Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 239

High School boys basketball: Toreadores embrace target on their backs

MONTEREY – A state championship doesn’t just come with a banner, rings and a parade for the players. A bullseye is painted on your back.

You may not see it visually. But the topic is likely raised each time you face an opponent – these are the defending state basketball champions.

“We understand we have a target on our backs,” Monterey coach Greg Daniels said. “I would be lying if I didn’t believe that. I’m sure people are coming to our games to see us lose.”

If that’s the case, the Toreadores continue to disappoint those outside the Monterey hallways, as they are off to a 10-2 start, 2-0 in defense of its Gabilan Division title.

“I don’t think we’re feeling pressure to duplicate what we did last year,” Daniels said. “This is not the same group of kids. We are playing to our strengths.”

Both of Monterey’s losses this year were to perennial powers San Luis Obispo, who is 14-3 and Bellarmine, who is 10-1 and ranked third in the Central Coast Section and 30th in the state.

“Those weren’t bad losses at all,” Daniels said. “I’m not a moral victory person. But I wanted to see how we competed. We lost to Bellarmine by 11. But I saw some positive things.”

The Toreadores have not lost a game since, rattling off seven consecutive wins after beating Salinas 60-28 on Thursday.

“Those losses were a reminder we’re not the same team,” guard Dekota Ordonio said. “It gave us a better perception of how people are going to come at us. We just can’t play ISO.”

A guard-heavy team last year, the Toreadores have utilized their size to create mismatches in the paint and on the perimeter this winter, starting with 6-foot-5 forward JJ Roth.

Emerging last year in the postseason, the senior set a State Division IV record with five 3-point goals in Monterey’s state clinching title game.

The sharpshooter continues to drain jump shots, while fearless when going to the basket when defended by smaller players.

“JJ is one of my hardest working kids,” Daniels said. “We’ve asked him to step up and lead. He leads by example with his work ethics. He seldom comes out.”

Overshadowed last year by his brother Ryan, who was The Herald’s Player of the Year, Roth dropped in 24 points in Monterey’s Gabilan Division opening overtime win over Pacific Grove last Tuesday.

Daniels, who is in his 20th year as the head coach and has guided the program to all three of its Central Coast Section titles, still runs an attacking offense that pushes in transition.

That’s made possible by the emergence of guard Ordonio and senior post Jamar Aquino, who is developing into a double-double machine.

“We need to understand that we have to play both ends of the floor,” Ordonio said. “Without the defense, there is no offense and it doesn’t flow.”

While both Ordonio and Aquino had late starts because of an extended football season, their athleticism as multi-sport athletes is evident on the hardwood.

“Our style isn’t to slow it down,” Daniels said. “We want to play fast in transition. But we want to throw it inside. We have bigs that can run the floor. We drill it in our practices.”

Ordonio, who came off the bench last year as a sophomore, has developed into a dependable scoring threat, dropping in 18 in the overtime win over Pacific Grove.

“Dekota has made a big jump,” Daniels said. “But it’s not a surprise. I knew what he could do. He would have played more last year if we didn’t have four guards. You could see sparks in his play.”

Coming from a family whose father and older brother have played professionally overseas, Ordonio is a playmaker that can drain the jumper or penetrate with his quickness.

“I knew I could play,” Ordonio said. “Not seeing the floor a lot last year motivated me. It really impacted me. I was determined in the off-season to just get better, being an impact player.”

The leadership of this team has fallen into the hands of Roth and Aquino, two seniors who saw significant action during the team’s state title run last year.

“JJ and Jamar have been really good seniors for us,” Daniels said. “JJ has this ‘I’m not going to lose’ attitude. The younger kids see it.”

The 6-foot-4 Aquino goes about his business on the court, being a disruptive force on defense and an enforcer on the offensive ends.

“Jamar has elevated his game,” Daniels said. “I think he realized we need him to be a leader and accountable. He’s a senior and kids will follow him.”

That leadership that Daniels — a former Monterey football and basketball standout — preaches is exhibited in practice, where the intensity is sometimes greater than the games.

“The younger kids are watching the seniors, how you hustle, how you talk to your younger teammates,” Daniels said. “That’s the program we want to have.”

Somewhat lost in the Toreadores run to a state title – just the second in county history – was the programs first Gabilan Division title in 12 years last season.

