Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 355

Pacific Grove council in the midst of several projects, expected to be given updates

The Pacific Grove City Council will be given updates on several projects including the new hotel at the American Tin Cannery and the sidewalk widening project at Lighthouse Avenue at Wednesday’s meeting.

The council will vote on the city’s declared intent to vacate a portion of Sloat Avenue, about .45 acres according to the updated plan. Several conditions will have to be met before the city can move forward, including an agreement between the city and the developer.

The city will be compensated for the transfer of land, and an agreement of the compensation is expected to be shared with the council in October.

The council will vote on allocating funding for the construction project to widen the sidewalk on Lighthouse Avenue for safety and visibility reasons.

The city has gotten three bids for construction from Silcon Constructors Inc. for $242,260.53, Monterey Peninsula Engineering for $419,075 and Vanguard Construction for $442,107.

City staff is recommending the council go with Silcon Constructors Inc. and if approved, they will start working with the business owners of Wild Fish, Victorian Corner and Rudolpho’s along with the contractor to develop a schedule.

The council will also hear a presentation about Pure One Monterey and it’s expansion project, including details about the timeline, which is slated to be completed in late 2025.

The Pacific Grove City Council will meet 6 p.m. Wednesday at Pacific Grove City Hall, 300 Forest Avenue. You can watch the meeting online via Zoom at cityofpacificgrove.org/Zoom_CC.

Pebble Beach Authors and Ideas festival going strong after 18 years

PEBBLE BEACH – The 18th annual Pebble Beach Authors and Ideas Festival will be held at the Stevenson School’s Pebble Beach campus this weekend, Sept. 20-22.

The festival will welcome 20 award-winning authors and speakers to share ideas on their areas of expertise and various topics like politics, history, science and more. According to co-founder Jim McGillen, it takes a lot of time and research into various authors to figure out who will be the best fit each year, but he’s really only looking for one quality.

“The only thing that I’m interested in is the speaker’s ability to convey an idea that’s interesting and compelling,” said McGillen. “What I mean by that is, there are a lot of great authors but … it doesn’t necessarily translate from someone who can write well to someone who can speak well and engage an audience and teach them something.”

McGillen and his wife Cynthia founded the event in 2006, not knowing the festival would “take on a life of its own,” he said.

Friday will mark the first day of the festival, beginning with the annual Student Ideas Festival at the Monterey Conference Center. The first year they hosted the event, McGillen invited a few dozen students to attend as a courtesy. Now, the McGillen’s invite roughly 1,300 local students from underserved public schools to share in the learning experience each year. The event is also live streamed to about 20,000 students.

Local high school students attend the 11th annual Pebble Beach Authors and Ideas Festival at Santa Catalina School in Monterey. (Vern Fisher – Monterey Herald)

“What I realized after the first year was the amazement of these students meeting these people like Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Condoleezza Rice, David Brooks, Bob Ballard … it opened their eyes to a whole new world.” Since then, the Student Ideas Festival has been a cornerstone of the work the McGillen’s do.

Keeping this spirit going, 100 local teachers are also invited to attend the adult sessions. Attendance is capped at about 350 guests in total.

The adult festival kicks off at 5 p.m. at the Stevenson School’s Pebble Beach campus amphitheater. Christine Lindsay and Trish Tillman will start out the weekend with a welcome and talk on cell phone enforcers.

Following Lindsay and Tillman, will be Jeremi Suri, author and history professor at the University of Austin at Texas. Dave Barry, author, humorist and Pulitzer Prize winner will end the night.

Guests will be welcomed Saturday morning with coffee and pastries in the campus bookstore from 8-9 a.m. The day’s talks will begin at 9:15 in the Keck Theater with Nick Mueller discussing the National World War II Museum.

Following Mueller’s talk will be presentations from authors including: Mitchel Berger, scientist and member of the President’s Cancer Panel; Lanhee Chan, former political campaign advisor and 2022 candidate for the California State Controller; Peter Richhiuti, business professor at Tulane University; and Steve McGee, senior director of original programming at Turner Classic Movies and movie stunt work expert.

From 11:30a.m.-noon, Barry, McGee, Ricchiuti, Suri and Mueller will host book signings in the book store. From 2-4 p.m. in the Keck Theater there will be two more hours of individual talks including: Debra Fine, author and former engineer; Elizabeth Cobbs, historian and novelist; Rick Stevenson, author and producer; Doug Brinkley, author and expert of American studies; and Deepak Srivastava, director of the Roddenberry Stem Cell Center at Gladstone. The group will also be available for book signings at 4 p.m.

At 4:30 p.m., breakout sessions will begin in the Rosen Center. Attendees are encouraged to pick one of the six sessions to attend.

Sunday will mark the last day of the festival, with speakers Casey Grover, a doctor of Addiction and Emergency Medicine with Montage Health; Hampton Sides, author and member of the Society of American Historians; Nolan Gasser, composer and musicologist; Euan Ashley, associate dean at Stanford University and co-founder of five biotechnology companies; and David Eagleman, neuroscientist and host of the podcast, Inner Cosmos.

The group will then move to the bookstore for signings followed by breakout sessions.

McGillen’s main hope is that the audience leave the festival with more knowledge than they had before.“We know if it’s a successful weekend if our attendees are complaining because they want to go to all five of the breakout sessions,” he said. “That to me, is very satisfying because they’re learning and they’re interested in topics that by and large they maybe never even expected to think about.”

The McGillen’s are dedicated to making sure the Authors and Ideas festival continues to be a staple on the Monterey Peninsula. Down the line, other members of the family have plans to continue running the event.

But for now, “we’re going to continue on,” said McGillen. “We have no intention of retiring. As they say, this is just the beginning.”

For more information, visit: https://pbaif.com/.

How to stick to your health goals when life gets crazy

Donna Mansour

When life starts to get busy it can be easy to fall into bad health habits without even noticing. You might eat out a little more, skip a workout, have an extra glass of wine with dinner or not get enough sleep. At times like these, it can be handy to have an arsenal of practical tips on hand to help you stick to your health goals and get you back to living your best life.

