mercurynews--2020-10-06--ALDS Game 2: Oakland A’s face elimination as Astros grab 2-0 series lead

The Oakland A ’ s are in trouble .
With a 5-2 loss to the Houston Astros on Tuesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium , they trail the best-of-five American League Division Series two games to none .
To survive and advance , the AL West champions must win three in a row against an opponent that has yet to lose in the postseason .
Only eight other teams have pulled off this feat : The New York Yankees in 2017 and 2001 , Toronto Blue Jays in 2015 , San Francisco Giants in 2012 , Boston Red Sox in 2003 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Los Angeles Dodgers in 1991 .
The A ’ s were on the bad side of the Yankees ’ 2001 comeback .
Astros manager Dusty Baker was managing on the Reds ’ end of the Giants ’ 2012 comeback .
This tricky task is arduous , but not impossible .
“ We just have to win tomorrow , ” manager Bob Melvin said .
“ We put all our efforts into tomorrow .
And just think about tomorrow .
Anything further than that is a distraction .
All we have to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s tomorrow.
” Baby steps .
With their backs firmly against the wall , Oakland ’ s goal to best Houston will need a narrower approach .
Winning games requires winning individual battles , and the A ’ s have fallen short in nearly every facet in these first two games .
“ We knew coming in this would be a dogfight , ” Chad Pinder said .
“ They have great talent , they ’ re not going to just roll over .
We ’ ve got to find a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One big hit , one big inning .
We have to find it somehow within us to do that.
” The big inning has eluded Oakland ’ s hitters .
The same team that notched 16 comeback wins — priding themselves on an ability to take cracks at opposing bullpens and erase late deficits — has been missing in action in Los Angeles .
Down three runs , the A ’ s could only get one baserunner on in the final five innings — Marcus Semien ’ s leadoff single in the ninth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s game-ending double play .
Though their roster is built with the right-handers capable of challenging any left-handed pitcher , the A ’ s couldn ’ t consistently drive the ball against Houston starter Framber Valdez .
Davis got a hold of one of his few hanging curveballs , sending it over the fence in right field for his third home run of the postseason and second of the series .
He hit two home runs over 30 games in the regular season .
Pinder , hitting third , hit another signature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s second run .
But mistakes were too few and far between .
Valdez had his biting curveball working from the first inning .
Along with his sinker and a changeup , the A ’ s rolled over most of his offerings .
“ Early on our bats were better , ” Melvin said .
Typically good starters get better as the game went along .
You could see he was getting confidence as the game went along .
He ended up going seven innings .
I didn ’ t think at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , but he did.
” Any hope at an extended look at the Astros ’ bullpen , perhaps a boost for the offense , died as Valdez stretched 103 pitches over seven two-run innings .
He retired the last 10 batters he faced .
Sean Manaea got the start on 12 days of rest , hoping for redemption following a disappointing performance in a wild-card loss to the Tampa Bay Rays last season .
On another day of Home Run Derby in the Southern California sun , the Astros found one more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Two came against Manaea , who managed to keep most of his pitches down — but not down enough for this powerful , motivated Houston lineup .
George Springer answered the A ’ s 1-0 lead quickly in the top of the third .
Sizzling hot all postseason with a 6-for-9 average , he pulled a hanging curveball into the left-field seats , the two-run blast putting the Astros on top 2-1 .
• What the A ’ s , Astros are saying after Houston takes a 2-0 series lead • Analysis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t been unlucky .
The Houston Astros are the better team .
• Bombs away : Athletics , Astros hit another flurry of home runs in Game 2 Manaea lost two ticks on his fastball velocity , and the heart of the Astros lineup , hunting a floating changeup , hit him hard in the fourth inning .
In a slew of contact registering three figures in exit velocity ( 105 , 109 , 107 , 100 ) , the Astros put traffic on the basepaths , but fortunately for Oakland came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to face the bottom of Houston ’ s order in the fifth , and Martín Maldonado chased him out of the game with a solo home run that made it 4-2 .
“ It ’ s my job to go out there and pitch and I didn ’ t do that today , ” he said .
“ It sucks , but I know this team will figure this thing out and turn it around.
” In came Yusmeiro Petit , and Springer hit the reliever ’ s first pitch over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the afternoon and a 5-2 Houston lead .
With a confident Valdez on the mound , Houston could just coast from there .
“ It came down to a few long balls , ” Melvin said .
• What the A ’ s , Astros are saying after Houston takes a 2-0 series lead • Analysis : The Oakland A ’ s haven ’ t been unlucky .
The Houston Astros are the better team .
• Bombs away : Athletics , Astros hit another flurry of home runs in Game 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit the ball out of the park — with a little help from the hot afternoon air at Dodger Stadium .
The separator is the Astros have had runners on base when they have hit theirs .
Timelier hits are finding the more experienced postseason team .
Their young starter outlasted Oakland ’ s more seasoned one .
Everything that worked in the A ’ s favor as they dominated Houston in the regular season just isn ’ t happening .
In these two games , a division rival that has owned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ path the past few seasons had all that magic in spades .
The A ’ s broke through last week , winning two elimination games against the Chicago White Sox to reach the ALDS .
Now , Oakland will have to stave off elimination three times in three days to keep this season alive .

The Oakland A’s are in trouble. With a 5-2 loss to the Houston Astros on Tuesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, they trail the best-of-five American League Division Series two games to none.
To survive and advance, the AL West champions must win three in a row against an opponent that has yet to lose in the postseason. Only eight Major League Baseball teams have overcome a 2-0 deficit to win a best-of-five playoff series, most recently the New York Yankees in 2017.
The A’s blew 2-0 leads against the Yankees in 2001 and Red Sox in 2003. When Astros manager Dusty Baker was the Reds’ skipper in 2012, his team lost a 2-0 lead to the Giants.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 06: Lou Trivino #62 of the Oakland Athletics says a prayer before pitching against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning in Game Two of the American League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 06, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
(Harry How/Getty Images) Sean Manaea (55) of the Oakland Athletics pitches against the Houston Astros during the second inning in Game Two of the American League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 6, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Harry How/Getty Images)
(Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Sean Manaea (55) of the Oakland Athletics pitches against the Houston Astros during the first inning in Game Two of the American League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 6, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The Athletics' Mike Minor (23) pitches against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning in Game Two of the American League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 6, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Harry How/Getty Images)
(Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Sean Murphy (12) of the Oakland Athletics swings for a strike against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning in Game Two of the American League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 6, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Oakland Athletics' Chad Pinder hits a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the fourth inning of Game 2 of a baseball American League Division Series in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Michael Brantley (23) of the Houston Astros scores a run against Sean Murphy (12) of the Oakland Athletics during the fourth inning in Game Two of the American League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 6, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Harry How/Getty Images)
Marcus Semien (10) of the Oakland Athletics juggles an infield hit from Kyle Tucker (30) of the Houston Astros during the fourth inning in Game Two of the American League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 6, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Harry How/Getty Images)
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The task is arduous, but not impossible.
“We just have to win tomorrow,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “We put all our efforts into tomorrow. And just think about tomorrow. Anything further than that is a distraction. All we have to do is win a game. Hopefully, that’s tomorrow.”
Baby steps, that’s what the A’s hope to take. With their backs firmly against the wall, their goal to overtake Houston will need a narrower approach. Winning games requires winning individual battles, and the A’s have fallen short in nearly every facet in the first two games.
“We knew coming in this would be a dogfight,” third baseman Chad Pinder said. “They have great talent, they’re not going to just roll over. We’ve got to find a way to pull ourselves out of this. One big hit, one big inning. We have to find it somehow within us to do that.”
The big inning has eluded Oakland’s hitters. The same team that notched 16 comeback wins — priding themselves on an ability to take cracks at opposing bullpens and erase late deficits — has been missing in action in Los Angeles.
Down three runs, the A’s had only one batter reach base in the final five innings — Marcus Semien’s leadoff single in the ninth inning that went for naught with Pinder’s game-ending double play.
Though their roster is built with the right-handers capable of challenging any left-handed pitcher, the A’s couldn’t consistently drive the ball against Houston starter Framber Valdez.
Davis got a hold of one of his few hanging curveballs, sending it over the fence in right field for his third home run of the postseason and second of the series. He hit two home runs over 30 games in the regular season.
Pinder, hitting third, hit another signature tape-measure home run for the A’s second run.
But mistakes were too few and far between. Valdez had his biting curveball working from the first inning. Along with his sinker and a changeup, the A’s rolled over most of his offerings.
“Early on our bats were better,” Melvin said. “Typically good starters get better as the game went along. You could see he was getting confidence as the game went along. He ended up going seven innings. I didn’t think at the beginning he would be able to do that, but he did.”
Any hope at an extended look at the Astros’ bullpen, perhaps a boost for the offense, died as Valdez stretched 103 pitches over seven innings. He retired the last 10 batters he faced and allowed just the two runs.
The A’s pitching staff couldn’t keep pace.
Sean Manaea got the start on 12 days of rest, hoping for redemption following a disappointing performance in a wild-card loss to the Tampa Bay Rays last season.
On another day of Home Run Derby in the Southern California sun, the Astros found one more big swing than the A’s.
Two came against Manaea, who managed to keep most of his pitches down — but not down enough for this powerful, motivated Houston lineup.
George Springer answered the A’s 1-0 lead quickly in the top of the third. Sizzling hot all postseason with a .666 (6-for-9) average, he pulled a hanging curveball into the left-field seats, the two-run blast putting the Astros on top 2-1.
Manaea lost two ticks on his fastball velocity, and the heart of the Astros lineup, hunting a floating changeup, hit him hard in the fourth inning. In a slew of contact registering three figures in exit velocity (105, 109, 107, 100), the Astros put traffic on the basepaths, but fortunately for Oakland came away with just one run.
Manaea came back to face the bottom of Houston’s order in the fifth, and Martín Maldonado chased him out of the game with a solo home run that made it 4-2.
This wasn’t the redemption start Manaea envisioned.
“It’s my job to go out there and pitch and I didn’t do that today,” he said. “It sucks, but I know this team will figure this thing out and turn it around.”
In came Yusmeiro Petit, and Springer hit the reliever’s first pitch over the left-field wall for his second home run of the afternoon and a 5-2 Houston lead. With a confident Valdez on the mound, Houston could just coast from there.
“It came down to a few long balls,” Melvin said.
Both sides have shown the ability to hit the ball out of the park — with a little help from the hot afternoon air at Dodger Stadium. The separator is the Astros have had runners on base when they hit theirs.
Timelier hits are finding the more experienced postseason team. Their young starter outlasted Oakland’s more seasoned one. Everything that worked in the A’s favor as they dominated Houston in the regular season just isn’t happening. In these two games, a division rival that has owned the A’s and blocked their postseason path the past few seasons had all that magic in spades.
The A’s broke through last week, winning two elimination games against the Chicago White Sox to reach the ALDS.
Now, Oakland will have to stave off elimination three times in three days to keep this season alive.


