Daily Republic: Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Biden announces bid for a second term in 2024

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Tuesday he will seek the presidency again in 2024, dismissing doubts about whether the 80-year-old is fit to serve a second term and solidifying his grip on the Democratic Party as its standard-bearer.

The president announced his campaign in a video posted to his Twitter account.

“I said we are in a battle for the soul of America, and we still are,” Biden said in a video featuring images of him and Vice President Kamala Harris – who will be on the ticket again – criss-crossing the country. “The question we are facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom. More rights or fewer.”

The much-anticipated announcement sets up a potential rematch between Biden and former President Donald Trump, who has already declared his candidacy and leads the field of Republican 2024 hopefuls. Biden, a self-described “great respecter of fate,” has weighed the decision for months. Though most presidents wait to announce a reelection campaign to avoid triggering federal election reporting restrictions, Biden’s age has played an outsized role in his decision. He is the nation’s oldest president and would be just shy of 82 on election day in 2024.

Seventy percent of all Americans, including 51% of Democrats, said they didn’t want Biden to seek a second term, compared with 26% of Americans who think he should, according to an NBC poll released

See Biden, Page A8

Proposed Highway 37 toll plan met with skepticism

VALLEJO — Commuters and residents of this bayfront city believe the decision to convert Highway 37 into a toll road to pay for circulation, flooding and other improvements has already been made – and they are the ones who will pay the price.

About 50 people on Monday attended a public hearing by the California Transportation Commission in the Joseph Room of the John F. Kennedy Library in Vallejo.

More people followed the meeting on Zoom, but a count was not available.

Many of those who attended in-person came to the meeting skeptical at best, and once told each of them would only have 1 minute to speak, that mistrust only grew.

Shouts from the audience only increased as the meeting progressed.

Most of the concerns were about the cost – an estimated $7 to $8 per roundtrip – with the electronic toll gates placed in Solano County and none in areas that would impact the higher-income motorists from Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties.

Moreover, there is frustration with the state for not enforcing rules about

development of affordable housing in those counties so not as many people would have to commute in the first place. And some believe the employers who benefit from the labor coming in from Vallejo should share the costs, too.

The estimated annual cost to a commuter would be about $1,800 – or an extra mortgage payment for some.

The frustration level is only exasperated by the fact

AgenCy

Harry Belafonte, the award-winning entertainer who fueled an international calypso craze in the 1950s with his version of the “Banana Boat Song” and whose long career in show business paralleled his off-stage role as a civil rights activist and globetrotting humanitarian, has

died in New York. Belafonte, who squeezed so much into his decades-long career that it was difficult to fathom it all, died at his Manhattan home Tuesday of congestive heart failure, his longtime spokesman Ken Sunshine said Tuesday. His wife Pamela was by his side. The Harlem-born son

of poor Caribbean immigrants, Belafonte soared to fame in the early ’50s as a folk balladeer whose success as a performer and recording artist grew to encompass the Broadway stage, movies, television, Las Vegas showrooms and concert venues.

Described in Look magazine in 1957 as the first Black matinee idol in enter-

this would make the third toll road Vallejo residents would be subject to just to get out and back into town.

“You will landlock Vallejo,” was resident said.

Another added, “This isn’t a prison; it’s a community.”

Few, if any, however, argue that the improvements are not needed. Afterall, Highway 37 has flooded in 2017, 2018 and again this

Courtesy of Caltrans See Highway, Page A8

tainment history, the tall, trim and smoothly handsome singer amassed an impressive string of early accolades in an era when Black actors were mostly cast as maids, domestic helpers and laborers.

In 1954, he became the first Black man to win a Tony Award – for best

County brings park regulations in line with industry standards A3

Fox says he’s definitely playing in Game 5 of first-round series B1

Country singer, Dixon native Pardi focus of two NorCal culinary events

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

WHEATLAND — Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain is gearing up to celebrate two special culinary events with multi-platinum country music artist and Dixon native Jon Pardi over the next few weeks. Since moving to Nashville, Pardi has charted 14 hits, including four No. 1 singles.

Pardi’s Pardi Batch Spirits will be the inspiration for a special culinary experience April 30 at Council Oak Steaks and Seafood, hosted by the recording artist. Pardi Batch is inspired by the

country star’s music and energetic live performances. It’s two masterpieces: Pardi Batch

112 Bourbon and Pardi Batch Tennessee Whiskey.

Pardi partnered with Tennessee-based gold medal award-winning whiskey brand Buffalo Chip Spirits.

“We create our mash with only the finest grains and purest water, then slowly age our whiskey to perfection in charred oak barrels. Only the best of the best makes it into my Pardi Batch,” Pardi said in press materials. The spirits will be accompanied by a threecourse dinner menu in

Council Oak.

The culinary fun with Pardi will continue through May as the focus of Hard Rock Café Sacramento’s monthly “celebrity burger” program recognizing local personalities in Northern California.

Pardi’s burger is his take on a mushroom burger featuring an 8-ounce Wagyu burger patty, medium Swiss cheese, baby bella mushrooms, his signature Pardi Batch gourmet steak sauce, with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle served atop a freshly baked brioche bun.

“Jon Pardi is such a great representative of the region and an amazing

Suisun City breaks ground on second Starbucks

SUISUN CITY — Local

dignitaries participated in the groundbreaking on Monday for Starbucks’ newest location in Suisun City.

The new coffee shop will be located at the corner of Walters Road and Highway 12 and is expected to open this fall.

It is 2,200 square feet with a 625-square-foot outdoor patio seating area, along with a double drive-thru that will accommodate 17 vehicles.

This will be the second location for Starbucks in Suisun City. The new Starbucks location will offer free Wi-Fi, and a selection of coffee, tea and other bev-

CORRECTION

Suisun police: Ammunition found at Crystal Middle School

had recovered as a result of their initial investigation into this incident.

SUISUN CITY — Just

before noon Tuesday, the Suisun City Police Department received a call from Crystal Middle School reporting that a student was in possession of ammunition (bullets) on school grounds.

Officers swiftly responded to the school and contacted school administrators who subsequently surrendered all of the ammunition they

BRIGHT spot

country artist,” said Mark Birtha, president of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain, in a press release. “We are honored to have him partner with us to share his passion for food and beverage with everyone in Northern California.”

After a year of running this program, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento will recognize the celebrity that has the highest monthly burger sales with a donation to the charity of their choosing.

For more information and/or tickets, visit www. hardrockhotelsacramento. com/live-event-calendar/ pardi-batch-spirits-dinner.

Officers conducted a general search of the area for other bullet(s) or firearms and none were located at this time.

The Suisun City Police Department is actively investigating this incident and are unable to provide further details. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Suisun City Investigations at 707-421-7373.

erages. Customers can also enjoy a range of breakfast and lunch options, including pastries, sandwiches and salads.

“We’re excited to see the development of the new Starbucks coffee shop in our city,” said Mayor Alma Hernandez, in a press release. “The addi-

tion of this new location will provide more options for our residents and visitors to enjoy a cup of coffee or a bite to eat, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact it will bring to our community.” The store will employ approximately 25 new employees.

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

Daily Republic Staff

Courtesy photo

Jon Pardi has charted 14 hits, including four no. 1 singles, since moving to nashville.

Courtesy photo local dignitaries participated in the groundbreaking for starbucks’ newest location in suisun City, Monday.

County brings park regulations in line with industry standards

FAIRFIELD — Solano

County park rangers and other staff will have more authority to enforce violations as the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved changes to the park regulations.

“Essentially what we’ve done ... is to make sure (regulations) are up to date,” Chris Drake, Park Services manager, told the board.

The last time the full code had been reviewed

One I-680 lane to be closed as repairs continue

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — One lane on southbound Interstate 680 will continue to be closed overnight through Friday into Saturday and again next week, the state Department of Transportation announced.

The slow lane on the interstate, between Gold Hill and Marshview roads, will be closed from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. this week, and again overnight from May 1 through May 5, Caltrans reported.

The work is to repair hillslide problems next

was 2006, though there had been some amendments through the years.

One of the key changes is that annual passes now start from the date of purchase.

“We didn’t want people coming in in October or November and trying to purchase an annual pass and have it expire in two months,” Drake said.

That has been a big controversy with fishing licenses issued by the state, which has continuously declined to change the annual license to a

12-month instead of the calendar year license.

Those passes also will apply to all vehicles owned or operated by the pass holder, and the Park Service does have the capabilities of tracking those vehicles if necessary.

“We get to know our annual-pass holders,” Drake said. “They come out frequently.”

Fishermen who use the parks, for example, may come out three times a week.

Drone use is prohibited, and only pedal-assisted

e-bikes will be allowed.

The greater enforcement authority, Drake said, will come with additional training. It will allow the staff to enforce rules rather than having to call a sheriff’s deputy in for what usually amounts to minor enforcement issues.

“We will give them the tools to be successful,” Drake said.

Checkout time for the parks, while by regulation will state the posted time, will be 11 a.m. It had been 2 p.m.

Most new county user fees go into effect July 1

FAIRFIELD — The Solano County supervisors on Tuesday approved a host of userfee increases to cover the cost of providing services in 21 departments.

Three departments –Child Support, District Attorney and Probation –had no fee changes.

George Guynn, who frequently comments on county activities, called on the board to spend more time and provide more details about the changes.

“You could almost make a meeting out of this one (item) because there are so many twists and turns,” Guynn said.

The increases are largely due to higher salaries and benefits for the employees, which repre-

sent the direct costs for the services. The changes will generate an estimated $546,000 countywide, a staff report to the board stated.

While most of the fees did go up, generally between 1% and 10%, there were some that went down and there were three new fees as well.

“Some fees are market-driven, some are mandated by statute (or) code,” the report states.

The increased fees go into effect on July 1, except for the fees charged by Parks and Recreation. Those go into effect on Jan. 1.

In other action, the board:

n Updated the fees for court-appointed attorneys and investigators for Conflict Indigent

Defense, starting May 1. The rates will range for attorney fees from $90 to $140 (from $80 to $125) per hour, dependent on type and complexity of case, and to $65 (from $50 to $55) for investigators. The funds come out of the county Other Public Defense budget in the General Fund.

n Approved a threeyear, $336,320 contract with OpenGov for webbased E-Procurement Solutions from July 1 through June 30, 2026.

n Approved a $248,945 contract with C and C Advisors LLC, and collaborative partnership CHW, to provide consulting services in support of data integration and CalAIM requirements for integrated care and

FAIRFIELD — Nicole Sharp, a peer specialist, shared her story of anxiety, depression and borderline personality disorder that started when she was 9 years old.

The 28-year-old woman talked about the struggles within the mental health profession – and the reliance on prescriptions – until she was hospitalized, properly diagnosed and treated with a balance of care.

But she said the key was to understand it, and it was up to her to help herself, too.

“I realized I was the only one who could save me,” she said.

The presentation was part of the recognition by the Board of Supervisors of May as Mental Health Awareness Month and May 3 as World Maternal Mental Health Day in Solano County.

Mike Wright, a member of the county’s Mental Health Advisory Board, said he has seen a great deal of improvements in mental health treatment over the years, and specifically noted Laura’s Law, which allows for court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment, as an option that saved his son.

“My son was homeless

and on drugs, and now he is at a behavioral health center ... and he calls me every day,” Wright said, choking back the tears, The board was told that workplace depression is on the rise, and that the county had 62 suicides last year.

“Could you imagine if we would have had 62 Covid deaths?” said Emery Cowan, who heads the county Behavioral Health division.

One of the keys is to be aware of the problem and to seek help.

Depression among new mothers, during pregnancy and after, also was highlighted – a situation worsened by the isolation of Covid-19.

“Ask a new mom how she is doing before asking about the new baby,” Deborah Espinoza, Health Services manager, said.

In other action, the board:

n Recognized Danelle R. Hartke, legal secretary with the Department of Child Support Services, upon her retirement after more than 26 years with Solano County.

n Recognized Stephanie Silva, with General Services, as the Employee of the Month for May.

See Mental, Page A4

Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic file (2019)

A group of mountain bikers ride through Rockville Hills Regional Park, March 18, 2019.

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

In brief

Fairfield Farmers Market begins run

FAIRFIELD — The city’s downtown Farmers Market opens Thursday.