Sticking to your health goals during busy times like this can help prevent you from getting sick or rundown, keep you feeling great both emotionally and physically and keep your energy levels up and stress levels down. The following are some simple and easy-to-implement tips to help you stick to your health goals when everything seems impossible.

Practice healthy habits first thing in the morning

Starting with your healthy habits first thing in the morning will set the tone for the rest of the day. By starting off on a good note, and ticking off some of your healthy goals early on, you will be more likely to stick to the rest of the goals as the day gets busier. If you plan on fitting in a workout or a walk then set your alarm a little earlier in the morning so you can get it out of the way as soon as you wake up.

After your workout, choose a healthy breakfast option. Things like smoothies or grab-n-go breakfast parfaits are great to prep ahead of time if you know you are going to be in a rush. They make it so easy to jam lots of goodness into one meal. You can even pre-pack smoothie bags and have them stored in the freezer ready to blend so it won’t matter how busy you are, you can still fill your body with nutritious food.

Stay hydrated

Fill your water bottle first thing in the morning to reach your water goals for the day. If you are going to be out of the house for a while, bring your water bottle with you. If you don’t have a good reusable water bottle, invest in one. This will make it easier to take water with you on the go.

Staying hydrated can help you feel less sleepy and less hungry, and can also help make you feel better overall throughout the day. A great way to stay hydrated is by making up a couple of batches of lemon chia water and having them ready to grab and sip in the morning. This has the bonus of keeping you fuller for longer. Another way is to make up a pot of your favorite herbal tea to sip at your desk while you work.

Schedule healthy lifestyle habits into your day

Schedule your meals into your day to help make sure you are allowing yourself the chance to eat a well-balanced and healthy diet. If you work your day around these times, you can avoid the drive-thru and make it easier to stick to a healthy diet.

If you want to exercise each day, book a class or a block of time for walking or running into your schedule. This way you will be less likely to skip it even on a busy day. Guilt is a powerful thing and you will know you are letting yourself down if you don’t stick with the commitment.

You can have the schedule on your phone so you can access it at all times, or if you prefer a paper planner and the satisfaction of ticking things off as you get them done then pick a good one and make sure you use it. The key is to have your schedule accessible so that you don’t just schedule it and forget it.

Plan and prepare meals ahead of time

Meal planning and prepping will make it just as easy to grab something nutritious as it would be to hit the drive-thru. If you need to, prepare a week or even a month ahead if you can. This will make eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle a breeze.

There are several apps out there that can help with meal planning. They will usually have an option to write the grocery list and some can even help with doing an online grocery order to be delivered, which is such a time saver and stops all those treats from being thrown into the cart when you are doing the shop yourself.

You might prefer a good old paper and pen meal plan. Rip recipes from magazines or print off recipes you find online during the week, and keep them stored in an inexpensive ring binder, then pour yourself a cup of tea and decide what you want to eat for the week.

Spend some time on the weekend or on a day off preparing some meals or snacks that can then be eaten on busy days. This can be as simple as making a double batch of granola for breakfasts, some freezer-friendly mini muffins for lunchboxes or casseroles that can be popped into the slow cooker for dinner.

Get moving when you can

You may not always have the time to fit in a workout multiple times per week, but even on days you can’t get to the gym, you can increase your step count by making a few simple changes. Small changes like these can really add up.

You can easily add more movement to your regular daily activities by adding some slight modifications to your routine. For instance, while out running errands, park your car a bit further away than usual, take the stairs instead of the elevator or get off the bus a stop or two earlier.

If you find yourself getting tired or losing focus at work, then stop what you are doing and take a quick walk around the block. Motivate yourself by getting a step tracker and setting a goal each day. Set yourself reminders to get up and move if you have to.

Getting up and going for a walk can be great for mental clarity and focus. It also means you are getting in some extra steps without even trying.

Make time for sleep

If you want to get more done in your day by getting up early, this is going to mean that you will need to head to bed a little bit earlier. Make time for sleep by scheduling a bedtime for yourself and setting an alarm on your phone so you stick to that bedtime. Similarly, set an alarm for the morning that allows you the time you need to get everything done before the busy day starts.

Wrapping up

No matter how busy life gets, it is important to take the time to implement healthy habits. Even if you’re short on time, you can still make small tweaks to your routine to make sure you are practicing healthy lifestyle habits. Getting up earlier, filling your water bottle, planning and prepping some meals for the week and getting your body moving will all help to keep you on the right track and lower the stress and chaos a busy day can bring.

Donna Mansour is a recipe developer, food photographer and the creator of the food blog Whole Food Bellies. She is obsessed with kitchen gadgets and has them all. In her free time, she loves hiking, reading and spending time with her three kids and sausage dog Odie.

Harris condemns Trump rhetoric, says voters should make sure he ‘can’t have that microphone again’

By MATT BROWN and DARLENE SUPERVILLE, Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday decried Republican Donald Trump for inflammatory rhetoric about migrants in Springfield, Ohio, and on other topics, saying voters should make sure he “can’t have that microphone again.”

Sitting down for a rare extended campaign interview Tuesday with a trio of journalists from the National Association of Black Journalists, Harris said her heart breaks after threats of violence have disrupted the city following comments amplified by Trump and his running mate alleging, without evidence, that immigrants are kidnapping and consuming people’s pets.

Two days after Secret Service agents foiled an apparent assassination attempt on Trump, who blamed Democratic rhetoric for the latest threat to his life, Harris said that “there are far too many people in our country right now who are not feeling safe.” She referenced the threats to immigrants, but also the conservative Project 2025 blueprint for the next Republican administration and a GOP-led effort to restrict abortion access.

“Not everybody has Secret Service,” she said. “Members of the LGBTQ community don’t feel safe right now, immigrants or people with an immigrant background don’t feel safe right now. Women don’t feel safe right now.”

Harris said she personally has confidence in the Secret Service and feels safe under their protection. She spoke briefly with Trump on Tuesday to express her gratitude that he was safe, but in the interview said his rhetoric should be disqualifying.

