Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 402

What to watch: Sha’Carri Richardson makes Olympic debut Friday

Sha’Carri Richardson makes her long-awaited Olympic debut as track and field rev up Friday at the Paris Olympics. Excitement in men’s soccer and tennis round out an action-packed day.

Here is a guide of what to look out for:

Richardson’s Olympic debut

Richardson missed the Tokyo Games because of a positive marijuana test at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials. She will debut as the favorite in the women’s 100-meter dash in a first-round heat that starts at 11:50 a.m. CEST (5:50 a.m. EDT).

Richardson is the reigning world champion in the event, and her 10.71-second sprint at the U.S. trials in June made her the fastest woman in the world this year.

Sha’Carri Richardson poses for a photo while riding with teammates on a boat with teammates along the Seine River during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on July 26, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Ashley Landis – Pool/Getty Images)

Shericka Jackson of Jamaica said Wednesday she will not run in the 100, where she was expected to challenge Richardson for gold. Richardson will still face tough competition from three-time Olympic gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica, who has won the race twice. Fraser-Pryce is competing in her fifth and final Olympics.

Elaine Thompson-Herah, the two-time reigning Olympic champion in the 100 and 200, will miss the Paris Games because of an injury.

Marchand looks to continue Paris dominance

France’s Léon Marchand aims for his fourth gold medal of the 2024 Games when he swims in the 200-meter individual medley at 8:43 p.m. CEST (2:43 EDT) at Paris La Defense Area.

Marchand dominated the 400 individual medley Sunday, then won the 200 butterfly and 200 breaststroke about two hours apart Wednesday night.

Leon Marchand, of France, competes in the men’s 200-meter individual medley at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Also Friday, American Caeleb Dressel will go for his ninth Olympic gold medal and second in Paris when he competes in the men’s 50-meter freestyle final at 8:30 p.m. CEST (2:30 p.m. EDT). Dressel anchored the U.S. men’s 4×100 freestyle relay team that won gold on Saturday.

Additionally, the women’s 200 backstroke final starts at 8:36 p.m. CEST (2:36 p.m. EDT).

U.S. men end drought, France and Argentina clash in men’s soccer

The U.S. men’s soccer team will play Morocco in its first Olympic quarterfinal match in 24 years — since the 2000 Sydney Games.

Related ArticlesOlympics | Paris Olympics: Here’s what’s on TV on Friday, Aug. 2 Olympics | Paris Olympics Day 6: Simone Biles shines for all-around gold; Summer McIntosh wins another medal Olympics | Simone Biles’ gold, by the numbers Olympics | Horse racing leaders consider Paris Olympics equestrian scandal a lesson for their sport Olympics | Nothing could go wrong: The story behind the Paris Olympics cauldron balloon

The Americans are playing in the Olympics for the first time since 2008. They bounced back from their opening loss to France by winning back-to-back games against New Zealand and Guinea.

The match is set to begin at 3 p.m. CEST (9 a.m. EDT) at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

The other men’s quarterfinal matchups are Japan vs. Spain starting at 5 p.m. CEST (11 a.m. EDT) at Lyon Stadium; and Egypt vs. Paraguay starting at 7 p.m. CEST (1 p.m. EDT) at Marseille Stadium.

A clash between bitter soccer rivals France and Argentina at 9 p.m. CEST (3 p.m. EDT) at Bordeaux Stadium will round out the night. It’s a rematch of the 2022 World Cup final in which Argentina won in a penalty shootout.

Excitement in men’s tennis

The men’s tennis singles semifinals will start at 12 p.m. CEST (6 a.m. EDT).

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz will play Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada. Alcaraz advanced to the semis by eliminating American Tommy Paul 6-3, 7-6 (7) on Thursday. The win made Alcaraz the youngest man to reach the singles semifinals at a Summer Games since Novak Djokovic in 2008.

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates after defeating Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands in their men’s singles second round match, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Lorenzo Musetti of Italy will play Djokovic in the second semifinal after beating Tokyo Games gold medalist Alexander Zverev in their quarterfinal match.

The mixed doubles gold-medal match at Roland Garros begins at 7 p.m. CEST (1 p.m. EDT).

Kurtenbach: Three under-the-radar 49ers camp battles

Three under-the-radar 49ers camp battles

The story of 49ers training camp, so far, is who is not there.

All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk isn’t practicing. He’s injured with a case of the Iwannanewcontract. All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams has the same ailment, and it’s keeping him away from the facility altogether.

And until those two players find a cure — or at least a short-term resolution to this terrible disease — it’s going to be hard to focus on what’s actually happening on the field.

I want to be clear: I was on vacation (which is just parenting in a different state) and have been to one training camp practice.

But that doesn’t mean I didn’t get the low-down from folks who were in position.

And with rookie OTAs and minicamp before this, wheels were already in motion.

The 49ers present themselves as a ready-made product, and in many cases they are.

But there are three storylines — call them camp battles, if you must — that stand out to me as we head into the serious portion of the preseason.

Inevitability vs. the veteran

» The incumbent at the position, Jake Brendel, is going to receive every opportunity and a few more to hold onto the starting center job. But there is no question that rookie undrafted free agent Drake Nugent is the future for the 49ers at that position — and the remainder of the preseason should only further prove that point.

