Daily Republic: Monday, April 17, 2023

Coconut Meringue Cake lives up to its reputation B2

Fox leaping towards status as a superstar for Kings B1

Leak details reservations by US allies over Ukraine

Los A ngeLes Times

WASHINGTON —

Since the day Russia invaded Ukraine nearly 14 months ago, President Joe Biden has cited the strength of the widespread international commitment to the mission of defending an independent democracy against a brutal aggressor.

Vacaville Museum Guild offering historic downtown walking tours

A my m Aginnis-Honey

AMAGINNIS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VACAVILLE —

Vacaville's downtown history came to life Saturday morning thanks to the Vacaville Museum Guild, kicking off its monthly historical tours.

For Layton Damiano, who grew up in Vacaville, it was a trip down memory lane. His family settled there in 1904.

He spoke of Saturday afternoons, walking to the movie theater, now Journey Downtown. When the film ended, a stop was made at a hobby store where he could purchase comic books, novelty items and model car kits.

Damiano fondly recalled the old library,

also on Main Street, where adults went to the top floor to get books. Youth had to go to the lower level. While he was curious what was above, Damiano held firm.

One day, he said,

librarian Mary Eldridge approached him, saying, "Layton, I think you have read just about everything (downstairs). I am going to give you a pass to go upstairs."

The tour was led by

Heidi Casebolt, who was Vacaville Museum's curator for many years. She was accompanied by other museum volunteers and a bevy of maps and stories. Her favorite are the Sanborn Insurance Company maps.

"I adore them," she said of the details. Casebolt shared how Callen Street was to be called Gallen Street. She told the story of how a cemetery was moved to make room for Andrews Park.

Participants saw oldtime photos, too, including those of the International Order of Odd Fellows building, which is being used today.

The Patwin Indians

See Tour, Page A7

California’s historic wet winter risks making wildfire season even worse

BLoomBerg news

Don’t let all the flooding fool you: The same rain and snow that have drenched California this winter and spring risk making the state’s next seasonal calamity – fire season –even worse.

An epic winter left parts of the Central Valley underwater, a problem that may persist for months as one of California’s largest mountain snowpacks on record melts. That elevated moisture is now fueling an explosion of plant growth unlike anything the state’s seen in years. Whole

landscapes are blossoming into so-called “superblooms,” as flowering bushes starved by years of drought make the most of the bounty. Soon, that growth will dry out, transforming buds and blossoms into kindling.

“What we expect to see out of the rains is an increase in the amount of fuel there is to burn,” said Issac Sanchez, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire.

Although the full price tag won’t become clear for months, California’s first-quarter storms have likely cost billions of dollars

in everything from road repairs to lost crops. If a devastating fire season follows on its heels, that one-two punch of climate disasters threatens to sap growth in the U.S.’s largest economy. The same dynamic could also play out elsewhere in the West, with record snows now starting to melt across Nevada, Utah and western Colorado, portending a delayed but dangerous fire season this fall.

While wet winters don’t guarantee historic fire seasons, it has happened before – and with deadly

See Wildfire, Page A7

But newly leaked secret U.S. government documents provide details of how some close non-European allies have been reluctant to provide arms to Ukraine, and in the case of Egypt, even considered supplying rockets to Russia, because of competing interests and concerns.

In particular, three U.S. allies who are among the largest recipients of U.S. financial or other aid and assistance –Israel, Egypt and South Korea – had to be aggres-

sively lobbied by U.S. officials to join efforts to help Ukraine, with spotty results.

The documents, most of which appear to have originated at the Pentagon and were allegedly leaked by an information specialist with the Massachusetts Air National Guard, have shown up on social media over the last several weeks, roiling Washington and potentially doing significant damage to U.S. intelligence-gathering networks abroad.

The leaks represented an embarrassing revelation of this country’s secrets and inability to safeguard them.

Following an investigation by officials from the Pentagon, Justice Department and other agencies, who always seemed to be several

Klobuchar: Feinstein must decide soon on future in Senate

BLoomBerg news

WASHINGTON —

Dianne Feinstein, who has been absent from the U.S. Senate for weeks due to illness, needs to make a decision soon about her fate if she doesn’t recover enough to return for key votes in the closely divided chamber, Sen. Amy Klobuchar said.

“We are going to need her vote on the Senate floor eventually,” Klobuchar said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” Specifically, the Minnesota Democrat cited the debt ceiling crisis.

“If this goes on month after month after month, then she’s going to have to make a decision with her family and her friends about what her future holds because this isn’t just about California, it’s also about the nation,” she said.

Feinstein, 89, who’s not seeking reelection in 2024, was hospitalized earlier this year with shingles, according to her office. Her absence has concerned fellow Democrats, including Rep. Ro Khanna of California, who called for her to resign and said it “is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties.”

With Democrats holding only a 51-49 Senate majority, Vice President Kamala Harris was twice called in for tie-breaking votes while both Feinstein and Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat suffering from depression following a stroke last year, were away.

Feinstein decided last week to step off the Senate Judiciary Committee, asking Majority Leader

See Leak, Page A7 See A7

Maginnis-Honey/Daily Republic

Participants in the Vacaville Museum Guild’s downtown history tour arrive at the entrance of Andrews Park in downtown Vacaville, Saturday. The Museum Guild offers tours the first and third Saturday of the month.

Maginnis-Honey/Daily Republic The Odd Fellows lodge as seen in 1910. It is part of the Vacaville Museum Guild’s history walking tour in downtown Vacaville.

Which is better, old school or new school?

Today’s subject is very simple: which is better: old school or new school?

Metallica: I bought my first Metallica album, their second release, “Ride The Lightning,” in 1984 from The Wherehouse in Solano Mall. I immediately was taken in by their raw aggressive, dynamic sound and became a fan. What I liked about them was they didn’t care what anyone thought about them, and grew an audience without making a single video and with virtually no radio airplay.

Now, if you had told me in 1984 that Metallica would be performing live on a late night TV show for a solid week as Metallica did last week on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ my head would’ve exploded. Then I woke up Friday morning and their new album, “72 Seasons,” was there on my phone waiting to be listened to. So I did when I took a brisk morning walk.

Meh.

Metallica at this stage sounds like Metallica doing Metallica instead of Metallica being Metallica. It’s not bad, it just reminded me of when William Shatner reprised the role of Captain Kirk in the 1994 film “Star Trek: Generations” and then had a very unsatisfying death scene. I still respect that they do what they want to do, but I don’t have to like it. I don’t know if this is Metallica’s death rattle, but gimme the ’80s stuff any day. Oh, and a young green woman kissin’, alien punchin’ Kirk (James T., not Metallica guitarist Hammett), too.

Verdict: Old school gets the nod.

Underwear: So who was complaining about the tags on underwear so they removed

them? I never had a problem with them. I have more of a problem with the weird tag on my mattress that for some reason lawmakers decided to protect legislatively. There is a direct correlation between having no tag on my drawers and how often I will put them on inside out.

Verdict: Old school gets the nod.

Pants: Corduroy pants were awesome as a kid because they would blunt the pain from The Dreaded Belt when my dad was giving me a whoopin’ for doing something completely innocent like bouncing a G.I. Joe off one of my brothers’ heads. Bell bottoms looked super cool and had the added bonus of being able to hide scuff marks on the top of your shoes. Oh, and

I thought MC Hammer-esque parachute pants would never go out of style until they did.

All that said: as a guy, cargo pants drop the mic.

Verdict: New school gets the nod.

Music to shop by: Now, those of a certain age remember when it was unheard of to hear actual songs by original artists when you were, say, at the grocery store. No, what you heard was schmaltzy instrumental versions that were called Muzak. When I worked at the Carl’s Jr.’s on North Texas Street in 1981, Muzak would play in the dining area.

I worked the closing shift and once the manager left for the day I would sometimes sneak into her office, crank it up to 11 and chuckle at the reactions of patrons.

I remember the first time I heard an actual artist’s music playing in a supermarket. It was a Madonna song, although

I can’t remember if it was “Borderline” or “Holiday.” Definitely not “Like A Virgin.”

Nowadays its not even something people notice. But I did notice something else when I was at the Benicia Grill a few years back. They were not playing Muzak, but they also were not playing the original artists. I noticed because the song playing was “The Greatest Love of All” and vocally either you are Whitney Houston or you are not. It was not.

I was aghast.

It made me question everything. Was I actually eating potatoes or was it just Styrofoam that had been carefully seasoned? If that was true, could I then pay with Monopoly money? It shook me.

Verdict: New school gets the nod.

Cash registers: When you buy something at the supermarket the checker slides it across a scanner that reads the item’s barcode and it emits a beep. It’s efficient, quick ... and boring. Back in the day, the cash register looked almost like a slot machine and the checker pressed these huge clunky buttons and numbers would pop up in a little window on top when they totaled it. Then when you gave them the amount of cash they would press another button and the cash drawer would open with a little ring and they would count out your change.

Now, one of the drawbacks of not having barcodes on everything back then was that if an item was missing the price tag, the checker would get on the store intercom and ask for a price check and it was always something you didn’t want to be broadcast. “Philbert, can I get a price check on Underoos for Men please?”

Still, it was a pleasing machine.

BRIGHT spot

Verdict: Old school gets the nod.

Multiverse clashes: It was a big deal when in 2012 the stars of several different Marvel films like Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and others teamed up. Them all being in the same movie was seen as Geek Heaven.

Pffft! It can’t hold a candle to the “Battle of the Network” back in the day.

“The Battle of the Network Stars” was a series of competitions in which television stars from ABC, CBS and NBC would compete in various sporting events. A total of 19 of these competitions were held between 1976 and 1988, all of which were aired by ABC. The competitors went head-to-head in swimming relays, tennis, golf, a bicycle relay, an obstacle course, volleyball, a running relay and a tug-of-war.

In the 1976 relay race, there was a kerfuffle because the NBC team who were initially declared the winners were docked two seconds for an infraction and ABC was awarded the top spot.

That ticked off NBC captain Robert Conrad (of “Baa Baa Black Sheep” and “The Wild, Wild West”). A war of words exploded between Conrad and ABC captain Gabe Kaplan of “Welcome Back Kotter” that was moderated by legendary sportscaster Howard Cosell. Conrad was livid and used shockingly vulgar language for TV back then (though quaint now) like “damn” and “hell.”

They ultimately had a oneon-one winner-takes-all race between Conrad and Kaplan. Now Conrad was sucking on a cigarette during the prefinale race argument, which may have contributed to him getting off to a great start in the decisive dash, before he ran out of steam and got, well,

smoked by Kaplan.

Conrad seemed to be a good sport about the whole thing saying, “That’s the way I like it. The best man won.” Only he then gave two seemingly friendly, but clearly passive-aggressive li’l slaps to the side of Kaplan’s face like Black Hand extortionist Don Fanucci ill-advisedly did to a young Vito Corleone in “The Godfather Part II.” Unlike Corleone, who later blasted the Don with a towel-covered gun that caught fire, Kaplan and his team, which consisted of Lynda Carter (“Wonder Woman”), Farrah Fawcett-Majors (“Charlie’s Angels”), Ron Howard (“Happy Days”), Penny Marshall (“Laverne & Shirley”), Hal Linden (“Barney Miller”) and others, just blasted them in the other events and won.

Verdict: Old school gets the nod.

Plagiarism: I wrote about the “Battle of the Network Stars” before in a different context and, back in the day, to self-plagiarize I would have had to dig through stacks of old newspapers until I found the article. But thanks to the internet I easily was able to find it and change a few of the words so 2017 Tony Wade doesn’t sue me.

Verdict: New school gets the nod.

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

A story that appeared in Friday’s Daily Republic should have stated that the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week event on Wednesday starts at noon. The event will be held on the courthouse steps at 600 Union Ave. in Fairfield. It is hosted by the Solano County District Attorney’s Office and the Fairfield Police Department.

It is the Daily Republic’s policy to correct errors in reporting. If you notice an error, call the Daily Republic at 707-425-4646 during business hours weekdays and ask to speak to the editor in charge of the section where the error occurred.

Tony Wade

The last laugh

SOLANO COUNTY — Earth Day this year falls on Saturday, and local volunteers will join forces to participate in Solano County’s ninth annual Earth Day Cleanup.

Cleanup sites will be held across the county, in all seven cities and in three county parks.

Local residents, students, clubs, organizations and businesses are invited to make Solano County “clean and green” by preventing trash from flowing downstream into the Pacific Ocean.

Around 80% of the trash flowing into the ocean originates from in-land sources, most often by entering storm drains that flow directly into creeks and rivers before draining into the sea. Solano County residents can help by volunteering at community cleanups, reducing the amount of waste they create and disposing of their waste properly, said a press release.

Most cleanup events begin at 9 a.m. and end by noon. Volunteers typically remove between 5,000 to 10,000 pounds of trash and recyclables from community parks, trails, roadsides and waterways. Participants can find out more about the time and location for their local community cleanup at cleanupsolano.org.

A free digital recycling guide is available at recycle.solanocounty.com for tips on properly recycling beverage containers and other household items like oil, appliances, furniture and electronic waste.

Earth Day Cleanup volunteers are encouraged to bring their own buckets and gloves to help make the events zero waste. If that’s not possible, site organizers will have supplies available for those that are unable to bring their own.

