Daily Republic: Sunday, July 9, 2023

Greek Food Festival gives visitors a taste of the islands

SuSAn HilAnD SHILAND@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD —

George Kalis of Fairfield leaned over the grill, tossing the chicken from one side to the other. His jug of homemade spices sat next to the grill, with a pan full of olive oil on the table. He remembers his father cooking chicken for church events, family barbecues and being told, “someday, when you are tall enough to see the back of the grill, then you can start cooking.”

He hit that mark years ago, and towers over the grill today. Kalis is the chicken “guy” for the Greek Food Festival at the Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church each year.

“That day came and I have been cooking ever since,” Kalis said.

His parents are long gone but he continues sharing his her-

itage with others through the festival. Kalis remembers coming to the area in 1963, and his parents joined the church.

“Back then, the festival was at the Solano Fairgrounds. It was there for years,” he said.

He hopes that visitors on Saturday were able to take away from the day a love of food and culture.

“They get to see oldschool Greek cooking, and the culture of the church,” he said.

Money raised from the day’s event helps support the church’s outreach programs, which help feed the homeless, and for general maintenance.

This incarnation of the festival began a few years ago, but the idea of a Greek festival began many years before that, as the Gyro Food Festival. About three years

See Greek, Page A9

State promises better care for inmates as they leave prison

Don THompSon KFF HEALTH NEWS

California has agreed to improve health care for newly released prison inmates who are disabled, including through a series of measures that advocates say will help almost everyone trying to make the transition from incarceration.

Attorneys representing inmates say proper care during the transition from prison has long been lacking and can lead to homelessness. A recent study found that 1 in 5 Californians experiencing homelessness came from an institution such as prison or jail.

The state agreed in June to release inmates with a 60-day supply of their prescription medications, up from the previous 30-day requirement, and promised to replace medical equipment lost within the first

month of an inmate’s being released from prison. Officials will also submit applications for Medi-Cal, California’s version of Medicaid, on their behalf at least 90 days before they’re discharged.

The agreement will benefit at least 11,000 parolees who have physical, developmental, or mental health disabilities, or nearly a third of the state’s 36,000 parolees, inmates’ attorneys estimated. But many of the provisions will aid most inmates being released, even those without a qualifying disability.

The improvements “should help shut the revolving door between homelessness and incarceration that prevents far too many people with disabilities from succeeding on parole and reintegrating into the community,”

See Inmates, Page A9

Local

new skills with free football camp B6

GRAND JURY: Solano Sheriff’s Office not managing jail costs, assets

DAily r epubliC STAff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — The 2022-23 Solano County civil grand jury issued a critical report on how the Sheriff’s Office is managing costs and assets at the local jails.

“Due to changes in state law and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, among other potential factors, the Custody Division has seen a 39% reduction in its average daily (inmate) population over the last six years. This has resulted in a drop in the detention facility occupancy rate in the county from 65% down to 37%,” the July 3 report states in its summary.

“While it might be expected that a dramatic reduction in the number of detainees would result in a similar drop in custodial staff, that has not been the case. In fact, during this same period, the county custodial staff has only experienced a 2.5% reduction.

As a result, the average annual cost of housing each detainee in the county has increased from $65,329 in 2017 to $139,430 in 2022,” the report states. The grand jury called on the county’s budget officer “to take an active role helping correctional administrators overcome obstacles that make it difficult to reallocate dollars to communitybased treatments.”

It also noted among is three findings and corresponding recommendations that the Sheriff’s Office should “revisit leasing available detention facility beds to other jurisdictions,” explore greater use of the Rourk Vocational Training Center at the Claybank Detention Facility, and look for ways to save money by use of technology, “including video and body cameras, website visitations, and

other information technology updates.”

Sheriff Tom Ferrara has said in the recent past that with more state prison inmates, many with violent histories, the kind of skills training programming envisioned for Roark is no longer possible.

The grand jury also recommended that the “Custody Division evaluate alternate use of their facilities for less restrictive alternatives. Consider an electronic monitoring center, increase work furlough programs, and the use of less restrictive community-based Adult Residential Facilities or transitional housing.”

The findings and recommendations in the report are:

n FINDING 1 – The bed rate calculation, which include custody expenses used by the Sheriff’s

Ukraine and expansion top NATO agenda as Biden tries to cement unity

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

WASHINGTON —

President Joe Biden and fellow leaders of NATO will come together next week extolling their remarkable unity backing Ukraine in its war with Russia. But serious differences over expansion of the transatlantic alliance threaten to disrupt the harmony and turn the annual summit on its head.

Cohesion among the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s members has also been jeopardized by the war having become a seemingly interminable slog. Even Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said a long-anticipated counteroffensive against Russian invaders is not going as well as he hoped.

NATO’s gathering in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius will focus world leaders on how to help nonmember Ukraine, including what kind of military aid to provide and what a longer-term

security arrangement

should look like – whether or not it includes future membership in the alliance. The summit comes in the wake of an aborted mutiny against Russian President Vladimir Putin by the paramilitary Wagner Group, which leaders are still analyzing.

“All eyes will be on Vilnius to see what the so-called Ukraine package will look like,” said Sean Monaghan, a visiting fellow at the Center for Strategic and

International Studies who specializes in Europe.

The U.S. has already

spent or pledged $75 billion to shore up the Ukrainian military and state, and has authorized allies to send their U.S.-produced fighter jets into the battlefield. Biden has coaxed other European nations to pony up for the war effort, including convincing Germany to give lethal weaponry to a foreign land for the first time since World War II.

Aides say the president hopes the Vilnius summit will showcase his efforts to rebuild international partnerships that

3 Queens of Motown pay tribute to Tina Turner, others B1

youths score

Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic file (2019)

Ribbon cutting attendees walk around the Rourk Vocational Center, Jan. 29, 2019.

Susan Hiland/Daily Republic

John Romas bakes pizza in the wood stove during the Greek Food Festival, a fundraiser for the Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Vallejo, Saturday.

FERRARA

Roman Pilipey/Getty Images/TNS file

Residents gather at the site where an apartment building was hit during Russian drone attacks in Kyiv, Ukraine, May 30.

Catching up with the world by finally getting Covid

It took a while, but we finally caught up.

In the same way that Mrs. Brad and I were late to cellphones, using streaming-only for Netflix and watching “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad,” we were late to Covid.

By the time we were hit with the pandemiccausing virus in mid-June, three years had passed since our first friends got sick. Two years had passed since masks largely disappeared from public places.

No one worries about Covid anymore. We were vaccinated multiple times. Most people have had the virus. Covid is so 2021.

Mrs. Brad and me getting Covid in 2023 was like falling in love with “Saturday Night Fever” in 1981 after everyone else was sick of Bee Gees music. We had Saturday Night Fever when everyone else had Stars on 45 Mania. (That is the greatest reference you’ll see this year to 1981 pop culture.) We returned from a brief work-related trip to Washington, D.C., feeling great. I got sick and tested positive for Covid-19 two days later. She followed shortly three days after me.

Illnesses are always worse for Mrs. Brad than me, so it was

unsurprising that her symptoms – cough, fever, headaches, tiredness – were worse. But since I’m a Type 1 diabetic, I’m considered at risk, so my doctors put me on medication while she soldiered through. The good news? My symptoms were mild. The bad news?

I got “rebound Covid,” and tested positive again after going through an entire isolation/ masking/testing cycle. It meant a second week of isolation and wearing a mask. Two weeks of isolation. I felt like I was in prison – if prison involved working from the kitchen table, watching TV and taking naps every afternoon on the deck. Still, I didn’t leave our house for six days, meaning a lot of TV and naps

and reading and naps. Unlike the darkest Covid days of March and April 2020, we were doing this alone, which was good news and bad news:

The bad news was that we didn’t have friends going through the same thing with whom to commiserate.

The good news was that all sports continued: We watched a lot of baseball and cycling and Formula 1 and even some USFL football. We watched a lot of Netflix and “Shark Tank.”

The bad news was we couldn’t even play games (first because Mrs. Brad was afraid of infection, then because she was too sick to play, then because my doctor advised me that my rebound Covid was possibly contagious to Mrs.

Brad again).

The good news was we survived, of course.

Nearly everyone survives Covid now, which is why it’s no longer such a big thing. We were appreciative of our vaccines. We were grateful for the advances made over three-plus years. We were reminded how difficult it can be to be sick and isolated and unable to leave your house.

But we also joined the majority. We’re now part of between 52% and 82% of Americans (depending on your source) who have had Covid.

Like listening to “Stars on 45” on repeat, it’s not very pleasant.

Reach Brad Stanhope at bradstanhope@outlook.com.

Stanford will offer student-led class on Taylor Swift’s storytelling

Los A ngeLes Times

LOS ANGELES — As part of her successful application to Stanford, Ava Jeffs, now a sophomore studying computer science, wrote an essay about Taylor Swift’s song “Clean.” The first essay she wrote her freshman year was 13 pages on Swift’s songwriting about mental health.

Soon, she will read even more Swift-centered essays – this time penned by others – when she teaches a course offered to Stanford students in the spring titled “The Last Great American Songwriter: Storytelling With Taylor Swift Through the Eras.” Swift is scheduled to close out the U.S. leg of her Eras tour with six shows at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium in August.

“’It’s been a long time coming,’ to quote Taylor Swift,” said Jeffs, who has been “screaming” along to Taylor Swift CDs since she was a toddler. “I could have a minor in Taylor Swift studies, honestly, at the end of this.”

Jeffs’ 10-week class, which will be available in April, is the latest to join

the growing roster of Swift courses offered at colleges across North America.

Earlier this year, another Stanford student taught a course on Swift’s 10-minute song “All Too Well.” Last year, classes about Swift’s songwriting and legacy thrilled Swifties at the University of Texas at Austin, Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada, and New York University –where Swift received her honorary doctorate alongside the Class of 2022.

Rather than an excuse for fans to talk trivia and swap comfort songs, these courses seem to incorporate a measure of academic

rigor. For example, the NYU class, taught by a Rolling Stone writer, examined Swift’s career in relation to feminism, race and the music industry. And at the University of Texas, students studied Swift’s songs alongside works from Shakespeare, Keats and Frost.

This fall, the Berklee College of Music will offer a songwriting course tracking Swift’s evolution, too.

Jeffs’ addition to the trend will follow the chronology of Swift’s discography, with weekly discussions dedicated to the literary references, lyricism and storytelling

techniques used in each of her 10 original studio albums – and her corresponding “era.”

Eras are a big part of Swift-lore. She’s known for ushering in new chapters of her life with each album release – each phase filled with distinct symbolism, production styles and aesthetics, both in her music and her public image (Swifties attending the Eras tour have been going all out with outfits paying tribute to their favorite era).

“She really does this thing where she world builds her albums around an era, and that’s something that I want to dive into with the class as well,” Jeffs said.

Students may be assigned to analyze specific songs, envision the narrative arc of a fictional album

using preexisting songs, or reimagine a song in a different medium – whether that be a short story, poem or film, Jeffs said.

Although her class won’t be on Stanford’s course website until August, she said she had already received enough interest to consider implementing an application process for those who want to enroll.

The class is one of the university’s student-initiated courses – classes designed and/or led by undergrads with the help of a faculty sponsor. Mark McGurl, an English professor whose own classes have focused on modern literature, greenlighted Jeffs’ proposed syllabus in May.

“It was just basically me emailing every single professor in the English department over

the course of a couple of months until I was able to actually have a conversation with a professor about my syllabus,” Jeffs said. It took a while for Jeffs to find a faculty member to get on board – but that’s part of the reason she wants this class to be offered.

“Stanford has a whole department that studies classical literature and classic works that oftentime talk about similar themes to what Taylor talks about in her songs. She’s just doing it in a modern form,” Jeffs said.

“A lot of the time artists like Taylor Swift aren’t taken seriously because they’re seen as mainstream or because they’re seen as girly, but she’s been really successful. We should look into why and take that seriously.”

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images/TNS file (2022) Taylor Swift attends the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center, in Newark, New Jersey, Aug. 28, 2022.

FAIRFIELD — The latest round of grant funding through the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority is open.

The authority can fund proposals that are:

n Habitat projects that aim to restore, protect or enhance natural habitats on the shoreline in the San Francisco Bay Area.

n Flood management projects that are part of habitat projects.

n Public access projects that will provide or improve access or recreational amenities that are part of habitat projects.

“The Authority is particularly interested in supporting projects that address equity and include benefits to economically disadvantaged communities and California Native American Tribes,” the agency said in a statement.

Full proposals are due Oct. 6. Grant applica-

tions are online at www. sfbayrestore.org/restoration-authority-grants. For information, send an email to grants@ sfbayrestore.org.

Measure AA Community Grants Program is also accepting applications and proposals.

The authority’s Community Grants Program is a separate track for eligible projects led by community-based organizations in economically disadvantaged communities. The program has been accepting applications on a rolling basis since 2020. For more information, send an email to grants@ sfbayrestore.org.

To register for the Measure AA 2023 Grant Round and Community Grants Webinar, go to https://scc-ca-gov.zoom. us/meeting/register/ tZcpd-GgrDMiEtUuXSk CQNOhYRKlf20-niR2#/ registration.

The webinar is set for 2 to 3 p.m. July 25.

Grand jury concerned with Rio Vista’s landfill reporting record

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — Rio Vista has not complied with Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board reporting requirements for the closing of its former landfill, according to the 2022-23 Solano County civil grand jury.

The grand jury cited problems with the closed landfill reporting requirements – raising potential concerns with the landfill itself.

lations and one area of concern. One of the identified violations states, ‘The LEA [Solano County Local Enforcement Agency] has not received updated plans or cost estimates.’

“The 2023 area of concern states, ‘The closed landfill sign that was previously posted on the front entrance gate is no longer there. There are no signs along the boundary fence indicating that this is a closed landfill. Replace [sic] the sign with a contact number.’

semi-annual reports six times. It appears to have submitted annual reports, but not intermittent semiannual reports.”

The grand jury calls on the city to “comply with all required monitoring and reporting requirements.”

The report is otherwise pretty positive about the county’s efforts to meet waste disposal requirements and recycling efforts at other landfill sites.

waste. Programs include: household, electronics, yard waste, and metal recycling, as well as tire and appliance recovery. The county has 50 years of capacity remaining, which exceeds the minimum of 15 years,” the report states in its summary.

The grand jury issued three findings with corresponding recommendations:

FAIRFIELD — The Assembly Elections Committee, on a 6-1 vote, this week approved legislation that would place limits on the amount of money that can be donated to school board and special district candidates.

“My bill puts a cap on donations to ensure fairness while encouraging a more diverse field that is more reflective of the population,” state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, said in a statement. “Getting big money out of elections for smaller community offices is essential. These well-financed campaigns favor the wealthy at the exclusion of grass-

roots candidates and people of color.”

Senate Bill 328 sets an individual donation limit of $5,500 by a person, business or committee to a candidate for school board, community college board or special district board. The contribution limits are equal to those set for the state Legislature. The bill would allow local governments to vote to adjust the limits, but the default would no longer be unlimited.

The bill was coauthored by Dodd, state Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, R-Yucaipa, and Assemblyman Corey Jackson, D-Corona.

The bill passed the committee on Wednesday.

Additionally, the report, issued on July 3, notes information issues with the Solano County’s website on other solid waste matters.

The 12-acre Rio Vista landfill sits on a 20-acre site on Airport Road. It closed on Jan. 1, 1993, and was subject to a 30-year post-closure maintenance agreement, which includes regular reporting on such things as maintenance of waste containment facilities, the landfill final cover, precipitation and drainage controls, monitoring wells, and continued monitoring of groundwater to address groundwater impacts from the landfill consisting primarily of dissolved minerals such as total dissolved solids and chloride.

The grand jury report states, “review of site inspections on the Solid Waste Information System located at CalRecycle website for 2022 and 2023 noted several vio-

“From 2016 to 2021, Rio Vista did not submit

“The county’s Waste Plan incorporates the latest comprehensive strategies to resolve the many challenges of county

n FINDING 1 – The “Countywide Waste Integrated Management Plan Documents” website page

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VALLEJO — Sutter Solano Medical Center was among 16 Sutter Health hospitals that were recognized by the Get With The Guidelines program for their stroke care.

“The American Stroke Association applauded 15 Sutter hospital campuses for providing a high level of stroke care. An additional five hospi-

tal campuses received recognition for high-quality cardiac care from the American Heart Association. Four hospital campuses earned awards for both stroke and cardiac care,” the health care group said in a statement.

Sutter Solano received the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award and earned a place on the Target Stroke Honor Roll.

Additionally, Sutter Solano was recognized on the Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll, which promotes evidence-based stroke care for patients with diabetes.

“All of the honored hospitals are designated by The Joint Commission as Primary Stroke Centers or higher and serve as a resource available to patients needing strokerelated services,” the health group said.

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

Airport commission to review Little Egbert habitat project

FAIRFIELD — The Solano County Airport Land Use Commission is scheduled on Thursday to discuss the Little Egbert habitat project.

The state Department of Water Resources is beginning the environmental impact report on the project, which is located at the southern end of the Yolo Bypass, immediately upstream from Rio Vista.

“The purpose of the proposed project is to actively manage the transition of the land from agriculture to tidal wetlands, subtidal and riparian habitat in a manner that maximizes flood benefits and

Taste of Napa returns Saturday

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

NAPA — Festival Napa

Valley announced the 2023 edition of Taste of Napa, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday on the central piazza of The Meritage Resort, 875 Bordeaux Way, It features offerings from more than 70 wineries, breweries, restaurants, and culinary artisans. The event also includes live music, games, activities, prizes, a Reserve Tasting Salon, and the chance to sample wines from the Festival’s newest international wine partner, the Wines of Catalonia.

New elements at Taste of Napa this year include a Play Court sponsored by Kaiser Permanente Thrive featuring life-size fun and games; an “Ask a Wine Writer” opportunity where guests can engage with celebrated San Francisco Chronicle journalist Jess Lander; and a chance to win prizes, including international travel, by collecting Taste of Napa passport booklet stamps.

The music lineup for Taste of Napa includes jazz from the Frost School of Music All-Stars led by Shelly Berg and Broadway classics from Festival favorite Christina Maxwell, while Taste’s Reserve Tasting Salon offers guests premium wine tastings of limited-edition vintages and special treats in a private setting.

For details, and tickets, visit www.festivalnapavalley.org. The event is open to those 21 and older.

climate resilience and enhances ecosystem processes and recreational opportunities,” county documents state. The project would restore about 3,000 acres of habitat.

“The proposed project site is currently privately owned and cultivated in row crops and alfalfa. The site is below sea level and protected by a restricted-height levee that is designed to overtop during high water events to reduce pressure on upstream levees. Sea level rise and climate change are expected to significantly decrease the viability of maintaining the tract under existing conditions as a reclaimed landscape

protected by aging limited-height levees,” the documents state.

The commission has in recent years taken interest in the habitat restoration projects because of the potential impact on Travis Air Force Base operations, particularly with regard to an increase in bird populations.

The commissioners meet at 7 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors chamber on the first floor of the government center, 675 Texas St., in Fairfield.

The board also will consider whether Benicia’s proposed Inclusionary Housing Ordinance is consistent with the Travis Air Force Base Land Use Compatibility Plan.

Maria Cain

8/5/1936 – 6/29/2023

From Page A3

descriptions makes it difficult to identify the most current approved and accurate information. Although the documents were marked with a date, many of the titles referenced qualifying words such as “Preliminary Draft,” “Draft,” and “Final Draft.”

