Daily Republic: Friday, February 24, 2023

Todd R. H ansen

THANSEN@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — The state is expected to let the Covid-19 emergency expire Tuesday – and Solano County will end its weekly online reporting next week as well.

The federal government is expected to lift the national emergency May 11.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Solano County, as of Thursday, was 118,605, up 270 from the prior Thursday, and up from 117,338 cases Jan. 26, the county reported.

There were no new deaths reported – with 441 Covid-related deaths in the county since the pandemic started – while the number of residents in area hospitals with a positive coronavirus test was at 12 with one patient in an intensive care unit

BY THE NUMBERS

with the disease.

Of the recorded deaths, 264 occurred prior to vaccines being readily available to the general public July 1, 2021. And despite more cases being reported after that date, the number of deaths was 177.

Dr. Bela Matyas, the county public health official, said there are several reasons for the trend of more cases and fewer

Todd R. H ansen THANSEN@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VACAVILLE — Four violins that survived the Holocaust concentration camps will be played by world renowned violinist Alina Solodovnikova-Adams as part of the Violins of Hope tour coming to Solano County. High school students in Vacaville and Fairfield will be able to attend the program March 2-3. A community performance is scheduled for 4 p.m. March 5 at Chabad of Solano in Vacaville.

“Violins of Hope provides an opportunity to see some-

thing tangible that tells the story of the survival of the Jewish people of the greatest atrocity to befall us in modern history,” Amnon Weinstein, a master Israeli violin maker who founded Violins of Hope, said in a statement. “Especially with the rise of anti-Semitism in the world today, this lesson is especially important, and especially for the young.”

Rabbi Chaim Zaklos of Chabad of Solano said the performance will have impact.

“So this one is very powerful because it comes with

TRibune ConTenT agenCy

LOS ANGELES —

It was three years ago this month that California documented its first known victim of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now, the pandemic's toll has breached a onceunthinkable level, with more than 100,000 deaths reported statewide, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Unlike the first known victim – whose tragic brush with the coronavirus was recounted in detail during the pan-

demic's early days – we may never know the identity of the individual who represents the latest grim milestone in an era marked with them.

"The heartache of having so many people die weighs heavily on all of us here at public health," Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. "I think it weighs equally heavily on everybody who lives in our county, in our state and our country and the world. Nobody, I think, anticipated this toll.

TRibune ConTenT agenCy

PITTSBURGH — The Norfolk Southern freight train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3 had passed through three temperature sensors designed to alert problems like the hot bearing that eventually failed that day.

But the only sensor, called a hot box detector, that registered a sufficiently high temperature to sound the alarm was the one less than a mile from

the accident site, according to preliminary findings from the National Transportation Safety Board, released Thursday.

Although at least two videos taken from security cameras in Salem, Ohio – 20 miles west of the derailment site –showed the train had one car that glowed from the bottom, the hot box detector at that site assessed the temperature of the fiery bearing on the

Daily Republic file (2022)

Alina Adams, who was born in Vynnitsya, Ukraine, is photographed here, Feb. 24, 2022.

Courtesy photos

Two of the four violins that survived the Holocaust concentration camps that will be played by Alina Solodovnikova-Adams as part of the Violins of Hope tour coming to Solano County.

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic Pedestrians wearing face masks wait for a bus along Texas Street in Fairfield, Thursday.

CORRECTION POLICY

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

DAILY REPUBLIC

We were upstaged in the 1973 Recess Olympics

When I was in the third grade in 1973, we didn’t have any digital clocks in the classroom and I didn’t know how to tell time. Still, I knew the hands on the clock on the wall of Mr. Fagan’s class seemingly slowed their rhythmic ticking down to an excruciating crawl right before morning recess. Mercifully, the bell would finally ring and deliver me and my classmates from the ritualistic rigors of learning arithmetic.

Despite being admonished by Mr. Fagan and other staff not to run, the only faster exodus from the classroom was after the final bell.

Let me explain the politics of the playground: Most kids were content to just play in the sand, use the slides, ride the teeter-totters or play games like tag or hide-andseek. Then there were those, like me and my friends, who sought to become recess legends by taking it to the next level.

The playground was very 1970s so there was none of that absorbent spongy stuff under the monkey bars or other equipment. No, it was straight-up head-busting black asphalt. It was a real deterrent not to fall off, although some did. The swings and slides were in the sandbox area so there was a slight nod to safety, but there were other perils there as well.

The crew I ran with then included Melvin Jungblut, Sam Inabinet and Nolan Camacho. Me and my buddies never just used the swings the way they were designed to be used. We had to add a bit of derring-do to the experience.

Swinging as high as you possibly could and then jumping out and landing in the sand was considered the norm. You had to time your jump right because there were freeze taggers and hide-and-seekers who were deep into their games and not on the lookout for falling swingers.

Now this is gonna sound sexist because it is, but at that time if you just swung back and forth and even got very high but didn’t jump out, that was considered to be “swinging like a girl.” That is, until Susan Yak started swinging higher than any of us and not only jumped out, but stuck the landing, which none of us could do. Once she did that, we moved on to the merry-go-round.

The merry-go-round, or carousel, or rotating metal bars of death, were so brutal they are now outlawed in most places. It was just a big slab of circular metal with metal bars to hang on to or use to spin it. You would get on and hold on for dear life as some sadistic kid tried to make it spin so fast it felt like it was motorized.

It was considered a victory just to not lose your Pop Tarts or Cap’n Crunch or whatever else you had for breakfast, but to be a true Playground King, you had to also jump off the spinning wheel of doom and somehow survive.

Melvin had seen a segment on the TV show “Thrill Seekers” with Chuck Connors that showed stuntmen tucking and doing a forward roll when jumping from moving vehicles. He taught me and Sam and Nolan the technique and we

all got pretty good at it and had to share the Playground King title. Imagine our horror when Susan Yak not only jumped off the merry-goround spinning so fast it was threatening to go airborne, but she didn’t even tuck and roll. Sure, she was a little wobbly from being dizzy, but it was pretty awesome.

I tried it her way and almost made it free and clear, but my left hand got smacked by one of the bars and I thought my wrist was broken.

To add some insult to my injury, Susan then got the merry-go-round spinning super-fast and successfully jumped onto it.

Me and the other guys moved on to the monkey bars.

Now when I say monkey bars, I’m not talking about the jungle gym: That was a free-for-all. I mean the monkey bars, where there was a certain way you were supposed to negotiate them like everyone has seen military recruits do in boot camp. You climbed up one end and then grabbed onto the first of the 12 horizontal metal bars and then swung to the next and to the next like Tarzan going from vine to vine until you reached the other side.

You know how in the Olympics where gymnastics contestants have to compete in a variety of different events and they excel at some and are challenged by others? Well, the monkey bars were my weakest event in the Recess Olympics. I just didn’t have the upper body strength to successfully navigate them. On about the fourth bar I would run out of steam and have to drop off in humiliation.

I wasn’t alone as Sam sucked at them, too. So while Melvin and Nolan did their

thing, me and Sam would get sticks from a crabapple tree and draw superheroes in the sand.

Melvin and Nolan both excelled at the monkey bars and it quickly became a contest. Some kid named Forrest volunteered to time them because he could not only tell time (I was insanely jealous), but also had a Mickey Mouse watch. Other kids started to watch as Melvin covered the distance in 9 seconds flat. Not to be outdone, Nolan shaved 2 seconds off his time.

Before they could protest, Susan Yak climbed up and proceeded to cover the span in 7 seconds by skipping bars all the way across so she only grabbed every other one. For an encore, she then climbed onto the top of them and walked briskly to the other side . . . backwards. I kid you not. Me and the rest of the other mere mortals down below stared up in mute amazement.

The fact that Mr. Fagan saw her breaking the rule against standing or walking on the top of the apparatus and she got sent to the principal’s office, only cemented her reign as the true Monarch of the playground.

During the afternoon recess, me my crew opted to join the freeze tag crowd. Fairfield freelance humor columnist and accidental local historian Tony Wade writes two weekly columns: “The Last Laugh” on Mondays and “Back in the Day” on Fridays. Wade is also the author of The History Press books “Growing Up In Fairfield, California” and “Lost Restaurants of Fairfield, California” and hosts the Channel 26 government access TV show “Local Legends.”

Tony Wade Back in the day

Tonnesen expresses frustration with mayor’s ‘listening’ style

Todd R. H ansen THANSEN@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — Coun-

cilman Scott Tonnesen said he feels like he is being dictated to, and again expressed his frustration with the lack of communication with the rest of the council by Mayor Catherine Moy.

The catalyst, again, was the planned Listening Tour Moy and Vice Mayor Pam Bertani came up with in December. However, it is clear the councilman remains more than a little irked that Moy, during her campaign for mayor, said at least some of her colleagues are “corrupt,” but has failed to identify any individual

or even provide information on what she claims are complaints she registered with unnamed state agencies.

Tonnesen called for Moy to be censured, but no vote was ever scheduled.

The concept of the Listening Tour is to go out into the city districts and listen to what the residents have to say about the city and how it could be governed better.

But the rest of the council was largely left out of the planning, and Tonnesen said Tuesday nothing appears to have changed. Councilman Doug Carr also said he would like to have more information.

Moy and Bertani have

owned up to not being open enough about their plans, and now the matter will be discussed as part of a City Council meeting March 7.

That is when Tonnesen pushed for more information, including putting it on a future agenda.

“I just announced that,” Moy said in response.

“I wasn’t listening,” Tonnesen answered.

“I know that,” Moy replied.

Hudson leaves Suisun council

Bertani stepped in, saying, “We should have rolled this out differently.”

But she went on to say these listening events will be a great opportunity for the council members to hear directly from the residents across the city.

The first event is set March 25 at Bethel Community Church, which is located in Councilwoman Doriss Panduro’s 5th District. Panduro and Councilman Rick Vaccaro did not attend Tuesday’s meeting.

Panduro had previously noted she would be on vacation when the listening kickoff event was originally planned for her district.

Fairfield-Suisun school employees earn nominations for LifeChanger award

daily Republic sTaff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — Three Fairfield-Suisun School District employees have been nominated for the 2022-23 National LifeChanger of the Year award.

The nominees are Tolenas Academy of Music and Media teacher Erica Nurse, Dan O. Root Health and Wellness Academy teacher Toni Lucas and Rodriguez High School student service secretary Sara Hernandez.

Nurse was nominated by an anonymous colleague “for her research and teaching using the

Kodaly methodology, which emphasizes the importance of heritage, culture and other genres in music education.”

“Her passion and dedication to her work are evident in her elementary music classes, where her students display enthusiasm and positive behavior. Her research and teaching have provided her students with cultural capital and equity in pursuing academic music studies,” LifeChanger said in a statement.

“Erica’s research would be most valuable for administrators and teachers, and I hope she

will have opportunities to present her research and ideas,” the nominator said. “A scholarship would be well-deserved as she continues to pursue her career in inner-city schools.”

Lucas was nominated by a parent of one of her students who described Lucas as “an exceptional teacher who goes above and beyond to support her students’ educational needs, especially those who require individual accommodations.” Her nominator’s daughter was diagnosed with a learning disability this year.

LifeChanger said Lucas “encouraged her to stay

Mayor takes lead to pick replacement

Todd R. H ansen

THANSEN@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

SUISUN CITY — Coun-

cilman Mike Hudson bid

was “grateful” for the opportunity to serve.

true to herself, be persistent and not succumb to peer pressure.”

“Mrs. Lucas is not only a teacher, but a friend, mentor and someone our students can trust,” the nominator said.

Hernandez was nominated by an anonymous colleague who “praised her ability to create a positive school atmosphere through her interactions with students, staff, teachers and administrators,” LifeChanger said. “I always see her lending a hand and being committed to producing a nurturing environment.

See Award, Page A4

farewell Tuesday night to the City Council from his new home in Elk Ridge, Utah. He called the moment “bittersweet,” but said he was looking forward to spending more time with his extended family, including his new greatgrandchild. He said he

HUDSON

He also acknowledged the city staff over the years, and several past council members, including Mayors Jim Spering and Pete Sanchez. Hudson also noted his many years with former Councilwoman Jane Day, “who taught me an enormous amount about politics.”

See Hudson, Page A4

MOY TONNESEN

Council approves ‘good news’ midyear budget adjustments

SUISUN CITY —

The city adjusted its 2022-23 budget with higher revenue projections, while anticipating a slight increase in expenditures.

The council members did not offer a lot of comments, but generally liked to see the positive numbers.

