Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 435

Medicaid for millions in America hinges on Deloitte-run systems plagued by errors

Rachana Pradhan, Samantha Liss | (TNS) KFF Health News

Deloitte, a global consultancy that reported revenue last year of $65 billion, pulls in billions of dollars from states and the federal government for supplying technology it says will modernize Medicaid.

The company promotes itself as the industry leader in building sophisticated and efficient systems for states that, among other things, screen who is eligible for Medicaid. However, a KFF Health News investigation of eligibility systems found widespread problems.

The systems have generated incorrect notices to Medicaid beneficiaries, sent their paperwork to the wrong addresses, and been frozen for hours at a time, according to findings in state audits, allegations and declarations in court documents, and interviews. It can take months to fix problems, according to court documents from a lawsuit in federal court in Tennessee, company documents, and state agencies. Meanwhile, America’s poorest residents pay the price.

Deloitte dominates this important slice of government business: Twenty-five states have awarded it eligibility systems contracts — with 53 million Medicaid enrollees in those states as of April 1, 2023, when the unwinding of pandemic protections began, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Deloitte’s contracts are worth at least $5 billion, according to a KFF Health News review of government contracts, in which Deloitte commits to design, develop, implement, or operate state systems.

State officials work hand in glove with Deloitte behind closed doors to translate policy choices into computer code that forms the backbone of eligibility systems. When things go wrong, it can be difficult to know who’s at fault, according to attorneys, consumer advocates, and union workers. Sometimes it takes a lawsuit to pull back the curtain.

Medicaid beneficiaries bear the brunt of system errors, said Steve Catanese, president of Service Employees International Union Local 668 in Pennsylvania. The union chapter represents roughly 19,000 employees — including government caseworkers who troubleshoot problems for recipients of safety-net benefits such as health coverage and cash assistance for food.

“Are you hungry? Wait. You sick? Wait,” he said. “Delays can kill people.”

KFF Health News interviewed Medicaid recipients, attorneys, and former caseworkers and government employees, and read thousands of pages from contracts, ongoing lawsuits, company materials, and state audits and documents that show problems with Deloitte-operated systems around the country — including in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Texas.

In an interview, Kenneth Smith, a Deloitte executive who leads its national human services division, said Medicaid eligibility technology is state-owned and agencies “direct their operation” and “make decisions about the policies and processes that they implement.”

“They’re not Deloitte systems,” he said, noting Deloitte is one player among many who together administer Medicaid benefits.

Alleging “ongoing and nationwide” errors and “unfair and deceptive trade practices,” the National Health Law Program, a nonprofit that advocates for people with low incomes, urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Deloitte in a complaint filed in January.

“Systems built by Deloitte have generated numerous errors, resulting in inaccurate Medicaid eligibility determinations and loss of Medicaid coverage for eligible individuals in many states,” it argued. “The repetition of the same errors in Deloitte eligibility systems across Texas and other states and over time demonstrates that Deloitte has failed.”

FTC spokesperson Juliana Gruenwald Henderson confirmed receipt of the complaint but did not comment further.

Smith called the allegations “without merit.”

The system problems are especially concerning as states wade through millions of Medicaid eligibility checks to disenroll people who no longer qualify — a removal process that was paused for three years to protect people from losing insurance during the covid-19 public health emergency. In that time, nationwide Medicaid enrollment grew by more than 22 million, to roughly 87 million people. At least 22.8 million have been removed as of June 4 , according to a KFF analysis of government data.

Advocates worry many lost coverage despite being eligible. A KFF survey of adults disenrolled from Medicaid during the first year of the unwinding found that nearly 1 in 4 adults who were removed are now uninsured. Nearly half who were removed were able to reenroll, the survey showed, suggesting they should not have been dropped in the first place.

“If there is a technology challenge or reason why someone can’t access health care that they’re eligible for, and we’re able to do something,” Smith said, “we work tirelessly to do so.”

Deloitte’s contracts with states regularly cost hundreds of millions of dollars, and the federal government pays the bulk of the cost.

“States become very dependent on the consultant for operating complex systems of all kinds” to do government business, said Michael Shaub, an accounting professor at Texas A&M University.

Georgia’s contract with Deloitte to build and maintain its system for health and social service programs, inked in 2014, as of January 2023 was worth $528 million. This January, state officials wrote in an assessment obtained by KFF Health News that its eligibility system “lacks flexibility and adaptability, limiting Georgia’s ability to serve its customers efficiently, improve the customer and worker experience across all programs, ensure data security, reduce benefit errors and fraud, and advance the state’s goal of streamlining eligibility.”

Deloitte and the Georgia Department of Community Health declined to comment.

Deloitte is looking ahead with its “path to Medicaid in 2040,” anticipating sweeping changes that will expand its own business opportunity.

“State Medicaid leaders and policymakers are hungry to know what the future of health care holds,” the company said. “Deloitte brings the innovative tools, subject matter expertise, and time-tested experience to help states.”

Trouble in Tennessee

When Medicaid eligibility systems fail, beneficiaries suffer the consequences.

DiJuana Davis had chronic anemia that required iron infusions. In 2019, the 39-year-old Nashville resident scheduled separate surgeries to prevent pregnancy and to remove the lining of her uterus, which could alleviate blood loss and ease her anemia.

DiJuana Davis, with daughter Treasure Woodard, at home in Nashville. Davis is a plaintiff in a Tennessee class-action lawsuit contesting the state’s Medicaid eligibility process. She and her children lost their coverage in 2019 after Tennessee launched a Deloitte-built eligibility system. (William DeShazer for KFF Health News/TNS)

Then Davis, a mom of five, received a shock: Her family’s Medicaid coverage had vanished. The hospital canceled the procedures, according to testimony in federal court in November.

Davis had kept her insurance for years without trouble. This time, Tennessee had just launched a new Deloitte-built eligibility system. It autofilled an incorrect address, where Davis had never lived, to send paperwork, an error that left her uninsured for nearly two months, according to an ongoing class-action lawsuit Davis and other beneficiaries filed against the state.

The lawsuit, which does not name Deloitte as a defendant, seeks to order Tennessee to restore coverage for those who wrongly lost it. Kimberly Hagan, Tennessee Medicaid’s director of member services, said in a court filing defending the state’s actions that many issues “reflect some unforeseen flaws or gaps” with the eligibility system and “some design errors.”

Hagan’s legal declaration in 2020 gave a view of what went wrong: Davis lost coverage because of missteps by both Tennessee and Deloitte during what’s known as the “conversion process,” when eligibility data was migrated to a new system.

Tennessee’s Medicaid agency, known as “TennCare, along with its vendor, Deloitte, designed rules to govern the logic of conversion,” Hagan said in the legal declaration. She also cited a “manual, keying error by a worker” made in 2017.

Davis’ family was “incorrectly merged with another family during conversion,” Hagan said.

Davis regained coverage, but before she could rebook the surgeries, she testified, she became pregnant and a serious complication emerged. In June 2020, Davis rushed to the hospital. A physician told her she had preeclampsia, a leading cause of maternal death. Labor was induced and her son was born prematurely.

“Preeclampsia can kill the mom. It can kill the baby. It can kill both of you,” she testified. “That’s like a death sentence.”