This situation could become messy, and fast.

Nugent is already pushing for more reps in practice, and the more he impresses coaches, who love his tenacity and explosion off the line, the tougher it becomes for the 49ers to cut him at the end of training camp and put him on the practice squad — the team’s original plan for him.

Now, the Stanford and Michigan alum can play some guard, but the Niners are not going to keep a backup center on the 53-man roster.

Luckily, there are 31 other teams that will likely pass, too.

Then again, word gets out and teams can get funky in the last week of August. I’m already being asked by folks around the league about “The Nuge.”

So keep an eye on the man who has the ball.

There’s a long, long, long way to go before this is an issue, but if the Niners feel as if they cannot easily stash Nugent, they might be so bold as to make a switch at the end of camp.

Five vs. six

» The NFL’s new kickoff rule has dorks like me all excited. After all, it’s a fundamental shift to the sport — and one that could have significant consequences in games.

And perhaps that will be the case for a week or two.

There were four kick return touchdowns in the NFL last season. Broncos coach Sean Payton suggested earlier this year that number should grow into the double-digits.

Watching the 49ers, and hearing from other training camps, Payton’s suggestion might be conservative.

That is if teams actually kick off.

Here’s what I suspect will happen: the new kickoff rule will work exactly as it was intended during the preseason and perhaps even the beginning of the regular season. Teams will kick it — probably as a low, line-drive — and the return teams are going to pick up big gains and touchdowns.

And then teams are going to start kicking the ball out of the back of the end zone.

The new penalty for a typical touchback is the ball is placed on the 30-yard line. That’s five yards in front of the old mark, 10 yards ahead of the old, old touchback.

Five yards didn’t scare anyone off last time, and it won’t scare teams off this time.

For most NFL teams special teams are about risk mitigation. The goal isn’t to help teams win games, it’s to ensure the game isn’t lost.

NFL head coaches will gladly eat five yards over the risk of six points.

The new kickoff rule is well-thought-out and could bring in some serious fun.

But the NFL is still the No Fun League, at least when it comes to coaches’ game management.

Don’t expect fireworks come mid-September.

Brains vs. juice

» The 49ers signed former All-Pro linebacker De’Vondre Campbell after Dre Greenlaw tore his Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl and Eric Kendricks backed out of a deal with the Niners to start free agency.

The idea is that Campbell, a veteran with 123 NFL games under his belt, can hold down the weak-side linebacker spot next to Fred Warner while Greenlaw recovers.

And Campbell might just fulfill that mandate.

But Jalen Graham and Dee Winters aren’t going to make it easy for him.

Campbell has said that he feels rejuvenated in Santa Clara — he’s loving the game again. Sadly, that has not shown up in his play. He still looks like a slower version of the once-excellent player he once was.

That still might be good enough, but the 49ers have to consider using Graham and/or Winters in Week 1 if they continue to impress in camp.

Greenlaw wasn’t the most technically sound linebacker. (This, of course, is giving him an immense amount of credit.) He wasn’t a coach on the field, either — always in the right position.

But Greenlaw was a great player for the Niners because no one played harder or faster. He was a crazed man after the snap of the ball and that energy permeated the entire defense.

Campbell, from what I’ve seen and heard, isn’t replicating that in the slightest. To play him would be to introduce a different dynamic to the defense. That could be good or bad, but more likely the latter.

Meanwhile Graham and particularly Winters clearly understood what made Greenlaw so important to this defense. They are flying around the field.

If you didn’t know any better, you might even confuse Winters for Greenlaw for a snap or two.

The weak-side linebacker was — and will remain — a position of concern for this team. That’s even after Greenlaw returns to the fold.

But in the early days of camp, the Niners can at least say they have multiple options for the job.

Someone is going to claim that gig. That’s so much better than it being handed to someone.

Paris Olympics Day 6: Simone Biles shines for all-around gold; Summer McIntosh wins another medal

By STEPHEN WHYNO, AP Sports Writer

PARIS (AP) — Simone Biles dazzled once again while winning the gold in women’s all-around gymnastics at the Paris Olympics, becoming the oldest woman to accomplish the feat since 1952.

The 27-year-old Biles nailed her floor exercise to edge Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade by 1.199 points in one of the tightest victories of her decorated career. She became the first woman to win the all-around gymnastics gold at nonconsecutive Olympics, having previously done so at the 2016 Rio Games.

“I’ve never had an athlete this close,” Biles said. “It brought out the best athlete in myself.”

PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 01: Simone Biles of Team United States reacts after finishing her routine in the floor exercise during the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s All-Around Final on day six of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 01, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

US’ Simone Biles poses with her gold medal during the podium ceremony for the artistic gymnastics women’s all around final of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on August 1, 2024. (Photo by Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP) (Photo by LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images)

(LtoR) Second-placed Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, winner US’ Simone Biles and third-placed US’ Sunisa Lee pose for a selfie during the podium ceremony after the artistic gymnastics women’s all around final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on August 1, 2024. (Photo by Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP) (Photo by LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images)

PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 01: Gold medalist Simone Biles of Team United States poses during the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s All-Around Final medal ceremony on day six of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 01, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

US’ Simone Biles celebrates winning the gold medal at the end of the artistic gymnastics women’s all around final of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on August 1, 2024. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP) (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)

PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 01: Gold medalist Simone Biles of Team United States celebrates winning the gold medal after competing in the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s All-Around Final on day six of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 01, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 01: (L-R) Gold medalist Simone Biles and Bronze medalist Sunisa Lee of Team United States celebrate after competing in the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s All-Around Final on day six of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 01, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 01: Simone Biles of Team United States competes on the balance beam during the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s All-Around Final on day six of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 01, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

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PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 01: Simone Biles of Team United States reacts after finishing her routine in the floor exercise during the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s All-Around Final on day six of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 01, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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It’s the sixth Olympic gold medal for Biles, the most of any U.S. gymnast; she picked up her fifth in the team competition earlier in the week. Teammate Sunisa Lee, the defending all-around champion from Tokyo, was third for the bronze.

Summer’s Games

Summer McIntosh, Canada’s 17-year-old swimming sensation, claimed her second gold medal of the Olympics with another strong performance, romping to victory in the 200-meter butterfly and dealing Regan Smith of the U.S. another runner-up finish.

“It means the world,” McIntosh said. “That was definitely one of my favorite races.”

Summer McIntosh, of Canada, celebrates winning the the women’s 200-meter butterfly final at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

McIntosh finished in 2:03.03 to set an Olympic record, breaking the mark set by China’s Zhang Yufei three years ago in Tokyo. She also won gold in the 400-meter individual medley and took home silver in the 400-meter freestyle.

Kate Douglass of the United States won gold in the 200-meter breaststroke in a race that was something of a changing of the guard. Longtime American star Lilly King, competing in her last Olympics, was last in the final.

In the final swimming event of the night, Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan, Lani Pallister, Brianna Throssell and Ariarne Titmus won the women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay in an Olympic-record time, narrowly missing the world record. Claire Weinstein, Paige Madden, Katie Ledecky and Erin Gemmell got the U.S. silver, and China finished with bronze.

U.S. beats Belgium

The U.S. women’s basketball team clinched a spot in the quarterfinals by beating Belgium 87-74. Breanna Stewart led all scorers with 26 points, while A’ja Wilson had 23 points and 13 rebounds.

The U.S. women are on a 57-game Olympic winning streak that dates to Barcelona in 1992.

Women’s tennis upset

Top-ranked women’s tennis player Iga Swiatek does not lose a whole lot in Paris. She has won the French Open each of the past three years and four times in the past five.

Swiatek’s lengthy winning streak in Paris ended with a surprising 6-2, 7-5 loss to China’s Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals. The 23-year-old from Poland had won 25 consecutive matches at Roland Garros.

Qinwen Zheng of China celebrates her victory over Iga Swiatek of Poland during their women’s semifinals match at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain became the youngest man to reach the singles semifinals at a Summer Games since Novak Djokovic in 2008. After beating American Tommy Paul, Alcaraz will next face Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, who knocked off three-time major runner-up Casper Ruud of Norway.

Djokovic overcame problems with his surgically repaired right knee and erased a big deficit in the second set to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6 (3). He is into the Olympic semifinals for the fourth time as he tries to collect his first gold medal.

Related ArticlesOlympics | Paris Olympics: Here’s what’s on TV on Friday, Aug. 2 Olympics | What to watch: Sha’Carri Richardson makes Olympic debut Friday Olympics | Simone Biles’ gold, by the numbers Olympics | Horse racing leaders consider Paris Olympics equestrian scandal a lesson for their sport Olympics | Nothing could go wrong: The story behind the Paris Olympics cauldron balloon

Next up for Djokovic, a 37-year-old from Serbia with 24 Grand Slam titles, is Lorenzo Musetti of Italy on Friday. Musetti advanced with a 7-5, 7-5 victory over Tokyo Games gold medalist Alexander Zverev of Germany.

Thursday also brought to an end the career of Andy Murray, who along with Britain partner Dan Evans was knocked out of doubles play with a loss to Americans Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul.

U.S. rowing gold

Liam Corrigan, Justin Best, Michael Grady and Nick Mead made a little history, winning the first U.S. rowing gold medal in the men’s four class since 1960. The U.S. held off New Zealand and defending world champion Britain, finishing in 5:49.03.

“It’s literally unbelievable,” Corrigan said. “I crossed the line, I thought I was going to have some kind of celebration, but I was just in disbelief, like my hands were on my head. It was just crazy.”

All four Americans were at the Tokyo Games three years ago but left without any medals. Corrigan, Best, Grady and Mead have been together since last season. The last time the U.S. won an Olympic medal of any color in men’s four rowing was in 2012 in London.

Upcoming panel will focus on the agriculture industry in Salinas

SALINAS >> Agricultural work has long been a backbone of California’s economy, but faced with rising temperatures, stagnant wages and new technology, it’s becoming harder to sustain a career in the industry according to many experts.

Zócalo Public Square will host a panel on Monday at 6 p.m. at Sherwood Elementary School in Salinas that will touch on the state and future of agricultural work, the importance of uplifting the workers of a major part of California’s economy and what policy changes are needed to ensure the safety and economic prospects of those workers.

