Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 286

Alyssa Nakken leaves SF Giants for Cleveland Guardians: report

Alyssa Nakken, the first woman coach in Major League Baseball history, is leaving the Giants to join the Cleveland Guardians as an assistant in player development, as first reported by 95.7 The Game’s Steven Rissotto.

Nakken is the latest member of last year’s coaching staff to depart from the team, joining Justin Viele (Rangers), Pedro Guerrero (Marlins) and Bryan Price (stepped down). Additionally, Pete Putila, the team’s general manager in 2023 and 2024, and Michael Schwartze, the team’s former director of baseball analytics, have joined the Braves.

In Cleveland, Nakken will be reunited with a pair of former Giants coaches in Craig Albernaz and Kai Correa. Under Stephen Vogt, the 2024 American League Manager of the Year, Albernaz is an associate manager while Correa is a field instructor.

Nakken, 34, made no shortage of history during her five seasons with the team. On April 12, 2022, Nakken became the first woman to appear in an on-field role, coaching first base after former first base coach Antoan Richardson was ejected. Last offseason, the Giants interviewed Nakken for their vacant manager opening after firing Gabe Kapler, becoming the first woman to interview for the position. The jersey that Nakken wore during her first major-league game on July 23, 2020 was sent to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Earlier this year, Nakken gave birth to her first child, Austyn.

A standout softball player at Sacramento State, Nakken first joined the Giants in 2014 as a baseball operations intern, serving various front-office roles before joining the major-league coaching staff.

Status of 49ers’ Brock Purdy grows grim ahead of Packers trip

SANTA CLARA — Only one thing has kept Brock Purdy out of the 49ers’ starting lineup since he seized the role two years ago: the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed, which they secured early enough last year to spare Purdy and other stars from the meaningless regular-season finale.

Purdy’s status for Sunday’s game at Green Bay is growing grim. That could mean a lot for the 49ers (5-5) as they try upsetting the host Packers (7-3).

A right shoulder issue is limiting Purdy at practice, and after not throwing during Wednesday’s session open to the media, he briefly attempted light throws Thursday before leaving the field as practice continued.

“He did a little bit more today. By no means was he doing his normal workload,” coach Kyle Shanahan said on KNBR 680-AM. “He went back in (to the facility) halfway through, rested his arm up, continued his rehab and hopefully it will be feeling great on Sunday.”

Rather than dispatch Purdy for his usual post-practice press conference, the 49ers pushed that session to Friday with no assurance he will be the starting quarterback at that podium.

Brandon Allen is likely first out of the 49ers’ bullpen if Purdy is scratched from the lineup (Allen declined to speak Thursday at his locker). Josh Dobbs is also available, and rookie Tanner Mordecai is on the practice squad as a potential emergency No. 3 quarterback, a job the 49ers infamously left vacant in their 2022 NFC Championship Game’s loss in which Purdy sustained a torn elbow ligament.

Along with Purdy, left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) and defensive end Nick Bosa (obliques, hips) might be missing from Sunday’s NFC battle in Green Bay. Neither has practiced this week after battling through their injuries in Sunday’s 20-17 loss to Seattle.

Running back Christian McCaffrey, two games into his comeback, is focused on his job rather than who’ll be getting him the ball.

“I’ve never worried about who’s in, especially on Thursday in practice,” McCaffrey said. “I’ve seen enough guys not practice all week and go out and have incredible games. He’ll handle his business, and we’ll all handle ours.”

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Wide receiver Jauan Jennings kept his perspective mum on the quarterback quandary, saying only, “We’ve got to go in and win, man. That’s it.”

Purdy’s been a gamer to this point. He started through fractured ribs as a 2022 rookie, quickly overcame post-concussion symptoms on a short week last season, and, of course, parlayed his elbow-ligament repair into the most passing yards (4,280) in a 49ers season.

Purdy’s been off that pace, and off with his accuracy this season (career-low 66.0 completion percentage). He hasn’t attempted a pass over 20 yards in the past two games, but he did deliver pin-point passes toward the sidelines on their game-winning drive Nov. 10 at Tampa Bay.

