mercurynews--2020-09-29--‘It feels so demoralizing’: Wine country residents forced to flee again, this time from the Glass Fi

‘It feels so demoralizing’: Wine country residents forced to flee again, this time from the Glass Fire

It ’ s becoming something of a tragic annual tradition for California ’ s wine country : Fast-moving flames terrorizing the region , turning the sky into a smoky orange haze , destroying dozens of homes and wineries in its wrath and forcing tens of thousands of residents to frantically flee from their homes .
In 2017 , it was the Atlas , Nuns and Tubb fires .
Last year it was the Kincaid Fire .
And just as the LNU Complex Fire — the fourth-largest wildfire in state history — was nearing full containment in Northern California , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country erupted in flames Sunday when the Glass , Shady and Boysen blazes merged to create the Glass Fire .
Many of the same areas threatened and burned by the devastating Tubbs and Nuns blazes three years ago in Santa Rosa were scorched again when the Glass Fire exploded in size late Sunday and early Monday morning , placing almost 70,000 residents under evacuation orders or warnings by late Monday afternoon .
The devastating blaze spread from the eastern slope of the Napa Valley , across the mountains dividing Sonoma and Napa counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eastern Santa Rosa .
“ For some people , this is the third time since 2017 this has happened , ” said Sonoma County Fire District fire marshal and division chief Cyndi Foreman .
“ It feels so demoralizing to have to watch your community go through this time of angst and agony year after year.
” Erratic offshore winds Sunday pushed a layer of hot , dry air into the region , fueling the fire as it swelled to 36,236 acres with 0 % containment by 5 p.m. Monday .
No injuries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials have not tallied the number of homes and structures lost to the fire so far , though more than 8,500 structures remain under threat , according to Cal Fire .
The cause of the Glass Fire remains under investigation .
PG & E , whose infrastructure has been found responsible for sparking several of California ’ s most destructive wildfires , shut off power to about 37,000 customers in Napa and Sonoma counties at the request of firefighters .
According to eyewitnesses , at least 10 homes along Mountain Hawk Drive in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the west side of the fire have been destroyed , and about 20 homes on Crystal Ridge Road in Saint Helena on the east side of the fire have been flattened .
In addition , a handful of Napa County wineries and resorts have been damaged or destroyed , including the family-owned winery Chateau Boswell and the luxury Napa resort Meadowood , a gathering place for nearly 60 years .
Meadowood guests and staff had been evacuated Sunday , so they were out of harm ’ s way when flames reached the 250-acre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Brett Anderson , a representative for Pacific Union , the resort ’ s parent company .
For many Santa Rosa residents who fled their homes in the early morning hours Monday , the experience was frighteningly familiar .
Jack and Karen Madigan , in their 70s , were awakened after midnight by an emergency alert telling them to flee .
In their second-floor apartment , Jack collected his diabetic medications and they fled , leaving their packed bags inside because they didn ’ t want to waste time going up and down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go through one or two and you think that ’ s the end of it and it ’ s not , ” he said .
“ They seem to be getting worse each time.
” Although their home had been spared from the Tubbs Fire in 2017 , they — like many others who remain in the region — are still rattled .
“ We could feel the heat from the fire .
We could see it .
I was especially frightened , shaking , ” said Karen , 75 , a retired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stressful , and we ’ re not sure we can take it another year .
We ’ re talking about moving away.
” Still , like all blazes , the Glass Fire has its share of people who refuse to leave despite the imminent danger .
Sgt .
Juan Valencia of the Sonoma County Sheriff ’ s Office said deputies rescued multiple people early Monday morning who disregarded evacuations and “ may have been burned in some areas.
” Kevin Mastel , 50 , was determined to stay in his home along Highway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aunt who is on oxygen .
With the power out , Mastel was using a generator Monday afternoon to provide the energy he needed .
“ I talked to a lot of people last night , and they said they ’ re not going to leave until it ’ s right there , ” he said , pointing down the block .
He ’ s been evacuated twice — during the Tubbs and Kincade fires — and figured his luck will endure .
And while winds were beginning to subside Monday afternoon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region through Friday , signaling that hot , dry conditions could continue to make the job of firefighters more difficult .
“ We caution folks that while it may not be being pushed into town at this point , we ’ ll get back into a scenario like we had with the Walbridge Fire , where we have the normal winds and an opportunity for wind fuel and slope alignment to create more significant fire runs , ” said Cal Fire Division Chief Ben Nicholls .
As California heads into the peak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 8,000 blazes already have burned 3.7 million acres across the state , killing 29 people and destroying more than 7,000 structures .
The Glass Fire is currently one of 27 major fires burning across the Golden State .
More than 1,000 firefighters had been called in by Monday morning to tend to the Glass Fire as fire crews across the state remain stretched thin .
In addition to the fires in Napa and Sonoma County , the Zogg Fire erupted overnight in Shasta County to 15,000 acres with 0 % containment and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Cal Fire .
Three people have been found dead .
And in Butte County , winds forced authorities to order new evacuations for the North Complex Fire , which tore through the region Sept. 8 and has since killed 15 people .
The evacuation orders include areas devastated by 2018 ’ s Camp Fire — the deadliest wildfire in California ’ s history .
“ With a fire like this , I can ’ t stress enough that there is never enough resources to do what you need to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fire Chief Tony Gossner said .
“ As much as we scraped to get as many resources at many levels , you only have so many , so you use them to the best of your ability.
” Cal Fire records show that the Glass Fire roared through one of the last territories in that part of Sonoma County that had avoided fires for more than a century — making it rich in vegetation that helped fuel its rapid growth .
“ While it did burn very rapidly because it had not burned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did also make it into the Nuns and the Tubbs scars , and it did burn just as well there because that has been filled in with light flashy fuels like grass and some new brush , ” Gossner said .
“ Every year brings new challenges , the grass burns much faster and it ’ s much harder to control when its pushed under those kinds of conditions .
”

