Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 173

Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga ruled out vs. Grizzlies with pelvis injury

Pelvis injuries continue to rue a Golden State team fighting and clawing to stay out of the play-in tournament. Jonathan Kuminga was ruled out against Memphis on Tuesday night with a right pelvic contusion.

“We think he’ll be able to go in L.A. (on Thursday), but it’s day-to-day,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told media in Memphis.

Kuminga was injured on a hard fall with 6:59 left in the second quarter of Golden State’s victory in San Antonio Sunday. The fourth-year forward was ruled out with an ankle injury at the time. Kuminga missed 31 games with a severe right ankle sprain earlier in the season.  

Steph Curry missed two games with a pelvic contusion – losses to Atlanta and Miami – before returning for wins at New Orleans and San Antonio. 

The Warriors (43-31) head into Tuesday’s game as the sixth seed after winning those two in a row. They were a half-game behind the free-falling Grizzlies (44-31) and a half game ahead of Minnesota (43-32), which is in the play-in tournament slot as the seventh seed. 

“It’s right there, and if we win, we get the tie-breaker over Memphis,” Kerr said of Tuesday’s game. “At this stage of the season, it’s a huge game.”

Memphis stunned the NBA world when it fired longtime coach Taylor Jenkins on Friday. 

“It was surprising, and Taylor’s a great coach,” Kerr said. “I felt terrible for him … and I’m also aware that every organization has their own decisions to make and dynamics, and I’m not privy to any of that stuff. From afar, it was shocking, and I know he’ll land on his feet.”

The Grizzlies have lost three games in a row, and six of their last seven. All-Star guard Ja Morant has played in each of Memphis’ last two games, scoring over 20 points in each of them.

Without Gary Payton II, who is out with a thumb injury, Kerr said the Warriors will take a team-oriented approach to stopping the explosive slasher and keeping him out of the paint.

Related Articles Steph Curry passes Jerry West on all-time NBA scoring list: ‘I got a little emotional about that’ Steph Curry scores 52, hits 12 3-pointers, as Warriors rally past Grizzlies Warriors face key game for West playoff seeding in Memphis Warriors start fast, blow out Spurs, move back into No. 6 playoff spot Weighing the 2025 NBA Championship

Draymond Green earns accolade

Draymond Green’s case for the Defensive Player of the Year award became stronger on Tuesday when the league announced that the veteran forward was named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Month. 

Green averaged 1.9 steals and 0.9 blocks per game in March as Golden State forced a league-best 16.7 turnovers per game. 

“He’s had a fantastic year, and no doubt he’ll be All-Defense and I think he’s got a great shot at Defensive Player of the Year,” Kerr told media on Tuesday afternoon. “It’s pretty cool coming at 35.”

One of his best performances came in a March 15 victory over Milwaukee, when Green held perennial MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo to 0-for-7 shooting in a 104-93 victory. In the postgame press conference, Green made his case to be the DPoY. 

Moody enjoys homecoming

Curry won’t be the only visitor to draw loud cheers from the home crowd when he makes a play on Beale Street. 

Arkansas native Moses Moody expects to have a large contingent of friends and family in attendance at FedEx Forum. His hometown of Little Rock is only two hours west of Memphis. 

“I have a lot of tickets (I’ll need) to find, but I love being here and being close to Arkansas and close to home,” Moody told media at shootaround. “Buddy (Hield) just gave me his tickets, so I’m going to have my people in the house, and it’s going to be like a home game for me.”

Naval Academy removes nearly 400 books from library in new DEI purge ordered by Hegseth’s office

By LOLITA C. BALDOR

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Naval Academy has removed nearly 400 books from its library after being told by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office to review and get rid of ones that promote diversity, equity and inclusion, U.S officials said Tuesday.

