Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 381

Kamala Harris to accept Democratic nomination amid buzz about who else will be on DNC stage. Watch it live here

It’s the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago where Vice President Kamala Harris will accept her party’s presidential nomination before the campaign versus former President Donald Trump begins in earnest.

Democratic delegates are excited about Harris’ nomination at the United Center Thursday, but there’s as much buzz about who will be performing before she comes on stage.

Related ArticlesNational Politics | Despite rumors, no surprise performance from Beyoncé or Taylor Swift at DNC National Politics | Female delegates at the DNC are wearing white to honor women’s suffrage on night of Harris’ speech National Politics | The politics holding back Medicaid expansion in some Southern states National Politics | Trump uses a stretch of border wall and a pile of steel beams in Arizona to contrast with Democrats National Politics | Trump posted a fake Taylor Swift image. AI and deepfakes are only going to get worse this election cycle

A full schedule released around 5 p.m. didn’t have all the details of the night but pop singer Pink is expected to perform. She was seen practicing during a sound check earlier Thursday. The country group The Chicks are scheduled to perform the national anthem. But there’s also been increased speculation that megastar singer Beyoncé will make a surprise appearance.

On social media earlier Thursday, White House political director Emmy Ruiz posted an emoji of a bee, which is a mascot for the “Beyhive.” Ruiz later wrote, “Sorry guys my 6 year old took my phone.”

Harris secured the rights to use Beyoncé’s 2016 song “Freedom” as a campaign theme song. Her music label issued a cease and desist letter to Trump’s campaign for using the song in a social media post.

Also earlier Thursday, the band inside the United Center appeared to be teasing listeners by performing a Beyoncé song, and others could hear music from Taylor Swift, who also has been the subject of speculation she would appear before Harris accepts the presidential nomination.

On Wednesday, country folk singer Maren Morris performed as well as legend Stevie Wonder. Before Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz accepted the party’s vice presidential nomination, John Legend and Sheila E. performed Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy.”

The theme of the final night at the DNC is “For Our Future.”

Watch her speech here:

Female delegates at the DNC are wearing white to honor women’s suffrage on night of Harris’ speech

By MEG KINNARD, Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — If you think you’re seeing a lot of women wearing white during the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, you don’t need to adjust your television set.

There appeared to be a coordinated effort among female delegates and Democratic supporters as they arrived at the United Center on Thursday afternoon, with security lines and convention floor seats filling up with women clad in white suits, dresses and other attire.

So when Vice President Kamala Harris takes the stage for to accept the Democratic presidential nomination — becoming the first Black woman, and only the second woman overall, to do so — she will be looking out across a sea filled with the color of women’s suffrage, the movement that culminated with American women securing the right to vote in 1920.

The homage is a couture callback to other momentous political events in which women wearing white has played a role, particularly for other glass ceiling moments.

Hillary Clinton donned a white suit when she accepted the Democratic Party’s 2016 presidential nomination. And Geraldine Ferraro — the first female candidate for vice president — wore white when she accepted that nomination at Democrats’ 1984 convention.

There have been other moments, too. In 2019, the women of the U.S. House put on a visual display of solidarity during the State of the Union, joined by some of their male colleagues clad in white jackets or ribbons in support. A year later, on the 100-year anniversary of women’s suffrage, congressional women yet again donned white, as a commitment to defending women’s rights overall.

And again, earlier this year, the Democratic Women’s Caucus announced that many of its members would wear white to the State of the Union, intended as a message in support of reproductive rights.

What is Cal’s plan at quarterback? Don’t ask coach Justin Wilcox

BERKELEY — There was no announcement about a starting quarterback from Cal coach Justin Wilcox on Thursday.

And there may not be one prior to the Bears’ season opener Aug. 31 against UC Davis.

Returning starter Fernando Mendoza and transfer newcomers Chandler Rogers and CJ Harris have competed through 19 days of fall camp, without one jumping above the others, Wilcox said.

“We don’t have anything to announce right now, but Fernando, Chandler, CJ, all those guys have had really, really strong camps,” Wilcox said in his first visit with reporters since Saturday’s second fall scrimmage.

Wilcox declined to make clear whether he will name a starter before the game or might play two or three quarterbacks against the FCS-level Aggies.

“We’ll have a plan going into the game,” he said, “but how much we share is . . . you’re probably going to be wanting more information. I’ll put it that way.”

All three have made significant improvements, said Wilcox, who is specifically pleased with their decision-making.

Mendoza started the Bears’ final eight games last season, including the Independence Bowl loss to Texas Tech. He completed 63 percent of his passes with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and his best game came in the Big Game win at Stanford, where he was 24-for-36 for 294 yards, three scores and an interception.