In partnership with The James Irvine Foundation, the free event is part of the series “What Is a Good Job Now?” which aims to highlight workers in various low-wage industries across the state. Other panels in the “What Is a Good Job” series have included discussions on health care, tourism, gig jobs and jobs for the formerly incarcerated. The discussions can be found at the Zócalo Public Square Youtube page.

The private foundation is dedicated to providing economic opportunity for low-income workers in California. In 2023, it provided around $180 million in grants to various organizations throughout the state, including $3.3 million for the Community Foundation for Monterey County, which provides grants and scholarships for local organizations and students.

Zócalo is a nonprofit organization within the Arizona State University Media Enterprise. The outlet focuses on ideas-based journalism and hosting various events to connect readers with authors and experts.

The panel discussion on Aug. 5 will center on the state of the agricultural industry and is hosted by Zócalo Public Square, The James Irvine Foundation and Arizona State University. (Courtesy of Zócalo Public Square)

The panel discussion will be moderated by Rebecca Plevin, a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times who focuses on equity issues. Agricultural worker and student José Anzaldo will be featured along with James Nakahara, senior farm business advisor for Kitchen Table Advisors.

Retired farmworker attorney Juan Uranga and Mily Treviño-Sauceda, executive director and co-founder of Alianza Nacional de Campesinas (National Alliance of Female Farmworkers) will also participate in the discussion.

Agriculture in Salinas is vital to the country’s economy and food industry. The region grows over 30% of the world’s lettuce and contributes around $4 billion to the local economy annually, according to the Monterey County Farm Bureau.

With new technology such as robots and temperature and moisture sensors, the landscape of agricultural work is changing. On this topic, Plevin said she is “especially interested in asking our panelists about the use of technology in the fields and the role of agricultural guest workers. I’m also curious to know what community members and consumers can do to more effectively support farmworkers.”

Declining immigration is also an issue facing the industry, as about 75% of California’s farmworkers are undocumented, according to the Center for Farmworker Families.

“We know that farmworkers are aging, and the children of farmworkers are less likely to work in the fields long-term,” said Plevin. “The agricultural industry is adjusting to these changes by recruiting foreign guest workers and looking to automate more of its processes. These are interesting trends that we’ll discuss more during the panel.”

Don Howard, president and CEO of The James Irvine Foundation will give opening remarks before the panel begins. There will also be featured clips of the documentary “East of Salinas,” which stars Sherwood Elementary teacher Oscar Ramos and Anzaldo.

The film depicts Anzaldo’s story of immigration and what it’s like to be the son of farmworkers in Salinas. The upcoming sequel, “Beyond Salinas,” will also be featured.

After the panel, there will be a post-event reception to give the in-person audience a chance to continue the conversation with the speakers. There will be food and live music by the band Mariachi Guadalajara.

Friends of Laguna Seca assumes duties of Monterey County asset

SALINAS – With all conditions required by the concession agreement having been met, the Friends of Laguna Seca formally assumes management of the storied raceway and its recreation area, the organization announced on Thursday.

Local nonprofit, Friends of Laguna Seca, successfully negotiated a 55-year concession agreement and operational plan with the County of Monterey to provide the leadership and resources necessary to create the capital investment required to restore, revitalize and reinvent Laguna Seca.

“The Friends team has been squarely focused on reaching this important milestone and providing a smooth transition of operations,” said Friends CEO Lauri Eberhart in a press release. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our volunteer board of directors, passionate donors, and the entire staff at WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca. We now begin the next chapter in the amazing future of this iconic facility for the benefit of our local community and the motorsports world.”

Friends of Laguna Seca says it will continue to work with staff and volunteers of the Laguna Seca Raceway and Recreation Area, park operator A&D Narigi, and the County of Monterey to ensure the long-term growth and success of the community asset while maintaining and enhancing the facility’s history of volunteerism and community engagement.

The organizations will work with Friends of Laguna Seca as concessionaire, responsible for providing resources and oversight of the operation, maintenance and improvements of the park going forward, A&D Narigi continuing as the day-to-day management company and the County of Monterey retaining ownership of the property.

According to Friends of Laguna Seca, it has begun making assessments of the overall park including a previously-planned sound impact study to make necessary improvements that will solidify WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca as one of the world’s premier road-course facilities.

The focus will be on upgrading key fan amenities, including parking, camping, hospitality areas and concession areas, as well as making much-needed investments in basic infrastructure and functional elements of the park to repair many years of deferred maintenance, neglect, and lack of investment, says Friends of Laguna Seca. All at-track events will continue and operate as scheduled during this transition time.

The nonprofit says it was created to answer the County of Monterey’s call for an independent, privately-funded operating solution for the raceway and recreation area. With Friends of Laguna Seca assuming all operation and improvement obligations, it relieves Monterey County taxpayers of the burden.

Friends of Laguna Seca says its business plan will honor the history and legacy of motorsports on the Monterey Peninsula. Other non-racing recreational uses and opportunities will be developed, including the existing cycling, camping, hiking and other community-oriented cultural, educational and youth-focused activities.

The organization says it will also maintain and enhance the history of volunteerism and community engagement at Laguna Seca with the goal of improving community access and the visitor experience.

