mercurynews--2020-01-08--Letter: I have no desire to shop or eat in Oakland or SF for this reason

No desire to shop or eat in Oakland or SF What a surprise to see that the murder rate has @ @ @ @ @ Have we been hiding under a rock not to see the utter decay of Oakland @ @ @ @ @ manicured lawns to a city whose only concern , it seems , is with keeping @ @ @ @ @ no desire to shop or eat in Oakland , but that also applies to San @ @ @ @ @ turned into a public toilet rather than Baghdad-by-the-Bay .
• Letter : Does the media @ @ @ @ @ degrees ’ ?
• Letter : Leaders just overpaid administrators of the climate status quo @ @ @ @ @ leave if Oakland takes over house Sad to say we have gone backwards .
Submit @ @ @ @ @ via this form Read more Letters to the Editor

No desire to shop or eat in Oakland or S.F.
Re: “Bay Area homicides 2019: Map and details” (Eastbaytimes.com, Jan. 4):
What a surprise to see that the murder rate has gone up in Oakland.
Have we been hiding under a rock not to see the utter decay of Oakland? From a city with manicured lawns to a city whose only concern, it seems, is with keeping the Raiders.
I have no desire to shop or eat in Oakland, but that also applies to San Francisco, which has also turned into a public toilet rather than Baghdad-by-the-Bay.
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Maryann Sheridan
Walnut Creek
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mercurynews--2020-01-08--Harriette Cole: My husband says we shouldn’t tell our son what we found in his room

DEAR HARRIETTE : My husband went into my son ’ s bedroom to vacuum , and as he was moving things around , he found a box filled with vape pens .
This is the second time we have discovered him with these pens in his possession .
The last time we caught him , we confronted him about how dangerous it is to use these things .
Several people have died from using them .
We know teenagers try things , but this is a health hazard .
My husband suggested that we not mention that he found them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hide his contraband more carefully in the future .
I get that , but I think we need to address this .
I don ’ t know what I would do if my son got sick — or worse — and we didn ’ t say anything .
What do you think ?
DEAR NO MORE VAPING : Your husband has a point .
Perhaps you shouldn ’ t give away the fact that the pens were discovered .
You can still talk to your son about the perils of vaping .
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past , revisit the topic with him .
Ask him if he still vapes .
Remind him of the consequences of doing this .
Tell him you know he is a teen and will try things , but this one really is not worth it .
Reinforce how you feel about other substances so that he is clear about your perspective .
• Harriette Cole : I haven ’ t told my wife I lost my job before Christmas • Harriette Cole : My client has no boundaries • Harriette Cole : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already look so old If you can get your son to talk to you about what he has tried , that would be fantastic .
Some teens talk to their parents .
It might help if you share a few things that you tried as a teen and what impact they had on you .
If you go that route , you have to be honest .
Just make sure you have processed whatever lesson you learned so that you can tell a full story that will reinforce positive behavior for your son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the same accountant for more than 20 years .
He is a good man who has always helped me with the finances .
In recent years , I have noticed that he is slowing down a lot .
He is an older guy .
I wonder if I should be looking for someone to fill his shoes .
I worry that without this support , I will be in trouble .
I don ’ t want to upset him , though .
Should I talk to him about it ?
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
DEAR TIME TO MOVE ON : Does your accountant have any support in his office ?
Check in with him and ask him what he plans to do with his clients when he retires .
Hopefully he has a succession plan in mind .
It ’ s OK to ask him about it .
For now , since you know that he is moving more slowly , you should get your taxes to him as early as possible so that he is not backlogged when he is working on yours .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over in the future , that ’ s great .
If not , you should ask your friends for referrals .
Tell them what you like about your accountant , and ask if they know anyone with similar skills and demeanor .
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS , an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams .
You can send questions to askharriette @ harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication , 1130 Walnut St. , Kansas City , MO 64106 .

DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband went into my son’s bedroom to vacuum, and as he was moving things around, he found a box filled with vape pens. This is the second time we have discovered him with these pens in his possession.
The last time we caught him, we confronted him about how dangerous it is to use these things. Several people have died from using them. We know teenagers try things, but this is a health hazard.
My husband suggested that we not mention that he found them, because it might just make him hide his contraband more carefully in the future. I get that, but I think we need to address this. I don’t know what I would do if my son got sick — or worse — and we didn’t say anything. What do you think?
No More Vaping
DEAR NO MORE VAPING: Your husband has a point. Perhaps you shouldn’t give away the fact that the pens were discovered. You can still talk to your son about the perils of vaping. Since you know that he did it in the past, revisit the topic with him. Ask him if he still vapes. Remind him of the consequences of doing this. Tell him you know he is a teen and will try things, but this one really is not worth it. Reinforce how you feel about other substances so that he is clear about your perspective.
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Harriette Cole: I’m ashamed to tell people I forgave my childhood friend Advice | Harriette Cole: I’ve worked hard, and my poor siblings resent my success If you can get your son to talk to you about what he has tried, that would be fantastic. Some teens talk to their parents.
It might help if you share a few things that you tried as a teen and what impact they had on you. If you go that route, you have to be honest. Just make sure you have processed whatever lesson you learned so that you can tell a full story that will reinforce positive behavior for your son.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I have worked with the same accountant for more than 20 years. He is a good man who has always helped me with the finances. In recent years, I have noticed that he is slowing down a lot. He is an older guy. I wonder if I should be looking for someone to fill his shoes.
I worry that without this support, I will be in trouble. I don’t want to upset him, though. Should I talk to him about it? I’m not quite sure what to do.
Time To Move On
DEAR TIME TO MOVE ON: Does your accountant have any support in his office? Check in with him and ask him what he plans to do with his clients when he retires. Hopefully he has a succession plan in mind. It’s OK to ask him about it.
For now, since you know that he is moving more slowly, you should get your taxes to him as early as possible so that he is not backlogged when he is working on yours. If he has recommendations for who will take over in the future, that’s great. If not, you should ask your friends for referrals. Tell them what you like about your accountant, and ask if they know anyone with similar skills and demeanor.
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.


mercurynews--2020-01-09--Second student joins lawsuit alleging Fuller Seminary discriminates against LGBTQ

Another former Fuller Theological Seminary student has come forward , joining a lawsuit filed in federal court in November , alleging he too was expelled from the Christian school for being in a same-sex marriage .
The suit claims the Pasadena-based seminary violated federal rules barring discrimination against students on the basis of sex .
It asks the court for more than $ 1 million in awards for each of the two plaintiffs , Nathan Brittsan and Joanna Maxon , who are both represented by Portland , Oregon-based lawyer Paul Southwick .
Brittsan approached Southwick after seeing the widespread media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late last year , Southwick said in an interview .
After reviewing records and verifying his statements , Brittsan was added as a second plaintiff .
Since the initial complaint was filed , Fuller has hired the the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty as outside counsel .
The Washington DC-based firm specializes in the defense of religious liberty , having represented such clients as Hobby Lobby and others in Supreme Court battles .
“ This case is about whether religious groups get to decide how to train their religious leaders , free from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daniel Blomberg wrote in a statement emailed to this news group .
“ In 2012 , the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the First Amendment commits these kinds of issues to religious groups to decide , not the courts .
A healthy separation of church and state demands nothing less.
” Because Fuller , the largest interdenominational seminary in the country , accepts federal funding and doesn ’ t have the appropriate religious exemptions , Southwick argues it is subject to the same regulations as nonreligious colleges and universities .
Those regulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for being in a same-sex marriage .
While some religious schools do have exemptions from the regulations , known as Title IX , Fuller is not among them , the suit says .
Southwick believes this lawsuit is the first of its kind and said it could have far-reaching implications for hundreds of other religious colleges and universities who receive government funding .
The initial complaint , filed by Maxon , says she was nearly finished with her graduate degree in 2018 when university administrators learned of her same-sex marriage .
Maxon had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few at the seminary ’ s campus in Texas .
Members of her cohort as well as Fuller professors knew about her marriage for years and were supportive , the lawsuit says .
Maxon was “ lulled into a false sense of security ” by the school ’ s diverse and accepting community of students and teachers , Southwick said .
The same thing happened to Brittsan .
Brittsan was two days from the start of his first quarter when he received an expulsion notice in 2017 .
In the letter , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same-sex marriage after he filed a request to change his last name .
Brittsan hadn ’ t disclosed to the school why he wanted to change his name , and it ’ s unclear how officials learned about his marriage .
He still attended two days of classes at the school ’ s the school ’ s Bay Area campus before administrators told him he would have to successfully appeal the expulsion to continue his studies .
Fuller ’ s community standards statement — which were the basis of both expulsions — doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ although it does define marriage as a “ covenant union between one man and one woman.
” It also prohibits “ homosexual forms of explicit sexual conduct , ” but neither Brittsan nor Maxon were asked if they were engaging in that behavior , the suit says .
During a short appeals process , which the suit alleges took only two weeks instead of the usual 12 , Brittsan alleges he was bullied into withdrawing from the school .
Over that period , Brittsan “ was told by at least three faculty and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LGBTQ affirming , but that they could not publicly say so , ” the suit says .
Another staff member allegedly told Brittsan the school “ had previously operated under unwritten policies regarding homosexuality ” and that Fuller ’ s current policies didn ’ t address the issue , creating confusion for students who were in legal , same-sex marriages , the suit says .
“ What Fuller has created is a community of diverse religious backgrounds , ” Southwick said , where people of all races , genders and sexual orientations attend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what attracts people to a place like Fuller .
It ’ s not a Baptist seminary or a Catholic seminary — it ’ s interdenominational .
“ The Fuller community , in general , is a place where Maxon and Brittsan can thrive , ” he continued .
“ Unfortunately , there are a few administrators … who have taken this hard line action against them.
” According to Blomberg , the Fuller lawyer , the case is “ dangerous for faith-based institutions , ” he said in an interview with Christianity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to accept them , then they would be harmful to religious groups of all backgrounds and particularly minority religious groups that have beliefs that the majority and the surrounding communities might find unpopular .
”

