mercurynews--2020-12-30--Raiders year-end awards: Who excelled, who disappointed and the best and worst moments of 2020

Raiders coach Jon Gruden had no interest in participating in a post-mortem before the body was cold .
Not with another game on the schedule and the Raiders having a chance to get to 8-8 with the pyrrhic victory of improving from a 7-9 finish a year ago .
Yet the reality is the Raiders again tantalized their fans with the possibility of a postseason and instead they ’ re on the outside looking in for 17th time in the last 18 years .
“ Statistics are what they are , ” Gruden said .
“ You can read about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have their own opinion , but we made some real strides in some areas and we ’ ve not made strides in others .
It ’ s real obvious and we ’ ll address that at the end of the season.
” The end of the season is Sunday in Denver against the Broncos ( 5-10 ) , with the bright spot being road games are where the Raiders have done their best work with a 5-2 record as opposed to 2-6 at Allegiant Stadium .
No sense in waiting to hand out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Player : Quarterback Derek Carr .
Even before the season began , speculation remained that Carr was playing for his job in 2020 and could even be beaten out by Marcus Mariota .
He responded with his best year .
Not many quarterbacks outplay and beat Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes in the same season .
Carr guided the Raiders to 12-4 in 2016 , but he was a better all-round quarterback and more in command of the offense in 2020 .
He ’ s the least of their problems .
Offensive Player @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Waller .
He ’ s been good all season , but has closed with a flourish down the stretch at the same time where his team fell on hard times .
With 98 receptions for 1,079 yards , he ’ s seven catches from breaking Tim Brown ’ s record for the most receptions in a single season .
Josh Jacobs , the Raiders ’ second Pro Bowler , is the runner-up with 976 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns although the yards have come with more difficulty at 3.8 yards per carry .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s been such a monumental letdown on the defense it would ring hollow to single out anyone as being a standout .
Biggest win : A 40-32 win over the Kansas City Chiefs over Mahomes at Arrowhead Stadium on Nov. 22 prompted a Raiders victory lap and deservedly so considering the venue has been their house of pain ever since Andy Reid took over as head coach .
It ’ s still the only game the Chiefs have lost in more than a calendar year .
Easiest win : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five takeaways against the Denver Broncos in 37-12 win at Allegiant Stadium , one of only two home victories all season .
Toughest loss : The Raiders were already essentially out of the playoff picture so there ’ s some recency bias , but how do you painstakingly set things up for the game-winning field goal , make the Miami Dolphins use all their time outs and allow them to get the points with 19 seconds remaining ?
Being outclassed 44-27 by the Indianapolis Colts at home in a “ show me ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a close second .
It led to the dismissal of defensive coordinator Paul Guenther .
Best offensive play : Yes , it was the winless ( at the time ) New York Jets , but Carr calling the correct protection to beat a zero blitz and finding an alley to throw a 46-yard game-winning touchdown strike to rookie Henry Ruggs III with six seconds remaining was a miraculous bit of theater that would be hard to top .
Best defensive play : With Clelin Ferrell pressuring Mahomes , safety Jeff Heath stepped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 47 yards to the 2-yard line to set up a 2-yard run by Jacobs .
It put the Raiders up 40-24 with 5:26 to play and all but wrapped up the Raiders ’ signature win of the season .
Rookie of the year/biggest rookie disappointment : Ruggs had 23 receptions for 414 yards and two touchdowns .
One of the touchdowns was a 72-yarder against the Chiefs , the other the game-winning against the Jets .
But as the No .
12 pick overall in the draft , more was expected .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stint on the COVID-19 list didn ’ t help matters .
All in all , a dreadful year for the Raiders rookie class when factoring in Damon Arnette ’ s thumb surgery , two concussions and role in the Miami demise .
Then there was the third-round washout with the trade of running back Lynn Bowden Jr. to Miami , wide receiver Bryan Edwards getting hurt and doing little to contribute and a year-long stint on the disabled list for linebacker Tanner Muse .
Best free agent acquisition : Wide receiver Nelson Agholor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spate of dropped passes but has 47 passes for 839 yards and eight touchdowns .
At a veteran ’ s minimum wage , no less .
Honorable mentions to running back Devontae Booker 407 yards rushing and also a minimum wage player , and linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski , who in between an early pectoral strain and a late COVID-19 experience was fairly solid on a poor defense .
Most disappointing free agent acquisition : Linebacker Cory Littleton signed a three-year contract worth a maximum of nearly $ 36 million and was supposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linebacker who could cover receivers out of the backfield .
Littleton has never looked completely comfortable and it will be up to the 2021 defensive coordinator to get him straightened out .
Same goes for defensive end Carl Nassib ( $ 17 million guaranteed ) who was such a non-factor he was a healthy scratch twice .
• Raiders ’ 2021 schedule appears to be a tougher one than this season • Raiders mailbag : The readers take over on what ’ s wrong with their team , with Jon Gruden , Mark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list • Raiders will start Carr vs. Broncos — and Gruden keeps Mariota card up his sleeve • Inside the Raiders : Time for Jon Gruden , Mark Davis to give a hard look at what went wrong in 2020 Steady as she goes award : Center Rodney Hudson remains the anchor of a Raiders offensive line that has pass protected well all season and through 10 games was one of the NFL ’ s best run-blocking units through games .
What happened to that running game afterward is something that Gruden and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sort out in the offseason .
Hudson remains above reproach in all areas , in terms of performance , preparation and leadership .
Line of demcarcation award : Less than two minutes from a season-sweep of the Chiefs and a 7-3 record , the Raiders somehow neglected to cover Travis Kelce — Mahomes favorite receiver — and he caught a 22-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds to play .
The Chiefs won 35-31 .
The following week , the Raiders lost 43-6 to the Atlanta Falcons in a game strikingly similar to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the New York Jets and the big fade was on .
Can ’ t help the club in the tub award : Right tackle Trent Brown had zero luck , reporting with a pectoral injury that pretty much kept him out of training camp and then getting hurt hurt three plays into the season .
Brown was a force in the win over the Chiefs , then vanished again , a victim of the coronavirus , and a medical issue related to the virus left him hospitalized in Cleveland .
In the second-year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 21 million in 2020 , the Raiders have had him on the field for five games .