Deloitte’s Tennessee contract is worth $823 million. Deloitte declined to comment on Davis’ case or the litigation.

Speaking broadly, Smith said, “data conversion is incredibly challenging and difficult.”

Hagan called the problems one-time issues: “None of the Plaintiffs’ cases reflect ongoing systemic problems that have not already been addressed or are scheduled to be addressed.”

States leverage Deloitte’s technology as part of a larger push toward automation, legal aid attorneys and former caseworkers said.

“We all know that big computer projects are fraught,” said Gordon Bonnyman, co-founder of the nonprofit Tennessee Justice Center. “But a state that was concerned about inflicting collateral damage when they moved to a different automated system would have a lot of safeguards.”

TennCare spokesperson Amy Lawrence called its eligibility system “a transformative tool, streamlining processes and enhancing accessibility.”

When enrollees seek help at county offices, “you don’t get to sit down across from a real human being,” Bonnyman said. “They point you to the kiosk and say, ‘Good luck with that.’”

A Backlog of 50,000 Cases

As part of the Affordable Care Act rollout about a decade ago, states invested in technological upgrades to determine who qualifies for public programs. It was a financial boon to Deloitte and such companies as Accenture and Optum, which landed government contracts to build those complex systems.

Problems soon emerged. In Kentucky, a Deloitte-built system that launched in February 2016 erroneously sent at least 25,000 automated letters telling people they would lose benefits, according to local news reports. State officials manually worked through a backlog of 50,000 cases caused by conflicting information from newly merged systems, the reports say.

“We know that the rollout of Benefind has caused frustration and concern for families and for field staff,” senior Deloitte executive Deborah Sills said during a March 2016 news conference alongside Gov. Matt Bevin and other senior officials after Kentucky was bombarded with complaints. Within two months, roughly 600 system defects were identified, found a report by the Kentucky state auditor.

In Rhode Island, a botched rollout in September 2016 delayed tens of thousands of Social Security payments, The Providence Journal reported. Advocacy groups filed two class-action lawsuits, one related to Medicaid and the other to food stamp benefits. Both were settled, with Rhode Island officials denying wrongdoing. Neither named Deloitte as a defendant.

In a 2018 statement for a Statehouse hearing, Sills of Deloitte said, “We are very sorry for the impact that our system issues have had on your constituents, on state workers, and on service providers.” The state’s top human services official resigned.

A 2017 audit by a top Rhode Island official prepared for Gov. Gina Raimondo found that Deloitte “delivered an IT system that is not functioning effectively” and had “significant defects.” “Widespread issues,” it said, “caused a significant deterioration in the quality of service provided by the State.”

“Deloitte held itself out as the leading vendor with significant experience in developing integrated eligibility systems for other states,” the audit read. “It appears that Deloitte did not sufficiently leverage this experience and expertise.” Deloitte declined to comment further about Rhode Island and Kentucky.

Deloitte invokes the phrase “no-touch” to describe its technology — approving benefits “without any tasks performed by the State workers,” it wrote in documents vying for an Arkansas contract.

In practice, enrollee advocates and former government caseworkers say, the systems frequently have errors and require manual workarounds.

As it considered hiring Deloitte, Arkansas officials asked the company about problems, particularly in Rhode Island.

In response, the company said in 2017, “We do not believe Deloitte Consulting LLP has had to implement a corrective action plan” for any eligibility system project in the previous five years.

Arkansas awarded Deloitte a $345 million contract effective in 2019 to develop its system.

“It had a lot of bugs,” said Bianca Garcia, a program eligibility specialist for the Arkansas Department of Human Services from August 2022 to October 2023.

Garcia said it could take weeks to fix errors in a family’s details and Medicaid enrollees wouldn’t receive the state’s requests for information because of glitches. They would lose benefits because workers couldn’t confirm eligibility, she added.

The enrollees “were doing their part, but the system just failed,” Garcia said.

Arkansas Department of Human Services spokesperson Gavin Lesnick said: “With any large-scale system implementation, there occasionally are issues that need to be addressed. We have worked alongside our vendor to minimize these issues and to correct any problems.”

Deloitte declined to comment.

‘Heated’ Negotiations

In late 2020, Colorado officials were bracing for the inevitable unwinding of pandemic-era Medicaid protections.

Colorado was three years into what is now a $354.4 million contract with Deloitte to operate its eligibility system. A state-commissioned audit that September had uncovered widespread problems, and Kim Bimestefer, the state’s top Medicaid official, was in “heated” negotiations with the company.

The audit found 67% of the system notices it sampled contained errors. Notices are federally required to safeguard against eligible people being disenrolled, said MaryBeth Musumeci, an associate teaching professor in public health at George Washington University.

“This is, for many people, what’s keeping them from being uninsured,” Musumeci said.

The Colorado audit found many enrollee notices contained inaccurate response deadlines. One dated Dec. 19, 2019, requested a beneficiary return information by Sept. 27, 2011 — more than eight years earlier.

“We’re in intense negotiations with our vendor because we can’t turn around to the General Assembly and say, ‘Can I get money to fix this?’” Bimestefer told lawmakers during the 2020 legislative audit hearing. “I have to hold the vendor accountable for the tens of millions we’ve been paying them over the years, and we still have a system like this.”

She said officials had increased oversight of Deloitte. Also, dozens of initiatives were created to “improve eligibility accuracy and correspondence,” and the state renegotiated Deloitte’s contract, said Marc Williams, a state Medicaid agency spokesperson. A contract amendment shows Deloitte credited Colorado with $5 million to offset payments for additional work.

But Deloitte’s performance appeared to get worse. A 2023 state audit found problems in 90% of sampled enrollee notices. Some were violations of state Medicaid rules.

The audit blamed “flaws in system design” for populating notices with incorrect dates.

In September, Danae Davison received a confusing notice at her Arvada home stating that her daughter did not qualify for coverage.

Lydia, 11, who uses a wheelchair and is learning to communicate via a computer, has a seizure disorder that qualifies her for a Medicaid benefit for those with disabilities. The denial threatened access to nursing care, which enables her to live at home instead of in a facility. Nothing had changed with Lydia’s condition, Davison said.

“She so clearly has the need,” Davison said. “This is a system problem.”

Davison appealed. In October, a judge ruled that Lydia qualified for coverage.

The notice generated by the Deloitte-operated system was deemed “legally insufficient” because it omitted the date Lydia’s coverage would end. Her case highlights a known eligibility system problem: Beneficiary notices contain “non-compliant or inconsistent dates” and are “missing required elements and information,” according to the 2023 audit.

Deloitte declined to comment on Colorado. Speaking broadly, Smith said, “Incorrect information can come in a lot of forms.”

Last spring in Pennsylvania, Deloitte’s eligibility role expanded to include the Children’s Health Insurance Program and 126,000 enrollees.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services said an error occurred when converting to the state’s eligibility system, maintained by Deloitte through a $541 million contract. DHS triaged the errors, but, for “a small window of time,” some children who still had coverage “were not able to use it.”

These issues affected 9,269 children last June and 2,422 in October, DHS said. A temporary solution was implemented in December and a permanent fix came through in April.

