Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 34

Horoscopes Aug. 27, 2025: Aaron Paul, set your heart on what you want

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Kayla Ewell, 40; Aaron Paul, 46; Sarah Chalke, 49; Chandra Wilson, 56.

Happy Birthday: Set your heart on what you want, and push forward with vim and vigor. It’s up to you to make things happen and to take responsibility for your position and happiness and keeping up with the world around you. Less complaining and criticizing, and more positive affirmations, will help you gain respect and support while creating a vision that excites you and promotes you as a skilled influencer. Your numbers are 3, 12, 17, 25, 31, 37, 44.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): A clear head and disciplined attitude will overcome the obstacles that get in your way. Create a to-do list and get started. Put your muscles to work and proceed with practicality and the intent to finish what you start. Your ability to engage in and accomplish tasks will determine your status and reputation among your associates. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Pay attention. Refuse to let what others do or say distract you. It’s necessary to live up to your promises if you want others to reciprocate. Effective communication is essential to ensure that you work in unison with others. Achieving what you set out to do will take coordination and cooperation. Work quickly and efficiently. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Push the reset button and redirect your energy to get the best results. Use your physical and mental skills to execute what you want to see unfold. Embrace change with courage, questions and an adaptable attitude. It’s how you manipulate every situation you encounter that makes the difference. Leave no stone unturned or potential left unfinished. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Avoid chaos by focusing on essentials. Keep your plans simple, and maintain your budget. Balance will make a difference in the outcome of whatever you pursue. Refuse to let emotional anger cloud your day by getting in the way of progress. A physical change will buy time and attract someone who has something to contribute. 2 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Turn every encounter and experience into an educational pursuit. The more you know, the easier it will be to advance your agenda. Don’t wait for someone else to pick up the pieces and run. You are more equipped than you realize to turn your thoughts into something tangible. Update your image and live your dreams. 4 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Enjoy a midweek break with friends. A social endeavor will boost your confidence and energy levels, ensuring you meet your expectations as the week progresses. Interaction is the key to mental stimulation and keeping up with what’s trending. Don’t share your secrets, but speak passionately about life and your vision. Personal gain is apparent. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Keep your life simple, take care of your responsibilities, listen attentively and choose practicality, patience and kindness. Life choices make a difference in the outcome, and reassuring others that you are trustworthy will be the platform to showcase what you have to offer. Make equality your guiding principle, and move forward with a positive mindset. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t jeopardize your position by promising the impossible. Being a straight shooter is essential if you want to build a solid foundation for your vision. Question what you hear, recap what you see and walk away from whatever appears unrealistic. Now is not the time to make waves but to calm the waters. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Maintain control. Your input is necessary if you want your vision to unfold properly. Your power is in your ability to weather the storms. What you say and do will have an impact on the financial outcome and your ability to carry out your plans. Love and self-improvement are favored. 4 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t play with fire or let spontaneity lead to financial disaster. Look for opportunities that utilize your physical and mental abilities, and fine-tune your plans to meet your demands. Domestic problems will arise if you don’t nurture relationships or maintain an efficient lifestyle and home. Leave nothing to chance or in someone else’s hands. 2 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’re in the groove; let the momentum carry you forward without delays. Call the shots instead of allowing outside influences to interfere with your timing and ability to deliver what you promise to yourself and others. Intelligence and integrity will make the difference in a competitive situation. Self-improvement will boost your ego and attract positive attention. 5 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You’ll bounce back and forth if you lack resourcefulness. When doubt sets in, do your due diligence and prepare for whatever comes your way. Refuse to let someone step in and take over or outmaneuver you. Networking, cold calls and packaging what you can offer with innovation and realism will lead to your success. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are intuitive, forceful and accommodating. You are practical and endearing.

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.

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Verlander notches second win of season as SF Giants beat Cubs

SAN FRANCISCO — Justin Verlander needed about four months to record his first win as a Giant. He only needed a fraction of the time to earn his second.

Verlander totaled the 264th win of his career as the Giants beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2 on Tuesday night at Oracle Park, allowing two runs over six innings with five strikeouts. It didn’t just mark Verlander’s second win of the year but his first-ever win at Oracle Park — a win he wishes he recorded 13 years ago when the Giants and Tigers met in the World Series.

“No offense, but I wish I had one in 2012,” Verlander laughed.

