Daily Republic: Friday, July 7, 2023

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DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — Sixtyeight people died in vehicle crashes statewide during the extended Fourth of July weekend, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Eight people died in crashes within the Golden Gate Division command area – four in CHP jurisdictions and four in city juridictions – and there were 188 impaired-driving arrests, the CHP reported. The division includes Solano, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Sonoma counties.

Numbers specific to Solano County were not immediately available.

Nearly half of the statewide deaths were individuals not wearing seatbelts, the CHP reported.

The CHP conducted a Maximum Enforcement Period to try to cut down on speeders and impaired drivers. It began at 6:01 p.m. June 30, and concluded at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.

Unsafe speed is the number-one contributor to crashes, so the CHP “placed a special emphasis on its enforcement ...”

the agency said. CHP officers issued more than 9,700 speeding citations throughout the Independence Day weekend. Solano and Golden Gate numbers were not available.

“Additionally, impaired drivers were removed from California’s roadways at an alarming rate during the holiday enforcement effort,” the CHP said.

Officers made 1,224 arrests for driving under the influence, an average of one DUI arrest every five minutes.

“The results of this MEP are concerning and reinforce the need for responsible behavior behind the wheel,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said in a press release.

“All of these deaths were preventable, and the loved ones they leave behind will be forever impacted. Traffic safety is everyone’s responsibility, and these statistics show us how much work there is still to be done. The CHP is committed to making California’s roadways safer for all who use them,” Duryee said.

CHP implements six maximum enforcement periods per year. The next is scheduled for Labor Day weekend.

Grand jury goes beyond pandemic in look at schools A3 Armijo’s

the victim has not been released. The Police Department requested the Sheriff-Coroner’s Office not to release any information either.

Around 11:15, officers were dispatched to a residence in the 1500 block of Monroe Street, following reports of a stabbing, the Police Department said in a statement.

When officers arrived, they found a large crowd gathered and a 26-yearold Fairfield man in front of the home. He had been shot multiple times.

“Officers immediately rendered first aid, but the victim was, unfortunately, pronounced deceased by paramedics,” the statement said.

Solano County sheriff’s deputies were called in to assist with crowd control. Fairfield Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Brantley said the department did not have much by way of information as the crowd members have proven to be mostly uncooperative. She said the address in question is known to police.

A suspect has not been identified.

Anyone with relevant information is asked to call the Investigations Unit at 707-428-7600.

FAIRFIELD — Assembly Speaker

Robert Rivas has named his leadership team and has kept Assemblywoman Lori Wilson as the majority whip.

Wilson, named assistant majority whip by former Speaker Anthony Rendon, and promoted to majority whip in December, called it an honor to be able to continue in the role.

The whip keeps a record of votes available on particular issues, and if the party needs bolstering, works to bring that tally to the needed count.

“I’ve very proud and honored to continue as the majority whip,” said Wilson,

who is battling breast cancer. She said new speakers more often do not carry over leadership members.

Former Solano County representative, Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters, was named speaker pro tempore.

“I am extraordinarily grateful to Speaker Rivas for his faith and confidence in me,” Aguiar-Curry said in the statement. “I am excited to work hand in hand with Majority Leader (Isaac) Bryan and the rest of our leadership team to serve the Speaker, the Assembly Democratic Caucus, our legislative institutions and the working people of this state.”

The WashingTon PosT

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday gave full approval, for the first time, to a drug that modestly slows Alzheimer’s disease – a development that offers a degree of hope for treating the memoryrobbing disease but also raises difficult questions about safety, effectiveness and cost.

The agency had previously granted the drug, called Leqembi, accel-

erated approval based on its ability to reduce amyloid clumps in the brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s. Thursday’s action was based on later-stage data that showed the treatment slowed cognitive and functional decline by 27% over 18 months compared with placebo. That represented a five-month slowdown in progression, experts said.

“Today’s action is the first verification that a

Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic file (2021)

Assemblywoman Lori Wilson is seen in Suisun City, Dec. 22, 2021.

AGUIAR-CURRY

Michael Robinson Chávez/The Washington Post Jay Reinstein, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease five years ago, hopes to be eligible for the new medication Leqembi.

Armijo Hall of Fame inducting Ron Thompson

hen the Armijo High School Hall of Fame celebration kicks off on Sept. 3 at Fairfield’s Downtown Theatre, one of the inductees, Ron Thompson, may seem, on the surface, like an unusual choice.

After all, he was a legendary basketball coach and athletic director at crosstown rival Fairfield High School. Indeed, his influence during his decades-long tenure there was so impactful that the gymnasium was named in his honor.

But Ronald DeVere Thompson’s Armijo roots are strong. He was a 1950 grad, and after graduating from San Jose State University, he worked at Armijo as a PE teacher and coach from 1960 to 1964 before moving to the then-new Fairfield High. An added bonus to his Armijo bonafides, not to mention his life, was that he married Deanna Durham, an Armijo Class of 1958 grad, in 1960.

Thompson was born Feb. 5, 1932, in Knox, Pa., and his family moved to Fairfield in 1944. At Armijo, Thompson excelled in baseball and basketball. In 1950 he was selected to the All-County All-Star team as a first baseman. In his senior year the Indians participated in and won the first Solano County Athletic League (SCAL) basketball tournament and Thompson was named the Most Valuable Player. His talents as a forward on the team were acknowledged on a larger scale when he was selected to the 1950 All-American high school basketball squad.

Thompson’s time at Armijo wasn’t just about sports, however. He was involved with student government and was his class’s student body president as a sophomore; he was a staff member for the school newspa-

CORRECTION POLICY

per The Armijo Student; he belonged to the Science Club and he was the business manager of the Block A society, a club for those who let tered in sports as well as kept their grades up.

An amusing anec dote about Thompson is included in the Feature Section of his senior yearbook. He is referred to as “Snowball Slim” and the feature wonders how he was able to make it through four years of playing basketball without amputating his own tongue.

Evidently whenever Thompson was deep in concentration, out came his tongue. The yearbook feature asks “Was he panting or licking supper off his chin? Maybe he was giving the other team the razzberry.”

It was a habit Thompson took with him when he traded in his game shoes for a coach’s whistle. While his classmates may have mocked it when he was a teen, a case could be made that Thompson was a man ahead of his time as three decades later Michael Jordan became famous for his tongueout hoop wizardry.

In many longtime Fairfielders’ books, Thompson is one of the “big three” of high school hoop coaches that includes Vanden’s Jim Boyd and Armijo’s Ed Hopkins (whom Boyd and Thompson played for). Fairfield High won two Delta League championships within five years of the school opening and part of the reason for that was center Jay Dahl who still holds a school record for rebounds (892).

When Dahl played on the new school’s first basketball team in 1966, he was still mourning his father who had died suddenly earlier that year. Thompson became more than a coach to Dahl. He was a father

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.

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figure, a mentor, and when Dahl became a coach himself at Armijo High, a friend and a role model.

“The best part of coaching isn’t the winning or losing; it’s working with the kids. When I was 14 and had the experience I had with losing my dad, Ron Thompson was a very big male influence on me and I tried to do the same thing with other kids. If I could help just one kid out a year, that was a big deal,” Dahl said in 2013 interview.

Thompson coached for 26 years at Fairfield High and was also the athletic director. He was known as “the voice of Schaefer Stadium” as he called home football games there until he was well into his seventies.

Thompson remembered when the Fairfield High gymnasium was being built in the early 1960s and never

dreamed that it would one day bear his name. But that day came in 1998.

After a long battle with cancer, Thompson died on July 13, 2016. At his memorial service inside the gym bearing his name, he was feted for his contributions to local basketball, but also for his love of life. He was a huge sports fan and followed the Giants, 49ers, Cal Bears and many others, but also was a lover of music and his tastes ran the gamut from classical to jazz to The Rolling Stones (which surprised many of his former players at the memorial service). He was a world traveler and loved to laugh and make others do the same.

Trying to squeeze all the fullness and richness of a life well-lived into a memorial is impossible, but the stories

told at his service helped. The program even featured lines from some of Thompson’s favorite comedy films and TV shows, like “Seinfeld,” “The Blues Brothers,” and “Airplane!”

By the numbers, Thompson’s career was most impressive. His teams won eight league championships during his tenure and he had a 409-262 record. Arguable the Falcons’ best run was when they went 33-1 in the Monticello Empire League (MEL) and 77-13 overall from 1986 to 1989.

But the numbers only tell part of the story about coach Ron Thompson. What many people remember is what a championship human being he was.

Thompson and his wife Deanna had three daughters, Christy, Suzanne and Laurie.

But over the years he also had hundreds of “sons.”

Fairfield freelance humor columnist and accidental local historian Tony Wade writes two weekly columns-- “ The Last Laugh” on Mondays and “Back in the Day” on Fridays. Wade is also the author of The History Press books “Growing Up In Fairfield, California,” “Lost Restaurants of Fairfield, California,” the upcoming book “Armijo High School: Fairfield, California” and hosts the Channel 26 government access TV show “Local Legends.”

Want to camp near a national park? National forests make it easy

Emily Edwards

SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST

The first time I camped alone in my van, I drove to the Loft Mountain Campground in Shenandoah National Park and asked the ranger stationed at the entrance kiosk if I could book a spot for two nights. She pulled out a paper notebook, a handful of note cards and a pen, then asked me to write down my license plate number, dates and last name.

It wasn’t that long ago that many national park campsites, especially the small and obscure ones, still used a low-tech method for booking. The analog, direct approach allowed for the spontaneity of a last-minute camping trip. But thanks to a continued increase of park visitors, possibly fueled by the advent of online reservations systems, even the most seasoned campers have difficulty navigating a labyrinth of lotteries and release dates. As of 2022, all campsites within a national park can only be booked using the app, thus opening all of those previously obscure spots to the 21 million Recreation.gov users.

Since its sleek Booz Allen relaunch in 2018, the NPS reservations app has become a blessing and a curse for those hoping to score a coveted camping spot within a given park’s boundary. According to the website, as many as 19,000 people may be competing to book a spot at a park with 57 campsites in a matter of minutes, leading many frustrated would-be campers to wonder if bots are running amok (a la Ticketmaster Swiftgate). Frustrations with the app came to a head last summer when an association of 400 organizations in the tourism industry sent a letter to National Park Service director Chuck Sams and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to voice

their concerns.

For those of us who don’t want to dig through each national park’s individual rules about campsite bookings or idle online at 7:59 a.m. to rapid-click “refresh” in hopes of securing a site in a fully booked campground, there is an alternative: staying in a national forest.

The U.S. Forest Service administers almost 200 million acres of forests and grasslands with a broad mandate to sustain health, diversity and productivity. That bigger scope means there are more options: bookin-advance formal campsites (like the ones in national parks); first-come, firstserve campsites (offered in a few of those parks); and open, dispersed free camping (not offered in any national parks without a backcountry permit).

You’ll also likely still be close to a national park; most share a border with a national forest or grassland to help protect the parks’ ecological integrity, maintain a cohesive ecosystem and share conservation resources.

Over the past year and a half of living in my van fulltime, I’ve visited 42 national parks – and have only secured three formal campsites inside of one. Part of that is my fault: I’m not exactly the type to plan what city I’ll be in next week, let alone which campsite to pick. But even for the special national parks that I’d planned to visit months in advance, I was often

defeated by a slow internet connection – a common issue among #vanlifers – and have watched campsites fill in real-time.

Thanks to the symbiotic relationship of national parks and forests, campers who find themselves unable to book a site within a national park can, more often than not, find an empty spot in a national forest spot – and it may also be free. Here are some of my favorites finds:

Nantahala National Forest

Instead of competing to camp in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains, one of the most-visited national parks, head to its southern border to camp on Santeetlah Lake. You can book a formal campsite at Cheoah Point Recreation Area for $20 a night (or $25 for an electric hookup) or try your luck at one of the free first-come, first-serve spots along Pine Ridge Road. The Oconaluftee entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains is an hour’s drive – or, you could skip entering the park entirely and drive north on U.S. Route 129 along the western border through the forest to access dozens of less-crowded hikes just outside the park.

Superior National Forest

If you’re looking for a secluded – but not isolated – camping trip among old-growth forests and idyllic lakes, head to northern Minnesota where Superior National Forest borders two of the least-visited parks. You can take the ferry from Grand Portage to Isle Royale National Park and back in a day, making an easy camping alternative for the vehicleless island park. Camp at a formal site like Fall Lake Campground for $28 a night or for free at a dispersed site in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Then, head west to Voyageurs National Park to knock two

parks out in one trip.

Coconino National Forest

Camping just outside of Grand Canyon National Park is easy thanks to Kaibab National Forest, which buffers both the northern and southern entrances (free camping can be found just off Highway 64 along a number of quiet forest service roads). For a little more space and seclusion, head south from the park to Coconino National Forest, which engulfs the city of Flagstaff, Ariz. Technically – as long as there are no distinct “no parking” signs – you can stealth camp anywhere in the city thanks to its national distinction. A great free option is the Wing Mountain Dispersed Camping area boasting its own area of hiking trails and attractions.

Flathead National Forest

You could probably throw a dart at a map of northwestern Montana and hit a beautiful, free dispersed campsite somewhere just outside of Glacier National Park. My favorite spot in the Flathead National Forest is a short drive from the West Glacier entrance to the park where the Flathead River becomes whole at the joining of its north and middle fork, right off U.S. Route 2. This is a particularly good option for those looking to camp late in the season, but don’t want to commit to a reserved spot in the event the park ends the season early for snow.

The best way to find dispersed camping regardless of where you are is to use the Forest Service’s Interactive Map and be sure to check local notices for hazard warnings like wildfires or flooding. Just remember to stay flexible, leave no trace, and share your best hidden gem campsites with friends.

Tony Wade Back in the day

Emily Edwards photo

The author’s van parked along a river at Flathead National Forest in Montana.

Grand jury goes beyond pandemic in look at schools post-pandemic

with their mental health.

VALLEJO — A 2-yearold girl died Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a car backing out of a driveway.

“The initial investigation revealed that a Dodge Charger was backing out of a private driveway when the driver felt as though she had hit something. Upon checking on the source, the driver, a 25-year-old Vallejo resident, found she collided with a small child. The driver and family members of the

child immediately took her to a local hospital, where life-saving measures were conducted,” the Vallejo Police Department reported. The child died from her injuries. Her name was not released due to her age, the police said.

The driver of the Charger is a family friend, and is cooperating with the investigation. The incident occurred about 4:50 p.m. This is the third fatal traffic collision in Vallejo this year. Drugs or alcohol do not appear to be a factor.

FAIRFIELD — The

2022-23 Solano County civil grand jury explored how public schools have responded to the return of in-person instruction following the Covid-19 shutdown.

“One of the purposes of the jury’s report was to learn what actions were taken to create a successful and safe return for students,” the report’s summary states. It was issued on June 30.

It concludes that school districts “have utilized Covid-19 funds effectively to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff.” It does not address any academic response.

The central review was on campus safety, and the grand jury went beyond pandemic impacts and looked at general safety

issues. It noted specifically campus shootings. In fact, four of the five findings, and corresponding recommendations, target concerns that existed before the pandemic.

It calls on all districts to:

n Enforce locked room policies when school classes are being taught.

n Obtain more cameras to increase the scope of coverage to increase students’ safety.

n Adopt a single-pointof-entry process at all schools.

n Equip all schools with RAPTOR, Envoy or similar systems to identify any person entering schools and to notify staff.

The remaining finding and recommendation calls for all districts to “establish a calming/refuge area with dedicated mental health staffing available for students” to help students

The report breaks out sections on safety, mental health and staffing.

“Physical security includes many options: locks, fencing, and cameras among them. The default lock policy is rooms remain locked during school hours. Some of the classroom doors observed were open or unlocked. Some schools have upgraded to ‘Columbine-style’ locks that can be locked from inside. ne school used internal slider-style locks that are keyless,” the Safety section of the report states “Campus access varies from a fully fenced campus perimeter to fences between buildings. Many schools, particularly elementary schools, have a single point of entry with locked gates. Camera use varies among schools.

Some have systems that can view the entire campus, others have systems that have only partial views. Access to camera systems is restricted to administrative personnel,” the report adds. “Most camera systems within the school districts are independently installed and monitored by principals or their front office staff.”

