Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 293

Draymond Green’s foul against Zach Edey is upgraded by the NBA to a flagrant 1

Draymond Green’s foul against Memphis’ Zach Edey in the third quarter of the Warriors’ victory over the Grizzlies has been upgraded to a category-one flagrant, the NBA said Saturday after reviewing the play.

The foul — for which Green initially was charged with only a personal — came with 7:06 left in the third quarter of Friday’s game, which Golden State won 123-118. Green lost his balance on a drive and fell near Edey’s feet.

Green appeared to both swing his left leg outward as he was on the ground and restricted Edey’s ability to move his right ankle by clamping it between his elbow and his side. Edey wound up tripping over Green’s outstretched leg and the personal foul was called.

“Draymond grabs his leg and pulls him down and it doesn’t get reviewed,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said after the game. “I know there’s a code in this league and I don’t understand how that wasn’t reviewed. Very disappointing.”

The play, if called as a flagrant at the time, would have given Memphis two free throws and possession of the basketball. It was called as a transition-take foul, giving Memphis one free throw and possession.

“It wasn’t a basketball play, if that’s what you’re asking,” Edey said. “Definitely wasn’t a basketball play.”

Green went on to pick up two technical fouls in a 33-second span of the fourth quarter and was ejected with 1:14 remaining. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he didn’t get a clear reason for Green’s second technical.

“I don’t need an explanation,” Green said after finishing with 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. “I did my job. My job was done for the night. Moving on.”

Related ArticlesGolden State Warriors | Draymond Green compares Sharks’ Celebrini to LeBron James in one respect Golden State Warriors | Defense, depth key Warriors win over Grizzlies Golden State Warriors | Why are these little Warriors still rebounding machines once again? Golden State Warriors | Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton sidelined again with injury Golden State Warriors | KNBR shakeup: Tom Tolbert, John Lund out at San Francisco’s longtime sports talk radio power

Green was suspended indefinitely last season — he wound up missing 16 games — by the league after he struck Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic in the face during a game on Dec. 12. The league cited Green’s “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts” when handing down that suspension, which came not long after he served a five-game ban for putting Minnesota center Rudy Gobert in a headlock during an altercation.

Draymond Green compares Sharks’ Celebrini to LeBron James in one respect

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, a four-time NBA World Champion, knows what greatness looks like, and he sees that potential with San Jose Sharks rookie centerman Macklin Celebrini.

So much so that Green on Friday compared the teenaged Celebrini to Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.

Before he played a game in the NHL, Celebrini, who turned 18 in June, was being likened to former Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and, to some degree, two-time Hart Trophy winner and Cup champion Sidney Crosby.

Seven years ago, Toews and Crosby were named two of the NHL’s top 100 players of all time.

“When you’re being compared to the greats at 18? Man,” Green said after the Warriors’ 123-118 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. “LeBron James was compared to the greats at 18, and he outlived it. Mack has that thing, and I think to be compared to the greats at 18, whatever people’s hopes are or thoughts of what he will become, he’ll outdo that. And I’m looking forward to watching it.”

Green said he’s known Celebrini for years, as Macklin’s father, Rick, joined the Warriors in 2018 as the team’s director of sports medicine and performance. Even then, Green saw something special before Celebrini started to make a name for himself as a potential NHL star.

After a standout season last year at Boston University, where he became the youngest-ever winner of the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player, Celebrini was selected first overall by the Sharks at the NHL Draft in June.

“I had a conversation with him and was like, ‘Yo, you’re going be the No. 1 pick … at 12,” Green recalled.  “And to see that come to fruition, and to know the work that he’s put in and everything that he’s up against, like, what a special talent to be 18 years old, and there’s nights where he’s the best player on the ice.

“I mean, wow.”

Green sported Celebrini’s No. 71 Sharks jersey to a recent Warriors home game, something the teenage player saw and appreciated.

“He’s a superfan,” Celebrini said with a smile.

While Green admires Celebrini’s skill set, with his skating, passing, and shooting ability, he especially loves to see how the Sharks rookie competes on a nightly basis.

Green pointed to the time two years ago when the Warriors were in Chicago, and he saw Celebrini play with the Chicago Steel in the USHL. In one sequence, Celebrini was knocked down after absorbing a hard hit, but didn’t just accept it. He responded by coming back and getting his own shot in on the opposing player, although, per Green’s recollection, Celebrini was assessed a penalty.

“When your best player has that type of attitude, it sets up your organization for success,” Green said.

Celebrini had four points in six games before the Sharks played the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night. But when the Sharks played the New Jersey Devils on Nov. 10, Celebrini was held without a shot on goal.

Although Celebrini had five shots in the Sharks’ ensuing game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Green was more impressed with what Celebrini did away from the puck.