Friends of Laguna Seca will host an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and press conference at WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca on Aug. 15 at noon.

Visit www.friendsoflagunaseca.org to learn more about Friends of Laguna Seca and its purpose.

Man arrested in Monterey for attacking individual with a weapon

MONTEREY >> A man was arrested and charged with attempted murder for attacking another person with a “crowbar-like” weapon.

The Monterey Police Department announced that David Thomas, 65, was booked into jail with a bail set at $1 million.

The Monterey Police responded last week to a report of a man being attacked and severely injured near Reeside Avenue and the Recreation Trail. The person reporting the incident was a passerby who the victim had flagged down for help police said. The victim said a man with a crowbar or similar weapon attacked him.

The victim had a “significant” injury to his hand and lacerations on the back of his head, back and leg, according to police. He was transported to the trauma unit at Natividad Medical Center. His injuries were not considered life-threatening and police were later able to interview him.

The victim said he is experiencing homelessness and was walking around the Rec Trail near the Coast Guard pier when he was attacked without provocation. The attacker struck him multiple times. He was described as a black man with a slim build and glasses. The victim did not know the suspect, but had seen him on several previous occasions in Monterey around areas where other people experiencing homelessness congregate.

Police investigated and identified Thomas as the suspect. Thomas told police officers he was also experiencing homelessness.

While Thomas’s motives are still under investigation, Monterey Police say Thomas has been involved in a number of incidents in the past where he expressed anti-homeless views.

California State Parks rangers were already familiar with Thomas because he had complained to them about people who are homeless before. At one time, Thomas stated if police did not do more to intervene, he would take action himself. Park rangers say they have discouraged Thomas to do anything illegal.

On the day of the attack, Thomas reported that a homeless person was selling drugs at Wharf 1. Police say Thomas was described as angry and believed the police were not taking him seriously. Park rangers arrived at the scene to investigate but found no evidence of drug dealing.

The Monterey police also interviewed several people in the area, with some saying Thomas has spoken about removing homeless people from the area before.

Thomas was also previously arrested in November for felony assault with a deadly weapon after he struck a person who was experiencing homelessness with an expandable metal baton. The victim in that incident was not seriously injured. A witness reported the November incident and said Thomas claimed the victim was drinking alcohol in public. Thomas said he was acting in self-defense after the victim called him a racial slur. Ultimately, he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor and was sentenced to 40 days in jail and a year of probation.

Marco Lucido, Workplace Law: PAGA Reform – A Sigh of Relief for Employers?

Question: I heard that a law called the “PAGA” was reformed to make it more employer-friendly. What is the PAGA and what are the major changes to the law?

Answer: On July 1, Gov. Newsom signed SB 92 and AB 2288 into law.  Together, these statutes significantly reformed California’s Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”).  The reformed law will apply to any actions in which the initial PAGA notice was submitted on or after June 19.  Under the reformed law, employers will benefit from stricter standing requirements, reduced penalties and increased opportunities to avoid penalties altogether.

The Legislature enacted the PAGA in 2004 to create a more effective way to help workers resolve labor disputes.  The PAGA authorized individual employees to “stand in the shoes of” the Attorney General to file lawsuits and recover civil penalties for violations of the California Labor Code.  Significantly, the PAGA was broad enough to allow an employee to seek penalties for labor code violations suffered by other employees.  An employee only needed to personally suffer one labor code violation before that employee could pursue penalties for other labor code violations suffered by other employees.  In addition, the PAGA gave employees the potential to recover reasonable attorneys’ fees.

Predictably, the PAGA gave plaintiffs’ attorneys a strong incentive to sue employers.  The California Chamber of Commerce recently reported that plaintiffs’ attorneys leveraged over $8 billion from employers in PAGA settlements in the past six years.  These settlements often result in windfalls for plaintiffs’ attorneys, with little benefit to employees or the state of California.  Statistics like this over the years have resulted in widespread concerns and criticisms over excessive penalties and frivolous litigation.  In response to these concerns, a ballot measure was set to be on the November 2024 ballot to repeal the PAGA altogether.  But in June of this year, Gov. Newsom, along with other interest groups, reached a deal to reform the PAGA and avoid the ballot measure.

While the PAGA reforms are complex, the core changes to the PAGA are as follows:

First, absent some limited exceptions, an employee is now limited to seeking penalties for Labor Code violations that the employee personally suffered.

Second, the civil penalties for Labor Code violations have been significantly reduced, from $100 per violation to as little as $25 per violation.

Third, employers now have more opportunities to “cure” violations and avoid (or significantly limit) their exposure to civil penalties.  For example, the potential civil penalties may be capped at 30 percent for employers who take “reasonable steps” to comply with the Labor Code.  The PAGA defines “reasonable steps” to include wage-hour training for supervisors, payroll audits, and disciplining supervisors who violate the Labor Code.

Similarly, if a PAGA lawsuit is filed, employers may now request to participate in an “early evaluation conference” with a neutral evaluator to see if the case can be settled early.  Significantly, requesting this conference pauses proceedings in court—limiting potential legal fees and expenses.

Overall, the recently enacted PAGA reforms are a significant change for employers.  It remains to be seen how the Courts will interpret and apply these new rules.  However, what’s clear is that the PAGA reforms will likely reduce the large amount of PAGA litigation and, when brought, give employers opportunities to reduce their exposure.

