Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 164

FDA reverses course on telework after layoffs and resignations threaten basic operations

By MATTHEW PERRONE

WASHINGTON (AP) — Weeks after ordering all Food and Drug Administration employees back into the office, the agency is reversing course, allowing some of its most prized staffers to work remotely amid worries that recent layoffs and resignations could jeopardize basic functions, like approving new medicines.

Related Articles Supreme Court says Trump administration must facilitate return of deported Maryland man Judge will halt Trump administration from ending humanitarian parole for people from four countries Requirement that all non-citizens register with federal government allowed to go into effect National intelligence head says MLK and RFK assassination records will soon be public Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene bought stocks hit hard by Trump tariffs during the market meltdown

An internal email obtained by The Associated Press states that FDA leadership are “allowing review staff and supervisors to resume telework” at least two days a week. The policy shift was confirmed by three FDA staffers who spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal agency matters.

The message was sent Tuesday to some of FDA’s hundreds of drug reviewers. Staffers said a similar policy was communicated to reviewers who handle vaccines, biotech drugs, medical devices and tobacco products although not necessarily in writing.

It’s the latest example of the Trump administration’s chaotic approach to overhauling the federal health workforce, which has included firings, a scramble to rehire some employees, and then additional layoffs last week of an estimated 3,400 staffers, or more than 15% of the agency’s workforce. When FDA employees were called back to the agency’s headquarters last month they confronted overflowing parking lots, crowded offices and broken or missing supplies.

A spokeswoman for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the administration is returning to “pre-COVID telework arrangements for reviewers, whose read and write work output is tracked in 15-minute increments to ensure productivity and accountability.”

While many agencies switched to telework during the pandemic, the FDA began embracing the practice a decade earlier. The flexibility was seen as a competitive perk for recruiting employees who can often earn more working in industry.

Last week’s cuts included entire offices focusing on FDA policy and regulations, most of the agency’s communication staff and teams that support food inspectors and investigators. Senior officials overseeing tobacco, new drugs, vaccines and other products have also been dismissed or forced to resign. Staffers have described rank-and-file employees “pouring” out of the agency.

Former FDA Commissioner Dr. David Kessler called the cuts “devastating, haphazard, thoughtless and chaotic” during a House hearing on Wednesday.

When Kennedy announced plans to eliminate 10,000 staffers across the federal health workforce, he noted out that FDA medical reviewers and safety inspectors wouldn’t be impacted.

In February, HHS was forced to recall some probationary employees who were fired, including hundreds of medical reviewers at FDA, who are largely funded by industry fees, not federal dollars.

But last week’s cuts combined with resignations and retirements have raised a new threat: that FDA funding could fall so low that it short circuits a long-standing system in which companies help fund much of the agency’s operations.

Nearly half the FDA’s $7 billion budget comes from fees collected from drug, device and tobacco companies. The agency uses the money to hire thousands of staffers to quickly and efficiently review new products. For example, about 70% of the FDA’s drug program is financed by user-fee agreements, which must be reauthorized by Congress every five years.

But the agreements stipulate that if FDA’s federal funding falls below set levels, companies are no longer required to pay and, in some cases, can claw back their money. The threshold requirements are designed to ensure Congress continues funding FDA, rather than relying entirely on the private sector.

FDA and industry groups are supposed to begin negotiations later this year to renew several user-fee agreements, including those for drugs and devices.

“I don’t think the agency nor regulated industry can afford for ‘user fees’ not to be reauthorized,” said Michael Gaba, an attorney who advises FDA-regulated companies.

Whatever the reasoning behind the telework shift, former federal officials say it’s a sign that recently confirmed FDA Commissioner Marty Makary is trying to retain and rebuild agency staffing. Makary made his first appearance at FDA’s headquarters last Wednesday, one day after the mass layoffs. According to the memo obtained by the AP, Makary signed off on the return to telework for some employees.

“Dr. Makary needs to rebuild teams and restart the engine of productivity lost to weeks of job insecurity, uncertainty and shortages of team members,” said Steven Grossman, a former HHS official. “Turning commuting time back into work time is a great first step in achieving both.”

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival returns with more than 60 events in lineup

PEBBLE BEACH — The Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival is back in full swing, bringing four days of culinary excellence, top-shelf tastings and star-studded chef appearances. The event, which kicked off Thursday and runs through Sunday, marks the return of one of the Monterey Peninsula’s most celebrated food and beverage festivals.

This year’s festival, operating under leadership from the Pebble Beach Company Foundation, features more than 100 acclaimed chefs and over 150 wine and spirits producers from around the country. Events are taking place at  locations including The Lodge at Pebble Beach and The Inn at Spanish Bay.

The festival includes a lineup of over 60 events ranging from wine seminars and chef-led educational talks to multi-course meals and walk-around tastings. Attractions include the Tasting Pavilion, where guests sample gourmet offerings from dozens of chefs and producers, and curated seminars like “From Vineyard to Glass,” “Discovering Promontory Wines” and cheese-and-wine explorations led by industry experts.

Originally launched in 2008 as a reimagining of the Masters of Food & Wine festival, the event was the creation of Monterey-based entrepreneurs David Bernahl and Rob Weakley. Bernahl continued to lead the event solo after their split in 2015 until the last pre-pandemic installment in 2019.

This year’s weather is expected to be warm and sunny staying at about 65 degrees with a chance of cloudy days. Attendees can enjoy champagne social hours, whiskey tastings and conversations with chefs and sommeliers.

The festival offers a range of ticket options. General admission to individual events and tickets to the Tasting Pavillon range from $300-$700. For those seeking a luxury experience, exclusive packages priced between $2,000 and $7,500 provide premium access, receptions and lounge experiences.

The Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival runs through Sunday. A full schedule of events and ticket information is available at www.pebblebeachfoodandwine.com.

One year in, California’s $20 minimum wage for fast food workers is lifting boats but still debated

One year has passed since 400,000 California workers at fast food chains like McDonald’s and Taco Bell began earning $20 per hour — a special minimum wage that’s thrilled employees and unions but remains vehemently opposed by the restaurant industry, which argues the higher pay has come at a cost of thousands of jobs.