“When you have that kind of microphone in front of you, you really ought to understand at a deep level that your words have meaning,” Harris said, without mentioning Trump by name. “Let’s turn the page and chart a new way forward and say you can’t have that microphone again.”

Harris said the Republican attacks on the city and migrants there were “lies that are grounded in tropes that are age old.”

The sedate interview in Philadelphia stood in contrast to former President Donald Trump ’s appearance before the same organization just a month ago, which turned contentious over matters of race and other issues.

The Trump interview opened a chapter in the campaign in which the Republican candidate repeatedly questioned Harris’ racial identity, baselessly claiming that she had only belatedly “turned Black” at some point in her professional career. Trump has since repeatedly questioned Harris’ racial identity on the campaign trail and during the September presidential debate.

Harris, the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, has repeatedly dismissed Trump’s remarks as “the same old show.” During her September debate with Trump, she said it was a “tragedy” that he had “attempted to use race to divide the American people.”

The vice president insisted she is working to earn the vote of Black men and not taking any constituency for granted. Black male voters are traditionally one of the most consistently Democratic-leaning demographics in the nation. But Republicans have tried to make inroads, while Democrats worry about flagging enthusiasm at the polls.

“I think it’s very important to not operate from the assumption that Black men are in anybody’s pocket,” Harris said. “Black men are like any other voting group. You gotta earn their vote, so I’m working to earn the vote, not assuming I’m gonna have it because I’m Black”

Harris declined to say if she supported reparations for descendants of slaves, but said, “we need to speak truth about the generational impact of our history in terms of the generational impact of slavery, the generational impact of red lining.” She said expressed openness to studying the question “to figure out exactly what we need to do,” but said her focus was on building economic opportunity.

In Trump’s interview with NABJ, he lambasted the moderators and drew boos and groans from the audience at times. The interview also sparked debate within the NABJ convention itself, which operates both as a networking and communal space for Black professionals in media as well as a newsmaking event.

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris is interviewed by members of the National Association of Black Journalists at the WHYY studio in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

As with Trump’s appearance, the audience was made up of NABJ members and college students, but the tenor was markedly different. Where Trump called the reporters interviewing him “rude,” “nasty” and denounced their questions as “horrible,” Harris referred to the reporters who pressed her as “esteemed journalists.”

The crowd was inaudible throughout the Tuesday interview with Harris. In July, Trump’s comments were often met with laughter, shock and confusion from the room, which largely consisted of student journalists and media professionals outside political news.

Trump, his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, and other Republicans have criticized Harris for largely avoiding media interviews or interacting on the record with reporters who cover her campaign events. She and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, gave a joint interview to CNN last month. Her campaign recently said she would be doing more local media, and last week she sat for her first solo television interview since becoming the Democratic nominee, taking questions from a Philadelphia station.

Asked whether Americans are better off today than four years ago when she and President Joe Biden entered office, Harris did not directly answer the question, instead referencing the state of the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic and bringing up her plans to try to lower housing costs and promoting herself as a “new generation” of leader.

Harris said her candidacy offers the country a chance at “turning the page on an era that sadly has shown us attempts to by some to incite fear to create division in our country.”

Janiyah Thomas, Black media director for the Trump campaign, said Harris’ remarks to the National Association of Black Journalists on Tuesday reveal her record of failures for Black Americans.

“She told the NABJ that after three and half years of her failed policies, grocery prices are too high and the American Dream is unattainable for young Americans,” Thomas said. “We can’t afford four more years of Kamala Harris. It’s time to put President Trump back in the White House and restore economic prosperity.”

Harris has largely sidestepped traditional media appearances and instead focused on rallies, grassroots organizing and social media engagement, where the vice president can sidestep questions from independent journalists about her policy record and proposed agenda.

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Tuesday’s event was moderated by Eugene Daniels of Politico, Gerren Keith Gaynor of theGrio and Tonya Mosley of WHYY, a Philadelphia-area public radio station that co-hosted the gathering.

Asked whether she would change U.S. policy toward the Israel-Hamas war, Harris said she endorsed Biden’s pause on 2000-lb. bombs to Israel and didn’t signal any daylight with the president.

Harris noted the killing of Israeli civilians — and some Americans – by Hamas on Oct. 7 and added that far too many “innocent Palestinians have been killed” in Israel’s response.

She added that the Israel-Hamas war has to end and a ceasefire and hostage deal must get done, while calling for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. She said the goal is to ensure “the Israelis have security and Palestinians in equal measure have security, have self-determination and dignity.”

NABJ noted the importance of hosting the conversation in Philadelphia, a major city in a battleground state with a large Black population. Philadelphia was also the home to one of the major precursor organizations to NABJ.

For years, the association has invited both major presidential candidates to speak before the convention. Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden all attended NABJ events as presidential candidates or while in office.

___

Brown reported from Washington. AP writers Zeke Miller and Colleen Long in Washington contributed.

Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: Reconciling your checkbook

Question: I was mortified and greatly embarrassed last month when I bounced five checks. I inadvertently deposited a large check to the wrong bank account leaving me short in my checking account. Can you please explain the concept of a bank reconciliation so I can make sure this will never happen again? Do you have any other tips?

Answer: Reconciling your checkbook balance to the bank statement may seem mysterious and difficult for those taking on this responsibility for the first time. Balancing your checkbook is simply reconciling the amount you believe you have in your account to the amount that the bank statement says you have.

To begin, you will need your latest bank statement (which may include your canceled checks) and your checkbook register. Study your bank statement. Each bank prints them in a slightly different format, but they all should contain the following information:

· The dates for which the statement is prepared, including the beginning and ending dates

· Beginning and ending balances

· A summary of the total deposits and withdrawals

· The details of your deposits, including deposit dates and amounts

· The details of your withdrawals, including check numbers, check amounts, bank charges, cash withdrawals and transfers, etc.