mercurynews--2020-10-06--White House adviser Miller reportedly positive for COVID-19

WASHINGTON – White House senior adviser Stephen Miller said he had tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday , the latest case of coronavirus reported among Donald Trump ’ s inner circle since the Republican president announced he had the virus last week .
“ Over the last 5 days I have been working remotely and self-isolating , testing negative every day through yesterday , ” Miller said in a statement .
“ Today , I tested positive for COVID-19 and am in quarantine.
” Trump returned to the White House on Monday after three nights in a military hospital , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to let the coronavirus dominate their lives .
The pandemic has killed more the 210,000 people in the United States , more than any other country .
White House Deputy Press Secretary Brian Morgenstern told CNN late on Tuesday that there were no new COVID cases in the White House beside Miller .
Trump said on Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for the coronavirus .
Others announcing they had tested positive in recent days include close Trump adviser Hope Hicks ; White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stepien ; and Republican Senators Mike Lee , Thom Tillis and Ron Johnson .
Miller ’ s wife , Katie Miller , who is a spokeswoman for Vice President Mike Pence , tested positive for the virus in May .

By Steve Holland and Trevor Hunnicutt | Reuters
WASHINGTON – White House senior adviser Stephen Miller said he had tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, the latest case of coronavirus reported among Donald Trump’s inner circle since the Republican president announced he had the virus last week.
“Over the last 5 days I have been working remotely and self-isolating, testing negative every day through yesterday,” Miller said in a statement.
“Today, I tested positive for COVID-19 and am in quarantine.”
Trump returned to the White House on Monday after three nights in a military hospital, urging Americans not to be afraid and not to let the coronavirus dominate their lives.
The pandemic has killed more the 210,000 people in the United States, more than any other country.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Brian Morgenstern told CNN late on Tuesday that there were no new COVID cases in the White House beside Miller.
Trump said on Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Others announcing they had tested positive in recent days include close Trump adviser Hope Hicks; White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany; Trump’s campaign manager Bill Stepien; and Republican Senators Mike Lee, Thom Tillis and Ron Johnson.
Miller’s wife, Katie Miller, who is a spokeswoman for Vice President Mike Pence, tested positive for the virus in May.


mercurynews--2020-10-07--Canada surprises U.S., targets Salinas Valley romaine lettuce

SALINAS — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency published import requirements for romaine lettuce grown in the Salinas Valley last Friday but the move has perplexed local leaders because it is not clear why this has come about since there are currently no illness-related issues .
“ This type of imprudent decision by our number one trading partner is not just impactful and harmful to our romaine producers in the short term , it also could set precedent harming trade for other agricultural products in the long term , ” said Rep. Jimmy Panetta , D-Carmel Valley .
“ Moreover , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any evidence that these new Canadian requirements are based on sound science.
” Panetta said that is why he has been in immediate and constant contact with the White House , the U.S. Department of Agriculture , Food and Drug Administration and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to not only find out the reasoning for , but also to rectify this decision .
Norm Groot , the Monterey County Farm Bureau ’ s executive director , said the news caught his organization off guard and that he is working with Panetta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The requirements would affect bulk and fresh romaine lettuce from the Salinas Valley , which was valued at a combined total of $ 694,765,000 in the 2019 Monterey County Crop Report .
A total of 96,083,000 pounds of produce from Monterey County was exported to Canada in 2019 .
“ As the United States Representative for the Salad Bowl of the world , I will continue to work closely with our administration to fight back against these unfortunate and unfriendly requirements imposed by Canada , ” said Panetta , who is a member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Canadian import requirements point to romaine lettuce from the U.S. being associated with outbreaks of foodborne E. coli illnesses in Canada and the U.S .
It says food safety investigations and trace-backs from U.S. authorities have identified a recurring geographical area as the source of outbreaks and names Monterey , San Benito , Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties .
Panetta said the requirements are not based on a current E. coli outbreak or failed tests and amount to a non-tariff barrier .
“ Due to the recurring nature of the outbreaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Inspection Agency ) is implementing temporary import conditions for romaine lettuce originating from these growing areas , ” said the agency .
• Time Is Ripe : Fall slowdown yields to other autumn activities The Canadian Food Inspection Agency will require importers of romaine lettuce from the implicated regions in the U.S. to provide a certificate of analysis for each shipment to demonstrate the product does not contain detectable levels of E. coli and impacts all shipments arriving in Canada between Oct. 7 and Dec. 31 .
Panetta said he is appreciative of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to work with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency In his view , there has been far too little communication between governments .
“ This raises concerns as to whether Canada has followed the proper notification requirements agreed to in the ( United States Mexico Canada Agreement ) , ” said Panetta .

SALINAS — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency published import requirements for romaine lettuce grown in the Salinas Valley last Friday but the move has perplexed local leaders because it is not clear why this has come about since there are currently no illness-related issues.
“This type of imprudent decision by our number one trading partner is not just impactful and harmful to our romaine producers in the short term, it also could set precedent harming trade for other agricultural products in the long term,” said Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley. “Moreover, I have yet to be presented with any evidence that these new Canadian requirements are based on sound science.”
Panetta said that is why he has been in immediate and constant contact with the White House, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to not only find out the reasoning for, but also to rectify this decision.
Norm Groot, the Monterey County Farm Bureau’s executive director, said the news caught his organization off guard and that he is working with Panetta’s office to get answers.
The requirements would affect bulk and fresh romaine lettuce from the Salinas Valley, which was valued at a combined total of $694,765,000 in the 2019 Monterey County Crop Report.
A total of 96,083,000 pounds of produce from Monterey County was exported to Canada in 2019.
“As the United States Representative for the Salad Bowl of the world, I will continue to work closely with our administration to fight back against these unfortunate and unfriendly requirements imposed by Canada,” said Panetta, who is a member of the House Committee on Agriculture.
The Canadian import requirements point to romaine lettuce from the U.S. being associated with outbreaks of foodborne E. coli illnesses in Canada and the U.S. It says food safety investigations and trace-backs from U.S. authorities have identified a recurring geographical area as the source of outbreaks and names Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties.
Panetta said the requirements are not based on a current E. coli outbreak or failed tests and amount to a non-tariff barrier.
“Due to the recurring nature of the outbreaks in Canada the (The Canadian Food Inspection Agency) is implementing temporary import conditions for romaine lettuce originating from these growing areas,” said the agency.
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The hidden cost of California’s hot workplaces: 20,000 job injuries a year Business | Storms, flooding deal farmers in Northeast a devastating blow The Canadian Food Inspection Agency will require importers of romaine lettuce from the implicated regions in the U.S. to provide a certificate of analysis for each shipment to demonstrate the product does not contain detectable levels of E. coli and impacts all shipments arriving in Canada between Oct. 7 and Dec. 31.
Panetta said he is appreciative of the Food and Drug Administration’s efforts to work with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency In his view, there has been far too little communication between governments.
“This raises concerns as to whether Canada has followed the proper notification requirements agreed to in the (United States Mexico Canada Agreement),” said Panetta.


mercurynews--2020-10-07--Doug Wilson Jr. talks Ozzy Wiesblatt, approach for day two of NHL Draft

