Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 262

Historic Warriors shooting not enough to keep up with Luka Doncic, Mavericks

SAN FRANCISCO — When the Mavericks led the Warriors 100-90 halfway through the third quarter, it seemed like anything was on the table. The all-time record for points in a game, the single-game record for 3s, 60 points for Luka Doncic.

Some of the most extreme records remain intact, but the Warriors and Mavericks combined for 48 3-pointers — the most in any game ever. The Warriors matched their franchise record with 27 treys. Doncic dropped a season-high 45 points to go along with 13 assists and 11 rebounds, and Draymond Green (21 points) and Klay Thompson (29 points) also logged their season-highs.

The worst record for the Warriors? Most made 3-pointers in a loss in league history.

The sliding Warriors and the surging Mavericks clashed in the Chase Center, creating a scoring explosion and a 143-133 Mavericks victory.

Defense hasn’t been the issue for the Warriors this year, even in their 2-8 skid, but the Mavericks — who have won 12 of 14 — nonetheless ripped them up. The Warriors (14-11) cut a 19-point deficit to three in the second half, but never proved for any meaningful stretch that they could get enough defensive stops to beat the Mavericks. Even the best shooting night in franchise history wasn’t enough.

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 guards Dallas Mavericks’ Klay Thompson #31 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

“The issue was Luka Doncic,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said postgame. “He was incredible. Give him credit, give Dallas credit. They’ve got a hell of a team — made the Finals last year. They spread you out. They’re as difficult to guard as anybody. And we tried a lot of different things.”

Twice in as many days, Kerr called Draymond Green the best defender in the world. Yet because of the Warriors’ constant search for the right combinations and the best ways to maximize Jonathan Kuminga, Kerr had Earth’s greatest defender on the bench as the Mavericks started the game 9-for-9 from the field.

“They basically beat us in the first six minutes,” Curry said postgame.

The scorching Mavericks got whatever they wanted, both in the halfcourt and transition. Doncic poured in 15 points in his first six minutes. Buddy Hield and Lindy Waters III spent time trying to stay in front of Kyrie Irving — a difficult task for even the best perimeter defenders in the league.

A Quentin Grimes corner 3 off a gorgeous skip pass from Doncic punctuated the quarter, with Dallas shooting 65.4% from the field and 61.5% from 3. They piled on 46 points in the frame — the most a Warriors opponent has scored in any quarter this year.

Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green #23 shoots a 3-point basket over Dallas Mavericks’ Daniel Gafford #21 in the first half of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Green, ironically on offense, prevented a complete onslaught. He nailed three corner 3s, igniting a 12-3 run.

Doncic continued to generate wide open looks for others while creating his own shot. In the first half alone, he logged 28 points, nine assists and eight boards.

As phenomenal as Doncic was, the Warriors hung around. With Dallas doubling Steph Curry on every ball screen, he and Kevon Looney picked apart the Mavericks’ defense in the short roll. Hield drilled three 3s and Jonathan Kuminga took advantage of the game turning into a track meet.

After Hield’s third 3 in the second quarter, Mavs coach Jason Kidd called a timeout. Despite shooting the lights out, his team was only up 10.

The Warriors double-teamed Doncic like the Mavericks blitzed Curry, forcing it out of his hands. They still needed their best 3-point shooting performance of the year to hang tight, and they got it.

Green’s fourth 3 of the game gave Golden State 18 in the first half — a franchise record for any half. Green and Curry knocked down four, with Andrew Wiggins and Hield hitting three apiece.

In the ludicrous offensive environment, the Warriors trailed 81-74 at halftime.

Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic #77 shoots a 3-point basket o ver Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins #22 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Even with how disastrous the start of the game went, Kerr opted to bring Green off the bench again to begin the second half. Naturally, Dallas crossed the 100-point threshold in five minutes. An insane Doncic step-back 3 over Wiggins pushed his stat line to a 41-point triple-double.

The Warriors finally got a string of stops at the end of the third quarter for a 9-0 run Kuminga punctuated with a breakaway jam. The Warriors targeted Spencer Dinwiddie in isolations and Lindy Waters III stripped him on defense.

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But halfway through the fourth, as Curry sat, the Mavericks made their finishing move. Doncic flexed in front of the first row after an and-1, then Thompson stuck out his tongue after drilling a 3 from the same spot. Their buckets sandwiched a brutal turnover from Brandin Podziemski in the corner at the end of the shot clock and gave Dallas a 12-point cushion.

That was the end of Podziemski’s night, and essentially for the Warriors, too. It officially ended with Thompson, the franchise legend in greener pastures, celebrating at midcourt and to fanfare outside of the visitor’s tunnel.

His former team is spiraling, although reinforcements in the shape of Dennis Schroder are on the way.

