Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 318

Warriors hoping unorthodox starting lineup sticks beyond opening night

PORTLAND, Ore. — After tinkering with a myriad of lineup configurations during the preseason, Steve Kerr settled on a starting-five for the team’s first game of the 2024-25 regular season.

Against the Blazers, the Warriors went with Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis.

“I’m looking to see if that group can set a tone defensively, obviously very athletic group, lot of size,” Kerr said pregame at the Moda Center. “We have rim protection with Draymond and Trayce. Those two were really good defensively together last year. It’s going to require us to execute offensively and play downhill, play fast.”

Kerr said that he hopes the starting lineup he appointed opening night is the one he’ll go with all year. It doesn’t sound like Golden State plans to adjust its starting lineup on a matchup basis, at least to start the season. The preference is for this group to be effective enough to force opponents to adjust to them.

Starting Wiggins at shooting guard and Kuminga at the three along with two non-shooting bigs means the group is light on floor spacing. But they aim to counteract that by amping up their defense and running in transition.

Kuminga in particular is dangerous on fast breaks. Although the Warriors struggled in transition in both directions last year, Kuminga individually ranked in the 79.7th percentile in fast-break scoring efficiency.

“We’re really pushing him to run the floor,” Kerr said of Kuminga earlier this week. “That’s his gift — his athleticism and his speed. He has a tendency at times to kind of get into a home run trot instead of going Usain Bolt and sprinting as fast as he can.”

Because Wiggins is playing the two, Curry is the only player in the lineup shorter than 6-foot-6. That mirrored Portland’s starting unit of Anfernee Simons (6-foot-4), Toumani Camara (6-foot-8), Deni Avdija (6-foot-9), Jerami Grant (6-foot-8) and Deandre Ayton (7 feet).

In his career, Wiggins has played an estimated 18% of his minutes as a shooting guard, per Basketball-Reference — but most of that came early in his career in Minnesota. He didn’t play a minute at shooting guard last season.

The five of Curry, Wiggins, Kuminga, Green and Jackson-Davis played just one preseason game together. They would’ve started another, but Curry’s sprained right index finger sidelined him for Golden State’s preseason finale.

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Last season, that exact combination didn’t play a single minute together. Wiggins and Kuminga quelled some concerns about their ability to share the court, but they did so either with extra shooting next to them (Curry and Klay Thompson, Curry and Brandin Podziemski or a shooting big like Dario Saric) or with Kuminga playing the power forward in small-ball units.

But this season is not last season, as the Warriors look to reimagine their identity. Part of that will be their new starting-five.

“They did a good job in the two preseason games we played (them),” Kerr said. “So hopefully it continues to look good and we’ll give it a shot.”

Notable

— Fourteen Warriors showed up to the team’s optional shootaround in Portland on Wednesday, including Draymond Green, Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson and Moses Moody.

“Super excited,” Anderson said. “It always feels like the first day of school but like 100 times better when you’ve got the opening day, first game of the season.”

— The Warriors traded for the G League rights to Kevin Knox, who impressed during Summer League and in preseason. Knox could have pursued opportunities elsewhere, including overseas, but the Warriors organization made a good impression on the former ninth overall pick as he tries to work his way back into the NBA.

— The Warriors are fully healthy to start the season, with Wiggins still ramping up to a normal, 30-plus minute workload (though Kerr said he’s close). Portland had Shaedon Sharpe, Robert Williams III and Matisse Thybulle unavailable.

— Golden State opens its season with matchups with the Blazers, Jazz and Clippers. Those teams are possibly the worst three in the West, with San Antonio also projected to be in the mix. ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives projects them to finish with 34, 32 and 41 wins, respectively. For what it’s worth, the same model pegs the Warriors as a 42-40 club.

Tim Walz, wife and son vote early in Minnesota

By STEVE KARNOWSKI

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Democratic vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, his wife, Gwen, and their son, Gus, went to a polling place in St. Paul on a crisp fall Wednesday morning to cast their ballots early.

It was the first time voting for Gus, who just turned 18.

“I’m excited about it,” Walz told reporters on his way in to the Ramsey County Elections office.

Walz reportedly stood with Gus as they fed their ballots into the tabulation machine. An election worker called out “first-time voter” and the room erupted in cheers. The governor and son then high-fived each other.

