mercurynews--2020-08-24--Harriette Cole: I got a DNA test done to end the drama, and now I’m in a dark place

DEAR HARRIETTE : I have a 4-month-old daughter with a woman I never dated exclusively but was hanging out with for a while .
When she told me she was pregnant , I asked about any other men , and she said there was no one else .
I accepted that , and my family and I stood by her the whole pregnancy .
I love my daughter with all my heart , and we co-parent great .
Recently , her ex-boyfriend ’ s friend reached out to me suggesting I get a DNA test .
I went back and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the day my daughter was born .
Rumors about our child have circled so much that I finally decided to get a test done to end the drama .
I never believed that she was not my daughter because I knew in my heart she was mine .
But when I received the results , it turned out she was not mine .
The news put me in a dark place , and I am having a hard time letting her go .
I dropped everything in my life to move to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ m so hurt by the news .
I ’ m lost as to what to do .
• Harriette Cole : My kids took ancestry tests , and their father is going to be furious • Harriette Cole : Being a generous guest costs me too much • Harriette Cole : I ’ m different , and my boss won ’ t accept that • Harriette Cole : My young siblings want to live with me , not with our parents • Harriette Cole : My shy roommate now has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HEARTBROKEN FATHER : Your daughter is yours , perhaps not by blood , but surely by love .
Unless the biological father steps up to take care of this child , you should consider continuing in this role .
Further , if you are in a relationship with this woman , sit down with her and map out your future .
There is no reason why you can not make a family with her and the child if that is your shared choice .
DEAR HARRIETTE : I am a landlord with two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tenants do not get along .
They are always emailing and calling me to complain about what the other has done .
I have never had so many issues with tenants before .
With quarantine , I guess they became too much for each other and finally the police were involved .
At this point , I no longer want to rent to either of them .
They are both currently month-to-month .
I have been speaking with my lawyer to figure out the best way to ask them to leave .
Is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beforehand ?
Should I have the three of us sit down and lay out some ground rules ?
What is the best route for this conversation ?
DEAR LANDLORD MEDIATOR : If you are trying to force these people to move out , you must work closely with your attorney .
Depending on where you live , it can be very difficult to evict tenants .
You need to follow the letter of the law in order to ensure that you can get them out .
I do not recommend inviting them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to go because they don ’ t get along .
You are past the stage when mediation will calm them .
Figure out the timeline through the law .
Then let them know individually when they must leave .
Be prepared to get pushback that may require you to go to court .
Document everything so that you have clear , provable reasons for needing them to go .
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS , an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams .
You can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication , 1130 Walnut St. , Kansas City , MO 64106 .

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a 4-month-old daughter with a woman I never dated exclusively but was hanging out with for a while. When she told me she was pregnant, I asked about any other men, and she said there was no one else. I accepted that, and my family and I stood by her the whole pregnancy.
I love my daughter with all my heart, and we co-parent great.
Recently, her ex-boyfriend’s friend reached out to me suggesting I get a DNA test. I went back and forth about doing a test for myself since the day my daughter was born. Rumors about our child have circled so much that I finally decided to get a test done to end the drama. I never believed that she was not my daughter because I knew in my heart she was mine. But when I received the results, it turned out she was not mine.
The news put me in a dark place, and I am having a hard time letting her go. I dropped everything in my life to move to another state to be closer to her. I’m so hurt by the news. I’m lost as to what to do.
Heartbroken Father
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Harriette Cole: I’m ashamed to tell people I forgave my childhood friend Advice | Harriette Cole: I’ve worked hard, and my poor siblings resent my success DEAR HEARTBROKEN FATHER: Your daughter is yours, perhaps not by blood, but surely by love.
Unless the biological father steps up to take care of this child, you should consider continuing in this role. Further, if you are in a relationship with this woman, sit down with her and map out your future. There is no reason why you cannot make a family with her and the child if that is your shared choice.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a landlord with two tenants in a two-family home. My tenants do not get along. They are always emailing and calling me to complain about what the other has done. I have never had so many issues with tenants before.
With quarantine, I guess they became too much for each other and finally the police were involved.
At this point, I no longer want to rent to either of them. They are both currently month-to-month. I have been speaking with my lawyer to figure out the best way to ask them to leave.
Is there anything else that I can do beforehand? Should I have the three of us sit down and lay out some ground rules? What is the best route for this conversation?
Landlord Mediator
DEAR LANDLORD MEDIATOR: If you are trying to force these people to move out, you must work closely with your attorney. Depending on where you live, it can be very difficult to evict tenants. You need to follow the letter of the law in order to ensure that you can get them out.
I do not recommend inviting them to a group sit-down discussion. You want them to go because they don’t get along. You are past the stage when mediation will calm them.
Figure out the timeline through the law. Then let them know individually when they must leave. Be prepared to get pushback that may require you to go to court. Document everything so that you have clear, provable reasons for needing them to go.
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.


mercurynews--2020-08-25--Republicans paint dark picture of future if Trump loses

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Republicans opened Monday night ’ s prime-time convention with dark warnings about America ’ s future if President Donald Trump doesn ’ t win a second term , casting him as a protector of religious freedom , the nation ’ s workers and much more .
A school teacher warned that conservative values were under attack from labor unions .
A small business owner charged that businesses across America were facing unwarranted pandemic shutdowns and riotous mobs .
And Rep. Matt Gaetz , R-Fla. , likened the prospect of Democrat Joe Biden ’ s election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll disarm you , empty the prisons , lock you in your home , and invite MS-13 to live next door , ” Gaetz declared .
Trump , who was not scheduled to deliver his keynote convention address until later in the week , made multiple public appearances throughout the first day of the four-day convention .
And while the evening programming was carefully scripted , Trump was not .
“ The only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election , ” Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Carolina , raising anew his unsupported concerns about Americans ’ expected reliance on mail voting during the pandemic .
Experts say mail voting has proven remarkably secure .
The GOP convention marks a crucial moment for Trump , a first-term Republican president tasked with reshaping a campaign he is losing by all accounts , at least for now .
A deep sense of pessimism has settled over the electorate 10 weeks before Election Day .
Just 23 % of Americans think the country is heading in the right direction , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center for Public Affairs Research .
The evening program highlighted the tension within Trump ’ s Republican Party .
His harsh attacks against Democrats who are trying to expand mail voting and demonstrators protesting deaths in police custody , for example , often delight his die-hard loyalists .
Yet the party pointed to a somewhat more diverse convention lineup with a more inclusive message designed to expand Trump ’ s political coalition beyond his white , working-class base .
Two of the three final speakers on the prime-time program were people of color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nations Nikki Haley and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott , the only Black Republican in the Senate .
And one of several African Americans on the schedule , former football star Herschel Walker , defended the president against those who call him a racist .
“ It hurts my soul to hear the terrible names that people call Donald , ” Walker said in prepared remarks .
“ The worst one is ‘ racist.
’ I take it as a personal insult that people would think I would have a 37-year friendship with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the night , the program featured Mark and Patricia McCloskey , the St. Louis couple arrested after pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters marching past their home .
“ Democrats no longer view the government ’ s job as protecting honest citizens from criminals , but rather protecting criminals from honest citizens , ” the McCloskeys said in prepared remarks that broke from the optimistic vision for America organizers promised .
They added : “ Make no mistake : No matter where you live , your family will not be safe in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic is a major theme in the early program as well .
A collection of average Americans praise Trump ’ s leadership on the nation ’ s worst health threat in a century , even as the United States surpasses other countries on death and infection rates .
To date , the death toll exceeds 177,000 Americans with no sign of slowing .
Trump has downplayed the threat of the deadly disease for most of the year , as he did again on Monday , when he suggested that a vaccine could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not being better prepared when the pandemic exploded earlier in the year .
Those cheering Trump ’ s leadership on the pandemic included a coronavirus patient , a small business owner from Montana and a nurse practitioner from Virginia .
“ As a healthcare professional , I can tell you without hesitation , Donald Trump ’ s quick action and leadership saved thousands of lives during COVID-19 , ” Amy Ford , a registered nurse who was deployed to New York and Texas to fight the coronavirus , said in prepared remarks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ evening program were prerecorded , while others were to be delivered live from a Washington auditorium .
The fact that the Republicans gathered at all stood in contrast to the Democrats , who held an all-virtual convention last week .
The Democratic programming included a well-received roll call video montage featuring diverse officials from across the nation .
The Republicans spoke from the ballroom in Charlotte and were overwhelmingly white .
Trump said he had made the trip to North Carolina to contrast himself with his Democratic rival , who never traveled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convention was originally supposed to be held .
The president has sought to minimize the toll of the coronavirus pandemic and he barely addressed it on Monday , but its impact was plainly evident at the Charlotte Convention Center , where just 336 delegates gathered instead of the thousands once expected to converge on this city for a week-long extravaganza .
Attendees sat at well-spaced tables at first and masks were mandatory , though many were seen flouting the regulation .
Trump also panned the state ’ s Democratic governor for restrictions put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of the virus , which has killed more than 175,000 people in the country and infected millions .
The president accused Gov .
Roy Cooper of “ being in a total shutdown mode , ” and claimed the restrictions were aimed at trying to hurt his campaign .
Mecklenburg County Health Director Gibbie Harris said she had “ shared concern about the lack of mask wearing and social distancing in the room ” with RNC staff and had “ been assured that they are working hard to address these issues.
” Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American people that the president deserves a second term .
Aides want the convention to recast the story of Trump ’ s presidency and present the election as a choice between his vision for America ’ s future and the one presented by Biden .
“ Over the next four days , President Trump and Republicans are going to talk about all we have achieved the past four years , and cast an aspirational , forward-looking vision about what we can achieve in the next four , ” said GOP Chair Ronna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican nomination , delegates gathered in North Carolina also approved a handful of new resolutions , including one to keep Columbus Day as a federal holiday and one that labels the Southern Poverty Law Center , which catalogs the country ’ s hate groups , as a “ radical organization.
” Another bemoans “ cancel culture , ” warning that it “ has grown into erasing of history , encouraging lawlessness , muting citizens and violating free exchange of ideas , thoughts , and speech.
” But the delegates did not vote on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the party ’ s positions on key issues , after a unanimous vote to forgo one this year .
Democrats were content to let Trump ’ s unfiltered message drive the day .
While he campaigned aggressively across the country throughout last week ’ s Democratic convention , Biden made no public appearance on Monday .
Peoples reported from New York .
Associated Press writer Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report .

