Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 258

How Red Sox signings could bolster SF Giants’ odds of signing Corbin Burnes

The Giants’ pursuit of right-hander Corbin Burnes is no secret. Especially not with Logan Webb and Willy Adames being vocal about their admiration for the former Cy Young Award winner.

Over the last three days, the Giants’ chances of signing the former Cy Young Award winner may have significantly increased thanks to another team’s activity.

The Boston Red Sox bolstered their starting rotation before Christmas, signing left-hander Patrick Sandoval to a two-year, $18.2 million deal and agreeing with right-hander Walker Buehler to a one-year, $21.05 million contract. Sandoval, who underwent Tommy John surgery last summer, will not be ready for Opening Day, but Buehler beefs up Boston’s five-man rotation.

These signings are not insignificant to the Giants. The Red Sox reportedly readied an offer for Burnes after left-hander Max Fried signed with the New York Yankees, according to Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam of MassLive. The Giants and Toronto Blue Jays were already the reported favorites to land Burnes; with the Red Sox signing Buehler and Sandoval, Boston might be out of the Burnes sweepstakes altogether.

Burnes will likely not sign a new deal until after Christmas, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, and two faces of the Giants’ franchise have not been shy about advocating for Burnes to take his talents to San Francisco.

“You always want a guy like him,” Adames said at his introductory press conference. “You’re always going to have guys that are going to compete out there for you, and having a guy like that would be such an amazing addition.”

“If Corbin goes out there and throws, then I come and throw right after him the next day, it’s literally perfect,” Webb said on The Chris Rose Rotation. “We’re the complete opposite of pitchers, and I think that’s a good thing. You don’t want too many of the same guys. It’s almost like a perfect match.”

Similar to the first-base market, the list of available — and quality — starting pitchers is quickly dwindling. After Burnes, the best available free-agent starting pitcher is Jack Flaherty, whose market is a little tricky to read.

The right-hander turned in his best season since breaking out in 2019. Over 28 starts with the Tigers and Dodgers, the right-hander had a 3.17 ERA over 162 innings and won a World Series title with Los Angeles. Prior to that bounce back, Flaherty turned in a 4.42 ERA over 299 innings from 2020-23 as he dealt with injuries and diminished velocity.

Flaherty represents an uncertainty, and given the amount of existing uncertainty in San Francisco’s rotation, the Giants would be better off pursuing other options. At this juncture, though, there are not many other alluring options.

Many of the best free-agent starting pitchers have signed in recent weeks, a list that includes Buehler, Max Fried, Blake Snell, Nathan Eovaldi, Sean Manaea and Luis Severino. Aside from Burnes and Flaherty, the list of free-agent starting pitchers includes José Quintana, Kyle Gibson, Andrew Heaney Michael Lorenzen, 40-year-old Max Scherzer and 41-year-olds Justin Verlander and Charlie Morton.

There’s also the matter of Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, who has reportedly met with several teams in recent days. Posey raved about Sasaki at the Winter Meetings, and while the Dodgers and Padres are the favorites to land the right-hander, the Giants could be making their own pitch.

“It would be a dream for us to get this guy. Just tremendous upside. Not too many arms in the world like his,” Posey said. “He’s a tremendous talent. He’s 23 years old. It’s fun to dream on. It’s fun to think about him at Oracle Park and him pitching deep into a game late in the year, the place rocking. We’d be over the moon to add a guy like that.”

49ers’ aftermath: Banks and Moore done for season, so is Trent Williams and maybe Dre Greenlaw

The 49ers have two games to play, but left guard Aaron Banks is done for the year.

So is left tackle Jaylon Moore.

So is Pro Bowl tackle Trent Williams.

And possibly linebacker Dre Greenlaw.

Those were the updates provided by coach Kyle Shanahan Monday during his weekly conference call with local writers the day after a 29-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The 49ers have won just one of their last six games and were officially eliminated from the playoff race before kickoff.

That’s life with the 49ers during a 6-9 season, where the news is usually bad.

For Banks, who has an MCL injury, it could be his last in a 49ers uniform. He is scheduled for unrestricted free agency in the offseason. The same goes for Moore, who has a quad strain and is also a potential free agent.

As for Williams, Shanahan had been publicly holding out hope of a late-season return from an ankle injury, but that’s not going to happen.

“He won’t be playing the next two games,” Shanahan said. “He hasn’t improved enough to get him out there and we don’t see that happening in the next two weeks, especially with the situation we’re in.”

The 49ers finished the Miami game with Spencer Buford, the No. 3 tackle, replacing Moore and Nick Zakelj filling in for Banks. And Burford is no sure thing to face Detroit when the 49ers host the Lions in Week 17 on Monday night.

Burford has a calf injury and will be monitored this week. The 49ers are presently perusing practice squads of other teams for additional bodies to play both guard and tackle to fill out the season. Austin Pleasants, a recent practice squad addition, was promoted Saturday.