“I think we’re still a little behind,” Daniels said. “Offensively in running our stuff, our timing and spacing has to improve. Once we understand when to attack, we’ll be a better team.”

A league title is still priority No. 1 for the Toreadores, who are 15-1 over their last 16 Gabilan Division games.

“Pacific Grove was good for us,” Daniels said. “We had some adversity. We were down by five in the fourth. A lot of things weren’t going our way. We got it out of our system.”

What pleased Daniels was the production of Jaeden Chen, who continues to come off the bench and provide a boost, dropping in 10 points against Pacific Grove and Salinas.

“Jaeden is a three-year player that comes off the bench,” Daniels said. “He knows the expectations and knows the level of play we expect. He’s a huge contributor.”

So has been junior guard Quinn Johnson and 6-6 sophomore Bronson Gulley, who starts in the paint for Monterey.

“Quinn is really athletic,” Daniels said. “Gulley is providing points in the paint. We have a nice balance. But we’re not where we need to be.”

Perhaps. But the combinations on the court are beginning to find the chemistry. The effort in practice is not lost when Daniels evaluates his team.

“Half the battle is them realizing their mistakes,” Daniels said. “In watching film, they see it on tape. It helps them understand what we haven’t done.”

Daniels points out that last year’s team was loaded with experience, from a four-year starter, to a league MVP, to two players on a CCS title team from the year before. That’s gone.

Yet, the fire from last year’s state run still burns in those that have returned, perhaps being more of an inferno knowing the effort it will take to put themselves in that position again.

“This team has all the pieces,” Daniels said. “We still have to learn to play the right way and execute in key moments. Once we figure that out, we can become a good team. Right now, we’re solid and moving in the right direction.”

Gui Santos isn’t what the Warriors need. He’s what the Warriors need to do better.

DETROIT — Before the Warriors’ game against the Pistons, Steve Kerr told his team that they needed to start winning the individual battles. Basketball is a team sport, but it’s made up of hundreds of micro games within the game. The box-outs, the loose balls, the contested boards, the ability to stay in front of your man.

Too often over the past six weeks, the Warriors have lost the majority of those battles. After starting 12-3, they went 6-12. They lost their competitive spirit, edge and confidence. Injuries and shooting slumps didn’t help.

But it all comes down to those individual battles. The details.

The day started with Kerr giving his team that message. It ended with a raucous celebration for Gui Santos in the Little Caesar’s Arena visitor’s locker room after a 107-104 victory. 

“He won a million battles tonight,” Kerr said. “That’s what wins games. He’s been waiting all year, and he finally got his chance, and he delivered. Ron Adams talks about it all the time. It’s a production league. You get your chance, you’ve got to take advantage of it. He was brilliant. This game is about so much more than whether you make a shot or miss a shot. It’s defense, it’s rebounding, it’s hustle. It’s sprinting. Everything you saw Gui do tonight.”

Santos chased down one offensive rebound, battled in traffic for another and dove on the court for a third. He added three assists, including a nifty interior touch pass after drawing a defender with a head fake.

The Warriors added Santos to the game plan because they were without almost all of their rotational wings. Andrew Wiggins (personal reasons), Jonathan Kuminga (ankle sprain) and Moses Moody (knee) were unavailable. So were Brandin Podziemski (abdominal strain) and Gary Payton II (calf strain).

That gave Santos an opportunity. When he was watching the Warriors get embarrassed by the Jimmy Butler-less Heat on Tuesday night from the bench, he visualized himself injecting energy into the team. Against the Pistons, he put his plans into action.

“I always tell guys you don’t get out of a rut by hitting 25 3s,” Draymond Green said. “You get out of a rut by making the little plays. Hustle plays. Getting 50/50 balls. And Gui Santos brought that to the game, changed game.”

Santos matched his career-high with 13 points, adding five rebounds, three assists and two steals. He buried four 3-pointers in 26 minutes, including one shortly after an airball.

“It’s just how many extra possessions he gave us,” Steph Curry said. “That’s contagious. It’s deflating for the other team. Usually it happens to us, like a Josh Okogie — it’s the same kind of impact. He’s just everywhere, you get tired of him by the end of the game. He did that to them tonight. It was awesome the way he made his presence felt. The 3s are a bonus.”