Related Articles Democrats’ win in Wisconsin court race also is a big loss for Elon Musk Democratic-backed Wisconsin state schools chief Jill Underly wins reelection over GOP-backed rival Anger against Trump is likely to cost the US international visitors, forecaster says Trump administration pauses some family planning grants as it investigates compliance with laws Most immigrants at risk of deportation from US are Christian, report finds

Academy officials were told to review the library late last week, and an initial search had identified about 900 books for a closer look. They decided on nearly 400 to remove and began doing so Monday, finishing before Hegseth arrived for a visit Tuesday that had already been planned and was not connected to the library purge, officials said. A list of the books has not yet been made available.

Pulling the books off the shelves is another step in the Trump administration’s far-reaching effort to eliminate so-called DEI content from federal agencies, including policies, programs, online and social media postings and curriculum at schools.

The Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, the Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, had not been included in President Donald Trump’s executive order in January that banned DEI instruction, programs or curriculum in kindergarten through 12th grade schools that receive federal funding. That is because the academies are colleges.

Pentagon leaders, however, suddenly turned their attention to the Naval Academy last week when a media report noted that the school had not removed books that promoted DEI. A U.S. official said the academy was told late last week to conduct the review and removal. It isn’t clear if the order was directed by Hegseth or someone else on his staff.

A West Point official confirmed that the school had completed a review of its curriculum and was prepared to review library content if directed by the Army. The Air Force and Naval academies had also done curriculum reviews as had been required.

An Air Force Academy official said the school continually reviews its curriculum, coursework and other materials to ensure it all complies with executive orders and Defense Department policies. Last week, Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, the Air Force Academy superintendent, told Congress that the school was in the middle of its course review, but there was no mention of books.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss academy policies.

Hegseth has aggressively pushed the department to erase DEI programs and online content, but the campaign has been met with questions from angry lawmakers, local leaders and citizens over the removal of military heroes and historic mentions from Defense Department websites and social media pages.

In response, the department has scrambled to restore some of those posts as their removals have come to light.

The confusion about how to interpret the DEI policy was underscored Monday as Naval Academy personnel mistakenly removed some photos of distinguished female Jewish graduates from a display case as they prepared for Hegseth’s visit. The photos were put back.

In a statement, the Navy said it is aware that photos were mistakenly removed from the Naval Academy Jewish Center. It said U.S. Naval Academy leadership was immediately taking steps to review and correct the unauthorized removal.

Hegseth spoke with students and had lunch at the academy Tuesday, but media were not invited or allowed to cover the visit.

Horoscopes April 1, 2025: Susan Boyle, put your energy to good use

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Asa Butterfield, 28; Hillary Scott, 39; Taran Killam, 43; Susan Boyle, 64.

