Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 289

Warriors in commanding NBA Cup position after escaping with win over Pelicans

The Warriors are in pole position in the NBA Cup group stage.

By improving to 3-0 in group play, the Warriors can clinch a spot in the knockout round with a Nuggets loss; Denver plays Dallas on Friday night.

The Warriors (12-3) never pulled away from the shorthanded Pelicans, but they nonetheless escaped with a 112-108 after New Orleans wing Trey Murphy III missed what could have been a game-winning 3-pointer in the waning seconds.

Andrew Wiggins followed up his strong performance against the Hawks by pouring in a game-high 30 on 9-for-14 shooting (including 9-for-9 at the free throw line). The Warriors are now 7-0 against sub-.500 teams and 7-1 away from the Chase Center.

“Hell yeah, we want to get that money,” Brandin Podziemski said in his on-court postgame interview with NBC Sports Bay Area, referencing the bonus for players who win the NBA Cup championship.

The Pelicans were missing five of their top seven players. In a season full of injuries league-wide, no one has been hurt quite like the Pelicans, who are down Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado.

In New Orleans’ starting lineup, then, were Murphy, Brandon Ingram, Javonte Green, Elfrid Payton and Daniel Theis.

They had no answers for Wiggins, who scored 13 of the Warriors’ first 23 points and started 5-for-5. Wiggins’ hot start came a game after he dropped 27 points on 12-for-17 shooting in a win over the Hawks. The Warriors have been optimistic Wiggins could return to his 2022 All-Star form since training camp, and he’s showing why.

But over the course of 48 minutes, the depleted Pelicans still faced an uphill battle.

New Orleans hung tight with Golden State, anyway. Murphy kept the Pelicans in it, scoring 15 points in his first 11 minutes. The Pelicans went on a 13-0 run in the second quarter to take the lead.

Despite Wiggins and Draymond Green hitting their first six 3-pointers combined, the Warriors trailed. Their defense, which has been elite so far this season, bled points in the paint.

An inspired Pelicans effort had them up 63-62 at halftime. The Warriors’ bench, the highest-scoring reserves in the league — got outscored by the Pelicans’ third stringers in the first half.

Moses Moody gave the Warriors terrific minutes in the third quarter, and Golden State clamped down more defensively. Yet they couldn’t earn separation.

Podziemski missed a clean look from 3 at the end of the third quarter — his fourth straight miss from deep in the game. He looked more decisive on the offensive end against the Pelicans than in previous games, but the shot still isn’t falling; he’s down to 18.9% from 3 this season.

When Steph Curry checked back into the game for his standard fourth-quarter shift, the Warriors led by six. Trayce Jackson-Davis instantly flushed a dunk from Wiggins in the short roll. Then Jackson-Davis swatted a shot, ran the floor and finished on the other end.

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It was the first double-digit lead of the night for either team, and it only lasted a few seconds.

After another Pelicans answer, Wiggins spun his way into the league and finished with one hand for an and-1.

The Warriors closed the last two minutes with Curry, Moody, Wiggins, Gary Payton II and Green. Podziemski and Buddy Hield also played crunch-time minutes, going defense for offense. Without De’Anthony Melton, who’s out for the season with an ACL sprain, Steve Kerr has to search for combinations that work on a night-by-night basis.

That group, like all the others on Friday night, didn’t have a knockout punch. Turnovers kept the Pelicans within two possessions, and Brandon Ingram and Green each went 0-for-2 at the foul line.

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl canned a deep two to draw New Orleans within three with 20 seconds left. Hield sank two foul shots to put the Warriors back up five, but Murphy answered with a 3 that bounced around the rim and fell in.

Green threw away an inbounds pass out of a timeout, giving the Pelicans a chance to tie or win the game as time expired but Murphy couldn’t hit another one.

Margin of victory matters in NBA Cup play. But not as much when you’re the only 3-0 team in your group.

SF Giants avoid arbitration with all five non-tender candidates

Buster Posey made his first big roster decisions since becoming the Giants’ president of baseball operations ahead of Friday’s non-tender deadline, agreeing with OF Mike Yastrzemski and RHP Austin Warren on one-year deals and tendering contracts to RHP Tyler Rogers, RHP Camilo Doval and INF LaMonte Wade Jr.

Yastrzemski will make $9.25 million in 2025, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.

Warren, who achieved Super 2 status, is slated to receive a little more than the league minimum, per source.

LHP Ethan Small and RHP Kai-Wei Teng have been non-tendered, the team also announced.

Tendering contracts to this group does not necessarily mean they will be on next year’s team. The Giants could still trade anyone from that aforementioned group between now and the start of the season, but tendering them contracts at this juncture ensures that they don’t become free agents without receiving anything in return.

Rogers, Wade and Yastrzemski are slated to become free agents after the 2025 season. Doval has two years of arbitration remaining (2026-27), while Warren has three years of arbitration left (2026-28).

Yastrzemski, 34, is coming off another solid overall season. Over 140 games, Yastrzemski had a .231 batting average and .739 OPS with 18 home runs and 57 RBI. On defense, Yastrzemski was worth five defensive runs saved (-2 outs above average) and was a in right field, but the hardware went to the Brewers’ Sal Frelick. Yastrzemski is slated to be part of an outfield featuring Heliot Ramos and Jung Hoo Lee.