“The market provides healthy foods to consumers to help promote healthy nutrition and to support the California farmers in our community,” the city said in a statement. “Browse our vendors where you’ll find a great selection of fruits, vegetables, food, and retailers to shop from.”

The market accepts WIC-FMNP coupons for families and seniors, and CalFresh-EBT. The market is held 3 to 7 p.m. each Thursday on the County Greens at Texas and Jefferson streets. It will run through Sept. 28.

For more information, contact Keisha Mamaril at kmamaril@fairfield.ca.gov.

Vacaville schedules two MCE meetings

VACAVILLE — Vacaville residents and businesses are invited to upcoming workshops regarding community choice energy and how it will impact those who opt in.

The first is 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday via Zoom. The second is 10:30 a.m. to noon May 16 at the Vacaville Senior Center, 91 Town Square Place.

The City Council received a presentation Feb. 28 from Marin Clean Energy, a community choice energy company, about the potential for Vacaville to join their program.

Before considering enrolling in the program, tentatively in June, the City Council wants the community to have their questions answered, including how to opt out if the program moves forward.

For more information, visit cityofvacaville.gov/mce.

Public welcome at Victims’ Rights event

FAIRFIELD — The public is invited to mark National Crime Victims’ Rights at noon Wednesday on the courthouse steps.

Since 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week has challenged the nation to confront and remove barriers to achieving justice for all victims of crime.

The theme is “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.” District Attorney Krishna Abrams and Fairfield Police Chief Dan Marshall will provide remarks.

For information, contact domestic violence program manager Lilia Breaux at 707 -428-7770.

Land Trust exec named Climate Champion

FAIRFIELD — Nicole Braddock, executive director of the Solano Land Trust, has been named the 2023 Solano County Climate Crisis Champion for the 4th District of the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Conserving lands for future generations is an essential part of taking on the climate crisis, and Nicole’s work with the Solano Land Trust is a key part of these efforts,” Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, said in a statement announcing Braddock as his district’s champion.

“Bringing communities together and building a common ground for conservation will help us protect our environment. Nicole’s persistent dedication to our community is clear as she advocates for the development of accessible trails and picnic areas, with the ultimate goal of allowing all of Solano County to benefit from the natural resources in our region. It’s because of people like Nicole that I am optimistic about our future, and I am proud to recognize her work on behalf of our community,” Thompson added.

Braddock, who took

Fees

From Page A3

coordination for May 1 through Nov. 9.

n Approved a $240,000 contract amendment with Aldea Inc. for a total contract of $1.15 million, to increase provision of medically necessary outpatient mental health services for children and adolescents under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Medi-Cal Program through June 30.

n Authorized Solano County Probation Department to accept a $400,000 grant from the

Mental

From Page A3

n Recognized the week of May 6-12 as National Nurses Week in Solano County.

n Approved a $110,000 contract amendment with Medic Ambulance Service Inc. for a total contract of $610,000, to provide Covid-19 testing and vaccinations to resi-

summer of 2009, called her selection an “honor,” and said the organization works to bring different factions together on environmental issues.

“I’m very excited about it. I think it’s a great honor,” Braddock said in a phone interview on Monday.

“The Land Trust is really focused on being a bridge-builder and to bring people in our community together,” she said, adding that climate

state Department of Health Care Services and to participate in the California Youth Opioid Response Program through May 31, 2024. It is part of the federal opioid response efforts administered by the California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions. It also approved an appropriations transfer of $400,000 in unanticipated revenue.

n Approve an addendum to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Solano County Probation Department and the Solano County Superior Court of California for $400,452 in one-time Senate Bill 129 funding, and an additional $92,994

dents of Solano County, including unhoused and homebound individuals, through June 30. The ambulance service has provided vaccines to more than 4,500 residents and staffed more than 300 clinics to date, including county-targeted senior populations.

n Authorized the director of Resource Management to execute program supplements to the California Depart-

Braddock emphasized the work that is now being done to complete the Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi Open Space Park and get it open for public use. She said donations are needed to make that happen. The selection recognizes the climate champions for their “significant efforts to protect the environment in our community and combat the ongoing climate crisis. They advocate

in ongoing funding through June 30, 2024, to provide fiscal support for the pretrial program.

n Approved the final two-year modifications to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Program Year 2021-24 North Bay Regional Plan and the Solano Local Plan.

n Approved a minor subdivision application to split a 82.13-acre parcel into two, approximately, 41-acre parcels located at 4470 Putah Creek Road, a quarter-mile south of Winters, after finding the action was consistent with the Williamson Act contract for that property.

ment of Transportation master agreement to receive federal funding for county road projects.

n Approved a $1 million emergency change order with Gordon N. Ball Inc. for the 2023 Emergency Road Repair Project on Mix Canyon and Gates Canyon roads; and approved $1.5 million for structural emergency repairs on Cantelow and Pleasants Valley roads.

and inspire others to get involved. Through their work, they are helping to build a more sustainable future for all,” the statement said.

Braddock holds a bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries biology from UC Davis and an MBA from Capella University.

She leads an organization that has helped to preserve 8,000 acres of working farms and natural areas, as well as the restoration of miles of creeks

Repairs

From Page A3

to the highway caused by the heavy storms. The hillside failure also caused severe damage to nearby Lopes Road in Fairfield, and damaged the main water line for Benicia residents. Bypass piping has been installed, but residents and businesses are still mandated to conserve 20% of

“Nicole’s work for our district also includes many volunteer hours serving numerous nonprofit organizations and as a coach for local leaders working in land conservation,” the statement said.

The Land Trust was founded in 1986 as the Solano County Farmlands and Open Space Foundation. Braddock has been the executive director for more than 10 years, and has led efforts to raise more than $20 million for conservation.

their water use. Additional work could be scheduled beyond next week, Caltrans said. Caltrans will update its Twitter page at https://twitter.com/CaltransD4 on the latest highway conditions, and drivers are encouraged to check out the Caltrans Quickmap, http:// quickmap.dot.ca.gov. Motorists can also receive 24/7 highway condition information by calling 1-800-427-ROAD or 1-800-427-7623.

Courtesy photo

Rep. Mike Thompson presents the 2023 solano County Climate Crisis Champion for the 4th District of the U.s

House of Representatives award to nicole Braddock, executive director of the solano land Trust.

of

Vallejo cops make arrests in shooting, robberies

VALLEJO — City police arrested two men and a juvenile the department said are linked to an April 18 shooting and attempted robbery.

Brandon Ejchorszt and Jimmylee Davis were arrested and booked into Solano County Jail on several felonies, including suspicion of attempted murder, the Police Depart-

ment reported. The juvenile was taken to Solano County Juvenile Detention Facility.

Officers responded about 6:30 p.m. to reports of a shooting in the 2100 block of Springs Road.

An adult male with at least one non-life-threatening gunshot wound was found at the location. The victim reported he had been shot after an attempted robbery, the

DAVIS EJCHORSZT

Police Department said.

The victim was transported to a local hospital.

Police said they linked a vehicle that may have

been involved in this incident to two other reported robberies prior to the shooting. Officers located the vehicle and detained two adult men and a juvenile. A firearm was also located inside the suspect vehicle, the police said. Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Detective Jordon Patzer at 707-648-4278 or jordon. patzer@cityofvallejo.net.

Earth Day Feinstein includes Solano radio connectivity project in earmarks

FAIRFIELD — Volunteers during the Earth Day cleanup efforts around Solano County on Saturday bagged nearly 3 tons of trash and recyclables.

The 53rd annual Earth Day events attracted 376 volunteers to 12 cleanup sites, Solano Resource Conservation District organizers reported.

They collected 5,486 pounds of garbage and 419 pounds of recyclables for a total of 5,905 pounds of material removed from waterways and area habitats.

“One site found everything from the gamut of old bike frames to toys to furniture to fast food refuse, while nearly all sites encountered recyclable bottles and cans. At big fishing spots like Lake Solano, the most abundant item collected was discarded fishing line,” organizers said.

“People who missed this opportunity can volunteer at the next big cleanup, in honor of

World Environment Day. This year, the event will take place June 3 at Lake Solano,” organizers said.

“That event focuses on cleaning up Lake Berryessa’s shore line and offers participants additional fun activities, making it especially family friendly. Volunteers can plant grass plugs and forbs, make seed packets from a seed bar to take home and plant at home to attract pollinators to their gardens,” organizers added. “Delicious deli sandwiches and cold drinks will be available to all registered volunteers, who will also receive a commemorative T-shirt. In addition, there will be guided kayak tours of Lake Solano and the opportunity to meet Bilgee the Bilge Pad, the protector of Lake Berryessa, who will encourage volunteers and pose for pictures.”

The last annual cleanup is the worldwide Coastal Cleanup Day event on Sept. 23.

To participate or to learn more, go to cleanupsolano.org.

“While

Public hearings slated on new Suisun apartment complexes

See Suisun, Page A10

Nearly 3 tons

trash, recyclables collected on

Susan Hiland/Daily Republic Kayakers go out on to the water to help clean up trash for the solano County Earth Day Cleanup in suisun City, saturday.

FEINSTEIN

Columns&Games

My husband faces obstacles when making new friends in retirement

Dear Annie: How can my husband, “Steven,” make new friends in retirement?

He is medically retired (blind) from work. He is a non-smoker and non-drinker. We are spiritual yet not religious. We don’t have children, and our extended families live on the other side of the state.

So, the usual recommendations are not working for him:

No. 1: Meet people at work. He has been retired for more than six years and does not have much in common with his old co-workers.

No. 2: Join a club. He is a non-smoking, non-drinking blind guy.

No. 3: Join a church. He tried multiple churches of different denominations. Our beliefs don’t match.

No. 4: Volunteer. Nobody wants a blind volunteer. He

ARIES (March 21-April 19).

New things will interest you. Your heart will become light, your spirit playful. Anyone who meets you in this mood is a friend you can call on time and again. You’re especially compatible with air signs now.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20).

To be of service is a pleasure and an honor. You’ll accommodate a need so well that you’ll soon be depended on to do it repeatedly. There is fulfillment, opportunity and money in this.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21).

You care how things look and feel, mostly because you realize such things can create an emotional response. Lighting, scent, color, temperature –it all matters. Your talent for arrangement will shine.

CANCER (June 22-July 22).

The best conversations will end conclusively or lead to the next steps. But even if you only start a dialogue and nothing actionable comes of it, that’s still better than no communication.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22).

You don’t have to be agreeable. If you decide it feels more authentic to present a challenge, this is a legitimate tactic to heighten the situation. It’s better than being predictable, which will only cause others to take you for granted.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).

You don’t have to do anything more, different or better. It’s a comfort to know you’re loved how you are, but it doesn’t stop you from wanting to improve and see just how far you can go

Daily Cryptoquotes

Here’s how to work it:

can’t drive, and our town is too small for public transportation.

Taxis are expensive.

I am not a great resource because my work requires me to be gone for months at a time. He tries to come with me, but my graveyard shift requires him to be quiet during the day, when I am trying to sleep.

He doesn’t know the areas that I’m assigned to, and sightseeing doesn’t quite work out for him.

He bakes for fun and shares the goodies with the hotel and housing staff and some of the other guests. He is on the spectrum, and by the time people get to know him, my assignment is over, and it’s time to leave.

He is in his 60s, and I am at a loss on what to do to help. I’m wracked with guilt about not being enough.

He needs someone to talk with, not just talk to. To

Today’s birthday

Welcome to a year of serendipity! You’ll be responsible for accidental creations and useful inventions. Excellent organizational and recordkeeping systems will help you make the most of this good luck. More highlights: Social success will lead to financial success. You’ll build something that lives on for centuries. A cash win leads to a spree. Aries and Virgo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 3, 33, 29 and 18.

toward fulfilling your potential.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).

