Daily Republic: Sunday, December 5, 2021

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Norcal champs!

Vanden tops Windsor to earn berth in state title game Saturday B6 sunday  |  December 5, 2021  |  $1.50

dailyrepublic.com  |  Well said. Well read.

US-Russia tension over Ukraine gets a bit testy Tribune Content Agency WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had a testy exchange over Ukraine at a dinner with dozens of their colleagues this week, according to people familiar with the discussions. The verbal tension erupted as the U.S. and its European allies seek ways – including possible sanctions – to counter the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine after President Vladimir Putin’s troop buildup on the neighboring country’s border. Lavrov took the floor at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe dinner in Stockholm on Dec. 1 to revisit Russia’s view that the collapse of a pro-Moscow administration in Ukraine in 2014 was a coup, according to two of the people. He also alleged that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union were suppressing dissent and threatening Russia. Blinken responded by recapping the 2014 events, including that forces loyal to then-President Viktor Yanukovich fired on peaceful protesters in Kyiv, killing more than 100 people, before he fled and surfaced in Russia. Blinken also told his Russian counterpart that NATO is a defense alliance. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed suggestions that Blinken won the argument with Lavrov during the exchange at the 57-nation forum. She was responding on Facebook to Ukrainian media reports that Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Blinken had put Lavrov, one of the world’s most senior diplomats, in his place. Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde, who hosted the dinner preceding an OSCE meeting on Thursday, said on Twitter that the conversation suggested the formal talks would be “lively, brave and truthful.” President Joe Biden and Putin plan to hold a video call on Tuesday. Biden will “underscore U.S. concerns” about Russian military activity on the Ukrainian border and reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Saturday. Biden said Friday he anticipates a “long discussion” with Putin over the threat of an invasion of Ukraine. He dismissed the Russian leader’s warning that deployment of Western weapons or troops represented a “red line.” Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine by military force in 2014, causing a standoff between Moscow and the west that remains unresolved. Putin has denied planning to invade Ukraine. The U.S. has shared intelligence with its allies See Exchange, Page A12

Michigan teen’s parents given $1 million bond

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic photos

Santa and Mrs. Claus watch the fireworks shoot into the next sky in front of the Christmas tree during Christmas on the Waterfront in Suisun City, Saturday.

Traditional waterfront Christmas brings fun for the entire family Susan Hiland

shiland@dailyrepublic.net

SUISUN CITY — It felt a whole lot like normal Saturday down at the Suisun waterfront with the smell of garlic fries and fried elephant ears in the air. A carnival filled the lawn and music played in the square. Christmas on the Waterfront returned with a full-on party. It has been two years since anyone has seen an event at the waterfront, according to Kris Lofthus, the city’s Recreation and Community Services director. “People just want to get out and do something local and inexpensive,” he said. “It’s been so long, we wanted to go full bore and bring out all the activities.” Lofthus said the city hasn’t had a Fourth of July celebration in two years so he invited the guys who do the fireworks for the summertime event to come out for Christmas. The carnival has also not been seen in that time span, so Lofthus pulled them in as well. Rhythm Method 4 provided the music at the last minute because another band couldn’t make it. “I have never heard of them but they are amazing,” Lofthus said. There is some sad news to share. This is the last Christmas for the 20-year-old community Christmas tree. After checking on it earlier this year and bringing in an arborist to see what was the wrong, the city

A boat takes part in the Lighted Boat Parade during Christmas on the Waterfront in Suisun City, Saturday. found out the tree’s roots are not getting the nutrients it needs. “We tried watering it differently,” Lofthus said. “We have done all we can but after December it is coming down.” Lofthus said he is going to bring some ideas to the City Council and hopefully they can find a replacement for the tree. “Buying a new one each year is just too expensive, so we are hoping for something . . . else,” he said. Amid the music and carnival were 30 vendors, which is a bit more than the city had in 2018.

Kaitlynn Castillo, 34, of Suisun City, came out with her son and husband. It was the first time they have gotten a chance to celebrate Christmas on the Waterfront since they have only been here three years. “I kept passing the sign on Highway 12 and decided we should do it,” Castillo said. Her 2-year-old son Murray was enjoying the excitement. “I wanted him to get the experience of Santa, hear some good See Waterfront, Page A12

Tribune Content Agency DETROIT — The parents of the teen accused in the Oxford High School shooting were given a combined $1 million bond during their arraignments Saturday amid the judge’s concerns about flight risk. The names of the four Oxford High School students killed Tuesday – Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana and Justin Shilling – were read before the parents pleaded not guilty to four counts of involuntary manslaughter Saturday via video in Rochester Hills District Court. Jennifer Crumbley, 43, tearfully said she understood the charges. James Crumbley, 45, sat mostly emotionless but appearing to cry and grimace at times. He wore a dark jail uniform while his wife wore a burgundy one. They face up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the charges. The pair were given a $500,000 cash bond each by Oakland County District Judge Julie Nicholson, who cited “concerns of a flight risk.” Defense attorney Shannon Smith had asked for a bond of $50,000 to $100,000, saying the couple was not a flight risk. “They were not fleeing prosecution,” added defense attorney Mariell Lehman, who noted the couple was “absolutely devastated” over the mass shooting their son, Ethan, 15, is accused of. See Bond, Page A12

Cargo logjam now far into Pacific Tribune Content Agency WASHINGTON — The number of container ships headed for the busiest U.S. port complex has risen to close to 100 under a new counting method, underscoring the magnitude of the economy-restraining logjam that the Biden administration is trying to help alleviate. The backup outside the adjacent ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, involves 96 container carriers, up from 86 on Nov. 16, when a new queuing system took effect and dozens of arriving ships stayed

INDEX  Business B8  | Classifieds B11  | Columns B5  | Comics B13 Crossword B12  | Diversions B1 | Religion B4| Military B9 Obituaries A4  | Opinion A11  | Sports B7 | Living A6 | TV B10 WEATHER  65 | 44  Patchy dense fog in the morning before giving way to sun. Forecast on 14B.

outside the official area to be counted, according to the Marine Exchange of Southern California. The revised measure released late Friday includes those eastbound vessels farther out in the Pacific. Just when it looked like the bottleneck was

easing – the previous official tally was 41 ships in the queue as of Thursday – the latest numbers confirm that the most visible symbol of the U.S.’s overwhelmed supply chains is still likely months away from being cleared. The average wait

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for ships was 20.8 days as of Friday, almost a week longer than a month ago, according to the L.A.’s Wabtec Port Optimizer. The revised way of counting ships bound for L.A.-Long Beach divides

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