Speaking briefly to reporters afterward, and sporting a red “I voted” sticker on his lapel, Walz called the election “a chance to turn the page on the chaos of Donald Trump, and a new way forward.”

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Walz thanked the former president’s longest-serving chief of staff, retired Gen. John Kelly, for “showing the courage to come forward” and warn the world about Trump’s “descention into madness.” Kelly’s comments came in interviews published Tuesday in The New York Times and The Atlantic.

“Look, Donald Trump made it very clear that this is an election about Donald Trump taking full control of the military to use against his political enemies, taking full control of the Department of Justice to prosecute those who disagree with him, taking full control of the media on what is told and what is told to the American public,” Walz said.

Walz also said he had “nothing to say” about reports that he was the target of Russian disinformation efforts but added that “it’s very clear that” Russian President Vladimir “Putin wants Donald Trump to win; Donald Trump wants Putin to win.”

Minnesota started early in-person voting on Sept. 20 but the governor has been on the campaign trail most of the time since Vice President Kamala Harris picked him as her running mate. Tim and Gwen Walz also voted early at the same office in 2022, when they were joined by their daughter, Hope, who was voting for the first time then but now lives in Montana.

Monterey County, SLO water agencies tussle over Nacimiento

SALINAS >> While the dust-up between water districts in Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties over access to water in Nacimiento Reservoir won’t qualify as a water war, it’s fair to call it a skirmish.

At issue is a pair of applications filed with the state Water Resources Control Board, or simply Water Board, by a water district from Monterey County’s southern neighbor – the Shandon-San Juan Water District and its Groundwater Sustainability Agency. That water district is asking the state to approve applications to take additional water from Nacimiento Reservoir.

In a written report to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 8, Ara Azhderian, the general manager of the Monterey County Water Resources Agency, or WRA, explained that the Shandon water district is asking the state for permission to appropriate 14,000 acre-feet at Santa Margarita Lake on the Salinas River southwest of Atascadero in San Luis Obispo County, and from Nacimiento Reservoir, also in San Luis Obispo County, or SLO.

One acre-foot equals roughly 326,000 gallons, so Shandon is asking the state to allow it to take an additional 3.66 billion gallons. The Shandon water district wants the additional water for an underground storage project.

While Azhderian signed off on the report, it was Kelly Donlon, the assistant Monterey County county counsel, who presented the report to supervisors. What Donlon and Azhderian wanted from the board was an OK to send letters to both the Water Board and Shandon that indicates “the WRA will vigorously oppose any attempt by Shanon to condemn or otherwise obtain access to Nacimiento,” Donlon said.

She didn’t elaborate for the board what “vigorously oppose” specifically refers to. Shandon in its filings with the state is arguing that it has the authorization to condemn property even if it is already dedicated to a public use,” according to the staff report. Condemn in this context refers to the legal acquisition of property by governmental bodies.

A voicemail left for Azhderian on Monday was not immediately returned. An email sent to the water agency on Tuesday requesting comment from Azhderian or the WRA counsel was also not returned by Wednesday.

In an Oct. 8 letter to the Water Board from Glenn Church, the chairman of the Board of Supervisors, writing for the entire board, said the position of the county is clear in that a “quarter-million people downstream from the confluence of the Salinas River depend on the county maintaining its current water rights.”

Letters and other documentation use “confluence” to describe where the waterway coming out of Nacimiento Dam meets the Salinas River just south of the community of Bradley in Monterey County. The waterway coming out of San Antonio Reservoir meets the Salinas River right at Bradley.

“Importantly, (Monterey County) WRA owns and operates Nacimiento Reservoir and does not consent to Shandon’s proposed use of Nacimiento Reservoir,” the letter reads. “Lastly, portions of the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin are in critical overdraft and increased diversions on the Nacimiento and the Salinas River will impact senior water right holders and riparian users.”

Senior water rights holders in California are people who claimed water before 1914, when the state took legal control.

He also notes in the letter that communities downstream of the confluence “have paid for (Nacimiento’s) construction, maintenance, and operation for over 65 years, (which) makes the applications by Shandon more than a mere distraction, but a potentially significant waste of public resources.”

