Daily Republic: Friday, Jan. 15, 2023

glen FaiSon GFAISON@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — An

evacuation warning remained in place for the Suisun Creek area for a fifth day Saturday as emergency services officials continue their watch on Lake Curry, which crested the dam Friday and spilled into the designed spillway.

The warning remained just that – a warning –as officials continued to monitor not only the water level downstream from Lake Curry along the Suisun Creek, but at the other county lakes and creeks as well.

More than 2 inches of rainfall has been recorded since midweek at Travis Air Force Base.

Periodic flooding on Suisun Parkway gave

way Saturday to a full closure in both directions from Abernathy to Kaiser Drive due to continued flooding and ongoing debris removal. Cordelia Road was also closed between Link and Hale Ranch roads.

Should an evacuation order be given, it would target people who live within a quarter-mile of the creek on either side.

The evacuation warning extends the length of the creek in Solano County, from the Napa County line down to Chadbourne Slough.

There are no other evacuation warnings or evacuation orders in the county at this time, the county Office of Emergency Services reported in its afternoon media

See Storm, Page A9

Fairfield bids final farewell to Mayor Harry Price

SuSan Hiland SHILAND@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — It was a poignant, sometimes funny and a little teary farewell Saturday to longtime Mayor T. Harry Price at Mount Calvary Baptist Church.

During the two hour memorial service at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, bagpiper Matthew Welch opened the two-hour memorial service by playing "Amazing Grace." Airman 1st Class Keegan Bushouer then sang "The StarSpangled Banner" as the Travis Air Force Base Honor Guard presented the colors.

Harry Price's pastor, the Rev. Anne Choy, senior pastor for Com-

munity United Methodist Church, read John 14:1-3 and spoke of Price's faith and work in the church.

She felt that as sad as people were and as hard as it was to talk about Price, he would have told her – and everyone – "You got this. You will be OK."

Price, 85, died Dec. 16, 2022 at home. He was the son of Wilcie and Annebelle Price, born in 1937 in Pennsylvania. He was the second of six children. Price grew up in a large family, serving in the Army National Guard and earned his undergraduate degree from Lock Haven State University.

Mark

Lillis,

CEO of Leaven

BloomBerg newS

At least nine people were killed and dozens others wounded after a Russian missile strike demolished much of a high-rise apartment building in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.

The hit was part of Russian coordinated strikes on Ukraine after a roughly two-week pause, starting with what were called ballistic-type missiles aimed at Kyiv and

the surrounding region in the morning and following up with an afternoon attack believed to have come from as many as 17 fighter jets.

Air defenses intercepted 25 of 38 missiles fired Saturday, including high-precision rockets that Kremlin forces launched from various directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said on its Facebook page.

during a search of a room adjacent to Biden’s garage, bringing the total to six, White House attorney Richard Sauber said in a statement.

Two days ago, Sauber said just one page was

found in that room and that Biden’s lawyers had “completed” their review of classified materials from his vice presidency discovered at locations connected to him.

BloomBerg newS

WASHINGTON —

Joe Biden’s lawyers discovered more classified material at his Wilmington, Delaware, home than previously announced,

the White House said Saturday – deepening a crisis that threatens to sap any political momentum for the president.

Five additional pages of classified documents were found this week

Fire hazard meeting set at county Events Center A3 49ers rout Seahawks in NFL playoff opener

Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic

Family, friends and members of the community gather for the memorial service reception for Fairfield Mayor

Harry Price, at the Allan Witt Park Sports Complex gym, Saturday.

Daily Republic file

Harry Price greets Chinese exchange students in 2015.

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic

Water from recent storms flood part of an orchard along Rockville Road in Fairfield, Friday.

The question wasn’t would I be receiving a reminder from Commissioner Herb Buddinski III from the California State Office of Columnist Content reminding me of my legal obligation to write a column on New Year’s resolutions. It was in what form would he send it. Email? Text? Snail mail? Facebook Messenger?

Nope. TikTok video. The “dancing” and “freestyle rapping” (including rhyming “column” with-gasp!-Gollum) he did in it made me want to add to my list of resolutions “work diligently to make eye bleach an actual thing.” Here are my 2023 New Year’s resolutions:

I resolve to finally conquer my ornithophobia. I have had a fear of birds that I believe started when I was 13 when I got a parakeet from my mom for my birthday. I named him Bruce after the Incredible Hulk (they were both green, I was a clever kid), but while I loved Bruce Banner’s behemoth alterego, I never even liked that friggin’ bird. I thought I could warm up to him and maybe have him chillax on my finger or something, but every time I got a finger near him, that 2 ounce feathered menace tried to bite me. I shed nary a tear when Bruce kicked the bucket.

My bird phobia was exac-

erbated when I was attacked by three vicious tom turkeys, or the Butterballs of Death as I like to call them, in 2007 on Tolenas Road. You get over phobias by facing them so I will start by watching “Happy Feet,” “March of the Penguins,” “Fly Away Home” and work my way up to “Angry Birds” and Hitchcock’s classic avian attack flick.

I will then move on to fraternizing with fowl mascots, including ones for the Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Pelicans.

That will be followed by reading lists of humans with bird names so I no longer flinch when hearing them, like Lynn Swan, Russell Crowe, Robin Givens and Larry Bird. Then I’ll listen to The Byrds, Eagles, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Black Crowes, the Flamingos and The Yardbirds.

Finally, I will touch and be around actual birds, starting with a bee hummingbird and working my way up to an ostrich. Soon I’ll be holding up a lit Bic and yelling “Free Bird!” at concerts without triggering a panic attack.

I resolve to help vegans name stuff better. I am not a vegan, I prefer whole-food, plant-based, but we do eat similar things. When I made the change almost three years ago, one thing that hit me is that

vegans kinda suck at naming their food. I mean, I eat brown rice nearly daily and I use a soy sauce-like condiment on it. It tastes delicious, but it is named Liquid Aminos. That sounds like something you use to remove rust. Also there is a condiment that has a cheesy taste that I use on my grits and other dishes that is super tasty. Its name? Nutritional Yeast. That sounds like something that should be prescribed. Finally, the Butler Foods company did brand their product that I love Soy Curls. They come dehydrated and I add water, let them sit for 10 minutes, drain them (they have the consistency of sliced chicken), add some Montreal Steak Seasoning and cook them until they are crunchy in the air fryer. Super yummy. Other companies sell them, but they just go with the generic “textured soy,” which sounds like a vegan fabric you’d use to create soybean britches or something. Help is on the way!

I resolve to finally launch my blues-rock/techno/ska/ rockabilly/baroque/industrial hip-hop/boogie-woogie/neosoul/thrash metal/funk band that I have dreamed of for years. What held me back was finding an accurate name for the project. But I found a Facebook meme that can help. It said to just use the color of your underwear and the last thing you ate. Mine was “Gray Edamame,” which would not work, but several other people played

along and I now have some viable candidates, including Black Bacon, Plaid Tangerine, Purple Hot Tamales, Red Salami, Blue Spaghetti and Commando Kung Pao.

I resolve to be more of a fix-it guy. I say with no shame that my wife Beth wears the tool belt in our family. And I mean that literally. She has always had a fix-it gene that I do not possess and that is cool with me. I got my lack of being able to easily fix stuff from my dad. Fixing or building stuff just was not his strength. I remember the fence he put in the backyard to keep our dogs from running through and digging up the garden. While it served its purpose, it was, being very charitable, an eyesore. It was nowhere near straight and resembled one that would have been right at home in Bizarro Superman’s world. He also made a doghouse whose roof was crooked. Beth recently installed a new thermostat for our heating and cooling system. Now, I could have done it, but I have a sneaking suspicion that if I had, when you tried to turn the heat on the microwave would have started.

I resolve to continue my quest to have Slap Jack become an official Olympic sport. According to Wikipedia, Slap Jack (or Red Hands, Hot Hands or Slapsies) is a children’s game where one player extends their hands forward, roughly at arm’s length, with the palms down. The other player’s hands, also

roughly at arm’s length, are placed, palms up, under the first player’s hands. The object of the game is for the second player to slap the back of the first player’s hands before the first player can pull them away. If the slapping player misses, the players swap roles and play again.

The slappee is on defense and attempts to avoid having his hands slapped, by pulling his hands away as the slapper brings his hands over to attempt a slap. However, the slappee cannot flinch too much in attempting to avoid a slap: in one variation of the game, if the slappee pulls his hands away when the slapper has not brought his hands around a designated number of times in a row (normally three), then the slappee must submit to a “free slap” by the slapper. Also, the slapper must use both hands to slap the slappee. If they only connect with one hand, a “free slap” will be awarded.

I resolve to tell the truth more. Actually, while I did like playing Slap Jack when I was a kid and was pretty good at it, I really just wanted to use the word “slappee” in a column because it makes me chuckle.

This column by Fairfield freelance columnist Tony Wade is publishing off-cycle due to an internal scheduling error at the DR.

This season – every year – is the winter of our discontent

So we're about a month into the worst season of the year: Winter.

This year, of course, it's been rainy day after rainy day after rainy day and the idea that winter is the worst season isn't merely an opinion. It's based on facts. Or at least it's based on a survey taken several months ago, which passes for "facts" in my world.

Winter is the worst season and it's not particularly close. I may be mixing apples and oranges here, but people have a more favorable opinion of Congress than they do of winter. They think more highly of Kanye West than they do of winter.

Here are the facts: In a survey of more than 2,000 American adults conducted by Morning Consult, only 11% of people called winter their favorite season. Fall was the big winner, at 41%, while spring and summer tied at 24%.

Yes, winter is less than half as popular as the nextleast-popular seasons. So if you're feeling tired of the cold and wet weather, take warmth (which you'll

need, along with a good umbrella) from this: You're not alone. In the Morning Consult survey, every demographic (by gender, geography, generation) considered winter the worst season. The exception? Gen Z, which ranked winter well ahead of spring.

That's probably because (alert: Generational stereotype warning coming) a YouTube star told those Gen Z kids that winter is cool, then played a dumb video game while a million 16-year-olds watched online, mouths agape while checking their TikTok feeds and eating food their parents bought.

For the rest of us? Winter is the worst. Fall is the best. Spring and summer are about the same.

All demographic areas considered fall the best season, with good reason: The weather is generally mild; baseball, football and basketball are all playing; my birthday occurs; the holidays are on the horizon.

I might disagree with the order of the seasons. In fact, I've kind of dis-

agreed in print. But winter is tiring and deserves to finish last. Winter is like a sports franchise or entertainment network with bad management: There's the chance for an occasional good season, but inevitably, it will shift back into being bad. Because winter is fundamentally flawed by things that are necessary but unlikeable.

Here are a few reasons: n The weather. n Lack of sunlight. n The weather. n Too much darkness.

You get the point.

As we plow through January and look ahead to two more months of bad weather (since spring officially starts March 21, we sometimes pretend March is nice. It's not. March is part of winter. There are more rainy or cold days than warm, sunny days in March), we can take much-needed warmth in knowing that when we think, "I'm sick of cold weather," or, "I know we need the rain, but when is it going to stop," or, "how much longer do we have to wait until Brad's birthday," you're not alone.

There're arguments to be made about what season is the best, although the Ameri-

can people have largely spoken and said it's fall. But there's little doubt –except among Gen Z – that we're in the middle of the worst season.

Good news: We're closer to the end of winter

than we were yesterday. And tomorrow, we'll be another day closer to the end.

Pretty soon, we'll be singing along with Canadian one-hit wonder Terry Jacks: "We had joy, we

had fun, we had seasons in the sun." Because only one season doesn't have sun. We're in it.

Reach Brad Stanhope at bradstanhope@ outlook.com.

Brad Stanhope Like I was sayin’

Tony Wade The last laugh

Fire hazard meeting set at county Events Center

toDD R. H anSen THANSEN@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — It may be hard to think about wildfires with so much rain falling, but the reality is that with the storms will come more vegetation for wildfires to use as fuel.

The state has already rated much of Solano County as a higher fire risk than it has been rated in the past.

That rating – or the proposed wildfire severity zones and corresponding map – will be the topic of discussion at a meeting hosted by the Office of the State Fire Marshal at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the county Events Center, 601 Texas St., in Fairfield.

“Ensuring Californians know the wildfire hazard in their area is critical to ensuring we all take the appropriate steps to prepare for wildfires,” Chief Daniel Berlant, deputy director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation for Cal Fire, said in a statement released in December when it was announced 57 community meetings would be held.

“The updated map is the product of years of discussions and incorporates the latest science to provide a long-term outlook of an area’s wildfire hazard,” Berlant stated.

“Overall, the map shows increased fire hazards, reflecting California’s increase in wildfire occurrence and severity because of many factors, including a changing climate,” the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement.

Representatives of the Green Valley and Pleasants Valley fire safety council have said the changes for Solano County are “significant.”

Much of the concern is the cost of fire insurance in those areas, or even the possibility that fire insurance will

not be available in some areas unless steps are taken to prevent wildfires.

But the fire councils also think this provides an opportunity for the county to focus on wildfire priorities, and because of being classified as having greater fire risks, an opportunity to get additional grants for those priorities.

“I don’t think the map is wrong, but we have to understand the map and which elements we can influence,” David Stevens, president of the Pleasants Valley Fire Safety Council, said when the map was first made public.

“There is not a shortage of opportunities to improve things, just a shortage of people to do them,” he said, noting specifically public education and awareness, clearing away vegetation, evacuation planning and other wildfire prevention steps.

Rochelle Sherlock, president of the Green Valley Fire Safety Council, said the map clearly shows the fire risk that runs along the ridge from the Vacaville valleys to Suisun

Valley over to Green Valley. Moreover, she said there are a lot of dry and dead trees and vegetation that will fuel wildfires.

“If we ever had a catastrophic fire in Green Valley, it will come down into Middle Green Valley and maybe even down to Cordelia,” Sherlock said.

“A lot of (Green Valley) residents know they are in a fire risk area . . . but I think this will elevate their risk awareness,” Sherlock said.

The last map was issued in 2007.

An online public toolkit and interactive map is available to help answer questions. A hotline is also available.

The department also has issued its first report on climate insurance.

To determine the Fire Hazard Safety Zone for a specific property, go to https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/ divisions/community-wildfirepreparedness-and-mitigation/ wildfire-preparedness/fire-haz ard-severity-zones. The automated hotline is 916-633-7655.

US marshals in Mexico arrest man linked to Suisun homicide

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

SUISUN CITY — A fugitive wanted in connection with a Dec. 15 homicide in Suisun City has been arrested by U.S. marshals in Mexico.

Robert Klein, 51, is awaiting extradition back to Solano County where he will likely face allegations of murder and other felonies, according to a post on the Suisun City Police Department’s Facebook page.

The killing occurred about

9:50 p.m. on the 1200 block of Potrero Circle. The victim, who died at a nearby hospital, was a 37-yearold man who had been repeatedly shot, according to news reports. The identify of the man has not been released, and the Solano County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office said the case “is protected” and could not release any information.

Suisun City Police Chief Aaron Roth was not available for comment Friday afternoon.

“Suisun City Police detectives worked closely with the Solano

County District Attorney’s Office Major Crimes Task Force on this investigation. Ultimately, investigators from both entities were able to identify and locate the suspect, Richard Klein . . . from Martinez,” the Facebook post states.

“On Jan.11 . . . at about 11:15 a.m., Klein was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service while he was in Rosarito, Mexico,” the Facebook statement said.

The arrest by the Marshal’s Service was coordinated with the Mexico Federal Police.

prompts MLK Peace in the Park venue change

SuSan HilanD SHILAND@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VACAVILLE — The location of Monday’s third annual “Peace in the Park: Celebrating the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” event has been moved indoors to the McBride Senior Center, 91 Town Square Place, because of expected rain.

Sponsored by the Vacaville People’s Forum, the Solano County Black Chamber of Commerce

and Vacaville City Councilman Greg Ritchie, the program will be from noon to 2 p.m.

Assemblywoman Lori Wilson will be the keynote speaker.

Other expected speakers include Rep. Mike Thompson and John Garamendi, state Sen. Bill Dodd, Black Chamber of Commerce President Tamuri Richardson, photographer Brianna Gamble, muralist Cassius Reynolds and food truck owner Jade Jones.