Just because Santos’ energy was exactly what the Warriors have needed doesn’t mean he’s suddenly their starting small forward. Wiggins is going to return — likely after the Friday Pacers game. Kuminga is a couple weeks away from coming back and Payton is on the mend. Moody will be back imminently. The Warriors have always liked Santos, but he’s still low on the pecking order.

Related ArticlesGolden State Warriors | Even depleted, Warriors get right with tight win at Detroit Golden State Warriors | Steve Kerr details Pacific Palisades wildfire destruction that ravaged his childhood community Golden State Warriors | Kurtenbach: The Warriors are at rock bottom and inaction is no longer defensible Golden State Warriors | Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s childhood home burns in LA fires; Draymond Green’s house under threat Golden State Warriors | NBA coaches Steve Kerr and JJ Redick say family members evacuated their homes amid Pacific Palisades wildfires

What the Warriors need, though, is for other players to embody what Santos brought against the Pistons. Wiggins can bring that, and so can Kuminga when he returns. Podziemski is an energy guy. Green can bring more of the type of edge Santos provided.

Everyone can. It doesn’t need to be Santos. Realistically, it needs to not be Santos.

Before the Detroit win, the Warriors dropped two extremely winnable games at home — a drubbing to the Kings without De’Aaron Fox and another against the Heat without Jimmy Butler.

“I was watching the last couple games and said, okay, when I get in the game, I’m going to change the energy,” Santos said. “Go there and dive on the floor. If I’ve got to push somebody on the other team, if I’ve got to fight with somebody, I’ll do it. But I’m going to change the energy on the floor. And that’s what I had in my mind going into the game.”

They were already reeling, and missing an opportunity to pick up victories in a soft part of their schedule felt ominous for the direction of the season. Kerr described the moment as a “crisis of confidence.”

The Pistons game doesn’t change that. The Warriors are still trying to re-establish their identity. Santos showed them a way to do it. If their coach’s message about individual battles wasn’t clear enough, Santos demonstrated.

“Watching the tape (from) the other night, it’s losing all those little battles,” Kerr said. “It’s not rotating, not boxing out, not making the extra pass, not making a good sharp pass. Everything that leads to momentum, we didn’t do the other night.”

Even depleted, Warriors get right with tight win at Detroit

DETROIT — After two straight disastrous showings against the Kings and Heat, the Warriors’ effort was in question for the first time all year. Head coach Steve Kerr called it a “crisis of confidence.” He needed to see more “competitive spirit.”

Even short five rotation players, the Warriors played with the type of urgency they’d been missing. Gui Santos, a surprise hero, got a shouting ovation in the visitor’s locker room postgame.

“This game is about so much more than whether you make a shot or miss a shot,” Kerr said postgame. “It’s defense, it’s rebounding, it’s hustle, sprinting. Everything you saw Gui do tonight.”

Golden State forced 13 first-half turnovers to build a lead and, despite missing almost all of their rotational wings, contained Pistons star Cade Cunningham until the fourth quarter.

Cunningham scored 18 of his 32 points in the fourth and Steph Curry (5-for-21) had an off shooting night, but the Warriors (19-18) got enough unlikely contributions to hold on for a 107-104  win. They’re now 9-0 in games Buddy Hield scores at least 18 points. Santos (career-high 12 points, five rebounds, three assists) supplied the type of effort Golden State needed.

Detroit had won eight of nine entering the Warriors matchup. But Golden State, desperate and reeling, halted their momentum.

“Wonderful to see our guys, especially on a night when Steph didn’t shoot it well, for them to generate that kind of offensive flow and game momentum, just connecting the game back and forth,” Kerr said.

The Warriors chased down long rebounds on both ends and flew down the court off steals. Players on the bench stood up and clapped after turnovers and stops. The competitive spirit the Warriors had apparently lost this week looked charged-up.

Given how depleted the roster was, and how poorly they’ve played recently, the Warriors needed the energy.

Jonathan Kuminga, out at least two more weeks with a sprained ankle, made the trip and sat on the bench in a walking boot. Andrew Wiggins went through morning shootaround in Detroit before flying home for personal reasons. Moses Moody’s lingering knee issues ruled him out. Brandin Podziemski and Gary Payton II are still not quite ready to return from their ailments.