Raiders coach Jon Gruden had no interest in participating in a post-mortem before the body was cold.
Not with another game on the schedule and the Raiders having a chance to get to 8-8 with the pyrrhic victory of improving from a 7-9 finish a year ago.
Yet the reality is the Raiders again tantalized their fans with the possibility of a postseason berth and, instead, they’re on the outside looking in for the 17th time in the last 18 years.
“Statistics are what they are,” Gruden said. “You can read about it and everybody’s going to have their own opinion, but we made some real strides in some areas and we’ve not made strides in others. It’s real obvious and we’ll address that at the end of the season.”
The end of the season is Sunday in Denver against the Broncos (5-10), with the bright spot being road games are where the Raiders have done their best work with a 5-2 record as opposed to 2-6 at Allegiant Stadium.
No sense in waiting to hand out some awards in 2020:
Most Valuable Player: Quarterback Derek Carr. Even before the season began, speculation remained that Carr was playing for his job in 2020 and could even be beaten out by Marcus Mariota. He responded with his best year. Not many quarterbacks outplay and beat Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes in the same season. Carr guided the Raiders to 12-4 in 2016, but he was a better all-around quarterback and more in command of the offense in 2020. He’s the least of their problems.
Offensive Player of the Year: Tight end Darren Waller. He’s been good all season but has closed with a flourish down the stretch at the same time where his team fell on hard times. With 98 receptions for 1,079 yards, he’s seven catches from breaking Tim Brown’s record for the most receptions in a single season. Josh Jacobs, the Raiders’ second Pro Bowler, is the runner-up with 976 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns although the yards have come with more difficulty at 3.8 yards per carry.
Defensive Player of the Year; Vacant. It’s been such a monumental letdown on the defense it would ring hollow to single out any one as being a standout.
Biggest win: A 40-32 win over the Kansas City Chiefs and Mahomes at Arrowhead Stadium on Nov. 22 prompted a Raiders victory lap and deservedly so considering the venue has been their house of pain ever since Andy Reid took over as head coach. It’s still the only game the Chiefs have lost in more than a calendar year.
Easiest win: The Raiders defense had a field day with five takeaways against the Denver Broncos in a 37-12 win at Allegiant Stadium, one of only two home victories all season.
Toughest loss: The Raiders were already essentially out of the playoff picture so there’s some recency bias, but how do you painstakingly set things up for the game-winning field goal, make the Miami Dolphins use all their time outs and allow them to get the points with 19 seconds remaining? Being outclassed 44-27 by the Indianapolis Colts at home in a “show me” moment as far as being a contender is a close second. It led to the dismissal of defensive coordinator Paul Guenther.
Best offensive play: Yes, it was the winless (at the time) New York Jets, but Carr calling the correct protection to beat a zero blitz and finding an alley to throw a 46-yard game-winning touchdown strike to rookie Henry Ruggs III with six seconds remaining was a miraculous bit of theater that would be hard to top.
Patrick Mahomes' first interception of the season courtesy of Jeff Heath! #RaiderNation (via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/EBe81Wp4an — Sunday Night Football (@SNFonNBC) October 11, 2020
Best defensive play: With Clelin Ferrell pressuring Mahomes, safety Jeff Heath stepped in front of a pass and returned it 47 yards to the 2-yard line to set up a 2-yard run by Jacobs. It put the Raiders up 40-24 with 5:26 to play and all but wrapped up the Raiders’ signature win of the season.
Rookie of the year/biggest rookie disappointment: Ruggs had 23 receptions for 414 yards and two touchdowns. One of the touchdowns was a 72-yarder against the Chiefs, the other the game-winning against the Jets. But as the No. 12 pick overall in the draft, more was expected. A knee injury, as well as a stint on the COVID-19 list, didn’t help matters. All in all, a dreadful year for the Raiders rookie class when factoring in Damon Arnette’s thumb surgery, two concussions and role in the Miami demise. Then there was the third-round washout with the trade of running back Lynn Bowden Jr. to Miami, wide receiver Bryan Edwards getting hurt and doing little to contribute and a year-long stint on the disabled list for linebacker Tanner Muse.
Best free-agent acquisition: Wide receiver Nelson Agholor was drummed out of Philadelphia for a spate of dropped passes but has 47 passes for 839 yards and eight touchdowns. At a veteran’s minimum wage, no less. Honorable mentions to running back Devontae Booker 407 yards rushing and also a minimum wage player, and linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, who in between an early pectoral strain and a late COVID-19 experience was fairly solid on a poor defense.
Most disappointing free-agent acquisition: Linebacker Cory Littleton signed a three-year contract worth a maximum of nearly $36 million and was supposed to give the Raiders the kind of sideline-to-sideline linebacker who could cover receivers out of the backfield. Littleton has never looked completely comfortable and it will be up to the 2021 defensive coordinator to get him straightened out. Same goes for defensive end Carl Nassib ($17 million guaranteed) who was such a non-factor he was a healthy scratch twice.
Steady as she goes award: Center Rodney Hudson remains the anchor of a Raiders offensive line that has pass protected well all season and through 10 games was one of the NFL’s best run-blocking units through games. What happened to that running game afterward is something that Gruden and line coach Tom Cable will have to sort out in the offseason. Hudson remains above reproach in all areas, in terms of performance, preparation and leadership.
Line of demarcation award: Less than two minutes from a season-sweep of the Chiefs and a 7-3 record, the Raiders somehow neglected to cover Travis Kelce — Mahomes’ favorite receiver — and he caught a 22-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds to play. The Chiefs won 35-31. The following week, the Raiders lost 43-6 to the Atlanta Falcons in a game strikingly similar to the 2019 season’s 34-3 loss to the New York Jets and the big fade was on.
Can’t help the club in the tub award: Right tackle Trent Brown had zero luck, reporting with a pectoral injury that pretty much kept him out of training camp and then getting hurt three plays into the season. Brown was a force in the win over the Chiefs, then vanished again, a victim of the coronavirus, and a medical issue related to the virus left him hospitalized in Cleveland. In the second year of a mega-deal that paid Brown $21 million in 2020, the Raiders have had him on the field for five games.


mercurynews--2020-12-30--Raiders’ 2021 schedule appears to be a tougher one than this season

The Raiders missed the playoffs for the 17th time in the past 18 seasons and , judging by next year ’ s schedule , things may not get easier for them in 2021 .
Heading into the last week of the regular season , the Raiders ’ 2021 schedule is the seventh-most difficult one in the NFL .
And that includes games next year against all four teams in the NFC East , whose champion could have a 6-10 record .
This year , the Raiders had the luxury of playing the 12th easiest schedule and yet they are just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver .
The Raiders schedule next season will feature a home game against the Ravens and road games against the Steelers and Cowboys , with ex-Raider Amari Cooper scheduled to face the team that drafted him fourth overall for the first time .
A new twist for the NFL schedule will produce a 17th regular season game for each team — it ’ s expected to be officially announced by the league in the coming months .
The extra game will be a crossover , matching teams in opposite conferences that finished in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other .
The annual crossover game will be determined on a rotational basis , beginning with each AFC West team facing an opponent from the NFC North next season .
The Raiders already clinched second place — they edged out the Chargers on the third tiebreaker , record against common opponents — so they ’ ll face the Bears , who clinched second in the NFC North .
This adds some intrigue considering it means the Raiders will be facing Khalil Mack , who remains their most popular player since the Raiders drafted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t find out for months whether the Raiders-Bears game will be in Las Vegas or Chicago .
But the league wants to maintain competitive balance with the one-game crossover , so the teams that get a ninth home game will all be from the same conference , and it will be determined on a rotating , year-to-year basis .
In addition to home-and-home games with division opponents Kansas City , Denver and the Los Angeles Chargers , the Raiders will have repeat games next season against the Dolphins in Vegas and the Browns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aren ’ t usually announced until April , but here ’ s a look at the Raiders ’ opponents for next season : * Raiders play whichever team finishes second in the AFC South ; currently the Colts .

The Raiders missed the playoffs for the 17th time in the past 18 seasons and, judging by next year’s schedule, things may not get easier for them in 2021.
Heading into the last week of the regular season, the Raiders’ 2021 schedule is the seventh-most difficult one in the NFL. And that includes games next year against all four teams in the NFC East, whose champion could have a 6-10 record.
This year, the Raiders had the luxury of playing the 12th easiest schedule and yet they are just 7-8 heading into their season finale in Denver.
The Raiders schedule next season will feature a home game against the Ravens and road games against the Steelers and Cowboys, with ex-Raider Amari Cooper scheduled to face the team that drafted him fourth overall for the first time.
A new twist for the NFL schedule will produce a 17th regular season game for each team — it’s expected to be officially announced by the league in the coming months. The extra game will be a crossover, matching teams in opposite conferences that finished in same place in their division against each other.
The annual crossover game will be determined on a rotational basis, beginning with each AFC West team facing an opponent from the NFC North next season. The Raiders already clinched second place — they edged out the Chargers on the third tiebreaker, record against common opponents — so they’ll face the Bears, who clinched second in the NFC North.
This adds some intrigue considering it means the Raiders will be facing Khalil Mack, who remains their most popular player since the Raiders drafted him in 2014.
We won’t find out for months whether the Raiders-Bears game will be in Las Vegas or Chicago. But the league wants to maintain competitive balance with the one-game crossover, so the teams that get a ninth home game will all be from the same conference, and it will be determined on a rotating, year-to-year basis.
In addition to home-and-home games with division opponents Kansas City, Denver and the Los Angeles Chargers, the Raiders will have repeat games next season against the Dolphins in Vegas and the Browns in Cleveland.
Game dates and times aren’t usually announced until April, but here’s a look at the Raiders’ opponents for next season:
2021 HOME GAMES: Ravens, Bengals, Eagles, Washington, Dolphins, Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos.
2021 ROAD GAMES: Cowboys, Steelers, Giants, Browns, *Colts or Titans, Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos.
PROPOSED 17TH GAME (venue TBA): Bears.
* Raiders play whichever team finishes second in the AFC South; currently the Colts.


mercurynews--2020-12-30--Sponsored: Downtown Oakland condo that’s close to it all

Need to be near it all ?
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Lake Merritt BART is two blocks away ; five blocks gets you to Lake Merritt itself for views and breezes , or head in the other direction for Jack London Square and the San Francisco Bay ferry .
Want to stay home instead ?
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A spacious en suite bedroom provides the second balcony , so you can keep your plants happy in your condo lifestyle .
The comfortable second bedroom is perfect for family , guests or a coveted Zoom room .
With deeded gated parking and storage , these features round out a sharp downtown condo .
Location : 625 Madison St. No.108 , Oakland Price : Offered at $ 578,000 Website : Visit www.625Madison.com for more information Listing agents : Listed by Red Oak Realty ’ s Bloom Homes Team , DRE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) 541-6728 and ( 510 ) 459-4468

