mercurynews--2020-08-05--California GOP consultant rues ‘big mistake’ that led to family’s COVID infections

SACRAMENTO — The tweet Richard Costigan posted July 23 was bluntly honest : “ We tried our best to limit exposure to # COVID19 but we slipped up somewhere.
” Costigan tweeted while waiting anxiously in the parking lot of a hospital outside Sacramento .
The veteran Republican political consultant had just dropped his wife , Gloria , off at the emergency room .
He wasn ’ t allowed to go in with her .
His thoughts traveled back to the small family gathering they had attended in Georgia nearly two weeks before with their 23-year-old daughter , Emma , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had planned it so carefully .
Nobody wanted to get Gloria ’ s 88-year-old mother sick .
But here they were , Costigan ’ s wife battling for breath in the ER , and Costigan sitting in his car coughing .
The family ’ s journey since then has been one of sleeplessness , pain and worry about the future .
And it ’ s one that Costigan , who worked as deputy chief of staff for Republican Gov .
Arnold Schwarzenegger , is taking to social media and his 4,400 Twitter followers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , doesn ’ t think he and Gloria , 53 , contracted the virus on their separate flights to Georgia , where the family owns a home .
The flights were nearly empty and the passengers and crew wore masks , he said .
In Georgia , the family continued its regimen of social distancing and wore masks whenever they left the house — protocols they had followed for months at home in California .
And when they gathered with their relatives on that sunny Saturday in July , they were careful to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the backyard .
But they didn ’ t wear masks , he said , and family members went in and out of the house to grab drinks and use the restroom .
“ We thought we ’ d done everything right , and we screwed up , ” Costigan said in a July 29 phone interview .
“ We made a big mistake.
” Now seven of the 10 family members who attended that backyard gathering are sick .
Emma and Andrew don ’ t have any symptoms but haven ’ t been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group is unclear .
No one showed signs of sickness at the time .
The first person to become sick was Gloria ’ s sister , then her niece — then her mom .
Gloria Costigan became sick after they returned to Sacramento , spent a night in the hospital , needed an oxygen machine at home and developed COVID-related pneumonia .
By Saturday , however , she no longer needed supplemental oxygen .
Costigan ’ s reputation as a straight shooter , respected and liked by both Democrats and Republicans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Barbara O ’ Connor , emeritus director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and Media at California State University-Sacramento .
“ I think that Richard is being very honest about what ’ s going on , ” said O ’ Connor , who has known Costigan for decades .
“ It ’ s not political .
It ’ s really human.
” Lawmakers who have responded on Twitter with messages of support include state Controller Betty Yee , and state Sens .
Richard Bloom and Steve Glazer , all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , a physician who chairs the Senate Health Committee , has texted well wishes to Costigan .
For his followers , Costigan ’ s chronicles of the virus remain grim .
“ I can ’ t go very far without needing to lay down , ” he wrote in a July 25 tweet .
“ Been sleeping constantly last two days and the joint pain is intense.
” In another tweet two days later , the symptoms were the same : Gloria ’ s 88-year-old mom is at home with a cough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California Healthline about his family ’ s disease odyssey and what he hopes people will take away from his COVID-19 Twitter chronicles .
The interview has been edited for length and clarity .
Q : You have tweeted in such detail about the horrible symptoms you experienced .
How do you feel now ?
My ribs just hurt with the coughing and the fatigue , and my joints hurt .
I have the sweats and vivid dreams .
I sleep on the floor because it ’ s more comfortable than the bed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of bricks .
It ’ s also the nervousness of it .
How long is it going to last ?
Who are we going to expose to it ?
I just don ’ t know what the end game is .
Q : What is it like at your house now ?
I wear a mask inside , Gloria wears a mask inside , and Andrew wears a mask .
Gloria is sleeping in Emma ’ s old bedroom , I ’ m in our bedroom , and Andrew stays upstairs .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see the spit come out .
I ’ m worried about getting pneumonia .
That ’ s something I ’ m worried about giving to my kid .
It ’ s not just COVID .
Our daughter can only stand on our front porch .
She delivers food to us .
She puts it by the door , rings the bell and stands 6 feet back .
Q : You suspect you got COVID from the family gathering in Georgia .
How do you trace it to that event ?
When we looked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we were trying to figure it out .
It started with my sister-in-law getting sick .
Out of 10 of us , seven of us are sick .
We never thought of our family being the one to harm us .
Sometimes , you can ’ t control your anger .
You want to be mad at someone .
Gloria and I just decided we ’ re not going to blame anyone .
We just don ’ t know who had it .
Q : How has this experience been so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been a bizarre week .
I went to Kaiser Thursday night .
You drop your significant other off .
You can ’ t go in .
Off they go to the tented area and I wait in the parking lot .
She is admitted .
Her oxygen levels are low .
She gets a CT , she gets a shot in her stomach for possible blood clots .
She gets out Friday and they send oxygen tanks to your house .
… She ’ s in her early 50s and doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ otherwise ] .
Saturday , my son is doubling over in pain .
I end up in the ER with my son , and I start coughing .
I ’ m getting the side eye from everyone .
Thankfully , he had a kidney stone .
Q : What kind of precautions have you and your family taken these past few months ?
• Coronavirus : Travis Benjamin is first 49ers player to opt out of 2020 • Questions raised after big surprise for Kodak , its stock We hadn ’ t been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stay home .
Work from home .
No school .
Going to the store was extremely stressful .
You go to the store , mask up , glove up , you bleach your shoes when you come home , spray down your car , wash your hands , use a towel to dry your hands , the towel goes straight into the washing machine .
Our son got frustrated with us because we wouldn ’ t let him see his friends .
He saw photos of friends of his partying at Folsom Lake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Q : In posts on social media , you are asking people to wear a mask .
Why do you think it ’ s become a political issue ?
I ’ ve been taking flak from friends of mine because I ’ ve been posting “ wear a mask.
” Wearing a mask — somehow it has become a freedom issue .
It ’ s not a grand conspiracy .
Wearing a mask is a simple thing to do to prevent someone else from getting sick .
I do not understand how this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government has a role to play .
This is a health care crisis .
Q : How do you move forward in this pandemic ?
We ’ re locking down .
Nobody is coming into our circle .
I don ’ t want it again .
To see my wife this way is hard .
I want folks to realize this thing is non-discriminatory .
It doesn ’ t matter who you are .

