mercurynews--2020-01-17--Thousands of Star Wars fans rise early to ride Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland

Star Wars fans rose early to be the first to ride the highly-anticipated new Rise of the Resistance attraction at Disneyland .
Thousands of fans lined up as early as 2 a.m. Friday , Jan. 17 on opening day for the new Star Wars trackless dark ride at the Anaheim theme park .
All of the boarding group passes for the entire day were distributed within 6 minutes , according to Disneyland Guest Relations .
Groups were numbered up to 160 , with those numbered 82 and higher being on “ standby ” status .
Outside the gates of Disneyland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that fell before 3 a.m. By 5 a.m. , the lines to get into Disneyland stretched all the way to the gates of Disney California Adventure .
Around 5:45 a.m. , Disneyland opened the gates and loaded anxious fans onto Main Street U.S.A. to wait for the official 8 a.m. opening of the park .
• See inside Star Wars : Rise of the Resistance before the new ride opens to the public at Disneyland • Is Rise of the Resistance the world ’ s greatest theme park ride ?
• Will Disneyland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems as Disney World ?
• With Rise of the Resistance , Disney reveals the missing piece of its Star Wars land • Disneyland test-and-adjust team fine tunes Rise of the Resistance for first riders in Star Wars : Galaxy ’ s Edge At 8 a.m. , the virtual queue on the Disneyland app is expected to open to allow fans a chance to nab a digital boarding pass to ride Rise of the Resistance later in the day .
Rise of the Resistance enlists recruits to join a battle between the villainous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Along the way , the recruits will be captured aboard a Star Destroyer , break out of a First Order detention cell , elude the clutches of Kylo Ren and escape back to a secret base on the Star Wars planet of Batuu , the setting for the new Galaxy ’ s Edge lands at Disneyland and Disney ’ s Hollywood Studios .

Star Wars fans rose early to be the first to ride the highly-anticipated new Rise of the Resistance attraction at Disneyland.
Thousands of fans lined up as early as midnight Friday, Jan. 17 for the opening day of the new Star Wars trackless dark ride at the Anaheim theme park. All of the boarding group passes for the entire day were distributed within 6 minutes, according to Disneyland Guest Relations.
Erin Herendeen, left, and her family, Harrison Herendeen-Hill, Adam Hill, and Calvin Herendeen-Hill, right, celebrate on Main Street U.S.A as they get a boarding pass for Rise of the Resistance with the Disneyland app in Anaheim, CA, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Chewbacca, R2D2 and Vi, the rebel spy, greet Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge visitors at Rise of the Resistance inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Chewbacca and Vi, the rebel spy, greet Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge visitors at Rise of the Resistance inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Malachi Rodriguez, 5, walks around Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in a custom-made Finn stormtrooper costume on the opening day of Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Visitors to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge reacts as Malachi Rodriguez, 5, uses the force on him on the opening day of Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Star Wars fans gather at Disneyland on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020, in Anaheim, CA, to ride the newly opened Rise of the Resistance inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. (Photo by Brady MacDonald, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crowds fill Main Street U.S.A. before the opening of Rise of the Resistance at In Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Visitors at Disneyland wait inside Main Street Cinema for the park to open on the first day the Rise of the Resistance rise is open to the public in Anaheim, CA, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Visitors at Disneyland wait inside Main Street Cinema for the park to open on the first day the Rise of the Resistance rise is open to the public in Anaheim, CA, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Theresa Bass and her husband, Tim Bass, take a selfie with 50 stormtroopers on a Star Destroyer during Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jadson Santos, 9, reacts as he exits a resistance transport and walks in to a Star Destroyer with the rest of his group from Anaheim’s Project Access during Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jadson Santos, 9, walks pasty 50 stormtroopers on a Star Destroyer with the rest of his group from Anaheim’s Project Access during Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Donald Povieng talks a selfie with 50 stormtroopers on a Star Destroyer during Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Erika Kobayashi talks a selfie with 50 stormtroopers on a Star Destroyer during Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jadson Santos, 9, reacts as he exits a resistance transport and walks in to a Star Destroyer with the rest of his group from Anaheim’s Project Access during Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kylo Ren chases after visitors as doors close on him aboard a Star Destroyer during Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
An R5 droid escorts riders past big guns as a space battle takes place during Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A resistance transport awaits visitors during Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A hologram of Rey greets resistance fighters during Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Riders make their way past AT-ATs during Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Lt. Bek pilots a Resistance transport during Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inside Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kasey Angulo, right, cheers as she and her friends, Nick Knowles, left, Zachary Garcia, center, and Cade Clark get a boarding pass for Rise of the Resistance with the Disneyland app in Anaheim, CA, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jeff Dewitz arrived just after midnight to join 25 other people in line outside Disneyland on Friday morning.
“I’m a giant Star Wars fan,” said Dewitz, 49, of Bakersfield. “I’d wait 8 hours to ride this. I don’t care how long it takes.”
At 8 a.m., the virtual queue on the Disneyland app opened to allow fans a chance to nab digital boarding passes to ride Rise of the Resistance later in the day. Groups were numbered up to 160, with those numbered 82 and higher being on “standby” status.
The attraction broke down at 9:55 a.m., apparently because of the kinds of technical issues that have bedeviled the version of the ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios since it opened there on Dec. 5. Riders were evacuated from the Ready Room after a holographic Rey failed to appear. The Resistance transport ship also appeared to be down.
Chewbacca banged on a GNK power droid in front of Rise of the Resistance to help restore the ride just before visitors were allowed to get back in line after the 50-minute downtime.
The ride went down again around 2:30 p.m. Disneyland cast members told visitors it would likely take 60 to 90 minutes to reopen. At that point, the virtual queue had reached 61 boarding groups with at least 100 more boarding groups to go.
The quick boarding group distribution in the morning left some Disneyland visitors disappointed.
“We arrived at 6am, waited for rope drop, waited for the app to allow boarding group reservations… and the system froze for me for 5 minutes, and bumped me out.” tweeted @mzchellemarie. “We got group 124 and are told we likely won’t be able to ride today.”
At 5 p.m., push notifications were sent to visitors notifying them “standby” boarding groups 115 and above would likely not be able to experience Rise of the Resistance on Friday.
The highly anticipated new attraction had other opening day glitches.
The Kylo Ren audio-animatronic on the Star Destroyer Bridge was not operating. Rebel hero Finn’s instructions to recruits didn’t play in the dark ride load area. Issues with the dark ride vehicle doors not registering as closed slowed down loading. Another Kylo animatronic that uses The Force on ride vehicles was also not working, triggering a “B Mode” employing a nearby Star Destroyer space window.
But most fans didn’t notice and riders cheered at every step of the new 20-minute experience.
Rise of the Resistance cast members, Disney-speak for employees, dived into their roles as First Order officers and Resistance troops.
“Silence!” barked a First Order officer on the Star Destroyer. “No talking.”
“We’re here to rescue you,” said a rebel soldier who freed recruits from a detention cell.
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Ross Padillas arrived at 3 a.m. and stood in the rain to ride Rise of the Resistance. “It was worth it,” said Padillas, 26, of Norwalk. “If you’re a Disney fan you’re going to do it. This is something I would stand in the rain for any day of the week.”
Rise of the Resistance enlists recruits to join a battle between the villainous First Order and the heroic Resistance. Along the way, the recruits will be captured aboard a Star Destroyer, break out of a First Order detention cell, elude the clutches of Kylo Ren and escape back to a secret base on the Star Wars planet of Batuu, the setting for the new Galaxy’s Edge lands at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Despite the morning rush, crowds remained modest by Disneyland standards. By mid-afternoon, the wait time for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run was 35 minutes while the lines for Star Tours and Space Mountain were each 40 minutes.


mercurynews--2020-01-17--Sponsored: How to find your community

Sponsored: How to find your community

Reasons abound for considering new construction when the time comes to make a move .
Some families are bursting at the seams in an older house .
Others want to take advantage of interest rates without taking on a complete remodel .
Many are looking for a fresh start or are adding a new generation to the household .
Still others want to break the cycle of renting without downsizing ; and many simply want more property .
But there ’ s no reason great enough to outweigh the value of community .
That ’ s why builders in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not just houses .
When building on infill in established communities , when expanding existing communities , and when planning decades in advance with city and county municipalities , they know that buyers want much more than beautiful homes .
In Danville , for instance , Abigail Place by Landsea Homes features 17 spacious , single-family homes with three to five bedrooms ranging from 2,954 square feet to 3,443 square feet and surrounded by Danville ’ s small-town charm and close-in location .
In Mountain House , for another example , K. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon .
Meadowview II offers five designs of single-family homes in a master-planned community with new schools and including a community park , paved trailheads , natural preservation areas , and no homeowners association .
Davidon Homes also offers eight distinctly designed , single-story homes in family-friendly Antioch , each offering quality craftsmanship at closer to entry-level pricing for new homes .
Many have outdoor living areas and the community is in close proximity to schools , outdoor recreation , restaurants , and shopping .
There you have it .
But enough about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buyers want to love the lifestyle that comes with a new home .
What is our ideal new community ?
The best ways to make decisions about your ideal community go far beyond the initial drive-through or model home tour .
Here are a few tips to start : 1 .
After narrowing down the general geographic region where you and your family will consider buying , map out the kinds of amenities within a reasonable distance of each community in that region , keeping in mind your daily and weekly lifestyle , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a regular basis .
2 .
Walk the new-home community itself .
Park the car and take a stroll .
Ask the residents you encounter what they like the most about the area .
See what nearby amenities — shopping , schools , parks , etc .
— that you might be able to reach on foot .
3 .
Take your time when touring model homes .
Some new-home communities may have a half-dozen or more models open .
Visit a few on each day , taking pictures and keeping a journal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may cause stimulus overload .
4 .
Let your jaw drop at the untouched beauty and newness of each model , but keep notes and ask questions about what is “ included ” and “ standard ” as well as what is an “ option ” or an “ upgrade.
” 5 .
Ask builders and developers about any homeowners association ( HOA ) and related fees .
Learn about the covenants , conditions and restrictions ( CC & Rs ) .
6 .
Pay a visit to the city planner ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to learn more about what ’ s coming for both the neighborhood that interests you and the town or city as a whole .
Ask about schools , the arts , parks and even commercial development plans .
7 .
Walk the nearby parks , trails and shopping centers in the city and don ’ t be shy .
Ask people what they love about their community and the surrounding areas .
Why did they choose to live there and what did they discover about it since then ?
8 .
After all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you like and take that initial stroll once again .
Expect the exploration to take time .
Think of the new year as a good starting point and don ’ t rush things .
Consider visiting a new community every couple of weeks .
As soon as one or two neighborhoods begin keeping you up at night with fantasies of your new lifestyle , you ’ ll have that answer about your ideal new-home community .

