Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 5

Recipe: Sheet pan dinners deliver big on flavor

You can’t knock a complete meal prepared on a baking tray, ready to eat straight from the oven with few, if any, pots or pans to wash up. It’s no wonder that sheet pan dinners are touted for their convenience.

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There is another advantage to a sheet pan meal: It delivers big on flavor. One-pan cooking ensures that each ingredient mingles in a happy jumble during the baking process, sharing their spices and aromas, exuding their juices and uniting in a flavorful meal.

In this recipe, chicken, tomatoes and chickpeas are coated in a smoky, lemon-infused marinade, then spread on a baking sheet and banished to the oven for just enough time to cook the meat. While it cooks, the chicken crisps and gives off its juices, the tomatoes collapse into jammy slumps and melt into the pan juices, and the nubby chickpeas take a bath and crisp in the sauce. In a mere 30 minutes, you end up with a saucy, aromatic chicken dinner, with any heavy lifting done by the oven.

The juices are key to this dish, so serve the chicken over a bed of couscous to capture every drop. Finish with a cooling dollop of spiced yogurt if you like. You can make this recipe with bone-in chicken thighs, too. Simply adjust the cooking time for the meat.

Sheet Pan Chicken Breasts With Tomatoes and Chickpeas

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 garlic cloves, grated

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red chile flakes

Kosher salt

1 cup Greek whole-milk yogurt

4 boneless chicken breasts, with skin, 6 to 8 ounces each

16 ounces grape tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Freshly ground black pepper

Chopped Italian parsley and/or cilantro, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Whisk the oil, lemon juice, garlic, honey, both paprikas, cumin, lemon zest, red pepper and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

Add the yogurt to a separate small bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the oil mixture and whisk to blend. Set aside for serving.

Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the remaining oil mixture and turn the chicken to coat, rubbing the oil between the skin and meat. Add the tomatoes and chickpeas to the bowl and stir to coat with the oil. Dump the chicken, tomatoes and chickpeas onto a rimmed baking sheet. Spread in one layer, nestling the chicken, skin-side up, between the tomatoes and chickpeas. Lightly season everything with salt and black pepper.Transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Roast until the chicken is cooked through the center (an instant-read thermometer should register 165 degrees when inserted in the thickest part), 25 to 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat.

Divide the chicken, tomatoes and chickpeas and pan juices between serving plates (or spoon over prepared couscous). Garnish with parsley or cilantro and serve with the yogurt sauce.

Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author and recipe developer based in Northern California. Visit TasteFood at TasteFoodblog.com.

Horoscopes Oct. 17, 2025: Eminem, resist overdoing it

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Felicity Jones, 42; Eminem, 53; Rob Marshall, 65; Alan Jackson, 67.

