Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 474

Texas gov. pardons man for murdering BLM protester

By Jim Vertuno | Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a full pardon Thursday for a former U.S. Army sergeant convicted of murder for fatally shooting an armed demonstrator in 2020 during nationwide protests against police violence and racial injustice.

Abbott announced the pardon shortly after the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles announced a unanimous recommendation that Daniel Perry be pardoned and have his firearms rights restored.Perry had been in state prison on a 25-year sentence since his 2023 conviction in the killing of Garrett Foster, and was released shortly after the pardon, a prison spokeswoman said.

Perry, who is white, was working as a ride-share driver when his car approached a demonstration in Austin. Prosecutors said he could have driven away from the confrontation with Foster, a white Air Force veteran who witnesses said never raised his gun.

A jury convicted Perry of murder, but Abbott called it a case of self-defense.

“Texas has one of the strongest ‘Stand Your Ground’ laws of self-defense that cannot be nullified by a jury or a progressive district attorney,” Abbott said.

A Republican in his third term, Abbott has typically issued pardons only for minor offenses, and he notably avoided a posthumous pardon recommendation for George Floyd for a 2004 drug arrest in Houston. It was Floyd’s killing by a white police officer in Minneapolis in 2020 that set off national demonstrations.

Abbott ordered the board to review Perry’s case shortly after the trial, and said he would sign a pardon if recommended. Under Texas law, the governor cannot issue a pardon without a recommendation from the board, which the governor appoints.

Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza blasted the pardon as a “mockery of our legal system.”

“The board and the governor have put their politics over justice,” Garza said. “They should be ashamed of themselves. Their actions are contrary to the law and demonstrate that there are two classes of people in this state where some lives matter and some lives do not.”

Abbott’s demand for a review of Perry’s case followed pressure from former Fox News star Tucker Carlson, who on national television had urged the governor to intervene after the sergeant was convicted at trial in April 2023. Perry was sentenced after prosecutors used his social media history and text messages to portray him as a racist who may commit violence again.

The sergeant’s defense attorneys argued that Foster did raise the rifle and that Perry had no choice but to shoot. Perry did not take the witness stand and jurors deliberated for two days before finding him guilty.

Perry’s attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Foster’s girlfriend, Whitney Mitchell, was with Foster when he was killed. She called the pardon an act of “lawlessness.”

“With this pardon the governor has desecrated the life of a murdered Texan and U.S. Air Force veteran and impugned that jury’s just verdict. He has declared that Texans who hold political views that are different from his and different from those in power can be killed in this state with impunity,” Mitchell said.

The shooting set off fierce debate in 2020 amid the demonstrations sparked by Floyd’s death, and Perry’s conviction three years later prompted outrage from prominent conservatives.

Before sentencing in the case, Carlson aired a broadcast calling the shooting an act of self-defense and criticizing Abbott for not coming on his show. The next day, Abbott said he believed Perry should not be punished and told Texas’ parole board to expedite a review of the conviction.

After the verdict but before Perry was sentenced, the court unsealed dozens of pages of text messages and social media posts that showed he had hostile views toward Black Lives Matter protests. In a comment on Facebook a month before the shooting, Perry wrote, “It is official I am a racist because I do not agree with people acting like animals at the zoo.”

Perry served in the Army for more than a decade. At trial, a forensic psychologist testified that he believed Perry has post-traumatic stress disorder from his deployment to Afghanistan and from being bullied as a child. At the time of the shooting, Perry was stationed at Fort Cavazos, then Fort Hood, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) north of Austin.

Monterey County schools embrace community-centric approach

The Alisal and Monterey Peninsula Unified school districts are among those in Monterey County that have been designated as containing “community schools,” which comes with up to $25 million in grant money for the districts to begin the switch to a community-based education system.

Since 2021, districts have been applying for the five-year California Community Schools Partnership Program grant, which focuses on utilizing community resources to improve student outcomes. Community schools have an enhanced focus on community engagement and development, health and social services and academics. In 2022, the California legislature expanded the program by increasing funds and guaranteeing the program runs until 2031.

In a board meeting May 8, the California Board of Education approved the grant for the Monterey County school districts, making this cohort of schools part of the “largest single investment in community schools anywhere in the nation,” said Alisal district spokeswoman Claudia Melendez.

Alisal received the planning grant last year and started its pilot program with four schools:  Fremont, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Academy,  Jesse G. Sánchez Elementary and Virginia Rocca Barton. Following the success of the pilot program, the district was awarded $17.1 million to implement the program in all 12 schools in the district. According to Associate Superintendent of Educational Services Monica Anzo, the grant will go into effect immediately.