“First period of the next game, he was doing all the little things,” Green said. “Most 18-year-olds that have that skill level and do not get a shot on goal the entire night, they’re going to come out and press trying to get all the shots, and he’s out there getting in scrums, diving and saving pucks and so (the opposing team doesn’t have a clean breakout). He took one guy out (who) was about to have a breakaway.

“When you’re doing those little things and not consumed with, ‘I didn’t get a shot on goal. I have to get one on goal,’ most players — forget young guys – most players are going to feel that way. They don’t come out and do the little things. And I think that’s one of the things that you watch him, it makes him so special.”

Green, being a native of Saginaw, Michigan, said he’s been hockey for a long time, partly because the NHL allows fighting, he joked. He played some floor hockey but never really got on the ice.

Still, he sees similarities between basketball and hockey, particularly in how good teams can effectively space out. He sees that quality in Celebrini’s game as well.

“You see how he finds space on the (ice). All of a sudden, he’ll loop right to the middle behind the defense and be ready,” Green said. “He just seems so much more advanced. His brain is as good, if not better, than his skill set, and his skill set is one of the best in the league already.

“So I am impressed by him, to say the least, and I’m looking forward to watching him chase greatness.”

Is fire season over? Depends where you live, experts say

Winter rains have started. Temperatures are dropping. Is California’s fire season over?

It depends where you live, experts say.

Much of the northern part of the state, generally from Interstate 80 to Oregon, has seen multiple storms in recent weeks that have soaked dry landscapes and brought snow to the Sierra Nevada. But farther south, little rain has fallen.

“Right now, the risk is really low for Northern California,” said Craig Clements, director of San Jose State University’s Fire Weather Research Laboratory. “We are getting cold fronts coming through and bringing rain. There’s some snow, which is really helping. We are coming out of fire season. If it stops suddenly and we get warm weather, things could change. But right now it’s looking good.”

Farther south, the threat is far worse, he added.

“Southern California is still dry,” Clements said. “They are going to remain at risk, especially if there is another wind event. The Mountain Fire was a wind-driven fire. The fuels were dry. It just ripped.”

The Mountain Fire began in Ventura County on Nov. 6. A clear reminder of how October and November can often bring some of the most dangerous fires of the year to California — because six months or more have gone by without major rains — it burned 19,904 acres between the cities of Ventura and Simi Valley. Driven by 80 mph winds, it destroyed 234 buildings in the foothills around Camarillo and other communities. On Friday it was 91% contained.

Clements said that as a general rule, once an area receives at least 1 inch of rain after Oct. 1 in California, fire risk diminishes substantially. That’s because moisture levels in the soil, grasses and other plants increase. The weather is also often cooler and more cloudy than during the hottest times of the year. If a fire does start, flames spread more slowly than during extremely dry conditions, allowing firefighters a better chance to get the blaze quickly under control.

Scott Stephens, a professor of fire science at UC Berkeley, agreed.

“If you get 1 inch of rain and it dries out for 2 weeks, there is fire potential again,” Stephens said. “If you get 1 inch over a longer time period that’s better. You are constantly adding a little bit of moisture so the things that dry out get wet again.”

Since Oct. 1, many areas across Northern California have cleared that 1-inch margin. Crescent City, near the Oregon border, has seen 8.15 inches of precipitation in the past 6 weeks, according to the National Weather Service, along with Eureka with 6.2 inches, Redding at 1.92 inches, South Lake Tahoe with 1.11 inches and Santa Rosa at 1.61 inches.

But other places, are below that threshold. San Francisco has had 0.56 inches since Oct. 1, about the same as Monterey, with 0.51. San Jose has had less, 0.34 — all of it in one Veteran’s Day storm on Monday. More rain is forecast for next weekend.

To the south, the rain totals are microscopic. Santa Barbara has received just 0.01 inches since Oct. 1, while Los Angeles and San Diego are nearly as dry, with 0.07 inches each.

“The threat’s not gone yet,” said Cal Fire Capt. Issac Sanchez. “In many parts of the state it has certainly diminished, but in many parts of the state it hasn’t. We’re not letting our guard down. And we don’t want the public to either.”

Sanchez said that none of the Cal Fire units around California have reduced their staffing yet to winter levels, when there are fewer seasonal employees on duty.

“As soon as we feel it’s safe we’ll do it,” he said.

A Santa Clara Cal Fire crew scrambles to extinguish a spot fire in the median of Interstate 580, during the Corral Fire west of Tracy, Calif., Saturday, June 1, 2024. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP)

Overall, this fire season in California began with ferocity. Multiple large grass fires spread quickly amid high winds. On June 1, the Corral Fire, between Livermore and Tracy, burned 14,168 acres. A week later, the Post Fire in Los Angeles County burned 15,563 acres. But both were in rural areas and did little damage.

Since then, wildfire activity has been fairly modest, with a small fire, the Tehama Fire breaking out Friday night in Monterey County.