Reasons abound for considering new construction when the time comes to make a move. Some families are bursting at the seams in an older house. Others want to take advantage of interest rates without taking on a complete remodel.
Many are looking for a fresh start or are adding a new generation to the household. Still others want to break the cycle of renting without downsizing; and many simply want more property.
But there’s no reason great enough to outweigh the value of community.
That’s why builders in the Bay Area and beyond are building neighborhoods, not just houses. When building on infill in established communities, when expanding existing communities, and when planning decades in advance with city and county municipalities, they know that buyers want much more than beautiful homes.
In Danville, for instance, Abigail Place by Landsea Homes features 17 spacious, single-family homes with three to five bedrooms ranging from 2,954 square feet to 3,443 square feet and surrounded by Danville’s small-town charm and close-in location.
In Mountain House, for another example, K. Hovnanian Homes is opening its latest community soon. Meadowview II offers five designs of single-family homes in a master-planned community with new schools and including a community park, paved trailheads, natural preservation areas, and no homeowners association.
Davidon Homes also offers eight distinctly designed, single-story homes in family-friendly Antioch, each offering quality craftsmanship at closer to entry-level pricing for new homes. Many have outdoor living areas and the community is in close proximity to schools, outdoor recreation, restaurants, and shopping.
There you have it. But enough about the beautiful houses. Builders know that buyers want to love the lifestyle that comes with a new home.
What is our ideal
new community?
The best ways to make decisions about your ideal community go far beyond the initial drive-through or model home tour. Here are a few tips to start:
1. After narrowing down the general geographic region where you and your family will consider buying, map out the kinds of amenities within a reasonable distance of each community in that region, keeping in mind your daily and weekly lifestyle, and what you need access to on a regular basis.
2. Walk the new-home community itself. Park the car and take a stroll. Ask the residents you encounter what they like the most about the area. See what nearby amenities — shopping, schools, parks, etc. — that you might be able to reach on foot.
3. Take your time when touring model homes. Some new-home communities may have a half-dozen or more models open. Visit a few on each day, taking pictures and keeping a journal. More than a few a day may cause stimulus overload.
4. Let your jaw drop at the untouched beauty and newness of each model, but keep notes and ask questions about what is “included” and “standard” as well as what is an “option” or an “upgrade.”
5. Ask builders and developers about any homeowners association (HOA) and related fees. Learn about the covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs).
6. Pay a visit to the city planner’s office or the parks and recreation office to learn more about what’s coming for both the neighborhood that interests you and the town or city as a whole. Ask about schools, the arts, parks and even commercial development plans.
7. Walk the nearby parks, trails and shopping centers in the city and don’t be shy. Ask people what they love about their community and the surrounding areas. Why did they choose to live there and what did they discover about it since then?
8. After all that, return to the new-home neighborhoods that you like and take that initial stroll once again.
Expect the exploration to take time. Think of the new year as a good starting point and don’t rush things. Consider visiting a new community every couple of weeks. As soon as one or two neighborhoods begin keeping you up at night with fantasies of your new lifestyle, you’ll have that answer about your ideal new-home community.


mercurynews--2020-01-17--The quest to be legendary: Kwon Alexander leads 49ers’ ‘Hot Boyzz’ movement

SANTA CLARA — When Kwon Alexander , sporting a red beanie atop his red-tipped dreadlocks , took the field for the first time Saturday , the fans above the tunnel in the south end zone of Levi ’ s Stadium erupted .
One of them held up a ‘ HOT BOYZZ ’ shirt .
They began to chant the same phrase and Alexander came over to show his love .
He was making an almost miraculous return from a torn pectoral that was expected to keep him out for the rest of the season .
What else was Alexander wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ shirt ?
In the locker room , he ’ s decked out head-to-toe in the swag .
It is , in fact , the name he has helped popularize ( and an homage to rapper Lil ’ Wayne ) .
It ’ s also become a mantra for the entire defense that has begun to take on a life of its own .
“ It really just started with the linebackers at first , ” Alexander said at his locker this week in a ‘ HOT BOYZZ ’ sweatshirt and sweatpants .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our identity .
We found it and it became the whole team.
” All the way back in the summer , before training camp when he was a freshly signed free agent , Alexander and the linebacker group began talking .
We need to have some swagger about us , Alexander told them .
They needed to find an identity .
So , collectively , they came up with the Hot Boyz ( the extra ‘ Z ’ was a later addition ) .
Alexander came up with the name , but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ In the words of my boy Kwon : just being legendary all around , ” rookie linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair said .
“ High energy , running making plays , that ’ s just what we do.
” “ We got some guys that are willing to go out on the field and play like their hair on fire , ” fellow rookie Dre Greenlaw said .
“ We ’ re gon na run to the ball .
We ’ re gon na get it .
To me , it means anytime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hot and somebody can make those plays.
” The 49ers entirely rebuilt their linebacking corps over the past two seasons .
They added Alexander in free agency this offseason and drafted two players that would become immediate factors , Fred Warner ( 2018 out of BYU ) and Dre Greenlaw ( 2019 out of Arkansas ) .
They signed another , Al-Shaair , as an undrafted free agent .
It meant San Francisco would have one of the youngest groups of linebackers in the league ( as well as defenses overall ) — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ ve been a leader my whole life , ” he said .
“ It ain ’ t really like a role for me .
It ’ s just something that ’ s instilled in me.
” Alexander played the first five years of his career with the Buccaneers , but there was nothing like the ‘ HOT BOYZZ ’ in Tampa Bay .
He credits the entire 49ers organization for letting him be himself .
“ Coming here , it ain ’ t hard once you be yourself , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be nobody but myself .
… I ’ m a cool guy .
I know where I ’ m trying to go and who I ’ m trying to be.
” When Alexander returned to the field against the Vikings , it wasn ’ t just a boost for the other 10 men on the field – but all 53 players on the roster .
Even though he only played 39 of the defense ’ s 56 snaps , Kyle Shanahan noted his presence afterward .
So did Nick Bosa and George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atlantic , Al-Shaair watched a lot of Alexander during his time with the Buccaneers .
But nothing compares to sharing a locker room with him .
You understand if he asks you how you ’ re doing , you ’ d better say legendary , ” Al-Shaair said .
“ Sometimes Coach will say ‘ Good job , Azeez ’ , he ’ ll slap me and go , ‘ what , what , legendary job !
’ It ’ s just the mentality that he has .
We feed off that.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identity — Alexander had the original sweatshirts printed up .
He handed them out to his fellow linebackers .
Soon enough , the entire team wanted one .
“ Everybody was like , ‘ Man I want a hoodie too !
’ I was like , we all can be Hot Boyzz , ” Alexander said .
• The Jim Harbaugh grudge that Richard Sherman won ’ t let go • 49ers ’ Garoppolo , Packers ’ Rodgers have more in common than you ’ d think • The 49ers offense has reached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but important thing [ Kurtenbach ] • Video : George Kittle reveals just a bit about letters from dad ahead of 49ers-Packers Sensing an opportunity , Alexander asked his agent , Drew Rosenhaus , to put him in touch with some designers and printers in Los Angeles .
One of the brands Alexander collaborated with , frchs la , is fresh out .
The design Alexander wore Saturday can still be found online .
In his words , he ’ s already moved “ a lot ” of product .
It passes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Stadium .
As for the sweatpants he was wearing at his locker ?
Maybe it ’ s in the next release .
“ A lot of different pieces ain ’ t come out yet , ” Alexander said .
“ We got a lot of stuff going on .
”