“Stressors and worries follow a student into the classroom. [The] goal is to decrease that stress a family is feeling,” said Anzo. The grant allows school districts to focus on the family unit as a whole, in hopes this will result in student success.

During the planning phase, the Alisal district was able to ask families and the community what they need to feel supported. According to Anzo, they found the best way to foster student success was to begin with supporting parents.

With the community schools grant, the Alisal district will focus on family services such as basic computer skills for parents, English classes, help completing legal forms and resources to help with food insecurities. There are currently three family resource centers for the district. Starting July 1, each school will be equipped with staff to create 12 individual community hubs.

The hope with this is to remove the transactional experience of going to a resource center and instead create personal and transformational relationships between families and the hubs, according to Anzo.

The Monterey Peninsula district received $8.7 million for its implementation of the program. The district’s implementation will consist of six schools: Del Rey Woods Elementary, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School of the Arts, the Dual Language Academy of the Monterey Peninsula, Seaside High School, Seaside Middle School and Ord Terrace Elementary.

All six schools are currently searching for community school coordinators, who will assist in setting up the program and being the point of contact for students, families and the district.

Each of the district’s schools will also have an advisory council consisting of students, parents, teachers and community members. The councils will focus on creating a “unified vision and nurture ongoing community engagement and empowerment,” according to Marci McFadden, chief of communication and engagement for the district.

The community school program also places an emphasis on the importance of mental health for both student and parent.

Each school within the district “will develop systems to seamlessly integrate mental, physical and behavioral health services, ensuring that all adults within the school actively contribute to students’ social-emotional development and cultivate an environment of safety and belonging,” said McFadden in a press release regarding the program.

The holistic approach is meant to create a safe and supportive environment where students and families can advocate for their needs. The hope is that families in community schools will have more resources to promote students’ academic and personal development.

According to Anzo, this grant ensures “student achievement and learning through making sure families are healthy physically and mentally.”

 

Monterey, firefighters union respond to Civil Grand Jury criticism

MONTEREY — The city of Monterey pushed back Thursday on a Monterey County Civil Grand Jury report that called out deficiencies in the Monterey Fire Department, notably regarding equipment and safety practices.

The prepared response said the recently released report was outdated and did not reflect the work that has been completed over the past six months.

“The report contains inaccurate information and misguided statements,” the city’s response read. “For the past six months the Monterey Fire Department has resolved and is addressing many of the issues mentioned.”

The civil grand jury impanels 19 volunteer members from the community each year. The county defines it as “an investigatory ‘watchdog’ body created to ensure that the best interests of all citizens of the county are being served by local government.” It releases reports to the public on what it finds. Agencies investigated and named in the final report must respond to the findings and recommendations within either 60 or 90 days from the release of the report.

The report on the fire department had more than a dozen findings, including stating that all Monterey-owned fire stations are in a significant state of disrepair, the fire department is not adhering to its Vehicle & Equipment Replacement Policy, and having firefighters use outdated paging systems for alerts puts public safety at risk.

“No major remodeling of any of the Monterey stations has taken place since they were built,” the report reads. “With groups of people rotating through, living and working together in the same facilities for seven decades, the facilities are in dire need of major renovation and/or replacement.”

The report comes about six months after the Monterey Fire Firefighters Association, the department’s union which consists of more than 95 percent of Monterey’s firefighters, made their concerns public through a vote of no confidence. The vote called for a removal of the previous leadership, and more than a dozen firefighters showed up to a city council meeting in December to share their stories.

Since then, Fire Chief Gaudenz Panholzer resigned and was replaced by Andrew Miller, a former fire chief.

Monterey City Manager Hans Uslar also addressed the need to start renovations and repairs for the fire department buildings. He noted the city has made purchases over the past few years to replace equipment.

“The Civil Grand Jury’s report grossly ignores and lacks acknowledgment of the city of Monterey’s investment in fire apparatus. Over the past four years, the city has invested nearly $5 million into new fire engines, ladder trucks, and rescue vehicles,” the city’s statement reads.

Meanwhile, the Monterey firefighters union says they are seeing positive steps being made with their new leadership, and hope to continue seeing changes.

“While we acknowledge that there is still work to be done, we believe the Monterey Fire Department is on a positive trajectory. We are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Chief Miller and the hard-working men and women of the Monterey Fire Administration as we continue to serve and protect the residents of the Monterey Peninsula,” Monterey Firefighters Association President Ross Pounds said in the union’s statement.

Seaside City Manager a no-show for public hearing he requested

SEASIDE – The Seaside City Council took no action Tuesday at a special meeting requested by City Manager Jaime Fontes, but that he did not appear for, regarding the council’s notice of the intended removal and termination of him as city manager, issued from April 18.

