mercurynews--2020-04-02--Exclusive: Oakland doc whose Fox News spot goes viral thinks he has COVID-19

OAKLAND — The Oakland doctor who went viral for his no-holds-barred interview with Fox News criticizing the Trump administration ’ s response to coronavirus is almost certain he has another , more dangerous virus : COVID-19 .
In an interview with the Bay Area News Group on Thursday , Dr. Rishi Desai said he has experienced fever reaching 101 degrees , shortness of breath and coughing .
He ordered a test kit , he said , and expects to receive it next week .
“ I ’ m convinced I had COVID-19 , ” Desai , 39 , said Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolated himself in his Alameda County apartment for the past two weeks , and continued to appear in his home office on numerous national news programs and livestreams as an infectious disease expert .
Although he was coughing during some of them , he said , he never mentioned his self diagnosis until Thursday .
“ Everyone is going to be touched in profound ways , either family members or your jobs , ” Desai said .
“ Many people are undiagnosed and there are many people who haven ’ t been tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Clips of Desai ’ s appearance on Fox News Wednesday evening went viral as Desai vigorously shakes his head “ no ” when host Martha MacCallum says that “ what we hear every night is that there are millions of tests available ” but that a “ pinprick test ” everyone can get from their local doctor isn ’ t .
“ But they ’ re working on it , ” she said .
“ Yeah , they should have been working on it for months , ” Desai said , pointing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in China on Dec. 31 .
“ Last year we knew about this .
We knew coronavirus was coming .
We knew it was a respiratory disease .
We knew it was person-to-person .
Why is it this week that the FDA finally approved these kinds of new Abbott Lab testing , ” which tests one sample at a time , which is not ideal when so many results are needed quickly .
He went on to compare U.S. efforts with those of South Korea .
“ Their population is one-sixth of ours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the cases they have .
Look at the mortality they have .
It ’ s a trifle compared to what we ’ re dealing with right now because we ’ ve had a very weak response and they had a really strong response.
” His comments were followed by a pregnant pause , then a “ thank you ” from MacCallum .
The Twittersphere went crazy : “ How to ensure you don ’ t get follow-up questions on Fox , apparently , ” read on tweet .
“ Dr .
Rishi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another .
“ The Official “ Dr .
Desai ” Head Nod that he made legendary tonight is a mood .
Learn it.
” In his interview with this news organization , Desai explained that his symptoms started in mid-March , and he considers his case to be “ mild.
” Except for a nagging cough , he said , he is recovering well .
On Thursday , Desai said Wednesday evening ’ s broadcast was his first appearance on Fox News and “ they were 100 percent polite and kind and respectful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he was happy to reach any audience to let them know the importance of sheltering in place and how everyone has a responsibility to slow the spread .
“ Everyone has a responsibility here , ” he said .
“ My responsibility is to not go to the hospital and overburden the health care system.
” Desai said he ordered an F.D.A .
approved home test kit and expects it to arrive in the mail next week .
It is a blood test — not a nasal swab test — that will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether he was , in fact , infected .
“ It will be important to identify people who are resistant , ” he said , “ they ’ re the people who will get our economy back on track.
” Desai is a frequent guest on a variety of national news programs , including CNBC , because of his expert credentials on infectious diseases and his prior work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an epidemic intelligence service officer .
He is the chief medical officer at Osmosis , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the medical industry and is also creating training videos to help people out of work move into entry-level jobs in the healthcare industry .
In an interview Thursday , Desai ’ s mother , Tarla Desai , said her son graduated from high school at age 14 and UCLA at age 18 , where he earned a degree in microbiology and molecular genetics .
He performed his medical training at UCSF and went on to work at Boston Children ’ s Hospital , Children ’ s Hospital Los Angeles and Stanford University .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health from UCLA .
“ He really says the truth , exactly what ’ s going on , ” said Tarla Desai , who lives in Orange County where she raised her only child .
“ I ’ m really proud of what he said .
He really nailed it.
” His mother said her son was always ahead of his class .
“ He skipped first-grade , seventh-grade and 10th grade , ” she said .
“ I ’ m very proud of him.
” • Coronavirus : San Jose care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 26 more people to be tested • Coronavirus : Santa Clara is Bay Area ’ s first county with more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases • Coronavirus : Restaurants ’ donated meals for Bay Area hospitals keep cooks , others employed After his Fox News appearance caught fire on social media Wednesday night , Dr. Desai ’ s new fans opined he wouldn ’ t be invited back .
He hasn ’ t yet , Desai confirmed Thursday , but said he would gladly accept .
“ I was delighted they offered me the @ @ @ @ @

OAKLAND — The Oakland doctor who went viral for his no-holds-barred interview with Fox News criticizing the Trump administration’s response to the global pandemic is almost certain he has the coronavirus himself.
In an interview with the Bay Area News Group on Thursday, Dr. Rishi Desai said that over the past two weeks, he has experienced fever reaching 101 degrees, shortness of breath and coughing.
“I’m convinced I had COVID-19,” Desai, 39, said Thursday in a phone interview.
Although he is improving and no longer has a fever, he ordered a blood test kit that will show whether he still is or had been infected, he said. He expects to receive it next week.
Desai has isolated himself in his Alameda County apartment for the past two weeks, and continued to appear in his home office on numerous national news programs and livestreams as an infectious disease expert. Although he was coughing during some of them, he said, he never mentioned his self diagnosis until Thursday.
“Everyone is going to be touched in profound ways, either family members or your jobs,” Desai said. “Many people are undiagnosed and there are many people who haven’t been tested. These numbers are likely to climb.”
How to ensure you don't get follow-up questions on Fox, apparently. pic.twitter.com/nOUqw4ZVhO — Ben Smith (@benyt) April 2, 2020
Clips of Desai’s appearance on Fox News Wednesday evening went viral as Desai vigorously shakes his head “no” when host Martha MacCallum says that “what we hear every night is that there are millions of tests available” but that a “pinprick test” everyone can get from their local doctor isn’t. “But they’re working on it,” she said.
“Yeah, they should have been working on it for months,” Desai said, pointing out that the first cases were confirmed in China on Dec. 31. “Last year we knew about this. We knew coronavirus was coming. We knew it was a respiratory disease. We knew it was person-to-person. Why is it this week that the FDA finally approved these kinds of new Abbott Lab testing,” a new rapid and portable detection device.
He went on to compare U.S. efforts with those of South Korea.
“Their population is one-sixth of ours,” he said. “Look at the cases they have. Look at the mortality they have. It’s a trifle compared to what we’re dealing with right now because we’ve had a very weak response and they had a really strong response.”
His comments were followed by a pregnant pause, then a “thank you” from MacCallum.
The Twittersphere went crazy: “How to ensure you don’t get follow-up questions on Fox, apparently,” read on tweet. “Dr. Rishi Desai: American hero,” read another. “The Official “Dr. Desai” Head Nod that he made legendary tonight is a mood. Learn it.”
In his interview with this news organization, Desai explained that his symptoms started in mid-March, and he considers his case to be “mild.” Except for a nagging cough, he said, he is recovering well.
On Thursday, Desai said Wednesday evening’s broadcast was his first appearance on Fox News and “they were 100 percent polite and kind and respectful from beginning to end.”
He also said he was happy to reach any audience to let them know the importance of sheltering in place and how everyone has a responsibility to slow the spread.
“Everyone has a responsibility here,” he said. “My responsibility is to not go to the hospital and overburden the health care system.”
Desai said he ordered an F.D.A. approved home test kit and expects it to arrive in the mail next week. It is a blood test — not a nasal swab test — that will test his blood for antibodies to show whether he was, in fact, infected.
“It will be important to identify people who are resistant,” he said, “they’re the people who will get our economy back on track.”
Desai is a frequent guest on a variety of national news programs, including CNBC, because of his expert credentials on infectious diseases and his prior work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an epidemic intelligence service officer.
He is the chief medical officer at Osmosis, a Baltimore-based company that makes educational videos for the medical industry and is also creating training videos to help people out of work move into entry-level jobs in the healthcare industry.
In an interview Thursday, Desai’s mother, Tarla Desai, said her son graduated from high school at age 14 and UCLA at age 18, where he earned a degree in microbiology and molecular genetics. He performed his medical training at UCSF and went on to work at Boston Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Stanford University. He earned his master’s in public health from UCLA.
“He really says the truth, exactly what’s going on,” said Tarla Desai, who lives in Orange County where she raised her only child. “I’m really proud of what he said. He really nailed it.”
His mother said her son was always ahead of his class.
“He skipped first-grade, seventh-grade and 10th grade,” she said. “I’m very proud of him.” Related Articles Health | San Jose office building wobbles into default — again
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After his Fox News appearance caught fire on social media Wednesday night, Dr. Desai’s new fans opined he wouldn’t be invited back.
He hasn’t yet, Desai confirmed Thursday, but said he would gladly accept. “I was delighted they offered me the chance to speak.”


mercurynews--2020-04-02--Review: ‘Resident Evil 3’ remake shows the entry still needs work

