Mendocino County Today: Sunday 1/4/2026

RAIN SHOWERS and coastal flooding continue for Sunday. Another round of rain and wind is expected Monday before a break on Tuesday. Light rain and mountain snow are possible again Wednesday. (NWS)

STEPHEN DUNLAP (Fort Bragg): Another .84" brings out new year total of rainfall to 3.51" already ! A cloudy 50F this Sunday morning on the coast. The rain continues thru tomorrow then sort of fizzles out by Wednesday sometime.

SHOUT OUT TO EVERYONE who came out in the wind and the rain to protest in Fort Bragg today!

Next Protest: Saturday, January 10, 11AM - 12PM on the sidewalk in front of the Guest House Museum on Main Street in Fort Bragg. Bring non-perishable food donations for the FB Food Bank; we’ll deliver.

Next Monthly Meeting: Thursday, January 15, 6PM - 7:30PM at Preston Hall, 44831 Main Street, Mendocino (next to Mendocino Presbyterian Church).

ROUTE 1 IS FULLY CLOSED near Leggett (PM 104.12 to 105.5) in Mendocino County due to a slide. Currently, there is no estimated time of reopening. (Caltrans, Jan. 3, 2026 at 1:57pm)

AN HOUR IN THE RAIN, downtown Ukiah saw 30-40 protesters against the invasion of Venezuela. 99% of the drivers who responded, supported the protesters with honks and thumbs up.

COURT APPOINTS SPECIAL MASTER AFTER ARREST OF JOURNALIST IN UKIAH CASE INVOLVING SNAPCHAT MESSAGES

Case highlights tensions between criminal investigations and press protections

by Elise Cox

It has been two months since Ukiah police officers arrested Matt LaFever, a high school teacher and journalist, on suspicion of misdemeanor child annoyance or molestation. No criminal charges have been filed.

The delay in filing charges has prompted scrutiny of the Ukiah Police Department, including its decision to seek a Ramey warrant rather than work directly with prosecutors.

Meanwhile, the court has appointed a special master to ensure that materials seized under a search warrant — including laptops and other digital devices — did not include any unpublished information obtained or prepared for communication to the public. Such a search could violate the California Constitution, the California Penal Code, and the California Evidence Code.

Beyond the unresolved criminal allegations, the case has become a test of how California’s legal system balances law-enforcement investigations against protections for journalists. Police bypassed prosecutors to obtain a pre-charging arrest warrant, seized multiple digital devices from a working reporter, and triggered court oversight to prevent the disclosure of unpublished reporting materials — a rare convergence of criminal procedure and press-freedom safeguards.

The court is expected to hear an update from the special master on Monday.

A Gap Between Police and the Prosecution

In most cases, police and prosecutors work in tandem, said Beth Colgan, a professor at UCLA School of Law. Typically, she said, “the prosecutor asks for an arrest warrant at the same time that they are filing a complaint against a person.”

That did not happen in LaFever’s case.

Instead, according to court records, Detective Zhonghao Chen of the Ukiah Police Department went directly to a judge on Sunday, Nov. 2, seeking what is known as a Ramey warrant — an arrest warrant issued before formal charges are filed. The warrant was approved by Judge Keith Faulder.

“That’s typically done for expediency,” Colgan said. “They want to go directly to the judge without taking the time to go through the prosecutor.” In some cases, she added, police may proceed this way if they believe a prosecutor is reluctant to file charges and hope that an arrest will help generate additional evidence.

Two weeks earlier, Ukiah police had executed a search warrant at LaFever’s home in Hopland, seizing his cellphone, Apple Watch, three laptops, a router and an SD card, according to court records.

The search warrant was based on information provided by a former student in LaFever’s journalism class, who told police she had inappropriate interactions with her teacher on Snapchat during the summer of 2025.

What follows is drawn directly from Detective Chen’s sworn declaration in support of the arrest warrant. The allegations have not been tested in court, and LaFever has not been charged with a crime. LaFever did not respond to a detailed request for comment sent to his personal Gmail address and by mail to his home.

According to the warrant, the student said she left Mr. LaFever’s class because of “weird comments” he had made about her to others, as well as “racist and sexual comments that she believed to be inappropriate for the classroom.”

The warrant states that the student later created a Snapchat account under an alias “to test her boyfriend.” While using that account, she was contacted by a user with the screen name “LaFever,” which police said corresponded with the fact that she had her teacher’s name and phone number saved in her contacts.

The student told investigators she initially believed the messages concerned schoolwork, the warrant said, but quickly realized she was using her secondary account — one that was not linked to her real email address, phone number or name.

Snapchat is designed so that photos or videos disappear after they are viewed; however, the student told police she recorded her screen using another device, the warrant stated.

Detective Chen wrote that the person using the “LaFever” account introduced himself by saying, “Hey there, I’m [REDACTED] in California. How are you?” The warrant alleges the account then sent a topless photo of an adult male.

When the student replied, “I’m good,” the account asked, “Where you from baby” and “Age.” The student responded that she was 17.

According to the warrant, she told the account multiple times that she was 17 years old and a junior in high school. The account then sent another selfie and asked her about her “height and cup size,” Chen wrote.

When the account asked for a photo, the student sent an image she had found online. The warrant states that the person depicted was fully clothed and that the image was not obscene.

The account responded with a hot-face emoji and the message “Goddam gir,” then asked, “How old are you again?”

The student again replied, “17.”

“Well you must be the sexiest woman at your high school,” the account responded, according to the warrant.

The exchange continued, with the account asking whether the student played sports. When she said she played volleyball, the account asked whether she had photos in volleyball shorts and whether “your butt and thighs look sexy in them.” The student declined to send photos, the warrant said.

The arrest warrant also included records obtained from Snapchat showing that the account linked to LaFever’s phone number was active on July 4, 2025, and deactivated on Aug. 7, 2025, according to Chen.

Two months later, another student at Ukiah High School reported LaFever for making what she perceived to be an inappropriate comment, the search warrant stated. That student, a friend of the first, told police she heard him say “Oh damn” while standing behind her holding his phone. The student “immediately suspected that he might have taken a photograph of her buttocks,” the warrant stated.

Mr. LaFever was arrested and released the same day after posting $10,000 bail.

Police did not immediately submit the case to prosecutors. When the case was eventually forwarded, the outcome became uncertain. In California, prosecutors have full discretion to decide whether to bring charges — or not.

In an interview with Mendo Local, District Attorney David Eyster said he recused himself from charging decisions related to LaFever to avoid any perception that charges could be influenced by LaFever’s coverage of Eyster and his office.

Legal experts say the delay in charging is not unusual in cases involving a Ramey warrant.

“There’s a big difference between probable cause and proof beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Jo-Anna Nieves, a criminal defense attorney based in Oakland. “Probable cause is enough to justify an arrest, but it does not mean the evidence is sufficient to convict someone at trial.”

Under California law, misdemeanor child annoyance or molestation does not require physical contact, Nieves said, but it does require conduct motivated by sexual interest that a reasonable minor would find disturbing, irritating or offensive.

“At the same time,” she said, “not every inappropriate or immature comment rises to the level of criminal conduct.”

Eyster said the Ukiah Police Department’s decision to seek a Ramey warrant under the circumstances was atypical, but he said it would have no bearing on the charging decision.

He confirmed that his office has not rejected the case forwarded by the Ukiah Police Department and has not sent it back for further investigation. A charging decision, he said, will be based on materials approved by the special master as “relevant to the prosecution.”

(Mendolocal.news)

JERROLD LAWRENCE CARDOZA

Jerrold Lawrence Cardoza (1947-2025) passed away on Dec. 2nd from colon cancer. Jerry is survived by his loving wife Dixie and their three children, Cambria Whalen (Chris), Andrea Buttery (Darrin), Amy Holstein (Mike), nine grandchildren, and his brother Jim (Sandi). Jerry was born in Merced, CA, and after completing community college and Fresno State College, he worked as a Probation Officer in Madera and Sonoma counties, before embarking on a 35-year career as a State Parole Agent in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He was deeply committed to public service and served for over 25 years on the board of directors of the Millview County Water Department and was a founding member of the Ukiah Valley Water Agency. He also served a decade on the board of the Mendocino Public Safety Foundation and was a (CASA) Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster children. He served several decades on the board of the Ford Street Project and believed strongly in people being able to overcome drug and alcohol addiction. Those wishing to contribute in his memory are urged to donate to the Ukiah Food Bank via the Ford Street Project. There will be a Celebration of Life on Saturday, January 24th, 2026 at 1:00PM. Please contact his daughter Cammie at 727.902.3090 for location & attendance information.

NEW HOTLINE LAUNCHES TO REPORT ICE ACTIVITY IN MENDOCINO COUNTY

by Sydney Fishman

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Response Team operators attend a pre-operation brief about a wanted criminal illegal alien they were tasked to apprehend in Warwick, Rhode Island in Dec. 2025. The man was responsible for breaking an ICE officer's leg during an earlier apprehension attempt. (ICE via Bay City News)

MENDOCINO CO., 1/3/26— The first rapid response network and watch hotline for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Mendocino County has launched with the help of several local volunteers.

Anyone who sees ICE agents in the area can call (707) 621-8220 to report sightings to the Mendocino County Rapid Response Network, which has volunteers trained and ready to quickly identify, verify, and inform the community if ICE is conducting raids or detaining immigrants locally.

The network also works to dispel false rumors of ICE sightings, share verified information with local news outlets, and post updates about ICE activity on social media. The network officially launched in early December, but the group has been recruiting volunteers and organizing trainings since spring of 2025.

Rapid response networks are volunteer-led community organizations that monitor ICE activity and support immigrant communities. These networks largely came to prominence during President Donald Trump’s first term, following his administration’s increased targeting and removal of immigrants lacking permanent legal status.

According to a press release from the Mendocino County network, “An important part of the network is the sharing of community education so people know their rights and how to protect themselves.”

Judy Abeja Hummel of Boonville, a volunteer and member of the network’s steering committee, said in an interview that one of their goals is to support local immigrant neighbors and friends who are fearful of ICE raids.

