mercurynews--2020-07-02--Fight over dying woman’s estate at center of California murder trial

An ugly fight between families for control of a dying woman ’ s estate has emerged as the center of a murder trial for a Nevada handyman accused of strangling an 81-year-old man to death in the bedroom of a Newport Beach home .
Anthony Thomas Garcia , 61 , is on trial for special-circumstances murder for financial gain related to the April 11 , 2015 death of Abelardo Lopez Estacion .
Opening statements in the trial on Tuesday and Wednesday focused beyond Garcia and Estacion ’ s relationship , encompassing a wide web of familial links and conflicts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of one of Garcia ’ s children is a granddaughter of Dortha Lamb , who was Estacion ’ s wife .
Deputy District Attorney Whitney Bokosky told jurors that concerns over Lamb ’ s estate , and a belief that Lamb was being mistreated by Estacion , led Garcia to say to others that he wanted to harm Estacion and eventually kill him .
“ He hated Mr. Estacion , ” the prosecutor said .
“ Hated him .
He told people before the murder that he wanted to kill Mr. Estacion.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , described Garcia as a non-violent family man who wasn ’ t even in California when the killing occurred , noting that no fingerprints , eyewitnesses or surveillance video ties him to the slaying .
“ He is not a sophisticated criminal , ” Montoro said .
“ He is a simple man who lived a simple life making $ 15 an hour fixing things .
He is not a hit man.
” The attorney ’ s described Lamb as a self-made woman who bought her Newport Beach home , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Costa Mesa , before she met Estacion in the 1990s .
Estacion and Lamb had lived together for more than 20 years , marrying shortly before his death .
In 2014 , Lamb ’ s trust was amended so that if she died before Estacion her Newport Beach home would go to Lamb ’ s daughter and the rental properties to Estacion .
The defense argued that this change was forced on Lamb by Estacion while she was suffering from the onset of dementia .
The prosecution , meanwhile , noted that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , her family would get only the Newport Beach home and not the lucrative rental properties .
Montoro alleged that Estacion forced a confused Lamb to marry him , then began to siphon funds from her accounts .
“ The sicker she got , the more money and property he took , ” the defense attorney said .
In March 2015 , Lamb ’ s daughter , with Garcia ’ s help , picked Lamb up from the Newport Beach home while Estacion was gone , brought Lamb before a judge to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her to a doctor who determined Lamb had terminal cancer .
The prosecutor described it as Lamb ’ s daughter and Garcia “ stealing ” Lamb , while the defense attorney countered that they were responding to concerns Lamb was being abused by Estacion .
Because a judge required Lamb to remain in California , she was brought to live with a brother in Santa Barbara , kicking off a legal battle with Estacion , who wanted Lamb returned to the Newport Beach home .
A judge delayed a decision on a temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from contacting Lamb and kicked him out of the Newport Beach home .
Hours later , the prosecutor said , someone entered the home , cut off power to the residence for 30 minutes , then smothered , struck and strangled Estacion .
“ He was an old man who was sleeping in bed , ” Bokosky said .
“ He fought back , and he was hit , subdued and strangled to death.
” The next morning , a caretaker discovered Estacion in a strange position on his bed with blood coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ An autopsy turned up bruising on his left eye , mouth and left hand , a small cut on his lip , and evidence that he had been asphyxiated .
Bokosky alleged that Garcia drove from Carson City to Newport Beach to carry out the killing , then immediately drove back .
He left his cellphone with his daughter , who carried out a fake text conversation between the two of them to provide him an alibi , the prosecutor added .
Montoro , Garcia ’ s attorney , said cell records show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were in different locations in Carson City , so he couldn ’ t have been on the road to Newport Beach .
The defense attorney told jurors that Garcia was in Nevada the entire night .
If convicted , Garcia faces life in prison without the possibility of parole .

An ugly fight between families for control of a dying woman’s estate has emerged as the center of a murder trial for a Nevada handyman accused of strangling an 81-year-old man to death in the bedroom of a Newport Beach home.
Anthony Thomas Garcia, 61, is on trial for special-circumstances murder for financial gain related to the April 11, 2015 death of Abelardo Lopez Estacion.
Opening statements in the trial on Tuesday and Wednesday focused beyond Garcia and Estacion’s relationship, encompassing a wide web of familial links and conflicts.
Garcia’s ex-girlfriend and the mother of one of Garcia’s children is a granddaughter of Dortha Lamb, who was Estacion’s wife.
Deputy District Attorney Whitney Bokosky told jurors that concerns over Lamb’s estate, and a belief that Lamb was being mistreated by Estacion, led Garcia to say to others that he wanted to harm Estacion and eventually kill him.
“He hated Mr. Estacion,” the prosecutor said. “Hated him. He told people before the murder that he wanted to kill Mr. Estacion.”
Garcia’s attorney, Alisha Montoro, described Garcia as a non-violent family man who wasn’t even in California when the killing occurred, noting that no fingerprints, eyewitnesses or surveillance video ties him to the slaying.
“He is not a sophisticated criminal,” Montoro said. “He is a simple man who lived a simple life making $15 an hour fixing things. He is not a hit man.”
The attorney’s described Lamb as a self-made woman who bought her Newport Beach home, as well as valuable rental properties in San Clemente and Costa Mesa, before she met Estacion in the 1990s.
Estacion and Lamb had lived together for more than 20 years, marrying shortly before his death.
In 2014, Lamb’s trust was amended so that if she died before Estacion her Newport Beach home would go to Lamb’s daughter and the rental properties to Estacion.
The defense argued that this change was forced on Lamb by Estacion while she was suffering from the onset of dementia. The prosecution, meanwhile, noted that this meant that if Lamb died before Estacion, her family would get only the Newport Beach home and not the lucrative rental properties.
Montoro alleged that Estacion forced a confused Lamb to marry him, then began to siphon funds from her accounts.
“The sicker she got, the more money and property he took,” the defense attorney said.
In March 2015, Lamb’s daughter, with Garcia’s help, picked Lamb up from the Newport Beach home while Estacion was gone, brought Lamb before a judge to get a temporary conservatorship, and then took her to a doctor who determined Lamb had terminal cancer.
The prosecutor described it as Lamb’s daughter and Garcia “stealing” Lamb, while the defense attorney countered that they were responding to concerns Lamb was being abused by Estacion.
Because a judge required Lamb to remain in California, she was brought to live with a brother in Santa Barbara, kicking off a legal battle with Estacion, who wanted Lamb returned to the Newport Beach home.
A judge delayed a decision on a temporary restraining order that would have blocked Estacion from contacting Lamb and kicked him out of the Newport Beach home.
Hours later, the prosecutor said, someone entered the home, cut off power to the residence for 30 minutes, then smothered, struck and strangled Estacion.
“He was an old man who was sleeping in bed,” Bokosky said. “He fought back, and he was hit, subdued and strangled to death.”
The next morning, a caretaker discovered Estacion in a strange position on his bed with blood coming out of his nose and mouth. An autopsy turned up bruising on his left eye, mouth and left hand, a small cut on his lip, and evidence that he had been asphyxiated.
Bokosky alleged that Garcia drove from Carson City to Newport Beach to carry out the killing, then immediately drove back. He left his cellphone with his daughter, who carried out a fake text conversation between the two of them to provide him an alibi, the prosecutor added.
Montoro, Garcia’s attorney, said cell records show Garcia and his daughter’s phones were in different locations in Carson City, so he couldn’t have been on the road to Newport Beach.
The defense attorney told jurors that Garcia was in Nevada the entire night.
If convicted, Garcia faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.


mercurynews--2020-07-02--Here’s how Gov. Newsom plans to enforce his latest coronavirus order

How will the orders be enforced ?
That ’ s a key question sparked by Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s latest wave of anti-coronavirus orders on Wednesday — including banning indoor dining and other inside activities at such businesses as wineries , museums and casinos in a list of California counties .
At Norco ’ s The Cowgirl Cafe , owner Karen Hendrickson was prepared to test the governor .
By Wednesday afternoon , she had already contacted her attorney and was preparing to stay open for indoor dining , despite the state order .
“ I made the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open , because I don ’ t want to put our employees out of work , ” she said , noting the 13 people on her staff and the three new hires coming on soon .
“ I just think the governor is just going a little too far.
” As the news broke Wednesday , health officials across California were still gathering a picture of what that enforcement will look like .
The governor made it clear , however : If you run a business that ’ s not adhering to directives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and six-feet separations — and you ’ re getting repeated complaints , you stand a good chance of getting fined .
And if the virus is spreading at your establishment , you could be closed .
Newsom described the enforcement process in these terms : • It will be “ targeted , ” he said , citing businesses and public attractions that are not in compliance ; • “ Multi-Agency Strike Teams ” will be formed to inspect businesses and follow up with those that don ’ t follow the rules ; • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from such agencies as the Highway Patrol , Department of Consumer Affairs and Department of Business Oversight , CalOsha and Alcohol and Beverage Control , the Board of Barbers and Cosmotology .
Newsom said that the aim is to target people who are “ thumbing their nose ” at the directives — and by doing so are threatening both their workers and their customers .
“ This isn ’ t just talking about mask compliance , ” Newsom said .
“ One should not have to put their life at risk to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falling short of enforcing requirements , they could face a loss of state funding , and/or a penalty at the county level .
But such enforcement will happen only when there ’ s a “ redundancy of complaints , ” according to the governor .
Local officials contended Wednesday that educating business operators and their teams was a shared goal that could preclude any punishment in many cases .
“ We ’ re reasonable , and we expect all restaurants to be reasonable , ” said L.A. County public health Director Barbara Ferrer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are outside , ” where air can circulate .
“ If that ’ s not happening , that ’ s not really outside.
” “ We ’ re really hoping the educational approach is the way to enforce the order , ” said Brent Casey , a program chief with the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health .
If businesses aren ’ t getting the message , the first approach will be to talk it out to negotiate a time window in which to comply , officials said .
• Coronavirus : Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Area counties • Chronic understaffing , face masks locked away , sexual assault : Shocking allegations against East Bay care home with COVID-19 outbreak • Streaming movie picks : ‘ Riccione Sun ’ is the Italian vacation you can ’ t go on now After that , if there ’ s still an issue , officials from the county ’ s Department of Environmental Health will refer to the case either to the county ’ s counsel , or to state agencies — who are part of the strike teams .
Ferrer affirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s order — and the county ’ s order , which also came Wednesday in line with the state ’ s — was not a “ recommendation.
” It was an order .
“ We ’ re working with the governor on the enforcement side , ” she said .
“ It ’ s not just enough to require people to take steps to protect each other .
Compliance is not just arresting people .
That ’ s not what we ’ re trying to do here .
It ’ s to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and what ’ s necessary .
”