With his strikeout of former teammate Kyle Tucker in the top of the first inning, Verlander passed Walter Johnson for ninth on the all-time strikeout list. Verlander is now 15 strikeouts away from passing Gaylord Perry (3,534) for eighth on the all-time list.

“I try to do a better job at being a little more present,” Verlander said. “The last few years especially, coming back from Tommy John (surgery), it’s been an emphasis of mine to pay attention a little bit more to things and be present, not only on the field but off the field with my family.

“You can get so stuck in the mindset of grinding. This year’s been so tough for that. It’s been really hard for me to not crawl into my little shell. My family helps me a lot off the field, and here, we have a great group of guys. They’ve helped a lot. Just relishing the positive.”

The Giants not only scored enough runs to get Verlander a win, but they did so against their kryptonite: a left-handed pitcher.

Entering play, San Francisco ranked last in the majors in batting average (.209), on-base percentage (.275) and slugging percentage (.340) against lefties. Chapman and Wilmer Flores both homered off the Cubs’ left-hander Matthew Boyd while Heliot Ramos and Rafael Devers chipped in an RBI apiece.

“We’ve been a little bit better,” Melvin said. “Early in the season it was really bad. We don’t think about it as much now. … Tonight, drew three walks, some homers. Flo’s homer helped quite a bit early on, too, and just kind of relieves that ‘here we go again’ type feeling that maybe we had against lefties earlier.”

It was difficult to ignore that “here we go again” type feeling when Verlander walked off the mound with the Giants leading 3-2 going into the bottom of the sixth.

On six occasions this season, Verlander ended up with a no decision despite being in line for a win. Most recently, Verlander pitched seven shutout innings against the Tampa Bay Rays but didn’t have a win to show for the effort. On this night, the bullpen and the offense both ensured Verlander left Oracle Park with a win in hand.

Following Verlander’s departure, Chapman hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth that extended San Francisco’s lead to 5-2 and gave the Randy Rodríguez-less bullpen some much-needed breathing room. From there, Joey Lucchesi, José Buttó and Ryan Walker finished the job.

Lucchesi retired all four batters that he faced, striking out a pair in the process. Buttó handled his only two batters as well, setting up Walker to close the door in the ninth.

Walker allowed a one-out single to Dansby Swanson in the top of the ninth, but that would be the extent of Chicago’s offense for the rest of the night as the crossfiring right-hander finished the game without much drama.

“It’s not like it doesn’t cross your mind sometimes, but this game kind of had a good feel to it,” Melvin said. “Once we scored in the sixth, we felt like we were in a pretty good spot with who was available and just kind of how we were playing the game.”

Added Chapman: “Unfortunately, we haven’t gotten him more wins, but I think he’s pitched well enough to deserve some more. He’s been pitching well. I feel like he’s strung together some really quality starts, so I was glad we were able to get him the win today.”

Worth noting

Center fielder Jung Hoo Lee was not in the lineup on Tuesday as part of a scheduled off day.

FBI agents who had accused bureau of politicization during Biden administration reach settlements

By ERIC TUCKER

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has reached settlements with a group of current and former FBI agents who have said they were disciplined for invoking personal and political views, including about the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot and the COVID-19 vaccine, or for clashing with supervisors about approaches to investigations, their lawyers said Tuesday.

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Empower Oversight, a group founded and led by former staff members of Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, announced the resolutions of 10 cases, including eight settlements in the last two weeks. Most of the cases concern agents who had accused the FBI of politicizing its work during President Joe Biden’s administration, a claim leadership denied.

Three of the agents are returning to duty at the FBI. Others are being permitted to voluntarily retire, and some are receiving restoration of back pay and benefits, the organization said in a statement announcing the deals. The FBI did not return an email seeking comment, though Director Kash Patel said on social media last week that agreements had been reached.

The resolutions come even as the FBI under Patel has moved to reassign and outright dismiss experienced senior executives for unclear reasons. The bureau this month fired, among others, a former acting director who had resisted a Trump administration demand to produce the names of agents who participated in Jan. 6 investigations. The head of its Washington field office, who had played an important role in those probes, was also forced out.

The FBI Agents Association has warned that those terminations were done without due process.

The settlements announced Tuesday include agents who were held up by Republican lawmakers looking to establish that the FBI during the Biden administration had become intolerant of the expression of conservative viewpoints — something Patel’s predecessor, Chris Wray, vigorously denied. Several accused the FBI of politicization before a special House committee in 2023 investigating what Republicans assert is the “weaponization” of the federal government against conservatives.