Another former Fuller Theological Seminary student has come forward, joining a lawsuit filed in federal court in November, alleging he too was expelled from the Christian school for being in a same-sex marriage.
The suit claims the Pasadena-based seminary violated federal rules barring discrimination against students on the basis of sex. It asks the court for more than $1 million in awards for each of the two plaintiffs, Nathan Brittsan and Joanna Maxon, who are both represented by Portland, Oregon-based lawyer Paul Southwick.
Brittsan approached Southwick after seeing the widespread media coverage of Maxon’s initial lawsuit late last year, Southwick said in an interview. After reviewing records and verifying his statements, Brittsan was added as a second plaintiff.
Since the initial complaint was filed, Fuller has hired the the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty as outside counsel. The Washington DC-based firm specializes in the defense of religious liberty, having represented such clients as Hobby Lobby and others in Supreme Court battles.
“This case is about whether religious groups get to decide how to train their religious leaders, free from government entanglement,” Becket senior counsel Daniel Blomberg wrote in a statement emailed to this news group. “In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the First Amendment commits these kinds of issues to religious groups to decide, not the courts. A healthy separation of church and state demands nothing less.”
Southwick disagrees.
Because Fuller, the largest interdenominational seminary in the country, accepts federal funding and doesn’t have the appropriate religious exemptions, Southwick argues it is subject to the same regulations as nonreligious colleges and universities. Those regulations would bar the schools from expelling someone for being in a same-sex marriage.
While some religious schools do have exemptions from the regulations, known as Title IX, Fuller is not among them, the suit says.
Southwick believes this lawsuit is the first of its kind and said it could have far-reaching implications for hundreds of other religious colleges and universities who receive government funding.
The initial complaint, filed by Maxon, says she was nearly finished with her graduate degree in 2018 when university administrators learned of her same-sex marriage. Maxon had mostly taken online courses, plus a few at the seminary’s campus in Texas. Members of her cohort as well as Fuller professors knew about her marriage for years and were supportive, the lawsuit says.
Maxon was “lulled into a false sense of security” by the school’s diverse and accepting community of students and teachers, Southwick said. The same thing happened to Brittsan.
Brittsan was two days from the start of his first quarter when he received an expulsion notice in 2017. In the letter, a dean said administrators found out about his same-sex marriage after he filed a request to change his last name. Brittsan hadn’t disclosed to the school why he wanted to change his name, and it’s unclear how officials learned about his marriage.
He still attended two days of classes at the school’s the school’s Bay Area campus before administrators told him he would have to successfully appeal the expulsion to continue his studies.
Fuller’s community standards statement — which were the basis of both expulsions — doesn’t explicitly bar homosexual relationships, although it does define marriage as a “covenant union between one man and one woman.”
It also prohibits “homosexual forms of explicit sexual conduct,” but neither Brittsan nor Maxon were asked if they were engaging in that behavior, the suit says.
During a short appeals process, which the suit alleges took only two weeks instead of the usual 12, Brittsan alleges he was bullied into withdrawing from the school.
Over that period, Brittsan “was told by at least three faculty and administrators from Fuller that they were personally LGBTQ affirming, but that they could not publicly say so,” the suit says.
Another staff member allegedly told Brittsan the school “had previously operated under unwritten policies regarding homosexuality” and that Fuller’s current policies didn’t address the issue, creating confusion for students who were in legal, same-sex marriages, the suit says.
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“The Fuller community, in general, is a place where Maxon and Brittsan can thrive,” he continued. “Unfortunately, there are a few administrators … who have taken this hard line action against them.”
According to Blomberg, the Fuller lawyer, the case is “dangerous for faith-based institutions,” he said in an interview with Christianity Today. “If the court was to accept them, then they would be harmful to religious groups of all backgrounds and particularly minority religious groups that have beliefs that the majority and the surrounding communities might find unpopular.”


mercurynews--2020-01-08--Report: Logan Couture out long term with fractured ankle

SAN JOSE — The Sharks will reportedly be without captain Logan Couture for several weeks , delivering a potentially crippling blow to the team ’ s playoff hopes for this season .
Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic tweeted Wednesday afternoon that Couture may have a fractured left ankle and that he could be out at “ least six weeks.
” Couture was injured in the second period of the Sharks ’ 3-2 loss to St. Louis on Tuesday after an awkward collision with Blues defenseman Vince Dunn .
He left the game immediately and was in a walking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interim coach Bob Boughner .
Boughner added Tuesday night that he believed X-rays on Couture were negative .
Couture flew back to San Jose with the Sharks late Tuesday evening and was expected to be reevaluated Wednesday .
The Sharks are not expected to provide an official medical update on Couture until Thursday morning .
The Sharks host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday evening , their first game back after they went 2-2-1 on a five-game road trip that left them with a 19-22-4 overall record .
The Sharks entered Wednesday in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13th place in the Western Conference with 42 points .
Both the Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks came into Wednesday tied for the Western Conference ’ s second wild card spot with 50 points .
Couture leads the Sharks this season with 36 points in 45 games .
Last week , he was selected to be a part of the Pacific Division team for the NHL All-Star Game later this month in St. Louis .
Couture has had a severe lower leg injury before .
In Oct. 2015 , Couture suffered a fractured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team practice in Newark , N.J .
He had surgery to have pins inserted and missed roughly eight weeks .

SAN JOSE — The Sharks will reportedly be without injured captain Logan Couture for several weeks, delivering a potentially crippling blow to the team’s already fading playoff hopes for this season.
Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic tweeted Wednesday afternoon that Couture may have a fractured left ankle and that he could be out at “least six weeks.”
Couture was injured in the second period of the Sharks’ 3-2 loss to St. Louis on Tuesday after an awkward collision with Blues defenseman Vince Dunn. He left the game immediately and was in a walking boot after the game, according to interim coach Bob Boughner.
Boughner added Tuesday night that he believed X-rays on Couture were negative. Couture flew back to San Jose with the Sharks late Tuesday evening and was expected to be reevaluated Wednesday.
Sharks general manager Doug Wilson could not immediately be reached for comment and the team may not provide an official medical update on Couture until Thursday morning.
The Sharks host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday evening, their first game back after they went 2-2-1 on a five-game road trip that left them with a 19-22-4 overall record.
The Sharks entered Wednesday in sixth place in the Pacific Division and 13th place in the Western Conference with 42 points. Both the Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks came into Wednesday tied for the Western Conference’s second wild card spot with 50 points.
A six-to-eight week absence means that Couture would likely not return to play until late February or early March. The Sharks have seven games remaining this month and play 13 games in February.
The Sharks have made the playoffs in 14 of the last 15 seasons, missing the postseason only in 2015.
Couture, 30, has 548 points in 708 career NHL regular season games and leads the Sharks this season with 36 points in 45 games. Last week, he was selected to be a part of the Pacific Division team for the NHL All-Star Game later this month in St. Louis.
The Sharks’ next leading scorer this season is center Tomas Hertl with 33 points, followed by Evander Kane and Erik Karlsson with 32 points each.
Couture has had a severe lower leg injury before. In Oct. 2015, Couture suffered a fractured fibula at his right ankle in a team practice in Newark, N.J. He had surgery to have pins inserted in his ankle and missed roughly eight weeks.


mercurynews--2020-01-08--Michelle Pfeiffer Sells $9 Million L.A. Home to Astros Owner

Michelle Pfeiffer is officially cashing in that trademark white gold , as Bruno Mars might say .
Just days after she and her longtime husband — TV producer David E. Kelley — quietly sold their $ 22 million Silicon Valley estate to an anonymous tech tycoon , records show the couple also unloaded one of their two L.A. homes in another off-market deal .
Click here if viewing from a mobile device .
The house in question , a spacious but otherwise fairly ordinary structure set on one of Pacific Palisades ’ poshest streets , fetched $ 9.1 million , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million Pfeiffer and Kelley paid just over three years ago .
While it ’ s unclear what interior alterations the pair initiated , recent aerial images indicates few — if any — changes were made to the property ’ s exterior , suggesting they raked in an easy $ 950,000 profit ( before taxes , maintenance and hefty realtor fees . )
Records also reveal the all-cash buyer happens to be Pfeiffer ’ s neighbor : Texas-based businessman Jim Crane , owner of the Houston Astros .
Since 2010 , Crane and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next door , upon which they recently completed construction of a Y-shaped custom mansion with a faintly ominous stone-block façade .
Pfeiffer ’ s just-sold home was built in 1949 in an architecturally ambiguous style , has about 3,200 square feet of interior space and sports an attached converted garage that now functions as a guest studio .
There ’ s a skylit kitchen with high-end stainless appliances , a great room with hardwood floors and floor-to-ceiling windows , and a master suite with a wee private balcony and ocean views .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an irregularly-shaped pool and wide patio with a sunken firepit .
Out front , a wall of enormous hedge plants — they ’ re taller than most surrounding trees , actually — and a driveway gate shield much of the house and the .45-acre lot from public view .
For whatever reason , Pfeiffer and Kelley seem to be in fire-sale property mode at the moment : their other Palisades house — located immediately next door to the one they just sold — is currently for sale with an $ 8.35 million ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a titanic 340-acre spread up in Canada ’ s remote British Columbian wilderness , is also available with a $ 28.8 million pricetag .
As for Crane , he also maintains a small fleet of pricey properties that include a mansion in Houston , naturally , and a just-purchased $ 18 million estate in Pebble Beach , Calif.
He ’ s also got a second home elsewhere in Pebble Beach that ’ s currently offered with a $ 24.9 million asking price .

