Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 429

Horoscopes July 6, 2024: Kevin Hart, make ends meet

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Kevin Hart, 45; Tia Mowry, 46; Tamera Mowry, 46; Sylvester Stallone, 78.

Happy Birthday: Use your imagination, willpower and discipline to help make ends meet and move in a direction that improves your profile and promotes exciting offers. Take a heartfelt approach to helping others and getting things done on time. Engage in talks regarding investing and how you earn your living. Forward-thinking will keep you in the running for a better position. Embrace change. Your numbers are 9, 14, 19, 23, 35, 42, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Proceed with caution. Only some people will share your beliefs or have your back. Choose your words wisely and promote what you are willing to offer, and you’ll get the help you require to reach your objective. Protect your reputation, home and health from outside influences. 2 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Spontaneity will serve you well. Let your intuition guide your actions. An opportunity to expand what you know and the skills you have will lead to unexpected benefits, connections and advancement. Keep your plans to yourself. The element of surprise will play in your favor. 4 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): An open mind discussing your intentions and learning from the reactions you receive will pay off. Travel, educational pursuits and keeping an open mind when networking or socializing will help promote innovative ideas and structure your next move. You are overdue for a change of pace. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Flaunt your skills, knowledge and charm, and attract positive people with plenty of goodwill and suggestions. A tip someone offers will help you bring in extra cash. Don’t shy away from situations that promote change. Live in the moment; love and romance are in the stars. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Rethink your plans, and reschedule anything you need more time to be ready to pursue. Use your time wisely, a premature act will set you back. Be a good listener and attend functions that offer social networking with diverse people who can point you in a positive direction. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Get out of your comfort zone and find a place that stimulates your senses and encourages you to change. Sign up for something that encourages adding to your skills, intelligence or experience and will lead to a worthwhile connection. Expand your circle of friends and interests. 4 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Protect against insult, injury and illness. Stick close to home, where you have better control of your environment. Your research will lead to environmental upgrades that offer health benefits and peace of mind. Don’t let anyone trick you into taking on their responsibilities without proper compensation. 2 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You must act to finish things on time. Putting pressure on others won’t help you get things done faster, but offering incentives will encourage others to honor your requests. Review your routine and health habits, and implement a lifestyle that lets you look and feel better. 5 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Review money matters, joint ventures, contracts and shared expenses. It’s time to implement a budget that you can handle. Don’t hesitate to sell off items you don’t use or find other outlets to help you market your skills, experience and knowledge. A simpler, healthy lifestyle is favored. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You may crave a domestic change, but preparation is vital to come out ahead. Talk to experts to ensure people affected by your decisions are on board before you begin. Plan something special for yourself and someone you love. Socializing and romance are favored. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Pay attention to the little things that slow you down or disrupt your day, and make changes that make your life easier. Reconfigure your workspace or declutter and sell off items you no longer use. A problem will surface if you mishandle something that belongs to someone else. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Spread your wings and fly. It’s time to try something exciting, to expand your interests and to meet people who share your beliefs. Deep discussions will make you reconsider what you want to pursue next. An interesting suggestion will help you decide on a different outlet for your skills. 5 stars

Birthday Baby: You are innovative, flirtatious and energetic. You are empathetic 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. 

With false promises, Florida sent migrants to Sacramento a year ago. Where are they now?

Mathew Miranda | (TNS) The Sacramento Bee

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On a recent sweltering June afternoon, Jorge Gil Laguna smiled as he walked into his shoddy motel to greet Olglaivis Barrios.

Markers of their last year in Sacramento surround the young Venezuelan couple. Heaps of donated clothes, shoes and purses in the corners. Barrios’ laptop, gifted to her last July, lay on the small dining room table. And a framed photo of a classic blue car, given to Laguna by a former employer, hung on the wall.

But in his hand, Laguna, 34, held their most important item yet: paperwork providing temporary protected status. The designation allows the Venezuelan to legally stay and work in the United States until April 2025.

“If I was working without one, imagine now,” Laguna said, before grinning. “It’s time to work like a donkey.”

This legal permit has the potential to provide stable work opportunities, allowing the couple to move out of this Rancho Cordova motel, where housing costs $72 a day. They also hope to send more money back to their three children and Barrios’ mother, who is caring for them in Venezuela.

Just more than a year ago, Laguna and Barrios, 29, doubted this day would come.

They were among the 36 Latin American migrants who unknowingly boarded planes for Sacramento and promised free housing, high-paying jobs and help with their immigration cases. Instead, the flights, under the direction of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, left the migrants stranded in California and at the center of a political battle over immigration.

Their arrival elicited national headlines, public outrage from state officials and a community-wide response, largely shouldered by nonprofit and faith-based organizations. The attention eventually faded away and federal, state and county governments failed to provide resources. In this void, groups and volunteers have borne the unexpected costs of helping the migrants.

“If you look at where the time, resources and volunteers came from, it was local organizations figuring it out,” said Jessie Tientcheu, the CEO of Opening Doors, a nonprofit that provided some migrants with short-term housing.

Despite these challenges, members of the group are likely better positioned than most migrants who have entered the country in recent years. The organizations that provided stipends and free housing also emphasized the importance of building community relationships. So today, months after formal aid subsided, help finds those who chose Sacramento as their home.