Romualda Alcazar Cruz, 51, preps sandwiches and burgers at a Wendy’s restaurant on International Boulevard in East Oakland. Cruz, who has worked in fast food for seven years, used to earn the old minimum wage of $16.50 per hour.

That is, until April 2024, when a hotly-contested California law went into effect that spiked the earnings floor to $20 per hour for workers at 25,000 fast food restaurants, including the chains Wendy’s, In-N-Out Burger, Chipotle and Starbucks.

One year later, Cruz said she’s better able to support herself and her husband, who live together in a one-bedroom apartment in Oakland.

“It’s been really good,” Cruz, who speaks Spanish, said through a translator. “It’s helped with a lot to cover our bills, our rent, our groceries.”

In 2022, the California Service Employees International Union kicked off an intense campaign to lobby state lawmakers to raise the minimum wage in the fast food industry, a sector it views as a legitimate career path for workers, but one rife with crummy working conditions.

The restaurant industry pushed back hard, arguing the spike would force business owners to hemorrhage jobs and raise prices as much as 20% for customers craving their fast food fix.

The wage increase “has only led to restaurant closures, price increases, and the loss of thousands of jobs,” Jot Condie, president of the California Restaurant Association, said in a statement, calling it a “policy experiment-gone-wrong.”

In March, the restaurant industry cited U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing that more than 16,000 jobs in the fast food sector were lost in the year after California after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the law, Assembly Bill 1228, in September 2023.

“Is the benefit worth it for the pain that it’s exacted?” said Christopher Thornberg, an economist with the private consulting group Beacon Economics. Thornberg has produced studies paid for by the restaurant industry, including the 2022 study that estimated 20% cost increases driven by the higher wages.

“Some people are being helped — those workers who are keeping their jobs,” he said.

Michael Reich, an economics professor with the the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment at UC Berkeley, disagrees that the policy has driven significant job losses or price hikes and says it gives workers a much-needed leg up.

“It’s very helpful,” he said in an interview. “It’s led people to buy a used car, or replace a used car. It’s been shown to reduce bankruptcies and increase credit scores.”

Though she is adamant that the wage boost isn’t hurting business owners, Cruz said she’s making only slightly more than she was last year because her managers at Wendy’s cut her hours after the minimum wage went up. The restaurant also raised prices four or five times in the last year, she said. Wendy’s representatives did not immediately comment.

Selvin Martinez, a 30-year-old employee at the Wienerschnitzel hot dog chain in Campbell, said the pay spike is helping him support his parents and siblings while making ends meet in the South Bay, one of the most expensive housing markets in the U.S. He rents a $1,000-per-month room in San Jose.

Martinez said his manager hasn’t cut his hours or those of his coworkers, or laid off employees. A spokesperson for the hot dog chain did not immediately respond when asked to comment.

“I feel blessed,” Martinez, who also speaks Spanish, said through a translator. “Because now I can pay my bills on time. I finally have savings. And I can help my family as well.”

Even with the higher minimum wage, fast food workers like Martinez are earning far less than the $35 per hour that’s the living wage for even a person with no dependents in the South Bay, according to an often-cited Massachusetts Institute of Technology estimate.

Joseph Bryant, international executive vice president of Service Employees International Union, the $20 wage lifts up a “vulnerable” workforce that’s composed mostly of people of color and a fair share of residents living in the U.S. without permission, who have turned to fast food for long-term employment. The union represents about 1,000 fast food workers in the state and is pushing to organize more.

“I think there’s this false conception of fast food workers that these are high school kids working part-time to make extra cash,” he said. “But you have some folks that have been in for decades.”

Bryant brushed off suggestions that the wage increase has any negative impacts, nodding to other California economists who have reached drastically different conclusions so far. Although academics are trading barbs and casting doubt on each other’s methods, they do agree that the effects of the $20 wage will become clearer in the coming months and years.

The union cites largely positive research published by the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment at UC Berkeley. Reich, the economics professor, said the higher wages have benefited workers without evidence of a downside so far.

In February, Reich published a brief study that found wages had risen about 9 percent among the 400,000 workers covered under the policy, citing U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data that he cross-reference with postings on the job listing site Glassdoor.

Meanwhile, prices at these restaurants increased by 1.5%, he said, or about six cents on a $4 hamburger, the study found. According to the World Population Review, the average 2025 price of a Big Mac in California is the ninth-highest of U.S. states, at $5.89.

In that paper and an earlier study published in September, Reich said he did not find evidence of what he called “magical thinking” in the restaurant industry that the contentious policy would spike food prices or spur layoffs.

Thornberg, the private consultant, found the opposite in his own brief study of the policy that published earlier this month, which restaurant industry groups have cited.

Drawing on a different dataset, from the California Employment Development Department, Thornberg found that California’s fast food industry lost 23,000 jobs, or 3% of its workforce, while the nationwide industry grew slightly since last spring.

Thornberg said it’s too soon to draw conclusions and chided Berkeley’s labor center for “fist-bumping themselves” and calling the minimum wage increase “a big win.” He said it could take economists as long as a year and a half to see the policy’s full effects.

“Stop calling it a victory,” he said. “It’s too early.”

Reich said he plans to publish another study of his own in the coming months.

Horoscopes April 10, 2025: Shay Mitchell, your intentions will carry you forward

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Alex Pettyfer, 35; Haley Joel Osment, 37; Shay Mitchell, 38; Dion Phaneuf, 40.