By STEVE PEOPLES, MICHELLE L. PRICE and ZEKE MILLER
WASHINGTON (AP) — A rising generation of Republican stars offered an optimistic view of President Donald Trump’s leadership on Monday, but were undermined on the opening night of the GOP’s scaled-back convention by speakers issuing dark warnings about the country’s future and distorting the president’s record, particularly on the pandemic.
As Trump faces pressure to expand his appeal beyond his loyal supporters, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the Senate’s sole Black Republican, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, the daughter of Indian immigrants, sought to cast the GOP as welcoming to Americans of color, despite the party’s overwhelmingly white leadership and voting base.
“I was a brown girl in a black and white world,” Haley said, noting that she faced discrimination but rejecting the idea that “America is a racist country.” She also gave a nod to the Black Lives Matter movement, saying “of course we know that every single Black life is valuable.”
But the prime-time convention proceedings, which featured a blend of taped and live speeches, focused largely on dire talk about Joe Biden, Trump’s Democratic challenger in the November election. Speakers ominously warned that electing Biden would lead to violence in American cities spilling into the suburbs, a frequent Trump campaign message with racist undertones. One speaker called Trump the “bodyguard of Western civilization.”
Scrambling to find a message that sticks, Trump’s team tried out multiple themes and tactics over the course of the night. They featured optimism from those who could represent the GOP’s future, attempts to characterize Biden as a vessel for socialists and far-left Democrats despite his moderate record, and humanizing stories about the 74-year-old man who sits in the Oval Office.
Trump and a parade of fellow Republicans misrepresented Biden’s agenda through the evening, falsely accusing him of proposing to defund police, ban oil fracking, take over health care, open borders and raise taxes on most Americans. They tried to assign positions of the Democratic left to a middle-of-the-road candidate who explicitly rejected many of the party’s most liberal positions through the primaries.
The opening night of the four-day convention reflected the rising urgency fueling Trump’s push to reshape a presidential contest that he is losing, at least for now, with Election Day just 10 weeks away. It will continue on Tuesday when first lady Melania Trump will deliver remarks from the White House.
Biden and his running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, are keeping a relatively low profile this week. In a tweet Monday night, Biden told supporters to “stay focused.”
The emphasis on diversity at Trump’s convention was an acknowledgement that he must expand his coalition beyond his largely white base. Polling shows that Black Americans continue to be overwhelmingly negative in their assessments of the president’s performance, with his approval hovering around 1 in 10 over the course of his presidency, according to Gallup polling.
One of several African Americans on Monday night’s schedule, former football star Herschel Walker, defended the president against those who call him a racist.
“It hurts my soul to hear the terrible names that people call Donald,” Walker said. “The worst one is ‘racist.’ I take it as a personal insult that people would think I would have a 37-year friendship with a racist.”
But that emphasis clashed with Trump’s instinct to energize his die-hard loyalists.
He featured, for example, Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple charged with felonies for pointing guns at what prosecutors deemed non-violent Black Lives Matter protesters marching past their home.
“What you saw happen to us could just as easily happen to any of you who are watching from quiet neighborhoods around our country,” Patricia McCloskey said, sitting on a couch in a wood-paneled room.
“They’ve actually charged us with felonies for daring to defend our home,” her husband said.
And Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida said Democrats will “disarm you, empty the prisons, lock you in your home, and invite MS-13 to live next door.”
Trump’s political future may depend on his ability to convince voters that America is on the right track, even as the coronavirus death toll exceeds 177,000 and pandemic-related job losses also reach into the millions
A deep sense of pessimism has settled over the electorate 10 weeks before Election Day. Just 23% of Americans think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Trump and his supporters touted his response to the pandemic while standing alongside front-line workers in the White House, although he glossed over the mounting death toll, the most in the world, and his administration’s struggle to control the disease.
Organizers also repeatedly sought to cast Trump as an empathetic figure, borrowing a page from the Democrats’ convention playbook a week ago that effectively highlighted Biden’s personal connection to voters.
Those cheering Trump’s leadership on the pandemic included a coronavirus patient, a small business owner from Montana and a nurse practitioner from Virginia.
“As a healthcare professional, I can tell you without hesitation, Donald Trump’s quick action and leadership saved thousands of lives during COVID-19,” said Amy Ford, a registered nurse who was deployed to New York and Texas to fight the coronavirus.
The first day of the 2020 Republican convention began early in the day as Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were renominated by delegates who gathered in Charlotte, the city that was originally selected to host the convention before the pandemic struck.
Trump paid a surprise visit and he city, where he warned delegates that “the only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election,” raising anew his unsupported concerns about Americans’ expected reliance on mail voting during the pandemic. Experts say mail voting has proven remarkably secure.
The fact that the Republicans gathered at all stood in contrast to the Democrats, who held an all-virtual convention last week. The Democratic programming included a well-received roll call video montage featuring diverse officials from across the nation.
The Republicans spoke from the ballroom in Charlotte and were overwhelmingly white before the proceedings moved to Washington for prime-time.
___
Peoples reported from New York. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Darlene Superville contributed from Charlotte, North Carolina.


mercurynews--2020-08-25--Longtime San Jose city attorney dies just weeks after retiring

Former San Jose City Attorney Rick Doyle , who spent the past two decades defending the city through some of its most tumultuous times , has died — just two weeks after he retired .
He was 65 .
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo , who worked with Doyle for 10 years as a council member and then as mayor , said Monday that the city had lost “ one of its greatest champions.
” “ Rick made a career out of fighting for our city , but through the toughest of battles — including his own courageous struggle against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be anything less than the incredibly kind , thoughtful , good-spirited person that made him so beloved as a colleague and a friend , ” Liccardo said .
“ I will miss him enormously , and my heart goes out to ( his wife ) Beckie and his family.
” Since 1985 , San Jose has only had two people serve as its city attorney — Doyle and his predecessor , Joan Gallo .
As San Jose ’ s lead city attorney , Doyle sat at the helm of a department with 87 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Doyle ’ s last day as lead city counsel was August 8 .
In an interview with this news organization earlier this month about his retirement , Doyle said he was going to “ miss the camaraderie and the people , not just in my own staff but in City Hall.
” “ Everybody ’ s going to have their different views and passions , but at the end of the day , they ’ re all trying to do the right thing , ” he said at the time .
Councilmember Dev @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s willingness to work with the council , indulge them in deeper discussions about the law and offer different interpretations .
“ A lot of lawyers default to telling you ‘ no you can ’ t do something ’ and Rick was more creative than that , ” Councilmember Dev Davis said .
“ He was able to tell us how we could do things that could help our residents , not just say ‘ no ’ , and I always appreciated that.
” Assistant City Attorney Nora Frimann is serving as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a permanent hire is conducted .
This story will be updated .