SACRAMENTO — The tweet Richard Costigan posted July 23 was bluntly honest: “We tried our best to limit exposure to #COVID19 but we slipped up somewhere.”
Costigan tweeted while waiting anxiously in the parking lot of a hospital outside Sacramento. The veteran Republican political consultant had just dropped his wife, Gloria, off at the emergency room. He wasn’t allowed to go in with her.
🙏 needed 🚨! My wife is in the #ER as she can’t catch her breath. She has been having severe coughing fits that won’t stop. We tried our best to limit exposure to #COVID19 but we slipped up somewhere. I am coughing as well. This🦠 is nasty. I am waiting in parking lot. — Richard Costigan (@richardcostigan) July 24, 2020
His thoughts traveled back to the small family gathering they had attended in Georgia nearly two weeks before with their 23-year-old daughter, Emma, and 17-year-old son, Andrew. They had planned it so carefully. Nobody wanted to get Gloria’s 88-year-old mother sick.
But here they were, Costigan’s wife battling for breath in the ER, and Costigan sitting in his car coughing.
The family’s journey since then has been one of sleeplessness, pain and worry about the future. And it’s one that Costigan, who worked as deputy chief of staff for Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, is taking to social media and his 4,400 Twitter followers.
And our night continues to get worse – now I can’t stop coughing. I am going to need to leave Andrew in the room. #COVIDー19 is insidious – it’s like it knows you are stressed and scared and then decides what can it do to pile on. When we got here – I was fine. — Richard Costigan (@richardcostigan) July 26, 2020
Looking back, Costigan, 54, doesn’t think he and Gloria, 53, contracted the virus on their separate flights to Georgia, where the family owns a home. The flights were nearly empty and the passengers and crew wore masks, he said.
In Georgia, the family continued its regimen of social distancing and wore masks whenever they left the house — protocols they had followed for months at home in California. And when they gathered with their relatives on that sunny Saturday in July, they were careful to space the chairs 6 feet apart in the backyard.
But they didn’t wear masks, he said, and family members went in and out of the house to grab drinks and use the restroom. “We thought we’d done everything right, and we screwed up,” Costigan said in a July 29 phone interview. “We made a big mistake.”
Now seven of the 10 family members who attended that backyard gathering are sick. Emma and Andrew don’t have any symptoms but haven’t been tested. Exactly who introduced COVID-19 to the group is unclear. No one showed signs of sickness at the time. The first person to become sick was Gloria’s sister, then her niece — then her mom.
Gloria Costigan became sick after they returned to Sacramento, spent a night in the hospital, needed an oxygen machine at home and developed COVID-related pneumonia. By Saturday, however, she no longer needed supplemental oxygen.
Folks please #MaskUp #practicesocialdistancing #StayHome – you cannot get complacent. This 🦠 just needs one small opening and 💥- as of right now half of our family has it. It is scary. Every time I cough now I worry. I can’t see my wife in the hospital. — Richard Costigan (@richardcostigan) July 24, 2020
Costigan’s reputation as a straight shooter, respected and liked by both Democrats and Republicans, could help change minds about the virus, said Barbara O’Connor, emeritus director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and Media at California State University-Sacramento.
“I think that Richard is being very honest about what’s going on,” said O’Connor, who has known Costigan for decades. “It’s not political. It’s really human.”
Lawmakers who have responded on Twitter with messages of support include state Controller Betty Yee, and state Sens. Richard Bloom and Steve Glazer, all Democrats. Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), a physician who chairs the Senate Health Committee, has texted well wishes to Costigan.
For his followers, Costigan’s chronicles of the virus remain grim.
“I can’t go very far without needing to lay down,” he wrote in a July 25 tweet. “Been sleeping constantly last two days and the joint pain is intense.”
In another tweet two days later, the symptoms were the same:
#Coughing continues, joints ache. All I want to do is lay on the floor and sleep. I have a complete lack of energy. Every time I try to take a deep breath, I start coughing. I just don’t want to move. My wife’s O2 levels are still low even with machine. — Richard Costigan (@richardcostigan) July 27, 2020
Gloria’s 88-year-old mom is at home with a cough, he said.
Costigan talked to California Healthline about his family’s disease odyssey and what he hopes people will take away from his COVID-19 Twitter chronicles. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: You have tweeted in such detail about the horrible symptoms you experienced. How do you feel now?
My ribs just hurt with the coughing and the fatigue, and my joints hurt. I have the sweats and vivid dreams. I sleep on the floor because it’s more comfortable than the bed.
This thing just hits like a ton of bricks. It’s also the nervousness of it. How long is it going to last? Who are we going to expose to it? I just don’t know what the end game is.
Q: What is it like at your house now?
I wear a mask inside, Gloria wears a mask inside, and Andrew wears a mask. Gloria is sleeping in Emma’s old bedroom, I’m in our bedroom, and Andrew stays upstairs. When I’m hacking, you can see the spit come out. I’m worried about getting pneumonia. That’s something I’m worried about giving to my kid. It’s not just COVID.
Our daughter can only stand on our front porch. She delivers food to us. She puts it by the door, rings the bell and stands 6 feet back.
Q: You suspect you got COVID from the family gathering in Georgia. How do you trace it to that event?
When we looked at everybody that was at the gathering, we were trying to figure it out. It started with my sister-in-law getting sick. Out of 10 of us, seven of us are sick.
We never thought of our family being the one to harm us. Sometimes, you can’t control your anger. You want to be mad at someone. Gloria and I just decided we’re not going to blame anyone. We just don’t know who had it.
Q: How has this experience been so far for you and your family?
It’s been a bizarre week. I went to Kaiser Thursday night. You drop your significant other off. You can’t go in. Off they go to the tented area and I wait in the parking lot. She is admitted. Her oxygen levels are low. She gets a CT, she gets a shot in her stomach for possible blood clots. She gets out Friday and they send oxygen tanks to your house. … She’s in her early 50s and doesn’t have any health issues [otherwise].
Saturday, my son is doubling over in pain. I end up in the ER with my son, and I start coughing. I’m getting the side eye from everyone. Thankfully, he had a kidney stone.
Q: What kind of precautions have you and your family taken these past few months?
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Health | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge We hadn’t been anywhere for months. It was: Stay home. Work from home. No school.
Going to the store was extremely stressful. You go to the store, mask up, glove up, you bleach your shoes when you come home, spray down your car, wash your hands, use a towel to dry your hands, the towel goes straight into the washing machine.
Our son got frustrated with us because we wouldn’t let him see his friends. He saw photos of friends of his partying at Folsom Lake. We were the hardcore parents.
Q: In posts on social media, you are asking people to wear a mask. Why do you think it’s become a political issue?
I’ve been taking flak from friends of mine because I’ve been posting “wear a mask.” Wearing a mask — somehow it has become a freedom issue. It’s not a grand conspiracy. Wearing a mask is a simple thing to do to prevent someone else from getting sick. I do not understand how this has turned into a political issue. The government has a role to play. This is a health care crisis.
Q: How do you move forward in this pandemic?
We’re locking down. Nobody is coming into our circle. I don’t want it again. To see my wife this way is hard.
I want folks to realize this thing is non-discriminatory. It doesn’t matter who you are.


mercurynews--2020-08-05--Coronavirus: Flouting masking rules, health orders now an infraction in Santa Cruz County

SANTA CRUZ — Violating masking rules and other pandemic-related restrictions is now an infraction in Santa Cruz County — punishable by fines starting at $ 100 .
Billed as a less severe sanction for those flouting COVID-19 health orders , the infraction was adopted under an emergency ordinance unanimously approved by county supervisors Tuesday .
Because it was passed as an emergency ordinance , it immediately took effect in unincorporated areas of the county .
Violating health orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic is also a misdemeanor offense under California ’ s health code , carrying heftier penalties up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in prison .
By creating an infraction with lower fines , law and code enforcement officers would have more flexibility to enforce the rules with less severe penalties , according to a recommendation from county staff .
“ This is an ordinance designed to put a new tool in our tool basket , ” said County Counsel Jason Heath , comparing the infraction to a traffic ticket .
“ Of course , nobody wants to issue tickets , ” Heath added .
“ What we want to do is obtain voluntary compliance by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But if folks aren ’ t willing to go there with us , we have to have some kind of ability to have an enforcement mechanism.
” Use of face-coverings in shared indoor settings and other higher-risk situations has been required in Santa Cruz County since April 24 , and across California since June 18 .
Children ages 2 and under are exempt , and should never wear masks for their own safety .
Face-coverings are required while inside or waiting to enter any business , in any professional face-to-face interaction , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ present that do not live in the same household who can not maintain more than 6 feet of separation — even outdoors .
Critics of the county ’ s new infraction railed against it — and masking rules in general — in at-times rowdy public comments prior to Tuesday ’ s vote .
Some raised constitutional concerns , or questioned the scientific evidence around the efficacy of masks .
At least two speakers tore off their masks in dramatic fashion as they addressed supervisors , prompting admonitions and a warning that the board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect staff .
“ This mask mandate will effectively turn me into a criminal because I refuse to comply with an unconstitutional law that does not make sense , that is not justifiable , that is full of contradictions and holes , that destroys my uniqueness , my individuality , my humanity , and symbolizes censorship and silence , ” said Lara Bezich , a tech entrepreneur and Capitola resident .
Her microphone was cut soon after as Bezich tore her mask from her face .
Santa Cruz County ’ s infraction can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or through a code enforcement process , with fines set at $ 100 for the first violation and increasing to $ 200 and then $ 500 for additional citations within the same year .
A comparable infraction has been in place in the city of Santa Cruz since May 26 .
In Watsonville , the city manager issued an executive order Monday creating its own infraction for violating the state and county ’ s respective COVID-19 restrictions , which will go before the City Council for confirmation Aug. 25 , according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region , San Mateo County supervisors were considering a similar infraction Tuesday — a form of which is already in place in counties including Contra Costa , Marin and Napa , though fines for business violations can range much higher in some of those jurisdictions .
The Santa Cruz Police Department has issued at least 124 health-order related infraction citations and 232 misdemeanor citations since March , according to data provided by the department .
• Coronavirus : Travis Benjamin is first 49ers player to opt out of 2020 • Questions raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stock “ Our approach for officers is to educate first , and generally just having a conversation with people has brought about compliance — they ’ re mostly successful with that , ” said police spokeswoman Joyce Blaschke .
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff ’ s Office has issued more than 500 citations for violating those health orders since the start of shelter-in-place in mid-March , according to spokeswoman Ashley Keehn .
“ This has been a rapidly changing situation , so deputies have been focusing on educating individuals on the most up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Keehn said in an email .
“ In most contacts they ’ ve had , individuals understand and comply and that is still what we are focusing on.
” For more detailed information about masking requirements and other restrictions , see santacruzhealth.org/coronavirus , call 831-454-4242 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily , call 211 , or text “ covid19 ” to 211211 .

