mercurynews--2020-10-21--Newest Raider Irving looks to shake off the rust and redeem himself following suspension

The Raiders got their first look at defensive end David Irving in an actual practice Wednesday and coach Jon Gruden wasn ’ t inclined to make any predictions about a future role on the 53-man roster .
A 6-foot-7 , 290-pound edge player , Irving was signed Tuesday to the Raiders ’ practice squad just two days after being reinstated by the NFL for being in violation of the league ’ s policy on substances of abuse .
Irving last played for the Dallas Cowboys in 2018 , when he went on indefinite suspension after two games .
Irving later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he was critical of the league ’ s position in that regard .
Since Irving ’ s suspension , the NFL reduced its frequency of marijuana testing pre-season only as well as increasing the nanograms necessary for a positive test .
The bottom line for the Raiders is Irving , 27 , had 12 1/2 sacks as a part-time player in 2015-18 , and has familiarity with defensive line coach Rod Marinelli .
It comes at a time where Irving is seeking redemption .
Gruden said he wasn ’ t sure what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video conference .
“ We ’ re just excited to have an opportunity to help him rejuvenate his career , ” Gruden said .
“ We ’ re going to help dust him off , and we ’ re going to see where he is .
I don ’ t make any predictions .
He ’ s not been in football for some time .
I ’ m looking forward to putting him in silver and black and seeing what happens .
He has a resume , but nothing recent.
” The Raiders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maxx Crosby , Clelin Ferrell , Arden Key and Carl Nassib , with Ferrell also getting work inside at tackle .
Nassib played for just four plays against Kansas City before departing with a broken toe .
In a minor surprise , Nassib was on the practice field Wednesday , but in a limited fashion .
Safety Jeff Heath , who played with Irving in Dallas , said he is a physically gifted player .
“ He ’ s a huge individual .
You can ’ t even really get a good feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person , ” Heath said .
“ Not only is he really big , but he ’ s a really good athlete .
He ’ s flexible , has long arms , makes a lot of big plays just on that natural ability alone.
” Heath said it may take time for Irving to get re-acclimated to football but noted “ he ’ s still the same size , same athlete he was in Dallas .
I ’ m really expecting him to help us out a lot.
” Players on the practice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , although there is a provision in 2020 where the Raiders can protect four players per week from being signed off their roster .
Mariota no lock to be backup against Bucs The Raiders will go in to Sunday ’ s game with three quarterbacks on the roster for the first time this season but Gruden wasn ’ t yet ready to commit to a backup to starter Derek Carr .
Marcus Mariota was activated Monday from injured reserve two days before a 21-day window expired after which he would have had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the season .
Gruden said he wasn ’ t sure yet whether Mariota or Nathan Peterman would be the No .
2 quarterback against Tampa Bay .
“ It ’ s up in the air really because we haven ’ t seen him do much really in the last 10 weeks , ” Gruden said .
“ It ’ s been two and a half months .
We ’ re working him out as we speak .
It ’ s good to see him out on the grass .
Hopefully he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t make that prediction now.
” Defensive tackle Maliek Collins , who missed the Chiefs game with a shoulder injury , was back on the practice field in a limited fashion .
Cornerback Lamarcus Joyner was limited with a hamstring strain , while cornerback Kesean Nixon ( groin ) did not practice .
Also out was rookie wide receiver Bryan Edwards ( ankle ) , who last played in Week 3 against New England .

The Raiders got their first look at defensive end David Irving in an actual practice Wednesday and coach Jon Gruden wasn’t inclined to make any predictions about a future role on the 53-man roster.
A 6-foot-7, 290-pound edge player, Irving was signed Tuesday to the Raiders’ practice squad just two days after being reinstated by the NFL for being in violation of the league’s policy on substances of abuse.
Irving last played for the Dallas Cowboys in 2018, when he went on indefinite suspension after two games. Irving later said his suspension was for marijuana use and he was critical of the league’s position in that regard.
Since Irving’s suspension, the NFL reduced its frequency of marijuana testing pre-season only as well as increasing the nanograms necessary for a positive test.
The bottom line for the Raiders is Irving, 27, had 12 1/2 sacks as a part-time player in 2015-18, and has familiarity with defensive line coach Rod Marinelli. It comes at a time where Irving is seeking redemption.
Gruden said he wasn’t sure what the Raiders were getting Monday during a video conference.
“We’re just excited to have an opportunity to help him rejuvenate his career,” Gruden said. “We’re going to help dust him off, and we’re going to see where he is. I don’t make any predictions. He’s not been in football for some time. I’m looking forward to putting him in silver and black and seeing what happens. He has a resume, but nothing recent.”
The Raiders defensive ends on the 53-man roster are Maxx Crosby, Clelin Ferrell, Arden Key and Carl Nassib, with Ferrell also getting work inside at tackle. Nassib played for just four plays against Kansas City before departing with a broken toe. In a minor surprise, Nassib was on the practice field Wednesday, but in a limited fashion.
Safety Jeff Heath, who played with Irving in Dallas, said he is a physically gifted player.
“He’s a huge individual. You can’t even really get a good feel for it until you see him in person,” Heath said. “Not only is he really big, but he’s a really good athlete. He’s flexible, has long arms, makes a lot of big plays just on that natural ability alone.”
Heath said it may take time for Irving to get re-acclimated to football but noted “he’s still the same size, same athlete he was in Dallas. I’m really expecting him to help us out a lot.”
Players on the practice squad can be signed by other teams, although there is a provision in 2020 where the Raiders can protect four players per week from being signed off their roster.
Mariota no lock to be backup against Bucs
The Raiders will go in to Sunday’s game with three quarterbacks on the roster for the first time this season but Gruden wasn’t yet ready to commit to a backup to starter Derek Carr.
Marcus Mariota was activated Monday from injured reserve two days before a 21-day window expired after which he would have had to remain on I.R. for the balance of the season.
Gruden said he wasn’t sure yet whether Mariota or Nathan Peterman would be the No. 2 quarterback against Tampa Bay.
“It’s up in the air really because we haven’t seen him do much really in the last 10 weeks,” Gruden said. “It’s been two and a half months. We’re working him out as we speak. It’s good to see him out on the grass. Hopefully he is ready to go, but I can’t make that prediction now.”
Injury update
Defensive tackle Maliek Collins, who missed the Chiefs game with a shoulder injury, was back on the practice field in a limited fashion. Cornerback Lamarcus Joyner was limited with a hamstring strain, while cornerback Kesean Nixon (groin) did not practice. Also out was rookie wide receiver Bryan Edwards (ankle), who last played in Week 3 against New England.


mercurynews--2020-10-22--Police seek hate crime charges against 6 Bay Area protestors in Marin church vandalism case

Six people accused of tearing down a statue outside a San Rafael church last week could face hate crime charges , police said .
The incident occurred Oct. 12 during an Indigenous Peoples Day demonstration outside of St. Raphael Catholic Church on Fifth Avenue .
Police said a small group of protesters painted and destroyed the church ’ s statue of Junipero Serra , an 18th-century Catholic priest who founded nine of California ’ s missions .
San Rafael police officers arrested five people at the scene on allegations of felony vandalism .
Police Chief Diana Bishop said her department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County District Attorney ’ s office for possible prosecution , and has also recommended charges for a sixth person who was later identified by police .
In addition to the felony vandalism allegations , police have recommended a separate charge of vandalism to a place of worship for each of the six suspects , Bishop said .
She noted that such a charge is considered a hate crime .
Under state law , vandalism is considered a felony if the damage exceeds $ 400 .
District Attorney Lori Frugoli said Wednesday that her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not yet made a decision about whether to pursue criminal charges .
Police said about 40 people attended the protest outside of St. Raphael , which began around 5 p.m. on the federal Columbus Day holiday .
About a half hour after the demonstration kicked off , two people approached the Serra statue and threw red paint on it , said Sgt .
Justin Graham .
Then “ additional suspects became involved , ” he said .
Some spray painted the statue , writing the word “ rape ” on it .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sculpture and pulled it down , Graham said .
The organizers of the demonstration never intended to vandalize the statue , said Lucina Vidauri , who helped plan the event .
She said the demonstration was a celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day and a protest of the way Native Americans were treated by European missionaries .
The demonstrators were also calling for the church to remove the Serra statue , she said .
Protest organizers said Serra contributed to the destruction of Native American cultures .
“ It just got carried away , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a spokesman for the Archdiocese of San Francisco , said church leaders had not been asked by the protesters to take down the statue prior to the demonstration .
Vidauri said she was not involved with the vandalism .
Police cited Oakland residents Ines Shiam Gardilcic , 40 , and Victoria Eva Montanopena , 29 ; Melissa Aguilar , 36 , of Novato ; Mayorgi Nadeska Delgadillo , 36 , of San Rafael ; and Moira Cribben Van de Walker , 25 of San Anselmo .
Bishop declined to name the sixth suspect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cited .
The San Rafael Police Department has faced scrutiny for its handling of the incident .
Mayor Gary Phillips said he was initially shocked to learn “ there were officers standing nearby ” while the demonstrators tore down the statue .
But after a meeting with police , he said he felt “ comfortable that what was done was appropriate.
” According to Graham , police knew the protest was planned about a week in advance , and knew it might include vandalism to the statue .
He said before the event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who asked the officers to use de-escalation techniques and to minimize interactions that could lead to use of force during the protest .
“ We decided not to get directly involved or interact with the demonstration because we did not want to inflame or escalate the situation , ” Graham said .
“ If there was a violent altercation , a physical fight , we would have intervened , no question.
” Bishop told the City Council she understands why some people are upset about the way officers handled the situation , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the way the department planned its reaction .
“ It ’ s not last year , ” she said .
“ It ’ s not the year before , how police officers see something and they just run into it and take care of it .
That ’ s how we are programmed .
That ’ s what we want to do .
We have to be more thoughtful when a property crime is occurring and a person is not being injured , and that ’ s what the plan was.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested at the scene of the incident were cited and released because of new coronavirus restrictions .
“ If it wasn ’ t for COVID they would have been arrested and taken to Marin County Jail , ” Bishop said .
She said police officers captured footage of the incident using body-worn cameras “ so we have great physical evidence for the district attorney ’ s office.
” • California judge tosses extortion charges against megachurch leader ; child rape and human trafficking counts left in place San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should not be “ treated as small property crimes.
” “ The symbols of our faith are now under attack , ” he said last week , noting that other Catholic statues have recently been destroyed .
A group of protesters in June toppled a statue of Serra in San Francisco ’ s Golden Gate Park .
Cordileone performed an exorcism on Saturday at the site where the statue was toppled .
Brown said the ceremony was aimed at “ driving away ” evil .