Catanese, the union representative, said it was another in a long history of problems. Among the most prevalent, he said: The system freezes for hours. When asked about that, Smith said “it’s hyperbole.”

Instead of the efficiency that Deloitte touted, Catanese said, “the system constantly runs into errors that you have to duct tape and patchwork around.”

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KFF Health News senior correspondent Renuka Rayasam and correspondents Daniel Chang, Bram Sable-Smith, and Katheryn Houghton contributed to this report.

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

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

How Legos went from humble toy to criminal black market item fueled by LA heists

Daniel Miller and Summer Lin | (TNS) Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES — The hooded man darted past shattered glass, his headlamp illuminating the rare collectibles housed in display cases that lined the walls of Bricks & Minifigs in Whittier.

“Ninjago” Ultra Violet (Oni Mask of Hatred). Percival Graves (“Harry Potter” Series 1). Velociraptor with Sand Green Back (“Jurassic World” Blue).

Those sought-after Lego mini-figures were among 600 or more stolen on May 3. In a predawn spree that lasted little more than a minute, the thief stuffed a garbage bag with about $10,000 worth of figurines before sprinting to a waiting car and speeding off.

The heist was one of seven carried out at Bricks & Minifigs outlets across the Southland since April, a $100,000-plus crime spree that, on the heels of other similar incidents, has rattled the growing — but cloistered — world of Lego collectors and merchants.

“Ten years ago I just couldn’t have imagined it — I did not think our little hobby was the kind of thing that would attract that kind of crime,” said Graham E. Hancock, editor of Blocks, an enthusiast magazine. “The idea that they are taking advantage of really dedicated collectors and resellers … it is just scary for the hobby and for these businesses.”

The COVID-19 pandemic turbocharged the Lego collecting hobby, with homebound collectors blitzing online resellers in search of coveted items. That drove up prices, experts said, and attracted criminals.

Bricks & Minifigs, a franchised chain with more than 100 locations nationwide, maintains a unique position in the Lego economy. Unlike official Lego stores, Bricks & Minifigs outposts carry valuable sets and figurines no longer in production. Some are sold in their unopened boxes. Others are displayed in glass cases.

The roughly 1.5-inch figurines — known as “minifigs” among hobbyists — can trade for upward of $1,000 and are especially enticing to thieves, said Katie Leuschner, owner of the Whittier Boulevard store.

“You can’t steal a 1960s Mustang and hide that,” she said, “but you can hide a mini-figure and stockpile them for years, and they’re only going up in value.”

A market matures

These days, Lego encompasses a sprawling, multibillion-dollar ecosystem of toys, video games, retail stores, television shows, films, amusement parks and more.

It’s easy to forget the days when children designed their own spaceships and castles out of a stew of mismatched blocks spilled on the living room shag.

Or that even more recently, Lego Group, a Danish company founded in 1932, appeared in jeopardy.

According to David C. Robertson, author of the Lego history “Brick by Brick,” the company foundered in the late 1990s as it made ill-fated attempts to enter the digital space. By 2003, he said, things were dire for Lego, which released its first “Automatic Binding Brick” in 1949 and has since produced so many billions of pieces that a good portion of humanity has felt the pain of stepping on one barefoot.

“It is really hard to overstate how close they were to bankruptcy,” said Robertson, noting that Lego Group had even discussed an acquisition by rival Mattel. “They were convinced for a while that the alternative was liquidation.”

But the company course corrected by getting back to basics — and understanding it needed “to innovate around the brick,” he said. That largely came in the form of storytelling.

“They had to create worlds and characters,” said Robertson, a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management. “They had to tell those stories with things outside the box: comic books, young adult fiction, movies, apps and ties to other [companies’] intellectual property, like ‘Batman’ and ‘Star Wars.’”

Zane, 9, peruses Lego pieces at the Bricks & Minifigs shop in Whittier, owned by mother Katie Leuschner. (Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

It worked. To some Gen Xers’ disdain, children were no longer content building their own creations out of the same bucket of bricks. They wanted new, evermore costly kits — and the hobby became far more expensive.

The turnaround is apparent in the company’s financials: Lego Group’s revenue in 2023 was $9.65 billion, up about 74% from five years earlier, according to Dow Jones data.

Some of the company’s biggest successes in recent years have been entertainment offerings tied to existing intellectual property, such as the “Lego Batman Movie,” which grossed $312 million worldwide, and Fox’s Emmy Award-nominated competition TV show “Lego Masters.”

Recently, popular Lego sets have centered on “Harry Potter,” “Jurassic World” and “Star Wars.” The first “Star Wars” Legos came out in 1999, and their success showed the company “the power of story to generate sales,” Robertson said. Interest in Legos tied to the space Western has only grown: Some of the rarest and most expensive “Star Wars” mini-figures are a light-up Darth Vader that sells for hundreds of dollars and a gold C-3PO that can sell for thousands of dollars.

Lego mini-figures — which are most commonly found in the company’s sets and in mystery boxes where the buyer doesn’t know what’s inside — have been transformed into full-fledged characters through their appearances in films, TV shows and other media. That has put them, and not the bricks, at the center of the play ecosystem. “The mini-figures are the heroes, and let those playing with them be the hero,” said Joe Evangelista, a writer at Lego magazine BrickJournal.

Today, Lego is the rare toy whose appeal transcends childhood, and it maintains a strong base of devotees who are known as “AFOLs,” or “adult fans of Lego.” Armed with disposable income, AFOLs have turned collecting high-end sets and mini-figures into a booming online business. Robertson, for example, just bought a Lego model of Notre-Dame Cathedral that clocks in at 4,383 pieces and costs $229.99.“Lego rebuilt it before the French,” he joked.

Serving consumers like Robertson are an array of websites and traditional media, such as Blocks magazine. Paging through a recent issue, it’s clear how central collecting mini-figures is to the hobby. Issue No. 114 included a cover line referencing a celebrated figurine: “LEGO MEDIEVAL TOWN BRINGS BACK THE GOAT.”

It was a big deal.

“For 14 years, there was only the one goat you could get,” Evangelista noted, adding that a vintage version of the goat went for upward of $100 during the pandemic.

But there are many mini-figures trading for much more than that. According to BrickEconomy.com, the most valuable mini-figure is a limited-edition Spider-Man version given out to attendees at Comic-Con in 2013 that’s now worth $5,500. The website lists 16 other figurines valued at more than $1,000.

Robertson said that high prices have driven a “big secondary market for Legos,” with several online marketplaces for them, including Lego-owned BrickLink. The scarcity of some mini-figures has made them “a great investment,” he said.

They’ve also become a mainstay of a thriving black market.

The black market for blocks

The last few months have seen a string of Lego-related crimes across Southern California.

In April, days after the Bricks & Minifigs burglaries began, the California Highway Patrol arrested four suspects after officers found them in possession of stolen Legos worth $300,000. They’d allegedly taken sets from retailers including Target and stored the goods at stash houses in L.A. and Orange counties. Then, in early June, the Los Angeles Police Department announced it’d broken up another alleged Lego theft ring, arresting two people and seizing nearly 3,000 boxes of Legos kept at a property in Long Beach.

Authorities have not linked those crimes to the Bricks & Minifigs heists.

