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Mike Pence Will Soon Be President With Help From Spicer, Priebus, Democrat Maxine Waters Tweets – Newsweek

An outspoken Democratic critic of President Donald Trump's is leading the call for Vice President Mike Pence to become the next commander-in-chief. California Representative Maxine Waters, who has become an internet sensation among the left for her frank criticism of the president in recent months, tweeted Saturday: "Mike Pence is somewhere planning an inauguration. Priebus and Spicer will lead the transition."

Her tweet comes after former chief of staff Reince Priebus resigned from office Friday, a week after Sean Spicer left his post as press secretary. The men, both longtime insiders among the top ranks of the national Republican party, had apparently quarreled with the White House over the direction it was taking.

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Waters is no ordinary critic of the president. Herjabs at the president often go beyond any criticisms lobbied by other members of Congress, including her insistence that anunverified Russian blackmail dossier that claims Trump once encouraged prostitutes in Russia to engage in torid sex acts wasabsolutely true.

Waters also has urged members of Congress to start proceedings for Trump'simpeachment, an unlikely turn of events given that the Senate and House are controlled by Republicans and Trump has not been found guilty of any crimes.

Hes someone that Im committed to getting impeached! Waters said in May.Hes a liar! Hes a cheat! Hes a con man! Weve got to stop his ass.

Pence has remained loyal to the president as the White House has increasingly been accused of colluding with Russia to get Trump elected and of sabotaging policy efforts in Congress, including the failed campaign to overturn the Affordable Care Act passed by President Barack Obama. Most recently, Pence defended this week Trump's public waron Attorney General Jeff Sessions, telling Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonightthat voters supportedthe president's "candor" when it comes to Sessions.

"I know the Washington way is to talk behind people's backs. But that's not President Donald Trump's approach," Pence said. "One of the great things about this president is you always know where you stand.

"I think one of the president's virtues is his candor," he added. "There's no attempt to hide his feelings. His expressed disappointment here is very sincere and he's said 'well, we'll see what happens in the future.' But at least the American people know and every member of the Cabinet can know that you'll always know where you stand with President Trump."

Trump has called Sessions "weak" and "beleaguered" afterthe former Alabama senatorrecused himself earlier this year from theongoing investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 presidential election.

In between defending the president's Twitter tirades, Pence has also continued to perform his duties as one of Trump's closest advisers. He arrived in Estonia on Sunday to meet with Estonian Prime MinisterJri Ratas and showsupport for NATO allies against possible Russian meddling in the region.

Imaging a future where Pence is president has become a new standard for some onthe left. Data site Five Thirty Eight mapped out the possibilities in a June article: "We cant know the exact circumstances that would lead to a President Pence, but there are various paths that could deliver him to the White House. There are the paths of human folly: Trump might resign after a scandal roars out of control, or be impeached, which could lead to his removal from office. (Unlikely if Republicans maintain their dominance in Congress.) Or forces of nature could wreak havoc on the Trump presidency: Trump could become mentally or physically incapacitated, leading to a transfer of power under the25th Amendment. Or he might die before completing his term."

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Mike Pence Will Soon Be President With Help From Spicer, Priebus, Democrat Maxine Waters Tweets - Newsweek

Putin retaliates against US diplomats – Santa Rosa Press Democrat

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California school kids could soon be getting more time to sleep

8 injured after van plows into LA diners

Trump has new chief of staff, old health care fight

Heat wave predicted early this week in Northern California

Safe School Ambassadors on the front lines of making schools safer

President Maduro calls for international acceptance of Venezuela vote

NATALIYA VASILYEVA

ASSOCIATED PRESS | July 30, 2017, 3:15PM

| Updated 4 hours ago.

MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday the United States would have to cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755 under new sanctions from Moscow.

Russians Foreign Ministry on Friday ordered a reduction by Sept. 1 in the number of U.S. diplomats in Russia. It said it is ordering the U.S. Embassy to limit the number of embassy and consular employees in the country to 455 in response to the U.S. Senates approval of a new package of sanctions.