As for Greenlaw, who left after four snaps one week after playing for the first time since Achilles surgery, it sounds as if he won’t play against Detroit or Arizona.

“My gut feeling is most likely he’ll end up being shut down but I’ve got to wait to talk to Dre and we want to make sure how he is doing and that it’s not just soreness,” Shanahan said. “It will be a decision I’ll leave up to Dre depending on how his health is.”

Running back Isaac Guerendo, who missed the Miami game with a hamstring strain, is day to day and could practice Thursday. Linebacker Dee Winters (chest) is also day to day.

PURDY IN PERIL?

Shanahan said he is giving no thought to sitting quarterback Brock Purdy, who is ostensibly the club’s franchise quarterback heading into the future but will be playing behind an offensive line in tatters.

“We’ve got a football team here and we have two games and we’ve got to see what guys we can put out there and do whatever we we’ve got to do to put a game plan together as best we can to give us a chance to win,” Shanahan said. “I’m not thinking that way.”

Shanahan wants healthy players to fulfill their contractual obligations and isn’t interested in selling players on the notion of competing even if there are no playoffs.

“You get 17 checks, which is for 17 games,” Shanahan said. “We’ve got two games left, it’s all that we’ve got and our goal is to find a way to play better. Our goal is to find a way to win. That’s what I expect out of anyone involved and if they don’t see that way then they’re probably not the type of guys you want around here anyways.”

Getty ImagesQuarterback Brock Purdy scrambles for yards Sunday in a 29-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

WILLIAMS’ PAINFUL SEASON

Williams ended up playing 10 games this season, his fewest since he played 10 in 2017 for Washington. At age 36, Williams sat out training camp while negotiating a three-year, $82.66 million extension with a $25.7 million signing bonus and $48 million guaranteed.

He and his family have been grieving the past month since his wife, Sondra, gave birth to a stillborn son, Trenton O’Brien Williams Jr.; a twin daughter was lost earlier in the complicated pregnancy.

When he signed that contract Sept. 3, he expressed a desire to play until he was 40 and do so at an All-Pro level, though this season’s 10-game performance likely wasn’t enough to earn him a fourth All-Pro nod. He’s been a Pro Bowler each of the past 11 seasons he’s played.

“At my age, I know there are not a lot of people who’ve played at an All-Pro level outside of a quarterback. I want to bust those barriers and show this is a new age,” Williams said three months ago. “The research we’ve done, how they’ve done and sculpted our schedules to keep us fresher and keep the banging off of our bodies, it allows you to play longer and I want to take advantage of that.

PENALTY LOG

The 49ers had seven pre-snap violations, three personal fouls and one holding call among their 11 penalties for 90 yards, indicators that on this day at least, the 49ers were undisciplined and poorly coached.

Said Shanahan of the three second-half personal fouls, “We deserved ’em all.”

A look at the ugly 11 . . .

Offense (5): Banks (holding), Kittle (false start), Jake Brendel (false start), Ricky Pearsall 2 (both illegal formation)

Defense (4): Talanoa Hufanga (unnecessary roughness), Jordan Elliott (unnecessary roughness), Deommodore Lenoir (unnecessary roughness), Kalia Davis (neutral zone infraction).

Special teams (2): Braydon Willis (false start), Isaac Yiadom (illegal substitution)

SNAP JUDGEMENTS

67: Lenoir, linebacker Fred Warner, safety Malik Mustapha and cornerback Charvarius Ward played every defensive snap.

64: Purdy, tackle Colton McKivitz, guard Dominick Puni and center Jake Brendel played every snap on offense.

55: Cornerback Renardo Green, a likely starter in 2025 if Ward departs in free agency with Lenoir having already been paid, had a career-high 10 tackles.

51: Linebacker Dee Winters, with De’Vondre Campbell on suspension and Greenlaw departing early, played a career-high in snaps and had a career-best eight tackles.

46: Pearsall’s snap count was his second-highest of the season and he caught passes on all four targets for 37 yards.

31: Burford, who played a season-high 51 snaps against Chicago when Banks was out with a concussion at left guard, stepped in for the first time in a game at left tackle when Moore went down.

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18: Zakelj, who had just four snaps in 14 games, played 18 snaps in relief of Banks. His previous high was 11 snaps as a rookie in 2022 in the regular season finale.

4: Defensive end Alex Barrett, who hadn’t played in a game since 2020, was promoted from his usual place on the practice squad for limited time.

0: Cornerback Isaac Yiadom, whose playing time had been cut to nine and eight snaps in the last two games, didn’t play at all on defense. He was in on 21 special teams snaps.

Clipboard: Bouyea heating up for San Antonio Spurs G-League affiliate

Marina native Jamaree Bouyea is among the top three in five different categories for the Austin Spurs of the NBA’s G-League.

The 6-foot-2 playmaker is second on the Spurs in minutes played (34.0), steals (2.1) and blocks (1.2), while averaging 17.3 points, 4.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds a night – both third on the team.