SANTA CLARA — When Kwon Alexander, sporting a red beanie atop his red-tipped dreadlocks, took the field for the first time Saturday, the fans above the tunnel in the south end zone of Levi’s Stadium erupted.
One of them held up a ‘HOT BOYZZ’ shirt. They began to chant the same phrase and Alexander came over to show his love. He was making an almost miraculous return from a torn pectoral that was expected to keep him out for the rest of the season.
What else was Alexander wearing other than his own ‘HOT BOYZZ’ shirt? In the locker room, he’s decked out head-to-toe in the swag. It is, in fact, the name he has helped popularize (and an homage to rapper Lil’ Wayne). It’s also become a mantra for the entire defense that has begun to take on a life of its own.
Kwon Alexander going through extensive pregame warmups as he prepares to return from torn pectoral #MINvsSF pic.twitter.com/SuedIO6XPb — Evan Webeck (@EvanWebeck) January 11, 2020
“It really just started with the linebackers at first,” Alexander said at his locker this week in a ‘HOT BOYZZ’ sweatshirt and sweatpants. “We were just trying to find our identity. We found it and it became the whole team.”
All the way back in the summer, before training camp when he was a freshly signed free agent, Alexander and the linebacker group began talking.
We need to have some swagger about us, Alexander told them. They needed to find an identity. So, collectively, they came up with the Hot Boyz (the extra ‘Z’ was a later addition).
Alexander came up with the name, but they all agreed on what it would mean.
“In the words of my boy Kwon: just being legendary all around,” rookie linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair said. “High energy, running making plays, that’s just what we do.”
“We got some guys that are willing to go out on the field and play like their hair on fire,” fellow rookie Dre Greenlaw said. “We’re gonna run to the ball. We’re gonna get it. To me, it means anytime at any moment, somebody can get hot and somebody can make those plays.”
The 49ers entirely rebuilt their linebacking corps over the past two seasons. They added Alexander in free agency this offseason and drafted two players that would become immediate factors, Fred Warner (2018 out of BYU) and Dre Greenlaw (2019 out of Arkansas). They signed another, Al-Shaair, as an undrafted free agent.
It meant San Francisco would have one of the youngest groups of linebackers in the league (as well as defenses overall) — one with no leader in place.
Enter Kwon.
“I’ve been a leader my whole life,” he said. “It ain’t really like a role for me. It’s just something that’s instilled in me.”
Alexander played the first five years of his career with the Buccaneers, but there was nothing like the ‘HOT BOYZZ’ in Tampa Bay.
He credits the entire 49ers organization for letting him be himself.
“Coming here, it ain’t hard once you be yourself,” Alexander said. “I can’t be nobody but myself. … I’m a cool guy. I know where I’m trying to go and who I’m trying to be.”
When Alexander returned to the field against the Vikings, it wasn’t just a boost for the other 10 men on the field – but all 53 players on the roster. Even though he only played 39 of the defense’s 56 snaps, Kyle Shanahan noted his presence afterward. So did Nick Bosa and George Kittle.
Playing college football at Florida Atlantic, Al-Shaair watched a lot of Alexander during his time with the Buccaneers. But nothing compares to sharing a locker room with him.
“You understand if he asks you how you’re doing, you’d better say legendary,” Al-Shaair said. “Sometimes Coach will say ‘Good job, Azeez’, he’ll slap me and go, ‘what, what, legendary job!’ It’s just the mentality that he has. We feed off that.”
Finally settled on a name — an identity — Alexander had the original sweatshirts printed up. He handed them out to his fellow linebackers. Soon enough, the entire team wanted one.
“Everybody was like, ‘Man I want a hoodie too!’ I was like, we all can be Hot Boyzz,” Alexander said.
Sensing an opportunity, Alexander asked his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, to put him in touch with some designers and printers in Los Angeles.
One of the brands Alexander collaborated with, frchs la, is fresh out. The design Alexander wore Saturday can still be found online.
In his words, he’s already moved “a lot” of product. It passes the eye test in the stands at Levi’s Stadium.
As for the sweatpants he was wearing at his locker? Maybe it’s in the next release.
“A lot of different pieces ain’t come out yet,” Alexander said. “We got a lot of stuff going on.”


mercurynews--2020-01-17--Woman killed after driving 5 miles wrong way on Highway 17

CAMPBELL — A woman was killed in a crash early Friday morning after driving the wrong way for at least 5 miles on Interstate 880 , according to California Highway Patrol .
At around 3:21 a.m. , CHP received a call that a Honda Accord was driving southbound in the northbound lanes of I-880 near Coleman Avenue in San Jose , said Officer Ross Lee .
Within a few minutes , another call reported a collision after I-880 turns into Highway 17 , near East Hamilton Avenue in Campbell , involving the same car .
Arriving officers found the Honda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Toyota in the center median , both cars significantly damaged , Lee said .
The Accord had crashed head-on into the Toyota as it drove southbound .
The Accord driver , a woman possibly in her late 20s , was pronounced dead on the scene at about 3:40 a.m. , Lee said .
Meanwhile , the driver of the Toyota was transported to the hospital with significant injuries , including broken bones .
Investigators and members of the coroner ’ s office smelled alcohol in the Accord , Lee said , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a factor in the collision .
It appears the driver may have entered the freeway in the wrong direction at the Highway 101 and I-880 interchange , about a mile before Coleman Avenue .
“ She was going the wrong way for quite a ways — it was a significant distance , ” Lee said .
The incident is the second deadly crash in two days to involve a wrong-way driver in the Bay Area : Early Thursday morning , one man was killed and two people injured on Highway 1 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ southbound lanes at Manor Drive going the wrong direction and collided with a Mercedes SUV traveling in the fast lane .
Since the start of 2019 through early October , when numbers were most recently available , CHP counted 25 wrong-way collisions , 10 of which caused fatalities and 18 of which involved a DUI driver .
A portion of Highway 17 was closed down starting at about 3:45 a.m. as officers cleared the scene .
All lanes had reopened by about 5:30 a.m .

CAMPBELL — A woman was killed in a crash early Friday morning after driving the wrong way for at least 5 miles on Interstate 880, according to California Highway Patrol.
At around 3:21 a.m., CHP received a call that a Honda Accord was driving southbound in the northbound lanes of I-880 near Coleman Avenue in San Jose, said Officer Ross Lee.
Within a few minutes, another call reported a collision after I-880 turns into Highway 17, near East Hamilton Avenue in Campbell, involving the same car.
Arriving officers found the Honda Accord on the right-hand shoulder and a Toyota in the center median, both cars significantly damaged, Lee said. The Accord had crashed head-on into the Toyota as it drove southbound.
The Accord driver, a woman possibly in her late 20s, was pronounced dead on the scene at about 3:40 a.m., Lee said. As of Friday afternoon, her name had not been released. Meanwhile, the driver of the Toyota was transported to the hospital with significant injuries, including broken bones.
Investigators and members of the coroner’s office smelled alcohol in the Accord, Lee said, but it’s not yet confirmed whether that was a factor in the collision.
It appears the driver may have entered the freeway in the wrong direction at the Highway 101 and I-880 interchange, about a mile before Coleman Avenue.
“She was going the wrong way for quite a ways — it was a significant distance,” Lee said.
The incident is the second deadly crash in two days to involve a wrong-way driver in the Bay Area: Early Thursday morning, one man was killed and two people injured on Highway 1 in Pacifica when a Dodge Charger entered the southbound lanes at Manor Drive going the wrong direction and collided with a Mercedes SUV traveling in the fast lane.
Since the start of 2019 through early October, when numbers were most recently available, CHP counted 25 wrong-way collisions, 10 of which caused fatalities and 18 of which involved a DUI driver.
A portion of Highway 17 was closed down starting at about 3:45 a.m. as officers cleared the scene. All lanes had reopened by about 5:30 a.m.


mercurynews--2020-01-17--New insights into monarch butterflies’ mysterious migrations