It’s becoming something of a tragic annual tradition for California’s wine country: Fast-moving flames terrorizing the region, turning the sky into a smoky orange haze, destroying dozens of homes and wineries in its wrath and forcing tens of thousands of residents to frantically flee from their homes.
In 2017, it was the Atlas, Nuns and Tubbs fires. Last year it was the Kincaid Fire. And just as the LNU Complex Fire — the fourth-largest wildfire in state history — was nearing full containment in Northern California, one of the last untouched sections of wine country erupted in flames Sunday when the Glass, Shady and Boysen blazes merged to create the Glass Fire.
CALISTOGA, CA - SEPT. 28: The Glass Fire burns behind the Kelly Fleming Wines in Calistoga, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. Calistoga is under mandatory evacuation tonight. The evacuation order is in effect for everyone south of Lincoln Avenue. Evacuees are being urged to avoid using southbound Highway 29 to Napa, Petrified Forest Road and the Silverado Trail. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Cathedral City firefighter Russ Barsness puts water on a burning structure at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
CALISTOGA, CA - SEPT. 28: The Glass Fire burns in the hills of Calistoga, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. Calistoga is under mandatory evacuation tonight. The evacuation order is in effect for everyone south of Lincoln Avenue. Evacuees are being urged to avoid using southbound Highway 29 to Napa, Petrified Forest Road and the Silverado Trail. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Bruce Lund checks his gas supply for his generator at his home along Silverado Trail in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. Lund and his wife Robyn Virts, who've lived there since 1986 and built the home themselves, decided not to evacuate and stayed to protect it from the Glass Fire. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
CALISTOGA, CA - SEPT. 28: Smoke billows into the sky as the Glass Fire burns in the hills of Calistoga, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. Calistoga is under mandatory evacuation tonight. The evacuation order is in effect for everyone south of Lincoln Avenue. Evacuees are being urged to avoid using southbound Highway 29 to Napa, Petrified Forest Road and the Silverado Trail. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Young men from the Amador-Eldorado youth conservation camp cut a fire break from the Glass Fire along Silverado Trail in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A structure burns at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A piece of fruit is silhouetted during a smoky sunset along the Silverado Trail in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Cathedral City firefighter Jim Taylor takes a brief rest as they put water on a structure fire at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 28: The charred trees at the entrance of the Chateau Boswell Winery after being destroyed by the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Burned bottles are seen as The Restaurant at Meadowood smolders at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A Cal Fire helicopter makes air drops as seen from the Silverado Trail in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: The remains of The Restaurant at Meadowood smolders at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Pieces of wood burn on the tennis courts at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 28: Eagle Field Fire Department firefighter Mark Jones extinguishes hot spots using a restored 1942 firetruck during the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Cathedral City firefighter Russ Barsness puts water on a burning structure at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Gabriela Carr, 61, Julian Rizo, 9, Jordan Castaneda, 30, with their dogs Little Boy and Spanky, wait at an evacuation site after fleeing their homes during the Glass Fire in Santa Rosa, Calif., Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The family also evacuated during the Tubbs Fire in 2017. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: The Shady Fire destroys a home on Austin Lane in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Sept. 28, 2020. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
CALISTOGA, CA - SEPT. 28: Smoke bellows into the sky from the Glass Fire burning above in the hills of Calistoga, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Janette Johnston, 56, ponders the fate of her home while waiting at a Glass Fire evacuation site, Monday afternoon, Sept. 28, 2020, in Santa Rosa, Calif. Johnston spent many years homeless and worries about returning to homelessness. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Cathedral City firefighter Russ Barsness puts water on a structure at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 28: Napa County Sheriff deputy Lt. McMahon has to turn away from the radiant heat while extinguish a spot fire and helps save a house from burning on Crystal Springs Road during the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 28: Eagle Field Fire Department firefighter Mark Jones drives a restored 1942 firetruck while battling the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Cathedral City firefighter Russ Barsness puts water on a structure at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A structure burns at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Cathedral City firefighter Jim Taylor takes a brief rest as they put water on a structure fire at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 28: A home on Crystal Springs Road is destroyed by the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Karen and Jack Madigan, both in their 70s, use a transistor radio to get evacuation updates while sitting in the Honda Fit car that they slept in last night after evacuating their home during the Glass Fire, early Monday morning, Sept. 28, 2020. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 28: A small outhouse catches fire at a home on Crystal Springs Road during the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
CALISTOGA, CA - SEPT. 28: The mayor of Calistoga Chris Canning, left, chats with Ken Fons, of Calisgota, as the Glass Fire burns above in the hills of Calistoga, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 28: A charred rose can be seen in front fo the destroyed Chateau Boswell Winery in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 28: Charred grapes on a vineyard from the Chateau Boswell Winery have been destroyed from the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Flames from the Shady Fire rear up behind a bull dozer operator cutting a line along Highway 12 between Kenwood and Santa Rosa, Calif., early Monday morning, Sept. 28, 2020. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: The Shady Fire destroys a home on Austin Lane in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Sept. 28, 2020. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A home along Mountain Hawk Drive burns as the Shady Fire moves through the Skyhawk Community of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Firefighters work to protect nearby homes on Austin Lane as the Shady Fire burns in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Sept. 28, 2020. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A firefighter hoses down a burning home to help stop the spread of the fire to nearby homes in the Skyhawk community as the Shady Fire burns in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Sept. 28, 2020. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A home along Futura Way burns as the Shady Fire moves through the Skyhawk Community of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Sonoma County Fire District firefighters battle the Shady Fire along Brigadoon Way in the Skyhawk Community of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: The Shady Fire destroys homes in the Skyhawk community in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Sept. 28, 2020. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A home along Mountain Hawk Drive burns as the Shady Fire moves through the Skyhawk Community of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: The Shady Fire burns a hillside behind homes along Rinaldo Street in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Sept. 28, 2020. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A firefighter works in front of a burned down home in the Skyhawk community as the Shady Fire burns in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Sept. 28, 2020. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A firefighter hoses down a burning home to help stop the spread of the fire to nearby homes in the Skyhawk community as the Shady Fire burns in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Sept. 28, 2020. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Firefighters are on the scene as a home along Mountain Hawk Drive burns as the Shady Fire moves through the Skyhawk Community of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Sonoma County Fire District firefighters battle the Shady Fire along Brigadoon Way in the Skyhawk Community of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A home along Futura Way burns as the Shady Fire moves through the Skyhawk Community of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Embers rain down on a firefighter as a home explodes in flames from the Shady Fire burning along Mountain Hawk Drive in Santa Rosa, Calif., early Monday morning, Sept. 28, 2020. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A home along Futura Way burns as the Shady Fire moves through the Skyhawk Community of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A North County Fire Protection District of Monterey firefighter works to protect a home from the Shady Fire as the home next to it burns along Futura Way in the Skyhawk Community of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
The Shady Fire destroys homes on Mountain Hawk Drive in Santa Rosa, Calif., early Monday morning, Sept. 28, 2020. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Firefighters are silhouetted against the Shady Fire as it destroys a home on Mountain Hawk Drive in Santa Rosa, Calif., early Monday morning, Sept. 28, 2020. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: The Shady Fire claims a home on Mountain Hawk Drive in Santa Rosa, Calif., early Monday morning, Sept. 28, 2020. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: The Shady Fire destroys homes on Mountain Hawk Drive in Santa Rosa, Calif., early Monday morning, Sept. 28, 2020. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A bull dozer cuts a defensive firebreak as the Shady Fire approaches San Ramon Way in Santa Rosa, Calif., early Monday morning, Sept. 28, 2020. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 27: Firefighters battle the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 27: Firetrucks stop to stage on Silverado Trail during the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 27: A palm tree catches on fire while the wind blows embers into the air while on Silverado Trail during the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 27: A firefighter runs to his firetruck while protecting a home along Crystal Springs Road while battling the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 27: Trees catch on fire while the wind blows embers into the air on Silverado Trail during the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 27: Smoke from the Glass Fire reaches high into the sky in St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 27: A firefighter glances up as trees begin to catch fire along Crystal Springs Road while battling the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 27: A vineyard on Silverado Trail burns during the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 27: A vineyard on Silverado Trail burns during the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 27: A DC-10 tanker drops retardant while battling the Grass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A structure burns as seen from Zinfandel Lane in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A structure burns at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 27: A firefighter pulls a hose while protecting a home along Crystal Springs Road while battling the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A fence and a structure burn by the tennis courts at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 27: A house catches fire on Crystal Springs Road during the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPT. 27: A house catches fire on Crystal Springs Road during the Glass Fire in St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A structure burns at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA ROSA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Thick, dark smoke from the Glass Fire obscures most of the Monday morning sky, Sept. 28, 2020, except for a small section of ridgeline along Calistoga Road east of Santa Rosa, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
ST. HELENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: A piece of fruit is silhouetted during a smoky sunset along the Silverado Trail in St. Helena, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. The Glass Fire continues to burn. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
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Many of the same areas threatened and burned by the devastating Tubbs and Nuns blazes three years ago in Santa Rosa were scorched again when the Glass Fire exploded in size late Sunday and early Monday morning, placing almost 70,000 residents under evacuation orders or warnings by late Monday afternoon.
The devastating blaze spread from the eastern slope of the Napa Valley, across the mountains dividing Sonoma and Napa counties, and into the suburban neighborhoods of eastern Santa Rosa. And by late Monday, the entire city of Calistoga was under an evacuation order, along with parts of St Helena and other areas in Napa County.
“For some people, this is the third time since 2017 this has happened,” said Sonoma County Fire District fire marshal and division chief Cyndi Foreman. “It feels so demoralizing to have to watch your community go through this time of angst and agony year after year.”
Erratic offshore winds Sunday pushed a layer of hot, dry air into the region, fueling the fire as it swelled to 36,236 acres with 0% containment by 5 p.m. Monday. No injuries or deaths have been reported, and officials have not tallied the number of homes and structures lost to the fire so far, though more than 8,500 structures remain under threat, according to Cal Fire.
The cause of the Glass Fire remains under investigation. PG&E, whose infrastructure has been found responsible for sparking several of California’s most destructive wildfires, shut off power to about 37,000 customers in Napa and Sonoma counties at the request of firefighters.
According to eyewitnesses, at least 10 homes along Mountain Hawk Drive in Santa Rosa’s Skyhawk Community on the west side of the fire have been destroyed, and about 20 homes on Crystal Ridge Road in Saint Helena on the east side of the fire have been flattened.
In addition, a handful of Napa County wineries and resorts have been damaged or destroyed, including the family-owned winery Chateau Boswell and the luxury Napa resort Meadowood, a gathering place for nearly 60 years. Meadowood guests and staff had been evacuated Sunday, so they were out of harm’s way when flames reached the 250-acre property around 3 a.m. Monday, according to Brett Anderson, a representative for Pacific Union, the resort’s parent company.
For many Santa Rosa residents who fled their homes in the early morning hours Monday, the experience was frighteningly familiar.
Jack and Karen Madigan, in their 70s, were awakened after midnight by an emergency alert telling them to flee. In their second-floor apartment, Jack collected his diabetic medications and they fled, leaving their packed bags inside because they didn’t want to waste time going up and down the stairs for them.
“You go through one or two and you think that’s the end of it and it’s not,” he said. “They seem to be getting worse each time.”
Although their home had been spared from the Tubbs Fire in 2017, they — like many others who remain in the region — are still rattled.
“We could feel the heat from the fire. We could see it. I was especially frightened, shaking,” said Karen, 75, a retired librarian. “It’s pretty stressful, and we’re not sure we can take it another year. We’re talking about moving away.”
Still, like all blazes, the Glass Fire has its share of people who refuse to leave despite the imminent danger. Sgt. Juan Valencia of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said deputies rescued multiple people early Monday morning who disregarded evacuations and “may have been burned in some areas.”
Kevin Mastel, 50, was determined to stay in his home along Highway 12 in Santa Rosa with his ailing aunt who is on oxygen. With the power out, Mastel was using a generator Monday afternoon to provide the energy he needed.
“I talked to a lot of people last night, and they said they’re not going to leave until it’s right there,” he said, pointing down the block. He’s been evacuated twice — during the Tubbs and Kincade fires — and figured his luck will endure.
And while winds were beginning to subside Monday afternoon, a red flag warning was extended across the region through Friday, signaling that hot, dry conditions could continue to make the job of firefighters more difficult.
“We caution folks that while it may not be being pushed into town at this point, we’ll get back into a scenario like we had with the Walbridge Fire, where we have the normal winds and an opportunity for wind fuel and slope alignment to create more significant fire runs,” said Cal Fire Division Chief Ben Nicholls.
As California heads into the peak of a historic wildfire season, more than 8,000 blazes already have burned 3.7 million acres across the state, killing 29 people and destroying more than 7,000 structures. The Glass Fire is currently one of 27 major fires burning across the Golden State.
More than 1,000 firefighters had been called in by Monday morning to tend to the Glass Fire as fire crews across the state remain stretched thin. In addition to the fires in Napa and Sonoma County, the Zogg Fire erupted overnight in Shasta County to 15,000 acres with 0% containment and prompted more evacuations just west of Redding, according to Cal Fire. Three people have been found dead. And in Butte County, winds forced authorities to order new evacuations for the North Complex Fire, which tore through the region Sept. 8 and has since killed 15 people. The evacuation orders include areas devastated by 2018’s Camp Fire — the deadliest wildfire in California’s history.
“With a fire like this, I can’t stress enough that there is never enough resources to do what you need to do what you need,” Santa Rosa Fire Chief Tony Gossner said. “As much as we scraped to get as many resources at many levels, you only have so many, so you use them to the best of your ability.”
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Did powerlines cause Maui fire? Crashes and Disasters | Living with air pollution, especially from wildfires or agriculture, raises risk of dementia, US study finds
Living with air pollution, especially from wildfires or agriculture, raises risk of dementia, US study finds Crashes and Disasters | Cadaver dogs are in Maui to help find the dead. Here’s how it works and why it’s difficult Cal Fire records show that the Glass Fire roared through one of the last territories in that part of Sonoma County that had avoided fires for more than a century — making it rich in vegetation that helped fuel its rapid growth.
“While it did burn very rapidly because it had not burned in a long long time … it did also make it into the Nuns and the Tubbs scars, and it did burn just as well there because that has been filled in with light flashy fuels like grass and some new brush,” Gossner said. “Every year brings new challenges, the grass burns much faster and it’s much harder to control when its pushed under those kinds of conditions.”
Staff writer Linda Zavoral contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-09-29--Three people found dead in fast-moving Zogg Fire