RECOMMENDATION

1 – Resource Management improve the transparency on the website by posting only the most current approved version for the benefit of both agencies and citizens of the County. Older versions should be archived to a separate location in the event they are needed.

n FINDING 2 – In compliance with AB 939, the Board of Supervisors

established the Solano County Integrated Waste Management Task Force in 1990. The County’s website for the task force does not appear to be updated since 2018.

Review of 24 posted

Agendas between April 2015 and May 2019 indicates 11 meetings were cancelled. The most recent meeting minutes available online are from September 13, 2018 (indicating no meetings have been held in at least 4 ½ years), of which only 13 of 24 member organizations listed were present. This lack of consistent meeting reporting reduces the transparency of the Task Force activities and potentially impacts environmental safety of the County.

RECOMMENDATION

2 – Establish a standing meeting schedule for Resource Management’s

OBITUARIES

Wilfred (Freddy)

Mrs. Maria Elvira Cain passed away peacefully the early morning of June 29, 2023 with her family by her side Maria was born to Inacio Martins and Maria De Jesus in Terceira, Azores, Portugal. Maria met and married her lifelong love Thornton Cain when he was stationed in the Azores while serving in the US Air Force. They were married 64 years and had six children.

They came to Fairfield in 1967 where she continued to live her whole life as a devoted wife, mother, and later grandmother and great grandmother. Maria enjoyed playing bingo, tending to her backyard roses, and most of all her grandchildren. Whenever you saw Maria driving around she would always have her grandchildren with her, as many that could fit in her Cadillac. Maria was a kind, loving and generous lady. She loved baking her delicious sweetbread and passing the loaves around to those she loved.

Maria was dedicated to her family and that came first above all else. The void left by her absence will be impossible to fill. Maria was loved by many and the world has truly lost a unique and beautiful soul who will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Maria is survived by her children Maria Lillie Eddings (Reggie), John (Imelda), Maria Teresa Cain (Tony), Tony (Claudia), Maria Malinda Cain, Christopher (Maria) and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband Thornton Cain, her parents and all of her brothers and sisters

Visitation will be held from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. on July 20, 2023 at Bryan Baker Funeral home 1850 W Texas St, Fairfield CA. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on July 21, 2023 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church 2700 Dover Ave, Fairfield CA. Burial will be at Fairmont Memorial Cemetery, Fairfield, CA. Repast will follow.

John Spruill

John “Jack” Spruill, 96, passed away on June 20, 2023, at his home in Vacaville, CA.

John was born to William Hardy and Opal Alleshouse Hardy on April 23, 1927 in Battle Creek, MI.

John ser ved in the U.S. Navy, in various positions for 20 years. He also worked at the CMF State Prison for 20 years. And finally, he had 20 years federal service at the Navel Station Mare Island and Skaggs Island Security Dept.

Phaneuf

Wilfred (Fr ed/Fr eddy)

Philias Phaneuf Jr was born

June 21, 1944 in Willimantic, CT to Marguerite Irene (Beauregard) and Wilfred

Philias Phaneuf Sr. Freddy passed away peacefully June 22, 2023 in Vacaville with family by his side.

He was a renowned baseball pitcher in his childhood and his love of baseball lasted his entire life.

At the age of 17, he joined the United States Marine Corps where he was a radio communications operator learning morse code and traveling the world during the Vietnam War.

After being discharged with an honorable discharge for his service in

Col. George Mack Riddle

Colonel George Mack Riddle (Mack) passed away on Wednesday July 5, 2023, after a battle with cancer

He had a long and distinguished career as a civil engineer in the United States Air Force (26 years) and thereafter in private industry on a number of major construction projects. He also lovingly headed, along with his wife of 65 years Rachel Riddle (Crosby), an extended family including four children, twelve grandchildren and two great grandchildren, all of whom loved him very much.

Integrated Waste Management Section to keep members engaged and informed. Consideration be given to meeting on a semi-annual or annual basis, at a minimum. Additionally, a current roster of members and the Task Force’s update By-Laws be posted to the website for access by the public.

n FINDING 3 – The City of Rio Vista failed to comply with all required reporting regulations to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board regarding the closed dump site. Such reports may identify hazards to the land, waterways, and residents around the site.

RECOMMENDATION 3 – City of Rio Vista officials comply with all required monitoring and reporting requirements by required due date deadlines.

the Marines, he married Barbara Vitiaz in Connecticut and had his first son, Jason Phaneuf A few years late r, they moved to the Bay Area, CA and divorced shortly after. He worked odd jobs until he started his career in silkscreening circuit boards. He loved to share that one of his circuit boards is on the moon.

In 1980, he met Bobbye Brunson and her son James Tkacz. They were married in 1981 and had their first son Matthew. In 1984, they had their second child Krystal. They raised their children until they divorced in 2002.

Fred is survived by his sons Jason, James, and Matthew, and daughter Krystal. He was a loving and fun Papa to 8 grandchildren: Caleb, Tiffani, Joshua, Madison, Henr y, Jayden, Evan, and Payten. As well as having a great granddaughter, Ireland, who he unfortunately never met in person. He is also survived by his loving sister Jeanne Munson and brother Bob Phaneuf. He was preceded in death by his sister Evelyn Chalifoux and brother Richard Phaneuf. He has many nieces and nephews that he so loved and was able to create wonderful and deeply meaningful memories.

His infectious laughter, kindness, hugs, and stories will be missed. He will live on through his family and all those whose lives he touched.

Director of the Engineering Division of the AFRCE at Norton Air Force Base (San Bernardino, CA) supporting multi-billion dollar ballistic missile construction projects. After retiring from the militar y, he served as Project Manager/ Program Director for ICF Kaiser Engineer ’s projects for both infrastructure and technology projects, including overall management of the conventional facilities portion of the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) project for the Department of Energy as well as several other major transportation projects in Oklahoma, Florida, Illinois, and Hawaii.

NAVY VETERAN

John was married to the love of his life, Kiyoko Toyoda Spruill, for 55 years until her passing in 2013. Her passing left a huge void, not only in his heart, but in his life. He filled his time with crossword puzzles and lis tening to his music and reminiscing of days gone by, while enjoying a glass of red wine.

John was a member of the CA Police Pistol Association and competed nationally at various pistol competitions including The Presidents 100.

John is survived by his children, James Spruill of Hawaii, and Diana Kacsmaryk, her husband Michael Kacsmaryk, two grandchildren Kurtis Kacsmaryk and Jeremy Kacsmaryk and three great grandchildren Jayden Jon Kacsmaryk, Madison Grace Kacsmaryk and Cameron Michael Kacsmaryk. He is preceded in death by his loving wife Kiyoko, and his three brothers William G Hardy, George H Hardy and Duane E Hardy.

There will be a Military Honors Ceremony for John at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery on August 15, at 9:30 a.m.

Mack was born to William Wilson Riddle and Mary Ida Riddle (Flanagan) in Gastonia, North Carolina on June 15, 1936, as the youngest of eight children. He attended Clover High School in Clover SC, where he was valedictorian. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from The Citadel in 1958, where he was a Distinguished Military Graduate. While attending the Citadel he also met his wife Rachel Crosby, and they married on June 1, 1958. Mack thereafter attended Oklahoma State University, where he earned a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 1959. In 1975, he was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy Degree from Oklahoma State University, again in Civil Engineering with an emphasis on structures.

Colonel Riddle entered the Air Force in September 1959, having earned his commission through the ROTC program at The Citadel. He served in the Air Force on a variety of major engineering and construction projects until retiring in September 1985 after serving as

Evelyn Staley

Evelyn Deloris Staley, 76, passed away, Thursday, June 22, 2023 surrounded by her family at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, CA.

Evelyn was born April 21, 1947 in Savannah, GA

to William and Hattie Johnson (Bonaparte). She attended Moses Jackson Elementary, Ramah 7th Day Adventist and Alfred E Beach High School. She married her forever love Ronald Staley on March 25, 1967.

Evelyn worked many jobs while traveling around the world during her husband’s 30-year career in the Air Force including the Commissary, Demand Processing in Supply & Visitors Center. Her number one job was to co-counsel the troops and their significant others when her husband reached leadership roles in the military.

Evelyn enjoyed Bingo, shopping, candles, Cache Creek, watching David Muir and any crime show out there (Law & Order, Chicago Med, Snapped, etc.). She enjoyed her White Zin, daily calls with her sister and girlfriends and of course, girls nights that always included food, wine and fun. Her number one love was being a mother to her three children and a grandmother. A friend recently described her as accepting everyone at 100%, it was your job to keep it there.

Mack is survived by his wife Rachel of Fairfield, CA; as well as his children Mack, Jr. (Patricia Neesen) of Moraga CA, Philip Craig (Debbie Stokes) of Fairfield CA, William (Debbie Klaproth) of Sacramento CA, and daughter-in-law Joan Riddle. He was preceded in death by his son David Riddle of Redlands, CA. He also is survived by twelve grandchildren (Travis, Kyle, Kimberly, Jessica, David Jr., Ryan, Lauren, Megan, Rachel, Nick, Nadine and Nora) and two great-grandchildren (Ezra and Maya); as well as two of his sisters Dorothy and Francis. His siblings Mary, Miriam, Catherine, Elsie and William predeceased him. He is fondly remembered by his extended family, all of whom will miss him greatly Family and friends are invited to attend his burial service at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery at 5810 Midway Road in Dixon, CA on Monday, July 10, 2023, at 11:30 a.m. Burial arrangements by Oak Park Hills Chapel, 3111 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA, (925) 934-6500, www.oakparkhillschapel.com. A Celebration of Life for Mack will be held later at a date, time, and location to be determined. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to the Wounded Warrior Project or Lutheran Social Services of Northern California.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ronald Staley; son, Darrell Staley; parents, William and Hattie Johnson; and three brothers, James, George and Ted Johnson.

She has left to cherish her memory her son Maurice Staley (Carla Staley) and daughter Rhonda Staley-Brooks (Bruce Brooks). She is also survived by former daughter-in-law Tammy Edick; grandchildren Andre Edick, Donovan Staley, Savannah Manno (Dominic Manno), Darrell Staley Jr. (Promise Staley), Zachary Staley, DeWayne Brooks, DaVon Brooks and Janessa Voyce; great-grandchildren Annmarie Staley, Ayla Staley, Baby Brooks and Evelia Manno; brother Charles Johnson and sister Marjorie McCoy (Phil McCoy); nieces Janice West, Janet Allen (Pete Allen), Beverly Johnson, Pamela Claxton (Vincent Claxton), Dana Jones-Quartey (Daniel Jones-Quartey), Stephanie Small (Donald Small), Tera McCoy Jones (Rufus Jones); and a host of great nieces and nephews, cousins and beloved family friends.

The visitation will be from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 12 at Liberty Church, Fairfield. The funeral services will follow at 11:00 am to 12:30 p.m. The committal service will be at 1:15 pm at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, Dixon. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Hospital by visiting http://walkrun.stjude.org/fore ve or Vanden High School Boosters

MARINE CORPS VETERAN

Ground broken on Suisun City Mobility Hub

SUISUN CITY

—

Suisun City and the Solano Transportation Authority joined Thursday to break ground on the Suisun City Mobility Hub.

Nestled near the historic Suisun City Train Depot, the hub will become a central hub for various transportation services and feature two Level 2 electric chargers, aimed at fostering the adoption of electric vehicles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Construction is estimated to cost $3 million, with STA contributing two-thirds of the funding and Suisun City providing the remaining one-third. Suisun City’s portion will be financed by Transportation Development Act funds over the course of several years.

The groundbreaking was attended by local officials, business leaders and community members.

“The Suisun City Mobility Hub is a testament to the fruitful collaboration between STA and the Suisun City community, as we worked closely with local leaders and residents to address their needs,” said Mayor Alma Hernandez in a press release.

“The design of this versatile parking facility is

based on valuable feedback received during the Suisun City CommunityBased Transportation Plan. STA will utilize a portion of the space to accommodate electric Suisun Microtransit vehicles, the Safe Routes to School van and trailer, STA Vehicle Share Vans, and parking for the new STA building. Moreover, we are pleased to offer over 60 public-use spaces for Suisun City events, ensuring ample parking for visitors, residents, and future celebrations.”

“The Solano Transportation Authority remains steadfast in its commitment to the electrification of freight, transit, and EV vehicles,” said Steve Young, chair of the STA board of directors and mayor of Benicia. “This project is a tangible demonstration of our initiative, facilitating EV charging for the future fleet of electric buses for Suisun Microtransit, while expanding EV chargers to promote wider EV adoption. By integrating EV charging infrastructure with on-demand Microtransit services, we encourage a transition toward greener transportation options, ultimately reducing carbon emissions and cultivating a cleaner and healthier community.”

Paper shredding returns to area with monthly pickups

VACAVILLE — Those needing to get rid of papers, clothing or household goods can now do it each month through a free program that allows people to get rid of sensitive documents while benefitting a United Cerebral Palsy work program.

Shredding is done by Fairfieldbased Gone for Good, which is a branch of the nonprofit United Cerebral Palsy of the North Bay. The agency can provide complete media and document destruction, and recycling services for home or office.

The confidential paper-shredding helps those who want to get rid of their paper waste in a manner that helps prevent identity theft.

Gone for Good had to take a few years off because of Covid, but finally has been able to return this summer.

“Things were going downhill during the pandemic and the fires didn’t help,” said employee Brent Wakefield.

A few things have changed. Before the pandemic they had a thrift store in Fairfield but that shut down.

“We can no longer take e-waste, that came about because of the pan-

STA directors to vote on budget Wednesday

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

SUISUN CITY —

The Solano Transportation Authority board on Wednesday will consider the 2024-25 proposed budget.

The board meets at 6 p.m. in the boardroom of the STA Office, 423 Main St., in Suisun City. Other financial matters on the agenda includes the

$8.38 million 2023-24 State Transit Assistance Funds allocation, and the Solano Mobility Express Vanpool Pilot Program between Sacramento, Vacaville and Dixon. The board will consider an additional $175,000 in State Transit Assistance Funds to support the pilot.

The STA Overall Work Plan for 2023-24 and 2024-25 will be considered as well.

Council to hear details on Parks & Rec plan

FAIRFIELD — The City Council will host a study session at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Police Training Facility, 1717 Rex Clift Drive.

There will be time for public comments.

On the agenda is a presentation about the Parks & Recreation Master Plan.

If you need an accommodation to attend or participate in this meeting due to a disability, contact the City Clerk’s Office, in advance of the meeting at 707428-7400 or 707-399-5623 (TTY).

Closed session for Suisun City Council

SUISUN CITY — The city council will meet in closed session at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

On the agenda are a conference with labor negotiator for unrepresented employees and the employee evaluation of the city manager.

The meeting is in the council chamber, 501 Civic Center Blvd.

Vacaville seeks feedback on city’s website VACAVILLE — The city of Vacaville is looking to refresh the look and feel of the website.

To leave feedback, visit https://cityofvacaville.formstack.com/forms/websitesurvey. The city welcomes input from residents, businesses and visitors through 5 p.m. Aug. 4.

There is also a survey in Spanish.

Now for Gone for Good is a program where they go to people’s homes to pick up home good items for the thrift stores.

“That is new,” he said. “People just call us with a bar code.”

Isabell Dechter and husband Dan Dechter moved to Vacaville last year and wanted to get rid of a few things this weekend. They were excited to hear they could come back again on Saturday as many times as they needed to.

“We just have a lot of things that can go,” she said. She is excited to be able to call them to pick up things if they need to be gotten rid of.

demic,” said Bruce Mullenix, sales manager for Gone for Good.

“We had to stop a lot of things for the health of our clients,” he said.

They have about 300 disabled clients working at various locations throughout Northern California. Employees work full-time or parttime while participating in a variety of activities at Gone For Good and in the community. Gone for Good is looking for more local businesses to help give their clients jobs.

“Even people who are disabled want to work, they want to give back to the community,” Mullenix said.

More shredding events will be happening each month in both Vacaville and Fairfield. The items are not shredded onsite but taken back to the Petaluma office and done there. They can send a certificate of destruction for those who need it.

Gone for Good will provide papershredding in Fairfield from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the last Saturday of the month. For Vacaville, the group will offer shredding from 9 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday.

For more information on the program, go to https://ucpnb.org or call 707-766-9990.

Fairfield’s Marketing & Outreach Division earns 5 excellence awards

a my m aginniS-Honey

AMAGINNIS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — The city’s Marketing & Outreach Division recently received five awards for excellence in video programming awards at the

26th Annual Star Awards, hosted by the California and Nevada Chapter of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.

Two of the five earned the top spots, known as “Star” awards. They were

What’s Good – Bintoh

Thai (for Food & Travel) and Talk Around Town –Waterman Treatment (for Talk Show).

Learn about the team at https://www. fairfield.ca.gov/govern ment/city-departments/

Brush fire burns portion of hill near Lynch Road

Wooden Valley hosting FB fundraiser

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — Tickets are available for the Solano County Farm Bureau fundraiser on July 15 at Wooden Valley Winery. The event is scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m.

The cost is $50 per person, $15 for children 5 to 12, and reserved tables for eight are $500. The price buys a catered dinner and glass of wine.

A live auction and a dessert auction to benefit Young Farmers and Ranchers are part of the festivities.

Make reservations by sending an email to lisa@ solanofarmbureau.org, drop by the Farm Bureau office at 130 Allison Court, 2-A, Vacaville, or call 707-449-8044. Wooden Valley is located at 4756 Suisun Valley Road.

city-manager-s-office/ marketing-outreachdivision-mod.

For more information and to view the award-winning programming, visit www.fairfield.ca.gov/tv.

Fairfield police put tasty twist on Coffee with a Cop

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — The Police Department is celebrating National Ice Cream Day.

Residents are welcome to come out and share a cone, or a cup, with Fairfield police officials from 3 to 6 p.m. July 22.

This is part of the Coffee with a Cop series, but with a summertime twist.

“No agendas, no speeches, just a lot of gelato and good conversation – plus games and prizes. This is a super family-friendly event, so bring out the little ones,” organizers said.

The event will be held at Tuttimelon on the first floor of the Solano Town Center, across from Old Navy. The mall is located at 1350 Travis Blvd.

Daily Republic Staff

Courtesy photo suisun City and the solano Transportation authority joined to break ground on the suisun Mobility Hub, Thursday.

HilanD SHILAND@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

Gone with Good employee Joseph Capp carries a bag of paper that needs to be shredded during the paper-shredding event behind City Hall in Vacaville, saturday.

Ukrainian women fuel record surge in immigrant employment

Los A ngeLes Times

LOS ANGELES — Below the radar of Washington’s highly partisan battles over the U.S.-Mexico border, employment gains for immigrant women in the U.S. are reaching record levels, thanks in part to a surge of Ukrai nian refugees.

Many are semi-skilled and highly motivated workers, entering the U.S. legally and through special emergency programs.

They are not only easing intense worker short ages in hospitality, retail and other service indus tries, but are helping drive up employment for the entire country.

People born outside the U.S. make up just 17.5% of the American working-age population, but foreignborn workers 16 years and older accounted for a whopping 64% of the nation’s labor force growth in the two-year period that ended in May, with women making an outsized contribution, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

That compares with a 38% share in the five years to 2019 before the pandemic.

Migrants from abroad have long been an expanding part of the U.S. labor market, offsetting an aging population and other drags on growth. But their labor participation relative to U.S.-born workers has accelerated further since coming out of the pandemic, thanks to a rebound in normal legal immigration and the arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees, most notably from Ukraine.

Adding to that are emerging social and economic conditions that are driving more immigrant women to work rather than stay at home.

Statistics now show that the labor participation rate of foreign-born women blew past record levels this year and has nearly caught up with that of U.S.-born women, whose numbers are still below pre-pandemic levels.

“We’re already seeing immigration becoming increasingly important in supporting labor force growth, and it will become even more important,” said Julia Gelatt, a senior analyst at the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute.

Beyond filling employers’ immediate needs, these newcomers are expected to provide a critical cushion to a U.S. work force hit by both shortterm and longer-running forces: retirements and a surge in workers quitting jobs post-pandemic; declining birthrates; and rising deaths, including drug-related fatalities, suicides and other socalled deaths of despair.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, some 300,000 people from that war-torn country have arrived in the U.S., many under the Biden administration’s “Uniting for Ukraine” program.

About 100,000 Afghans have come since the fall of Kabul in late summer of 2021, and tens of thousands more from Venezuela and Cuba, among other countries, are being admitted for humanitarian reasons.

I ndividuals entering under urgent refugee and parole programs can secure work permits relatively quickly. They can generally stay for at least two years. Some have come with university degrees and needed skills like nursing. Others are eagerly filling lowerpaying openings at restaurants, hotels, retail stores and nursing homes –jobs that U.S. citizens are largely passing up.

Harry Markowitz left an immense mark on finance

Professor Harry Markowitz

the definition of prudent financial behavior.

The son of grocers, Markowitz started his university studies at the University of Chicago, nomics because he was mists, where an informalble dissertation topics focused his attention on cal methods to the stock market. This topic led to his Ph.D. and finally the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1990.

Harry has even stated that his work went far beyond what he expected to encompass benefits which have made him proud. Others share that opinion as Pensions & Investments named him “man of the century.” His story includes a humorous legend. After submitting his landmark dissertation, Markowitz worked at RAND and returned to Chicago in 1955 to defend it. He was full of confidence.

Within a few minutes, however, Professor Milton Friedman, another Nobel Laureate, told him that while he could find no mistakes, the topic was extremely novel. “We cannot award you a Ph.D. in economics for a dissertation that is not economics,” he said.

Vita Bohera and Nadia

Senkiv are from the Lviv region in western Ukraine. Sponsored by relatives in the U.S., the two distant cousins landed in Portland, Ore., at the end of August.

By November, Bohera and Senkiv, who are both in their 30s, got work authorization papers.

“I was just sitting at home thinking, ‘What am I going to do in this country?’” said Bohera, a university graduate who worked as an English teacher in Ukraine. She began browsing Facebook pages for job opportunities.

After two months of training, Bohera found work as a medical interpreter, earning $20 to $40 an hour.

Sometimes she drives long distances for appointments. “The company usually pays for mileage, which is great,” she said.

Bohera came with her two children, ages 12 and 16, but not her husband. Most men in Ukraine are held back because of the potential call for military service.

Senkiv, 31, does not have children but also left her husband in Ukraine and is staying with her younger brother, who has been in the U.S. for several years.

Her path to employment was different. In her hometown of Drohobych, Senkiv attended vocational school after completing basic ninth-grade education. She worked for a company preparing dumplings and other ready-made foods.

In Portland, she learned of a job opening from a woman attending the same Ukrainian church. Since March, Senkiv has been working as a full-time cook at a preschool in southeast Portland. She also has a second job, putting in two hours at night clearing

tables and washing dishes at a senior living center for $14.75 an hour.

Senkiv doesn’t make a lot more at the preschool, and she’s quickly learned of a common American irritant: “My salary is OK, but taxes are high.” Still, Senkiv says she is happy with her job – she loves working with kids. “The children like to hug. We don’t hug so much in Ukraine,” she said, her words translated by her cousin.

Working in the kitchen or at a senior facility are among many service jobs that have gone begging, especially since the country has come out of the pandemic.

Even amid modest economic growth, there were more than 10 million openings in the U.S. this spring – almost two jobs for every officially unemployed person, according to the latest government figures.

Job vacancies were up more than 50% in healthcare and social assistance establishments compared with 2019 before the pandemic, and they were up 22% at lodging and food service businesses, where turnover is rampant. Rough estimates indicate that as many as 50,000 positions that include dishwashing duties may be available, based on job listings in Indeed.

Immigrants make up an especially big part of the work force at hotels and restaurants. Marriott International says it has hired more than 550 refugees in the U.S. since last year. It is one of a dozen companies in lodging, manufacturing, cleaning and other services that have pledged to hire 20,000 refugees over

three years.

“We’re in a unique moment, politically and economically,” said Yaron Schwartz, the U.S. director for Tent Partnership for Refugees, a nonprofit mobilizing companies to hire and train refugees.

There are other reasons for the rise in labor participation among immigrant women. Like women overall, those foreign-born are increasingly better educated, which means they’re more likely to be working.

Economic pressures also are pushing traditional immigrant households to put stay-at-home moms into outside work, especially given the last couple of years of high inflation.

“It’s almost a necessity,” said Naomi Cruz, a Glendale immigration attorney who had been the L.A. lead at the Latinista, a group promoting careers and entrepreneurs among Latinas.

Nearly one-third of Latinos in the U.S. are foreign-born. In more recent years Asia has been the leading source of immigrants, and among women, Census Bureau statistics show that those from India have seen the biggest employment gains, likely reflecting more spouses of tech workers with H-1B visas in the job market.

Overall, net immigration to the U.S., including refugees, exceeded 1 million between 2021 and 2022. That was more than double the number in each of the prior two years, when the

Markowitz studied how uncertainty about the future and stock values led to other ways to think about analysis.

The investment world assumed that the best stock-market strategy was simply to choose the shares of a group of companies that were thought to have the best prospects.

When he published his Ph.D. dissertation, “Portfolio Selection,” in The Journal of Finance in 1952, he overturned and made invalid this common approach with what has become known as modern portfolio theory, MPT. He then expanded further into his best-known work, “Portfolio Selection: Efficient Diversification of Investments,” in 1959.

The core of his research is the basic relationship between risk and reward. He showed that the risk in any portfolio depends more on the interactions of component investment choices rather than on the risk of any single component. This insight was the first time that the benefits of diversification had been codified and quantified, using advanced mathematics to calculate relationships. This insight was a monumental breakthrough which has permeated and forever changed all aspects of money management.

The results have moved from academia to mainstream investment management and now are even included in the fundamental legal writings underpinning

Harry relates in his version that, “my palms began to sweat”. He was sent into a hallway, where he waited for about five minutes. Finally, a panel member emerged and said, “Congratulations, Dr. Markowitz.” Harry insisted that he had not suspected the joke.

For the consequences and importance of his dissertation, Markowitz was awarded the Nobel in economic science in 1990, sharing it with Merton H. Miller and William F. Sharpe.

Markowitz did not stop at this level. Related work on investments led Markowitz to be regarded as a pioneer of behavioral finance, the study of how people make choices in practical situations, such as in buying insurance or lottery tickets. He understood that investors act in their own self-interest. Investors diversify because they are concerned with risk as well as return.

He set out to measure the relationships among a diverse assortment of stocks to construct the most efficient portfolio, and to chart what he called a “frontier,” where no additional return can be obtained without also increasing risk.

Recognizing that the pain of loss typically exceeds the joy of comparable gain, he found it crucial to know how a gamble is framed in terms of possible outcomes and the size of the stakes. His work influenced the behavioral research of Tversky and Kahneman, the latter

See Wealth, Page A7

We service all makes and models of RV motorhome, 5th Wheel and Trailer Chassis, brakes, lights, engine, HVAC, transmission, steering, axles, bearings, suspension, tires etc. We also repair and service all trucks from a pick up truck to a Class 8 Big Rig.

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

Mark Sievers Wealth matters

Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Vladyslav Kohut’s along with his wife Oleksandra and their son Maksym, 4, receive support migrant services from Abdullah Zikria, middle, the regional Outreach Coordinator for ICNA Relief at the World Refugee Day at Gloria Molina Grand Park, in downtown Los Angeles, June 20. The Kohut’s arre Ukrainian refugees who had just arrived in Los Angeles from Texas.

From Page A6

pandemic and other bordertightening policies under the Trump administration brought international migration to a decades low.

Experts don’t expect such big increases in immigration in the years ahead because of caps under U.S. law, but various humanitarian programs allowing up to 30,000 people a month from Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti and Nicaragua, are likely to continue to boost the numbers.

These and others from abroad are expected to become increasingly important for the labor force as the U.S. joins other advanced economies caught in a demographic squeeze.

Especially for states like California, international migration is the difference between a growing or shrinking population, especially as many appear to be moving

out of the state because of its high living costs.

Just how many of the refugees will reside in the U.S. and work beyond two years is unknown. Viktoriia Gorbachevska, 29, who quickly found work as a business analyst in Raleigh, N.C., since arriving from Ukraine in November through the sponsoring organization Welcome Connect, isn’t sure. But she sees a lot of potential to build a future in the U.S.

“This country is good for educated young people starting work here,” said Gorbachevska, who has a master’s degree and is married with two young children.

The Biden administration has already made a way for Afghan nationals to extend their stay, and many refugees in general are expected to seek permanent status through asylum and other programs.

SBDC to hold workshops

FAIRFIELD —

Workshops on crowdfunding, Canva for Marketing and updates on California employment law are planned in the upcoming weeks.

The Solano-Napa Small Business will hold an introduction to

Wealth

From Page A6

another Nobel Laureate. His focus was always on applying mathematics and computers to practical problems, particularly involving business in uncertain conditions. Dr. Markowitz won renown in two other fields. He developed “sparse matrix” techniques for solving very large mathematical optimization problems – techniques that are now standard in production software for optimization

crowdfunding workshop from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. To register, go to www.norcalsbdc.org/event/ norcal-sbdc-affiliate-partner-portlabs-intro-to-crowdfunding/.

Crowdfunding is a way to obtain capital for a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people, typically via the internet.

programs. And he designed and supervised the development of Simscript, which is used for programming computer simulations of systems like factories, transportation and communications networks.

In 1989, Markowitz received the John von Neumann Theory Prize from the Operations Research Society of America for his work in portfolio theory, sparse matrix techniques and Simscript.

During his academic career, he was a professor at Baruch College of the City University of New York, Rutgers University, the University of Pennsylva-

The Canva for Marketing workshop is scheduled for July 20, noon to 1:30 p.m. Register at www.solanonapasbdc.org/event/ intro-to-canva-for-marketing/.

The Need to Know HR: California Employment Law Update workshop is set for Aug. 3, noon to 1:30 p.m. Register at www.solanonapasbdc.org/ event/california-employment-lawupdates-05-2023/.

nia’s Wharton School, UCLA and, finally, at the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego.

Dr Markowitz’s legacy has profound implications for us all and we should all appreciate how much his work has improved our lives, directly or indirectly.

Mark Sievers, president of Epsilon Financial Group, is a certified financial planner with a master’s in business administration from UC Berkeley. Contact him by email at mark@wealth matters.com.

Missing ‘thank you’ is making me not want to send gifts

Dear Annie: I have a family of grandnieces and nephews who never say thank you or let you know they received their gift. They are young, and I’d blame my niece for not teaching them, but she has five children, and I can imagine it’s hard for her to find the time to teach them to say thank you.

Annie Lane

Dear Annie

My mom, the great-grandma, stopped sending them gifts because she never heard if they liked them or even if they received them. I don’t want to do that. I blame the parents more and would still send $20 for each of their birthdays. So I sent the oldest, my 14-yearold grandniece, a birthday card

with a $20 bill in it, and I sent a text wishing her a happy birthday on her birthday. She thanked me for the birthday wishes but never mentioned the card. So I waited a few days and texted her to see if she got the card, and she replied “yes.” That’s it –just “yes.”

She’s 14, and I’m starting to feel like my mother – that if she can’t even type the words “thank you,” why do I bother?

I waited six weeks to see if she would mail a thank-you card, but nothing. The other grandnieces and nephews from other families send us a text with a picture or video thanking us. They are

Horoscopes

by Holiday Mathis

Today’s birthday

You’ve been adaptable in the past, but this year is different. Instead of cleverly joining in, you’ll first become who you want to be and then let the world form to you -- an approach that nets brilliant results. Others are fascinated by your dynamic and ever-changing nature, evident in your continuous improvements and transformations. Taurus and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 6, 30, 12, 4 and 19.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You’ve a gift for thinking far, far into the future. You can paint a mental picture and really put yourself there. As you dwell in the imaginative experience, you are building a pathway to it. This can be real.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Sometimes, what you think is a punishment is actually a reward, and vice versa. Assume all is conspiring to delight you, even when it doesn’t seem that way. You really are getting just what you need.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You’ll experience the fullness of human nature today with interactions that are friendly, rushed, confusing, exhilarating, frustrating and more. You’re at your best when you’re helping people into a better state of mind.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’ll hold back your opinions, stories and advice because you sense there’s something you need to learn by listening more, speaking less. The inclination will allow you to tune in to others and glean valuable information from the nuances.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). For every action there is a reaction, though some outcomes take a very long time to realize. You will now experience the result of something you did many years ago. You’ll follow intuitive nudges into something sweet.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). For someone to appreciate what you do, he or she will have to experience it. This is one reason to delegate a job to someone who is not really qualified to do it but who nonetheless should have the experience of trying.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). People who can’t organize their own thoughts won’t be able to lead others in any organized way. You’ll save a lot of time by following strong leaders or becoming one. Seek clarity and you will find it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). The message in your heart feels important, urgent and somewhat formless. Maybe it’s more of a feeling than a sentence. Think of a way to convey it nonverbally. Its most potent communication will be wordless.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). It is typical human nature to try and run from the very discomfort that offers the most benefit. Escape is an unhelpful habit. Stick with the feelings instead. Give yourself a chance to figure them out.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You want to know you’re liked for who you are, not for what you can do for people. Because of this, you may hold back a bit. It’s your way of testing people. You’ll learn all you need to know.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Comfort zones are magnetic. You’ll step away and still feel the pull, which is why there is a natural tendency to return to familiar realms. The trick to making a change is to keep going until you’re beyond the field.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). There’s a symmetry to the things you tackle today. If you start out well, you will likely end well, too. The trick is not to start anything halfheartedly. Go where your interest is strong.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Tom Hanks predicts the rise of artificial intelligence will see actors star in films posthumously. Even so, an artificial version of Hanks couldn’t possibly deliver the soulful performances this moonchild movie star is known for, or make his stellar production contributions, as in his co-production of the movie “Beautiful,” based on the Broadway musical chronicling the life and songs of Carole King. Hanks has natal sun and Mercury in intuitive Cancer and the moon, Uranus and Pluto in entertaining Leo. Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

all out of state, and all I want is an acknowledgement that it got there and how it meant a lot to them that we are thinking of them on their special day.

It’s just this one family, and I didn’t want to treat them differently, like my mom does. My husband says to overlook it because it’s how they are raised, but I feel I should let my grandniece know that if she can’t appreciate the gift, then I will just wish her a happy birthday through text and call it a day. I feel she’s old enough to understand that she should thank someone. — Unappreciated Dear Unappreciated: You are correct that she is certainly old enough to understand. Her mother is doing her a disservice

BRAIN MATTERS

by not teaching her the importance of gratitude. It has the power to create great things. It is your money, so do what makes you feel most comfortable, and if that is not giving her money anymore, then don’t give it. But I would convey to her WHY you have stopped. She might not even know. A mother is not the only person who can influence good manners on a child. A great aunt can certainly have a positive influence, so talk with her first.

Dear Annie: If I may, could I make another suggestion to go along with “Concerned Animal Lover’s” list? Every month, I donate several small bags of cat and dog food to our local food bank. A good friend of mine volunteers there, and she once

told me the story of an elderly man who came in looking for food for his cat. All she had was pouches of tuna.

That really made me think. I know a lot of people will go hungry in order to feed their beloved pets. And with today’s economy, it’s even more difficult for some to make ends meet. So, I would like to encourage people to donate some pet food to their local food banks to help people out. — Another Animal Lover Dear Animal Lover: What a wonderful suggestion. Thank you. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@ creators.com.

How our brain tries to

BEAT THE HEAT –

RichaRd Sima

THE WASHINGTON POST

Our brain works hard to coordinate and regulate our body’s temperature. But rising temperatures and humidity make us increasingly susceptible to heatstroke, especially during exercise.

“When you overheat your body, you can basically cook your cells, essentially, and that will cause cell death and cell dysfunction,” said Rebecca Stearns, the chief operating officer of the Korey Stringer Institute, a nonprofit housed at the University of Connecticut dedicated to studying and preventing heatstroke in athletes.

It’s important to know the risks of heatstroke and take it seriously. Not only does heatstroke have a relatively high mortality rate, but those who recover still may face future health problems, said Orlando Laitano, assistant professor of applied physiology and kinesiology at the University of Florida. “We now believe that heatstroke is almost like concussion.”

In one recent study, Laitano and his colleagues found that heatstroke in mice could change the genome and create more susceptibility to future heat and immune diseases.

Currently, approximately 30 percent of the human population is exposed to dangerous environmental heat for at least 20 days every year, according to a recent study. This number may increase up to 74 percent of the global population by the year 2100 if anthropogenic climate change continues unabated.

“In the face of global warming and climate change, that becomes – no pun intended here – a hot topic,” said Laitano, who co-authored a recent review on heatstroke.

Understanding heat stroke and heat illness

Anyone can develop a heat-related illness, though older adults and young children are especially vulnerable. High humidity, strenuous physical activity and consecutive sweltering nights also increase our risk.

Heat illness can range in severity from mild heat exhaustion to life-threatening heatstroke. Heat exhaustion is more common, and may involve symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, nausea or headache but not a dramatic increase in body temperature.

Heatstroke is typically defined as having a core body temperature that is above 104 or 105 Fahrenheit, which causes severe dysfunction of the central nervous system, including confusion, dizziness and unconsciousness, and can lead to multiorgan injury and more.

However, there can be significant differences in individual heat tolerance and there are people who collapse below this threshold, Laitano said.

Another potential challenge is that heat illness can distort judgment, and the person affected may be unaware that they are in trouble.

How our brain coordinates temperature regulation

The cells in our body function properly only in a relatively narrow band of temperatures, which is regulated to be between 98 and 99.5 degrees Fahr-

enheit (36.7 and 37.5 degrees Celsius) in a healthy human. Extreme heat damages our cells, degrades proteins and harms DNA.

“Whenever you have that, you’ll see the cascade of effects that causes things to shut down and causes damage to your body,” Stearns said.

Our central nervous system works hard to coordinate control over our body’s temperature to prevent harm.

Temperature sensors in our skin and internal organs, called thermoreceptors, are specially tuned to different temperature ranges and send signals to our brain’s touch cortex, which allows us to perceive the heat and respond to it, such as getting out of the sun and heading indoors.

We also have an internal thermostat located in our brain’s hypothalamus called the preoptic area. By sensing our core body temperature, it can activate automatic autonomic systems to begin cooling the body when it reaches a certain temperature, such as through sweating and dilating our blood vessels.

The primary way we cool ourselves is through sweating through our sweat glands. As the sweat evaporates, it cools our skin. This evaporative cooling accounts for about 80 percent of our cooling capacity during exercise, Stearns said.

Sweating, however, is a “double-edged sword,” Laitano said. “It’s very important because it will help you thermoregulate, but also leads to dehydration.”

Our brain’s internal thermostat also activates the sympathetic nervous system causing blood vessels in our skin to dilate. Our heart more than doubles its output to meet the increased demand, and pumps warm blood from our body’s core to the surface, where it should cool off – if the outside air isn’t hotter.

Hot, humid days are particularly dangerous for heatstroke because they challenge our natural abilities to thermoregulate. The hot air raises our skin’s temperature instead of lowering it, and the higher the humidity, the harder it is for our sweat to evaporate and cool us.

The two types of heatstroke

There are two types of heatstroke: classic heatstroke and exertional heatstroke.

