Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 268

Clipboard: Monterey Bay F.C. to bring back three cornerstones to franchise

SEASIDE >> The reboot for Monterey Bay F.C. continues as in addition to the re-signing of forward Alex Dixon to a one-year contract,  the Union have also inked defenders Alex Lara and Grant Robinson to one-year contracts, bringing their roster to 10 for the upcoming United Soccer League Championship season.

Robinson has been a part of the Union since their inaugural season in 2022, joining Watsonville’s Adrian Rebollar as players who have been with the franchise since its inception.

Robinson has played over 4,000 minutes covering 56 matches in his career for the Union, sitting third all-time in interceptions with 86.

Over four seasons, Robinson has collected 95 tackles, 87 clearances and nine blocks, to go along with a pair of goals and an assist for Monterey Bay F.C.

“I’m grateful to the coaches and front office for believing in me once again,” Robinson said. “I am eager to get back to work and help the club achieve our goals on and off the field. It means a lot to be able to wear this crest.”

Lara will be returning for his third season with the Union, providing leadership, experience and depth to a defensive unit that shutout eight teams last year.

“Lara has made significant strides since I joined the club,” said Union coach Jordan Stewart said. “His professional work ethic and positive attitude are exactly the qualities we need in our locker room and on the pitch.”

Lara has logged nearly 3,000 minutes through 41 matches in his career for the Union, having started 33 games. He comes into the season No. 4 all-time in both clearances (128) and blocks (36) for the franchise.

In two seasons with Monterey Bay F.C., Lara has collected 62 tackles and 54 interceptions. He’s also scored three goals, including a game-winner against Memphis last April.

“I feel like me and all the returning players are really going to step up and lead on the pitch,” Lara said. “I know that everyone at the club is working harder than ever to accomplish our goal of not only making the playoffs, but a championship run as well.”

The Union have not made the postseason in their three-year existence, finishing with the third worst record in the United Soccer League Championship last year at 8-16-10.

Sergent closes chapter

Coming back for a final season created a milestone moment for Grant Sergent, who tossed a career-high six touchdowns in one game for the University of San Diego.

The Palma graduate closed his career for the Toreros, throwing for 2,403 yards and 26 touchdown passes, with just five picks in 325 attempts.

Sergent guided San Diego to an 8-3 overall record and a runner-up finish in the Pioneer Football League. He completed 60 percent of his passes, averaging 218.8 yards a game.

Over the course of his career for the Toreros, Sergeant threw for 3,346 yards and 34 touchdowns in 16 career starts.

The Herald’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2018, Sergent threw for nearly 2,300 yards and a school record 27 touchdowns in leading Palma to a Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division title.

A teammate of Sergent’s this past fall was former Palma quarterback and Torero safety Thomas Nunes, who was redshirted, along with one-time Carmel lineman Oscar Weigel.

Finley finishes at Stephen F. Austin

Former Palma and MPC defensive end Joey Finley saw action in six of the Stephen F. Austin football team’s 12 games this year.

A redshirt sophomore, the 6-foot-5, 242-pound defensive end collected seven tackles, including his first sack for Stephen F. Austin, which finished 7-5.

Finley recorded a sack for an 8-yard loss against McNeese State and finished with four tackles against Northern Colorado. He also had a quarterback hurry.

The conference’s Defensive Most Valuable Player during his freshman season at MPC in 2022, Finley led the state in sacks with 17, earning a scholarship to Stephen F. Austin.

Finley spent time as a defensive end/tight end at Palma, earning all-county honors on defense. He also played basketball and baseball for the Chieftains.

Tengan sizzling for CSUMB

Sophomore Jaden Tengan has gotten off to a blistering start on the hardwood for Cal State Monterey Bay, averaging 15.8 points a game through six games.

The 5-foot-11 sharpshooter is shooting 41 percent from the 3-point line and 48.0 percent from the field while leading the team in assists with 23.

Michael Mora, who redshirted last season at the University of Vermont, is dropping in just 8.8 points a night for CSUMB, which was 2-4 going into the weekend.

A 6-foot-6 freshman, Mora is shooting 48 percent from the field and is second on the Otters in steals at just over one a game.

Another transfer making an impact for CSUMB is 6-10 senior post Blake Jones, who is dropping in 9.3 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds per contest.

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, softball 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.

Rocky Creek repair work to close Highway 1 near Big Sur Friday

BIG SUR – Highway 1 is scheduled to be fully closed at Rocky Creek to accommodate heavy equipment as part of the repair of the roadway where a slip-out occurred earlier this year.

Caltrans plans to have the full closure of Highway 1 at Rocky Creek for 24 hours beginning Friday at 10 p.m., and will reopen the roadway to through travel Saturday at 10 p.m.

The full 24-hour road closure crews is necessary to allow work crews to install nine pre-cast concrete girders as progress advances on construction of a viaduct to replace a section of the southbound lane lost due to a slip-out in March.

Two heavy cranes will be in operation at either end of the project area during the girder installation, and no vehicle travel through the site will be possible.

The schedule for this 24-hour closure is weather dependent, according to Caltrans. Updates will be provided to confirm or announce any changes to this schedule. Should weather force the rescheduling of the girder installation, the first alternative date for this work would be from Saturday at 10 p.m. to Sunday at 10 p.m.

But work on the roadway since the onset of the issue has paved the way for this next phase of the repair effort.

“In the immediate aftermath of the March 30 slip-out, crews worked for several weeks to stabilize the remaining portion of the southbound lane,” said Caltrans District 5 spokesman Kevin Drabinski. “Once stabilized, crews begin to design the emergency repair which aims to restore the roadway to two full travel lanes. The design calls for the building of a viaduct, a feature that is relatively common throughout Highway 1 on the Big Sur coast. Viaducts are frequently employed to bridge distances where the slope might naturally fall away and support is required below the roadway.”