Half the rotation in street clothes left the Warriors with 10 healthy bodies, two of which were Santos and Pat Spencer.

Santos in particular made the most of his chance. Normally at the end of Golden State’s bench, Santos played 13 straight minutes in the first half, which the Warriors won by 18 points. Santos chased down a long offensive rebound then battled for another one, creating extra possessions. He buried his first three 3-pointers for a season-high nine points, drew a charge and dropped a pair of dimes, too.

Santos got 26 seconds of rest before Draymond Green picked up his third foul. Kerr tapped Santos over Kyle Anderson, who played nine minutes even with the lack of options.

Detroit closed the half on a 12-4 run after Curry checked back in, cutting the Warriors’ advantage to 10.

Related ArticlesGolden State Warriors | Gui Santos isn’t what the Warriors need. He’s what the Warriors need to do better. Golden State Warriors | Steve Kerr details Pacific Palisades wildfire destruction that ravaged his childhood community Golden State Warriors | Kurtenbach: The Warriors are at rock bottom and inaction is no longer defensible Golden State Warriors | Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s childhood home burns in LA fires; Draymond Green’s house under threat Golden State Warriors | NBA coaches Steve Kerr and JJ Redick say family members evacuated their homes amid Pacific Palisades wildfires

The Warriors opened their lead up to 17, but Detroit answered with 11 straight points. Kerr called timeout with 5:30 left in the third quarter after back-to-back 3s from Cunningham and Tobias Harris.

More energetic minutes from Santos in the third helped the Warriors maintain their edge, but Curry missed all four of his shots — each from behind the arc – in the frame, allowing Detroit to hang around. He started 1-for-11 from 3 and went 2-for-14 overall.

In the fourth quarter, Santos sank his fourth trey and guarded Cunningham defensively. Green, playing 100 miles south of his hometown of Saginaw, fed Trayce Jackson-Davis for a dunk, drew a charge and leaked out for a dunk. He also instigated a mini dust-up, igniting a fire under the Warriors and leading a 10-0 run.

And after missing six straight shots, Curry converted a four-point play to put the Warriors back up 16.

Cunningham threatened to take over, but Dennis Schroder made a couple key buckets to fend the Pistons off just enough. With 4.1 seconds left and trailing by three, Cunningham perfectly missed a foul shot right to himself, earning the chance to send the game into overtime. But Malik Beasley’s 3-pointer fell just short as time expired.

Appeals court denies bid to block public release of special counsel’s report on Trump Jan. 6 probe

By ERIC TUCKER and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court has cleared the way for the public release of special counsel Jack Smith’s report on the 2020 election interference case against Donald Trump over the objections of the president-elect.

Related ArticlesNational Politics | Trump to be sentenced in hush money case, days before return to White House National Politics | Vice President-elect JD Vance resigns from the Senate National Politics | Democratic Sen. John Fetterman to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago National Politics | As wildfires rage in Los Angeles, Trump doesn’t offer much sympathy. He’s casting blame. National Politics | Watchdog groups seeks investigation into RFK Jr. for voting from a ‘sham’ address

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday turned down a challenge from Trump and his co-defendants in his classified documents case, who are seeking to block the release of the report.

The report will not immediately be released. A lower court ruling from Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon temporarily blocking the release of the report remains in place for three days. And there could be more appeals.

The Justice Department said Wednesday that it plans to release the volume detailing Smith’s findings on Trump’s efforts to undo his 2020 election loss, but will keep under wraps for now the section on Trump’s classified documents case while legal proceedings against his co-defendants are ongoing.

Vice President-elect JD Vance resigns from the Senate

By JULIE CARR SMYTH

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Vice President-elect JD Vance is resigning from his seat in the U.S. Senate, effective Friday.

Vance made his intentions known in a letter Thursday to Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who will choose his successor.

Related ArticlesNational Politics | Trump to be sentenced in hush money case, days before return to White House National Politics | Appeals court denies bid to block public release of special counsel’s report on Trump Jan. 6 probe National Politics | Democratic Sen. John Fetterman to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago National Politics | As wildfires rage in Los Angeles, Trump doesn’t offer much sympathy. He’s casting blame. National Politics | Watchdog groups seeks investigation into RFK Jr. for voting from a ‘sham’ address “To the people of Ohio, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the privilege of representing you in the United States Senate. When I was elected to this office, I promised to never forget where I came from, and I’ve made sure to live by that promise every single day,” Vance wrote.

