mercurynews--2020-10-20--Coronavirus: Argentina hits 1 million cases as outbreak surges

USHUAIA , Argentina — At the edge of Argentina in a city known as “ The End of the World , ” many thought they might be spared from the worst of the coronavirus pandemic .
Sitting far from the South American nation ’ s bustling capital , health workers in Ushuaia were initially able to contain a small outbreak among foreigners hoping to catch boats to the Antarctic at the start of the crisis .
But as Argentina passed 1 million virus cases Monday , it is now smaller cities like Ushuaia that are seeing some of the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quadruple the number of beds for COVID-19 patients over the last month .
At least 60 % of those tested recently are coming back positive for the virus .
“ We were the example of the country , ” said Dr. Carlos Guglielmi , director of the Ushuaia Regional Hospital .
“ Evidently someone arrived with the coronavirus.
” Across Latin America , three other nations are expected to reach the 1 million case milestone in the coming weeks — Colombia , Mexico and Peru .
The grim mark comes as Latin America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s highest daily case counts .
And though some nations have seen important declines , overall there has been little relief , with cases dropping in one municipality only to escalate in another .
The trajectory is showing that the pandemic is likely to leave no corner of Latin America unscathed .
“ The second wave is arriving without ever having finished the first , ” said Dr. Luis Jorge Hernández , a public health professor at the University of the Andes in Colombia .
Argentina has seen cases spiral despite instituting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdowns .
Colombia ’ s major cities have seen a dip , but smaller areas like the department of Caldas in the coffee region are only now reaching a peak .
Peru ’ s overall numbers have dropped , but officials recently reported 12 regions are spiking back up .
Mexico , likewise , has seen a rise in a quarter of all states over the last week .
The result is that rather than a second virus wave like that being seen in Europe , epidemiologists anticipate a more sustained , plateau-like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting out of the first wave , ” said Dr. Marcos Espinal , director of the Pan American Health Organization ’ s Department of Communicable Diseases .
“ A great part of the population remains exposed and community transmission continues.
” The virus ’ cruel path through Latin America is a consequence of weak public health systems , social factors like poverty and poor government decisions early on that resulted in flawed or limited testing and little contact tracing .
Today the region is home to half the 10 countries with the highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initially registered low virus case numbers but now has one of the highest rates of new daily infections per capita , according to Our World in Data , a non-profit online scientific publication based at the University of Oxford .
It is on par with several European countries that are experiencing a resurgence of the virus .
Dr. Adolfo Rubinstein , a former Argentine health minister , said the nation depended too heavily on lockdowns as its primary means of controlling the virus , failing to purchase enough tests in the initial months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is appearing is also shifting .
Initially , up to 90 % of the confirmed cases were in metropolitan Buenos Aires .
Today , 65 % of Argentina ’ s cases are in its provinces and even faraway places like Ushuaia , authorities said .
“ Now it is everywhere in the country , ” Rubinstein said .
Dr. Carissa F. Etienne , director of the Americas branch of the World Health Organization , warned recently that the coronavirus is appearing in places that were previously not affected , with high numbers popping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ In many countries , the pandemic has also moved to less populated areas , ” she said .
That can be seen not just in Argentina but in Colombia as well .
The city of Manizales in a region known for its coffee farms now registers 440.98 cases per 100,000 residents , far higher than the nationwide average of 284.09 per 100,000 , according to the Ministry of Health .
Officials say the slower rise in cases allowed them to expand ICU capacity .
“ Here we didn ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hernández said .
“ We had a plateau.
” Throughout the region , testing remains a hurdle .
In Peru , officials have relied heavily on antibody tests to identify cases — even though the tests are not designed to make a diagnosis because they can only detect proteins that develop a week or more after infection .
Argentina ’ s testing is still far below that of neighboring countries ; on Sunday , just 13,890 were tested , compared to 31,988 the same day in Colombia .
The high percentage coming back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still likely missing vast numbers of infections .
Brazil reached 1 million cases in June and now is up to 5.2 million for the pandemic .
“ These are huge undercounts of what is really going on in terms of numbers , ” said Felicia Knaul , director of the Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas at the University of Miami .
“ We need more consistent mask use — but we have to couple that with testing and tracing — or else the numbers are going to rise tremendously.
” In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produce from the Buenos AIres region may be responsible for the rise in cases since mid-September .
The city famous as a departure point for cruises to the Antarctic had been a model for the nation .
Closed off air travel and a halt on tourism left it virus free for months .
But that false sense of comfort may have led people to relax on basic pandemic norms like hand washing and social distancing .
The Tierra del Fuego province , which has a population of about 150,000 , now has over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Overwhelming majority of Californians will not get a coronavirus vaccine this year • A very Berkeley , very now audio play comes together at Aurora Theatre In Ushuaia , anxious residents line up in their cars for drive-thru testing .
A sports center that had been empty is now set up to take care of patients .
One month ago , the regional hospital was treating just seven COVID-19 patients ; now it has 28 , occupying all of its bed set aside for adults with the illness .
“ The failure in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Guglielmi said .
José Bongiovanni , a lawyer in Ushuaia , said a worry that seemed distant now feels close .
“ Living at the end of the world was never easy , ” he said .
“ It ’ s a lot less easy in a moment like this.
” Associated Press journalist Nicolas Deluca reported this story in Ushuaia , AP writer Almudena Calatrava reported from Buenos Aires , and AP writer Christine Armario reported from Bogota , Colombia .

By Nicolas DeLuca | Associated Press
USHUAIA, Argentina — At the edge of Argentina in a city known as “The End of the World,” many thought they might be spared from the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sitting far from the South American nation’s bustling capital, health workers in Ushuaia were initially able to contain a small outbreak among foreigners hoping to catch boats to the Antarctic at the start of the crisis.
But as Argentina passed 1 million virus cases Monday, it is now smaller cities like Ushuaia that are seeing some of the most notable upticks. Doctors have had to quadruple the number of beds for COVID-19 patients over the last month. At least 60% of those tested recently are coming back positive for the virus.
“We were the example of the country,” said Dr. Carlos Guglielmi, director of the Ushuaia Regional Hospital. “Evidently someone arrived with the coronavirus.”
Across Latin America, three other nations are expected to reach the 1 million case milestone in the coming weeks — Colombia, Mexico and Peru. The grim mark comes as Latin America continues to register some of the world’s highest daily case counts. And though some nations have seen important declines, overall there has been little relief, with cases dropping in one municipality only to escalate in another.
The trajectory is showing that the pandemic is likely to leave no corner of Latin America unscathed.
“The second wave is arriving without ever having finished the first,” said Dr. Luis Jorge Hernández, a public health professor at the University of the Andes in Colombia.
Argentina has seen cases spiral despite instituting one of the world’s longest lockdowns. Colombia’s major cities have seen a dip, but smaller areas like the department of Caldas in the coffee region are only now reaching a peak. Peru’s overall numbers have dropped, but officials recently reported 12 regions are spiking back up. Mexico, likewise, has seen a rise in a quarter of all states over the last week.
The result is that rather than a second virus wave like that being seen in Europe, epidemiologists anticipate a more sustained, plateau-like trend.
“Our countries are still getting out of the first wave,” said Dr. Marcos Espinal, director of the Pan American Health Organization’s Department of Communicable Diseases. “A great part of the population remains exposed and community transmission continues.”
The virus’ cruel path through Latin America is a consequence of weak public health systems, social factors like poverty and poor government decisions early on that resulted in flawed or limited testing and little contact tracing. Today the region is home to half the 10 countries with the highest total cases around the globe.
Argentina initially registered low virus case numbers but now has one of the highest rates of new daily infections per capita, according to Our World in Data, a non-profit online scientific publication based at the University of Oxford. It is on par with several European countries that are experiencing a resurgence of the virus.
Dr. Adolfo Rubinstein, a former Argentine health minister, said the nation depended too heavily on lockdowns as its primary means of controlling the virus, failing to purchase enough tests in the initial months of the pandemic.
Where the virus is appearing is also shifting. Initially, up to 90% of the confirmed cases were in metropolitan Buenos Aires. Today, 65% of Argentina’s cases are in its provinces and even faraway places like Ushuaia, authorities said.
“Now it is everywhere in the country,” Rubinstein said.
Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, director of the Americas branch of the World Health Organization, warned recently that the coronavirus is appearing in places that were previously not affected, with high numbers popping up in regions like the English-speaking Caribbean.
“In many countries, the pandemic has also moved to less populated areas,” she said.
That can be seen not just in Argentina but in Colombia as well. The city of Manizales in a region known for its coffee farms now registers 440.98 cases per 100,000 residents, far higher than the nationwide average of 284.09 per 100,000, according to the Ministry of Health. Officials say the slower rise in cases allowed them to expand ICU capacity.
“Here we didn’t have a peak like in Europe,” Hernández said. “We had a plateau.”
Throughout the region, testing remains a hurdle. In Peru, officials have relied heavily on antibody tests to identify cases — even though the tests are not designed to make a diagnosis because they can only detect proteins that develop a week or more after infection. Argentina’s testing is still far below that of neighboring countries; on Sunday, just 13,890 were tested, compared to 31,988 the same day in Colombia.
The high percentage coming back positive in Argentina suggests the country is still likely missing vast numbers of infections.
Brazil reached 1 million cases in June and now is up to 5.2 million for the pandemic.
“These are huge undercounts of what is really going on in terms of numbers,” said Felicia Knaul, director of the Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas at the University of Miami. “We need more consistent mask use — but we have to couple that with testing and tracing — or else the numbers are going to rise tremendously.”
In Ushuaia, officials believe truckers carrying in produce from the Buenos AIres region may be responsible for the rise in cases since mid-September. The city famous as a departure point for cruises to the Antarctic had been a model for the nation. Closed off air travel and a halt on tourism left it virus free for months.
But that false sense of comfort may have led people to relax on basic pandemic norms like hand washing and social distancing. The Tierra del Fuego province, which has a population of about 150,000, now has over 8,000 confirmed cases.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms World News | California COVID cases are rising. Here’s why and where health experts are masking In Ushuaia, anxious residents line up in their cars for drive-thru testing. A sports center that had been empty is now set up to take care of patients. One month ago, the regional hospital was treating just seven COVID-19 patients; now it has 28, occupying all of its bed set aside for adults with the illness.
“The failure in Argentina was the low amount of testing,” Guglielmi said.
José Bongiovanni, a lawyer in Ushuaia, said a worry that seemed distant now feels close.
“Living at the end of the world was never easy,” he said. “It’s a lot less easy in a moment like this.”
Associated Press journalist Nicolas Deluca reported this story in Ushuaia, AP writer Almudena Calatrava reported from Buenos Aires, and AP writer Christine Armario reported from Bogota, Colombia.