The test of a remake is how well it can improve on the source material .
It has to bring a different interpretation while staying faithful to the original .
That ’ s a challenging task when the remake ’ s inspiration has inherent flaws .
That ’ s the case with “ Resident Evil 3 , ” which is a reimagining of the 1999 title that was the most radically different of the PlayStation trilogy as it followed the protagonist Jill Valentine on her escape from Raccoon City .
It featured ruined city streets instead of the claustrophobic mansion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and players had to dodge them rather than fight head on .
The biggest departure , though , was the presence of the title character , Nemesis , who stalked Jill throughout the campaign .
In many ways , “ Resident Evil 3 : Nemesis ” was ahead of its time as its vision pushed against the limited specs of the PlayStation One .
With the remake functioning on more powerful systems , Capcom fixes some of the shortcomings of its predecessor .
Unfortunately , it also exposes the problems with the original @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” appears to follow the same path of the highly successful “ Resident Evil 2 ” remake .
The campaign fleshes out Jill ’ s situation as the undead outbreak spreads in Raccoon City .
While answering a phone call from fellow STARS officer Brad Vickers , Nemesis attacks her and sets off a pursuit that lasts through the game ’ s short campaign .
Like the original , Capcom tweaks the core gameplay .
“ Resident Evil 3 ” is more reliant on inventory management and the survival aspect of the survival-horror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount of space to hold guns , ammo , medicine and keys .
She adds more inventory space as the campaign unfolds , but players will be constantly going back and forth between safe rooms storing items and taking others out .
• Is the NBA back ?
Sort of .
Basketball returns to ESPN via 2K Tourney featuring pros • Impressions : Don ’ t use this cheat in ‘ Animal Crossing : New Horizons ’ • Review : ‘ Doom Eternal ’ raises bar on shooter genre — and leaps over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Go ’ Go Battle League and help trainers succeed That ’ s mitigated part way through as she finds more hip packs , but the way “ Resident Evil 3 ” unfurls itself , the developers make strange decisions in how they places safe rooms and other items .
At times those items feel too close together while other times they seem bizarrely far apart .
The design has a ragged quality that ’ s exacerbated by Nemesis , who chases after Jill .
All of this pulls “ Resident Evil 3 ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not .
The remake has a built-in pressure that propels the campaign forward .
It goes against the slow-roll exploration that has defined the series .
It trades this for chase scenes and the panicked chaos when Nemesis runs after players .
While Jill ’ s journey is the main part of the narrative , “ Resident Evil 3 ” breaks up her story with that of Carlos Oliveira , a Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service commando who helps the supercop .
He acts as her ally in a relationship that players eventually control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City Police Department ( Capcom recycles the setting here ) and a hospital .
Armed with an assault rifle and handgun , Oliveira ’ s part of the campaign plays differently .
The developers use him to show off a more action-oriented element , one in which players battle zombie mobs or more powerful hunters .
He ’ s a change of pace that helps lengthen a narrative that ’ s short .
Despite their divergent play styles , both characters face similar puzzle elements , but it never gets too complicated .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ missives that players find .
They offer clues on how to crack safes , open locked doors and even defeat more difficult foes .
All of this culminates in several confrontations with Nemesis , including a final one that is satisfying after a difficult ordeal , but the journey there isn ’ t always so smooth .
Players may encounter bugs or disappearing foes .
They ’ ll be disappointed to find out that Carlos can ’ t leave items for Jill or vice versa .
That ’ s a missed opportunity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -type system and make their two stories more interconnected .
Although “ Resident Evil 3 ” smooths over many of the original ’ s flaws , it doesn ’ t go far enough to fix the pacing and improve the underlying gameplay issues .
That makes this remake fall a step short of the stellar one last year .
As for the extras , “ Resident Evil 3 ” offers a notable addition with the introduction of “ Resident Evil : Resistance.
” It ’ s the four-versus-one multiplayer mode that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four survivors who are kidnapped by Umbrella for an experiment .
They have to survive three stages while a Mastermind tries to kill them with zombies , monsters and traps .
“ Resistance ” is reminiscent to “ Left 4 Dead ” but with more complications .
Each survivor has distinct abilities help the group survive through maps with three phases .
Valerie is a healer .
January is hacker that disables cameras , making it tougher for the Mastermind to spawn zombies .
Martin disables traps and sets them up while Becca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hits hard from up close while Tyrone absorbs damage and specializes in melee attacks .
Each hero a role and players can mix and match to form a solid crew .
On the opposite end , the Masterminds are the dungeon masters .
They plants zombies and obstacles trying to prevent the squad from reaching the exit .
Each has a different method of confrontation .
Ozwell Spencer uses technology to block paths while Alex Wesker relies on traps .
Annette Birkin and Daniel Fabron toss out monsters and power them up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mastermind is to delay the squad so that they don ’ t escape within the time limit .
In theory , it ’ s a compelling idea , but Capcom still needs to work out the balancing issues , and players need to understand the roles of each character .
This is a multiplayer mode that has a high learning curve , but if players give it a chance and the developers fine tune the settings or the approach , “ Resistance ” could be something special .
2½ stars out of 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , PC Rating : Mature

The test of a remake is how well it can improve on the source material. It has to bring a different interpretation while staying faithful to the original. That’s a challenging task when the remake’s inspiration has inherent flaws.
That’s the case with “Resident Evil 3,” which is a reimagining of the 1999 title that was the most radically different of the PlayStation trilogy as it followed the protagonist Jill Valentine on her escape from Raccoon City. It featured ruined city streets instead of the claustrophobic mansion confines. Zombie hordes shambled through scenes and players had to dodge them rather than fight head on. The biggest departure, though, was the presence of the title character, Nemesis, who stalked Jill throughout the campaign.
In many ways, “Resident Evil 3: Nemesis” was ahead of its time as its vision pushed against the limited specs of the PlayStation One. With the remake functioning on more powerful systems, Capcom fixes some of the shortcomings of its predecessor. Unfortunately, it also exposes the problems with the original.
Initially, “Resident Evil 3” appears to follow the same path of the highly successful “Resident Evil 2” remake. The campaign fleshes out Jill’s situation as the undead outbreak spreads in Raccoon City. While answering a phone call from fellow STARS officer Brad Vickers, Nemesis attacks her and sets off a pursuit that lasts through the game’s short campaign.
Stuck in Inventory Management
Like the original, Capcom tweaks the core gameplay. “Resident Evil 3” is more reliant on inventory management and the survival aspect of the survival-horror genre. Jill starts with a tiny amount of space to hold guns, ammo, medicine and keys. She adds more inventory space as the campaign unfolds, but players will be constantly going back and forth between safe rooms storing items and taking others out.
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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 That’s mitigated part way through as she finds more hip packs, but the way “Resident Evil 3” unfurls itself, the developers make strange decisions in how they places safe rooms and other items. At times those items feel too close together while other times they seem bizarrely far apart. The design has a ragged quality that’s exacerbated by Nemesis, who chases after Jill.
All of this pulls “Resident Evil 3” forward whether the players like it or not. The remake has a built-in pressure that propels the campaign forward. It goes against the slow-roll exploration that has defined the series. It trades this for chase scenes and the panicked chaos when Nemesis runs after players.
While Jill’s journey is the main part of the narrative, “Resident Evil 3” breaks up her story with that of Carlos Oliveira, a Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service commando who helps the supercop. He acts as her ally in a relationship that players eventually control in two scenarios — one in Raccoon City Police Department (Capcom recycles the setting here) and a hospital.
A Change of pace
Armed with an assault rifle and handgun, Oliveira’s part of the campaign plays differently. The developers use him to show off a more action-oriented element, one in which players battle zombie mobs or more powerful hunters. He’s a change of pace that helps lengthen a narrative that’s short.
Despite their divergent play styles, both characters face similar puzzle elements, but it never gets too complicated. They’re often solved by reading missives that players find. They offer clues on how to crack safes, open locked doors and even defeat more difficult foes.
All of this culminates in several confrontations with Nemesis, including a final one that is satisfying after a difficult ordeal, but the journey there isn’t always so smooth. Players may encounter bugs or disappearing foes. They’ll be disappointed to find out that Carlos can’t leave items for Jill or vice versa. That’s a missed opportunity to add a “Resident Evil 2”-type system and make their two stories more interconnected.
Although “Resident Evil 3” smooths over many of the original’s flaws, it doesn’t go far enough to fix the pacing and improve the underlying gameplay issues. That makes this remake fall a step short of the stellar one last year.
A Multiplayer Twist
As for the extras, “Resident Evil 3” offers a notable addition with the introduction of “Resident Evil: Resistance.” It’s the four-versus-one multiplayer mode that’s noncanonical. It follows a team of four survivors who are kidnapped by Umbrella for an experiment. They have to survive three stages while a Mastermind tries to kill them with zombies, monsters and traps.
“Resistance” is reminiscent to “Left 4 Dead” but with more complications. Each survivor has distinct abilities help the group survive through maps with three phases. Valerie is a healer. January is hacker that disables cameras, making it tougher for the Mastermind to spawn zombies. Martin disables traps and sets them up while Becca does major damage from afar. Samuel hits hard from up close while Tyrone absorbs damage and specializes in melee attacks. Each hero a role and players can mix and match to form a solid crew.
On the opposite end, the Masterminds are the dungeon masters. They plants zombies and obstacles trying to prevent the squad from reaching the exit. Each has a different method of confrontation. Ozwell Spencer uses technology to block paths while Alex Wesker relies on traps. Annette Birkin and Daniel Fabron toss out monsters and power them up in different ways. The goal for the Mastermind is to delay the squad so that they don’t escape within the time limit.
In theory, it’s a compelling idea, but Capcom still needs to work out the balancing issues, and players need to understand the roles of each character. This is a multiplayer mode that has a high learning curve, but if players give it a chance and the developers fine tune the settings or the approach, “Resistance” could be something special.
‘Resident Evil 3’
2½ stars out of 4
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Rating: Mature


mercurynews--2020-04-02--Coronavirus: Restaurants’ donated meals for Bay Area hospitals keep cooks, others employed

CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device During breaks from exhausting shifts , health care workers at Regional Medical Center in San Jose have been enjoying tamarind prawns .
At Stanford Hospital , a Cobb salad with carrot-ginger soup .
And at John Muir urgent care in Walnut Creek , chicken cacciatore .
Throughout the Bay Area , restaurants are sending free meals by the thousands to those on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis .
While designed to thank and fuel the first responders , these initiatives have another benefit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a time when many restaurants have had to shut their doors .
On the Peninsula , organic restaurant pioneer Jesse Ziff Cool said a light bulb went off when Stanford University bioethicist and associate professor Holly Tabor asked her if there was a way for Cool ’ s restaurants — Flea Street Cafe and the Cantor Cool Cafe — to rev up again and help with meals .
“ I realized I could bring back staff , we could buy local , organic ingredients from our vendors who are struggling , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who are taking care of us , ” Cool said .
The pair created a nonprofit called Meals of Gratitude that ’ s now delivering 200 meals every weekday to Stanford Hospital units , thanks to tax-deductible donations from the public .
Two staffers , Liliana Valencia and Erika Morales , oversee the operation that swings into action at 6 a.m. at Flea Street ’ s Menlo Park kitchen with ingredients from California ’ s Marin Sun , Coke and Dirty Girl farms , Harley Farms Dairy and McFarland Springs Trout Farm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at noon , and by 1 p.m. the restaurant pivots into a takeout operation for the regular customers that Cool has cultivated over 40 years .
In the South Bay , Helen Nguyen , owner of two Pho Ha Noi eateries , has transitioned her Cupertino team to make and deliver hundreds of Vietnamese dishes — including a tofu one for vegans — to Kaiser Santa Clara , El Camino Hospital in Mountain View and O ’ Connor Hospital , Valley Health Center and Regional , all in San Jose .
Their comfort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , Tuesday , Thursday and Friday ; on Wednesday the restaurant closes for a deep-cleaning .
“ We planned on donating 1,000 meals in total , ” Nguyen said .
“ However , our friends and family donated to the cause , and our landlord reduced our rent , which allows us to donate 2,000 meals and maybe even 3,000 in the future.
” Restaurateur Joe Stein , like Cool , has longevity on his side .
His Sunrise Bistro & Catering in Walnut Creek , in business for 39 years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he launched a GoFundMe effort titled “ Feed first responders & keep Sunrise Bistro open ” and has raised more than $ 50,000 to make breakfasts and lunches for the Highland and Kaiser hospitals in Oakland , John Muir Urgent Care in Concord and Walnut Creek and AMR ambulance response of Contra Costa County .
He and head chef Ty Pearce have plenty of experience with big orders .
“ This is exactly what we do , ” Stein said .
“ We drop off meals for 10 people up to 550 atop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The initiative has allowed him to bring about 50 of his 70 employees back at least part time — “ everyone who wants to work can work , ” he says — with hopes of many going full time soon .
Other efforts are ramping up nationally and locally .
Humanitarian chef Jose Andres ’ World Central Kitchen , which most recently fed tourists quarantined on the Grand Princess cruise ship in Oakland , has teamed up with chefs in several major cities .
An increasing number of restaurants — including Spin-A-Yarn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s in Los Gatos ; Asian Box , Lulu ’ s and Kirk ’ s in Palo Alto ; and various locations of Mixt , Smashburger and Starbird — are taking donations for hospital meals .
Even food trucks are getting in on the action .
Moveable Feast , a San Jose-based food events organizer , is launching what it calls a Feed the Frontline effort .
“ It ’ s truly powerful to see how the community has rallied around this idea , ” said Ryan Sebastian of Moveable Feast .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cream truck will hand out prepacked pints to Regional Medical Center staffers .
Medical personnel have emailed and tweeted notes of appreciation on behalf of their staffs .
“ Your support encourages our continued commitment and dedication , and provides strength to keep going so we can protect our patients , staff and community , ” wrote Dr. Meenesh A. Bhimani of O ’ Connor Hospital to the Pho Ha Noi restaurant .
That sort of response means a lot to Nguyen , for whom this restaurant-to-hospital crusade is highly personal .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bay Area ’ s health care providers for going above and beyond during this coronavirus crisis , she says , but also about paying them back for their response years ago when her infant daughter was diagnosed with cancer .
“ I owe American doctors and nurses for saving my daughter ’ s life when she was 10 months old , ” she said , noting that Alicia is now a healthy 14-year-old .
“ This is a good way to do it .
”

CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device
During breaks from exhausting shifts, health care workers at Regional Medical Center in San Jose have been enjoying tamarind prawns. At Stanford Hospital, a Cobb salad with carrot-ginger soup. And at John Muir urgent care in Walnut Creek, chicken cacciatore.
Throughout the Bay Area, restaurants are sending free meals by the thousands to those on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. While designed to thank and fuel the first responders, these initiatives have another benefit — they keep kitchen staffers employed during a time when many restaurants have had to shut their doors.
On the Peninsula, organic restaurant pioneer Jesse Ziff Cool said a light bulb went off when Stanford University bioethicist and associate professor Holly Tabor asked her if there was a way for Cool’s restaurants — Flea Street Cafe and the Cantor Cool Cafe — to rev up again and help with meals.
“I realized I could bring back staff, we could buy local, organic ingredients from our vendors who are struggling, and we could send beautiful food to these front-line people who are taking care of us,” Cool said.
The pair created a nonprofit called Meals of Gratitude that’s now delivering 200 meals every weekday to Stanford Hospital units, thanks to tax-deductible donations from the public.
Two staffers, Liliana Valencia and Erika Morales, oversee the operation that swings into action at 6 a.m. at Flea Street’s Menlo Park kitchen with ingredients from California’s Marin Sun, Coke and Dirty Girl farms, Harley Farms Dairy and McFarland Springs Trout Farm. The meals are loaded for delivery at noon, and by 1 p.m. the restaurant pivots into a takeout operation for the regular customers that Cool has cultivated over 40 years.
In the South Bay, Helen Nguyen, owner of two Pho Ha Noi eateries, has transitioned her Cupertino team to make and deliver hundreds of Vietnamese dishes — including a tofu one for vegans — to Kaiser Santa Clara, El Camino Hospital in Mountain View and O’Connor Hospital, Valley Health Center and Regional, all in San Jose.
Their comfort mission operates four days a week, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; on Wednesday the restaurant closes for a deep-cleaning.
“We planned on donating 1,000 meals in total,” Nguyen said. “However, our friends and family donated to the cause, and our landlord reduced our rent, which allows us to donate 2,000 meals and maybe even 3,000 in the future.”
Restaurateur Joe Stein, like Cool, has longevity on his side. His Sunrise Bistro & Catering in Walnut Creek, in business for 39 years, has a loyal following. Still, he launched a GoFundMe effort titled “Feed first responders & keep Sunrise Bistro open” and has raised more than $50,000 to make breakfasts and lunches for the Highland and Kaiser hospitals in Oakland, John Muir Urgent Care in Concord and Walnut Creek and AMR ambulance response of Contra Costa County.
He and head chef Ty Pearce have plenty of experience with big orders. “This is exactly what we do,” Stein said. “We drop off meals for 10 people up to 550 atop Mount Diablo” for an annual fundraiser.
The initiative has allowed him to bring about 50 of his 70 employees back at least part time — “everyone who wants to work can work,” he says — with hopes of many going full time soon.
Other efforts are ramping up nationally and locally. Humanitarian chef Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen, which most recently fed tourists quarantined on the Grand Princess cruise ship in Oakland, has teamed up with chefs in several major cities. An increasing number of restaurants — including Spin-A-Yarn in Fremont; Centonove and Double D’s in Los Gatos; Asian Box, Lulu’s and Kirk’s in Palo Alto; and various locations of Mixt, Smashburger and Starbird — are taking donations for hospital meals.
Even food trucks are getting in on the action. Moveable Feast, a San Jose-based food events organizer, is launching what it calls a Feed the Frontline effort.
“It’s truly powerful to see how the community has rallied around this idea,” said Ryan Sebastian of Moveable Feast. For their first outing, Treatbot ice cream truck will hand out prepacked pints to Regional Medical Center staffers.
Medical personnel have emailed and tweeted notes of appreciation on behalf of their staffs.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Health | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge “Your support encourages our continued commitment and dedication, and provides strength to keep going so we can protect our patients, staff and community,” wrote Dr. Meenesh A. Bhimani of O’Connor Hospital to the Pho Ha Noi restaurant.
That sort of response means a lot to Nguyen, for whom this restaurant-to-hospital crusade is highly personal. It’s not just about thanking the Bay Area’s health care providers for going above and beyond during this coronavirus crisis, she says, but also about paying them back for their response years ago when her infant daughter was diagnosed with cancer.
“I owe American doctors and nurses for saving my daughter’s life when she was 10 months old,” she said, noting that Alicia is now a healthy 14-year-old. “This is a good way to do it.”


mercurynews--2020-04-02--San Francisco homeless shelter resident tests positive for coronavirus