“I would ask, is the city manager Jaime Fontes present? Is his legal representative present? Is there any other representative present?” asked Seaside Mayor Ian Oglesby at the meeting. “It appears no one is present.”

Oglesby said, as this public is aware, in accordance with this city manager’s contract, the council has issued a notice of intent to remove the city manager, not for cause and place him on administrative leave in accordance with Seaside municipal code section 2.04.090.

“In accordance with that notice, and the city of Seaside municipal code, the city manager has requested his hearing be heard in public,” he said. “However, the city manager has indicated that he would not be able to attend and has not requested any other arrangement for this hearing.”

Oglesby opened the hearing and again asked if Fontes or his legal representative was present. He then opened the hearing to public comment on the matter, for which there was none, and closed public comment.

The mayor then closed the public hearing and stated that the City Council would not take any action at this point, and the public hearing was adjourned.

The meeting lasted about five minutes.

At a closed-door meeting April 18, the Seaside City Council placed Fontes on paid administrative leave and appointed Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges acting city manager while the governing body decides what action to take next.

At the time, Ogelsby said that he could not say why Fontes was put on paid administrative leave because it is a personnel matter. He said that with the city manager being on paid administrative leave, the City Council would do an evaluation and most likely discuss at a meeting slated for June 6, at which time the council will consider what action to take.

A week after being put on paid administrative leave Fontes sent a written notice requesting the public hearing.

On May 7, Acting City Manager Borges notified Fontes that the public hearing he requested would be held May 14.

In the notice of intended removal and termination by the city of Seaside, it says the Council voted the termination would be “not for cause: loss of Confidence.”

Fontes began his work with Seaside in July 2022, after prior City Manager Craig Malin resigned his post to spend more time with his family following COVID-19. During the search for his replacement, then-Human Resources Director Roberta Greathouse stepped in as acting city manager.

Before signing on with the city of Seaside, Fontes was the East Palo Alto city manager which hired him in 2019, where he completed his three-year contract that ended April 30, 2022.

In addition to his work with East Palo Alto, Fontes has served as city manager for Nogales, Arizona and Santa Paula and Greenfield.

Housing Authority warns of fake Monterey County ‘affordable housing programs’ ads

SALINAS – A warning about ads circulating on social media platforms that lure individuals with promises of “Affordable Housing Programs” or similar statements, has been issued by the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey.

The Housing Authority received copies of the misleading ads with one advertisement stating, “Section 8 Waiting List Now Accepting Applications” April 10 through April 30, which is false.

The Housing Choice Voucher – Section 8 – waiting list for Monterey County was closed during this time period.

“Any communication from the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey about Section 8 will have our logo and contact information,” said Zulieka Boykin, executive director for the housing authority, in a press release. “Each housing agency operates independently and will provide specific information tailored to your region. If you are not hearing about the Section 8 program wait list directly from your local Housing Authority Agency, it is likely a scam. Always go to trusted sources for information on housing assistance and be skeptical of generic posts.”

The advertisements are being posted by a non-government company that is not affiliated with the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey, according to the agency. These ads aim to deceive people into clicking malicious links to obtain personal information and the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey is warning the public to beware.

When the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey announces the opening of the Housing Choice Voucher – Section 8 – wait list the information is posted in The Salinas Californian, Monterey Herald and Monterey County Weekly newspapers and the information will be listed on this page of the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey website at www.hamonterey.org/applications.

The Housing Choice Voucher Program – Section 8 – provides assistance for very low-income households, single or family, the elderly and the disabled to afford decent, safe and sanitary housing in the private market.

Participants who receive vouchers search for their own housing, which may include single-family homes, townhomes, apartments, or even the family’s present residence. The Housing Choice Voucher Program – Section 8 – assistance is portable anywhere in the United States.

Provided the housing they select meets the requirements of the program, the housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the Housing Authority on behalf of the family.

In December 2021, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Monterey, the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey and the Board of Directors of the Monterey County Housing Authority Development Corporation convened for a special joint meeting, according to the housing authority website.

The Housing Authority of the County of Monterey is the consolidated organization that brings together the strengths of the the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey and the Monterey County Housing Authority Development Corporation. This merger is designed to optimize resources, improve operational efficiency and amplify the collective impact on housing development and community welfare, says the agency. The commitment to maintaining high standards of service and accountability remains unwavering, ensuring continued dedication to the community and the pursuit of a more resilient and inclusive housing infrastructure.

The Housing Authority of the County of Monterey was created under the authority of the Health and Safety Code by Resolution which identified a need for safe and sanitary low-income housing, by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors on March 17, 1941.

Monterey County Housing Authority Development Corporation, a nonprofit public benefit corporation specializes in offering comprehensive development consulting services to housing authorities and affordable housing developers.