The momentum started with a revised starting balance from the 2021-22 year, which due to cost savings and about

In brief

Library to host talk on growing food

FAIRFIELD —

Lori Caldwell of CompostGal Consulting, Landscaping & Education will host a workshop March 4 about growing food in containers.

The workshop is scheduled from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Fairfield Cordelia Library meeting room, 5050 Business Center Drive.

Caldwell is working with Sustainable Solano to cover topics such as seeds vs. starts, soil fertility, transplanting seedlings, perennials, watering/ irrigation, nontoxic pest control and great annual crops for your garden.

Participants will receive a few small pots with plant starts and soil. When people RSVP for this class they will receive an email form asking for more information on which types of plants they would like to grow.

An RSVP is required at www.eventbrite.com/e/ eat-what-you-growtickets-543262902967

Iron Steed sets table for chili cook off

VACAVILLE — Iron

Steed Harley-Davidson will host a Chili Cook off to help herald the return of spring.

The event will occur from noon to 4 p.m. April 1 at 100 Auto Center Drive.

The $10 tasting tickets include a wristband for chili tasting and a ticket for a free burger or hot dog. There will be live music, vendors, beer, and indoor poker walk and gear giveaway.

There is no entry fee to enter the contest. The prizes are $500 for first place, $250 for second place and $100 for third place. The winners will be announced at 3:30 p.m. that day.

To enter the chili cook off, go to https:// ironsteedhd.com

Fundraiser to support SafeQuest

FAIRFIELD — A fundraising fashion show will take place this spring in support of SafeQuest Solano.

The event will begin at 3 p.m. April 29 at the Jelly Belly Events Center, 1 Jelly Belly Lane.

Local celebrities will take to the runway for the benefit to support SafeQuest Solano’s domestic violence services and shelters in Solano County. Limited sponsorships opportunities are available.

Tickets cost $50 each and are available online at www.eventbrite. com/e/safequest-solanofashion-show-tickets534605729127

$300,000 in additional revenue, gave the city an initial $2.3 million boost to $4.8 million.

“Our main adjustment, major adjustment, are basically revenue projections,” Finance Director Lakhwinder Deol said at Tuesday’s council meeting.

She said the General Fund revenues are now projected at $27.1 million, up from $25.3 million. Most of the gains are from the added year-end boost.

But she also noted the

city is expecting to have $105,000 more in sales tax. The downside, about $500,000, was in other tax revenues due mostly to the second cannabis retail shop not yet opening.

On the other side of the ledger, Deol reported the adopted budget had anticipated expenditures of $25.3 million, which were revised to $25.4 million.

The bottom line is the city is expecting to have about $1.7 million to carry into the 2023-24 fiscal year,

which begins July 1.

The Measure S account showed a similar pattern, with an ending balance of $682,000 after expecting none.

Not everyone saw the same rosy view.

Steve Orly said the city was still ignoring big and costly needs in the near future, including a new roof for City Hall and dredging the harbor.

“I think we force balance our books to make them look pretty,” Orly said.

City manager appoints new Vacaville utilities director

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

Cole has been with the city for 17 years and has served in the acting director role since August.

“I am pleased to announce Justen Cole as our next director of utilities,” Busch said. “He possesses more than

22 years of municipal water and wastewater experience. I have no doubt that Justen’s prior experience and knowledge of Vacaville will lead him to success in this role.”

Cole began his career with Vacaville in 2006 as an associate civil engineer and was promoted to senior civil engineer in 2015 and assistant director in 2018. He previously worked for the Sacramento County Sanitation District and the Sacramento County

FAIRFIELD Council tells staff to remove RV Storage project trash signs requirement

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — The City Council this week supported at least part of an appeal by the developer of Edison RV Storage – directing staff to remove garbagerelated signage from the project conditions.

A formal resolution approving the minor development review and use permit will come back to the council at a future meeting.

Water Agency. According to the press release, Cole has been responsible for the design and completion of several utilities facilities projects, including the Wastewater Tertiary Plant Expansion, McMurtry Revisor and Booster Pump Station, Reynolds Ranch Revisor, Allison Lift Station, Browns Valley Lift Station and numerous maintenance projects. He is also credited with

COLE See Director, Page A5

Suisun council lauds city’s commitment to diversity

toDD R. H anSen

THANSEN@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

SUISUN CITY — The City Council on Tuesday adopted a proclamation recognizing February as Black History Month.

“Suisun City is a progressive city which incorporates equity, diversity and inclusion of African Americans by implementing practices and policies that ensure access to opportunities to growth and development, leadership and health care, education, safety and cultural respect,” the proclamation states.

It was presented to Bonita Knuckles, who was the chairwoman of the Black History Event Committee, which put on the

inaugural county Black History Celebration, which was held Feb. 4 in Suisun City.

“Together we can do great things,” Knuckles said.

In other action, the council:

n Approved a $2.15 million construction contract with Marina Landscape Inc. of Lathrop for the Highway 12 Landscape Improvements Project. The funds come from the California Department of Transportation’s portion of the Clean California grant. Additionally, the state gives the city $28,000 a year to maintain the highway landscaping needs.

n Accepted as complete

discipline each year.” The winner will receive $5,000.

the Asphalt Rubber Cape Seal and Traffic Calming Project, which was funded out of the $993,648 in fiscal year 2021-22 Senate Bill 1 dollars. The traffic calming portion of the project was funded from $80,920 in Transportation Funds for Clean Air allocations.

n Agreed to place liens on property taxes for unpaid waste collection service charges. Republic Services Inc. reports there are 256 delinquent solid waste accounts representing approximately $100,906. The city will receive $20 per lien and 1% of the total levy amount to offset administrative costs. Those funds go to the General Fund.

It will end a nearly yearlong bureaucratic journey for Steve Mirabito and StoragePro of Fairfield, who won approval for the project on Aug. 1 from the city’s zoning administrator, but did not like all the conditions placed on the project.

The primary issue was requiring a trash enclo-

Hudson

From Page A3

The councilman served from December 2006 to 2018, and again from December 2020 until his resignation effective Tuesday. He was vice mayor from December 2010 to October 2013. Hudson will receive a plaque “in honor of his commitment and dedicated service to the city of Suisun City.”

HERNANDEZ

The presentation to Hudson opened a meeting that ended more

sure with signage to denote its location.

So Mirabito appealed the zoning administrator’s decision to the Planning Commission, which reduced the size of the enclosure, but otherwise kept all the other conditions in place. Still, the commission approved the project Oct. 26.

So he appealed that decision to the City Council, which heard the matter Tuesday night.

The facility will have to keep the trash enclosure, a requirement for commercial facilities in the city Municipal Code, and the indemnification clause. But all signage requirements will be dropped.

The facility calls for 138 vehicles spaces and solar carports –136 covered – located on 4.21 acres at 490 Edison Court off of Lopes Road.

than three hours later with the council deciding to let Mayor Alma Hernandez interview all potential candidates for the vacancy and to bring back no more than three finalists for consideration on March 21.

The council members agreed it was important to get someone appointed as quickly as possible because of the upcoming budget process and other key decisions to be made.

The application period opens Monday. Hernandez attended the meeting virtually from the East Coast.

William Ford

William (Bill) Ford passed away on Friday February 3, 2023, at North Bay Hospital.

Bill was born January 23, 1938, in Knoxville Tennessee to Norman and Fannie Mae (Stalcup) Ford. He married Wanda Greenlee on March 12, 1955 and moved to California with their 5 children in 1968.

Bill worked as a maintenance man with La Mariposa Hospital as well as various other jobs before putting himself through school to become a General and Plumbing Contractor in 1973. He owned Home Maintenance Plumbing and Construction and William Ford Plumbing & Construction. Bill was well known and respected by so many, and a pillar of the community.

She tolerates nothing short of adherence to high moral and ethical standards,” the nominator said.

The nominees will have the opportunity to win a cash prize up to $10,000 to be shared with their district.

LifeChanger of the Year receives hundreds of nominations each school year from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Eighteen individual LifeChanger of the Year awards will be given during the 2022-23 school year.

The awards include the grand prize winner ($10,000); grand prize finalists ($5,000); and LifeChanger Award winners ($3,000). A Spirit Award also is given out to “the nominee whose community demonstrates the most support for their nomination.” The winner will receive $5,000. The Capstone Award goes to “a nominee retiring at the end of the 2022-23 school year.” The winner will receive $3,000. The Spotlight Award goes to “a nominee in a specific

Winners are chosen by a selection committee comprised of former winners and education professionals, and will be announced later this year. Nominees must be K-12 teachers or school district employees.

To view the nominee

profiles for Nurse, Lucas and Hernandez, or to nominate someone from your school community, go to www.lifechanger oftheyear.com

A resource page with ideas for how to celebrate nominees can be found at http://lifechangerofthe year.com/showspirit

Charles Davis

Charles Davis, 59, passed away peacefully at home on February 13, 2023, surrounded by loved ones. He was born in Grenada, Mississippi, and moved to Fairfield, California in 1968 where he would remain a lifelong resident. He was known by all as a very kind, giving, caring, humble, down to earth person that would help anyone out regardless of how tired he was or the length of his workday. He was employed at The Oil Connection for many years, and most recently employed at Ramirez Towing as a tow truck driver. However, his heart and true passion was in automotive mechanics. He loved to work on cars. He ser ved as a mechanic for many folks in the area when time would permit; work he truly enjoyed and in which he took much pride. He enjoyed watching and rooting for his beloved San Franciso 49ers and San Francisco Giants. He was also an avid fan of NASCAR, a pastime he shared with his brother Eddie. He also enjoyed hanging out with his family and friends over a good meal. He is survived by his brother, Eldevon Davis; sisters, Jackie (Pierre) Davis and Jeanette Davis; cousin, Daren (Debbie) Wright, who he honored as a brother; aunts, Bettye Wright and Cussie Ann (Edward) Walker; uncle, Frank (Elaine) Davis; nephews, Tyrese Shields and Justin Hunt; nieces, Tanesha (David) Smith and Taylor Davis; great nieces and nephews, Samyra, Daniel, Joseph, Honour and Tyrese, Jr. He is preceded in death by his mother, Emma Grace Hall; aunts, Odessa Davis, Irma Taylor and Carrie Taylor

He was a hardworking man who rarely took time off, and when he did, he enjoyed visiting his family in Tennessee as well as vacationing in Hawaii with the love of his life! When not working, he would relax at home watching a handful of TV shows he loved - Gun Smoke, Perry Mason and Emergency, to name a fe w.

He recently celebrated his 85th birthday surrounded by his kids, grandkids, great grandkids and friends.

Bill is survived by brother Bobby Ford and sister Ann Powell from Tennessee; sons, Billy (Bernice) Ford of Aurora, IL, Randy Ford and Ricky Ford, of Fairfield; daughter, Robin (Thom) Demattei of Belmont; grandkids, Christy, Krystal, Melissa, Robby, Brianna, Samantha, and R.J.; as well as 10 great-grandkids.

He was preceded in death by his wife Wanda Ford; son, Joey Ford; grandson, Jay Lee Ford; parents, Norman and Fannie Mae Ford; brother, Charles Ford; and sisters, Gladys Allen and Betty Stanford. William, Bill, Dad, Pop, Papa

You will be missed so much and remain forever in our hearts!

Services will be held at Bryan-Braker Funeral Home, Fairfield on February 28, 2023, at 11:00 a.m..

Prior to the services, a visitation will be held at Bryan-Braker Funeral Home on February 27, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m..

FAIRFIELD FUNERAL HOME

Pre-Arrangements of Funeral & Cremations

1. Locks in costs at today’s prices.

2. Monthly payments to fit your budget w/no interest.

3. 100% of your funds invested toward your funeral.

4. Plans are transferable to other family members.

Veteran’s Discount

VACAVILLE — City Manager Aaron Busch announced in a press release Wednesday that he has selected Assistant Director of Utilities Justen Cole to be the director of the city’s utilities operations.

FHS student among 3 killed in rollover during CHP pursuit

toDD R. H anSen THANSEN@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — One of the occupants of a stolen vehicle that crashed on Suisun Valley Road in the early hours Wednesday was a 16-year-old female Fairfield High student.

The Solano County

Sheriff-Coroner’s Office reported Thursday afternoon that the matter was still under investigation and the identifies of the individuals were not being released. The California Highway Patrol declined comment, referring the matter to the District Attorney’s

Tax filing help, tips available through Franchise Tax Board programs

earn low or moderate incomes. Starting this year, (the Earned Income Tax Credit) has expanded eligibility to low-income workers aged 18 to 24 and individuals 65 and up.”

Office. The Solano County Major Crimes Task Force, in cooperation with the CHP Golden Gate Division Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team, are heading the investigation. The District Attorney’s Office had no one available to take media calls Thursday.