The idea is to compare your checkbook register with the bank statement to be sure each entry is accurate and that the arithmetic is correct. To do this, you will need to “check” off all the items (deposits and withdrawals) in your check register that appear on the bank statement. You may need to enter legitimate receipts or charges (i.e., interest income, bank charges and fees, etc.) in your register.

You will need to make a list and total all outstanding checks. These are checks that you have written but have not been charged by the bank as of the ending date of the bank statement. You will also need to make a list of any outstanding deposits. These are deposits you made that have not been credited to your account as of the ending date of the bank statement.

Once you have the above information, you are ready to reconcile your checkbook register balance to the bank statement balance. To balance, you need to subtract the outstanding checks and add the outstanding deposits to the ENDING bank statement balance. The resulting total should equal the balance of your checkbook register.

Most bank statements provide a reconciliation format as described above to help guide you through this process. After a few months, you will become an expert at reconciling your checkbook and enjoy the satisfaction and peace of mind of knowing that you have an accurate balance.

Please note that on occasion banks do make errors, or you could be the victim of identity or check theft. Failure to timely reconcile your bank accounts can cost you money! If you do discover a bank error, report it to the bank immediately and be sure to follow up the correction.

In addition to reconciling your bank account, it is also a good idea to periodically review your account online for any unusual charges or transactions. Most banks have user-friendly websites and will be happy to set you up with this service.

Barry Dolowich is a certified public accountant and owner of a full-service accounting and tax practice with offices in Monterey. He can be reached at (831) 372-7200. Please address any questions to Barry at PO Box 710 Monterey, CA 93942 or email:bdolowich@gmail.com 

How a thoughtfully arranged spread makes entertaining easy

By Gretchen McKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PITTSBURGH — Sarah Tuthill has a pretty straightforward philosophy to assemble a food board for parties: Keep things simple, but also make your spread memorable by arranging the food and drinks thoughtfully.

The made-to-order cheese and charcuterie boards crafted at her tiny storefront and commercial kitchen, EZPZ Gatherings in Aspinwall, Pennsylvania, are a case in point.

Not only are the cured meats, seasonal fruits, homemade spreads and various cheeses drool worthy, but they’re also artfully designed to make a table look pretty.

The owner of EZPZ Gatherings Sarah Tuthill folds Prosciutto while making a summer caprese squeezers board in Aspinwall on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. The summer caprese squeezers board is a part of a cook book recently published by Tuthill named “Gathering Boards,” and in the book she instructs people how to compose various picnic boards. (Esteban Marenco/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Richly layered and vibrant, they boast a contrasting mix of colors and textures. Some are traditionally arranged on wooden boards, but depending on the theme or season, Tuhill also might add a touch of whimsy by using woven harvest baskets or wooden bowls. Or she might opt for modern and minimalistic by placing pieces on acrylic or melamine boards.

As she details in her recently released how-to book, “Gathering Boards: Seasonal Cheese and Charcuterie Spreads” (Rowman & Littlefield, $27.95), the Aspinwall native and Penn State University grad also has been known to line up crackers on the vintage shirt-sleeve ironing board she found in an antique store. Big on repurposing, she also likes to tuck candles, jars of olives or flowers into a primitive wooden tool caddy.

“A lot of it comes down to social media,” Tuthill says of her distinctive displays. “Everyone is posting these beautiful pictures, and the bar is raised. You can’t just slap things on a [plain] board.”

Aspinwall resident Sarah Zimmerman Tuthill’s new book “Gathering Boards” offers a step-by-step guide to creating cheese and charcuterie boards. (Courtesy of Sarah Zimmerman Tuthill/TNS)

Though she has always been a foodie and has dabbled in floral and interior design, Tuthill didn’t set out to be a food entrepreneur after graduating from college with a degree in advertising. Most of her career has been in communications, including many years as a freelance writer.

She only started toying with the idea of EZPZ Gatherings around 2018 because she longed to write a book and wanted to do something to “get my hands dirty” by doing it professionally.

“I love writing, but was drawn to doing something more hands-on, creating something tangible, but still creative,” she says.

While she has always loved to entertain and was known among family and friends for making beautiful hors d’oeuvres and other spreads, Tuthill knew she didn’t want to be a full-service caterer.

“So I zeroed in on appetizers,” she says, officially opening EZPZ Gathering in December 2019, just before the charcuterie craze took off during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Initially, Tuthill worked out of the food incubator kitchen her friend, Josephine Caminos Oria, opened in 2013. Then the pandemic hit “and I was done before I even started,” she says with a rueful laugh.

Back to the drawing board

No one would have blamed her if she threw in the towel. But Tuthill dug in, using the downtime to continue honing her packaging skills and further educate herself about cheese varieties, flavors, textures and production methods.

“It was a blessing in disguise,” she says.

A Classic cheese and charcuterie board sits on display inside EZPZ Gatherings in Aspinwall on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. The cheese and charcuterie was made by owner Sarah Tuthill who recently published the cookbook “Gathering Boards,” which instructs people how to compose various picnic boards. (Esteban Marenco/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Because so many were stuck at home and in search of hobbies, it also allowed her to start teaching online classes. “So many Zoom book clubs wanted cute snacks,” she remembers. “People wanted to learn and experience something rather than just sitting around.”

The public’s desire to create beautiful gathering boards at home only grew once pandemic restrictions were lifted and the charcuterie board craze exploded.

Today, the one-room storefront Tuthill took over in 2022 — one of the first local niche businesses focused on creating boards for dinner parties, graduation parties and other celebrations — now doubles as a “boarding school” in which fellow Pittsburghers can take workshops to learn the art of cheese and charcuterie styling.

As she notes in her book, “The truth is, you don’t have to be a culinary genius to throw a good party. In fact, you don’t have to know how to cook at all. By merely presenting food and drinks in an inventive, beautiful or whimsical way, you can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.”

A picnic basket alongside various Various picnic board sit on display inside EZPZ Gatherings in Aspinwall on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. The the basket and boards were made by owner Sarah Tuthill who recently published the cookbook “Gathering Boards,” which instructs people how to compose various picnic boards like the ones seen. (Esteban Marenco/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Many of her ingredients are sourced locally at specialty shops (Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. is a favorite haunt) but she also fills her boards with items from chain grocery stores like Trader Joe’s. “It’s a little bit of everything, depending on the season.”

