mercurynews--2020-10-03--N. Carolina Senate race upended by sexting, virus diagnosis

RALEIGH , N.C. — North Carolina ’ s intensely competitive and expensive U.S. Senate race has been upended by personal and health disruptions that sent sharp tremors and uncertainty through the campaigns and an electorate already casting ballots .
Democratic nominee Cal Cunningham acknowledged and apologized for exchanging sexually suggestive text messages with a woman who ’ s not his wife , but he said he won ’ t drop out of the race .
And just a few hours earlier Friday evening , his opponent , Republican Sen. Thom Tillis , announced he has tested positive for COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ no symptoms , the news forced Tillis to cancel in-person events , and several members of his campaign staff to head into quarantine , less than five weeks until Election Day .
“ It ’ s chaos — it ’ s really what I see it is , ” David McLennan , a political science professor at Meredith College in Raleigh , said in a Saturday interview .
In the text message exchanges , Cunningham tells the woman he wants to kiss her and she says she wants to spend the night with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the website NationalFile.com .
“ I have hurt my family , disappointed my friends , and am deeply sorry .
The first step in repairing those relationships is taking complete responsibility , which I do , ” Cunningham said in his statement late Friday .
Cunningham , who is married with two teenage children , added he ’ s staying in the Senate race : “ I will continue to work to earn the opportunity to fight for the people of our state.
” The race is the nation ’ s most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determining the power balance in the chamber .
Democrats need to gain four seats in November to take control .
The developments come as voting already has gone on for four weeks in North Carolina , as 341,000 completed mail-in absentee ballots already have been accepted and will be counted .
Early in-person voting begins Oct. 15 .
McLennan and Gary Pearce , a longtime state Democratic consultant , said it ’ s unclear how much of an effect the text messages will have on the election .
“ Most Democrats are really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wonder has everything changed in the age of ( President Donald ) Trump , ” Pearce said , adding the electorate ’ s increased polarization since 2016 could lead many Democrats to stick with Cunningham simply because the party ’ s victory is paramount .
Screengrabs of the messages show Cunningham told public relations strategist Arlene Guzman Todd , “ Would make my day to roll over and kiss you about now , ” to which she replies , “ You ’ re so sweet .
I would enjoy that.
” Another shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only thing I want on my to do list is you , ” to which Cunningham replies , “ Sounds so hot and so fun !
” A spokeswoman for Cunningham ’ s campaign , Rachel Petri , confirmed on Saturday the authenticity of the text messages .
It ’ s unclear when the messages were sent , but at one point Cunningham says he ’ s “ Nervous about the next 100 days , ” which could be a reference to the Senate election .
One hundred days before the election would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reach Guzman Todd at the California-based communications firm that lists her as an employee , as well as voice messages left with what public records indicate are her phone numbers , weren ’ t returned Saturday .
Public records show she had a Raleigh residence briefly until 2015 .
Guzman Todd is married to someone who has served in the U.S. Army , according to the NationalFile.com report .
Cunningham , 47 , is an attorney and Iraq War veteran who still serves as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate in the early 2000s and lost a Democratic primary runoff for U.S. Senate in 2010 .
As for Tillis , he said he has no symptoms but will be staying at home for 10 days .
Cunningham tweeted that he wished Tillis a “ quick recovery ” and said he would get tested himself after the two men shared a debate stage Thursday night .
No other debates are scheduled .
The Tillis campaign , citing its own health concerns , deferred on Saturday questions about the text messages to Cunningham .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Cunningham must disclose more so voters can decide his fitness for office : “ These are very troubling allegations and Cal needs to be fully transparent with the voters of North Carolina.
” National Democrats who helped recruit Cunningham for the race stood with him .
“ We are confident that he will bring the same courage and determination to the Senate as he has while serving our country in uniform , ” Lauren Passalacqua with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said .
Tillis , 60 , was diagnosed with the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ceremony in the White House Rose Garden for Amy Coney Barrett on Sept. 26 .
The judiciary committee member didn ’ t say in his statement where he believes he caught the virus but did say he had tested negative for the virus on the same day as the White House event .
Tillis was wearing a mask at the ceremony and has been among the most consistent Republicans to preach the use of face coverings .
In late August , Tillis apologized for listening maskless in person to Trump ’ s Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House .
McLennan said the positive test could place more questions upon Tillis .
The race is second only to the presidential campaign in terms of overall outside spending , according to the Center for Responsive Politics .
More than $ 97 million already has been spent by independent expenditure groups in the general election , center data says .
Cunningham , who outraised Tillis during the first half of the year , announced Thursday that his campaign would report collecting $ 28.3 million in the third quarter — a record haul for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign hasn ’ t announced his third quarter fundraising totals .

By Gary D. Robertson | Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s intensely competitive and expensive U.S. Senate race has been upended by personal and health disruptions that sent sharp tremors and uncertainty through the campaigns and an electorate already casting ballots.
Democratic nominee Cal Cunningham acknowledged and apologized for exchanging sexually suggestive text messages with a woman who’s not his wife, but he said he won’t drop out of the race. And just a few hours earlier Friday evening, his opponent, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, announced he has tested positive for COVID-19. While the first-term senator said he has no symptoms, the news forced Tillis to cancel in-person events, and several members of his campaign staff to head into quarantine, less than five weeks until Election Day.
“It’s chaos — it’s really what I see it is,” David McLennan, a political science professor at Meredith College in Raleigh, said in a Saturday interview.
In the text message exchanges, Cunningham tells the woman he wants to kiss her and she says she wants to spend the night with him. The messages were first reported by the website NationalFile.com.
“I have hurt my family, disappointed my friends, and am deeply sorry. The first step in repairing those relationships is taking complete responsibility, which I do,” Cunningham said in his statement late Friday.
Cunningham, who is married with two teenage children, added he’s staying in the Senate race: “I will continue to work to earn the opportunity to fight for the people of our state.”
The race is the nation’s most expensive Senate campaign and considered key to determining the power balance in the chamber. Democrats need to gain four seats in November to take control. The developments come as voting already has gone on for four weeks in North Carolina, as 341,000 completed mail-in absentee ballots already have been accepted and will be counted. Early in-person voting begins Oct. 15.
McLennan and Gary Pearce, a longtime state Democratic consultant, said it’s unclear how much of an effect the text messages will have on the election.
“Most Democrats are really scared by it, but then you wonder has everything changed in the age of (President Donald) Trump,” Pearce said, adding the electorate’s increased polarization since 2016 could lead many Democrats to stick with Cunningham simply because the party’s victory is paramount.
Screengrabs of the messages show Cunningham told public relations strategist Arlene Guzman Todd, “Would make my day to roll over and kiss you about now,” to which she replies, “You’re so sweet. I would enjoy that.”
Another shows Guzman Todd tell Cunningham, “the only thing I want on my to do list is you,” to which Cunningham replies, “Sounds so hot and so fun!”
A spokeswoman for Cunningham’s campaign, Rachel Petri, confirmed on Saturday the authenticity of the text messages. It’s unclear when the messages were sent, but at one point Cunningham says he’s “Nervous about the next 100 days,” which could be a reference to the Senate election. One hundred days before the election would be July 26.
An email trying to reach Guzman Todd at the California-based communications firm that lists her as an employee, as well as voice messages left with what public records indicate are her phone numbers, weren’t returned Saturday. Public records show she had a Raleigh residence briefly until 2015. Guzman Todd is married to someone who has served in the U.S. Army, according to the NationalFile.com report.
Cunningham, 47, is an attorney and Iraq War veteran who still serves as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. He served one term in the state Senate in the early 2000s and lost a Democratic primary runoff for U.S. Senate in 2010.
As for Tillis, he said he has no symptoms but will be staying at home for 10 days. Cunningham tweeted that he wished Tillis a “quick recovery” and said he would get tested himself after the two men shared a debate stage Thursday night. No other debates are scheduled.
The Tillis campaign, citing its own health concerns, deferred on Saturday questions about the text messages to Cunningham. National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Jesse Hunt said Cunningham must disclose more so voters can decide his fitness for office: “These are very troubling allegations and Cal needs to be fully transparent with the voters of North Carolina.”
National Democrats who helped recruit Cunningham for the race stood with him. “We are confident that he will bring the same courage and determination to the Senate as he has while serving our country in uniform,” Lauren Passalacqua with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said.
Tillis, 60, was diagnosed with the virus days after attending the Supreme Court nomination ceremony in the White House Rose Garden for Amy Coney Barrett on Sept. 26. The judiciary committee member didn’t say in his statement where he believes he caught the virus but did say he had tested negative for the virus on the same day as the White House event. Tillis was wearing a mask at the ceremony and has been among the most consistent Republicans to preach the use of face coverings. In late August, Tillis apologized for listening maskless in person to Trump’s Republican nomination acceptance speech outdoors at the White House. McLennan said the positive test could place more questions upon Tillis.
The race is second only to the presidential campaign in terms of overall outside spending, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. More than $97 million already has been spent by independent expenditure groups in the general election, center data says.
Cunningham, who outraised Tillis during the first half of the year, announced Thursday that his campaign would report collecting $28.3 million in the third quarter — a record haul for any North Carolina candidate. Tillis’ campaign hasn’t announced his third quarter fundraising totals.


mercurynews--2020-10-03--Clinical trials hit by ransomware attack on health tech firm

