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Lakers sign seven-footer Stephen Zimmerman

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The Lakers signed 7-foot center Stephen  Zimmerman to a non-guaranteed contract on Wednesday and are expected to add at least two more players later in the week as they move closer to filling out their roster for the start of training camp next month.

Zimmerman, 20, attended UNLV and was drafted 41st overall by the Orlando Magic in 2016 and appeared in 19 games with the Magic while splitting his time with the team’s then-Development League affiliate. He was waived by the Magic last month after averaging 1.2 points and 1.8 rebounds as a rookie.

According to a report from ESPN, former Notre Dame forward V.J. Beachem will also sign a training camp deal with the Lakers, as will third-year guard Briante Weber, according to The Vertical. Weber has played for four teams over the past two seasons, including a seven-game stint with the Golden State Warriors last season.

As a senior at Notre Dame last season, Beachem averaged 14.5 points per game.

Those three players will bring the Lakers roster to 19 players. They can bring as many as 20 players to camp, but must trim it to 15 – not counting a player on a two-way contract, like summer league standout Alex Caruso – prior to the start of the regular season.


San Clemente marathoner Beth Sanden completes 7 races in 7 African nations in 8 days

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After completing seven marathons on seven continents – plus the North Pole Marathon – since 2011, what does partially paralyzed San Clemente athlete Beth Sanden do for an encore?

How about completing the Southern Africa Challenge – seven 26.2-mile marathons in seven days in seven countries— on her handcycle?

Sanden, 63, returned home Aug. 7 from a whirlwind series of marathons that ended up taking eight days instead of seven because instability in Mozambique led the organizers to do the seventh marathon in Zambia instead. She and her husband Burt were welcomed by locals, dodged some wildlife and overcame travel obstacles through South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Zambia.

An accomplished marathoner and triathlete, Sanden was paralyzed below the waist by a 2002 bicycle accident. With grit and determination, she regained some of her mobility and left behind her wheelchair. She is able to walk with the use of a cane. She has become a face for the Challenged Athletes Foundation, doing triathlons and marathons using a handcycle.

  • Children line up for a photo with Beth Sanden as she completes a marathon on her handcycle in Swaziland. (Courtesy of Beth Sanden)

    Children line up for a photo with Beth Sanden as she completes a marathon on her handcycle in Swaziland. (Courtesy of Beth Sanden)

  • Beth Sanden, 63-year-old partially-paralyzed athlete from San Clemente, completes the Southern African Challenge, a series of seven marathons held in seven African nations in eight days. (Courtesy of Beth Sanden)

    Beth Sanden, 63-year-old partially-paralyzed athlete from San Clemente, completes the Southern African Challenge, a series of seven marathons held in seven African nations in eight days. (Courtesy of Beth Sanden)

  • San Clemente’s Beth Sanden surrounded by others at the finish of a 2017 marathon in Botswana. (Courtesy of Beth Sanden)

    San Clemente’s Beth Sanden surrounded by others at the finish of a 2017 marathon in Botswana. (Courtesy of Beth Sanden)

  • Wildlife encounter in Africa: Partially-paralyzed marathoner Beth Sanden meets a Zebra in Africa. Sanden is able to walk with the use of a cane, but completes marathons using a handcyle.. (Courtesy of Beth Sanden)

    Wildlife encounter in Africa: Partially-paralyzed marathoner Beth Sanden meets a Zebra in Africa. Sanden is able to walk with the use of a cane, but completes marathons using a handcyle.. (Courtesy of Beth Sanden)

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We asked Sanden about  the Southern Africa Challenge:

Q: What led you to do seven marathons in seven African countries?

A: I met three friends in the Antarctica race from two years ago that encouraged me to do the race with them. We kept in touch through social media. One of the friends was the organizer of this challenge and race director, Ziyad Rahim. Ziyad (or “Z” as we call him) owns “Z Adventures” and puts together marathon challenges around the world.

Q: What were some of the adventures you encountered during the challenge?

A: We had more adventures to fill a book in the short time we were together. We had several challenges. Crossing the borders of seven different countries is a feat in itself, acquiring visas beforehand for several of the participants, including me. Making those border closing times after the marathon was interesting. Not a lot of showering was taking place, especially for the slow ones (who) didn’t have time to shower before leaving for the border.

Q: Can you describe the seven races?

A: The first race in South Africa was at 4,000 feet and it went well. The second race in Lesotho was at 7,000 feet and around the embassy areas that were surrounded with guards and loaded AK 47s. Swaziland, the third race, we had cattle crossings, giraffe and wild goat crossings. Running on dirt roads and or pushing the mountain handcycle was tough. The road was a dirt and hard packed sand. I had kids getting out of grade school that ran with me the last mile, as they had never seen anyone in a race chair before. They sat on my lap, each of them at the finish line, just to get a picture with me.

Q: Did you have any encounters with wildlife?

A: We had to change the course of the fourth marathon in Botswana due to elephant crossings – they do charge at people. The night before, we heard hyenas outside the compound going after some animal and making their high-pitched barking all night. This race, I wondered if I would be able to finish. The race director pulled us back twice due to elephant sightings. Plus there was a lion sighting the day before we came in.

Q: How was it, traveling from one race to the next?

A: We arrived very late to the fifth race in Zimbabwe and there are no street lights out in the dirt roads in the back country. Our GPS took us to the “other road,” a back road to the compound. We landed in a ditch with our small bus, which holds 25, and our trailer’s front left tires stuck in a ditch in the pitch black of night. But our crew had flashlights and headlamps ready and we jumped out and found branches to put under the tires and managed to get out without calling Triple A, ha! We found out later that this road was a typical elephant crossing.

Q: Did those conditions affect you, trying to do marathons on a handcycle?

A: This race was pulled twice for me, due to the deeper sand and tilted road in the compound. I could not get through it. So the race director, Ziyad, allowed me to go 200 meters just outside the compound, and then I got pulled again for an animal sighting – elephants and zebras. The manager of the compound we stayed at talked to the race director, with my influence, to go to a nearby town and finish the marathon in a game park’s parking lot, where it would be safe. Yay! Four others went with me, as well as Burt to make sure it was safe for all of us.

Q: And after that, you pressed on with the rest of the challenge?

A: The sixth race was Namibia which is a dry, arid and dusty dirt roads that go for miles and resembled washboards. Snakes, scorpions and cats like this area, and they like us, along with mosquitoes in the ditches with little water. The people were friendly though, living in grass huts and mud shacks with fires burning day and night to keep the mosquitoes away. Yes, we took anti-malaria meds with us, as well as yellow fever shots beforehand. This was a slow race into balboa trees.

Q: And what about the final race? How did that one go?

A: Zambia, the seventh race, was on a compound in Livingston, close to Victoria Falls. Our deadline was to make the Victoria Falls Tour later that afternoon, together. Some started the race as early as 2:30 in the morning to make the cutoff time to go see the falls. That race we had emus chasing us at one point, along with zebra and duck crossings.

Q: This was winter in southern Africa, but probably not quite like those frigid North or South Pole marathons, eh?

A: The weather was almost the same as here in Orange County, but drier. South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland were in the 70s but very cold at night. The temps would drop to 40-45 degrees.

Q: Why did 7 marathons in 7 days take 8 days?

A: We did the challenge in 8 days instead of 7, as Mozambique became too dangerous for us to enter so we took it north and went to Zambia which ate up a day.

Q: Describe your interactions with local people during your adventure.

A: Everywhere we went, we met positive people and children after school was out, like in Swaziland, that came and ran with a few of us, especially with me and the handcycle bringing so much attention. People would stop the race director, organizer and bus driver to see what we were doing running in circles or on the trails.

Q: What is next for you?

A: I found out that there is a whole subculture of marathoners out there that take on these challenges and they call themselves marathon maniacs, globetrotters, etc. There are two challenges Z Adventures is putting together next year – the Central America Challenge of 7 Marathons in 7 Central American Countries in 7 days (and) the Caribbean Challenge of 7 Marathons in 6 Caribbean Countries in 6 days. There are other challenges out there like the New England Challenge of 7 marathons in 7 New England states in 7 days that my friend J.C. Santa Teresa is organizing here in the states for next year. Other races are taking place here in the U.S. to help marathoners accomplish all 50 states, seven to nine days at a time. I’m looking into those as well.

Dispute between Huntington Beach police union leaders and chief heats up

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HUNTINGTON BEACH A simmering dispute between the Huntington Beach Police Officers Association, the union representing rank and file cops in the city, and police chief Robert Handy seems to be bubbling over.

The union is set to take a vote of no confidence in the man who has led the department for more than three years, according to several city officials. In addition to being engaged in a prolonged labor negotiation with the city, the union has expressed concerns with such issues as the use of body cameras, staffing levels, pay and infrastructure.

In November, the union sued the city, claiming the city’s labor negotiating transparency ordinance violated its right to meet and confer and bogged down the bargaining process. The negotiations and the lawsuit are ongoing.

Police Officers Association President Dave Humphreys would not comment on the vote or disputes with the chief.

Handy, who enjoys support from the City Council and popularity in the community, said the union and some of its officers have “resisted community policing” measures that he has put in place, most notably his successful effort to outfit the force with body cameras.

He also said there was discord over “allegations of misconduct that we’ve chosen to investigate,” but would not elaborate other than to say none involved use of force.

“Upholding the public trust through high professional standards and accountability is a fundamental role of a police chief,” Handy said in a written statement.

When news began to leak about the union vote, three members of the City Council emailed Police Department employees on Aug. 3 to show support for the chief. Another council member sent a separate email.

A joint letter by Mayor Barbara Delgleize, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Posey and Councilman Erik Peterson read in part, “As your Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and City Council Member, we want you all to know that we, along with every other City leader, have the utmost confidence in Chief Handy and we are extremely pleased with the positive leadership he has exhibited.”

