Daily Republic: Sunday, February 5, 2023

Solano board to review spending options for final

funds

daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — Solano

County supervisors are scheduled Tuesday to consider recommendations on how to spend $10.564 million in federal pandemic relief money as it reviews various pandemic-related projects to address homelessness.

The county has already allocated the vast majority of the $86.949 million in available American Rescue Plan Act pandemic relief funding.

CAP Solano has prioritized a total of $8.631 million in pandemic relief spending to address homelessness:

n The full updated request of $4.05 million for the Project Homekey/ Broadway Street project in Vallejo.

n The full updated request of $2.2 million for a kitchen project and staffing at the homeless navigation center in Fairfield.

n $2 million of an updated $7.6 million request for construction of a homeless navigation center in Vallejo.

n $381,000 of a $1.431 million request through the Vacaville Solano Services Corporation to boost My Friend’s House Shelter, which serves transitional-age teens and young adults ages 18 to 24.

The county has requests pending for a bit more than $20.94 million in American Rescue Plan Act pandemic relief to address homelessness, not counting a request for $14.2 million from NorthBay Health to help balance its books and more than a dozen other unsolicited requests from agencies that include the Solano Land Trust, the Vacaville Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club, the Solano Transportation Authority and the nascent Pacific Flyway

SuSan Hiland SHILAND@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VACAVILLE — Aubrey Matthews is an expert on the history of the Tuskegee Airmen. He regaled a full house of listeners Saturday at the Vacaville Museum.

The museum is hosting a series of talks on aviation. The talks feature individuals with stories of experiences and expertise on the area of aviation. This coincides with its exhibit, “Solano Skies: A History of Aviation in Solano County.” Matthews, a Vietnam veteran, was born in Boulder, Colorado, before relocating to California and graduating from Vallejo High School in 1966.

Up until he went to Vietnam he had never heard of the

Tuskegee Airmen.

“People never talked about the Black officers who were part of the Tuskegee Airmen,” he said.

Matthews heard stories while in the military but never the whole history.

It was not until 2007, when he really started to hear about the history from airmen who were connected with the Tuskegee officers and pilots, that his interest was peaked.

Working as an airframe technician, Matthews served in the U.S. Air Force from January 1967 until his honorable discharge in January 1971. He continued his career and passion of aircraft while working in places such as Mare Island, Travis

tHe WaSHington poSt

A U.S. fighter jet, acting on an order from President Biden, downed a Chinese surveillance balloon off the South Carolina coast on Saturday, the Pentagon said, ending what senior administration officials contend was an audacious attempt by Beijing to collect intelligence on sensitive American military sites.

Biden had authorized the takedown on Wednesday, instructing the Pentagon to act “as soon as the mission could be accomplished without undue risk to American lives under the balloon’s path,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement confirming the operation. The president, in brief remarks to reporters, said: “They successfully took it down. And I want to compliment

our aviators who did it.”

With a single missile fired from an F-22 Raptor, the craft was taken down at 2:39 p.m., shortly after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered ground stops for all flights in and out of Wilmington, N.C., Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Charleston, S.C. The agency lifted the order less than an hour later.

Videos taken by onlookers showed shredded remnants of the balloon falling, leaving a white plume in its wake. One witness described hearing a “boom.”

The days-long ordeal has caused a political furor in Washington and placed new strains on what was already a fraught relationship between the two world powers, leading the Biden administration to announce on

tHe WaSHington poSt

BOHOYAVLENKA, Ukraine – Russian forces have launched a midwinter surge of attacks in Ukraine’s hotly contested Donetsk region, probing Kyiv’s defenses along a fresh stretch of the sprawling eastern front as President Vladimir Putin’s commanders ready a new push to conquer all of southeast Ukraine.

The attacks in recent days have centered on Vuhledar, a mostly deserted coal-mining city 70 miles southwest of Bakhmut, where Russian fighters have made some of their first territorial gains in months. Plumes of smoke rise almost constantly from Vuhledar, and the dark woods and rolling fields surrounding the city ring with mortar and artillery volleys from each side.

“They have been pushing hard for last four days, but we have stopped them,” said Dykanka, a Ukrainian fighter whom

The Washington Post agreed to identify only by his call sign because of security risks.

Amid artillery blasts that shook snow from the bare tree branches, Dykanka, 43, was taking a break along a tank track cut through a forest outside of Vuhledar. An exposed cache of ready 155mm howitzer shells nearby were marked as “ordnance of the U.S. Army.”

Vuhledar sits at a crucial bend in the battlefield near where the

eastern front meets Russia’s line of control to

the south, which in turn forms Putin’s much-coveted “land bridge” to Crimea from mainland Russia. It is close to a rail line connecting Crimea, a hub for Russian troops and supplies, and the Donbas region.

Dykanka and other fighters said Russian troops have made near daily attempts to overwhelm Ukrainian forces defending Vuhledar and to breach Ukrainian lines extending northwest and southeast of the city.

So far, the Ukrainians

I’m sure reversal of Earth’s rotation is no reason to panic

If this were a popular science-fiction movie, the first indication would be something subtle. Maybe the water going in the opposite direction when someone flushes. Maybe someone noting the sun set 30 seconds later than expected. Maybe a cartographer noting the distance between two cities (say Indianapolis and Los Angeles) is actually slightly farther than it was a couple of years earlier. Something would be off. That’s how it would be in the movies, at least.

But it’s 2023 and the first indication came from a scientific journal. Things aren’t changing on the surface of Earth – at least in ways we can tell right now – but they are on the interior. Earth’s inner core is slowing its rotation speed and may soon reverse direction.

No big deal. Just the middle of the planet slowing to a stop and then throwing the gear into reverse.

JUST THE MIDDLE OF THE PLANET REVERSING DIRECTION!

Scientists are casual about it, as they always are in these situations (see every apocalyptic movie, where all scientists are chill except the famous actor who is seen by his or her colleagues as panicking).

“We show surprising observations that indicate the inner core has nearly ceased its rotation in the recent decade and may be experiencing a turning-back in a multidecadal oscillation, with another turning point in the early 1970s,” geophysicists Yi Yang and Xiaodong Song of Peking University in Beijing wrote in a

paper published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Oh. Just that. It’s surprising, but the CENTER OF THE EARTH IS REVERSING DIRECTION. The scientists, Yang and Song (a tremendous name for a mid-1980s musical duo), try to appease us by pointing out this is similar to a similar situation in the early 1970s. Like that’s supposed to comfort us.

Maybe it would, if you had no knowledge of history. However, I’ve been around long enough to remember the early 1970s. And the last time this happened – the last time THE CENTER OF THE EARTH REVERSED ROTATION DIRECTION – the following happened:

n Watergate.

n Massive bell bottoms.

n “The Candy Man” by Sammy Davis Jr. was a top-10 song.

n The Partridge Family was both a popular TV show and popular musical act.

n The gas crisis.

It’s possible all those things happened independently. It’s also possible the decline of Wham! had nothing to do with George Michael leaving the group. It’s also possible the big rainstorm of 2016 had nothing to do with me paying for a carwash right before it. It’s also possible eating that pizza left out overnight had nothing to do with you getting food poisoning in 1996. Possible. But likely related.

I read a good chunk of the paper by Yang and Song (again, a great name for a musical duo) and saw a lot of references to things like “temporal variation” (album title nomination!) and “seven-decade oscillation” (good band name) and “electromagnetic torque” (Wow! This report is a gold mine for

A bear in Colorado took 400 selfies; fashion

The WashingTon PosT

Bears, like us, know that it’s impossible to get a good selfie in one take. As one bear in Colorado demonstrated, you should probably take 400 to be safe.

Last week, the Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) department posted merely four of the selfies, taken in November, to give us a taste of the magic.

“Recently, a bear discovered a wildlife camera that we use to monitor wildlife across #Boulder open space,” they said in a tweet. “Of the 580 photos captured, about 400 were bear selfies.”

Shannon Aulabaugh, a spokesperson for OSMP, says most of the time, wildlife pass the camera without stopping. But for whatever reason, this bear paused for an extensive photo shoot.

The bear’s work is a master class in vacation photos. Chin tilts, smoldering eyes, a coy look over the shoulder.

“The engagement is iconic, the confidence really comes through,” said Andrew Matecki, a Los Angeles talent casting and art director, adding that the bear could work in the industry (should it like to) a long time, given its versatility.

“She definitely knows her angles,” said Los Angeles fashion photogra pher Amanda Sophia Rose. “She’s really catching you, bringing you in, having direct eye contact to the camera . . . like she’s done it before.”

(While we know the bear is a natural in front of the camera, “we don’t know male or female

CORRECTION POLICY

as the bear did not take that kind of selfie,” Aulabaugh added.) The department has nine motion-detecting cameras set up in its 46,000-acre land system to study the local wildlife population from a safe distance. Once an animal is in their path, the cameras take a still photo and shoot 10- to 30-second videos. After dark, they use infrared light to illuminate critters, which causes less disturbance than a traditional flash. In addition to the photogenic bear, the cameras have also captured yipping coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, eagles and prairie dogs.

John Hechtel with the International Association for Bear Research and Management – a group of nearly 500 bear biologists, managers, technicians, educators and conservation practitioners in more than 40 countries – says this kind of wild animal exposure is more than internet fodder; it’s an effective tool for conservation efforts. The hope is that the more the public engages with viral bears, the more they’ll care about protecting bears and

their habitats.

If the idea of seeing these creatures in the wild inspires you to plan a trip to Boulder, note that the likelihood of catching most of them is slim. The OMSP staff hardly ever sees them.

There are other places for bear spotting. Fans of Fat Bear Week – please tell us you already know about Fat Bear Week – travel all the way to one of the coun try’s most remote national parks in Katmai, Alaska, to see the colossal brown bears up close.

It should go without saying, if you do encoun ter a wild animal, do not attempt to take a selfie with it.

Should you prefer to admire wildlife from home, there’s never been a better time to be an armchair fan.

Beyond Fat Bear Week, there’s a growing supply of video cameras pointed at bear habitats around the world for your viewing pleasure. You can watch black bears in Minnesota, polar bears in Canada, rescued bears in a Romanian sanctuary. There are also the many animalfilled Instagram accounts to follow, like the National Park Service.

It is the Daily Republic’s policy to correct errors in reporting. If you notice an error, please call the Daily Republic at 425-4646 during business hours weekdays and ask to speak to the editor in charge of the section where the error occurred. Corrections will be printed here.

band names!).

But I wasn’t distracted from the main point. The geophysicists can explain it and the media can downplay it and Yang and Song can even record an album about it (“Temporal Variation,” a concept album that would include a remake of “IGY (What a Beautiful World),” the 1982 hit by Steely Dan’s Donald Fagan about the International Geophysical Year). However, don’t miss the big point.

THE CENTER OF THE EARTH IS REVERSING ITS ROTATIONAL DIRECTION.

Now go back to your regular life. I’m sure there’s nothing to see here.

To be sure, I’m stocking up on bell bottoms.

Reach Brad Stanhope at bradstanhope@outlook.com.

a star

Brad Stanhope Like I was sayin’

City of Boulder courtesy file photos

A bear in Boulder discovered a wildlife ranger’s camera trap, November 2022.

A bear in Boulder discovered a wildlife ranger’s camera trap, November 2022.

Police jail man suspected in shooting that left girl injured

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VALLEJO — A man was jailed Friday in connection with a shooting early this week near Vallejo High School that left a girl injured.

SWAT Team members served a search warrant at 5 a.m. at a home on the 900 block of Nebraska Street, where four adults were detained, police report. The search was related to the shooting that occurred Tuesday.

Detectives searched the home and found evidence related to the shooting, according to a police statement.

Detectives interviewed Leon Meco Arreguin and report he confessed to the shooting.

Arreguin was booked shortly after 12:20 p.m. into the Solano County jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, illegal and negligent discharge of a firearm and inflicting injury on a child, all felonies. Bail was set at a combined $115,000. He was also booked for a suspected felony probation violation.

He was also held on three out-of-county felony warrants: one for grand

Wine, chocolate tickles taste buds of Benicia visitors

SuSan HilanD SHILAND@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

theft; one for possession or purchase for sales of a controlled substance; and one for two counts of burglary.

The shooting happened shortly after the school day ended Tuesday. The age and city of residence for the girl, described only as a juvenile, was not released. The injuries to the girl were described in a press release earlier this week as serious but not life-threatening.

Police responded at approximately 3:30 p.m. to the shooting. The initial investigation indicated the shooting was between people in two moving vehicles. The girl was walking nearby when she was struck with what police report appeared to be a stray round. Police in the press release indicate they do not believe she was the intended victim.

The girl was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Interim Police Chief Jason Ta decried the brazen nature of the violence.

“Our schools need to be a safe place for our children,” Ta said in the previous press release.

See Police, Page A4

2023 through 2031.

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VACAVILLE — An incident linked to a restraining order violation led to a standoff Friday that prompted police to limit access to a major thoroughfare and ended with a Fairfield man in jail.

Police responded at approximately 8:50 a.m. to the area of the Nut Tree Plaza shopping area on East Monte Vista Avenue to investigate a reported restraining order violation and began searching for a man wanted for allegations authorities report in a community update were related to domestic violence.

The man was found inside his vehicle in a shopping center near the corner of Browns Valley Parkway and East Monte Vista Avenue, authorities report. He refused to exit his vehicle and locked himself inside, according to police.

Negotiators were called to the scene and after what police describe in the community update as “extensive efforts” to gain the man’s compliance, he remained locked inside.

Chemical agents were deployed into the vehicle and the man was taken into custody, police report. The man, described as a 32-year-old Fairfield resident, was transported to Solano County jail.

Zachary Allen Pacheco was arrested at 1481 E. Monte Vista Ave., booked into custody shortly before 2:15 p.m. Friday and held on suspicion of violating a temporary restraining order for stalking and for allegedly committing a felony while out on bail or on his own recognizance, both felonies; a misdemeanor allegation of obstructing authorities; and for an unspecified bail enhancement, according to jail booking records.

Bail was set at a combined $67,500.

FAIRFIELD — The City Council this week will hear from the community about the city’s formal housing plans that will carry into the next decade.

A public hearing is scheduled Tuesday on the Housing Element of the city’s General Plan, which serves as the blueprint for community growth. The proposed Housing Elements covers

If approved, the Housing Element will be filed with the California Department of Housing and Community Development for certification.

City staff recommends approval of a negative declaration for the project – essentially a review of the document that states the plan has no significant detrimental environment effects – and adoption of the Housing Element after taking input

BENICIA — Hundreds of people got a taste of some fine wines and delicious chocolate Saturday along Main Street. They sipped and walked from shop to shop despite the light rain.

Marc Parella came with his family, including the dogs, for the annual Wine and Chocolate Walk.

“I am surprised by the turnout,” he said. “I guess the only thing that would make it more perfect would be to pair the chocolate with some bacon.”

Parella’s wife, Brenda, noted they had been coming for five years.

“This is an annual family gettogether,” she said.

The children were planning a sleepover later and the grownups had plans for a large family meal.

Nancy Martinez, organizer and executive director of the Benicia Main Street Association, has been putting on this event for 12 years.

“People come for the fun,” she said, “but it is also a way to get people downtown and into the shops.”

Many come downtown and stop by shops they have not been in to before.

There were 31 merchants participat-

ing this year, growing from the 15 they started with years ago.

“We plan for 400 people; that is how many tickets we sold,” Martinez said.

The event was canceled during the pandemic.

“Once the pandemic was over we had four events back to back,” Martinez said. “People were ready to get out and do things again.”

But they had to change things up for health reasons. Instead of glasses, participants were given a plastic cup at each stop.

Morgan Evans, of Benicia Psychic, was happy to welcome customers in to her petite shop. She gets involved in every event but really loves the chocolate walk.

“OK, it is my favorite, honestly,” she said. “This is good to get our name out there and since Covid happened this is bringing people back together again.”

It also introduces people to her shop and the more spiritual side of life, she said.

Karin Mendiola of Benicia brings her mom, Arlita Smith, from San Ramon every year. It has become a favorite outing for mother and daughter.

“We really love it and the Beer Crawl in March, too,” she said.

from the community.

State law mandates that the General Plan’s Housing Element be updated every eight years and certified by the state. Fairfield’s current Housing Element covers the period of 2015 to 2022.

The Housing Element addresses the city’s range of housing needs, according to a staff report. It sets forth actions the city will undertake to support the production of “an adequate supply of safe, afford-

able housing for existing and future residents,” preserve and rehabilitate existing affordable housing, protect tenants from displacement pressures, and “affirmatively further fair housing” throughout the city “so that everyone has access to housing opportunity.”

Certification by the state makes the city eligible for a variety of grants that help fund its housing

See Council, Page A4

Travis trustees to look at live-streaming meetings

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — Travis School District trustees will hear from Superintendent Pam Conklin Tuesday on the cost of live-streaming the board meetings.

The public has asked for the board to stream

the meetings for several reasons, including providing a record for future reference and allowing people to view the meetings from home. Staff has gathered information (including cost, staffing needs and legal requirements) involved for live-stream-

ing meetings. There is a one-time cost of $7,754.49 for cameras and equipment and there will be an approximate cost of $4,000 per year in staff compensation, according to a staff report.

The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. at 2751 De Ronde Drive in Fairfield. A complete agenda is available at https://simbli. eboardsolutions.com/ sb_meetings/sb_meetinglisting.aspx?S=36030187.

ARREGUIN

Fairfield council set to hear from public for last time on 8-year housing plan

Susan Hiland/Daily Republic photos Mike Caplin, Benicia Main Street Board president, pours wine for the visitors at the annual Wine and Chocolate Walk in downtown Benicia, Saturday.

Marc Parella, of Benicia, with his 2-year-old dog, Sophia, waits for the rest of the family to join him for the annual Wine and Chocolate Walk.

NYC blasted with record-setting cold

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

NEW YORK — New

Yorkers hunkered down and hid from the cold for a second straight day Saturday as temperatures across the city dipped to the single digits.

More than 20 million people in New York and

Guards to benefit from state prison closures, too

Like a military bugle, my ears awaken to the sound of blaring commands. I get up, get dressed and exit my prison cell, and head in the direction of the chow hall.

Every so often, I glance at the posted correctional officers. Their facial expressions are revealing: They are counting the days until they retire from this hell.

After decades in prison, I’ve noticed the problems associated with incarceration are taking their toll on the guards, too.

