Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 60

SF Giants snap six-game losing streak with win over Mets in 10 innings

NEW YORK — It wasn’t a pretty win, but given how the last couple weeks have gone, the Giants will take wins however they come.

The Giants snapped a six-game losing streak on Friday night at Citi Field with a 4-3 victory in 10 innings over the New York Mets. All-Star Randy Rodríguez, the team’s new closer after Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval were traded, recorded his first save (and second overall) in his new role.

“I feel like we’ve been losing a lot of games because we haven’t been playing clean baseball,” said shortstop Willy Adames. “We haven’t been playing our best baseball. We know that we have to be better and play more games like that and try to execute. For us, today is a big game to start getting in a different mood because it’s been tough.

“The boys are feeling it. They knew that tonight, we had to make an adjustment and go out there and try to win that game, no matter how. It went our way. It almost didn’t. It was crazy, but we found a way to end up on top.”

Robbie Ray turned in his best start of the second half, pitching seven innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts. The left-hander was backed up by a defense that played one of its crisper games in recent memory.

In the third, Adames snared Tyrone Taylor’s one-hopper to kickstart an inning-ending double play. In the fifth with runners on first and second, third baseman Matt Chapman fielded a spinning bloop from Taylor and made a difficult throw while drifting to his left for the out at first. In the seventh, Patrick Bailey caught Vientos’ pop fly in foul territory while falling backwards.

“We talked before the game. What happened, happened,” Ray said of the trade deadline. “We got ourselves into this situation, but we still have the big pieces that we brought in. We got Rafi still. Chappy’s here for a long time. Willie’s here for a long time. The core group of guys are here. We didn’t do a major overhaul. This team is still good enough to win, and to be able to come out after the rough home stand and win the first one here is big.”

Casey Schmitt generated the game’s first run in the top of the second with an RBI double that gave the Giants a 1-0 lead. Jung Hoo Lee immediately doubled that lead to 2-0 by driving in Wilmer Flores with a groundout.

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The Giants continued padding that lead in the top of the seventh when Patrick Bailey scorched a line drive over the outstretched glove of first baseman Pete Alonso to drive in Lee and increase the lead to 3-0. For Bailey, it was a bit of vengeance after Alonso made a leaping catch to rob Bailey of a game-tying RBI last Saturday.

The Mets finally scored their first run of the ballgame in the bottom of the seventh when Alonso hit an opposite-field solo homer, slicing the Giants’ lead to 3-1. New York continued threatening when Jeff McNeil lined a two-out double to left-center field, prompting a mound visit from pitching coach J.P. Martinez.

On Ray’s 102nd and final pitch of the evening, the Mets’ Luis Torrens smashed a 105.1 mph line drive directly at right fielder Luis Matos, ending the inning and preserving the two-run lead.

With Rogers wearing a different uniform, former Met Joey Lucchesi was handed the top of the eighth inning with the Giants leading by two runs. By the end of the frame, the game would be tied at three apiece.

Lucchesi began the eighth by getting Taylor to fly out, but Brandon Nimmo drew a walk and Francisco Lindor singled to set the table for the heart of New York’s order. Juan Soto, the Mets’ $765 million man, singled home a run that bounced off Lucchesi’s foot to bring the score to 3-2. If the ball didn’t deflect off Lucchesi, Adames is confident the Giants would’ve turned an inning-ending double play.

“It was coming straight at me. That’s why we were like, ‘What the heck? What’s going on?’” Adames said. “That was an easy double play. He didn’t hit it hard and I was right there. I would’ve done it myself. It was crazy. I couldn’t even dive for it because I had no more reach.”

“A little unlucky with Lucchesi on the Soto ball. … We’re going through a lot of stuff right now, and that one felt like, ‘What else can go wrong?’”

With runners at the corners and Pete Alonso coming up, manager Bob Melvin summoned Buttó for his first appearance as a Giant.

Talk about a soft landing.