mercurynews--2020-10-20--Debate organizer to deploy ‘mute button’ in Trump-Biden faceoff

Thursday ’ s debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will feature a mute button to allow @ @ @ @ @ , organizers said on Monday , in an effort to avoid the disruptions that marred @ @ @ @ @ Presidential Commission on Debates said each candidate ’ s microphone would be silenced to allow @ @ @ @ @ minutes of opening remarks at the beginning of each 15-minute segment of the debate .
@ @ @ @ @ on to allow a back and forth after that time .
Trump repeatedly interrupted Biden @ @ @ @ @ debate on Sept. 29 , and Biden responded with insults .
Trump backed out of @ @ @ @ @ set for last Thursday , over a disagreement about the virtual format .
Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ it was unhappy with the proposed set of topics for Thursday ’ s debate .

By Steve Holland | Reuters
Thursday’s debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will feature a mute button to allow each candidate to speak uninterrupted, organizers said on Monday, in an effort to avoid the disruptions that marred the first matchup.
The Presidential Commission on Debates said each candidate’s microphone would be silenced to allow the other to make two minutes of opening remarks at the beginning of each 15-minute segment of the debate. Both microphones will be turned on to allow a back and forth after that time.
Trump repeatedly interrupted Biden during a chaotic and ill-tempered debate on Sept. 29, and Biden responded with insults.
Trump backed out of a second scheduled debate, set for last Thursday, over a disagreement about the virtual format.
Trump’s campaign said on Monday it was unhappy with the proposed set of topics for Thursday’s debate.


mercurynews--2020-10-20--Richmond resident caught with 11 ounces of fentanyl gets two years in federal prison; defense says h

Richmond resident caught with 11 ounces of fentanyl gets two years in federal prison; defense says he was held hostage by drug traffickers

OAKLAND — A Richmond man arrested last year with 11 ounces of fentanyl and nearly $ 10,000 in cash was sentenced to two years in federal prison Monday , after a U.S. District Judge brushed off defense arguments that the defendant had been coerced into drug sales by people who held him hostage and beat him at the Arizona/Mexico border .
Jairo Noel Rodriguez-Martinez has been in Santa Rita Jail since December , when DEA agents raided his Richmond home and found a little more than 11 ounces of fentanyl , more than two ounces of methamphetamine , and about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show .
During his jail stay , he contracted COVID-19 and was quarantined .
Before his sentencing , Rodriguez-Martinez admitted to possessing all three drugs for distribution and pleaded guilty to a federal offense .
Federal prosecutors asked for Rodriguez-Martinez to be sentenced to four years and eight months , arguing that the amount of fentanyl seized showed he was at least a middle-level narcotics dealer .
But Rodriguez-Martinez ’ s attorney , Naomi Chung , argued that her client had suffered enough .
Rodriguez-Martinez came to the United States from Honduras as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and only returned when his father suffered a spinal and brain injury in a motorcycle crash , Chung said .
She argued for Rodriguez-Martinez ’ s immediate release from jail , noting authorities have already initiated deportation proceedings against him .
He hoped to support his family with a construction job , Chung said , but instead was held hostage by the people he paid to help him cross the border .
They confined him to a room with no windows for an entire month and beat him twice , she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so that he could work off his debt to them by selling drugs .
They warned Jairo that if he tried to run or play games , they would find his family and kill them , ” Chung wrote in a sentencing memo .
U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam was unpersuaded , and said he wanted more evidence before he accepted Rodriguez-Martinez ’ s accounting .
“ How could any of this justify immediate release for conduct this serious ?
” he asked Chung , who responded that she ’ s had meetings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down in tears.
” “ Every day he ’ s been in custody has been terrifying for him , ” Chung said .
Rodriguez-Martinez apologized in court with the assistance of an interpreter , adding that “ one learns from one ’ s mistakes.
” “ I ’ m sorry for everything I ’ ve done .
I know I hurt the community with what i did , ” Rodriguez-Martinez said .
“ Also I have so many problems because I ’ m far from my family … I ’ m scared , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I feel I might get sick again or die or not be able to see my parents again.
” • Former Angels employee Eric Kay indicted in connection with death of Tyler Skaggs • California methamphetamine bust is largest ever by DEA in U.S. • Massive methamphetamine busts , one largest ever by DEA , made in Southern California • Two sentenced to federal prison in East Bay murder ordered by marijuana trafficker known as ‘ Hitler ’ Rodriguez-Martinez tested positive for COVID-19 last July , and requested painkillers and ointment for muscle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff as “ asymptomatic , ” Chung wrote in the sentencing memo .
Gilliam said that unlike some other federal judges , he doesn ’ t believe defendants deserve a “ COVID discount , ” meaning a reduced sentence during the pandemic .
Gilliam said he appreciated Rodriguez-Martinez ’ s apology but warned him never to return to the United States .
“ Move past this phase of your life and commit yourself to helping your family and doing that in a way consistent with the law , ” Gilliam said , later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficulties that they ’ re going through , the answer can ’ t be to break the law .
”

OAKLAND — A Richmond man arrested last year with 11 ounces of fentanyl and nearly $10,000 in cash was sentenced to two years in federal prison Monday, after a U.S. District Judge brushed off defense arguments that the defendant had been coerced into drug sales by people who held him hostage and beat him at the Arizona/Mexico border.
Jairo Noel Rodriguez-Martinez has been in Santa Rita Jail since December, when DEA agents raided his Richmond home and found a little more than 11 ounces of fentanyl, more than two ounces of methamphetamine, and about a half-ounce of cocaine, court records show. During his jail stay, he contracted COVID-19 and was quarantined.
Before his sentencing, Rodriguez-Martinez admitted to possessing all three drugs for distribution and pleaded guilty to a federal offense. Federal prosecutors asked for Rodriguez-Martinez to be sentenced to four years and eight months, arguing that the amount of fentanyl seized showed he was at least a middle-level narcotics dealer.
But Rodriguez-Martinez’s attorney, Naomi Chung, argued that her client had suffered enough. Rodriguez-Martinez came to the United States from Honduras as a teen fleeing “extreme poverty,” and only returned when his father suffered a spinal and brain injury in a motorcycle crash, Chung said. She argued for Rodriguez-Martinez’s immediate release from jail, noting authorities have already initiated deportation proceedings against him.
He hoped to support his family with a construction job, Chung said, but instead was held hostage by the people he paid to help him cross the border. They confined him to a room with no windows for an entire month and beat him twice, she said.
“They agreed to release him so that he could work off his debt to them by selling drugs. They warned Jairo that if he tried to run or play games, they would find his family and kill them,” Chung wrote in a sentencing memo.
U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam was unpersuaded, and said he wanted more evidence before he accepted Rodriguez-Martinez’s accounting.
“How could any of this justify immediate release for conduct this serious?” he asked Chung, who responded that she’s had meetings with her client where he “breaks down in tears.”
“Every day he’s been in custody has been terrifying for him,” Chung said.
Rodriguez-Martinez apologized in court with the assistance of an interpreter, adding that “one learns from one’s mistakes.”
“I’m sorry for everything I’ve done. I know I hurt the community with what i did,” Rodriguez-Martinez said. “Also I have so many problems because I’m far from my family … I’m scared, I’m in a place where I feel I might get sick again or die or not be able to see my parents again.”
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Gilliam said he appreciated Rodriguez-Martinez’s apology but warned him never to return to the United States.
“Move past this phase of your life and commit yourself to helping your family and doing that in a way consistent with the law,” Gilliam said, later adding, “Even if there are difficulties that they’re going through, the answer can’t be to break the law.”