A Palma prodigy, the 25-year-old Bouyea is shooting 48 percent from the field, and 81 percent from the free-throw line.

Undrafted after leading the University of San Francisco to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 25 years, Bouyea is in his third season in the G-League.

Bouyea has landed 10-day contracts in the NBA with Portland, Washington, San Antonio and Miami, having played in 14 games, averaging 2.6 points, 1.1 assists and 1.8 rebounds.

Having been named to the all-rookie G-League team in 2023 with Sioux Falls, Bouyea spent last summer playing for the San Antonio Spurs Summer League team.

Honing his skills as a youth for Seaside’s Finest, Bouyea led Palma to the State Division IV title game in 2016 and never lost a Gabilan Division game in three seasons.

Monterey Bay F.C. re-signs Gutierrez

The retooling of the roster continues for Monterey Bay F.C., which has re-signed forward Diego Gutierrez for the 2025 season, bringing the total to 11 players inked for this coming year.

Gutierrez was acquired back in August from the Charleston Battery, where the 25-year-old produced a goal in the team’s regular-season finale.

Gutierrez appeared in eight matches, starting five for the Union, logging 481 minutes, while creating six chances in the attack.

Gutierrez is the fourth forward the Union have signed for their attack, joining the team’s all-time leader in goals in Alex Dixon, along with Luther Archimede and Mayele Malango.

“I believe in the process and this culture change that the coaching staff is applying,” Gutierrez said. “I think it’s going to be a great turnaround and a new chapter for both the team and community. We’re going to take a big step forward.”

The Union have not made the postseason in three seasons in the United Soccer League Championship.

Other signings for the Union include defenders Carlos Guzman, Alex Lara and Grant Robinson, and midfielders Mobi Fehr, Carmel High graduate Pierce Gallaway, Xavi Gnaulati and Watsonville native Adrian Rebollar.

Laporte igniting Chico State

Seeing her role expand into a playmaker, Makenzi Laporte is leading the Chico State basketball team in assists at 4.4 a game in the team’s 8-1 start.

The 5-foot-10 senior forward is also second on the team in scoring at 14.8 points a game, shooting 50 percent from the field and 41 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.

A former four-sport standout at Salinas, Laporte erupted for 24 points, while handing out six assists in a win over San Francisco State, keeping Chico State undefeated in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

The Herald’s Female Athlete of the Year in 2021, Laporte has produced double digits in the scoring column in seven of the team’s nine games.

An all-CCAA second team selection last year, Laporte has never missed a game for Chico State, having played in 93 consecutive games, with 41 straight starts.

Laporte also plays on the Chico State golf team, where she has finished in the Top 30 at the CCAA finals the past two years.

A three-time member of The Herald’s All-County basketball team, Laporte was a four-time all-leaguer in golf in the PCAL and played softball and lacrosse at Salinas.

Strong finish for Cortez-Menjivar

Seeing his role increase as the year wore on, Emmerson Cortez-Menjivar caught passes in seven of the University of Idaho’s final eight games.

The redshirt freshman finished with 12 catches for 200 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 15 yards a catch.

In an effort to get Cortez-Menjivar more touches, the Salinas High graduate also had nine carries on jet sweeps for 93 yards for the Vandals, including a team-high 56-yard run.

Cortez-Menjivar also ran back a pair of kickoffs for Idaho, while catching two touchdown passes against UC Davis.

During his senior season at Salinas in 2022, the 20-year-old caught 43 passes for nearly 900 yards and nine touchdowns, while intercepting a team-high five passes. Cortez-Menjivar also returned a punt for six.

Tengan igniting CSUMB

Sophomore guard Jaden Tengan is leading the Cal State Monterey Bay men’s basketball team in scoring and assists in a 3-5 start to the season.

The sharpshooter and playmaker is dropping in 13.9 points a game for the Otters, logging a team-high 28.1 minutes a game. Tengan also has a team-high 27 assists.

Teammate and transfer Blake Jones is chasing a double-double in eight starts, averaging 8.9 points and 8.1 rebounds, shooting 50 percent from the field.

Javon Johnson is sizzling from beyond the 3-point arc for CSUMB, shooting 46 percent, with 11 of his 20 field goals being 3-point baskets.

Four players have started all eight games for the Otters, including 6-foot-8 Kooner Baroni, who has been a defensive force in the paint with 13 blocks.

Coaches needed

Marina is looking for a varsity boys volleyball coach, and a varsity baseball coach. Go to www.edjoin.org/MPUSD.

Seaside is looking for head coaches for varsity baseball, and boys and girls swimming. Contact athletic director Steven Vasquez at stvasquez.mpusd.k.12.ca.us

Salinas is looking for head coaches in boys’ volleyball and field hockey. Go to https://salinashscowboysathletics.com

Officials needed

Peninsula Sports Incorporate is looking for high school and middle school officials for all sports this season. Varsity officials are paid $100 a game.