Buttó couldn’t protect the lead. Alonso hit a towering fly ball to center field, and Lindor scored easily from third to tie the game. Buttó prevented further damage, but the lead was gone. Neither team scored in the ninth, and the game headed to extra innings.

Dominic Smith entered the game off the bench in the top of the 10th and gave the Giants a 4-3 lead with an RBI single. In the bottom of the 10th, Rodríguez would be tasked with facing the top of New York’s order — Nimmo, Lindor, Soto — with the automatic runner on second base.

Rodríguez began the 10th by getting Nimmo to pop out but then plunked Lindor, putting the go-ahead run on base with one out. Soto harmlessly popped out to second, but Alonso drew a walk to load the bases for Ronny Mauricio, who homered off Rodríguez last week in San Francisco. This time, Rodríguez got his revenge by striking out Mauricio to end the game.

“For him to be named the closer and come in first game after being named the closer in a pressure situation — extra innings, up one — and to be able to lock it down was huge,” Ray said.

Flores removed from ballgame early

Wilmer Flores was pulled from the ballgame after beating out an infield single in the top of the eighth inning due to left hamstring tightness.

Flores, 33, walked very gingerly back to first base after beating out the single and was soon met by manager Bob Melvin and trainer Dave Groeschner. Christian Koss, who was activated from the injured list prior to the game, served as Flores’ replacement.

Melvin said the team doesn’t think the injury is too bad and will see where they go from here.

Judge allows the National Science Foundation to withhold hundreds of millions of research dollars

By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The National Science Foundation can continue to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars from researchers in several states until litigation aimed at restoring it plays out, a federal court ruled Friday.

U.S. District Judge John Cronan in New York declined to force the NSF to restart payments immediately, while the case is still being decided, as requested by the sixteen Democrat-led states who brought the suit, including New York, Hawaii, California, Colorado and Connecticut.

In his ruling, Cronan said he would not grant the preliminary injunction in part because it may be that another court, the Court of Federal Claims, has jurisdiction over what is essentially a case about money. He also said the states failed to show that NSF’s actions were counter to the agency’s mandate.

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The lawsuit filed in May alleges that the National Science Foundation’s new grant-funding priorities as well as a cap on what’s known as indirect research expenses “violate the law and jeopardize America’s longstanding global leadership in STEM.”

Another district court had already blocked the the cap on indirect costs — administrative expenses that allow research to get done like paying support staff and maintaining equipment. This injunction had been requested to restore funding to the grants that were cut.

In April, the NSF announced a new set of priorities and began axing hundreds of grants for research focused on things like misinformation and diversity, equity and inclusion. Researchers who lost funding also were studying artificial intelligence, post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans, STEM education for K-12 students and more.

Researchers were not given a specific explanation for why their grants were canceled, attorney Colleen Faherty, representing the state of New York, said during last month’s hearing. Instead, they received boilerplate language stating that their work “no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities.”

NSF has long been directed by Congress to encourage underrepresented groups like women and people with disabilities to participate in STEM. According to the lawsuit, the science foundation’s funding cuts already halted efforts to train the next generation of scientists in fields like computer science, math and environmental science.

A lawyer for the NSF said at the hearing that the agency has the authority to fund whatever research it deems necessary — and has since its inception in 1950. In the court filing, the government also argued that its current priorities were to “create opportunities for all Americans everywhere” and “not preference some groups at the expense of others, or directly/indirectly exclude individuals or groups.”

The plaintiff states are trying to “substitute their own judgement for the judgement of the agency,” Adam Gitlin, an attorney for the NSF, said during the hearing.

The science foundation is still funding some projects related to expanding representation in STEM, Cronan wrote in his ruling. Per the lawsuit filed in May, for example, the University of Northern Colorado lost funding for only one of its nine programs focused on increasing participation of underrepresented groups in STEM fields.

The states are reviewing the decision, according to spokespeople from the New York and Hawaii attorney general offices. The National Science Foundation declined to comment.