How will the orders be enforced? That’s a key question sparked by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest wave of anti-coronavirus orders on Wednesday — including banning indoor dining and other inside activities at such businesses as wineries, museums and casinos in a list of California counties.
At Norco’s The Cowgirl Cafe, owner Karen Hendrickson was prepared to test the governor. By Wednesday afternoon, she had already contacted her attorney and was preparing to stay open for indoor dining, despite the state order.
“I made the decisions along with my husband to stay open, because I don’t want to put our employees out of work,” she said, noting the 13 people on her staff and the three new hires coming on soon. “I just think the governor is just going a little too far.”
As the news broke Wednesday, health officials across California were still gathering a picture of what that enforcement will look like.
The governor made it clear, however: If you run a business that’s not adhering to directives — dining outdoors, requiring face masks and six-feet separations — and you’re getting repeated complaints, you stand a good chance of getting fined. And if the virus is spreading at your establishment, you could be closed.
Newsom described the enforcement process in these terms:
It will be “targeted,” he said, citing businesses and public attractions that are not in compliance;
“Multi-Agency Strike Teams” will be formed to inspect businesses and follow up with those that don’t follow the rules;
Teams will partner with county health departments;
They will be made up of staff from such agencies as the Highway Patrol, Department of Consumer Affairs and Department of Business Oversight, CalOsha and Alcohol and Beverage Control, the Board of Barbers and Cosmotology.
Newsom said that the aim is to target people who are “thumbing their nose” at the directives — and by doing so are threatening both their workers and their customers.
“This isn’t just talking about mask compliance,” Newsom said. “One should not have to put their life at risk to go to work.”
If individual counties are falling short of enforcing requirements, they could face a loss of state funding, and/or a penalty at the county level. But such enforcement will happen only when there’s a “redundancy of complaints,” according to the governor.
Local officials contended Wednesday that educating business operators and their teams was a shared goal that could preclude any punishment in many cases.
“We’re reasonable, and we expect all restaurants to be reasonable,” said L.A. County public health Director Barbara Ferrer . “The idea is that people are outside,” where air can circulate. “If that’s not happening, that’s not really outside.”
“We’re really hoping the educational approach is the way to enforce the order,” said Brent Casey, a program chief with the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health.
If businesses aren’t getting the message, the first approach will be to talk it out to negotiate a time window in which to comply, officials said.
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Ferrer affirmed, though, that the state’s order — and the county’s order, which also came Wednesday in line with the state’s — was not a “recommendation.” It was an order.
“We’re working with the governor on the enforcement side,” she said. “It’s not just enough to require people to take steps to protect each other. Compliance is not just arresting people. That’s not what we’re trying to do here. It’s to help them see both what’s possible and what’s necessary.”


mercurynews--2020-07-02--Horoscopes July 2, 2020: Margot Robbie, adopt good habits.

Happy Birthday : You may be smart and talented , but you do need to take better care of your health and well-being this year .
A fitness routine may not be your idea of a good time , but it will help build stamina that will offset illness and give you strength to reach your goals .
Adopt good habits , and press forward with intensity .
Your numbers are 9 , 16 , 23 , 32 , 36 , 40 , 48 .
ARIES ( March 21-April 19 ) : Your emotions will be riding high and will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your lover or taking time to pamper yourself will help you put your emotional energy to good use .
Invest time and money in something that offers long-term benefits .
5 stars TAURUS ( April 20-May 20 ) : Think big , but don ’ t go overboard .
It ’ s OK to have high expectations , but being realistic will ensure that you are heading in a direction that won ’ t disappoint you .
Put your strategy in place before you take a leap of faith .
3 stars GEMINI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improvement will make you feel good as well as build confidence .
Set a goal that will encourage you to live a healthy , happy life .
Proper diet , exercise and associating with like-minded people will help .
3 stars CANCER ( June 21-July 22 ) : Anger is a waste of time .
If you want to get the most out of your day , concentrate on a physical challenge .
Move your body more , and stop talking about people and situations that can fuel a fight .
3 stars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Take on a challenge that will help you get into shape .
Put in a call to an associate you have worked with ; it will lead to a new opportunity .
Do something for a friend , relative or neighbor in need of assistance .
5 stars VIRGO ( Aug. 23-Sept. 22 ) : Stay calm , regardless of what ’ s going on around you .
Acceptance and working with what ’ s available to you will show how adaptable you are .
Be the one to offer guidance , solutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what you set out to do .
2 stars LIBRA ( Sept. 23-Oct. 22 ) : Time spent pampering and taking care of your needs will help ease stress .
Refuse to let anyone put demands on you .
Stay focused on what makes you happy , not angry .
Offer peace and love , and you ’ ll get something much better in return .
4 stars SCORPIO ( Oct. 23-Nov. 21 ) : Experience is the key to success .
Observe , listen and ask questions when in doubt .
Gather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your skills to excel .
Opportunity is within reach if you are willing to put in the extra effort .
3 stars SAGITTARIUS ( Nov. 22-Dec. 21 ) : Initiate your plans .
Take action , and do your own thing .
Don ’ t rely on others .
Concentrate on personal gain , looking your best and paying close attention to detail .
Live passionately , be resourceful and do things your way .
Romance is featured .
3 stars CAPRICORN ( Dec. 22-Jan. 19 ) : Incorporate change into your everyday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your environment and surroundings to fit your needs .
Mix business with pleasure to ensure that everyone you love is included in your plans .
A meaningful relationship will bring you happiness .
3 stars AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18 ) : Make a positive change to the way you live and how you present yourself to the world .
Greater discipline will help you stick to a healthy routine and encourage you to take on a trendy new look .
4 stars PISCES ( Feb. 19-March 20 ) : A helpful attitude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in return .
Choose your words wisely , and you will make a difference to someone who is in a position to offer good advice as well as solutions .
2 stars Birthday Baby : You are excitable , engaging and clever .
You are aggressive and outspoken .

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Margot Robbie, 30; Alex Morgan, 31; Ashley Tisdale, 35; Larry David, 73.
Happy Birthday: You may be smart and talented, but you do need to take better care of your health and well-being this year. A fitness routine may not be your idea of a good time, but it will help build stamina that will offset illness and give you strength to reach your goals. Adopt good habits, and press forward with intensity. Your numbers are 9, 16, 23, 32, 36, 40, 48.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Your emotions will be riding high and will need an outlet. Spending time with your lover or taking time to pamper yourself will help you put your emotional energy to good use. Invest time and money in something that offers long-term benefits. 5 stars
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Think big, but don’t go overboard. It’s OK to have high expectations, but being realistic will ensure that you are heading in a direction that won’t disappoint you. Put your strategy in place before you take a leap of faith. 3 stars
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Personal improvement will make you feel good as well as build confidence. Set a goal that will encourage you to live a healthy, happy life. Proper diet, exercise and associating with like-minded people will help. 3 stars
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Anger is a waste of time. If you want to get the most out of your day, concentrate on a physical challenge. Move your body more, and stop talking about people and situations that can fuel a fight. 3 stars
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take on a challenge that will help you get into shape. Put in a call to an associate you have worked with; it will lead to a new opportunity. Do something for a friend, relative or neighbor in need of assistance. 5 stars
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Stay calm, regardless of what’s going on around you. Acceptance and working with what’s available to you will show how adaptable you are. Be the one to offer guidance, solutions and understanding. You’ll accomplish what you set out to do. 2 stars
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Time spent pampering and taking care of your needs will help ease stress. Refuse to let anyone put demands on you. Stay focused on what makes you happy, not angry. Offer peace and love, and you’ll get something much better in return. 4 stars
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Experience is the key to success. Observe, listen and ask questions when in doubt. Gather information that will encourage you to use your skills to excel. Opportunity is within reach if you are willing to put in the extra effort. 3 stars
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Initiate your plans. Take action, and do your own thing. Don’t rely on others. Concentrate on personal gain, looking your best and paying close attention to detail. Live passionately, be resourceful and do things your way. Romance is featured. 3 stars
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Incorporate change into your everyday routine. Put more effort into improving your environment and surroundings to fit your needs. Mix business with pleasure to ensure that everyone you love is included in your plans. A meaningful relationship will bring you happiness. 3 stars
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Make a positive change to the way you live and how you present yourself to the world. Greater discipline will help you stick to a healthy routine and encourage you to take on a trendy new look. 4 stars
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A helpful attitude will encourage others to do something nice in return. Choose your words wisely, and you will make a difference to someone who is in a position to offer good advice as well as solutions. 2 stars
Birthday Baby: You are excitable, engaging and clever. You are aggressive and outspoken.
Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.