BANG Advertising Staff and correspondents

Need to be near it all? Welcome to your 98-point Walk Score home!
It’s a sunny two-bedroom, two-bathroom condominium with two private balconies. Recently updated, it has warm Pergo floors, open-plan living/dining rooms (next to one of the balconies) and designer paint colors.
Lake Merritt BART is two blocks away; five blocks gets you to Lake Merritt itself for views and breezes, or head in the other direction for Jack London Square and the San Francisco Bay ferry.
You’ll lose count of the dining options nearby.
Want to stay home instead? Cooking will be fun in the large kitchen with a pantry. A spacious en suite bedroom provides the second balcony, so you can keep your plants happy in your condo lifestyle.
The comfortable second bedroom is perfect for family, guests or a coveted Zoom room. With deeded gated parking and storage, these features round out a sharp downtown condo.
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mercurynews--2020-12-30--Young sea lion recovers from shark bite at Marine Mammal Center, returns to ocean

SAN FRANCISCO — A feisty young sea lion is back in the Northern California wild after five weeks of rehabilitation to treat a severe shark bite , domoic acid poisoning and malnutrition .
The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito said Monday that it had successfully released Jenya last week at Rodeo Beach in the Marin Headlands .
The male sea lion was rescued from San Francisco ’ s Aquatic Park by Fisherman ’ s Wharf in November after the center received reports of a lethargic sea lion with a large left shoulder wound .
• Veterinarians help form volunteer network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wildfires • Florida wants to clear pythons for human consumption Jenya gained back 25 pounds and was released once he had regained full motion and weight distribution on his left front flipper , the center said .
“ Jenya ’ s road to recovery was one of the most inspiring patient cases I ’ ve seen this year , ” said Emily Trumbull , veterinarian at The Marine Mammal Center .
The center is the largest marine mammal hospital in the world and has cared for more than 440 seals and sea lions @ @ @

SAN FRANCISCO — A feisty young sea lion is back in the Northern California wild after five weeks of rehabilitation to treat a severe shark bite, domoic acid poisoning and malnutrition.
The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito said Monday that it had successfully released Jenya last week at Rodeo Beach in the Marin Headlands.
The male sea lion was rescued from San Francisco’s Aquatic Park by Fisherman’s Wharf in November after the center received reports of a lethargic sea lion with a large left shoulder wound.
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How birdlife in the East differs from the West Environment | Otter attacks in Sierra Nevada: Panicked swimmer scrambles onto stranger’s paddleboard Jenya gained back 25 pounds and was released once he had regained full motion and weight distribution on his left front flipper, the center said.
“Jenya’s road to recovery was one of the most inspiring patient cases I’ve seen this year,” said Emily Trumbull, veterinarian at The Marine Mammal Center.
The center is the largest marine mammal hospital in the world and has cared for more than 440 seals and sea lions this year.


mercurynews--2020-12-30--Federal judge warns about political corruption, ridicules Trump’s pardons

By RYAN J. FOLEY | The Associated Press IOWA CITY , Iowa — A federal judge in Iowa who has warned against political corruption is ridiculing President Donald Trump ’ s pardons , including those issued to convicted Republican campaign operatives and former members of Congress .
“ It ’ s not surprising that a criminal like Trump pardons other criminals , ” senior U.S. District Judge Robert Pratt of the Southern District of Iowa told The Associated Press in a brief phone interview Monday .
In a bit of humor , he said : “ But apparently to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either a Republican , a convicted child murderer or a turkey.
” Pratt was referring to pardons Trump granted to his former campaign aides convicted during the special counsel ’ s Russia inquiry , former GOP congressmen who committed crimes , and security contractors convicted of killing innocent civilians in Iraq .
Trump also pardons turkeys — this year two from Iowa — annually before Thanksgiving .
Pratt has been on the bench since his appointment by President Bill Clinton in 1997 .
He has had a reduced caseload since 2012 , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the remarks when asked for comment on pardons granted to two former top aides for Ron Paul ’ s 2012 presidential campaign , who were convicted in a corruption scheme related to the Iowa caucuses .
He noted that the framers of the U.S. Constitution sought to stop U.S. officials from “ enriching themselves ” while in office by banning gifts and payments from foreign powers .
Ongoing lawsuits have accused Trump of illegally profiting off the presidency through his luxury Washington hotel .
A White House spokesman declined comment on Pratt ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul campaign chairman Jesse Benton and campaign manager John Tate , who were convicted at trial of concealing $ 73,000 in payments that went to state Sen. Kent Sorenson in exchange for Sorenson ’ s endorsement of Paul .
Benton and Tate were sentenced to six months of home confinement and probation .
Sorenson was an up-and-coming conservative , and he made news when he defected as Michele Bachmann ’ s campaign chairman to endorse Paul days before the 2012 caucuses .
Paul ’ s campaign and Sorenson denied that any money would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public learn that Paul ’ s campaign secretly paid Sorenson , routing the money through a film production company as “ audio/visual expenses ” to conceal its true nature on disclosure reports .
Pratt oversaw Sorenson ’ s case , sentencing him to 15 months in prison in 2017 even though prosecutors recommended probation after Sorenson pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate .
Sorenson ’ s testimony helped convict Benton , Tate and former Paul deputy campaign manager Dimitri Kesari .
Pratt did not oversee the trio ’ s trials .
But he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for sending Sorenson to prison , saying Monday , “ I couldn ’ t believe what was going on.
” Pratt noted in the opinion that Sorenson took secret payments — $ 133,000 from the Bachmann and Paul campaigns — while serving as a state official .
He said those who abuse positions of public trust for personal gain must face severe consequences , in order to deter misconduct and promote public confidence .
Otherwise , he warned , “ political corruption will slowly corrode the foundations of our democracy until it collapses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House noted in a statement that the pardons for Tate and Benton were supported by Paul ’ s son Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Lee Goodman , former chairman of the Federal Election Commission , who said the “ reporting law violated was unclear and not well established.
” An appeals court that upheld their convictions in 2018 rejected that argument .
Neither Sorenson nor Kesari received pardons , but Republican Gov .
Kim Reynolds restored Sorenson ’ s right to vote and hold public office earlier this year .

By RYAN J. FOLEY | The Associated Press
IOWA CITY, Iowa — A federal judge in Iowa who has warned against political corruption is ridiculing President Donald Trump’s pardons, including those issued to convicted Republican campaign operatives and former members of Congress.
“It’s not surprising that a criminal like Trump pardons other criminals,” senior U.S. District Judge Robert Pratt of the Southern District of Iowa told The Associated Press in a brief phone interview Monday. In a bit of humor, he said: “But apparently to get a pardon, one has to be either a Republican, a convicted child murderer or a turkey.”
Pratt was referring to pardons Trump granted to his former campaign aides convicted during the special counsel’s Russia inquiry, former GOP congressmen who committed crimes, and security contractors convicted of killing innocent civilians in Iraq. Trump also pardons turkeys — this year two from Iowa — annually before Thanksgiving.
Pratt has been on the bench since his appointment by President Bill Clinton in 1997. He has had a reduced caseload since 2012, when he assumed senior status.
Pratt made the remarks when asked for comment on pardons granted to two former top aides for Ron Paul’s 2012 presidential campaign, who were convicted in a corruption scheme related to the Iowa caucuses.
He noted that the framers of the U.S. Constitution sought to stop U.S. officials from “enriching themselves” while in office by banning gifts and payments from foreign powers. Ongoing lawsuits have accused Trump of illegally profiting off the presidency through his luxury Washington hotel. A White House spokesman declined comment on Pratt’s remarks.
Trump last week pardoned Paul campaign chairman Jesse Benton and campaign manager John Tate, who were convicted at trial of concealing $73,000 in payments that went to state Sen. Kent Sorenson in exchange for Sorenson’s endorsement of Paul. Benton and Tate were sentenced to six months of home confinement and probation.
Sorenson was an up-and-coming conservative, and he made news when he defected as Michele Bachmann’s campaign chairman to endorse Paul days before the 2012 caucuses. Paul’s campaign and Sorenson denied that any money would change hands. Only later did the public learn that Paul’s campaign secretly paid Sorenson, routing the money through a film production company as “audio/visual expenses” to conceal its true nature on disclosure reports.
Pratt oversaw Sorenson’s case, sentencing him to 15 months in prison in 2017 even though prosecutors recommended probation after Sorenson pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate. Sorenson’s testimony helped convict Benton, Tate and former Paul deputy campaign manager Dimitri Kesari.
Pratt did not oversee the trio’s trials. But he issued a lengthy opinion detailing his reasoning for sending Sorenson to prison, saying Monday, “I couldn’t believe what was going on.”
Pratt noted in the opinion that Sorenson took secret payments — $133,000 from the Bachmann and Paul campaigns — while serving as a state official. He said those who abuse positions of public trust for personal gain must face severe consequences, in order to deter misconduct and promote public confidence.
Otherwise, he warned, “political corruption will slowly corrode the foundations of our democracy until it collapses under its own weight.”
The White House noted in a statement that the pardons for Tate and Benton were supported by Paul’s son Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Lee Goodman, former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, who said the “reporting law violated was unclear and not well established.” An appeals court that upheld their convictions in 2018 rejected that argument.
Neither Sorenson nor Kesari received pardons, but Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds restored Sorenson’s right to vote and hold public office earlier this year.