Shanahan said Purdy coped with shoulder pain by staying warm on the sideline in Sunday’s loss to Seattle. He completed 21-of-28 passes for 159 yards, one touchdown and one interception, plus scoring on a 10-yard, first-quarter touchdown run in which he landed on his right shoulder diving for the right pylon.

“I didn’t see anything that looked different and he didn’t complain about it to me,” Shanahan said.

Allen, as Purdy’s immediate backup, has played just one snap this season, taking a knee to finish off the 32-19, season-opening win over the New York Jets. Allen, 32, saw no action as the 49ers’ No. 3 quarterback last season. He is 2-7 all-time as a NFL starter, with his last start coming for the 2021 Cincinnati Bengals.

While Allen has thrown 263 career passes for 1,611 yards (10 touchdowns, six interceptions), Dobbs has much more production in his journeyman career with 502 passes, 2,920 yards (15 touchdowns, 13 interceptions) plus 496 rushing yards.

A year ago, Dobbs bounced from the Cleveland Browns to the Arizona Cardinals to the Minnesota Vikings. Dobbs went 1-7 for Arizona before going 2-2 as Kirk Cousins’ replacement in Minnesota, where he got benched weeks before the Vikings’ penultimate game at Green Bay.

The preceding week, in the 23-20 victory over the Buccaneers, Purdy produced his seventh straight road start with a passer rating of at least 100.0. Only Tom Brady (nine), Russell Wilson (nine) and Carson Palmer (eight) have longer streaks. In Purdy’s seven-game road stretch, he’s completed 71.4 percent of his passes (150-for-210) for 2,035 yards, 19 touchdowns and just one interception en route to six wins and one loss (at Minnesota).

McCAFFREY’S THIRD OUTING

McCaffrey is tunnel-visioned on how he can bolster the 49ers’ offense in what will be his third game since battling Achilles tendinitis.

“I don’t care who’s back there for me (at quarterback),” McCaffrey said. “I’ve got to be on a spot, I’ve got to be there fast and, you know, just prepare for anything. I just control what I can control.”

Of his 32 carries (118 yards), he’s yet to pop any longer than 13 yards, though he did make a 30-yard catch in his season debut at Tampa Bay to highlight his 95 receiving yards through two games.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be where I want to be. But, no, it’s definitely physically getting better and I’m starting to develop that callus,” McCaffrey said.

SORENSEN REVIEWS DEFENSE

Defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen confirmed that the 49ers’ lost a gap that allowed a lane for Geno Smith to scramble through for Seattle’s game-winning touchdown Sunday. The 49ers did not blitz on that play, nor on all but two plays in the game. Why not?

“There’s always a time and a place,” Sorensen said. “I’d like to be aggressive. It depends on the situation.”

Sunday’s situation could be devoid of Bosa, who didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday, as was the case last week when only his right oblique hurt. Bosa left Sunday’s third quarter after straining his left oblique.

“It’s not just about who you have. It’s about who you’re going against,” Sorensen added.

MOODY’S WEATHER 

Kicker Jake Moody practiced amid gusty winds Thursday on Levi’s Stadium’s field, but he noted the elements are not expected to be as tricky Sunday at Green Bay. Moody is already listening to advice from punter Pat O’Donnell, who played for the Packers in 2022 and told Moody that “it’s not as windy as you may think.”

Sunday’s forecast calls for a high of 45 degrees, a low of 37, and 9 mph winds with a 22% chance of rain, per Weather.com. The 49ers won their last visit to Green Bay on Robbie Gould’s 45-yard, walk-off field goal in the snow-laced divisional playoffs on Jan. 22, 2022.

TOMMY HART MOURNED

The 49ers announced the passing of Tommy Hart, a 1968 draft pick who played defensive end for a decade with them before returning to win three Super Bowls with them as an assistant coach (1983-91) and scout (1992-93). Hart’s 80th birthday was Nov. 7.

