Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 257

Seaside police continue service following flooding in department

The Seaside Police Department is continuing regular service inside of a trailer, after the entire Seaside Police building was flooded earlier this month.

The department announced the station had flooded Dec. 8 and there was significant damage to the building.

“This will not affect public safety in anyway,” read a statement on social media.

The main station is closed until further notice, and the police are currently operating out of a trailer next to the Seaside Library.

“We will continue to provide updates as we navigate this situation,” a statement read.

The flooding at the station happened about a week before the recent storm hit Seaside, bringing powerful winds and causing power outages, downed trees and ponding on roads. It’s unclear if the Seaside Police Department building sustained any more damage during that time.

Effort underway to get Ferrini Ranch near Salinas permanent protection

SALINAS – Hundreds of acres of land along Monterey-Salinas Highway 68 is the focus of a permanent protection effort that, if successful, would connect and expand thousands of acres of protected natural areas.

A partnership between the Trust for Public Land and Big Sur Land Trust, along with support from Community Foundation Santa Cruz County and the Wildlife Conservation Network, announced the launch of an “ambitious effort to secure permanent protection of Ferrini Ranch, an 866-acre ecological and cultural treasure located along Highway 68 in Monterey County.”

Ferrini Ranch is situated on the western edge of Salinas straddling Toro County Park along Monterey-Salinas Highway between River Road and San Benancio Road.

Trust for Public Land has purchased the property for $14 million and entered into an agreement with Big Sur Land Trust to work together over the next two years. During this time, Trust for Public Land and Big Sur Land Trust will be focused on closing the remaining $15.5 million funding gap needed to finalize the property’s protection, while Big Sur Land Trust manages the property. If successful, ownership is expected to transfer to Big Sur Land Trust within the two-year timeframe.

If the goal to secure permanent protection of Ferrini Ranch is attained, it will connect and expand more than 20,000 acres of protected natural areas, including Fort Ord National Monument, enhancing a critical wildlife corridor and habitat crossing, protecting iconic views at the gateway of the Monterey Peninsula, while reducing wildfire risks and safeguarding the region’s natural and cultural heritage.

Ferrini Ranch was a project that was once envisioned as a 900-lot partner to the Toro Park Estates subdivision across the designated “scenic” Highway 68. In 2014, the project was approved by a split Board of Supervisors, after years of community advocacy to preserve it as natural open space, paving the way for a 185-lot development including 168 market-rate homes and 17 moderate-income “workforce” units, along with preservation of more than 700 acres in permanent open space.

But the project had raised significant concerns about fragmenting a critical wildlife corridor, adding pressure to an already overdrawn aquifer, and increasing wildfire risks. Recognizing these challenges and with the landowners’ willingness to see the property preserved, Trust for Public Land and partners took action to acquire the property and secure permanent funding to prevent these irreversible impacts.

“This first step in the possible future permanent protection of Ferrini Ranch is an incredible opportunity to preserve an irreplaceable link in California’s Central Coast ecosystem,” said Guillermo Rodriguez, Trust for Public Land’s vice president Pacific Region and California State Director, in a press release.“By safeguarding this land from future development, we are ensuring critical wildlife corridors remain intact, while better addressing urgent environmental challenges like groundwater depletion and wildfire risks affecting so many California communities. Its permanent protection would be a victory for both people and nature.”

According to Trust for Public Land, this is a milestone moment in its Central Coast Climate Conservation initiative, focused on protecting, managing and restoring the vital natural lands and waters that sustain the region’s economic, social and ecological health.

“Our family has a long history with this property. While it had been our intent to develop this into a unique and special neighborhood, we also have a strong affection for natural beauty and we are very happy to find a long-term opportunity to see this special property conserved,” said Mark Kelton, on behalf of the landowners, in the release. “We know that the Trust for Public Land and its partner Big Sur Land Trust do a wonderful job of taking care of important places and we look forward to their efforts to ensure the community can enjoy and benefit from it in the future.”

The purchase was made possible by a loan from Community Foundation Santa Cruz County’s Central Coast Climate and Conservation Action Fund, known as the “Strike Fund,” which is focused on bolstering regional climate resiliency, says Trust for Public Land. The Strike Fund acts as a revolving loan fund, empowering partners, including TPL, to purchase prioritized lands quickly before they are sold to private developers and allow more time for nonprofits to raise public and private funds to permanently protect critical landscapes. As the loan is repaid, the fund is replenished, multiplying the impact of each gift.