“The support hasn’t really ended as a result of the fact that we’ve made friends among the group,” said Shireen Miles, a volunteer with Sacramento Area Congregations Together, the faith-based community organization that spearheaded support for the migrants. “And you don’t ever move on from your friends.”

‘Their new life here’

Most of the original 36 migrants, which included natives of Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala and Venezuela, have left the capital region. Some moved to bigger cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego and Chicago, while others sought out smaller states such as South Carolina and Tennessee.

They left for a host of reasons, including California’s high cost of living, lack of employment opportunities and personal connections in other locations, according to Gabby Trejo, executive director for Sacramento ACT.

Diana Patterson, left, with the Sacramento ACT, hugs Margarita Yanez earlier this month after a discussion on the U Visa for victims of criminal activity in Sacramento. Since arriving in Sacramento, Yanez married her husband Jose Castellanos, shown at left, and is expecting their first child in December. (Hector Amezcua/The Sacramento Bee/TNS)

Twelve members of the group remain in Sacramento — some sharing hotel rooms, others living for free at their work sites in Folsom and Rio Linda and a group of four splitting the costs of a townhouse in Rancho Cordova. By staying in the region, these members of the group benefit.

“They know that they’re not alone, and there’s this larger community that sees them and wants them to be successful in their new life here in the U.S.,” Trejo said.

Take Jose Castellanos, 34, and his wife Margarita Yanez, 35. They are a recently married Venezuelan couple expecting a child this December. The two migrants have not paid for housing since arriving in Sacramento.

“It’s been a help, a huge help, I’ve seen rents for $1,500,” said Castellanos, while shaking his head.

During the initial weeks, they slept at a church alongside the other migrants. Sacramento ACT transitioned the group to motel rooms in Rancho Cordova. The organization raised roughly $307,000 in donations and grants over the last year to assist the migrants.

When that funding dropped to low levels last October, Opening Doors, an organization specializing in resettlement, offered to house 17 of the migrants for up to six months.

Temporary housing is critical for asylum seekers, refugees or individuals in similar situations, said Tientcheu. In this case, the organization rented multi-room family homes to accommodate the migrants.

Nearly all of them left the housing before the six months was up.

“They usually just need a safe place to land for short periods of time so they can get their next steps in order,” Tientcheu said.

Castellanos and Yanez found their next temporary home through Miles, who has grown close to many of the migrants in the last year through Sacramento ACT.

The migrants were introduced to Miles in the days following their arrival. She drove them to thrift stores for clothing, taught them how to use regional transit and showed them around Sacramento.

Even now, Miles sees some migrants a few times a week — driving them to immigration appointments or the DMV. She often starts her interactions with migrants with a firm hug.

“I have them calling me Tia (aunt),” Miles said.

‘I’m fine staying’

A year since they met, Miles considers Castellanos and Yanez her friends.

Jose Castellanos checks on his tomato plants in Sacramento earlier this month. (Hector Amezcua/The Sacramento Bee/TNS)

She was a witness to their wedding last October and invited them to her home to celebrate Christmas. When the couple needed a temporary place to stay, Miles introduced them to a friend who needed a house and dog sitter while traveling.

The Carmichael home offers peace for Yanez, who is nearly four months pregnant and dealing with ongoing headaches and vomiting. Most days, she’s alone cleaning the home while Castellanos works. Other times, Miles accompanies Yanez to her prenatal appointments.

Castellanos’ days have largely consisted of work since securing his temporary protected status in March. He is employed at a construction company Monday through Friday and also serves as a gardener for about a dozen homes in Sacramento. Occasionally, he picks up odd jobs such as moving around furniture or housekeeping.

“I’ve met many people (over the last year) and have the numbers of those people, so whenever they need a job done, I’m there,” Castellanos said.

His opposition to the current political Venezuelan regime influenced the couple’s decision to immigrate last year. Castellanos, who was in the country’s military, said he had an order for his capture by the government.

Their decision to return to Venezuela hinges on the administration.

“If the politics change, I’ll head back,” Castellanos said. “If not, I’m fine staying here.”

For now, Castellanos and Yanez are concentrating on their immigration cases. They have filed asylum cases and plan on exploring their options for a U visa, which opens eligibility for public benefits and creates a pathway for citizenship.

But that means more time away from their family. The two immigration options are often yearslong processes.

Regardless, the couple is willing to make that sacrifice. Both send money back to their children from previous relationships.

“We’ve been able to help our families so much,” said Yanez, who is a mother of four.

Still, much of their free time is spent on the phone with their family in Venezuela.

When he gets home from work, Castellanos said he will often spend hours on the phone with his 10-year-old son watching him play online games like Roblox or Minecraft. He doesn’t mind ending his busy days that way.

“I prefer he plays with me then with someone else,” Castellanos said.

‘Grateful for an opportunity’

The nightstand in Jorge Gil Laguna’s motel room proudly displays four muddy baseballs and a red number 28 jersey — presents from his new recreational team.

Laguna’s journey to joining the Redbirds began last month at Carmichael Park when he walked up to a group of older men practicing for their softball league. He wanted to play with them.