While the report notes the number of cameras at the various public districts, ranging from 550 at Fairfield-suisun campuses to 136 at Dixon campuses –the report only provides general information on safety topics and does not address specific schools.

It also notes the efforts of the Solano County Office of Education, the county Office of Emergency Services and county

See Schools, Page A4

PG&E has financial assistance, budget, planning plans available

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — The Pacific Gas and Electric Company urges eligible customers to enroll in financial assistance programs to help lower energy costs and better manage summer energy bills.

The utility also will work with customers with past-due balances as result of the pandemic or other financial hardship.

“Customers in many of our hometowns use more electricity to cool their homes as the weather gets hotter in the summer months. For many customers, higher energy use can have a significant impact on household finances.

PG&E wants to help, and we will work with individual customers on their specific needs,” Vincent Davis, PG&E vice president, Customer Operations and Enablement, said in a statement. The assistance programs include:

n Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program: A federally funded program that helps low-income households with their energy bills, including those at risk of having service interrupted for non-payment. Program eligibility is determined by income, household size, place of residence, and other factors. To find the local

LIHEAP agency, visit csd. ca.gov/energybills or call 866-675-6623.

n California Alternative Rates for Energy Program: Qualified households can save 20% or more each month on their energy bills. Customers can apply for CARE online at pge.com/ care. Qualifying customers will begin receiving program discounts within their next billing cycle.

n Family Electric Rate Assistance Program: Income-qualified households with three or more people can apply for the FERA program at pge. com/fera for an 18% discount on their electric bills.

n Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help Program: Provides income-qualified customers with financial assistance up to $500, based on their past-due bill, during times of hardship. Energy credit support is subject to funding availability. Customers can apply at dollar energy.org/myapp.

n Medical Baseline Program: Customers on the Medical Baseline program who have special energy needs due to certain qualifying medical conditions can receive a lower rate on monthly energy bills.

See PG&E, Page A4

Daily Republic Staff

FAIRFIELD — A California scrub jay has tested positive for West Nile virus in Fairfield.

The specimen sample was collected on June 26.

As of Friday, the state Department of Public Health reports that there are no human cases of the disease.

“This is the first confirmed indication of local West Nile virus activity this year,” Dr. Bela Matyas, Solano County Public Health officer, said in a statement released on Wednesday. “So far, we have not received any reported cases of human infection from West Nile virus. This serves as a reminder to our community that risks can be greatly reduced by taking simple precautions.”

West Nile virus is transmitted to humans and animals through the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitos become

infected when they feed on infected birds.

People may reduce the risk of contracting mosquito-borne illness by following these guidelines:

n Dawn and dusk –Mosquitoes are most active in the early morning and evening. Residents should avoid being outside at these times. If you are outdoors, wear a longsleeved shirt and long pants and use insect repellent.

n Drain standing water – Mosquitoes lay their eggs on standing water. Residents should eliminate all sources of standing water on their property and drain empty flower pots, buckets, barrels, old car tires, rain gutters and pet bowls. If you have an ornamental pond, contact SCMAD at 707437-1116 for a free mosquito fish.

See Virus, Page A4

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — A

34-year-old Fairfield woman had to be extricated from her vehicle early Tuesday morning after a high-speed solo accident on Lopes Road. She was transported to a local hospital.

The black Jeep, traveling south on Lopes Road at a high rate of speed, lost control and struck the concrete wall between Red Top Road and Brittney Drive, the police reported.

The impact created a huge hole in that wall spanning two backyard properties on Silverado Drive. The Jeep was upside down after having flipped repeatedly.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Courtesy photo The state Department of Public Health reports that a scrub jay collected on June 26 tested positive for West Nile virus in Fairfield.

Solo vehicle crash requires extrication

State Route 12 landscape project to commence

SUISUN CITY — Construction for the State Route 12 Landscape Improvements Project in Suisun City is scheduled to commence next week.

The goal is to rejuvenate the State Route 12 corridor from the Civic Center Boulevard off ramp/on ramp to Walters Road.

In collaboration with Caltrans and the Solano Transportation Authority this initiative aims to enhance the visual appeal of the State Route 12 corridor in Suisun City through various landscaping efforts. These include the introduction of oleanders in the medians between Marina Boulevard and Walters Road, incorporating drought-tolerant landscaping in the triangular area at the eastbound State Route 12 on ramp/off ramp at Civic Center Boulevard, as well as along the north side of State Route 12 between Marina Boulevard and Village Drive.

It also involves repairing damaged chain link

fence panels from Marina Boulevard to Walters Road, replacing the existing chain link fence on the north side of State Route 12 between Marina Boulevard and Sunset Avenue with a wood/wire mesh fence, and painting the guardrails at the McCoy Creek crossing.

The $2.15 million

funding is sourced from Caltrans’ allocation of the Clean California Grant fund program. The City will contribute the required 10 percent matching funds through Measure S.

The contract for the project has been awarded to Marina Landscape, Inc.

Task force has seized nearly $162M in unlicensed cannabis

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

SACRAMENTO — The Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce seized more than $109 million in illegal cannabis in the second quarter.

The total represents a 104% increase from the $52 million in unlicensed cannabis and cannabis products in the first quarter.

This includes a 115% gain in the number of plants eradicated and a 375% increase in the number of firearms seized.

“This well-orchestrated task force continues to reach new heights on

shutting down a variety of illicit operations that range from dispensaries to indoor grow houses to outdoor cultivations sites among other facets in the illegal supply chain,” said David Bess, chief of enforcement for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, in a press release.

“These enforcement numbers speak volumes on the dedication, perseverance and organization of this multi-agency taskforce. I could not be prouder of what we are accomplishing as a team.”

Created in 2022, the Unified Cannabis

Enforcement Taskforce is bringing together more than two-dozen state, local and federal partners, including the Department of Toxic Substances Control, to protect communities, consumers, and the environment.

In 2023 UCETF has seized $161,921,709.44 in unlicensed cannabis through the serving of 113 search warrants. The taskforce has also eradicated 173,499 plants and seized 23 firearms. To learn more about the California cannabis market, state licenses or laws, visit www.canna bis.ca.gov.

Band of Believers revival set July 22

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD —

The Solano County Band of Believers are hosting a revival on July 22 on the annex lawn in the downtown.

Virus

From Page A3

n DEET and other repellents – Insect repellents help keep mosquitoes from biting. Apply an EPAregistered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, IR3535 or para-menthane-diol products per the manufacturer’s instructions.

n Doors and windows –Residents should ensure that their doors and windows have tight-fitting screens to keep mosquitoes out. Repair or replace screens with tears or holes.

PG&E

From Page A3

“We have the flexibility to create pay plans tailored to fit each customer’s unique situation and challenges. PG&E has done extensive outreach and distributed bill relief to residential customers throughout our service area, and we’re here to help customers get back

“We invite our family to come together as one and join us in prayer and worship to help heal our community during these challenging times,” the organization said on a flier.

The event, “Coming

About 80% of humans infected with the West Nile virus will not develop any symptoms.

“About one in five will develop mild flulike symptoms, including fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting and swollen lymph glands. However, about 1% (about 1 in 150) of persons with WNV infections will develop severe neurological disease. In rare cases, WNV infection can be fatal,” the statement said.

Individuals 60 or older, and those with certain medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease and people who

on track,” Davis said in the statement.

In addition to financial and bill assistance resources, PG&E offers a variety of programs to help customers manage their summer energy costs through personalized rate comparisons, a look at bill rate options; budget billing, which averages out utility costs over the year; billed forecast alerts; home-energy checkups; HomeIntel, an energy savings plan;

our city’s image. State Highway 12 is a crucial thoroughfare that intersects our community, and these improvements will enhance the visual appeal for residents and drivers passing through Suisun City,” said Mayor Alama Hernandez in a press release.

From Page A3

Public Health to develop systems of communication regarding Covid-19, including webpages.

The Mental Health section notes that districts had been involved with the issue prior to Covid19, but the jury found the need was even greater in the post-pandemic era.

Again, it does not discuss specific districts, but notes the range of services and staffing that can be found at the schools.

“Availability of mental health care varies from scheduled visits on campus throughout the week to on-call support from mental health professionals. Where some schools have no nurse available, the district assigns Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) health clerks,” the report states. “Some schools use external resources such as Care Solace, a mental health care coordination service, to inform parents of additional health resources. Another method to address mental health for students is using quiet spaces within or outside of classrooms. Mindfulness Corners in classrooms and separate

Wellness Centers are areas where students can regain focus and composure without disrupting classroom instruction. Not all schools offer these options.

“Quiet room staffing varies from a few that have full-time trained counselors to others using interns from local community colleges; some have student volunteers. Most of the facilities that do not have a Wellness Center or a quiet room share the services of a mental health psychologist or clinician who visits during the week.”

The Staffing section states that the pandemic has only worsened existing issues.

“The needs are for school resource officers, nurses, mental health professionals, certificated (teaching) and classified (non-teaching) staff. Districts are actively recruiting with a variety of means including: local hiring fairs, teacher training programs, outreach to local universities, and social/print media. Districts have established a number of policies to attract and retain teachers and classified staff including changing salary scales, assistance with certification and hiring bonuses,” the report states.

OBITUARIES

Noreen Ramos

Noreen Ramos, a beloved daughter, mother, sister, and friend, passed away on June 27, 2023. Born on January 30, 1949 in Kingsburg, CA, she was the youngest of 11 children to John and Maude Lynn. Her upbringing in Dixon, CA shaped her into the re markable person she became.

After graduating from Dixon High School in 1967, Noreen embarked on a journey of l ove and companionship. In the same year she married Danny Ramos, and together they built a beautiful life. Eventually, they settled in Fairfield, CA, where they welcomed their daughter, K atelynn, in 1988.

Noreen was known for her quick wit and unparalleled sense of humor. No matter how dark the situation, she had a way of using humor to brighten the room and make ever yone around her laugh. Her infectious laughter and cheerful disposition brought joy to the lives of all who knew her

Together in Prayer and Worship,” is set for 6 to 8 p.m.

The annex lawn is at 580 Texas St., next to the old courthouse and across from the county government center, in Fairfield.

have received organ transplants, are at greater risk of developing severe illness and complications.

“We urge residents to remove standing water on their property to aid in our prevention and control efforts,” says Richard Snyder, Solano County Mosquito Abatement District manager, said in the statement. “Any unmaintained swimming pools and stagnant water should be reported by calling us at 707-437-1116.”

Residents are encouraged to report dead birds online at www. westnile.ca.gov or by calling 1-877-WNV-BIRD (1-877-968-2473).

Power Saver Rewards, a program that rewards those willing to reduce energy use at certain times; and SmartAC, that offers discounts on smart thermostats and offers other incentives.

For other programs, including pandemicrelated hardships, go to pge.com or call 800743-5000. For payment arrangements or other bill-related matters, go to the website or call 877-660-6789.

Among her many passions, Noreen had a deep l ove f or the coast. She cherished the se rene drives and the soothing sound of crashing waves. Noreen also had an eye for the pa st and enjoyed collecting antiques, appreciating the histo ry and stories behind each piece she acquired.

Pets held a special place in Noreen’s heart, and she loved each and every one of them

fiercely. She provided them with abundant love, care, and a home filled with warmth. Her nurturing nature extended beyond humans, and she embraced the companionship and loyalty that animals offered.

Noreen was preceded in d eath by her pa rents, John and Maude Lynn, as w ell as he r niece, Jenny Lynn, and other beloved siblings. She leaves behind cherished memories in the heart of her daughter, K atelynn, o f Fairfield. She is also survived by her brother, R alph Lynn, of Fallon, NV; her brother, Ra y, and his wife, Patti, of Star, ID; her niece, Barbara Jean Lynn, of Shasta Lake City; her nephe w, R alph Lynn-Hanks, of R ohnert Park; her niece, Michelle Rivera, of R ohnert Park; her nephe w, John R amos, of Eureka; her nephe w, Fr ed R amos, of Esparto, bonus daughter Katie and numerous other loving family members and friends.

Noreen Ramos will forever be remembered for her radiant smile, kind heart, and her ability to bring laughter into any room. Her legacy will continue to inspire those who were fortunate enough to have known her. She will be deeply missed and eternally cherished.

A memorial service will be held at the end of July to celebrate the life of Noreen Ramos in one of her favorite places, Stonyford CA.

Special thanks to all those that have reached out and supported Katelynn during this difficult time.

May Noreen Ramos rest in eternal peace, knowing that her memory will forever be a blessing to all whose lives she touched.

Gary Chandler

Gary Wayne Chandler, 69, a renowned pillar in the community, passed away on Friday June 30, 2023. Gary was a stranger to no one and found great purpose in sharing successes, joys, and challenges with those around him. Gary was genuinely there for those in his life whether they were family or friends.

Throughout his life, Gary Chandler was referred to in many ways, first off as a son and a brother. He would go on to be a US Navy sailor, Budweiser lover, and who can forget his lifelong love affair with the San Francisco 49’ers. Among his many titles include the most important, husband, father and Papa. For those in the know, he was also the community Santa and Grumpy Grump. Obviously, Gary’s antics were legendary and those who knew him have many of their own stories to tell.

Gary is survived by his amazing wife, Diane Sereni Chandler. Inheriting their combined quick wit are their children Laura, Joe and his wife Amy, and Harvey and his wife Priscilla. Unfortunately, Gary was preceded in death by their son Ronnie. Along with the children he is also survived by his loving grandchildren, little Joe and wife Brittany Kevin, Rachael, Sianna, Kayleigh and great-grandchild Madalyn.

As per Gary’s request, no funeral or memorial services will be held, but his cremated remains will be interred at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon.

FAIRFIELD FUNERAL HOME

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NAVY VETERAN

Red Cross honors volunteers from Solano, 3 other counties

FAIRFIELD — The American Red Cross North Bay Chapter recently honored 26 residents and six community partners from Solano and three other counties at its annual recognition event for volunteers.

From Solano County, Susan Reece was recognized in three categories,

while Mary Bichler and Judith Broestler each were honored in two. Reece was named Volunteer of the Year, and received the Biomedical Services – Donor Ambassador Program Award and the Volunteer of the Volunteer Award.

Bichler received the New Volunteer Award, and was recognized along with Ron Cohea, John Williams, Mirian

Slurry Seal Project to get underway soon; expect detours, delays

SUISUN CITY — Construction for the Slurry Seal Project in Suisun City is scheduled to commence during the upcoming week.

The first steps involved digout repairs, crack sealing, and preparatory work. The subsequent week will see the implementation of slurry sealing on various street segments, with an expected completion date by the end of July.

The funding for this project is derived from Senate Bill 1 allocations. The construction contract has been awarded to DRYCO Construction, Inc., totaling $599,969.88.

During the slurry sealing process, the affected street segments will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

They are:

n Main Street from the Train Depot to the southern terminus.

n Catalina Circle.

n Harbor Park Drive.

n Breakwater Circle.

n Catamaran Way.

n Rocky Point Cove.

n Pepperwood Street.

n Floyd Court.

n Anderson Drive from Lawler Ranch Parkway to McCoy Creek.

n Hoyt Court. n Lawler Ranch Parkway from Mayfield Way to Potrero Street.

n Emperor Drive from Highway 12 to Pintail Drive.

n Capistrano Drive.

The project encompasses approximately 593,000 square feet of pavement resurfacing.

Prior to the slurry sealing process, adjacent residents will receive notices regarding the resurfacing work. Parking restrictions will be posted at least 72 hours in advance.

Throughout the construction activities, all road users are advised to comply with constructionrelated signage and utilize detour roads adjacent to the project streets. Travel delays should be expected due to lane closures and reduced speed limits.

We are pleased to commence this project to enhance multiple residential streets within our city. Road repairs are important to everyone, but finding adequate funding for all the streets in need of improvement is a challenge,” said Mayor Alma Hernandez, in a press release.

On Stage Vacaville raising funds to launch adaptive arts program

SuSan HilanD SHILAND@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VACAVILLE — On

Stage Vacaville is hosting a fundraiser for a new program for students with cognitive disabilities, according to a press release.