One advertisement stated, “Section 8 Waiting List Now Accepting Applications” April 10 through April 30, 2024, which is false. (FBI)

Do zinc products really help shorten a cold? It’s hard to say

Corinne Purtill | Los Angeles Times (TNS)

You feel a cold coming on, or maybe it’s already upon you: the telltale cough, sore throat and stuffy head. You swing by the drugstore, where a shelf full of over-the-counter products containing the mineral zinc claim to be able to shorten the duration of your symptoms.

The promise of relief is tempting. But is it one these products can make good on?

A new analysis of studies published on zinc and cold viruses concludes that there isn’t enough evidence to say whether over-the-counter zinc treatments have any effect on preventing the common cold.

For those who pop lozenges or inhale nasal sprays once a cold has come on, the available research together indicates that the products may reduce the duration of symptoms by up to two days, said Daryl Nault, an assistant professor at Maryland University of Integrative Health and first author of the paper, published Wednesday by the nonprofit organization Cochrane.

But those studies are so inconsistent in terms of the dosage, type of zinc, patient population and definition of cold symptoms that “confidence in the evidence is mostly low to very low,” the review states. “It is likely that additional studies are required before any firm conclusions can be drawn.”

In other words: Nearly 30 years after zinc lozenges first hit the market, we still can’t say for sure if these things do what they say they do.

“We aren’t saying [zinc] does” have any effect on the common cold, Nault said. “We aren’t saying it doesn’t. We’re saying we need more consistent evidence that is replicable. That’s a cornerstone of good science.”

The age of zinc cold products dawned in 1996, when researchers from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation convinced 100 clinic employees to volunteer as research subjects within 24 hours of developing a cold.

Half were given placebos, and half were given lozenges containing 13.3 milligrams of zinc from zinc gluconate every two waking hours as long as their symptoms persisted. Those receiving the zinc got better after 4.4 days on average, while the placebo group felt sick for an average of 7.6 days.

Most people consume a sufficient amount of zinc, a vital nutrient, through a regular diet. The mineral is plentiful in red meat and poultry, and present in many grains and fruits. (Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other known food, with a single serving containing nearly 300% of the daily recommended intake.)

Scientists aren’t exactly sure how the mineral works to alleviate cold symptoms. But the idea of an over-the-counter way to shorten the misery of a common cold has proved wildly popular.

Total U.S. sales of zinc products, such as Zicam and Cold-Eeze, were $340 million in 2023, said Hannah Esper, managing editor of the trade publication Nutrition Business Journal. Demand for zinc and other supplements exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic, with sales for zinc growing 168.3% during 2020.

Based in the U.K., Cochrane uses rigorous research methods to evaluate existing scientific evidence and produce reports to help people make decisions about their health, according to its website.

For this review, the Cochrane team looked at 34 studies conducted across 13 countries that examined zinc products and the treatment or prevention of the common cold.

Drawing strong conclusions from the available research is difficult, as the studies tend to measure different things, said author Susan Wieland, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and director of the Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field.

Related ArticlesHealth | Paid sick leave sticks after many pandemic protections vanish Health | What’s keeping the US from allowing better sunscreens? Health | Forget ringing the button for the nurse. Patients now stay connected by wearing one Health | Energy drinks can lead to serious heart issues in kids and teens, health experts say Health | Survey: 8,000 women in states with bans get abortion pills each month The cold “is a very common condition that is a difficult one to study,” Wieland said. It comes and goes quickly, making it difficult to enroll research subjects. Dosages and the type of zinc administered to study subjects varied widely.

“The designs of each study are different. So different dosages, different dosage forms, different patient populations, different criteria of exclusion and inclusion, different outcomes [and] definitions of cold,” said Dr. Jason Yee, an antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles who was not involved with the review. “It’s really hard to draw the same conclusion based on different studies.”

Physicians said they weren’t surprised by the findings.

“I agree with the study. … It is consistent with my clinical experience in the hospital,” said Dr. Samia Faiz, an internal medicine specialist at UC Riverside Health. “In general, healthy people may be able to take zinc supplements if they make them feel better or if they get some comfort. They should not take these supplements if they have distaste or stomach upset.”

While over-the-counter zinc products are generally harmless to patients battling colds, said Dr. Pritish Tosh, an infectious disease physician and researcher at the Mayo Clinic, popping lozenges “shouldn’t come at the expense of doing things that really matter, which is getting plenty of rest, plenty of fluids and taking care of yourself.”

So why do we continue to fork over our cash for these things when we don’t really have more than a hunch that they work?

When a cold hits, “it’s natural for consumers to just reach for anything that may help alleviate those symptoms. But average consumers aren’t really educated on the literature and studies that are out there showing that there’s limited evidence and efficacy with these products,” Yee said.