Marco Lucido is a lawyer with Fenton & Keller in Monterey. This column is intended to answer questions of general interest and should not be construed as legal advice. Email queries to email@fentonkeller.com.

Horoscopes Aug. 1, 2024: Jason Momoa, opportunity is within reach

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Madison Bumgarner, 35; Jason Momoa, 45; Adam Duritz, 60; Chuck D, 64.

Happy Birthday: Rein in your emotions and do your due diligence this year before making a move. Feeling uncertain is a warning sign to sit tight and observe. Put your time and energy where you can make the most difference to the people you love and your concerns regarding a suitable and sustainable lifestyle. Opportunity is within reach, but so are stumbling blocks. Your numbers are 3, 9, 22, 28, 34, 41, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Keep your emotions out of your decision-making. Set your speed on high, target what you want and make a move that satisfies your soul. Engage in events or pastimes that get you out and about and encourage you to gain physical strength and connect with like-minded people. 2 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Establish what you want and who you want to tag along. Forcing your will on others or doing something you don’t want to do at someone else’s demands is futile. Peace of mind comes from doing your own thing and giving others the same privilege. 4 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take a moment to figure out what you want before you discuss your agenda. Be resourceful, find out what’s possible and create a plan that works for you. Research will lead to domestic and lifestyle changes that make you happy and able to fulfill your needs. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Be careful what you agree to or take on today. Don’t limit or position yourself for failure. Source out what’s doable and be candid about what you are willing to sacrifice. An honest assessment and passionate confirmation regarding your contribution will give you leverage. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Put your energy into something you feel passionate about, and you’ll feel satisfied with your achievements. Rise above any anger or disruption someone pushes your way and take the path that leads to peace of mind. It’s up to you to make decisions that fit your lifestyle. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Make charm a priority to sway others to think like you. Engage in talks that allow you to map out your plan to rectify your concerns at work or in your personal life. Truth matters, and offering incentives will help you get what you want. 4 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Greater involvement in a community that interests you will broaden your perspective and help you add diversity to what you participate in and how you live. Refrain from settling for less when you can have more. Consider your goals. 2 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You need to spend more time playing and less worrying about things you cannot change. Address your needs and act accordingly, and you will encounter people who can offer sound advice based on trial and error. Change is within reach, but first, establish what you want and need. 5 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Actions speak louder than words today, so stop procrastinating and start doing. Put your plans in motion and be ready to rectify any problem before it disrupts your plans spontaneously. Take control, and you’ll avoid someone stepping in and taking over. Protect your health and well-being. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Your emotions will interfere with your financial, medical or contractual dealings. When in doubt, take a breather and rethink your long-term plans. Time is on your side, so don’t allow anyone to pressure you into something you aren’t ready to pursue. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’ll gravitate toward interesting people and activities. Cast your fate to the wind and enjoy what life offers. Choose peace and love over discord and chaos, and you’ll find the path that leads to your happy place. An unexpected change will turn out better than anticipated. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Share your enthusiasm with someone who enjoys the same things as you. A relationship built on intellect and interests will help you discover what’s important to you. Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts and express your feelings. Find out what’s possible before you proceed. 5 stars

Birthday Baby: You are thorough, intentional and spontaneous. You are intense and sensitive.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

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Logan Webb turns page on tough July as SF Giants try to do the same

SAN FRANCISCO — Logan Webb apparently turned the calendar a day early.

Good thing, too, because the Giants needed every pitch of his second career complete game shutout Wednesday night to claim a split of their two-game Bay Bridge series against the A’s. Facing Ross Stripling, one of the worst starters in the majors since being shipped across the Bay this winter, the Giants managed just four hits and a lone run in a 1-0 win.

One of Webb’s most dominant starts of the season, if not his career, couldn’t have come at a better time.

Not only did it allow them to overcome another meager night from a lineup that received little help at Tuesday’s trade deadline — and keep pace in the National League wild card standings, where they still trail four teams by 4½ games for the final spot — but it should assuage any concerns that Webb’s most difficult month since ascending to the top of the rotation was a sign of anything to come.

Webb took a 6.65 ERA in his previous four July starts into Wednesday’s game and lowered that figure to 4.78, but it still amounted to the highest ERA he has posted over the course of one calendar month since his 6.94 ERA over the final month of the 2020 season.

He acknowledged he was pitching with extra motivation given his recent struggles.

“I’ve been struggling a little bit, so I just wanted to go out there and get back to what I’m good at,” Webb said. “Today was a perfect example of that.”

Going the distance for the third time in his career, Webb completed seven innings for a major league-leading 12th time but hadn’t done so since July 4, also the last time he earned a win. In between, he made three starts and allowed at least four runs and eight hits in each of them, issuing an uncharacteristic seven walks the past two times he took the mound.

“His movement was back today,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Backdoor sinkers, changeups going straight down. He’s been using his slider or sweeper — whatever we’re calling it these days — a little bit more. But the changeup is his bread and butter, and when that’s good, he leans on it.”