There will be music by vocalists Tyler Bertani, Leslie Silver, the School of Rock Band and DJ John Laxa. The Bliss Dance Company will perform and yoga instructor Tisha

Hill will lead a meditation. The event will culminate with the reading of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech by local youth.

Suisun City council hopefuls make their case for appointment

toDD R. H anSen THANSEN@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

SUISUN CITY — There is one vacant chair on the Suisun City council dais – and 12 individuals want it.

Each will get a chance Tuesday to make a pitch for why he or she is the best candidate for the job when the council meets at 5:30 p.m. in the chamber at City Hall, 701 Civic Center Blvd.

Mayor Alma Hernandez said each candidate will be given a minute for an opening statement, will take some questions, and then have a minute for a closing statement.

Seven of those individuals – with Katrina Garcia, a council candidate on Nov. 8, guaranteed a slot – will move on to the second round of inquiry Jan. 24. The council hopes to cut the list down to three, and possibly on the same night, make the appointment.

The vacancy was created when Hernandez was elected as mayor.

The selection process is part of the regular council meeting and is expected to take about 1.5 hours. The deadline to make an appointment is Feb. 3. If the selection is not made, the city will have to go to a special election. The first opportunity for that is in November.

The candidates are Garcia; Anthony Adams; Thomas Alder; Tara Beasley-Stansberry; James Berg; Laura Cole-Rowe; Lilia Dardon; Herbert Dardon; George Guynn Jr.; Amit Pal; Steve Olry; and Jonathan R. Richardson.

Berg ran for mayor, but is not guaranteed to be one of the seven semifinalists.

There is no closed session. An agenda for the council meeting is available on the city’s website.

Vacaville Parks & Rec panel reviews top 5 projects

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VACAVILLE — A presentation on the top five Parks and Recreation Master Plan projects will be made at a special Parks and Recreation Commission meeting scheduled Thursday.

The commission will consider recommendations to the City Council for funding decisions.

The top five projects are the Davis Street Gymnasium/Vacaville Ice Sports Complex, 551 Davis St.; the Nelson Park Revised Master Plan for the existing 19-acre community park, 6 of which are

underdeveloped; a new Multi-Purpose Recreation Center; a new Sports Field Complex at the corner of Lewis and Fry roads; and the Trail and Trailhead Improvements Program.

The meeting is set for 6 p.m. in the council chamber of City Hall, 650 Merchant St. The entrance is in the back.

The full descriptions of the projects can be found with the meeting agenda, which is available on the city website. The Master Plan can be found at www.ci.vacaville. ca.us/home/show publisheddocument/ 11226/6368212 42728030000.

MLK,

Rachel Raskin-Zrihen/Daily Republic file

Rochelle Sherlock addresses the couple dozen would-be wildfire risk assessment and defensible space ambassadors who took part in a training program in rural Green Valley, Aug. 1, 2021.

Heart of Fairfield zoning, land-use matters come before City Council

todd R. H anSen THANSEN@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — The City Council on Tuesday will conduct a public hearing and consider various zoning and land-use changes for properties at West Texas Street and Beck Avenue, as well as in the downtown area.

The council will consider a specific plan amendment to the Heart of Fairfield Plan to redesignate 601 Beck Ave., 649 Beck Ave. and 699 Beck Ave. from Community Commercial zoning to Mixed-Use West Texas zoning.

The council will then consider introducing an ordinance that amends the Zoning Ordinance “to

adjust land-use regulations and development standards” for those properties “in alignment with the goals and objectives of the Heart of Fairfield Plan.”

The changes create definitions for Amenity Zone, Activity Zone and Transparency; and rezone the Beck Avenue parcels to the new zoning, and also a parcel at 1100 Texas St. from Public Facilities DistrictDowntown Area Parking Overlay District to Downtown District-Downtown Area Parking Overlay District.

Another ordinance also will be introduced amending the Zoning Ordinance “to address new issues, correct typographical errors, make minor organizational revisions, clarify language, (to) bring

the Zoning Ordinance into closer alignment with General Plan goals, objectives and policies; and bring the Zoning Ordinance into full compliance with state law.”

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in the council chamber at City Hall, 1000 Webster St.

It follows a closed session at 5 p.m. during which the council will be updated on four matters of existing litigation: Solano County Orderly Growth Committee v. City; and three cases involving Edward Dayton v. City. Additionally, there is a matter of anticipated litigation to be discussed.

A full agenda for the meeting is available on the city’s website.

Millions available to address lead paint, other housing hazards

daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Friday $568 million has been made available to address lead paint and other housing-related hazards for low-income families.

“Everyone in this country deserves to feel safe and healthy in their homes,” HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said in a statement. “We are proud

to continue fulfilling commitments made under the Biden-Harris administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan, including the new funding opportunities we have announced today. These efforts will protect children, babies and families from lead exposure, which can be detrimental at even low levels, and other home health hazards.”

The first funding pool is $403 million in grants “to state and local govern-

ments for improving health and safety in privately owned older (pre-1978) homes of low-income families under HUD’s Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program.” It includes almost $10 million to support the agencies’ efforts to mitigate “additional housing-related health and safety hazards in those homes.”

The second funding source is $165 million in grants to public housing agencies “for improving

health and safety in public housing . . . This funding is available for evaluating and mitigating threats to public housing residents, such as lead-based paint, carbon monoxide, mold, radon, fire and asbestos.”

It brings the HUD spending related to these issues to $2.7 billion since 1993.

State and local governments have until March 14 to apply; public housing authorities have until April 13.

Travis school board considers change to graduation requirements

SuSan Hiland SHILAND@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — The Travis School District is looking to make a change to graduation requirements starting with the Class of 2024.

Specifically, the governing board on Tuesday will consider removing the health course graduation requirement.

The reason the district is considering this change is because many students and families have stated the students

wanted to take additional electives courses but the schedule didn’t allow for it, according to a staff report. Removing this requirement will offer an opportunity for 11th grade students to take an additional class, including advanced studies and courses for remediation.

Many California and U.S. schools are making this change, according to the staff report, which is designed to offer “an easier transition” for transferring

students, particularly military-connected families.

The contents of the health course are required by the California Healthy Youth Act, so the district will place the coursework in the Physical Education class. This class is required for all ninth grade students, so this will meet all state curricular requirements outlined in California Education Code Sections 51930–51939.

The change will affect students starting July 1,

2023, if the board passes it.

The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. at 2751 De Ronde Drive, Fairfield. A full agenda for the meeting is available on the school district’s website.

Kaiser docs, staff helping Habitat for Humanity on MLK Day

FAIRFIELD — Kaiser Permanente physicians and staff will spend the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday partnering with Habitat for Humanity on projects including painting, removing carpet and building playhouses.

The work is being done from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Solano Napa Habitat for Humanity project site at 104 Commerce Court in Fairfield.

Clifford (Bubba) E. Meyerhoffer

Clifford (Bubba) Meyerhoffer age 67, peacefully entered eternal rest in his sleep on December 7, 2022. Cliff was an Army Vete ran who served his country proudly Cliff loved riding his Harley and spending time with his family. Cliff is survived by his wife of 32 yrs Nancy Meyerhoffer, 4 children, 16 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, parents and 2 sisters and 1 sister preceded in death.

Ser vices will be held at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, CA. January 19, 2022 at 2:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation to a charity of your choice in his name.

JoAnne Nicholson

JoAnne Nicholson p assed away on Fr iday, December 9th after a short battle with c ancer with her children at her side. JoAnne w as born in 1938 in Fairfield where she grew up and gradu at ed from Armijo High School in 1956. JoAnne had many lifelong friends from Fairfield. JoAnne w as p art of a small group who c alled themselves the Armijo Girls” who continued to ge t toge ther f or w eekend trips throughout the years and were present f or her 80th surprise birthday party in 2020.

JoAnne moved to Davis in 1960 with her husband and started their family. When her children started school she started her career at Wells Fargo Bank in Woodland & Davis where she worked for over 20 years in customer service. Upon her retirement JoAnne enjoyed working in her yard and decorating her house and yard for the holidays. She was an avid player of Word Chums and Dice with Friends. She wouldn’t miss her weekly hair and nail appointments. She found time to go to the casino at least bi-weekly JoAnne was preceeded in death by her husband of 51 years Bob Nicholson, and her parents Floyd & Berniece DeBoyce. She is survived by her children Greg Nicholson (Maria) of Esparto and Julie Hernandez (Fugi) of Woodland. Her grandchildren Heather Ely Vaaler, Mathew Nicholson, Jennifer Nicholson, Raul Reyes, Tomas Reyes and great grandchildren Ellery Vaaler, Jake Vaaler & Amaya Reyes. She is also survived by her lifelong friend Sonnie Green of Cottonwood.

Memorials can be directed to your favorite cancer organization.

Robert Graham Evans

Chief Master Seargent Robert “Bob” Graham Evans was born November 15, 1932 in New York City and passed away January 8, 2023. He attended public school in NYC and New Jersey. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1949, at 17 years old. He served in the Korean and Vietnam wars. He retired from the Air Force after 26 years of service as a Chef Master Sergeant at Travis AFB. He married Setsuko “Nancy”, in 1954. They were married for 60 years until she passed July 4, 2014. She was not only the love of his life, but was his life! After his retirement from the Air Force, he then retired in 1994 from the Alameda Naval Air Station as Department Head of Production and Planning. He was active as a Mason for over 60 years. In 1988, he was elected Grand High Priest of the Royal Arch Masons for the State of California. He is a member of the York Rite and Scottish Rite and is a Knight of the York Grand Cross of Honor. He was the Intendant General of Northern California for the Red Cross of Constantine. Bob loved animals, especially Buttons, his Boston Terrier of almost 16 years. He is survived by his two sons Robert and David, daughter in laws Angie and Wendy. Grandchildren Shannon, Hayley, Holly and David Jr, Great Granddaughters Brooklyn and Freya. A special thanks to Iris Frederick’s who was his care giver for 10 years and her husband Joe for all of his help.

He always said he lived by four words “Duty, Honor, Country and Family”.

He is a member of Saint Marks Lutheran Church. Memorial service will be January 21, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. A graveside service will be held at 1:15 p.m. on February 6, 2023 at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Shriners Hospital at https://donate.lovetotherescue.org/give/119312/#!/donation/ checkout?c_src=lttr-home-slider. Please check in memory of: Robert G Evans.

Eleanor Fay Hood

Eleanor Fay Hood was

born October 26th, 1940, in Tampa, Florida. She passed away December 4th, 2022, in Placentia, California, in the company of her family.

ing to the ends of the earth.

Her love of music and for books, brought joy and encouraged education everywhere she went. In every church in which she and Elvin belonged, she was the church pianist and librarian, either starting libraries or leading the charge to improve existing ones. She spent endless hours perfecting her piano playing, and to research and discover the right materials and resources to best serve her church community. She was a Proverbs 31 kind of lady, for sure.

Local nonprofit organizations will be there to hand out information about products and services.

For information and updates about the event, visit the Vacaville People’s Forum Facebook page: https://www.facebook. com/vvpeoplesforum/.

Eleanor’s family moved to California when she was 4, where she lived in Fresno and Sacramento. She spent her Jr. High & early High School years in Vancouver, Washington. On returning to California, she graduated from Sacramento High School and attended Sacramento State University She met, and later married Elvin Hood in 1960. They lived in Fairfield, California, for 47 years. After raising their two daughters, Denise and Darla, she returned to the workplace, retiring from State of California employment after 22 years of exemplary service.

Eleanor was first and foremost committed to Jesus; to her family & friends; and especially to her husband, Elvin, with whom she shared a ‘forever love’. He says of Eleanor, “No one could be around her for 2 minutes, without being impacted. She had a huge heart for God, her Countr y, learning and the unborn. She always put others first, and her care & generosity touched hundreds, if not thousands of people – truly reach-

Eleanor was preceded in death by her parents, Orie & Fay Bower; younger sister, Joyce Bower; mother-in-law, Ellen Blevins; sisters-in-law Janelle Steen, Ora Mae Brownlee and Nancy Simmons; and brothers-in-law, Loren Davis, Avin Brownlee, Mark Barnes and Everett Harlow.

She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Elvin Hood; children, Denise & Darla, daughter-inlaw Michelle Farmer, son-in-law, Tony Checchin; sister, Carol Davis; dozens of multi-generational nephews and nieces, as well as chosen grandchildren, to include the Nelson children of Fairfield, California and the Segulin children of New Jersey.

All will miss Eleanor ’s infectious laugh, chats, profound wisdom, great l ove and twinkling blue eyes.

Eleanor’s Celebration of Life service will be held from 11 am to 1 pm on January 28th, 2023, at her home church of many years, First Baptist Church. The address is: 512 First Street, Winters, California.

AIR FORCE VETERAN

ARMY VETERAN

Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic file (2017)

Pedestrians and cars are seen in downtown Fairfield, in 2017

These renters lived paycheck to paycheck, then a flood saturated their homes

Tribune ConTenT agenCy

Isabel Ramirez

returned to a damp, moldy home Thursday morning, just a few days after she, her husband and two children escaped a flood that tore through her neighborhood in rural a stretch of the San Joaquin Valley.

On Tuesday she and her family had fled their home, wading through waist-deep water as the flood rapidly moved in during the dark early morning. They spent the past few days resting at the Merced County Fairgrounds shelter.

Looking at her backyard Thursday, which had a torn down fence and items that had been scattered about by the rushing waters, Ramirez, 24, wondered how her family would make it through the coming days. Her house in Planada was nearly uninhabitable after the flood.

“It’s hard. We don’t really have the money to put down the deposit and get another house,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez and her husband, like many Planada residents, work in the agriculture industry, the backbone of the San Joaquin Valley’s economy. They are among Merced County’s low-income residents. And while times were tough even before the flood, they are bound to get harder.

Many Planada residents The Fresno Bee spoke with after the recent flood are also renters. They wonder whether their landlords will make necessary repairs in the aftermath of the flood, or evict their tenants instead.

Alicia Rodriguez, president of St. Vincent de Paul Planada Sacred Heart Conference, said those kinds of stories, in the aftermath of the flood, are common in Planada, a community of 4,000 about 10 miles east of Merced.

On Thursday morning Rodriguez was busy with her notepad, writing down the names and addresses of families in need. She spent the day going house-to-house, giving families phone numbers

and information for county resources, food and other items to help.

Rodriguez has also been communicating non-stop with affected residents via social media and a Planada community Facebook group, whether it’s information about power outages or where to get fresh water and food.

Rodriguez said many of the homes the agriculture workers live in were already in bad shape before the flood. “But they don’t say anything because they are afraid that their rights will be violated,” Rodriguez said. “So they don’t say anything. These are our quiet people in Planada.”

Rodriguez said the situation is more severe for those vulnerable family members who have conditions like asthma, as the mold inside the homes can be a trigger.

“Most of the people that we help actually are field workers,” Rodriguez explained.

“And right now with all the rain, they weren’t able to do pruning and (go out) there because it was too wet. They weren’t able to go to the farms because they were overflooded. Even before the flood they were living very hard, and they are worried about where their funding is.”

The flood is affecting young families like the Ramirezes, and longtime Planada residents who’ve been around for generations.

Samuel Canal, 79, could barely speak when he returned to his home Thursday. Asked about how he was feeling, he was on the verge of tears. He turned and quietly walked back inside his flooded-out home.

His daughter Gloria Canal, 52, of Merced, rushed to rescue her father early Tuesday morning as soon as she heard the floodwaters were moving in.

Gloria was also in a state of shock Thursday morning, seeing the loss suffered by her father and others. “It’s hard to see something like this. A little town where you grew up. It’s hard,” Gloria said.

California’s winter storms have been deadlier than any wildfire since 2018

The WashingTon P

Relentless wind and rain has killed people sleeping in homes and in tents. It has taken the lives of those sheltering indoors and those working outside. Some victims have been elderly, others very young. And they are spread across 10 Califor nia counties and more than 500 miles, one measure of this disaster’s massive, difficult-to-manage scope.

After two weeks of nearly nonstop down pours, the official statewide death toll from multiple atmospheric rivers stands at 19. That figure will rise, authori ties say, but already it is greater than the number of people killed during the last two fire seasons combined. The parade of storms has been deadlier than any single wildfire since 2018, a jolting fact for a state whose worst recent disasters have been the product of too little water, not too much.