Six people accused of tearing down a statue outside a San Rafael church last week could face hate crime charges, police said.
The incident occurred Oct. 12 during an Indigenous Peoples Day demonstration outside of St. Raphael Catholic Church on Fifth Avenue. Police said a small group of protesters painted and destroyed the church’s statue of Junipero Serra, an 18th-century Catholic priest who founded nine of California’s missions.
San Rafael police officers arrested five people at the scene on allegations of felony vandalism. Police Chief Diana Bishop said her department has submitted the case to the Marin County District Attorney’s office for possible prosecution, and has also recommended charges for a sixth person who was later identified by police.
In addition to the felony vandalism allegations, police have recommended a separate charge of vandalism to a place of worship for each of the six suspects, Bishop said. She noted that such a charge is considered a hate crime. Under state law, vandalism is considered a felony if the damage exceeds $400.
District Attorney Lori Frugoli said Wednesday that her office was reviewing the case and had not yet made a decision about whether to pursue criminal charges.
Police said about 40 people attended the protest outside of St. Raphael, which began around 5 p.m. on the federal Columbus Day holiday. About a half hour after the demonstration kicked off, two people approached the Serra statue and threw red paint on it, said Sgt. Justin Graham.
Then “additional suspects became involved,” he said. Some spray painted the statue, writing the word “rape” on it. A group of people tied ropes around the sculpture and pulled it down, Graham said.
The organizers of the demonstration never intended to vandalize the statue, said Lucina Vidauri, who helped plan the event. She said the demonstration was a celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day and a protest of the way Native Americans were treated by European missionaries. The demonstrators were also calling for the church to remove the Serra statue, she said. Protest organizers said Serra contributed to the destruction of Native American cultures.
“It just got carried away,” Vidauri said.
Mike Brown, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, said church leaders had not been asked by the protesters to take down the statue prior to the demonstration.
Vidauri said she was not involved with the vandalism. Police cited Oakland residents Ines Shiam Gardilcic, 40, and Victoria Eva Montanopena, 29; Melissa Aguilar, 36, of Novato; Mayorgi Nadeska Delgadillo, 36, of San Rafael; and Moira Cribben Van de Walker, 25 of San Anselmo. Bishop declined to name the sixth suspect because the person was not arrested or cited.
The San Rafael Police Department has faced scrutiny for its handling of the incident. Mayor Gary Phillips said he was initially shocked to learn “there were officers standing nearby” while the demonstrators tore down the statue. But after a meeting with police, he said he felt “comfortable that what was done was appropriate.”
According to Graham, police knew the protest was planned about a week in advance, and knew it might include vandalism to the statue. He said before the event, police met with church leaders, who asked the officers to use de-escalation techniques and to minimize interactions that could lead to use of force during the protest.
“We decided not to get directly involved or interact with the demonstration because we did not want to inflame or escalate the situation,” Graham said. “If there was a violent altercation, a physical fight, we would have intervened, no question.”
Bishop told the City Council she understands why some people are upset about the way officers handled the situation, but she said she was “proud” of the way the department planned its reaction.
“It’s not last year,” she said. “It’s not the year before, how police officers see something and they just run into it and take care of it. That’s how we are programmed. That’s what we want to do. We have to be more thoughtful when a property crime is occurring and a person is not being injured, and that’s what the plan was.”
Bishop said the five suspects who were arrested at the scene of the incident were cited and released because of new coronavirus restrictions.
“If it wasn’t for COVID they would have been arrested and taken to Marin County Jail,” Bishop said. She said police officers captured footage of the incident using body-worn cameras “so we have great physical evidence for the district attorney’s office.”
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Facing more than 500 abuse lawsuits, San Francisco Archdiocese says bankruptcy ‘very likely’ Crime and Public Safety | Jennifer Aniston roasted after accusing Jamie Foxx of antisemitism; turns off Instagram comments San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone has denounced the vandalism and said such incidents should not be “treated as small property crimes.”
“The symbols of our faith are now under attack,” he said last week, noting that other Catholic statues have recently been destroyed. A group of protesters in June toppled a statue of Serra in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
Cordileone performed an exorcism on Saturday at the site where the statue was toppled. Brown said the ceremony was aimed at “driving away” evil.


mercurynews--2020-10-22--DNA leads to arrest in 1996 killing of 17-year-old California girl found in ravine

By JOHN ANTCZAK | The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Nearly 25 years after a Los Angeles girl was found slain , a suspect was arrested in Texas based on DNA evidence , California authorities said Wednesday .
Jose Luis Garcia , 42 , was arraigned this week on a charge of murder , said Lt. Hugo Reynaga of the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department cold case unit .
It was not immediately known if Garcia had an attorney to speak on his behalf .
The body of Gladys Arellano , 17 , was found in a ravine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Jan. 30 , 1996 .
Far from her eastside home in Boyle Heights , she had been sexually assaulted , beaten and strangled .
“ She had a beautiful soul , ” her niece and goddaughter , Samantha Moreno , told a press conference .
“ She was beautiful , intelligent and gorgeous , and had a radiant smile .
She had such big dreams for her life.
” A DNA profile developed from evidence taken from the body was put into state and federal databases .
But no match was identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garcia was arrested by Los Angeles police in a domestic assault case , and a DNA sample taken during booking was put into the state database , Reynaga said .
That sample eventually matched Garcia to the Arellano slaying , he said .
Cold case detectives located and interviewed him in Fontana in neighboring San Bernardino County and were able to take an oral swab to confirm the DNA match .
By then , Garcia had relocated from California to Dallas and U.S. marshals arrested him there on Sept. 29 .
He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arraigned Monday in the Van Nuys division of Los Angeles Superior Court .
He remained held on $ 1 million bail .
There is no known relationship between Garcia and the victim other than that he lived near her at the time , Reynaga said .
Moreno thanked the cold case detectives and news media that covered Arellano ’ s killing , and she offered hope to other families living through similar situations .
“ Beautiful Latina souls from Boyle Heights should never be forgotten , ” she said .
“ Acts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The sheriff ’ s cold case unit has 12 retired homicide detectives who return to work part time .
Reynaga said there are 15,000 such cases .

By JOHN ANTCZAK | The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Nearly 25 years after a Los Angeles girl was found slain, a suspect was arrested in Texas based on DNA evidence, California authorities said Wednesday.
Jose Luis Garcia, 42, was arraigned this week on a charge of murder, said Lt. Hugo Reynaga of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department cold case unit. It was not immediately known if Garcia had an attorney to speak on his behalf.
The body of Gladys Arellano, 17, was found in a ravine in the Topanga Canyon area near Malibu on Jan. 30, 1996. Far from her eastside home in Boyle Heights, she had been sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled.
“She had a beautiful soul,” her niece and goddaughter, Samantha Moreno, told a press conference. “She was beautiful, intelligent and gorgeous, and had a radiant smile. She had such big dreams for her life.”
A DNA profile developed from evidence taken from the body was put into state and federal databases. But no match was identified.
On Nov. 10, 2019, Garcia was arrested by Los Angeles police in a domestic assault case, and a DNA sample taken during booking was put into the state database, Reynaga said.
That sample eventually matched Garcia to the Arellano slaying, he said. Cold case detectives located and interviewed him in Fontana in neighboring San Bernardino County and were able to take an oral swab to confirm the DNA match.
By then, Garcia had relocated from California to Dallas and U.S. marshals arrested him there on Sept. 29. He was extradited to California on Oct. 14 and arraigned Monday in the Van Nuys division of Los Angeles Superior Court. He remained held on $1 million bail.
There is no known relationship between Garcia and the victim other than that he lived near her at the time, Reynaga said.
Moreno thanked the cold case detectives and news media that covered Arellano’s killing, and she offered hope to other families living through similar situations.
“Beautiful Latina souls from Boyle Heights should never be forgotten,” she said. “Acts of violence against women should never be forgotten.”
The sheriff’s cold case unit has 12 retired homicide detectives who return to work part time. Reynaga said there are 15,000 such cases.


mercurynews--2020-10-22--A Northern California Black Lives Matter chapter is fundraising to get some of its members trained i

A Northern California Black Lives Matter chapter is fundraising to get some of its members trained in gun safety

Black Lives Matter ’ s Sacramento chapter wants to sponsor 10 Black people for gun safety training in an effort to keep its organization members safe .
“ As Black folks we have learned that we are running out of resources when it comes to being protected , ” the organization wrote on Facebook on Wednesday .
“ Police are killing us .
White nationalists are threatening us .
The president is supporting the nationalists .
We need to learn how to protect ourselves in a way that keeps us safe.
” In an interview with CNN affiliate KOVR , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said she and others in the organization said in some situations where they “ can not call the police for help ” they still want to feel safe .
“ It ’ s a really volatile time right now , ” she said .
“ We need to be armed .
We need to be safe .
We are citizens here , we have equal rights here , ” she said .
“ The Second Amendment is our right too.
” The goal of the fundraiser is to raise $ 2,000 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised $ 780 .
• How Margo Hall ’ s storied career led to her running Lorraine Hansberry Theatre The fundraiser comes amid months of demonstrations calling for racial justice , during which many Black people — including NBA star and activist Lebron James — have vocalized their fears about being Black in America .
In the wake of the deaths of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor and others , thousands have made calls for police reform , justice reform and voter action .