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb (62) delivers against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning of an MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Tyler Fitzgerald (49) throws out Oakland Athletics’ Lawrence Butler (4) at first in the first inning of an MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb (62) gestures after an out against the Oakland Athletics in the ninth inning of an MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Ross Stripling (36) delivers against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning of an MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski (5) scores on a sacrifice fly by San Francisco Giants’ Brett Wisely (0) in the fifth inning of an MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics’ Zack Gelof (20) fields a grounder to throw out San Francisco Giants’ Patrick Bailey (14) at first in the first inning of an MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay heads back to the dugout after pulling Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Ross Stripling (36) for reliever T.J. McFarland (48) in the sixth inning of an MLB game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb (62) and San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey (14) celebrate their 1-0 win against the Oakland Athletics in the ninth inning of an MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb (62) and teammates celebrate their 1-0 win against the Oakland Athletics in the ninth inning of an MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb (62) delivers against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning of an MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

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J.J. Bleday lined a 108 mph single off Brett Wisely’s glove in the first inning that gave Oakland runners at the corners and one out, but Webb painted the outside corner with sinkers to ring up the next two batters, ending the inning, and didn’t allow another runner to reach third base.

In the moment, Webb said he thought to himself, “Really, you’re going to do this again?”

Webb had 5.32 ERA in the first inning this season, and after getting out of the jam unscathed, Melvin said, “it felt like he had his stuff right away.

“As the game went along, he just got better and better. There were a few base runners at first, but it was pretty good the entire game. I think a lot had to do with getting out of the first inning.”

As Webb took the mound to begin the ninth inning, his pitch count stood at 96 and Camilo Doval had begun to warm in the bullpen. But there were few scenarios that would have resulted in Webb coming out of the game. There wasn’t so much as a discussion between Melvin and his starter after the eighth inning.

“If he had any problems, he would have said something,” Melvin said. “He was going out, and I was hoping he wanted to go back out. … I couldn’t see taking him out without giving up a run.”

After the eighth, Webb said pitching coach Bryan Price gave him one look — “like, ‘You good?’” — and he responded by nodding his head affirmatively. Getting Seth Brown to roll over on a changeup for the final out, Webb finished with 106 pitches and was met on the mound by Bailey for a subdued celebration.

Time of game: 1 hour, 55 minutes, one tick quicker than the only other shutout of his career, last July 9 against the Rockies. It was the shortest game the Giants have played since a 1 hour, 51 minute contest Aug. 13, 2007, in the first half of a doubleheader against the Pirates.

“I knew it was quick,” Webb said. “In the (bottom of the eighth) inning with two outs, it was a weird, random thought — I don’t know why I would think of this — I almost tried to look at the time on the iPad. I was like, ‘I probably shouldn’t do that. I should probably lock in a little more.’ But I knew it was pretty quick.”

All the more impressive considering the opponent, and not because of Webb’s 5.68 ERA in five previous starts against the cross-bay rivals. The A’s — yes, the A’s — scored the second-most runs in the majors this month, even after being blanked on its final day.

It has been a different story for the Giants’ bats, who went silent for the second consecutive day after not getting a meaningful upgrade before Tuesday’s trade deadline. After being held to five hits in Tuesday’s loss, they pulled out a win behind Webb despite producing only four.

Stripling entered Wednesday with a 6.02 ERA, higher than all but six pitchers with as many innings, but limited his former team to one run over 5⅔ innings. The only run the Giants were able to manufacture came when Mike Yastrzemski advanced from first to third on a single from Marco Luciano and scored on a sacrifice fly from Brett Wisely.

“You’d like to give Logan a little bit more breathing room to where every pitch doesn’t matter,” Melvin said. “It’s a little frustrating that we weren’t able to do more offensively today.”

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Winning six of their past eight games, the Giants secured a winning record — 13-12 — for the month of July, but they will have to do more than flirt with .500 the rest of the way if they want to overcome their long odds of reaching the postseason. FanGraphs put their chances at 11.4% after Wednesday’s win.

“We’ve had a tough time getting to that .500 mark, and whenever we feel like we’re playing well and get there, we lose a game or two,” Melvin said before the game. “Obviously the weekend was important to us, but we have to sustain it. It’s getting to .500 that’s important.”

Up next

The Giants are off Thursday while they travel to Cincinnati, where they begin a seven-game, two-city road trip with a weekend series against the Reds, who trail them by one game in the wild card standings.

They will meet the A’s again for two games Aug. 17-18 that represent the conclusion of the Bay Bridge rivalry and the Giants’ last time playing at the Oakland Coliseum. Next year’s games take place over July 4 weekend in Sacramento at Sutter Health Park, which the A’s will call home starting next season.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb (62) pitches against the Oakland Athletics in the ninth inning of an MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. The Giants won 1-0 as Webb completed his third game and second career shutout. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb (62) and San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey (14) celebrate their 1-0 win against the Oakland Athletics in the ninth inning of an MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb (62) and teammates celebrate their 1-0 win against the Oakland Athletics in the ninth inning of an MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb (62) pitches against the Oakland Athletics in the ninth inning of an MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. The Giants won 1-0 as Webb completed his third game and second career shutout. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

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What becoming SF Giants’ full-time DH means for Marco Luciano’s development

SAN FRANCISCO — Marco Luciano took a seat on the bench on the top step of the third-base dugout Wednesday afternoon and waited. As pitchers played catch on the outfield grass, the Giants’ top prospect was their only position player to make his way out of the clubhouse.