mercurynews--2020-07-02--Bridge: July 2, 2020

Bridge: July 2, 2020

“ Rose must be Grapefruit ’ s most un-favorite player in the club , ” Unlucky Louie told me .
“ She puts the old goat in his place.
” Rose ’ s kindness toward other players is admirable .
Grapefruit harangues his partners mercilessly .
“ I was West in a penny game , ” Louie said .
“ Grapefruit opened one diamond as South , I bid two clubs and North cue-bid three clubs .
Grapefruit bid five diamonds , passed out.
” Louie led the king of clubs , dummy hit and Grapefruit was his usual self @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all foam and no beer .
Bid 2NT and we get to the cold 3NT.
” Grapefruit took the ace of clubs , drew trumps and led a spade to his king .
He lost two spades and a club and told the kibitzers that North was depriving some village of its idiot .
Rose was East .
“ Mr .
Grapefruit , ” said she politely , “ five diamonds was cold .
Cash the king of hearts , draw trumps , throw a club from dummy on the ace of hearts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a club .
You end-play West.
” For once , Grapefruit was mum .
You hold : S 9 7 4 2 H K D A 9 7 5 4 C A 7 3 .
Your partner opens one heart , you respond one spade , he rebids two hearts and you try 2NT .
Partner next bids three diamonds .
What do you say ?
ANSWER : Your partner suggests six hearts , four diamonds and minimum values .
If he had a 6-4 hand with extra strength , his second bid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diamonds .
Bid five diamonds or cue-bid four clubs .
If he has 8 , A J 7 6 5 3 , K Q 8 2 , K 4 , you might make a slam .

“Rose must be Grapefruit’s most un-favorite player in the club,” Unlucky Louie told me. “She puts the old goat in his place.”
Rose’s kindness toward other players is admirable. Grapefruit harangues his partners mercilessly.
“I was West in a penny game,” Louie said. “Grapefruit opened one diamond as South, I bid two clubs and North cue-bid three clubs. Grapefruit bid five diamonds, passed out.”
Louie led the king of clubs, dummy hit and Grapefruit was his usual self.
“Partner, you’re all foam and no beer. Bid 2NT and we get to the cold 3NT.”
DOWN ONE
Grapefruit took the ace of clubs, drew trumps and led a spade to his king. He lost two spades and a club and told the kibitzers that North was depriving some village of its idiot.
Rose was East. “Mr. Grapefruit,” said she politely, “five diamonds was cold. Cash the king of hearts, draw trumps, throw a club from dummy on the ace of hearts, ruff a heart and exit with a club. You end-play West.”
For once, Grapefruit was mum.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S 9 7 4 2 H K D A 9 7 5 4 C A 7 3. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade, he rebids two hearts and you try 2NT. Partner next bids three diamonds. What do you say?
ANSWER: Your partner suggests six hearts, four diamonds and minimum values. If he had a 6-4 hand with extra strength, his second bid would have been three hearts or two diamonds. Bid five diamonds or cue-bid four clubs. If he has 8, A J 7 6 5 3, K Q 8 2, K 4, you might make a slam.
South dealer
Both sides vulnerable
NORTH
S 9 7 4 2
H K
D A 9 7 5 4
C A 7 3
WEST
S A Q 8
H J 10 4
D 3
C K Q J 8 5 2
EAST
S J 10 6 3
H Q 9 8 7 5 3
D 8
C 6 4
SOUTH
S K 5
H A 6 2
D K Q J 10 6 2
C 10 9
South West North East
1 D 2 C 3 C Pass
5 D All Pass
Opening lead — C K


mercurynews--2020-07-02--Word Game: July 2, 2020

Word Game: July 2, 2020

TODAY ’ S WORD — SERAPH ( SERAPH : SER-if : A celestial being having three pairs of wings . )
Can you find 27 or more words in SERAPH ?
The list will be published tomorrow .
YESTERDAY ’ S WORD — INTRUSION into iris iron ironist nitrous nonsuit noun tiro torii torn tour trio turn riot rosin roust rout ruin runt rust union unison unit unto snit snort snout sort sour stir stun suit suitor onus ours oust To purchase the Word Game book , visit WordGameBooks.com .
Order it now for just $ 5 while supplies last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four or more letters .
2 .
Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “ s , ” such as “ bats ” or “ dies , ” are not allowed .
3 .
Additional words made by adding a “ d ” or an “ s ” may not be used .
For example , if “ bake ” is used , “ baked ” or “ bakes ” are not allowed , but “ bake ” and “ baking ” are admissible .
4 .
Proper nouns , slang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words are not allowed .

TODAY’S WORD — SERAPH (SERAPH: SER-if: A celestial being having three pairs of wings.)
Average mark 20 words
Time limit 30 minutes
Can you find 27 or more words in SERAPH? The list will be published tomorrow.
YESTERDAY’S WORD — INTRUSION into iris iron ironist nitrous nonsuit noun tiro torii
torn tour trio turn riot rosin roust rout ruin runt rust union unison unit unto snit snort snout
sort sour stir stun suit suitor onus ours oust
To purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!
RULES OF THE GAME:
1. Words must be of four or more letters.
2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.
3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.
4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.
Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at kzsaxe@gmail.com.


mercurynews--2020-07-02--Ask Amy: I’m engaged to a great guy who just might dump me

Dear Amy : I am currently engaged to a man I would call my Prince Charming .
I love him .
When I see him , I would get that happy girl crush all over again .
The problem is , I ’ m scared of getting married .
Before him , I was previously engaged and got dumped four months before our wedding .
I do want to get married to him , but I ’ m scared that I will be reliving the whole thing over again .
Also , we don ’ t live together , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together due to what happened before him .
What should I do ?
• Ask Amy : I want to fly the flag on the Fourth but what will people think ?
• Ask Amy : I ’ m afraid my un-American attitudes put people off • Ask Amy : The people in the store freak me out , but I ’ m afraid to confront them • Ask Amy : They say I ’ m going to hell .
My husband says let it go .
• Ask Amy : I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at my wedding Dear Worried : I hope you can understand that as long as you let your previous experience control you , you are basically letting your ex live your life for you .
The idea is to learn from your experiences and mistakes , without having to relive them on a loop .
For now , take marriage off the table , removing the pressure that seems to be weighing you down .
Being left is definitely personally traumatic ( been there , got the T-shirt ) .
Counseling would help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making your fiance pay .
It is a true fact that no one is guaranteed a fairy tale , but the way toward a happy ending commences one step at a time .
You could perhaps make some progress if you agreed to stay with your fiance for a two-week trial ( having an end-date for cohabitation might make the first step easier ) .
Dear Amy : I ’ m about to have my second phone interview .
Pre-pandemic , when interviews were in person , I took great pride in showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demeanor .
I enjoyed courteously greeting my interviewers , flashing a big smile , and delivering a solid handshake .
I spent many years in customer service so I know how to smile over the phone , but how do I compensate for all the other stuff ?
Do you have any advice for tackling phone interviews ?
Dear Living : My own experience with job hunting is that the in-person interview was receding long before the pandemic hit .
Depending on the career , typically job candidates are expected to take online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ color of their parachute , and then go through at least two phone interviews — before graduating to a Skype call .
And yes , it can be very challenging to hit all the right notes when you can ’ t rely on facial expressions and body language .
My advice is that you do your homework , researching the company you wish to join and the job description of the position .
Understand and write down key metrics applicable to the job .
Connect with the interviewer ( if possible ) on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your résumé printed out and in front of you .
Bring notes to the call .
Start by listening — the person interviewing you will set the stage .
Keep any personal anecdotes short .
Relate specific positive job experiences that will enhance your application ( “ I dealt with a version of that at my previous company .
Here ’ s what we did … ” ) .
Be prepared to discuss ( sigh ) your greatest weakness or most regrettable failure .
( Note : “ I care too much and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer . )
Ask an industry-specific question based on your research ( or on something the interviewer has told you ) .
Connect any outside applicable experiences that may be interesting , memorable , or quirky ( I used to be a lounge singer , and no matter my professional qualifications , this is what interviewers are always most curious about ) .
End the call on a positive note : “ It has really been a pleasure to talk to you ; what are the next steps in the process ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ( short ) “ thank you ” email , referencing back to at least one detail from the interview .
Express your sincere enthusiasm for the position .
End with “ I look forward to hearing from you.
” And then the waiting begins .
Dear Amy : “ Untexted in Texas ” said that her husband texted an old friend from high school many times a day .
My ex-wife texts me frequently , even though she ’ s happily remarried to someone else .
We ’ ve known each other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how I ’ m doing , especially since I live alone .
If Untexted has a good relationship with her husband , she should trust him until he gives her a reason to not trust him .
If she doesn ’ t have a good relationship , she should work on that first .
Dear Texted : Untexted ’ s husband gave her a good reason not to trust him , by being secretive about his texting habit .
You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy @ amydickinson.com or send a letter to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Freeville , NY 13068 .
You can also follow her on Twitter @ askingamy or Facebook .