“As I prepare to assume my duties as Vice President of the United States, I would like to express that it has been a tremendous honor and privilege to serve the people of Ohio in the Senate over the past two years,” Vance said.

DeWine has said he would make the appointment once Vance vacates the seat. DeWine’s spokesperson said DeWine was at a governors’ event with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday evening, making it unlikely he would announce any appointment before Friday.

DeWine has the sole duty of appointing a successor to Vance, who was elected to a six-year term in 2022. A long list of elected Republicans in the state has expressed interest in the seat, including Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Treasurer Robert Sprague, U.S. Rep. Mike Carey, state Sen. Matt Dolan, former Republican state chair Jane Timken and GOP attorney and strategist Mehek Cooke.

However, speculation has most recently zeroed in on Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, who accompanied DeWine on a recent trip to Mar-a-Lago to speak with President-elect Donald Trump.

DeWine declined to even hint as to the subject of those discussions when asked by reporters during a Wednesday bill-signing at the Statehouse.

“I’m not ready to make an announcement yet, but the announcement will be coming soon,” he said.

Husted, who was also present, said merely, “We’re considering all the options, and just, that’s really all I have to say.”

Husted has been considered a front-runner to run for governor in 2026, after spending years positioning for the job. He is a former Ohio House speaker, state senator and two-term secretary of state.

Whomever DeWine appoints will serve until December 2026. They would need to run again for the remainder of the term in November 2026.

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman will become the chamber’s first Democrat to meet with President-elect Donald Trump since the election and plans to travel to Trump’s private Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Related ArticlesNational Politics | Trump to be sentenced in hush money case, days before return to White House National Politics | Appeals court denies bid to block public release of special counsel’s report on Trump Jan. 6 probe National Politics | Vice President-elect JD Vance resigns from the Senate National Politics | As wildfires rage in Los Angeles, Trump doesn’t offer much sympathy. He’s casting blame. National Politics | Watchdog groups seeks investigation into RFK Jr. for voting from a ‘sham’ address The trip marks Fetterman’s continuing evolution from a leading surrogate for President Joe Biden into a Trump-friendly lawmaker since Trump won the premier battleground state of Pennsylvania in November.

Fetterman since has shown surprising warmth to Trump, complimenting his political appeal, agreeing with him on some policies and embracing some of Trump’s would-be Cabinet nominees.

Fetterman said in a statement Thursday that Trump invited him to meet and that he accepted.

“I’m the Senator for all Pennsylvanians — not just Democrats in Pennsylvania,” Fetterman said. “I’ve been clear that no one is my gatekeeper. I will meet with and have a conversation with anyone if it helps me deliver for Pennsylvania and the nation.”

Fetterman was first elected in 2022 as an irreverent and unconventional progressive hero who had criticized then-Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia for not voting with Democrats or supporting Biden’s agenda.

Fetterman has been unafraid to be an outsider to his party in the past. He endorsed insurgent Democrat Bernie Sanders in 2016’s presidential primary over Hillary Clinton and ran from the left against the party-backed candidate in 2016’s Senate primary. When the state Democratic Party looked to endorse a candidate in 2022’s three-way Democratic primary, Fetterman dismissed it as an “inside game.”

Last month, appearing on ABC’s “This Week,” Fetterman said that he’s not leaving the Democratic Party, but that meeting Trump nominees and agreeing with GOP policy views is “part of politics” and “representing the kind of state that we have in Pennsylvania.”

He said the constant “freak-out” by Democrats over Trump isn’t helpful, he called Trump a “singular political talent” and he disavowed the label “fascist” that Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris had given Trump during the campaign.

“It’s not a word that I would use,” Fetterman said, adding, “I happen to love people that are going to vote for Trump, and they are not fascists.”

Steve Kerr details Pacific Palisades wildfire destruction that ravaged his childhood community

DETROIT — The Southern California house where Steve Kerr grew up has burned down. The high school he went to is gone, he said. His childhood friends have lost their homes and their town is unrecognizable — mostly ash and ruins.

