Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 85

SF Giants embarrassed by A’s on all-around shoddy Fourth of July night

WEST SACRAMENTO — The Giants flew out of Phoenix with much-needed good vibes. Camilo Doval redeemed himself on Wednesday, and Robbie Ray shined on Thursday. They salvaged a split of their four-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, arriving at Sutter Health Park with a chance to win three in a row for the first time in weeks.

They instead played their most embarrassing game of the season.

Justin Verlander, two decades after making his major-league debut, allowed a season-high six runs over three innings in his worst start of the year. The defense made three errors. The offense was silenced. The Athletics’ Denzel Clarke and Nick Kurtz hit a pair of majestic homers.

The result for San Francisco was an 11-2 loss to the Athletics on the Fourth of July. It was a night that ended with fireworks in the sky and Verlander still searching for his first win as a Giant.

“It was bad,” said manager Bob Melvin. “We’ve had a couple of these games in the last week that are uncharacteristic of how we play. So, that’s the part that bothered me the most about this game. The defense, and it just looked like there was a lack of focus on the defensive end. That’s a concern.”

Verlander, who is now 0-6 with a 4.84 ERA over 14 starts, will have one more chance to get his first win of the season before the All-Star Break. That start will likely be at Oracle Park against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who also suffered their own humiliating defeat: an 18-1 blowout at the hands of the Houston Astros on Friday.

“I feel like I was pretty easy to hit tonight,” Verlander said. “Frankly embarrassing. I need to be better than that. I thought I found something in between starts that was going to help me and send me in the right direction. Yeah, no, it didn’t. So, back to the drawing board.”

As poorly as Verlander’s start went, the 42-year-old did not provide brief or rushed answers when fielding questions from reporters postgame. Rather, Verlander extensively expounded upon his struggles.

“You test something. You go out there and try it and see if it works or not when you’re searching for something mechanically. If it’s not working, you find something else. I’m already on to the next thing. I threw some balls against the wall and felt some different mechanics that I’ve been thinking about. I’m optimistic that that’s going to be the next thing that works.

“I’ve had two or three instances in my career where I’ve had to reinvent the wheel and everything that I’ve know to try to fix something that doesn’t work,” Verlander said. “I feel like I’m kind of there where it’s like, ‘All right, time to just throw [expletive] against the wall and see what works.’ Hopefully, I can rely on a lot of my past understand biomechanics and my mechanics and figure it out quickly.”

Verlander believes that his stuff, itself, is okay. Despite the poor results, Verlander still generated 10 whiffs on 60 pitches. Still, Verlander assessed that he’s not deceptive enough, that hitters are too easily able to execute their game plans.

Verlander pointed to Brent Rooker’s RBI double in the bottom of the second inning — a frame where the A’s scored four runs — of an example of his lack of deception. Verlander felt he beat Rooker to spot, but Rooker was able to throw the bat head at the ball and drive in a run.

“You hear hitters talk about kind of being in the middle. I feel like that’s where I’m at right now,” Verlander said. “I can make good pitches, and when I do make good pitches, these guys are so good … when I do make a good pitch, they either foul it off or put it in play when otherwise it probably should be a swing-and-miss or foul ball.”

Added Verlander: “Looking at it objectively, I do think my stuff can be great. I think my stuff can be consistently great enough to be a great pitcher in this game given the current landscape. But I need to make some adjustments. I’m exhausting all options. I’m trying everything I know how to do.”

Verlander was far from the only Giant on Friday who has had better nights. The defense, as a whole, was subpar.

As far as errors, Heliot Ramos, Sergio Alcántara and Brett Wisely each committed one apiece. Along with the error, Ramos mishandled another transfer in the bottom of the second on Tyler Soderstrom’s base hit. Ramos may have had a chance to throw out Soderstrom at second if he fielded the ball cleanly, but Soderstrom slid in safely at second with a double due to Ramos’ fumble.

“I got to the balls pretty good,” Ramos said. “I just bobbled it.”