Focusing on the right things will build your confidence. Refrain from comparing yourself to friends and neighbors. The likeliness of getting what you want will be proportional to the degree you believe in yourself.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Each person’s perception is self-created – a mental formation of the bits they’ve absorbed. You cannot control what another person is capable of sensing or understanding about you. It’s not always worth it to meet the preferences of others.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21). Once your attention is engaged, you are totally focused on the one who commanded it. That said, it won’t

paraphrase a wise woman, “Help me, Obi-Wan, you’re my only hope.” — Friends in Retirement

Dear Friends in Retirement: Your husband sounds like a wonderful man. You spent the first half of your letter listing all the reasons that he can’t find friends. What about listing all the reasons that he can? He sounds like he has a wonderful talent: baking. He could always volunteer at a bakery or, even better, start his own and sell them. With an online presence, he could do really well, especially when buyers find out he is overcoming such a handicap. It will be all the more reason to buy his treats.

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

be easy to get your attention today. Only the most interesting people need apply.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19). Just because others have accomplished what you’re aiming for doesn’t mean there’s less room for you. Truly, your version will be unique, so go for it! Through the effort, you will gain friends and fans.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 18). So much is going right in a relationship. The parts that aren’t working can safely be ignored. It’s better to put your effort into growing the more promising aspects than to try for a perfection that is ultimately not attainable.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Confidence isn’t thinking a lot of yourself. Rather, it’s the opposite. Your curiosity and selfless generosity will orient you in such a way to be unconcerned with your own interests, unworried about how you’re coming across and all the more attractive because of it.

CELEBRITY PROFILES:

The big box office numbers for “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” are yet another win for Channing Tatum, who is not only the star and producer but also the inspiration for the franchise. Tatum is an earthy Taurus, born when the moon, Jupiter and Saturn were all in the highly disciplined sign of Virgo. This combination shows in Tatum’s mastery of movement.

Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

Word Sleuth

Crossword by Phillip Alder

Bridge

occurred during the 1974 North American Mixed Pairs Championship.

At first glance, the sun was shining brightly on East-West. Their opponents had bid badly. North had made a beginner’s mistake, counting his void as an ace in response to Blackwood. However ... what should West lead?

If he had selected a heart, East would have won with the ace for plus 400. Even better would have been the club 10. Best defense defeats the contract by five tricks for plus 2800.

Unfortunately, though, West treated the double as a Lightner, asking for a lead in dummy’s first-bid suit. So West tabled the spade nine.

CAN CATS PREDICT WET WEATHER?

In dry parts of the world, people will go to great lengths to encourage rain. Some dance; others eat strange plants. How do they do it in Java?

Into each person’s life, a little rain must fall – or so the saying goes. After this deal, though, West wasn’t just damp, he was completely saturated. It

There was a loud clap of thunder, and the black clouds opened. South won with dummy’s ace, played a spade to his eight and cashed two top diamonds. When both opponents followed, South claimed his contract for plus 2930 (1974 scoring). That made a small difference of 5730 points on the choice of one card. West took several days to dry out. Java is usually hot and humid, but in dry patches, locals bathe two cats together to call for rain. They must be truly desperate! Most cats hate water, and it is hard enough to bathe one, let alone two.

COPYRIGHT: 2023, UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

Sudoku by Wayne Gould

4/26/23

Fill

CAN CATS PREDICT WET

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

WEATHER?

In dry parts of the world, people will go to great lengths to encourage rain. Some dance; others eat strange plants. How do they do it in Java?

Into each person’s life, a little rain

Difficulty level: GOLD

Yesterday’s solution:

Horoscopes by Holiday Mathis

Bridge

Annie Lane Dear Annie

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

Twitter rejoices as Carlson leaves Fox News

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

A potent mix of delight and outrage erupted Monday on Twitter after Fox News announced that its top-rated and most provocative conservative host, Tucker Carlson, is leaving the network.

Celebrities such as actor George Takei and Twitch streamer Hasan Piker were happy to see the controversial pundit go.

“Don’t let the door hit you on your way out, you horrid, soulless man,” Takei tweeted. “On the other hand, go ahead. Let it hit you good.”

“doubt fox will be able to find a wasp nationalist propaganda machine as good as tucker,” Piker tweeted. “f– him.”

Right-wing figures –

including conservative commentator Candace Owens and Donald Trump heir Donald Trump Jr. –also reacted to Carlson’s unexpected departure.

“I am positively shocked regarding Tucker Carlson,” Owens tweeted. “Greatest talent at Fox News.”

“OMG,” Trump Jr. tweeted.

On Monday’s episode of “The View,” panelists Whoopi Goldberg and Ana Navarro led the studio audience in a celebratory wave and “Na na na na, hey hey, goodbye” chant.

“He is responsible for the degradation that we see somewhat of our democracy in this country,” said “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin.

Pickles Brian Crane

Zits Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

Pearls Before Swine Stephan Pastis

Candorville

Baby Blues Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott

Baldo Hector Cantú

Crime logs

FairField

SATURDAY, APRIL 22

2:17 a.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, 1900 block of WEST TEXAS STREET

9:31 a.m. — Battery, 800 block of DELAWARE STREET

9:33 a.m. — Residential burglary, 2200 block of CURRIER PLACE

9:33 a.m. — Battery, 2700 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

9:50 a.m. — Forgery, 1000 block of TANAGER LANE

11:19

DRIVE 1:38 p.m. — Residential burglary, 700 block of EAST TRAVIS BOULEVARD

3:14 p.m. — Forgery, 1700 block of SANTA MONICA STREET

4:02 p.m. — Battery, 1200 block of B. GALE WILSON BOULEVARD

6:50 p.m. — Robbery, 1300 block of GATEWAY BOULEVARD

7:33 p.m. — Trespassing, 700 block of APPALOOSA COURT

7:44 p.m. — Battery, 2400 block of FOUNDERS PLACE

7:59 p.m. — Robbery, 3400 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

featured actor in a musical for his performance in the Broadway revue “John Murray Anderson’s Almanac” and six years later the first Black person to win an Emmy, for his performance in “The Revlon Revue: Tonight With Belafonte.”

His 1956 album “Calypso,” which included “Jamaica Farewell” and “Day-O,” his version of the “Banana Boat Song,” was the first album to sell one million copies and charted at No. 1 for a staggering 31 weeks.

of HOLIDAY LANE

1:56 p.m. — Reckless driver, EASTBOUND INTERSTATE 80

2:06 p.m. — Forgery, 2800 block of SUNSHINE CIRCLE

3:01 p.m. — Grand theft, 2700 block of PEPPERTREE DRIVE

3:28 p.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, 1200 block of NORTH

TEXAS STREET

3:37 p.m. — Grand theft, 800 block of EAST TRAVIS

BOULEVARD

4:48 p.m. — Trespassing, 700

block of OREGON STREET

4:54 p.m. — Robbery, 2300

block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

5:19 p.m. — Battery, 1500 block of HARRISON STREET

5:34 p.m. — Fight with a weapon, 800 block of TEXAS STREET

6 p.m. — Reckless driver, 2700

block of BARBOUR DRIVE

8:28 p.m. — Assault with a deadly weapon, 1100 block of KENTUCKY STREET

8:33 p.m. — Reckless driver, VISTA GRANDE

9:46 p.m. — Reckless driver, WALTERS ROAD

11:08 p.m. — Battery, 1200 block of B. GALE WILSON

BOULEVARD

11:19 p.m. — Hit-and-run

property damage, 400 block of TABOR AVENUE

SUNDAY, APRIL 23

1:45 a.m. — Shots fired, 1000 block of WEBSTER STREET

4:13 a.m. — Hit-and-run

property damage, AIR BASE PARKWAY

7:59 a.m. — Vandalism, 2700 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET 8:14 a.m. — Battery, 1500 block of PHOENIX DRIVE

7:59 p.m. — Battery, 1000 block of WEBSTER STREET

11:51 p.m. — Grand theft, 4400 block of CENTRAL WAY

MONDAY, APRIL 24

12:43 a.m. — Battery, 1200 block of B. GALE WILSON BOULEVARD

8:25 a.m. — Reckless driver, HUNTINGTON DRIVE

8:34 a.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, 300 block of LILY STREET

8:35 a.m. — Indecent exposure, 1600 block of PARK LANE

10:14 a.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, 2800 block of CASCADE COURT

1:45 p.m. — Residential burglary, 3900 block of BUSINESS CENTER DRIVE

2:02 p.m. — Sexual assault, 3900 block of BUSINESS CENTER DRIVE

2:55 p.m. — Trespassing, 300 block of TRAVIS BOULEVARD

4:12 p.m. — Vandalism, 3000 block of MARBURY COURT

4:12 p.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, 600 block of JACKSON STREET

4:24 p.m. — Battery, 2800 block of ESTATES DRIVE

4:41 p.m. — Trespassing, 1300 block of GATEWAY BOULEVARD

5:28 p.m. — Forgery, 1900 block of GRANDE CIRCLE

SuiSun City

With his signature stage attire of a partially opened tailored cotton shirt and tight black slacks, Belafonte captivated audiences. A 1959 Time magazine cover story called his act “a brilliantly planned and executed combination of artistry and showmanship.”

Belafonte’s emergence as a hugely popular entertainer with both Black and white audiences arrived during a post-World War II era when the civil rights movement was just coming into focus and attitudes were slowly shifting “As far as Black entertainers were concerned, Belafonte in many ways seemed to be a startling new kind of figure,” said Donald Bogle, a culture critic and author of numerous books on Black Americans in film and television. “There hadn’t been somebody quite like him on the scene.”

And television, which was becoming a potent cultural force in America at the time, helped make Belafonte and his music popular to a vast audience “because people could see him, and his look was very important,” said Bogle.

Through television, “you got a sense of his sex appeal,” said Bogle. “Women loved him and men felt comfortable with Belafonte as well.”

Belafonte was one of a number of popular Black entertainers and actors, including Sammy Davis Jr., Eartha Kitt, Dorothy Dandridge and Sidney Poitier, who emerged at the time.

Belafonte, whom singer

and actress Diahann Carroll described to Time as “the most beautiful man I ever set eyes on,” was also visible on the big screen in a handful movies during the `50s, a time when few Blacks were offered prominent film roles.

After making his movie debut in 1953 as a southern school principal opposite Dandridge’s teacher in “Bright Road,” Belafonte starred with the actress in the hit 1954 musical “Carmen Jones.”

In 1957, Belafonte broke another color barrier – and stirred controversy – when he became the first Black American actor to play a romantic lead in a feature movie opposite a white leading lady (Joan Fontaine) in the Caribbean-set film “Island in the Sun.”

But, as Bogle observed, “the filmmakers would not allow Belafonte and Fontaine to kiss, nor was their relationship fully explored.”

In 1959, Belafonte starred in two films, “The World, the Flesh and the Devil” and “Odds Against Tomorrow.”

But, Bogle said, “Belafonte in movies was never what he was on television in terms of his impact, in part because of the compromises of the scripts and his own persona. He didn’t have that kind of magnetism on the big screen.”

Belafonte, whose later film credits included “Buck and the Preacher,” “Uptown Saturday Night” and “Kansas City,” established one of the first all-Black music publishing companies in the late ’50s.

It was part of Belafonte Enterprises, whose subsidiaries included a film production company called HarBel Productions. Other segments handled the singer’s concert tours and backed Broadway plays, including Lorraine Hansberry’s acclaimed “A Raisin in the Sun.”

A supporter of Sen. John F. Kennedy’s 1960 presidential campaign, Belafonte sang at Kennedy’s inaugural gala and was named “cultural advisor” to the then-newly created Peace Corps.

As his fame and fortune grew in the 1950s, the singer-actor devoted increasing amounts of his time and money to sup-

porting the emerging civil rights movement.

Belafonte already was politically active when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. called him in 1956 to see if he’d meet with him at a Baptist church in Harlem while he was on a fund-raising swing for the group running the bus boycott in Montgomery, Ala. The two men had a long, private meeting in the Sunday school classroom in the church basement.

“It was a life-changing moment,” Belafonte recalled in a 2007 interview with The Guardian. “From then on, I was in his service and in his world of planning, strategy and thinking. We became very close immediately.”

Belafonte’s friendship with King included holding a “secret” fundraiser in his Manhattan apartment to help raise bail money for King’s Birmingham campaign in 1963, knowing that some of the civil rights leader’s supporters would likely be arrested. Belafonte also rounded up a contingent of stars to appear on stage with King at the Lincoln Memorial during the historic March on Washington a few months later.