Dear Amy: I am currently engaged to a man I would call my Prince Charming.
I love him. When I see him, I would get that happy girl crush all over again.
The problem is, I’m scared of getting married. Before him, I was previously engaged and got dumped four months before our wedding.
I do want to get married to him, but I’m scared that I will be reliving the whole thing over again.
Also, we don’t live together, as I am also scared about moving in together due to what happened before him. What should I do?
Worried
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Ask Amy: I’ve told them they need therapy, and they refuse to do it. What now? Advice | Ask Amy: The man I love is my grandchild’s uncle, and things have gotten messy Dear Worried: I hope you can understand that as long as you let your previous experience control you, you are basically letting your ex live your life for you.
The idea is to learn from your experiences and mistakes, without having to relive them on a loop. For now, take marriage off the table, removing the pressure that seems to be weighing you down.
Being left is definitely personally traumatic (been there, got the T-shirt). Counseling would help you to own your fears, without making your fiance pay.
It is a true fact that no one is guaranteed a fairy tale, but the way toward a happy ending commences one step at a time. You could perhaps make some progress if you agreed to stay with your fiance for a two-week trial (having an end-date for cohabitation might make the first step easier).
Dear Amy: I’m about to have my second phone interview.
Pre-pandemic, when interviews were in person, I took great pride in showing off my good people skills and confident demeanor. I enjoyed courteously greeting my interviewers, flashing a big smile, and delivering a solid handshake. I spent many years in customer service so I know how to smile over the phone, but how do I compensate for all the other stuff?
Do you have any advice for tackling phone interviews?
Living the New Normal
Dear Living: My own experience with job hunting is that the in-person interview was receding long before the pandemic hit. Depending on the career, typically job candidates are expected to take online personality tests, write essays describing the color of their parachute, and then go through at least two phone interviews — before graduating to a Skype call. And yes, it can be very challenging to hit all the right notes when you can’t rely on facial expressions and body language.
My advice is that you do your homework, researching the company you wish to join and the job description of the position. Understand and write down key metrics applicable to the job. Connect with the interviewer (if possible) on LinkedIn or other social media.
Have your résumé printed out and in front of you. Bring notes to the call.
Start by listening — the person interviewing you will set the stage. Keep any personal anecdotes short.
Relate specific positive job experiences that will enhance your application (“I dealt with a version of that at my previous company. Here’s what we did …”).
Be prepared to discuss (sigh) your greatest weakness or most regrettable failure. (Note: “I care too much and work too hard” is not an answer.)
Ask an industry-specific question based on your research (or on something the interviewer has told you).
Connect any outside applicable experiences that may be interesting, memorable, or quirky (I used to be a lounge singer, and no matter my professional qualifications, this is what interviewers are always most curious about).
End the call on a positive note: “It has really been a pleasure to talk to you; what are the next steps in the process?”
Wait a couple of hours and send a (short) “thank you” email, referencing back to at least one detail from the interview. Express your sincere enthusiasm for the position. End with “I look forward to hearing from you.”
And then the waiting begins.
Dear Amy: “Untexted in Texas” said that her husband texted an old friend from high school many times a day.
My ex-wife texts me frequently, even though she’s happily remarried to someone else. We’ve known each other for almost 40 years and she cares how I’m doing, especially since I live alone.
If Untexted has a good relationship with her husband, she should trust him until he gives her a reason to not trust him. If she doesn’t have a good relationship, she should work on that first.
Texted
Dear Texted: Untexted’s husband gave her a good reason not to trust him, by being secretive about his texting habit.
You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.


mercurynews--2020-07-03--San Jose: Overturn crash closes ramp from I-880 to Highway 101

SAN JOSE – The ramp from southbound Interstate 880 to southbound Highway 101 remains closed following a tractor-trailer crash , @ @ @ @ @ Patrol .
The overturn collision was reported just before 2:30 p.m. Thursday , according to @ @ @ @ @ 4:25 p.m. , the CHP issued a Sig-alert advising of the ramp closure .
The @ @ @ @ @ 101 were also closed until about 5:40 p.m .
There is no estimated time to @ @ @ @ @ 3 p.m. , the CHP said in a tweet that the tractor-trailer overturned in the @ @ @ @ @ predominately out of the roadway.
” However , traffic was “ moving slow through the @ @ @

SAN JOSE – The ramp from southbound Interstate 880 to southbound Highway 101 was closed for eight hours following a tractor-trailer crash, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The overturn collision was reported just before 2:30 p.m. Thursday, according to CHP dispatch logs. About 4:25 p.m., the CHP issued a Sig-alert advising of the ramp closure. The three right-most lanes of southbound 101 were also closed until about 5:40 p.m.
The ramp did not reopen until about 10:30 p.m.
No injuries were reported, said CHP Officer Ross Lee.
Lee said the cause of the crash remains under investigation, but the driver told officers he felt the load shift just prior to the tractor-trailer tipping over onto its left side.
About 3 p.m., the CHP said in a tweet that the tractor-trailer overturned in the gore point and was “predominately out of the roadway.” However, traffic was “moving slow through the area.”
There is currently an overturned truck and trailer in the connecting gore point from I-880 SB to US-101 SB. It is predominantly out of the roadway, but traffic is moving slow through the area. pic.twitter.com/4BlGsGSEnm — CHP San Jose (@CHPSanJose) July 2, 2020
Check back for updates.


mercurynews--2020-07-03--Workers looking for jobs in tough employment market

Editor ’ s note : This story is part of the annual Mosaic Journalism Workshop for Bay Area high school students , a two-week intensive course at journalism .
Students in this year ’ s virtual program report and photograph real stories under the guidance of professional journalists .
In April , Kyle Newsom was furloughed by the family-owned cable installation company he worked for in Fresno without notice .
He became just one of many people across the country looking for a new way to support themselves or break into the job market because of the economic effects of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off , a furlough means an employee is unpaid but still employed by a company .
A furlough can range from a few hours a week of mandatory time off to months at a time .
While on furlough , employees can collect unemployment benefits , though they are expected to return to work at the end of the furlough period .
Newsom says that though there may be minor benefits to being furloughed rather than laid off , it is little comfort .
“ It ’ s pretty much another word for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still getting unemployment .
I ’ m still looking for a job .
I still don ’ t know if I ’ ll be hired back after all of this , ” said Newsom , who is trying to save money for his wedding in February while also keeping up with bills and rent .
He also has no guarantee that Ventura TV Video and Appliance will be financially stable enough to bring him back once the pandemic ends , or that it will be safe by the time they do reopen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom ’ s .
“ I think it ’ s too soon to open businesses .
If companies want workers back on payroll , they need a plan for safety , ” he said .
Newsom has begun looking for new jobs as a general technician , performing maintenance for home appliances or machinery , wherever he can .
“ A job is a job , ” he said .
“ It ’ s been different and challenging , but I ’ m doing what I can to stay busy.
” Furloughs aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s job market .
Aryan , a student from the greater Seattle area who uses they/them pronouns , is entering their freshman year of college through an early entrance program after their sophomore year of high school .
They have not been on furlough , but they are similarly struggling to find a job while under lockdown .
Looking for an internship in the field of computer science , they find their plans for career advancement are hindered by a difficult job market .
They were writing an application for an internship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it was taken down before the deadline the company had publicly shared .
Many other listings were also pulled in this manner since the pandemic began .
• Pets and the pandemic : San Jose families add four-legged pals to their bubbles “ Trying to find an internship right now could be my last chance to do so for a while , ” Aryan said .
“ Some of my career pathways benefit way more from professional experience than education , so getting this experience in high school is a deciding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will accept me.
” Jessica Reimann recently graduated from Silver Creek High School and will attend San Jose State University as a marine biology major .

Editor’s note: This story is part of the annual Mosaic Journalism Workshop for Bay Area high school students, a two-week intensive course at journalism. Students in this year’s virtual program report and photograph real stories under the guidance of professional journalists.
In April, Kyle Newsom was furloughed by the family-owned cable installation company he worked for in Fresno without notice.
He became just one of many people across the country looking for a new way to support themselves or break into the job market because of the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Unlike being laid off, a furlough means an employee is unpaid but still employed by a company. A furlough can range from a few hours a week of mandatory time off to months at a time. While on furlough, employees can collect unemployment benefits, though they are expected to return to work at the end of the furlough period.
Newsom says that though there may be minor benefits to being furloughed rather than laid off, it is little comfort. “It’s pretty much another word for the same thing. I’m still getting unemployment. I’m still looking for a job. I still don’t know if I’ll be hired back after all of this,” said Newsom, who is trying to save money for his wedding in February while also keeping up with bills and rent.
He also has no guarantee that Ventura TV Video and Appliance will be financially stable enough to bring him back once the pandemic ends, or that it will be safe by the time they do reopen, as health is a major concern of Newsom’s.
“I think it’s too soon to open businesses. If companies want workers back on payroll, they need a plan for safety,” he said.
Newsom has begun looking for new jobs as a general technician, performing maintenance for home appliances or machinery, wherever he can. “A job is a job,” he said. “It’s been different and challenging, but I’m doing what I can to stay busy.”
Furloughs aren’t the only challenge in today’s job market.
Aryan, a student from the greater Seattle area who uses they/them pronouns, is entering their freshman year of college through an early entrance program after their sophomore year of high school. They have not been on furlough, but they are similarly struggling to find a job while under lockdown. Looking for an internship in the field of computer science, they find their plans for career advancement are hindered by a difficult job market.
They were writing an application for an internship with Bungie, a Washington-based game developer, but it was taken down before the deadline the company had publicly shared. Many other listings were also pulled in this manner since the pandemic began.
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Opinion: ‘Kid-friendly’ videos? More like ‘kid trash’ Local News | Opinion: I’m 18 and addicted to ‘The Office’ “Trying to find an internship right now could be my last chance to do so for a while,” Aryan said. “Some of my career pathways benefit way more from professional experience than education, so getting this experience in high school is a deciding factor in whether a school of choice will accept me.”
Jessica Reimann recently graduated from Silver Creek High School and will attend San Jose State University as a marine biology major.