Along with the errors, there was also center fielder Jung Hoo Lee turned around on a deep drive by Denzel Clarke, resulting in a fly out becoming a triple. Catcher Patrick Bailey was unable to catch a popup in foul territory as well, though it was a tough play since he didn’t immediately know where the ball went.

By the bottom of the seventh, with the Giants’ defeat already sealed, Melvin began emptying his bench. Wisely entered the game for Willy Adames and later hit a solo homer. In the top of the eighth, backup catcher Andrew Knizner pinch-hit for Rafael Devers.

For as bad as the night went, the Giants stand to receive a much-needed boost on Saturday night.

Third baseman Matt Chapman should be activated from the injured list after playing in a rehab game with Triple-A Sacramento in Reno, going 0-for-3 with a walk and fielding two grounders.

‘It felt a little different’: SF Giants share thoughts ahead of first game at Sutter Health Park

WEST SACRAMENTO — As the Giants made their way into the first-base dugout at Sutter Health Park on Friday evening, a remnant from the previous night remained hung on the wall near the helmet rack: The lineup card of the Triple-A Reno Aces, who had just played the Sacramento River Cats.

It was one of many reminders that the Giants and Athletics were playing a major league game in a minor-league stadium — that the Battle of the Bay was relegated to the past.

“It felt a little different coming here today,” said manager Bob Melvin, who managed the Oakland A’s from 2011-21. “At our park, it kind of felt the same. Certainly last year in Oakland, the rivalry is pretty significant. Once we get on the field, I don’t think it will feel any differently. But just driving up and seeing the signs and not being in Oakland, it felt a little different.”

“I feel like a lot of people wish (the A’s) were still in Oakland,” said Hayden Birdsong, who is scheduled to start on Sunday. “It’s a fun Oakland, Bay Area rivalry. Everybody wishes that, but I understand how it works. It’s business, and people have to make money. That’s what happens.”

This isn’t the first time that the Giants and A’s have met this season, the former sweeping the latter when they met in mid-May. That first series was at Oracle Park — a true big-league ballpark. This weekend’s three-game set, by contrast, will take place at a minor-league stadium masquerading as a major-league venue, one that’s also home to the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate.

Sutter Health Park cannot replicate the feel and vibe of the Oakland Coliseum, but several Giants were impressed with the improved amenities to accomodate the Athletics, as well as a playing surface that’s held up despite hosting the A’s and River Cats.

“It looked different when we came here for the scrimmage at the beginning of the season,” said starter Landen Roupp, who pitched in three games for the River Cats at Sutter Health Park last season. “I don’t know if it’s the new batter’s eye. The bullpen’s are obviously different. I can’t put my finger on it. It just feels different. … It really feels like a big-league spring training field.”

Said infielder Tyler Fitzgerald, who has played 126 games with the River Cats: “I was here last week and the infield plays pretty nice. They’ve done a lot of renovation with that. The scoreboard’s nice. There’s a couple key upgrades that I think have helped a lot.”

While most of San Francisco’s active roster has spent time with the River Cats, most Giants found it difficult to escape the oddity of the ordeal.

“It’s kind of crazy,” Roupp said. “Everything’s kind of switched around. Even though I’ve been here, we were in the (River Cats) clubhouse. So, having to walk out and walk around and get to everything is pretty crazy.”

Those who have played at Sutter Health Park are plenty familiar with the ballpark’s reputation for favoring offense, especially compared to the pitcher-friendly Oakland Coliseum. For the Athletics’ pitchers, the offensive environment has made for pretty stark home/road splits.

Luis Severino, who signed the richest contract in franchise history this offseason, publicly bashed the experience of pitching at Sutter Health Field, telling reporters it “feels like a spring training kind of game every time I pitch.” On the road, Severino has a 3.04 ERA. At home, Severino’s ERA balloons to 6.79.

JP Sears, who’s slated to start the first game of the series, has a 4.14 ERA over 10 starts on the road but a 6.68 ERA at home entering Friday. For Jeffrey Springs, who is not scheduled to start this series, the story is the same: 4.73 ERA at home, 3.61 ERA on the road.