It ’ s not often the 31st overall pick in the NHL Draft causes as much of a buzz as it did Tuesday night when the San Jose Sharks selected Ozzy Wiesblatt at the end of the first round .
But that ’ s what happened after Doug Wilson Jr. , the Sharks ’ director of scouting , said Wiesblatt ’ s name to announce the pick and used sign language for his first name .
Wiesblatt ’ s mother , Kim White , has been deaf since birth and has always used sign language to communicate with her children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was a hot topic on social media , and Wiesblatt ’ s profile was still one of top trending names on hockeydb.com well after the conclusion of the first round .
“ I just wanted to tell the kid that you ’ re a part of the Sharks ’ family , ” Wilson Jr. said , “ and we ’ re really excited for you.
” Here ’ s what we learned Tuesday about Wiesblatt , the Sharks ’ day one plan and their approach to day two .
HOCKEY FAMILY : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Ocean , 21 , Orca , 20 , and Oasiz 16 — and a sister , Oceania , the youngest .
The three brothers all play hockey , with Ocean playing four seasons of Tier II junior in Western Canada .
Orca three seasons with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL and Oasiz a prospect with the Medicine Hat Tigers .
WHY OZZY AT 31 ?
: After four of the Sharks ’ five draft choices last year were over 6-foot.
, Wilson Jr. felt the prospect pool needed a bit more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one of the “ fastest kids in all of major junior hockey.
” “ It ’ s tough to get the puck off his stick .
No one gains entry like he does .
He ’ s shifty.
” HOW WIESBLATT FITS IN LONG TERM : It ’ ll be another year or two before Wiesblatt can seriously challenge for an NHL job , but he has elements to his game the Sharks value .
“ He was a kid that we had targeted for a while , ” Wilson Jr. said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , scoring ability , playmaking .
He just fits with our group .
… When you have players like Evander Kane , Timo Meier and John Leonard and Ryan Donato who can shoot , you want to make sure you have some speed and some playmaking to get them pucks in the right spots.
” TAKING CALLS ON 31 : Wilson Jr. said other teams checked in on the Sharks to see if they had any interest on moving down .
“ We had a few teams call up to try and get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was too good to pass up at the time , ” Wilson Jr. said .
“ With ( No .
34 ) , there ’ s probably a good chance there ’ s other teams trying to get in there .
But our list is the list.
” A MOVE INTO THE THIRD ROUND ?
: After picking at No .
55 , the Sharks do not have another pick until the start of the fifth round .
The Sharks made six trades on the second day of the draft last year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ names here that are available on the reload ( Wednesday ) , it ’ s going to be a tough one , ” Wilson Jr. said .
“ We ’ re going to take the best player available and maybe look at something later on .
For right now , there ’ s some pretty good names left here.
” For complete Sharks coverage follow us on Flipboard .
STICK TAPS TO THE FLAMES : Calgary traded down twice in the first round Tuesday , going from 19th to 22nd , and 22nd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third round picks in the process .
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“ From a draft valuation perspective , I thought that Calgary did a very good job today .
I would say that teams are actively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get quality , and then they ’ ll probably look to move back later on .
They ’ ll be some more movement ( Wednesday ) .
It ’ s a deep draft.
” BEST AVAILABLE : According to Bob McKenzie ’ s list of best available players , the Sharks should have a chance at one of the following : LW John-Jason Peterka , D William Wallinder , RW Noel Gunler , D Helge Grans or D Jeremie Poirier .
SCOUTS INVOLVED : Wilson Jr. mentioned that he Brian Gross and Ryan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Sharks , all saw Wiesblatt several times .
On Gross and Russell , Wilson Jr. said , “ They know spirit , they know heart , and this kid has it .
It just works out that his skill level is undeniable .
“ When you get to know the kid , and you get to know the family , you realize , this guy ’ s a Shark .
That ’ s what kind of put it over the top .
”

It’s not often the 31st overall pick in the NHL Draft causes as much of a buzz as it did Tuesday night when the San Jose Sharks selected Ozzy Wiesblatt at the end of the first round.
But that’s what happened after Doug Wilson Jr., the Sharks’ director of scouting, said Wiesblatt’s name to announce the pick and used sign language for his first name. Wiesblatt’s mother, Kim White, has been deaf since birth and has always used sign language to communicate with her children — four boys and a daughter.
It was a hot topic on social media, and Wiesblatt’s profile was still one of top trending names on hockeydb.com well after the conclusion of the first round.
“I just wanted to tell the kid that you’re a part of the Sharks’ family,” Wilson Jr. said, “and we’re really excited for you.”
Here’s what we learned Tuesday about Wiesblatt, the Sharks’ day one plan and their approach to day two.
HOCKEY FAMILY: Wiesblatt, 18, has three brothers — Ocean, 21, Orca, 20, and Oasiz 16 — and a sister, Oceania, the youngest. The three brothers all play hockey, with Ocean playing four seasons of Tier II junior in Western Canada. Orca three seasons with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL and Oasiz a prospect with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
WHY OZZY AT 31?: After four of the Sharks’ five draft choices last year were over 6-foot., Wilson Jr. felt the prospect pool needed a bit more skill and speed. He feels Wiesblatt is one of the “fastest kids in all of major junior hockey.” “It’s tough to get the puck off his stick. No one gains entry like he does. He’s shifty.”
HOW WIESBLATT FITS IN LONG TERM: It’ll be another year or two before Wiesblatt can seriously challenge for an NHL job, but he has elements to his game the Sharks value. “He was a kid that we had targeted for a while,” Wilson Jr. said. “Right shot center with speed, scoring ability, playmaking. He just fits with our group. … When you have players like Evander Kane, Timo Meier and John Leonard and Ryan Donato who can shoot, you want to make sure you have some speed and some playmaking to get them pucks in the right spots.”
TAKING CALLS ON 31: Wilson Jr. said other teams checked in on the Sharks to see if they had any interest on moving down.
“We had a few teams call up to try and get back in at 31, and Ozzy was too good to pass up at the time,” Wilson Jr. said. “With (No. 34), there’s probably a good chance there’s other teams trying to get in there. But our list is the list.”
A MOVE INTO THE THIRD ROUND?: After picking at No. 55, the Sharks do not have another pick until the start of the fifth round. The Sharks made six trades on the second day of the draft last year.
“No. 34, with the names here that are available on the reload (Wednesday), it’s going to be a tough one,” Wilson Jr. said. “We’re going to take the best player available and maybe look at something later on. For right now, there’s some pretty good names left here.”
For complete Sharks coverage
follow us on Flipboard.
STICK TAPS TO THE FLAMES: Calgary traded down twice in the first round Tuesday, going from 19th to 22nd, and 22nd to 24th, picking up two extra third round picks in the process.
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BEST AVAILABLE: According to Bob McKenzie’s list of best available players, the Sharks should have a chance at one of the following: LW John-Jason Peterka, D William Wallinder, RW Noel Gunler, D Helge Grans or D Jeremie Poirier.
SCOUTS INVOLVED: Wilson Jr. mentioned that he Brian Gross and Ryan Russell, two Western Canadian amateur scouts for the Sharks, all saw Wiesblatt several times. On Gross and Russell, Wilson Jr. said, “They know spirit, they know heart, and this kid has it. It just works out that his skill level is undeniable.
“When you get to know the kid, and you get to know the family, you realize, this guy’s a Shark. That’s what kind of put it over the top.”


mercurynews--2020-10-07--Focus on Chiefs: Just win, baby? Sounds like Kansas City’s new motto