A Philadelphia company that sells software used in hundreds of clinical trials , including the crash effort to develop tests , treatments and a vaccine for the coronavirus , was hit by a ransomware attack that has slowed some of those trials over the past two weeks .
The attack on eResearchTechnology Inc. , which has not previously been reported , began two weeks ago when employees discovered that they were locked out of their data by ransomware , an attack that holds victims ’ data hostage until they pay to unlock it .
ERT said clinical trial patients were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the attack forced trial researchers to track their patients with pen and paper .
Among those hit were IQVIA , the contract research organization helping manage AstraZeneca ’ s COVID vaccine trial , and Bristol Myers Squibb , the drugmaker leading a consortium of companies to develop a quick test for the virus .
ERT has not said how many clinical trials were affected , but its software is used in drug trials across Europe , Asia and North America .
It was used in three-quarters of trials that led to drug approvals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , according to its website .
On Friday , Drew Bustos , ERT ’ s vice president of marketing , confirmed that its systems had been seized by ransomware on Sept. 20 .
As a precaution , Bustos said the company took its systems offline that day , called in outside cybersecurity experts and notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation .
“ Nobody feels great about these experiences , but this has been contained , ” Bustos said .
He added that ERT was starting to bring its systems back online on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online over the coming days .
Bustos said it was still too early to say who was behind the attack .
He declined to say whether the company paid its extortionists .
• The Latest : Biden aides say COVID results will be released • Trump said to be improving but next 48 hours ‘ critical ’ • The Latest : New Mexico reports 298 new coronavirus cases • Chris Christie checks into hospital as a precaution after positive COVID-19 test The attack on ERT follows another major ransomware attack last weekend on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chain with more than 400 locations , many in the United States .

The New York Times News Service Syndicate

A Philadelphia company that sells software used in hundreds of clinical trials, including the crash effort to develop tests, treatments and a vaccine for the coronavirus, was hit by a ransomware attack that has slowed some of those trials over the past two weeks.
The attack on eResearchTechnology Inc., which has not previously been reported, began two weeks ago when employees discovered that they were locked out of their data by ransomware, an attack that holds victims’ data hostage until they pay to unlock it. ERT said clinical trial patients were never at risk, but customers said the attack forced trial researchers to track their patients with pen and paper.
Among those hit were IQVIA, the contract research organization helping manage AstraZeneca’s COVID vaccine trial, and Bristol Myers Squibb, the drugmaker leading a consortium of companies to develop a quick test for the virus.
ERT has not said how many clinical trials were affected, but its software is used in drug trials across Europe, Asia and North America. It was used in three-quarters of trials that led to drug approvals by the Food and Drug Administration last year, according to its website.
On Friday, Drew Bustos, ERT’s vice president of marketing, confirmed that its systems had been seized by ransomware on Sept. 20. As a precaution, Bustos said the company took its systems offline that day, called in outside cybersecurity experts and notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“Nobody feels great about these experiences, but this has been contained,” Bustos said. He added that ERT was starting to bring its systems back online on Friday and planned to bring remaining systems online over the coming days.
Bustos said it was still too early to say who was behind the attack. He declined to say whether the company paid its extortionists.


mercurynews--2020-10-03--White House sows confusion about Trump’s condition

An attempt by President Donald Trump ’ s doctor to reassure the public about Trump ’ s condition following his infection with COVID-19 only created widespread confusion and concerns about transparency on Saturday , as a source familiar with the President ’ s health told reporters that the next 48 hours will be critical in determining how he fares .
“ The President ’ s vitals over the last 24 hours were very concerning and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care .
We are still not on a clear path to a full recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pool reporters after the briefing from his doctors .
Moments earlier on Saturday morning , the President ’ s physician , Navy Cmdr .
Dr. Sean Conley , had offered an upbeat assessment of the president ’ s condition stating that he was feeling well , that he had been “ fever-free ” for 24 hours and that his symptoms — which included an “ extremely mild cough , ” nasal congestion and fatigue — “ are resolving and improving.
” Conley was evasive about when and if Trump had received supplemental oxygen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on oxygen.
” But a source close to the White House said Trump has received supplemental oxygen since his illness began .
Trump “ definitely has had oxygen , ” the source said , adding that it was on Friday .
The New York Times first reported the oxygen development .
CNN reported on Friday the president was having a hard time breathing .
The rosy briefing from doctors , which contradicts other information emerging about the president ’ s condition , came the morning after Trump was transported to Walter Reed National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plunged the country into a deepening crisis as the circle of current and former aides to the President testing positive rapidly widened .
Conley said during the briefing — which occurred shortly before noon Saturday at Walter Reed — that the president was diagnosed with the coronavirus 72 hours earlier .
He later released a statement midday on Saturday saying that he misspoke during the briefing and meant to say it was “ Day Three ” of Trump ’ s diagnosis — and that the president was diagnosed Thursday night .
Trump revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday on Twitter .
Conley offered scant and insufficient details about the president ’ s vital signs .
He acknowledged that the president had a fever at one point , but refused to say what it was .
A person familiar with the matter told CNN before the briefing the president was still running a low fever Saturday .
Conley also declined to say when Trump had his last negative COVID-19 test or how many people in the president ’ s orbit may have been exposed given that Trump rarely wears a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series of answers was about whether the president had received supplemental oxygen .
Conley smiled when reporters tried to ask follow-up questions and repeatedly said the president is not currently receiving supplemental oxygen .
Another Walter Reed doctor treating the president told reporters at the Saturday news conference that Trump is not having difficulty breathing or walking today , and that Trump told doctors : “ I feel like I could walk out of here today.
” Midday on Saturday , Trump tweeted thanking doctors , nurses and others at Walter Reed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the GREAT Walter Reed Medical Center , and others from likewise incredible institutions who have joined them , are AMAZING !
!
!
Tremendous progress has been made over the last 6 months in fighting this PLAGUE , ” Trump tweeted .
“ With their help , I am feeling well !
” Though Conley and Trump suggested a sunny prognosis , the treatments administered to the president in the past 24 hours have raised concerns about his condition .
While the president was still at the White House , he was administered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promising treatment that has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration that was intended to help boost the president ’ s immune system as he fights the virus .
Adding to the confusion over the president ’ s care , in a memo attempting to clean up his description of the timeline of the president ’ s diagnosis and treatment , Conley referred to the “ polyclonal antibody therapy ” from Regeneron , which he misspelled as “ Regeron.
” But what Trump actually received was a monoclonal antibody treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Once Trump was at Walter Reed , Conley said doctors initiated the antiviral drug remdesivir and that he will receive a five-day course of the drug , which has been shown to shorten recovery time for some coronavirus patients .
Conley briefed the press about fourteen hours after Trump was taken to Walter Reed .
In the hours after Trump revealed his COVID-19 diagnosis early Friday morning , the circle of current and former aides to the president testing positive grew quickly .
By early Saturday , former White House counselor Kellyanne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager Bill Stepien had both tested positive , which followed the positive diagnoses of two US senators who had attended Trump ’ s Supreme Court nomination announcement last weekend , and Trump senior adviser Hope Hicks on Thursday .
A third Republican US senator , who did not attend the nomination event , announced a positive diagnosis later Saturday morning .
Former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie , who had helped the president with debate preparations , also announced he had tested positive on Saturday .
It was a remarkably fast escalation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president has long downplayed — from an infection that caused him mild symptoms , to a fever to then being airlifted to the hospital , all while spreading throughout the government and his campaign .
Conley issued an update on the president ’ s condition midday Friday , saying in a memo that the president is “ doing very well ” and had not required any supplemental oxygen , but that doctors had initiated the antiviral drug remdesivir .
In that memo , Conley said he recommended the president ’ s movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier Friday in consultation with specialists from both Walter Reed and Johns Hopkins University .
Around the same time , Trump tweeted : “ Going well , I think !
Thank you to all .
LOVE !
!
!
” Trump ’ s diagnosis — followed by his move to Walter Reed , where the White House said he plans to stay and work for “ the next few days ” — presented the most serious known health threat to the US presidency since former President Ronald Reagan was non-fatally shot in 1981 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospital marked a sharp turn from the statement Conley made early Friday when he first confirmed the COVID-19 diagnosis of Trump and first lady Melania Trump , and said the couple would remain at the White House during their convalescence .
Wearing a suit and mask , Trump , who ’ s 74 , gave a low-key wave to the press Friday but took no questions as he walked without assistance across the South Lawn of the White House to Marine One , the helicopter that airlifted him to the hospital Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president has not transferred power to Vice President Mike Pence , as is sometimes customary when a president is ill or scheduled to undergo a procedure that could require anesthesia .
The president “ is in charge , ” a White House communications aide said Friday , and Trump released a short recorded video on Twitter thanking his supporters for their well wishes as he arrived at Walter Reed shortly before 6:30 p.m .
ET .
“ I want to thank everybody for the tremendous support .
I ’ m going to Walter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m doing very well , ” Trump said in the 18-second video , which was notable for its brevity .
“ We ’ re going to make sure that things work out .
The first lady is doing very well .
So thank you very much , I appreciate it .
I will never forget it .
Thank you.
” Melania Trump remained at the White House with what the White House physician described as a mild cough and a headache .
Following the same recklessness the president has shown throughout the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign fundraiser in Bedminster , New Jersey , Thursday evening even though he had learned before the trip that Hicks , one of his senior aides who had traveled with him throughout the week , had tested positive for the virus .
The incubation period for the virus is estimated to be anywhere between five and 14 days , according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and the agency ’ s guidelines say that anyone exposed to the virus should quarantine for 14 days .
The president traveled earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate with Biden , who tested negative on Friday , in addition to his campaign events in Minnesota and New Jersey on Wednesday and Friday .
There are increasingly troubling signs from the White House events last Saturday when Trump and the first lady hosted a sizable crowd in the Rose Garden as the president announced the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court .
Guests did not socially distance and very few wore masks .
At least seven people , including the president and first lady , have tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Rev .
John Jenkins , Conway and Republican Sens .
Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina , who were seated relatively close to each other , tested positive .
A third Republican senator , Ron Johnson of Wisconsin , on Saturday was reported to have tested positive for coronavirus .
He was not at the Supreme Court nomination event because he was quarantining from a prior exposure , during which he twice tested negative for the virus , according to his spokesman .
Lee was seen on video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ husband contracted the virus earlier this summer and recovered , according to three sources familiar with the matter .
Conway , Stepien and Hicks were all involved in the president ’ s preparations for his debate with Joe Biden on Tuesday .
Coronavirus symptoms can appear within two to 14 days of exposure , but most often develop within four to five days .
The lack of information about the severity of Trump ’ s illness was complicated by the fact that the president and his allies have downplayed the dangers of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump and members of his administration already faced a major credibility gap because of their extensive history of putting out false or misleading information about a variety of topics over the past four years , including the severity of the pandemic and the risks to public health .
The descriptions of the president ’ s condition shifted throughout the day Friday — and much of the early information about his well-being was reported by the press first and then confirmed by the White House , underscoring the lack of transparency from this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House tried to project a business-as-usual demeanor , chief of staff Mark Meadows described Trump as energetic .
But later in the day , Conley , the doctor intimately involved in Trump ’ s care , wrote in a memo that he was “ fatigued.
” And CNN learned from another source that the president had a fever for much of the day .
In the Friday afternoon memo , Conley listed the medications Trump had been given including the antibody cocktail , as well as zinc , vitamin D , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ As of this afternoon the President remains fatigued but in good spirits , ” his physician wrote .
“ He ’ s being evaluated by a team of experts , and together we ’ ll be making recommendations to the President and First Lady in regards to next best steps.
” Within a few hours , Trump was headed to Walter Reed .
Dr. Leonard Schleifer , the CEO of the biotechnology company Regeneron , told CNN ’ s Wolf Blitzer that Trump would have received the experimental antibody treatment that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immune system , which he said is now in “ a race ” against the virus .
“ If the virus wins you can have dire consequences , obviously , and what our antibodies do is we make it a fair fight , ” Schleifer said on CNN .
“ He ’ s in a higher risk group for a variety of reasons , such as being older , and if we give our antibodies , we hope that we will give his immune system enough of a boost so that he can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The president ’ s cavalier attitude toward the virus , his decision to keep traveling and holding large rallies , and the fact that he discouraged mask use by most Americans until late this summer made his eventual diagnosis all but inevitable — given how he has practiced behaviors that his own coronavirus task force has discouraged to the public .
As recently as this week ’ s presidential debate in Ohio , Trump mocked Biden for wearing a mask .
In prerecorded remarks for Thursday night ’ s Al Smith charity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ end of the pandemic is in sight.
” He has continually undercut and contradicted the advice of his top medical experts as he has flouted public health guidelines by holding events with few masks and people in close proximity to one another , putting his supporters and their contacts at risk .
And as he tries to win reelection , Trump has insisted , in contradiction to the statistics and statements of the nation ’ s top infectious disease experts , that the United States is rounding the corner in its fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time for Americans to get back to work and children back to school .
He has falsely argued that Biden wants to shut down the country instead of opening it back up , citing that as a reason why Americans should reelect him .
Throughout the spring and summer , both Trump and his aides continually answered questions from the press about why the president refused to wear a mask by insisting that he and the people around him are tested for coronavirus on a daily basis .
But many medical experts have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ snapshot of one ’ s diagnosis at a moment in time and that it may have given White House staffers — and the president — a false sense of security as aides continually showed up for work at the White House not wearing masks .
At the debate this week , the president ’ s children arrived wearing masks , but took them off during the event .
On Friday evening , Trump ’ s son Eric made it clear in a tweet that this was no ordinary situation as he called his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked the President ’ s supporters to join him in prayers .
• The Latest : Biden aides say COVID results will be released • Trump said to be improving but next 48 hours ‘ critical ’ • The Latest : New Mexico reports 298 new coronavirus cases • Chris Christie checks into hospital as a precaution after positive COVID-19 test “ He will fight through this with the same strength and conviction that he uses to fight for America each and every day .
I ask you to join me in praying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on Twitter .
“ I have never been more proud of someone and what they have had to endure .
”