Wade, 30, dealt with a hamstring injury that limited him to 117 games, but the first baseman still had a .260 batting average and .761 OPS with eight homers and 34 RBIs. If Wade had enough plate appearances to qualify, his .380 on-base percentage would’ve been tied with the Padres’ Jurickson Profar for seventh in all of baseball.

Doval, 27, experienced a tumultuous year, one in which he was demoted to Triple-A Sacramento and lost his closer role to Ryan Walker. Over 59 innings, Doval posted career-worsts in ERA (4.88) and FIP (3.71). Doval’s 5.95 walks per nine innings were the most among relievers across baseball. Despite the poor year, the one-time All-Star still possesses the tools to be a productive reliever between his elite velocity (96th percentile in average fastball velocity) and above-average slider.

Rogers, who turns 34 in December, turned in another excellent season, posting a 2.82 ERA over 70 1/3 innings while appearing in a National League-leading 77 games. Since 2021, Rogers is first in innings (301) and second in appearances (293).

Warren, 28, signed with the Giants last February and spent most of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander allowed two earned runs over 10 2/3 innings with San Francisco, totaling seven strikeouts to five walks.

Trump chooses Bessent to be treasury secretary, Vought as budget chief, Chavez-DeRemer for Labor

By FATIMA HUSSEIN, CHRIS RUGABER, JOSH BOAK and CHRIS MEGERIAN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday that he’ll nominate hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, an advocate for deficit reduction, to serve as his next treasury secretary.

Trump also said he would nominate Russell Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget, a position Vought held during Trump’s first presidency. Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign.

The announcements showed how Trump was fleshing out the financial side of his new administration. Although Bessent is closely aligned with Wall Street and could earn bipartisan support, Vought is known as a Republican hardliner.

Trump said Bessent would “help me usher in a new Golden Age for the United States,” while Vought “knows exactly how to dismantle the Deep State and end Weaponized Government.”

Bessent and Vought were only two of several personnel decisions that Trump disclosed Friday evening.

Trump said he chose Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, an Oregon Republican, as his labor secretary, and Scott Turner, a former football player who worked in Trump’s first administration, as his housing secretary.

FILE – Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., accompanied by Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., left, and House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., right, speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

In addition, Trump rounded out his health team. He chose Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, a general practitioner and Fox News contributor, to be surgeon general; Dr. Dave Weldon, a former Republican congressman from Florida, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Dr. Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins surgeon, as head of the Food and Drug Administration. Trump previously said he would nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime spreader of conspiracy theories about vaccines, as health secretary.

Alex Wong was named as principal deputy national security adviser, while Sebastian Gorka will serve as senior director for counterterrorism. Wong worked on issues involving Asia during Trump’s first term, and Gorka is a conservative commentator who spent less than a year in Trump’s White House.

Bessent, 62, is the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary.

He told Bloomberg in August that attacking the U.S. national debt should be a priority, which includes slashing government programs and other spending.

“This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then.

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As of Nov. 8, the national debt stands at $35.94 trillion, with both the Trump and Biden administrations having added to it. Trump’s policies added $8.4 trillion to the national debt, while the Biden administration increased the national debt by $4.3 trillion, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a fiscal watchdog.

Even as he pushes to lower the national debt by stopping spending, Bessent has backed extending provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which Trump signed into law in his first year in office. Estimates from various economic analyses of the costs of the various tax cuts range between nearly $6 trillion and $10 trillion over 10 years. Nearly all of the law’s provisions are set to expire at the end of 2025.

Before becoming a Trump donor and adviser, Bessent donated to various Democratic causes in the early 2000s, notably Al Gore’s presidential run. He also worked for George Soros, a major supporter of Democrats. Bessent had an influential role in Soros’ London operations, including his famous 1992 bet against the pound, which generated huge profits on “Black Wednesday,” when the pound was de-linked from European currencies.

Bessent’s selection wasn’t surprising; he had been among the names floated for the treasury secretary role. At an October Detroit Economic Club event, Trump called Bessent “one of the top analysts on Wall Street.”

Bessent told Bloomberg in August that he views tariffs as a “one time price adjustment” and “not inflationary,” and tariffs imposed during a second Trump administration would be directed primarily at China. And he wrote in a Fox News op-ed this week that tariffs are “a useful tool for achieving the president’s foreign policy objectives,” such as encouraging allies to spend more on defense or deterring military aggression.

Bessent has also floated ideas for how the Trump administration could put pressure on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, whose term expires in May 2026. Last month, Bessent suggested Trump could name a replacement chair early, and let that person function as a “shadow” chair, with the goal of essentially sidelining Powell.

But after the election, Bessent reportedly backed away from that plan. Powell, for his part, has said he wouldn’t step down if Trump asked him to do so, and added that Trump, as president, doesn’t have the authority to fire him.

Trump repeatedly attacked Powell during his first term as president for raising the Fed’s key rate in 2017 and 2018. During the 2024 campaign, he said that as president he should have a “say” in the central bank’s interest rate decisions. Presidents traditionally avoid commenting on the Fed’s policies.