We had hoped that the situation will somehow change, but apparently if it changes, it wont be soon, Putin said in an interview televised on Rossiya 1, explaining why Moscow decided to retaliate. I thought it was the time to show that were not going to leave it without an answer.

Putin said more than 1,000 people are currently employed at the Moscow embassy and three U.S. consulates in Russia. They include both Americans and Russians hired to work in the diplomatic offices.

Russia is open to cooperating with the U.S. on various issues including terrorism and cybercrime but instead it only hears unfounded accusations of meddling in U.S. domestic affairs, the Russian leader said.

Asked about the potential for additional sanctions against Washington, Putin described the reduction in diplomatic staff as painful and said he currently opposes further measures.

We certainly have something to respond with and restrict those areas of joint cooperation that will be painful for the American side but I dont think we need to do it, he said, adding that such steps could also harm Russian interests.

Putin mentioned space and energy as the main areas where Russia and the United States have successfully pursued projects together.

Along with the cap on the size of its diplomatic corps in Russia, the Russian foreign ministry on Friday said it also was closing down a U.S. recreational retreat on the outskirts of Moscow as well as warehouse facilities.

The diplomatic tit-for-tat started under former U.S. President Barack Obama. In response to reports of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, Obama ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats and shut down two Russian recreational retreats in the U.S.

AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed.

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Putin retaliates against US diplomats - Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Northern California expecting hotter days this week – Santa Rosa Press Democrat

CLARK MASON

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT | July 30, 2017, 5:41PM

| Updated 22 minutes ago.

Northern California is heating up this week with some unseasonably high temperatures that prompted the National Weather Service to issue a hazardous weather outlook for parts of San Francisco Bay and an excessive heat watch in other areas.

The hottest day of the week is forecast to be Tuesday, when the mercury will hit 96 in Santa Rosa; 105 in Cloverdale and perhaps close to 110 in parts of Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties. The excessive heat watch is in effect for those areas through Wednesday, when those highs are expected to dip by just a few degrees. Increasingly warm overnight lows are expected.

It will be very warm starting (Monday). It will last into the week and possibly next weekend, meteorologist Brian Mejia said Sunday, adding that a ridge of high pressure building over Northern California and northeast Nevada is to blame.

Fire danger is always an issue this time of year, but the relative humidity is not projected to be critically low.

It will be dry, but not overwhelmingly dry, he said. Winds are not expected to be really gusty.

Parts of northern Napa County near Lake Berryessa could be flirting with close to 110 degrees on Tuesday, as well as Ukiah and Hopland in Mendocino County, according to the Weather Service. Sacramento could hit 115.

Officials said the heat can lead to stress and exhaustion, especially for the elderly and at-risk populations, as well as those engaging in outdoor activities.

People and pets should never be left inside a parked vehicle.

Even 15 minutes in a hot car can be devastating to a child, Mejia said.

Slight cooling is expected by Thursday, but very warm to hot conditions are forecast to persist through the end of the week.

There will be respite closer to the ocean.

Expect onshore flow to continue, he said. It will be much cooler than inland. The beach and along the coast will be in the 60s to 70s.

You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 707-521-5214 or clark.mason@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@clarkmas.

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Northern California expecting hotter days this week - Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Van strikes diners on LA sidewalk, 8 injured – Santa Rosa Press Democrat

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California school kids could soon be getting more time to sleep

8 injured after van plows into LA diners

Trump has new chief of staff, old health care fight

Heat wave predicted early this week in Northern California

Safe School Ambassadors on the front lines of making schools safer

President Maduro calls for international acceptance of Venezuela vote

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ASSOCIATED PRESS | July 30, 2017, 7:09PM

| Updated 30 minutes ago.

LOS ANGELES A van plowed into a group of people dining on a Los Angeles sidewalk Sunday afternoon, striking and injuring at least eight people.

A witness told the Associated Press the van jumped a curb and careened into a group of people eating outside The Fish Spot restaurant in the citys Mid-Wilshire neighborhood. The vehicle knocked down a white picket fence that served as a barrier between diners and pedestrians on the sidewalk.

Everyone was eating, enjoying life and out of nowhere this van ran them over, Courtney Crump said.