SANTA CRUZ — Violating masking rules and other pandemic-related restrictions is now an infraction in Santa Cruz County — punishable by fines starting at $100.
Billed as a less severe sanction for those flouting COVID-19 health orders, the infraction was adopted under an emergency ordinance unanimously approved by county supervisors Tuesday. Because it was passed as an emergency ordinance, it immediately took effect in unincorporated areas of the county.
Violating health orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic is also a misdemeanor offense under California’s health code, carrying heftier penalties up to a $1,000 fine and six months in prison.
By creating an infraction with lower fines, law and code enforcement officers would have more flexibility to enforce the rules with less severe penalties, according to a recommendation from county staff.
“This is an ordinance designed to put a new tool in our tool basket,” said County Counsel Jason Heath, comparing the infraction to a traffic ticket.
“Of course, nobody wants to issue tickets,” Heath added. “What we want to do is obtain voluntary compliance by educating people and asking for their cooperation. But if folks aren’t willing to go there with us, we have to have some kind of ability to have an enforcement mechanism.”
Use of face-coverings in shared indoor settings and other higher-risk situations has been required in Santa Cruz County since April 24, and across California since June 18. Children ages 2 and under are exempt, and should never wear masks for their own safety.
Face-coverings are required while inside or waiting to enter any business, in any professional face-to-face interaction, and in any setting where people are present that do not live in the same household who cannot maintain more than 6 feet of separation — even outdoors.
Critics of the county’s new infraction railed against it — and masking rules in general — in at-times rowdy public comments prior to Tuesday’s vote. Some raised constitutional concerns, or questioned the scientific evidence around the efficacy of masks.
At least two speakers tore off their masks in dramatic fashion as they addressed supervisors, prompting admonitions and a warning that the board chamber would be cleared if necessary to protect staff.
“This mask mandate will effectively turn me into a criminal because I refuse to comply with an unconstitutional law that does not make sense, that is not justifiable, that is full of contradictions and holes, that destroys my uniqueness, my individuality, my humanity, and symbolizes censorship and silence,” said Lara Bezich, a tech entrepreneur and Capitola resident.
Her microphone was cut soon after as Bezich tore her mask from her face.
Santa Cruz County’s infraction can be enforced by Sheriff’s deputies or through a code enforcement process, with fines set at $100 for the first violation and increasing to $200 and then $500 for additional citations within the same year.
A comparable infraction has been in place in the city of Santa Cruz since May 26. In Watsonville, the city manager issued an executive order Monday creating its own infraction for violating the state and county’s respective COVID-19 restrictions, which will go before the City Council for confirmation Aug. 25, according to the city’s clerk.
Elsewhere in the region, San Mateo County supervisors were considering a similar infraction Tuesday — a form of which is already in place in counties including Contra Costa, Marin and Napa, though fines for business violations can range much higher in some of those jurisdictions.
The Santa Cruz Police Department has issued at least 124 health-order related infraction citations and 232 misdemeanor citations since March, according to data provided by the department.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Health | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge “Our approach for officers is to educate first, and generally just having a conversation with people has brought about compliance — they’re mostly successful with that,” said police spokeswoman Joyce Blaschke.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office has issued more than 500 citations for violating those health orders since the start of shelter-in-place in mid-March, according to spokeswoman Ashley Keehn.
“This has been a rapidly changing situation, so deputies have been focusing on educating individuals on the most up to date rules when they encounter them,” Keehn said in an email. “In most contacts they’ve had, individuals understand and comply and that is still what we are focusing on.”
For more detailed information about masking requirements and other restrictions, see santacruzhealth.org/coronavirus, call 831-454-4242 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, call 211, or text “covid19” to 211211.


mercurynews--2020-08-05--Mandate diversity? California bill would ban all-white corporate boards

More than 600 publicly held companies with California headquarters would be required to have at least one person of color serving on their corporate boards by the end of 2021 under the legislation introduced by Assemblymembers Chris Holden , a Pasadena Democrat , and Cristina Garcia , a Bell Gardens Democrat .
Holden said many corporations need to be prodded into racially diversifying their boards .
“ This is the time to do something bold , ” he said .
People of color “ need to have the same access as those who have benefitted for so long , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19.5 % of board members of Fortune 100 companies are people of color , according to a 2018 report by the Alliance for Diversity .
In California , many large corporations — including Disney , Apple , Intel , Tesla , Oracle , Chevron , Facebook , Wells Fargo , Cisco Systems and Alphabet Inc. , the parent company of Google — already have at least one person of color on their boards .
But some , like Corona-based Monster Beverage Corp. and Chegg Inc. in the Bay Area , have all-white board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , would be the first in the nation to mandate the racial makeup of corporate boards .
Last year , Illinois considered a bill that would have required companies based there to have a woman , Latino and a Black person on their boards , but instead only required them to report the gender , race and ethnicity of the members .
California ’ s bill , AB 979 , faces its next hurdle Aug. 13 in the Senate Banking and Financial Institutions committee .
The Legislature has until Aug. 31 to pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers back for a special session .
The California Chamber of Commerce and the California Manufacturers & Technology Association declined to comment on the bill .
Both opposed California ’ s 2018 gender diversity bill , SB 826 .
Opponents say the diversity bill will trigger legal challenges , just as the law mandating female corporate directors did .
“ The Legislature seems intent to make the same mistake again , ” said Michael Bekesha , a senior attorney with Judicial Watch .
Judicial Watch challenged the gender diversity law as unconstitutional on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California Secretary of State aimed to have the lawsuit thrown out but a court ruled in favor of Judicial Watch and the case will go to trial sometime next year , Bekesha said .
When Gov .
Jerry Brown signed the bill into law that required corporations to include women on boards , “ he was aware that there would be concerns that the law was unconstitutional and I think you ’ ll see similar statements playing out as this new bill progresses , ” Bekesha said .
Some opponents say such laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation , which also challenged the gender diversity law in court , said that race and sex-based laws “ very often can harm the very people they intend to help.
” “ It relegates women to quota hires , ” Boden said .
“ Women will now be seen as being hired simply because of the government mandate rather than because of their qualifications and achievements when they may have even been hired without the quota.
” The diversity bill defines underrepresented communities as people who self-identify as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latino , Asian , Pacific Islander , Native American , Native Hawaiian or Alaska Native .
The requirements would ramp up in 2022 .
For corporations with nine or more directors , at least three directors must be people of color by the end of 2022 , and corporations with between five and eight directors must have at least two .
Companies would be fined $ 100,000 if they don ’ t comply .
Supporters say the new diversity bill is sorely needed because racism is widespread .
“ What COVID has revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different ethnic groups or racial groups , ” said Maeve Richard , a former assistant dean at Stanford ’ s Graduate School of Business .
“ And so the post-COVID answer is we need to do something about it.
” Richard said some companies rely heavily on their social network , which often leads to a predominantly white board of directors .
Companies , she said , should use objective criteria to ensure their boards have qualified and diverse members , adding that government can play a role in creating a more equal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed over the years .
Maria Contreras-Sweet , administrator of the Small Business Administration from 2014 to 2017 , served on the U. S. Department of Labor ’ s Glass Ceiling Commission , which was formed in 1991 .
She said she sees some of the same problems still persisting now .
While she sees progress , she recognizes how slow it ’ s been .
“ I definitely think that these times have brought a greater awareness and more conversations in boardrooms about maybe unconscious bias that may exist , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conversations .
It ’ s a journey , it ’ s not like you turn on a switch and all of a sudden people are enlightened.
” The Latino Corporate Directors Association reported that 86 % of California-based public companies have no Latinos on their boards even though Latinos represent 39 % of the state .
The organization has not taken a formal position on the bill .
• Palo Alto : Council approves pilot that would open exclusive Foothills Park to nonresidents • Skinner : California police need to come clean on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rule ’ to help diversity hiring in athletics “ This moment feels a lot different from other moments , that ’ s why I ’ m going to say I ’ m hopeful , ” said Linda Akutagawa , the CEO of LEAP , a nonprofit which aims to cultivate Asian and Pacific Islander leadership .
“ But despite the kind of change that we ’ re going through right now , I don ’ t think this is going to change as quickly as maybe advocates and activists want to see.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with ethnically diverse executive teams are 33 % more likely to outperform companies with less diverse teams on profitability , according to 2017 data .
Even though diversifying a company can improve the bottom line , Akutagawa explained why change has been slow : “ People with power do not give up power that easily , ” she said .
“ And corporate boards have power.
” CalMatters is a nonpartisan , nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining how California ’ s state Capitol works and why it matters .