Happy Birthday: Consider what’s important to you, and adjust your lifestyle to accommodate your goals for this year. Overdoing, compensating or overspending will not help you reach your destination. Fine-tuning your routine to meet your needs will encourage you to create a schedule that makes you feel good about who you are and what you do. Leave room to explore new possibilities, and direct your energy where it matters most. Your numbers are 4, 15, 23, 25, 34, 43, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Give your all, and reap high returns. Let your imagination take precedence, and you’ll find ways to prosper. Treat partnerships with curiosity and as a chance to grow and a viable way to share expenses. Innovative thinking, along with a tight budget, will help you get ahead in the world. Prosperity comes from organization and a frugal lifestyle. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Mixed emotions will be a warning to ask questions and decipher what’s real and what’s fake. Truth and acceptance are where opportunities present themselves. Stick close to home, and be discreet about your intentions. You have plenty to gain if you work hard, live within your means and stand by your word. 5 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Attend events or meetings that offer insight into something that can influence where or how you earn a living. Initiating a connection with someone well-informed will encourage you to up your game by pointing you in the right direction. Be open and receptive to what others reveal. A social event will promote friendship or romance. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Mix business with pleasure, and you’ll gain insight into how you can get ahead. Place greater emphasis on your health, well-being and physical and intellectual presentations when in group settings. A disciplined attitude will be admired and respected. A lifestyle or domestic change is a good investment. Make comfort and convenience your goal. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Invite change, and it will help you gain perspective regarding what’s best for you moving forward. Refuse to let emotions interfere when principles or expenditures are an issue. Acting in haste will compromise you. Do your research, and you’ll find peace of mind. Romance is on the rise, along with personal and self-improvement. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Let your emotions stir things up. When you face multiple choices, you’ll find a way to rationalize what’s best for you. Communication will help you get the lowdown on what’s possible and how to maintain balance and continuity in your life without overspending. Simplicity and a minimalist attitude will pay off. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Act on your own behalf and enforce practicality. Don’t over- or underestimate situations or people. Do your homework, know what you’re up against and adjust your agenda to accommodate your needs. Well-thought-out plans with a precise and quick response will help you acquire your heart’s desire. Take nothing for granted, do what’s necessary and collect your prize. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Complete every task. Loose ends will ruin your downtime, causing emotional trauma and unnecessary costs. Act with precision, leave nothing to chance and make plans for downtime with someone you enjoy spending time with. A creative project, interacting with children or a romantic adventure will soothe the soul. Revamp your lifestyle. 4 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Keep your thoughts to yourself until you have a failproof plan in place. Conversations will offer insights into the options before you. Contemplate the possibilities, and you’ll discover a unique way to use what you already have in place to your advantage. Aim to love who you are, what you do and where you are heading. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Verify everything you hear before passing information along. Your reputation will suffer if you are too quick to judge or trust. Focus your energy on completion and preparation to move in a direction that is more suitable for achieving your long-term goals. Avoid taking unnecessary risks that can lead to ill health or injury. 5 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Embrace change, put your best foot forward and let your creativity lead the way. A new look, passion or attitude can help you develop resilience to move forward with fresh ideas and a vision that will change how you live, think and approach situations. Set a budget, and work your magic. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Set yourself up for success. Think innovatively, use your cash wisely and interact with people who stimulate your creativity. It’s time to expand your horizons and to manifest the lifestyle you desire. Take the path that satisfies your needs, rather than following someone else’s dream. Your happiness depends on the choices you make, not on appeasing others. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are bold, quick-witted and entertaining. You are outgoing and selective.

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.

High School football: Maxon’s four touchdowns caps Carmel’s comeback

CARMEL — Wins have never been the measurement of success in the 17 seasons Golden Anderson has been Carmel’s head football coach.

Granted, there have been quite a few victories, not to mention a handful of league titles, two section crowns, two undefeated seasons, and a state title to the Padres resume in the Anderson era.

The gauge, however, has always been about the program’s maturation over the course of a full season. Seven games into the year and the Padres are light years ahead of where they were a month ago.

“When you wait your turn to be the guy on the varsity, you don’t really understand,” Anderson said. “A lot of players have been willing to learn, buying into it and growing. A lot of new faces contributed today.”

Starring at a 14-point deficit Thursday, the Padres went out and scored 42 points, using four touchdowns from Matt Maxon for a 42-28 win over visiting Alisal.

The win was significant for several reasons for Carmel, as it moves into the No. 4 spot in the Gabilan Division at 3-3 with two games remaining in the league season.

The top four teams in the Gabilan Division earn automatic postseason spots, with two more teams likely advancing based on points. However, only six teams from any division can extend their seasons into the playoffs, regardless of point totals.

“We don’t look at that,” insisted Anderson. “We’ve had our hands full in this division. We had some guys today that had never played a varsity game, who contributed. A lot of people touched the ball. We got a little spark.”

After going 15-0 last season and winning the CIF State Division 5AA title, Carmel was forced into the Gabilan Division despite losing 10 starters, three of which are playing Division I football.