Tuthill was approached to write her book on boards in 2022 in the most Pittsburgh manner. A woman saw a story about Tuthill’s shop and her background as a writer in a local paper. “And lo and behold, she cut it out like grandmas do and sent it to her son,” who works for Rowman & Littlefield Publishing. And the rest, she says, “is history.”

She closed her shop at the beginning of 2023 to focus on the project, and did most of the writing last summer. The tome hit bookshelves on May 13, and can be found on Amazon and in Barnes & Noble.

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Meant as a “how-to-do-it” for people who like to entertain, the book — beautifully photographed by Kari Hilton and sprinkled throughout with family stories — includes specific suggestions for each season, along with styling tips. The section on summer gathering boards, for instance, includes “Picnic in the Park” and “Lakeside Snackle Box” boards while fall features a “Game Day Tailgate Box” and a Halloween-inspired “CharBOOterie.”

Along with a handful of recipes for go-to dips and sides, Tuthill offers tips on serving temperatures, knife selection and serving sizes. She also includes suggestions for wine pairings and decor, along with tips on glassware, lighting, party flow and post-party clean-up.

For an end-of-summer picnic, Tuthill recommends focusing on foods that are easy to pack and eat, and can withstand some heat, such as the skewers and Chautauqua Salad featured below.

“And of course a [pre-made] cocktail or fancy drink is always fun,” she says. She suggests using mason jars for a summer sangria because they’re super cute and close tightly.

“You just pour ice and vodka over the top,” she says, “and it’s all self contained.”

Summer on a StickA summer caprese squeezers board sits on display inside EZPZ Gatherings in Aspinwall on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. The summer caprese squeezers board was made by owner Sarah Tuthill who recently published the cookbook “Gathering Boards,” which instructs people how to compose various picnic boards. (Esteban Marenco/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Serves 6, PG tested

Skewers make for stress-free (and mess-free) picnicking, and take the guesswork out of what goes with what. This summer spin on Caprese salad swaps out the tomato for slices of juicy peach.

6 slices chilled prosciutto (slightly thicker slices work best)

1 ripe peach, sliced

6 small mozzarella balls (cherry-sized)

6 fresh basil leaves

Skewers or toothpicks

Fold prosciutto into ribbons: Fold a single slice in half longways, then gently fold it back and forth like an accordion. Pinch the bottom while fanning out the folds.Thread a piece of peach onto a toothpick, followed by mozzarella ball, basil leaf (folded in half or into quarters if large). Finish with a prosciutto ribbon, then place onto a serving platter. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

— Sarah Tuthill

Mason Jar SangriaA mason jar sangria sits on display inside EZPZ Gatherings in Aspinwall on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. The mason jar sangria was made by owner Sarah Tuthill who recently published the cookbook “Gathering Boards,” which instructs people how to compose various picnic boards and beverages. (Esteban Marenco/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Serves 2, PG tested

Mason jars make the perfect vessel for individual cocktails-to-go and can be found in just about any supermarket or craft store.

1 ripe peaches, sliced

1 ripe plumb, sliced

1/2 cup berries

3 ounces vodka

6 ounces dry white wine

6 ounces lemonade

1 12-ounce can sparkling water or club soda

Fill 2 half pint jars with seasonal fruit (You can use the same ones you’re serving for your picnic!)Top each with a shot of vodka and 2 shots of white wine. (I prefer a dry white like sauvignon blanc in the summertime.) Add a couple ounces of something sweet like lemonade or lemonade concentrate.Screw on the lids, give them a shake and let the jars sit in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.Pack them up and when you’re ready to enjoy, top off with chilled soda water and add a festive straw.

— Sarah Tuthill

Chautauqua SaladA Chautauqua salad sits on display inside EZPZ Gatherings in Aspinwall on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. The Chautauqua salad was made by owner Sarah Tuthill who recently published the cookbook “Gathering Boards,” which instructs people how to compose various picnic boards. (Esteban Marenco/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Serves 2-4, PG tested

“This salad is a key component of our family’s favorite summer meal” in Chautauqua, N.Y., writes Tuthill.

There, it’s almost always served alongside nothing more than corn on the cob and a crusty loaf of bread on nights when it’s too hot for the oven or grill. But it’s also a refreshing salad that’s perfect for a picnic.

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup virgin olive oil

1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly

2 large tomatoes, sliced

Prepare dressing: In a shallow bowl, dissolve sugar in the red wine vinegar. Whisk in the oil.Gently fold in tomatoes and cucumbers and allow to sit, at room temp, for at least 20 minutes.

— Sarah Tuthill

©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

In Montana, 911 calls reveal impact of heat waves on rural seniors

By Aaron Bolton, MTPR and KFF Health News

Missoula is one of Montana’s largest cities but is surrounded by rural mountain communities where cattle ranching is king. Despite the latitude and altitude, in recent years this region has experienced punishing summer heat waves.

It has been difficult for residents to adapt to the warming climate and new seasonal swings. Many don’t have air conditioning and are unprepared for the new pattern of daytime temperatures hovering in the 90s — for days or even weeks on end. Dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and abnormalities in heart rate and blood pressure are among the many health complications that can develop from excessive exposure to high temperatures.

It can happen anywhere and to anyone, said Missoula firefighter Andrew Drobeck. He remembers a recent 911 call. The temperature that day had risen to over 90 degrees and a worker at a local dollar store had fainted. “She’s sensitive to the heat. Their AC wasn’t working super good,” Drobeck said. “I guess they only get a 15-minute break.”

Drobeck said many of the heat calls his department receives are from seniors who struggle to stay cool inside their older homes. Montana’s population is among the oldest in the country. About 1 in 4 residents are over 60. Those over 65 are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As people age, their bodies don’t acclimate to heat as well as they did when they were younger, including not producing as much sweat.