As of Friday, 1.04 million acres had burned statewide — 19% less than the 5-year average for this time of year (1.284 million acres).

One fire accounted for 41% of all the acres burned statewide. The Park Fire began July 24 at a park in Chico when a man pushed a burning car down a grassy ravine in 100-degree temperatures. The fire burned for 64 days, blackening 429,603 acres in Butte and Tehama counties and destroying 709 homes and other structures.

There are multiple reasons why California has so far had a relatively modest fire season, experts say. Chief among them: The state enjoyed another wet winter. Two years ago, massive atmospheric river storms broke California’s three-year drought, filled reservoirs, caused flooding and left the Sierra Nevada with its biggest snowpack in 40 years. As a result, 2023 was a very low fire year, with just 308,958 acres burned — a drop of more than 80% from the prior year.

This past winter wasn’t as wet but was better-than-average. On April 1, the Sierra snowpack was 113% of normal.

“We had a wet winter,” Clements said. “We weren’t in a drought. Severe drought years helped drive the big fire years we’ve had, like 2020.”

There are other factors. California did not experience large amounts of dry lightning during the summer. Gov. Gavin Newsom has boosted CalFire funding, purchasing Sikorsky Blackhawk helicopters, which can carry 1,000 gallons of water, nearly three times as much as the aging 1970s-era Huey helicopters they are replacing, and can fly at night.

The state has also helped create a network of more than 1,000 automated hilltop video cameras to detect fires early.

Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service have made some progress with thinning and prescribed burns in forests, but much more needs to be done after decades of fire suppression has allowed too much dead wood and brush to build up, especially with climate change increasing temperatures, Stephens said.

“In general the forests of California are still in terrible condition,” he said. “That’s just a fact. We need to do better on the fundamentals.”

The Monterey Herald contributed to this report.

CCS football playoffs roundup: Salinas falls to top seed St. Ignatius in Open Division

SAN FRANCISCO — Being labeled a top eight team in the Central Coast Section high school playoffs is becoming more of a badge of courage rather than an honor in football.

Unlike other sports in the Central Coast Section that possess an Open Division, which includes an extension into the state playoffs, football has no reward for being put into the highest division based on points — unless you win.

That doesn’t often translate well to lower-seeded teams as for the third straight year, Salinas was ousted from the Open Division by a No. 1 seed, falling 45-7 Friday to St. Ignatius of San Francisco.

“I think our current system benefits the middle of the pack big schools and that’s about it,” said Salinas football coach Steve Zenk, in reference to “A” league teams being placed in Division II or III. “A” leagues are the most competitive of the three classifications (A-C) in the section.

In the Cowboys last three CCS Open Division battles, they have been outscored 149-35, which each loss coming against the top seed in the division.

“They were good,” said Zenk, in speaking about St. Ignatius. “You don’t win that league unless you’re good. They were a lot bigger than us, with good push at the point of attack. The running back was good and made the right cuts.”

Zenk was speaking about running back Jarious Hogan, who rushed for 223 yards on 26 carries for the Wildcats (9-2), who shared the West Catholic Athletic League title with St. Francis, which they will face next week in the Open Division semifinals.

“We killed ourselves on our first three drives with seven penalties,” Zenk said. “Stupid stuff. Pressure and nerves. Once we settled down, we were in catchup mood. That’s never fun in the playoffs.”

The Cowboys (8-3) never got untracked offensively, while St. Ignatius continued to build its lead, opening up a 28-0 halftime lead, extending it to 45 points in the fourth quarter.

“I’m going to set the record straight,” Zenk said. “I’ve never said we have the best football players. I’ve said we have the best kids. We’re learning to grow and become better men. That’s what I care about.”

It didn’t help Salinas that quarterback Rico Maturino suffered an injury and left the game in the second half, although freshman Michael Andrade showed glimpses of the future, completing 14-of-18 passes for 100 yards.

“I started thinking about next year 20 minutes ago,” Zenk said. “We had some sophomores and freshman that got some time. We had a great senior class. It’s the most fun I think I’ve had as a coach. I get to be 17 years old every day in my job.”

Division IIMenlo-Atherton 35, Monterey 7

There would be no redemption for the banged up Toreadores, who fell for the second time this year to Menlo-Atherton in the Division II playoffs.

Already dealing with the loss of quarterback Preston White over the past four games, Monterey was without two more starters, who got hurt in the team’s nonleague finale against Seaside.

“It was just poor timing,” Monterey coach Alex Besaw said. “We were down two key starters. Our inside backer was ill. We already were thin to begin with. Kids did a nice job of stepping up when their number was called. We just didn’t have enough firepower.”

In White’s absence, Besaw has had four different players take snaps behind center with moderate results as Monterey went 3-1 in his absence, with the only loss coming from Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division champion Soquel.

“Losing Preston changed everything for us,” Besaw said. “We run a very quarterback-friendly offense. We probably had no business being in this position. I’m super proud of how these kids responded being put in the position we were in.”