Ferrini Ranch is situated on the western edge of Salinas straddling Toro County Park along Monterey-Salinas Highway between River Road and San Benancio Road. (James Herrera/Monterey Herald – Google Maps)

“Big Sur Land Trust has been conserving land in the Sierra de Salinas range for nearly two decades, protecting over 10,000 acres. Ferrini Ranch is a critical piece of this landscape that is beloved by the community,” said Jeannette Tuitele-Lewis, Big Sur Land Trust’s President and CEO in the release. “We are thrilled to work with Trust for Public Land and given the purchase price and the complexity of the project, we knew that a partnership with TPL would increase our chances of success. This approach also allows us more time to raise the funds needed to permanently protect this magnificent property.”

Big Sur Land Trust’s vision for Ferrini Ranch is to protect and enhance scenic open space and critical wildlife habitat in this multi-benefit landscape that also includes working lands, cultural resources, and educational opportunities. With community and Indigenous partnerships, Big Sur Land Trust will care for the exceptional natural and cultural values of Ferrini Ranch. In addition, the Land Trust is exploring exciting ways to support healthy lands and healthy communities through sustainable agricultural practices.

Ferrini Ranch serves as a vital wildlife corridor between the Sierra de Salinas range and Fort Ord National Monument. The Ranch includes lands on both sides of an underpass on Highway 68 over El Toro Creek that provides an existing functional safe passage for wildlife under the busy roadway.

The property holds exceptional ecological and historical importance, as it lies along an ancient trade route for several Indigenous tribes, which was later traversed by Spanish explorers, including the de Anza Expedition, says Trust for Public Land. Its protection not only safeguards critical habitats but also honors the cultural heritage of the region. The land itself features a diverse natural landscape, including oak woodlands, native coastal prairie grasslands, seasonal wetlands, and the confluence of Harper and Watson Creeks, forming El Toro Creek. This diverse ecosystem plays a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and supporting the resilience of the Central Coast’s environmental health.

Musk helped kill a congressional spending bill. But much of what he spread was misinformation

By MELISSA GOLDIN

President-elect Donald Trump’s billionaire ally Elon Musk played a key role this week in killing a bipartisan funding proposal that would have prevented a government shutdown, railing against the plan in a torrent of more than 100 X posts that included multiple false claims.

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“Trump has got himself a handful with Musk,” John Mark Hansen, a professor of political science at the University of Chicago, said in an email. “Trump’s done this kind of thing before, blowing up a bill at the last minute. This time, though, it looks like he was afraid of Musk upstaging him. Now there’s a new social media bully in town, pushing the champion social media bully around.”

Hansen added: “We’ll see what Musk’s influence is when he runs up against reality — like when he proposes cutting off ‘wasteful’ spending for other people but not NASA contracts for Space-X.”

Musk’s objections to the 1,547-page omnibus bill included misinformation about congressional salaries, federal funding and public health preparedness, among other topics.

He alleged that the plan included a 40% raise for lawmakers. But the maximum pay increase possible through the proposal would have been 3.8%, according to the Congressional Research Service.

One way that members of Congress can receive a pay raise is through automatic adjustments that go into effect unless denied by law. Most members make $174,000 per a year after their last increase of 2.8% in 2009. Congressional leadership is the exception, with the Speaker of the House earning the most at $223,500 annually.

The rejected bill struck a section from a previous appropriations act that denied members of Congress this automatic pay raise. A maximum increase of 3.8% would have bumped their annual salary by about $6,600, to approximately $180,000 annually.

Musk also shared a post from another user that falsely claimed the bill provided $3 billion in funding for a potential new stadium for the NFL’s Washington Commanders, commenting: “This should not be funded by your tax dollars!”

The bill included a provision to transfer control of the land that houses RFK Stadium from the federal government to the District of Columbia. That transfer is necessary to pave the way for the Commanders to possibly build a new stadium in the franchise’s old home — though the team is still considering other locations.

However, no such funding is provided by the bill. It states, in fact, that the federal government “shall not be responsible for payment or any costs or expenses” that the District of Columbia incurs after the transfer is complete aside from responsibilities related to specific environmental issues.