Black Lives Matter’s Sacramento chapter wants to sponsor 10 Black people for gun safety training in an effort to keep its organization members safe.
“As Black folks we have learned that we are running out of resources when it comes to being protected,” the organization wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.
“Police are killing us. White nationalists are threatening us. The president is supporting the nationalists. We need to learn how to protect ourselves in a way that keeps us safe.”
In an interview with CNN affiliate KOVR, Tanya Faison, founder of BLM Sacramento, said she and others in the organization said in some situations where they “cannot call the police for help” they still want to feel safe.
“It’s a really volatile time right now,” she said. “We need to be armed. We need to be safe. We are citizens here, we have equal rights here,” she said. “The Second Amendment is our right too.”
The goal of the fundraiser is to raise $2,000. As of Wednesday, the organization had raised $780.
The fundraiser comes amid months of demonstrations calling for racial justice, during which many Black people — including NBA star and activist Lebron James — have vocalized their fears about being Black in America.
In the wake of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others, thousands have made calls for police reform, justice reform and voter action.
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mercurynews--2020-10-22--Can Isaac Okoro really be the Warriors’ next Andre Iguodala?

During his freshman season at Auburn , Isaac Okoro often reflected on the sinking feeling he had sitting on the bench during the most important moments for Team USA more than a year prior .
As a high-schooler in Powder Springs , Georgia , Okoro needed two tries to make the U.S. Under-17 World Cup team .
When he broke through in 2018 , he played the fewest minutes on the gold-winning team in Argentina .
He didn ’ t talk about it much , but Auburn coaches knew it bothered him .
Using such affronts to power his on-court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25-6 record , and positioned himself to become the first player from Team USA ’ s roster selected in November ’ s NBA draft .
“ He ’ s got a chip on his shoulder , ” said Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl .
“ Isaac remembers who played on that team , and who he sat behind.
” It wasn ’ t the first time Okoro felt underestimated .
After leading McEachern High School to a 32-0 record and a No .
1 national ranking , Okoro was left out of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five-star recruit by Rivals and a four-star recruit according to ESPN , Okoro was not among the 24 players chosen .
Not one to complain , he was aware of who played in that game ahead of him , including fellow-Georgian Anthony Edwards .
In Auburn ’ s win against Georgia last season , Okoro held Edwards , the potential No .
1 pick in November ’ s NBA draft , to 18 points on 6 of 15 shooting ( 2 of 9 on 3-pointers ) , and three turnovers .
Okoro ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given the opportunity ( to play someone from the McDonald ’ s All-American teams ) , your night ’ s done , ” Pearl said of Okoro , who was not made available for this story .
“ You ’ re not going to score .
He has that ability defensively.
” Few question Okoro ’ s defensive abilities .
With the length , quickness and strength to guard at least four positions , he is widely regarded as the top perimeter defender in this draft class .
Often compared by scouts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a target for the Warriors if they trade down from the No .
2 pick to the mid-lottery .
Though he could make an immediate impact on Golden State ’ s 26th-ranked defense , concerns remain about his offense .
[ Note : This is the sixth installment in the Bay Area News Group ’ s series on scouting prospects the Warriors can take in November ’ s NBA draft .
Read more by clicking here . ]
At 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan and 225 pounds , Okoro has a ready-made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old .
At Auburn , he had the lateral quickness to stick with ball-handlers like Edwards , and the strength to switch onto larger players in the paint without giving up ground .
He played defense aggressively , forcing steals and deflections and finishing in transition with one-handed dunks .
But that aggressiveness was lost in the half-court offense , where he was often passive .
At times , Pearl had to scream at Okoro from the sideline to “ Shoot the ball !
” But in a February game against Kentucky — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McDonald ’ s All-American Game — Okoro didn ’ t need any prodding .
He scored 14 points and made two of his four 3-point attempts .
A few nights later against LSU , he attempted a season-high six 3-pointers .
Okoro shot just 28.6 % from 3-point range last season , but he ’ s worked diligently to overhaul his shooting form .
That will be the key to Okoro ’ s success in the NBA .
A hard-worker with a high basketball-IQ , quiet confidence and chiseled frame that belies his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an experienced Auburn team that started four upperclassmen .
For Okoro , Pearl came up with the nickname “ fre-senior.
” If Okoro is drafted to the Warriors , those qualities will serve him well as he would be forced to earn playing time on a roster built around a championship-winning core of Stephen Curry , Klay Thompson and Draymond Green .
“ He would come in humbly and just listen and learn , ” Pearl said , “ but try to find a way where you had to start him.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draws fouls and can score with either hand .
Has a good handle and uses crossovers and spins to get to his spot .
• Smart player who can act as both ball-handler and screener in the pick-and-roll .
• High-IQ defender who rotates well , understands team concepts and disrupts passing lanes .
Could thrive early by getting deflections and finishing in transition .
• Versatile on-ball defender with great fundamentals , the quickness to guard on the perimeter and strength to body with bigger players .
• Not a natural shooter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mechanics need to be overhauled .
• Despite his ability to get the line , he ’ s a subpar free-throw shooter ( 67.2 % ) .
• Lack of burst and quickness could hinder his ability to create consistently off the dribble .
Potential fit with Golden State : Okoro would immediately be one of the Warriors ’ top perimeter defenders and be able to take on assignments from LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard to James Harden and Damian Lillard .
However , because of his lack of outside shooting ability , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he could stay on the floor with Golden State ’ s other top defenders in Green and Andrew Wiggins , which could cap the Warriors ’ upside on defense .
By drafting Okoro , the Warriors would be betting that his shaky jumper will come around .

During his freshman season at Auburn, Isaac Okoro often reflected on the sinking feeling he had sitting on the bench during the most important moments for Team USA more than a year prior.
As a high schooler in Powder Springs, Georgia, Okoro needed two tries to make the U.S. Under-17 World Cup team. When he broke through in 2018, he played the fewest minutes on the gold-winning team in Argentina. He didn’t talk about it much, but Auburn coaches knew it bothered him. Using such affronts to power his on-court pursuits, Okoro led Auburn to a 25-6 record, and positioned himself to become the first player from Team USA’s roster selected in November’s NBA draft.
“He’s got a chip on his shoulder,” said Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl. “Isaac remembers who played on that team, and who he sat behind.”
It wasn’t the first time Okoro felt underestimated. After leading McEachern High School to a 32-0 record and a No. 1 national ranking, Okoro was left out of the McDonald’s All-American Game. A five-star recruit by Rivals and a four-star recruit according to ESPN, Okoro was not among the 24 players chosen. Not one to complain, he was aware of who played in that game ahead of him, including fellow Georgian Anthony Edwards.
In Auburn’s win against Georgia last season, Okoro held Edwards, the potential No. 1 pick in November’s NBA draft, to 18 points on 6 of 15 shooting (2 of 9 on 3-pointers), and three turnovers. Okoro’s message was clear.
“If given the opportunity (to play someone from the McDonald’s All-American teams), your night’s done,” Pearl said of Okoro, who was not made available for this story. “You’re not going to score. He has that ability defensively.”
Few question Okoro’s defensive abilities. With the length, quickness and strength to guard at least four positions, he is widely regarded as the top perimeter defender in this draft class. Often compared by scouts and analysts to Andre Iguodala, Okoro could be a target for the Warriors if they trade down from the No. 2 pick to the mid-lottery. Though he could make an immediate impact on Golden State’s 26th-ranked defense, concerns remain about his offense.
[Note: This is the sixth installment in the Bay Area News Group’s series on scouting prospects the Warriors can take in November’s NBA draft. Read more by clicking here.]
At 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan and 225 pounds, Okoro has a ready-made body for the NBA at 19 years old. At Auburn, he had the lateral quickness to stick with ball-handlers like Edwards, and the strength to switch onto larger players in the paint without giving up ground. He played defense aggressively, forcing steals and deflections and finishing in transition with one-handed dunks. But that aggressiveness was lost in the half-court offense, where he was often passive. At times, Pearl had to scream at Okoro from the sideline to “Shoot the ball!”
But in a February game against Kentucky — a team with two players from the McDonald’s All-American Game — Okoro didn’t need any prodding. He scored 14 points and made two of his four 3-point attempts. A few nights later against LSU, he attempted a season-high six 3-pointers. Okoro shot just 28.6% from 3-point range last season, but he’s worked diligently to overhaul his shooting form.
That will be the key to Okoro’s success in the NBA. A hard-worker with a high basketball-IQ, quiet confidence and chiseled frame that belies his age, Okoro quickly earned the respect of an experienced Auburn team that started four upperclassmen. For Okoro, Pearl came up with the nickname “fre-senior.”
If Okoro is drafted to the Warriors, those qualities will serve him well as he would be forced to earn playing time on a roster built around a championship-winning core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
“He would come in humbly and just listen and learn,” Pearl said, “but try to find a way where you had to start him.”
Strengths:
Great finisher who gets downhill, draws fouls and can score with either hand. Has a good handle and uses crossovers and spins to get to his spot.
Smart player who can act as both ball-handler and screener in the pick-and-roll.
High-IQ defender who rotates well, understands team concepts and disrupts passing lanes. Could thrive early by getting deflections and finishing in transition.
Versatile on-ball defender with great fundamentals, the quickness to guard on the perimeter and strength to body with bigger players.
Weaknesses:
Not a natural shooter who defenses readily play off of. Mechanics need to be overhauled.
Despite his ability to get the line, he’s a subpar free-throw shooter (67.2%).
Lack of burst and quickness could hinder his ability to create consistently off the dribble.
NBA player comparisons: Justise Winslow, Gerald Wallace, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
Potential fit with Golden State: Okoro would immediately be one of the Warriors’ top perimeter defenders and be able to take on assignments from LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard to James Harden and Damian Lillard.
However, because of his lack of outside shooting ability, there are questions about whether or not he could stay on the floor with Golden State’s other top defenders in Green and Andrew Wiggins, which could cap the Warriors’ upside on defense. By drafting Okoro, the Warriors would be betting that his shaky jumper will come around.