Harris transferred in May from Ohio, where he stepped in for the end of the 2022 season and helped the Bobcats reach the Mid-American Conference championship game and win the Arizona Bowl. He opened last season as Ohio’s starter but left with an injury in Week 2 and missed the rest of the season.

Rogers started his career at Southern Mississippi, then spent time at Blinn College and Louisiana-Monroe before returning to FBS play at North Texas last season with 29 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He arrived in Berkeley last winter.

With barely a week left before the opener, here are five things we learned during fall camp:

TRANSFERS RULE AT WIDEOUT

The Bears’ wide receiver group, bolstered by a strong transfer class, is deeper, faster and more talented than a year ago. Junior Trond Grizzell, who evolved from a walk-on to the team’s top returning pass catcher, likely won’t even start.

Transfers Kyion Grayes (Ohio State), Tobias Merriweather (Notre Dame) and Mikey Matthews (Utah) have emerged as the first unit, although Merriweather and Matthews have missed some practice time with minor injuries.

Grizzell remains a factor, and the Bears also expect production from Mason Starling, Mavin Anderson and Nyziah Hunter.

KEEPING OTT HEALTHY

The coaching staff has limited star running back Jaydn Ott’s exposure to hits in live scrimmages, and he is expected to enter the season fully healthy. The pecking order behind him remains a bit muddled but Wilcox said he expects Old Dominion transfer Kadarius Calloway, Oakland native Jaivian Thomas and Byron Cardwell, formerly of Oregon, all to see game action.

O-LINE CAROUSEL

Players have been shuffled on the first-team offensive line, partly because staring right guard Sioape Vatikani has been out with an injury, and partly in an effort to create more depth and flexibility in the event of injuries during the season.

Redshirt freshman Nick Morrow, who played tight end and defensive end in high school, continues to impress at left tackle and is scheduled to start against Davis. Wilcox said the 6-foot-8, 305-pounder from Flagstaff, Arizona, has a high ceiling and the coaching staff will be patient as he learns the position.

VETERAN PASS RUSHERS

Outside linebackers David Reese and Xavier Carlton, who both finished last season strong and opted to utilize their seventh and fifth college seasons, respectively, have become leaders and should boost a pass rush that was erratic last season.

DEFENSIVE IMPORTS

After their worst defensive season in seven years under Wilcox, the Bears went heavy into the transfer portal in the offseason. Three defensive players — tackle T.J. Bollers (Wisconsin), inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan (UC Davis) and cornerback Marcus Harris (Idaho / Oregon State) appear to have won starting jobs. Inside linebacker Liam Johnson, a two-time First-Team All-Ivy pick and Defensive Player of the Year at Princeton, has been banged up but will see playing time when he becomes healthy.

Monterey-Salinas Transit sends letter in response to Coastal Commission staff report

MONTEREY – With the next California Coastal Commission meetings scheduled for Sept. 11-13 in Monterey, the Monterey-Salinas Transit Board of Directors Chair and the General Manager and CEO of MST have sent a letter to the commission in response to its staff report recommending denying permits to build the SURF! Busway, saying it has identified 42 omissions, errors and misunderstandings of facts in the Commission staff report.

The Coastal Commission was to hear two items pertaining to the Monterey-Salinas Transit’s proposed SURF Busway and Bus Rapid Transit Project between the cities of Marina and Sand City at its meeting earlier this month, but MST requested a postponement after the staff report was published where it recommended denial of both Coastal Development Permits.

In a combined staff report on the two related items issued in late July, the California Coastal Commission’s staff recommendation was “substantial issue and denial of both CDPs (Coastal Development Permits).”

The Coastal Commission staff recommendation summary said in part, “The Coastal Commission fully supports many of the goals and objectives underlying the proposed project, including facilitating less car-centric transportation options, particularly in terms of enhancing transit options for lower-income riders, environmental justice communities, and the general public, but that this particular proposal is not approvable in dune ESHA (environmentally sensitive habitat area) under the law, and alternative projects that avoid dune ESHA need to be pursued instead.”

But Monterey-Salinas Transit says it is correcting the record “over flawed Coastal Commission review of SURF! Busway Project.” MST says it has “identified 42 omissions, errors and misunderstandings of facts in the Commission staff report of the SURF! Busway Project released last month.”

The letter was sent by MST Board Chair Mary Anne Carbone on behalf of the Board of Directors, and MST General Manager and CEO Carl Sedoryk.

MST’s letter says it notes most flaws in the staff report fall into three general categories, conflict resolution issues, purpose and need for the SURF! Project and alternatives evaluation.