There is an immediate need for officials in the winter for boys’ and girls’ basketball, soccer and wrestling. Training is provided. Call Tom Emery at (831) 241-1101.

Monterey Bay National Heritage Area designation pursued

MONTEREY – A bill that would initiate a comprehensive study to assess whether the coastal communities adjacent to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary qualify for designation as a National Heritage Area, has been introduced by Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley.

(NOAA)

The Monterey Bay National Heritage Area Study Act directs the National Park Service to conduct the study, which will examine whether the region meets the criteria for a National Heritage Area designation, including its cultural, historical and ecological significance, assess the feasibility of establishing a local coordinating entity to manage the area in collaboration with community partners, include extensive consultation and listening sessions with local stakeholders across San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties.

“The Monterey Bay region is home to an unparalleled blend of natural beauty, history, and culture that deserves to be recognized and preserved for future generations,” said Panetta in a press release. “Through the Monterey Bay National Heritage Area Study Act, we’re taking an essential first step toward recognizing and showcasing our area’s unique identity. This study will help determine the feasibility and community support for this designation, while ensuring that local voices guide the process every step of the way.”

Original cosponsors of the bill include Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Anna Eshoo (CA-16), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), and Kevin Mullin (CA-15).

The National Park Service would conduct a study, aiming to make the process is thorough, transparent and inclusive. The agency will consult with the community to determine the most appropriate timeline to begin the study, ensuring alignment with local needs and priorities.

The Monterey Bay National Heritage Area Study Act does not designate the area as a National Heritage Area, says Panetta’s office. Federal law requires a study to be completed before such a designation can be considered.

National Heritage Area designation follows a two-step process — completion of a feasibility study and introduction of authorizing legislation, according to the Alliance of National Heritage Areas.

National Heritage Areas are public-private partnerships that leverage federal support to empower local conservation efforts, provide technical assistance, and spur economic development without imposing federal land use restrictions or affecting private property rights. Designation would allow the Monterey Bay region to access additional resources to enhance tourism, preserve historical sites, and promote educational programs while retaining local control over land use and development decisions.

Designated by Congress, National Heritage Areas are places where natural, cultural, and historic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally important landscape. The designation would highlight the region’s significance while fostering opportunities for local economic growth and community collaboration.

Should the study confirm strong community support and alignment with the criteria, further legislation would be necessary to establish the National Heritage Area formally. National designation occurs through an act of Congress. If achieved, it requires the region to assume new responsibilities, including the development and implementation of a management plan and operation under performance and accountability standards connected with the receipt of federal funds.

“The Central Coast is home to some of the most scenic and culturally-significant landscapes, and that includes the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary,” said Lofgren in the release. “I’m proud to join Rep. Jimmy Panetta in introducing this bill that will allow the National Parks Service to study the coastal area near the sanctuary and determine whether it meets the standards of a National Heritage Area. This designation will help conserve natural resources, engage and educate the public and celebrate our nation’s diverse heritage.”

There are 62 designated National Heritage Areas in 36 states across the country that support a diversity of conservation, recreation, education, and preservation activities, according to the National Parks Service. California is home to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area, designated in 2019, it is the first National Heritage Area in the state, and its coordinating entity is the Delta Protection Commission, a state agency.

A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own

By WILL WEISSERT, JUAN ZAMORANO and GARY FIELDS

PANAMA CITY (AP) — Teddy Roosevelt once declared the Panama Canal “one of the feats to which the people of this republic will look back with the highest pride.” More than a century later, Donald Trump is threatening to take back the waterway for the same republic.

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Trump has long threatened allies with punitive action in hopes of winning concessions. But experts in both countries are clear: Unless he goes to war with Panama, Trump can’t reassert control over a canal the U.S. agreed to cede in the 1970s.

Here’s a look at how we got here:

What is the canal?

It is a man-made waterway that uses a series of locks and reservoirs over 51 miles (82 kilometers) to cut through the middle of Panama and connect the Atlantic and Pacific. It spares ships having to go an additional roughly 7,000 miles (more than 11,000 kilometers) to sail around Cape Horn at South America’s southern tip.

The U.S. International Trade Administration says the canal saves American business interests “considerable time and fuel costs” and enables faster delivery of goods, which is “particularly significant for time sensitive cargoes, perishable goods, and industries with just-in-time supply chains.”

Who built it?

An effort to establish a canal through Panama led by Ferdinand de Lesseps, who built Egypt’s Suez Canal, began in 1880 but progressed little over nine years before going bankrupt.

Malaria, yellow fever and other tropical diseases devastated a workforce already struggling with especially dangerous terrain and harsh working conditions in the jungle, eventually costing more than 20,000 lives, by some estimates.

Panama was then a province of Colombia, which refused to ratify a subsequent 1901 treaty licensing U.S. interests to build the canal. Roosevelt responded by dispatching U.S. warships to Panama’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The U.S. also prewrote a constitution that would be ready after Panamanian independence, giving American forces “the right to intervene in any part of Panama, to re-establish public peace and constitutional order.”