In a separate letter, Councilwoman Lyn Semeta said she stood by Handy, adding, “I have been more than impressed with the safety and security the HBPD provides to our community. Under the leadership of Chief Rob Handy, the entire tone and feel of our beachside community has changed for the better.”

Although a no confidence vote sends a clear message to the chief, its practical effect is negligible, according to City Attorney Michael Gates.

Such a move would be “viewed symbolically,” but it is the City Council that decides Handy’s status and conducts reviews of his job performance, Gates said.

Peterson said no confidence votes have been threatened in the past by the police union as a contract negotiation tactic.

Handy overcame strong opposition from the union to outfit police, who had neither body nor dashboad cameras, with the body-worn devices. The City Council on Sept. 6, 2016, voted 4-3 in favor after a contentious debate on whether to approve the purchase of 50 body cameras and 50 phones with video capability, although Handy had requested 150 cameras.

At the time, Handy said the use of the cameras was becoming standard in police work, and studies showed it reduces police use of force and bolsters community support.

“We’re way behind other departments in documenting and recording the work that officers do,” Handy told the council. “In fact, we’re at the bottom.”

Humphreys told the council that 95 percent of his membership said there are many areas other than body-worn cameras that needed addressing. He said cameras would “cripple ongoing police services.”

The union argued that the time spent learning to use the equipment, cataloging and downloading film would take critical time away from on-the-street police work.

“Do the math,” Brandon Reed, a police officer, told the council. “We are dangerously short.”

Handy contends the 50 officers now using the cameras, including some early detractors, support using the devices.

The flap over the cameras was just one in a string for Handy. Although the chief would not elaborate on other disputes, he said that in 2016, when the City Council urged him to meet with union members, they refused to speak with him.

Handy became police chief in December 2013 in the wake of the riot that broke out after that year’s U.S. Open of Surfing. He came to Huntington Beach after a little more than two years at the helm in San Bernardino, during which the city went through a tumultuous bankruptcy in 2012.

During Handy’s time in San Bernardino, the number of police employees dropped by more than 100, from 350 to 248, according to the San Bernardino Sun.

This year for the first time since the 2011-12 budget, there were no additions to police staffing in Huntington Beach, which stands at 222 officers. However, in 2015-16 the department added seven sworn officer positions. For the second straight year, the police department budget accounted for 34 percent of the city’s general fund.

Police staffing had fallen as low as 207 officers during the recession, after peaking at 237.

Handy said he would prefer a larger staff.

“We’re leanly staffed, but I understand the current climate,” he said.

Despite the disputes with the Huntington Beach union heads, Handy spoke highly of the rank and file.

“The men and women of the HBPD have my respect and confidence,” he wrote in the statement. “I am confident they will continue to earn and maintain the confidence of the community we serve.”

 

Wayward whale now lost in Newport Harbor, an ‘extremely rare’ sight

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  • A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor on Thursday, two days after it was seen in Dana Point Harbor. (Chelsea Mayer/ Davey’s Locker Whale Watching)

    A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor on Thursday, two days after it was seen in Dana Point Harbor. (Chelsea Mayer/ Davey’s Locker Whale Watching)

  • A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor on Thursday, two days after it was seen in Dana Point Harbor. (Chelsea Mayer/ Davey’s Locker Whale Watching)

    A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor on Thursday, two days after it was seen in Dana Point Harbor. (Chelsea Mayer/ Davey’s Locker Whale Watching)

  • A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor on Thursday, two days after it was seen in Dana Point Harbor. (Chelsea Mayer/ Davey’s Locker Whale Watching)

    A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor on Thursday, two days after it was seen in Dana Point Harbor. (Chelsea Mayer/ Davey’s Locker Whale Watching)

  • A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor on Thursday, two days after it was seen in Dana Point Harbor. (Chelsea Mayer/ Davey’s Locker Whale Watching)

    A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor on Thursday, two days after it was seen in Dana Point Harbor. (Chelsea Mayer/ Davey’s Locker Whale Watching)

  • A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor on Thursday, two days after it was seen in Dana Point Harbor. (Chelsea Mayer/ Davey’s Locker Whale Watching)

    A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor on Thursday, two days after it was seen in Dana Point Harbor. (Chelsea Mayer/ Davey’s Locker Whale Watching)

  • A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor on Thursday, two days after it was seen in Dana Point Harbor. (Chelsea Mayer/ Davey’s Locker Whale Watching)

    A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor on Thursday, two days after it was seen in Dana Point Harbor. (Chelsea Mayer/ Davey’s Locker Whale Watching)

  • A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor on Thursday, two days after it was seen in Dana Point Harbor. (Chelsea Mayer/ Davey’s Locker Whale Watching)

    A gray whale was spotted inside of the Newport Harbor on Thursday, two days after it was seen in Dana Point Harbor. (Chelsea Mayer/ Davey’s Locker Whale Watching)

  • A juvenile Gray whale makes it’s way around Aliso Beach in Laguna Beach after leaving Dana Point Harbor on Tuesday, August 8th. (Photo courtesy of Mark Girardeau)

    A juvenile Gray whale makes it’s way around Aliso Beach in Laguna Beach after leaving Dana Point Harbor on Tuesday, August 8th. (Photo courtesy of Mark Girardeau)

  • A juvenile Gray whale makes it’s way around Aliso Beach in Laguna Beach after leaving Dana Point Harbor on Tuesday, August 8th. (Photo courtesy of Mark Girardeau)

    A juvenile Gray whale makes it’s way around Aliso Beach in Laguna Beach after leaving Dana Point Harbor on Tuesday, August 8th. (Photo courtesy of Mark Girardeau)

  • A juvenile Gray whale makes it’s way around Aliso Beach in Laguna Beach after leaving Dana Point Harbor on Tuesday, August 8th. (Photo courtesy of Mark Girardeau)

    A juvenile Gray whale makes it’s way around Aliso Beach in Laguna Beach after leaving Dana Point Harbor on Tuesday, August 8th. (Photo courtesy of Mark Girardeau)

  • A Gray whale is seen in Dana Point Harbor on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 (Photo courtesy of the OC Sheriff’s Dept. Harbor Patrol)

    A Gray whale is seen in Dana Point Harbor on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 (Photo courtesy of the OC Sheriff’s Dept. Harbor Patrol)

  • A Gray whale swims in Dana Point, on Tuesday, August 8, 2017.

    A Gray whale swims in Dana Point, on Tuesday, August 8, 2017.

  • A Gray whale is seen in Dana Point Harbor during Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari in Dana Point, on Tuesday, August 8, 2017. (Photo courtesy dolphin safari.com)

    A Gray whale is seen in Dana Point Harbor during Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari in Dana Point, on Tuesday, August 8, 2017. (Photo courtesy dolphin safari.com)

  • A Gray whale is seen in Dana Point Harbor during Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari in Dana Point, on Tuesday, August 8, 2017. (Photo courtesy dolphin safari.com)

    A Gray whale is seen in Dana Point Harbor during Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari in Dana Point, on Tuesday, August 8, 2017. (Photo courtesy dolphin safari.com)

  • A Gray whale is seen in Dana Point Harbor during Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari in Dana Point, on Tuesday, August 8, 2017. (Photo courtesy dolphin safari.com)

    A Gray whale is seen in Dana Point Harbor during Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari in Dana Point, on Tuesday, August 8, 2017. (Photo courtesy dolphin safari.com)

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At this rate, it’s going to be a long time before this whale gets to Alaska.

Two days after a juvenile gray whale made its way into Dana Point Harbor, then came up close to shore near swimmers in Laguna Beach, it has now been spotted in Newport Harbor.

Newport Coastal Adventure captain Taylor Thorne saw the estimated 20-foot whale cruising around far into the harbor on Thursday, Aug. 10, an “extremely rare occurrence,” he said.

“It’s supposed to be in Alaska right now,” he said. “And it is far from Alaska.”

The whale could be the same one seen inside the Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad Monday.

Thorne said it was behaving normally, though it looked skinny.

“It was a small animal, definitely not fully grown,” he said.

He speculated that the whale looked old enough to be weaned from its mother, and it had barnacles on its skin, meaning it wasn’t a newborn.

He said he spotted the whale near Lido Island, and “it was heading straight toward Hoag Hospital.”

Gray whales have the longest migration of any mammal on Earth, making their way from Baja – where they spend winter months giving birth – up north to Alaska.

Most have already passed the area and are at their summertime destination.

“I don’t know what it’s doing,” he said. “It’s just going deeper and deeper into the harbor.”

The whale had last been spotted off Emerald Bay in Laguna Beach by Mark Girardeau on Tuesday. By chance, Girardeau had left Dana Point Harbor around the same time the whale was shooed out by Harbor Patrol and a group of stand-up paddle boarders.

The whale was spotted near Davey’s Locker and appeared to be swimming calmly and normally, said Alisa Schulman-Janiger, who operates a gray whale census count at Point Vicente off the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

“The whale seemed really relaxed and was blowing three and four times in a normal pattern,” she said. “It seems just like an inquisitive young whale. We get them in the harbors every summer.”

Schulman-Janiger said it’s a good chance the whale is continuing along its journey north to its feeding grounds in Alaska.

Newport Sea Base captain Robert Sloan was out in a boat when he spotted the whale and contacted employees inside the education center about the rare sight. Melissa De Leon, education coordinator at the Newport Sea Base, and a group of summer camp kids, ran out to the docks to see the whale.

“It was just cruising through the harbor here, it didn’t seem injured,” De Leon said. “It’s the first time I’ve seen a whale. Every once in a while we’ll get a dolphin or sea lions. We’re pretty far up the harbor here, we don’t usually see any larger animals here.”

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Stranding Coordinator Justin Viezbicke said there are no efforts to try to usher the whale out of the harbor. Efforts were being made to help an entangled sea lion in Newport  Beach.

“Really not much we can do with the whale,” he said via text.