Participants are encouraged to use the Ocean Conservancy’s CleanSwell mobile app to record the number of items they remove from the environment as a way to help researchers keep tabs on the amount of trash being diverted from our oceans by Solano County’s residents..

In addition, Earth Day Cleanup will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rush Ranch.

Solano Land Trust invites the public to celebrate Earth Day weekend by volunteering to remove litter along Grizzly Island Road. This is the main road that serves as a scenic drive leading visitors into Suisun Marsh, and to destinations like Belden’s Landing and Rush Ranch Open Space.

We need your help to keep this marsh beautiful and healthy. Bring water, protection from the sun, and gloves if you have them. (Gloves for those who need them and other supplies will be distributed at the site.)

Passport Sunday features wineries

SUISUN VALLEY — Wineries and other valley enterprises will open their doors Sunday for a rolling festival as the region celebrates Passport Sunday.

The annual event showcases what’s best about Suisun Valley, which on any given day offers city dwellers a place to escape crowded streets and see the country, buy fresh produce and taste wines.

This year’s event includes 11 locations, featuring 14 wineries. The locations are BackRoad Vines at Village 360, Bally Keal Estate, CaymusSuisun Winery, Il Fiorello Olive Oil Company, Jelly Belly Candy Company, Mangels Vineyards,

VIP access is $25, tickets at the door (day of event) are $20, and children 10 and under are free.

Visit www.cityofvacaville.gov/vaca-con for more information.

and patches. No sharps (syringes, needles) will be accepted at this event," the department said.

The Prescription Medication Take Back Day program has brought in more than 6,800 tons of prescription drugs nationally.

The free and anonymous event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The police station is located at 1000 Webster St.

For year-round dropoff locations, go to https:// tinyurl.com/24setdya. For more information, go to www.deatakeback.com or call the Crime Prevention Division at 707-428-7789.

Art Scavenger Hunt set for Saturday

BENICIA — A scavenger hunt in the Benicia downtown galleries is a perfect opportunity to discover great local art.

Educators: Lack of diverse teachers having impact on state

VaneSSa a RReDonDo

LOS ANGELES TIMES

Suisun Creek Winery, Suisun Valley Wine Cooperative, Suisun Valley Filling Station, Tenbrink Vineyards and Tolenas Winery, and Wooden Valley Winery.

Passport Sunday takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. It’s billed as a day of award-winning wines and wine country-inspired food across Suisun Valley.

Ticket holders receive a passport map of the participating venues, a custom Suisun Valley wine glass to keep, food pairings from a different caterer at each location, special event day discounts and winery exclusives.

Passport Sunday 2023 participants include Bally Keal Estate, Caymus-Suisun Winery, Mangels Vineyards, Suisun Creek Winery, Suisun Valley Filling Station and Visitors Center, Suisun Valley Wine Cooperative, Tenbrink Vineyards & Winery, Tolenas Vineyards & Winery, Village 360, BackRoad Vines, Wooden Valley Winery, Jelly Belly Candy Company.

Passport Sunday is for guests who are 21 or older. People will be asked to show identification at venues where alcohol is being served.

Tickets are $50 each and include a signature wine glass, featuring the event logo, along with a tasting pass to enjoy wine at all participating venues.

Passport Sunday is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Suisun Valley Vintners and Growers Association.

Vaca-Con returns Saturday to Ulatis

VACAVILLE — The city of Vacaville Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting Vaca-Con on Saturday.

The event will occur from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ulatis Cultural Center, 1000 Ulatis Drive. This family friendly event is perfect for lovers of science fiction, anime, comics, pop culture and more. The Ulatis Cultural Center will host a day full of informative panels, vendors, artists and cosplayers. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to meet and greet celebrities like anime YouTube creator MVPerry, wrestling star Brian Kendrick, WWE hall-of-famer Rikishi, and the voice of Boo from Disney’s "Monsters, Inc.," Mary Gibbs.

Vaca-Con will feature an artist alley, exhibitor hall, panels/guest speakers, cosplay contest, kid's activities, gaming stations and more.

Tickets can be purchased online or at Vacaville community centers. Pre-sale general admission is $15, pre-sale

Ag & Art Earth Day comes to Vacaville

VACAVILLE — The inaugural Ag & Art Earth Day celebration arrives on Saturday in Andrews Park in Vacaville.

"The event is an opportunity to celebrate Earth Day with talks from local farmers and eco-conscious organizations, booths featuring local art, an art tent for kids, artisan and craft booths, live music from local musicians, food trucks and eco-conscious businesses," organizers said in a statement.

The event is being put on by Ag & Art Magazine in cooperation with Ag & Art Film Festival and Uptown Fox Events from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A drawing to raise money for the Pleasants Valley Agriculture Association is part of the activities.

Arts and crafts vendors, with a preference for handmade items or Earth-conscious products, are being sought. For more information, visit www.uptownfox.com, send an email to brooke@ uptownfox.com or call 917-586-4064.

For more information about the event, visit http:// agandartmagazine.com or send an email to agandartevents@gmail.com.

Blues, Brews and BBQ Cook-Off set Saturday

FAIRFIELD — The second annual Blues Brews and BBQ CookOff returns. The event will have music, food, drinks and the cook-off. Anyone interested can compete for the titles of the best chicken and best pork ribs chef.

Winners receive cash prizes and a trophy.

The event will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the corner of Texas and Jefferson streets in downtown Fairfield.

Ticket prices are $10 until April 14 and $15 at the event. Children 12 or younger get in free.

Prescription Drug Take Back Saturday

FAIRFIELD — The Police Department has scheduled a drive-thru prescription drug takeback event Saturday at the police station.

The event is being coordinated with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to "provide the public with a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of expired, unused, unwanted and potentially dangerous prescription drugs," the department said in a statement.

"Have your medications ready for drop off in a Ziploc bag or the original container. We accept liquids, pills

The Art Scavenger Hunt will be from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. "The Scavenger Hunt will list a number of clues to answer as participants walk through participating galleries and look at art," organizers at Benicia Main Street said in a statement.

Participating galleries include Benicia Main Street (90 First St.), The Little Art Shop (129-E First St.), Estey Gallery (216 First St.), Benicia Plein Air Gallery (307 First St., Benicia Art Glass Gallery (309 First St.), HQ Gallery (333-D First St.), Gallery 621 (920 First St., Suite 203), and Happy Life Pottery (632 First St.).

Participants will receive a free “I Love Benicia” bag and be entered in a drawing to win $100 in Downtown Dollars. Scavenger Hunt forms with a list of clues will be available at Benicia Main Street, participating galleries and beniciamainstreet. org on the day of the event. For info, go to beniciamainstreet.org or call 707-745-9791.

Charity poker tourney Saturday

FAIRFIELD — E5 Therapy, the Suisun City-based veterans therapy firm, will host a charity poker tournament Saturday to raise funds for mental health services to veterans, military personnel and their family members.

"Funds raised from this event go directly to providing mental health services to veterans, military and their family members who have reduced or no access to mental health services. Mental health services are in great need for everyone. It is our mission to provide those services to our nation’s heroes at low or no cost to them," organizers said.

This event is being sponsored by the American Legion Rago-Christopher Post 165 in Vacaville and Heretic Brewing Company.

Doors to the Vacaville Veteran's Memorial Building, 549 Merchant St., open at 4 p.m. The tournament will begin at 5.

Tickets can be purchased by Venmo: E5 Therapy under the charities tab. Include your contact information and how many tickets you want. The buy-in is $75.

Checks can be made out to E5 Therapy and sent to 333 Sunset Ave., Suite 200, Suisun City, CA 94585, or drop them off at the office. For

When Lindsey Horowitz, a special education teacher in Los Angeles, made the career switch from nonprofit work to teaching, she knew it wouldn't be an easy job.

Horowitz, like many educators of color, entered the profession because she did not see enough teachers who looked like her when she was in the classroom, throughout her K-12 education. But California, the second-most diverse state in the U.S. after Hawaii, is struggling to retain its educators, especially teachers of color.

"I always wanted to be a teacher, and I knew that working with students with disabilities would be challenging," she said. "But I also understood what it's like to feel like you're a little bit different in the classroom."

According to a 2022 survey by the National Education Assn., Black and Latino educators were likely to quit the profession earlier than expected due to lack of career support and poor working conditions.

But Horowitz tries to keep a positive outlook about the profession.

"There is a desire to change the way that we've done things," she said. "We can see how we can do things better."

She and other teachers, advocates and education policy experts met in Sacramento this week for the #CABuildingBridges Summit to discuss how to recruit and retain teachers of color in California. At the all-day gathering of about 100 educators, leaders called on state policy makers not just to pass legislation, but to create structures that reinforce new policies.

"To see a structural shift, we need greater support and oversight by the state. At a minimum, who at the state level is assessing the impact of all these programs?"

said Sarah Lillis, the California director of Teach Plus, a nonprofit education leadership organization co-organiz-

ing the event. "Our hope is that this group of folks coming together can set that vision."

At the summit, educators spoke about the lack of diversity in teacher preparation programs and at schools. According to a 2022 survey of more than 4,600 teachers by the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools, educators reported experiencing high levels of work-related stress, with 40% saying they've considered leaving the profession and 20% saying they will probably leave within three years.

Burnout was listed as the top reason teachers considered quitting. Other issues included large workload, low pay, student behavioral issues and lack of career and administrative support.

Students of color are at a disadvantage if they don't have teachers who resemble them, educators at the conference said. In California public schools, about 77% of the K-12 population is made up of students of color, while educators of color account for 37% of teachers. Studies show that teachers of color serve as mentors and role models and increase the academic outcomes of students of similar backgrounds.

"We don't need more data to tell us how important it is for students to have a teacher that racially identifies like them in the classroom," said Kai Mathews, project director of UCLA's California Educator Diversity Project. "It's important to their sense of belonging, to their understanding of the material and the world around them."

Educators at the summit said the lack of early-career support for people of color contributes to large numbers leaving the profession. Teacher preparation programs, usually completed after earning a college degree, greatly impact an educator's potential to stay and thrive in the profession. Teachers of color tend to struggle during this phase.

Clean up. Hundreds of volunteers came out to help clean up Solano County. Earth Day 2023 is set for Saturday throughout the region.

CALMATTERS COMMENTARY

Hospitals, transit seek aid from deficit-ridden state budget

As Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislators contend with a deficit-plagued state budget, they face increasingly strident demands from providers of two very important public services for billions of new dollars to prevent financial collapse. The pleas are coming from hospitals and public transit systems which, their leaders say, have never recovered from the financial ravages of Covid-19.

While hospitals strained to care for hundreds of thousands of Covid-19 patients – and then saw visits plummet below pre-pandemic levels –transit ridership plunged to record-low levels and has recovered only partially as many Californians continue to work from home rather than commute.

Dan Walters

Last week, the California Hospital Association released a study indicating that a fifth of California’s hospitals are in danger of closing, in part because reimbursements from Medicare, the federal medical care program for the elderly, and Medi-Cal, the federal-state system of care for the poor, fail to cover costs of services.

The report said that in 2022, California hospital care costs ballooned by $23.4 billion over pre-pandemic levels, leading to losses of $8.5 billion, on top of $12 billion in pandemic-related losses.

“The real cost of this crisis – if help does not arrive soon – will be borne by the people of California, whose health care services will erode, slowly in some areas, and all at once in others,” Carmela Coyle, the hospital association’s president, said in a statement.

A hospital in Madera County closed after Attorney General Rob Bonta blocked its sale to a larger health care organization, and several other rural hospitals are reported to be on the brink of closure.

The hospitals’ chief demand is that the state increase payments for services to Medi-Cal enrollees. The system now covers a third of the state’s nearly 40 million residents, but reimbursement rates have been virtually frozen for years.

Hospital managers are traipsing a trail to the Capitol already blazed by transit system executives who say their services are teetering on the edge of a “fiscal cliff” that needs big injections of cash to avoid.

They cite data from UCLA’s Institute of Transportation Studies that monthly transit ridership statewide declined from 100 million in February 2019 to about 20 million in June 2020 as the pandemic raged and since has rebounded to scarcely half of the pre-pandemic level.

Transit officials say that if they reduce service to cut costs, it becomes a vicious cycle because less frequent or slower service would also make Californians even less likely to use transit, while increasing fares would hurt low-income workers who rely on transit to get to their jobs.

Transit system problems don’t necessarily begin and end with ridership and revenue, however. Some have locked themselves into unaffordable labor contracts and many Californians are afraid to use transit due to fears of becoming crime victims.

Bay Area Rapid Transit, the state’s largest commuter rail system, has been particularly prone to managerial shortcomings. Last month, BART’s inspector general, Harriet Richardson, resigned, saying interference from the system’s managers made doing her job impossible.

“At some point, you just say enough is enough,” she told reporters. “I do hope that laying the ground that I have laid, BART will look at the office a bit differently than they have in the past.”

In February, Richardson released a report claiming that there had been fraud and conflicts of interest.

Give the scopes of their operations and their impact on the lives of millions of Californians, Newsom and legislators can scarcely afford to ignore pleas from hospitals and transit systems. However, their size means relief could cost the state tens of billions of dollars it doesn’t have.

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

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COMMENTARY

The most shocking intel leak reveals new Chinese military advances

China has tested and deployed a new longerrange hypersonic missile that is likely able to evade U.S. defenses, according to an overlooked top-secret document among those recently leaked. Now, the public can see what the American intelligence community already knew: China is quickly improving its capacity to strike thousands of miles from its shores and prevent the United States from intervening.