An attempt by President Donald Trump’s doctor to reassure the public about Trump’s condition following his infection with COVID-19 only created widespread confusion and concerns about transparency on Saturday, as a source familiar with the President’s health told reporters that the next 48 hours will be critical in determining how he fares.
“The President’s vitals over the last 24 hours were very concerning and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care. We are still not on a clear path to a full recovery,” the source told White House pool reporters after the briefing from his doctors.
[vemba-video id=”politics/2020/10/03/trump-coronavirus-doctor-presser-sanjay-gupta-reax-nr-vpx.cnn”]
Video: Dr. Sanjay Gupta says the timeline doesn’t jive
Moments earlier on Saturday morning, the President’s physician, Navy Cmdr. Dr. Sean Conley, had offered an upbeat assessment of the president’s condition stating that he was feeling well, that he had been “fever-free” for 24 hours and that his symptoms — which included an “extremely mild cough,” nasal congestion and fatigue — “are resolving and improving.” Conley was evasive about when and if Trump had received supplemental oxygen, saying, “He is not on oxygen.”
But a source close to the White House said Trump has received supplemental oxygen since his illness began. Trump “definitely has had oxygen,” the source said, adding that it was on Friday.
The New York Times first reported the oxygen development. CNN reported on Friday the president was having a hard time breathing.
The rosy briefing from doctors, which contradicts other information emerging about the president’s condition, came the morning after Trump was transported to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, a move that plunged the country into a deepening crisis as the circle of current and former aides to the President testing positive rapidly widened.
Conley said during the briefing — which occurred shortly before noon Saturday at Walter Reed — that the president was diagnosed with the coronavirus 72 hours earlier. He later released a statement midday on Saturday saying that he misspoke during the briefing and meant to say it was “Day Three” of Trump’s diagnosis — and that the president was diagnosed Thursday night.
Trump revealed his diagnosis around 1 a.m. ET Friday on Twitter.
Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
Conley offered scant and insufficient details about the president’s vital signs. He acknowledged that the president had a fever at one point, but refused to say what it was. A person familiar with the matter told CNN before the briefing the president was still running a low fever Saturday. Conley also declined to say when Trump had his last negative COVID-19 test or how many people in the president’s orbit may have been exposed given that Trump rarely wears a mask.
But one of the most confusing series of answers was about whether the president had received supplemental oxygen. Conley smiled when reporters tried to ask follow-up questions and repeatedly said the president is not currently receiving supplemental oxygen. Another Walter Reed doctor treating the president told reporters at the Saturday news conference that Trump is not having difficulty breathing or walking today, and that Trump told doctors: “I feel like I could walk out of here today.”
[vemba-video id=”politics/2020/10/03/trump-coronavirus-anonymous-statement-diamond-collins-nr-vpx.cnn”]
Midday on Saturday, Trump tweeted thanking doctors, nurses and others at Walter Reed.
“Doctors, Nurses and ALL at the GREAT Walter Reed Medical Center, and others from likewise incredible institutions who have joined them, are AMAZING!!! Tremendous progress has been made over the last 6 months in fighting this PLAGUE,” Trump tweeted. “With their help, I am feeling well!”
Doctors, Nurses and ALL at the GREAT Walter Reed Medical Center, and others from likewise incredible institutions who have joined them, are AMAZING!!!Tremendous progress has been made over the last 6 months in fighting this PLAGUE. With their help, I am feeling well! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 3, 2020
Though Conley and Trump suggested a sunny prognosis, the treatments administered to the president in the past 24 hours have raised concerns about his condition.
While the president was still at the White House, he was administered the experimental Regeneron antibody cocktail, a promising treatment that has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration that was intended to help boost the president’s immune system as he fights the virus.
Adding to the confusion over the president’s care, in a memo attempting to clean up his description of the timeline of the president’s diagnosis and treatment, Conley referred to the “polyclonal antibody therapy” from Regeneron, which he misspelled as “Regeron.” But what Trump actually received was a monoclonal antibody treatment, a spokesperson for Regeneron told CNN.
Once Trump was at Walter Reed, Conley said doctors initiated the antiviral drug remdesivir and that he will receive a five-day course of the drug, which has been shown to shorten recovery time for some coronavirus patients.
A widening circle
Conley briefed the press about fourteen hours after Trump was taken to Walter Reed. In the hours after Trump revealed his COVID-19 diagnosis early Friday morning, the circle of current and former aides to the president testing positive grew quickly.
By early Saturday, former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and the president’s campaign manager Bill Stepien had both tested positive, which followed the positive diagnoses of two US senators who had attended Trump’s Supreme Court nomination announcement last weekend, and Trump senior adviser Hope Hicks on Thursday. A third Republican US senator, who did not attend the nomination event, announced a positive diagnosis later Saturday morning. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who had helped the president with debate preparations, also announced he had tested positive on Saturday.
It was a remarkably fast escalation of the virus’ threat — which the president has long downplayed — from an infection that caused him mild symptoms, to a fever to then being airlifted to the hospital, all while spreading throughout the government and his campaign.
Conley issued an update on the president’s condition midday Friday, saying in a memo that the president is “doing very well” and had not required any supplemental oxygen, but that doctors had initiated the antiviral drug remdesivir.
In that memo, Conley said he recommended the president’s movement from the White House to Walter Reed earlier Friday in consultation with specialists from both Walter Reed and Johns Hopkins University.
Around the same time, Trump tweeted: “Going well, I think! Thank you to all. LOVE!!!”
Going welI, I think! Thank you to all. LOVE!!! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 3, 2020
Trump’s diagnosis — followed by his move to Walter Reed, where the White House said he plans to stay and work for “the next few days” — presented the most serious known health threat to the US presidency since former President Ronald Reagan was non-fatally shot in 1981.
The decision to take Trump to the hospital marked a sharp turn from the statement Conley made early Friday when he first confirmed the COVID-19 diagnosis of Trump and first lady Melania Trump, and said the couple would remain at the White House during their convalescence.
Wearing a suit and mask, Trump, who’s 74, gave a low-key wave to the press Friday but took no questions as he walked without assistance across the South Lawn of the White House to Marine One, the helicopter that airlifted him to the hospital Friday.
White House officials underscored that the president has not transferred power to Vice President Mike Pence, as is sometimes customary when a president is ill or scheduled to undergo a procedure that could require anesthesia.
The president “is in charge,” a White House communications aide said Friday, and Trump released a short recorded video on Twitter thanking his supporters for their well wishes as he arrived at Walter Reed shortly before 6:30 p.m. ET.
“I want to thank everybody for the tremendous support. I’m going to Walter Reed Hospital. I think I’m doing very well,” Trump said in the 18-second video, which was notable for its brevity. “We’re going to make sure that things work out. The first lady is doing very well. So thank you very much, I appreciate it. I will never forget it. Thank you.”
Melania Trump remained at the White House with what the White House physician described as a mild cough and a headache.
A pattern of dismissing the virus
Following the same recklessness the president has shown throughout the pandemic, Trump decided to go to a campaign fundraiser in Bedminster, New Jersey, Thursday evening even though he had learned before the trip that Hicks, one of his senior aides who had traveled with him throughout the week, had tested positive for the virus.
The incubation period for the virus is estimated to be anywhere between five and 14 days, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the agency’s guidelines say that anyone exposed to the virus should quarantine for 14 days.
The president traveled earlier in the week to the first presidential debate with Biden, who tested negative on Friday, in addition to his campaign events in Minnesota and New Jersey on Wednesday and Friday.
There are increasingly troubling signs from the White House events last Saturday when Trump and the first lady hosted a sizable crowd in the Rose Garden as the president announced the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Guests did not socially distance and very few wore masks. At least seven people, including the president and first lady, have tested positive. University of Notre Dame President the Rev. John Jenkins, Conway and Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who were seated relatively close to each other, tested positive.
A third Republican senator, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, on Saturday was reported to have tested positive for coronavirus. He was not at the Supreme Court nomination event because he was quarantining from a prior exposure, during which he twice tested negative for the virus, according to his spokesman.
Lee was seen on video hugging other attendees. Barrett and her husband contracted the virus earlier this summer and recovered, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
Conway, Stepien and Hicks were all involved in the president’s preparations for his debate with Joe Biden on Tuesday. Coronavirus symptoms can appear within two to 14 days of exposure, but most often develop within four to five days.
A longstanding credibility gap
The lack of information about the severity of Trump’s illness was complicated by the fact that the president and his allies have downplayed the dangers of COVID-19 ever since the virus reached the US.
Trump and members of his administration already faced a major credibility gap because of their extensive history of putting out false or misleading information about a variety of topics over the past four years, including the severity of the pandemic and the risks to public health.
The descriptions of the president’s condition shifted throughout the day Friday — and much of the early information about his well-being was reported by the press first and then confirmed by the White House, underscoring the lack of transparency from this administration.
On Friday morning, as the White House tried to project a business-as-usual demeanor, chief of staff Mark Meadows described Trump as energetic. But later in the day, Conley, the doctor intimately involved in Trump’s care, wrote in a memo that he was “fatigued.” And CNN learned from another source that the president had a fever for much of the day.
In the Friday afternoon memo, Conley listed the medications Trump had been given including the antibody cocktail, as well as zinc, vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin and a daily aspirin.
“As of this afternoon the President remains fatigued but in good spirits,” his physician wrote. “He’s being evaluated by a team of experts, and together we’ll be making recommendations to the President and First Lady in regards to next best steps.”
Within a few hours, Trump was headed to Walter Reed.
Dr. Leonard Schleifer, the CEO of the biotechnology company Regeneron, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that Trump would have received the experimental antibody treatment that his company manufactures to help boost his immune system, which he said is now in “a race” against the virus.
“If the virus wins you can have dire consequences, obviously, and what our antibodies do is we make it a fair fight,” Schleifer said on CNN. “He’s in a higher risk group for a variety of reasons, such as being older, and if we give our antibodies, we hope that we will give his immune system enough of a boost so that he can win this and make a complete recovery.”
An inevitable outcome
The president’s cavalier attitude toward the virus, his decision to keep traveling and holding large rallies, and the fact that he discouraged mask use by most Americans until late this summer made his eventual diagnosis all but inevitable — given how he has practiced behaviors that his own coronavirus task force has discouraged to the public.
As recently as this week’s presidential debate in Ohio, Trump mocked Biden for wearing a mask. In prerecorded remarks for Thursday night’s Al Smith charity dinner, the president proclaimed that the “end of the pandemic is in sight.”
He has continually undercut and contradicted the advice of his top medical experts as he has flouted public health guidelines by holding events with few masks and people in close proximity to one another, putting his supporters and their contacts at risk.
And as he tries to win reelection, Trump has insisted, in contradiction to the statistics and statements of the nation’s top infectious disease experts, that the United States is rounding the corner in its fight against COVID-19, stating that it is time for Americans to get back to work and children back to school. He has falsely argued that Biden wants to shut down the country instead of opening it back up, citing that as a reason why Americans should reelect him.
Throughout the spring and summer, both Trump and his aides continually answered questions from the press about why the president refused to wear a mask by insisting that he and the people around him are tested for coronavirus on a daily basis.
But many medical experts have pointed out that testing only offers a snapshot of one’s diagnosis at a moment in time and that it may have given White House staffers — and the president — a false sense of security as aides continually showed up for work at the White House not wearing masks.
At the debate this week, the president’s children arrived wearing masks, but took them off during the event.
On Friday evening, Trump’s son Eric made it clear in a tweet that this was no ordinary situation as he called his father a “true warrior” and asked the President’s supporters to join him in prayers.
Related Articles National Politics | Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms
Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms National Politics | California COVID cases are rising. Here’s why and where health experts are masking “He will fight through this with the same strength and conviction that he uses to fight for America each and every day. I ask you to join me in praying for his recovery,” Eric Trump said on Twitter. “I have never been more proud of someone and what they have had to endure.”
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mercurynews--2020-10-03--49ers officially activate Deebo Samuel to face Eagles; Dee Ford, Jordan Reed go on IR