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

49ers’ Brock Purdy adores his baby daughter — and Nick Bosa’s pass rush

SANTA CLARA – Brock Purdy was still beaming Friday. All due respect, it had nothing to do with layering passes to George Kittle or dodging Nick Bosa’s pass rush during a two-hour, sun-splashed practice at training camp.

A week earlier, Purdy woke up at home, phoned coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi and told them he wouldn’t be coming in to work. He instead became a father at 2:58 p.m. to daughter Millie, named in honor of his wife Jenna’s grandmother.

“I still really can’t describe it, just how awesome it is in coming home and seeing a little baby girl, holding her, and her sleeping on me,” Purdy said. “There’s nothing better, man. No gift can compare. Seeing Jenna and how awesome she’s been as a mom, altogether, it’s so good.”

Purdy was a 21-year-old, fourth-string quarterback in camp just three years ago, bearing the “Mr. Irrelevant” moniker as the NFL Draft’s 262nd and final pick. His life has since been on a fast track to major milestones, from nearly winning a Super Bowl in February 2024 to signing a 49ers-record contract for $265 million two months ago.

“Having a baby and our family growing, being able to knock out the contract, it’s been just a huge blessing all around,” Purdy added. “But nothing compares to having a baby and being married, that’s first and foremost. We’re extremely excited and our hearts are so big right now.”

And yet there is a day job Purdy must conquer.

Punter Thomas Morstead, a father of five, has given valuable counsel on how to play in the NFL while prioritizing family. Linebacker Fred Warner and center Jake Brendel also offered pearls of wisdom from their foray into fatherhood in recent years.

All that sentimentality aside, Purdy toggled back Friday to discuss quarterbacking a team in transition. The football field offers him simplicity, even amid the chaos of 11 grown men chasing him.

One player in particular, Nick Bosa, is serving as a welcome nuisance to get Purdy ready for this season.

“Obviously he’ll just tap me on my shoulder or whatever to let me know he was there. It’s good getting that kind of pass rush. It’s real,” Purdy said. “If you’re at practice and dropping back and not getting touched and going through your progressions all perfectly, to me, it can be scary. Because once you get in a game, it’s 11-on-11, it’s going fast, you’ve got different blitzes, different stunts from the D-line, and they’re up in your face.”

Friday, Bosa dashed past right tackle Colton McKivitz on at least three occasions for would-be sacks before Purdy surrendered short passes to Kittle and Christian McCaffrey.

“To have him every single rep and feeling his presence 24/7, honestly, it’s great work for all of us, myself included,” Purdy added. “Throwing with push in the pocket and having different arm angles, it’s all real. For him to give us a look like that, realistically every play he’s in, it’s really good, so I appreciate him for that.”

Bosa, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year during Purdy’s rookie season of 2022, is having an impressive camp, and that includes epic bull-on-bull clashes with left tackle Trent Williams.

“Obviously he’s getting really good work,” Purdy said of Bosa. “I want him to become a monster come the season for our team.”

Whether Purdy himself will thrive is a mystery that seems to revolve around a thinning group of wide receivers. Jauan Jennings missed the past four practices with a calf issue after reporting to camp in search of a contract extension. Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Jacob Cowing (hamstring) are also out, Ricky Pearsall is being eased into action, and rookie upshot Jordan Watkins missed Friday’s practice for unknown reasons.

“Here it’s really about playing on time and being able to scramble. Brock does such a good job at that,” new backup Mac Jones said. “He goes through his reads and then goes and makes plays.”(Jones, by the way, said he prepared for his understudy role by running through 10 practices on his own this summer in full pads and uniform.)

Purdy returned the compliment, saying Jones’ four years of NFL experience shows “his footwork, his eyes, everything is very detailed, just how Shanahan, Lombardi and (offensive coordinator Klay) Kubiak coach it. He’s executing consistently and doing a great job.”

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A couple years ago, when Purdy was new on the job, he and running back Christian McCaffrey envisioned becoming fathers; McCaffrey beat him by 12 days as his wife, Olivia Culpo, also gave birth to a daughter, Colette.