He noted that it’s best to give the whale space “as close approach can be stressful to whale,” especially in confined spaces like harbors.

New $600,000 fire engine among vehicle purchases approved for city of Brea

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Purchasing a new fire engine was approved by the City Council, but you will likely not see it on the road for at least a year.

The fire engine is part of $855,600 in spending on new vehicles the City Council approved last month.

The city makes a plan each fiscal year for vehicle purchases, this year including six for the Police Department, the fire engine, an SUV for management services and equipment for the Public Works Department.

The vehicles and equipment will replace aging ones that have either excessive mileage, reached age and life expectancy or increased maintenance costs.

The fire engine, which is estimated to cost $600,000, will likely not be in service for at least nine months after the truck is ordered, said Neil Groom, procurement and contracts administrator for Brea.

It is unknown which of the four fire stations in Brea will get the new engine; the city will likely decide closer to when the engine is delivered, Groom said.

Purchase plan

Here is a breakdown of the vehicles the city expects to buy:

  • Management Services: Purchase of GM Yukon Hybrid at cost of $50,0000
  • Police Services: Purchase of six vehicles at cost of $198,000
  • Fire Services: Purchase of a Fire Pumper-KME Eng. 3 at cost of $600,000
  • Public Work: Purchase of 11 maintenance tools at cost of $7,600

Source: City of Brea

Great Park developer FivePoint buys back Broadcom office campus for $443 million

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FivePoint Communities and two partners completed the purchase on Thursday, Aug. 10, of Broadcom’s new office complex south of the Orange County Great Park in Irvine and will lease two of the new buildings there to the chip maker for the next 20 years, the Aliso Viejo development firm announced.

The announcement came during the newly public firm’s first earnings report released at the close of the stock market Thursday.

FivePoint — the master developer behind homes and businesses around the Great Park and behind portions of the park itself — said it formed a new joint venture last Friday, contributing $106.5 million and acquiring a 75 percent interest in the new partnership. The other two members of the new joint venture, Five Point Office Venture Holdings I LLC, were not named.

The firm then exercised its right of first refusal to buy back the 73-acre Broadcom parcel, which has four new office buildings with just over 1 million square feet of space and approvals to build about 1 million square feet more office space in the future. Two of the four buildings have been completed and the other two are nearing completion, the company said.

The purchase is being financed with about $104 million in cash and $339 million in loans.

Broadcom originally purchased the Irvine office site for $128 million in 2015, with plans to build its new world headquarters there. But Singapore-based semiconductor firm Avago bought Broadcom in 2016, and Avago — since renamed Broadcom Ltd. — moved its U.S. headquarters to San Jose.

FivePoint’s earnings report said Broadcom signed a 20-year lease for two of the buildings with about 660,000 square feet. An additional 135,000 square feet of office space will be leased for 10 years to a subsidiary of FivePoint and a subsidiary of FivePoint’s former parent company, Lennar Corp., the company said.

FivePoint projects the property will generate about $27 million a year in net income.

Last year, Broadcom Ltd. put nearly half the site up for sale, including two of the four buildings, 32 acres plus 450,000 square feet of future building rights. Broadcom’s original purchase agreement, however, gives FivePoint the right to buy back the land, buildings and future building rights before a third party can buy it, the company said.

Broadcom initially estimated the cost of building all 2 million square feet of office space would cost $778 million.

Josh Hart provides sneak peek of Lakers’ new Nike jersey

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For more than a decade, adidas was the official uniform and apparel maker for the NBA, but that will change for the 2017-18 season.

Nike is the new apparel maker for the NBA and several teams have taken to social media to reveal their respective home and away jerseys for the upcoming season. The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Milwaukee Bucks had jersey reveals today.

 

 

Screen grab of Lonzo Ball wearing the new Los Angeles Lakers' Nike uniform. (Josh Hart via Snapchat)
Screen grab of Lonzo Ball wearing the new Los Angeles Lakers’ Nike uniform. (Josh Hart via Snapchat)

Teams such as the Lakers have not made an official announcement, but Josh Hart played the spoiler for any future announcement with a recent video he posted on Snapchat.

Not only is Hart seen wearing the new jersey in the video, but rookie teammate Lonzo Ball is also seen wearing the jersey during a photo shoot.

Notable from this “jersey reveal” compared to others is the lack of a sponsorship patch placed on the upper right side of the jersey (left side on the screen grab).

While it is uncertain whether the Lakers decided to go without a sponsor’s logo on their uniforms, it is something to keep an eye on during the team’s official jersey unveiling.

 

 


Social Reaction:

https://twitter.com/chogers/status/895740336407855104

 

Here is a look at other NBA jersey reveals:

Dunn Deal: Newport’s Johns different than most competitors

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The world is coming to Anaheim, but Newport Beach’s Bill Johns is on the road less traveled and with the most weight carried.

Johns, a master-level weightlifter who trains at UFC Gym in Costa Mesa, has been watching his numbers escalate like the Dow Jones Industrial and Orange County real estate values.

But Johns doesn’t contend in the same vain as most of his competitors, who work in the fitness, weightlifting or strength-training business and train every day.

The 5-foot-9, 190-pound Johns, a businessman and entrepreneur, as well as husband and father of two young boys, enjoys competing in weightlifting, especially when he outmuscles the field like he did in July by winning the California State Games in San Diego.

Now, at No. 2 in the U.S. men’s 40-44 age group/85 kilogram class (187.393 pounds), he could shock the world at the 2017 International Weightlifting Federation World Championships Nov. 28 through Dec. 6 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

“When I go to those competitions, I compete and leave,” Johns said. “The rest of the guys are in the gym. They live for this lifestyle. They look at me (different) … there’s nothing in it for me (promotionally or financially). I’m just having a good time. It’s super fun.”

Considered a “hobby” for Johns, he’s thrilled to qualify for this year’s world championship in Anaheim because the 2018 worlds are in Spain and Johns’ wife, Irina, is already shaking her head no.

Johns credits his recent climb in results to his latest workouts, which includes mostly weightlifting instead of cross training, and new trainer Jeff Morgan’s suggestions have been helpful. At the California State Games, Johns cleared 120 kilograms in the snatch and 143 in the clean and jerk.

“I was prepared for (the State Games),” said Johns, who can hardly contain himself with excitement over the numbers he’s putting up.

“I’ve had the honor of coaching Bill for the last few months – what a beast,” Morgan said on social media. “Congratulations on winning the Cal State Games and moving up the rankings to second in the U.S. (Johns) went 5 for 6, making a 120-kilogram 215 (pound) snatch and 143kg 315 clean and jerk, just missing a jerk at 155kg 341. Not bad for 40 years old.”

Last year at the U.S. Nationals in Georgia, where Johns was second, he snatched 115 and clean and jerked 136.

With the world championships in Anaheim in his sights, Johns is hoping to push those numbers higher again, and any modest improvement would likely place him among the finalists.

“I wish they would just use pounds. I can’t convert pounds into kilos without a book,” said Johns, who is aiming for 350 pounds in the clean and jerk and 265 in the snatch at the worlds.

“Jeff Morgan has a much better understanding of all details (in the competitions),” Johns said. “I’m good at it, but these (other competitors) live this as their life. That’s the thing about nationals – we’re all chasing these numbers. It’s a great hobby.”

Johns, the founder of Flameless Candles, returned to weightlifting about five years ago after an 18-year retirement.

As a Newport Harbor High senior, Johns (Class of 1995) placed third at the U.S. Junior National Championships in Savannah, Ga., and was invited to train at the U.S. Olympic training center in Colorado Springs, Colo. He stopped competing after his freshman year at the University of Arizona, but the former Harbor football star is back trying to make weight.


Study: Trump actions trigger health premium jumps for 2018

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By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

WASHINGTON  — Actions by the Trump administration are triggering double-digit premium increases on individual health insurance policies purchased by many people, according to a nonpartisan study.

The analysis released Thursday by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that mixed signals from President Donald Trump have created uncertainty “far outside the norm” and led insurers to seek higher premium increases for 2018 than would otherwise have been the case.

Republicans in Congress have not delivered on their promise to repeal and replace the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. Trump is insisting that lawmakers try again and that the health overhaul is collapsing. At the same time, he’s threatened to stop billions of dollars in payments to insurers. Some Republicans are considering fallback measures to stabilize markets.

Kaiser researchers looked at proposed premiums for a benchmark silver plan across major metropolitan areas in 20 states and Washington, D.C. Overall, they found that 15 of those cities will see increases of 10 percent or more next year.

The highest is a 49 percent jump in Wilmington, Del. The only decline: a 5 percent reduction in Providence, Rhode Island.

About 10 million people who buy policies through HealthCare.gov and state-run markets are potentially affected, as are 5 million to 7 million more who purchase individual policies on their own.
Those in the government-sponsored markets can dodge the hit with the help of tax credits that most of them qualify for to help pay premiums. But off-marketplace customers pay full freight, and they face a second consecutive year of steep increases. Many are self-employed business owners.

The report found insurer participation in the ACA markets will be lower than at any time since they opened for business in 2014. The average is 4.6 insurers in the states studied, down from 5.1 insurers this year. In many cases insurers do not sell plans in every community in a state.

The researchers analyzed publicly available filings through which insurers justify their proposed premiums to state regulators. Insurers are struggling with sicker-than-expected customers and disappointing enrollment, and an industry tax is expected to add 2 to 3 percentage points to premiums next year.

On top of that, researchers found that mixed signals from the administration account for some of the higher charges. Those could increase before enrollment starts Nov. 1.

“The vast majority of companies in states with detailed rate filings have included some language around the uncertainty, so it is likely that more companies will revise their premiums to reflect uncertainty in the absence of clear answers from Congress or the administration,” the report said. Once premiums are set, they’re generally in place for a whole year.