It may not be the Kansas City Chiefs ’ slogan , but it might as well be .
It ’ s all they really do .
It doesn ’ t matter if Patrick Mahomes outplays Baltimore ’ s Lamar Jackson while throwing for 385 yards and four touchdowns , or if he can ’ t help the Chiefs offense break the 200-yard mark until the fourth quarter .
It doesn ’ t matter if the Chiefs wait until the fourth quarter to score their first touchdown , or if they score TDs on four straight possessions in the first half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who they play , Titans , Texans , 49ers or Ravens .
Nothing changes the bottom line for coach Andy Reid ’ s team .
They .
Just .
Win .
The Chiefs haven ’ t lost a game in the last 10 months .
The Raiders , who have proprietary rights to Al Davis ’ old motto , have lost two games in the last 10 days .
No one ’ s beaten Kansas City since Week 11 of last season when Tennessee escaped with a 3-point win because of a touchdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will try to extend their NFL-best 10-game winning streak — 13 if you count the postseason — when the Raiders visit Arrowhead Sunday morning .
Still , Mahomes realizes the 4-0 Chiefs are far from perfect , even after a workmanlike 16-point win over the Patriots Monday .
“ Obviously , I didn ’ t do enough because we didn ’ t execute to a high enough level , ” Mahomes said .
“ Whenever you ’ re trying to go throughout a season and win as many football games as possible to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re going to have to win games like this.
” Fortunately for them , winning is what they do best .
The Chiefs set an NFL record by beating New England as they became the first team in history to start 4-0 for four straight seasons .
Kansas City also became the first team in NFL history to win on a Monday on consecutive weeks , thanks to the game being pushed back a day due to a New England player testing positive for COVID .
Want more winning history ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a winning streak of at least four games in each one of the former San Francisco State assistant coach ’ s eight years leading Kansas City .
Here ’ s a closer look at what to look for Sunday when the Raiders play in front of actual fans for the first time when they play at Arrowhead Stadium : GAME ESSENTIALS : Raiders ( 2-2 ) vs. Chiefs ( 4-0 ) at Arrowhead Stadium , Sunday at 10 a.m. ( PT ) on CBS-TV .
ODDS : Chiefs -13 .
Maybe Chiefs take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the NFL and there are no gimmes .
These guys are professionals whose job it is to bring it each week .
But considering the Raiders game is in the middle of a brutal 11-day stretch when the Chiefs play three games , and the Patriots and Bills are their other two opponents , wouldn ’ t it be human nature for Kansas City to assume things will be easier this week ?
Doing so could open the door for the Raiders .
It may be a rivalry game , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 against the Raiders , and are double-digit favorites for the fourth time in their last five games against the Raiders .
Hey , you asked for an optimistic view .
• Raiders mailbag : What ’ s wrong with this defense — scheme , personnel or something else ?
• Raiders ’ Gruden resolute after Bills loss , gives brief endorsement of defensive coordinator Paul Guenther • Raiders ’ Waller gets $ 30,000 fine , Carr and others $ 15,000 for not wearing masks at fundraiser Derek Carr may welcome the news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s status for the game is undecided .
Jones , who leads the Chiefs with 3.5 sacks , sat out Sunday ’ s win over New England with a groin injury .
Jones has 28 sacks in the last 2 1/4 seasons , including 15.5 in 2018 .
The 6-foot-6 , 310-pound Jones also has two forced fumbles .
By comparison , the Raiders entire defense has four sacks and no forced fumbles through four games .
Josh Jacobs was the Raiders ’ most impressive offensive player against the Chiefs last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rushing yards per game .
As a rookie , Jacobs was able to slash his way through Kansas City ’ s defense .
He gained 99 yards in the first game on 12 carries ( 8.25 yards per carry ) , and then he backed that up with 104 yards rushing on 17 carries ( 6.12 ) .
Still , Jacobs ’ chances of gashing K.C.
’ s defense would improve dramatically if right tackle Trent Brown ( calf ) could return this week .
Jacobs is coming off a 48-yard effort in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yardage total in his brief career .
Talk about matchup nightmares , the Raiders haven ’ t found a solution for Chiefs All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce the last few years .
That doesn ’ t make them much different than other clubs , but Kelce has taken a lot of delight in ruining the Raiders ’ secondary , particularly the last two years when he ’ s had 29 catches for 427 yards and three touchdowns .
He has more than 100 receiving yards in four of his last seven games against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pounds , Kelce has somehow been able to get lost in coverage often against the Raiders .
Facing speedy Chiefs All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill twice a year was somewhat of a factor of the Raiders selecting speedster Henry Ruggs III in the first round .
The Raiders badly wanted their version of Hill , whose speed has frightened NFL defenses since he entered the league five years ago .
Hill is currently on one of his biggest hot streaks as he ’ s scored a touchdown in all four games this season .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to catch a TD pass in each of the team ’ s first four games since 1972 .
Oh , the Raiders also have to worry about Hill ’ s speedy sidekicks at receiver , Mecole Hardman and Sammy Watkins .
Then again , why worry about what you can ’ t control ?
“ Nobody in the NFL can guard any of us , ” Hill said .
Kansas City ’ s resurgent defense did something in its win Sunday no other team has done since 2012 — force the Patriots into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it probably makes a difference when their quarterback is Brian Hoyer and not Tom Brady ( or Cam Newton ) .
The playmakers made plays when the Chiefs needed it most against New England .
Safety Tyrann Mathieu had a pick-six ( his 15th interception since 2015 ) and defensive linemen Frank Clark ( sack at end of the half ) and Taco Charlton ( strip/sack/fumble recovery ) each single-handedly made plays inside their own 15-yard line to render back-to-back Patriots ’ drives scoreless .
Kansas City ’ s fifth-ranked pass defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return of starting cornerback Bashaud Breeland , who was suspended the first four games for marijuana possession in the off-season .
Breeland was a big factor in last year ’ s pass defense playing so well — he had 48 tackles , two interceptions , two fumble recoveries and eight passes defensed .
Here ’ s another reminder Mahomes is something else : The Chiefs quarterback completed 66 percent of his passes while throwing for 236 yards and two touchdowns in the victory over New England and the immediate response was , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” But that ’ s what happens when you ’ ve become the NFL ’ s most dynamic player .
It only seems as thought the reigning Super Bowl MVP and former NFL MVP plays near-flawless ball each week — as he did last week when he went 31-of-42 for 385 passing yards and four touchdowns to beat the Ravens and Lamar Jackson .
This week he ’ ll more than likely tie ex-49er Elvis Grbac for the Chiefs ’ all-time record with TD passes in 15 consecutive games .
The question is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inflicting much more damage ?
History surely isn ’ t on the Raiders ’ side .

Just win, baby.
It may not be the Kansas City Chiefs’ slogan, but it might as well be. It’s all they really do.
It doesn’t matter if Patrick Mahomes outplays Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson while throwing for 385 yards and four touchdowns, or if he can’t help the Chiefs offense break the 200-yard mark until the fourth quarter.
It doesn’t matter if the Chiefs wait until the fourth quarter to score their first touchdown, or if they score TDs on four straight possessions in the first half.
It also doesn’t matter who they play, Titans, Texans, 49ers or Ravens. Nothing changes the bottom line for coach Andy Reid’s team. They. Just. Win.
The Chiefs haven’t lost a game in the last 10 months. The Raiders, who have proprietary rights to Al Davis’ old motto, have lost two games in the last 10 days.
No one’s beaten Kansas City since Week 11 of last season when Tennessee escaped with a 3-point win because of a touchdown with 23 seconds left. The Chiefs will try to extend their NFL-best 10-game winning streak — 13 if you count the postseason — when the Raiders visit Arrowhead Sunday morning.
Still, Mahomes realizes the 4-0 Chiefs are far from perfect, even after a workmanlike 16-point win over the Patriots Monday.
“Obviously, I didn’t do enough because we didn’t execute to a high enough level,” Mahomes said. “Whenever you’re trying to go throughout a season and win as many football games as possible to set you up for the playoffs, you’re going to have to win games like this.”
Fortunately for them, winning is what they do best.
The Chiefs set an NFL record by beating New England as they became the first team in history to start 4-0 for four straight seasons. Kansas City also became the first team in NFL history to win on a Monday on consecutive weeks, thanks to the game being pushed back a day due to a New England player testing positive for COVID.
Want more winning history? Under Reid, the Chiefs have had a winning streak of at least four games in each one of the former San Francisco State assistant coach’s eight years leading Kansas City.
***
Here’s a closer look at what to look for Sunday when the Raiders play in front of actual fans for the first time when they play at Arrowhead Stadium:
GAME ESSENTIALS: Raiders (2-2) vs. Chiefs (4-0) at Arrowhead Stadium, Sunday at 10 a.m. (PT) on CBS-TV. ODDS: Chiefs -13.
THREE REASONS FOR RAIDERS’ OPTIMISM:
Maybe Chiefs take them lightly?
We know, this is the NFL and there are no gimmes. These guys are professionals whose job it is to bring it each week. But considering the Raiders game is in the middle of a brutal 11-day stretch when the Chiefs play three games, and the Patriots and Bills are their other two opponents, wouldn’t it be human nature for Kansas City to assume things will be easier this week? Doing so could open the door for the Raiders. It may be a rivalry game, but the Chiefs have won 10 of their last 11 against the Raiders, and are double-digit favorites for the fourth time in their last five games against the Raiders. Hey, you asked for an optimistic view.
Chiefs’ most dangerous defender hurting
Derek Carr may welcome the news that Pro Bowl defensive lineman Chris Jones’ s status for the game is undecided. Jones, who leads the Chiefs with 3.5 sacks, sat out Sunday’s win over New England with a groin injury. Jones has 28 sacks in the last 2 1/4 seasons, including 15.5 in 2018. The 6-foot-6, 310-pound Jones also has two forced fumbles. By comparison, the Raiders entire defense has four sacks and no forced fumbles through four games.
Trouble containing Jacobs
Josh Jacobs was the Raiders’ most impressive offensive player against the Chiefs last year when the rookie averaged more than 101 rushing yards per game. As a rookie, Jacobs was able to slash his way through Kansas City’s defense. He gained 99 yards in the first game on 12 carries (8.25 yards per carry), and then he backed that up with 104 yards rushing on 17 carries (6.12). Still, Jacobs’ chances of gashing K.C.’s defense would improve dramatically if right tackle Trent Brown (calf) could return this week. Jacobs is coming off a 48-yard effort in the loss to Buffalo, his third-lowest yardage total in his brief career.
THREE REASONS FOR RAIDERS’ PESSIMISM:
They can’t stop Travis Kelce
Talk about matchup nightmares, the Raiders haven’t found a solution for Chiefs All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce the last few years. That doesn’t make them much different than other clubs, but Kelce has taken a lot of delight in ruining the Raiders’ secondary, particularly the last two years when he’s had 29 catches for 427 yards and three touchdowns. He has more than 100 receiving yards in four of his last seven games against the Raiders. At 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, Kelce has somehow been able to get lost in coverage often against the Raiders.
They can’t stop Tyreek Hill
Facing speedy Chiefs All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill twice a year was somewhat of a factor of the Raiders selecting speedster Henry Ruggs III in the first round. The Raiders badly wanted their version of Hill, whose speed has frightened NFL defenses since he entered the league five years ago. Hill is currently on one of his biggest hot streaks as he’s scored a touchdown in all four games this season. He’s the first Chiefs player to catch a TD pass in each of the team’s first four games since 1972. Oh, the Raiders also have to worry about Hill’s speedy sidekicks at receiver, Mecole Hardman and Sammy Watkins. Then again, why worry about what you can’t control? “Nobody in the NFL can guard any of us,” Hill said.
Tyreek Hill has his 4th straight game with a Rec TD, tied for the 2nd-longest streak since the Chiefs joined the NFL. Dwayne Bowe had a 7-game streak in 2010. pic.twitter.com/6nTkVrmbc7 — ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 6, 2020
Chiefs’ improved defense
Kansas City’s resurgent defense did something in its win Sunday no other team has done since 2012 — force the Patriots into four turnovers in a game. OK, it probably makes a difference when their quarterback is Brian Hoyer and not Tom Brady (or Cam Newton). The playmakers made plays when the Chiefs needed it most against New England. Safety Tyrann Mathieu had a pick-six (his 15th interception since 2015) and defensive linemen Frank Clark (sack at end of the half) and Taco Charlton (strip/sack/fumble recovery) each single-handedly made plays inside their own 15-yard line to render back-to-back Patriots’ drives scoreless. Kansas City’s fifth-ranked pass defense will get a huge boost with the return of starting cornerback Bashaud Breeland, who was suspended the first four games for marijuana possession in the off-season. Breeland was a big factor in last year’s pass defense playing so well — he had 48 tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and eight passes defensed.
PROBABLE DIFFERENCE-MAKER: Patrick Mahomes.
Here’s another reminder Mahomes is something else: The Chiefs quarterback completed 66 percent of his passes while throwing for 236 yards and two touchdowns in the victory over New England and the immediate response was, “What’s wrong with Mahomes?” But that’s what happens when you’ve become the NFL’s most dynamic player. It only seems as thought the reigning Super Bowl MVP and former NFL MVP plays near-flawless ball each week — as he did last week when he went 31-of-42 for 385 passing yards and four touchdowns to beat the Ravens and Lamar Jackson. This week he’ll more than likely tie ex-49er Elvis Grbac for the Chiefs’ all-time record with TD passes in 15 consecutive games. The question is whether the Raiders can prevent him from inflicting much more damage? History surely isn’t on the Raiders’ side.