Belafonte, who helped launch one of the first voter registration drives in Mississippi and helped finance the Freedom Riders, also served as a middle man between King and Atty. Gen. Robert Kennedy.

Decades later, Belafonte’s social activism took a high-profile twist.

Inspired by Irish singer-songwriter Bob Geldof’s Band Aid charity super-group, whose

single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” raised money for famine relief in Ethiopia, Belafonte contacted talent manager Ken Kragen and proposed doing a similar project in the United States.

The result was the star-studded “We Are the World” recording that raised millions for famine relief in Africa in 1985.

Belafonte, who was appointed a UNICEF goodwill ambassador in 1987, was a 1989 recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor.

In a toast to Belafonte during the black-tie tribute, then-U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said the entertainer “has given nobly and unselfishly to the cause of making our country a better place and our planet a better world. Many great artists have a conscience too, but none greater than his.

“He has two qualities that describe the brilliance of his life: courage and excellence,” he said.

Belafonte also was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994, and in 2000, the two-time Grammy winner received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Throughout his long career, Belafonte continued to sing “Day-O,” having become, as he once described it, “an established part of American folk culture.”

He wouldn’t think of doing a concert without performing it, he told The Times in 2000.

“I enjoy doing it very much,” he said, “and audiences enjoy it more than I do because they sing along with me – and they do it with gusto.”

1:02 p.m. — Trespassing, 1300 block of TRAVIS BOULEVARD

1:05 p.m. — Trespassing, KNOLL

Supreme Court commits to ethics principles

The U.S. Supreme Court responded to mounting ethics controversies with a three-page statement signed by all nine justices vowing to follow “foundational ethics principles and practices,” but suggesting they see no need for a formal code of conduct.

The statement, which was highly unusual, was attached to a letter Tuesday from Chief Justice John Roberts refusing a request to testify before a Senate committee. It isn’t likely to forestall the intensifying scrutiny of individual justices or end what appears to be a growing clash between different branches of government over the disclosure and recusal practices of the nation’s highest court.

Aimed in part to “dispel some common misconceptions,” the statement drew criticism from Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, who had asked Roberts to testify on ethics reform for the court.

Durbin said he was “surprised that the chief justice’s recounting of existing legal standards of ethics suggests current law is adequate and ignores the obvious.” —

From Page One

Sunday. Nearly half of all voters who said they didn’t want Biden to run again pointed to his age as a major reason.

Similarly, about half of Democrats think Biden should run for a second term, a slight increase from the 37% who said in January that he should seek office again, according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll released Friday. But 81% of Democrats said they would at least probably support him if he were the nominee. Just 26% of Americans overall said they wanted to see Biden run again, the poll found.

But the president and his allies have dismissed

the polling, pointing instead to U.S. job growth and his legislative record as evidence of his success during his first two years in office.

The White House frequently touts the passage of a $1.9-trillion Covid relief bill, bipartisan legislation to overhaul the nation’s crumbling infrastructure and boost U.S.-based chip manufacturing, and a $700-billion landmark climate change and drug-pricing law.

Though the president had been expected to announce his reelection bid for weeks, he made clear during a recent visit to Ireland that he’d “already made the calculus” and that a formal announcement would happen “relatively soon.”

He hinted at his reelection pitch at the State of the Union in February, in which he contrasted

transit services also are proposed. Single toll lanes in each direction are also part of the plan.

his achievements with a divided Republican Party that has yet to settle on a 2024 strategy or candidate. He called on Congress to work with him to “finish the job” of revitalizing the U.S. economy and uniting a country fractured by partisan politics. Although he had not officially launched his campaign, aides and Democratic officials had already quietly begun setting up the campaign infrastructure in battleground states across the country.

Biden echoed the State of the Union speech in his video Tuesday, deriding “MAGA extremists” for threatening to take away personal freedoms that are “fundamental to who we are as Americans.”

“Every generation of Americans has faced a moment when they’ve had to defend democracy.

Stand up for our personal freedoms. Stand up for the right to vote and our civil rights,” he says as a video montage flashes images of him meeting Americans and crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala. “And this is our moment. ...

“Let’s finish the job,” he added. “I know we can.”

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel criticized Biden for being “out of touch” and accused the president of “creating crisis after crisis.”

“If voters let Biden ‘finish the job,’ inflation will continue to skyrocket, crime rates will rise, more fentanyl will cross our open borders, children will continue to be left behind, and American families will be worse off,” she said in a statement following Biden’s announcement.

From Page One

year. The commute times for the 27-mile stretch of highway can be upward of 1 hour and 40 minutes.

A partnership of agencies has proposed a near-term improvement plan that would raise and wident the highway, but comes with a $430 million to $450 million price tag.

The toll fees are expected to generate $100 million toward the project cost.

It will add high-occupancy vehicle lanes going in each direction, which would be toll free. New

The project also includes wetland and other eco-habitat restoration and the replacement of Tolay Creek bridge, which will increase tidal connectivity with habitats north of Highway 37. The plan also includes improved access to recreation areas such as cycling and pedestrian trails.

Several of the speakers said they cannot support toll fees to pay for environmental enhancement and recreational wants – elements they argue should be funded from other sources.

However, there were supporters of the plan, too, arguing for the great need for improvements and the consequences of long alternative route options if the changes are not made.

More than 40,000 vehicles travel on Highway 37 each year.

The eastbound afternoon commute can be more than 100 minutes.

The improvements, proponents say, will cut that to 26 minutes. The westbound morning commute would go from an hour to 30 minutes, officials said.

Plan proponents argue the reduced commute times mean more time with family and an improved quality of life.

They cover it with a blanket of equity.

But few see the equity in a plan that puts all the toll control in Solano.

The application for converting Highway 37 was filed by the Bay Area Infrastructure Financing Authority, an arm of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. The California Transportation Commission is scheduled to consider a staff recommendation, which is to include the public comments, in May.

The larger project would cost billions, and would take 10 to 20 years to complete, though some observers think it could be 30 to 40 years away.

William Bender/Chicago Tribune file (1966) Singer Harry Belafonte, left, greets Coretta Scott King, center, and the Rev. Martin Luther King before King addressed the Chicago Freedom Festival audience at the International Amphitheatre, March 12, 1966.

Learn how to find ancestors with common surnames at next genealogy Zoom meeting

VACAVILLE — The Solano County Genealogical Society will host a virtual Speaker Series presentation on “Shaking Out the Smiths: Researching a Common Surname.”

The event will begin at 11 a.m. May 6 on Zoom.

The guest speaker will be Nancy Calhoun. She will include examples of research from her own Smith family, which begins in Oklahoma, goes to Texas and finally to Tennessee. Common surnames are a typical cause of the dreaded “brick walls” in genealogy. The presenta-

FEATUREDBUSINESS

tion chronicles Calhoun’s 40 years of research and concludes with a surprise ending.

Calhoun has been chasing relatives for more than 40 years. She began with a semester-long class in Kansas while in the Teacher Corps and graduate school in Kansas. With a teaching background and 20 years in newspaper work, she often used her research skills.

Calhoun was the department head of Genealogy and Local History at Muskogee Public Library in Muskogee, Oklahoma, for 13 years. She then worked for the Oklahoma Historical Society Research

Library. She has attended several national conferences, in addition to area educational opportunities. She was the recipient of the librarian scholarship to attend IGHR and the Richard S. Lackey Memorial Scholarship for the 2017 session of Genealogical Institute on Federal Records. Her writings have placed in the annual contests held by the International Association of Family History Writers and Editors.

Calhoun is also a member of several genealogical societies. She is a board member of the Oklahoma Genealogical Society and Gen-Fed Alumni. She

is currently doing Zoom presentations for Texas, Oklahoma and California societies.

Guests are welcome to attend this free event. If interested, send an email to the society at scgs@ scgsca.org no later than 4 p.m. May 5 and request an invitation.

More information on events can be found on the society’s website at www.scgsca.org and Facebook page.

The Choyce Law Firm

For over 15 years,The Choyce Law Firmhas been providing exceptional legal service and achieving the best possible results for our clients. We are a local law firm, and specialize in three areas: Personal Injury, DUI Defense and Traffic Ticket/DMV Defense. Call our

at (707) 422-1202 today for a

consultation with our experienced attorneys.

Village Drive and may begin leasing units this summer. The 159 affordable rental units restricted to households earning between 30% and 70% of area median income. It will consist of 39 one-bedroom, 55 two-bedroom, 50 three-bedroom, and 16 four-bedroom units. Both are under construction.

The meeting gets underway at 6:30 p.m. at the council chamber, 701 Civic Center Blvd.

Courtesy photo

n an cy Calhoun will be the guest speaker at the solano County Genealogical society’s Zoom meeting on May 6.

THE DAILY REPUBLIC DELIVERS. CALL 707-427-6989.

Schikore sets tone in win for Rodriguez baseball team

FAIRFIELD — Nathan Schikore pitched five solid innings and had two innings of relief from Carson Thompson as the Rodriguez High School baseball team shut out Vanden 4-0, Monday. Schikore allowed four hits, no earned runs and three walks. Thompson gave up just one hit and two walks to go with three strikeouts. The Mustangs are 14-7 overall.

Fox says there’s no doubt about his Game 5 status: ‘I’m playing’

THE SACRAMENTO BEE

SACRAMENTO — The Kings are saying De’Aaron Fox is doubtful for Game 5 of their first-round series against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento due to a broken finger.

Fox says there’s no doubt about it.

“If it was the regular season, probably don’t play, sit out for a week or two and see how it feels, but right now there’s no if, ands or buts – I’m playing,” Fox said.

Game 5 could be the

Jerry McDonalD

THE MERCURY NEWS

SANTA CLARA— The general feeling among 49ers players was that they were going to take a hit in terms of defensive depth but having the nucleus back from the top-ranked unit in the 2022 regular season would make for another formidable season.

Linebacker Azeez AlShaair left for Tennessee, poached by Titans general manager and former 49ers personnel man Ran Carthon. Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans became head coach of the Houston Texans and safety Jimmie Ward and defensive tackle Hassan

turning point in a best-ofseven series that is tied 2-2. The Kings won the first two games in Sacramento. The Warriors won Games 3 and 4 at Chase Center in San Francisco.

“We’re still even,” Fox said. “It’s a three-game series now. We have to take care of home court.”

Fox participated in a noncontact practice Tuesday and appeared to

be in good spirits a day after being diagnosed with an avulsion fracture to the left index finger on his shooting hand. He wore a padded splint on the injured finger and went through extra shooting drills after practice to get used to the feeling of the ball coming off his fingertips.

“For me right now, it’s just a tolerance on the pad on my finger, making sure I can shoot the ball,” Fox said. “As we got going, the pain started going away. I felt like I could do my normal shot, so I think I’ll be good.

“The ballhandling

action was fine. As soon as I got out, dribbling and passing was fine, so for me the most important thing was could I shoot as pain free as possible.”

Fox sustained the injury midway through the fourth game of Sunday’s 126-125 loss to the Warriors in Game 4. He said the injury occurred when Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins swiped at the ball as he was driving to the basket.

Fox said he started to feel pain when Warriors center Jordan Looney struck him on the left

See Fox, Page B2

Rodriguez remains tied with Vacaville atop the Monticello Empire League at 10-3 with just two games left. The Mustangs play the Vikings again at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Vanden and return home at 4 Friday for the series finale.

Schikore had two hits at the plate to help the cause. Kyle Sander tripled and drove in a run. Landon Troutt doubled and Michael Boals had an RBI. Kaden Wilde, Ben Vaughn, Aaron Strong and Jace Parkinson all singled.

Cody Buckley singled and doubled for the Vikings. Jovan Ochoa added a double, while Dalen Shipp and Josiah Miguel singled. DJ Andersen, Brayden Bruno and Chris Marley all pitched for Vanden. The Vikings fell to 10-9 overall and 6-7 in the MEL. There are two playoff spots available behind Vacaville and Rodriguez with Vanden, Armijo and Will C. Wood all tied at 6-7.

Vacaville rallies to edge Will C. Wood

VACAVILLE — Drew Lammon delivered a goahead RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning to back a solid outing by starter Jaiden Oldwin as the Vacaville High School baseball team edged out visiting Will C. Wood 3-2, Monday. Bennie Dyer had two hits and drove in a run. Drew Carrington also drove in a run with a single. Brenden Murphy,

See Local, Page B2

team honors.