“It’s an idyllic place,” Kerr, the Warriors’ coach, said Thursday. “It’s a beautiful town, sunsets every night. Just amazing memories. My dad taught at UCLA so that drive from Pacific Palisades down Sunset Boulevard to the campus at UCLA is one I’ve made a million times. So many great memories. Then to see the images of Sunset Boulevard and the Palisades — just shocking. Looks apocalyptic. Devastating.”

Just a couple weeks ago, when the Warriors were in Los Angeles to play the Clippers, Kerr visited his mom, Ann, at the home he grew up in. They celebrated her 90th birthday there over the summer. But for the past day, he’s been on text chains and calls with his family after the devastating wildfires that remain uncontained ravaged the Pacific Palisades and other enclaves of Los Angeles.

“It’s hard to even fathom how Pacific Palisades rebuilds and how it becomes a thriving community again,” Kerr said. “It’s shocking.”

Ann evacuated and is safe and sound, Kerr said. Warriors video coordinator Everett Dayton is back home in the area with his family; Kerr said Dayton’s home is believed to be one of the few still standing. Player development coach Jacob Rubin is from Mandeville Canyon, another affected area. One of the fires progressed toward Brentwood, where Draymond Green has a home. (His family is safe.)

The fires are already estimated to be the costliest in U.S. history. At least six people have died, according to multiple news outlets, and more than 100,000 residents from a variety of Los Angeles County neighborhoods have evacuated.

“The town looks like it’s been just completely wiped out,” Kerr said. “Fortunately, almost everyone escaped. The pictures reminded me of Lahaina from a couple years ago. I’m so happy there wasn’t the loss of life the people in Hawaii experienced.”

Related ArticlesGolden State Warriors | Gui Santos isn’t what the Warriors need. He’s what the Warriors need to do better. Golden State Warriors | Even depleted, Warriors get right with tight win at Detroit Golden State Warriors | Kurtenbach: The Warriors are at rock bottom and inaction is no longer defensible Golden State Warriors | Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s childhood home burns in LA fires; Draymond Green’s house under threat Golden State Warriors | NBA coaches Steve Kerr and JJ Redick say family members evacuated their homes amid Pacific Palisades wildfires

Kerr’s parents bought the home in 1969. He said his mom took as many photos and paintings as she could while she evacuated. What matters more to Kerr are the memories.

“A lifetime of memories and occasions,” Kerr said. “Birthday parties and everything else. To see the destruction, the devastation — it’s unfathomable.”

Preparing for the Warriors’ Thursday night game against the Pistons at the Little Caesar’s Arena has helped take Kerr’s mind off the loss, he said.

The Warriors are coming off two straight brutal losses — to the short-handed Kings and the Heat. Kerr said the team is going through a “crisis of confidence” and needs to regain its “competitive spirit.”

Golden State doesn’t have any of its top wings available. Andrew Wiggins flew home from Detroit before the game for personal reasons. (Kerr said all is OK with Wiggins but declined to expand further.) Moses Moody is out with a lingering knee injury. Jonathan Kuminga’s sprained ankle will rule him out for at least two more weeks. Gary Payton II remains out with a calf strain, though he’s nearing a return. And Brandin Podziemski will miss his sixth straight game with an abdominal strain; he worked with head trainer Rick Celebrini at morning shootaround.

Steph Curry and Draymond Green are active on the first night of a back-to-back. Although the plan is subject to change, Curry has been sitting one game in every back-to-back the Warriors play since his knee tendinitis popped up earlier this year.

Horoscopes Jan. 9, 2025: Nina Dobrev, incorporate what makes you feel comfortable

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Nina Dobrev, 36; Kate Middleton, 43; Dave Matthews, 58; Jimmy Page, 81.