Pilfered items are routinely offered on internet sales platforms including EBay and Facebook Marketplace, according to Lego dealers and other experts. That means that hobbyists have to rely on their own judgment — and ethics — when conducting business online.

Veteran Lego dealer James Burrows said red flags include sellers who “have a tremendous amount of something and they are not a collector.”

Burrows said that BrickLink, which boasts more than 18,000 sellers, including nearly 6,000 in the U.S., is a safer place to buy and sell than the mainstream online marketplaces. The site gives members the ability to report concerning behavior or activity to the website’s administrators.

Lego Group, of course, is aware of the illicit sale of its toys. A company spokesperson directed The Times to an online resource that outlines how consumers can spot fake online Lego stores, among other issues.

Tracking down stolen Legos online is a tall order. Shauna Garcia, owner of the Bricks & Minifigs Ontario store, which lost about 500 mini-figures worth nearly $7,000 in an April heist, said that she’s been looking for her items on Facebook Marketplace but hasn’t spotted any. “They’re not being sold there in a super obvious way,” she said. “I’m keeping an eye out for lots and lots of minis.”

Bricks & Minifigs, which has more than 100 locations nationwide, can carry valuable Lego sets and figurines no longer in production. (Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Weeks after her store was burgled, Leuschner had a strange interaction with a man offering her thousands of Legos “at a very low price.” The would-be seller, she said, was Richard Siegel, one of the people who, according to police, allegedly operated the theft ring that stored more than 2,800 ill-gotten Legos in Long Beach.

Reached by telephone, Siegel, 71, told The Times that he “for sure” wasn’t guilty, declining to comment further.

Burrows, who is based in Florida, said that he routinely deals with suspect sellers at the Brick University, his brick-and-mortar store.

“People will show up, and it is the usually the same story: ‘Oh , my boss closed their comic store and paid me with Legos,’” he said. “Or, ‘My kid got extras of these [for a] birthday.’”

Burrows spoke to The Times while en route to Brickworld, a Lego fan convention held in Chicago. He said that items stolen in L.A. could have wound up at the expo and been sold to unsuspecting attendees.

“They could easily be unloaded,” he said. Vendors “will have all these high-end figures, and they will give you a good story and an amazing deal.”

Opening amid a crime wave

By the time Rob and Betty Poquez opened their Bricks & Minifigs franchise in Pasadena on May 4, three of their sister stores had been burgled. That prompted the Poquezes to make some changes.

The crime “informed a lot of the decision-making for our store,” Rob Poquez said.

Three burglaries prompted store owners Betty and Rob Poquez to change procedures at their Bricks & Minifigs outposts. (Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

He said that they reconsidered everything, including their end-of-day procedures and how the space would be staged. Valuable “Star Wars” sets and mini-figures are housed in a glass case at the rear of the store. It recently displayed a Republic Cruiser with mini-figures (price: $350) and a Republic Gunship with mini-figures ($600).

The Poquezes are also wary of people trying to sell them stolen goods. So far, they’ve not had a transaction that “felt uncomfortable,” Rob Poquez said. “We get a lot of kids with families.” And, owing to a rule set by Lego, Bricks & Minifigs operators are not allowed to buy new, currently-in-production sets from consumers, Betty Poquez said, which “helps us avoid stolen goods.”

On a recent afternoon, a preteen boy stood in front of a large bulk bin at the center of the couple’s store and surveyed his options. The Legos plinked as he sifted through mounds of blocks under the gaze of at least five wall-mounted security cameras.

A small container at the edge of the bin was labeled “WALL OF SHAME” — this was where customers put any non-Lego pieces found during their rummaging. A sign explained the bulk pricing, starting at $8 to fill a small tub.

This version of the hobby seemed far removed from the world of AFOLs and $1,000 mini-figures — and the sort of crime that had been visited upon the other local branches of Bricks & Minifigs.

The boy’s father leaned in to explain how the bulk bin let him get a bunch of Legos on the cheap.

“This,” he told his son, “is an opportunity.”

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©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The craziest places I’ve been asked to tip

Ted Rossman | (TNS) Bankrate.com

Would you tip a robot? That’s essentially what I was asked to do when a self-checkout machine at Newark Liberty International Airport prompted me for a tip. I picked a premade sandwich out of a refrigerator, scanned it at a self-service kiosk and was presented with an on-screen tip prompt.

I didn’t feel an ounce of guilt hitting the “no tip” button, but this is the sort of thing that’s giving tipping a bad name. Another outrageous example was when I was asked to tip while making a reservation at a pick-your-own strawberry farm. Situations like this are often considered part of “tip creep.”

What is tip creep and why is it growing?

Tip creep refers to being asked to tip in unconventional places. The most widespread example that has caught on in recent years is at coffee shops, but self-checkout machines and pick-your-own strawberry farms fit the bill as well.

There’s a fun “what’s the weirdest place you’ve been prompted to tip?” forum on Reddit. A dermatologist’s office, a car mechanic shop and a movie theater ticket counter are three of my favorites. Those all feel pretty excessive. Doctors, in particular, are highly paid professionals bound by strict regulations and ethical codes. They should not be soliciting tips under any circumstances.

The proliferation of tip prompts has hit counter-service transactions the hardest. In these settings, you used to have to go out of your way to tip (dropping bills or coins into an old-fashioned tip jar). Now you have to go out of your way not to tip at many coffee shops and other businesses.

That’s particularly true when you pay with a credit or debit card and the cashier flips the payment terminal around with suggested tip amounts of 15, 20 and 25%. Sometimes it’s awkward not to tip in these settings, which leads to “guilt tipping” – hitting one of those buttons yet wishing you hadn’t.

Is inflation to blame?

Inflation is a key contributor to why consumers are annoyed about these interactions. Many people feel like they’re already paying a lot for the product or service and grumble about forking over even more dough.

But inflation also helps explain why businesses have their digital hands out. They’re looking for ways to supplement their employees’ wages without having to foot the bill. Tipping has become a hidden surcharge.

About six in 10 Americans have at least one negative opinion about tipping, according to Bankrate’s 2024 Tipping Culture survey. The most common complaint is that businesses should pay their employees better rather than relying so much on tips (37%). More than a third (35%) say tipping culture has gotten out of control, and a similar number (34%) are annoyed about pre-entered tip screens.

Who we should always tip

It’s important to distinguish between a quick food pickup and a sit-down dining experience. We should tip for service at a full-service restaurant. Unfortunately, our survey revealed that 33% of diners skip the tip at least some of the time, including a whopping 65% of Gen Zers (ages 18-27) and 44% of millennials (ages 28-43). That’s shocking, and it’s taking money out of servers’ pockets.

The federal tipped minimum wage is just $2.13 per hour. It hasn’t changed since 1991. The typical waiter or waitress literally depends on tips to make a living. Yet tips have steadily eroded in recent years.

In 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bankrate found that 77% of sit-down restaurant-goers always tipped the waitstaff. That stepped down to 75% in 2021 and 73% in 2022, according to an earlier Bankrate survey. Last year, tipping really fell off as inflation took a big bite out of consumers’ wallets. Just 65% of diners always tipped in 2023. We saw a slight increase this year, to 67%.