M att Miller MMILLER@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

Ridgeway went with him in free agency. Defensive linemen Charles Omenihu (Chiefs) and Jordan Willis (Raiders) found new homes.

Cornerback Emmanuel Moseley signed with the Lions and will rehab there after a torn ACL ended his season after five games.

What the 49ers and most everyone else didn’t know is general manager John Lynch and coach Mike Shanahan had a major strike in mind and struck quickly by signing Philadelphia defensive tackle Javon Hargrave.

Middle linebacker Fred Warner wasn’t sure exactly where he was when the news arrived on the first day of free agency.

“But I was probably at home, jumping up and down on my bed,” Warner said Monday at the 49ers’ facility. “That’s as huge as it gets.”

Hargrave and Steve Wilks, who was added as defensive coordinator to replace Ryans, will be

See 49ers, Page B10

FAIRFIELD — Senior Riley Birch, a Vacaville High School graduate, helped the UC Santa Cruz women's golf team to a second-place finish over the weekend at the American South west Conference Championships in Grandbury,Texas.

Birch finished with a 4-over-par 76 during the final round of the three-day tournament to finish seventh overall with a score of 234. She opened with rounds of 78 and 80.

The Banana Slugs matched their best conference finish of last year to take the runnerup spot for the second year in a row. Birch finished one stroke behind teammate Mikaela Paracuelles (233) for top

The University of Texas, Dallas, won its second conference title in the past three years, finishing with a team score of 914 to win the conference's automatic bid to next month's NCAA Championships in Florida. The Comets had three players in the top five to pull away from the Banana Slugs. Here are other area athletes who shined in competition across the United States:

Acrobatics and Tumbling

Senior Kailey Groves (Vacaville) is a member of Oregon's national powerhouse team that has been chosen as the No. 2 seed for the upcoming

See Alumni, Page B10

Bears fans finally rid of NFC North nemesis Aaron Rodgers

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

The Green Bay Packers will find out what it’s like to enter a season without a franchise quarterback for the first time since 1992, when George H.W. Bush was president and a gallon of gas averaged $1.13.

A remarkable run of elite quarterback play that extended 31 seasons – beginning in 1992, when Ron Wolf traded for Brett Favre, and continuing after Ted Thompson drafted Aaron Rodgers in 2005 – has

come to an end. The Packers traded the 39-year-old Rodgers on Monday to the New York Jets, making Jordan Love, a first-round pick in 2020 by general manager Brian Gutekunst, the presumed starter. The Halas Hall nightmare for the Chicago Bears is over as Rodgers, a four-time MVP and a shoo-in as a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame selection, is no longer in the NFC North. Rodgers was 25-5 as a starter against the Bears, including the NFC championship game after

the 2010 season, amassing more wins against them than any quarterback in league history. He heads to the Jets, as Favre did via a trade in August 2008, having won eight consecutive games in the NFL’s longestrunning rivalry and 13 of the last 14.

Jets GM Joe Douglas, the former college scouting director for the Bears, gets his top target to replace Zach Wilson, the failed No. 2 pick in 2021.

The Jets also will receive the No. 15 pick and a fifth-rounder (No. 170) in this week’s draft

and will give the Packers the No. 13 pick, a second-rounder (No. 42), a sixth-rounder (No. 207) and a conditional 2024 second-rounder that becomes a first-rounder if Rodgers plays 65% of the Jets’ offensive plays this year, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported. Rodgers used almost two months from the end of the NFL season, including a darkness retreat, to plot his future. Other potential destinations came off the table when the New Orleans Saints signed former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek

Carr and the Seattle Seahawks re-signed Geno Smith. Rodgers had been irked by the Packers’ hesitance and at times flat-out refusal to dip into free agency for help the past few years. They traded No. 1 wide receiver Davante Adams to the Raiders last offseason, and for the first time since Rodgers was a first-year starter in 2008, the offense sputtered as the Packers finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs. Rodgers took his time before deciding to return to Green

See Rodgers, Page B10

Jason a nDerson

Hector Amezcua/Sacramento Bee/TNS

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry defends Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox during Game 4 of the first-round NBA playoff series at Chase Center in San Francisco, Sunday.

Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group/TNS file

The 49ers’ Fred Warner celebrates after intercepting a pass in the second quarter of their NFC divisional-round playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Jan. 22.

BIRCH

braD biggs

CALENDAR

Wednesday’s TV sports

Baseball MLB

• Oakland vs. L.A. Angels, NBCSCA, 6:38 p.m.

• St. Louis vs. San Francisco, NBCSBA, 6:45 p.m.

Basketball

NBA Playoffs

• N.Y. Knicks vs. Cleveland, NBA TV, 4 p.m.

• Memphis vs. L.A. Lakers, TNT, 4:30 p.m.

• Milwaukee vs. Miami, NBA TV, 6:30 p.m.

• Golden State vs. Sacramento, TNT, 7 p.m.

Hockey

NHL Playoffs

• Boston vs. Florida, ESPN, 4 p.m.

• Colorado vs. Seattle, ESPN, 6:30 p.m.

Soccer

CONCACAF

• Los Angeles vs. Philadelphia, FS1, 6 p.m.

Thursday’s TV sports

Baseball

MLB • St. Louis vs. San Francisco, NBCSCA, 12:45 p.m.

• Oakland vs. L.A. Angels, NBCSCA, 1:07 p.m.

Basketball

NBA Playoffs • Denver vs. Minnesota, TBD

• Phoenix vs. L.A. Clippers, TBD

• Boston vs. Atlanta, TBD

Football

• NFL Draft, 7, 10, ESPN, 5 p.m.

Hockey NHL Playoffs

• Toronto vs. Tampa Bay, ESPN2, 4 p.m.

• N.Y. Rangers vs. New Jersey, TBS, 4:30 p.m.

• Winnipeg vs. Vegas, ESPN2, 7 p.m.

Soccer EPL

• Everton vs. Newcastle, USA, 11:45 a.m.

Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group/TNS file (2022) San Francisco Giants’ Joey Bart (21) bats against the San Diego Padres in the third inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco in 2022.

Giants optimistic Bart can avoid injured list

M att K awahara SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

SAN FRANCISCO —

Catcher Joey Bart was not in the San Francisco Giants’ lineup Tuesday because of lingering groin tightness, but he and the team sounded optimistic that he’ll avoid an injuredlist stint.

Bart had an MRI exam Tuesday morning that he said showed “nothing overly concerning.” Manager Gabe Kapler didn’t rule out Bart being available off the bench Tuesday night against the Cardinals.

The Giants summoned catcher Ricardo Genovés from Triple-A to be at Oracle Park in case they had to make a move with Bart. Genovés, 23, had some time in major-league camp this spring and the Giants opted for him over former Yankees and Twins catcher Gary Sanchez, who is on a minor-league deal at Triple-A.

“Geno’s ready,” Kapler said. “He’s been working really hard. He throws really well. Great guy to have around. Gary’s still working through some things.”

Sanchez, 30, had played in 11 games for Sacra-

Fox

From Page B2

hand with 4:35 remaining.

“It had already happened, but that’s when I actually felt it, but other than that the adrenaline was pumping so I was fine

From Page B2

Nik Rostak and Tyler Chalk added hits.

Vacaville improved 14-9 overall and remained tied atop the Monticello Empire League with Rodriguez at 10-3. The Bulldogs will play at Wood Thursday before finishing the rivalry series back at home Friday.

Oldwin pitched six solid innings, allowing four hits, one earned run and no walks to go with 11 strikeouts. Peyton Olds pitched the last inning, walking two but striking out the side.

Wood fell to 6-11 overall. The Wildcats still have a chance at a playoff spot as four teams advance from the MEL. Wood is 6-7 league along with Vanden and Armijo. Two teams will move to the postseason with Vacaville and Rodriguez. No individual statistics were made available for the Wildcats from Monday's game.

Armijo still in playoff hunt

FAIRFIELD — The Armijo High School baseball team helped itself remain in the playoff chase with a 6-4 win at home Monday over Fairfield.

The Royals are 8-10 overall and tied with Vanden and Will C. Wood at 6-7 in the Monticello Empire League. Two of those three teams will advance to the postseason, along with league leaders Vacaville and Rodriguez.

Armijo rallied from down 4-2 with three runs in the fourth inning and one in the fifth. Brayan Orrantia and Ben Parks had two hits apiece. Parks delivered an RBI. Caden Magno had a double and three RBIs. Luis Urias also doubled and

Wiggin regains his usual minutes

tribune Content agenCy

Localdrove in a run. Parks and Gabe Navarette combined to allow five hits, two earned runs to go with five walks and seven strikeouts.

Amari Bryant had two hits and drove in a run for Fairfield. Trustin Mitchell also doubled. Bryant, Zack O'Reilly and Joey Mason drove in runs. Christian Rambeau and Zack O'Reilly pitched for the Falcons.

Armijo and Fairfield meet at the Falcons' home diamond at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The series ends Friday back at Armijo at 4 p.m.

Buckingham toppled by Western Sierra

VACAVILLE — The Buckingham Charter baseball team lost at home Monday 6-2 to visiting Western Sierra Collegiate Academy of Rocklin.

Diego Delgado went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Knights with a triple and an RBI. Delgado also pitched six innings and struck out nine batters. Buckingham fell to 3-9 overall and 2-5 in the Sacramento Metro Athletic League. Zack Petit had two hits and an RBI for Buckingham. Jaydin Iniguez doubled and Mason Maurice also singled.

Buckingham will host Elite at 10 a.m. Saturday morning at Will C. Wood High School's home diamond.

Swoftball

3-for-3 with a triple and an RBI for the Bulldogs. Taylor Eberhart had two hits and drove in three runs. Jordan Munn and Makayla Freshour each hit a double and drove in a run.

Xochitl Atayde pitched four innings and had seven strikeouts for the Bulldogs. Allana Thompson worked one inning. Vacaville is now 18-1 overall and 8-0 in the Monticello Empire League.

Kaitlyn Martinez, Karley Sampson and Maddie Farnham had singles for Wood. The Wildcats felt 4-5 overall and 4-4 in the MEL.

Buckingham goes 1-3 at

Classic

VACAVILLE — The Buckingham Charter softball team participated in the Jim Elliot Classic in Lodi this past weekend and went 1-3 overall in the competition.

In game one Friday, the Lady Knights had seven hits and nine walks in a 12-0, three-inning victory over Rio Vista. Every player in the lineup scored or drove in a run.

Giana Jones, Arianna Martinez, Jordan Walberg and Marianne Cabanlig had two RBIs apiece. Makayla Tonn reached base in all three plate appearances. Winona Fabi and Sierra Collins scored runs to help finish off the victory.

first two times, but when she was retired in her last at-bat, it ended a streak of 12 consecutive plate appearances where she reached safely by way of a hit or walk.

In Game 3, Buckingham’s last-inning rally fell inches short with a runner thrown out at the plate in their 5-4 loss to Ben Holt College Prep Academy. Griffin was solid again, throwing another complete game. In six innings, she allowed just four hits and two earned runs, striking out 13 and walking none. Jordan Walberg continued her torrid hitting with two singles and an RBI. Elena Garcia added a hit and RBI. Ebert and Steh had doubles.

The Lady Knights resume Sacramento Metropolitan Athletic League play this week with crucial home games against Valley Christian and Western Sierra Collegiate Academy on Tuesday and Thursday. Both games start at 4 p.m. at Fairmont Charter in Vacaville. Buckingham’s record stands at 4-4 overall, 2-0 in the SMAL.

Meggers leads VCS with bat and arm

mento entering Tuesday, batting .146 with no home runs, nine walks and 13 strikeouts. Sanchez can opt out of his minor-league deal Monday if he’s not on the Giants’ major-league roster. Kapler said that did not impact “any of the stuff that’s happening here.”

Bart, one of two catchers on the 40-man roster with Blake Sabol, said he’d dealt with groin tightness for four or five games and had “been able to get through it,” but it felt tighter when he ran out a seventh-inning double Monday night. He said he feels it only when running full-speed, not when squatting to catch, and that sitting out Tuesday was “trying to be proactive and not irritate it too much.”

