Daily Republic: Monday, December 26, 2022

r. H ansen THANSEN@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD —

Michelle Valine has watched, over the years, pieces of her family’s homestead chipped away and divided for “the greater public interest.”

Long before she was even born, the government came in and paid her grandfather $10 for an easement for a ramp expansion of what was then Highway 40.

Then Interstate 80 bisected the property, leaving 11 acres no longer with the family, on one side of the thoroughfare and 70-plus on the other side.

The Suisun Parkway split that larger section into pieces of 28 acres and 42 acres – 35 of the latter now leased to Caymus for winegrape

production. Valine won that contested negotiation for the parkway easement in court.

“You don’t get the option of not wanting to sell. So we went to court for the value and damages,” Valine said.

“What they offered

and what we settled on was something quite different,” she said, adding, however, that there was never a question that the project would happen.

“Let me put it this way, the roadway was already started before the lawsuit was even settled.”

Valine has long accepted that the day would come that she would have to negotiate a deal for the property, but she does not really want to sell, and so the government may have to take it.

“I think our preference is to work out an agreement with the property owner,” said Daryl Halls, the executive director of the Solano Transportation Authority.

Valine expects to meet with representatives from STA sometime next year to begin talks.

“This has always been

LeiLa MiLLer LOS ANGELES TIMES

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico —

The first time Mari Marin Bastidas tried to claim asylum at the U.S. border, she was turned away by authorities who said a policy instituted to slow the spread of Covid-19 meant her case would not even get a hearing.

Dejected, she returned to her home in the state of Michoacán in western Mexico.

Two years later, she is back at the border to try again. Word has been

spreading that the policy – known as Title 42 – is about to be lifted.

“I decided to come because of the opportunity that is opening up,” said Bastidas, 29. “I’m not going back anymore.”

The fate of the policy now rests with the U.S. Supreme Court as anxiety and confusion build on both sides of the border. In Ciudad Juarez, untold numbers of asylum seekers have been gathering in recent weeks. Across the Rio Grande in El Paso, the mayor has declared a state of emergency in anticipation of a massive influx.

Bastidas, along with her 8-yearold daughter and two brothers, were among scores of migrants waiting along a narrow section of the river.

Some waded across to present themselves to border agents, either not realizing that Title 42 was still in effect or willing to take their chances anyway.

Bastidas and her family decided to wait and made their way to a migrant shelter nearby. They had $500 to carry them over for now.

Jetsons-style

Post-Christmas storm to soak Bay Area, drop snow on Sierras

eLiyaHu K aMisHer BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

The Bay Area’s Christmas weekend is coming to a climactic end, just in time to deflate Santa. On Monday night through Tuesday, a powerful storm heading from Guam in the western Pacific Ocean will drench the region and shake loose holiday decorations with blustery winds reaching up to 50 miles per hour in some spots.

The downpour is forecast to start Monday evening in the North Bay and progress southward overnight. Rainfall is expected to ease up by Tuesday afternoon after soaking the coastal mountain ranges in the Sonoma and Santa Cruz areas with up to five inches of rain. Lower regions in San Jose, San Francisco, and the East Bay will see one to two inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.

The other big attrac-

tion: howling winds.

“We can expect wind gusts, especially on the coast and the coastal ranges,” said Brian Garcia, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s San Francisco Bay Area office. “It will definitely be breezy enough to blow around those inflatable Santas in people’s yards.”

After the initial storm system, the Bay Area will remain damp into New Year’s eve as an “unsettled” weather pattern brings scattered daily showers nearly every day.

“Models are suggesting that the next break from rain will not be until after most people have stopped singing Auld Lang Syne,” the weather service said in a Sunday morning update, referring to the 18th-century Scottish melody often sung at the stroke of midnight on Dec. 31.

The weather pattern,

China stops daily Covid data release

BLooMBerg news

China’s National Health Commission will stop publishing daily Covid-19 case numbers, after the accuracy of its data was questioned as millions were infected nationwide and the official tally remained strikingly low.

The commission didn’t provide a reason for the change in policy in a statement on Sunday, but said that the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention will release Covid-related information

for studies and reference.

Some Chinese cities have reported daily infections that far surpassed the official tally, adding to doubt of the numbers provided by the NHC.

As many as 248 million people, or nearly 18% of the population, likely contracted the virus in the first 20 days of December, according to minutes from an internal meeting of China’s National Health Commission held on Wednesday, Bloomberg reported. Hospitals

Todd

Now the state is eyeing the central piece of the ranch – the 28 acres along Russell Road, between Interstate 80 and Suisun Valley Parkway – for the new westbound I-80 truck scales.

49ers are doing a lot of things well during this eight-game winning streak B1

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic photos

Michelle Valine stands

horse, Newman,

from Valine’s three-generation family property to build on and develop the new westbound Interstate

CHP truck scales.

Michelle Valine holds a photograph of her father, Vincent, near

site

gas station on her property along Russell Road in Fairfield, Dec. 12.

Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group/TNS file

Santa Claus walks in the rain at Christmas in the Park at Plaza de Cesar Chavez in San Jose, Dec. 8.

Back when Covid was raging in 2020, the annual Wade Gag Gift Christmas had to become virtual. In 2021, we were able to meet in person, which was super-cool, but this year we have a couple of loved ones recuperating from surgeries and decided it was probably best for us to go back to celebrating via the world wide web again.

Now, I would love for you all to believe that the decision was purely about concern for the health of family members, but, truth be told, financial considerations factored in as well. I mean, doing our Gag Gift extravaganza on Zoom equals being able to sing “We Wish You a JPEG Christmas.”

Plus, I recently did a little decluttering at my house and discovered that many of the items taking up precious space were past Christmas gag gifts that were hilarious on Dec. 25th, but immediately became a waste of space afterward. A surprising amount of that stuff is hopefully now making seagulls and rodents chuckle at the Potrero

Hills Landfill.

So I used Google to get pictures of gifts for family members to share on Christmas Day via Zoom. I did some calculations and with the money that I saved on not having to actually buy real gag gifts this year, I was able to afford to buy myself not one, but two of those wooden paddles with the red ball attached by a rubber band!

So here then are some of the JPEGs I shall share with my family on Christmas Day (if you are reading this you are a ghost of Christmas Future to me as I wrote this last Friday):

For my wife Beth: A “Mold Farm Fungus Habitat” with the catchphrase “Hooray for decay!” and Toilet Meadow, an organic toilet seat cover that grows grass.

For my brother OT: A book called “How Not to Become a Crotchety Old Man,” a belly button brush and dissolving swim trunks.

For my sister-in-law Patty: A book titled “What Bird Species Pooped On My Car” and a Pasta Recycler.

For my brother Kelvin: A

For my sister-in-law Cathi: A vintage medicine cabinet collection with Band-Aids, Anacin tablets, Sucrets throat lozenges and Phillips Milk of Magnesia tablets, an envelope with rattlesnake eggs and and a Sonny Bono action figure.

For my brother Scott: Extra strength blinker fluid for his car (good for up to 6,000 blinks), a Pooping Pooches 2023 calendar and, since he became a Grand-

pappy this past year, several items to share with his son and daughter-in-law including “My First Spray Tan” and “Baby’s First Gambling Set.”

It wouldn’t be a Wade Gag Gift Christmas without some mention of the Raiders and while I realize that is a way too easy joke setup for Raider Haters, whatevs.

In defense of much-maligned Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, I made a video that features several, but not all, of the mediocre (at best) Raider quarterbacks who preceded him like Jay Schroeder, Marc Wilson, Aaron Brooks, Rick Mirer, Kerry Collins and He Who

Must Never be Named (JaMarcus Russell). The video features the NFL on CBS theme played on a kazoo.

The sorta real Raiders gift to all of us was a short video I had made from celebrity video service Cameo. It’s of Raiders super fan Wayne “Violator” Mabry, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021. Violator talks, as requested, about me and my brothers’ tradition of giving each other Raider victories for our respective birthdays and how they have been few and far between this year.

The video was cool and being cheap . . . uh, thrifty definitely has its place, but sometimes you have to come up out of your wallet to get the good stuff. It was worth every nickel of the $16 it cost me.

Fairfield freelance humor columnist and accidental local historian Tony Wade writes two weekly columns: “The Last Laugh” on Mondays and “Back in the Day” on Fridays. Wade is also the author of The History Press books “Growing Up In Fairfield, California” and “Lost Restaurants of Fairfield, California.”

Elderly llama apprehended off highway, returned home

The WashingTon PosT

After a brief excursion along a highway, a rogue elderly llama has been returned home in Northern Virginia.

Kolby, a 20-year-old black female llama, was spotted galloping down Fairfax County Parkway, near Popes Head Road, on Sunday night. She was subsequently caught by the county’s Animal Protection Police.

Fairfax County Police Department released a video of officers locating and capturing the crea-

ture Tuesday. An officer can be heard saying, “We got the llama, standby for an address,” while the night vision camera closes in on Kolby.

According to a statement from the police department, officers were able to corral Kolby in a residential backyard with the assistance of the helicopter. Kolby continuously evaded capture before an officer “bear hug[ged]” her as she ran by and another got a rope around her. When she was subdued, a dog leash was configured into a halter

for her since the ones the officers had were too large for a llama.

Kolby made one final attempt to run off before the trailer that would be used to transport her to the animal shelter arrived. It took five units to hold on to her.

With no further escape attempts, officers brought Kolby to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter barn where she was supplied with plenty of hay and water, according to animal shelter director Reasa Currier.

When animal shelter staff members came in Monday

morning, Kolby was given breakfast and assessed. She was found to be in stable condition and “seemed to enjoy all the attention,” Currier said.

On Tuesday, the shelter was able to reach Kolby’s owner, and the llama was returned home. Kolby wanted a wild adventure in her later years, Currier believes. But she was glad the brief adventure was over.

“We’re just so happy that Kolby and her dad are back together,” Currier said.

Greg Brady as Johnny Bravo Funko Pop, a scary latex Chuckie mask, an even scarier latex Cat in the Hat mask and a Jeffrey Epstein air freshener that says, “This Air Freshener Didn’t Hang Itself.”

Courtesy photo

A screenshot from the Cameo of Raiders Pro Football Hall of Fame super fan Wayne “Violator” Mabry that Tony Wade had made for Christmas.

The world lost a

when

Travis

69, passed away on Dec. 11, 2022, with close family members by his side. Born April 25, 1953, in Fairfield, California, to Travis and Norma Barrick. He attended schools throughout Solano County and was in the first class of Fairfield High.

He leaves behind his best friend and sister, Phillis Bednarz (Larry); nieces, Lori Havel (Kobi) and Wendy Garner (Denny and son, Cory); and numerous extended family members and friends who loved him dearly.

Preceded in death by both parents and several aunts and uncles.

Mike’s life was filled with adventure, traveling the world as a flight attendant for over 20 years. He began working with Flying Tigers Airlines in 1975, making and maintaining lifelong friendships, and later flying with Northwest Airlines until his retirement. At this time, he took over caring for his mother and the family home that his parents built. He then found a love for ocean cruises and cocktails, taking at least 25 trips accompanied by his mother, then several more with his sister and brother-in-law.