Rocky Creek is located 12 miles south of Carmel. The slip-out occurred just south of Rocky Creek Bridge on Highway 1 – post mile 60 – resulting in the undermining of the southbound lane. Emergency stabilization measures by Caltrans crews have been achieved and one-way, 24-7, signalized traffic control established to allow traffic to flow freely south to businesses in Big Sur.

The emergency project continues with the construction of a viaduct to support the roadway and repairs to a concrete seawall at the base of the cliff.

Crews have made substantial progress in a construction phase involving the drilling and casting of reinforced concrete columns to support the weight of the viaduct structure.

“The design of this viaduct involves support from the two ends as well as two support columns in the middle,” said Drabinski. “The two middle supports make for a three span design. Three girders will be placed across the three spans. All told, nine precast concrete girders ranging from 45 to 65 ft. in length will be installed during the full 24-hour closure.”

Drabinski added that among scores of other construction related tasks the last several months, crews have drilled the holes, lowered rebar cages inside and poured the concrete to create these support columns. The concrete girders will serve as the support structure for the southbound lane of the viaduct bridge deck.

The emergency project continues with the construction of a viaduct to support the roadway and repairs to a concrete seawall at the base of the cliff. (Caltrans)

“After the girders are installed, the schedule calls for the bridge deck to be paved,” said Drabinski. “At that point, traffic will switch over to the southbound lane through the project site, and the process of building the viaduct in the northbound lane will begin.”

The contractor for this project is Gordon N. Ball, Inc. of Alamo. The estimated price tag for the repair work at the Rocky Creek slip-out is $21 million.

Highway 1 remains closed at Regent’s Slide, 40 miles south of Carmel due to the Regent’s Slide – post mile 27.8 – which occurred March 9 and where top-down removal of slide material by crews began on April 30.

Challenging conditions associated with the extreme slope at the site and continued slide activity has extended its reopen date, however, the vast majority of the Big Sur coast remains accessible and open.

Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: X/Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.

Kurtenbach: Was the 49ers win a one-off or the start of a trend? All signs point one way

Was the 49ers’ win on Sunday a one-off or a trend that can carry the 49ers for the remainder of the season?

It’s a fair question after the 49ers — a team that had lost three straight games, with the last two coming on a 73-20 margin — put together arguably the best half in franchise history against the Bears on Sunday, out-gaining Chicago 319 yards to 4.

The performance was a wonderful reprieve, but is it informative?

Probably not.

The Bears were downright awful on Sunday. They had a rookie quarterback, a terrible offensive line, a head coach on his second promotion in a month, and a defense missing a coordinator.

Chicago made it easy on the Niners. The “real” San Francisco might have arrived, but such success will likely be short-lived.

That said, don’t be surprised if the level of play lasts the rest of the week.

The Niners will play against the Rams on Thursday. Like all the games the Niners have down the stretch of the season, it’s a contest the team must win to keep its flicker of playoff hopes alive.

And a lot of what the Bears do, at least on defense, should be on display with the Rams on a short week.

There are two things you have to know about these 49ers:

First, head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense in both personnel and play design was built to beat defensive zone coverage — particularly Cover 3.

The second is that every team with a coach worth their salary has played man-to-man against the 49ers, copying the playbook the Kansas City Chiefs have used against the Niners in the teams’ last three meetings, which included Super Bowl LVIII.

With two top receivers who don’t separate—Jauan Jennings and Deebo Samuel—and a scheme built to attack sitting linebackers over the middle, Niners quarterback Brock Purdy completes 72 percent of his passes against zone coverage, with the highest quarterback rating in the league against it (122.9).

But against man-to-man coverages, where receivers need to win against their defenders? Purdy completes only 46 percent of passes with an abysmal 52.4 passer rating.

This isn’t to say that Purdy is the problem. He’s far from it. His shrewd scrambles are the only reason the Niners have had a functioning offense in several games this season.

It’s only to say that until rookie Ricky Pearsall (a man-to-man beater receiver who, contrary to what the zoomed-in TV view might tell you, is separating) Purdy can get on the same page, teams should press up and play man against the Niners.

According to my charting, the Bears played zone coverage on 22 of Purdy’s 27 drop-backs on Sunday.

Yes, Chicago ran 80 percent zone against a team that carves up zone.

Did the Bears even have a defensive team meeting this week?

Sure enough, Purdy went 2-for-5 against those man-to-man snaps, albeit for a gaudy 71 yards.

So yeah, that seems like a one-off offensive performance. Surely other teams won’t be so poorly coached, right?

The 49ers’ defense sacking the quarterback seven times, sans Nick Bosa, also feels like an unrepeatable scenario.

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All that said, the chaos of a Thursday night game works to the Niners’ advantage here. The short week often results in teams — in this case, the Niners and Rams — putting out a game plan rooted in the team’s basics.

The Rams have played even more zone defense than the Bears this season, and while they don’t play as much Cover-3 (the defense the Niners’ offense was built to beat) as Chicago, it’s undoubtedly commensurate (48 percent to 43 percent going into Week 14).

This is what the Niners want to see when they have the ball, and while the Rams did show more man-to-man looks in Week 3, one has to believe the Niners won’t see a fully bespoke defensive game plan on the short week.

(Remember, Seattle—a team that wants to play man-to-man—played an unjustifiable amount of zone against the Niners in that Thursday matchup in October.)

If that happens, the Niners will likely score 30-plus points, and a one-off could become a two-for.

As for a three-peat and a chance at making this season interesting in the final weeks? We’ll have to wait and see.

Trump promises to end birthright citizenship: What is it and could he do it?

By REBECCA SANTANA

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has promised to end birthright citizenship as soon as he gets into office to make good on campaign promises aiming to restrict immigration and redefining what it means to be American.

But any efforts to halt the policy would face steep legal hurdles.