Alisal, who has a bye next week before facing North Salinas and Salinas to close the regular season, sits in a tie for fifth with the Vikings and Monterey.

“I think the loss that still stings the most is Hollister, because of the fashion of how we lost it,” Alisal coach Francisco Estrada said. “But this one is up there. It’s pretty demoralizing.”

Estrada was referring Alisal falling 44-40 in the final seconds to Hollister on Sept. 19. This time it squandered an early 14-point lead and had the ball after getting a fourth-down stop on Carmel.

“We were talking about putting the game away in the first quarter,” Estrada said. “Hats off to Carmel for being able to stay in the game and not lose their composure. We’ve got to use the bye week to get these kids back in the right frame of mind.”

Since suffering a 49-0 loss to undefeated Soquel in its return to the Gabilan Division, Carmel has won three of its last four, and controls its fate towards a return to the postseason.

“I don’t look at how big the win is,” Anderson said. “Any of these victories is tough to come by. We appreciate the ones we’ve gotten to this point. We just take it one week at a time.”

With no junior varsity game due to a lack of numbers for the Padres, a handful of players were brought up, including freshman Peter Spencer, who caught a 12-yard touchdown pass on fourth down in the second quarter, capping a 21-point run.

Igniting the Padres second quarter eruption stemmed from their special teams, as they recovered back-to-back onside kicks after cutting into a 14-point deficit, turning both recoveries into touchdowns. A third onside kick was also recovered in the fourth quarter to seal the game.

Having lost those fourth down possessions earlier in the game, I tried to get some momentum back,” Anderson said. “We took the odds and trusted our guys. We’ve done this for some years. Dean (Briant) is a good kicker.”

The Padres actually did this to Alisal two years ago, overcoming a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter by recovering a pair of onside kicks and turning them into 16 points in the final two minutes.

“It’s something we prepared for,” Estrada said. “I felt we were in great position. The ball took a bounce back and went through the legs of our player. Two things that probably swing the momentum the most are a pick six and a play on special teams.”

Yet, Alisal came back to tie the game at 21 in the third quarter on Jayden Duarte’s third touchdown of the game, giving him 20 rushing touchdowns on the season.

While Maxon had done most of his damage on the ground out of the ‘Wildcat’ or on a reverse, he was also on the receiving end of a touchdown pass from Kaleb Herro, before closing it out with a 48-yard run on 4th-and-8 in the fourth quarter.

Herro fired three touchdown passes in the game, connecting with tight end Carter Lloyd in the fourth quarter to put Carmel up for good.

“It’s tough when your offense scores four times and your opponent still outscores you,” Estrada said.

The Trojans offense is averaging 35.8 points a game in the Gabilan Division, including a school record 62-point outburst in a win over Monterey. However, the defense has given up 40 or more points four times.

“I think our approach changes a little bit, as far as what we do from this point,” Estrada said. “We’ve said since Week 1 that each game in this league has a playoff-type feel. Losing on a bye week, though, just sits with you a little longer.”

Maxon, who is headed to Stanford on a baseball scholarship, scored twice in the second quarter out of the ‘Wildcat’ and two more times in the fourth quarter, giving him 11 touchdowns on the season.

“We thought the game was going in slow motion in the first quarter,” Anderson said. “We tried to speed up the tempo and get guys going. It’s a tall task defending Duarte. I thought our guys responded well to limiting the big plays.”

Soquel 41, North Salinas 12: The defending Gabilan Division champion Knights collected their 16th consecutive league win, outmuscling North Salinas.

Soquel, who is averaging just under 40 points a game this season, scored the game’s first 41 points in improving to 7-0 on the season.

North Salinas, who fell to 4-3 overall and 2-3 in the Gabilan Division, avoided being shut out in the second half with Dylan Reynoso getting into the end zone.

With three games left in the Gabilan Division season, the Vikings — who face Palma next week — are now locked in a tie for fifth with Monterey and Alisal. Points, not placement, will determine the fifth and sixth spots out of the Gabilan for a trip to the playoffs.