The Justice and Defense departments are investigating the leak of hundreds of U.S. intelligence documents, which include chilling revelations about the Ukrainian equipment shortfalls, backdoor Egyptian-Russian arms deals, Israeli spy agencies allegedly working against the country’s elected leaders, and internal South Korean security deliberations.

(The Egyptian, Israeli and South Korean governments say this information is false.) Buried in the documents is also a key piece of intelligence regarding China’s progress in military technology.

According to a Feb. 28 top-secret report by the Joint Chiefs of Staff intelligence directorate, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had three days earlier successfully tested a new hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile called the DF-27. (The Defense Department has not confirmed the document’s authenticity.)

“The DF-27 is designed to enhance [China’s] ability to hold targets at risk beyond the Second Island Chain and possesses a high probability of penetrating U.S.” ballistic missile defense, the daily intelligence update stated. It also revealed that last year the PLA deployed versions of the new missile that can attack land targets and ships.

The intermediate-range ballistic missile flew for 12 minutes and traveled 2,100 kilometers (1,300 miles), the

CALMATTERS COMMENTARY

leaked document revealed. But according to a 2021 Defense Department report, the DF-27 has a range of 5,000 to 8,000 kilometers, meaning that it can strike any target in East or Southeast Asia and large parts of the Pacific, including Guam. In addition to its added range, the new missile has a “hypersonic glide” capability, which means it can be maneuvered to evade American and allied missile defenses and is a greater potential “carrier killer” than its predecessors were.

The most obvious, though not the only, scenario in which Beijing might find this capability useful would be in attempting to invade Taiwan. If American ships can be held at bay and U.S. forces in Asia can be targeted at will, any allied intervention in Taiwan’s defense would be more difficult and costly. Another potentially Taiwan-related revelation in the leaked documents is that China has for the first time recently used its new helicopter-carrying assault ship in an extended deployment.

The new missile is only one piece in a rapidly expanding arsenal that Beijing is deploying as it militarizes more of the South China Sea, builds out its blue-water fleet, expands its footprint in the Pacific Islands, and engages in the largest nuclear buildup since the Cold War.

China is building approximately 350 new nuclear-missile silos, hundreds of new nuclear warheads, and several new bases for mobile rocket launchers that can handle intermediate- and long-range missiles, according to a March report by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS).

“China is continuing the nuclear weapons modernization program that it initiated in the 1990s and 2000s, but is expanding it significantly by field-

ing more types and greater numbers of nuclear weapons than ever before,” the report stated.

Hans Kristensen, director of the FAS Nuclear Information Project, told me the DF-27 can probably hold either nuclear or conventional warheads, and therefore can be seen as both a strategic and a tactical weapon.

“The Chinese have left their previous philosophy of a minimum nuclear deterrent, and they have determined both in terms of numbers and in terms of types of systems, they need more stuff,” Kristensen said. “This adds to that picture.”

In Washington, military planners are realizing that China (and to a lesser degree Russia) has surpassed the United States in hypersonic military technology. But there’s no agreement on what to do about it. The United States is developing hypersonic weapons of its own, but it lacks sufficient means to defend against the ones China is already fielding.

In the Cold War, the United States developed asymmetric capabilities to nullify the Soviet Union’s advantage in having a larger missile arsenal. Now China is using that strategy against America. Rather than meet China’s missile developments tit-for-tat, the United States and its allies must shift resources to nullify the new threat and shore up their ability to protect their assets.

Thanks to the leaks, at least the public now knows the extent of China’s advances. But peace in Asia depends on maintaining the credibility of the United States-led deterrent.

Josh Rogin is a columnist for the Global Opinions section of The Washington Post. He writes about foreign policy and national security. Rogin is also a political analyst for CNN. He is the author of the book Chaos Under Heaven: Trump, Xi, and the Battle for the 21st Century.

HowCalifornia’s fast food liability bill could undermine local ownership

Jay H azari CALMATTERS

Ididn’t have a penny to my name or speak a word of English when I immigrated from India at 16 years old. I took the first job I could get, and started cleaning toilets at a McDonald’s in Alameda County. That started my 42-year journey with McDonald’s.

I worked each position at the restaurant and eventually earned a spot as a general manager. In 2004, McDonald’s offered me a life-changing opportunity to own and operate a local franchise restaurant. Since then, I have leveraged that opportunity and now own and operate nine restaurants alongside my wife in Sacramento and the Central Valley.

The business I’ve built through McDonald’s is my pride and joy.

McNaughton President

CEO

Publisher

Burt McNaughton

Assembly Bill 1228, sponsored by Assemblyman Chris Holden, is an infuriating attack on local franchised restaurants and small-business owners like me. As a franchisee, acting as both the owner and operator of my local restaurants is key to our restaurants’ success. I maintain control over operating decisions including hiring, employee wages, scheduling, benefits and workplace standards.

AB 1228 could force national fastfood corporations to exert significant control over franchised restaurants by making the corporations legally

liable for employment and personnel decisions that are typically made by local owners.

If corporations assume this new legal liability, they will have no choice but to seek out ways to take control over the operations of my restaurants. This policy would strip me of my authority and rights as a small business owner, and effectively demote me to middle management working for the corporation.

This is unfair, and it’s not right.

I prize the independence and autonomy of my business. That independence was central to my decision to become a franchisee. AB 1228 would force the corporation to micromanage my everyday business decisions and potentially rob more than 5,000 franchisees of the opportunity to become small business owners and pursue a better life for our families.

My restaurants employ more than 500 people. I work closely with my employees, and I invest in professional growth opportunities that help position them for success whether that be in our business or elsewhere. I’ve been in their shoes, and I take pride in creating a positive work environment where everyone is valued and respected. Many of my employees have worked at our restaurants for over 15 years as a result. I consider them family. We also serve our community through food donations and school fun-

draisers. I operate like this because it’s the right thing to do and because investing in our community, valuing employees and creating a safe and compassionate place for them to work is a smart business strategy. We want to operate our businesses successfully for decades to come.

AB 1228 would break the bond I have with my employees and community by shredding my independence to make local decisions and be a thoughtful, responsive employer and community partner. It’s unimaginable why anyone would want to take decisions out of my hands and instead put out-of-state corporations in charge.

For many Californians – especially immigrants – the path to small-business ownership is out of reach. Franchised restaurants provide a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs, many of whom are women, people of color and veterans. The franchise model provided me with a ladder, and I never stopped climbing.

Owning a restaurant has provided me with a life-changing opportunity that simply does not exist outside of the franchise model. The far-reaching impacts of AB 1228 could affect this path for myself and others, creating a new systemic barrier.

I hope the Legislature can see AB 1228 for what it really is.

Jay Hazari owns and operates nine McDonald’s franchised restaurants in Sacramento and the Central Valley.

Josh Rogin

(707) 427-1386

Yes, Pete Davidson is returning to ‘Saturday Night Live’ ... as host

Los A ngeLes Times

Pete Davidson is reuniting with an ex. No, not of the romantic variety.

The comedian will return to his stomping grounds at “Saturday Night Live,” a year after he left the sketch series.

Davidson will return to Studio 8H to host the show on May 6, according to multiple reports.

NBC did not immediately respond to the L.A. Times’ request for confirmation Thursday. The accompanying musical guest has not been revealed.

Davidson left “SNL” after its Season 47 finale in May 2022. When he joined “SNL” as a featured player in 2014 at age 20, Davidson

became one of the longrunning series’ youngest cast members ever.

The “King of Staten Island” star will take the “SNL” stage just days after his new Peacock comedy “Bupkis” premieres on May 4. He stars alongside Edie Falco and Joe Pesci. “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels serves as an executive producer on “Bupkis.”

During his eightyear tenure on “SNL”, Davidson took on a variety of roles, including spacey skater boy Chad. He also appeared as disgraced former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Oscar winner Rami Malek and rapper Machine Gun Kelly.

Columns&Games

Cousin’s wedding is the same day as my toddler’s 4th birthday

Dear Annie: My cousin is getting married in November on the same day as my toddler’s birthday. I am torn on how to do both. I really want my daughter to feel special for her fourth birthday, but I also want to support my cousin. My aunt (cousin’s mom) said that we could sing happy birthday to my daughter at the wedding, but I don’t want to take the focus off my cousin. Plus, I’m not sure if I would even want to take the kids to a wedding for a variety of reasons.

First, I’m a stay-at-home mom, so I would like a break for a night. Secondly, I don’t care to have my kids around a bunch of people who will be drinking alcohol. And third, I would like to have a few drinks myself at the wedding reception, but I don’t want to do this in front of my kids. I do know a couple of people who I would easily trust to babysit for a night, so that isn’t an issue at all. I just don’t want my daughter to feel like I don’t care about her birthday. I guess that’s more “mom guilt” than

anything. Is there something I could do to make it OK in my mind? I was thinking of maybe doing my daughter’s birthday in the morning and then going to the wedding/ reception that night. –Torn on Support

Dear Torn on Support: Your solution sounds like a good one, celebrating your daughter early and then getting a sitter. The other thing you could do is bring your daughter to the wedding (it is your family, after all, and I am sure there will be other children). You could bring her to the early part of the ceremony, and if your aunt and your cousin want to sing her happy birthday, then let them. Weddings are celebrations, and if she wants to give a little celebration to your 4-yearold, it could be a really special and once-in-a-lifetime way to celebrate her birthday.

Dear Annie: That was good advice in your column regarding not dropping off one’s pet at the “farm.”

But my question is, what do you do when your shelter will not take feral cats or lost cats?

I’ve been contacting my local

Horoscopes by Holiday Mathis

ARIES (March 21-April 19).

Your focus will improve through a process of elimination. What’s pulling your attention but doesn’t add to your purpose? You’ll determine what’s not helping and you’ll cut it out, then repeat until there’s nothing left to do but the thing you meant do in the first place.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20).

You’re feeling stuck for one of two reasons. Either you don’t have enough information, or you feel there are too many conflicting agendas. You intuitively know which one fits and will take next steps to free yourself.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21).

When someone is enthusiastic about what you’re doing, it doubles your motivation. The time you spend around trusted, uplifting people will help attract even more fans of you and your work. Support will come to you from new and unexpected places.

CANCER (June 22-July 22).

There are many people who contribute to the smoothness of your daily life. Some of them have gone unacknowledged recently. You have the opportunity to really make someone’s day.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You are adept at cracking codes of all kinds, but especially the kind presented by people who don’t know how to communicate their needs and feelings. You’ll tune in and start trans-

Daily Cryptoquotes

Today’s birthday

Welcome to your year of unexpected blossoming in which you’ll discover talents you didn’t know you had. You’ll work hard until your abilities match your ambition. You’ll enjoy the process, which fills things with a sense of purpose and gives them their value.

More highlights: You’ll be offered a prestigious prize; a relationship gets a comedic twist; your family will bond together in faraway places. Gemini and Libra adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 1, 33, 7, 40 and 28.

lating to the best of your ability.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). It turns out, the issues you think are unique to you are actually experienced by many, some of whom have already come up with solutions that will work for you, too. Call out your questions, however strange you may think they are. You’ll get answers.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).

Don’t worry if you’re not sure which choice to make. There was a time you had no idea what you wanted, so you just chose the easiest thing. Look at all the good that grew from that one choice.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21).

Even though you prefer everyone to get along, you can’t

shelters, and none of them will take them, nor do they participate in spay and neuter programs. Any other suggestions? – Concerned Cat Person

Dear Concerned Cat

Person: A great many readers wrote in about the overcrowding of shelters. One thing we could do is always spay and neuter our pets. I welcome any suggestions from people who work in animal rescue on how we can protect more cats, dogs and horses.

Dear Annie: I have a response to “Sad Farmer,” who asked people not to drop off unwanted cats at “the farm” and to bring them to a shelter instead. Shelters are overwhelmed and underfunded.

Let’s take it a step further and keep the cats we committed to when we adopted them in the first place. It isn’t always easy, but it’s the right thing to do. – Cat Friend

Dear Cat Friend: Thank you for a wonderful suggestion, though, as you say, it is easier said than done.

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

totally control the way people mix with the environment and with each other. After you’ve done all you can to promote harmony, all that’s left to do is observe.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21). It wasn’t your intention to have so many things going on in your life at once, but that’s just the way it happens sometimes. A full agenda has the effect of putting things in their proper scale.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19). There are many ways to stand up for yourself, but none is so satisfying today as simply doing what you want instead of what others would prefer. To treat yourself is to send the message to all that you like yourself enough to make your own wishes important.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 18). When the intensity of a situation turns up, you transform into a kind of inflatable. Your buoyant attitude keeps others afloat. Your air-sign nature combined with emotional warmth makes rising above it all relatively easy.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You will adapt to new places and circumstances. In some cases, it’s the other person who needs to adapt to you, though. Be very careful in your communication. Criticism would only put the other person on the defensive. Offer solutions instead and you’ll be golden. Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

Word Sleuth

Bridge

by Phillip Alder

(the aces and kings). Edgar Kaplan’s 4Cs rates it at 23.15 points. North bids game, hoping for the best.

Against three no-trump, West leads the club five: 10, ace, nine. Back comes the club six. How should South continue from there?

The answer is through the trapdoor and along the secret tunnel to safety and seclusion! South has six top tricks: one spade, one heart, three diamonds and one club. A successful spade finesse can, therefore, bring the trick total up to nine. However, being stuck in his hand, South has little chance to make the contract. He can try to get into the dummy by leading a heart toward the queen, but here West will win with the king and cash three club winners for down one.

USE YOUR HONORS FOR YOUR BENEFIT

In olden times, kings would fight on the battlefield. Nowadays, leaders sit in safety, sending their subjects into the fray. In bridge, though, this modernist policy can be suicidal.

That South hand is worth more than its face value because of its good intermediates (the 10s) and controls

Sudoku

Let’s go back to trick one and unblock the club king under East’s ace! South is only ever getting one club trick, and he badly needs that dummy entry in order to take the spade finesse. If the defenders clear the clubs (or duck the second round to dummy’s 10), South can take the spade finesse, being careful to lead dummy’s nine first. If the defenders switch from clubs, South has time to lead a heart toward the queen. Either way, eventually he wins nine tricks.

COPYRIGHT: 2023, UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

by Wayne

Gould

4/17/23

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every

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

by

Difficulty level: BRONZE

Solution to 4/15/23:

Crossword

Annie Lane Dear Annie

Schiff reporting major cash edge in Senate race

Seema mehta LOS ANGELES TIMES

In an early test of strength in the race to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Rep. Adam B. Schiff has a notable financial edge over Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee, according to federal campaign documents released Saturday.

While Schiff was widely expected to have a large war chest because he had a relatively easy reelection campaign last year, he also raised millions of dollars more than Porter, who also is known as a prodigious fundraiser.

"Schiff is in a better position than expected. Porter ended up coming shorter than expectations – she's going to have to demonstrate that she has more fundraising depth than it appears right now. And Lee's going to have to find another way of doing it other than lots of money, but we knew that from beginning," said

Wildfire

From Page One

results. The winter of 2016-2017 brought much of the state 30% to 50% more snow and rain than average. The following October, a ferocious wind storm triggered fires that tore through the wine country north of San Francisco, killing 44 people. Blazes across the state burned 1.5 million acres in 2017, more than double the year before.

Experts are watching closely for early signs of how the upcoming fire season might play out. Much will depend on how soon the next rainy season begins, and whether California’s notorious autumn winds arrive first.

“If we get lucky and we get an early-season rain event like we had last year, it might kind of decapitate fire season early. It’s going to get a late start, and it would be great to have an early finish this year,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles. “But I wouldn’t count on it because remember: Some of California’s terrible fires in recent years have occurred following wet winters.”

Even in the wettest years, California rarely sees rain in the summer. Once grass and shrubs dry out, they can easily ignite, whether from a cigarette butt tossed out a car window, a lawnmower striking a rock or a stray thunderstorm dropping more lightning than rain. The danger grows as summer shifts to fall, when hot, dry, offshore winds sweep across the parched landscape. Called Santa Anas in Southern California and Diablo winds in the north, they have driven most of the state’s deadliest fires, at times spreading flames faster than people can flee. The start of the rainy season, often around October, usually brings relief.

“It really depends when the season changes between summer and fall, once we start to get

Dan Schnur, a politics professor at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Southern California and Pepperdine University. "Schiff has a very strong advantage but its not prohibitive. He's clearly the front-runner but he shouldn't be taking anything for granted."

Schiff, Porter and Lee are the most prominent Democrats among the 18 candidates who have thus far filed to run for the seat. Attorney Eric Early is the best known Republican, but he entered the race last week, so isn't required to file fundraising disclosures until July.

While Schiff and Porter both raised millions of dollars in the first three months of the year, Schiff ended the first quarter of 2023 with $24.7 million cash on hand, while Porter had $9.5 million, according to fundraising disclosures posted on the Federal Election Commission's website Saturday.

to where the winds pick up,” said Sumeet Singh, chief operating officer of the state’s largest utility, PG&E Corp. In 2019, his company landed in bankruptcy after wind storms repeatedly knocked down its power lines and sparked wildfires, including the 2018 blaze that leveled the town of Paradise. The company is now burying power lines, installing stronger utility poles, trimming trees and trying to get out ahead of wildfire season.

“We expect this fire season to potentially be shifted,” he said. “We anticipate quite a bit of regrowth on the vegetation side, which obviously could elevate the fire risk.”

One area where the burn risk will be lower than normal is high in the mountains, now buried under a snowpack that’s twice its average size. All that snow will take time to melt, and while it will pose a flooding risk in the valleys below, it will help prevent ignition in the higher elevations, whose forests have been ravaged by recent blazes. Among the cool mountain peaks, “things tend to stay wetter longer, and the fuels are larger, so they don’t dry out as quickly,” said Amy DeCastro, a project scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. For grasses and brush at lower elevations, though, it’s a different story. Summer’s dry heat can turn the smaller plants “crispy pretty quickly,” she said.

For now, at least, it appears the long, drenching winter has bought a short-term reprieve from flames. By this time last year, fires had already burned more than 6,000 acres across the state, after the third dry winter in a row. This year, according to Cal Fire, they’ve burned just 110.

“We can all relax for a few more months,” said Michael Wara, director of the climate and energy policy program at Stanford University. Due to the wet winter, “the time when the oven is turned on is delayed.”

Leak

From Page One

steps behind reporters, Jack Teixeira, 21, was arrested Thursday at his home in Massachusetts.

Biden sought to downplay the damage unleashed by the information spill.

“I’m concerned that it happened,” Biden said while traveling in Ireland. “But there’s nothing contemporaneous that I’m aware of that’s of great consequence.”

How true that is remains unclear. Some of the documents, for example, describe very recent movements on the Ukraine battlefield, a shortage of weaponry for Kyiv and the current –albeit well-known – extent of Russian casualties.

However, U.S. and Ukraine officials have dismissed the significance of the information. And some documents have been altered, U.S. officials said. So not all can be taken at face value.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, traveling in Asia, said Saturday that allies have not indicated to him that the leaks will harm bilateral cooperation.

“We have engaged with our allies and partners since these leaks came out, and we have done so at high levels, and we have made clear our commitment to safeguarding intelligence and our commitment to our security partnerships,” Blinken said in a news conference in Hanoi.

Still, the documents shed light on the Biden administration’s difficulties in getting material help from Israel, Egypt and South Korea, for whom loyalty to the U.S. is balanced by a perceived need to refrain from offending Russia.

In the case of Israel, long referred to as America’s closest ally in the Middle East, a reluctance to cross Russian President Vladimir Putin has been publicly known since the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

Ukraine – whose president is Jewish and whose people historically also suffered anti-Jewish pogroms – desperately asked for help from Israel in the form of sharing the technology to create an Iron Dome, an anti-rocket

Tour

From Page One

were the original inhabitants of the Andrews Park area because of the creek that runs through it. The park was also home to an elementary school and small college in the past.

A Vacaville staple, Vasquez Deli, moved to its East Main Street location in the early 2000s.

When the ground was dug up, native American burial artifacts were found, Casebolt said.

Mason Wilson was the owner of much of the downtown property at the time the city was beginning to grow. He left for Texas, leaving the land to his wife, who is described as a character, being the lone Caucasian women.

system that has successfully shielded Israel from missiles fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza and Lebanon. This came at a time entire apartment blocks and other infrastructure in Ukrainian cities were being pulverized by deadly Russian airstrikes.

But Israel, which receives $3 billion annually in aid from the U.S., needed Russia’s support in fighting Iranian-backed militants in parts of neighboring Syria, where Russia holds sway, and in Moscow’s willingness to allow Russian Jews to immigrate to Israel. And several of the infamous oligarchs who help to keep Putin in power are dual Russian Israeli citizens.

One document headed “Pathways to Providing Lethal Aid to Ukraine” says Israel is likely to consider providing lethal aid “under increased U.S. pressure or a perceived degradation in its ties to Russia.” The U.S. would look for it to provide surface-to-air and antitank missiles to Ukraine.

The document suggests Israel could adopt the model followed by Turkey, in which the government maintains ties with Moscow even as its private companies have sold drones and other weapons to Ukraine. One incentive, the document surmises, could be increased cooperation with the U.S. against Iran.

After Israel, Egypt is the single largest recipient of U.S. aid at roughly $1 billion a year. The leaked documents reveal that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi was considering supplying Russia with thousands of rockets that in theory could be used to attack Ukraine.

Like many countries in the so-called global south, Egypt has publicly sought to maintain neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine war, preferring not to take sides and to urge peace. Despite its relationship with Washington, Egypt also has sustained close ties with Russia through the years and clearly has not wanted to jeopardize them.

For Egypt, where bread is a staple of the local diet, prices of grain –and its effect on the cost of loaves – is a matter of national security. Disruptions to global wheat supply because of the invasion – Russia is the

She wrote stories of men who would watch her as she made biscuits.

As the group walked through Andrews Park, participant Leslie (Rich) Ostrom, who grew up in Vacaville, spoke of police putting up hay bales to discourage roller skaters from taking over the park.

Ostrom also shared how her grandmother would drive into town and leave the car running while she got her supplies. Her grandmother didn't have a driver's license. When the police discovered that Ostrom's grandmother got her license the same day.

Casebolt shared stories of how some of the homes on Davis Street, across from the movie theaters, may have been moved from the city of Cement. A few remains of the

Feinstein

From Page One

Chuck Schumer to allow another caucus member to serve while she’s out. Her absence has eliminated the Democrats’ 11-10 majority on the panel and slowed consideration of judicial nominees.

Klobuchar said Feinstein “did the right thing,” to step off the committee in the short term.

“I think what we need to do is take her at her word,” she said. “Right now she says she’s going to return. Let’s make sure that happens. And it sure better happen before the debt-ceiling vote.”

The debt ceiling’s so-called “X-date” is expected to be reached

world’s largest exporter and Ukraine the fifth –forced Egypt to lean even more than before on its relationship with Moscow. It now stands as the top importer of Russian grain, and plans to import 600,000 tons of wheat from Russia in May, according to a Reuters report.

However, for Egypt to more assist Russia by supplying firepower would be seen in Washington as a betrayal. The leaked contents involving Egypt were first reported by the Washington Post.

South Korea, which houses American military facilities, is arguably the closest ally that the U.S. has in Asia.

South Korea maintains a policy of not providing weapons to countries at war. The U.S. has been pressuring Seoul to make an exception in the case of Ukraine; South Korea, meanwhile, wants to enhance its own military prowess in the face of belligerence from nucleararmed North Korea.

According to the documents, South Korea considered selling munitions to Poland, with the implicit idea they would be transferred to neighboring Ukraine.

The documents also appear to indicate that U.S. officials, frustrated over Seoul’s resistance to supplying weapons to Ukraine, spied on their South Korean counterparts. They contain

purported private conversations about Ukraine among senior South Korean officials.

U.S. and South Korean officials neither confirmed nor denied the leaked reports but insisted relations between the two countries remained solid.

The leak came at an especially embarrassing time: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled to visit Washington this month for the first state visit by a South Korean leader in more than a decade.

“There’s no indication that the U.S., which is our ally, (eavesdropped) on us with malicious intent,” Kim Tae-hyo, Seoul’s deputy national security director, said last week as he arrived in Washington to prepare for the presidential summit.

“Our commitment to the Republic of Korea remains ironclad,” the White House National Security Council said in a statement.

Kurt Volker, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO and special envoy for Ukraine, noted that much of what has been revealed in the documents was already known: Allies spy on one another, Russia’s war effort in Ukraine is floundering, and Ukraine needs more armament. But the leaks could do long-term damage to U.S. intelligence efforts and potentially present lifethreatening dangers.

The facade of the Vacaville International Order of the Odd Fellows, which is still used today, is seen during the Vacaville Museum Guild’s history walking tour in downtown Vacaville, Saturday.

company town can be seen on the hill driving down Manuel Campos Boulevard between Dover Avenue and Peabody Road.

The Guild will continue their historic walking

around mid-August, and a U.S. debt default would send shock waves through the world economy. A plan to suspend the debt ceiling for a year is set to be unveiled this week by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Wisconsin, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” she’s glad Feinstein stepped off the Judiciary Committee. Resigning, however, should be her choice.

“It’s up to Dianne Feinstein and her family to decide whether she wants to keep on serving. And she’s had a remarkable record,” Baldwin said.

Feinstein isn’t the only senator to be out in recent weeks. Republican leader Mitch McConnell said he’ll return to the Senate on Monday, his first appearance in the Capitol since

tours for the remainder of the summer on the first and third Saturday of the month. For more information, visit https:// vacavillemuseum.org/ event/historical-walkingtour-buck-avenue.

he suffered a concussion and broken rib in a fall last month at a fundraiser in Washington.

New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand dismissed calls for Feinstein’s resignation, telling CNN’s “State of the Union” that “we’ve had so many senators who have had illnesses.”

“They all deserve a chance to get better and come back to work,” she said.

Calling Feinstein a mentor, role model and “extraordinary senator,” Gillibrand also voiced confidence in her return.

“Dianne will get better, she will come back to work.”

Three members of the California delegation, Democrats Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee have already announced they will seek Feinstein’s seat in 2024.

Amy Maginnis-Honey/Daily Republic

Evan Vucci/Pool/AFP/Getty Images/TNS

U.S. President Joe Biden, left, walks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in front of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral during an unannounced visit, in Kyiv, Feb. 20.