SHASTA COUNTY – At least three people have been killed in the fast-moving Zogg Fire west of Redding , authorities said Monday .
Shasta County Sheriff-Coroner Eric Magrini announced the deaths at an afternoon news conference .
“ It ’ s with a sad heart that I come before you today to say we ’ ve had three deaths as a result of this fire thus far , ” he said .
“ Our coroner ’ s office is working diligently to identify the decedents and notify next of kin.
” Magrini did not provide any other information , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire , which ignited north of Igo just before 3 p.m. Sunday , has burned at least 15,000 acres and , Magrini said , forced 1,250 residents of Igo and Ono to flee their homes .
“ Those numbers will increase , ” said Magrini , who urged residents to heed orders to evacuate .
“ This is fast moving , ” he said .
“ When you hear that order , evacuate immediately .
Do not wait.
” The inferno is moving south away from Redding , including through the 2018 Carr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embers and sparking spot fires as much as a mile away , said Operations Section Chief Chris Waters of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection .
“ The wind continues to push the fire across control lines , ” he said .
“ Until this red flag warning and these winds start to dissipate , we are not going to be able to make a lot of headway on suppression efforts .
”

SHASTA COUNTY – At least three people have been killed in the fast-moving Zogg Fire west of Redding, authorities said Monday.
Shasta County Sheriff-Coroner Eric Magrini announced the deaths at an afternoon news conference.
“It’s with a sad heart that I come before you today to say we’ve had three deaths as a result of this fire thus far,” he said. “Our coroner’s office is working diligently to identify the decedents and notify next of kin.”
Magrini did not provide any other information, including where the bodies were found.
The fire, which ignited north of Igo just before 3 p.m. Sunday, has burned at least 31,000 acres and, Magrini said, forced 1,250 residents of Igo and Ono to flee their homes.
“Those numbers will increase,” said Magrini, who urged residents to heed orders to evacuate.
“This is fast moving,” he said. “When you hear that order, evacuate immediately. Do not wait.”
The inferno is moving south away from Redding, including through the 2018 Carr Fire burn scar, with winds carrying embers and sparking spot fires as much as a mile away, said Operations Section Chief Chris Waters of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
“The wind continues to push the fire across control lines,” he said. “Until this red flag warning and these winds start to dissipate, we are not going to be able to make a lot of headway on suppression efforts.”
Check back for updates.


mercurynews--2020-09-29--Despite court order, official says US census will end early

ORLANDO , Fla. — U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross says the 2020 census will end Oct. 5 , despite a federal judge ’ s ruling last week allowing the head count of every U.S. resident to continue through the end of October , according to a tweet posted on the Census Bureau ’ s website Monday .
The tweet said the ability for people to self-respond to the census questionnaire and the door-knocking phase when census takers go to homes that haven ’ t yet responded is targeted to end Oct. 5 .
The announcement came as a virtual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a follow-up to U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh ’ s preliminary injunction .
The injunction ordered last week suspended the Census Bureau ’ s deadline for ending the head count on Sept. 30 , which automatically reverted the deadline back to an older Census Bureau plan in which the deadline for ending field operations was Oct. 31 .
The new Oct. 5 deadline doesn ’ t necessarily violate the judge ’ s order because the injunction just suspended the Sept. 30 deadline for field operations , as well as a Dec. 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in figures used for determining how many congressional seats each state gets in a process known as apportionment .
The census also is used to determine how to distribute $ 1.5 trillion in federal spending annually .
Koh asked federal government attorneys during Monday ’ s hearing to provide documents on how the new decision to end the head count on Oct. 5 was made .
When a federal government lawyer suggested that the decision-making was a moving target without any records , the judge asked , “ A one sentence tweet ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to establish decision-making ?
A one sentence tweet ?
Given the judge ’ s preliminary injunction and a temporary restraining order she had previously issued prohibiting the Census Bureau from winding down 2020 census operations , the decision was made that the Sept. 30 deadline was no longer viable , said August Flentje , special counsel to the assistant U.S. Attorney General .
“ It ’ s day to day adjustments and assessments , ” Flentje said .
Koh said in her ruling last Thursday that the shortened schedule ordered by President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inaccurate results that would last a decade .
She sided with civil rights groups and local governments that had sued the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Commerce , which oversees the statistical agency , arguing that minorities and others in hard-to-count communities would be missed if the counting ends this month .
Attorneys for the federal government said they were appealing the decision .
During hearings , federal government attorneys argued that the head count needed to end Sept. 30 in order to meet a Dec. 31 deadline for handing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision by the Commerce Department came as census takers across the U.S. told The Associated Press that they were being pressured to meet the Sept. 30 deadline , even after Koh issued her injunction .
In upstate New York , a census supervisor told her census takers Friday that the Buffalo office was operating with Sept. 30 as the end date , according to a text obtained by AP .
“ 5 days left ( no matter what the court status ) , ” the text said .
In northern California , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday , “ We ’ re in the home stretch with only 3 days left , ” according to an email obtained by AP .
In that same region , a different manager told the census supervisors working underneath her Monday that they needed to complete 99 % of households in the the Santa Rosa region by Wednesday , including 12,000 households yet to be counted in Mendocino County .
In the conference call , area manager Nicole Terrazas pleaded with her supervisors to ask their census takers to head to Mendocino County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is under threat of wildfires .
“ We need as much help as we can get .
We only have three days to do it , ” said Terrazas on a call that an AP reporter listened in on .
When a census supervisor asked why they were being pressured with the Sept. 30 deadline when Koh ’ s preliminary injunction prohibits the count from ending at the end of this month , Terrazas called the judge ’ s order “ something completely different.
” Other census takers and supervisors , including one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Koh ’ s court , saying that field operations in their areas are slated to shut down Sept. 30 .
• For accurate count , U.S. census workers reach out to Bay Area homeless residents • Census Bureau releases most detailed data ever on same-sex couples In response to the pandemic , the Census Bureau last April pushed back the deadline for ending the 2020 census from the end of July to the end of October .
The bureau also asked Congress to let it turn in numbers used for apportionment from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April .
The deadline extension passed the Democratic-controlled House but it stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate after President Donald Trump issued a memorandum seeking to exclude people in the country illegally from being used in the apportionment count .
A panel of three judges in New York said earlier this month that the memorandum was unlawful .