Happy Birthday: Explore the possibilities. The places you visit mentally, physically and emotionally will shape your future. Put your energy to good use. Pent-up anger will be your downfall. Keep busy; an outlet with positive results will help you reach your goal. Self-improvement begins with a healthy lifestyle and more time to rejuvenate and find your bliss. Please don’t settle for less; make it your mission to make your dream a reality. Your numbers are 4, 11, 21, 28, 32, 38, 46.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Speak up, ask questions and leave no room for error or misunderstandings. Simplify everything to ensure that even those who may not want to listen or respect your rights understand your position. Clarity is essential if you want to maintain your integrity and reputation. Invest in yourself and your future. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Finish what you start. Refuse to let second-guessing confuse or disorient you regarding what you should or shouldn’t do. Let your intuition guide you, and use strength and courage to help you follow through. You don’t have to make a big splash. Keep your motives to yourself, and concentrate on your target. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When doubt kicks in, take a pass. Do whatever it takes to avoid compromising your position, reputation, or emotional or financial security. Consider your options and only adjust what’s feasible. Help yourself first, and you’ll find it easier to assist others. Refuse to let anyone take advantage of you. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Put your time and energy into your work. Doing the best job possible will lead to rewards. Share your thoughts, offer your services and invest more time and money in your future. Redesign your skills and how you market yourself to suit today’s economy and needs. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Keep adding to your qualifications, and maintain technological savvy to ensure your job safety and prospects. Stay in the loop by joining interest groups and participating in activities that help you build solid relationships with those who share your mindset. An innovative approach to life and learning will pay off. 2 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Invest more time and money into getting ahead, setting trends and doing the most with your skills, connections and prospects. Market yourself for success, whether it’s personal, creative or financial gains you want to achieve. Advocate for yourself, and you’ll encourage others to support your efforts. 5 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A break will give you the boost you need to bring about positive change. A journey, reunion or conversing with an expert will offer insight into situations that are taxing or need an adjustment. Setting up a space to do something you enjoy will give you the boost you need to excel. 5 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Refuse to let anyone deter you from doing the things that bring you the most joy with those you love and respect. Call the shots instead of letting someone else dictate what you can and cannot do. Change begins with you; if you want something, go after it wholeheartedly. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Only open doors that have meaning to you. Your time is precious, so let those who try to take advantage of you know it isn’t going to happen. Turn the tables by doing what’s best for you. Take advantage of an opportunity to improve your living arrangements and relationships. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Honesty is the best policy, especially when it comes to being truthful with yourself. Adjust your living space to lower your overhead or encourage better conditions for productivity and achieving your personal and professional goals. Put greater emphasis on relationships, equality and the time you want to spend with others. 5 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Channel your energy into learning something new through communication, conferences and research. It will change your plans and perspective regarding how you use your time, energy and skills to fulfill your needs and dreams better. Thinking about the future will help you diversify and utilize your skills to suit what’s current. 2 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): An emotional matter will change your perspective and offer insight into your next move. Don’t sell yourself short; market what you love to do and strive for a better lifestyle and personal satisfaction. Don’t sit back when you should be moving forward. Take what’s yours and follow your heart. 4 stars

Birthday Baby: You are friendly, sensitive and enthusiastic. You are adaptable and progressive.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

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

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

SF Giants’ Hicks dominates Astros in first hometown start

HOUSTON — Jordan Hicks sat isolated in the third-base dugout hours prior to first pitch, taking a brief beat to bask in the moment. He’s known Houston for nearly three decades; it still had that same fragrance.

Entering Monday, Hicks had pitched in 29 major-league stadiums, a list that doesn’t include Sutter Health Park in Sacramento. He’d even pitched in Mexico’s Estadio de Beisbol Monterrey and the United Kingdom’s London Stadium. But Hicks, who was born in Houston, had never pitched at Daikin Park, formerly known as Minute Maid Park for most of his life. Monday, then, represented the first time he would pitch in H-Town as a major leaguer. Given the occasion, he had no shortage of friends and family in attendance.

He saved his best for home.

The final line — six scoreless innings, one hit, one walk, six strikeouts — is impressive enough, a performance that led the Giants to a 7-2 win over the Astros. At one point, he retired 14 consecutive batters. But the final line doesn’t do Hicks’ performance justice. Not when he threw more than three miles an hour harder than last year. Pitching on familiar soil, it was the best that Hicks has looked in a Giants uniform.

“He was up for this game, and you could see it right away,” said manager Bob Melvin.

The Giants didn’t need much offense with Hicks shoving, but the offense showered Hicks with enough support to earn the win regardless.

Wilmer Flores hit a three-run shot and drove in four runs after hitting two homers in Cincinnati, already one away from matching last year’s home run total. Matt Chapman drove in a pair of runs and reached base three times while LaMonte Wade Jr. contributed an RBI by way of a sacrifice fly as well. The offense remains hot after scoring 14 runs in Cincinnati, but not as hot as Daikin Park’s radar gun with Hicks on the hill.

Hicks’ outing evoked memories of his years as a reliever with the St. Louis Cardinals, a time when he regularly touched triple digits, and on two occasions, he hit as high as 105 mph. Upon signing with the Giants as a starter, Hicks sacrificed speed for stamina. Hicks occasionally reached back for more, but his velocity last year sat in the mid-90s.