Democrats dismissed the testimony, calling the hearing another attempt by Republicans on the committee to help now-President Donald Trump.

Those being reinstated include Steve Friend, who has said he was suspended and later resigned after refusing to participate in a SWAT team arrest of a Jan. 6 suspect, and also objected to a COVID vaccine mandate.

Another is Garret O’Boyle, who complained to Congress about the FBI’s handling of Jan. 6 investigations. His lawyers said he was suspended after being suspected of improperly accessing and sharing case information about conservative activist group Project Veritas.

Also reinstated was Zachery Schoffstall, whose lawyers say he was disciplined after he complained about the exclusion of what he believed was exculpatory information in an FBI affidavit during an investigation into a white nationalist hate group.

One of the 10 settlements was reached last year, when the Biden administration agreed to restore the security clearance of Marcus Allen, another FBI employee who had accused the bureau of politicizing its work. He formally resigned.

Trump asks court to toss remaining civil fraud penalties after getting his massive fine thrown out

By MICHAEL R. SISAK

NEW YORK (AP) — Days after getting his staggering civil fraud penalty thrown out, President Donald Trump asked New York’s highest court on Tuesday to overturn his other punishments, including a multiyear ban on him and his two eldest sons holding corporate leadership positions.

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Trump’s lawyers filed a notice of appeal with the state’s Court of Appeals, seeking to erase the remaining effects of New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit, which alleges he inflated his net worth on financial paperwork given to banks and insurers.

It’s the first of a pair of expected appeals after a five-judge panel of the state’s mid-level Appellate Division last week overturned Trump’s monetary penalty. James, a Democrat, has said she plans to ask the Court of Appeals to restore the Republican’s fine after the Appellate Division deemed it “excessive.”

Trump had declared “TOTAL VICTORY” after the Appellate Division wiped away his fine, but the judges left other punishments in place and narrowly endorsed a lower court finding that he committed fraud by padding his wealth on his financial statements.

The non-monetary penalties, the target of Trump’s new appeal, set strict limitations on his Trump Organization’s ability to do business. They include:

— A two-year ban on Trump’s sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., from serving as a director or officer of a New York company, effectively booting them from their roles managing the Trump Organization’s day-to-day operations.

— A three-year ban on Trump holding a corporate leadership position in New York.

— A three-year ban on Trump and his companies from getting loans from banks registered in New York.

— Placing the company under an independent monitor’s continued supervision for at least three years, and ordering the hiring of an independent compliance director.

Those measures have been on hold during the appellate process and the Appellate Division judges said Trump can seek a court order to extend the pause pending further appeals.

Utah enters the redistricting battle for 2026, but not by choice

By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah is being thrust into a national battle over redistricting because of a court order to redraw its congressional map for the 2026 midterm elections, while President Donald Trump is pushing other Republican-led states to add winnable U.S. House seats for the GOP.

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The new district boundaries could make one of Utah’s four congressional seats competitive for Democrats as the party fights to topple the GOP’s slim majority in the House. Nationally, Democrats need to net three seats next year to take control of the chamber.

The current map divides heavily populated Salt Lake County — an island of Democratic support in an otherwise red state — among all four congressional districts. Before the map was adopted in 2021, one district had traded hands between Democrats and Republicans. All have since elected Republicans by wide margins.

Here’s what to know about Utah’s place in the redistricting fight.

Judge says the current map defies voters

A judge on Monday ordered Utah’s Republican-controlled Legislature to toss its congressional map and quickly adopt a new one. District Court Judge Dianna Gibson declared the map unlawful because the Legislature had circumvented an independent redistricting commission established by voters to ensure districts don’t deliberately favor a party, a practice known as gerrymandering.

Voters in 2018 narrowly approved a ballot initiative that created the commission to draw boundaries for Utah’s legislative and congressional districts, which the Legislature was required to consider. Lawmakers repealed the initiative in 2020 and replaced it with a law that transformed the commission into an advisory board that they could choose to ignore. The following year, lawmakers disregarded a congressional map proposal from the commission and drew one of their own.

The Utah Supreme Court said the Legislature is extremely limited in changing laws passed by voters and sent the case back to Gibson to decide the map’s fate.

“How district lines are drawn can either safeguard representation and ensure accountability by elected representatives or erode public trust, silence voices and weaken the rule of law,” she wrote in the ruling.