James McClain
Michelle Pfeiffer is officially cashing in that trademark white gold, as Bruno Mars might say. Just days after she and her longtime husband — TV producer David E. Kelley — quietly sold their $22 million Silicon Valley estate to an anonymous tech tycoon, records show the couple also unloaded one of their two L.A. homes in another off-market deal.
Click here if viewing from a mobile device.
The house in question, a spacious but otherwise fairly ordinary structure set on one of Pacific Palisades’ poshest streets, fetched $9.1 million, a sizable jump from the $8.15 million Pfeiffer and Kelley paid just over three years ago. While it’s unclear what interior alterations the pair initiated, recent aerial images indicates few — if any — changes were made to the property’s exterior, suggesting they raked in an easy $950,000 profit (before taxes, maintenance and hefty realtor fees.)
Records also reveal the all-cash buyer happens to be Pfeiffer’s neighbor: Texas-based businessman Jim Crane, owner of the Houston Astros. Since 2010, Crane and his family have owned the .73-acre property immediately next door, upon which they recently completed construction of a Y-shaped custom mansion with a faintly ominous stone-block façade. Related Articles Home and Garden | Photos: Michelle Pfeiffer and David E. Kelley sell Woodside mansion for $22 million
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Pfeiffer’s just-sold home was built in 1949 in an architecturally ambiguous style, has about 3,200 square feet of interior space and sports an attached converted garage that now functions as a guest studio. There’s a skylit kitchen with high-end stainless appliances, a great room with hardwood floors and floor-to-ceiling windows, and a master suite with a wee private balcony and ocean views. The sloped backyard features a grassy lawn, an irregularly-shaped pool and wide patio with a sunken firepit.
Out front, a wall of enormous hedge plants — they’re taller than most surrounding trees, actually — and a driveway gate shield much of the house and the .45-acre lot from public view.
For whatever reason, Pfeiffer and Kelley seem to be in fire-sale property mode at the moment: their other Palisades house — located immediately next door to the one they just sold — is currently for sale with an $8.35 million ask. And their only other known home, a titanic 340-acre spread up in Canada’s remote British Columbian wilderness, is also available with a $28.8 million pricetag.
As for Crane, he also maintains a small fleet of pricey properties that include a mansion in Houston, naturally, and a just-purchased $18 million estate in Pebble Beach, Calif. He’s also got a second home elsewhere in Pebble Beach that’s currently offered with a $24.9 million asking price.


mercurynews--2020-01-08--Vikings’ Adam Thielen injured in practice, no word on status vs. 49ers

It ’ s been a rough week to be a star receiver for the Vikings .
With speedster Stefon Diggs already missing time with an illness , his counterpart Adam Thielen suffered an ankle injury during Wednesday ’ s practice .
There ’ s been no immediate word on the severity of Thielen ’ s injury or how it would affect his availability for the Vikings ’ Divisional Round playoff game against the 49ers on Saturday .
The two-time Pro Bowl receiver Thielen had finally seemed healthy this past weekend when he grabbed seven passes for 129 yards , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overtime , a 43-yard grab that set up the game-winning touchdown in a 26-20 Minnesota win .
Thielen , who suffered a hamstring injury in Week 7 that he re-aggravated in Week 9 , had missed a total of six games and seemed limited when he returned on Dec. 15 .
He had just 10 catches for 109 in his last five games before Sunday ’ s breakout game in New Orleans .
Even though Diggs has sat out practice with an undisclosed illness , the Vikings do not consider it severe enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • 49ers ’ Richard Sherman on lack of minority hires in NFL : ‘ it ’ s not changing ’ • SF East : New Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy eyeing former 49ers for assistant posts ?
• The Vikings shut down tight ends , but have they faced one like this ?
• 49ers ’ first Super Bowl champions see themselves in 2019 team “ No , he ’ s sick , ” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said , according to ESPN .
“ He ’ ll be fine.
” When healthy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receiving tandem for quarterback Kirk Cousins .
Should either Thielen or Diggs be limited in any way on Saturday , the Vikings will turn to their backup receivers , seventh-round pick Olabisi Johnson ( 31 catches , 294 yards and three touchdowns ) and Laquon Treadwell ( nine catches , 184 yards , one TD ) .

It’s been a rough week to be a star receiver for the Vikings. With speedster Stefon Diggs already missing time with an illness, his counterpart Adam Thielen suffered an ankle injury during Wednesday’s practice.
There’s been no immediate word on the severity of Thielen’s injury or how it would affect his availability for the Vikings’ Divisional Round playoff game against the 49ers on Saturday.
The two-time Pro Bowl receiver Thielen had finally seemed healthy this past weekend when he grabbed seven passes for 129 yards, including the game’s biggest play in overtime, a 43-yard grab that set up the game-winning touchdown in a 26-20 Minnesota win.
Thielen, who suffered a hamstring injury in Week 7 that he re-aggravated in Week 9, had missed a total of six games and seemed limited when he returned on Dec. 15. He had just 10 catches for 109 in his last five games before Sunday’s breakout game in New Orleans.
Even though Diggs has sat out practice with an undisclosed illness, the Vikings do not consider it severe enough to affect his playing status Saturday.
“No, he’s sick,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said, according to ESPN. “He’ll be fine.”
When healthy, Diggs and Thielen have formed quite a receiving tandem for quarterback Kirk Cousins. Should either Thielen or Diggs be limited in any way on Saturday, the Vikings will turn to their backup receivers, seventh-round pick Olabisi Johnson (31 catches, 294 yards and three touchdowns) and Laquon Treadwell (nine catches, 184 yards, one TD).


mercurynews--2020-01-08--49ers’ Richard Sherman on lack of minority hires in NFL: ‘It’s not changing’

SANTA CLARA — With a Divisional Round matchup against the Minnesota Vikings looming on Saturday , San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh isn ’ t ready to discuss his recent interview for the head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns .
Cornerback Richard Sherman , however , is willing to speak on the matter .
“ I 100 percent believe he ’ s deserving of a head coaching job , ” Sherman said Wednesday .
“ He ’ s done a great job and can manage the room really well .
He has a great way of relating to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of the five NFL teams that have hired or will hire a head coach this offseason , the Browns are the only team that interviewed Saleh , an Arab-American with experience coaching in Houston , Seattle and Jacksonville .
The 49ers ’ defensive coordinator has been instrumental in the team ’ s turnaround from posting a 4-12 record in 2018 to finishing 13-3 and securing the No .
1 seed in the NFC this year , but his efforts didn ’ t pique the interests of Dallas , New York , Washington or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diversity issue in hiring coaches that NFL owners are unwilling to address .
“ Every now and then there will be owners that go out of the norm and hire some coaches but I think it ’ s unfortunate because there ’ s a lot of very qualified coaches of color and female coaches that deserve a job and deserve to get opportunities to be head coaches , ” Sherman said .
A year after four African-American head coaches lost their jobs , only one of the five teams with a vacancy this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tabbed Ron Rivera , a Latin-American , as its next head coach , but only after Rivera lost was fired from his position with the Carolina Panthers .
The Cowboys hired former Packers coach Mike McCarthy and the Giants surprised New York with the hiring of 38-year-old Patriots assistant Joe Judge , but Saleh is one of the few minority candidates who appears to be receiving serious consideration this offseason .
Sherman said the Rooney Rule , a policy established in 2003 requiring teams to interview at least one minority candidate for head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , isn ’ t effective .
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• 49ers ’ first Super Bowl champions see themselves in 2019 team “ The owners still look a certain way , they still come from a very old background , so it ’ s going to be this way until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ No matter how much people say about it , oh , ‘ Rooney Rule , you ’ ve got to interview these guys , ’ the coaches will still look a certain way for the most part.
” Sherman cited Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and former Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith as two deserving African-American candidates who are due more consideration for positions .
“ Those guys aren ’ t even getting a look and the ones that are getting a look are just getting it so they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Sherman said .
Bienemy is one of several minority candidates who has been snubbed by NFL teams this offseason .
Jim Caldwell , a former Colts and Lions head coach with a 62-50 career record , hasn ’ t been rumored to be in consideration for a job despite once winning 11 games with the Detroit Lions .
While Saleh has the respect of everyone in the building at 49ers ’ head quarters in Santa Clara , he also faces an uphill battle if he hopes to be the second minority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offseason .
Of the seven candidates reportedly in consideration in Cleveland , Saleh is the only one with a background coaching defense .
Until NFL owners stop prioritizing former head coaches in the coaching process , Sherman doesn ’ t see much changing .
“ At the end of the day it doesn ’ t matter how much you talk about it because it ’ s not changing , ” Sherman said .
“ The people who could change it make billions and billions of dollars and they could care less .
”