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser addressed false claims about the stadium’s funding on Thursday, calling them “frustrating.”

“It was stated that the C.R. contains $3 billion for a stadium,” she said at a press conference. “All wrong. There are no federal dollars related to the transfer of RFK and in fact, the legislation does not require or link at all to a stadium.

Bowser added that she has reached out to the Trump administration to correct misinformation about this issue.

In a third post, Musk incorrectly claimed that “We’re funding bioweapon labs in this bill!”

The plan provided funds for up to 12 regional biocontainment research laboratories, not facilities for creating bioweapons. It stipulates that among their uses, the labs will conduct biomedical research to prepare for biological agents such as emerging infectious diseases.

A spokesperson for Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Associated Press.

Some members of Congress expressed dismay that Musk had disseminated misinformation about the bill.

“I love you Elon but you need to take 5 seconds to check your sources before highlighting bottom feeders looking for clicks,” Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Texas Republican, wrote on X.

In a hastily convened Thursday evening vote, the House rejected a new Trump-backed bill whittled down to 116 pages, with the bill failing 174-235. Dozens of Republicans joined Democrats in opposition. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Friday afternoon that Republicans had reached a consensus on a third spending deal, but did not provide further details.

Trump led Republicans into the longest government shutdown in history in his first term during the 2018 Christmas season, and interrupted the holidays in 2020 by tanking a bipartisan COVID-relief bill and forcing a do-over.

College football: Honors pile up for MPC football team

MONTEREY — Headlined by Kefa Pereira, the Monterey Peninsula College football team landed seven players on the All-California Region II football team.

Pereira, a 295-pound defensive tackle, earned a pair of awards as he was named the Region II Defensive Player of the Year, and was chosen to the All-State All-American first team defense.

The sophomore anchored a defense that posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time in 30 plus years, holding De Anza to 12 points in the American Bowl to cap a school record 11-0 season.

Head coach Ronnie Palmer was named the Region II Coach of the Year after guiding the Lobos to an undefeated season, one of three teams in the state of California to go undefeated, joining Pasadena City and San Mateo.

Pereira was joined on the Region II first team defense by linebacker Noah Garry and defensive backs Jayden Friedt and Maurice Mathis.

A Pacific Grove High product, Garry led the Lobos in tackles this past fall with 60, while intercepting a pair of passes. Friedt, who prepped at Hollister, shared the team lead in interceptions with five.

Mathis, who has an offer on the table from Temple University, finished with five interceptions — two for pick sixes, including one in the bowl game — and forced and recovered a fumble.

American Golden Coast Conference Offensive Most Valuable Player Devin Ellison was named to the Region II first team after leading the state in receiving touchdowns with 17 in the regular season.

Ellison, who has offers on the table from Nevada and Hawaii, caught 45 passes for 835 yards in 10 games, averaging 18.5 yards per reception.

Joining Ellison on the Region II first team included tailback Kieryus Boone, who rushed for 1,475 yards, leading the state in average yards per game at 134.8. The sophomore rushed for 13 touchdowns and caught 17 passes, turning two into touchdowns.

Former Greenfield High lineman Nathaniel Olivas was also chosen to the All-State Region II first team for the four-time conference champion Lobos, who were second in the state in scoring at 44.7.

Next man up for 49ers? It’s halfback Patrick Taylor Jr. vs. Dolphins

SANTA CLARA — Patrick Taylor Jr. concedes there are times when he wondered if this day would ever come.

“Certain times it crosses your mind,” Taylor said. “But you have to stay consistent and disciplined to your process.”

Taylor is next man up in the running back room, with rookie Isaac Guerendo ruled out Friday before the 49ers embarked on a trip to Miami to face the Dolphins in a battle of 6-8 teams.

Also ruled out was left tackle Trent Williams (ankle). Listed as questionable were edge rusher Nick Bosa (hip/oblique), linebacker Dre Greenlaw (Achilles) and edge rusher Robert Beal Jr. (ankle).

In his fourth season and first with the 49ers, Taylor, 26, has played in 44 games. Counting fullback Kyle Juszczyk who opened a game in a single back set, Taylor is the fourth starting running back for the 49ers this season including Jordan Mason, Christian McCaffrey and Isaac Guerendo.