mercurynews--2020-07-03--Study: Coronavirus variant spreads fast, isn’t more deadly

A global study has found strong evidence that a new form of the coronavirus has spread from Europe to the US .
The new mutation makes the virus more likely to infect people but does not seem to make them any sicker than earlier variations of the virus , an international team of researchers reported Thursday .
“ It is now the dominant form infecting people , ” Erica Ollmann Saphire of the La Jolla Institute for Immunology and the Coronavirus Immunotherapy Consortium , who worked on the study , told CNN .
“ This is now the virus.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cell , builds on some earlier work the team did that was released on a preprint server earlier in the year .
Shared information on genetic sequences had indicated that a certain mutant version of the virus was taking over .
Now the team has not only checked more genetic sequences , but they have also run experiments involving people , animals and cells in lab dishes that show the mutated version is more common and that it ’ s more infectious than other versions .
“ We do know that the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t look at first glance as if it is worse , ” Saphire said .
The mutation affects the spike protein — the structure the virus uses to get into the cells it infects .
Now the researchers are checking to see whether this affects whether the virus can be controlled by a vaccine .
Current vaccines being tested mostly target the spike protein , but they were made using older strains of the virus .
The study , published in the journal Cell , confirms earlier work suggesting the mutation had made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The researchers call the new mutation G614 , and they show that it has almost completely replaced the first version to spread in Europe and the US , one called D614 .
“ Our global tracking data show that the G614 variant in Spike has spread faster than D614 , ” theoretical biologist Bette Korber of Los Alamos National Laboratory and colleagues wrote in their report .
“ We interpret this to mean that the virus is likely to be more infectious , ” they added .
“ Interestingly , we did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease severity.
” This could be good news , said Lawrence Young , a professor of medical oncology at the UK ’ s University of Warwick , who was not involved in the study .
“ The current work suggests that while the G614 variant may be more infectious , it is not more pathogenic .
There is a hope that as SARS-CoV-2 infection spreads , the virus might become less pathogenic , ” he said in a statement .
The team tested samples taken from patients across Europe and the US and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genome sequences to what ’ s been shared publicly .
Comparing these sequences helped them draw a map of the spread of the two forms .
“ Through March 1 , 2020 , the G614 variant was rare outside of Europe , but the end of March it had increased in frequency worldwide , ” they wrote .
Even when the D614 form had caused widespread epidemics , in places such as Wales and Nottingham in England , as well as in Washington state , G614 took over once it appeared , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequency often continues well after stay-at-home orders are in place and past the subsequent two-week incubation period , ” they added .
There are a few exceptions , including the Santa Clara , California , area and Iceland , where the older , D614 form was never replaced by the newer , G variant .
Three to nine times more infectious The new version seems to multiply faster in the upper respiratory tract — the nose , sinuses and throat — which would explain why it passes around more easily , the researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus patients in Britain showed those infected with the new version did not fare any worse than those who caught the original strain .
David Montefiore of Duke University and colleagues tested the virus in the lab .
“ We were able to test whether the G form of the virus was more infectious than the D form , ” Montefiore , director of the Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine Research and Development , told CNN .
“ All the results agreed that the G form was three to nine times more infectious than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We now had experimental evidence that supported , in part , what Bette was seeing in her analysis of the sequences across the globe — the G form had a fitness advantage in terms of infectivity.
” The lab tests of the virus in action confirmed what the genetic maps had shown .
“ These findings suggest that the newer form of the virus may be even more readily transmitted than the original form .
Whether or not that conclusion is ultimately confirmed , it highlights the value of what were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to maintain social distancing , ” Korber said in a statement .
Other mutations often go along with the G614 mutation , but it ’ s not clear what effect they have .
“ The earliest sequence we detected that carried all four mutations was sampled in Italy on Feb. 20 , ” they wrote .
“ Within days , this haplotype was sampled in many countries in Europe.
” The G614 mutation can be neutralized by convalescent serum — the blood product taken from people who have recovered from a coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested blood donated by six coronavirus survivors in San Diego .
“ We looked to see whether the range of antibodies in the blood of the people was just as effective at neutralizing the new virus as the old virus and it was .
It was , in fact , a little better , ” she said .
The researchers had worried that if the new mutation made the virus grow faster and to higher levels , it would take more immune system effort to neutralize it .
“ In these six San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case , ” Saphire said .
More work is needed , of course , to solidify the findings and to see what the changes mean for the epidemic and for patients , the researchers said .
“ There are potential consequences for the vaccines .
We are actively investigating those possible consequences , ” Montefiore said .
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And , of course , they ’ re keeping an eye out for other mutations .
“ We might have dodged a bullet with this particular mutation , Saphire said .
“ However , that is not to say that another mutation couldn ’ t come on top of this one , ” she added .
“ It would behoove us to remain vigilant .
”

By Maggie Fox | CNN
A global study has found strong evidence that a new form of the coronavirus has spread from Europe to the US. The new mutation makes the virus more likely to infect people but does not seem to make them any sicker than earlier variations of the virus, an international team of researchers reported Thursday.
“It is now the dominant form infecting people,” Erica Ollmann Saphire of the La Jolla Institute for Immunology and the Coronavirus Immunotherapy Consortium, who worked on the study, told CNN.
“This is now the virus.”
The study, published in the journal Cell, builds on some earlier work the team did that was released on a preprint server earlier in the year. Shared information on genetic sequences had indicated that a certain mutant version of the virus was taking over.
Now the team has not only checked more genetic sequences, but they have also run experiments involving people, animals and cells in lab dishes that show the mutated version is more common and that it’s more infectious than other versions.
“We do know that the new virus is fitter. It doesn’t look at first glance as if it is worse,” Saphire said.
The mutation affects the spike protein — the structure the virus uses to get into the cells it infects. Now the researchers are checking to see whether this affects whether the virus can be controlled by a vaccine. Current vaccines being tested mostly target the spike protein, but they were made using older strains of the virus.
The study, published in the journal Cell, confirms earlier work suggesting the mutation had made the new variant of virus more common. The researchers call the new mutation G614, and they show that it has almost completely replaced the first version to spread in Europe and the US, one called D614.
No effect on patient survival
“Our global tracking data show that the G614 variant in Spike has spread faster than D614,” theoretical biologist Bette Korber of Los Alamos National Laboratory and colleagues wrote in their report. “We interpret this to mean that the virus is likely to be more infectious,” they added. “Interestingly, we did not find evidence of G614 impact on disease severity.”
This could be good news, said Lawrence Young, a professor of medical oncology at the UK’s University of Warwick, who was not involved in the study.
“The current work suggests that while the G614 variant may be more infectious, it is not more pathogenic. There is a hope that as SARS-CoV-2 infection spreads, the virus might become less pathogenic,” he said in a statement.
The team tested samples taken from patients across Europe and the US and sequenced the genomes. They compared these genome sequences to what’s been shared publicly. Comparing these sequences helped them draw a map of the spread of the two forms.
“Through March 1, 2020, the G614 variant was rare outside of Europe, but the end of March it had increased in frequency worldwide,” they wrote.
Even when the D614 form had caused widespread epidemics, in places such as Wales and Nottingham in England, as well as in Washington state, G614 took over once it appeared, they found.
“The increase in G614 frequency often continues well after stay-at-home orders are in place and past the subsequent two-week incubation period,” they added. There are a few exceptions, including the Santa Clara, California, area and Iceland, where the older, D614 form was never replaced by the newer, G variant.
Three to nine times more infectious
The new version seems to multiply faster in the upper respiratory tract — the nose, sinuses and throat — which would explain why it passes around more easily, the researchers said.
But tests on 1,000 hospitalized coronavirus patients in Britain showed those infected with the new version did not fare any worse than those who caught the original strain.
David Montefiore of Duke University and colleagues tested the virus in the lab. “We were able to test whether the G form of the virus was more infectious than the D form,” Montefiore, director of the Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine Research and Development, told CNN.
“All the results agreed that the G form was three to nine times more infectious than the D form,” he added. “We now had experimental evidence that supported, in part, what Bette was seeing in her analysis of the sequences across the globe — the G form had a fitness advantage in terms of infectivity.”
The lab tests of the virus in action confirmed what the genetic maps had shown.
“These findings suggest that the newer form of the virus may be even more readily transmitted than the original form. Whether or not that conclusion is ultimately confirmed, it highlights the value of what were already good ideas: to wear masks and to maintain social distancing,” Korber said in a statement.
Other mutations often go along with the G614 mutation, but it’s not clear what effect they have. “The earliest sequence we detected that carried all four mutations was sampled in Italy on Feb. 20,” they wrote. “Within days, this haplotype was sampled in many countries in Europe.”
The G614 mutation can be neutralized by convalescent serum — the blood product taken from people who have recovered from a coronavirus infection, Saphire said. Her team tested blood donated by six coronavirus survivors in San Diego.
“We looked to see whether the range of antibodies in the blood of the people was just as effective at neutralizing the new virus as the old virus and it was. It was, in fact, a little better,” she said.
“That was a relief.”
The researchers had worried that if the new mutation made the virus grow faster and to higher levels, it would take more immune system effort to neutralize it. “In these six San Diegans, that wasn’t the case,” Saphire said.
More work is needed, of course, to solidify the findings and to see what the changes mean for the epidemic and for patients, the researchers said.
“There are potential consequences for the vaccines. We are actively investigating those possible consequences,” Montefiore said.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Health | California COVID cases are rising. Here’s why and where health experts are masking And, of course, they’re keeping an eye out for other mutations. “We might have dodged a bullet with this particular mutation, Saphire said. “However, that is not to say that another mutation couldn’t come on top of this one,” she added.
“It would behoove us to remain vigilant.”