INJURY REPORTS

Punt returner Jacob Cowing did not practice and did conditioning work on the side as he works through the NFL’s concussion protocol.

Linebacker Tatum Bethune (knee) and defensive tackle Kevin Givens (groin) remained out of practice along with Bosa and Williams. Limited were McCaffrey, tight end George Kittle (hamstring), cornerback Charvarius Ward (personal) and center Jon Feliciano (knee).

Cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) missed his second straight practice with the Packers, who listed running back Josh Jacobs (quadriceps, calf) as limited.

Democrat Bob Casey concedes to Republican David McCormick in Pennsylvania Senate contest

By MARC LEVY

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania conceded his reelection bid to Republican David McCormick on Thursday, as a statewide recount showed no signs of closing the gap and his campaign suffered repeated blows in court in its effort to get potentially favorable ballots counted.

Casey’s concession comes more than two weeks after Election Day, as a grindingly slow ballot-counting process became a spectacle of hours-long election board meetings, social media outrage, lawsuits and accusations that some county officials were openly flouting the law.

Republicans had been claiming that Democrats were trying to steal McCormick’s seat by counting “illegal votes.” Casey’s campaign had accused of Republicans of trying to block enough votes to prevent him from pulling ahead and winning.

In a statement, Casey said he had just called McCormick to congratulate him.

“As the first count of ballots is completed, Pennsylvanians can move forward with the knowledge that their voices were heard, whether their vote was the first to be counted or the last,” Casey said.

The Associated Press called the race for McCormick on Nov. 7, concluding that not enough ballots remained to be counted in areas Casey was winning for him to take the lead.

As of Thursday, McCormick led by about 16,000 votes out of almost 7 million ballots counted.

That was well within the 0.5% margin threshold to trigger an automatic statewide recount under Pennsylvania law.

But no election official expected a recount to change more than a couple hundred votes or so, and Pennsylvania’s highest court dealt him a blow when it refused entreaties to allow counties to count mail-in ballots that lacked a correct handwritten date on the return envelope.

Republicans will have a 53-47 majority next year in the U.S. Senate.

Follow Marc Levy at twitter.com/timelywriter

Democrats strike deal to get more Biden judges confirmed before Congress adjourns

By KEVIN FREKING

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate won’t hold votes on four of President Joe Biden’s appellate court nominees as part of a deal with Republicans to allow for speedier consideration of other judicial nominations and bring Biden within striking distance of the 234 total judicial confirmations that occurred during President-elect Donald Trump’s first term.

Currently, the number of judges confirmed under Biden totals 221. Republicans forced numerous procedural votes this week and late-night sessions as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., attempted to move ahead in getting more of Biden’s nominees confirmed before Congress adjourns and Republicans take control of the chamber in January.

A Senate Democratic leadership aide said Thursday a time agreement had been reached to allow for consideration of seven district court judges the week following Thanksgiving. Plus, another six district judges would be placed on the Senate executive calendar, making it possible for them to be considered on the Senate floor in December.

Excluded from that list were four circuit judge nominations awaiting a floor vote: Adeel Abdullah Mangi of New Jersey, nominated for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals; Karla M. Campbell of Tennessee, nominated for the Sixth Circuit; Julia M. Lipez of Maine, First Circuit; and Ryan Young Park of North Carolina, Fourth Circuit.

Mangi would have been the first Muslim American to serve as a federal appellate court judge if he had been confirmed. Mangi received law degrees from Oxford and Harvard. He works in a prestigious law firm and has secured significant legal victories. But his limited volunteer work with two outside groups has imperiled his nomination. He faced opposition from some Democrats as well.

The confirmation battles over circuit court judges are generally much harder fights given their role in hearing appeals from district courts and often having the last word on legal matters.

Schumer’s office said the four circuit nominees lacked the support to be confirmed, and that they received more than triple the amount of other judges moving forward as part of the agreement.