Vought, 48, was the head of the Office of Management and Budget from mid-2020 to the end of Trump’s first term in 2021, having previously served as the acting director and deputy director. A graduate of Wheaton College and George Washington University Law School, he had a deep knowledge of government finances that has been paired with his own Christian faith.

FILE – President Donald Trump, left, listens as acting director of the Office of Management and Budget Russel Vought speaks during an event on “transparency in Federal guidance and enforcement” in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Oct. 9, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

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After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as renewing “a consensus of America as a nation under God.”

The Center for Renewing America released its own 2023 budget proposal entitled “A Commitment to End Work and Weaponized Government.” The proposal envisioned $11.3 trillion worth of spending reductions over 10 years and about $2 trillion in income tax cuts in order to bring the budget into surplus by 2032.

“The immediate threat facing the nation is the fact that the people no longer govern the country; instead, the government itself is increasingly weaponized against the people it is meant to serve,” Vought wrote in the introduction.

Vought’s proposed budget plan would cut spending on food aid through the Agriculture Department. There would be $3.3 trillion in spending reductions in the Health and Human Services Department in large part through how Medicaid and Medicare funds are distributed. It also contains about $642 billion in cuts to Affordable Care Act. The budgets for the Housing and Urban Development and Education departments would also be cut.

Vought’s budget ideas were independent of Trump, who has not entirely spelled out the details of his economic plans, other than to campaign on income tax cuts and tariff hikes.

Trump’s choice for labor secretary, Chavez-DeRemer, 56, narrowly lost her reelection bid earlier this month. She received strong backing from union members in her district.

Chavez-DeRemer is one of a few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act that would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment.

Trump said in a statement that she would help “ensure that the Labor Department can unite Americans of all backgrounds behind our Agenda for unprecedented National Success.”

Five things to know about QB Brandon Allen, the 49ers’ starter against the Packers this weekend

SANTA CLARA — Brandon Allen prepared as if he was the 49ers’ starting quarterback all week, but the reality didn’t hit home until Friday, when Brock Purdy again missed practice.

“I know he had a plan for his shoulder all week, rest it a little bit on Wednesday and we’d split reps,” Allen said of Purdy. “I think the plan Thursday was to come out and practice. I guess in warmups it just wasn’t feeling right. I found out (Friday).”

Allen, a 32-year-old veteran in his ninth season, will start Sunday when the 49ers (5-5) visit the Green Bay Packers (7-3) at Lambeau Field.

Purdy was ruled out with a shoulder injury sustained in a 20-17 loss to Seattle, the first time he has missed a start because of injury after 31 regular-season and six postseason starts.

Here are five things to know about Allen:

1. Arkansas roots

The Fayetteville, Arkansas native’s father Bobby spent more than 20 years as an Arkansas assistant coach. After a redshirt season in 2011, Allen played in 42 games with 38 starts for the Razorbacks. As a senior, Allen completed 57.4 percent of his passes for 3,440 yards, 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions as Arkansas went 8-5. His brother Austin took over as the Arkansas quarterback. In his ninth season, only Joe Ferguson (11 seasons) of the Buffalo Bills has more time in the NFL among Arkansas quarterbacks.

2. Professional route

Drafted in the sixth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Allen spent his rookie season behind Blake Bortles and Chad Henne as a third-string quarterback and did not play. He was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017 and played behind Jared Goff and Sean Mannion before being signed by the Denver Broncos in 2019. Allen won his first start against Cleveland 24-19 in Week 9 of that season, passing for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Allen signed with Cincinnati in 2020, spent time on the practice squad and was promoted to the active roster in November. Subbing for Joe Burrow, Allen had his career-best game, passing for 371 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-31 win. Allen is 2-7 as an NFL starter with 1,611 yards passing, 10 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 78.0 passer rating.

3. Signing with the 49ers

Allen became a 49er on May 8, 2023, signing as a free agent. The 49ers, who up to that point seldom kept a third quarterback on the 53-man roster, kept Allen as a No. 3 all season behind Purdy and Sam Darnold after the previous year’s injuries to Trey Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo, and finally Purdy in the NFC Championship Game. Allen did not take a snap.

4. Installed as No. 2 QB

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Allen signed another one-year contract with the 49ers for one year and $1.21 million (which is more than the $985,000 that Purdy makes on his rookie deal). The 49ers also signed Joshua Dobbs to a one-year, guaranteed $2.35 million contract. Allen and Dobbs competed throughout training camp, with Allen earning the nod from coach Kyle Shanahan.

“You’ve got to make a decision. Usually I don’t want to have to make it,” Shanahan said. “I want it to be that obvious, let it play out. Brandon had the head start just being here. I thought he did some better things in practice.”

5. Familiarity with the system

While in Denver, Allen’s offensive coordinator was Rich Scangarello, who was the quarterbacks coach under Shanahan in 2017-18. In Los Angeles, the head coach was Sean McVay and the offensive coordinator was Matt LaFleur, both of whom run variations of the Shanahan offense. In 2018, Zac Taylor was his quarterbacks coach with the Rams. Taylor, upon being hired as head coach in Cincinnati, signed Allen to back up Burrow.