mercurynews--2020-10-22--White woman caught on video yelling obscenities at a Black California Starbucks barista over face ma

White woman caught on video yelling obscenities at a Black California Starbucks barista over face mask

A White female customer was caught on video shouting a string of obscenities at a Black Starbucks barista in Southern California , after the customer refused to properly wear a face covering inside the store .
The encounter , which took place on Sunday in the suburban San Diego city of Santee , escalated after the barista , 19-year-old Alex Beckom , asked the White customer to put on her mask , which was hanging below her chin , Beckom told CNN .
At first , the woman complied after being asked to properly wear her mask , which had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Beckom said .
Shortly after , another customer at the store said the woman allegedly told the barista she did not have to wear a mask because she “ had an exception.
” The barista said exceptions are “ not a thing , ” according to the customer who witnessed the exchange .
While the woman ’ s initial conversation with the barista was not recorded , video of the incident begins as the woman lowered her mask again and started yelling angrily .
“ I ’ m not going to listen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you talk to me like that , ” the woman said .
“ I know it ’ s because you ’ re discriminating against me because I ’ m a Trump supporter , ” she added .
The video , which has since gone viral on social media , shows the Starbucks employee calmly trying to deescalate the situation while giving the customer her beverage .
The customer , however , continued to rage .
“ F**k Black Lives Matter , ” the customer yelled while grabbing her drink from the Starbucks pickup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you come in , I ’ m going to need you to keep your mask on or else I can ’ t help you , ” the barista said again softly .
Video shows the customer went on angrily berating the employee as she walked out of the store yelling , “ This is America and I don ’ t have to do what you say !
Trump 2020 !
F**k you !
F**k Black Lives Matter !
” John Glaude , the customer who recorded the incident on his cell phone , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I really wish I would have stepped in , but at the same time , I was like , I don ’ t want to escalate the situation any further and make it more of a thing , ” Glaude said .
After the encounter , the barista shared a post on Facebook expressing frustration that the woman yelled “ F**k Black Lives Matter.
” “ WTF does BLM have to do with Covid ?
, ” the barista said in the post .
CNN has attempted to identify and reach the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities are not sharing her name .
A Starbucks spokesperson told CNN the woman ’ s rant was out of line and will not be tolerated .
The company also said it is actively conducting an investigation to determine the appropriate next steps .
“ We expect our partners and customers alike to foster a welcoming environment and this behavior is not welcome in our stores , ” said Jory Mendes , senior manager of corporate communications at Starbucks .
“ Our focus right now is providing support to our partner who we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult interaction.
” In July , Starbucks began requiring customers wear facial coverings that cover the mouth and nose while visiting all company-owned cafe locations in the United States .
Customers who are not properly wearing facial coverings for medical reasons or otherwise can place orders using alternative options like mobile order pick-up , drive-thru , or delivery .
The customer involved in this incident did not utilize those options , Mendes said .
The San Diego Sheriff ’ s Department told CNN they are not investigating the matter because “ a crime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman said .
“ It ’ s frustrating and ugly to watch , but simply yelling f**k BLM — unfortunately there ’ s no penal code violation for that , ” a San Diego Sheriff ’ s Department spokesman said .
“ Under California penal code 422.6 , there was no threat of violence , just someone going on a horrible rant.
” Separately , Lt. Steve Bodine at the Sheriff ’ s Department said the customer had apologized .
“ We were called to respond , talked to both parties , no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicated that she was sorry for her actions , the way she behaved , and was going to contact Starbucks to apologize .
No crime committed , ” he said .
The San Diego Police Department told CNN , after reviewing the footage of the incident posted on social media , it appears to “ clearly look like a hate crime.
” However , since none of their officers were called and no police reports were filed , they are also not investigating further .
The barista confirmed to CNN she has not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to press charges against the woman .

A White female customer was caught on video shouting a string of obscenities at a Black Starbucks barista in Southern California, after the customer refused to properly wear a face covering inside the store.
The encounter, which took place on Sunday in the suburban San Diego city of Santee, escalated after the barista, 19-year-old Alex Beckom, asked the White customer to put on her mask, which was hanging below her chin, Beckom told CNN.
At first, the woman complied after being asked to properly wear her mask, which had ‘Trump 2020’ lettered across it, Beckom said.
Shortly after, another customer at the store said the woman allegedly told the barista she did not have to wear a mask because she “had an exception.” The barista said exceptions are “not a thing,” according to the customer who witnessed the exchange.
While the woman’s initial conversation with the barista was not recorded, video of the incident begins as the woman lowered her mask again and started yelling angrily.
“I’m not going to listen to anything you say to me when you talk to me like that,” the woman said. “I know it’s because you’re discriminating against me because I’m a Trump supporter,” she added.
The video, which has since gone viral on social media, shows the Starbucks employee calmly trying to deescalate the situation while giving the customer her beverage. The customer, however, continued to rage.
“F**k Black Lives Matter,” the customer yelled while grabbing her drink from the Starbucks pickup counter.
“Again, next time you come in, I’m going to need you to keep your mask on or else I can’t help you,” the barista said again softly.
Video shows the customer went on angrily berating the employee as she walked out of the store yelling, “This is America and I don’t have to do what you say! Trump 2020! F**k you! F**k Black Lives Matter!”
John Glaude, the customer who recorded the incident on his cell phone, told CNN he thought about intervening.
“I really wish I would have stepped in, but at the same time, I was like, I don’t want to escalate the situation any further and make it more of a thing,” Glaude said.
After the encounter, the barista shared a post on Facebook expressing frustration that the woman yelled “F**k Black Lives Matter.”
“WTF does BLM have to do with Covid?,” the barista said in the post.
CNN has attempted to identify and reach the woman seen in the video. Local authorities are not sharing her name.
Starbucks has required facial coverings since July
A Starbucks spokesperson told CNN the woman’s rant was out of line and will not be tolerated. The company also said it is actively conducting an investigation to determine the appropriate next steps.
“We expect our partners and customers alike to foster a welcoming environment and this behavior is not welcome in our stores,” said Jory Mendes, senior manager of corporate communications at Starbucks. “Our focus right now is providing support to our partner who we feel demonstrated tremendous composure during a very difficult interaction.”
In July, Starbucks began requiring customers wear facial coverings that cover the mouth and nose while visiting all company-owned cafe locations in the United States. Customers who are not properly wearing facial coverings for medical reasons or otherwise can place orders using alternative options like mobile order pick-up, drive-thru, or delivery. The customer involved in this incident did not utilize those options, Mendes said.
San Diego Sheriff’s Department will not investigate
The San Diego Sheriff’s Department told CNN they are not investigating the matter because “a crime was not committed,” a department spokesman said.
“It’s frustrating and ugly to watch, but simply yelling f**k BLM — unfortunately there’s no penal code violation for that,” a San Diego Sheriff’s Department spokesman said. “Under California penal code 422.6, there was no threat of violence, just someone going on a horrible rant.”
Separately, Lt. Steve Bodine at the Sheriff’s Department said the customer had apologized.
“We were called to respond, talked to both parties, no one filed a report. The patron indicated that she was sorry for her actions, the way she behaved, and was going to contact Starbucks to apologize. No crime committed,” he said.
The San Diego Police Department told CNN, after reviewing the footage of the incident posted on social media, it appears to “clearly look like a hate crime.”
However, since none of their officers were called and no police reports were filed, they are also not investigating further. The barista confirmed to CNN she has not filed a complaint and does not intend to press charges against the woman.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