It has been a similar story for hair stylists, barbers, food delivery workers and taxi/rideshare drivers. At present, only 55% of Americans always tip their hair stylist or barber, compared with 63% in 2019. Just 51% always tip for food delivery (versus 63% in 2019) and 41% always tip a taxi or rideshare driver (eight percentage points lower than the 49% who did so in 2019).

We should tip in all of these situations – ideally 20% of the bill. Maybe a little less for food delivery or a ride, but at least 10 to 15%. The workers’ livelihood depends on it. In America, it’s part of the social contract at sit-down restaurants, hair salons and when you utilize gig economy services such as food delivery and rideshares. These drivers are typically independent contractors who pay for their own gas and car insurance and earn a sizable percentage of their income from tips.

When it’s okay to skip the tip

Etiquette expert Thomas Farley, who goes by the tagline “Mister Manners,” told Inside Edition that simple counter-service orders do not typically warrant tips – unless the barista truly goes above and beyond.

“Perhaps you’re at your favorite coffee shop and they know your order and the barista spends 15 minutes getting it exactly the [right] way, they know your name, those employees definitely deserve a tip,” Farley added.

Farley also says that most home repairs don’t require a gratuity. “For service professionals like plumbers, my feeling is that unless there are extenuating circumstances and they came out in the wee hours of the morning, there’s no expectation to tip,” he explained to CNBC. “You’re probably paying on an hourly basis, most likely a very high amount.”

The bottom line

Tipping can be annoying, confusing and controversial, but it’s here to stay. In our most recent survey, only 14% of Americans said they would be willing to pay higher prices in order to do away with tipping. And technology has made it easier than ever for businesses to embed tip prompts into the point-of-sale process.

While you may be frustrated the next time you’re asked to tip for a simple takeout order, remember that it’s okay to hit the no-tip button sometimes. But please make sure to tip at places like sit-down restaurants where tips make up the vast majority of employees’ wages.

____

Have a question about credit cards? E-mail me at ted.rossman@bankrate.com and I’d be happy to help.

___

(Visit Bankrate online at bankrate.com.)

©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Horoscopes June 29, 2024: Martin Truex Jr., run the show

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Martin Truex Jr., 44; Nicole Scherzinger, 46; Melora Hardin, 57; Gary Busey, 80.

Happy Birthday: Set priorities and maintain your momentum. A steady pace in a direction that takes you away from drama and toward peace of mind will lead to the life you want. Focus on yourself, boost your confidence and promote a journey that inspires you to stop dreaming and start doing. Pay attention to what’s important to you. Run the show. Your numbers are 8, 14, 21, 23, 35, 42, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Settle any differences amicably. Refuse to let your emotions supersede common sense and goodwill. How you treat others and personal situations will reflect what you receive in return. Compromise is necessary if you want to put unfinished business behind you. Choose peace and love over discord. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You’ll need an outlet for pent-up energy. Activities that stretch your mind and utilize your physical abilities will be stimulating and help you connect with people searching for self-improvement and a better lifestyle. A change will promote confidence. Romance is favored. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You can think big, but don’t lose sight of cost and labor. Set your sights on what you can handle independently and you will be satisfied with the results and avoid being out of pocket. Rely on facts and figures, not sales pitches and pressure tactics. If you share secrets, someone will pass them along. 4 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Put your emotions on the shelf and focus on what you need to do. It’s up to you to change whatever is holding you back. Use your persuasive charm and you’ll get those you need on board. Make networking, socializing and participating in activities that bring you joy your priorities. 2 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Stay on track regardless of what others say. Refrain from getting into a dispute or giving in to avoid a hassle. Make the decision that suits you best, and don’t feel you must answer to anyone but yourself. The right path will lead to your tribe and happiness. 5 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Stick to the script. Make promises you can fulfill. Speak with compassion and you’ll draw the right crowd. Don’t expect everyone to trust and believe in you, but treat the ones who do with respect, and you’ll get help reaching your goal. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Take care of domestic matters. Declutter, make space for something you want to pursue or research, and determine if you need outside help or can use your skills adequately to turn your surroundings into an environment that promotes success and happiness. A positive attitude will convert negative energy. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Pick up whatever you need to turn your pursuit into something tangible. A change will influence how others perceive you and encourage interesting encounters that can become meaningful. Make personal improvements, love and romance your priorities. Trust your instincts. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t set yourself up for error or loss. Review information and avoid risks involving money, contracts or something you don’t need. Pay attention to how you feel and care for any medical or emotional issues that can wear you down. Avoid unnecessary spending and joint ventures. 5 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A change will do you good, spark your imagination and send you in a positive direction. Explore and join a group that offers something meaningful or leads to better mental and physical health. Engage in social events that attract love, promote romance or offer peace of mind. 2 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Gain momentum and don’t look back. Spend time rearranging your space to ensure you have adequate room to indulge in something that brings you joy. Stay away from people who cause you grief or try to drag you into melodramas. Keep your emotions in check. 4 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Implement change and bask in your accomplishments. A social event will allow you to get feedback on something or someone that interests you. Let your creative juices flow, and you’ll attract attention and suggestions to help you flourish. Love is in the stars. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are appealing, receptive and creative. You are dedicated and persuasive.

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. 

Wisely walks off Dodgers with SF Giants’ third home run of the game

SAN FRANCISCO — Brett Wisely had been part of a couple walkoff wins for Triple-A Sacramento this season.

Those paled in comparison to the mob that met Wisely at home plate Friday evening, after his left-handed swing deposited a two-strike slider from Blake Treinen onto the concourse in right field to walk off the Dodgers, 5-3, for a rare win over the Giants’ divisional foes.

“That was an unbelievable moment,” Wisely afterward.

San Francisco Giants’ Brett Wisely #0 is congratulated after he hit a walk-off, 2-run homer in the ninth inning to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-3, at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, June 28, 2024. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)

“That’s one in his career that he’s never going to forget,” added manager Bob Melvin, who understood the significance of the rivalry for the 40,052 on hand. “From pitch one, the place was rocking. It (had) all the ingredients to be an emotional type of game.”

Wisely’s walkoff blast — the Giants’ third home run of the game — carried only more meaning after the team learned in the middle of the game that another one of its Hall of Famers, Orlando Cepeda, had died. An announcement of Cepeda’s death at age 86 came over the loudspeakers before the start of the sixth inning and was followed by a moment of silence for the “Baby Bull,” who joined Willie Mays in Giants legends to pass away recently.

The passing of San Francisco Giants’ Orlando Cepeda is announced at Oracle Park before the start of the sixth inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers game in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, June 28, 2024. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)

“He’s probably there with us again, just like Willie,” Melvin said.

“It’s been a tough month for Giants baseball, losing special guys like that,” added Logan Webb, who was taking the mound when the news was announced both times. “I took my hat off and (saw) the clock was running, so was I like, ‘I think you need to stop the clock.’”

Beating the Dodgers for only the third time in their past 14 meetings at Oracle Park, Webb gave the Giants seven innings for a major-league-best 10th time this season and departed holding a 3-2 lead, thanks to a pair of home runs from Luis Matos and Matt Chapman that preceded Wisely’s.