Classic heatstroke is caused by passive heating from the external environment, such as during heat waves. It typically affects children and older adults who are less able to regulate their body temperature. In young children, sweat glands may not be fully developed. And with age, we begin to lose our ability to both sense thirst and thermoregulate effectively.

Exertional heatstroke occurs when we physically exert ourselves with strenuous activity in hot weather.

Physical activity heats up our skeletal muscles when it consumes energy. The more intensively the muscle contracts, the more heat is produced, which heats up our body from the inside in addition to the ambient heat of the environment.

Exertional heatstroke can affect anyone doing physical activity, but is more likely to affect younger adults, particularly athletes and military personnel.

“In everyday life, we don’t see a lot of it outside of competitive scenarios because people are smart, and they’ll stop if they’re not feeling good, before they reach the point of heatstroke,” Stearns said.

But people in sports and military contexts may be motivated to push past their thermoregulatory limits. Exertional heatstroke is the third leading cause of mortality for athletes during physical activity, behind only heart problems and head or neck trauma.

It is estimated that the mortality rate of exertional heatstroke could reach around 27 percent, while mortality in classic heatstroke could be much higher, due to its predominance in already vulnerable people.

How heatstroke can damage the brain

Early data show that 10 to 28 percent of patients who survive heatstroke may sustain long-term cognitive or neurological damage, particularly involving dysfunction of the cerebellum, a brain region important for coordinating our movement.

Brain imaging months or years following heatstroke has also found damage to cells in the cerebellum and other brain areas, including the hippocampus, midbrain and thalamus can also be damaged.

“This is going to sound really sad. It’s very rare to have somebody who has long-term damage from heatstroke and survives,” Stearns said. “Most of those cases, unfortunately, perish. But there are many cases that require lifelong care that are out there.”

How to prevent and treat heatstroke

n Give yourself time to acclimate to the heat and stay hydrated. “The first 10 to 15 days of anyone doing any new activity in a warm environment are really important to progressively and gradually do that. Because you allow your body time to adapt,” Stearns said.

n Don’t exercise outdoors alone, and learn to recognize the signs of heatstroke in yourself and others. Getting out of the heat, even for a few hours, is protective during heat waves. Air conditioning and electric fans can help, but may not always be available, such as during a power outage. Dousing the skin in water may be an effective alternative.

n If you feel unwell, weak, confused or agitated, those are all “red flags,” Stearns said. Stumbling, collapsing or inability to coordinate movement are also signs to look out for in yourself and others around you.

n Begin cooling immediately even before a full diagnosis if heatstroke is suspected, experts say. “There is a big association between how fast you cool someone and the prognosis, what the outcome is,” Laitano said.

You can apply ice wrapped in towels to the neck, groin or the extremities. Cold water immersion, where the person’s whole body is immersed in iced water, is the first-line treatment for heatstroke.

With better education, more public awareness and prompt treatment, “heatstroke doesn’t have to be deadly,” Stearns said.

and why heatstroke is dangerous

Crime logs

FairField

WEDNESDAY, JULY 5

1:41 a.m. — Indecent exposure, 1400 block of WEST TEXAS

STREET

8:49 a.m. — Vandalism, 1500 block of MONROE STREET

9:10 a.m. — Vehicle theft, 1400 block of WEST TEXAS STREET

10:02 a.m. — Vandalism, 1500 block of MONROE STREET

11:20 a.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, OLIVER ROAD

11:49 a.m. — Forgery, 700 block of STALLION CIRCLE

11:51 a.m. — Vandalism, 1800 block of INDIANA STREET

12:54 p.m. — Robbery, 1300 block of TRAVIS BOULEVARD

1:19 p.m. — Grand theft, 1300

block of TRAVIS BOULEVARD

2:42 p.m. — Vandalism, 4900

block of VANDEN ROAD

2:57 p.m. — Vehicle theft, 100

block of TABOR AVENUE

3:19 p.m. — Reckless driver, AIR

BASE PARKWAY

3:50 p.m. — Arson, 1400 block of WEST TEXAS STREET

4 p.m. — Trespassing, 300 block of PITTMAN ROAD

4:10 p.m. — Vehicle burglary, 1000 block of OLIVER ROAD

5:18 p.m. — Sexual assault, 300

block of SAN ANDREAS STREET

5:42 p.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, DOVER AVENUE

6:49 p.m. — Shots fired, 4500 block of AVONDALE CIRCLE

8:12 p.m. — Reckless driver, TRAVIS BOULEVARD

8:41 p.m. — Shots fired, WOOLNER AVENUE

10:27 p.m. — Shots fired, DICKSON HILL ROAD

THURSDAY, JULY 6

8:39 a.m. — Battery, 500 block of CARPENTER STREET

9:55 a.m. — Battery, 2900 block of CORDELIA ROAD

10:27 a.m. — Hit-and-run property damage, 300 block of GREAT JONES STREET

11:16 a.m. — Battery, 1900 block of BRISTOL LANE

12:24 p.m. — Grand theft, 1500 block of GATEWAY BOULEVARD

1:08 p.m. — Vehicle theft, 2300 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

3:59 p.m. — Battery, 2200 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

6:15 p.m. — Battery, ASTORIA

DRIVE

6:29 p.m. — Reckless driver, 1400 block of MICHIGAN STREET

ago, it was suggested that maybe it could be a Greek Food Festival, with treats ranging from beef, chicken and calamari to baklava and walnut cakes.

The women of Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church prepare the food in the church’s hall kitchen, working eight hours a day for three weeks leading up to the two-day event.

Kay Nules, 89, made eight karidopita, or honey walnut cakes, for the day.

“I took over for my mother-in-law when she passed,” Nules said.

She loves to cook but found, at her age, baking is a little more fun.

“I don’t have anyone to cook for but myself, so I eat out a lot,” she said.

“We cut it down to one [day] this year because we have lost a lot of parishioners,” said Deme Stall-Nash, co-organizer. “We just don’t have enough people to do it another day.”

She hopes people would come to the event to “come be Greek for the day,” in the similar vein of St. Patrick’s Day.

“I am expecting

7:10 p.m. — Trespassing, 500 block of ALASKA AVENUE

8:18 p.m. — Vandalism, CORDELIA ROAD

8:39 p.m. — Forgery, 1700 block of HIGHLAND CIRCLE FRIDAY, JULY 7

5:59 a.m. — Reckless driver, WESTBOUND

said attorney Ben BienKahn, one of the lead negotiators on behalf of inmates. California corrections officials declined comment.

WEST TEXAS STREET

2:56 p.m. — Assault with a deadly weapon, 5100 block of BUSINESS CENTER DRIVE

3:14 p.m. — Vehicle theft, 600 block of EAST TABOR AVENUE

3:58 p.m. — Drunk driver, 1100 block of UNION AVENUE

4:27 p.m. — Battery, 2100 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

6:59 p.m. — Fight with a weapon, 1900 block of NORTH TEXAS STREET

7:04 p.m. —

The June agreement is the latest to come from a nearly 30-year-old classaction lawsuit brought on behalf of inmates and parolees who have trouble seeing or hearing or have mobility, learning, mental, or kidney disabilities. A federal judge found in 1996 that the state violated the Americans with Disabilities Act in its treatment of inmates and parolees.

Seven years ago, attorneys pushed the state to do a better job planning for the release of inmates with disabilities. They sent a demand letter to state officials two years ago that ultimately led to the agreement to change the state’s parole process for the disabled.

By moving to providing a 60-day supply of

prescriptions, the state is promising to double the amount of medication it previously provided inmates upon their release, which should be enough to cover parolees until their health coverage kicks in. A federal receiver who controls the state prison medical system had made that change in February 2022, after earlier negotiations with inmates’ attorneys, and it’s now written into the parole policy.

The state agreed to release inmates with appropriate medical equipment, such as canes, wheelchairs, and walkers, and promised to replace lost or damaged equipment in the first month without charge.

And the state will generally require that applications be filed for inmates’ Medi-Cal, Social Security, and veterans’ benefits at least 90 days before their release, making delays less likely.

“Most people on parole and who they are releasing to parole are going to end up benefiting from this,” Bien-Kahn said.

About 95% of parolees

are eligible for Medi-Cal.

According to a recent state report, about 17% of Medi-Cal applications and 70% of Social Security applications were still pending when inmates were released, leaving them at least temporarily without health insurance or income.

“The transition from prison to parole is fraught with danger for all parolees, but especially those with disabilities,” the attorneys’ letter said in arguing for better care.

Among examples, it said a former inmate was released without his wheelchair, walker, and cane, and with no help applying for his Social Security benefits or Medi-Cal. He was left “at extreme risk of being homeless” after he had to wait several months after his release for coverage to begin to receive inpatient care for a neurological condition.

And Bien-Kahn said in an email that attorneys learned this June of a paraplegic with disability-related incontinence who became homeless after he was released without any planning, fol-

lowing more than four decades in prison.

Attorneys said both men were told there was no appropriate transitional housing available for them, another area addressed in the agreement. The demand letter cited a study that found “being released homeless or marginally housed puts ex-offenders in almost immediate risk of failure.”

To help fix that, officials agreed to assess the disability, medical, and mental health needs of every parolee, information that will be used to place them in transitional housing and provide services in the community. And state-funded transitional housing programs will be barred from rejecting parolees because of a disability.

KFF Health News, formerly known as Kaiser Health News (KHN), is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs of KFF – the independent source for health policy research, polling and journalism.

and Slovakia.

were damaged under the previous administration.

“You’ll see the NATO allies really recommitting to the basic proposition: As long as it takes,” Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, told a small group of reporters Friday.

“This will be an opportunity to really refresh the unity and the zeal that we have displayed all the way through.”

Biden will inevitably be forced to combat criticism from some Republicans – including a couple of presidential candidates – who have dismissed the importance of the Ukraine fight.

rity strategy. Last week, 46 foreign policy experts including Francis Fukuyama and former U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-N.J., penned an open letter in Politico Magazine calling on the alliance to use the summit to explicitly state support for Kyiv’s victory and pursuit of territorial integrity according to its 1991 borders, and to chart a course for Ukraine’s NATO membership “at the earliest achievable date.”

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst, who was among the signatories, said the more cautious approach by the administration and some European allies has overshadowed “recognition of the dangers and the opportunities of the moment.”

like Sweden. The Nordic democracy has taken several steps in hopes of appeasing Ankara, including the extradition of a Kurdish activist wanted by Turkey and a tightening of domestic terrorism laws.

“Sweden has gone as far as it can,” said Heather Conley, president of the German Marshall Fund in Washington. Yet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues to refuse Sweden’s entry, dashing U.S. hopes that the matter would be settled before the Vilnius meeting.

In Bratislava, the Slovakian capital, Zelenskyy again voiced Kyiv’s hopes for concrete steps toward Ukrainian membership in the alliance.

“There is strength in unity of NATO,” he told reporters.

Zelenskyy also traveled Friday to Turkey for a meeting with Erdogan. Zelenskyy said the delay over Swedish membership posed “a threat to the alliance’s strength.”

500 people,” she said, “because that is as much food as the refrigerator can handle.”

The church building was paid off in the early 1960s, when church members decided they wanted to have a formal church, and got together to pay off the mortgage.

Once Saturday wrapped, whatever leftovers remained went to the local Contra Costa and Solano Food Bank; some might go to parishioners.

The church welcomes new members. Anyone who would like to donate can send funds to Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 1224 Alabama St., Vallejo, CA 94590.

They hope to galvanize a simmering impatience among segments of the public who may be tiring of the expensive war. But Sullivan says the administration remains confident that it has bipartisan support – and that of the American public – for a war it has characterized as crucial to U.S. national security and the world’s rules of fair play. It will be a struggle for summit participants to craft language that would guarantee Ukraine’s security in the coming months and years, even after the war ends. The country wants to join NATO, but that prospect is not likely while the war rages.

Foreign policy analysts instead expect NATO to lay out a series of longterm security guarantees and commitments to Ukraine’s self-defense on the sidelines of the summit until a path for membership becomes more clear. Biden has called it an “Israel-like” understanding, which would commit a steady, open-ended flow of aid so the country can plan a long-term secu-

Though Vilnius could be a historic summit, Herbst said he doesn’t expect the alliance to rise to the occasion because of continued reticence to provoke a nucleararmed Putin.

“The problem is, even as the administration has recognized that a Putin victory in Ukraine would be disastrous, they have been held back by their own timidity in pursuing a robust policy that would achieve the Ukrainian victory,” he said.

Also on the agenda in Vilnius is Sweden’s aspiration to become a NATO member.

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, the historically neutral countries of Finland and Sweden declared they wanted to join NATO. Finland was quickly admitted, but Sweden stumbled over Turkey’s objections to what Ankara has said is a Swedish tolerance of Kurdish militants.

Turkey’s obstinance is infuriating to many U.S. and European officials, some of whom have gone so far as to question the validity of Ankara’s NATO membership given the increasingly authoritarian and anti-democratic policies employed by Erdogan.

“It would be a real failure for the [NATO] alliance if it’s not able to get Sweden over the goal line here, and it’s a failure because it’s being held up by one member: Turkey,” said Max Bergmann, director of the Europe and Russia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “The alliance thus far has played very nice with Turkey. ... But now the rubber is sort of hitting the road here, and it really calls into question whether this is an alliance that Turkey belongs to and shares the values of.”

Sullivan reiterated that the U.S. is certain Sweden will be admitted to NATO sooner rather than later. One thing Erdogan desperately wants is to purchase F-16 fighter jets from the U.S. Congress has been holding up the sale citing various issues with Turkey.

Washington has steadily ramped up the firepower of the weapons it is giving Kyiv. Ukraine’s critical need for ammunition has prompted U.S. officials to agree to supply it with cluster bombs, a controversial weapon banned in many parts of the world because of a tendency to harm civilians.

U.S. officials are aware that they will take flak at the NATO summit for the decision, which Sullivan said was not taken lightly.

“Ukraine needs the bullets so that it is not overrun,” he said.

In pleading for more weaponry, Ukrainian officials have long cited Russia’s superiority in artillery and heavy tanks, a crucial impediment as the counteroffensive gathers momentum, and have welcomed any additions to the nation’s arsenal.

“The number of weapons matters,” Mykhailo Podolyak, a key Zelenskyy adviser, wrote on Twitter Friday, describing the war as a struggle between lawlessness and international law. “So, weapons, more weapons, and more weapons, including cluster munitions.”

RECOMMENDATION

1A – The county continue re-evaluating operations to assess how to control costs with a currently declining inmate population, including consulting with other jurisdictions and reviewing best practices and efficiencies achieved in other counties.

RECOMMENDATION

1B – The county needs to

Admission to the alliance has to be unanimous, giving Turkey outsize power to block a nation

develop a plan to reduce the number of custody officers through attrition, including retirements, a hiring freeze, expanding duties, and increased training and promotions to deputy positions.

n FINDING 2 – The county Custody Division is not taking advantage of opportunities to internally address some of the diverging trends with respect to detainee management such as leasing bed space, better use of the Rourk facility, etc.

RECOMMENDATION

2A – The county revisit leasing available detention facility beds to other jurisdictions. Leasing bed space can improve facility occupancy and workload metrics that

In advance of the NATO meeting, Zelenskyy made a rapid-fire series of stops in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic

have minimum staffing requirements.

RECOMMENDA -

TION 2B – The county explore expansion of high demand community services vocational classes at Rourk. Classes could include hospitality training, landscape services, tree trimming, truck driver training, pest control, food service certification and cooking. Create class lengths that are commensurate with detainee retention.

RECOMMENDA -

TION 2C – When the type of detainees allows, the county reinstate food services by inmates.

RECOMMENDATION

2D – Evaluate the use of new technology, including video and body cameras,

website visitations, and other information technology updates, to generate cost saving efficiencies and improve safety for officers and inmates.

With Saturday marking the 500th day of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has made clear its frustration with the notion that the closely watched counteroffensive, which began last month, would yield swift and sweeping gains. Custody Division, has increased from $178/day in 2017 to $382/day in 2022. Budget patterns and metrics do not reflect steps being taken to reduce custody expenses.

n FINDING 3 –Custody Division occupancy rate continues to decline. They are not efficiently addressing how to incorporate advances in detainment policies and changes in state laws.

RECOMMENDATION

3 – Custody Division evaluate alternate use of their facilities for less restrictive alternatives. Consider an electronic monitoring center, increase work furlough programs, and the use of less restrictive community-based Adult Residential Facilities or transitional housing.

Tribune ConT

When David Mills of Vista went into cardiac arrest on April 8, it took 70 minutes of CPR to restore his regular heartbeat.

Now, telling his story after 11 weeks of recov ery, the retired carpenter says he does not remem ber much about the time he spent unconscious, his heart locked in a sei zure-like pattern called ventricular fibrillation that stopped the vital organ from pumping blood.

The likelihood of his successful return to a full life – albeit with some lingering memory problems – was less than 1%.

Living, after coming so close to death, is a delight, he said.

“Each day it gets better,” Mills said. “I’m just happy to be here and be with this girl and just take every day for how special it is.

“You appreciate a lot of things that felt normal before.”

The chain of events that brought him to this moment started just before 1:30 a.m. that Saturday in April when Georgia Mills noticed that her husband, lying beside her in bed, made a strange rattling noise.

“It wasn’t enough time for him to wake up and say anything to me,” she said. “His arms were by his sides. I lifted up an arm and it fell right back down. I shook him and there was no movement.”

She called 911 and her 25-year-old grandson, Jacob, who lives with the couple, began cardiopulmonary resuscitation with over-the-phone guidance from an emergency dispatcher.

Chest compressions and a few attempts by Georgia at mouth-to-mouth kept Mills’ blood moving for the five minutes that passed before emergency medical personnel arrived.

Flooding into the couple’s second-story bedroom, the professionals took over, quickly detecting that his heart was in ventricular fibrillation.

An attempt to shock Mills’ heart back into a regular rhythm using an automatic defibrillator failed, so an automatic CPR machine capable of delivering compressions at precisely the correct intervals was attached to

his chest, continuing to do its work even as paramedics carried his gurney downstairs for a ride to Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside.

By the time the ambulance arrived, Dr. Andrew Fischer, an emergency medicine specialist at TriCity, said that CPR had been under way for 35 to 40 minutes. That’s already a very long time to survive without a heartbeat.

“Usually, when cases pass 20 minutes, the survival rate goes down a lot,” Fischer said. “Most of the diagrams they have for measuring mortality (probability), they don’t usually go past 50 minutes or so, because at that point, the mortality is very, very close to 100 percent.”

Mills’ biggest advantage, the physician said, was that family members and paramedics were so

quick to come to his aid, starting chest compressions within a few minutes of his heart attack. Outside six minutes without oxygen, brain cells begin to die, making full recovery impossible.

Dr. Andrew Ho, a Temecula cardiologist and board member of the American Heart Association’s San Diego and Southwest Riverside County chapter, agreed.

That quick intervention made everything else possible. It’s a message that everyone everywhere “Cases like this, they show the need for more public education, more widespread knowledge of CPR, because that’s what really makes this kind of miraculous case possible,” Ho said.

If the initial response is quick enough, it clears a little elbow room for modern medicine to get involved, and that was certainly the case for Mills.

Emergency room personnel slipped a breathing tube into his lungs, ensuring that oxygen-rich air was penetrating deeply enough to make it into his bloodstream and special medication capable of helping the body break away from that paralyzing arrhythmia was administered.

All the while, the CPR machine kept on pressing, eventually leaving Mills with four broken ribs.

Gradually, Fischer said, he began to notice signs that Mills’ condition might be improving.