mercurynews--2020-07-03--Coronavirus: Surge of jail infections halt murder trial in what may become new normal

SAN JOSE — A spike in COVID-19 infections in a single high-security jail unit has halted an ongoing murder trial for at least two weeks , in what some court observers believe could portend a future in which trials abruptly start and stop because defendants , attorneys or perhaps even judges are exposed to the virus .
Attorneys were notified this week that a trial centered on a December 2016 fatal shooting in San Jose will be on hiatus until at least July 20 , after four inmates in the 5B module of the Santa Clara County Main Jail tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the entire wing being placed on quarantine .
At least one of the three defendants left in the shooting trial is among those quarantined .
“ These are incredibly challenging times for everyone , and everyone is doing their best to do this essential work that is constitutionally mandated , ” said Sylvia Perez-MacDonald , director of the Independent Defense Counsel Office , whose attorneys represent the trial defendants .
“ They are trying to do that fine balance of how to keep and preserve their health and limit the spread of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The sheriff ’ s office confirmed the positive cases , and in a written statement said one inmate was initially symptomatic , prompting testing of the other four inmates in the unit .
That testing revealed that three of the remaining four inmates tested positive for COVID-19 , and that one of them was symptomatic .
The agency declined to specify when the new infections were identified , but based on COVID-19 data from the sheriff ’ s office and the timing of the trial suspension , the cases appear to have surfaced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total of six new COVID-19 cases were recorded in county jails .
A law-enforcement source confirmed that the two symptomatic inmates in 5B were transferred to the infirmary , and that the three other inmates are being isolated in their module .
Four of the unit ’ s inmates had been there for some time ; the fifth had transferred from the Elmwood men ’ s jail .
After recording just a handful of inmate infections in the first two months of Santa Clara County ’ s shelter-in-place orders , jail cases rose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county jails tallied 13 cases between late May and June 13 — since then , the overall count doubled from 19 to 38 .
To date , nearly 2,000 county inmates have been tested for the virus .
As local courts across the state resume holding more hearings and trials after largely shuttering between March and May , officials have to treat COVID-19 cases and exposure in court as an eventuality , said Steven Clark , a criminal-defense attorney and former county prosecutor .
“ The lesson learned is there needs to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason that the court system is going to be immune to an outbreak , ” Clark said .
“ It ’ s not a question of if , but when it happens .
How does the court respond ?
What do we do in a scenario if ( trial ) litigants or the judge becomes ill ?
How do you handle that midstream ?
” This week ’ s murder trial delay wasn ’ t the first instance of COVID-19 disrupting a trial since court proceedings resumed in Santa Clara County in early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francisco 49ers star Dana Stubblefield on a charge he raped a prospective babysitter in 2015 was paused for a week after it was reported to Judge Arthur Bocanegra on June 23 that “ one of the parties in the courtroom has come into contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 , ” according to court minutes .
For jailed defendants , the sheriff ’ s office asserts it has mandated 14-day quarantine periods for new inmates and typically tests them twice before they are moved to general-population settings .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in calling attention to what they describe as the extreme difficulties of adhering to physical distancing advisories in a jail setting and getting adequate sanitation and hygiene supplies .
In late May , a string of COVID-19 cases in the Elmwood minimum-security camp led to the entire unit — nearly 350 inmates — being tested .
And jail officials are in the midst of a legal fight with the county public defender ’ s office , which last month filed a writ of habeas corpus alleging the sheriff ’ s office has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 0 bail schedule by putting arrestees through the jail intake process when they are eligible for release upon their booking .
For its part , the county Superior Court has instituted an array of courtroom measures built on the mandated use of face-masks and social distancing .
That has come to include restructured courtrooms with liberal installations of plexiglas , increased accommodations for video-conferencing , and widely spaced seating .
The volume of prospective jurors called to court at any given time has also been decreased .
But if the past week ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Clark says the public and the court system has to prepare for a lot of , well , trial and error .
“ This is what is happening in society broadly .
The rules keep changing , the health directives keep changing , and the court will have to change with them , ” he said .
“ It ’ s never going to be business as usual until there ’ s no such thing as coronavirus .
It doesn ’ t mean we can ’ t have an effective and fair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different system , and we ’ ll have to make the best of it .
”

SAN JOSE — A spike in COVID-19 infections in a single high-security jail unit has halted an ongoing murder trial for at least two weeks, in what some court observers believe could portend a future in which trials abruptly start and stop because defendants, attorneys or perhaps even judges are exposed to the virus.
Attorneys were notified this week that a trial centered on a December 2016 fatal shooting in San Jose will be on hiatus until at least July 20, after four inmates in the 5B module of the Santa Clara County Main Jail tested positive for the coronavirus, resulting in the entire unit being placed on quarantine. At least one of the three defendants left in the shooting trial is among those quarantined.
“These are incredibly challenging times for everyone, and everyone is doing their best to do this essential work that is constitutionally mandated,” said Sylvia Perez-MacDonald, director of the Independent Defense Counsel Office, whose attorneys represent the trial defendants. “They are trying to do that fine balance of how to keep and preserve their health and limit the spread of this terrible virus while doing their work.”
The sheriff’s office confirmed the positive cases, and in a written statement said one inmate was initially symptomatic, prompting testing of the other four inmates in the unit. That testing revealed that three of the remaining four inmates tested positive for COVID-19, and that one of them was symptomatic.
The agency declined to specify when the new infections were identified, but based on COVID-19 data from the sheriff’s office and the timing of the trial suspension, the cases appear to have surfaced either Tuesday or Wednesday, when a total of six new COVID-19 cases were recorded in county jails.
A law-enforcement source confirmed that the two symptomatic inmates in 5B were transferred to the infirmary, and that the three other inmates are being isolated in their module. Four of the unit’s inmates had been there for some time; the fifth had transferred from the Elmwood men’s jail.
After recording just a handful of inmate infections in the first two months of Santa Clara County’s shelter-in-place orders, jail cases rose sharply in the last month. The county jails tallied 13 cases between late May and June 13 — since then, the overall count doubled from 19 to 38. To date, nearly 2,000 county inmates have been tested for the virus.
As local courts across the state resume holding more hearings and trials after largely shuttering between March and May, officials have to treat COVID-19 cases and exposure in court as an eventuality, said Steven Clark, a criminal-defense attorney and former county prosecutor.
“The lesson learned is there needs to be a Plan B. There is no reason that the court system is going to be immune to an outbreak,” Clark said. “It’s not a question of if, but when it happens. How does the court respond? What do we do in a scenario if (trial) litigants or the judge becomes ill? How do you handle that midstream?”
This week’s murder trial delay wasn’t the first instance of COVID-19 disrupting a trial since court proceedings resumed in Santa Clara County in early June. The trial for former San Francisco 49ers star Dana Stubblefield on a charge he raped a prospective babysitter in 2015 was paused for a week after it was reported to Judge Arthur Bocanegra on June 23 that “one of the parties in the courtroom has come into contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19,” according to court minutes.
For jailed defendants, the sheriff’s office asserts it has mandated 14-day quarantine periods for new inmates and typically tests them twice before they are moved to general-population settings. But inmates and their families have been tireless in calling attention to what they describe as the extreme difficulties of adhering to physical distancing advisories in a jail setting and getting adequate sanitation and hygiene supplies.
In late May, a string of COVID-19 cases in the Elmwood minimum-security camp led to the entire unit — nearly 350 inmates — being tested. And jail officials are in the midst of a legal fight with the county public defender’s office, which last month filed a writ of habeas corpus alleging the sheriff’s office has been violating the purpose of an emergency $0 bail schedule by putting arrestees through the jail intake process when they are eligible for release upon their booking.
For its part, the county Superior Court has instituted an array of courtroom measures built on the mandated use of face-masks and social distancing. That has come to include restructured courtrooms with liberal installations of plexiglas, increased accommodations for video-conferencing, and widely spaced seating. The volume of prospective jurors called to court at any given time has also been decreased.
But if the past week’s coronavirus-fueled court interruptions are any indication, Clark says the public and the court system have to prepare for a lot of, well, trial and error.
“This is what is happening in society broadly. The rules keep changing, the health directives keep changing, and the court will have to change with them,” he said. “It’s never going to be business as usual until there’s no such thing as coronavirus. It doesn’t mean we can’t have an effective and fair system, but it will be a different system, and we’ll have to make the best of it.”