“There’s no third deck to kind of knock the wind down,” Melvin said. “It feels a little sunken where I don’t know that you feel the wind as much on the field as once it gets up in the air. But we have plenty of guys that have played here and talked about the condition.”

As far as the fan environment, Sutter Health Park’s seats and berm should be packed over the next three days, especially with this series falling on Fourth of July weekend. Given the River Cats, a Giants affiliate, have been here far longer than the A’s, it wouldn’t be shocking if there was a takeover of orange and black.

“I would expect a lot of Giants fans regardless,” Fitzgerald said. “I don’t know if it’s going to be 50-50 or if Giants fans are going to overpower them a little bit. I don’t know what to expect. I just know that the River Cats have been here for so long that there’s going to be a good amount of Giants fans, for sure.”

Chapman, Schmitt both on cusp of returning

Third baseman Matt Chapman (right hand inflammation) started in a rehab game with Triple-A Sacramento on Friday night, and the Giants anticipate him playing in Saturday’s game if everything goes well.

“He lobbied for (tonight) to be his first game, but obviously, after being (out for) a month, it’s good to get him some at-bats before he gets back in here,” Melvin said of Chapman, who hasn’t played since June 8.

Along with Chapman, infielder Casey Schmitt (left hand inflammation) took batting practice on the field prior to Friday night’s game. Schmitt could play on Saturday and Sunday with the River Cats in Reno before returning on Monday, the first day he’s eligible to come off the injured list.

Trump signs his tax and spending cut bill at the White House July 4 picnic

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE and NICHOLAS RICCARDI

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed his package of tax breaks and spending cuts into law Friday in front of Fourth of July picnickers after his cajoling produced almost unanimous Republican support in Congress for the domestic priority that could cement his second-term legacy.

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Flanked by Republican legislators and members of his Cabinet, Trump signed the multitrillion-dollar legislation at a desk on the White House driveway, then banged down a gavel gifted to him by House Speaker Mike Johnson that was used during the bill’s final passage Thursday.

Against odds that at times seemed improbable, Trump achieved his goal of celebrating a historic — and divisive — legislative victory in time for the nation’s birthday, which also was his self-imposed deadline for Congress to send the legislation to his desk. Fighter jets and stealth bombers streaked through the sky over the annual White House Fourth of July picnic.

“America’s winning, winning, winning like never before,” Trump said, noting last month’s bombing campaign against Iran’s nuclear program, which he said the flyover was meant to honor. “Promises made, promises kept, and we’ve kept them.”

The White House was hung with red, white and blue bunting for the Independence Day festivities. The U.S. Marine Band played patriotic marches — and, in a typical Trumpian touch, tunes by 1980s pop icons Chaka Khan and Huey Lewis. There were three separate flyovers.

Trump spoke for a relatively brief 22 minutes before signing the bill, but was clearly energized as the legislation’s passage topped a recent winning streak for his administration. That included the Iran campaign and a series of U.S. Supreme Court rulingshe’s fought for.

Vice President JD Vance was traveling in the Dakotas with his family and missed the ceremony. A line on the bill where he would have signed because of his role as president of the Senate was crossed out and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., added his name instead, photographs show. Cotton has the responsibility of stepping in when the vice president isn’t available for his Senate duties.

The budget legislation is the president’s highest-profile win yet. It includes key campaign pledges like no tax on tips or Social Security income. Trump, who spent an unusual amount of time thanking individual Republican lawmakers who shepherded the measure through Congress, contended “our country is going to be a rocket ship, economically,” because of the legislation.

Big cuts to Medicaid and food stamps

Critics assailed the package as a giveaway to the rich that will rob millions more lower-income people of their health insurance, food assistance and financial stability.

A B-2 bomber and two F-22 fighters conduct a flyover during a Fourth of July celebration at the White House, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., points to President Donald Trump after he signed his signature bill of tax breaks and spending cuts at the White House, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Washington, surrounded by members of Congress. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)President Donald Trump speaks at a picnic for military families at the White House, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)Show Caption1 of 3A B-2 bomber and two F-22 fighters conduct a flyover during a Fourth of July celebration at the White House, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)Expand

“Today, Donald Trump signed into law the worst job-killing bill in American history. It will rip health care from 17 million workers to pay for massive tax giveaways to the wealthy and big corporations, amounting to the country’s largest money grab from the working class to the ultra-rich,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said in a statement. “Every member of Congress who voted for this devastating bill picked the pockets of working people to hand billionaires a $5 trillion gift.”