“We need the warning label, like with cigarettes,” retired California corrections officer Stephen B. Walker once told Kaia Stern, co-founder of the Prison Studies Project. “This is hazardous to your health. I’m slowly being poisoned over a 35-year period and nobody tells me.”

When Wasco State Prisons correctional officer Shawn Wilder last month barricaded himself in a prison building for nine hours, he was apparently suffering from a mental health crisis. Wilder has been working in prisons since 1996, and returned the job four years ago after a “medical retirement” in 2015.

On an episode of the “Ear

From Page A3

programs, capital improvements, transportation infrastructure and special purpose needs, according to the staff report. Failing to certify a Housing Element by the state-mandated deadline resets the schedule for updating the Housing Element from every eight years to every four years, limits access to state funding, opens the city to potential lawsuits and “subjects the city

Police

From Page A3

“This senseless and brazen daytime shooting near the school is unacceptable. We will utilize all of our

Hustle” podcast, Dave Harwood, a lieutenant at the California Correctional Center in Susanville with 20 years of experience, said working inside the CCC changed him.

“Seeing what human beings can do to each other and how quickly people can turn on you, I can’t remember the last time I felt 100% relaxed,” he said.

Just like these officers, I’ve suffered the punishing effects of prison life for almost 30 years. I have witnessed untold violence. I have been jacked up against walls, screamed at and humiliated. I have seen hatred in an officer’s eyes, heard it in their voices, witnessed it in the way they tore apart my cell during a search. I’ve even tasted it in prison food.

Look, I get it. We are among the most hated people in California. But it’s hard to understand how relegating incarcerated people to that position increases public safety.

“I think this job completely eats away at their souls,” said San Quentin prisoner Tony Tafoya of correctional officers. Tafoya has been incarcerated for a decade.

Correctional officers are trained to treat us with a certain amount of contempt, which eventually can

to rigid streamlining of development approvals.”

Cities must now account for specific types and availability of housing in accordance with the state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Allocation.

The allocation includes 3,069 units in Fairfield. The total includes 792 units for very low-income families with annual income less than $54,350; 464 units for low-income families with annual income between $54,350 and $86,960; 539 units for moderate-income families with annual income between $86,960 and $130,440;

available resources to investigate this matter and assist the school in providing a safer environment. We ask for any witnesses to cooperate and provide information to help us solve this senseless crime.”

Vallejo High students at the time of the shoot-

translate to mistreatment. That dehumanizing behavior takes its toll – on everyone.

Incarceration shortens life expectancy. The Prison Policy Initiative found that each year in prison can shave off two years of an incarcerated person’s life. A 2011 mortality study by a Florida sheriff’s office found that Florida correctional officers die an average of 12 years earlier than the rest of the population. Everybody living and working in prisons are on edge. Anxiety, stress and burnout affects both the incarcerated and prison workers alike. Research by Northeastern University found that correctional officers have suicide rates seven times higher than the national average.

The silver lining to all of this?

Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state leaders want to shutter as many as five prisons by 2025. Deuel Vocational Institute closed in 2021, the CCC in Susanville will close this year, and Chuckawalla Valley State Prison by March 2025.

Unfortunately, it’s still not enough. Californians United for a Responsible Budget have called for 10 prison closures by 2025 to address the public health crisis that prisons have created. Their

See Brooks, Page A5

and 1,274 units for families deemed above moderate incomes with annual incomes of more than $130,440.

The draft of the Housing Element has been available in various forms for public review since August and has already been subject to a public hearing and review by the Planning Commission in September. Another public review period started in December after changes to the draft plan were made based on recommendations from the state. That amended plan was subject to another public hearing

ing had already been dismissed for the day. The school had increased security Wednesday, with the added presence of Vallejo Police Department personnel, according to the press release.

The shooting remains under investigation.

last month before the Planning Commission, with the commission approving the plan and sending it to the City Council for final consideration.

The public hearing is the final item on the posted agenda.

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the City Council chamber at 1000 Webster St. A full agenda is available at www.fairfield. ca.gov/government/ city-council/city-councilmeetings. A closed session is scheduled at 5 p.m. in the city manager’s office on the fourth floor of City Hall at 1000 Webster St.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective Jordon Patzer at 707-648-4278, Detective Ken Jackson at 707-648-4280 or Detective Brian Murphy at 707-648-5430 or Brian. Murphy@cityofvallejo.net.

across the Northeast continued to endure what meteorologists called a brief though potentially life-threatening blast of cold – and on a New Hampshire mountaintop, observers experienced the worst wind chill

See Cold, Page A5

Christopher Blake Sudat

Christopher Blake Sudat was born on Memorial Day in 1983 (May 30) to Laurna Mary Vianney Sudat and Richard Vernon Scott III at David Grant Medical Center on Travis Air Force Base (AFB) in California. Chris was bicycling home from work on Wednesday, December 28, 2022 at 5:22 p.m. when his life’s story was abruptly ended by a drunk driver. He was 39 years old. He is survived by his parents, his brother, his two nieces and one nephew, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. His loved ones will remember him always in many small and large ways, and mourn the future they will not get to discover together

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, February 12, 2023 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Suisun Veteran’s Memorial Building, 427 Main St, Suisun City, CA 94585.

Sylvester Williams

Sylvester Williams was born July 28th, 1928, near the town of Rhine Georgia and peacefully passed away on January 14, 2023, in Fairfield, California at the age of 94. He grew up in Moultrie, Georgia with his brothers and sisters

In 1946 he enlisted in the U.S Army. In 1951 he transferred to the U.S. Air Force and was honorably discharged in 1956.

Sylvester enjoyed a career at Chevron Corporation in Richmond, California and retired after many decades. After he retired Sylvester worked many more years as a consultant, where he traveled to different sites and solved difficult problems.

After Sylvester retired from his consulting work, he dedicated his time to collecting and repairing clocks.

Sylvester was a beloved husband, brother, uncle, stepfather, friend and colleague friend and colleague, known for his kind and generous spirit. Throughout his life, he always put others before himself and brought joy to those around him.

Sylvester enjoyed inviting his nieces, nephews and friends to his house and prepared many delicious meals for them.

Sylvester was respected and admired by those who worked with him. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. May he rest in peace and be remembered for his selfless contributions to his community and love for his family.

Sylvester leaves to mourn his passing: a brother, a sister-inlaw, nieces, nephews, grand nieces, grand nephew, cousins, and friends who will miss him dearly.

Christopher Lawrence Blackburn

Christopher Lawrence Blackburn sadly passed away on Saturday, January 14, 2023. He was born in Fairfield, CA on May 14, 1967. Christopher (Chris) resided in Suisun, CA and Fairfield his entire life.

Christopher was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served in Desert Storm. He worked at All Weather Glass in Vacaville for 10 years as a glass manufacturer.

Chris cared for animals very much and was a loyal fan of the Raiders football & A’s baseball teams. Christopher L. Blackburn is survived by his parents, Warren & Arlene Blackburn; brother, Randall Blackburn; and sister, Michelle & brotherin-law, Michael Fortunato. He is also survived by nephews, Frankie Mitchell and Vincent Fortunato; and niece, Elizabeth Fortunato Funeral services for Christopher L. Blackburn will be on Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 10:30 am at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Fairfield, CA. There will be a Rosary on Wednesday, February 8 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Fairfield Funeral Home, 1750 Pennsylvania Ave., Fairfield, CA. Christopher L. Blackburn will be laid to rest at The Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, CA immediately following the mass. Following the burial there will be a reception from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Pietros #2 in Vacaville, CA. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in the name of Christopher L. Blackburn to East Bay SPCA at eastbayspca.org. Please no flowers, donations only. Thank you.

Laura Baumgartner

Laura Elizabeth Baumgartner was called home to the Lord on January 7th, 2023, after a brief illness. She was born on March 18th, 1936, in Barre, VT to the late Richard and Stella Harris. Laura met the love of her life, Gilbert (Gil) Baumgartner in 1959 while both were vacationing on a beach with friends in New Hampshire. They married six months later on February 5th, 1960. With Gil in the Air Force, they relocated several times over twenty years until eventually making their fore ver home in Fairfield, California. Laura and Gil raised three children and were a very close family

Laura was a humble, kind, and generous woman with a great sense of humor. Her laughter was heartfelt, and her smile lit up the room. Laura was selfless and always willing to help others. She was very active in volunteering and dedicated countless hours at her church, Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Fairfield. Laura specialized in accounting with a 30-year career, much of which was with Solano County. Laura enjoyed doing all things crafty: from sewing, quilting, knitting, embroidery, and baking. She also enjoyed spending time with Gil and his passion for classic cars, attending occasional car shows or taking backroad car tours in their ’57 Thunderbird.

Laura’s faith and family were her highest priority. She was a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister and aunt. Laura will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Laura is survived by her loving husband of 62 years, Gil, and her three children, Haidee and husband Harr y, son Todd, and daughStacie; her sister Mildred and husband Terry and six nieces, their spouses and children.

A visitation and rosary will be held on Tuesday, February 14th

Bryan Braker Funeral home in Fairfield from 1:30pm-3:30pm with the rosary starting 2:00pm. A Catholic funeral mass service will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Fairfield on Wednesday, February 15th at 10am. Following the mass, burial will take place at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon. A Celebration of Life will take place at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fairfield from 1:00pm-4:00pm after the burial.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Laura’s name Holy Spirit School 1050 N. Texas Street, Fairfield, CA 94533.

NAVY VETERAN

ARMY & AIR FORCE VETERAN

Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic file (2018)

Corrections Lt. Megan Cherinka, of California Medical Facility, places a rose on the memorial plaque for Correctional Officer Albert Patch at the Solano County

Peace Officers’ Memorial, in front of the Sheriff’s Office, May 16, 2018. Patch was stabbed to death in 1980.

Steve Brooks

Dems shake up presidential primary calendar

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

PHILADELPHIA

— Democrats voted Saturday to allow South Carolina to hold the party’s first presidential primary next year, ending nearly 50 years of Iowa and New Hampshire leading the party’s nominating season.

Under the new calendar, proposed based on recommendations from President Joe Biden, candidates would face voters in South Carolina on Feb. 3, followed by Nevada and New Hampshire on Feb. 6, then Georgia and Michigan. But the new calendar faces additional hurdles, namely a lack of cooperation from Republican leaders in New Hampshire and Georgia.

Party leaders praised the new calendar, saying it will elevate the voices of Black and Latino voters, and transform the early nominating process to better reflect the demographics of the Democratic Party.

“This calendar reflects the best of who we are as a nation and it sends a powerful message,” said Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison. “The Democratic Party looks like America, and so does this proposal.”

As suggested, the plan also allows Biden to reward South Carolina, where his first-place finish in the state’s 2020 Democratic primary helped revive his campaign after losses in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Biden has hinted that he plans to seek reelection. During a speech Friday to Democratic National Committee members he laid out his administration’s accomplishments and said there’s more work to do.

“Let me ask you a simple question: Are you with me?” he said, prompting chants of “Four more years!”

Cold

From Page A4

ever recorded.

“The core of an arctic air mass will be over the area early Saturday morning, with low temperatures in the single digits for New York City and immediate suburbs, with wind chills 10 to 15 below,” the National Weather Service said Saturday.

Lows in New York on Saturday evening were expected to range from the low teens to mid 20s – and temperatures were expected to rise thereafter.

Temperatures at Kennedy Airport in Queens dropped to a frigid 4 degrees Fahrenheit Saturday morning, breaking a record for the same date in 1996, according to the NWS. Newark Airport and LaGuardia Airport in Queens similarly hit a record low of 5 degrees, and in Central Park, it was as chilly as 3 degrees around 7 a.m., the agency said.

Wind chill warnings and advisories were also

Brooks

From Page A4

campaign began in January.

We must find alternatives to the mass warehousing of humans because this experiment is hurting everyone. The cost of imprisonment is going up. The cost of trying to maintain the health of everyone in the prison, including those who work here, is going up.

In the meantime, the return on investment for the ordinary taxpay-

The president isn’t likely to face a competitive primary challenge. Some Democrats who might have run against him, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., have said they won’t get in the race if Biden runs.

The proposal to change the primary calendar was first advanced by the party’s Rules and Bylaws Committee in December, before coming to a vote before the full party committee at its winter meeting in Philadelphia.

The plan passed by voice vote with overwhelming support and only a handful of “nay” votes. Some have criticized Biden for handpicking the states in which he’d need to campaign to seek reelection. Supporters of the president say now –ahead of what could be an uneventful primary – is the best time to overhaul the schedule. Whether the presidential primary calendar plays out the way Democrats intend it to is another matter.

Republicans have already selected Iowa,

issued for all of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, and they remained in effect through Saturday morning.

Parts of northern Maine faced the harshest conditions and thousands of residents were placed under blizzard warnings. Temperatures in parts of the state experienced wind chills as cold as 60 degrees below zero on Friday, the NWS said.

In northern New Hampshire, weather observers atop 6,288-foot high Mount Washington recorded a wind chill of minus 108 degrees, the coldest ever recorded anywhere. Without the wind, the temperature atop Mount Washington was minus 47 degrees, tying a record set in 1934. Wind gusts on the summit were recorded at 127 mph. The frigid weather was triggered by a large, low-pressure system that ripped across eastern Canada and pushed the freezing air southward. The NWS said it brought about “some of the coldest air of the season” so far.

ing California citizen is going down.

Steve Brooks is an incarcerated journalist who resides at San Quentin State Prison and works at San Quentin News. He has written for numerous publications, including Sports Illustrated and The Nation, and received the 2020 “Excellence in Commentary Award” from the Northern California Society of Professional Journalists. Brooks wrote this for CalMatters, a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s Capitol works and why it matters.

New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada to hold their early elections. Republican leaders in both New Hampshire and Georgia have said they won’t hold separate primaries.

Under Democratic Party rules, no state or territory is allowed to hold a presidential nominating contest before March unless granted a waiver by the national party. For nearly 50 years, Iowa and New Hampshire have held the first caucus and primary. In 2008, Nevada and South Carolina were added to the early window.

In recent cycles, the waiver process was straightforward for the traditional early states, despite longstanding complaints about Iowa’s

complex caucus system and its continued elevated status alongside New Hampshire.

Iowa’s fate was likely sealed in 2020, when state Democrats rolled out a buggy app and failed to deliver election results on time. Saturday’s vote means Iowa Democrats will have to hold their caucus no earlier than March to avoid sanctions from the national party.

New Hampshire hasn’t fared much better. Technically, New Hampshire was demoted from the first-in-the-nation primary state to tied for second with Nevada, but only if Republican Gov. Chris Sununu and the state’s GOP-led legislature decide to expand mail voting and repeal a state law that pro-

tects the coveted status of the state’s presidential primary.

Sununu, who is considering running for president, has made clear he has no intention of helping Democrats implement their calendar.

“We’re going first no matter what,” he told USA Today last month, accusing the Democratic Party of trying to “manipulate the system” to help Biden.

New Hampshire Democrats have defended their traditional role in the primaries, stressing that the state’s small size, cheap media markets and engaged voters make it an ideal place for candidates to try their luck. But they have also pointed to their inability to change state law.

“We’re in an impossible, no-win position,” New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Raymond Buckley told reporters Friday ahead of the vote. “We cannot unilaterally change state law.”

Buckley said New Hampshire Democrats are ready to face whatever punishment the national party places on the state, as long as it doesn’t hurt their candidates running in less prominent races next year.

Since 1975, state law in New Hampshire has required its secretary of state to set the date of the presidential primary one week prior to any similar contest – meaning after the Iowa caucus, but before contests held in any other

primary states. The influence of that law, however, is limited to the Granite State. Democratic National Committee members say the party, not individual states, control the nominating contest. Saturday’s vote is seen as a step toward making the nominating process more accessible to other states. States were able to apply for the early window spots and will have a chance to apply to lead the calendar in the 2028 presidential cycle as well.

“Here’s the reality: No one state should have a lock on going first,” said Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan.

Democrats debated the proposal for about an hour. Party members from Iowa and New Hampshire opposed the new schedule, warning it would make things harder for Democrats heading into the 2024 general election.

Scott Brennan, a DNC committee member from Iowa, said that advancing the proposal, despite Georgia and New Hampshire failing to meet the terms of their waiver, would introduce uncertainty into the process.

New Hampshire missed deadlines last month to meet the terms of its waiver, as did Georgia, where state leaders have not moved up the state’s primary. The party’s Rules and Bylaws panel voted last week to give the states until June 3 to make progress, which is unlikely.

Elizabeth Robertson/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

President Joe Biden, left, and Vice President Kamala Harris wave to the audience after addressing the DNC Winter Meeting at the Sheraton Downtown in Philadelphia, Friday.

Great Depression holds a lesson for us

The Federal government has announced the emergency status for the Covid-19 pandemic will end in May. Many changes in requirements, work patterns, personal routines and availability of health care related to Covid will replace the pattern we have seen for the past three years. We have all endured the demands and differences in our lives, which will now transform into another pattern. Maybe the pattern returns to what it was, and maybe not. In any case, these transitions have created mental, emotional and physical stresses.

Change is never easy, and the emotional stress usually leads to some type of problems.

Already we hear about changes in lifestyle, shorter life expectancies and other behavioral issues coming because of the pandemic emergency situation.

What can we expect next? Perhaps looking to historical events of similar magnitude would be enlightening.

A new study from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College examined the long-term negative impacts to Americans born during the Great Depression.

The researchers think the experiences of that time might be consequential for today’s youngest citizens, teenagers born during the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009 and toddlers born in the midst of the steep Covid downturn in 2020. And perhaps applicable even for adults.

The Great Depression, which followed a devastating collapse in the stock market with 25% unemployment, was the deepest recession in U.S. history.

The researchers found the stresses and financial strains on parents from the Depression’s extraordinarily high unemployment over a protracted period of time did long-term damage to the health and careers of their children that persisted late into their lives.

The shock of the Great Depression was massive and affected everyone, across all segments of society. Families suffered from loss of income, joblessness, changing careers. All factors had a huge impact on the children’s development and socioeconomic status, which in turn determined how they functioned as adults. Financial distress can harm the long-term health of children if the family cannot afford to buy nutritious groceries and quality health care or is not able to relocate to another part of the country with better job prospects.

The researchers identified adults born in the 1930s to analyze how they fared late in their careers based on how severe the Depression was in the state where they were born or lived as young children.