mercurynews--2020-12-30--Monterey County DA again goes after owner of Carmel’s Tuck Box restaurant for defying state and coun

Monterey County DA again goes after owner of Carmel’s Tuck Box restaurant for defying state and county health orders

CARMEL — A Carmel restaurant owner hit with a $ 35,000 fine for defying state and county public health orders is doubling down in his battle against the Monterey County District Attorney ’ s Office saying he has no intention on paying a fine until his questions are answered .
The DA ’ s Office on Monday issued a press release indicating it is triggering the remaining $ 20,000 in civil penalties against Jeff LeTowt , owner of the Tuck Box , for violating an existing injunction , which also laid out the procedure should the violations persist .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District Attorney Emily Hickok said after LeTowt paid $ 15,000 the remainder was stayed in an agreement that he would halt the violations .
That all changed Monday when the DA alleged he again began providing dining inside the restaurant , triggering the remaining portion of the penalty .
Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni said in an earlier statement that the violations included providing dine-in restaurant service when such activity was prohibited by emergency health orders , failing to follow social distancing protocols such as maintaining 6 feet in between tables inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failing to wear face coverings while working .
“ We sincerely hope individuals and businesses will heed the urgent calls from our hospital leaders and voluntarily comply with the new Regional Stay-at-Home Order , ” Pacioni said in Monday ’ s statement .
“ Because our health leaders have said that we are still many months away from a vaccine being widely available to the general public , it is critical that we all continue to follow public health orders.
” In a telephone interview Tuesday morning and a follow-up email , LeTowt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the action and raised the issue of property rights .
“ I will be happy to comply once you clear up my concerns , ” LeTowt said , addressing the DA .
“ At this point , the county position lacks standing medically , scientifically , morally and legally .
I fear my right to acquire and possess property is being violated.
” Among the questions he posed Tuesday was the issue of Gov .
Gavin Newsom having violated the state ’ s own guidance on eating in restaurants .
In November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a dozen others who were not part of his household at the opulent French Laundry in Napa Valley ’ s Wine Country .
Newsom acknowledged his behavior to the Los Angeles Times and other media outlets , saying essentially that he needs to practice what he preaches .
The Michelin three-star restaurant has not suffered any consequences that have been reported .
It did , however , receive $ 2.4 million in loans from the federal Paycheck Protection Program back in April .
“ I ’ d be happy to close down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Newsom didn ’ t violate public health orders when he dined indoors with a group of people at the French Laundry , ” LeTowt said .
“ I ’ m not paying $ 20,000 .
In fact , I want my $ 15,000 back.
” Hickok , the deputy district attorney , emphasized Tuesday that the governor ’ s actions have no bearing on the injunction against LeTowt .
He also challenged the effectiveness of masks in preventing the wearer from COVID-19 infection .
While masks are intended to protect others from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month issued a scientific brief indicating wearing masks does offer some degree of protection for the wearer .
• Q & A : Daly City ’ s Chef Reina on turning meat-eaters onto her vegan Filipino dishes • South Bay community leaders look ahead to the new year • Two new In-N-Out Burgers in Colorado with hours-long wait declared COVID-19 outbreaks The Monterey County Environmental Health Bureau has also issued a notice on Dec. 22 for violations of public health orders , the DA said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders may result in permit suspension and potential revocation of the restaurant ’ s health permit to operate , ” the DA ’ s statement reads , adding that in addition , the district attorney referred the alleged violations to the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control so it can take any action against the Tuck Box ’ s liquor license .

CARMEL — A Carmel restaurant owner hit with a $35,000 fine for defying state and county public health orders is doubling down in his battle against the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office saying he has no intention on paying a fine until his questions are answered.
The DA’s Office on Monday issued a press release indicating it is triggering the remaining $20,000 in civil penalties against Jeff LeTowt, owner of the Tuck Box, for violating an existing injunction, which also laid out the procedure should the violations persist.
He was initially fined $35,000 but Deputy District Attorney Emily Hickok said after LeTowt paid $15,000 the remainder was stayed in an agreement that he would halt the violations. That all changed Monday when the DA alleged he again began providing dining inside the restaurant, triggering the remaining portion of the penalty.
Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni said in an earlier statement that the violations included providing dine-in restaurant service when such activity was prohibited by emergency health orders, failing to follow social distancing protocols such as maintaining 6 feet in between tables inside and outside the restaurant, and employees failing to wear face coverings while working.
“We sincerely hope individuals and businesses will heed the urgent calls from our hospital leaders and voluntarily comply with the new Regional Stay-at-Home Order,” Pacioni said in Monday’s statement. “Because our health leaders have said that we are still many months away from a vaccine being widely available to the general public, it is critical that we all continue to follow public health orders.”
In a telephone interview Tuesday morning and a follow-up email, LeTowt questioned the DA’s legal standing in the action and raised the issue of property rights.
“I will be happy to comply once you clear up my concerns,” LeTowt said, addressing the DA. “At this point, the county position lacks standing medically, scientifically, morally and legally. I fear my right to acquire and possess property is being violated.”
Among the questions he posed Tuesday was the issue of Gov. Gavin Newsom having violated the state’s own guidance on eating in restaurants. In November, he was photographed dining with lobbyists and a dozen others who were not part of his household at the opulent French Laundry in Napa Valley’s Wine Country.
Newsom acknowledged his behavior to the Los Angeles Times and other media outlets, saying essentially that he needs to practice what he preaches. The Michelin three-star restaurant has not suffered any consequences that have been reported. It did, however, receive $2.4 million in loans from the federal Paycheck Protection Program back in April.
“I’d be happy to close down if you can show me how Gov. Newsom didn’t violate public health orders when he dined indoors with a group of people at the French Laundry,” LeTowt said. “I’m not paying $20,000. In fact, I want my $15,000 back.”
Hickok, the deputy district attorney, emphasized Tuesday that the governor’s actions have no bearing on the injunction against LeTowt.
He also challenged the effectiveness of masks in preventing the wearer from COVID-19 infection. While masks are intended to protect others from an infected person coughing or sneezing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month issued a scientific brief indicating wearing masks does offer some degree of protection for the wearer.
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“Continued noncompliance with such health orders may result in permit suspension and potential revocation of the restaurant’s health permit to operate,” the DA’s statement reads, adding that in addition, the district attorney referred the alleged violations to the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control so it can take any action against the Tuck Box’s liquor license.


mercurynews--2020-12-30--‘We are getting crushed.’ What’s behind the alarming rise in California’s Covid-19 cases