Mike never ran out of hilarious travel tales and shared them often. As the

last of the Barrick line, Mike was the backbone of the family and felt it was important to stay in touch with all of the living relatives over the years.

Known as ‘Uncle Mike’ to his close friends and family, he’ll be remembered for his sarcastic wit, colorful Hawaiian shirts, sweet tooth and love of cooking.

Mike was kind, generous, and always at the ready to help others out. In recent years, ‘Uncle Mike’ was involved with Solano County’s LGBT community, and thoroughly enjoyed volunteering for the Pride celebrations and attending the local potlucks.

Our family is greatly appreciative for friend and doctor, David Danzeisen, MD, and the thoughtful and caring medical staff at Kaiser Vacaville for the support they offered all of us throughout Mike’s final days.

Per Mike’s wishes, there will be no ceremony and his ashes will be buried alongside his parents. His family will hold a celebration of life after the holidays.

To honor Mike, in lieu of flowers, we ask for each of you to spend quality time with your family and pay it forward to someone in need.

Condolences can be shared on Mike’s Facebook account or privately emailed to Lori Havel, rbc124@gmail. com.

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

A rush on Tylenol, Motrin, and their generic equivalents is making parents nervous. Pediatricians’ offices and hospitals are overwhelmed with a surge of flu-like viruses that are taking a heavy toll on children. And now, the few medications that can help parents manage such illnesses at home are increasingly hard to find.

The Inquirer spoke with Maria Petrini, a pediatrician at Nemours Children’s Health in Delaware, for advice on how parents can cope with the supply issues.

said. Parents can use one or the other, or even both in cases of high fevers.

The dose of both medications is based on the child’s weight. Tylenol can be used every four hours, while Motrin only every six hours.

In some cases, when there is a high fever and the patient isn’t improving, doctors recommend giving Tylenol and adding Motrin three hours later, she said.

It is always best to speak with your child’s doctor about your treatment plans and the proper dose of medication.

Yes, but be aware of doses and daily limits.

Both acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, and ibuprofen, the active ingredient in Motrin, reduce fever and improve pain, Petrini

The concentration could be different, so always check before giving your child a medication.

The concentration of acetaminophen products

SuSAn HilAnd SHILAND@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — For those looking to celebrate the end of the old year and welcoming the new year, local venues will host New Year’s Eve parties this weekend.

Vacaville

Journey Downtown will offer a Comedy Dance Gala with Powerhouse Songstress Ariel Martin starting at 10 p.m. Saturday.

This is a costume event so come dressed to impress and enjoy a night of great music nostalgic of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s hits and deep belly laughter. Hosted by renowned radio personality Donald Lacy.

The doors open at 9 p.m. Champagne will be included with the price of tickets with a portion of the proceeds going to charity. Cash prizes will be awarded to the best-dressed couple and individual.

Get tickets at www. journeydowntownvenue. com. They are located at 308 Main St.

Mäkse Restaurant’s New Year’s Eve Party will offer a dueling pianos show from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Doors open at 8 p.m. The evening will include hors d’oeuvres and a Champagne toast at midnight.

They are located at 555 Main St., Vacaville. Tickets can be purchased at http:// makserestaurant.com.

Vallejo

The Empress Theatre

The ahead

will be hosting a New Year’s Eve with the Camp Jeff Band with David Sikes, lead bass guitarist with Boston from 1987 to 1997.

The fun takes place from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Empress Theatre Lounge, 330 Virginia St.

They will also be providing dinner, which will include red wine braised short ribs, buttermilk and chive mashed potatoes, and roasted winter vegetables (beets, parsnips, carrots and turnips with fresh herbs), a lettuce salad with winter citrus, toasted hazelnuts, fennel and champagne shallot vinaigrette, olive rolls with sweet cream butter. Dessert is a flourless chocolate cake with fresh raspberries. A vegetarian option is available.

For tickets go to https:// empresstheatre.org.

Suisun City

The Marina Lounge will host New Year’s Eve Black & Gold Ball Extravaganza.

The doors open at 6 p.m., dinner will be served at 8, with music provided by sax player Rick Alexander until 2 a.m.

A live band will be playing featuring Klassic Man, Niecy Living Single and Alexander. The evening’s host will be Elena with DJ Smurph.

Enjoy a champagne toast and prize giveaways.

They are located at 700 Main St., Suite 106.

New Year’s Day yoga offers fresh start

Join Rachael for an open-level Yoga For Every Body practice at Village 360.

The practice will start with Yin poses for hips and shoulders to wake up your crunchy ligaments and joints. They will then continue moving through the body to create warmth and challenge you in new ways to become invigorated. The cool down will used restorative poses so people can recharge the body and soul.

Included will be twisted variations of yoga poses

to help say goodbye to 2022 and start 2023 off with a happy and freshly cleansed body.

Plenty of New Year’s Eve parties on tap week

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. at Village 360, 4949 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield.

This practice welcomes all levels of students. Class passes and memberships are accepted, otherwise, it’s a $25 drop-in.

Sign up on the schedule link at anatomyrebel.com.

No government meetings this week

This coming week will see no government meetings.

The Vacaville City Council meeting scheduled for Dec. 27 has been canceled.

Can I use Tylenol if I can’t find Motrin and vice versa?

What is the difference between infant and child formulation of medications?

Michael Travis Barrick

beautiful soul

Michael

Barrick,

Cottonbro Studio/Pexels

Solano County offers some options for New Year’s Eve fun.

Culture wars can kill

Do you recall last week’s column? My topic was how rapid cultural change has disrupted our lives and unsettled us, especially conservatives, and how Fox and Republicans have blamed that change on Democrats and “government,” resulting in our destructive “culture wars.”

My point is that cultural change occurs naturally, without government action, and that while conservatives resist change and weaponize it, blaming liberals, liberals accept it as unstoppable and adapt to it and make government adapt to it later.

Take race. The whole civil rights revolution was caused by Black agitation, not “government.” Remember lunch counters, freedom rides, marches on Washington?

Slowly, liberal politicians responded. Even some conservatives voted support because they understood that Jim Crow was a national moral defect that needed fixing. But resistance to this change returned on the Right – culminating in Donald Trump, Mr. Anti-Obama and racist extraordinaire.

Fox and Trump have taunted Blacks and other minorities with endless dog whistles. Their intent was to enrage the conservative base and ensure votes for Republican candidates. It is an ugly strategy of making one American fear “the other.” (And to get them to tune in tomorrow for another dose of outrage, and maybe buy a pillow . . .)

Cheap politics. It’s not “libs and Dems” causing this; it’s cultural change. One party resists and flogs the other party – the party that opted to adapt and embrace calls for a more equal and just society.

This blame game is now out of control on the Right. It’s become an all-out “culture war.” I want to emphasize that in the end the Republicans will lose, but the U.S. will be deeply harmed in this futile, cheap effort.

As I’ve written, women’s lives have been changed largely by labor-saving devices making housework faster, allowing for jobs and careers for women. Technology did it, not “the libs.”

Take women’s sexuality. Women can engage in sex the way that men always have. Conservatives object, pointing to “those immoral Democrats.” But it’s not Democrats, it’s technology: The Pill.

When women get an unwanted pregnancy, they get an abortion as they have throughout time. But now abortion is safer due to medical technology. Conservatives resist, liberals adapt. One side says, “We need to stop abortion, vote Republican.” The other side says, “Good luck. Let’s offer sex education and make birth control available to reduce the need for an abortion.” Cheap politics vs. rationality.

Then came gay rights. We’ve learned that a certain percent of the populations of both sexes is born gay. Probably another percent is born “bi.” Most of us now believe that gays should not have to lie about who they are; they should not be subject of violence.

Then came gay marriage. Most people were shocked, but liberals adapted. Conservatives, not so much.

The discovery that some people feel they’re born into the wrong body is the latest shock to tradition, shocking almost everyone, including me. I have no idea how this one ends, but I know the furor will end and life will go on. I’ll adapt and conservatives will gripe but their children will shrug.

Meanwhile, Fox is having a field day. Raging about cultural change is an irresistible political weapon – and immensely profitable.

For a historic parallel, Hitler and Mussolini rode to power based on cultural resentment of modernity. They ultimately lost, but the cost was high.

How high will the cost be for the U.S.?

The Republicans are so immersed in “culture wars” that they’ve stopped governing and devoted themselves full time to “owning the libs.” Almost any Democratic idea faces “No!” including the recent infrastructure bill. The 13 Republicans who supported President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill were ostracized by their party for doing the right thing for the nation and their districts.

It’s just crazy.

In the end, change wins. The scare politics will lose. Someday our nation will return to normal, schools will teach, roads will be maintained, the rich will be taxed, the Supreme Court will return to balance, the culture wars will end, and life will go on in a “more perfect union.”

Jack Batson is a former member of the Fairfield City Council. Reach him by email at jsbatson@ prodigy.net.

Letters to the Editor

Letters must be 325 words or less and are subject to editing for length and clarity. All letters must include the author’s name, address and phone number.

Send letters to Letters to the Editor, the Daily Republic, P.O. Box 47, Fairfield, CA 94533, email to gfaison@ dailyrepublic.net or drop them off at our office, 1250 Texas St. in downtown Fairfield.

America remains a work in progress

Now, as I have said before, I am a Southerner born and raised in Washington, D.C., then a very Southern city. It was a city President John F. Kennedy jokingly referred to as a “city of Northern charm and Southern efficiency” surrounded by historical monuments praising our forefathers and other political, judicial and military heroes.

One thing I believed from boyhood was America as an idea, something unique. The idea was individual liberty but also responsibility encompassed within a defined constitutional republic where “We the People” were the masters and the government our servant, seemingly the opposite of today.

This was taught to me by my family and by the community at large. The belief was reinforced by my formal education through high school but started to change in my university education.

I was always fascinated by history and its lessons. I read constantly, learning to compare contrasting points of view to discern facts. Over the years, I began to see and hear the disconnect between what was said versus what was done.

I grew up with Black people. We went to school, church, and played sports together without my clearly understanding the real problems. I learned the federal government’s workforce was integrated in 1877 by President Ulysses S. Grant. This action, over time, resulted in more

THE RIGHT STUFF COMMENTARY

than 10% of Black people employed by the government. This provided opportunities in life, despite private social segregation, with thriving educational and communal institutions flowered in D.C. Thirty-six years later, segregation was reimposed within the federal government by self-designated Progressive Democrat President Woodrow Wilson in 1913. The irony was he had garnered the support of the nation’s politically diverse Black leadership, like W.E.B. Du Bios, the first Black Harvard graduate and founder of the NAACP; and newspaper publisher William M. Trotter, among others, as they felt Republicans were not moving fast enough.

Wilson’s “New Freedom” platform promised fairness and equality. He lied, thus contributing to the resurrection of the Ku Klux Klan with its weapons of terror, including lynching and real voter suppression, all but destroyed by Republican President Grant in 1877. Thirty-five years later, in 1948, Democrat President Harry S. Truman courageously defied his party, banning segregation within the federal government. Yet, it took Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower until 1960 to complete military desegregation and the reintegration of the federal workforce.