Dionisio Holmes stands with Jorge Gil Laguna, one of the immigrants that was flown to Sacramento last year, as he attends a tryout for the Sacramento Men’s Senior Baseball League earlier this month. Holmes, who was born in Panama, helped Laguna get placed on the team. (Hector Amezcua/The Sacramento Bee/TNS)

The men struggled to understand Laguna, until they called over Dionisio Holmes, the only Spanish speaker among them. But Holmes, who was born in Panama, couldn’t fully comprehend Laguna’s request. He is way too strong and young to play with this team, Holmes recalled thinking.

“We were a bunch of old guys,” Holmes, 70, said.

But Laguna was persistent.

Baseball has been his passion since he was 8 in Venezuela. Luck wasn’t in favor, however, he said. He and Barrios grew up poor and started working as teenagers.

“Food is more important than sports,” Barrios said,“so he couldn’t really focus on baseball as much as he would have liked.”

The couple met more than a decade ago on the beach of Barrios’ hometown. They came to the United States to provide a better life for their three sons aged 10, 11 and 13. Their goal is to make enough money and return to Venezuela, where they can perhaps buy a home or open a business.

“I don’t see a dream here,” Barrios said. “My dream is with my sons.”

Even with the obstacles, Laguna’s baseball talent is undeniable. He impressed the group of retirees within minutes of joining them last month by hitting ball after ball over the 300-foot fence.

“This kid got talent,” Holmes said. “He’s just not talking stuff. I could see it in his swing.”

Holmes committed to finding a league for Laguna, who promised that his pitching was better than his hitting.

“As a human being, you try to help people out,” Holmes said.

A few weeks later, Holmes drove Laguna to try out for the Sacramento Men’s Senior Baseball League.

Again, Laguna only needed minutes to impress the coaches and players with his pitches of nearly 90 miles an hour.

“You can’t pitch like that in California,” said Erik Guimont, a commissioner and player for the league. “That’s Texas heat.”

By the end of the half-hour showcase, it was decided: Laguna would pitch that upcoming Sunday for the Redbirds.

In a conversation afterward, the coaches asked if he felt comfortable starting the game. He said “yes.” They asked if he could pitch at least 60 balls. He said “yes.” Then, they asked if he had gray pants. He said “no.”

Guimont provided him with an extra pair of his pants. Laguna promised to dedicate the game — his first time pitching in a baseball game in more than two years — to him.

“I’m grateful for an opportunity to play, especially here,” Laguna said. “There’s nothing else to do, but give it my best.”

Jorge Gil Laguna and his partner Olglaivis Barrios enjoy the evening at their motel in Sacramento on June 18. The Venezuelan couple are among the 36 Latin American migrants who arrived in Sacramento from Florida as part of Ron DeSantis’ relocation program. (Hector Amezcua/The Sacramento Bee/TNS)‘Our family’s destiny forward’

Though migrants who came to Sacramento last year are grateful, some feel their counterparts are getting more help from nonprofit groups, such as for housing, than is fair.

“I understand it’s not their obligation, but they are helping others who arrived the same as us and in the same position as us,” Barrios said, referencing those individuals not paying for housing.

That perception, Trejo said, is incorrect. No migrant is still receiving formal help through any organization. Any support they receive is through connections that they made in the community.

But, she said, the viewpoint shouldn’t be dismissed. It is likely affected by a disillusionment of America.

These migrants, like millions of others who have crossed the border, came for the desire of a better life. When they arrive at the “promised land,” Trejo said, they quickly realize there is “no real strategy or process to receive support.”

“That must be really disappointing. … The systems are not designed to help immigrants be successful,” Trejo said.

To make matters worse, Miles said, the group’s first weeks in the country began with lies and confusion.

Individuals approached them outside a migrant center in El Paso, Texas promising plentiful work and housing. Days later, they arrived in Sacramento. The group was thrust into the national spotlight and met with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta and several organizations. All the meetings created an impression that more help would follow.

“It’s confusing for new migrants who think there’s this system that all works together,” Trejo said.

The group’s members also have “personality differences.” Miles said those distinctions influenced each migrant’s current situation.

“Some of them are really outgoing, really gracious. Even though there’s a language barrier, they’re still finding a way to express their appreciation and build those connections,” Miles said. “Others are quiet, shyer and that’s just human nature.”

For his part, Castellanos isn’t worried about the others in the group. He’s grateful for his Carmichael housing as long as it’s available. His focus is solely on his family’s future, not hesitating when asked about what he wants for his soon-to-be born child.

“To at least learn English,” he said, laughing alongside his wife.

But their laughter faded and Castellanos’ expression grew serious.

Above all, Castellanos hopes for a healthy baby. Beyond that, he has another wish.

“To push our family’s destiny forward.”

©2024 The Sacramento Bee. Visit at sacbee.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

SF Giants’ latest — and last? — bullpen game a success against Guardians

Giants fans and their manager alike can breath easier after Friday night.

Bob Melvin and his pitching coach, Bryan Price, did not intend this year’s starting rotation to replicate last season’s, or its lack thereof. Given the hand they were dealt, however, with a rotation’s worth of pitchers on the injured list, they employed a bullpen game Friday night for the 12th time, asking Erik Miller to perform opening duties for a team-high ninth time this season.