“I hope that ICE does not come to this community, but if they do, I want us to be ready to stand up in solidarity with all of our neighbors. To me this isn’t a question of immigration, this is a question of civil rights, human rights, and human decency,” Hummel said. “Many of my Latino neighbors have been afraid to leave the house, or they just go to work and come straight home. There have been many false alarms and rumors that keep re-traumatizing people. One important thing we offer is checking every rumor that comes along and verifying or debunking it as quickly as possible, so that people can go on living their lives.”

Hummel also said the network has trained 125 local volunteers to help monitor and verify ICE sightings. She said the steering committee has about six to eight people leading the group’s efforts. The network is still looking for a local volunteer coordinator for the Round Valley region.

“We are divided into five regions — Ukiah, Willits, Anderson Valley, North Coast, and South Coast, and each area has a local volunteer coordinator organizing, vetting, and bringing volunteers onboard,” Hummel said.

The Mendocino County Rapid Response Network will also be hosting “know your rights” trainings in Spanish and English, has a program to support businesses in being prepared for immigration raids, and is developing a group of volunteers to accompany immigrants to their court hearings.

More information about the Mendocino County Rapid Response Network can be found at mendorrn.org/hola.

(Mendovoice.com)

DON DALE

Don Dale passed away peacefully in his sleep June 1, 2025, with family present, after a fierce two year plus battle with lung cancer. Don was 74 years old. Don spent over 32 years in the fire services, half of which were as a volunteer. The remaining years of his service were at a paid capacity, the last seven of which were as Chief of Redwood Valley-Calpella Fire Department. Don attended school in Ukiah, moving to Hoopa while he was in high school and graduating in 1968 from Hoopa High School. He worked his way up in lumber mills, becoming an industrial electrician and working at plants in various locations in California and Montana, as well as Oregon. While working for Masonite, Don enjoyed training in high angle rescue, confined spaces and hazardous materials response. He especially enjoyed hanging upside down on ropes, earning the nickname BOULDER. Don worked for the City of Willits for 5 years as a Sewer Treatment Operator before going into the fire services full time. Don loved hunting and fishing with his father, and got to meet many celebrities, as Sid Dale never knew a stranger and rubbed elbows with Dean Martin, Leif Erickson, Buck Owens and the like. Don looked forward to traveling, camping and fishing when he retired, but was diagnosed with cancer before those plans materialized, though he was able to visit New Orleans, home of his favorite football team, and the gorgeous Grand Canyon. Don is survived by his wife of nearly 47 years – Tobey, daughter Jannee, grandson Max (Zoe) Jones and great-grandson Henry Jones. He leaves behind son James (Tanya) Rue, granddaughters Payton (James) and Yemi Rue, and grandsons Zach (Bryanna) and Tariku Rue. Don also leaves sisters Lori Russell and Leslie Larson, brother-in-law David Miller (Anita Feder- Chernila), sister-in-law Linda Miller (Mark Cortright), and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Don was predeceased by father Sid Dale, mother Dottie Dale, sons Eric Jason Dale and Max Arthur Dale, Father-in-law Max Miller, Mother-in-law Virginia Miller, all of his aunts and uncles, and numerous cousins and friends. As per Don’s wishes, there were no formal services. He was quoted as saying, “Just smile and drink a beer”. Private services were held in Missouri.

ANDERSON VALLEY VILLAGE List of Events

UKIAH SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK

Sherman is a 4-month-old border collie mix puppy with energy, brains, and fun rolled into one adorable package. This playful little guy loves just about everything—especially toys, people, and other dogs. If there’s a game happening, Sherman wants to be part of it. As a young pup, Sherman will need basic puppy training to help him learn good manners, but he’s at the perfect age to soak it all in. With his smarty-pants border collie mix background, he’ll do best in a home that can provide daily exercise, mental stimulation, and plenty of playtime to keep his active mind and body happy. Sherman is curious, social, and ready to grow into an amazing companion. If you’re looking for a fun-loving puppy who will keep you moving and laughing while learning right alongside you, Sherman could be the perfect addition to your family. Sherman weighs in at an adorable 45 pounds.

To see all of our canine and feline guests, and the occasional horse, goat, sheep, tortoise, and for information about our services, programs, and events, visit: mendoanimalshelter.com.

Join us every first Saturday of the month for our Meet The Dogs Adoption Event at the shelter.

We're on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/mendoanimalshelter/

For information about adoptions please call 707-467-6453. Making a difference for homeless pets in Mendocino County, one day at a time!

MENDO DA GIVES PRISON AND JURY TRIAL STATS FOR 2025

The Mendocino County District Attorney’s “books” have now closed on most of the year-end metrics relating to public safety and criminal justice prosecution in Mendocino County. Some of those metrics are summarized below:

State Prison: Between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025, 116 defendants were sentenced by the Mendocino County Superior Court to the state-controlled prison system, as compared to 94 in calendar year 2024, a 19% increase.

Of the 116 defendants committed to the state-controlled prison system in 2025, only 7 of those individuals were female (6%), which is a 2% decrease from 2024.

Of the 116 defendants committed to the state-controlled prison system in 2025, 10 of those individuals (8%) were convicted of violent felonies, within the meaning of Penal Code section 667.5(c), which is a 6% decrease over 2024.

Of the 116 defendants committed to the state-controlled prison system in 2025, 45 of those individuals (39%) had one or more prior Strike convictions used to enhance his or her current state prison sentence, within the meaning of California’s voter-amended Three Strikes law, which is a 12% increase over 2024.

Realignment County Prison: From January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025, 46 felons received “Realignment County Prison” (RCP)* commitments, the exact same number as in calendar year 2024.

*[RCP refers to a felony-based prison sentence that is served in the local county jail instead of the state-controlled prison system. In 2011, the California Legislature shifted housing responsibilities for a large number (over 500 crimes) of non-serious, non-violent, non-sexual felony offenders from the state-controlled prison system to county jails (RCP), meaning these “No-No-No” offenders can only serve their “prison” time in a local county jail.

This shift from the state’s budget to county budgets as to whom bears the cost of the criminal justice system legislated by the State continues to create financial difficulties for all counties, due to difficulties meeting the increased cost of jail staffing, inmate room and board, transportation, medical services, and other incarceration costs, as well as post-release probation supervision (versus state parole supervision). As one consequence of the Realignment legislation, other county services have had their budgets dramatically reduced or cut completely.]

Jury Trials: Twenty-nine jury trials went to final verdict during calendar year 2025, with an overall prosecution success rate of 86%.

Of the 29 jury trials in 2025 that went to final verdict, 9 were prosecuted at the felony level with a prosecution success rate for those felony cases of 89%.

A 2022 California Court Statistics Report shows that in felony jury trials (cases that reached a jury verdict), prosecutors outside of Mendocino County across the state have been achieving convictions in about 77% of their cases.

Of the 29 jury trials that went to final verdict in calendar year 2025, 20 were prosecuted at the misdemeanor level with a prosecution success rate for those misdemeanor cases of 85%.

Looking south to San Francisco County for just one comparison, between January 1, 2025 and August 21, 2025, the District Attorney in and for the County of San Francisco reported a 68% conviction rate for misdemeanor jury trials (based again only on cases reaching verdict).

More Information Available: DA Eyster has made it a priority since taking office to maintain and make available far more public information and production metrics than most, if not all of the district attorney offices across the State of California.

To see the Mendocino County District Attorney office metrics, you can click on the URL below: https://www.mendocinocounty.gov/government/district-attorney.

Elsie Allen with baskets at the 12th District Fair in Ukiah 1967.

CATCH OF THE DAY, January 3, 2026

PABLO ANGUIANO-MANJARREZ, 30, Los Angeles/Ukiah. Disorderly conduct-alcohol.

BLAKE COX, 29, Ukiah. Probation revocation.

MICHAEL LANGLEY, 36, Ukiah. Disorderly conduct-alcohol, trespassing. (Frequent flyer.)

NATALIE RODRIGUEZ, 34, Ukiah. Shopping cart, parole violation.

STEPHEN SERR, 30, Ukiah. Taking vehicle without owner’s consent.

MEMO OF THE AIR: Animal make-believe town.

Marco here. Here's the recording of Friday night's (9pm PST, 2026-01-02) 7.5-hour-long Memo of the Air: Good Night Radio show on KNYO.org, on 107.7fm KNYO-LP Fort Bragg (CA) and also, for the first three hours, on 89.3fm KAKX Mendocino, ready for you to re-enjoy in whole or in part: https://memo-of-the-air.s3.amazonaws.com/KNYO_0677_MOTA_2026-01-02.mp3

Coming shows can feature your own story or dream or poem or essay or kvetch or announcement. Just email it to me. Or send me a link to your writing project and I'll take it from there and read it on the air. That's what I'm here for.

Besides all that, at https://MemoOfTheAir.wordpress.com you'll find a fresh batch of dozens of links to not-necessarily radio-useful but worthwhile items I set aside for you while gathering the show together, such as:

Ads for housewife wine. Before: "It's all right for him… He goes off in the morning– and you can see he's anticipating the bustle, the life, his day will bring… Problems to sort out, people to talk to, have a joke with. Lunch with his friends. Then back to his work, absorbed and interested, until it's time to come home… but all you have is an empty house. And the same dull round of household tasks. There are times when the thought of it takes the heart out of you…" After: "That's better. That's lovely." https://www.dailymail.co.uk/lifestyle/article-4963470/Vintage-ads-reveal-tonic-wine-housewives-friend.html

Peter, Paul and Mary - Animal Make Believe Town. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfcBwtneijw

The Lego-like machinery that powers a single one of up to a hundred propellers on a single bacterium. Every human body has 30 to 40 trillion bacteria living in and on it. That amounts to quadrillions of these whirling machines… In fact, several pounds of bacteria live inside your belly. Some people have more, much more. In his last days, John Wayne's colon weighed fifty pounds! Think of the entire hot galaxy of busy activity in there! (via Cliff Pickover) https://twitter.com/i/status/1142837932388167685

And a "public, verifiable record of immigration enforcement activity in the United States. It documents incidents, agencies, individuals, facilities, vehicles, and legal authorities involved in enforcement operations. Entries are structured, sourced, and timestamped to support verification, cross-referencing, and long-term analysis. The wiki is intended for use by journalists, researchers, advocates, and the general public." https://wiki.icelist.is/index.php

Marco McClean, [email protected], https://MemoOfTheAir.wordpress.com

DAVID ‘COW’ GURNEY:

I am a boomer (August, 1957) and therefore a persistent object of contemporary cultural opprobrium, which I enjoy more than later generations likely imagine. As were all children of my generation, I was free range; I wasn’t coddled, driven to school, nor desired at home before sundown. I jumped off the roof with an umbrella in first grade. In second grade, I burned down our garden shed (containing a lawn mower and gasoline cans) when I ignited the lithium in my chemistry set and couldn’t put it out with the garden hose. My brother and I would hitch rides on freight trains in fourth grade to visit neighboring towns and return home in time for dinner. I played with liquid mercury in 5th grade, when even kids could get their hands on it (and sodium) despite the toxicity. I used a slide rule. Proper English and cursive handwriting wasn’t optional. When NASA produced Tang (a powdered citrus drink for astronauts), it was magic, like Fizzies, which few of your readers have ever heard of.