49ers rule out Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa; QB Brandon Allen to start at Green Bay

SANTA CLARA — No Brock Purdy. No Nick Bosa. No chance for the 49ers on Sunday in Green Bay?

“We’re missing two good players definitely but we’ll have a lot of good players out there,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan countered. “By no means do we not have a chance to win. We’ll fight our tails off. We’ll expect a real good game.”

Purdy’s throwing-shoulder soreness will force him to miss his first game due to injury since becoming the 49ers’ starting quarterback nearly two years ago, and that thrusts ninth-year journeyman Brandon Allen into his 10th career start and first since 2021 with Cincinnati.

Bosa’s oblique and hip injuries will sideline him for his first game of this wobbly season. Also ruled out were cornerback Charvarius Ward (personal), return specialist Jacob Cowing (concussion), defensive tackle Kevin Givens (groin) and linebacker Tatum Bethune (knee), while left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) is questionable as a game-time decision for a second straight game.

Tight end George Kittle (hamstring) and running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) are good to go for an offense that must make do without Purdy at the NFL’s most historic venue.

Allen, who last threw a regular-season pass in 2022 as Joe Burrow’s backup in Cincinnati, will guide the 49ers’ offense in a key game as San Francisco aims to make a playoff push.

“It’s an opportunity,” Allen said. “The circumstances are what they are. Our team all year long, we’ve been dealing with injuries here or there. It’s been a big next-man-up mentality. It’s definitely an opportunity for me to go out, play well, put our guys in a good position to win the game.

“Obviously we want Brock back and healthy and all that,” Allen added. “For the time being, it is an opportunity for me.”

Josh Dobbs, who lost out to Allen in training camp and the preseason for the QB2 role, will serve in that capacity Sunday at Lambeau Field, where neither quarterback has played a regular-season game. Rookie Tanner Mordecai likely will be elevated from the practice squad Saturday to serve as the emergency No. 3 quarterback.

Purdy wore a resigned, dour expression but offered upbeat words as he walked through the locker room, saying: “We’re all good.”

This is not how Shanahan scripted it earlier in the week.

“I don’t want to say there’s long-term concern,” Shanahan said Friday. “We got the MRI on Monday. We thought he just needed some rest and really weren’t concerned about him not being good this week.”

Purdy rested his arm Wednesday, then left the practice field Thursday after a few light throws.

“It surprised him, surprised us how it felt, so we had to shut him down,” Shanahan said. “The MRI doesn’t look like (it’s serious) so it should be alright. But the way it responded this week, it’s really up in the air for next week. We’ll have to see on Monday.”

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The 49ers follow this week’s trip at Green Bay with a prime-time appearance next Sunday, Dec. 1 in Buffalo.

“I know this is like the first time Brock’s missed a game probably in his life,” Allen said. “He’s a tough guy and I’m not too worried about it. I don’t think any of our guys are. He’ll rehab and get back as fast as he can.”

No one is saying when Purdy got hurt in Sunday’s 20-17 loss to Seattle, whether it was from diving for the goal line on his first-quarter touchdown scramble or later in the game. Shanahan did note that Purdy struggled to keep his shoulder loose and threw on the sideline, then the pain intensified after the game and into Monday.

“It was somewhere during that Seattle game and I’m not sure Brock knows,” general manager John Lynch said on KNBR. “He fought through it through the course of the game. I did see him during the course of the game, anytime there was a pause, he kept throwing. At that point, you’re feeling something but he was so focused on trying to win.”

Shanahan lauded Allen as a “really good thrower” who “runs our offense well” and that “guys believe in him.”

The feeling is mutual on Allen’s side, as he explained what it was like as Purdy’s stand-in on the starting unit in practice this week: “It’s been a blessing to have them in the huddle with me and the leadership that’s in the huddle, so I can just come in and fill the spot for Brock for now, just try to make some plays and get the ball in their hands.”

Added Shanahan: “It’s not a big game-plan adjustment. This is something we didn’t think would happen early in the week. We were fully preparing for Brock to go.”

The Packers prepared that way, too. Allen is no total stranger, however. Packers coach Matt LaFleur told reporters Friday in Green Bay, prior to Purdy’s no-show practice: “I know Brandon. I was with him in L.A. (in 2017). He’s been in the league a long time. But I wouldn’t expect their offense to change a whole bunch.”

BOSA WILL REMAIN HOME

While Purdy traveled with the 49ers to Green Bay, Bosa was staying behind to rehabilitate the upper-body injuries that forced him to miss Sunday’s fourth-quarter collapse against Seattle. It will be the first game Bosa has missed since Oct. 16, 2022 with a groin injury. The 49ers lost a road game that day to Atlanta 28-14 during a season in which Bosa was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Sam Okuayinonu figures to make his first career start in place of Bosa while Leonard Floyd makes his 11th start at the other defensive end slot.

WILLIAMS QUESTIONABLE

Williams, with the help of a pain-killing injection, made it through the Seattle loss at what he said afterwards was 65 percent. Although listed as questionable, Shanahan reiterated Williams’ status could go right up to kickoff. Jaylon Moore likely would start in place of Williams, if needed.