The ninth-inning rally was necessary after Camilo Doval was unable to close out the 3-2 lead he was handed to begin the top half of the inning, allowing the first batter he faced, Andy Pages, to line a triple off the glove of center fielder Heliot Ramos and score on a sacrifice fly.

San Francisco Giants’ Camilo Doval blows a save giving up a run to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the ninth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, June 28, 2024. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)

“(Ramos) is running full-tilt, really, really hard,” Melvin said. “If he catches it, it’s going to be an incredible play. At first, I thought he did catch it. But I think it just hit in his pocket and popped out.”

After allowing the first two batters of the inning to reach base and score, the fifth had a big inning written all over it for the Dodgers, who had one run in and one man on with nobody out when the lineup turned over to Shohei Ohtani.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani inspects his bat while leading off against San Francisco Giants’ Logan Webb at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, June 28, 2024. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)

Just two batters later, Webb was emphatically stomping back to the dugout.

Melvin opted to intentionally put the Dodgers’ dangerous leadoff man on base, only for the next batter, Will Smith, to rip an RBI single up the middle, anyway. That was all the Dodgers managed, though, after Webb coaxed a soft comebacker from Freddie Freeman, which he spun and fired to second to start the second of his 1-6-3 double plays.

“I’ve never seen him field ground balls like that,” Wisely said.

“I was more mad at myself,” Webb said of his emotions. “I thought I made some pitches I shouldn’t have thrown. Just putting the team in the hole again, I feel like I’ve done that a lot lately, just giving up runs when I shouldn’t. That’s baseball, though, and the team had my back.”

The game was scoreless until the Dodgers opened a 2-0 lead with their fifth-inning rally, but Los Angeles wouldn’t hold a lead for long.

Related ArticlesSan Francisco Giants | SF Giants lose another legend: Orlando Cepeda dead at 86 San Francisco Giants | SF Giants activate LaMonte Wade Jr. but lose 2 more players to injured list San Francisco Giants | Crucial series vs. Dodgers to test SF Giants’ stability, kick off grueling stretch San Francisco Giants | SF Giants denied four-game sweep of Cubs before Dodgers’ final visit San Francisco Giants | SF Giants announce date for Willie Mays’ celebration of life

Homering for the second time since being called up Saturday, Matos jumped on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the fifth and sent it on a line-drive trajectory into the seats above the 399′ sign in left-center field, pulling the Giants within a run.

San Francisco Giants’ Luis Matos is greeted by 3rd base coach Matt Williams after a solo home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, June 28, 2024. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Matt Chapman hits a 2-run homer to give the Giants a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, June 28, 2024. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)

Chapman flipped the score an inning later, launching a Daniel Hudson fastball 414 feet to left field — leaving the bat at 110.5 mph — to score Heliot Ramos, who reached when Freeman wasn’t able to corral his ground ball to begin the inning.

The walkoff win was the Giants’ seventh this season, second only to the Marlins (eight) for the most in the majors.

“We’ve lost some tough games; we’ve won some really emotional games,” Melvin said. “At some point in time, we’re going to sustain it.”

Notable

Webb reached back and hit 95.5 mph on a fastball in the first inning, the fastest pitch he has recorded since 2021.

“I finally got my 95, a true 95,” Webb beamed, chalking it up to the best his mechanics have felt all season.

Up next

With multiple vacancies in their rotation, the Giants are listing their starters for the final two games of the series as “TBA.” Playing in front of a national television audience on Saturday, they will be opposed by RHP Tyler Glasnow (8-5, 2.88), with first pitch scheduled for 4:15 p.m. on FOX.

San Francisco Giants’ Logan Webb pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, June 28, 2024. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants shortstop Nick Ahmed forces out Los Angeles Dodgers’ Andy Pages at 2nd base in the second inning on a fielder’s choice hit by Jason Hayward at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, June 28, 2024. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Michael Conforto salutes the dugout after hitting a stand-up triple in the second inning against Cavan Biggio and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, June 28, 2024. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Brett Wisely hits a walk-off, 2-run homer in the ninth inning to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-3, at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, June 28, 2024. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)

SF Giants lose another legend: Orlando Cepeda dead at 86

SAN FRANCISCO — For the second time in as many weeks, the Giants lost a legend.

Orlando Cepeda, the 11-time All-Star inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1999, died Friday at the age of 86, his wife, Nydia, said in a statement released by the Giants.

“Our beloved Orlando passed away peacefully at home this evening, listening to his favorite music and surrounded by his loved ones,” Nydia said. “We take comfort that he is at peace.”

Cepeda’s death was announced between the fifth and sixth innings of the Giants’ game Friday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the crowd on hand honored the “Baby Bull” with a moment of silence. Giants players were taking the field for the top of the sixth, and many stopped and removed their caps.

Many Giants players also learned of Willie Mays’ death last week when it was announced between innings at Wrigley Field.

“We lost a true gentleman and legend,” Giants chairman Greg Johnson said in a statement. “Orlando was a great ambassador for the game throughout his playing career and beyond. He was one of the all-time great Giants and he will truly be missed. Our condolences go out to the Cepeda family for their tremendous loss and we extend our thoughts to Orlando’s teammates, his friends, and to all those touched by his passing.”

Named the Rookie of the Year in 1958, the Giants’ first year in California, Cepeda went on to play 17 major-league seasons, including nine in San Francisco, where he earned 10 of his 11 All-Star appearances (MLB played two All-Star games per year from 1959-62) and slugged 226 of his 379 career home runs, including a league-high 46 while finishing second in MVP voting in 1961, eventually going on to win the award for the St. Louis Cardinals six years later.

The passing of San Francisco Giants’ Orlando Cepeda is announced at Oracle Park before the start of the sixth inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers game in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, June 28, 2024. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)

Cepeda’s 142 RBIs in 1961 still stands as the Giants’ franchise record, and he ranks among the leaders in the San Francisco-era in RBIs (4th, 767), home runs (5th, 226), hits (6th, 1,286) and runs (9th, 652).

In 1,114 career games as a Giant, Cepeda hit .308 with 226 doubles, 22 triples, 226 homers, 767 RBI, 92 stolen bases and posted an .887 OPS.

Cepeda, late in his career, was named baseball’s top designated hitter in 1973, the first season with the position in the American League. Boston signed him the prior offseason following his release from the A’s. Due to a knee injury, he played just three games for the A’s after Oakland acquired him from the Braves the prior June for pitcher Denny McLain.

“That was one of the best years,” Cepeda said of his ’73 season in Boston, “because I was playing on one leg and I hit .289. And I hit four doubles in one game. Both my knees were hurting, and I was designated hitter of the year.”

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“This is truly a sad day for the San Francisco Giants,” Giants CEO Larry Baer added. “For all of Orlando’s extraordinary baseball accomplishments, it was his generosity, kindness and joy that defined him. No one loved the game more. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Nydia, his five children, Orlando, Jr., Malcolm, Ali, Carl and Hector, his nine grandchildren, his one great granddaughter as well as his extended family and friends.”

Cepeda was a regular at Giants home games through the 2017 season until he dealt with some health challenges. He was hospitalized in the Bay Area in February 2018 following a cardiac event.