“Really proud of our guys,” Kerr said. “They continue to fight night in and night out. We’ve lost eight out of 10 and there’s zero quit. There’s some disappointment, but there’s zero quit. And we’re going to climb out of this because of the character and competitiveness of our guys.”

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr congratulates Dallas Mavericks’ Klay Thompson #31after the Maverick’s 143-133 NBA win at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

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Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic #77 shoots a 3-point basket over Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga #00 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 guards Dallas Mavericks’ Klay Thompson #31 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

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Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga #00 has his shot blocked by Dallas Mavericks’ P.J. Washington #25 in the first half of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Dallas Mavericks’ Klay Thompson #31 reacts after making a 3-point basket in the fourth quarter of their NBA game against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II #0 dunks past Dallas Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving #11 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Kevon Looney #5 tries to steal the ball from Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic #77 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins #22 attempts to block a shot by Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic #77 in the first half of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green #23 reacts in the third quarter of their NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Trayce Jackson-Davis #32 and Dallas Mavericks’ Daniel Gafford #21 battle for a rebound in the third quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Dallas Mavericks’ Klay Thompson #31 is congratulated by Golden State Warriors’ Moses Moody #4 and Stephen Curry #30 after the Maverick’s 143-133 NBA win at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Dallas Mavericks’ Daniel Gafford #21 dunks past Golden State Warriors’ Kevon Looney #5 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green #23 disputes a call with a referee in the first half of their NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 is guarded by Dallas Mavericks’ Klay Thompson #31 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Dallas Mavericks’ Daniel Gafford #21 shoots a layup past Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green #23 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 reacts in the first half of their NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Trayce Jackson-Davis #32 dunks past Dallas Mavericks’ Dereck Lively II #2 in the first half of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Dallas Mavericks’ Klay Thompson #31 celebrates their 143-133 NBA win over the Golden State Warriors as he leaves the court at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

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Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins #22 shoots over Dallas Mavericks’ Dereck Lively II #2 in the first half of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 gets up from the floor in the first half of their NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Kevon Looney #5 shoots a layup past Dallas Mavericks’ Dereck Lively II #2 in the first half of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Dallas Mavericks’ Klay Thompson #31 celebrates a 3-point basket past Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins #22 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II #0 knocks the ball away from Dallas Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving #11 in the first half of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 congratulates Dallas Mavericks’ Klay Thompson #31 after the Maverick’s 143-133 NBA win at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Dallas Mavericks’ Klay Thompson #31 leaves the court after the Maverick’s 143-133 NBA win against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr congratulates Dallas Mavericks’ Klay Thompson #31after the Maverick’s 143-133 NBA win at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

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Court rules California Coastal Commission can limit construction of seawalls for thousands of property owners

The California Coastal Commission, a powerful state agency that regulates development along the state’s 1,100-mile coastline, can deny property owners permits to build seawalls if their homes or businesses were constructed after 1977, a state appeals court has ruled.

The closely watched case, centered on 10 townhouses near Half Moon Bay, could affect thousands of property owners and beaches visited by millions of people, particularly as the Pacific Ocean continues to rise due to climate change.

In a published opinion released Thursday, the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco sided with the Coastal Commission and environmental groups, who have increasingly argued that sea walls cause public beaches to erode and eventually disappear.

“We’re very pleased that the court upheld a commonsense reading of the Coastal Act,” said Kate Huckelbridge, executive director of the Coastal Commission.

“Numerous studies have shown that continued shoreline armoring will result in massive losses to California’s iconic beaches as sea levels rise, cutting off public access to the coast,” she added. “This ruling will help ensure that coastal landowners and governments prioritize less harmful approaches.”

Thomas Roth, an attorney for the homeowners based in San Mateo, declined comment.

Private property rights groups called the ruling a setback, and predicted it will be appealed to the State Supreme Court.

“The California Constitution guarantees citizens a right to protect their private property,” said Jeremy Talcott, an attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation in Sacramento.

“For the first 38 years of the Coastal Act, no one — including the commission — disputed that the act was intended to allow the protection of all structures so long as they had previously been properly and lawfully permitted,” he added. “The Court of Appeal has now signed off on a massive change in that coastal policy with its ruling, stripping away a core protection of private property.”

In 2016, a severe storm caused 20 feet of bluffs to collapse into the ocean in front of Casa Mira, a complex of 10 townhouses on Mirada Road 2 miles north of Half Moon Bay. Worried their homes were in imminent danger, the owners obtained an emergency permit from the Coastal Commission to place boulders, called riprap, along the crumbling shoreline to block the waves from causing more damage.

But when they applied to build a permanent 257-foot concrete sea wall, the commission said no.

“Sea walls eat away at the beach,” said the commission’s chairwoman, Dayna Bochco, during the 2019 meeting. “So someday as this keeps moving in and in, you are going to lose that beach if you have that sea wall. I think it’s anti-access.”