Over the final four games of the regular season, Monterey rode the legs of tailback Enobong Wirth, who produced a pair of 200-plus yard rushing efforts, scoring in the first half to momentarily tie the game 7-7.

“As a play caller, you want to stay committed to the run,” Besaw said. “At the same time, you want to be balanced. You try not to get desperate and throw too much. It’s tough when you fall behind. We might have tried to force some things to happen.”

Besaw was referring to a pick-six by Menlo-Atherton — which finished behind Wilcox and Los Gatos in the Peninsula Bay Division – that staked them to a 21-7 lead in the first half.

“At that point, we’re just trying to play catchup,” said Besaw, who has guided Monterey to the playoffs in each of his first three years. “We got rotations going. Unfortunately, the writing was on the wall.”

Three of the four teams Monterey (6-5) fell to this season are still alive in the Central Coast Section playoffs.

Besaw praised the efforts of defensive ends Jayden Brown and Jamar Aquino, defensive tackle/center Elijah Fisher and linebacker Ethan Bonilla.

“We will be super young next year,” Besaw said. “It will be a big off-season of evaluating to see what holes we need to fill. We will be reevaluating what we do on offense and defense. How can we get better and make it simple for the young kids?”

Division IVBurlingame 17, North Salinas 14

It crossed Ben Ceralde’s mind as he walked off the field, seeing the Vikings’ season come to an end in another postseason nailbiter.

“It felt like it was a repeat of last year,” the North Salinas football coach said.

Having fallen 21-20 last year to Leigh, a touchdown with 55 seconds left lifted host Burlingame past North Salinas in the Division IV playoffs.

“There was a lot of excitement, maybe too much excitement,” Ceradle said. “We lost some focus in the final minute. We had two big plays that pushed them back. Then Burlingame converted that long play. That took momentum from us.”

Ceralde was referring to a pair of tackles for losses that put the Panthers (7-4) in a fourth-and-25. A broken play resulted in a 28-yard gain, setting up the game-winning touchdown.

“Our defense was on the field most of the game,” said Ceralde, who has taken North Salinas to the playoffs in three of the past four years. “Burlingame controlled the ball two thirds of the first half.”

Yet, the No. 6 seeded Vikings (7-4) found themselves up 14-10 in the fourth quarter when Sean Nimuan took a direct snap and scored from 1-yard out.

Earlier in the game, Kamari Hunter — the brother of Cal receiver Nyziah Hunter — had a 10-yard touchdown run to cut Burlingame’s 10-point lead to three.

“We had two straight years of consistency,” Ceralde said. “That includes the lower levels. I think expectations are a lot easier at this point. I think our program is coming together. There is an expectation of how and why we do things.”

Burlingame, which finished third in the Peninsula De Anza Division behind King’s Academy and Capuchino, was limited on offense by North Salinas’ defensive front four of Jason Valencia, Hugo Valencia, JJ Sepulveda and Harvey Xiong.

Division IVBranham 50, North County 21

In what still feels like a blur to head coach Juan Cuevas, a seven-point lead with 18 minutes left in the game turned into a 29-point season-ending loss for the Mission Division North champion Condors.

“We ran out of juice,” Cuevas said. “We had to switch our offense and formations when both tight ends went down. Things started to pile up. Just some weird things transpired. I’ve never seen four or five penalty calls reversed in the same game.”

On the heels of the program’s first outright league title in 25 years, North County was in the postseason for the first time since 2010, posting its first winning season in 14 years.

“Obviously there were a lot of tears,” Cuevas said. “It’s over. We had a historical run. We had kids trust me three years ago. I would much rather be crying in the playoffs than in a regular season game that’s just for pride.”

Seeded No. 7 in Division IV, the Condors had Branham on its heels in the third quarter when Cuevas pulled out his bag of tricks, as Chris Rasmussen took five steps after a handoff, before tossing it Kenji Mellin for a touchdown, staking them to a 21-14 lead.

“We had all the momentum at that point,” Cuevas said. “But we haven’t been here (in the playoffs) before. We were facing an ‘A’ league team. We were giving it all we got. Then penalties broke the kids.”

The No. 2 seeded Bruins proceeded to run off 36 unanswered points in the final 18 minutes to end the Condors’ milestone season.

The Condors built a 7-0 lead on a AJ Gomez to JT Islas 40-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, then retook a 14-8 lead into the half when Gomez added a 9-yard scoring run.

“I made sure I took a moment after the game to remind these kids this season was built off those 7 a.m. off-season workouts,” Cuevas said. “Those that are up next, you have to earn it. We’ve become a respected program. That’s all I ever wanted.”

Division VLeland 30, Stevenson 20

With 21 juniors and a handful of sophomores coming back next fall, the postseason just added another building block to the Pirates.