And it’s not over. At least two more storms have California in their crosshairs. Once the skies clear and the floodwaters finally recede, emergency managers expect this spate of tempests to rank among the deadliest natural disasters in state history.

Experts say the toll reveals an unfortunate reality: After so many years of drought, some Californians are

unaccustomed to the dangers of rain.

“Water in some ways seems more innocuous than a fire bearing down on you or an earthquake shaking a whole city, but water - as proven by this event - can be just as deadly,” Brian Ferguson, a deputy director of California’s emergency services office, said in an interview.

Local officials have identified nearly all of the storm victims, and their backgrounds are a crosssection of the diverse state: A Mexican Ameri-

can father who danced to banda music as he cleaned the house; a woman who emigrated from Hong Kong as a teenager and was days away from renewing vows with her husband of 15 years; a Midwest transplant and mother of five who fell into homelessness and cooked every day for her friends in their riverside encampment.

The youngest victim was 2-year-old Aeon Tocchini, who was on the couch when a redwood crashed through the roof of his family’s double wide

in a small Sonoma County town.

Aeon’s father emerged from the wreckage battered but alive. Had the tree come down just minutes later, his mother, returning home from work, would have been inside with them.

Another young boy, 5-year-old Kyle Doan, is still missing. Kyle was separated from his mother when the pair tried to escape from their truck as it washed down an overflowing creek. The last thing he said, his father recounted: “Don’t worry,

Marlena Sloss/for The Washington Post

People photograph a car sitting in flooded water at an underpass, in Oakland, Jan 4.

Andrew Kuhn/Tribune Content Agency Isabel Ramirez, 24, speaks about having to evacuate from her home due to flooding in Planada, Thursday. Ramirez recently returned to her home after the Merced County Sheriff’s Office downgraded an evacuation order to a warning.

A storm-lashed tree damages your home or car – who’s going to pay for that?

los A ngeles Times

The winds and rainstorms lashing California this month have sent trees and branches crashing down on houses, garages, cars and, tragically, people.

When a tree trunk or limb damages your property, one of your first questions is likely to be, “Who’s going to pay for this?” Chances are good that you’ll have to pick up at least part of the cost.

There are five key factors at work:

n What was damaged?

n What caused the tree to fall?

n Whose property was the tree on?

n What condition was the tree in?

n What are the terms of your insurance policy?

In some cases, you may have to foot the full bill. In others, though, your net cost could be zero.

Home or auto?

The most likely source

of help when a falling tree limb damages something you own is your insurance policy. Damage to a structure on your property – house, garage or shed – would potentially be covered by a homeowners policy. Damage to items inside said house, garage or shed would potentially be covered by a homeowners or renters policy, as would damage to items in a vehicle. Damage to a vehicle could be covered

by an auto policy, if it had the right options.

The coverage is merely potential, not certain, because of some of the other factors involved.

First and most important is which sort of weather event uprooted the tree or snapped its limbs.

Your homeowners policy will cover damage caused by trees only if it stemmed from a windstorm, lightning or hail. An earthquake requires a sep-

arate policy, as does a flood or a mudslide. Renters’ policies have similar limits.

One notable exception that’s important in California: If the tree is part of a debris flow from an area scorched by a wildfire, you can claim that the “proximate cause” was the fire (which your homeowners policy covers), not the floodwaters (which it doesn’t).

A second crucial question is the condition of the tree. If it was healthy and well-maintained, then the proximate cause of the damage probably was the wind that shook it hard enough to send its limbs flying. That’s considered an event out of your control, and the standard insurance policy will cover it, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

You would still have to pay your policy’s deductible, however. If the tree was on someone else’s property, your insurer may seek reimbursement from

See Damage, Page A7

In brief

EDC webinar to focus on economic development

FAIRFIELD — The next installment of the Solano EDC speaker series will focus on policy and advocacy exploring the legislation agenda for economic development.

The panelists are Micah Weinberg, chief executive officer for California Forward; Gurbax Sahota, president and chief executive officer of the California Association for Local Economic Development and executive director of The Academy; Daniel Carrigg, senior policy adviser for Renne Public Policy Group; and Tracy Rhine, senior policy advocate for Rural County Representatives of California.

The webinar is set for noon to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 31. To register, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/ register/WN_E_mMhp7oSXe37NJKOj4NFw.

Dealerships holding blood drive

FAIRFIELD — Fairfield Chevrolet and Subaru will turn its showroom floor into a donation station in celebration of Valentine’s Day, teaming up with the American Red Cross for its first ever blood drive.

“We are always someone’s type, blood type that is. We have been planning to do this for a long time and since Covid regulations have been less strict we couldn’t think of a more perfect time. Donating blood is a great way to show appreciation to our needed community,” Fairfield Chevrolet and Subaru Marketing Director Gabriela Vidales said in a statement.

The blood drive will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 10 at the Fairfield Subaru dealership at 2525 Martin Road in Fairfield.

Schedule an appointment at www.redcrossblood. org/give.html/find-drive; this will not be a walk-in blood drive.

Disney-Peltz showdown is a throwback to corporate raider era

BloomBerg

As renowned activist investor Nelson Peltz prepares for a major public showdown with Walt Disney Co., he’s taking cues from an old playbook, created in the heyday of corporate raiders.

Peltz, who has said Disney is in crisis, stuffed with overpaid executives who in turn have overpaid for other companies, filed paperwork on Thursday to begin a proxy fight for a board seat. Disney is asking shareholders to reject the proposal and plans to file its own preliminary proxy statement next week, after failing to privately persuade Peltz and his firm, Trian Partners, to back down.

The fight harks back the days of swashbuckling corporate raiders, when Peltz got his start, rather than the more genteel shareholder proposals floated by social activists at annual meetings today, according to Jo-Ellen Pozner, an assistant professor of management at Santa Clara University.

“It’s a little unexpected; the tone of the corporate governance landscape

is not this active and so public,” she said in an interview. “It feels like a throwback to the 80s.”

When Disney responds to Peltz, it will likely do so with as much vigor. The company may highlight weaknesses in Peltz’s presentations to shareholders, including flaws in his calculations of returns, factual misstatements and an overall lack of specific strategy, according to people familiar with the company’s thinking, who asked not to be identified discussing private strategy talks.

Peltz said in his public filings that he was offered an “information sharing and observer/advisory arrangement,” but only if he agreed to restrictions on what he could do with his shares. Disney offered Peltz access to information and its board, but didn’t offer him a seat at their meetings, people familiar with the matter said.

Disney could also go after the activist investor’s age. Peltz is 80. Disney’s corporate governance guidelines say it shouldn’t nominate a board candidate for reelection who is 75 years or older, unless

the board determines there are special circumstances for doing so.

T he entertainment giant has yet to set a date for its annual meeting. Last year’s was in early

March. Between now and then, Disney and its consultants will likely be reaching out to large investors and proxy advisory firms such as Institutional Shareholders Services,

to argue for its preferred board composition.

Things weren’t always this way. In 2019, the longtime activist investor was invited to speak to the Disney board by then Chief

Executive Officer Bob Iger. Last summer, Peltz lunched at the Disneyland resort in Paris with Iger’s replacement, Bob Chapek, and their wives.

By Taylor Johnson

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Nichols Lewis

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/TNS file

San Francisco firefighters prepare to remove a large tree branch that fell onto a parked car due to high winds, in San Francisco, Tuesday.

Californians’ patience on homelessness wears thin

Aviral video last week showed the owner of a San Francisco art gallery using a water hose to spray a homeless woman camped outside the doorway of his business.

The gallery owner, Collier Gwin, semiapologized later, telling a television interviewer, “I totally understand what an awful thing that is to do, but I also understand what an awful thing it is to leave her on the streets.”

Gwin said he and other business owners complained to police about her blocking the sidewalks and business entrances. Efforts had been made to help her get off the streets, but nothing has worked.

“We called the police. There must be at least 25 calls to police,” Gwin said. “It’s two days in a homeless shelter, it’s two days in jail, and then they drop them right back on the street.”

Finally, after the woman once again refused to move, in frustration Gwin sprayed her down.

Gwin obviously did the wrong thing, but the incident dramatized the frustration that millions of Californians feel about the squalid encampments of homeless people that have become the defining feature of urban California.

Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged the growing resentment as he introduced his new state budget last week.

“People have just had it,” he told reporters. “They want the encampments cleaned up.”

“People are dying on the streets all across this state,” Newsom said. “The encampments, we’ve got to clean them up, we’ve got to take ownership, we’ve got to take responsibility.”

In the last two state budgets, Newsom and the Legislature have committed $17.5 billion for housing and services to the estimated 170,000 homeless Californians – about $100,000 each. However, as Newsom’s new budget acknowledges, “Despite unprecedented resources from the state and record numbers of people being served by the homelessness response system, the population of unhoused individuals grows faster than the population exiting homelessness.”

The new budget adds several more billion dollars, but suggests that local governments are still not doing enough – a theme that Newsom has pursued in recent months.

Last year, he rejected all of the plans that local governments had submitted, saying they fell well short of actually making real progress on reducing the upward trend. After a showdown meeting with local officials, he agreed to release more state aid.

“The first iteration of these plans made clear that more ambition is required – and more direction from the state is necessary,” the budget declares. “Accordingly, the administration plans to work with the Legislature this year to advance homeless accountability legislation.”

The budget suggests that cities failing to meet their state quotas for zoning land for new housing might lose state financing for homelessness programs.

“If we can’t clean up the encampments and address what’s happening chronically on our streets, I’m going to be hard-pressed to make a case to the Legislature to provide them one dollar more,” Newsom told reporters.

That threat doesn’t sit well with local government officials. The League of California Cities issued a sharp reaction, saying, “onetime investments will not solve the crisis” and adding, “We need ongoing state funding and a coordinated approach with clearly defined roles and responsibilities for all levels of government that supports long-term solutions.”

The exchanges suggest there is still no consensus on what combination of actions would have a visible impact and all of the politicians involved are engaged in some blame-shifting as the voting public’s patience with the squalor wears thin.

Newsom knows that if the crisis is not resolved, it will leave an indelible mark on his governorship and haunt whatever future political career moves he might make.

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.

Letters to the Editor

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

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

Senior fares for public transit to quadruple

Beginning Feb. 1, City Coach Route 1 to Leisure Town will be completely eliminated. Route 1 will be replaced by “City Coach Direct.” However, with City Coach Direct, the cost to seniors will quadruple – from $1.50 to $6 for a round trip.

Holy Toledo! How seniorunfriendly, and in many cases, unaffordable.

All the City Coach fixed routes have a half-priced fare for seniors, except City Coach Direct.

Once before, in 2014, the Transit Department proposed eliminating public transit to Leisure Town. Their proposal caused an uproar and was quickly quashed. How did the elimination of Route 1 fly under the radar this time?

“City Coach Direct” is promoted as “a new and exciting” service for Vacaville. Were not the problems with City Coach Direct explained to the City Council? Namely, that no provision was made for seniors and for the low-income. It appears the Transit Department is primarily concerned with numbers of riders and farebox revenue.

The question is whether or not the city of Vacaville will provide low-cost public transportation to its seniors.

There is a solution: Why not offer one-half senior fare for City Coach Direct? Make up the shortfall in fare-box revenue from the city

of Vacaville’s budget, like Kansas City does. Kansas City, along with more than 100 cities, offers fare-free public transit.

What would be the loss in revenue by offering one-half fare to Vacaville seniors? The average City Coach ridership is about 1,500 a month. The shortfall in fare-box revenue would be $1,125 a month or $13,500 annually. The City budget is $235 million. As Kansas City did, let the city of Vacaville “find” $13,500 from its annual budget. Currently, it is zero.

It’s time for a change. Let the city of Vacaville step up, show some concern for, and provide low-cost public transport for its seniors and its low-income residents.

Robert Vahouny Vacaville

Open seat on Suisun City council considerations

The Suisun City council has a seat open as a result of Alma Hernandez being elected to mayor. The council has decided to take eligible nominations despite the fact that candidates ran and were voted on by the citizens of Suisun City. Little consideration for the candidates who ran were taken.

I stand with many who believe the candidates who ran on the ballot for office Nov. 8 should be considered first. I am in favor of Katrina Garcia as a top candidate to be considered. Katrina Garcia served at The Sal-

vation Army Kroc Center, worked with citizen groups with the Suisun City Police Department, is currently the director of development (volunteer) for AdoptA-Neighborhood and serves on the Public Safety and Emergency Committee.

Lou Webster Suisun City

Solano Recovery Project hosts Amends in Action

What is “making an amends?” It’s doing something to correct a mistake one has made or a bad situation that one has caused. When we make an amends, we go further than just saying “I’m sorry.” We take action to make up for what has happened in the past.

It is so much more than cleaning up a park. It’s good for the community and good for the volunteer who is giving back in this manner. Solano Recovery Project’s Adopt-A-Park is one of our Amends in Action programs. Whether you have an amends to make or not, you are welcome to join us in volunteering to clean up our park. Solano Recovery Project’s Community Outreach Team does this the second Saturday of every month.

All supplies are provided by Solano Recovery Project.

Sue Young Fairfield

California governor

Gov. Gavin Newsom is arguably the luckiest California governor ever. But some of that luck will run out with the Republican takeover of the U.S. House.

Newsom was immensely lucky that fellow Democrats controlled the federal government the past two years.

President Joe Biden and Congress showered California with tens of billions in economic aid, enough for the governor to avoid a budget crisis this winter.

It’s doubtful the federal largesse would have showed up if Biden had lost to then-President Donald Trump in 2020 and if Democrats hadn’t controlled the Senate and House by razor-thin margins.

“If it was up to, respectfully, the Republican Party, none of this would have happened. Not one dollar would have come our way,” Newsom told reporters Tuesday, referring to federal funding boosts as he unveiled a $297 billion state budget plan for the next fiscal year.

In all, Newsom said, California has received $48 billion from two major federal bills: the $700 billion Inflation Reduction Act and the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Much of the money was distributed to local governments and private entities.

“We could receive an additional $48 billion,” he said.

That’s luck. But Newsom has been lucky for several reasons since taking office four years ago.

Both legislative houses have been controlled by supermajorities of Democrats. He can govern without Republican interference. He doesn’t need them for anything.

Newsom has had no significant political rival in either party. Republicans are too weak. Democrats don’t dare.

Thanks to voters in 2010, the legislative vote requirement for passing a budget is only a simple majority. Before that, a two-thirds vote was needed, resulting in summer-long deadlocks that tarnished the images

of all Sacramento politicians. These days, it’s easy for a governor to get his spending plan passed.

Newsom also was lucky to govern in good economic times. Until very recently, the state treasury continually overflowed with tax revenue. Unlike predecessors Jerry Brown and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Newsom hasn’t had to gut popular state programs to balance the books, angering political allies.

Last year, a ridiculous $100 billion surplus was projected for the current budget. But because of the economic downturn, general fund tax revenues are running nearly $30 billion short, resulting in a projected deficit of $22.5 billion.

Except for brief fiscal jitters during the 2020 pandemic that turned out to be a false scare, this is the first time Newsom has confronted a real deficit.

The governor was justified in patting himself on the back and praising the Legislature for socking away nearly $36 billion in various piggy banks – so-called rainy-day funds –to be tapped during bad times. But he left them alone. Things could get worse, he explained, and they’d be needed then.

“We’re not touching the reserves because we have a wait-and-see approach to this budget,” he said.

Newsom was able to preserve the state savings accounts largely because of federal generosity, he told reporters.

In particular, it allowed him to cut climate programs and transportation funding. The federal Inflation Reduction Act contained $375 billion for climate programs.

Newsom and the Legislature had allocated $54 billion over a five-year period for climate fighting – such as providing more charging stations for electric vehicles – but he trimmed that to $48 billion.

The governor called for delaying lots of planned programs for a year, but not outright eliminating them. He proposed paying for some public works projects with bond financ-

.

ing rather than cash. He reduced some planned expenditures but offered a “trigger” mechanism that would restore the funding if tax revenues picked up.

No slash and burn. Just a gentle touch as you’d expect from a liberal governor. But even with that, he’ll be under pressure from liberal lawmakers and interest groups to restore the cuts when he revises the budget proposal in May.

Newsom was asked by a reporter whether he thought the House leadership change would affect the state budget. His immediate answer seemed to contradict what he’d said a few minutes earlier about how Republicans wouldn’t have produced federal funding as Democrats did.