The Depression had long-term adverse results. People born in states more affected by the Depression were less productive and less attached to the labor force than their counterparts who grew up in states with stronger economies during that

difficult time. They also had poorer health, were more often disabled, and had higher mortality due to health problems like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Clearly there are some relevant comparisons to the events we have encountered since 2008. With all the turmoil, economic stresses and now inflation, almost everyone has encountered emotional stress, and probably physical and health challenges as well.

Another comparison attaches the New Deal programs of the 1930s with the massive spending during Covid-19. Though such programs may have helped during the pandemic, we are now seeing some of the blowback in the current high inflation. Every program and policy action brings both good and bad characteristics. The researchers predicted the Covid assistance “may play a significant role in mitigating the future long-term adverse effects of the Covid-19 recession on the aging outcomes of children born during this time.”

The summary policy implications of the research findings are:

n Declines in productivity in midlife and at older ages due to prenatal exposure to the Great Depression may have reduced contributions to the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) system.

n Worse health conditions in advanced ages due to prenatal exposure to the Great Depression may have increased the demands on OASDI programs and the health care system.

n U.S. safety net programs, including food stamps, TANF, EITC and Medicaid, may play a significant role in mitigating the future long-term adverse effects of the Covid-19 recession on the aging outcomes of children born during this time.

How similar is our current national situation? Are the comparisons relevant? Can we learn something from history? My concerns follow from these questions: Can we afford these social programs? Can we afford not to have such programs? How robust is the public health system across the country? How can government policies encourage the economy and individuals to return to both physical and financial health?

I suggest we think deeply on these matters and ask our elected officials to focus on the many substantive matters we are certain to face.

Mark Sievers, president of Epsilon Financial Group, is a certified financial planner with a master’s in business administration from UC Berkeley. Contact him at mark@ wealthmatters.com.

Crumbl opens second cookie shop in Solano

VALLEJO — Owners of the Crumbl Cookies specialty cookie shop in Fairfield have opened their second location in Solano County.

Vallejo Crumbl

Cookies opened Jan. 20 at 764 Admiral Callaghan Lane. Store owners Brad and Laura Bangerter said in a press release they are excited “to serve delicious treats to cookie-crazed fans in Crumbl’s perfectly postable pink boxes.”

The store is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 8 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. The store brings than 55 jobs to Vallejo, according to the press release.

Crumbl Cookies offers a weekly rotation or 200-plus flavors that include Crumbl’s award-winning Milk Chocolate Chip. Some of Crumbl’s specialty flavors include internet favor-

ites such as Cornbread, Cookies & Cream, S’mores, Key Lime Pie, Peppermint Bark, Caramel Popcorn, Buttermilk Pancake and Galaxy Brownie. Weekly flavor drops occur at 6 p.m. MST each Sunday on all of Crumbl’s social media accounts.

Brad and Laura Bangerter have lived in California for more than 10 years, where they raised their family of five children.

The Bangerters have a long history of owning and operating businesses, according to the press release. Brad Bangerter has a history with successful consumer business models, and Laura Bangerter has a history in real estate and vacation rental management. Together, the Bangerters enjoy enterprises that provide employment opportunities, hospitality and quality customer service.

“We first fell in love with Crumbl Cookies

as a way to enjoy a treat together with our grandchildren. Everyone loved them” Laura Bangerter said in the press release.

“We love everything from the freshness of our cookies to the pink boxes,”

Brad Bangerter said in the release. “The rotating menu creates a fun and unique experience each time we serve our friends

and neighbors.”

The Bangerters opened their first Crumbl location in June at 5089 Business Center Drive, Suite 100, in Fairfield. Customers may order in-person at the shop. The shop also offers delivery, curbside pickup, catering and nationwide shipping via the Crumbl app and online at Crumbl.com.

Travis Credit Union Foundation adds $10,000 to support Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VACAVILLE — The Travis Credit Union Foundation will make a $20,000 donation to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals; UC Davis Children’s Hospital, Merced Valley Children’s Hospital and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital this year.

“I want to send a sincere thanks to more than 1,000 donors who helped raise $10,000 in

donations that the Travis Credit Union Foundation will match to support the work of the Children’s Miracle Network,” Kevin Miller, board chairman of the Travis Credit Union Foundation and CEO and president of the Travis Credit Union, said in a press release.

Donor support for this campaign promotes the Travis Credit Union Foundation’s commitment to building financially empowered communities

by empowering local hospitals to support families with best-in-class health care, according to the press release.

The Travis Credit Union Foundation expresses gratitude to all the Travis Credit Union members and donors who helped make this campaign a success, and for supporting the foundation’s mission to take leadership on important areas of financial need; in this case the financial inse-

curity that can come with navigating today’s health care systems.

Travis Credit Union Foundation was founded in 2018 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated solely to charitable and educational causes. The foundation supports financial education, literacy and wellness initiatives and is the philanthropic arm of Travis Credit Union (traviscu. org), which has its headquarters in Vacaville.

SAFE Credit Union doubles scholarship awards amount

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — SAFE

Credit Union is increasing its annual scholarship awards from $1,000 to $2,000 this year for 10 high school seniors who are continuing their education after graduation.

“We are renewing our commitment to empowering both individuals and our communities this year by doubling our scholarship awards,” SAFE Credit

Union President and CEO Faye Nabhani said in a statement. “We know early support of students furthering their education can help launch them into a future with fulfilling and far-reaching careers.”

The scholarships are based on financial need, grade point average, a personal statement and a letter of recommendation.

To be eligible, applicants must attend schools in Solano, Yolo, Alameda, Amador, Butte, Contra

Costa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Sutter and Yuba counties and and be members of SAFE, or their parents or guardians are members of SAFE.

Scholarship recipients are invited to use the funds at any university, college, community college or trade school. Applicants must apply by March 15.

Since first offering the scholarships more than 20 years ago, SAFE has awarded approximately

$200,000 to students living in the 13 Northern California counties the credit union serves, according to the company statement. The 2023 SAFE scholarship application can be accessed and submitted at https://www.safecu. org/2023Scholarship.

SAFE Credit Union serves Solano County businesses, residents and workers and has a branch in Davis.

SAFE Credit Union grants benefit community programs

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — SAFE

Credit Union has awarded the Construction Industry Education Foundation a $5,000 grant to sponsor a school’s participation in its Design Build Competition.

The grant was awarded through the credit union’s Community Sustainability Grant Program, which provides funds to Sacramento region nonprofits with programs that support education, health care and veterans. SAFE invited the community in December to determine the two grant recipients offering education programs that address inequities.

Voters chose the Construction Industry Education Foundation and Sacramento Cottage Housing Inc. to each receive $5,000 grants.

“We’re extremely grateful for SAFE Credit Union to have the foresight to support programs like ours to ensure a stronger economy in the future,” Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange CEO Tim Murphy said in a press release. The Construction Industry Education Foundation is affiliated with

the Sacramento Builders Exchange and provides programs to high schools to encourage students to consider careers in the trades, engineering, architecture and construction.

The grant to the Con-

struction Industry Education Foundation was one of eight totaling $95,000 awarded to nonprofits from SAFE in 2022, according to the press release.

SAFE Credit Union is

based in Sacramento and has a branch in Davis. Learn more about SAFE’s Community Sustainability Grant Program at https:// www.safecu.org/ under the Community tab.

We service all makes and models of RV motorhome, 5th Wheel and Trailer Chassis, brakes, lights, engine, HVAC, transmission, steering, axles, bearings, suspension, tires etc. We also repair and service all trucks from a pick up truck to a Class 8 Big Rig. Our team of Technician’s have over 150 years combined repair and diagnostic experience. We treat your vehicle like it is ours. There is no job too big or small, we invite them all.

Give us a call to schedule an appointment or just stop by we always have coffee brewed and popcorn popped. We look forward to meeting you and providing you with excellent customer service.

Courtesy photo Crumbl Cookies opened Friday, Jan. 20 in Vallejo.

New gold rush: Tech moves to gain the edge in AI

BloomBerg

Big Tech is about to go big on artificial intelligence. Companies from Microsoft to Meta Platforms are telling investors AI is a “huge opportunity” for growth – and are pledging hefty investments to outpace rivals.

Mentions of “AI,” “machine learning” and related terms have soared in the latest round of company earnings calls, according to a Bloomberg News analysis of the transcripts from 15 of the biggest software and semiconductor companies. AI seemed immune even as talk of cost-cutting dominated: There were more than 200 mentions of terms related to the subject, by far the most since it started getting noticeable mentions on U.S. tech earnings calls in 2013.

Most of Silicon Valley’s major players have had AI products in the works for years. But the race was officially on after OpenAI’s November release of ChatGPT, the generative AI chatbot that became a viral hit, rang through the industry like a warning shot.

“Let me acknowledge, AI has

become a big topic of conversation this year,” International Business Machines Chief Executive Officer Arvind Krishna said on his company’s call last month. “I was in Davos last week and it probably came up at almost every single discussion around technology – what’s happening with AI, as well as what’s happening with OpenAI.” ChatGPT, he said, is the latest in a series of breakthroughs that have galvanized the industry, comparing it to IBM’s Watson and Google’s DeepMind.

The calls made one thing clear: Everyone wants to become an AI leader – or thinks they already are. Here’s what some of big tech’s top brass had to say over the last few weeks:

n “More than six years ago, I first spoke about Google being an AI-first company. Since then, we’ve been a leader in developing AI” — Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai

n “We’re going to lead in the AI era, knowing that maximum enterprise value gets created during platform shifts” — Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella

n “One of my goals for Meta is to build on our research to become a

leader in generative AI in addition to our leading work in recommendation AI” — Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg

n “Tesla is really one of the world’s leading AI companies. This is kind of a big deal, with AI on the software side and on the hardware side” — Tesla CEO Elon Musk

Meanwhile, semiconductor company Advanced Micro Devices is keen to cash in on the huge hardware investments the new technology will demand.

“Over the next several years, one of our largest growth opportunities is in AI, which is in the early stages of transforming virtually every industry service and product,” AMD CEO Lisa Su said.

Meta began mentioning AI in its earnings calls as far back as 2013, when it announced the formation of an AI research group to make sense of all the content shared on Facebook. Since then mentions increased slowly across the industry and began to take a more prominent role starting in 2016. While talk of the new technology ebbed and flowed during that time, it’s now officially unavoidable.

Bankman-Fried entity that owns Robinhood stake goes bankrupt

Sam Bankman-Fried’s Emergent Fidelity Technologies, an offshore entity that owns 55 million shares of Robinhood Markets, filed for bankruptcy Friday amid a fight over who should get the stock following the collapse of FTX Group.

The Robinhood stake, worth more than $590 million at current market prices, has been seized by the U.S. government, but its ultimate fate is unclear. A hodgepodge of parties including the Justice Department, bankrupt crypto lender BlockFi, and Bankman-Fried himself, are trying to take the shares for good.

The Chapter 11 filing gives Emergent Fidelity and its liquidators – appointed by a court in Antigua – some breathing room.

The liquidators’ “duties are to the debtor’s creditors, whoever those creditors may be,” Angela Barkhouse, one of the liquidators, said in a sworn court statement.

Emergent Fidelity also holds $20.7 million of cash, but has no other assets, according to court papers.

–Bloomberg News

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CALMATTERS COMMENTARY

California not alone in having polarized politics

Politically speaking, 1998 was a watershed year for California.

The 20th century was drawing to a close – a century in which Republicans had largely dominated the state’s politics, including three iconic governors: Hiram Johnson, Earl Warren and Ronald Reagan.

When Gray Davis won the governorship in 1998, he was the first Democrat to do so in 20 years and only the fourth in the entire century. However, his election marked the beginning of a new political era in which Democrats would become utterly dominant, acquiring all statewide offices and supermajorities in both houses of the Legislature and the state’s congressional delegation.

Although local offices in California are officially nonpartisan, Democrats also became dominant in county boards of supervisors, city councils and school boards. Meanwhile, the ranks of Republican voters and officeholders shriveled into irrelevancy.

Not only has the Democratic Party achieved hegemony at all levels, but it has moved decidedly to the left – so much so that in 2016 it refused to endorse a long-serving Democratic U.S. senator, Dianne Feinstein, for re-election and opted for her challenger, Kevin de Leon.

Self-proclaimed progressives dominate the Legislature and happily partner with history’s most outwardly left-leaning governor, Gavin Newsom, to enact policies and programs he describes as unique and potentially global in reach.

Newsom in his spare time engages in verbal sparring matches with governors of states, such as Florida and Texas, that were sliding to the right as California was drifting to the left during the first decades of the 21st century.

While academics and pundits debate the reasons why California politics have changed so dramatically over the past quarter-century, new research indicates it is not an isolated phenomenon.

Political polarization at the federal level is self-evident – such as the virtual 50-50 split in both houses of Congress between very liberal Democrats and very conservative Republicans – but a new study delves into how it’s also happening in state legislatures.

Boris Shor of the University of Houston and Nolan McCarty of Princeton University assembled a massive bank of legislative voting records and other data to chart the growth of state-level polarization.

They discovered the once-significant ideological “overlap” between legislators of the two parties – the point at which there could be bipartisan cooperation – had vanished in the past quarter-century. Democrats moved to the left, Republicans moved to the right and dominance by one party, such as what happened in California, increased.

“States in the West are both the most polarized and are polarizing the fastest,” the researchers write. “The South began as the least polarized region, but has been polarizing fairly quickly and overtook the Northeast in 2007, which is the region with the lowest growth.”

“As with the U.S. Congress, all 99 state legislative chambers are polarized, that is, with party medians significantly different from each other,” they continue. “In 88 of those 99 chambers, the parties are getting even more significantly distant from each other over time.”

California, not surprisingly, is a leader in what is not a positive trend.

“The five most polarized states in the country in 2020 are, in order, Colorado, California, Arizona, Texas and Washington State,” the study found. “While California was for a long time the most polarized state, it was overtaken by Colorado in 2017.”

Overall, Shor and McCarty concluded, shifts to the left by Democrats, more than shifts to the right by Republicans, account for the increase in legislative polarization – a contrast with the GOP’s dramatic rightward march in Congress.

“The ‘smoking gun,’ however, remains elusive,” they say. “No one ‘cause’ has been identified as dominant, nor is there likely to be one.”

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters. For more columns by Dan Walters, go to Commentary.

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.

Emotional council a danger to Suisun residents

I attended the City Council meeting in support of a member of my community who applied for the vacant seat in Suisun City council. The process of selection seemed to be initiated because the candidates who finished with a vote difference in the November election were not considered eligible by the newly elected City Council to be next in line for the position. With a long history in psychology, it was impossible not to notice the emotional load among participants, but the surprising part was to observe the emotional response from the council members. Boldness is a rare quality these days. Some appreciate it, some are intimidated by it, but reacting to it by allowing emotions to override rational thought, the most complex level of decision making, can become dangerous, and it is concerning for ones depending on decisions made, in this case us, the residents of Suisun City.

When a bold statement was delivered by a resident with regard to the candidate’s political history, psychological reactance was showcased by a majority of council members. Continuum behavior like this puts Suisun City at economical and safety risks. The elected council was elected to listen to the residents’ concerns and act upon it, not be emotion-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR COMMENTARY

ally reactive.

Sacheen Kukar Suisun City

MLK message rings true today

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s mission and contribution is unassailable. It cannot be rightly denied or singly acclaimed by any political party. The message is God-given, antiparty and anti-racism. His message was and is, and will always be needed to combat existential racism fostered by Satan. Because of CRT, BLM and other demonic iniquities, MLK’s message must continue to ring forever.

Kelvin Wade’s column (Daily Republic, Jan. 18) tries to associate a Democratic Party claim to MLK’s manifestos. But, historically, the Republican Party has always been the prime mover away from slavery. Also, Wade seems not aware that Alveda Celeste King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s niece, was a Republican-Trump supporter in 2016 and 2020. Perhaps we should forgive Wade’s ill-begotten “sanctuary” for MLK because of the known frequency and current mistreatment of Blacks.

The real issue of racial tension and injustice, I believe, should point to the “church.” But no real Christian/believer (perhaps a minority in the “church”) will ever tolerate racism within their aegis and will be deeply hurt by any such accu-

sation. Any issue of racism will be best served by the love and likes of MLK – not by divisive political rhetoric. Love is God’s second commandment (Matthew 22:30), and “love is what you do.”

William Coburn Fairfield

California exhibits baitand-switch refund on gas tax program

It appears California is trying to trick the taxpayers into thinking they are getting something for nothing. People have paid a substantial amount of tax on the gasoline they have purchased. People suggested we put a hold the state gas tax; however, the legislators did not listen to what the people wanted.

A hold on the gas tax would have relieved the high price of gasoline instantly. However, the state did not want to give up the residual income from the gas tax. It took forever for the state to get the refund issued because they issued the refund in alphabetical order.

So we have a tax on a tax by issuing a 1099 MISC, making the taxpayers pay tax on something which has already been paid. The state seems to have a major problem managing the taxpayers’ money and looking out for the well-being of the people.

Aaron Nowling Benicia

China’s alleged spy balloon a symbol of its clumsiness

To understand how a balloon – at once menacing and farcically Zeppelin-retro – might become a defining image of the new cold war, consider how this alleged Chinese spy contraption captures both sides of the present moment.

It is provocative enough to cause Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a much-anticipated trip to Beijing. It is clumsy enough to symbolize China’s immense capacity to blunder – a tendency that President Joe Biden’s team has lately exploited, to devastating effect. Two years ago, when Biden assumed office, China believed it was overtaking the United States technologically, intimidating it militarily and winning the race for global respect and popularity against an exhausted, divided America. Today, in a remarkable turnaround, China is the country that veers between Covid-19 lockdowns and casual sacrifice of elders, between clobbering its real estate sector and coddling it, between persecuting its entrepreneurial champions and promising to make nice.

On the foreign policy side, meanwhile, the Biden team has inflicted a series of humiliations on its chief rival.

Start with the semiconductor embargo on China, announced last October by the Commerce Department. This involved a calculated risk: If U.S. allies refused to collaborate, China would import the equipment necessary to produce its own advanced semiconductors, leaving it stronger and more self-sufficient. But on Jan. 27, the administration reportedly secured the backing of the two most important semiconductor equipment exporters, Japan and the Netherlands. China’s ability to pursue artificial intelligence and other advanced military technologies will be curbed.

Next, consider India. Four days after the semiconductor deal, national security adviser Jake Sullivan met with his Indian counterpart and announced a series of ambitious defense and technology partnerships, from quantum computing to more conventional weapons such as jet engines and artillery. The goal is to reduce India’s reliance on Russian arma-

ments and draw it into the U.S. military-industrial complex. That, in turn, will reinforce the Quad, an Asian proto-NATO that also includes two other nations that Biden is helping to rearm, Japan and Australia. Hot on the heels of the India deal, the White House secured a victory in the Philippines. At the end of the Cold War, the Philippines closed U.S. military bases on its territory, and a partial reopening in 2014 was derailed when Manila opted to make nice with China. But on Thursday, after assiduous prodding by the Biden team, the Philippines expanded the number of sites to which the U.S. military has access from five to nine. That will enhance the United States’ ability to respond to Chinese provocations in the South China Sea – including, in the most extreme scenario, an attack on Taiwan.

Meanwhile, the Treasury Department has also been active. Perhaps for the first time since the emergingmarket debt crises of the 1990s, the department has effectively marshaled the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to reinforce U.S. global leadership.

This opportunity has arisen from China’s odd decision to turn a diplomatic advance into the equivalent of a spy balloon that is both ineffective and embarrassingly visible. Early in his tenure, in 2013, Xi Jinping rolled out his Belt and Road Initiative, an international infrastructure splurge designed to deepen China’s economic ties in Africa and Asia. Many of these projects were financed with loans, with the result that China has rapidly become the largest official creditor to developing countries.

Initially, this looked like a genius Chinese move to win friends and influence people. Now that economic conditions have soured, free-flowing Chinese loans have created the conditions for debt crises in several emerging nations. To make matters worse, China refuses to learn from the Western experience with poorworld debt, which teaches that it’s best to soften payment terms quickly. That way, borrowers have a chance to return to growth and repay some of the money. Plus, they won’t hate you as much.

Zambia is ground zero of China’s self-defeating obstinacy. As part of the Belt and Road Initiative, the African nation’s previous and deeply corrupt government commissioned a hydropower station, two international airports, two stadiums and a railway. Chunks of money disappeared; and when Covid hit the world economy, Zambia defaulted. Last year, after the election of a cleaner government, the IMF promised a rescue package on the condition that creditors take a suitable hit: The IMF wasn’t going to pump money into Zambia if the cash was going straight into the pockets of irresponsible lenders. China and its fellow creditors duly promised to renegotiate the debts. Half a year later, China has ensured the discussions have gone nowhere.

Enter Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen. Spotting an opportunity to paint China as the enemy of the poor world, she flew to Zambia last month and called out Beijing as a “barrier” to resolving the debt impasse. Her visit coincided with that of Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF boss, who lectured China on the need to learn a lesson on debt management from the “mature” West. For good measure, World Bank President David Malpass appeared on Bloomberg TV to denounce China’s debt obstructionism.

Now that China’s comic-book spy balloon has been so vividly exposed, it is tempting to seize the chance to inflict yet another humiliation on Beijing. Political voices on the right demand that the balloon be shot down, presumably for the theatrical fun of it. Although the Biden team deserves credit for pushing back against Xi, it also must remember that China remains a major power, and that it better find ways of working with Beijing. When Blinken eventually does visit, his job will be to combine strength with calm. The thing about cold wars is that you don’t want them to escalate.

Sebastian Mallaby is the Paul A. Volcker senior fellow for international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations and a contributing columnist for The Washington Post. He is the author, most recently, of “The Power Law: Venture Capital and the Making of the New Future,” published in February 2022.

Dan Walters

Sebastian Mallaby

Crime logs

FairField

THURSDAY, FEB. 2

5:39 a.m. — Vehicle theft, 700

block of SAN MARCO STREET

6:47 a.m. — Vehicle theft, 2700 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

7:19 a.m. — Reckless driver, LOPES ROAD

9:14 a.m. — Vandalism, 900

block of PACIFIC AVENUE

9:40 a.m. — Forgery, 4300 block of CORDELIA ROAD

9:42 a.m. — Forgery, 1900 block of PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE

10:31 a.m. — Vehicle theft, 700 block of SAN MARCO STREET

11:38 a.m. — Robbery, 1900 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

12:16 p.m. — Trespassing, 1400 block of HOLIDAY LANE

12:48 p.m. — Trespassing, 2900 block of MARKELEY LANE

3:31 p.m. — Forgery, 1000 block of UNION AVENUE

4:16 p.m. — Forgery, 1200 block of GRANT STREET

p.m. — Reckless driver, WESTBOUND I-80

SuiSun City

Air Force Base and in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Matthews is a former president, historian and Young Eagles coordinator of Lee A. Archer Jr. Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen Inc. at Travis Air Force Base as well as the former president and Young Eagles coordinator of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Chapter 1230, at the Nut Tree Airport. He has spent years traveling to exhibits and meeting Tuskegee Airmen in order to collect information and knowledge about their legacy.

were not all Black,” Matthews said. “They had white pilots but they flew separately from the Black squadrons.”

The Tuskegee Airmen were nothing but a success story that is not told in schools.

After the war, the military designated the 99th Squadron as top-secret and the airmen who flew hundreds of missions were silenced from sharing their history in fighting the scourge of Nazis across Europe.

Most of the airmen are gone today so it is up to the families and numerous historians to tell the stories of the 99th Squadron.

movie “Red Tails” came out that the general population got a lesson on the adventures of the airmen.

To begin with, they were tasked with escort duty of the bombers, and they didn’t engage with the Germans. Eventually they started actively combating the German air threat with battles that left the Germans on planes and pilots.

of HILBORN

His hour-long presentation included a movie short, which was really short due to technical issues, but that didn’t stop him from sharing all he has learned about the airmen over the years.

Later, the HBO television movie “The Tuskegee Airmen” caught the interest of another generation.

Dylan Arnold, 15, of Fairfield, had never heard of the Tuskegee Airmen until Saturday at the museum.

“There must be a lot of stuff that you haven’t learned in school,” he said. Visitors had a chance to take a look at the exhibits after the talk.

“This is a fun way to get people into the exhibit,” Vacaville Museum Executive Director Sarah Olsen said. “We are hoping to make it more dynamic.”

Board

NorthBay hoped last year to cover a budget deficit of $100 million through a mix of employee layoffs, spending cuts and contract renegotiations. A report from last fall showed the health care corporation on track to achieve $86 million in combined cost cuts and added revenue.

Now NorthBay hopes to get $14.2 million from the county’s federal pandemic relief funds to hit the initial $100 million target.

NorthBay reports it saved $12.525 million by cutting 180 full-time equivalent positions – an aggregate total of full- and part-time workers that equals 180 full-time positions – along with some cuts to the pay of everyone at the director level or above.

The organization is saving $1.064 million by reducing its contracts with the Mayo Clinic, insourcing transport and lift services, and cutting spending on linens and scrubs. Another nearly $430,000 in savings comes from a reduction in office supplies and replacing office printers with what the company describes as “low-cost alternatives.”

A total of $31.3 million in new revenue was projected through renegotiated rates with Partnership HealthPlan of California and through implementation of “immediate” price increases.

NorthBay also projected $40 million in revenue through what it describes as county and state advocacy, to include efforts to obtain FEMA funding.

NorthBay reports it

received $40.3 million in federal CARES Act pandemic relief funding in 2020, which kept the organization on sound financial footing. That number dropped to $2 million in 2021 as what NorthBay characterizes as $53 million in Covidrelated losses piled up. That trend continued into 2022 and by April NorthBay was projecting $100 million in red ink by the end of the calendar year, with an operating loss of $62 million from January through July 2022.

No CARES Act funding was anticipated for 2022.

NorthBay’s patient demographic skew toward low-reimbursement categories, with approximately 78% or patient categorized as government-pay (with Medi-Cal patients accounting for 34.4% of all patients), and approximately 17% as commercial-pay patients, the company reports.

The request last year for $14.2 million in pandemic relief funding through the county reflects what NorthBay describes as “the direct unexpected costs for Medi-Cal and uninsured patients due to Covid-19.”

“Specifically, we had a higher-than-expected burden on our Emergency Department and longer lengths of stay, due to severity of patient illness as well as Covid lockdown restrictions,” NorthBay reports.

The meeting starts at 9 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors chamber at the Government Center at 675 Texas St. in Fairfield. An afternoon session starts at 2 p.m.

A complete agenda is available at www.solano county.com/depts/bos/ meetings/videos.asp.

The 99th Fighter Squadron was an allBlack flying squadron in the Army Air Corps who became known collectively as the Tuskegee Airmen.

“The Tuskegee Airmen

“It got so that the Germans would see the red tails of the airplanes and turn around and go home,” Matthews said.

The Germans lost 112 planes thanks to the Tuskegee pilots.

It wasn’t until the

“Today is the first time I heard about them,” he said. “This is a good opportunity to learn about history. It’s better than what they teach in school.”

The talks will continue with Soroptimist International members talking about women in aviation for International Women’s Day in March and Paul Mirich from the Rowland Freedom Center talking in April about the interesting items that have come through the doors. Center in Fairfield.

His friend, Xiano Ortega, 15, of Suisun City, was enjoying his birthday with a history lesson.

answers and China insists the incursion was innocuous and unintended.

Friday it was postponing a trip to Beijing by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. With efforts to recover and examine the downed craft now underway, friction between the two governments is expected to continue as the administration presses for

have held them off, punching back with artillery, much of it donated by Western allies, machine gun fire and improvised bombs dropped by drones.

But as the first anniversary of the invasion approaches, and Moscow deploys tens of thousands of reinforcements to the front, military analysts and soldiers on the battlefield say the momentum seized last autumn by Ukraine in two major counteroffensives has stalled.

And near Vuhledar, at least, the initiative has even shifted incrementally back to the enemy, they say.

“You can feel the intensity building in the last week,” said Andrii, a machine-gunner who had just come off a five-day stint outside of Vuhledar where he slept in a log-covered trench when not keeping his mounted Browning trained on Russian positions.

“We are more in a defensive position,” Andrii said. “We are not making gains from here.”

Further north near Bakhmut, a months-long onslaught led by Wagner mercenaries helped Russia capture the saltmining town of Soledar, and the Kremlin’s forces are now poised to seize control of the city. Near Vuhledar, they have gained no significant ground since November when Russian forces retook Pavlivka, a village just to the south, that has changed hands more than once since the invasion almost a year ago.

But in a recent interview with The Washington Post, Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, said there are now more 320,000 Russian soldiers in Ukraine – more than double Moscow’s estimated initial invasion force of 150,000. Ukraine, in turn, faces an acute need of more soldiers and weapons.

Putin has insisted that Russia will achieve its

“This is 100 percent their fault, their problem, and they’ve got to answer for it,” said one U.S. official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity citing the matter’s sensitivity.

The discovery of this military spy balloon and others – the presence of a second craft loitering over Latin America was

war goals, including in a speech last week celebrating the Soviet Union’s victory over Germany in the Battle of Stalingrad. And his newly installed commander, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, said last month that Russia’s positioning in Ukraine had stabilized enough for forces to concentrate “on completing the liberation of the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic.”

Donetsk is one four regions of southeast Ukraine, along with Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, that Putin has claimed, illegally, to have annexed, despite not controlling them militarily or politically.

Ukrainian military officials, and outside military experts, however, say that Russia may not be able to capitalize on the advantage of its force size.

Troop shortages, command failures and, more recently, dwindling munitions have hampered the invaders from taking advantage of costly conquests early in the war, of cities like Lysychansk in Luhansk region.

“At first, they had the equipment but they didn’t have the men. Now they have the men, but they don’t have the equipment,” said Konrad Muzyka, a defense analyst and director at Rochan Consulting, based in Poland.

Western weapons have further disrupted Russia’s usual military doctrine of massing a preponderance of troops and weapons to pierce the enemy line and then advance deeper into enemy territory, Muzyka said. The U.S.-supplied HIMARS (high mobility artillery rocket system), which was deployed in Ukraine last summer and uses GPS-guided munitions, has proved particularly effective at targeting that kind of concentration of forces.

Muzyka and other military experts say a victory over Vuhledar and its environs, on its own, would have limited military value for Moscow – a point they have similarly made about Bakhmut. “If Vuhledar falls, it will be a minor tactical victory at best,” he said.

disclosed on Friday, and officials say there is likely a third operating elsewhere –is highly embarrassing to the Chinese.

A second official, said that Beijing was “freaked” by the incident. “They’re in a very tough place,” this person said. “And they have very few cards to play right now.”

The balloon was struck by an air-to-air Sidewinder missile at an altitude of 60,000 to 65,000 feet by

a jet that had flown from Joint Base Langley-Eustis in southeastern Virginia, top Defense Department officials told reporters in a conference call. It was joined in the operation by other aircraft, including F-15s from Barnes Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts and tanker planes from several states.

Soon after, an array of Coast Guard and Navy vessels descended on the debris field to recover as

But every captured city, large or small, represents a step toward Putin’s goals. And in Moscow, where military officials have faced withering criticism from pro-war hawks over its military defeats so far, there is mounting pressure for victories, even symbolic ones.

Many Ukrainians fighting here believe that is precisely what Russia is after.

“Vuhledar is not a strategic priority in military terms, but it is a strategic priority for Russian propaganda,” said Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi, the military spokesman for the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regional government.

The forces fighting for Vuhledar, according to analysts, are mostly naval infantry troops from Russia’s 155th Brigade of the Pacific Fleet, forces akin to U.S. Marines. Their presence sets up a rematch of sorts between the Ukraine’s 72nd Mechanized Brigade, which has forces deployed in the area. The 72nd faced and largely bested the 155th in the fighting around Kyiv in the early weeks of the invasion.

Dykanka, the soldier resting in the woods, said his side relished a second meeting. “There are already a lot of dead Russians over there,” he said. “We’re just waiting for them to bring in fresh meat.”

While the skirmishes here are numerous and aggressive, including 13 separate attempts to puncture Ukrainian defenses on Wednesday night, they do not indicate that a major force is gathering – at least not yet.

Intelligence estimates suggest Russia has about six battalion tactical groups in rotation around Vuhledar, about

much as possible from the balloon, they said.

The balloon went down off the coast of South Carolina in relatively shallow waters, about 47 feet deep, which should make recovery easier, a senior military official said. A Navy salvage vessel will arrive within a couple of days, with FBI counterintelligence officials aboard, the official said, adding that it will likely include divers and unmanned

half or fewer than a major operation would require, according to Muzyka.

Instead, Russia may be trying to force Ukraine to divert troops from Bakhmut and other hot zones to Vuhledar. Or they may be testing Ukrainian strength at different points along the 140-mile front line that stretches through Donetsk and Luhansk. Or possibly mounting a diversionary tactic for an offensive planned for another area entirely. Or a combination of all of these.

“It’s hard to know where we are in the movie,” said Dara Massicot, a policy researcher at Rand Corp., when asked about the prospects for a major new offensive. “Clearly, there has been a directive to make progress. But I don’t see signs that the force is ready.”

“He is commanding the forces to do more than they are capable of doing,” Massicot added, speaking of Putin. “That could be a preview of the way they handle a new offensive.”

For civilians in the area, Russia’s motives are less important than the crushing upheaval the fighting has imposed on their daily lives. Thousands of residents have fled from the surrounding villages, leaving abandoned houses for sheltering soldiers and dogs roaming for food in the snow. Many of those remaining are elderly. The small city has been devastated by the fighting, with destroyed buildings on nearly every block, according to a Ukrainian platoon leader who was in Vuhledar this week.

Even the humanitarian volunteers have stopped coming in recent days, according to Valentyna Kalitch, 70, who was walking in her village of Katerynivka. The house, which a passing Ukrainian fighter said was a “tank shot” from the nearest Russian position, has been struck repeatedly.

“It is scariest at night,” Kalitch said, setting down the bucket of red winter berries she uses to make blood pressure medicine. “We just sit in the hallway and pray it doesn’t hit us again.”

underwater vessels.

The administration’s reluctance to shoot down the balloon before Saturday was criticized by Republican lawmakers, who called it a failure to protect American airspace from a top U.S. adversary. After the operation, some in the GOP continued to question the administration’s handling of the situation.

A key pandemic food benefit set to end, putting some seniors at risk

The WashingTon PosT

Doretha Harrison, 67, tries to avoid fatty foods and stick to fresh produce and lean proteins because of her diabetes and other health concerns. On a fixed income, she also must stretch her household food budget for the times her grandson lives with her in Washington, D.C. The $281 a month she currently receives in SNAP benefits cuts it close.

Know warning signs of serious heart condition

Ever experienced a racing or fluttering heartbeat? Sometimes that feeling is a bothersome but harmless situation while other times it may not be, as you could be experiencing a heart arrhythmia.

2022 than a year earlier, according to federal data. The rate of food insecurity has increased particularly among Black and Hispanic older adults, advocates say.

Nearly 9.5 million adults ages 50 and older are food insecure, and in 2019, 46%, or 8.7 million, of all SNAP households included at least one adult age 50 or older.

“By the end of the month, sometimes I run short,” Harrison said, “so I have to make sacrifices.”

After next month, she may have to start making more. That is when a pandemic-related benefit increase for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is scheduled to expire, even though advocates say it will put many SNAP recipients – particularly older ones like Harrison – at a higher risk for food insecurity at a time of increased prices.

Three years ago, when the pandemic hit and the country shut down, the federal government responded with programs that defrayed basic living expenses such as housing and food. Among them was a temporary boost to SNAP benefits, known as emergency allotments,

that increased monthly allotments for a singleperson household from a minimum of $16 a month to the maximum, now $281 a month, across the board. In March, per the government spending bill recently passed by Congress, that boost will end.

The emergency allotments were always intended to be temporary, said Stacy Dean, the Department of Agriculture’s deputy undersecretary of food, nutrition, and consumer services. “They’ve been a really powerful tool . . . during a time of incredible need, and it was proven to work.”

Noting that many pandemic-related assistance programs have expired, she added that the department is working with states to make people aware of available benefits. “We want to make sure that everyone who is eligible hears about it.”

But the reductions will be difficult for many, advocates say, especially since food costs were 12% higher in November

The expiration of the emergency benefits will translate to “$2.5 to $3 billion in food purchasing power disappearing from the American economy overnight, and impacting the most vulnerable people directly: people of color, children, and seniors,” said Vince Hall, a spokesperson for Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks that serve over 46 million people.

Minimum payments, those going to people near the upper limit of income eligibility, will decrease to $23 a month, though recipients with less income will get more. Before the pandemic, households that included a senior received an average of $120 a month, according to the Department of Agriculture, which administers SNAP at the federal level.

The amounts that seniors receive are often the smallest, Hall said.

“It means they are going to see the biggest reduction in food purchasing power,” he said. Seniors are also more vulnerable because many lack transportation, are still

reluctant to congregate at food distribution centers because of Covid-19 fears and have fewer options for adding to their incomes.

“They’re not going to pick up more hours at work or go get a new job when their SNAP benefits go down,” he said. Harrison said she expects she will rely more on food banks and eat less healthily once the emergency allotments expire. Before the pandemic, she was receiving $156 a month. “It will be kind of a hardship on me,” she said.

There are also occasions when you may feel fine, but your physician – during a regular check-up – may spot something amiss. Either way, it’s always a good idea to have the symptoms and condition checked out.

Arrhythmias occur when the electrical signals that coordinate a heart’s beating aren’t working properly, causing your heart to beat too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia) or irregularly. Arrhythmias can occur at any age, but like many cardiac conditions such as high blood pres-

sure, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure, most arrhythmias are more common in older adults. Not all arrhythmias need to be treated, but when they cause significant symptoms or if they are dangerous, they can be treated with medications, catheter procedures or implanted devices. Catheter ablation has become an attractive option for the treatment of many arrhythmias. For some arrthythmias, it can be curative and frequently can help the patient to avoid taking a medication long-term for

Nasir

Benefit

From Page A10 suppression.

From Page A10

During cardiac ablations, an electrophysologist guides a tiny catheter to the area of disruptive cells, and after deploying a carefully administered dose of radiofrequency energy, such as microwave heat, that small part of the heart’s disruptive tissue is destroyed and the heart is restored to a regular rhythm.

How do you know if you have heart arrhythmias? In general, signs and symptoms of arrhythmias may include:

n A fluttering in the chest.

n A racing heartbeat (tachycardia).

n A slow heartbeat (bradycardia).

n Chest pain.

n Shortness of breath.

n Anxiety.

n Fatigue.

n Lightheadedness or dizziness.

n Sweating.

n Fainting (syncope) or near fainting. If you feel like your heart is beating too fast or too slowly, or it’s skipping a beat, make an appointment to see a doctor. Seek immediate medical help if you have shortness of breath, weakness, dizziness, lightheadedness, feel like fainting or faint, or experience chest pain or discomfort.

Dr. Javid “Jay” Nasir is a cardiac electrophysiologist with NorthBay Health Heart & Vascular.

According to an AARP report, nearly 9.5 million adults ages 50 and older are food insecure, and in 2019, 46%, or 8.7 million, of all SNAP households included at least one adult age 50 or older.

The reduction in benefits could have ripple effects, said Nicole Heckman, AARP Foundation’s vice president of benefits access programs. For example, some SNAP recipients may decide it is no longer worth doing the paperwork once the benefits decrease and drop out, thus losing their automatic eligibility for other benefits that come through being enrolled in SNAP.

“The average person doesn’t know about this, that by walking away from SNAP they may miss out on easier participation in other assistance programs,” Heckman said.

Food insecurity is also associated with a higher chance of developing serious health issues and with increased health-care costs, especially for older adults with low incomes, according to AARP.

Some states, such as Maryland and New Jersey, have opted to use state funds to supplement the minimum monthly benefit. But the raise only increases the monthly allotments slightly, Heckman said, and won’t offset the reduction in federal dollars.

In 17 states, the benefits have already ended, and food distribution centers in these states are seeing an increase in demand, Heckman said. “We’re hearing about a dramatic rise in first-time clients,” she said.

In the remaining states, food banks and distribution centers are bracing themselves.

The Capital Area Food Bank, which distributes food through around 400 community organizations in the D.C. metro area, distributed 30 million meals a year before the pandemic; at its height, that rose to 75 million. This year, the number is projected to be 45 million, and the organization is already running ahead of that projection because of inflation, said Radha Muthiah, the organization’s president and CEO.

The District of Columbia has a high rate of food insecurity for seniors partly because of its costof-living increases, she said; many, like Harrison, are on fixed incomes.

“Seniors are cutting down on nutrition in some of their meals, saying, ‘Oh, I’ll have pasta, but I won’t have meat,’ or ‘I’ll not have eggs,’ ” Muthiah said. “What it means for the food banks is that we are back to ramping up.”

Hall said he hopes Congress will consider extending or reinstating the higher benefits.

50%

“We’re going to be bringing those voices to Washington,” he

I Fairfield 10 a.m., 12:30 and 3 p.m. Saturday The Dance Factory: Iconic Downtown Theatre, 1035 Texas St. www. downtowntheatre.com.

I Suisun City Noon Sunday Jazz Sunday Brunch Marina Lounge, 700 Main St., Suite 106. www.marina loungesuisun.com.

7 p.m. Wednesday Cultural Exchange Wednesdayz Marina Lounge, 700 Main St., Suite 106. www.marina loungesuisun.com.

7 p.m. Thursday Karaoke Marina Lounge, 700 Main St., Suite 106. www.marina loungesuisun.com.

8 p.m. Friday Hip Hop 50th Anniversary Party with DJ Tabu, CMG & More Marina Lounge, 700 Main St., Suite 106. www.marina loungesuisun.com.

8 p.m. Saturday Wild’n Out 2 PreValentine Comedy Competition with Jerry Law Marina Lounge, 700 Main St., Suite 106. www.marina loungesuisun.com.

I Vacaville

6 p.m. Saturday Elevate Dance Center Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre, 1010 Ulatis Drive. https://vpat.net.

7 p.m. Saturday Love Stroll After Party Journey Downtown, 308 Main St. www.journey downtownvenue.com.

9 p.m. Friday and Saturday Dueling Pianos: Jason Marion & James Michael Day Makse Restaurant, 555 Main St. duelingpianovacaville. com/events.

9 p.m. Saturday CPR 4 Life Journey Downtown, 308 Main St. www.journey downtownvenue.com.

I Benicia

6 p.m. Sunday Poker Night

The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therelliktavern.com.

7 p.m. Tuesday Open Mic Night The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therelliktavern.com.

7 p.m. Wednesday Karaoke The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therelliktavern.com.

5 p.m. Thursday Soul’d Out Duo The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therelliktavern.com.

9 p.m. Thursday DJ Jerry Ross The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therelliktavern.com.

4:30 p.m. Friday Thirsty The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therelliktavern.com.

8:30 p.m. Friday The Business The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therelliktavern.com.

4:30 p.m. Saturday Duo Sonics The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therelliktavern.com.

8:30 p.m. Saturday Strange Brew The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therelliktavern.com.

I Vallejo

5:30 p.m. Wednesday Aki Kumar Blues Band Empress Theatre, 330 Virginia St. www. empresstheatre.org.

6 p.m. Thursday Stand-up

Rodriguez High poets ponder Black experience

As we commemorate Black History Month, a celebration of the achievements of African Americans and the recognition of their central role in U.S. history, it is imperative for us all to embrace history and acknowledge its effect on our culture today.

I wanted this column to reflect the voices of students from their perspectives. It is important we stop and listen to our youth by allowing them to express their personal views and ideas. I believe it is with opportunities like this that we can learn from one another, especially through generational connections. Rodriquez High School English teacher

“Beautiful Black Skin”

Nevaeh Carriere

Black is beautiful

I am beautiful From my hair to my skin My beauty comes from within My ancestors blessed me with youth

They say black don’t crack And beauty is something I’ll never lack

Not only do I have beauty

But also intelligence Beautiful, smart, and strong It shouldn’t be wrong For me to simply live in my Beautiful Black Skin

Rebecca Novinfar prompted students in her classes with poetry assignments. She told me they were “dipping their toes into poetry.” I hope they continue testing the waters. Genea Brice, Vallejo poet laureate emerita, contributed to the process by working with seniors one afternoon. Here are five of the student poems from seniors in Novinfar’s African American/Women’s Literature class.

All poems from this classroom will be hung this month at The Coffee Bar, 740 Texas St. in downtown Fairfield. Owner Tamara tells me many people are stopping by to read poems while enjoying one of her choices of beverages and foods. Do go to the shop – and enjoy all.

“Black Like Me”

Malik Dawson

Black, the color of our skin . . . But yet there’s so much within . . . Brown, all kings and queens So please hand us our crowns . . . Black and Brown is more than just the colors of our skin . . .

It’s the key to success, To life, and to win!

“Shine” Roniya Vaughn

I am black I am a black woman My black skin shines like water When the sun hits it My body full of melanin like a Bucket on a rainy day

“Imposter”

Owen Whitted

Feeling trapped inside, I try to break free but people undermine me for who I’m meant to be. I dodge and weave from hate, trying to express who I’m made to be, still people feed me lies of who they want me to be. I’m the combination of black and white, love every inch of my family life, but for everyone on the outside I’m only white. I love and embrace my heritage, black and proud I don’t care what anyone says. bash me, shame me, despise me, I know who I’m meant to be.

See Poets, Page B3

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

BENICIA — Benicia

Plein Air Gallery departing artist Beth Winfield is the gallery’s featured artist this month.

“Beth Winfield strives to create poetic landscapes with depth and softness,” American Art Magazine reports, as quoted in promotional material for this

month’s exhibit in Benicia. “She seeks scenes with mystical light and atmosphere and then captures these magical moments through brushwork and the juxtaposition of color and value.”

Winfield plans to move soon to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her California paintings are up to half off for her moving sale.

Benicia Plein Air Gallery is located at 307 First St. in

the heart of historic downtown Benicia. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday and is staffed by artists. The gallery continues to observe Covid-19 precautions.

For more information about the gallery, visit benicia pleinair.com. For more information about Winfield, send an email to bwartworks@ gmail.com or visit beth winfield.com.

Mare Island Art Studios presents ‘The Nature of Thread’

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VALLEJO — Mare Island Art Studios this month presents “The Nature of Thread.”

An artists receptions is scheduled from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the art studios at 110 Pintado St.,

Building 515.

The art quilt group Fiber Expressions is showcasing its quilts inspired by the nature of the Bay Area. The show opened Saturday and continues from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Feb. 26. Mare Island Art

Studios provides work and gallery space for an eclectic group of 19 artists. Solo and group exhibitions are held in the Tim Rose Gallery. The gallery is open by appointment and during shows. For more information, visit https://mareisland artstudios.com.

Suzanne Bruce Poetry connection

Courtesy photo

Beth Winfield’s “Coastline After the Storm,” an oil on canvas, is one of the featured artist’s works on display this month at the Benicia Plein Air Gallery.

Napa orchestra coming to American Canyon

AMERICAN

CANYON — The Napa Valley Chamber Orchestra will play in American Canyon for the first time at 7 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Open Door Christian Church. Admission is free. The performance is scheduled to end at 8:45 p.m.

Eleven high school students will join the 22-member adult orchestra to perform a program of 19th and 20th century compositions. The student musicians are violinists Evangeline Apostolopoulos, Sophia Haggard, Alitza Truong, Michael Landrum and Kiel Smit; violists Zahara Lucas and Allana Williams; cellists Carlo Detain and Eden James; and bassist Nigel Quirk.

Music by such diverse composers as Peter Warlock, Jean Sibelius and George Gershwin will fill the first half of the concert. The student musicians will join the orchestra for the second half of the concert performing Barbara Harbach’s meditative “In Memoriam: Turn Round, O My Soul, to Your Rest,” and the frolicking “Folk Tune and Fiddle Dance” by Percy Fletcher.

This is the first concert the orchestra has given in American Canyon, as a part of the orchestra’s goal of reaching out to all communities in the Napa Valley.

Open Door Christian Church is located at 3353 Broadway (Highway 29).

The orchestra will also launch a Friends of the Orchestra group of local volunteers to assist in presenting programs and events, writing grants, raising money and related activities. Those who are interested should contact Charlene Steen at csteen@ charalan.com.

All of the orchestra concerts are free to the public. The orchestra is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization with no paid administrative staff that depends on grants and contributions from the public to sustain its programs. More information is available at napavalley chamberorchestra.com.

Poets

From Page B1

“Endurance”

Naomi Velaquez

Beautiful brave and bold

They stand proud

In the face of hate

“Ugly,” Dark” and “Scary”

Their stance is seen as arrogant

Why must they be treated so cold?

Artists, inventors, creatives, so much potential

Rising above they stand proud

They are beautiful, brave, bold and Black

But beneath their skin they are pink and fleshy just like us.

So why are they shut away?

Stand against the hate.

Stand. Proud.

With. Them.

Suzanne Bruce is Fairfield’s poet laureate. For consideration, poems must be sent to Bruce at fairfieldpoetlaureate@gmail.com by the 20th of the month prior to publication. Be sure to include a short introduction about yourself, such as if you are a student, where and why you enjoy writing poetry.

Solano historians set to publish book on Benicia Arsenal’s history

BENICIA — A new book about the Benicia Arsenal, written by a pair of local historians, will be available for purchase March 6.

The Benicia Arsenal served the U.S. Army in the west for 117 years. It is located at a strategic site between the San Francisco Bay and the interior of California.

The military reserva-

tion began as a cavalry barracks. The arsenal during the Civil War was the logistics headquarters of the California Volunteers, a force that replaced Army units that went east to fight. The arsenal in the later 19th century supported missions in Russia, Hawaii and South America.

The 20th century took the arsenal from the horse-and-buggy era to Nike missiles and provided support during

World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Half the workforce during World War II was made up of women, and in the postwar period, as the Army integrated, so did the arsenal.

The arsenal closed in 1964. The land was converted into an industrial park that now houses more than 300 companies.

Local historians James E. Lessenger and H. Allan Gandy collected

documentary material from the collections of the Benicia Historical Museum and the National Archives to tell the story of the arsenal, its missions and its people.

The book is being published by Arcadia Publishing.

For more information about the book and its availability, visit https:// www.arcadiapublishing. com and search for the book’s title.

Handicapping 14 new Rock & Roll Hall of Fame noms

Jon Bream STAR TRIBUNE

Oh, to be in the room where it happens.

The nominating room for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Those debates must be fiery.

Should we recognize hard rockers Iron Maiden and Rage Against the Machine again and again? Is Willie Nelson really rock 'n' roll? We need more women candidates, whom do you recommend besides Kate Bush for the fourth time?

This year, the anonymous nominating committee* named 14 finalists, which were announced Wednesday. Last year, there were 17 candidates and typically 15 in most years.

Eight of the 14 nominees are first timers, with Missy Elliott and the White Stripes landing on the ballot in their first year of eligibility (which occurs 25 years after the release of their first record).

More than 1,000 people – Hall of Fame inductees, music executives, scholars and critics, including me –vote, for a maximum of five nominees. There are no write-ins. There is no longer ranked voting, a policy abandoned a few years back. The public can register its opinions at rockhall.com but the impact of their vote is limited.

This year's slate is full of solid contenders but few shoo-ins. At first blush, here are the chances of these candidates getting the call to the hall.

Kate Bush (fourth nomination). The surprise resurrection last year of 1985's "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)," thanks to Netflix's "Stranger Things," boosts her visibility but not her resume. She is an entrancing, literate, atmospheric musicmaker whose influence can be heard in Bjork, Prince and others. 70%

Sheryl Crow (first). She showed up prominently at last year's Rock Hall ceremonies, inducting Pat Benatar and performing a tribute

to Dolly Parton. If that was a lobbying ploy, it worked – Crow finally got nominated, after being eligible five years ago. She writes, sings and plays multiple instruments with authority and style, and she scored plenty of praiseworthy, Grammy-winning hits and set an example for women musicians. 75%

Missy Elliott (first). She's been an absolute force in hip-hop and R&B as a performer, songwriter and producer, working with everyone from Aaliyah to Whitney Houston. And her innovative videos raised the bar for fashion and technology. She belongs in the Rock Hall, but not sure enough voters will agree. 70%

Iron Maiden (second). Whether frontman Bruce Dickinson was in or out, these British metal bangers evolved and invariably connected in concert. However, if Judas Priest had to get into the seemingly metal-averse Rock Hall through the back door (an executive committee named them for "musical excellence"), it doesn't look good for Maiden. 50%

Joy Division/New Order (first). Their post-punk, pre-techno dance-rock made these Brits influential indie favorites. 60%

Cyndi Lauper (first). Her colorful personality, admirable activism and well-crafted music, whether serious or fun, give her convincing credentials. She gets extra points for composing

Presley slams familyrift rumors over Lisa Marie’s will

triBune content agency

LOS ANGELES —

Just a week after Priscilla Presley contested the will of her late daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, the ex-wife of legendary singer Elvis Presley is addressing rumors of a family rift head on and telling fans to ignore “the noise.”

“I loved Elvis very much as he loved me. Lisa is a result of our love.

For anyone to think anything differently would be a travesty of the family legacy and would be dis-

the Broadway hit "Kinky Boots." 65% George Michael (first). Sexy and soulful, the British heartthrob had two blockbuster albums and eight No. 1 singles (including duets with Aretha Franklin and Elton John). It's inexplicably taken too long for him to be nominated. 80% Willie Nelson (first). Yes, he's a country music legend but, as with Dolly Parton, his maverick spirit says rock 'n' roll. His credentials as a song-

writer, singer, guitarist, recording artist, performer, icon, activist and cultural force rank as high (pun intended) as possible. 100%

Rage Against the Machine (fifth). One of the most ferocious live bands ever, this L.A. posse blends punk, funk, hip-hop and social justice into an essential full metal racket. 60% Soundgarden (second). These Seattle rockers were the heaviest of the grunge bands, with a magnetic frontman in Chris Cornell. But can the Rock Hall welcome Soundgarden before Jane's Addiction? 55%

The Spinners (fourth). One of my favorite soul vocal groups of the 1970s with such hits as "Mighty Love" and "Rubberband Man," this enduring, (mostly non-Motown) Detroit ensemble is a Hall of Famer in my book. But they'll not have wide support. 40%

A Tribe Called Quest (second). Pioneers of alternative hip-hop in

the ’90s, this Queens crew was jazzy, artful and intelligent. One of hip-hop's most widely respected groups. 60% The White Stripes (first). Jack White is one of rock's great DIY auteurs, whose career was launched by this blues-metal-garagerock duo with drummer Meg White. Need we say more than "Seven Nation Army"? 85% Warren Zevon (first). Like Randy Newman, Zevon was an underappreciated smart, quirky and often humorous singer-songwriter even though he recorded only a couple of modest hits under his own name. 50%

*The names of the 31 nominating committee members are eventually disclosed in the induction ceremonies program in the fall; last year, they included Dave Grohl, Questlove, Tom Morello, Stevie Van Zandt, Paul Shaffer, Linda Perry, a handful of music critics and industry executives but only nine women.

respectful of what Elvis left behind in his life,” Priscilla Presley, 77, said Friday in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.

Lisa Marie Presley was the only child from the 1967-1973 marriage of the “Jailhouse Rock” crooner and the “Dallas” star. When Elvis died in 1977, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll left his estate to his daughter. She died unexpectedly last month, setting off a legal battle over the future stewardship of his lucrative estate.

Jenni Tyler/Courtesy photo “The Benicia Arsenal” is being published by Arcadia Publishing. it is written by s o lano County historians James e Lessenger and H. Allan Gandy.

Terry Wyatt/Getty Images/TNS file (2019)

Willie nelson performs onstage during the 53rd Annual CMA Awards at the Bridgestone Arena in n a shville, Tennessee, nov. 13, 2019.

For American Muslim women, hijabs affirm their right to choose

The WashingTon PosT

As the only hijabi student at her Bronx, N.Y., school in the ’90s, Nazma Khan faced so much Islamophobia that she contemplated dropping out. Her classmates called the Bangladeshi immigrant names such as “ninja,” “Batman” and “Mother Teresa.” She was shoved, kicked and spat on by students, who often waited outside her classroom to try to pull off her headscarf.

After 9/11, as a recent college graduate living in New York City as a visibly Muslim woman, Khan said the hijabophobia only worsened, and she was chased down city streets and called a terrorist. Still, Khan said she loved wearing her hijab, an “outward expression of my inner faith,” and wanted to help women and girls like her who were being mistreated.

“I kept on thinking about it, and I was like, ‘What if I asked women from all walks of life to wear the hijab for one day?’” she said. “Maybe they will see that I am not hiding a bomb underneath my scarf or that this scarf does not have a life of its own to oppress me.”

After three years ruminat-

ing on the idea, Khan founded World Hijab Day in 2013. The February holiday encourages people to spend a day donning hijabs in an effort to normalize them and upend false assumptions about the head covering. Since its start, not every Muslim has applauded the annual event, but it has quickly gained popularity, spreading to more than 150 countries.

For Muslim women, wearing a hijab is an act of worship as well as a way to practice modesty, a principle expected in the behavior and dress of all Muslims.

Although the visibility of the head coverings has made women targets of Islamophobia, Muslim women who wear the hijab in the United States say the decision to wear the cloth covering is a liberating one. By sharing their diverse hijabi journeys, they say they are proof that Muslim women are not a monolith.

When Houston author and illustrator Huda Fahmy began wearing a hijab at 10 years old, she felt the pressure to be perfect and live up to the piety associated with it. As she grew older, she realized she did not need to fit a mold for the hijab to be a meaningful part of how she

practiced Islam.

“A lot of times we are reduced to having the same experiences,” Fahmy said. But “every hijabi has a different relationship with her scarf and with her religion and with the way she decides to wear it and present herself.”

In her comic books, such as “Yes, I’m Hot in This” and the forthcoming “Huda F Cares,” Fahmy uses humor to work through stereotypes and tell stories about nuanced hijabi characters, such as someone who loves wearing her hijab and does not struggle with the desire to wear it, or someone who is part of a large Muslim community.

Fahmy has always loved

comics, but she felt drawn to pursue cartooning as a career in 2016, compelled to combat Islamophobic narratives from politicians such as Donald Trump who talked about Muslims without talking to Muslims.

Bushra Amiwala, 25, who serves as the youngest school board member in the Illinois town of Skokie, said she also noticed the sentiment at the time and how the treatment of Muslim people would “ebb and flow based on the political climate.”

It helped her make the decision to ease into wearing a hijab, as both another step forward in her religious journey and a way to destigmatize the hijab. “My intention of wearing the hijab was to rewrite the preconceived notion people had for Muslim women before it became permanently ingrained in their minds,” she said. “And I thought the best way to do so is when our thoughts and beliefs are malleable: in high school.” Her plan worked. When Amiwala went to high school wearing her hijab, she fielded a lot of questions from her classmates, such as whether she still washes her hair, which she does. As a school board member,

she also supported legislation that addressed the lack of indepth education about Islam and other religions in Illinois public schools.

“I am so grateful that I live in an area where I have the choice. That empowers me to another level,” she said. “I can freely choose to cover my head, and that is a choice that I am making that I can see through.”

Iman Zawahry made the choice to start wearing a hijab during her sophomore year of college in an effort to dispel stereotypes. Sometimes when meeting people for the first time, she says they are surprised by her personality: boisterous and funny, without a foreign accent. She hopes her work as a filmmaker can also bring more Muslim stories, ones that do not revolve around terrorism or the oversexualization of women, to the forefront. One of the movies she directed, “Americanish” which was released in 2021, is the first American Muslim romantic comedy made by an American Muslim woman and has been acquired by Sony Pictures International Productions.

If you would like to take a free Bible

correspondence course contact:

Know Your Bible Program, 401 Fir Street, Vacaville, CA 95688 (707) 448-5085

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“Not your grandparents’ sermons”

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Akilah Townsend/The Washington Post Bushra Amiwala says a choice to wear a hijab empowers others.

Weight loss via medication may not be healthy

Dear Annie: My sister, “Claire,” is getting married this summer and has lost weight by getting injections of drugs for diabetes. Claire might have had a little padding, but I never thought of her as being fat. And Claire is not the only person I know who is taking these drugs for weight loss. I know several others, and they all seem to be very happy with the results. The two brands that I keep hearing about are Ozempic and Wegovy.

Annie Lane

Dear Annie

Claire lost 10 pounds in the first few weeks of getting the shots, and she keeps losing

weight every week. Her doctor gave her a prescription to Wegovy about this popular new form of weight loss. Instead of talking about these drugs as weight loss aids, he told me that there is an epidemic of obesity in our country, where more than 40% of the population is statis tically obese. But I did not ask him to prescribe the drugs for

Horoscopes

by Holiday Mathis

Today’s birthday

You’ll return to unfinished business and finally finish it. This is about more than one relationship, project or job. There’s a deep need you’ll fulfill this year. More highlights: a bold step into a fresh scene, an unusual trade and doing something with your power that will be a part of your legacy. Libra and Sagittarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 34, 33, 13, 2 and 18.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You may find that your excitement grows beyond that of those around you. It’s better than being nonplussed. Let your enthusiasm fly. It raises the energy. Joy is the gift of vitality. Joy makes people more alive.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). The window cleaner’s paradox: The smudge always appears to be on the other per son’s side of the glass. When you’re washing alone, it gets particularly tricky. With no one to blame, a constant shift of perspective is required.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Some important things are very difficult. Some are easy. When your purpose is strong enough, the difficulty level becomes irrelevant. You’ll do whatever it takes to get the thing accomplished.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your impulse to act will be strong, but you may doubt it when others around you aren’t making a move. It’s because they don’t see what you see. Your unique experience has sensitized you to poten tials others are blind to.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Anyone who requires your patience is a gift to your spirit. Slow cashiers, bad drivers and irritating kin will fall into the category of gift-givers. With every use of your patience, the well deepens.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). The old pattern will not be interrupted so much as erased clean. Today’s cosmic gift is well-deserved. You’ll get an entirely new picture with a dif ferent tone, bright fresh colors and a brand-new take.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Part of you has been a secret mission without your conscious consent or awareness. You’ll intercept your own coded messages and begin to put together a clearer understanding of your behaviors and instincts.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). When you’re working on something and other people are looking in, don’t take it as a sign of intrusion. It may very well be an intrusion, and yet it’s still a good sign. If you have something worthy going on, curiosity will abound.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’re not choosing favorites. You give yourself equally to all. You could be a hero in someone’s life because you go out of your way to make sure everyone is protected and accepted.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You aim to leave people with a good feeling, and you’ll succeed in this. It takes forethought. But after a few dozen times, you know how it’s accomplished, and you’re able to create a desired effect with minimal effort.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). There’s something you did in the past that worked well for you. Though you may have had a good reason to stop, it’s time to pick it back up because it will be even more effective this time around.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Anyone can whine and complain, but it takes real intelligence, organization and follow-through to change the system. You’ve done it and you’ll do it again.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Feb. 5 is the lucky day for footballers to be born. The list includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Carlos Tevez, Adnan Januzaj and more. Aquarius is an ideal sign for athletes, as it lends air sign agility and speed, team spirit as well as a desire for individual accomplishment. Happy Solar Return and Happy Footballer’s Birthday!

Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

me, and he did not offer to do so. According to my BMI of 20, I am in the “healthy” category.

taking diabetes injections to drop a few pounds. What is your advice? — Without Drugs

Dear Annie: A marriage is like a flower. If it doesn’t get

Gun violence a public health crisis

K eira Dagy FOR THE DAILY REPUBLIC

Gun violence in the United States is prevalent at levels much higher than any other comparable country. Out of nearly two dozen populous, high-income countries like the U.S. including England, Australia, France and Spain, 82% of all firearm deaths occurred in the United States, and 91% of children (0-14) killed by firearms from these countries were from the United States. Firearm sales sharply increased since 2020, and mass shootings increased from May 2020 onward based on data from a national gun violence data repository.

Just as we have used public health strategies to eradicate and reduce the prevalence of preventable diseases, a comprehensive public health approach should be used to reduce the burden of preventable gun violence.

It is important to understand the incidence and trends surrounding deaths and injuries from gun violence in order to create a public health approach to preventing gun violence.

Americans are affected by gun violence in several different ways through suicide, homicide, unintentional deaths, threats of violence and exposure to gun violence in communities. Half of all suicide deaths are from firearms, and having access to a firearm at home increases the likelihood of suicide by three-fold. In 2021,

44,912 Americans died from gun violence, and 2,007 people died from unintentional firearm injuries. Studies have estimated that 4.5 million women have been threatened with a firearm by an intimate partner, and more than half of intimate partner violence deaths are from firearms.

Exposure to gun violence also causes harm to public health, as onethird of American adults have reported their fear of mass shootings has prevented them from going to certain places or events, and an estimated 25% of Americans reported being threatened or intimidated with a gun.

Since the impacts go far beyond homicides and mass shootings, a preventive approach is needed to reduce the burden of gun violence.

Enhancing the response to gun violence will involve continued surveillance and research on gun violence in addition to implementing researchbased policies that will prevent death and injury from firearms. The National Violent Death Reporting System is a program funded by Congress that tracks gun violence in all 50 states to create a clear picture of the impacts of gun violence, including the racial and gender disparities in premature death from firearms. Congress should continue to increase funding for the program to properly surveil gun violence so public health officials can identify and track the trends and incidence of gun violence in order to

inform policies that can prevent and reduce the burden of gun violence.

Additionally, federal laws limit the information public health organizations can gather on violent crime data, including how conceal-and-carry laws impact violent crimes in communities and the outcomes of violence prevention programs. Congress can invest in national public health organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health that will expand access to data collection and research to build a better understanding of gun violence in this country.

Finally, evidence-based policies preventing gun violence should be implemented at a federal level, including criminal background checks for all firearm purchases, a ban on assault rifles, and authorizing extreme risk protection orders where individuals and law enforcement can petition a judge to temporarily remove a firearm from a person deemed at risk of harming themselves or others.

Solutions to gun violence should be examined through a public health lens, as it is a major cause of premature death and injury in this country that can be prevented through research, surveillance and evidencebased policies.

Keira Dagy is a program manager from Aliados Health, a partner of Solano Public Health.

Colin Lloyd/Unsplash

In 2021, 44,912 Americans died from gun violence, and 2,007 people died from unintentional firearm injuries.

Giants’ Webb reflects on ‘weird’ offseason

evan Webeck BAY AREA NEWS

GROUP

SAN FRANCISCO —

In a fitting salutation to an offseason filled with side characters, subplots and, too often, sorrow, it rained on the Giants’ parade Saturday. Inside the lounge behind home plate, keeping dry from a steady stream that only picked up throughout the afternoon, Logan Webb reflected on what had transpired since he was last here with everyone.

Solano baseball goes 2-1 for week

M att Miller MMILLER@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

ROCKVILLE — Scott

Stover was fairly upbeat despite watching his Solano Community College baseball team give up four two-run home runs to Shasta and 15 hits in a 11-1 loss at home Friday afternoon.

“You’re never really happy with that, but we won the week,” Stover said. “We won games Tuesday and Thursday. We were watching the weather hourly to see if we were even going to get this game in. Once we knew we were playing, we knew it was going to be an allstaff game.”

Solano went with six pitchers and they all gave up at least one run. Shasta scored two runs in the second, third, seventh, eighth and nine innings, and had a one-run fourth. But a 7-4 win over Skyline of Oakland on Tuesday and a 5-4 triumph over Cabrillo Thursday — a game that was moved from the weekend to avoid any bad weather – took the sting out a little.

Solano improved to 3-3 on the season and now has ace Josh Petrill ready to go Tuesday in a rematch with Cabrillo in Aptos. The Falcons opened the season last weekend by losing three straight games to Butte College, two in Oroville and the final one at Rockville.

“These last two weeks, they’ve learned to make adjustments,” Stover said, “but they have to learn to be more aggressive at the plate. I also knew we would be behind pitchingwise because we really weren’t able to get on the field before the season.”

Shasta needed only two pitchers to pick up the win. Cade Jacobson went seven innings and allowed just four hits and one earned run. He had three strikeouts and no walks. Gavin Guard worked the final two innings and allowed no runs.

See Solano, Page B8

The Giants had Arson Judge, then Aaron Judge, then nobody at all, and then Carlos Correa, and then not him, either. But they didn’t come away with nothing, either. Among the new faces fans met Saturday: Mitch Haniger, Michael Conforto, Sean Manaea, Luke Jackson and Taylor Rogers (but wait, doesn’t he look familiar?). “It was a weird offseason, to be honest,” said Webb, 26, who, in the absence of Judge or Correa, became the

biggest draw for fans, along with stalwart shortstop Brandon Crawford, entering his 13th season and in the final year of his contract.

The Giants estimated 10,000-12,000 fans passed through the turnstiles, or about half to one-third of the usual attendance during their World Series runs last decade. While those teams featured undisputed stars – Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey, to name a few – Crawford

is the last remaining player from those clubs.

Quickly cementing himself as the Giants’ latest homegrown face of the franchise, Webb isn’t deterred by the prevailing narrative of relative anonymity up-and-down their roster.

“I think we’ll be a little underrated for sure,” Webb said. “I just think we don’t have the big name, necessarily. But I think overall top to bottom,

Vanden’s girls basketball team overpowers Vacaville 95-28

VACAVILLE — The Vanden High School girls basketball team jumped all over host Vacaville from the opening tip and rolled to a 95-28 victory Friday night. Vanden clinched at least a share of the Monticello Empire League title with the win. The Vikings improved to 19-7 overall and 8-0 in league.

It is the 23rd straight title for the Vikings but not all in the MEL. Vanden joined the league for the 2018-19 season.

Vacaville leads chase for crown in boys basketball

M att Miller MMILLER@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VACAVILLE — Duane Kamman believes the depth, defensive skill and cohesiveness of his Vacaville High School boys basketball team are the main reasons why they are in the hunt for the Monticello Empire League title.

The Bulldogs are 19-6 overall and 7-1 in the MEL after Thursday’s big 59-49 win at Vanden. Vacaville holds a one game lead over Vanden (6-2) and Rodriguez (6-2) with two games to play.

Kamman’s team has now beaten Vanden twice. The Bulldogs won the first meeting against Rodriguez. A big game at Rodriguez comes Tuesday night, followed by the rivalry matchup Thursday at Will C. Wood.

The race is still up for grabs but the Bulldogs can still earn a share of the title or win it outright with at least one win this week. The Bulldogs last shared a title in 2020-21 with Vanden and haven’t been outright champions since 2017-18 when they went 10-0.

“We have depth and been able to weather a lot of injuries,” Kamman said. “We can go eight, nine deep. Most of these guys have been playing together since fifth or sixth grade and they all know each other and what they are good at.”

What they are good at is playing a

solid inside-outside game and being able to make switches on defense fairly seamlessly. They have a big man in returning all-MEL selection Nathan Schnell and a solid group of outside shooters, like by Gavin Hamill and Larry Lewis III.

Hamill went for 22 points Thursday in the win over Vanden and Lewis had 13. Vacaville was still able to get the win despite just one point on a free throw from Schnell. The 6-foot-6 center has routinely put up over 20 points a game during the league season.

“As juniors, a lot of them got a lot of playing time and minutes on the floor,” Kamman said. “Everybody knows we go inside out. Nate is our quarterback. It’s fun to have a big guy that can pass and handle the ball.”

In other games Tuesday, Vanden plays at Armijo and Will C. Wood will be at Fairfield. Armijo plays Thursday at Fairfield with Vanden at Rodriguez.

Notables:

n Hamill’s 22-point effort in Vacaville’s win over Vanden.

n Trevor Morris had 20 points and 11 rebounds in Armijo’s 67-55 loss to Will C. Wood.

See MEL, Page B8

Bulldog wrestlers secure league title

Daily r epublic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VACAVILLE — Vacav-

ille High School wrestlers won 13 of the 14 weight classes to dominate the competition at the Monticello Empire League championships Saturday on their home mats.

Twelve of Vacaville’s 13 wins came with pins. Vacaville scored 340 team points to finish over Rodriguez (183.5), Will C. Wood (168), Armijo (141), Vanden (132) and Fairfield (54).

“The ‘Dogs can be awfully tough,” Vacaville head coach Armando Orozco said. “It was a good day. Now it’s time to get ready for a postseason run.”

Eli Almarinez (108), Wyatt Sandoval (115), Casey Roberts (128), Isaac Padilla (134), Qusai Marini (140), Ayden Ducharme (147), Arjun Nagra (154), Carson Howell (162), Caleb Borchers (172), Thomas Sandoval (184), Jai Guerra (222) and Pablo Lopez (heavyweight) all

won MEL titles with pins. Landon Borchers defeated Micah Lee of Vanden in overtime at 122 pounds.

Vaea Salts (197) of Will C. Wood won the 14th title. He defeated Brady Wight with a pin in the first round.