WARD BACK NEXT WEEK?

Ward, mourning the death of his 23-month-old daughter,  was declared out but Shanahan hoped to have the All-Pro cornerback next week when the 49ers visit Buffalo.

“He’s taken three full weeks off,” Shanahan said. “It’s not like dealing with all that stuff he’s getting workouts in and all that. We’re just happy to get him back in the building this week. We don’t want to put any pressure on him, hopefully he’ll be good to go next week.”

Among those listed as questionable is guard/center Jon Feliciano, whose 21-day window of practicing while on injured reserve is about to expire. If the 49ers don’t put Feliciano on the 53-man roster by Monday, he’ll spend the rest of the season on injured reserve.

PACKERS INJURIES

Cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) was ruled out after being unable to practice all week, and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) also will not suit up for Green Bay’s defense. Defensive tackle Colby Wooden is questionable as the only other Packers player on their injury report.

Pacific Grove councilwoman resigns, vacant seat will be filled by appointment

Pacific Grove councilwoman Debbie Beck announced she would be stepping down from her seat on the council and resigning after a “challenging year.” Wednesday’s city council meeting began with remarks from Beck, who thanked the city and residents for their support.

“I consider the residents of Pacific Grove my family and that’s the reason I chose to run back in the day, but family always comes first,” Beck said.

Beck, who fought a battle against breast cancer and is mourning the loss of her daughter to cancer, said while she has prioritized Pacific Grove and her duties to the council, she wants to step back and spend more time with her loved ones.

“I did put the city and this position at the front of my agenda at all times, however this past year was very challenging, so it’s bittersweet,” she said.

Beck’s seat will have to be filled by council appointment. In the latest election update, Pacific Grove shows Paul Walkingstick, Chaps Poduri and Tina Rau in the lead. However, those who ran and lost in the election could apply for the vacant seat.

On Wednesday, the council also held its first public hearing to introduce the process of transitioning to a by-district election system. Wednesday night was the first of four public hearings and a workshop planned for January. The first two hearings will go over why and how Pacific Grove will transition. The second two hearings will be for the public to go over draft maps.

Jeff Tilton with the National Demographic Corporation gave a virtual presentation Wednesday, laying out the federal and state rules and regulations for creating district maps.

Federal law mandates districts must have equal populations, comply with the federal Voting Rights Act, and avoid racial gerrymandering. California’s state criteria, listed in prioritized order, requires districts to be geographically contiguous, preserve neighborhoods and communities of interest, have easily identifiable boundaries and be compact.

As an example, Tilton used the map of Pacific Grove neighborhoods posted to the city’s website.

“Most of these neighborhoods would likely be divided just because of federal law requirements, but it’s a great starting point,” Tilton said.

The next public hearing will be Dec. 18, and will reiterate much of the information from Wednesday’s meeting. Then, there is a workshop planned for Jan. 8 for residents to learn how to draw maps and submit them to the council.

Sedletzky-designed home in Carmel Valley lists for $4.995M

A Carmel Valley home on the market for the first time, and designed by renowned architect Marcel Sedletzky, is listed for sale at $4,995,000.

The 4,091-square-foot home on a 1.35-acre lot in the La Rancheria neighborhood, was built in 1971 and is being marketed by Sotheby’s International Realty, Carmel Valley Brokerage. It comprises five bedrooms, five full bathrooms and one partial and two fireplaces. The house features expansive windows that bring the interior natural light and views of the manicured landscaping, pool and surrounding oak grove. The property also offers a separate guest house, wine cellar, game room, workshop and ample storage space, along with a three-car garage and two-car carport.

The home at 50 La Rancheria in Carmel Valley seamlessly transitions between indoor and outdoor space. (Wayne Capili for Sotheby’s International Realty)

Sedletzky had his own architectural practice in Carmel for 14 years, from 1960 to 1974, before moving to San Luis Obispo to teach at California Polytechnic State University. According to the Bill Staggs book on the architect titled “Marcel Sedletzky: Architect and Teacher,” “Sedletzky managed to balance and integrate two powerful, radically different views of architecture, manifest in the writings and work of his two heroes, (Charles-Edouard Jeanneret) Le Corbusier the modernist and (Frank Lloyd) Wright the proselytizing ‘organicist,’ the European and the American. Perhaps because he was an immigrant himself, born in one world and working in another, Sedletzky was able to meld the two visions of the built world, and, over the course of a dozen years, from 1960 until 1973, to translate theoretical notions into distinctive and sometimes extraordinary residences on the Central Coast of California.”

The home at 50 La Rancheria in Carmel Valley seamlessly transitions between indoor and outdoor space, says Sotheby’s International Realty, offering “a serene retreat where the organic design of the home harmonizes with the natural beauty of the environment.”

Besides the Carmel Valley home’s design that visually brings the outside in to its inhabitants, the property is in a prime location with easy access to shopping, dining, wine tasting and local events, providing the owner a home to relax in or a perfect place to entertain guests, says Sotheby’s.

By the late 1950s, Sedletzky had left the architectural firm Victor Gruen and Associates in Los Angeles to take a job in Carmel with the small architectural firm of Robert C. Jones.