When winter ’ s chill descends across the nation , two distinct populations of monarch butterflies get the urge to migrate : the eastern insects head to Mexico ; the western insects flock to the California coast .
Emerging research shows that these spectacular migrations are linked by shared genes and behaviors , a finding that buoys hope for the resilience of the iconic species .
“ This old ‘ Berlin Wall ’ model — that these butterflies are two different things , divided by the Rockies – is bankrupt , ” said Robert Pyle , founder of the Xerces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Summit in Carmel last weekend .
It ’ s true that eastern monarchs fly south to Mexico in the winter – but when they reverse course in the spring , not everyone returns to the East .
Some head to Arizona and California .
And not all western monarchs flock to the warm California coast .
Some fly to Arizona and Mexico .
These migratory meetups likely explain another new discovery , revealed through the DNA sequencing of monarchs ’ genomes : the two groups are very similar and likely belong to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monarch might mate with a monarch from Massachusetts and the monarch from Massachusetts goes back and lays eggs in Texas , ” said insect ecologist Chip Taylor , founder and director of education , conservation , and research program Monarch Watch .
Monarchs ’ spectacular long-distance migrations — an aerial dance of orange and black wings that ’ s part marathon , part relay race – have long fascinated scientists , who tag and study them in hopes of better understanding the biological basis of this behavior .
Unlike birds , this migration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arriving at their wintering grounds have never been there before .
Rather , they are the descendents of insects that left months earlier and laid eggs along the way , breeding future generations who follow their own urge to move .
Both western and eastern populations are declining and scientists are scrambling to learn why .
Much of the overwintering habitat has disappeared .
Pesticide use , climate change , fierce storms and drought also take a toll .
In the Bay Area and coastal California , they overwinter in clusters on eucalyptus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fan out to the Central Valley , Sierra Nevada , Washington , Oregon and beyond .
But for reasons no one yet fully knows , our butterflies are worse off than their eastern peers .
Last year , their numbers hit a historic low , a 97 percent decline from the 1980s .
In contrast , eastern numbers were up 144 percent .
This year ’ s census has not yet been released .
This is why connectedness is so important .
It creates hope that any local extinction could be reversed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know some of the eastern ones that go to Mexico sometimes decide to shoot up our way , ” said Connie Masotti of the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History , who has been counting monarchs since 2013 .
Only 800 monarchs were found at Pacific Grove last year .
That ’ s down from 3,000 in 2018 and 17,000 in 2017 .
“ That ’ s a really good thing for the west right now , ” she said .
“ And it keeps a really healthy population by mixing up that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ east-west divide is the basis of government policy .
The U.S. Department of Agriculture forbids the interstate movement of the butterflies across the Rocky Mountains for release into the environment .
While genetically very similar , it ’ s too soon to firmly conclude that the DNA of eastern and western monarchs is identical , or that eastern monarchs could be easily moved to the western U.S. to replicate the migratory phenomenon here , according to Emory University biology professor Jacobus de Roode , who is completing work on a major study of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this analysis of millions of genetic mutations , he said , there is a chance of overlooking tiny portions of the genome that differ .
But there ’ s good evidence that winds can blow butterflies into new habitats , expanding their ranges .
That ’ s what happens to birds , such as warblers , said scientists .
Once there , they mix and mate .
Monarchs ’ have stunning navigational tools , such as a time-compensating circadian clock , a magnetic compass and the ability to detect the angle of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as rivers and canyons , also guide them .
But these are imperfect .
“ If winds push them off course , they have to use local information to get back , ” said Taylor .
“ There ’ s no genetic memory .
And they don ’ t have a brain that can say , ‘ Oh , it ’ s shorter here than it is there.
’ There ’ s no thinking going on here .
It ’ s only responding to the physical factors.
” In fact , the historical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , like many of its humans , are relatively new immigrants , said Pyle .
There ’ s no mention by early Spanish naturalists of monarch clusters , even as they described bobcats , birds and other creatures .
In the 1914 book The Butterfly Trees , the first detailed study of Pacific Grove ’ s monarchs , author Lucia Shepardson wrote that the “ earliest authentic information ” about the region ’ s butterflies was in 1849 .
“ People have always assumed our migration was an ancient phenomena .
But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance , ” said Pyle .
“ If a lot of Mexican monarchs got blown west , they may have occupied California and then western monarchs arose from that.
” Biologists also are discovering other routes that migratory butterflies may take .
For instance , it ’ s possible that some eastern butterflies end up in the desert southwest .
From there , they journey between Mexico and California .
In this newly-discovered eastern , western and Mexican fandango , “ they kind of converge together .
There ’ s a mix .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Gail Morris , coordinator of the Southwest Monarch Study , which has tagged 18,000 butterflies in Arizona , Nevada , New Mexico , Utah , Western Colorado and California ’ s southern deserts .
Some western butterflies avoid California altogether .
Monarchs tagged in Oregon and Washington have been found in Idaho .
A few intrepid insects have even been seen flying across the Continental Divide .
“ Populations are integrated in a way that we never imagined a long time ago , ” said Pyle .
“ Everything we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the eastern United States has to do with everything that happens in the west — and vice versa.
” • Is Atherton home ’ s soiled kitty litter strong enough to repel rats and mice ?
• Watch : California house cat holds off three coyotes at once • Who killed the wolf ?
The mysterious death of OR-59 • After his robust sex life saved his species , he has won his freedom “ As our butterfly populations are linked , ” he said , “ so we should be linked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ save western monarchs : Xerces Society at savewesternmonarchs.org

When winter’s chill descends across the nation, two distinct populations of monarch butterflies get the urge to migrate: the eastern insects head to Mexico; the western insects flock to the California coast.
That’s the age-old dogma. And it’s wrong.
Emerging research shows that these spectacular migrations are linked by shared genes and behaviors, a finding that buoys hope for the resilience of the iconic species.
“This old ‘Berlin Wall’ model — that these butterflies are two different things, divided by the Rockies – is bankrupt,” said Robert Pyle, founder of the Xerces Society, at the first-ever Western Monarch Summit in Carmel last weekend.
It’s true that eastern monarchs fly south to Mexico in the winter – but when they reverse course in the spring, not everyone returns to the East. Some head to Arizona and California.
And not all western monarchs flock to the warm California coast. Some fly to Arizona and Mexico.
These migratory meetups likely explain another new discovery, revealed through the DNA sequencing of monarchs’ genomes: the two groups are very similar and likely belong to a single genetic population.
“A California monarch might mate with a monarch from Massachusetts and the monarch from Massachusetts goes back and lays eggs in Texas,” said insect ecologist Chip Taylor, founder and director of education, conservation, and research program Monarch Watch.
Monarchs’ spectacular long-distance migrations — an aerial dance of orange and black wings that’s part marathon, part relay race – have long fascinated scientists, who tag and study them in hopes of better understanding the biological basis of this behavior.
Unlike birds, this migration is multigenerational. Mysteriously, the insects arriving at their wintering grounds have never been there before. Rather, they are the descendents of insects that left months earlier and laid eggs along the way, breeding future generations who follow their own urge to move.
Both western and eastern populations are declining and scientists are scrambling to learn why. Much of the overwintering habitat has disappeared. Pesticide use, climate change, fierce storms and drought also take a toll. In the Bay Area and coastal California, they overwinter in clusters on eucalyptus trees. In early spring, they fan out to the Central Valley, Sierra Nevada, Washington, Oregon and beyond.
But for reasons no one yet fully knows, our butterflies are worse off than their eastern peers. Last year, their numbers hit a historic low, a 97 percent decline from the 1980s. In contrast, last year’s population of eastern monarchs grew 144 percent from the previous year. This year’s census has not yet been released.
This is why connectedness is so important. It creates hope that any local extinction could be reversed by the introduction of outsiders.
“We know some of the eastern ones that go to Mexico sometimes decide to shoot up our way,” said Connie Masotti of the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, who has been counting monarchs since 2013. Only 800 monarchs were found at Pacific Grove last year. That’s down from 3,000 in 2018 and 17,000 in 2017.
“That’s a really good thing for the west right now,” she said. “And it keeps a really healthy population by mixing up that DNA.”
The traditional notion of an east-west divide is the basis of government policy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture forbids the interstate movement of the butterflies across the Rocky Mountains for release into the environment.
While genetically very similar, it’s too soon to firmly conclude that the DNA of eastern and western monarchs is identical, or that eastern monarchs could be easily moved to the western U.S. to replicate the migratory phenomenon here, according to Emory University biology professor Jacobus de Roode, who is completing work on a major study of the monarchs’ genomes. Even with this analysis of millions of genetic mutations, he said, there is a chance of overlooking tiny portions of the genome that differ.
But there’s good evidence that winds can blow butterflies into new habitats, expanding their ranges. That’s what happens to birds, such as warblers, said scientists. Once there, they mix and mate.
Monarchs’ have stunning navigational tools, such as a time-compensating circadian clock, a magnetic compass and the ability to detect the angle of the sun. Additional environmental cues, such as rivers and canyons, also guide them. But these are imperfect.
“If winds push them off course, they have to use local information to get back,” said Taylor. “There’s no genetic memory. And they don’t have a brain that can say, ‘Oh, it’s shorter here than it is there.’ There’s no thinking going on here. It’s only responding to the physical factors.”
In fact, the historical record suggests that California’s butterflies, like many of its humans, are relatively new immigrants, said Pyle.
There’s no mention by early Spanish naturalists of monarch clusters, even as they described bobcats, birds and other creatures. In the 1914 book The Butterfly Trees, the first detailed study of Pacific Grove’s monarchs, author Lucia Shepardson wrote that the “earliest authentic information” about the region’s butterflies was in 1849.
“People have always assumed our migration was an ancient phenomena. But it may be relatively recent, happening by chance,” said Pyle. “If a lot of Mexican monarchs got blown west, they may have occupied California and then western monarchs arose from that.”
Biologists also are discovering other routes that migratory butterflies may take. For instance, it’s possible that some eastern butterflies end up in the desert southwest. From there, they journey between Mexico and California.
In this newly-discovered eastern, western and Mexican fandango, “they kind of converge together. There’s a mix. They’re going both directions,” said Gail Morris, coordinator of the Southwest Monarch Study, which has tagged 18,000 butterflies in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Western Colorado and California’s southern deserts.
Some western butterflies avoid California altogether. Monarchs tagged in Oregon and Washington have been found in Idaho.
A few intrepid insects have even been seen flying across the Continental Divide.
“Populations are integrated in a way that we never imagined a long time ago,” said Pyle. “Everything we do to protect habitat in Mexico, Canada and the eastern United States has to do with everything that happens in the west — and vice versa.” Related Articles Environment | 13 Canada geese die after landing in La Brea Tar Pits; 2 are recovering
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“As our butterfly populations are linked,” he said, “so we should be linked in our conservation.”
How to help save western monarchs: Xerces Society at savewesternmonarchs.org


mercurynews--2020-01-17--Washington State introduces Nick Rolovich: The Cougars got it right (every bit of it)