SANTA CLARA — The 49ers pushed through the official paperwork Saturday and activated wide receiver Deebo Samuel off injured reserve @ @ @ @ @ and clearing the way for his season debut Sunday night .
Defensive end Dee Ford @ @ @ @ @ and tight end Jordan Reed ’ s week-old knee sprain sent them onto the injured @ @ @ @ @ 49ers are hoping to recall both later this season .
Called up again the practice @ @ @ @ @ Hasty , linebacker Joe Walker and nickel back Jamar Taylor .
• 49ers vs. Eagles @ @ @ @ @ miss second game but Kittle , Samuel return • 49ers vs. Eagles : Five keys @ @ @ @ @ Philadelphia

SANTA CLARA — The 49ers pushed through the official paperwork Saturday and activated wide receiver Deebo Samuel off injured reserve, ending a three-game hiatus and clearing the way for his season debut Sunday night.
Defensive end Dee Ford’s lingering back injury and tight end Jordan Reed’s week-old knee sprain sent them onto the injured reserve list, and the 49ers are hoping to recall both later this season.


mercurynews--2020-10-03--‘Not over.’ New York continues to see uptick in virus cases

NEW YORK ( AP ) — New York state ’ s daily count of new coronavirus cases is continuing on an upward trend .
The state reported on Saturday that there were more than 1,700 new confirmed cases on Friday , up slightly from the day before — case totals not seen in New York since May .
Some of the hotspots in the state included the New York City borough of Brooklyn , where more than 350 people tested positive , and in suburban Rockland County , which saw at least 120 new cases .
New York recorded the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , the most ever performed in a single day .
“ This pandemic is not over , ” Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said in a statement .
He added : “ My message to New Yorkers is please stay vigilant.
” The hardest hit regions of the state , on a per capita basis , were the Southern Tier area along the Pennsylvania border and the Mid-Hudson Valley .
Both of those areas were seeing the virus spread at a rate that , if they were independent states , they would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requiring out-of-state travelers to quarantine .
The quarantine cutoff , currently for states like Illinois , Colorado and Florida , is based on a seven-day rolling average of positive cases exceeding 10 per 100,000 residents .
• The Latest : Biden aides say COVID results will be released • Trump said to be improving but next 48 hours ‘ critical ’ • The Latest : New Mexico reports 298 new coronavirus cases • Chris Christie checks into hospital as a precaution after positive COVID-19 test The Southern Tier ’ s average Friday was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measure of the virus ’ spread — the percentage of tests that come back positive — remained low , about 1.3 % .