All-white corporate boards would be prohibited in California under a bill in the Legislature that follows in the footsteps of a controversial law that mandated women in corporate boardrooms.
More than 600 publicly held companies with California headquarters would be required to have at least one person of color serving on their corporate boards by the end of 2021 under the legislation introduced by Assemblymembers Chris Holden, a Pasadena Democrat, and Cristina Garcia, a Bell Gardens Democrat.
Holden said many corporations need to be prodded into racially diversifying their boards.
“This is the time to do something bold,” he said. People of color “need to have the same access as those who have benefitted for so long, and the time is now.”
Nationally, 19.5% of board members of Fortune 100 companies are people of color, according to a 2018 report by the Alliance for Diversity.
In California, many large corporations — including Disney, Apple, Intel, Tesla, Oracle, Chevron, Facebook, Wells Fargo, Cisco Systems and Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google — already have at least one person of color on their boards. But some, like Corona-based Monster Beverage Corp. and Chegg Inc. in the Bay Area, have all-white board members.
The law, if enacted, would be the first in the nation to mandate the racial makeup of corporate boards. Last year, Illinois considered a bill that would have required companies based there to have a woman, Latino and a Black person on their boards, but instead only required them to report the gender, race and ethnicity of the members.
California’s bill, AB 979, faces its next hurdle Aug. 13 in the Senate Banking and Financial Institutions committee. The Legislature has until Aug. 31 to pass bills unless Gov. Gavin Newsom calls lawmakers back for a special session.
The California Chamber of Commerce and the California Manufacturers & Technology Association declined to comment on the bill. Both opposed California’s 2018 gender diversity bill, SB 826.
Opponents say the diversity bill will trigger legal challenges, just as the law mandating female corporate directors did.
“The Legislature seems intent to make the same mistake again,” said Michael Bekesha, a senior attorney with Judicial Watch.
Judicial Watch challenged the gender diversity law as unconstitutional on behalf of three California taxpayers. The California Secretary of State aimed to have the lawsuit thrown out but a court ruled in favor of Judicial Watch and the case will go to trial sometime next year, Bekesha said.
When Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill into law that required corporations to include women on boards, “he was aware that there would be concerns that the law was unconstitutional and I think you’ll see similar statements playing out as this new bill progresses,” Bekesha said.
Some opponents say such laws are patronizing.
Anastasia Boden, senior attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation, which also challenged the gender diversity law in court, said that race and sex-based laws “very often can harm the very people they intend to help.”
“It relegates women to quota hires,” Boden said. “Women will now be seen as being hired simply because of the government mandate rather than because of their qualifications and achievements when they may have even been hired without the quota.”
The diversity bill defines underrepresented communities as people who self-identify as Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Native Hawaiian or Alaska Native.
The requirements would ramp up in 2022. For corporations with nine or more directors, at least three directors must be people of color by the end of 2022, and corporations with between five and eight directors must have at least two. Companies would be fined $100,000 if they don’t comply.
Supporters say the new diversity bill is sorely needed because racism is widespread.
“What COVID has revealed is systemic racism and the impact on different ethnic groups or racial groups,” said Maeve Richard, a former assistant dean at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. “And so the post-COVID answer is we need to do something about it.”
Richard said some companies rely heavily on their social network, which often leads to a predominantly white board of directors. Companies, she said, should use objective criteria to ensure their boards have qualified and diverse members, adding that government can play a role in creating a more equal system.
Others emphasize how little has changed over the years. Maria Contreras-Sweet, administrator of the Small Business Administration from 2014 to 2017, served on the U. S. Department of Labor’s Glass Ceiling Commission, which was formed in 1991. She said she sees some of the same problems still persisting now. While she sees progress, she recognizes how slow it’s been.
“I definitely think that these times have brought a greater awareness and more conversations in boardrooms about maybe unconscious bias that may exist,” she said. “People are having hard conversations. It’s a journey, it’s not like you turn on a switch and all of a sudden people are enlightened.”
The Latino Corporate Directors Association reported that 86% of California-based public companies have no Latinos on their boards even though Latinos represent 39% of the state. The organization has not taken a formal position on the bill.
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Biotech firm settles with family over cells for research Business | Opinion: Reparations to Black Californians is now up to Newsom “This moment feels a lot different from other moments, that’s why I’m going to say I’m hopeful,” said Linda Akutagawa, the CEO of LEAP, a nonprofit which aims to cultivate Asian and Pacific Islander leadership. “But despite the kind of change that we’re going through right now, I don’t think this is going to change as quickly as maybe advocates and activists want to see.”
McKinsey & Company researchers found that companies with ethnically diverse executive teams are 33% more likely to outperform companies with less diverse teams on profitability, according to 2017 data.
Even though diversifying a company can improve the bottom line, Akutagawa explained why change has been slow:
“People with power do not give up power that easily,” she said. “And corporate boards have power.”
CalMatters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters.


mercurynews--2020-08-05--Judge won’t be removed from presiding over rape case involving California surgeon, girlfriend

An Orange County Superior Court judge who has refused to dismiss a high-profile criminal case against a Newport Beach surgeon and his girlfriend accused of drugging and raping several women can continue to preside over the case , another judge has ruled .
The attempt by attorneys for Dr. Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley to have Judge Gregory Jones removed from the case over allegations of “ the appearance of bias ” was denied by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Samantha Jessner in a recent written opinion .
Prosecutors initially accused the couple of meeting women at Newport Beach restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ luring them back to Robicheaux ’ s apartment to sexually assault them .
Earlier this year , the Orange County ’ s District Attorney ’ s Office reversed course , citing a lack of evidence and a belief that the couple were swingers whose sexual encounters and drug use was consensual .
But Judge Jones refused to dismiss the charges , particularly before the alleged victims have an opportunity to testify .
He also has questioned the ability of the DA ’ s office to remain involved in the case .
If local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General ’ s Office could take it .
The failed defense request to disqualify Judge Jones centered on a meeting between the judge and Matt Murphy , a former Orange County homicide prosecutor now representing some of the alleged victims .
Both Murphy and Jones denied that the meeting was improper .

An Orange County Superior Court judge who has refused to dismiss a high-profile criminal case against a Newport Beach surgeon and his girlfriend accused of drugging and raping several women can continue to preside over the case, another judge has ruled.
The attempt by attorneys for Dr. Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley to have Judge Gregory Jones removed from the case over allegations of “the appearance of bias” was denied by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Samantha Jessner in a recent written opinion.
Prosecutors initially accused the couple of meeting women at Newport Beach restaurants and bars and then drugging them and luring them back to Robicheaux’s apartment to sexually assault them. Earlier this year, the Orange County’s District Attorney’s Office reversed course, citing a lack of evidence and a belief that the couple were swingers whose sexual encounters and drug use was consensual.
But Judge Jones refused to dismiss the charges, particularly before the alleged victims have an opportunity to testify. He also has questioned the ability of the DA’s office to remain involved in the case. If local prosecutors were removed, the California Attorney General’s Office could take it.
The failed defense request to disqualify Judge Jones centered on a meeting between the judge and Matt Murphy, a former Orange County homicide prosecutor now representing some of the alleged victims. Both Murphy and Jones denied that the meeting was improper.


mercurynews--2020-08-05--Editorial: This Contra Costa candidate shouldn’t hold public office

It ’ s essential that voters along the northern Contra Costa waterfront from Pinole to Antioch pay close attention when they mark their ballots in the Nov. 3 race for county supervisor .
Federal Glover deserves reelection in the District 5 runoff .
His opponent , county Assessor Gus Kramer , doesn ’ t deserve to hold any public office — not his current one nor the one he ’ s seeking .
It ’ s that simple .
In March , Glover garnered 49.87 % of the vote in the three-way race , falling just shy of the majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The rest of the ballots were nearly evenly split between two challengers with Kramer eking out the second spot for November .
First elected in 2000 , Glover has been a solid , soft-spoken vote for balancing fiscal restraint with meeting the county ’ s social service and public safety needs .
And he has been a strong advocate for maintaining the county ’ s growth boundaries .
But the choice between the two runoff candidates is not just about ensuring that Glover , a solid public official , holds his office .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , for the sake of integrity of county government , Kramer doesn ’ t win .
As Kramer seeks a seat on the Board of Supervisors , he faces a # MeToo trial for removal from his current county post .
It ’ s been 15 months since the Contra Costa Grand Jury signed a formal accusation that Kramer engaged in willful or corrupt misconduct in office by creating a hostile work environment for employees under his supervision .
The accusation alleges that Kramer , in incidents dating back to 2014 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , made unwanted advances on a subordinate , talked about giving a sex toy to his niece , made crude comments about his sexual desires , and disparaged people of Mexican descent .
The case should have been resolved by now .
Instead , because of repeated delays enabled by Contra Costa judges , the trial is scheduled to start just before the election and probably won ’ t be completed before most ballots are counted .
But the accusation is just the start of a long list of Kramer misbehavior that should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serving as Martinez city clerk from 1986 to 1996 , Kramer won his first term as county assessor in 1994 by beating a dead man .
His opponent , Daniel Hallissy , died of a heart attack before the election , but his name remained on the ballot .
• The state Fair Political Practices Commission fined Kramer $ 4,000 because he failed to disclose ownership of rental properties in Martinez when he was city clerk .
• The FPPC fined Kramer $ 5,500 after finding he didn ’ t file nine reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ properly disclose a loan on a semiannual campaign statement as required by law .
• Kramer demolished an asbestos-laden house he owned in Bay Point without notifying air board officials , resulting in a $ 5,000 fine .
• He retaliated against one of his employees , resulting in a jury verdict and subsequent settlement of legal fees that cost county taxpayers a combined $ 994,000 .
• One of Kramer ’ s properties was underassessed by his own office , allowing him to avoid paying more than $ 21,000 in property taxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kramer called the woman who sold him the house .
She said he wanted her to help him create a paper trail justifying the valuation .
• He used an arcane real estate transaction known as a gift deed that allowed him to avoid paying transfer taxes when acquiring millions of dollars of property in the county .
Ethics laws limit gifts to public officials to a few hundred dollars a year .
• After news stories about those transactions , he amended years of state ethics forms because he had failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property in the county and loans of hundreds of thousands of dollars to friends and associates .
• Kramer ’ s office overvalued vacant dirt lots of a Pittsburg developer with whom the assessor had been publicly feuding , costing the company well over $ 200,000 in additional taxes that year .
• Kramer ’ s office reassessed his son and daughter-in-law ’ s home , claiming incorrectly that they had converted their garage to living space .
The reassessment came after Kramer had a falling out with them and they no longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After the daughter-in-law complained , an appraiser inspected the house and the reassessment was rescinded .
• He filed a tort claim against the Contra Costa County Employees ’ Retirement Association alleging that he should have been able to double-dip , to draw his county pension and his county salary at the same time .
He never pursued the case .
• He filed a civil rights lawsuit claiming county supervisors discriminated against him by not granting him pay raises other department heads had received .
A federal judge threw out the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can use discretion when it awards raises .
• The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors censured Kramer after an independent investigator found he likely made inappropriate sexual comments to two women who worked in his department .
How has Kramer , dubbed “ The Bad Boy Assessor ” in his own office , gotten away with such behavior all these years ?
Former Contra Costa County District Attorney Mark Peterson , later found guilty of felony perjury , killed an investigation into Kramer ’ s private land deals over the objections of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputies said .
County supervisors at first buried findings about Kramer ’ s inappropriate sexual comments to his subordinates .
And Contra Costa judges have been indifferent to the importance of quickly conducting a trial on the Grand Jury accusation .
Kramer doesn ’ t deserve his current job .
And he certainly doesn ’ t deserve election to another key post .
To preserve the integrity of county government , voters should re-elect Federal Glover .