Insurers that assumed that Trump would make good on his threat to stop billions in payments to subsidize copayments and deductibles requested additional premium increases ranging from 2 percent to 23 percent, the report found.

Insurers that assumed the IRS under Trump would not enforce unpopular fines on people who remain uninsured requested additional premium increases ranging from 1.2 percent to 20 percent.
“In many cases that means insurers are adding double-digit premium increases on top of what they otherwise would have requested,” said Cynthia Cox, a co-author of the Kaiser report. “In many cases, what we are seeing is an additional increase due to the political uncertainty.”

That doesn’t sound like what Trump promised when he assumed the presidency.
In a Washington Post interview ahead of his inauguration, Trump said, “We’re going to have insurance for everybody.”

“There was a philosophy in some circles that if you can’t pay for it, you don’t get it,” he added. “That’s not going to happen with us.”

People covered under President Barack Obama’s law “can expect to have great health care,” Trump said at the time. “It will be in a much simplified form. Much less expensive and much better.”

But the White House never produced the health care proposal Trump promised. The GOP bills in Congress would have left millions more uninsured, a sobering side-effect that contributed to their political undoing.

The administration sidestepped questions about its own role raised by the Kaiser study.

Spokeswoman Alleigh Marre said rising premiums and dwindling choices predate Trump.
“The Trump administration is committed to repealing and replacing Obamacare and will always be focused on putting patients, families, and doctors, not Washington, in charge of health care,” Marre said in a statement.

The turmoil for people who buy individual health insurance stands in sharp contrast to relative calm and stability for the majority of Americans insured through workplace plans. The cost of employer-sponsored coverage is expected to rise about 5 or 6 percent next year, benefits consultants say.

A look back at the 1965 Watts riots

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On August 11, 1965, in the predominantly black Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, racial tension reaches a breaking point after two white policemen scuffle with a black motorist suspected of drunk driving. A crowd of spectators gathered near the corner of Avalon Boulevard and 116th Street to watch the arrest and soon grew angry by what they believed to be yet another incident of racially motivated abuse by the police. A riot soon began, spurred on by residents of Watts who were embittered after years of economic and political isolation.

  • Demonstrators push against a police car after rioting erupted in a crowd of 1,500 in the Los Angeles area of Watts, August 12, 1965. The disturbances were triggered by the arrest of a black person on charges of drunken driving. More than 100 officers were called into the area. (AP Photo)

    Demonstrators push against a police car after rioting erupted in a crowd of 1,500 in the Los Angeles area of Watts, August 12, 1965. The disturbances were triggered by the arrest of a black person on charges of drunken driving. More than 100 officers were called into the area. (AP Photo)

  • File – Buildings burn along a Los Angeles street in the Watts section during riots in this file photo taken Aug. 14, 1965. (AP Photo/File)

    File – Buildings burn along a Los Angeles street in the Watts section during riots in this file photo taken Aug. 14, 1965. (AP Photo/File)

  • The massive job of cleaning up gets underway as a bulldozer clears debris from a fire-gutted store off the sidewalk in Watts, Los Angeles, Aug. 18, 1965. (AP Photo/Ellis R. Bosworth)

    The massive job of cleaning up gets underway as a bulldozer clears debris from a fire-gutted store off the sidewalk in Watts, Los Angeles, Aug. 18, 1965. (AP Photo/Ellis R. Bosworth)

  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is surrounded by newsmen and passersby as he moves through downtown Los Angeles on August 18, 1965 on a series of conference about the city’s prolonged racial disturbances. (AP Photo/Harold Filan)

    Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is surrounded by newsmen and passersby as he moves through downtown Los Angeles on August 18, 1965 on a series of conference about the city’s prolonged racial disturbances. (AP Photo/Harold Filan)

  • August 1965: A makeshift sign urging drivers to ‘Turn Left Or Get Shot’ during the race riots in the Watts area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

    August 1965: A makeshift sign urging drivers to ‘Turn Left Or Get Shot’ during the race riots in the Watts area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

  • Armed National Guardsmen force a line of Black men to stand against the wall of a building during the Watts race riots, Los Angeles, California, August 1965. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

    Armed National Guardsmen force a line of Black men to stand against the wall of a building during the Watts race riots, Los Angeles, California, August 1965. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

  • Two youths carrying lamps from a looted store, run down a street, in the Watts section of Los Angeles August, 13, 1965. The six days of violence left 34 dead and resulted in $40 million of property damage. (AP Photo)

    Two youths carrying lamps from a looted store, run down a street, in the Watts section of Los Angeles August, 13, 1965. The six days of violence left 34 dead and resulted in $40 million of property damage. (AP Photo)

  • A shoe store in the Watts area of Los Angeles, CA, collapses in flames as the city’s wave of violence moves into it’s fourth day, August 14, 1965. (AP Photo)

    A shoe store in the Watts area of Los Angeles, CA, collapses in flames as the city’s wave of violence moves into it’s fourth day, August 14, 1965. (AP Photo)

  • A group of Black women step through rubble and demolished storefronts on Central and Vernon Avenues where businesses were destroyed and looted during the Watts riots in Los Angeles, California, August 1965. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

    A group of Black women step through rubble and demolished storefronts on Central and Vernon Avenues where businesses were destroyed and looted during the Watts riots in Los Angeles, California, August 1965. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., right, tells a news conference in Los Angeles, Aug. 19, 1965 that he has asked Gov. Edmund Brown Sr., left, to visit the Watts area of the city and talk to the people. (AP Photo/Harold P. Matosian)

    Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., right, tells a news conference in Los Angeles, Aug. 19, 1965 that he has asked Gov. Edmund Brown Sr., left, to visit the Watts area of the city and talk to the people. (AP Photo/Harold P. Matosian)

  • A.Z. Smith, a victim of the Los Angeles riots, checks the damage to his barber shop in the Watts area of Los Angeles, Aug. 17, 1965. Business establishments owned by whites were the usual targets of looters and arsonists. Smith was one of the few blacks caught up in the turmoil. (AP Photo)

    A.Z. Smith, a victim of the Los Angeles riots, checks the damage to his barber shop in the Watts area of Los Angeles, Aug. 17, 1965. Business establishments owned by whites were the usual targets of looters and arsonists. Smith was one of the few blacks caught up in the turmoil. (AP Photo)

  • An unidentified man is led to a police car in the Watts section of Los Angeles August 13, 1965, after his arrest during the second night of rioting. Several hundred police officers worked through the night in an attempt to control violence that included shooting, stone-throwing, looting and arson. (AP Photo)

    An unidentified man is led to a police car in the Watts section of Los Angeles August 13, 1965, after his arrest during the second night of rioting. Several hundred police officers worked through the night in an attempt to control violence that included shooting, stone-throwing, looting and arson. (AP Photo)

  • Ambulance driver Walter Gray prepares hit-and-run victim, Pvt. James L. Kopenick for transfer to General Hospital following treatment at Central Receiving Hospital. Kopenick was one of two National Guardsmen hurt when a hit-run driver collided with their jeep at Hooper and Vernon Avenues in the Watts area. Photo dated: August 17, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    Ambulance driver Walter Gray prepares hit-and-run victim, Pvt. James L. Kopenick for transfer to General Hospital following treatment at Central Receiving Hospital. Kopenick was one of two National Guardsmen hurt when a hit-run driver collided with their jeep at Hooper and Vernon Avenues in the Watts area. Photo dated: August 17, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • File – Fire started by rioting mobs wipes out business block in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, Aug. 14, 1965. (AP Photo)

    File – Fire started by rioting mobs wipes out business block in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, Aug. 14, 1965. (AP Photo)

  • A car rammed through a human chain of guardsmen during the rioting in Watts. Photo shows Wayne Stewart with nurse Karen Lumetta. Stewart got a broken leg when the auto hit. Photo dated: August 14, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    A car rammed through a human chain of guardsmen during the rioting in Watts. Photo shows Wayne Stewart with nurse Karen Lumetta. Stewart got a broken leg when the auto hit. Photo dated: August 14, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • Los Angeles Police Chief William H. Parker holds a conference in his office during the Watts riots. Present were: Deputy Chief Tom Reddin, Deputy Chief Roger Murdock, Supervisor Warren Dorn, and Major General Charles Ott. Parker is seated at the desk in this August 13, 1965 photo. The rioting began August 11 and lasted six nights. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    Los Angeles Police Chief William H. Parker holds a conference in his office during the Watts riots. Present were: Deputy Chief Tom Reddin, Deputy Chief Roger Murdock, Supervisor Warren Dorn, and Major General Charles Ott. Parker is seated at the desk in this August 13, 1965 photo. The rioting began August 11 and lasted six nights. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • Armed police stand by as rioters lay face down in the street during the Watts race riots, Los Angeles, California, August 1965. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

    Armed police stand by as rioters lay face down in the street during the Watts race riots, Los Angeles, California, August 1965. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

  • CHP officers with shotguns get ready to man the lines at 112th Street and Avalon Boulevard, during the rioting in the Watts area. Photograph dated August 13, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    CHP officers with shotguns get ready to man the lines at 112th Street and Avalon Boulevard, during the rioting in the Watts area. Photograph dated August 13, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • 1965: Protestors on the burned out streets of the Watts District after the race riots in Los Angeles. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

    1965: Protestors on the burned out streets of the Watts District after the race riots in Los Angeles. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

  • An armed National Guard patrolman leans against a street sign, smoking a cigarette and standing in rubble following the Watts riots, Los Angeles, California, August 1965. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

    An armed National Guard patrolman leans against a street sign, smoking a cigarette and standing in rubble following the Watts riots, Los Angeles, California, August 1965. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

  • Fire-fighters in front of a blazing building during the Watts Riots in Los Angeles, California, 11th-15th August 1965. (Photo by Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images)

    Fire-fighters in front of a blazing building during the Watts Riots in Los Angeles, California, 11th-15th August 1965. (Photo by Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images)