In part because Colombian troops were unable to traverse harsh jungles, Panama declared an effectively bloodless independence within hours in November 1903. It soon signed a treaty allowing a U.S.-led team to begin construction.

Some 5,600 workers died later during the U.S.-led construction project, according to one study.

Why doesn’t the US control the canal anymore?

The waterway opened in 1914, but almost immediately some Panamanians began questioning the validity of U.S. control, leading to what became known in the country as the “generational struggle” to take it over.

The U.S. abrogated its right to intervene in Panama in the 1930s. By the 1970s, with its administrative costs sharply increasing, Washington spent years negotiating with Panama to cede control of the waterway.

The Carter administration worked with the government of Omar Torrijos. The two sides eventually decided that their best chance for ratification was to submit two treaties to the U.S. Senate, the “Permanent Neutrality Treaty” and the “Panama Canal Treaty.”

The first, which continues in perpetuity, gives the U.S. the right to act to ensure the canal remains open and secure. The second stated that the U.S. would turn over the canal to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, and was terminated then.

Both were signed in 1977 and ratified the following year. The agreements held even after 1989, when President George H.W. Bush invaded Panama to remove Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega.

In the late 1970s, as the handover treaties were being discussed and ratified, polls found that about half of Americans opposed the decision to cede canal control to Panama. However, by the time ownership actually changed in 1999, public opinion had shifted, with about half of Americans in favor.

What’s happened since then?

Administration of the canal has been more efficient under Panama than during the U.S. era, with traffic increasing 17% between fiscal years 1999 and 2004. Panama’s voters approved a 2006 referendum authorizing a major expansion of the canal to accommodate larger modern cargo ships. The expansion took until 2016 and cost more than $5.2 billion.

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said in a video Sunday that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to.” He added that, while his country’s people are divided on some key issues, “when it comes to our canal, and our sovereignty, we will all unite under our Panamanian flag.”

Shipping prices have increased because of droughts last year affecting the canal locks, forcing Panama to drastically cut shipping traffic through the canal and raise rates to use it. Though the rains have mostly returned, Panama says future fee increases might be necessary as it undertakes improvements to accommodate modern shipping needs.

Mulino said fees to use the canal are “not set on a whim.”

Jorge Luis Quijano, who served as the waterway’s administrator from 2014 to 2019, said all canal users are subject to the same fees, though they vary by ship size and other factors.

“I can accept that the canal’s customers may complain about any price increase,” Quijano said. “But that does not give them reason to consider taking it back.”

Why has Trump raised this?

The president-elect says the U.S. is getting “ripped off” and “I’m not going to stand for it.”

“It was given to Panama and to the people of Panama, but it has provisions — you’ve got to treat us fairly. And they haven’t treated us fairly,” Trump said of the 1977 treaty that he said “foolishly” gave the canal away.

The neutrality treaty does give the U.S. the right to act if the canal’s operation is threatened due to military conflict — but not to reassert control.

“There’s no clause of any kind in the neutrality agreement that allows for the taking back of the canal,” Quijano said. “Legally, there’s no way, under normal circumstances, to recover territory that was used previously.”

Trump, meanwhile, hasn’t said how he might make good on his threat.

“There’s very little wiggle room, absent a second U.S. invasion of Panama, to retake control of the Panama Canal in practical terms,” said Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington.

Gedan said Trump’s stance is especially baffling given that Mulino is a pro-business conservative who has “made lots of other overtures to show that he would prefer a special relationship with the United States.” He also noted that Panama in recent years has moved closer to China, meaning the U.S. has strategic reasons to keep its relationship with the Central American nation friendly.

Panama is also a U.S. partner on stopping illegal immigration from South America — perhaps Trump’s biggest policy priority.

“If you’re going to pick a fight with Panama on an issue,” Gedan said, “you could not find a worse one than the canal.”

Weissert reported from West Palm Beach, Florida, and Fields from Washington. Amelia Thomson-Deveaux contributed to this report from Washington.

President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peak

By CLAIRE RUSH

President-elect Donald Trump has once again suggested he wants to revert the name of North America’s tallest mountain — Alaska’s Denali — to Mount McKinley, wading into a sensitive and decades-old conflict about what the peak should be called.

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“Denali” is an Athabascan word meaning “the high one” or “the great one.” A prospector in 1896 dubbed the peak “Mount McKinley” after President William McKinley, who had never been to Alaska. That name was formally recognized by the U.S. government until Obama changed it over opposition from lawmakers in McKinley’s home state of Ohio.

Trump suggested in 2016 that he might undo Obama’s action, but he dropped that notion after Alaska’s senators objected. He raised it again during a rally in Phoenix on Sunday.

“McKinley was a very good, maybe a great president,” Trump said Sunday. “They took his name off Mount McKinley, right? That’s what they do to people.”

Once again, Trump’s suggestion drew quick opposition within Alaska.

“Uh. Nope. It’s Denali,” Democratic state Sen. Scott Kawasaki posted on the social platform X Sunday night.

