By Donald H. Harrison
NATIONAL/ INTERNATIONAL – U.S. Rep. Mike Levin accompanied by fellow Democratic Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Juan Vargas and Scott Peters visited the San Diego-Tijuana border, with Levin telling the San Diego Union-Tribune, “I see no crisis other than the crisis the president is manufacturing.” Meanwhile The New York Times reported that U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said that identical legislation would be introduced in the Senate as that being proposed in the House of Representatives to invalidate President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency necessitating the construction of a border wall …President Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, has had a new round of meetings with federal prosecutors in New York who are looking into the Trump Organization as well as the donation of $900,000 to the Trump inaugural committee by California venture capitalist Imaad Zuberi, according to The New York Times. … U.S. District Judge John F. Walter of Los Angeles decided that Ethan Dvash-Banks, 2, son of Israeli born Elad Dvash-Banks, is a U.S. citizen, just as his fraternal twin Alden Dvash-Banks is. Both boys were carried by a surrogate mother, who was simultaneously impregnated with sperm from Elad and from his husband, Andrew. The Associated Press (AP) reported that Andrew was a U.S. citizen but Elad was not. … U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said trade negotiations with China would be extended through Sunday. They originally were scheduled to conclude on Friday, the AP reported.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY – Superior Court Judge Daniel Goldstein, presiding over a hearing in the case of former San Diego County Deputy Sheriff Richard Fischer who is accused of sexual misconduct, admonished Fischer’s lawyer Manny Medrano about making statements to the media about the case. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Goldstein told Medrano his comments to media about a deal being reached with prosecutors were “not true” and could prejudice the case.
SPORTS — Baseball writers Jeff Sanders and Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune report that management of the San Diego Padres seem to be settling on this regular infield: 1B Eric Hosmer; 2B Ian Kinsler; SS Luis Urias; 3B Manny Machado.
ENTERTAINMENT – Hershey Felder, in town for a series of appearances at the San Diego Rep as composer Ludwig van Beethoven, appeared simultaneously on television’s Jeopardy, thanks to the miracle of pre-taping television shows, columnist Diane Bell of The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
SIMCHAS – Computer man Michael Dell, founder of Dell Technologies, is 54 today … Actor Joshua Gad, who originated the Broadway role of Elder Arnold Cunningham in The Book of Mormon and co-starred with Billy Crystal on The Comedians, celebrates his 39th birthday today.
SHONDA – Robert Kraft, billionaire owner of the New England Patriots, is facing a charge of paying for sex at a Florida massage parlor, a misdemeanor, which Kraft has denied through a spokesperson. The San Diego Union-Tribune’s news services reported that Kraft also could face discipline from the National Football League if convicted.
OBITUARIES/ MEMORIALS – Mayer Amschel Rothschild, founder of the House of Rothschild was born on this day in 1744 in Frankfurt, Germany … Barney Dreyfuss, who owned the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1900 to his death in 1932 and was the builder of Forbes Field, was born on this day in 1865 … The late Jonas Salk, discoverer of the polio vaccine, on this day in 1954, presided over the first mass vaccination, involving some 5,000 Pittsburgh school children. … Robert Iger, CEO of Walt Disney Co., paying tribute to the company’s recently deceased archivist Dave Smith, said, “We are indebted to him for building such an enduring, tangible connection to our past that continues to inspire our future.”
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com