By Mike Schneider | Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. — U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross says the 2020 census will end Oct. 5, despite a federal judge’s ruling last week allowing the head count of every U.S. resident to continue through the end of October, according to a tweet posted on the Census Bureau’s website Monday.
The tweet said the ability for people to self-respond to the census questionnaire and the door-knocking phase when census takers go to homes that haven’t yet responded is targeted to end Oct. 5.
The announcement came as a virtual hearing was being held in San Jose as a follow-up to U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh’s preliminary injunction. The injunction ordered last week suspended the Census Bureau’s deadline for ending the head count on Sept. 30, which automatically reverted the deadline back to an older Census Bureau plan in which the deadline for ending field operations was Oct. 31.
The new Oct. 5 deadline doesn’t necessarily violate the judge’s order because the injunction just suspended the Sept. 30 deadline for field operations, as well as a Dec. 31 deadline the Census Bureau has for turning in figures used for determining how many congressional seats each state gets in a process known as apportionment. The census also is used to determine how to distribute $1.5 trillion in federal spending annually.
Koh asked federal government attorneys during Monday’s hearing to provide documents on how the new decision to end the head count on Oct. 5 was made. When a federal government lawyer suggested that the decision-making was a moving target without any records, the judge asked, “A one sentence tweet? Are you saying that is enough reason to establish decision-making? A one sentence tweet?
Given the judge’s preliminary injunction and a temporary restraining order she had previously issued prohibiting the Census Bureau from winding down 2020 census operations, the decision was made that the Sept. 30 deadline was no longer viable, said August Flentje, special counsel to the assistant U.S. Attorney General.
“It’s day to day adjustments and assessments,” Flentje said.
Koh said in her ruling last Thursday that the shortened schedule ordered by President Donald Trump’s administration likely would produce inaccurate results that would last a decade. She sided with civil rights groups and local governments that had sued the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Commerce, which oversees the statistical agency, arguing that minorities and others in hard-to-count communities would be missed if the counting ends this month.
Attorneys for the federal government said they were appealing the decision. During hearings, federal government attorneys argued that the head count needed to end Sept. 30 in order to meet a Dec. 31 deadline for handing in figures used for apportionment.
The decision by the Commerce Department came as census takers across the U.S. told The Associated Press that they were being pressured to meet the Sept. 30 deadline, even after Koh issued her injunction.
In upstate New York, a census supervisor told her census takers Friday that the Buffalo office was operating with Sept. 30 as the end date, according to a text obtained by AP. “5 days left (no matter what the court status),” the text said.
In northern California, a manager told supervisors working under him on Sunday, “We’re in the home stretch with only 3 days left,” according to an email obtained by AP.
In that same region, a different manager told the census supervisors working underneath her Monday that they needed to complete 99% of households in the the Santa Rosa region by Wednesday, including 12,000 households yet to be counted in Mendocino County. In the conference call, area manager Nicole Terrazas pleaded with her supervisors to ask their census takers to head to Mendocino County, even though that part of California is under threat of wildfires.
“We need as much help as we can get. We only have three days to do it,” said Terrazas on a call that an AP reporter listened in on.
When a census supervisor asked why they were being pressured with the Sept. 30 deadline when Koh’s preliminary injunction prohibits the count from ending at the end of this month, Terrazas called the judge’s order “something completely different.”
Other census takers and supervisors, including one from Texas, have sent emails to Koh’s court, saying that field operations in their areas are slated to shut down Sept. 30.
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Santa Cruz County earns age-friendly status amid ‘silver tsunami’ concerns National News | California added 37,010 million-dollar taxpayers in 5 years, most in US In response to the pandemic, the Census Bureau last April pushed back the deadline for ending the 2020 census from the end of July to the end of October. The bureau also asked Congress to let it turn in numbers used for apportionment from the end of December to the end of April.
The deadline extension passed the Democratic-controlled House but it stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate after President Donald Trump issued a memorandum seeking to exclude people in the country illegally from being used in the apportionment count. A panel of three judges in New York said earlier this month that the memorandum was unlawful.


mercurynews--2020-09-28--Officer charged in Breonna Taylor case pleads not guilty

By Bruce Schreiner , Rebecca Reynolds Yonker and Piper Hudspeth Blackburn | Associated Press LOUISVILLE , Ky. — The lone Kentucky detective facing charges related to the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor pleaded not guilty Monday .
Brett Hankison ’ s plea comes five days after a grand jury indicted him on three counts of wanton endangerment for firing into the home of Taylor ’ s neighbors .
If convicted , he could face up to five years in prison on each count .
Hankison ’ s lawyer asked that his client be allowed to keep firearms for self-defense , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June , “ has received a number of threats.
” The judge turned down the request .
The grand jury declined to charge Hankison or the other two undercover narcotics officers who opened fire inside Taylor ’ s house with her shooting .
The decision not to charge the officers set off protests in Louisville and across the country .
On Monday , Louisville ’ s mayor lifted the curfew put in place after people refused to end their nighttime protests .
Mayor Greg Fischer ’ s statement said the 9 p.m. curfew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sadly saw some violence , including the shooting of two police officers , one of whom remains hospitalized , dealing with complications of his injuries .
But we believe the curfew helped , by ensuring fewer people were out late in the day , ” Fischer said .
Kentucky Gov .
Andy Beshear said the protests were largely peaceful , with a few people taking advantage of the situation to commit violence .
“ Let me say this , 99.99 % of people that took to the streets or the sidewalks did so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard and we should listen .
We should listen to the trauma and to the pain , ” Beshear said .
Meanwhile , Kentucky state Rep. Lisa Willner , a Louisville Democrat , said Monday that she ’ s starting to craft legislation that would narrow the scope of the state ’ s rioting statute .
Her proposal , which she intends to offer in next year ’ s legislative session , would protect people from being charged with first-degree rioting if they ’ re present but don ’ t engage in destructive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Democratic state Rep. Attica Scott was charged with the felony last week while participating in Louisville protests for racial justice .
“ This is not any attempt at all to weaken the current law , ” Willner said in a phone interview .
“ It ’ s just to make sure that people who are peacefully protesting , who are merely exercising their First Amendment rights , are clearly not engaging in rioting.
” Scott was among demonstrators who converged in downtown Louisville to express their disagreement with the grand jury decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets chanting “ Breonna Taylor , say her name , ” and “ no justice , no peace.
” Taylor was shot multiple times after her boyfriend opened fire as officers entered her home during a narcotics raid on the night of March 13 , authorities said .
Taylor ’ s boyfriend said he didn ’ t know who was coming in and fired in self-defense .
One officer was wounded .
A coroner ’ s report obtained Monday says Taylor was shot five times and died of multiple gunshot wounds .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , her upper left extremity and both lower extremities .
She tested negative for drugs and alcohol .
Scott , the state ’ s only Black woman representative , was arrested and charged Thursday night with the felony of first-degree rioting as well as unlawful assembly and failure to disperse , which are misdemeanor offenses .
Police said Scott was in a group whose members damaged buildings and set fire to a library .
Scott called the charges “ ludicrous ” and said she would never be involved in setting fire to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as she walked with her daughter to the sanctuary of a church .
Kentucky law defines a riot as a public disturbance involving five or more people “ which by tumultuous and violent conduct creates grave danger of damage or injury to property or persons or substantially obstructs law enforcement or other government function.
” The law defines first-degree rioting as knowingly participating in a riot that causes injury to a person who is not rioting or causes substantial property damage .
Scott said she and her daughter were driving from a protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who would otherwise be caught violating the curfew when police blocked their route , so they parked and walked to the church instead .
Officers then converged on them to make arrests before the curfew took effect , Scott said .
“ LMPD swarmed us , ” Scott said .
“ They started yelling , ‘ Circle ’ em , circle ’ em.
’ They wouldn ’ t let us leave to go back to our vehicle .
And they wouldn ’ t let us literally cross the street to get to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scott ’ s arrest “ raises the question of how many others have been accused of rioting in the first degree — which is a felony — who are facing loss of voting rights , simply by being present.
” • Views differ on why woman drove through California Black Lives matter protest “ We can make the language much clearer so that in order for a person to be convicted for riot in the first degree , it should be clear that they participated in the unlawful action by engaging in violent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others to engage in violent or destructive acts , ” she said .
Republicans have overwhelming majorities in both chambers of the Kentucky legislature .
Hudspeth Blackburn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative .
Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues .

By Bruce Schreiner, Rebecca Reynolds Yonker and Piper Hudspeth Blackburn | Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The lone Kentucky detective facing charges related to the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor pleaded not guilty Monday.
Brett Hankison’s plea comes five days after a grand jury indicted him on three counts of wanton endangerment for firing into the home of Taylor’s neighbors. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison on each count.
Hankison’s lawyer asked that his client be allowed to keep firearms for self-defense, saying Hankison, who was fired in June, “has received a number of threats.” The judge turned down the request.
The grand jury declined to charge Hankison or the other two undercover narcotics officers who opened fire inside Taylor’s house with her shooting. The decision not to charge the officers set off protests in Louisville and across the country.
On Monday, Louisville’s mayor lifted the curfew put in place after people refused to end their nighttime protests. Mayor Greg Fischer’s statement said the 9 p.m. curfew had served its purpose.
“We sadly saw some violence, including the shooting of two police officers, one of whom remains hospitalized, dealing with complications of his injuries. But we believe the curfew helped, by ensuring fewer people were out late in the day,” Fischer said.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said the protests were largely peaceful, with a few people taking advantage of the situation to commit violence.
“Let me say this, 99.99% of people that took to the streets or the sidewalks did so peacefully, raised their voices to be heard and we should listen. We should listen to the trauma and to the pain,” Beshear said.
Meanwhile, Kentucky state Rep. Lisa Willner, a Louisville Democrat, said Monday that she’s starting to craft legislation that would narrow the scope of the state’s rioting statute.
Her proposal, which she intends to offer in next year’s legislative session, would protect people from being charged with first-degree rioting if they’re present but don’t engage in destructive or violent actions. Her response comes after Democratic state Rep. Attica Scott was charged with the felony last week while participating in Louisville protests for racial justice.
“This is not any attempt at all to weaken the current law,” Willner said in a phone interview. “It’s just to make sure that people who are peacefully protesting, who are merely exercising their First Amendment rights, are clearly not engaging in rioting.”
Scott was among demonstrators who converged in downtown Louisville to express their disagreement with the grand jury decision. Many marched along Louisville’s streets chanting “Breonna Taylor, say her name,” and “no justice, no peace.”
Taylor was shot multiple times after her boyfriend opened fire as officers entered her home during a narcotics raid on the night of March 13, authorities said. Taylor’s boyfriend said he didn’t know who was coming in and fired in self-defense. One officer was wounded.
A coroner’s report obtained Monday says Taylor was shot five times and died of multiple gunshot wounds. It says she was hit in the torso, her upper left extremity and both lower extremities. She tested negative for drugs and alcohol.
Scott, the state’s only Black woman representative, was arrested and charged Thursday night with the felony of first-degree rioting as well as unlawful assembly and failure to disperse, which are misdemeanor offenses.
Police said Scott was in a group whose members damaged buildings and set fire to a library.
Scott called the charges “ludicrous” and said she would never be involved in setting fire to a library. She said she was arrested as she walked with her daughter to the sanctuary of a church.
Kentucky law defines a riot as a public disturbance involving five or more people “which by tumultuous and violent conduct creates grave danger of damage or injury to property or persons or substantially obstructs law enforcement or other government function.”
The law defines first-degree rioting as knowingly participating in a riot that causes injury to a person who is not rioting or causes substantial property damage.
Scott said she and her daughter were driving from a protest to a church that offered refuge to people who would otherwise be caught violating the curfew when police blocked their route, so they parked and walked to the church instead. Officers then converged on them to make arrests before the curfew took effect, Scott said.
“LMPD swarmed us,” Scott said. “They started yelling, ‘Circle ’em, circle ’em.’ They wouldn’t let us leave to go back to our vehicle. And they wouldn’t let us literally cross the street to get to the church and sanctuary.”
Willner said Scott’s arrest “raises the question of how many others have been accused of rioting in the first degree — which is a felony — who are facing loss of voting rights, simply by being present.”
“We can make the language much clearer so that in order for a person to be convicted for riot in the first degree, it should be clear that they participated in the unlawful action by engaging in violent or destructive acts or by complicitly encouraging others to engage in violent or destructive acts,” she said.
Republicans have overwhelming majorities in both chambers of the Kentucky legislature.
Hudspeth Blackburn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.


mercurynews--2020-09-28--LaMelo Ball, international man of mystery, prepares for homecoming

Four years ago LaMelo Ball was a 14-year-old who scored 26 points in a Southern Section championship game .
He looked like the first basketball player who would change the game before his voice changed .
The ball looked as large in his hands as Neptune , yet he made it behave like a yo-yo .
People came to Chino Hills games to see Lonzo , the First Brother .
They came back to see Melo .
After he had laid waste to Sierra Canyon at the Honda Center , the kid said he just wanted some “ cotton candy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s post-pubescent career was going to be basketball ’ s biggest story .
Instead , it is merely the longest .
He has played in Ohio , Lithuania and Australia , but he also has grown to 6-foot-8 and will be the pivotal figure in the 2020 NBA draft , scheduled for Nov. 18 .
He is yet another example of 21st-century law .
Four years is a lot longer than it used to be .
“ Ever since I was little , when we used to do projects and stuff , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No .
1 in the draft , ” Ball said Monday , in one of his few interesting answers during a Zoom conference call held by the NBA .
“ I thought I ’ d be going the traditional route when I was younger .
I like what has happened .
I like being one of one .
I kinda like that it ’ s the first time we ’ ve ever seen it and it ’ s all unique .
I feel like it ’ s something new.
” NBA general managers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usual and , remember , this is a league where Luke Dennard was picked ahead of Jamal Murray , and Marcus Bagley ahead of Luka Doncic .
The college season screeched to a halt in early March and the virus eliminated the Draft Combine and person-to-person workouts .
But there are still videos , and Melo had an impressive 12-game tour in the Australian Basketball League .
He closed his season with back-to-back triple-doubles and averaged 17 points , seven rebounds and seven assists .
He was playing for the Ilawarra Hawks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was not one of the glamour teams .
But Ball ’ s presence sparked the same social-media fervor that he ’ s known forever , and the Hawks drew an average crowd of 10,511 .
They also had to deal with , and deny , rumors that Ball was going to buy their franchise .
There is always a yeah-but when dealing with the Balls , as Lithuania learned when Melo and the Middle Brother , Gelo , showed up with LaVar ’ s Big Baller brand pumping money into the Vytautas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against grown men and living under a sizzling microscope , and it worked out the way you ’ d expect .
They didn ’ t get through the season .
“ I ’ ve always played ‘ up , ’ with older players , ” Ball said .
“ It will help you no matter what .
Just being over in Australia was just a whole little world , something you got ta see .
What I ’ ve been through has made me what I am today.
” Ball will also be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even though he didn ’ t fulfill his early plan to attend USC , with Chino Hills teammate Onyeka Ogonkwu .
The draft is no longer dependent on college freshmen .
As the advanced descendants of Doncic and Nikola Jokic come from Europe and dazzle the NBA , this pattern will accelerate .
At least four of the top eight picks — Ball , the NCAA-banned James Wiseman , Israel ’ s Deni Avdija and Germany ’ s Killian Hayes — will have bypassed the college game .
Minnesota has the first pick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edwards , who played one year at Georgia and looks the part .
Golden State is No .
2 , and nothing about the Warriors indicates they ’ d be interested in a ball-hoarder like Ball .
That leaves Charlotte , Chicago and Cleveland , in order , although the uncertainty could trigger a hailstorm of trades , even involving Minnesota .
Asked about each of those teams and others , Ball stoutly maintained his style fits in with everybody .
“ I ’ ve always tried to see the positive in every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warriors ’ Andrew Wiggins once clashed with Jimmy Butler , now he follows his lead • Father Time may get exhausted trying to rein in LeBron James • Klay Thompson practices with Warriors for first time since ACL injury • 3 Points : What the Warriors want in a center of the future , from one who knows Kerr ’ s system His dad LaVar has deemed Melo to be perfect for the New York Knicks , as if anything is .
“ He has his opinions , I have mine , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thing Lonzo used to say .
They take LaVar seriously but not literally .
Meanwhile , Okongwu will probably be slotted anywhere from fifth to ninth in the first round of the draft after a productive regular season at USC .
How many high school teams have had three players reach the top ten in the NBA draft ?
But when the Balls packed themselves up and left home , Okongwu still led Chino Hills to a state championship in 2019 .
No trophies are in LaMelo Ball ’ s immediate future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Four years ago LaMelo Ball was a 14-year-old who scored 26 points in a Southern Section championship game. He looked like the first basketball player who would change the game before his voice changed.
The ball looked as large in his hands as Neptune, yet he made it behave like a yo-yo. People came to Chino Hills games to see Lonzo, the First Brother. They came back to see Melo.
After he had laid waste to Sierra Canyon at the Honda Center, the kid said he just wanted some “cotton candy and McDonald’s.” Melo’s post-pubescent career was going to be basketball’s biggest story. Instead, it is merely the longest.
He has played in Ohio, Lithuania and Australia, but he also has grown to 6-foot-8 and will be the pivotal figure in the 2020 NBA draft, scheduled for Nov. 18. He is yet another example of 21st-century law. Four years is a lot longer than it used to be.
“Ever since I was little, when we used to do projects and stuff, that was one of my goals, going No. 1 in the draft,” Ball said Monday, in one of his few interesting answers during a Zoom conference call held by the NBA.
“I thought I’d be going the traditional route when I was younger. I like what has happened. I like being one of one. I kinda like that it’s the first time we’ve ever seen it and it’s all unique. I feel like it’s something new.”
NBA general managers are operating in a denser fog than usual and, remember, this is a league where Luke Dennard was picked ahead of Jamal Murray, and Marcus Bagley ahead of Luka Doncic.
The college season screeched to a halt in early March and the virus eliminated the Draft Combine and person-to-person workouts. But there are still videos, and Melo had an impressive 12-game tour in the Australian Basketball League. He closed his season with back-to-back triple-doubles and averaged 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
He was playing for the Ilawarra Hawks, which played an hour south of Sydney and was not one of the glamour teams. But Ball’s presence sparked the same social-media fervor that he’s known forever, and the Hawks drew an average crowd of 10,511.
They also had to deal with, and deny, rumors that Ball was going to buy their franchise. There is always a yeah-but when dealing with the Balls, as Lithuania learned when Melo and the Middle Brother, Gelo, showed up with LaVar’s Big Baller brand pumping money into the Vytautas franchise. Melo was 16, playing against grown men and living under a sizzling microscope, and it worked out the way you’d expect. They didn’t get through the season.
“I’ve always played ‘up,’ with older players,” Ball said. “It will help you no matter what. Just being over in Australia was just a whole little world, something you gotta see. What I’ve been through has made me what I am today.”
Ball will also be the most recognizable face in this draft even though he didn’t fulfill his early plan to attend USC, with Chino Hills teammate Onyeka Ogonkwu. The draft is no longer dependent on college freshmen. As the advanced descendants of Doncic and Nikola Jokic come from Europe and dazzle the NBA, this pattern will accelerate.
At least four of the top eight picks — Ball, the NCAA-banned James Wiseman, Israel’s Deni Avdija and Germany’s Killian Hayes — will have bypassed the college game.
Minnesota has the first pick and has long been associated with Anthony Edwards, who played one year at Georgia and looks the part. Golden State is No. 2, and nothing about the Warriors indicates they’d be interested in a ball-hoarder like Ball.
That leaves Charlotte, Chicago and Cleveland, in order, although the uncertainty could trigger a hailstorm of trades, even involving Minnesota.
Asked about each of those teams and others, Ball stoutly maintained his style fits in with everybody. “I’ve always tried to see the positive in every situation,” he said.
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NBA star Shaquille O’Neal shoots and misses with DJ set at Outside Lands NBA | Report: Bob Myers returning to NBA in a different role His dad LaVar has deemed Melo to be perfect for the New York Knicks, as if anything is.
“He has his opinions, I have mine,” Melo said, which is the type of thing Lonzo used to say. They take LaVar seriously but not literally.
Meanwhile, Okongwu will probably be slotted anywhere from fifth to ninth in the first round of the draft after a productive regular season at USC. How many high school teams have had three players reach the top ten in the NBA draft? But when the Balls packed themselves up and left home, Okongwu still led Chino Hills to a state championship in 2019.
No trophies are in LaMelo Ball’s immediate future, but neither is his continental drift.