A resident of a San Francisco homeless shelter tested positive for coronavirus , the city reported Thursday , sending shockwaves of concern through the groups that serve the community ’ s most vulnerable people .
The person was staying at the Division Circle Navigation Center , run by the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco , but has since been moved to an isolation room in a hotel to recover .
After the positive test result was confirmed , city health workers began screening residents and staff at the shelter for symptoms , and will quarantine and test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to a statement from the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing .
The city also supplied extra masks to shelter personnel to wear at all times , and is deploying a professional cleaning crew to disinfect the shelter .
The infected person is in good condition , according to the city .
“ We have been preparing for this situation for weeks , and HSH and DPH ( Department of Public Health ) are wrapping around the patient with health care and support .
The wellbeing of our homeless neighbors is our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work in partnership with our nonprofit service providers , DPH , and the entire City to aggressively contain the virus and protect our community , ” Abigail Stewart-Kahn , interim director of the city ’ s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing , wrote in a news release .
Cities and counties generally aren ’ t providing running updates on the number of coronavirus infections among their homeless communities , but a handful of symptomatic homeless individuals have been placed in isolation in hotel and motel rooms throughout the Bay Area .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ moved 123 people who had COVID-19 or were awaiting test results — 95 % of whom were homeless — from the hospital and into a hotel .
The city hoped to secure 2,555 hotel rooms by the end of the week .
But Thursday ’ s case appeared to mark the city ’ s first infected individual to be removed directly from a shelter and placed in quarantine .
Santa Clara and Alameda counties also have opened hotel and motels and begun taking homeless residents with COVID-19 or suspected COVID-19 symptoms , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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Gavin Newsom announced the death of a homeless Santa Clara County resident last month .
But county officials have not released details @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prompting concern from some outreach workers worried about protecting themselves from the virus .
A county representative said staff had identified the encampment where the deceased patient spent time , and screened 60 members of that community for symptoms .
Nine people who displayed symptoms were then tested for coronavirus , and all test results were negative .
Jennifer Friedenbach , executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness , said she got a call from the city Thursday morning informing her of the positive COVID-19 case at the San Francisco shelter .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Friedenbach said , because the shelter is crowded with more than 100 residents , all of whom share bathrooms and eating areas , and could easily transmit the virus .
City officials need to get homeless residents into hotel rooms much more quickly , she said .
“ I think that there ’ s a really good response from the city , ” Friedenbach said .
“ People are working really hard doing a lot of work , but this is an area that definitely has fallen short .
We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of shelters and off of the streets and into private rooms .
And we ’ ve got to do it fast.
” San Francisco also is opening new shelter beds — including 390 at Moscone West — in an effort to reduce occupancy at existing shelters and give residents space to practice social distancing .
But a group of San Francisco supervisors argues that ’ s not enough .
On Thursday , the five officials announced plans to introduce an emergency resolution Tuesday mandating that at least 1,000 hotel rooms be used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congregate living situations .
The supervisors held a news conference Thursday to address the navigation center infection and press the city to do more .
“ This was something that was preventable .
This did not need to happen , ” Supervisor Matt Haney said .
The new case at the San Francisco shelter came as the city reported its lowest number of new COVID-19 cases in more than a week — 16 new positives tests brought the city ’ s total count to 450 .
The death toll remained at seven .

A resident of a San Francisco homeless shelter tested positive for coronavirus, the city reported Thursday, sending shockwaves of concern through the groups that serve the community’s most vulnerable people.
The person was staying at the Division Circle Navigation Center, run by the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco, but has since been moved to an isolation room in a hotel to recover.
After the positive test result was confirmed, city health workers began screening residents and staff at the shelter for symptoms, and will quarantine and test anyone displaying signs of the virus, according to a statement from the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. The city also supplied extra masks to shelter personnel to wear at all times, and is deploying a professional cleaning crew to disinfect the shelter.
The infected person is in good condition, according to the city.
“We have been preparing for this situation for weeks, and HSH and DPH (Department of Public Health) are wrapping around the patient with health care and support. The wellbeing of our homeless neighbors is our top priority, and we will continue to work in partnership with our nonprofit service providers, DPH, and the entire City to aggressively contain the virus and protect our community,” Abigail Stewart-Kahn, interim director of the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, wrote in a news release.
Cities and counties generally aren’t providing running updates on the number of coronavirus infections among their homeless communities, but a handful of symptomatic homeless individuals have been placed in isolation in hotel and motel rooms throughout the Bay Area. As of Wednesday, San Francisco had moved 123 people who had COVID-19 or were awaiting test results — 95% of whom were homeless — from the hospital and into a hotel. The city hoped to secure 2,555 hotel rooms by the end of the week. But Thursday’s case appeared to mark the city’s first infected individual to be removed directly from a shelter and placed in quarantine.
Santa Clara and Alameda counties also have opened hotel and motels and begun taking homeless residents with COVID-19 or suspected COVID-19 symptoms, or who have been exposed to the virus.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Health | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the death of a homeless Santa Clara County resident last month. But county officials have not released details about where the individual was living — prompting concern from some outreach workers worried about protecting themselves from the virus. A county representative said staff had identified the encampment where the deceased patient spent time, and screened 60 members of that community for symptoms. Nine people who displayed symptoms were then tested for coronavirus, and all test results were negative.
Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness, said she got a call from the city Thursday morning informing her of the positive COVID-19 case at the San Francisco shelter. She and her staff are “really scared,” Friedenbach said, because the shelter is crowded with more than 100 residents, all of whom share bathrooms and eating areas, and could easily transmit the virus.
City officials need to get homeless residents into hotel rooms much more quickly, she said.
“I think that there’s a really good response from the city,” Friedenbach said. “People are working really hard doing a lot of work, but this is an area that definitely has fallen short. We’ve got to get unhoused people out of shelters and off of the streets and into private rooms. And we’ve got to do it fast.”
#BREAKING: A shelter resident at the Division Circle Navigation Center has tested positive for #COVID19. This is why we have been demanding that the City house homeless people in hotel rooms BEFORE they are infected + infect 150+ people staying there. — Coalition on Homelessness (@TheCoalitionSF) April 2, 2020
San Francisco also is opening new shelter beds — including 390 at Moscone West — in an effort to reduce occupancy at existing shelters and give residents space to practice social distancing.
But a group of San Francisco supervisors argues that’s not enough. On Thursday, the five officials announced plans to introduce an emergency resolution Tuesday mandating that at least 1,000 hotel rooms be used to house residents of homeless shelters and other congregate living situations. The supervisors held a news conference Thursday to address the navigation center infection and press the city to do more.
“This was something that was preventable. This did not need to happen,” Supervisor Matt Haney said.
On Tuesday, @MattHaneySF @DeanPreston @shamannwalton @AaronPeskin and I will be introducing an Emergency Ordinance requiring that at least 1,000 rooms be used for unhoused people currently in congregate settings like shelters. We cannot wait any longer. — Hillary Ronen (@HillaryRonen) April 2, 2020
The new case at the San Francisco shelter came as the city reported its lowest number of new COVID-19 cases in more than a week — 16 new positives tests brought the city’s total count to 450. The death toll remained at seven.


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Letter: Kaiser and John Muir Health are asking for homemade masks

Hospitals want homemade masks , but made to spec Re : “ Homemade masks are a big hit — just not with hospitals ” ( Page B1 , March 30 ) : The headline is very misleading , and hopefully it does not discourage people from trying to help .
I have been in touch with “ mask-making programs ” for hospitals in Washington , Indiana , Georgia , Ohio and more .
Yes , each hospital has its own specifications for masks that they want .
But they do want them .
There are many patterns online .
Before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they should contact the organization of their choice to receive donation information and the pattern and instructions for masks that they would like to receive .
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Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior facilities that are glad to receive homemade masks .
If any of these places get overwhelmed with masks , they will let people know .
But that would be a good thing .
Submit your letter to the editor via this form Read more Letters to the Editor

Hospitals want homemade
masks, but made to spec
Re: “Homemade masks are a big hit — just not with hospitals” (Page B1, March 30):
The headline is very misleading, and hopefully it does not discourage people from trying to help.
I have been in touch with “mask-making programs” for hospitals in Washington, Indiana, Georgia, Ohio and more.
Yes, each hospital has its own specifications for masks that they want. But they do want them. There are many patterns online. Before anyone just jumps in to sew, they should contact the organization of their choice to receive donation information and the pattern and instructions for masks that they would like to receive.
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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 Kaiser Permanente and John Muir Health are both asking for masks. Many nursing homes, memory care centers and senior facilities that are glad to receive homemade masks. If any of these places get overwhelmed with masks, they will let people know. But that would be a good thing.
Cynthia Shon
Pleasanton
Submit your letter to the editor via this form
Read more Letters to the Editor


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Scouting report: How 49ers, their 2020 opponents blitzed free agency