It took Washington State just four days to find a coach , then three more to introduce him .
We can not remember a faster coaching search that didn ’ t result in promoting from within .
Moving fast and being smart aren ’ t always the same thing .
In this case , they are .
Seven thoughts on Nick Rolovich in Pullman … 1 ) Washington State ’ s news conference Thursday afternoon was a masterstroke , and not just because of Rolovich himself .
The segments featuring university president Kirk Schulz and athletic director Pat Chun were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humor .
How many presidents wear a hat , much less a camouflage bucket hat ?
How many presidents quote headlines from media reports ?
The Cougars used the opportunity not only to introduce Rolovich but also to market the underlying culture of their athletic program .
Chun and Schulz made a passionate case for what it means to be a Cougar and what the Cougars mean to the Pullman community .
Chun acknowledged Steve Gleason , the former WSU and NFL player who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ( ALS ) and received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his advocacy work .
He also offered congratulations to two Cougars soccer players , Morgan Weaver and Averie Collins , who were picked in the National Women ’ s Soccer League draft .
And all three — Schulz , Chun and Rolovich — had kind words for Mike Leach , who left for Mississippi State last week after eight seasons on the Palouse .
Every school in the Pac-12 should take note of WSU ’ s approach to the introductory news conference , especially with regard to Schulz ’ s participation and messaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it resonates .
2 ) In addition to the overall vibe , we couldn ’ t help but notice the underlying alignment that exists within WSU ’ s org chart .
It ’ s clear that Chun and Schulz are moving in lockstep , both broadly with athletics and specifically with football .
With the model used for the coaching search .
With the hiring of Rolovich , who spent the past four seasons as Hawaii ’ s head coach .
And with the future of the program .
They know what works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly identify and hire his preferred candidate .
On Rolovich as the right fit , Chun noted : “ He has built his career the Coug way : grit , toughness , big heart , divergent thinking .
But most importantly , what struck us is that he has a profound understanding what it means to be a head football coach .
He ’ s a leader of young men .
He ’ s a mentor .
He ’ s teacher.
” 3 ) We believe Rolovich is a smart hire , partly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the Hotline suggested that Rolovich would be a smart hire .
4 ) Washington State used a search firm , Ventura Partners , but it ’ s clear that Chun directed the operation .
Ventura handled back-channel communications and background checks , but it didn ’ t craft the candidate pool .
And that ’ s how it should work , when the athletic director is properly prepared .
“ You can use a search firm , but you better be careful , ’ ’ former Utah athletic director Chris Hill , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told the Hotline this week during a discussion about the art and science behind hiring a football coach .
“ This day and age , the firms have a stable of candidates … But they don ’ t know you , and they aren ’ t going to do in-depth research as to what the person is like .
You can ’ t let them run it.
” As was the case with the WSU basketball search that landed Kyle Smith — that looks pretty good right now — Chun was clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allocated $ 7.25 million to football salaries in 2019 , with about half going to Leach ( based on the figures available in USA Today ’ s salary database ) .
Rolovich reportedly will earn $ 3 million annually , or $ 750,000 less than Leach collected .
That savings , at least the initial savings , likely will be used to offset the logistical costs associated with the coaching change — for instance : moving assistants from Hawaii to Pullman .
Beyond that , any savings will be reinvested in football operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Cougars have relied on dynamic offense ( Dennis Erickson , Mike Price , Leach ) and high-level quarterback play ( Jack Thompson , Drew Bledsoe , Ryan Leaf , Gardner Minshew ) .
Rolovich operates the run-and-shoot , which requires the same roster structure as the Air Raid — both need loads of receivers — and should make for a fairly seamless transition with personnel .
The end result might look different , however : Hawaii had 200 more rushing plays last season than did WSU .
“ The run-pass percentage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I don ’ t care if we run every time .
I don ’ t care if we pass every time .
I want to put it in the end zone .
It ’ s not about style points for me.
” 7 ) Rolovich was honest in his framing of expectations and the state of the program , which has made five consecutive bowl appearances and returns several top playmakers and most of its defense for 2020 .
“ This is not a rebuild , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permits are in place.
” He closed with a nod to Leach .
“ The Pirate left his treasure in Pullman , and the X marks the spot here in Martin Stadium.
” Maintaining their recent level of success won ’ t be easy , especially with the momentum in pace ( to varying degrees ) at Oregon , Oregon State and Cal .
In many ways , Leach was the perfect coach with the perfect system for the Cougars .
But with the Rolovich hire , they gave themselves a chance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will remain free each month ( as will the newsletter ) , but for access to all content , you ’ ll need to subscribe .
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*** Send suggestions , comments and tips ( confidentiality guaranteed ) to pac12hotline @ bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716 *** Pac-12 Hotline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pac-12 Conference , and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference .

It took Washington State just four days to find a coach, then three more to introduce him.
We cannot remember a faster coaching search that didn’t result in promoting from within.
Moving fast and being smart aren’t always the same thing.
In this case, they are.
Seven thoughts on Nick Rolovich in Pullman …
1) Washington State’s news conference Thursday afternoon was a masterstroke, and not just because of Rolovich himself.
The segments featuring university president Kirk Schulz and athletic director Pat Chun were loaded with brand messaging, energy and humor.
How many presidents wear a hat, much less a camouflage bucket hat?
How many presidents quote headlines from media reports?
Schulz did both.
The Cougars used the opportunity not only to introduce Rolovich but also to market the underlying culture of their athletic program.
Chun and Schulz made a passionate case for what it means to be a Cougar and what the Cougars mean to the Pullman community.
Chun acknowledged Steve Gleason, the former WSU and NFL player who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and received a Congressional Gold Medal this week for his advocacy work.
He also offered congratulations to two Cougars soccer players, Morgan Weaver and Averie Collins, who were picked in the National Women’s Soccer League draft.
And all three — Schulz, Chun and Rolovich — had kind words for Mike Leach, who left for Mississippi State last week after eight seasons on the Palouse.
Every school in the Pac-12 should take note of WSU’s approach to the introductory news conference, especially with regard to Schulz’s participation and messaging.
When the president is involved, it resonates.
2) In addition to the overall vibe, we couldn’t help but notice the underlying alignment that exists within WSU’s org chart.
It’s clear that Chun and Schulz are moving in lockstep, both broadly with athletics and specifically with football.
With the model used for the coaching search.
With the hiring of Rolovich, who spent the past four seasons as Hawaii’s head coach.
And with the future of the program.
They know what works for WSU, which allowed Chun to quickly identify and hire his preferred candidate.
On Rolovich as the right fit, Chun noted:
“He has built his career the Coug way: grit, toughness, big heart, divergent thinking. But most importantly, what struck us is that he has a profound understanding what it means to be a head football coach. He’s a leader of young men. He’s a mentor. He’s teacher.”
Divergent thinking and insurgent warfare; football strategy and department culture.
3) We believe Rolovich is a smart hire, partly for the reasons laid out last week when the Hotline suggested that Rolovich would be a smart hire.
4) Washington State used a search firm, Ventura Partners, but it’s clear that Chun directed the operation.
Ventura handled back-channel communications and background checks, but it didn’t craft the candidate pool.
And that’s how it should work, when the athletic director is properly prepared.
“You can use a search firm, but you better be careful,’’ former Utah athletic director Chris Hill, who hired Urban Meyer and Kyle Whittingham, told the Hotline this week during a discussion about the art and science behind hiring a football coach.
“This day and age, the firms have a stable of candidates … But they don’t know you, and they aren’t going to do in-depth research as to what the person is like. You can’t let them run it.”
As was the case with the WSU basketball search that landed Kyle Smith — that looks pretty good right now — Chun was clearly in charge.
5) Washington State allocated $7.25 million to football salaries in 2019, with about half going to Leach (based on the figures available in USA Today’s salary database).
Rolovich reportedly will earn $3 million annually, or $750,000 less than Leach collected.
That savings, at least the initial savings, likely will be used to offset the logistical costs associated with the coaching change — for instance: moving assistants from Hawaii to Pullman.
Beyond that, any savings will be reinvested in football operations.
6) Hiring an offensive-minded coach was essential.
At their best over the decades, the Cougars have relied on dynamic offense (Dennis Erickson, Mike Price, Leach) and high-level quarterback play (Jack Thompson, Drew Bledsoe, Ryan Leaf, Gardner Minshew).
Rolovich operates the run-and-shoot, which requires the same roster structure as the Air Raid — both need loads of receivers — and should make for a fairly seamless transition with personnel.
The end result might look different, however: Hawaii had 200 more rushing plays last season than did WSU.
“The run-pass percentage will be different,” Rolovich said.
“I don’t care if we run every time. I don’t care if we pass every time. I want to put it in the end zone. It’s not about style points for me.”
7) Rolovich was honest in his framing of expectations and the state of the program, which has made five consecutive bowl appearances and returns several top playmakers and most of its defense for 2020.
“This is not a rebuild,” he said. “This is an addition. All the permits are in place.”
He closed with a nod to Leach.
“The Pirate left his treasure in Pullman, and the X marks the spot here in Martin Stadium.”
Maintaining their recent level of success won’t be easy, especially with the momentum in pace (to varying degrees) at Oregon, Oregon State and Cal.
In many ways, Leach was the perfect coach with the perfect system for the Cougars.
But with the Rolovich hire, they gave themselves a chance.
Support the Hotline: Several Hotline articles will remain free each month (as will the newsletter), but for access to all content, you’ll need to subscribe. I’ve secured a rate of $1 per week for a full year or — introductory offer alert! — just 99 cents for the first month, with the option to cancel anytime. Click here. And thanks for your loyalty.
*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716
*** Follow me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline
*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.