In July, a heat dome that settled over much of the western U.S. baked the region and shattered two types of temperature records: daily highs, and number of consecutive days over 90 degrees. Although the Northwest, including western Montana, is typically cooler, the region experienced record-breaking heat this summer.

Emergency responders like Drobeck have noticed. Drobeck says 911 calls during heat waves have ticked up over the last few summers. But Missoula County officials wanted to know more: They wanted better data on the residents who were calling and the communities that had been hardest hit by the heat. So the county teamed up with researchers at the University of Montana to comb through the data and create a map of 911 calls during heat waves.

The team paired call data from 2020 with census data to see who lived in the areas generating high rates of emergency calls when it was hot. The analysis found that for every 1 degree Celsius increase in the average daily temperature, 911 calls increased by 1%, according to researcher Christina Barsky, who co-authored the study.

Though that may sound like a small increase, Barsky explained that a 5-degree jump in the daily average temperature can prompt hundreds of additional calls to 911 over the course of a month. Those call loads can be taxing on ambulance crews and local hospitals.

The Missoula study also found that some of the highest rates of emergency calls during extreme heat events came from rural areas, outside Missoula’s urban core. That shows that rural communities are struggling with heat, even if they get less media attention, Barsky said. “What about those people, right? What about those places that are experiencing heat at a rate that we’ve never been prepared for?” she said.

Barsky’s work showed that communities with more residents over 65 tend to generate more 911 calls during heat waves. That could be one reason so many 911 calls are coming from rural residents in Missoula County: Barsky said people living in Montana’s countryside and its small towns tend to be older and more vulnerable to serious heat-related illness.

And aging in rural communities can pose extra problems during heat waves. Even if it cools off at night, an older person living without air conditioning might not be able to cope with hours of high temperatures inside their home during the day. It’s not uncommon for rural residents to have to drive an hour or more to reach a library that might have air conditioning, a community center with a cooling-off room, or medical care. Such isolation and scattered resources are not unique to Montana. “I grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan,” Barsky said. “There are no air-conditioned spaces in at least 50 miles. The hospital is 100 miles away.”

Heat research like the Missoula study has focused mostly on large cities, which are often hotter than outlying areas, due to the “heat island” effect. This phenomenon explains why cities tend to get hotter during the day and cool off less at night: It’s because pavement, buildings, and other structures absorb and retain heat. Urban residents may experience higher temperatures during the day and get less relief at night.

By contrast, researchers are only just beginning to investigate and understand the impacts of heat waves in rural areas. The impacts of extreme heat on rural communities have largely been ignored, said Elizabeth Doran, an environmental engineering professor at the University of Vermont. Doran is leading an ongoing study in Vermont that is revealing that towns as small as 5,000 people can stay hotter at night than surrounding rural areas due to heat radiating off hot pavement. “If we as a society are only focused on large urban centers, we’re missing a huge portion of the population and our strategies are going to be limiting in how effective they can be,” Doran said.

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Brock Slabach, with the National Rural Health Association, agrees that rural residents desperately need help adapting to extreme heat. They need support installing air conditioning or getting to air-conditioned places to cool off during the day. Many rural residents have mobility issues or don’t drive much due to age or disability. And because they often have to travel farther to access health care services, extra delays in care during a heat-related emergency could lead to more severe health outcomes. “It’s not unreasonable at all to suggest that people will be harmed from not having access to those kinds of services,” he said.

Helping rural populations adapt will be a challenge. People in rural places need help where they live, inside their homes, said Adriane Beck, director of Missoula County’s Office of Emergency Management. Starting a cooling center in a small community may help people living in town, but it’s unrealistic to expect people to drive an hour or more to cool off. Beck said the Missoula County Disaster and Emergency Services Department plans to use data from the 911 study to better understand why people are calling in the first place.

In the coming years, the department plans to talk directly with people living in rural communities about what they need to adapt to rising temperatures. “It might be as simple as knocking on their door and saying, ‘Would you benefit from an air conditioner? How can we connect you with resources to make that happen?’” Beck said.

But that won’t be possible for every rural household because there simply isn’t enough money at the county and state level to pay for that many air-conditioning units, Missoula County officials said. That’s why the county wants to plan ahead for heat waves and have specific protocols for contacting and assisting vulnerable rural residents.

“Ideally we’d be in a situation where maybe we have community paramedics that can be deployed into those areas when we know that these events are going to happen so they can check on them and avoid that hospital admission,” Beck explained. She added that preventing heat-related hospitalizations among rural residents can ultimately save lives.

This article is from a partnership that includes  MTPR ,  NPR , and KFF Health News.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs of KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling and journalism.

©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Horoscopes Sept. 17, 2024: Danielle Brooks, lift your spirits

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Patrick Mahomes, 29; Danielle Brooks, 35; Doug E. Fresh, 58; Kyle Chandler, 59.

