mercurynews--2020-09-17--Former SJSU athletic official accuses school president, AD of cover-up, retaliation over sex assault

Former SJSU athletic official accuses school president, AD of cover-up, retaliation over sex assault allegations

The former deputy athletic director at San Jose State University is accusing the school ’ s athletic director and president , as well as other school officials , of covering up wrongdoing and retaliating against those who ’ ve reported it , according to a bombshell report published Thursday .
Steve O ’ Brien , the No .
2 person in the SJSU athletic department when he was fired in March , filed a tort claim notice with the California State University System .
O ’ Brien said he was a victim of retaliation and lost his job because he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the whistleblower in a sexual assault investigation against an ex-sports medicine director , USA Today reported .
A tort claim notice is a prerequisite to filing a lawsuit against a public agency .
The claim notice is typically used for those seeking monetary damages .
USA Today said O ’ Brien filed his claim on Aug. 26 and is seeking damages of more than $ 25,000 .
Among O ’ Brien ’ s claims are that San Jose State ’ s athletic director Marie Tuite often threatened her department ’ s employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make attempts on the life of the king aren ’ t kept in the kingdom very long.
” O ’ Brien , who was hired in 2017 , was fired by Tuite on March 2 .
Christopher Boscia , O ’ Brien ’ s lawyer , told USA Today his client was terminated for exposing the school ’ s attempt to cover up sexual assault claims against one of its athletic trainers , Scott Shaw .
At least 17 female swimmers had come forward with complaints about Shaw , starting in 2009 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month , but the investigation continues into reports that he touched athletes “ beneath their undergarments , massaging their breasts and pelvic areas when they sought treatment for other parts of their bodies.
” Although SJSU cleared Shaw of wrongdoing in 2010 after its initial investigation , the school launched another investigation last December after women ’ s swimming coach Sage Hopkins filed a complaint with the NCAA , as well as other state and federal agencies .
Hopkins shared a nearly 300-page file , filled with accounts from swimmers and allegations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against him and his team for complaining about Shaw .
O ’ Brien said he was told by Tuite “ for dubious reasons ” to reprimand Hopkins .
The Spartans ’ athletic director accused Hopkins of sending “ hostile ” emails to senior associate athletic director Eileen Daley .
O ’ Brien ’ s lawyer said another contributing factor to his client ’ s termination was his reluctance to discipline David Rasmussen , San Jose State ’ s compliance director , who had investigated a football player accused of using marijuana , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are NCAA violations .
While Tuite didn ’ t dispute Rasmussen ’ s report to the NCAA regarding the baseball player ’ s violations , she questioned the process of Rasmussen ’ s investigation .
She reportedly accused Rasmussen of not being “ supportive enough ” of the player , and instructed O ’ Brien to investigate the matter .
The tort claim notice also accuses school president Mary Papazian of being among those complicit in what Boscia says was wrongful termination , as well as covering up allegations .
In response to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment , San Jose State released the following statement : “ Although we disagree with many of Mr. O ’ Brien ’ s assertions , it is our practice not to comment on personnel matters .
”

The former deputy athletic director at San Jose State University is accusing the school’s athletic director and president, as well as other school officials, of covering up wrongdoing and retaliating against those who’ve reported it, according to a bombshell report published Thursday.
Steve O’Brien, the No. 2 person in the SJSU athletic department when he was fired in March, filed a tort claim notice with the California State University System. O’Brien said he was a victim of retaliation and lost his job because he wouldn’t discipline two employees, including the whistleblower in a sexual assault investigation against an ex-sports medicine director, USA Today reported.
A tort claim notice is a prerequisite to filing a lawsuit against a public agency. The claim notice is typically used for those seeking monetary damages. USA Today said O’Brien filed his claim on Aug. 26 and is seeking damages of more than $25,000.
Among O’Brien’s claims are that San Jose State’s athletic director Marie Tuite often threatened her department’s employees, telling them, “Those who make attempts on the life of the king aren’t kept in the kingdom very long.”
O’Brien, who was hired in 2017, was fired by Tuite on March 2.
Christopher Boscia, O’Brien’s lawyer, told USA Today his client was terminated for exposing the school’s attempt to cover up sexual assault claims against one of its athletic trainers, Scott Shaw. At least 17 female swimmers had come forward with complaints about Shaw, starting in 2009.
In response to a request by this news organization for comment, San Jose State released the following statement: “Although we disagree with many of Mr. O’Brien’s assertions, it is our practice not to comment on personnel matters.”
In a statement to this newspaper Friday evening, Spartans gymnastics coach Joanne Bowers wrote, “I have known Marie since 2006, when I directly reported to her at the University of Washington. SHE is the reason I was interested in working here at SJSU. She has always had the best interest and well-being of our student-athletes at the core of all we do.
“She is a woman of high integrity and makes some tough decisions that are necessary for us moving the department forward the right way.”
The tort claim notice also accuses school president Mary Papazian of being among those complicit in what Boscia says was wrongful termination, as well as covering up allegations.
Shaw turned in his resignation at SJSU last month, but the investigation continues into reports that he touched athletes “beneath their undergarments, massaging their breasts and pelvic areas when they sought treatment for other parts of their bodies.”
Although SJSU cleared Shaw of wrongdoing in 2010 after its initial investigation, the school launched another investigation last December after women’s swimming coach Sage Hopkins filed a complaint with the NCAA, as well as other state and federal agencies.
Hopkins shared a nearly 300-page file, filled with accounts from swimmers and allegations that Tuite and other school officials retaliated against him and his team for complaining about Shaw.
O’Brien said he was told by Tuite “for dubious reasons” to reprimand Hopkins. The Spartans’ athletic director accused Hopkins of sending “hostile” emails to Daley.
O’Brien’s lawyer said another contributing factor to his client’s termination was his reluctance to discipline David Rasmussen, San Jose State’s compliance director, who had investigated a football player accused of using marijuana, and a baseball player for gambling. Both are NCAA violations.
While Tuite didn’t dispute Rasmussen’s report to the NCAA regarding the baseball player’s violations, she questioned the process of Rasmussen’s investigation. She reportedly accused Rasmussen of not being “supportive enough” of the player, and instructed O’Brien to investigate the matter.
The tort claim notice also accuses Papazian of being among those complicit in what Boscia says was wrongful termination, as well as covering up allegations.


mercurynews--2020-09-18--Recently hired CSU professor admits pretending to be a person of color

A graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has resigned from a teaching position after admitting on social media that they falsely claimed to be a person of color .
CV Vitolo-Haddad apologized last week in two posts on Medium and announced that they were leaving their position as the co-president of the university ’ s Teaching Assistants ’ Association ( TAA ) .
Vitolo-Haddad uses the nonbinary pronouns they/them .
The apologies came after an anonymous post on Medium accused Vitolo-Haddad of misleading people about their racial and ethnic identity .
In a September 6 post addressed to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comrades , ” Vitolo-Haddad wrote that they were “ so deeply sorry for the ways you are hurting right now because of me.
” “ I have let guesses about my ancestry become answers I wanted but couldn ’ t prove .
I have let people make assumptions when I should have corrected them , ” Vitolo-Haddad wrote .
In a second post that was edited on September 11 , Vitolo-Haddad wrote that they were of southern Italian/Sicilian heritage .
“ It was my choice and error to identify any differently , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reach Vitolo-Haddad for comment .
“ When asked if I identify as Black , my answer should have always been ‘ No.
’ There were three separate instances I said otherwise , ” Vitolo-Haddad wrote , adding that “ I should have never entered Black organizing spaces.
” “ They are not my place .
Once realizing this , it wasn ’ t sufficient to just leave ; I should have explained that directly to the people who invited me and clarified my identity , ” Vitolo-Haddad said .
Vitolo-Haddad also apologized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at face value.
” Vitolo-Haddad was offered a conditional tenure-track position at California State University , Fresno , and was scheduled to start teaching during the 2021 fall semester , a university spokeswoman told CNN .
The offer was made before the allegations were made public and was subject to Vitolo-Haddad completing a background check .
“ We can confirm that CV Vitolo-Haddad will not be a faculty member at Fresno State , ” said spokeswoman Patti Waid .
TAA Madison confirmed that Vitolo-Haddad had resigned and said in a statement that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved in organizing .
“ We condemn CV Vitolo-Haddad ’ s appropriation of Black and Brown identities in no uncertain terms , ” the union said in its statement .
Vitolo-Haddad is not listed as an officer on the TAA website .
“ The TAA enabled this harm by electing them to a position of power in our union : we have unknowingly rewarded the toxic opportunism of performing Blackness .
We intend to immediately begin the work of repairing this harm , ” the statement said .
John Lucas , the university @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communications , told CNN that Vitolo-Haddad is not currently employed as a teaching assistant and is a doctoral student in the university ’ s journalism and communications school .
Vitolo-Haddad received a bachelor ’ s degree from the University of Central Florida and a master ’ s degree in communications from Wake Forest University , according to their LinkedIn profile .
“ UW–Madison expects that people represent themselves authentically and accurately in all aspects of their academic work , ” Lucas said .
• Nike ’ s kneel-commemorating all-black Kaepernick jersey sells out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Steve Kerr says NBA needs more Black head coaches • More than 240 schools in US are named after a Confederate leader .
About half serve majority Black or nonwhite students Earlier this month , Jessica Krug , who was an associate professor at George Washington University , admitted pretending to be Black for most of her adult life , when she was actually White , Jewish and from a Kansas City suburb .
She was a history professor specializing in Latin America and Africa until she resigned last week .
Krug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Wisconsin-Madison , according to her George Washington University staff page , which is no longer on the website .

A graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has resigned from a teaching position after admitting on social media that they falsely claimed to be a person of color.
CV Vitolo-Haddad apologized last week in two posts on Medium and announced that they were leaving their position as the co-president of the university’s Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA). Vitolo-Haddad uses the nonbinary pronouns they/them.
The apologies came after an anonymous post on Medium accused Vitolo-Haddad of misleading people about their racial and ethnic identity.
In a September 6 post addressed to “dear friends, loved ones and organizing comrades,” Vitolo-Haddad wrote that they were “so deeply sorry for the ways you are hurting right now because of me.”
“I have let guesses about my ancestry become answers I wanted but couldn’t prove. I have let people make assumptions when I should have corrected them,” Vitolo-Haddad wrote.
In a second post that was edited on September 11, Vitolo-Haddad wrote that they were of southern Italian/Sicilian heritage.
“It was my choice and error to identify any differently,” Vitolo-Haddad wrote.
CNN was not able to reach Vitolo-Haddad for comment.
“When asked if I identify as Black, my answer should have always been ‘No.’ There were three separate instances I said otherwise,” Vitolo-Haddad wrote, adding that “I should have never entered Black organizing spaces.”
“They are not my place. Once realizing this, it wasn’t sufficient to just leave; I should have explained that directly to the people who invited me and clarified my identity,” Vitolo-Haddad said.
Vitolo-Haddad also apologized for “taking lies about Cuban roots at face value.”
Vitolo-Haddad was offered a conditional tenure-track position at California State University, Fresno, and was scheduled to start teaching during the 2021 fall semester, a university spokeswoman told CNN. The offer was made before the allegations were made public and was subject to Vitolo-Haddad completing a background check.
“We can confirm that CV Vitolo-Haddad will not be a faculty member at Fresno State,” said spokeswoman Patti Waid.
TAA Madison confirmed that Vitolo-Haddad had resigned and said in a statement that it was discontinuing events that Vitolo-Haddad was directly involved in organizing.
“We condemn CV Vitolo-Haddad’s appropriation of Black and Brown identities in no uncertain terms,” the union said in its statement. Vitolo-Haddad is not listed as an officer on the TAA website.
“The TAA enabled this harm by electing them to a position of power in our union: we have unknowingly rewarded the toxic opportunism of performing Blackness. We intend to immediately begin the work of repairing this harm,” the statement said.
John Lucas, the university’s assistant vice chancellor of university communications, told CNN that Vitolo-Haddad is not currently employed as a teaching assistant and is a doctoral student in the university’s journalism and communications school. Vitolo-Haddad received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida and a master’s degree in communications from Wake Forest University, according to their LinkedIn profile.
“UW–Madison expects that people represent themselves authentically and accurately in all aspects of their academic work,” Lucas said.
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Biotech firm settles with family over cells for research Education | Opinion: Reparations to Black Californians is now up to Newsom Earlier this month, Jessica Krug, who was an associate professor at George Washington University, admitted pretending to be Black for most of her adult life, when she was actually White, Jewish and from a Kansas City suburb.
She was a history professor specializing in Latin America and Africa until she resigned last week.
Krug earned her doctorate in 2012 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, according to her George Washington University staff page, which is no longer on the website.
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mercurynews--2020-09-18--US plans to restrict access to Chinese-owned TikTok and WeChat on Sunday

The Commerce Department plans to restrict access to TikTok and WeChat on Sunday as the Trump administration ’ s executive orders against the two apps are set to take effect .
The Department said Friday that as of Sunday , any moves to distribute or maintain WeChat or TikTok on an app store will be prohibited .
In addition , the Department said , it will be illegal to host or transfer internet traffic associated with WeChat beginning Sunday .
The same will be true for TikTok as of Nov. 12 , it said .
Further restrictions could still be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they are seen to be used as workarounds .
• Snowflake IPO : Stock price more than doubles on first day of trading “ Today ’ s actions prove once again that President Trump will do everything in his power to guarantee our national security and protect Americans from the threats of the Chinese Communist Party , ” said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in a release .
“ At the President ’ s direction , we have taken significant action to combat China ’ s malicious collection of American citizens ’ personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , democratic rules-based norms , and aggressive enforcement of U.S. laws and regulations .
”

The Commerce Department plans to restrict access to TikTok and WeChat on Sunday as the Trump administration’s executive orders against the two apps are set to take effect.
The Department said Friday that as of Sunday, any moves to distribute or maintain WeChat or TikTok on an app store will be prohibited. Apple and Google didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
While users who have already downloaded the apps may be able to continue using the software, the restrictions mean updated versions of the apps cannot be downloaded.
“The only real change as of Sunday night will be [TikTok users] won’t have access to improved apps, updated apps, upgraded apps or maintenance,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Friday morning on Fox Business.
The restrictions targeting WeChat are more extensive. Beginning Sunday, it will be illegal to host or transfer internet traffic associated with WeChat, the Department said in a release. The same will be true for TikTok as of Nov. 12, it said. (The Trump administration is currently weighing a proposal involving ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent, and Oracle, designed to resolve the administration’s national security concerns related to TikTok; the deadline for a deal is Nov. 12.)
TikTok and Tencent, WeChat’s owner, didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Further restrictions could still be announced later, including against other apps if they are seen to be used as workarounds.
In earlier court filings, the US government suggested that the restrictions on TikTok and WeChat would be limited in scope and not aimed at harming consumers or TikTok’s US employees.
TikTok employees will still be able to receive salaries and benefits and to do their day jobs without running afoul of the ban.
In a separate filing on Sept. 15, the US government warned that communication over WeChat might be “impaired” as a result of forthcoming policies, but that “users will not be targeted or subject to penalties.”
“Today’s actions prove once again that President Trump will do everything in his power to guarantee our national security and protect Americans from the threats of the Chinese Communist Party,” said Ross. “At the President’s direction, we have taken significant action to combat China’s malicious collection of American citizens’ personal data, while promoting our national values, democratic rules-based norms, and aggressive enforcement of U.S. laws and regulations.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


mercurynews--2020-09-18--Editorial: Like nation, Walnut Creek confronts economy, racial justice

Officials in Walnut Creek , the economic center of Contra Costa County , are locally confronting two major national issues — the economic downfall from the coronavirus pandemic and the quest for more racially equitable treatment from law enforcement .
Voters in the Nov. 3 election will choose three City Council members to address these challenges .
Of the eight candidates , political newcomer Kurtis Reese and incumbents Kevin Wilk and Loella Haskew would bring the strongest balance of financial acumen and social awareness to the council .
To its credit , the current council moved quickly to address the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About 30 % of the city ’ s revenues usually come from sales tax revenues .
When those plummeted with the onset of the pandemic , officials began making major cuts .
Now , the $ 79 million budget for the current fiscal year is 13 % less than the one approved last year .
The equivalent of about 19 full-time positions were eliminated or reduced .
Top managers took pay cuts , and unionized workers were furloughed for eight days .
Extra library hours were cut .
And funding for community groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 million of reserves were tapped to balance the prior and current fiscal years , which was possible because the city has a long history of maintaining strong reserves and minimal debt .
Meanwhile , city officials and community members continue to grapple with the fallout from last year ’ s fatal police shooting of 23-year-old Miles Hall , a Black man with mental health issues .
It was the first fatal police shooting since 2012 .
Police said Hall ran at officers with a crowbar and had earlier threatened his own relatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to show that Hall was not running directly at police and was not threatening them with the metal bar .
The case is still under investigation by the Contra Costa District Attorney ’ s Office , but the video indicates the fatal shooting could and should have been avoided .
The tragedy has prompted needed discussion about police procedures , racial bias and proper responses to calls involving people with mental health issues .
For Reese , this has been personal .
He and his wife are close friends with Hall ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son prompted Reese to get involved in Walnut Creek politics , becoming a key member of the police chief ’ s new community advisory board .
Reese , who has an MBA and works as an IT manager for a Salesforce global operations team , brings a thoughtful and measured approach not only to the issue of police reform , but also to the city ’ s financial challenges .
Incumbents Wilk and Haskew have been part of the council ’ s sage budget management .
They both understand that the city needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not another similar death .
Justin Wedel , the third incumbent running , continues to concern us with his rigid positions that can leave him as the lone dissenter on the council .
As we said four years ago , divergent opinions are important , but they should be expressed constructively .
As for the other candidates , we hope to see former Planning Commissioner Cindy Darling continue her involvement in city politics .
She has a lot to offer , both in knowledge and temperament .
Lauren Talbert declined to participate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost us with his insistence that the city cut the Police Department budget in half , an idea that former county grand juror Hailey Ayres said she would consider .
While there are good arguments to be made for redirecting some money for mental health and homeless experts who need not be sworn officers , a cut in the police budget of that size is not realistic and not in keeping with the tenor of the community .
Walnut Creek is struggling with complex issues affecting communities across the country .
And , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders who can step out of their rigid positions to craft nuanced solutions .
Wilk , Haskew and Reese are the best candidates for that .