Happy Birthday: Your intentions will carry you forward and push you down a path you can quietly explore while no one is looking. Much can be accomplished by strategically directing your energy toward your goals and incorporating your experience, time and talents into what’s important to you. Know when to decline invitations and impractical suggestions; you’ll feel good about yourself and your accomplishments. Trust your instincts and do what’s best for you. Your numbers are 3, 12, 20, 24, 31, 36, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Set your sights on something on the rise and tap into your resources, experience and skills for whatever you want to be a part of. Avoid situations and people who tend to interfere. Put your time and energy into progress, not no-win situations and conversations. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Choose your path, and don’t look back. It’s time to show your worth, shoot for the stars and make a difference. Seize the moment and put everything you’ve got into what makes you happy. Clear up any legal, institutional or financial matters. Personal and home improvements are favored. 5 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Put emotions aside, be realistic and set your sights on your dreams. Changing your direction or course of action will take research, learning and fine-tuning the skills you require to reinvent your next adventure. You may not be able to please everyone, but you can please yourself. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Put thought and energy into earning more and building your savings investments. Domestic and home improvements will boost your assets and make your life easier and more enjoyable. A change regarding institutions you deal with will be favorable and give insight into long-term possibilities. Romance is on the rise. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Keep an open mind; listen, learn and put what you discover to work for you. Take any opportunity to meet new people or reconnect with someone you lost touch with over the years. The information you receive will help you frame the goal you set and the direction you head in. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Take a break and visit a place that inspires you or helps you put things in perspective. Engage in conversations that push you to visualize what’s possible and connect you with people who can help you make things happen. Set a budget and make your way forward. Personal improvements and romance look inviting. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Travel to places or attend an event that offers insight and gives you something to think about. An emotional journey will help you recognize what’s best for you and how to utilize your strengths to provide you with what you need to excel. Don’t be afraid to be unique. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Take on a challenge, focus on making a difference or use your skills, talents and experience to propagate your plan and recruit others to join your march forward. Victory is within reach if you believe in yourself. Someone with whom you connect or share the same vision will change your life. 4 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Pay attention to your finances. Think twice before getting tied up in someone else’s debt. Refuse to let drama take over or let sob stories manipulate your heart. Your best route forward is the road that allows you to do whatever eases stress and makes you happy. Avoid paying for someone else’s mistake. 4 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’ll crave change and be attracted to unique people and places that stimulate your creative imagination. Go with the flow and discover what excites you most. Attend events, get involved in activities conducive to meeting those from different backgrounds or cultivate talents that complement something you can do. Romance is favored. 5 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Creative accounting will help you manage your finances. Consider how you can cut corners, lower your overhead or reduce your risk of loss. Spend more time at home addressing issues that can make your space function better. Keep your money and possessions safe, and avoid joint ventures. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Simplify, cap expenditures and set your sights on stability, security and spending time with those you love. Participate in activities that make you happy, ease your mind and encourage friendships with people who share your beliefs, standards and lifestyle. Personal gains, home improvements and love are looking good. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are feisty, optimistic and entertaining. You are engaging and accountable.

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.

Warriors blow 14-point lead to Spurs, lose grasp on Western Conference playoff picture

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors didn’t need this one, but it would have made their lives a whole lot easier.

Golden State started fast and led by double-digits after halftime but still wasn’t able to put away what looked to be the easiest game left on its schedule.

Despite scoring the first 11 points of the game and getting 58 combined from Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, the Warriors fell Wednesday night to the San Antonio Spurs, 114-111, packing more pressure onto their final two contests.

“We know where we’re at,” Curry said after Golden State was outscored by 15 in the fourth quarter. “I don’t know how it’ll impact where we end up after Sunday, but we do still have two games. We’ve got to win both of them and see what happens. We just made it a little harder on ourselves.”

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) dribbles against San Antonio Spurs’ Harrison Barnes (40) in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Without any help, the Warriors will need to win both their final games against the Trail Blazers and Clippers to clinch the No. 6 seed and avoid the dreaded play-in tournament. They travel to Portland on Friday and host Los Angeles in their regular-season finale on Sunday.

“It’s going down to the wire for a reason,” coach Steve Kerr said afterward. “There’s a lot of great teams in the West, and there’s very few easy games. There are just very few games that fall into place, and because of the 3-point line in the modern NBA, you’re always vulnerable. That’s what got us tonight.”

The Warriors led by as many as 14 points in the second half, including an 88-76 advantage at the start of the fourth quarter, but were tied at 111 with 3.1 seconds left on the clock when the ball found the hands of Harrison Barnes, who put up a prayer from 3-point territory that fell through the net as the buzzer sounded.

“It’s make-or-miss at the end of the game whether it’s going to overtime or not, and you never want to put yourself in that position,” Curry said. “We did, and we got bit.”

Golden State had possession in a tied game with with 32.6 seconds to go, but Barnes came up big again, intercepting Curry’s inbound pass and setting up a layup from Keldon Johnson that put San Antonio up 111-109. Draymond Green sank a pair of free throws and San Antonio called timeout, setting up the final possession.

The Spurs outscored the Warriors in the fourth quarter, 38-23. Barnes’ game-winner was their 18th 3-pointer on 46 attempts (39.1%). It was Stephon Castle’s triple that tied the game at 99 with 5:01 left that changed the tide, according to Kerr.

“We just couldn’t contain them defensively,” Kerr said. “And when you do that, you leave the door open for shots like the one Harrison hit at the end.”

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) scores a 3-point basket against the San Antonio Spurs in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Curry finished with a game-high 30 points, Butler poured in 28 points — 16 on 17 attempts from the free-throw line — and Green filled the statsheet with 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. But it wasn’t enough to beat the Spurs, who had lost eight of their previous nine games entering Wednesday, including a 148-106 rout last week in San Antonio.

Without Victor Wembanyama or De’Aaron Fox, the Spurs were led by three players who scored 20-plus points. Johnson and Castle each contributed 21 points, and Barnes added 20 — on 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point territory — to go with double-figures from four other scorers.

Related Articles Forget seeding — the Warriors' priority should be a spring break On sale today: Single-game tickets to the Golden State Valkyries Buddy Hield entering rare company as Warriors’ iron man Jimmy Butler isn’t Kevin Durant. He’s exactly what the Warriors need Steph Curry bounces back, Warriors rout Durant-less Suns

Golden State got off to a fast start from the opening tip, and it looked like the Warriors might be in for a win reminiscent of their road rout. The Warriors forced the Spurs to miss their first six attempts from the field and jumped out to an 11-0 lead. They led by nine, 32-23, at the end of the first, and by a dozen, 88-76, at the end of the third.

“When you’re up 12 going into the fourth, your defense is going to be the difference in maintaining that separation,” Curry said. “You just can’t give a team life and give up 38 points. You give up 38 points when it’s crunch time, that’s not going to win any game.”