On the conflict resolution issue, the letter says, “Approving the SURF! Project after a conflict resolution analysis is consistent with prior Coastal Commission approvals of similar transit projects. Indeed, the Commission has many times approved highway construction projects which permanently impact ESHA under a conflict resolution analysis. The SURF! Project, being a public transportation project with verifiable GHG (greenhouse gas) emission reductions, should be analyzed consistently with highway projects that primarily benefit passenger car transportation.”

Under the purpose and need for the SURF! Project, it says, “While the staff report acknowledges that they support the social and environmental goals of the SURF! project, it minimizes the actual positive outcomes that will be achieved….The purpose of the project is integrally related to problems MST experiences operating in unpredictable and unreliable stop and go traffic. The purpose of the project is to take the vagaries of traffic congestion out of the equation and provide high-quality public transit for those who need it most, including those who wish to access coastal recreational resources.”

In the evaluation of alternative design routes for the SURF! Project, the letter states “It should be noted that the SURF! project has undergone several design changes before project approval by the MST Board of Directors in July 2021. Some early design ideas impacted more ESHA than the project proposed today. Throughout project design and planning, the MST design and project team were very thoughtful and careful about minimizing impacts to ESHA. Over the project development phase, MST already significantly reduced ESHA impacts before even submitting the SURF! project to the Commission in March 2023.”

The next California Coastal Commission meetings will be held at the Portola Plaza Hotel and Spa in downtown Monterey where the two items are scheduled to be heard at the Sept. 12 meeting.

The two items scheduled for a Coastal Commission’s hearing that were previously postponed are first, an appeal by Keep Fort Ord Wild and Margaret Davis of the city of Marina decision granting permit with conditions to Monterey-Salinas Transit to construct an approximately 500-foot-long segment of a 30-foot wide two-lane bus road (part of a larger nearly 4.5-mile long bus road project) and associated development within the Monterey Branch Line rail corridor and in the dunes under Highway 1 near the Del Monte Boulevard southbound onramp in Marina.

And second, an application by Monterey-Salinas Transit to construct a nearly 4.5-mile long, 30-foot wide two-lane bus road and associated development (including retaining walls, grading, lighting, and drainage features) within the Monterey Branch Line rail corridor and to construct an approximately 700-foot long extension of Beach Range Road, seaward of Highway 1 and in the dunes between the cities of Marina and Sand City within unincorporated Monterey County.

The SURF! Busway will run between Marina and Sand City with the northern terminus located at MST’s Marina Transit Exchange at Reservation and De Forest roads and the southern terminus located at Contra Costa Street in Sand City. (MST/TAMC/City of Sand City)

MST says SURF! is a five-mile, two-lane busway proposed along the rail corridor parallel to Highway 1 that will integrate with existing Line 20 Salinas-Monterey service.

The Transportation Agency for Monterey County purchased the unused line from the Union Pacific Railroad to preserve it as a transportation corridor for mass transportation purposes only with a grant from State Proposition 116 funds in 2003.

Proposition 116 of 1990 enacted the Clean Air and Transportation Improvement Act, designating $1.99 billion for specific projects, purposes, and geographic jurisdictions, primarily for passenger rail capital projects.

The California Transportation Commission approved an allocation of $9,370,000 Proposition 116 funds for the acquisition of the Monterey Branch Line right of way for the purpose of establishing passenger rail in the corridor. The allocation of funds was approved with the condition that TAMC establish passenger rail within ten years, but the ten-year requirement was not met and TAMC will be required to refund the money or issue the state a credit for the present value.

Todd Muck, executive director of TAMC said since the 10-year grant requirement expired “we’re going through the process of rectifying that so it is no longer a conflict,” adding the issue needs to be resolved regardless of the outcome for the SURF! Busway project.

Marina Coast replacing critical water main, storage tanks

MARINA – Marina Coast Water District is closing in on a $1.8 million project to replace more than 2,000 feet of a water main along California Avenue in Marina after crews discovered failures in the system at the beginning of the year.

On Wednesday, Marina Coast General Manager Remleh Scherzinger cautioned that there will likely be slow nighttime traffic along California Avenue and Imjin Parkway, but that no daytime delays are expected.

Traffic control measures are in place to manage the flow of traffic. While one lane may be closed, no major traffic stoppages are expected. The night work takes place from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Work on the 24-inch diameter water main is expected to be wrapped up by the end of the month.

At the beginning of the year crews were working along a section of the pipeline – actually two lines, a primary and secondary – when they discovered poor conditions that could have led to a failure if not addressed, Scherzinger said.