mercurynews--2020-01-17--Mom had to pay $600 to see video of what happened on school bus

( CNN ) — A Dallas mother was told by her child ’ s school district that it would cost her $ 600 to see a video of what happened to her 5-year-old daughter on a school bus in November .
Audrey Billings did so , and what she saw left her crushed .
The video of the November 11 incident shows the 5-year-old getting pushed , pulled , poked with a pencil and grabbed around the head by at least two students on the bus over a period of nearly 14 minutes .
The little girl tries to fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bus driver several times and starts crying as she continues to get hit .
The bus driver does not respond on the video , which does not show the entire bus ride .
It is not clear from the video what prompted the children ’ s actions .
Billings told CNN she contacted the school office after her daughter said students were hurting her .
Billings said she spoke to the principal and was given a “ play by play ” of what occurred .
When she asked to see videos from bus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she was told she would need to pay $ 600 for each , to cover the costs of blurring the other children ’ s faces .
Billings said she reluctantly paid for one , and she watched it on Saturday .
She decided then that her daughter would not be riding the bus anymore .
Billings told CNN she wants a major change to the Dallas Independent School District ’ s bullying policy and its procedures for handling bullying incidents .
Dallas ISD spokeswoman Robyn L. Harris said , “ Students were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conduct.
” “ Dallas ISD has taken steps to improve our transportation services to further ensure the safety of students .
The district has provided additional training and monitoring .
We are dedicated to ensuring a safe environment for all students and remain committed to meeting the expectations of our parents and community.
” Harris said in a statement .
Harris said the bus driver was immediately removed from the route .

[vemba-video id=”us/2020/01/17/5-year-old-child-bullied-on-bus-dallas-mh-orig.cnn”]
(CNN) — A Dallas mother was told by her child’s school district that it would cost her $600 to see a video of what happened to her 5-year-old daughter on a school bus in November.
Audrey Billings did so, and what she saw left her crushed.
“I was devastated. I cried,” Billings told CNN on Thursday.
The video of the November 11 incident shows the 5-year-old getting pushed, pulled, poked with a pencil and grabbed around the head by at least two students on the bus over a period of nearly 14 minutes.
The little girl tries to fight back. She calls out to the bus driver several times and starts crying as she continues to get hit.
The bus driver does not respond on the video, which does not show the entire bus ride.
It is not clear from the video what prompted the children’s actions.
Billings told CNN she contacted the school office after her daughter said students were hurting her. Billings said she spoke to the principal and was given a “play by play” of what occurred.
When she asked to see videos from bus rides on multiple days, Billings said, she was told she would need to pay $600 for each, to cover the costs of blurring the other children’s faces.
Billings said she reluctantly paid for one, and she watched it on Saturday.
She decided then that her daughter would not be riding the bus anymore.
Billings told CNN she wants a major change to the Dallas Independent School District’s bullying policy and its procedures for handling bullying incidents.
Dallas ISD spokeswoman Robyn L. Harris said, “Students were disciplined according to the Student Code of Conduct.”
“Dallas ISD has taken steps to improve our transportation services to further ensure the safety of students. The district has provided additional training and monitoring. We are dedicated to ensuring a safe environment for all students and remain committed to meeting the expectations of our parents and community.” Harris said in a statement.
Harris said the bus driver was immediately removed from the route.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


mercurynews--2020-01-17--Joe Biden slams Mark Zuckerberg as ‘a real problem’

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg woke up Friday morning to harsh criticism from Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden , who suggested that Zuckerberg could be held legally liable for his company ’ s policies regarding what can be said in political ads on the Facebook platform .
In an interview with the New York Times , Biden called Zuckerberg “ a real problem ” when he responded to a question about an ad that ran on Facebook last October that said Biden had blackmailed officials in Ukraine in order to stop them from investigating his son , Hunter .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Facebook ’ s ability to influence voters ’ opinions .
“ I ’ ve never been a fan of Facebook , as you probably know , ” Biden said .
“ I ’ ve never been a big Zuckerberg fan.
” Facebook has been the subject of much criticism over its policy of not fact-checking political ads for false statements .
Last week , Facebook said it had no plans to make any major changes to its political ad policy during the current presidential election campaign .
Biden told the Times that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how much influence Facebook has over the messages put in front of voters .
“ I ’ ve been in the view that not only should we be worrying about the ( Facebook ’ s ) concentration of power , ” Biden said .
“ We should be worried about the lack of privacy and them being exempt , which you ’ re not exempt .
[ The Times ] can ’ t write something you know to be false and be exempt from being sued .
But he ( Zuckerberg ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if it can be found that Facebook actually did harm via its political ad policy , he thinks Zuckerberg and his company should face some kind of punishment .
“ He should be submitted to civil liability and his company to civil liability , just like you would be here at The New York Times , ” Biden said .
“ Whether he engaged in something and amounted to collusion that in fact caused harm that would in fact be equal to a criminal offense , that ’ s a different issue.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a request for comment about Biden ’ s statements .
As Facebook stands by its policy on political ads , presidential candidates continue to boost their ad spending on the platform , and Democratic candidates have been spending heavily on Facebook ads aimed specifically at voters in California .
Biden isn ’ t the only politician to come out swinging against Facebook this week .
• Does the naked body belong on Facebook ?
It ’ s complicated • Why the front lines of the 2020 election battle are on Californians ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still tell lies in their online ads • Top Facebook executive : Trump won in 2016 due to ‘ best digital ad campaign ’ ever On Thursday , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Facebook a “ shameful ” company and said that it has become “ accomplices for misleading the American people with money from god-knows where.
” Pelosi , who made her comments at her weekly Capitol Hill press conference , has had a difficult relationship with Facebook after the company last year wouldn ’ t remove a video that had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was slurring her words .

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg woke up Friday morning to harsh criticism from Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, who suggested that Zuckerberg could be held legally liable for his company’s policies regarding what can be said in political ads on the Facebook platform.
In an interview with the New York Times, Biden called Zuckerberg “a real problem” when he responded to a question about an ad that ran on Facebook last October that said Biden had blackmailed officials in Ukraine in order to stop them from investigating his son, Hunter. Biden said the experience only cemented his thoughts about Facebook’s ability to influence voters’ opinions.
“I’ve never been a fan of Facebook, as you probably know,” Biden said. “I’ve never been a big Zuckerberg fan.”
Facebook has been the subject of much criticism over its policy of not fact-checking political ads for false statements. Last week, Facebook said it had no plans to make any major changes to its political ad policy during the current presidential election campaign.
Biden told the Times that Americans have a right to be concerned about how much influence Facebook has over the messages put in front of voters.
“I’ve been in the view that not only should we be worrying about the (Facebook’s) concentration of power,” Biden said. “We should be worried about the lack of privacy and them being exempt, which you’re not exempt. [The Times] can’t write something you know to be false and be exempt from being sued. But he (Zuckerberg) can.”
Biden went on to say that if it can be found that Facebook actually did harm via its political ad policy, he thinks Zuckerberg and his company should face some kind of punishment.
“He should be submitted to civil liability and his company to civil liability, just like you would be here at The New York Times,” Biden said. “Whether he engaged in something and amounted to collusion that in fact caused harm that would in fact be equal to a criminal offense, that’s a different issue.”
A Facebook spokesperson said the company had no comment about Biden’s statements.
As Facebook stands by its policy on political ads, presidential candidates continue to boost their ad spending on the platform, and Democratic candidates have been spending heavily on Facebook ads aimed specifically at voters in California.
Biden isn’t the only politician to come out swinging against Facebook this week.
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Editorial: U.S. techs’ AI pledge provides glimmer of hope for safeguards Politics | Bay Area tech layoffs hit primarily non-tech workers: report On Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Facebook a “shameful” company and said that it has become “accomplices for misleading the American people with money from god-knows where.”
Pelosi, who made her comments at her weekly Capitol Hill press conference, has had a difficult relationship with Facebook after the company last year wouldn’t remove a video that had been altered to make Pelosi sound like she was slurring her words.


mercurynews--2020-01-17--Man shot during Oakland attempted carjacking

OAKLAND — A 30-year-old man was shot Friday morning during an attempted carjacking in the city ’ s Dimond district @ @ @ @ @ shooting happened about 2:29 a.m. in the 3400 block of Dimond Avenue , between MacArthur @ @ @ @ @ Authorities said the man , an Oakland resident , was sitting in his parked SUV @ @ @ @ @ sweatshirts walked up and demanded his money and the vehicle .
When the man tried @ @ @ @ @ shot in the arm , authorities said .
The suspects fled before police arrived .
@ @ @ @ @ a nearby vehicle and was taken to a hospital where he was in stable condition @ @ @ @ @ of Oakland are offering up to $ 7,500 in reward money for information leading to @ @ @ @ @ .
Anyone with information may call police at 510-238-3326 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572 .