Gibson has given lawmakers until Sept. 24 to adopt a map that complies with voter-approved standards. Voting rights advocates who were involved in the legal challenge can submit alternate proposals. But Republican officials could use appeals to try to run out the clock before a candidate filing deadline in early January to possibly delay adopting new maps until 2028.

The U.S. Supreme Court is unlikely to intervene, and the state Supreme Court may be hesitant to entertain an appeal after it already asked Gibson to decide.

New district lines mean new matchups

Utah’s four congressional districts currently converge within a couple blocks in the Salt Lake City suburb of Millcreek. A voter could grab a milkshake at the beloved Iceberg Drive Inn and cross into all four districts before it melts.

FILE – The Utah State Capitol is viewed during the final day of the Utah Legislature, March 1, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, file)

Lawmakers presented the map as a way for each representative to serve both urban and rural areas. One district spans the entire eastern border of the state and groups vastly different communities, from the winter resort town of Park City, to the urban center of Provo, down to the red rock recreation hub of Moab. Voting rights groups who challenged the map argued it intentionally dilutes the Democratic vote and produces congresspeople who aren’t suited to represent all of their constituents.

The tight deadline for lawmakers to draw new maps could push them to reconsider proposals from the independent redistricting commission that they had ignored after the 2020 census. Those plans create a compact district combining the Democrat-heavy cities of Salt Lake City and Park City, while grouping other cities geographically.

GOP leaders could cut their losses by creating a single left-leaning block, or gamble on creating competitive districts that Republicans will fight to keep.

Voters’ partisan makeup is a bit murky

Registered Republicans overwhelmingly outnumber registered Democrats in the state. But voter registration data doesn’t paint the full picture.

Only about 12.3% of Utah voters are registered Democrats, but more than triple that amount voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. About 29% are unaffiliated, and many voters in the state who hold liberal beliefs choose to register as Republicans to vote in the primaries and have a say in intraparty matters.

That uncertainty may create complications for Republicans as they navigate rapidly redrawing boundaries that shield their seats while complying with stricter standards.

Utah redistricting shakes up the fight for Congress

The ruling throws Republicans a curveball in a state where they expected a clean sweep while they’re working to add winnable seats elsewhere. Trump has urged governors to take up mid-decade redistricting ahead of the midterms, when the sitting president’s party tends to lose seats.

In Texas, a plan awaiting Gov. Greg Abbott’s approval includes five new districts that would favor Republicans. Ohio Republicans already were scheduled to revise their maps to make them more partisan, and Indiana, Florida and Missouri may choose to make changes. Some Democrat-led states say they may enter the redistricting arms race, but so far only California has taken action to offset GOP gains in Texas.

The Supreme Court in 2019 ruled that claims of partisan gerrymandering for congressional and legislative districts are outside the purview of federal courts and should be decided by states.

Redistricting typically occurs once a decade after a census. There are no federal restrictions to redrawing districts mid-decade, but some states — more led by Democrats than Republicans — set their own limitations. The Utah redraw may benefit Democrats who have fewer opportunities to gain seats through redistricting.

Texas election map for 2026 are racially biased, voting-rights advocates say in lawsuit

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Voting-rights advocates sued Tuesday to overturn a redistricting map drawn by Texas Republicans meant to favor the party in the 2026 midterm elections, saying it weakens the electoral influence of Black voters.

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The NAACP and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law filed the lawsuit in Texas.

They accuse Texas legislative leaders of engaging in gerrymandering to prevent Black voters from electing candidates of their choice.

“The state of Texas is only 40 percent white, but white voters control over 73 percent of the state’s congressional seats,” Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP, said in a statement. “It’s quite obvious that Texas’s effort to redistrict mid-decade, before next year’s midterm elections, is racially motivated. The state’s intent here is to reduce the members of Congress who represent Black communities, and that, in and of itself, is unconstitutional.”

Since the Voting Rights Act was adopted, the state of Texas has been found to have discriminated against Black and/or Brown citizens after every cycle of redistricting, according to the NAACP.

Black residents for decades have overwhelmingly favored Democratic candidates.

FILE – NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson speaks before President Joe Biden addresses the crowd, at the 115th NAACP National Convention in Las Vegas, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Texas lawmakers approved the map Saturday, adding five new districts favoring Republicans. The move came after President Donald Trump requested it.