mercurynews--2020-10-22--Review for making Borat return to mighty US and A

Since Sacha Baron Cohen first appeared as his Kazakh journalist on “ Da Ali G Show , ” Borat Sagdiyev has been remarkably consistent .
The accent is the same .
The gray suit is still rumpled .
“ Nahce ” and “ Mah Wahfe ” regularly exude from him with a mangled melody .
Borat hasn ’ t changed in the last 20 years .
But America has .
When Baron Cohen last traipsed across the country as Borat , in 2006 ’ s “ Borat : Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , misogyny and racism teased prejudices out from all kinds of dark and not-so-dark corners .
His comedy revealed a more disturbing , hidden America that was often happy to go along with Baron Cohen ’ s gonzo act .
Fourteen years later , those prejudices aren ’ t so hard to find .
Borat fits right in .
In “ Borat Subsequent Moviefilm : Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan ” — Baron Cohen ’ s October surprise , shot secretly earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Video — Borat returns to the U.S. , like a deranged Alexis de Tocqueville , for another look .
It takes a little while to get going .
Borat doesn ’ t have the free rein he once did , and not just because of the restrictions of the pandemic .
He ’ s hounded on the streets by cell phone-waving fans asking for a picture , and has to resort to a coterie of disguises .
His trail of fiascos this time is a little more limited but no less damning .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you laugh and squirm as much as it will send shudders down your spine .
Jason Woliner , a TV veteran and frequent collaborator with Aziz Ansari taking over as director for Larry Charles , begins by catching us up on Borat .
Locked away in the gulag for bringing shame on Kazakhstan with the first movie , Borat is temporarily freed for a mission to deliver a gift to Trump ( Borat refers to him , admiringly , as “ McDonald Trump ” ) .
Given his past encounters with the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interviewed him ; Borat previously defecated in front of a Trump building ) , it ’ s judged best to instead seek out who Borat calls “ America ’ s most famous ladies man , ” Vice President Mike Pence .
Borat arrives via shipping container in Galveston , Texas , only to find that the monkey meant for Pence is dead and his daughter Tutor ( played by Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova ) , last seen chained alongside farm animals , has stowed away .
They ’ ll remain paired throughout the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Borat ’ s own over-the-top sexism .
This “ Borat ” is , in its own absurd way , a # MeToo movie .
There are stopovers with an Instagram influencer for a lesson on sugar-baby submissiveness , a debutant coach , a plastic surgeon and an anti-abortion clinic where a pastor maintains his stance despite being given the impression Tutor has been impregnated by her father .
“ God doesn ’ t make accidents , ” he says .
Borat , however , does , and in the film ’ s second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stunts .
They include a trip , with Borat dressed as Trump , to the Conservative Political Action Conference , where he shouts at Pence from the crowd before being rapidly removed ; and a “ March for Our Rights Rally ” in which he leads a crowd of Trump supporters in a sing-along not unlike Borat ’ s famed “ Throw the Jew Down the Well ” ditty .
This time , mentions of Barack Obama and Anthony Fauci are followed by choruses of “ Inject him with the Wuhan flu ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germans.
” The film ’ s piece-de-resistance is an exceedingly awkward sit-down interview with Rudy Giuliani and Tutor that ends with Borat ( disguised as the boom-mic holder ) rushing in on the two of them in a charged moment alongside a hotel bed .
Borat ’ s adventures are often followed by a raft of lawsuits , and that could well be the case again .
Some have already been filed .
But I suspect there won ’ t be a lot of apologies or public contrition this time around .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can ’ t be found on the airwaves , in social-media posts and across newspaper front pages .
In the movie ’ s most compelling section , Borat appeals to a pair of guys for a place to stay , and despite it being a pandemic , they warmly welcome him in .
How long Borat stays there isn ’ t clear but it seems like several days .
They ’ re friendly hosts who happily discuss political views they ’ ve gleaned partly from the internet , like that Hillary Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Borat shares some of his wild ideas about Jews , they correct him .
That ’ s not true , they say .
“ That ’ s a conspiracy theory.
” “ Borat Subsequent Moviefilm : Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan ” Rating : R ( for pervasive strong crude and sexual content , graphic nudity , and language )

By Jake Coyle | Associated Press
Since Sacha Baron Cohen first appeared as his Kazakh journalist on “Da Ali G Show,” Borat Sagdiyev has been remarkably consistent. The accent is the same. The gray suit is still rumpled. “Nahce” and “Mah Wahfe” regularly exude from him with a mangled melody. Borat hasn’t changed in the last 20 years. But America has.
When Baron Cohen last traipsed across the country as Borat, in 2006’s “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” his character’s unapologetic anti-Semitism, misogyny and racism teased prejudices out from all kinds of dark and not-so-dark corners. His comedy revealed a more disturbing, hidden America that was often happy to go along with Baron Cohen’s gonzo act. Fourteen years later, those prejudices aren’t so hard to find. Borat fits right in.
In “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” — Baron Cohen’s October surprise, shot secretly earlier this year and debuting Friday on Amazon Prime Video — Borat returns to the U.S., like a deranged Alexis de Tocqueville, for another look.
It takes a little while to get going. Borat doesn’t have the free rein he once did, and not just because of the restrictions of the pandemic. He’s hounded on the streets by cell phone-waving fans asking for a picture, and has to resort to a coterie of disguises. His trail of fiascos this time is a little more limited but no less damning. The “Borat” sequel will make you laugh and squirm as much as it will send shudders down your spine.
Jason Woliner, a TV veteran and frequent collaborator with Aziz Ansari taking over as director for Larry Charles, begins by catching us up on Borat. Locked away in the gulag for bringing shame on Kazakhstan with the first movie, Borat is temporarily freed for a mission to deliver a gift to Trump (Borat refers to him, admiringly, as “McDonald Trump”). Given his past encounters with the president (Baron Cohen’s Ali G interviewed him; Borat previously defecated in front of a Trump building), it’s judged best to instead seek out who Borat calls “America’s most famous ladies man,” Vice President Mike Pence.
Borat arrives via shipping container in Galveston, Texas, only to find that the monkey meant for Pence is dead and his daughter Tutor (played by Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova), last seen chained alongside farm animals, has stowed away. They’ll remain paired throughout the film in a journey through America and Borat’s own over-the-top sexism. This “Borat” is, in its own absurd way, a #MeToo movie.
There are stopovers with an Instagram influencer for a lesson on sugar-baby submissiveness, a debutant coach, a plastic surgeon and an anti-abortion clinic where a pastor maintains his stance despite being given the impression Tutor has been impregnated by her father. “God doesn’t make accidents,” he says.
Borat, however, does, and in the film’s second half, he launches his most audacious stunts. They include a trip, with Borat dressed as Trump, to the Conservative Political Action Conference, where he shouts at Pence from the crowd before being rapidly removed; and a “March for Our Rights Rally” in which he leads a crowd of Trump supporters in a sing-along not unlike Borat’s famed “Throw the Jew Down the Well” ditty. This time, mentions of Barack Obama and Anthony Fauci are followed by choruses of “Inject him with the Wuhan flu” and “Gas him up like the Germans.” The film’s piece-de-resistance is an exceedingly awkward sit-down interview with Rudy Giuliani and Tutor that ends with Borat (disguised as the boom-mic holder) rushing in on the two of them in a charged moment alongside a hotel bed.
Borat’s adventures are often followed by a raft of lawsuits, and that could well be the case again. Some have already been filed. But I suspect there won’t be a lot of apologies or public contrition this time around. There isn’t anything that Borat uncovers that can’t be found on the airwaves, in social-media posts and across newspaper front pages. In the movie’s most compelling section, Borat appeals to a pair of guys for a place to stay, and despite it being a pandemic, they warmly welcome him in. How long Borat stays there isn’t clear but it seems like several days. They’re friendly hosts who happily discuss political views they’ve gleaned partly from the internet, like that Hillary Clinton drinks the blood of children. When Borat shares some of his wild ideas about Jews, they correct him. That’s not true, they say. “That’s a conspiracy theory.”
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan”
3 stars out of 4
Rating: R (for pervasive strong crude and sexual content, graphic nudity, and language)
Running time: 94 minutes


mercurynews--2020-10-22--When and where to watch the final presidential debate between Trump and Biden

With less than two weeks until Election Day , Donald Trump and Joe Biden are set to face off in the second and final presidential debate of the year .
Here are the details .
How to watch : All of the major networks — ABC , CBS , CNN , Fox News , MSNBC and NBC — will air the debate commercial free , and many will also stream it online .
C-SPAN and PBS will carry the debate , and NPR will also have coverage .
• California landslide : Biden leading Trump by 26 points , poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in state history ?
• US officials say Russia , Iran interfering in election The pair last debated in Cleveland in late September , a matchup that featured Trump repeatedly interrupting the former vice president and moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News .
The nonpartisan commission that oversees the debates said this week it would cut off the candidates ’ microphones while their challenger is answering a question .
A previously scheduled second debate was cancelled after Trump became ill with the coronavirus and declined to debate virtually .
Vice President Mike Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California Sen. Kamala Harris , debated once , in Utah earlier this month .

With less than two weeks until Election Day, Donald Trump and Joe Biden are set to face off in the second and final presidential debate of the year.
Here are the details.
When: Thursday, Oct. 22, from 6-7:30 p.m. PT
Where: Belmont University in Nashville
Moderator: Kristen Welker of NBC News
Topics: Fighting COVID-19, American families, race in America, climate change, national security and leadership
How to watch: All of the major networks — ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and NBC — will air the debate commercial free, and many will also stream it online. C-SPAN and PBS will carry the debate, and NPR will also have coverage.
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Judge Chutkan: Trump’s right to free speech ‘not absolute’ Politics | A conservative case for disqualifying Donald Trump in 2024 The pair last debated in Cleveland in late September, a matchup that featured Trump repeatedly interrupting the former vice president and moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News. The nonpartisan commission that oversees the debates said this week it would cut off the candidates’ microphones while their challenger is answering a question.
A previously scheduled second debate was cancelled after Trump became ill with the coronavirus and declined to debate virtually. Vice President Mike Pence and Biden’s running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, debated once, in Utah earlier this month.


mercurynews--2020-10-22--Why do we keep voting on this? Exploring Prop. 13’s ‘Tax Revolt Family Tree’