Buying the lozenges or huffing the nasal spray can make us feel like we have more agency in a situation where we’re at the mercy of time and our immune systems, Nault said.

“Having a sense of control makes a lot of people feel better, and feel like they’re doing something,” Nault said. “Even if they aren’t.”

Times researcher Scott Wilson contributed to this report.

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

Paid sick leave sticks after many pandemic protections vanish

Zach Dyer | KFF Health News (TNS)

Bill Thompson’s wife had never seen him smile with confidence. For the first 20 years of their relationship, an infection in his mouth robbed him of teeth, one by one.

“I didn’t have any teeth to smile with,” the 53-year-old of Independence, Missouri, said.

Thompson said he dealt with throbbing toothaches and painful swelling in his face from abscesses for years working as a cook at Burger King. He desperately needed to see a dentist but said he couldn’t afford to take time off without pay. Missouri is one of many states that do not require employers to provide paid sick leave.

So, Thompson would swallow Tylenol and push through the pain as he worked over the hot grill.

“Either we go to work, have a paycheck,” Thompson said. “Or we take care of ourselves. We can’t take care of ourselves because, well, this vicious circle that we’re stuck in.”

In a nation that was sharply divided about government health mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic, the public has been warming to the idea of government rules providing for paid sick leave.

Before the pandemic, 10 states and the District of Columbia had laws requiring employers to provide paid sick leave. Since then, Colorado, New York, New Mexico, Illinois and Minnesota have passed laws offering some kind of paid time off for illness. Oregon and California expanded previous paid leave laws. In Missouri, Alaska, and Nebraska, advocates are pushing to put the issue on the ballot this fall.

The U.S. is one of nine countries that do not guarantee paid sick leave, according to data compiled by the World Policy Analysis Center.

In response to the pandemic, Congress passed the Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion acts. These temporary measures allowed employees to take up to two weeks of paid sick leave for COVID-related illness and caregiving. But the provisions expired in 2021.

“When the pandemic hit, we finally saw some real political will to solve the problem of not having federal paid sick leave,” said economist Hilary Wething.

Wething co-authored a recent Economic Policy Institute report on the state of sick leave in the United States. It found that more than half, 61%, of the lowest-paid workers can’t get time off for an illness.

“I was really surprised by how quickly losing pay — because you’re sick — can translate into immediate and devastating cuts to a family’s household budget,” she said.

Related ArticlesHealth | Do zinc products really help shorten a cold? It’s hard to say Health | What’s keeping the US from allowing better sunscreens? Health | Forget ringing the button for the nurse. Patients now stay connected by wearing one Health | Energy drinks can lead to serious heart issues in kids and teens, health experts say Health | Survey: 8,000 women in states with bans get abortion pills each month Wething noted that the lost wages of even a day or two can be equivalent to a month’s worth of gasoline a worker would need to get to their job, or the choice between paying an electric bill or buying food. Wething said showing up to work sick poses a risk to co-workers and customers alike. Low-paying jobs that often lack paid sick leave — like cashiers, nail technicians, home health aides, and fast-food workers — involve lots of face-to-face interactions.

“So paid sick leave is about both protecting the public health of a community and providing the workers the economic security that they desperately need when they need to take time away from work,” she said.

The National Federation of Independent Business has opposed mandatory sick leave rules at the state level, arguing that workplaces should have the flexibility to work something out with their employees when they get sick. The group said the cost of paying workers for time off, extra paperwork, and lost productivity burdens small employers.

According to a report by the National Bureau of Economic Research, once these mandates go into effect, employees take, on average, two more sick days a year than before a law took effect.

Illinois’ paid time off rules went into effect this year. Lauren Pattan is co-owner of the Old Bakery Beer Co. there. Before this year, the craft brewery did not offer paid time off for its hourly employees. Pattan said she supports Illinois’ new law but she has to figure out how to pay for it.

“We really try to be respectful of our employees and be a good place to work, and at the same time we get worried about not being able to afford things,” she said.

That could mean customers have to pay more to cover the cost, Pattan said.

As for Bill Thompson, he wrote an op-ed for the Kansas City Star newspaper about his dental struggles.

“Despite working nearly 40 hours a week, many of my co-workers are homeless,” he wrote. “Without health care, none of us can afford a doctor or a dentist.”

That op-ed generated attention locally and, in 2018, a dentist in his community donated his time and labor to remove Thompson’s remaining teeth and replace them with dentures. This allowed his mouth to recover from the infections he’d been dealing with for years. Today, Thompson has a new smile and a job — with paid sick leave — working in food service at a hotel.

In his free time, he’s been collecting signatures to put an initiative on the November ballot that would guarantee at least five days of earned paid sick leave a year for Missouri workers. Organizers behind the petition said they have enough signatures to take it before the voters.