NEW YORK (AP) — New York state’s daily count of new coronavirus cases is continuing on an upward trend.
The state reported on Saturday that there were more than 1,700 new confirmed cases on Friday, up slightly from the day before — case totals not seen in New York since May.
Some of the hotspots in the state included the New York City borough of Brooklyn, where more than 350 people tested positive, and in suburban Rockland County, which saw at least 120 new cases.
New York recorded the results of more than 134,000 virus tests Friday, the most ever performed in a single day.
“This pandemic is not over,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. He added: “My message to New Yorkers is please stay vigilant.”
The hardest hit regions of the state, on a per capita basis, were the Southern Tier area along the Pennsylvania border and the Mid-Hudson Valley.
Both of those areas were seeing the virus spread at a rate that, if they were independent states, they would be subject to New York’s rules requiring out-of-state travelers to quarantine.
The quarantine cutoff, currently for states like Illinois, Colorado and Florida, is based on a seven-day rolling average of positive cases exceeding 10 per 100,000 residents.
Related Articles Health | Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms
Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Health | California COVID cases are rising. Here’s why and where health experts are masking The Southern Tier’s average Friday was at 17 per 100,000.
An often-cited measure of the virus’ spread — the percentage of tests that come back positive — remained low, about 1.3%.


mercurynews--2020-10-03--Dolan Fire in Monterey County nearly contained

The Dolan Fire in Monterey County was nearly contained as of Saturday morning , fire officials said .
The fire @ @ @ @ @ of about 8 a.m .
It broke out in mid-August and has burned about 125,000 @ @ @ @ @ structures .
No one has died , according to fire officials .
The cause of @ @ @ @ @ .
• Déjà vu all over again as smoke blankets East Bay , keeps temperatures @ @ @ @ @ Two of the dead are identified • Glass Fire engulfs over 61,000 acres of Wine @ @ @ @ @ Evacuation orders have been lifted for all evacuation zones , Monterey County emergency officials said @ @ @ @ @ get information about assistance and recovery can be found here .

The Dolan Fire in Monterey County was nearly contained as of Saturday morning, fire officials said.
The fire was 90 percent contained as of about 8 a.m. It broke out in mid-August and has burned about 125,000 acres and destroyed 14 habitable structures.
No one has died, according to fire officials. The cause of the fire is under investigation.


mercurynews--2020-10-04--Park It: East Bay dog-leash rules back to prepandemic standard

Dogs and dog-related rules are the focus of a new informational campaign just launched by the East Bay Regional Park District .
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic , the district had been asking dog owners to keep their pets on leash at all times while visiting the regional parks , but as of Oct. 2 the district has reverted to its normal rules .
In summary , these rules require dogs to be on leash in picnic areas and other developed park sites .
Dogs are also supposed to be leashed on paved interpark trails such as the Iron Horse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Alameda Creek Regional Trail in Fremont .
Some areas exclude dogs altogether , such as swim beaches ( by state law ) and the Tilden Nature Area in Tilden Regional Park near Berkeley .
Watch for signs and check information in park brochures .
Generally speaking , dogs are OK off-leash in the backcountry away from developed areas , as long as they ’ re under their owners ’ voice control , meaning they ’ ll come to their owners when called .
Dogs should be back on-leash when grazing cattle are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they start chasing wildlife or have uninvited interaction with other park visitors .
At Point Isabel Regional Shoreline in Richmond , dogs are again allowed off-leash throughout the park as long as they ’ re under their owners ’ voice control .
The informational campaign is called “ Be a Pup Pro.
” In a recent survey , the park district found that dog walking is the preferred activity among 39 % of the respondents , second only to hiking .
You can follow several tips to be a Pup Pro : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s waste ; please don ’ t just bag it and leave it on the trail ; • leash your pup in designated areas such as parking lots , trailheads , wildlife protection areas , etc .
; • and keep your dog safe : leash up around cattle and horses .
“ Being out in nature with our dogs is a huge benefit , for us and for them , ” says Mary Barnsdale , a board member of Point Isabel Dog Owners .
“ It ’ s on us to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and be sensitive to the needs of other park users.
” For detailed information about the park district ’ s dog rules , visit ebparks.org/PupPro .
Fire closures : As of this writing , a number of regional parks remain closed or limited in service because of fire-related issues .
Round Valley , Morgan Territory , Sunol and Ohlone Wilderness are still closed due to the impact from recent wildfires .
Mission Peak reopened in mid-September , but the Ohlone Wilderness Trail , which heads east from the summit of Mission Peak , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that boat launching and fishing by boat are available as of Oct. 2 at Del Valle Regional Park , Quarry Lakes and Lake Chabot .
Boat rentals are available at Del Valle and Lake Chabot .
The family campgrounds are available with reduced capacity at Del Valle and Anthony Chabot , and the Sibley backpack camp is open .
Del Valle is also open to day use on the lake ’ s east side only .
Of course , any park situation can change rapidly if more fires break out .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ park district ’ s webpage at ebparks.org/news/covid_19_park_and_trail_updates.htm .
Ned MacKay writes about East Bay Regional Park District sites and activities .
Email him at nedmackay @ comcast.net .

Correction: An earlier online version of this column said dogs were again allowed off-leash at Richmond’s Point Isabel Regional Shoreline. In fact, dogs have been allowed off-leash at Point Isabel since June.
Dogs and dog-related rules are the focus of a new informational campaign just launched by the East Bay Regional Park District. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the district had been asking dog owners to keep their pets on leash at all times while visiting the regional parks, but as of Oct. 2 the district has reverted to its normal rules. In summary, these rules require dogs to be on leash in picnic areas and other developed park sites.
Dogs are also supposed to be leashed on paved interpark trails such as the Iron Horse Regional Trail in central Contra Costa and the Alameda Creek Regional Trail in Fremont. Some areas exclude dogs altogether, such as swim beaches (by state law) and the Tilden Nature Area in Tilden Regional Park near Berkeley. Watch for signs and check information in park brochures.
Generally speaking, dogs are OK off-leash in the backcountry away from developed areas, as long as they’re under their owners’ voice control, meaning they’ll come to their owners when called. Dogs should be back on-leash when grazing cattle are nearby. They should also be leashed if they start chasing wildlife or have uninvited interaction with other park visitors. At Point Isabel Regional Shoreline in Richmond, dogs are allowed off-leash throughout the park as long as they’re under their owners’ voice control.
The informational campaign is called “Be a Pup Pro.” In a recent survey, the park district found that dog walking is the preferred activity among 39% of the respondents, second only to hiking. You can follow several tips to be a Pup Pro:
bag then bin your dog’s waste; please don’t just bag it and leave it on the trail;
leash your pup in designated areas such as parking lots, trailheads, wildlife protection areas, etc.;
and keep your dog safe: leash up around cattle and horses.
“Being out in nature with our dogs is a huge benefit, for us and for them,” says Mary Barnsdale, a board member of Point Isabel Dog Owners. “It’s on us to keep the parks clean, respect wildlife, and be sensitive to the needs of other park users.”
For detailed information about the park district’s dog rules, visit ebparks.org/PupPro.
Fire closures: As of this writing, a number of regional parks remain closed or limited in service because of fire-related issues. Round Valley, Morgan Territory, Sunol and Ohlone Wilderness are still closed due to the impact from recent wildfires. Mission Peak reopened in mid-September, but the Ohlone Wilderness Trail, which heads east from the summit of Mission Peak, is still closed.
The better news is that boat launching and fishing by boat are available as of Oct. 2 at Del Valle Regional Park, Quarry Lakes and Lake Chabot. Boat rentals are available at Del Valle and Lake Chabot. The family campgrounds are available with reduced capacity at Del Valle and Anthony Chabot, and the Sibley backpack camp is open. Del Valle is also open to day use on the lake’s east side only.
Of course, any park situation can change rapidly if more fires break out. For the most up-to-date information, visit the park district’s webpage at ebparks.org/news/covid_19_park_and_trail_updates.htm.
Ned MacKay writes about East Bay Regional Park District sites and activities. Email him at nedmackay@comcast.net.


mercurynews--2020-10-04--California’s Filipino American nurses are dying from COVID-19 at alarming rates