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who for years pushed for legislation to change the name to Denali, conveyed a similar sentiment in a post of her own.

“There is only one name worthy of North America’s tallest mountain: Denali — the Great One,” Murkowski wrote on X.

Various tribes of Athabascan people have lived in the shadow of the 20,310-foot (6,190-meter) mountain for thousands of years.

McKinley, a Republican native of Ohio who served as the 25th president, was assassinated early in his second term in 1901 in Buffalo, New York.

Alaska and Ohio have been at odds over the name since at least the 1970s. Alaska had a standing request to change the name since 1975, when the legislature passed a resolution and then-Gov. Jay Hammond appealed to the federal government.

Known for its majestic views, the mountain is dotted with glaciers and covered at the top with snow year-round, with powerful winds that make it difficult for the adventurous few who seek to climb it.

Rush reported from Portland, Oregon.

Woman arrested for child abuse following AMBER alert

The King City Police Department is investigating a case of suspected child abuse following the AMBER Alert sent to locals Saturday.

Jacquiline Guajardo, 28, was found outside of the city with two children and is accused of hitting her son.

Police responded to a report of a welfare check Dec. 21, on a woman who left her family’s house after threatening to harm her two small children and herself according to a press release from the King City police.

Through the investigation, police found that Guajardo physically assaulted her 11-year-old son, causing a laceration and for him to bleed.

On Saturday, an area Be-On-the-Lookout was issued for Guajardo and her vehicle. The California Highway Patrol assisted and issued an AMBER alert for the surrounding area.

A California Highway Patrol Officer from the San Jose office spotted Guajardo’s car and conducted an enforcement stop and confirmed Guajardo and her two children were inside.

She was taken into custody and booked. into the Santa Clara County Jail suspicion of  child abuse. The children were safe and returned to family members according to authorities.

Anyone with further information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the King City Police Department at (831) 385-4848; Sergeant Anthony Shaw at (831) 385-4848 or ashaw@kingcity.com; or the WeTip line at 1-800-78-CRIME. Your call may remain completely anonymous.

49ers report card: Mental miscues lead to another loss

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Here is how the 49ers (6-9) graded in Sunday’s 29-17 loss to the host Miami Dolphins (7-8):

PASS OFFENSE: B-

George Kittle (106 yards) and Deebo Samuel (96 yards, touchdown) flashed vintage form. Kittle is within 33 yards of a 1,000-yard season, and tight end screens should have been used more this year. Brock Purdy’s attempt to deliver in the clutch instead saw him throw an interception inside the final two minutes to seal Loss No. 9 for the 49ers, who were officially eliminated from playoff contention before kickoff. Purdy was 26-of-40 for 313 yards with touchdown throws to Samuel (great effort bullying through four defenders) and tight end Eric Saubert. Purdy has used his improved mobility in 2024 to avoid being sacked more than three times behind an offensive line that ended with a third-string left tackle (Spencer Burford) and a backup left guard (Nick Zakelj) following injuries to Jaylon Moore (quadriceps) and Aaron Banks (right knee).

RUN OFFENSE: D

Patrick Taylor Jr., their fourth starting running back this season, got stopped for no gain on third-and-1 on his first carry as a harbinger of this game’s doom. He gathered just 24 yards on eight carries, plus a 1-yard catch – far from the production the 49ers relied on last season from Christian McCaffrey and earlier this season from Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo. Samuel ran for a season-high 25 yards, and it took five carries.

PASS DEFENSE: D

The 49ers neither sacked nor intercepted Tua Tagovailoa, who Kyle Shanahan noted was the NFL’s leader in completion percentage (72.9%) who successfully targeted running back De’Von Achane (six catches, 70 yards). Charvarius Ward didn’t put up much of a fight allowing Tyreek Hill to catch Tagovailoa’s lone touchdown pass 3:20 before halftime that put Miami ahead to stay. Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green exuberantly celebrated pass defenses against Hill, when interceptions would have been what the 49ers needed. Maliek Collins had the only hit on Tagovailoa (22-of-34, 215 yards), and that signaled just how anemic the 49ers’ pass rush is, even with Nick Bosa battling a “brutal” oblique injury for a second straight game.

RUN DEFENSE: F

Even though Bosa opened with a tackle for loss, he said “I’ve learned you never get too excited.” Sure enough, bad things were imminent, starting with Dre Greenlaw’s first-series exit to a right calf injury that sucked the energy from this unit. Achane ran for 120 yards, and while that included a 50-yard touchdown sprint at closing time, the 49ers’ defense simply was not stout enough, failing to force a fumble for the 10th game this season. Former 49ers Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. combined for 43 yards.

SPECIAL TEAMS: D

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Shanahan seems about done with Jake Moody, condemning his miss of a 41-yard field-goal attempt that could have pulled the 49ers within 16-13 in the third quarter. Moody went uncontested through his second training camp, but that likely won’t be the case next summer. The Dolphins, meanwhile, saw kicker Jason Sanders make all five of his field-goal attempts. Pat O’Donnell had only 1-of-4 punts pin the Dolphins inside their 20-yard line. Jacob Cowing’s lone punt return went for 8 yards.