“We had a failure on the primary, and while crews were repairing the primary they found the secondary was failing as well,” he said, prompting emergency replacement of the line.

The project will replace1,675 feet of water pipeline along the northbound lane of California Avenue from Marina Heights Drive to Imjin Parkway and east on Imjin for about 400 feet.

The new pipeline is made of Ductile iron, an extremely durable and long-lasting material. It’s an industry standard for water and wastewater systems and is stronger and more durable than what’s known best as PVC pipe. It can withstand ground shifts and heavy pressures.

The $1.79 million project is part of an extensive program of water and sewer system upgrades and replacements during the fiscal year that began on July 1. One critical project is the replacement of aging U.S. Army storage tanks with two 1.6-million-gallon potable water tanks and a new booster pump station to move the water.

The project will increase the water storage capacity for water district customers by approximately 3.2 million gallons by replacing a 70-year-old existing storage tank and pump station built by the Army. The project will provide storage for drinking water for central Marina, as well as pumping 100% of water needed in the Ord community.

The site acts as a forebay for the district, conveying water not only to central Marina and the Ord community, but also to CSU Monterey Bay and parts of Seaside.

“In essence, every drop of water that comes out of the tap within the district will travel through these tanks,” said Derek Cray, the water district’s operations and maintenance manager.

In 2018, the university granted the water district the easements to build the water storage site on an existing parking lot.

In addition to supplying drinking water, the increased storage will also remedy the inadequate fire protection afforded by the severely undersized current water tank, which holds only 167,000 gallons.

Cal State Monterey Bay gears up for a new year with new construction

SEASIDE >> Thursday was a busy day at Cal State Monterey Bay, with students moving into their housing assignments for the upcoming year and guests attending the project launch for a $38 million science and engineering building.

Wednesday and Thursday were move-in days for new and returning students. First-year students moved into residential halls Wednesday and second, third and fourth-years had their turn to move in Thursday.

This semester has proved a challenge for some students to secure their preferred housing. A boost in enrollment led to more students hoping to take advantage of school housing. Administrators have been trying to help more than 60 students get off the waitlist before the semester begins on Monday.

With the uptick in calls and emails from anxious students, some have had a difficult time getting through to the housing department. Katie Sarkany, a second-year biology major, has “a love-hate relationship with (housing)” since she struggled to get in contact with the department regarding her assignment and has only recently been assigned a roommate.

Now that the housing situation is settled, Sarkany looks forward to participating in classes for both her ecology, evolution and organismal biology concentration as well as her minor in Japanese language.

The Sarkany family moving second-year Katie into her North Quad apartment. (Andrea Valadez – Monterey Herald)

Veteran students like fourth-year Ava Velasco have had a bit of a smoother journey this summer. “(Move-in) has been pretty good so far,” said Velasco. “This is my fourth time doing it so it’s kind of the same old.”

Down the street in the parking lot next to the Chapman Science Academic Center, around 60 people were on campus for different reasons than Velasco and Sarkany, but with equal excitement.

This group gathered to celebrate the project launch of the Edward “Ted” Taylor Science and Engineering Building. The 20,000-square-foot building will contain workspaces, state-of-the-art laboratories and host the marine science and new mechatronics engineering programs.

Taylor Farms has been invested in seeing this building come to fruition since the idea came up seven years ago. “We’re grateful to have (the building) named after my dad,” said Taylor Farms Chairman and CEO Bruce Taylor.

Taylor described his father as an energetic, competitive lover of capitalism who “saw that as a way to build wealth for the community. His philanthropic endeavors really entailed providing good jobs for people … so it’s wonderful to be able to honor his legacy.”

Digital rendering of CSUMB’s new Edward “Ted” Taylor Science and Engineering Building. (Courtesy of CSUMB)

Funding was provided from various donors including the Taylor family, Roberta “Bertie” Bialek Elliott and the Packard Foundation. The Biden-Harris Inflation Reduction Act provided the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with $3.3 billion to continue its commitment to climate resilience; NOAA has dedicated $7 million to build the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The new sanctuary facility will be located within the Taylor Science and Engineering Building.

Through the Inflation Reduction Act, NOAA also granted $71.1 million to the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s efforts to address the effects of wildfires and flooding in the region. The foundation created a $2 million program to fund internships for CSUMB and other local colleges students.

“It’s been a really great partnership over the years,” said John Armor, director of the office of national marine sanctuaries at NOAA. “We’re really excited for this building and now being colocated here will be a new chapter in that relationship going forward and will blossom additional opportunities for internships, partnerships, product development (and) outreach.”

Though the timeline is not set in stone yet, it is anticipated that the building will be completed in around three years, according to Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Andrew Lawson.