Sedletzky rose quickly in the Jones firm, becoming the unofficial principal designer in the office, according to Staggs. From the outset, he demonstrated expertise in planning and design innovation, and in the production of presentation drawings. Jones’s appreciation of his new employee’s talents translated into free reign for Sedletzky.

“As he had done in Los Angeles,” says Stagg’s book, “Sedletzky eagerly explored the spectacular environment around Carmel. He hiked more than ever before, alone or with his wife and three children. By the time he left the Jones firm in 1960 to launch a private architectural practice, Sedletzky had acquired a set of skills and experiences that provided a strong underpinning for a bold designer who was not afraid to strike out anew. He had a natural talent at both engineering and drawing, and his European and American architectural training had sharpened those innate skills. The years at Victor Gruen Associates steeped him in the complexities of planning, and the time at Jones gave him confidence in his ability to translate a vision into a practical, buildable set of plans.”

In March 1974, Sedletzky was hired as an Associate Professor of Architecture at Cal Poly. Later that year, he closed his practice in Carmel and moved to San Luis Obispo with his second wife.

Although he would continue to design additions and remodels for previous clients and his own Casa Concha, the days of bold ideas translated into dramatic houses were essentially behind him, states Staggs’ book. He retired from teaching in 1992 and moved permanently to Casa Concha in Bahia Kino, Mexico where he died in 1995.

The home at 50 La Rancheria in Carmel Valley is being listed by Courtney Stanley and Skip Marquard of Sotheby’s International Realty, Carmel Valley Brokerage.

The property is in a prime location with easy access to shopping, dining, wine tasting and local events, providing the owner a home to relax in or a perfect place to entertain guests, says Sotheby’s. (Wayne Capili for Sotheby’s International Realty)

What to know about Pam Bondi, Trump’s new pick for attorney general

By MICHELLE L. PRICE and COLLEEN LONG, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, was chosen Thursday by Donald Trump to serve as U.S. attorney general hours after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration after a federal sex trafficking investigation and ethics probe made his ability to be confirmed dubious.

The 59-year-old has long been in Trump’s orbit and her name had been floated during his first term as a potential candidate for the nation’s highest law enforcement role.

If confirmed by the Republican-led Senate, Bondi would instantly become one of the most closely watched members of Trump’s Cabinet given the Republican’s threat to pursue retribution against perceived adversaries and concern among Democrats that he will look to bend the Justice Department to his will.

Here’s a few things to know about Bondi:

She’s long been a fixture in Trump’s world

Bondi has been a longtime and early ally. In March 2016, on the eve of the Republican primary in Florida, Bondi endorsed Trump at a rally, picking him over the candidate from her own state, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

She gained national attention with appearances on Fox News as a defender of Trump and had a notable speaking spot at 2016 Republican National Convention as Trump became the party’s surprising nominee. During the remarks, some in the crowd began chanting “Lock her up” about Trump’s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Bondi responded by saying, “‘Lock her up,’ I love that.”

FILE – Pam Bondi, former Florida Attorney General, speaks to reporters outside an election integrity volunteer training, June 18, 2024, in Newtown, Pa. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton, File)

As Trump prepared to move into the White House, she served on his first transition team.

When Trump’s first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, was ousted in 2018, Bondi’s name was floated as a possible candidate for the job. Trump at the time said he would “love” Bondi to join the administration. He ultimately selected William Barr instead.

She kept a toehold in Trump’s orbit thereafter, including after he left office. She served as a chairwoman of America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers to lay the groundwork if he won a second term.

She was Florida’s first female attorney general

Bondi made history in 2010 when she was elected as Florida’s first female attorney general. Though the Tampa native spent more than 18 years as a prosecutor in the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office, she was a political unknown when she held the state’s top law enforcement job.

Bondi was elevated in the primary after she was endorsed by former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

She campaigned on a message to use the state’s top legal office in a robust way, challenging then-President Barack Obama’s signature health care law. She also called for her state to adopt Arizona’s “show me your papers” immigration law that sparked national debate.

As Florida’s top prosecutor, Bondi stressed human trafficking issues and urged tightening state laws against traffickers. She held the job from 2011 to 2019.

She worked as a lobbyist for both U.S. and foreign clients

Bondi worked as a lobbyist for Ballard Partners, the powerful Florida-based firm where Trump’s campaign chief and incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles was a partner. Her U.S. clients have included General Motors, the commissioner of Major League Baseball and a Christian anti-human-trafficking advocacy group.

She also lobbied for a Kuwaiti firm, according to Justice Department foreign agent filings and congressional lobbying documents. She registered as a foreign agent for the government of Qatar; her work was related to anti-human-trafficking efforts leading up to the World Cup, held in 2022.

Bondi also represented the KGL Investment Company KSCC, a Kuwaiti firm also known as KGLI, lobbying the White House, National Security Council, State Department and Congress on immigration policy, human rights and economic sanctions issues.

She defended Trump during his first impeachment trial

Bondi stepped away from lobbying to serve on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020.

He was accused — but not convicted — of abuse of power for allegedly pressuring the president of Ukraine to investigate his Democratic rivals while crucial U.S. security aid was being withheld. He was also charged with obstruction of Congress for stonewalling investigative efforts.