The game was the Warriors’ sixth in four cities in the past eight days, and they fell to 8-6 in the second half of a back-to-back. Their 133-95 win the previous night in Phoenix meant Curry, Butler and Green should have been relatively freshly rested after logging less than 25 minutes each.

They didn’t have the same luxury against the Spurs, who climbed all the way back from their cold start to take a 55-51 lead into the locker room. San Antonio didn’t go away after halftime, falling behind by as many as 14 points but pulling all the way back to make it a fresh ballgame with 5 minutes left.

“This is what the playoffs feel like,” Kerr said. “Lot of pressure. A lot on the line. Tough losses. The only thing you can do is to pick your chin up off the floor and get back at it the next day.”

San Antonio Spurs’ Harrison Barnes (40) celebrates his game winning 3-point basket at the buzzer to beat the Golden State Warriors 114-111 at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)San Antonio Spurs’ Harrison Barnes (40) shoots his game winning 3-point basket against Golden State Warriors’ Jimmy Butler III (10) at the buzzer in the fourth quarter to beat the Golden State Warriors 114-111 at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) steals a pass intended for San Antonio Spurs’ Chris Paul (3) in the first quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Kevon Looney (5) fouls San Antonio Spurs’ Keldon Johnson (0) in the first quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) and Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga (00) fights for a rebound against San Antonio Spurs’ Harrison Barnes (40) in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts to a call during their game against the San Antonio Spurs in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Jimmy Butler III (10) heads to the basket against San Antonio Spurs’ Chris Paul (3) in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski (2) takes a shot against San Antonio Spurs’ Blake Wesley (14) in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Jimmy Butler III (10) is fouled by San Antonio Spurs’ Chris Paul (3) in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) dribbles against San Antonio Spurs’ Stephon Castle (5) in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) celebrates a basket with Golden State Warriors’ Buddy Hield (7) against the San Antonio Spurs in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Buddy Hield (7) takes a shot against San Antonio Spurs’ Stephon Castle (5) in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) walks on the court while waiting for a free throw by Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) against the San Antonio Spurs late in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Show Caption1 of 13San Antonio Spurs’ Harrison Barnes (40) celebrates his game winning 3-point basket at the buzzer to beat the Golden State Warriors 114-111 at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Expand

Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor can envision return to 49ers after local pro day

SANTA CLARA — Elic Ayomanor donned a 49ers jersey Wednesday like 48 other NFL Draft hopefuls at the team’s local pro day, then he spoke aloud what others surely thought.

“I think I would fit well here,” Ayomanor, the former Stanford wide receiver, said.

He had valid reasons why he wasn’t among those working out in the 45-minute session on the 49ers’ practice fields, an audition that included Nick Nash, San Jose State’s All-American wide receiver.

Ayomanor had just returned to the Bay Area from taking a pre-draft visit to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had one earlier with the Houston Texans, and more are on the agenda before the April 24-26 draft.

He is no stranger to the 49ers’ brass, and not just because he’s the kid next door. “I think they’ve seen all they needed to see,” Ayomanor said in a non-braggadocious way.

Indeed, general manager John Lynch and wide receivers coach Leonard Hankerson attended Stanford’s pro day last month and had Ayomanor go off-script with specialized routes.

Draft evaluations go far deeper than that, and far beyond the NFL scouting combine, where Ayomanor ran the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds, 19th best among 39 wide receivers; he was top-10 in the vertical and broad jumps.

Wednesday offered Ayomanor a chance to visit the 49ers’ facility and reunite on the sideline with Lynch, a fellow Stanford product who was an honorary gameday captain when Ayomanor first introduced himself.

“My personality is a really strong suit for me, so the more I can be around these types – the GMs, the coaches – the better it is for me,” Ayomanor said.

Ayomanor only played two seasons at Stanford, and although the Cardinal went a lowly 3-9 each year, he showed how productive he can be. That goes beyond his season totals for catches (62 in 2023, 63 in 2024), yards (1,013; 831) and touchdowns (six each season).

Ayomanor, a native of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, surely got on everyone’s radar on Oct. 13, 2023 at Colorado, against the Deion Sanders-coached Buffaloes and fellow 2025 draft prospect Travis Hunter.

Ayomanor set a Stanford record with 294 receiving yards, and he scored touchdowns on three of his 13 catches in a double-overtime victory.

“I don’t know if things really changed that much for me,” Ayomanor said of that breakout game. “I think the perception of who I was as a player changed a lot. But I approach everything the same way I always have from the beginning.”

Some draft handicappers in the media project Ayomanor as a Day 2 selection. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler gave the 6-foot-2, 206-pounder a third-round grade as his 11th-best wide receiver. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. does not list Ayomanor among his 10 ranked wide receivers.

“There was a lot of improvement and growth I had to do over my career, and that’s going to be the case moving forward,” Ayomanor, 21, said. “I wanted to show (teams) I had the ability to learn and grow.”

NASH’S WORKOUT

It’s not often – if ever – that an AP First-Team All-American wide receiver takes part in a local pro day, but San Jose State’s Nash felt compelled to do so. “Any chance to come out and play ball, I love the sport, so why not?” Nash said. “Just run routes and show what I can do. It’s my favorite thing to do.”

Nash, in his third year since converting from quarterback, led the nation last season with 104 catches, 1,382 yards and 16 touchdowns. He played 25 games at quarterback for the Spartans from 2019-21 (1,317 passing yards, 844 rushing yards).

“I’ve been in the Bay for the last six years. I’ve made this home, so it was awesome when I got the (49ers’) invite,” Nash said. “I hope I showed them that I belong at this level of competition, that I can do this, and hopefully that I’m a guy they consider when the draft comes.”

BUCHANAN MEETS WILLIS

Cal linebacker Teddye Buchanan, as expected, did not work out but spent time talking not only to linebacker coach Johnny Holland but also Pro Football Hall of Famer Patrick Willis.

“I had a great talk with him, just trying to pick his brain and talk about what made him great. He had simple advice: Bring it every single day, wake up ready to attack the day,” Buchanan said. “It was really cool to talk to him. It was a player I grew up watching, so a super cool moment for me.”