The legislation extends Trump’s 2017 multitrillion-dollar tax cuts and cuts Medicaid and food stamps by $1.2 trillion. It provides for a massive increase in immigration enforcement. Congress’ nonpartisan scorekeeper projects that nearly 12 million more people will lose health insurance under the law.

The legislation passed the House on a largely party-line vote Thursday, culminating a monthslong push by the GOP to cram most of its legislative priorities into a single budget bill that could be enacted without Senate Democrats being able to block it indefinitely by filibustering.

It passed by a single vote in the Senate, where North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis announced he would not run for reelection after incurring Trump’s wrath in opposing it. Vance had to cast the tie-breaking vote.

In the House, where two Republicans voted against it, one, conservative maverick Tom Massie of Kentucky, has also become a target of Trump’s well-funded political operation.

The legislation amounts to a repudiation of the agendas of the past two Democratic presidents, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, in rolling back Obama’s Medicaid expansion under his signature health law and Biden’s tax credits for renewable energy.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the package will add $3.3 trillion to the deficit over the decade and 11.8 million more people will go without health coverage.

Democrats vow to make bill a midterm issue

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin on Friday called the bill “devastating” and said in a statement that Trump’s signature on the legislation “sealed the fate of the Republican Party, cementing them as the party for billionaires and special interests — not working families.”

He predicted Republicans would lose their majority in Congress over it. “This was a full betrayal of the American people,” Martin said.

Trump exulted in his political victory Thursday night in Iowa, where he attended a kickoff of events celebrating the country’s 250th birthday next year.

“I want to thank Republican congressmen and women, because what they did is incredible,” he said. The president complained that Democrats voted against the bill because “they hate Trump — but I hate them, too.”

The package is certain to be a flashpoint in next year’s midterm elections, and Democrats are making ambitious plans for rallies, voter registration drives, attack ads, bus tours and even a multiday vigil, all intended to highlight the most controversial elements.

Upon his return to Washington early Friday, Trump described the package as “very popular,” though polling suggests that public opinion is mixed at best.

For example, a Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that majorities of U.S. adults support increasing the annual child tax credit and eliminating taxes on earnings from tips, and about half support work requirements for some adults who receive Medicaid.

But the poll found majorities oppose reducing federal funding for food assistance to low-income families and spending about $45 billion to build and maintain migrant detention centers. About 60% said it was “unacceptable” that the bill is expected to increase the $36 trillion U.S. debt by more than $3 trillion over the next decade.

A sunny day at the Monterey harbor

PHOTOS: Monterey celebrates Independence Day

The annual Fourth of July parade in downtown Monterey took place Friday. The parade kicked off at 10 a.m. and featured a variety of different groups and organizations in Monterey. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)The annual Fourth of July parade in downtown Monterey took place Friday. The parade kicked off at 10 a.m. and featured a variety of different groups and organizations in Monterey. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)The annual Fourth of July parade in downtown Monterey took place Friday. The parade kicked off at 10 a.m. and featured a variety of different groups and organizations in Monterey. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)The annual Fourth of July parade in downtown Monterey took place Friday. The parade kicked off at 10 a.m. and featured a variety of different groups and organizations in Monterey. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Show Caption1 of 4The annual Fourth of July parade in downtown Monterey took place Friday. The parade kicked off at 10 a.m. and featured a variety of different groups and organizations in Monterey. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Expand

UPDATE: Human remains found at fireworks explosion site in Esparto

Three days after a massive explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Esparto left seven people missing and two others injured, the Yolo County Coroner’s Division confirmed the finding of human remains during a coordinated recovery operation Friday morning.

According to a news release, Yolo County personnel were granted access to the Oakdale Fire incident site, where they found human remains. No positive identifications have been made.