My paternal grandfather barnstormed with Charles Lindbergh and flew the Spirit of St. Louis in the 1957 Jimmy Stewart movie as technical director. He taught me to fly in a de Havilland Gipsy Moth during 6th grade, My father commanded an Air Force Test squadron associated with the Corona Project before and after his tour in Vietnam, and I commanded a Marine Corps Harrier squadron, was the Operations Officer for the transfer of the Panama Canal in 1999, and now serve as VP of the largest privately-owned oil company in the U.S.

I frequently interview later generations (yours and subsequent) for positions in our company. I start every interview with a request for a three paragraph essay on any subject they desire with just a pen and paper. I sit there and watch. More than half cannot accomplish this with proper spelling, syntax, or punctuation. Some wish to believe the I am to blame, inasmuch as grammar is somehow racist. Fascinating.

For my technical personnel, I ask them to calculate the volumes of pipes of specified dimensions without a computer (or how they would go about doing so), among other rather basic competencies that are fundamental to our industry. Everything that I have described was high school knowledge in my generation.

This insight is parallel to my view of crypto currencies. Those of your generation (and junior), as much as I love you, are not ready for the lights to go out. They can go out FAR more readily than those normalized to the convenience of predictable grasp.

I don’t wish to impugn the dignity of others, but I don’t think that my generation’s critics know as much as they imagine. I understand Ohm’s law because I had industrial arts in high school that included “electric shop,” “foundry,” “welding,” “offset printing,” and “auto.”

ON-LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

I still recall my first Physics 101 test, fall semester 1973, at Boston U. Remember those blue cover answer booklets that required you to answer the problems using both English language and physics/math? None of that multiple choice crap that is much easier to game. There I sat, child 3 of 6 of a father who never saw junior year of high school, using my slide rule for calculations. And I hear it, "click, click, click", and realize that the rich kids were cruising along with their calculators. I was the last to turn in my booklet, but I aced the test. Is there a way to "get back to where we once belonged"?

‘WORST I’VE EVER SEEN IT’: BAY AREA FLOODING CLOSES ROADS, STRANDS MOTORISTS

by St. John Barned-Smith

Kayaking over a flooded Mill Valley-Sausalito path during king tide in Mill Valley on Saturday. (Stephen Lam/S.F. Chronicle)

In Marin County, flooding left motorists stranded and kayakers paddling Saturday in areas where bicyclists usually pedaled. In San Francisco, storm surge drenched onlookers on the Embarcadero and at Crissy Field.

Elsewhere, storm surge forced other road closures in Alameda County and as far as Pacifica and Half Moon Bay.

Jon Borges surveyed the flooded intersection by the Grand Gasoline gas station just off 101 at De Silva Island Drive in Mill Valley, and his friend’s stranded Toyota pickup.

“I was not expecting that at all,” he said, of the impacts of the weekend’s king tides, which flooded many low-lying areas in Mill Valley, as well as in San Francisco’s Embarcadero and elsewhere around the Bay Area.

The trifecta of a super moon, an incoming storm system’s strong winds and heavy rains resulted in a high tide Saturday morning 2.5 feet higher than normal — the highest king tide since Feb. 6, 1998, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Gass. Flooding was reported across the Bay Area in Marin County, Sonoma County, Alameda County, San Mateo County and San Francisco.

The tide peaked just after 10:30 a.m. Saturday, though its took hours for floodwaters to recede. San Francisco’s record high tide was 2.8 feet on Jan. 27, 1998.

The high tides prompted a coastal flood advisory in effect through 2 p.m. Sunday for much of the Bay Area and Central Coast. The powerful king tides and gusty winds sent seawater into streets, parks and other low-lying areas. Floodwaters 2 feet deep closed parts of Interstate 80 just west of the metering lights on Oakland’s side of the Bay Bridge and forced closure of other roads in Corte Madera, plus numerous roads in Sonoma County.

Storm surge sent sent high waves over coastal jetties in Pacifica and Half Moon Bay, and over the walkways at Pier 14 in San Francisco’s Embarcadero, drenching onlookers.

Flash floods also disrupted traffic in Southern California. Highway 101 near Goleta (Santa Barbara County) was closed in both directions due to a mudslide and debris. There was no estimated time for reopening as of Saturday evening.

Mill Valley was especially hard hit, with flooding stranding motorists and forcing the closure of intersections.

Borges, 28, had received a call at about 10:30 a.m., as the king tide was peaking.

His friend tried to drive his Toyota pickup through the flooded intersection and gotten trapped until local firefighters helped extricate him.

Borges lives on a houseboat in Sausalito and is used to king tides, he said, but neither he nor his friend had realized how bad the flooding would be at the intersection by the gas station.

“We’re just waiting for the water to go down enough to get a tow truck,” he said.
At Camino Alto and Miller Avenue, Mill Valley Department of Public Works employees blocked a flooded intersection.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen it this nasty,” said Mark Bartel, who started working for the department six months earlier.

The department had to close other roads for minor flooding two months earlier, but “it was nothing like this,” he said as he waved motorists into the parking lot of the adjoining Safeway.

A few yards down the way, Jen Bennett, 53, and Marianne Kabir, 56, were walking to pick up their sons from basketball practice.

“You can’t even get to the high school,” Bennett said.

Earlier in the day, she’d tried to go for a run, only to find her usual trails underwater.

Kabir looked on the bright side. All the flooding had brought out a bevy of birds.

“It’s really gorgeous,” she said.

At Equator Coffee, farther down Almonte Boulevard, baristas fielded calls from customers wondering whether they could get to the shop. Julia Pfahl, 36, was picking up a morning coffee and chatting with baristas. She’d had to leave home much earlier than usual to get to work at Proof Lab Surf Shop. When she’d arrived at work, she’d found the shop under 4 inches of water.

“It’s the worst I’ve ever seen it,” she said, chuckling. “Everyone is in a panic, no one knows how to drive in it — I saw a car by the Holiday Inn (on nearby Shoreline Highway) with water up to its windows. Did you really think you could drive through that?”

Meteorologists said another period of minor coastal flooding was expected late Sunday morning, though it will not be as severe as Saturday’s water levels.

Tide levels will be about half a foot lower than Saturday’s flooding, meteorologists said. By Monday, the coastal flood advisories are expected to drop off.

(sfchronicle.com)

PRAISE OF 49ERS’ DEFENSE MISGUIDED AFTER SEAHAWKS SHOW OFF ELITE UNIT

by Ann Killion

San Francisco 49ers’ Yetur Gross-Matos fails to recover Seattle Seahawks’ fumble in 3rd quarter during Niners’ 13-3 loss in NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Saturday, January 3, 2026. Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle

The San Francisco 49ers’ task all season was clear. Score, score and score again on offense, because the young defense was going to need a safety net. And, for many weeks, that’s exactly what they did.

But on Saturday night, that all came to a screeching halt, along with the 49ers’ hopes of a first-round bye and a comfy home-field advantage possibly all the way to the Super Bowl. The 13-3 loss to Seattle was a tale of defenses: The Seahawks were exceptional and the 49ers weren’t nearly good enough. One defense looked Super Bowl-ready. One did not.

In a prime time game, six days after a wild offensive shootout, we saw what happened when the 49ers’ offense was smothered. The outcome was what was foreshadowed in the offseason with the exodus of defensive veterans. And again in the first weeks of the season when defensive stars Nick Bosa and Fred Warner were lost for the season to injury.

The 49ers’ defense simply wasn’t good enough.

“We need to tackle better, we need to play better than that,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said, assessing the defense after the game. “I was proud that they kept battling and were able to hold them to 13 points. That’s what gave us a chance there at the end. But we need to play better all around.”

In the disappointing aftermath of the loss, there was a lot of praise that the defense held Seattle to just 13 points. But let’s be honest: The low output was largely due to self-inflicted damage by the Seahawks. They missed two very makeable field goals and on the first drive of the game, marched downfield but came away empty because of baffling playcalling at first-and-goal from the one. If things had bounced just a bit differently, Seattle might have put the 49ers in a three-score hole early.

Instead, the most telling sequence of the game came at the end of the third quarter when it was still a one-score game. Sam Darnold fumbled the handoff and it slipped through the hands of Yetur Gross-Matos — a recovery would have given the 49ers great field position.

“It just didn’t bounce my way,” Gross-Matos said. “I wish I could go back in time.”

Two plays later, Seattle faced 3rd-and-17 and running back Kenneth Walker III took the ball, spotted an open lane and sliced through the ineffective defense for 19 yards. It was ugly — almost as ugly as those hideous black uniforms the 49ers were wearing.

The TV cameras cut away to general manager John Lynch, the former safety, in his suite screaming an expletive in rage.

Lynch is the architect of the team. And he knew he was taking a risk constructing this out-of-balance group, with a core of offensive veterans on one side and, on the other, mostly defensive youngsters learning on the job.

“We wanted to get off the field,” said rookie Alfred Collins. “We just need to execute our assignments better.”

In contrast, Seattle’s defense executed everything beautifully. The Seahawks put on a clinic on tackling, pressure and closing down lanes.

The 49ers came crashing down to earth after a six-game winning streak. While they have proved to be surprisingly resilient this season and have stacked up win after win, their record was also viewed with skepticism because of the quality of their opponents. That six game streak was built on the backs of some very mediocre teams and below average defenses.