His start against Houston, then, was a blend of a reliever’s heat and a starter’s endurance.

Related Articles ‘I loved my time here’: SF Giants’ Verlander talks return to Houston In the summer of 1986, San Jose’s Bad News Bees had all of baseball buzzing Ramos, Chapman shine on both sides of ball as SF Giants take first series SF Giants’ Birdsong learned his signature pitch on TikTok — and it could make him ‘elite’ Verlander’s SF Giants debut spoiled by first loss of season

Hicks, who added roughly 15 pounds and quit nicotine this offseason, averaged 98.0 mph with his sinker — 3.5 mph harder than what averaged last year. After throwing only 10 pitches of at least 99 mph last year, Hicks threw 10 pitches that clocked in at least 99 mph in the first inning alone. Hicks used most of that premium gas in the first three innings, but Hicks’ final pitch of the night registered at 98.9 mph.

“The sinker was on. They were giving me the outside corner. The hitters were kind of off the plate a little bit,” Hicks said. “If you’re going to let me have that outside corner, I’m going to try to paint it.”

Hicks would’ve been happy with the performance at any venue, but to do it in his hometown brought a unique satisfaction.

The 28-year-old recalled coming to games at this venue as a kid, joking that he prefers the old “Minute Maid Park” moniker. Before beginning his preparation, he took several moments to walk on the field and reminisce, remembering the specific sections where he sat.

As a kid, Hicks cheered for the likes of Lance Berkman, Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and Michael Bourn. With roughly 80 friends and family in attendance, Hicks ensured there’d be little for the hometown fans to cheer about.

“It was a special moment,” Hicks said.

Worth noting

Heliot Ramos and Matt Chapman each stole their first bases of the year, giving the Giants their first multi-steal game of the season. Last season, they only had 12 such games. This also marked the first time this year they’ve stolen at least one base in three straight games. In 2024, there were only two instances where they stole at least one base in three consecutive games.Jung Hoo Lee has reached base at least once in each of the Giants’ first four games.

‘I loved my time here’: SF Giants’ Verlander talks return to Houston

HOUSTON — Justin Verlander was never dead set on joining the San Francisco Giants at the beginning of the offseason.

Verlander and Jim Crane, the owner of the Houston Astros, each had interest in him returning to Houston for the 2025 season. But when president of baseball operations Buster Posey approached Verlander about joining the Giants, the Astros weren’t in a position to extend an offer to Verlander. So, to San Francisco the future Hall of Famer went.

“Once you kind of get the ball rolling with negotiations, you just don’t know how things are going to play out,” Verlander said before the Giants played the Astros on Monday at Daikin Park. “I’ve seen that play out before. … I loved my time here. It’s something. It’s something that’s really special to me. Of course, the opportunity to play here is always something that’s on my mind.”

Verlander solidified his place in Cooperstown during his time in Houston. Over seven seasons with the Astros, Verlander had a 73-28 record with a 2.71 ERA in 130 regular-season starts, winning two Cy Young Awards (’19, ’22) and two World Series titles (’17, ’22). For all he accomplished in Houston, Verlander doesn’t know which cap his Hall of Fame plaque will feature — only that it won’t be that of the Giants or the New York Mets.

The right-hander spent the first 13 seasons of his career with the Detroit Tigers, who drafted him with the second pick in the 2004 MLB Draft. With Detroit, Verlander went 183-114 with a 3.49 ERA and 2,373 strikeouts, winning Rookie of the Year, an MVP and his first Cy Young Award in the process. Entering Monday, Verlander’s 262 wins are the most by an active pitcher.

“Some really special things happened here … I’m not blowing smoke; this is just kind of how I operate. I let things just kind of happen and make decisions when I have all the information,” Verlander said. “I never would have known I would come back here after going to New York. You just never know how things play out. You don’t know how things will play out with Detroit for me in the future. It’s not a decision I can even really think about that much right now. Quite honestly, I try not to.”