Trump wanted Ukraine’s president to publicly commit to investigating Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden, who served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company. He pushed for the investigation while holding up nearly $400 million in military aid.

Bondi was brought on to bolster the White House’s messaging and communications. Trump and his allies sought to delegitimize the impeachment from the start, aiming to brush off the whole thing as a farce.

She’s been critical of the criminal cases against Trump

Bondi has been a vocal critic of the criminal cases against Trump as well as Jack Smith, the special counsel who charged Trump in two federal cases. In one radio appearance, she blasted Smith and other prosecutors who have charged Trump as “horrible” people she said were trying to make names for themselves by “going after Donald Trump and weaponizing our legal system.”

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It’s unlikely that Bondi would be confirmed in time to overlap with Smith, who brought two federal indictments against Trump that are both expected to wind down before the incoming president takes office. Special counsels are expected to produce reports on their work that historically are made public, but it remains unclear when such a document might be released.

Bondi was also among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts.

As president, Trump demanded investigations into political opponents like Hillary Clinton and sought to use the law enforcement powers of the Justice Department to advance his own interests, including in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Bondi appears likely to oblige him.

She would inherit a Justice Department expected to pivot sharply on civil rights, corporate enforcement and the prosecutions of hundreds of Trump supporters charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol — defendants whom Trump has pledged to pardon.

She’s had a few of her own political issues

Bondi issued a public apology in 2013 while serving as attorney general after she sought to delay the execution of a convicted killer because it conflicted with a fundraiser for her reelection campaign.

The attorney general, representing the state in death row appeals, typically remains available on the date of execution cases in case of any last-minute legal issues.

Bondi later said she was wrong and sorry for requesting then-Gov. Rick Scott push back the execution of Marshall Lee Gore by three weeks.

Bondi personally solicited a 2013 political contribution from Trump as her office was weighing whether to join New York in suing over fraud allegations involving Trump University.

Trump cut a $25,000 check to a political committee supporting Bondi from his family’s charitable foundation, in violation of legal prohibitions against charities supporting partisan political activities. After the check came in, Bondi’s office nixed suing Trump’s company for fraud, citing insufficient grounds to proceed. Both Trump and Bondi denied wrongdoing.

Two days before being sworn in as president in January 2017, Trump paid $25 million to settle three lawsuits alleging Trump University defrauded its students.

Trump also paid a $2,500 fine to the IRS over the illegal political donation to support Bondi from the Donald J. Trump Foundation, which he was forced to dissolve amid an investigation by the state of New York.

A Florida prosecutor assigned by then-GOP Gov. Rick Scott later determined there was insufficient evidence to support bribery charges against Trump and Bondi over the $25,000 donation.

Long reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Michael Biesecker contributed to this report.

Horoscopes Nov. 22, 2024: Jamie Lee Curtis, paint your vision in bold colors

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Scarlett Johansson, 40; Mark Ruffalo, 57; Jamie Lee Curtis, 66; Steve Van Zandt, 74.

Happy Birthday: Use your resources wisely. Refuse to let anyone represent you. Paint your vision in bold colors. Lay down a foundation that ensures your plans can withstand pressure and allow you to live up to your promises. Set boundaries, guidelines and safety nets that ease stress and strengthen your position with those who have the power to make or break your requests. Choose the path that delivers. Your numbers are 4, 11, 25, 34, 38, 41, 44.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): A physical outlet will help you release pent-up energy, frustration and stress. Hiking, challenging your body and mind, and pushing yourself to the edge will feel good, but be careful not to let your competitive nature become insult or injury. Know your limits and pace yourself. 5 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Don’t stew over things you can’t control. Change begins with you; protecting yourself and your rights with finesse will help you get through any situation. A hotheaded attitude will cause friction and not solve problems. Dedicate your time to making improvements. Choose peace and love over hate. 2 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Listen carefully, as the information you receive will be confusing and deliberately intended to lead you astray. Put your time and effort into learning, getting the facts and engaging experts to ensure you make wise choices. Meeting up with friends or relatives will help ground you. 4 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Turn on your charm, and you’ll attract attention. Mix business with pleasure, and doors will open. A kind gesture will buy you a seat at a prominent table. Don’t hold back when you have so much to offer. Stick to the rule book; exaggeration works against you. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take time out and have fun. Get together with people who enjoy the same things you do and live in the moment. Entertainment, competitive games or participating in a cause or event that concerns you will result in meeting someone who captures your interest. Keep an open mind. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Sit tight, monitor what’s happening around you and make choices that keep you out of harm’s way. A healthy lifestyle change will profoundly impact you and how you move forward. Social events will bring you closer to someone you love. Romance is in the stars. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Live, learn and let be. Focus on what’s important and allow others to do as they please. You’ll gain the most by being yourself and doing what makes you happy. Take the path of least resistance and enjoy what you encounter. Turn your dreams and desires into a reality. 4 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Keep abreast of what everyone else is doing and saying. The information you gather will help you decipher who you feel you connect with best. Refuse to let outside influences challenge or back you into a corner. Do what makes you feel good about yourself and your life. 2 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Honesty is the best policy. When in doubt, keep your thoughts to yourself. Protect your reputation, home and relationships from scammers and shysters. Use your energy and experience to ferret out what’s false and what’s fact. Accommodate the ones you love by offering incentives. Financial gain is within reach. 5 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Make a motion to change what is holding you back. Research, gain insight into something that interests you and arrange to participate. Your attitude, understanding and popularity will grow as you utilize your skills and experience to improve whatever situation or event you find yourself involved in. Romance is on the rise. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Look around you and use your imagination to devise your next move. Discussing a person, place or belief with someone you respect will change your perspective. Use your voice to make a difference, not to manipulate. Simplicity, integrity and facts will have the best impact. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take the time to prepare appropriately. It will be easy to lose track of your purpose and maintain a good reputation. Personal growth, self-improvement and taking better care of yourself will bring far better results than going head-to-head with someone who opposes your ideologies. Make personal gain your goal. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are theatrical, exuberant and fun-loving. You are spontaneous and friendly.