This unique program allows students with cognitive disabilities to interact with other peers on a regular basis through weekly art classes in various disciplines, such as dance, visual arts, and music. The classes will be designed to aid students by enhancing social and emotional skills leading to greater self-confidence.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with local community arts groups, the city of Vacaville and

Harvey, Kathy Savage and Pamela Ingram as part of the Solano Be Red Cross Ready Team, which received the Teamwork and Collaboration Award.

Broestler received the Good Neighbor and Partnership Award along with Brian Travis, chief of Department of Public Safety, at Solano Community College, the Solano County Fairgrounds, Chipotle Restaurant and

Dutch Brothers. She also received the Service to the Armed Forces Award.

The Community Engagement Award went to Alzinia Pailin, also from Solano.

“Our volunteers dedication its remarkable. Without their selfless commitment we couldn’t help those in need when they need it most,” Vincent Valenzuela, Red Cross North Bay Chapter exec-

utive director, said in a statement released on Wednesday.

The event was held June 4 in Santa Rosa.

“They turn their compassion into action and ensure families in our North Bay communities will not face the next emergency alone,” Valenzuela added.

Volunteers from Napa, Sonoma and Marin counties also were recognized

at the event.

While the annual recognition event spotlights several key Red Cross volunteers, it serves as a celebration to honor the work of all local volunteers who dedicate many hours of service to the Red Cross and their local communities, the statement said. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer can go to redcross.org/ volunteertoday.

Multiple-vehicle collision on Air Base Parkway

A car sits in the median of Air Base Parkway near Heath Drive in Fairfield following a multiple-vehicle collision in the westbound direction, Thursday.

Take 5 Oil Change opens in Suisun

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

SUISUN CITY — The city has welcomed another new business. Take 5 Oil Change, 313 Walters Road, opened Wednesday. It offers an array of services tailored to meet the needs of today’s busy motorists, including the option to remain in the car during the oil change. Appointments are not needed.

other nonprofit partners to revive this program that was lost to this under served community due to the pandemic” said Angela Arteritano, VP of development in the press release.

On Aug. 23 they will be hosting a Pizza and Bingo for a Purpose at Journey Downtown, 308 Main St., Vacaville. Tickets are $20 each and will include pizza served family style and 1 bingo card. Additional bingo cards can be purchased for $5 each or 5 for $20.

To make a donation to the Synergy Adaptive Arts Program or to join our fundraiser please visit www. onstagevacaville.org, or email to Angela@onstagevacaville.org or call 707-452-3139.

Summer’s 2nd Benicia Art Walk set Saturday

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

BENICIA – The second in the summer series of Art Walks in Benicia is scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday along First Street in the downtown.

“Enjoy eight galleries in downtown Benicia. Come for lunch and stay for dinner. You’ll find great shopping and dining, live music, amazing historical sites and our beautiful waterfront, all for a Great Day by the Bay in Benicia,” organizers

said in a statement. There is also an opportunity to win prizes if participants get their Art Walk Passports stamped at each gallery,.

“Turn it in to one of the participating galleries for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate to be used at one of the 2023 Art Walk galleries,” organizers said.

The Art Walks are held on the second Saturday of each month through October.

For more information, go to https://www.visit benicia.org/artwalk2023.

“The opening of Take 5 Oil Change in Suisun City is a fantastic addition to our community,” Mayor Alma Hernandez said in a press release.

“This facility not only provides residents with a convenient option for their automotive needs but also contributes to our local economy. We welcome Take 5 Oil Change and look forward to the benefits it will bring

to our city.”

“We are thrilled to have Take 5 open this state-of-the-art oil change facility in our city. Take 5 is a national leader in the oil change industry,

but this facility is only the second to open in California and is the first newly built facility for Take 5 in California. We appreciate their confidence and investment in Suisun

City,” City Manager Greg Folsom said, in the press release. Take 5 Oil Change is celebrating the grand opening with a $15 discount on an oil change.

Harris touts the small business side of ‘Bidenomics’ at Santa Monica eatery

tRibune content agency

LOS ANGELES — As

President Joe Biden leans into pitching voters on economic progress made under his watch ahead of the 2024 election, Vice President Kamala Harris is on a mission to highlight how small businesses have fared under “Bidenomics.”

In a visit to salad restaurant Alfalfa on Santa Monica’s Main Street, Harris, alongside Small Business Administration head Isabella Casillas Guzman and Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., touted the White House’s moves to fortify the Community Advantage Program, an Obama-era lending program aimed at helping entrepreneurs struggling to secure capital for their businesses.

Established in 2011, the Community Advantage

Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Vice President Kamala Harris, second from left, Isabella

Casillas Guzman, administrator of the small Business administration, and Rep. Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park) visit with co-founders andrew arrospide and Dan londono, far right, at alfalfa restaurant along Main street in santa Monica, Wednesday.

Program was designed to increase loan access specifically for low-income, underserved business owners through mostly nonprofit, approved lenders. The program was extended into 2023 and expanded under the Biden

administration, which boosted loan maximums to $350,000, up from $250,000, and provided a pathway for more financial institutions to become SBA lenders. “The Community Advantage Program is

about giving support and access to capital to small businesses like this,” said Harris. “We have so many small businesses that are doing great work, they are part of the community, they are leaders in the community, but they don’t necessarily have the access, or the relationships with the big banks, or the big banks don’t necessarily see the value in what some of these small businesses do.”

Alfalfa co-founders Andrew Arrospide and Daniel Londono opened their first location in 2019 in Hoboken, New Jersey. When they initially tried to secure the funding to bring their salad concept to the West Coast, banks and investors turned them down, the co-founders said.

In 2021, Arrospide and

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic

Courtesy photo

Take 5 oil Change opened in suisun City, Wednesday.

US must wake up to rivalry in the Arctic

K enneth R. Rosen SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST

As far as U.S. policy goes, the Arctic is synonymous with Alaska. And that’s a growing problem. Climate change, military competition and the search for natural resources are turning the frozen north into a hotbed of global rivalry. The United States must start thinking bigger or risk being left behind.

Admittedly, the region is poorly defined, even among scientists and the eight Arctic Council members. Some propose a latitudinal boundary of 66.5 degrees north of the equator; others prefer a topographic boundary (the area to the north of wooded country) or a temperature boundary (median July temperature below 10 degrees Celsius). Based on my conversations with Arctic researchers in seven countries, as well as my travels in the Arctic, the U.S. government and military need a definition that includes far-north allies in a joint commitment to keep the Arctic free and peaceful.

Strategic rivals are moving quickly to dominate the region. Over the past decade, Russia has reopened and modernized upward of 50 Cold War-era bases along the necklace of its Arctic coastline of roughly 15,000 miles. China has invested in liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects in the Russian north. India has also invested in energy and mineral resources in the Arctic as its economy rapidly expands. One researcher who frequents the Arctic aboard U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers for scientific missions expressed shock “we weren’t paying more attention” to the region.

An updated National Strategy for the Arctic Region, released by the White House last autumn, was disappointing. Like its predecessor from the Obama era, the strategy lacked concrete steps and actionable plans, while once again painting the Arctic as a remote and peculiar afterthought for the nation, home to poor infrastructure and lacking access to health care. And yet, there are signs of progress that might point the way to an effective, though belated, future strategy.

In 2020, the State Department opened a consulate in Nuuk, Greenland; the same year, a U.S. coordinator for the Arctic region was appointed. In the past year, a diplomatic mission in Tromso, Norway, has opened, and two new positions have been created to focus on the region: an ambassador at large for the Arctic region at the State Department and a deputy assistant secretary of defense for Arctic and global resilience working at the Pentagon. The Northern Warfare Training Center in Alaska prepares twice as many troops than in years past. A $600 million-plus project will create Alaska’s first deep-water port in Nome.

There is much more to be done. “I’ve been making the case for years on the need to establish greater American presence in the Arctic – vessels, personnel and ports – as America’s strategic rivals lay claim to this important region,” Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said last year. The United States must also update its northernmost military facility, in Qaanaaq, Greenland, to take account of rising temperatures and thawing permafrost, which are damaging aircraft runways. It’s time to expand the U.S. fleet of icebreaker ships instead of relying on other nations’ fleets. Ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea would put the United States on equal footing with Russia and other nations staking claims to resources extending to the North Pole.

Further, the United States should shoulder the burden of integrated Arctic defense by filling gaps in surveillance, specifically in the North Atlantic between Greenland and Iceland and the United Kingdom. U.S. drones can keep an eye on remote arctic regions, while imagery from surveillance satellites is more widely shared with Arctic allies, rather than relying on infrastructure and equipment owned and operated by those allies who are already turning their defense strategies homeward. American forces should participate more regularly in NATO Arctic exercises. (American B-1 bombers and F-35s joined an exercise in the Nordic region for the first time in June.)

The long-running dispute between the United States and Canada over the boundary of the Beaufort Sea –north of Alaska and Yukon – should be resolved in a display of good faith to enhance cooperation with Canada (another state whose Arctic policy is turning more inward) in modernizing the NORAD network of air defense systems. Such steps would illustrate a previously unseen U.S. commitment to being a cooperative, not passive, regional partner while expanding the vision of a more global Arctic.

Competition among great powers cannot be avoided, but it can be ignored. Despite the actions of our rivals, Washington has made only modest efforts to increase its Arctic footprint, both in Alaska and beyond. A longer and wider vision is required to meet overt and covert threats. That starts with the United States coming to understand that the Arctic is not just Alaska plus ice; it reaches across the northern flank and is a key to national security, global stability and climate resilience.

Kenneth R. Rosen is a journalist who is writing a book about a new cold war in the Arctic.

Long pandemic closures weakened already low-achieving state schools

Gov. Gavin Newsom is fond of rattling off statistics that prove, he claims, California’s enviable status as a national, or even global, leader in all things wonderful.

He tends, however, to cherry-pick his numbers rather than provide a full picture, as a recent Sacramento Bee analysis of his economic assertions on national television demonstrates.

However, there’s one aspect of California society – perhaps its most important – that Newsom excludes from his episodes of braggadocio: how the state is educating nearly 6 million public school students. The sad fact is that California’s students fare poorly vis-à-vis those of other states when it comes to basic skills in language and mathematics, as underscored in a newly published report by the Public Policy Institute of California.

California kids were lagging behind even before Newsom and other officials shut down schools during the Covid-19 pandemic and, the PPIC studies show, educational proficiency plummeted during the closures.

When state academic testing resumed in 2022 after being suspended during the pandemic, it showed “significant declines in proficiency rates.”

Before the pandemic, 51% of students met standards in English language arts (ELA) and it had dropped to 47%. In mathematics, proficiency declined from 40% to 33%.

“Only 35% of low-income stu-

dents met state standards in ELA and 21% were proficient in math,” PPIC reported, “compared to 65% of higher-income students in ELA and 51% in math.”

Furthermore, PPIC noted, the nationwide test of reading and math proficiency “shows that California has consistently lagged behind most other states … 38th in math and 33rd in reading.”

Since Newsom is particularly fond of comparing California to other states, particularly Florida and Texas, one might wonder how we fare in educational attainment. The answer is, PPIC says, that “Florida ranks much higher than California.” However, the state “is ranked just above Texas in reading but far below in math,” although it does best New York in reading and math.

While school closures loomed large in the overall erosion of educational achievement during the pandemic, there were significant differences within the state because closures were not uniform.

“Most of California’s public school students spent the majority of the 2020–21 academic year fully online – longer than students in other states,” PPIC’s research found, but “the return to in-person instruction varied across the state.” Rural counties tended to return to in-person schooling more quickly than schools in urban areas. By June 2021, San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles counties had fewer than 10% of their school systems returned to classroom instruction.

PPIC did not mention that in urban school districts – Los Angeles

Unified most notably – teacher unions often refused to return to the classroom without concessions from their employers, thus continuing online classes for additional months.

Newsom advocated reopening schools and his own kids quickly resumed classes at their private school, but he refused to intervene in districts that were lagging behind in returning kids to the classroom, apparently unwilling to confront the unions.

Variations in reopening meant that “districts with more Black, Latino, low-income, and English Learner students tended to reopen later than other districts,” and “learning gaps widened the longer students remained remote and may have worsened longstanding achievement gaps between lowincome marginalized students and their peers.”

The statistical picture painted in the PPIC research confirms what was obvious to many at the time, that closing schools and forcing at-risk children into haphazard online classes while lacking internet access, tutoring and other resources would make the achievement gap even wider.

California’s economic and social future depends on having a welleducated workforce and citizenry. We were falling behind before Covid-19 struck, and we are even further behind now.

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

US institutions are polling about as well as King George III did in 1776

As the Declaration of Independence tells it, Britain’s King George III, having committed a “long train of abuses and usurpations,” for feited “the consent of the governed,” and with it, his right to rule the 13 colonies.

There were no public opinion polls in 18th-century America, so assessing that statement means we pretty much have to take Thomas Jefferson’s word for it, fleshed out, of course, by whatever historians have been able to glean from newspapers, letters and pamphlets of the era.

Two hundred and forty-seven years later, public opinion data abounds. And it suggests that the contemporary United States is going through a loss of legitimacy no less challenging, in its way, than the one that ultimately engulfed George III. As this country wrapped up its birthday party on July 4, polls were confirming a continued, and, in some respects, increasing, lack of public confidence in its political, economic and social institutions.

The share of the public that expresses a “great deal,” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the presidency (26 percent), Congress (8 percent) and the Supreme Court (27 percent) ticked up slightly since 2022 but still registers at or near all-time lows, according to a new Gallup survey released Thursday.

The percentage expressing confidence in the presidency midway through President Biden’s first term represents a surprising decline from the level - mid-to-high 30s - that prevailed during Donald Trump’s tumultuous, polarizing White House tenure. Congress is down from 30% in 2004 and 42% a half-century ago; the Supreme Court’s percentage is 20 points lower than it was two decades ago.

Truly stunning are the downward trends for institutions that traditionally enjoy substantial public esteem. The percentage expressing a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the U.S. military has dropped 14 points since 2018, from 74% to 60% - the latter being a new low for the 21st century.

Only 43% express strong confidence in the police, down 21 percentage points from the all-time Gallup high of 64% in 2004 - and the lowest in the 30 years since Gallup began asking the question. Over the past halfcentury, confidence in public schools has plunged 36 points; it now stands at 26 percent, also an all-time low for Gallup.

The print and electronic media, once broadly trusted to hold other institutions accountable, now rank close to the bottom in Gallup’s confidence surveys. In a ReutersIpsos poll released in June, 73% of respondents agreed that “the mainstream media is more interested in making money than telling the truth.”

In a different survey last year, 69% of Americans told Gallup they do not have confidence in their national government, the worst rating of any country in the Group of Seven advanced industrial democracies.

Consistent with the above, the Reuters-Ipsos poll found that 69% of Americans think the economy is “rigged to advantage the rich and powerful,” 64% believe “traditional parties and politicians don’t care about people like [you],” and 61% agree with the statement “America needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful.” Caveats apply, of course. A third or so of respondents registered at least “some” confidence in the institutions mentioned above. The confidence Republicans and Democrats express often varies depending on the institution. Skep-

ticism of large institutions, public and private, is part of the national character, and has been at least since, well, 1776.

The criminal justice system, for example, whose current confidence rating, 17 percent, is the same as it was 30 years ago, has never scored higher than 34% during that period.

What’s more, the public has reality-based reasons to lose confidence in major institutions.

The military’s declining rating undoubtedly reflects the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan nearly two years ago; public schools were still reeling from criticism over extended pandemicrelated lockdowns when local conflicts over teaching about race, gender and other controversial issues broke out.

For all that, a major reason Americans are losing confidence in large institutions might be that so many people in politics so often tell them that they ought to.

On the progressive left, fundamental critiques of U.S. society that question the founding of the country itself have gained traction. As for conservatism, Trump has turned much of it from a doctrine of stability into a radical, reactionary movement that sees conspiracies everywhere.

It’s hard for a center to hold when candidates seek competitive advantage by trashing it. Yes, the United States has weathered previous crises of confidence, and it’s hardly in a pre-revolutionary mood now: As the Declaration of Independence says, “mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.” Yet longterm stability depends on replacing mere acquiescence with a more positive view of the system than many Americans currently hold.

Charles Lane is a Post editorial writer and a weekly columnist.

Dan Walters

Charles Lane

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Ricky Martin, Jwan Yosef split after 6 years

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

Ricky Martin and husband Jwan Yosef are getting a divorce, six years after tying the knot.

The “Livin’ La Vida Loca” singer, 51, and husband Jwan Yosef are closing the book on their love story, People reports.

“We have decided to end our marriage with love, respect and dignity for our children and honoring what we have experienced as a couple all these wonderful years,” Martin and the 38-year-old painter, with whom he shares two children, said in a joint statement to People.

Martin – who on his own is father to twin boys Matteo and Valentino – and Yosef said they will co-parent daughter Lucia, 4, and son Renn, 3, to maintain “a healthy family dynamic.”

The former couple,

whose beginnings can be traced back to Instagram in 2015, tied the knot in early 2018.

News of the split comes nearly a year after Martin’s nephew, Dennis Yadiel Sanchez, accused the superstar of both incest and domestic abuse. Sanchez, then 21, claimed that he and Martin had been together for seven months and the latter would not accept the split. It didn’t take long for Sanchez to drop the claims, and a judge refused to administer a restraining order against Martin, who slammed the allegations as “completely false” and “devastating.”

Martin in September filed a $20 million suit against Sanchez, and within days, the former was accused of sexual assault in his native Puerto Rico.

Pickles Brian Crane

Zits Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

Pearls Before Swine Stephan Pastis

Candorville Darrin Bell

Baby Blues Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott

Baldo Hector Cantú

Biden set to send cluster munitions to Ukraine despite groups’ concern

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President Joe Biden has agreed to send cluster munitions to Ukraine, fulfilling a request from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy despite concern from arms control groups and human rights activists about the potential harm to civilians.

The Biden administration will announce that it’s providing Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICMs) as part of a new military assistance package set to be announced on Friday, according to two people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing internal deliberations.

Biden’s decision will be a controversial one because more than 100 countries – including France, Germany, the U.K. and many other NATO allies – are parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, a 2010 agreement that bans the use and transfer of such weapons. The U.S., Russia and Ukraine didn’t sign the agreement, although the U.S. has in the past condemned other countries, including Russia, for using them.

In line with those concerns, congressional mandates block the U.S. from exporting cluster munitions that have a failure rate of more than 1%. DPICMs have a failure rate of about 5%, according to the Congressional Research Service. But the U.S. would send Ukraine newer munitions with “lower dud rates” – as low as 2.35% based on recent testing – Brigadier General Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters. He stopped short of confirming the weapons will be provided to Ukraine.

The White House and State Department didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about the decision, which was reported earlier by National Public Radio. Asked earlier about the possible decision, White House spokesman Andrew Bates said the idea was under “active consideration.”

Biden would send the munitions under Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows him to transfer existing U.S. stocks of weapons to Ukraine. U.S. officials had suggested for weeks that such a decision was coming. Laura Cooper, a deputy assistant secretary of defense, testified before Congress last month that the munitions would be useful against “dug-in Russian positions.”

“The reason why you have not seen a move forward in providing this capability relates both to the existing congressional restrictions on the provision of DPICMs and concerns about allied unity,” Cooper said.

Fired from aircraft or from ground-based artillery, missile or rocket launchers, cluster munitions open in flight, dispersing bomblets that can strike numerous targets within range. Ryder said Russia already employs cluster bombs in Ukraine that have high dud rates. He said the bombs can be used anti-armor or anti-personnel.

The U.S. rationale for the weapons has been widely condemned by human rights groups including the U.S. Cluster Munition Coalition, which said in a June 14 letter that the weapons cause “devastating harm to civilians, and especially children, years after a conflict ends.”

“Any claims of potential tactical benefits of the

transfer and subsequent use of cluster munitions by Ukraine in the defense of its territory, dismisses both the substantial danger that cluster munitions pose to civilians, and the international consensus on their prohibition,” the group said.

Criticisms center on the wide dispersal area for cluster bombs and the fact that unexploded ordnance can remain hazardous for decades after landing. Some bomblets have a selfdestruct capability, but those that don’t – known as “dumb” munitions – pose the greatest risk to civilians, as they could explode without warning long after the end of a conflict.

Ukraine has included cluster munitions in the weapons wish lists sent to Western partners. The requests have faced pushback inside and outside government.

Some U.S. government officials have condemned use of the weapons. In March, 2022, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda ThomasGreenfield said weapons such as cluster munitions and vacuum bombs have “no place on the battlefield.” The administration later walked back those remarks.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, who has urged the Biden administration to provide Ukraine with increasingly powerful weapons,

OceanGate suspending ‘all exploration and commercial’ operations after sub implosion

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

OceanGate said it is suspending “all exploration and commercial operations” after five people were killed – including the company’s CEO Stockton Rush – during a deep-sea expedition to the wreckage of the Titanic.

A notice announcing the suspension of services appeared in red letters in the top corner of the company’s website on Thursday. It comes two weeks after a search for OceanGate’s

From Page A5

Londono secured a Community Advantage loan, as well as a loan from the American Rescue Plan’s Revitalization Fund for their expansion.

“Being able to open our second store 3,000 miles away was really difficult, but it’s really because of the funding that we received when no bank would believe in us,” said Londono. “We are an example of how you can use these programs to really build a great business.”

The company now employs over 100 people and will be opening a new location in Larch-

missing submersible culminated in tragedy. The 22-foot carbon-fiber and titanium craft vanished shortly after it dipped beneath the waters of the Atlantic Ocean on June 18. It lost contact with the Polar Prince, the support ship that transported the vessel to the site, about 1 hour and 45 minutes into its descent

The submersible’s disappearance sparked a massive search effort, spanning multiple agencies from around the world, all of them racing to locate the missing vessel

mont this year. Harris used the Santa Monica stop to pitch the Biden administration’s support of small businesses as part of the president’s overall campaign theme of bolstering the economy from the bottom up. Under the Community Advantage Program, Black business owners have received 23% of SBA Community Advantage funding compared to 4% of traditional SBA 7(a) loans, according to the SBA. Latino business owners have received 13% of Community Advantage loans compared to 10% of 7(a) loans. The program made 661 loans totaling $104 million in fiscal year 2022. “The president and I feel very strongly about our

expressed support for the pending decision.

“If these reports are true, this is great news – although long overdue,” McCaul, a Texas Republican, said in a statement. “Now is the time for the U.S. and its allies to provide Ukraine with the systems it needs, from cluster munitions to F-16s to ATACMS in order to aid their critical counteroffensive. Any further delay will cost the lives of countless Ukrainians and prolong this brutal war.”

The decision on cluster bombs is only the latest example of the Biden administration agreeing to provide weapons to Ukraine that it once deemed off-limits for fear of escalating the conflict or provoking a response from Russian President Vladimir Putin outside Ukraine’s borders.

In the months since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, the U.S. has provided increasingly powerful systems, from shoulderfired Stinger missiles to drones to Abrams battle tanks and Patriot missiles. Biden has also cleared the way for allies to provide Ukraine with U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, and is considering whether to give the country the ATACMs missile system, which would allow Ukraine to fire deep into Russian territory if it rejected US admonitions against doing so.

Police: Family lied about Texas man being missing for years

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

A Texas man who was reported missing eight years ago at age 17 actually returned home the following day, Houston police said Thursday.

Both the supposedly missing man, Rudolph “Rudy” Farias, and his family continued to lie to authorities for years, frequently giving fake names to investigators, police said at a news conference.

Houston police Chief Troy Finner said he could not speculate about the family’s motive.

“We can’t predict motivation,” Finner told reporters.

The highly unusual saga has unfolded over the past week when Farias – thought to be missing since 2015 – was found outside a Houston church June 29. Janie Santana, Farias’ mother told a local Houston news outlet that he was unresponsive with cuts and bruises on his body and blood in his hair.

Still, jubilation and national media coverage followed.

“After 8 long years, Rudy has been located safe,” the Texas Center for the Missing announced. “Please con-

tinue to keep his family in your prayers as Rudy recovers in the hospital.” Within days, however, disturbing details emerged. Neighbors of the family said he was never missing and they often saw and socialized with Farias, whom they call “Dolph.” Neighbors said they had no idea he was ever reported missing.

“He used to come in my garage, chill with my cousin, son, and daughter,” neighbor Kisha Ross told KTRK-TV. “That boy has never been missing.”

On Thursday, one day after detectives questioned Farias and his mother, police said there is no evidence of abuse by the mother, contradicting a report by activist Quanell X. Quanell X, who participated in some of the interviews, told reporters that Farias admitted he had been imprisoned and abused for the past eight years. Finner said he could not say whether Farias is a victim or whether mental illness has played a part in the case.

“I’m not going to say if he’s a victim or not,” Finner said, adding that police need to speak with others involved in the case before making a judgment.

before those on board ran out of oxygen.

A remote-operated vehicle, or ROV, later discovered the tail cone of the Titan about 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic on June 22. The Coast Guard later revealed the debris had been consistent with “a catastrophic implosion.”

Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood, British billionaire Hamish Harding and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet all died on the sub alongside Rush.

approach to the economy.

It has been called Bidenomics,” Harris said. “It’s about saying, ‘Look, we’re going to grow the economy from the middle out, we’re going to grow the economy from the bottom up, not the top down.’”

During the debt ceiling impasse in May, House Republicans pushed cuts in government spending that the Biden administration said would have slashed SBA and other small business assistance programs by 22%. In the final debt ceiling package that Biden signed, approximately $2 billion in unused Covid-19 relief funds was clawed back from the SBA, but the Community Advantage Program was untouched.

Sean Rayford/Getty Images/TNS

President Joe Biden speaks about his economic plan at the Flex LTD manufacturing plant in West Columbia, South Carolina, Thursday. The president announced a new partnership between Enphase Energy and Flex LTD.

Tourist who damaged Colosseum says he didn’t know it was ancient

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

ROME — A tourist has apologized for scratching a wall of the Colosseum in Rome.

At the end of June, the man from England had used a key to scratch the names of himself and his girlfriend into the masonry of the worldfamous building.

After the vandalism

became public thanks to mobile phone videos on the internet, the Carabinieri police force identified the 31-year-old man, who is facing a heavy fine.

In a letter widely published in the British media the accused wrote: “I admit with profound embarrassment that only after what regretfully happened did I learn of the antiquity of the monument.”

Crime logs

FairField

MONDAY, JULY 3

12:29 a.m. — Trespassing, 1900 block of WEST TEXAS

STREET

8:29 a.m. — Brandishing a weapon, 1900 block of GRANDE

CIRCLE

8:31 a.m. — Forgery, 1600 block of VICKSBURG DRIVE

9:14 a.m. — Trespassing, 2400 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

9:41 a.m. — Arson, 2700 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

10:11 a.m. — Battery, 200 block of EAST TRAVIS BOULEVARD

11:59 a.m. — Battery, 1700 block of VERMONT STREET

12:23 p.m. — Trespassing, 1600 block of TRAVION COURT

12:42 p.m. — Grand theft, 3300

block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

1:17 p.m. — Reckless driver, DOBE LANE

1:31 p.m. — Forgery, 1800 block of HOLSTEINER DRIVE

2:11 p.m. — Vehicle theft, VILLA COURT

2:49 p.m. — Vandalism, 1100 block of WASHINGTON STREET

3:44 p.m. — Vehicle theft, SUISUN VALLEY ROAD

4:10 p.m. — Trespassing, 1300 block of TRAVIS BOULEVARD

5:21 p.m. — Forgery, 2500 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

5:26 p.m. — Reckless driver, 2000 block of THRUSH WAY

5:36 p.m. — Reckless driver, TRAVIS BOULEVARD

5:44 p.m. — Grand theft, 3400 block of ASTORIA CIRCLE

6:10 p.m. — Battery, 1600 block of WEST TEXAS STREET

6:59 p.m. — Battery, HUBER DRIVE

7:12 p.m. — Reckless driver, EAST TABOR AVENUE

7:31 p.m. — Trespassing, 300 block of EAST TABOR AVENUE

8:00 p.m. — Drunk and disorderly, 4300 block of CENTRAL PLACE

11:02 p.m. — Drunk driver, EAST TABOR AVENUE

11:06 p.m. — Reckless driver, 1900 block of NORTH TEXAS

STREET

11:07 p.m. — Hit-and-run with injury, 1900 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

TUESDAY, JULY 4

1:34 a.m. — Vehicle burglary, 1900 block of BLOSSOM COURT

2:41 a.m. — Trespassing, 2500 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

6:42 a.m. — Battery, 1900 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

7:30 a.m. — Vehicle burglary, 900 block of HOOVER STREET

8:36 a.m. — Reckless driver, AIR

Wilson

From Page One

The Bay Area also is represented in the leadership group by Assemblywoman Diane Papan, D-San Mateo, as the new assistant majority leader for Policy and Research, and Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, as one of the two assistant majority whips.

“The historic diversity of our caucus speaks to the remarkable lived experiences across our great state,” Rivas, D-Salinas, said in a statement. “Our leadership team also reflects this diversity

The letter was sent to Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, the city and the public prosecutor’s office.

The tourist’s lawyer told the Roman newspaper Il Messaggero that his client was “the prototype of the foreigner who casually believes that everything is allowed in Italy, even actions that would be severely punished in his home country.”

Drug

From Page One

BASE PARKWAY

9:14 a.m. — Forgery, 1600 block of PARK LANE

10:16 a.m. — Reckless driver, TRAVIS BOULEVARD

11:02 a.m. — Vandalism, 100 block of RED TOP ROAD

1:06 p.m. — Reckless driver, HILBORN ROAD

1:20 p.m. — Indecent exposure, 2500 block of SUNRISE DRIVE

3:19 p.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, 3300 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

4:46 p.m. — Residential burglary, 2000 block of BRISTOL LANE

4:49 p.m. — Indecent exposure, 2100 block of FAIRFIELD AVENUE

5:42 p.m. — Shots fired, NORTH TEXAS STREET

6:05 p.m. — Reckless driver, PEABODY ROAD

7:13 p.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, SHAKER RUN CIRCLE

7:49 p.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, 2800 block of GULF DRIVE

7:52 p.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, GREEN VALLEY ROAD

8:43 p.m. — Battery, 700 block of EAST TABOR AVENUE

9:24 p.m. — Drunk driver, 1000 block of HAYES STREET

9:43 p.m. — Hit-and-run with injury, NORTH TEXAS STREET

10:20 p.m. — Shots fired, 500 block of VINELAND MARINA

COURT

10:37 p.m. — Reckless driver, 2800 block of ORCHID STREET

10:53 p.m. — Reckless driver, KIDDER AVENUE

10:53 p.m. — Shots fired, CASCADE CIRCLE

11:16 p.m. — Assault with a deadly weapon, 1500 block of MONROE STREET

SuiSun City

MONDAY, JULY 3

10:43 a.m. — Vandalism, 500 block of CANVASBACK DRIVE

1:37 p.m. — Fraud, 400 block of CHYRL WAY

5:11 p.m.

drug targeting the underlying disease process of Alzheimer’s disease has shown clinical benefit in this devastating disease,” said Teresa Buracchio, acting director of the Office of Neuroscience in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “This confirmatory study verified that it is a safe and effective treatment for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.”

The FDA action means the drug will be available to a broader swath of people, Medicare said Thursday. The health program for older Americans declined to pay for the drug outside of clinical trials after it received accelerated approval. But Medicare said the treatment would be covered once it received full FDA approval – as long as prescribers participate in registries that collect evidence about how Leqembi works in the real world.

Leqembi, which is given intravenously every other week, is for earlystage patients with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia caused by Alzheimer’s, and a confirmed buildup of amyloid in their brains.

The lawyer hopes for a lenient sentence thanks to the apology letter. The man’s act of vandalism, which went viral on social media, caused great outrage in Italy. The Colosseum’s park administration filed a complaint. The man was then identified by the Carabinieri on the basis of various video recordings.

In his letter he addressed his “heartfelt

drug’s side effects, and its $26,500-a-year price tag, have generated controversy about the medication, also called lecanemab. Some doctors are skeptical, saying the drug is not effective enough. Others doubt amyloid is the root cause of Alzheimer’s.