A five-game winning streak came to a halt for the Santa Lucia Division champions, who fell to No. 3 seed and perennial postseason contender Leland of San Jose (8-3).

“What was keeping me up at night this week was playing a program that historically is always in the playoffs,” Stevenson coach Kyle Cassamas said. “This was our second appearance in 24 years.”

The Chargers, whose only loss in the Santa Teresa Athletic League came against 10-0 Willow Glen, will go into next Friday’s semifinal game against Alisal having won six of their past seven games.

“I didn’t feel we were outmatched in anyway physically,” Cassamas said. “It came down to making the plays when it mattered. We made some costly mistakes. We can learn from that.”

A fearless Pirates (7-3) program jumped out to a 6-0 lead when Fin Mink connected with Derek Diniz on a touchdown in the opening quarter.

“Then they hit us with a trick play and scored,” Cassamas said. “We were playing catchup from that point. And we turned it over a couple of times.”

One of those turnovers came on the Pirates’ own 2-yard line, leading to a quick Leland score, enabling them to build a two-score cushion.

“Experience and nerves,” Cassamas said. “That’s what we’re trying to build toward. We love our seniors. But in looking around, the future is definitely bright.”

Among those coming back is junior quarterback Fin Mink, who threw for over 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns. He finished with 290 yards and a touchdown.

Junior Caden Olson put together a career night with 12 catches for 205 yards, while junior Tono Borgamini rushed for a touchdown.

“We just couldn’t come back from the turnovers,” said Cassamas, who has guided Stevenson to a 19-7 overall record over the past three seasons.

Tommy Dayton played his final game for Stevenson, finishing with 13 tackles, while adding a rushing touchdown. Flint Dickson and  sophomore Cody Thacher were applauded by Cassamas for their tenacious defense.

Stevenson sailors close season with third place finish

Two sailing teams for Stevenson combined to crack the top 10 — ten times in their races to help them to a third place finish in the Silver Division at the statewide Anteater Regatta at Newport Harbor Yacht Club.

Claire Lee and Liah Yamamura placed in the top 10 in six of the seven races in the ‘A’ Fleet series, placing third overall.

The Pirates ‘B’ Fleet team of Patrick O’Hara and Dillan Spence collected four top 10 finishes to place seventh in their division.

The combined score of the two teams propelled the Pirates to a podium finish, placing third among 33 teams from throughout the state.

Stevenson finished behind Corona Del Mar of Newport Beach and Design Tech of Redwood City.

Last week Lee was a part of two sailing teams for Stevenson that finished in the top five at the Northern California Regatta, paring with both O’Hara and Yamamura.

Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: Gifts to caregivers

Question: My mom lived to 90 and in her last years of life she had caregivers in her home. She liked them very much and they did a great job. When she passed, my brother and I found that mom had given the caregivers gifts of cash, jewelry and her car. Mom was well off and I don’t intend to try and get the property back, but it just seems wrong. The caregivers were well paid and, well, I am just disappointed. Do most caregivers get (or expect) gifts like this?

Answer: The short answer is absolutely not. In California, it is a general rule that any “donative transfer” by a dependent adult to a caretaker is void. A donative transfer refers to a transfer of property without any payment or consideration – such as an outright gift or leaving a bequest in a will or trust. Further, it is a presumption under the law that gifts to caregivers are a result of undue influence and therefore invalid.

Most licensed and reputable caregiver companies have strict policies against caregivers accepting gifts. As you are experiencing, it understandably raises questions.

It is not uncommon that a deep, personal relationship can develop between a caregiver and their ward. It is also not uncommon that a ward may want to reward an especially loved caregiver by giving them a gift or leaving them something by will or by trust. Attorneys are often asked to amend estate planning documents to include such a gift. Many attorneys will simply decline to make such a change. If an attorney is convinced that the “ward,” in this case the maker of the will or trust, is of sound mind and the attorney further believes the ward is not being unduly influenced, the attorney must take certain steps to be sure the bequest is not made void by law.

These steps include engaging an independent attorney to review the will or trust changes and counsel the ward about the gifting. If the independent attorney agrees that the gift is being made freely and without coercion, they may sign off on the changes. It is helpful if a credible witness, such as a son or daughter, attests to the ward’s mental state and independence. Finally, the attorneys should clearly document the reasons for the gift which can include written statements or affidavits that explain the relationship and the reason for the gift.

Unfortunately, caregivers often do not realize how distasteful it is to accept gifts and, often time, illegal. When a client of mine died recently, the day after his death a caregiver contacted me and stated that our mutual client had promised her that I would sell his car to her for a certain price. My client was very communicative with me in his last weeks and days and had never spoken with me about such an arrangement. When I asked if she had something in writing about this arrangement, she said she did not. I declined to sell the car to her – at any price.