“Christian and I have talked about in the past, it’d be sweet to have kids remember us playing in the NFL and go to work with dad,” Purdy said of his chats with McCaffrey, the son of former 49ers receiver Ed. “This is our work so it’s pretty cool. Hopefully we can have all our kids grow up together.”

NOTE: Linebacker Curtis Robinson, who opened camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list, was cleared and suited up for practice 10 months after tearing an anterior cruciate knee ligament. … Safety Ji’Ayir Brown (unknown reason), running back Jordan James (knee) and cornerbacks Deommodore Lenoir (hip) and Renardo Green (hamstring) also did not practice. … Safety Jason Pinnock made the day’s only interception on an early-session pass by Purdy. … McCaffrey repeatedly matched up with Warner in one-on-one drills before team action, in which McCaffrey had a touchdown run on one of his five carries. He also caught two of three targets, after resting Thursday. … Purdy’s best passes included a touchdown to Kittle in red zone work, and a 20-yard toss to Kyle Juszczyk against Dee Winters’ tight coverage.

NFL expected to sell media assets to ESPN for an equity stake

By JOE REEDY

The NFL and ESPN are expected to announce an agreement next week under which most of the league’s significant media holdings would go to the sports network.

People familiar with the transaction said the multibillion-dollar deal would give the NFL an equity stake in ESPN.

The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been finalized. It was first reported by The Athletic.

The NFL and ESPN had no comment.

The NFL has been trying to sell its media properties for nearly five years. ESPN and the league have been involved in on-again, off-again talks for the past three years.

The proposed move comes as ESPN is expected to soon launch its direct-to-consumer service, possibly before the end of August. The service would give cord-cutters access to all of ESPN’s programs and networks for $29.99 per month. Most cable, satellite and viewers who have streaming services will receive the service for free as part of their subscription.

ESPN would get access to the popular RedZone channel, as well as NFL Network and an additional seven regular-season games (six international and a Saturday afternoon late-season contest).

A couple of weeks ago, ESPN announced that NFL Network host Rich Eisen’s three-hour program would air on ESPN Radio as well as stream on Disney+ and ESPN+. “The Rich Eisen Show” is not affiliated with NFL Network.

ESPN has carried NFL games since 1987 and “Monday Night Football” since 2006. Under the current TV contract, it will have the 2027 and 2031 Super Bowls for the first time.

NFL Network started in November 2003 as the NFL became the second major pro league to have its own network. NBA TV started in 1999, MLB Network in 2009 and NHL Network in the United States in 2007.

Judge pauses Trump administration’s push to expand fast-track deportations

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and ELLIOT SPAGAT, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge agreed on Friday to temporarily block the Trump administration’s efforts to expand fast-track deportations of immigrants who legally entered the U.S. under a process known as humanitarian parole — a ruling that could benefit hundreds of thousands of people.

U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb in Washington, D.C., ruled that the Department of Homeland Security exceeded its statutory authority in its effort to expand “expedited removal” for many immigrants. The judge said those immigrants are facing perils that outweigh any harm from “pressing pause” on the administration’s plans.

The case “presents a question of fair play” for people fleeing oppression and violence in their home countries, Cobb said in her 84-page order.

“In a world of bad options, they played by the rules,” she wrote. “Now, the Government has not only closed off those pathways for new arrivals but changed the game for parolees already here, restricting their ability to seek immigration relief and subjecting them to summary removal despite statutory law prohibiting the Executive Branch from doing so.”

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Fast-track deportations allow immigration officers to remove somebody from the U.S. without seeing a judge first. In immigration cases, parole allows somebody applying for admission to the U.S. to enter the country without being held in detention.

Immigrants’ advocacy groups sued Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to challenge three recent DHS agency actions that expanded expedited removal. A surge of arrests at immigration courts highlights the lawsuit’s high stakes.

The judge’s ruling applies to any non-citizen who has entered the U.S. through the parole process at a port of entry. She suspended the challenged DHS actions until the case’s conclusion.