The high school has brought in counselors to help students and staff, and some activities have been canceled or postponed due to the death of their classmate.

The story begins Tuesday when the white Hyundai was taken during a carjacking in Vallejo,

the California Highway Patrol reported on its Facebook page.

At 12:35 a.m. Wednesday, a CHP officer spotted the vehicle and attempted to pull it over.

“The driver of the Hyundai failed to yield to the patrol vehicle’s emergency lights (and) siren

and a pursuit ensued. The Hyundai exited (Interstate 80) at Suisun Valley Road while traveling at a high rate of speed and became involved in a solo rollover crash. The crash resulted in fatal injuries to three occupants within the Hyundai,” the Facebook post said.

Vacaville Rotary to host annual poker tournament fundraiser

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VACAVILLE — The Vacaville Rotary Club is planning its annual Texas Hold ’Em Tournament on March 17 at the Vacaville Opera House, 560 Main St.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program specializes in assisting taxpayers with disabilities, those with low to limited income and non-English speaking taxpayers.

The Tax Counseling for the Elderly provides free income tax assistance for middle- or low-income taxpayers, giving special attention to those 60 or older.

Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, sent out a statement urging taxpayers to take advantage of the programs and other tips, including applying for the Earned Income Tax Credit.

The credit is “a benefit worth thousands of dollars for working people who

More than 1.4 million people claimed the credit in 2021, totaling nearly $350 million. Those who are eligible may also be eligible for other programs that include Medi-Cal, CalFresh and CalWORKS, Dodd’s Office reported.

“It’s easy to become lost in the maze of forms and rules when you are filing your taxes. Fortunately, there are teams of qualified volunteers out there ready to help,” Dodd said in the statement.

For more information about getting help, go to www.ftb.ca.gov/help/freetax-help/index.html

In addition, the IRS has its Taxpayer Advocate Service, which provides an independent system to ensure unresolved tax problems are handled promptly and fairly. For information, go to www.irs. gov/taxpayer-advocate

All proceeds from the event will fund the outreach efforts of the club within the community.

The tournament, which has a St. Patrick’s Day theme, will kick off at 5 p.m. with appetizers and a no-host bar featuring micro-brewery beer.

The poker games will begin at 6 p.m. A number of tables will be set up and professional dealers will deal the cards. Over the course of the night, losing players will be eliminated until there is one table left. Awards will be given for first, second and third place. There will also be a second-chance bracket for people who lose in the first round to try again. The buy-in for the game is $100. There will also be a door prize, prize drawings items and a silent auction.

Event committee chairman Michael White said he estimates

City Church of Fairfield to add garden to help feed families

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD —

Sustainable Solano is partnering with City Church of Fairfield to create a “food forest” to help feed families in the community.

“Sustainable Solano’s Solano Gardens program is partnering with City Church of Fairfield to create a community food forest and garden on the church grounds that will supply food for underserved communities in Fairfield. Hands-on garden installation workshops have been scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and March 4. Lunch will be provided.

Register for the Saturday workshop at www.eventbrite.com/e/ fairfield-food-forestinstallation-day-1-of2-tickets-536172114227

Register for the March 4 workshop at www.eventbrite.com/e/ fairfield-food-forest-instal lation-day-2-of-2-tickets-

Director

From Page A4

creating a long-term management strategy for the protection of groundwater and worked with other agencies to create the Solano GSA Collaborative to develop a groundwater sustainability plan.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Vacaville in this capacity,” Cole said in the same release. “I will continue to lead the department with the charge of providing high quality and reliable water and wastewater services to our community.”

536180228497

“(The) new garden going in at City Church of Fairfield will help to feed the local community, including those most at-risk for food insecurity in the low-income and unhoused communities,” Sustainable Solano said in a statement.

The program is funded by the Solano Public Health Division and “creates and supports gardens that provide access to fresh produce in communities that have historically experienced limited access to healthy food.”

“Through recent expansion of the program, Solano Gardens also is building a network of community gardens and individual gardeners to share knowledge, resources and opportunities. The addition of the garden at City Church aligns closely with the church’s mission to help locally through outreach programs. These programs include a navi-

gation center, residential program, free clinic, food distribution and a safe place to park for the night with showers and meals available,” the statement said.

more than $16,000 was raised last year. “Our poker players enjoy a fun night supporting Rotary and the community in helping fund some of our amazing local community projects like Play 4 All Park and the citywide Spelling Bee,” White said in a press release.

Other programs supported through the fundraiser are Opportu-

Night and Camp Royal, a Rotary Youth Leadership Award conference held each June in Northern California. Four students from Vacaville high schools will be sent to Camp Royal to learn leadership skills and become prepared for the workforce. There are three options to purchasing tickets:

through Eventbrite at rypoker.eventbrite.com, by sending the buy-in of $100 per person to the VVRotary Venmo, or tickets can be purchased at the door on the day of the event. For more information about the event, call Shawn Paschal at 707-592-1398. For more information on Vacaville Rotary, visit vacavillerotary.org

Michal Parzuchowski/Unsplash

The Texas Hold ’Em Tournament begins at 5 p.m. March 17.

CALMATTERS COMMENTARY

Is ending homelessness just a matter of money?

Being what it is, California has a mélange of complex public policy issues – some of them fully blown crises – that defy resolution year after year, decade after decade. Rather than recognize and deal with their complexities, the state’s politicians tend to condense responses into money.

K-12 education exemplifies the syndrome. The state’s nearly 6 million public school students perennially fail to make the cut in national tests of academic achievement, often trailing states that spend far less per-pupil on their schools.

Letters to the Editor

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

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

THIS YOUTH GENERATION

Black history, African American history are not the same thing

adaptive behaviors.

Dan Walters

It indicates that money is only one factor, and perhaps not the most important one, in educating children. Nevertheless, the political debate over the state’s educational deficiencies begins and ends with how much money is being spent, thereby providing a convenient excuse for failure.

California’s newest crisis, the nation’s highest level of homelessness in both absolute and relative terms, is following a similar arc.

Why upwards of 200,000 Californians, and probably more, are homeless involves factors that, much like educational aptitude, are as individual as fingerprints. While theories on causes and potential cures abound, once again the politics of the issue is focused on money –how much to spend, who spends it and who, if anyone, is held accountable for outcomes.

The politics of homelessness – or rather of spending on homelessness – appear to be entering a very contentious phase.

Early in his governorship, Gavin Newsom appointed himself as the state’s homelessness czar and during the first three years of his governorship (2018-21) the state spent nearly $10 billion on battling the social malady, according to a new state report. The money paid for 35 different programs administered by nine different state agencies.

That total does count billions more in homelessness spending by federal and local governments or the additional billions in more recent years. The 2022-23 budget allocated another $10.2 billion while Newsom, facing deficits, proposes an additional $3.4 billion for 2023-24.

Despite the spending, homelessness numbers have continued to rise and legislators know the voting public is losing patience.

“It’s very frustrating for the general public when they hear that in the state, we’re spending billions – and that’s billions with a B – of dollars on homelessness and housing. And yet they don’t feel that they’re seeing enough of an impact in their communities,” Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, a Burbank Democrat, said.

Newsom in recent months has blamed local governments for a lack of aggressiveness, saying he would be “hard-pressed to make a case to the Legislature to provide them $1 more” if local officials don’t accelerate homelessness responses.

Newsom has not yet told the Legislature how he would compel stronger local action. Local officials say they need clear lines of accountability and a dependable stream of money to finance ongoing programs rather than yearly allocations that can vary widely.

“When you look at child welfare, transportation, criminal justice, health care, education, it’s clear who’s supposed to do what and how it’s funded,” says Graham Knaus, CEO of the California State Association of Counties. “Not with homelessness.”

So, one might wonder, if successfully battling homelessness is a matter of money, how much would it take?

Fourteen months ago, the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) and the California Housing Partnership released a report projecting that California could end homelessness by 2035 were it to spend $8.1 billion a year until then – the vast majority of it for housing.

That totals more than $100 billion, a big number that does not include ancillary services such as food, medical care and treatment for mental illness, drug addiction and alcoholism. However, it might be a bargain if, in fact, it worked.

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

Ihad an interesting online conversation with a conservative podcaster about the relevance of learning race-specific history such as Black history or African American history.

Just to be clear, there is a significant difference. Black history, or African history, is accurately and scientifically proven to be the start of civilization. African American history one could argue may have started with slavery yet there is evidence that is unpopular and often unpublicized that indicates there were Africans or Egyptians in the Americas centuries before the myth of Columbus discovering America.

So to his challenging question: Why should we highlight race-specific historical accomplishments? Does this create more divisiveness in our society? Why do we need African American history? There’s no white history month or Asian History Month. Why?

Here’s a thought: The misdirected state of our youth could be redirected with inspiration and education.

American historians for years have demonstrated a fallacious representation of history by demeaning and omitting the significant contributions of African Americans. Institutional racism and oppression such as 253 years of slavery and Jim Crow laws severely damaged the image and perception of the African American people. The negative stereotypes that exist create a mistaken identity among Black youth that still to this day renders them vulnerable to mal-

As my favorite quote from James Baldwin exposes, “He who controls the image, controls the mind. . . .” The images that so many of our youth are constantly exposed to are extremely harmful to our society. The glamorization of crime and violence as a means to earn respect and material wealth has created a generation of youth that has no value for life, freedom or cultural dignity.

Dr. Carter G Woodson recognized this when he initiated Negro History Week in 1926, which evolved into what we acknowledge today as Black History Month in 1976. It is designed to promote, honor and recognized the historical contributions of African Americans in science, politics, sports art and more. It is a fruitful tool to inspire, motivate and counter some of the harmful images that permeates African American culture. Black History Month garners support throughout the country as people of all ethnic and social backgrounds celebrate the African American experience.

I’ve been inquiring all this week about what local middle and high school students are learning for African American History Month. The majority of the young people I’ve encountered have indicated that so far, nothing or very little is being done. However, speaking with the local high schools, I learned that teachers are making an effort to expose students to African American history in their individual classes. I’m sure there’s a section in the history

curriculum that mentions Frederick Douglass. Perhaps there are some science classes discussing the significance of Dr. Charles Drew or Dr. Daniel Hale Williams. The math classes are exposing the accomplishments of the brilliant mathematician Benjamin Banneker. There are English teachers focusing on the literary works of Richard Wright or Langston Hughes.

As we continue to enjoy programs and special celebrations honoring African American History Month, I begin to realize how disconnected the majority of today’s youth is from previous generations. The sense of cultural pride and heritage has been lost.

Here’s an update for our youth: African American culture runs much deeper than hip-hop and fashion trends. We can’t depend on the public education system alone to teach or instill culture in students. The bulk of that should fall on the students’ parents and family. Your home should be the nest for cultivating culture and heritage, be it European, African, Asian or Latin. Simply learning the trials, triumphs and tragedies of a people will help generate respect and understanding, which leads to unity.

Please take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy African American history programs in the community or on various media outlets.

Deon D. Price is an author and youth life skills coach who lives in Fairfield. He can be reached at www.deondprice.com or thisyouthgeneration@gmail.com.

Musk turns Tesla’s ‘failing’ into winning

Anyone searching the phrase “Tesla failed” on Google is immediately inundated with the purported shortcomings of the multinational automotive and clean energy company’s zero-emission, electric vehicles, workplace culture, business practices, occupational safety and, especially, its controversial Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk.

In times like these, it’s appropriate to recall what Gertrude tells her son Hamlet in Shakespeare’s most famous play: “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”

When it comes to Tesla Inc., such criticism is little more than a sideshow. No other carmaker comes close to matching its performance, which includes posting record revenue each year since it began reporting financial results in 2007. With a stock market value of $659 billion as of last Friday, Tesla is worth more than Toyota Motor Co., Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Volkswagen AG, BMW AG, General Motors Co., Stellantis NV and Ford Motor Co. combined.

And while everyone thought Musk’s entanglement with Twitter Inc. would be damaging to Tesla, the results prove otherwise. Tesla is now turning every $100 of revenue into an industry-leading $26 of profit after production costs – the widest gross margin since the Austin, Texasbased company started selling more than 50,000 cars annually in 2015.

Tesla also scores the highest profit margin among the 10 largest automakers, providing a huge competitive advantage by allowing it to invest more money into improving its cars and developing new products than its peers, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Musk teased as much in recent weeks, saying Tesla will reveal more details about its smaller, cheaper nextgeneration electric-vehicle platform at its investor day March 1. Given the company’s already dominant market share in the EV industry, it’s probably a day its competitors are dreading.