Jerry Avorn, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, worries patients will wrongly expect the medication to improve their memory and thinking skills. “That’s untrue,” he said. “It will just make grandma forget a tiny bit less.” And he noted that patients who get the drug will have to undergo multiple brain scans and make frequent trips to infusion centers, which could be a burden.

Some skeptics have said patients might not notice the effects of the drug. In an editorial last December, after the results from the pivotal trial were released, the British medical journal Lancet said the drug’s impact might “not be clinically meaningful” and urged physicians to highlight reducing risk factors for dementia such as hypertension, smoking, diabetes and obesity.

and honest apologies to the Italians and to the whole world for the damage caused to an asset which, in fact, is the heritage of all humanity.”

Il Messaggero commented on the letter with the barbed rhetorical question: “Is there really anyone in the world who does not know what the Colosseum is?”

The Roman land-

rollout is not going to be immediate,” she said. Even at academic medical centers, where the drug is likely to be offered, it might take months for doctors to establish safety protocols and learn how to secure Medicare coverage for patients.

The Medicare requirement that patients and providers enroll in registries has been harshly criticized by some advocacy groups, including the Alzheimer’s Association.

Even with Medicare coverage, patients could face thousands of dollars in drug bills; typically patients are responsible for 20% of the cost of infused drugs. And it is not clear whether other tests, including genetic ones, will be covered.

They say some doctors might not want to take part in a registry, curbing access for patients. In the past, such registries have mostly been used for complex medical devices, not drugs.

But many physicians say gathering data about how Leqembi affects patients could prove helpful in answering questions and is not a significant burden.

mark, which is around 2,000 years old, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy and is considered the symbol of the Eternal City. It was built in the first century AD and is considered the largest amphitheatre in the world. In ancient Rome, sometimes cruel and brutal gladiator fights took place in it.

symptoms such as confusion, and is not interested in Leqembi. “I have found that having a purpose and a positive attitude and mind-set, and getting exercise and fresh air, has worked better than any drug could,” said Scherrer, who is on the board of an organization called Dementia Action Alliance that runs support groups and activities for people with dementia. “A drug does not get you up out of the recliner.” Another anti-amyloid drug, by Eli Lilly, is on the horizon. The company is expected to release details of the data from its main clinical trial for donanemab this month, and may get FDA approval at the end of the year or early next year.

The arrival of two anti-amyloid drugs could mean billions of dollars in additional Medicare spending, analysts say, but the exact cost depends on how many patients receive them, which is not known.

Eisai has forecast that 100,000 people will be eligible to receive Leqembi or a similar drug after three years, but many analysts say the estimate is too low.

STREET

so that we can uplift all residents.”

Rivas began his tenure in the Assembly in 2018. He represents the Salinas and Pajaro Valleys.

The rest of the leadership team members are:

n Assistant Speaker pro Tempore – Assemblywoman Stephanie Nguyen, D-Elk Grove.

n Assistant Majority Leader – Assemblyman

Gregg Hart, D-Santa Barbara.

n Assistant Majority Whip – Assemblyman

Josh Lowenthal, D-Long Beach.

n Democratic Caucus Chair – Assemblyman

Rick Zbur, D-Santa Monica.

The FDA said the drug’s label will include a “boxed warning” highlighting safety issues. That warning, sometimes called a “black box,” says that Leqembi, and other members of a new class of anti-amyloid drugs, can cause brain swelling and bleeding. The side effect, called ARIA – amyloid-related imaging abnormalities –usually is asymptomatic and managed safely. But life-threatening incidents can occur in rare cases, the FDA said. Three patient deaths in an extended portion of Leqembi’s main trial were thought to be linked to the drug. About 21% of trial participants who received the drug experienced ARIA, but only a small percentage had symptoms. About 9% of those who received the placebo had the side effect.

The boxed warning also says that patients with two copies of a genetic variant that increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s –called APOE4 – appear to be at considerably higher risk of complications from Leqembi. The FDA recommended, but did not require, that genetic testing occur before a patient receives the drug.

Elsewhere in the label, the FDA urged physicians to use caution in prescribing Leqembi to people on blood thinners. Some clinics have said they don’t plan to give the drug to people on blood thinners because of concerns about possible bleeding in the brain.

Leqembi, from the pharmaceutical company Eisai in Tokyo and Biogen in Cambridge, Mass., is a monoclonal antibody, or lab-made protein, that targets amyloid beta in the brain. It is not a cure and does not restore memories ravaged by the fatal neurodegenerative disease. But many neurologists say having a drug that slows Alzheimer’s, even modestly, is a milestone after years of failed drug trials.

Nevertheless, the

But Ivan Cheung, chairman and CEO of Eisai in the United States, said in an interview Thursday the data clearly shows the drug is “clinically meaningful” for patients and also provides “societal value” to caregivers and families. He said the approval Thursday was a “triumph” for patients, families and those who treat Alzheimer’s after decades of hard work and dashed hopes.

Keith Vossel, director of the Alzheimer’s center at UCLA, said he was excited about Leqembi, calling it “a breakthrough scientifically.”

But he added that dementia experts would have to carefully explain the medication’s benefits and risks. Usually, initial visits with patients last about an hour, but “just a discussion on Leqembi could take 30 minutes because it requires a lengthy discussion of how the drug works, and what that means,” he said.

Vossel said the clinic will have an “amyloid infusion core” of experts to review patients who meet the initial screening requirements to ensure the drug is appropriate. He said the group would operate like a “tumor board” does for cancer cases.

Two years ago, the FDA granted accelerated approval to another antibody drug called Aduhelm. Some of the trial data indicated that medication slowed Alzheimer’s, but the information was so confusing and contradictory that Aduhelm failed in the marketplace and never received traditional approval.

More than 6.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s – and that number does not include many people with mild cognitive impairment who often are not diagnosed.

Pamela Spicer, therapy area director at Citeline, a company that tracks global drug development, predicted the initial demand for Leqembi would be subdued. “The

In a statement Thursday, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, administrator of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said, “With FDA’s decision, CMS will cover this medication broadly while continuing to gather data that will help us understand how the drug works.”

Even with Medicare coverage, patients could face thousands of dollars in drug bills; typically patients are responsible for 20% of the cost of infused drugs. And it is not clear whether other tests, including genetic ones, will be covered. Most patients who are likely to get the drug are expected to be in Medicare because of their age or, if they are younger than 65, because they are receiving Social Security disability benefits.

The Department of Veterans Affairs already covers the drug, although not for people who have two copies of the APOE4 gene. Private insurers often follow Medicare’s lead.

John Driscoll, 80, who lives in Manhattan Beach has been getting Leqembi for three years as part of the trial, called Clarity AD. At first, he received infusions but now injects himself in the thigh as part of a study to test self-administration, a formulation not yet approved by the FDA.

Driscoll, who is being treated at UCLA, said he believes the drug, along with the support of a large and loving family, is slowing his decline, though he does not know by how much. “My memory loss now is not overwhelming,” he said.

But he acknowledges the drug will not keep him from getting worse. “I’m choosing not to pout or cry about it,” he said. “I just keep going forward.”

Laurie Scherrer of Albertville, Ala., who was diagnosed with earlyonset Alzheimer’s a decade ago at age 55, said she had a bad experience with Aricept, which treats

Amyloid is thought to be one factor – although not the only one – that contributes to Alzheimer’s. Clinical trials also are testing drugs that target inflammation and tau tangles, another characteristic signature of Alzheimer’s.

To be eligible for Leqembi, patients will need evidence they have a buildup of amyloid in their brains – as determined by lumbar punctures, also known as spinal taps, or by costly PET scans generally not covered by Medicare.

Joanne Pike, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association, which has been pressing Medicare to provide unfettered coverage of Leqembi, said people should not underestimate the value of even a few months of slower decline.

“This gives people more months of recognizing their spouse, children and grandchildren,” Pike said in a statement. “This also means more time for a person to drive safely, accurately and promptly take care of family finances, and participate fully in hobbies and interests.”

Avorn, of Harvard, views it differently and plans a “demarketing” campaign to highlight the drawbacks of Leqembi. He hopes to discourage primary-care doctors from referring patients to memory clinics to get Leqembi.

“If this were an improvement, I would say, ‘Hooray, let’s do it,’” Avorn added. “But once people see it is a modest slowing of decline, people will weigh it more carefully.”

University of Kansas

neurologist Jeffrey M. Burns acknowledged that doctors need more information about how the drug works. “It may be an incremental change or a huge step forward,” he said. “But it is a whole new era. Finding patients who might respond is a whole new way of going after the disease.”

What are the Giants’ needs, and who fits with lineup?

evan WebeCk BAY AREA NEWS GROUP SAN FRANCISCO

Armijo’s Willie Nickson hoping to build on solid debut season

FAIRFIELD — The Armijo High School football team opens its season at home Friday, Aug. 18, against East Union of Manteca, but quarterback Willie Nickson hasn’t been sitting idling by checking the days off the calendar until August.

Nickson has been busy honing his skills at passing camps throughout Northern California, hoping to build on what was a successful sophomore season. He’s also working to build a résumé with college coaches as interest could continue to grow heading into his junior year.

“I’m trying to build a platform for myself since I’m still an under-

classman,” Nickson said. “Going to the college campuses gives me a chance to look at the different schools and build relationships with coaches. I think I’ve shown a lot of improvement from last year.”

Nickson has competed this summer at camps at Cal Poly, Fresno State, UC Davis, Sacramento State and Stanford. He earned MVP honors at Cal Poly and underclassman MVP honors at UC Davis.

As a sophomore, Nickson was 67 of 163 passing for 1,294 yards. He had 10 touchdown passes to go with six interceptions. Nickson also showed his dual threat skills by rushing 74 times for 351 yards and six touchdowns.

He earned a spot on the Daily Republic’s All-Region team after one season as a signal caller. Nickson had one of the signature plays of the season when he raced 18 yards for a touchdown with no time left to beat Fairfield in the season finale.

“He’s making a lot of progress and doing a great job of showcasing his ability,” Armijo head coach Don Mosley said. “He has worked hard on the intangibles of understanding defenses and being able to make adjustments at a high level. He’s also stepped up as a leader.”

Nickson is enjoying building the relationships that he didn’t have

See Armijo, Page B10

Sharks icon starts a new chapter with franchise as Coach Marleau

Curtis Pashelka BAY AREA NEWS GROUP SAN JOSE

—

The Sharks’ main practice session was over but winger Kasper Halttunen stayed on the ice for some extra instruction, doing drills with three former NHL players-turnedcoaches on the second day of the Sharks development camp.

Several minutes after he left the ice, Halttunen, selected by the Sharks in the second round of the NHL Draft last week, still couldn’t quite believe one of those coaches was the league’s all-time leader in games played, Patrick Marleau.

“When I was a kid, I watched him play on TV,” the 18-year-old Halttunen said of Marleau on Wednesday at Sharks Ice.

“Of course, he is one of the biggest icons who has ever played this game. It was kind of a dream come true to work with him. It

was awesome.”

Marleau was back on that familiar sheet of ice this week, the one he practiced on for over 20 years as he became the Sharks’ all-time leader in games played, goals, and points. But instead of wearing shoulder pads, Marleau, now 43, was wearing a black tracksuit and a teal cap as he began the next chapter of his hockey life.

Marleau, more than a year after his retirement, officially returned to the Sharks organization last month as a development coach and hockey operations advisor. Although some details still need to

—

Less than a month away from MLB’s Aug. 1 trade deadline, front office phone lines are heating up.

The Giants have a few paths they can take.

Last year, president Farhan Zaidi offloaded a handful of veteran reserves – Darin Ruf, Curt Casali, Matthew Boyd – but didn’t go full sell mode, opting to hold on to Carlos Rodón and Joc Pederson. In 2021, you’ll remember, Zaidi made a surprise splash by acquiring Kris Bryant for a pair of prospects.

Are the Giants buyers or sellers?

Although they have cooled off since their 10-game win streak, that run placed them firmly among the playoff contenders in the National League.

Entering Wednesday, the Giants sat four games back of the firstplace Diamondbacks

in the NL West, in a virtual tie for the third and final wild-card spot. (Philadelphia leads by percentage points.)

It’s more difficult to find the sellers in the current environment, with 40% of the league –12 teams – making the playoffs each year. There are currently only eight teams more than six games back of a wild-card spot: the A’s, Royals, Nationals, Rockies, White Sox, Cardinals, Tigers and Mets.

What is their payroll situation?

The Giants took an estimated $187.9 million payroll into Opening Day, the 10th-highest mark in the majors, according to Baseball Prospectus. That would appear to give them ample room to maneuver without hitting the first luxury tax threshold of $233 million. But the pertinent number is $218.6 million, which takes into account all the

See Giants, Page B10

U.S. Women’s Open arrives at Pebble Beach

tess k enny

MONTEREY DAILY HERALD PEBBLE BEACH —

With the coastline still thick with fog and a handful of bleary-eyed fans bordering the fairway, Kelly Xu teed up. To the slowly building gallery, the 19-year-old amateur offered a small wave. They cheered, briefly, going silent at the course marshal’s signal.

Xu swung back. She swung through.

Crack. The first-ever U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links was underway.

The long-awaited local debut of the championship began Thursday morning, sending 156 of the world’s top female golfers across the Monterey Peninsula’s famed 6,487-yard, par-72 course. It was a demure opening for the major steeped in historic

moments ready to be made: just a short, one sentence welcome to the 78th U.S. Women’s Open. Then the players were off. In true Pebble fashion, a thin layer of mist set in for the early morning pairings, forcing onlookers to throw up their hoods and pull down their caps. Crowds ebbed and flowed, almost always pooling at No. 1 to see whose turn was up. Elaine Davis was out by 7:20 a.m., just in time to watch LPGA Tour professional Amy Olson, who’s currently seven months pregnant, step up to swing.

“It’s just thrilling to watch this degree of talent and this caliber of golf,” Davis said. “I’m just – I can’t believe I’m really here.”

Her first Open of any kind, Davis started planning for the trip a year

See Open, Page B10

Expos have won six straight since return from Oregon

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — The Fairfield Expos continued to stay hot during the summer season, winning the Western Baseball Amateur Federation tournament Monday and following it up with a win over a college team Wednesday night.

Fairfield finished a 5-0 run in the WABF tournament at Laurel Creek with a 10-2 win over Clovis.

On Wednesday, the Expos beat the Napa Deep Roots 9-8. The Fairfield American Legion baseball team now has a 39-11 record.

Against Clovis, Blake Bozzini and Eli Blurton had three hits apiece.

Bozzini had two doubles and drove in two runs.

Blurton had a double and drove in two runs. Jace Parkinson was 2-for-3.

Cy Dempsay, Bryce Alcantara, and Noah Rodda added hits. Rodda drove in a run. Trevor Morris

pitched three innings and Jack Kolakoski worked the final four on the mound.

On Wednesday, Parkinson was 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Aaron Strong and Calvin Johnson had two hits apiece. Johnson drove in two runs.

Dempsay, Blurton, Rodda and Landon Dodge all had hits. Dempsay and Blurton drove in runs. Pitching for the Expos were Matty Hague, Teagan Gonzales, DJ Andersen, Alcantara, Carter Preston

and Connor Broschard.

The Expos have won 11 of their last 12 games and are 6-0 since the return from the Oregon trip. Fairfield will host Yolo Post 77 Friday night at 6 p.m.

Solano Elite Track set for nationals

FAIRFIELD — The summer season is heating up for the Solano Elite Track and Field Club.

In June, DeShawn

Seymour Jr. and Amanni

Seymour competed at the Nike Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in Eugene, Oregon, and fared very well.

DeShawn Seymour Jr. competed in the freshman boys 100 meters. He made the finals and finished as an All-American, placing fourth overall, despite having what his coach DeShawn Seymour said was an injured hamstring.

Amanni Seymour competed in the Middle

School Open Shot Put. She finished eight overall, throwing a high school size shot (4 kilograms).

The Solano Elite also recently competed at a USA Track and Field regional qualifier for the opportunity to run at the National Junior Olympics in Eugene in two weeks. Of the 28 athletes registered to compete in the qualifiers from the team, 24 athletes qualified for

Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group/TNS file Patrick Marleau waves while walking off the ice after his No. 12 jersey retirement ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Feb. 25.

Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic file (2022)

Armijo HIgh School quarterback Willie Nickson looks downfield to receiver Kimani Dokes during the first quarter of the game against Rodriguez at Armijo’s Brownlee Field, Oct. 14, 2022.

See Sharks, Page B10

CALENDAR

Friday’s TV sports

Baseball

MLB

• Oakland vs. Boston, NBCSCA, 4:10 p.m.

• Colorado vs. San Francisco, NBCSBA, 7:15 p.m.

Basketball

NBA Summer League

• Houston vs. Portland, ESPN, 4 p.m.

• San Antonio vs. Charlotte, ESPN, 6 p.m.

• L.A. Lakers vs. Golden State, ESPN, 8 p.m.

Cycling

• Tour de France, USA, 5 a.m.

Golf

• DP World, Made in Himmerland, GOLF, 4 a.m.

• PGA, John Deere Classic, GOLF, 1p.m.

• U.S. Women’s Open, USA, 3 p.m.

Motorsports

• NASCAR Trucks, O’Reilly Auto Parts 150, Qualifying, FS1, 1 p.m.

• ARCA, Menards Series, Mid-South, FS1, 3 p.m.

Soccer

• Mexico Primera, Tigres UANL vs. Juarez, FS1, 8 p.m.

Tennis

• Wimbledon, ESPN, 3 a.m.

Saturday’s TV sports

Baseball

MLB

• Cincinnati vs. MIlwaukee, FS1, 1:10 p.m.

• Seattle vs. Houston, 2, 40, 4 p.m.

• Colorado vs. San Francisco, NBCSBA, 1:05 p.m.

• Oakland vs. Boston, NBCSCA, 1:10 p.m.

Basketball

NBA Summer League

• Oklahoma City vs. Dallas, ESPN, 1 p.m.

• Detroit vs. Orlando, ESPN, 2:30 p.m.

• Washington vs. Indiana, ESPN2, 5 p.m.

• Utah vs. L.A. Clippers, ESPN2, 7p.m. WNBA

• New York vs. Seattle, ESPN, 11 a.m.

Golf

• DP World, Made in Himmerland, GOLF, 4:30 a.m.

• PGA, John Deere Classic, GOLF, 10 a.m.

• PGA, John Deere Classic, 5, 13, Noon.

• U.S. Women’s Open, 3, Noon.

Motorsports

• F-1, Great Britain Grand Prix, Qualifying, 6:55 a.m.

• AMA PRo Motocross, The Wick 338, 3, 10 a.m.

• NASCAR Trucks, O’Reilly Auto Parts 150, FS1, 10:30 a.m.

• NASCAR Xfinity, Alsco Uniforms 250, Qualifying, USA, 1 p.m.

• NASCAR Cup Series, Quaker State 400, Qualifying, USA, 2:30 p.m.

• NASCAR Xfinity, Alsco Uniforms 250, USA, 5 p.m.

Rugby MLR

• New England vs. San Diego, 2, 40, Noon.

Soccer CONCACAF Gold Cup

• Quarterfinals, TeamsTBA, FS1, 4 p.m.

• Quarterfinals, Teams TBA, FS1, 7 p.m.

Tennis

• Wimbledon, ESPN, 5 a.m.

• Wimbledon, 7, 10, 10 a.m.

UFC

• Fight Card, 7, 10, 9 a.m.

• FIght Night, ESPN2, 3 p.m.

• Fight Night, 7, 10, ESPN, 5 p.m.

A’s can’t get sweep against Tigers, fall 9-0 in series finale

Tribune ConTenT agenCy

DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers scored in all but two innings en route to a 9-0 win over the Oakland Athletics in the series finale at Comerica Park on Thursday afternoon.

The Tigers (38-48) avoided a sweep after being shut out in the first game of the series and losing 12-3 on Wednesday. The Tigers won’t see the Athletics (25-64) again until September when they play their final road series of the season in Oakland.

“It’s just the short memory that we’ve pounded into these guys,” said Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. “You’ve got to bring it today and not worry about yesterday. It’s a sport that’s built on roller-coaster rides of success and failure and feeling good and not feeling good.”

Recently selected AllStar Michael Lorenzen pitched five scoreless innings, allowing just three singles. Two of those baserunners were wiped out by double plays, so he faced just one

Childhood chess prodigy Ford makes his move with the Kings

Joe DaviDson THE SACRAMENTO BEE

SACRAMENTO — Jordan Ford used to size things up on an entirely different playing surface when he rolled up his sleeves and went to work.

Years before he dazzled as a ball-handling guru guard at Folsom High School, where he earned Sacramento Bee Player of the Decade honors for the 2010s, and a lifetime before he became the starting guard for the Sacramento Kings summer league squad, Ford flexed his mental muscle with pieces on a checkered board that measures 21 inches wide and 21 inches long.

He used pawns, bishops, rooks, knights and a queen in an effort to conquer their king. He was literally playing chess while others were playing checkers.

Ford poured himself into this endeavor, generally 30 hours a week, because that’s how he was wired even then. He was nicknamed “The Storm” because playing this guy was like dealing with the force of a twister bearing down on an Oklahoma farmhouse. There’s nothing left but rubble.

Ford as a 6 year old required two or three stacked chairs to sit on when he faced adults, anything to boost him a bit to see the board. He won two California state chess championships by the time he was in the second grade. Then the prodigy retired from chess competition at the ripe age of 8. Yes, to spend more time with family, to be a kid, to savor an ice cream more than running someone off the board.

“Chess is such a great game,” Ford said this week. “It gave me a lot.”

Ford’s father, Cuzear, taught him chess when he was 4. Cuzear explained that he wanted his son to play chess to challenge him, explaining Tuesday in an interview that it helped in problem solving and competing with controlled emotion.

“I was convinced chess was a positive but difficult discipline to pursue, and chess sped up his processing speed,” Ford’s father said. “It didn’t make our kid a genius, but it sure helped his ability to process information quickly.”

Cuzear added: “He was able to calculate chess positions relatively easily. He developed nerves of steel because there’s nothing more pressurized than playing a competitive chess game, knowing that you can lose and be shamed by your peers.”

relentless work ethic, the two games blend over.

“The biggest thing chess taught me as a kid was how to develop a work ethic and what it takes to be successful,” Ford said. “I trained hard in chess, then I picked up basketball and it carried over. I still play my dad, and sometimes over the years, I’ll play teammates.”

Ford added: “My dad never pushed me in chess or basketball. It was something I wanted to do. He played baseball at UC Santa Barbara, and he knew what it took to be a good player. He’s been guiding me. My mom (Ann) has always been super supportive, too, and she’s the one who videotaped all of my games growing up. You can hear her on the tapes, excited. I look back and it was no accident that I am where I am now. You have to work at it.”

Sister taught him toughness

Ford’s transition from chess to basketball was not a smooth one. First, he had to get past his sister, Jennifer, who with crossed arms and a scowl dared the kid to enter the lane. Three years older, Jennifer was “The Storm” working over “The Storm,” bombarding him with a barrage of baskets in the yard or nearby park, often reducing Ford to a fit of emotions – things simply not allowed in a game of chess.

Cuzear recalled this week about those battles: “Jennifer was a brute, a pretty one at that, but a brute. She would pound Jordan in the low post all day long. Her nickname was Charles Barkley. She enjoyed the game for the simple pleasures it affords, and she was instrumental in toughening up the smaller, the weaker, Jordan Ford.”

week, and he capped one of the region’s great prep careers by earning four Bee All-Metro honors and twice being named The Bee’s Player of the Year. In 125 varsity games, Ford averaged 19.2 points, and the Bulldogs went 87-13 over his last three seasons.

Longtime Folsom High coach Mike Wall said of Ford in 2016: “Point guard is the most important position on the court, and Jordan plays the position better than anyone I’ve seen around here.”

The coach still stands by that statement.

Ford came off the bench his freshman season at Saint Mary’s in Moraga, a mid-major powerhouse under coach Randy Bennett, and then he dazzled his final three seasons, including scoring 42 points in a West Coast Conference Tournament game as a senior when he averaged 21.9 points.

Bennett has said that Ford “might be the most skilled player we’ve ever had.”

Ford was not selected in the two-round 2020 NBA draft but signed with the Los Angeles Clippers and played on their NBA G League team. He had a stint with the Greek club Peristeri, resigned with the Clipper G League team and competed last season with the Stockton Kings, where he averaged 14.7 points.

Summer showcase

slight frame and defense are the works in progress. No one understands this more than Ford.

“I’m always trying to put on weight, to get stronger, and I work hard at it,” Ford said. “Sometimes, I have to cheat a little and eat candy or junk food, but I mostly avoid really bad food. I eat as well as I can and as much as I can.”

Ford is not married. He has no kids and doesn’t have a girlfriend. The 25-year old is committed to basketball, and he’ll play somewhere this season, perhaps as the Kings’ third point guard or for another NBA team, or overseas where the cities may not be familiar to many in America, but the paychecks can be sizable.

“It’s not a bad way to make a living,” Ford said with a laugh. “I’ve played in so many big games, high-pressure games, and the challenge is second nature. It’s something I love to do. The challenge is what makes you a better player.”

Undrafted but not unseen

Ford wouldn’t be the first undrafted player to make an NBA squad, just the latest. His Kings summer coach, Luke Loucks, recalled the path of former St. Mary’s of Stockton star Gabe Vincent, who starred at UC Santa Barbara, went undrafted, bounced around, then settled in with the Miami Heat, where he started games at guard in the recent NBA Finals before parlaying that momentum into a three-year, $33 million dollar freeagent deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.

“There’s some parallels,” Loucks said. “Ford is doing all the right things. He’s showing up. He’s here early. He’s just sitting there watching De’Aaron Fox work out, waiting. He’s worked his butt off to get here. He plays the right way. He plays our style of basketball. He’s smart with the ball. He’s tough. He’s gritty. I’m super excited to coach Jordan.”

batter over the minimum. Lorenzen was removed after just 60 pitches and the bullpen pitched four scoreless innings to finish the shutout.

Why did Lorenzen get the quick hook in his final outing before playing in Seattle on July 11.

“We liked where we were at in the game,” Hinch said.

Hinch said the Tigers’ sizeable lead; the warm weather; the desire to have Lorenzen finish the first half on a strong note; and a rested bullpen were factors in the early hook.

Lorenzen said he could finally turn his attention to the All-Star game now that he had wrapped up the first half of the season.

“I’ll be able to think about the All-Star game a little bit more now,” he said. “I’m happy that this start is done and I had all my pitches. I feel like I’m going into the break with a ton of confidence, more confidence than I’ve ever had, to be honest.”

The Tigers’ offense scored runs methodically rather than in big outbursts.

Ford said that it was more difficult to train for chess than basketball. In hoops, he can feel the game, he can dictate tempo, and he has teammates that can move by themselves, unlike chess pieces.

For a young man with an analytical mind and

Local

From Page B1

junior nationals.

Ford was soon hooked on hoops. He attended Folsom High summer basketball camps by the age of 10 He often arrived before any of the other kids, and he’d turn heads of the high school coaches by doing sit ups on his own, or sitting and dribbling a ball on both sides of himself.

Ford emerged as a starter as a freshman on the Folsom High varsity team, growing by the

Here are our athletes that qualified:

n Jabril Scott, 8U boys, 800 and 1500.

n Jackson Reed, 8U boys, 800 and long jump

n Brielle De Marco, 9-10 Girls, Sanaa McCray, Saige McCray and Trinitee Porché, 4×400 relay.

n Colin Bell, 9-10 boys, Matteo McClinton, Micah Porché and Kaoni Seymour, 4×400 relay.

n Colin Bell. 9-10 boys, 800 and 1500.

n Sophie Bell, 11-12 girls, Kailani Butler, Skylar McCray and Sanaa Seymour, 4×400 relay and 4×800 relay.

n Sanaa Seymour, 11-12 girls, 400.

The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Ford is leading the Kings this summer, including two games at the California Classic at Golden 1 Center and a slate of games in Las Vegas, starting with Friday’s 7:30 p.m. opener against the Atlanta Hawks at Cox Pavilion. Ford is, in effect, on audition. He has been handed the ball with the mandate to make the offense go.

Against Golden State on Monday, Ford scored 18 points with three assists and one turnover. He scored on floaters, 3-point shots and layups.

Ford also worked hard on defense, applying ball pressure, as he continues to round out his game. Ford’s ball handling, game IQ and shooting is NBA quality, his agent, Calvin Andrews, said, but his

n Natalie Ortega, 11-12 girls, discus and shot put.

n Jordan Reed, 11-12 boys, 400 and 800.

n Elliott Ginyard, 11-12 boys, 1500 race walk, discus and shot put.

n Amanni Seymour, 13-14 Girls, shot put.

n Micah Harrington, 13-14 boys, Geremy Scott Jr., Benjamin Ginyard and Sebastián Ortega, 4×800 relay.

n Micah Harrington, 13-14 boys, 800.

n Sebastián Ortega, 13-14 boys, 800.

n Ruby Ford,15-16 girls, 400, 800 and 1500.

n DeShawn Seymour Jr., 15-16 boys, 200 and 400.

A handful of these athletes including (DeShawn Seymour Jr, Amanni Seymour, Kaoni Seymour, Jordan Reed, Jackson Reed, Sebastián Ortega, Natalie Ortega, Elliott

Ford said he is thrilled to play for a team he grew up following.

“It’s been awesome,” he said. “(The coaches) are telling me to run the show, play great basketball like I know how to, get guys involved, with a big emphasis on defense as well.”

Ford’s parents weren’t the only ones soaking in his game at Golden 1 Center this week. His agent was also there. Andrews is tasked with getting his client placed somewhere. Ford has known Andrews for 10 years.

“I think Jordan is an NBA player, especially in today’s game and how it’s played,” Andrews said. “There’s a premium on shooting, small ball, spacing and shooting, and he can fit right in.”

Ginyard, Geremy Scott Jr, Jabril Scott, & Colin Bell) are all nationally ranked for Solano Elite.

District 53 All-Star 12s nearing

end of tournament

FAIRFIELD — The District 53 Little League All-Star 12s tournament is nearing completion.

Napa National was scheduled to play Benicia on Thursday night in a winner's bracket semifinal at Cordelia Tri-Valley League.

Among other teams still alive in the tournament, Sonoma was playing Vallejo in a consolation game Thursday with the winner advancing to a matchup with American Canyon on Friday. Napa American plays the loser of the Napa National-Benicia game on Friday night.

The championship game is set for 1 p.m. Sunday with a second game, if necessary, to be played Monday.

Paul Kitagaki Jr./Sacramento Bee/TNS

Sacramento Kings guard Jordan Ford drives to the basket against the Golden State Warriors’ Kendric Davis during the California Classic at Golden 1 Center, Monday.

Columns&Games

Yearning for more in my marriage

Dear Annie: I have been married now for almost 23 years. Soon after the wedding, I found that my wife had virtually no interest in intimacy of any kind. Three therapists and many months later, the situation is the same. She does have admirable attributes, and I have made an effort to love her for those. The truth is that any kind of sexual relationship has been out of the question and I just have to live with it. I am desperate for physical attention, but I don’t want a divorce and cheating is out of the question, so my choices are few. – Lonely in Arizona

Dear Lonely: Therapy is not a silver bullet – disappointing, but true. It will likely take longer than the “many months” you have already invested to get to the root of your wife’s intimacy issues. Keep trying – in couples therapy and in individual therapy, for both of you. It might take years, and it might take trying more therapists, but you deserve to receive love and affection in your marriage.

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married since 2009 and were together for 11 years before that. I love him with all my heart, and my vows are my everything. Back in the spring, I went to Colorado to help a family member who is very ill, and during that time, he moved to Iowa without telling me till the last minute. He didn’t pay our rent or utilities, so I lost my whole household.

I don’t believe that he has actually cheated on me with anyone, but he’s lied about people being at my house, my female cousin included, and even let people steal my stuff. How do I approach him and say we can work this out, but just please be honest? When will it just be like it was again? What should I do? I love him, but he won’t go to marriage counseling. Instead, he says I need to go to the library and find a book on how to be a wife. Yet, I’m the only one here to help the rest of my family, and I’m lost on how to do both. He won’t answer my calls, but I’ve

Horoscopes by Holiday Mathis

ARIES (March 21-April 19).