Cobb said the case’s “underlying question” is whether people who escaped oppression will have the chance to “plead their case within a system of rules.”

“Or, alternatively, will they be summarily removed from a country that — as they are swept up at checkpoints and outside courtrooms, often by plainclothes officers without explanation or charges — may look to them more and more like the countries from which they tried to escape?” she added.

A plaintiffs’ attorney, Justice Action Center legal director Esther Sung, described the ruling as a “huge win” for hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their families. Sung said many people are afraid to attend routine immigration hearings out of fear of getting arrested.

“Hopefully this decision will alleviate that fear,” Sung said.

Since May, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have positioned themselves in hallways to arrest people after judges accept government requests to dismiss deportation cases. After being arrested, the government renews deportation proceedings but under fast-track authority.

President Donald Trump sharply expanded fast-track authority in January, allowing immigration officers to deport someone without first seeing a judge. Although fast-track deportations can be put on hold by filing an asylum claim, people may be unaware of that right and, even if they are, can be swiftly removed if they fail an initial screening.

“Expedited removal” was created under a 1996 law and has been used widely for people stopped at the border since 2004. Trump attempted to expand those powers nationwide to anyone in the country less than two years in 2019 but was held up in court. His latest efforts amount to a second try.

ICE exercised its expanded authority sparingly at first during Trump’s second term but has since relied on it for aggressive enforcement in immigration courts and in “workplace raids,” according to plaintiffs’ attorneys.

Spagat reported from San Diego.

Monterey to review stricter rules for Rental Assistance Program

MONTEREY – Updates may be coming for the Rental Assistance Program in Monterey, aimed at tightening eligibility criteria, preventing fraud and focusing on renters most at risk of eviction.

The Monterey City Council will hear the proposed changes, which includes meeting new income and asset limits, at its Tuesday meeting.

Applicants to the assistance program would have to earn below 80% of Monterey County’s area median income and hold no more than $5,000 in liquid or real property assets. They would also be required to show proof of housing instability, such as a three-day eviction notice, job loss or medical emergency.

The updated program would also exclude applicants with excessive debt, or those living in residences with more bedrooms than occupants. Utility help would be limited strictly to essential services: water, sewer, gas and electricity. Internet, cable and streaming bills will no longer be covered.

There are no changes to the amount each household can receive, which is up to $5,000 in rental assistance per year, with a three-year cap for repeat applicants.

The proposed changes also introduce stricter fraud prevention rules. Applicants would have to sign under penalty of perjury. If fraud is discovered, they will be disqualified from future aid and referred for possible prosecution. Landlords who receive money through false applications will have to repay the city.

If passed, the revised rules will go into effect immediately.

The program was created to provide local support after federal pandemic-era aid ended. As of June 26, the city distributed more than $304,000 to 94 households since the program launched in April 2024. Fifteen of those households were facing eviction or utility shutoffs. Another 28 applications were denied: 15 for ineligibility, and 13 for submitting fraudulent documents.

According to city data, the majority of recipients so far have been low-income residents. Of the 94 households served, 57% qualified as acutely low to very low income.

Demand for the program has been high. Since April, staff has logged nearly 500 calls, including over 100 from Salinas and dozens more from Seaside, Marina and other Peninsula cities. Many of the callers were Spanish-only speakers, according to Tuesday’s agenda.

The program remains city-funded and available only to Monterey residents. Monterey’s Rental Assistance Program is currently the only ongoing rental assistance program in the county.

The Monterey City Council will meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Monterey City Hall, 580 Pacific St. The meeting will be streamed online and can be participated in via Zoom at https://monterey-org.zoomgov.com/j/1607729333 

AMA and other medical associations are kicked out of CDC vaccine workgroups

By MIKE STOBBE, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials have told more than a half-dozen of the nation’s top medical organizations that they will no longer help establish vaccination recommendations.

The government told the organizations on Thursday via email that their experts are being disinvited from the workgroups that have been the backbone of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

The organizations include the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

“I’m concerned and distressed,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccine expert who for decades has been involved with ACIP and its workgroups.