Happy Birthday: Make home, family and lifestyle your focus. Put together a budget that allows you to incorporate what makes you feel comfortable into the changes you infuse into your everyday routine. A financial scheme helps you integrate restraint that buffers loss, ensures a steady income to plump up your savings and offers leeway to pay penalties and lower debt, giving you the freedom to relax and enjoy whatever brings you joy. Your numbers are 1, 12, 19, 26, 32, 39, 46.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Put a conservative spin on handling your money, investments and overhead. Look for tax breaks and eliminate subscriptions and services you don’t need. Replacements that offer more for less may not please everyone in your circle, but if it puts your mind at ease, it’s worth every penny. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You need diversity in your life. Stop trying to change others, consider what makes you happy and make adjustments that fulfill your personal goals and lead to your happiness. Be honest with yourself and apply techniques, technology and teachings that transform you into who you aspire to be. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Rethink every move, decision and promise before you proceed. Thinking big will lead to unrealistic expectations and commitments. Direct your energy into something positive that encourages you to learn something new or sends you on a journey that helps you transform into someone that brings you joy. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Take the plunge and explore your options. Let your imagination wander and point your energy in a direction that helps you use your skills, experience and knowledge to transform an idea into a dream come true. Reach out to someone who reassures and supports you. Financial gain is within reach. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t lose touch with reality in search of the impossible. Put your energy into something tangible and be the one to make a difference that makes you proud. Charm will help you buy your way into a position or someone’s heart. Raise your qualifications to meet market demands. 2 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Consider what makes you happy, and how to achieve the look you want to flaunt and the appeal you want to have on those you encounter. Assess your current relationships and the attributes you have that need to be fine-tuned, and start the process. The results will turn out better than anticipated. 2 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Turn your home into a user-friendly environment and watch what you accomplish. Putting everything in its place will help turn your routine into a flawless process that saves time; you can channel it into something that brings you joy. Take responsibility for your happiness. Keep the peace. 5 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Let your imagination take over and use your skills and attributes differently, and you’ll discover something you can excel at doing that brings you joy. Sign up for lectures, trade shows or events that connect you to people offering information that will help with your pursuits. Romance is in the stars. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Take a moment to collect your thoughts and reflect on your relationships with others. It’s time to revisit the changes you are considering and enforce what makes the most sense. Put a budget in place that will help you complete your tasks without going into debt. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Assess what’s coming in and leaving your bank account. Balancing your books will put your mind at ease and offer insight into how you can restructure your investments to help pay off debt quickly. Partnering with the right person will result in much more significant financial versatility. 5 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Avoid waste. Only fix what’s broken. Put your energy into updating what ensures smooth transitions. The less bureaucracy you face throughout the year, the easier it will be to achieve your goals. Once everything is running smoothly, you’ll find it easy to enjoy your surroundings and family. 2 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Be the one to suggest and initiate change, and shut down those tempting you to be excessive or exude indulgent behavior or dodge an expensive mistake. Sign up for a cause that concerns you and be the one to make an emotional plea for positive change. 4 stars

Birthday Baby: You are a dreamer, influencer and creator. You are inventive and materialistic.

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.

Jimmy Carter will be honored at Washington funeral before burial in Georgia hometown

By BILL BARROW, Associated Press

Jimmy Carter, who considered himself an outsider even as he sat in the Oval Office as the 39th U.S. president, will be honored Thursday with the pageantry of a funeral at Washington National Cathedral before a second service and burial in his tiny Georgia hometown.

President Joe Biden, who was the first sitting senator to endorse Carter’s 1976 presidential campaign, will eulogize his fellow Democrat 11 days before he leaves office. All of Carter’s living successors are expected to attend the Washington funeral, including President-elect Donald Trump, who paid his respects before Carter’s casket Wednesday.

President-elect Donald Trump and Melania Trump pause at the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter as he lies in state in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

The rare gathering of commanders in chief is one example of how Thursday will be an unusual moment of comity for the nation. Days of formal ceremonies and remembrances from political leaders, business titans and rank-and-file citizens have honored Carter for decency and using a prodigious work ethic to do more than obtain political power.

“He set a very high bar for presidents, how you can use voice and leadership for causes,” said Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder whose foundation funded Carter’s work to eliminate treatable diseases like the Guinea worm. Gates spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday shortly before flying to Washington for the funeral.

“Whatever prestige and resources you are lucky enough to have, ideally you can take those and take a even broader societal view in your post private sector career,” Gates said.

Bernice King, daughter of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., compared the two Georgians and Nobel Peace Prize winners.

“Both President Jimmy Carter and my father showed us what is possible when your faith compels you to live and lead from a love-centered place,” said King, who is also planning to attend the Washington service.