Former San Jose City Attorney Rick Doyle, who spent the past two decades defending the city through some of its most tumultuous times, has died — just two weeks after he retired. He was 65.
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, who worked with Doyle for 10 years as a council member and then as mayor, said Monday that the city had lost “one of its greatest champions.”
“Rick made a career out of fighting for our city, but through the toughest of battles — including his own courageous struggle against cancer — he never allowed himself to be anything less than the incredibly kind, thoughtful, good-spirited person that made him so beloved as a colleague and a friend,” Liccardo said. “I will miss him enormously, and my heart goes out to (his wife) Beckie and his family.”
Since 1985, San Jose has only had two people serve as its city attorney — Doyle and his predecessor, Joan Gallo. As San Jose’s lead city attorney, Doyle sat at the helm of a department with 87 full-time employees, including 48 lawyers.
Doyle guided the city through a plethora of continuous legal battles — from challenges to the city’s airport curfew to pension reductions for city employees to the city’s inclusionary affordable-housing policy.
In an interview with this news organization earlier this month about his retirement, Doyle said he was going to “miss the camaraderie and the people, not just in my own staff but in City Hall.”
“Everybody’s going to have their different views and passions, but at the end of the day, they’re all trying to do the right thing,” he said at the time.
Doyle passed away on Sunday.
Councilmember Dev Davis said she always admired Doyle’s willingness to work with the council, indulge them in deeper discussions about the law and offer different interpretations.
“A lot of lawyers default to telling you ‘no you can’t do something’ and Rick was more creative than that,” Councilmember Dev Davis said. “He was able to tell us how we could do things that could help our residents, not just say ‘no’, and I always appreciated that.”
Unlike the council members who sat next to Doyle on the dais at their weekly meetings, Doyle was never political. He was a “straight shooter” who always relied on the law rather than his emotions, according to Councilmember Lan Diep.
“He never made it about himself,” Diep said. “He’d answer the questions of different council members — trying to achieve different answers or outcomes — and would respond professionally without inserting his personal preferences or biases.”
Doyle’s last day as lead city counsel was August 8. Assistant City Attorney Nora Frimann is serving as the acting city attorney while a search for a permanent hire is conducted.


mercurynews--2020-08-25--New York AG seeks interview with Eric Trump

The New York state attorney general is asking for a court to compel Eric Trump to be deposed in an investigation of the Trump Organization .
In court filings Monday , Letitia James ’ office said Eric Trump initially agreed to sit for a deposition on July 22 , only to refuse , “ balking less than two days before he was scheduled by agreement to give testimony.
” James ’ office outlined the scope of the investigation into whether the Trump Organization “ improperly inflated the value of Mr. Trump ’ s assets on financial statements in order to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits.
” The attorney general ’ s office has been investigating President Donald Trump and the Trump Organization since 2019 , when Trump ’ s former attorney Michael Cohen testified before Congress that Trump ’ s annual financial statements inflated the values of his assets in order to secure favorable loans and insurance coverage , but deflated the value of other assets in order to reduce real estate taxes .
In the filing , James ’ office states Eric Trump ’ s attorney sent a letter to the attorney general saying he would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual under the Constitution ” as justification not to testify .
CNN has reached out to an attorney for Eric Trump for comment .
Alan Garten , chief legal officer for the Trump Organization , downplayed the development .
“ There has been no lawsuit filed by the NY Attorney General , ” Garten said .
“ This is simply a discovery dispute over documents and the like .
As the motion papers clearly state , the NY AG has made no determination that anything was improper or that any action is forthcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as appropriate.
” James ’ office also seeks a judge to compel testimony from other witnesses and documents .
Allen Weisselberg , the chief financial officer of the Trump Organization , testified over two days in July .
Trump ’ s long-time tax attorney Sheri Dillon was also deposed but the state says she declined to answer certain questions .
Several Trump Organization properties ’ financial dealings are being scrutinized as part of the investigation including Seven Springs Estate in Westchester County New York , 40 Wall Street , a building in Lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago , and Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles .
The filings allege , among other things , that Trump has omitted the Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago from his financial statements since 2009 , and that in 2010 , Fortress Credit Corporation agreed to forgive more than $ 100 million of the $ 150 million that was owed on the loan , as part of a discounted loan prepayment agreement .
The filing states that the amount of money that was forgiven “ may have been a taxable event to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ James ’ investigation is to determine if Trump listed that on his tax returns .
Duncan Levin , a former federal prosecutor who specialized in prosecuting financial crimes , said James is likely asking for the President ’ s tax returns as part of the investigation .
“ Loan forgiveness in virtually every instance should be disclosed to the IRS and the state tax authorities as income , and failure to list that could be a violation of state and federal tax law , ” Levin said .
“ It certainly sounds like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s tax returns.
” Levin said that while the Trump Organization could argue that James ’ office does not have the authority to request Trump ’ s tax returns , the Attorney General ’ s Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau has the jurisdiction to investigate “ complex financial crimes which cross county lines.
” The attorney general ’ s inquiry is separate from a broad criminal investigation into the Trump business by the office of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance .
The district attorney has been in a protracted legal battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s personal and business financial records and tax returns .
Lawyers for the district attorney have said the tax returns are key to their investigation .

By Sonia Moghe and Kara Scannell | CNN
The New York state attorney general is asking for a court to compel Eric Trump to be deposed in an investigation of the Trump Organization.
In court filings Monday, Letitia James’ office said Eric Trump initially agreed to sit for a deposition on July 22, only to refuse, “balking less than two days before he was scheduled by agreement to give testimony.”
James’ office outlined the scope of the investigation into whether the Trump Organization “improperly inflated the value of Mr. Trump’s assets on financial statements in order to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits.”
The attorney general’s office has been investigating President Donald Trump and the Trump Organization since 2019, when Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen testified before Congress that Trump’s annual financial statements inflated the values of his assets in order to secure favorable loans and insurance coverage, but deflated the value of other assets in order to reduce real estate taxes.
In the filing, James’ office states Eric Trump’s attorney sent a letter to the attorney general saying he would invoke “those rights afforded to every individual under the Constitution” as justification not to testify.
CNN has reached out to an attorney for Eric Trump for comment.
Alan Garten, chief legal officer for the Trump Organization, downplayed the development.
“There has been no lawsuit filed by the NY Attorney General,” Garten said. “This is simply a discovery dispute over documents and the like. As the motion papers clearly state, the NY AG has made no determination that anything was improper or that any action is forthcoming. We will respond to this motion as appropriate.”
James’ office also seeks a judge to compel testimony from other witnesses and documents.
Allen Weisselberg, the chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, testified over two days in July. Trump’s long-time tax attorney Sheri Dillon was also deposed but the state says she declined to answer certain questions.
Several Trump Organization properties’ financial dealings are being scrutinized as part of the investigation including Seven Springs Estate in Westchester County New York, 40 Wall Street, a building in Lower Manhattan, Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago, and Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles.
The filings allege, among other things, that Trump has omitted the Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago from his financial statements since 2009, and that in 2010, Fortress Credit Corporation agreed to forgive more than $100 million of the $150 million that was owed on the loan, as part of a discounted loan prepayment agreement. The filing states that the amount of money that was forgiven “may have been a taxable event to the borrower,” and part of James’ investigation is to determine if Trump listed that on his tax returns.
Duncan Levin, a former federal prosecutor who specialized in prosecuting financial crimes, said James is likely asking for the President’s tax returns as part of the investigation.
“Loan forgiveness in virtually every instance should be disclosed to the IRS and the state tax authorities as income, and failure to list that could be a violation of state and federal tax law,” Levin said. “It certainly sounds like the attorney general is asking for Trump’s tax returns.”
Levin said that while the Trump Organization could argue that James’ office does not have the authority to request Trump’s tax returns, the Attorney General’s Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau has the jurisdiction to investigate “complex financial crimes which cross county lines.”
The attorney general’s inquiry is separate from a broad criminal investigation into the Trump business by the office of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance. The district attorney has been in a protracted legal battle to obtain eight years of Trump’s personal and business financial records and tax returns. Lawyers for the district attorney have said the tax returns are key to their investigation.