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It’s essential that voters along the northern Contra Costa waterfront from Pinole to Antioch pay close attention when they mark their ballots in the Nov. 3 race for county supervisor.
Federal Glover deserves reelection in the District 5 runoff. His opponent, county Assessor Gus Kramer, doesn’t deserve to hold any public office — not his current one nor the one he’s seeking. It’s that simple.
In March, Glover garnered 49.87% of the vote in the three-way race, falling just shy of the majority he needed to avoid a runoff. The rest of the ballots were nearly evenly split between two challengers with Kramer eking out the second spot for November.
First elected in 2000, Glover has been a solid, soft-spoken vote for balancing fiscal restraint with meeting the county’s social service and public safety needs. And he has been a strong advocate for maintaining the county’s growth boundaries.
But the choice between the two runoff candidates is not just about ensuring that Glover, a solid public official, holds his office. It’s also about making sure that, for the sake of integrity of county government, Kramer doesn’t win.
As Kramer seeks a seat on the Board of Supervisors, he faces a #MeToo trial for removal from his current county post. It’s been 15 months since the Contra Costa Grand Jury signed a formal accusation that Kramer engaged in willful or corrupt misconduct in office by creating a hostile work environment for employees under his supervision.
The accusation alleges that Kramer, in incidents dating back to 2014, told stories about his conquests with women, made unwanted advances on a subordinate, talked about giving a sex toy to his niece, made crude comments about his sexual desires, and disparaged people of Mexican descent.
The case should have been resolved by now. Instead, because of repeated delays enabled by Contra Costa judges, the trial is scheduled to start just before the election and probably won’t be completed before most ballots are counted.
But the accusation is just the start of a long list of Kramer misbehavior that should have alarmed voters years ago. While serving as Martinez city clerk from 1986 to 1996, Kramer won his first term as county assessor in 1994 by beating a dead man. His opponent, Daniel Hallissy, died of a heart attack before the election, but his name remained on the ballot.
Since then:
• The state Fair Political Practices Commission fined Kramer $4,000 because he failed to disclose ownership of rental properties in Martinez when he was city clerk.
• The FPPC fined Kramer $5,500 after finding he didn’t file nine reports disclosing late campaign contributions and did not properly disclose a loan on a semiannual campaign statement as required by law.
• Kramer demolished an asbestos-laden house he owned in Bay Point without notifying air board officials, resulting in a $5,000 fine.
• He retaliated against one of his employees, resulting in a jury verdict and subsequent settlement of legal fees that cost county taxpayers a combined $994,000.
• One of Kramer’s properties was underassessed by his own office, allowing him to avoid paying more than $21,000 in property taxes. After a reporter discovered it, Kramer called the woman who sold him the house. She said he wanted her to help him create a paper trail justifying the valuation.
• He used an arcane real estate transaction known as a gift deed that allowed him to avoid paying transfer taxes when acquiring millions of dollars of property in the county. Ethics laws limit gifts to public officials to a few hundred dollars a year.
• After news stories about those transactions, he amended years of state ethics forms because he had failed to disclose ownership of millions of dollars of property in the county and loans of hundreds of thousands of dollars to friends and associates.
• Kramer’s office overvalued vacant dirt lots of a Pittsburg developer with whom the assessor had been publicly feuding, costing the company well over $200,000 in additional taxes that year.
• Kramer’s office reassessed his son and daughter-in-law’s home, claiming incorrectly that they had converted their garage to living space. The reassessment came after Kramer had a falling out with them and they no longer permitted him to see his grandchildren. After the daughter-in-law complained, an appraiser inspected the house and the reassessment was rescinded.
• He filed a tort claim against the Contra Costa County Employees’ Retirement Association alleging that he should have been able to double-dip, to draw his county pension and his county salary at the same time. He never pursued the case.
• He filed a civil rights lawsuit claiming county supervisors discriminated against him by not granting him pay raises other department heads had received. A federal judge threw out the case, concluding in essence that the board can use discretion when it awards raises.
• The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors censured Kramer after an independent investigator found he likely made inappropriate sexual comments to two women who worked in his department.
How has Kramer, dubbed “The Bad Boy Assessor” in his own office, gotten away with such behavior all these years? Former Contra Costa County District Attorney Mark Peterson, later found guilty of felony perjury, killed an investigation into Kramer’s private land deals over the objections of two deputies supervising the probe, those deputies said.
County supervisors at first buried findings about Kramer’s inappropriate sexual comments to his subordinates. And Contra Costa judges have been indifferent to the importance of quickly conducting a trial on the Grand Jury accusation.
Kramer doesn’t deserve his current job. And he certainly doesn’t deserve election to another key post. To preserve the integrity of county government, voters should re-elect Federal Glover.


mercurynews--2020-08-05--California nurses to protest shifting ratios at medical facilities

The California Nurses Association plans to stage rallies at nearly 70 hospitals and medical centers Wednesday to protest waivers that allow facilities to staff some units below state-mandated nurse-patient ratios as nurses are shifted to more critical patients .
The union fears the shuffling will place a heavier load on nurses in non-critical departments amid increasingly high patient loads .
In 2004 , California became the only state to set minimum nurse-patient ratios .
For most hospital departments the law requires a minimum ratio of one nurse for every five patients , although it ’ s one-to-two for intensive care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an executive order in March that waived enforcement of nurse-patient ratios as part of his state of emergency to address the COVID-19 pandemic .
The blanket waiver expired June 30 , but hospitals experiencing a coronavirus-related patient surge or staffing shortage can still request a waiver by submitting a form to the state .
On Tuesday , the California Department of Public Health reported the state has 519,427 confirmed COVID-19 cases to date with a seven-day average of 7,554 new cases per day .
Hospitals overwhelmingly support the emergency waivers , even though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more patients than would be allowed under normal circumstances .
Two sides of the issue There are arguments to be made on both sides .
Nurses say nurse-patient ratios make for a safer workplace while improving healthcare .
Fewer patient assignments mean fewer California RNs miss changes in patient conditions because of their workload .
And that , they say , translates into fewer patient deaths .
A 2010 research project says nurse-patient ratios are the single most effective nursing reform to protect patients and keep experienced RNs at the bedside .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mortality and more improvements in other indicators than other states , ” said Linda Aiken , director of the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing .
But hospitals view the California law as an inflexible , one-size-fits-all mandate .
The California Hospital Association says the COVID-19 pandemic has strained the state ’ s healthcare workforce with surges that can be “ intense , sudden and unpredictable.
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In the Bay Area , sit tight and wait COVID-19 patients require additional care and time , the association argues , which further strains the critical-care workforce .
Moreover , nationwide staffing shortages mean that every hospital in need of additional healthcare workers is accessing the same nursing registries , making it impossible to meet California ’ s staffing needs .
“ We haven ’ t had to apply for the waiver , but we understand a hospital ’ s need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nicholls , executive director of critical care services at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance .
“ We support the emergency waiver because there are other hospitals that are unable to get the nurses they need to take care of patients .
”

The California Nurses Association plans to stage rallies at nearly 70 hospitals and medical centers Wednesday to protest waivers that allow facilities to staff some units below state-mandated nurse-patient ratios as nurses are shifted to more critical patients.
The union fears the shuffling will place a heavier load on nurses in non-critical departments amid increasingly high patient loads.
In 2004, California became the only state to set minimum nurse-patient ratios. For most hospital departments the law requires a minimum ratio of one nurse for every five patients, although it’s one-to-two for intensive care units.
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order in March that waived enforcement of nurse-patient ratios as part of his state of emergency to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The blanket waiver expired June 30, but hospitals experiencing a coronavirus-related patient surge or staffing shortage can still request a waiver by submitting a form to the state.
On Tuesday, the California Department of Public Health reported the state has 519,427 confirmed COVID-19 cases to date with a seven-day average of 7,554 new cases per day.
Hospitals overwhelmingly support the emergency waivers, even though it often results in nurses caring for more patients than would be allowed under normal circumstances.
Two sides of the issue
There are arguments to be made on both sides.
Nurses say nurse-patient ratios make for a safer workplace while improving healthcare. Fewer patient assignments mean fewer California RNs miss changes in patient conditions because of their workload. And that, they say, translates into fewer patient deaths.
A 2010 research project says nurse-patient ratios are the single most effective nursing reform to protect patients and keep experienced RNs at the bedside.
“The state has seen steeper declines in mortality and more improvements in other indicators than other states,” said Linda Aiken, director of the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.
But hospitals view the California law as an inflexible, one-size-fits-all mandate. The California Hospital Association says the COVID-19 pandemic has strained the state’s healthcare workforce with surges that can be “intense, sudden and unpredictable.”
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“We haven’t had to apply for the waiver, but we understand a hospital’s need to do that,” said Carmel Nicholls, executive director of critical care services at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance. “We support the emergency waiver because there are other hospitals that are unable to get the nurses they need to take care of patients.”


mercurynews--2020-08-05--California coronavirus map: 195 new deaths reported, statewide reporting issues continue on Aug. 4

Several counties cited a significant and unresolved problem with the state of California ’ s reporting system for communicable diseases and that they are experiencing significant underreporting of COVID-19 testing results .
The state has informed many counties that they have received incomplete information regarding test results , which affects the ability to identify new cases of COVID-19 .
The extent of this issue with the state is not fully known .
The state confirmed that the data counties have received is valid , but incomplete .
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In the Bay Area , sit tight and wait The California Department of Public Health dashboard shows that there have been 1,694 deaths in the state in the last 14 days , 597 of those deaths were in Los Angeles County which amounts to 35 % of the deaths in 14 days .
As of 5:37 p.m. on Aug. 4 , the state ’ s COVID-19 dashboard has not been updated in the last 24 hours .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9.4 % in the last 14 days with 7,630 people hospitalized and 2,069 in ICUs .
According to Southern California News Group estimates and research of all 58 county COVID-19 dashboards , there were 7,040 new cases and 195 new deaths reported Tuesday .
The state ’ s number of total cases is at least 525,605 and total deaths 9,686 , according to unofficial counts from county websites .

Several counties cited a significant and unresolved problem with the state of California’s reporting system for communicable diseases and that they are experiencing significant underreporting of COVID-19 testing results. The state has informed many counties that they have received incomplete information regarding test results, which affects the ability to identify new cases of COVID-19. The extent of this issue with the state is not fully known. The state confirmed that the data counties have received is valid, but incomplete.
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Hospitalizations across the state have declined by 9.4% in the last 14 days with 7,630 people hospitalized and 2,069 in ICUs.
According to Southern California News Group estimates and research of all 58 county COVID-19 dashboards, there were 7,040 new cases and 195 new deaths reported Tuesday. The state’s number of total cases is at least 525,605 and total deaths 9,686, according to unofficial counts from county websites.


mercurynews--2020-08-05--Video: Swimming with dolphins in shallow water off California coast

Dolphins are a common sight off Orange County ’ s coast where thousands of the majestic creatures live just offshore .
While it ’ s common to see them frolicking out in the open ocean or even up closer near surfers waiting for waves on their surfboards , some beachgoers last week got a special treat when a pod made its way into shallow waters off Laguna Beach – so close , a kid on a bodyboard was swimming within arm ’ s reach .
“ I ’ ve lived in Laguna Beach 20 years , I ’ ve never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Tamara Dowell , a real estate agent who shared the video taken by her client last week .
“ We are so blessed to live here.
” Lisa Jaffe , vacationing from Arizona , was on the beach near Diver ’ s Cove Wednesday , July 29 , when she heard commotion on the sand .
Her husband William was out in the water with their 5-year-old .
“ We just heard everyone cheering and exclaiming , ” she said .
“ I looked up and I was like ‘ oh my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dolphins.
” The eight or so dolphins were swimming so close to shore “ people were swimming with them , ” she said .
“ They were super close to shore , ” Jaffe said .
“ They didn ’ t care about the people cheering and clapping – we saw people run to the water , everyone was going crazy , standing on their feet .
I ’ ve never seen people so happy in my life.
” And it was just what people needed with all the stresses in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Through this whole pandemic , it was almost like they were giving people a show , ” she said .
“ In my heart , I was believing they would give everyone hope that everything would be OK .
It was almost like they were dancing back and forth .
You would think the people cheering them on , they ’ d get scared away .
They just kept going for it.
” Even the lifeguard on duty looked shocked , Jaffe said .
Dowell said the video has been seen by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s not the first time dolphins have made headlines in Laguna Beach , where video of a megapod speeding alongside a boat last year was shown around the world .
Southern California has the greatest density of dolphins per square mile of anywhere on Earth , including nearly 450,000 common dolphins .
The area is one of the best places in the world to see large mega pods , which can number in herds of up to 10,000 , according to Capt .
Dave ’ s Dolphin and Whale Watching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other time Jaffe has seen dolphins was at Sea World years ago , but that was nothing compared to seeing them up close , she said .
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“ It was like they were dancing together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
“ It was just the natural dancing of dolphins , which was the coolest thing ever .
We were at the right place at the right time.
” For their real estate agent , she couldn ’ t have asked for a better selling point to lure the couple to buy a home in Laguna Beach .
“ They were trying to decide whether they would live here permanently , ” Dowell said .
“ After that experience , that kind of sealed the deal .
”

Dolphins are a common sight off Orange County’s coast where thousands of the majestic creatures live just offshore.
While it’s common to see them frolicking out in the open ocean or even up closer near surfers waiting for waves on their surfboards, some beachgoers last week got a special treat when a pod made its way into shallow waters off Laguna Beach – so close, a kid on a bodyboard was swimming within arm’s reach.
“I’ve lived in Laguna Beach 20 years, I’ve never seen them come that close,” said Tamara Dowell, a real estate agent who shared the video taken by her client last week. “We are so blessed to live here.”
Lisa Jaffe, vacationing from Arizona, was on the beach near Diver’s Cove Wednesday, July 29, when she heard commotion on the sand. Her husband William was out in the water with their 5-year-old.
“We just heard everyone cheering and exclaiming,” she said. “I looked up and I was like ‘oh my gosh.’ It was a whole family of dolphins.”
The eight or so dolphins were swimming so close to shore “people were swimming with them,” she said.
“They were super close to shore,” Jaffe said. “They didn’t care about the people cheering and clapping – we saw people run to the water, everyone was going crazy, standing on their feet. I’ve never seen people so happy in my life.”
And it was just what people needed with all the stresses in the world with the ongoing coronavirus concerns.
“Through this whole pandemic, it was almost like they were giving people a show,” she said. “In my heart, I was believing they would give everyone hope that everything would be OK. It was almost like they were dancing back and forth. You would think the people cheering them on, they’d get scared away. They just kept going for it.”
Even the lifeguard on duty looked shocked, Jaffe said.
Dowell said the video has been seen by upwards of 60,000 viewers on social media. It’s not the first time dolphins have made headlines in Laguna Beach, where video of a megapod speeding alongside a boat last year was shown around the world.
Southern California has the greatest density of dolphins per square mile of anywhere on Earth, including nearly 450,000 common dolphins. The area is one of the best places in the world to see large mega pods, which can number in herds of up to 10,000, according to Capt. Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari in Dana Point.
The only other time Jaffe has seen dolphins was at Sea World years ago, but that was nothing compared to seeing them up close, she said.
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For their real estate agent, she couldn’t have asked for a better selling point to lure the couple to buy a home in Laguna Beach.
“They were trying to decide whether they would live here permanently,” Dowell said. “After that experience, that kind of sealed the deal.”


mercurynews--2020-08-05--Bodies of 7 missing California Marines and sailor have been found off San Clemente Island