mercurynews--2020-10-07--What is CRISPR? Here’s our video on how the Nobel Prize-winning  gene-editing tool works

You ’ ve probably heard about the revolutionary gene-editing tool that sounds like a drawer in your refrigerator to keep @ @ @ @ @ when you woke up Wednesday morning to learn that UC Berkeley biochemist Jennifer Doudna and @ @ @ @ @ this year ’ s Nobel Prize in chemistry for its discovery , you might have @ @ @ @ @ you could explain the basics to your kids .
Even better , show them this @ @ @ @ @ of carrots .

You’ve probably heard about the revolutionary gene-editing tool that sounds like a drawer in your refrigerator to keep your vegetables fresh.
And when you woke up Wednesday morning to learn that UC Berkeley biochemist Jennifer Doudna and a French colleague had won this year’s Nobel Prize in chemistry for its discovery, you might have Googled it to make sure you could explain the basics to your kids.
Even better, show them this video — with a side of carrots.


mercurynews--2020-10-07--Northern California fire is now a ‘gigafire,’ a rare designation for a blaze that burns at least a m

Northern California fire is now a ‘gigafire,’ a rare designation for a blaze that burns at least a million acres

Wildfires have gotten so extreme in recent years that experts have had to coin new terms to describe their increasingly massive scale .
Enter the “ gigafire ” — a term for a blaze that burns at least a million acres of land and a level above the “ megafire , ” which burns more than 100,000 acres .
California recorded its first gigafire in modern history on Monday , after the expansive August Complex in the northern part of the state scorched more than a million acres .
The August Complex is now the largest fire in California ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The fire , which is now burning across several counties , began as a series of separate fires sparked by lightning strikes in August .
Those smaller fires later morphed into the larger complex that firefighters are now battling .
The blaze is 58 % contained as of Tuesday morning .
The record set by the August Complex comes during an already record-setting year in California .
Blazes across the state have burned four million acres so far , more than double the previous record set in 2018 , the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire season has also produced five of the six largest wildfires in California ’ s history .
It ’ s not the first gigafire in the US The August Complex isn ’ t the first fire in the US to meet the definition of a gigafire — though the country hasn ’ t seen fires at this scale in more than a decade .
The most recent gigafire in the US was the Taylor Complex in Alaska , which scorched about 1.3 million acres in 2004 , according to the National Interagency Fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Idaho burned about 1.58 million acres in 1988 .
The world saw another gigafire earlier this year in Australia , when two fires on the border between Victoria and New South Wales combined to cover about 1.5 million acres .
Scientists and California authorities have blamed the climate crisis for the intensity of this year ’ s fire season .
• How air filters can help clean the air and keep you healthy during wildfire season • ‘ No more tears left : ’ How wildfires are ravaging the West Coast cannabis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crews turn corner on Glass Fire Daniel Swain , a climate scientist at UCLA and the National Center for Atmospheric Research , told CNN in September that human-caused climate change was creating higher temperature extremes and drier vegetation , conditions conducive to deadlier and more destructive wildfires .
California wildfires have increased in size eightfold since the 1970s , and the annual area burned by fires has increased by nearly 500 % , according to CNN meteorologist Robert Shackelford .

Wildfires have gotten so extreme in recent years that experts have had to coin new terms to describe their increasingly massive scale.
Enter the “gigafire” — a term for a blaze that burns at least a million acres of land and a level above the “megafire,” which burns more than 100,000 acres.
California recorded its first gigafire in modern history on Monday, after the expansive August Complex in the northern part of the state scorched more than a million acres.
The August Complex is now the largest fire in California’s history, according to Cal Fire.
The fire, which is now burning across several counties, began as a series of separate fires sparked by lightning strikes in August. Those smaller fires later morphed into the larger complex that firefighters are now battling. The blaze is 58% contained as of Tuesday morning.
The record set by the August Complex comes during an already record-setting year in California.
Blazes across the state have burned four million acres so far, more than double the previous record set in 2018, the state’s fire agency said Sunday. This fire season has also produced five of the six largest wildfires in California’s history.
It’s not the first gigafire in the US
The August Complex isn’t the first fire in the US to meet the definition of a gigafire — though the country hasn’t seen fires at this scale in more than a decade.
The most recent gigafire in the US was the Taylor Complex in Alaska, which scorched about 1.3 million acres in 2004, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The Yellowstone Fire in Montana and Idaho burned about 1.58 million acres in 1988.
The world saw another gigafire earlier this year in Australia, when two fires on the border between Victoria and New South Wales combined to cover about 1.5 million acres.
Scientists and California authorities have blamed the climate crisis for the intensity of this year’s fire season.
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Living with air pollution, especially from wildfires or agriculture, raises risk of dementia, US study finds Crashes and Disasters | Cadaver dogs are in Maui to help find the dead. Here’s how it works and why it’s difficult Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA and the National Center for Atmospheric Research, told CNN in September that human-caused climate change was creating higher temperature extremes and drier vegetation, conditions conducive to deadlier and more destructive wildfires.
California wildfires have increased in size eightfold since the 1970s, and the annual area burned by fires has increased by nearly 500%, according to CNN meteorologist Robert Shackelford.
The-CNN-Wire
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mercurynews--2020-10-07--California theme park reopening plan coming ‘as soon as possible,’ state official says

California state officials plan to issue guidelines “ as soon as possible ” that would allow Disneyland , Universal Studios Hollywood and other theme parks to reopen after nearly seven months of coronavirus closures .
California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly commented on efforts to finalize theme park reopening guidelines with the help of Disneyland , Universal Studios Hollywood and other industry stakeholders during a news conference on Tuesday , Oct. 6 .
“ I ’ m not sure when those conversations will wrap up , ” Ghaly said during the press conference .
“ I will tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon as we come to really hear the industry and understand some of the concerns .
We continue to look at the data and information that we have .
So , no promise of a specific date , but I will say as soon as possible.
” Disneyland , Disney California Adventure , Universal Studios Hollywood , Knott ’ s Berry Farm , Six Flags Magic Mountain , SeaWorld San Diego , Legoland California and other California theme parks closed in mid-March amid the COVID-19 pandemic and remain shuttered while they await reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the brakes on plans to issue guidelines last week that would allow theme parks in the state to reopen after the California Attractions and Parks Association industry association asked to offer more input on proposed COVID-19 health and safety protocols .
“ We ’ re working closely with a number of direct operators of the parks and also the overall agency or organization representing theme parks as well as the labor partners that represent the workers and ensuring that we move forward together in a low risk and safest way possible , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disney announced last week 28,000 employees would be laid off at Disneyland and Walt Disney World as the company continues to struggle with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the extended closure of its Anaheim theme parks .
“ Theme parks continue to be a high priority for the administration , recognizing their role as both part of California life but also employment opportunities for thousands of Californians , ” Ghaly said during the news conference .
Initial draft guidelines from the state call for reopening individual California theme parks at 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least-restrictive “ minimal ” risk level and limiting attendance to residents who live within 120 miles of each park .
“ Some of the important issues that we ’ re looking at are obviously not just how the operations in the theme park go , ” Ghaly said during the news conference .
“ There ’ s so many thoughtful people who are working in many of our sectors across California who have been thinking about this with a great deal of passion and energy .
Not just so that they can reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure that staff and patrons alike are in the safest position that they can be.
” The sector guidelines will look at the impact reopening theme parks could have on the broader communities , surrounding neighborhoods and nearby businesses , according to Ghaly .
“ This isn ’ t just about one piece , ” Ghaly said during the press conference .
“ It ’ s about the entire community and having dialogue with not just those operators , but others who both have a stake in what happens with this guidance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risk for so many people from California who might visit a theme park in the future .
”