COACHING: D

The season-high 11 penalties reflect poorly on the coaching staff. Repeated failures on offense, defense and special teams cost the reigning NFC champions a return trip to the playoffs. Make no mistake, Shanahan should return for Year 9, but he must upgrade his staff, and John Lynch must upgrade this roster through the draft. It was eerie returning to Hard Rock Stadium where the 2019 team lost the Super Bowl. As stunning as that defeat was, Sunday’s loss certainly was no shocker as it showcased all the staples of the 2024 team: injuries, penalties, turnover differential and overall lack of pizzazz.

Horoscopes Dec. 23, 2024: Eddie Vedder, new beginnings await you, and the chance to transform yourself financially and physically is unlimited

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Noel Wells, 38; Eddie Vedder, 60; Susan Lucci, 78; Harry Shearer, 81.

Happy Birthday: Contemplate the consequences before you make a move. Not everything will be as it appears. Change is possible, but you’ll have to take care of unfinished business before you press forward. New beginnings await you, and the chance to transform yourself financially and physically is unlimited. Take refuge in your ability to read between the lines and take advantage of what’s available. Romance and commitment are apparent. Your numbers are 2, 8, 23, 27, 33, 41, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Charm and offering incentives will help you get your way. Put more force behind the things that motivate and spark your interest. Participate in something that makes you feel good about yourself. Helping others will lead to unexpected opportunities. Leave nothing to chance; be the one to make a difference. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You may need change, but a premature decision will turn out differently than anticipated. Bide your time and pay attention to detail before you express your ideas, and you’ll avoid criticism. Use excess energy to take care of all the little things you’ve left undone. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take the reins and move forward. Be aware of the burdens that will unfold due to your actions. How you handle yourself and present what you have to offer will lead to opportunities. Attending networking or social events that mix business with pleasure will pay off. Romance is favored. 5 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Money matters, so don’t let anyone pressure you to spend impetuously. Have an open mind, and you’ll gain insight into what, who and how you can improve yourself, your position and your future. A passionate approach will open doors that lead to new beginnings. 2 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Discuss your plans. Attend functions that integrate business with pleasure, and you’ll meet a higher-up who shares your ideals and offers information that will help you gain ground. Personal gains are within reach if you follow your heart and share your thoughts. Romance is on the rise. 4 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Say less and do more. Proving yourself is a matter of getting things done, not pontificating. Don’t feel obligated to put everyone before your needs. Set boundaries to ensure you have time to reach the demands you put on yourself. A change will encourage you to take the most appealing path. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Raise your profile and grab the attention of someone with something to offer in return. Set the groundwork for what you want to achieve, and the feedback and connections you make will boost your morale and set you on the road to victory. Embrace chance meetings at celebrations with associates. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Keep your thoughts and reactions to yourself. Be an observer, and you’ll gain the confidence of those eager to share their inner secrets. Your ability to be a good listener will help you manipulate whatever happens to your advantage. A change of heart will point you in a new direction. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Keep conversations to a minimum. Don’t discuss matters that are in limbo. You’ll gain the most through your actions and a desire to help others. Join forces with colleagues who want to make a difference in your community, and you’ll form a close alliance that will benefit you down the road. 4 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Look around you and establish how to simplify your life. A creative or social diversion will point you in a direction that is engaging both mentally and physically. Reaching out to help others will have its rewards. Update your image, look and appeal, and greater confidence will unfold. 2 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take a different approach with someone pressing your emotional buttons. It isn’t in your best interest to unleash your temper. Put your energy into lending a helping hand and deter anyone from trying to make you look bad or upset you. A little love will go a long way. 5 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Do your part. An act of kindness will make someone’s day and make you feel good about yourself. Stick to the script; if you exaggerate, you’ll fall short when the time comes to stand behind your promises. Uncertainty will make you appear weak; honesty is always in your best interest. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are insightful, opportunistic and charismatic. You are helpful and caring.

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.

49ers’ loss in Miami continues the longest season of Brock Purdy’s life

Brock Purdy met his childhood hero Sunday when Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino made his way over during pregame warmups in Miami to say hello.

“It was quick. We were starting to warm up and he walked over and said ‘I want to meet you; good luck and tell your dad I said hi,’” Purdy said. “That was really neat. It was cool of him to do that.”

But instead of having a day to remember, Purdy took another body blow in the longest season of his life.

Purdy had completed a 17-yard pass to Jauan Jennings to the 49ers’ 47-yard line just before the two-minute warning with the 49ers trailing 22-17. They had all their timeouts, George Kittle looked like George Kittle and Deebo Samuel was breaking tackles and fighting for yards like the Deebo Samuel of old.