Recovery efforts are expected to continue throughout the weekend as investigators, coroner personnel and fire crews work carefully and respectfully through the process.

The Coroner’s Office has been in contact with the families of those previously reported missing and will continue to provide them with timely updates as information becomes available, according to the release. Out of respect for the families, the identities of the deceased will not be released publicly until official identification has been made and next of kin have been formally notified.

Yolo County remains in close coordination with the Esparto Fire Protection District, Cal Fire – Office of the State Fire Marshal, and all other involved agencies as the investigation and recovery efforts continue.

The Esparto Fire Protection District requested arson and bomb investigators from Cal Fire – Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) to lead the origin and cause investigation. That investigation remains ongoing.

The explosion occurred Tuesday at approximately 5:52 p.m. at a fireworks storage warehouse in Esparto, located near County Road 86A and County Road 23, triggering a series of fires and blasts that were heard and felt as far away as Vacaville and Woodland.

According to a KRCA 3 Investigates report, the facility was using a property that was not zoned for fireworks storage but only for agricultural use. To store anything other than agricultural equipment, the property owner would have needed a conditional use permit from the Yolo County Planning Commission.

According to KCRA’s reporting, planning staff confirmed no such permit exists.

According to a PG&E outage map, power has been restored to most of the Esparto community, with spot outages affecting a range of 1 to 50 people.

“Firefighters are gradually provided PG&E access to the area, and as we gain access, our crews are able to make repairs and restore power to customers,” a PG&E statement read. “Initially, more than 2,000 customers were without power Tuesday evening and 89 remain without power as of Thursday morning, with most of them within the evacuation zone and are not yet home.  We hope to have customers restored before evacuation orders are lifted.”

According to the California Highway Patrol, the following roads were still closed Friday morning:

CR-86A at CR-25CR-86A at State Route Highway 16County Road 23 at County Road 87BCounty Road 86 at County Road 2

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, according to the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office.

 

Mental health support centers are reeling from California budget cuts, with layoffs expected

CalMatters

Phone lines that provide mental health support to tens of thousands of Californians say they are on the verge of shutting down or dramatically scaling back as a result of cuts in the state’s new budget.

Representatives from the support lines, which are distinct from hotlines that serve people in crisis, say they help thousands of Californians with mental health needs each month.

And with more people than ever calling or texting for help, they say, the so-called warm lines are falling victim to both the budget shortfall and, in some cases, the roll out of Proposition 1, a 2024 ballot measure that redirected some tax revenue from mental health services toward housing.

“We save lives every day,” said Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, chief executive of Parents Anonymous, whose California Parents & Youth Helpline serves about 24,000 people a year. “Without that safety net there, where are people going to go?”

Pion-Berlin said the organization had requested $3 million a year from the state; the budget Gov. Gavin Newsom signed last week didn’t provide any of it. Layoffs have already begun.

The landscape of state-funded mental health services has been shifting in California. In 2022, the state rolled out 988, a free mental health crisis line that has a dedicated funding stream and is not dependent on the state general fund. Then, last year, the state launched free mental health apps for youth and families through private companies Soluna and Brightline.

But organizations that operate the phone support lines argue their services are different, and critical, in a state still reeling from the effects of the pandemic, the Los Angeles fires and a political climate targeting transgender people and immigrants.

Antonia Rios, a mother of seven in Pomona, said she reaches out to the Parents’ Anonymous Helpline between four and seven times a week. Rios lives with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, addiction and PTSD from years of trauma and abuse in the foster care system. Before finding the helpline, she said, she often felt judged or cut short when she tried calling other places.

“The helpline was a safe haven for me,” she said. “It saved my life on many occasions.”

The helpline has also provided her friends and family with life-saving support on many occasions, she said.  “It breaks my heart they want to cut it.”

The San Francisco Peer Run Warm Line, which serves people all over the state, managed to hold onto $5 million this budget year. That still marks a significant drop from the $10 million a year they received previously and the $15 million they had requested.

H.D. Palmer, the Department of Finance spokesperson, said that because the previous funding was one-time and due to sunset last month, there is technically no reduction in funding for the support line.

