Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 2

How to watch the 49ers vs. Cardinals on Sunday

The San Francisco 49ers face their division rivals, the Arizona Cardinals, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 1:05 p.m. PDT.

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The Niners will be seeking to bounce back from their loss to the NFC West-leading Los Angeles Rams last weekend, but they may have reinforcements coming.

Quarterback Brock Purdy could make his return after a six-game absence with a toe injury, while fellow Arizona native Ricky Pearsall is working his way back from a knee issue.

How to watch on local TV

FOX is broadcasting the game in California; in the Bay Area, tune in to KTVU-TV (Ch. 2) with an antenna or a cable TV provider. You can also log in to the FOX Sports app or website with your cable TV subscription credentials.

How to stream

DirecTV Stream includes Fox in its local channel lineup. Subscriptions currently start at $49.99 for the first month.

FuboTV offers a free trial and $10 off the first month; after that, it is $55.99 per month.

Hulu+Live TV is a premium service with all the local channels and starts at $82.99 per month.

NFL+ is a mobile app that streams all local and primetime games. Plans start at $6.99 per month or $49.99 a year.

YouTube TV costs $82.99 per month, but it’s currently on sale for $72.99 per month for the first three months.

How to watch outside the Bay Area

If you are outside the local coverage area, you have some options.

NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV broadcasts all the games on Sunday afternoon outside of the matchups showing in the local market. If you are a Niners fan living in another state, this is a good option. New users can get the service at the starting price of $37.50 a month for four months or $85 a month, cancellable anytime.

NFL+ Premium carries live audio of all regular-season NFL games, and video only after the game has concluded. You have the choice of full or condensed replays on a computer, phone or tablet only for $14.99 per month or $99.99 a year.

Horoscopes Nov. 14, 2025: Travis Barker, the more you do, the higher the returns

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Travis Barker, 50; Josh Duhamel, 53; Patrick Warburton, 61; Harland Williams, 63.

Happy Birthday: You’re in the zone this year, eager and ready to pitch in and help. The more you do, the higher the returns. Set your sights on what you want to see happen, and begin making the necessary changes. Your organization, contemplation and follow-through will put you in a leadership position. Being hands-on is how you will fast-track your success, so don’t let outside interference infiltrate your train of thought. Move forward with confidence. Your numbers are 7, 19, 22, 24, 36, 41, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take notes, keep tabs and measure every aspect of whatever you consider doing. Discipline, simplicity and moderation are in your best interests, and how opportunistic something is will depend on your ability to maintain these factors to enhance your goals. Prioritize intelligence and timing in your plans, and something good will transpire. Financial gain looks promising. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A change to your living arrangements or how you use your space will have a positive impact on your life and your relationships with loved ones. Invest in yourself and your surroundings, and enjoy the benefits that come with the choices you make. Maximize your time and energy, and stick to an affordable budget. 5 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be cautious about who you listen to and how you respond. You’ll receive false information that can push you in the wrong direction. Verify facts and be resourceful when considering expenditures. When in doubt, slow down; time is on your side, and refusing to let anyone pressure you is in your best interest. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Mix business with pleasure, and you’ll form tight relationships with people who can help you get ahead. A new look will boost your confidence and encourage you to be forthright regarding your feelings and intentions. Love is in the stars, and adventure is within reach. Don’t fear being different or taking the road less traveled. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Be smart when it comes to money matters, taking a risk, gambling or any other indulgent behavior. Temptation is the enemy, but with the right frame of mind and insight, you can turn the tables and use your experience and knowledge to convert opportunities into profits. Recognize when someone is taking advantage of you or using emotional manipulation. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You are in a better position than you realize. Review the possibilities, and observe how others react or treat you, and you’ll instinctively know when you are on the right path. You know what’s best for you. Stand tall, use your experience to guide you forward and refuse to let what others do influence your decisions. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Chitchat and charm your way forward. Your take on how things can advance will capture attention and encourage feedback that will help you maneuver your way forward. A change at home will improve your lifestyle and give a positive spin to how you look, feel and present yourself to the world. Keep the momentum flowing. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Trust your instincts. It’s your precision and detail that will stand out and give you an advantage in competitive situations. A steady pace and confident attitude are your paths to success. Learn on the go, and absorb what’s going on around you while navigating your way to stardom. Attend social events, and your charisma will invite romance. 4 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Pay attention to what’s changing around you. Focus on sensitive issues, and observe how others react. Learn from what you see and hear without revealing your thoughts or intentions. Not everyone will be truthful or have stellar motives. Your ability to read the room will help you avoid loss and can lead to valuable gains. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Keep an eye on your expenditures, and avoid joint ventures or shared expenses. Your best course of action is to invest in yourself and your talents and to move forward alone. It’s OK to listen and observe, but when it’s time to act, focus on changes that serve you and your purpose. Romance is favored. 5 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): It’s up to you to initiate change and to make the first move. You have plenty to offer, and if you promote and market yourself properly, you will end up in a position to follow your dreams. Let your imagination wander and your talents lead the way. Step into the spotlight and shine. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take the time to do what you feel passionate about, and you will find your niche. Refuse to let what others say or any criticism you receive daunt your desire to pursue what or who you love. Consider what things cost, set a budget and stick to it. Personal gain and growth are in the stars. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are entertaining, insightful and proactive. You are compassionate and precise.