The commissioners voted to allow only 50 feet of sea wall to be constructed in front of an adjacent four-unit apartment building that was built in 1972. They said Casa Mira, whose townhouses were built in 1984, couldn’t have a sea wall.

The reason? California’s landmark Coastal Act, passed by state lawmakers in 1976, says the commission “shall” issue permits for sea walls and other types of armoring to protect “existing structures” from battering waves.

But state lawmakers never clearly defined the term. Property owners have argued “existing structures” means any building present when the permit application is filed. But the Coastal Commission’s attorneys have argued in recent years that “existing structures” only means those built before Jan. 1, 1977, when the Coastal Act took effect.

The Casa Mira Homeowners Association owners sued and won in San Mateo County Superior Court last year. The Coastal Commission appealed.

In its final opinion Thursday, which mirrored a tentative opinion it issued in October, the appeals court overturned much of the lower court ruling, siding with the Coastal Commission and its Jan. 1, 1977, cutoff date.

Justices Victor Rodriguez, Carin Fujisaki and Ioana Petrou ruled that the Casa Mira homeowners still can get the sea wall they want, however. But only because it would protect a portion of the California Coastal Trail that runs between their homes and the public beach below, making it a “coastal dependent” use to improve public access that is allowed protection under the Coastal Act. The ruling requires the commission to reconsider their original application.

But on the broader question, the justices showed how state lawmakers 48 years ago narrowed broad language in earlier drafts of the Coastal Act to allow sea walls only for “existing structures.”

“If the Legislature intended to guarantee any structure shoreline protection — regardless of when it was constructed — it could have retained the broad language,” Rodriguez wrote.

The decision could leave property owners with few choices: Raise buildings, move them inland, demolish them, or in some cases, place more sand on beaches, which often washes away in big storms.

Researchers have shown that sea walls and other shoreline armoring can speed the loss of public beaches. Emergency boulders cover the sand. Also, bluffs naturally erode, providing more sand to beaches. But when they are covered with concrete sea walls, that stops. Lastly, shorelines naturally move back after being pounded by waves, but if a wall prevents that inland shift, rising seas eventually can submerge the beach.

“California can take a stand against unfettered coastal development and protect its beaches,” the Surfrider Foundation, an environmental group, wrote in a brief in the case. “Or it can keep prioritizing the interests of a few wealthy property owners until the once-beautiful coast is reduced to miles of bare rock and concrete against an unforgiving sea.”

The Casa Mira townhouses near Miramar Beach in Half Moon Bay, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. The owners sued the Coastal Commission when it wouldn’t let them build a sea wall. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

After pandemic explosion, California drug overdose deaths are falling fast

For nine straight months, overdose deaths in California have been on a rapid decline, a remarkable reversal following an explosion of drug fatalities during the pandemic.

Experts speculate the drop, which mirrors the nationwide trend, could be due to a combination of factors: expanded treatment and intervention efforts, recent crackdowns on the illicit opioid trade and less lethal pills on the street — or simply because the overdose epidemic has passed its inevitable peak.

“The big caveat is that nobody knows, because it is a startling finding,” said Dr. Daniel Ciccarone, a drug researcher at UC San Francisco.

Over the 12 months ending in July, the state saw a 17% decrease in deaths from the peak in August 2023, and a 14% reduction from the same period last year, according to the most recent provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It was the first extended monthly decline dating back to at least 2014.

Recent data for the core Bay Area was only publicly available for Santa Clara and San Francisco counties, but both reported significant declines in overdoses in recent months.

Still, the recent 12-month California overdose total — more than 10,400 deaths — was nearly double that of just four years ago. The staggering figure underscores the ongoing challenge of stemming a drug crisis that’s devasted the lives of countless Californians, from those living on the street to suburban high schoolers and their families.

For the entire U.S., the CDC reported more than 90,000 drug deaths over the year-long period ending in July, a 17% decline. On the West Coast, Oregon and Washington reported slight year-over-year increases, though overdose deaths in both states have been trending downward on a monthly basis since the spring. All but six states saw drug fatalities decline.

California’s recent spike in overdose deaths started in 2019 — just as fentanyl, an extremely potent synthetic opioid, arrived across the West Coast. The following year, as the pandemic isolated more people in their homes, forced massive job losses, and blocked access to treatment, more and more became addicted, and fatalities surged even higher.

Researchers said it will likely take a few years to understand what’s behind the recent turnaround, assuming it continues. One explanation, however, is that after so many thousands have died of fentanyl overdoses, there may now be fewer people alive who are predisposed to use the drug.

“We may finally have a tipping out where the susceptible population is getting smaller,” Ciccarone said.