  • A blood-splattered man sitting beside an armed policeman, during the Watts Riots, Los Angeles, California, 11th-15th August 1965. (Photo by Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images)

    A blood-splattered man sitting beside an armed policeman, during the Watts Riots, Los Angeles, California, 11th-15th August 1965. (Photo by Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images)

  • Armed police patrolling the streets of Los Angeles during the Watts race riots, 11th-15th August 1965. (Photo by Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images)

    Armed police patrolling the streets of Los Angeles during the Watts race riots, 11th-15th August 1965. (Photo by Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images)

  • 25th August 1965: A bulldozer clears debris in the aftermath of racially motivated riots that hit Los Angeles a week earlier. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)

    25th August 1965: A bulldozer clears debris in the aftermath of racially motivated riots that hit Los Angeles a week earlier. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)

  • A convoy of National Guard vehicles cruise down Broadway. Photo dated: August 14, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    A convoy of National Guard vehicles cruise down Broadway. Photo dated: August 14, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • An overturned automobile blocks the street in the Watts section of Los Angeles as day breaks at the scene of last night’s rioting, Aug. 13, 1965. In the background are other burned cars. The scene is near the intersection of Imperial Highway and Avalon. (AP Photo/Harold Filan)

    An overturned automobile blocks the street in the Watts section of Los Angeles as day breaks at the scene of last night’s rioting, Aug. 13, 1965. In the background are other burned cars. The scene is near the intersection of Imperial Highway and Avalon. (AP Photo/Harold Filan)

  • Riot equipped policemen apprehend a man during race riots in the predominantly black area of Watts, Los Angeles, 11th-15th August 1965. (Photo by Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images)

    Riot equipped policemen apprehend a man during race riots in the predominantly black area of Watts, Los Angeles, 11th-15th August 1965. (Photo by Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images)

  • A suspect being searched by two armed police during the Watts race riots in Los Angeles, California, 11th-15th August 1965. (Photo by Harry Benson/Getty Images)

    A suspect being searched by two armed police during the Watts race riots in Los Angeles, California, 11th-15th August 1965. (Photo by Harry Benson/Getty Images)

  • circa 1965: Workmen sweeping up debris left by the Los Angeles Watts riots on 103rd Street. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

    circa 1965: Workmen sweeping up debris left by the Los Angeles Watts riots on 103rd Street. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

  • The rubble of burned-out buildings in the riot-torn community of Watts on Sept. 12, 1965. (AP Photo/ERB)

    The rubble of burned-out buildings in the riot-torn community of Watts on Sept. 12, 1965. (AP Photo/ERB)

  • Harvey Ramsey, 46, a city of Los Angeles employee, of 700 E. 103rd Place, which is in the riot area, talks with National Guard Cpl. Richard Stallings of San Francisco. ‘Somebody got ’em all stirred up,’ says Ramsey. Photograph dated August 18, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    Harvey Ramsey, 46, a city of Los Angeles employee, of 700 E. 103rd Place, which is in the riot area, talks with National Guard Cpl. Richard Stallings of San Francisco. ‘Somebody got ’em all stirred up,’ says Ramsey. Photograph dated August 18, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • 1965: Aerial view shows several buildings on fire at the same time, during the rioting in the Watts area. (Los Angeles Public Libary)

    1965: Aerial view shows several buildings on fire at the same time, during the rioting in the Watts area. (Los Angeles Public Libary)

  • Driver of a Volkswagen is detained, while two officers search the trunk for any stolen loot from rioting in the Watts area. National Guardsmen with rifles stand in the background. Photo dated: August 16, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    Driver of a Volkswagen is detained, while two officers search the trunk for any stolen loot from rioting in the Watts area. National Guardsmen with rifles stand in the background. Photo dated: August 16, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • Los Angeles Police Chief William H. Parker, right, and Councilman Tom Bradley during a hearing on September 14, 1965, about the Watts riots. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    Los Angeles Police Chief William H. Parker, right, and Councilman Tom Bradley during a hearing on September 14, 1965, about the Watts riots. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • Crowds jam Hall of Justice corridors for riots hearings. Photograph dated August 19, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    Crowds jam Hall of Justice corridors for riots hearings. Photograph dated August 19, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • Detectives D.F. Ward (left), and R.R. Pignet inspect loot recovered from automobiles in the riot area, at University Police Station. Loot included clothes and many other items. Photo dated: August 17, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    Detectives D.F. Ward (left), and R.R. Pignet inspect loot recovered from automobiles in the riot area, at University Police Station. Loot included clothes and many other items. Photo dated: August 17, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • Families from the riot areas wait in line at Edwin Markham Junior High to receive food baskets from the Salvation Army. National Guardsmen with rifles, keep watch. Photo dated August 17, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    Families from the riot areas wait in line at Edwin Markham Junior High to receive food baskets from the Salvation Army. National Guardsmen with rifles, keep watch. Photo dated August 17, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • 1965 Watts Riots: A fireman on a tall ladder aims water at fire on the rooftop of a building complex in Watts. Corner building has a Liquor store, A Chop Suey and Seafood restaurant and a Jewelry Store. Two other firemen on a shorter ladder can be seen on the left, by the “Liquor” sign. Officers with rifles stand guard by the alley. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    1965 Watts Riots: A fireman on a tall ladder aims water at fire on the rooftop of a building complex in Watts. Corner building has a Liquor store, A Chop Suey and Seafood restaurant and a Jewelry Store. Two other firemen on a shorter ladder can be seen on the left, by the “Liquor” sign. Officers with rifles stand guard by the alley. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • Firemen with axes tear at boards covering a building in Watts. Photo dated: August 16, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    Firemen with axes tear at boards covering a building in Watts. Photo dated: August 16, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • Deputies are shown with 12-guage shotguns, holding the Firestone Sheriffs Station under arms in anticipaton of attack by rioters in the Watts area. Photo dated: September 13, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    Deputies are shown with 12-guage shotguns, holding the Firestone Sheriffs Station under arms in anticipaton of attack by rioters in the Watts area. Photo dated: September 13, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • View of a furniture store at 41st Place and Broadway, gutted and destroyed by fire during the Watts Riots. Photo dated: August 16, 1965. (Los Angeles Daily News)

    View of a furniture store at 41st Place and Broadway, gutted and destroyed by fire during the Watts Riots. Photo dated: August 16, 1965. (Los Angeles Daily News)

  • A man stands in front of what used to be the General Store at 1807 103rd Street in downtown Watts. Windows were broken and store was looted during the rioting in the Watts area. Photo dated: August 17, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    A man stands in front of what used to be the General Store at 1807 103rd Street in downtown Watts. Windows were broken and store was looted during the rioting in the Watts area. Photo dated: August 17, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • C.J. Fitzpatrick is searched by officer C.J. Conrad at the entrance to Lincoln Heights Jail. Fitzpatrick went to the building in sarch of his son, Ralph, 18. The youth had been jailed on a burglary charge. Photo dated: August 17, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    C.J. Fitzpatrick is searched by officer C.J. Conrad at the entrance to Lincoln Heights Jail. Fitzpatrick went to the building in sarch of his son, Ralph, 18. The youth had been jailed on a burglary charge. Photo dated: August 17, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • Two priest walk by the exterior of which once was Lipman’s Department Store. The store was looted and destroyed by fire during the rioting in Watts. Photo dated: August 18.1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    Two priest walk by the exterior of which once was Lipman’s Department Store. The store was looted and destroyed by fire during the rioting in Watts. Photo dated: August 18.1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • 1965 Watts Riots: Police Sgt. Stanley Uno guards a liquor store at 8527 S. San Pedro Street after rioters smashed windows and looted the store. Glass litters the sidewalk as workers start boarding up the windows. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    1965 Watts Riots: Police Sgt. Stanley Uno guards a liquor store at 8527 S. San Pedro Street after rioters smashed windows and looted the store. Glass litters the sidewalk as workers start boarding up the windows. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • National Guardsmen find a little time to relax during the Watts Riots. The men are on the lawn in front of the jail, in Lincoln Heights. Photo dated: August 16, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    National Guardsmen find a little time to relax during the Watts Riots. The men are on the lawn in front of the jail, in Lincoln Heights. Photo dated: August 16, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • 1965 Watts Riots: People are lined up at a local church in the Watts area. The church was offering assistance after the riots. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    1965 Watts Riots: People are lined up at a local church in the Watts area. The church was offering assistance after the riots. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • 1965 Watts Riots: Police search for weapons in the 1900 block on East 103rd Street in Watts. Police patrolling the riot area stopped men who were driving around late at night and then released them when no weapons were found. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    1965 Watts Riots: Police search for weapons in the 1900 block on East 103rd Street in Watts. Police patrolling the riot area stopped men who were driving around late at night and then released them when no weapons were found. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • 1965 Watts Riots: Store collapses as firemen try to control a 6 block blaze at 43rd and Central, in Watts. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    1965 Watts Riots: Store collapses as firemen try to control a 6 block blaze at 43rd and Central, in Watts. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • Officer aids Bruce Williams, shot during the rioting. Williams was later removed by ambulance on August 15, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    Officer aids Bruce Williams, shot during the rioting. Williams was later removed by ambulance on August 15, 1965. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • 1965 Watts Riots: Vandals smashed two windows at the Watts Towers Teen Post at 1807 East 103rd Street, according to the police. John Estrada, 20, is shown surveying the scene. He helped clean out the debris at the site. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    1965 Watts Riots: Vandals smashed two windows at the Watts Towers Teen Post at 1807 East 103rd Street, according to the police. John Estrada, 20, is shown surveying the scene. He helped clean out the debris at the site. (Los Angeles Public Library)

  • Armed National Guardsmen march toward smoke on the horizon during the Watts riots in Los Angeles, California, August 1965. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

    Armed National Guardsmen march toward smoke on the horizon during the Watts riots in Los Angeles, California, August 1965. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

  • 1965 Watts Riots: Two National Guardsmen sit on a bench in the middle of the road. The guardsmen are keeping watch over the buildings and area. (Los Angeles Public Library)

    1965 Watts Riots: Two National Guardsmen sit on a bench in the middle of the road. The guardsmen are keeping watch over the buildings and area. (Los Angeles Public Library)

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The five days of violence left 34 dead, 1,032 injured, nearly 4,000 arrested, and $40 million worth of property destroyed. Finally, with the assistance of thousands of National Guardsmen, order was restored on August 16.