Look , if the NFL is strategically optimistic that a full season will start punctually in five months , then let ’ s scout what the 49ers will encounter on their so-called Super Bowl Revenge Tour .
Here is a recap of moves the 49ers and their opponents have made as they transition from free agency to draft preparations , with the schedule due out by May 9 : IMPACT : Trading Buckner to Indy for the 13th-overall draft pick must deliver immediate rewards .
The Super Bowl-caliber lineup indeed needs a replacement defensive tackle , not to mention boosts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offensive line .
Free agency brought in four veterans on one-year deals , so taking care of their own and plotting draft strategy were bigger priorities .
IMPACT : They still haven ’ t loaded up to reclaim the NFC West after finishing second 2017-19 .
Olsen ’ s arrival from Carolina gives Russell Wilson a veteran option .
Keeping Reed helps the defensive front , and the offensive line remains a juggling act .
Jadeveon Clowney , still shopping in free agency .
IMPACT : New stadium , new logo , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who took a financial hit cutting Gurley .
So , no free agency boost to help Jared Goff rebound from last season ( 22 TDs , 16 interceptions , 22 sacks ) .
Coach Sean McVay hired new coordinators Kevin O ’ Connell ( offense ) , Brandon Staley ( defense ) and John Bonamego ( special teams ) .
IMPACT : Hopkins ’ addition is the NFL ’ s offseason steal , and that should greatly help Kyler Murray in Year 2 .
Phillips , Kennard and Campbell were expensive hires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in yards allowed last year .
IMPACT : After yielding 220 rushing yards to the 49ers ’ Raheem Mostert in a NFC Championship Game loss , the Packers defense swapped out Stanford product Blake Martinez for Cleveland Browns captain Christian Kirksey .
Yawn .
Aaron Rodgers , 36 , isn ’ t getting any younger awaiting help on offense .
IMPACT : A receiver-rich draft must get tapped to give Carson Wentz a top-tier target other than Zach Ertz .
Trading for Slay headlines the cornerback corps ’ overhaul .
Two years after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fade further .
IMPACT : Diggs ’ trade from Minnesota and Tom Brady ’ s exit from New England could lift the maturing Bills atop the AFC East .
California native Josh Allen could be dangerous in his Levi ’ s Stadium debut .
The Bills are ripe for their first playoff win in 25 years .
IMPACT : After a respectable haul in free agency , the Dolphins ’ fate ultimately hinges on the draft , where they should select a quarterback with one of their trio of first-round draft picks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perhaps Tua Tagovailoa .
IMPACT : New coach Ron Rivera saw his reclamation project take shape with solid arrivals in free agency , and the No .
2 overall draft pick could yield defensive end Chase Young .
Will disgruntled tackle Trent Williams get dealt or ever block for Dwayne Haskins ?
IMPACT : New coach Mike McCarthy will have back the Prescott-Cooper tandem , while the defensive line should be more stout for defensive coordinator Mike Nolan , who was the 49ers ’ coach in 2005 when McCarthy was the offensive coordinator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year in Big D , and still to come is a multi-year deal for Prescott .
IMPACT : Brady ’ s departure to Tampa Bay will rattle the Patriots to their core after his two-decade dominance .
His presumed successor is Jarrett Stidham ( 15 snaps as a 2019 rookie ) .
Bill Belichick ’ s defense also must replace key players , which is an annual feat .
BTW : The 49ers won their last visit to New England , in December 2012 , en route to the Super Bowl .
IMPACT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ passing attack upon a midseason trade , now gives Brees a reliable veteran opposite Michael Thomas .
Jenkins rejoins a secondary that Jimmy Garoppolo shredded in last year ’ s 48-46 shootout .
IMPACT : Looks like another year of Saquon Barkley or bust for the Giants , unless new coach Joe Judge gets major help from 10 upcoming draft picks by general manager Dave Gettleman .
IMPACT : Always smart to try improving the line to protect a young quarterback ( Sam Darnold ) , but Jets coach Adam Gase ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positions , unless Le ’ Veon Bell produces way more than last year ’ s three touchdown runs .
• Kurtenbach : Aldon Smith is not a redemption story… yet

Look, if the NFL is strategically optimistic that a full season will start punctually in five months, then let’s scout what the 49ers will encounter on their so-called Super Bowl Revenge Tour.
Here is a recap of moves the 49ers and their opponents have made as they transition from free agency to draft preparations, with the schedule due out by May 9:
49ERS
2019: 13-3, NFC Champions
WHO’S IN: DT Arik Armstead, FS Jimmie Ward, WR Kendrick Bourne, DE Ronald Blair, C Ben Garland, OT Shon Coleman, G Tom Compton, WR Travis Benjamin, DE Kerry Hyder, LB Joe Walker.
WHO’S OUT: DT DeForest Buckner, WR Emmanuel Sanders, G Mike Person DT Sheldon Day, TE Levine Toilolo, LB Elijah Lee, DE Anthony Zetter.
IMPACT: Trading Buckner to Indy for the 13th-overall draft pick must deliver immediate rewards. The Super Bowl-caliber lineup indeed needs a replacement defensive tackle, not to mention boosts at wide receiver, cornerback and the offensive line. Free agency brought in four veterans on one-year deals, so taking care of their own and plotting draft strategy were bigger priorities.
* * *
NFC West opponents
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
2019: 11-5, lost in divisional playoffs
WHO’S IN: TE Greg Olsen, OT Cedric Ogbuehi, DL Jarran Reed, WR Phillip Dorsett, CB Quinton Dunbar, OT Brandon Shell, DE Bruce Irvin, TE Jacob Hollister, G B.J. Finney, TE Luke Wilson, G Chance Warmack, DE Benson Mayowa
WHO’S OUT: DE Quinton Jefferson, OL Germain Ifedi, OL George Fant, S Tedric Thompson, TE Ed DIckson
IMPACT: They still haven’t loaded up to reclaim the NFC West after finishing second 2017-19. Olsen’s arrival from Carolina gives Russell Wilson a veteran option. Keeping Reed helps the defensive front, and the offensive line remains a juggling act. Jadeveon Clowney, still shopping in free agency.
* * *
LOS ANGELES RAMS
2019: 9-7; no playoffs
WHO’S IN: LT Andrew Whitworth, DL Michael Brockers, DL A’Shawn Robinson, LB Leonard Floyd.
WHO’S OUT: RB Todd Gurley, LB Clay Matthews, FS Eric Weddle, K Greg Zeurlein, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman
IMPACT: New stadium, new logo, but not much new talent onto the Rams, who took a financial hit cutting Gurley. So, no free agency boost to help Jared Goff rebound from last season (22 TDs, 16 interceptions, 22 sacks). Coach Sean McVay hired new coordinators Kevin O’Connell (offense), Brandon Staley (defense) and John Bonamego (special teams).
* * *
ARIZONA CARDINALS
2019: 5-10-1, no playoffs
WHO’S IN: WR DeAndre Hopkins, DT Jordan Phillips, OLB Devon Kennard, OLB De’Vondre Campbell, QB Brett Hundley, RT Marcus Gilbert, RB D.J. Foster, G Max Garcia, OT Justin Murray
WHO’S OUT: RB David Johnson, DE Rodney Gunter, DT Zach Kerr, WR Damiere Byrd, WR Pharoh Cooper, LB Joe Walker
IMPACT: Hopkins’ addition is the NFL’s offseason steal, and that should greatly help Kyler Murray in Year 2. Phillips, Kennard and Campbell were expensive hires for the league’s worst defense in yards allowed last year.
* * *
OTHER HOME OPPONENTS
GREEN BAY PACKERS
2019: 13-3, NFC runner-up
WHO’S IN: LB Christian Kirksey, RT Ricky Wagner, WR Devin Funchess, S Will Redmond, RB Tyler Ervin, TE Marcedes Lewis
WHO’S OUT: G Bryan Bulaga, LB Blake Martinez, TE Jimmy Graham, WR Geronimo Allison, LB Kyler Fackrell
IMPACT: After yielding 220 rushing yards to the 49ers’ Raheem Mostert in a NFC Championship Game loss, the Packers defense swapped out Stanford product Blake Martinez for Cleveland Browns captain Christian Kirksey. Yawn. Aaron Rodgers, 36, isn’t getting any younger awaiting help on offense.
* * *
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
2019: 9-7, lost in wild-card playoffs
WHO’S IN: CB Darius Slay, DL Javon Hargrave, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, S Rodney McCloud, CB Jalen Mills, S Will Parks
WHO’S OUT: S Malcolm Jenkins, LT Jason Peters (free agent), OT Halapoulivaati Vaita, WR Nelson Agholo, LB Nigel Bradham
IMPACT: A receiver-rich draft must get tapped to give Carson Wentz a top-tier target other than Zach Ertz. Trading for Slay headlines the cornerback corps’ overhaul. Two years after winning the Super Bowl, they could fade further.
* * *
BUFFALO BILLS
2019: 10-6, lost in wild-card playoffs
WHO’S IN: WR Stefon Diggs, CB Josh Norman, LB Mario Addison, DE Quinton Jefferson, FS Jordan Poyer, LB A.J. Klein, DT Jordan Butler, LB Tyler Matakevich, RB Taiwan Jones,
WHO’S OUT: DL Jordan Phillips, DE Shaq Lawson, CB Kevin Johnson, RB Frank Gore (free agent)
IMPACT: Diggs’ trade from Minnesota and Tom Brady’s exit from New England could lift the maturing Bills atop the AFC East. California native Josh Allen could be dangerous in his Levi’s Stadium debut. The Bills are ripe for their first playoff win in 25 years.
* * *
MIAMI DOLPHINS
2019: 5-11, no playoffs
WHO’S IN: CB Byron Jones, LB Kyle Van Noy, DE Shaq Lawson, G Ereck Flowers, DE Emmanuel Ogbah, RB Jordan Howard, C Ted Karras, S Adrian Colbert
WHO’S OUT: CB Aqib Talib (free agent), C Daniel Kilgore (free agent)
IMPACT: After a respectable haul in free agency, the Dolphins’ fate ultimately hinges on the draft, where they should select a quarterback with one of their trio of first-round draft picks, starting at No. 5 overall with perhaps Tua Tagovailoa.
* * *
WASHINGTON
2019: 3-13, missed the playoffs
WHO’S IN: CB Kendall Fuller, LB Thomas Davis, CB Ronald Darby, G Brandon Scherff, RB Peyton Barber, WR Cody Latimer, QB Kyle Allen, TE Logan Thomas, RB J.D. McKissic
WHO’S OUT: TE Jordan Reed, CB Quinton Dunbar, CB Cody Sensabaugh, S Montae Nicholson
IMPACT: New coach Ron Rivera saw his reclamation project take shape with solid arrivals in free agency, and the No. 2 overall draft pick could yield defensive end Chase Young. Will disgruntled tackle Trent Williams get dealt or ever block for Dwayne Haskins?
* * *
OTHER AWAY GAMES
DALLAS COWBOYS
2019: 8-8, no playoffs
WHO’S IN: QB Dak Prescott (franchise tag), WR Amari Cooper, DT Gerald McCoy, DE Aldon Smith, DT Dontari Poe, K Greg Zeurlein, LB Sean Lee, FS Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, CB Anthony Brown, TE Blake Bell
WHO’S OUT: CB Bryon Jones, DE Robert Quinn, WR Randall Cobb, C Travis Frederick, TE Jason Witten, G Xavier Su’a-Filo, DL Maliek Collins, S Jeff Heath, DE Kerry Hyder
IMPACT: New coach Mike McCarthy will have back the Prescott-Cooper tandem, while the defensive line should be more stout for defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, who was the 49ers’ coach in 2005 when McCarthy was the offensive coordinator. It’s a big transition year in Big D, and still to come is a multi-year deal for Prescott.
* * *
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
2019: 12-4, lost in divisional playoffs
WHO’S IN: G Joe Thuney, S Devin McCourty, DT Beau Allen, FS Adrian Phillips, QB Brian Hoyer, OLB Shaq Calhoun, WR Damiere Byrd, DE Brandon Copeland
WHO’S OUT: QB Tom Brady, LB Kyle Van Noy, LB Jamie Collins, DL Danny Shelton, K Stephen Gostkowski, C Ted Karras, FS Nate Ebner, LB Elandon Roberts, WR Phillip Dorsett, QB Cody Kessler
IMPACT: Brady’s departure to Tampa Bay will rattle the Patriots to their core after his two-decade dominance. His presumed successor is Jarrett Stidham (15 snaps as a 2019 rookie). Bill Belichick’s defense also must replace key players, which is an annual feat. BTW: The 49ers won their last visit to New England, in December 2012, en route to the Super Bowl.
* * *
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
2019: 13-3, lost in wild-card playoffs
WHO’S IN: QB Drew Brees, WR Emmanuel Sanders, G Andrus Peat, FS Malcolm Jenkins, CB Janoris Jenkins, OL David Onyemata, CB P.J. Williams
WHO’S OUT: QB Teddy Bridgewater, CB Eli Apple, S Vonn Bell, LB A.J. Klein
IMPACT: Sanders, after enhancing the 49ers’ passing attack upon a midseason trade, now gives Brees a reliable veteran opposite Michael Thomas. Jenkins rejoins a secondary that Jimmy Garoppolo shredded in last year’s 48-46 shootout.
* * *
NEW YORK GIANTS
2019: 4-12, no playoffs
WHO’S IN: CB James Bradberry, LB Blake Martinez, TE Levine Toilolo, LB Kyler Fackrell, OT Cameron Fleming, QB Colt McCoy, DT Leonard Williams (franchise tag), TE Eric Tomlinson, RB Dion Lewis
WHO’S OUT: QB Eli Manning, RT Mike Remmers, FS Antone Bethea, WR Cody Latimer, LB Alec Ogeltree
IMPACT: Looks like another year of Saquon Barkley or bust for the Giants, unless new coach Joe Judge gets major help from 10 upcoming draft picks by general manager Dave Gettleman.
* * *
NEW YORK JETS
2019: 7-9, no playoffs
WHO’S IN: WR Breshad Perriman, OT George Fant, C Connor McGovern, G Greg Van Roten, CB Pierre Desir, LB Jordan Jenkins, QB David Fales
WHO’S OUT: WR Robby Anderson, CB Trumaine Johnson, CB Darryl Roberts, S Blake Countess


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Warriors were ‘a little nervous’ before Game 1 of the 2015 NBA Finals

Over the next few weeks , NBC Sports Bay Area and 95.7 The Game ( KGMZ-FM ) will be re-airing several classic Warriors games on nights they were scheduled to play before the NBA suspending it ’ s season indefinitely amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr spoke with the Bay Area News Group about his memories from those games .
The Warriors took some 2,900 3-pointers and won 83 regular-season and postseason games .
Stephen Curry broke his own 3-point shooting record , scored 2,500 points and garnered 100 first-place votes on his way to earning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroyed en route to claiming their first championship in 40 years , and embarking on a five-year dynastic run .
Without Kyrie Irving , who went down with a fractured kneecap in Game 1 , and Kevin Love , who suffered a dislocated shoulder in the first round , LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 2-1 series lead .
However , the Warriors made key adjustments to help them win three of the final four matchups , defeating the Cavaliers in six games to win the 2015 NBA Finals .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Game 4 , when Kerr started forward Andre Iguodala in place of center Andrew Bogut , beginning games small with Draymond Green at center .
Iguodala , who was responsible for guarding James , went on to be named Finals MVP .
“ He saved this series for us , ” Green told reporters after Game 6 .
Starting Friday and continuing into next week , NBC Sports Bay Area will re-air each of the Warriors ’ wins from the 2015 NBA Finals .
Here ’ s what Kerr had to say about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his tenure .
The Cavaliers won Games 2 and 3 without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving .
What do you remember being the most challenging thing about that Cavs team in those games ?
I felt like we were a little nervous before Games 1 and 2 at home .
You know , the Finals are just a different spectacle , and we hadn ’ t been there before .
As much as I tried to prepare the players based on my own experience as a player , you just have to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the extra media , everything , even the court looks different , and there ’ s just all this fanfare and I felt like we were nervous the first two games .
And then Game 3 I think was more strategic in terms of they really had us bottled up and we couldn ’ t get our offense on track and that ’ s , I think , when we made the decision — kind of late in that game — to go to David Lee at the five .
We had made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , even though we didn ’ t win the game , we saw how it opened up the floor .
So Game 3 was the impetus behind our own strategic shift for the rest of the series .
And you felt like maybe around then is when the nerves kind of shook off ?
Yeah , I thought the nerves shook off sometime during Game 3 .
We were losing , we were down 2-1 at that point , and so we needed to do something to change the vibe of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also felt like that ’ s around when the guys started to get comfortable with the whole Finals scene and , at that point , we locked in and started playing our game .
Then it was Game 4 when you made the decision to start Andre Iguodala .
Obviously you were just trying to find an advantage in the series but , looking back , that ’ s been considered a real inflection point for the league .
Do you ever think about that ?
We had done a lot of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t like that was the first time we tried that lineup .
We played that small lineup quite a bit during the season for short bursts just to just to give us a spurt .
So when we went to it , we felt comfortable with it because we had done it .
But I do think that , because we did that in the Finals and the spotlight was on us , I think it got a lot of attention .
And when you win , people in this league tend to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ league .
The game was already trending that way .
Miami was playing pretty small in their Finals games .
So I think that was another step in that direction in terms of the way the league was heading anyway .
With that said , do you anticipate playing small to continue to be important for you guys going forward ?
Oh , for sure .
Even watching games from that 2015 Finals to now , everything has changed so much .
I mean , Cleveland was routinely playing two bigs , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ton of room for LeBron to move , and that was only five years ago .
And within two years , by the ’ 17 Finals , Cleveland looked totally different with shooters everywhere and all kinds of room for LeBron to move .
I think things started to shift pretty rapidly at that point .
You broadcast a lot of LeBron ’ s games when he was in Miami and then you obviously played him in the Finals all those years .
Do you have an opinion of when you think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 , that was the year he got the four Finals MVP votes despite being on the losing team .
He was fantastic but I think we made him work for everything in that series .
I think it ’ s an interesting thing for our fans who are watching the games to look at Cleveland ’ s spacing in that ’ 15 series compared to just a couple years later , how different it is .
But we were able to hold LeBron in that series to 36 % shooting , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % , compared to his regular-season mark of 48.8 % ) .
He was phenomenal but we made him work for everything and he didn ’ t kill us .
He was still really hard to defend , but if you compare that to even two , three years later when he had all that room , he became so much more difficult to guard .
To me , the best game I ’ ve ever seen him play was Game 1 of the ’ 18 Finals .
I think he had 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ note : he had 51 ) .
So you can see just looking at Cleveland ’ s team , watching those Finals games , it ’ s pretty easy to recognize how different they look the first year we played them and in the last year .
They morphed from one year to the next into a smaller , faster , better shooting team .
This interview has been edited and condensed .
Full TV Schedule : Friday , 8 p.m. : Game 1 of 2015 NBA Finals Tuesday , 8 p.m. : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 8 p.m. : Game 5 of 2015 NBA Finals Saturday , 8 p.m. : Game 6 of 2015 NBA Finals • Kurtenbach : Aldon Smith is not a redemption story… yet • Warriors rookie Jordan Poole welcomes those sheltered-in-place to his lifestyle • On this day , April 1 : Warriors pull off classic April Fool ’ s Day joke

Over the next few weeks, NBC Sports Bay Area and 95.7 The Game (KGMZ-FM) will be re-airing several classic Warriors games on nights they were scheduled to play before the NBA suspending it’s season indefinitely amid the coronavirus pandemic. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr spoke with the Bay Area News Group about his memories from those games.
The Warriors took some 2,900 3-pointers and won 83 regular-season and postseason games. Stephen Curry broke his own 3-point shooting record, scored 2,500 points and garnered 100 first-place votes on his way to earning MVP. The 2014-15 Warriors dazzled and destroyed en route to claiming their first championship in 40 years, and embarking on a five-year dynastic run.
Without Kyrie Irving, who went down with a fractured kneecap in Game 1, and Kevin Love, who suffered a dislocated shoulder in the first round, LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 2-1 series lead. However, the Warriors made key adjustments to help them win three of the final four matchups, defeating the Cavaliers in six games to win the 2015 NBA Finals.
The most important adjustment was made ahead of Game 4, when Kerr started forward Andre Iguodala in place of center Andrew Bogut, beginning games small with Draymond Green at center. Iguodala, who was responsible for guarding James, went on to be named Finals MVP.
“He saved this series for us,” Green told reporters after Game 6.
Starting Friday and continuing into next week, NBC Sports Bay Area will re-air each of the Warriors’ wins from the 2015 NBA Finals. Here’s what Kerr had to say about Golden State’s first championship during his tenure.
The Cavaliers won Games 2 and 3 without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. What do you remember being the most challenging thing about that Cavs team in those games?
I felt like we were a little nervous before Games 1 and 2 at home. You know, the Finals are just a different spectacle, and we hadn’t been there before. As much as I tried to prepare the players based on my own experience as a player, you just have to get your bearings with the Finals. All the extra media, everything, even the court looks different, and there’s just all this fanfare and I felt like we were nervous the first two games. And then Game 3 I think was more strategic in terms of they really had us bottled up and we couldn’t get our offense on track and that’s, I think, when we made the decision — kind of late in that game — to go to David Lee at the five. We had made a really good run at one point and, even though we didn’t win the game, we saw how it opened up the floor. So Game 3 was the impetus behind our own strategic shift for the rest of the series.
And you felt like maybe around then is when the nerves kind of shook off?
Yeah, I thought the nerves shook off sometime during Game 3. We were losing, we were down 2-1 at that point, and so we needed to do something to change the vibe of the series on the court. But I also felt like that’s around when the guys started to get comfortable with the whole Finals scene and, at that point, we locked in and started playing our game.
Then it was Game 4 when you made the decision to start Andre Iguodala. Obviously you were just trying to find an advantage in the series but, looking back, that’s been considered a real inflection point for the league. Do you ever think about that?
We had done a lot of that during the season, it wasn’t like that was the first time we tried that lineup. We played that small lineup quite a bit during the season for short bursts just to just to give us a spurt. So when we went to it, we felt comfortable with it because we had done it. But I do think that, because we did that in the Finals and the spotlight was on us, I think it got a lot of attention. And when you win, people in this league tend to copy — it’s a copycat league. The game was already trending that way. Miami was playing pretty small in their Finals games. So I think that was another step in that direction in terms of the way the league was heading anyway.
With that said, do you anticipate playing small to continue to be important for you guys going forward?
Oh, for sure. Even watching games from that 2015 Finals to now, everything has changed so much. I mean, Cleveland was routinely playing two bigs, the floor was clogged, there was not a ton of room for LeBron to move, and that was only five years ago. And within two years, by the ’17 Finals, Cleveland looked totally different with shooters everywhere and all kinds of room for LeBron to move. I think things started to shift pretty rapidly at that point.
You broadcast a lot of LeBron’s games when he was in Miami and then you obviously played him in the Finals all those years. Do you have an opinion of when you think he was at his apex? In 2015, that was the year he got the four Finals MVP votes despite being on the losing team.
He was fantastic but I think we made him work for everything in that series. I think it’s an interesting thing for our fans who are watching the games to look at Cleveland’s spacing in that ’15 series compared to just a couple years later, how different it is. But we were able to hold LeBron in that series to 36% shooting, I think (note: it was 39.8%, compared to his regular-season mark of 48.8%). He was phenomenal but we made him work for everything and he didn’t kill us. He was still really hard to defend, but if you compare that to even two, three years later when he had all that room, he became so much more difficult to guard. To me, the best game I’ve ever seen him play was Game 1 of the ’18 Finals. I think he had 50 points or 49 points or something (note: he had 51). So you can see just looking at Cleveland’s team, watching those Finals games, it’s pretty easy to recognize how different they look the first year we played them and in the last year. They morphed from one year to the next into a smaller, faster, better shooting team.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
Full TV Schedule:
Friday, 8 p.m.: Game 1 of 2015 NBA Finals
Tuesday, 8 p.m.: Game 4 of 2015 NBA Finals
Wednesday, 8 p.m.: Game 5 of 2015 NBA Finals
Saturday, 8 p.m.: Game 6 of 2015 NBA Finals


mercurynews--2020-04-03--TV tonight: ‘Hawaii Five-0’ bids a final ‘aloha’

After 10 years of wild car chases , gun fights , playful banter and some of the most gorgeous scenery on television , “ Hawaii Five-0 ” ends its run ( again ) on CBS tonight with an episode fittingly titled , “ Aloha.
” Like the Jack Lord-fronted crime drama that spawned it , the reboot will never lock down a spot in TV ’ s “ greatest ever ” hall of fame .
But it built a fiercely loyal “ ohana ” over the years and Aussie actor Alex O ’ Loughlin , who succeeded Lord as Det @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prime time ’ s most beloved heartthrobs .
So , undoubtedly , some tears will be shed during tonight ’ s finale .
In fact , fans were already paying tribute on Thursday , when # FinalAloha began trending on Twitter .
But how will it end ?
If you ’ ve been following along , you know that Steve has been dealing with a nagging feeling that he could use a break .
“ Maybe I ’ m feeling a little lost right now , ” he told Danny in last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I need a little time away to get some perspective.
” Meanwhile , he ’ s flummoxed by that mysterious cipher left for him by his late mother .
What is it trying to tell him ?
Obviously , someone wants it very badly because Danny was pummeled by a masked thug trying ( unsuccessfully ) to retrieve it .
In Friday ’ s finale , Danny takes more abuse when he is badly wounded in a car ambush and abducted .
It ’ s the sinister the work of Wo Fat ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under surveillance and wants that damn cipher .
( “ It ’ s rightfully mine , ” she proclaims ) .
The finale features callbacks to that high-octane pilot episode that started it all .
That ’ s when Steve ’ s estranged father was taken hostage and murdered while he was helpless to do anything about it .
Before settling in for that final aloha — and possibly toasting the show with a couple of Longboard beers — have a look at this warmhearted video in which cast and crew talk about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them :

After 10 years of wild car chases, gun fights, playful banter and some of the most gorgeous scenery on television, “Hawaii Five-0” ends its run (again) on CBS tonight with an episode fittingly titled, “Aloha.”
Like the Jack Lord-fronted crime drama that spawned it, the reboot will never lock down a spot in TV’s “greatest ever” hall of fame. But it built a fiercely loyal “ohana” over the years and Aussie actor Alex O’Loughlin, who succeeded Lord as Det. Steve McGarrett, became one of prime time’s most beloved heartthrobs.
So, undoubtedly, some tears will be shed during tonight’s finale. In fact, fans were already paying tribute on Thursday, when #FinalAloha began trending on Twitter.
#FinalAloha unbelieveable it has been a incredible 10yrs I feel we have completed this journey together and I will truly miss my Friday evenings with you all God speed and thank you — jennifer brinegar (@jdizzleslimice) April 3, 2020
Thank you for making my years filled with laughter, love, adrenaline and yes even the tears. From the first episode I was hooked. The whole cast and characters will be missed 💕💔😭 #H50 #FinalAloha — tt (@Meow4Ever_) April 3, 2020
But how will it end? If you’ve been following along, you know that Steve has been dealing with a nagging feeling that he could use a break. “Maybe I’m feeling a little lost right now,” he told Danny in last week’s episode. “… Maybe I need a little time away to get some perspective.”
Meanwhile, he’s flummoxed by that mysterious cipher left for him by his late mother. What is it trying to tell him? Obviously, someone wants it very badly because Danny was pummeled by a masked thug trying (unsuccessfully) to retrieve it.
In Friday’s finale, Danny takes more abuse when he is badly wounded in a car ambush and abducted. It’s the sinister the work of Wo Fat’s wife, who has had Steve under surveillance and wants that damn cipher. (“It’s rightfully mine,” she proclaims).
The finale features callbacks to that high-octane pilot episode that started it all. That’s when Steve’s estranged father was taken hostage and murdered while he was helpless to do anything about it.
James Marsters (Victor Hesse), William Sadler (John McGarrett) and Mark Dacascos (Wo Fat) all make return appearances.
Before settling in for that final aloha — and possibly toasting the show with a couple of Longboard beers — have a look at this warmhearted video in which cast and crew talk about how much “Five-0” meant to them:


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Letter: Like many who will receive a relief check, I don’t need it

I could spend relief check , but I ’ ll donate to needier Many Americans are going to be receiving stimulus checks from the government and I know that most are going to need them .
But there will be some people who receive the checks who can survive without them .
I am one of them .
• Letter : If we can keep this up , we can solve any challenge • Letter : We need reassurance ; Trump provides none • Letter : COVID-19 crisis shows we must change our economy Don ’ t get me wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m sure I could find a way to spend it , but instead I will choose to donate it to an organization that will use it to help the needier .
I urge all the people who receive these checks that don ’ t need them to survive to donate to any local organizations , such as community centers , churches , food banks or the Salvation Army , that can use them to help those that do .
Submit your letter to the editor via this form Read more Letters @ @ @

I could spend relief check,
but I’ll donate to needier
Many Americans are going to be receiving stimulus checks from the government and I know that most are going to need them.
But there will be some people who receive the checks who can survive without them. I am one of them.
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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 Don’t get me wrong, any extra money is welcome and I’m sure I could find a way to spend it, but instead I will choose to donate it to an organization that will use it to help the needier. I urge all the people who receive these checks that don’t need them to survive to donate to any local organizations, such as community centers, churches, food banks or the Salvation Army, that can use them to help those that do.
Ray Tynecki
Sunnyvale
Submit your letter to the editor via this form
Read more Letters to the Editor


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Horoscopes April 3, 2020: Eddie Murphy, don’t sit back.

Happy Birthday : Don ’ t sit back .
You have a greater edge than you realize .
Be persistent , and forge into the future with optimism and the desire to take over .
Set your goal , and refuse to let anyone sidetrack you along the way .
Turn this year into one of transformation .
Embrace positive change , and channel your energy into something that is driven by passion .
Your numbers are 4 , 12 , 23 , 27 , 32 , 35 , 46 .
ARIES ( March 21-April 19 ) : Give your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Courage , dedication and personal gain are heading your way .
You will leave a lasting impression if you get involved in games of chance that require intelligence and a competitive drive .
5 stars TAURUS ( April 20-May 20 ) : Show consistency , finish what you start and pay attention to detail .
Refuse to let an emotional situation take over or cause you to make a poor decision .
A chance meeting with someone who interests you will lead to new options .
2 stars GEMINI ( May 21-June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time is crucial .
Don ’ t dilly-dally when taking care of your responsibilities is required .
How you help others will influence your reputation as well as the favors someone grants you .
Step up and make a difference .
4 stars CANCER ( June 21-July 22 ) : Take advantage of an opportunity .
A change that concerns you will turn out better than anticipated .
Look for ways to spend less and bring in more money .
Getting your finances in order will ease stress .
3 stars LEO ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open mind , but don ’ t give in to someone pressuring you to do something that doesn ’ t suit your needs .
Emotions will be difficult to control .
Rely on common sense , and you will avoid a costly mistake .
Make physical fitness a priority .
3 stars VIRGO ( Aug. 23-Sept. 22 ) : Spend wisely , negotiate carefully and choose to work alone .
Joint ventures will leave you in a vulnerable position .
Make practical changes that will encourage learning whatever you need to know to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
3 stars LIBRA ( Sept. 23-Oct. 22 ) : Keep busy , focus on the present and refuse to get caught in someone ’ s melodrama .
A change that offers a better quality of life or that eases stress should be on your to-do list .
Strive for equality in meaningful relationships .
4 stars SCORPIO ( Oct. 23-Nov. 21 ) : Live up to your potential , not that of someone who is asking or expecting too much for too little .
Know your worth , and protect your integrity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to your intuition , and surround yourself with people you love .
2 stars SAGITTARIUS ( Nov. 22-Dec. 21 ) : Expect to face opposition .
Don ’ t let frustration take over when you should be concerned with maintaining what you ’ ve worked so hard to achieve .
Let your actions and accomplishments be your calling card .
Stand by your word , and finish what you start .
5 stars CAPRICORN ( Dec. 22-Jan. 19 ) : You ’ ll have big plans when it comes to financial matters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to achieve , and make changes that will be conducive to reaching your goal .
A stable and innovative partnership will contribute to your success .
3 stars AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18 ) : Confusion will set in if you let someone play with your emotions .
Refuse to make a change under pressure .
If you feel someone is pushing or manipulating you , back away .
Protect your health , reputation and financial well-being .
3 stars PISCES ( Feb. 19-March 20 ) : A change can be put into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inconsistency or confusion that prevails .
Look at the fine print , pay attention to detail and make decisions based on facts and common sense .
Someone from your past will present an opportunity .
3 stars Birthday Baby : You are insightful , determined and commanding .
You are inquisitive and regaling .

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Cobie Smulders, 38; Adam Scott, 47; Eddie Murphy, 59; Alec Baldwin, 62.
Happy Birthday: Don’t sit back. You have a greater edge than you realize. Be persistent, and forge into the future with optimism and the desire to take over. Set your goal, and refuse to let anyone sidetrack you along the way. Turn this year into one of transformation. Embrace positive change, and channel your energy into something that is driven by passion. Your numbers are 4, 12, 23, 27, 32, 35, 46.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Give your all, and get what you deserve. Courage, dedication and personal gain are heading your way. You will leave a lasting impression if you get involved in games of chance that require intelligence and a competitive drive. 5 stars
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Show consistency, finish what you start and pay attention to detail. Refuse to let an emotional situation take over or cause you to make a poor decision. A chance meeting with someone who interests you will lead to new options. 2 stars
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Getting things done on time is crucial. Don’t dilly-dally when taking care of your responsibilities is required. How you help others will influence your reputation as well as the favors someone grants you. Step up and make a difference. 4 stars
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Take advantage of an opportunity. A change that concerns you will turn out better than anticipated. Look for ways to spend less and bring in more money. Getting your finances in order will ease stress. 3 stars
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Keep an open mind, but don’t give in to someone pressuring you to do something that doesn’t suit your needs. Emotions will be difficult to control. Rely on common sense, and you will avoid a costly mistake. Make physical fitness a priority. 3 stars
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Spend wisely, negotiate carefully and choose to work alone. Joint ventures will leave you in a vulnerable position. Make practical changes that will encourage learning whatever you need to know to advance. Listen to your inner voice. 3 stars
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Keep busy, focus on the present and refuse to get caught in someone’s melodrama. A change that offers a better quality of life or that eases stress should be on your to-do list. Strive for equality in meaningful relationships. 4 stars
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Live up to your potential, not that of someone who is asking or expecting too much for too little. Know your worth, and protect your integrity as well as your reputation. Listen to your intuition, and surround yourself with people you love. 2 stars
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Expect to face opposition. Don’t let frustration take over when you should be concerned with maintaining what you’ve worked so hard to achieve. Let your actions and accomplishments be your calling card. Stand by your word, and finish what you start. 5 stars
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’ll have big plans when it comes to financial matters. Set your sights on what you want to achieve, and make changes that will be conducive to reaching your goal. A stable and innovative partnership will contribute to your success. 3 stars
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Confusion will set in if you let someone play with your emotions. Refuse to make a change under pressure. If you feel someone is pushing or manipulating you, back away. Protect your health, reputation and financial well-being. 3 stars
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A change can be put into play, but first iron out any inconsistency or confusion that prevails. Look at the fine print, pay attention to detail and make decisions based on facts and common sense. Someone from your past will present an opportunity. 3 stars
Birthday Baby: You are insightful, determined and commanding. You are inquisitive and regaling.
Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Word Game: April 3, 2020

Word Game: April 3, 2020

TODAY ’ S WORD — DIPLEGIA ( DIPLEGIA : dye-PLEE-juh : Paralysis of corresponding parts on both sides of the @ @ @ @ @ find 39 or more words in DIPLEGIA ?
The list will be published tomorrow .
@ @ @ @ @ book , visit WordGameBooks.com .
Order it now for just $ 5 while supplies last @ @ @ @ @ be of four or more letters .
2 .
Words that acquire four letters by @ @ @ @ @ , ” such as “ bats ” or “ dies , ” are not allowed @ @ @ @ @ made by adding a “ d ” or an “ s ” may not be @ @ @ @ @ if “ bake ” is used , “ baked ” or “ bakes ” are @ @ @ @ @ bake ” and “ baking ” are admissible .
4 .
Proper nouns , slang @ @ @ @ @ sexually explicit words are not allowed .

TODAY’S WORD — DIPLEGIA (DIPLEGIA: dye-PLEE-juh: Paralysis of corresponding parts on both sides of the body.)
Average mark 30 words
Time limit 40 minutes
Can you find 39 or more words in DIPLEGIA? The list will be published tomorrow.
YESTERDAY’S WORD — GRAPPLE gale gape gaper gear glare grape rage rale
rape rappel real reap regal aper apple page pager pale paler paper pare peal pear
pearl plea prep lager large leap earl
To purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!
RULES OF THE GAME:
1. Words must be of four or more letters.
2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.
3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.
4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.
Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at kzsaxe@gmail.com.


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Bridge: April 3, 2020

Bridge: April 3, 2020

Unlucky Louie had suffered through another losing session in my club ’ s penny game .
“ I woke up this morning feeling like a million dollars , ” Louie told me .
“ Now it ’ s more like ‘ insufficient funds . '
” Louie loses mostly because he plays in haste .
In today ’ s deal , he leaped boldly to 3NT at his second turn .
West led a spade , and when dummy tabled Q-J-4 , Louie beamed .
He covered with the queen , and East signaled with the ten .
When dummy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ king and led his last spade , forcing out Louie ’ s ace , and when East won the next diamond , he cashed three spades .
Down one .
Louie ’ s thinking was insufficient .
If East has both high diamonds — two entries to the spades — Louie will fail .
But if the diamond honors are split , Louie must play low from both hands on the first spade .
West leads another spade : queen , king , ace .
When Louie starts the diamonds , West wins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louie has time to set up his diamonds , making an overtrick .
You hold : S K 10 9 7 5 H 9 D A 7 C K 10 9 6 3 .
Your partner opens one heart , you bid one spade and he rebids two hearts .
What do you say ?
ANSWER : This situation is tough .
Partner could have many hands with which some game contract might be a good proposition for your side .
Since you lack the high-card strength for game and are unlikely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass would certainly be reasonable .
If vulnerable , you might try for game by bidding 2NT .

Unlucky Louie had suffered through another losing session in my club’s penny game.
“I woke up this morning feeling like a million dollars,” Louie told me. “Now it’s more like ‘insufficient funds.'”
Louie loses mostly because he plays in haste. In today’s deal, he leaped boldly to 3NT at his second turn. West led a spade, and when dummy tabled Q-J-4, Louie beamed. He covered with the queen, and East signaled with the ten. When dummy led a diamond, West took the king and led his last spade, forcing out Louie’s ace, and when East won the next diamond, he cashed three spades. Down one.
TWO ENTRIES
Louie’s thinking was insufficient. If East has both high diamonds — two entries to the spades — Louie will fail. But if the diamond honors are split, Louie must play low from both hands on the first spade.
West leads another spade: queen, king, ace. When Louie starts the diamonds, West wins but has no more spades, and Louie has time to set up his diamonds, making an overtrick.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S K 10 9 7 5 H 9 D A 7 C K 10 9 6 3. Your partner opens one heart, you bid one spade and he rebids two hearts. What do you say?
ANSWER: This situation is tough. Partner could have many hands with which some game contract might be a good proposition for your side. Since you lack the high-card strength for game and are unlikely to have a good trump fit, to pass would certainly be reasonable. If vulnerable, you might try for game by bidding 2NT.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S Q J 4
H Q 7
D Q 10 8 5 3
C 8 5 2
WEST
S 8 3
H J 8 6 5 4 3 2
D K 4
C 7 4
EAST
S K 10 9 7 5
H 9
D A 7
C K 10 9 6 3
SOUTH
S A 6 2
H A K 10
D J 9 6 2
C A Q J
South West North East
1 D Pass 2 D 2 S
3 NT All Pass
Opening lead — S 8
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