Since the Thanksgiving holiday , California has faced a surge of Covid-19 infections unparalleled across the United States , leading to continued daily record highs in hospitalizations and deaths .
Bed capacity in intensive care units has plunged to nearly zero in vast portions of the state as patients rush into hospitals , which are struggling to manage strains on resources and personnel .
“ We ’ re experiencing an explosive and very deadly surge , ” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said December 16 .
State and local officials are continuing to enact lockdown and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even as the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine rollout has provided some long-term hope .
Aggressive stay-at-home measures put forth throughout California two weeks ago have yet to slow the spread .
As the nation ’ s most populous state and home to approximately 1 in 9 Americans , California would understandably lead in a category such as total cases in a pandemic felt nationwide .
However , it is the sheer volume of sick residents and the rate of increase that is particularly driving alarm .
On November 1 , the seven-day average for new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On December 29 , it was 31,245 .
The state averaged more than 40,000 new coronavirus infections every day for the week prior to Christmas , according to data from Johns Hopkins University ( JHU ) , filling up hospitals and pushing health care workers to consider ways to ration care .
Multiple factors are at play when it comes to California ’ s sudden acceleration of coronavirus cases , including Covid-19 fatigue , resistance to stay-at-home regulations , the huge number of essential workers and the socioeconomic factors of the pandemic affecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22,000 Californians have died The California Department of Public Health announced 379 Covid-19 deaths December 17 , the state ’ s highest one-day total at that point , shattering the prior record of 293 lives lost , announced the previous day .
More than 24,000 Californians have died from Covid-19 .
California ’ s overall case number is more than 2.2 million as of December 29 , according to JHU data .
The state health department says 33,170 new cases and 64 new deaths were added December 28 .
The daily increase in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly when compared to other outbreaks around the world .
According to JHU Covid-19 data , California ’ s daily average of new cases far outpaces Canada , Spain and Argentina , all nations with similar populations .
The forecast for the California health care system ’ s response to Covid-19 is worsening .
As of December 29 , the state had 4,300 people admitted into intensive care , said Dr. Mark Ghaly , California Health and Human Services secretary .
Just 11 days earlier , on December 18 , there was already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward becoming the epicenter of the pandemic .
“ We ’ re getting crushed , ” Dr. Brad Spellberg , chief medical officer at LAC + USC Medical Center , said of the county ’ s hospitals .
“ I ’ m not going to sugarcoat this .
We are getting crushed.
” Hospitalizations in Los Angeles County have doubled since the start of December , according to officials , who have pushed to discharge patients and continue care at home to handle the influx of arrivals .
Santa Clara County , part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 ICU beds remaining of the 317 available as of December 16 .
In Los Angeles County , oxygen supply issues led at least five hospitals to declare an “ internal disaster ” on December 27 .
Some hospitals will need to prepare for “ crisis care , ” where medical professionals have to make “ hard choices ” about allocating resources , Ghaly said December 29 .
As resources become more scarce and hospitals are being pushed to their limit , hospitals will determine whether they need to go in a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is implemented , other hospitals in the county or region may be asked to share resources or temporarily change their operations , Ghaly explained .
The state of California has issued guidance to help hospitals be able to remain in conventional or contingent care as long as possible before moving into crisis care .
While the state has not been informed of any hospitals in the crisis care mode , some hospitals in Southern California have put in place some practices that would be a part of crisis care , Ghaly said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands dying from Covid-19 , California activated its “ mass fatality ” program December 15 to better coordinate assistance between state and local agencies .
An additional 5,000 body bags were purchased , and 60 refrigerated storage units were expected to be used throughout the state for emergency overflow for coroners and morgues .
‘ This virus uses our humanity against us ’ The arrival of the holiday season led to concern among health officials that families lulled into a false sense of security may gather in large groups over Thanksgiving , sparking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have proven their worries correct .
California , which in months prior did not face the same rate of increase as other parts of the country , accelerated in December to near the top of the list of states per capita with new daily infections , according to JHU data .
Yet the spike can not be attributed to Thanksgiving alone .
California cases were already beginning to rise earlier in November .
State officials at the time directly tied it to Covid-19 fatigue , with more instances of private , indoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of infection .
“ Unfortunately , the stories I hear from the patients , it ’ s all been the same story .
People are just having Covid fatigue , ” Dr. Thomas Yadegar , the ICU director at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center , told CNN ’ s Paul Vercammen on December 18 .
Yadegar explained his patients often described practicing social distancing and being mindful until Thanksgiving arrived , even going as far as checking symptoms and testing before meeting family .
“ This virus uses our humanity against us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loved ones , especially around the holidays .
And unfortunately as soon as you start mixing households , as soon as you come indoors , this is how the virus spreads , ” he said .
The early spring outbreak and later successes the state had against Covid-19 seem like a distant memory .
After a summer of stop-and-start measures to reopen the state , the onset of winter has pushed California to return to lockdown plans .
“ We ’ re going through perhaps the most intense and urgent moment since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gavin Newsom said December 15 .
Divided into five regions , California kicks in stay-at-home orders whenever a region falls below 15 % ICU capacity in area hospitals .
Initially limited to Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley on December 6 , the Sacramento and Bay Area regions later followed suit , impacting 98 % of California ’ s population .
Rural parts of Northern California have avoided the 15 % ICU threshold for now .
The orders require the closure of businesses such as bars , hair salons , museums @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Retail businesses are allowed to stay open at 20 % capacity , while restaurants are limited to takeout and delivery service .
Travel is prohibited except for essential activities .
The regional stay-at-home order for Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley was extended December 29 .
The initial three-week order was supposed to expire the week of December 29 , but the ICU bed capacity for both regions remains at 0 % and , based on the four-week projections of ICU bed capacity , the demand exceeds capacity , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that people returning or traveling to the Bay Area must face a mandatory 10-day quarantine , a measure that would be in place through January 4 .
“ Covid-19 cases are surging in San Francisco and across the country .
Hospitals in the Bay Area are close to being overwhelmed , ” Mayor London Breed said in announcing the measure .
“ We must do whatever we can to contain the virus and stop its circulation in our community.
” The frustration of Californians in response to the latest restrictions , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paired with the difficulties of navigating an ever-shifting lockdown landscape that some find inconsistent .
Restaurant and bar owners protested the shutdown of outdoor dining as large indoor retailers and grocery stores remain open in limited capacity .
Ruth Benzor , a charge nurse for the Covid-19 unit at Arrowhead Regional Medical in San Bernardino County , told CNN ’ s Anna-Maja Rappard earlier this month that she sympathized with the small businesses impacted by the pandemic , but she is faced each day treating dying patients with a shrinking number of ICU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want them to work , but they just have to understand that this is real and we just got to , you know , protect each other as a community.
” The state department of health closed access to outdoor playgrounds in early December , yet reversed its decision after public and legislator backlash .
“ It is necessary for the mental and physical health of children to have opportunities to expend their physical energy and play .
However , especially in lower-income communities , families may have little to no outdoor space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers wrote in an open letter to Gov .
Newsom , citing the comparative decreased risk of infection via surface transmission .
The pandemic ’ s differing effects on Hispanic , Black , White and Asian communities are also evident .
Dr. Ferrer , the LA County Public Health Director , said earlier this month that Hispanic residents in the county have been hospitalized at three times the average rate of White and Asian residents since early November .
Black residents are twice as likely on average to be hospitalized than White and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socioeconomic consequences of Covid-19 in LA County , stating that the death rate among those living in areas with the fewest resources is four times higher than those living in the most prosperous .
“ The widening gaps are a stark reminder that many of our essential workers are Black and Brown , and many are not able to telework or stay home , ” she said December 16 .
“ Many work at jobs with low wages , and many live in under-resourced neighborhoods .
During the surge all our essential workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs because community transmission rates are so high.
” A UC Berkeley Labor Center analysis in May highlighted the millions of Californians who were considered essential workers during the earlier portions of the pandemic .
While parts of California are some of the wealthiest in the nation , poverty still affects a wide number of residents .
A 2019 Census Bureau study found that , when accounting for additional expenditures and adjusted costs of living , nearly 1 in 5 Californians lived in functional poverty .
The percentage was the highest rate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the nation to stay diligent Despite having a supermajority of Democrats in its legislature , California is far from a homogenous bastion of blue .
Much like the nation at large , pockets of a state can have a fervent base of an opposing party ’ s supporters .
The Covid-19 numbers statewide do not reflect a scenario in which more conservative parts of California are failing while liberal parts are thriving , although according to state figures , some of the hardest struck counties per capita reside in Republican US House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes after owner of Carmel ’ s Tuck Box restaurant for defying state and county health orders • US hits record for daily Covid-19 deaths .
Winter will be ‘ awful ’ before we see ‘ some light , ’ expert says • Coronavirus : How week between Christmas and New Year ’ s could create ‘ exposure upon exposure ’ The statistics illustrate the politization of wearing masks and the reluctance to take the threat of Covid-19 seriously has created undue volatility for governments , businesses and individuals alike , and California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the rest of the nation to stay diligent regardless of location .
“ It ’ s really not California , it ’ s the entire country , unfortunately , ” Dr. Edward Jones-Lopez , an assistant professor at the Keck School of Medicine of USC , told CNN earlier this month .
Speaking to the need to wear masks and avoid family gatherings , he added , “ The next two months are going to be critical to really understand how bad this can be .
And even after the vaccine is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue with the basic interventions that we all know now .
”