In three seasons with Green Bay, Taylor played in 34 games with no start and has stuck in the NFL largely through his work on special teams. He has 14 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown for the 49ers. For his career, Taylor has 79 carries for 311 yards and two touchdowns.

The most Taylor has ever carried the ball in a game was 11 times for 53 yards for Green Bay against the Detroit Lions in 2022.

It isn’t new territory for Shanahan, who has had 15 different running backs start games in the regular season or playoffs since joining the 49ers in 2017.

The first was Carlos Hyde, who was followed by Matt Breida, Alfred Morris, Jeff Wilson, Tevin Coleman, Raheem Mostert, Jerick McKinnon, Elijah Mitchell, Trey Sermon, Deebo Samuel, McCaffrey, Mason, Guerendo and Juszczyk.

Potentially available to back up Taylor are Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Israel Abanikanda, with the possibility that Samuel could get snaps as a running back as well.

“He’s been here since training camp, he’s done a real good job for us, played in this league before with Green Bay and when he’s gotten opportunities with us he’s run the ball well,” Shanahan said of Taylor. “When he hasn’t run the ball, he’s helped on special teams. A big opportunity for him and I’m glad we got him.”

In college at Memphis, Taylor gained 2,884 yards on 536 career carries with 36 touchdowns. He battled through a Lisfranc foot injury that led to him being undrafted.

Taylor attributes the 49ers’ ability to plug and play running backs effectively in part to the instruction of position coach Bobby Turner.

“He does a great job making sure we’re prepared going into a game and he has a lot of confidence in us to play well,” Taylor said. “When we get out there, it’s just playing freely and not hesitating.”

BROCK’S CHIP

The revelation by quarterback Brock Purdy that he needs to get back to playing with a chip on his shoulder came as news to Shanahan.

“He has a big a chip on his shoulder as any player I’ve been around,” Shanahan said. “He was probably trying to answer a question and coming up with something to say to you guys.”

THE EMBREE INFLUENCE

Tight end George Kittle remains indebted to Jon Embree, who coached tight ends for the 49ers from 2017 through 2021 and was his coach as a rookie fifth-round draft pick out of Iowa.

In fact, Kittle said he still gets pointers from Embree, who is now Miami’s tight ends coach and assistant head coach under former 49ers’ assistant Mike McDaniel.

“I think coach Embree did a great job showing me the ropes, kind of throwing me a life vest, because I was a rookie,” Kittle said. “I’ll get a random coaching point from him at 5 a.m. our time, 8 a.m. Miami time that says, `Your footwork was trash last week. You’ve got to fix your stance’ and I always appreciate those coaching points.”

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JUICE LEADS FULLBACKS

Juszczyk is the only 49ers player to lead fan balloting for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games.

An eight-time Pro Bowler with the Baltimore Ravens and 49ers, Jusczyk is ahead of Kansas City fullback Carson Steele.

Kittle is second among tight ends to Raiders’ rookie Brock Bowers (and first in the NFC), while edge rusher Nick Bosa and tackle Trent Williams are sixth in their respective positions. Linebacker Fred Warner is No. 7 among inside linebackers. Quarterback Brock Purdy is not in the top 10.

The Pro Bowl teams are selected through voting by the fans, players and coaches. No 49ers player ranks in the Top 10. There were nine 49ers who ended up Pro Bowlers last year — Bosa, Juszczyk, Williams, Kittle, McCaffrey, Warner, quarterback Brock Purdy, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, Warner and cornerback Charvarius Ward.

 

 

 

Dungeness crab is coming! State sets Jan. 5 season opening date

California’s long-awaited Dungeness crab season will get under way early in the new year.

Commercial crab fishers from the Mendocino County line to the Mexican border can drop their gear on Jan. 2, 2025, and start pulling up the first crab pots on Sunday, Jan. 5, the Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Friday afternoon.

The news came as a relief to the fishing industry and fish markets, which dealt last year with a two months’ late Jan. 18 start to the season.

“The delays have been difficult, but the commercial fishing fleet is looking forward to getting to work and delivering healthy, sustainable Dungeness crab to our communities,” said Lisa Damrosch, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations.

At one of Mollie Stone’s Bay Area markets, a seafood and meat expert noted that while the first catch will come in too late for the holiday “hoopla,” he’s happy they will finally get to sell the much-sought-after California crab. “I’m excited for the customers,” he said. So far, the stores have been sourcing crab from Washington and Oregon to meet the demand.