Dr. Anna Lembke, a behavioral sciences professor at Stanford University, was skeptical of the idea that the crisis has begun to burn itself out because of the number of users who’ve died.

“We can’t assume a vulnerable group is no longer with us,” she said.

Instead, one possible explanation she cited is the ongoing push for public awareness campaigns about the risks of fentanyl, which is sometimes added to party drugs such as ecstasy or cocaine. She also pointed to the billions of dollars spent to expand access to addiction medicines such as methadone and naloxone, an over-the-counter nasal spray that can reverse opioid overdoses.

Fentanyl test strips are available at Rogers House in Stanford, Calif., on Friday, March 15, 2024. Each test kit comes with three fentanyl test strips, instructions, a pipette, microscope, and mixing cap. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)

Across the state, advocates and public health officials have worked to distribute naloxone everywhere from college campuses and music festivals to prisons and homeless camps. The effort is part of a broader “harm reduction” strategy, which can sometimes include needle exchanges or safe consumption sites, though such programs are rare in the U.S.

Developed in the 1990s in response to the AIDS epidemic, harm reduction has become increasingly controversial in recent years as opponents have claimed it’s enabled drug use and exacerbated the crisis.

April Rovero, founder of the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse, a nonprofit based in San Ramon that helps distribute naloxone and fentanyl test kits across the East Bay, defended the practice of ensuring people who use opioids do so safely.

“As long as they are alive, there is hope,” said Rovero, who lost her son to a prescription overdose in 2009. “I see it this way: They’re somebody’s loved one.”

Another potential explanation is that illicit fentanyl pills have started to become less potent. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, five in 10 pills the agency tested in 2024 had a potentially deadly dose of fentanyl, down from seven in 10 last year.

“The cartels have reduced the amount of fentanyl they put into pills because of the pressure we are putting on them,” the DEA said in a statement last month announcing the testing results.

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom and local officials, including San Francisco Mayor London Breed, have also launched crackdowns on the illegal drug trade. But experts cautioned that, as with expanded treatment and intervention, it was too early to know for certain whether those efforts are responsible for bringing down overdoses.

 

Tornado rips through Scotts Valley, several injured as emergency crews respond

SCOTTS VALLEY —  A tornado touched down in Scotts Valley Saturday at approximately 1:30 p.m. — flipping vehicles, tearing down power lines and trees and leaving five vehicle passengers injured.

“Dispatch had a report of heavy winds and a possible tornado touchdown in Scotts Valley in the area of Mount Hermon Road and Lockewood Lane,” Scotts Valley Battalion Chief Andrew LoFranco told the Santa Cruz Sentinel at the scene. “On Scotts Valley Drive, multiple ponderosa pine trees were down. That’s significant because those are really big. And when we came to the scene all of the wires were down at one end, so it took us a while to get through the energized lines.”

About seven vehicles were overturned and five were injured when a tornado touched down near Mount Hermon Road and Lockewood Lane in Scotts Valley Saturday afternoon. (Aric Sleeper – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

LoFranco said about seven vehicles were overturned from the weather event and five people were injured. He said two of the passengers received moderate injuries and chose not to go to the trauma center, while two others were transported there by ambulance. Another with a non-critical injury was transported to Dominican Hospital.

Mount Hermon Road was shut down as a result, between Scotts Valley Drive and Lockewood Lane, the Scotts Valley police said in a statement.

“That was all due to the heavy winds that hit the area,” said LoFranco. “PG&E are working on de-energizing the lines and they will come in and support these fall hazards because there’s about five (power) poles that need to be secured and then we’ll open up the road.”

LoFranco pointed out that the camper shell of one of the flipped pickup trucks was found about a half-mile down the road near the Comerica Bank.

Numerous power poles were toppled and misaligned along Mount Hermon Road after a tornado ripped through Scotts Valley Saturday. (Aric Sleeper – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Santa Cruz resident Dan Sleeper was in his parked vehicle in the parking lot of Nob Hill Foods at the time of the event.

“I was just about to do laundry and all of the sudden it started hailing,” said Sleeper. “Maybe less than a minute later, branches were flying around and slamming on top of my truck and they were not branches from any of the nearby trees. Then, this lady approached me and told me that a tornado just hit Mount Hermon and there were cars flipped over.”

Those involved in ongoing response and safety operations include the Scotts Valley police, Scotts Valley Fire District, AMR Ambulance Service, PG&E, The California Highway Patrol, Scotts Valley Public Works, California State Parks and nearly all city personnel, the police said.

 

According to the National Weather Service, the stormy conditions late Friday and early Saturday caused wind gusts of about 70 miles per hour in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Parked cars along Mount Hermon Road in Scotts Valley were beat up by flying debris when a tornado touched down in Scotts Valley Saturday. (Aric Sleeper – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

“We had a pretty strong front that moved through the region late last night and early this morning,” said National Weather Service Meteorologist Cynthia Palmer. “It produced very strong winds along the immediate coast with wind speeds in the Santa Cruz area around 45 to 55 miles per hour.”