(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 Kaiser Health News. Visit khn.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Horoscopes May 16, 2024: Megan Fox, complete your mission

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Megan Fox, 38; Tori Spelling, 51; Janet Jackson, 58; Pierce Brosnan, 71.

Happy Birthday: Share your thoughts and you’ll gain momentum. Appeal to those who can contribute to your plans. Take the initiative this year to make a difference. Your dedication, insight and persistence will propel you to connect with people willing to go the distance and help you complete your mission. A stubborn stance can be an asset when used correctly. Know your target market and do what you do best. Your numbers are 5, 12, 20, 27, 33, 36, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Remain calm; don’t get fired up over something you cannot change. Use your energy to enhance your health and physical appearance or to do something nice for someone you love. A positive response and a helping hand will win favors and make you feel good about yourself. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Don’t apply pressure. Start the process, do the work yourself and, as you move forward, you’ll attract attention and the help you need to finish what you start. Be the driving force that makes a difference. A change of heart will encourage commitment. 5 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Look on the bright side, offer positive suggestions and avoid emotional drama. You’ll accomplish the most if you focus on domestic improvements and connecting with people who can provide expertise regarding something new. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Speak up and share your expertise and what you are willing to contribute. Your input will turn into a learning experience that benefits you and others. Keep an open mind and show compassion; a window of opportunity will appear. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Too much talk and no action will work against you. Put your energy where it counts, and you’ll gain momentum and valuable information. Refuse to let what others do sidetrack you. Focus on what excites you most, and you’ll discover your niche. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Press forward, regardless of what others do or say. Take the path that brings out your passion and makes you feel good about yourself and what you contribute. Take responsibility for your happiness and your lot in life. Live, learn and love. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t reveal secrets or give anyone personal information that can affect your financial situation. You have plenty to gain if you invest in yourself and what you believe in and take the necessary precautions when dealing with outsiders. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t let anyone slow you down. If you forge ahead, you will make gains and build momentum. An innovative option will lead to unexpected stability and a connection to someone who can add luster to your life. Romance is on the rise. 4 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Kick back with familiar people or visit places that you find comforting, and you will find peace of mind and answers to questions that are puzzling you. Distance yourself from drama and chaos or those trying to confuse you by sending mixed messages. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Choose to achieve, and refuse to let what you cannot control stop you from making the most of your day. Engage in events that bring out your best assets and skills, and you’ll surprise those unaware of what you can do. Success and personal growth are favored. 5 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Get out, make things happen and refuse to let anyone get in your way. Refrain from feeling obligated to follow; leading is necessary to reach your goal. Put your energy where it will bring the highest return. Focus on benefiting yourself, not someone else. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Spend more time getting to know someone. A change of scenery will bring back memories and encourage you to create and accept an opportunity that gives you the freedom to use your talents vibrantly. Trust your instincts and follow through with your plans. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are loyal, steadfast and prolific. You are disciplined and precise.

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

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

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Led by Webb’s strong start, Matos’ highlight-reel grab, SF Giants avoid sweep vs. Dodgers

SAN FRANCISCO — There are few instances where a game in mid-May meets the “must win” qualification. To Logan Webb, based on how Monday and Tuesday unfolded — based on how the season has unfolded —Wednesday’s series finale just about met that benchmark.

“I think we were kind of embarrassed with how we played the first two games,” Webb said. “I felt that. We all felt that. I just wanted to go out there and give it all I could. Luckily, it turned out the way it did. There’s not many much-needed wins early on in the season; I thought tonight was a much-needed win.”

Led by Webb’s six shutout innings, a performance partially made possible by Luis Matos’ awe-inspiring home run robbery, the Giants (20-25) beat the Dodgers (29-16), 4-1, at Oracle Park, avoiding a sweep and securing their first win against their Southern California rivals this season.

With San Francisco having only played 45 games so far, Wednesday night’s game, regardless of outcome, didn’t had the singular power to make or break the club’s year. But given the ebbs and flows of the last week, Webb’s assessment of this game’s importance is apt.