Buchanan, projected by Brugler as a fifth-round pick, is a Palo Alto native and St. Ignatius College Prep graduate who played three years at UC Davis before becoming Cal’s leading tackler last season.

“I feel it’s been a successful (pre-draft) process so far,” Buchanan said. “I got to go to the Shrine Game and the combine, which are things I’ve watched since I was a little kid. Talking to NFL teams has been a really cool process and I’m trying to embrace it.”

COACHING REUNION

Robert Saleh, four years after leaving as defensive coordinator to coach the New York Jets, returned to the 49ers’ practice field and watched the pro day, at one point alongside Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan. Also on the field were Shanahan’s other new coordinators: Klay Kubiak (offense) and Brant Boyer (special teams).

SOPHOMORE SPIES

Guard Dominick Puni, safety Malik Mustapha, defensive tackle Evan Anderson and defensive end Sam Okuayinonu all emerged from the 49ers’ weight room to watch the pro day. All are entering their second season with the team.

QUARTERBACK CROP

Related Articles Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor can envision return to 49ers after local pro day Kurtenbach: The 49ers are all-in on the worst NFL Draft in a decade Could Teddye Buchanan end Cal’s draft drought with 49ers? 49ers CEO Jed York made one good point about the team’s inactive offseason Ex-Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker sentenced to 40 days of jail work program in 49ers perjury case

Three quarterbacks auditioned: Spencer Petras (Iowa/Utah State; Marin Catholic High), Chandler Rogers (Cal) and Benjamin Wooldridge, who played at Foothill High-Pleasanton before moving on to Fresno State and Louisiana. Another former Pleasanton-bred quarterback, Dominick Mazotti of Amador Valley High, converted to tight end at San Jose State and played last season at Massachusetts.

CONSTRUCTION ZONE

Both Levi’s Stadium and the 49ers’ neighboring practice fields are undergoing changes. While the stadium updates its videoboards and suites, the field is also being renovated.

A more surprising change is happening on the training fields. The 49ers have removed the artificial turf field that was mostly used for player conditioning and kicker practice. That is creating room for two 100-yard fields that stretch east/west, while also allowing the 49ers to switch to their former 80-yard fields that run north/south.

Trump lets the water flow — again — as he reverses Biden rule restricting showerheads

By MATTHEW DALY

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has long complained about modern rules that limit water flow for showerheads, making it harder for him to wash his “beautiful hair.”

In his first term, Trump directed that restrictions on showerheads be loosened, an action that former President Joe Biden reversed.

Now Trump is going to let the water flow — again.

An executive order he signed Wednesday calls for an immediate end to water conservation standards that restrict the number of gallons per minute that flow through showerheads and other appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines and toilets.

“I like to take a nice shower, take care of my beautiful hair,” Trump said Wednesday as he signed an executive order at the White House. “I have to stand in the shower for 15 minutes until it gets wet. Comes out drip, drip, drip. It’s ridiculous.”

“What you do is you end up washing your hands five times longer, so it’s the same water,” he added. “And we’re going to open it up so that people can live.”

The order directs Energy Secretary Chris Wright to immediately rescind what Trump called the “overly complicated federal rule” that redefined the word showerhead under the last two Democratic presidents.

Biden and former President Barack Obama both imposed restrictions on water flow from showerheads and other appliances. The standards were intended to make dishwashers, showerheads, refrigerators, laundry machines and toilets use less energy and water.

Related Articles Another U-Turn: Trump reverses tariffs that caused market meltdown, but companies remain bewildered Fact Focus: Trump misrepresents facts about coal as he signs executive orders to boost its use Some House Republicans threaten Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ budget and tax cut bill ahead of floor vote Kash Patel has been replaced by Army Secretary Driscoll as acting head of the ATF, AP sources say Appeals court clears the way for the Trump administration to fire thousands of probationary workers

But the regulations “turned a basic household item into a bureaucratic nightmare,” the White House said in a fact sheet. “No longer will showerheads be weak and worthless.”

The Appliance Standards Awareness Project, which advocates for energy efficiency, said the Biden-era standards cut utility bills and protect the environment.

Showers account for about 20% of the average American family’s daily indoor water use, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Water-saving showerheads also save energy, since heating water accounts for about a fifth of the average home’s energy use.

Andrew deLaski, executive director of ASAP, said consumer reviews consistently show that most showerheads currently sold “provide a great drenching. So there isn’t a problem to be solved here with the showerheads available today.”

He called Trump’s order a gimmick designed to get around a 1992 energy efficiency law, and he predicted a similar result to Trump’s actions during his first term, when no major showerhead manufacturer made significant changes to their products.

Another U-Turn: Trump reverses tariffs that caused market meltdown, but companies remain bewildered

By PAUL WISEMAN and CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, AP Economics Writers

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump delivered another jarring reversal in American trade policy Wednesday, suspending for 90 days import taxes he’d imposed barely 13 hours earlier on dozens of countries while escalating his trade war with China. The moves triggered a powerful stock market rally on Wall Street but left businesses, investors and America’s trading partners bewildered about what the president is attempting to achieve.

Related Articles Trump lets the water flow — again — as he reverses Biden rule restricting showerheads Fact Focus: Trump misrepresents facts about coal as he signs executive orders to boost its use Some House Republicans threaten Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ budget and tax cut bill ahead of floor vote Kash Patel has been replaced by Army Secretary Driscoll as acting head of the ATF, AP sources say Appeals court clears the way for the Trump administration to fire thousands of probationary workers

The U-turn came after the sweeping global tariffs Trump announced last week set off a four-day route in global financial markets, paralyzed businesses and raised fears the U.S. and world economies would tumble into recession.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt tried to characterize the sudden change in policy as part of a grand negotiating strategy. But to those outside the Trump administration, it looked like a cave-in to market pressure and to growing fears that the president’s impetuous use of import taxes — tariffs — would cause massive collateral economic damage.