It was first-and-10. Plenty of time for Purdy to prove he can lead a team to victory in the fourth quarter, which is one of the few things he hasn’t accomplished in his third season. Purdy, operating out of the shotgun, wanted to throw to Jennings over the middle.

Instead, 38-year-old Calais Campbell crashed the potential victory party, with Purdy’s off-balance throw fluttering directly to Kader Kahou for an interception.

A.P. PhotoBrock Purdy (13) was 26 of 40 for 313 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for the 49ers against Miami.

Three plays later, De’Von Achane raced 50-yard for a Dolphins touchdown and the 49ers, on a day when they were eliminated from playoff contention before kickoff, had fallen to 6-9 in a 29-17 loss.

This season, Purdy won’t go to the playoffs for a third time. Won’t play in the NFC Championship Game for the third time. Won’t go to the Super Bowl for a second time.

And like Marino, who played in only one Super Bowl following the 1984 season and lost to the 49ers 38-16, he won’t win a Super Bowl either. Not this year, anyway. Maybe not ever. There are no guarantees in the NFL.

“I was trying to lay it over the defender and I just got hit and couldn’t throw the ball that I really wanted to,” Purdy said. “I left it short and the guy got it.”

A week after struggling to throw the ball in the rain, Purdy looked a lot like his 2022-23 self until the interception. He was 26-of-40 for 313 yards and had touchdown passes of 16 yards to Samuel and 2 yards to Eric Saubert. His 25 yards in scrambles was good enough to lead the 49ers in rushing on a day where they were down to their fourth-string tailback in Patrick Taylor Jr.

Instead, the Purdy debate has been reignited. He’s under contract for a little more than $1 million in 2025, but no one expects him to play for that. His opposite number Sunday, Miami’s Tua Tagovaiola, signed a four-year extension worth $53.1 million and it wasn’t completely clear who was the best quarterback on the field.

It’s worth remembering Purdy doesn’t turn 25 for five more days. He’s been tantalizingly close to the top of the mountain, felled by a serious elbow injury in the NFC Championship Game two seasons ago and losing in overtime to Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LVIII last Feb. 11.

Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball during the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on Dec. 22, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

He’s won four playoff games. Been a central figure and a point man on offense that lifted his teammates even as his teammates lifted him. And now this. The quarterback of a 6-9 team, something that never happened to Steve Young or Joe Montana for football’s most quarterback-centric team.

“It hasn’t been clean football across the board,” Purdy said. “I just feel like we’re hurting ourselves offensively, and when the defense gets a stop, we’ve got to go and capitalize. Last year we did that really well — the last couple of years — and we played team football for four quarters and felt like we were pretty dominant. This year has just been hit or miss.”

Purdy stands guilty of being the quarterback of a team that has lost five of his last six games — even though he missed one in Green Bay with shoulder soreness. He probably got too much of the credit when the 49ers were winning, and now he’s getting too much of the blame, because that’s how it works with the most difficult position in professional sports.

After all, it wasn’t on Purdy that the 49ers committed 11 penalties for 90 yards, many of them of the maddening pre-snap variety.

It wasn’t Purdy’s fault that Ricky Pearsall twice lined up incorrectly for illegal formation calls. It wasn’t Purdy’s fault that left tackle Jaylon Moore departed in the third quarter with a quad injury and left guard Aaron Banks was done a short time later with a potential season-ending MCL injury. It wasn’t Purdy’s fault the 49ers had three defensive personal fouls allowing Miami to extend drives when the game was being decided. Or that Jake Moody missed another makeable field goal attempt from 41 yards.

Purdy has rejected using injuries as an alibi all season.

Calais Campbell #93 of the Miami Dolphins tackles Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium on Dec. 22, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

“It doesn’t matter who’s out there,” Purdy said. “We have what it takes to move the chains and win and score points. That’s my mindset. That’s why I’m hard on myself. That’s the NFL, man. I know that I’m capable of pulling through and winning these kinds of games, regardless of who’s out there.

“In the moment, I just have to be better, taking what the defense gives me and building guys up as we go. I’m learning a lot. It hurts going through it, but I still have all the faith in the world of what we can do moving forward. We’ve still got two games left to showcase ourselves and who we are.”

Unfortunately for the 49ers, their final won-loss record will say they were the most disappointing team in franchise history based on the expectation of being a Super Bowl contender.

It’s something no quarterback wants on his resume, but there are no indications Shanahan has soured on Purdy the way he did with Jimmy Garoppolo. And that’s the only way Purdy doesn’t get a contract that puts him somewhere in the vicinity of Tagovaiola and others.

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Purdy expressed appreciation for Kittle and Samuel as teammates and friends.

“They’ve been very good to me and big brothers to me,” Purdy said.

Now it’s time for Purdy to be the big brother. A new contract will solidify his status as the 49ers’ quarterback of the future. Then the pressure will be even more intense, and the debates over Purdy’s viability to deliver a championship will be trebled in volume.

That’s life in the NFL.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) talk on the field after an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray)