mercurynews--2020-02-13--Tokyo Olympics: USRowing blocks report on former Cal coach, abuse watchdog group says

A letter sent to lawmakers this week charges American rowing officials with failing to cooperate with a U.S. Center for SafeSport investigation that involves Olympic coach Mike Teti , who runs the national team program on the Oakland Estuary .
The letter was sent by Denver employment lawyer Beth Doherty Quinn and addressed to House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Frank Pallone ( D-New Jersey ) , ranking member Greg Walden ( R-Oregon ) and Diana DeGette ( D-Colorado ) , who chairs the Oversight and Investigations Panel .
This news organization obtained a copy of the letter , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who coached rowing at the Cal from 2008-2018 .
The letter said USRowing , the national governing body for the sport , would not produce information on Teti , 63 , that SafeSport wanted .
The letter said SafeSport officials “ requested a report , or information about a report , generated by an investigator or other third-party hired by USRowing prior to the 2008 Olympics to investigate certain behaviors by then USRowing Head Coach , Mike Teti.
” Quinn said in the letter that she is unaware of the subject matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response , SafeSport was told by USRowing that the report did not contain matters within its exclusive jurisdiction and USRowing did not turn over the report , ” the letter said .
“ If U.S. Rowing , or any other national sports governing body , is withholding information from U.S. SafeSport that is highly concerning , ” DeGette said in a statement to this news organization .
“ U.S .
SafeSport was created to protect our athletes and every one of our national governing bodies should be working with them to fulfill that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials from the center do not discuss ongoing matters publicly .
Quinn declined to discuss anything about the SafeSport investigation but added , “ It is important that entities and people put in place to protect athletes work together properly for the protection of those athletes .
We want to see the process work well.
” Teti , a four-time Olympic coach who is preparing rowers for the Tokyo Games , July 24-Aug. 9 , referred a reporter to USRowing officials .
Teti added that he has no knowledge of a SafeSport investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probe into his behavior before the Beijing Games .
Brett Johnson , Senior Director , Programs and Communications at USRowing , said he had not seen the letter and could not immediately comment .
The letter , sent to lawmakers who have held hearings on the sexual abuse of Olympic athletes , said it is not up to a national governing body to determine what information is relevant to a SafeSport investigation .
The letter said SafeSport should be able to determine whether documents or information it has requested from a national governing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That determination certainly should not be left to the self-policing of the NGB ( national governing body ) itself , ” the letter said .
Congress created the Denver-based Center for SafeSport as an independent body to investigate all forms of abuse claims in Olympic sports in the aftermath of the Larry Nasser case involving sexual abuse of hundreds of girls and young female gymnasts , including the American stars of the London Games .
In 2016 , a year before the Center for SafeSport opened , the University of California hired an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaint against a member of the Cal men ’ s crew team , this news organization reported at the time .
The alleged victim , a former female crew member , said at the time that Teti knew she had been sexually assaulted in December 2013 at a rowing team party .
She said instead of reporting the incident , Teti told her to stop crying , saying , “ You ’ re no angel anyway.
” A University of California official in 2016 said the school investigation did not focus on whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the incident .
Teti , a three-time Olympian who won a bronze medal at the Seoul Games 32 years ago , left Cal in 2018 to take over the national team program that uses the Golden Bears ’ rowing facility on the Oakland Estuary .
Teti is the only person to be inducted into the National Rowing Hall of Fame as an athlete and a coach .
The letter for lawmakers was sent on the heels of a whistleblower lawsuit filed Feb. 5 against the U.S. Olympics and Paralympic Committee , or USOPC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s former vice president of sports medicine , said in the suit he was fired for raising concerns about the wellbeing of athletes with regards to sexual abuse and mental health issues .
An Olympic Committee spokeswoman released a statement to news outlets that said , in part , “ We regret that Dr. Moreau and his attorney have misrepresented the causes of his separation from the USOPC.
” According to the letter sent to Congress , the USOPC is aware of USRowing ’ s unwillingness to supply SafeSport with the requested information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the USOPC associate general counsel , litigation and compliance , “ has declined to obtain or review the report himself or ask USRowing to turn over the report to SafeSport so that SafeSport can determine for itself whether the report covers matters within its jurisdiction.
” It continued , “ In addition , it is disappointing that the USOPC , which has final say in whether a head coach will be the designated coach to represent the United States at the Olympics , did not appear to be interested in at least requesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ikwuakor did not immediately respond to an email request for comment .
Quinn said in the letter that after informing SafeSport officials she was alerting Congress to the situation , “ SafeSport appears to be making another request to USRowing for the report and associated investigative materials.
” Quinn also urged lawmakers to give SafeSport more resources .
According to an Associated Press story in the fall , SafeSport received a 55 percent increase in complaints filed in 2019 from 2018 .
Senators Jerry Moran ( R-Kansas ) and Richard Blumenthal ( D-Connecticut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the U.S. Senate Commerce subcommittee that oversees the health and safety of U.S. Olympic and amateur athletes , also were sent a copy of the letter .

A letter sent to lawmakers this week charged American rowing officials with failing to cooperate with a U.S. Center for SafeSport investigation that involves Olympic coach Mike Teti, who runs the national team program on the Oakland Estuary.
But representatives of USRowing, the sport’s national governing body, said Thursday SafeSport officials closed the case involving Teti in August when determining they had insufficient evidence to launch a formal investigation. The representatives spoke on the condition of anonymity because of a policy not to be identified when addressing such matters.
A SafeSport spokesman said this week officials from the center do not discuss investigations publicly.
The letter was sent by Denver employment lawyer Beth Doherty Quinn and addressed to House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey), ranking member Greg Walden (R-Oregon) and Diana DeGette (D-Colorado), who chairs the Oversight and Investigations Panel. This news organization obtained a copy of the letter, which does not list any allegations against Teti, who coached rowing at the Cal from 2008-2018.
The letter said SafeSport officials “requested a report, or information about a report, generated by an investigator or other third-party hired by USRowing prior to the 2008 Olympics to investigate certain behaviors by then USRowing Head Coach, Mike Teti.”
Quinn said in the letter that she is unaware of the subject matter of the 2008 report.
“In response, SafeSport was told by USRowing that the report did not contain matters within its exclusive jurisdiction and USRowing did not turn over the report,” the letter said.
According to the rowing representatives, SafeSport asked about the report in 2018 as part of an inquiry into alleged financial improprieties. The sources said SafeSpot told rowing officials that the allegations of financial improprieties were outside the scope of SafeSport’s mandate but that they still asked USRowing to either produce a copy of the report or confirm that it did not involve allegations of sexual misconduct.
John Wik, USRowing’s director of Safesport and Special Projects, “complied with this request by confirming that the report did not involve allegations of sexual misconduct,” the representatives said.
The representatives added that rowing officials provided SafeSport with other requested materials in the case.
Quinn declined to discuss anything about the SafeSport investigation but added, “It is important that entities and people put in place to protect athletes work together properly for the protection of those athletes. We want to see the process work well.”
DeGette, the Colorado lawmaker, also called for cooperation in a statement to this news organization: “If U.S. Rowing, or any other national sports governing body, is withholding information from U.S. SafeSport that is highly concerning. U.S. SafeSport was created to protect our athletes and every one of our national governing bodies should be working with them to fulfill that goal.”
USRowing officials did not receive a copy of the 2008 report that was produced by an outside lawyer until this week when researching the issue after inquiries from this news organization, the representatives said.
Teti, a four-time Olympic coach who is preparing rowers for the Tokyo Games, July 24-Aug. 9, referred a reporter to USRowing officials. Teti, 63, added that he has no knowledge of a SafeSport investigation and also was unaware of a USRowing probe before the Beijing Games.
The letter, sent to lawmakers who have held hearings on the sexual abuse of Olympic athletes, said SafeSport should be able to determine whether documents or information it has requested from a national governing body fall within its jurisdiction. “That determination certainly should not be left to the self-policing of the NGB (national governing body) itself,” the letter said.
Congress created the Denver-based Center for SafeSport in 2017 as an independent body to investigate all forms of abuse claims in Olympic sports in the aftermath of the Larry Nasser case involving sexual abuse of hundreds of girls and young female gymnasts, including the American stars of the London Games.
In 2016, a year before the Center for SafeSport opened, the University of California hired an outside investigator to examine a sexual assault complaint against a member of the Cal men’s crew team, this news organization reported at the time.
The alleged victim, a former female crew member, said at the time that Teti knew she had been sexually assaulted in December 2013 at a rowing team party. She said instead of reporting the incident, Teti told her to stop crying, saying, “You’re no angel anyway.”
A University of California official in 2016 said the school investigation did not focus on whether Teti failed in his obligation to report the incident. The official added that if its investigation into the assault allegations raised questions about Teti’s conduct, that would be investigated separately.
Teti, a three-time Olympian who won a bronze medal at the Seoul Games 32 years ago, left Cal in 2018 to take over the national team program that uses the Golden Bears’ rowing facility on the Oakland Estuary. Teti is the only person to be inducted into the National Rowing Hall of Fame as an athlete and a coach.
The letter for lawmakers was sent on the heels of a whistleblower lawsuit filed Feb. 5 against the U.S. Olympics and Paralympic Committee, or USOPC. Bill Moreau, the USOPC’s former vice president of sports medicine, said in the suit he was fired for raising concerns about the wellbeing of athletes with regards to sexual abuse and mental health issues. An Olympic Committee spokeswoman released a statement to news outlets that said, in part, “We regret that Dr. Moreau and his attorney have misrepresented the causes of his separation from the USOPC.”
According to the letter sent to Congress, Onye Ikwuakor, the USOPC associate general counsel, litigation and compliance, “has declined to obtain or review the report himself or ask USRowing to turn over the report to SafeSport so that SafeSport can determine for itself whether the report covers matters within its jurisdiction.”
It continued, “In addition, it is disappointing that the USOPC, which has final say in whether a head coach will be the designated coach to represent the United States at the Olympics, did not appear to be interested in at least requesting and receiving the report in question.”
Ikwuakor did not respond to an email request for comment.
Quinn said in the letter that after informing SafeSport officials she was alerting Congress to the situation, “SafeSport appears to be making another request to USRowing for the report and associated investigative materials.”
Quinn also urged lawmakers to give SafeSport more resources. According to an Associated Press story in the fall, SafeSport received a 55 percent increase in complaints filed in 2019 from 2018.
Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), the chairman and ranking member of the U.S. Senate Commerce subcommittee that oversees the health and safety of U.S. Olympic and amateur athletes, also were sent a copy of the letter.


mercurynews--2020-02-13--Irvine day-trading academy sued by FTC for allegedly misleading investors

Federal regulators have charged an Irvine-based day-trading academy with overselling the firm ’ s ability to teach investors how to profit in the stock market .
The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday , Feb. 12 charged Online Trading Academy with misleading investors , who paid at least $ 370 million for classes over a six-year period .
The government charges the academy overstated how easy it was to make money using the company ’ s trading system .
The commission ’ s suit came a week after the academy said it sued the commission , claiming it was violating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ to restrict access to nontraditional forms of financial education.
” The commission , in a federal lawsuit , seeks to have the company stop its allegedly dishonest sales practices and pay unspecified damages to customers it wronged .
The company , according to the commission , has 10 of its own academies plus 31 franchised locations across the nation and in Canada , the United Kingdom , Singapore , India , Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates .
The academy used various advertising schemes to lure people to a “ preview ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , three-day “ orientation ” where “ the defendants urge attendees to sign up for seminars costing thousands more , ” according to the government .
In addition , the commission charged that the academy could not support its claims of trading riches , noting a company survey of customers found “ just 3 % of people who responded claimed to be making ‘ a lot of money , ’ 31 % reported making ‘ a little money , and 66 % said they were making no money at all.
” “ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marketing investment opportunities or training unless the seller has a reasonable basis to make such claims , ” said Andrew Smith , director of the commission ’ s Bureau of Consumer Protection .
The academy “ used unfounded earnings claims to bilk Americans out of their savings.
” The academy disputes such claims , saying in a press release it has many successful students .
“ We hear so many moving , humbling and inspiring stories of our students ’ success , which fuels our motivation to ensure they have access to strategies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their financial education goals , ” says academy founder Eyal Shahar .
“ We ’ ve always believed exceptional financial education should not be reserved only for the Wall Street elite.
” In a 2012 interview , Israel-native Shahar said he came to America with just $ 300 after losing all his money in the 1983 collapse of the Israeli stock market .
The investment business started as essentially a trading operation in 1997 , then in 2001 began concentrating on investor education .
“ It has nothing to do with gambling or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see if it will work , ’ ” Shahar said .
“ It ’ s all very specific , rule-based strategies .
It ’ s very systematic.
” The academy ’ s stated in a press release that the commission “ is placing a grossly excessive and unreasonable standard on the company to prove the financial gains of our students .
Of course , a range of factors can impact one ’ s earning potential when trading ” and that the company “ should be afforded the constitutionally guaranteed right to commercial free @ @ @

Federal regulators have charged an Irvine-based day-trading academy with overselling the firm’s ability to teach investors how to profit in the stock market.
The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday, Feb. 12 charged Online Trading Academy with misleading investors, who paid at least $370 million for classes over a six-year period. The government charges the academy overstated how easy it was to make money using the company’s trading system.
The commission’s suit came a week after the academy said it sued the commission, claiming it was violating the company’s free-speech rights and wants “to restrict access to nontraditional forms of financial education.”
The commission, in a federal lawsuit, seeks to have the company stop its allegedly dishonest sales practices and pay unspecified damages to customers it wronged. The company, according to the commission, has 10 of its own academies plus 31 franchised locations across the nation and in Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, India, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.
The academy used various advertising schemes to lure people to a “preview” seminar that leads to a $299, three-day “orientation” where “the defendants urge attendees to sign up for seminars costing thousands more,” according to the government.
In addition, the commission charged that the academy could not support its claims of trading riches, noting a company survey of customers found “just 3% of people who responded claimed to be making ‘a lot of money,’ 31% reported making ‘a little money, and 66% said they were making no money at all.”
“It is illegal to make earnings claims in marketing investment opportunities or training unless the seller has a reasonable basis to make such claims,” said Andrew Smith, director of the commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. The academy “used unfounded earnings claims to bilk Americans out of their savings.”
The academy disputes such claims, saying in a press release it has many successful students.
“We hear so many moving, humbling and inspiring stories of our students’ success, which fuels our motivation to ensure they have access to strategies and resources designed to help them achieve their financial education goals,” says academy founder Eyal Shahar. “We’ve always believed exceptional financial education should not be reserved only for the Wall Street elite.”
In a 2012 interview, Israel-native Shahar said he came to America with just $300 after losing all his money in the 1983 collapse of the Israeli stock market. The investment business started as essentially a trading operation in 1997, then in 2001 began concentrating on investor education.
“It has nothing to do with gambling or ‘Let’s try this to see if it will work,’ ” Shahar said. “It’s all very specific, rule-based strategies. It’s very systematic.”


mercurynews--2020-02-13--California’s bullet train price tag grows by $1.3B

SACRAMENTO — The estimated cost to complete California ’ s high-speed rail line rose another $ 1.3 billion , to $ 80.3 billion , while construction is on schedule to meet a 2022 deadline to have about 20 % of the track laid , according to a new business plan released Wednesday .
The cost bump is less than in previous years , and is mainly because the plan pushes back the completion of a high-speed rail link between Silicon Valley and the Central Valley by 18 months , to late 2031 .
The California High-Speed Rail Authority ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state lawmakers , some of whom want to peel off more of the money to help commuters in the state ’ s population centers .
The 168-page report attempts to counter those critics by emphasizing the $ 3 billion already going to so-called “ bookend ” projects in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas .
Five Southern California Democratic legislators , led by powerful Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon , said in a statement that they are disappointed in the new plan and will “ insist that discussions include our proposed alternative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other high-speed rail corridors while also continuing work in the Central Valley.
” The final plan will be sent to state lawmakers by May , after public comments and legislative hearings .
“ We continue to make investments in all three regions of the state , ” said Brian Kelly , the project ’ s chief executive , adding that “ California is further along than I think a lot of people think.
” The increase in the projected baseline cost is smaller than previous jumps , with Kelly calling it “ virtually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent previous estimates .
The 2016 business plan estimated the project would cost $ 64 billion .
The authority raised that to $ 77 billion in the 2018 business plan and added $ 2 billion to the estimate just last year .
It was initially projected to cost less than $ 34 billion , when completion of the entire project was expected by this year .
The new plan continues to project that the entire San Francisco to Los Angeles route will be running by 2033 — a quarter-century after California voters first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available when needed.
” The draft business plan , which is released every two years , projects that managers can meet the more urgent federal deadline in two years .
By then the state must have 119 miles completed , with track on the ground .
It must also have environmental clearance for all 520 miles to meet its deadline to use $ 3.5 billion that the state won under the Obama administration to build an initial segment of track in the Central Valley .
California is suing to block the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the project on the grounds that the state isn ’ t making enough progress toward the deadline .
Beyond that , the plan calls for expanding to 171 miles connecting Merced , Fresno and Bakersfield , which it calls “ three of the fastest growing areas in California.
” It calls for testing electrified high-speed trains by 2025 and put those trains in service by 2028-29 .
From Merced , passengers could connect to existing rail services to the Bay Area , but those heading to Los Angeles would have to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that sticking to the Central Valley plan brings the highest speed ( up to 220 mph ) , the largest ridership and revenue increases , the most traffic congestion relief and the greatest air quality benefits over competing options .
“ We don ’ t think that now is the time to turn back , ” Kelly said .
The currently projected available funds are only about a quarter of what ’ s needed to complete the full project .
Central Valley Republican state lawmakers , who hold little sway in a Legislature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California cut its losses .
Assemblyman Vince Fong of Bakersfield , vice chairman of his chamber ’ s Transportation Committee , said lawmakers should “ put an end to this failed project ” that “ now looks nothing like what was told to the voters in the beginning.
” Assemblyman Jim Patterson , who represents Fresno and is one of the project ’ s harshest critics , cited Democrats ’ infighting over available money .
“ The Authority continues to hope billions will magically appear , while the fight to siphon off Central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said in a statement calling it “ a pathetic fight for the scraps of a failing project.
” The draft plan once again calls for the Legislature to allow the authority to borrow money for construction against the state ’ s cap-and-trade program that raises money from companies that release greenhouse gases .
The same recommendation was in the 2018 final plan .
The plan still includes no commitments from the private sector , although authority officials say they are encouraged by other private proposals including building a 180-mile high-speed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California and are working closely with developer Virgin Trains USA .

By Don Thompson | Associated Press
SACRAMENTO — The estimated cost to complete California’s high-speed rail line rose another $1.3 billion, to $80.3 billion, while construction is on schedule to meet a 2022 deadline to have about 20% of the track laid, according to a new business plan released Wednesday.
The cost bump is less than in previous years, and is mainly because the plan pushes back the completion of a high-speed rail link between Silicon Valley and the Central Valley by 18 months, to late 2031.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s latest business plan comes amid pressure from state lawmakers, some of whom want to peel off more of the money to help commuters in the state’s population centers. The 168-page report attempts to counter those critics by emphasizing the $3 billion already going to so-called “bookend” projects in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas.
Five Southern California Democratic legislators, led by powerful Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, said in a statement that they are disappointed in the new plan and will “insist that discussions include our proposed alternative that provides for early service investments in other high-speed rail corridors while also continuing work in the Central Valley.”
The final plan will be sent to state lawmakers by May, after public comments and legislative hearings.
“We continue to make investments in all three regions of the state,” said Brian Kelly, the project’s chief executive, adding that “California is further along than I think a lot of people think.”
The increase in the projected baseline cost is smaller than previous jumps, with Kelly calling it “virtually unchanged” and within the ranges of recent previous estimates. The 2016 business plan estimated the project would cost $64 billion. The authority raised that to $77 billion in the 2018 business plan and added $2 billion to the estimate just last year.
It was initially projected to cost less than $34 billion, when completion of the entire project was expected by this year.
The new plan continues to project that the entire San Francisco to Los Angeles route will be running by 2033 — a quarter-century after California voters first approved it — “assuming funding is available when needed.”
The draft business plan, which is released every two years, projects that managers can meet the more urgent federal deadline in two years.
By then the state must have 119 miles completed, with track on the ground. It must also have environmental clearance for all 520 miles to meet its deadline to use $3.5 billion that the state won under the Obama administration to build an initial segment of track in the Central Valley.
California is suing to block the Trump administration from withdrawing a $929 million grant for the project on the grounds that the state isn’t making enough progress toward the deadline.
Beyond that, the plan calls for expanding to 171 miles connecting Merced, Fresno and Bakersfield, which it calls “three of the fastest growing areas in California.” It calls for testing electrified high-speed trains by 2025 and put those trains in service by 2028-29. From Merced, passengers could connect to existing rail services to the Bay Area, but those heading to Los Angeles would have to take a bus.
The draft plan says that sticking to the Central Valley plan brings the highest speed (up to 220 mph), the largest ridership and revenue increases, the most traffic congestion relief and the greatest air quality benefits over competing options.
“We don’t think that now is the time to turn back,” Kelly said.
The currently projected available funds are only about a quarter of what’s needed to complete the full project.
Central Valley Republican state lawmakers, who hold little sway in a Legislature controlled by Democrats, again urged that California cut its losses.
Assemblyman Vince Fong of Bakersfield, vice chairman of his chamber’s Transportation Committee, said lawmakers should “put an end to this failed project” that “now looks nothing like what was told to the voters in the beginning.”
Assemblyman Jim Patterson, who represents Fresno and is one of the project’s harshest critics, cited Democrats’ infighting over available money.
“The Authority continues to hope billions will magically appear, while the fight to siphon off Central Valley dollars for Southern California rages on,” he said in a statement calling it “a pathetic fight for the scraps of a failing project.”
The draft plan once again calls for the Legislature to allow the authority to borrow money for construction against the state’s cap-and-trade program that raises money from companies that release greenhouse gases. The same recommendation was in the 2018 final plan.
The plan still includes no commitments from the private sector, although authority officials say they are encouraged by other private proposals including building a 180-mile high-speed train link between Las Vegas and Southern California and are working closely with developer Virgin Trains USA.


mercurynews--2020-02-13--Review: ‘Kentucky Route Zero’ is experimental fiction turned into a video game

“ Kentucky Route Zero : TV Edition ” is a lot of things — experimental , literary , strange — and it may come across as boring to players unprepared for what it ’ s trying to achieve .
On the surface , it looks like a point-and-click adventure game , one of those classic Sierra titles from a 1980s childhood .
But that isn ’ t what “ Kentucky Route Zero ” is .
The project is more like experimental fiction that happens to arrive in video game form .
Players won ’ t encounter much in terms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many puzzles .
They ’ ll explore the map in some acts of the campaign .
The graphics are simple and stylized .
What “ Kentucy Route Zero ” has going for it is the writing , which throws players into a world of magical realism .
Players initially follow a deliveryman named Conway who is looking for 5 Dogwood Drive — in vain .
He uncovers a clue at a gas station , when the attendant says the only way there is through Kentucky Route Zero .
That path takes players through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mines , odd museums , distant forests and the underground Echo River .
Everything verges on the cusp of a fairy tale fantasy , but it stays grounded in the sobering sadness of the state .
The Kentucky that players travel through is one of decay .
It ’ s a neo-nerdy Gothic tale as Conway and his companion , Shannon Marquez , search for the Zero and at the same time pick through the remains of workers and residents who roamed its waysides .
The two pick up other travelers on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finish that poses an important question about whether one should stay or leave home .
The way players answer it is one of the better parts of “ Kentucky Route Zero.
” Although the narrative is linear , players have choices in how it ’ s shaped — at least partly .
That ’ s done through the responses in conversations or internal monologue .
The responses themselves give each character a background and personality .
For example , the musical duo Johnny and Junebug can add another member to their group .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility , or create division between the two with Johnny wanting a buddy and Junebug rejecting the proposal .
The array of choices shows how player decisions color in a character ’ s portrait and add depth .
In a way , the player and the developer , Cardboard Computer , become co-authors in how “ Kentucky Route Zero ” unfurls through its five acts .
The only issue is that not all scenes are created equal in “ Kentucky Route Zero ” and some interactions are boring .
The static nature of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off an audience used to instant gratification or a more visceral experience .
This adventure is neither of those things .
It ’ s ruminative as players follow the meandering journey and deal with the oddities of magical realism .
Like “ One Hundred Years of Solitude ” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez , the acts have interludes that seemingly appear out of place , but players discover the connections between the scenes and the main narrative .
These elements often feel fantastical , but that ’ s how the plot deals with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kentucky Route Zero ” doesn ’ t paint a rosy picture of the state , but instead shows a world and characters that have been beaten down .
The Consolidated Power Company has ruined lives and mismanaged subsidiary businesses , and the more desperate and dire the situation , the more fantastical the scenarios seem to end up .
Hurt legs turn to skeletal limbs .
A crow becomes the technician behind a community-access television station during a life-threatening rainstorm .
Accepting the incredible alongside the harshness of everyday life is one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Kentucky Route Zero , ” that genre of fiction takes on a more dreamlike face .
For gamers , it ’ s not the most entertaining experience , but for those who like that thread of storytelling , it ’ s a piece of experimental fiction that ’ s worth the read .
Two and a half stars Rating : Teen Platform : Nintendo Switch , Xbox One , PlayStation 4 , PC

“Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition” is a lot of things — experimental, literary, strange — and it may come across as boring to players unprepared for what it’s trying to achieve. On the surface, it looks like a point-and-click adventure game, one of those classic Sierra titles from a 1980s childhood.
But that isn’t what “Kentucky Route Zero” is aiming for. The project is more like experimental fiction that happens to arrive in video game form. Players won’t encounter much in terms of gameplay. They won’t find many puzzles. They’ll explore the map in some acts of the campaign. The graphics are simple and stylized.
What “Kentucky Route Zero” has going for it is the writing, which throws players into a world of magical realism. Players initially follow a deliveryman named Conway who is looking for 5 Dogwood Drive — in vain. He uncovers a clue at a gas station, when the attendant says the only way there is through Kentucky Route Zero.
That path takes players through bizarre locales as they venture through coal mines, odd museums, distant forests and the underground Echo River. Everything verges on the cusp of a fairy tale fantasy, but it stays grounded in the sobering sadness of the state.
The Kentucky that players travel through is one of decay. It’s a neo-nerdy Gothic tale as Conway and his companion, Shannon Marquez, search for the Zero and at the same time pick through the remains of workers and residents who roamed its waysides. The two pick up other travelers on the way and together they snowball toward a finish that poses an important question about whether one should stay or leave home.
The way players answer that question is one of the better parts of “Kentucky Route Zero.” Although the narrative is linear, players have choices in how it’s shaped — at least partly. That’s done through the responses in conversations or internal monologue. The responses themselves give each character a background and personality.
For example, the musical duo Johnny and Junebug can add another member to their group. Players can choose options to encourage that possibility, or create division between the two with Johnny wanting a buddy and Junebug rejecting the proposal.
The array of choices shows how player decisions color in a character’s portrait and add depth. In a way, the player and the developer, Cardboard Computer, become co-authors in how “Kentucky Route Zero” unfurls through its five acts.
The only issue is that not all scenes are created equal in “Kentucky Route Zero” and some interactions are boring. The static nature of how the story unfolds will also turn off an audience used to instant gratification or a more visceral experience. This adventure is neither of those things.
It’s ruminative as players follow the meandering journey and deal with the oddities of magical realism. Like “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the acts have interludes that seemingly appear out of place, but players discover the connections between the scenes and the main narrative.
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What to play: Enhanced ‘Quake II,’ ‘Stray’ for Xbox and ‘Stray Gods’ are the top picks Entertainment | Review: With ‘Pikmin 4,’ Nintendo finally nails the right controls for a strategy game
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What to play: ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ will keep gamers busy during August Entertainment | ‘First Descendant’ crossplay beta delayed until September but will be open to all These elements often feel fantastical, but that’s how the plot deals with the trauma of the subject matter. “Kentucky Route Zero” doesn’t paint a rosy picture of the state, but instead shows a world and characters that have been beaten down. The Consolidated Power Company has ruined lives and mismanaged subsidiary businesses, and the more desperate and dire the situation, the more fantastical the scenarios seem to end up. Hurt legs turn to skeletal limbs. A crow becomes the technician behind a community-access television station during a life-threatening rainstorm.
Accepting the incredible alongside the harshness of everyday life is one of the hallmarks of magical realism. With “Kentucky Route Zero,” that genre of fiction takes on a more dreamlike face. For gamers, it’s not the most entertaining experience, but for those who like that thread of storytelling, it’s a piece of experimental fiction that’s worth the read.
‘Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition
2½ stars out of 4
Rating: Teen
Platform: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC


mercurynews--2020-02-12--KTVU reporter Allison Rodriguez leaving the Bay Area

Well , that didn ’ t last long .
After spending less than a year at KTVU-TV ( Channel 2 ) , journalist Allison Rodriguez is leaving the Bay Area for a job at an Arizona station Beginning in late March , Rodriguez will be a co-anchor of a morning show at the ABC affiliate in Phoenix , Arizona .
She ’ s a familiar face in the Grand Canyon State , where she worked for eight years before coming to KTVU .
“ I ’ m pleased to be reuniting with my colleagues at ABC15 and CW61 in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It was hard being away these last several months from a place I ’ ve called home for almost a decade .
This opportunity is a perfect fit that will allow me to tell stories that matter.
” A bilingual multimedia journalist for KTVU/Fox 2 , Rodriguez arrived in the Bay Area last August .
“ Moving to California was an easy decision , ” she said at the time .
“ It has beautiful weather , scenery and a rich history and I can ’ t wait to tell more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apparently didn ’ t work out .
Bay Area media blogger Rich Lieberman , who regarded Rodriguez as a “ future star , ” surmised that she “ wasn ’ t feeling the mojo and is headed back to Arizona where presumably the job is fresher and rent and living expenses considerably lower .
”

Related Articles TV Streaming | Vic Lee, KGO-TV and Bay Area fixture, retires
Vic Lee, KGO-TV and Bay Area fixture, retires TV Streaming | Brian Sussman, talk show host, stepping down at KSFO Well, that didn’t last long. After spending less than a year at KTVU-TV (Channel 2), journalist Allison Rodriguez is leaving the Bay Area for a job at an Arizona station
Beginning in late March, Rodriguez will be a co-anchor of a morning show at the ABC affiliate in Phoenix, Arizona. She’s a familiar face in the Grand Canyon State, where she worked for eight years before coming to KTVU.
“I’m pleased to be reuniting with my colleagues at ABC15 and CW61 in March,” Rodriguez told the Arizona Republic. “It was hard being away these last several months from a place I’ve called home for almost a decade. This opportunity is a perfect fit that will allow me to tell stories that matter.”
A bilingual multimedia journalist for KTVU/Fox 2, Rodriguez arrived in the Bay Area last August.
I worked with some of the smartest, most amazing journalists in the business at @KTVU and I’ll miss them all dearly 💙💙 https://t.co/AMKhAGz3G7 — Allison Rodriguez (@ARodTV) February 12, 2020
“Moving to California was an easy decision,” she said at the time. “It has beautiful weather, scenery and a rich history and I can’t wait to tell more people’s stories.”
But it apparently didn’t work out. Bay Area media blogger Rich Lieberman, who regarded Rodriguez as a “future star,” surmised that she “wasn’t feeling the mojo and is headed back to Arizona where presumably the job is fresher and rent and living expenses considerably lower.”


mercurynews--2020-02-12--After caucus chaos, Iowa Democratic Party chairman resigns

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party announced his resignation Wednesday after a disastrous caucus process beset by technical glitches led to a dayslong delay in reporting the results , inconsistencies in the numbers and no clear winner .
The embarrassing episode also threatened Iowa ’ s cherished status as the first voting contest of the presidential primary season and led both front-runners to request a partial recanvass of the results .
“ The fact is that Democrats deserved better than what happened on caucus night .
As chair of this party , I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the responsibility for any failures on behalf of the Iowa Democratic Party , ” Troy Price wrote in a resignation letter a week and a half after Iowa ’ s caucuses .
“ While it is my desire to stay in this role and see this process through to completion , I do believe it is time for the Iowa Democratic Party to begin looking forward , and my presence in my current role makes that more difficult.
” He said his departure would occur as soon as the state party elects a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday meeting to do so .
After a breakdown in tallying the results on Feb. 3 , it took until Feb. 6 for the state party , which operates the series of roughly 1,700 local meetings statewide , to issue what it said are complete results .
In those figures , released by the party , former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg leads Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders by two state delegate equivalents out of 2,152 counted .
That is a margin of 0.09 percentage points .
The Associated Press said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , based on the available information .
The results as reported by the Iowa Democratic Party , the AP believes , may not be fully accurate .
Price had called the delays in reporting results “ unacceptable.
” He said the party would conduct a “ thorough , transparent and independent examination ” of what caused the delays .
He apologized for the breakdown in the process .
Both Buttigieg ’ s and Sanders ’ campaigns requested a partial recanvass of the Iowa results , which the Iowa Democratic Party approved .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 80 precincts to begin on Sunday and last two days .
A recanvass is not a recount , but a check of the vote count against paper records created by caucus leaders to ensure the counts were reported accurately .
The party has said it will not change mistakes in the math and the only opportunity to correct it would be a recount , which would be the candidates ’ next option after the recanvass is completed .
Price was elected to his second term as chairman of the state party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released after his reelection , he noted that he was “ incredibly proud ” of the success that Iowa Democrats had in the 2018 midterms and looked forward to building on it .
“ I can not wait wait to work with them again on what could very well be one of the most consequential Iowa Caucuses of our time , ” he said .
Price previously was part of several Democratic campaigns in Iowa , including those of former President Barack Obama and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton .
Price also had served @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and led One Iowa , an LGBT advocacy group .
The Iowa Democratic Party instituted new rules for the 2020 contest that were meant to enhance transparency in the process .
• After Iowa debacle , ‘ serious discussion ’ at the DNC • DNC chair calls for ‘ recanvass ’ of Iowa results after delays In previous years , the Iowa Democratic Party reported just one number : the number of state delegates won by each candidate .
For the first time , the party this year reported two other numbers — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning and at the end of the night .
The additional data is a nod to Sanders and his supporters , who argued that the previous rules essentially robbed him of victory in his 2016 race against Clinton .
That contest ended in a narrow delegate victory for Clinton in Iowa .

By Alexandra Jaffe | Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party announced his resignation Wednesday after a disastrous caucus process beset by technical glitches led to a dayslong delay in reporting the results, inconsistencies in the numbers and no clear winner.
The embarrassing episode also threatened Iowa’s cherished status as the first voting contest of the presidential primary season and led both front-runners to request a partial recanvass of the results.
“The fact is that Democrats deserved better than what happened on caucus night. As chair of this party, I am deeply sorry for what happened and bear the responsibility for any failures on behalf of the Iowa Democratic Party,” Troy Price wrote in a resignation letter a week and a half after Iowa’s caucuses.
“While it is my desire to stay in this role and see this process through to completion, I do believe it is time for the Iowa Democratic Party to begin looking forward, and my presence in my current role makes that more difficult.”
He said his departure would occur as soon as the state party elects a replacement, and he called an emergency Saturday meeting to do so.
After a breakdown in tallying the results on Feb. 3, it took until Feb. 6 for the state party, which operates the series of roughly 1,700 local meetings statewide, to issue what it said are complete results.
In those figures, released by the party, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg leads Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders by two state delegate equivalents out of 2,152 counted. That is a margin of 0.09 percentage points.
The Associated Press said it was unable to declare a winner, based on the available information. The results as reported by the Iowa Democratic Party, the AP believes, may not be fully accurate.
Price had called the delays in reporting results “unacceptable.” He said the party would conduct a “thorough, transparent and independent examination” of what caused the delays. He apologized for the breakdown in the process.
Both Buttigieg’s and Sanders’ campaigns requested a partial recanvass of the Iowa results, which the Iowa Democratic Party approved. The party says it expects the recanvass of more than 80 precincts to begin on Sunday and last two days. A recanvass is not a recount, but a check of the vote count against paper records created by caucus leaders to ensure the counts were reported accurately.
The party has said it will not change mistakes in the math and the only opportunity to correct it would be a recount, which would be the candidates’ next option after the recanvass is completed.
Price was elected to his second term as chairman of the state party in December 2018. In a statement released after his reelection, he noted that he was “incredibly proud” of the success that Iowa Democrats had in the 2018 midterms and looked forward to building on it.
“I cannot wait wait to work with them again on what could very well be one of the most consequential Iowa Caucuses of our time,” he said.
Price previously was part of several Democratic campaigns in Iowa, including those of former President Barack Obama and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Price also had served as the party’s executive director and led One Iowa, an LGBT advocacy group.
The Iowa Democratic Party instituted new rules for the 2020 contest that were meant to enhance transparency in the process.
Related Articles Politics | After Iowa debacle, ‘serious discussion’ at the DNC
After Iowa debacle, ‘serious discussion’ at the DNC Politics | Sanders campaign asks for partial Iowa caucus recanvass
Sanders campaign asks for partial Iowa caucus recanvass Politics | DNC chair calls for ‘recanvass’ of Iowa results after delays In previous years, the Iowa Democratic Party reported just one number: the number of state delegates won by each candidate. For the first time, the party this year reported two other numbers — who had the most votes at the beginning and at the end of the night.
The additional data is a nod to Sanders and his supporters, who argued that the previous rules essentially robbed him of victory in his 2016 race against Clinton. That contest ended in a narrow delegate victory for Clinton in Iowa.


mercurynews--2020-02-12--Five San Jose hospital workers exposed to coronavirus patient return to job

Five San Jose hospital workers sent home after being exposed last month to a man sick with the potentially deadly novel coronavirus have been cleared to return to work , health officials said Wednesday .
Santa Clara County health officials acknowledged Feb. 4 that the five workers at Good Samaritan Hospital had been asked to stay home until Feb. 11 after being exposed to the virus by a local man who sought treatment at the hospital and became the county ’ s first of two confirmed cases .
“ The directive for these employees to self-isolate was made out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk was always considered very low by the public health department , ” said Good Samaritan spokesman Christopher D. Brown .
“ As all hospitals treat patients with infectious diseases every day , Good Samaritan remains a safe place to receive care and the community should have full confidence in our staff and the care provided at our hospital.
” The novel coronavirus — officially named COVID-19 — has sickened more than 45,000 people globally , the vast majority in China , where the outbreak began .
There have been 1,115 deaths , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are 13 U.S. cases in six states , most of them in California , the most recent in an American evacuated from China who was being quarantined at a Southern California military base .
Brown said the Santa Clara County Public Health Department urged the hospital workers to “ self-isolate after brief interactions ” with the patient Jan. 28 after he sought care in Good Samaritan ’ s emergency room and before it was known he was infected with the novel coronavirus .
They were asked to stay home 14 days , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prevention has considered a conservative estimate of the virus ’ incubation period before an infected patient feels ill .
The hospital workers did not respond to interview requests .
Brown said it was unclear due to schedule variations whether all five were back on the job Wednesday .
Santa Clara County health system spokesman Maury Kendall said two of the hospital workers who live in the county “ were checked daily for symptoms of novel coronavirus and have not exhibited any signs of illness.
” Santa Clara County health officials Jan. 31 that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Bay Area .
They described him only as “ an adult male resident of the county ” who recently traveled to Wuhan , China , where the outbreak originated , and became ill upon returning home .
County officials said the man was seen at a local clinic and hospital but was never was sick enough to require hospitalization , and was “ self-isolating at home ” while they monitored his condition .
Two days later , Santa Clara County officials confirmed a second , unrelated novel coronavirus infection someone they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” who also had recently traveled to Wuhan and arrived January 23 to visit family in the county .
They said she has stayed home since she arrived except for two occasions when she sought outpatient medical care , was never sick enough to be hospitalized and also has been regularly monitored .
Kendall said both patients are in “ good condition , ” but county health spokeswoman Joy Alexiou said neither has yet been cleared to return to work and resume normal activities .
They have declined interview requests .
Two other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in San Benito County , a husband and wife both age 57 .
San Benito County health officials said the husband recently traveled from Wuhan , but his wife did not and was believed to have been infected through him .
They were later transferred to another hospital for a higher level of care .
San Benito County health department spokeswoman Samela Perez said they were “ not at liberty to discuss ” the couple ’ s condition .

Five San Jose hospital workers sent home after being exposed last month to a man sick with the potentially deadly novel coronavirus have been cleared to return to work, health officials said Wednesday.
The good news came as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that a 14th person in the U.S. and eighth in California has been diagnosed with the virus — named COVID-19. The patient was among the evacuees that left China and arrived in the U.S. last Friday on the final two State Department chartered flights and is quarantined on a Southern California military base. The 13th case was on a separate flight and is quarantined at the same base. Nearly 200 people who were among the first to be airlifted out of China in January and quarantined at March Air Base in Riverside, have been allowed to leave.
Santa Clara County health officials acknowledged Feb. 4 that the five workers at Good Samaritan Hospital had been asked to stay home until Feb. 11 after being exposed to the virus by a local man who sought treatment at the hospital and became the county’s first of two confirmed cases.
“The directive for these employees to self-isolate was made out of an abundance of caution as their infection risk was always considered very low by the public health department,” said Good Samaritan spokesman Christopher D. Brown. “As all hospitals treat patients with infectious diseases every day, Good Samaritan remains a safe place to receive care and the community should have full confidence in our staff and the care provided at our hospital.”
The coronavirus has sickened more than 45,000 people globally, the vast majority in China, where the outbreak began. There have been more than 1,300 deaths, all but one in China. One American has died in China.
Brown said the Santa Clara County Public Health Department urged the hospital workers to “self-isolate after brief interactions” with the patient Jan. 28 after he sought care in Good Samaritan’s emergency room and before it was known he was infected with the novel coronavirus.
They were asked to stay home 14 days, which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has considered a conservative estimate of the virus’ incubation period before an infected patient feels ill.
The hospital workers did not respond to interview requests. Brown said it was unclear due to schedule variations whether all five were back on the job Wednesday.
Santa Clara County health system spokesman Maury Kendall said two of the hospital workers who live in the county “were checked daily for symptoms of novel coronavirus and have not exhibited any signs of illness.”
Santa Clara County health officials Jan. 31 that the man was the first confirmed infection in the Bay Area. They described him only as “an adult male resident of the county” who recently traveled to Wuhan, China, where the outbreak originated, and became ill upon returning home.
County officials said the man was seen at a local clinic and hospital but was never was sick enough to require hospitalization, and was “self-isolating at home” while they monitored his condition.
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Two days later, Santa Clara County officials confirmed a second, unrelated novel coronavirus infection someone they described only as “an adult female” who also had recently traveled to Wuhan and arrived January 23 to visit family in the county. They said she has stayed home since she arrived except for two occasions when she sought outpatient medical care, was never sick enough to be hospitalized and also has been regularly monitored.
Kendall said both patients are in “good condition,” but county health spokeswoman Joy Alexiou said neither has yet been cleared to return to work and resume normal activities. They have declined interview requests.
Two other Northern California cases were confirmed Feb. 2 in San Benito County, a husband and wife both age 57. San Benito County health officials said the husband recently traveled from Wuhan, but his wife did not and was believed to have been infected through him. They were later transferred to another hospital for a higher level of care.
San Benito County health department spokeswoman Samela Perez said they were “not at liberty to discuss” the couple’s condition.


Golf: Tournaments, fundraisers

19th Annual Teen Challenge Benefit : May 4 at Blackhawk Country Club .
Proceeds from the event benefit men , @ @ @ @ @ , and families in the Bay Area who are struggling with life-controlling problems , such @ @ @ @ @ .
$ 225 per golfer ( includes breakfast , appetizers & drinks on course , @ @ @ @ @ ) , $ 50 for dinner only .
Sponsorship opportunities also available .
To register @ @ @ @ @ ( 888 ) 339-3193 , or for additional information contact Mark Lynch ( 925 ) @ @ @ @ @ or golf tournament , contact Nick at sports @ bayareanewsgroup.com

19th Annual Teen Challenge Benefit: May 4 at Blackhawk Country Club. Proceeds from the event benefit men, women, teens, children, and families in the Bay Area who are struggling with life-controlling problems, such as drug and alcohol addiction. $225 per golfer (includes breakfast, appetizers & drinks on course, tee prizes, silent auction), $50 for dinner only. Sponsorship opportunities also available. To register contact info@teenchallenge.net, (888) 339-3193, or for additional information contact Mark Lynch (925) 890-3200
To submit a hole-in-one or golf tournament, contact Nick at sports@bayareanewsgroup.com


mercurynews--2020-02-13--Arson suspect arrested after fire tears through California apartment complex, injuring 2 and displac

Arson suspect arrested after fire tears through California apartment complex, injuring 2 and displacing 60-plus

A raging fire tore through a Tustin apartment complex early Wednesday , injuring two people , destroying multiple housing units and displacing dozens of residents .
Police later arrested a man on suspicion of starting the blaze .
The injured pair were treated for smoke inhalation – with one hospitalized .
A total of 38 units were damaged or destroyed .
The blaze was reported just after 3 a.m. at the two-story structure of the Chatham Village Apartments , at 15751 Williams St. About 25 minutes later , the roof collapsed .
More than 120 firefighters and support staff worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control .
Afterward , a bomb sniffing dog was dispatched to investigate the aftermath , Orange County Fire Authority Capt .
Tony Bommarito said .
Patrick Andrew Ceniceros , 59 , was brought to the Tustin Police Station for questioning in connection with the fire at about 8:45 p.m. , TPD Lt. Andy Birozy said .
Detectives were in the process of booking him on suspicion of arson about an hour later .
It ’ s unclear if the Tustin man was a resident of the apartment , but he was “ affiliated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complex , Birozy said .
It was not immediately clear what might have motivated him to allegedly start a fire that sent apartment inhabitants scrambling for safety , and in need of shelter that evening .
Dozens affected by the fire were unable to return to their homes Wednesday , Bommarito said .
At least 62 displaced people had registered to receive support from the American Red Cross at an evacuation center in the Tustin Senior Center .
The temporary relief facility also served as an overnight shelter for former residents of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sunlight emerged over the building , its blackened roof was only smoking .
Its cream-orange side walls still stood .
Residents of nearby apartment complexes stared at the burned building while firefighters continued pouring water onto smoldering ruins .
The blaze was declared knocked down just after 8 a.m. By noon , firefighters had searched the units to confirm there weren ’ t any victims inside .
All residents affected by the fire had been accounted for as of 4 p.m. , Bommarito said .
Marta Diego , a 16-year resident of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing outside on Williams with a small crowd of other displaced residents , covered in American Red Cross blankets to shield themselves from the morning chill .
“ I didn ’ t hear any alarms , ” she said .
“ ( The fire ) moved so fast , and we had to get out fast but we didn ’ t hear any alarms.
” It was something other residents would echo .
As they stood talking to one another , Orange County Transportation Authority buses arrived to take them to the evacuation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police at her door .
Then she , her husband and three children bolted from their home of two months .
“ We didn ’ t take anything with us , ” Ojeda said .
“ It was all so fast.
” She isn ’ t sure of the fate of her family ’ s new home but she ’ s almost certain most of their belongings are gone .
“ Everything was new , ” Ojeda said .
“ We got new furniture , new things for just around the house .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was going to take her family in .
“ Oh , my glasses !
” she said .
“ How am I going to see ?
” Eloisa Ayon lives across the street from the burned complex .
She was awakened by a phone .
“ My friend asked me if I was OK , and I didn ’ t know why she asked me that , ” Ayon said .
Once she learned the news she left her home to see if she could offer blankets to the displaced residents , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” It makes me very emotional , ” she said about her neighbors .
“ To not be able to go back home .
… It ’ s so sad .
”

A raging fire tore through a Tustin apartment complex early Wednesday, injuring two people, destroying multiple housing units and displacing dozens of residents. Police later arrested a man on suspicion of starting the blaze.
The injured pair were treated for smoke inhalation – with one hospitalized.
A total of 38 units were damaged or destroyed.
Tustin Structure Fire: 3:01 am. 3 alarm fire at 15751 Williams. Two story apartment building. Heavy fire with roof collapse at 3:25. All firefighters accounted for. Defensive fire attack. 80 firefighters onscene. pic.twitter.com/N48sywgMya — OCFA PIO (@OCFA_PIO) February 12, 2020
The blaze was reported just after 3 a.m. at the two-story structure of the Chatham Village Apartments, at 15751 Williams St. About 25 minutes later, the roof collapsed.
More than 120 firefighters and support staff worked for hours to get the fire under control. Afterward, a bomb sniffing dog was dispatched to investigate the aftermath, Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Tony Bommarito said.
Patrick Andrew Ceniceros, 59, was brought to the Tustin Police Station for questioning in connection with the fire at about 8:45 p.m., TPD Lt. Andy Birozy said. Detectives were in the process of booking him on suspicion of arson about an hour later.
It’s unclear if the Tustin man was a resident of the apartment, but he was “affiliated with” and known to frequent the complex, Birozy said. It was not immediately clear what might have motivated him to allegedly start a fire that sent apartment inhabitants scrambling for safety, and in need of shelter that evening.
Dozens affected by the fire were unable to return to their homes Wednesday, Bommarito said. At least 62 displaced people had registered to receive support from the American Red Cross at an evacuation center in the Tustin Senior Center. The temporary relief facility also served as an overnight shelter for former residents of the burned-out apartment complex.
In response to this morning’s fire in #Tustin, our Care & Reception Center has transitioned into a full overnight shelter located at the Tustin Area Senior Center (200 South C Street, Tustin, CA 92780). Read more: https://t.co/NQ7AjozXnT pic.twitter.com/4EyT5rOlee — Red Cross DTS (@RedCrossDTS) February 13, 2020
By the time sunlight emerged over the building, its blackened roof was only smoking. Its cream-orange side walls still stood. Residents of nearby apartment complexes stared at the burned building while firefighters continued pouring water onto smoldering ruins.
The blaze was declared knocked down just after 8 a.m. By noon, firefighters had searched the units to confirm there weren’t any victims inside. All residents affected by the fire had been accounted for as of 4 p.m., Bommarito said.
If you are a displaced resident from the fire, @RedCross is responding to 1952 E. Mcfadden Ave, Santa Ana, to assess the needs of residents. Residents in need will then be relocated to a more permanent location in the City of Tustin. More to follow on this. https://t.co/IZ2eXfUR6R — Tustin PD (@TustinPolice) February 12, 2020
Marta Diego, a 16-year resident of the complex, and her two teenagers were standing outside on Williams with a small crowd of other displaced residents, covered in American Red Cross blankets to shield themselves from the morning chill.
“I didn’t hear any alarms,” she said. “(The fire) moved so fast, and we had to get out fast but we didn’t hear any alarms.”
It was something other residents would echo. As they stood talking to one another, Orange County Transportation Authority buses arrived to take them to the evacuation center.
“We didn’t hear anything,” said Liliana Ojeda.
She was jolted awake by police at her door. Then she, her husband and three children bolted from their home of two months.
“We didn’t take anything with us,” Ojeda said. “It was all so fast.”
She isn’t sure of the fate of her family’s new home but she’s almost certain most of their belongings are gone.
“Everything was new,” Ojeda said. “We got new furniture, new things for just around the house. … Everything.”
One of her friends was going to take her family in.
“Oh, my glasses!” she said. “How am I going to see?”
Eloisa Ayon lives across the street from the burned complex. She was awakened by a phone.
“My friend asked me if I was OK, and I didn’t know why she asked me that,” Ayon said.
Once she learned the news she left her home to see if she could offer blankets to the displaced residents, on the sidewalk watching their homes burn.
”It makes me very emotional,” she said about her neighbors. “To not be able to go back home. … It’s so sad.”


mercurynews--2020-02-13--Letter: I am amazed by Warren’s plans to rethink broken methods

The press needs to give more coverage to Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren .
I ’ m with Warren @ @ @ @ @ since 2016 I am hopeful for the future of America .
I ’ m also @ @ @ @ @ a plan for everything .
Every issue that America has , she has a plan @ @ @ @ @ ’ m very passionate about criminal justice , climate change , education and mental health @ @ @ @ @ unfortunately , areas that we need a lot of help with .
Warren ’ s @ @ @ @ @ are currently done are amazing and I think will make a great difference .
• @ @ @ @ @ out is caused in part by climate change • Letter : Nancy Pelosi stole from @ @ @ @ @ pride I also love that she wants to help get rid of student loan debt @ @ @ @ @ do with health care .
Submit your letter to the editor via this form Read @ @ @ @ @

Amazed by Warren’s plans
to rethink broken methods
The press needs to give more coverage to Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren. I’m with Warren because for the first time since 2016 I am hopeful for the future of America.
I’m also with Warren because she has a plan for everything. Every issue that America has, she has a plan to overcome it. I’m very passionate about criminal justice, climate change, education and mental health, and these are, unfortunately, areas that we need a lot of help with. Warren’s plans to change how things are currently done are amazing and I think will make a great difference.
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Heather Ramamurthy
Martinez
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mercurynews--2020-02-13--California’s creative economy supports 2.68 million jobs, study says

A study commissioned by Otis College of Art and Design shows the state ’ s creative industries support 2.68 million jobs , generate $ 209.6 billion in labor income and provide an annual $ 650 billion boost to the Golden State ’ s economy .
More than 1 million workers are directly employed in California ’ s creative industries and another 1.6 million indirect jobs support those operations , the study said .
That accounts for 15.4 % of the state ’ s overall employment .
In Los Angeles County , creative industries account for an even bigger 16.3 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what , exactly , are the creative industries ?
The report breaks them into five categories : • Architecture and related services – Drafting services , interior design and ornamental and architectural metal work manufacturing , among others • Creative goods and products – Furniture manufacturing , industrial design , toy manufacturing and services related to advertising , among others • Entertainment and digital media – Graphic design , motion picture/video production , commercial photography and data processing , among others • Fashion – Apparel manufacturing , jewelry wholesaling and cosmetics manufacturing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arts – Art galleries , musical groups , dance companies and fine arts schools , among others Fashion is the only creative sector in Southern California that has seen steady declines in wage and salary employment , according to a new report .
Southern California has the largest share ( 49 % ) of wage and salary workers in California ’ s creative economy , thanks to its vibrant entertainment industry , myriad performance venues , fashion district and a broad array of business operations .
The region is followed by the Bay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diego and Imperial counties ( 5.5 % ) , the Inland Empire ( 3.1 % ) , the Central Coast and Capital region ( both 2 % ) , Central Valley ( 1 % ) and Northern California ( 0.2 % ) .
Southern California also has the largest percentage of contract workers in creative industries .
The region employs 51.8 % of the state ’ s total , while the Bay Area employs 23.2 % .
Fashion is the only creative sector in the Southland that has seen steady declines in both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employment .
It ’ s also the lowest paying , with an average annual wage of $ 53,600 in 2018 .
Entertainment and digital media is California ’ s biggest creative employment sector , with 740,000 workers .
It added 120,000 jobs over the past five years and accounts for 71 % of the state ’ s creative workforce .
Sound recording , which falls under that umbrella , grew at a rate of 22 % over the past five years , well outperforming New York State ’ s 9 % employment growth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Technology-driven fields are evolving fast , the study said , and the Bay Area is beginning to rival Southern California as the state ’ s creative epicenter for entertainment and digital media .
• 48 % of Californians can afford entry-level home vs. 71 % nationwide , by this math • Bay Area tech boom leads a jobs surge like no other “ These two parts of the state are starting to look more like each other , ” said Adam Fowler , director of research at Beacon Economics , which prepared the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streaming platforms that are emerging , money is being thrown at content production both here in Southern California and in the Bay Area.
” The gig economy continues to gain traction throughout the state , and particularly in the Inland Empire , as creatives seek contract work at increasing rates , the report said .
The Inland Empire is the only region in which both wage and salary employment and contract employment have grown across all five creative sectors .
The study notes that Orange County , home to Disneyland , has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bolstered by a rapid expansion in the creative goods and products sector which saw wage growth of nearly 25 % between 2013 and 2018 .
The entertainment and digital media sector has Orange County ’ s highest average annual wage among the creative industries — nearly $ 90,000 .

California’s creative economy packs a $209 billion punch.
A study commissioned by Otis College of Art and Design shows the state’s creative industries support 2.68 million jobs, generate $209.6 billion in labor income and provide an annual $650 billion boost to the Golden State’s economy.
More than 1 million workers are directly employed in California’s creative industries and another 1.6 million indirect jobs support those operations, the study said. That accounts for 15.4% of the state’s overall employment. In Los Angeles County, creative industries account for an even bigger 16.3% of the total job base.
So what, exactly, are the creative industries? The report breaks them into five categories:
Architecture and related services – Drafting services, interior design and ornamental and architectural metal work manufacturing, among others
– Drafting services, interior design and ornamental and architectural metal work manufacturing, among others Creative goods and products – Furniture manufacturing, industrial design, toy manufacturing and services related to advertising, among others
– Furniture manufacturing, industrial design, toy manufacturing and services related to advertising, among others Entertainment and digital media – Graphic design, motion picture/video production, commercial photography and data processing, among others
– Graphic design, motion picture/video production, commercial photography and data processing, among others Fashion – Apparel manufacturing, jewelry wholesaling and cosmetics manufacturing, among others
– Apparel manufacturing, jewelry wholesaling and cosmetics manufacturing, among others Fine arts and performing arts – Art galleries, musical groups, dance companies and fine arts schools, among others
Fashion is the only creative sector in Southern California that has seen steady declines in wage and salary employment, according to a new report.
Southern California has the largest share (49%) of wage and salary workers in California’s creative economy, thanks to its vibrant entertainment industry, myriad performance venues, fashion district and a broad array of business operations. The region is followed by the Bay Area (36.8%), San Diego and Imperial counties (5.5%), the Inland Empire (3.1%), the Central Coast and Capital region (both 2%), Central Valley (1%) and Northern California (0.2%).
Southern California also has the largest percentage of contract workers in creative industries. The region employs 51.8% of the state’s total, while the Bay Area employs 23.2%.
Fashion is the only creative sector in the Southland that has seen steady declines in both wage and salary employment, and contract employment. It’s also the lowest paying, with an average annual wage of $53,600 in 2018.
The biggest employment sector
Entertainment and digital media is California’s biggest creative employment sector, with 740,000 workers. It added 120,000 jobs over the past five years and accounts for 71% of the state’s creative workforce. Sound recording, which falls under that umbrella, grew at a rate of 22% over the past five years, well outperforming New York State’s 9% employment growth rate over the same time period.
Technology-driven fields are evolving fast, the study said, and the Bay Area is beginning to rival Southern California as the state’s creative epicenter for entertainment and digital media.
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Tech companies, bank chop hundreds of Bay Area jobs in fresh layoffs Business | Google will activate downtown San Jose village sites ahead of project “These two parts of the state are starting to look more like each other,” said Adam Fowler, director of research at Beacon Economics, which prepared the report. “With all of the streaming platforms that are emerging, money is being thrown at content production both here in Southern California and in the Bay Area.”
The gig economy continues to gain traction throughout the state, and particularly in the Inland Empire, as creatives seek contract work at increasing rates, the report said. The Inland Empire is the only region in which both wage and salary employment and contract employment have grown across all five creative sectors.
The study notes that Orange County, home to Disneyland, has a robust creative ecosystem of its own, bolstered by a rapid expansion in the creative goods and products sector which saw wage growth of nearly 25% between 2013 and 2018. The entertainment and digital media sector has Orange County’s highest average annual wage among the creative industries — nearly $90,000.


mercurynews--2020-02-13--48% of Californians can afford entry-level home vs. 71% nationwide, by this math

First-home house hunting in California was slightly more affordable late in 2019 , according to one industry group .
A California Association of Realtors ’ measurement tracking finance conditions for a theoretical first-time homebuyer found 48 % of households in the state could affordably purchase one in 2019 ’ s fourth quarter , same as the previous quarter and up from 46 % a year ago .
The association measures buying conditions for a hypothetical first-time house hunter with an index that assumes more generous borrowing terms than traditional affordability indexes — including a smaller downpayment ( 10 % vs. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fixed ; more household income toward the mortgage payment ( 40 % debt-to-income vs. 30 % ) ; and buying a less-expensive starter home ( 85 % of the median price ) .
Affordability improved as cheaper mortgage rates cut payments and a healthy job market kept wages rising .
That helped buyers outpace rising home prices .
Looking over recent history , California ’ s entry-level affordability has averaged 49 % in the past five years vs. 37 % in the 2003-07 boom years and 64 % between 2008-12 , when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And across Southern California at year-end 2019 ?
Statewide , to buy a single-family starter house , 48 % could afford the $ 515,980 median and its $ 2,660 monthly payment ( including taxes and insurance ) requiring $ 79,800 in annual income to qualify .
For a starter condo , 58 % could afford the $ 408,000 median with a $ 2,110 payment and $ 63,300 in annual income .
Now let ’ s compare that with a U.S. house hunter .
Nationally , 71 % first-timers could afford the $ 233,670 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 36,300 income .
So simply put , one-third fewer Californians can afford a starter house than a typical American .
How starter-home affordability looks up and down the state … Southern California house : 50 % can afford the $ 467,500 median with a $ 2,410 payment with a $ 72,300 income .
Bay Area house : 45 % can “ afford ” the $ 786,250 median with a $ 4,060 payment with a $ 121,800 income .
And across Southern California at year ’ s end , the picture for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 43 % could afford a starter home — tied for No .
8 lowest among the state ’ s 49 counties tracked .
Compare that with 41 % a quarter ago and 42 % in 2018 ’ s final three months .
Average affordability ?
45 % for five years vs. 30 % in 2003-07 and 57 % in 2008-12 .
Orange County : 43 % — also No .
8 lowest .
Compare that with 43 % a quarter ago and 38 % in 2018 ’ s final three months .
Average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vs. 28 % in 2003-07 and 53 % in 2008-12 .
Riverside County : 58 % — No .
26 out of 49 .
Compare that with 58 % a quarter ago and 57 % in 2018 ’ s final three months.. Average “ affordability ” ?
59 % for five years vs. 40 % in 2003-07 and 76 % in 2008-12 .
San Bernardino County : 67 % — No .
4 out of 49 .
Compare that with 67 % a quarter ago and 65 % in 2018 ’ s final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % for five years vs. 47 % in 2003-07 and 82 % in 2008-12 .
• 365-unit affordable housing project to be built near San Jose ’ s Diridon Station • Majority of San Jose voters support new tax meant for affordable housing , poll finds

First-home house hunting in California was slightly more affordable late in 2019, according to one industry group.
A California Association of Realtors’ measurement tracking finance conditions for a theoretical first-time homebuyer found 48% of households in the state could affordably purchase one in 2019’s fourth quarter, same as the previous quarter and up from 46% a year ago.
The association measures buying conditions for a hypothetical first-time house hunter with an index that assumes more generous borrowing terms than traditional affordability indexes — including a smaller downpayment (10% vs. 20%); adjustable-loan rates vs. fixed; more household income toward the mortgage payment (40% debt-to-income vs. 30%); and buying a less-expensive starter home (85% of the median price).
Affordability improved as cheaper mortgage rates cut payments and a healthy job market kept wages rising. That helped buyers outpace rising home prices.
Looking over recent history, California’s entry-level affordability has averaged 49% in the past five years vs. 37% in the 2003-07 boom years and 64% between 2008-12, when the bubble burst into the Great Recession.
And across Southern California at year-end 2019? Statewide, to buy a single-family starter house, 48% could afford the $515,980 median and its $2,660 monthly payment (including taxes and insurance) requiring $79,800 in annual income to qualify. For a starter condo, 58% could afford the $408,000 median with a $2,110 payment and $63,300 in annual income.
Now let’s compare that with a U.S. house hunter. Nationally, 71% first-timers could afford the $233,670 median with a $1,210 payment and a $36,300 income. So simply put, one-third fewer Californians can afford a starter house than a typical American.
How starter-home affordability looks up and down the state …
Southern California house: 50% can afford the $467,500 median with a $2,410 payment with a $72,300 income.
Bay Area house: 45% can “afford” the $786,250 median with a $4,060 payment with a $121,800 income.
And across Southern California at year’s end, the picture for first-time buyers …
Los Angeles County: 43% could afford a starter home — tied for No. 8 lowest among the state’s 49 counties tracked. Compare that with 41% a quarter ago and 42% in 2018’s final three months. Average affordability? 45% for five years vs. 30% in 2003-07 and 57% in 2008-12.
Orange County: 43% — also No. 8 lowest. Compare that with 43% a quarter ago and 38% in 2018’s final three months. Average affordability? 41% for five years vs. 28% in 2003-07 and 53% in 2008-12.
Riverside County: 58% — No. 26 out of 49. Compare that with 58% a quarter ago and 57% in 2018’s final three months.. Average “affordability”? 59% for five years vs. 40% in 2003-07 and 76% in 2008-12.


mercurynews--2020-02-13--Letter: Bumble bee die out is caused in part by climate change

Climate change is part of bumble bee die out I was shocked to read that the population of bumble bees in North America has dropped by half since 1901 .
This made me think about the impact bees have on me , and I realized that most of the foods I consume , from the orange I eat in the morning to the almond milk in my latte , depend on bees .
• Letter : I am amazed by Warren ’ s plans to rethink broken methods • Letter : Nancy Pelosi stole from us a moment of heartfelt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notes , rising temperatures due to global warming are a culprit in this massive die out .
We must reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the most effective way to do so is to place a fee on carbon sources and return the revenue equally to all American households .
Please write to and thank Rep. Anna Eshoo for cosponsoring the Energy Innovation Act ( HR 763 ) and urge Sens .
Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris to continue their support of climate legislation .
Submit your letter to the editor via this form @ @ @ @ @ @