SANTA CLARA — With a Divisional Round matchup against the Minnesota Vikings looming on Saturday, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh isn’t ready to discuss his recent interview for the head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns.
Cornerback Richard Sherman, however, is willing to speak on the matter.
“I 100 percent believe he’s deserving of a head coaching job,” Sherman said Wednesday. “He’s done a great job and can manage the room really well. He has a great way of relating to his players and holding them accountable.”
Of the five NFL teams that have hired or will hire a head coach this offseason, the Browns are the only team that interviewed Saleh, an Arab-American with experience coaching in Houston, Seattle and Jacksonville.
The 49ers’ defensive coordinator has been instrumental in the team’s turnaround from posting a 4-12 record in 2018 to finishing 13-3 and securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC this year, but his efforts didn’t pique the interests of Dallas, New York, Washington or Carolina.
Sherman points to a league-wide diversity issue in hiring coaches that NFL owners are unwilling to address.
“Every now and then there will be owners that go out of the norm and hire some coaches but I think it’s unfortunate because there’s a lot of very qualified coaches of color and female coaches that deserve a job and deserve to get opportunities to be head coaches,” Sherman said.
A year after four African-American head coaches lost their jobs, only one of the five teams with a vacancy this offseason has hired a minority. Washington tabbed Ron Rivera, a Latin-American, as its next head coach, but only after Rivera lost was fired from his position with the Carolina Panthers.
The Cowboys hired former Packers coach Mike McCarthy and the Giants surprised New York with the hiring of 38-year-old Patriots assistant Joe Judge, but Saleh is one of the few minority candidates who appears to be receiving serious consideration this offseason.
Sherman said the Rooney Rule, a policy established in 2003 requiring teams to interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching jobs and senior football operations positions, isn’t effective.
“The owners still look a certain way, they still come from a very old background, so it’s going to be this way until things change,” Sherman said. “No matter how much people say about it, oh, ‘Rooney Rule, you’ve got to interview these guys,’ the coaches will still look a certain way for the most part.”
Sherman cited Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and former Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith as two deserving African-American candidates who are due more consideration for positions.
“Those guys aren’t even getting a look and the ones that are getting a look are just getting it so they can check the Rooney Rule box off,” Sherman said.
Bienemy is one of several minority candidates who has been snubbed by NFL teams this offseason. Jim Caldwell, a former Colts and Lions head coach with a 62-50 career record, hasn’t been rumored to be in consideration for a job despite once winning 11 games with the Detroit Lions.
While Saleh has the respect of everyone in the building at 49ers’ head quarters in Santa Clara, he also faces an uphill battle if he hopes to be the second minority to land a head coaching job this offseason. Of the seven candidates reportedly in consideration in Cleveland, Saleh is the only one with a background coaching defense.
Until NFL owners stop prioritizing former head coaches in the coaching process, Sherman doesn’t see much changing.
“At the end of the day it doesn’t matter how much you talk about it because it’s not changing,” Sherman said. “The people who could change it make billions and billions of dollars and they could care less.”


mercurynews--2020-01-08--Macy’s to close at Antioch mall almost 16 years after opening

Nearly 16 years after Macy ’ s opened a store at Antioch ’ s Somersville Towne Center , the company has announced it will close its doors there .
The announcement of the store closure comes only a few months after another of the mall ’ s longtime anchor tenants , Sears , shuttered .
The only major anchor tenant remaining is Fallas , on the southern wing of the shopping center .
The Antioch location is the only California one on a list of more than two dozen in several states that will be closed amid declining sales .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed a sales decline of 3.9 % at stores open for at least a year .
Macy ’ s CEO Jeff Gennette said the lower sales were “ steeper than we expected.
” He told CNN that warm weather , fewer tourists shopping in stores and problems at lower-tier malls .
Shares of Macy ’ s have lost roughly 40 % over the past year .
A full list of closures is expect at Macy ’ s upcoming investor day on Feb. 5 .
No exact closure date was confirmed for the Antioch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely be in March or April .
Macy ’ s opened at the Antioch mall in July of 2004 , replacing JCPenney , which had anchored the northeastern wing of the shopping center , and later moved to Southeast Antioch .
Although at 107,142 square feet , it was about half the size of other Macy ’ s stores , it was hailed as an option for upscale fashion previously unavailable in the area .
Until then , East County shoppers with disposable income had to travel to Concord ’ s Sunvalley Shopping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The mall underwent a $ 6 million facelift in 2003 , replacing the parquet floor with tiles , adding restrooms and new paint .
Millions more went into building the two-story Macy ’ s structure .
In 2014 Time Equities Inc. purchased the then-48-year-old shopping mall from Macerich Co. for $ 12.3 million , later upgrading the interior and exterior .
Despite the loss of Macy ’ s , Shannon Skinner , the mall ’ s specialty leasing rep/marketing manager , said one new smaller tenant is coming to thr mall soon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carpet .
In addition , Guzman ’ s Gymnastics recently located to the mall , and Beat the Streets is moving to a large location there on Feb. 1 .
“ They ’ re all fabulous , ” she said of the tenants .
“ I know it ’ s sad to see national tenants go , but we still have some amazing people here .
”

Nearly 16 years after Macy’s opened a store at Antioch’s Somersville Towne Center, the company has announced it will close its doors there.
News of the store closure comes only a few months after another of the mall’s longtime anchor tenants, Sears, shuttered. Victoria’s Secret also is expected to close at the mall, by Jan. 21. The only major anchor tenants remaining are Fallas, on the southern wing, and 24-Hour Fitness on the far eastern wing of the shopping center.
The Antioch Macy’s location is the only California one on a list of more than two dozen in several states that will be closed amid declining sales. Macy’s most recent earnings report showed a sales decline of 3.9% at stores open for at least a year.
Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette told CNN that warm weather, fewer tourists shopping in stores and problems at lower-tier malls are the main reasons . Shares of Macy’s have lost roughly 40% over the past year, although the drop in holiday sales was not as steep as feared.
A full list of closures is expected at Macy’s upcoming investor day on Feb. 5.
The Antioch Macy’s has 70 regular, non-seasonal employees, and those who unable to relocate to nearby Macy’s stores will be eligible for severance, including outplacement resources, according to Emily Workman, regional director of media relations.
“The decision to close a store is always a difficult one, but Macy’s is proud to have served the Antioch community over the past 16 years, and we look forward to continuing to do so at nearby Macy’s locations …” Workman wrote in an email.
She noted clearance sales will begin this month and run for approximately 8-12 weeks.
No exact closure date was confirmed for the Antioch location, though mall officials said it would likely be in March or April.
Lena O’Neal was one of many shoppers Wednesday surprised to hear about the closure. The Oakley resident, who had just purchased luggage, said she shops there often for clothes, perfumes, jewelry and gifts.
“I love this place; I hate that they are going to close it,” O’Neal said. “I don’t know how they can say the economy is doing well when all the stores are closing down.”
Emilia Rubio of Pittsburg was also surprised. She said she shops there frequently for clothes for herself and her children.
Harjeet Kaur manages Eyebrow Art next to Macy’s and acknowledged her store likely will see less foot traffic when Macy’s closes in the spring.
“I really like it there,” she said, noting she shops Macy’s for clothes and perfumes.
Richard Pagano, CEO of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce, also bemoaned the store’s imminent closure but urged residents to keep shopping locally, which he said was “imperative to the longevity of local business.”
“While it’s unfortunate to see a national retailer close its doors in any community, it’s important to recognize the many retail stores throughout the Somersville Towne Center, city of Antioch, and East Contra Costa region as a whole that are still open for business.”
The chamber recently embarked on a two-phase economic development project with the city of Antioch and St. Mary’s College focusing on the Somersville area where the mall is located. In the first phase, students and faculty made recommendations ranging from farmers markets to senior housing among others to try to pump up the economy surrounding the mall.
“We’re excited to see what we can build on from Phase 1, and where Phase 2 of the project leads us,” he said.
A mall spokesman did not respond to questions, but in a statement issued from a public relations agency, said, “Our No. 1 priority remains meeting the needs of our customers and continuing to position Somersville Towne Center as a gathering place for Antioch and the communities surrounding it.”
Macy’s opened at the Antioch mall in July 2004, replacing J.C. Penney, which had anchored the northeastern wing of the shopping center before moving to Southeast Antioch.
Although at 107,142 square feet it was about half the size of other Macy’s stores, it was hailed as an option for those seeking upscale fashion previously unavailable in the area. Until then, East County shoppers with disposable income had to travel to Concord’s Sunvalley Shopping Center or beyond for designer clothes.
The mall underwent a $6 million facelift in 2003, replacing the parquet floor with tiles and adding restrooms and new paint. Millions more went into building the two-story Macy’s structure.
In 2014, Time Equities Inc. purchased the then-48-year-old shopping mall from Macerich Co. for $12.3 million, later upgrading the interior and exterior.
Despite the loss of Macy’s, Shannon Skinner, the mall’s specialty leasing rep/marketing manager, said a new though smaller tenant is coming to the mall soon — a boutique clothing store called The Red Carpet. In addition, Guzman’s Gymnastics recently located to the mall, and Beat the Streets is moving to a large location there on Feb. 1.
“They’re all fabulous,” she said of the tenants. “I know it’s sad to see national tenants go, but we still have some amazing people here.”
Wire services contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-01-08--Fans cheer, critics jeer Harry and Meghan for historic break with royal family