49ers’ Robert Saleh texts Fred Warner: ‘You ain’t dead,’ and neither is young defense

SANTA CLARA – Fred Warner’s All-Pro presence multiplied year after year, start after start on the 49ers’ defense. Now he’s laid up on his couch, elevating his surgically repaired right ankle and cuddling with his toddler son, Beau.

Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh doesn’t want Warner to vanish from the 49ers’ sight.

“He’ll be around the locker room,” Saleh said. “I texted him the other day and said, ‘You ain’t dead. Let’s go hang out, grab a cup of coffee.’”

Saleh called it “shameful” that Warner’s season presumably ended last Sunday in the 49ers’ 30-19 loss to Tampa Bay.

“Fred is special,” Saleh continued. “It’s unfortunate but it’s someone else’s time and it’s their opportunity and I’m really looking forward to seeing all these guys grow in their roles.”

The 49ers defense marches on without Warner, and its front line has done so feebly without Nick Bosa since Sept. 21. Saleh’s unit must rally behind all 11 defenders, including Warner’s young but promising replacement, second-year linebacker Tatum Bethune.

“Saleh always preaches that everybody has one job and you don’t want to do too much,” defensive tackle Kalia Davis said. “Fred did only have one job, but he was making up for a lot.”

Sunday night, the 49ers (4-2) welcome the Atlanta Falcons (3-2) and NFL scrimmage-yards leader Bijan Robinson to Levi’s Stadium. At least two new starters will be on defense: Bethune and safety Malik Mustapha, who replaces rookie Marques Sigle next to Ji’Ayir Brown.

“Everybody should just do their job and don’t be that one guy where they make a big play and it was your fault,” Davis added.” That’s how I’ll be thinking. I don’t want it to be me.”

On the play Warner got hurt, the 49ers were missing a right defensive end, and coaches mistakenly assumed practice-squad call-up Trevis Gipson stayed on the field to fill that role after racing down on kickoff coverage and making the initial hit on a tackle.

“Between special teams and getting guys on the field, it’s shameful it happened that way from a communication standpoint,” Saleh said. “I’m always going to beat myself up over that because it starts with me.”

Saleh acknowledged it’s “obviously frustrating” that his defense remains without an interception this season — and through an NFL-record 13 straight games dating back to last season.

An inferior pass rush impacts that. The 49ers have just seven sacks and 14 quarterback hits this season. The Denver Broncos’ Nik Bonitto, alone, leads the NFL with eight sacks and 16 quarterback hits. The Falcons come to town touting 15 sacks, with nine players producing at least one.

Huff leads the 49ers with three sacks and four quarterback hits, and he nearly had a fourth sack last Sunday but Baker Mayfield escaped the grasp of Huff and Gipson for a 15-yard scramble on third-and-14. “That kept me up at night. That one hurt,” said Gipson, who’s hungry for more opportunities.

The 49ers’ only other sacks, aside from Bosa’s two, are one apiece from defensive lineman Mykel Williams and nickel back Upton Stout. Of opponents’ 193 passes, just 19 have been broken up by the 49ers, 10 have gone for touchdowns, and 67.9% are being completed for a combined 104.7 passer rating.

“There’s going to be mistakes and going to gain some scars, but as long as they get them at 100 mph, they’ll get them at full speed and hopefully learn lessons,” Saleh said of his youth-laden defense.

A week after general manager John Lynch said he was working the trade-market phones, he didn’t express any greater urgency after Warner’s injury, and perhaps quite the contrary.

“We’ve got plenty in this team to go compete and win football games,” Lynch said on KNBR 680-AM.

KITTLE’S ENCOURAGING ENCORE

Tight end George Kittle practiced on back-to-back days for the first time since a Grade 3 hamstring tear. “I fully plan on playing on Sunday, as long as Kyle lets me,” Kittle said. “It’s up to them, but hopefully I will play, which I think I will.”