mercurynews--2020-09-28--Kurtenbach: Oakland A’s are World Series caliber — if they get past White Sox, first-round demons

Make no mistake , the A ’ s can win the World Series .
They have the starting pitching .
They have the relief pitching .
They have the bats .
They play exceptional defense .
They have the right manager .
They just need to get over a first-round hump .
Over the past 30 seasons , since being swept in the World Series by the underdog Cincinnati Reds , the A ’ s have reached the post-season 13 times .
Only once have they advanced to the second round .
For the past two seasons , the A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best records in baseball .
But they didn ’ t win their division , so they were relegated to the wild card round , a one-game loser-go-home proposition .
Both times they went home .
Their goal this season , even before pandemic turned the traditional 162-game marathon into a 60-game dash , was to win the division and avoid the one-game wild card round .
They did just that , finishing seven games ahead of their closest rival , the Houston Astros — the sign-stealing team whose cheating ways had rendered Oakland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a row .
The reward ?
A best-of-three-game series , the same as everyone else who made baseball ’ s expanded and experimental postseason .
Yes , instead of a one-game playoff , they are guaranteed two games .
The A ’ s and luck have never been good friends .
They go into this series against the Chicago White Sox without their best player , Matt Chapman .
The best defensive third baseman in the game and a 36-home-run hitter in 2019 , Chapman had surgery on his right hip earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him out until Spring Training 2021 .
Drawing the White Sox in the first round was hardly lucky either .
Yes , they are the seventh seed in an eight-team tournament , but they spent most of the past month with the best record in the AL .
Their bats fell asleep down the stretch and their bullpen didn ’ t pick up the slack .
Still they finished with just one fewer win than Oakland .
And should Chicago ’ s bats awaken , that ’ s bad news for the A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White Sox were unarguably the best hitting team in baseball , posting the highest home-run rate and a 14-0 record against left-handed starting pitchers .
The A ’ s were aiming to have two of their three starters for this series be lefties , but once the matchup was set , they pivoted out of that position .
Still , their ace — 22-year-old Jesus Luzardo , who will start Game 1 — is a lefty .
Chicago ’ s dominance of left-handed pitching also could neutralize one of the A ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and their long-reliever , Mike Minor .
If the A ’ s can find a way to counteract Chicago ’ s bats , they will also need to find a way to get theirs going against their opponents ’ two aces , Lucas Giolito and Dallas Keuchel , who will start Games 1 and 2 .
Giolito was one of the best pitchers in baseball — he threw a no-hitter last month and has struck out 65 batters in his last 44 innings pitched .
Kuechel — a former Cy Young Award winner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the A ’ s in 22 games .
With Chapman gone , the onus will fall on the A ’ s remaining stars , many of whom have underperformed this season : Shortstop Marcus Semien ( .223 batting average ) , first baseman Matt Olson ( .195 ) , and designated Khris Davis ( .200 ) .
All three of those hitters are too good to post numbers that low .
Positive regression , it seems , is looming .
The A ’ s are hoping it shows up starting Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Semien takes third swing at helping A ’ s out of wild card round • Why Bob Melvin isn ’ t happy about early start times for A ’ s-White Sox series • Oakland A ’ s : Coliseum complex will be vote center for November election If the A ’ s can overcome the White Sox , they stand a tremendous chance of winning the American League — and perhaps even the World Series .
The AL is wide-open , and while the games will be at neutral sites ( unlike the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games will be played in Oakland ) , these will be best-of-seven series .
That format should allow their pitching — which is more deep than top-heavy — to shine .
It gives the A ’ s great defense more chances to turn a game .
It also gives manager Bob Melvin ample opportunity to mix-and-match players .
The A ’ s have one of the most versatile lineups in baseball .
Flexibility is strength in the playoffs , where every at-bat matters .
The A ’ s just need to get to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And let ’ s be clear : should the A ’ s win two games against Chicago — should they advance from the first round for the second time in 14 tries spanning 30 years — and find enough long-overdue fortune as to win the World Series at the end of October , the title will be in no way fraudulent .
In many ways , this will be the most challenging MLB playoffs ever .
More teams mean more games required to win it .
Facing players who aren ’ t coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be bringing their best to the ballpark .
This year ’ s champions shouldn ’ t be undercut — they should be celebrated with even more gusto .
The A ’ s , of course , aren ’ t worried about that .
They ’ re just trying to be the team that gets right at the right time — the characteristic of every World Series champion .
And after a strange year and a stranger season , that time is now .