Climate change is part
of bumble bee die out
Re: “Climate change seen causing ‘mass extinction’ ” (Page A2, Feb. 8):
I was shocked to read that the population of bumble bees in North America has dropped by half since 1901.
This made me think about the impact bees have on me, and I realized that most of the foods I consume, from the orange I eat in the morning to the almond milk in my latte, depend on bees.
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Letters: Insulate wires | CDE was wrong | Functional Chromebooks | Trump’s ego | Healthy debate | A new path Letters to the Editor | Letters: Local solar | Titan resources | Activism helps As the article’s writer notes, rising temperatures due to global warming are a culprit in this massive die out.
We must reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the most effective way to do so is to place a fee on carbon sources and return the revenue equally to all American households.
Please write to and thank Rep. Anna Eshoo for cosponsoring the Energy Innovation Act (HR 763) and urge Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris to continue their support of climate legislation.
Karishma Goswami
Cupertino
Submit your letter to the editor via this form
Read more Letters to the Editor


mercurynews--2020-02-13--California day-trading academy sued by FTC for allegedly misleading investors

Federal regulators have charged an Irvine-based day-trading academy with overselling the firm ’ s ability to teach investors how to profit in the stock market .
The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday , Feb. 12 charged Online Trading Academy with misleading investors , who paid at least $ 370 million for classes over a six-year period .
The government charges the academy overstated how easy it was to make money using the company ’ s trading system .
The commission ’ s suit came a week after the academy said it sued the commission , claiming it was violating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ to restrict access to nontraditional forms of financial education.
” The commission , in a federal lawsuit , seeks to have the company stop its allegedly dishonest sales practices and pay unspecified damages to customers it wronged .
The company , according to the commission , has 10 of its own academies plus 31 franchised locations across the nation and in Canada , the United Kingdom , Singapore , India , Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates .
The academy used various advertising schemes to lure people to a “ preview ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , three-day “ orientation ” where “ the defendants urge attendees to sign up for seminars costing thousands more , ” according to the government .
In addition , the commission charged that the academy could not support its claims of trading riches , noting a company survey of customers found “ just 3 % of people who responded claimed to be making ‘ a lot of money , ’ 31 % reported making ‘ a little money , and 66 % said they were making no money at all.
” “ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marketing investment opportunities or training unless the seller has a reasonable basis to make such claims , ” said Andrew Smith , director of the commission ’ s Bureau of Consumer Protection .
The academy “ used unfounded earnings claims to bilk Americans out of their savings.
” The academy disputes such claims , saying in a press release it has many successful students .
“ We hear so many moving , humbling and inspiring stories of our students ’ success , which fuels our motivation to ensure they have access to strategies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their financial education goals , ” says academy founder Eyal Shahar .
“ We ’ ve always believed exceptional financial education should not be reserved only for the Wall Street elite.
” In a 2012 interview , Israel-native Shahar said he came to America with just $ 300 after losing all his money in the 1983 collapse of the Israeli stock market .
The investment business started as essentially a trading operation in 1997 , then in 2001 began concentrating on investor education .
“ It has nothing to do with gambling or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see if it will work , ’ ” Shahar said .
“ It ’ s all very specific , rule-based strategies .
It ’ s very systematic.
” The academy ’ s stated in a press release that the commission “ is placing a grossly excessive and unreasonable standard on the company to prove the financial gains of our students .
Of course , a range of factors can impact one ’ s earning potential when trading ” and that the company “ should be afforded the constitutionally guaranteed right to commercial free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in San Francisco hit-run collision • Nearly six years after fatal East Bay crash , suspect faces criminal charges • Woman who tried to open door midflight ‘ wasn ’ t just drunk , ’ her lawyer says


mercurynews--2020-02-13--Horoscopes Feb. 13, 2020: Peter Gabriel, keep your life simple.

Happy Birthday : Set goals , and adjust the way you do things to suit your needs .
Once you fix what hasn ’ t been working for you , everything else will fall into place .
Tidy up , make amends and move forward .
Adopt a “ me first ” attitude with the intent to pull the ones you love along once you break through any obstacles standing in your way .
Your numbers are 6 , 14 , 22 , 27 , 30 , 37 , 48 .
ARIES ( March 21-April 19 ) : Plan your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too much , you ’ ll miss an opportunity .
Be realistic in your pursuits , and live in the moment .
Love is encouraged .
Don ’ t squelch someone ’ s intentions due to a lack of time or energy on your part .
3 stars TAURUS ( April 20-May20 ) : Don ’ t overthink what you need to implement .
Put your plans in motion , and bring about the changes that will make you feel complete .
Refuse to let someone take over or control your interests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in your best interest .
3 stars GEMINI ( May 21-June 20 ) : Your success depends on you .
Strive to get out , to be active and to participate in unique activities .
Put out your ideas for all to view .
You are heading into new territory , and the results you get will depend on your performance .
5 stars CANCER ( June 21-July 22 ) : Stick close to home .
Avoid any sort of dispute or getting into a no-win situation that will stifle your ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start .
Alter your living arrangements , or perhaps improve your surroundings .
Stay active ; avoid emotional discord .
2 stars LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22 ) : Take care of personal matters .
You can enhance a partnership , start a new project or travel for knowledge .
Offer your talents and enthusiasm , and you will find an interest that captures your imagination and grows into something substantial .
4 stars VIRGO ( Aug. 23-Sept. 22 ) : Lighten up and enjoy the moment .
Plan to have some fun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in you .
Open your doors to friends and acquaintances , or make arrangements to socialize with people or groups that interest you .
Self-improvement is favored .
3 stars LIBRA ( Sept. 23-Oct. 22 ) : Take action , do your part and strive for perfection .
Love and romance will offer you options that have skirted you in the past .
Make your expectations known before you commit to demands or ultimatums .
Use charm to get ahead .
3 stars SCORPIO ( Oct. 23-Nov. 21 ) : Temptation will lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not help you prosper or reach your goal .
Consider what ’ s important , and put your priorities first .
Refuse to let someone confuse you with empty promises .
Trust your intuition .
3 stars SAGITTARIUS ( Nov. 22-Dec. 21 ) : Don ’ t give in to someone who is being manipulative .
You may not want to face facts , but you won ’ t stand a chance if you aren ’ t realistic .
Stand up for your rights , even if it means moving on and finding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dec. 22-Jan. 19 ) : Hide behind your poker face .
No one will have the slightest idea what you are thinking or what you are about to do .
The response you get from others will determine who has your back and how best to move forward .
2 stars AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18 ) : Keep your life simple , moderate and affordable .
Focus on personal , financial and physical stabilization .
Take the initiative , and use your skills to mastermind your way into a critical position .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks promising .
5 stars PISCES ( Feb. 19-March 20 ) : Get a grip on reality before you let your emotions take over and cause havoc .
Back off rather than get into a heated discussion with someone who won ’ t budge .
Bide your time , and keep your personal life and intentions a secret .
3 stars Birthday Baby : You are playful , determined and secretive .
You are sensitive and helpful .

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Mena Suvari, 41; Kelly Hu, 52; Peter Gabriel, 70; Stockard Channing, 76.
Happy Birthday: Set goals, and adjust the way you do things to suit your needs. Once you fix what hasn’t been working for you, everything else will fall into place. Tidy up, make amends and move forward. Adopt a “me first” attitude with the intent to pull the ones you love along once you break through any obstacles standing in your way. Your numbers are 6, 14, 22, 27, 30, 37, 48.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Plan your next move. If you take on too much, you’ll miss an opportunity. Be realistic in your pursuits, and live in the moment. Love is encouraged. Don’t squelch someone’s intentions due to a lack of time or energy on your part. 3 stars
TAURUS (April 20-May20): Don’t overthink what you need to implement. Put your plans in motion, and bring about the changes that will make you feel complete. Refuse to let someone take over or control your interests. Use your insight to make decisions that are in your best interest. 3 stars
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your success depends on you. Strive to get out, to be active and to participate in unique activities. Put out your ideas for all to view. You are heading into new territory, and the results you get will depend on your performance. 5 stars
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Stick close to home. Avoid any sort of dispute or getting into a no-win situation that will stifle your ability to get ahead or finish what you start. Alter your living arrangements, or perhaps improve your surroundings. Stay active; avoid emotional discord. 2 stars
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take care of personal matters. You can enhance a partnership, start a new project or travel for knowledge. Offer your talents and enthusiasm, and you will find an interest that captures your imagination and grows into something substantial. 4 stars
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Lighten up and enjoy the moment. Plan to have some fun with people who bring out the best in you. Open your doors to friends and acquaintances, or make arrangements to socialize with people or groups that interest you. Self-improvement is favored. 3 stars
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Take action, do your part and strive for perfection. Love and romance will offer you options that have skirted you in the past. Make your expectations known before you commit to demands or ultimatums. Use charm to get ahead. 3 stars
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Temptation will lead you to take on jobs that will not help you prosper or reach your goal. Consider what’s important, and put your priorities first. Refuse to let someone confuse you with empty promises. Trust your intuition. 3 stars
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t give in to someone who is being manipulative. You may not want to face facts, but you won’t stand a chance if you aren’t realistic. Stand up for your rights, even if it means moving on and finding new friends. 4 stars
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Hide behind your poker face. No one will have the slightest idea what you are thinking or what you are about to do. The response you get from others will determine who has your back and how best to move forward. 2 stars
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Keep your life simple, moderate and affordable. Focus on personal, financial and physical stabilization. Take the initiative, and use your skills to mastermind your way into a critical position. Romance is featured, and a commitment looks promising. 5 stars
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Get a grip on reality before you let your emotions take over and cause havoc. Back off rather than get into a heated discussion with someone who won’t budge. Bide your time, and keep your personal life and intentions a secret. 3 stars
Birthday Baby: You are playful, determined and secretive. You are sensitive and helpful.
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