Kittle knew precisely that he was hurt on the 26th offensive play of the season, running a go-route and feeling like a “rubber band snapped in my hamstring,” though he noted the muscle at least did not tear from the bone.

Asked if he can give the 49ers offense a needed push, Kittle replied: “I’m going to try my best to shove everybody as hard as I possibly can, whether it’s with my energy or hopefully a really good playing ability. That would be my dream.”

MAC JONES: ‘I’ll BE OUT THERE’

Quarterback Mac Jones was a full participant and looks in line to make his third straight start and fifth overall in place of Brock Purdy, who practiced a second straight day in a limited role.

Jones has battled oblique and rib issues, but said he’s been through worse, such as playing every snap of his 2021 rookie season in New England. “I’ll be out there if I can, and I know my team needs me,” Jones said. “I put a lot into in the offseason. It’s really just mental toughness. Yeah I want to move around and I’ve been working on that.”

Right guard Dominick Puni (knee) returned after missing Wednesday’s session, as did running back Christian McCaffrey and left tackle Trent Williams who had that practice off to rest, as usual.

ANOTHER RECEIVER INJURY

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Marquez Valdes-Scantling did not practice because of a calf injury, further thinning a wide receiver unit that figures to be without Ricky Pearsall a third straight game because of a knee issue.

Valdes-Scantling practiced on Wednesday and played 42 snaps in Sunday’s loss in his native Tampa. He has four catches on eight targets for 40 yards, all over the past three games.

Poised to make his 49ers debut is rookie fourth-round pick Jordan Watkins, who nearly collided in warmups Thursday with Skyy Moore in Moore’s return from a one-day hiatus (ankle injury).

Although Brandon Aiyuk became eligible in Week 5 to come off the Physically Unable To Perform list, the 49ers have yet to open his practice window. He’s been doing individual conditioning in the morning before practice, and Shanahan loosely projected a Week 10 comeback, which would be Nov. 9 against the Rams.

Trump plans to leave his mark on Washington by building a Paris-like arch near the Lincoln Memorial

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump wants to leave his mark on the nation’s capital by building a Paris-style arch just west of the Lincoln Memorial.

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Trump unveiled the plan at a White House dinner on Wednesday for the wealthy businesspeople who have pledged money toward the $250 million cost of adding a massive ballroom to the Executive Mansion. Trump did not put a price tag on the cost of the arch.

“It’s going to be really beautiful,” the Republican president said. “I think it’s going to be fantastic.”

Many presidents and first families try to leave their imprint on the White House, and Trump is already doing that with many of the design and construction changes he’s made to the property, perhaps most notably by converting the Rose Garden into a stone-covered patio.

But the arch goes far beyond the White House, giving Trump a chance to leave another lasting monument in a city known for them. It would expand on his earlier talk of sprucing up the city by replacing its “tired” grasses, and broken signage and street medians.

Trump seems to draw inspiration from the French.

The proposed arch bears a striking resemblance to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the famous monument at the end of the Champs-Élysées honoring those who fought for France during the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars.

A military parade held in Washington earlier this year to mark the Army’s 250th birthday was inspired after Trump witnessed a similar event down the famous Parisian boulevard eight years ago as a guest of France’s president, Emmanuel Macron.

The White House did not immediately respond Thursday to an emailed request for more information on the arch, including the timeline for completing it.

Harrison Design, a local firm, is working on the project, according to a weekend social media post from Trump. A representative for the firm did not respond to an emailed request seeking comment Thursday.

It was unclear if the White House has presented the proposal to the National Capital Planning Commission, which has responsibility over planning and siting monuments, memorials and statues in the city. The commission’s offices have been closed during the government shutdown.

L. Preston Bryant Jr., a former chairman of the commission, said in an email that federal law requires that the proposed arch be put through the commission’s review and approval process.