mercurynews--2020-10-20--Supreme Court rejects GOP bid to limit mail-in voting in Pa.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed an extension of the deadline for mail-in absentee ballots in Pennsylvania for the Nov. 3 election , declining a Republican request to block a lower court ’ s ruling that gave voters more time .
The justices , divided 4-4 , left in place a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling in favor of state Democrats that had extended the deadline for state election officials to receive mail-in ballots postmarked by the evening of Election Day until three days afterward .
The brief court order noted that four of the court ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request .
There are currently only eight justices on the usually nine-member court because of the death last month of liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , which left the court with a 5-3 conservative majority .
Chief Justice John Roberts joined the three liberal justices in denying the request , with five votes needed for it to be granted .
The state Republican Party and Republican officials in Pennsylvania separately appealed the state Supreme Court ruling as they sought to tighten deadlines for mail-in ballots .
Pennsylvania is an election battleground state as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in office .
Trump won Pennsylvania in 2016 but is trailing Democratic opponent Joe Biden in opinion polls this year .
In a Sept. 17 ruling , the state high court ruled in favor of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and various Democratic officials and candidates who had asked for the court to protect voting rights during the coronavirus pandemic , which has prompted an increase in requests for mail-in ballots .
The Democrats also raised concerns about whether the U.S .
Postal Service , led by a Trump ally , would be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a timely manner .

By Lawrence Hurley | Reuters
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed an extension of the deadline for mail-in absentee ballots in Pennsylvania for the Nov. 3 election, declining a Republican request to block a lower court’s ruling that gave voters more time.
The justices, divided 4-4, left in place a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling in favor of state Democrats that had extended the deadline for state election officials to receive mail-in ballots postmarked by the evening of Election Day until three days afterward.
The brief court order noted that four of the court’s five conservative justices would have granted the request. There are currently only eight justices on the usually nine-member court because of the death last month of liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, which left the court with a 5-3 conservative majority.
Chief Justice John Roberts joined the three liberal justices in denying the request, with five votes needed for it to be granted.
The state Republican Party and Republican officials in Pennsylvania separately appealed the state Supreme Court ruling as they sought to tighten deadlines for mail-in ballots.
Pennsylvania is an election battleground state as President Donald Trump seeks a second term in office. Trump won Pennsylvania in 2016 but is trailing Democratic opponent Joe Biden in opinion polls this year.
In a Sept. 17 ruling, the state high court ruled in favor of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and various Democratic officials and candidates who had asked for the court to protect voting rights during the coronavirus pandemic, which has prompted an increase in requests for mail-in ballots.
The Democrats also raised concerns about whether the U.S. Postal Service, led by a Trump ally, would be able to handle the surge of ballots in a timely manner.
Democrat Kathy Boockvar, the Pennsylvania secretary of state, backed a three-day extension.


mercurynews--2020-10-19--Senate plans quick push to confirm Barrett to high court

WASHINGTON — Wasting no time , the Senate is on track to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court by next Monday , charging toward a rare weekend session as Republicans push past procedural steps to install President Donald Trump ’ s pick before Election Day .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he will begin the process as soon as the Senate Judiciary Committee wraps up its work Thursday .
With a 53-47 Republican majority , and just two GOP senators opposed , Trump ’ s nominee is on a glide path to confirmation that will seal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years to come .
McConnell said Monday that Barrett demonstrated over several days of public hearings the “ sheer intellectual horsepower that the American people deserve to have on the Supreme Court.
” Without the votes to stop Barrett ’ s ascent , Democrats have few options left .
They are searching for two more GOP senators to break ranks and halt confirmation , but that seems unlikely .
Never before as a court nominee been voted on so close to a presidential election .
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer decried what he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ jam ” through Trump ’ s choice , even as the coronavirus outbreak sidelined GOP senators .
“ The Republican majority is running the most hypocritical , most partisan and least legitimate process in the history of Supreme Court confirmations , ” he said during speech as the Senate opened .
The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to meet Thursday to vote on recommending Barrett ’ s nomination to the full Senate .
By Friday , procedural votes are expected , continuing over the weekend as Republicans push through the steps for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon as Monday .
The 48-year-old appellate court judge from Indiana delivered few specific answers during several days of public testimony as senators probed her previously outspoken views against abortion , the Affordable Care Act and other issues before the court .
She declined to say whether she would recuse herself from cases involving the election between Trump and Democrat Joe Biden .
Trump has said he wants the judge seated in time to hear any potential disputes from the Nov. 3 election .
He also has said he ’ s looking for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama-era health care law , which is headed to the court in a case justices are expected to hear Nov. 10 .
If confirmed , Barrett would be Trump ’ s third justice on the court .
She would fill the vacancy from the late Ruth Bader Ginsberg , the liberal icon , locking in a 6-3 conservative majority on the high court .

By Lisa Mascaro | Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Wasting no time, the Senate is on track to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court by next Monday, charging toward a rare weekend session as Republicans push past procedural steps to install President Donald Trump’s pick before Election Day.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he will begin the process as soon as the Senate Judiciary Committee wraps up its work Thursday. With a 53-47 Republican majority, and just two GOP senators opposed, Trump’s nominee is on a glide path to confirmation that will seal a conservative hold on the court for years to come.
McConnell said Monday that Barrett demonstrated over several days of public hearings the “sheer intellectual horsepower that the American people deserve to have on the Supreme Court.”
Without the votes to stop Barrett’s ascent, Democrats have few options left. They are searching for two more GOP senators to break ranks and halt confirmation, but that seems unlikely. Never before as a court nominee been voted on so close to a presidential election.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer decried what he called the “farcical” process to “jam” through Trump’s choice, even as the coronavirus outbreak sidelined GOP senators.
“The Republican majority is running the most hypocritical, most partisan and least legitimate process in the history of Supreme Court confirmations,” he said during speech as the Senate opened.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to meet Thursday to vote on recommending Barrett’s nomination to the full Senate.
By Friday, procedural votes are expected, continuing over the weekend as Republicans push through the steps for a final vote to confirm Barrett as soon as Monday.
The 48-year-old appellate court judge from Indiana delivered few specific answers during several days of public testimony as senators probed her previously outspoken views against abortion, the Affordable Care Act and other issues before the court. She declined to say whether she would recuse herself from cases involving the election between Trump and Democrat Joe Biden.
Trump has said he wants the judge seated in time to hear any potential disputes from the Nov. 3 election. He also has said he’s looking for a judge who would rule against the Obama-era health care law, which is headed to the court in a case justices are expected to hear Nov. 10.
If confirmed, Barrett would be Trump’s third justice on the court. She would fill the vacancy from the late Ruth Bader Ginsberg, the liberal icon, locking in a 6-3 conservative majority on the high court.


mercurynews--2020-10-19--Pinole man charged with hit and run in crash that killed 88-year-old woman, but avoids manslaughter

Pinole man charged with hit and run in crash that killed 88-year-old woman, but avoids manslaughter charges

SAN PABLO — A Pinole man was charged with felony hit and run but avoided more serious manslaughter charges in an Oct. 5 crash that killed an 88-year-old woman , court records show .
Kelly Lynch , 64 , allegedly confessed to the 5:15 a.m. fatal hit and run after investigators identified his truck from surveillance footage of it leaving the San Pablo Lytton Casino shortly before the crash , court records show .
The victim , Celia Demolina , was walking her dog when she was struck by a pickup truck , which made a u-turn and stopped briefly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police investigation — which included reviewing traffic camera footage of the crash — also revealed that Demolina was crossing San Pablo Avenue against a “ do not walk ” sign and that the pickup truck had a green light .
Lynch told investigators that he was distracted by a police car in the distance and was staring at his rearview , worried he ’ d be pulled over for not having license plates , when he struck Demolina , police wrote in court records .
The crash occurred near San Pablo Avenue and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the casino .
The video shows the truck returning to Demolina after the crash for about one minute , then driving off .
Lynch never got out , called 9-1-1 , or attempted to help Demolina , investigators said .
After the crash , casino security helped police investigators by identifying Lynch — who is banned from the casino — based on surveillance footage from that morning , police said .
The hit and run charge alone carries a maximum of four years in state prison .
The charging records allege that Lynch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though only two — 2019 convictions on drug possession charges — occurred within the past decade .
Lynch denied being intoxicated when the accident occurred and said he ’ d used methamphetamine two days earlier , investigators wrote in court records .
A spokesman for the Contra Costa District Attorney said San Pablo police brought the case to prosecutors as a felony hit and run , and did not ask for a vehicular manslaughter charge .