Decades wasted and progress lost.

An example is D.C. native Dr. Charles R. Drew’s (1904-1950), the “Father of Blood Banks” that saved the lives of countless troops in World War II. How many Dr. Drews never

were because of segregation? How many arguably well-intended yet misguided policies resulted in social isolation and underdeveloped minds?

De facto segregation by the social service mindset continues today to promote political power.

We taxpayers have spent more than $23 trillion for the so-called “War on Poverty” since 1965. Some good has occurred, but we have plateaued and no longer see marginal declines in poverty nor true gains in the well-being we all want. For instance, at some point the social welfare system declared the barring of the father from the welfare household. The result was the illegitimate birthrate ballooned from 25% to 80% in one generation. What misery has that cost us all?

We should undo the harmful legacy of past and current government policies by rationally reforming criminal justice and education policy. We need a more inclusive economy as economic growth does more to reduce poverty and social separation over time than any government intervention. Rather than create more programs of dubious value, we should undo the harmful legacy of past and current government policy.

Race is superficial, often used to divide. Individuals can and should rise or fall on their own merit, don’t you think?

Jim McCully is a former chairman of the Solano County Republican Central Committee and former regional vice chairman of the California Republican Party.

Should Congress post Trump’s tax returns publicly?

Donald Trump should have released his tax returns when he was running for president, and in not doing so he was deceptive, sleazy and in violation of a long-standing tradition that fosters transparency and honesty. He obviously hoped to hide unfavorable information from the voters.

Despite that, I don’t believe the House Ways and Means Committee should release his tax returns to the public now.

The committee fought a long battle all the way to the Supreme Court to obtain copies of the returns. It argued that it needed them to evaluate the effectiveness of an IRS program that audits the tax filings of presidents.

Republicans squawked all the way, saying the Democrats who controlled the committee were being disingenuous, and that no, no, no, they weren’t seeking to do a legitimate evaluation – they were just creating a pretext to get ahold of Trump’s returns for a humiliating public fishing expedition into what taxes had or hadn’t been paid.

The courts ultimately ruled that the committee could have six years of Trump’s federal tax returns. That battle ended last month.

But on Tuesday, the committee voted to do something that goes well beyond what’s necessary to evaluate the IRS’ presidential audit program: The committee is now going to release Trump’s taxes publicly, posting the full returns (minus certain identifiers like Social Security numbers and bank account numbers) for all to see. And quickly too, in the coming days, before the Democrats lose control of the committee to the Republicans on Jan. 3.

Why make the returns public? How does that help Congress figure out whether the IRS auditing process is working? How does it further the legitimate oversight goals of the committee?

Answer: It doesn’t. It turns out the Republicans are right. (This may be the first time since the Civil War.) As they correctly noted, this is a

politically motivated move to release information that might harm or embarrass the former president.

In theory, I’m all for embarrassing Trump. (With these two caveats: First, no one can embarrass Trump more than he embarrasses himself, and second, he’s entirely shameless so he doesn’t really get embarrassed in any normal sense of the word.) The ex-president is a dishonest thug who needs to be called to account for his misbehavior.

But in this particular case, I think the Democrats are in the wrong. For one thing, releasing the private tax returns probably won’t shed much light on anything. The New York Times already received leaked details of more than two decades of Trump’s tax filings and published long stories that should’ve shocked the world. Billionaire pays less in federal taxes in some years than you and I do! Trump paid no federal income taxes at all in 10 out of 15 years!

Furthermore, the Manhattan district attorney’s office has many of Trump’s tax returns as well, and prosecutors can pursue cases using the data they uncover.

But the main reason I object to posting the returns is that I worry –perhaps quaintly, in this day and age – about the continued politicization of governmental processes, and the continued breaking of established norms, in this case making private tax filings public. I know I’ll get a thousand emails saying “the Republicans wouldn’t hesitate to do the same to us” and “if we’re civil and respectful and always play by Marquess of Queensberry rules while our political opponents continue their underhanded tricks, we will always be beaten.”

There’s certainly some truth to that. But there’s truth to the flip side too: If nobody plays by the rules, there will soon be no rules to play by. When you’re doing something as sensitive and politically explosive as investigating a former president – at

a tense time in history when there’s talk of civil war and violence is on the rise and bitter political partisanship is smoldering – it makes sense to be careful to respect the established process, be as honest as possible, refrain from unnecessary politicization and not escalate conflict unnecessarily.

Among other things, posting Trump’s taxes seems likely to result in tit-for-tat posting of other people’s private tax returns. Will we soon be seeing Hunter Biden’s tax returns on the web?

It’ll also give Republicans some basis for saying that, actually, it is Democrats who go low when others go high.

Unsurprisingly, the committee vote was along party lines. Like so much of what goes on in Washington these days.

If Congress thinks all presidents or presidential candidates should release their tax returns for public scrutiny – which I believe is a good idea – it should pass a law that mandates that going forward. It should not find circuitous, pretextual ways of going after particular presidents.

The returns the Ways and Means Committee received apparently showed that Trump often paid little or nothing in federal income taxes between 2015 and 2020 despite reporting millions in earnings, thanks to steep losses elsewhere. That’s similar to what the New York Times found in its reporting.

The unembarrassable Trump once said in a debate when Hillary Clinton accused him of not paying much in federal taxes: “That makes me smart.”

Voters need to know more about the sources and scope of presidential candidates’ wealth and about potential conflicts of interests.

But posting Trump’s returns at this point and under these circumstances and given the arguments that were made to obtain them, serves politics much more than transparency.

Nicholas Goldberg is an associate editor and Op-Ed columnist for the Los Angeles Times.

Jim McCully

Nicholas Goldberg

Jack Batson

(707) 427-1386

Original ‘That ’70s Show’ cast returns in ’90s Show trailer, Masterson absent

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

Original stars from “That ’70s Show” appeared in a trailer for upcoming spinoff “That ’90s Show” on Netflix, but Danny Masterson, who has been accused of rape by four women, was nowhere to be seen.

Topher Grace as Eric, Laura Prepon as Donna, Ashton Kutcher as Kelso and Mila Kunis as Jackie all showed up in the trailer released Thursday afternoon for “That ‘90s Show.” Even Wilmer Valderrama popped up as Fez, now a hairdresser.

But Masterson, who played Eric’s best friend Hyde on the original show, was not seen and is not listed in the credits for the series on IMDb.

Last month, Masterson stood trial on three rape charges, ending in a deadlock. A fourth

woman known as Jane Doe #4 testified at the trial, though Masterson has not been charged in relation to the fourth woman’s claims. After the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict, a mistrial was declared.

The new “That ‘90s Show” focuses on Eric and Donna’s daughter, Leia Forman, and Kelso and Jackie’s son, Jay Kelso. Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp will reprise their roles as Red and Kitty, respectively, and play host to the shenanigans in fictional Point Place, Wisconsin.

In the show, Leia Forman, played by Callie Haverda, “is visiting her grandparents for the summer, where she bonds with a new generation of Point Place kids under the watchful eye of Kitty and the stern glare of Red.”

Pearls Before Swine

Stephan Pastis

Dilbert Scott Adams

Baby Blues

Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott

Baldo Hector Cantú

such as Infants’ Tylenol and Children’s Tylenol is the same (160mg/5ml), a measure put in place following tragedies that occurred when parents mixed up the two.

The same is not true for ibuprofen products such as Motrin. Although the medication is the same, the concentration for infants’ ibuprofen is often higher than the concentration of children’s formulations. Always check the medication package for proper dosing.

What if I can only buy adult capsules or tablets?

You can split tablets but don’t try to divide the content of capsules. And triple check your math.

Tablets cut in half can be crushed into applesauce or juice. Pill cutters sold at pharmacies can help. But this technique is useful only if half of the tablet is the right dosage for your child.

“The most important part is to make sure that the dosage is appropriate,” she said.

Capsules are usually filled with a powder or gel. Petrini said that parents

shouldn’t try to divide the content inside the capsule because they risk dosing incorrectly.

“It’s impossible to separate that in an accurate way,” she said.

If the dose of a full capsule is appropriate for your child, usually it would be OK to dump the contents of the capsule into something your child would take. But be extra certain about the dose and check

with your pediatrician.

Can I use expired over-the-counter cold medications?

It’s not advised.

Most cold medications don’t go bad the way dairy or meat products do, but expired medication loses its potency and may not work.

Petrini recommends that parents check the expiration date of all the medications in the house once a year. Giving an expired over-the-counter cold medication is not recommended, but in a pinch, it can be effective.

When her patients call her to ask about using an expired cold medicine, Petrini asks them how long ago it expired. She’s willing to let them try it if the medication expired within the last couple of months. She recommends avoiding older medications because it’s less likely

they’ll do any good.

As with dosing, make these decisions in consultation with your pediatrician.

More than some parents might expect.

Petrini often doesn’t recommend cold medicine if the child’s fever is low and the child is not too uncomfortable. Instead, she suggests these home remedies:

n Rest.

n Plenty of fluids, including electrolyte water such as Gatorade or Pedialyte, which can be diluted to the child’s taste.

n Saline nasal drops or spray for congestion.

n A steam bath can also help with congestion, particularly with smaller kids who don’t know how to blow their nose.

n Nose suction.

n Humidifier.

n Honey can help to soothe the throat. Honey can be dangerous for children under a year old, who may contract infant botulism, a potentially lifethreatening illness caused by a bacteria sometimes found in honey.

n A lukewarm bath. Letting the child be in there as the water gets colder can help with fevers.

One of the most important things parents can do right now is to be proactive, Petrini said. There are safe and effective vaccines for two of the main viruses that are getting children sick: flu and Covid. The vaccines are not going to prevent illness all together, but they increase the chances of getting a mild case.

“Make sure that vaccines are completed and updated for everybody in the house,” she said.

What else can parents do at home to improve the cold symptoms of their child?

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images/TNS file Children’s

at Church Avenue Pharmacy in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn borough in New York City, Dec. 7.

Ukraine: 70 Russian officers injured after attack on post

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

KYIV, Ukraine — At least 70 Russian officers were injured after an attack on a Russian command post in the Kherson region in the south of the country, according to the Ukrainian armed forces.

It was unclear how many had died but at least 70 officers were injured after Kyiv's forces attacked during a meeting in the village of Zabaryne, the army said Sunday.

Ukrainian fighters have attacked Russian command centers and command posts repeatedly since the start of the invasion, locating them by monitoring radio traffic or the mobile phone network. Several senior Russian officers have died in similar attacks.

Meanwhile, after an attack on the city of Kherson, the capital of the Ukrainian province of the same name, the death toll rose to 16, with a further 64 injured, the Ukrainian military governor of the region reported earlier as air raid sirens sounded on Christmas Day.

Among the dead were three men who had died while clearing mines, Yaroslav Yanushevych said on Telegram. Ukraine has accused Russia of bombarding the city, which Russia seized soon after invading on Feb. 24.

On Saturday, Yanushevych put the death toll at 10, with 55 injured. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy published photos of lifeless bodies in the center of the city.