“Speed bumps,” Newsom replied. “I don’t see their agenda getting any traction whatsoever.”

He said House GOP legislation would be blocked by Senate Democrats and Biden.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s “priorities . . . are not the agenda of the American people,” Newsom said. “It’s just noise.”

But then he seemed to think again and added, “They can be a roadblock.

.

. . Momentum will be disrupted.

“So, we have to step up our game.

. . We have the moral authority to push back, and I can assure you we will do that.”

And his relationship with fellow California native McCarthy? “To be determined.”

Regardless of how far their legislation advances in Congress, however, House Republicans are positioned to block additional funding for California. They’ve never been enthusiastic about climate programs, for example.

And one thing seems certain: There won’t be any additional federal funding for California’s practically broke bullet train while McCarthy is speaker. He’s one of the pokey project’s most adamant opponents.

Rare bad luck for Newsom.

has covered government and politics for nearly 60 years and for The Los Angeles Times since 1974.

Political columnist George Skelton

Newsom the luckiest

ever. But is his good fortune running out?

Dan Walters

George Skelton

Crime logs

FairField

THURSDAY, JAN. 12

12:17 a.m. — Fight with a weapon, 2200 block of SANTA ROSA STREET 8:28 a.m. — Residential burglary, 3500 block of VALLEY VIEW COURT 9:25 a.m. — Vandalism, 100 block of RED TOP ROAD 9:44 a.m. — Grand theft, 3400 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET 10:17 a.m. — Vehicle theft, 400 block of PACIFIC AVENUE 10:44 a.m. — Vehicle burglary, 300 block of EAST TABOR AVENUE 11:26 a.m. — Trespassing, 200 block of ACACIA STREET 12:08 p.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, 600 block of EAST TABOR AVENUE 1:09 p.m. — Vehicle theft, 500 block of SAN REMO STREET 2:01 p.m. — Robbery, 1000 block of OLIVER ROAD 2:07 p.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, 1300 block of PHOENIX DRIVE 2:21 p.m. — Vehicle theft, 500 block of SAN REMO STREET 2:44 p.m. — Forgery, 400 block of SAN MARCO STREET 3:13 p.m. — Drunken driver, EASTBOUND INTERSTATE 80 4:20 p.m. — Reckless driver, CEMENT HILL ROAD 6:01 p.m. — Trespassing, 1700 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET 6:20 p.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, BECK AVENUE 6:54 p.m. — Reckless driver, EASTBOUND INTERSTATE 80

6:55 p.m. — Vandalism, 2700 block of CANAL COURT 9:27 p.m. — Trespassing, 1800 block of KIDDER AVENUE 10:43 p.m. — Shots fired, 1700 block of EAST TABOR AVENUE 10:43 p.m. — Reckless driver, WESTBOUND HIGHWAY 12

SuiSun City

THURSDAY, JAN. 12 9:56 a.m. — Vandalism, 200 block of SUNSET AVENUE 10 a.m. — Grand theft, 300 block of SANDY LANE 12:55 p.m. — Vehicle theft, 1100 block of NANCY COURT 1:49 p.m. — Reckless driver, RAILROAD AVENUE / SUNSET AVENUE 6:35 p.m. — Burglary, 1000 block of BLOSSOM AVENUE 6:37 p.m. — Vandalism, 1700 block of DOVER CIRCLE 7:28 p.m. — Trespassing, SUNSET AVENUE 10:36 p.m. — Shots fired, MCCLELLAN DRIVE / WALTERS ROAD

From

Kids, remembers how much Price loved Fair field. Lillis in his speech recounted that Price many, many times would refer to Fairfield as the sweetest place on Earth.

"And that was coming from a man who was sweet himself," Lillis said.

Price's death came as a surprise. He was just a few days away from finishing his long electoral career in Fairfield as Catherine Moy, who defeated him in the Nov. 8 election, was scheduled to replace him just a few days later on Dec. 20.

Price's son, Randy Price, spoke about the three things his father deeply believed in: his family, faith and friendship.

His dad always looked for ways to help the family, whether it was taking a job at the Lock Haven movie theater to bring in some extra money or lending a hand where he could.

The elder Price did what he could to lift people up.

"Dad believed everyone was precious," Randy Price said.

Wherever his father went, he built connections. Some of the best friendships were born from what Randy Price described as detours in his life.

Harry Price had a long history in the community starting as an English teacher at Vanden High School in 1965 when he

and his family moved to Fairfield. Teaching was his passion for 38 years. He retired in 1998 due to some health issues, two years after being named Solano County teacher of the year.

His daughter Pam Winaker spoke about how happy she was to have had such a great father. He taught her a lot of things, like it doesn't take much money to have a little fun.

She remembers him bringing home a projector from school and showing the kids nature movies.

Everyone gasped and laughed a little at that story.

Winaker said it did not surprise her that her father got into politics. He always made an impact on people, she said during her speech. His refreshing optimist outlook on life charmed almost all who met him.

His time serving the community at the city level began in 1992 when he was appointed to

From

briefing. No briefing was provided Saturday.

Solano County was under a flood advisory from 6:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, the National Weather Service reports. A flood watch was in place after that until

7 a.m. Sunday. The lightest of this weekend's three storms was expected to arrive Sunday into Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Travis Air Force Base recorded 0.48 inches of rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 3:55 a.m. Thursday and was dry for the remainder of the day. A total 0.31 inches was recorded in the 24-hour

the Fairfield Planning Commission. That was followed by his election to the Fairfield City Council in 1997. The job he is most remembered for was that of mayor of Fairfield. He took that position in 2005 and held it for 17 years.

Price's wife of 28 years, Elizabeth (Betsy), who died four years ago, often accompanied him at events around the city.

As an Army veteran, Price was particularly proud of his connection to Travis Air Force Base, and said with frequency that protecting the base should be the No. 1 priority of Fairfield, the county and the other six Solano cities.

Former council member and student of Price, Chuck Timm, remembered his former colleague and teacher as not having a private face or a public persona.

"He was just a man," Timm said. "It was about action through service."

period ending at 3:55 a.m. Saturday, with another 1.29 inches recorded in the next 12 hours, the National Weather Service reports.

Other information

n Road closures in unincorporated area: https:// bit.ly/3jXMyiK.

n PG&E outage map: https://pgealerts. alerts.pge.com/ outagecenter.

n Information on flood

Everyone who spoke remembers how good a speaker Price was and everyone remembers hating to follow him afterward, including Timm.

rice's grandsons Matthew and Michael also spoke about their memories of an attentive, loving and kind grandfather who helped them every chance he could.

Those who attended the private service joined the family later in the gym at the Aquatics Complex at Allan Witt Park.

Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy knew Price for 22 years.

"He did so much for the city," she said. "When I won it was with a bit of sadness, too."

Price called her to congratulate her on the win and when she mentioned it to him, he told her not to be sad.

"He was always gracious," Moy said. "My sadness is that I don't have him to call up and talk to about things."

Other recalled Price as a booster of the city.

"He was an ambassador for Fairfield but also an ambassador for Jelly Belly," Lisa Brasher, president of the Jelly Belly Candy Company, said. "He was always handing out samples."

Brasher said she thinks he left behind an amazing legacy.

"We just need to keep doing good things, like Harry did," she said.

Price's family asks that in lieu of flowers, people make donations to Leaven Kids at https://www. leavenkids.org/harry.

preparedness: www. solanocounty.com/ stormready.

n Sandbag locations: www.solanocounty. com/sandbags.

n County Office of Emergency Services Facebook page: www. facebook.com/solanooes.

n Sign up for the Alert Solano: www. alertsolano.com.

From

The rest damaged residential buildings and critical infrastructure facilities in various parts of Ukraine, from Kharkiv in the east to Lviv in the west near the Polish border, authorities reported. New explosions were also heard Saturday afternoon in Kyiv, where air defense was working, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram.

Power facilities were hit in at least six regions, leading to emergency power cuts in most of the country, the Energy Ministry said in an emailed statement.

The worst known situation was in the central city of Dnipro, where a multistory residential building was largely destroyed, according to photos shared by the president’s office.

“Today’s missile barrage on Ukrainian cities is further evidence that Russia is a terrorist state and there is no place for it in the civilized

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said rescue teams were “fighting for every person, every life” and vowed to find those responsible.

Nine people were confirmed dead, including a 15-year-old, and 64 others were wounded, according to Valentyn Reznichenko, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk military administration.

Russia has launched a series of massive missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s regions and cities in the past four months. Many have targeted energy infrastructure in what’s seen as a bid to plunge the whole nation into cold and darkness, and break the resistance of Ukrainians.

The attacks have also resulted in civilian casualties as several missiles have hit civilian facilities like residential buildings such as the one in Dnipro, one of Ukraine’s most populous cities.

The latest announcement will further fuel the controversy over Biden’s handling of sensitive government information and the White House’s decision to conceal the discoveries of the documents from the public for months. The president and his aides face a political crisis ahead of the expected launch of his 2024 reelection campaign, as well as potential legal jeopardy as a special counsel led by a Donald Trump-appointed prosecutor investigates the matter.

The new documents were discovered after Biden’s personal lawyers, who conducted the initial search, discontinued their work after finding a single page of classified material in a room near Biden’s garage because they lacked security clearances, Sauber said. Sauber, who has a clearance, resumed the search himself in Thursday while in Wilmington, in the company of Justice Department officials.

“While I was transferring it to the DOJ officials who accompanied me, five additional pages with classification markings were discovered among the material with it, for a total of six pages. The DOJ officials with me immediately took possession of them,” Sauber said.

Sauber had said earlier this week that the searches of Biden’s properties had concluded Wednesday night. Asked Thursday if that meant there was no search underway, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded, “you should assume that it’s been com-

pleted, yes.”

Bid en’s personal lawyer Bob Bauer sought to explain the discrepancy, saying that once the personal attorneys saw material marked classified, they suspended their search.

“It is for this reason that the president’s personal attorneys do not know the precise number of pages in the discovered material, nor have they reviewed the content of the documents,” Bauer said in a statement on Saturday.

Still, the announcement intensified questions about how the White House has informed the public of the discoveries. Saturday’s statements did not explain why Biden’s lawyers waited two days to reveal that more documents were found at the president’s home. Biden was at his Wilmington house when the statements were released.

The White House is already under fire for waiting two months to announce the original discovery of classified documents at an office Biden used after his vice presidency. Those documents were discovered Nov. 2, six days before midterm elections in which voters decided control of Congress.

Bauer said that Biden’s

personal lawyers “have attempted to balance the importance of public transparency where appropriate with the established norms and limitations necessary to protect the investigation’s integrity.”

The November discovery at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Public Engagement in Washington prompted searches of other places where Biden may have kept records from his time in office, including his two Delaware homes. Additional classified documents were discovered in the garage of his Wilmington home on Dec. 20, and then in an adjoining room this week.

Biden has said he was “surprised” that classified material was discovered at the Penn Biden Center and that he didn’t know what was in that set of documents. He has said little about the documents discovered at his home, beyond quipping Thursday that “my Corvette’s in a locked garage, so it’s not like they’re sitting out in the street.”

Sauber has previously said that classified documents in Biden’s possession were “inadvertently misplaced” and that he and his lawyers “acted promptly” once the “mistake” was discovered.

But the White House has offered no explanation of why the documents were improperly removed after Biden’s vice presidency concluded, how they found their way to locations connected to him, why his aides waited to disclose their existence and who might have had access to the materials.

‘Oversight is coming’ House Republicans, whom Biden had ridiculed for the tortured efforts to select their leadership, have seized on the situation. The chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, has written the National Archives and White House counsel’s office demanding records of communications about the discovery of the Biden documents.

“Are there more classified documents to be found?” Comer said in a statement after Saturday’s revelations, accusing the White House of “alarming” secrecy.

“Many questions need to be answered but one thing is certain: oversight is coming,” he said.

On Friday, Comer attempted to rope Biden’s son, Hunter, into the controversy, suggesting that he may have had access to the documents found at Biden’s Wilmington home. Hunter Biden has publicly acknowledged struggles with drug abuse, and Republicans are separately investigating whether he sought to enter business deals revolving around his access to his father.

Republicans have also accused Biden of hypocrisy, noting that he has criticized his predecessor, Trump, as “totally irresponsible” for possessing hundreds of pages of classified documents at his Palm Beach, Florida, home.

world,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Telegram. Dozens of people remained under the rubble of the Dnipro apartment block, he said.

Vitalii Matokha/AFP/Getty Images/TNS Rescuers works on a residential building destroyed after a missile strike, in Dnipro, Ukraine, Saturday.

Yuri Gripas/Abaca Press/TNS file

President Joe Biden speaks in the South Court Auditorium at the White House in Washington, D.C., Dec. 8, 2022.

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic file Fairfield Mayor Harry Price, third from right, joins members of the Fairfield City Council in a ribbon cutting ceremony for the renovation of the City Council Chambers, June 15.

The rain paused, but the work hasn’t for road crews battling nature’s wrath

Los A ngeLes Times

FELTON — The 11-man crew assembled at the Felton office of Santa Cruz County’s Department of Public Works, waiting to hear what physical and mental toil they were going to be assigned.

With a break in the rain and wind after days of deluge, Jose Rodriguez, their supervisor, was desperate to get them out before the weather changed again. Their task: clearing away the evidence of nature’s wrath, helping this small town in the Santa Cruz Mountains limp back to life.

“I have 60 work orders open. They range from – oh, sorry. I have to get that,” he said Thursday morning, putting the phone to his ear and then mouthing, “Here’s another one. Sixty-one.”

It was still dark and foggy at 7 a.m., when the men strolled into the office. They collected blaze-yellow protective gear from lockers in the back, donned hard hats and tugged at thermoses of coffee and cans of Rockstar – readying for another long and grueling day.

“I’ve clocked 80 hours of overtime in the last two weeks,” said Rob Newey, 47, a large-equipment operator and deputy supervisor.

Since New Year’s Eve day, when the skies opened up over Northern California, this crew, ranging in age from their mid-20s to 61, has been out on the roads, rivers and hillsides of these redwood-forested mountains, responding to river overflows, flooding, debris flows and caved-in roads.

Santa Cruz County has been one of the hardest-hit areas in this recent devastating parade of storms. Its coastline was battered. Waves tore apart Capitola Wharf, took down a sidewalk, fence and part of Santa Cruz’s iconic West Cliff Drive and pummeled seaside restaurants and shops.

The county’s mountains didn’t fare much better. Since Dec. 26, more than 20 inches of rain have fallen there. High winds knocked down trees and utility poles. Entire homes, streets, shops and parks along the San Lorenzo River and its tributaries were submerged under-

water. Debris flows and swollen creeks blocked roads and highways, marooning hundreds of people for hours and, in some cases, days.

“Yeah, there’s no access to my house,” said Ben Caldwell, 27, who lives in Boulder Creek off of China Grade – the name of both a mountain and a winding high-elevation road just east of Big Basin State Park.

Asked how he got to work, he said he had to “tightrope” the length of a downed redwood over a stream; neighbors had put together a pulley system so they could transport bags and other items over the span, allowing those crossing to keep their balance.

“I’m from the mountains,” he said. “We make do.”

It’s an ethos shared by most people who live in these steep, lush, redwoodfilled mountains. They know floods, wildfires and windstorms are part of the package, so most everybody wears sensible shoes and drives with a chain saw in the back of the car.

But it’s been a long time since they’ve had a steady onslaught of precipitation like this.

And that extended period of dry tranquility – combined with the devastating effects on trees and soil from the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fire (which burned 86,500 acres and killed one person) and the persistent drought that has gripped the region – allowed for a massive accumulation of dead and dying debris in the forest.

All of that washed downhill when the relentless rains began, blocking roads and gumming up rivers and culverts.

It was for one such pileup that Newey and three of his crew – including Caldwell – were tasked Thursday morning.

At a tunnel below Lompico Road, where the Lompico River crosses from one side to the other, a colossal pile of dead trees, logs and branches and a surprising number of small 1-ounce liquor bottles blocked the upstream

side of the 10-foot-wide culvert opening.

Newey said the road was at risk of damage –or collapse – if they didn’t clear it before the next rains came through.

So, at 9 a.m. (after a few snafus getting the excavator onto the trailer, whose tires were all flat), the four men headed north to the site.