Palmer said there were wind gusts in the mountains upwards of 70 miles per hour and even higher in surrounding areas including Monterey County.

“It came fast and furious,” said Palmer. “

Palmer mentioned that after Monday, the weather should be clear Tuesday and Wednesday with highs in the low to mid 60s.

“It should be really nice,” said Palmer. “We just have to get through the next system Monday, but that one doesn’t look like it should have nearly as much of a punch as this one.”

 

Looking back: Pacific Grove’s living Christmas Tree, 1970

Local books: Disturbing the peace in Pacific Grove

A little more than a decade ago, Ellis Erikson and his wife departed their home in Missoula, Montana to attend a wedding in Pacific Grove. As they took in the Monterey Bay, with its boats bobbing in the harbor, the chorus of sea lions and otters, the riot of fuchsia framing the coast, and the ambient weather and welcoming Pagrovians, they imagined one-day moving to America’s Last Hometown.

And so they did, for five years, before returning to their roots in Montana. But they took with them wonderful memories of their years by the bay, carried like a jewel in their pockets. In wondering how he might keep the experience alight, Ellis Erikson decided to write a book, a “cozy mystery” novel, set in Pacific Grove.

“The Coastal Christmas Caper” introduces protagonist Nora Whitman, editor of “The Lovers Point Chronicle” and the town’s self-appointed “public eye,” who will drive what promises to become a mystery series, with sequels to come. But first, she must determine who stole a Hollywood starlet’s Harry Winstonesque necklace and, more importantly, the town’s community donation fund, which threatens to sink the annual Christmas Lighted Boat Parade on the Bay.

Author Ellis Erikson (Courtesy photo)

“It took a while to come up with a storyline that would be an absolute joy to write,” Erikson said. “Because, if you’re going to create a compelling story, and you want to develop it into a series, it needs to be so much fun to do. I got the idea to pair the Pacific Grove of the past with the present, merging the two in my story.”

Erikson hails from a career in public radio, having paved his path in broadcast journalism, which led to an investment in filmmaking and also advertising. Ultimately, he and his wife created a freelance firm through which they have been able to develop projects of their own with an appreciable level of creative freedom. Erikson paired that with his penchant for Pacific Grove, and the storyline of his new book emerged.

“When I was a kid,” he said, “we had a smalltown weekly newspaper typed on a typewriter with a few photos. Among the printed pages was a single-page daily bulletin, which I delivered. Our next-door neighbor, a vivacious older lady, was the writer and publisher. I’ve always thought the super-small town newspaper was a lovely thing.”

Conceiving the Christmas Caper

Every story comes from somewhere. In Erikson’s mystery, his heroine, Nora Whitman, is one of two employees at the newspaper, who plays the roles of publisher, editor, journalist, and delivery person. She is primed to assist the police force with her news sense, paired with a curiosity that identifies clues and what makes a good story. Just like Erikson.

“In developing my storyline, I drew upon experiences with my next-door neighbor and other journalists I knew in my small town when I was a kid, plus those I met in Pacific Grove, Carmel, Carmel Valley and Monterey. The Peninsula is such an unsuspecting yet incredible location for a mystery. Yet nothing is based on a real person except, perhaps, for some personality attributes.”

As Erikson’s storyline developed, so did his characters. He realized Nora can’t resist a mystery, leaning into rumors that the community fund theft is simply a distraction from the actual heist — the movie star’s jewels. Or is it?

As he pines for his days in Pacific Grove, Ellis Erikson really appreciates his characters. Particularly his protagonist, which caused him to root for her as he developed and wrote his book.

“The thing I like about cozy mysteries,” he said, “is that they are low stakes storylines with no heavy evil, no gratuitous sidelines. Although I’ve been a news junky in my life, I still enjoy the gentler nature of these mysteries. This book doesn’t, in any way, bring a dark cloud over the Monterey Peninsula.”

Yet Nora Whitman does unravel an elaborate web of deception woven into the cloak of glamour and intrigue a Hollywood icon might bring to Pacific Grove. Which will prove exciting to the community, only if the mystery is solved in time for Christmas.

“As always, Nora relies on a cast of characters, including her sister and the police chief, plus a group of eccentric retired local government workers,” said Erikson, “who introduce a little humor and eccentricity to her cases.”

Erikson who, with his wife, designed the painterly cover of the book, believes his caper will resonate with readers familiar with the community as well as those who will become acquainted as they read.

“The story is perfect for fans of a little seaside sleuthing during the holiday season,” said Erikson, “as well as Peninsula locals who will recognize the story as a love letter to Pacific Grove, Monterey and the community I came to love dearly while living there.”