Xylazine another deadly drug problem

After seeing 100,000 overdose deaths annually in recent American experience, it is hard to imagine anything worse. As it turns out, however, we now are encountering an animal tranquilizer that is resistant to antidotes, causes overdoses and results in disfiguring skin ulcerations. Welcome to the world of xylazine.

Recently profiled in the New England Journal of Medicine (Gupta et al: “Xylazine – Medical and Public Health Imperatives,” June 15), this drug is described as a “rapidly growing threat to human health in the United States.” Related chemically to the antihypertensive clonidine, xylazine was at one time studied as a potential antihypertensive agent. This therapeutic potential was not realized, as adverse effects became clear. Xylazine passed muster with the Food and Drug Administration for veterinary use as a sedative, in 1972.

In humans, this drug inhibits release of norepinephrine and epinephrine, creating a sensation that seems to combine euphoria with sedation. Along with the decreasing activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which allows us to engage in “fight or flight” activities, Xylazine causes a constellation of unpredictable and adverse physiological responses. These include a decrease in blood pressure and lower heart rate.

The opioid antagonist naloxone, used to treat opioid overdoses, lacks efficacy for xylazine overdoses. Consequently,

the potential for someone to lapse into a coma and die of cardiopulmonary arrest is quite real. For those who survive, a “xylazine-related substance use disorder,” to use the New England Journal terminology, may appear. This resembles opioid dependence in some respects, being associated with a withdrawal syndrome, including irritability and depression.

First reported as a drug of abuse in Puerto Rico in 2001, xylazine later spread from the northeastern United States to other locations. This dangerous drug is abused orally, by smoking, by snorting, by intravenous or intramuscular injection, or by subcutaneous administration (a practice referred to as skin popping in heroin addicts). As is typical for illicit drugs, xylazine is often combined with other agents. For example, a “speedball” injection combines cocaine or amphetamine with xylazine. I recall the same term being applied to heroin and cocaine, the lethal mixture that killed comedian John Belushi. The more things change, the more they stay the same, decades later.

Xylazine-associated skin injury causes massive ulcerations, scarring, and tissue loss. Indeed, photographs of dying tissue, sometimes requiring extensive reconstructive skin grafting, are also found in the New England Journal of Medicine issue (O’Neil and Kovach: “XylazineAssociated Skin Injury”). For example, tissue destruction can extend deep into the chest, expos-

ing underlying bones such as the clavicles. Cultures may grow bacterial organisms, including the destructive Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The horrific skin injuries may occur in locations remote from drug injection sites. The mechanism is unclear. One could imagine, if you allow me to hypothesize, vascular spread of bacteria, systemic underperfusion of tissues due to the pharmacological effects of xylazine, tissue contamination from unsterile drug paraphernalia, the effects of various co-administered agents in the drug cocktails that are sometimes administered. Perhaps causation varies.

The White House Office of National Drug control Policy, where Gupta and co-authors work, declared xylazine an “emerging threat” on April 12. This approach should trigger basic and applied research, public outreach, and improved

treatment, monitoring, and data collection among xylazine users. The concept of xylazine “harm reduction” is emerging. Yet xylazine threatens life and limb, representing an inherently harmful substance. Maybe the much-maligned “War on Drugs,” decried as anachronistic and counter-productive, was not such a misguided concept.

American poet Robert Frost observed: “The best way out is always through.” If we can get through the xylazine crisis, perhaps we will find a future pathway towards battling addictions. In the meantime, let us ring the alarm regarding xylazine’s dangers.

Scott Anderson, M.D. (standerson@ucdavis. edu), is a clinical professor at UC Davis Medical School. This column is informational and does not constitute medical advice.

A heart monitor showed that the organ was still locked in ventricular fibrilation. While that’s not a positive place to be, it actually showed that the cardiac muscle still had strength. Lack of oxygen eventually weakens the heart so much that it falls into a more-relaxed state called “pulseless electric activity,” and that had not happened yet.

It seemed that fresh oxygen was still entering through the lungs and reaching vital organs. A pulse oximeter, capable of showing the oxygen concentration in a patient’s blood, backed up what the doctor’s eyes were observing.

“When he first came in, I remember his face and hands were a little bit blue, but once we had the breathing tube down, his face became pink, so you can sort of tell that what we were doing was working,” Fischer said.

At the 70-minute mark, another dose of medication and another defibrillator shock brought Mills’ pulse back into a blood-pumping pattern.

He was eventually cleared to receive a heart stent to reopen the blocked blood vessel that caused his heart attack and he was immediately placed in a temperature-control protocol – hypothermia treatment – to drop his blood temperature a few degrees below normal.

Dropping blood temperature helps prevent

swelling, which can be a major issue for brain recovery among those who receive CPR for so long.

The chances of a potentially harmful fever are also reduced, but patients must be heavily sedated to keep them comfortable.

Mills was kept heavily sedated into Easter Sunday morning to prevent discomfort while the cooling protocol proceeded, finally opening his eyes at about 4 p.m.

Today, though his shortterm memory still has its problems, the husband and grandfather says he feels healthy despite a continuing struggle with rheumatoid arthritis that was present before the heart attack.

Where did he go during his 70-minutes without a heartbeat?

“I don’t remember anything when I was unconscious,” he said, adding that he has started to remember “little bits and pieces” of the ambulance ride to the hospital.

Other than a little unexplained anxiety Friday, Mills said there were no memorable signs of the heart attack. Due to his rheumatoid arthritis, the couple had been working to minimize salt and red meat in their diets for some time, and both walk regularly for exercise. But it appears genetics played a role. Most of the men in Mills’ family suffered similar heartrelated maladies.

According

Lake Tahoe visitors leave record 4 tons of trash during July 4th

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

LOS ANGELES —

Partygoers who crowded Lake Tahoe beaches over the Fourth of July left more than 4 tons of trash on the shore and in the water, according to cleanup volunteers.

6

killed in plane crash near SoCal airport

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

LOS ANGELES — Six people were killed early Saturday when their plane crashed near French Valley Airport in Riverside County, the second deadly crash in the area in the last four days.

The Cessna 550, a turbo fan jet, crashed in a field at 4:16 a.m. near Briggs and Auld roads in Murrieta, and immediately burst into flames, according to a tweet posted by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Riverside County Fire Department.

All of the people aboard were pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. Coroner’s officials had not released the identities of the pilot or passengers as of Saturday afternoon.

The flight originated from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, authorities said.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s aircraft tracking database lists the plane as belonging to Prestige Worldwide Flights of Imperial. Agents for the company could not be reached for

comment Saturday. Investigators with the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board responded to the scene.

The NTSB’s media office released a statement saying the plane crashed on its second approach to the airstrip.

On Saturday morning a layer of fog hung over the field where the wreckage lay, a short distance north of the runway.

Max Trescott, a Palo Alto flight instructor who publishes the Aviation News Talk podcast, said data from an FAA weather website showed that visibility three minutes before the jet’s initial approach just before 4 a.m. was oneeighth of a mile less than required for instrument approach at that airport.

A minute after the crash, visibility was worse, at three-eighths of a mile below the minimum.

“It was changing for the worse for these folks,” Trescott said. “The weather did get worse during the time they were making their two approaches.”

A record total of 8,559 pounds of trash was collected from six beaches, according to the League to Save Lake Tahoe, the nonprofit that led the effort. The hardest hit was Zephyr Shoals, a beach on Tahoe’s east shore, where hundreds of volunteers cleaned 6,279 pounds of litter, including plastic cups, beach toys and cigarette butts. The beach there has fewer regulations than many in the area.

Images shared by the organization reveal toppled tents, chairs and coolers scattered across the beach, with geese poking their beaks through Cheetos bags and beer cans.

Daniel Cressy, a public services staff officer for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, estimated that more than 4,000 people visited Zephyr Shoals at the peak of the celebrations.

The lake this year was near its high water level, and beaches dramatically shrunken, as a result of melting from recordbreaking snowpack, forcing visitors to spill onto the bluffs instead of sticking to the sand.

“I heard some folks show up and say, ‘Where’s the beach?’ They were expecting more beach, but that didn’t discourage them from staying,” Cressy said. “It looked like your most crowded music festival.”

This year marked the nonprofit’s 10th annual “Keep Tahoe Red, White & Blue”

July 5 cleanup event.

The mess was cleaned up with support from the U.S. Forest Service and 400 volunteers from local businesses and government agencies, including the nonprofit Clean up the Lake, which brought in scuba divers, kayakers and snorkelers.

“BEBOT,” an electric sand-sifting robot combed the beach, too, salvaging bits of plastic.

Colin West, executive director of Clean up the Lake, said his team fished sunglasses, shoes and vape pens from the water. He said he found small bags of cocaine and canisters of “whippets,” an inhalant drug.

“Images that I’ve seen [of the partying] have just been ridiculous. Literally someone … jumping off, like, a log and body-slamming a beer-pong table into the lake and breaking it,” he said. “I remember my fiance and I unloading that beer-pong table into the dumpster in the back

of my truck.”

Among the people dedicated to keeping Tahoe clean, the holiday mess elevated an ongoing conversation about beach management. According to the League to Save Lake Tahoe, several beach sites – including those with permanent restrooms, trash cans and management staff – were relatively free of litter.

Zephyr Shoals, which is within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service, is not permitted for commercial operations and does not have designated parking or fees. Chris Joseph, communications director for the League to Save Lake Tahoe, said that’s a problem.

“What we have seen in 10 years of managing this July 5 cleanup event is that sites that have no regulation of access … are the places where the impacts from litter tend to be the heaviest,” he said. “There’s always going to be a group of people

who don’t want to pay to park, and they do want to party, and they’re being squeezed into the few remaining places on the lake where it’s relatively easy to get there.”

Zephyr Shoals will be permitted as part of Zephyr Cove Resort in the fall, according to Cressy. That means the public –who will retain access to the beach – can expect the addition of designated parking and sanitation, he said.

Cressy wants Lake Tahoe visitors to be responsible for keeping the lake clean. He said he was pleased to see people happily taking the trash bags he handed out over the holiday weekend, some asking for more.

“Enjoyment of public land is not just a consumer activity, but it’s a participatory activity where everybody has a role to play in it being successful,” he said. “That’s sort of the bigger picture that we’re working toward.”

Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times/TNS

to Cal Fire, a Cessna carrying six people crashed near Auld Road X Briggs Road in a field, killing all six in Murrieta, near the landing approach at French Valley Airport, Saturday.

Keep Tahoe Blue Instagram

Over the course of just three hours on the morning of July 5, 402 volunteers cleaned up 8,559 pounds of litter left from Fourth of July celebrations at Lake Tahoe.

US: Yellen had candid 5-hour meeting with China’s He

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

U.S. Treasury Secre tary Janet Yellen held five hours of talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Beijing, the first in-depth exchange between the nations’ top economic policymakers as they seek to dial back strains in the relationship.

The meeting on Sat urday capped Yellen’s engagements on her first visit to China as Treasury chief, a trip she described as a mission to revive engagement between the two largest economies that’s deteriorated in recent years while friction has soared over issues from Taiwan to technology access.

The meeting was “candid, constructive, and comprehensive,” the Treasury Department said in a statement. While Yellen raised “issues of concern,” she also discussed the Biden administration’s “approach to seek healthy economic competition with China, with a level playing field for American workers and businesses.”

Yellen began by telling He that there’s “ample room for our firms to engage in trade and investment” despite recent tensions and that the U.S. and China should communicate “directly” on specific economic concerns, according to her prepared remarks.

Yellen’s visit is part of a broader push by President Joe Biden’s administration to mend relations with America’s main geopolitical rival while also sending clear messages about U.S. policy. Her trip follows Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit in June. Yellen and He met

for five hours, a Treasury official said.

China agreed during the meeting to strengthen communication and cooperation on addressing global challenges, though He expressed concern to Yellen about U.S. sanctions and other restrictive measures against China, according to a government statement.

Yellen has been seeking to explain a U.S. strategy she outlined in April that’s geared toward defending and securing national security without trying to hold China back economically.

“The United States will take targeted actions to protect our national security,” Yellen said at the start of her meeting with He.

“While we may disagree on these actions, we should not allow that disagreement to lead to misunderstandings, particularly those stemming from a lack of communication, which can unnecessarily worsen our bilateral economic and financial relation-

ship,” she said.

Presidents Biden and Xi Jinping appeared to smooth the path to better ties in November, only to have their meeting followed by disputes over Taiwan, spying allegations, technology security and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

China’s He expressed willingness to continue the work set out by Xi and Biden “and have dialog and communication” on economic and trade topics. In the statement after the talks, China appeared to make it clear for the first time that He is now the “leading point of contact” in economic and trade talks with the U.S.

New team

The relationship’s next test may come soon as Biden’s team prepares an executive order curbing U.S. outbound investment in China, which may come as soon as July and cover certain investments in sensitive technologies including semiconductors, artificial intelligence and quantum computing.

Ukraine vows strict controls over cluster bomb use

Yellen’s message to Chinese officials is that the two countries aren’t in a “winner-take-all” competition and both sides should manage their rivalry with a fair set of rules – something she told Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Friday. Yellen also met on Friday with Pan Gongsheng, who is expected to take over as governor of the People’s Bank of China.

She reiterated those comments to He, saying “where we have concerns about specific economic practices, we should and will communicate them directly.”

He, a longtime confidant of Xi, has succeeded Liu He – a fluent Englishspeaking veteran of the international stage who had studied at Harvard University. When Yellen and Liu met in January in Zurich, their rapport was such that they at one point left their aides behind as they kept talking.

Treasury officials have downplayed expectations of a major breakthrough during the trip, saying it’s aimed at building communication channels with the Chinese government’s new economic team.

Climate, women

Earlier Saturday, Yellen held a roundtable on climate finance where she called on China and the U.S. to join forces to tackle climate change. She has often argued that the two nations have a duty to cooperate on global challenges, including environmental issues and debt distress in poorer nations. She also had lunch with Chinese women economists.

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

Ukraine welcomed the U.S. decision to provide cluster munitions, with Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov outlining “five key principles” that he said would govern the use of the controversial weapons.

Cluster bombs, whose use is banned in over 100 countries including several NATO members and key allies of Ukraine, will be used as the wartorn country presses its counteroffensive against Russia, the Ukrainian said in a lengthy Twitter post.

The weapons will help Ukraine liberate the occupied territories and save the lives of its soldiers, Reznikov said, adding that Article 51 of the U.N. Charter allows Kyiv to use them as “self-defense.”

“We have five key principles which we will abide by and which we have clearly communicated to all our partners, including the U.S.,” Reznikov said.

These include the obligation not to use the weapons on the officially recognized territory of Russia and in urban areas where they could cause the most harm to civilians.

Fired from aircraft or from ground-based artillery, missile or rocket launchers, cluster munitions open in flight, dispersing bomblets that can strike armored vehicles or personnel and are particularly effective against dug-in forces. Those that fail to explode pose a danger for years, even decades, to civilians.

Ukraine will keep a strict record of use of the weapons and will prioritize de-mining on territories where the

bombs are launched “after the victory,” according to Reznikov.

“We will report to our partners about the apply and efficiency of weapons to ensure control,” he said.

Russia condemned the U.S. decision, taken by President Joe Biden months after a request for the weapons was first made by Ukraine.

The move was “another blatant manifestation of the aggressive anti-Russian course of the U.S.” aimed at dragging out conflict in Ukraine,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

“Experience of using of cluster munitions in the Middle East and other regions of the world shows that their elements can remain unexploded for a long time and detonate after the end of hostilities,” Zakharova said.

The U.S., Russia and Ukraine are among the countries that aren’t signatories to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, an international treaty from 2010 that aims to prohibit all use, transfer, production and stockpiling of the weapons.

The U.K. is one of the 123 signatories. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the U.K. is committed to the convention but added that the U.K. would continue to support Ukraine, the BBC reported. The defense minister of Spain, another signatory, said the weapons shouldn’t be sent.

On Saturday, the 500th day of Russia’s invasion, Reznikov said Kremlin forces had been using cluster munitions “from day one.”

Mark Schiefelbein/Pool/AFP/Getty Images/TNS Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, left, shakes hands with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng during a meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Saturday.

This week

THINGS TO DO

I Fairfield

to 7 p.m. Sunday Jazz and Blue Music

721 Texas St. www. threefoodbeerwine.com.

2 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday The 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Downtown Theatre, 1035 Texas St. https://www. downtowntheatre.com.

5 to 8 p.m. Friday R&B Favorites

3, 721 Texas St. www. threefoodbeerwine.com.

I Suisun City

Noon Sunday Jazzy Champagne Brunch Marina Lounge, 700 Main St., Suite 106. www. marinaloungesuisun.com.

3 p.m. Sunday Midnight Blue Organ Trio Waterfront, 600 Main St. www.suisun.com.

7 p.m. Thursday Karaoke Marina Lounge, 700 Main St., Suite 106. www.marina loungesuisun.com.

6:30 p.m. Friday Dinner and a movie: ‘Lightyear’ Heritage Park, 611 Village Drive. www.suisun.com.

8 p.m. Friday Caribbean Party Marina Lounge, 700 Main St., Suite 106. www.marina loungesuisun.com.

9 a.m. Saturday Farmers Market Waterfront Lawn at Sheldon Plaza. https://business. fairfieldsuisunchamber.com.

I Vacaville

10 a.m. Wednesday Free movie Journey Downtown Theatre, 308 Main St. https://events. journeydowntown venue.com.

5 p.m. Thursday Live music 11 Town Square Place. www. backdoorbistro.com/events.

6 p.m. Thursday

Singer-Songwriter competition

Journey Downtown @ The Library, 300 Main St.

6 p.m. Friday Aviation Trivia Night Journey Downtown, 308 Main St. https://events. journeydowntown venue.com.

6:30 p.m. Friday

23rd Annual CreekWalk series: Los Cochinos Andrews Park, 614 E. Monte Vista Ave. www.ci.vacaville. ca.us/government/ parks-and-recreation/ special-events/creekwalk.

9 p.m. Friday through Sunday Dueling Pianos Makse, 555 Main St. http:// duelingpianovacaville.com.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday Open Farm Days 2023 Various locations. www. vacavillefarmers.com.

Be sure to visit for future events

Tina Aretha Diana

Turner, Franklin, Ross

a my m aginniS-Honey

AMAGINNIS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VALLEJO — Lea Sweet is sweet on Tina Turner.

Sweet is one of three women who star in 3 Queens of Motown, a tribute show to Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner. The trio stops at the Empress Theatre on Saturday.

“I have been excited to pay tribute to her about six years now,” Sweet said in a phone interview.

She was working in a Motown Legends tribute show when the Tina Turner tribute was intro-

duced. Sweet remembered being a a youngster growing up in San Francisco and seeing her first concert: Ike and Tina Turner.

Sweet said Tina Turner rocked the venue. “No one sat down (during the concert),” she said. “I wanted to be Tina Turner, not knowing I would ever be her.”

It’s not an easy job. Turner is the most challenging tribute she has done. Vocals were the easy part, as Sweet loves to sing rock and country music; singing and dancing at the same time was the main task.

Lessons came via videos of Turner’s live performances.

“Thank God I was in sports,” Sweet said of the energy output. “I lost 10 pounds trying to play Tina. That was a lot of work.”

Like many fans, Sweet loves Turner’s big hits, such as “Proud Mary,” “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and “Simply the Best.” There’s plenty more on the list, including, “We Don’t Need Another Hero,” the theme from the film “Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome,” in which See Queens, Page B3

Check out art inspired by poems

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — Poet Laureate

Suzanne Bruce is hosting “Inspiration-Reversal” 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Dunnell Burton Center, 3351 Hilborn Road.