The effort by Trump and Texas’ Republican-majority Legislature prompted state Democrats to hold a two-week walkout and kicked off a wave of redistricting efforts across the country. California Gov. Gavin Newsom in response has approved a special election for a redrawn map to help Democrats win more seats.

Republican Sen. Phil King, the Texas measure’s sponsor, previously denied accusations alleging that the redrawn districts violate the Voting Rights Act by diluting voters’ influence based on race.

“I had two goals in mind: That all maps would be legal and would be better for Republican congressional candidates in Texas,” he said.

The U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 ruled that the Constitution does not prohibit partisan gerrymandering to increase a party’s clout, only gerrymandering that’s explicitly done by race.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has not yet signed the map into law, has predicted it will survive any court challenges. Abbott also has predicted other Republican-led states will make similar moves seeking new seats for the GOP in Congress.

The NAACP also on Tuesday urged all other states to act immediately by redistricting and passing what it called new, lawful and constitutional electoral maps.

“It may still seem far away, but the 2026 midterm elections will determine whether our democracy still holds on or whether the people surrender their power to a king,” Johnson said earlier this month.

Trump’s threat to deploy troops to Chicago sparks fear and defiance in a city on edge

By CHRISTINE FERNANDO, SOPHIA TAREEN and OBED LAMY

CHICAGO (AP) — President Donald Trump’s threats to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago sent ripples through America’s third-largest city as many residents defended their home against Trump’s escalating rhetoric toward its violent crime, including claims it is a “killing field.”

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The threat of federal troops stirred a mix of fear, frustration and defiance for residents as they pointed to historic drops in violent crime. Groups constantly pressing for police reform said sending troops who lack training in de-escalating violence or any knowledge about the nuances of neighborhoods still grappling with violent crime would undo progress made in recent years.

The sentiment was echoed by people going about their day — commuters heading to work, cyclists weaving through traffic, and friends pausing to take photos along Michigan Avenue — who said the presence of troops would only heighten tensions, not ease them.

“It’s a direct affront to the progress our communities have made,” said Bradly Johnson, who leads BUILD Chicago. The anti-violence organization focuses its efforts on neighborhoods on the city’s West Side that have seen persistent crime, even as rates overall have fallen.

“It’s not a war zone,” Johnson said. “They’re vibrant resilient communities where young people deserve opportunities and not intimidation.”

Trump has focused on Chicago

On Tuesday, Trump called Chicago a “hell hole” and repeated that Chicagoans are asking “Trump to come in” to reduce crime in the city. The statements echoed comments earlier this month when Trump indicated Chicago may be next for a federal crackdown, claiming Chicago is “a mess” and residents are “screaming for us to come.”

Trump has long singled out Chicago, making it a recurring theme on the campaign trail in both 2016 and 2024. He has drawn controversial comparisons between the city and war zones like Afghanistan, and in 2017, he vowed to “send in the feds” in response to gun violence.

But data paints a more nuanced picture of crime — one that varies dramatically block by block and that has seen recent progress.

Violent crime in Chicago dropped significantly in the first half of the year, representing the steepest decline in over a decade, according to city data. Shootings are down 37%, and homicides have dropped by 32%, while total violence crime dropped by over 22%.

“The empirical data is very clear that the Chicago trend is extremely positive,” said John Roman, who directs the Center on Public Safety and Justice at the University of Chicago. ”… Chicago is doing better than the rest of the country on a lot of really important measures.”

Still, the city’s most ardent defenders acknowledge gun violence still plagues parts of the city in recent years, particularly in warmer months. Chicago saw about 570 homicides in 2024, according to city data. Shooting lethality — the rate at which shooting victims die from being shot — has increased in recent years, as has the number of high-capacity magazines recovered by Chicago police at shooting scenes, according to the University of Chicago Crime Lab.

Crime in Chicago represents persistent, localized challenges, said Kimberley Smith, director of national programs for the University of Chicago Crime Lab. The neighborhoods with the highest homicide rates experience about 68 times more homicides than those with the lowest rates.

Rene Cardona, a maintenance worker born and raised in Chicago, acknowledged these inequities in exposure to violent crime while maintaining that he feels safe in Chicago generally.

“It depends where you’re at and what time it is,” he said. “Overall, Chicago’s a pretty good place to live … There’s more good people than bad people here.”