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He said the move will likely propel a confusing fragmentation of vaccine guidance, as patients may hear the government say one thing and hear their doctors say another.

One email said the organizations are “special interest groups and therefore are expected to have a ‘bias’ based on their constituency and/or population that they represent.”

A federal health official on Friday confirmed the action, which was first reported by Bloomberg.

The decision was the latest development in what has become a saga involving the ACIP. The committee, created in 1964, makes recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how vaccines that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration should be used.

CDC directors have traditionally almost always approved those recommendations, which are widely heeded by doctors and greenlight insurance coverage for shots.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was a leading voice in the anti-vaccine movement before becoming the U.S. government’s top health official, and in June abruptly fired the entire ACIP after accusing them of being too closely aligned with manufacturers. He handpicked replacements that include several vaccine skeptics.

The workgroups typically include not only committee members but also a number of experts from medical and scientific organizations. At workgroup meetings, members evaluate data from vaccine manufacturers and the CDC, and formulate vaccination recommendation proposals to be presented to the full committee.

The structure was created for several reasons, Schaffner said. The professional groups provide input about what might and might not be possible for doctors to implement. And it helped build respect and trust in ACIP recommendations, having the buy-in of respected medical organizations, he said.

Workgroup members are vetted for conflicts of interest, to make sure than no one who had, say, made money from working on a hepatitis vaccine was placed on the hepatitis committee, Schaffner noted.

Also disinvited from the groups were the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Physicians, the American Geriatrics Society, the American Osteopathic Association, the National Medical Association and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

In a joint statement Friday, the AMA and several of the other organizations said: “To remove our deep medical expertise from this vital and once transparent process is irresponsible, dangerous to our nation’s health, and will further undermine public and clinician trust in vaccines.”

They urged the administration to reconsider the move “so we can continue to feel confident in its vaccine recommendations for our patients.”

Some of the professional organizations have criticized Kennedy’s changes to the ACIP, and three of the disinvited groups last month joined a lawsuit against the government over Kennedy’s decision to stop recommending COVID-19 vaccines for most children and pregnant women.

In a social media post Friday, one of the Kennedy-appointed ACIP members — Retsef Levi — wrote that the working groups “will engage experts from even broader set of disciplines!”

Levi, a business management professor, also wrote that working group membership “will be based on merit & expertise — not membership in organizations proven to have (conflicts of interest) and radical & narrow view of public health!”

HHS officials have not said which people are going to be added to the ACIP workgroups.

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.

Veteran federal judge T.S. Ellis III, who presided over trial of Trump aide Paul Manafort, has died

By MATTHEW BARAKAT, Associated Press

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Federal judge T.S. Ellis III, whose legal scholarship and commanding courtroom presence was evident in numerous high-profile trials, has died after a long illness. He was 85.

Ellis oversaw the trials of former Donald Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and former U.S. Rep. William “Dollar Bill” Jefferson as well as the plea deal of “American Taliban” John Walker Lindh across a judicial career that lasted more than 35 years.

His acerbic wit sometimes drew muted complaints at the courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, where Ellis was based, but his legal reasoning was unquestioned.

Ellis died Wednesday at his home in Keswick, according to the Cremation Society of Virginia.

Thomas Selby Ellis III was born in Colombia in 1940 and frequently found ways in court to utilize his Spanish-language skills. He often told Spanish-speaking defendants who relied on interpreters to speak up as they pleaded for leniency, saying he wanted to hear their words for himself.

He joined the Navy after receiving an undergraduate degree from Princeton, and completed graduate studies at Oxford. He received his law degree from Harvard, graduating magna cum laude.

He was appointed to the federal bench by President Ronald Reagan in 1987.

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In a courthouse known as the “Rocket Docket” for its speedy disposition of cases, Ellis’ courtroom reflected his iconoclastic nature. Rarely did his hearings start on time, though when he presided over jury trials his punctuality improved as he zealously guarded jurors’ time commitments.