“Other countries will welcome the 90-day stay of execution — if it lasts — but the whiplash from constant zig-zags creates more of the uncertainty that businesses and governments hate,” said Daniel Russel, vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute. “The Administration’s blunt-force tactics have rattled allies, who see the sudden reversal as damage control following the market meltdown, rather than a pivot to respectful, balanced negotiations.’’

Trump’s turnaround Wednesday capped a wild week in U.S. trade policy. On Wednesday April 2 — which Trump labeled “Liberation Day’’ — the president announced plans to impose tariffs on almost every country on earth, upending the world trading system. The first of his new tariffs -– a 10% “baseline’’ tax on imports from most countries – went into effect Saturday.

At midnight Wednesday, he upped the ante by slapping what he called “reciprocal’’ taxes on countries he accused of unfair trading practices and adding to U.S. trade deficits. Those are the tariffs he suspended for 90 days, saying the pause would give countries time to negotiate with him and his trade team.

There was one exception to the reprieve: He raised the tariff on Chinese imports to a staggering 125%, punishing Beijing for announcing retaliatory tariffs on the United States. Meanwhile, the 10% baseline tariffs – a substantial act of protectionism in their own right – remain in place.

COMPANIES CUT BACK, DELAY PLANS

Trump’s ever-changing trade war tactics — which include earlier levies on cars, steel and aluminum, and Mexico and Canada — have already done damage, forcing dazed companies to delay or cancel plans as they tried to figure out what Trump was doing and how they should respond.

Some companies temporarily laid off workers after Trump’s widespread tariffs were announced, while there were signs that many firms held off on hiring amid the widespread uncertainty the tariffs created.

Carmaker Stellantis temporarily cut 900 jobs at factories in Michigan and Indiana after production was halted at two plants in Canada and Mexico in the wake of Trump’s 25% duties on imported cars.

And Cleveland-Cliffs laid off 1,200 workers at a factory in Michigan and an iron ore mine in Minnesota in response to a drop in demand from auto companies. Cleveland-Cliffs said it would resume production at the two facilities once auto production returned to the U.S.

Minutes from the Federal Reserve’s March 18-19 meeting, released Wednesday, showed that many of its policymakers said that their business contacts “reported pausing hiring decisions because of elevated policy uncertainty.”

And Delta Air Lines said earlier Wednesday that demand for domestic leisure trips and corporate travel has stalled because of the uncertainty around global trade. In a conference call with investors, the company said it was cutting capacity. It also declined to provide a full-year financial forecast.

“Right now, it’s hard to know how this is going to play out, given that this is somewhat self-imposed,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said. “I’m hopeful that sanity will prevail and we’ll move through this period of time on the global trade front relatively quickly.”

DESPERATELY SEEKING CLARITY ON TRUMP’S TARIFFS

Businesses have sought greater clarity around Trump’s ultimate tariff policies for weeks. It’s not clear that the 90-day pause has reduced their uncertainty.

Jeff Jaisli, CEO of the New Jersey-based importer/exporter Jagro, said Trump’s Truth Social post on Wednesday had made things “even worse’’ and more confusing. He was trying to figure out which tariffs applied to which countries.

“We’re scrambling to find correct information and procedures for entries we’re processing NOW in real time,’’ he said by email. He could find no guidance on the websites of the White House or the Customs and Border Protection agency, which collects tariffs. Earlier, Jaisli called Trump’s tariffs “a grenade that was thrown into the room that’s going to cause chaos.”

TRUMP’S TRADE WAR WITH CHINA ESCALATES

Trump’s tariffs have set off a tit-for-tat trade war with China, the world’s second-biggest economy. Even before Trump upped his taxes on China to 125%, the Chinese had set their own tariffs on the United States at 84%.

The World Trade Organization’s director-general, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, warned that the rising tension could reduce U.S.-China merchandise trade by 80% and “severely damage the global economic outlook.”

“Of particular concern is the potential fragmentation of global trade along geopolitical lines,” she wrote in a statement late Wednesday. “A division of the global economy into two blocs could lead to a long-term reduction in global real GDP by nearly 7%.”

Citing WTO projections, she warned the negative effects could ripple through to other economies, especially developing ones. She urged countries to ensure an open global trading system and resolve differences through cooperation.

Meanwhile, U.S. companies struggled to figure out how to respond to huge levies on Chinese products they’d come to rely on.

Jessica Bettencourt is CEO of Klem’s, a third-generation store in Spencer, Massachusetts that sells everything from lawn and garden items to workwear and gifts. She said that the escalation of tariffs from China have made her stop ordering any new fourth-quarter product that is holiday, gifts or toys. She is also reconsidering any fall apparel and footwear orders that aren’t already placed.

“The worst thing is uncertainty and we have massive uncertainty,” said Jason Goldberg, chief commerce strategy officer at Publicis Groupe, a global marketing and communications company. “No one can make any moves. Everybody is trying to save as much cash and defer any unnecessary expense. People are getting laid off. Orders are getting cancelled. Expansion plans are being put on hold.”

Robert Bumsted and Anne D’Innocenzio in New York, Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this story.

SF Giants rally from five-run deficit, beat Reds with walk-off Splash Hit from Yastrzemski

SAN FRANCISCO – Midway through the last game of a six-game homestand Wednesday, the Giants seemed primed to fade into oblivion.

Instead, the Giants rallied from a five-run deficit to the delight of an announced crowd of 35,186 at Oracle Park to eventually tie the game in the eighth inning and win it 8-6 in the 10th. Mike Yastrzemski won it with a two-run home run in the 10th against Emilio Pagan that landed in McCovey Cove.

It came on the first pitch he saw, with free runner Matt Chapman on base.

“Just wanted to keep this flight happy, you know,” Yastrzemski said after the Giants’ third walk-off win in six games. “Keep everybody going in the right direction.”

After a day off, the Giants begin a 10-game, three-city road trip to New York, Philadelphia and Anaheim, with the Yankees up first Friday night.

Wilmer Flores tied the game with a solo home run leading off the eighth inning against Tony Santillan. The Giants scored one in the fourth inning and four in the sixth after losing the two previous games to the Reds by scores of 1-0 and 2-0.

Those games came after a three-game sweep of Seattle, including two walk-offs.