Zelenskyy condemned the attack as another Russian crime, saying there were no military targets in the area. "This is killing for the sake of intimidation and pleasure," Zelenskyy said. "The world needs to see what absolute evil we are fighting."

Russia announced in the autumn that it was annexing the region, before Ukrainian forces retook the city as Russian troops retreated to the other side of the Dnipro river. From there they have bombarded the city with artillery, according to Ukrainian sources.

Volodymyr Saldo, the governor of the region appointed by Russia, rejected the Ukrainian allegations, insisting that it was Ukrainian forces who were bombarding the city and accusing them

of terrorism.

"This is repulsive provocation with the apparent aim of attributing blame to the Russian forces," he said, insisting that the nature of the destruction indicated artillery fire from Ukrainian-held territory to the north and northwest of the city.

The Kremlin insists that the entire Kherson region is Russian territory and will not be surrendered.

Meanwhile as Moscow's forces seek to overpower the southern region, they are also battling for control of eastern Ukraine, with heavy clashes over the town of Bakhmut.

However, Kyiv's fighters inflicted "heavy losses" on the invaders there, according to a Ukrainian military spokesperson.

At least 50 Russian soldiers have been killed and another 80 wounded since Saturday alone, according to Serhii Chervatko, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Army Group East. The figures could not be independently verified.

Bakhmut is seen as a critical point along the front in eastern Ukraine, as any breakthrough here would allow Russian troops to advance deep behind Ukrainian lines. Ukrainian fighters have transformed the town into a fortress in their attempts to defend it.

The head of administration of the Luhansk region, Serhii Haidai, said that alongside regular Russian troops, Wagner mercenaries and Chechen fighters sent by the republic's leader Ramzan Kadyrov had failed in their attacks on Bakhmut.

"They want to show the bunker grandpa (Russian President Vladimir Putin) what they can do," he said on Telegram. "But so far they are only losing thousands of soldiers who will remain there forever."

Even as Moscow's war efforts falter, Putin insisted that Russia is on the right course in the conflict.

"I believe that we are moving in the right direction. We are protecting our national interests, the interests of our citizens, of our people," he said in an interview broadcast by state television.

"We are ready to agree with all those involved in the process on any acceptable solutions, but that is their business. It is not we who reject negotiations, but they."

a place where people came to be safe and to be part of something,” Valine said during a strolling tour of the property, with stops filled with memories and stories.

“The unfortunate part of eminent domain is they don’t give any credit for history or sentimental value,” said Valine, holding a copy of a 1950s-era menu from the restaurant that once stood there, and photos of her parents and other memorabilia.

Breaded veal cutlets were $1.35. Ham and eggs were 90 cents. Customers could buy a hamburger for 35 cents.

The family also operated a couple of service stations, a tow company and had a fruit stand where they sold the peaches and pears from their orchards.

“They bought this place . . . it’s been some 100 years ago. They started with a mixture of trees and vegetables and had a fruit stand,” Valine said of her grandparents.

They also had a drying yard, from which one cinder block building still stands. The family dried their fruit and some neighbors’ fruit for sale in that very building.

A bathroom from the service station also remains on the property. It had been saved for use with the fruit stand after the interstate bypassed the road where the gas stations were, ending their viability.

Grapevines and rose bushes Valine’s grandfather planted bring fond memories to Valine almost every day. She is not sure if the vines came over from Portugal with her grandfather in the early 1900s, but it’s possible. She remembers he made wine from the grapes, strong enough to take paint off a wall.

A lemon tree planted decades ago also still stands not far from the house.

All of those memories is why she will not be around to see the house built by Joseph Valine come down.

Asylum

From Page A1

They plan to claim asylum based on a fear of a local gang that she said had threatened her family for failing to pay a monthly extortion fee of roughly $400. Another brother had been murdered several years ago by gang members running a similar scheme.

She said she will just take her horses – reminders of her equestrian competition days as a youngster, training she had on the ranch – and find a new place to settle.

Valine does not seem overly bitter, but there is a sadness in her vision forward.

There is little doubt that the new weigh station will be a true plus for the county. According to STA, it will “support an estimated $1 billion in regional economic impacts, including 5,700 new jobs.”

Just as important, it will be a much safer facility for the truckers and other motorists.

Daryl Halls, STA executive director, said the project is still in the design phase, and that will not likely be done for another year. One document puts the goal at June 2024, the same timeline for acquiring the Valine property.

If all goes as planned, and that includes getting all the necessary funding, the project is expected to be completed by July 2027.

When completed, the high-tech I-80 Westbound Cordelia Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility Project will have an estimated price tag of well over $242.9 million.

“This innovative project will modernize and relocate the existing, aging westbound truck scales. Once completed, the new facility will lay the foundation for a regional clean freight network and unlock economic growth by decongesting this

crucial trade corridor,” STA material states.

“With the eastbound truck scales already updated in 2012, a blueprint showcasing the innumerable positive impacts of a 21st century facility lies just across the interstate.”

The physical benefits of the new facility include longer entrance and exit ramps, which will help traffic issues on I-80; an increased number of inspection lanes; stateof-the-art inspection technology; large inspection garage with seven bays; safe inspection bay design; and electric vehicle charging stations, STA reported.

“These improvements will dramatically enhance the regional flow of goods and significantly reduce the environmental impact of freight transport,” the fact sheet on the project states.

The current facility can handle 500 to 700 trucks each day. The new facility will be designed to handle as many as 1,000 trucks per hour.

That is important, officials say, because westbound I-80 traffic is projected to increase by 33% to 127,581 average daily trips –and 48,393 trucks – by 2035.

“If left unaddressed, the outdated Westbound Truck Scales facility will inhibit regional goods movement as the I-80 east corridor connects three major ports and several warehouses and freight networks,” the agencies reported.

The projected benefits, STA reports, are significantly shorten average length of inspection; improved travel times for both trucks and general motorists; decreased congestion at truck scale entrance and exits; reduce rearend collisions along I-80; and advance the state’s climate goals by reducing greenhouse emissions.

But Valine is feeling like she is being ignored and pushed around a bit. After all, it is still her property; it is still her home.

“I have seen surveyors out there and I talked to them, and I’ve talked to people who are doing the design, and it wasn’t until I denied them access that I heard from STA,” Valine said.

She said just having the truck scales listed on maps have kept her from being able to lease some of the 28 acres because no one wants to commit to a farming operation or other projects knowing it will be shut down.

Valine, who has worked for UC Davis as a contract analyst for 23 years, has sole ownership of the property since her parents died: her father, Vincent Valine, in 1987, her mother, Loraine Valine, in 2003. She has no children or siblings.

“It’s been a great place to grow up, and I know they say you have to have progress, but when they hit that house with a bulldozer, I’ll have to be gone,” Valine said.

“I can’t see that.”

1,500 migrants a day on average are being taken into border patrol custody in the El Paso region, according to the Department of Homeland Security. After their fingerprints and basic information are recorded, many are expelled under Title 42. Some may be transferred to an immigration detention facility.

From Page A1

often termed a “Pineapple Express,” developed in the western Pacific Ocean near Guam, meaning the wet weather and winds will not bring freezing temperatures to the Bay Area, with highs largely in the upper 50s and lows in the 40s.

But snow seekers in Lake Tahoe are in luck. The upper Sierra Nevada will see multiple rounds of snow into next weekend totaling nearly three feet.

StormThe first batch of powder will drop on Monday evening at upwards of 7,500 feet of elevation and as the week progressively gets colder snow levels will fall to between 4,500 and 5,500 feet.

Along with the snow, skiers could see wind gusts of 65 to 85 mph on mountain peaks, and drivers heading into Lake Tahoe will also see strong winds.

“We’re definitely encouraging people to have their heads up, especially if they’re planning on traveling,” said Katrina Hand, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Sacramento office.

Before Title 42, the United States considered all asylum claims, which often meant releasing migrants into the United States until a court rules on their cases – a process that can take years because of a large backlog. A small minority of asylum claims are ultimately accepted. Fleeing poverty is not a valid basis for a claim.

Under Title 42, a decades-old public health measure that the Trump administration resurrected in the early days of the pandemic, asylum seekers can be quickly expelled.

The Biden administration has opposed the policy in court while

continuing to use it with help from Mexico, which agreed to accept Central Americans, and later Venezuelans, who the United States turned away.

But last month, a federal judge ruled that Title 42 was being used arbitrarily and was no longer justified as a pandemic health measure. He ordered it be lifted by Dec. 21.

Some 19 Republicanled states appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that ending the policy would result in a surge of new migrants, and on Monday – two days before the deadline – Chief Justice John G. Roberts

Jr. ruled that it would remain in place until the court decided the case.

If the policy falls, it is possible that the Biden administration could find new ways to limit asylum seekers.

Still, El Paso has been bracing for the day when asylum seekers can no longer by summarily turned away.

At one popular crossing spot along the Rio Grande, members of the Texas Army National Guard lined the riverbank with razor wire this week as a deterrent, and were standing watch next to their Humvees.

But already,

From Page A1

in major cities including Beijing and Shanghai have been overwhelmed, while crematoriums are struggling to cope.

In an illustration of the unreliability of data, Zhejiang province, next

Chinato Shanghai, said it has more than 1 million daily Covid-19 infections and expects the number to peak at 2 million, Zhejiang Daily reported Sunday, citing local officials as saying at a health briefing.

The city of Dongguan in the southern province of Guangdong said Friday that 250,000 to 300,000 people were being infected on a daily basis.

Qingdao city in the eastern province of Shandong is seeing 490,000 to 530,000 daily cases based on data projections, according to a local newspaper report. Yet, the official NHC tally for Dec. 23 was 4,103 cases.

On Sunday, China expanded the use of a homegrown Covid-19 vaccine. A National Health Com-

Others who might qualify for a Title 42 exemption – usually on humanitarian grounds or because Mexico limits how many migrants it accepts from various countries – may be released and allowed to remain in the United States, often with a court date.

This week, more than 50 migrants were staying at the Annunciation House shelter just north of the border. With cots in the chapel and playroom, the shelter has room for 60.

Most move out within 48 hours to live with relatives or friends. Others have been bused to religious communities across the country that have offered to take them in.

The quick turnaround is important to make room for new migrants.

mission’s statement said that people who are three and above can receive a Covid-19 vaccine developed by the Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products’ unit. Until now, it was approved only for adults. Those who are fully vaccinated with a Zhifei product can get one booster shot after six months, according to the statement.

John Moore/Getty Images/TNS

Immigrants keep warm by a fire at dawn after spending the night outside next to the U.S.-Mexico border fence on Dec. 22 in El Paso, Texas.

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic

Governmental agencies are considering taking land from Michelle Valine’s threegeneration family property to develop the new westbound Interstate 80 CHP truck scales.

An Elegant Evening of Music to support Solano Land Trust

Moments that stood tall in 49ers’ win over Commanders

Inman BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

SANTA CLARA –

Brock Purdy didn’t look astonished when told him he’s the first quarterback in 49ers history to win his first three career starts.

Can that stat be true?