The tax revolt started in California in 1978 , but it never really ended .
Four decades ago mad-as-hell voters banded together to pass Proposition 13 , capping property taxes , slapping a constitutional muzzle on state government and wringing local budgets like a washcloth .
The electorate ’ s anti-tax fever may have broken in the years since , but the legacy of Prop .
13 is still very much with us .
This year , Californians are being asked to weigh in on two more changes to the tax-slashing constitutional amendment that has done more than any other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s fiscal landscape and the politics of taxation .
Proposition 19 would pop open one new property tax loophole for older or disabled homeowners , while sewing shut another for people who inherit their parents ’ and grandparents ’ homes .
And Proposition 15 would raise property taxes on many businesses — the largest change to California ’ s property tax structure since Prop .
13 campaign leader Howard Jarvis was railing against high taxes and “ marinated bureaucrats.
” If it seems like California voters are perpetually being asked to redefine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms of the 1978 tax revolt , it ’ s because we are .
Since Prop .
13 , the state has voted 33 times on potential amendments to it .
These offshoots of Prop .
13 have sprouted their own offshoots , adding additions to revisions to edits of the original text .
Forty-two years later , the tree first planted in 1978 has gotten mighty tangled .
“ It ’ s an evergreen story , ” said Jason Cohn , whose Jarvis documentary The First Angry Man , premiered last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Servan-Schreiber , began working on the film in 2010 when voters were considering Proposition 26 — a successful Prop .
13 patch that made it even harder for state and local governments to raise revenue through fees .
“ It ’ s never not relevant , ” said Cohn .
There are few areas of California economic or political life that Prop .
13 hasn ’ t touched .
To recap , it : • Capped property taxes at 1 % of a property ’ s assessed value • Fixed a property ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ price ( rather than how much it can be currently sold for ) • Allowed that assessed value to inch up with inflation , but by no more than 2 % each year • Allowed a property to be reassessed whenever it is sold or if the owner makes a significant improvement or addition • Required local and state governments — and in some cases voters — to get two-thirds of the vote to introduce new taxes In the short term , the measure gave homeowners a lasting tax cut and , amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much easier for homeowners to stay in their homes .
In exchange , property tax payments plummeted 60 % in a year , cutting $ 7 billion from city and school district budgets .
Longer term , Prop .
13 had a number of unintended consequences .
State government assumed a much bigger role in school financing .
Local governments suddenly had a bigger incentive to approve commercial real estate over residential development .
Governments across California turned to other sources of revenue — including income taxes , use taxes and fees — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prop .
13 campaign reverberated across the country .
Jarvis , the garrulous , pipe-smoking political gadfly who had been tilting at California ’ s tax code , Don Quixote-like , for decades , became a magazine cover-gracing populist hero overnight .
Tax-capping measures sprouted up elsewhere , augering the landslide election of Ronald Reagan .
In its wake , Jerry Brown , the state ’ s governor at the time , came to rebrand himself a “ born-again tax cutter ” — one of many Democrats who would see “ taxation ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter words for decades to come .
“ The era of the tax revolt , I think , has largely ended in California , ” said Cohn .
“ But Prop .
13 has its own status outside that liberal-conservative spectrum.
” Of the 33 changes put before the voters , 24 have passed .
They come in three varieties : Under Prop .
13 , a home ’ s value is reassessed whenever there ’ s a change of ownership or the property owner makes an addition or improvement .
Property owners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher tax bill if they opt to fix up their current place or move to a new one .
As soon as Prop .
13 passed , people began scrambling for exemptions .
If someone is forced to move after a natural disaster , don ’ t they deserve a tax break ?
What if someone inherits a home from a parent — is California going to impose an orphan ’ s tax ?
And what about the responsible homeowner who installs a sprinkler system ?
A solar panel ?
A rain barrel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Prop .
13-related initiatives have carved out highly specific exemptions for niche investments and transactions , expanding the tax break ’ s protections one ballot measure at a time .
Another key feature of Prop .
13 : Legislators hoping to raise taxes need to convince two-thirds of their colleagues to agree .
For local taxes , two-thirds of voters are needed to approve “ special taxes.
” But what if the taxes were used to pay off debt ?
If a regulator imposes a fee or a fine , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And what ’ s a “ special tax ” anyway ?
Eight more measures have gone before the California voter to answer such questions .
Proposition 13 makes it really hard for governments to raise revenue .
That was the point .
So when interest groups are particularly strapped , sometimes they go to the voters directly asking for a loophole .
Despite everything , Prop .
13 still retains its basic structure , said Jon Coupal , president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association , one of the state ’ s most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still capped at 1 % of a property ’ s value , they can increase by only 2 % each year and reassessment still occurs only with an ownership change or upgrade .
“ Those are the three legs of the stool and those have not changed , ” said Coupal .
What makes Prop .
13 such a moving target , constantly in need of more modest revisions and clarifications , he said , is its brevity .
The 1978 effort took place before California proposition campaigns became the half-a-billion-dollar , professionalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his co-drafters “ were not insiders and they wanted a quick immediate fix that was really needed at the time , ” said Coupal .
“ It was sparse…so there were a lot of unanswered questions .
You can criticize Prop .
13 for that but remember , the United States Bill of Rights is very sparse too.
” Darien Shanske , a law professor at UC Davis , agrees that Prop .
13 ’ s repeat presence on the ballot is a product of the way that it was written .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of specificity to the genius of the Founding Fathers .
Overly-strict in some places and ambiguous in others , the measure “ was particularly poorly drafted , ” he said , which has led to continual efforts to prune or graft modifications onto it .
That ’ s to say nothing of the frequent court battles over its precise meaning .
• Skelton : Three propositions could have big impact on criminal justice system • Jeff Rosen : Vote for fairness , not fear on Prop .
20 and Prop .
25 Critics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Legislature is better equipped than voters to make complex taxation and spending decisions , and believe Prop .
13 has resulted in an infuriating catch-22 .
By making it more difficult for lawmakers to raise taxes , Prop .
13 makes it more likely that increases will require yet another ballot measure .
And because constitutional amendments can only be changed through the popular vote , any direct changes to Prop .
13 have to go before the voters .
Tax policy and refined spending decisions shouldn ’ t be done within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once we ’ ve started down this road , we ’ re stuck with it because now we can ’ t fix it except through the Constitution.
” Via the Post It , CalMatters political reporter Ben Christopher shares frequent updates from the ( socially distanced ) 2020 campaign trail .

The tax revolt started in California in 1978, but it never really ended.
Four decades ago mad-as-hell voters banded together to pass Proposition 13, capping property taxes, slapping a constitutional muzzle on state government and wringing local budgets like a washcloth. The electorate’s anti-tax fever may have broken in the years since, but the legacy of Prop. 13 is still very much with us.
Need proof? Check your ballot.
This year, Californians are being asked to weigh in on two more changes to the tax-slashing constitutional amendment that has done more than any other California ballot measure to reshape the state’s fiscal landscape and the politics of taxation.
Proposition 19 would pop open one new property tax loophole for older or disabled homeowners, while sewing shut another for people who inherit their parents’ and grandparents’ homes. And Proposition 15 would raise property taxes on many businesses — the largest change to California’s property tax structure since Prop. 13 campaign leader Howard Jarvis was railing against high taxes and “marinated bureaucrats.”
If it seems like California voters are perpetually being asked to redefine, clarify, overhaul or rewrite the terms of the 1978 tax revolt, it’s because we are. Since Prop. 13, the state has voted 33 times on potential amendments to it. These offshoots of Prop. 13 have sprouted their own offshoots, adding additions to revisions to edits of the original text. Forty-two years later, the tree first planted in 1978 has gotten mighty tangled.
“It’s an evergreen story,” said Jason Cohn, whose Jarvis documentary The First Angry Man, premiered last week. Cohn and his wife, Camille Servan-Schreiber, began working on the film in 2010 when voters were considering Proposition 26 — a successful Prop. 13 patch that made it even harder for state and local governments to raise revenue through fees.
“It’s never not relevant,” said Cohn.
There are few areas of California economic or political life that Prop. 13 hasn’t touched. To recap, it:
Capped property taxes at 1% of a property’s assessed value
Fixed a property’s assessed value to its original purchase price (rather than how much it can be currently sold for)
Allowed that assessed value to inch up with inflation, but by no more than 2% each year
Allowed a property to be reassessed whenever it is sold or if the owner makes a significant improvement or addition
Required local and state governments — and in some cases voters — to get two-thirds of the vote to introduce new taxes
In the short term, the measure gave homeowners a lasting tax cut and, amid skyrocketing real estate prices, made it much easier for homeowners to stay in their homes. In exchange, property tax payments plummeted 60% in a year, cutting $7 billion from city and school district budgets.
Longer term, Prop. 13 had a number of unintended consequences. State government assumed a much bigger role in school financing. Local governments suddenly had a bigger incentive to approve commercial real estate over residential development. Governments across California turned to other sources of revenue — including income taxes, use taxes and fees — to make up the difference.
The Prop. 13 campaign reverberated across the country. Jarvis, the garrulous, pipe-smoking political gadfly who had been tilting at California’s tax code, Don Quixote-like, for decades, became a magazine cover-gracing populist hero overnight. Tax-capping measures sprouted up elsewhere, augering the landslide election of Ronald Reagan. In its wake, Jerry Brown, the state’s governor at the time, came to rebrand himself a “born-again tax cutter” — one of many Democrats who would see “taxation” and “government spending” as four letter words for decades to come.
“The era of the tax revolt, I think, has largely ended in California,” said Cohn. “But Prop. 13 has its own status outside that liberal-conservative spectrum.”
Of the 33 changes put before the voters, 24 have passed. They come in three varieties:
1. Perk Protectors
Under Prop. 13, a home’s value is reassessed whenever there’s a change of ownership or the property owner makes an addition or improvement. Property owners can find themselves slapped with a much higher tax bill if they opt to fix up their current place or move to a new one. As soon as Prop. 13 passed, people began scrambling for exemptions.
If someone is forced to move after a natural disaster, don’t they deserve a tax break? What if someone inherits a home from a parent — is California going to impose an orphan’s tax? And what about the responsible homeowner who installs a sprinkler system? A solar panel? A rain barrel?
Since 1978, the vast majority of the Prop. 13-related initiatives have carved out highly specific exemptions for niche investments and transactions, expanding the tax break’s protections one ballot measure at a time.
2. Rulemakers
Another key feature of Prop. 13: Legislators hoping to raise taxes need to convince two-thirds of their colleagues to agree. For local taxes, two-thirds of voters are needed to approve “special taxes.”
But what if the taxes were used to pay off debt? If a regulator imposes a fee or a fine, is that a “tax” too? And what’s a “special tax” anyway?
Eight more measures have gone before the California voter to answer such questions.
3. Tax hikers
Proposition 13 makes it really hard for governments to raise revenue. That was the point. So when interest groups are particularly strapped, sometimes they go to the voters directly asking for a loophole.
Despite everything, Prop. 13 still retains its basic structure, said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, one of the state’s most influential anti-tax groups. Property taxes are still capped at 1% of a property’s value, they can increase by only 2% each year and reassessment still occurs only with an ownership change or upgrade. “Those are the three legs of the stool and those have not changed,” said Coupal.
What makes Prop. 13 such a moving target, constantly in need of more modest revisions and clarifications, he said, is its brevity. The 1978 effort took place before California proposition campaigns became the half-a-billion-dollar, professionalized business they are today.
Jarvis and his co-drafters “were not insiders and they wanted a quick immediate fix that was really needed at the time,” said Coupal. “It was sparse…so there were a lot of unanswered questions. You can criticize Prop. 13 for that but remember, the United States Bill of Rights is very sparse too.”
Darien Shanske, a law professor at UC Davis, agrees that Prop. 13’s repeat presence on the ballot is a product of the way that it was written. But he doesn’t liken its lack of specificity to the genius of the Founding Fathers.
Overly-strict in some places and ambiguous in others, the measure “was particularly poorly drafted,” he said, which has led to continual efforts to prune or graft modifications onto it. That’s to say nothing of the frequent court battles over its precise meaning.
Related Articles Election | Rosen: Moving beyond thoughts and prayers to solutions on guns
Rosen: Moving beyond thoughts and prayers to solutions on guns Election | California voters made public records a right, will they give it more teeth? Critics of ballot box budgeting contend that the Legislature is better equipped than voters to make complex taxation and spending decisions, and believe Prop. 13 has resulted in an infuriating catch-22. By making it more difficult for lawmakers to raise taxes, Prop. 13 makes it more likely that increases will require yet another ballot measure. And because constitutional amendments can only be changed through the popular vote, any direct changes to Prop. 13 have to go before the voters.
Tax policy and refined spending decisions shouldn’t be done within the Constitution, Shanske said — “but once we’ve started down this road, we’re stuck with it because now we can’t fix it except through the Constitution.”
Via the Post It, CalMatters political reporter Ben Christopher shares frequent updates from the (socially distanced) 2020 campaign trail.