GOP making it hard for college students to vote

BloomBerg News

Republican lawmakers are making it harder for students to cast ballots where they attend school, after the GOP suffered stinging recent electoral losses largely because of an historic surge in turnout from younger voters backing Democrats.

A new law in Idaho specifically bars the use of student identification cards to vote, while a change in Ohio law means students will no longer be able to use tuition or college housing receipts as a form of voter ID, long a popular option for students without state driver’s licenses.

Similar legislation has been introduced in at least 11 other states this year, including the presidential battlegrounds of Pennsylvania and Nevada, according to Voting Rights Lab. Other bills have also targeted student voters, such as one in Texas that would bar college campuses from serving as

Week

From Page A3

local beers at the sixth annual BrewBash at the Suisun Basin Saturday.

Proceeds from this event will benefit the Fairfield-Suisun Rotary projects supporting youth and children in Fairfield and Suisun City. The BrewBash at the Basin will open the taps from noon to 4:30 p.m. at Sheldon Plaza, Driftwood Drive, in Suisun City.

Tickets are $30-60, but designated-driver tickets are free. This is a 21-andover event.

Listening tour on tap for Saturday

FAIRFIELD — The City

polling places. Younger voter turnout surged in Wisconsin’s recent Supreme Court election — one that hinged on abortion rights — helping Democrats recapture the court majority. Former Republican Gov. Scott Walker tweeted that “younger voters are the issue,” blaming “years of radical indoctrination” in schools and social media and calling for conservatives to come together to

Council Listening Tour for District 3 will continue from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday – the second in the series of seven.

Mayor Catherine "Cat" Moy and the Fairfield City Council will visit each district as part of a "Listening Tour."

The gatherings give residents the chance to interact with elected officials more closely, meet department heads and staff, learn about city projects, ask questions and provide input.

The meeting will take place at the Neighborhood Park Center at 2800 Owens St.

Diversity Festival

returns Saturday

BENICIA — The second annual Diversity

work harder to “counter liberal indoctrination to save America.”

Liz Azore, who has been tracking the bills for Voting Rights Lab, said that Republican lawmakers seem more interested in legislating on student voting than usual.

“There is a lot more energy on this issue than we’ve seen in the past,” she said.

The proposals from state Republicans come as

Festival in Benicia is set for Saturday.

The event, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., will feature live music and dance performances by more than 10 local cultural groups at the Marina Pavilion, 402 E. Second St.

The Benicia Performing Arts Foundation is hosting.

Garden Club looks at flower arranging

FAIRFIELD — Care and creativity help to make a beautiful centerpiece of flowers, learn the basics at the next Fairfield Garden Club gathering.

The Fairfield Garden Club will hear a talk from Linda Sanderson, master flower arranger from the Shibui Arrangers Guild at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the

young voters have become a key voting bloc for Democrats, who believe progressive stands on issues like climate change and student debt will keep those voters in their camp for years to come.

In Idaho, the number of 18- and 19-year-olds registered to vote jumped 81% from 2018 to 2022, the largest percentage increase in any state, according to CIRCLE.

And many of those new voters are choosing Democrats.

In November, voters between ages 18 and 29 backed Democratic House candidates by 28 percentage points, the second-largest margin in three decades and the strongest showing for Democrats among any age group, according to CIRCLE. Turnout among that age group is also at 30-year highs, hitting 27% in the 2022 election.

Danielle Deiseroth, interim executive direc-

Adult Recreation Center, 1200 Civic Center Drive, in Fairfield. For more information, call Mary Colridge, 707-330-9920.

Government meetings on calendar this week

FAIRFIELD — Several government meetings will be held and are all open to the public. Some meetings are online and in-person; check the websites for more information.

The meetings will include:

n Fairfield Suisun Sewer District Board, 4:30 p.m. Monday, 1010 Chadbourne Road, executive conference room, Fairfield. Info: www.fssd.com.

n Solano County Board of Supervisors, 9 a.m. Tuesday, County Government Center, 675

tor of the progressive think tank Data for Progress, said that polls show younger voters are focused on issues they believe affect them directly, like gun control and abortion rights.

“Young people are not voting because of ‘vibes,’” she said. “They are voting because they are paying attention to the issues.”

Polls show broad public support for voter ID laws, but lawmakers have long sparred over whether student IDs, which are not government-issued, should count. In addition to Idaho’s ban, five states bar their use for voting. And no student IDs currently meet the requirements to be used in Arizona. Iowa and Utah only allow them when paired with other documentation.

Idaho state Rep. Tina Lambert, who introduced the new ban, said it was necessary to stop students from neighboring states from voting twice, although

Texas St. Info: www.solanocounty.com/depts/bos/ meetings/videos.asp.

n Fairfield City Council, 6 p.m. Tuesday, City Council chamber, 1000 Webster St. Info: www.fairfield.ca.gov/government/city-council/citycouncil-meetings.

n Rio Vista City Council, 6 p.m. Tuesday, City Council chamber, City Hall, 1 Main St. Info: www.riovistacity.com/ citycouncil.

n Vacaville City Council, 6 p.m. Tuesday, council chamber, 650 Merchant St. Info: ci. vacaville.ca.us.

n Suisun City Council, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, City Council chamber, 701 Civic Center Blvd. Info: www.suisun.com/government/city-council/ agendas.

n Suisun City Parks

she did not cite any evidence of that happening.

“Some are going to say that this bill will prevent young people from voting,” she said in a speech on the state House floor. “That is certainly not the goal. The goal is simply to ensure that only qualified people are voting in Idaho elections.”

March for Our Lives Idaho, a student-led advocacy group in support of gun control, sued over the law in federal court, calling it a “surgical attack on Idaho’s young voters” in response to growing turnout. Co-director Amaia Clayton, a high school senior, said that the law is “hypocritical” because the state allows gun permits to be used as voter ID. The Ohio law barred student IDs as well as a more common form of voter ID used by college students: tuition receipts, bank statements and utility bills which have a student’s campus address on them.

and Recreation, 6 p.m. Wednesday, 701 Civic Center Blvd. Info: www. suisun.com/parks-recreation-commission.

n Fairfield-Suisun School District, 6 p.m. Thursday, first floor board room at the Central Office, 2490 Hilborn Road, Fairfield. Info: https://go. boarddocs.com/ca/fsusd/ board.nsf/public.

n Solano Community College Governing Board, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Solano Community College Administration Building, Denis Honeychurch Board Room 626, 4000 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield. Info: www. solano.edu/governing_ board/meetings.php.

Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post/TNS file (2020)

Noelle Trueheart of New Era Colorado draws a register to vote sign at Auraria Campus in Denver, Sept. 22, 2020.

Mets sweep series against A’s with run in 10th inning

A bbey M Astr Acco NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

OAKLAND —

Eduardo Escobar looked like he was finally going to break through with the big hit that had eluded him all season. But then Tony Kemp laid out to make a diving catch in left field, robbing Escobar of extra bases.

Again, in the ninth Escobar had a chance to be the hero for the Mets with the game tied at 3-3 and only one out. But the Oakland A’s went to the bullpen and Sam Moll (0-2) got the job done, getting Escobar to hit into a double play.

The Mets ultimately defeated the A’s 4-3 in 10 innings to complete their first sweep of the season, with a wild pitch by right-hander Zach Jackson scoring Escobar, of all people, in the 10th inning on Sunday afternoon at RingCentral Coliseum. Escobar was used as the ghost runner to start the inning.

It’s been a tough start to the season for Escobar and now his future with

the Mets (10-6) is murky as the club is set to call up third base prospect Brett Baty for the next series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The callup cast a harsh spotlight on the veteran, who went 1-for-4 on the day to drop his average to .125 on the season.

However, it would be unfair to lay all of the blame on Escobar.

The bottom of the Mets’ order hasn’t been producing and this specific game also featured a questionable decision to not deploy the Mets’ top high-leverage relievers with only a one-run lead in the later innings.

The Mets were up 2-1 until the eighth inning when the A’s (3-13) plated two against John Curtiss. The righthander saw his streak of five straight games without an earned run come to an end when Shea Langeliers hit a two-run double to left field to take back the lead.

But it was short-lived, as Pete Alonso hit drilled

Kyle Larson earns victory at Martinsville

A lex Zietlow THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

Never count out

Kyle Larson.

The NASCAR Cup Series field already knew this, but the driver of the No. 5 car served up a triumphant reminder on Sunday after notching his second win of the season at Martinsville Speedway.

Larson started 19th. He then proved early that he was one of the few drivers who could pass. And then, during a caution with about 50 laps to go, he took two tires while the rest of the field took four on a crucial pit stop — and the strategic move thrusted him into winning contention immediately, seemingly out of nowhere.

And the 2021 Cup champion took over from there.

Larson only led the final 30 laps of Sunday’s

Fox leaps toward superstardom as Kings win Game 1 vs. Warriors

JAson A nderson

THE SACRAMENTO BEE

SACRAMENTO —

De’Aaron Fox quietly emerged as an NBA star this season while leading the Kings to the thirdbest record in the Western Conference and their first playoff appearance since 2006.

The 25-year-old point guard took his first real steps toward superstardom Saturday night and there was nothing quiet about it.

Fox scored 38 points in his playoff debut to lead the Kings to a stunning

126-123 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of their best-ofseven first-round playoff series at Golden 1 Center. Fox was held to nine points on 3-of-9 shooting in the first half, but he scored 14 points in the third quarter and 15 in the fourth to outduel Golden State stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

“That’s what you need,” Kings coach Mike Brown said. “You need guys to step up, especially you need your All-Stars to step up like Foxy did tonight. He was absolutely fantastic.”

Fox tied John Williamson (1979) for the second-most points scored in a player’s postseason debut, finishing four points shy of Luka Doncic’s record of 42. He went 10 of 18 from the field and 4 of 5 from 3-point range in the second half to help the Kings overcome a sixpoint halftime deficit.

“In the fourth quarter and at the end of the game, my teammates are confident in me to make plays for myself and others, so the least I can do is go out there and believe in myself,” Fox said.

Sacramento reveled in

its return to the playoffs after 16 consecutive losing seasons with a raucous environment inside and outside the building. When the buzzer sounded to signal the end, a sellout crowd of 18,253 called on Fox once more to “Light the Beam,” words that echoed into the night as fans spilled into the streets around the team’s downtown arena. There was some speculation that Warriors fans might account for up to 30% of the crowd, but they didn’t even come close

race – fifth-most behind Ryan Preece (135 laps led), Chase Briscoe (109), Denny Hamlin (36) and Ross Chastain (31). But he led the right one by over four seconds over the rest of the field.

The driver described how special the win was after the race. After all, Larson has won a lot of places, but a win – or even a decent finish, in his eyes – has always eluded him.

Until now. “This is an extremely special win for me,” Larson said. “I’ve worked very hard to get better here. I feel like every time there’s a test available, I get put on that list to test here because I struggle. We want to get better. I’ve got tons of laps around here, and not many top tens. Honestly probably more races where I have

49ers’ offseason program opens with these areas worth a study

Time for the 49ers to start another offseason program as the NFC’s reigning runners-up.

Yes, that’s a clunky, deflating title, and they also lugged it into last year’s offseason program.

So how do they eventually become Super Bowl champs, after a 28-season drought? This is the starting point of their 29th try.

Coach Kyle Shanahan enters his seventh season with a robust roster, with most starting spots set, with playoff experience galore, and with quarterback uncertainty yet again.

Before we list what to expect over the next two months, the offseason program’s rules:

n This initial phase is restricted for two weeks to strength and conditioning plus rehabilitation and, as

always, meetings.

n Players can reconvene for onfield workouts in two weeks, though no offense-vs.-defense drills are permitted.

n Phase Three covers four

weeks of organized team activities, leading into the mandatory minicamp June 11-13. No live contact is permitted in the offseason.

The 49ers’ first access to players will come next Monday, April 24, before weekly invitiations to OTAs next month.

Here are some storylines to expect:

QB Competition

Brock Purdy is a month into a six-month journey back from rightelbow surgery, and after starting his rehabilitation in Arizona, he’s expected at the 49ers’ headquarters Monday. On-field quarterback duties, however, will fall on Trey Lance and newcomer Sam Darnold.

Lance recently worked out in

Giants-Tigers postponed after questionable rain delay

evAn webeck BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

DETROIT — The Giants waited and waited and waited. Five hours after the scheduled first pitch Sunday, the finale of their three-game series against the Tigers was finally postponed. They will make up the game on July 24. The game was scheduled to begin at 1:10 p.m. ET, but about 40 minutes before first pitch, the tarp came out on the field. Five hours later, little rain

ever arrived. From 1:30 to 5, the skies were almost entirely dry, providing a large enough window to play at least one full game, if not two under the new pace-of-play rules.

Giants pitcher Alex Cobb, the team’s alternate MLBPA player rep (Austin Slater was not with the club), said “it was terrible” the way the delay and eventual postponement was handled.

“We’ve been here since 10 a.m.,” Cobb said. “Really no information was given to us.”

While both teams were concerned with having their starting pitcher begin the game and have it go into a delay, Cobb said “ideally” they would have waited out the initial pregame delay and then tried to play through.

Around 3 p.m., Cobb said he met with the White Sox player rep but it was only an informal conversation and their discussion never made it back to MLB, which ultimately was in control of the decision.