After a 25-minute rain delay, the big-bodied left-hander retired the side, 1-2-3, and six relievers followed as the Giants’ latest — and, they hope, last — piecemeal pitching effort kept the Cleveland Guardians at bay, beginning a difficult series against the top team in the American League with a 4-2 win.

After taking two of three in Atlanta in the opening leg of the road trip, the Giants need to win only one of the final two games in Cleveland to secure their fourth series in a row. However, no task this season has proven more difficult than beating the Guardians at Progressive Field, where they are still an MLB-best 28-11 and have lost only one series all year.

Making his return from a two-week absence with a sprained ankle, Kyle Harrison will get first dibs at clinching the series Saturday and represents the first of a cavalcade of reinforcements to come, with Blake Snell, Robbie Ray and Alex Cobb all around the corner.

In the series opener, the Giants tasked nine innings to Miller, Spencer Bivens, Taylor Rogers, Randy Rodríguez, Ryan Walker, Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval. They combined to scatter 11 hits and another five walks while limiting the lone Guardians damage to a solo shot from Josh Naylor in the fourth and one run that could have been more in the sixth.

After Rodríguez allowed runners to reach second and third with no outs in the sixth, he induced a sacrifice fly that ended up being the only run of what looked to be a troublesome inning after Melvin called on Walker, who got Bo Naylor swinging for the third out after Matt Chapman recorded the second out at the plate, fielding a chopper from Bryan Rocchio and catching David Fry in a rundown.

Doval and Tyler Rogers each had to work around the potential tying run on base in each of the eighth and the ninth innings.

The first two batters of the ninth reached base when Doval failed to cover first base and then walked the next batter on four pitches, but the game was over six pitches later, after Doval got Jose Ramirez to swing at a slider in the dirt for strike three and Josh Naylor to bounce a first-pitch cutter into a game-ending double play.

Rocchio’s two-out double off Rogers put the potential tying run at second base after Andrés Giménez reached on a comebacker the reliever wasn’t able to field, but Rogers escaped the inning with the 4-2 lead intact after getting Bo Naylor to end the inning again, grounding out to Brett Wisely at second.

The Giants spotted their menagerie of arms an early lead by pouncing on the Guardians starter, an uncharacteristically erratic Tanner Bibee, for three runs before Miller stepped on the mound and eventually opened a 4-0 advantage.

Entering the evening with a 3.47 ERA, Bibee walked four total batters in five June starts, and it had been almost two months, back to May 13, since he last issued two free passes in a start, but he put LaMonte Wade Jr. and Chapman on base in the first inning and missed his location badly with the bases loaded to Michael Conforto, who ripped a two-RBI double that made it 3-0.

Conforto stroked a letter-high curveball into right field to score Wade and Heliot Ramos, and he added a second double on a two-strike swing his next time up in the fourth, coming around to score when Bibee botched a bunt attempt by Nick Ahmed.

The pair of doubles gave Conforto only his second multi-hit effort in 27 games since returning from a hamstring strain. He was batting .280 with an .821 OPS when he went on the injured list but had seen both figures fall as low as .227 and .688 before heating up of late, with seven extra-base hits in his past 11 games, improving his average to .239 and his OPS to .743.

Related ArticlesSan Francisco Giants | SF Giants trade DFA’d pitcher to Cleveland Guardians San Francisco Giants | Chapman, Ramos provide July 4th fireworks on SF Giants’ way to series win over Braves San Francisco Giants | SF Giants silenced by Chris Sale in 3-1 loss to Braves San Francisco Giants | SF Giants rookie Birdsong notches first win to open road trip San Francisco Giants | SF Giants welcome back outfielder to start trip in Atlanta

Miller has pitched a complete game’s worth of baseball in his nine times opening this season, allowing a run on only one occasion, and the Giants improved to 5-4 in those games — 7-5 in all their bullpen games. Their relievers have logged the most innings of any team in the majors.

Approaching the All-Star break, though, a real rotation is beginning to take shape. After Harrison, rookie Hayden Birdsong will make his third start to close the series Sunday, and after a day off Monday, the Giants will throw Snell, Logan Webb and Jordan Hicks against the Blue Jays; Harrison, Birdsong and Snell line up to face the Twins in their final series before the break.

Notable: OF Mike Yastrzemski returned to the lineup a day after being hit by a pitch in the elbow. He was not initially in the order but was inserted about two-and-a-half hours before first pitch and started in right field, striking out in all four of his trips to the plate.

Up next: LHP Kyle Harrison (4-3, 3.96) returns to the starting rotation against LHP Logan Allen (8-4, 5.75) in the second game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. PT.

Klay Thompson thanks Bay Area for ‘best times of my life’ in goodbye to Warriors

This may not have been the way it was supposed to end for Klay Thompson and the Warriors but his poignant goodbye on social media after 13 unforgettable years with the team helped make things better.

Thompson, on his way to Dallas in a sign-and-trade deal that will be announced soon, delivered a touching message to the Warriors and their fans on his Instagram page on Thursday.

“Oh Bay Area, there are not enough words and images to convey how I really feel about y’all,” wrote Thompson, who helped deliver four NBA titles to the Bay Area. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for the best times of my life. … The best part was not the rings though, it was the friendships I made that will last a lifetime.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Klay Thompson (@klaythompson)

There will soon be an announcement about Thompson officially signing a three-year, $50 million contract to play in Dallas. What may be left unsaid are the priceless moments he and the Warriors and their fans shared during his career here.