Since the Thanksgiving holiday, California has faced a surge of Covid-19 infections unparalleled across the United States, leading to continued daily record highs in hospitalizations and deaths.
Bed capacity in intensive care units has plunged to nearly zero in vast portions of the state as patients rush into hospitals, which are struggling to manage strains on resources and personnel.
“We’re experiencing an explosive and very deadly surge,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said December 16.
State and local officials are continuing to enact lockdown and quarantine protocols for residents and visitors, even as the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine rollout has provided some long-term hope. Aggressive stay-at-home measures put forth throughout California two weeks ago have yet to slow the spread.
As the nation’s most populous state and home to approximately 1 in 9 Americans, California would understandably lead in a category such as total cases in a pandemic felt nationwide. However, it is the sheer volume of sick residents and the rate of increase that is particularly driving alarm.
On November 1, the seven-day average for new daily cases in California was 4,183. On December 29, it was 31,245.
The state averaged more than 40,000 new coronavirus infections every day for the week prior to Christmas, according to data from Johns Hopkins University (JHU), filling up hospitals and pushing health care workers to consider ways to ration care.
Multiple factors are at play when it comes to California’s sudden acceleration of coronavirus cases, including Covid-19 fatigue, resistance to stay-at-home regulations, the huge number of essential workers and the socioeconomic factors of the pandemic affecting poorer and minority households.
More than 22,000 Californians have died
The California Department of Public Health announced 379 Covid-19 deaths December 17, the state’s highest one-day total at that point, shattering the prior record of 293 lives lost, announced the previous day. More than 24,000 Californians have died from Covid-19.
California’s overall case number is more than 2.2 million as of December 29, according to JHU data. The state health department says 33,170 new cases and 64 new deaths were added December 28.
The daily increase in cases is staggering for the state, particularly when compared to other outbreaks around the world. According to JHU Covid-19 data, California’s daily average of new cases far outpaces Canada, Spain and Argentina, all nations with similar populations.
The forecast for the California health care system’s response to Covid-19 is worsening. As of December 29, the state had 4,300 people admitted into intensive care, said Dr. Mark Ghaly, California Health and Human Services secretary.
Just 11 days earlier, on December 18, there was already a warning that LA County was moving toward becoming the epicenter of the pandemic.
“We’re getting crushed,” Dr. Brad Spellberg, chief medical officer at LAC + USC Medical Center, said of the county’s hospitals. “I’m not going to sugarcoat this. We are getting crushed.”
Hospitalizations in Los Angeles County have doubled since the start of December, according to officials, who have pushed to discharge patients and continue care at home to handle the influx of arrivals.
Santa Clara County, part of the Bay Area, had only 15 ICU beds remaining of the 317 available as of December 16. In Los Angeles County, oxygen supply issues led at least five hospitals to declare an “internal disaster” on December 27.
Some hospitals will need to prepare for “crisis care,” where medical professionals have to make “hard choices” about allocating resources, Ghaly said December 29.
As resources become more scarce and hospitals are being pushed to their limit, hospitals will determine whether they need to go in a “crisis care” mode. When this is implemented, other hospitals in the county or region may be asked to share resources or temporarily change their operations, Ghaly explained.
The state of California has issued guidance to help hospitals be able to remain in conventional or contingent care as long as possible before moving into crisis care. While the state has not been informed of any hospitals in the crisis care mode, some hospitals in Southern California have put in place some practices that would be a part of crisis care, Ghaly said.
In preparation for the fallout of additional thousands dying from Covid-19, California activated its “mass fatality” program December 15 to better coordinate assistance between state and local agencies. An additional 5,000 body bags were purchased, and 60 refrigerated storage units were expected to be used throughout the state for emergency overflow for coroners and morgues.
‘This virus uses our humanity against us’
The arrival of the holiday season led to concern among health officials that families lulled into a false sense of security may gather in large groups over Thanksgiving, sparking infections in multiple households.
The surge may have proven their worries correct.
California, which in months prior did not face the same rate of increase as other parts of the country, accelerated in December to near the top of the list of states per capita with new daily infections, according to JHU data.
Yet the spike cannot be attributed to Thanksgiving alone. California cases were already beginning to rise earlier in November. State officials at the time directly tied it to Covid-19 fatigue, with more instances of private, indoor gatherings that can expose individuals to greater risk of infection.
“Unfortunately, the stories I hear from the patients, it’s all been the same story. People are just having Covid fatigue,” Dr. Thomas Yadegar, the ICU director at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center, told CNN’s Paul Vercammen on December 18.
Yadegar explained his patients often described practicing social distancing and being mindful until Thanksgiving arrived, even going as far as checking symptoms and testing before meeting family.
“This virus uses our humanity against us. We want to be with our loved ones, especially around the holidays. And unfortunately as soon as you start mixing households, as soon as you come indoors, this is how the virus spreads,” he said.
The early spring outbreak and later successes the state had against Covid-19 seem like a distant memory. After a summer of stop-and-start measures to reopen the state, the onset of winter has pushed California to return to lockdown plans.
“We’re going through perhaps the most intense and urgent moment since the beginning of this pandemic,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said December 15.
Divided into five regions, California kicks in stay-at-home orders whenever a region falls below 15% ICU capacity in area hospitals. Initially limited to Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley on December 6, the Sacramento and Bay Area regions later followed suit, impacting 98% of California’s population. Rural parts of Northern California have avoided the 15% ICU threshold for now.
The orders require the closure of businesses such as bars, hair salons, museums, movie theaters and indoor recreational facilities. Retail businesses are allowed to stay open at 20% capacity, while restaurants are limited to takeout and delivery service. Travel is prohibited except for essential activities.
The regional stay-at-home order for Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley was extended December 29. The initial three-week order was supposed to expire the week of December 29, but the ICU bed capacity for both regions remains at 0% and, based on the four-week projections of ICU bed capacity, the demand exceeds capacity, according to Ghaly.
San Francisco announced December 17 that people returning or traveling to the Bay Area must face a mandatory 10-day quarantine, a measure that would be in place through January 4.
“Covid-19 cases are surging in San Francisco and across the country. Hospitals in the Bay Area are close to being overwhelmed,” Mayor London Breed said in announcing the measure. “We must do whatever we can to contain the virus and stop its circulation in our community.”
Essential workers are particularly vulnerable
The frustration of Californians in response to the latest restrictions, however, may be an indicator of Covid-19 fatigue paired with the difficulties of navigating an ever-shifting lockdown landscape that some find inconsistent.
Restaurant and bar owners protested the shutdown of outdoor dining as large indoor retailers and grocery stores remain open in limited capacity.
Ruth Benzor, a charge nurse for the Covid-19 unit at Arrowhead Regional Medical in San Bernardino County, told CNN’s Anna-Maja Rappard earlier this month that she sympathized with the small businesses impacted by the pandemic, but she is faced each day treating dying patients with a shrinking number of ICU nurses and beds.
“I definitely want them to work, but they just have to understand that this is real and we just got to, you know, protect each other as a community.”
The state department of health closed access to outdoor playgrounds in early December, yet reversed its decision after public and legislator backlash.
“It is necessary for the mental and physical health of children to have opportunities to expend their physical energy and play. However, especially in lower-income communities, families may have little to no outdoor space of their own available,” California lawmakers wrote in an open letter to Gov. Newsom, citing the comparative decreased risk of infection via surface transmission.
The pandemic’s differing effects on Hispanic, Black, White and Asian communities are also evident.
Dr. Ferrer, the LA County Public Health Director, said earlier this month that Hispanic residents in the county have been hospitalized at three times the average rate of White and Asian residents since early November. Black residents are twice as likely on average to be hospitalized than White and Asian residents.
Ferrer also noted the socioeconomic consequences of Covid-19 in LA County, stating that the death rate among those living in areas with the fewest resources is four times higher than those living in the most prosperous.
“The widening gaps are a stark reminder that many of our essential workers are Black and Brown, and many are not able to telework or stay home,” she said December 16.
“Many work at jobs with low wages, and many live in under-resourced neighborhoods. During the surge all our essential workers are taking on increased risk at their jobs because community transmission rates are so high.”
A UC Berkeley Labor Center analysis in May highlighted the millions of Californians who were considered essential workers during the earlier portions of the pandemic.
While parts of California are some of the wealthiest in the nation, poverty still affects a wide number of residents. A 2019 Census Bureau study found that, when accounting for additional expenditures and adjusted costs of living, nearly 1 in 5 Californians lived in functional poverty. The percentage was the highest rate in the nation among states.
A lesson for the nation to stay diligent
Despite having a supermajority of Democrats in its legislature, California is far from a homogenous bastion of blue. Much like the nation at large, pockets of a state can have a fervent base of an opposing party’s supporters.
The Covid-19 numbers statewide do not reflect a scenario in which more conservative parts of California are failing while liberal parts are thriving, although according to state figures, some of the hardest struck counties per capita reside in Republican US House districts.
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“It’s really not California, it’s the entire country, unfortunately,” Dr. Edward Jones-Lopez, an assistant professor at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, told CNN earlier this month.
Speaking to the need to wear masks and avoid family gatherings, he added, “The next two months are going to be critical to really understand how bad this can be. And even after the vaccine is slowly rolled out, we will need to continue with the basic interventions that we all know now.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


mercurynews--2020-12-30--Climate change measures top California environmentalists’ 2021 state priorities