Star Ratings Key:

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.

CCS DII boys water polo playoffs: Stevenson falls to top seed Harker

GILROY – Having pulled off one mild upset in the postseason, another would be needed for Stevenson to make its first ever finals appearance in the water.

“We did everything right in terms of our preparation,” Stevenson boys water polo coach Brooke Higgins said. “We had a solid game plan. It just slipped from us in the final period.”

As the No. 5 seed, the Pirates weren’t supposed to be in this position. Making the most of a rare semifinals appearance, they put a scare into top-seed Harker of Sunnyvale before falling 11-8 Thursday in the Central Coast Section Division II semifinals at Gilroy High.

Harker is back in the CCS Division II finals for the first time since 2021, when it knocked off Mitty 9-5.

The Pirates (14-14) were involved in eight matches this season decided by three goals or less, going 1-7 in those battles.

“There are tears on the deck,” Higgins said. “This is the tightest group of kids I’ve ever coached. They were in it for each other. Our seniors Laird (Welch) and Matías (Higgins) set the tone. Our ninth graders saw what the culture is like.”

Stevenson, who had its run of six straight Gabilan Division titles and school record 43 straight league wins end to Carmel this year, gained a measure of redemption by beating the higher-seeded Padres in the CCS quarterfinals.

The Pirates, who spent part of their summer playing water polo in Croatia, were familiar with Harker, having scrimmaged them back in August.

“Everyone is a different team in November,” Higgins said. “They have a goalie with a Division I ride. They have other complementary pieces. It’s a good team.”

Yet, after the first period, Stevenson held a slim 2-1 lead and was within a goal at the half of the Eagles (18-8), who were the runner-ups in the Santa Clara Valley De Anza League to CCS power Los Gatos.

“We tried to focus on their two big scorers,” Higgins said. “But like all good teams, a couple of their complementary players stepped up. They were just a couple of goals better. We were excited to be where we are.”

The loss marked the final games for Welch and Higgins, who were both team captains. Welch, who finished with 75 goals, moved to a different position this year to help improve Stevenson’s defense.

Another defensive demon, Higgins added 28 goals this year, while freshman Brooks Honegger collected 110 goals, a school record for a freshman.

CIF State DV volleyball: Palma swept by Hilmar

HILMAR — Reaching the section volleyball finals was a first for the program. So was capturing its first state tournament match — as Palma found itself in uncharted waters. The next step, however, will have to wait until next year.

The only volleyball program still practicing in the county reached a plateau in its progression Thursday, as the Chieftains postseason ride came to a close, falling to No. 2 seed Hilmar 25-23, 25-13, 25-19 in the CIF State Northern California Division V playoffs.

The Yellowjackets, who fell in the State Division IV title match in five sets last fall to South Pasadena, have won 24 matches this fall in their quest to return to the state title game.

“It’s about getting experience,” Palma coach Ivan Garcia said. “Now that we have a taste of it, we can move forward. We had a lot of ups and downs this year. It wasn’t always pretty. We are such a young team.”

Having struggled through the Gabilan Division this past fall, Palma had a resurgence in the postseason, playing for a Central Coast Section Division V title, extending its season into the quarterfinals of the state tournament in just its second season.

“When we got to the playoffs, I set lets hit the reset button,” Garcia said. “It’s a new season. We played with a little more confidence. We started meshing at the right time.”

Jumping from the Mission Division to the Gabilan in just their second season, the Chieftains endured growing pains with a roster of just two seniors, neither of which start.

“We didn’t really have a leader,” Garcia said. “All the hard losses we took were learning moments, teaching moments. We changed our mindset going into the playoffs.”

Garcia put the blame on Palma’s early struggles on himself, promising to make changes to take advantage of what he calls a very athletic roster.

“There will be changes on my end,” Garcia said. “It starts with me. It’s my program. I didn’t coach as well as I could have. In looking back, I should have made moves sooner. We could have players in different positions next year.”

Having opened the state tournament by sweeping Oakland Section champion Oakland Tech last Tuesday, the Chieftains ran into a Yellowjacket squad that had four hitters with over 200 kills on the season.

Yet, Palma played fearlessly in the opening set, proving it belonged on the court with the reigning state runner-ups, matching them for points before falling 25-23.

“We kept the first set close,” Garcia said. “We got beat up in the second set and fought in the third set. A lot of it was just a lack of experience. Hilmar is a really good team. It didn’t make too many mistakes.”

Ashlyn Urmanita ignited the Palma offense with 17 assists, while Alena Salas finished with seven kills. Reese Amaral collected five kills and eight digs, with Brynn Baxter compiling 14 digs.

The postseason experience will be invaluable going forward for the No. 7 seeded Chieftains (14-14), who returns their entire starting lineup next fall.

“I’m excited to see what next year brings,” Garcia said.

delos Santos: How I filled out my 2025 NL Most Valuable Player ballot

This season marks my fourth as a member of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, and every award I’ve voted on has been pretty straight forward.