San Francisco Giants’ Logan Webb (62) delivers against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning of a MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (17) swings for a foul ball off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb (62) as San Francisco Giants catcher Curt Casali (18) looks on in the first inning of a MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ LaMonte Wade Jr. (31) fields a ground ball hit by Los Angeles Dodgers’ Max Muncy (13) in the third inning of a MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. Muncy was threw out at first. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski (5) celebrates his two run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers as rounds the bases in the third inning of a MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski (5) heads back home after hitting a two run homerun against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning of a MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts after his second strike as San Francisco Giants catcher Curt Casali (18) throws the ball back to San Francisco Giants reliever Erik Miller (68) in the seventh inning of a MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Logan Webb (62) celebrates Luis Matos’s home run steal against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth inning of a MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Luis Matos is examined after he crashed with the wall and stealing a home run by Los Angeles Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernández (37) in the fourth inning of a MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (17) heads back to the dugout after striking out against San Francisco Giants reliever Erik Miller (68) in the seventh inning of a MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Curt Casali (18) connects an RBI double as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) looks on in the sixth inning of a MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (17) heads to first after connecting a base hit off San Francisco Giants’ Logan Webb (62) in the fifth inning of a MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval (75) heads to mound to pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the ninth inning of a MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval (75) throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the ninth inning of a MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval (75) celebrates the last out of their 4-1 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval (75) n and catcher Curt Casali (18) celebrate their 4-1 against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

The San Francisco Giants take the mound as they celebrate their 4-1 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 15, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

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The Giants have lost seven players to the injured list since May 10, and after a narrow 6-4 loss to the Dodgers on Monday, they were blown out, 10-2, on Tuesday. Webb not only pointed out how Los Angeles took the first five games of the season series, but also alluded to how Mookie Betts was replaced by Miguel Rojas in the bottom of the eighth inning despite no apparent health issues.

“We’ve lost to five games to them already? (They were) pulling guys in the eighth and ninth inning who weren’t hurt yesterday,” Webb said. “It was kind of embarrassing. I think we all felt that. We wanted to just get out here and do our thing and prove to ourselves that we’re better than what we showed the first two games, and better than what we’ve showed the whole season.”

San Francisco, as a whole, certainly played cleaner on Wednesday, but Matos, specifically, enjoyed redemption. During Tuesday’s loss, Matos dropped a very catchable fly ball at the warning track in the first, turning a fly out into three free bases. A little over a day later, Matos threw his hat in the play of the year conversation.

In the fourth, Matos perfectly tracked Teoscar Hernández’s deep drive to center field, jumping, extending and robbing a home run, banging his body into the wall in the process. Neither Webb nor right fielder Mike Yastrzemski nor manager Bob Melvin thought Matos could make the catch off the bat, but as Matos laid on the warning-track dirt, he pulled the ball from his light-blue glove, revealing that he, indeed, made the play.

“He’s a showman,” Webb said. “That’s what excites people and excites us. He saved us a run today, so it was awesome.”

Added Yastrzemski, who hit a two-run homer in the third: “I was just kind of feeling that it was a courtesy jog that I was giving over there at first. Then, I saw him pick up speed and bring it back.”

Oracle Park erupted and Webb immediately raised his arms in jubilation, but the ballpark turned silent as Matos sat on the warning track, reeling from a collision that occurred in the same spot where Jung Hoo Lee dislocated his left shoulder. As head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner hustled out to center field, there was likely no shortage of people wondering whether Matos would be the next player headed for the injured list. But following a brief examination, Groeschner jogged back to the home dugout — alone — and Matos stayed in the ballgame.

Luis Matos makes an INCREDIBLE catch at the wall. pic.twitter.com/ksJls1lIlF

— MLB (@MLB) May 16, 2024

“I was just hoping we didn’t have another guy go down in the same spot against,” Melvin said.

“I hit the wall pretty hard,” Matos, who also had an RBI single, said through interpreter Edwin Higueros. “My foot got stuck In the padding. I was a little bit concerned, but thank god nothing bad happened.”

 

With help from Matos, Webb turned in six scoreless frames, striking out five and walking three. Webb’s night, though, wasn’t smooth sailing.

In the first, the Dodgers made Webb throw 32 pitches. In the second, Webb recorded two quick outs and got ahead of James Outman, 0-2, but proceeded to throw seven straight balls, walking Outman and falling behind to Mookie Betts, 3-0. Betts flew out to end the inning, but by temporarily losing the zone, Webb had thrown 51 pitches through two frames. Despite the high pitch count early, Webb delivered his seventh quality start of the year.

Curt Casali, playing in his first game as a Giant since July 4, 2022 after signing a one-year deal, had a productive night, setting the table for Yastrzemski’s two-run homer with a single and making a textbook play on Outman’s swinging bunt down the third-base line in the fifth inning.

Following a day off on Thursday, the Giants will welcome the Rockies (15-28) to town for a three-game set. Despite sitting in last place in the NL West, Colorado has won seven straight games, a stretch that includes sweeps of the Rangers and Padres.

Supreme Court orders Louisiana to use contested map for election

By Mark Sherman and Kevin McGill | Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered Louisiana to hold congressional elections in 2024 using a House map with a second mostly Black district, despite a lower-court ruling that called the map an illegal racial gerrymander.