Woman who swam with gray whale in Dana Point Harbor recounts her experience

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  • Amy Lagera is seen trying to help a young gray Tuesday in Dana Point Harbor. (Photo courtesy dolphin safari.com)

    Amy Lagera is seen trying to help a young gray Tuesday in Dana Point Harbor. (Photo courtesy dolphin safari.com)

  • A Gray whale is seen in Dana Point Harbor on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 (Photo courtesy of the OC Sheriff’s Dept. Harbor Patrol)

    A Gray whale is seen in Dana Point Harbor on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 (Photo courtesy of the OC Sheriff’s Dept. Harbor Patrol)

  • A Gray whale swims in Dana Point, on Tuesday, August 8, 2017.

    A Gray whale swims in Dana Point, on Tuesday, August 8, 2017.

  • A gray whale swims near paddleboarders in the Dana Point Harbor.

    A gray whale swims near paddleboarders in the Dana Point Harbor.

  • A juvenile Gray whale makes it’s way around Aliso Beach in Laguna Beach after leaving Dana Point Harbor on Tuesday, August 8th. (Photo courtesy of Mark Girardeau)

    A juvenile Gray whale makes it’s way around Aliso Beach in Laguna Beach after leaving Dana Point Harbor on Tuesday, August 8th. (Photo courtesy of Mark Girardeau)

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DANA POINT Amy Lagera was helping a child with special needs learn to paddle board when she spotted a wayward juvenile gray whale Tuesday, Aug. 8 close to the water’s surface near the Ocean Institute.

Lagera, who works for Just Like Me Foundation, a group that provides teens and young adults with organized weekend and summer activities, observed the whale getting closer and closer to shore.

“I had paddled out with Seth, from Bridging the Gap, who was volunteering with our group that day, and Mia, a participant from Just Like Me,” Lagera said. “We followed her over in hopes we could guide her back to the harbor entrance. She swam over to the docks and got herself wedged into a corner.”

That’s when Lagera jumped off the specially adaptive board, built by Adaptive Freedom Foundation and stabilized by outriggers, to try and nudge the whale into a different direction.

“I thought I was less threatening than a paddleboard or kayak so I swam toward her hoping to guide her out,” Lagera said. “She let me come in close. She was facing the wall so I turned her around and she swam away.”

For Lagera, a Hawaii native, it was a memory to treasure.

After seven hours in the harbor, the juvenile gray whale finally was guided out to the mouth of the harbor by the Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol and a host of paddle boarders and kayakers. It was seen off Emerald Bay in Laguna Beach by Mark Girardeau late Tuesday.

On Thursday, Aug. 10, it was spotted before noon in Newport Beach harbor near Davey’s Locker and appeared to be swimming calmly and normally, said Alisa Schulman-Janiger, who operates a gray whale census count at Point Vicente off Palos Verdes.

Dominic Biagini, an aerial photographer for Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari, filmed Lagera as she swam with the whale and captured the image that has since gone viral on social media.

“NOAA usually recommends not trying to help them, so as to reduce the chances of causing them additional stress, or people accidentally getting hurt if the whale feels threatened,” said Capt. Dave Anderson.

“In this case I believe everyone involved with this effort, trying to get the animal out of the harbor, were well meaning and did not cause any harm, and for all we know maybe the whale really was having trouble finding its way out and they helped it. In most cases though, it is best to leave the whale alone to find its own way. It may take longer but the whale will find its way out.”

 

Huntington Beach eases restrictions on late-night bars and eateries in downtown

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HUNTINGTON  BEACH Downtown restaurants will now have an easier path to get approval to stay open late.

The City Council voted 5-1 Monday night, Aug. 7 to change an ordinance that automatically triggered midnight closings for downtown restaurants looking to make changes or those moving into existing restaurant spaces that had later hours. The earlier ordinance, approved in 2013, reduced operating hours for businesses with alcohol and live entertainment in the downtown area because of complaints about late-night, alcohol-related problems.

Now instead of having to go to the council, businesses seeking later hours can have their requests handled at the zoning administrator or Planning Commission level, as long as they meet certain criteria.

Councilwoman Jill Hardy, who has consistently voted against any establishment serving after midnight, was opposed. Councilman Billy O’Connell, who has an ownership interest in a downtown restaurant, recused himself.

Black Bull Chop House and HQ Gastropub can be seen as the latest object lessons of problems with the old way of doing business.

In April the owners of the two restaurants, which had permission to serve alcohol after midnight, appealed to the City Council to overturn the requirement that they close at midnight. The City Council voted to allow the restaurants to remain open and serve alcohol until 1:30 a.m. and 2 a.m., respectively.

HQ Gastropub was a new operation that moved into a existing restaurant space with a 2 a.m. closing time. Despite having an operation plan that was universally praised by the council for its thoroughness in handling security and training, the ordinance required the midnight closure.

“I have never seen an applicant come with such a well-prepared security plan,” Councilman Erik Peterson said during the meeting, adding that HQ was precisely the kind of patron the city was seeking for downtown.

The Black Bull Chop House was an existing restaurant that was allowed to remain open and serve until 1:30 a.m. When the restaurant sought approval to enclose its patio dining on Main Street, while adding outdoor dining in an area away from the main drag, the Planning Commission imposed the midnight closing time to approve the changes.

Both operators said the midnight closing would have put them at a significant economic disadvantage against establishments in nearby Pacific City with later hours.

The owner of the Chop House said the Planning Commission ruling would stop him from making the changes that would have actually decreased the noise and outdoor activity on Main Street.

In March, Councilman Mike Posey and Peterson and the council asked the city attorney to look at creating an ordinance that streamlined the approval process for later hours.

“My issue is to level the playing field for new operators and old operators alike,” Posey said at the time. “Downtown patronage is declining. I’d like to know if the midnight closing is causing that.”

With input from the Police Department, City Attorney Michael Gates on Monday put wording in the new ordinance that gives the city greater latitude in revoking a permit if operators fail to meet operation guidelines.

 

 

 

 

 

Bull? Stocks can’t stave off California pension crisis forever

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In this Oct. 23, 2003 file photo, Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger, left, and Gov. Gray Davis joke with each other as Davis shows Schwarzenegger the governor's private office at the Capitol in Sacramento.
In this Oct. 23, 2003 file photo, Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger, left, and Gov. Gray Davis joke with each other as Davis shows Schwarzenegger the governor’s private office at the Capitol in Sacramento.

Remember 2003? Gray Davis was recalled, porn stars ran for governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger catapulted into office – and California’s state and, for the last time in many, many years, local governments paid more into their pension plans than they owed in outstanding pension debt.

In those halcyon days, your cities, state and local governments paid $7 billion to support their workers’ golden years, while the gap between what they owed those workers – and what they actually had squirreled away – was just a wee $6 billion, according to figures from the State Controller’s Office.

One year later – the year Ronald Reagan died, John Kerry faced off against George W. Bush, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” won 11 Oscars and newly-sweetened public employee retirement formulas kicked in in earnest – the gap between what California governments had on hand what they owed workers exploded to $50.9 billion.

And so it went. Each year, state and local governments shoveled more and more cash into pension funds – $16 billion, $19 billion, $21 billion – but each year, the growth of their “unfunded pension liabilities,” as it’s called in government-speak, continued at a monstrous rate nonetheless – to $64 billion, $128 billion, $241 billion.

Then – hallelujah! – the hole shrank a tad in 2015, dipping to $234 billion.

Did California turn the corner?

Unlikely, experts say. That dip was the work of some stellar years on the stock market – the mammoth California Public Employees’ Retirement System clocked returns of 13.2 percent in 2012-13, and 18.4 percent in 2013-14 – mixed with a brew of overly-optimistic expectations on investment returns and less-than-realistic assumptions on how long retirees will live, among other things, which will soon be sobering up in such a way that the unfunded figures will grow even more.

Even at that lower figure, unfunded liabilities can be viewed as a $6,000 debt for every man, woman and child in the state of California.

Why should you care? Because it’s your pocketbook. If that hole is not filled up with meatier earnings and heftier contributions from public workers and agencies, taxpayers could be called upon to fill it directly.

This is where folks start talking about heady concepts like “generational equity.” Your children and grandchildren will be paying for the services that you are enjoying today. And there’s also the concept of “crowd-out;” as governments pay more into pension funds there is less available for services like roads and parks and libraries. They ask: Is that fair?

There are basically two things that can happen next: Workers and governments negotiate more modest benefits for work yet to be performed, or taxes go up.

The smart money is on some combination of the two, and the California Supreme Court may make a game-changing decision on all that soon.

California has long considered public pension promises as contracts etched in stone – i.e., the formulas in place on the first day of a worker’s employment can never, ever be changed, and any attempts to do so violate the California constitution. But state appellate courts have concluded that governments do, indeed, have wiggle room:

“While a public employee does have a ‘vested right’ to a pension, that right is only to a ‘reasonable’ pension — not an immutable entitlement to the most optimal formula of calculating the pension,” wrote Justice James Richman in a ruling regarding Marin County last year. “And the Legislature may, prior to the employee’s retirement, alter the formula, thereby reducing the anticipated pension. So long as the Legislature’s modifications do not deprive the employee of a ‘reasonable’ pension, there is no constitutional violation,”

The California Supreme Court has agreed to hear this, and similar cases. It’s unclear if it will agree.