While the newest skirmish is the most significant to date, the issue is not new. Shandon filed the initial petitions in May of 2021, prompting a letter signed by then-board-chair Wendy Root Askew to the Water Board voicing Monterey County’s opposition to Shandon’s applications.

An email request for comment sent to Willy Cunha, the president of the Shandon water district, was not immediately returned.

To better understand the skirmish today, a person needs to look back to the middle of the 20th century when the reservoirs were first conceived.  Monterey County constructed both Nacimiento and San Antonio reservoirs (San Antonio Reservoir is in Monterey County) to meet water demands of the Salinas Valley, and continues to operate both. In 1954 and 1955, respectively, water rights for the two reservoirs were filed with the state by Monterey County’s precursor to the Water Resources Agency.

Eleven years later, the state issued a license to Monterey County to store 350,000 acre-feet a year. In 1996 a new permit was issued to the county for an additional 27,900 acre-feet of storage based on new capacity surveys, bringing the total capacity to 377,900 acre-feet.

It wasn’t  like Monterey County was receiving all the water. SLO received water rights in 1959 for 17,500 acre-feet from Nacimiento via the Nacimiento Water Project.

Everything was moving along just ducky until 2014 when California passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act to thwart severe overdrafting of aquifers in the state by limiting pumping, primarily by agriculture interests. The act created Groundwater Sustainability Agencies to bring water pumping to a sustainable level in 20 years – 2040 for critically overdrafted basins, and by 2042 for all other high- and medium-priority basins.

Suddenly, everyone was hunting for new sources of water.

“While we appreciate the challenges the sustainable Groundwater Management Act has presented to many regions throughout the state, including in Monterey County,” the staff report reads, “it is inappropriate for Shandon to place new burdens on others that have in no way contributed to the problems it now faces.”

Palma product Bouyea expected to open season with the San Antonio Spurs G-League affiliate

SAN ANTONIO – Resigned by the San Antonio Spurs to an Exhibit 10 contract before being released prior to the start of the NBA season will allow the franchise to acquire Jamaree Bouyea’s G-League rights after he was not picked up off of waivers.

Bouyea, whose rights had belonged to the Miami Heat’s G-League affiliate in Sioux Falls, is expected to sign a two-way contract with the Spurs and start the season with their G-League franchise in Austin. Last year he played three games with the Spurs.

Players in the G-League are allowed to sign with any NBA team to a 10-day contact. But their rights belong to that G-League team unless they are signed to an NBA guaranteed contract or an Exhibit 10 contract, which allows that franchise to acquire their rights.

The 6-foot-2 Palma product has spent most of his first two professional seasons in Sioux Falls, earning first team all-rookie NBA G-League honors during the 2022-2023 season. Last year Bouyea was signed to two-way contracts by Portland and San Antonio.

San Antonio had originally signed Bouyea to a two-year contract last March, where he played on their Summer League team in Las Vegas, averaging 11.8 points, 3.6 assists and 3.0 steals in 24.3 minutes a night. He was released in September.

In three games with San Antonio last year, Bouyea, whose family lives in Marina, averaged 3.7 points, 3.0 boards and 1.1 assists in 13 minutes a night.

Having averaged just under 17 points a game last year in the G-League between Sioux Falls and Austin, Bouyea also doled out 7.2 assists, pulled down 5.9 rebounds and averaged 2.1 steals.

In 14 career NBA games between stops in Miami, Washington, Portland and San Antonio, Bouyea has averaged 2.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in just under 12 minutes a night.

Undrafted out of the University of San Francisco, Bouyea led Palma to three straight undefeated Gabilan Division seasons and a spot in the State Division IV title game as a junior in 2016. He was a two-time Herald Basketball Player of the Year.

49ers rookie Pearsall could have big role against Cowboys

SANTA CLARA — Upon further review, maybe Ricky Pearsall Jr. wasn’t actually physically able to play another game Monday.

The 49ers’ rookie wide receiver, fresh off playing 48 snaps in his NFL debut in a 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, was working off excitement and adrenaline when he told the assembled media he was ready to play again the following day.

“Maybe I spoke too soon,” Pearsall said Wednesday as the 49ers began preparation for their Week 8 game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi’s Stadium. “I was a little sore, had a little neck soreness, but that’s really all I was feeling. Probably because I haven’t received any contact or any kind of punishment.”