The arch would stand at the Washington end of Memorial Bridge, which spans the Potomac River from Arlington, Virginia. At the dinner, Trump showed off three different sized models of the arch, which will feature a statue of Lady Liberty on top, and acknowledged that the largest one was his favorite.

President Donald Trump addresses a dinner for donors who have contributed to build the new ballroom at the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Trump thanked his dinner guests for being “so generous in your contributions” to pay for the ballroom and said there might be enough money left over to cover the cost of building the arch.

“It’s fully taken care of now and, in fact, we’ll have money left over and we’ll use that for something,” he said. “We’ll use that probably maybe for the arch or something else that will come. But we love to fix up Washington.”

The White House has said it will disclose information on who has contributed money to build the ballroom, but has yet to do so. That project was announced in late July.

Associated Press video journalist Mike Pesoli contributed to this report.

US prosecutors charge Smartmatic in alleged $1M Philippines bribery case

By JOSHUA GOODMAN

MIAMI (AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged voting technology firm Smartmatic with money laundering and other crimes arising from more than $1 million in bribes that several executives allegedly paid to election officials in the Philippines.

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The payments, between 2015 and 2018, were made to obtain a contract with the Philippines government to help run that country’s 2016 presidential election and secure the timely payment for its work, according to a superseding indictment filed Thursday in a Florida federal court.

Three former executives of Smartmatic, including co-founder Roger Pinate, were previously charged in 2024 but at the time South Florida-based Smartmatic was not named as a defendant. Pinate, who no longer works for Smartmatic but remains a shareholder, has pleaded not guilty.

The criminal case is unfolding as Smartmatic is pursuing a $2.7 billion lawsuit accusing Fox News of defamation for airing false claims that the company helped rig the 2020 U.S. presidential election in which Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump.

Smartmatic in a statement denied the allegations and said it believed the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami had been misled and politically influenced by unnamed powerful interests.

“This is again, targeted, political, and unjust,” the company said. “Smartmatic will continue to stand by its people and principles. We will not be intimidated by those pulling the strings of power.”

As part of the criminal case, prosecutors in August sought the court’s permission to introduce evidence they argue shows that revenue from a $300 million contract with Los Angeles County to help modernize its voting systems was diverted to a “ slush fund” controlled by Pinate through the use of overseas shell companies, fake invoices and other means.

They also accused Pinate of secretly bribing Venezuela’s longtime election chief by giving her a luxury home with a pool in Caracas. Prosecutors say the home was transferred to the election chief in an attempt to repair relations following Smartmatic’s abrupt exit from Venezuela in 2017 when it accused President Nicolas Maduro ’s government of manipulating tallied results in elections for a rubber-stamping constituent assembly.

A hearing on the purported evidence tied to Los Angeles and Venezuela will be held next month however none of the accusations are mentioned in the superseding indictment signed by Jason Reding Quinones, the new Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.

Smartmatic was founded more than two decades ago by a group of Venezuelans who found early success running elections while the late Hugo Chavez, a devotee of electronic voting, was in power. The company later expanded globally, providing voting machines and other technology to help carry out elections in 25 countries, from Argentina to Zambia.

But Smartmatic has said its business tanked after Fox News gave Trump’s lawyers a platform to paint the company as part of a conspiracy to steal the 2020 election.

Fox said it was legitimately reporting on newsworthy events but eventually aired a piece refuting the allegations after Smartmatic’s lawyers complained. Nonetheless, it has aggressively defended itself against the defamation lawsuit in New York — arguing that the company was facing imminent collapse over its own internal misconduct, not due to any negative coverage.

2 arrested in Texas immigration detention center shooting now face terrorism-related charges

By JAMIE STENGLE

DALLAS (AP) — Two people arrested in a July shooting outside an immigration detention center in Texas are facing new charges that follow President Donald Trump’s order last month to designate a decentralized movement known as antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.

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Autumn Hill and Zachary Evetts were indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury in Fort Worth on charges that include providing material support to terrorists and attempting to murder officers and employees of the U.S. government. Federal prosecutors accuse them of being members of an antifa cell that planned the shooting.