“Orlando Cepeda’s unabashed love for the game of baseball sparkled during his extraordinary playing career, and later as one of the game’s enduring ambassadors,” Hall of Fame Chairman Jane Forbes Clark said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

SF Giants activate LaMonte Wade Jr. but lose 2 more players to injured list

SAN FRANCISCO — Just as the Giants added one piece back to their lineup, they lost two more.

LaMonte Wade Jr. was activated Friday before the first game of their series against the Dodgers, batted second and played first base in his first action since straining his left hamstring sliding into second base a month ago.

But he wasn’t receiving throws from his usual second baseman.

To clear room for Wade on the active roster, the Giants replaced him on the injured list with Thairo Estrada and Wilmer Flores. The double play duo behind Logan Webb consisted of Brett Wisely at second base and Nick Ahmed at shortstop, while Tyler Fitzgerald was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento to provide depth off the bench.

“He’s been dealing with quite a bit,” Melvin said of the Giants’ starting second baseman, ruled out for the remainder of their homestand and their entire next road trip.

The official designation for Estrada was a left wrist sprain, the same hand on which a jammed thumb cost him three games earlier this month.

Flores was experiencing tendonitis in his right knee, the club said.

While Estrada has played a strong second base and contributed nine home runs, tied for second on the team, his batting average dipped to .231 and his overall offensive production had been 17% below league average, according to wRC+. By the same metric, Estrada has been league-average or better at the plate in each of his previous three seasons in San Francisco.

Since missing three games earlier this month with a jammed thumb, it has been even tougher sledding for Estrada, who has four extra-base hits in his past 20 games, batting .182 with a .482 OPS over that stretch.

Flores went hitless in five at-bats Thursday against the Cubs, lowering his OPS to .599.

“He’ll never say anything. As long as he’s playing he’ll say he’s 100%,” Melvin said. “But he hasn’t been for a bit here. It’s been a knee thing. We’re figuring out how long it’s going to take to get him right as well.”

Among the National League leaders in reaching base, Wade was making a compelling case to be the Giants’ All-Star representative when he landed on the IL last month. With less than a week until rosters are announced for the July 9 game in Arlington, Texas, Melvin said, “Why not?” when asked if Wade still had enough time to earn a selection.

In 26 games without their starting first baseman, the Giants have gone 10-16, going from two games above .500 to four games under entering Friday’s series opener with their National League West rivals, who entered play holding a 12-game lead on the top spot.

“It’s nice to have him back,” Melvin said. “There’s a lot we’ve missed with him. But it’s the stability at the top of the order, the getting on base and getting clutch hits is kind of the thing we’ve been missing with him.”

Pitchers on the mendRelated ArticlesSan Francisco Giants | Wisely walks off Dodgers with SF Giants’ third home run of the game San Francisco Giants | SF Giants lose another legend: Orlando Cepeda dead at 86 San Francisco Giants | Crucial series vs. Dodgers to test SF Giants’ stability, kick off grueling stretch San Francisco Giants | SF Giants denied four-game sweep of Cubs before Dodgers’ final visit San Francisco Giants | SF Giants announce date for Willie Mays’ celebration of life

While Melvin discussed his team’s latest developments from the third-base dugout, the bullpen mound beyond the outfield wall buzzed with activity.

Alex Cobb, Kyle Harrison and Tristan Beck all cycled through the door in the center field wall as each pitcher progresses through their recoveries from a variety of ailments.

Beck threw 25 pitches in his first time on a mound since suffering an aneurysm in his throwing arm in spring training. Harrison dialed up 40 in his first mound work since spraining his ankle in the weight room earlier this month. And the next step for Cobb will be a rehab start Sunday in San Jose.

While the Giants hosted the Dodgers, two other starting pitchers made rehab starts for their minor-league affiliates, with Blake Snell on the road in Las Vegas with the Sacramento River Cats and Robbie Ray at San Jose’s Excite Ballpark with the Single-A Giants.

Horoscopes June 28, 2024: Kathy Bates, reroute your path

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Kellie Pickler, 38; John Cusack, 58; Kathy Bates, 76; Mel Brooks, 98.

Happy Birthday: Put your emotions aside and get down to business. You may not like change, but the longer you labor over what you must do to ease stress or reroute your path in a positive direction, the more it will pay off and encourage you to fulfill your dreams and build the life that puts a smile on your face and love in your heart. Your numbers are 4, 12, 23, 25, 32, 36, 40.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You don’t have to be trendy to fit in or broaden your awareness or position. Focus on putting the best team together to get the results you want. Avoid drama and swap it for those offering suggestions within your orbit. Be true to yourself. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Enthusiasm and actions will help you hit a home run. Talk to experts, and you’ll discover a unique approach to turning your plans into something tangible. Be creative, take a unique path and pursue conversations instrumental in achieving your goal. Romance is on the rise. 4 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Use common sense and concentrate on your responsibilities. Let your actions speak for you; your inner voice will help you discover how to reach your expectations. Don’t let your emotions get in the way or someone interfere. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): A positive change is approaching. Use your imagination, put energy and discipline behind your thoughts, and head to the winner’s circle. Don’t let your emotions deter you from turning your thoughts into a reality. Make each move count and enjoy life. 2 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Unnecessary change will set you back. Look for opportunities that offer knowledge, growth and a positive passage forward. Use your skills, energy and attitude to determine how you proceed. Finishing what you start will influence how others perceive you. Lending a helping hand will enhance your reputation. 5 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Live and learn. Embrace your day with enthusiasm and engage in meaningful events. The connections you make and the good you do will make you feel grateful for what you have achieved and the direction you are heading. Make personal gain and romance your priorities. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Taking time to think will help you gain perspective regarding what’s possible. Don’t follow someone heading in a different direction. Be open and honest about what you want to pursue. Put drama aside and clarify your motives and goals to those who interfere. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Act and put stress and aggravation behind you. Learn from experience, and avoid people, conversations or pastimes that cost you time, energy and money. Making better decisions will build confidence and clarity that can carry you toward a better future. Love yourself. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You should create an opportunity rather than sit back and wait. Think outside the box and do your own thing. Refrain from letting someone else step in and take over. The way to satisfy your needs is to do what’s best for you. 5 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Consider where your money goes. Evaluate your relationship with others and adjust what isn’t working for you. A change will give you the boost necessary to set high standards and focus on what’s important to you. Make peace and happiness your priorities. 2 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): One door closes and another opens. Separate yourself from drama and anyone trying to take over or pressure you into something that doesn’t fit your agenda. Look for opportunities that encourage you to use your skills to manifest the life you want to live. 4 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Put a smile on your face and proceed down the path that encourages peace of mind, playtime, and being up close and personal with someone you love. Sharing commonalities will help you adjust your life to fill any void you experience. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are empathetic, intelligent and astute. You are resourceful and supportive.

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. 

Pro Soccer: Union regaining its health for second half of the season

SEASIDE – As players begin to trickle back from injuries, there’s an adrenaline rush growing inside the locker room – a sense of widespread energy brewing in practice.

Through all the barriers that Monterey Bay F.C. has endured in the first half of the United Soccer League Championship season, it hasn’t lost its swagger, embracing the challenge that lies ahead.

As the Union begin the second half of their season on Saturday in Colorado Springs, they sit in the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference standings.