California is helping lead the charge in reducing greenhouse gas emissions , but more needs to be done as climate change remains the state ’ s top environmental issue in 2021 issue , according to top environmental lobbyists in Sacramento .
Other issues on their agenda include plastic pollution , recycling , wildlife protections , and greater repair and reuse of appliances and electronic products before they are discarded .
But the wish lists from the Sierra Club , Environment California and the public-interest advocacy group CALPIRG are overwhelmingly loaded with climate-change initiatives .
The state ’ s record-doubling wildfire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year — is an immediate indicator of consequences of the global warming , and things are likely to get worse before they get better , they say .
“ We are already facing the impact of a warming planet , and if we want to give our kids and grandkids a shot at a better life , we have to bear the brunt to make the changes that science says we need to make , ” said Dan Jacobson , state director for Environment California .
Beside cutting down on greenhouse gases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect on air quality .
While California ranked fourth nationwide in environment-friendly “ climate-change contributions , ” it also had the nation ’ s worst air-quality , according to a widely cited 2019 analysis by WalletHub .
Overall , California was the seventh most environment-friendly state in the U.S .
Here are the top climate-change issues the Sierra Club , Environment California and CALPIRG would like to see get more attention from state lawmakers in the coming year : 100 % clean electricity .
The current state goal is to reach 100 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but activists are calling on the Legislature to be even more aggressive by moving up the date to 2030 .
To achieve that , they want the state to increase solar and geothermal energy production , and push harder for development of hydrogen electricity and of floating windmills in the waters off northern and central California .
Emily Rusch , executive director of CALPIRG , also wants to see solar-panel permitting streamlined for homes and businesses , and an end to new buildings that use natural gas for heating .
One such bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Assemblyman Phil Ting , D-San Francisco , would ban natural-gas connections in new public buildings constructed in 2022 or later .
Electric vehicles .
“ The governor ’ s recent executive order prohibiting the sale of new gas-powered cars after 2035 will require work in 2021 to lay the groundwork to get there , ” Rusch said .
Continued incentives for the sale of electric vehicles is needed , as are more charging stations , Rusch said .
Additionally , Jacobson would like to see the goal for 100 % clean public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fracking .
The underground practice of extracting fossil fuel is being performed as far south as Los Angeles County , and offshore from Santa Barbara to Seal Beach .
It can release large amounts of methane , a potent greenhouse gas , and can also contribute to air , soil and water pollution .
• Here ’ s your chance to tell Fremont how to cut greenhouse gases • Opinion : Climate change is a winning issue .
Let ’ s work together to solve it • Opinion : Ten pieces of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismal 2020 • Opinion : Could Americans become the next wave of refugees ?
Sierra Club California Director Kathryn Phillips , who wants the practice banned , said “ fracking continues to be permitted at a rapid pace.
” While Gov .
Gavin Newsom signed an executive order this year calling for an end to new fracking by 2024 , his administration has continued to approve new permits .
Climate resilience bond .
This $ 5.5 billion bond proposal failed to reach Newsom ’ s desk last session but has been reintroduced this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address a host of issues expected to worsen as a result of climate change , including $ 2.2 billion for wildfire prevention , $ 1.5 billion for drinking water supplies and , $ 1 billion for protecting the state ’ s coastal lands , oceans , bays and wetlands .
If approved , the measure would go before voters in 2022 .

California is helping lead the charge in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but more needs to be done as climate change remains the state’s top environmental issue in 2021 issue, according to top environmental lobbyists in Sacramento.
Other issues on their agenda include plastic pollution, recycling, wildlife protections, and greater repair and reuse of appliances and electronic products before they are discarded.
But the wish lists from the Sierra Club, Environment California and the public-interest advocacy group CALPIRG are overwhelmingly loaded with climate-change initiatives. The state’s record-doubling wildfire season — 4.4 million acres burned this year — is an immediate indicator of consequences of the global warming, and things are likely to get worse before they get better, they say.
“We are already facing the impact of a warming planet, and if we want to give our kids and grandkids a shot at a better life, we have to bear the brunt to make the changes that science says we need to make,” said Dan Jacobson, state director for Environment California.
Beside cutting down on greenhouse gases, reducing carbon emissions also has a positive effect on air quality. While California ranked fourth nationwide in environment-friendly “climate-change contributions,” it also had the nation’s worst air-quality, according to a widely cited 2019 analysis by WalletHub. Overall, California was the seventh most environment-friendly state in the U.S.
Here are the top climate-change issues the Sierra Club, Environment California and CALPIRG would like to see get more attention from state lawmakers in the coming year:
100% clean electricity. The current state goal is to reach 100% clean, renewable energy by 2045, but activists are calling on the Legislature to be even more aggressive by moving up the date to 2030. To achieve that, they want the state to increase solar and geothermal energy production, and push harder for development of hydrogen electricity and of floating windmills in the waters off northern and central California.
Emily Rusch, executive director of CALPIRG, also wants to see solar-panel permitting streamlined for homes and businesses, and an end to new buildings that use natural gas for heating. One such bill, AB 33, introduced this month by Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, would ban natural-gas connections in new public buildings constructed in 2022 or later.
Electric vehicles. “The governor’s recent executive order prohibiting the sale of new gas-powered cars after 2035 will require work in 2021 to lay the groundwork to get there,” Rusch said. Continued incentives for the sale of electric vehicles is needed, as are more charging stations, Rusch said.
Additionally, Jacobson would like to see the goal for 100% clean public transit moved up to 2030 from 2040.
Fracking. The underground practice of extracting fossil fuel is being performed as far south as Los Angeles County, and offshore from Santa Barbara to Seal Beach. It can release large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and can also contribute to air, soil and water pollution.
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Climate resilience bond. This $5.5 billion bond proposal failed to reach Newsom’s desk last session but has been reintroduced this month as SB 45. It would address a host of issues expected to worsen as a result of climate change, including $2.2 billion for wildfire prevention, $1.5 billion for drinking water supplies and, $1 billion for protecting the state’s coastal lands, oceans, bays and wetlands.
If approved, the measure would go before voters in 2022.


mercurynews--2020-12-31--Man called most prolific serial killer in US dies at 80

LOS ANGELES — The man authorities say was the most prolific serial killer in U.S. history with nearly 60 confirmed victims , died Wednesday in California , officials said .
He was 80 .
Samuel Little , who had diabetes , heart trouble and other ailments , died at a California hospital .
He was serving a life sentence for multiple counts of murder .
California corrections department spokeswoman Vicky Waters said there was no sign of foul play , and his cause of death will be determined by a coroner .
A career criminal who had been in and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for years he ’ d ever killed anyone .
Then , in 2018 , he opened up to Texas Ranger James Holland , who had been asked to question him about a killing it turned out Little didn ’ t commit .
During approximately 700 hours of interviews , however , Little provided details of scores of slayings only the killer would know .
A skilled artist , he even provided Holland with dozens of paintings and drawings of his victims , sometimes scribbling their names when he could remember them , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and location of the murder and where he ’ d dumped the body .
By the time of his death , Little had confessed to killing 93 people between 1970 and 2005 .
Most of the slayings took place in Florida and Southern California .
Authorities , who continue to investigate his claims , said they have confirmed nearly 60 killings and have no reason to doubt the others .
Nothing he ’ s ever said has been proven to be wrong or false , ” Holland told the CBS news magazine “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers dwarf those of Green River killer Gary Ridgeway ( 49 ) , John Gacy ( 33 ) and Ted Bundy ( 36 ) .
Almost all of Little ’ s victims were women , many of them prostitutes , drug addicts or poor people living on the edges of society .
They were individuals , he said he believed would leave few people behind to look for them and not much evidence for police to follow .
Indeed , local authorities in states across the country initially classified many of the deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result of unknown causes .
Little strangled most of his victims , usually soon after meeting them during chance encounters .
He drowned one , a woman he met at a nightclub in 1982 .
He was nearly 80 , in failing health and serving a life sentence in a California prison when he began confiding to Holland in May 2018 , after years of refusing to talk to other authorities Once a strong , strapping boxer who used his powerful hands to strangle his victims , he was now using a wheelchair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Little as both a genius and a sociopath , adding the killer could never adequately explain to him why he did what he did .
Although known as an expert interrogator , Holland himself said he could only guess at why Little opened up to him .
The ranger did work tirelessly to create and maintain a bond with the killer during their hundreds of hours of interviews , bringing him favorite snacks such as pizza , Dr. Pepper and grits and discussing their mutual interest in sports .
He also gave Little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executed .
Holland would address Little by his childhood nickname , Sammy , while Little called Holland Jimmy and once told the Los Angeles Times he ’ d “ found a friend in a Texas ranger.
” He told “ 60 Minutes ” he hoped his confessions might exonerate anyone wrongly convicted of his crimes .
“ I say if I can help get somebody out of jail , you know , then God might smile a little bit more on me , ” he said .
A transient who traveled the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for larceny , assault , drugs or other crimes , Little said he started killing in Miami on New Year ’ s Eve 1970 .
“ It was like drugs , ” he told Holland .
“ I came to like it.
” His last killing was in 2005 , he said , in Tupelo , Mississippi .
He also killed people in Tennessee , Texas , Ohio , Kentucky , Nevada , Arkansas and other states .
Kentucky authorities finally caught up with him in 2012 after he was arrested on drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three California killings .
When he began recounting the other slayings , authorities were astounded at how much he remembered .
His paintings , they said , indicated he had a photographic memory .
One killing was solved after Little recalled the victim wore dentures .
Another after he told Holland he ’ d killed the victim near a set of unusual looking arches in Florida .
A victim he met outside a Miami strip club in 1984 was remembered as being 25 years old with short blond hair , blue eyes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued to talk , authorities across the country rushed to investigate old cases , track down relatives and bring closure to families .
Little revealed few details about his own life other than that he was raised in Lorain , Ohio , by his grandmother .
Authorities said he often went by the name Samuel McDowell .
He was married once , Little said , and involved in two long-term relationships .
He claimed he developed a fetish for women ’ s necks after becoming sexually aroused when he saw his kindergarten teacher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ careful , he added , to avoid looking at the necks of his wife or girlfriends and never hurt anyone he loved .
“ I don ’ t think there was another person who did what I liked to do , ” he told “ 60 Minutes.
” “ I think I ’ m the only one in the world .
And that ’ s not an honor , that is a curse .
”