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“Reports that there is a deal that would leave behind critical circuit court nominees are unacceptable. All of these nominees must be confirmed expeditiously before the end of the 118th Congress,” said Lena Zwarensteyn, an advisor at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

“When senators return from the holiday break, Leader Schumer and senators must do whatever it takes — for as long as it takes — to confirm every single pending judicial nominee, including all circuit court nominees, to provide an important guardrail for our democracy. No matter what, this must get done,” Zwarensteyn said.

Schumer has dedicated much of the Senate schedule to getting Biden’s judicial nominees confirmed. He called it a basic responsibility of the Senate.

“We’ll take that responsibility very seriously between now and the end of the year,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.

Monterey County median home price at $919K in October, $1.048M in June

MONTEREY – In Monterey County, the median price for a single-family home cost $919,838 and sold in 18 days for 98% of the list price based on 142 sales in October, after hitting the $1 million mark in May and topping out at $1,048,000 in June.

A year ago the median price for a single-family home in Monterey County was $920,000.

According to MLSListings’ County Summaries for single-family homes in Monterey County for October 2024, compared to last year, inventory increased 41%, and new listings were up 21%, but the median price was about the same.

“Two important factors in prices not changing as much compared to other markets are the constrained local housing market, and more generally sellers expectations,” said Government and Community Affairs Director, Monterey County Association of Realtors, Adam Pinterits. “New and active listings were higher in October compared to the last two years, but this is still in the context of our region which has not built enough housing for decades. Demand is still significantly exceeding supply here. The other component, that is not unique to Monterey County, is sellers have expectations of what they think their house is worth, and are naturally reluctant to come down in price.”

In the tri-county area that includes Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, MLSListings reports that in Santa Cruz County, the median cost was $1,325,000 and sold in 19 days for 99% of the list price based on 135 sales in October 2024. In San Benito County, the median price was $820,000 and sold in 30 days for 99% of the list price based on 38 sales in October.

Pinterits said, that in Monterey County, the most noteworthy real estate market numbers are inventory.

“While we are regionally still thousands of homes short of what our communities need, week to week in October we were up over 100 active listings compared to 2023 and 2022,” he said. “While not solely responsible for this increase, many sellers and property managers told me that local rental regulations and the threat of Proposition 33 drove them to sell rental housing.”

Pinterits said that trend has been seen consistently across the country when local governments over regulate rental housing to the point where it makes sense for owners to quit being housing providers, ultimately displacing tenants and worsening affordability of the remaining rental housing.

According to the California Association of Realtors, California home sales rebounded in October, reversing two straight months of sales declines and registering the fastest year-over-year sales pace in 40 months.

The statewide median price in October was $888,740, a 5.8% increase from last year.

“With the elections behind us and the Federal Reserve cutting rates again earlier this month, some buyers will take advantage of the seasonal lull and purchase before the end of the year,” said C.A.R. Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Jordan Levine in a press release. “However, rates are also expected to decline only gradually, creating headwinds for consumers. Fortunately, pending sales rose by double digits in October, which bodes well for closed sales next month.”

In the Monterey County market, the average days on the market for single-family homes moved six days from 36 to 42 days or up 17%, and the median days on the market increased one day from the month before.

Pinterits said the median days on the market are within the fluctuation range expected for this time of year as fewer buyers are in a hurry as they get busy with the holidays.

“Market data tells me that despite historic seasonal trends, it’s still a great time to sell a home in Monterey County,” said Pinterits. “Demand is still relatively strong because buyers understand the importance and value of homeownership.”

Republicans rally around Hegseth, Trump’s Pentagon pick, as Gaetz withdraws for attorney general

By MARY CLARE JALONICK, STEPHEN GROVES and KEVIN FREKING

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s allies on Capitol Hill rallied around Pete Hegseth, Trump’s Pentagon pick, on Thursday even as new details surfaced about allegations that he had sexually assaulted a woman in 2017.

The GOP embrace of Hegseth came as another controversial Trump nominee, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration for attorney general. Gaetz said it was clear he had become a “distraction” amid pressure on the House to release an ethics report about allegations of his own sexual misconduct. An attorney for two women has said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman.