“You sweep a series in dramatic fashion, then you go ahead and lose three games,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “It’s not a terribly good feeling. So it went from what could have been a rough period to one that we feel really good about.”

San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski #5 hits a two-run walk-off home run in the tenth inning of their MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

It was the fifth homer for Flores, one more than he had all of last season. Yastrzemski’s home run was his second.

Erik Miller (1-0) was the winning pitcher for the Giants, pitching a scoreless 10th. The Giants are 9-3, with the Reds falling to 5-8.

Center fielder Jung Hoo Lee finished 3-for-5 with a double and a triple and Flores was 3-for-4.

Trailing by five runs, the Giants rallied within 6-5 in the sixth with one run scoring on a wild pitch and three more coming in on four consecutive two-out hits — a double by Yastrzemski, a single by Flores, a triple by Patrick Bailey and a single by Tyler Fitzgerald.

It was at that point, Melvin said, “I felt like we were going to win the game.”

“That was a huge inning, getting extended four times with two outs,” Yastrzemski said. “To have that kind of fight and drive is huge.”

Cincinnati starter Nick Martinez was replaced by Taylor Rogers before Bailey’s triple, and he finished giving up four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Jane Tyska/Bay Area News GroupGiants starting pitcher Justin Verlander had a rough third inning but pitched into the sixth Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds.

Giants starter Justin Verlander had one bad inning in the third when the Reds scored five times but he ended up pitching into the sixth, giving up five hits with three walks and nine strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

In the first two innings, the 42-year-old right-hander looked like the Verlander of old, rather than an old Verlander. He threw 20 pitches, 18 of them strikes, and struck out the side in the second. It was a welcome sight, coming as it did after a 2 1/3-inning struggle against Seattle in which he gave up three earned runs and threw 65 pitches.

Things changed dramatically in the third. No. 8 hitter Jake Fraley walked, and Austin Wynns drove a single past Chapman at third base. Chapman had his hand checked after scraping it on the dirt and stayed in the game.

TJ Friedl, the five-year veteran from Pleasanton’s Foothill High, doubled off the right field fence for the first Cincinnati run. After Santiago Espinal’s infield single, Elly De La Cruz doubled down the right field line on a bouncer that ticked off the glove of leaping first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. and Cincinnati led 3-0.

Gavin Lux was next, and with the infield in, he drove a single just under the glove of Fitzgerald at second base. It was scored a hit, and drove in two more runs for a 5-0 Reds lead.

Verlander then struck out Will Benson and got Spencer Steer on a popup. But by then he’d faced eight batters, given up five hits, five runs and thrown 34 pitches in the inning.

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin and third baseman Matt Chapman #26 watch from the dugout in the first inning of their game against the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Melvin chalked it up to Verlander being “unlucky,” lamenting the seeing-eye grounders as well as Friedl’s hit that left the bat at just 91 miles per hour. Verlander didn’t entirely agree, but said that in terms of his pitches having velocity and life, “It’s the best I’ve felt since 2022. Not even close.”

Related Articles SF Giants shut out in first game with new City Connect jerseys SF Giants unveil new City Connect jerseys aimed at San Francisco’s musical roots SF Giants’ winning streak snapped as Greene outduels Webb SF Giants’ Yastrzemski explains Oracle Park’s “tricky” right-field corner after Robles catch, injury SF Giants secure second straight sweep, walk off Mariners to cap home-opening series

What Verlander did do was pitch into the sixth after the rocky inning — the Reds had just one hit other than the five in the third — so Melvin could set up his bullpen down the stretch.

“It allowed the rest of the game to be covered by the key guys in the back of the bullpen,” Melvin said.

Lou Trivino, Randy Rodriguez, Tyler Rogers and Ryan Walker shut down the Reds until Miller pitched the 10th.

The Giants broke an 18-inning scoreless streak in the fourth on Lee’s triple to right with no outs. It brought home Willy Adames, who walked.

NOTES

— The Giants had two runners cut down at the plate, with De La Cruz throwing out Flores on a ground ball to deep short in the fifth and Lee getting thrown out on a comebacker to Martinez in the fourth.

— Yastrzemski’s splash hit was the first by a Giant this season and the sixth walk-off hit of his career. Five of those have come on home runs.

— Lee’s seven doubles lead the majors and the triple was the first of his career.

San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski #5 is greeted at the plate after hitting a two-run walk-off home run in the tenth inning of their game against the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski #5 celebrates after hitting a two-run walk-off home run in the tenth inning of their MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski #5 is congratulated by coaches and teammates after hitting a two-run walk-off home run in the tenth inning of their MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Erik Miller #68 throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the ninth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Wilmer Flores #41 celebrates his solo home run off Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Tony Santillan #64 with catcher Patrick Bailey #14 in the eighth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Cincinnati Reds’ Elly De La Cruz #44 gets back to the bag as San Francisco Giants first baseman Casey Schmitt #10 takes the throw on a pickoff attempt in the seventh inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee #51 is safe at second base after hitting a double as Cincinnati Reds’ Elly De La Cruz #44 puts on the tag in the seventh inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Patrick Bailey #14 hits an RBI triple off Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Taylor Rogers #55 in the sixth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Wilmer Flores #41 scores past Cincinnati Reds catcher Austin Wynns #38 on an RBI triple by Patrick Bailey #14 in the sixth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Lou Trivino #56 throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman #26 can’t get to a foul ball in the sixth inning of their MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander #35 is taken out by manager Bob Melvin #6 in the sixth inning of their MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames #2 makes a throwing error to second base as Cincinnati Reds’ Gavin Lux #2 is safe in the sixth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames #2 scores past Cincinnati Reds catcher Austin Wynns #38 after Jung Hoo Lee #51 hit an RBI triple in the fourth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee #51 hits an RBI triple off Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Martinez #28 in the fourth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee #51 talks with third base coach Matt Williams #9 after hiting an RBI triple in the fourth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Martinez #28 throws against the San Francisco Giants in the second inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Tyler Fitzgerald #49 is safe at second as Casey Schmitt #10 reaches first base on a throwing error by Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz #44 in the sixth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. To the right is Cincinnati Reds second baseman Gavin Lux #2. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Patrick Bailey #14 scores on an RBI single by Tyler Fitzgerald #49 in the sixth inning of their MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants second baseman Tyler Fitzgerald #49 is late with the tag as Cincinnati Reds’ Gavin Lux #2 slides safely into the bag after a throwing error by shortstop Willy Adames #2 in the sixth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Cincinnati Reds’ Gavin Lux #2 hits a two-run RBI single off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander #35 in the third inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin #6 and Wilmer Flores #41 debate a strike call with umpire Brennan Miller #55 in the third inning of their MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Cincinnati Reds’ Elly De La Cruz #44 scores past San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey #14 after Gavin Lux #2 hit a two-run RBI single off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander #35 in the third inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Cincinnati Reds’ Elly De La Cruz #44 celebrates with Santiago Espinal #4 after Gavin Lux #2 hit a two-run RBI single off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander #35 in the third inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)A man sports a mohawk before the San Francisco Giants MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Show Caption1 of 25San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski #5 is greeted at the plate after hitting a two-run walk-off home run in the tenth inning of their game against the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Expand