The state’s decision comes after a series of delays since November meant to protect whales from getting tangled in fishing lines abandoned in previous seasons, and it comes with a key restriction: Fleets will have to operate under a 50 percent trap reduction.

In far Northern California (Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino counties), the season will not be allowed to start until Jan. 15 because of crab meat quality issues.

The director of the CDFW, Charlton H. Bonham, who makes decisions in consultation with representatives of the fishing industry, environmental organizations and scientists, explained the thinking:

“Making the decision on when to open the Dungeness crab fishery is never an easy one. It requires careful consideration of the need to protect endangered species while sustaining the livelihood of California’s fishing communities,” he said in a statement. “My action today strikes a balance between the needs of the fishery and the needs of California’s marine species.”

Scientist Geoff Shester of the Oceana group, one of the consultants to the state, said conservationists do want to see the crab fishery succeed. “While there still are a lot of whales out there, we are all anticipating the numbers will go down” by the first week of January, he said.

The commercial season traditionally starts Nov. 15, and the recreational season typically begins earlier than that. Since 2015, there have been delays in all but one commercial Dungeness season in the Bay Area. A toxin, domoic acid, that could sicken anyone who eats the tainted crab, destroyed Northern California’s 2015-2016 commercial season and created delays in other years.

College football: Bryne to play final season at Georgia Tech

CARMEL – JT Byrne’s second time in the college football transfer portal was brief.

Byrne, who will graduate with a degree in political economy from Cal on Saturday, is headed to Georgia Tech in two weeks to begin the next chapter in his collegiate football career.

“My dream is to play in the National Football League,” Byrne said. “I have a year left of eligibility. I wanted to find the best place for me that fit schematically.”

The 6-foot-6, 258-pound Carmel High graduate spent the last two seasons at Cal, serving as a backup tight end, often being used in short yardage situations and special teams.

“I have nothing but great things to say about the coaching staff and players at Cal,” Bryne insisted. “I had a terrific experience. I’m excited to get my degree.”

Carmel grad JT Byrne is planning to play football at Georgia Tech next season. (Courtesy photo)

Yet, the urge to continue his collegiate football career has become an inferno for Byrne. As soon as the 22-year-old hit the portal, a dozen schools contacted him.

“Did I ever see myself playing in the south or the east coast?” Byrne said. “Not a chance. Honestly, I think my sister inspired me for the change. She expanded herself at 18. I felt I was behind the curve. She’s the best athlete in the family.”

Byrne’s sister Caroline is currently playing volleyball at Middlebury College in Vermont, where she is an outside hitter.

Having started his college career at Oregon State, Byrne entered the transfer portal after his redshirt freshman season, signing with Cal in 2023.

What is lacking from the 2021 Herald Male Athlete of the Year’s resume is a catch in college. In three full seasons, Bryne has yet to have a college reception.

“I told everyone going into this process what was more important for me was finding a place that I can perform well,” Byrne said. “I couldn’t be happier about the fit in this offense.’’

Byrne had taken a trip to Tuscon to visit the University of Arizona before flying out to Atlanta. While he had other visits planned, Georgia Tech’s program sold him on his visit.

“I watched a ton of film of them at Cal since we played a lot of familiar teams in the ACC,” Byrne said. “What I saw on film translated to what they do in practice. Their effort was off the charts when I was at practice. I’m very excited to be a part of it.”

The Yellowjackets went 7-5 this past season and will be playing Vanderbilt on Dec. 27 in the Birmingham Bowl.

Georgia Tech is going to lose three tight ends off its roster at the conclusion of the season, with one likely ticketed for the NFL.

“When you’re a graduate transfer, it’s much different,” Byrne said. “I have done this twice. You can have some very transparent conversations. It’s like ‘coach, do I fit in’?”

Apparently, Byrne liked what the staff at Georgia Tech had to say, as he will begin the final chapter in his college career, with an eye on playing on Sunday’s in two years.

“You have to earn every step of the way,” Byrne said. “No matter where you go, you have to compete. I understand how it works. I’m going to go where I believe is the best fit for me.”

A priority for Byrne’s in looking for a new home was finding a place that uses tight ends in multiple places.