California state officials plan to issue guidelines “as soon as possible” that would allow Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood and other theme parks to reopen after nearly seven months of coronavirus closures.
California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly commented on efforts to finalize theme park reopening guidelines with the help of Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood and other industry stakeholders during a news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
“I’m not sure when those conversations will wrap up,” Ghaly said during the press conference. “I will tell you that they will wrap up as soon as we come to really hear the industry and understand some of the concerns. We continue to look at the data and information that we have. So, no promise of a specific date, but I will say as soon as possible.”
Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, SeaWorld San Diego, Legoland California and other California theme parks closed in mid-March amid the COVID-19 pandemic and remain shuttered while they await reopening guidelines from the state.
California tapped the brakes on plans to issue guidelines last week that would allow theme parks in the state to reopen after the California Attractions and Parks Association industry association asked to offer more input on proposed COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
“We’re working closely with a number of direct operators of the parks and also the overall agency or organization representing theme parks as well as the labor partners that represent the workers and ensuring that we move forward together in a low risk and safest way possible,” Ghaly said during the news conference.
Disney announced last week 28,000 employees would be laid off at Disneyland and Walt Disney World as the company continues to struggle with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the extended closure of its Anaheim theme parks.
“Theme parks continue to be a high priority for the administration, recognizing their role as both part of California life but also employment opportunities for thousands of Californians,” Ghaly said during the news conference.
Initial draft guidelines from the state call for reopening individual California theme parks at 25% capacity once their county reaches the least-restrictive “minimal” risk level and limiting attendance to residents who live within 120 miles of each park.
“Some of the important issues that we’re looking at are obviously not just how the operations in the theme park go,” Ghaly said during the news conference. “There’s so many thoughtful people who are working in many of our sectors across California who have been thinking about this with a great deal of passion and energy. Not just so that they can reopen, but also so that they can make sure that staff and patrons alike are in the safest position that they can be.”
The sector guidelines will look at the impact reopening theme parks could have on the broader communities, surrounding neighborhoods and nearby businesses, according to Ghaly.
“This isn’t just about one piece,” Ghaly said during the press conference. “It’s about the entire community and having dialogue with not just those operators, but others who both have a stake in what happens with this guidance but also have a responsibility to reduce the risk for so many people from California who might visit a theme park in the future.”


mercurynews--2020-10-07--Eddie Van Halen, an appreciation: The musician remade the guitar and made it the star

Eddie Van Halen , the Pasadena kid who ruled the late ’ 70s and ’ 80s as the era ’ s premier guitar god , was that rare musician whose signature style and sound you knew the instant you heard it .
And like a rock ‘ n ’ roll god , Van Halen , who died on Tuesday , Oct. 6 , at 65 , and his music won ’ t ever really die , not as long as the work he unleashed on stage and in the studio lives on .
Most of his greatest works were made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ band he and his drummer brother Alex Van Halen formed in the early ’ 70s with flamboyant frontman David Lee Roth and bassist Michael Anthony .
Over a dozen studio albums and two live ones , Van Halen regularly left fans and fellow musicians agape at the talent and creativity that made him one of the greatest guitarists of all-time , the equal of his own idols , Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page , and a lasting influence on scores of hard rock guitarists who followed his fingers up and down the frets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Eruption , ” a solo instrumental on the band ’ s 1978 self-titled debut .
It ’ s only 1 minute and 42 seconds long , and serves almost as the bridge between “ Runnin ’ With The Devil ” and the Kinks ’ cover “ You Really Got Me.
” But this classic concerto was more than enough time for Van Halen to throw down a challenge to every other guitarist on the planet through its chunky riffs and finger-tapping arpeggios , the latter a technique he largely invented .
Get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together and Eddie Van Halen inevitably ends up at or near the top of debates over the greatest guitarist of all-time , somewhere in the neighborhood of legends such as Jimi Hendrix , Page of Led Zeppelin and Brian May of Queen .
Like that elite company , Van Halen ’ s work could impress both professional peers with his technical proficiency while thrilling the fans who packed arenas in the early ’ 80s to cheer for the visceral pleasures of hard-rocking riffs and solos on catchy tunes such as “ Panama , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Jump.
” A once-in-a-generation talent , Van Halen ’ s playing transcended the goofy videos that accompanied the monster hits off “ 1984 , ” the album that made the band the biggest in the world and inspired air guitar heroes ever after .
Perhaps more impressively , Van Halen ’ s guitar virtuosity rose above the din of the lead singer drama with the comings and goings of David Lee Roth , Sammy Hagar on a couple of spins , plus Gary Cherone from Extreme .
Van Halen ’ s notable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Classically trained in the piano , the guitarist was responsible for the iconic synthesizer riff on “ Jump , ” and the crossover of the typical pop instrument into the land of head-banging hard rock .
He also wrote and played the piano on the band ’ s 1991 hit “ Right Now.
” By the time Roth left the band in 1985 , ending its first decade of superstardom , Eddie Van Helen had transcended the arena stage to take on a role in the pop culture at large , his name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across film screens in the years that followed .
At the end of the 1982 teen comedy “ Fast Times at Ridgemont High , ” as viewers find out what happened to the film ’ s characters later in life , it was revealed that surfer stoner Jeff Spicoli , played by Sean Penn , saved Brooke Shields from drowning .
He blows his reward money “ hiring Van Halen to play at his birthday party.
” In “ Bill & Ted ’ s Excellent Adventure , ” the 1989 time-travel comedy starring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hapless wanna-be rock stars make multiple references to Eddie Van Halen .
Director Richard Linklater not only named his 2016 film “ Everybody Wants Some !
!
” after the Van Halen song of the same name , he also included the band ’ s “ Ain ’ t Talkin ’ ‘ Bout Love ” on the soundtrack a musical cue to its setting in 1980 .
As a performer , Van Halen usually played with a big grin on his face as he unleashed iconic riffs , many of them created on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guitars Van Halen built to have a Fender Stratocaster-style body paired with the heavier sound of a Gibson .
It ’ s such a big deal that he donated a copy to the Smithsonian , another place where Van Halen ’ s contributions continue to rock on .

Eddie Van Halen, the Pasadena kid who ruled the late ’70s and ’80s as the era’s premier guitar god, was that rare musician whose signature style and sound you knew the instant you heard it.
And like a rock ‘n’ roll god, Van Halen, who died on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 65, and his music won’t ever really die, not as long as the work he unleashed on stage and in the studio lives on.
Most of his greatest works were made with Van Halen, the hard rock band he and his drummer brother Alex Van Halen formed in the early ’70s with flamboyant frontman David Lee Roth and bassist Michael Anthony.
Over a dozen studio albums and two live ones, Van Halen regularly left fans and fellow musicians agape at the talent and creativity that made him one of the greatest guitarists of all-time, the equal of his own idols, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page, and a lasting influence on scores of hard rock guitarists who followed his fingers up and down the frets.
Listen, for example, to “Eruption,” a solo instrumental on the band’s 1978 self-titled debut. It’s only 1 minute and 42 seconds long, and serves almost as the bridge between “Runnin’ With The Devil” and the Kinks’ cover “You Really Got Me.” But this classic concerto was more than enough time for Van Halen to throw down a challenge to every other guitarist on the planet through its chunky riffs and finger-tapping arpeggios, the latter a technique he largely invented.
Get a room of guitar and/or music geeks together and Eddie Van Halen inevitably ends up at or near the top of debates over the greatest guitarist of all-time, somewhere in the neighborhood of legends such as Jimi Hendrix, Page of Led Zeppelin and Brian May of Queen.
Like that elite company, Van Halen’s work could impress both professional peers with his technical proficiency while thrilling the fans who packed arenas in the early ’80s to cheer for the visceral pleasures of hard-rocking riffs and solos on catchy tunes such as “Panama,” “Hot For Teacher” and “Jump.”
A once-in-a-generation talent, Van Halen’s playing transcended the goofy videos that accompanied the monster hits off “1984,” the album that made the band the biggest in the world and inspired air guitar heroes ever after.
Perhaps more impressively, Van Halen’s guitar virtuosity rose above the din of the lead singer drama with the comings and goings of David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar on a couple of spins, plus Gary Cherone from Extreme.
Van Halen’s notable musical contributions extended beyond the guitar. Classically trained in the piano, the guitarist was responsible for the iconic synthesizer riff on “Jump,” and the crossover of the typical pop instrument into the land of head-banging hard rock. He also wrote and played the piano on the band’s 1991 hit “Right Now.”
By the time Roth left the band in 1985, ending its first decade of superstardom, Eddie Van Helen had transcended the arena stage to take on a role in the pop culture at large, his name a reference point for teenage boys cruising across film screens in the years that followed.
At the end of the 1982 teen comedy “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” as viewers find out what happened to the film’s characters later in life, it was revealed that surfer stoner Jeff Spicoli, played by Sean Penn, saved Brooke Shields from drowning. He blows his reward money “hiring Van Halen to play at his birthday party.”
In “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” the 1989 time-travel comedy starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, the hapless wanna-be rock stars make multiple references to Eddie Van Halen.
Director Richard Linklater not only named his 2016 film “Everybody Wants Some!!” after the Van Halen song of the same name, he also included the band’s “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” on the soundtrack a musical cue to its setting in 1980.
As a performer, Van Halen usually played with a big grin on his face as he unleashed iconic riffs, many of them created on a “Frankenstrat,” the custom guitars Van Halen built to have a Fender Stratocaster-style body paired with the heavier sound of a Gibson. It’s such a big deal that he donated a copy to the Smithsonian, another place where Van Halen’s contributions continue to rock on.


mercurynews--2020-10-07--Coronavirus tracker: Here’s where every California county stands in the state’s tier system on Oct.