Crime has fallen in Chicago through groups’ efforts

Smith attributes much of the drops in violent crime to a focus in Chicago on the systemic drivers of violence, rather than the militaristic approach Trump has touted in Washington, D.C. She encouraged more federal investment in researching these types of violence-prevention strategies, calling Chicago “a hub for innovation in gun violence prevention.”

Jahmal Cole, founder of the community organization My Block, My Hood, My City, said Trump’s comments “erase this work being done on the ground by local leaders, community organizations and residents themselves” to combat gun violence.

“As for Trump’s remarks, it’s worth remembering that rhetoric alone doesn’t improve public safety,” he said. “We need smart, community-focused investments, not sensationalism.”

As a show of unity against the move, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a potential 2028 presidential contender, convened roughly 100 elected officials, pastors, business leaders and activists at a splashy news conference against the backdrop of gleaming skyscrapers along the Chicago River. The attendees Monday ranged from U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat, to the Rev. Michael Pfleger, a well-known Catholic priest in the city.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker speaks during a news conference at River Point Park, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks during a news conference at River Point Park, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)Illinois Governor JB Pritzker greets people as he walks to a news conference in a Chicago water taxi Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a news conference at River Point Park, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)Show Caption1 of 4Illinois Governor JB Pritzker speaks during a news conference at River Point Park, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)Expand

“Take the wasted money in sending the National Guard and the wasted money used on threatening commercials by your Homeland Security secretary and use it on real violence and prevention programs that will bring peace,” Pfleger said.

Residents reject Trump’s statements

Art Jarrett, a business owner just south of downtown, also pointed to Trump’s business presence in the city, saying: “He can’t think it’s that big a killing field; he wouldn’t have built a building here.”

“He’s full of crap,” said Jarrett, who has felt safe in the 57 years he has lived in Chicago.

Pastor Donovan Price, a local advocate for gun crime victims, said Trump “unequivocally does not know what they’re talking about” when it comes to crime in Chicago. He said federal troops threaten to undo progress toward reducing crime.

“When things are finally starting to turn around, you have someone come up with something totally unnecessary that could perhaps change the tide,” he said. “He’s trying to strike the hope out of the hearts of good people in our city.”

Sydney Aldrich, 26, said deploying federal troops isn’t the answer and hoped to challenge the harsh narrative of violence that so often defines her city in the news.

“We have a lot of community members around town that are supportive of one another, and we watch out for each other,” she said.

Associated Press writer Ed White in Detroit contributed to this report.

Trump family crypto empire expands with Crypto.com partnership

By ALAN SUDERMAN

President Donald Trump’s personal crypto ventures are expanding again, this time with plans for a digital asset treasury company that holds an alternative cryptocurrency.

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Trump Media and Technology Group, which operates the Truth Social media platform, announced Tuesday that it was partnering with the cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com to form a company that holds CRO, a token created by Crypto.com. A blank check company tied to Yorkville Advisors is another co-founder of the new firm, called Trump Media CRO Strategy.

Trump Media said it plans to purchase $105 million worth of CRO. Yorkville said the total expected funding for the company’s treasury will be $1 billion worth of CRO, or about 19% of the token’s market cap, plus $420 million in cash and equivalents and as a $5 billion line of credit.

The announcement is part of the hottest trend in crypto, in which a wide variety of companies – many with no obvious ties to the world of digital assets – have made buying and holding cryptocurrency a primary part of their business plan. The model is based on MicroStrategy, a tech firm that first started buying bitcoin in 2020 and has seen its stock price soar.

“Companies of all sizes and sectors are strategically planning for the future by establishing digital asset treasuries anchored by assets that have created a comprehensive value proposition and are poised for even greater utility,” Devin Nunes, the chairman and CEO of Trump Media, said in a statement.

Trump Media said it plans to introduce a “rewards system” on Truth Social that uses Crypto.com digital wallet infrastructure. CRO saw its price jump Tuesday morning by about 30% to 21 cents a token. It’s still far off from its all-time high of nearly 97 cents a token that it hit in 2021.

Expanding Crypto Empire

Since taking office, the Trump administration has pushed for crypto-friendly regulations and laws, while the Trump family has aggressively sought to expand its crypto-related businesses.

That unprecedented dynamic has led to allegations of corruption from Democrats, though the president says he has entrusted the management of his business dealings to his sons.

In May, Trump rewarded top investors in his meme coin with a swanky dinner. Trump launched the coin just days before taking office. Fans of the president have also been able to buy crypto-themed Trump merchandise, including $100,000 watches and pricey sneakers.