It’s little wonder that 30 analysts have a “buy” recommendation on Tesla, a record for the company going back to its initial public offering in 2010. The number of upgrades rose 32% last year even though Tesla’s shares plummeted 65% amid a nasty bear market for tech stocks. The Bloomberg Recommendation Consensus Rating, which quantifies analyst forecasts, reveals no other automaker was so emphatically upgraded.

Perhaps the reason why analysts are enamored with Tesla is because it continually proves the doubters wrong in a business once considered impregnable. Annual sales of its flagship Model 3 sedan increased 278 times to 493,310 units in 2022 from less than 2,000 in 2017, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Deliveries of Toyota’s Prius, the industry’s benchmark hybrid vehicle, fell 66% during the same period. Sales at Shenzen, China-based BYD Co., the biggest rival manufacturer of EVs, rose just 17-fold.

With every auto company now selling EVs – an outcome predicted to be the demise of the California startup that prompted global car buyers to begin rejecting the universal internal combustion engine – Tesla just two months ago was reported to be teetering from the assault of its detractors, led by short sellers Jim Chanos, David Einhorn and Andrew Left. Scion Asset Man-

agement founder Michael Burry, who made his fortune and reputation by correctly anticipating the subprime mortgage financial crisis, was among those seeing no end to the pitfalls enveloping Musk.

Too many of Tesla’s critics are focused on Musk’s antics. For them, Tesla’s success in the stock market and premium valuation even with last year’s setback is solely due to unrelenting demand from Musk’s legion of “fanboys” and the same folks who think Bitcoin will still go to $1 million and supplant the global financial system.

Few bothered to mention that Tesla, which lost $670 billion in market value last year, was still twice the value of Toyota when the shortselling bonanza and stock market carnage climaxed. That’s because Tesla’s market share remains robust.

With more than 3.6 million vehicles on the road, Tesla accounts for 20% of all battery-electric vehicles, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The ratio was 13% in 2017. Who would have guessed back in 2017 that a Tesla Model S would reach the coveted 1 million miles driven milestone? But it happened in 2022 and may prompt an entry in the Guinness World Records.

“Tesla has the most exciting product of any company on Earth by a long shot,” Musk said Jan. 25 after the company released its quarterly earnings results. Hyperbole? Sure, but it’s hard to argue with the results, which certainly don’t scream “Tesla failed.”

Matthew A. Winkler, editor in chief emeritus of Bloomberg News, writes about markets. Bloomberg’s Shin Pei and Sebastian Andres Delgado Moral contributed to

Deon D. Price

Matthew Winkler

Solano County’s Largest Full Service Truck Shop

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

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

(707) 427-1386

McEntire joins ‘The Voice’ as ‘Mega Mentor’ for Shelton’s final season

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

Reba McEntire is bringing her decades of music savvy back to “The Voice.”

The NBC singing competition announced Wednesday that the “Reba” star and “I’m a Survivor” singer will serve as the “Mega Mentor” on Season 23. The multi-hyphenate will join new “Voice” coaches Chance the Rapper and Niall Horan, and returning coaches Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton.

According to a press release, McEntire will help the coaches mentor singers who make it to the later stage of the competition.

Previous Mega Mentors on “The Voice” have included Ed Sheeran, Snoop Dogg, Mariah Carey, Taylor Swift and Usher.

The Country Music Hall of Fame inductee will return to “The Voice” stage more than a decade after first appearing as an adviser in the inaugural 2011 season.

NBC’s announcement comes after Shelton shared in October that he’ll depart the series after Season 23. Shelton, the show’s longest-serving coach, has been with the competition series since 2011.

“I’ve been wrestling with this for a while and I’ve decided that it’s time for me to step away from ‘The Voice’ after next season,” he said on Instagram. “This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me.”

“The Voice” Season 23 premieres at 8 p.m. March 6 on NBC.

Pickles Brian Crane

Zits Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

Pearls Before Swine Stephan Pastis

Dilbert Scott Adams

Baby Blues Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott

Baldo Hector Cantú

Crime logs

FairField

TUESDAY, FEB. 21

6:09 a.m. — Vandalism, 1500 block of WEST TEXAS STREET

8:47 a.m. — Vandalism, 1100 block of CLAY STREET

11 a.m. — Fight with a weapon, 1200 block of QUAIL DRIVE

11:02 a.m. — Vandalism, 2200

block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

11:16 a.m. — Brandishing a

weapon, 800 block of EAST

TABOR AVENUE

12:41 p.m. — Hit-and-run

property damage, BECK AVENUE

1:54 p.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, 900 block of TEXAS STREET

2:21 p.m. — Battery, 1000 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

2:46 p.m. — Forgery, 1000 block of WEBSTER STREET

3:05 p.m. — Grand theft, 1300 block of TRAVIS BOULEVARD

3:33 p.m. — Trespassing, 500 block of SAN MARCO STREET

3:47 p.m. — Vehicle theft, 2100 block of HARTE PLACE

7:27 p.m. — Reckless driver, CORMORANT DRIVE

7:44 p.m. — Drunken driver, HORIZON DRIVE

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 22

6:51 a.m. — Vehicle theft, 1400 block of WESTMINSTER DRIVE

8:54 a.m. — Commercial burglary, 2900 block of TRAVIS

BOULEVARD

11:22 a.m. — Sexual assault, 2100 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

12:22 p.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, WATERMAN BOULEVARD

3:06 p.m. — Reckless driver, NORTH GATE ROAD

4:20 p.m. — Vehicle burglary, 2700 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

4:33 p.m. — Forgery, 1300 block of GATEWAY BOULEVARD

4:57 p.m. — Reckless driver, NORTH TEXAS STREET

5:33 p.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, EASTBOUND AIR BASE

PARKWAY

5:35 p.m. — Trespassing, 1200 block of B. GALE WILSON

SuiSun City

rail car to be 103 degrees Fahrenheit above ambient temperature.

At a hot box detector 11 miles before that, the bearing registered as 38 degrees above ambient. Norfolk Southern’s settings don’t activate alarms until the temperature reaches 170 degrees above ambient, or shows a difference of at least 115 degrees between the suspect bearing and another bearing on the same axle. That means that while the temperature in the bearing rose by 270% over the course of 11 miles, neither the crew nor the dispatcher would have been alerted to the trend.

By the time the train crossed the hot box detector in East Palestine, it clocked in at 253 degrees above ambient temperature, which triggered a critical alarm, alerting the crew to stop immediately and inspect the train, which they tried to do.

But it was too late.

Large rock falls from Yosemite’s El Capitan

Alex J. Wood was in the Yosemite Valley on Monday morning taking photos of El Capitan’s picturesque rock face when he heard what sounded like the “loudest thunder ever.”

He immediately looked up and saw a huge rock falling down the famous granite slab.

“I couldn’t believe what I saw,” Wood said, who happened to be taking photos at the time and captured the final portion of the rock’s fall on video. “It looked like a giant oversized grand piano falling in slow motion. . . . It was mad.

“Because I was already pointing (my camera) at El Capitan, I managed to film it,” said Wood, a sculpture artist visiting California from London.

Wood was far enough from the rockfall that he said he wasn’t worried about his safety. He was concerned, however, about climbers he’d seen on the side of El Capitan and possible hikers nearby.

But park officials later said no one was injured.

— Tribune Content Agency

in from China, Japan and cruise ships. Matyas said the county became aware of the disease at the end of 2019.

"So am

The 150-car train, weighing 17,977 tons, stretching more than a mile and a half in length and traveling 47 miles per hour, had derailed at the 23rd. The troubled bearing had ground down and failed, according to the preliminary NTSB report. When the train stopped, the crew

saw smoke and fire. The dispatcher authorized the crew to uncouple the lead locomotive and drive down the track for about a mile to a safe distance.

In total, 38 cars went off the tracks and the resulting fire damaged an additional 12. No one was injured but thousands were displaced from their homes before and for several days after a controlled burn of five tanker cars containing vinyl chloride sent an ominous dark cloud into the sky.

Constantine Tarawneh, who directs the University Transportation Center for Railway Safety at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, has been studying the efficacy of hot box detectors for two decades. Speaking before the NTSB report was released, he said he would not be surprised to find that the technology failed to detect the problem in time.

“Temperature is not a good metric to measure the condition of bearings or moving elements in general,” he said. “Meaning, by the time you detect something with temperature, it’s already too late.”

He said it’s like waiting for a raging fever to indicate sickness instead of relying on the sore throat and runny nose that precede it.

Some detectors underpredict the temperature by 80%, he said. Others trigger false alarms so frequently that railroads

disease, is variable."

calibrate their response to those alerts.

“It’s kind of a crap shoot,” he said.

Over the past 20 years, overheated bearings have led to 416 derailments, according to Federal Railroad Administration data on train accidents. That’s an average of about two dozen a year, with the vast majority not nearly as impactful or catastrophic as what happened in East Palestine.

A review of those records shows that in situations where a hot box detector is mentioned, the alerted train crew stops the train to find cars already derailed on the tracks.

The Federal Railroad Administration does not regulate hot box detectors and so doesn’t require railroads to report data on how they perform. That makes it difficult to know how many avoided derailments can be attributed to hot box detectors.

In a report released in May, the agency studied the effectiveness of wayside detectors, concluding that their growth has “significantly helped in reducing the number of derailments related to freight car/components.”

The FRA study simply mapped the rise of wayside detection technologies, which also include devices that alert for dragging equipment or too much pressure on a wheel, against the rate of derailments among freight railroads. Hot

box detectors were by far the most commonlyinstalled technology, with about 6,000 in operation across the U.S.

Specifically, the Federal Railroad Administration concluded these detectors most dramatically reduced derailments from overheated bearings.

“Effective detection of these defects has led the railroads and equipment owners to monitor their fleet and schedule maintenance and repair to correct these issues,” the study said.

But it also noted that the Association of American Railroads, the industry group that sets policies and standards for rail operators, is studying the issue with a “focus on developing a bearing temperature trending criterion for industry-wide acceptance.”

On Tuesday, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg called on Norfolk Southern and all freight railroads to enact certain measures he thought would improve their safety performance. Those include accelerating the adoption of safer tank cars; supplementing, instead of abandoning human inspections with new technologies, like automated track inspections; paid sick leave for railroad workers; and letting states know when hazardous materials are traveling through their territories.

None of us wanted this to lead to so many people losing their lives, and it creates great sadness. It's hard for our community to recover."

Even in a time of plentiful vaccines and therapeutics, when Covid-19 has been pushed to the back of many a mind, California is still tallying more than 20 deaths every day, on average.

California, the nation's most-populous state, has reported more Covid-19 deaths than any other. Texas, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania are the next closest, according to data compiled by the Los Angeles Times.

For perspective, California's cumulative death toll is roughly equivalent to the population of cities such as Hesperia in San Bernardino County or Vista in San Diego County.

bad outcomes. The largest of those reasons is the vaccine. Natural immunity also increased, he said, and the virus itself – while spreading more easily –became less virulent.

Matyas said he thinks the vaccination rates in the county were a big success, with 81% of the eligible population getting at least one shot and 73% completing the two-shot series. Another 185,195 booster shots were administered.

The county's focus on protecting nursing care and other similar facilities also played a big part, because those populations were at the greatest risk, Matyas said.

If all goes as expected, the emergency would end three years – almost to the day – after what was at the time the first known confirmed community-spread Covid-19 case was confirmed in Vacaville. The woman had arrived at NorthBay Medical Center on Feb. 15, 2020, and the disease was confirmed Feb. 26, records show.

But that was weeks after Travis Air Force Base had become a quarantine area for Americans coming

I surprised the emergency lasted this long – yes," said Matyas, reiterating his position that the response to the disease had more to do with politics and public opinion than a reaction to the actual disease.

Keeping the emergency going also kept California eligible for federal emergency response dollars.

The state emergency was proclaimed March 4, 2020, with Solano and the other 57 counties following suit.

The county's final online report will be next Thursday.

Matyas said with the value of hindsight the county could have done some things better. He has never been convinced the economic lockdown was necessary, at least not to the degree it was enforced, and the hardest hit populations were those that were already the most disadvantaged groups.

Moving forward, he said the county will still have vaccine to distribute as needed, but in the long run he expects Covid-19 will become similar to the flu with annual shots being offered.

And as the state enters what officials characterize as a new phase of the pandemic, the virus's cumulative devastation remains hard to comprehend while its day-to-day effects are, for many, increasingly easy to ignore.

"Some people say it's nothing, 'Why are you bothering us with this pandemic? We should be back to normal now,'" Dr. Sylvie Briand, director of epidemic and pandemic prevention and preparedness at the World Health Organization, said during a recent webinar. "And others say it's catastrophic: 'My neighbor died yesterday. And last month it was my greatuncle who died.'