Birthright citizenship means anyone born in the United States automatically becomes an American citizen. It’s been in place for decades and applies to children born to someone in the country illegally or in the U.S. on a tourist or student visa who plans to return to their home country.

It’s not the practice of every country, and Trump and his supporters have argued that the system is being abused and that there should be tougher standards for becoming an American citizen.

But others say this is a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, it would be extremely difficult to overturn and even if it’s possible, it’s a bad idea.

Here’s a look at birthright citizenship, what Trump has said about it and the prospects for ending it:

What Trump has said about birthright citizenship

During an interview Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Trump said he “absolutely” planned to halt birthright citizenship once in office.

“We’re going to end that because it’s ridiculous,” he said.

Trump and other opponents of birthright citizenship have argued that it creates an incentive for people to come to the U.S. illegally or take part in “birth tourism,” in which pregnant women enter the U.S. specifically to give birth so their children can have citizenship before returning to their home countries.

“Simply crossing the border and having a child should not entitle anyone to citizenship,” said Eric Ruark, director of research for NumbersUSA, which argues for reducing immigration. The organization supports changes that would require at least one parent to be a permanent legal resident or a U.S. citizen for their children to automatically get citizenship.

Others have argued that ending birthright citizenship would profoundly damage the country.

“One of our big benefits is that people born here are citizens, are not an illegal underclass. There’s better assimilation and integration of immigrants and their children because of birthright citizenship,” said Alex Nowrasteh, vice president for economic and social policy studies at the pro-immigration Cato Institute.

In 2019, the Migration Policy Institute estimated that 5.5 million children under age 18 lived with at least one parent in the country illegally in 2019, representing 7% of the U.S. child population. The vast majority of those children were U.S. citizens.

The nonpartisan think tank said during Trump’s campaign for president in 2015 that the number of people in the country illegally would “balloon” if birthright citizenship were repealed, creating “a self-perpetuating class that would be excluded from social membership for generations.”

What does the law say?

In the aftermath of the Civil War, Congress ratified the 14th Amendment in July 1868. That amendment assured citizenship for all, including Black people.

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside,” the 14th Amendment says. “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.”

But the 14th Amendment didn’t always translate to everyone being afforded birthright citizenship. For example, it wasn’t until 1924 that Congress finally granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S.

A key case in the history of birthright citizenship came in 1898, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Wong Kim Ark, born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants, was a U.S. citizen because he was born in the states. The federal government had tried to deny him reentry into the county after a trip abroad on grounds he wasn’t a citizen under the Chinese Exclusion Act.

But some have argued that the 1898 case clearly applied to children born of parents who are both legal immigrants to America but that it’s less clear whether it applies to children born to parents without legal status or, for example, who come for a short-term like a tourist visa.

“That is the leading case on this. In fact, it’s the only case on this,” said Andrew Arthur, a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports immigration restrictions. “It’s a lot more of an open legal question than most people think.”

Some proponents of immigration restrictions have argued the words “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” in the 14th Amendment allows the U.S. to deny citizenship to babies born to those in the country illegally. Trump himself used that language in his 2023 announcement that he would aim to end birthright citizenship if reelected.

So what could Trump do and would it be successful?

Trump wasn’t clear in his Sunday interview how he aims to end birthright citizenship.

Asked how he could get around the 14th Amendment with an executive action, Trump said: “Well, we’re going to have to get it changed. We’ll maybe have to go back to the people. But we have to end it.” Pressed further on whether he’d use an executive order, Trump said “if we can, through executive action.”

He gave a lot more details in a 2023 post on his campaign website. In it, he said he would issue an executive order the first day of his presidency, making it clear that federal agencies “require that at least one parent be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident for their future children to become automatic U.S. citizens.”

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This would almost certainly end up in litigation.

Nowrasteh from the Cato Institute said the law is clear that birthright citizenship can’t be ended by executive order but that Trump may be inclined to take a shot anyway through the courts.

“I don’t take his statements very seriously. He has been saying things like this for almost a decade,” Nowrasteh said. “He didn’t do anything to further this agenda when he was president before. The law and judges are near uniformly opposed to his legal theory that the children of illegal immigrants born in the United States are not citizens.”

Trump could steer Congress to pass a law to end birthright citizenship but would still face a legal challenge that it violates the Constitution.

Associated Press reporter Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report.

Lights and decor, réveillon meals make Christmastime special in New Orleans

Patti Nickell | Tribune News Service

Every year when the holiday season rolls around, the focus is on picture-perfect small towns blanketed in snow and populated by rosy-checked revelers caroling their joyous hearts out.

That scenario does make for some entertaining Hallmark movies, but my thoughts always drift back to the many years I spent at the opposite end of the continent in the subtropical climes of New Orleans. That’s when I carol my joyous heart out.

OK, Christmas traditionalists, I’ll give you the fact that you probably won’t need a heavy coat – the temps are more likely to be in the 60s than the 30s, and the probability of snow is, short of a miracle, zero. Oh, but the Big Easy offers so much more.

As with everything else, New Orleans does Christmas differently than the rest of the country. Instead of Santa racing over the rooftops in his sleigh piloted by reindeer, Pere Noel makes his way up the Mississippi River in a pirogue piloted by alligators.

Don’t worry that he might get lost in the bayou, as locals line the banks of the Mighty Mississippi, making bonfires to light his way.

Perhaps to overcompensate for Jack Frost not nipping at your nose, the city goes all out in decorating. Historic French Quarter homes such as the Herman-Grima House and Gallier House are decked out in the finest of finery, and down in the Garden District, the New Orleans Preservation Society hosts its annual homes tour. This is your chance to peek inside those wrought iron gates and white-columned porches.

Celebration in the Oaks transforms 25 acres of City Park into a dazzling light display, and the seasonal concerts in St. Louis Cathedral fill the magnificent basilica, which has been in use (though not in its current form) since the city’s founding in 1718. If you’ve never heard local icon Irma Thomas’ version of “O Holy Night,” you don’t know what you’re missing.