mercurynews--2020-08-25--Police in Belarus detain opposition activists

MINSK , Belarus — Police in Belarus on Monday detained several leading opposition activists as well as a handful of protesters taking part in a wave of demonstrations challenging the reelection of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko in balloting that they say was rigged .
The Coordination Council , which was set up by the opposition to negotiate a transfer of power , said members Sergei Dylevsky and Olga Kovalkova were detained in the capital of Minsk .
Later in the day , the opposition also reported the detention of Alexander Lavrinovich , a strike leader at a major industrial plant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of several hundred people who had gathered in Minsk ’ s Independence Square on Monday , the 16th straight day of protests , and another five in other cities , activists said .
The actions signaled Lukashenko ’ s determination to stifle massive post-election demonstrations that have entered their third week .
The 65-year-old Belarusian leader , who has been in power since 1994 , toted an assault rifle in a show of force as he arrived at his residence by helicopter on Sunday while protesters rallied nearby .
Last week , Lukashenko @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members could face charges for creating what he described as a parallel government .
Prosecutors then opened a criminal inquiry on charges of undermining national security , an allegation rejected by the council .
Several other council members , including Belarus ’ most famous writer , Svetlana Alexievich , who won the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature , have been summoned for questioning over the protests in an apparent attempt by authorities to intimidate them .
Dylevsky played a leading role in organizing a strike at the Minsk Tractor Plant , one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week in support of the protests that posed a major challenge to Lukashenko .
Lavrinovich led the strike organizing committee at another major factory , the Minsk Wheeled Tow Truck Plant .
Kovalkova is a top associate of the main opposition challenger in the disputed Aug. 9 election , Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya , who entered the race after her husband was jailed and prevented from running .
She fled to Lithuania after the vote under official pressure .
Tsikhanouskaya met Monday with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun in Lithuania ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued by her campaign headquarters , she reaffirmed her readiness for talks on a transition of power to settle the crisis in Belarus .
Tsikhanouskaya also thanked the United States for supporting the Belarusian people .
“ She is a very impressive person and I can see why she is so popular in her country , ” Biegun said after meeting her .
“ The United States can not and will not decide the course of events in Belarus , this is the right of Belarusian people.
” The U.S. and the European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free nor fair and urged authorities to start a dialogue with the opposition .
Sunday ’ s anti-Lukashenko demonstration in Minsk drew an estimated 200,000 people pushing for him to step down .
A protest a week earlier attracted a similar number in the largest rallies ever held in the former Soviet nation of 9.5 million people .
The demonstrations are challenging the official results of the election , which gave Lukashenko a sixth term with an unlikely 80 % of the vote .
The president , who cultivates an air of machismo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the West and accused the U.S. of fomenting the unrest .
Video on Sunday showed him getting off his helicopter with a Kalashnikov automatic rifle .
He was accompanied by his 15-year-old younger son , who also carried a rifle .
The Belarusian leader commented to his aides that the protesters “ ran away like rats ” and then thanked riot police who encircled the presidential residence .
“ The authorities are afraid of the majority and clearly nervous , ” said Maria Kolesnikova , a leading member of the opposition council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the face of the protests .
She described the detentions of her colleagues as “ crude pressure and an attempt to scare us.
” “ They ignore our proposals for a dialogue and respond with repressions , ” she told The Associated Press .
The protests were galvanized by a brutal crackdown in the initial days after the election , when police detained nearly 7,000 people .
Hundreds were injured when officers dispersed peaceful protesters with rubber bullets , stun grenades and clubs .
At least three people died .
Lukashenko on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Igor Leshchenya , who denounced the crackdown and handed in his resignation .
As crowds swelled amid public outrage , the authorities backed off and let demonstrations go unhindered .
However , they again bolstered police cordons around the city since last week and threatened opposition activists with criminal charges .
Five demonstrators who set up improvised audio equipment for speakers in Independence Square on Monday evening were detained by police , said Valiantsin Stefanovich of the Viasna rights center .
The square has been the epicenter of daily rallies , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 days .
Another five protesters were detained in other cities , Stefanovich added , signaling the toughening of the government ’ s stance .
“ With pinpoint repressions , the authorities are trying to neutralize the most active , ” he said .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel ’ s spokesman Steffen Seibert criticized the threats against the striking factory workers and deplored “ the very martial , threatening backdrop which Mr. Lukashenko created on the weekend.
” He emphasized that “ a dialogue between the leadership and the Belarus society is urgently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said while visiting Ukraine on Monday that Germany , which currently holds the EU presidency , urged Russia to use what influence it has with Lukashenko “ to make clear to him that he can no longer get past this dialogue.
” U.S .
Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan said that Biegun , the No .
2 U.S. diplomat who is set to visit Moscow on Tuesday and Wednesday , will be “ urging the Russian government to join us in respecting the democratic rights and aspirations of the Belarusian people , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarus have a union treaty envisaging close political , economic and military ties , and Lukashenko said he secured a promise from Russian President Vladimir Putin to provide security assistance , if needed .
• Fauci : Rushing a vaccine could endanger testing of others • Bolsonaro : Reporters are ‘ wimps , ’ likely to die of COVID-19 • One tropical storm fades , the second turns deadly The Belarusian leader has sought to rally Moscow ’ s support by trying to cast his foes as anti-Russia , although the protesters in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Putin ’ s spokesman , Dmitry Peskov , said Moscow has shunned contacts with the Belarusian opposition , arguing that such a move would amount to meddling in a neighbor ’ s internal affairs .
“ We consider it wrong and have no intention to do so , at least not during the current ‘ hot ’ stage , ” Peskov said .
Seeking Putin ’ s support amid the protests , Lukashenko also has accused NATO of harboring aggressive plans and bolstering its forces in neighboring Poland and Lithuania , and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borders .
The alliance has rejected Lukashenko ’ s claims .
Lukashenko ’ s office said he and Putin had another call Monday to discuss the domestic situation in Belarus and the developments on its western frontier .
The Kremlin said in its readout of the call that Lukashenko told Putin about his efforts to “ normalize the situation in the country.
” Associated Press writers Vladimir Isachenkov and Jim Heintz in Moscow , Liudas Dapkus in Vilnius , Lithuania , and Geir Moulson and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed .

By Yuras Karmanau | Associated Press
MINSK, Belarus — Police in Belarus on Monday detained several leading opposition activists as well as a handful of protesters taking part in a wave of demonstrations challenging the reelection of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko in balloting that they say was rigged.
The Coordination Council, which was set up by the opposition to negotiate a transfer of power, said members Sergei Dylevsky and Olga Kovalkova were detained in the capital of Minsk. Later in the day, the opposition also reported the detention of Alexander Lavrinovich, a strike leader at a major industrial plant.
Police also detained at least five of several hundred people who had gathered in Minsk’s Independence Square on Monday, the 16th straight day of protests, and another five in other cities, activists said.
The actions signaled Lukashenko’s determination to stifle massive post-election demonstrations that have entered their third week. The 65-year-old Belarusian leader, who has been in power since 1994, toted an assault rifle in a show of force as he arrived at his residence by helicopter on Sunday while protesters rallied nearby.
Last week, Lukashenko warned that the opposition council’s members could face charges for creating what he described as a parallel government. Prosecutors then opened a criminal inquiry on charges of undermining national security, an allegation rejected by the council.
Several other council members, including Belarus’ most famous writer, Svetlana Alexievich, who won the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature, have been summoned for questioning over the protests in an apparent attempt by authorities to intimidate them.
Dylevsky played a leading role in organizing a strike at the Minsk Tractor Plant, one of the multiple labor actions at top factories last week in support of the protests that posed a major challenge to Lukashenko. Lavrinovich led the strike organizing committee at another major factory, the Minsk Wheeled Tow Truck Plant.
Kovalkova is a top associate of the main opposition challenger in the disputed Aug. 9 election, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who entered the race after her husband was jailed and prevented from running. She fled to Lithuania after the vote under official pressure.
Tsikhanouskaya met Monday with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius. In a statement issued by her campaign headquarters, she reaffirmed her readiness for talks on a transition of power to settle the crisis in Belarus. Tsikhanouskaya also thanked the United States for supporting the Belarusian people.
“She is a very impressive person and I can see why she is so popular in her country,” Biegun said after meeting her. “The United States cannot and will not decide the course of events in Belarus, this is the right of Belarusian people.”
The U.S. and the European Union have dismissed the election as neither free nor fair and urged authorities to start a dialogue with the opposition.
Sunday’s anti-Lukashenko demonstration in Minsk drew an estimated 200,000 people pushing for him to step down. A protest a week earlier attracted a similar number in the largest rallies ever held in the former Soviet nation of 9.5 million people.
The demonstrations are challenging the official results of the election, which gave Lukashenko a sixth term with an unlikely 80% of the vote.
The president, who cultivates an air of machismo, has dismissed the opposition as puppets of the West and accused the U.S. of fomenting the unrest.
Video on Sunday showed him getting off his helicopter with a Kalashnikov automatic rifle. He was accompanied by his 15-year-old younger son, who also carried a rifle.
The Belarusian leader commented to his aides that the protesters “ran away like rats” and then thanked riot police who encircled the presidential residence.
“The authorities are afraid of the majority and clearly nervous,” said Maria Kolesnikova, a leading member of the opposition council, in describing Lukashenko’s actions in the face of the protests.
She described the detentions of her colleagues as “crude pressure and an attempt to scare us.”
“They ignore our proposals for a dialogue and respond with repressions,” she told The Associated Press.
The protests were galvanized by a brutal crackdown in the initial days after the election, when police detained nearly 7,000 people. Hundreds were injured when officers dispersed peaceful protesters with rubber bullets, stun grenades and clubs. At least three people died.
Lukashenko on Monday dismissed Belarus’ ambassador to Slovakia, Igor Leshchenya, who denounced the crackdown and handed in his resignation.
As crowds swelled amid public outrage, the authorities backed off and let demonstrations go unhindered. However, they again bolstered police cordons around the city since last week and threatened opposition activists with criminal charges.
Five demonstrators who set up improvised audio equipment for speakers in Independence Square on Monday evening were detained by police, said Valiantsin Stefanovich of the Viasna rights center. The square has been the epicenter of daily rallies, and police had not intervened for the past 12 days.
Another five protesters were detained in other cities, Stefanovich added, signaling the toughening of the government’s stance. “With pinpoint repressions, the authorities are trying to neutralize the most active,” he said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert criticized the threats against the striking factory workers and deplored “the very martial, threatening backdrop which Mr. Lukashenko created on the weekend.” He emphasized that “a dialogue between the leadership and the Belarus society is urgently needed.”
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said while visiting Ukraine on Monday that Germany, which currently holds the EU presidency, urged Russia to use what influence it has with Lukashenko “to make clear to him that he can no longer get past this dialogue.”
U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan said that Biegun, the No. 2 U.S. diplomat who is set to visit Moscow on Tuesday and Wednesday, will be “urging the Russian government to join us in respecting the democratic rights and aspirations of the Belarusian people, not intervening in that process.”
Russia and Belarus have a union treaty envisaging close political, economic and military ties, and Lukashenko said he secured a promise from Russian President Vladimir Putin to provide security assistance, if needed.
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Giuliani: Legal quagmires have left him broke National News | Letters: Escape Bay Area | CASA program | Feinstein replacement | Faulty comparison | Not conservatives The Belarusian leader has sought to rally Moscow’s support by trying to cast his foes as anti-Russia, although the protesters in Belarus have not displayed anti-Russia slogans.
Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Moscow has shunned contacts with the Belarusian opposition, arguing that such a move would amount to meddling in a neighbor’s internal affairs.
“We consider it wrong and have no intention to do so, at least not during the current ‘hot’ stage,” Peskov said.
Seeking Putin’s support amid the protests, Lukashenko also has accused NATO of harboring aggressive plans and bolstering its forces in neighboring Poland and Lithuania, and he ordered a massive military exercise near those borders. The alliance has rejected Lukashenko’s claims.
Lukashenko’s office said he and Putin had another call Monday to discuss the domestic situation in Belarus and the developments on its western frontier. The Kremlin said in its readout of the call that Lukashenko told Putin about his efforts to “normalize the situation in the country.”
Associated Press writers Vladimir Isachenkov and Jim Heintz in Moscow, Liudas Dapkus in Vilnius, Lithuania, and Geir Moulson and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed.