In 2022, I voted Michael Harris II for NL Rookie of the Year. Blake Snell was my NL Cy Young in ‘23 (though I gave Logan Webb a lot of consideration) and Pat Murphy was my NL Manager of the Year in ‘24. This year, I selected Shohei Ohtani as my NL MVP — as did everyone else who had a vote.

Ohtani was the easy pick for myself and everyone else who had a vote, but the real fun — and real agony — resided in the rest of the spots. What did I consider valuable, and to what extent?

So, here’s both my ballot and my thought process. It was a fun process, and it’s possible I look back on my selections a couple years (or days) from now and shake my head.

(Note: I will refer to FanGraphs’ version of WAR unless otherwise specified)

Honorable Mention: Pete Crow-Armstrong

There was a point in the first half when I flirted with the idea of placing Pete Crow-Armstrong at the top of my ballot. So, it still feels a bit odd that I left him off entirely.

Crow-Armstrong became the 12th center fielder (min. 100 games) to total at least 30 homers, 30 steals, 90 runs and 90 RBIs in a single season, doing so while providing generational defense. But for all the counting stats, I couldn’t look past his .287 on-base percentage or how his production completely fell off a cliff in the second half (.262 OBP, 72 wRC+).

I will not argue with those who include Crow-Armstrong on their ballots. It’s possible that I’m overvaluing offense and undervaluing defense and baserunning. For me, PCA gets an honorable mention.

No. 10: Brice Turang

Turang’s numbers admittedly don’t jump off the page like those of Crow-Armstrong, but the second half is where the Brewers’ second baseman truly shined. Turang’s 2.8 WAR and 155 wRC+ were both fifth in the National League after the All-Star break, and he helped lead Milwaukee to the best regular-season record in baseball.

No. 9: Fernando Tatis Jr.

This was Tatis’ best all-around season since he finished third in MVP in 2021. On offense, he hit 25 homers, stole a career-high 32 bases and posted an .814 OPS. On defense, he was worth +8 outs above average and won his second Platinum Glove (though Patrick Bailey had a considerably higher Fielding Run Value).

No. 8: Francisco Lindor

For Lindor, this was another standard season of excellence: 31 homers, 31 steals and a 129 OPS+ while playing great defense at a premium position. He’s averaged about 32 homers and 30 steals over the last three seasons, and if he stole just one more base in 2024, he would’ve joined Howard Johnson as the only other Met with three such seasons.

No. 7: Trea Turner

Turner played at an All-Star level during his first two seasons in Philadelphia, but this was the first year he looked like a true star with the Phillies. He didn’t quite have the same offensive output as Tatis or Lindor despite leading the National League in batting average (.304), but Turner posted the sixth-highest WAR in the majors thanks to his +17 outs above average at a premium position.

No. 6 Paul Skenes

Here’s where I arrived at my first difficult question: Would I rather have an elite starting pitcher for 32 starts? That is, how good would a pitcher have to be in 2025 to be worth more than an everyday player?

Let’s take a look at what Skenes did this season.

After winning NL Rookie of the Year in 2024, Skenes finished his second season with a 1.97 ERA and 216 strikeouts over 187 2/3 innings. There have only been eight other seasons who pitched at least 180 innings with a sub-two ERA this millenium: Pedro Martinez (2000), Roger Clemens (2005), Clayton Kershaw (2013, 2014), Zack Greinke (2015), Jake Arrieta (2015), Blake Snell (2018) and Jacob deGrom (2018).

Just for fun, but do you know how many other starters post-integration have posted those same numbers in their age 23-or-younger season? Just three: Dwight Gooden (20, 1985), Vida Blue (21, 1971) and Dean Chance (23, 1964).

Did Skenes have a generational season? Not quite. Did he have a season worthy of MVP votes? Absolutely.

No. 5: Corbin Carroll

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When I began sorting out my ballot, I started by assigning players a range. That is, what’s the highest or lowest I’d vote for them?

My low end for Carroll was No. 5, which is where he lands. But the high end? No. 2.

Let’s start with some of the counting stats that jump out: 31 homers, 32 doubles, 17 triples, 32 steals, 107 runs. How many players have been part of the extremely arbitrary 30-HR, 30-2B, 15-3B, 30-SB, 100-R club? Just Carroll and Jimmy Rollins.

If I lower the parameters to: 25 homers, 25 doubles, 10 triples, 25 steals, 90 runs? Only 15 such seasons. He provided all that offensive production while being worth +10 outs above average.

The difference between him being second and him being fifth was the little time he missed due to injury. If he played at least 157 games instead of 143, he likely would’ve eclipsed the 7 WAR mark and landed right behind Ohtani.

No. 4: Gerlado Perdomo

No. 3: Kyle Schwarber

No. 2: Juan Soto

Perdomo hit 20 homers, stole 27 bases, had the fifth-highest on-base percentage in the majors (.389) and played great defense at a premium position. It amounted to the second-highest WAR (both Baseball Reference and FanGraphs) in the National League. And it’s here I had to tackle another difficult question:

At what point does singular offensive value usurp total all-around value?

I was tempted to put Perdomo at No. 2, but Soto and Schwarber were just a bit too good offensively for me to put Perdomo in my top-three. This is not to undermine the value of defense or baserunning, but rather a reminder that offense in baseball is king. So, then how good were Soto and Schwarber?