Bear wrestling

CalPERS headquarters at Lincoln Plaza in Sacramento.
CalPERS headquarters at Lincoln Plaza in Sacramento.

Officials from retirement systems say they’ll be able to hold the line on the growth of unfunded liabilities and eventually catch up without changing the formulas. Observers remain skeptical.

“The economic downturn and the volatility in the market were still the primary drivers for CalPERS unfunded liability growth during this time period,” CalPERS spokeswoman Amy Morgan said after reviewing our numbers. “Our strong investment returns in fiscal year 2013-14 of 18.4 percent and pension reform savings helped offset the unfunded liabilities increase from growing significantly.”

Many agencies in California are trying to attack the problem by paying down their unfunded liabilities earlier and kicking in more than the minimum-required annual contribution, she said. The state will pay an extra $6 billion this year to fill its hole, which should save $11 billion over the next 20 years, Morgan said. In the last fiscal year, more than 150 agencies did much the same thing.

“CalPERS estimates that our unfunded liabilities are expected to decrease over time and not increase unless there is a string of losses,” she said.

Tom Aaron, vice president and senior analyst at Moody’s Investors Service, expects to see much the opposite, at least for a while.

“Something we’ve seen on a widespread basis in the past year or two is that public pension plans have reduced their assumed rates of return,” Aaron said. “Not long ago, CalPERS had assumed returns of more than 8 percent, but recently decided to drop that down to 7 percent. That results in liabilities going up.”

Even when systems hit targeted returns – and they exceeded those targets this year – the amount that governments and workers kick in isn’t enough to prevent unfunded liabilities from growing, he said. They tend to favor paying less now and paying more later, robbing them of the magic of compounding.

There is not a pension fund in America that can earn its way out of its liabilities, said Peter Kiernan, public finance specialist and chair of the New York State Law Revision Commission. Lost compounding is the primary reason.

Money makes money

Compounding, Mary Mary Quite Contrary, is how the money garden grows.

If you put $100 away today and earn 5 percent interest, viola! Next year you’ll have $105 to earn 5 percent interest, and so on. Money makes money. Exponential growth.

But, if you put $100 away today and lost money, not only is your principal gone, but the interest earnings you were counting on to pile up and earn even more interest are gone as well. Dramatic events, like the financial meltdown of 2008, wiped out billions from public pension funds – including nearly one-quarter of what was in the coffers of the CalPERS. That makes it very hard to regain lost ground.

There are larger changes at work: Forty years ago, contributions from governments and workers comprised two-thirds of what was in the pension funds, and one-third was expected from investments, Kiernan said. Today – driven by the bull markets of the 1980s and ’90s – it’s just the opposite.

Annual required contributions have more than doubled over last decade, from 6.2 percent to 18.1 percent, which leaves less money to pay for other things.

Paul Bersebach, The Orange County Register
John Moorlach. Paul Bersebach, The Orange County Register

State Sen. John Moorlach, who had been warning that the current system is unsustainable for years before the issue pierced the popular consciousness. The spike in liabilities seen between 2003 and 2004 was the work of new, more generous, retroactive retirement formulas adopted by one public agency after another in the early 2000s.

Meaning this: City A had been socking money away for Police Officer B’s retirement for decades. When City A adopted sweetened pension formulas, it suddenly was committed to paying Police Officer B quite a bit more every month for the rest of his life – even though it had ever set money aside to cover a pension that large.

Officials thought pensions were so super-funded that this retroactive thing would not come back to bite them. Add in “pension holidays” (when funds looked so healthy that officials quit putting money into them, sometimes for years), a crippling recession, lengthening life spans, a spike in retirements and reductions in what pension plans expect to earn on investments, and you get a hole hundreds of billions of dollars deep.

What’s next?

Or deeper. Current liability totals are computed assuming returns on investments that exceed 7 percent, which critics say won’t pan out over the long haul.

If one assumes lower return rates – as does former Democratic Assemblyman Joe Nation, now of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, on Stanford’s Pension Tracker – the hole can easily double, triple or quadruple.

But the end is not nigh, said Kiernan.

“California’s pension systems are underfunded significantly, but they are not in a death spiral,” he said. “An effort is being made to achieve reform and enhance funding. A good investment year easily could be followed by a bad one and there could be regression, however. It just is too early for gloom and doom.”

There must be political bargaining, he said. Since the recession, every state has tried to adopt reforms – but those modest formulas apply only to new hires, doing little to nothing to reduce current liabilities for the vast universe of public workers.

We invited several public pension advocates to share their thoughts on the numbers. They said they were studying them, but did not respond by deadline.

“The relevant question to ask is: Is there sufficient political will to achieve major reform?” Kiernan asked.

We’ll see.

The craft brewery is quickly becoming a community staple like your library, grocery store and coffee shop

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Admit it, pessimists: the craft beer movement has defied your gloomy predictions.

A year or two ago, even supporters of the dozens of neighborhood breweries that have popped up all over Southern California were predicting the movement had reached its apex. Surely we would see a die-off. There can’t be that many fans of double IPAs, Imperial stouts and sour beers.

But the growth continues. And many craft breweries that fail quickly reopen under new ownership and brew masters.

Nationally, the news is just as positive. A March 2017 report from the Brewers Association estimates that craft beer claims 12.3 percent of the overall market share by volume in the U.S. In 2016 there were more than 5,300 breweries in the country that produced 24.6 million barrels of brew, a 6 percent increase over 2015.

Related: Explore more than 150 breweries in Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties

  • Bottle Logic Brewing President/co-founder Steve Napolitano, left, taste-tests the company’s Double Actuator India Pale Ale. (Photo by H. Lorren Au Jr., Orange County Register/SCNG).

    Bottle Logic Brewing President/co-founder Steve Napolitano, left, taste-tests the company’s Double Actuator India Pale Ale. (Photo by H. Lorren Au Jr., Orange County Register/SCNG).

  • J.R. Scott of Los Angeles reaches for one of the beer glasses in his taster sampler at The Bruery in Placentia. (Photo by Josh Morgan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    J.R. Scott of Los Angeles reaches for one of the beer glasses in his taster sampler at The Bruery in Placentia. (Photo by Josh Morgan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Craft brewer Trevor Walls, head brewer at Pizza Port in San Clemente, with some of the beers he makes that are on tap. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Craft brewer Trevor Walls, head brewer at Pizza Port in San Clemente, with some of the beers he makes that are on tap. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Noble Ale Works bartender Matt Fantz serves a couple of pints of home brews to a crowd of visitors. (Photo by Isaac Arjonilla, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Noble Ale Works bartender Matt Fantz serves a couple of pints of home brews to a crowd of visitors. (Photo by Isaac Arjonilla, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Tustin Brewing Co. in Tustin. (Photo by Rod Veal, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Tustin Brewing Co. in Tustin. (Photo by Rod Veal, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Tiffany Collins, from left, Cameron Collins and Carrie James at Artifex Brewing Co. in San Clemente. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Tiffany Collins, from left, Cameron Collins and Carrie James at Artifex Brewing Co. in San Clemente. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse in Orange. (Photo by Shelby Wolfe, Contributing Photographer)

    BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse in Orange. (Photo by Shelby Wolfe, Contributing Photographer)

  • Head brewer Trevor Walls, left, and Jon Eckelberger, assistant brewer, stand next to the kettles used for brewing beer at Pizza Port in San Clemente. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Head brewer Trevor Walls, left, and Jon Eckelberger, assistant brewer, stand next to the kettles used for brewing beer at Pizza Port in San Clemente. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Patrons enjoy unseasonably warm weather on an outdoor patio at Bottle Logic Brewing. (Photo by Josh Barber, Contributing Photographer)

    Patrons enjoy unseasonably warm weather on an outdoor patio at Bottle Logic Brewing. (Photo by Josh Barber, Contributing Photographer)

  • Erich Kerr of Anaheim and Charlie Honea and Jamie Wright, both of Garden Grove, talk at the bar in the Bottle Logic Brewing taproom. (Photo by Josh Barber, Contributing Photographer)

    Erich Kerr of Anaheim and Charlie Honea and Jamie Wright, both of Garden Grove, talk at the bar in the Bottle Logic Brewing taproom. (Photo by Josh Barber, Contributing Photographer)

  • Patrons talks while enjoying their beers in front of brewing tanks at Bottle Logic Brewing. (Photo by Josh Barber, Contributing Photographer)

    Patrons talks while enjoying their beers in front of brewing tanks at Bottle Logic Brewing. (Photo by Josh Barber, Contributing Photographer)