Fresh questions over the two nominees’ pasts, and their treatment of women, arose with Republicans under pressure from Trump and his allies to quickly confirm his Cabinet. At the same time, his transition has so far balked at the vetting and background checks that have traditionally been required.

While few Republican senators have publicly criticized any of Trump’s nominees, it became clear after Gaetz’s withdrawal that many had been harboring private concerns about him. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who served with Gaetz in the House, said it was a “positive move.” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker said it was a “positive development.” Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Gaetz “put country first and I am pleased with his decision.”

After meeting with Hegseth, though, Republicans rallied around him. “I think he’s going to be in pretty good shape,” said Wicker, who is expected to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee in the next Congress.

Republican senators’ careful words, and their early reluctance to publicly question Trump’s picks, illustrated not only their fear of retribution from the incoming president but also some of their hopes that the confirmation process can proceed normally, with proper vetting and background checks that could potentially disqualify problematic nominees earlier. Gaetz withdrew after meeting with senators on Wednesday.

Sen. Thom Tillis said Gaetz was “in a pressure cooker” when he decided to withdraw, but suggested that it would have little bearing on Trump’s other nominees. “Transactions — one at a time,” he said.

As the Hegseth nomination proceeds, Republicans also appear to be betting that they won’t face much backlash for publicly setting aside the allegations of sexual misconduct — especially after Trump won election after being found liable for sexual abuse last year.

Hegseth held a round of private meetings alongside incoming Vice President JD Vance on Thursday in an attempt to shore up support and told reporters afterward: “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared, and that’s where I’m gonna leave it.”

A 22-page police report report made public late Wednesday offered the first detailed account of the allegations against him. A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave. The report cited police interviews with the alleged victim, a nurse who treated her, a hotel staffer, another woman at the event and Hegseth.

Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Palatore, said the incident was “fully investigated and police found the allegations to be false.” Hegseth paid the woman in 2023 as part of a confidential settlement to head off the threat of what he described as a baseless lawsuit, Palatore has said.

Wicker played down the allegations against Hegseth, a former Fox News host, saying that “since no charges were brought from the authorities, we only have press reports.”

Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said after his meeting with Hegseth that he “shared with him the fact that I was saddened by the attacks that are coming his way.”

Hagerty dismissed the allegations as “a he-said, she-said thing” and called it a “shame” that they were being raised at all.

The senator said attention should instead be focused on the Defense Department that Hegseth would head. It’s one of the most complex parts of the federal government with more than 3 million employees, including military service members and civilians. Sexual assault has been a persistent problem in the military, though Pentagon officials have been cautiously optimistic they are seeing a decline in reported sexual assaults among active-duty service members and the military academies.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who will be the No. 2 Republican in the Senate next year, said after his meeting with Hegseth that the nominee is a strong candidate who “pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power – not the current administration’s woke political agenda.”

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Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, who will be the top Democrat on the panel next year, said the reports on Hegseth “emphasized the need for a thorough investigation by the FBI on the background of all the nominees.”

It takes a simple majority to approve Cabinet nominations, meaning that if Democrats all opposed a nominee, four Republican senators would also have to defect for any Trump choice to be defeated. Trump has made clear he’s willing to put maximum pressure on Senate Republicans to give him the nominees he wants – even suggesting at one point that they allow him to just appoint his nominees with no Senate votes.

But senators insist, for now, that they are not giving up their constitutional power to have a say.

“The president has the right to make the nominations that he sees fit, but the Senate also has a responsibility for advice and consent,” said Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota. In the case of Gaetz, he said, “I think there was advice offered rather than consent.”

Monterey Council approves NCIP projects, nixes three

Several members of the Monterey Neighborhood Community Improvement Program Committee showed up to the council meeting on Tuesday to hear the council’s plans for dozens of projects the committee recommended for the next fiscal year.

The Monterey City Council voted to send four projects back to the committee and nixed three projects due to staff’s recommendations.

The NCIP Committee brought 39 projects to the council, 32 of which were under the recommended funding with two cut off projects. The additional seven projects were not recommended by city staff, but the council decided to go through to vote on them one by one.