SAN PABLO — A Pinole man was charged with felony hit and run but avoided more serious manslaughter charges in an Oct. 5 crash that killed an 88-year-old woman, court records show.
Kelly Lynch, 64, allegedly confessed to the 5:15 a.m. fatal hit and run after investigators identified his truck from surveillance footage of it leaving the San Pablo Lytton Casino shortly before the crash, court records show. The victim, Celia Demolina, was walking her dog when she was struck by a pickup truck, which made a u-turn and stopped briefly near her before driving off.
The police investigation — which included reviewing traffic camera footage of the crash — also revealed that Demolina was crossing San Pablo Avenue against a “do not walk” sign and that the pickup truck had a green light. Lynch told investigators that he was distracted by a police car in the distance and was staring at his rearview, worried he’d be pulled over for not having license plates, when he struck Demolina, police wrote in court records.
The crash occurred near San Pablo Avenue and Road 20, about a mile from the casino. The video shows the truck returning to Demolina after the crash for about one minute, then driving off. Lynch never got out, called 9-1-1, or attempted to help Demolina, investigators said.
After the crash, casino security helped police investigators by identifying Lynch — who is banned from the casino — based on surveillance footage from that morning, police said.
The hit and run charge alone carries a maximum of four years in state prison. The charging records allege that Lynch has more than a half-dozen felony convictions, though only two — 2019 convictions on drug possession charges — occurred within the past decade.
Lynch denied being intoxicated when the accident occurred and said he’d used methamphetamine two days earlier, investigators wrote in court records.
A spokesman for the Contra Costa District Attorney said San Pablo police brought the case to prosecutors as a felony hit and run, and did not ask for a vehicular manslaughter charge.


mercurynews--2020-10-19--Trump administration: ACA premiums 2% lower in 2021

Premiums for an average health insurance plan under the Affordable Care Act has dropped by 2 % for the 2021 coverage year , according to a report released by the Trump administration , which is seeking to invalidate the 2010 healthcare law .
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ( CMS ) on Monday said the trend of lower premiums and increased issuer participation for HealthCare.gov , a health insurance exchange website under the United States federal government , will continue in 2021 .
The average premium for its benchmark “ silver ” plan dropped by 2 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2021 , the agency said in the report .
The Trump administration said four states – Iowa , Maine , New Hampshire and Wyoming – will see double-digit decreases in the average benchmark plan premiums for 27-year-olds in the coming year .
Increased participation of issuers will mean greater choice for consumers , the administration said in the report .
However , it said the average premiums are still significantly higher than when the Affordable Care Act ( ACA ) , better known as Obamacare , was first implemented .
The average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of four has increased from $ 794 in 2014 – the first year the ACA ’ s main requirements were introduced – to $ 1,486 in 2021 , the report said .
Users can start enrolling in plans for 2021 between Nov. 1 , 2020 and Dec. 15 , 2020 , with coverage beginning on Jan. 1 , 2021 .

By Vishwadha Chander | Reuters
Premiums for an average health insurance plan under the Affordable Care Act has dropped by 2% for the 2021 coverage year, according to a report released by the Trump administration, which is seeking to invalidate the 2010 healthcare law.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Monday said the trend of lower premiums and increased issuer participation for HealthCare.gov, a health insurance exchange website under the United States federal government, will continue in 2021.
The average premium for its benchmark “silver” plan dropped by 2%, and 22 more issuers will offer coverage in 2021, the agency said in the report.
The Trump administration said four states – Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire and Wyoming – will see double-digit decreases in the average benchmark plan premiums for 27-year-olds in the coming year.
Increased participation of issuers will mean greater choice for consumers, the administration said in the report.
However, it said the average premiums are still significantly higher than when the Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare, was first implemented.
The average benchmark plan premium for a typical family of four has increased from $794 in 2014 – the first year the ACA’s main requirements were introduced – to $1,486 in 2021, the report said.
Users can start enrolling in plans for 2021 between Nov. 1, 2020 and Dec. 15, 2020, with coverage beginning on Jan. 1, 2021.


mercurynews--2020-10-19--East Oakland injury shooting under investigation

OAKLAND — Police were at the scene of an apparent injury shooting after a vehicle collision in an East Oakland neighborhood Monday afternoon , authorities said .
Just before 3:30 p.m , police responded to reports of a collision near MacArthur Boulevard and Parker Street in the city ’ s Eastmont Hills neighborhood .
When officers arrived , they found a vehicle that had struck a parked vehicle , with a blood trail leading away from the collision toward 77th Avenue .
As investigators worked to block off nearby streets , including 78th Avenue at Hillside Street , other officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victim arrived at an area hospital seeking treatment for at least one gunshot wound .
The victim ’ s specific injuries and condition were not immediately available .
A motive has not been determined and no arrests have been made .
At the scene , Oakland police Sgt .
Harold Castro said investigators working to assemble a narrative on the incident were hesitant to share early details , but shared general concern for the recent uptick in violent personal confrontations .
“ I just wish the community could be more involved and help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing this .
A lot of times , people won ’ t come forth with video or actual first-hand accounts of what happened , ” Castro said in part .
“ Whenever I interact with someone , they ’ re surprised that we ’ re talking to them .
We have to make those small incremental changes at the patrol level , from the officers to sergeants and lieutenants to talk to the community .
That ’ s what it boils down to .
Obviously , some have stereotypes or preconceived notions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down.
” For information leading to the arrest of a suspect , police are offering up to $ 5,000 in each shooting .
Anyone with information may call police at 510-238-3426 or Crime Stoppers of Oakland at 510-777-8572 .

OAKLAND — An 18-year-old man was shot multiple times Monday afternoon while driving in East Oakland and his vehicle later crashed, authorities said.
The man was listed in stable condition at a hospital.
The man was shot about 3:30 p.m. Monday as he was driving in the 7800 block of Hillside Street. by a gunman in another vehicle, authorities said.
The wounded man was able to drive a few blocks before crashing into a parked vehicle near MacArthur Boulevard and Parker Street in the city’s Eastmont Hills neighborhood.
The wounded man was able to get his own transportation to a hospital.
Investigators have not yet been able to talk to the wounded man and the motive for the shooting is unknown. No arrests have been made.
At the scene, Oakland police Sgt. Harold Castro said investigators working to assemble a narrative on the incident were hesitant to share early details, but shared general concern for the recent uptick in violent personal confrontations.
“I just wish the community could be more involved and help us out with finding those responsible for doing this. A lot of times, people won’t come forth with video or actual first-hand accounts of what happened,” Castro said in part.
“Whenever I interact with someone, they’re surprised that we’re talking to them. We have to make those small incremental changes at the patrol level, from the officers to sergeants and lieutenants to talk to the community. That’s what it boils down to. Obviously, some have stereotypes or preconceived notions of us and we have to break those down.”
Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $5,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the shooter. Anyone with information may call police at 510-238-3426 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572.
Check back for updates.
Staff writer Harry Harris contributed to this report. Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.


mercurynews--2020-10-19--A San Mateo expert explains why Venus flytraps are so popular — and misunderstood

Don ’ t try to feed a piece of your Double-Double to a Venus flytrap .
In-N-Out is for people , not carnivorous plants .
You can ’ t give them meat the way you feed a dog .
But they make good pets , according to lifelong enthusiast Josh Brown : “ They ’ re a pet that produces very little waste or noise .
They have little personalities and they ’ re happy to do their own thing.
” Venus flytraps have leaves that sense when an insect lands on them , then close around the bug to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not nutrients , which come from photosynthesis like other plants , Brown said in a phone interview .
“ It won ’ t be the best plant that it can be , ” he said , “ but as long as it has the right conditions with a lot of sunlight and the right kind of water , the fertilizing is secondary.
” Brown runs a mail-order nursery in San Mateo called Predatory Plants that offers “ killer deals ” such as a $ 29.99 variety bundle with different varieties of flytraps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ spikier teeth.
” People have a lot of misconceptions about Venus flytraps , Brown said , beginning with where they ’ re from .
“ People imagine they ’ re from some sweltering jungle in South America , ” he said .
They ’ re actually native to North and South Carolina , where he said , they thrive on bright sunlight and pure water .
The biggest misconception is that Venus flytraps are house plants , or house pets , if you will .
Brown said they need to live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as sunlight , which could be a problem in California , where winter might not be cold enough .
Venus flytraps are what he called temperate perennial plants that grow from bulbs .
In winter they are supposed to go dormant .
“ People should be anticipating that the plants should die back and look bad in the winter and there ’ s nothing wrong , ” he said .
“ The impulse is to bring them inside .
That ’ s the worst thing you can do.
” The traps , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ die and grow back .
Traps can only close to digest insects a few times before they die .
“ Venus flytraps have multiple closing triggers .
They have little hairs on the inside of their leaves , ” he explained .
“ If you touch any of the hairs more than twice in about 10 seconds , the trap will partially close .
If it gets triggered again while partially closed , that tells the plant there is actually something there that is moving and therefore can be digested .
“ Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with digestive fluid , breaks down whatever that is , dissolves it , and then reopens.
” Don ’ t try to feed the plants meat that humans eat , such as hamburger , the New York Botanical Garden cautions .
It ’ s not in their nature to digest it , and they prefer live insects .
Other carnivorous plants can live indoors .
Brown said tropical pitcher plants from Southeast Asia are his biggest sellers , and Cape Sundews from South Africa are also popular .
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No way , say Bay Area leaders Sundews have a sticky substance that traps insects before its leaves curl around them .
Brown discovered they are flexitarian after feeding them tofu for a junior high school science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s pure protein so they can digest it .
”