Trump Media previously announced plans to hold a significant amount of bitcoin on its books as well as to create an exchange-traded fund tied to the prices of five popular cryptocurrencies.

World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency company launched by Trump and his sons last year, has received significant boosts from an investment fund in the United Arab Emirates and Justin Sun, a China-born crypto entrepreneur. The Securities and Exchange Commission has paused a lawsuit it filed against Sun in 2023 alleging his company engaged in market manipulation and paid celebrities for undisclosed promotions.

A little-known firm called ALT5 Sigma recently announced it was planning to raise $1.5 billion to buy the digital coins created by World Liberty Financial and that Eric Trump, the president’s son, is joining the company’s board.

Also on Tuesday, a firm called Canary Capital filed paperwork with the SEC seeking to sell an exchange-traded fund that will track the price of the president’s meme coin.

Kurtenbach: Two wide receivers and no punter — the 49ers’ work-in-progress roster shows its flaws

In March, 49ers general manager John Lynch was defiant.

Sure, his front office had followed ownership’s mandate to cut costs, jettisoning veteran (aka expensive) depth and replacing it with no one in particular (cheap) during free agency, but as Lynch told this news organization: “We’ve got this thing called the draft.”

That’s how the Niners would backfill their roster: kids.

Five months later, with the regular season just days away, that plan — if you could even call it that — looks even more foolish than it did then.

The Niners trimmed their roster down to the NFL-mandated 53 players on Tuesday, but amid a slew of cuts and procedural moves, it’s clear that San Francisco is still in the process of building its team.

So much for those kids.

Was there bad luck involved in this debacle? Absolutely. The Niners were ravaged by injuries in the preseason, with both young players and the off-the-street free agents brought in to replace them going down so frequently, I’m surprised the Niners haven’t hired afterlife experts to investigate if the facility is cursed.

Then again, the players who are most injured in the NFL are off-the-street free agents (injury concerns are likely why they were available) and young players (who are adapting to NFL size and speed and often pay for that education).

In all, it left the 49ers with a roster on Tuesday that included only two healthy wide receivers (one was acquired in a trade last week), 10 offensive linemen, 11 defensive linemen (because when not one of your depth guys proves they’re NFL worthy, you just have to keep them all), and no punter.

This team went from confident and, frankly, a bit cocky to cutting players they need for Week 1 so they can try to add players other teams cut on Tuesday.

Then again, those soon-to-be-signed players will also be needed in Week 1.

Yep, that’s the Niners’ new depth plan — cut-day castoffs.

All of this might seem overdramatic. I’ve certainly heard your complaints about my general pessimism about the Niners’ roster.

And it’s important to remember that the Niners do have truly great players — Brock Purdy, Trent Williams, George Kittle, Fred Warner, Christian McCaffrey — and a few other Pro-Bowl caliber talents on the roster.

But this isn’t fantasy football. In the NFL, a team is only as good as its depth. And if any team should know that, it’s the constantly injured 49ers.

And after a 2024 that was torpedoed because of a lack of worthwhile backups, the Niners did nothing appreciable to improve in that area for the 2025 season.

(Now, 2026 and beyond is a different story.)

Faced with that fact, they went scrambling before the roster deadline to swing trades for players who can actually play. On Tuesday, they were cute with cuts and keeps.

This team is still a mile wide and an inch deep. The time to fix that was in March, during NFL free agency. It’s certainly not something that can be rectified in the final days of August.

The Niners’ bizarre cut-down day showed that this team is in purgatory. They’re too talented at the top end to be terrible, but not good enough everywhere else to be great.

It results in a team that can cut its punter for procedural reasons — specifically so it can punt on other roster decisions.

The Niners kept receiver Jauan Jennings on the active 53-man roster on Tuesday, despite his calf injury that may or may not be directly tied to his desire to sign a new contract with the team. (I guess stress truly does manifest in the body.)

San Francisco reportedly considered placing Jennings on injured reserve (with a designation to return) as a means to call his bluff and end this unusual standoff.

But the Niners’ front office decided to table that possibility, so they cut someone to keep Jennings on the active roster, even though there’s no public indication he’ll be active (whether due to injury or personal choice) anytime soon.

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The Niners also punted a decision on second-year receiver Jacob Cowing, who has battled hamstring injuries all camp and isn’t expected to play for weeks if not months.