Officials in Walnut Creek, the economic center of Contra Costa County, are locally confronting two major national issues — the economic downfall from the coronavirus pandemic and the quest for more racially equitable treatment from law enforcement.
Voters in the Nov. 3 election will choose three City Council members to address these challenges. Of the eight candidates, political newcomer Kurtis Reese and incumbents Kevin Wilk and Loella Haskew would bring the strongest balance of financial acumen and social awareness to the council.
To its credit, the current council moved quickly to address the budget gaps created by the recession. About 30% of the city’s revenues usually come from sales tax revenues. When those plummeted with the onset of the pandemic, officials began making major cuts.
Now, the $79 million budget for the current fiscal year is 13% less than the one approved last year. The equivalent of about 19 full-time positions were eliminated or reduced. Top managers took pay cuts, and unionized workers were furloughed for eight days. Extra library hours were cut. And funding for community groups was trimmed 14%.
About $6 million of reserves were tapped to balance the prior and current fiscal years, which was possible because the city has a long history of maintaining strong reserves and minimal debt.
Meanwhile, city officials and community members continue to grapple with the fallout from last year’s fatal police shooting of 23-year-old Miles Hall, a Black man with mental health issues. It was the first fatal police shooting since 2012.
Police said Hall ran at officers with a crowbar and had earlier threatened his own relatives. But video released by police seems to show that Hall was not running directly at police and was not threatening them with the metal bar.
The case is still under investigation by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, but the video indicates the fatal shooting could and should have been avoided. The tragedy has prompted needed discussion about police procedures, racial bias and proper responses to calls involving people with mental health issues.
For Reese, this has been personal. He and his wife are close friends with Hall’s parents. The fatal shooting of their son prompted Reese to get involved in Walnut Creek politics, becoming a key member of the police chief’s new community advisory board.
Reese, who has an MBA and works as an IT manager for a Salesforce global operations team, brings a thoughtful and measured approach not only to the issue of police reform, but also to the city’s financial challenges.
Incumbents Wilk and Haskew have been part of the council’s sage budget management. They both understand that the city needs to take steps to ensure there’s not another similar death.
Justin Wedel, the third incumbent running, continues to concern us with his rigid positions that can leave him as the lone dissenter on the council. As we said four years ago, divergent opinions are important, but they should be expressed constructively.
As for the other candidates, we hope to see former Planning Commissioner Cindy Darling continue her involvement in city politics. She has a lot to offer, both in knowledge and temperament.
Lauren Talbert declined to participate in our interview process. Michael Samson lost us with his insistence that the city cut the Police Department budget in half, an idea that former county grand juror Hailey Ayres said she would consider.
While there are good arguments to be made for redirecting some money for mental health and homeless experts who need not be sworn officers, a cut in the police budget of that size is not realistic and not in keeping with the tenor of the community.
Walnut Creek is struggling with complex issues affecting communities across the country. And, like elsewhere, the city needs thoughtful leaders who can step out of their rigid positions to craft nuanced solutions. Wilk, Haskew and Reese are the best candidates for that.


mercurynews--2020-09-18--Too pricey? Not now, as former Sharks are providing full value to Cup-bound teams

If recent history is any indication , Joe Pavelski will send Barclay Goodrow a congratulatory text message before Saturday night .
Then the two former Sharks teammates will probably cut off all casual communication — at least until one of them wins the Stanley Cup .
Goodrow and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the New York Islanders in six games Thursday night to win the Eastern Conference title .
It was Goodrow who assisted on the winning goal in double overtime , collecting a loose puck behind the Islanders ’ net and passing in front to Anthony Cirelli , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tampa Bay win .
“ That was a hell of a play by Goody to fake backhand and get that to me , ” Cirelli said after the win .
Now the Lightning face Pavelski and the Dallas Stars , who beat the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the Western Conference final earlier this week .
The Cup final starts Saturday night at Rogers Place in Edmonton , Alberta .
Both Pavelski and Goodrow played major roles in helping their teams get this far , showing they were well worth the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acquire them .
Like our Sharks Facebook page for more San Jose Sharks news , commentary and conversation .
Before Dallas ’ series with Vegas began earlier this month , Pavelski sent Pete DeBoer and Steve Spott — his coaches with the Sharks for four years — a text message to congratulate them on getting to the final four .
Then Pavelski said he ’ d only talk to them again after the series was over .
“ He ’ s got his game face on , ” DeBoer said Sept. 5 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He ’ s there for one thing , and that ’ s to win , and you respect the hell out of him for that attitude , because when you were coaching him , that ’ s what you loved about him and that ’ s what carried a lot of the teams we had through the runs that we went on.
” Pavelski had a goal and an assist in the series and averaged 17 minutes and 53 seconds of ice time , second most among all Stars forwards .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pavelski has nine goals and five assists .
He ’ s also won 54.6 percent of his team-leading 280 faceoffs .
For complete Sharks coverage follow us on Flipboard .
Those type of stats should look familiar to Sharks fans .
From 2007 to 2019 , Pavelski played in 134 playoff games for the Sharks and had 100 points , behind only Joe Thornton ( 106 ) and Logan Couture ( 101 ) in that time .
Across the NHL , Pavelski ’ s 12 game-winning goals for San Jose over those 13 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Johan Franzen .
It was the type of resume that Stars general manager Jim Nill coveted after his team came within one goal last year of advancing to the West final .
On July 1 , Pavelski signed a three-year deal worth $ 21 million , a term and dollar figure too great for the Sharks to match .
“ Listen , this is a playoff performer , ” Stars coach Rick Bowness said of Pavelski .
“ It ’ s one of the reasons Jimmy went out and signed him.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in with the Lightning ’ s deep and talented roster .
Lightning GM Julien BriseBois paid a hefty price to land Goodrow at the NHL trade deadline , sending Tampa Bay ’ s first round pick and minor league player Anthony Greco to the Sharks for Goodrow and a 2020 third rounder .
What seemed like an overpay at the time looks well worth it now .
“ I ’ m a big believer in our management and Julien .
You have to give assets , and draft picks are assets — there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head coach Jon Cooper said earlier this week .
“ But I don ’ t think you can value that saying that if it ’ s a first-round pick , you have to get a 50-goal scorer .
It ’ s not how it works .
You ’ re trying to build your own team .
There ’ s a reason Barclay Goodrows are at a premium and you have to give a first-round pick for him.
” Goodrow was as versatile a player as the Sharks had earlier this season , playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the No .
1 center role for a short period of time when Couture and Tomas Hertl were both out of the lineup .
He blocked shots , played physical , stood up for teammates , was arguably the Sharks ’ best penalty killer and grew into a responsible two-way forward .
He ’ s doing all of that as well for the Lightning , who felt they needed those kind of gritty elements to get this far .
His line with Yanni Gourde and Blake Coleman has done everything Cooper has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtue of the Lightning making the Cup final , that first round pick the Sharks acquired will now be 30th or 31st overall , depending on who wins the Cup .
• Sharks will soon make Bob Boughner their full-time coach , per report • Game Changers : Four years after Kaepernick kneeled , a look at Bay Area sports leaders who stood before him • After plea from HDA and Evander Kane , NHL postpones Thursday and Friday games “ San Jose clearly didn ’ t want to give him up and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up , you were going to have to pay a price for it .
We were okay with that .
Everything else is like white noise .
It ’ s about how are we going to build our team ?
, ” Cooper said .
“ With Barclay , he ’ s exactly what we needed .
We needed that scrappy , energy , gamer .
He epitomizes ‘ team ’ .
“ He will step up and block that shot that you needed .
He will take that ( important ) faceoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight a guy if he has to defend a teammate .
He ’ s a player that drags teams through the fight , and you can ’ t have enough of those guys .
”