Thursday

Triism brings blend of music to Summer Concerts at the Gazebo

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

WINTERS — The Winters Friends of the Library 2023 Summer Concerts at the Gazebo continue with Triism playing jazz standards, pop music and original compositions, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Rotary Park, Main Street at Railroad Avenue in downtown Winters.

The Sacramento trio won the grand prize at the Bucharest International Jazz Competition, part of EUROPAfest 2016, where they beat out musicians from 26 countries. They formed in 2015. Their unique group sound draws from their individual eclectic musical experiences and interests, which include jazz, rock, Eastern Euro -

pean folk, pop and improvised music. Learn more at www. triism.com.

Attendees are welcome to bring a blanket or lawn chair. The concerts are free, but donations will be gratefully accepted. All proceeds will benefit the Winters Community Library. For more information, visit wfol.org.

Bruce has been doing ekphrastic poetry for years (poetry inspired by art), especially with artist Janet Manalo.

She reversed the process. On May 6 she had a poetry reading at the Dunnell Burton Center which was attended by 22 poets who read their works.

The artists were in the audience, and each artist then chose a poem or two from which they were to create an art piece to.

Each poet will again read their poem, but this time standing next to the art made specifically for that poem.

Four poems have had keyboard music composed to them. The musician will be playing the music while those poets read them poems.

All are welcome.

Courtesy photo

3 Queens of Motown, a tribute show to Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner, will take the stage at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Empress Theatre in Vallejo. Courtesy photo

Call for artists, vendors to take part in Arts Fest

2023 in Vacaville

VACAVILLE — The search is on for artists and vendors to participate in Visit Vacaville’s Arts Fest at the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre on Sept. 23. Other festival events will be spread across the city over the course of a week.

Calls for artists include dancers, musical performers, sketch artists, cartoonists, painters, ceramicists, muralists, filmmakers, and other forms of creative expression. Vendors who offer arts-related merchandise for sale are also encouraged to take part.

“Our goal is to celebrate the arts in a broad and inclusive way in 2023,” said Melyssa Reeves, Visit Vacaville President & CEO, in a press release. “Our city is full of so much diverse talent, we want to highlight all of its rich, vibrant art and culture.”

The event is free. Individuals and groups are eligible to perform on stage at VPAT. Stage per formances will begin at 10 a.m. and be given a 10-minute act slot, with a 30-minute setup window between each artist. Additional performances and demonstrations will take place in the VPAT courtyard. Visit Vacaville will assign time slots and provide further details once artists’ applications are approved. Vendors will also be set up in the courtyard, along with a large paintby-numbers mural for members of the public to help paint, and other interactive programs.

There is a vendor fee.

To sign up as a performer, visit https://www. visitvacaville.com/events/ annual/art-fest-performer.

The vendor form is at https://www.visitvaca ville.com/events/annual/ art-fest-vendor.

Mumbo Gumbo performs at Fairytale Town

Daily RePublic staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

SACRAMENTO —

Mumbo Gumbo will perform 7 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Fairytale Town, 3901 Land Park Drive.

Mumbo Gumbo fuses rock, soul, funk and AfroCaribbean beats.

Attendees can grab food from the Dish & Spoon Cafe and PFD

Prime food truck on-site.

Advance ticket prices end Friday. Gates open at 6 p.m.

Fairytale Town is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit children’s park and educational center in Land

Queens

From Page B1

Turner starred opposite Mel Gibson.

Sweet works in the transportation field, having her own limousine company. She has trained more than 100 drivers for other transportation jobs, she said.

“I knew the entertainment industry was not going to pay me enough,” she said.

She is waiting for “the perfect time” to release her new album, “Daughter of Funk,” which includes her take on the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfac-

Week

From Page B1

10 a.m. Saturday Vacaville Museum Historic Homes Walking Tours Vacaville Museum, 213 Buck Ave. https:// vacavillemuseum.org/ events.

8 p.m. Saturday Silent Disco Journey Downtown Theatre, 308 Main St. https://events. journeydowntown venue.com.

I Benicia

2:30 p.m. Sunday Before Perils The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

2:30 p.m. Sunday

Park whose mission is to promote the imagination, creativity, and education of children. Established in 1959, Fairytale Town is home to more than 25 three-dimensional play sets based on favorite fairytales and nursery rhymes, a family of 22 rare and miniature breed animals, three interactive learning gardens, and two performing arts stages.

It’s open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through October. For tickets, or more information, visit fairytaletown.org or call 916-808-7462.

tion.” “The girl version sounds so good and sexy,” she said.

The 3 Queens were originally just a pair, Sweet and Samantha Alexes as Aretha Franklin. They met Stacy Carter at a band rehearsal, who shared her talent for Diana Ross, and added her to the lineup.

The trio usually plays 500- to 600-seat venues. At the end of May, 3 Queens sold out a show at Yoshi’s in Oakland.

“And they don’t even have a recording yet,” said Art Ray, who works with 3 Queens.

He’s been fielding calls from around the country to book the trio. “They look like the people they are playing,” he said.

tavern.com.

Fog City Swampers Lucca Bar and Grill, 439 First St. www. luccabar.com.

7 p.m. Tuesday Open mic The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

7 p.m. Wednesday Karaoke The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

6:30 p.m. Thursday Quattro Lucca Bar and Grill, 439 First St. www. luccabar.com.

8:30 p.m. Thursday DJ Jerry Ross The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

5 p.m. Friday Thirsty The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik

Michael PhilliPs CHICAGO TRIBUNE

At this point in our 2023 screen lives, we’ve seen just about everything money and a near-total lack of filmmaking magic can buy. But there are still artists among us, creating wonders of illusion and purpose.

Let’s start with Boots Riley.

Right now on Amazon Prime there’s a remarkable series created, directed and largely written by the musician and filmmaker behind the singular 2018 capital-andlabor nightmare “Sorry to Bother You.”

“I’m a Virgo” is a fairy tale – polemical, blunt, subtle, often astonishingly funny, sweet, tough, angry, sad and stubbornly hopeful.

It tells the story of a literal giant, twice the size of the average human male. Played by Jharrel Jerome, Cootie is raised in loving but naive captivity in modern-day Oakland, California. Once he ventures out into the wider world, Cootie discovers some painful truths about how that world works. Riley’s an avowed socialist, in addition to being a truly creative polyglot artist.

The first minute of the seven-episode series establishes the visual ground rules, with fleet, witty matter-of-factness. We see Cootie as a baby, then a child banging around, awkwardly, in the house of his aunt (Carmen Ejogo) and uncle (Mike Epps).

As a teenager, eventually as a wide-eyed 19-year-old Gulliver in a world of Lilliputians, Cootie finds solace in a homemade crash pad built to scale behind his aunt and uncle’s house, and with his newfound friends. “This ... is saucy!” one friend says of his high-ceilinged apartment, not long after Cootie delights him

6:30 p.m. Friday Jeffrey Halford and the Healers Lucca Bar and Grill, 439 First St. www. luccabar.com.

8:30 p.m. Friday Crossman Connection The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

1 p.m. Saturday Chris Ahlman Lucca Bar and Grill, 439 First St. www. luccabar.com.

5 p.m. Saturday Scott Bell The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

6:30 p.m. Saturday Groovy Judy Lucca Bar and Grill, 439 First St. www. luccabar.com.

9 p.m. Saturday The Inflatables The Rellik, 726 First St. www.therellik tavern.com.

I Vallejo

1 p.m. Sunday Crush 29

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

6:30 p.m. Wednesday Glenn Walters and Friends Empress Lounge, 330 Virginia St. https:// empresstheatre.org.

1 p.m. Saturday

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

8 p.m. Saturday

3 Queens Empress Lounge, 330 Virginia St. https:// empresstheatre.org.

with the sight of what it’s like to bench-press a Chevy Caprice. But life, as his aunt reminds him, will not be easy for “a 13-foot-tall Black man.” At first, the local community’s curious but soon just fine with the giant among them. At the local Bing Bang Burger joint, Cootie, his head scraping the ceiling, joins the line like everyone else, though Cootie’s there primarily because he’s sweet on the counter employee Flora (Olivia Washington). Like Cootie, Flora is an “other,” with superfast physical and mental capabilities a la The Flash.

His early years defined mostly by comic books and television, Cootie develops a severe case of hero worship thanks to an Iron Man-type known as The Hero, whose catch phrase – “Get your minds right, half-wits!” – has a way of being directed in the comics primarily at Black folks. The creator of the Hero, a zillionaire tech mogul played by an oily, compelling Walton Goggins, has used his money and copious free

time to become a reallife version of his own fictional, authoritarian crime fighter. Is the Hero a protector of the people or a symbol of economic thuggery? Cootie learns to make the call for himself, as his newfound celebrity as a racially exploited but very stylish fashion model takes off.

It sounds like pure fantasy, but “I’m a Virgo” rarely leaves the real world off-screen. Riley takes labor relations, and street-level dissidence, very seriously. He takes music no less so: Cootie’s first truly transporting experience has him discovering what it’s like to hear and feel the bass in speakers turned up to 40 or 50. “I’m a Virgo” gets a lot of excellent mileage out of simple “what ifs,” such as the initial sexual encounter between Cootie and Flora, a one-of-a-kind sequence delineating how two very different people manage things.

Riley wrote four of the seven episodes; the others were written by Tze Chun, Marcus Gardley and Michael R. Jackson, Pulitzer Prize winner for the musical “A Strange Loop.” One of Cootie’s friends, played by Allius Barnes, runs afoul of the hazardous forprofit health care system.

Another, portrayed by the amazing Kara Young, serves as Cootie’s mentor

in activism.

No one idea propels “I’m a Virgo,” but making a living without selling out certainly emerges as a key sticking point to Riley. Marvel and DC superhero IP, and what all that weaponry and chaos really says about America, is another. I don’t want to make what Riley and company have achieved here sound like medicine. Nor is it only for kicks. The whole of it, even when its narrative momentum goes sideways here and there, feels imagined, personal and alive. And the basic illusion of Cootie navigating a world not meant for his practical use works like a charm.

The effects are not the usual digital nobig-deals; they’re more about sets built to different scales, depending on the scripted interactions between Cootie and his fellow Oakland residents, for example. The practical effects, forced perspective tricks and puppet-based means of illusion led to results you believe, every second, no matter how and why “I’m a Virgo” works as well as it does.

At one point a character says, plainly: “All art is propaganda.” But not all art is as fresh and eccentrically realized as this series. I hope Riley gets a second season out of it.

july 14

fairfield music series

Carmen ejogo, left, and Jharrel Jerome in “i’m a virgo.”

Jharrel Jerome stars in “i’m a virgo.”

Solve your problems with patience

God Almighty has advised in the Holy Quran, “O you who believe! seek help (of God) with patience, perseverance and prayer, for God is with those who patiently persevere. [Chapter 2 Verse; 153 ] George Bernard Shaw said, “Two things define you: your patience when you have nothing and your attitude when you have everything.”

Mahatma Gandhi said, “To lose patience is to lose the battle.”

Our life is full of trials and tribulations. No one in this world is always happy and healthy. Everyone, whether he is rich or poor, has to face some difficulties of worldly life.

Only paradise is the place where there is no worry and anxiety. God Almighty has sent us in this world to prepare for our own heaven by obeying his commands and living our lives according to his instructions. Doing good deeds to please him and abstaining from evil.

While we are in this world,

we need to control our lust and desires. This world is full of happiness and sadness. In both conditions God almighty tests us whether we are showing our gratitude at a time of pleasure or having patience in the situation of adversity.

Patience is not a negative connotation rather it is an active and positive attribute meant to stay steadfast in any circumstance and situation, looking deeper than the surface level.

There are two types of pain. One is physical and the other is emotional. When a person is having fever, headache, or suffering from injuries, or someone has hurt feelings by action or words, insulted, or has lost a beloved one so emotional pain is more severe and difficult to be patient with compared to physical pain. The scholars have mentioned three different categories of patience.

Patience in obeying the commands of Almighty God. even if it is not convenient or easy.

For example, speaking the truth even if it is against ourselves, because Prophet Muhammad said, “truthfulness will grant you victory and lying will destroy you.” By speaking the truth sometimes, we get into trouble but at that time we have to show patience.

Patience in abstaining from the forbidden.

There are many things which we love to do, but they are forbidden by God almighty, so you have to resist yourself from doing those things. For example one has a temptation to gamble and it can be a source of gaining lots of money. But the Lord has forbidden to gamble. Now to abstain from gambling for the sake of God requires patience.

Patience over adversity.

Everyone of us goes through some trials and tribulations in our lives. Whether it can be financial, physical, marital,

social, family or personal. So, patience in this sense means not losing our faith in God and keep on trying with patience to overcome the problem. Whoever has full conviction in the Lord, He will definitely solve his problem. Patience

is the best remedy for every problem. (Plautus)

Imam Faridbeg Mirza is the fulltime religious director of Masjid Al Noor Islamic Center of Fairfield. He can be reached at Faridbeg@yahoo.com.

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Annual report shows Californians’ fears of increasing crime is justified

Political officeholders at all levels and of all ideological stripes habitually pursue a time-dishonored practice when releasing data.

If it’s positive, politicians try to maximize its importance with lavish news conferences and self-congratulatory declarations. If, on the other hand, the data have a negative cast, they will be released quietly, often late on a Friday afternoon, to minimize media coverage.

California’s annual report on crime was released this year on the Friday before what for many would be a four-day, Fourth of July holiday weekend. That’s a tipoff that it would not be good news – and, in fact, it received minimal media attention.

The 2022 report revealed that the state’s violent crime rate increased by 6.1% since 2021, and property crime was up 6.2%. Homicides dipped very slightly, but robberies jumped by 10.2%.

Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a low-key statement with the data release, saying, “While crime rates remain significantly below their historical highs, property and violent crimes continue to have devastating consequences for communities across the state, and gun violence remains a major threat to public safety.”

One can be certain that had California seen a drop in crime in 2022, Bonta would have trumpeted it as loudly as possible.

Let’s be clear: Neither Bonta nor any other attorney general can have more than a marginal effect on crime rates. Nevertheless, their campaigns often depict themselves as the state’s top cop and imply that they do have such authority.

Why crime rates ebb ands flow is the subject of never-ending academic and political debate – and is colored by equally erratic public concerns about being victimized.

At the moment, Californians’ worries about crime appear to be on the upswing, as indicated by one of the Public Policy Institute of California’s periodic polls, conducted just before last fall’s election.

“Californians’ perception of crime spiked during the pandemic – as did certain types of crime,” PPIC found, adding, “nearly two in three Californians call violence and street crime in their local community a problem. This includes 31% who call them a big problem, a noticeable increase from February 2020 (24%).”

The poll found that among racial and ethnic groups, Black Californians expressed the highest level of concern about crime, women were more concerned than men, and Republicans more than Democrats or independent voters.

The data released on June 30 imply that those concerns are rooted in fact. Crime did increase sharply last year, particularly robberies, and it has not gone unnoticed in the media.

The proliferation of cameras in stores and in the hands of cellphone owners has produced a never-ending supply of crime video snippets, such as smash-and-grab invasions of stores, for television newscasts, which then reverberate on YouTube and other online outlets.

Just a few days after the crime report release, for example, a San Francisco TV station aired video of criminals breaking into a Bay Area visitor’s rental car in broad daylight, stealing the contents and driving away.

Bonta and the man who appointed him attorney general before he won reelection in November, Gov. Gavin Newsom, have pursued somewhat ambivalent postures about crime. They lament its effects on victims and take some public crime-fighting steps while championing criminal justice reform to reduce traditional punishment of those caught breaking the law.

A day before the crime data were released, Newsom dispatched more California Highway Patrol officers to battle open-air drug dealing in San Francisco, a city he once governed as mayor.

In decades past, spikes in crime have had major impacts on California’s political atmosphere – helping Republicans become dominant in the 1980s, for example.

Were crime to continue its currently upward path, it could once again become a game-changing political factor.

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.

Support crew looks for innovative solutions

Recently, an article was written by Airman 1st Class Miyah Gray titled, “Altus, Travis AFB airmen train to maintain.”

The article focused on how members of Travis’ 660th and 749th AMXS trained on the KC-46 Pegasus at Altus Air Force Base in preparation for this new plane’s arrival at Travis AFB this summer. This outstanding article provided insight into the experiences of the airmen stationed at Travis.

As Air Mobility Command (AMC) Civic Leaders, we traveled in late April to Vance Air Force Base and Altus AFB in Oklahoma with Gen. Mike Minihan, commander of AMC. At Vance, we toured initial pilot training programs. At Altus, we got to experience the mobility aircrew training. We also witnessed incredible innovations of the 97th Maintenance Squadron.

While we were very impressed with the training that is taking place in our Air Force, we left in awe of the American ingenuity, at its best, within the team at Altus. As Donnie Obreiter, Director of the 97th Maintenance Squadron toured the AMC Civic Leaders around the facil-

CIVIC LEADERS COMMENTARY

ity, it was obvious the pride the employees took in their jobs. It was clear that new ideas and solutions were encouraged, embraced and implemented.

The 97th Maintenance Squadron became the first base capable of breaking down and reconstructing the tires for the KC-46 on-site. This is an elaborate process, but one in which sustainability of the mission is improved. Another innovation was replacing a cable that kept breaking on the refueling arm with an in-house designed and built solution. Maintainers are encouraged to develop a cost effective and more reliable options. The spirit of those who worked here was inspiring to all of us. These innovations increase maintenance productivity and keep more KC-46’s in the air performing their mission.

One of the unique aspects of the Altus maintainers is that they are an all-civilian maintenance crew. The maintainers do not rotate out and provide a lot of knowledge that they are able to pass on. Altus has a “Grow Your Own Mechanic” program with Southwest Technology Center, and 24% of the civilian maintainers are

graduates of this local program.

Since being named Civic Leaders, we have traveled to Scott AFB, Lackland AFB, and now Vance AFB and Altus AFBs. We have learned that there is an incredible system in place that trains our enlisted and officers in mission critical skills. When we see a Travis plane flying over our community, we now have a much better appreciation of the training, maintenance and ingenuity it takes to keep them flying.

The Civic Leader program creates a partnership between a military installation and the surrounding community. By sharing experiences, the relationship is strengthened. As AMC Civic Leaders representing Travis, we are committed to the partnership and sharing what we have learned.

Sean Quinn serves as a Civic Leader for the US Air Force Air Mobility Command, representing Travis AFB. He also volunteers on several nonprofit boards in Fairfield and is on the board of First Northern Bank. He retired as city manager of Fairfield in 2014 and was interim city manager in 2019. He was twice named Citizen of the Year by the Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce.

Dems, spare me your complaints about partisan justices

Democrats have been lam basting the Supreme Court and questioning its legitimacy because, as they argue, its conservative majority is shamelessly partisan.

That’s laughable. The court’s Democratic-appointed justices are clearly more partisan than their Republican-appointed counterparts.

In practically every high-profile case, it’s easy to guess how the Democratic-appointed justices will rule. They are unanimously pro-abortion rights, unanimously pro-affirmative action and unanimously in favor of interpreting the Second Amendment to permit significant regulation of guns. They almost always back the positions made by environmentalists, progressive civil rights activists and the kaleidoscope of gender and sexual-orientation interest groups. And they invariably defer to Democratic administrations about the power that laws afford them – while doing the opposite when a Republican president is in office.

It is very rare for Democraticappointed justices to break ranks in a major, politically charged case to rule against the Democratic Party’s preferred outcome. After asking my colleague Ed Whelan at the Ethics & Public Policy Center, an ardent court-watcher, to come up with an example, the best he could come up with was National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, the 2012 case in which two of the four Democratic justices joined the majority to rule that Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion was unconstitutional. But even that decision did not significantly deter Democratic objectives. The court did not strike down the Medicaid expansion; it simply gave states the option to expand the program without risking the loss of all of its federally provided Medicaid

funds. To date, 41 states and D.C. have done so, and even deep red-states such as Missouri and South Dakota have adopted the expansion.