Happy Birthday: Take note of what’s working for you and what isn’t, and adjust your plans to suit your needs. It’s time to dump what you no longer use and to simplify your life. A change of attitude or in your space, scenery or routine will help you rejuvenate and lift your spirits. Consider what and who is important to you, and plan your life around what and who brings you joy. Your numbers are 7, 13, 24, 29, 32, 37, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Determine what’s best and reserve judgment before acting. It’s best to focus on self-improvement instead of trying to change others. Criticism will distance you from someone you love. Reach out with kindness and consideration if you want to bring about positive change. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Choose to tie up loose ends. The less you leave undone, the better you will feel. A change of pace will give you a reason to consider taking on a new challenge or to look for ways to raise your income. Travel and communication are favored. 4 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Relax, digest information and determine what’s best for you. Don’t follow the crowd. Look at the big picture and consider how you feel and what you want to achieve before you commit to something that benefits someone else more than it does you. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Put your energy where it counts. Upholding your reputation by taking responsibility and living up to your commitments will help you lay the foundation for better prospects. Don’t risk your physical well-being; take necessary precautions before you engage in events or activities. Home improvements are favored. 5 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You’ll respond better to physical actions than empty promises. Take responsibility, verify information and only change what’s necessary. Focus more on self-improvement and personal growth and less on what others choose to do. It’s up to you to create prospects and opportunities that serve you well. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Speak up and share your thoughts and feelings, but don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. Sticking to the truth and being realistic to make headway is essential. Honesty and integrity matter and will determine how others react to your requests. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Explore what’s available. It’s necessary to take the path that resonates with your soul and brings you closer to a place that offers comfort and peace of mind. Refuse to let others choose for you or manipulate your train of thought. Be true to yourself. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Pay attention to detail and to what others say and do. Through observation you’ll gain insight that can help you make a decision that can improve your lifestyle and contribute to your creativity and overall attitude. Trust in yourself and your skills, and choose what you desire most. 5 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Listen carefully. Someone will adjust the truth to suit their needs. A proactive approach to deciphering your position will help you break down what’s necessary. An optimistic attitude will make you appear vulnerable if you don’t set boundaries. Only agree to what’s feasible. Choose your words wisely. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’ll get a clear picture regarding an investment or money management issue. Set a budget and plan, and you’ll look like a genius. Take the initiative and make the changes that suit you. Actions speak louder than words; do your part and take control. 4 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Pay attention to how you feel and present yourself. A confident attitude will overcome any doubt someone may have in your ability to get things done. Don’t feel you have to make a move or change because someone else does. Your strength of character is your secret weapon. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Don’t take on more than you can handle. Focus on what’s necessary and do your best. Discipline and hard work will pay off and help you avoid temptation and those trying to take advantage of you. Structure your day to achieve your goal. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are articulate, persistent and extraordinary. You are sensitive and unique.

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.

Want a link to your daily horoscope delivered directly to your inbox each weekday morning? Sign up for our free Coffee Break newsletter at mercurynews.com/newsletters or eastbaytimes.com/newsletters. 

Kurtenbach: Deebo’s out. It’s gut-check time for Purdy and the 49ers

The 49ers’ biggest question coming into the 2024 season was whether they could avoid many of the same issues that befell them in the post-Super Bowl 2020 campaign.

Luckily, the world hasn’t been stricken with a worldwide pandemic again.

But the Niners sure seem to have caught the injury bug again.

Two of the team’s most important offensive players, Christian McCaffrey and now Deebo Samuel, will be out for weeks to come.

Yes, the Niners are down not one but two do-it-all threats—the players who made the Niners’ offense the envy of the league.

Yikes.

In his conference call with the media on Monday, San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said Samuel has a calf strain and will miss “a couple of weeks,” starting with the Niners’ game this upcoming Sunday against the Rams in Los Angeles.

This, after McCaffrey was placed on injured reserve before the Niners’ Week 2 loss to the Vikings on Sunday. He’s not eligible to return to the field until October, but there is skepticism he’ll return when he is first eligible.

Obviously, this is not the start the team wanted. In 2020, a downright biblical string of injuries undercut the Niners’ season before it really started. Four seasons later, the Niners aren’t beating the 2020 redux allegations.

Now, San Francisco’s season isn’t over because of two injuries, even if they are arguably their two most important skill position players.

But this season has become significantly — perhaps exponentially — more difficult without Nos. 1 and 23 in the fold. The Niners are 8-9 over the last five years when Samuel hasn’t played. They’re 1-2 without McCaffrey since he arrived in 2022.

Since McCaffrey was acquired via trade in October 2022, we’ve never seen the 49ers without one or the other on the field.

Sunday’s game against the Rams will be a new territory for the Niners.

It puts the spotlight not on the stars’ replacements — Jordan Mason and, in all likelihood, Jauan Jennings — but rather on the remaining stars on the offensive roster.

So for this bad luck to strike amid the struggles of two other key offensive players — Trent Williams and Brandon Aiyuk — only makes optimism that much harder to find.

Both Williams and Aiyuk skipped training camp amid contract disputes. Their rust was evident in underwhelming performances Sunday in Minnesota. (Williams allowed four pressures and Aiyuk was not on the same page with quarterback Brock Purdy on big downs.)

Both will have to be immense against the Rams (who are down two of their own stars in Puka Nakua and Cooper Kupp) on Sunday. That runway where they can ease into the system has proven short — Burbank airport short.

This challenge also presents an incredible opportunity for quarterback Brock Purdy.

The Niners’ QB1 is in line for a massive contract at the end of the season. He can prove he’s worth every penny and a bit more by elevating his game to All-Pro levels in the coming weeks.

It’s what the great quarterbacks do when they’re missing their top weapons. They make it work.

So far in Purdy’s short career, he hasn’t. Last year, he went 0-3 when Samuel missed the better part of three games mid-season.

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The 49ers cannot afford to lose in the upcoming weeks. The good news is that this is the easy part of their schedule; the Rams are decimated by injuries, too, and the Patriots and Cardinals represent two of the easier opponents on the slate.

The bad news is that the team’s schedule after that is a brutal challenge for even a healthy 49ers team.

This is the stretch where the Niners needed to rack up wins — to put hay in the barn for the winter. Anything less than a 4-1 record going into a Thursday night game in Seattle on Oct. 10 would have been unacceptable.

The Niners already have that loss on the books, and harvesting that hay just became a whole lot tougher.

This team should still have enough talent to win without McCaffrey and Samuel.

But “should” doesn’t get you anywhere in the NFL.

It’s an early gut check for Shanahan, Purdy, and a team that believes it’s going back to the Super Bowl.

How the 49ers respond will tell us everything if that dream is at all possible.

McCovey Cove Dave throws some cold water on historic Heliot Ramos Splash Hit controversy

Around 10 years ago, Dave Edlund — known colloquially as McCovey Cove Dave — printed out a paper that said, “1st Ever Right-Handed SPLASH” and laminated it. He has brought it to hundreds of Giants games since.

Over the weekend, he finally got to show off the placard.

Heliot Ramos, the Giants’ first homegrown All-Star outfielder since Chili Davis in 1986, made more history on Sunday afternoon. Against a 100.2-mph Robert Suarez fastball in the ninth inning, Ramos went the other way for the first Splash Hit by a right-handed batter in Oracle Park’s 25-year history.