Becoming a nurse was the obvious choice for Oliver Isleta .
The economy in the Philippines , his home country , was sluggish , and he wanted to make a better living abroad — without going through civil engineering school all over again .
So after studying nursing in the city of Davao , he emigrated to the U.S. in 2006 to take his board exams .
He lived first in Bridgeport , Connecticut , in a dormitory with other Filipino nurses , before moving to Fresno , into the granny flat behind his sister ’ s house .
Twelve-hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left Isleta so tired he could barely walk on days off , but he felt much closer to his colleagues and his faith than he ever had as an engineer .
His salary flowed back overseas to relatives in Davao , where his wife and son Matthew counted down his once-a-year-visits — timed to coincide with Matthew ’ s April birthday — and hoped to one day to join him in California .
On September 1 , that future disappeared , when Isleta died from COVID-19 complications at Community Regional .
He had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ventilator .
When that didn ’ t work , he was put on a heart and lung support machine — but by the end of August , that had caused internal brain bleeding .
As his breathing slowed the morning of his death , dozens of co-workers filed down the hallway , waving goodbye through the glass partition of the intensive-care unit .
His sister hosted one last Zoom call so family around the world could tell Isleta they loved him .
He was 58 years old .
“ He will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Marilou Tomambo , said in an interview .
“ He had so much life to give , so much joy to share , so much that he deserved , in our minds.
” Isleta ’ s death illustrates a tragic nationwide trend , as Filipino and Filipino American nurses die from coronavirus at rates far higher than their counterparts in other groups .
Nationally , over 30 % of the 205 nurses who have died are Filipino American , though the group makes up just 4 % of the nursing workforce .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of nurses identify as Filipino , they account for 11 of the 16 COVID-19 deaths in the profession , or nearly 70 % , according to the California Nurses Association .
Among health care workers as a whole , the outsized impact of the virus on Filipino Americans is likely much greater .
In California — where more than 39,000 health care workers have contracted COVID-19 and 191 have died — Filipino Americans comprise about 12 % of all health care workers and 11 % of health care support jobs , like assistants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable essential jobs where coronavirus has run rampant and personal protective equipment has been chronically scarce .
While the state does not track coronavirus infections among health care workers by race , Filipino Americans ’ overrepresentation on the lower-paid end of the industry suggests that they account for a disproportionate share of cases as well as deaths , said Jeanne Batalova , a senior policy analyst at Migration Policy Institute who researches immigrant workers .
“ Death is a good , and unfortunately morbid , representation of the trends that we ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections , ” Batalova said .
“ So it is likely that we ’ re underestimating the extent of morbidity and exposure to COVID that this population faces.
” Even within hospital systems , Filipino American nurses are more likely to work in higher risk roles such as the intensive-care unit , emergency medicine or telemetry — putting them directly in the path of COVID-19 , said Catherine Ceniza Choy , a professor of ethnic studies at UC Berkeley whose work has focused on the history of Filipino American nurses .
“ Filipino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are concentrated specifically in in-patient critical care services , ” Ceniza Choy said .
“ Many of them are also caregivers at home , not only of children , but also their parents and other elders .
And so part of the problem with the pandemic is these multiple layers of vulnerability and exposure.
” Mark Brown , chief nursing officer at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose , has watched those realities collide firsthand .
Earlier this year , four Filipino American nursing assistants at Good Sam were working second jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area when they all came down with COVID-19 .
“ They ’ re [ working ] full time with me , full time somewhere else , and maybe even part-time somewhere else , ” Brown said .
Combined with the lesser protections at nursing homes as compared to hospitals , plus the higher likelihood that these workers live in larger households , “ it ’ s a bad recipe ” for COVID-19 , he said .
Liza Aquino , 48 , who emigrated to the U.S. from outside Manila , fell ill in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the telemetry floor at Kaiser Fresno , where she works , tested positive for COVID-19 .
A high fever , chest pain and shortness of breath made it difficult for her to even stand up in the shower .
“ Before , I told myself , ‘ I ’ m ready when God takes me.
’ But when I had COVID , I was bargaining to God : ‘ I ’ m not ready , yet , to die , ' ” Aquino said .
For virtually her entire career , Aquino feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handed the toughest patients .
And the hard-earned money needs to stretch — she estimates around 80 percent of her Filipino friends support people outside their nuclear family with hospital wages or live with extended family .
“ It ’ s a way of life for us , ” she said .
“ And I wish it could change.
” Both caring for COVID-19 victims and becoming them has been a one-two punch , several Filipino and Filipino American nurses told this news organization .
Yet the extent of the disease ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track , as the California Department of Public Health does not collect data on specific Asian American subgroups .
Statewide , Asian Americans make up about 5 % of coronavirus cases and 11.7 % of deaths , compared to their 15 % of the population .
But experts say the number likely masks higher rates for some groups of Asian Americans , including Filipino Americans .
“ It ’ s horrifying , ” Ceniza Choy said .
“ There ’ s an incredible amount of grief that I have been dealing with , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — this tremendous sense of loss.
” Celia Marcos spent 16 years caring for some of the toughest patients in the telemetry unit of Hollywood Presbyterian in Los Angeles .
After emigrating from the Philippines in 2001 , she started as a nursing assistant and worked her way up to charge nurse at Presbyterian , overseeing high-risk heart attack and stroke patients .
She was infected with COVID-19 in April while intubating a patient who had stopped breathing , equipped with only a surgical mask herself .
Her death two weeks later at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurses , along with a complaint from her union , SEIU Local 121 RN .
But before all that , she was simply really good at her job , said her youngest son , John PaulMarcos , 25 , who lives in Daly City .
His first and second cousins were also nurses , but he never thought of it as a specifically Filipino profession .
His mom just loved taking care of people .
“ I try not to think about her death too much .
It ’ s more just — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was , ” Marcos said .
“ It was just natural for her.
” Filipino nurses have been a fixture in the U.S. health care system since the 1960s , when short-staffed hospitals , particularly in California and New York , began heavily recruiting from the Philippines .
For years , many of these nurses were cut out of lucrative jobs and exploited for wage theft in the U.S. , said Ceniza Choy , a legacy that persists today .
Yet for many Filipino Americans , the nursing tradition remains a cultural linchpin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Isleta ’ s granny flat now sits empty , the family oscillates between prayer and tears .
They still don ’ t know how Isleta got infected , but they suspect it was at work .
Tomambo misses her brother ’ s hugs before heading to the night shift , the silly faces he made at his nephews while doing housework , his carefully perfected lumpia and adobo .
His co-workers called him Kuya Oliver — big brother — just like she did .
After he died , some were so grief-stricken they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Tomambo FaceTimes her brother ’ s wife and son , Matthew , to take turns crying .
Matthew still calls his father ’ s number sometimes just to hear it ring and ring .

Becoming a nurse was the obvious choice for Oliver Isleta.
The economy in the Philippines, his home country, was sluggish, and he wanted to make a better living abroad — without going through civil engineering school all over again. So after studying nursing in the city of Davao, he emigrated to the U.S. in 2006 to take his board exams.
He lived first in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in a dormitory with other Filipino nurses, before moving to Fresno, into the granny flat behind his sister’s house. Twelve-hour night shifts at Community Regional Medical Center left Isleta so tired he could barely walk on days off, but he felt much closer to his colleagues and his faith than he ever had as an engineer.
His salary flowed back overseas to relatives in Davao, where his wife and son Matthew counted down his once-a-year-visits — timed to coincide with Matthew’s April birthday — and hoped to one day to join him in California.
On September 1, that future disappeared, when Isleta died from COVID-19 complications at Community Regional. He had been sick since mid-July and placed on a ventilator. When that didn’t work, he was put on a heart and lung support machine — but by the end of August, that had caused internal brain bleeding.
As his breathing slowed the morning of his death, dozens of co-workers filed down the hallway, waving goodbye through the glass partition of the intensive-care unit. His sister hosted one last Zoom call so family around the world could tell Isleta they loved him. He was 58 years old.
“He will be missed so much,” his sister, Marilou Tomambo, said in an interview. “He had so much life to give, so much joy to share, so much that he deserved, in our minds.”
Isleta’s death illustrates a tragic nationwide trend, as Filipino and Filipino American nurses die from coronavirus at rates far higher than their counterparts in other groups. Nationally, over 30% of the 205 nurses who have died are Filipino American, though the group makes up just 4% of the nursing workforce. In California, where about 20% of nurses identify as Filipino, they account for 11 of the 16 COVID-19 deaths in the profession, or nearly 70%, according to the California Nurses Association.
Among health care workers as a whole, the outsized impact of the virus on Filipino Americans is likely much greater. In California — where more than 39,000 health care workers have contracted COVID-19 and 191 have died — Filipino Americans comprise about 12% of all health care workers and 11% of health care support jobs, like assistants in nursing homes — putting them in vulnerable essential jobs where coronavirus has run rampant and personal protective equipment has been chronically scarce.
While the state does not track coronavirus infections among health care workers by race, Filipino Americans’ overrepresentation on the lower-paid end of the industry suggests that they account for a disproportionate share of cases as well as deaths, said Jeanne Batalova, a senior policy analyst at Migration Policy Institute who researches immigrant workers.
“Death is a good, and unfortunately morbid, representation of the trends that we’d see if we had the data for infections,” Batalova said. “So it is likely that we’re underestimating the extent of morbidity and exposure to COVID that this population faces.”
Even within hospital systems, Filipino American nurses are more likely to work in higher risk roles such as the intensive-care unit, emergency medicine or telemetry — putting them directly in the path of COVID-19, said Catherine Ceniza Choy, a professor of ethnic studies at UC Berkeley whose work has focused on the history of Filipino American nurses.
“Filipino nurses, here specifically in the U.S., are concentrated specifically in in-patient critical care services,” Ceniza Choy said. “Many of them are also caregivers at home, not only of children, but also their parents and other elders. And so part of the problem with the pandemic is these multiple layers of vulnerability and exposure.”
Mark Brown, chief nursing officer at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, has watched those realities collide firsthand. Earlier this year, four Filipino American nursing assistants at Good Sam were working second jobs at a long-term care facility in the area when they all came down with COVID-19.
“They’re [working] full time with me, full time somewhere else, and maybe even part-time somewhere else,” Brown said. Combined with the lesser protections at nursing homes as compared to hospitals, plus the higher likelihood that these workers live in larger households, “it’s a bad recipe” for COVID-19, he said.
Liza Aquino, 48, who emigrated to the U.S. from outside Manila, fell ill in March, soon after a patient on the telemetry floor at Kaiser Fresno, where she works, tested positive for COVID-19. A high fever, chest pain and shortness of breath made it difficult for her to even stand up in the shower.
“Before, I told myself, ‘I’m ready when God takes me.’ But when I had COVID, I was bargaining to God: ‘I’m not ready, yet, to die,'” Aquino said.
For virtually her entire career, Aquino feels she and her Filipino co-workers have been handed the toughest patients. And the hard-earned money needs to stretch — she estimates around 80 percent of her Filipino friends support people outside their nuclear family with hospital wages or live with extended family.
“It’s a way of life for us,” she said. “And I wish it could change.”
Both caring for COVID-19 victims and becoming them has been a one-two punch, several Filipino and Filipino American nurses told this news organization. Yet the extent of the disease’s reach within the community remains difficult to track, as the California Department of Public Health does not collect data on specific Asian American subgroups.
Statewide, Asian Americans make up about 5% of coronavirus cases and 11.7% of deaths, compared to their 15% of the population. But experts say the number likely masks higher rates for some groups of Asian Americans, including Filipino Americans.
“It’s horrifying,” Ceniza Choy said. “There’s an incredible amount of grief that I have been dealing with, but also, Filipino Americans in general — this tremendous sense of loss.”
Celia Marcos spent 16 years caring for some of the toughest patients in the telemetry unit of Hollywood Presbyterian in Los Angeles. After emigrating from the Philippines in 2001, she started as a nursing assistant and worked her way up to charge nurse at Presbyterian, overseeing high-risk heart attack and stroke patients.
She was reportedly infected with COVID-19 in April while intubating a patient who had stopped breathing, equipped with only a surgical mask herself. Her death two weeks later at age 61 triggered an outcry from fellow nurses, along with a complaint from her union, SEIU Local 121 RN.
But before all that, she was simply really good at her job, said her youngest son, John Paul Marcos, 25, who lives in Daly City. His first and second cousins were also nurses, but he never thought of it as a specifically Filipino profession. His mom just loved taking care of people.
“I try not to think about her death too much. It’s more just — how she lived, and who she was,” Marcos said. “It was just natural for her.”
The hospital disputes this version of events, which was also documented in stories by the Los Angeles Times. Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center was recently fined $57,120 by California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, which began investigating the hospital after Marcos’ death. It was one of the largest fines issued to healthcare facilities in the state for failing to keep workers safe from COVID-19 violations, including California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.
In a statement to this news organization, Hollywood Presbyterian said it could not determine that Marcos’ “COVID-19 illness was contracted at work, especially given the ample controls the hospital has in place, including but not limited to personal protective equipment, such as N95 respiratory protective devices, stringent screening of patients and staff, disinfection, ventilation. Meanwhile, COVID-19 was and still is widespread in the community.”
Filipino nurses have been a fixture in the U.S. health care system since the 1960s, when short-staffed hospitals, particularly in California and New York, began heavily recruiting from the Philippines.
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In Fresno, where Isleta’s granny flat now sits empty, the family oscillates between prayer and tears. They still don’t know how Isleta got infected, but they suspect it was at work.
Tomambo misses her brother’s hugs before heading to the night shift, the silly faces he made at his nephews while doing housework, his carefully perfected lumpia and adobo. His co-workers called him Kuya Oliver — big brother — just like she did. After he died, some were so grief-stricken they asked to switch units.
Every day, Tomambo FaceTimes her brother’s wife and son, Matthew, to take turns crying. Matthew still calls his father’s number sometimes just to hear it ring and ring.