mercurynews--2020-10-22--Northern California parents arrested after 1-year-old child hospitalized with severe burns

MAGALIA — The parents of a 1-year-old boy were arrested on suspicion of child abuse after the baby was hospitalized with severe burns in Northern California , sheriff ’ s officials said Wednesday .
The hospital in Magalia contacted authorities regarding a possible child abuse victim after the burned boy was brought into the emergency room on Oct. 9 , according to a statement from the Butte County Sheriff ’ s Office .
The young victim is in stable condition and is expected to recover from his injuries , the statement said .
• Couple charged with murder after forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as punishment , police say • Man arrested with child porn after exiting Hong Kong-San Francisco flight gets 5 years in federal prison • Child porn found on phone left in Uber leads to arrest • Walnut Creek man pleads guilty to distributing child porn online , faces minimum of five years Detectives believe the boy was burned as a result of a spill after his parents left him at their home in the care of a juvenile babysitter on the night of Oct. 8 , officials said .
Investigators have evidence that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the victim sustained , the parents waited about 14 hours to take him to the hospital , according to the statement .
Jennelle Laye , 39 , and Jeremy Laye , 47 , could each face a felony count of child abuse when they are arraigned on Thursday .
It wasn ’ t known Wednesday if they have an attorney who could speak on their behalf .

MAGALIA — The parents of a 1-year-old boy were arrested on suspicion of child abuse after the baby was hospitalized with severe burns in Northern California, sheriff’s officials said Wednesday.
The hospital in Magalia contacted authorities regarding a possible child abuse victim after the burned boy was brought into the emergency room on Oct. 9, according to a statement from the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.
The young victim is in stable condition and is expected to recover from his injuries, the statement said.
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Investigators have evidence that despite being aware of the life-threatening injuries the victim sustained, the parents waited about 14 hours to take him to the hospital, according to the statement.
Jennelle Laye, 39, and Jeremy Laye, 47, could each face a felony count of child abuse when they are arraigned on Thursday. It wasn’t known Wednesday if they have an attorney who could speak on their behalf.


mercurynews--2020-10-22--California judge tosses extortion charges against megachurch leader; child rape and human traffickin

California judge tosses extortion charges against megachurch leader; child rape and human trafficking counts left in place

LOS ANGELES — Citing insufficient evidence , a judge on Wednesday threw out extortion charges against the leader of a Mexican megachurch but left in place accusations of child rape and human trafficking .
The California attorney general ’ s office failed to show that Naasón Joaquín García , the self-proclaimed apostle of La Luz del Mundo , extorted sex acts from alleged victims by threatening to disgrace them , Superior Court Judge Stephen A. Marcus ruled , according to the Los Angeles Times .
Garcia has pleaded not guilty to dozens of felony counts , including rape of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enhancements that the acts caused great bodily injury , citing a lack of evidence , the Times said .
“ Today ’ s decision demonstrates , as we have always said , that the Apostle is innocent and his innocence will be judicially proven through the course of the trial , ” a church statement said .
However , the judge refused to dismiss the case entirely .
Garcia and two co-defendants were exploitive , “ using religion as invisible handcuffs , ” the judge said , according to the Times .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were members of the church their entire life , and their families were members of the church , ” he said .
“ They believed Garcia was the apostle of God , and they had to obey his wishes … Why else would these girls engage in sexual activities with Garcia ?
” Garcia was arrested last year and remains jailed on $ 90 million bail .
• East Bay man convicted of kidnapping 12-year-old and woman in human trafficking case loses appeal • 2 men in custody on suspicion of trafficking missing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ‘ sexual attraction ’ to boys years before he lost job Garcia is the spiritual leader of La Luz del Mundo , which is Spanish for “ The Light Of The World.
” The Guadalajara , Mexico-based evangelical Christian church was founded by his grandfather and claims 5 million followers worldwide .
Also charged were Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo .
Prosecutors contend the three committed sex crimes and also produced child pornography involving five women and girls who were church group members .
The crimes took place between 2015 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Ocampo pleaded guilty this month to three counts of contact with a minor for a sexual offense and one count of forcible sexual penetration involving four alleged victims , the Times said .

LOS ANGELES — Citing insufficient evidence, a judge on Wednesday threw out extortion charges against the leader of a Mexican megachurch but left in place accusations of child rape and human trafficking.
The California attorney general’s office failed to show that Naasón Joaquín García, the self-proclaimed apostle of La Luz del Mundo, extorted sex acts from alleged victims by threatening to disgrace them, Superior Court Judge Stephen A. Marcus ruled, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Garcia has pleaded not guilty to dozens of felony counts, including rape of a minor.
The judge also rejected sentencing enhancements that the acts caused great bodily injury, citing a lack of evidence, the Times said.
“Today’s decision demonstrates, as we have always said, that the Apostle is innocent and his innocence will be judicially proven through the course of the trial,” a church statement said.
However, the judge refused to dismiss the case entirely.
Garcia and two co-defendants were exploitive, “using religion as invisible handcuffs,” the judge said, according to the Times.
“They used the fact that these girls were members of the church their entire life, and their families were members of the church,” he said. “They believed Garcia was the apostle of God, and they had to obey his wishes … Why else would these girls engage in sexual activities with Garcia?”
Garcia was arrested last year and remains jailed on $90 million bail.
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Weeks after beating murder charge, East Bay man arrested for allegedly trafficking girl in Pinole Crime and Public Safety | Arrests announced in Bay Area crackdown on human trafficking Garcia is the spiritual leader of La Luz del Mundo, which is Spanish for “The Light Of The World.” The Guadalajara, Mexico-based evangelical Christian church was founded by his grandfather and claims 5 million followers worldwide.
Also charged were Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo.
Prosecutors contend the three committed sex crimes and also produced child pornography involving five women and girls who were church group members. The crimes took place between 2015 and 2018 in Los Angeles County, authorities said.
Ocampo pleaded guilty this month to three counts of contact with a minor for a sexual offense and one count of forcible sexual penetration involving four alleged victims, the Times said.


mercurynews--2020-10-23--It’s on: Trump, Biden go after each other on coronavirus