Once the ball bags and protective screens and fungo bats were properly placed on the field, Matt Williams approached the young shortstop and leaned over the dugout rail. “You ready? We’re ready,” he said. “Let’s go.” Luciano fielded soft hoppers from Williams in foul territory, starting from his knees and working his way into an athletic stance, moving further apart, until it was time to move their drills to the infield dirt.

Luciano was early because, in the new circumstances in which he has found himself, the limited time for pregame preparation is precious. It is part of a delicate balance the Giants must strike in the wake of their trade deadline decision to open at-bats at designated hitter without abandoning his development defensively.

“He’s going to do a lot of DHing,” manager Bob Melvin said after taking a moment to observe Luciano and the pitchers’ fielding practice taking place concurrently.

Luciano will “mix in” at second base and shortstop, the skipper said, but the bulk of his reps will come away from live game action. With Thairo Estrada “still a little bit away,” Melvin said Casey Schmitt and Brett Wisely would split time at second with Tyler Fitzgerald at short.

“Whatever they want me to do, I’m going to be ready and take advantage of this opportunity,” Luciano said through team interpreter Erwin Higueros. “Whether I’m playing here or in the minors, the plan is to continue learning. That’s the mental process that I have, just be positive about what they want me to do.”

After committing five errors when he was handed the reins to the shortstop position in May, Luciano began splitting time between the two middle infield spots with Triple-A Sacramento when he returned from a hamstring strain. Meanwhile, Fitzgerald and Wisely established themselves as contributors at the major-league level.

But Luciano had recently been such a force at the plate in Triple-A that the Giants were comfortable trading Jorge Soler when the Braves agreed to take on the remainder of his three-year, $42 million contract he signed at the start of spring training. Since the calendar turned to July, Luciano was batting .270 with six home runs and a .927 OPS. Of his 112 plate appearances, just as many ended in bases on balls (18) as strikeouts, good for a .413 on-base percentage.

“I’m just doing my own thing,” Luciano said. “You know, you miss, you miss and you’ve got to just keep on grinding, putting in the work, until everything starts clicking.”

Farhan Zaidi, the Giants’ president of baseball operations, said Luciano has “really come a long way offensively.”

“I think we have seen his trajectory over the last few years and you talk about how he can be put under such a microscope because he’s been such a highly thought of prospect from the time he signed at 16,” Zaidi said. “Sometimes you lose the zoom out big picture of how much progress he’s made. We’ve really seen that over the last month.”

With everyday at-bats, the Giants hope Luciano can unlock similar success as Fitzgerald and Heliot Ramos.

“Oftentimes,” Zaidi said, “those breakthroughs don’t happen until you give a guy real opportunity.”

Since he signed out of the Dominican Republic for a $2.6 million bonus, Luciano has been one of the most highly regarded hitting prospects in the sport but faced constant questions about whether he would be able to stick at shortstop as he grew into his muscular 6-foot-1 frame.

The Giants determined that his bat was ready for the big leagues, and they aren’t ready to give up on him as a shortstop just yet.

“This is really about getting him at-bats in the DH spot,” Zaidi said. “I don’t think we’re putting in ink that he’s a career DH now. Obviously he’s young and we’ve talked about his defensive progress. There may be spots where he moves around the infield, but this is the role for him right now.”

Matzek arrivesRelated ArticlesSan Francisco Giants | Logan Webb turns page on tough July as SF Giants try to do the same San Francisco Giants | SF Giants fall to A’s in first game since standing pat at MLB trade deadline San Francisco Giants | SF Giants bet on pitching, prospects at MLB trade deadline: ‘We feel we have the best rotation in baseball’ San Francisco Giants | SF Giants add San Jose native, former A’s outfielder Canha at trade deadline San Francisco Giants | Kurtenbach: The SF Giants showed their true colors at the MLB trade deadline

The Giants won’t have IF/OF Mark Canha with them until they begin their series in Cincinnati on Friday, but one of their trade deadline acquisitions was settling into his new digs in the home clubhouse Wednesday afternoon, and it may not be long before LHP Tyler Matzek is ready to contribute in the bullpen.

Matzek, 33, missed all of 2023 after elbow surgery and hasn’t pitched May 4 due to complications that he attributed to returning to the mound too quickly this spring. But he said he was “right at the end” of his rehab  entered the final stages of his rehab and “a couple bullpens away” from starting a rehab assignment.

The Southern California native owns a 3.72 ERA over 168 career appearances but allowed 11 runs on 16 hits in the 10 innings he pitched this season before landing on the 60-day injured list. Acquired in the deal that sent Luke Jackson and Jorge Soler to Atlanta, Matzek took over the real estate that formerly belonged to Jackson, who coined the PG-13 nickname “Tyler Nutsack” — for his work in high-leverage situations — when they were teammates in Atlanta.

“I hope I can keep (the locker) cleaner than him,” Matzek said. “I’m sure you guys have seen how dirty that guy is. Or, messy. I wouldn’t say dirty. How messy that guy is. He’s got a cluttered brain and cluttered locker.”