Fact Focus: Trump misrepresents facts about coal as he signs executive orders to boost its use

By MELISSA GOLDIN and JENNIFER McDERMOTT

President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed four executive orders designed to boost the U.S. coal industry, outlining steps to protect coal-fired power plants and expedite leases for coal mining on U.S. land. But in touting the benefits of coal, he misrepresented several aspects of its safety and use.

Here’s a look at the facts.

CLAIM: “I call it beautiful, clean coal. I told my people, never use the word coal unless you put beautiful, clean before it.”

THE FACTS: The production of coal is cleaner now than it has been historically, but that doesn’t mean it’s clean.

Planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions from the coal industry have decreased over the past 30 years, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Energy lobbyist Scott Segal said that “the relative statement that coal-fired electricity is cleaner than ever before is true, particularly when emissions are measured per unit of electricity produced.”

And yet, coal production worldwide still needs to be reduced sharply to address climate change, according to United Nations-backed research.

Along with carbon dioxide, burning coal emits sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that contribute to acid rain, smog and respiratory illnesses, according to the EIA.

Over the past 15 years, the U.S. has seen a major shift from coal to natural gas for electricity use, a key reason U.S. carbon emissions have declined over that period.

Coal once provided more than half of U.S. electricity production, but its share dropped to about 16% in 2023, down from about 45% as recently as 2010. Natural gas provides about 43% of U.S. electricity, with the remainder from nuclear energy and renewables such as wind, solar and hydropower.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright acknowledged during his confirmation hearing in January that the burning of fossil fuels — coal, oil and natural gas — causes climate change. That’s because the combustion of fossil fuels is drastically increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, warming the planet.

TRUMP: “It’s cheap, incredibly efficient, high density and it’s almost indestructible.”

THE FACTS: Coal is one of the most expensive sources of new power generation. New coal plants would produce electricity at nearly $90 per megawatt hour on average, though no one in the U.S. is currently building or planning to build a new coal plant, according to estimates from the EIA.

Related Articles Trump lets the water flow — again — as he reverses Biden rule restricting showerheads Rooftop solar is not the culprit behind high California electric bills, advocates say Lisa Wooninck, Finding Sanctuary:| Whalefest celebrates our ocean economy Commercial Dungeness crab season closing in Monterey Bay Sierra Nevada snowpack sees most bountiful three years in a row in 25 years

Standalone solar without battery storage is the cheapest source of new power generation at about $23 per megawatt hour on average for new projects connecting to the grid in 2028, the EIA estimates. That includes tax credits and other subsidies under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which help reduce the cost of renewable energy.

New natural gas plants are expected to produce electricity at nearly $43 per megawatt hour, according to the estimates.

A nonpartisan climate policy think tank, Energy Innovation, found that 99% of existing U.S. coal plants are more expensive to keep running than if they’re replaced with local solar, wind, and battery storage. Americans immediately begin saving money when coal plants retire and communities transition to clean energy, according to Energy Innovation’s 2023 report.

“Trump has promised to cut American energy bills in half – this is yet another way he’s forcing Americans to pay more,” Greg Alvarez, a spokesperson with Energy Innovations, wrote in an email Tuesday.

Coal plants operated at full power about 42.4% of the time in 2023, according to EIA’s most recent data. In comparison, nuclear and geothermal plants ranked highest, at about 93% and 69.4%, respectively.

CLAIM: “The value of untapped coal in our country is 100 times greater than the value of all the gold at Fort Knox.”

THE FACTS: Although the U.S. does have an abundance of coal, its estimated value is not nearly as high as Trump claims.

There are currently about 147.3 million troy ounces of gold stored at Fort Knox with a book value of approximately $6.2 billion, according to the U.S. Treasury. Gold closed on the open market Tuesday, trading at $2,990.20 per troy ounce, making its market value much higher, at about $440.6 billion. A troy ounce, a weight measurement for precious metals, is approximately 31.1 grams.

There were about 469.1 billion short tons of coal in U.S. reserves as of Jan. 1, 2024, according to the EIA, though only about 53% of that was available for mining. EIA estimates its value at approximately $598.3 billion. That’s more than all of the gold at Fort Knox, but far short of 100 times that amount. A short ton, also known as a U.S. ton, is equivalent to 2,000 pounds.

TRUMP: “They’re opening up coal, coal plants all over Germany.”

THE FACTS: That’s not accurate. According to Germany’s economy ministry, 18 coal-fired power plants were shut down in 2024. “No new coal-fired power plants will be built,” a spokesman for the ministry said Wednesday in response to a question about Trump’s claims. The spokesperson noted the country plans to phase out coal-fired power generation by 2038 at the latest.

Germany did bring some coal-fired plants back online in 2022 and 2023 to deal with natural gas shortages after Russia invaded Ukraine. The government allowed up to six gigawatts of coal-fired power plants to return from the reserve to the market for a limited period of time. They were taken offline by the end of March 2024, according to Agora Energiewende, a Berlin-based climate policy think thank.

Associated Press climate, environment and energy writer Matthew Daly contributed to this report.