Schwarber led the National League in homers (56) and the majors in RBIs (132) while playing for a team that finished first in their division. It was the 35th instance of a 50-homer, 130-RBI season, and for many voters, that was enough for them to place Schwarber at No. 2.

Soto (43 homers, 105 RBIs) didn’t match Schwarber’s counting stats, but he led the National League with a .396 on-base percentage and the majors in walks (127). Schwarber had more pop (and had a slightly higher weighted on-base average), but Soto had the slight edge in wRC+ and OPS+ thanks to his on-base ability.

The real surprise with Soto, of course, was the steals. After averaging roughly eight steals from 2018-24, Soto nearly pulled off the most unexpected 40/40 season in recent memory and led the National League with 38 steals. If we lower the bar just a touch, it’s still just the seventh 40-homer, 38-steal season in major-league history.

Soto and Schwarber both had awesome offensive seasons, but ultimately, I leaned Soto. He got on base considerably more than Schwarber — avoiding outs is the name of the game — and he provided new-found value on the bases.

No. 1: Shohei Ohtani

I used a lot of words to explain the rest of my ballot. I don’t need a lot to explain here.

With his fourth MVP, Ohtani joins Barry Bonds as the only other player to win the hardware more than three times. He’s in the midst of one of the best runs in major-league history, and we can only wonder whether he has more heights to reach.

Trump administration repealing protections for key swaths of Alaska petroleum reserve

By BECKY BOHRER

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The Trump administration said Thursday it is rescinding federal rules that were aimed at protecting from future oil and gas leasing vast swaths of a petroleum reserve in Alaska that provide key habitat for migrating birds, caribou and other wildlife.

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The U.S. Interior Department said the final rule would be published next week but announced it is repealing rules put in place last year. Those rules restricted future leasing and industrial development in areas within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska designated as special for wildlife, subsistence or other values.

Thursday’s announcement is in line with an Alaska-specific executive order President Donald Trump signed upon his return to office. The order sought to unravel policies put in place by his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, that state political leaders complained had limited Alaska’s ability to develop its vast energy resources, including oil and gas.

The Biden-era rules also had called for the Interior Department to evaluate regularly whether to designate new special areas or to boost protections in those areas. They cited rapidly changing conditions in the Arctic — such as melting permafrost and changes in plant life and wildlife corridors — due to climate change. The agency under Biden said the rules would not affect existing leases or operations, including the large Willow oil project, but would “raise the bar” for future development.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in June said the Biden-era rules were at odds with a leasing program mandate for the petroleum reserve and prioritized “obstruction over production.”

There has been longstanding debate over where oil and gas should be developed within the reserve. Supporters cite the petroleum reserve’s name to underscore their point that it’s a place for drilling. But opponents say federal law requires a balancing act for managing the reserve that includes environmental considerations and protections.

The reserve, roughly the size of Indiana, was set aside more than a century ago as an emergency oil supply for the U.S. Navy. It’s been overseen by the Interior Department since the 1970s.

FILE – In this undated photo provided by the United States Geological Survey, permafrost forms a grid-like pattern in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, managed by the Bureau of Land Management on Alaska’s North Slope. (David W. Houseknecht/United States Geological Survey via AP, File)

Biden had angered many environmentalists when his administration approved Willow in the northeast portion of the reserve in 2023. Development of that project has being ongoing.

The most recent lease sale for the reserve was in 2019. A law passed earlier this year by Congress calls for at least five sales within the reserve over a 10-year period.

Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat, an advocacy group that includes leaders from Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope, has seen responsible development as important for the economic wellbeing of communities in the region. Members expressed concerns during the Biden administration that their views weren’t being heard, and lauded Thursday’s announcement.

Josiah Patkotak, North Slope Borough mayor, in a statement called repealing the rules “a meaningful step toward restoring a federal process that respects local knowledge and leadership.”

But environmentalists criticized the administration’s decision as short-sighted. Erik Grafe, an attorney with Earthjustice, in a statement called it “another example of how the Trump administration is trying to take us back in time with its reckless fossil fuels agenda.”

“This would sweep aside common-sense regulations aimed at more responsibly managing the Western Arctic’s irreplaceable lands and wildlife for future generations,” he said.

49ers’ Brock Purdy on reprising starter’s role: ‘I’ll do whatever it takes to lead this team’

SANTA CLARA – Brock Purdy is reprising his role as the 49ers’ starting quarterback Sunday, even if it could mean aggravating his turf toe (again) after being sidelined eight of 10 games this season.

“I’m in a really good spot. It’s the best I’ve felt this year,” Purdy said after fully participating in Thursday’s rainy practice. “When you play the sport, that’s just the case, guys are going to play banged up, dealing with things, going about their business, and doing what it takes.”

While Purdy said he indeed expects to play in his native Arizona against the Cardinals, coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed in a NBC Sports Bay Area interview the move to bring back Purdy and to bench Mac Jones, who has started the past six games for the 49ers (6-4).

“He made it a pretty easy decision for us. There’s no point in messing around. It’s time to go,” Shanahan said on KNBR 680-AM.

After the 49ers’ Nov. 2 win over the New York Giants, Shanahan said Purdy’s toe would not be 100 percent healthy the rest of this season, yet Purdy now feels close enough to play at his optimal level.

“Obviously this took me out of the game, so everyone knew about it, but guys are always dealing with things. That’s the nature of the sport,” Purdy said. “I’ll do whatever it takes to help lead this team, seven more games this year, make a playoff run and go achieve our goal.”

Purdy signed a franchise-record contract this past offseason (five years, $265 million), and he insists he’s not returning to justify the 49ers’ investment or short-circuit Jones’ career revival.

“I absolutely love Mac and what he’s done. He came in, played extremely well and kept our team alive and moving,” Purdy said. “I appreciate him for that and everything he’s brought to our team. For me, it’s been, ‘How do I feel physically?’ It has nothing to do  with, ‘I need to get back out there for the political side of things.’ “

Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said Purdy “looks more confident, and that’s been the goal.”

It’s not about appearances as much as how Purdy’s right big toe responds to his running and scrambling.

“Dropping back and throwing, it’s been pretty good for a while,” Purdy said, “but to play quarterback in the NFL, things happen and to be myself and play like myself, I need to move a little bit. I just wasn’t able to get there for a while. Now I feel really good and ready to go.”

Purdy did not require surgery and said it was not recommended.

Teammates are excited for Purdy’s return — his second return, that is. Purdy came back from a two-game hiatus and not only struggled in a Sept. 28 loss to Jacksonville, but he also aggravated his injury when “I unfortunately got caught in a bad position with my toe.”

Tight end George Kittle, who missed Weeks 2-6 with a hamstring injury, looks forward to rekindling one of the best pass-catching tandems in 49ers’ history.

“I think that will get going pretty fast,” Kittle said. “I feel like me and Mac just started rolling. I’m just happy that we have two very talented quarterbacks that can both sling the ball and I’m looking forward to playing with Brock because I enjoy his energy and leadership out there.”

Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall also is expected to return from a six-game absence, after injuring his right knee’s posterior cruciate ligament in that loss to Jacksonville. Said Pearsall: “I’m happy to see Brock back and healthy, and same with me.”

Three former players-turned-television analysts – Tom Brady (Fox), Richard Sherman (Prime Video) and Dan Orlovsky (ESPN) – recently said the 49ers should ride Jones’ supposedly hot hand (3-3 his past six starts).

“Well, Tom has certainly played at a high level. Richard has played at a high level. I don’t know about Dan Orlovsky but he talks at a high level,” general manager John Lynch quipped on KNBR 680-AM. “ … We certainly aren’t listening to them and saying, ‘Hey, help us make our decision.’ We have our own process. That’s up to Kyle and his coaching staff.”

ANOTHER THURSDAY INJURY

Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir surfaced on the injury report as being limited by a calf injury, the severity of which is unknown.

That makes eight players sustaining injuries in Thursday practices this season, or at least being added to the injury report after those sessions. Defensive linemen Alfred Collins, Kalia Davis and Keion White got hurt last Thursday, and other Thursday victims this season were running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver Jordan Watkins, defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos and cornerback Upton Stout.

All players practiced Thursday, with only Lenoir, Pearsall, linebacker Dee Winters (knees) and defensive tackle Alfred Collins (hip) being limited.

PEARSALL’S COMEBACK

Pearsall also will be good to return Sunday, Shanahan said on KNBR.

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“I wouldn’t say there were setbacks,” Pearsall said of his six-game recovery. “Yeah, we all expected me to come back earlier. But if you look at how PCLs recover, especially for skill guys like me playing receiver having to cut, it’s not an easy process to just turn around in a week and come back.”

Pearsall played through issues throughout college, and he missed just six games at the start of his rookie year following a gunshot wound through his chest from an attempted robbery in San Francisco.

“This is my first-ever real football injury. Yes, I’ve had a hamstring or shoulder but it’s never kept me away from the game; it’s been in the offseason,” Pearsall said. “As far as injuries that kept me away from football, I never had one in college. This is my first one in the NFL; well, the first one (from the gunshot), I don’t even count; I was just minding my business.”

SALEH ON RAMS DISASTER

Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh expected highs and lows from a young, revamped unit and last game undoubtedly was a low as the 49ers yielded six touchdowns in a 42-16 loss to the Rams.

Said Saleh: “It’s a young group. They’re eager to learn. They want to fix mistakes. Practice today was outstanding. They’re in a good spot. Obviously everyone has a bad taste in their mouth. When you get 40 dropped on you, it’s not fun.”

Top Fannie Mae officials ousted after sounding alarm on sharing confidential housing data

By BRIAN SLODYSKO

WASHINGTON (AP) — A confidant of Bill Pulte, the Trump administration’s top housing regulator, provided confidential mortgage pricing data from Fannie Mae to a principal competitor, alarming senior officials of the government-backed lending giant who warned it could expose the company to claims that it was colluding with a rival to fix mortgage rates.

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Emails reviewed by The Associated Press show that Fannie Mae executives were unnerved about what one called the “very problematic” disclosure of data by Lauren Smith, the company’s head of marketing, who was acting on Pulte’s behalf.

“Lauren, the information that was provided to Freddie Mac in this email is a problem,” Malloy Evans, senior vice president of Fannie Mae’s single-family mortgage division, wrote in an Oct. 11 email addressed to Smith. “That is confidential, competitive information.”

He also copied Fannie Mae’s CEO, Priscilla Almodovar, on the email, which bore the subject line: “As Per Director Pulte’s Ask.” Evans asked Fannie Mae’s top attorney “to weigh in on what, if any, steps we need to take legally to protect ourselves now.”

While Smith still holds her position, the senior Fannie Mae officials who called her conduct into question were all forced out of their jobs late last month, along with internal ethics watchdogs who were investigating Pulte and his allies.

Housing industry rattled by dismissals

The dismissals rattled the housing industry and drew condemnation from Democrats. It also gave Pulte’s critics evidence to support claims that he has leveraged the nonpublic information available to him to further his own political aims.

“This is another example of Bill Pulte weaponizing his role to do Donald Trump’s bidding, instead of working to lower costs amidst a housing crisis,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee. “His behavior raises significant questions, and he needs to be brought in front of Congress to answer them.”

The episode marks the latest example of Pulte using what is typically a low-profile position in the federal bureaucracy to enhance his own standing and gain the attention of President Trump. He’s prompted mortgage fraud investigations of prominent Democrats who are some of the president’s best known antagonists, including Sen. Adam Schiff of California, New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Rep. Eric Swalwell.

In June, he ordered Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to prepare a proposal for the firms to accept cryptocurrency, another industry Trump has boosted, as part of the criteria for buying mortgages from banks. Last week, he persuaded Trump about the allure of a 50-year mortgage as a way to increase home buying and building — a proposal that was widely criticized because it would drastically increase the overall price of a loan.

Pulte is also targeting the nation’s largest homebuilders

Pulte also has focused on large home construction companies, which have drawn Trump’s ire. Pulte requested confidential Fannie Mae data and has publicly signaled that he is considering a crackdown if the companies do not increase construction volume.

“I’m looking at the Fannie Mae builder data and with the top three homebuilders we buy EASILY over $20 billion in THEIR LOANS!” he posted to X in early October.

In a brief statement, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which Pulte leads, did not address questions from the AP, but said the agency “requires its regulated entities to carry out their operations in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.”

Fannie Mae said it takes “compliance with the law very seriously and we have a rigorous program to ensure we follow all laws and regulations.”

Pulte and Smith did not respond to requests for comment.

Currying favor with the president

Since his appointment to lead the FHFA, Pulte has sought to ingratiate himself with Trump. The 37-year-old scion of a homebuilding company fortune, Pulte has cultivated a reputation as a hyper-online millennial with a thirst for recognition and a desire to please the president. He and his wife also donated about $1 million to Trump’s campaign, records show.

When Trump sought to oust Federal Reserve chair Jay Powell, Pulte became a leading attacker, routinely taking to X, formerly Twitter, where he has over 3 million followers, to excoriate the central bank leader.

On Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported that some Fannie Mae ethics and oversight officials who were fired last month had been investigating whether Pulte improperly obtained mortgage information for James, who was charged last month with bank fraud after Pulte sent a criminal referral to the Justice Department. She said the charges, which she denies, are politically motivated.

Pulte’s power over the mortgage lending industry is unusual. Not long after his Senate confirmation, he appointed himself chairman of both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which both hold trillions of dollars in assets. The companies serve as a crucial backstop for the home lending industry by buying up mortgages from individual lenders, which are packaged together and sold to investors.

The three competing roles present the potential for a conflict of interest that is detailed in emails reviewed by AP. Like many matters of public policy in Trump’s Washington, it appears to have begun with a social media post.

In early October, Trump criticized the homebuilding industry, which he likened to the oil-market-dominating cartel OPEC.

“They’re sitting on 2 million empty lots, A RECORD,” the president posted to his social media platform, Truth Social. “I’m asking Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to get Big Homebuilders going.”

“On it,” Pulte posted in response on X.

Sensitive data was gathered

He turned to Smith, who in her brief tenure at Fannie Mae had become a trusted Pulte ally whose work portfolio transcended the boundaries dividing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the FHFA, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution.

Soon, a team at Fannie Mae was overseeing an effort to pull together a tranche of mortgage data, according to emails reviewed by the AP. Smith played a central role and shared the confidential lender-level pricing information with Freddie Mac, which set off alarms at both companies, according to the emails. A spokesman for Freddie Mac declined comment.

In the Oct. 11 email to Smith, Evans, the Fannie Mae mortgage executive, also added others to the email chain because they “were involved with this week’s efforts to compile this information” and he wanted to “make sure you do not exacerbate this issue.”

Danielle McCoy, Fannie Mae’s general counsel, weighed in, adding that the information Smith provided to Freddie Mac should “never be shared” and “could put the company at risk.”

Others who were part of the email chain included Almodovar; chief operating officer Peter Akwaboah; Devang Doshi, a senior vice president for capital markets; and John Roscoe, a Pulte loyalist and former Trump White House aide, who served as Fannie Mae’s vice president for public relations.