“Hopefully in the next couple of days, it’ll be good to go,” Bart said.

On Haniger: After coming off the IL to make his Giants debut Monday, outfielder Mitch Haniger was not in the lineup Tuesday. Kapler said the Giants are easing Haniger back into full action after he missed the first three weeks of the season because of an oblique strain and back inflammation.

through the rest of the game,” Fox said. “After the game is really when it started to swell up and I really started to feel it.”

Fox said he is receiving treatment around the clock.

“It’s a lot of icing, icing the hand, some machine that we have,” Fox said. “I don’t know what it’s called.

SAN FRANCISCO — Coming back after addressing an undisclosed family matter, Wiggins played off the bench in the Warriors’ 126-123 Game 1 loss, but he has started the next three games.

The 28-yearold forward is averaging 19.3 points and 5.8 rebounds in the series, and he has emerged as Golden State’s second-most productive player in the playoffs behind Stephen Curry – just like Wiggins did during last season’s championship run.

“I just wanted to come back and feel like I never left,” Wiggins said. “I feel like the coaching and training staff, they got me right. They made sure I was ready for when I stepped on the court, that I could play the game that I know how to play.”

Wiggins said he was in better shape from a cardiovascular standpoint before his 25-game absence, but through the first four games of the first round, he has felt good and exceeded his expectations.

I just sit down and let them work their magic, but it’s definitely around-the-clock treatment, just trying to take as much of the swelling and the pain away. Obviously, you can’t speed up a bone fixing itself, but just trying to get to the swelling down and the pain tolerance.”

Vacaville

cruises to decisive victory

VACAVILLE — The Vacaville High School softball team scored eight runs in the fourth and fifth inning to end its game against visiting Will C. Wood in five innings during an 11-0 victory.

Angelique Perez was

Jones, Martinez, Cabanlig and Annalyn Steh had doubles. Haley Griffin was dominant in the circle, yielding just one hit and one walk, while striking out nine.

The Lady Knights had their four-game winning streak come to an end in game two on Saturday, a 15-2 loss to Woodland Christian. Griffin reached base all three times with a hit and two walks. Atlas Ebert added a hit and walk. Steh got on her

VACAVILLE — Emmerson Meggers did a little bit of everything Monday as the Vacaville Christian High School softball team scored eight runs in the fifth inning en route to an 11-3 win over visiting Rio Vista.

Meggers went 2-for-2 at the plate with a home run and four RBIs. She also pitched six solid innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, two walks and 11 strikeouts.

Lexi Martinez singled, doubled and drove in two runs. Reese Cash also had two hits. Vacaville Christian improved 7-3 overall

See Local, Page B10

CALMATTERS COMMENTARY

Battle for water rights moves into Legislature

After its first committee hearing, Assembly Bill 1337 was amended last week, which could be the opening salvo of a monumental political and legal war over who controls access to water in California – an issue that stretches back to the state’s founding in 1850.

If enacted as now proposed, AB 1337 would overturn a key state appellate court decision and give the state Water Resources Control Board the legal authority to curtail diversions from rivers – even by those who now hold the most senior water rights, those gained prior to the state asserting authority over water in 1914.

Dan Walters

The legislation, carried by Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, a Democrat who represents East Bay suburbs, would bolster a years-long drive by environmental groups to enhance natural river flows by reducing agricultural diversions during periodic droughts.

The stage was set eight years ago when, during one such drought, then-Gov. Jerry Brown declared an emergency and the water board attempted to impose restrictions on pre-1914 rights holders, contending that there simply was not enough water to meet their demands.

A curtailment order and a more than $1 million fine served on the Byron-Bethany Irrigation District, which serves customers in three counties on the southern edge of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, symbolized the conflict.

“We are a test case,” Byron-Bethany’s manager, Rick Gilmore, said at the time. “I think this has become a larger issue. I think the water board wants to use this as a precedent so they can start to gain more control over senior water right users.”

An immediate confrontation was averted when the board modified its orders but litigation continued over the underlying issue of whether the board could curtail diversions by senior water rights holders via emergency order.

Byron-Bethany and other rights holders won at the trial level but the state appealed, only to lose again last September in the 6th District Court of Appeal in a decision known as the California Water Curtailment Cases, which is specifically referenced in the revised AB 1337.

“It is the intent of the Legislature that this bill clarify that the State Water Resources Control Board has the necessary authority to curtail pre-1914 water rights and address the gap in the state board’s authority revealed by the court in the series of cases known as the California Water Curtailment Cases,” the measure declares.

In the aftermath of the 2015 clash over curtailment orders, Brown and later his successor, Gavin Newsom, sought to avoid direct confrontation by forging “voluntary agreements” under which farmers would give up some water to increase river flows for fish and other species.

The process was spurred by the board’s 2018 release of draft water quality regulations that would require roughly 40% of natural river flows to reach the Delta, thus sharply reducing agricultural diversions.

A few months later, in his first State of the State address, Newsom declared, “Our first task is to cross the finish line on real agreements to save the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta. We must get this done – for the resilience of our mighty rivers, the stability of our agriculture sector, and the millions who depend on this water every day.”

The voluntary agreement process has achieved only minimal success, and environmental groups, which opposed it, continue to press the water board to finalize and enforce its long-pending water quality rules.

Given the immense stakes, AB 1337 and several other measures to enhance the water board’s authority will be the subjects of intense legislative skirmishing. Pardon the pun, but 2023 could be a watershed year not only for its immense amounts of rainfall and snow, but for the 173-year war over control of California’s finite water supply. 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.

CALMATTERS COMMENTARY

Serving as mayor of Los Angeles has a way of bending the office holder to the office.

Richard Riordan ran for mayor as a tough-on-crime Republican; he governed as a centrist who worked with Pres ident Bill Clinton to rebuild the city after the Northridge earth quake. Antonio Villaraigosa was a union organizer in his youth; his time as mayor was marked by his battles with the teachers’ union over school control. James Hahn won office on the strength of his support from African Americans and residents of the San Fernando Valley; he refused a second term to a popular African American police chief, Bernard C. Parks, and squashed the feeble Valley secession campaign.

Now comes Karen Bass. Elected last year as the more liberal of two options before Los Angeles voters, Bass brings a lifetime of experience in community health and coalition building – and as a Democratic star in Sacramento and Washington. Now, just four months into her new job, she is discovering that politics – at least in traditional liberal vs. conservative terms – don’t mean much when it comes to governing this metropolis.

As all mayors quickly discover, there are no conservative ways to fill potholes nor liberal ones to sweep streets. Washington thrives on ideological war games. Closer to home, problems are simply problems.

In an interview and in her first State of the City address, Bass projected the qualities that got her elected: optimism backed by shrewd insight and a tough core. She also revealed the early indications of moving from candidate to mayor.

Nowhere was that more evident than in her rapidly evolving approach to public safety. This is a city that has had more than its share of troubles with its police department, and there’s a substantial chunk of the political leadership today that wants to see the LAPD punished for its excesses – a sentiment reflected in the calls for “defunding” or otherwise reallocating resources from police and to other services such as mental health and housing.

But it’s also a city that is burdened by crime, and any call to reduce police services must contend with the possibility that drawing down cops won’t

make communities any safer. There is plenty of evidence of danger, especially from the illicit drug trade. In early April, three Angelenos died of fentanyl overdoses – in a single building on a single day. By late February, 21 people had died on Metro trains and buses, matching the death count for all of 2022. All but one of those deaths were the result of drug overdoses. That cascade of drug deaths startled Bass and those around her, and it underscored the dangers of defunding police at a time when addiction, housing shortages and homeless encampments have made many Angelenos fearful.

Bass has proposed two responses: money for housing and treatment, consistent with her liberal background, and money for police, a time-tested option that reflects the realities of being mayor.

“My budget breaks new ground,” she said on Monday, addressing supporters in the council chambers, “by using funds received from the opioid and tobacco settlements to pay for substance abuse treatment beds for the unhoused.”

That was greeted with applause. Less enthusiastic was the response to the other half of her remedy: beefing up the ranks of the LAPD.

In that idea, Bass follows the lead of her diverse predecessors. Riordan came to office pledging to expand the LAPD by 3,000 officers in four years. Hahn proposed a tax hike to get the department to 10,000 officers. Villaraigosa raised trash fees to hit that same mark, which he did to great fanfare in 2013.

In recent years, the LAPD has been moving in the other direction. Here and across the country, officers have felt battered by Covid and the national fury at police over a seemingly endless succession of shootings that have killed suspects – many Black and unarmed – from coast to coast. Locally, the city of Los Angeles recently released by mistake photographs of officers on undercover assignments. For some officers, that was the last straw; Bass predicts that dozens, even hundreds, may soon leave.

As of April 3, the LAPD’s ranks had dwindled far below the high-water mark set by Villaraigosa a decade ago. Authorized for 9,460 sworn positions,

it boasts roughly 9,100.

So even in the face of widespread criticism of the police, mainly from the political left, Bass is proposing to do what so many of her predecessors have done and hire more cops.

Her budget calls for additional funds for recruitment, including signing bonuses; for additional civilian employees, including 911 operators; and for more rank-and-file officers, in part by coaxing some recent retirees back into uniform. All told, she is hoping to expand the department by some 400 officers.

Bass is not pivoting to an entirely new position. Even as she has supported programs to divert some problems away from police, she has emphasized the indispensable role that officers play. Still, she recognizes the perils of championing more police, and when I asked her whether she was satisfied with the LAPD, she defended the department while also insisting that it improve.

“It is not the force that I want to see,” she said. “What we have done as a society is we don’t take care of our problems, and then we expect the police to clean everything up. Policywise, that is very foolish.”

Bass was barely in office when she made her first major LAPD move, reappointing Chief Michel Moore for another five-year term. Even as she did, however, she made it clear that she expects the chief to perform, and she laid out specific marks for him to hit. She’s given Moore additional time and is trying to get him more officers, but it’s safe to say Bass’ patience seems limited.

Finally, there is this: Yes, mayors of all types – Black, white or Latino; business-oriented Republicans or union-supported Democrats – eventually are shaped by the city’s needs. But politics does not disappear and winning is hard. Riordan fell short of his 3,000-officer goal in his first term; the council rejected Hahn’s police expansion, and the economy bottomed out after Villaraigosa got his.

By the time he was through, Mayor Eric Garcetti was cutting police, not adding them.

Bass’s first budget and early moves demonstrate that she’s adjusting her agenda to the realities of city government. But it’s a long haul, and it’s littered with potholes.

Jim Newton is a veteran journalist, best-selling author and teacher.

L.A. Mayor Bass’ police budget proposal reveals how politics can clash with reality

Jim Newton

B4 Wednesday, April 26, 2023 — DAILY REPUBLIC

Brendon Thorne/Getty Images/TNS file (2013)

With devastating quips, Dame Edna foretold a vacuous era of fame

Louis Bayard SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST

I

Humphries’ obituaries have demarcated the journey she took to get here, from frumpy 1950s Melbourne hausfrau to 1980s glamazon, yet once she arrived, she seemed to have been waiting for us all along. She wanted us to know what celebrity looked like once it had been detached from looks or talent or pedigree, once it had become the product of sheer will. She was showing us, in short, our near future, when reality TV would reward otherwise unremarkable people simply for strutting and fretting their hour upon the stage. With her comically enlarged eyewear, Edna could see what was coming, and she knew that the only thing that separated her from them was being in on the joke.

But the joke was on her, too, for self-deception was hardwired into her DNA from the start. Even now, it’s safe to say that when Dame Edna looks at herself in the mirror – the sequined dresses, the lavender Thatcher bouffant – she sees not just a beautiful, accomplished woman but, in her own endlessly iterated word, a megastar, equal if not superior to any celebrity who crosses

APPRECIATION

t’s the usual way of appreciations to speak of somebody in the past tense. In that vein, we regretfully use the verb was to describe Barry Humphries, the brilliant and fertile Australian mind that was, sadly and forever, stilled last week (his death in a Sydney hospital, at age 89, was confirmed Saturday). But, in the same breath, what better tribute can we pay him than that his greatest creation, Dame Edna Everage, is forever in present tense? Like the indelible comic characters of Dickens or Twain, she has long since escaped her author and stands now pure and unsullied by time: an Everage for the ages. As Edna herself would say: “Spooky.”her path. In a viral clip from 2013, she crashes the royal box of Prince Charles and Camilla and manages to convey, through the most economical of expressions, that the Windsors are the crashers. Her exit line?