On cut-down day, the NFL allows teams to place two players on injured reserve with a designation to return. San Francisco only used one spot.

Can Cowing return? Do the Niners even want Cowing to return? Faced with a deadline, Lynch and Co. couldn’t make the call, so they cut a veteran who they can keep in town for a day or two — punter Thomas Morstead, Gage, or receiver Robbie Chosen, take your choice — so they can circle back later this week.

Or maybe next week.

Or maybe in a month.

Going through hoops for a wide receiver with four NFL catches (and seemingly as many days of training camp practice) doesn’t sound like something a good team does.

But that’s where the Niners are as preparation for the season starts, in earnest.

The San Francisco roster released on Tuesday isn’t final, and that’s a good thing. The 49ers will certainly be adding more players — both ones already employed and new to the squad — in the coming days. They have no other choice.

But not one of them will change this team’s trajectory, though. Players who can do that aren’t available in late August. But after crapping out on their original plan, they’re the only option the Niners have left.

SF Giants’ Rodríguez lands on injured list due to right elbow sprain

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants have tried their best to manage All-Star Randy Rodríguez‘s workload this season, limiting their closer’s back-to-back appearances and giving him ample time to recover. Those extensive efforts weren’t enough to keep him healthy.

Rodríguez landed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to August 23) on Tuesday with a right elbow sprain. He will meet with team doctors Tuesday night after undergoing an MRI on Monday.

Manager Bob Melvin said Rodríguez might seek a second opinion after meeting with the team’s doctors. Right-hander Keaton Winn was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento to take Rodríguez’s spot on the active roster.

“It’s something that’s been bothering him a little bit during the course of the season,” Melvin said. “We’ve given him some time off. Very rarely do we pitch him back-to-back. I think just after this last time, he felt it more so than previous times, so we cut him off and got an MRI.”

Rodríguez, who has a 1.78 ERA over 50 2/3 innings with four saves, felt arm soreness following his outing against the Milwaukee Brewers last Friday when he allowed a walk-off homer to William Contreras. With roughly a month remaining in the regular season, Rodríguez likely won’t throw another pitch for San Francisco this season.

The 25-year-old also dealt with a right elbow issue last year, missing about six weeks due to right elbow inflammation.

Right-hander Ryan Walker, the Giants’ closer at the beginning of the season, will re-assume the closer role in Rodríguez’s absence. On Sunday, Walker sealed the Giants’ 4-3 win against the Milwaukee Brewers by throwing a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts.

Walker lost the closer job to former Giant Camilo Doval in late May following extended struggles, but the right-hander found his form following his demotion. Since July, Walker has a 1.89 ERA with 21 strikeouts and five walks over 19 innings.

“He’s getting good movement,” Melvin said. “(Velocity) seems to be better, too. He’s pitching well right now.”

Meanwhile, a positive development for the Giants is that right-hander Landen Roupp’s second opinion on his left knee injury confirmed the initial diagnosis of a bone bruise. There is no structural damage to the rest of his knee, and his recovery timetable is about four weeks.

Roupp hopes to return in September, but the 26-year-old acknowledged that his season is likely over. Still, the bone bruise diagnosis is relatively good news for Roupp considering he thought he suffered an even worse injury last Wednesday in San Diego.

“Immediately, I said I tore my ACL,” Roupp said. “I’ve never done it before, but the pain almost felt like somebody stabbed me in the knee.”

Roupp established himself as the No. 3 starter in San Francisco’s rotation behind All-Stars Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, posting a 3.80 ERA with 102 strikeouts over 106 2/3 innings. Prior to hitting the injured list in July with right elbow inflammation, Roupp had a 3.11 ERA over 20 starts. Roupp added that there’s no lingering pain in his elbow.

If Roupp’s season is over, the right-hander said he hopes to have done enough to earn a spot in next year’s rotation. Melvin believes Roupp has proven plenty.

“I think he’s showed enough,” Melvin said. “Really, from the first day of spring on. Won a job for the rotation coming out of spring, and there have been certain times this year he’s been as good as anybody we’ve had for periods.”

Worth noting

Infielder/outfielder Jerar Encarnacion (right hamstring strain) began his running progression this past weekend. He will continue to participate in all baseball activities.Left-hander Erik Miller (left elbow sprain) has yet to start throwing. He will be reevaluated this weekend.