OAKLAND — A 30-year-old man was shot Friday morning during an attempted carjacking in the city’s Dimond district, authorities said.
The shooting happened about 2:29 a.m. in the 3400 block of Dimond Avenue, between MacArthur Boulevard and Interstate 580.
Authorities said the man, an Oakland resident, was sitting in his parked SUV when two men wearing hooded sweatshirts walked up and demanded his money and the vehicle.
When the man tried to drive off he was shot in the arm, authorities said. The suspects fled before police arrived. The wounded man crashed into a nearby vehicle and was taken to a hospital where he was in stable condition.
Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $7,500 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the suspects. Anyone with information may call police at 510-238-3326 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572.
Check back for updates.


mercurynews--2020-01-18--Three more members of white supremacist group ‘The Base’ arrested

Three Georgia men allegedly involved in a white supremacist group known as The Base have been arrested , the Floyd County Police Department announced Friday , one day after three other alleged group members were arrested in other parts of the country .
The men — identified as Luke Austin Lane , 21 ; Michael John Helterbrand , 25 ; and Jacob Kaderli , 19 — allegedly had plans to overthrow the government and kill a couple in Bartow County , police said in a news release .
All three face charges of conspiracy to commit murder and participation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police said .
“ The group was involved in recruiting new members online , meeting to discuss strategy and practicing in paramilitary training camps on a 100-acre tract in Silver Creek , ” where the group allegedly had a “ training camp , ” police said , citing their investigation with the FBI .
According to an affidavit , the three allegedly discussed “ the creation of a white ethno-state ” and “ committing acts of violence against minority communities ( including African-Americans and Jewish-Americans ) ” in encrypted online chat rooms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ kill a couple who they believed to be members of Antifa , the affidavit said .
Lane allegedly concocted a plan to carry out with Helterbrand and Kaderli , but they delayed the scheme because Helterbrand had a bad back .
CNN was unable to immediately determine Friday afternoon whether Lane , Helterbrand and Kaderli had attorneys who would comment on their behalves .
Three suspected members arrested in Virginia ahead of pro-gun rally On Thursday , three other alleged members of The Base were arrested in Delaware and Maryland , the FBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration-related offenses .
The men were believed to have been planning to attend a pro-gun rally in Richmond , Virginia , on Monday that ’ s expected to draw a crowd of extremists , according to a law enforcement official .
They were identified as Brian Mark Lemley Jr. , 33 ; William Garfield Bilbrough IV , 19 , and Patrik Jordan Matthews , a 27-year-old Canadian citizen and former combat engineer in the Canadian Army Reserve who was accused of entering the US illegally in August .
In court Thursday afternoon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in custody ahead of a detention hearing next week .
According to the criminal complaint in that case , members of The Base have discussed creating a white ethno-state and attacking African Americans and Jewish people .
Group members have also talked about ways to build bombs and the military-style training camps the group runs , the complaint says .

By Dakin Anbone, Rebekah Riess and Amanda Watts | CNN
Three Georgia men allegedly involved in a white supremacist group known as The Base have been arrested, the Floyd County Police Department announced Friday, one day after three other alleged group members were arrested in other parts of the country.
The men — identified as Luke Austin Lane, 21; Michael John Helterbrand, 25; and Jacob Kaderli, 19 — allegedly had plans to overthrow the government and kill a couple in Bartow County, police said in a news release.
All three face charges of conspiracy to commit murder and participation in a criminal gang, The Base, police said.
“The group was involved in recruiting new members online, meeting to discuss strategy and practicing in paramilitary training camps on a 100-acre tract in Silver Creek,” where the group allegedly had a “training camp,” police said, citing their investigation with the FBI.
According to an affidavit, the three allegedly discussed “the creation of a white ethno-state” and “committing acts of violence against minority communities (including African-Americans and Jewish-Americans)” in encrypted online chat rooms.
The group is suspected of planning to kill a couple who they believed to be members of Antifa, the affidavit said. Lane allegedly concocted a plan to carry out with Helterbrand and Kaderli, but they delayed the scheme because Helterbrand had a bad back.
CNN was unable to immediately determine Friday afternoon whether Lane, Helterbrand and Kaderli had attorneys who would comment on their behalves.
Three suspected members arrested in Virginia ahead of pro-gun rally
On Thursday, three other alleged members of The Base were arrested in Delaware and Maryland, the FBI said. They face multiple firearms and immigration-related offenses.
The men were believed to have been planning to attend a pro-gun rally in Richmond, Virginia, on Monday that’s expected to draw a crowd of extremists, according to a law enforcement official.
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Hair relaxers have been linked to cancer among Black women, litigation says. ‘Nobody cares except us.’ National News | Contra Costa DA attempts to block publicization of new racist texts by Antioch cops They were identified as Brian Mark Lemley Jr., 33; William Garfield Bilbrough IV, 19, and Patrik Jordan Matthews, a 27-year-old Canadian citizen and former combat engineer in the Canadian Army Reserve who was accused of entering the US illegally in August.
In court Thursday afternoon, a federal judge ordered that they remain in custody ahead of a detention hearing next week.
According to the criminal complaint in that case, members of The Base have discussed creating a white ethno-state and attacking African Americans and Jewish people. Group members have also talked about ways to build bombs and the military-style training camps the group runs, the complaint says.


mercurynews--2020-01-18--Driver cited for speeding twice in one day signs tickets with f-bombs

A disgruntled motorist apparently so unhappy with getting pulled over twice for speeding by the California Highway Patrol in the same day that he couldn ’ t just share a few chosen expletives by mouth .
This driver decided to write them down .
It all happened Friday in Contra Costa County , where the CHP said the driver twice was pulled over for doing more than 85 mph .
The CHP issued one of the tickets on eastbound state Highway 24 near the Camino Pablo exit , and the other on westbound Highway 4 between state Highway 160 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a signature on the Highway 24 ticket , the driver signed “ F*** T. ” On the second one , he signed “ F*** police .
Y ’ all are all some b****s. ” The CHP said on a social media post showing the tickets that they “ didn ’ t feel bad , ” but that the driver would have to deal with the tickets in court .
The tickets did not show what times the tickets were issued .
The CHP later pulled the post from social media .
The agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the post was pulled .

A disgruntled motorist apparently so unhappy with getting pulled over twice for speeding by the California Highway Patrol in the same day that he couldn’t just share a few chosen expletives by mouth.
This driver decided to write them down.
It all happened Friday in Contra Costa County, where the CHP said the driver twice was pulled over for doing more than 85 mph. The CHP issued one of the tickets on eastbound state Highway 24 near the Camino Pablo exit, and the other on westbound Highway 4 between state Highway 160 and the Hillcrest Avenue exit.
Upon giving a signature on the Highway 24 ticket, the driver signed “F*** T.” On the second one, he signed “F*** police. Y’all are all some b****s.”
The CHP said on a social media post showing the tickets that they “didn’t feel bad,” but that the driver would have to deal with the tickets in court. The tickets did not show what times the tickets were issued.
The CHP later pulled the post from social media.
The agency did not immediately return messages asking why the post was pulled.
Check back for updates.


mercurynews--2020-01-18--Bay Area man sues Sirius XM claiming he was fired for social media posts about Steve Bannon

A Bay Area man claims in a lawsuit that radio broadcaster Sirius XM fired him for publicly protesting Sirius ’ s hiring of far-right former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon .
Daniel Acosta said in the suit that he worked from 2010 to 2018 as a co-host of sports programs at the San Francisco office of Sirius , which broadcasts online and via satellite .
In 2017 , after Sirius hired Bannon — President Donald Trump ’ s controversial strategist — Acosta posted on social media his opinions about the hiring , the lawsuit said .
Bannon , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border wall with Mexico and argued for reduced immigration to the U.S. , was executive chairman of Breitbart News , which he described as “ the platform for the alt-right.
” The alt-right is a nationalist conservative movement centered on identity politics and popular among white supremacists .
Bannon was brought on as a Sirius host for the “ Breitbart News Daily ” on a conservative station in December 2017 , but Sirius cut him from the air scarcely a month later after he quit Breitbart .
Acosta , of San Francisco , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s hiring created a “ racially hostile work environment.
” Sirius XM did not respond to a request for comment on the suit , which was filed earlier this month in San Francisco County Superior Court .
After Acosta posted on social media his response to Bannon ’ s hiring , he was reprimanded by his supervisor and told to “ stop retweeting negatively about Steve Bannon , ” the suit alleged .
Acosta claimed he was told his contract was not being renewed and he was being terminated from his job because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ stance toward Steve Bannon.
” Acosta also alleged that his status as an Hispanic American played a role in his being denied promotions , paid less than white colleagues , and terminated from his job .