“I felt these guys do a great job in doing that,” Byrne said. “The offense Georgia Tech runs translates to what they are doing at the NFL level. I’m excited to join the culture and help them.”

While the transfer portal has become a hotbed for NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals for players, that wasn’t even on Byrne’s radar, as he was seeking playing time to showcase his talents as a receiver and blocker.

During his junior season at Carmel, Byrne caught 48 passes, accounting for 18 touchdowns as a receiver, runner and quarterback in the Gabilan Division.

“I have learned over the years how incredible and amazing it is to grace the field for a Division I program,” Byrne said. “I have learned there is never a time to complain.”

Yet, a desire to be more involved in the offense was a priority going forward for Byrne, who has excelled as a blocking tight end in college.

“I have been so grateful to get on the field,” Byrne said. “It has given me an opportunity to play at Georgia Tech. When it is time to showcase a different aspect of my game, I will be 100 percent ready to do so.”

Horoscopes Dec. 20, 2024: Jonah Hill, look for opportunities and refuse to let other people’s drama drag you down

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Jonah Hill, 41; David Cook, 42; Nicole de Boer, 54; Joel Gretsch, 61.

Happy Birthday: Take your time, look for opportunities and refuse to let other people’s drama drag you down. Patience, hard work, charm and congeniality will help you advance. Pay attention to relationships and weed out negative connections that drain your energy. It’s time to call the shots instead of giving others the authority to choose for you. It’s time to step into the spotlight and own the stage. Your numbers are 4, 15, 23, 27, 34, 41, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Dress for success and strut your stuff. Social events will lead to chance meetings and various opportunities to ponder. Travel, learning experiences and conversations will help you grasp new possibilities. A chance to donate or support a cause or someone you care about will lead to unexpected rewards. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A change or proposal someone makes will take you by surprise. Before you jump at a potential opportunity, do your research. Stay calm and carefully pick and choose the venues you attend. Don’t jeopardize your health or take a risk that can result in an argument or injury. 5 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A positive attitude will prevent emotional friction. When in doubt, take a pass and do something you can easily handle. Let your charm lead the way, and let your gestures be your calling card. Sport a trendy new look and enjoy the festivities in your community. Romance is favored. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): A reserved attitude will pay off. The information you receive will be exaggerated. Take your time and verify what you hear before you react. Trust your intuition, and you will avoid being taken advantage of financially. Engage in creative endeavors or spend more time with someone you love. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): High energy will help you get things done, allowing you to move on to entertaining activities and engaging in stimulating conversations that pique your interest. Your enthusiasm will lead to opportunities and a chance to meet with someone who can alter your life. Romance is in the stars. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Set guidelines, boundaries and a budget when dealing with people who don’t reveal their intentions but are pressuring you to join forces. Put more time, money and thought into what matters most and how you want to use your skills and cash moving forward. Be bold and move forward alone. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You’ll have plenty to discuss once you let down your guard and feel comfortable with someone of interest. Social and networking events will allow you to meet interesting people and show off what you can offer. An opportunity to learn, travel or connect romantically looks promising. 4 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Know your limits and your opponents. Think outside the box, and you’ll devise a surefire way to outmaneuver someone trying to take advantage of you. Trust your instincts, refuse to let anger surface and set your radar on your goal instead of wasting time on nonsense. 4 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Take a long, hard look at what’s important to you and how to preserve what matters most, and let go of the past. It’s time to turn the page and create and embrace opportunities that excite you. Attending a reunion will help you redefine your role and purpose. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Emotions and money won’t mix. You can’t buy love and shouldn’t waste your time trying to please someone who doesn’t reciprocate. Change begins with looking at the facts, adjusting your mindset and returning to the pastimes that make you feel good about yourself. Be open to trying something new. 5 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Home improvements will make your life easier. Open your doors to friends and family, and you’ll gain access to valuable information and an opportunity to get to know someone better. Love, romance and personal gain are in the stars and will encourage you to participate in something new and exciting. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Showing respect may win you favors, but truth and honesty will buy you dignity and support from those who count. Know when to avoid temptation, put ego aside and turn a negative into a positive. Don’t let uncertainty weigh heavy on your mind; take the high road. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are quick-witted, entertaining and appealing. You are helpful and sensitive.

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.

Kurtenbach: The worst Warriors loss of the season shows a team at a crossroads

Let’s start with the good news:

The Dennis Schröder era — if you can call it an era — can only get better from here.