mercurynews--2020-08-25--Fauci: Rushing a vaccine could endanger testing of others

CHICAGO – The top U.S. infectious diseases expert is warning that distributing a COVID-19 vaccine under special emergency use guidelines before it has been proved safe and effective in large trials is a bad idea that could have a chilling effect on the testing of other vaccines .
Scientists and health experts have expressed concern that President Donald Trump will apply pressure on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to deliver a vaccine before November to boost his chances of re-election .
Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , declined to comment on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks in rushing out a vaccine despite the urgent need .
“ The one thing that you would not want to see with a vaccine is getting an EUA ( emergency use authorization ) before you have a signal of efficacy , ” Fauci told Reuters in a phone interview .
“ One of the potential dangers if you prematurely let a vaccine out is that it would make it difficult , if not impossible , for the other vaccines to enroll people in their trial , ” Fauci said .
Large-scale clinical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moderna Inc , Pfizer Inc and AstraZeneca Plc , which aim to enroll tens of thousands of volunteers , were launched in recent weeks .
Johnson & Johnson last week said it hopes to include 60,000 subjects in its Phase III vaccine trial .
Trump stoked concerns of politicizing the regulatory approval process with an announcement on Sunday of an emergency use authorization for plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients to treat current patients before its benefits have been assessed in randomized , placebo-controlled clinical trials .
Trump had tweeted on Saturday that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were delaying progress on drugs and vaccines until after the Nov. 3 election in order to hurt his reelection bid .
Safe and effective vaccines are seen as essential to ending the pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 800,000 people worldwide , over 177,000 of them in the United States .
But vaccine experts worry that the White House may apply pressure on the FDA to push out a vaccine via an EUA before it has been fully tested – a pathway that has never been used to approve a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would be very worried about using an EUA mechanism for something like a vaccine .
It ’ s very different from plasma therapy , ” said Dr. Peter Hotez , an infectious disease expert and vaccine researcher at Baylor College of Medicine .
Fauci said the FDA ’ s guidance on vaccines – both for full approval and for an EUA – explicitly requires a demonstration that it is both safe and effective .
An EUA is typically used for products to “ diagnose , prevent and treat serious or life-threatening diseases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks of the product , ” Fauci said .
• Bolsonaro : Reporters are ‘ wimps , ’ likely to die of COVID-19 • Newsom : ‘ Progress being made ’ on coronavirus , with three more counties off state watchlist • DA staff at Oakland courthouse told to quarantine after positive COVID test An EUA might be appropriate once studies have shown safety and effectiveness , but before the FDA has completed its formal review of the company ’ s marketing application , he said .
“ To me , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a vaccine is safe and effective , both , ” Fauci said .
“ We would hope that nothing interferes with the full demonstration that a vaccine is safe and effective .
”

By Julie Steenhuysen and Carl O’Donnell | Reuters
CHICAGO – The top U.S. infectious diseases expert is warning that distributing a COVID-19 vaccine under special emergency use guidelines before it has been proved safe and effective in large trials is a bad idea that could have a chilling effect on the testing of other vaccines.
Scientists and health experts have expressed concern that President Donald Trump will apply pressure on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to deliver a vaccine before November to boost his chances of re-election.
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, declined to comment on the president, but said there are risks in rushing out a vaccine despite the urgent need.
“The one thing that you would not want to see with a vaccine is getting an EUA (emergency use authorization) before you have a signal of efficacy,” Fauci told Reuters in a phone interview.
“One of the potential dangers if you prematurely let a vaccine out is that it would make it difficult, if not impossible, for the other vaccines to enroll people in their trial,” Fauci said.
Large-scale clinical trials of the leading vaccine candidates from Moderna Inc, Pfizer Inc and AstraZeneca Plc, which aim to enroll tens of thousands of volunteers, were launched in recent weeks. Johnson & Johnson last week said it hopes to include 60,000 subjects in its Phase III vaccine trial.
Trump stoked concerns of politicizing the regulatory approval process with an announcement on Sunday of an emergency use authorization for plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients to treat current patients before its benefits have been assessed in randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials.
Trump had tweeted on Saturday that “deep state” elements at the FDA were delaying progress on drugs and vaccines until after the Nov. 3 election in order to hurt his reelection bid.
Safe and effective vaccines are seen as essential to ending the pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 800,000 people worldwide, over 177,000 of them in the United States.
But vaccine experts worry that the White House may apply pressure on the FDA to push out a vaccine via an EUA before it has been fully tested – a pathway that has never been used to approve a vaccine intended for widespread use.
“I would be very worried about using an EUA mechanism for something like a vaccine. It’s very different from plasma therapy,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious disease expert and vaccine researcher at Baylor College of Medicine.
Fauci said the FDA’s guidance on vaccines – both for full approval and for an EUA – explicitly requires a demonstration that it is both safe and effective.
An EUA is typically used for products to “diagnose, prevent and treat serious or life-threatening diseases where the known benefits outweigh the potential risks of the product,” Fauci said.
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“To me, it’s absolutely paramount that you definitively show that a vaccine is safe and effective, both,” Fauci said. “We would hope that nothing interferes with the full demonstration that a vaccine is safe and effective.”


mercurynews--2020-08-25--California wildfires: Prepare to be away from home for days