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stunned fans around the world by announcing that they were stepping down as senior members of the royal family , working to become “ financially independent ” and relocating half-time to North America , likely to Canada .
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also may have stunned members of the royal family , with BBC ’ s royal correspondent Jonny Dymond reporting that no other member of the royal family was consulted before they made their announcement on Instagram Wednesday evening .
In their announcement , Harry and Meghan expressed hope that they could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the royal family .
But Buckingham Palace — said to be “ disappointed ” by the news , or the way in which it was delivered — issued a statement saying , “ Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage .
We understand their desire to take a different approach , but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.
” For Twitter fans of Harry and Meghan , who no doubt make up some of their 10 million Instagram followers , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unprecedented in modern history .
But for these fans , it also was a welcome development and long overdue , according to a sampling of replies to Dymond ’ s tweets and other comments on Twitter .
They think “ The Firm ” never fully appreciated the couple as a modernizing force who could bring new relevance to the 1,000-year-old monarchy .
The fans especially despair at the way they believe the royal family didn ’ t back Harry and Meghan when they became the subjects of negative media reports — especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target for tabloid stories that they saw as intrusive , vicious and racist .
They said the royal family has treated Meghan as badly as they treated Harry ’ s mother , Princess Diana .
“ Prince Harry has his mother ’ s spirit , ” tweeted one person .
“ The royal family has treated Megan just as bad as they treated his mother , princess Diana .
I don ’ t blame them for stepping away .
Even though he will still acknowledge his British lineage it is good that his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My feeling is … good , ” tweeted another .
“ Now ( the royal family ) can deal with the backlash of losing two of their brightest stars.
” And if Harry and Meghan blindsided the royal family with their announcement , or if it adds to the sense of crisis surrounding the royal family in the wake of Prince Andrew ’ s downfall , that ’ s the royal family ’ s problem , these fans said .
“ They seemed fine with Prince Andrew being linked to a pedophile and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be okay , ” tweeted one person , referring to concerns that the royal family long failed to remove Prince Andrew from royal duties , even after more than a decade of reports about his friendship with the late accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and allegations he had sex with one of Epstein ’ s underaged “ sex slaves.
” In fact , some raised the age-old idea of getting rid of the monarchy : “ Who cares , monarchy should have been abolished decades ago , ” tweeted one user .
Others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the announcement , given recent moves to publicly focus its PR efforts on the queen ’ s direct heirs , Prince Charles and Prince William and William ’ s three children with Kate Middleton .
“ They knew it was coming — notice how hard they worked to showcase the Cambridges and their children in the last few weeks ?
?
” someone tweeted .
“ How about releasing the photo of the Queen and the 3 future kings ?
” “ I ask who gives a F about the RF feelings not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Harry & Meghan made decision for their nuclear family alone .
Had they consulted the RF , the story would have been leaked along with the usual British media bile .
So good on them .
Go Harry & Meghan.
” But mingled with the online praise for Harry and Meghan was criticism for the couple — for not letting the royal family know about their plans before announcing it to the public — if that ’ s what in fact happened .
“ My heart is breaking for the Queen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” tweeted a royal fan .
“ It ’ s disrespectful and unloving — the worst part is that Harry and Meghan seem to be rejecting his family .
Wow.
” People said they thought the move was tacky , as well as a sign that Harry and Meghan also wanted to seize control of the PR narrative and gain an advantage in whatever negotiations that will take place with Buckingham Palace .
“ Just like in real life , ” a user tweeted .
“ You don ’ t tell family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keys to the house of your own .
Unless you need help with the deposit.
” Others disputed the idea that the royal family had in anyway mistreated Harry and Meghan .
“ The RF has supported her and Harry from day one , ” said one person .
“ Prince Charles walked her down the aisle .
The Queen gave them a mansion .
The RF have treated her very very well.
” Another person added , “ They gave her a beautiful wedding , bought her a lovely estate .
Funded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million pounds .
All she had to do was support her husband ’ s brother , father and grandmother .
Literally that ’ s the job .
Support the Queen and don ’ t complain .
Mind blowing.
” People who have a negative view of Harry and Meghan also said they hoped that British taxpayers would no longer fund their housing , staff or travel .
Many others seemed to fix on the idea that Meghan was the “ Yoko Ono ” in all this — the interloping spouse who is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Harry and his brother , and between the couple and the rest of the family .
“ That woman is leading Harry down a dark path , ” one person said .
“ Pray for their innocent child , ” They also see her as having “ an agenda ” to be globally famous as a do-gooder but without the accountability that comes from being in the royal family .
“ Megan has managed to trash the enormous goodwill towards her in less than two years , entirely through her own vanity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a user tweeted .
“ I ’ m glad to see the back of this woke pair.
” Someone replied to this tweet by saying , “ I do think there was a huge wave of optimism when they got married .
But they seemed to get off on the wrong foot after that by wanting a private life at public expense .
I think Meghan will trade on her royal status in America now , sadly .
”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stunned fans around the world by announcing that they were stepping down as senior members of the royal family, working to become “financially independent” and relocating half-time to North America, likely to Canada.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also may have stunned members of the royal family, with BBC’s royal correspondent Jonny Dymond reporting that no other member of the royal family was consulted before they made their announcement on Instagram Wednesday evening.
In their announcement, Harry and Meghan expressed hope that they could develop “a progressive new role” within the royal family.
But Buckingham Palace — said to be “disappointed” by the news, or the way in which it was delivered — issued a statement saying, “Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage. We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.”
BREAKING A palace source tells the BBC that senior members of the Royal family feel “hurt” by the announcement that Harry and Meghan are to withdraw from their current Royal roles. The source confirmed that no members of the royal family were consulted. — Jonny Dymond (@JonnyDymond) January 8, 2020
For Twitter fans of Harry and Meghan, who no doubt make up some of their 10 million Instagram followers, the news may have been stunning because it is unprecedented in modern history.
But for these fans, it also was a welcome development and long overdue, according to a sampling of replies to Dymond’s tweets and other comments on Twitter. They think “The Firm” never fully appreciated the couple as a modernizing force who could bring new relevance to the 1,000-year-old monarchy.
The fans especially despair at the way they believe the royal family didn’t back Harry and Meghan when they became the subjects of negative media reports — especially when the U.S.-born biracial duchess became the target for tabloid stories that they saw as intrusive, vicious and racist. They said the royal family has treated Meghan as badly as they treated Harry’s mother, Princess Diana.
“Prince Harry has his mother’s spirit,” tweeted one person. “The royal family has treated Megan just as bad as they treated his mother, princess Diana. I don’t blame them for stepping away. Even though he will still acknowledge his British lineage it is good that his son will know American culture.”
“My feeling is … good,” tweeted another. “Now (the royal family) can deal with the backlash of losing two of their brightest stars.”
And if Harry and Meghan blindsided the royal family with their announcement, or if it adds to the sense of crisis surrounding the royal family in the wake of Prince Andrew’s downfall, that’s the royal family’s problem, these fans said.
“They seemed fine with Prince Andrew being linked to a pedophile and underage sex ring. They’ll be okay,” tweeted one person, referring to concerns that the royal family long failed to remove Prince Andrew from royal duties, even after more than a decade of reports about his friendship with the late accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and allegations he had sex with one of Epstein’s underaged “sex slaves.”
In fact, some raised the age-old idea of getting rid of the monarchy: “Who cares, monarchy should have been abolished decades ago,” tweeted one user.
Others questioned whether Buckingham Palace really was blindsided the announcement, given recent moves to publicly focus its PR efforts on the queen’s direct heirs, Prince Charles and Prince William and William’s three children with Kate Middleton.
“They knew it was coming — notice how hard they worked to showcase the Cambridges and their children in the last few weeks??” someone tweeted. “How about releasing the photo of the Queen and the 3 future kings?”
“I ask who gives a F about the RF feelings not being consulted?” someone tweeted. “Harry & Meghan made decision for their nuclear family alone. Had they consulted the RF, the story would have been leaked along with the usual British media bile. So good on them. Go Harry & Meghan.”
But mingled with the online praise for Harry and Meghan was criticism for the couple — for not letting the royal family know about their plans before announcing it to the public — if that’s what in fact happened.
“My heart is breaking for the Queen, for Charles and for everyone, really,” tweeted a royal fan. “It’s disrespectful and unloving — the worst part is that Harry and Meghan seem to be rejecting his family. Wow.”
People said they thought the move was tacky, as well as a sign that Harry and Meghan also wanted to seize control of the PR narrative and gain an advantage in whatever negotiations that will take place with Buckingham Palace.
“Just like in real life,” a user tweeted. “You don’t tell family your moving out till you get the keys to the house of your own. Unless you need help with the deposit.”
Others disputed the idea that the royal family had in anyway mistreated Harry and Meghan.
“The RF has supported her and Harry from day one,” said one person. “Prince Charles walked her down the aisle. The Queen gave them a mansion. The RF have treated her very very well.”
Another person added, “They gave her a beautiful wedding, bought her a lovely estate. Funded her wardrobe to the tune of a million pounds. All she had to do was support her husband’s brother, father and grandmother. Literally that’s the job. Support the Queen and don’t complain. Mind blowing.”
People who have a negative view of Harry and Meghan also said they hoped that British taxpayers would no longer fund their housing, staff or travel. Many others seemed to fix on the idea that Meghan was the “Yoko Ono” in all this — the interloping spouse who is to blame for the reported breakdown in relations between Harry and his brother, and between the couple and the rest of the family.
“That woman is leading Harry down a dark path,” one person said. “Pray for their innocent child,”
They also see her as having “an agenda” to be globally famous as a do-gooder but without the accountability that comes from being in the royal family.
“Megan has managed to trash the enormous goodwill towards her in less than two years, entirely through her own vanity and lack of self awareness,” a user tweeted. “I’m glad to see the back of this woke pair.”
Someone replied to this tweet by saying, “I do think there was a huge wave of optimism when they got married. But they seemed to get off on the wrong foot after that by wanting a private life at public expense. I think Meghan will trade on her royal status in America now, sadly.”