Meanwhile, the support line’s numbers have been spiking in recent months. This spring, they received about 40,000 calls a month; with their new, smaller budget, they anticipate connecting with the same number of people in an entire year.

Mark Salazar, chief executive of the nonprofit that operates the support line, said the group also runs a Spanish-speaking line that will now need to be shut down.

In addition, it provides infrastructure support, training and technical assistance to a variety of other warm lines serving Chinese, Ukrainian, Russian and Black communities. The San Francisco Peer Run Warm Line is also the exclusive operator of a statewide service that Gov. Newsom has promoted, called CalHOPE, which targets young people and families on digital platforms.

“With the budget cuts we’re not sure where these folks are going to go, honestly,” he said.

Amy Durham, chief executive of the Orange County chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said her warm line fields 900 calls a day and provides support to the sheriff’s department and local hospitals.

She now has to lay off 127 people, many of them former warm line callers who never worked in the past and were now thriving as peer counselors.

She said she’s trying to rally donors to help keep some semblance of a warm line operating, even if hours would be scaled back.

“Now we’re going to wait until everyone’s in crisis,” she said. “I can’t imagine it’s cost-effective or humane.”

Letters to the Editor: July 5, 2025

Entitlements

The June 29 article from the Los Angeles Daily News (“Social Security, Medicare clocks tick to depletion”) presents a scary scenario in which Social Security and Medicare will not be able to pay full benefits by 2033. Unfortunately, the editorial lacks any good solutions. It failed to mention the cap on Social Security income. At this time, taxpayers earning above the cap, $176,100 in 2025, will not pay taxes for earnings  beyond that cap. Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and their rich friends are saving a lot of money while social security funds are being depleted.

As the rich have become far richer in recent years, more of the nation’s total income has escaped the Social Security payroll tax. One plan introduced in Congress would eliminate the cap on earnings over $250,000 and also subject investment income to Social Security taxes. It’s estimated that this would extend the solvency of Social Security for 75 more years without raising taxes on 93% of American households. Yes, there are solutions to ensure we will receive what we are entitled to, but Congress would have to get involved. Good luck with that.

— Arlen Grossman, Del Rey Oaks

USAID

A recent study published in The Lancet, the medical journal,  predicts that the closure of USAID could lead to 14 million additional deaths by 2030, including 4.5 million deaths of children under the age of 5. These deaths are projected to result from preventable diseases, particularly in low-income countries.
The study highlights that USAID’s programs have saved millions of lives in the past two decades. Researchers used demographic, socioeconomic, and health care data to model the impact of USAID funding on mortality rates. The findings suggest a direct correlation between USAID funding and reduced mortality, particularly from infectious diseases.

It is important to note that these predicted deaths can be attributed to the conscious policy decisions implemented by the world’s wealthiest man (Elon Musk) and the world’s most powerful political leader (Donald Trump). For many of the 14 million who will suffer premature deaths, their deaths will be slow and torturous. Where are the news headlines reporting this horrific and intentional decision made in the name of the American people?  Have these leaders no decency, compassion, or morality?

— State Sen. Bill Monning (retired), Carmel

National anthem

It’s easy to have a professional perform The Star Spangled Banner for us — it’s a tricky tune with that crazy high note near the end. But we each need to sing it – in whatever language we like, in tune or out – and really pay attention to the words.

No offense to our UK friends, but we are not a “God Save the King” nation. Our song is to an ideal: that all people are equal under the law.

Our forebears chose to be neither subjects nor to stop the song at “land of the free.” They were not picking the freedom of  “get out of my way and let me do my own thing.” Instead, “Land of the free AND the home of the brave” means being brave enough to create – and maintain – a nation where everyone else is free as well.

Patriots of the past look down the years toward us, here and now, and wonder about the dream of equality represented by that flag, “Oh, say, does that star spangled banner yet wave?”

— Helen Spiess Shamble, East Garrison

Participation deserves better

At a recent Monterey city council meeting, a speaker accused longtime community volunteer Tom Rowley of “bullying” — not for attacking a private citizen, but for criticizing the mayor’s handling of NCIP appointments. Since when did disagreeing with elected officials become off-limits?