Seattle does not fit that description. The 49ers beat the Seahawks in Week 1, in Seattle, 17-13. In that game, Brock Purdy threw a winning touchdown that looked like an interception when it left his hand and Nick Bosa sacked Darnold to end the game. In the 17 weeks since, Seattle has continued to mature and may now be the best team in the NFC, if Darnold can keep his nerves in check. Their defense has become elite.

Now Seattle has the bye and home field while the 49ers take their young defense on the road. They’ll learn their opponent on Sunday.

“We made it hard on ourselves,” offensive lineman Colton McKivitz said. “We’re going to be road dogs.”

Shanahan had hoped to stay home, but — in this season of pivots — will make another one.

“It is what it is,” he said. “This team has been through a lot this year. Now we’ve got to do it the hard way and embrace the s— out of it.

“Hopefully we can earn the chance to see that team again.”

On the other side of the building, in the visiting locker room, “that team” danced, smoked cigars and celebrated. In two years, Mike Macdonald — at 38 the youngest coach in the NFL — has flipped the Seahawks from an also-ran to the top seed in the NFC. And he’s done it through defense.

And who knows: Seattle might very well be back in the same building in five weeks, on Super Sunday. Because the cliche is full of truth: Defense really does win championships.

If you’re a 49ers fan, that’s cause for concern.

49ERS GAME GRADES: DEFENSE PUT UP A FIGHT, BUT ABSENT OFFENSE OMINOUS FOR PLAYOFFS

After weeks of high-flying offense, the San Francisco 49ers saw their ambitions to earn the NFC’s top seed take a beating at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks in their regular-season finale, falling 13-3 at Levi’s Stadium. The defeat snapped a six-game winning streak and, with a 12-5 record, left them unsure about their seeding in the playoff picture and where they’ll have to fly to keep their Super Bowl dreams alive in the postseason.

Offense: F

There was nothing about this game that inspires confidence that the 49ers can outscore a strong defense. Brock Purdy rarely had time in the pocket, suffering three sacks and eight QB hits from Seattle defenders — LT Trent Williams’ absence was keenly felt. Any hope for late heroics were squelched by a fourth-quarter red-zone interception on 2nd-and-goal on a pass intended for Christian McCaffrey that CMC bobbled into a defender’s arms. Purdy had to head to the medical tent after getting sandwiched between two defenders on a fourth-down incompletion on the Niners’ final possession. Speaking of CMC, the 49ers’ workhorse was limited to 57 total yards on 14 touches.

Defense: C+

It could have been much worse, but the defense played an inspired game, thwarting the Seahawks’ game-opening drive thanks in large part to linebacker Tatum Bethune’s 11-yard sack of Seattle QB Sam Darnold on 1st-and-goal from the 1-yard line. It would be the first of three red-zone opportunities the Seahawks squandered, with the lone TD coming on Zach Charbonnet’s 27-yard rumble. That carry reflected Seattle’s effective ground game, which netted 180 yards, helped the team chew up 37:48 on the clock and included Kenneth Walker’s third-quarter 19-yard run on 3rd-and-17 that set the stage for Seattle’s second field goal.

Special Teams: B

No real silver linings here. Eddy Piñeiro made his lone field-goal attempt, and Thomas Morstead got to make twice as many punts in this game (four) as he did in the entire month of December, averaging 45.3 yards. The Niners’ return game was a non-factor — Seattle punted just once all night — but struggled to contain Seattle’s. The only real upside was seeing Seattle's kicker miss two field goals.

Coaching: C

There was no point at which the 49ers’ game plan looked like it was being executed well. The absence of the running game and the inability to protect Purdy made it difficult to achieve much, and two possessions ended on downs as they clung to what few opportunities they had. Robert Saleh’s crew kept the game in reach and, beyond getting bullied by the running game, the defense kept former Niner Sam Darnold and Jackson Smith-Njigba from running rampant and kept San Francisco in this game.

Overall: C-

Three months ago, even entertaining hopes of the top seed in the NFC might have seemed fantastic, but playing three games in 13 days didn’t do Kyle Shanahan’s already short-handed team any favors, and ultimately, they couldn’t pull off a comeback against a strong Seattle squad. The 49ers’ fortunes may have been due to turn, but seeing the offense struggle this badly seems ominous with stronger opponents on deck in the playoffs.

Niners running back Christian McCaffrey is tackled in the first quarter of Saturday’s game against the Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium. McCaffrey was limited to 23 yards on eight carries. Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle

(sfchronicle.com)

STATE’S BUDGET OUTLOOK IS GRIM

by Yue Stella Yu

Gov. Gavin Newsom opened this year with a rosy forecast: Buoyed by $17 billion more in revenue than previously planned, the state would have a modest surplus of $363 million for fiscal year 2025-26, he told reporters in January.

But life turns on a dime.

The January wildfires that ripped through Los Angeles forced the state to spend billions in disaster aid and delay tax filings for LA residents.

The cost of Medi-Cal, the state-run health insurance program for low-income residents, ballooned to $6 billion more than anticipated. President Donald Trump’s on-again-off-again tariff policies rocked the stock market, which California heavily relies on for tax revenue. And the state lodged a flurry of lawsuits against the Trump administration over its threat to withhold federal funding for food assistance, disaster recovery and other grants.

By May, Newsom no longer predicted a modest surplus, but a $12 billion deficit.

To plug the hole, Newsom initially proposed drastic cuts to Medi-Cal. But the final budget he negotiated with state lawmakers depended largely on internal borrowing, dipping into the state’s reserves and freezing Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented immigrants to avoid deep cuts to other social services.

While Democratic leaders largely blamed the Trump administration for California’s budget problem, the volatility of state revenues is not new. California highly depends on taxing the income and capital gains of high earners, whose fortune is often at the mercy of the stock market. In 2022, the state saw a nearly $100 billion surplus, followed by a projected $56 billion deficit over the next two years.

2026 outlook

The deficit is projected to reach nearly $18 billion next year, mostly because the state is expected to spend so much money that it would offset, if not eclipse, the strong tax revenues driven by an AI boom, said the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office in its fiscal outlook last month.

If the estimate holds, it’ll be the fourth year in a row in Newsom’s tenure that California faces a deficit despite revenue growth.

Worse yet, the structural deficit could reach $35 billion annually by fiscal year 2027-28, the LAO said.

California is facing $6 billion in extra spending next year, including at least $1.3 billion because the state must now pay more to cover Medi-Cal benefits under Trump’s budget bill. The state also stands to lose more housing and homelessness funding from the federal government.

How can legislators fix it? The options are stretching thin, as the state already took one-time measures to balance the books. The LAO notes that solving an ongoing structural budget problem requires either finding more sustainable revenue streams, or making serious cuts, or both.

(CalMatters.org)

AMERICA IS A GANGSTER STATE

The kidnapping of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife solidifies America’s role as a gangster state. Violence does no generate peace. It generates violence. The immolation of international and humanitarian law, as the U.S. and Israel have done in Gaza, and as took place in Caracas, generates a world without laws, a world of failed states, warlords, rouge imperial powers and perpetual violence and chaos. If there is one lesson we should have learned in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya it is that regime change spawns Frankensteinian monsters of our own creation. The Venezuelan military and security forces will no more accept the kidnapping of their president and U.S. domination – done as in Iraq to seize vast oil reserves -- than the Iraqi security forces and military or the Taliban. This will not go well for anyone, including the U.S.

— Chris Hedges

TRUMP'S FOREIGN POLICY OBJECTIVE in Venezuela is to steal the country four ways from Sunday.

— Jim Luther

STEVE TALBOT:

So, now trump is going to "run" Venezuela?

Good luck with that.

Is this what MAGA voters wanted? A new war, regime change, and the U.S. occupation of another country?

Let's call this what it is: a naked act of aggression. Illegal. It has nothing at all to do with preventing drugs coming into the United States. It is all about oil and power.

This is imperialism, like Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Trump kidnapping Maduro is a case of one would-be dictator deposing another small time tyrant.

Trump -- and his idiot, baby-macho, servile "secretary of war" Pete Hegseth -- are doing all they can to make the world an uglier, more dangerous place.

I am ashamed of my country and more determined than ever to help free it from the likes of the Trump Mob and Big Oil.

ROBERT REICH:

America’s takeover of Venezuela — because it’s in our “backyard” and we didn’t like its leader — strengthens Putin’s claim over Ukraine, Xi’s over Taiwan, and Netanyahu’s over the West Bank and Gaza.

The postwar order was supposed to stop thugs who use aggression to take over their “backyards,” as Hitler did in Europe and Japan did in East Asia.

But Trump is now reverting back to the pre-World War II, might-makes-right, spheres-of-power, order.

For more than eighty years, America’s moral authority has rested on our claim to be on the side of democracy. That claim was often belied by American aggression that bolstered dictators — in Vietnam in the 1960s, in Latin America in the 1970s, and more recently in Afghanistan, and Iraq — but it at least gave a patina of legitimacy to our alliances and to our “soft power” through USAID and the United Nations.

Now we’re back to the rawest form of neo-imperialism.

“We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” Trump explained early this morning.

Let’s be clear: When it comes to Venezuela’s giant oil reserves, America’s oil companies will be making money for themselves.

Trump is out to carve up the world into three large power blocs — one under the thuggery of Putin, the second under the thuggery of Xi, and the third under Trump’s thuggery (allied with sou-thugs like Israel’s Netanyahu and Hungary’s Orban).

To be a “neighbor” of a thug is to surrender to the thug’s wishes or else direct control. Within Putin’s thuggery fall Ukraine and quite possibly Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the rest of the former Soviet bloc.

Within Xi’s thuggery fall Taiwan, Tibet, Mongolia, and possibly Nepal.

Within Trump’s thuggery fall the rest of Latin America, including Mexico, and possibly even Greenland and Canada.

Beware. The Trump world order makes the world safe for tyrants.

THEY KIDNAPPED MADURO BECAUSE THE WORLD IS RULED BY UNACCOUNTABLE TYRANTS

After all those months of babbling about fentanyl and “narcoterrorism” and freedom and democracy, the Trump administration has come right out and admitted that its regime change interventionism in Venezuela has always been a good old-fashioned oil grab.

by Caitlin Johnstone

Well, Trump finally did it. US special forces attacked Venezuela and abducted President Maduro from Caracas, reportedly killing at least 40 people in the process.