That’s because Schröder’s first game with the Warriors went as poorly as any game the Warriors have played in recent years.

Golden State lost by 51 to the Grizzlies in Memphis on Thursday night, and that final margin might be more flattering than the Dubs deserved. With just under 4 minutes to play in the third quarter, the Warriors were losing 102-50. They were down by as many as 57 on the night.

This wasn’t an NBA game — it was like the Warriors were North Carolina Central playing Duke.

The 51-point loss was the Warriors worst since the Celtics beat them by 52 in March.

Was it entirely Schröder’s fault the Warriors had the brakes beaten off them in Memphis? Of course not.

But this inauspicious start hardly inspires confidence in this bold (yet inadequate) experiment.

The Warriors will try to “flush” this game. There will be no tape study and no discussion—move on to the next one.

And perhaps, after Saturday night’s game in Minneapolis, this contest will seem like a waste of everyone’s time.

Every team is entitled to a dud, on occasion, after all.

But it would be foolish to simply call Thursday’s annihilation a one-off, especially when you consider that it was the first game for a player whose fit with this team has been so roundly and justly questioned.

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Because it is so rare for Steph Curry to play as poorly as he did Thursday — he didn’t make a shot from the field — or for Draymond Green to be as ineffective on both sides of the floor that he set an NBA record for worst plus-minus (minus-42) in a game for any player who played 20 minutes or fewer.

It can’t simply be the Grizzlies having a game for the ages.

That accounts for, what, a 30-point Memphis win?

How do we account for an additional 20 points? Surely, we can’t credit Jake LaRavia for that.

I’m on the record saying I like the idea of Schröder on the Warriors. He might be a dribble-drive player on a team that finds such play antithetical, but the Warriors need more of what Schröder offers — ball-handling and offensive aggression. His defensive upside is much-needed, too.

But just as a recently acquired player is required to acquiesce to the way his new team goes about its business, so too must the new team adapt to the way the new player plays.

I’m unsure what we saw on Thursday, but it certainly wasn’t that. Instead, it was clunky at best and mutually exclusive play — Schröder taking a  possession, the Warriors taking the next — at worst. Either this team had too much fun in Memphis on Wednesday (is that even possible?), or this assimilation might take some time.

And let’s be clear: the Warriors can’t afford a long stretch of growing pains.

But what else are we to believe is coming down the pipe after Thursday?

The idea of landing Schröder was that he was the player the Warriors needed right now. What if “right now” turns out to be a few weeks or a month from now?

I heard the NBC Sports Bay Area propagandists suggest that the Warriors are just fine — they’re merely on the wrong side of a hellacious stretch of schedule.

Sure, the Dubs have played some seriously tough opponents as of late — Memphis included — but you let me know when there’s an easy week in the NBA. I’ll wait.

Contrary to what you might think following Thursday’s game, this is the era of parity in the NBA, and there aren’t many teams markedly worse than the Dubs, who, just weeks after being No. 1 in the Western Conference, are now at No. 10 in the standings.

For instance, the next time the Warriors play the tanking Utah Jazz, it’s the first part of a back-to-back where the second game is against the West’s best, Oklahoma City. Your upcoming home game against the hapless Wizards? That’s followed by a game against the defending champion Celtics.

The Warriors need to start playing good basketball as soon as possible. That’s why Schröder was acquired after all.

One game isn’t a viable referendum. Two or three games aren’t, either.

But the Warriors simply can’t wait long to mesh Schröder into the fold of this team and return it to its early-season form. If the win-now move doesn’t win… now, the Dubs could be trying to make another move with a trade asset that isn’t nearly as valuable as he was a few weeks back.

Yes, the Warriors have made it known that they still have the ability to make trades before February’s deadline, and if that includes Schröder, so be it.

I’m skeptical about that.

But if one game can change that opinion, Thursday’s disaster of a game was it.

 

Grizzlies hammer Warriors as losing skid continues in Dennis Schroder’s debut

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Dennis Schroder got traded from a team that’s trying to lose to one failing to put the winning ways of their early-season halcyon days back in the bottle.

If they play like they did on Thursday, the Warriors’ bottle is shattered.

The 51-point margin of defeat is tied for the fourth-biggest blowout loss in franchise history.