The council voted to send the New Monterey Neighborhood Plan update, the Casa Verde Underpass murals project, a project to create a comprehensive fire safety analysis to develop a multi-year hazard reduction program, and a project for bike repair stations back to the NCIP Committee. The rationale was to allow the committee the chance to re-work the projects and gather more information or drop the project themselves.

Meanwhile, the three other projects were dropped in favor of the city staff’s recommendations.

One project was at Deer Flats, to install an electrical disconnect for decorative lighting in the neighborhood entrance planter, but city staff said HOA is responsible for maintaining common assets in Deer Flats.

Another project was to create pickleball courts at Ryan Ranch. City staff did not recommend that project because the Parks and Recreation Commission determined that it was inconsistent with their master plan. Also, city staff say they are focusing on existing facilities and expanding pickleball courts at the Monterey Tennis Center.

The last project was to install new decomposed granite on the sidewalk from Harrison Street to Veterans Drive, but city staff said it was a redundant project.

The council voted unanimously to approve $210,000 from the NCIP ending balance account for the El Estero Park Center Playground equipment upgrade. The plan is to replace the cap of the pool that the playground sits on, and upgrade the playground itself.

The agenda report laid out that this project could be turned around quickly and did not require design or engineering services. The playground upgrade was a cut-off project in two previous NCIP project lists. Since NCIP has completed 16 projects below the expected funding, the playground upgrade will be funded with that extra money the NCIP netted.

There was some concern from members of the NCIP Committee, who say the project should have been brought up again in meetings and placed on a new project list. However, the city council praised the city staff for keeping the project in mind and bringing it to the forefront when the opportunity presented itself.

“I think it’s an opportunity,” said Council member Ed Smith, who has the playground in his district. “The equipment is 31 years old. This project is affordable and within the budget.”

Horoscopes Nov. 21, 2024: Michael Strahan, you will relieve stress and enjoy downtime to the fullest

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Carly Rae Jepsen, 39; Jena Malone, 40; Michael Strahan, 53; Goldie Hawn, 79.

Happy Birthday: Hit the reset button and implement a strategy that promotes thought followed by action. By taking care of business before pleasure, you will relieve stress and enjoy downtime to the fullest. Turn your journey into something special. Follow the path that makes you feel alive, and designate more time to fill any void you encounter with love, knowledge and memorable experiences. Hard work will pay off, but risks will disappoint. Your numbers are 3, 12, 21, 28, 31, 35, 44.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Listen to reason, fact-check and get involved in activities that require drive, passion and resistance to make your way to the top. A competitive attitude will put you in the spotlight and encourage others to stand aside while you do your thing. Do what feels right. 5 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You’ll face opposition if you are too forceful with your demands. A positive spin, a smile on your face and an incentive that’s too good to turn down will make your journey easy. Honesty, integrity, compassion and fairness will promote stellar results and loyal connections. 2 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Look at the big picture but refrain from feeling you must adhere to an all-or-nothing decision. Consider what you want and discard what isn’t helpful. It’s up to you to make changes that suit your needs. Speak up, be direct and counter with what works best for you. 4 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Take your skills and knowledge to the next level. Whether you add to your qualifications or learn to apply your attributes uniquely, the outcome will boost your morale and reputation. Strive to get ahead, and you will be happy with the results. Romance is in the stars. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Participate in something that moves you mentally and emotionally. The insight you gain into others will help you decide with whom to spend your time. Become a powerhouse by acting and following through with your plans. Refuse to let the changes others make disrupt your plans. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Go somewhere new or inspirational, and let your mind wander. The images you conjure up will encourage you to do your part to positively impact your community, environment or the ones you love. Your discipline and attitude will attract favorable responses. Romance is favored. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Communication, travel and gaining experience is in your best interest. Protect your health and home, but don’t neglect to get out and enjoy what life offers. Personal growth is your ticket to solving problems and new beginnings. Trust your instincts and rely on your strengths. 4 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Play to win. Know who and what you are up against and prepare accordingly. Step away from anyone asking for too much and offering too little. Mistakes will lead to anger and poor judgment. Shake yourself off if something goes wrong and compensate with positive action. 2 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Get on the fast train and keep the momentum flowing until you are satisfied with the results. Let your competitive nature kick in, and you’ll outmaneuver anyone who tries to get in your way. Consider the facts before you indicate your loyalty to someone else’s plan. Action and passion are your strengths. 5 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Size up what things cost and set a suitable budget. A change at home can save you time and money. Don’t give power to someone else or take a risk that can cost you physically. Protect your money, health and position from anyone undermining you. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Put pressure where pressure is due. Refuse to let anyone take control if you want to secure your position or take responsibility for your own concerns. You can positively impact situations and those involved if you are honest and dedicated and devise a plan that is easy for others to adopt. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Study the manual and follow instructions carefully. Getting things right the first time will give your reputation and confidence a boost. Reach out to someone you admire; the response will lead to a positive exchange of ideas and actions. Romance and personal gain are on the rise. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are aggressive, courageous and ambitious. You are proactive and unusual.