It could be that Pearsall is in for another 48 snaps or more Sunday night as the 49ers will attempt to go into their bye week with a 4-4 record. Brandon Aiyuk is out for the season with a torn ACL and MCL. Leading wide receiver Jauan Jennings is coming off a right hip injury that sidelined him for the Chiefs game. Jennings didn’t practice Wednesday.

Deebo Samuel was ill — he was later hospitalized with pneumonia — and played just four snaps. Samuel was on site Wednesday and wasn’t practicing. During the media practice window, Samuel was running on the side. Tight end George Kittle (foot sprain) also didn’t practice.

Coach Kyle Shanahan is holding out hope that all three can face Dallas, but it’s far from a sure thing. If Pearsall’s debut was like being pushed into the pool to learn how to swim, his challenge against the Cowboys could be akin to being thrown off the high dive.

Pearsall, 24, will be a central figure in a nationally televised game based on his remarkable story of being shot in the chest on Aug. 31 during a robbery attempt and then coming back to play six weeks later. But Pearsall missed a lot of practice time, and even before the incident was limited in the offseason and in training camp because of a partial shoulder dislocation.

In the end, Pearsall caught three passes for 21 yards in five targets from quarterback Brock Purdy, numbers that would be less than impressive if not for his remarkable personal story.

Having worked out the soreness from Sunday, Pearsall was eager to get back at it Wednesday.

“I’m excited for practice and meetings,” Pearsall said. “That doesn’t change for games. I’m just playing football, what I’ve been playing since I was 6 years old. But I’m definitely looking forward to some opportunities.”

Primarily trained as an “X” receiver or split end, Pearsall opened the game that way but as the day went on he got in some snaps at flanker, in the slot and went in motion.

“I don’t think they planned on me having the role I ended up having, but after B.A. went down and Deebo was sick, I was working different positions,” Pearsall said.

“I feel like maybe you get more one-on-one matchups being back-side (as an X), but other than that, you’re a receiver in the league.”

Shanahan believes Pearsall will profit from the work he got against Kansas City and noted that he had no “busts” in terms of route mistakes while playing different positions.

“The more he plays, the better he’s going to get,” Shanahan said. “You can see that in practice. It’s only going to help him going forward. (He had) more reps in the game than anticipated with guys going down, and he’ll get more comfortable every week.”

One of the reasons Pearsall was selected in the first round was his ability to play at any receiving spot in the 49ers’ offense.

“Ricky is plug-and-play with all routes,” Shanahan said. “It’s not like he has a small route tree. He can run the whole tree.”

Pearsall’s overall impression on how he fared?

“I saw a lot of room for improvement, to be out of training camp and this period of time, there’s a lot of opportunity for me to get better,” Pearsall said. “I’ll just go back and grind, do what I normally do and work hard.”

MORE WALKING WOUNDED

Also not practicing were defensive tackle Kevin Givens (groin), place kicker Jake Moody (ankle) and safety/special teamer George Odum.

The 49ers did not open the 21-day practice window for running back Christian McCaffery (Achilles) to return from injured reserve. They hope to see him on the practice field after the bye week, but it remains to be seen how soon McCaffery will be ready to play in a game once he is back at practice.

Left tackle Trent Williams didn’t practice with a veteran’s day off. Those who were limited were wide receiver Chris Conley (ankle), defensive tackle Nick Bosa (elbow) and running back Jordan Mason (shoulder).

Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir did not warm up with the defensive backs and instead was seen with trainers on the side after the pre-practice walkthrough.

Joe Staley celebrates for the 49ers after a win over the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium after his final season in 2019.

HALL OF FAME ELIGIBLES

Left tackle Joe Staley, who retired after the Super Bowl following the 2019 season, was included in the cutdown from 167 modern-era candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame to 50. It is Staley’s first season of eligibility, as players must be retired for five seasons to be considered.

Staley, who played 13 seasons from 2007 through 2019, was a six-time Pro Bowl selection and a second-team Associated Press All-Pro from 2011 through 2013.

Former 49ers made the list of 50 include running back Ricky Watters (1992-94, also played for Philadelphia and Seattle), wide receiver Anquan Boldin (2014-15, also played for Arizona, Baltimore and Detroit) and place kicker Gary Anderson (1998, also played for Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Minnesota and Tennessee in a 23-year career).