Don’t try to feed a piece of your Double-Double to a Venus flytrap. In-N-Out is for people, not carnivorous plants.
You can’t give them meat the way you feed a dog. But they make good pets, according to lifelong enthusiast Josh Brown: “They’re a pet that produces very little waste or noise. They have little personalities and they’re happy to do their own thing.”
Venus flytraps have leaves that sense when an insect lands on them, then close around the bug to digest it. Bugs serve as fertilizer, not nutrients, which come from photosynthesis like other plants, Brown said in a phone interview.
“It won’t be the best plant that it can be,” he said, “but as long as it has the right conditions with a lot of sunlight and the right kind of water, the fertilizing is secondary.”
Brown runs a mail-order nursery in San Mateo called Predatory Plants that offers “killer deals” such as a $29.99 variety bundle with different varieties of flytraps cultivated by growers. Differences include color and “spikier teeth.”
People have a lot of misconceptions about Venus flytraps, Brown said, beginning with where they’re from.
“People imagine they’re from some sweltering jungle in South America,” he said.
They’re actually native to North and South Carolina, where he said, they thrive on bright sunlight and pure water.
The biggest misconception is that Venus flytraps are house plants, or house pets, if you will.
Brown said they need to live outside, and they need cold as well as sunlight, which could be a problem in California, where winter might not be cold enough.
Venus flytraps are what he called temperate perennial plants that grow from bulbs. In winter they are supposed to go dormant. “People should be anticipating that the plants should die back and look bad in the winter and there’s nothing wrong,” he said. “The impulse is to bring them inside. That’s the worst thing you can do.”
The traps, which are leaves, are supposed to die and grow back. Traps can only close to digest insects a few times before they die.
“Venus flytraps have multiple closing triggers. They have little hairs on the inside of their leaves,” he explained. “If you touch any of the hairs more than twice in about 10 seconds, the trap will partially close. If it gets triggered again while partially closed, that tells the plant there is actually something there that is moving and therefore can be digested.
“Then it fully seals watertight, floods itself with digestive fluid, breaks down whatever that is, dissolves it, and then reopens.”
Don’t try to feed the plants meat that humans eat, such as hamburger, the New York Botanical Garden cautions. It’s not in their nature to digest it, and they prefer live insects.
Other carnivorous plants can live indoors. Brown said tropical pitcher plants from Southeast Asia are his biggest sellers, and Cape Sundews from South Africa are also popular. Related Articles Home and Garden | 30+ festivals, fairs and things to do in the Bay Area this fall
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Sundews have a sticky substance that traps insects before its leaves curl around them.
Brown discovered they are flexitarian after feeding them tofu for a junior high school science fair project.
“They love tofu. It’s pure protein so they can digest it.”


mercurynews--2020-10-19--Pressure mounts over stalemate with Santa Clara County sheriff watchdog access

More than two years after county officials agreed to establish a civilian watchdog to audit how the Santa Clara County Sheriff ’ s Office runs the county jails and its police enforcement , the oversight plan still has yet to get off the ground .
That ’ s largely due to ongoing and unresolved closed-door negotiations over an agreement compelling the sheriff ’ s office to give access to investigatory and personnel information to the Office of County Law Enforcement Monitoring , which is operated by the civilian OIR Group .
In remarks offered to the county Board of Supervisors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the talks have used the terms “ hopeful ” and “ optimistic ” but also “ impasse ” and “ step backward.
” But the exact hangup in the talks has not been publicly disclosed , with the involved parties all voicing wariness of revealing details that could derail the already-tenuous dialogue .
OIR co-founder Michael Gennaco contends the sheriff ’ s office has let the agreement languish unsigned since June , leaving his office unable to substantively audit key incidents .
Those cases include a May shooting during the George Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputy fired a handgun at a vehicle that allegedly hit two protesters , and inmate deaths recorded this year .
“ This has been a challenge , and it continues to be , ” Gennaco said .
“ We need information.
” That information includes documents like personnel files , internal investigations into inmate deaths , jail recordings and complaints — none of which OIR Group can access before the agreement has been signed .
As the stalemate languishes , Gennaco ’ s office could be bestowed some additional statutory authority from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1185 , which was signed by Gov .
Gavin Newsom last month .
The bill notably gives subpoena power to sheriff oversight bodies , but how that might apply in the future in Santa Clara County remains to be seen .
County Supervisor Joseph Simitian , who with current board President Cindy Chavez spearheaded the creation of the oversight role more than two years ago , shared in the frustration with getting the monitoring office working in earnest .
Tuesday , the supervisors will take up a resolution “ urging ” that an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Until and unless the sheriff agrees to make the documents available , the newly appointed civilian monitor will be significantly stymied in efforts to provide oversight , ” Simitian said in an interview with this news organization .
“ Our monitor can ’ t make good policy recommendations or observations about how well the system is , or isn ’ t working , without a look inside , and that look inside isn ’ t allowed.
” County Counsel James Williams said information-sharing agreements between the monitor and other county agencies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and jails , like custody health and his own office , have been reached , but affirmed that an agreement with the sheriff ’ s office itself has proven elusive .
But he contends that walking a fine line between access and abiding by protections for police records has been a particular challenge in Santa Clara County .
“ The ordinance that created OCLEM includes strong protections to ensure anything shared remains confidential , in part to help facilitate getting access to a broader range of materials , ” Williams said , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with others involved : “ We ’ re aware of the timing , and we ’ re aware of what ’ s going on .
It ’ s going to have to get done.
” Late Monday afternoon , Sheriff Laurie Smith posted an update memo to Tuesday ’ s board agenda with a response to the proposed urgency resolution .
In the memo , Smith attached a proposed agreement and suggested that Gennaco was overreaching .
“ I suggest that the Board direct that the attached agreement be executed instead of OIR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek access or information in this County that is routinely not included in the oversight of other California counties with an OCLEM-like model , ” Smith wrote .
Smith further argued that OIR ’ s requests for “ real-time access to all investigations and citizen complaints , ” and “ direct access to electronic databases ” presented legal obstacles and unnecessary intrusions into her office ’ s work .
“ I am concerned that this access will negatively affect the independent , constitutionally , and statutorily designated investigative functions of the Sheriff ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s investigative functions , including distracting from or delaying investigations and/or interrupting Sheriff ’ s Office operations , ” Smith wrote .
The sheriff ’ s office has been known to spar with other county agencies over records access .
Last year , it clashed with the county administration over its level of control of criminal database information that stalled the implementation of a jail-management system , and later with the District Attorney ’ s Office on a separate issue of giving prosecutors access to jail-inmate call recordings .
Simitian pushed for civilian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson , Missouri .
That discussion got a significant momentum boost following the 2015 killing of Michael Tyree , a mentally ill Santa Clara County inmate whose beating death led to murder convictions for three jail deputies .
A board-appointed blue-ribbon commission recommended scores of jail reforms , which paralleled a class-action lawsuit filed by the Prison Law Office to shape up conditions in the county jails .
One of the primary reform ideas was the establishment of civilian oversight .
The position was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firm was selected in fall 2019 .
Five years after Tyree ’ s death , four years after the blue-ribbon panel recommended oversight , two years after that oversight was created , and most recently after the national police-reform movement galvanized by the death of George Floyd , Simitian contends there is no more time to waste .
“ I always worry at a time like this that the moment passes , people forget and the sense of urgency is no longer there , ” he said .
In his more than 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ departments up and down the West coast — including departments in Palo Alto and Vallejo — Gennaco said he has never struggled to get basic departmental materials as he has in Santa Clara County .
The auditor welcomed Simitian ’ s Tuesday resolution but declined to share the details of several phone conversations with the sheriff ’ s office since late August , citing the need for privacy during negotiations .
But if they fail to come to an agreement before Nov. 3 , Gennaco plans to make those “ sticking points ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ ‘ Til it ’ s over , it ’ s not over — and even then it ’ s not over , ” Gennaco said .
“ But at some point , it ’ s important to bring the public and the board up to speed on where we are , or where we ’ re not .
”

More than two years after county officials agreed to establish a civilian watchdog to audit how the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office runs the county jails and its police enforcement, the oversight plan still has yet to get off the ground.
That’s largely due to ongoing and unresolved closed-door negotiations over an agreement compelling the sheriff’s office to give access to investigatory and personnel information to the Office of Correction and Law Enforcement Monitoring, which is operated by the civilian OIR Group. In remarks offered to the county Board of Supervisors over the past few months, updates on the talks have used the terms “hopeful” and “optimistic” but also “impasse” and “step backward.”
But the exact hangup in the talks has not been publicly disclosed, with the involved parties all voicing wariness of revealing details that could derail the already-tenuous dialogue.
OIR co-founder Michael Gennaco contends the sheriff’s office has let the agreement languish unsigned since June, leaving his office unable to substantively audit key incidents. Those cases include a May shooting during the George Floyd protests in downtown San Jose when a deputy fired a handgun at a vehicle that allegedly hit two protesters, and inmate deaths recorded this year.
“This has been a challenge, and it continues to be,” Gennaco said. “We need information.”
That information includes documents like personnel files, internal investigations into inmate deaths, jail recordings and complaints — none of which OIR Group can access before the agreement has been signed.
As the stalemate languishes, Gennaco’s office could be bestowed some additional statutory authority from the state in the form of Assembly Bill 1185, which was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last month. The bill notably gives subpoena power to sheriff oversight bodies, but how that might apply in the future in Santa Clara County remains to be seen.
County Supervisor Joseph Simitian, who with current board President Cindy Chavez spearheaded the creation of the oversight role more than two years ago, shared in the frustration with getting the monitoring office working in earnest. Tuesday, the supervisors will take up a resolution “urging” that an agreement be reached by Nov. 3.
“Until and unless the sheriff agrees to make the documents available, the newly appointed civilian monitor will be significantly stymied in efforts to provide oversight,” Simitian said in an interview with this news organization. “Our monitor can’t make good policy recommendations or observations about how well the system is, or isn’t working, without a look inside, and that look inside isn’t allowed.”
County Counsel James Williams said information-sharing agreements between the monitor and other county agencies that interact with the sheriff’s office and jails, like custody health and his own office, have been reached, but affirmed that an agreement with the sheriff’s office itself has proven elusive. But he contends that walking a fine line between access and abiding by protections for police records has been a particular challenge in Santa Clara County.
“The ordinance that created OCLEM includes strong protections to ensure anything shared remains confidential, in part to help facilitate getting access to a broader range of materials,” Williams said, adding that he shares a sense of urgency with others involved: “We’re aware of the timing, and we’re aware of what’s going on. It’s going to have to get done.”
Late Monday afternoon, Sheriff Laurie Smith posted an update memo to Tuesday’s board agenda with a response to the proposed urgency resolution. In the memo, Smith attached a proposed agreement and suggested that Gennaco was overreaching.
“I suggest that the Board direct that the attached agreement be executed instead of OIR Group delaying the execution in order to seek access or information in this County that is routinely not included in the oversight of other California counties with an OCLEM-like model,” Smith wrote.
Smith further argued that OIR’s requests for “real-time access to all investigations and citizen complaints,” and “direct access to electronic databases” presented legal obstacles and unnecessary intrusions into her office’s work.
“I am concerned that this access will negatively affect the independent, constitutionally, and statutorily designated investigative functions of the Sheriff’s Office and/or obstruct my Office’s investigative functions, including distracting from or delaying investigations and/or interrupting Sheriff’s Office operations,” Smith wrote.
The sheriff’s office has been known to spar with other county agencies over records access. Last year, it clashed with the county administration over its level of control of criminal database information that stalled the implementation of a jail-management system, and later with the District Attorney’s Office on a separate issue of giving prosecutors access to jail-inmate call recordings.
Simitian pushed for civilian oversight over the sheriff’s office after the 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. That discussion got a significant momentum boost following the 2015 killing of Michael Tyree, a mentally ill Santa Clara County inmate whose beating death led to murder convictions for three jail deputies.
A board-appointed blue-ribbon commission recommended scores of jail reforms, which paralleled a class-action lawsuit filed by the Prison Law Office to shape up conditions in the county jails. One of the primary reform ideas was the establishment of civilian oversight.
The position was created in 2018, and the OIR firm was selected in fall 2019. Five years after Tyree’s death, four years after the blue-ribbon panel recommended oversight, two years after that oversight was created, and most recently after the national police-reform movement galvanized by the death of George Floyd, Simitian contends there is no more time to waste.
“I always worry at a time like this that the moment passes, people forget and the sense of urgency is no longer there,” he said.
In his more than 20 years auditing police and sheriff’s departments up and down the West coast — including departments in Palo Alto and Vallejo — Gennaco said he has never struggled to get basic departmental materials as he has in Santa Clara County.
The auditor welcomed Simitian’s Tuesday resolution but declined to share the details of several phone conversations with the sheriff’s office since late August, citing the need for privacy during negotiations. But if they fail to come to an agreement before Nov. 3, Gennaco plans to make those “sticking points” public through a report to the board.
“‘Til it’s over, it’s not over — and even then it’s not over,” Gennaco said. “But at some point, it’s important to bring the public and the board up to speed on where we are, or where we’re not.”


mercurynews--2020-10-20--A strange World Series begins: artificial turf, one stadium, tiny crowd

ARLINGTON , Texas ( AP ) — A World Series like no other opens Tuesday night with Clayton Kershaw ’ s Los Angeles Dodgers pursuing redemption , Kevin Kiermaier ’ s Tampa Bay Rays seeking acclaim and Major League Baseball relieved just to reach the championship of the pandemic-delayed season .
Buzz figures to be dampened , with attendance down to about 11,000 in the smallest crowd for a Series game since roughly 1909 .
The entire Series will be played on artificial turf for the first time since 1993 , at new $ 1.2 billion Globe Life Field , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Sept. 20 .
Traditional postgame victory celebrations are barred .
But surroundings are largely irrelevant to the favored Dodgers and under-the-radar Rays .
Los Angeles , baseball ’ s biggest spender , is back in the Series for the third time in four years as it seeks its first title since 1988 .
Plate umpire Laz Diaz will be masked — along with the rest of the crew .
“ I don ’ t know if you watched Game 7 last night but it sure felt like postseason to me , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after the Dodgers rallied to beat Atlanta 4-3 at Globe Life for the NL pennant .
“ The back and forth , the momentum shifts , big plays , big swings , big pitches — that was as much of a playoff feel as I ’ ve ever experienced.
” Tampa Bay , among the major leagues ’ poorest draws and lowest-salaried rosters , made it this far only once before and lost to Philadelphia in 2008 .
Perennially unable to get a new ballpark built , the Rays have said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Petersburg , Florida , and Montreal .
While the Rays beat Houston for the AL pennant on Saturday night in San Diego , they had to wait until Monday to travel , allowing the Braves to vacate space in the Dallas at Las Colinas – Four Seasons , where the Dodgers have been bivouacked since before the Division Series started Oct. 6 .
Los Angeles had an optional early afternoon workout with the stadium roof closed , and the Rays had a full practice in the evening under autumn twilight .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there tonight , get a feel for the surroundings of the field and how the ball bounces , ” Rays outfielder Austin Meadows said .
“ I ’ m excited for there to be fans .
It ’ s been a long time coming.
” The winner will give its city a 2-1 advantage in major U.S. sports league titles during the novel coronavirus pandemic following championships by the NHL ’ s Tampa Bay Lightning on Sept. 28 and the NBA ’ s Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 11 .
Both teams reflect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ general manager from 2005-14 and the Dodgers ’ president of baseball operations since .
“ Some of my best friends in life are there , ” the 43-year-old Friedman said .
“ We joked when I left the team that we were going to meet up in the World Series one day , and for it actually to happen is surreal.
” After attendance dropped from 68.5 million to 0 during the shortest regular season since 1878 and the first two rounds of an expanded postseason also were played without fans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity for the NL Championship Series , which averaged 10,835 for the seven games at 40,518-capacity Globe Life Field .
The Rays arrived in Dallas on Monday after playing the AL Division Series and AL Championship Series at empty Petco Park in San Diego .
Still , it was an accomplishment for MLB after a regular season in which 45 games were postponed for COVID-19-related reasons but just two were not made up .
Rookie outfielder Randy Arozarena , the Cuban defector who led the Rays ’ offense with seven homers in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shortened season after contracting COVID-19 and didn ’ t play his first game until Aug. 30 .
“ I was throwing sim games May , June in Dallas , thinking about , man , are we going to even play this season ?
” said Kershaw , the Dodgers ’ Game 1 starter .
“ Is this going to be a wasted year in everybody ’ s career and things like that ?
Is this going to a be a wasted year for the Dodgers with the team that we have ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to be here now and be four wins away from getting to win a World Series I think is really a testament to a lot of people to be able to make this season happen , a testament to the players , even to Major League Baseball that we were able to get to this point .
I ’ m super thankful for that.
” Kershaw , a 32-year-old left-hander with three Cy Young Awards and an MVP trophy , is 175-76 in the regular season but 11-12 in the postseason , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He has been slowed this month by a reoccurrence of back spasms .
Tampa Bay starts Tyler Glasnow , a 27-year-old righty whose fastball averages 97.5 mph and who grew up in California admiring Kershaw .
It will be the Rays ’ first game in front of fans since spring training was interrupted on March 12 and close to the end of a lengthy bubble existence .
Glasnow and his teammates are looking forward to the end of the Series , when he can go to a bar or sit at a restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ Just being able to be a normal person again.
” This will be the first World Series entirely at one ballpark since 1944 between the Cardinals and Browns at Sportsman ’ s Park in St. Louis — and the fourth overall .
The Yankees and Giants shared New York ’ s Polo Grounds in 1921 and 1922 .
“ It ’ s a fast ground , ” Arozarena said through a translator .
“ I ’ m not sure there ’ ll be a lot of homers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both sides.
” Los Angeles had a $ 95.6 million payroll on Aug. 1 , according to figures compiled by MLB .
Tampa Bay was 28th at $ 28.9 million , ahead of only Baltimore and Pittsburgh .
The Rays eliminated the Yankees ( $ 83.7 million ) and Houston ( $ 81.4 million ) during the AL playoffs .
“ Regardless of payroll , we know we can compete with anybody , ” Meadows said .
Added Friedman : “ Payrolls don ’ t decide the standings and I think we see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bay is known best for innovative thinking and hard-throwing relievers , referred to by manager Kevin Cash as a “ whole damn stable full of guys that throw 98 miles an hour.
” “ They didn ’ t make it to the World Series on accident , ” Dodgers star Mookie Betts said .
“ It ’ s not going to be easy by any means.
” ___ Tampa Bay Rays ( 40-20 , first in the AL East ) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers ( 43-17 , first in the NL West )