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.

Warriors stifle Hawks in blowout victory

SAN FRANCISCO — Feeling Onyeka Okongwu wrapped around his ankles, Steph Curry picked up his head and flung a HORSE shot off the glass.

Once he picked himself up from off the floor, right next to Okongwu, Curry high-fived a toddler sitting courtside in the corner. M-V-P chants followed as Curry finished off the and-1.

That bucket initiated 17 unanswered points for the Warriors, a first-quarter barrage that set them up to coast the rest of the way.

With a tormenting defense and an aggressive Andrew Wiggins (27 points on 12-for-17 shooting), the Warriors (11-4) secured a breezy 120-97 win over Atlanta. Curry poured in 23 as the Warriors held Trae Young to 12 points and the Hawks as a team to 33.3% shooting overall.

“We’ve played against Trae Young many times,” Steve Kerr said postgame. “He’s an amazing passer, really difficult cover. so our guys were locked in and did a really good job.”

Lindy Waters III started his third straight game, replacing De’Anthony Melton — who’s getting season-ending ACL surgery — in the starting lineup. He spent a good portion of his 23 minutes defending Young, allowing Wiggins to take a night off from checking the opponent’s best scorer.

“Lindy’s very athletic,” Wiggins said. “He’s quick, has good defensive instincts. He’s filled that spot, and he’s been playing his butt off.”

The Warriors like not just Waters’ fit within the starting context, but also how the bench flows afterwards.

After Curry’s early and-1, the other Warriors joined in the action. Buddy Hield hit his first three shots, including two from deep. Jonathan Kuminga scored six points in his first five minutes. Brandin Podziemski, who has had a brutal shooting start to the year, hit a step-back 3.

As the Warriors got hot, they held Atlanta scoreless for five minutes. Kevon Looney affected shots at the rim and the Hawks turned it over multiple times. After one Kuminga steal, he found Hield leaking out for an easy dunk.

The onslaught put Golden State up 41-22 after the first period.

It was all Golden State’s defense needed to turn on cruise control.

To end a dominant first half, the Warriors ripped off a 10-0 run strictly on turning the Hawks over. Atlanta coughed it up four times in the last two minutes, including two from Young. The Warriors trapped Young in the pick-and-roll when he was close to a sideline, and Draymond Green played the cat-and-mouse game in the paint whenever he snaked into the lane. A Kyle Anderson strip led out to a breakaway.

Defense to offense, rinse and repeat.

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At halftime, the Hawks had eight turnovers and were 6-for-14 from the line. It was like the Warriors gave them their worst qualities but nothing else.

Atlanta shot 30% from the field and 6-for-23 (26.1%) from behind the arc in the first half. They were bound for some positive regression, certain to make a run. Like the Rockets did. Like the Thunder did.