“I think you can point your finger at injuries as one reason we had a hiccup,” Union coach Frank Yallop said. “Considering the hurdles we’ve had to jump over, we’re having a good season.”

Decimated by injuries, including losing two critical components to their lineup for likely the rest of the year, the Union persevered through a winless May with a promising June.

“It has been a joyful time to see our players 100 percent behind each other,” Yallop said. “Obviously we need to build on what we did against Oakland (a 2-1 win) and take that into Colorado Springs.”

Alex Dixon was the leading scorer for the Union last season. (Kiera Winslow — Special to the Herald)

The win over Oakland put the Union into the fourth spot in the Western Conference.

The importance of that is the top four teams in each conference host postseason games. A look at the table and it shows seven teams are within four points of each other in the Western Conference

“It’s the tightest table I’ve been a part of either in the MLS or USL,” said Yallop, who guided the San Jose Earthquakes to two Major League Soccer titles in the early 2000s.

That’s not expected to change in the second half of the season as teams begin to look for parts that could give them an edge.

The Union are no different, as Yallop looks for potential replacements to injured forwards Chase Boone and Luther Archimede. Boone led the team in goals in its inaugural year in 2022, while Archimede was big off-season signing.

“We are looking to get some help,” Yallop said. “We’re looking for players to come into those attacking positions. We’re looking at possible loans. A lot of MLS teams send their guys to their No. 2 teams.”

Yallop’s depth this year has kept the team afloat at 6-7-4, putting the Union on a pace to set a franchise record for wins in their third year.

“The signings we made before the start of the season have stepped up and done well in their first year,” Yallop said. “They are inexperienced, but willing to do what’s required of them.”

Despite their offensive struggles — the Union were blanked five times during a 2-6-2 stretch — the franchise has shown what it’s capable of in some of their biggest matches.

Knocking off Western Conference leader New Mexico 1-0 to open June came after Monterey Bay F.C. played reigning USL finalist Charleston to a draw.

“If we have everyone healthy, we can go against anyone, anytime,” Yallop insisted. “We’ve played well against the elite teams. We’re in a good spot going into the second half.”

As more players return to the pitch, Yallop cautions about expecting too much too soon. Rediscovering the flow of the offense and finding that chemistry takes repetitions.

“What’s hard to explain to the public is sometimes we expect players coming back to hit the ground running,” Yallop said. “It’s unfair. It takes a while to integrate them back into the system, get them back into playing shape.”

Yet, seeing players back at practice after a six-week absence does provide that feeling as if the Union went out and acquired a quality player.

“It does feel like a pickup,” Yallop said. “It feels good thinking you have a quality player coming back to the lineup, whether off the bench or starting.”

Tristan Trager’s return last week was massive as the team’s leading scorer produced a goal, with last year’s top scorer Alex Dixon adding insurance in the win over Oakland.

Acquired in the off-season from Charleston, Trager is fourth in the Western Conference In goals with six. Last year Dixon set a franchise record for goals with 12.

“In looking at the second half, our road record (2-5-1) has to get a bit better,” said Yallop, a part of the inaugural MLS draft in 1996 after playing professionally in England for 13 years. “And we need to score more points at home.”

Cardinale Stadium has become a true home field advantage, where the crowd noise creates a game-long buzz around the stadium.

“We’ve been incredibly supported from Day 1,” said Yallop, who has been the sporting director for the franchise since it joined the USL.

One position that has become a strength for the Union has been between the pipes where goalie Antony Siaha leads the USL in saves through 17 matches, recoding five shutouts and 67 saves.

“He had his ups and downs last year,” Yallop said. “I chopped and changed last year. I wanted to make a clear decision at the start. Antony has not looked back. He’s really improved his game. He’s a lot more mature and sure of himself.”

While it’s easy to see the numbers that Siaha has produced in goal, or the goals put up by Trager, veteran leadership from 34-year-old midfielder Rafa Baca is one of many reasons Yallop is optimistic going into the second half of the season.

“I like the way Chuy (Esparaza) has played the last few weeks,” Yallop said. “Adrian Rebollar is maturing into a good player. Walmer (Martinez) has stepped up. Mobi (Fehr) has been good. We’re a well-balanced team.”

Yallop asked his team during a recent practice to collectively step up, to turn this season into one to remember going into the summer months.

“We’re working hard on finishing matches,” Yallop said. “I told them to believe in yourselves in the final third of the match. We’ve proved we can play with anyone in this league. Don’t be afraid to be ruthless.”

The Union’s Saturday match at Colorado Springs will kickoff at 6 p.m. Pacific Time. Live streaming of the match will be available on CBS Sports Golazo Network via Paramount+,
the CBS Sports app, CBSSports.com, and Pluto TV.

Trump and Biden spar over the economy and abortion in first presidential debate before the general election

PHOENIX — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump opened their first 2024 president debate without shaking hands and went right to mixing it up on policy Thursday night. Some key moments from their 90-minute faceoff.

Economic fireworks

Their first exchange delved into the economy.

Biden spoke softly, in a hoarse voice, as he talked up the economic gains on his watch, saying he rescued it from “free fall” and “chaos” when he took over the presidency from Trump in 2021. He cleared his throat several times.

Trump listened with a bemused expression but did not try to interrupt, though his microphone was muted while Biden spoke.

When it was his turn to speak, Trump bragged about the state of the economy during his term, saying “everything was rocking good.” He blamed Biden for rising prices that have frustrated Americans.

“Inflation is killing our country,” Trump said. “It’s absolutely killing us.”

Candidates tangle over who’s extreme on abortion

Biden blamed Trump for eroding abortion rights after the Republican’s three appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court voted to reverse Roe v. Wade, which had recognized a nationwide constitutional right to abortion. The reversal has energized many voters who support abortion rights and it helped power Democratic victories in the 2022 midterms and special elections.

“It’s been a terrible thing what you’ve done,” Biden said, turning to his rival. He pledged to restore the law under Roe if given a second term but didn’t say how he’d accomplish that. He said the idea of turning abortion laws back to states “is like saying we’re going to turn civil rights back to the states.”

Trump said his presidency returned the issue of abortion to the people through state laws. He said he supports abortion ban exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother, and he repeated his false claim that Biden supports abortion up to and after birth.

“We think the Democrats are the radicals, not the Republicans,” Trump said.

Trump pushes Jan. 6 falsehoods, minimizes conduct of those convicted of rioting

Trump lied about his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack by his supporters on the U.S. Capitol, and tried to deflect by pivoting to other issues.

Pressed on his role, he said he encouraged people to act “peacefully and patriotically,” then changed the subject to launch an attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

He said Biden ought to “be ashamed” for the way the Jan. 6 defendants have been handled.

Trump, who has floated the idea of pardons for the 6 rioters, suggested his supporters who stormed the Capitol were actually peaceful and are now being politically persecuted.

In fact, the rioters engaged in hand-to-hand combat with police and used makeshift weapons to attack officers. More than 1,400 people have been charged with federal offenses stemming from the riot, and more than 1,000 of them have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial.

“The only person who’s on this stage that’s a convicted felon is the man I’m looking at right now” Biden said of his rival.