He said several victims were pinned under the van as panicked witnesses rush to pull them out. A man who was the first person struck by van had severe head injuries, Crump said.

I heard loud, agonizing screams. Im shook up, he said.

The victims included a 44-year-old man who suffered critical injuries, three who were seriously hurt and four others who were taken to the hospital in fair condition, Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said.

An off-duty firefighter with the department was in the crowd and did not sustain major injuries, she said.

The driver came out of the van and appeared disoriented, Crump said. He jumped back into the van, prompting witnesses to hold him until authorities arrived at the scene.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Los Angeles police spokesman Josh Rubenstein said the crash appeared to be an accident, adding that there was no indication the driver intentionally drove into the crowd.

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Van strikes diners on LA sidewalk, 8 injured - Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Adopted Sebastopol shopkeeper, 62, meets sisters for first time – Santa Rosa Press Democrat

(1 of ) Sisters (from left) Kathy Anderson of Sebastopol, Sue Brooke of Santa Clarita and Lori Brooke, of Scottsdale, Arizona. (Chris Smith/The Press Democrat) (2 of ) The scrapbook of Dolores Thomas, mother of Kathy Anderson of Sebastopol, Sue Brooke of Santa Clarita and Lori Brooke, of Scottsdale, Arizona. (Chris Smith/The Press Democrat)

CHRIS SMITH

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT | July 29, 2017, 4:11PM

| Updated 6 hours ago.

See those three women at a window table at the Sonoma County Airports restaurant?

Theyre leafing through an old photo album and talking and laughing, except for the one who now has her hands over her mouth and weeps.

Two of them are from out of town and just met the one in tears, Sebastopols Kathy Anderson. About a month ago Kathy, the eldest at 62, hadnt yet heard of the other two.

She didnt know theyre her half-sisters.

ITS SOME STORY how Kathy, a 1973 graduate of Analy High who manages the Cultivate Home store, set out to find something, anything about her birth mother.

Relying mostly on the virtual wonder that is Ancestry.com, she learned much about her birth mom, including the sad discovery that she died long ago. On the upside, Kathys genealogical research now has her venturing onto a whole other, richly laden branch of her family tree.

SHE WAS ADOPTED at birth, shes always known that.

The adoptive parents she adored, the late John and Iris Bastida of Sebastopol, knew nothing about her birth father and little about her birth mother.

Kathy grew up, married and had two children. Curiosity about her birth parents and why she was put up for adoption prompted her to do some searching back in 2001.

She uncovered her birth mothers name, Dolores Thomas. But beyond that, she struck out. I let it go, she said.

In time, both Kathys daughter, Becky Gehrett of Sebastopol, and her daughter-in-law, Deanna Gehrett of Cloverdale, became mothers. They told her that as moms theyd love to know more about their family history.

So in 2014, Kathy took a DNA test and submitted the results to Ancestry.com for a search for possible relatives. There were hits but none panned out.

Just last month, Ancestry.com helped Kathy connect with a cousin she didnt know she had, a young Arkansas man named Trey Shields. In an email, she asked him if he knew or knew of Dolores Thomas.

He did, and he emailed Kathy a photo of Dolores late parents. Kathy gazed at the picture and gasped: The woman had to be her maternal grandmother, the two of them look so much alike.

Trey Shields broke the news to Kathy that her mother who was single and living in San Francisco when she had Kathy died of cancer in 1970 at just 38. And, shared Shields, she left behind a husband and two young daughters, both of whom are alive and doing well.

Trey gave Kathy a phone number for one of her half-sisters, Lori Brooke of Arizona.

Lori, whos 52, flew into the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport on Friday. Her sister, Sue Brooke, 54, drove up from her home Santa Clarita.

Kathy had barely met her half-sister as they sat in the airport cafe to get acquainted and look through the photo album Lori brought along.

THERE WAS MOM, a 22-year-old Nebraskan whod moved to San Francisco, smiling on the beach at Santa Cruz with a handsome sailor. Dolores had written the date on the back of the photo: Oct. 10, 1954.

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Adopted Sebastopol shopkeeper, 62, meets sisters for first time - Santa Rosa Press Democrat