You have beginner’s luck today, so take on something you’ve never tried before. You’ll be exceptionally creative, with the fresh take of an innocent, unbound by the rules you don’t yet know.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20).

You’re a little psychic, a little scientific and very psychologically astute. While you can’t totally know what’s going on in another person’s mind, your guess will be excellent, and you’ll follow through effectively on the prediction.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21).

There are all kinds of luck, though most require effort to drum up. And while you usually subscribe to a “the harder I work, the luckier I get” approach, today you won’t have to. Open your arms to pure, dumb luck.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Confusion will be cleared by a declaration of who you are, where you come from and where you’re going. Others can give you hints, but you must own it. Take comfort in this knowledge: You can never really be out of place.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). It’s a joy to give what’s needed to those who appreciate it. It’s even a joy to give what’s needed to those who, for whatever reason, can’t appreciate it. Avoid giving what’s not needed, as there’s no pleasure in it for anyone.

Because you see opportunity in ordinary things and even greater potential in problematic things, you will be an agent of improvement. People want to get close to you, and you’ll gain tools and abilities as you manage a full schedule. More highlights: When you win, loved ones feel they have too. Then the reverse happens. This team is the best!

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).

The love that’s like a rock happens with proof over time. Until then, don’t give love expecting it to keep the same shape through the ages. For a while it will be like bread, made fresh every time you give it.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). A competition is featured. Decide if you’re in it for fun or you’re in it to win it. Your strategy will be very different for each intent and, so it follows, will be your experience. Either way is acceptable; this is a matter of preference.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21).

Some decide “this is who I am, and this is what I do” and they

got messages on my phone where he butt-dialed me, not realizing he had, and I heard whole conversations of his. Please help. – Desperate to Make It Work

Dear Desperate: It’s human nature for us to cling to what’s comfortable and familiar, but what you’ve described here sounds less and less worth clinging to. I don’t doubt that your husband has had his great moments in your time together, but you must evaluate his current behavior and all he’s put you through. Being financially irresponsible and unsupportive of your family, lying, potentially cheating and not communicating leave you with very few good attributes to work with.

Propose couples therapy once more and see what it might take for him to attend. At this point, your marriage is at a standstill, and without his cooperation and effort to get things back on track, they never will. Don’t lose sight of what you deserve.

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

stick with it more or less the whole way. You’re up for a less rigid approach and will be open to learning new and improved ways of being you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21). Tone matters. Are you strict or soft? Are you declaring or persuading with something like charm, humor or novelty?

Trying different communication styles could improve your relationships, including your relationship with yourself.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19). You’re about to leap over an obstacle. Success will be dependent on approach. You don’t want to tire yourself out before you get to the hurdle. Back up just enough to give yourself the momentum of a running start.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 18). If you can command yourself, you are a master commander. Forget about the others today, as trying to lead them will have meager results compared to the results you will get when you focus solely on leading yourself.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). There are those who have a leg up in the game with special talent, intelligence, family endowments and more. Success is not about where a person starts, but how they play the game. Don’t measure. Just play.

Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

Bridge

Crossword by Phillip Alder

Today’s deal features both of these aides.

A SLAM BID WITH TWO AIDES

My students are particularly bad at slam bidding. Using a better hand evaluation method, like the Losing Trick Count, would help considerably when they have a known fit. Also, splinter bids are useful when they arise, allowing a pair to reach a good thin slam or to avoid a misfitting non-slam.

A SLAM BID WITH TWO AIDES My students are particularly bad at slam bidding. Using a better hand evaluation method, like the Losing Trick Count, would help considerably when they have a known fit. Also, splinter bids are useful when they arise, allowing a pair to reach a good thin slam or to avoid a misfitting non-slam. Bridge Here’s how to work it: WORD SLEUTH ANSWER Word Sleuth Daily Cryptoquotes

CHECK OUT PHOTOS, STORIES, COMMUNITY EVENTS ON www.facebook.com/dailyrepublic Like us!

North opens one diamond, and South responds one heart. A fit has been found, so North applies the Losing Trick Count. He has only five losers: one spade, one heart, two diamonds and one club. (The fourth card or longer in a suit will usually either be a winner because no others are extant, or it can be ruffed in partner’s hand.) South is assumed to have nine losers for a one-level response. 24 - (5 + 9) = 10. North is worth a raise to game. However, rather than jump to four hearts, he does much better to bid four clubs, a splinter bid showing a singleton (or void) in clubs as well as four hearts and five losers. Now South has only six losers (three spades, two hearts and one diamond) because he can ruff his clubs on the board. Since South can anticipate the crossruff, he bids what he thinks or hopes (depending on his level of optimism) he can make.

In the play, declarer must remember that before commencing a crossruff, he must cash his side-suit winners first. Therefore, after winning with dummy’s diamond ace, he takes the two top spades and the club ace. Then he merrily crossruffs to 12 tricks.

COPYRIGHT: 2023, UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

Sudoku by Wayne Gould

2023

Difficulty level: SILVER

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9, with no repeats. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box. Solution, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com

©

Today’s birthday

Dead Reckoning Part One.”

‘Mission:

Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One’ has genuine thrills, heart

At the start of production on “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” the seventh film in the “Mission: Impossible” series, writer/director Christopher McQuarrie asked producer and star Tom Cruise what he wanted to do in the movie.

Cruise, who has played IMF agent Ethan Hunt for the past 27 years, performing his own increasingly daring stunts in the franchise, said he wanted to drive a motorcycle off a cliff.

McQuarrie wanted to wreck a train, putting his stamp on one of cinema’s finest traditions.

In 1896, the Lumière brothers’ “The Arrival of a Train” had one of the first film audiences fleeing the theater in fear, and the same impulse to arouse a potent visceral reaction is what animates Cruise and McQuarrie’s desire to keep pushing the envelope of what action movies can be.

McQuarrie, who co-wrote the screenplay with Erik Jendresen, knows that spectacle is nothing without story, characters and authentic relationships, because the stakes have to feel real. Ethan’s focus is on his objective, but it’s also on what matters most to him – and for he and his scrappy crew of IMF agents, what matters most are the friends in their earpieces, and keeping each other alive.

Ethan is just a man on a mission, even though his reputation in the CIA ranges from “the living manifestation of destiny,” to “mind-reading, shape-shifting incarnation of chaos,” as he’s described by a no-nonsense agent, Jasper Briggs (Shea Whigham), in hot pursuit of Hunt in “Dead Reckoning Part One.”

McQuarrie and Cruise like to remind us that Ethan is a mere mortal, especially in the middle of his feats of derring-

MOVIE

Review

‘Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One’ Rated PG-13 163 minutes HHHH (OUT OF FOUR)

do. The stunts are, of course, mind-boggling but Ethan is not an all-powerful being –how boring, humanity is much more interesting. Heart rates rise when we see him quake in the face of an oncoming train, question the best angle at which to fling himself and a motorcycle off a mountain, or quell his rising emotions when those he loves are threatened. Though it’s Cruise’s body executing these stunts, it’s his incredibly expressive eyes that are his greatest tool in performing them: reacting, assessing, judging and yearning in every heightened scenario.

Ethan’s mission – and he always chooses to accept it, for better or for worse – in “Dead Reckoning” is to find a key that unlocks the source code to an artificially intelligent weapon, “a godless, stateless, amoral entity” that’s attained a malevolent sentience, watching, listening and penetrating the vast digital systems that knit together our reality, and threatening to become a “truth-eating digital parasite.” This formless entity has a keeper of sorts, Gabriel (Esai Morales), a man from Ethan’s past, and Gabriel has a petite but brutal helper, Paris (Pom Klementieff).

As an all-seeing, all-knowing digital villain, the Entity represents McQuarrie and Cruise’s thesis about one of the greatest threats to our world: a digital reality built of zeroes and ones that offers no tangible existence. All that we can and should trust is the real, the human, the analog – what’s in the room with us right now.

It’s an argument for truth found in the real world and in human creation.

In “Dead Reckoning Part One,” McQuarrie never misses a chance to up the ante when it comes to throwing Cruise into situations that test Ethan’s mettle, morality and might. A car chase in Rome sees Cruise navigating a tiny yellow Fiat while handcuffed to a comely pickpocket (Hayley Atwell), taking out every scooter in the city. He sprints through the alleys of Venice while the Entity scrambles the directions from trusty techie Benji (Simon Pegg), and he even manages a shootout in a desert sandstorm while tracking down his trusted ally Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson).

Then there’s the aforementioned train wreck. McQuarrie doesn’t just pay homage to the great train movies of cinema history – he completely eclipses them, staging the most spectacular and suspenseful sequence of railroad-based stunts since Buster Keaton’s “The General.”

It’s one of the most incredible and heart-pounding action sequences ever made, until, probably, “Mission: Impossible

- Dead Reckoning Part Two.”

With these loving tributes to film history and an uncontrollable digital villain, McQuarrie and Cruise make an impassioned argument for cinema itself, the kind created by humans, shared collectively, in which emotion is integral to spectacle, eliciting a physical reaction. One of the most stirring moments in the movie isn’t action-packed and it doesn’t progress the plot: Ethan and Ilsa simply take in Venice together for a minute. It’s a scene that proves to be crucial for the rest of the film to unfold with the heart and feeling that it does, because we care about these characters, who care about each other, and that’s what matters most.

Crossword by Phillip Alder

Bridge

Today’s deal involves South’s deducing the best line of play in six hearts after West leads the spade queen.

HE HAS ONE, SO YOU DEDUCT ONE

Toni Morrison, who was a novelist, wrote, “The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.”

What a pity that isn’t true also for bridge playing. Still, we should spend a lot of time at the bridge table drawing deductions from the bidding and play.

In the auction, North had only five losers after partner opened one heart, deducting one loser for a 10-card or longer fit. His hand was worth game in hearts, so made a four-diamond splinter bid. Now South, who had only four losers (he also deducted for the 10-card fit), not the seven that partner had assumed, immediately launched 1430 Roman Key Card Blackwood. When he found out that either an ace or the heart king was missing, he signed off in six hearts, hoping they did not have 12 trumps missing the king! Taking the trump suit in isolation, the percentage play for no losers – by 2% – is to cash the ace. However, that is wrong here. Instead, declarer takes both spade tricks and the diamond ace before ruffing the diamond five in the dummy. Then he calls for the heart queen and runs her majesty (unless East plays the king, of course). Here, the finesse wins, and South is unsuccessfully trying for an overtrick, but suppose West scoops up the trick with the singleton heart king. He is endplayed, forced either to lead into declarer’s club ace-jack or to concede a ruff-and-sluff. Whichever, South loses no club trick.

COPYRIGHT: 2023, UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

Sudoku by Wayne Gould

Bridge

7/8/23

Difficulty level: GOLD

Yesterday’s solution:

HE HAS ONE, SO

YOU DEDUCT ONE

that no number is repeated in any row, column or box. Solution, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com

Paramount Pictures/Zuma Press/TNS

Tom Cruise does his own motorcycle stunt jumping off a ramp on a mountain and skydiving to the valley floor in “Mission: Impossible -

The Eagles set ‘swan song’ with Long Goodbye farewell tour

Los A ngeLes Times

The Eagles are ready to fly one last time, soaring for a farewell tour this fall to cap off their five decades of touring.

“The Eagles have had a miraculous 52-year odyssey, performing for people all over the globe; keeping the music alive in the face of tragic losses, upheavals and setbacks of many kinds,” the “Hotel California” and “Desperado” hit-makers said in a Thursday statement.

“We know how fortunate we are, and we are truly grateful. Our long run has lasted far longer than any of us ever dreamed. But, everything has its time, and the time has come for us to close the circle.”

The Los Angeles-formed rock band – eternally associated with the Southern California country-rock sound – will launch their Long Goodbye tour in New York’s Madison Square Garden on Sept. 7, announcing 12 additional dates Thursday with the possibility of more to come. However, no California dates have yet been announced.

“The official farewell tour is currently in the planning stages. We want to give all our fans a chance to see us on this final round. So, scheduling information will be released as dates are set,” said the band, whose current lineup includes drummer and vocalist Don Henley, famed guitarist Joe Walsh, bassist Timothy B. Schmit and guitarist Vince Gill. Gill joined the band after founding member and guitarist Glenn Frey died at 67 in 2016. (Frey’s son

Deacon also played with the band for nearly five years before announcing his departure in 2022.)

“The difficulties of booking venues for multiple nights may require us to return to certain cities, depending on demand. But, we hope to see as many of you as we can, before we finish up,” they said. “Most importantly, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for embracing this band and its music. At the end of the day, you are the reason we have been able to carry on for over five decades. This is our swan song, but the music goes on and on.”

The six-time Grammy Award-winning group and Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will be joined by contemporary act Steely Dan, whose members will be commemorating their own half-century spanning career as well. The bands have scheduled shows through mid-November in Boston; Newark, New Jersey; Denver; Indianapolis; Detroit; Cleveland; Atlanta; Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina; Lexington, Kentucky; and St. Paul, Minnesota. The full schedule can be found at eagles.com. The Long Goodbye tour follows their recently expanded Hotel California tour, named for their landmark 1976 album that they played in its entirety during the tour, which wrapped in Baltimore in April.

Presale tickets and VIP packages for the Long Goodbye will be made available July 12 for all announced shows. General on-sale begins July

PursuanttoCASelfStorageFacilityAct

B&PCode21700-21718 WaldoRoseStorage1125WesternStreet FairfieldCA,94533,willsellatapublic salebycompetitivebidding Friday,July21st,2023,9:15am.

ER(S)SolanoPropertiesIncCAFairfield 94533.THISBUSINESSISCONDUCTEDBY: aCorporation Theregistrantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameorname slistedaboveon 05/26/2023. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/MatthewMunsee,President INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONJune142028. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE). FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: JUN152023 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2023000960 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00064157 Published:June23,30July7,14,2023

NOTICEOFRIGHTTOCLAIMEXCESSPROCEEDSFROMTHESALE OFTAX-DEFAULTEDPROPERTY ExcessproceedshaveresultedfromthesaleoftaxdefaultedpropertylistedonthisnoticeonMay9-11,2023.Partiesofinterest,asdefinedbyCaliforniaRevenueandTaxationCodesection4675,areentitledtoclaimtheexcessproceeds. Allclaimsmustbeinwritingandmustcontainsufficientinformationandprooftoestablishaclaimant'srighttoalloranypartoftheexcessproceeds. Claimsfiledwiththe countymorethanoneyearafterrecordationofthetaxcollector'sdeedtothepurchaser onMay24,2023cannotbeconsidered.

Assessor’sParcelNoPropertyAddress PartiesofInterest_ 0075-091-350514RIDGEAVENUE,UNINCORPORATEDCOUNTYOFSOLANO DARYLHINTON ClaimformsandinformationregardingfilingproceduresmaybeobtainedattheSolano CountyTreasurer-TaxCollector-CountyClerk’sOffice,675TexasStreet,Suite1900, Fairfield,CA94533,bycalling(707)784-7485between10:00a.m.and3:00p.m.Monday throughFridayoratwww.solanocounty.com. Icertifyunderpenaltyofperjurythattheforegoingistrueandcorrect. CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCounty Treasurer-TaxCollector-CountyClerk ExecutedatFairfield,SolanoCounty,CaliforniaonJune23,2023

DR#00064051 Published:June23,30July7,2023

TOALLINTERESTEDPERSONS:

Petitioner:EbonyFoncetteThomasfileda petitionwiththiscourtforadecreechangingnamesasfollows:

PresentName: a. Elijah Edward Guerra

ProposedName:

a. Elijah Edward Thomas Guerra

THECOURTORDERSthatallpersonsinterestedinthismattershallappearbefore thiscourtatthehearingindicatedbelowto showcause, ifany,whythepetitionfor changeofnameshouldnotbegranted. Anypersonobjectingtothename changesdescribedabovemustfileawrittenobjectionthatincludesthereasonsfor theobjectionatleasttwocourtdaysbeforethematterisscheduledtobeheard andmustappearatthehearingtoshow causewhythepetitionshouldnotbegranted.Ifnowrittenobjectionistimelyfiled, thecourtmaygrantthepetitionwithouta hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING

Date: AUG 16, 2023; Time: 8:30am; Dept: 12; Rm: I The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SOLANO 580 Texas St. Fairfield, CA 94533 Civil Clerks Office AcopyofthisOrdertoShowCausemust bepublishedatleastonceeachweekfor foursuccessiveweeksbeforethedateset forhearingonthepetitioninthefollowing newspaperofgeneralcirculation,printed inthiscounty:FairfieldDailyRepublic PleasefileProofofPublication5businessdaysinadvanceofhearingdate. (newspaperdoesnotfilew/court).