And now that it’s all over, the White House is getting a lot more honest about the real motives behind its actions. After all those months of babbling about fentanyl and “narcoterrorism” and freedom and democracy, the Trump administration has come right out and admitted that its regime change interventionism in Venezuela has always been a good old-fashioned oil grab.

“We’re gonna take back the oil that frankly we should have taken back a long time ago,” Trump told the press following Maduro’s abduction, saying “We’re going to be taking out a tremendous amount of wealth out of the ground, and that wealth is going to the people of Venezuela, and people from outside of Venezuela that used to be in Venezuela, and it goes also to the United States of America in the form of reimbursement for the damages caused us by that country.”

“We have tremendous energy in that country. It’s very important that we protect it. We need that for ourselves, we need that for the world,” the president added.

Trump made it explicitly clear that this is going to be some sort of long-term US occupation project, contradicting early claims of his supporters who had defended the president’s actions in Venezuela as a brief in-and-out, one-and-done special ops intervention.

“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said. “So we don’t want to be involved with having somebody else get in. And we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years. So we are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.”

“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” the president said. “And we have to have, we had boots on the ground last night at a very high level. Actually, we’re not afraid of it, we’re we don’t mind saying it, but we’re going to make sure that that country is run properly. We’re not doing this in vain.”

You would think after all these incredibly honest admissions that this was a regime change operation aimed at controlling the resources of the nation with the largest proven oil reserves on the planet, people would get real and accept that they were lied to about the Trump administration’s real reasons for targeting Venezuela. But I am still getting Trump supporters prattling on about drugs and terrorism and democracy in my social media replies defending my criticisms of his monstrous act of war.

I had one Trump supporter try to tell me the president’s admissions that it was all about the oil don’t necessarily prove it wasn’t also about fighting drug trafficking, arguing that it could possibly have been motivated by both. Which to me kinda sounds like a grandmother acknowledging that yes, she had been victimized by an email scam, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the nice man who scammed her wasn’t also a Nigerian prince.

Trump supporters would make excuses for literally anything he did. Literally anything. I am not using hyperbole for effect. There is literally nothing he could do that they wouldn’t twist themselves into cognitive pretzels trying to justify.

Trump is spelling out the truth of what he is and what the US empire is, and anyone with open eyes can see it plain as day.

For those whose eyes are open or are beginning to open, I hope you continue learning the same lessons with Venezuela that you learned with Gaza. The US empire always lies, the mass media always facilitate its lies, and the global south continues to be ransacked by the murderous abusers who run things.…

https://caitlinjohnstone.com.au/2026/01/04/they-kidnapped-maduro-because-the-world-is-ruled-by-unaccountable-tyrants/

GIANTS CHECK ON SAFETY OF PLAYERS IN VENEZUELA: ‘MOST HAVE JUST SHELTERED IN PLACE’

by Susan Slusser

For the baseball community, the United States’ overnight military action in Venezuela on Saturday brought some concerns — especially for those big leaguers playing winter ball there.

The San Francisco Giants have two: Outfielder Luis Matos is playing in the Venezuelan winter leagues for Guaira in the capital city of Caracas, while catcher Jesus Rodriguez is playing winter ball for Aragua in Maracay, a city in the northern part of the country, near the Caribbean.

Rodriguez messaged that he is safe and just waiting for instructions from the Giants, but with airspace closed, he cannot leave Venezuela for at least a few days.

The status of the Venezuelan winter league is unknown — games scheduled for Saturday were canceled — and the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Mexico already had withdrawn from the winter leagues’ annual championship, the Caribbean series, scheduled to be held in Caracas next month. In 2018-19, turmoil in Venezuela caused the series to shift elsewhere, so a move would not be unprecedented.

San Francisco has numerous minor leaguers from the country, along with extensive scouting operations there. Senior director of player development Kyle Haines said the team has reached most of its personnel in Venezuela, but not all.

“Everyone we’ve been in touch with is doing well so far,” Haines said via text. “Most have just sheltered in place, awaiting what the future holds. It’s always tough to get a hold of some more remote people due to lack of services in those areas but we’re working on contacting everyone.”

Former manager Bruce Bochy played winter ball in Venezuela and is very fond of the country. He said Saturday via text that he has checked in on his friend Jose Alguacil, the former Giants first base coach, who now manages Caracas in the winter league. Bochy, like many around baseball, said he wants to wait a few days to get a better feel for the situation before commenting.

Major League Baseball has dealt with uncertainty in Venezuela before and has close ties with the state department to ensure the welfare of players and personnel. There are team protocols in place for political unrest, but Saturday’s situation is unprecedented, given the U.S. involvement.

There is hope that any change in the government will help Venezuelan players, because travel in and out of the country has been increasingly difficult and the visa process complicated since Venezuela cut diplomatic ties to the U.S. in 2019. In addition, political upheaval and sanctions have caused harsh economic conditions, including shortages of food and medical supplies.

Carlos Ramirez, who has done a lot of pregame and postgame Giants shows for NBC Sports Bay Area, is from Venezuela, and he said simply restoring diplomatic relations will help all Venezuelans with U.S. ties.

“If you need to get a visa or a work permit, you currently have to go to Colombia or Mexico, Brazil or Belize, the logistics are difficult,” he said. “And there’s no Venezuelan embassy or consulates in the States. If you want your parents or family to visit here, that’s really hard to do. If the U.S. embassy reopens, that will be so much easier.”

Ramirez said he did not sleep Saturday night, staying up to watch news coverage and speaking to relatives; his parents were near the site of some bombing but unharmed; his former brother-in-law had no power and had been evacuated from her home. Sports journalists covering baseball in outlying areas were scrambling to return to Caracas, Ramirez said, “but all the airports are closed. Everything’s paralyzed.”

In recent years, Wilmer Flores has been the Giants’ most high-profile Venezuelan, but the club has had many contributors from the country, including three-time World Series champion infielder Pablo Sandoval (2008-14, 2017-20), reliever Yusmeiro Petit (2012-15) and Gold Glove shortstop Omar Vizquel (2005-08).

CAPTURED DICTATOR MADURO ARRIVES IN MANHATTAN AHEAD OF TRIAL AS TRUMP DECLARES THAT US WILL 'RUN' VENEZUELA

by Laura Parnaby

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro bid law enforcement officers a 'Happy New Year' as he was perp walked following his capture on Saturday.

The South American dictator appeared relaxed as he was escorted through Manhattan's Drug Enforcement Administration office.

US Army Delta Force soldiers snatched Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from their Caracas compound Friday night before extraditing them on drug trafficking charges.

They landed by helicopter in Manhattan on Saturday evening, after earlier making stops at airfields in upstate New York and Puerto Rico.

Maduro and Flores are now in custody at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, which is famous for its squalid conditions and has also housed Luigi Mangione and Sean 'Diddy' Combs.

Trump said the United States would govern Venezuela indefinitely in the meantime, after dismissing the prospect of the country's popular opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, taking the reins, claiming she 'does not have the support'.

Cameras captured the moment Maduro and Flores touched down in a white FBI Boeing 757 at Stewart Air National Guard Base in upstate New York around 4:30pm Saturday.

Several figures presumed to be Maduro and his wife flanked by officials could be seen slowly leaving the aircraft before they were taken by helicopter to NYC.

The footage is unclear due to the darkness, but Maduro appeared to be wearing handcuffs as he was marched across the runway to the next aircraft.

It is believed the couple were first taken to Puerto Rico, where another video showed them being escorted onto a different US military plane earlier in the day.

Shot from several hundred yards away, the footage shared by Puerto Rican broadcaster NotiCentro follows a huddle of people boarding a plane on the runway at Ramey Base, a former US Air Force strip at Rafael Hernandez International Airport.

The mayor of Aguadilla, Julio Roldan, also wrote on social media that the Venezuelan dictator had been 'transferred' through the city, which is located on the north-western coast of Puerto Rico, around 600 miles north of Caracas.

'Aguadilla was the first American jurisdiction where they transferred the detainee Nicolás Maduro,' Roldan said Saturday.

'An additional sample of geopolitical value Aguadilla has for our common defense.'

After his capture by the US Army's elite Delta Force unit, Maduro and his wife were flown by helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima warship.

Trump said the United States would govern Venezuela indefinitely in the meantime.

'We're going to run the country until as such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,' he told reporters in the wake of the shock capture.

Trump offered little further detail on the logistics of running Venezuela, which has a population of 30 million, but suggested the country's vast oil reserves would be used to fund its revival.

Maduro's arrest came after US forces struck Caracas amid accusations from Trump that Venezuela has been flooding the US with drugs and gang members.

Trump alleged that Maduro is the leader of the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns) drug trafficking operation.

Trump said Saturday that he had not briefed Congress of his plans to snatch Maduro, claiming that had he done so, the news would have 'leaked' and potentially helped the Venezuelan leader to evade capture.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado has been tipped as the country's next president, but Trump made no mention of her on Saturday.

She previously voiced support for Trump's threats to get rid of Maduro and is hugely popular among the Venezuelan electorate.

Maduro's capture sparked jubilation from Venezuelan migrants living outside of their home nation Saturday.

Hundreds took to the streets of cities, including Santiago in Chile, to celebrate the ouster of a leader seen as a corrupt authoritarian accused of destroying the economy of his oil-rich country while silencing dissent.

The atmosphere appeared altogether more muted in Caracas.

Locals were photographed lining up outside supermarkets amid fears Maduro's ouster will lead to even greater economic uncertainty.

Shortly before Saturday's press conference, the president shared an undignified photo of Maduro in a tracksuit taken after his capture.

He said the Venezuelan president's wife will also be charged, but did not offer further details.

Maduro was photographed wearing a heavy black plastic eye mask and ear muffs over his ears in an apparent bid to keep his location a secret from him.

He was clad in a gray tracksuit and clutched a plastic water bottle. It is unclear if this is what Maduro was wearing when he was taken or if it was given to him by US forces.

The image was a far cry from his usual appearance in sharp suits or military regalia, with CNN commentators speculating it had been chosen to humiliate the corrupt leader.

There was no sign of Cilia.

Addressing a press conference in Mar-a-Lago Saturday, Trump told journalists that the Venezuelan first lady was part of her husband's alleged schemes and that she too will face criminal charges in Manhattan.