We’ll miss more than merely a four-time champion, five-time All-Star and a “Splash Brother.” Those four championships were just the culmination of a wonderfully wild ride that Thompson made sure to share with the fans – some of which are included in the photos and videos included in Klay’s post. From his dog Rocco, to his postgame paper airplane tosses, to the “sea captain” persona he took on while sharing his boat ride escapes on social media, there’s plenty about the playful Klay we’ll miss.

As Thompson departs, he leaves behind many memories and a legacy that will live forever. If Klay leaving causes fans too much sadness, they’ll just have to listen to what their captain said on Instagram:

“Don’t be sad it’s over, be happy it happened. Until we meet again. Sea captain out.”

SF Giants trade DFA’d pitcher to Cleveland Guardians

Designated for assignment by the Giants earlier this week, Spencer Howard didn’t have to go far to find his new team.

The 27-year-old right-hander from San Luis Obispo was acquired by the Cleveland Guardians, the team against whom the Giants begin a three-game series Friday night. They sent cash to San Francisco to complete the transaction, jumping the waiver wire with a trade.

Howard appeared in seven games, starting two, with a 5.63 ERA providing what amounted to emergency innings for a pitching staff overwhelmed by injuries.

The circumstances that provided the former second-round pick the opportunity, however, then took it away, when he was designated for assignment Sunday to clear room for another pitcher, after getting knocked around for six runs in his final appearance.

The Giants filled Howard’s spot on the active roster with Landen Roupp, who threw 2⅔ innings that night behind Spencer Bivens and was optioned back to the minor leagues the next day, and didn’t let his 40-man spot sit vacant for long, claiming 27-year-old left-hander Kolton Ingram off waivers from the Cardinals on Monday.

While Howard filled in dutifully, and the club hoped to keep him in the organization, the best-case scenario for the remaining 74 games is that the bulk of them are started by Logan Webb, Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, Blake Snell, Alex Cobb and Robbie Ray.

To date, those pitchers have started 54 of their 88 games, but only Snell’s underwhelming six between the three Cy Young awards and trio of All-Star appearances among the group. It is no coincidence, then, that no team’s bullpen has pitched a larger share of its innings than the Giants’, with a league-leading 363⅔.

As the team gears up for the second half, with nine games until the All-Star break, manager Bob Melvin can begin to envision a more stable starting rotation, provided there are no more setbacks in each pitcher’s recovery.

Related ArticlesSan Francisco Giants | SF Giants’ latest — and last? — bullpen game a success against Guardians San Francisco Giants | Chapman, Ramos provide July 4th fireworks on SF Giants’ way to series win over Braves San Francisco Giants | SF Giants silenced by Chris Sale in 3-1 loss to Braves San Francisco Giants | SF Giants rookie Birdsong notches first win to open road trip San Francisco Giants | SF Giants welcome back outfielder to start trip in Atlanta

After spraining his ankle in the weight room between starts, Harrison is set to return Saturday.

Snell, who struck out nine over five hitless innings in his final rehab start, is not far behind, tentatively slotted in against the Blue Jays when the team begins its final home stand before the break.

And sometime shortly after the season resumes, the Giants expect Cobb and Ray to take the mound for them for the first time. The two veteran starters, both recovering from surgeries, are each in the final stages of their rehabs.

In his seventh rehab appearance Thursday, Ray threw 58 pitches (33 strikes) over three innings for Triple-A Sacramento at Reno, allowing three runs on two hits and a walk with three strikeouts. All three runs scored on a home run in his third and final inning.

Cobb, who made his first rehab start Sunday, is set to make his second Friday night for Single-A San Jose at Stockton. He is scheduled to throw 45 pitches.

Three seats up for election on MPC Board of Trustees

Three seats on the Monterey Peninsula College Community District Governing Board will be open for election this November. The County Elections Department’s filing period for interested candidates will start July 15 and end August 19.

Voters in districts three, four and five will elect new trustees from each area to serve on the governing board, which oversees the policies and proceedings of the college. The board also consists of a student trustee, which is elected annually through MPC’s Associated Students elections.

“Trustees play an important role in contributing to our community by ensuring Monterey Peninsula College continues to be a highly regarded and accessible institution of higher learning,” said MPC Superintendent and President Marshall T. Fulbright in a news release. “I look forward to working alongside the successful candidates once they are elected.”

Area three covers most of the City of Monterey, Del Rey Oaks, the eastern portion of Seaside and the unincorporated area of the former Fort Ord base. Area four includes most of Pacific Grove, including the Del Monte Forest area and the neighborhoods west of Monterey’s Presidio. Trustee area five encompasses most of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Valley and the areas south of Highway 68, surrounding Jacks Peak Park.

In 2007, a citizen’s group launched a campaign to change the way the board of trustees was composed. Before the group, MPC was one at-large district with the five trustees all living in Carmel, Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove. The citizen’s group launched a petition drive to create five districts, ensuring Seaside and Marina were also represented.

In June 2008, the state Board of Education voted to support the five-district board. In August 2008, the Monterey County Board of Education created the governing board’s five districts. Since then, trustees have been elected by the residents of their areas to serve four-year terms.