SAN FRANCISCO ( AP ) — California fire officials are cautiously optimistic after dodging a major lightning storm , but they are pleading with residents to stay out of evacuation zones and prepare for days away from home as three massive San Francisco Bay Area wildfires rage on , suffocating the region with smoky air .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said this week will be critical as more than 14,000 firefighters battle 17 major fire complexes , largely in Northern California where wildfires have surrounded the city of San Francisco on three sides , singeing coastal redwoods that have never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused by lightning , have been burning for a week .
“ We are dealing with different climate conditions that are precipitating in fires the likes we haven ’ t seen in modern recorded history , ” he said Monday .
A warning about dry lightning and gusty winds that could have sparked more fires was lifted for the San Francisco Bay Area on Monday morning , a huge relief to fire commanders who said the weather was aiding their efforts as firefighters pour in from out of state .
Temperatures are expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But officials warned the danger was far from over and called the fires complex and large .
They admonished residents to stay out of evacuated areas and warned looters they ’ ll be arrested if caught .
“ It is highly dangerous in there still , ” said Jonathan Cox , a deputy fire chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection , or Cal Fire , of the blaze north of Santa Cruz .
“ We have bridges that have failed , old wooden bridges that have failed that may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Not knowing whether her home is still standing is the hardest part right now , says Barbara Brandt , a Boulder Creek resident who fled the Santa Cruz area fire Tuesday night .
“ The last few days have been a roller coaster , ” she said .
“ You get conflicting reports .
You don ’ t know what your life is going to be like .
We don ’ t know when we can go back , but we know it ’ s not going to be for a long time.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ father , they figured the order was just a precaution .
It was smoky , but not the massive complex of fires it is now .
Her cats weren ’ t inside so she left without them , thinking they ’ d be back soon .
She went back Wednesday to put her cats in the house and feed her chickens .
On Thursday , she returned yet again — this time to grab the cats .
North of San Francisco in wine country , Tim Ireland , 48 , and Sherri Johnston @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their destroyed Healdsburg home in Sonoma County to look for one of their dogs .
The dog refused to get into the car when they fled .
“ We only got out with a car full of clothes , firearms , safe , all our electronic devices , one dog , and two cats , ” he said .
California has had more than 13,000 lightning strikes since Aug. 15 , sparking more than 600 wildfires statewide that have burned more than 1.2 million acres , or 1,875 square miles ( 4,856 square @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistant deputy director with Cal Fire .
The burn area is more than the size of Rhode Island and not quite the size of Delaware .
More than 1,200 buildings have been destroyed although the number is bound to increase as residents are allowed back into neighborhoods and inspectors get a better look at the destruction .
A fifth body was found over the weekend from that wildfire , bringing the death count from the fires to seven .
Also , Santa Cruz authorities announced Sunday that the body of a 70-year-old man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last Chance .
Police had to use a helicopter to reach the remote area of roughly 40 homes at the end of a windy , steep dirt road north of the city of Santa Cruz .
Among the victims was 70-year-old Mary Hintemeyer , of Winters , California , her boyfriend Leo McDermott , and his son , Tom , said Hintemeyer ’ s son , Robert McNeal .
McNeal told KPIX-TV that he lost contact with his mother Tuesday night as the fires picked up speed .
He said his mother had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day but turned back at a roadblock where authorities said if she went through she wouldn ’ t be allowed back .
She returned home to get her boyfriend , who was in a wheelchair .
Authorities found their remains among the ruins on the Napa County property Wednesday , he said .
“ Just get out , don ’ t wait , ” McNeal told the TV station , urging people to follow evacuation orders .
“ If you think it ’ s going to be too much to get your sprinklers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , forget those too .
Forget it .
Get out .
Just get out .
It ain ’ t worth it.
” A utility worker found unresponsive in his vehicle in Solano County while assisting fire crews also died last week , but authorities have not yet released a cause of death .
Berlant , with Cal Fire , said about 170,000 people remain evacuated after about 50,000 were allowed back into their homes starting Sunday .
Santa Cruz County Sheriff ’ s Office Chief Deputy Chris Clark said three people were arrested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on outstanding warrants and one woman “ seen walking around with a backpack , ” who was in a closed area and was not a local .
The governor on Monday called the reports of looting “ repugnant ” and applauded prosecutors for taking a tough stance .
The fire in wine country north of San Francisco and another southeast of the city burning in seven counties have grown within a week to be two of the three largest fires in state history , each scorching about 550 square miles ( 1,425 square @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been the most deadly and destructive blaze , accounting for five deaths and destroying 871 homes and other buildings .
Associated Press writers John Antczak and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles , Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco and Aron Ranen in Healdsburg contributed to this report .

By JANIE HAR | The Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — California fire officials are cautiously optimistic after dodging a major lightning storm, but they are pleading with residents to stay out of evacuation zones and prepare for days away from home as three massive San Francisco Bay Area wildfires rage on, suffocating the region with smoky air.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said this week will be critical as more than 14,000 firefighters battle 17 major fire complexes, largely in Northern California where wildfires have surrounded the city of San Francisco on three sides, singeing coastal redwoods that have never been burned. The wildfires, all caused by lightning, have been burning for a week.
“We are dealing with different climate conditions that are precipitating in fires the likes we haven’t seen in modern recorded history,” he said Monday.
A warning about dry lightning and winds that could have sparked more fires was lifted for the San Francisco Bay Area on Monday morning, a huge relief to fire commanders who said the weather was aiding their efforts as firefighters pour in from out of state. Temperatures are expected to be hot again this week.
At an evening news conference, officials said progress has been made against a huge fire in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties with the help of rain Sunday evening and calmer weather Monday.
“With the clear air, we were able to fly a lot more aircraft,” said Mark Brunton, operations chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, of Cal Fire.
Helicopters dropped 200000 gallons (over 757,082 litres) of water on the blaze, he said, calling it “the best day yet.”
Fire lines on the fire’s southern border appeared to be holding, he said.
But officials warned the danger was far from over and called the fires complex and large. They admonished residents to stay out of evacuated areas and warned looters they’ll be arrested.
“It is highly dangerous in there still,” Jonathan Cox, a Cal Fire deputy fire chief, said of the blaze north of Santa Cruz. “We have bridges that have failed, old wooden bridges that have failed that may not appear failed” to drivers.
Not knowing whether her home is still standing is the hardest part, says Barbara Brandt, a Boulder Creek resident who fled the Santa Cruz area fire Tuesday night.
“The last few days have been a roller coaster,” she said. “You get conflicting reports. You don’t know what your life is going to be like. We don’t know when we can go back, but we know it’s not going to be for a long time.”
When Brandt evacuated with her 94-year-old father, they figured the order was just a precaution. It was smoky, but not the massive complex of fires it is now. Her cats weren’t inside so she left without them, thinking they’d be back soon.
She went back Wednesday to put her cats in the house and feed her chickens. On Thursday, she returned yet again — this time to grab the cats.
North of San Francisco in wine country, Tim Ireland, 48, and Sherri Johnston, 47, were heading back to their destroyed Healdsburg home in Sonoma County to look for one of their dogs. The dog refused to get into the car when they fled.
“We only got out with a car full of clothes, firearms, safe, all our electronic devices, one dog, and two cats,” he said.
California has had more than 13,000 lightning strikes since Aug. 15, sparking more than 600 wildfires statewide that have burned over 1,875 square miles (4,856 square kilometers), said Daniel Berlant, assistant deputy director with Cal Fire.
The burn area is bigger than Rhode Island and not quite the size of Delaware.
More than 1,200 buildings have been destroyed. The number is bound to increase as residents are allowed back into neighborhoods and inspectors get a better look.
Another body was found Sunday from that wildfire, bringing the death count from the blazes to seven. Santa Cruz authorities said Tad Jones, 73, was found in Last Chance, a remote area. He was found on a trail near his van. Police had to use a helicopter to reach the area of roughly 40 homes at the end of a windy, steep dirt road north of Santa Cruz.
Among the victims was 70-year-old Mary Hintemeyer, of the city of Winters, her boyfriend Leo McDermott, and his son, Tom, said Hintemeyer’s son, Robert McNeal.
McNeal told KPIX-TV that he lost contact with his mother Tuesday night as the fires sped up. He said his mother had tried to go into town earlier that day but turned back at a roadblock where authorities said if she went through she wouldn’t be allowed back. She returned home to get her boyfriend, who was in a wheelchair.
Authorities found their remains among the ruins on the Napa County property Wednesday, he said.
“Just get out, don’t wait,” McNeal told the TV station, urging people to follow evacuation orders. “If you think it’s going to be too much to get your sprinklers on before you get out of there, forget those too. Forget it. Get out. Just get out. It ain’t worth it.”
A utility worker found unresponsive in his vehicle in Solano County while assisting fire crews also died last week, but authorities have not yet released a cause of death.
Berlant, with Cal Fire, said about 170,000 people remain evacuated after about 50,000 were allowed back into their homes starting Sunday.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Chris Clark said several people were arrested, including a man who had $5,000 and some items in his car, and a woman, not a local, “seen walking around with a backpack” in a closed area.
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The wine country fire north of San Francisco and another southeast of the city burning in seven counties grew within a week to be two of the three largest fires in state history, each scorching about 550 square miles (1,425 square kilometers).
The wine country fire has been the most deadly and destructive blaze, accounting for five deaths and destroying more than 900 buildings. It is 25% contained.
___
Associated Press writers John Antczak and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles, Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco and Aron Ranen in Healdsburg contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-08-24--Man charged for death of UC Berkeley student killed in June

BERKELEY — After two months without answers , a man has been arrested and charged with the murder of Seth Smith , a UC Berkeley student killed in June .
Alameda County District Attorney ’ s Office charged Tony Lorenzo Walker , 60 , for the murder of the 19-year-old student , who was found bleeding on the sidewalk by a passerby on June 15 at 11:35 p.m. on Dwight Way near Valley Street .
He was found shot in the head .
Without a publicly identified suspect or potential motive , police turned to the public for help and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wasn ’ t until last week on Aug. 20 that police got a warrant for Walker ’ s arrest , according to court documents .
Details of how investigators were led to Walker have not yet been made public .
Besides murder , Walker is also charged with other felonies , including possession of a firearm by a felon , carrying a loaded firearm on one ’ s person in a city and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person .
According to court documents Walker has at least 11 prior convictions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a commercial burglary ranging from the 1970s to 1990s , an armed robbery in 1992 , assault with a deadly weapon in 2001 and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person in 2016 — all in Alameda County .
He was on felony probation at the time of his arrest last week .
Smith was holding a double major in economics and history at UC Berkeley and was on course to graduate next spring , his mother told this news organization in June .
She speculated that her son may have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head , as was common for him , at the time of his shooting .
“ We appreciate that this crime is being taken so seriously , ” Smith ’ s mother , Michelle Rode-Smith said in June .
“ We continue to be reeling from this senseless tragedy.
” A GoFundMe fundraiser was started for a memorial scholarship fund in Seth Smith ’ s honor .
Walker is expected to be arraigned Tuesday at the East County Hall of Justice in Dublin .
He has no bail listed .