The next step will be whittling the list from 50 to 25 after a vote from Hall of Fame selectors. There will eventually be between four and eight modern-era players enshrined at NFL Honors Night at the Super Bowl in New Orleans.

Former 49ers who are eligible as senior candidates include running back Roger Craig (1983-90 with the 49ers, also played for the Raiders and Minnesota) and quarterback Jim Plunkett (1976-77, also played for New England and the Raiders).

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NOTES

— Aiyuk was officially placed on the injured reserve list, with the 49ers promoting defensive tackle Evan Anderson to the 53-man roster. Anderson, an undrafted rookie from Florida Atlantic, has played in two games as a standard practice squad elevation and has four tackles, one for a loss, and a forced fumble.

Center Dieter Eiselen and wide receiver Malik Turner were added to the practice squad.

— Owner Dr. John York made a rare in-season appearance on the practice field and came out to watch as team drills began.

— Dallas edge rusher/linebacker Micah Parsons (ankle) did not practice, nor did cornerback DaRon Bland (foot). Both worked off to the side during practice. Bland had his practice window opened before Week 6 but did not play in a 47-9 loss to Detroit.

— Dallas kicker Trent Aubrey missed practice for jury duty.

Harris to give her campaign’s closing argument at the Ellipse, where Trump helped spark Capitol riot

By ZEKE MILLER and WILL WEISSERT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris plans to lay out her campaign’s closing argument by returning to the site near the White House where Donald Trump helped incite a mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol in January 2021 — hoping it will crystalize for voters the fight between defending democracy and sowing political chaos.

Her campaign says Harris will give a speech at the Ellipse on Tuesday — one week before Election Day — and will urge the nation to “turn the page” toward a new era and away from Trump.

The site is symbolic, since it’s where Trump delivered a speech on Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress was convening to certify Joe Biden’s victory in the election that past November. In it, Trump lied repeatedly about widespread voter fraud that had not occurred and urged supporters to fight. Hundreds then stormed the Capitol in a deadly riot.

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Word of the speech came from a senior Harris campaign official who insisted on anonymity to discuss an address that is still in development. The Harris campaign is betting that her speaking at the Ellipse can provide an opportunity for the vice president to stress that the country no longer wants to be defined by a political combativeness that Trump seems to relish.

Trump has promised to pardon those jailed for their role in the Capitol attack should he reclaim the presidency during the election Nov. 5.

About 4 in 10 likely voters in a CNN poll from September said the economy was their most important issue when deciding how to vote, and about 2 in 10 said protecting democracy was. That compared to about 1 in 10 who named either immigration or abortion and reproductive rights.

Protecting democracy also seems to be more important to Democrats and Harris supporters. Roughly 4 in 10 voters who back Harris call it their top issue, compared to about 2 in 10 who say that about the economy. For Republicans and Trump supporters, about 6 in 10 name the economy as their top voting issue, followed by immigration. Only 5% of Trump supporters said protecting democracy was their top issue.

Closing arguments are important opportunities for candidates to sum up their campaigns and make a concise case for why voters should back them.

Trump’s campaign suggested he’d begin framing his closing argument while addressing a rally last weekend in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Instead, the former president spent more than 10 minutes talking about the genitals of the late, legendary golfer Arnold Palmer, who was born in Latrobe.

Word about Harris’ plans for next week came after she spent part of Wednesday visiting Philadelphia’s Famous 4th Street Deli — a longtime haven for elected officials where the politics is probably more famous than the pastrami and other lunchtime staples.

She’s in town to film a CNN town hall at 9 p.m. EDT. The vice president will take questions before an audience of undecided voters as part of what was once envisioned as a debate with Trump. Harris had said she would participate in a CNN debate but the two sides never worked out a formal agreement.

Before the town hall, Harris first hit the homey, Jewish-style deli known for its extra-large sandwiches. Famous 4th Street opened in 1923, and boasts of smoking its own pastrami, pickling its corned beef and brining its pickles.

The place was packed with what Harris called “super volunteers,” and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker was also in attendance. The vice president paused for selfies with some volunteers and Parker. When one man cried, “We’re gonna win,” Harris responded, “We are.”