For manager Bob Melvin, most of his memories of Verlander are in a Tigers uniform — and they aren’t exactly fond memories either.

In back-to-back years, Verlander’s Tigers met Melvin’s Oakland A’s in the ALDS. In back-to-back years, the Tigers beat the A’s and Verlander had no small part in those outcomes.

Related Articles SF Giants’ Hicks dominates Astros in first hometown start In the summer of 1986, San Jose’s Bad News Bees had all of baseball buzzing Ramos, Chapman shine on both sides of ball as SF Giants take first series SF Giants’ Birdsong learned his signature pitch on TikTok — and it could make him ‘elite’ Verlander’s SF Giants debut spoiled by first loss of season

Verlander made four total starts against the A’s in the 2012 and 2013 playoffs, allowing one lone run over 31 innings (0.29 ERA) with 43 strikeouts. He took the mound in the deciding Game 5 of each series, tossing an 11-strikeout shutout in ’12 and eight shutout innings with 10 strikeouts in ’13.

“He was hard on me all the time,” Melvin said. “(With) Detroit, there were a couple of epic Game 5s. I probably remember him more in a Tigers uni, but he won a world championship here. He can do what he wants.”

Verlander, who won’t pitch during the three-game series in Houston, will make his next start against Seattle during the Giants’ home opener Friday afternoon.

Walker “good to go”

Closer Ryan Walker didn’t pitch the ninth inning in Sunday’s 6-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds, but Melvin said his closer threw off the mound on Monday and will be “good to go.”

With Walker unable to pitch yesterday, Melvin gave the ninth inning to former closer Camilo Doval. The All-Star pitched a clean inning with a strikeout, converting his first save of the season. Dating back to last season, Doval hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last five appearances.

Monterey Peninsula district school superintendent changes mind, decides to stick around

MONTEREY — PK Diffenbaugh, the superintendent for the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, has changed his mind and won’t be leaving at the end of the school year he announced in a letter sent out Monday.

Diffenbaugh, who was appointed in June 2014 to oversee the district’s nearly 9,300 students across 21 schools, had announced in February that he would finish out the school year and officially step down this summer.

Since that time, Diffenbaugh has had second thoughts he wrote in his announcement.

“I dug deep and I’ve come to a realization: I’m not ready to leave,” Diffenbaugh said.

Diffenbaugh, 48, wrote that when he announced his decision to step away from his role as superintendent at the end of this school year, “it was made with a full heart and deep reflection.”

At the time, Diffenbaugh said he was “at a point of mental and emotional exhaustion.”

“I believed it was time for a much-needed break — a moment to pause after years of navigating the complexities and challenges of public education,” Diffenbaugh wrote.

He changed his mind, though, after “trusted conversations with close colleagues, teachers and classified staff, community members, and my family.”

“This is not a decision made out of hesitation, but from clarity,” Diffenbaugh wrote. “I am here because I want to be. I believe in what we are building and in the extraordinary potential of our future.”

Before joining Monterey Peninsula Unified, Diffenbaugh served as the director of 7-12 instruction at Garden Grove Unified School District. Under Diffenbaugh’s leadership, Monterey Peninsula Unified was able to pass Measure I (2018) and Measure A (2024) which allowed the district over $550 million to update and improve school facilities.

When Diffenbaugh came on board in 2014, he was Monterey Peninsula Unified’s seventh superintendent in 10 years.

“The vision from 10 years ago remains,” Diffenbaugh wrote, “to become one of the finest school districts in the country.”

 

 

Thousands of workers at nation’s health agencies brace for mass layoffs

By AMANDA SEITZ and MATTHEW PERRONE

WASHINGTON (AP) — As they readied to leave work Monday, some workers at the Food and Drug Administration were told to pack their laptops and prepare for the possibility that they wouldn’t be back, according to an email obtained by The Associated Press.

Related Articles Judge pauses Trump administration plans to end temporary legal protections for Venezuelans Trump welcomes Kid Rock to White House for order targeting ticket scalpers Nonprofit groups sue Trump administration over election executive order, calling it unconstitutional Trump task force to review Harvard’s funding after Columbia bows to federal demands US immigration officials look to expand social media data collection

Nervous employees — roughly 82,000 across the nation’s public health agencies — waited to see whether pink slips would arrive in their inboxes. The mass dismissals have been expected since Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced last week a massive reorganization that will result in 20,000 fewer jobs at the Department of Health and Human Services. About 10,000 will be eliminated through layoffs.

The email sent to some at the FDA said staffers should check their email for a possible notice that their jobs would be eliminated, which would also halt their access to government buildings. An FDA employee shared the email with AP on condition of anonymity, because they weren’t authorized to disclose internal agency matters.

Kennedy has criticized the department he oversees as an inefficient “sprawling bureaucracy” and said the department’s $1.7 trillion yearly budget “has failed to improve the health of Americans.” He plans to streamline operations and fold entire agencies — such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration — into a new Administration for a Healthy America.

On Friday, dozens of federal health employees working to stop infectious diseases from spreading were put on leave.

Several current and former federal officials told The AP that the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy was hollowed out that night. Some employees posted on LinkedIn about the office emptying. And an HIV and public health expert who works directly with the office was emailed a notice saying that all staff had been asked to leave. The expert spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity over fears of losing future work on the issue.

Several of the office’s advisory committees — including the National Vaccine Advisory Committee and others that advise on HIV/AIDs response — have had their meetings canceled.

“It puts a number of important efforts to improve the health of Americans at risk,” said Dr. Robert H. Hopkins Jr., the former chair of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee, an advisory committee of the office.

An HHS official said the office is not being closed but that the department is seeking to consolidate the work and reduce redundancies.

Also, as of Monday, a website for the Office of Minority Health was disabled, with an error message saying the page “does not exist.”

Beyond layoffs at federal health agencies, cuts have begun at state and local health departments as a result of an HHS move last week to pull back more than $11 billion in COVID-19-related funds.

Local and state health officials are still assessing the impact, but some health departments have already identified hundreds of jobs that stand to be eliminated because of lost funding, “some of them overnight, some of them are already gone,” said Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

Associated Press writer Carla K. Johnson in Seattle contributed reporting.

Judge pauses Trump administration plans to end temporary legal protections for Venezuelans

By JANIE HAR

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge on Monday paused plans by the Trump administration to end temporary legal protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, a week before they were scheduled to expire.

Related Articles Thousands of workers at nation’s health agencies brace for mass layoffs Trump welcomes Kid Rock to White House for order targeting ticket scalpers Nonprofit groups sue Trump administration over election executive order, calling it unconstitutional Trump task force to review Harvard’s funding after Columbia bows to federal demands US immigration officials look to expand social media data collection

The order by U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco is a relief for 350,000 Venezuelans whose Temporary Protected Status was scheduled to expire April 7. The lawsuit was filed by lawyers for the National TPS Alliance and TPS holders across the country.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has also announced the end of TPS for an estimated 250,000 additional Venezuelans in September.

Chen said in his ruling that the action by Noem “threatens to: inflict irreparable harm on hundreds of thousands of persons whose lives, families, and livelihoods will be severely disrupted, cost the United States billions in economic activity, and injure public health and safety in communities throughout the United States.”

He said the government had failed to identify any “real countervailing harm in continuing TPS for Venezuelan beneficiaries” and said plaintiffs will likely succeed in showing that Noem’s actions “are unauthorized by law, arbitrary and capricious, and motivated by unconstitutional animus.”

Chen, who was appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama, a Democrat, said his order applies nationally.

He gave the government one week to file notice of an appeal and the plaintiffs one week to file to pause for 500,000 Haitians whose TPS protections are set to expire in August. Alejandro Mayorkas, the previous secretary, had extended protections for all three cohorts into 2026.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, center, speaks to the press during the arrival of Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Congress created TPS, as the law is known, in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries suffering from natural disasters or civil strife, giving people authorization to live and work in the U.S. in increments of up to 18 months if the Homeland Security secretary deems conditions in their home countries are unsafe for return.

The reversals are a major about-face from immigration policies under former President Joe Biden, a Democrat, and come as Republican President Donald Trump and his top aides have ratcheted up attacks on judges who rule against them, with immigration being at the forefront of many disagreements.

At a hearing last Monday, lawyers for TPS holders said that Noem has no authority to cancel the protections and that her actions were motivated in part by racism. They asked the judge to pause Noem’s orders, citing the irreparable harm to TPS holders struggling with fear of deportation and potential separation from family members.

Government lawyers for Noem said that Congress gave the secretary clear and broad authority to make determinations related to the TPS program and that the decisions were not subject to judicial review. Plaintiffs have no right to thwart the secretary’s orders from being carried out, they said.

But Chen found the government’s arguments unpersuasive and found that numerous derogatory and false comments by Noem — and by Trump — against Venezuelans as criminals show that racial animus was a motivator in ending protections.

“Acting on the basis of a negative group stereotype and generalizing such stereotype to the entire group is the classic example of racism,” he wrote.

Biden sharply expanded use of TPS and other temporary forms of protection in a strategy to create and expand legal pathways to live in the United States while suspending asylum for those who enter illegally.

Trump has questioned the the impartiality of a federal judge who blocked his plans to deport Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador, levelling his criticism only hours before his administration asked an appeals court to lift the judge’s order.

The administration has also said it was revoking temporary protections for more than 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans who have come to the U.S. since October 2022 through another legal avenue called humanitarian parole, which Biden used more than any other president. Their two-year work permits will expire April 24.

Low pressure system to bring day of rain and wind to Peninsula

MONTEREY — A low-pressure system will move through the Monterey Peninsula on Tuesday, bringing rain in the morning and a chance for thunderstorms in the early afternoon.

The National Weather Service reported rainfall and widespread winds as April begins, but mostly for the Big Sur coast.

On the Peninsula, there is expected to be a day of wind and rain, with about a 15 percent chance for thunderstorms. Meteorologists say they aren’t expecting flood advisories, but if the storm moves more toward the Peninsula there could be ponding on streets and sidewalks.

“This is one large low pressure coming through and will give us off and on chances for showers and storms,” said Brayben Murdock, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service Bay Area, headquartered in Monterey. “Earlier in the season we had some atmospheric rivers and then showers and storms followed, this is the same without the atmospheric river.”

Murdock said Monday’s winds, with gusts up to 30 MPH,  were likely the peak for the Peninsula, but Tuesday will still be breezy. The Peninsula also received scattered showers Monday and had temperatures in the mid to high 50s.

“We’ll have another round of breezier to gusty conditions in the late afternoon going into the evening, and then that will dissipate,” Murdock said. “But this will be off and on for the next few days. This weekend, we’ll really see the winds calm.”

The weather is expected to warm up and be drier on Wednesday but temperatures will move gradually up the scale until they hit the low 70s in some areas by Saturday. The pattern is a reversal from last week, when the Peninsula and region had warm, spring-like conditions early in the week before the rain arrived later in the week.

 

Trump welcomes Kid Rock to White House for order targeting ticket scalpers

By WILL WEISSERT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump invited Kid Rock into the Oval Office on Monday and signed an executive order that he says will help curb ticket scalping and bring “commonsense” changes to the way live events are priced.