“The Coastal Christmas Caper” is available on Amazon.

High School volleyball: Imamura a cut above in earning the Herald’s MVP honor

CARMEL >> Her ardor for volleyball was put to a test four years ago. For Riley Imamura to resume playing the sport without further setbacks, surgery on her right shoulder would be a necessity.

For a then 14-year-old Carmel High freshman, the news was gut-wrenching. It took some time to digest. Yet, once the shock wore off, Imamura dedicated herself to a new challenge.

“Going through an injury like that is a lesson in life,” Imamura insisted. “The recovery process was hard. I learned a lot about myself from the process. It sealed my passion for the game.”

Extensive rehabilitation after surgery for a dislocated shoulder left her sidelined for six months. A deeper appreciation for the game upon Imamura’s return has been evident in the fire she brings to practice and matches.

A three-time member of The Herald’s All-County volleyball team, Imamura has been chosen the Monterey Herald’s Most Valuable Player.

“I think I knew that I wanted to play at the college level when I was 14,” Imamura said. “When I switched to a higher-level club team, I realized how much I loved playing.”

Riley Imamura led Carmel to its first league title in 10 years. (Courtesy photo)

Yet, when the sport was taken from the now 17-year-old for half a season, the process of returning meant pushing herself to new limits just to get back on the court.

“There was a lot of rehab,” the 5-foot-11 outside hitter said. “If it didn’t heal properly, the injury can reoccur. Going through an injury like that is hard. You never know when it can all end.”

Imamura has had no setbacks since the procedure, evolving into one of the premier hitters in the region, compiling just under 300 kills this past season.

Her tenacious attitude got contagious for a group of players chasing milestones, as Carmel captured its first league title in 10 years, going undefeated in the Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division.

“Riley is one of the best blockers I have ever worked with,” Carmel coach Butch Mandon said. “She was dominant physically in her blocking and defense.”

Her offense on the attack wasn’t bad either as Imamura averaged nearly 15 kills a match, quite an achievement on a team built on balance, that swept 15 opponents among its 22 wins.

“I think where I’ve grown the most is as a leader,” Imamura said. “I embraced my role with the team this year. I’ve grown from past experiences. I’ve improved my game all-around.”

Imamura wasn’t just a demon at the net this past fall, as she also exhibited her talents in the back row, leading the Padres in digs with 255, as well as service aces (42) and service points (158).

“Her biggest area of growth was her serve receive,” said Mandon, who guided Salinas to a spot in the state finals in 2009. “As a middle blocker on her club team, she has not played much back row. She was our most consistent passer.”

For all her individual accolades, the league title was important for Imamura, who had not forgotten the disappointment of dropping a match 48 hours after upsetting perennial power Salinas last year, costing them at least a share of the title.

“We can’t change what happened last year,” Imamura said. “The past is the past. Our focus was on the present. But it was in the back of our minds.”

There would be no distractions in their second meeting with Salinas, as the Padres used 14 kills and 12 digs from Imamura to sweep them on the road.

“I think that was the highlight of the year for me,” Imamura said. “I had never won a game at Salinas High. The atmosphere there is a really powerful thing. We responded well.”

While Imamura has committed to the application process of enrolling at Dartmouth next fall and plans to continue playing volleyball, making a decision on her future created anxiety.

But for two-plus hours during the week, Imamura could free herself from the outside noise and just be a kid.

“Volleyball has always been a way to let go of everything happening in my life and focus on the present,” Imamura said. “I let go of the external pressures and focus on what I love doing.”

“Riley (Imamura) is one of the best blockers I have ever worked with,” Carmel coach Butch Mandon said. “She was dominant physically in her blocking and defense.” (Courtesy photo)

And that’s sending a volleyball screaming across the net with a powerful right swing.

Imamura often made split-second decisions while in mid-air, where planting the ball across the net meant seeing an opening that perhaps wasn’t there when she left the ground.

“Seeing the game is a big thing,” Imamura said. “Being able to adapt quickly is important. It’s a big part of the sport in general. I could go in another direction in mid-air.”

Which is what made Imamura so difficult to contain. Put a second pair of hands up to defend her and she’d alter her swing, perhaps with a harmless dink over their outstretched arms.

“She set the tone for our team in practices and matches,” Mandon said. “Her defense was equally tenacious in the back row and at the net.”

While the glamour of a kill can’t be overstated, a vicious block often fires up a team and creates a momentum shift, which Imamura made a habit of doing.

“A good block is the most hyped thing,” Imamura said. “When you can shut the other team down and score a point, it’s the most fun for me, although a straight-down kill is super fun as well.”

Imamura was asked to fill a role on defense at the net and in the back row, where she finished with 45 blocks this past season.