mercurynews--2020-10-04--Me & My Car: ’61 Austin-Healey better than new after restoration

Editor ’ s note : David Krumboltz ’ s regular column is on hiatus until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
In its place , we ’ re running some of Dave ’ s favorite past columns .
This one originally ran in September 2017 .
• Me & My Car : 1990 rarity child of Chrysler , Maserati ’ s brief alliance • Me & My Car : 1918 Pierce-Arrow an impressive , elegant machine • Me & My Car : Owner rightly proud of ‘ brand-new ’ ’ 69 Charger • Me & My Car : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not gas mileage Yes , there were men named Herbert Austin and Donald Healey .
One might think the two industrialists got together and agreed to build snazzy sports cars like this issue ’ s 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 .
But that ’ s not the way it happened .
Herbert Austin ’ s first car was built in 1895 , and he later formed the Austin Motor Co. in 1905 .
Austin built all sizes of cars , but to increase market share he introduced smaller cars .
England had laws that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraging smaller cars with smaller engines .
Austin Motor Co. disappeared when they merged with Morris Motors in 1952 to become the British Motor Corp. Click here if you are unable to view the photos on a mobile device .
Donald Healey was into racing and a noted auto designer .
He formed the Donald Healey Motor Co. in 1945 , designing and building expensive , high-quality cars .
After World War II , a lot of U.S. servicemen bought MGs or Jaguars to bring home .
But there was nothing in between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fill , so he started producing midpriced cars back in the 1950s using the Austin power train .
In addition to Austin , Healey also designed the Elliot-Healey , the Nash-Healey and the Jensen-Healey for other auto companies .
Antioch resident Pete Davies had been trying to buy this particular 1961 Austin-Healey for years .
It was owned by one of his parents ’ neighbors in Danville .
It had been the neighbor ’ s and his wife ’ s car through college , and there was a lot of sentimental value there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twice but recovered both times .
“ I found out about it in ’ 85 and went over to ask him about it and told him if he were ever interested in selling it to let me know , ” Davies explained .
“ I would ask him once or twice a year if he were ready to sell it .
Always ‘ no.
’ Meanwhile , the car was sitting outside in the weather deteriorating .
The owner had planned to restore it ‘ someday , ’ but he didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the money.
” Davies kept asking , and finally one day the neighbor said he would sell it .
“ He went in to tell his wife he was going to sell it to me but came out a half-hour later and said he couldn ’ t sell to me .
‘ My wife won ’ t let me , ’ he said .
This went on for several more years , then one day I was talking to his son , who said , ‘ Let me work on this.
’ ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Davies bought the car for $ 3,000 .
Three days after the purchase , Davies showed up with a trailer to pick up the Austin-Healey .
“ It was a mess , ” he said .
“ Thirty years sitting outside .
I opened the trunk , and three rats stood up .
The smell was awful .
It was disgusting .
I brought it home and sat on it for about a year.
” This is Davies ’ hobby .
He has restored eight vehicles , but this one is special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Austin-Healey .
“ I had one out of high school but sold it to a buddy .
About three years later , I got another one but had to sell it for financial reasons ( a baby ) .
I swore I would have another one someday.
” It took him five years to turn a stinking mess into a beautiful car that ’ s now really better than when it was new .
“ Other than the paint and upholstery , I did all the work myself .
I did all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work.
” And he did everything in his home garage .
“ I built a rotisserie , which is a framework that supports the car .
You can lift it up and spin the whole car so you don ’ t have work flat on your back.
” He finished the restoration in February of 2017 .
“ It ’ s all Austin-Healey , ” Davies said .
“ It has a 2900 cc ( cubic-centimeter ) inline six ( -cylinder engine ) .
It ’ s a boat anchor for a motor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ block Chevy V8 .
The horsepower is around 135 , and it has a four-speed manual transmission with an electric overdrive.
” There is a small toggle switch on the dashboard that used to engage the overdrive in either third of fourth gear .
Davies and a friend , James Creston , who makes custom guitars , made the spectacular curly maple wood dash and steering wheel .
“ I just wanted to add a little richness to the car without losing its originality , ” Davies said modestly .
He used the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it looks original but much nicer .
After five years , Davies ’ Austin-Healey is already a show winner .
Painted a rich cranberry red with white leather interior , it ’ s also a head-turner .
His $ 3,000 investment has blossomed to about $ 25,000 , which doesn ’ t include his five years of sweat equity .
He estimates the current market value at more than $ 85,000 , but he has no intention to sell , which pleases his adult daughter , who has her own plan .
Have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at MOBopoly @ yahoo.com .
To view more photos of this and other issues ’ vehicles or to read more of Dave ’ s columns , visit mercurynews.com/author/david-krumboltz .