Even with an independent attorney review and statements by relatives that the ward has capacity and is not being influenced, these kinds of gifts often come under scrutiny after the ward has passed away. All around, it is just a bad idea, and I am sorry you had this experience. It is generous of you not to pursue the return of the gifts.

Liza Horvath has over 30 years of experience in the estate planning and trust fields and is the president of Monterey Trust Management, a financial and trust Management Company. This is not intended to be legal or tax advice. If you have a question call (831) 646-5262 or email liza@montereytrust.com 

SPCA campus expands to incorporate new facilities to train neglected dogs

“There are vulnerable dogs who have never been on a walk, never been inside a home, never been shown any love or taught how to be a dog,” says Scott Deluchi, president of SPCA Monterey County. “We get these poor dogs coming in almost every week.”

It’s for these struggling dogs that the Sally Lucas TLC was built as part of the expansion project of the SPCA facility off the Salinas-Monterey Highway that began a year ago.

“These dogs need special care and attention from our trained behavior teams before they can be put into a new home,” Deluchi said.

The new Sally Lucas TLC center at the at SPCA Monterey County features a dog training pavilion. (Courtesy photo)

For more than 100 years, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has served as the area’s main animal welfare organization. Their services range from spaying and neutering, sheltering and training all sorts of animals until they are fit for adoption and rescuing animals in times of disasters at no cost to the owners. However, Deluchi felt they needed a new space and some renovations to meet new needs that have come up in recent years.

The new Sally Lucas TLC center features a dog training pavilion, consultation rooms, offices and heated kennels that allow the staff to conduct special classes on separation anxiety, fearfulness, reactivity and more. In addition, the new facility houses the Humane Investigations team that responds to hundreds of animal cruelty and neglect reports every year.

“We spent a long time actively observing and listening to how the specialists were interacting with the traumatized animals, understand what that experience would be like for the animals and how not to trigger them by visual or auditory stimuli,” said David Peartree, principal at Peartree+Belli Architects, an architecture firm based in Salinas, which designed the new facilities.

Through such observation, the Peartree architects succeeded in integrating the office functions within those kenneling spaces so that there is always visibility from a staff member to the kennels and to the play areas for the dogs. Peartree also believes that they were able to work within the context of the existing design to produce new construction that appears to have belonged there all along.

Across from the TLC building is the newly renovated Claire Jacobson Learning Center, which now includes a new open deck, overlooking the scenery of the surrounding hills and pastures. Remodeled with bird-safe glass, the transformed and expanded space will now host children’s educational Summer Animal Camps and serve as a hub for SPCA volunteers. Deluchi emphasizes that a core mission for SPCA is educating and reaching the young in the community as it is key in improving animal lives.

The Learning Center was renovated on a unique topography, where there was a lack of land that could be developed due to slopes, sensitive habitats and viewshed restrictions. “Given the constraints, it was a challenge to renovate and build on the existing space, while also ensuring that the constructions did not impact the SPCA operations,” says Blach Vice President Kevin McIntosh, “It was really the thoughtfulness and early collaboration with SPCA that allowed us to perform our functions while still maintaining their operations at necessary capacity throughout the course of the construction.”

This project was SPCA’s second time working with Blach and first time working with PBA.

“Between the builders and the architect, it was truly a dream team for us,” said Deluchi. “We wanted to work with a local firm that really listened to our needs, which Peartree delivered perfectly. And Blach was our familiar but solid partner, doing a spectacular job as they did previously in turning our dream campus into a reality.”

“We had a record-setting year for the number of  spay-neuter surgeries performed at our clinic,” Deluchi said,  “and the new expansions will help us increase the scope of our services and cater to those community animals that need our help the most.”

Horoscopes Nov. 16, 2024: Maggie Gyllenhaal, personal growth will unleash new and exciting options

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Kimberly J. Brown, 40; Maggie Gyllenhaal, 47; Dean McDermott, 58; Marg Helgenberger, 66.