Date:JUN-92023 /s/ChristineA.Carringer JudgeoftheSuperiorCourt FILED:JUN132023

DR#00064030 Published:June16,23,30July7,2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON (PERSONS) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS KEKYDEE LOCATEDAT2401WatermanBlvd#377, FairfieldCA94534Solano.Mailingaddress2401WatermanBlvd#377,FairfieldCA94534.IS(ARE)HEREBYREGISTEREDBYTHEFOLLOWINGOWNER(S)YeseniaRojas191MerlotCtAptC Fairfield,94533.THISBUSINESSIS CONDUCTEDBY: anIndividual Theregistrantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nam eornameslistedaboveonN/A. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.)

/s/YeseniaRojas INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONJune292028. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE). FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: JUN302023 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2023001032 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00064448 Published:July7,14,21,28,2023

ACCORDINGTOTHELEASEBYANDBETWEENTHEFOLLOWING: NAMEUNITCONTENTS KEIONCARPENTER124DININGTABLE/CHAIRS,CARPET,TUPPERWARE... SHELLYDATO240CARPETCLEANER,LEATHERSOFA,TOTES... CHANELSNOWDEN439SEWINGMACHINE,ROLLERBLADES,CRAFTS... YVONDALITTLE517LUGGAGE,DIGITALAUDIO,BOXES... ZHANE’FERNANDEZ543NATIVITYSET,GLOBE,DRESSER... PATRICIAWEIGAND580ELECTRICCANOPENER,AIRMATTRESS,TOTES... BEVERLYCOLLINS762SOFA,DININGTABLE,RUG.. CHADMORIN839CINDERBLOCKS,TOOLBOXES,FURNITURE... MARSHAMALIVERT910MINITREADMILL,MATTRESS,SOFA... ANDTKG-StorageMartanditsrelatedparties,assignsandaffiliatesINORDERTOPERFECTTHELIENONTHEGOODSCONTAINEDINTHEIRSTORAGEUNITS.THE MANAGERSHAVECUTTHELOCKONTHEIRUNITS.Itemswillbesoldorotherwise disposedofonJULY25TH,2023@10:00amonstoragetreasures.com,tosatisfyowner'slieninaccordancewithstatestatutes,allbidsarefo rtheentirecontentsofthestorageunit.StorageMart#2452,2277WaltersRd.,FairfieldCA.94533.(707)429-4177,Opt #2 DR#00064449 Published:July7,14,2023

CA94590Solano.Mailingaddress121 PeridotCt,Hercules.IS(ARE)HEREBY

terestedinthismattershallappearbefore thiscourtatthehearingindicatedbelowto showcause,ifany,whythepetitionfor changeofnameshouldnotbegranted. Anypersonobjectingtothename

COUNTY OF Old Solano Courthouse 580 Texas Street Fairfield, CA 94533 AcopyofthisOrdertoShowCausemust bepublishedatleastonceeachweekfor foursuccessiveweeksbeforethedateset forhearingonthepetitioninthefollowing newspaperofgeneralcirculation,printed inthiscounty:FairfieldDailyRepublic PleasefileProofofPublication5businessdaysinadvanceofhearing date. (newspaperdoesnotfilew/court).

Date:JUN-72023 /s/StephenGizzi JudgeoftheSuperiorCourt FILED:JUN082023 DR#00063989 Published:June16,23,30July7,2023

OWNER(S)GoodTreeRestaurantIncCA Hercules,94547.THISBUSINESSIS CONDUCTEDBY: aCorporation Theregistrantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameornamesliste daboveon 06/26/2023. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/ChanKim INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONJune252028. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE). FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: JUN262023 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2023001004 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00064292 Published:June30July7,14,21,2023

terestedinthismattershallappearbefore thiscourtatthehearingindicatedbelowto showcause,ifany,whythepetitionfor changeofnameshouldnotbegranted. Anypersonobjectingtothename changesdescribedabovemustfileawrittenobjectionthatincludesthereasonsfor theobjectionatleasttwocourtdaysbeforethematterisscheduledtobeheard andmustappearatthehearingtoshow causewhythepetitionshouldnotbegranted.Ifnowrittenobjectionistimelyfiled, thecourtmaygrantthepetitionwithouta hearing.

COUNTY OF Old Solano Courthouse 580 Texas Street Fairfield, CA 94533 AcopyofthisOrdertoShowCausemust bepublishedatleastonceeachweekfor foursuccessiveweeksbeforethedateset forhearingonthepetitioninthefollowing newspaperofgeneralcirculation,printed inthiscounty:FairfieldDailyRepublic PleasefileProofofPublication5businessdaysinadvanceofhearingdate. (newspaperdoesnotfilew/court).

Date:JUN142023 /s/CCarringer JudgeoftheSuperiorCourt FILED:JUN142023 DR#00064161

Anderson & Associates, CPA’s

Downtown Theater Foundation for the Arts

Jelly Belly Candy Company

Jim Stever Realty - Stever & Associates

Law Office of Elizabeth Anderson

Medic Ambulance Service

Meyer Corporation

Michael J. McMurry CPA

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Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3

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Vogelpohl Real Estate Consulting & Sales

Yin McDonald’s

Gary Falati - State Farm Insurance

Network Independent Mortgage Broker

ago with her husband. The pair from Texas enlisted Davis’ brother, Frank Actis, and his wife, Sandi Shroads, to come along. For all four, Thursday marked their first visit to Pebble Beach Golf Links.

“(I) just didn’t want to miss this iconic venue,” said Davis. “I mean, we’re walking down the same courses that we’ve been watching on TV for all these years. I can’t wait to get down to the holes that are on the ocean.”

“We’re just so excited to be here at Pebble Beach,” Shroads echoed, “and I’m just really excited to see the ladies play here.”

“It’s something that’s, obviously, long overdue,” Davis’ husband, Chris, added.

ica’s elite courses. But as the 78th championship descends on the Central Coast, the women are finally stepping onto the main stage. One of the most recognizable courses in the sport, Pebble has long formed the backdrop for the likes of Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.

But this week, it’s making room for a new class of greats: 10-time major winner Annika Sorenstam, 15-year tour veteran Michelle Wie West and rising star from Stanford Rose Zhang.

“It’s inspirational, you know,” said Melissa McGregor, walking along the 16th fairway. “I didn’t get to see this stuff when I was a kid, and it’s really cool to see now. These players do amazing things.”

matching bright pink baseball hats, sporting the “Pebble Beach Resorts” logo. While the trio waited to see another player tee off, McGregor asked her daughters what they thought about the tournament so far.

“It’s really, really, really cool to see all the good players,” Rosie smiled. Gwendolyn nodded in agreement, McGregor with her.

“It’s a really fun experience, getting to see the ladies do big things on the big stage,” McGregor said. She recalled going to a U.S. Men’s Open at the Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvaniasome 15 years ago. This week’s championship, she said, is a completely different experience.

Open at Pine Needles, North Carolina, where Australian pro Minjee Leesecured first prize –and Monterey’s own Mina Harigae was runner-up.

Returning to play in her own backyard, Harigae was in good company Thursday morning, with a sizable gallery ushering in the start to her round. The crowd, which featured friends and family, followed as Harigae continued on to her second hole, eager to see the 33-year-old tackle what she calls her home course.

Sisters Yasmyne Brewer and Anne Ayankoya stayed behind. They wanted to see reigning champ Lee and particularly 19-year-old amateur Amari Avery come through.

file Giants manager Gabe Kapler checks his glasses before the start of a MLB game against the san Diego padres at oracle park in san Francisco, June 21.

Giants

From Page B1

set to hit free agency after this season.

sharks

From Page B1

For the nearly eight decades the major has circulated the country, the U.S. Women’s Open has rarely gone to Amerbe worked out in terms of how he’ll work with the front office, Marleau doesn’t look totally out of place skating with the Sharks’ top prospects, most of whom are half his age or younger.

“It’s a pretty cool experience having one of the NHL greats on the ice,” said 6-foot-2, 200-pound forward Quentin Musty, who turned 18 on Thursday and was one of the Sharks’ first-round selections last week. “I see a lot of myself in his game, just with his size and skill. But just trying to listen to things he’s teaching me and just trying to be that player that can one day play for this organization.”

“It’s fun,” Marleau said. “It’s a lot of new faces, a lot of new kids. It’s fun to get to know them and work with them on the ice, maybe give them a pointer here and there and then they can use it.”

Marleau also served as an assistant of sorts at last year’s development camp, although more in an unofficial capacity.

Traveling down from Los Altos, about an hour and a half north of Monterey, McGregor had her two daughters by her side, 10-year-old Rosie and 7-year-old Gwendolyn. The sisters had

Mike Grier, shortly after he was hired as San Jose’s general manager, reached out to the thenrecently retired Marleau, who had moved with his wife Christina and their kids to further son Landon’s hockey career. Grier asked Marleau if he would come back to San Jose, get on the ice with the prospects, and impart some of the wisdom he accumulated over a 23-year NHL career.

At that point, Marleau was about 14 months removed from his 1,779th and final NHL game on May 12, 2021, and the following year was a difficult one. Having played the sport since he was a young boy in Aneroid, Saskatchewan, he now found himself on the outside looking in, with his services no longer needed by NHL teams.

Marleau officially announced his retirement on May 10, 2022.

Over a year later, it’s easy to tell that Marleau’s competitive fire still burns. Asked if he would sign a professional tryout with the Sharks, who suddenly need a fourth-line center – if that hypothetical conversation with Grier were to arise –Marleau didn’t completely rule it out.

“Just seeing women get a much bigger share of the pie now, and having daughters (now, too). … That’s really awesome,” McGregor said.

Players are competing for a record $11 million purse. That’s a $1 million raise from last year’s

“That would have to be a discussion but yeah, I’d have to get in a lot better shape than what I am now,” Marleau said with a laugh, adding that he’s “not in NHL shape. Not right now, anyway.”

Still, re-joining the Sharks organization on a full-time basis, after speaking with Grier and team president Jonathan Becher about the new role, figures to help with that transition away from playing.

“It’ll definitely help to be around and busy and helping other people, and keep your mind off of things,” Marleau said. “Just being able to get back has felt good.”

Grier started to grow the Sharks’ player development department from the first month he was hired by the Sharks. Marleau now joins Mike Ricci, Tommy Wingels, and Luca Sbisa as coaches working under Todd Marchant, the Sharks’ director of player development. Marleau said they’re still sorting out how and where he’ll spend the bulk of his time.

“It’ll be good for him,” Grier said last week of having Marleau at development camp. “Patty’s excited and I’m excited

“I told my sister, I feel like I can’t miss anything here,” Brewer said. “I feel like we’re watching history.”

The golfer of the family, Brewer said she’s been involved in the game for about 15 years.

to have Patty out there. I think it’s great for the prospects to be able to have someone like him out there, to pick his brain and get some tips and pointers. I know he really enjoyed being on the ice last year. It was maybe only a day and a half or so, and I think he really enjoyed it.

“To have him out here for the whole camp is pretty big for us.”

Marleau was at the draft last week as he got a taste of that process from an organizational standpoint. Twenty-six years after taking Marleau second overall, the Sharks chose Will Smith at No. 4.

“It’s been fun to watch him in person, not just on video or anything like that,” Marleau said of Smith. “He stands out for sure. He’s just so good with the puck.”

It’s likely nothing will completely replace playing in an NHL game for Marleau. But the new role seems to come naturally, too.

“Yeah, that’s the tough part,” Marleau said not being able to play. “But it’s still fun to get out there and pass on some knowledge to the younger generation here and hopefully they can use it to their advantage.”

players on their 40-man roster and the other miscellaneous money that counts toward the tax, meaning the Giants have about $15 million to work with.

Why care about the luxury tax? Penalties start at 20% for every dollar spent over the limit but increase up to 50% by the third year in a row a team exceeds the threshold. It’s of particular interest this season, with Shohei Ohtani set to hit free agency this winter and his recordsetting contract almost certain to put any team in the penalty.

What is the biggest area of need?

With Thairo Estrada out for the next month or more and Casey Schmitt still slumping, perhaps the Giants’ calculations change. But one area of need has emerged over the past month. Take a look at where San Francisco ranks leaguewide since the start of June in the following categories:

Batter wins above replacement: 4.2, t-9th

Starting pitcher wins above replacement: 1.4, 23rd

Relief pitcher wins above replacement: 2.3, 1st

The Giants boasted so many capable starters in spring training there were questions about how they would deploy them. A week away from the AllStar break, the only two arms that have proven they can be counted on every fifth day are Logan Webband Alex Cobb.

Who could be available?

RHP Marcus Stroman, Cubs: Known acquaintance of Logan Webb would give the Giants a powerful 1-2 punch of sinker ballers at the top of their rotation. Stroman trails only Webb in ground-ball rate, while his 2.76 ERA ranks ninth in the majors, but that will also likely make him the most soughtafter commodity on the trade market. St. Louis is further back in the NL Central and could part with Jordan Montgomery, another frontline starter

Armijo

From Page B1

before last season as a new sophomore quarterback. He says the Armijo team has built a better “brotherhood” and added some pieces to the Royals’ lineup that could the team improve on its 4-6 finish in 2022.

“I didn’t have the best chemistry being my first year at the school with my teammates,” Nickson said. “It’ll be better and I think we can have a solid year. I now have that year under my belt.”

By investing his time in the camps, Nickson believes he has build a reputation as a strong-armed, durable quarterback with a solid base who is capable of finding his receivers in the pocket while also being able to move on the run.

“He feels better in the

LHP Blake Snell, Padres: The Giants and Padres have worked only two trades since 2003 and haven’t made a major deal since the swap of Kevin Mitchell in 1987, but might Snell be worth lifting the embargo? He leads the majors in walks but is coming off NL Pitcher of the Month honors for June, posting a 0.87 ERA over five starts. Worth wondering how the Padres view themselves: They sit six games out of playoff position but own a better run differential than the Giants. The Mets, also bigmoney underperformers, don’t appear to be waving the white flag yet, adding a bullpen arm this week, but Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander would draw immense interest.

RHP Lucas Giolito, White Sox: If not Giolito, a California native with a 3.50 ERA and the lowest walk rate of his career, then perhaps Zaidi and Rick Hahn can link up elsewhere. Tim Anderson could be an external answer to their middleinfield depth with Estrada looking at a lengthy absence, while Dylan Cease would come with a much heftier price tag as the reigning Cy Young runner-up under team control through 2026.

LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, Tigers: Zaidi’s former top lieutenant, Scott Harris, is now in charge of baseball operations in Detroit and possesses one of the top arms that could be available, though unlike the aforementioned trio, Rodriguez is signed through 2027 at an average annual salary of $16.3 million.

What chips do the Giants have to bargain with?

The most practical answer to this question is to take a look at the 40-man roster. Who is taking up one of the valuable spots and not contributing at the major-league level this year but still holds potential future value as a prospect? There are three names that fit the profile for the Giants:

RHP José Cruz

RHP Randy Rodríguez

IF Marco Luciano.

pocket, but he can also show his speed when he needs to,” Mosley said.

“I think we’re going to be able to do more with him and the offense this year.”

Willie’s father, Willie Nickson Jr., is a bit of a local legend, having been inducted into the Fairfield High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. Dad was a star running back and finished his career with 1,551 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He also played at Solano College before transferring to Grambling State.

But his son Willie didn’t want to be a running back like dad.

“Honestly, I just picked up a ball one day and started throwing it,” Nickson said. “My freshman year came around and I told him I wanted to play full-time at quarterback.”

And he hasn’t slowed down since, working to improve his game.

Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group/TNS