BERKELEY — After two months without answers, a man has been arrested and charged with the murder of Seth Smith, a UC Berkeley student killed in June.
Alameda County District Attorney’s Office charged Tony Lorenzo Walker, 60, for the murder of the 19-year-old student, who was found bleeding on the sidewalk by a passerby on June 15 at 11:35 p.m. on Dwight Way near Valley Street. He was found shot in the head.
Without a publicly identified suspect or potential motive, police turned to the public for help and offered a $50,000 reward. It wasn’t until last week on Aug. 20 that police got a warrant for Walker’s arrest, according to court documents. Details of how investigators were led to Walker have not yet been made public.
Besides murder, Walker is also charged with other felonies, including possession of a firearm by a felon, carrying a loaded firearm on one’s person in a city and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.
According to court documents Walker has at least 11 prior convictions, including several second-degree robberies, burglaries and a commercial burglary ranging from the 1970s to 1990s, an armed robbery in 1992, assault with a deadly weapon in 2001 and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person in 2016 — all in Alameda County. He was on felony probation at the time of his arrest last week.
Smith was holding a double major in economics and history at UC Berkeley and was on course to graduate next spring, his mother told this news organization in June. She speculated that her son may have been taking a late-evening walk to clear his head, as was common for him, at the time of his shooting.
“We appreciate that this crime is being taken so seriously,” Smith’s mother, Michelle Rode-Smith said in June. “We continue to be reeling from this senseless tragedy.”
A GoFundMe fundraiser was started for a memorial scholarship fund in Seth Smith’s honor.
Walker is expected to be arraigned Tuesday at the East County Hall of Justice in Dublin. He has no bail listed.
Staff Writer Rick Hurd contributed to this story.


mercurynews--2020-08-24--Critter Corner: Rats and guinea pigs are good first-time pet options for children

Dear Miss Behavin ’ : My third grade son misses having a small class pet now that we ’ re distance learning .
I ’ m tempted to oblige but we ’ ve never had a pet .
What type of animal is best for first-timers like us , and what are some factors to consider ?
The first thing to consider is the time commitment you want to make and the lifespans of the pets you ’ re considering adopting .
Some small animals have shorter lifespans of two to four years , and others can live for eight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research on maintenance , housing needs , veterinary care , and temperaments of various small animals .
Lastly , though your son may be excited and eager to own and care for a pet , keep in mind that you yourself may end up doing the bulk of the work once the novelty wears off .
Guinea pigs and rats are good options for first time pet owners as both are quite social .
Guinea pigs live four to eight years while rats have a shorter lifespan of two to three years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and easily trained , much like a dog , and if properly socialized , enjoy interaction and human handling .
Guinea pigs tend to be more skittish and need a gentle approach as they warm up and get used to handling .
Once they are settled they will squeak and vocalize to let you know they ’ re happy to see you .
Be sure to do plenty of research with your son to help him prepare for the new responsibility .
As with any animal , always supervise their interactions together .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ensure they are each safe and having fun .
Sara Werning is the coordinator for the Behavior Department at Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA .
For more information email swerning @ phs-spca.org or call 650-340-7022 ext .
316 .

Dear Miss Behavin’: My third grade son misses having a small class pet now that we’re distance learning. I’m tempted to oblige but we’ve never had a pet. What type of animal is best for first-timers like us, and what are some factors to consider?
The first thing to consider is the time commitment you want to make and the lifespans of the pets you’re considering adopting. Some small animals have shorter lifespans of two to four years, and others can live for eight to ten years. Also do some research on maintenance, housing needs, veterinary care, and temperaments of various small animals.
Lastly, though your son may be excited and eager to own and care for a pet, keep in mind that you yourself may end up doing the bulk of the work once the novelty wears off. Guinea pigs and rats are good options for first time pet owners as both are quite social. Guinea pigs live four to eight years while rats have a shorter lifespan of two to three years. Rats are known to be very intelligent and easily trained, much like a dog, and if properly socialized, enjoy interaction and human handling.
Guinea pigs tend to be more skittish and need a gentle approach as they warm up and get used to handling. Once they are settled they will squeak and vocalize to let you know they’re happy to see you. Be sure to do plenty of research with your son to help him prepare for the new responsibility. As with any animal, always supervise their interactions together. Supervision sets them both up for success and ensure they are each safe and having fun.
Sara Werning is the coordinator for the Behavior Department at Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA. For more information email swerning@phs-spca.org or call 650-340-7022 ext. 316.


mercurynews--2020-08-24--California nears record in 2020 for acres burned and it’s not even September

With two of its largest wildfires on record still raging across Northern California , the Golden State already has seen more acres burn in 2020 than all but a handful of years , and it isn ’ t even September yet .
The four months left on the calendar include the peak of California ’ s wildfire season in the fall , when warm , dry winds blow offshore from the high deserts across a parched landscape awaiting the winter rains .
That wasn ’ t lost on Gov .
Gavin Newsom as he noted Monday the ominous comparison of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season ” to last year .
So far this year , more than 1.4 million acres — double the combined size of Los Angeles , San Diego , San Jose and Sacramento — have burned in 7,002 separate fires .
This time last year , there were 56,000 acres burned in 4,292 fires .
“ If I say historic , ” Newsom said , “ I mean it with purpose and intention.
” The fires touched off by lightning storms that rolled through Northern California earlier this month have grown into some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 350,030-acre LNU Lightning Complex near Vacaville , just 22 % contained , is now the state ’ s second-largest ever .
And the 347,196-acre SCU Lightning Complex in the South and East Bay , only 10 % contained as of Monday afternoon , is now the third-largest .
The CZU Lightning Complex fire in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties reached 78,000 acres Monday afternoon and was just 13 % contained .
Just eight months into the year , this year ’ s fire season already ranks “ up in the top five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection .
And the numbers grow every hour .
Firefighters are now battling 625 individual blazes , including 17 major fires , Newsom said .
Other major fires include the 49,520-acre Butte-Tehama-Glenn Lightning Complex Fire south of Redding , only 13 % contained , the 48,424-acre River Fire east of Salinas , 23 % contained , and the uncontained 17,776-acre Sheep Fire southwest of Susanville .
The state saw 10 new wildfires erupt in the last 24 hours as a second lightning storm moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s most extensive wildfire years have come in the last four years , something many climate experts say is driven by an alarming warming trend they tie to carbon dioxide from burning fuels such as coal , oil and gas .
All but three of the state ’ s 20 largest wildfires on record dating back to the 1930s occurred this century .
And California ’ s record year for wildfires was 2018 , with a total of 1.96 million acres consumed by flames from massive blazes .
They included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s largest at 459,123 acres — and the 229,651-acre Carr Fire that July .
Four months later in November , the 153,336-acre Camp Fire wiped out the town of Paradise and killed 85 , people becoming California ’ s deadliest blaze .
The year before , 1.55 million acres in California burned , including the 281,893-acre Thomas Fire in December 2017 in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties and a series of devastating October 2017 wildfires in the Wine Country of Napa and Sonoma counties .
That fire season came on the heels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through 2016 , which killed more than 100 million trees in the Sierra Nevada .
Before that , the last year with more than 1 million acres burned was 2008 , when the state also was jolted by a series of summer lightning storms — by year ’ s end 6,255 fires combined had consumed 1.59 million acres .
Among the largest and most devastating of the fires that year were the Bear Wallow Complex fires in Siskiyou County that burned 192,038 acres and the Basin Complex fires that burned 162,818 acres in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essentially at a loss for words to describe the scope of the lightning-sparked fire outbreak that has rapidly evolved in Northern California — even in the context of the extraordinary fires of recent years , ” UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said in a Twitter post Sunday , with 800,000 acres burned in the state in the past eight days .
He noted in a post Monday that since then , “ an additional quarter of a million acres have burned — putting the California total over one million acres in less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say this year ’ s wildfires come on the heels of a light rain year with vegetation already drier than usual and primed to burn .
And they came amid a record-breaking heat wave that is further drying fuels .
Newsom noted that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the Santa Cruz Mountains are burning coastal redwood forest where the fire threat is usually muted by heavy winter rains and summer fog .
• California wildfires : Prepare to be away from home for days • ‘ Nobody ’ s letting their guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take advantage of favorable weather • California fires : Burned redwoods at Big Basin , other parks will recover soon , experts say • Watch : California Gov .
Gavin Newsom gives updates on wildfires and coronavirus , Aug. 24 • Bay Area wildfire updates : ‘ We lucked out ’ as storms bring little lightning over SCU , CZU and LNU fires “ We are in a different climate , ” Newsom said , “ and we are dealing with different climate conditions that are precipitating in fires the likes of which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history .
”