The river and culvert were about 20 feet down from the road. After assessing the situation, Newey rolled the excavator onto the riverbank, removed several boulders in his way and graded the soil flat to get purchase.

Thomas Dunham, 43, and Jacob Smrt, 30, climbed down to the riverbank and began roping up the massive fallen redwoods, which Newey then pulled up with the bucket. It was tedious and treacherous work.

Dunham and Smrt walked along and over the slippery logs in the river, occasionally standing waist-deep to get the rope in position, while Newey’s excavator perched precariously above.

After one-and-a-half hours they seemed to have barely made a dent, cleaning the worst of the large offenders out from the culvert opening but still bogged in by an island of debris.

Fred Stevens, 64, and a neighbor, dropped by to look. He said he used to do this kind of work for the city of Santa Cruz but is now happy to watch someone else do it.

“My lower back just can’t take it anymore,” he said. “Oh, it hurts to watch.”

Two hours in, Newey assessed the situation and predicted they probably had several more hours to go.

“People complain that we’re slow or don’t get enough done,” he said. “But you can see, these things take time.”

With the thought of more rain in the forecast, Newey shook his head. “We’ll get this clear today and then maybe have to come back tomorrow or next week and do it again.”

Mommy. It’s okay. Don’t panic.” Nearly 200 rescuers have been searching for Kyle along the creek in San Luis Obispo County, where he was last seen. So far, they’ve only found one of his Nike sneakers.

Most of the storm’s other fatalities have been among older individuals. Of the 16 people for whom an age is known, about a third were over 60.

The first deaths to be attributed to the storms occurred in late December, when a rockslide at Yosemite National Park sent 185 tons of rubble tumbling onto a married couple visiting from San Jose. The force of the fall pushed their rental truck onto a nearby river embankment.

For the first week and a half of 2023, at least one death was reported nearly every day.

Seven people have been found in floodwater, two of them in submerged cars, and first responders say they probably drowned. Five people have been killed by falling trees or branches, their structures weakened after years of drought. And five others have died in car crashes.

Californians have faced plenty of intense storms, but in recent years, the worst calamities have been historic, apocalyptic fires. Sometimes tragedy comes down to people being rusty, said Ferguson, with the state emergency office.

“Among the public, some of the muscle memory of how to be prepared for a storm may not be there,” he said. The challenge of influencing human behavior - convincing people to evacuate or to turn around when they see a flooded road - is “something that keeps me up at night,” Ferguson said.

The state’s years-long drought may have also had a psychological effect on residents, who lately have been praying for rain, said Amir AghaKouchak, a civil and environmen-

tal engineering professor at University of California at Irvine.

“Fire, when you see it, you immediately feel the danger,” he said. “But rain is different, especially in California, where we consider it a good thing.”

Floods, then, can blindside people, he said. And it doesn’t take much water - sometimes just a quarter of an inch in a matter of minutes - to transform a benign hill into a mudslide, AghaKouchak said.

“That’s enough to create a human disaster,” he said.

Making conditions riskier, the recent wildfires have left more land than ever scorched and scarred, one heavy rain away from a catastrophe. California is seeing the deadly consequences of cascading climate disasters, AghaKouchak said, and a preview of its future.

If the toll from this series of atmospheric rivers continues to increase, it could soon surpass the 2018 mudflows in Montecito that killed 23, making it the state’s deadliest storm disaster since a 1939 tropical storm that devastated Southern California. Though the recent winter weather is the result of multiple storms, officials are combining them when calculating the death toll because they’ve come in such quick succession.

“The unique challenge of these storms is they hit so many parts of the state at the same time,” Ferguson said. “Wildfires are typically limited to one, two or three counties. Right now, we have 41 counties under disaster declaration. That’s the equivalent of a hurricane that hits five states along the Eastern Seaboard.”

While the ferocious gusts and fast-rising waters appear to have impacted Californians across social strata, those most at risk have been residents living on streets, in parks or along waterways, who often sleep in flimsy tents or atop cardboard.

More than 170,000 people who live in the state are homeless, and more than two-thirds are unshel-

tered, the largest share in the country, according to a federal report.

“Those living in our streets may be living on cardboard, they may be living in a tent that can’t withstand the kind of weather we’re havingit’s cold,” said Georgia Berkovich, the director of public affairs at the Midnight Mission, a longrunning human services organization in Los Angeles’s Skid Row. “There’s no place to go.”

There are only so many beds available in shelters, she said, and in torrential rain, even handing out blankets and extra clothes can feel futile: “Those are only good until they get wet, and if they’re wet, that can get you sick faster, because instead of making you warm, it gets you cold.”

The Midnight Mission has seen two unsheltered community members die after being out in the rains that deluged Los Angeles’s usually sunny streets, Berkovich said. Those fatalities haven’t officially been attributed to the weather, nor are they included in the state total, but they show how the storms have exacerbated the already precarious situation of the state’s most vulnerable.

In Sacramento County, two of the five storm deaths have been among the local homeless population, despite officials’ efforts to encourage people to seek shelter.

Authorities targeted high-risk encampments along the American River, flying helicopters overhead and going tent to tent on foot advising people to leave, said Kim Nava, the county’s spokesperson. At peak capacity, nearly 150 people took refuge in county shelters and more than 360 used government-provided motel vouchers.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/TNS

In an aerial view, San Francisco Department of Public Works workers clean up a tree that fell on Fulton Street after a storm passed through the area, Tuesday.

Melina Mara/Washington Post Fallen trees cover the road in Santa Cruz, Tuesday.

Amaru, a 5-year-old rescue dog, waits patiently on his family’s front lawn in Skagway, Alaska, watching for the bus to arrive each morning.

“He got used to sitting in that spot. He even looks in the direction he knows they’re going to come,” said his dad, Gary Hisman – who typically does yard work while Amaru awaits his daily transport. “He’s a very smart guy.”

Amaru, along with about 40 other dogs, is part of a play group organized by Mo Mountain Mutts – a local dog walking and training business, run by husband-and-wife duo, Mo and Lee Thompson.

The Thompsons lead off-leash pack walks up to three times a day, but what has captured the attention of people worldwide are hilarious videos showing how they collect their canine clients: A recent TikTok video of several dogs confidently boarding the bus on their own with big wagging tails was viewed more than 50 million times.

It documents the Thompsons’ regular pickup routine. At one point, the minibus stops

in front of Amaru’s home, where he is seated in the front yard – clearly expecting them. From inside the bus, the Thompsons open the doors for the pup, and he happily leaps in.

Once entering the bus, the dogs typically sniff around and greet the other canine passengers, before climbing onto their assigned seat – which the Thompsons have trained them to do. Then, their harness gets secured, and the same process is repeated as the rest of the pack, about 12 dogs, is picked up.

The seats are carefully selected based on factors such as a pup’s personality, age and manners. Most dogs head directly to their designated seat without being guided.

“Specific areas of the bus are better suited to the dogs,” Mo, 31, explained, adding that senior dogs tend to be assigned seats closer to the front, while rowdier youngsters ride in what she calls the “licky puppy corner,” because they tend to lick each other for most of the journey.

When the dogs board the bus, Mo does a small obedience drill, and passes out treats to reward good behavior. Once they’re settled and buckled in,

Mo said, “they have to stay on their seats” –just like humans – while being transported to the trailhead.

Mo and Lee regularly film portions of their bus rides and walks and share videos on social media. Lately they’ve been going viral. Mo Mountain Mutts has around 237,000 followers on Instagram, and 1.3 million followers on TikTok, but they reach far more people than that on social media.

“I originally started posting on social media for my clients,” Mo said, adding that she often shared “class photos” for dog parents.

“Somewhere along the line,” she said, “the puppy bus just took off, and now the internet is in love.”

In the videos, Amaru has emerged as a fan favorite.

“All my friends tease me that he’s going to leave home and go to Hollywood,” Hisman joked.

People often call out the dogs by name in the video comments, to the delight of the pet’s owners.

“Otis is all business . . . straight to his seat. Amaru wants to socialize,” one person observed.

“Jake hopping on his seat is always my fav,” another commented.

Humanitarian trip to Manila a tropical adventure

While spending three weeks in Metro Manila with the nonprofit organization Para Ti Global, my understanding of the Philippines continued to evolve. Our team delivered meals to 8,500 underprivileged youth in the Manila area. My wife Camille grew up in the Manila area and is bilingual and bicultural. We traveled with medical students, volunteers, along with friends and supporters.

In the sparkling and modern Makati District, where we slept, modern hotels and condominiums compete with illuminated computer graphic billboards. Yet, if you venture into the lesser-known regions, you will find neighborhoods of more modest means. Often a story of inter-generational poverty emerges. The pandemic of the past three years added to this struggle. Through it all, the Filipino people stay resilient and welcome visitors with smiles, good cheer and warm hearts. Against that background, here are some observations.

The Philippines was named after King Philip II of Spain. Ferdinand Magellan, standing for Spain, was killed in the Battle of Mactan in 1521. The Philippines nevertheless eventually came under Spanish control

for three and half centuries. Later colonization included American control after the Spanish American war, beginning in 1898. Independence was achieved after World War II, in 1946.

More than 7,640 islands form three geographic areas: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The Tagalog language became the basis for the national language called “Filipino,” classified as a Malayo-Polynesian language. Spanish and English influences are clear. Academic instruction is conducted in English. The University of Tomas, founded in 1611, is Asia’s oldest university.

The weather is relatively comfortable in December and January, but the tropical heat and humidity persist. A dermatologist told me that in her practice she sees many skin infections, including Hansen’s Disease (leprosy), caused by a slow-growing infection with Mycobacterium leprae. Skin cancer, I was told, is less commonly met than might be expected. Filipinos tend to minimize excessive sun exposure.

Among the children, health challenges were clear as they lined up by See Scott, Page A12

The WashingTon PosT

Fans of the dog bus say the videos are a guaranteed mood boost.

“Can

we all agree that this video heals all

Scott Anderson Ask Dr. Scott

See Dogs, Page A12

the thousands to receive food, toothbrushes and toys. We saw dental decay, but gleaming smiles were also everywhere. It was a challenge to serve food in dusty and crowded environments. Mask use and hand sanitizer use were encouraged in malls, stores and churches, but enforcement was light-handed. The public health concerns are they relate to Covid prevention, and supporting public sanitation, were impressive.

We saw a level of population density in Manila beyond what we experienced on earlier visits, nearly two decades ago. The streets were a wild mix of cars, jitneys, motorcycles, bicycles and trucks. At intersections, traffic moved in all directions. Emergency vehicles struggled to go ahead. A trauma surgeon we know well told me about the challenges of treating motor vehicle accident victims. Families of at least three clustered on motorcycles, cradling young babies. I was amazed that we saw no accidents.

The population of the Philippines was around 109 million, in the 2020 census, having nearly tripled in a half-century. I learned from a neonatologist and family friend that family planning, including tubal ligation surgery, is a delicate issue in the conservative majority-Catholic nation. The Philippines is 13th among nations in population but ranks 72nd in land area.

We enjoyed the traditional sounds of a Spanish-influenced strolling trio at a restaurant. I noted, however, that streets and shopping centers were sometimes loud, due to amplified sounds. I wore hearing protection devices at times. That may reflect my own preferences for tranquility, and hearing preservation. No one else seemed particularly perturbed.

We plan to return to the Philippines. Although traveling with Para Ti Global is a public-service driven enterprise, I always come away from such trips feeling that my personal knowledge has been enriched. I hope that Filipino American friendship endures.

Scott Anderson , M.D. (standerson@ ucdavis.edu), is medical director of Para Ti Global. This column is informational and does not constitute medical advice.

sadness? Cause I was crying two minutes ago. I am not anymore,” one person wrote.

joy,” another user commented.

social media stardom was unexpected, so, too, was the couple’s canine-focused career path. They never set out to start a dog walking company, Mo said – or move permanently to Alaska, for that matter.

The Thompsons both grew up in Michigan and were high school sweethearts who traveled to Alaska in 2014. They initially intended to only spend the summer there, but they ended up staying. About six years ago, Mo was working as a bartender, server and hostess at a hotel restaurant, while her husband worked at the same restaurant as a server, as well as at a local school as a special education paraprofessional, and later, an

word spread about Mo’s dog walking services, and people reached out to inquire about her availability.

“I just started picking up dogs slowly, to the point where I needed to make a second group,” said Mo, who left her job at the restaurant in 2016 to make more time for dog walking. “It really just evolved out of that.”

Her husband, meanwhile, continued focusing on his own work, until he lost his job in 2021 after the school was closed due to covid. He started tagging along on Mo’s daily pack walks for fresh air.

The timing, it turned out, could not have been better: During the height of the pan-

usually handles the morning walks, while Lee tackles the afternoon trails. They also offer training (virtually and in-person), solo walks, socialization lessons and other services.

When it comes to pack walks, “there’s a lot of thought that goes into where we’re going and what we’re going to do,” Mo explained. For instance, “if it’s hot, we need to find a water source. If it’s icy, we’re not going to do an incline. If I have a puppy, we need to be on flat ground. If I have a large group, we can’t go places where there’s tight corners and blind spots.”

She does temperament testing and trail training in advance to ensure she feels

said. “The dogs come first. The dogs are always the priority.”

Jim Higgins’ three-year-old mutt Murray joined the pack walks about two years ago.

“He can hear the bus coming down the alley, and he gets very excited,” Higgins said.

He said the dog outings have been a bright spot in a difficult several years. “They’ve kept all of our spirits up.”

The Thompsons said being with dogs all day almost seems too good to be true, and the online support they get is a welcome bonus.

“It’s the dream,” said Mo. “I can’t believe this is what we do for a living.”

Mo and Lee Thompson, with their 8-month-old son, Vern.

Be sure to visit for future events

This week

THINGS TO DO

I Suisun City

Noon Sunday

Jazz Sunday Brunch

Marina Lounge, 700 Main St., Suite 106. www. marinalounge suisun.com.

7 p.m. Wednesday

Hot Mic Night

Marina Lounge, 700 Main St., Suite 106. www. marinalounge suisun.com.

7 p.m. Thursday

Karaoke

Marina Lounge, 700 Main St., Suite 106. www. marinalounge suisun.com.

7 p.m. Saturday

Salsa Saturday

Marina Lounge, 700 Main St., Suite 106. www. marinalounge suisun.com.

I Vacaville

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday

Starbound Theater: Seussical Jr. Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre, 1010 Ulatis Drive. https://vpat.net.

9 p.m. Friday

Dueling Pianos: Jason & TBD Makse Restaurant, 555 Main St. dueling pianovacaville.com/ events.

9 p.m. Saturday

Dueling Pianos: Jason & TBD Makse Restaurant, 555 Main St. dueling pianovacaville.com/ events.

I Benicia

6 p.m. Sunday

Poker Night

The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

7 p.m. Tuesday

Open Mic Night

The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

7 p.m. Wednesday

Karaoke

The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

5 p.m. Thursday

Jeff Tamelier & Darby Gould

The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

9 p.m. Thursday

DJ Rue Hefner

The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

4:30 p.m. Friday

Glenn Snider

The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

8:30 p.m. Friday

Neon Velvet

The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

4:30 p.m. Saturday

Ticket to the Limit

The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

8:30 p.m. Saturday

Salvage Title

The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

I

Lisa Marie Presley understood how to live life as a nepo baby

The absolute wildest thing Lisa Marie Presley did in her quietly outrageous life was launch a music career.

She had made bigger splashes before, notably with marriages Two and Three, so high-profile and head-scratching they would stake a claim to the first paragraph of her obituary. And for any other showbiz kid, cutting an album would have been an unremarkable rite of passage –the thing to try after modeling, before acting, concurrent with launching a line of luxury streetwear.

But Presley, a mid-30s mom of two at the time, was venturing into the specific art form her father more or less pioneered: rock-and-roll superstardom. It seemed like a terrible idea, an untested heiress hiring Alanis Morissette’s producer to try to turn herself into a singer,

setting herself up at the height of the celebrity snark era for the inevitable and surely abysmal comparisons.

Instead, her music was . . . good? Perfectly credible, anyway. People liked it. Nobody laughed. The album, “To Whom It May Concern,” went gold in 2003, and the video was all over MTV that year.