mercurynews--2020-01-08--US, Iran step back from the brink; region still on edge

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The U.S. and Iran stepped back from the brink of possible war on Wednesday as President Donald Trump signaled he would not retaliate militarily for Iran ’ s missile strikes on Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops .
No one was harmed in the strikes , but U.S. forces in the region remained on high alert .
Speaking from the White House , Trump seemed intent on deescalating the crisis , which spiraled after he authorized the targeted killing last week of Iran ’ s top general , Qassem Soleimani .
Iran responded overnight with its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran , firing more than a dozen missiles at two installations in Iraq .
The Pentagon said Wednesday that it believed Iran fired with the intent to kill .
Even so , Trump ’ s takeaway was that “ Iran appears to be standing down , which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.
” Despite such conciliatory talk , the region remained on edge , and American troops including a quick-reaction force dispatched over the weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week Iranian-backed militia besieged the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad , and Tehran ’ s proxies in the region remain able to carry out attacks such as the one on Dec. 27 that killed a U.S. contractor and set off the most recent round of hostilities .
Hours after Trump spoke , an ‘ incoming ’ siren went off in Baghdad ’ s Green Zone after what seemed to be small rockets “ impacted ” the diplomatic area , a Western official said .
There were no reports of casualties .
Gen. Mark Milley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Staff , warned that it was “ perhaps too early to tell ” if Iran will be satisfied that the missile strikes were sufficient to avenge the Soleimani killing .
“ We should have some expectation , ” Defense Secretary Mark Esper added in a Wednesday briefing , “ that Shiite militia groups , either directed or not directed by Iran , will continue in some way , shape or form to try and undermine our presence there , ” either politically or militarily .
There is no obvious path to diplomatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his “ maximum pressure ” campaign of economic sanctions .
He said the new , unspecified sanctions would remain in place “ until Iran changes its behavior.
” Iran ’ s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the overnight strike was not necessarily the totality of Iran ’ s response .
“ Last night they received a slap , ” Khamenei said .
“ These military actions are not sufficient ( for revenge ) .
What is important is that the corrupt presence of America in this region comes to an end.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ test of his presidency , credited the minimized damage to an early warning system “ that worked very well ” and said Americans should be “ extremely grateful and happy ” with the outcome .
The strikes had pushed Tehran and Washington perilously close to all-out conflict and left the world waiting to see whether the American president would respond with more military force .
Trump , in his nine-minute , televised address , spoke of a robust U.S. military with missiles that are “ big , powerful , accurate , lethal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We do not want to use it.
” Iran for days had been promising to respond forcefully to Soleimani ’ s killing , but its limited strike on two bases — one in the northern Iraqi city in Irbil and the other at Ain al-Asad in western Iraq — appeared to signal that it , too , was uninterested in a wider clash with the U.S. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the country had “ concluded proportionate measures in self-defense.
” Trump , who is facing reelection in November , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extract the United States from “ endless wars.
” On Wednesday , he said the United States was “ ready to embrace peace with all who seek it.
” That marked a sharp change in tone from his warning a day earlier that “ if Iran does anything that they shouldn ’ t be doing , they ’ re going to be suffering the consequences , and very strongly.
” Members of Congress were briefed on the Iran situation Wednesday afternoon in closed-door sessions on Capitol Hill , where Democrats and some Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justifications for the drone strike on Soleimani .
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said it was “ probably the worst briefing I ’ ve seen , at least on a military issue , in the nine years I ’ ve served in the United States Senate.
” He said it was “ distressing ” that officials suggested it would only embolden Iran if lawmakers debated the merits of further military action .
He and Sen. Rand Paul announced their support of a largely symbolic war powers resolution to limit Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nancy Pelosi announced after the briefing that the House would vote Thursday on a war powers resolution of its own .
Trump opened his remarks at the White House by reiterating his promise that “ Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.
” Iran had announced in the wake of Soleimani ’ s killing that it would no longer comply with any of the limits on uranium enrichment in the 2015 nuclear deal crafted to keep it from building a nuclear device .
The president , who had earlier pulled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seized on the moment of calm to call for negotiations toward a new agreement that would do more to limit Iran ’ s ballistic missile programs and constrain regional proxy campaigns like those led by Soleimani .
Trump also announced he would ask NATO to become “ much more involved in the Middle East process.
” While he has frequently criticized NATO as obsolete and has encouraged participants to increase their military spending , Trump has tried to push the military alliance to refocus its efforts on modern threats .
Like the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have temporarily halted their training of Iraqi forces and their work to combat the Islamic State .
Soleimani ’ s death last week in an American drone strike in Baghdad prompted angry calls for vengeance and drew massive crowds of Iranians to the streets to mourn him .
Khamenei himself wept at the funeral in a sign of his bond with the commander .
Milley and Esper told reporters that a total of 16 missiles were fired from three locations in Iran .
Eleven hit the Ain al-Asad air base in Iraq ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a base in Irbil in Iraq ’ s semi-autonomous Kurdish region .
The missiles were described as likely short-range with 1,000- to 2,000-pound warheads .
Four failed to detonate , they said .
Milley added that the Pentagon believes that Iran fired the missiles with the intent “ to kill personnel.
” He praised early warning systems , which detected the incoming ballistic missiles well in advance , providing U.S. and coalition forces adequate time to take shelter at both bases .
He described the damage to tents , parking lots and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ nothing major.
” Officials also said that the U.S. was aware of preparations for the attack .
It ’ s unclear if any intelligence identified specific targets or was more general .
Ain al-Asad was first used by American forces after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein , and it later was used by American troops in the fight against the Islamic State group .
It houses about 1,500 U.S. and coalition forces .
Trump visited it in December 2018 , making his first presidential visit to troops in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visited both Ain al-Asad and Irbil in November .
Trump spoke of new sanctions on Iran , but it was not immediately clear what those would be .
The primary agencies involved in implementing such penalties – the departments of Commerce , State and Treasury – do not preview those actions to prevent evasion .
Since withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal , the administration had already imposed harsh sanctions on nearly every significant portion of Iran ’ s economic , energy , shipping and military sectors .
Wednesday ’ s efort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin , appealed for restraint .
The fallout for Trump ’ s order to kill Soleimani had been swift .
Iraq ’ s Parliament voted to expel U.S. troops from Iraq , though Trump said they would not be leaving .
Trump and top national security officials have justified the Soleimani drone strike with general statements about the threat posed by the general , who commanded proxy forces outside Iran and was responsible for the deaths of American troops in Iraq .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Burns , Kevin Freking , Lolita Baldor , Darlene Superville , Alan Fram and Padmananda Rama in Washington and Sarah El Deeb in Beirut contributed to this report .