Well, Joe Montana began 0-3. Steve Young, 1-2. John Brodie, win-winloss. Colin Kaepernick, win-win-loss. Jeff Garcia, win-loss-loss. Alex Smith, 0-3.

Jimmy Garoppolo?! Oh yeah, him. Technically, his first two career starts (wins) were with New England, before he won his first five starts with the 49ers in December 2017. Garoppolo’s last (and perhaps final) 49ers’ start came three weeks ago, when he played one series before leaving with a fractured foot and bequeathing the helm of this NFL warship to Purdy.

Nick Bosa (two sacks) and George Kittle (two touchdowns) deserved the spotlight for Saturday’s 37-20 victory over the Washington Commanders. But both Pro Bowl players hailed Purdy’s ability to keep this ship on course, something not to lose sight of while admiring this wunderkind, rookie quarterback.

“Brock’s confidence that he brings in every day, it makes all of us very confident,” Kittle said “We know he’ll make plays with legs, he’s fantastic about rolling out, keeping his eyes up field and he makes guys miss in the backfield. He’s such an athlete. He’s good with

the football. He doesn’t make stupid throws.”

Added Bosa: “I’m super impressed with how he’s matured so quickly. It helped he started four years of college. For a rookie to come in and just have that command, everybody’s got his back, obviously.”

Bosa said so wearing a Santa Claus robe — gifted to him by Kittle, who wore Santa’s red hat to his media podium. ’Tis the season to believe, in the 49ers and in Purdy.

Here are 10 things that caught my eye as the 49ers (11-4) won eight in a row for the first time since the start of the 2019 season, which ended in the Super Bowl:

Record-setting run

At Friday night’s team meeting, Shanahan revealed his early script, and it included a call that would result in Ray-Ray McCloud’s 71-yard touchdown and 7-0 lead. It’s a play best designed for Deebo Samuel, but he’s still out with a sprained knee and ankle. Shanahan couldn’t resist “messing

around” with Samuel in the meeting.

Said Shanahan: “When I installed it, I said, knowing Deebo was in the back, ‘This run has looked bad all year, but now we have the right guy on it, so I have a feeling this is going to score.’ I was definitely being sarcastic, but it was really fun to look for Deebo when it did hit like that.”

McCloud acknowledged it worked so well because of the blocks. As he crossed the line of scrimmage, Mike McGlinchey was pancake-blocking a defender, Christian McCaffrey was steering his to the sideline, as was Kittle, and then practice-squad stud Willie Snead IV sealed the lane for McCloud to produce the 49ers’ longest run since Raheem Mostert’s 80-yard score in 2020 Week 2 – and the longest rushing touchdown ever by a 49ers wide receiver.

Injury free?

Another win without injuries to report? Well, maybe. Cornerback

Charvarius Ward came out because of nausea, and even though doctors cleared him, he spent last week in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

The best health update regarded Javon Kinlaw, who played for the first time in three months and wanted to go beyond his 15-snap limit.

Running back Jordan Mason thought he sustained a knee injury covering the opening kickoff, but that wasn’t the case, Shanahan said. Mason was restricted to special-teams duty because of a tight hamstring in practice, which vaulted Ty Davis-Price into the No. 2 rushing role Saturday.

Speaking of Samuel, he’s moving remarkably well considering he got carted off two weeks ago. Saturday, he walked onto the field in pregame (in civilian clothes) and played catch with fans like usual. He looks on track for a playoff return, unless the 49ers are compelled to use him before then to enhance their shot at a better seed.

No coasting into playoffs

The 49ers stayed true to their vow that they wouldn’t ease up just because, by winning their previous game in Seattle, they clinched the NFC West and no worse than the No. 3 seed.

The Minnesota Vikings (12-3) narrowly won again – they’re 11-0 in one-score games – so they

Florida State star making a difference off the field

John Romano TAMPA BAY TIMES

TAMPA, Fla. — He would wait each week in a tunnel near the players’ locker room after football games at Notre Dame Stadium. His spine cruelly curved, his arms and legs forever hindered by nerve disease, the boy in the wheelchair was hard to miss. And easy to ignore.

With other kids screaming for autographs and game-used items, player after player would walk past Timothy Donovan without ever noticing. Or, worse, deliberately avoiding notice.

“Most of Timothy’s life, he’s just kind of been overlooked,” his mother, Paula, said. “People just don’t see past his disabilities, and that’s sad because he’s got a great sense of humor if you just get to know him. People see what they want to see, I guess.”

The Donovan family had no expectation of anything different for the opening game of the 2017 season. And, later, they had no idea what to think when a 300-pound, bearded freshman bent down to strike up a conversation with Timothy.

A conversation that has lasted five years, and changed countless lives.

n n n

These are hurried days for Dillan Gibbons. The St. Petersburg native got his undergraduate degree at Notre Dame, is one class shy of his master’s at Florida State, and days away from his final college game after transferring and becoming FSU’s left guard in 2021.

He also became something of a celebrity earlier this month after winning the Wuerffel

Trophy, given to the college football player who best exemplifies the concept of community service.

When the NCAA permitted athletes to cash in on their name, image and likeness (NIL) 18 months ago, Gibbons was among the first to take advantage. If you consider raising money for others as taking advantage. Gibbons started a GoFundMe account to help defray Timothy’s medical and travel costs to visit Tallahassee with his parents from his Fairborn, Ohio, home for FSU games.

Eventually, that led to Gibbons creating the non-profit Big Man Big Heart to raise money for a variety of causes while recruiting – and counseling – other college athletes on how to start their own charities.

“There are individuals in the darkest corners of the earth who need their stories told,” Gibbons said. “Part of that is raising money for people, and we’ve been able to raise over a half million dollars just in the past couple of years. But the most powerful part is the interaction.

Sharing these stories. Just on social media alone, you’ve got over 50 million interactions already.

“People reading about somebody like Timothy Donovan, and really taking the time to realize the struggles others are going through. Maybe sending something nice, or maybe just a personal message. It’s just incredible to see that kind of impact, and not just from the dollar-figure.”

Big Man Big Heart has already helped cancer patients, a car

How a groundbreaking women’s basketball brand began

LILa BromBerg HARTFORD COURANT

HARTFORD, Conn. —

During her senior year at Boston College in 2019, Natalie White came across an online advertisement that would shift not only the course of her life but the entire women’s basketball sneaker landscape.

The promotion featured four WNBA players, however each star was holding up a shoe model named for an NBA player. The Moolah Kicks founder and CEO had

always noticed disparities between the men’s and women’s games as a player growing up in New York City, but something struck a chord that day.

“I realized that my entire career I never questioned the fact that I was wearing and shopping in the boys’ and men’s section,” White, now 24, told the Hartford Courant.

“When I saw that ad I think a lot clicked in my mind that the fact that women and girls had been playing in men’s sneakers not only had a negative social

implication, but it also had a negative performance implication.”

White was determined to change that. She wanted to launch a brand solely focused on women’s basketball, aimed at creating products to empower female hoopers and elevate their on-court performance.

“What Moolah is doing is carving a path for women’s basketball without comparison,” White said. “Championing and celebrating women’s basketball for the love of

the sport and the love of the players.”

Moolah Kicks is the first and only brand focused exclusively on women’s basketball. The rapidly rising company has plenty of ties to the hoops-crazed state of Connecticut, including a partnership with the Connecticut Sun and brand ambassadors such as UConn guard Caroline Ducharme and Sun guard Courtney Williams.

Backed by Mark Cuban, Moolah Kicks launched its second model, the Neovolt Pro, this fall.

“I love that Moolah Kicks is a brand that exclusively supports and elevates women’s basketball,” Ducharme said. “Having shoes that are made specifically for women’s feet makes a huge difference. They are so comfortable, I love playing in them.”

Once White decided to start the company, one of the first steps was coming up with a name. She wanted it to be based around some sort of slang for money as a dual-part homage to the street

culture of basketball in New York City where she grew up, and the financial opportunity she hoped to create for women’s basketball. So White enlisted her friends and family to help her look up different slang words that mean money.

“So me and my friends, my family, looked up different slang words that mean money,” White recalled. “And all of a sudden we see Moolah.

‘Oh my gosh, of course! It’s gotta be Moolah. It’s gotta

Cam

Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group photos

San Francisco 49ers’ Ray-Ray McCloud (3) is hoisted by Aaron Banks after scoring on a 71-yard touchdown run against the Washington Commanders in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Saturday.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy throws in the third quarter, Saturday.

Sarah Stier/Getty Images/TNS

Wuerffel Trophy recipient and offensive lineman Dillan Gibbons of the Florida State Seminoles speaks to the media during a press conference prior to the 2022 Heisman Trophy Presentation at New York Marriott Marquis Hotel, Dec. 10.

CALENDAR

Monday’s TV sports

Football College

Quick Lane Bowl: New Mexico State vs. Bowling Green, ESPN, 11:30 a.m.

NFL L.A. Chargers vs. Indianapolis, ESPN, 5 p.m.

Soccer EPL

• Brentford vs.Tottenham, USA, 4:30 a.m.

• Leicester City vs. Newcastle, USA, 7 a.m.

• Aston Villa vs. Liverpool, USA, 9:30 a.m.

Tuesday’s TV sports

Basketball

NBA

• Charlotte vs. Golden State, NBCSBA (Fairfield and Suisun City), 7p.m.

• Denver vs. Sacramento, NBCSCA (Vacaville and Rio Vista), 7p.m.

Football College

• Camellia Bowl: Georgia Southern vs. Buffalo, ESPN, 9 a.m.

• First Responder Bowl: Memphis vs. Utah State, ESPN, 12:15 p.m.

• Birmingham Bowl: Coastal Carolinavs. East Carolina, ESPN, 3:45 p.m.

• Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Oklahoma State, ESPN, 7:15 p.m.

Soccer EPL

• Bournemouth vs. Chelsea, USA, 9:30 a.m.

• Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest, USA, Noon.

accident victim and hurricane relief efforts, among other causes. A lot of the campaigns have been several states away. Some have had a more personal touch for Gibbons and his teammates.

The past two years, FSU football players have taken part in a Christmas shopping trip at a Tallahassee Walmart for at-risk youths with the local Boys and Girls Clubs. Kids get a $100 gift card, and their families are given another $150 for holiday expenses.

You might expect the children to race toward their dream gifts, but Gibbons was stunned to see one boy bypass the toy aisle to head to the grocery section at Walmart. There, he began filling his shopping cart with box after box of Ramen noodles to make sure his family had food for the month.

n n n

So where did it all start? Gibbons will tell you it was working with his siblings in a St. Pete law office where they watched their mother, Lynn, an attorney, helping people at the lowest point of their lives.

But if Gibbons thought he learned empathy at a young age, he has come to realize that the lessons never end.

Having exchanged phone numbers with Timothy Donovan after their first meeting in 2017, they routinely checked in with one another between games and in the offseason.

Gibbons, who graduated from Clearwater

Central Catholic, struggled with foot injuries and had trouble cracking the starting lineup his first few years at Notre Dame. Feeling sorry for himself, he would get on the phone with Timothy and find out he was hospitalized again with pneumonia. Or was being fed through a tube. Or was facing another surgery.