If recent history is any indication, Joe Pavelski will send Barclay Goodrow a congratulatory text message before Saturday night.
Then the two former Sharks teammates will probably cut off all casual communication — at least until one of them wins the Stanley Cup.
Goodrow and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the New York Islanders in six games Thursday night to win the Eastern Conference title. It was Goodrow who assisted on the winning goal in overtime, collecting a loose puck behind the Islanders’ net and passing in front to Anthony Cirelli, who beat goalie Semyon Varlamov for a 2-1 Tampa Bay win.
“That was a hell of a play by Goody to fake backhand and get that to me,” Cirelli said after the win.
Now the Lightning face Pavelski and the Dallas Stars, who beat the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the Western Conference final earlier this week. The Cup final starts Saturday night at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.
Both Pavelski and Goodrow played major roles in helping their teams get this far, showing they were well worth the steep price their respective teams paid to acquire them.
“Would these two teams be in the Stanley Cup Final without the additions of Goodrow and Pavelski? Maybe,” NHL on NBC analyst Eddie Olczyk said in a conference call Friday. “But probably a better chance of getting here with these guys than without them, because of the impact that they’ve had.
“I don’t think anybody could argue what these guys have done for these teams.”
Like our Sharks Facebook page for more San Jose Sharks news, commentary and conversation.
Before Dallas’ series with Vegas began earlier this month, Pavelski sent Pete DeBoer and Steve Spott — his coaches with the Sharks for four years — a text message to congratulate them on getting to the final four.
Then Pavelski said he’d only talk to them again after the series was over..
“He’s there for one thing, and that’s to win,” DeBoer said Sept. 5, “and you respect the hell out of him for that attitude, because when you were coaching him, that’s what you loved about him and that’s what carried a lot of the teams we had through the runs that we went on.”
Pavelski had a goal and an assist in the series and averaged 17 minutes and 53 seconds of ice time, second most among all Stars forwards. In 21 games since the postseason began, Pavelski has nine goals and five assists. He’s also won 54.6 percent of his team-leading 280 faceoffs.
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Those type of stats should look familiar to Sharks fans.
From 2007 to 2019, Pavelski played in 134 playoff games for the Sharks and had 100 points, behind only Joe Thornton (106) and Logan Couture (101) in that time.
Across the NHL, Pavelski’s 12 game-winning goals for San Jose over those 13 years is matched only on Evgeni Malkin and Johan Franzen.
It was the type of resume that Stars general manager Jim Nill coveted after his team came within one goal last year of advancing to the West final. On July 1, Pavelski signed a three-year deal worth $21 million, a term and dollar figure too great for the Sharks to match.
“That was one of the reasons why I liked Dallas so much to come out of the Western Conference,” Olczyk said. “The experience, the big time contributions in all parts of the game — faceoffs, scoring big goals. When you bring in a guy like that, it sends another message inside that locker room.”
Goodrow, similarly, has fit right in with the Lightning’s deep and talented roster.
YOUR OT HERO, ANTHONY CIRELLI. 🚨 pic.twitter.com/9ORlHj2MRD — Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) September 18, 2020
Lightning GM Julien BriseBois paid a hefty price to land Goodrow at the NHL trade deadline, sending Tampa Bay’s first round pick and minor league player Anthony Greco to the Sharks for Goodrow and a 2020 third rounder.
What seemed like an overpay at the time looks well worth it now.
“I’m a big believer in our management and Julien. You have to give assets, and draft picks are assets — there’s no question,” Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said earlier this week.
“But I don’t think you can value that saying that if it’s a first-round pick, you have to get a 50-goal scorer. It’s not how it works. You’re trying to build your own team. There’s a reason Barclay Goodrows are at a premium and you have to give a first-round pick for him.”
Olczyk said he thought the Lightning, at the time, overpaid for Goodrow, but credits BriseBois for making the deal.
“No disrespect to future draft picks, but the players inside the locker room don’t really care about what picks you’re trading,” Olczyk said. “They just look at, ‘we’ve got a chance to win, we’re going all in.”
Goodrow was as versatile a player as the Sharks had earlier this season, playing in just about every forward slot — including the No. 1 center role for a short period of time when Couture and Tomas Hertl were both out of the lineup.
He blocked shots, played physical, stood up for teammates, was arguably the Sharks’ best penalty killer and grew into a responsible two-way forward.
He’s doing all of that as well for the Lightning, who felt they needed those kind of gritty elements to get this far. His line with Yanni Gourde and Blake Coleman has done everything Cooper has asked of them.
Also, by virtue of the Lightning making the Cup final, that first round pick the Sharks acquired will now be 30th or 31st overall, depending on who wins the Cup.
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Karlsson traded to Penguins, ending uneven era with San Jose Sharks San Jose Sharks | Why the Sharks’ ongoing Erik Karlsson situation could be clarified soon “San Jose clearly didn’t want to give him up and if they were going to give him up, you were going to have to pay a price for it. We were okay with that. Everything else is like white noise. It’s about how are we going to build our team?,” Cooper said. “With Barclay, he’s exactly what we needed. We needed that scrappy, energy, gamer. He epitomizes ‘team’.
“He will step up and block that shot that you needed. He will take that (important) faceoff needed. He will step up and fight a guy if he has to defend a teammate. He’s a player that drags teams through the fight, and you can’t have enough of those guys.”


mercurynews--2020-09-18--Inside the Raiders: Derek Carr winks to his critics as he aims to become Drew Brees 2.0

The Raiders got everything they wanted out of Derek Carr in Week 1 .
He was efficient , avoided sacks and interceptions and spread the ball to nine different receivers .
More than that , Carr was at one with coach Jon Gruden , operating as the CEO quarterback and ball distributor the Raiders head coach hasn ’ t had since Rich Gannon from 1999 through 2001 .
In other words , Carr looked at least a little like Drew Brees , and that is no accident .
“ We model a lot of what we do as quarterbacks based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Wednesday in a Zoom interview .
“ He ’ d rather throw a completion than throw a 40-yard pass for an incompletion .
And he has a Super Bowl ring , so he doesn ’ t care much about it .
So I love his game .
He keeps the ball moving .
He ’ s efficient .
They stay on schedule.
” Brees , meanwhile , looked almost mortal at age 41 in the Saints ’ 34-23 season-opening win against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers .
He was 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pair of touchdowns .
Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes , was sacked once and did not throw an interception .
It was a performance that in Brees ’ estimation was “ awful , ” as the Saints visit the Raiders Monday night in Allegiant Stadium .
It says something about the standard Brees has set when an 11-point win draws such harsh self-criticism , and it ’ s a level and style of play Carr has aspired to .
His remark about Brees taking what he can get in terms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downfield was a not-so-thinly veiled jab at the Carr critics who remain convinced he ’ ll always come up short .
Carr was born seven years after Ken Stabler retired but was a fan anyway because he ’ d heard stories from his father .
Later , Carr wore No .
4 because of Brett Favre , the Green Bay “ gunslinger ” who like Stabler wasn ’ t averse to taking chances both in life and football .
Brees , the NFL ’ s all-time leader in most every passing statistic that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be at age 29 both on and off the field .
In addition to their passing preferences , Brees , like Carr , is Christian and family oriented .
The union between Brees and coach Sean Payton almost didn ’ t happen .
A free agent in 2006 , Brees was coming off extensive shoulder surgery and was in talks with the Miami Dolphins .
Miami instead signed Daunte Culpepper .
Brees signed with New Orleans , where Payton was a rookie head coach .
Brees and Payton have been together ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are like football ’ s longest running married couple , able to finish each other ’ s sentences in a football sense in a way Carr and Gruden are experiencing in Year 3 .
The Saints will be without All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas , who set an NFL record last season with 149 receptions but is out indefinitely with a high ankle sprain .
So Brees will adjust accordingly .
“ My job is to put everybody in the best position to succeed so that we as an offense can succeed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ re asking guys to do certain things , fill certain roles .
I think constant communication , the ability to pull them aside , talk to them , so they have a level of confidence and I have a level of trust and confidence , makes it so when we get out there on game day we feel like it ’ s going to be automatic.
” A week after Carolina ’ s Teddy Bridgewater gave the Raiders ’ defense trouble running an offense he ’ s just beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the height of his mental powers .
“ A lot of guys , they get a little bit older , they lose a little bit of interest in it .
Perhaps they don ’ t relate to the young crowd like they used to , ” Gruden said during a Zoom teleconference Thursday .
“ It ’ s just amazing the effort he continues to put into it .
He sacrifices more than people realize .
And he ’ s one of the top four , top five competitors I ’ ve ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 209 pounds , Brees is the sport ’ s premiere distributor of the ball , lethally accurate on short- and medium-range throws with a nice touch on the occasional deep ball .
At this point in his career , his mind is like a computer which Payton has been programming for 14 years .
That ’ s why Brees has been sacked at a rate of only once in every 25 throws over the course of his career .
“ One thing about guys playing that position , like Drew , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Payton said in a Zoom call .
“ The quicker you ’ re able to diagnose information , there ’ s a good chance the ball ’ s coming out quicker .
Someone who ’ s processing what he ’ s seeing slower tends to be hit more.
” Gruden described Brees as “ like a race car driver .
Some of these guys can drive up to 200 miles per hour and handle a car .
It ’ s a physically exhausting thing to do .
He has an incredible amount of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He just knows where everybody is.
” • Raiders ’ Gruden OK breaking from new-age thinking to give Jacobs heavy workload • Nevin Lawson returns to Raiders , outlook on Trent Brown , Nick Kwiatkoski is positive Carr had one of his most satisfying wins against Brees and the Saints to open the 2016 season , throwing a 10-yard touchdown pass to Seth Roberts with 47 seconds left and a two-point conversion pass to Michael Crabtree for a 35-34 win .
Carr was 24 of 38 for 319 yards , Brees was 28 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touchdowns .
Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby realizes what the Raiders are up against .
“ Up front , we know we ’ ve got to be better , ” Crosby said .
“ I know I personally I didn ’ t play to the level I want to play .
We ’ ve got to disrupt him .
We can ’ t let him sit back there and get comfortable .
We ’ ve got to get in his face all game and make plays .
”