“They found me a better seat.”

Yet there is nothing arrogant about her. How could there be? Her hardscrabble Australian origins are ingrained in both her accent and her family of origin: husband Arthur (“an invalid, and an expensive one, too”), daughter Valmai (“into shoplifting and in a major way”), son Kenny (“a practicing homeopath”). And, brooding over her like a tiny Easter Island statue, Madge, her old bridesmaid, as wordless and existential as a Beckett character. No matter how high Edna climbs, they are ready to drag her back.

Of course, in her outré ensemble, she takes her place in a line of theatrical crossdressing that stretches back to the Ancient Greeks. Yet, with her long and rather lovely legs and flat boyish chest, she also seems to float free of gender –or even, as the froglike puff of her neck suggests, species. Was Edna born of man and woman?

Or was she some kind of exotic amphibian-reptile-bird, breeding in isolation in the Tasmanian Sea? Is that why she finds our soft points so easily?

For the truth is that, whether she’s hosting her own talk show or taking over somebody else’s, there is no more devastating insult comic. “You’ve been successfully married three times, darling,” she coos to actress Jane Seymour. “What would you say was the secret?” Sharon Osbourne, a judge on “The X Factor,” is congratulated for giving “so many opportunities to people with so little talent.” The uncomely Andrew Lloyd Webber, suggests Edna, might benefit from the Phantom lending him “a mask or two.”

And pity the poor studio-audience member who has to hear “I’m trying to think of a word to describe what you’re wearing. Affordable.”

The surprise comes in seeing how cheerfully many of her victims accept their fate. Judi Dench, in a 2004 crossing, grows more convulsed with each gibe. (“I don’t think those close-ups in ‘The Lavender Ladies’ helped you, darling.”) And k.d. lang, when asked how long she’s known she’s Canadian, has to dab tears of laughter from her eyes before she can trust herself to reply. Like so many of Edna’s guests, they grasp that her narcissism frees her from malice, that she dispenses home truths the same way she might offer decorating tips.

They know, too, how fast she is on her feet. One of the great joys of catching her live, as I did some years ago, was seeing how speedily she absorbed every new datum of her surroundings (“Arlington, Alexandria,” she crooned, “such euphonious names”) before turning her omnivorous mind on the nearest bystanders. One of them, a tax attorney named Gordon, was coaxed onto stage for the purpose of publicly telephoning his wife.

The loss of Barry Humphries means there are some things we will never get to ask Edna about: ChatGPT, air fryers, the GOP war on drag queens. But it also means we can transport her wherever we need her. If, as someone is daily predicting, the world goes all to hell, I will steel my soul imagining Edna, in her stiletto heels and Kenny-designed frocks, climbing the nearest hill of ash and bone and calling out in a voice of impregnable cheer to all available possums. Earth will be a less spooky place.

Louis Bayard’s novels include “The Pale Blue Eye” and “Jackie & Me.”

Word Sleuth

Crossword by Phillip Alder

Bridge

benefit from your good fortune, ending with a birdie, not a bogey. Watch out for the bunkers still ahead of you on the course.

North plunged straight into three no-trump, as would we all. Luckily, West led a spade, not a heart. How should South have continued?

South won the first trick with the spade queen, crossed to dummy with a club and took the diamond finesse. Seeing no alternative, West switched to the heart three. East won with the ace and correctly returned a heart. (If West had wanted a spade back, he would have led a high heart, not his fourth highest.) The defenders therefore took six tricks.

At trick one, South had visions of overtricks, having mentally placed the diamond king with East. Instead, he should have been wondering what to do if West had the diamond king. To try to discourage a heart switch, South should have won the first trick with the spade ace.

WATCH OUT FOR THIS MISLEADING PLAY

The retired professional golfer Dave Stockton observed: “It’s always hard to sleep when you’ve got a big early lead. You just lie there and smile at the ceiling all night.”

This can happen in a bridge deal too. Sometimes you receive a friendly lead that gives you a bonus trick. However, make sure that you

Then, after a club to the dummy and a losing diamond finesse, what will West do? Thinking his partner has the spade queen, he is bound to continue with a low spade. South wins with the queen he supposedly cannot have and claims 10 tricks. Then, if he is feeling fiendish, South will cast a quick eye in West’s direction to see the look on his face.

COPYRIGHT: 2023, UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

Sudoku by Wayne Gould

by

Yesterday’s solution:

Barry Humphries as Dame Edna Everage participates with her fans in a Zumba fitness class at Martin Place in Sydney, Australia, Jan. 15, 2013. Humphries died last week at age 89.

Adele drives Corden for final ‘Carpool Karaoke’

The WashingTon PosT James Corden’s stint on “The Late Late Show” is coming to an end after almost a decade, and to mark the moment, his good friend and superstar Adele joined the host for one final – and emotional –“Carpool Karaoke.”

Traditionally, Corden drives his passengers around as they belt out songs and talk about life, but for the final ever segment of “Carpool Karaoke,” the roles were reversed.

“I’m actually not a brilliant driver,” Adele confessed as she took the wheel and Corden slid into the passenger seat. “I also can’t sing without closing my eyes,” the British vocalist, who has an EGO – that’s an Emmy, Grammy and Oscar – joked.

Within seconds, Corden gestured ahead. “You’re very close to that car,” he told the star as the pair erupted into laughter and then a duet of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.”

Over the last eight years, an array of celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Paul McCartney, Ed Sheeran, Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga and Celine Dion have joined Corden in his SUV, with the videos at times going viral. The segments brought the British actor and comic a new level of stardom in the United States.

First lady Michelle Obama also joined Corden for a drive in 2016, singing and dancing to Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies.” In the sketch, the pair drove around the perimeter of the White House while talking about grilled cheese sandwiches and girls’ education.

During the 20-minute segment, Adele and Corden discussed their friendship, life as two Brits living in the United States and how Corden and his wife, Julia, helped Adele as she navigated her split from ex-husband Simon Konecki in 2019.

Corden also recalled some of his most memorable carpool moments – and credited Mariah Carey for helping fuel the segment’s success in the early days, when producers were struggling to book celebrities for “Carpool Karaoke.”

“Everyone on planet Earth said no,” Corden

told Adele. “Then suddenly, Mariah Carey said ‘yes.’”

Carey became Corden’s first-ever “Carpool Karaoke” guest – but there was a catch, Corden revealed – as the awardwinning musician initially did not want to sing during the journey. She soon succumbed, however, once Corden began playing her song “Always Be My Baby,” joking that it just happened to be on the radio.

The segment went on to show the pair, both wearing sunglasses, attempting to harmonize on several other songs and coordinating dance moves.

When asked how he was feeling about his time as host ending, Corden said he was “excited and scared.” Corden took over the show from Craig Ferguson in March 2015.

Speaking about the end of his time on the CBS show, Corden told Adele it had been “a brilliant adventure.”

“I’m just so certain that it’s time for us as a family – with people getting older, people that we miss – it’s time to go home” to the United Kingdom, he said. Adele admitted that she would miss Corden, adding through tears: “I’m just not ready to come back yet, otherwise I would come back with you.”

Adele also revealed during the segment that a verse from her song “I Drink Wine” was partly inspired by a six-hour long conversation she had with Corden in 2020, when he described going through a difficult time.

Adele first appeared on “Carpool Karaoke” in January 2016. During the 15-minute segment Adele and Corden teamed up for a rendition of her hitsong “Hello,” and then sang “Wannabe” by The Spice Girls.

The episode, in which Adele also showcased her rap skills by reciting verses from Nicki Minaj’s song “Monster,” generated more than 261 million views on YouTube alone.

“More than anything I will just miss going into work with my friends every day,” Corden said during his last carpool. “I’m really going to miss Los Angeles, I

it

LOCATEDAT4820BusinessCenter Drive,Ste105FairfieldCA94534-1901 Solano.IS(ARE)HEREBYREGISTERED BYTHEFOLLOWINGOWNER(S)OdysseyHealthcareGP,LLCDelaware.THIS BUSINESSISCONDUCTEDBY: aLimitedPartnership Theregistrantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameornameslistedaboveonN/A. Ideclarethatallinfor mationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/RonaldC.Lazas,Jr.,Manager INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDINSUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER

ANYCHANGEINTHEFAC TSSET

FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONMarch28,2028. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZETHE USEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUS BUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATIONOFTHE RIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDERFEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW(SEE SECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESS ANDPROFESSIONSCODE). FiledintheOffice oftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: MAR292023 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2023000548 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00062621 Published:April12,19,26May3,2023

(PERSONS) IS

DOING BUSINESS AS SHIMA WORLD LOCATEDAT215BelAirDr.,Vacaville, CA.95687Solano.Mailingaddress215 BelAirDr.,Vacaville,CA.95687.IS (ARE)HEREBYREGISTEREDBYTHE FOLLOWINGOWNER(S)ChristinaA. Brown215BelAirDr.Vacaville,95687. THISBUSINESSISCONDUCTEDBY: anIndividual Theregistrantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameornameslistedaboveonN/A. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/ChristinaA.Brown INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONMarch30,2028.

THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE

THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE).

FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: March31,2023

NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2023000565

CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00062461 Published:April5,12,19,26,2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON (PERSONS) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS MONI D'S SALAD BAR LOCATEDAT112DelgadoCt,Vallejo, CA,94591Solano.Mailingaddress112 DelgadoCt,Vallejo,CA,94591.IS(ARE) HEREBYREGISTEREDBYTHEFOLLOWINGOWNER(S)MonicaScott-Dotson112DelgadoCtVallejo,94591.THIS BUSINESSISCONDUCTEDBY: anIndividual Theregistrantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameornameslistedaboveonN/A. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/MonicaDotson INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONMarch29,2028. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE). FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: March30,2023 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2023000557 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00062443 Published:April5,12,19,26,2023

LOCATEDAT490ChadbourneRd.FairfieldCA94534Solano.IS(ARE)HEREBY REGISTEREDBYTHEFOLLOWING OWNER(S)ScottMiyashiro490ChadbourneRd.Fairfield,CA94534.THIS BUSINESSISCONDUCTEDBY: anIndividual Theregistrantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameornameslistedaboveon 02/13/2023. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.)

/s/ScottMiyashiro INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGEINTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONMarch13,2028. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE).

FiledintheOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: MAR142023 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2023000460 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00062725 Published:April19,26May3,10,2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON (PERSONS) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS BARZAR EATERY LOCATEDAT136APeabodyRd,Vacaville,CA95687Solano.Mailingaddress 136APeabodyRd,Vacaville,CA95687. IS(ARE)HEREBYREGISTEREDBY THEFOLLOWINGOWNER(S)Foodie S&YCorpCAVacaville,95687.THIS BUSINESSISCONDUCTEDBY: aCorporation Theregistrantcommencedtotransact businessunderthefictitiousbusiness nameornameslistedaboveon N/A. Ideclarethatallinformationinthisstatementistrueandcorrect(Aregistrantwho declaresastrueinformationwhichheor sheknowstobefalseisguiltyofacrime.) /s/YingyiWang INACCORDANCEWITHSUBDIVISION (a)OFSECTION17920AFICTITIOUS NAMESTATEMENTGENERALLYEXPIRESATTHEENDOFFIVEYEARS FROMTHEDATEONWHICHITWAS FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHECOUNTY CLERK,EXCEPTASPROVIDEDIN SUBDIVISION(b)OFSECTION17920, WHEREITEXPIRES40DAYSAFTER ANYCHANGE INTHEFACTSSET FORTHINTHESTATEMENTPURSUANTTOSECTION17913OTHERTHAN ACHANGEINTHERESIDENCEADDRESSOFAREGISTEREDOWNER. ANEWFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAME STATEMENTMUSTBEFILEDBEFORE THEEXPIRATIONApril18,2028. THEFILINGOFTHISSTATEMENT DOESNOTOFITSELFAUTHORIZE THEUSEINTHISSTATEOFAFICTITIOUSBUSINESSNAMEINVIOLATION OFTHERIGHTSOFANOTHERUNDER FEDERAL,STATEORCOMMONLAW (SEESECTION14411ETSEQ.,BUSINESSANDPROFESSIONSCODE). Filedin theOfficeoftheCountyClerkof SolanoCounty,StateofCaliforniaon: APR192023 NewASSIGNEDFILENO.2023000664 CHARLESLOMELI,SolanoCountyClerk DR#00062796 Published:April26May3,10,17,2023

to the following businesses for supporting literacy in Solano County by being a sponsor in the Daily Republic’s “Newspapers In Education” program. NIE provides sponsored newspapers for teachers in Solano County to use as an educational resource in the classroom.