“It’s a key part of volleyball that is sometimes overlooked,” Imamura said. “People worry about the kills and the glamour of that. They don’t often notice the beauty of a good block.”

Or a save in the back row to set up the Padres’ offense, which Imamura did nearly 700 times in the past three years.

“It has been beneficial for me to play in the back row in high school,” said Imamura, who only plays in the front row for her club team. “I hope to continue that growth in college.”

The trips to San Jose three days a week to keep her volleyball skills sharp will continue into the spring, with track and field also on Imamura’s agenda.

“Right now I’m focused on the offensive part of my game for the next level,” Imamura said. “Down the road, the back row is where I see myself becoming a better player.”

Having one chapter in her volleyball career end, with another opening up comes with sadness, as well as a new vision of excitement for Imamura.

“These four years flew by so fast,” Imamura said. “I remember walking in as a freshman and being so intimidated. I’m so grateful for the program at Carmel. It was the quickest four years ever.”

Horoscopes Dec. 15, 2024: Don Johnson, refrain from listening to someone offering a risky venture

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Michelle Dockery, 43; Adam Brody, 45; Julie Taymor, 72; Don Johnson, 75.

Happy Birthday: Pay attention to financial, health and legal issues. You stand to gain leverage by taking care of such matters yourself. Talk to experts, research and base your decisions on facts and common sense. Refrain from listening to someone offering a risky venture or scam that can leave you paying off debt. A partnership will grow into something unique, and your plans will lead to stability, lifestyle changes and prosperity. Your numbers are 9, 15, 23, 28, 31, 37, 44.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take a step in a different direction. Enlighten yourself about something that has caught your eye. The research you do will pay off in terms of the connections you make and the lifestyle you choose. Envision what you want, and then find a way to make it happen. 4 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Look over your options, start rearranging your schedule and manage what you need to process and complete to ensure you reach your goal. Actions speak louder than words, but preapproval will be necessary to meet your deadlines. Be cordial; anger will slow you down. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Simplify life by refusing to add more to your schedule. Focus on what’s important to you and the people you care about most. Say no to temptation and scammers trying to take advantage of you. Put your energy into self-improvement, learning and plans to get together with friends and family. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Let your imagination take over and your common sense keep you grounded, and you’ll formulate a plan that will excite you. An opportunity to use your skills uniquely will pique your interest. You can enhance your reputation by attending an event that mixes business with pleasure. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Refuse to let the changes or choices others make disrupt your plans. Go about your business and do what feels right and best for you. An energetic approach to life, love and happiness will lead to informative social events encouraging you to try something new and exciting. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Do your best to get along. Someone will likely annoy you or create uncertainty regarding your feelings for them. A change of scenery will allow you to revisit your prospects and consider your next move. Indulgent behavior will make matters worse. Time alone will help you put things in perspective. 4 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Live and learn. Get out and see what’s happening in your neighborhood. Learning from your experiences will broaden your scope of what’s possible. Update your surroundings to suit your mood and add to your convenience. A new look, image or physical change will be uplifting. Romance is favored. 5 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t believe everything you hear. Someone will lead you astray to make a point or to talk you into something you shouldn’t pursue. Focus on personal needs and creative endeavors that excite you. A lifestyle change you make will lead to meeting someone unique. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A thought-provoking offer will grab your attention, but first dig deep and find out who’s involved and if the prospects are legitimate. Time spent positively transitioning to your living space or lifestyle will lead to pleasing results emotionally, physically and financially. Personal agreements will lead to better living conditions. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Take the time to research before you engage in discussions that include joint ventures, investments or contracts. Change can be favorable, but it must be within budget and fair to all parties involved. Make your home accommodate your needs and do whatever it takes to add to your convenience. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A receptive attitude will lead to fun. Get out and socialize or sign up to lend a helping hand to a cause that concerns you. Be a leader and avoid getting involved in something for the wrong reason. It’s time to do something for yourself. Personal growth and romance are favored. 5 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You’ll be battling temptation. Don’t let down your guard or succumb to something someone’s overselling. Emotions will surface, but the dialogue will be misleading. Get the facts before you back someone who may be withholding information. Change begins with you. Distance yourself from other people’s drama. 2 stars

Birthday Baby: You are passionate, intense and amicable. You are innovative and a dreamer.

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 Warriors landed Schröder, but a good deal isn’t good enough for Curry, the Dubs

Here’s the thing with “Strength in Numbers.”

You need numbers.

And lately, the Warriors have been lacking in that department.

De’Anthony Melton’s season-long injury and the NBA’s endemic string of absences left the Warriors running a — gasp — nine-man rotation in recent games.

This team needed reinforcements, and it got one on Saturday, trading the injured Melton and some second-round draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets for firebrand German point guard Dennis Schröder.

Anthony Slater of the Athletic first reported the news.