Days later, Almodovar, McCoy and Evans — who did not respond to requests for comment — were out of a job. Meanwhile, Roscoe was promoted to co-president of the company, while Akwaboah was named acting CEO.

Pulte also got something he wanted.

A day after the terse email exchange, Trump posted a graphic to his Truth Social network that featured Fannie Mae’s logo, a list of large homebuilders and the headline “We Give Them Billions.”

Pulte quickly reposted it.

Associated Press writer Fatima Hussein contributed reporting.

Trump administration says it has trade frameworks with Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador and Guatemala

By JOSH BOAK and SONIA PÉREZ D.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration said Thursday that it had reached trade frameworks with Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador and Guatemala.

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The frameworks are about increasing the ability of U.S. firms to sell industrial and agricultural products in these countries, according to a senior administration official who insisted on anonymity as a condition for briefing reporters on a call about the agreements.

The White House also released statements on the frameworks, which have yet to be finalized and are expected to be signed within roughly two weeks. It’s all part of a broader effort by President Donald Trump to rewrite the rules of global commerce through the use of broad tariffs.

President Javier Milei of Argentina hailed his country’s first bilateral trade framework with the U.S. in nearly a decade as “tremendous news.”

“As you can see, we are strongly committed to making Argentina great again,” he said.

The frameworks touch on an array of subjects, including efforts to reduce nontariff barriers and cut tariffs to 0% on American-made goods as well as commitments to not impose digital services taxes on U.S. companies. There would also be tariff relief on select products from these countries. For example, import licenses in these countries would be eliminated and streamlined, while nations would agree to resolve issues on intellectual property rights.

Under the tariffs previously announced at the end of July by Trump, goods imported from Argentina, El Salvador and Guatemala are taxed at 10%, as the U.S. runs a trade surplus with each of those countries. Products from Ecuador, with which America runs a trade deficit, are taxed at 15%.

Guatemala President Bernardo Arévalo called the framework “good news” and said his country would be in a position to attract new investments.

He said that 70% of the products Guatemala exports to the U.S. will face zero tariffs under the framework, as exclusions are granted for goods the U.S. is unable to make. All other goods would still be subject to the 10% tariff.

The U.S. senior administration official said that tariffs in these nations could be reduced on coffee, cocoa and bananas.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trump have each suggested that the tariffs are being relaxed as affordability issues are a key concern for U.S. voters.

Pérez D. reported from Guatemala City, Guatemala. AP writer Isabel DeBre contributed to this report from Santiago, Chile.

Congress pushes hemp crackdown after pressure from states, marijuana industry

By Kevin Hardy, Stateline.org

A provision significantly limiting the sale of intoxicating hemp products made its way into legislation to reopen the federal government just a day before the Senate approved the bill. Its inclusion follows years of pressure from states and the marijuana industry.

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While states continue to expand access to legal marijuana, a separate market of hemp-derived intoxicants has blossomed. The products, from drinks to gummies, are sold in gas stations and smoke shops. Critics say some companies have exploited a legal loophole from 2018 to manufacture products that get people high — without the safety regulations and taxes facing the legal marijuana industry.

That’s led dozens of states to limit or ban certain intoxicating hemp products. Most states also have pushed for federal changes, though some farm states worry the pending federal bill — which the House is expected to vote on as soon as today — goes too far.

A bipartisan group of 39 state attorneys general recently urged Congress to clarify the federal definition of hemp, arguing that the underregulated industry threatens public health and undermines law enforcement.

Texas lawmakers this year approved a strict ban on intoxicating hemp, but that measure was vetoed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. The governor raised constitutional concerns because federal law allowed the products, but he then issued an executive order increasing state agency regulations, including age restrictions.

This summer, Florida regulators seized tens of thousands of packages of hemp products that failed to meet new child protection standards, including child-resistant packaging, marketing restrictions and enhanced labeling rules. In Tallahassee, the state Senate approved a ban on hemp-derived THC products, including beverages, but that measure died in the state House. A similar effort last year was vetoed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who said it would harm small businesses.

Last month, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation strengthening state enforcement of its ban on intoxicating hemp products. Similarly, Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine declared an emergency last month in an executive order banning intoxicating hemp products for 90 days while lawmakers debate potential legislation.

Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the primary psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. The 39 state attorneys general argue manufacturers are manipulating hemp to produce synthetic THC that can be more intoxicating than marijuana.

“In this way, legal, nonintoxicating hemp is used to make Frankenstein THC products that get adults high and harm and even kill children,” the attorneys general wrote.

Hemp-derived gummies and beverages are sold without consistent age restrictions or labeling regulations and oftentimes resemble candy. During his announcement, DeWine showcased brightly packaged intoxicating hemp products that resembled name-brand candy products.

“Certainly, it’s easy to see how a child will confuse this product with real candy and eat a few gummy bears and ingest enough THC to require hospitalization,” he said, according to the Ohio Capital Journal.

Though it has faced mounting restrictions in the states, the hemp industry says the federal change poses an existential threat.

On Monday, the U.S. Hemp Roundtable said the legislation pending in Congress would wipe out 95% of the nation’s $28.4 billion hemp industry.