“It does take vision and leadership and it’s just been continual seeing a vision for what could be and sticking to continually pressing it forward,” said Lawson. “It’s been a lot of hard work and determination on some folks’ part … it’s really been the collective work of a lot of people.”

The plans for the building began seven years ago and it has been led by former and current CSUMB presidents Eduardo Ochoa and Vanya Quiñones, NOAA officials, community donors and Congressman Jimmy Panetta to secure the funding to develop the building.

Left to right: Taylor Farms Chairman and CEO Bruce Taylor, CSUMB mascot Monte, President Vanya Quiñones and Provost Andrew Lawson. (Andrea Valadez – Monterey Herald)

Panetta was unable to attend the ceremony in person as he is currently in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention, but recorded virtual remarks that were shown Thursday.

“What better place for the location of this office than right here at CSUMB?,” asked Panetta. “A place where students, scientists and environmentalists come together to learn, collaborate and do more on conservation efforts so they too can fulfill the responsibilities necessary in protecting the wellbeing of the sanctuary and to become future stewards of our community.”

The new emphasis in mechatronics and engineering is a strategic plan to get students involved in the local marine science and agriculture industries, according to Quiñones.

“Our aim is to make sure that our students move forward,” she said. “So by creating these opportunities in areas that are critical to Monterey Bay, we are also creating opportunities for our students to move forward and make a difference in the region.”

Kurtenbach: The SF Giants can’t fool us again

We don’t have to pretend anymore.

All that wishful thinking and scoreboard-watching can stop right now.

The Giants disqualified themselves from playoff contention on Wednesday.

Not officially disqualified, of course — the team entered Thursday 3.5 games back of the third and final wild card spot in the National League with a month-plus of games to play — but spiritually, and irrevocably.

You cannot lose to the Chicago White Sox and be treated like a serious ball club. Sorry, those are the rules. I don’t make them, but I will enforce them.

The White Sox had the most losses in the history of baseball going into the All-Star Game and since the All-Star Game are 4-26.

Four and Twenty-Six!

And one of those four wins came Wednesday, when Bob Melvin decided to get weird in the top of the ninth inning, lifting Logan Webb (five hits, two runs against in eight innings) after 93 pitches, and rolling out the two back-of-the-bullpen relievers — Erik Miller and then Spencer Bivens — in a 2-2 game.

By the time the Giants came to the plate in the bottom half of the frame, the game was over, with the Sox winning by four.

I’d say this is the equivalent of Cal football losing to the Big Sky’s UC Davis next Saturday, but that’s insulting to the Aggies, who are ranked No. 17 in the FCS preseason poll.

Related ArticlesSan Francisco Giants | What is Cal’s plan at quarterback? Don’t ask coach Justin Wilcox San Francisco Giants | Staring down NL’s toughest schedule, SF Giants can’t complete sweep of MLB’s worst team San Francisco Giants | SF Giants expect Patrick Bailey to miss minimal time with oblique strain San Francisco Giants | Robbie Ray rebounds as SF Giants win 3rd straight, clinch series vs. White Sox San Francisco Giants | Dissecting Patrick Bailey’s second-half struggles as SF Giants place catcher on IL

In a Giants season highlighted by ups and downs, always, aggravatingly, finding a way to even out, Wednesday marked a new nadir for this team. Yes, the manager blew it, but that’s not a game that should need to be managed. The Giants should be able to take care of the White Sox with Melvin and the coaching staff sitting in the back room, pounding brews.

And while there will be highs again, surely — Matt Chapman will get hot, someone else will join him in hitting, and Webb and Blake Snell will win games — they won’t mean anything.

Just like the four-game sweep of the Rockies and the three straight series wins at the beginning of the month didn’t mean anything.

To reach 86 wins — a conservative estimate of what it will take to make the playoffs — the Giants will need to win 22 of their final 33 games.

Needless to say, that kind of winning clip — against a hellacious September schedule, no less — isn’t in the cards, even if the Giants somehow find a way to technically be in the playoff race by the time they play the Cards in the final series of the season.

So spare me the optimism that San Francisco won the series and that they didn’t lose ground in the wild card race after Wednesday’s loss. Those orange-colored glasses need a new prescription if you see this team as anything different than what it has already been.

The Giants told us everything we need to know about them in that series with the White Sox.

Not just in the loss, but in the general inability to kick the behinds of what is perhaps the worst team in big-league history. (As someone who grew up a die-hard White Sox fan and still goes to at least one game in Chicago every year — good times or bad — such statements hurt me in places only an elite therapist can reach.)