Ironically, while decrying incivility, the speaker used public comment to launch a personal attack against a fellow resident with decades of service. That’s not principled — it’s petty. And it sends a chilling message: speak up, and you might be publicly shamed.

Monterey doesn’t need more silence. It needs more voices — and more courage to tolerate disagreement. Holding power accountable, even forcefully, is not “bullying.” It’s democracy doing its job.

Tom Rowley has earned the right to be heard, whether you agree with him or not. So has every resident who steps up to speak.

Public meetings should welcome ideas, not punish them. If criticism of public officials is now taboo, we’ve lost the plot.

Let’s raise the bar on discourse — and stop mistaking disagreement for disrespect.

— Lori Mazzuca, Monterey

You and the Law | How cheating at law schools affects clients

Law students, cheating and even being helped by their law schools?

It has been going on for years and directly impacts law firms — large or small — and clients who can easily be paying a premium for an honor student who is more of a dishonor.

“How cheating spreads at law schools” was an excellent Wall Street Journal article, by Jillian Lederman, that ran this past June 5. You can find it and related articles online. Just have your blood-pressure meds or Valium handy.

As this column has put me in touch with law school faculty over the years, the content of Lederman’s article wasn’t news to me. This type of cheating has been a dirty, well-kept little secret at many law schools, upsetting countless law professors.

After that story ran, my office received phone calls from several of the law firms and attorneys who have been helpful to this column, their reasons summed up in one sentence: “Many of the lawyers we hired had grades that put them near the top of their class, but when it came to doing actual legal work, things just did not correlate with their excellent grades, and we just could not figure out why.”

Written exam fraud

If a student taking their first exam isn’t anxious, then something’s wrong as law school is not a walk in the park. So, what would you be asking yourself if about 30 of your first year class didn’t show up for the final exam?

That’s what Pepperdine law student Nash Werksman noticed in the summer of 2023. “The absent students would be taking the test in a different room, given extended time, a test accommodation that the Americans with Disabilities Act requires schools to make available for students with ‘conditions that impair major life activities, such as learning, reading and concentrating,’” Lederman noted.

This translates into giving law students who claim a disability up to four extra hours to complete the test.

A lot of people look at this and two words come to mind: Invites cheating! “With such a large number of students claiming an ADA impairment, that’s the only possible explanation” one of my law school professor friends had for it.

“According to multiple Pepperdine students, more than a third receive testing accommodations, the most common of which is extended time, a number comparable to many other law schools, Pepperdine’s administration confirms and acknowledge a substantial increase in disability accommodation in recent years,” Lederman reports.

For a little history, these ADA “accommodation” became a requirement in 1990, and thorough medical and/or psychological evaluations were required to justify allowing hours more to take tests. But it is possible to fake many test-taking impairments — PTSD, ADHD, anxiety and others — and there are years of research proving it.

“So, we really have to ask ourselves,” one Loyola Law professor in Los Angeles told me on condition of anonymity, “Something is wrong here. As the numbers of students across the country are increasingly seeking ADA accommodations, are law schools admitting students and graduating future lawyers who lack the ability, in the real world, to function as a lawyer?

“Or, do we have a Varsity Blues situation where families with money pay a psychologist to give them a report that will justify an ADA need for more time to take exams? The answer is obvious. Students are cheating on a massive scale, and in my experience, school administrators are fully aware.”

Consequences

As law students are evaluated on a competitive curve, top grades have real-world consequences: Scholarships, a spot on the school’s law review, job offers from major law firms and the opportunity to receive paid-far-more-than-otherwise-justified clerkships with federal judges (with costs passed on to their clients!), to list a few.

You might be thinking, “During the job interview, why not just ask if they ever received an accommodation in law school (or anywhere) giving them greater time on exams?”

But under the ADA, “The hiring manager should not ask that question or any similar questions about a history of having a disability,” Southern California-based labor attorney Daniel Klingenberger notes, adding, “The purpose of the ADA is to ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities have an equal opportunity in the workplace.”