“It’s a hard thing to predict, obviously,” Cobb

said. “The worst case for both teams would’ve been to have both our starters go out there, have an hour rain delay, then try to piece together the rest of the game. Neither side wanted that. I think that was taken into consideration as well. I still think it could’ve been handled a little bit better.”

At 5:15 p.m., officials from MLB and both teams met to “re-evaluate” a new start time. Managers Gabe Kapler and A.J. Hinchand Giants general manager Pete Putila briefly emerged from their dugouts to meet

on the field. An animated Kapler then met with a few of his coaches, shortly before catcher Joey Bart and starter Logan Webb also emerged from the dugout and headed to their bullpen.

It appeared they might get the game in, after all. But after stretching and playing some long toss, Webb and Bart returned to their dugout. About 15 minutes later, at 6:15 p.m. ET, 5 hours and 5 minutes after the scheduled first pitch, the game was officially postponed.

Webb was scheduled to make his first start since signing a five-year, $90 million extension, facing former teammate Matthew Boyd.

The Giants will now add one more stop to their road trip after the All-Star break, which already traveled through Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Washington, D.C.

“That’s gonna be tough,” Cobb said. “I think in the immediate future it might help us a little bit. We’re a little thin in the bullpen.”

Paul Kitagaki Jr./Sacramento Bee/TNS Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) reacts after a basket during Game 1 of the first-round NBA playoff series at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento Saturday. Fox had 38 points as the Kings won the opener 126-123.

Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group/TNS file (2022) San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance (5) throws during training camp at the practice facility at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Aug. 7, 2022.

See

COCONUT MERINGUE CAKE may live up to its ‘world’s best’ nickname

Jessie sheehan

SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST

Ifirst stumbled upon an old-fashioned blitz torte, a German layer cake traditionally filled with custard and topped with meringue, when researching recipes for my second cookbook, “The Vintage Baker.”

It’s the kind of cake alchemy of my dreams: A glossy, sweet meringue spread over cake batter and baked together until the meringue is bronzed and crisp while the cake reaches optimum moistness and fluffiness. Then it’s finished with a creamy, cool layer of custard, pastry or whipped cream sandwiched between the layers, taking this cake to the realm of otherworldly.

It’s no surprise that the cake is known as “Verdens beste,” or the “world’s best.” It’s officially called Kvaefjordkake, named after the Norwegian municipality of Kvaefjord, and is considered Norway’s national cake.

Lucky Norway. But also, lucky you.

The blitz torte is not difficult to assemble, and I’ve made it even easier. This version is assembled in a bowl with a whisk (no heavy equipment needed), and the filling is a simple whipped cream –no need to cook a custard or assemble a pastry cream. Plus, I have a few tips, tricks and substitutions for making this your best-ever cake, too.

Why coconut oil? Traditionally, a blitz torte’s batter is assembled in a stand mixer with softened butter. To streamline the process, this version calls for melted coconut oil. A liquid fat such as this one makes prep a breeze, as all you need is a bowl and a whisk to incorporate a liquid fat into your other ingredients. Unrefined coconut oil has a stronger coconut flavor than refined and is recommended here.

How do I melt coconut oil?

Coconut oil is a solid fat at room temperature and is usually packaged in a glass container. To melt the oil, place the uncovered glass container in the microwave and cook on high power in 30-second bursts, stirring after each. Alternatively, you can place the uncovered jar in a small pot with about an inch of water and simmer the water over low heat until the oil melts. (The remaining coconut oil will resolidify as it returns

to room temperature.)

What can substitute for coconut oil? If you don’t have coconut oil in the pantry and don’t want to buy it, you can make this cake with vegetable oil or melted butter.

Double down on coconut: A blitz torte traditionally calls for whole milk, but full-fat coconut milk works beautifully in this coconut version. Be sure to stir the coconut milk solids into the liquid before measuring and adding to the batter.

What can substitute for coconut milk? If you don’t have coconut milk in the pantry and don’t want to buy it, you can substitute whole milk, perhaps with ¾ teaspoon or so of coconut extract. More coconut! Shredded and flaked: Two kinds of dried coconut make an appearance in this torte, each playing a different role. Sweetened shredded adds moisture, texture and coconut flavor to the layers, whereas the toasted and flaked, sprinkled atop the cake, contributes to the cake’s good looks and hides any meringue imperfections. If you don’t want to buy two different kinds of coconut, use shredded in the layers, then toast some and sprinkle it over the top of the cake as well.

A surprisingly unfussy addition to this cake, the meringue layers pack both a textural and visual punch. Whisking the whites just until they reach soft peaks will guarantee a meringue with enough volume to create a chewy, yet soft texture once baked.

What are soft peaks? A soft peak is reached when the meringue gently flops over at its tippity-top, creating a little downward, pointed curve. You can check this by stopping the mixer, detaching the whisk attachment or beater and turning it upside down: If the meringue droops down just at the top, you’re good to go.

Pastry cream or custard is traditional in a blitz torte, but whipped cream is a simpler, lighter alternative, making it a wonderful contrast to the rich, yolk-filled cake and sweet meringue. The coconut extract in the cream further pops the cake’s coconut flavor, but vanilla extract would also work, as would almond extract (which can be surprisingly neutral in flavor when added in small amounts, providing more of a nostalgic flavor than anything truly nutty). If using

almond, reduce the extract to ½ teaspoon. How to test for doneness: When testing the cake for doneness, you’ll need to poke a tester (preferably a long wooden skewer, as its rough edges will easily grab batter and/or crumbs) into the cake somewhat aggressively. Because you need to poke through the meringue layer to get to the cake, don’t be afraid to twist the tester a bit in the cake, to make sure you get an accurate sense of whether it is fully baked (a moist crumb or two on the tester indicates it’s ready).

How to remove the cake from the pan: Wait 20 minutes before removing the cake layers from their pans. If you try to remove them too soon, the meringue topping will stick when you invert them (been there, done that). If the meringue sticks despite your best efforts – perhaps because of humidity – attempt to remove the layers from the pan with two large spatulas. And if you do end up with any imperfections on the surface of the cake, they’re easy enough to hide. Just toast a little coconut –either flaked or shredded – and sprinkle it over the top layer of the cake. In addition to hiding any minor flaws, it adds a little toasty color that works beautifully with the oven-baked meringue, adding nice texture.

Despite the meringue bells and whipped cream whistles of a blitz torte, it’s a surprisingly easy cake to assemble and one that’s as much fun to make as it is to eat.

COCONUT MERINGUE LAYER CAKE

Active time: 1 hour

Total time: 3 hours, plus chilling time

8-10 servings

If you prefer a more neutral flavor in the cake, use refined coconut oil, and for a more pronounced vibe – unrefined.

To toast the coconut, spread it on a baking sheet and place it in a 350degree oven for 5 minutes after the cake layers are removed. Or, heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add the coconut. Toast it, stirring frequently, until it is light brown and crisp. Transfer to a plate to cool.

If you do not want to make your own sling, you can buy parchment rounds with tabs that hang over the sides of the pan for easy lifting.

Storage: The cake is best the day it’s made but can be lightly wrapped and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Remove leftovers about 30 minutes before serving.

For the cake:

Nonstick cooking spray

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (131 grams) coconut oil, melted (see note above)

1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 large egg yolks, at room temperature

2 3 cup (161 grams) unsweetened fullfat coconut milk, at room temperature

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon fine salt

1 ½ cups (187 grams) allpurpose flour

2 3 cup (57 grams) shredded sweetened coconut (optional)

For the meringue:

4 large egg whites, at room temperature

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

1 8 teaspoon fine salt

¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar

For the whipped cream:

1 ¼ cups (284 grams) heavy cream

3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)

1 cup (170 grams) mixed berries, for serving (optional)

Toasted flaked coconut, for sprinkling (optional; see note above)

Make the cake batter: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and remove the racks above it; preheat to 350 degrees. Generously grease the sides and bottoms of two 8-inch cake pans with the cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and vanilla until combined. Whisk in the egg yolks until the mixture looks thick, yellow and well-combined. Whisk in the coconut milk. Sprinkle the baking powder and salt over the bowl one at a time, whisking vigorously after each. Fold in the flour and shredded coconut, if using, just until the last streaks of flour disappear. Evenly divide the batter between the two pans – each pan should get about 360 grams of batter. Using a small offset spatula or a butter knife, smooth out the tops.

Make the meringue: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a large bowl and a handheld mixer, beat together on medium speed the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until frothy. Slowly pour in the sugar, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until soft, thick, glossy peaks form (the peaks should bend a little at the top), 5 to 8 minutes. Divide the meringue

between the two cake pans and, using a small offset spatula or butter knife, smooth it out over the batter.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the meringue has risen considerably (it will deflate, don’t worry) and is lightly browned, and a cake tester inserted into the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Testing the cake underneath the meringue is a little tricky, but you can be aggressive in searching for a few moist crumbs with at least one of the cakes, as it will be topped with the other.

As soon as the cakes are pulled from the oven, run a butter knife or a small offset spatula around the edges of the pans to release the meringue before it hardens and sticks.

Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes, before inverting them and then turning them right side up and letting them cool completely. If it’s humid, the meringue may stick a bit when you flip the cakes upside down – just sprinkle whichever layer becomes the top of the cake with toasted flaked coconut, and no one will be the wiser.

Make the whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a large bowl and a handheld mixer, beat the cream, confectioners’ sugar and coconut extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 5 minutes.

Spread the whipped cream over the meringue on the less-attractive layer (we know you love them both, but just pick one), sprinkle with the berries, if using, and top with the second layer. The meringue should be on top.

Press down very lightly on the top of the cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut to cover any meringue imperfections. Slice with a large serrated knife, wiping the blade between slices, and serve.

Spread the whipped cream over the meringue on the less-attractive layer (we know you love them both, but just pick one), sprinkle with the berries, if using, and top with the second layer. The meringue should be on top.

Press down very lightly on the top of the cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut to cover any meringue imperfections. Slice with a large serrated knife, wiping the blade between slices, and serve.

Nutritional information per serving, based on 10 |

Calories: 492; Total Fat: 30 g; Saturated Fat: 22 g; Cholesterol: 115 mg; Sodium: 300 mg; Carbohydrates: 54 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 38 g; Protein: 5 g

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

Scott Suchman/The Washington Post

COCONUT MERINGUE LAYER CAKE

Brain chomping zombies fill the screen this week

SuSan Hiland SHILAND@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — The zombies come out in force this week with another version of the undead threatening humanity.

Also in local theaters is a film based on the life of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, who was the son of an African slave.

Also showing is a film about an U.S. GI who finds that the man who saved his life was not allowed into America and faces death by the hands of the Taliban.

Opening nationwide are: “Chevalier,” which is inspired by the true story of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. The illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, Bologne (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) rises to improbable heights in French society as a celebrated violinist-composer and fencer, complete with an ill-fated love affair and a falling out with Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton) and her court. The film is rated PG-13.

“Evil Dead Rise,” a twisted movie about two estranged sisters whose reunion is cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable. The film is rated R.

“Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant,” in which U.S. Army Sergeant John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Afghan interpreter Ahmed (Dar Salim) are ambushed. Ahmed goes to extreme lengths to save Kinley’s life. When Kinley learns that Ahmed and his family were not given safe passage to America as promised, he must repay his debt by returning to the war zone to retrieve them before the Taliban hunts them down. The film is rated R.

Opening in limited release are:

“Beau is Afraid,” in which Joaquin Phoenix stars a paranoid man who embarks on an epic decades-long journey to get home to his mother. The film is rated R.

“Carmen,” a film about a young and fiercely independent woman who

is forced to flee her home in the Mexican desert following the brutal murder of her mother. Carmen survives a terrifying and dangerous illegal border crossing into the U.S., only to be confronted by a lawless volunteer border guard who cold-bloodedly murders two other immigrants in her group. She flees with another patrol officer to L.A. where they must avoid the murderous officers. The film is not rated.

“Gringa,” in which Marge Bickford (Jess Gabor) navigates the halls of her high school and the chalked lines of its soccer field with the same sense of failure and dread. She decides to run away to Mexico and find her father. She soon realizes that he is no more of an adult than she is and both need to grow up. The film is not rated.

“Little Richard: I Am Everything,” a documentary about Little Richard, whose outrageous queer life is explored through interviews and archival film. The film reveals how Richard created an art form for ultimate self-expression, yet what he gave to the world he was never able to give to himself. The world tried to put him in a box, but Richard was an omni being who contained multitudes – he was unabashedly everything. The film is not rated.

“River,” in which the timeless relationship between human civilization and Earth’s rivers is explored in beautiful detail. Spanning six continents, this visual and musical tour-de-force is by turns celebratory, cautionary and ultimately hopeful that we are beginning to understand rivers in all their complexity and fragility. Narrated by Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe. The film is not rated. For information on Edwards Cinemas in Fairfield, visit www. regmovies.com/ theatres/regal-edwardsfairfield-imax. For Vacaville showtimes, visit www. brendentheatres.com. For Vallejo showtimes, check www.cinemark. com/theatres/ca-vallejo.

Pickles Brian Crane

Zits Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

Pearls Before Swine Stephan Pastis

Candorville Darrin Bell

Baby Blues Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott

Baldo Hector Cantú and Carlos Castellanos

She launched the ‘Twilight’ films

But Hollywood franchises kept going to men

Los A ngeLes Times

LOS ANGELES — Catherine Hardwicke’s new movie, “Mafia Mamma,” is a comedic fantasy about a smart, talented, toolong underestimated American woman, played by Toni Collette, who suddenly becomes the head of an Italian mob family.