FILE – President Jimmy Carter prepares to make a national television address from the Oval Office at the White House, April 25, 1980, in Washington, on the failed mission to rescue the Iran hostages. (AP Photo, File)

Ted Mondale, son of Walter Mondale, Carter’s vice president, is expected to read a eulogy his father wrote for Carter before his own death in 2021.

Thursday will conclude six days of national rites that began in Plains, Georgia, where Carter was born in 1924, lived most of his life and died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. Ceremonies continued in Atlanta and Washington, where Carter, a former Naval officer, engineer and peanut farmer, has lain in state since Tuesday.

Long lines of mourners waited several hours in frigid temperatures to file past his flag-draped casket in the Capitol Rotunda, as tributes focused as much on Carter’s humanitarian work after leaving the White House as what he did as president from 1977 to 1981.

The Carter family pay their respects during a ceremony as the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter lies in state, at the Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Washington. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. (Kent Nishimura/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

After the morning service in Washington, Carter’s remains, his four children and extended family will return to Georgia on a Boeing 747 that serves as Air Force One when the sitting president is aboard.

The outspoken Baptist evangelical, who campaigned as a born-again Christian, will then be remembered in an afternoon funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church, the small edifice where he taught Sunday School for decades after leaving the White House and where his casket will sit beneath a wooden cross he fashioned in his own woodshop.

Related ArticlesNational Politics | Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito says he spoke with Trump on Tuesday National Politics | More Americans jailed in Venezuela pose a test of Trump’s deal-making foreign policy National Politics | A new book alleges that someone at Fox News gave Trump’s team an early look at town hall questions National Politics | Biden is a great-grandfather National Politics | Blinken says Trump’s push for US to take control of Greenland is ‘not going to happen’

Following a final ride through his hometown, past the old train depot that served as his 1976 presidential campaign headquarters, he will be buried on family land in a plot next to former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who died in 2023 after more than 77 years of marriage.

Carter, who won the presidency promising good government and honest talk for an electorate disillusioned by the Vietnam War and Watergate, signed significant legislation and negotiated a landmark peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. But he also presided over inflation, rising interest rates and international crises and lost a landslide to Republican Ronald Reagan in 1980.

Two years later he and Rosalynn established The Carter Center in Atlanta as a nongovernmental organization that took them across the world fighting disease, mediating conflict, monitoring elections and advocating for racial and gender equity. The center, where Carter lay in repose before coming to Washington, currently has 3,000 employees and contractors globally.

Associated Press writers Michael Liedtke in Indian Wells, California, and Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed to this report.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s childhood home burns in LA fires; Draymond Green’s house under threat

Steve Kerr’s childhood home in the Pacific Palisades has burned in the devastating fires engulfing Los Angeles County, this news organization confirmed Wednesday.

The Warriors head coach spent much of his childhood in the home, as well as overseas with his parents in the Middle East.

Kerr’s mother, Ann, still lives at the home. She turned 90 years old in August.

The San Francisco Chronicle was the first to report the news.

More than 1,000 structures were destroyed in the Palisades fire, the most destructive in the modern history of LA. Five people have died and as many as 1,500 structures in total have burned in the three fires as of Wednesday afternoon, with more than 100,000 people under mandatory evacuations. In Palisades Village, the public library, two major grocery stores, a pair of banks and several boutiques were destroyed.

The wildfires began Tuesday morning. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency.

“I want to send my thoughts and condolences to everybody in Los Angeles dealing with the fires,” Kerr said on Tuesday after the Warriors’ loss to the Heat. “My mom had to evacuate. Everett Dayton on our staff (in player development), he grew up in Pacific Palisades, and from what I gather his family home is lost.”

According to CNN, the fires could be the costliest in US history.

The Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Altadena and parts of Brentwood are among the areas either under evacuation order or warning.

Draymond Green has a home in Brentwood, much of which is under evacuation. Green’s family is safe, his mother Mary Babers told this news organization. Green reportedly bought the property for $9.6 million in 2020.

Kerr and Green are just two of dozens of public figures whose homes have been evacuated due to the trio of fires in the Los Angeles area.

The fires have consumed a total of about 42 square miles (108 square kilometers) — nearly the size of the entire city of San Francisco.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.