The Raiders got everything they wanted out of Derek Carr in Week 1. He was efficient, avoided sacks and interceptions and spread the ball to nine different receivers.
More than that, Carr was at one with coach Jon Gruden, operating as the CEO quarterback and ball distributor the Raiders head coach hasn’t had since Rich Gannon from 1999 through 2001.
In other words, Carr looked at least a little like Drew Brees, and that is no accident.
“We model a lot of what we do as quarterbacks based on what he does,” Carr said Wednesday in a Zoom interview. “He’d rather throw a completion than throw a 40-yard pass for an incompletion. And he has a Super Bowl ring, so he doesn’t care much about it. So I love his game. He keeps the ball moving. He’s efficient. They stay on schedule.”
Brees, meanwhile, looked almost mortal at age 41 in the Saints’ 34-23 season-opening win against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was 18 of 30 for 160 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes, was sacked once and did not throw an interception.
It was a performance that in Brees’ estimation was “awful,” as the Saints visit the Raiders Monday night in Allegiant Stadium.
It says something about the standard Brees has set when an 11-point win draws such harsh self-criticism, and it’s a level and style of play Carr has aspired to. His remark about Brees taking what he can get in terms of completions at the expense of throwing recklessly downfield was a not-so-thinly veiled jab at the Carr critics who remain convinced he’ll always come up short.
Carr was born seven years after Ken Stabler retired but was a fan anyway because he’d heard stories from his father. Later, Carr wore No. 4 because of Brett Favre, the Green Bay “gunslinger” who like Stabler wasn’t averse to taking chances both in life and football.
Brees, the NFL’s all-time leader in most every passing statistic that matters, better fits what Carr wants to be at age 29 both on and off the field. In addition to their passing preferences, Brees, like Carr, is Christian and family oriented.
The union between Brees and coach Sean Payton almost didn’t happen. A free agent in 2006, Brees was coming off extensive shoulder surgery and was in talks with the Miami Dolphins. Miami instead signed Daunte Culpepper.
Brees signed with New Orleans, where Payton was a rookie head coach.
Saints QB Drew Brees, the model on which the #Raiders Derek Carr is based, ranks first all-time the following categories:
Yardage: 77,576
Attempts: 10,191
Completions: 6,885
Touchdowns: 549
Percentage: 67.6
Brees' 98.4 rating trails Aaron Rodgers (102.6), Russell Wilson (101.6). — Jerry McDonald (@Jerrymcd) September 17, 2020
Brees and Payton have been together ever since, and in a football sense are like football’s longest running married couple, able to finish each other’s sentences in a football sense in a way Carr and Gruden are experiencing in Year 3.
The Saints will be without All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas, who set an NFL record last season with 149 receptions but is out indefinitely with a high ankle sprain. So Brees will adjust accordingly.
“My job is to put everybody in the best position to succeed so that we as an offense can succeed,” Brees told reporters in New Orleans. “We’re asking guys to do certain things, fill certain roles. I think constant communication, the ability to pull them aside, talk to them, so they have a level of confidence and I have a level of trust and confidence, makes it so when we get out there on game day we feel like it’s going to be automatic.”
A week after Carolina’s Teddy Bridgewater gave the Raiders’ defense trouble running an offense he’s just beginning to understand, here comes Brees at the height of his mental powers.
“A lot of guys, they get a little bit older, they lose a little bit of interest in it. Perhaps they don’t relate to the young crowd like they used to,” Gruden said during a Zoom teleconference Thursday. “It’s just amazing the effort he continues to put into it. He sacrifices more than people realize. And he’s one of the top four, top five competitors I’ve ever met in my life.”
At 6-foot, 209 pounds, Brees is the sport’s premiere distributor of the ball, lethally accurate on short- and medium-range throws with a nice touch on the occasional deep ball. At this point in his career, his mind is like a computer which Payton has been programming for 14 years.
That’s why Brees has been sacked at a rate of only once in every 25 throws over the course of his career.
“One thing about guys playing that position, like Drew, is his ability to process information,” Payton said in a Zoom call. “The quicker you’re able to diagnose information, there’s a good chance the ball’s coming out quicker. Someone who’s processing what he’s seeing slower tends to be hit more.”
Gruden described Brees as “like a race car driver. Some of these guys can drive up to 200 miles per hour and handle a car. It’s a physically exhausting thing to do. He has an incredible amount of experience and presence in the pocket. He just knows where everybody is.”
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Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby realizes what the Raiders are up against.
“Up front, we know we’ve got to be better,” Crosby said. “I know I personally I didn’t play to the level I want to play. We’ve got to disrupt him. We can’t let him sit back there and get comfortable. We’ve got to get in his face all game and make plays.”


mercurynews--2020-09-18--Police: Man picked up gun before Los Angeles deputies fired 19 times

By STEFANIE DAZIO | The Associated Press LOS ANGELES ( AP ) — Two deputies told investigators they fatally shot a Black man in South Los Angeles after he picked up a handgun he ’ d dropped during a struggle with one of them , authorities said Thursday .
Dijon Kizzee , 29 , was killed Aug. 31 after the Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies tried to stop him for riding a bicycle in the wrong direction .
They said they were unaware he had a weapon wrapped in a piece of clothing he was carrying at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ran away .
Residents of the Westmont neighborhood helped the deputies locate him , said Capt .
Kent Wegener , the head of the department ’ s Homicide Bureau , and video obtained by authorities shows one of the deputies run up to Kizzee as he walked on a sidewalk .
A brief struggle ensued and Kizzee dropped the clothing and the gun fell out .
Authorities say he picked up the gun ; the video shows him stooping down but a wall blocks a full view and no weapon can be seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within seconds , striking Kizzee multiple times in the chest and arms and once in the back , Wegener said .
The full autopsy hasn ’ t been completed yet .
The sheriff ’ s department said it released the additional information after investigators were able to interview the deputies — a trainee and his field supervisor .
Their identities have not been publicly released .
The shooting has prompted a series of mostly peaceful demonstrations .
Kizzee ’ s family has retained civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump , who also represents the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Floyd was killed when a Minneapolis officer knelt on his neck and Blake was left paralyzed by a police shooting in Kenosha , Wisconsin .
Crump did not immediately respond to a request for comment but previously called Kizzee ’ s shooting a “ despicable and tragic killing.
” “ When officers shoot first and ask questions later , precious lives are lost and police lose credibility and trust from those they are sworn to protect , ” Crump said .
Wegener and Sheriff Alex Villanueva sought to cast the deputies ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of South LA the sheriff likened to a war zone .
He said since January there have been 12 homicides and 163 assaults with a firearm within a mile of where Kizzee was killed .
• 88-year-old Black man shot , killed by Northern California cops was former police employee • Police officer charged with fatally shooting Steven Taylor is booked , then released on bail Villanueva said the deputies ’ decision to stop Kizzee for making a U-turn in the middle of a road and just in front of the deputies ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was carrying a semiautomatic handgun with 15 rounds .
The handgun had been stolen in Las Vegas in 2017 , police said , and they showed a video of Kizzee taken days before the shooting that shows him carrying the gun and displayed its serial number .
Wegener said Kizzee had a restraining order that prohibited him from having a gun .
He also had convictions for narcotics and firearms violations , Wegener said , and had a pending case in the Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles that involved an alleged assault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jail .