Later she was more superstitious while addressing the larger crowd, declaring, “Knock wood, God willing, we are going to win.”

The vice president promised to help the nation “turn the page” on an era of division, adding, “Because of all you are doing, we are building community, we are building coalitions.”

It has been a political tradition since the 1970s for politicians to gather at the deli on Election Day to talk shop with supporters and the media while having lunch, a black-and-white cookie or both.

Harris eventually signed an order sheet, then grabbed a preordered to-go bag with a pastrami sandwich on rye and a slice of German chocolate cake.

Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Linley Sanders contributed to this report from Washington.

Birthday boy Nick Bosa battling elbow injury ahead of 49ers-Cowboys game

SANTA CLARA — Nick Bosa wanted to keep his 27th birthday hush-hush, so rather than open gifts or eat cake in front of reporters, he spoke on his and the 49ers’ overall health.

Bosa appeared on the injury report for the first time this season with a left elbow injury. It limited him in practice Wednesday, although he shed the compression sleeve that covered his elbow earlier in the day as well as after Sunday’s 28-18 loss to Kansas City.

Bosa looks certain to play Sunday when the 49ers (3-4) host the Dallas Cowboys (3-3).

“It’s been a little sore but I bumped it a couple times last game. But I’m fine,” said Bosa, tracing the injury back to the 49ers’ Week 2 loss at Minnesota.

Bosa has 3 1/2 sacks this season, splitting a sack Sunday when the 49ers failed to hand Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs their first defeat.

Like the Chiefs, the Cowboys are coming off their bye week, and Bosa noted that players typically have “more juice” after a week off. Dallas is 3-0 on the road, and 0-3 at home, including a 47-9 loss last game to the Detroit Lions.

“We’re in similar spots: two teams that need to right the ship and get on a better trajectory,” Bosa said. “For them, they’re coming off the bye; we’re heading into it after this.

“They want to get going and start the second half of their season the right way, and we want to go into the bye feeling good about where we’re at.”

The Cowboys have lost to the 49ers each of the past three seasons: in the 2021 and ’22 playoffs, then 42-10 last Oct. 8 at Levi’s Stadium.

“It’s been good for us. We’ve won all of them,” said Bosa.

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Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott last enjoyed a win over the 49ers in 2017, when the Cowboys came off their bye and won 40-10 at Levi’s Stadium as he threw for 234 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

“It’s going to be a tough one, for sure. They’re going to throw everything they can at us,” Bosa said. “I think they’re going to try to run the ball more than they have, because when you’ve had the losses they’ve had, they’re obviously going to try and do something a little different.

“Yeah, it’s going to be a big game.”

Horoscopes Oct. 23, 2024: Ryan Reynolds, it’s your year to shine

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Ryan Reynolds, 48; Cat Deeley, 48; Weird Al Yankovic, 65; Dwight Yoakam, 68.