Area three is currently represented by Libby Downey, who previously served on the Monterey City Council for 12 years. Downey currently serves as the vice-chair of the Natividad Hospital Board of Trustees and has served on 30 boards throughout her 50 years living on the peninsula.

Area four trustee Debbie Anthony was elected in 2020, but has roots at MPC that go back decades. She has been a faculty member and counselor at MPC and served as the director for the college’s Transfer Center. Anthony also helped develop the Guaranteed Admissions Program, which offers admission to six UC campuses, including Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz. She has served on the Natividad Hospital Board of Trustees, the Monterey County Civil Grand Jury and volunteered at various community organizations.

Loren Steck has represented area five since 2003, before there were districts to represent. Steck has served as board and vice board chair multiple times throughout his tenure. He is the Board’s liaison to the MPC Foundation, which provides financial support for students to attend the college. Steck also serves on the California Community Colleges Trustees Board.

Fulbright will host orientation sessions on Sep. 17 and Oct. 3 for declared candidates in the election. Candidates are invited to the sessions to learn more about the role of trustee and the board’s responsibilities.

For more information about running for MPC’s board of trustees, visit: https://www.mpc.edu/about-mpc/leadership/board-of-trustees/2024-mpc-trustee-elections.

US judge finds California in contempt over prison mental health staffing

SACRAMENTO— A federal judge has found top California prison officials in civil contempt for failing to hire enough mental health professionals to adequately treat tens of thousands of incarcerated people with serious mental disorders.

Chief U.S. District Judge Kimberly Mueller on June 25 ordered the state to pay $112 million in fines at a time when the state is trying to close a multibillion-dollar budget deficit. The fines have been accumulating since April 2023, after Mueller said she was fed up with the state prison system’s inadequate staffing despite years of court orders demanding that the state address the issue.

“The sanctions imposed here are necessary to sharpen that focus and magnify defendants’ sense of urgency to finally achieve a lasting remedy for chronic mental health understaffing in the state’s prison system,” Mueller said in her order in the long-running class-action lawsuit.

The ongoing harm “caused by these high vacancy rates is as clear today as it was thirty years ago and the harm persists despite multiple court orders requiring defendants to reduce those rates,” she added.

Mueller ordered the state to pay the fines within 30 days and said they “will be used exclusively for steps necessary to come into compliance with the court’s staffing orders.” She ordered California to keep paying additional fines for each month the state remains in violation of court orders.

The ruling was unwelcome news for Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is struggling with a budget deficit that’s forcing reductions in numerous state programs.

The contempt finding “is deeply flawed, and it does not reflect reality,” said Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a Newsom spokesperson. “Amid a nationwide shortage of mental health therapists, the administration has led massive and unprecedented efforts to expand care and recruit and retain mental health care professionals.”

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokesperson Terri Hardy said the state will appeal Mueller’s order. Prisoners “often have greater access to mental health care in custody than what presently exists for people outside” because of the state’s “extraordinary steps to expand access to mental health care,” Hardy said.

Mueller’s contempt finding comes as Newsom, a Democrat, has prioritized improving mental health treatment statewide, partly to combat California’s seemingly intractable homelessness crisis. His administration has argued that Mueller is setting impossible standards for improving treatment for about 34,000 imprisoned people with serious mental illnesses — more than a third of California’s prison population.

Attorneys representing prisoners with mental illness vehemently disagree.

“It’s very unfortunate that the state officials have allowed this situation to get so bad and to stay so bad for so long,” said Ernest Galvan, one of the prisoners’ attorneys in the long-running litigation. “And I hope that this order, which the judge reserved as an absolute last resort, refocuses officials’ attention where it needs to be: bringing lifesaving care into the prisons, where it’s urgently needed.”

As part of her tentative contempt ruling in March, Mueller ordered Newsom personally, along with five of his top state officials, to read testimony by prison mental health employees describing the ongoing problem during a trial last fall.

The other five were the directors of his departments of Corrections and Rehabilitation, State Hospitals, and Finance; the corrections department’s undersecretary for health care services; and the deputy director in charge of its statewide mental health program.

Mueller limited her formal contempt finding to Corrections Secretary Jeff Macomber and two aides, Undersecretary Diana Toche and Deputy Director Amar Mehta.

“Fundamentally, the overall record reflects defendants are following a ‘business as usual’ approach to hiring, recruitment and retention that does very little if anything to transform the bureaucracy within which the hiring practices are carried out,” Mueller wrote.

Mueller had ordered state officials to calculate each month what they owe in fines for each unfilled position exceeding a 10% vacancy rate among required prison mental health professionals. The fines are calculated based on the maximum annual salary for each job, including some that approach or exceed $300,000.

The 10% vacancy limit dates to a court order by Mueller’s predecessor more than 20 years ago, in 2002, in the class-action case filed in 1990 over poor treatment of prisoners with mental disorders.

The $112 million in pending fines for understaffing is one of three sets of fines Mueller imposed.

She imposed $1,000-a-day fines in 2017 for a backlog in sending imprisoned people to state mental health facilities. But that money, which now tops $4.2 million, has never been collected, and Mueller postponed a planned hearing on the fines after prisoners’ attorneys said the state was making improvements.