It was Timothy’s courage and resolve that helped Gibbons understand what real hardship looked like. And now, five years later, he’s got two seasons as a starter at FSU under his belt and a longshot chance to make it to the NFL in 2023.

Timothy, meanwhile, has become a minor celebrity himself around Doak Campbell Stadium. The Donovan family made it to eight FSU games this season, despite the costs, the medical complications and the 12-hour drive to Tallahassee.

“We’re just so grateful to Dillan for everything he’s done for Timothy,” Paula Donovan said. “You know, Timothy never really had any friends in his life. And now, his friendship with Dillan has changed everything. We bring Timothy to games, and it’s like everybody knows him in Tallahassee.

“We go to our seats and people are constantly calling his name, stopping us, asking to take pictures. Everybody has shown so much love toward him, it’s unbelievable. We went from him having zero friends and nobody paying attention to him, to seeing all this love and support. It’s overwhelming.”

A big man with a big heart.

Scoreboard

BASKETBALL

NBA

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division

W L Pct GB Boston 24 10 .706 Brooklyn 21 12 .636 2½ Philadelphia 20 12 .625 3 New York 18 16 .529 6 Toronto 15 18 .455 8½

Central Division W L Pct GB Milwaukee 22 11 .667 Cleveland 22 12 .647 ½ Indiana 17 16 .515 5 Chicago 14 18 .438 7½ Detroit 8 27 .229 15

Southeast Division W L Pct GB Atlanta 17 16 .515 Miami 16 17 .485 1 Washington 13 21 .382 4½ Orlando 13 21 .382 4½ Charlotte 9 24 .273 8 WESTERN CONFERENCE Northwest Division W L Pct GB Denver 20 11 .645 Utah 19 16 .543 3 Portland 17 16 .515 4 Minnesota 16 17 .485 5 Oklahoma City 14 19 .424 7 Pacific Division W L Pct GB Phoenix 19 14 .576 L.A. Clippers 19 15 .559 ½ SACRAMENTO 17 14 .548 1 GOLDEN STATE 15 18 .455 4 L.A. Lakers 13 20 .394 6 Southwest Division W L Pct GB Memphis 20 11 .645 New Orleans 20 12 .625 ½ Dallas 18 16 .529 3½ San Antonio 10 22 .313 10½ Houston 9 23 .281 11½ Thursday’s Games New Orleans 126, San Antonio 117 Utah 120, Washington 112 Friday’s Games Washington 125, SACRAMENTO 111 Orlando 133, San Antonio 113 Philadelphia 119, L.A. Clippers 114

49ers

From Page B1

still hold the No. 2 seed, but they’d lose the tiebreaker with the 49ers for it if they have matching overall records. The Philadelphia Eagles (13-2) took the first step to improbably losing the No. 1 seed by falling at Dallas, and they’ll still have to lose at home to both the New Orleans Saints (5-9, won their past two) and the New York Giants (8-5-1; lost 48-22 at Philly on Dec. 11).

Defensive back Jimmie Ward advised the 49ers not to lean into their No. 1 ranking defensively.

Silent night?

Silent assassin

Jordan Willis’ special-teams prowess might not be the only reason he suited up over Drake Jackson as the 49ers’ fourth edge rusher (with Bosa, Samson Ebukam and Charles Omenihu).

“I feel like December is usually his time of year. December, January,” Shanahan said.

Last January, Willis blocked a Green Bay Packers punt that Talanoa Hufanga recovered for a touchdown to trigger the 49ers’ comeback win in the divisional playoffs at snowy Lambeau. Willis used his 33 ½-inch arms Saturday to reach up and snatch a ball, the fumble Nick Bosa forced on a fourth-quarter sack. “I noticed him a bunch even there at the end,” Shanahan said.

Kittle ‘Grinched it’

A funny thing happened on the way to Purdy’s first touchdown pass. Kittle “intercepted” it from McCloud, as Shanahan aptly described, before explaining that McCloud was the intended target on

NHL

NFL

a post route. Kittle was supposed to cross the field to keep open McCloud’s path.

“I Grinched it,” Kittle said, in the holiday spirit. “No, I’ve had five touchdowns taken away by penalty, so I’ll get them whenever they’re available.” Kittle said wide open space, and rather than run toward defenders, he headed for pay dirt.

“It’s funny, we ran that route Wednesday, (Shanahan) coached it on Thursday morning, and goes: ‘Even if there’s space, you’ve got to run across the field so the post is wide open.’ I was like, eh, touchdown.”

Not so funny was the sight of a figure closing in as Kittle grabbed Purdy’s 34-yard pass. “When (McCloud) got over my shoulder, I thought it was a safety trying to get ball out, and it actually scared me,” Kittle said. “Then he was in my ear saying, ‘You stole my touchdown.’ I was like, ‘My bad.’ Not really.”

Familiar concern

Opponents dig the deep ball. When Terry McLaurin hauled in a 51-yard catch at the 6-yard line, reserve cornerback Sam Womack and safety Tashaun Gipson Sr. were in the vicinity. Washington quickly converted that play into a touchdown and pulled within 21-14. The deep ball is perhaps the only way opponents can get through this 49ers’ defense, which is stopping the run so well (33 carries, 79 yards for the Commanders).

The 49ers aren’t taking lightly those coverage mishaps or communication breakdowns. They must rectify this before the playoffs. The Commanders converted a few third-andlong situations, and that’s a few too many.

Warner’s dare

Fred Warner’s memo

to the NFL: “You want to try us on fourth down? Go ahead.” Warner’s seasonhigh 13 tackles included short-yardage stops on fourth-and-goal from the 1 and on a fourthand-1 quarterback sneak.

Warner just made his second Pro Bowl. He’s the captain who fires everyone up with speeches. He’s been outshined at times by fellow linebacker Dre Greenlaw, but a game like Saturday’s should remind everyone of Warner’s hard-hitting ability and impressive range.

Run game slows

Take away McCloud’s 71-yarder and the 49ers tallied 82 yards on 26 carries. That’s not terrible, but there weren’t many impressive runs. Purdy continues to offset that with some timely and explosive pass plays.

Christian McCaffrey had 15 carries for 46 yards, finishing with a 1-yard touchdown run. It was his third straight game with a rushing touchdown. He didn’t have a run longer than 9 yards. But he still had one of the NFL’s fastest runs this weekend, reaching 19.51 mph before getting pushed out of bounds at the Washington 11 — for no gain.

This was only the third game in Davis-Price’s rookie season in which he got to carry the ball, and it’s been two months since his last turn. The results: nine carries, 30 yards. He had a 6-yard, third-and-1 conversion run. Those are all necessary reps in case he needs to come in from the bullpen down the stretch.

Saint Nick

The red, Santa Claus robe was untied (or unbuckled), it covered Bosa’s tan hoodie and it draped to his knees as he strutted to the media podium in his Air Jordan 1 Low OG sneakers. Only

Thursday’s Game Jacksonville 19, N.Y. Jets 3 Saturday’s Games SAN FRANCISCO 37, Washington 20 Baltimore 17, Atlanta 9 Carolina 37, Detroit 23 Buffalo 35, Chicago 13 New Orleans 17, Cleveland 10 Kansas City 24, Seattle 10 Minnesota 27, N.Y. Giants 24 Cincinnati 22, New England 18 Houston 19, Tennessee 14 Dallas 40, Philadelphia 34 Pittsburgh 13, Las Vegas 10 Sunday’s Game Green Bay 26, Miami 20 L.A. Rams 51, Denver 14 Tampa Bay at Arizona, (N) Monday’s Game L.A. Chargers at Indianapolis, 5:15 p.m.

Bosa could pull off that look with such swagger, befitting the NFL’s sack leader (17 ½) and growing favorite to win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.

His two sacks Saturday set his career high at 17 ½ for the season, tying him with Fred Dean (1983) for the second-most in franchise history behind Aldon Smith’s 19½ in 2012. Bosa said he’s “kind of eyeing” that record more so than the NFL mark of 22½ sacks, with two games to go.

He attributes his career-best year to “just more reps and being able to continue to learn each and every week, and plan out my rushing plan to tailor to who I’m playing. I feel I have an answer to every type of blocker at this point, some better than others, obviously. But it’s going well.”

Purdy’s throws

Purdy’s scout-team work for three months helped prime him for this opportunity, and that meant dodging Bosa in practice, right?

“Honestly it was frustrating at times, just like dropping back and seeing Nick right in my face and having to make a move almost every play,” Purdy said. “But honestly, it did help, like in terms of keeping my eyes down the field, there’s a pass rush coming, there’s guys swiping for the ball, you know, Nick is breathing down my neck almost every play.”

Purdy, we’re learning, loves to dole out credit to his teammates and coaches, and it’s credit they indeed deserve.

This game, we saw Purdy uncork some sidearm throws that perhaps were more a result of the angle he needed against the pass rush rather than any reflection of his two-week-old oblique and rib injuries.

From Page B1

be Moolah Kicks.’”

One of the next key stages was research – a lot of it. White, a manager for the Boston College women’s varsity team and a guard on the club team, consulted with the entire Eagles training staff as well as podiatrists and other medical experts to inform her product.

White learned about how men’s and women’s feet are different in five places. That discovery made it clear that one of the reasons female hoopers are

more at risk for injury is they’ve been playing in equipment designed for the male foot. There are separate men’s and women’s running shoes for a reason, after all, so why didn’t that apply to basketball?

With the goal of fixing that, White then got to work on designing the shoe last, a mold form that the inside of all footwear is built around. That’s what makes Moolah Kicks so groundbreaking, especially when it comes to injury prevention.

“The inside of Moolah Kicks is fit and sculpted specifically for the female biomechanics and applied to a basketball shape,” White explained.

Estranged sons are breaking mother’s heart, hurting each other

Dear Annie: I need a little advice. My oldest son, age 42, and my youngest, 32, had a disagreement three years ago and still aren’t talking to each other. What is especially heartbreaking is they have the most in common with each other out of all my children – a total of four.

The oldest son, “Bradley,” is bipolar, and he did not start treatment and medications until two years ago. The argument occurred one year before he received help. Now Bradley has admitted that it was his fault, that he was a jerk during the conversation, when he insulted my youngest son’s girlfriend.

Despite this, my youngest, “Frank,” refuses to speak to his brother, although Bradley has tried to reach out to him many times. I threw a barbecue, and Bradley, who lives in another state, came as a surprise. Frank was there and pretended to be nice. But afterward, Frank has refused to speak to Bradley, despite Bradley’s many attempts to reach out.

This is hurting both boys – and me!

I’m getting older and am not in the best of health. What terrifies me is the idea that they won’t be on speaking terms

if something were to happen to me. Do you have any advice? — Hoping and Praying

Dear Hoping and Praying: Of course it is hurting you. Having your children who you love so much not show each other love is so painful. Remember, they do love each other, but they simply suppressed those feelings because of Frank’s anger toward Bradley. The fact that Bradley has been diagnosed as bipolar and that he is better with treatment is something that should be explained to Frank, and he should offer forgiveness to his oldest brother.