Coronavirus tracker: Here’s where every California county stands in the state’s tier system on Oct. 6

More California counties moved on Tuesday , Oct. 6 , into less-restrictive tiers of the state ’ s coronavirus tracking system , opening the door for more business and public sectors to reopen or expand their indoor capacities .
Counties are assigned to a tier based on metrics showing the speed and the spread of the virus and every Tuesday the state updates their status .
At a minimum , counties have to remain in a tier for three weeks before they can progress on , and they have to meet the next tier ’ s criteria for at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They can also backtrack if their performance on the metrics reverses course .
This week Plumas , Siskiyou and Trinity counties were moved to the lowest tier ( yellow ) .
Ventura County is the only Southern California county that improved , going from the most restrictive purple tier to red .
A list of what businesses are impacted by each tier is included below : A look at the change in the state tier system by county for Oct. 6 : Note : The state added a new metric called health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population of greater than 106,000 , the county must : Ensure that the test positivity rates in its most disadvantaged neighborhoods – the Healthy Places Index census tracts are used for that – do not significantly lag behind its overall county test positivity rate .
There are additional conditions listed on the state ’ s site .
Here is the current metrics for each county , where they are now and where they were last week .
How different are the tiers ?
Purple is the most restrictive , especially for education .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tier aren ’ t permitted to reopen for in-person instruction unless they receive a waiver from local health departments for TK-6 grades .
Schools can reopen for in-person instruction once their county has been in the red tier for at least two weeks .

More California counties moved on Tuesday, Oct. 6, into less-restrictive tiers of the state’s coronavirus tracking system, opening the door for more business and public sectors to reopen or expand their indoor capacities.
Counties are assigned to a tier based on metrics showing the speed and the spread of the virus and every Tuesday the state updates their status. At a minimum, counties have to remain in a tier for three weeks before they can progress on, and they have to meet the next tier’s criteria for at least two consecutive weeks before making a move. They can also backtrack if their performance on the metrics reverses course.
This week Plumas, Siskiyou and Trinity counties were moved to the lowest tier (yellow). Ventura County is the only Southern California county that improved, going from the most restrictive purple tier to red.
A list of what businesses are impacted by each tier is included below:
A look at the change in the state tier system by county for Oct. 6:
Note: The state added a new metric called health equity. For a county with a population of greater than 106,000, the county must: Ensure that the test positivity rates in its most disadvantaged neighborhoods – the Healthy Places Index census tracts are used for that – do not significantly lag behind its overall county test positivity rate. There are additional conditions listed on the state’s site.
Here is the current metrics for each county, where they are now and where they were last week.
State metrics:
How different are the tiers?
Purple is the most restrictive, especially for education. Schools in the Widespread (purple) tier aren’t permitted to reopen for in-person instruction unless they receive a waiver from local health departments for TK-6 grades.
Schools can reopen for in-person instruction once their county has been in the red tier for at least two weeks.
Source: http://www.dof.ca.gov/Forecasting/Demographics/Projections/


mercurynews--2020-10-07--Family of Black man shot by Southern California deputies files wrongful death claim

The family of Kurt Andras Reinhold , a homeless Black man who was fatally shot by a Sheriff ’ s deputy in San Clemente last month , filed a wrongful death claim on Tuesday , Oct. 6 against the county and the two deputies involved in the incident .
Reinhold , 42 , was shot after a fight broke out between him and two deputies with the homeless outreach team in front of Hotel Miramar on El Camino Real on Wednesday , Sept. 23 .
Officials with the Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department have said that Reinhold was attempting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputy ’ s guns when the shooting occurred .
The claim – a potential precursor to a lawsuit – was filed with the Orange County Clerk of the Board of Supervisors ’ Office in Santa Ana , on behalf of Reinhold ’ s wife of 12 years , Latoya Reinhold , and their two children .
Lawyers for the family announced the claim at a Tuesday morning press conference with Reinhold ’ s wife , mother , sister and other family members in front of the courthouse .
“ These officers are supposedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homeless or experiencing some sort of emotional problem , ” said John Taylor , a lawyer for the Reinhold family .
“ How do we get to Kurt ending up on the ground , being jumped by the two officers , and end up being killed ?
” Taylor said he believes Reinhold was initially stopped for jaywalking that day , but the Sheriff ’ s Department has not yet confirmed why officers stopped him .
“ What led to the initial contact with the deputies is part of the ongoing investigation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday statement .
“ During the physical altercation , Mr. Reinhold grabbed one of the deputy ’ s guns.
” The Orange County District Attorney ’ s Office is investigating Reinhold ’ s death , a routine process for law enforcement shootings .
The shooting sparked demonstrations in San Clemente , with protesters asking for the firing and arrest of the deputies .
Tensions between communities of color and law enforcement were already tense the day of Reinhold ’ s death , as other protests in the nation unfolded following news of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadly police shooting of Breonna Taylor in Louisville , Kentucky .
The majority of protests in San Clemente were peaceful , but the city declared a curfew for one day .
One person was arrested for vandalism and four others were taken into custody for disorderly conduct .
At the news conference Tuesday , the lawyer for the Reinhold family argued that deputies that day escalated the situation at “ every step , ” including supposedly putting hands on Reinhold first and eventually tackling him to the ground .
In a press conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that de-escalation goes both ways and requires both parties to be engaged in and interested in de-escalating the situation .
Taylor also said that a picture released by the Sheriff ’ s Department allegedly showing Reinhold reaching for the deputy ’ s gun was misleading , because Reinhold was struggling as he was on the ground and flailing his arms out .
The picture is just a snippet where Reinhold ’ s hand was “ incidentally ” near the weapon , he said , and it would have been extremely difficult for him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ground with deputies on top of him .
Reinhold ’ s mother , Judy Reinhold , could be seen crying as lawyers talked about what led up to her son ’ s death .
“ None of this makes any sense , it ’ s a nightmare I ’ m living with each and every day , ” Latoya Reinhold said .
Reinhold enjoyed sports and hiking in the outdoors , in addition to coaching his son ’ s soccer team , Latoya Reinhold said .
The couple has a daughter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Taylor .
Reinhold suffered from mental illness and for approximately the past two years had periods of time when he would have issues , Taylor said .
Reinhold was on medication , but like many who suffer from mental illness , had some complications in staying on the medication , he said .
Reinhold held various jobs over the years but was recently not working , Taylor said .
He would stay in various places in the state , but his family is based in the Los Angeles area .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Black man who was walking away • DA to reopen Oscar Grant case in response to family ’ s demands • Official autopsy shows Black man killed by Los Angeles deputies was shot 16 times • Exclusive : New San Jose police records show officers rarely disciplined for serious use of force • Oscar Grant : Family , supporters want prosecutors to reopen the case Reinhold had been in San Clemente for about 30 days before he was killed , Taylor and Sheriff ’ s Department officials have said .
Officers with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with him on multiple occasions to try to give him resources , but he turned them down , Barnes said earlier .
In addition to unspecified financial damages , Neil Gehlawat , another lawyer for the Reinhold family , said the family wants transparency and justice .
That includes the full autopsy report , the report prepared by the Sheriff ’ s Department on the shooting , the names of the deputies involved to request their personnel files to learn if they were involved in previous use-of-force incidents , the entire footage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see why Reinhold was stopped in the first place , Gehlawat said .

The family of Kurt Andras Reinhold, a homeless Black man who was fatally shot by a Sheriff’s deputy in San Clemente last month, filed a wrongful death claim on Tuesday, Oct. 6 against the county and the two deputies involved in the incident.
Reinhold, 42, was shot after a fight broke out between him and two deputies with the homeless outreach team in front of Hotel Miramar on El Camino Real on Wednesday, Sept. 23. Officials with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department have said that Reinhold was attempting to gain control of one of the deputy’s guns when the shooting occurred.
The claim – a potential precursor to a lawsuit – was filed with the Orange County Clerk of the Board of Supervisors’ Office in Santa Ana, on behalf of Reinhold’s wife of 12 years, Latoya Reinhold, and their two children. Lawyers for the family announced the claim at a Tuesday morning press conference with Reinhold’s wife, mother, sister and other family members in front of the courthouse.
“These officers are supposedly trained to deal with people who are homeless or experiencing some sort of emotional problem,” said John Taylor, a lawyer for the Reinhold family. “How do we get to Kurt ending up on the ground, being jumped by the two officers, and end up being killed?”
Taylor said he believes Reinhold was initially stopped for jaywalking that day, but the Sheriff’s Department has not yet confirmed why officers stopped him.
“What led to the initial contact with the deputies is part of the ongoing investigation,” Sheriff Don Barnes said in a Tuesday statement. “During the physical altercation, Mr. Reinhold grabbed one of the deputy’s guns.”
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is investigating Reinhold’s death, a routine process for law enforcement shootings.
The shooting sparked demonstrations in San Clemente, with protesters asking for the firing and arrest of the deputies. Tensions between communities of color and law enforcement were already tense the day of Reinhold’s death, as other protests in the nation unfolded following news of what many felt were insufficient charges involving the deadly police shooting of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky.
The majority of protests in San Clemente were peaceful, but the city declared a curfew for one day. One person was arrested for vandalism and four others were taken into custody for disorderly conduct.
At the news conference Tuesday, the lawyer for the Reinhold family argued that deputies that day escalated the situation at “every step,” including supposedly putting hands on Reinhold first and eventually tackling him to the ground.
In a press conference shortly after the shooting, Barnes said that de-escalation goes both ways and requires both parties to be engaged in and interested in de-escalating the situation.
Taylor also said that a picture released by the Sheriff’s Department allegedly showing Reinhold reaching for the deputy’s gun was misleading, because Reinhold was struggling as he was on the ground and flailing his arms out. The picture is just a snippet where Reinhold’s hand was “incidentally” near the weapon, he said, and it would have been extremely difficult for him to successfully grab the weapon while on the ground with deputies on top of him.
Reinhold’s mother, Judy Reinhold, could be seen crying as lawyers talked about what led up to her son’s death.
“None of this makes any sense, it’s a nightmare I’m living with each and every day,” Latoya Reinhold said.
Reinhold enjoyed sports and hiking in the outdoors, in addition to coaching his son’s soccer team, Latoya Reinhold said. The couple has a daughter, 8, and a son, 7, according to Taylor.
Reinhold suffered from mental illness and for approximately the past two years had periods of time when he would have issues, Taylor said. Reinhold was on medication, but like many who suffer from mental illness, had some complications in staying on the medication, he said.
Reinhold held various jobs over the years but was recently not working, Taylor said. He would stay in various places in the state, but his family is based in the Los Angeles area.
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In addition to unspecified financial damages, Neil Gehlawat, another lawyer for the Reinhold family, said the family wants transparency and justice.
That includes the full autopsy report, the report prepared by the Sheriff’s Department on the shooting, the names of the deputies involved to request their personnel files to learn if they were involved in previous use-of-force incidents, the entire footage of the incident and all radio traffic to see why Reinhold was stopped in the first place, Gehlawat said.