"Who is right?" she said.

"Both perspectives are understandable because the risk of getting sick, the risk of having severe

"This milestone is a tragic reminder of the very real toll the pandemic has taken on Californians," the state Department of Public Health wrote in a statement to The Times. "Our focus remains on the steps we can continue taking to limit further loss of life due to Covid-19."

L.A. County, the nation's most populous county, has reported more than 35,000 Covid-19 deaths.

"Just the magnitude of that is unimaginable, except for the people who have to live with it," Ferrer said. "And for them, we continue to keep you in our prayers and our thoughts."

Despite the massive tally, the Golden State has the 11th-lowest death rate among states when accounting for population, 255.3 per 100,000 residents, according to data compiled by The Times.

and caring,” Zaklos said.

By comparison, 10 states – Arizona, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, West Virginia, Arkansas, New Mexico, Alabama, Michigan and Florida – have cumulative death rates of at least 416 per 100,000 residents.

For many now, life in California goes on much as it did pre-pandemic.

Businesses are open, concerts and sporting events are packed and masks are increasingly a relic of the past.

"With this last surge this past winter, the numbers were much, much lower than in prior surges as far as hospitalizations, ICU and deaths," said California state epidemiologist Dr. Erica Pan.

Still, the virus has already killed more than 2,200 Californians this year, with an average of 22 deaths per day tallied over the latest reporting period, state data show.

And even during this winter, easily the mildest of the pandemic era, the peak per capita death rate for Covid-19 has been "still much, much higher than a serious flu season," Pan said during an online forum last week.

The virus's potency has been lessened through widespread immunity, either from vaccines, prior infection or a combination of the two. The availability of therapeutics and wellknown health measures to tamp down transmis-

sion – including regular hand washing, testing and, in certain situations, masking – also have played a role in curbing Covid-19, officials and experts say.

"Covid-19 hospitalizations and death rates have dramatically slowed over the last 12 months because of Californians' diligence in getting vaccinated and the sacrifices of all Californians to follow prevention and treatment guidance and tools," the state public health department said. "Overall, through the state's collective efforts, California has one of the nation's lowest Covid-19 death rates compared to other states of comparable population sizes."

But the danger is not the same for everyone. According to health officials, older adults, people with chronic health conditions and those who are unvaccinated are among the individuals who remain at increased risk for severe Covid-19 illness and death.

In December, unvaccinated Californians were 2.4 times more likely to contract Covid-19 than those who had received at least their primary vaccine series, state health data show. Unvaccinated residents were also 2.6 times more likely to be hospitalized and three times more likely to die from the disease.

music, and the message is catered to the crowd,” Zaklos said in a phone interview. “And when the message is part of an entertainment (platform), it hits home in a powerful way.”

Zaklos noted that reaching the youth is particularly important, especially with the rise of hate against Jews and in general. He specifically noted that Saturday has been designated as a “Day of Hate.” Police agencies around the nation have alerted synagogues and others about the possibility of violence.

“But this (Violins of Hope) is an opportunity to use a very negative event that happened to the Jewish people and turn it into an event of love, life

Violins of Hope is a collection of about five dozen restored instruments played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust. They are part of performances in cities across Europe, Israel and the United States. “Their former owners may have suffered and even died at the hands of others for being Jewish, but these instruments survived to again give voice to those silenced by the violence,” the statement released through Chabad of Solano stated. Zaklos added in the statement, “City officials seemed to understand and to be enthusiastic about getting a chance to make Holocaust education a priority and bringing it in such a tangible way . . . . It’s about the emotions.”

Solodovnikova-Adams, born in Ukraine and a Vacaville resident for more than 20 years, will

perform Holocaust-related music, including some from the film, “Schindler’s List.”

“She herself grew up under persecution,” Zaklos said, “so she experienced it first hand.”

Solodovnikova-Adams said she has never done anything like this before, and certainly the story of the instruments is something she feels.

“Of course, it resonates with me,” said Solodovnikova-Adams, adding the constant awareness she has for the war in her home country. “People need to be aware of the damage done (by the Holocaust) . . . and to raise awareness so it does not happen, again.”

She also said the performance will be challenging because the first time she will hold the instruments in her hand will be about

an hour before the first show.

“It’s absolutely difficult because you (typically) practice on the instrument, get the feel for it, and then play,” SolodovnikovaAdams said.

Organizers said Violins of Hope aims to be a life-changing Holocaust educational concert “emphasizing messages of hope, tolerance and resilience through music and storytelling, bringing the violins’ stories alive again.”

Chabad of Solano is located at 730 E. Main St. in Vacaville. For tickets, go to www.jewishsolano. com, send an email to info@jewishsolano.com or call 707-592-5300.

For more information about Violins of Hope, go to www.violinsof-hope.com

In brief

Chamber’s shred event returns

FAIRFIELD —

Protect your confidential information at the Fair field-Suisun Chamber’s shred event in April.

The event will occur from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 15 at 1111 Webster St.

Shred City will be on site shredding docu ments free for chamber members. Those who are not chamber members will be charged $5 per file box (15x12x10).

More information may be found at https:// business.fairfieldsuisun chamber.com

Baldwin pleads not guilty in shooting

Alec Baldwin pleaded not guilty Thursday in the fatal shooting of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Baldwin, 64, did not appear in person or by video to enter the plea, Variety reported. Instead, he submitted paperwork through his attorneys.

“Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who is also charged with involuntary manslaughter, was due in court Friday.

Israel launches airstrikes on Gaza

TEL AVIV, Israel —

The Israeli military launched airstrikes on facilities used by the Islamist Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, after rocket fire from the Palestinian territory.

A weapons factory and a military compound belonging to Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, were destroyed in the Israeli overnight attack, the Israeli army said. Several houses in the vicinity were slightly damaged. There were no reports of injuries.

The security situation in Israel and the Palestinian territories has been extremely tense for weeks.

— Staff, wire reports

Pot tax revenue drops, again, but still nearly $222M

4th quarter

FAIRFIELD — California received $221.6 million in marijuana taxes during the final three months of 2022.

This includes California’s cannabis excise tax, which generated $108 million; and $113.6 million in sales tax revenue from cannabis businesses, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration reported.

The total does not include local taxes collected by cities and counties.

With revisions to the third-quarter tax totals, the 2022 marijuana tax revenue to the state was $1.08 billion, the state agency reported.

“Since January 2018, total cannabis tax

revenue . . . is $4.6 billion, including $2.3 billion in cannabis excise tax (and) $1.8 billion in sales tax. That also includes $501.3 million in cultivation tax, which was eliminated July 1 as a result of cannabis tax reform,” the agency reported.

The fourth-quarter total for 2022 was the lowest three-month period during the year, and marks the sixth straight quarter that cannabis tax revenue has declined.

The final two quarters of the year, of course, did not have the cultivation tax.

The highest quarter for taxes came in the second quarter of 2021 with a total of $361.86 million.

Vaca PD announces arrests in 2022 homicide case

VACAVILLE — Police on Thursday announced the arrest of two men suspected in a shooting that left a man dead last fall.

Damien Jones, 22, of Fairfield, faces allegations of first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, attempted robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, being a

felon in possession of a firearm, willful discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony, and for alleged commission of a felony while out on bail, Vacaville police report.

Jeremy Fisher, 26, of Pacifica was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder, police report.

Cristian Medina, 25, of Vacaville, was one of two men shot just before 3:30 p.m. Aug. 12 near the 500 block of Markham Avenue. Medina died several hours later at a hospital as a result of his injuries, police report.

Police report the second person who was shot has made a full recovery.

Detectives believe the shooting of both victims occurred during the com-

mission of an armed robbery, police report. The case remains under investigation.

The arrests came as search warrants were served Wednesday in Fairfield, Vacaville, American Canyon and Pacifica.

Detectives worked the case for six months and came together with assistance from the Fairfield, Daly City and Pacifica police departments;

the FBI; and the Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Criminal cases against both Jones and Fisher had not been filed as of the end of the day Thursday, according to online Solano County Superior Court records. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective Jesse Outly at 707-449-5206.

Next genealogy talk hunts for information on granny

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VALLEJO — Members of the Genealogy Society of Vallejo-Benicia will soon hear a talk on “Runnin’ Down Granny: Researching Female Family Members.”

The speaker will be Nancy Calhoun. She has been doing genealogy for 45 years and worked as a genealogy librarian for 15 years. She has attended many national

conferences, received scholarships and won writing awards.

Calhoun presented for societies in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas. She has received two bachelor’s degrees and one master’s degree. She is a member of several genealogyrelated societies.

CALHOUN

At least half of our family trees consist of female ancestors. Yet

these are often clouded or completely lost in the mist of the past. At times, we’re lucky to even have a given name. This presentation presents information on finding these illusive women and even on how to “live with them” and in spite of them. This Zoom presentation will be made remotely. The time is 1:30 p.m. March 2. All

active Genealogy Society of Vallejo-Benicia members will receive a Zoom link.

If you would like to attend as a nonmember guest, send an email to gsvbzoom@gmail.com no

later than 4 p.m. March 1 to request a Zoom invitation. More information on the event can be found on the Genealogy Society of Vallejo-Benicia’s website at www.gsvb.org

Unsplash

The 2022 marijuana tax revenue to the state was $1.08 billion, according to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.

Rogers twins have Giants seeing double this spring

evan Webeck THE MERCURY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE, Az. — Tyler Rogers’ wife, Jennifer, remembers meeting his parents for the first time. She was nervous. Not about impressing her thenboyfriend’s family. She didn’t know if she’d be able to tell him apart from his twin brother, who rode along in the truck to pick her up.

Vanden boys top Central Catholic, earn date in section title matchup

M

FAIRFIELD — The dance moves came out as the final seconds ticket away in a 59-49 victory Wednesday night. It seemed only appropriate for a Vanden High School boys basketball team that will head to the Sac-Joaquin Section’s “Big Dance” on Saturday at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

Vanden put away visiting Central Catholic of Modesto in the Division III semifinals with a feisty and hotshooting fourth quarter. The two teams have become playoff rivals in recent years and met for the third straight year, including last year’s meeting in the section championship game, which Vanden won 57-53.

Vanden came away with the win and will take aim at a third straight section championship. The top-seed Vikings (22-9) will meet No. 2 Sacramento in the final. The Dragons were a 72-59 winner over No. 3 Placer in the other semifinals Wednesday night.

The championship game is set for 4 p.m. at the home of the Sacramento Kings, just two hours after the Vanden girls tip off in their section final.

Sacramento has an overall record of 24-7 and the Dragons finished third in the Capital Athletic League. Sophomore Sir Marius Jones, senior Mike Wilson and junior Kendahl Hearne are all scoring in double-figures.

“There’s a lot of history there,”

Big stage awaits Vanden girls in Saturday’s final

M att Miller

MMILLER@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — Jake Johnson never takes for granted the opportunity he and his wife and co-head coach Allison have of taking their Vanden High School girls basketball program to the big stage of an NBA arena for a section championship game.

“We’ve been coaching for 19 years and we have only gone seven times,” Johnson said, “so it doesn’t happen every year. And the first three years, we lost when it was

at ARCO Arena.”

The Johnsons currently have an overall coaching record of 472-100 and four section championships to their credit, including a state title in 2017.

The Vikings (24-7) will try and make it back-to-back Division III championships when they face Lincoln in a championship game at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Last year, Vanden beat Lincoln 76-36 for the title. Johnson said that victory over Lincoln has

See Girls, Page B3

Vanden head coach Micheal Holloway said of the matchup with Central Catholic. “There’s a lot of animosity between these two teams. We know they are going to give us their best, but we were ready to go.”

Vanden grabbed a 38-36 lead after three quarters and then took over in a high-energy James L. Boyd Gymnasium with a 21-13 edge in the final period. Justiz Wilson hit two big 3-pointers in the final period. Sterling McClanahan had a highlight steal and dunk shortly after hitting his own big 3-pointer. Wilson had the ball in his hands with seconds remaining and a smile crept on his face. Soon he showed some dance moves and his teammates followed suit.

See Boys, Page B3

Seventy-five times over, every player with the San Francisco Giants this spring training is experiencing the same feeling.

Before Taylor Rogers signed the three-year, $33 million free-agent contract that reunited him with his twin brother in the Giants’ bullpen, he and Tyler sat around his Littleton, Colorado, house (which they share for six weeks every winter), and discussed the potential downsides. This first week, with scores of interview requests and teammates struggling to tell them apart, was the first thing

that came up.