Joining Lee and Wight with second-place finishes were Andre Naser (108) of Rodriguez, Manuel Khangab (115) of Armijo, Andres Maldonado (128) of Wood, Jorge Nunes (134) of Armijo, Jonathan Pacheco (140) of Armijo,

Ismael Villoria (147) of Wood, Gilberto Rodriguez (154) of Rodriguez, Cristopher Franco (162) of Armio, Munther Saleh (172) of Rodriguez, Isaiah Howard (184) of Wood, Jimmy Green (222) of Fairfield and Kendrick Salcido (heavyweight) of Armijo.

Those wrestlers that qualified will now advance to Sac-Joaquin Section divisional tournaments.

The Section Masters tournament will be the following weekend at the Stockton Area

Alyssa Jackson paced Vanden with 24 points. Jaylen Kuehnel had 14 points, Gabby Wright scored 13 and Taytum Johnson finished with 11.

Vacaville fell to 13-9 and 4-4 in the MEL. No individual statistics were provided for the Bulldogs. Vanden will host Armijo for Senior Night on Wednesday. Vacaville will host Rodriguez.

Strong finish propels Rodriguez

FAIRFIELD — The Rodriguez High School girls basketball team had a big finish Friday night to break away from visiting Fairfield for a 54-49 victory.

Fairfield had a 40-38 lead after three quarters before Rodriguez went on a 16-9 run to close the game and pull out the win. Rodriguez improved to 10-15 overall and 6-2 in the Monticello Empire League. Fairfield fell to 5-18 overall and 0-8 in MEL games.

Roniya Vaughn led the Lady Mustangs with 20 points. Samantha Morris scored 11 and TyEese Chappell added 10.

Amani Boxdell paced Fairfield with a game-high 26 points. Taniqko Cobb added nine and ZaRaya Porter added eight.

Rodriguez will play Wednesday night at Vacaville. Fairfield will be at home for Will C. Wood.

Rodriguez won the junior varsity game 50-22. Breanna Bauer led the younger Lady Mustangs with 26 points and Tea Madariaga scored 10. Aubrey Stewart scored 10 for Fairfield.

Boys basketball

Vacaville defeats Vanden, leads MEL

FAIRFIELD — Vacaville High School’s boys basketball team remained on the fast track to a Monticello Empire League

title Thursday night after a 59-49 road win over Vanden at a raucous James L. Boyd Gymnasium.

The Bulldogs maintained a steady led for the full 32 minutes and were able to lead throughout. It was 11-8 Vacaville after the first quarter, 24-18 at halftime and 41-31 after three quarters. Both teams went for 18 points in a furious finish.

Gavin Hamill led Vacaville with a gamehigh 22 points. Larry Lewis III added 13 points and Harold Andrews scored eight, including a big 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. Vacaville came away with the win despite its big man and top scorer Nathan Schnell being held to just one point on a free throw.

Vacaville improved to 19-6 overall and 7-1 in the MEL. The Bulldogs have a one game lead over Vanden (6-2) and Rodriguez (6-2). The Bulldogs close out the MEL season next week with a game Tuesday at Rodriguez and the rivalry game Thursday at home against Will C. Wood.

Edric Dennis and Sterling McClanahan had 15 points apiece to lead Vanden. The Vikings are 17-9 overall and will play at Armijo on Tuesday and host Rodriguez on Thursday.

Logan Bailey scored 11 points as the Vanden junior varsity boys basketball team defeated Vacaville 53-43.

Rodriguez sinks

Fairfield on road

FAIRFIELD — The Rodriguez High School boys basketball team survived a furious fourthquarter rally by host Fairfield and made some key free throws in the final minute for a 63-61 win Thursday night over the Falcons.

The teams were tied 30-30 at halftime before the Mustangs took a 48-37 lead after three quarters with an 18-7 advantage in the period. Fairfield outscored Rodriguez 24-15 in the final period – even tying the game at one point –before the Mustangs held on for the win.

Jerel Victor and Gianni Miles led the Mustangs with 19 points apiece. Joseph Gould added 10. Rodriguez improved to 14-11 overall and 6-2 in the Monticello Empire League.

Johnnie Jones led Fairfield with 16 points. Amir Price scored 13 and Amari Bryant had 11. The Falcons fell to 6-19 overall

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic Vacaville’s Nathan Schnell, right, drives to the basket against Vanden’s Edric Dennis during the boys basketball game at Vanden High School in Fairfield, Thursday.

Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group/TNS

Logan Webb meets the Giants faithful at Fanfest Saturday at AT&T Park in San Francisco. See Giants, Page B8

CALENDAR

Sunday’s TV sports

Basketball College Men • Fordham at Richmond, USA, 9

Ohio State at Michigan, 5, 13,

Houston at Temple, ESPN2, 3

Women • South Carolina at UConn, 2, 40, 9 a.m. • North Carolina at Louisville, ESPN2, 9 a.m. • LSU at Texas A&M, ESPN2, 11 a.m.

•Ohio State at Maryland, ESPN2, 1 p.m.

NBA

• Philadelphia at N.Y. Knicks, ESPN, 3 p.m.

• Sacramento at New Orleans, NBCSCA (Vacaville and Rio Vista), 4 p.m.

Bowling

PBA

U.S. Open finals, 2, 40, 11 a.m.

Football

NFL Pro Bowl, ESPN, 7, 10, Noon.

Golf PGA

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, GOLF, 10 a.m.

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, 5, 13, Noon.

Motor Sports

NASCAR Cup Series

Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum, qualifying, 2, 40, 2 p.m.

Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum, race, 2, 40, 5 p.m.

Soccer EPL

Nottingham at Leeds, USA, 6 a.m.

Tottingham at Manchester City, 3, 8:30 a.m.

CIF gives go-ahead to girls flag football for prep competition

Brian Patterson

LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS

Coming soon to high schools throughout the State of California: girls flag football.

The sport, which has seen soaring popularity with girls athletes in recent years, got the final approval it needed Friday to become an official sport at California high schools.

The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the state’s athletic governing body, approved a proposal to sanction the sport by a vote of 146-0. That approval opened the door for the formation of teams, leagues and playoffs at every level – section, regional and state.

In the fall, the CIF Southern Section supported the proposal to add girls flag football as a sport, and local athletes, coaches and parents had waited anxiously since then for the final vote at the CIF State level.

So what happens next?

A lot of decisions need to be made and details have to be worked out.

Flag football will be starting from scratch, without players, coaches, officials, a rule book, practice and

Local

From Page B6

and 3-5 in the MEL.

Both teams begin the final week of the MEL season Tuesday. Rodriguez will host Vacaville and Fairfield will be at Will C. Wood.

Wood starts strong, rolls over Armijo

game fields, etc.

CIF State officials said specific bylaws for girls flag football will be drawn up before the next CIF Council meeting in late April.

The CIF approved girls flag football as a fall sport that will begin next school year, 2023-24. But each section will choose when it will have its season. School athletic directors throughout the state have expressed concerns about field conflicts in the fall with tackle football, in the winter with soccer, and the spring with baseball, softball and, in some parts of the state lacrosse. But those issues and others can be worked out now that girls flag football has been given the green light.

The games will be seven on seven, with four 12-minute quarters and a running clock for most of the game. The dimensions will be smaller than tackle football’s field dimensions, perhaps 70-80 yards long.

There’s still a lot to learn, and figure out, about girls flag football, but probably the most important decision has been made –it’s part of the future for female athletes.

Local scores

FAIRFIELD — Will C. Wood High School’s boys basketball team set the tone early with a strong first quarter en route to a 67-55 win Thursday night at Armijo. The Wildcats opened the game with a 20-7 advantage in the opening period. Armijo managed to outscore Will C. Wood 48-47 the final three quarters.

“The game got away from us from the opening tip,” Armijo head coach Michael Morris said in an email. “We gave up four straight offensive rebounds and putbacks. After that, we played catch-up the entire game.”

Trevor Morris led the Royals with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Kaiba Washington had 15 points and four rebounds. Marcel Longmire contributed eight points and five rebounds. Demari Combs also had six points and nine rebounds.

Armijo fell to 2-19 overall and 0-8 in

the MEL. The Royals host Vanden on Tuesday. Wood improved its record to 12-13 overall and 2-6 in the MEL. Nigel Rogers led Wood with 20 points and nine rebounds. Jayden Hamilton-Holland added 15 points and 10 rebounds. Isiah Dixon and Josiah Chavez each had 12 points apiece. Wood plays host to Fairfield on Tuesday.

Boys Soccer

Vacaville clinches

MEL title with win

FAIRFIELD — Alex Verdugo scored four first-half goals as the Vacaville High School boys soccer team beat Armijo 4-2 Thursday night to clinch the Bulldogs’ third-straight Monticello Empire League championship.

Armijo started 10 of its 13 seniors on Senior Night and had to play the game minus three regular starters due to injuries. The Royals made some strategic changes at halftime and were able to score two goals after the break to make the game closer and hold Vacaville scoreless.

Nathan Beltran and Christian Brenes had a pair of assists on Verdugo’s goals. The Bulldogs’ defense was strong with Max Galeano setting the pace, according to Vacaville head coach Tony

Bussard. Elijah Cline and Edwin Castaneda held the back line.

“The Vacaville boys came out on fire, up against a strong Armijo team,” Bussard said in an email. “I’m so proud of our boys for being back-toback-to-back champions.”

Vacaville improved to 13-2 overall and 8-0 in the MEL. The Bulldogs play Tuesday at Rodriguez.

Armijo’s Diego Torres sneaked through the defense to score a goal five minutes into the second half. Esteban Carcamo later scored off a rebound of a shot fired by Santiago Alvares.

The Royals moved to 8-10 overall and 5-3 in MEL matches. Armijo will play Tuesday at Vanden.

“I am so proud of my seniors and so many of my underclassmen who stepped up to the plate tonight to support and help each other to keep the battle going and shut down the Vacaville attack in the second half,” Armijo head coach Megan Flores said in an email.

Armijo won the junior varsity game 2-0. After a rebound from a corner kick, Ricardo Brambila received a ball in the air and smashed a volley into the net to put Armijo up 1-0. Ameer Ghanem also fired a long shot from 20 yards out for a second score.

Anthony Soto and Mauricio Galindo keyed the Royals’ defense. Benja-

min Tooley was playing his second game ever in goal and was able to keep a clean sheet.

The younger Royals are now 6-1-1 in the MEL. Vacaville lost for the first time and is 6-1-0 in league play.

Ilunga’s hat trick ignites Fairfield

FAIRFIELD — Gedeon

Ilunga scored three times for a hat trick and the Fairfield High School boys soccer team notched its second straight “clean sheet” in a 4-0 win Thursday night over Vanden at Schaefer Stadium.

The Falcons improved to 6-8-1 overall and 3-4-1 in the Monticello Empire League. A win Tuesday at Will C. Wood could go a long way in determining if the Falcons earn a playoff spot. The top three teams in the MEL advance.

Fairfield was coming off a 2-0 win Tuesday over Rodriguez.

Daniel Zavala scored Fairfield’s first goal 20 minutes into the first half off an assist from Jonathan Najera. Zavala assisted Ilunga’s first goal 12 minutes later with a 30 yard pass over the defense to make it 2-0 Fairfield at halftime. Ilunga was assisted by Eduardo Guzman 10 minutes into the second half on another long pass.

See Local, Page B8

Giants

From Page B8

we’ve got a ton of depth.”

And actually, he takes that back.

“Even though I said we don’t have big names, we do kind of have big names,” Webb said. “I think Brandon Crawford is a pretty big name. Joc Pederson’s very well known around baseball. I do think we do have some big names. Maybe not Arson Judge or some of those guys, but I think if you have a group of depth guys that just all want to be on the same page and win, I think you can do anything.”

And yes, he did say “Arson” Judge, which brings us back to the first part of Webb’s weird offseason.

Leading up to those fateful five minutes when it appeared the Giants had reeled in the big one, Webb said he had been texting back and forth with Joc Pederson – “my inside source for everything” – for a week about the possibility of Judge signing with San Francisco.

Further evidence of his growing stature in the organization, Webb was one of two players – along with Crawford – to meet with Judge during his visit to the city before Thanksgiving. Only a couple weeks later, Webb was firing off a reply to New York Post/MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, who

Local

From Page B7

Ilunga scored again off a free kick by Diego Luna that he was able to chip into the corner.

Luna and Guzman helped key the solid defensive play. Vanden fell to 0-13-1 overall and 0-8 in the MEL. No individual statistics were made available for the Vikings. Vanden hosts Armijo on Tuesday.

Branch’s header powers Rodriguez

FAIRFIELD — Tyler

Branch’s first-half goal proved to be the difference

Solano

From Page B6

Solano scored its lone run in the fifth inning. Ryan Mitchell had a two-out double and Robert Searcy followed with an RBI single. Benny Piluso

falsely reported Judge’s verdict: “Not cool, man,” Webb wrote back in a tweet that garnered more than 10,000 likes.

As for Correa, “I know the guys in the clubhouse were all excited,” Webb said. “Sometimes weird stuff happens. . . .

“I wish him nothing but the best. He’s a good guy and I’m happy I got to know him and talk to him a little bit. I’ll probably keep that friendship for a long time, the same with Aaron.”

While Webb declined to share more details of the meeting with Judge, he paused to think, searching for the right word to describe the feelings of the participants after ultimately being spurned.

“I don’t really know the right word,” Webb said. “Maybe butthurt a little bit. . . .

“I personally thought we had a pretty good shot. But that’s just how things go.

Webb took time to gather his words back in December, too. Enough time for Heyman to retract the report, and for Webb to avoid one embarrassing text message to Buster Posey, notorious for his lack of success recruiting big-time free agents.

“When it happened, I almost texted Buster to say I’m 1-and-0,” Webb said. “Thank god I didn’t text him. . . . Hopefully my record gets better.”

as the Rodriguez High School boys soccer team earned a 1-0 win Thursday night over visiting Will C. Wood.

Branch scored in the 24th minute with a header that came off a set piece.

Owen Whitted made a big save as goalkeeper in the first half. Joseph Duggan had a save near the end of the game.

Rodriguez improved to 5-7-1 overall and 3-4-1 in the Monticello Empire League. The Mustangs host league-leading Vacaville on Tuesday.

Wood is now 7-6-2 overall and 4-4 in the MEL. No individual statistics were made available by the Wildcats. Wood will host Fairfield on Tuesday.

Burns, Julian Guerra and Kevin Parker also had hits to account for the Falcons’ offense. Burns got to first base in the ninth inning and took second on a wild pitch. But Shasta’s Guard was able to strikeout the next three Solano batters to close out the game.

Janric Classic Sudoku

Rain suspends play at Pebble Beach

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

PEBBLE BEACH — Nothing quite like gusting winds to spoil a six-hour walk and a round of golf at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Peter Malnati, about 150 professional colleagues and a hearty group of amateurs faced the predicament Saturday when the third round of the AT&T was suspended because winds gusted to 32 miles per hour.

Play was called, according to PGA Tour officials, at 12:12 p.m. at Monterey Peninsula Country Club ( Shore Course) and a few minutes later at Spyglass Hill Golf Course and Pebble Beach Golf Links, the host course.

Officials originally hoped to

MEL

From Page B8

n Nigel Rogers led Wood with 20 points and nine rebounds in that win over Armijo.

Girls basketball

Vanden clinched at least a share of the MEL title Friday night with a 95-28 win at Vacaville. The Vikings have won 23 straight titles and have earned a piece of every one in the MEL since joining for the 2018-19 season.

Rodriguez is also having a great season at 6-2 and Will C. Wood is 5-3.

Wednesday’s games feature Armijo at Vanden, Rodriguez at Vacaville and Will C. Wood at Fairfield. The regular season ends Friday with Vanden at Rodriguez, Vacaville

resume play at all three courses at 2 p.m. to complete the third round.

A short while later, the PGA Tour announced the tournament wouldn’t restart as originally planned. The third round was called at 2:45 p.m. after about a 2 1/2-hour delay.

The third round is now scheduled to start at 8 a.m. Sunday. Amateurs are not required to return for their third rounds. The fourth round, with a professional field increased from 60 to 65 top scores and ties, will begin at approximately 12:30 p.m.

The final nine holes of the fourth round are scheduled for Monday.

The pro-am winners will be determined with 54-hole totals.

The final group of the third round had completed seven holes. No

at Will C. Wood and Fairfield at Armijo.

Notables:

n Roniya Vaughn had back-to-back 20 point games for Rodriguez in wins over Will C. Wood and Fairfield.

n Alyssa Jackson went for a game-high 24 points as Vanden overpowered Vacaville 95-28.

n Athena Brombacher scored 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for Wood in the loss to Rodriguez.

Boys soccer

Vacaville wrapped up its third-straight MEL title Thursday night with a 4-2 win over second-place Armijo (5-3). The Bulldogs scored four times, all by Alex Verdugo, in the first half and held on to beat the Royals. Wood (4-4), Fairfield (3-4-1) and Rodriguez (3-4-1) could earn playoff spots based on the outcomes of this week’s contests.

players had finished their rounds.

Malnati, whose only PGA Tour title was the 2015 Sanderson Farms Championship, had a stellar partial round and held a twoshot tournament lead when play abruptly halted.

Trailing second-round leader Kurt Kitayama by three shots entering the third round, Malnati birdied the first three holes on the back nine (his opening nine) at Pebble Beach. He also birdied the first three holes on the front nine to move to 12 under par through 12 holes.

Malnati was on the fourth-hole green (his 13th hole of the round) facing an 18-foot birdie putt when play stopped.

Tuesday’s matches feature Vacaville at Rodriguez, Vanden at Armijo and Fairfield at Will C. Wood. The regular season ends Thursday with rivalry matchups. Armijo will be at Fairfield, Rodriguez plays at Vanden and Vacaville will host Will C. Wood.

Notables:

n Verdugo’s four-goal performance for Vacaville in the win over Armijo.

n Edwing Saucedo Pacheco had three goals for Armijo in a 4-2 win over Wood.

n Gedeon Ilunga also had a hat trick for Fairfield in a 4-0 win over Vanden.

Girls soccer

The girls soccer title is coming down to a big matchup Monday night with Rodriguez playing at Vacaville. Both teams have 7-0-1 records and the teams played to a 1-1 draw

in their previous meeting. Vanden plays Monday at Armijo and Wood will be at Fairfield. The season ends Wednesday with Fairfield at Armijo, Vacaville at Wood and Vanden at Rodriguez.

Wrestling

Vacaville and Rodriguez competed at the Sac-Joaquin Section Team Dual Championships a week ago at Lincoln of Stockton. Vacaville finished second in Division I. The Bulldogs beat Sheldon (73-3) and Turlock (56-13) before falling to champion Oakdale (40-25) in the finals.