Presley channeled all the rootsy, Sheryl Crow-ish, adult-Contempo vibes of the moment – but she also leaned the hell into her complicated birthright. She sang about Memphis (ooh, that’s where my family’s buried and gone), jutted that familiar chin, darted those bedroom eyes and forced us to contemplate her history, and her future.

Last time I was there I noticed a space left

Oh, next to them there in Memphis, yeah In the damn back lawn

She did the obligatory second album, and a third, and they were fine, too. But it was a little

late in life to become an actual rock star, and she didn’t seem to try too hard anyway. As the inheritor of a $100 million estate, that wasn’t anything she needed. More like something she just had to get out of her system.

Presley died suddenly at age 54 on Thursday, right in the middle of a roiling cultural conversation about nepo babies and heirs and spares – right when we could have turned to her to settle this debate on how to shoulder or shirk weighty family legacies.

She never wrote the memoir that might have explained to us what it was really like, how it all really works and how she (seemingly) made her peace with it. But she left behind a few clues.

Being Elvis’s daughter had to have been a lot. Especially for someone who seemed – in a nice way – almost ordinary. She was a striking woman but hardly burdened with her father’s vol-

See Presley, Page B3

Vallejo

5:30 p.m. Wednesday

Andre Thierry

Empress Theatre, 330 Virginia St. www. empresstheatre.org.

1 p.m. Saturday

David Bustamante

and Bobby Santos

Vino Godfather Winery, 1005 Walnut Ave. www. vinogodfather.com.

6 p.m. Saturday Rock the Shelter

Empress Theatre, 330 Virginia St. www. empresstheatre.org.

Flyway Festival returns to Mare Island

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VALLEJO — The 28th annual Flyway Festival celebrates the return of millions of migrating birds to the San Francisco Bay Area.

“Both birds and people will be flocking to Vallejo’s Mare Island, and regional wetlands to celebrate what has become a special annual ritual each winter: the San Francisco Bay Area Flyway Festival. The three-day event celebrates the return of over 1 million shorebirds and hundreds of thousands of ducks, geese, hawks, songbirds and even monarch butterflies, which migrate through or winter in the San Francisco Bay Area,” organizers said in a statement.

The Feb. 10 opening reception will kick off the Festival Art Show, “Bay Area Wetlands to Ridgetops,” from 5 to 7 p.m. The next day, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Feb. 12, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., is the Flyway Festival Wildlife Expo. There will be guided nature walks, including birdwatching outings, and others that focus on the history and nature of the island.

The event is expected to draw 3,000 or more people.

The specific location on Mare Island and a full schedule of events will be announced soon.

Most festival activities are free. Some require pre-registration. For more information and directions, call Myrna Hayes at 707-249-9633 or visit San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival at https://www.face book.com/SanFrancisco BayFlywayFestival and 2023 Hybrid/Virtual Flyway Festival Group at https://www. facebook.com/groups/virtuals anfranciscobayflywayfestival /?mibextid=6NoCDW.

2 paintings added to Vacaville Arts Trail

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VACAVILLE — Two downtown paintings have been added to Vacaville Arts Trail.

“Sunflowers, by artist Sarah Rothstein, is a depiction of sunflowers, clouds and bees painted on utility boxes in Andrews Park, while an unnamed whimsical mural in downtown Vacaville showing dragonflies and dandelions was created by artist Cheyenne Renee Marcus. The mural is part of Marcus’s 50 in

50 Project, where she intends to paint 50 murals in 50 states by 2025,” Visit Vacaville said in a statement.

The two new stops and 22 others on the trail can be found by going to vacavilleartstrail.com. The trail is primarily an outdoor experience and is open year-round.

“Participants who want to finish the trail by checking out all 24 pieces of public art can download a mobile Trail Pass and collect a special prize after visiting all the stops,” Visit Vacaville added.

Courtesy photo

New art from the Vacaville Arts Trail in downtown Vacaville.

Richard Hartog/Los Angeles Times/TNS file (2003)

Lisa Marie Presley performs at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, May 18, 2003. Presley died Thursday.

a my a RgetSingeR THE WASHINGTON POST

Aaron Rosenblatt/DR file (2020) Visitors observe ducks from afar through a telescope during the San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival at Mare Island in Vallejo, Feb. 8, 2020.

canic charisma or even her mother’s porcelain beauty. In photos I saw when she was a kid and I was a kid, she looked like one of us, in pinafores and high pigtails, or Benetton sweaters and frizzy hair.

In that way, she was a grounding force for his legacy, the doted-upon only child who lost her dad. She journeyed into adulthood as a melancholy reminder of his former fleshand-blood humanity. She was the reason Elvis wouldn’t fade, like James Dean, into a black-andwhite icon.

For many years, she was seen more than heard, the Mona Lisa of Graceland. It was only in the early 1990s – her early 20s – that she tiptoed into the spotlight, giving short, dutiful interviews like a young royal in goth eye liner who had finally come of age for ceremonial gigs like the release of the Elvis stamp.

And then: Boom. She married Michael Jackson, just as con cerns about his behavior with children were crescendoing, and his efforts to remake his face were intensifying. She clung to his hand as the paparazzi swarmed, stared at her lap and clipped her answers during an uncomfortable Diane Sawyer interview. What was she thinking? we wondered. Does she need help? Surely these questions would never be answered; this particular kind of bad husband was a bizarre new flourish, but we’d all seen this poor-little-rich-girl tailspin before.

Twenty months later, the marriage was over, as many predicted. What we could not have foreseen: the open, talkative, oddly at-ease woman who would emerge from this interlude, ready to explain it all.

“I fell into this whole ‘you sweet misunderstood thing, I’m going to save you’ – I fell into that. I fell in love with him,” she told Sawyer a few years later.

“In love?” Sawyer said incredulously.

“Yes, I fell in love, at the time,” Presley half-laughed,

half-groaned, in that self-mocking tone your best friend might use to talk about stupidly hooking up with her ex, again.

“In my mind at the time, I’m thinking I’ll marry somebody who’s even bigger or as big or whatever than I am,” she explained to Larry King. “Then I can actually feel like a wife. I can be next to the man and I can feel more comfortable that way. . . . I was looking to feel like I could support somebody else that I admired.”

Something had happened after that absurd marriage. Her language suggested a lot of therapy – an attempt to figure out why she had done that, which naturally led back to every-

thing that had come before. It seemed as if she was beginning to come to terms with it all – the father who came from grinding poverty, who lost his mom just as the tentacles of fame were beginning to squeeze, the millions of fans, the legions of groupies, the squadrons of yes men, the fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches, the shot-out TV screens, the 707-sized private jet with her name on it.

“See now, I’m not attracted to mediocrity or normalcy or things like that,” she told Sawyer.

Her baseline for weird would always be set much higher than ours.

There was also a makeover

happening at the same time as these bracingly candid interviews, or at least a new jolt of energy, and suddenly she was moving easily in celebrity culture, no longer the timid heiress. A movie star spotted her at a party and fell instantly in love.

“She’s a real firecracker,” Nicolas Cage explained to Barbara Walters not long after the end of their improbable two-year relationship and threemonth marriage. “And she tells it like it is.”

The fame, the riches, the shot at a recording career – of course it all stemmed from her dad. She never pretended otherwise. From her, there was no “it’s a foot in the door, but . . .” protestation that we’ve heard from other children of privilege lately.

“Look, this is a family business,” Tom Hanks groused in an interview last week, in response to a question about one of his kids getting a role in one of his movies. Presley, though, actually tended to the business part of the family business, serving as chair of the board of Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc., the corporation her mother, Priscilla, shrewdly grew from a piddling estate to a juggernaut after his death. She sold a majority stake years ago but never stopped carrying the flame, representing the brand, doing her best to keep luring the tourists to Graceland.

It would be a reach to say that Lisa Marie won at this game. Beyond the dead dad, there were the four divorces, the grief over the son who took his life, a middle-aged struggle with painkillers – and now her own premature death. She appeared weary at the Golden Globes on Tuesday night, clutching the arm of Jerry Schilling, her father’s longtime manager, to steady herself on the red carpet. But she turned out nonetheless to effuse about the performance of Austin Butler in the Baz Luhrmann epic “Elvis” –and by extension the legacy of her father.

“I’m just so proud of it all,” she said. “It’s all flowing really nicely now.”

Amy Argetsinger, an editor for the Style section, joined The Washington Post in 1995.

Report: West marries Censori

ConTenT AgenCy

LOS ANGELES —

Kanye West has reportedly found himself a new bride, less than two months after finalizing his divorce from Kim Kardashian.

The “Bound 2” rapper, who has laid low in recent weeks after several antisemitic controversies, allegedly tied the knot with Australian architect Bianca Censori, TMZ reported Friday.

The couple recently had a wedding ceremony, but haven’t filed the marriage certificate yet to make it legal, a source told the outlet.

According to her LinkedIn page, Censori currently serves as head of architecture for the rapper’s Yeezy clothing brand. She joined the company in November 2020.

West and Censori have been spotted around Los Angeles, but the rapper hinted at his romance with the architect back in December.

The alleged newlyweds reportedly honeymooned at the luxury resort Amangiri in Canyon Point, Utah. Earlier this week, TMZ spotted the couple enjoying a meal at the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills.

On Nov. 29, West and reality star Kardashian settled their divorce.

According to the settlement, the exes will share custody of their four young children and the rapper must pay $200,000 a month in child support to the “Kardashians” star.

Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images/TNS file (1968)

rock ’n’ roll superstar elvis Presley, with his wife Priscilla and their newborn baby Lisa Marie, at the Baptist Hospital at Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968.

Tribune

Monk elucidates Buddhism through manga

KYOTO — Life is trying for many commuters in Japan. Some are worried about their workplace relationships, while others feel crushed after having failed at their job.

A manga-drawing Buddhist monk wondered if Buddhist teachings might not offer a way for such people to begin moving forward again.

Inspired by this thought, Hiroaki Mitsuzawa last summer published a business book that combines manga and text.

In his day job, Mitsuzawa is a monk in the Otani branch of the JodoShinshu sect of Buddhism. (The Otani head temple is Higashi Honganji in Kyoto.) He has also previously published books on Buddhism. His motivation for the current venture grew out of his past failings as a mangaka.

Mitsuzawa was born in 1989 in Niigata Prefecture and became a Buddhist monk when he was 11. In

2011, he graduated from Kyoto Seika University, majoring in manga. He then studied at the now defunct Otani University Junior College, and began working for the Otani branch in 2013. In 2021, he published his first book, “Ikiru no ga Tsurai Toki ni Yomu Buddha no Kotoba,” with SB Creative Corp. The title roughly translates to “Words from the Buddha you should read when living is hard.”

Mitsuzawa dedicated his young life to manga. He has loved drawing ever since he was a child. Although he was the first son of a priest presiding over an Otani temple in Niigata Prefecture, he dreamed of becoming a mangaka when he was in elementary school. He used to read the Shukan Shonen Jump weekly boy’s manga magazine, and doodled in his notebooks.

When he was in junior high and high school, he joined the school tennis club because he did not want classmates to view him

as a geek. But he would secretly draw in sketchbooks at home.

At Kyoto Seika University’s Faculty of Manga, the motto is: “The more you draw, the better you become. It’s more important to move your hand than to learn theory.”

During his four years at the university, Mitsuzawa would go to Kyoto City Zoo every day to sketch.

“But I didn’t find it tough because I could work on drawing, which I loved,” he said.

The students who came from across the country to attend the university all boasted strong artistic skills.

“One of my classmates was extremely good and could sketch people and animals on the move quickly and accurately,” Mitsuzawa recalled. “I was more or less of the ‘hetauma’ [crude but affecting] type. I wasn’t good at making sketches, but I was good at drawing funny, charming pictures.” He wanted to become a

mangaka after graduation instead of succeeding his father in his position at the family temple. Yet experienced manga editors were harsh on him, criticizing the works he brought to them as “derivative” and “poorly drawn.” He was even told that he had better look for another job.

“I’d worked so hard, so it was really frustrating,” he said.

As he struggled day after day with his feelings of disappointment, he remembered the words of his mentor at the university.

“People born to a temple are very rare in the manga industry. Why don’t you find a subject from temples and Buddhism?”

Mitsuzawa then managed to put his disappointment behind him and obtain a teaching qualification from the Otani branch in order to learn about Buddhism more deeply. He also drew manga for free magazines published by young monks. His new book, published

by Seikaisha, is his second publication and is titled “Shigoto ga Tsurai Toki ni Yomu Bukkyo no Kotoba,” which roughly translates to “Buddhist words you should read when work is tough.” It was his manga for a free magazine, as well as his work on other media, that caught the eyes of an editor. Mitsuzawa used weekends and weekday evenings to write and draw, and completed the book in about a year.

The book has five chapters, such as “environmental changes” and “personal relationships.”

Accounts of Mitsuzawa’s own experiences, such as his failures as a mangaka

and what he has felt at work, are woven into the book. For example, he was much dismayed when someone older than him with a lot of experience changed jobs and became his subordinate. Another time, he made several mistakes and was scolded by his boss.

Each such episode is accompanied by a fourpage manga that includes a moral for the reader to take away. He also introduces various Buddhist teachings, such as how to think about personal relationships and how to be unselfish and considerate of other people.

The Japan News-Yomiuri Hiroaki Mitsuzawa speaks in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto.

Dear Annie: I’m just heartbroken. My son moved out last year, and he never talked to me about anything before he moved. We were so close, and we always talked. But all of a sudden, he packed up and moved out with no explanation. He had met someone a year prior to that. I met her for a second, and that was it. I do know where he is living but he doesn’t know that I know. He has a new baby boy; I don’t even know his name, yet he is my grandson. I know that he has two stepdaughters, but I don’t know their names either.

I kept trying to call him but get no response. Now his phone is disconnected. I’m so lost

and confused as well as upset. I miss him dearly.

He is my only child. He did a great job in school and had his own business after he graduated from high school. I am trying so hard to go on with my life, but it’s so hard not knowing how he is, or whether he is safe, healthy and happy. He was a very good kid, and now he’s a man. I just hope and pray that he will come around some day. —

Mom Is Lost

Dear Mom Is Lost: That stinks, mom. I really feel for you. Your son has cut off communication with you for now, but remind yourself that this will not be forever. When and if he comes around, the most

important thing to do is not get mad at him for ghosting you the way he did but rather to welcome him in with open arms. Give him lots of love, and at some point, he will explain why he left the way he did.

He might have been torn between wanting to grow up and be his own man while not wanting to hurt you and leave you alone. So instead of doing the mature thing and explaining all that to you, that he was leaving the nest, he just flew away in order to avoid a conflict or to deal with your hurt feelings.

Dear Annie: The holidays are often a time of heightened emotions, expectations and anxiety. A survey by the American Psychological Association found that 38% of people felt

their stress levels increased during this season.

Due to shorter and darker days right now, United Disabilities Services (UDS) has found via research that older adults or shut-ins may have higher rates of the winter blues. To help, UDS has launched Wellness Calls to check in with them during these difficult times, especially around the holidays if there is no family around, to ensure recipients stay connected, are safe and are still able to live independently.

UDS suggests the following during the holidays to keep other family members safe:

• Check-In Calls: Make sure they are comfortable completing daily living activities such as taking their medications and eating properly. Also assess the

mood for safety in the home.

• Conversational Calls: Have a more in-depth conversation about family, hobbies, current events and more for a sense of connection.

Some ways to combat this are to exercise regularly, not isolate yourself, find time for yourself, and keep your expectations realistic and reachable. — Protecting the Vulnerable Dear Protecting the Vulnerable: Thank you for this information. I hope it helps anyone who felt lonely during the holidays and into the winter months.