The Warriors’ interest in Schröder is hardly new; the guard has been a thorn in the Dubs’ side for years. It’s not quite “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” for the Warriors, but there’s sound logic in enlisting the players who annoy you most to play.

Schröder will bring much of what Melton was meant to provide Golden State that it’s almost eerie. Their roles should be identical.

The German is a willing and effective 3-point shooter who can play both on- and off-ball on offense. And, my goodness, he is a pest on defense. He’s only 6-foot-1, but he has a 6-foot-8 wingspan, and he’s as sharp as a tack on the court. His errors are ones of commission, not omission.

There is absolutely zero downside to this trade in a vacuum. A couple of second-round picks for a perfect Melton replacement (or perhaps even an upgrade)? The Warriors will never think about those picks again.

The question isn’t if Schröder is a good pick-up for the Warriors. He absolutely is, and Saturday’s business was high-grade work from Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. For a negligible cost, the Warriors are just as good as they were before Melton’s injury. Last time I checked, the Warriors were in first place in the West before Melton was sidelined for the season.

Such lofty seeding is no longer on the table for this team — the early-season boost has been extinguished.

Returning to that form is certainly a good idea. It beats the 5-8 record the Warriors have posted since Melton’s exit.

But is a good trade good enough for the Dubs to turn this season into something truly special?

Is adding a strong depth piece — a closer — like Schröder going to solve the Warriors’ most significant issue, which is a lack of a clear-cut No. 2 to Steph on offense in crunch-time scenarios?

I can say this: Schröder isn’t going to shy away from the big moment. He wants to have the ball in his hands in such a circumstance.

Again, errors of commission.

But while I think he’ll mitigate some of this team’s issues, I don’t believe Schröder is the answer to the Warriors’ No. 1 problem, the lack of a No. 2.

And what makes this tricky is that after Saturday’s deal, the Warriors are, in all likelihood, done shopping the trade market — specifically for a big-name, big-game player — this season.

Melton was the team’s key trade piece in making any such deal happen. Without his salary to help match salaries, the Warriors cannot reasonably trade for Jimmy Butler, Zion Williamson, or LeBron James. Not without gutting the team as we know it. (Even with Melton as part of a deal, a gutting might have been unavoidable.)

So this is it — the likely final form of the 2024-25 Warriors.

It’s a team that’s certainly good enough to make the playoffs. From this point on, they’ll win more games than they lose.

But is it a team good enough to do anything serious once the playoffs begin? I don’t see it.

Perhaps Schröder will surprise us and take his game to another level. Maybe his ninth NBA team is the one that can fully unlock the superstar talent he knows himself to have.

Color me skeptical.

Don’t get me wrong: landing Schröder is a positive for the Warriors.

But while the price was right in the transaction with the Nets, the opportunity cost was immense, and it caps on how successful this Dubs season can eventually be.

Trading for Schröder made the Warriors better, but now they can’t be great.

Reports: Warriors on verge of acquiring Brooklyn guard Dennis Schroder

The Warriors are reportedly at the doorstep of making their first trade of the season.

Golden State, per multiple reports, is finalizing a deal to acquire Dennis Schroder from the Brooklyn Nets. ESPN’s Shams Charania, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, Marc Stein and others reported details of the trade first.

The Warriors are likely to send De’Anthony Melton and a package of second-round picks to the Nets, per multiple reports. Melton is out for the season with a torn ACL and becomes trade-eligible on Sunday, Dec. 15.

Schroder, 31, is having a fantastic season for the Nets, who have overachieved. He’s averaging 18.4 points and 6.6 assists per game while shooting 38.7% from 3. While he’s undersized at 6-foot-1, Schroder can be a pesky defender.

Schroder would fit with the Warriors as an on-ball creator and second-unit initiator. Their late-game offense has been especially clunky and could use another option next to Steph Curry to handle ball pressure.

Earlier this year, Schroder dropped 31 points in as many minutes in a win over the Warriors at the Chase Center.

“Schroder was phenomenal tonight,” Kerr said after that loss.

Schroder is in his 13th season and is a career 32% 3-point shooter. His stops with the Nets, Thunder and Lakers were much more productive than his brief stints in Boston and Houston.

If the package is as reported, the Warriors will have brought in a contributor — and possibly someone who can close games — without giving up their best trade assets in their first-round picks, Jonathan Kuminga or Brandin Podziemski.

Because Schroder’s expiring $13 million salary is so similar to Melton’s, and the Warriors are enough below the first apron, the teams can do a one-for-one swap.

Asked about Schroder’s potential fit on the Warriors, veteran wing Andrew Wiggins said the point guard would fit with any team.

“He’s an explosive, quick guard that can kind of do it all,” Wiggins said. “He defends, can get to the rim, get people involved. Really good player.”

This is a developing story.