Happy Birthday: Traveling, researching or watching documentaries will help you gain insight into different cultures. Expand your mind and energize your body and soul by taking a leap of faith, engaging in spiritual awareness and becoming more in tune with nature and the universe. Personal growth will unleash new and exciting options to enhance your life and relationships with others and offer perspective into what you want to do next. Your numbers are 5, 12, 19, 25, 33, 44, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Refuse to let anyone rush you into something you aren’t ready to do. Bide your time and do your research, and you’ll find a cost-efficient way to discover and reach your goal. Exercise will ease stress and encourage you to kick back, evaluate and conclude what’s best for you. 4 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Stretch your mind, and you’ll devise a budget and a plan to help lower your debt while saving for something that can enhance your emotional well-being. Social events, reunions and romance are favored, and adjusting your schedule to include people and pastimes that make you happy is encouraged. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Think big but be reasonable. Common sense must prevail even when someone uses persuasive tactics. Consider the pros and cons and reduce unnecessary factors that can set you back or jeopardize your position, reputation, meaningful relationships, or emotional and physical well-being. Choose safety over risk. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Check your options and do the legwork required to make better choices. It’s OK to be different or veer off down a path by yourself. Stability comes from doing what’s best for you. Love yourself, and it will change how you conduct business and friendships with others. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Sign up for something that makes you smile, such as a romantic adventure, social event or new project. An encounter with someone who can offer information will lead to a connection you’ll value. Love, personal improvements and sharing your feelings will lead to a better lifestyle. 4 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You can think big, but when it comes to turning your dreams into a reality, you’ll do best to size down, stay within budget and change only what’s necessary. Refuse to let anyone talk you into something you don’t need or want. Focus on what makes you happy. 5 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): An open mind will lead to an adventure. Whether it’s a day trip, reunion, signing up for a lecture or watching a documentary, the information you receive will broaden your horizons and lead to positive change, knowledge and new beginnings. Protect against health risks; when in doubt, opt out. 5 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Embrace change and discover new possibilities. Engage in conversations that encourage intellectual growth. Show compassion and understanding to those going through troubled times. Offering a kind word will do as much for you as for the receiver. A positive change is heading your way. Romance and self-improvement are apparent. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You can chat all you want if you don’t offer personal information or mislead anyone. There will be a fine line between being entertaining and exaggerating. Stick to the facts, or someone will correct you. An energetic approach to health and wealth will pay off. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Present yourself to others with pride. A gratuitous approach to earning, handling or sharing your money will set high standards for those who look up to you. Stretching your imagination and following through with action will result in recognition and positive return. Romance is favored. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Do chores and move on to something that interests you. A change of scenery will make you question where you live, what you are doing and where you are heading. Don’t be too quick to buy into something that is a fleeting desire. Think twice before you commit. 5 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Research and follow your heart. Refuse to let outside influences steer you down the wrong path. Focus on your needs and pleasure for a change. You’ll gain the most ground if you are true to yourself and work toward something meaningful. Choose love over discord. Romance is favored. 2 stars

Birthday Baby: You are optimistic, intuitive and accommodating. You are aggressive and expressive.

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.

CCS playoffs: Palma rises to the occasion in upsetting Sacred Heart Cathedral

SAN FRANCISCO — The regular season created more questions than answers, more frustration than celebration — similar to what Palma endured the year before.

The playoffs aren’t just a second season for the Chieftains, it’s a clean slate, a revival of sorts for a football program that has made a record 40 straight trips to the Central Coast Section tournament.

“We went into this thinking we have an opportunity,” Palma coach Jeff Carnazzo said. “We liked how we practiced all week long. Our kids were ecstatic after the game.”

The defending CCS Division III and State Division 4A champions opened the Division II playoffs Friday by going on the road and rallying for a 28-19 win over No. 4 seed Sacred Heart Cathedral of San Francisco.

The win moves the Chieftains into the semifinals, where they’ll face No. 6 seed Menlo — upset winners over Christopher — likely next Saturday afternoon in Atherton.

“I have not seen any film of Menlo all year,” Carnazzo said. So, I have no idea what we’re up against. It has been at least five years since we’ve faced them.”

The last time the two teams met was in 2017 with Palma prevailing 29-14 in a non-league game in Atherton. It will be the Chieftains first Saturday afternoon game since winning the state title last December in Pasadena.

Dating back to last season, the No. 5 seeded Chieftains (6-5) have won six straight playoff games — being the lower seed in three of those games.

Members of the West Catholic Athletic League, Sacred Heart Cathedral (4-7) has now dropped five straight games to Palma — the first four being non-league games

“We were missing our defensive coordinator for personal reasons and scrambling a little on the sidelines in the first half,” Carnazzo said. “Our assistants did a great job in piecing things together.”

The Chieftains defense stepped up in the second half in shutting out the Fightin Irish, while Carnazzo reached into his bag of tricks on a play he has been toying with in practice for two months.

“I’ve been saving it,” Carnazzo said. “It’s a play we’ve been working on now for a while. Coach Amaral got in my ear and said ‘run it.’ It was a turning point in the game.”

Carnazzo called for a double pass, where quarterback Patrick Driscoll tossed a pass behind the line of scrimmage to receiver Dean Silacci, who uncorked a 40-yard touchdown pass to Aidan Williams to put Palma up 21-19 in the third quarter.

A Chieftains defense, anchored by linebackers Caden Scherer and Alfredo Novoa and defensive end Xavier Reinhardt, kept Sacred Heart Cathedral from establishing any continuity on offense in the second half.

“We challenge them at halftime,” Carnazzo said. “We have to pursue the ball and breakdown and make tackles. We did a nice job in pass coverage. Dominic Chaidez and Weldon Chisum did a great job in coverage. The defense played really well.”

The Chieftains began to impose their will on the offensive side of the ball with Eli Dukes running behind an offensive line that has matured in the second half of the season.