It didn’t come immediately. On one play, no Hawk checked Gary Payton II, giving him a wide open dunk after he set up under the rim. After a made shot, the Hawks didn’t get back on defense, letting Payton slip past them for an alley-oop from Curry at halfcourt.

But eventually the Hawks woke up. After falling behind by 31, the Hawks finally shored up their off-ball defense and threw different defensive looks at Golden State. The Warriors went scoreless for the last four minutes of the third quarter, seeing their lead halve.

The Hawks were at one point defeated and deflated, but the Warriors let them hang around.

Podziemski, who removed his protective face mask for his broken nose eight days prior, got hit in the face three minutes into the fourth quarter and left for the trainer’s room (x-rays came back negative, Kerr said). At that point, the Warriors still maintained a 16-point lead.

And that was as close as Atlanta would get. Curry and Green returned, and they — plus Wiggins — closed it out. Kuminga only played mop-up minutes in the fourth quarter, entering with two minutes left and a 26-point lead. It’s not like the Warriors needed him to finish off the Hawks, but finding a consistent role for Kuminga should be a priority for the organization.

The immediate priority, though, is winning games. And the Warriors are doing plenty of that.

“Every game’s going to be different,” Kerr said. “We’ve got a very deep team, as we know, we’re committed to playing 12 guys every night. We just find groups that click and we stay with them. JK will be part of a lot of those.”

De’Anthony Melton to undergo season-ending surgery

SAN FRANCISCO — De’Anthony Melton will miss the rest of the 2024-25 season with a sprained left ACL.

Melton, 26, is scheduled to get surgery on Dec. 3, he said.While he has missed the past two games, he and the team were diligent about seeking multiple opinions for his injury. The best course of action, they concluded, was season-ending surgery.

“It still doesn’t feel real,” Melton said at his locker. “Especially because it’s so early in the season. It’s something I’ve got to handle and something I’ve got to get through to be better.”

Melton has been productive when available this season and earned a starting role next to Steph Curry in the back court. A two-way, multidimensional guard, Melton has averaged 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

The starting lineup with Melton in it was by far the most productive starting-five the Warriors have tried out this year, outscoring opponents by 22.4 points per 100 possessions.

“I feel so bad for De’Anthony,” Steve Kerr said. “He’s such a perfect fit for us and we were so excited to have him. He was clearly going to be our starter next to Steph.”

Golden State signed Melton to a one-year, $12.8 million deal this past offseason, which means he’ll be a free agent after the season ends. He missed more than half of last year due to serious back injuries, but had worked in the summer to fortify his core in an effort to prevent further issues.

There’s a long track record of NBA players recovering to full strength after ACL surgeries. Kerr and Melton have talked about the recovery and his upcoming free agency.

“He should be able to come back and resume his career really well,” Kerr said.

Before his knee injury though, Melton missed five straight games with a back strain. He described it as mild — and significantly less painful than what he endured last year — but the team treated him with caution.

Three games after returning — and after earning the starting shooting guard role — he sprained his knee against the Mavericks. He tweaked it late in the second quarter and after limping for a bit, Melton finished the game out. But once the adrenaline wore off, Melton felt his knee stiffen up.

Given Melton’s status as a pending free agent, it’s possible his tenure as a Warrior consists of just six games.

Without Melton, the Warriors are starting Lindy Waters III for a third straight game. Kerr likes the look with Waters next to Curry because of his 3-point shot, passing feel and on-ball defense.

“You want to stack up as many two-way guys as you can in this league,” Kerr said. “They’re not easy to find. Fortunately, we do have a deep team, and guys will be ready to step up. We’ve just got to keep looking at different combinations and put the best ones out on the floor.”

The Warriors could apply for a disabled player exception, but since they’re less than $1 million below their first-apron hard-cap, a path to using the spending flexibility isn’t yet paved.

Melton plans to get his surgery in Los Angeles and then rehab alongside the team in the Bay Area. Asked if there could be an outside chance he returns if the Warriors make a deep playoff run, Melton said he didn’t know.

“Y’all can ask me around then,” Melton said. “Hopefully. I would love to. Deep run, you never know.”