mercurynews--2020-07-03--KNBR parts ways with Bonnie Jill Laflin

KNBR parts ways with Bonnie Jill Laflin

KNBR has dismissed morning-show personality Bonnie-Jill Laflin , ending what turned out to be a short stay at the sports-talk station .
A station source confirmed on Thursday that Laflin was no longer employed by the Cumulus-owned station .
A message to Laflin was not returned .
Born in San Francisco and raised in Concord and Clayton , Laflin joined KNBR in September of 2018 , adding a female voice to the all-male cast of KNBR ’ s “ Murph & Mac ” show ( Brian Murphy and Paul McCaffrey ) .
Last year , she launched a new podcast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pass ” — featuring interviews with sports superstars .
During her time at KNBR , she also had a brief on-screen television gig with NBC Sports Bay Area .
The reason for Laflin ’ s departure was not immediately clear , but it became obvious over her run at KNBR that the station ’ s morning show was a crowded scene — with Adam Copeland also lending his voice to the discussion — and she struggled to gain traction .
In addition , radio stations — like other media outlets — continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Earlier this year , KCBS let go of longtime sports anchors/reporters Joe Salvatore and Bruce Macgowan .
Laflin , 44 , has had an incredibly wide variety of gigs in sports and entertainment , including modeling , acting ( “ Baywatch , ” “ Ally McBeal ” ) , professional cheerleading ( for the Warriors , 49ers and Dallas Cowboys ) , reality TV ( “ Basketball Wives ” ) , broadcasting ( Fox Sports , ESPN ) and much more .
But perhaps her biggest claim to fame is being the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a position she held as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers organization .
In an interview last year with the Bay Area News Group , Laflin spoke of the difficulty of being a woman in a male-dominated sports media scene .
“ It ’ s kind of sad that , even in 2019 , women are still being asked to prove themselves , even though so many of us have shown that we can hang with the big boys , ” she said .
“ And even when a woman is doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear things like : ‘ Oh , she ’ s really good — for a female . '
”

KNBR and morning-show personality Bonnie-Jill Laflin have parted ways, ending what turned out to be short stay at the sports-talk station.
A station source confirmed on Thursday that Laflin was no longer employed by the Cumulus-owned station.
Born in San Francisco and raised in Concord and Clayton, Laflin joined KNBR in September of 2018, adding a female voice to the all-male cast of KNBR’s “Murph & Mac” show (Brian Murphy and Paul McCaffrey). Last year, she launched a new podcast on Westwood One — “The Weekly Pass” — featuring interviews with sports superstars.
During her time at KNBR, she also had a brief on-screen television gig with NBC Sports Bay Area.
The reason for Laflin’s departure was not immediately clear, but her contract was apparently up in September and radio stations — like many media outlets — have been in a cost-cutting mode during tough economic times. Those specializing in sports have had it especially rough during a COVID-19 pandemic in which the games were put on hold. Earlier this year, KCBS let go of longtime sports anchors/reporters Joe Salvatore and Bruce Macgowan.
It was apparent, also, that during her run at KNBR, Laflin struggled to gain traction on the station’s overcrowded morning show, which featured additional contributions from Adam Copeland.
Laflin, 44, has had an incredibly wide variety of gigs in sports and entertainment, including modeling, acting (“Baywatch,” “Ally McBeal”), professional cheerleading (for the Warriors, 49ers and Dallas Cowboys), reality TV (“Basketball Wives”), broadcasting (Fox Sports, ESPN) and much more. But perhaps her biggest claim to fame is being the first female scout in the NBA — a position she held as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers organization.
In an interview last year with the Bay Area News Group, Laflin spoke of the difficulty of being a woman in a male-dominated sports media scene.
“It’s kind of sad that, even in 2019, women are still being asked to prove themselves, even though so many of us have shown that we can hang with the big boys,” she said. “And even when a woman is doing a really great job, you still hear things like: ‘Oh, she’s really good — for a female.'”


mercurynews--2020-07-03--Coronavirus: California at a “make-or-break moment” as it heads into the July 4 weekend

California is heading into the three-day Fourth of July weekend in precisely the position it has been fighting to avoid for more than three months .
The number of coronavirus cases is soaring , with the state setting records for new daily cases twice this week .
Hospitalizations of coronavirus patients have risen 56 % over the past two weeks .
And the state earlier this week recorded its second-deadliest day since the pandemic began .
“ We ’ re at a make-or-break moment , ” said George Rutherford , an epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d have to tolerate a little transmission as things opened back up , but this is way more than anything we thought would happen.
” Fearing holiday crowds and gatherings could make the state ’ s critical situation ever bleaker , state and local officials up and down the California coast — from Los Angeles and Ventura counties to Pebble Beach near Carmel and throughout Monterey County — rushed to close beaches and parking lots .
Even Orange County officials , who earlier in the pandemic refused to shut down their beaches and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order by Gov .
Newsom to temporarily close them in late April — issued a handful of beach and parking lot closures for the weekend .
The University of Southern California announced Thursday it would no longer welcome students onto campus for in-person classes for the fall semester — reversing an earlier decision to bring students back for a hybrid in-person and digital learning model .
And Imperial County , currently faring the worst in California , reinstated its stay-at-home order and closed all non-essential businesses as cases there continue to mount .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gavin Newsom unveiled what he called a “ major public awareness campaign ” encouraging Californians to comply with the order he instituted two weeks ago mandating that Californians wear face coverings in most public settings .
Pointing to the rise in hospitalizations and rate of coronavirus tests returning positive results — a number that rose from 4.6 % to 6.9 % in the last week — he implored Californians to “ consider that one of those stats could be you.
” “ If you think this can ’ t impact you because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I hope to disabuse you of that , ” Newsom said .
Even the Bay Area , the region that was first in the nation to issue stay-at-home orders and where hospitalizations , cases and deaths have remained far lower than Southern California , officials started to sound some alarms Thursday .
San Francisco Public Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax said the city ’ s soaring number of cases in recent weeks was alarming and warned it could be seeing “ early signs of a surge.
” “ It ’ s really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know slow the spread of COVID-19 : this means wearing facial coverings , social distancing , good hygiene measures and staying home if possible , ” Colfax said .
Annual Bay Area Fourth of July parades , celebrations and fireworks shows , including the Fourth of July Waterfront Celebration that typically attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to San Francisco each year , have all been canceled .
Communities instead have moved to virtual celebrations in cities such as Milpitas and Redwood City , a “ porch parade ” in Fremont and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hill .
Santa Cruz County , which usually sees a large uptick in visitors coming together for a day at the beach , cookouts and bonfire gatherings , urged residents and neighboring community members to celebrate from home , noting that a recent uptick in infections there “ came from gatherings of friends or families.
” “ The more we come together , the more COVID-19 spreads , ” Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said in a statement .
“ Let ’ s remember our elders and those who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as other areas of the state were beginning to take further steps of precaution , Santa Clara County — which has long been the most restrictive in the state — announced some reopenings .
Beginning July 13th or when the state gives the green light — whichever comes later — gyms , hair and nail salons may reopen with social distancing and mask requirements , county officials announced Thursday .
Groups of up to 20 people may gather indoors , while groups of up to 60 may gather outside .
Santa Clara County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes acknowledge that the county has been sheltering in place for longer than expected and centers around a “ risk reduction ” model rather than a blanket stay-at-home order .
Even though the county has had the lowest per capita rate of cases of any urban area , she said , cases have begun to tick up .
“ We ’ re at an inflection point , ” Cody said .
“ It ’ s crystal clear that COVID-19 will be with us for a long time , so we need to adapt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeps us all safe and allows us to do some of the things that we miss and cherish and find most meaningful.
” Rutherford , the epidemiologist at UC San Francisco , said he was surprised the county was moving ahead after being placed on a “ watch list ” by the state .
“ Things opened up too soon in Southern California and the Central Valley , and we ’ ve seen the consequences , ” he said .
“ It ’ s time to be more cautious.
” Staff writers Fiona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributed to this story .