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — A World Series like no other opens Tuesday night with Clayton Kershaw’s Los Angeles Dodgers pursuing redemption, Kevin Kiermaier’s Tampa Bay Rays seeking acclaim and Major League Baseball relieved just to reach the championship of the pandemic-delayed season.
Buzz figures to be dampened, with attendance down to about 11,000 in the smallest crowd for a Series game since roughly 1909.
The entire Series will be played on artificial turf for the first time since 1993, at new $1.2 billion Globe Life Field, home of a Texas Rangers team eliminated on Sept. 20. Traditional postgame victory celebrations are barred. But surroundings are largely irrelevant to the favored Dodgers and under-the-radar Rays.
Los Angeles, baseball’s biggest spender, is back in the Series for the third time in four years as it seeks its first title since 1988.
Plate umpire Laz Diaz will be masked — along with the rest of the crew.
“I don’t know if you watched Game 7 last night but it sure felt like postseason to me,” Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner said Monday, after the Dodgers rallied to beat Atlanta 4-3 at Globe Life for the NL pennant. “The back and forth, the momentum shifts, big plays, big swings, big pitches — that was as much of a playoff feel as I’ve ever experienced.”
Tampa Bay, among the major leagues’ poorest draws and lowest-salaried rosters, made it this far only once before and lost to Philadelphia in 2008. Perennially unable to get a new ballpark built, the Rays have said they are exploring splitting future seasons between St. Petersburg, Florida, and Montreal.
While the Rays beat Houston for the AL pennant on Saturday night in San Diego, they had to wait until Monday to travel, allowing the Braves to vacate space in the Dallas at Las Colinas – Four Seasons, where the Dodgers have been bivouacked since before the Division Series started Oct. 6. Los Angeles had an optional early afternoon workout with the stadium roof closed, and the Rays had a full practice in the evening under autumn twilight.
“We’ll be able to get out there tonight, get a feel for the surroundings of the field and how the ball bounces,” Rays outfielder Austin Meadows said. “I’m excited for there to be fans. It’s been a long time coming.”
The winner will give its city a 2-1 advantage in major U.S. sports league titles during the novel coronavirus pandemic following championships by the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning on Sept. 28 and the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 11.
Both teams reflect imprint of Andrew Friedman, the Rays’ general manager from 2005-14 and the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations since.
“Some of my best friends in life are there,” the 43-year-old Friedman said. “We joked when I left the team that we were going to meet up in the World Series one day, and for it actually to happen is surreal.”
After attendance dropped from 68.5 million to 0 during the shortest regular season since 1878 and the first two rounds of an expanded postseason also were played without fans, Major League Baseball sold about 28% capacity for the NL Championship Series, which averaged 10,835 for the seven games at 40,518-capacity Globe Life Field. The Rays arrived in Dallas on Monday after playing the AL Division Series and AL Championship Series at empty Petco Park in San Diego.
Still, it was an accomplishment for MLB after a regular season in which 45 games were postponed for COVID-19-related reasons but just two were not made up. Rookie outfielder Randy Arozarena, the Cuban defector who led the Rays’ offense with seven homers in the playoffs, missed the first month of the shortened season after contracting COVID-19 and didn’t play his first game until Aug. 30.
“I was throwing sim games May, June in Dallas, thinking about, man, are we going to even play this season?” said Kershaw, the Dodgers’ Game 1 starter. “Is this going to be a wasted year in everybody’s career and things like that? Is this going to a be a wasted year for the Dodgers with the team that we have? So yeah, I think to be able to be here now and be four wins away from getting to win a World Series I think is really a testament to a lot of people to be able to make this season happen, a testament to the players, even to Major League Baseball that we were able to get to this point. I’m super thankful for that.”
Kershaw, a 32-year-old left-hander with three Cy Young Awards and an MVP trophy, is 175-76 in the regular season but 11-12 in the postseason, including 1-2 in the World Series. He has been slowed this month by a reoccurrence of back spasms.
Tampa Bay starts Tyler Glasnow, a 27-year-old righty whose fastball averages 97.5 mph and who grew up in California admiring Kershaw. It will be the Rays’ first game in front of fans since spring training was interrupted on March 12 and close to the end of a lengthy bubble existence.
Glasnow and his teammates are looking forward to the end of the Series, when he can go to a bar or sit at a restaurant.
“Hugging someone or seeing family,” he said. “Just being able to be a normal person again.”
This will be the first World Series entirely at one ballpark since 1944 between the Cardinals and Browns at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis — and the fourth overall. The Yankees and Giants shared New York’s Polo Grounds in 1921 and 1922.
“It’s a fast ground,” Arozarena said through a translator. “I’m not sure there’ll be a lot of homers. There’s good pitchers on both sides.”
Los Angeles had a $95.6 million payroll on Aug. 1, according to figures compiled by MLB. Tampa Bay was 28th at $28.9 million, ahead of only Baltimore and Pittsburgh. The Rays eliminated the Yankees ($83.7 million) and Houston ($81.4 million) during the AL playoffs.
“Regardless of payroll, we know we can compete with anybody,” Meadows said.
Added Friedman: “Payrolls don’t decide the standings and I think we see evidence of that every year.”
Tampa Bay is known best for innovative thinking and hard-throwing relievers, referred to by manager Kevin Cash as a “whole damn stable full of guys that throw 98 miles an hour.”
“They didn’t make it to the World Series on accident,” Dodgers star Mookie Betts said. “It’s not going to be easy by any means.”
___
Tampa Bay Rays (40-20, first in the AL East) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (43-17, first in the NL West)
Arlington, Texas; Tuesday, 8:09 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Tampa Bay: Tyler Glasnow (5-1, 4.08 ERA in regular season) Los Angeles: Clayton Kershaw (6-2, 2.16 ERA in regular season)
LINE: Dodgers favored by 1½ runs; over/under is 7½ runs


mercurynews--2020-10-20--Editorial: Reject Alameda County record-shattering sales tax hike

Click here for a complete list of our election recommendations .
Alameda County already has the second-highest countywide sales tax in California .
Officials are currently seeking court approval , which is likely , of a contested measure from the March ballot that would place the county at the top of the state list .
And now , for the Nov. 3 ballot , county supervisors are piling on , seeking voter approval of yet another sales tax measure .
Measure W would drive the total tax in Alameda County to at least 10.25 % , more than a dime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It would be even worse in cities that have their own municipal sales taxes .
The total rate in Emeryville would go to 10.50 % .
Alameda , Albany , Hayward , Newark , San Leandro and Union City would hit 10.75 % .
Sales tax is a regressive levy that disproportionately burdens the poor .
At any time , this level of sales tax should be unthinkable .
During the pandemic , it ’ s stunningly tone-deaf to the plight of so many people who are out of work , unable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many cases , at risk of losing their homes .
The countywide sales tax is comprised of the 7.25 % statewide levy and four county 0.5 % add-ons — two for county transportation , one for BART and one for health care — bringing the current total to 9.25 % .
In addition , 64 % of voters in March supported a fifth 0.5 % countywide add-on for childcare , early education and a pediatric trauma center .
There is currently litigation on whether that measure required a simple majority , as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A recent state appeals court ruling suggests the county is likely to prevail , increasing the countywide rate to 9.75 % , the highest countywide sales tax in the state .
Measure W , which would last until 2031 , would provide the sixth 0.5 % add-on to the countywide sales tax , bringing the total to 10.25 % .
Currently , the next closest countywide rate is Los Angeles County , at 9.50 % .
The money from Measure W , estimated at approximately $ 150 million annually to start , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budget , to be spent for any legitimate government purpose .
The first justification for Measure W listed on the ballot is to provide funds for homelessness .
County officials fail to mention that voters in 2016 approved a $ 580 million housing bond measure that , in part , was supposed to help address homelessness , a measure that is projected to cost the average homeowner up to $ 60 annually .
The county should be able to make do with the money it already has .
Revenues of $ 3.5 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than just three years ago .
As an example of county excesses , the top staffer , Susan Muranishi , is the highest compensated county administrator in California ; she received $ 787,431.72 in total pay and benefits in 2019 , according to Transparent California .
Rather than asking for record-shattering sales taxes , Alameda County government needs to do more to share the sacrifice .
Vote no on Measure W .