It is also something of a message from Hardwicke to Hollywood. When Collette sent her the script (by Michael J. Feldman and Debbie Jhoon, based on a story by Amanda Sthers), Hardwicke was thrilled by the thought of shooting in Italy and working with Collette again. “Toni’s got that comedic range. She’s done so many serious things lately, so I was happy at the thought of seeing her not being thrown down a staircase or getting murdered – just Toni looking glamorous and having fun.”

But she was equally motivated by the film’s larger theme. “Of course, I could relate to the message of a woman not being as respected as we want to be in our jobs. She’s been peoplepleasing all her life when she starts realizing, ‘I’m going to give the orders – that’s an order.’ I loved that arc.”

It’s an arc she understands very well.

Twenty years ago, Hardwicke, then a production designer, cowrote and directed “Thirteen,” a shockingly frank look at a girl’s troubled entrance into adolescence and a mother’s despair as she watches her daughter turn into someone she does not understand. Written with then14-year old Nikki Reed, who also starred alongside Evan Rachel Wood and Holly Hunter, “Thirteen” debuted at Sundance, where Hardwicke won the directing award for drama. The film’s depiction of sex and drug use made it the subject of as much controversy as critical acclaim. Hunter received an Oscar nomination for her performance, and Hardwicke entered the then-tiny pantheon of female directors to watch.

Her second film, “Lords of Dogtown,” based on the documentary “Dogtown and Z-Boys” and starring a young Heath Ledger, solidified her fame as a creative teller of real-life tales. Hardwicke thought she had established a career path.

“The mindset closest to my heart was making underdog stories – gritty, fully immersive true-life stories – and I thought I would keep getting to do that,” Hardwicke says.

“But you don’t always get to do what you want in Hollywood.”

What she did instead was “Twilight,” the film adaptation of the popular Stephenie Meyer book, back when young adult fiction was not something Hollywood valued.

Then, after her film became a blockbuster and launched an entire franchise, she shocked the industry by declining to direct any of the subsequent films.

Because, she thought, having proved herself a moneymaker, she would be able to get back to her own projects.

“The first book is the one I really liked,” she says. “It inspired me, to create this ecstatic feeling people feel when reading the book. The next book didn’t really have it; I wasn’t inspired,” she adds, laughing ruefully. “I was naive. I thought ‘Hey man, I just made four or 500 million dollars; I’ll be able to make what I want.’ But that’s not how it turned out.”

Although “Twilight” briefly put her in a category all by herself – a female director who launched a film franchise – being a poster child for possibility did not profit Hardwicke, or female directors, very much. “People love to say ‘a woman directed it,’ but that’s because no one thought the book was that popular. Every studio turned it down. I got to direct it because no one thought it would make money, and when it did, all the rest of them went to men – the rest of ‘Twilight,’ ‘The Hunger Games,’ ‘Divergent,’ all that model went to male directors.”

Would she have liked to have worked on “The Hunger Games”? “That would have been amazing,” she says. “I would have loved that.”

Meanwhile, Hardwicke has amassed a trove of un-greenlighted projects. “I call them ‘ghosts in the garage,’” she says. “All sorts of projects that I did research for – scouting locations, storyboards, budgets, everything, but then I never got green-lit. I remember going to a Stanley Kubrick exhibit at LACMA,” she adds, “and they had a whole room devoted to all his research on the [as-yet never made] Napoleon movie, and I thought ‘OK, even Stanley Kubrick couldn’t get his passion project made; maybe I’m not such a big loser.’

“We all try to get these passion projects made,” she continues, “and sometimes people send you something and you think, ‘Can I put enough of my heart in this to live with it for a year and a half?’”

Increasingly, some of those projects have been in television. In 2020, Hardwicke did a series

for the ill-fated Quibi; “Don’t Look Deeper” follows a young woman as she discovers she is AI. “Very much in my wheelhouse,” Hardwicke says, “and it was great fun being in charge of a series.” Unfortunately, Quibi, a platform built on shortform stories that people could watch only on their phone, folded as the COVID-19 pandemic sent people back to their homes and flatscreens. “I wish it had worked out,” she says, adding “you can see it on Roku now.”

More recently, she directed an episode for the anthology series “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.” “Guillermo just called me out of the blue; I didn’t even know him,” she says. “That was a nice little treat. Nice Netflix money so I could have beautiful production design and costume design. I thought the chance to learn from him, his creature designs –why would I say no?”

The rise of television and streaming has opened many doors for female directors, she says, in large part because, when various studies revealed an utter lack of gender parity, those platforms took it seriously. “They made a big effort to have a better balance of women directors, so that’s fantastic,” she says. “But those directors don’t have much power; the showrunners have the power. So directors can have shows and experience under their belts, but it’s not quite the same as creating your own project.”

Which is one reason Hardwicke is so excited about “Mafia Mamma,” delighting in the locations – “we shot in 400-year-old villas all around Rome. Everywhere you went they said, ‘the pope slept here,’” – and in describing the execution of a certain scene that was near and dear to her heart.

In the interest of not spoiling anything, let’s just say that Collette’s character Kristin gets to make use of the moves she has practiced in her self-defense class even as she’s been muted on a Zoom call. “Eye/crotch, eye/ crotch,” Hardwicke says. “When I read that scene, I thought, ‘Oh if I can do this right, I just want to see that rage build up, the arc of that rage – aaaaa!” she says finishing up with a guttural yell.

The other reason Hardwicke is thrilled with “Mafia Mamma” is Bleecker Street’s decision to open it in 2,000 theaters, complete with the kind of publicity push that’s become all too rare for nonfranchise (or Oscar bait) films.

“It’s never a guarantee,” she says of a theatrical release, never mind one on that scale. “It’s so confusing these days. I think when they saw the movie, they saw how fun it was to see with an audience. You get that rolling laughter going. We hid microphones in test screenings,” she adds, “and if a joke didn’t get a laugh, I cut it out. I just want you to be on a ride the whole time.”

Crossword by Phillip Alder

Bridge

championship, how should South plan the play in four spades after West leads a diamond?

North’s two-diamond cue-bid showed at least three-card spade support and game-invitational values or more. Probably you feel South overbid by jumping to four spades, but he did have good distribution, and at international match point scoring, any time you smell a game, bid that game!

At first glance, with two trump losers, it looks as though declarer must guess the clubs correctly. However, as East has both the ace and queen, does that mean the contract must fail? No, not if East has a singleton spade honor.

LOOK FOR A WINNING LAYOUT OF THE CARDS

The secret of success in bridge is keeping your eyes and brain working perfectly. However, almost everyone has a blind spot occasionally. If only we had those side mirror lights that tell us when there is a car in our blind spot.

In today’s deal from a world team

After winning the first trick with his diamond ace, South plays a heart to dummy’s ace and ruffs the diamond seven in his hand. He cashes the heart king and ruffs the heart jack in the dummy. With the red suits eliminated, declarer leads a trump from the dummy. Here this play works beautifully. After winning with the ace, East is endplayed. Whether he leads a club or a diamond, South loses only one club trick.

That seems easy enough for an expert, but two top declarers failed to ruff dummy’s second diamond and went down. At another table, one clever West found an initial club lead, which defeated the contract.

COPYRIGHT: 2023, UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

Sudoku by Wayne

Bridge

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

The secret of success in bridge is keeping your eyes and brain working perfectly. However, almost everyone has a blind spot occasionally. If only we

Gould

© 2023 Janric Enterprises Dist. by creators.com

Difficulty level: SILVER

Yesterday’s solution:

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images/TNS

Director Catherine Hardwicke attends the “Mafia Mamma” New York screening at AMC Lincoln Square Theater, Tuesday, April 11.

California has a new take on mezcal, tequila How Sacramento-area farmers are leading it

Benjy egel THE SACRAMENTO BEE

On recent a brisk March morning in Woodland’s rolling hills, Raul “Reppo”

Chavez was already covered in sweat.

Chavez and his cousin Antonio had spent the last half-hour hacking away at their agave plants – monstrous pineapple-looking beasts whose spiky leaves are all that can be seen above the soil.

The jimadors, as the farmers of the unique succulent are called, were harvesting agave that they planted six to eight years ago. After a stormy weekend, they will roast the 100-pound agave hearts (known as piñas) for five to seven days in an 8-feet-deep pit covered with pumice and volcanic rocks from around Mount Lassen.

This is where the burgeoning “Mezcalifornia” movement begins. It ends up in small-batch agave spirits produced by craft distilleries throughout the state.

But don’t call it call it tequila or mezcal. That distinction is specific only to agave spirits produced in certain parts of Mexico.

Regardless of the name, it’s still a very niche, craft drink. Agave grows slowly and doesn’t yet have streamlined production in the United States. The resulting liquors are scarce and expensive.

Yet more growers are planting agave – and tequila and mezcal are among the United States’ most popular drinks. When asked about the demand for California-grown agave, farmer and agave advocate Craig Reynolds replied, “I think it’s endless.”

“The craft distillers in California would buy up every mature agave 10 times what I’m producing, 100 times. They’re able to sell their agave spirits at a premium,” Reynolds said. “And it’s just a matter of it scaling up. We have a long way to go to ever come close to saturating the market for agave spirits, in my opinion.”

How agave movement got started

Agave plants grow all over California, from midtown Sacramento sidewalk plots to dirt patches bordering freeways. But most aren’t Blue Weber agave (agave tequilana), the kind most commonly used for distilling tequila and mezcal.

That’s what Reynolds and Chavez grow on neighboring hillsides owned by brothers Joe and Tom Muller in Woodland. The Chavez cousins became acquainted with the industry while growing up in the Mexican state of Jalisco where tequila is made, in a 6,000-person town called Tonaya.

“Tonaya is a little town, but it’s got a lot, a lot of acres of agave. So we started to work a little bit over there. Not too much – more over here, when (Reynolds) came and started to plant that (plot),” Reppo Chavez said.

Reynolds began growing agave in Colima, Mexico, in 2006 that would later be used to make Dos Volcanes tequila, which was sold to raise money for a nonprofit called Project Amigo.

Reynolds used his vacation days to check up on the agave and moonlighted

working full time as thenstate Sen. Lois Wolk’s chief of staff. After retiring, he planted his first stateside agave in 2014.

He started with 500 plants and ended up with a movement. St. George Spiritsmaster distiller Lance Winters, who is based in Alameda, made the first batch of spirits in 2019. Others came calling, both for processed agave and seedlings to start their own plots.

Reynolds founded the California Agave Council in April 2020 to unite growers and set standards across the board.

One such principle, signed into state law in September: any bottle marketed as California agave spirits must be 100% made from agave. Traditional tequila requires only 51% agave juice, with the rest coming from corn or cane sugar and coloring agents.

Though Reynolds pioneered commercial agave production in California, he’s quick to differentiate between himself and “real farmers” such as the Chavez cousins, who harvest his plants as well as their own.

That harvesting is hard work. Once the Chavez cousins cut the agaves’ quiotes (flowering stalks that shoot from the center and indicate the plant has fully matured) they have about eight months to extract the piñas.

The jimadors use two types of coas (poles with sharp, round heads) to hack off the spiky leaves and root out the piñas, which they then pull out of the dirt by hand. All that time spent growing,

precisely once. They then load the piñas into a truck for roasting, which can take another week once the subterranean oven is constructed. The agave leaves are then tilled back into the soil where beans, clover and mustard grow as cover crops.

Once roasted, the piñas are shredded and pressed to extract their sugary juices. Liquor makers then ferment and distill that liquid, proof it down to something around 40-45% ABV and bottle it for sale. Each 750-milliliter bottle requires about 11 pounds of agave.

Drink up!

When Venus Spirits began importing Mexican agave juice to make spirits in 2014, the Santa Cruz distillery was one of three in the U.S. to do so, founder and distiller Sean Venus said.

A couple hundred distillers do the same now, Venus said, but not many get their agave from California. Venus Spirits is one of the fortunate few. It released 450 bottles of El Ladrón Yolo, its first California-grown take on tequila, in 2021, using Reynolds’ agave.

The first El Ladrón Yolo bottles were sold only in the distillery’s tasting room, though the next batch will be slightly larger and distributed through other retailers. Venus Spirits still makes Mexican agave spirits, but they’re not the same.

“It’s quite a bit different. We get more of the vegetal notes from California agave. It’s less sweet,

but more minerally, so it’s

acter and flavor than Mexican agave spirits,” Venus said. “It’s a really interesting thing. We’re roasting over almond wood, and a little bit of that smoke character gets into the agave and comes through in the spirits.”

California dirt costs more than Jalisco land, and the traditional cooking method Reynolds uses is time-intensive.

Those factors drive the price of the resulting beverage up: a bottle of El Ladrón Yolo sells for $90, while Venus Spirits’ liquors made from Mexican agave go for $42-$68.

Yet demand is high. Americans are expected to spend more than $13.3 billion on agave spirits tequila and mezcal this year, overtaking vodka and whiskey as the nation’s most-bought spirit, according to beverage research firm IWSR.

Venus and Reynolds expect prices to fall as California’s agave industry grows and becomes more efficient. If more California farmers grow agave, Venus Spirits will buy it.