These guys are not ready for prime time. Whether this season is an underachievement or not is up for debate, but the quality of this team is not. They’re middling, barely above .500, and not on the level of squads that will play in October.

We know the larger issues at play. I don’t need to rehash why I think director of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi needs to be shown the door this offseason (or earlier).

But there is a context of this waste of a season that I feel has been overlooked:

The Giants are in fourth place in the National League West, and that status isn’t changing.

This was a team that, a few years ago, was competing with the Dodgers. A team that somehow, some way won 107 games. It hinted at the possibility that the two largest markets on the West Coast — two of the richest teams in baseball — would take their rivalry to another level.

The Dodgers have lapped them since. Probably twice.

Meanwhile, the Padres, even as underachievers, have achieved far more than the Giants this decade, and the Diamondbacks — the cash-strapped, barn-dwelling Snakes — have been better, too.

That’s what’s unacceptable. That’s why heads need to roll. I don’t care if the division is “stacked” or “loaded” — a fourth-place team deserves no quarter in a playoff conversation, and the Giants have proven themselves to be exactly that this season.

Horoscopes Aug. 22, 2024: Kristen Wiig, your patience and practice will pay off

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Keith Powers, 32; James Corden, 46; Kristen Wiig, 51; Ty Burrell, 57.

Happy Birthday: Formulate a long-term plan, but keep your intentions private, or a copycat will take credit for your ideas. Launch your plans when you feel confident you have left nothing out. You will receive glory for the ingenuity, substance and the flair you bring to your presentation. Nothing worthwhile happens overnight. Your patience and practice will pay off this year, and commitment will lead to stability. Your numbers are 6, 18, 23, 27, 32, 39, 45.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Look at situations thoroughly. Leave nothing to chance or up to someone else. Be responsible and do whatever it takes to ensure you give your all and do your best. Be aware of how you feel mentally and physically, and adjust what’s necessary to ensure your safety. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A change will face complexities at a social level, but if you are true to yourself and honest in your approach, you will weather the storm and come out on top. Trust your instincts, do your research and don’t infringe on your reputation or financial intake. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Unexpected change will be difficult to control. Distance yourself from what’s unfolding, and you’ll gain clarity regarding how to respond. A controlled situation will be easier to navigate and to help those you love. Stay calm and lead the way, and something good will transpire. 4 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Size up situations using your intuition and investigative tactics, and you’ll find a way to turn whatever transpires into something that works well for you. A unique approach to an old idea will transform it into something marketable. Put your energy where it counts, and rewards will follow. 2 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Gather all the facts before drawing conclusions. Someone will offer an unrealistic version of a situation that can lead to a costly mistake. Invest time and effort into something you believe in that doesn’t depend on another’s reliability. 5 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Sit tight, observe and decide on your next move. Understanding the dynamics and personalities involved in whatever situation you face is essential before participating in something that can influence your position, finances or reputation. Show commitment. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A change of scenery will encourage you to see situations differently. Participate in events or activities that stimulate your mind and fine-tune your body. The results will prepare you to make a meaningful move that paves a path to new people, places and prospects. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Engaging in something you’ve never tried will pique your creative imagination and encourage you to indulge in a new adventure. Spending time with someone unlike yourself will help expand your interests and mind and change your perspective regarding life, love and happiness. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Share only what’s necessary. The less information you offer, the easier it is to fly under the radar and accomplish your goals. Create opportunities, and build a solid base to house your plans. Trust your instincts and be wary of what others do or say. 5 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Put your emotions aside and listen and observe. Let your actions be your voice once you have accumulated enough information to make an intelligent decision. Changing your plans will bring you closer to someone you love and respect. Let them come to you, and you’ll gain security. 2 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Consider your financial position and how you can improve by upgrading your skills or using them differently. Don’t let changes going on around you distract or confuse you. Focus on what you can achieve and who will support your efforts. A partnership looks promising. 4 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Refuse to get upset or allow anyone to play with your emotions. Set high standards, and you’ll discover that worthwhile people will rise to meet your demands. You can’t buy love, but you can win hearts through loyalty and commitment. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are capable, precise and curious. You are mindful and intuitive.

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. 

‘Mr. Warrior,’ ‘The Destroyer,’ and a ‘Protector’: Warriors legends remember Alvin Attles

The Warriors were one win away from completing the greatest NBA Finals upset in basketball history when Mike Riordan tried to tackle Rick Barry.

Barry, Golden State’s star player, couldn’t believe that the Washington Bullets guard climbed his back as he dribbled to his left. Standing on the baseline, he was irate.