The bodies of seven Marines and a sailor who disappeared when their seafaring military vehicle sank in deep water off San Clemente Island during a training exercise last week have been found , officials announced Tuesday , Aug. 4 .
Marine Corps officials started notifying families on Monday evening , Aug. 3 , when the crew of the HOS Dominator first sighted the amphibious assault vehicle , which had taken on water during a shore-to-ship maneuver .
The eight men are Pfc .
Bryan J. Baltierra , 18 , of Corona ; Lance Cpl .
Marco A. Barranco , 21 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A. Bath , 19 , of Oak Creek , Wis. ; U.S. Navy Hospitalman Christopher Gnem , 22 , of Stockton ; Pfc .
Jack Ryan Ostrovsky , 21 , of Bend , Ore. ; Cpl .
Wesley A. Rodd , 23 , of Harris , Texas ; Lance Cpl .
Chase D. Sweetwood , 18 , of Portland , Ore. and Cpl .
Cesar A. Villanueva , 21 , of Riverside .
“ Receiving the news that the bodies have been located feels like one weight of many has been lifted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whose son , Bryan , was the youngest Marine among the eight .
“ My family feels a sense of relief knowing that we know where they are.
” The eight servicemen disappeared on July 30 , after they left the beach in the AAV on the northwest side of the island .
The island , the southernmost and fourth-largest in California ’ s Channel Islands chain , is owned by the Navy and is used for Marine and Navy training .
The Camp Pendleton Marines were all riflemen with Battalion Landing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corpsman attached to their unit .
Officials did not release the exact location of the AAV .
The Dominator ’ s underwater remote-operated vehicle made the discovery and the Navy has sent more recovery ships with personnel and equipment to help raise the vehicle .
“ Equipment to properly and safely perform the recovery from the seafloor will be in place at the end of this week , and a dignified transfer of our Marines and sailor will occur as soon as possible after the conclusion of recovery operations , ” officials said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of about 395 feet after it began taking on water about 1,500 meters off the coast of San Clemente Island .
A ninth Marine , Lance Cpl .
Guillermo S. Perez , 20 , of New Braunfels , Texas , was pronounced dead at the scene , and the seven missing Marines and one sailor were presumed dead Aug. 2 , when the search and rescue mission turned to a recovery effort .
Two Marines who had been on the AAV are recovering in the hospital .
Five other Marines were rescued and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all , there were 16 aboard .
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger has suspended all maritime training with the assault vehicles through out the Marine Corps until the investigation into what happened is complete .
“ A grateful nation and the Department of Defense grieve the tragic loss of the Marines and sailor lost in the amphibious assault vehicle accident off the coast of San Clemente Island .
Our prayers and condolences are with the family and friends of these brave young men , ” U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gavin Newsom , ordered the flags at the capitol to be flown at half-staff .
For Marco Barranco , of Montebello , recognition for his son , Marco “ Andy ” Barranco , means a lot , he said .
The city ’ s mayor has reached out and the family is planning a vigil on Wednesday night .
“ We know the accident really happened now , ” he said .
“ When we first heard about the accident , we didn ’ t know because there was no body .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ somewhere in the middle of the sea .
It gives closure now that it did really happen and that the Marines did their job and didn ’ t just leave them there .
It makes me proud of the Marines .
”

The bodies of seven Marines and a sailor who disappeared when their seafaring military vehicle sank in deep water off San Clemente Island during a training exercise last week have been found, officials announced Tuesday, Aug. 4.
Marine Corps officials started notifying families on Monday evening, Aug. 3, when the crew of the HOS Dominator first sighted the amphibious assault vehicle, which had taken on water during a shore-to-ship maneuver.
The eight men are Pfc. Bryan J. Baltierra, 18, of Corona; Lance Cpl. Marco A. Barranco, 21, of Montebello; Pfc. Evan A. Bath, 19, of Oak Creek, Wis.; U.S. Navy Hospitalman Christopher Gnem, 22, of Stockton; Pfc. Jack Ryan Ostrovsky, 21, of Bend, Ore.; Cpl. Wesley A. Rodd, 23, of Harris, Texas; Lance Cpl. Chase D. Sweetwood, 18, of Portland, Ore. and Cpl. Cesar A. Villanueva, 21, of Riverside.
“Receiving the news that the bodies have been located feels like one weight of many has been lifted,” said Evelyn Baltierra, of Corona, whose son, Bryan, was the youngest Marine among the eight. “My family feels a sense of relief knowing that we know where they are.”
The eight servicemen disappeared on July 30, after they left the beach in the AAV on the northwest side of the island. The island, the southernmost and fourth-largest in California’s Channel Islands chain, is owned by the Navy and is used for Marine and Navy training. The Camp Pendleton Marines were all riflemen with Battalion Landing Team 1/4. Gnem was a Navy corpsman attached to their unit.
Officials did not release the exact location of the AAV. The Dominator’s underwater remote-operated vehicle made the discovery and the Navy has sent more recovery ships with personnel and equipment to help raise the vehicle.
“Equipment to properly and safely perform the recovery from the seafloor will be in place at the end of this week, and a dignified transfer of our Marines and sailor will occur as soon as possible after the conclusion of recovery operations,” officials said.
The AAV sunk to a depth of about 395 feet after it began taking on water about 1,500 meters off the coast of San Clemente Island.
A ninth Marine, Lance Cpl. Guillermo S. Perez, 20, of New Braunfels, Texas, was pronounced dead at the scene, and the seven missing Marines and one sailor were presumed dead Aug. 2, when the search and rescue mission turned to a recovery effort.
Two Marines who had been on the AAV are recovering in the hospital. Five other Marines were rescued and are back with their unit. In all, there were 16 aboard.
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger has suspended all maritime training with the assault vehicles through out the Marine Corps until the investigation into what happened is complete.
“A grateful nation and the Department of Defense grieve the tragic loss of the Marines and sailor lost in the amphibious assault vehicle accident off the coast of San Clemente Island. Our prayers and condolences are with the family and friends of these brave young men,” U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Monday.
On Tuesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, ordered the flags at the capitol to be flown at half-staff.
For Marco Barranco, of Montebello, recognition for his son, Marco “Andy” Barranco, means a lot, he said. The city’s mayor has reached out and the family is planning a vigil on Wednesday night.
“We know the accident really happened now,” he said. “When we first heard about the accident, we didn’t know because there was no body. We thought maybe he escaped and died somewhere in the middle of the sea. It gives closure now that it did really happen and that the Marines did their job and didn’t just leave them there. It makes me proud of the Marines.”


mercurynews--2020-08-06--A.J. Puk expected to join an already thriving bullpen

OAKLAND — A.J .
Puk , who is on the 10-day IL with a left shoulder strain , just started throwing from 75 feet out — not yet off a mound , not yet with a timetable for return .
One thing we do know : the left-handed pitcher will be making most of his 2020 appearances out of the bullpen , not the rotation where he was slotted to slide into before the injury came about .
Chris Bassitt slots in nicely into a rotation thats just starting to step into quality start territory .
The A ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see their starters climb deeper into games sooner than later .
But reality trumps desired outcomes as baseball navigates a season during a pandemic .
That first round through the rotation was always going to be a bridge to ramp up their arms perhaps at the expense of a few wins .
Puk will join a bullpen that ’ s allowed the A ’ s to get away with a shaky start from the rotation .
With a relatively young rotation , pitching coach Scott Emerson says a veteran bullpen staff was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nervousness that I talked about with the younger guys , ” Emerson said .
“ Liam Hendriks has been around , Joakim Soria has been around , ( Jake ) Diekman , ( T.J. ) McFarland , ( Yusmeiro ) Petit .
Those guys have ice in their veins .
Nothing is too big for them , the stage is never too big .
“ They go out and do their job…I ’ ve just been impressed with the group as a collective for how strong mentally they are.
” As a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The bullpen has a 1.0 WAR so far , ranked third in the league .
Their 1.75 ERA ranks fifth .
A few individual tweaks and strategies have added to the collective good .
The left-hander came to Oakland from the Kansas City Royals before the trade deadline armed with a sweeping slider that could wipe out both righties and lefties .
One problem , though .
Somewhere on his trip from Kansas City to Oakland , Diekman lost his slider .
“ I just completely had a brain fart and I forgot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
To be clear , it ’ s common for pitchers to forget their grips It led to some inconsistencies and a handful of wild outings for the A ’ s in 2019 — he finished the second half with a 7.1 BB/9 rate , upped from the 5.0 rate he had in the first half in Kansas City .
A GIF posted by the Pitching Ninja on Twitter of Tampa Bay Rays ’ right-hander Chaz Roe ’ s slider triggered Diekman ’ s memory .
He had to get the grip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ninja for it , and he gave it to me , ” Diekman said .
the “ Mr .
Ninja ” Diekman is referring to is Rob Friedman , the man behind the ever-popular Pitching Ninja Twitter account that feeds us baseball ’ s most devastating and filthy pitches that day .
Friedman , like most pitching coaches , including A ’ s Scott Emerson , has a Dropbox file filled with some of baseball stars ’ best grips .
Felix Hernandez ’ s changeup ?
In there .
Clayton Kershaw ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s slider ?
In there .
It didn ’ t take long for Diekman to pick it up .
With a tighter slider , Diekman ’ s tallied seven strikeouts , four walks , and given up one hit in 4.2 innings .
“ When you look at Chaz Roe ’ s slider , it ’ s pretty dirty , ” Emerson said .
“ Anytime you can get information from somebody else , I think we ’ re all disciples from other people.
” Emerson said he encourages his pitchers to find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the clubhouse to collaborate .
• Scott Emerson breaks down Jesús Luzardo ’ s first start : ‘ His mindset is off the charts ’ • The Deets : Jesus Luzardo is the ace the A ’ s needed • A ’ s Jesús Luzardo pitches five shutout innings in first big league start “ I ’ m on the Internet , I see the pitch ninja dude all the time with his stuff… I want guys doing their own homework sometimes .
If I ’ m doing everybody ’ s homework @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test , it ’ s not good .
They have to do the homework and take the test.
” We knew about the right-handed reliever ’ s rising fastball — good because of the high spin rate and his elongated extension .
Smith hasn ’ t allowed a run in four innings , and collected two wins before August hit .
To keep offenses off his fastball , Smith has been impactful down in the zone , too , Emerson said .
A changeup he can mix in helps .
“ We got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ He has a good fastball , it ’ s probably better location than I thought .
And I really liked his changeup , I think that changeup at the bottom of the zone helps out his spin rate and his elevated fastball.
” Due to some defined roles in the bullpen , Smith hasn ’ t appeared in a game since July 27 against the Los Angeles Angels .
But , he ’ s becoming a known entity should the A ’ s find more spots .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relievers , McFarland has four scoreless innings over five appearances so far .
McFarland is drawing tons of soft contact , as indicated by his 0.00 barrel rate .
Even in his 13th season , Petit is tweaking his delivery to maximize his efficacy .
During the shutdown , Petit watched pored over film at his home in Miami to see how he could create even more deception .
He worked on hiding his pitch a bit longer behind his back .
The A ’ s have used Petit in various leveraged situations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and he ’ s allowed two runs in the last two games .
Soria ’ s veteran experience was best displayed in a grueling ninth inning in Seattle — a game the A ’ s eventually won in extras after Soria deftly maneuvered through a jam of his own making .
After loading the bases with one out , Soria brought out his changeup and managed to strike out Jose Marmolejos and Shed Long Jr. to send the game to extras .