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

FOR

YOUR

HEALTH Horoscopes

by Holiday Mathis

Today’s birthday

There’s an electric optimism in the air, and you’re right to feel energized by this year’s prospects. Relationships are always a gamble, but fortune favors you in the games this year with mutually enriching connections. Your financial sector becomes a motivating force that leads to adventurous business and new interests. Taurus and Sagittarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 12, 6, 3, 38 and 15.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). People say they have your back, but you trust most the one who just seems to be there behind you, silently picking up whatever falls or providing a buffer of safety or warmth as needed.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Your imagination is one of your most useful tools in living your best life. You can’t always steer it the way you want it to go, which is actually a benefit. It keeps your inner world mysterious and interesting.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You get the chance to express yourself in that captivating way that’s so you. Your specialty is making the mundane seem interesting, either because you understand it deeply or because you approach with levity.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Luck favors you as you say yes to promising invites, intriguing requests and the opportunity to give with no hope of being repaid. You haven’t fully lived until you’ve given what cannot possibly be repaid.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). One of the best ways to ignite the spirit of adventure is to ask friends to introduce you to the other people they like. If each person is a world, the new people are new worlds, ripe for discovery.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Sometimes your feelings come from inside you, but not always. You can pick them up from media, people you live with and passersby. You can soak them up from the sky. Go where the sun is shining.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You’ll be inspired by those who’ve built their own good fortune. Most of the people you look up to started somewhere similar to where you are. A well-aligned dream is the beginning of destiny. Take the time to consider what you want.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). With so many people trying to involve you in their doings, you may feel like you’re losing control over your schedule. You stay powerful and in charge by being slow to commit.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Change can be stressful, even if the change is an improvement. You don’t need to run from stress or try to alleviate immediately. It’s like a spice that kicks the dish up a notch. A little is invigorating, just don’t overdo it.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). There are choices on the table and decisions need to be made now, or some of those options will no longer be available. Accept responsibility because you’re very good at this now.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Today’s plan will be derailed by interesting tangents. It doesn’t mean the original idea isn’t good. The detours will eventually take you back to your main purpose with a satisfying sense of things coming full circle.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). “You’d be home now if you lived here,” the old sign offers. When you love the home you make inside yourself, you can have a feeling of belonging in any “here” you happen to inhabit.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Capricorn civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. changed the world through nonviolent methods. Communication planet Mercury was in the humanitarian sign of Aquarius at King’s time of birth, and his natal moon was in spiritual Pisces. King famously suggested, “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”

Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

AEDs don’t have to be intimidating

HERE’S HOW (AND WHEN) TO USE ONE

The WashingTon PosT

You’ve probably seen one at the airport, your doctor’s office, or maybe the mall. That white, windowed box jutting out from the wall that holds an automated external defibrillator, or AED.

AED’s are used to help shock a heart back into a normal rhythm, as was the case when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered sudden cardiac arrest on the field. AED’s are typically found in public places, although a high-risk person may have a prescription for a home device.

Everyone should take a CPR course with AED training, but if you haven’t, the device itself will tell you what to do in an emergency.

You’re in public and see someone collapse. What do you do?

Call 911 or ask someone nearby to make the call. CPR training teaches you to check a person’s airway and determine if they are breathing and have a pulse. If not, begin CPR and ask someone to find a nearby AED.

If you are alone, call 911 and put the phone on speaker and start CPR. If you can see the AED or know that it’s very close, you can sprint and grab it. But do not waste time and leave the person alone while trying to find an AED. Focus on administering CPR until help arrives.

Even if you aren’t CPR trained, you can do a hands-only version, said Nici Singletary, co-chair of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council and a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Virginia. Take both hands, place them on the center of the person’s chest and press down hard and fast. One benefit of an AED is that it includes chest pads that typically show you the best spot for performing CPR. Aim for about 100 to 120 compressions per minute, humming the tune, “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees to keep the right pace.

“CPR is kind of the bare minimum that has to be provided continuously before a defibrillator should be applied,” said Chris Cunningham, an emergency medicine physician at Henry Ford Hospital who studies AED access.

If the other person finds an AED, take it out of its case and turn it on. Every model will be clearly marked with instructions. The AED will talk you through how to apply its sticky pads to the person’s chest so it can monitor their heartbeat. The pads need to be applied to dry skin, so wipe off the person if necessary and remove any clothing, including bras, blocking the way.

The pads include diagrams with detailed instructions showing you where to place the pads on a person’s body.

After the pads are applied, the AED will monitor the person’s heartbeat and decide whether administering a shock would be useful. If a shock is advised, it will warn you to stand back and not touch the person with any part of your body.

After shocking the person’s heart, the AED will tell you to continue CPR as it monitors their heartbeat. After about two minutes, it will let you know whether it will administer another shock. If a shock is not advised, leave the pads on and continue CPR until help arrives.

How do you know if an AED could help?

The machine will tell you. AEDs are useful in the event of cardiac arrest and in the case of certain heart rhythms. They are not for other issues such as heart attacks. The machine knows how to detect whether it can help. Even if you apply the pads to the chest of someone having a heart attack, the AED would sense the rhythm of their heart and would not shock them.

If you see someone collapse and you’re not sure why, look for obvious signs first like visible injuries or profuse bleeding. If you don’t see any, alternate between shouting and shaking the person to see if they respond. If they don’t, begin CPR. If the person is unresponsive, you should continue CPR and try to obtain an AED.

“If they have passed out and you start doing compressions, they will generally start to wake up and they will take their hands and bring them up in a reflex to push your hands away,” Singletary said.

Where do you find an AED?

The biggest barrier to AED use is not knowing where to find the device, said Jessica Zègre-Hemsey, an associate professor at the University of North Carolina’s school of nursing. It’s important to look around in the places you frequent most, like your place of work or public transit stops, to know whether and where they have an AED.

Federal law does not require businesses to have the devices, but some states like California require buildings over a certain number of occupants to have them.

High-traffic places like shopping malls and airports generally have AEDs, and the devices are usually located at congregation points such as near bathrooms or food courts. Exercise facilities like stadiums, gyms and pools also tend to have them as well as medical facilities like hospitals or doctors offices.

Public transit stations are also often equipped with them. In D.C., every Metro station is supposed to have an AED kiosk near its entrance.

Every minute without CPR or defibrillation is estimated to decrease a patient’s survival chance by about 10 percent. The American Heart Association reports that survival from cardiac arrest doubles when an AED is used before emergency responders arrive.

Can anyone buy an AED?

Yes, but most of the time you’ll need

a prescription to make the purchase. If you or someone you live with are at high risk of cardiac arrest, talk to your medical provider about whether you should have an AED at home.

“It also partly depends on where you’re located,” Singletary said. “If you’re in a rural setting and you have a known cardiac condition that puts you at risk for cardiac arrest, I think there’s a pretty good chance that the physician will write you a prescription to get an AED.”

The Philips HeartStart AED is the only device approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use without a prescription.

The device, which sells for about $1,400, talks you through the process, instructs you on performing CPR and administers a shock if needed.

“It’s simple and should not be intimidating at all,” said Adam Seiver, a physician and medical leader of emergency care and hospital ventilation for Philips. “It talks you through the steps as though it was a coach standing right next to you.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 350,000 cardiac arrests occur each year and about 7 in 10 happen at home.

What if the person who collapsed is pregnant?

AEDs can safely be used if the unconscious person is pregnant. If someone’s breasts are enlarged because of pregnancy, or they have larger breasts, Singletary said you may have to lift up the breast to adhere the AED pad appropriately.

What if a child collapsed?

Some AEDs come with pediatric pads for use on children who are younger than 8 years old or weigh less than 55 pounds. If pediatric pads aren’t available or the device doesn’t have a pediatric setting, it is safe to use the adult pads on a child.

What if I misuse the AED or hurt the person by doing CPR?

AEDs are highly unlikely to harm the operator or person on which they’re being used.

All 50 states have good Samaritan laws that shield people who are trying to help someone in an emergency situation from legal liability. The American Heart Association found that people who don’t step in to perform CPR are actually more likely to be sued.

Annie Lane Dear Annie

Gary Sloan

If you see someone collapse, call 911. Then determine if they are breathing and have a pulse. If not, begin CPR and ask someone to find a nearby AED.

49ers stand tall in second half to rip Seahawks in playoff debut

CaM inM an BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

SANTA CLARA — Blowing a 10-point lead put an end to the 49ers two previous playoff appearances, the result of fourth-quarter collapses in the 2019 season’s Super Bowl and last year’s NFC Championship Game.

For a change, the 49ers let a 10-0 lead evaporate before halftime of Saturday’s playoff debut, then they rallied to dispatch the Seattle Seahawks, 41-23, in their wildcard opener.

A second-half surge allowed the No. 2-seed 49ers (14-4) to recapture the lead, their confidence and their momentum. They’ll take an 11-game

win streak into next weekend’s divisional round, where they’ll host either the No. 2 Minnesota Vikings, the No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the No. 5 Dallas Cowboys.

It will be the Vikings if they win Sunday against the No. 6 Giants, coupled with a Bucs win Monday night against the Cowboys. If the Giants win, they’d advance to visit the No. 1 Philadelphia Eagles, thus sending the Bucs-Cowboys winner to Levi’s Stadium, likely next Sunday.

The 49ers won, as expected, in only their third-ever playoff game at Levi’s Stadium, and they won comfortably on the scoreboard like their 2019 team did here twice en route to the Super Bowl.

But Saturday’s scoreboard didn’t

Vanden’s Alyssa Jackson quickly surpasses 1,000 career points

M att Miller MMILLER@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — Scoring 1,000 career points is a solid achievement for any high school basketball player, but Vanden High School’s Alyssa Jackson is doing it at a remarkable pace.

Jackson, the reigning Monticello Empire League Player of the Year, is scoring in bunches. She is averaging over 21 points per game for the Vikings.

“It’s probably the fastest pace of any of our alumni,” Vanden head coach Jake Johnson said. “She’s probably our most efficient player ever. It really is an incredible feat. And it’s not like she is doing it on her own. We’ve

MEL REPORT

had other girls that can also score the ball.”

Jackson spent her freshman year at Salesian before transferring to Vanden. That means she has only worked three years at Vanden to get to her total as a Viking. Her sophomore year was also minimized by the Covid-19 pandemic when Vanden played only 11 games. Last year was her first full size season at Vanden.

“If she had four seasons with us, she would be destroying the record,” Johnson said.

Jackson has already

See MEL, Page B8

define how tense things got, especially as the 49ers humbly and foolishly entered halftime with a 17-16 deficit. The Seahawks had taken that lead – their last one –when Jason Myers booted a 56-yard field goal as the first half expired, set up by a Jimmie Ward penalty for hitting Geno Smith as he slid on a scramble with 1 second to go.

All went the 49ers’ way after that, however. They scored over 30 points for the eighth time in this 11-game win streak, and for the fifth time in Brock Purdy’s six starts.

Purdy, attempting to become the first rookie quarterback to make a Super Bowl, overcame a rocky start.

See 49ers, Page B8

Iguodala’s impact being felt already by Warriors

M adeline K enney BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

SAN ANTONIO — Andre Iguodala has had his fingerprints all over the first half of the season despite not playing until Game 40 earlier this month.

He’s pulled players aside countless times during games to correct their mistakes, offer guidance and help build up their confidence. One notable example is the way he helped Jonathan Kuminga get through a rough patch at the start of the season where the 20-year-old was out of the rotation before earning his spot by locking in on the defensive end of the ball.

But the Warriors knew once Iguodala was ready to play that he could still contribute at a high level as long as he stayed healthy.

And that’s been the case through his first three games of the season. Sure, Iguodala had some dust to brush off after not playing an NBA game in seven months. But he made his presence

known, especially in Friday’s 144-113 rout over the San Antonio Spurs. Part of what makes Iguodala so valuable is his ability to fit seamlessly wherever he’s needed. And right now, the greatest need is having him help shore up the frontcourt depth which has thinned over the last month due to injuries to Kuminga, James Wiseman and JaMychal Green.

Iguodala has been the first player on the bench for the Warriors in the last three games, subbing in for Kevon Looney.

“Right now, he’s our third big,” Kerr said Friday night after the Warriors thrashed the Spurs in front of a recordsetting crowd of 68,323 at the Alamodome. “I don’t know that that will continue to be the rotation pattern. We like to have Loon or Draymond [Green] on the floor at all times. So Andre is coming in for Loon early, play the four with Draymond at the five. Then Loon comes back for Draymond and Andre stays in that lineup

See Warriors, Page B8

Mike Brown: Kings’ all-stars need recognition

Chris BiderM an THE SACRAMENTO BEE

SACRAMENTO — Kings big man Domantas Sabonis on Friday posted his fourth triple-double of the season and took away a piece of history.

He scored 19 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and dished 16 assists while adding two blocks and two steals in the 139-114 win over the Houston Rockets.

The only other player in NBA history with at least 15-15-15-2-2: Larry Bird. Oddly enough, Bird’s night came on Jan. 13, 1982, exactly 41 years prior to the day Sabonis matched it.

Sacramento coach Mike Brown afterwards went to bat for Sabonis and point guard De’Aaron Fox, who is having a career year in his own right, regarding the AllStar Game taking place in Salt Lake City on Feb. 19.

“If he and Foxy aren’t an All-Star, shame on the whole process,” Brown said.

The latest All-Star fan voting results that came out Thursday had Fox 10th among Western Con-

ference guards in voting while Sabonis remains outside of the top 10 for frontcourt players.

If there’s good news for Brown and his players, fan votes account for 50% of the total vote to determine the All-Star starters. Current players and media members vote on the remaining 50% while reserves are chosen by NBA head coaches. Voting ends Jan. 22.

Sabonis has a leagueleading 32 double-doubles on the season. His performance on Friday marked his 19th straight, which is tied for the seventh-longest streak in the league over the last 10 years.

Sabonis leads all centers in rebounding (12.5 per game) and is second in assists (7.1) behind twotime MVP Nikola Jokic.

“And it’s not like we’re sitting in 12th place,” Brown said. “I truly believe you have to give it heavy consideration to everybody’s record when it comes to voting for AllStar players. And Domas and Foxy, they’re just not getting enough love, and it’s a shame.”

Balanced Vanden girls basketball team overpowers Fairfield

daily r epuBliC staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — Every player scored multiple points Friday night as the Vanden High School girls basketball team defeated Fairfield 97-24.

Alyssa Jackson led the Vikings with 17 points. Jakayla Gilmore scored 13 and Gabby Wright added 11. No individual scoring leaders were made available for Fairfield.

Vanden followed that up

with an 82-77 win Saturday morning over Bonita Vista of Chula Vista at a MLK Showcase game in Stockton. Jackson led the team with 28 points. Gilmore had 12 and Calonni Holloway had 11.

Vanden is now 13-7 overall and 2-0 in the Monticello Empire League. The Vikings host Vacaville on Wednesday.

Fairfield is 5-12 and 0-2.

The Falcons play Wednesday at Rodriguez.

Brombacher helps ignite Wood girls

FAIRFIELD —

Athena Brombacher had 17 points and pulled down 10 rebounds as the Will C. Wood High School girls basketball team edged out host Rodriguez 48-41 Friday night.

Natalie Sanchez also had 12 points for the Wildcats. Wood upped its record to 1-1 in the Monticello Empire League and

7-6 overall.

Mia Marquez and Roniya Vaughn had 10 points apiece for Rodriguez. The Lady Mustangs fell to 4-14 overall and 1-1 in the MEL.

Wood will play Friday at Armijo, while Rodriguez hosts Fairfield.

Headrick powers Vacaville girls

FAIRFIELD — Brynlie Headrick scored a gamehigh 20 points as the

Vacaville High School girls basketball team rolled Friday night to a 44-27 win at Armijo.

The Bulldogs locked down defensively and held the Royals to just 18 firsthalf points and only nine in the second half. Vacaville improved to 2-0 in the Monticello Empire League and 10-5 overall.

Up next for Vacaville is a match Wednesday at Vanden.

Armijo fell to 1-14 overall and 0-2 in the

MEL. Individual statistics were not made available by Armijo. The Royals will host Wood on Wednesday.

Boys Basketball Mustangs rally from slow start

VACAVILLE — The Rodriguez High School boys basketball team rallied from an early first-

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic

Vanden’s Alyssa Jackson, left, shoots the ball against Fairfield’s Natalie Chavez during the girls basketball game at Fairfield High School, Friday.

Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group/TNS

San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) celebrates his first quarter touchdown with Jauan Jennings in the NFC

wild-card playoff game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Saturday. The 49ers beat the Seahawks 41-23.

Sunday’s TV sports

Basketball College Men

• Marquette vs. Xavier, 2, 40, 9 a.m.

• South Florida vs. East Carolina, ESPN2, 10 a.m.

• Memphis vs. Temple, ESPN2, Noon.

College Women

• Missouri at South Carolina, ESPN, 10 a.m.

• N.C. State vs. North Carolina, ESPN, 12:30 p.m.

