise a late-season defensive plan against McVay that later became the basis for the Patriots’ Super Bowl game plan. You know, the one that left the Rams with three points. As the Rams’ DC in 2020, Staley’s defense was the best in the NFL. That got him the head coaching job with the Chargers.

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After three years with the Chargers, he came back to the Niners last season as an assistant. No one can quite tell you what he actually did for the team. For whatever reason, the Niners didn’t see fit to put him in charge of the defense either before or after last season. Perhaps it was the other coaches and the way they wanted to do things — the Niners run a very different defense.

So now, Staley’s with the Saints. And he’s inherited a roster that’s better suited for his defense and a head coach and front office that’s all-in on his plan to blow up the Shanahan offense, league-wide.

The first thing Staley did as Saints DC was trade for 330-pound nose guard Davon Godchaux, an absolute beast who is a nightmare to handle at the 0 technique. Thoughts and prayers to Niners center Jake Brendel this week.

Last week, the Saints held the Cardinals to just 80 yards on outside-zone runs, and most of that came on one play where two Saints defenders ran into each other, leading to a 52-yard scamper. You take that away, and the Cardinals’ running backs averaged 2.5 yards per carry.

Compare that to the Niners’ Week 1, when San Francisco, with Brock Purdy at quarterback, averaged just three yards on 21 outside-zone carries against a five-man front from the Seahawks.

What’s going to happen when Mac Jones — who defenses don’t ever have to consider as a runner — is running this show?

“It goes back to when Kyle’s dad was calling plays back in Denver,” Staley said this week. “They’re going to run their offense… It really forces the defense to declare itself.”

Unless Shanahan has some new tricks up his sleeve and the guys up front who can execute those tricks, that declaration isn’t a problem for the Saints. Their defense — built by a former Niners head coach and brought to the NFL by a former Niners’ defensive coordinator’s protégé, as well as Shanahan’s former assistant and now top rival — was built to stop Shanahan’s basics.

It’s a small world, this NFL.

And that could very well be a big problem for the 49ers on Sunday.