He frequently chastised lawyers to cut short long-winded arguments, in what he called “a concession to the shortness of life.” But he was easily coaxed or diverted into telling stories from the bench recalling episodes from his long legal career.

He snapped at lawyers who annoyed him, but would often adopt a more conciliatory tone later in the same hearing, and apologize for his short temper.

His penchant for speaking freely drew raised eyebrows at what was arguably the highest-profile trial over which he presided: the prosecution of Manafort, on charges of tax and bank fraud related to his work advising pro-Russia Ukrainian politicians before managing Trump’s campaign.

Ellis ultimately delivered a 47-month sentence, and said as an aside that Manafort appeared to have lived “an otherwise blameless life,” a phrase he often used at criminal sentencings. Critics who found much to blame in Manafort’s long career working for clients including the tobacco industry and international despots were outraged by the comment.

In 2009, Ellis sentenced Jefferson, a former Louisiana congressman, to 13 years in prison for taking bribes, including $90,000 found hidden in his freezer. The case threw multiple curveballs at Ellis, including a sexual relationship between a key witness and an investigating FBI agent.

In 2017, Ellis reduced Jefferson’s sentence to time served after a Supreme Court case changed the rules for what constitutes bribery of public officials. He made clear, though, that he believed Jefferson’s actions were criminal, and called his conduct “venal.”

“Public corruption is a cancer,” he said at the time of Jefferson’s resentencing. “It needs to be prosecuted and punished.”

Ellis’ sentencing hearings often followed a familiar script in which he invited defendants to explain themselves “by way of extenuation, mitigation, or indeed anything at all” that they wanted to say on their behalf. He invariably told defendants before passing judgment that “you write the pages to your own life story.”

Ellis took senior status as a judge in 2007 but regularly worked an extensive docket. In recent years, with his failing health, his cases were reassigned.

Wildlife Center advises drivers pay extra attention to young gulls

As fledgling seagulls take their first clumsy flights this summer, they are left especially vulnerable to moving vehicles.

SPCA Monterey County Wildlife Center is urging drivers to be more vigilant around gulls because it’s the time of year fledglings leave their nests. While the young gulls are about the same size as the adults, they can’t yet fly to avoid vehicles.

“At this time of year, unfortunately, we just see dozens and dozens, if not hundreds, of fledgling gulls hit by cars and most of them don’t make it,” said Beth Brookhouser, vice president of marketing and communications with SPCA Monterey County.

Seagulls lay their eggs in May, which then hatch in June. July to mid-August is considered fledgling season, when young gulls begin to gain their feathers and learn to fly. When the gulls leave their nest, their parents keep tending to them for a few days while they’re on the ground learning to fly, according to Brookhouser.

Fledgling gulls are about the same size as adult seagulls, but cannot yet fly to avoid vehicles in the road. (Courtesy photo)

“Then they’re able to take off and go on and hopefully live long, happy lives,” she said. The problem, however, is that when humans encounter these birds on the road, they mistakenly assume the birds will fly away.

Many seagull nests are built along busy roads in Monterey. The most dangerous places for fledgling gulls are along Cannery Row, near the CVS on Lighthouse Avenue in Pacific Grove and in the Sand City Edgewood Shopping Center, specifically in the areas around Lucky, Target and PetSmart.

“We wanted to let the public know what to look out for … drive a little carefully in those hotspot areas,” said Brookhouser. “If it’s safe to do so, especially in a parking lot, you can get out of your car and shoo the little babies away, and they can walk out of your way. Just give them a chance to get out of your way and learn to fly.”

The SPCA Wildlife and Rehabilitation Center is the only full service center of its kind in Monterey County. Since it does not receive federal, state or local funding, it primarily depends on donations. Over 2,500 animals come to the center each year for emergency care and rehabilitation. The center also provides care for exotic animals who are lost or surrendered to the SPCA.