OAKLAND — A.J. Puk, who is on the 10-day IL with a left shoulder strain, just started throwing from 75 feet out — not yet off a mound, not yet with a timetable for return.
One thing we do know: the left-handed pitcher will be making most of his 2020 appearances out of the bullpen, not the rotation where he was slotted to slide into before the injury came about.
Chris Bassitt slots in nicely into a rotation thats just starting to step into quality start territory.
The A’s, like any team, would prefer to see their starters climb deeper into games sooner than later. But reality trumps desired outcomes as baseball navigates a season during a pandemic. That first round through the rotation was always going to be a bridge to ramp up their arms perhaps at the expense of a few wins.
Puk will join a bullpen that’s allowed the A’s to get away with a shaky start from the rotation. With a relatively young rotation, pitching coach Scott Emerson says a veteran bullpen staff was essential.
“It goes back to the nervousness that I talked about with the younger guys,” Emerson said. “Liam Hendriks has been around, Joakim Soria has been around, (Jake) Diekman, (T.J.) McFarland, (Yusmeiro)Petit. Those guys have ice in their veins. Nothing is too big for them, the stage is never too big.
“They go out and do their job…I’ve just been impressed with the group as a collective for how strong mentally they are.”
As a collective, they’re strong. The bullpen has a 1.0 WAR so far, ranked third in the league. Their 1.75 ERA ranks fifth.
A few individual tweaks and strategies have added to the collective good.
Jake Diekman’s slider
The left-hander came to Oakland from the Kansas City Royals before the trade deadline armed with a sweeping slider that could wipe out both righties and lefties.
One problem, though. Somewhere on his trip from Kansas City to Oakland, Diekman lost his slider.
“I just completely had a brain fart and I forgot how I gripped it,” Diekman said. To be clear, it’s common for pitchers to forget their grips It led to some inconsistencies and a handful of wild outings for the A’s in 2019 — he finished the second half with a 7.1 BB/9 rate, upped from the 5.0 rate he had in the first half in Kansas City.
A GIF posted by the Pitching Ninja on Twitter of Tampa Bay Rays’ right-hander Chaz Roe’s slider triggered Diekman’s memory. He had to get the grip.
“So I just asked Mr. Ninja for it, and he gave it to me,” Diekman said.
the “Mr. Ninja” Diekman is referring to is Rob Friedman, the man behind the ever-popular Pitching Ninja Twitter account that feeds us baseball’s most devastating and filthy pitches that day. Friedman, like most pitching coaches, including A’s Scott Emerson, has a Dropbox file filled with some of baseball stars’ best grips. Felix Hernandez’s changeup? In there. Clayton Kershaw’s curveball? Got it. Roe’s slider? In there.
It didn’t take long for Diekman to pick it up. With a tighter slider, Diekman’s tallied seven strikeouts, four walks, and given up one hit in 4.2 innings.
“When you look at Chaz Roe’s slider, it’s pretty dirty,” Emerson said. “Anytime you can get information from somebody else, I think we’re all disciples from other people.”
Emerson said he encourages his pitchers to find inspiration from the outside to bring back into the clubhouse to collaborate.
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Burch Smith’s changeup
We knew about the right-handed reliever’s rising fastball — good because of the high spin rate and his elongated extension.
Smith hasn’t allowed a run in four innings, and collected two wins before August hit. To keep offenses off his fastball, Smith has been impactful down in the zone, too, Emerson said. A changeup he can mix in helps.
“We got a lot of confidence in Burch,” he said. “He has a good fastball, it’s probably better location than I thought. And I really liked his changeup, I think that changeup at the bottom of the zone helps out his spin rate and his elevated fastball.”
Due to some defined roles in the bullpen, Smith hasn’t appeared in a game since July 27 against the Los Angeles Angels. But, he’s becoming a known entity should the A’s find more spots.
T.J. McFarland’s consistency
One of the A’s two left-handed relievers, McFarland has four scoreless innings over five appearances so far. McFarland is drawing tons of soft contact, as indicated by his 0.00 barrel rate.
Yusmeiro Petit’s growth
Even in his 13th season, Petit is tweaking his delivery to maximize his efficacy. During the shutdown, Petit watched pored over film at his home in Miami to see how he could create even more deception. He worked on hiding his pitch a bit longer behind his back.
The A’s have used Petit in various leveraged situations over seven of the first 11 games, and he’s allowed two runs in the last two games.
Joakim Soria’s experience
Soria’s veteran experience was best displayed in a grueling ninth inning in Seattle — a game the A’s eventually won in extras after Soria deftly maneuvered through a jam of his own making.
After loading the bases with one out, Soria brought out his changeup and managed to strike out Jose Marmolejos and Shed Long Jr. to send the game to extras.


mercurynews--2020-08-06--49ers’ Fred Warner now compelled to speak up for racial equality

Treat everyone equally .
Everyone in society .
That ’ s all Fred Warner is asking .
Warner ’ s voice has grown stronger , as has his ascending linebacker play and leadership , through two seasons as the 49ers ’ leading tackler .
After this summer ’ s uprisings across America and the world , Warner is no longer hesitant to speak up on societal issues .
He capped off Wednesday ’ s media session with reporters with this explanation why : “ I learn more and more every day when comes to my responsibility .
This offseason was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on in our society with social injustice and inequalities among Blacks .
“ In the past , I wasn ’ t really subject to that ( discrimination ) so I almost feel I couldn ’ t speak about it .
Now I feel it doesn ’ t matter who you are , to have the platform we have as NFL players , you can reach so many different people .
“ My mission has been to let people know you treat everyone equal .
It doesn ’ t matter who you are .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a face of that .
“ We have all the support of our management .
The players are together in it .
“ We ’ ll continue the conversation through the season .
We ’ re not going to just go back to playing sports and have it go away .
We ’ ll continue to talk about it and learn.
” • 49ers ’ Raheem Mostert : Not opting out , vows to win Super Bowl • Coronavirus : Travis Benjamin is first 49ers player to opt out of 2020 • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his opinion of NFL players who opt out • Why one 49er thinks the quiet of Silicon Valley will be a coronavirus safety net Warner , 23 , has become a driving force for the 49ers ’ defense .
The San Marcos native and former BYU star ranked No .
70 on the NFL Network ’ s Top-100 player list last month , and making that player-voted honor roll did not surprise him .
“ I competed at a high level last year and my peers saw that , ” Warner said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as much in the awards last year when it came to All-Pro and those type of things .
But obviously we got to the Super Bowl and that ’ s all I care about , and continuing to become the best player I can be for this team so we can make it back to that game and get the outcome we want .
”

Treat everyone equally. Everyone in society. That’s all Fred Warner is asking.
Warner’s voice has grown stronger, as has his ascending linebacker play and leadership, through two seasons as the 49ers’ leading tackler.
After this summer’s uprisings across America and the world, Warner is no longer hesitant to speak up on societal issues. He capped off Wednesday’s media session with reporters with this explanation why:
“I learn more and more every day when comes to my responsibility. This offseason was very eye-opening given what’s going on in our society with social injustice and inequalities among Blacks.
“In the past, I wasn’t really subject to that (discrimination) so I almost feel I couldn’t speak about it. Now I feel it doesn’t matter who you are, to have the platform we have as NFL players, you can reach so many different people.
“My mission has been to let people know you treat everyone equal. It doesn’t matter who you are. I’m trying to be more of a face of that.
“We have all the support of our management. The players are together in it.
“We’ll continue the conversation through the season. We’re not going to just go back to playing sports and have it go away. We’ll continue to talk about it and learn.”
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“I competed at a high level last year and my peers saw that,” Warner said. “It probably wasn’t reflected as much in the awards last year when it came to All-Pro and those type of things. But obviously we got to the Super Bowl and that’s all I care about, and continuing to become the best player I can be for this team so we can make it back to that game and get the outcome we want.”