By John Rogers | Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — The man authorities say was the most prolific serial killer in U.S. history with nearly 60 confirmed victims, died Wednesday in California, officials said. He was 80.
Samuel Little, who had diabetes, heart trouble and other ailments, died at a California hospital. He was serving a life sentence for multiple counts of murder.
California corrections department spokeswoman Vicky Waters said there was no sign of foul play, and his cause of death will be determined by a coroner.
[vemba-video id=”us/2019/10/08/samuel-little-fbi-most-prolific-serial-killer-simon-pkg-newday-vpx.cnn”]
Video: FBI releases chilling video of serial killer (2019)
A career criminal who had been in and out jail for decades, Little denied for years he’d ever killed anyone.
Then, in 2018, he opened up to Texas Ranger James Holland, who had been asked to question him about a killing it turned out Little didn’t commit. During approximately 700 hours of interviews, however, Little provided details of scores of slayings only the killer would know.
A skilled artist, he even provided Holland with dozens of paintings and drawings of his victims, sometimes scribbling their names when he could remember them, as well as details such as the year and location of the murder and where he’d dumped the body.
By the time of his death, Little had confessed to killing 93 people between 1970 and 2005. Most of the slayings took place in Florida and Southern California.
Authorities, who continue to investigate his claims, said they have confirmed nearly 60 killings and have no reason to doubt the others.
Nothing he’s ever said has been proven to be wrong or false,” Holland told the CBS news magazine “60 Minutes” in 2019.
The numbers dwarf those of Green River killer Gary Ridgeway (49), John Gacy (33) and Ted Bundy (36).
Almost all of Little’s victims were women, many of them prostitutes, drug addicts or poor people living on the edges of society. They were individuals, he said he believed would leave few people behind to look for them and not much evidence for police to follow.
Indeed, local authorities in states across the country initially classified many of the deaths as accidents, drug overdoses or the result of unknown causes.
Little strangled most of his victims, usually soon after meeting them during chance encounters. He drowned one, a woman he met at a nightclub in 1982.
He was nearly 80, in failing health and serving a life sentence in a California prison when he began confiding to Holland in May 2018, after years of refusing to talk to other authorities Once a strong, strapping boxer who used his powerful hands to strangle his victims, he was now using a wheelchair to get around.
Holland has described Little as both a genius and a sociopath, adding the killer could never adequately explain to him why he did what he did. Although known as an expert interrogator, Holland himself said he could only guess at why Little opened up to him.
The ranger did work tirelessly to create and maintain a bond with the killer during their hundreds of hours of interviews, bringing him favorite snacks such as pizza, Dr. Pepper and grits and discussing their mutual interest in sports. He also gave Little assurances that he wouldn’t be executed.
Holland would address Little by his childhood nickname, Sammy, while Little called Holland Jimmy and once told the Los Angeles Times he’d “found a friend in a Texas ranger.”
He told “60 Minutes” he hoped his confessions might exonerate anyone wrongly convicted of his crimes.
“I say if I can help get somebody out of jail, you know, then God might smile a little bit more on me,” he said.
A transient who traveled the country when he wasn’t in jail for larceny, assault, drugs or other crimes, Little said he started killing in Miami on New Year’s Eve 1970.
“It was like drugs,” he told Holland. “I came to like it.”
His last killing was in 2005, he said, in Tupelo, Mississippi. He also killed people in Tennessee, Texas, Ohio, Kentucky, Nevada, Arkansas and other states.
Kentucky authorities finally caught up with him in 2012 after he was arrested on drug charges and his DNA linked him to three California killings.
When he began recounting the other slayings, authorities were astounded at how much he remembered. His paintings, they said, indicated he had a photographic memory.
One killing was solved after Little recalled the victim wore dentures. Another after he told Holland he’d killed the victim near a set of unusual looking arches in Florida. A victim he met outside a Miami strip club in 1984 was remembered as being 25 years old with short blond hair, blue eyes and a “hippie look.”
As he continued to talk, authorities across the country rushed to investigate old cases, track down relatives and bring closure to families.
Little revealed few details about his own life other than that he was raised in Lorain, Ohio, by his grandmother. Authorities said he often went by the name Samuel McDowell.
He was married once, Little said, and involved in two long-term relationships.
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“I don’t think there was another person who did what I liked to do,” he told “60 Minutes.” “I think I’m the only one in the world. And that’s not an honor, that is a curse.”
Associated Press writer Don Thompson contributed from Sacramento.


mercurynews--2020-12-31--San Jose: Fatal collision with truck claims young girl’s life

SAN JOSE — A girl was struck and killed by a truck in a collision Wednesday afternoon on the city ’ s south side , police say .
Just after 1:45 p.m. , police responded to the scene of the collision in the 3600 block of Monterey Highway in the city ’ s Rancho neighborhood , according to a statement Wednesday evening .
When officers arrived , they found the girl suffering from injuries .
Firefighters and paramedics took the girl to a hospital , where she was pronounced dead .
The Santa Clara County coroner ’ s office will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmation and next-of-kin notification .
Investigators learned that a driver was trying to move the truck off a trailer when the girl jumped on the trailer in the truck ’ s path , and was struck when the truck rolled forward .
Police said the driver is fully cooperating with the investigation .
This marks the city ’ s 47th traffic fatality of the year , compared with 59 at the same point in 2019 .
The victim was the 48th pedestrian to die in a collision on a San Jose roadway in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case investigated by San Jose police this year , according to data compiled by this news organization .
Anyone with information may call San Jose police Det .
Matt Templeman of the department ’ s traffic unit at 408-277-4654 .

SAN JOSE — A girl was struck and killed by a truck in a collision Wednesday afternoon on the city’s south side, police say.
Just after 1:45 p.m., police responded to the scene of the collision in the 3600 block of Monterey Highway in the city’s Rancho neighborhood, according to a statement Wednesday evening.
When officers arrived, they found the girl suffering from injuries. Firefighters and paramedics took the girl to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The Santa Clara County coroner’s office will release the girl’s identity after confirmation and next-of-kin notification.
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San Jose man is second pedestrian killed in two days on same stretch of Highway 101 Crashes and Disasters | While a criminal case against a Tesla driver ends, legal and ethical questions on Autopilot endure Investigators learned that a driver was trying to move the truck off a trailer when the girl jumped on the trailer in the truck’s path, and was struck when the truck rolled forward. Police said the driver is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This marks the city’s 47th traffic fatality of the year, compared with 59 at the same point in 2019. The victim was the 48th pedestrian to die in a collision on a San Jose roadway in 2020. It was the 20th auto-versus-pedestrian case investigated by San Jose police this year, according to data compiled by this news organization.
Anyone with information may call San Jose police Det. Matt Templeman of the department’s traffic unit at 408-277-4654.
Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.