However, a frequent criticism is that it encourages fraud — keeping from an employer information that would be relevant to hiring them, such as honesty — cheating your way to getting top grades in law school, for example.

A work around

“The more you know about the person, the safer you are,” a Senior HR consultant told me on condition of anonymity. “An employer is free to require an applicant to direct their university to send them a copy of their complete file without any reference as to why you want to see it.

“If they refuse, what does that tell you?”

Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield and welcomes comments and questions from readers, which may be faxed to 661-323-7993, or emailed to Lagombeaver1@gmail.com. Also, visit dennisbeaver.com.

Horoscopes July 4, 2025: Melanie Fiona, plan to entertain more

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Melanie Fiona, 42; Becki Newton, 47; Andrew Zimmern, 64; Geraldo Rivera, 82.

Happy Birthday: Plan to entertain more and participate in activities and interest groups that will help expand your circle of friends. Refuse to let work consume you; venturing out and mingling can be as productive as networking if you follow your heart and participate in what you enjoy most. It’s time to fine-tune your schedule to meet your criteria. Life is about living, not trying to get through each day. Your numbers are 8, 12, 19, 22, 35, 39, 42.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Choose your words wisely. Keeping the peace while maintaining equilibrium at home will be difficult. Using compliments and finesse to shape difficult conversations and achieve the outcome that suits you and your budget won’t be easy, but it is doable. An innovative response will give you something to consider. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Refuse to let stubbornness get in your way. Communication, incentives and praise will help you get your way. If you let emotions take over, you will lose sight of your objective and control of the situation. Honesty, integrity, compromise and equality will help you get your way. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Put your energy toward personal growth, learning a new skill, travel or events that will inspire you to explore turning something you love to do into a lucrative venture. Attending a trade show will help you discover options you didn’t realize were available. Show your enthusiasm, and someone will help you gain ground. 5 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Follow your instincts, question expenditures and refrain from sharing too much personal information. Social events are likely to cost more than anticipated. Find out where an event is taking place before accepting an invitation, and consider if the venue can help you get ahead. Set priorities before you spend money. 2 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): If you are neglectful, problems will surface in your personal life. You’ll be pressed for time or preoccupied with work or something intriguing, but save yourself grief by taking care of personal matters before you engage in other interests. Nurture, offer incentives or include someone who feels left out. 2 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The more interaction, the better. What you discover today will help you change how you learn, use your skills and promote who you are and what you can bring to the table. Changing your environment will spark your imagination and help you expand your interests and connections. Romance is favored. 4 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Concentrate on completion. How you handle your business affairs, money and reputation will set the stage for how far you can go. Address how and where you live and what you can do to spruce up your routine and lifestyle to match your current situation. Trying something new will lead to connections and growth. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’ll be hard to please, and someone you’re trying to impress will disappoint you. Pay more attention to what makes you happy, and indulge in recreational events that satisfy your whims. It’s time to try something new, start a new venture or expand your interests. Romance is favored; live life your way. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Stick close to home and maximize your surroundings. Adjust the flow to help you engage in the hobbies you enjoy most. Spend time with people who bring out the best in you, and distance yourself from those who are a poor influence or bring you down. Settle differences and move forward. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Tidy up loose ends and make plans to do something engaging. Social events or pampering yourself will help rejuvenate you. A positive attitude invites entertaining conversations and offers insight and information into something you want to explore. An offer will grab your attention, but do your due diligence to avoid scams and fakes. 4 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Pay attention and ask questions. Keep your emotions in check and your mind on what’s unfolding. Awareness is the best way to recognize and address anyone trying to exploit you. Use your charm to outmaneuver anyone pressuring you to participate in something that sounds too good to be true. Trust your instincts. 2 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Buy or do something nice for yourself. A chance to socialize will lead to an unexpected opportunity. Someone you meet will be uplifting and interested in spending more time together. The connection looks promising, whether it be a friendship, a business opportunity or a love relationship. Explore your options and enjoy whatever comes your way. 5 stars

Birthday Baby: You are dedicated, loving and protective. You are commanding and impetuous.

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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