Hill and Evetts were already among 11 people facing attempted murder charges related to the July 4 shooting outside the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, southwest of Dallas, that injured a police officer.

In a post on X on Thursday about the new charges, Attorney General Pam Bondi called antifa “a left-wing terrorist organization,” and said, “they will be prosecuted as such.”

Short for “anti-fascists,” antifa is not a single organization but rather an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups that confront or resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations.

The indictment said the attack began when a group of people clad in black and wearing masks, some carrying firearms and wearing body armor, shot fireworks toward the center and vandalized vehicles and a guard shed. Then, as officers responded, one person yelled, “get to the rifles” and opened fire, striking an officer, according to the indictment.

The indictment said that the group brought 10 firearms to the July 4 attack.

Cody Cofer, an attorney for Hill, said in an emailed statement that the new terrorism-related charge “could be understood by some as an attempt to appeal to a mob mentality rather than relying on the evidence and the law.”

Patrick McLain, an attorney for Evetts, said that so far he’s seen “zero basis” for any of the charges against his client.

The original charges filed over the summer say searches related to the attack found items including anti-government materials and flyers with political messages, but those documents did not mention antifa.

Antifa is a domestic entity and, as such, is not a candidate for inclusion on the State Department’s list of foreign terror organizations. There is no domestic equivalent to that list in part because of broad First Amendment protections enjoyed by organizations operating within the United States.

The July 4 shooting took place as Trump ’s administration has ramped up deportations. Days after that shooting, a man with an assault rifle fired dozens of rounds at federal agents and a U.S. Border Patrol facility in McAllen near the Mexico border, injuring a police officer. Authorities shot and killed the attacker.

49ers’ Mac Jones looks likely to start again vs. Falcons with Brock Purdy on the mend

SANTA CLARA — It looks as if Mac Jones will continue to do the heavy lifting for the 49ers’ offense and he hopes to be sharper after a solid week of practice.

Jones hasn’t been announced as the starter Sunday night against the Atlanta Falcons (5:20 p.m., NBC) but was a full participant in practice despite knee and oblique issues. Incumbent Brock Purdy (turf toe) was limited and appears destined to miss his third straight game and fourth of the season.

Asked if those designations mean Jones will start, coach Kyle Shanahan said on KNBR-680 “It means he most likely will. We’ll see how Brock does tomorrow. But Mac’s much better than he was last week, and Brock is doing better than he did last week.”

That may or may not put Purdy in line to start on Oct. 26 against Houston on the road.

In the meantime, Jones has been carrying a run-deficient offense to the tune of 313 yards per game — the most in the NFL.

The good news is Jones feels he’s still getting better.

“Every day you’re growing and you’re learning in this system,” Jones said. Thursday. “Every game plan is different and I try to take it day by day. I go out there with a clean slate and try to earn it every day.”

Heading into the Tampa Bay game, Jones didn’t throw until Friday. He was sacked six times against the Bucs, but came out relatively unscathed. He’s thrown all three days of practice. Purdy has as well, but Jones was first up when going to team sessions during the media window.

Klay Kubiak, the 49ers’ offensive coordinator, can see the difference the practice sessions have made.

“He didn’t get to practice a lot last week and this week you see more progress,” Kubiak said. “He owns that. He gets better every week in my opinion. He gets more comfortable with our operation, our offense. He gets more confident. It’s cool to see a player ascend that way and continue to grow.”

The 49ers’ system is big on anticipatory throws which require the quarterback to throw to a spot and trust the receiver to be there.

“The only way you can run the system is to commit to every throw,” Jones said. “(Quarterbacks coach) Mick Lombardi talks to me about that a lot and I feel I’ve been doing that. The points will come as long as I operate the offense and commit to every throw and rip it.”