Remind Frank of how much fun they had when they were young, and how important Bradley was to him when they were growing up. Keep encouraging Frank to let go of his stubbornness. It might also help if Bradley were to write a sincere letter of apology to Frank’s girlfriend, explaining that it was caused by his medical condition, and tell her of his treatment and the steps he is taking to stay on an even keel emotionally.

Maybe the holiday spirit will help soften some of the old grudges that your sons are carrying.

Dear Annie: I see many

Horoscopes

ARIES (March 21-April 19).

While your family role gives you a strong identity, it doesn’t encompass you entirely. Today’s experience allows you to see more of who you are outside of your role, which will alter your self-perception in interesting ways.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). With important things like lunches and parachutes, you’re better off packing your own. The more self-reliant you are, the better you’ll be able to influence outcomes in the direction of your choosing.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Do all you possibly can to get everyone to stick to the plan. And when this is not possible, accept what unfolds with grace. Live in the moment. Try not to stress over timing that is out of your control.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Before you put yourself into an endeavor, ask a lot of questions about what will be required of you, the investment of money, effort and the time frame, too. These questions prevent disappointment or resentment.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Even when you set aside hours for a project and try your best to protect the time slot, sometimes life gets in the way. This is not a test of your resolve, rather it’s a priority check and an opportunity to tend to

by Holiday Mathis

Today’s birthday

The seasons ahead are full of mysteries and marvels. You’ll connect with the interesting new people, satisfy your curiosities, complete ambitious missions. Your core circle will expand, both in numbers and in the amount of love and trust flowing through your world. More highlights: a delightful correspondence, a lucrative new venture and seven unforgettable weekends.

what’s important.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).

You may not be able to make an opportunity happen any sooner, but you can certainly do everything in your power to be ready for it when it arrives. Consider what habits will get you in prime shape for your moment.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).

You’ll enjoy a sense of continuity as things pick up where they left off. Relationships and endeavors show progress. Nothing feels forced or rushed. All is moving along at an easy pace.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Sometimes the best way to give your energy to the world is to focus it inward. Don’t forget, you are part of the world.

times people writing in about partners who aren’t interested in a physical relationship. Your answers are always kind and supportive, but I think you are missing something, or possibly aren’t aware. The “A” in LGBTQA+ stands for “asexual.”

We don’t have a burning desire for sex; sometimes, we don’t have a desire at all. Many can be physical in a close emotional relationship, but that desire usually fades. It isn’t that we don’t care about our partners. As many of these people have said, their partners say they love them dearly and show them in all ways except for the physical. And we do.

We want understanding, just like everyone else. We aren’t broken. Whether a relationship with someone who is asexual will work or not for a particular couple is deeply personal. It may take a lot of understanding and effort on both sides, but like any relationship, it can be very much worth it. — We Are Here Dear We Are Here: Thank you for highlighting this point. I hope it brings clarity and understanding to anyone who is in a relationship with an asexual partner.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@ creators.com.

Giving to yourself will bring as much peace to the bigger picture as anything else you could do today.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21). Options and opportunities abound for you now. Even though you are serious about the success of your venture, you’ll use humor to ease the way. Your charm will be irresistible to some.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19). You match your offerings to what is needed and wanted of you, which creates a powerful alignment. Is this an enjoyable enough task to continue repeatedly? Sustainability of effort will be the magic ingredient.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 18). You’ve paid too much for the resources you needed because you weren’t in a strong position of choice. Now your situation has changed, and you’ll be wise to work out a new deal.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Your imagination is so powerful that it will not only take you from here to there, but it will also take you beyond the destinations you once thought about and into the change that is possible because you dare to dream bigger.

Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

Bridge

by Phillip Alder

plump with trumps, but there is an occasional deal – like today’s – on which, in order to make the contract, we are forced to diet down the trump surplus. South’s first two bids showed at least six hearts. Then, in answer to Roman Key Card Blackwood, he told North that he had the heart ace-king. When the dummy was tabled, everything looked fat-free. Declarer won trick one with dummy’s diamond king, cashed the heart queen and played a heart to his king. West’s club discard was a stab in the cholesterol belt.

A resourceful South spotted a diet plan, though. If, at trick 12, the lead was in the dummy and he was left with the A-10 of hearts, he would catch East’s J-8 in a trump coup. This required taking two ruffs in hand to bring his trump length equal with East’s.

TAKE WEIGHT OFF THE KEY SUIT

What do a lot of us do that our late ancestors never worried about? Right –we diet. However, as Covert Bailey said, “No diet will remove all the fat from your body because the brain is entirely fat. Without a brain you might look good, but all you could do is run for public office.”

In bridge, normally we love to be

Sudoku

South played a spade to dummy’s king, cashed the ace and ruffed a spade, East discarding a diamond. Declarer led a club to dummy’s king and ruffed a spade. After returning to dummy with another club, he led out the winning spades. If East ruffed, South would overruff, draw East’s final heart and claim. If East discarded, so would South, arriving at the trump-coup ending at trick 12. COPYRIGHT: 2022, UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

by Wayne Gould

TAKE WEIGHT OFF THE KEY SUIT

What do a lot of us do that our late ancestors never worried about? Right –we diet. However, as Covert Bailey said, “No diet will remove all the fat from your body because the brain is entirely fat. Without a brain you might look

Annie Lane Dear Annie

‘Avatar’ struggles show how Japan is ditching Hollywood

Gearoid r eidy BLOOMBERG OPINION

In its economic heyday of the late 1980s and early 1990s, there was a curious phenomenon of Hollywood celebrities showing up in Japanese commercials: Arnold Schwarzenegger hawking instant noodles, Harrison Ford pitching Kirin beer. To this day, Tommy Lee Jones still appears in a long-standing series advertising canned coffee.

You won’t, however, see much of the current generation of Hollywood stars – no Dwayne Johnson promoting Toyotas, no Ryan Reynolds plugging energy drinks. That’s not just because Japanese firms don’t have the market budget they once had – Johnny Depp recently advertised Asahi beer – but because of a growing, often ignored fact: In Japan, Hollywood isn’t the draw it used to be.

The U.S. share of the world’s third-biggest box office has been dropping for years, a phenomenon that predates the pandemic and has only been aggravated by it. Four of the top five grossing movies this year are domestic hits, with Hollywood’s only representative the ’80s throwback “Top Gun: Maverick.”

It’s part of a broader decoupling between Hollywood and Japan. But unlike the woes studios face in China, this is no ideological departure. Japan is a free market, with no equivalent of the quota Beijing places on U.S. movies, nor censors stepping in to prevent their release on moral grounds. Neither is it a pandemic phenomenon. Japan is one of the few countries that largely kept cinemas open during the global outbreak.

Instead, Japanese audiences are favoring domestic fare, a trend accelerated by an increase in big-budget animated movies. Every other film, except “Top Gun,” in the top five this year is Japanmade and uses animation, led by “One Piece Film: Red” and “Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie.”

Even James Cameron isn’t immune. His “Avatar: The Way of Water” debuted at a disappointing third place in Japan, behind two animated motion pictures that have been on screens for weeks. Some estimates say it’s the only market where “Avatar” failed to debut at number one.

While the first “Avatar” was a box-office hit in Japan and the country’s 12th-highest grossing movie of all time, tastes have shifted in the decadeplus since. The phenomenon is epitomized by the success of “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – the Movie: Mugen Train” – which despite opening in the midst of the pandemic became Japan’s biggest-

ever box office hit, toppling a record held since 2001 by Studio Ghibli’s Oscar-winning “Spirited Away.”

There’s no single reason behind the audience’s changing tastes. But one must be the rising quality of domestic movies. The days of reusing animations and dragging the same action scenes out for episode after episode are over.

Japanese animation these days is a big-budget affair, illustrated nowhere better than by the hits from director Makoto Shinkai, the creative force behind “Your Name,” the 2016 tale of body-swapping teens that is Japan’s fifth-biggest box-office blockbuster.

Shinkai’s recently released “Suzume,” a disaster-themed animated fantasy that’s one of the movies that beat “Avatar” last weekend, is nearing 10 billion yen ($75 million).

Meanwhile, the same pressures that impact the movie industry elsewhere also affect Japan. The rise of streaming means that films need to be tent-pole events to get people in seats. Animation directors like Shinkai or Studio Ghibli alum Mamoru Hosoda have become brand names unto themselves, with budgets to match. That pressure for success encourages making movies of established franchises such as “One Piece,” the long-running pirate series that is Japan’s all-time top-selling manga, or perennial high-school basketball tale “Slam Dunk,” a movie adaption of which beat Cameron to the top of the box office last weekend.

The rise of high-quality movies from the pages of comic books also means there’s less room for Hollywood’s equivalents. Another reason for its shrinking share is the limited audience for the now-ubiquitous superhero movies. With a few exceptions, such as “Avengers” and “Spider-Man,” consumers haven’t taken to them in the way they previously flocked to franchises like “Harry Potter” or “Pirates of the Caribbean.” While “Black Panther” might rank globally as the 10th biggest-grossing movie of the last decade, it scored just $14.7 million in Japan. This year’s “Thor: Love

and Thunder” earned a paltry $9.8 million.

Even Walt Disney Co.’s animation hits seem to be struggling. While 2013’s “Frozen” grossed nearly $250 million in Japan – fully 20% of its total – recent entries have done startlingly poorly.

Last year’s “Encanto” earned just $6.8 million, “Raya and the Last Dragon” $3.3 million, and “Strange World,” released a month ago, less than $1 million.

For a Disney-crazy country, that failure should be concerning. Notably, remakes of previous hits like “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast” seem unaffected by this disinterest, a further indication that it’s the properties themselves, not the hassle of going to the theater, that’s turning audiences off.

Japan’s success in capturing audiences at home is to be applauded. There’s no question of protectionism here. But it’s hard not to feel a little troubled if this trend continues long term. Among certain generations, despite a lack of a common language, it’s easy to bond over a shared love of Arnie blockbusters or the early career of Leonardo DiCaprio. For that to disappear entirely would be to lose something precious.

Of course, there’s always the alternative: Japan could better export its increasingly high-quality products. Anime already scores highly on Netflix worldwide, with more than one generation of Westerners having grown up watching Japanese cartoons. Sony Group Corp.’s purchase of anime streaming service Crunchyroll bears close attention.

It’ll be interesting to see if the second season of the Japanproduced Netflix show “Alice in Borderland,” released this week, resonates with audiences. The first season largely sank without trace abroad, only for the similarly themed South Korean “Squid Game” to become an international phenomenon. Instead of aging Hollywood stars in Japanese commercials, it might be Japanese stars, real or otherwise, hawking products on Western screens.

Bridge

by Phillip Alder

until your plan of campaign is as solid as El Cid.

On today’s deal, the declarer thought he was in a laydown contract, but talking quickly and looking slowly cost him dearly.

North’s response of two no-trump was the Jacoby Forcing Raise. South’s rebid of four hearts showed a five-card suit headed by at least two of the top three honors. After two control-bids, North bid what he thought would be an easy grand slam.

When the dummy came down, South thought the same. He won trick one with his diamond ace and played a low spade. When West discarded, suddenly South gave an excellent impersonation of Lot’s wife.