But the main thing that defines Christmas in New Orleans to me is something that no other American city offers – the traditional réveillon dinner.

French for “awakening,” the réveillon dinner was a hallmark of the season for the city’s 18th and 19th century Creole aristocrats. Family and friends gathered twice during the holidays (Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve) for a feast of epic proportions. More than one gentleman felt the buttons on his waistcoat give way, and ladies had to loosen the laces on their corsets.

Today’s holiday visitors can enjoy a recreation of the réveillon at more than 50 of the city’s restaurants, ranging in price from $40 at Suzie’s Soulhouse Soulfood Restaurant to $185 at celebrity chef John Besh’s Restaurant August, with the average ranging from $60 to $70 for a three- or four-course dinner.

You will probably have a difficult time making a choice, so here are a few of my favorites, accompanied by this year’s menus and prices.

Antoine’s

Antoine’s is New Orleans’ oldest restaurant (circa 1840) and so famous it was immortalized in Frances Parkinson Keyes’ novel “Dinner at Antoine’s.” Known for being the birthplace of Oysters Rockefeller and its vast collection of Mardi Gras memorabilia, Antoine’s offers a four-course réveillon menu, priced at a very reasonable $68.

Start with an amuse bouche from the chef before selecting an appetizer, either blue crab and brie bisque or Oysters Acadiana. Next will be a Salad Noel, followed by a choice of entrée: Duck Confit or Prime Bone-in New York Strip. End the meal with a dessert of Three Spice Crème Brulee.

Galatoire’sShrimp remoulade is a house specialty at Galatoire’s Restaurant in New Orleans. (Galatoire’s Restaurant/TNS)

Another legendary Creole restaurant, Galatoire’s, has a réveillon menu that’s a steal at $48.

First course is a choice of Shrimp Remoulade with fine herbs, smoked paprika and preserved lemon or Fried Oysters with Herbsaint Cream, Wilted Spinach and Tarragon.

The second course is a Roasted Pumpkin Squash salad with Pumpkin Seed Brittle, gem lettuce and Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette or Corn and Crab Bisque with Armagnac Bergamot Crema and Corn Relish.

The third course has four choices: Roasted Chicken Breast with Squash Puree; Fried Demi Porkchops; Crab Encrusted Trout and Grilled Petite Filet.

If you still have room, finish with a dessert choice of Figgy Pudding with Christmas Brandy Sauce or Black Bottom Pecan Pie with Whiskey Caramel Sauce.

Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon HouseGulf Fish Iberville from the Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House in New Orleans. The third course of the restaurant’s reveillon meal includes shrimp, crab and artichoke sauté, and lemon thyme beurre blanc.(The New Orleans Company/TNS)

Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House makes it easy for diners with a pre-set menu for $67.

Start off with an Oysters Rockefeller Chowder, follow with a Citrus Cranberry Salad and Gulf Fish Iberville, Shrimp, Crab and Artichoke Saute and Lemon Thyme Beurre Blanc, and finish your meal with Rum Cake soaked in New Orleans rum.

Grill RoomThe Grill Room at the Windsor Court Hotel is one of the restaurants offering a multi-course reveillon dinner during the holidays in New Orleans. (Courtesy Windsor Court Hotel/TNS)

If you want to venture outside the French Quarter, head across Canal Street to the elegant Windsor Court Hotel and its equally elegant Grill Room.

With another pre-set menu, the Grill Room offers four courses for $80, including a wine pairing.

First course is Gulf Crab with Avocado and Grapefruit Salad, paired with a Sancerre, followed by a second course of Herb Ricotta Raviollo, accompanied by an Albarino.

The third course features Braised Short Rib paired with Tenuta Luce Lucente from Tuscany, while the dessert course of Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding pairs well with a Riesling from Germany’s Mosel Region.

Commander’s Palace

There’s always a party going on at Commander’s Palace in the Garden District, and you never know which famous face might be sitting at the table next to you.

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Blue Crab Stuffed Louisiana Blue Crab gets things started, followed by Citrus Glazed Pork and Fried Gulf Oysters.

Prior to the entrée of North Dakota Bison, enjoy a serving of Seared Sonoma Valley Foie Gras, and follow the entrée with a dessert of Peppermint “Hot Chocolate” Tart.

Ralph’s on the Park

Should you plan to head to City Park for Celebration in the Oaks, book your réveillon dinner at Ralph’s on the Park.

Your four-course dinner for $85 begins with Duck and Andouille Gumbo, and follows with Blackened Redfish with Seafood Bouillabaisse served tableside, Steak au Poivre and Satsuma Icebox Pie.

Whichever restaurant you choose for your “awakening,” should you be wearing a waistcoat or corset, you’ll have some loosening to do.

Now, tell me, with all that NOLA has in store for the holidays, will you really miss the snow?

©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next

By CHRISTINE FERNANDO

CHICAGO (AP) — As Donald Trump’s Cabinet begins to take shape, those on both sides of the abortion debate are watching closely for clues about how his picks might affect reproductive rights policy in the president-elect’s second term.

Trump’s cabinet picks offer a preview of how his administration could handle abortion after he repeatedly flip-flopped on the issue on the campaign trail. He attempted to distance himself from anti-abortion allies by deferring to states on abortion policy, even while boasting about nominating three Supreme Court justices who helped strike down the constitutional protections for abortion that had stood for half a century.

In an NBC News interview that aired Sunday, Trump said he doesn’t plan to restrict medication abortion but also seemed to leave the door open, saying “things change.”

“Things do change, but I don’t think it’s going to change at all,” he said.

The early lineup of his new administration, including nominations to lead health agencies, the Justice Department and event the Department of Veterans Affairs, has garnered mixed — but generally positive — reactions from anti-abortion groups.

Abortion law experts said Trump’s decision to include fewer candidates with deep ties to the anti-abortion movement could indicate that abortion will not be a priority for Trump’s administration.