California is heading into the three-day Fourth of July weekend in precisely the position it has been fighting to avoid for more than three months.
The number of coronavirus cases is soaring, with the state setting records for new daily cases twice this week. Hospitalizations of coronavirus patients have risen 56% over the past two weeks. And the state earlier this week recorded its second-deadliest day since the pandemic began.
“We’re at a make-or-break moment,” said George Rutherford, an epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco. “We always knew we’d have to tolerate a little transmission as things opened back up, but this is way more than anything we thought would happen.”
Fearing holiday crowds and gatherings could make the state’s critical situation ever bleaker, state and local officials up and down the California coast — from Los Angeles and Ventura counties to Pebble Beach near Carmel and throughout Monterey County — rushed to close beaches and parking lots. Even Orange County officials, who earlier in the pandemic refused to shut down their beaches and unsuccessfully requested that a judge nullify an order by Gov. Newsom to temporarily close them in late April — issued a handful of beach and parking lot closures for the weekend.
The University of Southern California announced Thursday it would no longer welcome students onto campus for in-person classes for the fall semester — reversing an earlier decision to bring students back for a hybrid in-person and digital learning model. And Imperial County, currently faring the worst in California, reinstated its stay-at-home order and closed all non-essential businesses as cases there continue to mount.
During a press briefing Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled what he called a “major public awareness campaign” encouraging Californians to comply with the order he instituted two weeks ago mandating that Californians wear face coverings in most public settings.
Pointing to the rise in hospitalizations and rate of coronavirus tests returning positive results — a number that rose from 4.6% to 6.9% in the last week — he implored Californians to “consider that one of those stats could be you.”
“If you think this can’t impact you because it hasn’t impacted you yet, I hope to disabuse you of that,” Newsom said.
Even the Bay Area, the region that was first in the nation to issue stay-at-home orders and where hospitalizations, cases and deaths have remained far lower than Southern California, officials started to sound some alarms Thursday.
San Francisco Public Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax said the city’s soaring number of cases in recent weeks was alarming and warned it could be seeing “early signs of a surge.”
“It’s really vital people take the steps that we know slow the spread of COVID-19: this means wearing facial coverings, social distancing, good hygiene measures and staying home if possible,” Colfax said.
Annual Bay Area Fourth of July parades, celebrations and fireworks shows, including the Fourth of July Waterfront Celebration that typically attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to San Francisco each year, have all been canceled. Communities instead have moved to virtual celebrations in cities such as Milpitas and Redwood City, a “porch parade” in Fremont and a “10 a.m. cheer” in Pleasant Hill.
Santa Cruz County, which usually sees a large uptick in visitors coming together for a day at the beach, cookouts and bonfire gatherings, urged residents and neighboring community members to celebrate from home, noting that a recent uptick in infections there “came from gatherings of friends or families.”
“The more we come together, the more COVID-19 spreads,” Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said in a statement. “Let’s remember our elders and those who are vulnerable to serious illness.”
But just as other areas of the state were beginning to take further steps of precaution, Santa Clara County — which has long been the most restrictive in the state — announced some reopenings.
Beginning July 13th or when the state gives the green light — whichever comes later — gyms, hair and nail salons may reopen with social distancing and mask requirements, county officials announced Thursday. Groups of up to 20 people may gather indoors, while groups of up to 60 may gather outside.
Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said the changes acknowledge that the county has been sheltering in place for longer than expected and centers around a “risk reduction” model rather than a blanket stay-at-home order. Even though the county has had the lowest per capita rate of cases of any urban area, she said, cases have begun to tick up.
“We’re at an inflection point,” Cody said. “It’s crystal clear that COVID-19 will be with us for a long time, so we need to adapt to a new way of living that keeps us all safe and allows us to do some of the things that we miss and cherish and find most meaningful.”
Rutherford, the epidemiologist at UC San Francisco, said he was surprised the county was moving ahead after being placed on a “watch list” by the state.
“Things opened up too soon in Southern California and the Central Valley, and we’ve seen the consequences,” he said. “It’s time to be more cautious.”
Staff writers Fiona Kelliher, Evan Webeck and Kerry Crowley contributed to this story.


mercurynews--2020-07-03--New Lego sets allow you to channel your inner artist

Lego announced a new line of “ Lego Art ” — a higher-end building set geared towards adult fans .
The line , available for purchase September 1st , will launch with four themes : Andy Warhol ’ s Marilyn Monroe , Marvel Studios Iron Man , Star Wars “ The Sith ” and The Beatles .
The pieces , once they are completed , form beautiful mosaics worthy of permanent display .
“ Reconnect with your creative side , channel your inner artist and create a beautiful art display you ’ ll love .
Give your personal space or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your own version of your favorite pop art , ” the Lego website said of the series .
Each Lego Art canvas set will allow builders to choose one of three or four pieces to create , depending on which set you ’ re building .
Two of them , the Iron Man and Star Wars sets , will offer the builder a chance to create one larger , “ ultimate ” piece if they ’ re feeling up for the challenge and willing to buy extra sets , the company says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ mantra “ Listen-Build-Relax ” , encouraging builders to work on their respective projects while listening to curated “ soundtracks ” ( also referred to as “ Audio Building podcasts ” ) paired with their specific work of art .
Andy Warhol ’ s Marilyn Monroe page , for example , features a preview of “ The Factory ” , an audio piece about Warhol ’ s backstory , his work and how it made its way into Lego Art .
The track fashions this as “ a completely new Lego building experience that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one the most recognized works of the twentieth century.
” For Beatles fans , it ’ s a chance to create lasting pieces of art while reengaging with their favorite albums and songs of all time .
“ Emulate the vibes of the transcendental meditation retreat that inspired ‘ The White Album.
’ Tap into your creativity , surrender to the moment and build at your own pace , tile by tile , ” the site says .
The Iron Man set offers a chance for builders to assemble three different portraits of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sith showcases various faces of “ the dark side ” .
The Lego Art canvas sets themselves are all recommended for builders 18 years of age and older and can range from 2,933 to 3,406 pieces depending on the set .

By Joe Bagliere | CNN
Lego announced a new line of “Lego Art” — a higher-end building set geared towards adult fans.
The line, available for purchase September 1st, will launch with four themes: Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe, Marvel Studios Iron Man, Star Wars “The Sith” and The Beatles.
The pieces, once they are completed, form beautiful mosaics worthy of permanent display.
“Reconnect with your creative side, channel your inner artist and create a beautiful art display you’ll love. Give your personal space or office a touch of the iconic with your own version of your favorite pop art,” the Lego website said of the series.
Each Lego Art canvas set will allow builders to choose one of three or four pieces to create, depending on which set you’re building. Two of them, the Iron Man and Star Wars sets, will offer the builder a chance to create one larger, “ultimate” piece if they’re feeling up for the challenge and willing to buy extra sets, the company says.
The Lego line is showcased alongside the mantra “Listen-Build-Relax”, encouraging builders to work on their respective projects while listening to curated “soundtracks” (also referred to as “Audio Building podcasts”) paired with their specific work of art.
Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe page, for example, features a preview of “The Factory”, an audio piece about Warhol’s backstory, his work and how it made its way into Lego Art. The track fashions this as “a completely new Lego building experience that lets you recreate four different versions of one the most recognized works of the twentieth century.”
For Beatles fans, it’s a chance to create lasting pieces of art while reengaging with their favorite albums and songs of all time.
“Emulate the vibes of the transcendental meditation retreat that inspired ‘The White Album.’ Tap into your creativity, surrender to the moment and build at your own pace, tile by tile,” the site says.
The Iron Man set offers a chance for builders to assemble three different portraits of the superhero. And the Star Wars Sith showcases various faces of “the dark side”.
The Lego Art canvas sets themselves are all recommended for builders 18 years of age and older and can range from 2,933 to 3,406 pieces depending on the set.


mercurynews--2020-07-02--Alameda: Outside investigator to look into Black man’s arrest after dancing in street

ALAMEDA — The city has announced that an independent consultant will investigate the arrest of a Black man who was dancing in the street .
Police officers stopped Mali Watkins , 44 , after a caller told a dispatcher said she was concerned about his mental state because of the way he was physically acting in the street in the 2000 block of Central Avenue .
Watkins told police that he was dancing and exercising , something he did regularly , according to body camera footage from the officers .
When Watkins told officers , who wanted to continue questioning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhood and was leaving , they detained him , forced him to the ground and handcuffed him .
He was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor resisting or obstructing police .
The two main officers involved in the arrest , Officer Harris Smiler and Officer Anthony Buck , have been assigned to administrative leave for the duration of the investigation , according to the city .
The investigation and any report generated from the investigation is confidential under state law , according to the city .
The arrest of Watkins , which nearby residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the scene , came just two days before the death of George Floyd , who died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes .
Floyd ’ s death has prompted demonstrations across the country from people demanding changes in how police interact with people of color , including on June 11 in Alameda , where protesters cited the arrest of Watkins as an example .
Alameda police Chief Paul Rolleri requested an outside investigator , and Alameda City Manager Eric Levitt said he agreed with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Estrada , who will be conducting the investigation , is a partner with Atkinson , Andelson , Loya , Ruud & Romo out of Pasadena and has “ significant experience in conducting outside independent administrative investigations pertaining to police officer activities , which include use-of-force incidents , ” according to a city statement .
He has conducted investigations for the Beverly Hills police and fire departments , Anaheim , the Alhambra Police Department , Colton , the Loma Linda Fire Department and the Fresno Fire Department .
City officials did not say when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The cost of hiring Estrada was not immediately available .
This is a developing story .
Check back for updates .

ALAMEDA — The city has announced that an independent consultant will investigate the arrest of a Black man who was dancing in the street.
Police officers stopped Mali Watkins, 44, after a caller told a dispatcher said she was concerned about his mental state because of the way he was physically acting in the street in the 2000 block of Central Avenue.
Watkins told police that he was dancing and exercising, something he did regularly, according to body camera footage from the officers.
When Watkins told officers, who wanted to continue questioning him, that he lived in the neighborhood and was leaving, they detained him, forced him to the ground and handcuffed him. He was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor resisting or obstructing police.
The two main officers involved in the arrest, Officer Harris Smiler and Officer Anthony Buck, have been assigned to administrative leave for the duration of the investigation, according to the city.
The investigation and any report generated from the investigation is confidential under state law, according to the city.
The arrest of Watkins, which nearby residents witnessed and complained about to the police at the scene, came just two days before the death of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Floyd’s death has prompted demonstrations across the country from people demanding changes in how police interact with people of color, including on June 11 in Alameda, where protesters cited the arrest of Watkins as an example.
Alameda police Chief Paul Rolleri requested an outside investigator, and Alameda City Manager Eric Levitt said he agreed with the call on June 6.
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Ex-Mississippi police officers plead guilty to torturing Black men Crime and Public Safety | Judge rules retrial of ex-Philadelphia officer in 2020 protest actions should be held outside city Attorney Alfonso Estrada, who will be conducting the investigation, is a partner with Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo out of Pasadena and has “significant experience in conducting outside independent administrative investigations pertaining to police officer activities, which include use-of-force incidents,” according to a city statement.
He has conducted investigations for the Beverly Hills police and fire departments, Anaheim, the Alhambra Police Department, Colton, the Loma Linda Fire Department and the Fresno Fire Department.
City officials did not say when they expect the investigation to be completed. The cost of hiring Estrada was not immediately available.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.