Jones will get a new weapon this week as he plays his first game with tight end George Kittle, who came off injured this week after a hamstring strain in the opener against Seattle. He already has a rapport with Kendrick Bourne, with whom he played in New England.

“George is awesome,” Jones said. “I haven’t gotten a lot of reps with him, but in a way I have, just watching him, being a fan from afar. He’s got great energy in the huddle. He’s just George. He’s not going to change so you know what you’re going to get.”

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In the meantime, Purdy continues to rehab his right big toe, which he aggravated in a 26-21 loss to Jacksonville on Sept. 28.

“It sucks to be such a big part of something that you work year-round and then not be able to do much because of injuries,” Shanahan said. “Injuries frustrate people. But Brock’s handling it right, like he does everything. I know he’s itching to get back and feel good again.”

FDA unveils drugs to receive expedited review in support of ‘national priorities’

By MATTHEW PERRONE

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday announced the first round of experimental drugs that will receive drastically expedited reviews at the agency, part of an effort to prioritize medicines the Trump administration deems as “supporting U.S. national interests.”

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The nine medicines announced by the FDA include potential treatments for vaping addiction, deafness, pancreatic cancer and other conditions.

Several of the drugs would compete with higher-priced drugs already on the U.S. market.

At the White House, President Donald Trump highlighted the injectable infertility drug, Pergoveris, which is currently sold in Europe for patients going through IVF treatments. Trump said FDA approval of the drug in the U.S. would help lower IVF costs for American families, one of his campaign pledges.

Another drugmaker received the specialty review to expand U.S. manufacturing of ketamine, the powerful anesthetic that has grown into a trendy psychedelic treatment.

Under the program announced earlier this year, the FDA will aim to decide whether to approve the drugs in one to two months, an unprecedented pace for the in-depth safety and effectiveness reviews performed by agency scientists.

FDA’s accelerated approval program generally issues decisions in six months for drugs that treat life-threatening diseases. Regular drug reviews take about 10 months.

Since arriving at the agency, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary has suggested the agency could dramatically speed up approvals for certain high-priority drugs, pointing to the truncated process used to authorize the first COVID-19 vaccines under Operation Warp Speed.

Many aspects of the so-called Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher program overlap with older FDA programs. But the broad criteria for awarding the vouchers gives Makary and other FDA officials unprecedented discretion in deciding which companies will benefit from the sped-up reviews.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

US commander overseeing fatal strikes against alleged drug boats off Venezuela will retire

By KONSTANTIN TOROPIN and BEN FINLEY

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Navy admiral who oversees military operations in the region where U.S. forces have been attacking alleged drug boats off Venezuela will retire in December, he and the Defense Secretary announced Thursday.

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Adm. Alvin Holsey became the leader of U.S. Southern Command only in November, overseeing an area that encompasses the Caribbean Sea and waters off South America. These types of postings typically last between three and four years.

The news of Holsey’s upcoming retirement comes two days after the U.S. military’s fifth deadly strike in the Caribbean against a small boat accused of carrying drugs. The Trump administration has asserted it’s treating alleged drug traffickers as unlawful combatants who must be met with military force.

Frustration with the attacks has been growing on Capitol Hill. Some Republicans have been seeking more information from the White House on the legal justification and details of the strikes, while Democrats contend the strikes violate U.S. and international law.

Holsey said in a statement posted on the command’s Facebook page that it’s “been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend our Constitution for over 37 years.”

“The SOUTHCOM team has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation and will continue to do so,” he said. “I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe.”

U.S. Southern Command did not provide any more information beyond the admiral’s statement.

In a post on X Thursday afternoon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked Holsey for his “decades of service to our country, and we wish him and his family continued success and fulfillment in the years ahead.”

“Admiral Holsey has demonstrated unwavering commitment to mission, people, and nation,” Hegseth wrote.

Officials at the Pentagon did not provide any more information and referred The Associated Press to Hegseth’s statement on social media.

The New York Times first reported on Holsey’s plans to leave his position.