The Wildlife Center is currently taking care of 206 rescued wild animals, including 40 fledglings, some of which were hit by cars but are now recovering. The center is also currently rescuing nestling gulls, young birds who have not yet grown their feathers or are ready to fly. Nestling gulls have white and gray downy feathers and black spots.

If you see an injured gull or other injured wild animal, call the Wildlife Center at (831) 264-5427 or visit http://www.spcamc.org/wildlife.

Horoscopes Aug. 1, 2025: Madison Bumgarner, listen to your instincts

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Madison Bumgarner, 36; Sally Pressman, 44; Jason Momoa, 46; Adam Duritz, 61.

Happy Birthday: When hesitation sets in, take heed and redirect your course of action. Listen to your instincts and resist letting your emotions deceive you into believing what you hear. Fact-checking will be necessary if you want to avoid appearing vulnerable or finding yourself at a loss. Be bold, seize the moment and take whatever steps are required to maintain your reputation and position, paving the way forward for a brighter future. Your numbers are 4, 15, 24, 26, 33, 37, 41.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Select what you want to achieve and pour your energy and vision into turning your thoughts into reality. Reach out to those you know who can contribute to your success and help you move forward. Mix business with pleasure; brainstorm with those who share your thoughts and yearn for a similar outcome. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Refuse to let your emotions get you in trouble. Hold on to your thoughts until you are sure that what you have to say is accurate. Concentrate on making positive personal adjustments rather than trying to change those around you. Rethink your strategy and the outcome you desire, and proceed with confidence. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): It’s up to you to implement change if you aren’t happy with your current situation. Learn a new skill or update your profile to stay current with the latest trends in the job market. Embrace home improvements that allow more convenience and comfort, and spend more time entertaining friends and family. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Refresh your memory and rethink your spending habits. Address debt, and it will ease stress and help you manage your long-term plans to ensure you meet your goals. Be open with loved ones, and you will gain valuable insight into how to turn a negative into a positive. Romance is in the stars. 5 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Pay attention to detail and avoid criticism. Keeping things simple, accurate and within budget will put your mind at ease and encourage others to appreciate your skills. Make simple changes if they will improve your position or help you gain interest in what you have to offer. An energetic, not emotional, approach is best. 2 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Be cautious when dealing with institutions, government agencies and those in positions of power. Listen attentively and align yourself with those who share common concerns and interests. Pour your energy into protecting your rights, possessions and overall well-being — financially, emotionally and physically. Physical improvements and romance are in the stars. 4 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): It’s OK to dream, but when it comes time to put your plan into action, intelligence and realism will determine the results. Set aside your emotions and let hard work and discipline guide your actions. Home improvements will lift your spirits and encourage you to focus more on what makes you feel complete. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Relax; don’t let what others do annoy you. Concentrate on expanding your mind, quality of life and skills to meet your needs and the market’s demands. Emotional spending is apparent. Don’t spend trying to impress someone or win favors. If you must pay for love, you are with the wrong partner. Reevaluate your relationships. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Possessions, investments, property and making your money grow will offer comfort, convenience and peace of mind. Consider upgrading your skills to ensure you continue to meet demands and can climb the professional ladder. Focus your energy on networking, negotiations and making home improvements that lower your overhead. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Direct your energy into something you enjoy doing that is also healthy and makes you feel good about yourself. Physical fitness, raising awareness or attending a reunion or networking function that offers insight into new possibilities will encourage change. Trust yourself, and leave nothing to chance. Nurture partnerships, and something good will unfold. 4 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A change of location, surroundings or who you hang out with will be uplifting and make you aware of what’s important to you and how to go about incorporating what makes you happy into your everyday routine. You don’t have to spend a lot to find the fulfillment you crave. Control jealousy and possessiveness. 2 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Pay attention to where each dollar goes. Don’t leave possessions out in the open. Trust your instincts and keep your eyes wide open when out and about. Someone will try to take advantage of you if given the chance. Take care of responsibilities before moving on to more enjoyable pastimes. Romance is favored. 5 stars

Birthday Baby: You are sensitive, possessive and dedicated. You are persistent and enduring.

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.

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