“We were like ‘Let’s try to find the things that would stink about you being on the Giants, things we wouldn’t like,’” Tyler said. “We talked about this first week, just getting the whole twin thing figured out with everybody. I don’t want to say ride the storm out because that’s bad. . . . It’s going good. We’re making some good headway. I think people are getting used to it.”

The verdict?

“First day was a little iffy. I think I walked up to them, like, that’s Taylor over there, right? Now I think I’ve got it down,” said starter Alex Wood, whose locker is directly next to the brothers. “But damn if they don’t look exactly alike, literally.”

“Surprisingly, it’s not as easy as I thought it was going to be,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “It’s just not. I see how they’re different, but when they’re right next to each other, like, I’m not a thousand

See Rogers, Page B3

Payton shocked by his return to the Warriors

c.J. HolMeS SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

LOS ANGELES —

Gary Payton II was just getting back into the rhythm of playing as the NBA’s trade deadline approached two weeks ago.

After signing a threeyear, $26.1 million deal with Portland during the offseason, the defensive spark plug for the Golden State Warriors last season had surgery to address a core-muscle injury. The lingering pain forced him to miss Portland’s first 35 games this season. He made his Trail Blazers debut Jan. 2 against Detroit. In 15 games, he averaged 4.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 17 minutes a night.

Against the Warriors on Feb. 8, he had nine points, three rebounds and a steal in 22 minutes. But even

then, Payton was playing through pain.

“Yeah, it was tricky,” he said Wednesday. “It was just lingering pain from the surgery that we were just trying to work on, get through, ease. But it was one of the games that I wanted to play, so I just kind of thugged it out.

“Me being 50% was better than nothing. I just had to get out there and help my team try to win.”

After struggling to stay healthy all season, Payton was glad to have one of his better performances against his former team – a game Portland won. He swapped jerseys with Jordan Poole after the game ended, a moment shared throughout social media.

However, speaking to reporters on Wednesday for the first time since

See Payton, Page B3

Solano’s women’s basketball team upset in NorCal opener

ROCKVILLE — The season of the Solano Community College basketball team came to a disappointing end Wednesday night as the Falcons lost on their home floor 57-52 to visiting Lassen in the Northern California regional playoffs.

Sydnei Collier led Lassen with a game-high 27 points and also pulled down seven rebounds. The Lady Cougars’ overall

record is just 12-16 but they will advance to Saturday night’s second round matchup at City College of San Francisco.

Solano had the No. 11 seed and the home court, but the Falcons were plagued by poor shooting. Solano was 0 for 12 on 3-pointers and hit just 18 for 66 from the field (27.3%). Lassen also won the rebound battle 58-42.

Jake Dickson and Jaslyn Woods led the Falcons with 10 points apiece. Ale

Ibarra had nine.

Saniya Walker also had eight points for Lassen to go with a team-high 11 rebounds.

The game remained tight throughout. Solano was up 17-15 after the first quarter and held on to a 24-23 lead at halftime.

Lassen grabbed the 41-40 lead after three quarters before a 16-12 edge in the final period gave them the final five-point victory.

Solano finished its season 19-10 overall.

SCC, American River baseball split games

ROCKVILLE —

The Solano Community College baseball team fell to visiting American River 5-3 Wednesday afternoon, one day after the Falcons opened the series with a decisive 13-6 win in Sacramento.

Solano’s Joshua Petrill allowed just two runs in the first six innings Wednesday before American

River added three more in the seventh. Petrill allowed 11 hits, three unearned runs but struck out 11.

Jacob Reguera pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing only one hit to go with four strikeouts.

Alex Gaela had three of Solano’s seven hits. Gaela went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs.

Ryan Mitchell had five hits in six plate appearances Tuesday with two doubles and five RBIs in Solano’s big win. The

Falcons collected 14 hits and improved to 6-7 on the season. The subsequent loss took their record to 6-8.

Dylan Snider was 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. Miles Meadows also singled and doubled.

After scoring six runs in the first two innings, American River was held scoreless the final seven innings. Gregory Ryan and Cooper Hack combined

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic

Vanden High School’s Sterling McClanahan, right, drives to the basket against Central Catholic’s Kaisarra Matautia during the boys basketball game in Fairfield, Wednesday. The Vikings won the Division semifinal game 59-49.

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic Vanden HIgh School’s Kalyn Harris shoots the ball during the girls playoff semifinal basketball game against Pioneer in Fairfield, Feb. 17.

CALENDAR

Friday’s TV sports

Basketball College Men

• Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth, ESPN2, 4 p.m.

• South Alabama at Louisiana, ESPN2, 6 p.m.

NBA

• Miami at Milwaukee, ESPN, 4:30 p.m.

• Oklahoma City at Phoenix, ESPN, 7 p.m.

• Houston at Golden State, NBCSBA (Fairfield and Suisun City), 7 p.m.

• Sacramento at L.A. Clippers, NBCSCA (Vacaville and Rio Vista), 7:30 p.m.

Golf

• PGA, The Honda Classic, GOLF, 11 a.m.

• Honda LPGA Thailand, GOLF, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday’s TV sports

Basketball College Men

• Connecticut at St. John’s, 5, 13, 9 a.m.

• Creighton at Villanova, 2, 40, 9 a.m.

• TCU at Texas Tech, ESPN2, 9 a.m.

• Michigan State at Iowa, ESPN, 9 a.m.

• Arkansas at Alabama, ESPN2, 11 a.m.

• Arizona State at Arizona, 5, 13, 11 a.m.

• Texas at Baylor, ESPN, 11 a.m.

• Rhode Island at Fordham, USA, 11:30 a.m.

• Fresno State at San Jose State, NBCSBA, 1 p.m.

• Florida State at Miami, ESPN2, 1 p.m.

• Auburn at Kentucky, 5, 13, 1 p.m.

• Virginia at North Carolina, ESPN, 3 p.m.

• Florida at Vanderbilt, ESPN2, 3 p.m.

• Indiana at Purdue, 2, 40, 4:30 p.m.

• Houston at East Carolina, ESPN2, 5 p.m.

• Virginia Tech at Duke, ESPN, 5 p.m.

• Saint Mary’s at Gonzaga, ESPN, 7 p.m.

• UC Irvine at Hawaii, ESPN2, 7 p.m.

College Women

• Connecticut at DePaul, 2, 40, 11 a.m.

NBA

• Boston at Philadelphia, 7, 10, 5:30 p.m.

Football College

• HBCU Legacy Bowl, NFL, 1 p.m.

Golf

• PGA, The Honda Classic, GOLF, 10 a.m.

• PGA, The Honda Classic, 3, Noon.

• Honda LPGA Thailand, GOLF, 7:30 p.m.

Gymnastics

• Winter Cup, 3, 10 a.m.

Hockey NHL

• N.Y. Rangers at Washington, 7, 10, 10 a.m.

• Pittsburgh at St. Louis, 7, 10, 12:30 p.m.

• Chicago at San Jose, NBCSCA, 7p.m.

Soccer

EPL

• Leeds at Southampton, USA, 7 a.m.

• Bournemouth at Manchester City, USA, 9:30 a.m.

Girls

From Page B1

been locked away and put in the rearview mirror. They expect nothing but the very best from a seasoned group of Fighting Zebras hoping to provide some payback.

“Their best post player is back and they have great size,” Johnson said of Lincoln. “We expect them to come in almost with a chip on their shoulder for what happened last year. But our girls are laser-focused and not taking anything lightly.”

Lincoln went 27-3 overall and won the Foothill Valley League with a 9-1 record. Senior Katie Leeth returns and is averaging 18 points a game and 9.5 rebounds.

Junior Maya Hodge is also a top talent with

Boys

From Page B1

“We stepped up our defense and took pride in what we do,” Vanden’s Elijah Lewis said.

“We feed off the atmosphere,” Edric Dennis said. “This feels so good. This is the second year in a row I’ve gone to Golden 1.”

Lewis led the Vikings with 19 points, including 11 in the first half. McClanahan had 11 and Wilson finished with nine.

Central Catholic standout Malachi Miller finished with a game-high 25 points, but the Vikings managed to contain him better in the second half. Miller had 17 points in the first half. The Raiders finished their season

Scoreboard

BASKETBALL

NBA

Rogers

From Page B1

percent sure right now. .

. . The funny thing is that for us, it would be really embarrassing (to mix them up). For them, it’s like, of course this happens.”

Payton

From Page B1 being traded back to the Warriors, Payton said he was “blindsided” by the deal, which was struck less than 24 hours after he faced Golden State at Moda Center.

“It shocked me just like it shocked everyone else,” he said. “I believe two minutes before the deadline I was notified.”

Warriors general manager Bob Myers made the decision to trade James Wiseman to Detroit and bring Payton back to Golden State to give the Warriors an elite point-ofattack defender to team with Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga.

14.7 points per game, 7.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists.

Everybody returns to the Vanden squad, including three-time Monticello Empire League MVP Alyssa Jackson. She is averaging 20.6 points per game and 5.9 rebounds. The future San Diego State Aztec has all-league selections alongside in Gabby Wright and Calonni Holloway. The team also features all-MEL honorable mention selections Kay Harris, Jaylen Kuehnel, Taytum Johnson and Jakayla Gilmer.

Vanden opened the playoffs with an 88-13 win over Casa Roble and followed it up with a 94-29 win over Pioneer. The Vikings defeated Kimball 84-49 in the semifinals Tuesday night.

21-10 overall.

The Raiders grabbed the early lead with a 16-11 edge in the first quarter as Miller hit a jumper and layup to end the period. It was 28-27 Central Catholic at halftime. Vanden trailed 25-19 with 2:34 to play in the period on another Miller jumper. The Vikings then closed the quarter with a 10-3 run that featured three-point plays with made baskets and subsequent made free throws by McClanahan and Luke Radovanovic to close the half.

Holloway said of the big finish in the fourth quarter, “We knew how close we were and we had to get over the hump. I told them at halftime, our run is coming.”

Reliever John Brebbia took special care to avoid that exact scenario. He wanted to be prepared for the first time Taylor walked into the clubhouse.

“So,” Brebbia said, “I looked online and I looked at pictures. I thought it was going great. I was like, ‘I can do this. I can absolutely do this.’ And I get here, Day One, and one of the Rogers brothers is walking down. I’m looking at him and I’m like, ‘Tyler.’ And he goes, ‘Nope!’ and keeps going. Like, dang it.”

It doesn’t make it any easier (or does it?) that the brothers’ lockers are right next to each other. They play catch together every morning. They work out together. They go station-to-station in the same group of pitchers. They do, at least, live in separate houses here. (And Taylor wears No. 33, distinctively different than Tyler’s No. 71, but only because Mitch Haniger claimed No. 17 first – imagine that, mirror-image twins with mirror numbers.)

“Yin and yang, for sure,” Wood said. “They’re doing everything together. It’s honestly pretty friggin’ cool, to be with your friggin’ brother in big league camp, it’s wild.”

On Wednesday, it was

Local

From Page B1

for four innings of hitless relief with four strikeouts. Solano is scheduled to host American River on Friday, weather permitting.

Solano softball held in check by ARC ROCKVILLE — The Solano Community College softball team couldn’t slow down visiting American River on Thursday

time for their group of pitchers to face live hitters for the first time.

First, Tyler faced Joc Pederson, David Villar and Stephen Piscotty, with his distinct submarine motion.

Then, Taylor faced the same group of hitters, firing overhanded bullets out of his left arm.

“It was weird,” Pederson said. “It was like you’re looking at the same person, twice.”

“Even taking the twin aspect out of it, they’re such polar opposites in terms of arm angle, the pitch sequence, the pitch tunnel – it’s completely different,” Villar said. “It’s like they just switched gloves and Taylor just went out there and threw underhand and Tyler went out and threw lefty. You’d never know which one it is until they bring out the glove.”

There are some tells, besides their number or their dominant hand, that teammates have picked up on.

No. 1, Taylor has the enviable hairline; Tyler’s is slightly more faded.

Look closer, though, and you’ll see their cowlicks also go in opposite directions. Like their throwing arms, it’s a feature of being mirror-image twins, a phenomenon that occurs in about 25% of identical twins.

One childhood friend’s mom used to say she could tell them apart by their ears. Another family friend, who has

afternoon and lost in five innings, 9-1.

The Falcons had two hits. Lindsay Feinberg doubled in a run in the first inning and Naiya Watts also singled. Solano fell to 3-6 overall.

Sierra defeated Solano 15-1 in six innings Tuesday. Feinberg had two hits and drove in the Falcons’ only run in the fourth inning. Watts and Madalyn Bruce also had hits.