A Bay Area man claims in a lawsuit that radio broadcaster Sirius XM fired him for publicly protesting Sirius’s hiring of far-right former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.
Daniel Acosta said in the suit that he worked from 2010 to 2018 as a co-host of sports programs at the San Francisco office of Sirius, which broadcasts online and via satellite. In 2017, after Sirius hired Bannon — President Donald Trump’s controversial strategist — Acosta posted on social media his opinions about the hiring, the lawsuit said.
Bannon, who supported Trump’s crusade for a border wall with Mexico and argued for reduced immigration to the U.S., was executive chairman of Breitbart News, which he described as “the platform for the alt-right.” The alt-right is a nationalist conservative movement centered on identity politics and popular among white supremacists. Bannon was brought on as a Sirius host for the “Breitbart News Daily” on a conservative station in December 2017, but Sirius cut him from the air scarcely a month later after he quit Breitbart.
Acosta, of San Francisco, alleged in the suit that Bannon’s hiring created a “racially hostile work environment.”
Sirius XM did not respond to a request for comment on the suit, which was filed earlier this month in San Francisco County Superior Court.
After Acosta posted on social media his response to Bannon’s hiring, he was reprimanded by his supervisor and told to “stop retweeting negatively about Steve Bannon,” the suit alleged. Acosta claimed he was told his contract was not being renewed and he was being terminated from his job because he didn’t apologize for his “stance toward Steve Bannon.”
Acosta also alleged that his status as an Hispanic American played a role in his being denied promotions, paid less than white colleagues, and terminated from his job.


mercurynews--2020-01-17--Raheem Mostert embodies the reasons why the 49ers believe in Kyle Shanahan

SANTA CLARA – Raheem Mostert has come a long way since he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2015 .
In 2016 , after bouncing around rosters , practice squads and the waiver wire for a year and a half , his name appeared as a blip on the transactions page .
He signed on to the practice squad of the 49ers , his seventh team in less than two years .
Three seasons on , he ’ s established himself as a special teams maven and , recently , the team ’ s most productive running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came down to finding a coach who believed in him .
“ He actually relates to his players , ” Mostert said of coach Kyle Shanahan .
“ His dad ’ s players always fought for him and it ’ s the same thing here .
Kyle has instilled that in us .
I ’ m gon na fight for you .
I want you to fight for me.
” Mostert ’ s breakout game in the backfield came last season against the Packers , San Francisco ’ s upcoming NFC championship opponent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week prior — and what happened afterward .
The 49ers were hosting the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5 .
Entering the game , Mostert had tallied all of seven rushing attempts in his career .
He had taken one handoff for no gain earlier that season .
Then , on his first handoff against Arizona — his eighth rushing attempt in three-plus seasons — he fumbled .
Patrick Peterson picked it up and returned it 49 yards before quarterback C.J .
Beathard brought him down inside the 49ers ’ red zone .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He didn ’ t tell him to stick to special teams ( though he still plays an important role there as the unit ’ s gunner ) .
Shanahan called Mostert into his office after the game for a heart-to-heart .
“ He said , ‘ Hey look , I ’ m gon na need you to step up .
I ’ m really counting on you , ' ” Mostert remembered Friday in front of his locker .
“ From that point on , I knew he believed in me .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in me , he never would have brought me into his office.
” They had a Monday night game looming against the Packers .
And Mostert delivered , rushing for 87 yards on 12 carries — both trouncing his previous career highs .
“ From that point on , I was just trying to show him that I got his back , ” Mostert said .
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Murray says he could play football , baseball • The quest to be legendary : Kwon Alexander leads 49ers ’ ‘ Hot Boyzz ’ movement • The Jim Harbaugh grudge that Richard Sherman won ’ t let go He finally found a coach that believed in him the way he believed in himself .
He used that self-confidence to go from unheralded recruit to undrafted free agent , all the way to possibly starting the NFC championship game .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , nobody will , ” Mostert said .
“ I never thought I ’ d be in this position .
But it ’ s one of those things where I always had the belief in myself to get here.
” Fast-forward a season and a half , Mostert has been the 49ers ’ most reliable running back down the stretch and into their playoff run .
Although he has yet to start a game in the traditional sense — on the field for the first offensive snap of the game — Shanahan said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks at the depth chart .
“ Usually , in my opinion , the guy who gets the bulk of the carries is the guy we call the starter because we ’ re treating him as the starter , ” Shanahan said last week .
“ If he ’ s not out there the first play , I know no one else calls him the starter because that ’ s what matters , I guess .
”

SANTA CLARA – Raheem Mostert has come a long way since he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2015.
In 2016, after bouncing around rosters, practice squads and the waiver wire for a year and a half, his name appeared as a blip on the transactions page. He signed on to the practice squad of the 49ers, his seventh team in less than two years. Three seasons on, he’s established himself as a special teams maven and, recently, the team’s most productive running back.
For Mostert, it all came down to finding a coach who believed in him.
“He actually relates to his players,” Mostert said of coach Kyle Shanahan. “His dad’s players always fought for him and it’s the same thing here. Kyle has instilled that in us. I’m gonna fight for you. I want you to fight for me.”
Mostert’s breakout game in the backfield came last season against the Packers, San Francisco’s upcoming NFC championship opponent. But Mostert remembers the game the week prior — and what happened afterward.
The 49ers were hosting the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5. Entering the game, Mostert had tallied all of seven rushing attempts in his career. He had taken one handoff for no gain earlier that season.
Then, on his first handoff against Arizona — his eighth rushing attempt in three-plus seasons — he fumbled. Patrick Peterson picked it up and returned it 49 yards before quarterback C.J. Beathard brought him down inside the 49ers’ red zone.
But Shanahan didn’t write off Mostert. He didn’t tell him to stick to special teams (though he still plays an important role there as the unit’s gunner). Shanahan called Mostert into his office after the game for a heart-to-heart.
“He said, ‘Hey look, I’m gonna need you to step up. I’m really counting on you,'” Mostert remembered Friday in front of his locker. “From that point on, I knew he believed in me. Because if he didn’t believe in me, he never would have brought me into his office.”
They had a Monday night game looming against the Packers. And Mostert delivered, rushing for 87 yards on 12 carries — both trouncing his previous career highs.
“From that point on, I was just trying to show him that I got his back,” Mostert said.
He finally found a coach that believed in him the way he believed in himself. He used that self-confidence to go from unheralded recruit to undrafted free agent, all the way to possibly starting the NFC championship game.
“If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody will,” Mostert said. “I never thought I’d be in this position. But it’s one of those things where I always had the belief in myself to get here.”
Fast-forward a season and a half, Mostert has been the 49ers’ most reliable running back down the stretch and into their playoff run. Although he has yet to start a game in the traditional sense — on the field for the first offensive snap of the game — Shanahan said that’s not exactly how he looks at the depth chart.
“Usually, in my opinion, the guy who gets the bulk of the carries is the guy we call the starter because we’re treating him as the starter,” Shanahan said last week. “If he’s not out there the first play, I know no one else calls him the starter because that’s what matters, I guess.”
Mostert joined the 49ers months before Shanahan. He’s been with him the entire way. “4-12? 6-10? That’s hard to overcome,” Mostert said. “Now we’re what, 14-3? That just shows the resiliency that we all have and the belief we all have for the system.”


mercurynews--2020-01-17--Kaiser commits $25 million to help California combat homelessness

Healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente has committed $ 25 million to Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s newly announced fund to combat homelessness in California .
In a Jan. 8 preview of his 2020-21 billion budget proposal , Newsom announced the creation of a $ 750 million California Access to Housing and Services Fund that will focus on prevention and early intervention by paying rent for people who are experiencing homelessness or on the verge of losing housing .
It will support local governments in developing more low-income housing units , while also helping to stabilize board-and-care facilities .
Kaiser Permanente @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and stable housing is “ key to a person ’ s physical , mental and social health.
” Chronic homelessness , he said , has been shown to cut 27 years from the average life span and is associated with communicable diseases such as hepatitis and typhus , increased hospitalizations and frequent readmissions .
“ Our investment in the fund aligns with Kaiser Permanente ’ s overall strategy to preserve affordable housing and prevent displacement of existing residents while addressing the root causes of homelessness in our communities , ” Adams said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Oakland-based healthcare provider said it has invested $ 200 million in support of community health , primarily targeting affordable housing .
Newsom ’ s budget proposal includes an executive order requiring state agencies to take action by Jan. 31 to make state properties and facilities available as increased housing and shelter options .
The action also calls for a supply of 100 camp trailers that can be used as temporary housing – coupled with mobile health and social services clinics – to be deployed across California to communities in need .
Crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assist communities in utilizing state resources .
“ The State of California is treating homelessness as a real emergency – because it is one , ” Newsom said in announcing his plan .
“ Californians are demanding that all levels of government – federal , state and local – do more to get people off the streets and into services – whether that ’ s housing , mental health services , substance abuse treatment or all of the above .
”

Healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente has committed $25 million to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s newly announced fund to combat homelessness in California.
In a Jan. 8 preview of his 2020-21 billion budget proposal, Newsom announced the creation of a $750 million California Access to Housing and Services Fund that will focus on prevention and early intervention by paying rent for people who are experiencing homelessness or on the verge of losing housing.
It will support local governments in developing more low-income housing units, while also helping to stabilize board-and-care facilities.
Kaiser Permanente Chairman and CEO Greg Adams said safe and stable housing is “key to a person’s physical, mental and social health.”
Chronic homelessness, he said, has been shown to cut 27 years from the average life span and is associated with communicable diseases such as hepatitis and typhus, increased hospitalizations and frequent readmissions.
“Our investment in the fund aligns with Kaiser Permanente’s overall strategy to preserve affordable housing and prevent displacement of existing residents while addressing the root causes of homelessness in our communities,” Adams said in a statement.
In recent years, the Oakland-based healthcare provider said it has invested $200 million in support of community health, primarily targeting affordable housing.
Newsom’s budget proposal includes an executive order requiring state agencies to take action by Jan. 31 to make state properties and facilities available as increased housing and shelter options.
The action also calls for a supply of 100 camp trailers that can be used as temporary housing – coupled with mobile health and social services clinics – to be deployed across California to communities in need.
Crisis response teams would likewise be available to assist communities in utilizing state resources.
“The State of California is treating homelessness as a real emergency – because it is one,” Newsom said in announcing his plan. “Californians are demanding that all levels of government – federal, state and local – do more to get people off the streets and into services – whether that’s housing, mental health services, substance abuse treatment or all of the above.”