By STEFANIE DAZIO | The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two deputies told investigators they fatally shot a Black man in South Los Angeles after he picked up a handgun he’d dropped during a struggle with one of them, authorities said Thursday.
Dijon Kizzee, 29, was killed Aug. 31 after the Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies tried to stop him for riding a bicycle in the wrong direction. They said they were unaware he had a weapon wrapped in a piece of clothing he was carrying at the time.
Kizzee abandoned his bike and ran away. Residents of the Westmont neighborhood helped the deputies locate him, said Capt. Kent Wegener, the head of the department’s Homicide Bureau, and video obtained by authorities shows one of the deputies run up to Kizzee as he walked on a sidewalk.
A brief struggle ensued and Kizzee dropped the clothing and the gun fell out. Authorities say he picked up the gun; the video shows him stooping down but a wall blocks a full view and no weapon can be seen.
The two deputies fired 19 times within seconds, striking Kizzee multiple times in the chest and arms and once in the back, Wegener said. The full autopsy hasn’t been completed yet.
The sheriff’s department said it released the additional information after investigators were able to interview the deputies — a trainee and his field supervisor. Their identities have not been publicly released.
The shooting has prompted a series of mostly peaceful demonstrations. Kizzee’s family has retained civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who also represents the families of George Floyd and Jacob Blake. Floyd was killed when a Minneapolis officer knelt on his neck and Blake was left paralyzed by a police shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Crump did not immediately respond to a request for comment but previously called Kizzee’s shooting a “despicable and tragic killing.”
“When officers shoot first and ask questions later, precious lives are lost and police lose credibility and trust from those they are sworn to protect,” Crump said.
Wegener and Sheriff Alex Villanueva sought to cast the deputies’ actions as proactive policing in an area of South LA the sheriff likened to a war zone. He said since January there have been 12 homicides and 163 assaults with a firearm within a mile of where Kizzee was killed.
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The handgun had been stolen in Las Vegas in 2017, police said, and they showed a video of Kizzee taken days before the shooting that shows him carrying the gun and displayed its serial number.
Wegener said Kizzee had a restraining order that prohibited him from having a gun. He also had convictions for narcotics and firearms violations, Wegener said, and had a pending case in the Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles that involved an alleged assault on deputies and bringing drugs into a jail.


mercurynews--2020-09-18--Bobcat fire grows to 50,539-acre, forces more evacuations

Surrounded by smoke and under a dark orange hue , Alex Landa stood along a bend in the roadway in Juniper Hills about 5:30 a.m. and , with binoculars , stared up into the Angeles National Forest as the Bobcat fire began to make its way toward his community Thursday , Sept. 17 .
“ I saw fire started at the top of the mountain coming over , ” Landa said during a phone interview .
“ ( There were ) big flare-ups and pine trees going up in fire .
You could see flames from all the way down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once primarily threatening San Gabriel Valley foothill communities after it started Sept. 6 , jumped Highway 2 overnight and continued to spread north , growing overnight in size by more than 4,000 acres and putting the small foothill community in the Antelope Valley under an evacuation warning , forest officials said .
As a sign of the fire ’ s quick spread , by 1:30 p.m. authorities said the blaze was a mile away , sitting on the last ridge separating the forest from homes .
The evacuation for Juniper Hills included nearby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Authorities later advised people living further east in Wrightwood and Pinon Hills to make preparations to flee .
Residents were told at about 7:30 p.m. that they can take Highway 2 toward Phelan or Highway 138 toward the 15 Freeway in case they are ordered to evacuate .
Containment of the fire remained at 3 % .
Containment is the percentage of the perimeter where the blaze won ’ t expand beyond .
Landa , 45 , was familiar with the mountainsides , having taken hunting trips there for 30 years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his wife have lived in Juniper Hills for four years .
“ I know it ’ s very rugged up there , ” he said .
“ I was hoping they ’ d stop it before it hit the ridge .
It ’ s not that brushy , you don ’ t have that like you do on the other side , so it ’ s not a dramatic burn.
” By 2 p.m. , tankers were dropping fire retardant on the hillside above homes , Landa said .
The area , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with elderly residents , sits in the southeastern tip of the Antelope Valley and along the northern foothills of the Angeles National Forest .
Landa said his neighbors are 92 and 87 years old .
Landa , after looking up into the hillside , quickly went back to preparing to evacuate .
He and his wife have three horses and several neighbors have horses , he said , so he went to put new tires on a four-stall trailer and headed back to get ready to load up the animals .
“ Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trailer again , ” he quipped while on the road .
“ I haven ’ t driven this thing in a year.
” David Gonzalez , 30 , of Lancaster watched as the aircraft dipped to about 150 to 400 feet above ground to drop retardant between the flames and homes .
He had been helping a friend prepare to evacuate his Juniper Hills home since Tuesday , he said .
They got up Thursday morning and began clearing brush around the home in hopes of creating a more defensible space .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrealness seeing this happen in real life as opposed to the news and trying to protect your home , ” he said .
“ It gives you a sense of the firefighters .
We ’ re leisurely moving brush while they ’ re battling the flames.
” Gonzalez said his friend had recently purchased the home on 106th Street .
They were staying at a relative ’ s house just outside the evacuation zone .
The flames had crested the ridge earlier in the day , but had suddenly headed west and began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2:20 p.m. , he said .
“ That changed within two hours , ” he said .
“ It went from moving parallel to cresting and coming down toward us .
We knew it was going to happen today , it was just sooner rather than later.
” Map : Where the Bobcat fire is burning in LA County Firefighters continued to see active fire growth at the fire ’ s northeastern and southwestern edges Thursday , officials said .
Flames continued to threaten structures on Mt .
Wilson Thursday afternoon , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Wendy Reynoso , a spokeswoman with the U.S. Forest Service .
“ We have aircraft .
too , dropping retardant around it , ” she said .
“ It ’ s pretty active , but they ’ re trying their best to protect everything up there.
” Strong winds on the western perimeter pushed the fire in several directions Thursday afternoon , officials said , as crews continued to work on picking up spots with assistance from aircraft .
To the north , fire crews had for days been working to contain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they bulldozed a line across the northern forest boundary to protect desert communities , officials said .
In the southern portion of the fire , crews planned to mop up and improve lines to secure the fire , officials said .
Fire crews Wednesday used a controlled burn in an attempt to destroy fuels for the fire heading up to Mt .
Wilson .
• Bobcat fire : New evacuation warning issued — danger not over for historic Mount Wilson Observatory More resources continued to be added to the firefight , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Thursday morning .
Firefighters continue to deal with dry conditions , which complicate control efforts .
Evacuation warnings were still in place for parts of Monrovia , Arcadia , Duarte , Bradbury , Sierra Madre , Pasadena and Altadena .
Evacuation orders in parts of Arcadia and Sierra Madre were lifted Wednesday .
All 18 California national forests remain closed until at least Sept. 21 .

Surrounded by smoke and under a dark orange hue, Alex Landa stood along a bend in the roadway in Juniper Hills about 5:30 a.m. and, with binoculars, stared up into the Angeles National Forest as the Bobcat fire began to make its way toward his community Thursday, Sept. 17.
“I saw fire started at the top of the mountain coming over,” Landa said during a phone interview. “(There were) big flare-ups and pine trees going up in fire. You could see flames from all the way down here.”
The 50,539-acre blaze, which once primarily threatening San Gabriel Valley foothill communities after it started Sept. 6, jumped Highway 2 overnight and continued to spread north, growing overnight in size by more than 4,000 acres and putting the small foothill community in the Antelope Valley under an evacuation warning, forest officials said.
As a sign of the fire’s quick spread, by 1:30 p.m. authorities said the blaze was a mile away, sitting on the last ridge separating the forest from homes. The evacuation for Juniper Hills included nearby Devil’s Punchbowl and Paradise Springs.
Authorities later advised people living further east in Wrightwood and Pinon Hills to make preparations to flee. Residents were told at about 7:30 p.m. that they can take Highway 2 toward Phelan or Highway 138 toward the 15 Freeway in case they are ordered to evacuate.
Containment of the fire remained at 3%. Containment is the percentage of the perimeter where the blaze won’t expand beyond.
Landa, 45, was familiar with the mountainsides, having taken hunting trips there for 30 years, including some with his father. He and his wife have lived in Juniper Hills for four years.
“I know it’s very rugged up there,” he said. “I was hoping they’d stop it before it hit the ridge. It’s not that brushy, you don’t have that like you do on the other side, so it’s not a dramatic burn.”
By 2 p.m., tankers were dropping fire retardant on the hillside above homes, Landa said.
The area, which Landa described as a retirement area with elderly residents, sits in the southeastern tip of the Antelope Valley and along the northern foothills of the Angeles National Forest. Landa said his neighbors are 92 and 87 years old.
Landa, after looking up into the hillside, quickly went back to preparing to evacuate. He and his wife have three horses and several neighbors have horses, he said, so he went to put new tires on a four-stall trailer and headed back to get ready to load up the animals.
“Now I have to get used to this trailer again,” he quipped while on the road. “I haven’t driven this thing in a year.”
David Gonzalez, 30, of Lancaster watched as the aircraft dipped to about 150 to 400 feet above ground to drop retardant between the flames and homes. He had been helping a friend prepare to evacuate his Juniper Hills home since Tuesday, he said.
They got up Thursday morning and began clearing brush around the home in hopes of creating a more defensible space.
“There’s just this level of surrealness seeing this happen in real life as opposed to the news and trying to protect your home,” he said. “It gives you a sense of the firefighters. We’re leisurely moving brush while they’re battling the flames.”
Gonzalez said his friend had recently purchased the home on 106th Street. They were staying at a relative’s house just outside the evacuation zone.
The flames had crested the ridge earlier in the day, but had suddenly headed west and began crawling toward homes in his area about 2:20 p.m., he said.
“That changed within two hours,” he said. “It went from moving parallel to cresting and coming down toward us. We knew it was going to happen today, it was just sooner rather than later.”
Map: Where the Bobcat fire is burning in LA County
Firefighters continued to see active fire growth at the fire’s northeastern and southwestern edges Thursday, officials said.
Flames continued to threaten structures on Mt. Wilson Thursday afternoon, but resources were there to protect infrastructure, said Wendy Reynoso, a spokeswoman with the U.S. Forest Service.
“We have aircraft. too ,dropping retardant around it,” she said. “It’s pretty active, but they’re trying their best to protect everything up there.”
Strong winds on the western perimeter pushed the fire in several directions Thursday afternoon, officials said, as crews continued to work on picking up spots with assistance from aircraft.
To the north, fire crews had for days been working to contain the fire at the highways. Overnight, they bulldozed a line across the northern forest boundary to protect desert communities, officials said.
In the southern portion of the fire, crews planned to mop up and improve lines to secure the fire, officials said. Fire crews Wednesday used a controlled burn in an attempt to destroy fuels for the fire heading up to Mt. Wilson.
This is not an image we enjoy posting. A drop by a large tanker would be good right now #BobcatFire pic.twitter.com/cjfZfFujcN — Mount Wilson Observatory (@MtWilsonObs) September 17, 2020
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Firefighters continue to deal with dry conditions, which complicate control efforts.
Evacuation warnings were still in place for parts of Monrovia, Arcadia, Duarte, Bradbury, Sierra Madre, Pasadena and Altadena. Evacuation orders in parts of Arcadia and Sierra Madre were lifted Wednesday.
All 18 California national forests remain closed until at least Sept. 21.