Make no mistake, the A’s can win the World Series.
They have the starting pitching. They have the relief pitching. They have the bats. They play exceptional defense. They have the right manager.
They just need to get over a first-round hump.
Over the past 30 seasons, since being swept in the World Series by the underdog Cincinnati Reds, the A’s have reached the post-season 13 times. Only once have they advanced to the second round.
For the past two seasons, the A’s have posted one of the best records in baseball. But they didn’t win their division, so they were relegated to the wild card round, a one-game loser-go-home proposition.
Both times they went home.
Their goal this season, even before pandemic turned the traditional 162-game marathon into a 60-game dash, was to win the division and avoid the one-game wild card round.
They did just that, finishing seven games ahead of their closest rival, the Houston Astros — the sign-stealing team whose cheating ways had rendered Oakland’s sparkling record second-best two years in a row.
The reward? A best-of-three-game series, the same as everyone else who made baseball’s expanded and experimental postseason.
Yes, instead of a one-game playoff, they are guaranteed two games.
The A’s and luck have never been good friends.
They go into this series against the Chicago White Sox without their best player, Matt Chapman. The best defensive third baseman in the game and a 36-home-run hitter in 2019, Chapman had surgery on his right hip earlier this month. The injury will keep him out until Spring Training 2021.
Drawing the White Sox in the first round was hardly lucky either. Yes, they are the seventh seed in an eight-team tournament, but they spent most of the past month with the best record in the AL. Their bats fell asleep down the stretch and their bullpen didn’t pick up the slack. Still they finished with just one fewer win than Oakland.
And should Chicago’s bats awaken, that’s bad news for the A’s. Against left-handed pitching the White Sox were unarguably the best hitting team in baseball, posting the highest home-run rate and a 14-0 record against left-handed starting pitchers.
The A’s were aiming to have two of their three starters for this series be lefties, but once the matchup was set, they pivoted out of that position. Still, their ace — 22-year-old Jesus Luzardo, who will start Game 1 — is a lefty. Chicago’s dominance of left-handed pitching also could neutralize one of the A’s top bullpen arms, Jake Diekman, and their long-reliever, Mike Minor.
If the A’s can find a way to counteract Chicago’s bats, they will also need to find a way to get theirs going against their opponents’ two aces, Lucas Giolito and Dallas Keuchel, who will start Games 1 and 2. Giolito was one of the best pitchers in baseball — he threw a no-hitter last month and has struck out 65 batters in his last 44 innings pitched. Kuechel — a former Cy Young Award winner for Houston — has a 3.06 ERA against the A’s in 22 games.
With Chapman gone, the onus will fall on the A’s remaining stars, many of whom have underperformed this season: Shortstop Marcus Semien (.223 batting average), first baseman Matt Olson (.195), and designated Khris Davis (.200).
All three of those hitters are too good to post numbers that low. Positive regression, it seems, is looming. The A’s are hoping it shows up starting Tuesday.
If the A’s can overcome the White Sox, they stand a tremendous chance of winning the American League — and perhaps even the World Series. The AL is wide-open, and while the games will be at neutral sites (unlike the wild card series, where all three games will be played in Oakland), these series will be longer. The divisional round is best-of-five, and the league championship series is best-of-seven.
That format should allow their pitching — which is more deep than top-heavy — to shine. It gives the A’s great defense more chances to turn a game. It also gives manager Bob Melvin ample opportunity to mix-and-match players. The A’s have one of the most versatile lineups in baseball. Flexibility is strength in the playoffs, where every at-bat matters. The A’s just need to get to the “real” playoffs first.
And let’s be clear: should the A’s win two games against Chicago — should they advance from the first round for the second time in 14 tries spanning 30 years — and find enough long-overdue fortune as to win the World Series at the end of October, the title will be in no way fraudulent.
In many ways, this will be the most challenging MLB playoffs ever. More teams mean more games required to win it. Facing players who aren’t coming off a 162-game grind means everyone will be bringing their best to the ballpark.
This year’s champions shouldn’t be undercut — they should be celebrated with even more gusto.
The A’s, of course, aren’t worried about that.
They’re just trying to be the team that gets right at the right time — the characteristic of every World Series champion.
And after a strange year and a stranger season, that time is now.


mercurynews--2020-09-28--Ethics experts see security concerns in Trump’s massive debt

By Aamer Madhani and Deb Reichmann | Associated Press WASHINGTON — Revelations that President Donald Trump is personally liable for more than $ 400 million in debt are casting a shadow over his presidency that ethics experts say raises national security concerns he could be manipulated to sway U.S. policy by organizations or individuals he ’ s indebted to .
New scrutiny of Trump , who claims great success as a private businessman , comes after The New York Times reported that tax records show he is personally carrying a staggering amount of debt — including more than $ 300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the next four years .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass.
, was blunt about the potential implications .
“ He may be vulnerable to financial blackmail from a hostile foreign power and God knows what else , ” said Warren , a frequent Trump critic .
The Times said the tax records also show that Trump did not pay any federal income taxes in 11 years between 2000 and 2018 , raising questions about the fairness of a president — who purports to be a billionaire — paying less in taxes than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Trump ’ s tax avoidance , however , are perhaps less concerning than word the president is holding hundreds of millions of dollars of soon-to-mature debt , ethics experts said .
“ Americans should be concerned about the president ’ s debt because it ’ s a national security risk for our country , ” said Donald Sherman , deputy director of the nonprofit government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington ( CREW ) .
“ This is information that the president has aggressively and repeatedly tried to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citing an ongoing Internal Revenue Service audit , has refused to follow the post-Watergate precedent set by other presidents of releasing his tax returns , so the complexities of his financial interests and who he does business with have remained opaque .
He ’ s fighting ongoing court battles with New York ’ s attorney general , Manhattan ’ s district attorney and two House committees who want the records .
Richard Painter , who served as chief ethics attorney in Republican George W. Bush ’ s White House , also noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , raising the question : Why have lenders been willing to keep risking loans of such enormous amounts ?
“ Why would banks assume the risk on these loans ?
” Painter said .
“ Or did someone else quietly assume risk of that loan for the bank to make it happen ?
” Trump , according to his latest financial disclosure statement , reported that he had 14 loans on 12 properties .
One lender , Germany-based Deutsche Bank , continued to do business with Trump even after he defaulted in 2008 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and condo development .
Trump filed suit against the bank and others whom he blamed for his inability to repay .
But Deutsche Bank ’ s private banking division continued to lend to Trump , including $ 125 million to finance the purchase and renovation of his Doral golf resort in 2012 , according to previous disclosures .
Trump on Monday suggested that his debt load is hardly unusual in comparison with his assets , claiming in a tweet that he ’ s in fact “ extremely under leveraged.
” “ I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of assets , ” he wrote , adding that he may release a financial statement that spells out all assets , properties and debts .
Trump during an appearance on Monday ignored a reporter ’ s question about when he might release such a statement , and the White House would not comment on when he might follow through .
He said repeatedly before his election that he would release his actual taxes but never has .
Kathleen Clark , a government ethics expert at Washington University in St. Louis , said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shed little light on his business dealings if he does not disclose who his business partners are in his various holdings .
“ The Trump Organization consists of hundreds of LLCs ( limited liability corporations ) that have been listed on his financial disclosure forms , ” Clark said .
“ One of the things that Trump has benefitted from and that oligarchs and money launderers benefit from is opaqueness of LLCs , … the ease of which individuals can hide their assets , can hide their financial interests.
” Trump refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory , and left day-to-day operation of his family ’ s real estate and other holdings to his sons Donald Jr. and Eric .
Still , the president has benefitted personally from U.S. and foreign government activity at his properties since his election and hasn ’ t shied away from promoting his hotels and golf courses .
Republicans have held at least 88 political events at his properties , the president has visited his hotels and golf courses more than 500 times , and at least 13 foreign governments have held events at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by CREW .
The administration drew criticism last year when Vice President Mike Pence , while visiting Dublin for meetings , lodged at Trump International Golf Links and Hotel more than 180 miles away in Doonbeg , Ireland .
And Trump scrapped a plan to hold a meeting of the Group of 7 world leaders at one of his Florida properties last year after bipartisan criticism .
In the runup to his 2016 election victory , Trump played down his bankruptcies as a smart business strategy and even referred to himself as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve always loved debt , I must be honest with you , ” Trump said during a campaign rally .
“ I don ’ t love it for countries , but I love it individually .
If things work out good that ’ s great , if they don ’ t , you go renegotiate.
” The New York Times , citing the tax records it obtained , also revealed that Trump did not pay federal income tax in 11 of 18 years , and just $ 750 each year for 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dollars in business losses .
Top Democratic lawmakers on Monday called Trump ’ s tax avoidance galling , but seized on his debt as perhaps more concerning .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on MSNBC that “ our responsibility is to protect and defend and we have to make sure we know what exposure the president of the United States has , and what an impact it has on national security decisions for our country.
” Painter said that if Trump were attempting to appoint someone with his massive debt load to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would almost certainly face trouble getting a security clearance .
Indeed , inability or unwillingness to satisfy debts and a history of not meeting financial obligations could disqualify any federal employee from receiving a security clearance , according to government guidelines .
Peter Schweizer , the president of the Government Accountability Institute , said , “ The question is also one of whether the loans are tied to actual assets such as buildings , etc.
, or was the political figure granted special favors in getting loans .
Politicians and their families can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is whether the loans are unusual and unique compared to others in the marketplace .
Trump is hardly the first president to contend with debt , either in office or later in life .
Thomas Jefferson , whose peak net worth in current dollars reached $ 236.8 million according to research by 24/7 Wall Street , died in debt .
The debt was accrued during and after his presidency — as well as by relatives — and his family sold dozens of enslaved people from his Monticello estate to satisfy his liabilities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ US census will end early • Woman charged with sending ricin to Trump remains in custody • Report : US to ship testing kits to spark K-12 reopening • Army takes new look at suicide outreach as numbers rise • In 2011 , Trump said he paid ‘ a lot ’ in taxes On the other hand , Barack Obama , in his second term , encouraged American homeowners to refinance their mortgages as rates dropped well below what he was paying , but he said he and his wife were holding off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you have to be a little careful about these transactions , so we haven ’ t refinanced , ” Obama explained at the time .