Contrast this lockstep record with the behavior of GOP-appointed justices: William J. Brennan Jr., an Eisenhower appointee, is known as one of the most important liberals on the court ever. Nixon-appointed Harry A. Blackmun wrote Roe v. Wade, and three appointees of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush saved Roe in the 1992 ruling in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey. Reagan appointee Sandra Day O’Connor wrote many opinions upholding affirmative action, and another Reagan appointee, Anthony M. Kennedy, was the deciding vote in the case finding a constitutional right to same-sex marriage nationwide.

This unpredictability has continued even among current Republican appointees. In 2020, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch joined Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. in finding that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination against gay or transgender people. This year, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh joined the chief in upholding the court’s traditional jurisprudence regarding Section 2 of the Civil Rights Act. Kavanaugh and Justice Amy Coney Barrett also joined Roberts in rejecting a legal theory that would have limited state courts’ oversight of election laws. Each case angered Republican partisans, but those considerations did not sway the justices.

The fact that Democratic justices are demonstrably more predictable when it comes to endorsing the preferences of their political party does not end the debate about the court’s behavior. Republicans and conservatives have complained for decades that justices have pursued their

own policy agendas at the expense of the Constitution. Now that Democrats can taste some of their own medicine, perhaps it’s time for everyone – regardless of their party affiliation – to reconsider what the courts ought to be deciding.

The Supreme Court was not a major factor in political disputes for much of U.S. history. That’s because litigants did not try to use the Constitution as a super weapon in those battles. The establishment of a second national bank, for example, was a bitterly fought contest that opponents contended for decades was unconstitutional. Yet when President James Madison allowed the bank to be created, its constitutionality was not placed before the court. Political actors understood that the people were the ultimate arbiters of constitutionality, an argument that even the bank’s opponents agreed with.

We will not return to that original understanding, nor should we necessarily want to. But there must be a happy medium between a court that refuses to apply the Constitution to settle disputes and one that is eager to trump politics from the bench. Democrats and Republicans will likely disagree as to what that medium consists of, but seeking it out would be better than treating the court as a primarily political branch of government.

In the meantime, if Democrats want the court to be less partisan, maybe they should encourage their justices to act less so on the bench. Just a thought.

Henry Olsen is a Washington Post columnist, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and the Thomas W. Smith distinguished scholar in residence at Arizona State University for the winter/spring 2023 semester.

CALMATTERS COMMENTARY

Dan Walters

Henry Olsen

Sean Quinn

Sanchez gets big undercard slot in Dallas

FAIRFIELD — Fairfield’s Alan Sanchez will be back in the ring August 5 on the undercard of a big fight building national interest.

The 32-year-old boxer will take on Angel Beltran Villa of Mexicali at the American Airline Center in Dallas, a welterweight bout scheduled for eight rounds. The fight comes on the undercard of the battle of YouTube star

Jake Paul and UFC legend Nate Diaz, streaming via payper-view on DAZN. “It’s a big event,” Sanchez said. “I’ve been training hard every day. I’m excited to get a win and get back home.”

Sanchez carries an overall record of 22-5-1 with 10 knockouts. His last fight came Oct. 29 at Cache Creek

Casino in Brooks when he scored a 10-round major decision over Saul Bustos of Los Angeles. It earned Sanchez the WBA Fedecentro title.

That fight ended a 17-month layoff. The former WBC Continental American’s Welterweight Champion had been out of the ring since May 1, 2021. Despite a cut above his right

eyebrow from a head butt, he walked away from that Bustos bout unscathed.

Sanchez has been fighting professionally since making his debut June 4, 2009, with a unanimousdecision victory over Jesse Isais at the Four Point Sheraton in San Diego.

Sanchez’s daughter, Eliana Grace, was born shortly after that fight in October. He has spent the time sinse training and sparring in Stockton, while

Local youths score new skills with free Dreamchasers football camp

FAIRFIELD — Demetrius Crawford had a solid football career as a running back, but he looked at the kids going through station drills Saturday on the field at Rodriguez High School and said, “This is better than any touchdown I’ve ever scored, to see their smiles.”

Crawford held his ninth free Dreamchasers Elite Football Camp for 6- to 18-year-olds and had close to 300 on hand on a surprisingly cool Saturday in July. The 2005 Vanden High School graduate was back in his element with his friends teaching the fundamentals of a game he excelled in and continues to love.

“This is very important,” Crawford said. “Back in my day we didn’t

have anybody doing this. I have the time to do so and the resources to do so. We have the backing of community helpers and other leaders. Making it free for the community is something that I enjoy.”

Crawford himself went to City College of San Francisco, Sacramento City College and Montana State before a brief CFL career with the B.C. Lions and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and a year playing indoors with the Tri-Cities Fever (Kennewick, Washington) of the National Indoor Football League. He is now dean of students in Clark County, Nevada.

He continues to preach the importance of education to the students, as he did Saturday for the attendees at his camp.

“Work hard, make sure your

grades are in order, and just get outside, “Crawford said. “We are in an era now where everybody is on their phones or on the video games. We played the video games but had more outside time. Get the kids outside and keep them busy is the most important thing.”

Among the athletes Crawford has befriended in the Canadian Football League, NFL or at college helping at the camp were Dante Marsh, Maurice Mann, Desmond Bishop, Cameron Morrah, Dante Cleveland and Rashad Ross. Also on hand was James Michael Johnson.

Johnson had stellar careers on the field for Rodriguez and the University of Nevada. He was able to turn that into a four-year career in

Report: Warriors adding versatile forward Dario Saric to their lineup

Shayna Rubin

BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

The Golden State Warriors have agreed with forward Dario Saric on a veteran minimum contract, according to reports. That checks off a prioritized box for general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. in his first foray into NBA free agency leading the Warriors’ front office. Saric, 29, is a 6-foot-10 stretch forward who fits perfectly in head coach Steve Kerr’s scheme. In his 10-year career, Saric has proven to be a big that can move the ball in a motion offense and pose a legitimate threat as a 3-point shooter. There were rumors that Saric had his eye on joining the Miami Heat should they land Damian Lillard in a trade, but his seamless fit with Golden State is likely a reason why Saric agreed to terms

on a veteran minimum –which should slot him in at approximately $2.7 million for the season.

“All we’re going to be able to have is minimums, so we have to work with that,” Dunleavy said on draft night. “We’re looking at veteran players who can fit into our rotation. Shoot-

ing is always a premium, two-way play is always a premium and it’s obvious we need to add size and skill, specifically shooting, I think would go a long way in complementing our frontcourt.”

The Phoenix Suns traded Saric last season to the Oklahoma City

also taking care of her.

“I feel pretty good,” he said. “I’ve been eating healthy and training so I can be at my best in the ring.”

Beltran Villa has a record of 17-1 with 10 knockouts. He scored a knockout June 23 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Ontario with a win over Abraham Afful of Ghana. He is a 27-year-old southpaw who debuted in 2018 and a veteran of

LOCAL REPORT

73 rounds in the ring. “I’ve watched him on tape,” Sanchez said. “He keeps moving forward in that Mexican style. I’m going to try and push the fight to get the knockout.” Paul and Diaz will be fighting in what is being billed as “Ready 4 War.” It’ll be the first boxing match for ultimate fighter Diaz and has already built up bad blood and social media snipes between the two heading into the event.

Robyn Stevens finishes 5th in 20K racewalk at US nationals

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VACAVILLE —

Vacaville native Robyn Stevens showed plenty of resolve with a fifthplace finish Saturday morning in the women’s 20K racewalk final at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Stevens, running unattached, finish the course in 1 hour, 43 minutes and 30.17 seconds. The winner was Maria Michta-Coffey of Oisell/Walk with a time of 1:38:37.44.

The time doesn’t tell the whole story. Stevens has been very limited with practice after dealing with illnesses since March. She has only been able to have a handful of practices the last two weeks.

The 40-year-old local Olympian was as high as second midway through the race before settling in to the fifth spot where she stayed to the finish.

“She was afraid she might not be able to finish, but she had a good time,” Stevens’ youth coach Claudia Wilde said by telephone from Eugene. “This girl is just amazing and tough as nails. We’re

thrilled she was able to make it with what she has been through this year.”

Stevens entered this year’s event ranked 87th in the world. She has been as high as high as 26th in the 20K during her illustrious career.

She fulfilled a longtime goal in 2021 by competing in the Olympics and finished 33rd in Sapporo, Japan. Stevens has said before that she hopes to qualify next year for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

One of her next goals is to compete at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, come October, a country to which she competed as a youth.

Expos deliver hits in win over Yolo 77

FAIRFIELD — The Fairfield Expos scored at least one run in each half inning Friday night en route to an 11-3 win over Yolo Post 77 at Laurel Creek Park.

The Expos pounded out 13 hits and had threerun innings in the third and sixth. It was the 40th win of the season

See Local, Page B7

Alex Wood brings pleasant relief as Giants tip Rockies

JaSon M aStRoDonato BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

SAN FRANCISCO —

In those outings, he has a 2.63 ERA. He has a 7.15 ERA otherwise.

Thunder in a mid-season swap for Darius Bazley. Saric helped lead a blossoming, younger Thunder team to the final spot in the West play-in tournament, where they beat the New Orleans Pelicans in their first game before being eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Suns moved on from Saric because he isn’t a traditional rim-protecting big. The Warriors aren’t looking for tradition, but more a scoring threat in the frontcourt. That weakness became apparent as they were smothered by length last season – particularly against Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals. Saric averaged 6.4 points last season, shooting 39% from 3 on 2.3 attempts per game. He also averaged 9.3 rebounds per

This might not be the long-term plan to get the most out of Alex Wood, but using their $25million lefty in relief is looking like a decent strategy right now.

For the second time in four tries while pitching out of the bullpen, Wood was spectacular on Saturday, when he shut down the Colorado Rockies over five innings as the Giants rolled to a 5-3 win in front of 34,568 at Oracle Park.

Wood, who is in the final year of a two-year, $25-million deal, relieved Ryan Walker in the third inning and took over the game. With a steady dose of sinkers and changeups, Wood held the Rockies scoreless on just three hits and one walk, striking out three. When Wood is throwing strikes, the Giants are feeling good.

As wild as he’s been this year, there’s been one constant in his productive outings: the lack of walks. He’s allowed one walk or fewer in seven of his 13 outings this year.

The 32-year-old has had a tough season that included a stint on the injured list with a back injury. But he thought he figured something out in his relief outing in Toronto on June 27, when he tossed five scoreless innings. He told reporters he made a change in his posture that allowed him to stay upright in his delivery and throw more strikes.

But it didn’t translate to his most recent outing in New York last weekend, when he struggled to grip the ball in the rain and couldn’t throw strikes, walked four and allowed four earned runs without completing two innings.

The inconsistent nature of Wood’s season has cost him a spot in the rotation, but the Giants like the way the matchups work with him pitching after a righthanded opener. Walker started the game, allowed two runs in two innings.

Former Giants catcher Austin Wynns, who was

SANCHEZ

Matt Miller/Daily Republic

Former Vanden High School football star Demetrius Crawford shows the kids at his Dreamchasers Elite Football Camp how to do the drills at Rodriguez High

School, Saturday. Crawford, who played in the Canadian Football League and is now a Dean of Students in Clark County, Nevada, has been holding the camp for nine years.

Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group/TNS file (2019)

The Warriors’ Glenn Robinson III, right, pressures the Phoenix Suns’ Dario Saric at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Oct. 30, 2019.

See Camp, Page B12

CALENDAR

Sunday’s TV sports

Baseball

MLB

• Draft, ESPN, 4 p.m.

• Oakland vs. Boston, NBCSCA, 10:35 a.m.

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

Basketball

• BIG3 Basketball, 5, 13, 10 a.m.

NBA Summer

• Charlotte vs. L.A. Lakers, ESPN2, 1 p.m.

• Teams TBA, EPSN2, 5 p.m.

• Teams TBA, ESPN2, 7 p.m.

WNBA

• Connecticut vs. Washington, ESPN, Noon.

Golf

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

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

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

• U.S. Women’s Open, 3, Noon.

Lacrosse

PLL

• Redwoods vs. Chaos, ESPN2, 11 a.m.

Motorsports

• F-1, Great Britain Grand Prix, ESPN2, 6:55 a.m.

• IMSA Chevrolet Grand Prix, 3, 9 a.m.

• NASCAR Cup Series, Quaker State 400, USA, 4 p.m.

Soccer CONCACAF Gold Cup

• Quarterfinal, Teams TBA, FS1, 2 p.m.

• Quarterfinal, Teams TBA, FS1, 5 p.m.

Women’s International Friendly

• USA vs. Wales, TNT, 1 p.m.

Tennis

• Wimbledon, ESPN, 5 a.m.

• Wimbledon, 7, 10, 10 a.m.

Duran, Verdugo homer as Red Sox rout A’s at Fenway

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

BOSTON — It’s Jarren

Duran’s world. The Red Sox are just living in it.

Duran went 3-for-5 with a homer, double and three RBIs as the Red Sox routed the Athletics, 10-3, on Saturday afternoon.

James Paxton went six solid innings in his return from paternity leave and Alex Verdugo homered as Boston won its seventh game in eight tries. With the win, the Red Sox improved to 47-43; the club has the chance to get to five games above .500 with a win in Sunday’s firsthalf finale.

It didn’t take long for the Red Sox to blitz A’s replacement starter Austin Pruitt, who was a late addition after Paul Blackburn was scratched due to illness before the game. Duran singled and stole second before Justin Turner opened the scoring with a rocket single off the Green Monster. The next batter, Verdugo, lifted a

MLB players’ union to negotiate if A’s need temporary home park

bill ShAikin LOS ANGELES TIMES

SEATTLE — The Oakland Athletics plan to play the 2024 season at the Oakland Coliseum, the final year under their lease. They plan to open their new stadium in Las Vegas for the 2028 season.

That leaves three seasons when the A’s would need a home, and the team would not make that decision on its own.

Major League Baseball would work with the A’s, but the players’ union would have to approve the interim plans, which could involve one or more temporary homes.

The union has no say in whether the A’s move, but the league must negotiate the effects of the move – the working conditions – with the union.

“The logistics and the effects bargaining is going to have us front and

Local

From Page B6

center,” Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark said Saturday.

The A’s have said they could share the minor league stadium in Las Vegas with the TripleA team currently there. They could play some games in minor league stadiums – in Reno, Sacramento or elsewhere. They could ask Oakland for a lease extension, or ask the San Francisco Giants for permission to share their ballpark.

MLB owners first must approve the move to Las Vegas. At that point, Clark said, the union would become involved in discussions, particularly if minor league ballparks are part of the plan for an interim home.

“We would have a conversation about the field,” he said. “We would have a conversation about the conditions and travel. We

for the Fairfield American Legion summer baseball team (40-11), including seven straight victories since returning from the annual Oregon trip.

Blake Bozzini had three hits and drove in a run for the Expos. Aaron Strong went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Noah Rodda had two hits and knocked in a run. Drew Carrington also had two hits.

would have conversations about the amenities and housing and support that would be around the ballpark, and around the area, for the players and their families.”

The president of the minor league team in Las Vegas has said he might need to replace grass with artificial turf in order to accommodate what would be almost daily use by the Triple-A team and the A’s. The minor league stadium does not have a roof, and the current 10-day forecast for Las Vegas shows highs ranging from 106 to 115 degrees.

“We would have to make sure that the quality of that turf, if that’s what happens, or the quality of the grass and the support for it, if that’s what happens, is up to snuff,” Clark said.

“You’re talking about playing conditions. We are going to be a part of

shcard pushed across a run. Grant Genter, Jackson Kolakoski and Carrington took turns on the mound. The Expos continue to tune up for this year’s Area 1 tournament, which will begin Thursday at Laurel Creek.

Pony League hosting international event

towering two-run shot over Pesky’s Pole to make it 3-0.

Duran went to the opposite field for a two-run homer in the second to make it 5-0, then after Manny Piña put the A’s on the board with a solo homer, a Connor Wong sacrifice fly in the third inning once again made it a five-run game. Masataka Yoshidadoubled, then scored on a Rafael Devers double to make it 7-1 in the fourth.

In the fifth, Christian Arroyo doubled, then scored when Duran’s third hit of the game bounced into the stands for a ground-rule double. A Yoshida RBI single made it 9-1. A’s outfielder Brent Rooker tagged Paxton for a solo shot in the sixth, only for the Red Sox to answer back with a run on another Arroyo double in the seventh. A JJ Bleday RBI single made it 10-3 in the eighth.

Duran entered hitting .410 (25-for-61) with 13 extra-base hits.

Janric Classic Sudoku

A.J. Perrin, Eli Blurton, Cy Dempsay and Jace Parkinson all had a hit and an RBI. Connor Bro-

VACAVILLE — Vacaville Pony Baseball will host the 2023 Pony International Mustang 9U World Series beginning Friday, July 21, at Keating Park.

Teams from Japan, Mexico, Honduras and four others from

By John Andrew Agpalo

that conversation in one fashion or another, to insure that the quality of play and the standard to which players are accustomed and the safety that is required for players to play on any surface is adhered to.”

If the A’s opt to play in multiple temporary homes, Clark said the union would again be involved – a point he said the MLBPA reinforced during the recent exploration of whether the Rays could become a two-city team that split its home games between Montreal and the Tampa Bay area.

Clark was a player in 2003 and 2004 when the Expos split the final two years of their existence by splitting home games between Montreal and San Juan, Puerto Rico. That in part involved ensuring options for accommodations for players and their families.

the United States will be joining the Vacaville squad for an opening ceremonies at the California Drive facility that Friday. There will be four games Friday, Saturday and Sunday to determine who will play for the championship Monday, July 24. The event is open to the public. The gate fee will be $10 for 12 and up, $5 for ages 6-12 and 5 and under are free. Follow tournament announcements on Instagram, @ vacaville_pony_baseball ,and Facebook, Vacaville Pony baseball as well as www.mustang9worldseries.org. For any questions, email the league at vacavillepony@gmail.com.