In the meantime, Venus has planted a few seedlings around the distillery and is exploring larger plots outside of Santa Cruz. “The whole kind of farm-to-bottle thing is a process that is really interesting and unseen by (many) other distillers,” Venus said. “I think it’s something really unique that is happening right now, and we’re just excited to be part of it.”

Right crop, right place?

California’s natural

ABOVE: California Agave Council Director Craig Reynolds stands behind locally grown agave spirits made from distilled agave plants harvested at Joe Mueller’s farm in Woodland.

LEFT: Agave hearts weighting more than 100 pounds each are placed in an 8-foot-deep fire pit lined with lava rocks, where they will be roasted for five to seven days on a farm in Woodland.

growing conditions – high heat, fertile soil and a Mediterranean climate –make the state suitable for agave as well as many other crops. The California Agave Council now includes farmers from counties as disparate as Lake, San Luis Obispo and Imperial.

But the Central Valley is the area to watch, because this crop takes little precious water. That has farmers like Stuart Woolf ripping out their almond trees in favor of agave plants.

Woolf’s family has farmed in the Westlands Water District since the late 1940s. The family today grows nuts, cotton, alliums, winegrapes, grains and more on 20,000 acres around Huron in Fresno County. Yet with new state laws such as the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) restricting the amount of water farmers can pump, Woolf estimates he’ll eventually fallow 40% of his land.

Woolf plans to lease some of the space to industrial solar companies, but wants to keep farming the crops he can. He began growing 4,000 agave plants in a test plot in 2019. While none is mature yet, they’re thriving so far, he said.

“Is this something akin to when California first started getting into the winegrape business, and we’d have naysayers all over the world saying ‘good luck with that?’” Woolf wondered. “When I drive around my neighborhood, there are agaves everywhere, just in gardens or off the road. We have plants out there in farm country where nobody is irrigating them and they seem to be thriving.”

They’re doing so well, in fact, that Woolf will plant 160 acres of agave this year and he plans to do the same in subsequent years –roughly 200,000 plants per year. His five children had

little interest in carrying on the family’s farming legacy, yet when he told them about his agave plans over dinner, they all wanted in.

Woolf is doing all this planting with hopes that someone else will build a commercial plant to cut, heat and extract juice from that many piñas, because none currently exists in California. If no one does by the time they’re ready to be harvested, he still has a plan.

“I’m going to plant all these things and if I can’t get somebody to take them off my hands, I’m going to process them myself,” Woolf said. “It really is a chicken-and-the-egg kind of thing, and I would be getting in a lot deeper if I were to do that. But I don’t know, I’m kind of intrigued by the whole idea.”

Other people are getting involved on the research front, thanks to Woolf’s funding. He and his wife Lisa donated $100,000 last year for UC Davis researchersto investigate agave’s viability in California, with a focus on identifying growing locations, plant attributes and future funding sources.

Agave can survive with little to no water during dry years, but frost can be killer and is more likely in California than Mexico. If water is available, Woolf is looking at using drip irrigation for faster-growing, sugarier plants rather than the dry farming typically done in Mexico.

Agave spirits are rooted in Mexico, and mezcal in particular carries no small amount of mysticism and cultural lore. But California can’t and isn’t making tequila or mezcal. It’s making its own spirit.

“We’re just another part of the family,” Reynolds said. “We’re not trying to take Mexican traditions. We’re California distillers doing their own thing, learning along the way.”

Paul Kitagaki Jr./The Sacramento Bee/TNS photos

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Monday’s TV sports

Kirkwood goes from promising to proven with Grand Prix win

Steve HenSon LOS ANGELES TIMES

Kyle Kirkwood was a phenom on training wheels, perhaps the most successful driver ever along the Road to Indy –what amounts to the bush leagues of racing. Yet after a little more than one year in the IndyCar big leagues, his reputation had turned.

Florida at Boston, ESPN, 4:30 p.m.

• Minnesota at Dallas, ESPN2, 6:30 p.m.

• L.A. Kings at Edmonton, ESPN, 7 p.m.

Running

• Boston Marathon, ESPN, 5:30 a.m.

Soccer EPL

• Leeds vs. Liverpool, USA, Noon.

Tuesday’s TV sports

Baseball

MLB

• San Francisco vs. Miami, NBCSBA, 3:40 p.m.

• Chicago Cubs vs. Oakland, NBCSCA, 6:40 p.m.

• N.Y. Mets vs. L.A. Dodgers, TBS, 7:10 p.m.

Basketball NBA Playoffs

• Atlanta at Boston, NBATV, 4 p.m.

• N.Y. Knicks at Cleveland, TNT, 4:30 p.m.

• L.A. Clippers at Phoenix, TNT, 7p.m.

Bowling

• PGA, Scorpion Championship, FS1, 4 p.m.

Hockey NHL • N.Y. Rangers at New Jersey, TBS, 4 p.m.

• Tampa Bay at Toronto, ESPN, 4:30 p.m.

• Winnipeg at Vegas, ESPN2, 6:30 p.m.

• Seattle at Colorado, ESPN, 7 p.m.

A’s

From Page B1

one 430 feet off Dany Jimenez in the top of the ninth. It was his eighth of the season and it put him at the top of the league leaderboard.

David Robertson converted his fourth save of the season and his second in as many days, getting out of a jam in the 10th.

Making his first appearance of the season after being called up from Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday, Jimmy Yacabonis (1-0) also got himself into a two-on, none-out jam in the ninth. He got out of it with the help of Brandon Nimmo, who made a diving catch in center field.

It was Nimmo’s second catch like that of the day, with the first coming in the first inning with Jose Butto on the mound.

Tommy Pham hit his second home run of the

Fox

From Page B1

with 17,000-plus loudly and proudly cheering for the Kings.

“Truth be told, I actually thought it would be more Warriors fans here because, obviously, I’ve played them four times a year for the last six years and I’ve seen it,” Fox said.

“But I think Sacramento showed out tonight. Trey (Lyles) walked by and he was like, ‘Yo, this is the loudest arena I’ve ever played in.’

season and Francisco Lindor hit his fourth for the Mets (9-7). Jose Butto was called up from Triple-A Syracuse to make his first start of the season. His pitch count was kept low thanks, in large part, to the defense behind him, which made a few stellar Butto escaped with only one run on five hits. He walked four and struck out two over five innings.

The first run for Oakland was courtesy of Kevin Smith, who took him deep for a solo shot in the fifth to tie the game.

Denyi Reyes came on in relief of Butto with one on and none out in the sixth inning. It was an eventful inning, with Jace Peterson stealing second base and getting around to third with only one out on a ground ball by Aledmys Diaz. But Peterson took off on a grounder to third base by Langeliers and Escobar got the out at home. Reyes tossed two innings to keep the lead intact for Curtiss.

ously we want to win for ourselves and for each other and for everybody in this organization, but doing this for the fans, just knowing the way they support this team through thick and thin –like, through really thin – I think it’s just a testament to the way they are and it was definitely a great atmosphere.”

Malik Monk came off the bench to score 32 points for the Kings, who will try to take control of the series when they play host to the Warriors in Game 2 on Monday. Monk made 8 of 13 from the field and 14 of 14 at the free-throw line.

He found trouble. He caused trouble. Somehow, some way, he’d torpedo his own chances and even the chances of others.

Still, his talent was undeniable. So a few weeks ago, the chief strategist for Andretti Autosport, former driver Bryan Herta, switched from advising his son Colton — a rising star in his own right – to work with Kirkwood, the newest member of the Andretti team.

The transformation was immediate, lifting Kirkwood to the pole at the Grand Prixof Long Beach and to the top of the podium Sunday. It was the first IndyCar win for the 24-year-old from Jupiter, Fla.

“To have my first win at Long Beach is incredible and Bryan did a fantastic job on strategy,” he said. “Besides [the Indianapolis

49ers

From Page B1

Texas with the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and personal passing coach Jeff Christensen. Lance was the undisputed QB1 in last year’s offseason program, but Darnold figures to make a run for that job – and have the opportunity to get it – more so than Nate Sudfeld and Purdy last year. Lance has two more weeks for his surgically repaired right ankle to brace for the on-field competition.

Welcome mat

Remember, the offseason program is voluntary, up until the mid-June minicamp, so not all veterans will show. Free agent additions still would be best served to get started on their initiation process, including Darnold, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, defensive backs Isaiah Oliver and Myles Hartsfield, defensive ends Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant, and, offensive linemen Jon Feliciano and Matt Pryor. Of Shanahan’s 22 assistants, defensive coordinator Steve Wilks makes his entrance, as does Klint Kubiak, the new passing-game specialist and the older brother to assistant quarterbacks coach Klay Kubiak.

Health Check

Lance and Purdy are not the only prominent

500], this is our most prestigious race. When I won, I was trying to hold tears back in the car. I’ve never felt that before.”

On an ideal day before a sold-out crowd, the 48th running of the Grand Prixthrough palm-lined streets of Long Beach provided plenty of pathos, intrigue and triumph for the film crew shooting “100 Days to Indy,” a six-episode docuseries that will premiere April 27 and culminate with a finale focused on the Indy 500 on May 28.

Fellow Andretti Autosport drivers Romain Grosjean and Colton Herta finished second and fourth, respectively, and the top five finishers drove Hondas. Marcus

Ericsson (third) and Alex Palou (fifth) drive for Chip Ganassi Racing.

Grosjean, who finished second at Long Beach last year as well, didn’t try to pass Kirkwood, even though he’d conserved fuel and during the last few laps could have utilized push-to-pass – a button on the steering wheel that provides a driver with the ability to give his car a short burst of speed if he has sufficient fuel.

Late in the first race of 2023 at St. Petersburg, Fla., Grosjean was in a tight battle for the lead with Scott McLaughlin when their cars made contact and they both crashed into the tire barrier.

Grosjean wasn’t about

to allow something similar to occur abreast the iconic dolphin fountain at Long Beach, especially not with his teammate Kirkwood the leader.

“I didn’t even once try to win today,” Grosjean said. “I guess I saved too much fuel.”

Kirkwood led for 53 laps of the 85 laps, conjuring memories of his 2021 season driving in the Indy Lights series, when he won 10 of 20 races for Andretti. Last year, however, Andretti didn’t have an IndyCar slot for him, so Kirkwood spent a frustrating, winless rookie year driving for A.J. Foyt Enterprises.

A spot with Andretti opened last offseason, a deal with Kirkwood came together quickly and Bryan Herta became his strategist before the Grand Prix at Texas a few weeks ago.

“Kyle is easy because despite his relative inexperience, he’s probably the most successful junior career of any American driver ever,” Bryan Herta said. “What I told him before the race was, ‘You’ve won so many races, you know how to win, and this is no different.”

players coming off serious injuries. Elijah Mitchell’s second season was curtailed by knee sprains, and getting him up to full health is key to forming a magnificent tandem in the backfield with Christian McCaffrey. Speaking of running backs, Jordan Mason and Ty Davis-Price are coming off contrasting rookie seasons, but this offseason program affords them a chance to boost their stock before the inevitable arrival of this year’s rookie challengers.

The 49ers did not make any known changes to their health and performance staff, which remains led by Ben Peterson. Dustin Perry is the head trainer and Dustin Little leads the strength and conditioning program.

D-line strides

Hargrave’s addition is

huge for the defensive line, which now must hone in on its edge-rushing depth.

Nick Bosa typically trains in his native Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and if he does so again while awaiting a contract extension in late summer, that allows other defensive ends to take educational reps from position coaches Kris Kocurek and Darryl Tapp.

Drake Jackson, after fading in his rookie season, is working hard to win the starting spot on the flank opposite Bosa. Ferrell and Bryant are the veteran arrivals, but the 49ers should bring in more competition via the draft, where they hold 11 picks, starting at No. 99 late in the third round.

Also keep an eye on defensive tackle Kalia Davis, a sixth-round pick last year who spent his rookie season rehabilitat-

ing an ACL reconstruction.

Promotions afoot

Of the 49ers’ job openings, some former reserves can step into roles they previously filled as injury replacements, such as right tackle Colton McKivitz and strong-side linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles.

A lot of rookies got scant playing time last season or worked on the practice squad, so now is their opportunity to get back into the action. Players such as Davis-Price, wide receiver Danny Gray, linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball, offensive linemen Jason Poe, Leroy Watson and Alfredo Gutierrez; wide receivers Tay Martin and Dazz Newsome; and, defensive backs Sam Womack III, Tayler Hawkins and Qwuantrezz Knight.

From Page B1

“We know what this fanbase is about and what they want to do, and obvifinished a lap down than on the lead lap. So it’s been difficult.”

Larson added: “Like I said, when you can win at a place like this, it is definitely up there. I was teared up the whole last lap. I heard (my crew chief)

Cliff (Daniels) was teared

Curry scored 30 points for the Warriors.

Larsonup too. So that feels really, really special because he is so strong and, like, emotionally strong. To hear that means a lot.”

Joey Logano finished second. Martin Truex Jr. was third, and Hamlin was fourth.

Larson prevailed through five cautions for 50 laps and 10 lead changes.

Here’s a look at a handful of other drivers who had notable performances on Sunday.

Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group/TNS file Elijah Mitchell’s second season was curtailed by knee sprains, and getting him up to full health is key to forming a tandem in the backfield with Christian McCaffrey.

Nick Kosan /For the Los Angeles Times/TNS

Kyle Kirkwood celebrates in Victory Circle after winning the 48th annual Grand Prix of Long Beach, Sunday.