In April 2023, Mueller also began assessing $1,000-a-day fines for the state’s failure to implement court-ordered suicide prevention measures. A court-appointed expert said his latest inspection of prisons showed the state was still not in full compliance.

This article was produced by KFF Health News , which publishes California Healthline , an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation .

Horoscopes July 5, 2024: Edie Falco, don’t let regret set in

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Megan Rapinoe, 39; Dave Haywood, 42; Edie Falco, 61; Huey Lewis, 74.

Happy Birthday: Use your attributes wisely. Trust and believe in your ability to add unique appeal to whatever you choose to pursue. Hard work and discipline will catapult you forward and open doors to new and exciting opportunities. Change may not be your thing, but take a chance; you’ll discover a wonderful world awaits you. Don’t let regret set in because you are afraid to embrace change. Your numbers are 6, 14, 22, 24, 30, 38, 49.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Speak up if you want something. Stand up to anyone using manipulative tactics to push you in a direction that doesn’t suit your needs. Walk alone if it helps get you to a place that offers peace of mind, comfort and opportunities to follow your heart and dreams. 2 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A plan with high energy and drive to reach your target will encourage prosperous results. Invest more thought into where and how you live, and cut corners to make room for the pursuits you want to aspire to. Don’t let outside influences stifle your plans. 4 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Think big, but before you start your objective, simplify, define and budget to fit your lifestyle. Refrain from letting the changes others make disrupt your plans. An unusual encounter will offer alternatives that will encourage you to broaden your awareness and restructure your plans. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Moderate your emotions and channel your energy into something that matters to you. Take the initiative and act. A cheerful but willful display will bring opportunity and change, injecting hope and satisfaction into your life. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Stand firm and use colorful lingo that will help sell your ideas to those you need on board to enter a new phase in your life. Listen to the input you receive, and compromise where necessary, and you will gain ground. A change will come quicker than expected. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Surround yourself with the people you can count on for backup. A change of plans will spark you to act quickly. Take the podium and make your voice heard. The response you receive will help you reach your objective. Love and romance, along with physical improvements, are favored. 4 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Use your command of language to persuade anyone sitting on the fence. Expect and prepare for opposition, and you’ll navigate the ups and downs of getting your way. Opportunity knocks; keep it from getting away due to passive behavior on your part. Make your objective clear. 2 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Size up your situation and recognize who is with you before you make a move. Having a clear picture and educating yourself to counter any negativity you face will help bring about the changes necessary to improve your financial and emotional well-being. Romance is favored. 5 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Confusion will lead to chaos. Get your facts straight and a solid plan in place. Opportunity is apparent, but your timing and precision will require fine-tuning if you want to take advantage of a situation that can improve your life financially, emotionally and physically. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Keep an open mind, participate and take what you want. Position yourself for success and happiness with a positive attitude, astute comprehension of the possibilities and the willpower to direct yourself accordingly to reach your goal. Socializing and flirting will promote romance. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Be ready to change direction or plan to take advantage of an opportunity. A favorable domestic situation will give you leeway and comfort, knowing you can change your life positively. Barter on your behalf and you’ll get your way. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Ask questions and get the lowdown before you act. Keeping situations simple will help you avoid situations that can backfire or cost you emotionally, physically or financially. Discipline and ingenuity will be necessary to maintain your status quo. 5 stars

Birthday Baby: You are sensitive, caring and generous. You are helpful and energetic.

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. 

Chapman, Ramos provide July 4th fireworks on SF Giants’ way to series win over Braves

The San Francisco Giants enjoyed their own fireworks show on the Fourth of July.

Heliot Ramos and Matt Chapman supplied the boom, and they even provided a little sparkle behind Logan Webb, on their way to a rollicking 4-2 Independence Day celebration on a steamy evening in Atlanta.

With seven innings of two-run ball from Webb and a pair of fourth-inning home runs from Ramos and Chapman, the Giants secured their third series win in a row, taking two of three from the National League wild card-leading Braves.

Held hitless their first time through the order for the second straight night, this time by 17-year veteran Charlie Morton, LaMonte Wade Jr. ignited the Giants’ offense with a single to lead off the third inning and was quickly brought home by Ramos, who jumped on the second pitch of his at-bat and launched it 424 feet to center field.

The two-run shot tied the game at 2 after the Braves took an early lead against Webb and also gave Ramos the team lead with his 12th blast since being called up in the second week of May. Two batters later, Chapman knotted up the leaderboard and broke the tie on the scoreboard with a line-drive solo shot, his 12th of the year, to give the Giants their first lead, 3-2.

Chapman doubled home another run in his next at-bat, check-swinging a ball down the right field line to score Patrick Bailey, and that was all the Giants needed behind Webb, who held the Braves scoreless after spotting them two runs in their first time to bat.

After the Giants claimed the lead in the top of the fourth, Atlanta threatened to take it back in the bottom half when Webb walked the leadoff man, Matt Olson, and the next batter, Austin Riley, roped a double into the left-field corner.

Taking off from first base, Olson received the green light from third base coach Matt Tuiasosopo and was met at home plate by an immaculately executed relay throw from Michael Conforto to Chapman and ultimately to Bailey, whose tag was so perfectly timed and placed that it met Olson’s arm on its path to the plate.