After starting 12-3 this season, the Warriors have now lost nine of their past 11 games, sliding squarely into play-in territory. They’re “reeling,” head coach Steve Kerr said. Their latest loss was a 144-93 atrocity in which the Grizzlies completely outclassed them from start to finish. The Warriors (14-12) waved the white flag halfway through the third quarter after they fell behind by 46.

“I don’t like the ‘panic’ word,” Steph Curry said postgame. “I like: accept where you’re at and buck up, try to figure out how to change the momentum of the season. ‘Panic’ kind of means you don’t have an answer. I think we do have answers. Obviously it’s just a sense of urgency.”

The brutal blowout was a tough welcome for Schroder, who had two practices with Golden State to acclimate himself. Schroder missed eight straight shots and finished with five points, five assists and four turnovers on 2-for-12 shooting.

Curry scored two points and the Warriors got outscored by 42 in Draymond Green’s 19 minutes. Neither made a field goal for the first time ever in a game they both played. They watched from the bench as the FedEx Forum crowd stood up and danced to “Whoop That Trick” in the fourth quarter before hitting Beale Street early. As a team, the Warriors shot 35.6% from the floor and surrendered 27 3-pointers.

It took Schroder less than two minutes to get into the box score, as he drilled a step-back deuce off a pick-and-roll. It was the type of anti-Warriors play the team hopes to introduce as a counterbalance to their pace-and-space, movement offense that emphasizes 3s and layups.

But that bucket was one of just four made field goals in a pitiful opening quarter for the Warriors.

Steve Kerr rejiggered his starting lineup to include Schroder and Green in an effort to set the defensive tone. Instead, Memphis blasted the Warriors 37-15 in the first 12 minutes. Green left Santi Aldama open in the corner to help on a Scotty Pippen Jr. drive, resulting in a corner 3 as the first-quarter horn sounded.

The Grizzlies brought all of the force to the game. They implemented a full-court press in bursts, and Ja Morant picked Schroder’s pocket at one point. The Grizzlies denied Curry the ball and pushed the pace even after Warriors makes — rare as they were.

“We have to accept that if we don’t have an answer for how a team’s guarding us, we’ve got to figure something (else) out on the fly,” Curry said. “We didn’t do it and they (beat us by) 50…That was kind of embarrassing.”

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The Warriors coughed up eight turnovers while going 4-for-22 from the floor in the first quarter. Schroder missed his next eight shots after his first hit, including two clean looks from behind the arc.

“We’re going to need Dennis to be very aggressive and not worry that Steph Curry’s on the floor, and we’ll be fine,” Green said. “It’s not Dennis’ fault, by the way. But I said in a press conference last week that we want him to come here and we’ll figure it out. We’ll figure it out around him, and then he’ll figure the system out.”

Like they did earlier this week against Dallas, the Warriors lost the game in the first quarter. That doesn’t mean things got better after the opening frame.

After Green picked up his third foul seconds into the second quarter, Kerr tried super-small lineups with both Schroder and Brandin Podziemski with Kyle Anderson at center. As those units struggled to get stops, Memphis’ lead ballooned to 30.

At that point, Green picked up his fourth foul. He’d gotten hit by Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey in the head earlier in the game, thought a different foul on him went uncalled, jostled for position on the block with Edey constantly and gotten stuffed by Ja Morant before locking up Edey in transition. After the foul, the two centers went nose-to-nose for a moment.

The Grizzlies opened the second half on an 8-0 run. There was no lifeline for the Warriors, who fell behind by 57 at worst. Curry took seven shots in his 24 minutes, misfiring on all of them. Kerr didn’t even bother playing him or Green for the last 17 minutes of the game.

“At the end of the day, if you lose by one or you lose by 50, it doesn’t (expletive) matter. At the end of the day, they busted our ass.”

The Warriors never expected Schroder to solve all their problems. But it’s possible their problems are deeper than anyone could have thought.

“Just a humbling night all around,” Kerr said.

“I know who we are, I know what our team is about,” Kerr added. “I know we’ve got competitors, I know we’re going to bounce back. So I’m not concerned about that. But we’ve got a lot of work to do to execute, learn how to execute under pressure, take care of the ball, get good shots. We’ll regroup tomorrow in Minneapolis, have practice and get ready to go Saturday.”