“I always knew that I had that oppo juice, but it looks impossible just by looking at the wall and the weather here,” Ramos told reporters. “I was always positive that I was going to do it. And I wanted to do it.”

Edlund, as he’s wont to do, paddled a few feet over to collect the historic ball. The super fan has collected more than 60 home-run balls, many of which are Giants Splash Hits, since he started kayaking in McCovey Cove in 2001. But this was the elusive one he’d been waiting for.

“I didn’t know exactly when it would be hit, but I knew it would be a special home run,” said Edlund, 68. “It would be very rare. And it would take someone like Heliot Ramos who is really strong to hit it from the right-handed side. I’ve talked about that ball with the regulars in McCovey Cove so many times.”

Edlund, as he normally does, intends to keep the souvenir. An uproar on social media ensued. But the outrage misses some context.

As of Monday afternoon, the Giants had not reached out to him about acquiring Ramos’ ball, Edlund said. A Giants spokesperson couldn’t confirm whether the team ever approached Edlund for the Ramos ball.

Yet that hasn’t prevented controversy from swarming Edlund like piranhas around his kayak.

As Edlund and Giants fans of a certain ilk know, McCovey Cove Dave has become polarizing. Edlund prefers to keep the Ramos ball instead of exchanging it with the Giants, though he’s open to lending it to the team or to Cooperstown for temporary display. Earlier this year, he held onto Braves outfielder Michael Harris II’s first grand slam when negotiations with the Giants and Braves went south — and then got misconstrued publicly.

One national media member described Edlund as the “aquatic Zack Hample,” referring to the notorious home-run thief who is known to be aggressive with fans — including children — in the bleachers. A Giants fan with a significant following on Twitter/X called Edlund a “LOSER.”

“Sorry Dave, but you’re a grifter and an attention seeker,” wrote Andrew Baggarly, a long-time Giants reporter who previously wrote for this news organization and now works for The Athletic. “Congrats, you now have more attention. I hope it’s everything you ever dreamed of!”

Many fans believe Edlund should return the home run balls to the players who hit them. Others note that fans like Edlund are the lifeblood of any sports franchise. Ramos, in particular, said to reporters postgame that he’d like the ball back.

Edlund doesn’t want to have a bitter relationship with the Giants organization. But the way he sees it, home run balls like Ramos’ are like compensation. He’s happy to share them, and even give them up — for the right price. And too often, he feels, he hasn’t been able to set the terms for negotiations when he has the leveraged position.

“I’m not going to give away balls that are really precious to me for kind of a pittance,” Edlund said. “I’m just not.”

Much of the animosity from fans toward McCovey Cove Dave stems from a month ago, on Aug. 15, when he snagged Harris’ grand slam. Edlund held on to the souvenir; accounts differ on what led to that decision.

The standard offer, delivered by a representative from each team for away home runs, is a signed bat and ball from the player who hit the home run.

A lifelong Giants fan, Edlund had no interest in Harris memorabilia, so he said he asked the Giants’ representative for discounted parking in the Pier 30/32 lot. He said he pays between $40 and $60 for parking every game.

The Giants employee, through a team spokesman, said Edlund asked for a lifetime parking pass.

Edlund sees himself as an unofficial ambassador of the team, someone who organizes fan events and has generated myriad attention for the Giants. Sunday was his 737th game in McCovey Cove and his goal is to reach 1,000 — more than any Giants player has played at Oracle Park. Discounted parking, he thought, was fair. But the Giants stuck to the classic bat-and-ball offer.

Complicating the drama was an erroneous report from The Athletic that said Edlund asked for a job in San Francisco’s front office in exchange for the ball. Edlund didn’t want a job, he wanted to use the parking lot that team employees and media members use. But the story nevertheless went viral, painting Edlund as a bad-faith negotiator.

The Ramos ball hasn’t even drawn a negotiation.

Edlund didn’t have trouble getting the ball because there wasn’t much competition in the water. Many regulars stayed home because the Padres had a left-handed starter on the mound, Edlund said. Even Edlund wasn’t planning on going to the game, but he’d auctioned off a day with him on the water to a local high school’s charity.

Edlund is considering offering the Giants a year of displaying the Ramos ball in exchange for a year of parking. He also plans to ask if the National Baseball Hall of Fame would want to display it temporarily.

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Edlund is fairly certain of how a possible negotiation would go. In his experience, the Giants have always been hard-lined at the bat-and-ball offer. In 2014, he retrieved Tyler Colvin’s Splash Hit — No. 65 all-time — and was declined when he offered to give it to the team for an alternate orange Friday jersey.

“There’s only been (65) and you can’t even get a jersey for it?” Edlund said. “What that tells me is that ball doesn’t really mean that much, it means a lot more to me.”

Edlund has made deals with the Giants before, like with Carlos Beltran’s 300th home run or Charlie Blackmon’s 200th, he said.

Some of Edlund’s most prized possessions are Pablo Sandoval and Brandon Belt home run balls. Since he has developed relationships with each — at charity functions and fan events — he said he wants those balls to go to the players, if they’re interested, when he dies. Others will go to fellow kayakers and friends. He plays favorites.

It’s not a conventional system, but the way Edlund essentially sees it: his baseballs, his prerogative.

Edlund is a big fan of Ramos and hopes to get to know him, too. Roberto Clemente was Edlund’s favorite player growing up, and Ramos — a Puerto Rico native — hit the homer while wearing Clemente’s No. 21 on Roberto Clemente Day.

But Edlund said he doesn’t plan on giving Ramos the ball anytime soon. And if the Giants eventually approach him, he said his negotiating position has changed; he wants free parking now, not reduced price.

“I feel like I’ve earned it by giving love to my fellow fans, and I actually create value for the Giants,” he said. “The franchise value, the park, is impacted by the activity in McCovey Cove. If it’s a fun destination, it makes the park more iconic. And I try to do that. If they threw me a few peanuts along the way, it’s OK.”