Happy Birthday: Do the legwork yourself to avoid being put in a vulnerable position. It’s your year to shine, but first, assume the role of a leader, even if you feel like letting others take care of matters for you. An open mind and acute sense of what’s necessary to achieve your goal will exceed the attempts others make to outmaneuver you. Stay on target and in control, and success will be yours. Your numbers are 9, 13, 21, 29, 35, 38, 44.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Do your best to get along. Keep your thoughts to yourself and concentrate on getting things done. A physical approach to your day will bring the highest returns. Fitness and taking care of unfinished business will be uplifting and lead to opportunities that can expand your interests. 2 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take the initiative to make your surroundings user-friendly. How you live will affect your attitude and determine how well you get along with others. Let your imagination lead the way, and you’ll devise a blueprint that will make your life easier and your outlook happier. 4 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Participate in an event or activity that interests you, but be wary of anyone using pressure tactics to manipulate your response. Put more time and energy into self-preservation and feeling and looking your best. Learn from experience and take the path that promotes freedom of choice. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Check out what’s available in the job market and reach out to anyone who can offer insight into how to reach your true potential with your skills, qualifications and experience. Take an interest in investments, budgeting and pursuing a financial goal that reduces stress. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Check into obscure matters that require attention. Taking care of personal business will free up time to enjoy the people and pastimes that put a smile on your face. Implement a positive lifestyle change, and distance yourself from people who bring you down. Take control of your happiness. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Communication, travel, learning and participating in events and activities that move you will be eye-opening and encourage you to implement positive changes. Size up your situation at home and how it affects your health and well-being, and you’ll discover how best to curb bad habits and poor influences. 4 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Take nothing for granted. Your success will come from doing for yourself in your own unique way. Dedication and being true to yourself will outmatch anyone who tries to stand in your way. A change at home or work will turn out better than you anticipated. 2 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Gather your thoughts and put your energy into completing your mission. Setting boundaries and touting a disciplined attitude will ensure you get things done promptly and deter outside interference and temptation. Don’t forget to take pride in what you do and reward yourself for your effort. 5 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Protect your health and physical well-being. Don’t take a risk, let someone lead you astray or allow others to take advantage of you. Protect your possessions and interests and focus on paying attention to your needs. Put yourself first and say no to anyone infringing on you or making you uneasy. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Push forward with vim and vigor. Be the force that brings about change and makes a positive difference to those you encounter. Set a good example, and you’ll feel good about yourself and get the respect you deserve. Hard work will pay off, and financial gain looks promising. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take your time, don’t rush decisions and refuse to let someone’s impatience push you in an uncertain direction. Look for opportunities that feel good and right for you, and stand strong under pressure. Don’t jeopardize your reputation, position or prospects for someone else’s gain. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Gather information, set a budget and follow through with your plans. Refuse to let what others do deter you from pursuing your dreams. When in doubt, take a moment to observe and establish what’s best for you. Research will lead to personal growth, confidence and better choices. 5 stars

Birthday Baby: You are sensitive, imaginative and passionate. You are protective and possessive.

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.

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High School girls’ golf: Stevenson captures seventh straight Gabilan Division title

MONTEREY — There was no message involved, or statements issued — no individual objectives. It’s just one step towards a series of goals Stevenson has laid out as a team.

A performance for the ages? Depends on who you ask. To a player, the Pirates felt their golf game had holes in it during Tuesday’s Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division finals.

“I felt like the cup was so small,” said Nikki Iniakov, who finished as the No. 1 golfer in the Gabilan Division for the season. “I couldn’t handle my speed control with my putts. Usually that’s the best part of my game.”

While putting was a topic of concern among her teammates, the Pirates still shot 75 strokes better than runner-up Carmel to capture their seventh straight league title and 10th in the last 11 years at Laguna Seca Golf Course.

“All the girls have put in so much work,” said Iniakov, who for the first time in four years, didn’t finish as the low medalist. “Like I have mentioned before, I don’t want to go to the state finals alone.”

Iniakov, who will make a decision on her college future in December, has been to the state championships three straight years as an individual.

The goal all season is going together as a team, as three straight trips to the Northern California finals have seen the Pirates come up a few strokes short.

While the entire team from last season has returned, there will be some difficult decisions for head coach Jason McArthur to make as two freshmen were among the top three finishers at the PCAL finals.

“We’ll have some conversations in the coming days,” McArthur said. “Those that don’t compete will still come as alternates. All eight kids have contributed to this season. One kid is having her best season in four years.”

The Pirates team score of 383 would have won last year’s Central Coast Section finals — which will be held in two weeks at Laguna Seca — by two strokes.

Having finished second last year to reigning three-time section champion Valley Christian with a team score of 393, Stevenson has not won a section title since 2004.

Iniakov, who won the PURE Insurance Junior Championships four weeks ago, shot 5-over 77 on a breezy afternoon to finish in a tie for fourth, behind three or her own teammates.

“I’ve neglected my putting a bit,” Iniakov said. “I’ve been hammering my long game. It was hitting the ball so well, I actually scaled back on a few holes. I feel confident on this course. I felt steady.”

Iniakov also felt elated to see teammate Lucinda Wu earned medalist honors with a 2-under 70, with freshman Isabella Sun carding an even-par 72 and fellow freshman Allison Chen finishing with a 75.

“I missed three birdies on the first three holes, Wu said. “At that point, I changed my attitude of saying ‘this has to go in’ to ‘I want it to go in’. It helped me relaxed.”

Wu, who shot a 70 at last year’s CCS finals as a freshman, used the league finals as a measuring stick for the section finals, where she got reacquainted with the challenging greens and gusty winds on the back nine.