“It almost seems to suggest that President Trump might be focusing his administration in other directions,” said Greer Donley, an associate law professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Karen Stone, vice president of public policy at Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said while many of the nominees have “extensive records against reproductive health care,” some do not. She cautioned against making assumptions based on Trump’s initial cabinet selections.

Still, many abortion rights groups are wary, in part because many of the nominees hold strong anti-abortion views even if they do not have direct ties to anti-abortion activists. They’re concerned that an administration filled with top-level officials who are personally opposed to abortion could take steps to restrict access to the procedure and funding.

After Trump’s ambiguity about abortion during his campaign, “there’s still a lot we don’t know about what policy is going to look like,” said Mary Ruth Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law. That approach may be revealed as the staffs within key departments are announced.

Trump announced he would nominate anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Health and Human Services Department, which anti-abortion forces have long targeted as central to curtailing abortion rights nationwide. Yet Kennedy shifted on the issue during his own presidential campaign.

In campaign videos, Kennedy said he supports abortion access until viability, which doctors say is sometime after 21 weeks, although there is no defined timeframe. But he also said “every abortion is a tragedy” and argued for a national ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy, a stance he quickly walked back.

The head of Health and Human Services oversees Title X funding for a host of family planning services and has sweeping authority over agencies that directly affect abortion access, including the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The role is especially vital amid legal battles over a federal law known as EMTALA, which President Joe Biden’s administration has argued requires emergency abortion access nationwide, and FDA approval of the abortion pill mifepristone.

Mini Timmaraju, president of the national abortion rights organization Reproductive Freedom for All, called Kennedy an “unfit, unqualified extremist who cannot be trusted to protect the health, safety and reproductive freedom of American families.”

His potential nomination also has caused waves in the anti-abortion movement. Former Vice President Mike Pence, a staunch abortion opponent, urged the Senate to reject Kennedy’s nomination. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the national anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said the group had its own concerns about Kennedy.

“There’s no question that we need a pro-life HHS secretary,” she said.

Fox News correspondent Marty Makary is Trump’s pick to lead the FDA, which plays a critical role in access to medication abortion and contraception. Abortion rights groups have accused him of sharing misinformation about abortion on air.

Russell Vought, a staunch anti-abortion conservative, has been nominated for director of the Office of Management and Budget. Vought was a key architect of Project 2025, a right-wing blueprint for running the federal government. Among other actions to limit reproductive rights, it calls for eliminating access to medication abortion nationwide, cutting Medicaid funding for abortion and restricting access to contraceptive care, especially long-acting reversible contraceptives such as IUD’s.

Despite distancing himself from the conservative manifesto on the campaign trail, Trump is stocking his administration with people who played central roles in developing Project 2025.

Trump acknowledged that drafters of the report would be part of his incoming administration during the Sunday interview with NBC News, saying “Many of those things I happen to agree with.”

“These cabinet appointments all confirm that Project 2025 was in fact the blueprint all along, and the alarm we saw about it was warranted,” said Amy Williams Navarro, director of government relations for Reproductive Freedom for All.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, Trump’s choice to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is a former television talk show host who has been accused of hawking dubious medical treatments and products. He voiced contradictory abortion views during his failed Senate run in 2022.

Oz has described himself as “strongly pro-life, praised the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, claimed “life starts at conception” and referred to abortion as “murder.” But he also has echoed Trump’s states-rights approach, arguing the federal government should not be involved in abortion decisions.

“I want women, doctors, local political leaders, letting the democracy that’s always allowed our nation to thrive to put the best ideas forward so states can decide for themselves,” he said during a Senate debate two years ago.

An array of reproductive rights groups opposed his Senate run. As CMS administrator, Oz would be in a key position to determine Medicaid coverage for family planning services and investigate potential EMTALA violations.

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Her nomination is being celebrated by abortion opponents but denounced by abortion rights groups concerned she may revive the Comstock Act, an anti-vice law passed by Congress in 1873 that, among other things, bans mailing of medication or instruments used in abortion.

An anti-abortion and anti-vaccine former Florida congressman, David Weldon, has been chosen to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which collects and monitors abortion data across the country.

Former Republican congressman Doug Collins is Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs amid a political battle over abortion access and funding for troops and veterans. Collins voted consistently to restrict funding and access to abortion and celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

“This is a team that the pro-life movement can work with,” said Kristin Hawkins, president of the national anti-abortion organization Students for Life.

Best TV of 2024: A modestly better lineup than usual, but why didn’t it feel that way?

One of my top shows of 2024 actually premiered in 2021. That’s because it took a couple of years for the Australian series “The Newsreader” to make its way Stateside. Alas, it was only legal to stream in the U.S. for a handful of weeks in September and then — pffft! — it was gone before most people had even heard of it.

Well, I have great news. The show will be available once again, this time via Sundance Now (accessible through the AMC+ streaming platform), which has licensed the first season. Premiering Dec. 19, it stars Anna Torv (“Fringe”) and Sam Reid (“Interview with the Vampire”) as TV reporters in Melbourne, circa 1986. At the outset, Reid’s character exudes big loser energy, which is such an amusing contrast to his work as Lestat. The show is unexpectedly funny and terrifically Machiavellian in its portrayal of small-time office politics, and I’m thrilled audiences in the U.S. will get another shot at watching it.

Overall, 2024 offered a modestly better lineup than usual, but I’m not sure it felt that way. Too often the good stuff got drowned out by Hollywood’s pointless and endless pursuit of rebooting intellectual property (no thank you, Apple’s “Presumed Innocent”) and tendency to stretch a perfectly fine two-hour movie premise into a saggy multi-part series (“Presumed Innocent” again!).