By ZEKE MILLER
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and Iran stepped back from the brink of possible war on Wednesday as President Donald Trump signaled he would not retaliate militarily for Iran’s missile strikes on Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops. No one was harmed in the strikes, but U.S. forces in the region remained on high alert.
Speaking from the White House, Trump seemed intent on deescalating the crisis, which spiraled after he authorized the targeted killing last week of Iran’s top general, Qassem Soleimani. Iran responded overnight with its most direct assault on America since the 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, firing more than a dozen missiles at two installations in Iraq. The Pentagon said Wednesday that it believed Iran fired with the intent to kill.
Even so, Trump’s takeaway was that “Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.”
Despite such conciliatory talk, the region remained on edge, and American troops including a quick-reaction force dispatched over the weekend, were on high alert. Last week Iranian-backed militia besieged the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, and Tehran’s proxies in the region remain able to carry out attacks such as the one on Dec. 27 that killed a U.S. contractor and set off the most recent round of hostilities.
Hours after Trump spoke, an ‘incoming’ siren went off in Baghdad’s Green Zone after what seemed to be small rockets “impacted” the diplomatic area, a Western official said. There were no reports of casualties.
Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned that it was “perhaps too early to tell” if Iran will be satisfied that the missile strikes were sufficient to avenge the Soleimani killing.
“We should have some expectation,” Defense Secretary Mark Esper added in a Wednesday briefing, “that Shiite militia groups, either directed or not directed by Iran, will continue in some way, shape or form to try and undermine our presence there,” either politically or militarily.
There is no obvious path to diplomatic engagement, as Trump pledged to add to his “maximum pressure” campaign of economic sanctions. He said the new, unspecified sanctions would remain in place “until Iran changes its behavior.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the overnight strike was not necessarily the totality of Iran’s response.
“Last night they received a slap,” Khamenei said. “These military actions are not sufficient (for revenge). What is important is that the corrupt presence of America in this region comes to an end.”
Trump, facing perhaps the biggest test of his presidency, credited the minimized damage to an early warning system “that worked very well” and said Americans should be “extremely grateful and happy” with the outcome.
The strikes had pushed Tehran and Washington perilously close to all-out conflict and left the world waiting to see whether the American president would respond with more military force. Trump, in his nine-minute, televised address, spoke of a robust U.S. military with missiles that are “big, powerful, accurate, lethal and fast.” But then he added: “We do not want to use it.”
Iran for days had been promising to respond forcefully to Soleimani’s killing, but its limited strike on two bases — one in the northern Iraqi city in Irbil and the other at Ain al-Asad in western Iraq — appeared to signal that it, too, was uninterested in a wider clash with the U.S. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the country had “concluded proportionate measures in self-defense.”
Trump, who is facing reelection in November, campaigned for president on a promise to extract the United States from “endless wars.”
On Wednesday, he said the United States was “ready to embrace peace with all who seek it.” That marked a sharp change in tone from his warning a day earlier that “if Iran does anything that they shouldn’t be doing, they’re going to be suffering the consequences, and very strongly.”
Members of Congress were briefed on the Iran situation Wednesday afternoon in closed-door sessions on Capitol Hill, where Democrats and some Republicans expressed dissatisfaction with the administration’s justifications for the drone strike on Soleimani.
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said it was “probably the worst briefing I’ve seen, at least on a military issue, in the nine years I’ve served in the United States Senate.” He said it was “distressing” that officials suggested it would only embolden Iran if lawmakers debated the merits of further military action. He and Sen. Rand Paul announced their support of a largely symbolic war powers resolution to limit Trump’s military action regarding Iran.
Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced after the briefing that the House would vote Thursday on a war powers resolution of its own.
Trump opened his remarks at the White House by reiterating his promise that “Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.” Iran had announced in the wake of Soleimani’s killing that it would no longer comply with any of the limits on uranium enrichment in the 2015 nuclear deal crafted to keep it from building a nuclear device.
The president, who had earlier pulled the U.S. out of the deal, seized on the moment of calm to call for negotiations toward a new agreement that would do more to limit Iran’s ballistic missile programs and constrain regional proxy campaigns like those led by Soleimani.
Trump also announced he would ask NATO to become “much more involved in the Middle East process.” While he has frequently criticized NATO as obsolete and has encouraged participants to increase their military spending, Trump has tried to push the military alliance to refocus its efforts on modern threats.
Like the U.S. troops in the region, NATO forces have temporarily halted their training of Iraqi forces and their work to combat the Islamic State.
Soleimani’s death last week in an American drone strike in Baghdad prompted angry calls for vengeance and drew massive crowds of Iranians to the streets to mourn him. Khamenei himself wept at the funeral in a sign of his bond with the commander.
Milley and Esper told reporters that a total of 16 missiles were fired from three locations in Iran. Eleven hit the Ain al-Asad air base in Iraq’s western Anbar province and one targeted a base in Irbil in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. The missiles were described as likely short-range with 1,000- to 2,000-pound warheads. Four failed to detonate, they said.
Milley added that the Pentagon believes that Iran fired the missiles with the intent “to kill personnel.” He praised early warning systems, which detected the incoming ballistic missiles well in advance, providing U.S. and coalition forces adequate time to take shelter at both bases. He described the damage to tents, parking lots and a helicopter, among other things, as “nothing major.”
Officials also said that the U.S. was aware of preparations for the attack. It’s unclear if any intelligence identified specific targets or was more general.
Ain al-Asad was first used by American forces after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, and it later was used by American troops in the fight against the Islamic State group. It houses about 1,500 U.S. and coalition forces. Trump visited it in December 2018, making his first presidential visit to troops in the region. Vice President Mike Pence visited both Ain al-Asad and Irbil in November.
Trump spoke of new sanctions on Iran, but it was not immediately clear what those would be. The primary agencies involved in implementing such penalties – the departments of Commerce, State and Treasury – do not preview those actions to prevent evasion.
Since withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, the administration had already imposed harsh sanctions on nearly every significant portion of Iran’s economic, energy, shipping and military sectors.
Wednesday’s efort to deescalate the conflict came after world leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin, appealed for restraint.
The fallout for Trump’s order to kill Soleimani had been swift.
Iraq’s Parliament voted to expel U.S. troops from Iraq, though Trump said they would not be leaving.
Trump and top national security officials have justified the Soleimani drone strike with general statements about the threat posed by the general, who commanded proxy forces outside Iran and was responsible for the deaths of American troops in Iraq.
___
Associated Press writers Deb Riechmann, Robert Burns, Kevin Freking, Lolita Baldor, Darlene Superville, Alan Fram and Padmananda Rama in Washington and Sarah El Deeb in Beirut contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-01-08--With short, rainy respite done, Australia braces for more fires

SYDNEY – Authorities issued new fire bans , warnings and evacuation notices in parts of Australia on Thursday , as deadly wildfires continued to burn in the country hit by its hottest and driest year on record .
Twenty-six people have died , thousands are homeless and academics believe over 1 billion animals have been killed or injured in the monster fires that have scorched more than 25.5 million acres of land – an area the size of South Korea .
Many towns were without power and telecommunications and some were running low on drinking water supplies .
Smoke has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Canberra , and drifted across the Pacific affecting cities in South America .
Firefighters have been making the most of a few days of cooler temperatures to prepare for the return of heat and wind later this week , which is expected to fan existing blazes and spark new ones .
Australia ’ s weather agency said on Thursday it saw no sign of cooler weather or significant rainfall in the next few months , adding that 2019 was the country ’ s hottest and driest on record .
A warning for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region to leave after fires escalated overnight was downgraded to “ wait and watch ” as authorities monitored conditions .
A town on Kangaroo Island , which was ravaged by the fires , was being evacuated over fears bushfires still burning there may escalate .
The majority of the fires that have destroyed most of Australia ’ s east coast occurred in New South Wales , where 1,870 homes have been destroyed so far , authorities said .
New South Wales on Thursday announced new funds of A $ 1 billion ( $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities in the state affected by the bushfire .
“ We don ’ t want simply to rebuild the communities , we want them to thrive .
And this $ 1 billion investment will do just that , ” New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in a briefing .
Australia ’ s bushfire season started earlier than normal following a three-year drought that has left much of the country ’ s bush land vulnerable to fires .
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday urged foreign tourists not to be deterred by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could hurt the economy , as some normally crowded resorts have already turned into ghost towns .
The following are some highlights of what is happening in the bushfire crisis : * Moody ’ s Analytics said the cost of the fires could easily surpass that of the deadly 2009 Black Saturday fires that destroyed 450,000 hectares of land , which cost an estimated A $ 4.4 billion .
* Ecologists at the University of Sydney on Wednesday doubled their estimate of the number of animals killed or injured in the fires to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismissed claims the fires are caused by environmentalists stopping controlled burn-offs .
* The fires have already emitted 400 megatonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and produced harmful pollutants , the EU ’ s Copernicus monitoring program said .
* Smoke has drifted across the Pacific , affected cities in South America , and may have reached the Antarctic , the U.N. World Meteorological Organization said .

By Paulina Duran and Sonali Paul | Reuters
SYDNEY – Authorities issued new fire bans, warnings and evacuation notices in parts of Australia on Thursday, as deadly wildfires continued to burn in the country hit by its hottest and driest year on record.
Twenty-six people have died, thousands are homeless and academics believe over 1 billion animals have been killed or injured in the monster fires that have scorched more than 25.5 million acres of land – an area the size of South Korea.
Many towns were without power and telecommunications and some were running low on drinking water supplies. Smoke has blanketed major cities including Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, and drifted across the Pacific affecting cities in South America.
Firefighters have been making the most of a few days of cooler temperatures to prepare for the return of heat and wind later this week, which is expected to fan existing blazes and spark new ones.
Australia’s weather agency said on Thursday it saw no sign of cooler weather or significant rainfall in the next few months, adding that 2019 was the country’s hottest and driest on record.
A warning for residents of Victoria state’s northeastern region to leave after fires escalated overnight was downgraded to “wait and watch” as authorities monitored conditions. A town on Kangaroo Island, which was ravaged by the fires, was being evacuated over fears bushfires still burning there may escalate.
The majority of the fires that have destroyed most of Australia’s east coast occurred in New South Wales, where 1,870 homes have been destroyed so far, authorities said.
New South Wales on Thursday announced new funds of A$1 billion ($686.50 million) to rebuild infrastructure and communities in the state affected by the bushfire.
“We don’t want simply to rebuild the communities, we want them to thrive. And this $1 billion investment will do just that,” New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in a briefing.
Australia’s bushfire season started earlier than normal following a three-year drought that has left much of the country’s bush land vulnerable to fires.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday urged foreign tourists not to be deterred by deadly wildfires, fearing holiday-makers staying away could hurt the economy, as some normally crowded resorts have already turned into ghost towns.
The following are some highlights of what is happening in the bushfire crisis:
* Moody’s Analytics said the cost of the fires could easily surpass that of the deadly 2009 Black Saturday fires that destroyed 450,000 hectares of land, which cost an estimated A$4.4 billion.
* Prime Minister Morrison has pledged A$2 billion ($1.37 billion) to a newly created National Bushfire Recovery Agency.
* Ecologists at the University of Sydney on Wednesday doubled their estimate of the number of animals killed or injured in the fires to 1 billion.
* Emergency services have dismissed claims the fires are caused by environmentalists stopping controlled burn-offs.
* The fires have already emitted 400 megatonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and produced harmful pollutants, the EU’s Copernicus monitoring program said.
* Smoke has drifted across the Pacific, affected cities in South America, and may have reached the Antarctic, the U.N. World Meteorological Organization said.