mercurynews--2020-09-18--Grab a ‘smart cart’: First Amazon Fresh opens to public in Southern California

Alexa was busy Thursday on the west end of the San Fernando Valley .
That ’ s because the first Amazon Fresh grocery store opened in Woodland Hills .
Long in the making , the store ’ s debut at the former site of the Toys “ R ” Us on Topanga Canyon Boulevard ushers in a new brick-and-mortar chapter for the e-commerce giant .
Amazon officials tout the store as highly convenient with decent prices ( like 15-cent bananas ) and new tech-driven forms of in-store shopping .
The concept brings the company ’ s artificial intelligence assistant , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And , if customers prefer , they can run-in-run-out without ever going through a traditional checkout .
Or , in a nod to the COVID-19 era , they can stick with online shopping and pick up the goods at the store .
“ There ’ s a lot that goes into a grocery store , and we ’ re quite excited about this one , ” said Jeff Helbling , vice president of Amazon Fresh Stores .
Customer Nancy Ciccone-Cahill was drawn Thursday by the prospect of a traditional supermarket and the convenience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The workers were very friendly and helpful , and the prices were fantastic , ” she said .
“ And the high-tech process is very convenient .
I found it very admirable , really .
I really enjoyed it .
I think it ’ s user friendly .
And it ’ s probably the wave of the future.
” Woodland Hills was the first to get a taste of food shopping with the Amazon Dash Cart , a tech-laden grocery cart enabling shoppers to use Alexa to manage shopping lists and navigate aisles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The cart uses a series of inward-facing cameras and a combination of computer algorithms and sensors to track what goes in or out of the basket .
It ’ s like that little “ cart ” icon on the Amazon website or app .
Only now it ’ s real life .
If shoppers can ’ t find the Cheerios , Alexa is just a prompt away .
Reach out to her and she ’ ll get you going in the right direction , Helbling said .
When shoppers are done , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a designated aisle on the way out .
Payment is completed automatically because users will have logged in already using a Fresh QR code on their smartphones .
“ When I was ready to check out , I just walked down an aisle with the cart , ” Ciccone-Cahill said .
It checked me out .
No paper receipt .
I just went to my car.
” Shoppers can go old-school , too , and use a traditional cart and cashier .
“ It will be a very fast , convenient shopping experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , managing director of the New York-based Strategic Resource Group , which has studied Amazon , Whole Foods and the retail industry for decades .
Flickinger noted that Amazon ’ s technology infrastructure , particularly the ability to process consumer payments , will “ invigorate ” the market and make the store a destination .
“ It ’ s the proverbial Star Wars store , ” he said .
“ It ’ s exciting .
It ’ s state of the art .
It ’ s fast , efficient .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late last month serving invited customers to get early feedback — employs roughly 200 people .
Sister stores will follow in North Hollywood , Northridge and Irvine .
Outside of Southern California , three stores are planned for the Illinois suburbs .
All of those stores have yet to open to regular everyday foot traffic .
But , like Woodland Hills , they are suburbs , not far from metro areas like Downtown L.A. or Chicago .
Helbling declined to elaborate on further growth plans but said Amazon is “ hopeful ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They are markets that likely have something else in common : tech-savvy consumers and a high concentration of budding young families , analysts suggest .
The Woodland Hills store opens in a shopping plaza that is part of a rapidly developing section of L.A. — Warner Center , complete with higher-end multi-unit residential dwellings and nearby commercial hubs such as Westfield Topanga and The Village .
Officials confirmed in November that a new store was coming , after months of speculation .
At the time , Amazon was beginning to publish job openings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The starting pay rate varied from $ 15.35 to $ 16.90 per hour .
It took some time for the gray facade with bright green trim to get its sign .
The store , in the shade of a new residential complex , is neighbors with See ’ s Candy .
Amazon Fresh is the latest step into the grocery world the Seattle company has taken since its $ 13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods Market in 2017 .
The move won ’ t rock the boat for big-name competitors , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further into the 21st century .
“ For the high value , low-price leaders , where it ’ s important for shoppers to save , there ’ s no worry for Aldi , no worry for Trader Joe ’ s or Costco or Kroger or WinCo .
They ’ ll all still generate record-breaking sales results , ” Flickinger said .
“ But what it does do is geometrically increase the technological breakthroughs and initiatives to make shopping easier and more convenient , where competitors will be mirroring and building on Amazon initiatives.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ exceeds $ 100 billion ; Jeff Bezos worth twice as much The emergence of the Fresh stores also represents a new direction for Whole Foods , which has pulled back on its failed Whole Foods 365 initiative , Flickinger said .
The new store isn ’ t far from a busy Whole Foods at the corner of Ventura Boulevard and Topanga .
Each store serves its own market niches , Helbling said .
“ They serve two different customer needs and occasions , and we ’ re investing in growing both of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think they co-exist nicely throughout the city.
” The new store adheres to physical distancing directives and will be operating at 50 % capacity .
It ’ s open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily .
Address : 6245 Topanga Canyon Blvd.
, Woodland Hills .