There were plenty of shows I liked that didn’t make this year’s list, including ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” and CBS’ “Ghosts” (it’s heartening to see the network sitcom format still thriving in the streaming era), as well as Netflix’s “A Man on the Inside” (Ted Danson’s charisma selling an unlikely premise) and Hulu’s “Interior Chinatown” (a high-concept parody of racial stereotypes and cop show tropes, even if it couldn’t sustain the idea over 10 episodes).

Maybe it just felt like we were having more fun this year, with Netflix’s “The Perfect Couple” (Nicole Kidman leading a traditional manor house mystery reinterpreted with an American sensibility) and Hulu’s “Rivals” (the horniest show of 2024, delivered with a wink in the English countryside). I liked what I saw of Showtime’s espionage thriller “The Agency” (although the bulk of episodes were unavailable as of this writing).

The deluge of remakes tends to make me cringe, but this year also saw a redo of Patricia Highsmith’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley” on Netflix that was far classier than most of what’s available on the streamer. Starring Andrew Scott, I found it cool to the touch, but the imagery stayed with me. Shot in black and white, it has an indelible visual language courtesy of director of photography Robert Elswit, whether capturing a crisp white business card against the worn grain wood of a bar top, or winding stairways that alternately suggest a yawning void or a trap.

As always, if you missed any of these shows when they originally premiered — the aforementioned titles or the Top 10 listed below — they are all available to stream.

Top 10 streaming and TV shows of 2024, in alphabetical order:

“Couples Therapy” (Showtime)

The least cynical reality show on television remains as absorbing as ever in Season 4, thanks to the probing questions and insights from the show’s resident therapist, Dr. Orna Guralnik. Everything is so charged. And yet the show has a soothing effect, predicated on the idea that human behavior (and misery) isn’t mysterious or unchangeable. There’s something so optimistic in that outlook. Whether or not you relate to the people featured on “Couples Therapy” — or even like them as individuals — doesn’t matter as much as Guralnik’s reassuring presence.

“Diarra From Detroit” (BET+)Diarra Kilpatrick is the creator and star of “Diarra From Detroit.” (Vanessa Clifton/BET+/TNS)

Created by and starring Diarra Kilpatrick, the eight-episode series defies categorization in all the right ways. Part missing-person mystery, part comedy about a school teacher coming to grips with her impending divorce, and part drama about long-buried secrets, it has tremendous style right from the start — sardonic, knowing and self-deprecating. The answers to the central mystery may not pack a satisfying punch by the end, but the road there is as entertaining and absorbing as they come. We need more shows like this.

“English Teacher” (FX)

A comedy created by and starring Brian Jordan Alvarez (of the antic YouTube series “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo”), the show has a sensibility all its own, despite a handful of misinformed people on social media calling it a ripoff of “Abbott Elementary.” There’s room enough in the TV landscape for more than one sitcom with a school setting and “English Teacher” has a wonderfully gimlet-eyed point of view of modern high school life. I’m amused that so much of its musical score is Gen-X coded, because that neither applies to Alvarez (a millennial) nor the fictional students he teaches. So why does the show feature everything from Laura Branigan’s “Gloria” to Exposé’s “Point of No Return”? The ’80s were awash in teen stories and maybe the show is using music from that era to invoke all those tropes in order to better subvert them. It’s a compelling idea! It’s streaming on Hulu and worth checking out if you haven’t already.

“Fifteen-Love” (Sundance Now)

A one-time tennis phenom accuses her former coach of coercing her into a sexual relationship in this British thriller. The intimacy between a coach and athlete often goes unexplored, in real-life or fictional contexts and that’s what the show interrogates: When does it go over the line? It’s smart, endlessly watchable and the kind of series that would likely find a larger audience were it available on a more popular streamer.

“Hacks” (Max)

There’s real tenderness in this show. Real cruelty, too. It’s a potent combination and the show’s third and strongest season won it an Emmy for best comedy. Jean Smart’s aging comic still looking for industry validation and Hannah Einbinder’s needy Gen-Z writer are trapped in an endless cycle of building trust that inevitably gives way to betrayal. Hollywood in a nutshell! “Hacks” is doing variations on this theme every season, but doing it in interesting ways. Nobody self-sabotages their way to success like these two.

“Interview with the Vampire” (AMC)Jacob Anderson, top, as Louis de Pointe du Lac and Sam Reid as Lestat de Lioncourt in Season 2 of AMC’s “Interview with the Vampire.” (Alfonso Bresciani/AMC/TNS)

I was skeptical about the show when it premiered in 2022. Vampire stories don’t interest me. And the 1994 movie adaptation starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt wasn’t a persuasive argument to the contrary. But great television is great television and nothing at the moment is better than this show. It was ignored by Emmy voters in its initial outing but let’s hope Season 2 gets the recognition it deserves. Under showrunner Rolin Jones, the adaptation of Anne Rice’s novels is richly written, thrillingly inhabited by its cast and so effortlessly funny with a framing device — the interview of the title — that is thick with intrigue and sly comedy. I wouldn’t categorize the series as horror. It’s not scary. But it is tonally self-assured and richly made, rarely focused on the hunt for dinner but on something far more interesting: The melodrama of vampire existence, with its combination of boredom and lust and tragedy and zingers. Already renewed for Season 3, it has an incredible cast (a thrilling late-career boost for Eric Bogosian) and is well worth catching up with if you haven’t already.

“Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)Kristen Bell, left, as Joanne and Adam Brody as Noah in an episode of “Nobody Wants This.” (Stefania Rosini/Netflix/TNS)

It’s been too long since the pleasures of banter fueled a romantic comedy in the spirit of “When Harry Met Sally.” But it’s all over the place in “Nobody Wants This,” one of the best shows on Netflix in recent memory. Renewed for a second season, it stars Kristen Bell as a humorously caustic podcaster and Adam Brody as the cute and emotionally intelligent rabbi she falls for. On the downside, the show has some terrible notions about Jewish women that play into controlling and emasculating stereotypes. You hate to see it in such an otherwise sparkling comedy, because overall Bell and Brody have an easy touch that gives the comedy real buoyancy.