The Falcons are scheduled to play a doubleheader beginning at noon Saturday at Butte.

known them their entire lives, doesn’t need any clues. Like their family, he just knows.

Reliever Sam Long said he has a secret way to tell them apart; Pederson wouldn’t share his method, either.

“I will never tell anybody,” Long laughed. “It’s on them to figure it out.”

The biggest clue, for those who have come to know them, is their personalities.

“Tyler was a little bit more of the happy-golucky, didn’t care where things were at,” their dad, Scott, said. “Taylor was more, we’ve got to make things right and straight.”

“Ty’s more laid back and a very smiley guy, very chill,” echoed Jennifer. “Tay’s a little more serious.”

Nonetheless, she took precautions before that first meeting.

Before the brothers arrived to pick her up, she sent a Snapchat to Tyler, “so I could see what he was wearing and I would know when they walked in, like, ‘Oh that one’s mine!’

“But it’s funny,” she said. “Right when they walked in the door I didn’t even need to do that. I could just tell the difference between the two of them.”

“There’s not one thing; we just know,” Scott said. “We got that question a lot, long before they were in the spotlight, like how do you tell them apart? I just do.”

Boys Basketball Vacaville Christian falls in D-5 semifinal

VACAVILLE — Trouble came early for the Vacaville Christian High School boys basketball team and the Falcons were simply no match for host Ripon Christian on Wednesday night in a 77-23 loss in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V semifinals.

Ripon Christian opened the game on fire from the field and led 33-4 after the first quarter. The results

Payton was supposed to help the Warriors win now. However, his posttrade physical revealed that the core-muscle injury hadn’t fully healed, and that he could miss up to three months. The fourteam trade that brought him back to San Francisco nearly fell apart with that revelation.

Payton said he wasn’t surprised that he failed his physical, knowing how in-tune he is with his body. And after days of speculation, the Warriors ultimately decided to go through with the trade Feb. 12 – but not without raising concerns with the league that Portland withheld information about Payton’s health.

Although Payton remains out indefinitely, Golden State is where he wants to be – the place where he just won a championship and became a fan favorite. If it were up to him, he wouldn’t have left in the first place. Now, he’s back and under contact for at least the next two seasons.

“That was a tricky situation in the summer,” he said. “Things didn’t work out how everyone wanted it to. But I accepted it.”

For now, Payton’s days consist of conditioning, strength training and rehabilitation. That won’t change until he’s cleared to return to full-contact practices with the team.

Myers told reporters Feb. 12 that Payton would be re-evaluated in a month, holding out hope that he might be available for any possibly playoff runs ahead.

Payton believes that when he is healthy, he’ll be able to slide back into the rotation.

for Vacaville Christian were slightly better in the final three periods but the deficit was far too great to make up. The Falcons finished a solid overall season at 22-4.

Ripon Christian (22-7) advances to the section title game at noon Saturday against Fortune Early College at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

Garrett Kuch mustered the Falcons’ biggest offensive output with 13 points and also had seven rebounds. No other player scored more than five points.

Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group/TNS file (2022)

San Francisco Giants’ Tyler Rogers (71) shakes hands with his brother San Diego Padres’ Taylor Rogers (17) as they exchange lineups before their game at Oracle Park in San Francisco last April. The identical twins are now teammates with the Giants.

Columns&Games

Coping with estranged children more common than you think

Dear Annie: “Still Sad’s” story is almost my story. I didn’t know I was in an abusive marriage until I got out of it. That means our two children grew up in a home where they saw and heard things that shouldn’t have been seen and, essentially, had traumatized childhoods. Materialistically, they had everything. The last thing in the world I thought would happen after the divorce was my children would divorce me. I thought I was integral in their lives.

At first, I was confused by the estrangements. They were carrying on close relationships with their father, the wife-beater and attempted murderer. I said nothing about him to them. Then, years rolled by. I had to learn to live without them in my life. One of them actually lived two miles from me; the others would visit and have holidays with each other, without me. My only daughter told me I was not invited to her wedding, a lavish affair with friends and family flying in from all over the country. She had two babies

ARIES (March 21-April 19).

Maybe you can do it on your own, but ask for help anyway –and then make sure you also take the help. You are a fun person to help. If you don’t believe it, ask anyone who has helped you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20).

The stars suggest that impulsive moves are today’s norm. So, while self-control may not be your strong suit, you can still set yourself up for success by reducing the number of distractions and temptations in your environment.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21).

It could irritate and bother you, but in the end, you are polite, respectful and tolerant of those who believe differently from you because you know that a person is more than the beliefs they hold.

CANCER (June 22-July 22).

The physical connects you to the spiritual. You may have moments of feeling lost, but you can totally get back in touch with your higher guidance with attention to what your body is doing and wanting from you.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22).

It’s tempting to lend an attentive ear in anticipation of the moment the spotlight swings back to you. Instead, you’ll listen with an open heart. Good intentions aren’t always enough

Daily Cryptoquotes

without so much as an announcement. It’s true, I had a part in it all, we always do, but it doesn’t mean I was a bad person. It’s hard to even know what they attributed as my part. I continued to send them birthday and Christmas cards. After 10 years of silence, my son contacted me. He’d seen some light, and I welcomed him back with open arms. Four years later, he was dead from fentanyl. He never did the work he needed to do from his childhood issues.

Recently, after not talking to or seeing my daughter for 12 years, we got together, so I got to meet my grandchildren. She gave me a reason that has no merit and knocked my socks off – but it’s what she tells herself to justify her behavior.

I can’t control any of it. I am loved and respected by my friends and peers. It has to be enough. I’ve had to learn to not expect anything I imagined my life would look like and create something different. I suggest that “Still Sad” find information on estranged parents and children. She should read

Today’s birthday

Something captures your attention right at the start of the solar return. You’ll soon be swept into the pull of a brand-new endeavor. This one requires you to upskill, which you’ll gladly do. To master one skill is to energize three other areas of life. More highlights: well-earned confidence and results beyond expectation. Capricorn and Aries adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 2, 22, 21 and 12.

to make goodness happen, but they increase the likelihood.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).

Before you venture out to get things done in the world, do your research. Inquiry and investigation will save you time and money. Make sure you have a decent chance of getting just what you need out of the deal.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).

It’s not about what you can give right now. It’s about what you can give now and give again tomorrow and again the day after that. Your generosity will need to be sustainable.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21).

You’re picky about where you go and with whom. It’s

Dr. Joshua Coleman’s work or Sheri McGregor’s “Done With the Crying.” “Still Sad,” you are not alone. It is much more common than one would think. — Sad but Still Living

Dear Sad but Still Living:

Firstly, I am so sorry for the abuse you suffered in your marriage, the estrangement you suffered from your children and the grief you suffered from the loss of your son. Despite all this suffering, it sounds like you have reached a state of peace – taking responsibility for your life while also having grace for yourself.

Whatever stories your daughter is telling herself about the past are outside of your control. Perhaps she will outgrow them, perhaps she will do the work to confront her past and move on – but perhaps not. Focus on the beauty of having her in your life again.

Thank you for your suggestions. It sounds like they helped you cope with your estrangement, and I’m sure they will be valuable to readers in similar situations.

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

not because you’re a snob, it’s because you want to tend to the ones who need you most. Today the one who needs you most will be you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21). There are things you do for money and there are things you do for fun. The best days are like today, in which you get paid for fun and you can hardly believe the money.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19). The system that works on an average day will not work as well today. Maybe it’s because you’re in expansion mode. The rules will change and so will you. Good thing you’re not afraid of a little mess.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 18). When you don’t feel like being social, ask yourself why. Maybe you’re not getting your needs fulfilled. Maybe there is an expectation you do not want to meet. Investigate. There’s a realization to be had.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). What you focus on will matter very little. Look at anything. It’s the desire behind your eyes that allows you to communicate with greater truth. Love allows you to break open the barriers keeping you stuck in an unsatisfying dynamic.

Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

Word Sleuth

Crossword

Bridge

by

Phillip Alder

club 10 affect declarer’s line of play?

After holding up the spade ace until the third round, declarer cashed the club ace, as recommended yesterday. When the queen dropped, he smiled. He continued with the club king. When East discarded a heart, South’s smile evaporated. He couldn’t win nine tricks without establishing the clubs, and he couldn’t do that without letting West win a trick in the suit. Then West cashed two spade tricks to defeat the game.

A SMALL CHANGE, A BIG DIFFERENCE

Today’s deal might look familiar. The North-South cards are identical to those in yesterday’s column – except for one small but important change: South’s club 10 is now the three. Against three no-trump, West opens the attack in declarer’s weakest suit, spades. How does the loss of the

Why was it right to cash the club ace yesterday but not today? Because if the club queen had dropped singleton yesterday, declarer, holding the club 10, could have run the whole suit. Today, though, South should take a small precaution. He should play a heart to dummy’s ace at trick four. Then he leads a low club, planning to put up the ace. However, when East plays the queen, South ducks. East, not West, is on lead, the club suit is established and the contract is safe.

If East plays a low club, not the queen, declarer wins with the ace and cashes the king. If the queen appears, South wins an overtrick. If she doesn’t, though, South plays a third club, hoping East has to win the trick.

COPYRIGHT: 2023, UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

Sudoku by Wayne Gould

Dist. by creators.com 2/24/23

Difficulty level: SILVER

Yesterday’s solution:

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

Horoscopes by Holiday Mathis

Annie Lane Dear Annie

TVdaily

In the wake of an epic battle, a robotics expert leads humanity against a shadowy group bent on world domination in “Transformers: Age of Extinction.”

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

LOS ANGELES — Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 16 years in prison Thursday for raping a woman in a

against him.

In a court filing earlier this year, L.A. County Deputy District Attorney Paul Thompson argued Weinstein should receive the maximum sentence of 24 years in prison and serve the time after completing his New York sentence.

is already serving a 23-year prison sentence in New York, where he was convicted in 2020 of sexually assaulting other women. In handing down his punishment, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Lisa Lench ruled Weinstein cannot serve the two sentences concurrently.

Following a nearly two-month trial, Weinstein was convicted last month of raping an Italian model and actress after he barged into her hotel room. A jury deliberated for 10 days before convicting him of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual penetration with a foreign object in connection with the assault of the woman, who was not identified during the trial.

Weinstein initially faced more than 11 counts of sexual assault stemming from allegations he raped and groped multiple women in hotel rooms in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills from 2004 to 2013. Jurors deadlocked on charges based on his alleged attacks on three other women, including Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who is married to Gov. Gavin Newsom. And prosecutors dropped counts related to allegations made by a fourth woman, who did not appear in court to testify.

District Attorney George Gascón’s office has not said whether it will seek to retry Weinstein on the counts for which the jury could not reach a verdict.

The mogul has denied all wrongdoing and is appealing his New York conviction, though an earlier attempt to do so failed. While he spoke at his sentencing hearing in New York, Weinstein did not testify in his own defense at either trial and has not spoken publicly about the allegations

Thursday’s hearing was another, and possibly final, turn in Weinstein’s complete fall from Hollywood’s highest echelon. The onetime film producer who was the force behind beloved films such as “The English Patient” and “Good Will Hunting” is now a pariah in the industry he once ruled. Weinstein’s career unraveled in 2017, after investigations by The New York Times and The New Yorker revealed the mogul had used his status in the industry to get access to actresses and models, many of whom said he abused and in some cases raped them.

In all, dozens of women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct. Prosecutors focused on that dynamic throughout the trial, painting Weinstein as a predator who used Hollywood as his hunting ground and specifically targeted women whom he could use his influence to silence.

“For this predator, hotels were his trap. Confined within those walls, victims were not able to run from his hulking mass. People were not able to hear their scream,” L.A. County Deputy District Attorney Marlene Martinez said during her closing argument last month.

Weinstein’s defense team aggressively attacked each woman’s credibility, arguing that some of the women had fabricated their encounters with Weinstein and that others had engaged in consensual sexual relationships with him in exchange for job opportunities. Defense attorney Alan Jackson pleaded with jurors to focus on what he said were inconsistencies in the women’s claims, as opposed to their emotional testimony.

“I don’t know how to say it more gentle than this, but fury does not make fact,” he said. “Tears do not make truth.”

Pickles Brian Crane

Zits Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

Pearls Before Swine Stephan Pastis

Dilbert Scott Adams

Baby Blues Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott

Baldo Hector Cantú and Carlos Castellanos

WEINSTEIN

Bay Area Stage’s ‘The Game’s Afoot’ a fine whodunit

Tony Wade DAILY REPUBLIC CORRESPONDENT

Ican never tell exactly why people turn out in droves for some local theatrical shows and not others. It could be the particular show itself, in this case “The Game’s Afoot” put on by Bay Area Stage, which I saw and enjoyed seven years ago in Benicia.