THE CAUTIOUS CALCULATE CAREFULLY

Cervantes, of Don Quixote fame, had the right idea when he summed up declarer-play at trick one thus: “Be slow of tongue and quick of eye.” When the dummy is spread, don’t play immediately. Keep your eyes jumping from card to card but don’t utter a sound

Sudoku

Bridge

Coming back to life, South saw another route to 13 tricks: four spades, five hearts, two minor-suit aces and two club ruffs in hand. He won with dummy’s spade queen, cashed the club ace, ruffed a club in hand, played a heart to dummy and ruffed the last club. He cashed the spade king-jack, but when he tried to return to dummy with a heart, East ruffed to defeat the contract.

If only South had started with a spade honor from hand at trick two, he would have been safe. Then West would have wondered how he might have found the lethal heart opening lead.

COPYRIGHT: 2022, UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

by Wayne Gould

THE CAUTIOUS CALCULATE CAREFULLY

Cervantes, of Don Quixote fame, had the right idea when he summed up declarer-play at trick one thus: “Be slow of tongue and quick of eye.” When the

Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images/TNS file (2021)

People line up in front of posters of the Japanese comics “Demon Slayer” during the 9th Comics and Animation Festival in Taipei, Taiwain, Feb. 4, 2021.

Jenny and Dave Marrs renovate historic homes on “Fixer to Fabulous.’’

Megan Thee Stallion’s boyfriend condemns victimblaming amid Tory Lanez assault trial

Los A ngeLes Times

LOS ANGELES — Rapper Pardison “Pardi” Fontaine publicly supported girlfriend Megan Thee Stallion on Thursday amid a Los Angeles jury’s deliberations over whether rapper Tory Lanez shot the “Savage” emcee in the foot two years ago.

“To any woman especially ones of color that has suffered an injustice I feel for you,” Fontaine wrote Thursday in an Instagram story.

“[W]hen you do find the courage to speak up.. it seems you will be ridiculed . . . your credibility will [be] questioned . . . your entire past will be held under a magnifying glass . . . in an instant you can go from victim to defendant in the eyes of the public,” the “Backin’ It Up” rapper continued.

“To any one with a daughter sister mother niece or aunt . . . I pray for their protection . . . I pray for their covering . . . . I wouldn’t wish this on anyone,” he wrote.

Fontaine, who has been dating Megan for more than two years, is the latest to speak up on behalf of his “Savage Remix” collaborator.

On Wednesday, conservative commentator Candace Owens shocked many when she threw her support behind the threetime Grammy winner by saying that “what is playing out with Megan Thee Stallion in her real life . . . is one of the most hideous things I’ve ever seen.”

Megan Thee Stallion, whose real name is Megan Pete, is not the person on trial but occasionally appeared to be leading up to the contentious nine-day proceedings.

The “Hot Girl Summer” rapper has undergone a wave criticism from her peers rooted in misogynoir since announcing that she was shot in the Hollywood Hills in July 2020 and later naming Lanez as the alleged shooter.

Scrutiny was renewed when Lanez’ assault trial began earlier this month, especially when Megan took the witness stand in a downtown L.A. court-

room last week.

The swaggering performer behind hits such as “WAP” and “Body” was often on the verge of cracking during her emotional four-hour testimony on Dec. 13, talking about suicide, depression and her regrets over coming forward about the shooting, which landed her in a hospital with bullet fragments in her feet.

“I wish he would’ve just shot and killed me if I knew I was going to have to go through this torture,” the 27-yearold testified.

Lanez, 30, a Canadian hip-hop star whose real name is Daystar Peterson, has been charged with assault with a firearm, illegal weapons possession and negligent discharge of a gun. If convicted, he faces more than 22 years in prison.

But his defense team has tried to shift the blame toward Megan’s estranged best friend, Kelsey Harris, who was also present the night of the shooting. Lanez’ attorney argued that Harris exploded following an alcohol-fueled revelation that both women had been sleeping with Lanez. Harris, who is not on trial, offered jurors conflicting accounts of what allegedly transpired that night in the Hollywood Hills.

Meanwhile, the case has reignited discussions about misogyny in the male-dominated hip-hop industry, in which Megan has ascended with a discography of songs about powerful women, especially powerful Black women. Lanez also released an entire record denying the shooting, and more recently, fellow Canadian rapper Drake hinted that he didn’t believe Megan’s accusations against Lanez on the track “Circo Loco.”

FF

Zits Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

Pearls Before Swine Stephan Pastis

Dilbert Scott Adams

Baby Blues Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott

Baldo Hector Cantú and Carlos Castellanos

Rich Fury/Getty Images/TNS file (2021) Megan Thee Stallion at the BET Awards in Los Angeles, June 27, 2021.

Jetsons-style robots are invading Chicagoarea hospitals, amid worker shortage

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

It’s not polite to stare. Especially in the hospital.

But nearly everyone who passes Moxi the robot at Elmhurst Hospital in Elmhurst, Illinois, can’t help but goggle at it, as it slowly rolls through hallways and corridors. The robot is roughly human-shaped, stands about 5 feet tall and, perhaps most strikingly, has big blue eyes, reminiscent of circles on a Lite Brite screen, that occasionally blink.

“That’s technology these days,” said David Crisp, of Westchester, Illinois, laughing, as he waited for an appointment with his mother at the hospital on a recent day. He sat there as the robot rolled up to the infusion center door, delivering med ication to a nurse. “These are the times.”

For months, Moxi robots have been roaming the halls of at least three Chicago-area hospitals: Elmhurst, Edward Hospital in Naperville, Illi nois, and MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, Illinois. They deliver medication and shuttle supplies and small pieces of equipment across the facilities. It’s the latest strategy aimed at dealing with a nationwide shortage of nurses and other medical workers that has left many hospitals scram bling for help.

“With the staffing shortage, we’re always looking for ways to take non-clinical tasks away from the clinical staff, especially repetitive tasks,” said Dr. Kimberley Darey, Elmhurst chief medical officer. She noted that Moxi does not work with patients.

The idea behind the robots is to give nurses more time with patients and perform higher level care, rather than asking them to take 10 or 15 minutes to walk an item across the hospital. Many hospitals, including Elmhurst, have pneumatic tube systems for delivering certain items across the hospital, but not all medications and equipment can go through the tubes, either because they’re too bulky or must be handled with care.

That’s where Moxi comes in.

When nurses want to use Moxi, they can summon the robot by entering a request into an app on a tablet, similar to the way a person might request an Uber ride.

When the robot arrives, a nurse or worker then holds their

badge up to a detector that sits about bellybutton level on Moxi. That allows the worker to open any of the three drawers on the robot, and the nurse can place medication, supplies or equipment into a drawer. Moxi then scoots away.

When Moxi arrives at its destination, a written message appears on its face screen, momentarily replacing its eyes: “Hello, I’m here for a drop-off.”

A nurse can then flash their badge at Moxi’s detector, prompting the drawer to unlock so the nurse can retrieve the delivery.

Each month, the two Moxi robots at Elmhurst Hospital perform about 1,800 deliveries, said Hiral Patel, innovation program manager at EdwardElmhurst Health, which merged with NorthShore University HealthSystem in early 2022.

The two robots at MacNeal completed more than 4,800 deliveries between August and November, said Jennifer Moore, a nurse manager at MacNeal.

“At MacNeal, we have a lot

of people moving supplies and equipment around,” Moore said. “Our nurses are leaving the floor, leaving their patients’ bedsides, to return (telemetry boxes),” she said, referring to devices used to monitor patients’ heart rhythms. “Moxi was a great way to help keep those people in their departments and be able to still move the medications and equipment and supplies from point A to point B.”

Plus, she said, the robots are fun.

“I grew up with ‘The Jetsons’ and Rosey (the robot),” Moore said. “I think it’s really exciting.”

At first, when Moxi arrived at Elmhurst, some of the nurses were nervous, said Heather Johnson, a nurse and clinical leader at the hospital. They worried about what would happen if the robot broke down while trying to deliver medication, or got stuck in a hallway. But after a successful trial run, nurses began to feel more optimistic about the robot’s usefulness.

“If we didn’t have Moxi, then that means nurses are running off the unit themselves,” Johnson said. “As nurses, we want to be by our patients at all times.”

For the most part, the robots now wheel through the hospi-

tals by themselves. They’ve been programmed to know their way around. When the robots first start at hospitals, workers with the company that makes them, Diligent Robotics, accompany the robots throughout the hospitals to help them learn where to go.

Small sensors line the robots’ waists and dot other areas of their bodies, helping them to sense their surroundings and avoid obstacles.

When Moxi needs to get through a closed security door, the robot holds its right wrist up to a detector on the wall, the same way a human might flash their badge. At Elmhurst, workers are still training Moxi on how to use elevators, a skill it’s learned to do at other hospitals. For now, at Elmhurst, Moxi will wait by an elevator, and ask aloud for assistance.

When the robots are between tasks, they head to charging stations at Elmhurst. Otherwise, the robots operate most of the day, seven days a week.

The hospitals don’t own the robots. Rather, they pay Diligent Robotics subscription fees, depending on how much they use them. Patel declined to say how much the robots cost the hospital but said, “It’s cheaper than

hiring human help for the same amount of time.”

Diligent Robotics co-founder and CEO Andrea Thomaz also declined to say exactly how much the company charges hospitals for Moxi.

She and her former Ph.D. student Vivian Chu founded the Texas-based company in 2017 and have, so far, deployed dozens of robots to hospitals across the country, Thomaz said.

They developed the robot based partly on research they did, in which they followed nurses and other medical workers through hospitals in Texas. “You would see so much hunting and gathering for stuff and supplies and all the things that we have Moxi robots doing today,” Thomaz said.

They intentionally designed the robots to look a little – but not too much – like humans.

“A big part of what makes someone more comfortable with working closely with a robot is if it has a head and a face and eyes and ... can express its intentions,” she said. Moxi, for example, will turn its head slightly to the right if it’s about to turn right down a hallway, and it will tilt its face toward a badge reader on a wall before lifting its wrist to the reader.

But at the same time, Moxi’s creators didn’t want it to look too human. They didn’t want those working with the robot to expect it to have human, adult-level intelligence or to speak a lot.

“We were definitely going for a friendly, socially acceptable” robot, she said.

She said it’s fun to see people’s reactions. “We do hear a lot of people tell us it’s just nice to bring a smile to a stressful environment,” Thomaz said.

At Elmhurst Hospital, patients often grin as Moxi rolls by. Some stop to take selfies with it.

“It’s absolutely adorable,” said Alex Lugo, of McKinley Park, while waiting for an appointment on a recent day. “So cute.”

Pam Altman, of Villa Park, said she first noticed Moxi months ago, when her husband was in the hospital.

“I was like, ‘What the heck was that?’” Altman said of her first reaction.

But she’s grown used to seeing Moxi.

“These nurses are really busy, so it frees up time,” she said.

Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune/TNS file photos

Aly Vishram, a pharmacy tech, places supplies in the drawer of Moxi the robot, one of two robots working at Elmhurst Hospital, Dec. 1. Moxi will then take the supplies to the infusion center.

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