“Nolly” (PBS Masterpiece)

I suspect few people saw this three-part series on PBS Masterpiece, but it features a terrific performance by Helena Bonham Carter playing the real-life, longtime British soap star Noele “Nolly” Gordon, who was unceremoniously sacked in 1981. She’s the kind of larger-than-life showbiz figure who is a bit ridiculous, a bit imperious, but also so much fun. The final stretch of her career is brought to life by Carter and this homage — to both the soap she starred in and the way she carried it on her back — is from Russell T. Davies (best known for the “Doctor Who” revival). For U.S. viewers unfamiliar with the show or Gordon, Carter’s performance has the benefit of not competing with a memory as it reanimates a slice of British pop culture history from the analog era.

This image released by FX shows Eita Okuno as Saeki Nobutatsu, from left, Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko, Hiromoto Ida as Kiyama Ukon Sadanaga in a scene from “Shogun.” (Katie Yu/FX via AP)“Shōgun” (FX)

The year is 1600 and a stubborn British seaman piloting a Dutch ship washes ashore in Japan. That’s our entry point to this gorgeously shot story of power games and political maneuvering among feudal enemies. Adapted from James Clavell’s 1975 novel by the married team of Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, it is filled with Emmy-winning performances (for Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada; the series itself also won best drama) and unlike something like HBO’s far clunkier “House of the Dragon,” which tackles similar themes, this feels like the rare show created by, and for, adults.

“Slow Horses” (Apple TV+)

The misfits and losers of Britain’s MI5 counterintelligence agency — collectively known as the slow horses, a sneering nickname that speaks to their perceived uselessness — remain as restless as ever in this adaptation of Mick Herron’s Slough House spy novels. As a series, “Slow Horses” doesn’t offer tightly plotted clockwork spy stories; think too deeply about any of the details and the whole thing threatens to fall apart. But on a scene-by-scene basis, the writing is a winning combination of wry and tension-filled, and the cumulative effect is wonderfully entertaining. Spies have to deal with petty office politics like everyone else! It’s also one of the few shows that has avoided the dreaded one- or two-year delay between seasons, which has become standard on streaming. Instead, it provides the kind of reliability — of its characters but also its storytelling intent — that has become increasingly rare.

Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.

Horoscopes Dec. 9, 2024: Dame Judi Dench, communication will encourage compassion and understanding

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Felicity Huffman, 62; Donny Osmond, 67; Beau Bridges, 83; Dame Judi Dench, 90.

Happy Birthday: Communication will encourage compassion and understanding. Getting along regardless of differences will pave the way to progress. A willingness to see all sides of a situation and to offer concrete alternatives along with compromise will show those you associate with your ability to lead the way. Stepping up and making a difference is necessary, so don’t sit back. Trust your instincts and be diligent when checking facts. Your numbers are 4, 17, 23, 28, 32, 35, 44, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Use your imagination. Pace yourself and budget wisely to ensure you get the highest return. A passionate discussion will clarify your position and ward off anyone trying to lead you astray. Keep your money, plans and possessions in a safe place. Focus on self-improvement, not trying to change others. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Your actions will be scrutinized by onlookers and those trying to outmaneuver you. Refrain from letting anger set in when change is what to concentrate on if you want to get ahead. Reach out to someone you trust to offer expert advice. Leave nothing to chance or in someone else’s hands. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): How you respond will significantly impact the outcome of a situation or partnership. Stick to the facts; sugarcoating will only make you look bad. Positive actions will make an impression on the people who can make your life easier and your dreams come true. Actions speak louder than words. 4 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Use your imagination, and you’ll find new outlets for your skills. Don’t sell yourself short when you have plenty to offer. Put together an investment plan that will help you save for something unique. A joint venture looks promising if you put in the time and effort. 2 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Engage in conversations that help you get to know your associates. Approach an expert who can offer insight that enables you to advance or use your attributes more effectively. Attending events will help expand your circle of friends and encourage you to try something new. 5 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A reserved attitude will serve you well. Be a good listener, and you’ll gain insight into how you can control situations that are manipulated by people without your best interests in mind. Take a pass if uncertainty prevails. Discipline coupled with working alone will have its advantages. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You’ll achieve the most if you are confident, direct and persistent. Invest in your surroundings and make your space efficient and comfortable, and it will ensure that you do the most and get the best outcome. Don’t give the competition a chance to outmaneuver you. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Refuse to let the demands others make stop you from following your heart, imagination and creative drive. Surround yourself with people who or places that inspire you to bring about lifestyle changes that make you feel good about yourself and your future. 5 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Put your time and energy into financial stabilization and physical fitness. A strong and healthy approach to security and peace of mind will help you recognize and distance yourself from grifters. Protect your money, reputation and position. Focus on looking and feeling your best. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Establish how you want to move forward and how much it will cost. A change to your routine or schedule will offer beneficial results. Be open to suggestions, but set boundaries to deter someone from trying to take over. Establish ground rules and forge a plan. 2 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Envision and build what you want from scratch. Consider your wish list and turn it into something tangible — a business or functional living space. It’s up to you to make your dreams come true. High energy and an astute mind will propel you, making it possible to achieve your goal. 4 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Confusion will plague you if you believe everything you hear. Someone will take advantage of you if you let them. Change begins with you; be the one to lead the way, and you won’t be passed over when an opportunity to advance opens. Self-improvement is favored. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are friendly, opportunistic and gullible. You are generous and accommodating.

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.

SF Giants miss out on Soto as he reportedly lands largest deal in sports history

The Giants never emerged as true contenders to sign superstar outfielder Juan Soto after missing out on Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani in recent years. And even if they were in the mix, it’s difficult to envision a scenario where they outbid Steve Cohen.