Click here for a complete list of our election recommendations.
Alameda County already has the second-highest countywide sales tax in California. Officials are currently seeking court approval, which is likely, of a contested measure from the March ballot that would place the county at the top of the state list.
And now, for the Nov. 3 ballot, county supervisors are piling on, seeking voter approval of yet another sales tax measure. Measure W would drive the total tax in Alameda County to at least 10.25%, more than a dime on every dollar purchase of taxable goods.
It would be even worse in cities that have their own municipal sales taxes. The total rate in Emeryville would go to 10.50%. Alameda, Albany, Hayward, Newark, San Leandro and Union City would hit 10.75%.
Sales tax is a regressive levy that disproportionately burdens the poor. At any time, this level of sales tax should be unthinkable. During the pandemic, it’s stunningly tone-deaf to the plight of so many people who are out of work, unable to make ends meet and, in many cases, at risk of losing their homes.
Voters should reject Measure W.
The countywide sales tax is comprised of the 7.25% statewide levy and four county 0.5% add-ons — two for county transportation, one for BART and one for health care — bringing the current total to 9.25%.
In addition, 64% of voters in March supported a fifth 0.5% countywide add-on for childcare, early education and a pediatric trauma center. There is currently litigation on whether that measure required a simple majority, as the county claims, or two-thirds approval. A recent state appeals court ruling suggests the county is likely to prevail, increasing the countywide rate to 9.75%, the highest countywide sales tax in the state.
Measure W, which would last until 2031, would provide the sixth 0.5% add-on to the countywide sales tax, bringing the total to 10.25%. Currently, the next closest countywide rate is Los Angeles County, at 9.50%.
The money from Measure W, estimated at approximately $150 million annually to start, would be poured into the county’s budget, to be spent for any legitimate government purpose.
The first justification for Measure W listed on the ballot is to provide funds for homelessness. County officials fail to mention that voters in 2016 approved a $580 million housing bond measure that, in part, was supposed to help address homelessness, a measure that is projected to cost the average homeowner up to $60 annually.
The county should be able to make do with the money it already has. Revenues of $3.5 billion this fiscal year are 11% more than just three years ago. As an example of county excesses, the top staffer, Susan Muranishi, is the highest compensated county administrator in California; she received $787,431.72 in total pay and benefits in 2019, according to Transparent California.
Rather than asking for record-shattering sales taxes, Alameda County government needs to do more to share the sacrifice. Vote no on Measure W.


mercurynews--2020-10-20--Esalen, near Big Sur, set to reopen with renewed focus

BIG SUR – For nearly 60 years , Esalen has welcomed those seeking a higher level of connection with themselves or the world around them .
Now the institute is ready to reopen to guests next week with a renewed focus .
The wellness and retreat center has transformed its operation and purpose to create a safe environment for people to unplug , explore , contemplate and forge deeper connections with the self , one another and nature – and to bring that wisdom back to their community , said Esalen Institute leadership .
“ 2020 has been full of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we were impacted by two major events , ” said Terry Gilbey , Esalen CEO .
“ COVID-19 starting in March and the Dolan Fire , which happened in September .
Due to those two events , Esalen has had to remain closed for the majority of 2020.
” As the specter of COVID-19 continues to unfold , along with ongoing political polarization , and wildfires that have continued to ravage the state , people are facing external pressures and futures that are hard to plan for .
Esalen closed its gates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopened for two weekends , then was forced to close again due to the Dolan Fire , completely evacuating the property .
The institute has seen a silver-lining in its own challenges as it has been given the opportunity to take a look at how it operates and answer the questions of what is important to carry forward and what is no longer serving it .
Esalen is now ready to have its first day with guests on Oct. 26 , with a renewed perspective rooted in its past .
“ We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ origins of Esalen , ” said Gilbey .
When Esalen was founded by Richard Price and Michael Murphy in 1962 , they agreed on the need for freedom and innovations in the academic , medical , sociological and religious arenas , creating a space where diverse views could be explored both intellectually and experientially .
“ The focus remains exactly the same , ” said Gilbey .
“ Our commitment to helping people explore their human potential in all of its forms remains our north star and guiding light.
” One way Esalen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Creating Connection through the Rituals of Esalen.
” The five-day program is an opportunity for two people to create rituals around important life transitions and is designed to help battle isolation , loneliness and social justice issues .
Esalen is known for its spiritual and creative offerings including workshops for personal and social transformation dating back to its early days .
Esalen is situated along the Big Sur coast about 45 minutes south of Monterey along Highway 1 and takes its name from the Native Americans that first called this land home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 120 acres of land , nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Lucia mountains , incorporates a canyon stream and hot mineral springs as a backdrop to the rituals of Esalen .
The institute has COVID-19 restrictions in place , is committed to operating safely , following the recommendations of Monterey County and the state , as well as relying on the best practices shared by scientists and medical providers .
“ We luckily operate in an environment that allows us to take advantage of mostly being outdoors and easily social distanced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are running at a decreased capacity from when we are fully staffed and fully booked .
When we reopen , it will feel like you have all of Esalen to yourself since it is half as full as it ever was.
” Gilbey said Esalen offers people the opportunity to pause and take stock of what is important in their lives .
“ This is an exceptional time to regain a sense of clarity and empowerment , and a rare opportunity to rediscover and reawaken the change agent within each one of us @ @ @ @ @

BIG SUR – For nearly 60 years, Esalen has welcomed those seeking a higher level of connection with themselves or the world around them. Now the institute is ready to reopen to guests next week with a renewed focus.
The wellness and retreat center has transformed its operation and purpose to create a safe environment for people to unplug, explore, contemplate and forge deeper connections with the self, one another and nature — and to bring that wisdom back to their community, said Esalen Institute leadership.
“2020 has been full of challenges for us all. For Esalen, we were impacted by two major events,” said Terry Gilbey, Esalen CEO. “COVID-19 starting in March and the Dolan Fire, which happened in September. Due to those two events, Esalen has had to remain closed for the majority of 2020.”
As the specter of COVID-19 continues to unfold, along with ongoing political polarization, and wildfires that have continued to ravage the state, people are facing external pressures and futures that are hard to plan for.
Esalen closed its gates in March due to the pandemic, reopened for two weekends, then was forced to close again due to the Dolan Fire, completely evacuating the property.
The institute has seen a silver-lining in its own challenges as it has been given the opportunity to take a look at how it operates and answer the questions of what is important to carry forward and what is no longer serving it.
Esalen is now ready to have its first day with guests on Oct. 26, with a renewed perspective rooted in its past.
“We are embracing the look and feel of the origins of Esalen,” said Gilbey.
When Esalen was founded by Richard Price and Michael Murphy in 1962, they agreed on the need for freedom and innovations in the academic, medical, sociological and religious arenas, creating a space where diverse views could be explored both intellectually and experientially.
“The focus remains exactly the same,” said Gilbey. “Our commitment to helping people explore their human potential in all of its forms remains our north star and guiding light.”
One way Esalen is doing that is through its new “Creating Connection through the Rituals of Esalen.”
The five-day program is an opportunity for two people to create rituals around important life transitions and is designed to help battle isolation, loneliness and social justice issues.
Esalen is known for its spiritual and creative offerings including workshops for personal and social transformation dating back to its early days.
Esalen is situated along the Big Sur coast about 45 minutes south of Monterey along Highway 1 and takes its name from the Native Americans that first called this land home – the Esselen.
Today, the 120 acres of land, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Lucia mountains, incorporates a canyon stream and hot mineral springs as a backdrop to the rituals of Esalen.
The institute has COVID-19 restrictions in place, is committed to operating safely, following the recommendations of Monterey County and the state, as well as relying on the best practices shared by scientists and medical providers.
“We luckily operate in an environment that allows us to take advantage of mostly being outdoors and easily social distanced,” said Gilbey. “We are running at a decreased capacity from when we are fully staffed and fully booked. When we reopen, it will feel like you have all of Esalen to yourself since it is half as full as it ever was.”
Gilbey said Esalen offers people the opportunity to pause and take stock of what is important in their lives.
“This is an exceptional time to regain a sense of clarity and empowerment, and a rare opportunity to rediscover and reawaken the change agent within each one of us,” he said.
To learn more, visit esalen.org