By JONATHAN LEMIRE , DARLENE SUPERVILLE , WILL WEISSERT and MICHELLE L. PRICE NASHVILLE , Tenn. ( AP ) — Anyone responsible for that many deaths should not remain president of the United States of America If we just wore thee maks , we could save 100,000 lives .
h President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden squared off Thursday night in their final debate , which stood as the trailing incumbent ’ s best chance to change the race ’ s trajectory with just 12 days until the election .
The Nashville debate offered them a final national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a country in the grips of a surging pandemic that has killed more than 225,000 Americans and cost millions of jobs .
The night opened with a clash over the president ’ s handling of the pandemic , which polling suggests is the campaign ’ s defining issue for voters , with Biden declaring , “ Anyone responsible for that many deaths should not remain president of the United States of America.
” Trump defended his management of the nation ’ s most deadly health crisis in a century , dismissing Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ dark winter ahead ” due to spikes in infections .
And he promised that a vaccine would be ready in weeks .
“ It will go away , ” said Trump , staying with his optimistic assessment of the pandemic .
“ We ’ re rounding the turn .
We ’ re rounding the corner .
It ’ s going away.
” Despite historic tumult , the race has remained largely unchanged with Biden holding advantages in many battleground states while Trump faces a shortage of campaign cash and , crucially , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House and cost Republicans the Senate , some advisers urged him to trade his aggressive demeanor from the first debate for a lower-key style and put the spotlight on Biden , whom he derides as “ Sleepy Joe.
” But Trump made no such promise .
Biden , who has stepped off the campaign trail for several days in favor of debate prep , expected Trump to get intensely personal .
Trump ’ s focus on the Biden family in recent days appeared to come at the expense of his last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a nation reeling from a virus that killed more than 1,000 people on the day the two men faced off .
The former vice president and his inner circle see the president ’ s approach chiefly as an effort to distract from the coronavirus , its economic fallout and other crises of Trump ’ s term .
Final debates often play an outsized role in electoral outcomes .
But Thursday night ’ s showdown was different from those past .
More than 47 million people have already cast their ballots as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In an election dominated by a polarizing president , far fewer undecided voters remain than at this point in 2016 .
In a visual reminder of the pandemic that has rewritten the norms of American society and fundamentally changed the campaign , sheets of plexiglass had been installed onstage Wednesday between the two men .
But in the hours before the debate , they were removed .
The debate , moderated by NBC ’ s Kristen Welker , was a final chance for each man to make his case to a television @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And questions swirled beforehand as to how Trump , whose hectoring performance at the first debate was viewed by aides as a mistake that turned off viewers , would perform amid a stretch of the campaign in which he has taken angry aim at the news media and unleashed deeply personal attacks on Biden and his adult son .
In an effort to curtail interruptions this time , the Commission on Presidential Debates announced that Trump and Biden would each have his microphone cut off while his rival delivered an opening two-minute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The mute button won ’ t figure in the open discussion portion of the debate .
When he feels cornered , Trump has often lashed out , going as negative as possible .
In one stunning moment during the 2016 campaign , in an effort to deflect from the release of the Access Hollywood tape in which he is heard boasting about groping women , Trump held a press conference just before a debate with Hillary Clinton during which he appeared with women who had accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ audience members .
In a similar move , Trump ’ s campaign held another surprise pre-debate news conference , this time featuring Tony Bobulinski , a man who said he was Hunter Biden ’ s former business partner and made unproven allegations that the vice president ’ s son consulted with his father on China-related business dealings .
Trump — who has urged Attorney General William Barr to investigate the Bidens — has been promoting an unconfirmed New York Post report from last week that cites an email in which an official from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hunter Biden , who served on the company ’ s board , for arranging for him to meet Joe Biden during a 2015 visit to Washington .
The Biden campaign has rejected Trump ’ s assertion of wrongdoing and Biden has denied having anything to do with his son ’ s business dealings .
The final debate was their second , and final , after one slated last week was cancelled .
After Trump ’ s COVID-19 diagnosis , the debate commission switched the would-be showdown to a remote debate .
But after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the two candidates instead held dueling town halls 1,000 miles apart .
Both men said they tested negative for the virus on Thursday and everyone in the audience wore masks , including First Lady Melania Trump who removed hers during the first debate .
Biden took the stage wearing a mask , which he took off as he approached the podium .
Lemire reported from Washington , Price from Las Vegas .
Additional reporting from Steve Peoples in Nashville , Bill Barrow in Atlanta , Alexandra Jaffe , Stephen Braun and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Chicago .

By JONATHAN LEMIRE, MICHELLE L. PRICE, DARLENE SUPERVILLE, and WILL WEISSERT
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden fought over how to tame the raging coronavirus during the campaign’s closing debate, largely shelving the rancor that overshadowed their previous face-off in favor of a more substantive exchange that highlighted their vastly different approaches to the major domestic and foreign challenges facing the nation.
The president declared the virus, which killed more than 1,000 Americans on Thursday alone, will “go away.” Biden countered that the nation was heading toward “a dark winter.”
“Anyone who is responsible for that many deaths should not remain as president of the United States of America,” Biden said.
With less than two weeks until the election, Trump portrayed himself as the same outsider he first pitched to voters four years ago, repeatedly saying he wasn’t a politician. Biden, meanwhile, argued that Trump was an incompetent leader of a country facing multiple crises and tried to connect what he saw as the president’s failures to the everyday lives of Americans, especially when it comes to the pandemic.
The president, who promised a vaccine within weeks, said the worst problems are in states with Democratic governors, a contention at odds with rising cases in states that voted for Trump in 2016. Biden, meanwhile, vowed that his administration would defer to scientists on battling the pandemic and said that Trump’s divisive approach on suffering states hindered the nation’s response.
“I don’t look at this in terms of the way he does — blue states and red states,” Biden said. “They’re all the United States. And look at all the states that are having such a spike in the coronavirus–they’re the red states.”
After a first debate defined by angry interruptions, the Thursday event featured a mostly milder tone. And in a campaign defined by ugly personal attacks, the night featured a surprising amount of substantive policy debate as the two broke sharply on the environment, foreign policy, immigration and racial justice.
When Trump repeatedly asked Biden if he would “close down the oil industry,” the Democratic standardbearer said he “would transition from the oil industry, yes,” and that he would replace it by renewable energy “over time.” Trump, making a direct appeal to voters in energy producing states like Texas and the vital battleground of Pennsylvania, seized upon the remark as “a big statement.”
Perhaps sensing that the comment could soon appear in Trump campaign ads, Biden did a little clean-up boarding his plane after the debate, declaring “We’re not going to ban fossil fuels. We’ll get rid of the subsidies of fossil fuels but not going to get rid of fossil fuels for a long time.”
As the debate swept to climate change, Trump explained his decision to pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord negotiated in 2015, declaring it was an unfair pact that would have cost the country trillions of dollars and hurt businesses.
Trump repeatedly claimed Biden’s plan to tackle climate change and invest in green industries was developed by “AOC plus three,” referring to New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Biden chuckled during much of Trump’s answer and said, “I don’t know where he comes from.”
On race, Biden called out Trump’s previous refusals to condemn white supremacists and his attacks on the Black Lives Matter movement, declaring that the president “pours fuel on every single racist fire.”
“You know who I am. You know who he is. You know his character. You know my character,” Biden said. The rivals’ reputations for “honor and for telling to truth” are clear, he said.
Trump countered by pointing out his efforts on criminal justice reform and blasting Biden’s support of a 1990s Crime Bill that many feel disproportionately incarcerated Black men. Staring into the crowd, he declared himself “the least racist person in this room.”
Turning to foreign policy, Biden accused Trump of dealing with a “thug” while holding summits with the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un. And closer to home, the former vice president laced into the Trump administration’s policy of separating children from their parents trying to illegally cross the southern border.
Biden said that America has learned from a New York Times report that Trump only paid $750 a year in federal taxes while holding “a secret bank account” in China. The former vice president then noted he’s released all of his tax returns going back 22 years and challenged the president to release his returns, saying, “What are you hiding?”
Trump said he closed his former account in China and claimed his accountants told him he “prepaid tens of millions of dollars” in taxes. However, as he has for the past four years after promising to release his taxes, he declined to say when he might do so.
Trump said that when it comes to health care, he would like “to terminate” the Obama-era Affordable Care Act, even amid a pandemic, and come up “with a brand new beautiful health care,” that protects coverage for preexisting conditions. Biden said the president has been talking about making such a move for years but “he’s never come up with a plan.”
He also denounced Trump’s claim that Biden wanted to socialize medicine, creating daylight between himself and the more liberal members of his party whom he defeated in the Democratic primaries.
“He thinks he’s running against somebody else,” the former vice president said. “He’s running against Joe Biden. I beat all those other people because I disagreed with them.”
It remained to be seen if Trump, who is trailing in the race, managed to change the trajectory of the campaign. More than 47 million votes have already have been cast, and there are fewer undecided voters than at this point in previous election years.
The debate, moderated by NBC’s Kristen Welker, was a final chance for each man to make his case to a television audience of tens of millions. And questions swirled beforehand as to how Trump, whose hectoring performance at the first debate was viewed by aides as a mistake that turned off viewers, would perform amid a stretch of the campaign in which he has taken angry aim at the news media and unleashed deeply personal attacks on Biden and his adult son.
When he feels cornered, Trump has often lashed out, going as negative as possible. In one stunning moment during the 2016 campaign, in an effort to deflect from the release of the Access Hollywood tape in which he is heard boasting about groping women, Trump held a press conference just before a debate with Hillary Clinton during which he appeared with women who had accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault. He then invited them to watch as audience members.
In a similar move, Trump’s campaign held another surprise pre-debate news conference, this time featuring Tony Bobulinski, a man who said he was Hunter Biden’s former business partner and made unproven allegations that the vice president’s son consulted with his father on China-related business dealings.
Trump made similar, if vague, accusations from the debate stage, but exchanges about Hunter Biden did not dominate the night as aides on both campaigns thought might happen. Biden declared the discussion about family entanglements “malarkey” and accused Trump of not wanting to talk about the substantive issues.
Turning to the camera and the millions watching at home, he said, “It’s not about his family and my family. It’s about your family, and your family is hurting badly.”
___
Lemire reported from Washington, Price from Las Vegas. Additional reporting from Steve Peoples in Nashville, Bill Barrow in Atlanta, Alexandra Jaffe, Stephen Braun and Zeke Miller in Washington and Aamer Madhani in Chicago.