• Iowa State vs. Texas, ESPN, 2 p.m.

NBA

• Golden State vs. Chicago, NBCSBA (Fairfield and Suisun City), 12:30 p.m.

• Sacramento vs. San Antonio, NBCSCA (Vacaville and Rio Vista), 4 p.m.

Football

NFL Playoffs

• Miami vs. Buffalo, 5, 13, 10 a.m.

• N.Y. Giants vs. Minnesota, 2, 40, 1:30 p.m.

• Baltimore vs. Cincinnati, 3, 5:15 p.m.

Golf PGA

• Sony Open, 3, 1 p.m.

• Sony Open, GOLF, 3 p.m.

Soccer

EPL

• Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace, USA. 6 a.m.

Spanish Supercopa

• Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, 7, 10, 11 a.m.

Sharks’ GM Grier talks about future of struggling team and draft ahead

Curtis Pashelka BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

SAN JOSE — Sharks general manager Mike Grier attended the recent IIHF World Junior Championships in Canada and just like everyone else, was blown away by the unbelievable performance of Connor Bedard.

“It’s a 19-year-old tournament,” Grier said Friday. “For a kid to go in there and do what he did as a 17-year-old. After one game I said, ‘I don’t even think he played well.’ Then I was handed the (scoresheet) and was like, ‘Oh, he had four points. I guess he was OK.’

“Special, special player.”

Bedard, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound center, had 23 points in seven games and was named the tournament’s MVP as he helped lead Canada to its 20th all-time gold medal at the event.

In late June, Bedard, who had 75 points in 30 WHL games this season before Saturday, is expected to be the first player chosen in the NHL Draft, bringing the kind of exceptional talent that can help turn around the fortunes of a moribund franchise.

The Sharks say they’re not tanking, and although they were blasted 7-1 by the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, the fact that over half of their games have been decided by two goals

or less lends some credence to that argument.

Still, this is a Sharks roster that needs a lot of work, as proven by a 13-23-8 record that is fifthworst in the NHL. If the Sharks stay in that spot and the NHL keeps the same draft lottery odds they had last year, they’ll have an 8.5 percent chance of drafting Bedard.

Grier can already envision the tantalizing possibilities.

“It you get a chance to draft a guy at the top. I think they can do wonders for your organization,” Grier said. “Not only on the ice, but I think it gives hope and optimism to the fan base as well.

“Adding someone like (Bedard), I think people will want to come out and see him and see what he’s all about. So it would be great for the organization, but we’ll play as hard as we can here for the second half of the year, and we get to (the lottery), we’ll see where the balls land.”

Could winning the lottery accelerate Grier’s plan?

“I don’t know if it’ll accelerate it. It’ll bring some excitement to the organization for sure,” Grier said. “But we have to be smart about how we approach the offseason, who we sign, or who we try to acquire. I don’t think we want to get out of hand and get too excited because we’ve got an 18-year-old kid coming in.”

Local scores

Local

quarter deficit to win 67-54 Thursday night at Will C. Wood.

Wood jumped out to a 19-9 lead against Rodriguez. Then the Mustangs came alive with a 21-14 advantage in the second quarter, a big 23-6 edge in the third and a 24-15 advantage in the final period.

Joseph Gould led the Mustangs with 17 points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals. Ian Gutierrez had 11 points, two rebounds and two steals. Gianni Miles also had 10 points, two rebounds, three assists and one steal.

Rodriguezimproves to 9-9 overall and 2-0 in the MEL. The Mustangs host a nonleague game at 7 p.m. Saturday night against Bethel before resuming MEL action Tuesday with a home game against Fairfield.

Wood fell to 10-9 overall and 0-2 in the MEL. The Wildcats return to action Tuesday for a home game against Armijo.

No individual statistics were made available from Wood.

Vanden prevails after challenge

FAIRFIELD — Tyler Thompson and Elijah

Lewis had 16 points apiece as the Vanden High School boys basketball team held off a challenge Thursday night from host Fairfield for a 65-56 victory.

Vanden outscored Fairfield each quarter but never by more than four points in a period. The Vikings led 17-16 after the first quarter, 38-33 at halftime and it was 51-44 after three periods.

Nicko Ignacio had 15 points to pace Fairfield. Amari Bryant scored 12 and Evan Smith contributed 11.

Fairfield closed the game to within three points in the final two minutes. But Vanden made some big free throws down the final stretch to close the game out.

Vanden is now 12-5 overall and 2-0 in the MEL. The Vikings head to Southern California to play a pair of powerhouses in Bishop Montgomery on Saturday and St. John Bosco on Monday. The Vikings resume MEL action Tuesday at Vacaville.

Fairfield fell to 3-16 overall and 0-2 in the MEL. The Falcons play Tuesday night at Rodriguez.

Girls Soccer Rodriguez rolls against Fairfield

— The

NHL

FAIRFIELD

Rodriguez High School girls soccer team powered its way to a 10-0 win Friday night over Fairfield.

Sam Valdez, Morgan Witt, Ella Bellandres, Lauren Snyder and Saniyah Espidron were among the goal scorers for the Lady Mustangs. Rodriguez is 2-1-1 overall and 2-0 in the Monticello Empire League.

Rodriguez beat Armijo 5-0 Wednesday in the MEL opener.

Rodriguez will next be in action Wednesday with a home match against Will C. Wood.

Will C. Wood’s edge out Armijo

VACAVILLE — Will C. Wood High School’s girls soccer team scored a late goal with five minutes to play Friday night for a 2-1 win over visiting Armijo.

Mia Ponce scored the Royals’ first goal off a giveand-go assist by Lesly Mendoza 11 minutes into the match. Fabiola Cisneros created some great opportunities to score for Armijo, head coach Regina McGee said, but the team could not find another goal.

Wood had a first-half goal and the late gamewinner. No individual statistics were made available on the Wildcats.

“I am very proud of the Armijo team for fighting hard for each other,”

McGee said in an email. “Every minute of the game was very exciting and fun to watch.”

Armijo fell to 2-5 overall and 0-2 in the Monticello Empire League. The Royals will be home Wednesday to host Vacaville.

Wood won for the first time this season and improved to 1-7-1 overall and 1-1 in the MEL. The Wildcats will play Wednesday at Rodriguez.

Fairfield, Rodriguez play to 2-2 draw

FAIRFIELD — The Fairfield High School boys soccer team played to a 2-2 draw Thursday night at Rodriguez.

Gedeon Ilunga scored the Falcons’ first goal off a long assist from goalkeeper Uriel Guerrero. Marcus Horta also scored in the second half off an assist from Ilunga.

Caleb Aguilar played a strong game at center midfield, according to Fairfield head coach Aaron Dickey.

Individual statistics from Rodriguez were not made available.

Fairfield moved to 3-5-4 overall and 0-1-1 in the Monticello Empire League. The Falcons play Tuesday night at Vanden.

Rodriguez is now 2-4-1 overall and 0-1-1 in the MEL. The Mustangs

He had over 300 yards with three touchdown passes once the lead reached 38-17 on Deebo Samuel’s 74-yard touchdown catch-and-run with 10:51 remaining.

Purdy finished 18-of-30 passing for 332 yards with those three touchdowns and no turnovers, with a 131.5 passer rating. It was only the 10th playoff game in the Super Bowl era in which a quarterback produced over 330 passing yards, four touchdowns (passing and rushing) and no interceptions, according to The Associated Press’ Josh Dubow.

Christian McCaffrey ran for 119 yards, and one of his two receptions went for a touchdown. Samuel finished with 133 yards on six receptions, and Brandon Aiyuk added 73 yards on six catches.

This affair turned in the 49ers’ favor once they emerged for the second

MEL

From Page B6

signed a national letterof-intent with San Diego State, but she still has many games left in her senior season at Vanden, particularly if the team takes a deep run into the Sac-Joaquin Section and NorCal playoffs.

Oddity of the Week: The electricity got turned off Tuesday night to James L. Boyd Gymnasium so PG&E could work on a nearby power pole. That resulted in the Vanden boys and girls playing a varsity doubleheader Wednesday night at Will C. Wood. The Vikings came away with both wins.

Boys basketball

In the MEL, Rodriguez, Vacaville and Vanden all went 2-0 in Week 1.

Rodriguez defeated Will C. Wood (67-54) and Armijo (76-53). Vanden had victories over Wood (65-52) and Fairfield (6556). Vacaville defeated Fairfield (62-45) and Armijo (67-53).

Tuesday’s games feature Armijo at Wood,

half and went on a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, capped by Purdy’s 1-yard sneak for a 23-17 lead.

It was a precarious lead, at least for a few minutes.

Soon, Levi’s Stadium’s video board showed Nick Bosa sitting on the 49ers bench after their biggest defensive play of the game, and he pointed to the man sitting next to him, Charles Omenihu. It was Omenihu who stripped Geno Smith of the ball that Bosa recovered at the 49ers’ 30-yard line, dominating a third-

Fairfield at Rodriguez and Vanden at Vacaville. Thursday’s matchups have Fairfield at Armijo, Vacaville at Wood and Vanden at Rodriguez.

Notable:

n Trevor Morris, Armijo, scored 47 points with 24 rebounds for Armijo in his first two MEL games.

n Tyler Thompson, Vanden, scored 25 points in a win over Will C. Wood.

n Gavin Hamill scored 24 points for Vacaville in the Bulldogs’ win over Armijo.

Girls basketball

Vacaville and Vanden are the two undefeated teams after Week 1. Vacaville beat Fairfield 45-39 and then topped Armijo 44-27. Vanden rolled past Will C. Wood 66-33 and then cruised by Fairfield 97-24.

It’s a full slate of games Wednesday with Rodriguez at Fairfield, Vacaville at Vanden and Wood at Armijo. Friday will feature Armijo at Fairfield, Rodriguez at Vanden and Wood at Vacaville.

Notable:

n Brynlie Headrick, Vacaville, had 21 points in a win over Fairfield. She

and-14 play and protecting the lead 2:25 until the fourth quarter.

Then the points kept coming, along with some light rain, the latter of which was nothing like the downpour overnight and into Saturday’s morning on the tarped and protected field.

The 49ers’ lead swelled to 31-17 when Purdy magically escaped pressure and threw across the field to Elijah Mitchell for a 7-yard touchdown catch, followed by George Kittle’s two-point conversion grab.

then followed that up with another 20 in the Armijo victory.

n Jackson scored 28 points in an 82-77 win Saturday morning over Bonita Vista of Chula Vista. It wasn’t a MEL game but a prestigious matchup in Stockton in a MLK Showcase. It’s a pretty phenomenal total considering the team was stuck at the Rio Vista bridge for an hour, arrived 10 minutes late and had to run right in to the gym to start the game.

Boys soccer Armijo and Vacaville opened Week 1 in the MEL with 2-0 records. Armijo beat Rodriguez 3-1 and followed it up with a 2-1 win over Will C. Wood. Vacaville rolled to a 4-1 win over Fairfield and a 6-1 win over Vanden.

Tuesday’s games feature Fairfield at Vanden, Rodriguez at Wood and Armijo at Vacaville. On Thursday, it will be Rodriguez at Vacaville, Vanden at Armijo and Wood at Fairfield.

Notable:

n Nathan Beltran, Vacaville, had four goals and an assist in a win over Vanden.

After Samuel’s 74-yard touchdown sprint down the left sideline, Deommodore Lenoir got the ball back for the 49ers with an interception, and the 49ers converted that into Robbie Gould’s fourth field goal in as many attempts; Gould is 25 of 25 for his career in the playoffs.

Prior to that Gould kick that gave them a 41-17 lead, Purdy scrambled 12 seconds and found Aiyuk for a potential, 13-yard touchdown pass, only to have Aiyuk drop it.

The go-ahead drive that opened the second half featured plenty of big plays: a third-and-1 sneak by Purdy, a 23-yard completion to George Kittle, and a 21-yard catch-andrun by Deebo Samuel. That tackle-breaking play by Samuel got them to the 16-yard line, and when safety Johnathan Abram tugged at Samuel’s onceinjured ankle after the play without penalty, it enraged the 49ers.

A cascade of smiles, fist pumps, celebratory poses and successful plays changed the mood.

Girls soccer

Vacaville stormed into the MEL season with a 7-2 win over Fairfield and held off Vanden 1-0. Rodriguez also had a perfect week and posted two “clean sheets” with a 5-0 shutout of Armijo and a 10-0 win over Fairfield.

On Wednesday, Vacaville plays at Armijo, Vanden is at Fairfield and Wood will play at Rodriguez. Friday’s games feature Armijo at Vanden, Fairfield at Wood and Vacaville at Rodriguez.

Wrestling

No scores were made available in the first round of MEL matches Wednesday night.

This week’s schedule features a dual Wednesday with Vanden at Rodriguez. Vacaville, Wood, Fairfield and Armijo will be at Wood for a pair of duals each, also Wednesday.

Reporting scores

Varsity coaches, report your scores and provide game information to the Daily Republic by emailing sports editor Matt Miller at mmiller@ dailyrepublic.net.

From Page B7

play Tuesday night at Will C. Wood.

Boys Soccer 2 first-half goals lift Armijo to win

FAIRFIELD — Armijo High School’s boys soccer team scored a pair of first half goals and made them stand up en route to a 2-1 win Thursday night over Will C. Wood.

Diego Torres fired a cross 15 minutes into the match that was assisted in by the Wood defense. Esteban Carcamo followed that up 10 minutes later when he assisted a second goal by Torres.

Midway through the second half, Wood scored its lone goal. Ulysses Ramirez scored for the Wildcats off an assist from Franco Mendoza.

Armijo is off to a 2-0 start in the Monticello Empire League and improved to 5-7 overall. The Royals play Tuesday night at defending-champion Vacaville.

Wood is now 1-1 in the MEL and 4-3-2 overall. The Wildcats will be at home Tuesday night for Rodriguez.

Warriors

From Page B6

and plays with Loon.”

Iguodala knocked down a 3 to keep the Spurs defense honest in the first quarter. Later in the fourth, Iguodala soared to the basket for his second dunk since his season debut Jan. 7 – not bad for a guy who’s turning 39 in two weeks.

Iguodala’s impact often doesn’t show in the box score, but he makes his presence known every time he steps on the court.

“He’s playing well, he’s moving well,” Draymond Green said. “Obviously, he’s always one of the smartest guys if not the smartest guy on the floor so it makes it easier on the floor when you have the chance to play with Andre.”

The Warriors outscored the Spurs by 12 when Iguodala checked in for his six-minute spurt in the third quarter. During that

The junior varsity teams played to a 1-1 tie. Armijo was able to score in the first half after Jeremiah Tam centered a ball in from a free kick where Isaac Aguirre controlled the pass and chipped it in by the goalkeeper.

No individual statistics were available for the Wood JV team.

Armijo improved to 9-2-1 overall and 1-0-1 in the MEL. Wood fell to 2-0-1 overall and 1-0-1 in the MEL.

Beltran scores 4 goals ignite Bulldogs

FAIRFIELD — Nathan Beltran scored four goals and had an assist in leading the Vacaville High School boys soccer team to a 6-1 win Thursday night at Vanden.

Christian Brenes had a goal and an assist for the Bulldogs. Elias Ordonez also scored. Freddie Brenes contributed four assists.

No individual statistics were made available for Vanden.

Vacaville improved to 2-0 in MEL matches and 6-1 overall. The Bulldogs host Armijo on Tuesday night.

Vanden is now 0-2 in MEL and 0-7-1 overall. The Vikings will be home Tuesday night for Fairfield.

span, Iguodala blocked Jeremy Sochan’s shot and grabbed two rebounds.

“He just knows how to play basketball and when we’re in sync, he’s always in the right spot moving the ball,” Curry said. His “defensive presence is huge, you can fit pretty much any four guys around him and we can play a high level of basketball.”

Green weighs future

Draymond Green got real this week about his future with the Warriors.

In a recent interview with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks, Green admitted a day would come where he’s not playing for the Warriors.

“The writing’s on the wall,” the four-time NBA champion said.

Green discussed several other topics throughout the interview, including how his preseason punch of Jordan Poole altered their once brotherly-like relationship.

Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group/TNS

San Francisco 49ers’ Deebo Samuel (19) runs for yardage while being chased by Seattle Seahawks’ Cody Barton (57) in the first quarter, Saturday.