Alexa was busy Thursday on the west end of the San Fernando Valley.
That’s because the first Amazon Fresh grocery store opened in Woodland Hills.
Long in the making, the store’s debut at the former site of the Toys “R” Us on Topanga Canyon Boulevard ushers in a new brick-and-mortar chapter for the e-commerce giant.
Amazon officials tout the store as highly convenient with decent prices (like 15-cent bananas) and new tech-driven forms of in-store shopping.
The concept brings the company’s artificial intelligence assistant, Alexa, right to the aisles. And, if customers prefer, they can run-in-run-out without ever going through a traditional checkout. Or, in a nod to the COVID-19 era, they can stick with online shopping and pick up the goods at the store.
“There’s a lot that goes into a grocery store, and we’re quite excited about this one,” said Jeff Helbling, vice president of Amazon Fresh Stores.
Customer Nancy Ciccone-Cahill was drawn Thursday by the prospect of a traditional supermarket and the convenience of a high-tech shopping cart.
“The workers were very friendly and helpful, and the prices were fantastic,” she said. “And the high-tech process is very convenient. I found it very admirable, really. I really enjoyed it. I think it’s user friendly. And it’s probably the wave of the future.”
Dash Carts at Amazon Fresh with #AmazonPrime App for fast checkout at the Woodland Hills grocery store pic.twitter.com/Dg3ih9Vw6e — Sarah Reingewirtz (@sarahimages) September 17, 2020
Cart or Dash Cart?
Woodland Hills was the first to get a taste of food shopping with the Amazon Dash Cart, a tech-laden grocery cart enabling shoppers to use Alexa to manage shopping lists and navigate aisles, then skipping the checkout lane.
The cart uses a series of inward-facing cameras and a combination of computer algorithms and sensors to track what goes in or out of the basket. It’s like that little “cart” icon on the Amazon website or app. Only now it’s real life.
If shoppers can’t find the Cheerios, Alexa is just a prompt away. Reach out to her and she’ll get you going in the right direction, Helbling said.
When shoppers are done, they’ll run the smart cart through a designated aisle on the way out. Payment is completed automatically because users will have logged in already using a Fresh QR code on their smartphones.
“When I was ready to check out, I just walked down an aisle with the cart,” Ciccone-Cahill said. It checked me out. No paper receipt. I just went to my car.”
Shoppers can go old-school, too, and use a traditional cart and cashier.
“It will be a very fast, convenient shopping experience,” said Burt P. Flickinger III, managing director of the New York-based Strategic Resource Group, which has studied Amazon, Whole Foods and the retail industry for decades.
Flickinger noted that Amazon’s technology infrastructure, particularly the ability to process consumer payments, will “invigorate” the market and make the store a destination.
“It’s the proverbial Star Wars store,” he said. “It’s exciting. It’s state of the art. It’s fast, efficient. It’s fun.”
Busy area
The store — which opened late last month serving invited customers to get early feedback — employs roughly 200 people.
Sister stores will follow in North Hollywood, Northridge and Irvine. Outside of Southern California, three stores are planned for the Illinois suburbs. All of those stores have yet to open to regular everyday foot traffic. But, like Woodland Hills, they are suburbs, not far from metro areas like Downtown L.A. or Chicago.
Helbling declined to elaborate on further growth plans but said Amazon is “hopeful” the model will resonate in those markets.
They are markets that likely have something else in common: tech-savvy consumers and a high concentration of budding young families, analysts suggest.
The Woodland Hills store opens in a shopping plaza that is part of a rapidly developing section of L.A. — Warner Center, complete with higher-end multi-unit residential dwellings and nearby commercial hubs such as Westfield Topanga and The Village.
Officials confirmed in November that a new store was coming, after months of speculation.
At the time, Amazon was beginning to publish job openings for the west San Fernando Valley location. The starting pay rate varied from $15.35 to $16.90 per hour. It took some time for the gray facade with bright green trim to get its sign. The store, in the shade of a new residential complex, is neighbors with See’s Candy.
Amazon Fresh is the latest step into the grocery world the Seattle company has taken since its $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods Market in 2017.
The move won’t rock the boat for big-name competitors, but it will help push the grocery industry further into the 21st century.
“For the high value, low-price leaders, where it’s important for shoppers to save, there’s no worry for Aldi, no worry for Trader Joe’s or Costco or Kroger or WinCo. They’ll all still generate record-breaking sales results,” Flickinger said. “But what it does do is geometrically increase the technological breakthroughs and initiatives to make shopping easier and more convenient, where competitors will be mirroring and building on Amazon initiatives.”
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Amazon gives Dish Wireless a boost as it builds the country’s fourth cellular network Business | Exclusive: Kroger and Albertsons CEOs give details on controversial $25 billion merger The emergence of the Fresh stores also represents a new direction for Whole Foods, which has pulled back on its failed Whole Foods 365 initiative, Flickinger said.
The new store isn’t far from a busy Whole Foods at the corner of Ventura Boulevard and Topanga.
Each store serves its own market niches, Helbling said.
“They serve two different customer needs and occasions, and we’re investing in growing both of them,” he said. “We think they co-exist nicely throughout the city.”
The new store adheres to physical distancing directives and will be operating at 50% capacity.
It’s open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Address: 6245 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills.


mercurynews--2020-09-18--Firefighters deliver baby in a California couple’s living room

A Pasadena couple was planning to deliver their first baby in the hospital , but the baby decided the couple ’ s living room was more his style — and Pasadena firefighters were there to accommodate .
Firefighter Aaron Boykin was sitting in Station 31 near Old Town when his team raced out after getting a call for a woman in labor on Thursday , Sept. 17 .
The couple ’ s home wasn ’ t far from the station , or the hospital , but this baby wasn ’ t waiting .
Minutes after Boykin walked through the door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped mom onto the gurney , she told him : “ The baby ’ s coming right now , ” he recalled in an interview .
They were walking out the door .
The hospital was five minutes away .
The baby couldn ’ t wait that long .
“ We checked and the baby was ready to come into the world , ” Boykin said with a little chuckle .
“ So we delivered the baby on the gurney ” in the living room .
“ Luckily , there were no issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Healthy baby boy was delivered , mom ’ s doing great .
It was a very smooth delivery.
” Wildfires , knock-downs , structure fires — these are the things you ’ d expect a firefighter to have experience doing — but delivering babies ?
Yes , they do that , too .
And for Boykin , this was his second time in two years .
When asked if he was nervous this go around , Boykin said they ’ re constantly training for this sort of thing — among others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helps keep the nerves calm.
” The same couldn ’ t be said for the soon-to-be dad .
“ Obviously dad was nervous and anxious at the same time , but once the baby was delivered , they were both extremely ecstatic , ” Boykin said .
“ They told us we were there in the nick of time .
They were extremely happy.
” The entire family was transported to the hospital after the baby was delivered , and Boykin said they ’ re still in good spirits .
Given that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such a speedy delivery was unexpected , he said .
Usually , the first baby takes a bit longer to deliver .
“ But sometimes the baby just decides he ’ s going to come out , ” Boykin said .
“ It ’ s always exciting to bring new life into the world and share that experience with parents , especially new parents.
” But doing a delivery like this is no joke .
“ These are high-risk calls with low frequency , ” he explained , saying they train constantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from getting rusty .
“ Usually we can get them to the hospital , but it ’ s nice to see all the training and preparing you ’ ve been doing go to good use.
” A global pandemic doesn ’ t make things any easier , but the firefighters come prepared , dressed in gowns and face masks and other protective equipment .
He was grateful for a fairly experienced team for support .
While Boykin ’ s crew has not been sent out to the wildfires yet , several other crews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state , including some on Mount Wilson .
Boykin ’ s team could rotate out to one of the many wildfires in California sometime soon , depending on the schedule .
“ There ’ s no such thing as a routine call , ” city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said in an interview .
“ You never know what your next call will be , but this puts a bright spot in the very difficult times we ’ re experiencing .
”

A Pasadena couple was planning to deliver their first baby in the hospital, but the baby decided the couple’s living room was more his style — and Pasadena firefighters were there to accommodate.
Firefighter Aaron Boykin was sitting in Station 31 near Old Town when his team raced out after getting a call for a woman in labor on Thursday, Sept. 17. The couple’s home wasn’t far from the station, or the hospital, but this baby wasn’t waiting.
Minutes after Boykin walked through the door of the couple’s home and helped mom onto the gurney, she told him: “The baby’s coming right now,” he recalled in an interview.
Six firefighters from Station 31 delivered a healthy baby boy today! Mom's water broke and the baby couldn't wait the 5 minutes it took to arrive at the hospital. So, he was delivered in the ambulance🚑 pic.twitter.com/n6CBCJElm0 — City of Pasadena (@PasadenaGov) September 17, 2020
They were walking out the door. The hospital was five minutes away. The baby couldn’t wait that long.
“We checked and the baby was ready to come into the world,” Boykin said with a little chuckle. “So we delivered the baby on the gurney” in the living room.
“Luckily, there were no issues, no problems,” he continued. “Healthy baby boy was delivered, mom’s doing great. It was a very smooth delivery.”
Boykin delivered the infant alongside firefighter Scott Henderson.
Wildfires, knock-downs, structure fires — these are the things you’d expect a firefighter to have experience doing — but delivering babies? Yes, they do that, too. And for Boykin, this was his second time in two years.
When asked if he was nervous this go around, Boykin said they’re constantly training for this sort of thing — among others — practicing on manikins which “definitely helps keep the nerves calm.”
The same couldn’t be said for the soon-to-be dad.
“Obviously dad was nervous and anxious at the same time, but once the baby was delivered, they were both extremely ecstatic,” Boykin said. “They told us we were there in the nick of time. They were extremely happy.”
The entire family was transported to the hospital after the baby was delivered, and Boykin said they’re still in good spirits.
Given that it was the mother’s first child, such a speedy delivery was unexpected, he said. Usually, the first baby takes a bit longer to deliver.
“But sometimes the baby just decides he’s going to come out,” Boykin said. “It’s always exciting to bring new life into the world and share that experience with parents, especially new parents.”
But doing a delivery like this is no joke.
“These are high-risk calls with low frequency,” he explained, saying they train constantly for these situations to keep their skills from getting rusty. “Usually we can get them to the hospital, but it’s nice to see all the training and preparing you’ve been doing go to good use.”
A global pandemic doesn’t make things any easier, but the firefighters come prepared, dressed in gowns and face masks and other protective equipment.
He was grateful for a fairly experienced team for support.
While Boykin’s crew has not been sent out to the wildfires yet, several other crews from Pasadena have been deployed around the state, including some on Mount Wilson.
Boykin’s team could rotate out to one of the many wildfires in California sometime soon, depending on the schedule.
“There’s no such thing as a routine call,” city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said in an interview. “You never know what your next call will be, but this puts a bright spot in the very difficult times we’re experiencing.”