But before Barry could defend himself, his coach sprinted off the bench to confront Riordan and his Washington teammate, Wes Unseld. Alvin Attles, knowing he couldn’t let his best player get ejected from the clinching game, took on the confrontation head-on so Barry didn’t have to.

For years, Attles was known as “The Destroyer” because of his hard-nosed play with the Warriors. But really, he was something different.

“He really was kind of like a protector,” Barry told this news organization in a phone interview Wednesday. “He was a very peaceful guy, a very caring individual. But he also was incredibly tough.”

Attles got ejected in Game 4, but the Warriors, like they did so often that postseason, came back to win and sweep Washington for the 1975 championship. It was the pinnacle of the Warriors organization on the West Coast to that point, and as with so many of the greatest moments of the franchise, Attles was at the center of it — putting his team in front of himself.

“I think Al had a personality of goodness on and off the court,” said longtime Warriors broadcaster Jim Barnett, who played for Attles for three seasons.

“And I think he lived a life that was respectable on and off the court. Never cheated anyone, never cheated the fans by not giving your best at all times. And never cheating life by taking shortcuts and falling into things that aren’t ethical. He was a very ethical man. He did that on the court and off the court in his private life. He lived an ethical life, and I think that carried through to a lot of us and gave us a lot of lessons.”

Attles died on Tuesday at age 87 surrounded by family. He had suffered with dementia for the past several years, which cut into his duties as Warriors Legend and Community Ambassador. But for 64 years, as a player, coach, general manager, executive and Legend, the Hall of Famer represented the Warriors like no person has any NBA franchise.

“The original Warrior: Mr. Warrior,” Golden State head coach Steve Kerr said in a video after Attles’ passing. “One man who was employed by the same franchise for over 60 years – unprecedented in sports. Al was really the figurehead of this organization.”

In an Instagram story, Steph Curry echoed Kerr, saying Attles, “was a pioneer of professionalism, courage, competitiveness and blazed his own trail every step of the way.”

Attles is one of six Warriors with his jersey number hanging in the Chase Center rafters. On the night his teammate, Wilt Chamberlain, made history by scoring 100 points, he added 17 while going a perfect 8-for-8 from the field. Attles was with the Warriors for six decades in a league that is seven decades old, and his 557 wins as a coach remains a franchise record.

Barry first met Attles when he was a rookie in 1965. They were roommates, and as Barry remembers it, they grew close despite not always sharing the same living preferences. Attles liked turning the thermostat up, Barry recalls. He forced Barry to watch his television programs with him – shows Barry couldn’t stand.

“I always tell everyone that I give great credit to Al Attles for giving me the incentive for playing exceptionally well my rookie year, so I would be in a position to negotiate a single room the next year,” Barry said.

Barry did just that, winning Rookie of the Year by averaging 25.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game as Attles’ roommate. Barry earned himself a single living arrangement and led the league in scoring the next year before leaving for the ABA.

When Barry returned to the NBA, Attles was coaching the Warriors. With Barry and Nate Thurmond leading the charge, Attles became the second Black head coach in NBA history to win an NBA championship in 1975. The Bullets had the best record in the league, but the Warriors swept them in a stunning upset that will be the subject of a 2025 documentary that’s in its “final stages,” Barry said.

“I just wish Al could still be around to have seen it,” Barry said.

Attles coached that 1975 team, and his other clubs from 1970-1983, as a taskmaster and mentor. He was no-nonsense, but also had a sense of humor. Barnett, the legendary broadcaster, said his head coach was a “big influence” on him and his career.

“I learned about teamwork, for sure,” Barnett said. “I kicked around a lot because I wasn’t a player like Rick Barry or Nate Thurmond, obviously. So I had a lot of different coaches and a lot of different teammates. Al had a way of unifying a team to play six, seven, eight men and making you feel important. If you were the 11th man on the team, he was inclusive. He made everybody feel a part of the team and made everyone feel important, whatever their contribution was, it was that we were a team.”

Related ArticlesGolden State Warriors | Photos: Warriors Hall of Famer Al Attles throughout the years Golden State Warriors | Hall of Famer Al Attles, Warriors legend and title-winning coach, dies at 87 Golden State Warriors | Steve Kerr references Steph Curry in DNC speech endorsing VP Kamala Harris Golden State Warriors | Warriors will head to Hawaii for training camp Golden State Warriors | Report: LeBron James’ agent shut down potential Warriors trade

Attles stayed involved with the Warriors organization and continued making everyone feel like a team — in meetings and dinners with team executives, at games and in community appearances. One of the first things Kerr did when he got hired was invite Attles to speak with the team. Forty years after the 1975 championship, Attles rode through downtown Oakland with his wife, Wilhelmina, with the 2015 champion Warriors.