'Maduro and his wife will soon face the full might of American justice,' Trump declared.

The Maduros are said to have been frightened of capture by US forces and allegedly took to sleeping in a different place every night.

Their whereabouts was being monitored successfully by CIA spies, with Trump green-lighting the operation to snatch them on Thursday.

Earlier on Saturday, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Maduro would face drug and weapons trafficking charges originally filed in 2020 during Trump's first term in office.

Five other Venezuelan officials face the same charges. But the first lady is not among those names and it remains unclear what charges she will face.

Speaking while flanked by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump said the operation to capture Maduro was one of the most daring in military history.

Shortly after 2am Venezuela time Saturday morning, Delta Force soldiers burst into the Maduros bedroom and captured them.

A source told the network the operation - which struck five Venezuelan sites including three in the country's capital Caracas - did not result in any casualties.

He hailed the operation as 'brilliant' in a brief New York Times interview early Saturday.

The president later called into Fox News's breakfast show Fox & Friends, excitedly telling its hosts: 'I mean, I watched it literally l like I was watching a television show. If you would've seen the speed, the violence - it was an amazing thing.'

Explosions were seen ripping across Caracas during the daring raid, with Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek Saab insisting that 'innocents' had been 'mortally wounded' by the US operation.

Venezuela has yet to share further details on whether any of its soldiers or citizens were injured or killed during the raid.

(DailyMail.uk)

TRUMP’S ATTACK ON VENEZUELA IS ILLEGAL AND UNWISE

Over the past few months, President Trump has deployed an imposing military force in the Caribbean to threaten Venezuela. Until now, the president used that force — an aircraft carrier, at least seven other warships, scores of aircraft and 15,000 U.S. troops — for illegal attacks on small boats that he claimed were ferrying drugs. On Saturday, Mr. Trump dramatically escalated his campaign by capturing President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela as part of what he called “a large scale strike” against the country.

Few people will feel any sympathy for Mr. Maduro. He is undemocratic and repressive, and has destabilized the Western Hemisphere in recent years. The United Nations recently issued a report detailing more than a decade of killings, torture, sexual violence and arbitrary detention by henchmen against his political opponents. He stole Venezuela’s presidential election in 2024. He has fueled economic and political disruption throughout the region by instigating an exodus of nearly eight million migrants.

If there is an overriding lesson of American foreign affairs in the past century, however, it is that attempting to oust even the most deplorable regime can make matters worse. The United States spent 20 years failing to create a stable government in Afghanistan and replaced a dictatorship in Libya with a fractured state. The tragic consequences of the 2003 war in Iraq continue to beset America and the Middle East. Perhaps most relevant, the United States has sporadically destabilized Latin American countries, including Chile, Cuba, Guatemala and Nicaragua, by trying to oust a government through force.

Mr. Trump has not yet offered a coherent explanation for his actions in Venezuela. He is pushing our country toward an international crisis without valid reasons. If Mr. Trump wants to argue otherwise, the Constitution spells out what he must do: Go to Congress. Without congressional approval, his actions violate U.S. law.

The nominal rationale for the administration’s military adventurism is to destroy “narco-terrorists.” Governments throughout history have labeled the leaders of rival nations as terrorists, seeking to justify military incursions as policing operations. The claim is particularly ludicrous in this case, given that Venezuela is not a meaningful producer of fentanyl or the other drugs that have dominated the recent epidemic of overdoses in the United States, and the cocaine that it does produce flows mostly to Europe. While Mr. Trump has been attacking Venezuelan boats, he also pardoned Juan Orlando Hernández, who ran a sprawling drug operation when he was president of Honduras from 2014 to 2022.

A more plausible explanation for the attacks on Venezuela may instead be found in Mr. Trump’s recently released National Security Strategy. It claimed the right to dominate Latin America: “After years of neglect, the United States will reassert and enforce the Monroe Doctrine to restore American pre-eminence in the Western Hemisphere.” In what the document called the “Trump Corollary,” the administration vowed to redeploy forces from around the world to the region, stop traffickers on the high seas, use lethal force against migrants and drug runners and potentially base more U.S. troops around the region.

Venezuela has apparently become the first country subject to this latter-day imperialism, and it represents a dangerous and illegal approach to America’s place in the world. By proceeding without any semblance of international legitimacy, valid legal authority or domestic endorsement, Mr. Trump risks providing justification for authoritarians in China, Russia and elsewhere who want to dominate their own neighbors. More immediately, he threatens to replicate the American hubris that led to the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

As a presidential candidate, Mr. Trump seemed to recognize the problems with military overreach. In 2016, he was the rare Republican politician to call out the folly of President George W. Bush’s Iraq war. In 2024, he said: “I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars.”

He is now abandoning this principle, and he is doing so illegally. The Constitution requires Congress to approve any act of war. Yes, presidents often push the boundaries of this law. But even Mr. Bush sought and received congressional endorsement for his Iraq invasion, and presidents since Mr. Bush have justified their use of drone attacks against terrorist groups and their supporters with a 2001 law that authorized action after the Sept. 11 attacks. Mr. Trump has not even a fig leaf of legal authority for his attacks on Venezuela.

Congressional debates over military action play a crucial democratic role. They check military adventurism by forcing a president to justify his attack plans to the public and requiring members of Congress to tie their own credibility to those plans. For years after the vote on the Iraq war, Democrats who supported Mr. Bush, including Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, paid a political price, while those who criticized the war, like Bernie Sanders and Barack Obama, came to be seen as prophetic.

In the case of Venezuela, a congressional debate would expose the thinness of Mr. Trump’s rationale. His administration has justified his attacks on the small boats by claiming they pose an immediate threat to the United States. But a wide range of legal and military experts reject the claim, and common sense refutes it, too. An attempt to smuggle drugs into the United States — if, in fact, all the boats were doing so — is not an attempt to overthrow the government or defeat its military.

We suspect Mr. Trump has refused to seek congressional approval for his actions partly because he knows that even some Republicans in Congress are deeply skeptical of the direction in which he is leading this country. Already, Senators Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski and Representatives Don Bacon and Thomas Massie — Republicans all — have backed legislation that would limit Mr. Trump’s military actions against Venezuela.

A second argument against Mr. Trump’s attacks on Venezuela is that they violate international law. By blowing up the small boats that Mr. Trump says are smuggling drugs, he has killed people based on the mere suspicion that they have committed a crime and given them no chance to defend themselves. The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and every subsequent major human rights treaty prohibit such extrajudicial killings. So does U.S. law.

The administration appears to have killed defenseless people. In one attack, the Navy fired a second strike against a hobbled boat, about 40 minutes after the first attack, killing two sailors who were clinging to the boat’s wreckage and appeared to present no threat. As our colleague David French, a former U.S. Army lawyer, has written, “The thing that separates war from murder is the law.”

The legal arguments against Mr. Trump’s actions are the more important ones, but there is also a cold-eyed realist argument. They are not in America’s national security interest. The closest thing to an encouraging analogy is President George H.W. Bush’s invasion of Panama 36 years ago last month, which drove the dictator Manuel Noriega from power and helped set Panama on a path toward democracy. Yet Venezuela is different in important ways. Panama is a much smaller country, and it was a country where American officials and troops had operated for decades because of the Panama Canal.

The potential for chaos in Venezuela seems much greater. Despite Mr. Maduro’s capture, the generals who have enabled his regime will not suddenly vanish. Nor are they likely to hand power to María Corina Machado, the opposition figure whose movement appears to have won the country’s most recent election and who accepted the Nobel Peace Prize last month.

Among the possible bad outcomes are a surge in violence by the left-wing Colombian military group the ELN, which has a foothold in Venezuela’s western area, or by the paramilitary groups known as “colectivos” that have operated on the periphery of power under the Maduro dictatorship. Further unrest in Venezuela could unsettle global energy and food markets and drive more migrants throughout the hemisphere.

So how should the United States deal with the continuing problem that Venezuela poses to the region and America’s interests? We share the hopes of desperate Venezuelans, some of whom have made a case for intervention. But there are no easy answers. By now, the world should understand the risks of regime change.

We will hold out hope that the current crisis will end less badly than we expect. We fear that the result of Mr. Trump’s adventurism is increased suffering for Venezuelans, rising regional instability and lasting damage for America’s interests around the world. We know that Mr. Trump’s warmongering violates the law.

(NY Times Editorial)

*Rich People* (2002) by Marius van Dokkum

SOLDIER’S DREAM

I dreamed kind Jesus fouled the big-gun gears;
And caused a permanent stoppage in all bolts;
And buckled with a smile Mausers and Colts;
And rusted every bayonet with His tears.

And there were no more bombs, of ours or Theirs,
Not even an old flint-lock, not even a pikel.
But God was vexed, and gave all power to Michael;
And when I woke he'd seen to our repairs.

— Wilfred Owen (1917)

"THE OTHER DAY I was thinking about a world without me. The world continues to drive on its own and does what it does. And I'm gone! Very strange. Imagine a garbage truck coming and taking garbage, and I'm gone. Or newspapers thrown in front of the door, and I won't pick them up. Not possible! Or worse, when some time passes after my death, then someone will truly discover me. All those who feared me or hated me while I was alive will suddenly embrace me. My words will be everywhere. Clubs and associations will be created. It will be disgusting. He will make a film about my life. They will present me far braver and more talented than I am. Far braver and more talented. There will be enough for the gods to vomit. The human race always disgusts me: damn you! Well, I'm better now. Damn the human race. Here….. I'm better."

— Charles Bukowski

LEAD STORIES, SUNDAY'S NYT

Trump Plunges U.S. Into a New Era of Risk in Venezuela

A Pardon and a Prosecution in New York Show Trump’s Personal Geopolitics

Inside the U.S. Operation to Oust Venezuela’s President

After Maduro Is Captured and Taken to Brooklyn Jail, Questions Mount

Indictment Cites Cocaine Trade, in Which Venezuela’s Role Is Believed to Be Modest

EVERY EMPIRE, however, tells itself and the world that it is unlike all other empires, that its mission is not to plunder and control but to educate and liberate.