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With two of its largest wildfires on record still raging across Northern California, the Golden State already has seen more acres burn in 2020 than all but a handful of years, and it isn’t even September yet.
The four months left on the calendar include the peak of California’s wildfire season in the fall, when warm, dry winds blow offshore from the high deserts across a parched landscape awaiting the winter rains.
That wasn’t lost on Gov. Gavin Newsom as he noted Monday the ominous comparison of what he called “this historic wildfire season” to last year. So far this year, more than 1.4 million acres — double the combined size of Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and Sacramento — have burned in 7,002 separate fires. This time last year, there were 56,000 acres burned in 4,292 fires.
“If I say historic,” Newsom said, “I mean it with purpose and intention.”
The fires touched off by lightning storms that rolled through Northern California earlier this month have grown into some of the state’s largest.
The 350,030-acre LNU Lightning Complex near Vacaville, just 22% contained, is now the state’s second-largest ever. And the 347,196-acre SCU Lightning Complex in the South and East Bay, only 10% contained as of Monday afternoon, is now the third-largest. The CZU Lightning Complex fire in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties reached 78,000 acres Monday afternoon and was just 13% contained.
Just eight months into the year, this year’s fire season already ranks “up in the top five,” said Lynnette Round, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
And the numbers grow every hour. Firefighters are now battling 625 individual blazes, including 17 major fires, Newsom said. Other major fires include the 49,520-acre Butte-Tehama-Glenn Lightning Complex Fire south of Redding, only 13% contained, the 48,424-acre River Fire east of Salinas, 23% contained, and the uncontained 17,776-acre Sheep Fire southwest of Susanville. The state saw 10 new wildfires erupt in the last 24 hours as a second lightning storm moved through over the weekend.
Three of the state’s most extensive wildfire years have come in the last four years, something many climate experts say is driven by an alarming warming trend they tie to carbon dioxide from burning fuels such as coal, oil and gas. All but three of the state’s 20 largest wildfires on record dating back to the 1930s occurred this century.
And California’s record year for wildfires was 2018, with a total of 1.96 million acres consumed by flames from massive blazes. They included the Mendocino Complex — still the state’s largest at 459,123 acres — and the 229,651-acre Carr Fire that July. Four months later in November, the 153,336-acre Camp Fire wiped out the town of Paradise and killed 85, people becoming California’s deadliest blaze.
The year before, 1.55 million acres in California burned, including the 281,893-acre Thomas Fire in December 2017 in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties and a series of devastating October 2017 wildfires in the Wine Country of Napa and Sonoma counties.
That fire season came on the heels of a record five-year drought from 2012 through 2016, which killed more than 100 million trees in the Sierra Nevada.
Before that, the last year with more than 1 million acres burned was 2008, when the state also was jolted by a series of summer lightning storms — by year’s end 6,255 fires combined had consumed 1.59 million acres. Among the largest and most devastating of the fires that year were the Bear Wallow Complex fires in Siskiyou County that burned 192,038 acres and the Basin Complex fires that burned 162,818 acres in Monterey County.
“I’m essentially at a loss for words to describe the scope of the lightning-sparked fire outbreak that has rapidly evolved in Northern California — even in the context of the extraordinary fires of recent years,” UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said in a Twitter post Sunday, with 800,000 acres burned in the state in the past eight days. He noted in a post Monday that since then, “an additional quarter of a million acres have burned — putting the California total over one million acres in less than two weeks.”
Weather and fire experts say this year’s wildfires come on the heels of a light rain year with vegetation already drier than usual and primed to burn. And they came amid a record-breaking heat wave that is further drying fuels.
Newsom noted that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the Santa Cruz Mountains are burning coastal redwood forest where the fire threat is usually muted by heavy winter rains and summer fog. Related Articles Crashes and Disasters | Map: Lightning fires prompt evacuation order west of Yreka
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“We are in a different climate,” Newsom said, “and we are dealing with different climate conditions that are precipitating in fires the likes of which we have not seen in modern recorded history.”


mercurynews--2020-08-24--Seeno, Discovery Builders sue East Bay Park District over new park plans

Concord-based developer Albert Seeno III and Discovery Builders have filed a lawsuit against the East Bay Regional Park District , which could impact its plans to develop a new regional park at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station .
The action came only days before the developer and Faria Land Investors was to ask the Pittsburg City Council to approve its master plan , environmental documents and development agreement to build up to 1,500 homes in the hills southwest of Pittsburg .
That virtual meeting was set for Monday but abruptly canceled due to an undisclosed medical emergency .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Late last month Pittsburg ’ s Planning Commission voted 4-3 to recommend that the City Council approve the Faria project , which sits above and to the east of the planned new Concord park .
As part of the deal , Seeno promises to build a recreation center in Pittsburg .
The developers ’ lawsuit alleges that the planned Concord Hills Regional Park would cause undisclosed impacts on the environment and would impact their planned Faria residential development on a 606-acre parcel adjacent to the ridgeline of the park .
Nearly 2,216 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create a new regional park in partnership with the National Park Service in 2019 .
The property is between Kirker Pass Road and Highway 4 .
The park ’ s land use plan and associated environmental impact report , meanwhile , was approved on July 7 for the eastern Concord site , paving the way for the Park District to begin work on the development of the more than 2,540-acre regional park at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station .
The park project is the product of some two decades of community advocacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Navy , National Park Service and city of Concord .
“ This is the true culmination of a decades-long community effort , ” said Beverly Lane who has represented Concord on the East Bay Regional Park District Board since 1994 .
Plans call for public access for recreation , permanent preservation of the land as natural habitat , and a joint visitor center with the National Park Service “ The public overwhelmingly supports the creation of this regional park ; Seeno Company never expressed any specific concerns or opposition to the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , after the land use plan has been approved .
The park district in turn opposed the proposed Faria development in the Pittsburg hills but the Planning Commission gave its nod of approval after hundreds of public comments late last month .
Plans to develop the hills date back to 2005 when voter-approved Measure P moved the Faria site within Pittsburg ’ s urban boundary .
The city approved an agreement with Seeno that established guidelines for a permanent greenbelt buffer along the inner edges of the boundary .
If OK ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the developer would still need to seek approval from the Local Agency Formation Commission ( LAFCO ) to annex the project before it could be built .
For more information on Pittsburg development plans , go to http : //www.ci.pittsburg.ca.us/ For more on the planned Concord Hills Regional Park , go to https : //www.ebparks.org/parks/concord_hills/default.htm

Developers have thrown a wrench into the East Bay Regional Park District’s decades-old plan to create a regional park in the Pittsburg hills overlooking the former Concord Naval Weapons Station site.
Concord-based developer Albert Seeno III and Discovery Builders filed a lawsuit alleging the district’s proposed Concord Hills Regional Park would negatively affect their planned residential development on an adjacent 606-acre plot.
The suit was filed earlier this month, almost three weeks before the developers and Faria Land Investors were scheduled to ask the Pittsburg City Council on Monday to approve their master plan, environmental documents and development agreement to build up to 1,500 homes.
That meeting was abruptly canceled for medical reasons involving a council member. It will be rescheduled, city officials said.
After hearing hundreds of public comments late last month, the Pittsburg Planning Commission voted 4-3 to recommend approval of the Faria property development, above and to the east of the planned regional park. The park district opposed the project.
As part of the deal, Seeno promised to build a recreation center in Pittsburg.
According to the lawsuit, the park district did not do “a sufficient level of environmental review” of the regional park’s potential impacts on future residents of the planned subdivision and the developers’ adjacent land and corporate office employees less than a mile away. The lawsuit also alleges the district failed to assess the site’s biological resources, relying on old data.
James Colopy of Farella Braun + Martel, the legal firm representing Discovery Builders, said his client years earlier had expressed concerns about converting the former weapons station to a large public park.
“My clients are not opposed to the park by any means,” he said. “They support the park district and the park project.”
But, he added, Discovery Builders believes an environmental review of the park proposal was inconsistent with California Environmental Quality Act requirements.
“There are endangered species, threatened species in this park, but the data on them is outdated,” he said.
Colopy said that although his client informed the park district of its concerns, they were not considered during the approval process.
“We identified deficiencies in the CEQA review,” he said. “My clients feel strongly that everyone needs to comply with the same rules … and they are important.”
The U.S. Navy transferred almost 2,216 acres of the defunct weapons station to the district in 2019 to create a new regional park in partnership with the National Park Service. The property is between Kirker Pass Road and Highway 4.
The district’s board of directors approved the park’s land-use plan and associated environmental impact report on July 7, paving the way for development of the more than 2,540-acre regional park.
The park project, which will include miles of trails, campgrounds and a visitor center, is the product of years of community advocacy and partnership among the park district, U.S. Navy, National Park Service and the city of Concord.
“This is the true culmination of a decades-long community effort,” Beverly Lane, who has represented Concord on the East Bay Regional Park District board since 1994, said in a written statement.
“The public overwhelmingly supports the creation of this regional park,” district general manager Robert Doyle said. “Seeno Company never expressed any specific concerns or opposition to the new park during the two-decades-long planning process…until now, after the land use plan has been approved.”
Plans to develop the hills date back to 2005 when voter-approved Measure P moved the Faria site within Pittsburg’s urban boundary. The city approved an agreement with Seeno that established guidelines for a permanent greenbelt buffer along the inner edges of the boundary.
If approved by the City Council, the Local Agency Formation Commission still must approve the property’s annexation before homes can be built.
For more information on Pittsburg development plans, go to http://www.ci.pittsburg.ca.us/
For more on the planned Concord Hills Regional Park, go to https://www.ebparks.org/parks/concord_hills/default.htm