Editor’s note: David Krumboltz’s regular column is on hiatus until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In its place, we’re running some of Dave’s favorite past columns. This one originally ran in September 2017.
Related Articles Local News | Me & My Car: 1990 rarity child of Chrysler, Maserati’s brief alliance
Me & My Car: 1990 rarity child of Chrysler, Maserati’s brief alliance Local News | Me & My Car: 1918 Pierce-Arrow an impressive, elegant machine
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Me & My Car: Owner rightly proud of ‘brand-new’ ’69 Charger Local News | Me & My Car: ’71 Datsun 510 built for speed, not gas mileage Yes, there were men named Herbert Austin and Donald Healey. One might think the two industrialists got together and agreed to build snazzy sports cars like this issue’s 1961 Austin-Healey 3000. But that’s not the way it happened. Herbert Austin’s first car was built in 1895, and he later formed the Austin Motor Co. in 1905. Austin built all sizes of cars, but to increase market share he introduced smaller cars. England had laws that taxed car owners by engine size, encouraging smaller cars with smaller engines. Austin Motor Co. disappeared when they merged with Morris Motors in 1952 to become the British Motor Corp.
Antioch resident Pete Davies shows his 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 Mark I. (Photo by David Krumboltz)
The interior of the 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 Mark I. (Photo by David Krumboltz)
The engine in the 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 Mark I. (Photo by David Krumboltz)
Interior of the 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 Mark I. (Photo by David Krumboltz)
The 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 Mark I. (Photo by David Krumboltz)
The 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 Mark I. (Photo by David Krumboltz)
Click here if you are unable to view the photos on a mobile device.
Donald Healey was into racing and a noted auto designer. He formed the Donald Healey Motor Co. in 1945, designing and building expensive, high-quality cars. After World War II, a lot of U.S. servicemen bought MGs or Jaguars to bring home. But there was nothing in between. Donald Healey saw a niche to fill, so he started producing midpriced cars back in the 1950s using the Austin power train. In addition to Austin, Healey also designed the Elliot-Healey, the Nash-Healey and the Jensen-Healey for other auto companies.
Antioch resident Pete Davies had been trying to buy this particular 1961 Austin-Healey for years. It was owned by one of his parents’ neighbors in Danville. It had been the neighbor’s and his wife’s car through college, and there was a lot of sentimental value there. It had been stolen from him twice but recovered both times.
“I found out about it in ’85 and went over to ask him about it and told him if he were ever interested in selling it to let me know,” Davies explained. “I would ask him once or twice a year if he were ready to sell it. Always ‘no.’ Meanwhile, the car was sitting outside in the weather deteriorating. The owner had planned to restore it ‘someday,’ but he didn’t have the knowledge, the facilities or the money.”
Davies kept asking, and finally one day the neighbor said he would sell it.
“He went in to tell his wife he was going to sell it to me but came out a half-hour later and said he couldn’t sell to me. ‘My wife won’t let me,’ he said. This went on for several more years, then one day I was talking to his son, who said, ‘Let me work on this.’ ”
About two months later, in 2011, Davies bought the car for $3,000. Three days after the purchase, Davies showed up with a trailer to pick up the Austin-Healey.
“It was a mess,” he said. “Thirty years sitting outside. I opened the trunk, and three rats stood up. The smell was awful. It was disgusting. I brought it home and sat on it for about a year.”
This is Davies’ hobby. He has restored eight vehicles, but this one is special. He too had some sentimental attachment to Austin-Healey.
“I had one out of high school but sold it to a buddy. About three years later, I got another one but had to sell it for financial reasons (a baby). I swore I would have another one someday.”
It took him five years to turn a stinking mess into a beautiful car that’s now really better than when it was new.
“Other than the paint and upholstery, I did all the work myself. I did all the metal work and all the mechanical work.”
And he did everything in his home garage.
“I built a rotisserie, which is a framework that supports the car. You can lift it up and spin the whole car so you don’t have work flat on your back.” He finished the restoration in February of 2017.
“It’s all Austin-Healey,” Davies said. “It has a 2900 cc (cubic-centimeter) inline six (-cylinder engine). It’s a boat anchor for a motor, it weighs more than a small block Chevy V8. The horsepower is around 135, and it has a four-speed manual transmission with an electric overdrive.”
There is a small toggle switch on the dashboard that used to engage the overdrive in either third of fourth gear. Davies and a friend, James Creston, who makes custom guitars, made the spectacular curly maple wood dash and steering wheel.
“I just wanted to add a little richness to the car without losing its originality,” Davies said modestly.
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Me & My Car: ’61 Lincoln in East Bay said one of under 200 on road today Local News | Me & My Car: Replica ’34 Ford roadster a joy ride for its Bay Area owner He used the standard Austin-Healey gauges and switches so that it looks original but much nicer. After five years, Davies’ Austin-Healey is already a show winner. Painted a rich cranberry red with white leather interior, it’s also a head-turner. His $3,000 investment has blossomed to about $25,000, which doesn’t include his five years of sweat equity. He estimates the current market value at more than $85,000, but he has no intention to sell, which pleases his adult daughter, who has her own plan.
Have an interesting vehicle? Contact David Krumboltz at MOBopoly@yahoo.com. To view more photos of this and other issues’ vehicles or to read more of Dave’s columns, visit mercurynews.com/author/david-krumboltz.


mercurynews--2020-10-04--Horoscopes Oct. 4, 2020: Christoph Waltz, the right moves will enhance your life

Happy Birthday : Put an end to any problems you face at home , or make adjustments that encourage better relationships with the people who live with you .
Sort out money matters and shared expenses .
Revamping the way things have been will help bring new life to your domestic situation .
Better times are just around the corner .
The right moves will enhance your life .
Your numbers are 8 , 11 , 25 , 29 , 32 , 41 , 44 .
ARIES ( March 21-April 19 ) : Spend more time on personal gains and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing .
Gather information , and consider what you want to do with the rest of your life .
Pick up skills and whatever else it takes to encourage positive results .
3 stars TAURUS ( April 20-May 20 ) : You can pick and choose what you want if you go about your business and finish what you start .
Positive results will transpire if you share your feelings with someone special .
You can make plans .
A quiet celebration will enhance your relationship .
3 stars GEMINI ( May 21-June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your secrets or personal information about others .
Interfering in someone ’ s life will jeopardize your relationship .
Make changes that will encourage you to take better care of your health and well-being .
Tidy up unfinished business .
3 stars CANCER ( June 21-July 22 ) : Personal improvements will fetch compliments and lead to greater interest in what you have planned for the future .
Join forces with someone who shares your beliefs and opinions , and together you will make a difference .
Romance is on the rise .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) : Say less and do more .
Concentrate on new ways to bring in more cash .
A practical approach to life , love and happiness will bring the best results .
Too much of anything will be costly financially , emotionally and physically .
2 stars VIRGO ( Aug. 23-Sept. 22 ) : Make personal changes that encourage you to live healthily , grow emotionally and intellectually , and love unconditionally .
Strive for new beginnings ; opportunities and stability will follow .
Don ’ t let what others do annoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 stars LIBRA ( Sept. 23-Oct. 22 ) : Home improvements will help bring you closer to the ones you love .
Refuse to get angry if someone tries to coerce you into a debate .
Be smart ; keep the peace .
A change to the way you handle money will pay off .
3 stars SCORPIO ( Oct. 23-Nov. 21 ) : A change looks auspicious .
Discuss what you want to do with someone you love .
The input you receive will help you put together an ambitious plan that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of your relationship with someone special .
3 stars SAGITTARIUS ( Nov. 22-Dec. 21 ) : Keep an open mind , but don ’ t let anyone lure you into something questionable .
Look inward , focus on what you can do to improve your look , health , well-being and personal life .
Romance will enhance your relationship with someone special .
3 stars CAPRICORN ( Dec. 22-Jan. 19 ) : You ’ ll develop some good ideas that will gain respect and support if shared with loved ones .
A change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better than anticipated .
A move will bring you peace of mind .
Romance is favored .
5 stars AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18 ) : Reflect , and you will recognize what ’ s best for you now .
Don ’ t feel you have to get involved in someone else ’ s venture .
Make your health and financial plans priorities .
Focus on saving and investing in your ideas , not someone else ’ s .
2 stars PISCES ( Feb. 19-March 20 ) : Take the initiative to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and make changes to what ’ s no longer benefiting you .
Personal improvements will lead to opportunities that will put more money in your hands .
Romance is in the stars .
4 stars Birthday Baby : You are enthusiastic , creative and secretive .
You are diligent and loyal .

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Ella Balinska, 24; Alicia Silverstone, 44; Christoph Waltz, 64; Susan Sarandon, 74.
Happy Birthday: Put an end to any problems you face at home, or make adjustments that encourage better relationships with the people who live with you. Sort out money matters and shared expenses. Revamping the way things have been will help bring new life to your domestic situation. Better times are just around the corner. The right moves will enhance your life. Your numbers are 8, 11, 25, 29, 32, 41, 44.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Spend more time on personal gains and less time worrying about what others are doing. Gather information, and consider what you want to do with the rest of your life. Pick up skills and whatever else it takes to encourage positive results. 3 stars
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You can pick and choose what you want if you go about your business and finish what you start. Positive results will transpire if you share your feelings with someone special. You can make plans. A quiet celebration will enhance your relationship. 3 stars
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t share your secrets or personal information about others. Interfering in someone’s life will jeopardize your relationship. Make changes that will encourage you to take better care of your health and well-being. Tidy up unfinished business. 3 stars
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Personal improvements will fetch compliments and lead to greater interest in what you have planned for the future. Join forces with someone who shares your beliefs and opinions, and together you will make a difference. Romance is on the rise. 4 stars
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Say less and do more. Concentrate on new ways to bring in more cash. A practical approach to life, love and happiness will bring the best results. Too much of anything will be costly financially, emotionally and physically. 2 stars
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Make personal changes that encourage you to live healthily, grow emotionally and intellectually, and love unconditionally. Strive for new beginnings; opportunities and stability will follow. Don’t let what others do annoy you. Choose love over discord. 5 stars
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Home improvements will help bring you closer to the ones you love. Refuse to get angry if someone tries to coerce you into a debate. Be smart; keep the peace. A change to the way you handle money will pay off. 3 stars
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A change looks auspicious. Discuss what you want to do with someone you love. The input you receive will help you put together an ambitious plan that will be satisfying and change the dynamics of your relationship with someone special. 3 stars
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Keep an open mind, but don’t let anyone lure you into something questionable. Look inward, focus on what you can do to improve your look, health, well-being and personal life. Romance will enhance your relationship with someone special. 3 stars
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’ll develop some good ideas that will gain respect and support if shared with loved ones. A change of plans will turn out to be better than anticipated. A move will bring you peace of mind. Romance is favored. 5 stars
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Reflect, and you will recognize what’s best for you now. Don’t feel you have to get involved in someone else’s venture. Make your health and financial plans priorities. Focus on saving and investing in your ideas, not someone else’s. 2 stars
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take the initiative to make things happen. Explore what interests you, and make changes to what’s no longer benefiting you. Personal improvements will lead to opportunities that will put more money in your hands. Romance is in the stars. 4 stars
Birthday Baby: You are enthusiastic, creative and secretive. You are diligent and loyal.
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