mercurynews--2020-10-08--Pence, Harris face off on COVID-19 in VP debate

SALT LAKE CITY ( AP ) — Separated by plexiglass barriers , Republican Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic challenger Kamala Harris sparred over the Trump administration ’ s handling of the pandemic in a debate Wednesday night that highlighted the parties ’ sharply conflicting visions for a nation in crisis .
“ The American people have witnessed what is the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country , ” Harris charged as Pence , who leads the president ’ s coronavirus task force , shook his head .
Pence acknowledged that , “ Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenging time this year.
” “ I want the American people to know , from the very first day , President Trump has put the health of America first , ” Pence said , promising millions of doses of a yet-to-be-announced treatment before the end of the year .
The candidates debated in an auditorium where any guest who refused to wear a face mask was to be asked to leave , an extraordinary backdrop for the only vice presidential debate of 2020 .
Ultimately , the prime-time meeting was a chance for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a U.S. senator from California , is ready to assume the duties of the presidency before the end of the next term .
It ’ s hardly a theoretical question : President Donald Trump , 74 , is recovering from the coronavirus , and 77-year-old Joe Biden has not been infected but would be the oldest president ever .
For those reasons and more , the debate at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City shaped up as the most meaningful vice presidential debate in recent memory .
It came at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular , with growing concern that Trump ’ s position is weakening as more than a dozen senior officials across the White House , the Pentagon and inside his campaign are infected with the virus or in quarantine .
Trailing in polls , Trump and Pence have no time to lose ; Election Day is less than four weeks away , and millions of Americans are already casting ballots .
Before Harris said a word , she made history by becoming the first Black woman to stand on a vice presidential debate stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity to energize would-be voters who have shown only modest excitement about Biden , a lifelong politician with a mixed record on race and criminal justice , particularly in his early years in the Senate .
Harris , 55 , is the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother .
She is also a former prosecutor whose pointed questioning of Trump ’ s appointees and court nominees helped make her a Democratic star .
Pence is a 61-year-old former Indiana governor and ex-radio host , an evangelical Christian known for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And while he is Trump ’ s biggest public defender , the vice president does not share the president ’ s brash tone or undisciplined style .
Just eight days ago , Trump set the tone for the opening presidential debate , which was perhaps the ugliest in modern history .
Wednesday ’ s affair was far more respectful .
While the debate covered a range of topics , the virus was at the forefront .
Trump released a video just three hours before the debate calling his diagnosis “ a blessing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on an experimental antibody combination that he credited for his improved condition — though neither he nor his doctors have a way of knowing whether the drug had that effect .
Pence serves as chair of the president ’ s coronavirus task force , which has failed to implement a comprehensive national strategy even as Trump himself recovers from the disease and the national death toll surges past 210,000 with no end in sight .
The candidates appeared on stage exactly 12.25 feet ( 3.7 meters ) apart and separated by plexiglass barriers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results ahead of the debate proving they were negative as of Tuesday .
Critics suggested that Pence should not be at the debate at all .
The vice president attended an event last week at the White House with Trump and others who have since tested positive , but Pence ’ s staff and doctors insist he does not need to quarantine under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines .
Peoples reported from New York .
Colvin reported from Washington .

By STEVE PEOPLES, KATHLEEN RONAYNE, MICHELLE L. PRICE and JILL COLVIN
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Trading barbs through plexiglass shields, Republican Mike Pence and Democrat Kamala Harris turned the only vice presidential debate of 2020 into a dissection of the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, with Harris labeling it “the greatest failure of any presidential administration.”
Pence, who leads the president’s coronavirus task force, acknowledged that “our nation’s gone through a very challenging time this year,” yet vigorously defended the administration’s overall response to a pandemic that has killed 210,000 Americans.
The meeting, which was far more civil than last week’s chaotic faceoff between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, unfolded against an outbreak of coronavirus now hitting the highest levels of the U.S. government. Trump spent three days at the hospital before returning to the White House on Monday, and more than a dozen White House and Pentagon officials are also infected, forcing even more into quarantine.
With less than four weeks before Election Day, the debate was one of the final opportunities for Trump and Pence to reset a contest that could be slipping away. They’re hoping to move the campaign’s focus away from the virus, but the president’s infection — and his downplaying of the consequences — are making that challenging.
Trump and Biden are scheduled to debate again on Oct. 15, though the status of that meeting is unclear. The president has said he wants to attend, but Biden says it shouldn’t move forward if Trump still has coronavirus.
Republicans desperately want to cast the race as a choice between two candidates fighting to move the country in vastly different directions. Biden and Harris, they say, would pursue a far-left agenda bordering on socialism; the Democrats say Trump’s administration will stoke racial and other divides, torpedo health care for people who aren’t wealthy and otherwise undercut national strength.
Harris, 55, made history by becoming the first Black woman to stand on a vice presidential debate stage. She condemned the police killings of Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and George Floyd in Minnesota and spoke about the protests against racial injustice in policing that followed, which Trump has portrayed as “riots” as he calls for law-and-order.
“We are never going to condone violence but we must always fight for the values that we hold dear,” Harris said. “I’m a former career prosecutor. I know what I’m talking about. Bad cops are bad for good cops.”
Pence, 61, said his heart breaks for Taylor’s family but he trusts the U.S. justice system. He called it “remarkable” that Harris, as a former attorney general and prosecutor, would question the grand jury’s decision in the case not to charge an officer with killing her.
He also pushed back against the existence of systemic racism in police departments and rejected the idea that law enforcement officers have a bias against minorities.
“I want everyone to know who puts on the uniform of law enforcement every day, President Trump and I stand with you,” Pence said. “We don’t have to choose between supporting law enforcement, proving public safety and supporting our African American neighbors.”
The candidates also clashed on taxes — or specifically, Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns four years after repeatedly promising to do so. The New York Times reported last month that the president pays very little personal income tax but owes hundreds of millions of dollars in debt.
“It’d be really good to know who the president owes money to,” Harris said.
“The one thing we know about Joe, he puts it all out there. He is honest, he is forthright,” she added. “Donald Trump, on the other hand, has been about covering up everything.”
Pence defended Trump as a job creator who has paid more than his fair share of taxes and shifted toward Biden: “On Day One, Joe Biden’s going to raise your taxes.”
Both candidates sidestepped difficult questions at times.
Pence refused to say whether climate change was an existential threat or whether Trump would accept the election results should he lose, while Harris declined to say whether Biden would push to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court.
But so long as the coronavirus is ravaging the White House and killing several hundred Americans each day, the campaign will almost certainly be a referendum on the Trump administration’s inability to control the pandemic, which Republicans have sought to downplay or ignore altogether for several months.
Pence’s effort to focus on other topics was undercut by the mere fact that the candidates and moderator were separated by plexiglass shields, seated more than 12 feet apart and facing a crowd of masked audience members who faced expulsion if they removed their face coverings. The candidates on stage revealed test results earlier in the day proving they were not infected.
While the audience was forced to wear face masks throughout, second lady Karen Pence removed her mask as she joined her husband on stage at the end of the debate.
Though the night was about Pence and Harris, the men at the top of the ticket also made their presence known.
Trump released a video just three hours before the debate calling his diagnosis “a blessing in disguise” because it shed light on an experimental antibody combination that he credited for his improved condition — though neither he nor his doctors have a way of knowing whether the drug had that effect.
He tweeted several times during the debate, offering this assessment at one point: “Mike Pence is doing GREAT! She is a gaffe machine.”
Biden too kept a stream of tweets going; he posted his plans for confronting the virus, shared clips from the debate exchanges and praised Harris, who he said “is showing the American people why I chose her as my running mate.”
___
Peoples reported from New York. Colvin reported from Washington.