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MONDAY, JULY 29, 2019 • SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA • PRESSDEMOCRAT.COM

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Trump says intel chief is out

Gilroy festival shooting kills 3

GILROY — Three people were killed and at least 15 others in-jured Sunday after a shooting that sent panicked people run-ning at the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, according to authori-ties.

One gunman was killed by of-ficers at the scene, Gilroy Police Chief Scot Smithee said. Police are searching for a possible sec-ond person involved, though it’s unclear whether that person also fired on the crowd or assist-ed the shooter.

The shooting occurred during the three-day celebration fea-turing food, cooking competi-tions and music that attracts more than 100,000 people.

Sunday was the final day of this year’s event. Gilroy Coun-cilman Dion Bracco said the number of dead and injured is a preliminary figure.

Witnesses reported confusion and panic as shots rang out at the festival. The band Tin Man was just starting an encore when shots rang out.

Singer Jack van Breen said he saw a man wearing a green shirt and grayish handkerchief around his neck fire into the food area with what looked like an assault rifle.

Van Breen and other mem-bers of the band dove under the stage. Van Breen said he heard someone shout: “Why are you doing this? “and the reply: “Be-cause I’m really angry.’ ”

His bandmate Vlad Mali-novsky from Walnut Creek said

WASHINGTON — Dan Coats, di-rector of national intelligence, will leave his job next month, President Trump announced Sunday, after a turbulent two years in which Coats and the president were often at odds

over Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Trump announced Coats’ de-parture as Aug. 15 in a tweet that thanked Coats for his service. He said he will nominate Rep. John Rat-cliffe, R-Texas, to the post and that he will name an acting official in the coming days.

Ratcliffe is a frequent Trump de-fender who fiercely questioned for-mer special counsel Robert Mueller last week during a House Judiciary Committee hearing.

Coats often appeared out of step

with Trump and disclosed to pros-ecutors how he was urged by the president to publicly deny any link between Russia and the Trump campaign. The frayed relationship reflected broader divisions between the president and the government’s intelligence agencies.

Coats’ public, and sometimes per-sonal, disagreements with Trump over policy and intelligence included Russian election interference and North Korean nuclear capabilities. Trump had long been skeptical of the nation’s intelligence agencies,

which provoked his ire by conclud-ing that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election with the goal of getting him elected.

In a letter of resignation released Sunday night, Coats said serving as the nation’s top intelligence official has been a “distinct privilege” but that it was time for him to “move on” to the next chapter of his life. He cit-ed his work to strengthen the intelli-gence community’s effort to prevent harm to the U.S. from adversaries

Coats to be replaced by lawmaker who aggressively questioned Mueller probeBy ZEKE MILLER, ERIC TUCKER AND DEB RIECHMANNASSOCIATED PRESS

TURN TO INTEL » PAGE A2

At least 15 wounded; man heard to shout, ‘I’m really angry’ as he firedBy MARTHA MENDOZA AND MICHAEL BALSAMOASSOCIATED PRESS

TURN TO GILROY » PAGE A2

DanCoatsIntelligence director clashed with Trump over Russia, North Korea

KENT PORTER / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

In the Mexican Village at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Ivan Anaut of Coachella applies a fresh coat of paint Friday in preparation for the Sonoma County Fair, which begins Thursday in Santa Rosa.

Back to Western rootsSONOMA COUNTY FAIR » Cowboy-themed events to celebrate area’s agricultural heritage include cattle drive through downtown Santa Rosa

Mosey on down to the Sonoma County Fair for a western-flavored

experience featuring a cattle drive through downtown Santa Rosa, a saloon in the Hall of Flowers, gold panning, horse racing and a rodeo.

The 83rd edition of Sonoma County’s midsummer attrac-tion, which opens Thursday for an 11-day run, also offers a chance to eat your way around the fairgrounds for $2 a taste, a 100-foot tall Ferris wheel in the carnival midway, live music all

afternoon and into the evening, and a host of discounts.

“We have a little bit of every-thing for everyone,” said Rob Muelrath, fair board president. “Hopefully we’ll see a lot of folks bringing themselves back to the western days of Sonoma County.”

Fair officials are hoping for a rebound from last year’s 8% dip in paid attendance, possibly re-lated to residents moving away in the wake of 2017 wildfires that destroyed 5,300 homes in the county.

Paid admissions at last year’s fair totaled 129,778, compared with 141,024 in 2017, the year

the fair cut four days off its 15-day schedule, significantly lowering attendance. In 2014, a 16-day fair attracted 183,446 paying patrons.

“We’re hoping we’ll start to see an uptick this year,” said Kaitlyn Findley-Thorn, the fair’s chief operating officer. “We are always looking at those numbers.”

Proceeds from the junior livestock auction, which many in the farm community con-sider the fair’s main event, have risen steadily from nearly $1.3 million in 2014 to almost

By GUY KOVNERTHE PRESS DEMOCRAT

TURN TO FAIR » PAGE A2

IF YOU GOWhat: Sonoma County FairWhen: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Aug. 1-11Where: Sonoma County Fair-grounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa RosaCost: Regular admission is $15 for ages 13 and older; and $7 for ages 7 to 12. Free admission for those 60 and older on Fridays. and for kids 12 and under every Thursday. Children 6 and under enter free every day.Details: 707-545-4200. www.sonomacountyfair.com

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back to our roots in cowboy boots