“The winds tend to pick up in the afternoon,” Wu said. “The greens were a little slow. The ball was moving to the right, even on three foot attempts.”

Sun had the only eagle on the day. That coupled with a birdie enabled her to crack the top three in her first league championship meet, which is 18 holes instead of the nine holes played during the regular season.

“I regulated 16 of the 18 holes,” Sun said. “For my first time, I thought I played pretty well. The greens were tricky. I struggled with my putting. I’m still grasping a new technique.”

Carmel will join Stevenson at the CCS finals after finishing second overall, with junior Megan Ikemiya finishing with a 78, the third straight year she has improved her score at the finals.

“I had 38 putt attempts,” Ikemiya said. “Normal would be roughly 30. I was missing short putts. But it’s the best I’ve played here. So that’s something to build off of.”

Ikemiya, who shot 12 strokes better than her freshman year two years ago, believes she has the answer to ironing out some of her putting deficiencies on a course not regarded as a putting paradise.

“The greens break a ton here,” Ikemiya said. “It was hard to judge the speed. It’s all about confidence. When I get that feeling that I am losing that confidence, I need to step away and reassess myself.”

Hoping to extend their season as individuals include Pacific Grove’s Harper Szpur (78) and Serena Hunter (79). The CCS will take seven additional individuals from all the league finals.

Watsonville won the Mission Division title with a team score of 616, edging runner-up Alvarez and third place finisher King City. The Eagles Jocelyn Calderon was medalist with a 99.

Harris says she’s ready if Trump tries to prematurely declare victory, isn’t worried about sexism

By COLLEEN LONG and ZEKE MILLER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris said Tuesday that her team is prepared to challenge Donald Trump if he tries to prematurely declare victory in the 2024 election — but she’s first focused on beating the Republican nominee.

Harris spoke to NBC News just two weeks before Election Day, as part of a media blitz meant to deliver her closing argument before as many persuadable voters as possible. She said she was not concerned about the role sexism could play in the election, as she stands to be the first woman elected to the White House, and again defended President Joe Biden’s fitness for office.

Harris said the Democrats “have the resources and the expertise” should Trump try to subvert the election.

“This is a person, Donald Trump, who tried to undo the — a free and fair election, who still denies the will of the people, who incited a violent mob to attack the United States Capitol and some 140 law enforcement officers were attacked. Some — were killed. This is a very serious matter,” she said.

Trump has been criminally charged with trying to overturn the 2020 election, and refuses to admit he lost to President Joe Biden. After a failed legal effort to overturn the results, a mob of Trump supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, attacking law enforcement in an effort to stop the certification of the race.

At Harris’ rallies, some of her supporters chant “Lock him up,” something Trump often said about his former Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton. Harris often replies: “The courts will take care of that. We’ll take care of November.”

At a campaign stop Tuesday, Biden said, “We’ve got to lock him up,” but Biden quickly added: “Politically lock him up. Lock him out, that’s what we have to do.”

“No president has ever been like this guy,” Biden said. “He’s a genuine threat to our democracy.”

Speaking to supporters Tuesday, Trump criticized Harris for spending the day conducting interviews, appearing to try to sow distrust in the election. “She knows something that we don’t know,” he said. “I think she knows some kind of result that we don’t know.”

While partisan battles over voting rules have long been part of presidential campaigns, election litigation has soared in recent years. With money pouring in for legal fights and the number of outside groups involved in election litigation proliferating, the disputes are not likely slow down anytime soon.

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Harris told NBC that she’s not focused on pointing out the historic nature of her candidacy, saying, “I’m clearly a woman, I don’t need to point that out to anyone.”

She added that she’s not worried about sexism harming her candidacy, saying she’s focused on speaking to all voters.

“I will never assume that anyone in our country should elect a leader based on their gender or their race, instead that that leader needs to earn the vote based on substance and what they will do to address challenges and to inspire people,” she said.

The vice president also defended Biden, whose disastrous debate against Trump forced him to abandon his reelection campaign and cleared the way for her to become the Democratic nominee for president.

Harris said she still believes Biden is “capable in every way” to be president, saying “you’d have to ask him if that’s the only reason why” he dropped out of the race, but she has “no reluctance” in saying he’s up for the job.