©

7/9/23

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tate,orboth,of: Peter R. Giampaoli APetitionforProbatehasbeenfiledby: Nancy Poffinbarger intheSuperiorCourtofCalifornia,County of: Solano ThePetitionforProbaterequeststhat: beappointedaspersonalrepresentative toadminist ertheestateofthedecedent. ThepetitionrequestsauthoritytoadministertheestateundertheIndependentAdministrationofEstatesAct.(Thisauthority willallowthepersonalrepresentativeto takemanyactionswithoutobtainingcourt approval.Beforetakingcertainveryimportantactions,however,thepersonal representativewillberequiredtogivenoticetointerestedpersonsunlessthey havewaivednoticeorconsentedtothe proposedaction.)Theindependentadministrationauthoritywillbegrantedunless aninterestedpersonfilesanobjectionto thepetitionandshowsgoodcausewhy thecourtshouldnotgranttheauthority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:

DATE: AUG 1, 2023; TIME: 9:00;

DEPT.: 22

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SOLANO Old Solano Courthouse 580 Texas Street Fairfield, CA 94533

If you object tothegrantingofthepetition,youshouldappearatthehearingand stateyourobjectionsorfilewrittenobjectionswiththecourtbeforethehearing. Yourappearancemaybeinpersonorby yourattorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, youmustfileyourclaimwiththecourtand mailacopytothepersonalrepresentative appointedbythecourtwithinthe later of either(1)four months fromthedateof firstissuanceofletterstoageneralpersonalrepresentative,asdefinedinsection58(b)oftheCaliforniaProbateCode, or(2) 60 days fromthedateofmailingor personaldeliverytoyouofanoticeunder section9052oftheCaliforniaProbate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may wantto consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

You may examine the file kept by the court.Ifyouareapersoninterestedinthe estate,youmayfilewiththecourtaRequestforSpecialNotice(formDE-154)of thefilingofaninventoryandappraisalof estateassetsorofanypetitionoraccount asprovidedinProbateCodesection 1250.ARequestforSpecialNoticeformis availablefromthecourtclerk. AttorneyforPetitioner:JasonBorg 9401E.StocktonBlvd.#225 ElkGrove,CA95624 (916)478-4234 DR#00064337 Published:July2,5,9,2023

Leon Keith Lakin APetitionforProbatehasbeenfiledby: Cheryl Doreen Soucie intheSuperiorCourtofCalifornia,County of: Solano ThePetitionforProbaterequeststhat: Cheryl Doreen Soucie beappointedaspersonalrepres entative toadministertheestateofthedecedent. ThepetitionrequestsauthoritytoadministertheestateundertheIndependentAdministrationofEstatesAct.(Thisauthority willallowthepersonalrepresentativeto takemanyactionswithoutobtainingcourt approval.Beforetakingcertainveryimportantactions,however,thepersonal representativewillberequiredtogivenoticetointerestedpersonsunlessthey havewaivednoticeorconsentedtothe proposedaction.)Theindependentadministrationauthoritywillbegrantedunless aninterestedpersonfilesanobjectionto thepetitionandshowsgoodcausewhy thecourtshouldnotgranttheauthority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:

DATE: JULY 25, 2023; TIME: 9:00am; DEPT.: 22 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SOLANO COUNTY Old Solano Courthouse 580 Texas Street Fairfield, CA 94533 If you object tothegrantingofthepetition,youshouldappearatthehearingand stateyourobjectionsorfilewrittenobjectionswiththecourtbeforethehearing. Yourappearancemaybeinpersonorby yourattorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, youmustfileyourclaimwiththecourtand mailacopytothepersonalrepresentative appointedbythecourtwithinthe later of either(1)four months fromthedateof firstissuanceoflettersto ageneralpersonalrepresentative,asdefinedinsection58(b)oftheCaliforniaProbateCode, or(2) 60 days fromthedateofmailingor personaldeliverytoyouofanoticeunder section9052oftheCaliforniaProbate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may wantto consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court.Ifyouareapersoninterestedinthe estate,youmayfilewiththecourtaRequestforSpecialNotice(formDE-154)of thefilingofaninventoryandappraisalof estateassetsorofanypetitionoraccount asprovidedinProbateCodesection 1250.ARequestforSpecialNoticeformis availablefromthecourtclerk.

Petitioner:CherylDoreenSoucie 7657HarvestLane, Vacaville,SolanoCounty, California,UnitedStates,95688 +17072498364 DR#00064364

75 years after Satchel Paige’s debut, salute to ‘Black Aces’ asks what might have been

Vahe GreGorian THE KANSAS CITY STAR

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —

Could be that Satchel Paige was 42 years old when he made his first Ameri can League appearance 75 years ago July 9. Then again, he might have been 52 or some other age altogether after Cleve land owner Bill Veeck purchased his contract from the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues in 1948.

After all, as Paige once said, a goat ate the family Bible with his birth certif icate in it. So who’s to say if he actually was born on July 7, 1906?

What we do know is that the “age-old mystery,” as Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick calls it, was part of why few MLB owners were inclined to sign Paige – who is at the epi center of the latest exhibit at the NLBM:

“Black Aces” cele brates the history of Black and Latino pitchers in the Negro Leagues and majors while speaking to the anguishing matter of what might have been if not for the racism that stained baseball history.

“Don’t look back, some thing might be gaining on you” was one of Paige’s famous rules for staying young.

But looking back is fundamental to understanding the context of his career, among so many others of the era, and reminding us of the historic baseball consequences of American apartheid.

What inspired the exhibit, Kendrick said, was the enchanting man who perhaps most epitomized the Negro Leagues and something he once said about his peers: “’There were a lot of Satchel Paiges that called the Negro Leagues home.’ ”

Some Negro Leagues players never got the chance

So even as the exhibit tips its cap to the all-toofew 15 Black 20-game winners in major league history, it also pays homage to the many Negro Leagues players who might have done the same given the opportunity.

“What was it like for players who came before me?” Jim “Mudcat” Grant, the first Black 20-game winner in the American League (1965), wrote in “The Black Aces,” his book on the topic. “What might the great Negro Leagues ballplayers have accomplished if they were allowed to compete?

What greatness were we deprived of experiencing because of the ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ and Jim

Crow laws?”

Greatness in the form of Martin “El Maestro”

Dihigo, John Donaldson, Negro Leagues founder Rube Foster, Jose “The Black Diamond” Mendez, Dick “Cannonball” Redding, Bullet Rogan, Hilton Smith … and plenty more.

But the display revolves around the vivid case in point of Paige, who made his home in Kansas City and is buried (as is Buck O’Neil) in Forest Hills Cemetery at a well-worthvisiting monument there known as Paige Island.

Paige died in 1982, 11 years after entering the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the first player honored primarily for his career in the Negro Leagues. He also earned international fame in barnstorming across the United States, Caribbean and Central America and pitching in an estimated 2,500 games, completing 55 no-hitters and performing before crowds estimated at 10 million people, according to The New York Times.

His vast legacy, incidentally, includes the pleasant fact that he was the favorite player of one Pat Mahomes. The longtime major league

pitcher so liked to emulate Paige’s stylings that his son, Patrick, became intrigued with such creativity and acknowledges its influence on his own incomparable game.

Imagine, though, if Paige had been able to pitch in the mainstream spotlight before he was in his 40s.

At 40-plus, one way or another, he went 28-33 in five seasons with Cleveland and the St. Louis Browns before capping his career with three fabled shutout innings for the Kansas City Athletics in 1965.

Yes, he twice was an American League All-Star and won 12 games in 1952. But that was only a sliver of what the man with a jaw-dropping array of pitches – and colorful nicknames for them – could have had on his ledger if he hadn’t been denied until 1948.

Satchel Paige was an ageless wonder

Some of the 1948 news reports of Paige being signed focused on the age of the oldest rookie in MLB history. But the ever-looming matter of race remained entwined with his arrival a year after Jackie Robinson emerged

as the first Black player in the major leagues of the modern era and Larry Doby (11 weeks later) and three others soon followed.

(Some points of order here: When Buck O’Neil would hear what a shame it was that many Negro Leagues players never got to play against “the best,” he liked to say, “How do you know that I didn’t play against the best?” And in 2020, MLB announced that it would classify Negro Leagues statistics from 1920 to 1948 as “major league.”)

Never mind that Paige’s charisma and flair and barnstorming history against white players before white crowds and knack for making friends everywhere along the way had made him so popular as to in some ways transcend race.

So much so that Kendrick believes Paige would have faced far less hatred as the first Black player than did Robinson, who was no-nonsense and a then-rare collegeeducated player and lesser-known than Paige. But the inherent volatility of any pitcher – particularly an aging one – being the first increased the risk of a mission that “could not fail,” as Kendrick put it.

Even given Paige’s broad appeal in 1948, The Sporting News among others to object in code wrote that the infinitely popular Paige “would not have drawn a second thought” from Veeck if he’d been white.

To that and other such sentiments, Veeck flipped the script to the heart of the issue: If Paige had been white, he responded, according to Kendrick, he’d have been playing in the major leagues 25 years before.

While publicity no doubt was part of the inspiration of the ingenious Veeck, Paige reinforced that assertion he belonged long before by becoming essential to Cleveland’s World Series triumph. He also repeatedly drew crowds of 70,000-plus in his starts, beginning with 72,434 in first major league start on Aug. 3, 1948.

At one point throwing back-to-back shutouts within 28 straight scoreless innings, Paige went 6-1 with a 2.48 ERA for a team that needed every victory to finish the regular season tied with the Boston Red Sox at 96-58. Cleveland advanced to the World Series with an 8-3 tiebreaker win and went on to beat the Boston Braves in six games.

Paige appeared once in that World Series, in a hit-free bullpen stint the Boston Globe described thusly: “The crowd howled with glee. He had helped (Cleveland) to their pennant and the customers loved him for this as well as his perplexing pitching.”

‘Like breaking the sound barrier’

Such milestones, though, didn’t erase the millstone of lingering stigmas and even traumas wrought by racism.

The first Black pitcher in the major leagues was Dan Bankhead, who joined Robinson’s Dodgers in August 1947. He had “electric stuff,” Kendrick said, but grappled with his control for reasons Buck O’Neil believed were deep-seated.

“Dan was scared to death that he was going to hit a white boy with a pitch,” he said in Joe Posnanski’s book, “The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O’Neil’s America.”

He added: “He thought there might be some sort of riot if he did it. … Dan was always from Alabama, you know what I mean? He heard all those people calling him names, making those threats, and he was scared. He’d seen Black men get lynched.”

Entrenched biases underscored the dynamics for decades after.

“There was this underlying belief that the Black athlete, just like the Black quarterback, was not smart enough to play that position,” Kendrick said. “I do also think that you had others who felt compelled that if these Black athletes were going to play in the major leagues that they were going to play every day: They weren’t going to work every fourth or fifth game.”

So there remain just 15 Black men among the 839 overall to have won 20 or more majorleague games, starting with Don Newcombe in 1951 and bookended by David Price in 2012.

One way to look at the achievement is depicted at the exhibit: “For a pitcher to win 20 games is like breaking the sound barrier, is like an actor winning the Academy Award, like winning eight gold medals, like going around the world in 79 days,” Vida Blue, a three-time 20-game winner, told longtime Bay Area sportswriter Ron Bergman in 1973.

And it’s all the more rare now in the age of specialized roles and reliance on bullpens. Entering this season, there have been only two 20-game winners since Mizzou’s Max Scherzer went 20-7 for Washington in 2016.

“You don’t control your own fate now,” Kendrick said. “As Bob Gibson (a five-time 20-game winner with the Cardinals) once said, ‘If you want to win games, then you take care of the game.’

“I think Gibson would say, ‘I trust me more than I trust those other guys.’ ”

Meanwhile, Black pitchers, and thus opportunities to become 20-game winners, are rare today for an entirely different reason than they were 75 years ago. Far fewer are playing the sport to begin with, studies have long shown, leading to this:

In 1991, MLB rosters were made up of 18% Black players. On opening day 2023, it was 6.2% while 30.2% were Hispanic or Latino.

On balance, those numbers in the report card from the Institute For Diversity And Ethics In Sport is an affirmation that “the path paved” long ago “is becoming a reality for so many more players of color.”

That distinction is a discussion in itself, but it surely does reflect one other reality:

That path for all players of color was forged by so many who didn’t get to properly prosper by it, including the icon whose grave marker quite rightly calls him “a legend in life, an immortal in death.”

Dreamstime/TNS

A plaque in the center field area of progressive Field in Cleveland pays tribute to legendary pitcher satchel paige.

Megan Rapinoe will retire after World Cup and NWSL season

A lex Simon

And michAel nowelS

BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

SAN JOSE — One of the most charismatic, outspoken players in modern American sport will leave the field later this year.

Megan Rapinoe, a twotime World Cup champion and the face of this era’s U.S. women’s soccer team, announced at a press conference Saturday in San Jose that she will retire after this NWSL season.

“I could’ve just never imagined where this beautiful game would’ve taken me,” Rapinoe said during the news conference at PayPal Park. “I feel so honored to be able to have represented this country and this federation for so many years. It’s truly been the greatest thing that I’ve ever done.”

The U.S. women are in the Bay Area for a tune-up match Sunday against Wales before they depart for the World Cup, Rapinoe’s fourth, in Australia and New Zealand. The tournament begins July 20.

While Rapinoe’s role on this year’s team isn’t defined and she may be more of a player-coach than an on-field star, the announcement likely means she’ll get a chance to play on Sunday in the send-off. It would be her 200th appearance for the USWNT, making her the 14th American woman to reach

200 national team caps.

“She’s had an incredible career and I have loved being her teammate along the way and will continue to love that for the rest of this summer,” said Alex Morgan, who became the 13th player to reach the 200-appearance mark last November.

“She’s just a great player that has done so much for this program, so much for soccer in general, and I’m just really happy for that.”

Rapinoe’s club team, the OL Reign of Seattle, will honor her during its final game of this regular season, on Oct. 6.

The 38-year-old midfielder from Redding has made her name off the field, sparring with former president Donald Trump, pushing for equal pay for the USWNT, and otherwise advocating for social justice. She was a vocal supporter of 49ers quar-

terback Colin Kaepernick when he protested the national anthem.

“Honestly, she’s always been a huge advocate for this team,” Morgan said.

“She’s been the backbone of this team. Whether it’s going through the equal pay fight, going through standing up for marginalized communities and backgrounds. She’s someone who is going to stand up when it’s not always a popular opinion. She’s stuck to that and I respect her so much.”

A teary Crystal Dunn added, “[Rapinoe] is an incredible person, human being, friend, teammate. I just love her so much. She’s been so key for me and my career. She’s somebody that I can call with the most random stuff. She’s so incredible. She’s so key for this team, on and off the field.”

Rapinoe’s fiancee,

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former Seattle Storm star Sue Bird, retired after last WNBA season and had a farewell tour that Rapinoe’s next few months will likely mirror. Bird’s retirement tour elevated a question that Rapinoe had been mulling since capturing her second World Cup in France in 2019.

“Since the final whistle in Lyon, this has been sort of a question I’ve been grappling with and struggling with a lot,” Rapinoe said. “I feel as excited to play the rest of my career as I do to retire and to step away from this beautiful game.”

While it’s not in her hometown in far-northern California, the tune-up match in San Jose is about as close as Rapinoe will get to a homecoming match, making it “kind of perfect” as the site of the final stateside match currently on her calendar (though a USWNT match celebrating Rapinoe could be added).

“It does feel very special,” Rapinoe said, adding that over 40 family members will be in attendance on Sunday. “It means a lot to be able to do it in the Bay. It feels like a second home – from the Bay to Sacramento to Redding, that all feels like home.

“I grew up playing here, playing all over this area. That’s where crazy little Megan got her start. So it feels right to say that I’m ending here.”

Three Tigers pitchers combine on no-hitter

Tribune conTenT Agency

DETROIT — He knew he was going to get booed. He was probably booing himself. But he also knew he had to do what he did.

Right-hander Matt Manning walked Cavan Biggio with two outs in the sixth inning. In just his third start after missing more than two months with a broken bone in his foot, he was at 91 pitches and the Tigers were clinging to a two-run lead.

Manager AJ Hinch bolted out of the dugout to make a pitching change.

Most of the 30,621 fans at Comerica Park Saturday booed. Manning

hadn’t allowed a hit. He’d walked three and hit one, but he hadn’t allowed a hit and Hinch was interrupting a history-making bid.

History could wait. With the rash of pitcher injuries the Tigers have endured the last two years –Manning missed a chunk of time last season, too – and given that Hinch was still kicking himself a little bit for staying with Alex Faedo a tick too long Friday night and the fact he had the back end of his bullpen rested and ready – the move, as unpopular as it might have been, was a no-brainer.

The move was vindicated. Jason Foley got the final out of the seventh, pitched a clean and eighth and Alex

Lange plowed through the top of the Toronto batting order in the ninth – Bo Bichette, Brandon Belt and Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. – and the Tigers pitched a combined no-hitter and beat the Blue Jays, 2-0.

The last Tigers’ no-hitter was May 19, 2021, thrown by Spencer Turnbull. Saturday’s was the first combined no-hitter in the team’s history.

The start of the game was delayed an hour and 22 minutes by steady rainfall. And it was still raining hard when Manning took the mound to start the game at 2:32 p.m. And he struggled mightily with the wet mound, the slippery ball, his grip, everything.

1: Ann Rollin, 25. 2: Debra Baker, 26.

3: Judy Royle, 29.

4: Barb Jacobson, 30. 5: Kitty Lockwood, 31. 6: Pat Moffett, 32.

Flight: 16-18

1: Kay Bone, 24.

2: Nancy Schlesinger, 25.

3: Berna LaPointe,

Giants

From Page B1

designated for assignment earlier this year, hit a solo shot off Walker in the second inning for his first long ball of the season.

The Giants scored two in the first inning on a tworun, opposite-field blast by Michael Conforto. He got a high slider from Rockies starter Connor Seabold and poked it just far enough to left field, where the ball bounced off the top of the wall and into the stands for his 13th home run of the season.

And in the fourth, the Giants’ catchers produced a run when Patrick Bailey smoked a double to deep right-center and Blake Sabol slapped a line drive to center to score him, giving the Giants a 3-2 lead.

Wilmer Flores made a bold decision that nearly cost the Giants in the fifth inning, when he tried to

Camp

From Page B1

the NFL where he played in a total of 48 games with the Cleveland Browns (2012); Kansas City Chiefs (2013-14); and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins (2015).

Now Johnson is a firefighter in Oakland. He was thrilled to be back on the field, helping the kids running through station drills at his old high school.

“It’s something I’m passionate about,” Johnson said. “I want to help the kids. It makes me happy. I’ve been busy with my second job, but I need to get involved and give back to the community and youth. I have a lot of knowledge to share.”

turn a single into a double on a blooper into shallow left field. He was ruled out initially, but a challenge revealed Flores’ nifty slide to the back corner of the base snuck in just before the tag to put himself into scoring position.

Manager Gabe Kapler then turned to his bench and it paid off.

Kapler used Austin Slater to pinch-hit for Mike Yastrzemski with a premium matchup for the lefty-killing Slater against southpaw Brad Hand. Hand lobbed a juicy slider over the plate and Slater devoured it for a no-doubter, a two-run shot that gave the Giants shutdown bullpen a cushy three-run lead.

The Giants missed Slater when he began the year on the injured list, returned in late April and played for only two weeks before he got hurt again. But he’s played regularly since late May.

camp for years. There were rows of vendors and local company representatives at one end of the stadium. There was also a DJ on hand playing music and offering occasional football commentary. The camp comes at a good time for many young athletes. The high school players are in the middle of what is the Sac-Joaquin Section’s “Dead Period.” No official team practices are allowed until every team starts fresh in late July. The camp offers a chance to get in a few extra steps and drills before the season begins.

“When I look at these kids, I see the future,” Crawford said. “This area, right now, is getting a lot of talent coming through. I just want to help give them the knowledge and the exposure, and show them, “This is the way you need to go.’”

With the 10th anniversary of the camp coming next year, there is now talk of a three-day event next July. Crawford has no thoughts of ending his run any time soon.

saric

From Page B1

Campers got hydration breaks, lunch and a camp T-shirt. They also got instruction on the various fundamentals of offense and defense from the former pros, area athletes and coaches who have become “family” to Crawford. Some of the kids have been attending the 36 minutes. Those numbers are similar to Otto Porter Jr.’s key contributions as a stretch big for the Warriors in their 2021-22 championship run.

Saric had an ACL injury that cost him the entire 2020-2021 season in which Phoenix made the NBA Finals. Saric’s addition to the

team comes on the heels of the Warriors signing Draymond Green to a fouryear, $100 million deal, trading Jordan Poole and two second-year players for 38-year-old Chris Paul and adding veteran point guard Cory Joseph in free agency. The Warriors now have 13 of their 15 roster spots filled. Their moves signal they are going all in on their championship window by leaning on veteran experience over youth.

Steph Chambers/Getty Images/TNS file (2022)

Megan rapinoe of oL reign looks on during the first half against the Washington spirit at Lumen Field in seattle, May 22, 2022.