By Aamer Madhani and Deb Reichmann | Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Revelations that President Donald Trump is personally liable for more than $400 million in debt are casting a shadow over his presidency that ethics experts say raises national security concerns he could be manipulated to sway U.S. policy by organizations or individuals he’s indebted to.
New scrutiny of Trump, who claims great success as a private businessman, comes after The New York Times reported that tax records show he is personally carrying a staggering amount of debt — including more than $300 million in loans that will come due in the next four years.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., was blunt about the potential implications. “He may be vulnerable to financial blackmail from a hostile foreign power and God knows what else,” said Warren, a frequent Trump critic.
The Times said the tax records also show that Trump did not pay any federal income taxes in 11 years between 2000 and 2018, raising questions about the fairness of a president — who purports to be a billionaire — paying less in taxes than most Americans.
The politically damaging revelations about Trump’s tax avoidance, however, are perhaps less concerning than word the president is holding hundreds of millions of dollars of soon-to-mature debt, ethics experts said.
“Americans should be concerned about the president’s debt because it’s a national security risk for our country,” said Donald Sherman, deputy director of the nonprofit government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). “This is information that the president has aggressively and repeatedly tried to keep away from the public.”
Trump, citing an ongoing Internal Revenue Service audit, has refused to follow the post-Watergate precedent set by other presidents of releasing his tax returns, so the complexities of his financial interests and who he does business with have remained opaque. He’s fighting ongoing court battles with New York’s attorney general, Manhattan’s district attorney and two House committees who want the records.
Richard Painter, who served as chief ethics attorney in Republican George W. Bush’s White House, also noted that Trump-owned companies have declared bankruptcy six times, raising the question: Why have lenders been willing to keep risking loans of such enormous amounts?
“Why would banks assume the risk on these loans?” Painter said. “Or did someone else quietly assume risk of that loan for the bank to make it happen?”
Trump, according to his latest financial disclosure statement, reported that he had 14 loans on 12 properties.
One lender, Germany-based Deutsche Bank, continued to do business with Trump even after he defaulted in 2008 on a loan for his Chicago hotel and condo development. Trump filed suit against the bank and others whom he blamed for his inability to repay.
But Deutsche Bank’s private banking division continued to lend to Trump, including $125 million to finance the purchase and renovation of his Doral golf resort in 2012, according to previous disclosures.
Trump on Monday suggested that his debt load is hardly unusual in comparison with his assets, claiming in a tweet that he’s in fact “extremely under leveraged.”
“I have very little debt compared to the value of assets,” he wrote, adding that he may release a financial statement that spells out all assets, properties and debts.
Trump during an appearance on Monday ignored a reporter’s question about when he might release such a statement, and the White House would not comment on when he might follow through. He said repeatedly before his election that he would release his actual taxes but never has.
Kathleen Clark, a government ethics expert at Washington University in St. Louis, said that a separate financial statement from Trump would shed little light on his business dealings if he does not disclose who his business partners are in his various holdings.
“The Trump Organization consists of hundreds of LLCs (limited liability corporations) that have been listed on his financial disclosure forms,” Clark said. “One of the things that Trump has benefitted from and that oligarchs and money launderers benefit from is opaqueness of LLCs, … the ease of which individuals can hide their assets, can hide their financial interests.”
Trump refused to divest his business interests after his 2016 victory, and left day-to-day operation of his family’s real estate and other holdings to his sons Donald Jr. and Eric. Still, the president has benefitted personally from U.S. and foreign government activity at his properties since his election and hasn’t shied away from promoting his hotels and golf courses.
Republicans have held at least 88 political events at his properties, the president has visited his hotels and golf courses more than 500 times, and at least 13 foreign governments have held events at Trump establishments, according to a tally by CREW.
The administration drew criticism last year when Vice President Mike Pence, while visiting Dublin for meetings, lodged at Trump International Golf Links and Hotel more than 180 miles away in Doonbeg, Ireland. And Trump scrapped a plan to hold a meeting of the Group of 7 world leaders at one of his Florida properties last year after bipartisan criticism.
In the runup to his 2016 election victory, Trump played down his bankruptcies as a smart business strategy and even referred to himself as the “king of debt.”
“I’ve always loved debt, I must be honest with you,” Trump said during a campaign rally. “I don’t love it for countries, but I love it individually. If things work out good that’s great, if they don’t, you go renegotiate.”
The New York Times, citing the tax records it obtained, also revealed that Trump did not pay federal income tax in 11 of 18 years, and just $750 each year for 2017 and 2018, as he claimed millions of dollars in business losses.
Top Democratic lawmakers on Monday called Trump’s tax avoidance galling, but seized on his debt as perhaps more concerning.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on MSNBC that “our responsibility is to protect and defend and we have to make sure we know what exposure the president of the United States has, and what an impact it has on national security decisions for our country.”
Painter said that if Trump were attempting to appoint someone with his massive debt load to a high-profile government position, the nominee would almost certainly face trouble getting a security clearance. Indeed, inability or unwillingness to satisfy debts and a history of not meeting financial obligations could disqualify any federal employee from receiving a security clearance, according to government guidelines.
Peter Schweizer, the president of the Government Accountability Institute, said, “The question is also one of whether the loans are tied to actual assets such as buildings, etc., or was the political figure granted special favors in getting loans. Politicians and their families can engage in commercial transactions, the question is whether the loans are unusual and unique compared to others in the marketplace.
Trump is hardly the first president to contend with debt, either in office or later in life.
Thomas Jefferson, whose peak net worth in current dollars reached $236.8 million according to research by 24/7 Wall Street, died in debt. The debt was accrued during and after his presidency — as well as by relatives — and his family sold dozens of enslaved people from his Monticello estate to satisfy his liabilities.
On the other hand, Barack Obama, in his second term, encouraged American homeowners to refinance their mortgages as rates dropped well below what he was paying, but he said he and his wife were holding off.
“When you’re president, you have to be a little careful about these transactions, so we haven’t refinanced,” Obama explained at the time.


mercurynews--2020-09-29--Judge sentences 2 Monterey County gang members to multiple life sentences for attempted premeditated

Judge sentences 2 Monterey County gang members to multiple life sentences for attempted premeditated murder

SALINAS — Judge Pamela Butler sentenced Sureno gang members Sergio Rodriguez and Francisco Garcia to multiple life sentences last week after a jury found them guilty of gang-related attempted premeditated murder .
According to the Monterey County District Attorney ’ s Office , Butler imposed a total term of 191 years to life on Garcia while Rodriguez received a sentence of 270 years to life Wednesday .
Both men are convicted felons and Sergio Rodriguez has a prior conviction for a strike offense .
After a multi-week jury trial , the two men were found guilty of 22 felony counts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with enhancements involving the discharge of firearms causing great bodily injury and five counts of attempted murder , as well as shooting at an occupied vehicle — all for the benefit the Sureno street gang .
The DA ’ s Office said that on Aug. 20 , 2018 , Rodriguez and Garcia stole a car and went on a “ mission ” with two other men into a rival gang area , looking to kill in support of the Sureno cause .
Rodriguez fired multiple rounds at a moving vehicle with three victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene and attempted to carjack another resident who was driving into a local trailer park .
Rodriguez and Garcia then drove to an apartment building where Norteno gang members were known to reside and fired over 11 rounds at two victims who were standing on the street .
One of the victims suffered multiple gunshot wounds and underwent successive surgeries to remove several bullets from various parts of his body .
The doctors were unable to remove four bullets and the victim remains partially disabled as a result of his injuries .
Video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime scene showed Rodriguez and Garcia driving to and from the scene of the shooting and abandoning their stolen vehicle in another location .
Rodriguez and Garcia were arrested following their identification from the surveillance videos .
At the time of his arrest , Garcia was in possession of a semi-automatic firearm , which the California Department of Justice was able to connect to the second shooting .

SALINAS — Judge Pamela Butler sentenced Sureno gang members Sergio Rodriguez and Francisco Garcia to multiple life sentences last week after a jury found them guilty of gang-related attempted premeditated murder.
According to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, Butler imposed a total term of 191 years to life on Garcia while Rodriguez received a sentence of 270 years to life Wednesday. Both men are convicted felons and Sergio Rodriguez has a prior conviction for a strike offense.
After a multi-week jury trial, the two men were found guilty of 22 felony counts to include conspiracy to commit first-degree murder with enhancements involving the discharge of firearms causing great bodily injury and five counts of attempted murder, as well as shooting at an occupied vehicle — all for the benefit the Sureno street gang.
The DA’s Office said that on Aug. 20, 2018, Rodriguez and Garcia stole a car and went on a “mission” with two other men into a rival gang area, looking to kill in support of the Sureno cause. Rodriguez fired multiple rounds at a moving vehicle with three victims inside. The defendants then fled the scene and attempted to carjack another resident who was driving into a local trailer park.
Rodriguez and Garcia then drove to an apartment building where Norteno gang members were known to reside and fired over 11 rounds at two victims who were standing on the street. One of the victims suffered multiple gunshot wounds and underwent successive surgeries to remove several bullets from various parts of his body. The doctors were unable to remove four bullets and the victim remains partially disabled as a result of his injuries.
Video surveillance obtained from various homes near the crime scene showed Rodriguez and Garcia driving to and from the scene of the shooting and abandoning their stolen vehicle in another location. Rodriguez and Garcia were arrested following their identification from the surveillance videos. At the time of his arrest, Garcia was in possession of a semi-automatic firearm, which the California Department of Justice was able to connect to the second shooting.