Dukes, who had a 65-yard touchdown run in the first half, added an 11-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to put Palma up by nine late in the game.

“We took care of the ball, ran it effectively — with all our running backs,” Carnazzo said. “Our offensive line established themselves in the second half.”

For a fluent as Palma was in the second half, Carnazzo called the first half one of the strangest 24 minutes he’s been a part off as the offense ran just nine plays in the first half.

Of those nine plays, two were touchdowns as Driscoll connected with Lucas Milburn on a 60-yard touchdown pass to give Palma a brief 14-13 lead.

Carnazzo, who holds the county record for wins as a football coach with 214, called a play in the first quarter, which involved both teams turning the ball over on the same play as a turning point.

“Eli (Dukes) striped the ball and runs 85 yards before someone comes up from behind and knocks it out of his hands,” Carnazzo said. “But it put them back at our 5-yard line. It flipped the field. If they had scored, it’s a different game.”

CCS football playoffs: Brown’s kickoff return secures Carmel’s win over San Mateo

MONTEREY — The first half was one to bottle for the rest of the postseason. As for the second half — well perhaps it can be used as a teaching tool moving forward for Carmel, or just put in the rear-view mirror.

Seeing a 29-point lead cut to three with under two minutes created some tense moments Friday for the Padres, who haven’t faced a lot of adversity on the football field since the first week of the season.

“We understand it’s not common to just win playoff games,” Carmel coach Golden Anderson insisted. “We understand what it means and we want to enjoy this. We’re humble to be in this situation. There’s a long road ahead.”

The Padres are headed to the Central Coast Section Division III semifinals for the first time since 2019, holding on for a 56-46 win over San Mateo at Monterey Peninsula College.

One of just three teams to ride into the CCS playoffs undefeated in the regular season, the top-seeded Padres (11-0) will host No. 4 seed Hollister next Friday at MPC.

Once upon time rivals in the old Mission Trail Athletic League, Carmel and the Balers have faced each other just once in the last 42 years, that coming in 2019 when Carmel posted a 41-14 win.

Carmel has an enrollment of just over 700 kids, while Hollister, who finished last in the Gabilan Division, has an enrollment of just under 3,500 kids.

The No. 4 seeded Balers (5-6) opened the postseason with a 44-40 win over Capuchino. Two years ago, Hollister played for a Division III title before falling to Menlo.

“We saw the bracket in the beginning,” Anderson said. “There are a lot of very successful ‘B’ league programs and some large ‘A’ league teams. Hollister is one of those teams. Iti is a well-coached year around program. We’ll enjoy this win right now.”

During the Padres school record 22-game regular season winning streak, they’ve averaged just under 47 points a game, a number they nearly had in the first half against San Mateo when they built a 42-13 lead.

“I wasn’t concerned about complacency setting in,” Anderson said. “We talked about staying aggressive and on the attack. We had a three-and-out on defense to open the second half. Then we muffed a punt.”

What transpired was a pair of turnovers in the second half that gave the Bearcats (8-3) life, particularly in the fourth quarter when they ran off 26 straight points to cut the deficit to three with 2:08 left in the game.

“A couple of turnovers changed the momentum,” Anderson said. “Sometimes that happens against good football teams. That is a perennial playoff team.”

The anticipation was that San Mateo was going to attempt an onside kick. So, Anderson put his hands team up front, except for Simeon Brown.

Instead, the ball was sent deep, where Brown caught it at the 17-yard line, found a seam and took the life out of San Mateo when he returned it for a touchdown — the second kickoff Carmel returned for six in the game, putting them back up by 10.

“Simeon made a great run,” Anderson said. “But it was well blocked. We felt coming in that we would have to force some turnovers and get some stops, perhaps score on special teams. That was the difference in the game.”

The last time Carmel was involved in a game that was within 10 points in the fourth quarter came in its season opener when it used a second half rally for a 35-31 win over Christopher.

A perennial run oriented team that put the ball in the air once in the first half, San Mateo was forced to throw the ball as time was running out, where the Padres Ashton Rees picked it off to secure the win.

San Mateo, who shared the Peninsula Ocean Division title with Sequoia, came into the game allowing just 13.5 points a game this season. In its 35-10 win over Burlingame in its regular season finale, it put the ball in the air once.

“We anticipated that our possessions would be limited,” Anderson said. “The first possession, we scored on the first play. We kept elevating our momentum as we went.”

While San Mateo was able to bottle up the Padres run game, it had no answer for their aerial assault as Hudson Rutherford tossed four of his five touchdown passes in the first half.

Rutherford hit Ty Arnold in stride on two touchdown passes that covered over 40 yards, and connected with Brown three times — two in the first half, while Rees returned a kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown.

“We threw some things at them they hadn’t seen,” Anderson said. “Listen, we anticipated this being a close game and that is what it was.”