“The language will force patients, seniors and veterans who rely on hemp products to break federal criminal law to acquire them,” the trade group posted online.

Jonathan Miller, general counsel for the organization, said the industry has been pushing for regulation rather than outright prohibition. He acknowledged the problem of bad actors, but said those can be addressed with strong regulations like those that exist in Kentucky and Minnesota.

“These are good examples of states that have put together robust regulations. But we need to see that at the federal level, and we’ve been supporting legislation to do that for the last seven years,” he told Stateline.

Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, Kentucky’s senior senator, said he included the hemp measure in the bill to close an unintended legal loophole and that the measure would still allow farmers to grow hemp for fiber, oil and drug trials.

But fellow Kentucky Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul said the move would “eradicate the hemp industry” and could override some state laws. Paul offered an amendment to remove the hemp provision but failed.

The hemp loophole

Hemp derives from the same cannabis species as marijuana, but is legally defined by its lower levels of THC, the psychoactive component of the plant.

While marijuana remains illegal under federal law, Congress sanctioned hemp in the 2018 farm bill to allow an agricultural market for hemp-based textiles, animal feeds and human wellness products centered on cannabidiol, or CBD, products. The farm bill allowed cultivation of hemp plants with a THC concentration of 0.3% or lower by dry weight.

But that threshold has become essentially meaningless, said Katharine Neill Harris, a fellow in drug policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

That’s because manufacturers have found ways to convert legal hemp plants into potent forms of synthetic marijuana. Aside from the potential of creating very strong products, she said the process requires the addition of solvents and other ingredients that raise many safety questions.

“With marijuana products, you can get some very potent products,” she said. “But the psychoactive components to THC are naturally occurring. It naturally occurs in that natural amount. You’re not doing a whole bunch of manipulation to increase the potency of the product and adding ingredients.”

Harris has tracked the growing number of states regulating the industry: Six states and the District of Columbia now ban all consumable hemp products with any amount of THC. In 24 states, intoxicating hemp products are permitted, though 15 of those states allow only low-potency products.

But even states with strict regulations still must contend with legal online markets.

“There’s a big part of that activity that you can’t control as a state when something is federally legal, and so that’s one thing that they’re asking for is federal leadership on this issue,” she said. “I think there is a big demand for some sort of industry standards.”

If approved by Congress and signed by the president, as expected, the new hemp legislation will likely have uneven impacts across the states.

For example, the change likely won’t dramatically alter the legal landscape in Alaska, where the regulators have banned all intoxicating hemp products. Marijuana businesses complain those products are still being sold, despite the ban.

But in a state like Nebraska, where lawmakers have been unsuccessful in limiting intoxicating hemp, the change could drastically alter both consumer access and business sales, depending on enforcement.

On Monday, Paul said the federal legislation would wipe away hemp regulations in many states, including Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine and Utah.

“The bill before us nullifies all these state laws,” he said.

‘Running with knives’

The hemp industry has argued that a lot of the opposition to it stems from marijuana businesses looking to protect their own markets, noting that campaigns for restrictions are often more organized in states that have legalized marijuana.

But producers of intoxicating hemp are looking for market access without the associated safety regulations and tax structures states have created for marijuana, argued Chris Lindsey, the director of state advocacy and public policy at the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp, an organization representing the legal marijuana industry.

“They want to have some kind of regulatory framework that’s somehow different than the one that states already have [for marijuana],” he said.

His organization cheered the Senate’s efforts “to address the dangerous proliferation of unregulated synthetic THC products.”

Lindsey said hemp-derived products can contain contaminants, including pesticides. Many hemp products can be sourced cheaply overseas, he said, and with lax oversight, there is no system to recall tainted products here.

“To me, that’s like running with knives,” he told Stateline.

The Missouri Cannabis Trade Association recently purchased hemp products from gas stations and smoke shops from across the state to test them in an effort to show they need more regulation.

In its “Missouri Hemp Hoax Report,” the organization said independent testing found 53 of the 55 products purchased were actually intoxicating marijuana well above the legal limit of THC. Third-party lab results also showed some of the products contained pesticides and heavy metals.

Those results underscore that the products should face the same rules as legal marijuana does, said Andrew Mullins, president and executive director of the cannabis trade association. State law requires marijuana to be grown and manufactured in Missouri, mandates lab testing and allows for sales only at licensed dispensaries.

“In my mind, if it’s marijuana, which most of this is, then it should be regulated like marijuana,” Mullins said.

He said calling the unregulated products “hemp” is akin to someone selling whiskey and calling it corn: “Everybody is using hemp as a cover to basically sell intoxicating drugs.”

Mullins acknowledged the confusion among policymakers and law enforcement. But he said there are already laws — including those against trafficking marijuana without a license — that could help address the issue.

Catherine Hanaway, a Republican who was sworn in as Missouri’s new attorney general in September, has vowed action on unregulated hemp products, particularly THC beverages that are booming in popularity.

“Our focus is on the health and safety of Missourians,” James Lawson, her deputy chief of staff, told the Missouri Independent last month. “This is an unregulated industry that makes untested, unknown substances available to the public without any oversight, including children where we think it’s particularly detrimental.”

Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at khardy@stateline.org.

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