The order allows the use of a map that has majority Black populations in two of the state’s six congressional districts, potentially boosting Democrats’ chances of gaining control of the closely divided House of Representatives in the 2024 elections.

The justices acted on emergency appeals filed by the state’s top Republican elected officials and Black voters who said they needed the high court’s intervention to avoid confusion as the elections approach. About a third of Louisiana is Black.

The Supreme Court’s order does not deal with a lower-court ruling that found the map relied too heavily on race. Instead, it only prevents yet another new map from being drawn for this year’s elections.

The Supreme Court could decide at a later date to hear arguments over the decision striking down the Louisiana map.

The court’s three liberal justices dissented from Wednesday’s order. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote that the judges who struck down the latest map should have had the chance to produce a new map before the high court intervened.

“There is little risk of voter confusion from a new map being imposed this far out from the November election,” Jackson wrote.

Liberal justices have dissented from prior Supreme Court orders that put decisions near elections on hold. Those orders invoked the need to give enough time to voters and election officials to ensure orderly balloting. “When an election is close at hand, the rules of the road must be clear and settled,” Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote two years ago in a similar case from Alabama. The court has never set a firm deadline for how close is too close.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said she was pleased with the order. “The Secretary of State has consistently stated she needed a map by May 15,” Murrill said in an emailed statement. “The plaintiffs did not contest it at trial. We will continue to defend the law and are grateful the Supreme Court granted the stay which will ensure we have a stable election season.”

A lawyer for the Black voters praised the court’s action. “We are very relieved that SCOTUS agreed with us that it’s too close to the election to insert uncertainty. … We will have a map with 2 majority black districts this fall,” Jared Evans, an attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, wrote in a text using an abbreviation for the Supreme Court.

Edward Greim and Paul Hurd, attorneys for plaintiffs who challenged the new map said Wednesday’s order lets the state impose a “brutal racial gerrymander” on 2024 voters who will cast ballots in districts “segregated by race.” But they predicted eventual victory in the case.

Louisiana has had two congressional maps blocked by federal courts in the past two years in a swirl of lawsuits that included a previous intervention by the Supreme Court.

The state’s Republican-dominated legislature drew a new congressional map in 2022 to account for population shifts reflected in the 2020 Census. But the changes effectively maintained the status quo of five Republican-leaning majority white districts and one Democratic-leaning majority Black district.

Noting the size of the state’s Black population, civil rights advocates challenged the map in a Baton Rouge-based federal court and won a ruling from U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick that the districts likely discriminated against Black voters.

The Supreme Court put Dick’s ruling on hold while it took up a similar case from Alabama. The justices allowed both states to use the maps in the 2022 elections even though both had been ruled likely discriminatory by federal judges.

The high court eventually affirmed the ruling from Alabama and returned the Louisiana case to federal court, with the expectation that new maps would be in place for the 2024 elections.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals gave lawmakers in Louisiana a deadline of early 2024 to draw a new map or face the possibility of a court-imposed map.

Related ArticlesNational Politics | Biden calls for presidential debates starting June 27 — and Trump agrees National Politics | 70 years ago, school integration was a dream many believed could actually happen. It hasn’t National Politics | From Hogan to a Trumpier Senate: Takeways from Tuesday’s primaries National Politics | Biden team’s tightrope: Reining in rogue Obamacare agents without slowing enrollment National Politics | Mistrust, fights and blood sport: How COVID-19 trauma is shaping the 2024 election New Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, had defended Louisiana’s congressional map as attorney general. Now, though, he urged lawmakers to pass a new map with another majority Black district at a January special session. He backed a map that created a new majority Black district stretching across the state, linking parts of the Shreveport, Alexandria, Lafayette and Baton Rouge areas.

A different set of plaintiffs, a group of self-described non-African Americans, filed suit in western Louisiana, claiming that the new map was also illegal because it was driven too much by race, in violation of the Constitution. A divided panel of federal judges ruled 2-1 in April in their favor and blocked use of the new map.

Landry and Murrill, a Republican ally, argued that the new map should be used, saying it was adopted with political considerations — not race — as a driving factor. They note that it provides politically safe districts for House Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, fellow Republicans. Some lawmakers have also noted that the one Republican whose district is greatly altered in the new map, Rep. Garret Graves, supported a GOP opponent of Landry in last fall’s governor’s race. The change to Graves’ district bolsters the argument that politics was the driving factor rather than race, lawmakers have said.

Voting patterns show a new mostly Black district would give Democrats the chance to capture another House seat and send a second Black representative to Congress from Louisiana. Democratic state Sen. Cleo Fields, a former congressman who is Black, had said he will run for Congress in the new district, if it’s in place for the next election.

McGill reported from New Orleans.