― Edward W. Said

TROUBLE EVERY DAY

Well I'm about to get sick
From watchin' my TV
Been checkin' out the news
Until my eyeballs fail to see
I mean to say that every day
Is just another rotten mess
And when it's gonna change, my friends
Is anybody's guess

So I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'
Hopin' for the best
Even think I'll go to prayin'
Every time I hear 'em sayin'
That there's no way to delay
That trouble comin' every day
No way to delay
That trouble comin' every day

Wednesday I watched the riot…
I seen the cops out on the street
Watched 'em throwin' rocks and stuff
And chokin' in the heat
Listened to reports
About the whisky passin' 'round
Seen the smoke & fire
And the market burnin' down
Watched while everybody
On his street would take a turn
To stomp and smash and bash and crash
And slash and bust and burn

And I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'
Hopin' for the best
Even think I'll go to prayin'
Every time I hear 'em sayin'
That there's no way to delay
That trouble comin' every day
No way to delay
That trouble comin' every day

Well you can cool it
You can heat it…
'Cause, baby, I don't need it…
Take your TV tube and eat it
'N all that phony stuff on sports
'N all the unconfirmed reports
You know I watched that rotten box
Until my head began to hurt
From checkin' out the way
The newsmen say they get the dirt
Before the guys on channel so-and-so
And further they assert
That any show they'll interrupt
To bring you news if it comes up
They say that if the place blows up
They'll be the first to tell
Because the boys they got downtown
Are workin' hard and doin' swell
And if anybody gets the news
Before it hits the street
They say that no one blabs it faster
Their coverage can't be beat

And if another woman driver
Gets machine-gunned from her seat
They'll send some joker with a brownie
And you'll see it all complete

Hey you know something people
I'm not black
But there's a whole lots a times
I wish I could say I'm not white

Well, I seen the fires burnin'
And the local people turnin'
On the merchants and the shops
Who used to sell their brooms and mops
And every other household item
Watched the mob just turn and bite 'em
And they say it served 'em right
Because a few of them are white
And it's the same across the nation
Black & white discrimination
They're yellin' "; You can't understand me!"
And all the other crap they hand me
In the papers and TV
'N all that mass stupidity
That seems to grow more every day
Each time you hear some nitwit say
He wants to go and do you in
Because the color of your skin
Just don't appeal to him
(No matter if it's black or white)
Because he's out for blood tonight

You know we gotta sit around at home
And watch this thing begin
But I bet there won't be many left
To see it really end
'Cause the fire in the street
Ain't like the fire in my heart
And in the eyes of all these people
Don't you know that this could start
On any street in any town
In any state if any clown
Decides that now's the time to fight
For some ideal he thinks is right
And if a million more agree
There ain't no great society
As it applies to you and me
Our country isn't free
And the law refuses to see
If all that you can ever be
Is just a lousy janitor
Unless your uncle owns a store
You know that five in every four
Just one amount and nothin' more
Don't watch the rats go across the floor
And make up songs about being poor
Blow you harmonica son!

— Frank Zappa (1966)

HER BROTHER PLEADED GUILTY TO THE IDAHO MURDERS. NOW SHE’S READY TO TALK.

Since the arrest of Bryan Kohberger in the murder of four college students, a case that captivated the nation, his family has stayed silent. His sister now describes their pain and confusion.

by Mike Baker

The harrowing news had spread across the country in the fall of 2022: Four college students were found stabbed to death at a house near the University of Idaho campus. Mel Kohberger, who was preparing to start a new job as a mental health therapist in New Jersey, could not help feeling a sense of alarm.

Her brother, Bryan, was living just 15 minutes from the scene of the mysterious killings. Investigators had no suspects. And Bryan was just the type of person who would leave his door unlocked and go out on late-night jogs.

“Bryan, you are running outside and this psycho killer is on the loose,” she remembers telling him. “Be careful.” He thanked her for checking on him and assured her that he would stay safe.

In early December that year, her brother returned to their parents’ home in Pennsylvania for the holidays, and later that month, Ms. Kohberger got a call from her sister, Amanda. Law enforcement officers had burst into the house in the middle of the night, and placed Mr. Kohberger in handcuffs.

“She was like, ‘I’m with the F.B.I., Bryan’s been arrested,’” Ms. Kohberger said. “I was like, ‘For what?’”

The response: “The Idaho murders.” For a brief moment, she wondered if it was a prank. Then a sense of nausea overtook her.

Literally overnight, the mystery of who stabbed four young people to death in an ordinary neighborhood full of college students gave way to a new question: Why Mr. Kohberger, a reclusive but dedicated Ph.D. student who had been on a path to a career in criminology, may have mounted a silent and brutal attack on four students from another university who had no apparent connection to him. The arrest upended the lives of the Kohberger family.

Tabloids stationed cameras outside their home, snapping images of Ms. Kohberger’s father cleaning up the damage from the police raid. Online sleuths scrutinized footage of Amanda acting in a 2011 horror film that had also involved stabbings. Ms. Kohberger said she was angered by internet posts from people who speculated whether her family had known all along that Mr. Kohberger was the killer.

“I have always been a person who has spoken up for what was right,” she said. “If I ever had a reason to believe my brother did anything, I would have turned him in.”

For the past three years, the family has kept quiet, avoiding interviews even as Mr. Kohberger pleaded guilty and accepted four life sentences. His parents and siblings wanted to do everything in their power to respect the victims’ families during the legal process, Ms. Kohberger said, and even now she expressed fear that she might say something that could further traumatize them. Her family’s challenges, she said several times, cannot compare to what those families have endured.

And while the family still does not want to discuss the crime itself, Ms. Kohberger agreed recently to share part of their story, saying she hoped she could bring out the truth about her family and what it has been like to be dragged into the epicenter of a true crime epic.

Family members of high-profile criminals have long struggled to navigate the collateral infamy thrust upon them. The Kohbergers found themselves not just interrogated by detectives but subject to the scrutiny of an assortment of amateur sleuths, part of a true crime fervor that has brought millions of people together in Facebook groups, Reddit forums and YouTube channels.

When her brother was arrested, Ms. Kohberger had been training to start a job as a mental health counselor, but her new employer was so flooded with inquiries that she agreed to abandon the position. More recently, a book about the case emerged on Amazon with an author listed as “Melissa J. Kohberger,” suggesting that someone was trying to make money by selling a false version of her story.

“It’s confusing,” she said. “It’s painful. It’s like being victimized but not really being a victim.”

Mr. Kohberger grew up in the Poconos in a home centered on family. With readings of books like “Little House on the Prairie” and lessons rooted in their mother’s Catholic upbringing, Ms. Kohberger said she and her brother and sister had been imbued with values of loyalty, self-reliance and putting the needs of others ahead of their own. Some of her fondest childhood memories were the nights when her parents, MaryAnn and Michael, ordered takeout food and woke up the children, laying blankets out on the deck. There, they all looked up at the stars, talking about astronomy and the wonders of the world.

Friends have described how Mr. Kohberger had been overweight as a teenager, and had a standoffish personality — something the family now believes was related to autism. He endured persistent bullying, Ms. Kohberger said. He wrote online during those years of having no emotion, little remorse and feeling as if he was “an organic sack of meat with no self worth.” Later, he spiraled into heroin addiction.

When he stole Ms. Kohberger’s phone, and sold it at a mall to buy more drugs, she said, her parents alerted the police. Ms. Kohberger said they were all worried that he was on a path to an early death — as ultimately happened with one of his friends.

But after he went through treatment, she said, Mr. Kohberger seemed to be on a better trajectory. She and her brother both shared an interest in crimes and psychology: She was pursuing a career in mental health therapy. He began discussing a career in policing, going on to study psychology at DeSales University in eastern Pennsylvania before getting accepted into a Ph.D. program in criminology at Washington State University.

“We were all so proud of him because he had overcome so much,” she said.

He was still socially awkward and could be abrasive, she said. They often argued. Still, she said she never saw him be violent. When she once tried to force him out of the house during an argument, he de-escalated the situation by holding back her hands.

That lack of a violent history was one reason the family found it so disorienting to hear that Mr. Kohberger was accused of such a barbaric crime.

In the days before the raid, the family had gathered for Christmas. Ms. Kohberger remembered being thrilled to see her brother back home in Pennsylvania, and hugging him tightly. To accommodate the strict diet he now followed, their mother had made him vegan cookies for the holidays. They played TV party games. One night, as Ms. Kohberger was cleaning up in the kitchen, a sharp edge of foil caused her finger to bleed, and her brother, initially expressing disgust at the sight of blood, helped clean the cut and cover it with a bandage.

During those days at home, Ms. Kohberger said, she recalls him only briefly mentioning the Idaho murders, saying that investigators were still hunting for the killer.

Investigators, after going weeks without naming a suspect, had turned to the public in early December and requested help finding a white Hyundai Elantra of a model year between 2011 and 2013 that had been seen circling near the victims’ house on the night of the killings. Ms. Kohberger, knowing that her brother had driven a white Elantra back from school, said she had briefly wondered if they were looking for the same model, but then learned that his was from a different year — 2015.

Unknown to the family, investigators had pinpointed Mr. Kohberger as a suspect within days of his return to Pennsylvania. They were already surveilling the house.

In the early hours of Dec. 30, 2022, while Mr. Kohberger and his parents were alone in the house, police officers burst in with guns drawn, shattering glass and rushing to place him in handcuffs.

In court, law enforcement officials said that Mr. Kohberger’s DNA was found on a knife sheath that had been left next to two of the victims. Amazon records showed he had purchased the same style of knife. And then there was the white Elantra — investigators determined that the car seen near the murder house matched the model he drove.

Ms. Kohberger said her mother has been praying daily for the families of the victims. Ms. Kohberger herself has put the names of the victims — Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin — and their birthdays into her digital calender so that she will get reminders about them. During holidays, she said, her family has felt grief that Mr. Kohberger could not be with them, but then she would think of the victims’ families and the pain they must be feeling.

“The idea is making me so emotional that I can barely speak to you about it,” she said in tears.

Steve Goncalves, the father of Ms. Goncalves, said he had sympathy for Mr. Kohberger’s sisters and the scrutiny they had endured in recent years. But he said he still had lingering questions about what Mr. Kohberger’s parents might have known or suspected.