A day after the Giants agreed with shortstop Willy Adames on a franchise-record $182 million pact, Soto and the New York Mets have reportedly agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract, the largest deal in professional sports history. Soto’s deal includes no deferred money, escalators that can exceed $800 million and an opt-out after five seasons, according to reports.

For all the pomp and circumstance surrounding Soto, more relevant to San Francisco is outfielder Michael Conforto reportedly agreeing to a one-year, $17 million deal with the Dodgers and joining former Giant Blake Snell in Los Angeles.

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With the Giants’ outfield already set, Conforto’s services weren’t necessarily in high demand.

Heliot Ramos, fresh off earning his first All-Star selection, will play left field. Jung Hoo Lee stands to patrol center field after his first season in San Francisco was cut short due to a shoulder injury. Mike Yastrzemski will assume right field after agreeing to one-year deal to avoid arbitration.

Over two seasons with San Francisco, Conforto had a .238 batting average and .740 OPS with 35 home runs and 124 RBIs.

Warriors avenge loss to Wolves with cathartic late victory

SAN FRANCISCO — Having scored one point in five minutes, seeing an 11-point lead dissipate into a deficit, the Warriors went to a Steph Curry pick-and-roll on the wing with Jonathan Kuminga.

Kuminga slipped to the rim at an angle, catching a pocket pass off the bounce and elevating for a two-handed dunk.

The Warriors want to empower Kuminga more offensively, and they’re on the lookout for sets that work. Check and check.

Golden State nearly fell into the late-game rut that has plagued them recently, but instead leaned on their defense and manufactured just enough scoring to come back against Minnesota.

Gary Payton II picked off Anthony Edwards, igniting a transition break that ended with Buddy Hield’s seventh 3 of the game. Curry, who dished it to Hield in the corner, screamed in celebration with 56.8 seconds left.

That was the game-winner. For the exclamation point, Draymond Green threw down an emphatic dunk and borrowed Curry’s “Night-Night” celebration, hitting it several times in the game’s waning moments. To arrive at the rim, he sized up Rudy Gobert and used a Curry ball screen to open up a driving lane.

“We needed that moment,” Curry said postgame.

They needed it because they’d just lost six of seven. Because of the beef between Green and Gobert. Because breaking through late-game offensive struggles is a major step back toward winning ways.

They needed it to stamp a win. Golden State (14-9) held the Timberwolves to 16 fourth-quarter points and limited Anthony Edwards to just three in the final quarter, pulling away for a 114-106 victory. They overcame a hot shooting night from the Timberwolves by having three 20-point scorers in Curry (30 points), Hield (27) and Kuminga (20) for the first time this season.

Shortly after tipoff, Green played peacemaker after Edwards tossed down Jonathan Kuminga after a steal for a technical foul. For him to diffuse a situation against the Timberwolves — the opponent in which his season got derailed last year — showed a sign of progress.

As a team, though, the Warriors didn’t show much progress early on. They committed four turnovers in the first five minutes, including an errant inbounds pass under their own basket. Golden State shot 2-for-12 from 3 in the first quarter, falling behind 30-21.

Kuminga, in the starting lineup and playing in a more featured role, started 2-for-6. Several times, he tried Gobert on drives — a strategy that has rarely worked for anyone in the past decade.

Kuminga settled in and got to his spots in the lane and around the elbows for buckets. He added three blocks, including a late one, to go with seven rebounds in a team-high 36 minutes. If the Warriors are trying to pass the torch to him, he’ll have to take it.

“He’s really finding a good groove and it’s fun to see him starting to blossom,” head coach Steve Kerr said.

Curry still needs a second scorer to either emerge or join the Warriors, but this is still his team. He erupted for 15 second-quarter points, including three tough 3-pointers, to keep the Warriors close.

Yet after Curry sank a 3 from the wing — freeing himself for a handoff from Draymond Green — the Timberwolves closed the half with back-to-back 3s in response. Golden State had momentum, but the Timberwolves snatched it back by finishing stronger.

Minnesota’s swarming, handsy defense that limited the Warriors to two separate quarters of 15 and 18 points on Friday night held Golden State to 37.5% shooting in the first half and forced nine turnovers.

The Warriors turned up the tempo in the third quarter, turning stops — and even quick inbounds passes — into fast-break scores. Payton leaked out for a pair of buckets then Hield sank his third triple of the game on a sneaky inbounds pass up the court off a dead ball.

The 11-3 burst from the Warriors brought them within three early in the third.

As the Warriors made their push, Minnesota kept sinking corner 3s. They calmly operated out of double teams, making the extra pass and hitting 15 of their first 30 triples.

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Hield, who was mired in a month-long slump, tied the game with another 3. Later, he gave the Warriors their first lead since the first bucket of the game with a 3 after Kuminga dug out a steal against Edwards. Hield dropped 11 points in the third, rediscovering his jumper.

“When I’m out there with Steph and Dray and Gary, and JK with steam going downhill, the floor’s always open,” Hield said. “Teams have to pick their poison.”

Curry finished an offensively abundant, 44-point Warriors third quarter with a rainbow 3 at the horn over Gobert. The Warriors shot 16-for-22 in the third.

Curry played with more burst than he has in recent weeks, and he was getting rewarded with the scoring help Golden State has been searching for during its skid.

Then the Warriors’ defense came around. Golden State smothered Minnesota to start the final quarter, holding the Wolves to one point in four minutes. Payton stripped Edwards and beat him down the court for an and-1, then Hield’s sixth 3 gave the Warriors an 11-point edge.

The Warriors brought Curry back for the last 5:31, putting him two minutes above the 32-minute mark they like to keep him at. Two days off after Sunday likely factored in as well as the desperation to return to winning ways.

Curry rejoined with a four-point lead. Last year’s Clutch Player of the Year wasn’t going to let another win slip away, even if he was willing to part with his patented celebration.

“Time to go home,” Payton said of Green’s celebration. “Knockout punch.”