The throw from Chapman to Bailey was clocked at 94 mph, the third baseman’s hardest of the season, and it was the sixth runner the Giants have thrown out at home plate since June 17, two more than any other team in the majors.

Despite going hitless while being rung up twice by home plate umpire Sean Barber, Bailey once again added value in other areas, putting himself in position to apply the tag while blocking Olson’s arm from touching the plate and in the second inning firing on a dime to shortstop Nick Ahmed, who tagged out speedy Forrest Wall trying to swipe second.

With seven innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and one walk, Webb reclaimed the major-league lead in innings, raising his total through 19 starts to 119⅓. It was the 11th time he completed seven innings, also most in the majors, while lowering his ERA to 3.09, ninth in the National League.

Manager Bob Melvin told reporters in Atlanta that Webb would make only one more start before the All-Star break, tentatively lined up to come Wednesday, meaning there should be nothing in the way of the 27-year-old right-hander and his first career selection. He started the Giants’ final game before the break last season and was passed over for teammates Alex Cobb and Camilo Doval.

Rosters for this year’s game in Arlington, Texas, are revealed Sunday on ESPN.

Related ArticlesSan Francisco Giants | SF Giants silenced by Chris Sale in 3-1 loss to Braves San Francisco Giants | SF Giants rookie Birdsong notches first win to open road trip San Francisco Giants | SF Giants welcome back outfielder to start trip in Atlanta San Francisco Giants | Fresh off home series win over LA Dodgers, SF Giants face major road challenge San Francisco Giants | Klay Thompson’s defection to Dallas adds to storied Bay Area pipeline

Notable: OF Mike Yastrzemski is considered day-to-day with a right elbow contusion after X-rays came back negative. He was removed from the game after being hit by a pitch in the fourth inning. … RHP Camilo Doval celebrated his 27th birthday and earned his 16th save. … LHP Blake Snell (groin) threw five scoreless, hitless innings Wednesday night in a rehab start for Triple-A Sacramento, striking out nine with one walk. He is expected to rejoin the Giants’ rotation when the team returns home Tuesday.

Up next: Scheduled for a late-night arrival into Cleveland, the Giants can look forward to adding more reinforcements to their rotation when they begin the second leg of their road trip against the American League-best Guardians. LHP Kyle Harrison (ankle) will be activated from the injured list Saturday to get the ball in the second game of the series.

Thousands flock to see Monterey Fourth of July parade

MONTEREY >> Thousands from all over the Monterey Peninsula and beyond crowded into downtown Thursday for the annual Fourth of July Parade.

The morning was filled with festive floats, patriotic displays, colorful costumes and bands as the parade made its way up Alvarado, turned on Del Monte Avenue and down Calle Principal.

The parade began promptly at 10 a.m. with groups waving to crowds of families and children and giving out American flags and other trinkets. People made their way out from all over the state and country. The hosts, the Old Monterey Business Association estimated about 15,000 people show up each year for the event.

A group of bagpipers kick off the parade following the color guard. The parade started on the corner of Alvarado and Pearl Street and ended off Calle Principal. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

Tracy Isakson from Spokane, Washington said though the parade has become a tradition for family on the Peninsula, this was his first time seeing it up close.

“I’m visiting family. I just got here yesterday, so I haven’t had much time to see everything but this was a good way to start the Fourth of July, my favorite group was the Monterey Pride float,” Isakson said.

Others, like retired couple Brad and Lisa Fendler from Monterey said they have been coming to the parade for the past 25 years.

“We come every year, it’s a great hometown event to come to,” Lisa said. “We love the military floats, and it’s so important to us around here to show our support for them.”

Different organizations and groups sign up to be a part of the parade each year, but there are always returning favorites. Parade goers said there were some acts they missed, but they were still pleased with the turnout this year.

“It’s a charming hometown tradition. I love going every year and bringing my kids,” said Erica Matheson, from Monterey who has been coming to the parade for the last 10 years with her family. “The kids love the classic cars each year. I was a little disappointed that they didn’t have the tap dancing banana group, I don’t think I saw them and they’re my favorite.”

Monterey prides itself on its residents being from various cultures and backgrounds, which was featured in the parade, July 4. A dancer in bright feathers moves to a beat provided by a group of over a dozen drummers. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

Following the parade, many guests headed to Colton Hall lawn where a Fourth of July Celebration kicked off for the remainder of the afternoon, offering different food from vendors, space to place lawn chairs and blankets, and live music from local bands.

“It’s nice to get outside and be with family and friends in the downtown space,” said Tim Andler from Monterey. “We can relax and listen to music, there’s always a good food too like this [barbecue ribs from Greater Victory Temple Church].”

In addition to the day’s festivities, Monterey was fortunate enough to have nice weather at about 70 degrees allowing for comfortable wear, and being able to plan for outdoor activities, unlike the heat hitting much of the rest of the state.

“The best parts this year were the Mr. Potato Head balloon and the group dancing with feathers,” said Lori Luzader from Monterey. “We come here early every year to get this spot (Alvarado Starbucks patio) and watch the parade, then we get to relax for the day.”

A woman with Monterey Jamskate dances to music for the crowd as they turn the corner onto Del Monte Avenue. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)