As the criminal case proceeded, the Kohberger family was troubled by the intense discussion around it. Mr. Kohberger’s emotionless mannerisms, which the family attributed to his autism, became something people treated as evidence of him being a monster. (Research has not established any conclusive causal links between autism and violent crime.) There were reports that he had interacted with some of the victims on social media or had gone to a restaurant where two of them had worked, but investigators later dismissed those claims.

All of the attention, Ms. Kohberger said, made it hard to imagine that her brother could ever get a fair trial, and she could see that the wild speculation surrounding the case seemed hurtful to the families and friends of the students who died. Once an avid true crime fan herself, she now looks back on that with regret.

“It’s human nature to be curious about darker things,” she said. “That’s how we keep ourselves safe. But I think we should try and come together for a true crime culture that is way more protective and empathetic to the families of the victims.”

The family has tried to support Mr. Kohberger. Since his arrest, they have held regular calls with him, avoiding discussions about the details of the case. Ms. Kohberger said she has kept him posted about life back at home, and he sometimes talks about his latest interests in psychology — the Myers-Briggs personality assessment and the “bicameral mind” theory, in which the two sides of ancient human brains operated independently.

For his birthday, Mr. Kohberger asked his family to make a cake that he thought his sister Amanda would like. He asked Mel to blow out the candles.

Through it all, they have tried to reconcile the son and brother they loved — and still do — with the man depicted by prosecutors and the police, the man who pleaded guilty to killing four young people with no apparent motive.

When he entered the guilty plea in July, his parents attended, with his mother sobbing in the front row.

Weeks later, when he was sentenced, Ms. Kohberger had hoped to attend, but she stayed home to care for her father, who had developed heart problems. They watched the hearing together on television.

Some of the victims’ family members, given a chance to address the court, unloaded their anger at Mr. Kohberger, who sat largely in blank-faced silence. “You’re definitely a demon from hell,” one family member said through a lawyer. “The truth is, you’re as dumb as they come: stupid, clumsy, slow, sloppy, weak, dirty,” said another. The judge said that he could not discern any redeeming quality in Mr. Kohberger “because his grotesque acts of evil have buried and hidden anything that might have been good or intrinsically human about him.”

Through it all, Mr. Kohberger sat with his hands in his lap, nothing in front of him but a pen and a piece of paper that appeared to have a small drawing on it. On the internet, some of the amateur sleuths watching the proceedings zoomed in to scrutinize the sketch, speculating that it appeared to be a dark heart.

“Bryan Kohberger keeps creepy drawing close during sentencing for quadruple killing,” a tabloid headline declared.

In truth, Ms. Kohberger said, it was a heart surrounded by vibrant colors that she herself had drawn for her brother. Even if she could not be there in person, she said, she wanted him to know that he was loved.

(NY Times)

WHEN SHE WAS 16, General MacArthur brought her to America as his secret mistress—then paid her to disappear when scandal threatened his career.

Isabel Rosario Cooper—known to friends as "Dimples"—was a teenage actress and dancer performing in Manila's entertainment scene. She was beautiful, talented, and barely 16 years old.

Douglas MacArthur was 50, the commander of all U.S. forces in the Philippines, recently separated from his first wife, and one of the most powerful men in the Pacific.

When they met, the power differential wasn't just significant—it was absolute.

MacArthur began a relationship with Isabel. Then, when he was reassigned to Washington D.C. in 1930, he brought her with him.

But not openly. Not as his partner. As his secret.

He arranged for her to travel on a separate ship to avoid scandal. He set her up in an apartment in Washington where he could visit her discreetly. He hid the relationship from his 80-year-old mother, who still had significant influence over his life and career.

For four years, Isabel lived in Washington as MacArthur's kept woman. Hidden away. Waiting for his visits. Unable to work openly as an actress. Dependent on him financially and emotionally.

She was a secret he could visit when convenient and ignore when not.

Then, in 1934, journalist Drew Pearson discovered the relationship. Pearson was preparing to expose the affair—not just to embarrass MacArthur, but as part of a broader political attack.

MacArthur, panicked about the scandal threatening his career, sued Pearson for libel.

But during the legal proceedings, evidence of the relationship emerged. Love letters. Financial records. Proof that one of America's most celebrated generals had been keeping a young Filipina woman as his mistress while hiding her from public view.

MacArthur settled the lawsuit quickly. And made Isabel an offer.

He would pay her $15,000—a substantial sum in 1934—if she would leave Washington and return to the Philippines. If she would disappear from his life before the scandal destroyed his career.

Isabel took the money. Not because she wanted to leave, but because what choice did she have? She was in her early twenties, in a foreign country, financially dependent on a man who was now paying her to vanish.

She didn't return to the Philippines. She moved to Los Angeles instead, trying to restart her acting career.

But Hollywood in the 1930s was not welcoming to Filipina actresses. The roles available were limited, stereotypical, often demeaning. Isabel struggled to find work. Struggled to build a life. Struggled to move beyond being "MacArthur's former mistress."

Meanwhile, MacArthur's career flourished. In 1937, he married Jean Faircloth, a relationship he conducted openly, publicly, with full social approval. They had a son. His military career continued its upward trajectory. By World War II, he was one of the most famous generals in American history.

Isabel Cooper struggled in obscurity for 26 years.

On February 14, 1960—Valentine's Day—Isabel Rosario Cooper died by suicide in Los Angeles. She was 46 years old. She died alone, in financial difficulty, her acting dreams long abandoned.

The newspapers that bothered to report her death identified her primarily as "General MacArthur's former companion."

Even in death, she was defined by her relationship to him.

Let's be clear about what this story is:

A powerful 50-year-old man began a relationship with a 16-year-old girl under his authority in a colonial territory. He brought her to America, hid her from his family and the public, kept her financially dependent on him for years, then paid her to disappear when the relationship threatened his reputation.

He went on to fame, honor, and a celebrated military career.

She struggled for nearly three decades and died alone.

This isn't a love story. This is a story about power, exploitation, and what happens when powerful men use and discard vulnerable young women.

Isabel Cooper was 16 when she met MacArthur. She had dreams of being an actress. She was talented enough to be performing professionally in Manila. She had a whole life ahead of her.

And then she met a man with absolute power over her world—military power, economic power, social power—and that relationship consumed the rest of her life.

We don't know what Isabel wanted. We don't know if she loved him or simply had no choice. We don't know what she dreamed about during those four years hidden in a Washington apartment. We don't know how she felt when he paid her to leave.

We know she struggled. We know she couldn't build the life she'd hoped for. We know she died by her own hand on Valentine's Day, 1960.

And we know that Douglas MacArthur, who died in 1964 with full military honors, is remembered as one of America's greatest generals. His relationship with Isabel Cooper is, at most, a scandalous footnote.

This story matters because it's not unique.

Throughout history, powerful men have exploited young women, used them, and discarded them when convenient. The women's lives are destroyed. The men's careers continue.

MacArthur isn't special in this regard. He's just one example of a pattern that repeats across generations, across cultures, across every institution where power is concentrated in the hands of men.

The only thing that makes his story notable is that we know Isabel's name. We know what happened to her. Most of the young women used and discarded by powerful men disappear from history entirely.

Isabel Rosario Cooper—not Elizabeth, as she's sometimes misidentified—deserves to be remembered as more than MacArthur's secret.

She was a performer. A dancer. An actress trying to build a career in an industry that didn't want women who looked like her. A young woman navigating a world that gave her very few choices and very little power.

She deserved better than being hidden away. Better than being paid to disappear. Better than struggling alone for 26 years while the man who'd exploited her lived in glory.

She deserved better than dying alone on Valentine's Day at 46.

This isn't a story we should tell to scandalize MacArthur's reputation. It's a story we should tell to honor Isabel's life and to recognize a pattern that still exists.

Young women are still exploited by powerful men. Still used and discarded. Still left to deal with the consequences while the men move on without consequence.

Isabel Rosario Cooper's life mattered. Her dreams mattered. Her struggle mattered.

And her death should remind us that when we talk about powerful men's "indiscretions" or "affairs," we're often talking about young women whose lives were fundamentally altered or destroyed by those relationships.

She was 16 when it started.

She was 46 when it ended.

And in between was a life that deserves to be remembered with dignity, compassion, and honest recognition of the power dynamics that shaped it.

*The Martha McKeen of Wellfleet* (1944) by Edward Hopper

7 Comments

Cellist January 4, 2026

I beg your pardon, Tang, was a staple in my childhood.

Tall glass jar with orange metal lid “instant breakfast” drink my mother brought with us on vacation fortified with vitamins C and A promoted as nutritious “space age” drink of the astronauts (we were neighbors of NASA). You betcha.

- Matt Kendall January 4, 2026
  
  I still like Tang! Sometimes the wife gets it for me it now comes in a small concentrate that allows you to squeeze into your water bottle.
  
  Years ago I was at the apartment of my brothers in Chico. They worked as bouncers at a bar during the winter when the seasonal work for Cal-Fire had shut down for the year. We were nursing hangovers (we were young). One of them asked me if I would like a mimosa. I was somewhat bewildered and asked where they had gotten the champagne?
  
  He quickly advised these were redneck mimosas which were a concoction of Sierra Nevada beer with a scoop of tang. He claimed it was the libation of redneck astronauts and I shouldn’t turn my nose up at it. This was the worst 3 drinks I ever had (yes I had 3 just to be certain) and I promise I will never have another.
  
  But I still love Tang!
  
  - Cellist January 4, 2026
    
    I’m gonna look for the concentrate.
    
    - Matt Kendall January 6, 2026
      
      Food Max has them in little bottles about the size of a tic tac container
      
Harvey Reading January 4, 2026

CAPTURED DICTATOR MADURO ARRIVES IN MANHATTAN AHEAD OF TRIAL AS TRUMP DECLARES THAT US WILL ‘RUN’ VENEZUELA’

Don’t it make ya prowd to be a USan???

Kimberlin January 4, 2026

“THE OTHER DAY I was thinking about a world without me…”
Charles Bukowski

The realization that people worry about the world after death, but not before birth, is often attributed to the philosopher Epictetus, a Stoic

Mark Donegan January 5, 2026

I had just met Jerry at the opening of the new Ford St. expansion. He had personally called on me to be there and was standing at the gate greeting me and anyone else with handshakes and smiles. A rare individual. Magnetic. RIP

7 Comments

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