Rodriguez lost its opening-round match to Laguna Creek (48-33). The eventual D-II champion was Pittman of Turlock. All wrestlers in the MEL competed at the league championships Saturday at Vacaville High.

Los Angeles Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle

By Ed Sessa

2/5/23

Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and 3x3 block. Use logic and process of elimination to solve the puzzle. The difficulty level ranges from Bronze (easiest) to Silver to Gold (hardest).

Difficulty level: GOLD

Solution to 2/5/23:

Present Name:

a. Cadynce A (Aasata) Johnson

c. Anastasia Lynn Johnson

Proposed Name:

a. Cadynce Denise Lindsey

c. Anastasia Lynise Lindsey THECOURTORDERSthatallpersonsinterestedinthismattershallappearbefore thiscourtatthehearingindicatedbelowto showcause,ifany,whythepetitionfor changeofnameshouldnotbegranted.

Anypersonobjectingtothename

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, County of Solano Old Solano Courthouse 580 Texas Street Fairfield, CA 94533

AcopyofthisOrdertoShowCauseshall bepublishedatleastonceeachweekfor foursuccessiveweekspriortothedate setforhearingonthepetitioninthefollowingnewspaperofgeneralcirculation,printedinthiscounty:DailyRepublic

Pleasefileproofof newspaperpublication atleast5businessdaysbeforehearing (newspaperdoesnotfilew/court)zoom ok.zoominvitewillbeemailed1-2days beforehearing Date:JAN.3,2023 /s/AlesiaJones JudgeoftheSuperiorCourt FILED:JAN.11,2023 DR#00060662 Published:Jan15,22,29Feb.5,2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON (PERSONS) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS YNGZAYTV, SL33P SH33P, STVMP EYE, RINNEEGAN EYEZ LOCATEDAT2043EagleWay,Fairfield, CA,94533Solano.Mailingaddress325 MerganserDr#603,SuisunCity,CA, 94585.IS(ARE)HEREBYREGISTERED BYTHEFOLLOWINGOWNER(S)Isaiah Livingston2043EagleWayFairfield, 94533.THISBUSINESSISCONDUCTEDBY: anIndividual Theregistrantcommencedtotransact busi nessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameornameslistedaboveon 12/14/2022. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.)

/s/IsaiahLivingston INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION

(a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVID EDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONDecember14,2027. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATE ORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE). FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: December15,2022 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2022002063 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00060663 Published:Jan.15,22,29Feb.5,2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON (PERSONS) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS DL SERVICES, DINO'S YOUTUBE LOCATEDAT607ElmiraRd,PMB309, Vacaville,CA,95687Solano.Mailingaddress607ElmiraRd,PMB309,Vacaville, CA,95687.IS(ARE)HEREBYREGISTEREDBYTHEFOLLOWINGOWNER(S)DeanLaing607ElmiraRd,PMB 309Vacaville,95687.THISBUSINESSIS CONDUCTEDBY: anIndividual Theregistrantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameornameslistedaboveonN/A. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/DeanLaing INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE

DUCTEDBY: aLimitedLiabilityCompany Theregistrantcommencedtotransact

nameornameslis tedaboveon 12/01/2022. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/IsaiahLivingston INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER.

ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONDecember11,2027. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE). FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: December12,2022 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2022002027 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00060667 Published:Jan.15,22,29Feb.5,2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON (PERSONS) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS COTTAGE COUNTRY HOME DECOR & GIFTS, STUDIO 7 JEWELERY CO. OLD GLORY RUSTICS LOCATEDAT331BluebellCourt,VacavilleCA95687Solano.Mailingaddress331 BluebellCourt,VacavilleCA95687.IS (ARE)HEREBYREGISTEREDBYTHE FOLLOWINGOWNER(S)DavidWeatherwax331BluebellCourtVacaville,95687. THISBUSINESSISCONDUCTEDBY: anIndividual Theregist rantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameornameslistedaboveonN/A. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/DavidWeatherwax INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY C LERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONJanuary17,2028. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE). FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: January18,2023

NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2023000087

CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk

DR#00060819 Published:Jan.22,29Feb.5,12,2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON (PERSONS) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS CHANGE DIGITAL COMMUNICATION LOCATEDAT542RibollaCt.,Fairfield, CA94534Solano.Mailingaddress542 RibollaCt.,Fairfield,CA94534.IS(ARE) HEREBYREGISTEREDBYTHEFOLLOWINGOWNER(S)#1RoelJacobFrancisco542RibollaCtFairfield,94534#2 AngeloPhilippeVelasco2226Burgundy WayFairfield,94533.THISBUSINESSIS CONDUCTEDBY: aGeneralPartnership Theregistrantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameornameslistedaboveon 01/01/2023. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/RoelJacobFrancisco INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONJanuary30,2028. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE). FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: January31,2023 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2023000191 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00061143 Published:Feb.5,12,19,26,2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON (PERSONS) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS BOWLERO VACAVILLE LOCATEDAT155BrownsValleyParkwayVacavilleCA95688Solano.Mailing address7313BellCreekRoadMechanicsvilleVA23111Hanover.IS(ARE) HEREBYREGISTEREDBYTHEFOLLOWINGOWNER(S)BowleroVacaville, LLC(formedinDelaware)222West44th StreetNewYork,NY10036.THISBUSINESSISCONDUCTEDBY: aLimitedLiabilityCompany Theregistr antcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameornameslistedaboveon 11/11/2022. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/BrettI.Parker,ChiefFinancialOfficer INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONJanuary19,2028. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE). FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: January20,2023 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2023000115 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00061155 Published:Feb.5,12,19,26,2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON (PERSONS) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS SULLIVAN FAMILY FARM LOCATEDAT5007GordonValleyRd, FairfieldCA94534Solano.Mailingaddress5007GordonValleyRd,Fairfield CA94534.IS(ARE)HEREBYREGISTEREDBYTHEFOLLOWINGOWNER(S)#1MichaelSullivan5007Gordon ValleyRd.Fairfield,94534#2KarinSullivan5007GordonValleyRd.Fairfield, 94534.THISBUSINESSISCONDUCTEDBY: aMarriedCouple Theregistrantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameornameslistedaboveon 11/01/2022. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/MichaelSullivan INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONDecember28,2027. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OF THERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE). FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: December29,2022 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2022002121 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00060951 Published:Jan.29Feb.5,12,19,2023

PUBLIC NOTICES

ANNOUNCEMENTOFPRE-QUALIFICATIONPROCEDURESANDOPENDATESFOR ANNUALPRE-QUALIFICATION

NoticeisgiventhattheSuisunResourceConservationDistrict(SRCD)hasdetermined thatallbiddersonpublicworkstobeundertakenbySRCDmustbepre-qualifiedpriorto submittingbids.ItismandatoryforallLicensedContractorswhointendtosubmitbids fullycompletethepre-qualificationquestionnaire,provideallrequestedmaterials,andbe approvedbySRCDtobeon thefinalBidderslist.NobidwillbeacceptedfromaContractorthathasfailedtocomplywiththeserequirements.

I.Pre-qualificationQuestionnairescanbeobtainedbycontactingSRCDat2544Grizzly IslandRd.,Suisun,CA94585ordownloadedathttp://www.suisunrcd.org/

II.Paperordigitalfilledquestionnaireswillbeaccepteduntil5:00PMPacificStandard TimeonWednesday,15February2023,atSuisunResourceConservationDistrict,2544 GrizzlyIslandRd.,Suisun,CA94585

III.SRCDreservestherighttowaiveminorirregularitiesandomissionsintheinformation containedinthepre-qualificationapplicationsubmitted,tomakeallfinaldeterminations, andtodetermineatanytimethatthepre-qualificationprocedureswillnotbeappliedtoa futurepublicworksproject.

Foradditionalinformationorquestions,pleasecontactJohnTakekawaat jtakekawa@suisunrcd.orgor707-425-9302x2.

DR#00060859

Published: January25,27,29,30,February1,3,5,6,8,10,2023

NOTICEOFHEARING-PETITIONTODETERMINECLAIMTOPROPERTY

CaseNumber:FPR-050770

SuperiorCourtofCalifornia,CountyofSOLANO

IntheMatterof:RAYANDESTHERGOLDBERGFAMILYTRUST,TRUST

Apetitionhasbeenfiledaskingthecourttodetermineaclaimtothepropertyidentifiedin 3,andahearingonthepetitionhasbeenset.Pleaserefertothepetitionformoreinformation. Ifyouhaveaclaimtothepropertydescribedin3,youmayattendthehearingandobject orrespon dtothepetition.Ifyoudonotwanttoattendthehearing,youmayalsofilea writtenresponsebeforethehearing. Ifyoudonotrespondtothepetitionorattendthehearing,thecourtmaymakeordersaffectingownershipofthepropertywithoutyourinput.

1.NOTICEisgiventhat:BENJAMINMARKGOLDBERGAKAMARKGOLBERGhas filed:

FIRSTAMENDEDVERIFIEDPETITIOSNFOR:1.DISINHERITANCEUNDERCALIFORNIAPROBATECODESECTION259;2.RECOVERYOFPROPERTYTAKEN FROMTRUSTPU RSUANTTOPROBATECODESECTION850;3.WRONGFULTAKINGOFPROPERTYPURSUANTTOPROBATECODESECTION859;4.ELDERFINANCIALABUSE;5.MISUSEOFPOWEROFATTORNEYUNDERPROBATECODE SECTION4231.5;6.BREACHOFFIDUCIARYDUTY;7.NEGLIGENCE/NEGLIGENCEPERSE;8.FRAUDULENTCONVEYANCE;9.REMOVALOFTRUSTEEAND COUNSEL;10.ACCOUNTINGANDSURCHARGE-underProbateCodeSection850 askingforacourtorderdeterminingaclaimorclaimstothepropertydescribedin3.

2.AHEARINGonthematterwillbeheldasfollows:

Date:APRIL19,2023Time:9:00A.M.Dept.:22Room:COURTROOM3 Addressofcourt:600UNIONAVE.,FAIRFIELD,CA94533

3.Thepropertythatisthesubjectofthepetitionis(describeeachitemorrealorpersonalproperty;forrealproperty-i.e.landorbuildings-givethestreetaddressor,ifnone, describetheproperty'slocationandgivetheassessor'sparcelnumber):CASHAND OTHERPERSONALTANGIBLEANDINTANGIBLEPROPERTY BELONGINGTODECEDENTSAND/ORTHETRUST.

4.Inadditiontoseekingtorecoverthepropertydescribedin3,thepetitionalsoalleges andseeksreliefforbadfaithconduct,undueinfluenceinbadfaith,orelderordependent adultfinancialabuse.Thepetitiondescribestheseallegationsindetail.Basedontheallegations,thepetitionseekstorecovertwicethevalueofthepropertydescribedin3and requeststhatthecourtawardattorney'sfeesandcoststothepetitioner.(Prob.CodeSection859) Assistivelisteningsystems,computer-assistedreal-timecaptioning,orsignlanguageinterpreterservicesareavailableuponrequestifatleast5daysnoticeisprovided.Contact theclerk'sofficeforRequestforAccommodationsbyPersonsWithDisabilitiesandOrder (formMC-410).(CivilCodesection54.8.)

Attorneyorpartywithoutattorney: BRIANJ.TROWBRIDGE,TROWBRIDGELAWOFFICE,1300CLAYSTREET,SUITE

600,OAKLAND,CA 94612

2/5,2/6,2/8/23

CNS-3666403#

THEDAILYREPUBLIC

DR#00061142

Published:February5,6,8,2023

WOW! Beautiful custom 3bd/2.5ba w/over $200,000 in recent updates/upgrades! New LV T floors thruout living areas, remodeled kitchen, new master bath, new paint, electrical panel, some doors, windows & blinds. New garage door & epoxy floors. $899,000

Sandy Stewart & Associate REALTOR® DRE#01038978 (707) 696-7063

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: CLARENCE HUBBARD CASE NUMBER: P051904

Toallheirs,beneficiaries,creditors,contingentcreditors,andpersonswhomay otherwisebeinterestedinthewillorestate,orboth,of: Clarence Hubbard APetitionforProbatehasbeenfiledby: Burman Hubbard intheSuperiorCourtofCalifornia,County of:Solano ThePetitionforProbaterequeststhat: Burman Hubbard beappointedaspersonalrepresentative toadmin istertheestateofthedecedent. Thepetitionrequeststhedecedent'slast willandcodicils,ifany,beadmittedtoprobate.Thelastwillandanycodicilsare availableforexaminationinthefilekeptby thecourt. ThepetitionrequestsauthoritytoadministertheestateundertheIndependentAdministrationofEstatesAct.(Thisauthority willallowthepersonalrepresentativeto takemanyactionswithoutobtainingcourt approval.Beforetakingcertainveryimportantactions,however,thepersonal representativewillberequiredtogivenoticetointerestedpersonsunlessthey havewaivednoticeorconsentedtothe proposedaction.)Theindependentadministrationauthoritywillbegrantedunless aninterestedpersonfilesanobjectionto thepetitionandshowsgoodcausewhy thecourtshouldnotgranttheauthority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as

County of Solano 600 Union Avenue 600 Union Avenue Fairfield 94533-6306 Probate

If you object tothegrantingofthepetition,youshouldappearatthehearingand stateyourobjectionsorfilewrittenobjectionswiththecourtbeforethehearing. Yourappearancemaybeinpersonorby yourattorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, youmustfileyourclaimwiththecourtand mailacopytothepersonalrepresentative appointedbythecourtwithinthe later of either(1)four months fromthedateof firstissuanceofletterstoageneralpersonalrepresentative,asdefinedinsection58(b)oftheCaliforniaProbateCode, or(2) 60 days fromthedateofmailingor personaldeliverytoyouofanoticeunder section9052oftheCaliforniaProbate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may wantto consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court.Ifyouareapersoninterestedinthe estate,youmayfilewiththecourtaRequestforSpecialNotice(formDE-154)of thefilingofaninventoryandappraisalof estateassetsorofanypetitionoraccount asprovidedinProbateCodesection 1250.ARequestforSpecialNoticeformis availablefromthecourtclerk.

AttorneyforPetitioner:

LisaLindsey Moss&Locke 3600AmericanRiverDrive,Suite108 Sacramento,CA95864 (916)569-0667 DR#00060931

Published:Jan.29Feb.1,5,2023

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: ROBERTA LYNN WOOD CASE NUMBER: FPR051853

Toallheirs,beneficiaries,creditors,contingentcreditors,andpersonswhomay otherwisebeinterestedinthewillorestate,orboth,of: Roberta Lynn Wood APetitionforProbatehasbeenfiledby: Cheryl L. Adams intheSuperiorCourtofCalifornia,County of: Solano ThePetitionforProbaterequeststhat: Cheryl L. Adams beappointedaspersonalrepresentative t oadministertheestateofthedecedent. ThepetitionrequestsauthoritytoadministertheestateundertheIndependentAdministrationofEstatesAct.(Thisauthority willallowthepersonalrepresentativeto takemanyactionswithoutobtainingcourt approval.Beforetakingcertainveryimportantactions,however,thepersonal representativewillberequiredtogivenoticetointerestedpersonsunlessthey havewaivednoticeorconsentedtothe proposedaction.)Theindependentadministrationauthoritywillbegrantedunless aninterestedpersonfilesanobjectionto thepetitionandshowsgoodcausewhy thecourtshouldnotgranttheauthority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:

DATE: MARCH 7, 2023; TIME: 8:30 a.m.; DEPT.: 4

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, County of Solano 600 Union Avenue 600 Union Avenue Fairfield, 94533 Fairfield Branch - Hall of Justice

If you object tothegrantingofthepetition,youshouldappearatthehearingand stateyourobjectionsorfilewrittenobjectionswiththecourtbeforethehearing. Yourappearancemaybeinpersonorby yourattorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, youmustfileyourclaimwiththecourtand mailacopytothepersonalrepresentative appointedbythecourtwithinthe later of either(1)four months fromthedateof firstissuanceofletterstoageneralpersonalrepresentative,asdefinedinsection58(b)oftheCaliforniaProbateCode, or(2) 60 days fromthedateofmailingor personaldeliverytoyouofanoticeunder section9052oftheCaliforniaProbate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may wantto consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court Ifyouareapersoninterestedinthe estate,youmayfilewiththecourtaRequestforSpecialNotice(formDE-154)of thefilingofaninventoryandappraisalof estateassetsorofanypetitionoraccount asprovidedinProbateCodesection 1250.ARequestforSpecialNoticeformis availablefromthecourtclerk.

AttorneyforPetitioner: OsbyDavis,Esq. LawOfficeofOsbyDavis 410TuolumneStreet Vallejo,CA94590 7076447424 DR#00061170 Published:Feb.5,8,12,2023

ACCORDINGTOTHELEASEBYANDBETWEENTHEFOLLOWING:

NAMEUNITCONTENTS CHRISTENEBROWN127SPEAKERS,TV,BIKES... SHELLYDATO240LEATHERSOFA,AIROVEN,TOTES... PHIMRUTCHZADACHAIWONGCOOL310CARENGINES,AQUARIUMTANKS, TOOLS AERONWALLACE349SOFAS,SHOES,ARTIFICIALPLANTS... ELSAFRANZEN445WASHER/DRYER,DRESSER,CARHOOD... LOGANDATO662RAZORELECTRICSCOOTER,PLAYPENGUARD SHANNANBROOKS735FAN,KARAOKE,TOTE... GAILBARKSDALE759REFRIGERATOR,DECORATIONS,DINNINGTABLE/CHAIRS CHELSEAWILLIAMS766SOFA,PRINTER,MIRROR... ANDTKG-StorageMartanditsrelatedparties,assignsandaffiliatesINORDERTOPERFECTTHELIENONTHEGOODSCONTAINEDINTHEIRSTORAGEUNITS.THE MANAGERSHAVECUTTHELOCKONTHEIRUNITS.Itemswillbesoldorotherwise disposedofonFEBRUARY24TH,2023@10:00amonstoragetreasures.com,tosatisfyowner'slieninaccordancewithstatestatutes,allbidsarefortheentirecontentsofthe storageunit.StorageMart#2452,2277WaltersRd.,FairfieldCA.94533.(707)429-4177, Opt#2 DR#00061021 Published:February5,12,2023

(707) 529-7545