Anderson & Associates, CPA’s

Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano

Downtown Theater Foundation for the Arts

Jelly Belly Candy Company

Jim Stever Realty - Stever & Associates

Law Office of Elizabeth Anderson

Medic Ambulance Service

Meyer Corporation

Michael J. McMurry CPA

Napa Solano Medical Society

NorthBay Healthcare

Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3

Salvation Army

- Suisun City, KROC Center

Vogelpohl Real Estate Consulting & Sales

Yin McDonald’s

State Farm Insurance - Gary Falati

Network Independent Mortgage Broker

Want To See Your Name Here?

Find out what it takes to become sponsor and the positive benefits it has on your local schools!! Call Bob at 707-425-4646

Eagle Eye Engraving • Townhouse Apartments

Pam Watson, REALTOR®

Alumni

From Page B1

national championship at West Liberty University in West Virginia.

Oregon has been to nationals for 12 consecutive years and has four national titles to its credit. Groves is a 5-foot-6 senior "base" on the squad.

Track and Field

Freshman Aspin

Oliver (Vacaville) was 0.02 seconds away from the No. 10 all-time mark in the women's 400-meter hurdles for Cal Poly. She ran a personal-best time of 1:00.69 to finish second in the Mustang Invitational on the home track.

Sophomore Maya Holman (Vacaville) secured first place in the women's javelin (139-10) for Cal Poly. Junior Quinton Alexander (Vanden) was the men's 800 (1:52.85) for the Mustangs.

Sophomore Daniel Hernandez (Vacaville) was sixth in the men's 1500 (3:57.47) at the Chico Invitational for host Chico State.

Senior Jaden Moodey (Vanden) and her Mount Olive teammates were sixth in the women's 4x400 relay (3:52.40) against big competition at the University of South Carolina Outdoor Open.

Men's Tennis

Georgia Tech lost to Miami 4-2 in the second round of the ACC Championship in Cary, North Carolina. Regardless, junior Marcus McDaniel (Kimme Charter), ranked No. 78 nationally in singles, made a stellar comeback against Miami's Antonio Prat.

After being down 4-0 in the first set, McDaniel won five straight games to take the first set in a 7-5 decision. He finalized the match with a 6-3 victory in the second set.

Sophomore Zach Lim (Rodriguez) joined his teammate Harsh Parikh to take a close tiebreak 7-5 for a win in doubles and also won in singles after his opponent defaulted, though Penn lost to No. 10 Harvard 4-2. Lim had a 6-4, 6-1 victory in a match against Dartmouth.

49ers

From Page B1

closely scrutinized in 2023. Unlike 2019, when the 49ers were able to catch opponents by surprise defensively, last year’s unit was highly regarded going into the season and lived up to the hype.

The 49ers gave up 300.6 yards per game, the fewest in the NFL, and 16.3 points per game, leading the league in scoring defense. The 1,321 yards rushing allowed was No. 1, as were the 77 rushing first downs allowed and an average of 3.4 yards per carry.

So any slippage in 2023 will be duly noted.

All eyes will be on Hargrave, who at 6-foot2, 305 pounds gives the 49ers a dominant pushthe-pocket player who contrasts nicely with tackle Arik Armstead, who is 6-foot-7 and 280 pounds.

“I think it’s going to be tough on guards to game plan for both of us,” Armstead said. “I’m excited. I think we complement each other very well. Two different types of players, but I think it’s going to be great, lining up alongside of him.”

Hargrave, who signed a four-year deal worth a maximum of $84 million, gave the 49ers something they weren’t expecting – a top-level free agent. It was the latest example of the 49ers being unafraid to take big swings at players they want, which include the 2018 deal to bring in

Baseball Junior Kenny Decelle (Vacaville) had two big games for Sonoma State over the weekend. The outfielder went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, a double, a home run and an RBI in an 8-6 loss to Cal State San Marcos. Decelle was also 2-for-5 with a double, a run and an RBI in a 9-3 victory over San Marcos.

Sophomore Hunter Dorraugh hit two home runs, two doubles, two singles and drove in four RBIs for San Jose State as the Spartans took two of three games from Fresno State.

Senior right-hander

Aaron Rund (Vacaville) pitched a three-inning save, his fourth, for Campbell. Rund allowed just two hits, two earned runs, one walk and struck out five batters as the Camels defeated UNC Wilmington 6-2.

Senior right-hander

Quinlan Sweaney (Vacaville Christian) pitched 3 1/3 innings of relief over two games, allowed three hits, one earned run, one walk to go with three strikeouts. Pacific lost to Fresno State 8-7 but beat Pepperdine 14-11 in the two games.

Freshman Jack Metcho (Rodriguez) went 3-for-4 for UOP in that 14-11 win over Pepperdine with a double, a run scored and two RBIs.

Sophomore outfielder Andreyes Palacio (Rodriguez) homered and drove in three runs for Simpson in a 12-7 win over Providence Christian.

Softball

Senior Haley Enriquez (Solano) had five hits, including two doubles, and six RBI for Dickinson State in a four-game weekend sweep over Dakota State.

Senior Emma Woodworth (Solano) went 2-for-3 with a run in a 6-5 win over Dakota State.

Senior third baseman Lewa Day (Armijo) homered, scored two runs and walked twice for Sacramento State in a 4-1 win over Portland State.

Graduate student Megan Massa (Rodriguez) had eight hits from the leadoff position and scored five runs for Concordia Irvin in a four-game sweep against Dominican.

tackle Trent Williams and last year’s trade for Christian McCaffrey.

The addition of Hargrave makes it clear that simply reaching the NFC title game, as they have the last two seasons, isn’t the endgame.

“I think everybody knows where our head is at from the top down,” McCaffrey said. “We know what we want to accomplish and where we want to go.”

Wilks, 53, has experience running defenses in Cleveland and Carolina, was run out of Arizona after a single season as head coach and was the interim coach for the Panthers last season after Matt Rhule was fired.

Shanahan wanted a coordinator who wouldn’t make wholesale changes to a strong unit, which had progressed under Ryans and current Jets head coach Robert Saleh, who preceded Ryans as the 49ers’ defensive boss. The 49ers have yet to make Wilks available to the media, but 49ers players appear to be on board.

Warner said the Ryansto-Wilks switch has been a “seamless transition” and that the new coordinator has the respect of his new players. Wilks’ mission statement is to build on the existing system, rather than make wholesale changes.

“I think that was important, bringing in a new coach that has been willing to learn what we do and adjust things to what he believes is going to make us better,” Warner said.

rodgers

From Page B1

Bay last offseason, when the Packers signed him to a $150 million extension coming off his fourth MVP season. Now, nearly two decades after a highranking Bears executive said the Packers were about to find out what life is like for the majority of teams as Favre neared the end of his run, it’s actually going to happen.

Favre was 22-10 as the Packers starter against the Bears, and his dominant play – combined with that of Rodgers –allowed Green Bay to tilt the all-time series. The Packers are 10595-6 in the rivalry, a record that heavily favored the Bears before the arrival of Favre.

The Bears have used 18 starting quarterbacks since Rodgers first started in 2008 and 37 since Favre took over in Green Bay in Week 4 of the 1992 season, which explains the lopsided nature of the rivalry for three-plus decades. Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton had the most wins against the Packers in that span, each going 3-1.

Rodgers’ final game with the Packers against the Bears was in Week 13 at Soldier Field when Green Bay scored

Local

From Page B1

and 7-0 in the Sierra Delta League. Rio Vista fell to 6-4-1 overall and 4-1 in the SDL. No individual statistics for the Rams were made available. Rio Vista was scheduled to play at San Juan Tuesday.

College

Solano baseball picks up 17-14 win

ROCKVILLE — Conner Ross, Jaxson Bates and Julian Guerra all hit home runs Tuesday as the Solano Community College baseball team outlasted visiting Mendocino 17-14.

Solano moved to 15-21 overall and 9-10 in the Bay Valley Confer-

18 points in the fourth quarter to rally for a 28-19 victory.

“It has truly been a second home for me,” Rodgers said after the game. “It’s fun to come back here, get a win and let the fans know I’m still here.”

Rodgers drew the ire of Bears fans in 2021 after running for a touchdown, turning to the fans in the south endzone stands and yelling: “I own you. All my (fricking) life. I own you. I still own you.”

For all of the backand-forth between the fan bases, though, Rodgers has always held the Bears and Chicago in high regard and has spoken at length about his respect for players such as Brian Urlacher,

ence. It was the seventh straight game that Falcons' pitching had allowed 10 or more runs. Jacob Reguera picked up his first win despite allowing 10 hits and nine earned runs over six innings.

Alex Gaela went 4-for-6 at the plate with two RBIs. Ross finished 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI to go with his home run. Kevin Parker doubled twice, had a single and drove in four runs. Miles Meadows also doubled and singled twice.

Solano scored at least one run in the first six innings, including a fiverun third and a six-run fifth. Down 17-6 through six innings, Mendocino closed the gap with six runs in the final three innings. The series continues Thursday with a 2:30 p.m. game at Mendocino. The teams will back

Charles Tillman, Lance Briggs and others.

“It’s a great sports town,” Rodgers told the “Pardon My Take” podcast. “If we’re beating up on a town that doesn’t have a great sports history, it’s just another win. Chicago is Chicago. You’ve got 100 years of Bears football, you have the Chicago Bulls. I grew up a Bulls fan.

“Back on my old TV, we had seven dials. You had to hit it just right with the antenna and we could get WGN. We could watch Cubs baseball and Harry Caray – that was iconic – and Bulls basketball. I grew up watching Chicago sports.”

Besides Favre, who played for the Packers and Minnesota Vikings, the only Hall of Fame

at Solano on Friday for a 1 p.m. game.

Solano swimmers solid at conference

ROCKVILLE — The Solano Community College men's and women's swimming programs wrapped up the 2023 season at the Coast Conference Championships at Ohlone College over the weekend with a very strong performance.

Solano College was represented by four women and seven men. All 11 Falcons beat their record times during the Conference Championships The team finished 12th in the women’s division and ninth in the men’s division. Swimmers who finished in the top 16 in individual events include:

Alessandra Abaeo among the women in the

quarterbacks to play in the NFC North during the Super Bowl era are Bart Starr (Packers), Fran Tarkenton (Vikings) and Warren Moon (Vikings).

As the Bears continue to rebuild this offseason with hopes Justin Fields will emerge as a legitimate franchise quarterback, the Packers enter the unknown with Love, who started one game as a rookie in 2021 and is 50-for-83 for 606 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions in limited action.

Finally, the Packers will experience what it’s like to line up without a Hall of Fame talent at quarterback . . . unless Love develops into a star.

100-yard breast stroke (13th) and the 100 freestyle (16th). Leila Flores was also 12th in the 200 individual medley. Jake Diaz was seventh in the 100 breast and 10th in the 100 free. Mark Dominguez finished 15th in the 100 breast. Chris Kniventon took 16th in the 200 free. Hayden Lynn was 16th in both the 50 free and 100 free. Garrett Matheson was also 14th in the 50 free and 15th in the 100 free.

The women's relays finished ninth in the 200 free, 11th in the 200 medley and seventh in the 400 free.

The men’s relays finished ninth in the 200 free, ninth in the 200 medley and seventh in the 400 free Diaz finished as the top scorer on the men's side with 19 points. Abaeo was the top scorer on the women's side with five points.

Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/TNS file (2021)

Aaron rodgers celebrates with his teammates after scoring a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter of a game against Chicago Bears at soldier Field in 2021.