Attles remained active in the Bay Area as a Warriors legend and community ambassador, and so did his family. Wilhelmina famously taught Juan Toscano-Anderson in elementary school and gifted him an invitation to Warriors Basketball Camp, kick-starting what became a successful career that peaked with the Warriors from 2019-2022.

Barnett called Attles a “terrific coach and a terrific man.” In recent years, as Attles was sick, Barnett got occasional lunch with his son, Al Attles III and visited his former head coach a couple times. Barry also spent some quality time with Attles recently.

“He knew who I was,” Barry said, “And in fact his first question to me was, ‘How’s your jump shot?’ I started laughing and said, ‘Al, I’m too old to have a jump shot, I can’t jump anymore.’”

The Bay Area sports community has lost Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, and now Attles this year. As Curry put it in his Instagram story, Attles’ DNA is all over this organization.”

“It’s not about me,” Attles said in an old interview included in the Warriors’ tribute video to him. “It’s about my grandchildren, my children, and all young people who can look up and say, ‘You know, maybe one day I’ll be able to do that.’”

49ers’ Kyle Shanahan offers latest clues to Aiyuk, Williams stalemates

SANTA CLARA — A month since training camp opened, Kyle Shanahan is still talking about the 49ers’ contract stalemates with Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams, but one sounds closer to ending than the other.

Williams, a three-time All-Pro left tackle, has yet to report in person to the 49ers. But he has been in touch with his coach.

“I’ve had some contact with him. It’s been good talking to him,” Shanahan said Thursday in his weekly appearance on KNBR 680-AM. “We’re negotiating hard. Hopefully it’s getting close.”

Williams has accrued $3.15 million in fines for his contract holdout, and he stands to lose another $1.1 million if he does not report by Friday’s preseason finale at the Las Vegas Raiders.

Aiyuk has avoided such fines by staging a hold-in, having reported to camp on time 30 days ago but not participating in any of the 19 practices. He was not seen at practice on Wednesday and Thursday after watching three sessions last week.

“So much has changed. No, I’m just joking. No new updates,” Shanahan said. “I’m sorry to keep being boring about that. I wish I was saying something different, but nothing has changed yet.”

KNBR host Tom Tolbert followed up by asking how Aiyuk’s back is, since that is the injury excuse cited for practice absences. “From what I hear, he’s still working through it,” Shanahan said.

The 49ers seem less concerned about Williams skipping camp, seeing how he’s entering his 16th season, most of which has been in this offensive system.

DeSean Jackson, a former teammate of Williams in Washington, revealed on the FS1 show “Speak” he spoke with Williams and expects an imminent deal.

“I don’t think we need to panic, I just was on a phone call with my boy Trent,” Jackson said. “He’s working out. And when I say he’s working out, he’s in that (Houston) gym, man. And you know what, a little insight. I don’t want to talk too much, but I’m going to give y’all a little something.Related ArticlesSan Francisco 49ers | With final cuts looming, 49ers defense has depth and options San Francisco 49ers | Kurtenbach: 4 under-the-radar lessons from 49ers training camp San Francisco 49ers | Can ex-Stanford LB Robinson crack 49ers’ 53-man roster after turning down his shot elsewhere? San Francisco 49ers | 49ers rookie digging in as likely season-opening starter after veteran’s surgery San Francisco 49ers | Will Shanahan choose Allen or Dobbs as 49ers’ backup QB?

“They’re working on something, man. I think they are going to make it right for my boy to come in there, man. He might be showing up a little late. He’s got some fines and some fees he might have to take care of, but he’s gonna be there, man. So 49ers fans, it’s going to be alright. So y’all take it easy, but honestly, he’ll be there shortly.”

Shanahan discreetly dropped more offensive line news in his KNBR segment, saying that among Brock Purdy’s protectors in Sunday’s preseason game was their “starting right guard,” which was rookie Dominick Puni, who’s taken all first-team reps since the third practice of camp.

NFL Network’s Mike Garfolo reported that the 49ers and Aiyuk’s representative, Ryan Williams, have talked in recent days, adding: “They’re close and within striking distance but it hasn’t happened.” A trade to the Steelers remains in play, Garofolo added.

If Aiyuk is not available come the regular-season opener Sept. 9 against the New York Jets, Shanahan suggested that Jauan Jennings likely would be summoned to fill that starting role. Jennings has been sidelined recently by oblique, hip and ankle issues, however. First-round pick Ricky Pearsall remains out of practice with a shoulder injury after practicing just one week in camp, once he got cleared from an offseason hamstring strain.