Related Articles Thousands of workers at nation’s health agencies brace for mass layoffs Judge pauses Trump administration plans to end temporary legal protections for Venezuelans Nonprofit groups sue Trump administration over election executive order, calling it unconstitutional Trump task force to review Harvard’s funding after Columbia bows to federal demands US immigration officials look to expand social media data collection

“Anyone who’s bought a concert ticket in the last decade, maybe 20 years — no matter what your politics are — knows that it’s a conundrum,” said Kid Rock, who wore a red bedazzled suit featuring an American flag motif and a straw fedora.

Designed to stop “price-gouging by middlemen,” the order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to ensure that scalpers offering tickets at higher prices than their face value comply with all Internal Revenue Service rules.

It also orders the Federal Trade Commission to ensure “price transparency at all stages of the ticket-purchase process” and to “take enforcement action to prevent unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive conduct in the secondary ticketing market,” which the Trump administration argues can restore sensibility and order to the ticket market.

Trump said he knows Kid Rock, a longtime supporter whose real name is Robert James Ritchie, as simply “Bob.”

“He’s been a good friend for a long time,” Trump said.

The president said rising fees for concerts and other events have “gotten worse and worse with time.” Kid Rock agreed.

“You can buy a ticket for $100. By the time you check out, it’s $170. You don’t know what you’ve been charged for,” Kid Rock said. “But, more importantly, the bots, you know, they come in, they get all the good tickets to your favorite shows you want to go to, and then they’re relisted immediately for sometimes 400-500% markup.”

The order mostly directs federal agencies to enforce existing laws. Still, it marks a rare instance of policy crossover with the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden, which used the FTC to target “ junk fees,” or levies tacked on at the end of the purchase process that can mask the full price of things like concert tickets, hotel rooms and utility bills.

Under Biden, the Justice Department also sued Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, last year. It accused them of running an illegal monopoly over live events and asked a court to break up the system that squelches competition and drives up prices for fans.

Those companies have a history of clashing with major artists, including Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift. whose summer 2022 stadium tour was plagued by difficulty getting tickets.

Country music star Zach Bryan even released a 2022 album titled “All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster.” A representative for Bryan said he had “nothing to add” when asked to comment on Monday’s executive orer.

The Biden administration used such initiatives as a way to protect consumers from rising prices that were already inflated. Trump, meanwhile, campaigned on combating high ticket prices, calling them “very unfortunate.”

Kid Rock, known for hits like “Cowboy” and “Bawitdaba,” called Trump’s order a ”great first step” and said he’d eventually like to see a cap on resale prices on tickets — while quickly adding, “I’m a capitalist.” He also said he’d spoken to Ticketmaster, which he described as “on board” with the change.

TOPSHOT – US President Donald Trump signs an executive order alongside US singer Kid Rock in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on March 31, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

The White House says America’s live concert and entertainment industry has a total nationwide economic impact of $132.6 billion and supports 913,000 jobs, “But it has become blighted by unscrupulous middle-men who impose egregious fees on fans with no benefit to artists,” according to a fact sheet it released Monday.

Trump’s order further directs federal officials and the FTC to deliver a report in six months “summarizing actions taken to address the issue of unfair practices in the live concert and entertainment industry and recommend additional regulations or legislation needed to protect consumers in this industry.”

“Ticket scalpers use bots and other unfair means to acquire large quantities of face-value tickets, then re-sell them at an enormous markup on the secondary market, price-gouging consumers and depriving fans of the opportunity to see their favorite artists without incurring extraordinary expenses,” the White House face sheet said.

It also noted that higher prices don’t mean additional profits for artists but instead go “solely to the scalper and the ticketing agency.”

Kid Rock agreed that such markups don’t benefit artists like himself, then chuckled while offering, “I’ll be the first one to say, and I know the president doesn’t like when I say this, but, I’m a little overpaid right now.”

“It’s kind of ridiculous. I would rather be, you know, a hero to working-class people and have them be able to come attend my shows and give them a fair ticket price,” he said. “I can’t control that right now so hopefully this is a step to make that happen.”

Associated Press writer Maria Sherman contributed to this report from New York.