mercurynews--2020-01-08--Milpitas council removes Dominguez as vice mayor, appoints Nuñez

MILPITAS — In an unexpected move , a divided Milpitas City Council voted Tuesday night to strip Councilmember Karina Dominguez of her vice mayor title in the middle of a traditionally two-year term , and appointed Councilman Bob Nuñez as the new vice mayor until December .
The idea was proposed by Mayor Rich Tran and supported by Councilmen Anthony Phan and Nuñez .
Councilwoman Carmen Montano abstained from the vote , as did Dominguez .
Immediately after the vote , Dominguez left the council chambers , taking to Facebook Live to call Tran sexist , childish and a bully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticisms she had leveled against him late last year when he first raised the idea of changing the vice mayor .
“ My name is Karina Dominguez , I am , I was , your vice mayor , ” she said .
“ Tonight I am calling out the Mayor .
I ’ m calling him out for his childishness , for his pettiness , for his sexist and for his bullying ways of how he did governance tonight .
Tonight there was a lack of transparency , a lack of community , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that council without you being part of it .
I can not , and I will not , be a part of that.
” The council decision was made Tuesday night with few people in attendance .
At a contentious Dec. 3 meeting , where Tran faced criticisms from residents and regional leaders about his attempts to remove Dominguez from the role , the council decided the issue of the vice mayorship would be discussed at a meeting on Jan. 21 .
The council was hearing an interim update from staff Tuesday on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the vice mayorship , when Tran made the move to nominate Nuñez .
In an interview Wednesday morning , Tran said the move to make the switch falls in line with his style of trying to get things done “ expeditiously ” at city hall .
Tran had first raised the prospect of switching the title to someone else at a November meeting , without informing Dominguez ahead of time , she claimed .
Dominguez , in an interview after the meeting , said it was a “ strategic and political ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday ’ s meeting .
“ I abstained on the vote that was not transparent , that was done earlier than suspected because this was supposed to be before council on the 21st , and it happened tonight , ” she said on the Facebook video .
“ This is not a business item that should be consuming any more time , ” Tran said Wednesday , again claiming the decision was an attempt to have more “ shared governance ” in the city , comparing the council to the Golden State Warriors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a person on the court is not producing for the team , in this case , I ’ ll call it the city of Milpitas , I ’ ll always look to spread the ball around.
” He said it ’ s “ blatantly clear ” Nuñez has come up with more ideas for the city council to discuss to improve the city than Dominguez .
Dominguez pushed back against that claim , saying Tran has effectively cut off all communication with her for months because he doesn ’ t like “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t even look her in the eye on the dais , which she mentioned again Tuesday night .
“ I believe he is facing a lot of criticism in our community and now he is looking for something , ” Domniguez said of Tran ’ s move to oust her from the role .
“ This is part of being sexist , you attack the intellectual ability of one of your colleagues , without giving them the opportunity for them to show otherwise or explain their own thought process , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attended the meeting , criticized Tran for what he called “ mansplaining and nonsense ” in addressing the vice mayorship issue .
“ The weakness of your flaccid leadership is on display through this whole process , ” Stroker said .
And it ’ s rather disappointing to see Bob Nuñez be willingly played by you because of the insecurities and the problems that you have.
” Dominguez said there may have been “ backroom deals ” made to get the votes needed .
Asked if he coordinated the move with Nuñez , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weekend for smoothies and discussed “ the opportunity the council would have ” on Tuesday , but didn ’ t tell him in advance he would nominate him .
Nuñez on Tuesday first proposed having two vice mayors in the city , but Tran rejected that idea .
“ If you had asked me this morning about this vice mayor role , I would have said there ’ s no way in hell that I would say yes to that , ” Nuñez said at the meeting after being nominated .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ clock , and so the answer is yes , ” he said , noting he had been hired and supervised by many “ very strong women ” in his career as a bureaucrat and elected official .
“ It ’ s time for me to step into a role that I ’ ve never had before and see how much of that I retained and how much I can give back and see what I can do to help others.
” He said Tran nominating him surprised him , since the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including Nuñez running against Tran for mayor in 2018 .
“ The fact that I would say yes , ” Nuñez said , “ shocks me still to no end .
”

MILPITAS — In an unexpected move, a divided Milpitas City Council voted Tuesday night to strip Councilmember Karina Dominguez of her vice mayor title in the middle of a traditionally two-year term, and appointed Councilman Bob Nuñez as the new vice mayor until December.
The idea was proposed by Mayor Rich Tran and supported by Councilmen Anthony Phan and Nuñez. Councilwoman Carmen Montano abstained from the vote, as did Dominguez.
Immediately after the vote, Dominguez left the council chambers, taking to Facebook Live to call Tran sexist, childish and a bully while standing outside city hall, continuing criticisms she had leveled against him late last year when he first raised the idea of changing the vice mayor.
“My name is Karina Dominguez, I am, I was, your vice mayor,” she said.
“Tonight I am calling out the Mayor. I’m calling him out for his childishness, for his pettiness, for his sexist and for his bullying ways of how he did governance tonight. Tonight there was a lack of transparency, a lack of community, and there was a decision made in that council without you being part of it. I cannot, and I will not, be a part of that.”
The council decision was made Tuesday night with few people in attendance. At a contentious Dec. 3 meeting, where Tran faced criticisms from residents and regional leaders about his attempts to remove Dominguez from the role, the council decided the issue of the vice mayorship would be discussed at a meeting on Jan. 21.
The council was hearing an interim update from staff Tuesday on still incomplete community polling about the issue of the vice mayorship, when Tran made the move to nominate Nuñez.
In an interview Wednesday morning, Tran said the move to make the switch falls in line with his style of trying to get things done “expeditiously” at city hall.
Tran had first raised the prospect of switching the title to someone else at a November meeting, without informing Dominguez ahead of time, she claimed.
Dominguez, in an interview after the meeting, said it was a “strategic and political” move by Tran to appoint Nuñez during Tuesday’s meeting.
“I abstained on the vote that was not transparent, that was done earlier than suspected because this was supposed to be before council on the 21st, and it happened tonight,” she said on the Facebook video.
“This is not a business item that should be consuming any more time,” Tran said Wednesday, again claiming the decision was an attempt to have more “shared governance” in the city, comparing the council to the Golden State Warriors.
“And when, in basketball, a person on the court is not producing for the team, in this case, I’ll call it the city of Milpitas, I’ll always look to spread the ball around.”
He said it’s “blatantly clear” Nuñez has come up with more ideas for the city council to discuss to improve the city than Dominguez.
Dominguez pushed back against that claim, saying Tran has effectively cut off all communication with her for months because he doesn’t like “different perspectives,” and won’t even look her in the eye on the dais, which she mentioned again Tuesday night.
“I believe he is facing a lot of criticism in our community and now he is looking for something,” Domniguez said of Tran’s move to oust her from the role.
“This is part of being sexist, you attack the intellectual ability of one of your colleagues, without giving them the opportunity for them to show otherwise or explain their own thought process,” she said.
Political consultant Eric Stroker, who attended the meeting, criticized Tran for what he called “mansplaining and nonsense” in addressing the vice mayorship issue.
“The weakness of your flaccid leadership is on display through this whole process,” Stroker said. And it’s rather disappointing to see Bob Nuñez be willingly played by you because of the insecurities and the problems that you have.”
Dominguez said there may have been “backroom deals” made to get the votes needed.
Asked if he coordinated the move with Nuñez, Tran said he met with Nuñez over the weekend for smoothies and discussed “the opportunity the council would have” on Tuesday, but didn’t tell him in advance he would nominate him.
Nuñez on Tuesday first proposed having two vice mayors in the city, but Tran rejected that idea.
“If you had asked me this morning about this vice mayor role, I would have said there’s no way in hell that I would say yes to that,” Nuñez said at the meeting after being nominated.
“But here we are at 9 o’clock, and so the answer is yes,” he said, noting he had been hired and supervised by many “very strong women” in his career as a bureaucrat and elected official.
“It’s time for me to step into a role that I’ve never had before and see how much of that I retained and how much I can give back and see what I can do to help others.”
He said Tran nominating him surprised him, since the two have had a politically contentious past, including Nuñez running against Tran for mayor in 2018.
“The fact that I would say yes,” Nuñez said, “shocks me still to no end.”


mercurynews--2020-01-09--Letter: Bay Area natural gas bans may raise suspicions

Many Bay Area cities have decided that all new buildings , including houses , must be all electric .
This @ @ @ @ @ all how much cheaper natural gas is , how plentiful it is and how the @ @ @ @ @ independent because of our abundance of natural gas .
It ’ s just plain wrong @ @ @ @ @ this imposition on builders .
It ’ s enough to make one suspicious about motives @ @ @ @ @ key to having any hope of reviving Mavericks surf contest • Letter : Gun rights @ @ @ @ @ right is limited to this • Letter : World should know US leaders are predictable @ @ @ @ @ Trump can stop anti-Semitism Shame on those “ leaders ” who are involved in forcing @ @ @ @ @ .
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Bay Area natural gas bans
may raise suspicions
Many Bay Area cities have decided that all new buildings, including houses, must be all electric. This despite years of telling us all how much cheaper natural gas is, how plentiful it is and how the United States is almost energy independent because of our abundance of natural gas.
It’s just plain wrong and cities should not make this imposition on builders. It’s enough to make one suspicious about motives.
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George Mathews
Antioch
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