Pandemic fatigue probably played a part, but in any case, I’ve been to a couple of Bay Area Stage productions where the cast was bigger than the audience so it was super-cool to be a part of a packed house there Saturday night. Getting butts in seats is a must for theatrical companies, and there were almost too many butts for the seats available.

One attracting factor may be the public’s enduring love for whodunit murder mysteries. Incidentally, my wife and I were seated in the back of the theater near Mary Cornelison-Muehlenbruch, president of the Gaslighters Theatrical Company. Mary is the local queen of the whodunits and was there with several members of her court. Director and BAS cofounder Stacey Loew teased wonderful performances from the talented cast. It helped that “The Game’s Afoot” was written by playwright Ken Ludwig. I’m a Ludwig fan, having seen local productions of two of his other works, “Lend Me a Tenor (Fairfield Civic Theatre) and “Moon Over Buffalo” (Solano College Theatre), that were marvelous.

In addition to Loew’s impact on the show, her business partner and co-founder Jeff Lowe, along with many others, helped create the playground for the actors to flourish within.

“The Game’s Afoot” puts well-rounded characters in farcical situations that still need the requisite suspension of disbelief from the audience, but that are not cartoonish or campy. Or at least not in a bad way. It helped that one of the characters was an actual person, William Gillette.

Gillette was a late 19th century/early 20th century actor who portrayed detective Sherlock Holmes on stage and on screen. He originated iconic Holmes clichés like the deerstalker cap, magnifying glass and curved pipe, and also coined the phrase that later evolved into “Elementary, my dear Watson.”

“The Game’s Afoot” opened in 2011 at the Cleveland Play House and won the 2012 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Play.

Basically, it is about Gillette having a gathering of his friends (and one acquaintance) at his Connecticut mansion. Then, you guessed it, a murder occurs and unlike when that happens in real life, hilarity ensues.

I enjoyed seeing Bryan Pro grace that same stage in BAS’s “The Haunting of Hill House”

Daily Cryptoquotes

THEATER Review

‘The Game’s Afoot’

8 p.m. Friday, Saturday; and March 3-4

3 p.m. Sunday; and March 5 Bay Area Stage Theatre, 515 Broadway St., Vallejo www.bayareastage.org

707-649-1053

HHH (OUT OF FOUR)

and “Greetings” as well as in the title role in “Dracula The Musical?” with the aforementioned Gaslighters Theatrical Company in Suisun City. Pro, who played Gillette, has a commanding stage presence. Now, yes, it is aided by him being a big dude, but it is much more about his ability to stay in the moment with great attention to detail. He was believable, funny and could pull off the deadpan straight man to a tee.

Pro would often set up a punchline and Patrick Atkinson, as Felix Geisel, Gillette’s friend and onstage Watson, would consistently crack them outta the park. In terms of delivery, facial expressions and timing, Atkinson was the point man for many of the biggest laughs in the show.

I didn’t remember her, but after reading the program it turns out I had seen Glenda Zahradka, who played Gillette’s mother Martha, on local stages twice before. She was in 2007’s “The Shadow Box” with Solano College Theatre and in BAS’s fifth show, “True West,” in 2011. Alas, I didn’t review the former and while I did review the latter, I can’t recall her small role. My review of it said I liked her, though. Nonetheless, one thing I do know is that in the future I will definitely recall the electric and centrally funny performance she unleashed for ‘The Game’s Afoot.”

Kimberly Taylor was absolutely pitch-perfect as the snippy, snarky, sarcastic theater critic Daria Chase. I joined the audience in our dislike of her character and felt no irony at all as I am not

a theater critic, I am a theater reviewer. That may be a distinction without a difference, but I’m going with it.

Taylor was a new face to me and I love that BAS brings in “ringers” from past shows as well as welcomes talented people from all over to join their family. Another newbie was Joshua Roberts as Simon Bright. It’s refreshing when actors like Roberts can find that sweet spot that helps reality melt away for the audience enjoying their performances through the fourth wall.

Three more familiar faces in the cast were Venee CallFerrer as Madge, Michelle Morgen as Aggie Wheeler and Liz Florez as Inspector Goring. They all infused their characters with verve, honesty and hilarity. Special shout out to Tony Martinez, veteran of several BAS shows, for confidently and efficiently wearing multiple hats for this show, including the role as the gunman and helping with the set construction and as well as being the stage manager.

I won’t reveal which character ends up dearly departed in the show, but their “post mortem” “Weekend at Bernie’s”-esque performance deserves some anonymous kudos as well.

The show was delightful and well-done all around. While Inspector Goring was there to investigate a crime, one crime I have seen at that location is great shows with almost no one present to experience them. While belly laughs with a few people present are still wonderful, they are exponentially so with many other theatergoers along for the whodunit ride. Fairfield freelance humor columnist and accidental local historian Tony Wade writes two weekly columns: “The Last Laugh” on Mondays and “Back in the Day” on Fridays. Wade is also the author of The History Press books “Growing Up In Fairfield, California” and “Lost Restaurants of Fairfield, California” and hosts the Channel 26 government access TV show “Local Legends.”

Word Sleuth

Crossword by Phillip Alder

Bridge

visible and charming PR agent. Today’s deal, which Sharif declared, is in theory straightforward, but it would trip up many players. How should South play in three no-trump after West leads the club jack?

Omar and his partner were using the Blue Club bidding system. One club was strong and artificial, promising at least 17 points. North’s response showed either an ace and a king or three kings. The rebid of one no-trump promised 18-20 points. Stayman and a bid of game concluded the auction.

Knowing dummy held four spades, West wasn’t willing to break open that suit. Instead, he tried to find his partner’s long suit, leading the club jack.

A BRIDGE PLAYER WHO COULD ACT

If you dismantled the Great Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) at Giza and used the stones to build a wall one foot thick and six feet high, how far would the wall stretch? There are a number of excellent Egyptian bridge players, the bestknown being Omar Sharif, who died in 2015. Bridge was lucky to have such a

Omar’s immediate inclination was to finesse dummy’s queen, but then he noticed that East might win with the king and return a heart. This would remove dummy’s entry before declarer could unblock his club 10. Spotting the solution, Omar won trick one with dummy’s ace. Then he led a club toward his 10. He had guaranteed these nine tricks: one spade, two hearts, four diamonds and two clubs. How long did you think the wall would be? It would extend from Los Angeles to New York. That is almost twice the length of the Great Wall of China.

COPYRIGHT: 2023, UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

Sudoku by Wayne Gould

Bridge

Difficulty level:

Yesterday’s solution:

and computer program at www.sudoku.com

by

Herman Bustamante Jr./Courtesy photo

From left, Venee Call-Ferrer as Madge, Glenda Zahradka as Martha Gillette, Kimberly Taylor as Daria, Michele Morgen as Aggie, Joshua Roberts as Simon, Bryan Pro as William Gillette and Patrick Atkinson as Felix in a scene from the Bay Area Stage production of “The Game’s Afoot.”

Classifieds: 707-427-6936

PETITION OF: TIFFANY TAYLOR

CASE NUMBER:

TOALLINTERESTEDPERSONS:

Petitioner: Tiffany Taylor filedapetitionwiththiscourtforadecree changingnamesasfollows:

Name: a. Tjayden Benefield Proposed Name: a. Tjayden Taylor THECOURTORDERSthatallpersonsinterestedinthismattershallappearbefore thiscourtatthehearingindicatedbelowto showcause,ifany,whythepetitionfor changeofnameshouldnotbegranted.

Anypersonobjectingtothename changesdescribedabovemustfileawrit-

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON (PERSONS) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS COOKIN N CARZ, CNC VISUALZ LOCATEDAT1505BlossomWay,Dixon CA95620Solano.IS(ARE)HEREBYREGISTEREDBYTHEFOLLOWINGOWNER(S)CookinInCarzDE.THISBUSINESSISCONDUCTEDBY: aLimitedLiabilityCompany Theregistrantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameornameslistedaboveonN/A. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/GeorgeAAbernathyJr INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENT PURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONJanuary29,2028. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE). FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: January30,2023 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2023000173 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00061274 Published:Feb.17,24March3,10,2023

LOCATEDAT910DriftwoodDr,Suisun CityCA94585Solano.Mailingaddress 910DriftwoodDr,SuisunCityCA94585. IS(ARE)HEREBYREGISTEREDBY THEFOLLOWINGOWNER(S)Leisa WynnJohnson910DriftwoodDrSuisun City,94585.THISBUSINESSISCON-

DUCTEDBY: anIndividual Theregistrantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitious business nameornameslistedaboveonN/A. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/LeisaWynnJohnson INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS

FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONFebruary6,2028. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE). FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: February7,2023 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2023000236 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00061271 Published:Feb.10,17,24March3,2023

Singh Mangat on behalf of Rohan Singh Mangat, a minor filedapetitionwiththis courtforadecreechangingnamesasfollows: Present Name: a. Rohan Singh Mangat Proposed Name: a. Rowan Singh Mangat THECOURTORDERSthatallpersonsinterestedinthismattershallappearbefore thiscourtatthehearingindicatedbelowto showcause,ifany,whythepetitionfor changeofnameshouldnotbegranted Anypersonobjectingtothenamechanges describedabovemustfileawrittenobjectionthatincludesthereasonsfortheobjectionatleasttwocourtdaysbeforethematterisscheduledtobeheardandmustappearatthehearingtoshowcausewhythe petitionshouldnotbegranted.Ifnowrittenobjectionistimelyfiled,thecourtmay grantthepetitionwithoutahearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING

Date: APRIL 5, 2023; Time: 8:30 am; Dept: 12; Rm: I

The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SOLANO 580 Texas Street Fairfield 94533 Old Solano Courthouse

AcopyofthisOrdertoShowCauseshall bepublishedatleastonceeachweekfor foursuccessiveweekspriortothedateset forhearingonthepetitioninthefollowing newspaperofgeneralcirculation,printedin thiscounty:DailyRepublic. Pleasefileproofofnewspaperpublication atleast5businessdaysbeforehearing (newspaperdoesnotfile w/court)zoom ok.zoominvitewillbeemailed1-2days beforehearing

Date:JAN312023 /s/ChristineA.Carringer JudgeoftheSuperiorCourt

FILED:FEB22023 DR#00061241 Published:Feb.10,17,24,March3,2023

OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF

FICTITIOUS

NAME

PUBLIC NOTICES

nameornameslistedaboveonN/A. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/C.GeorgeGuillory INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONJanuary29,2028. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE).

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON (PERSONS) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS LITTLE FOX DAYCARE LOCATEDAT243RamsgateWay, Vallejo,CA94591Solano.Mailingaddress243RamsgateWay,Vallejo,CA 94591.IS(ARE)HEREBYREGISTERED BYTHEFOLLOWINGOWNER(S)Hillary Fonseca243RamsgateWayVallejo, 94591.THISBUSINESSISCONDUCTED BY: anIndividual Theregistrantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameornameslistedaboveonN/A. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/HillaryFonseca INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40 DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONJanuary26,2028. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE). FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: January27,2023 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2023000157 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00061053 Published:Feb.3,10,17,24,2023

94534Solano.IS(ARE)HEREBYRE-

LOCATEDAT274SunsetAveUnitD,

TheFictitiousBusinessNamereferredto abovewasfiledinSolanoCountyon 03/11/2021 FileNumber2021000560 1.ValerieBanksHenderson 900SouthamptonRd#4 BeniciaCA94510

THISBUSINESSISCONDUCTEDBY: anIndividual I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) SIGNATUREOFREGISTRANT: /s/ValerieBanksHenderson ThisstatementwasfiledwiththeCounty ClerkofSolanoCountyonthedateindicatedbythefiledstampabove. CHARLES LOMELI, SOLANO COUNTY CLERK DR#00061243 Published:Feb.10,17,24March3,2023

Anderson & Associates, CPA’s

Caliber Home Loans - Wendi Lucas

Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano

Downtown Theater Foundation for the Arts

Jim Stever Realty - Stever & Associates

Law Office of Elizabeth Anderson

Medic Ambulance Service

Meyer Corporation

Michael J. McMurry CPA

Napa Solano Medical Society

NorthBay Healthcare

Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3

Pam Watson, REALTOR®

Salvation Army - Suisun City, KROC Center

Vogelpohl Real Estate Consulting & Sales

Yin McDonald’s

CARSTAR Body Best Collision

Eagle Eye Engraving Townhouse Apartments