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.

State NorCal Division II girls water polo semifinals: Stevenson stays focused in upending Leland

PEBBLE BEACH — As players posed for a celebratory picture, a blank stare covered the face of Stevenson girls water polo coach Jon Burke.

“You have to give me a minute,” Burke said. “It’s kind of like ‘what just happened’? It was disorienting. I’m still trying to process all of this.”

Burke was not talking about the No. 2 seeded Pirates going to the State Northern California Division II championships after a 13-11 win Thursday over Leland of San Jose.

It’s what transpired out of the water, that created two delays, including a 26-minute stoppage of play as officials attempted to iron out an error in the official book that Leland disputed with 3:46 left in the match and down by one.

“I’ve never been involved in anything like this,” said Burke, owner of 14 Central Coast Section titles. “It was frustrating. We were told we’re hitting the reset button.”

Meaning officials of the match decided to go back to where the error occurred. So instead of Stevenson leading 11-10 with 3:46 in the fourth period, the match was moved back to 5:22 in the third period with Leland holding a 7-6 edge.

“We didn’t know what was going on,” said Charlotte Morrow, who had three goals in the second half. “We just went with it. You can’t worry about anything but the challenges that are in front of you.”

Yet, at the conclusion of replaying most of the third period, play was halted again — this time for 17 minutes after USA water polo National Referee Manager Levon Dermendjian was made aware of the dispute and called Stevenson athletic director Justin Clymo.

Dermendjian, who oversees all high school water polo officials in the United States, overruled the decision, explaining over the phone to both coaches that a dispute must be reported when it occurs, or before the period is over for play to be reverted back.

So, the match was returned to where it was before the dispute was reported — meaning the five plus minutes that was replayed essentially did not exist, or at least didn’t count.

“We tried to remain focused,” said Morrow, who finished with four goals. “No one really knew what was going on. We just had to keep fighting. I just wanted to finish the game.”

When play resumed, the Pirates got a pair of insurance goals from all-time scoring leader Emmerson Ferriera and freshman Kate Solomon to ensure a third straight trip to the State Northern California title match.

Stevenson (21-9), who won the county’s first ever Northern California water polo title last year while in Division III, will face No. 5 seed San Ramon Valley on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton.

Champions of the North Coast Section, the Wolves (23-8) upset top-seed Davis 8-7 — 48 hours after stunning No. 4 seed Clovis East 13-5 in the quarterfinals.

“We have not faced them,” said Burke, whose first two matches in the tournament were rematches from earlier this year against Buchanan and Leland. “We did see them play at the Arroyo Grande tournament. They are fast and counter.”

San Ramon Valley, who is ranked No. 7 in the state, will go into the title match having won eight consecutive matches. Last year it reached the State NorCal Division I semifinals.

“I know they have one superstar,” Burke said. “I’ll figure that out when I get home. I’m still trying to absorb all of these. Despite all the emotion, we stayed the course. We are going to the finals.”

Stevenson, which trailed by as many as three goals in the first half, was down 8-7 in the third period when it used a pair of goals from Morrow to take a 9-8 lead. Tied at 10, the sophomore added another goal to give them an 11-10 lead when play was halted.

“It all kind of blends in,” said Morrow, when reflecting on the turn of events and her highest goal total in the postseason. “This is what we have worked for.”

With Ferreria and Miranda Salinger — who came in with a combined 178 goals — drawing a lot of attention early in the match, Jacqui Powers and Arielle Dale each produced a pair of goals to keep the Pirates close in the first half.

Morrow provided a glimpse of the future in the fourth quarter, rising the occasion, showing off her arm strength with a pair of goals off of passes from Sienna Cimoli to create a momentum surge.

“We worked so hard in the third period to get that momentum,” Burke said. “We got a couple of their girls into ejections (fouls). Then everything just came to a halt. I’m so proud of how these girls found a way to stay focused and win the match.”

Clinging to a one-goal lead when the match was reinstated to its original time, Ferreira saw the goalie coming out of the box and alertly dropped a soft shot from 10 meters out that landed in the back of the net.

After Ferreira was forced to leave with her third ejection, Soloman came in and delivered the knockout goal with 1:17 left, padding the Pirates lead two.