  • Brothers-in-law Ryan Hopkins, left, and Ryan Rasmussen became a modern-day version of milkmen when their Riip Beer Co. began making its door-to-door deliveries of craft beer via a 1931 Helms Bread truck. (Photo by Cindy Yamanka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Brothers-in-law Ryan Hopkins, left, and Ryan Rasmussen became a modern-day version of milkmen when their Riip Beer Co. began making its door-to-door deliveries of craft beer via a 1931 Helms Bread truck. (Photo by Cindy Yamanka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The Bruery in Placentia has a grain silo used to store base malt for the many beers it creates on site. (Photo by Nick Koon, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    The Bruery in Placentia has a grain silo used to store base malt for the many beers it creates on site. (Photo by Nick Koon, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Ulric Pattillo of Lakewood sips one of the beers in his taster sampler at The Bruery in Placentia. (Photo by Josh Morgan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Ulric Pattillo of Lakewood sips one of the beers in his taster sampler at The Bruery in Placentia. (Photo by Josh Morgan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Noble Ale Works bartender Matt Fantz, right, takes orders from patrons coming in for an after-work beer on a Friday evening. (Photo by Isaac Arjonilla, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Noble Ale Works bartender Matt Fantz, right, takes orders from patrons coming in for an after-work beer on a Friday evening. (Photo by Isaac Arjonilla, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The Autumn Maple from The Bruery in Placentia. (Photo by Cindy Yamanka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    The Autumn Maple from The Bruery in Placentia. (Photo by Cindy Yamanka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Brews from The Bruery in Placentia. Pictured, from left, Humulus Wet, Autumn Maple, Old Richland and Smoking Wood. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Brews from The Bruery in Placentia. Pictured, from left, Humulus Wet, Autumn Maple, Old Richland and Smoking Wood. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Taps Fish House and Brewery in Brea. (Photo by H. Lorren Au Jr., Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Taps Fish House and Brewery in Brea. (Photo by H. Lorren Au Jr., Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Taps Fish House & Brewery in Brea. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Taps Fish House & Brewery in Brea. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Amber beer goes well with cheese served at Taps Fish House and Brewery in Brea. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Amber beer goes well with cheese served at Taps Fish House and Brewery in Brea. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Ryan Hopkins hangs out aboard the 1931 Helms Bread truck, while CFO Michael Shorey, from left, head brewer Andrew Moy and Ryan Rasmussen toast with Riipalicious IPA at the Riip Beer Co. brewery warehouse bar in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Cindy Yamanka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Ryan Hopkins hangs out aboard the 1931 Helms Bread truck, while CFO Michael Shorey, from left, head brewer Andrew Moy and Ryan Rasmussen toast with Riipalicious IPA at the Riip Beer Co. brewery warehouse bar in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Cindy Yamanka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Kim Diaz of Santa Ana, left, and Jill Robbins of Aliso Viejo enjoy lunch at Taps Fish House in Irvine. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Kim Diaz of Santa Ana, left, and Jill Robbins of Aliso Viejo enjoy lunch at Taps Fish House in Irvine. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Josh Reyes, a tour guide at The Bruery in Placentia, pours glasses of beer for customers attending a tour. (Photo by Josh Morgan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Josh Reyes, a tour guide at The Bruery in Placentia, pours glasses of beer for customers attending a tour. (Photo by Josh Morgan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse in Orange. (Photo by Shelby Wolfe, Contributing Photographer)

    BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse in Orange. (Photo by Shelby Wolfe, Contributing Photographer)

  • Patrons enjoy the atmosphere at San Pedro craft brewery Brouwerij West. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

    Patrons enjoy the atmosphere at San Pedro craft brewery Brouwerij West. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

  • The grand opening of Ballast Point Tasting Room & Kitchen in Long Beach in 2016. (Photo by Stephen Carr, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

    The grand opening of Ballast Point Tasting Room & Kitchen in Long Beach in 2016. (Photo by Stephen Carr, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • A line forms for the grand opening of Ballast Point Tasting Room & Kitchen in Long Beach. (Photo by Stephen Carr, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

    A line forms for the grand opening of Ballast Point Tasting Room & Kitchen in Long Beach. (Photo by Stephen Carr, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • Brouwerij West is located in a World War II-era warehouse in San Pedro. (Photo by Chuck Bennett, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

    Brouwerij West is located in a World War II-era warehouse in San Pedro. (Photo by Chuck Bennett, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • Inland Wharf head brewer Jared Williamson checks the alcohol levels at the brewery in Murrieta. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

    Inland Wharf head brewer Jared Williamson checks the alcohol levels at the brewery in Murrieta. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • Inland Wharf in Murrieta. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

    Inland Wharf in Murrieta. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • Inland Wharf owners Robert Durant and Bill Sutton opened the craft beer brewery in Murrieta in 2017. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

    Inland Wharf owners Robert Durant and Bill Sutton opened the craft beer brewery in Murrieta in 2017. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • Inland Wharf head brewer Jared Williamson checks alcohol levels. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

    Inland Wharf head brewer Jared Williamson checks alcohol levels. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • Pouring a brew at Inland Wharf in Murrieta. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

    Pouring a brew at Inland Wharf in Murrieta. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • The tasting bar at Inland Wharf in Murrieta. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

    The tasting bar at Inland Wharf in Murrieta. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • An Inland Wharf brew. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

    An Inland Wharf brew. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • Devin Caprari walks through Pacific Plate Brewing Company, in Monrovia (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz/Pasadena Star-News)

    Devin Caprari walks through Pacific Plate Brewing Company, in Monrovia (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz/Pasadena Star-News)

  • Patrons at MacLeod Ale Brewing Company in Van Nuys CA. Photo by John McCoy Daily News

    Patrons at MacLeod Ale Brewing Company in Van Nuys CA. Photo by John McCoy Daily News

  • MacLeod Ale Brewing Company in Van Nuys, CA. on Thursday, August 10, 2017. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

    MacLeod Ale Brewing Company in Van Nuys, CA. on Thursday, August 10, 2017. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

  • Angel City Brewery in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles, CA. on Thursday, August 10, 2017. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

    Angel City Brewery in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles, CA. on Thursday, August 10, 2017. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

  • Mike Hancock, head Brewer && Distiller, pours a glass of beer at Rob Rubens Distilling and Brewing in El Segundo. (Photo by Ed Crisostomo, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Mike Hancock, head Brewer && Distiller, pours a glass of beer at Rob Rubens Distilling and Brewing in El Segundo. (Photo by Ed Crisostomo, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Kevin and Steven Obregon, who pose on August 9, 2017, own the Commoner in Uptown Whittier. The gastropod is contributing to Uptown Whittier’s beer-centric reputation. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Kevin and Steven Obregon, who pose on August 9, 2017, own the Commoner in Uptown Whittier. The gastropod is contributing to Uptown Whittier’s beer-centric reputation. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Pete Obregon, who works with his brothers at the Commoner in Uptown Whittier passes their new beer tap on August 9, 2017. The gastropod is contributing to Uptown Whittier’s beer-centric reputation. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Pete Obregon, who works with his brothers at the Commoner in Uptown Whittier passes their new beer tap on August 9, 2017. The gastropod is contributing to Uptown Whittier’s beer-centric reputation. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Walkers pass the Commoner in Uptown Whittier on August 9, 2017. The gastropod is contributing to Uptown Whittier’s beer-centric reputation. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Walkers pass the Commoner in Uptown Whittier on August 9, 2017. The gastropod is contributing to Uptown Whittier’s beer-centric reputation. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Eagle Rock Brewery in Eagle Rock, CA. on Thursday, August 10, 2017. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

    Eagle Rock Brewery in Eagle Rock, CA. on Thursday, August 10, 2017. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

  • Angel City Brewery detail in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles, CA. on Thursday, August 10, 2017. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

    Angel City Brewery detail in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles, CA. on Thursday, August 10, 2017. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

  • Owner Melissa Fisher pours a beer at Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

    Owner Melissa Fisher pours a beer at Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

  • Customers order at the counter at Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

    Customers order at the counter at Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

  • A flight of beers at Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

    A flight of beers at Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

  • Stephanie Moreno, of Highland, left, and Monica Alejandro, of Redlands, hang out at Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

    Stephanie Moreno, of Highland, left, and Monica Alejandro, of Redlands, hang out at Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

  • Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

    Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

  • Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

    Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

  • Owner Melissa Fisher works the front counter at Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

    Owner Melissa Fisher works the front counter at Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

  • A flight of beers at Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

    A flight of beers at Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands, CA., Thursday, August 9, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

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The revenue numbers look even rosier. In 2016, craft beer sales rose 10 percent to $23.5 billion, representing a 21.9 percent market share.

According to Beverage Dynamics, a national magazine for beer retailers, consumers’ tastes and habits are evolving, and that helps keep the movement strong. Some recent trends: Beer fans crave new flavors and are increasingly willing to broaden their horizons; megabrand loyalty is fading; bars and restaurants have greatly expanded their craft beer offerings; consumers are willing to pay more for beer, even if they’re consuming it at home; canned craft beer is becoming more popular.

A new normal is emerging in which every community has its own local brews – ironically, much like the beer industry of a century ago, before Prohibition and repeal, consolidation and modern methods of preservation and distribution changed everything. Like the slow-food movement, craft beer taps into feelings of community pride and enlightened consumerism: supporting a local product, choosing freshness and authenticity over convenience and slick marketing, and cherishing a place where people gather to socialize, kick back and mingle with friends and neighbors.

We’ve taken a deep dive into craft breweries throughout Southern California and made some surprising discoveries. They’re the perfect business to revitalize neighborhoods and give new life to old buildings. In many cases, they act as catalysts for community involvement. And they often draw in the performing arts, galleries and other things that improve a neighborhood’s quality of life.

Here’s a look at craft breweries region by region.

Finally, craft beer flows freely in O.C.

Not long ago, if you lived in Orange County and wanted to dive deeply into the bubbling subculture of craft beer, you had to head north to L.A. or, better yet, south to San Diego, one of the nation’s best places for artisanal suds.

Not anymore. These days, Orange County is awash in an ocean of locally brewed beer.

Over the last few years, the ranks of craft breweries have swollen from a handful to well over 30. And north Orange County, especially Anaheim, has established itself as a key part of the movement, although wherever you live in O.C. you’re probably no more than a short drive away from a tasty brew served in the place where it was born.

This is relatively new. For a long time it seemed Orange County might sit out the craft beer trend.

There were a few bright spots, such as The Bruery in Placentia, which quickly established a national reputation with beer nerds after it opened in 2008. And local brewpubs such as Taps Fish House & Brewery and Newport Beach Brewing Co. turned out respectable beer to go with their food.

But there was a huge bump on the road to craft beer nirvana. O.C. beer makers operated under irksome local regulations that, they say, made it hard for a full-blown beer scene to take off.

The situation finally improved in 2014, when Orange County health officials relinquished oversight of beer-making operations to California’s Department of Public Health, the state agency that regulates breweries in Los Angeles and San Diego counties, among other places. The switch eliminated upfront fees and restaurant-style inspections for local beer makers, sparking an upturn in local craft brewery openings.

Anaheim has become the unofficial headquarters of O.C.’s craft beer movement thanks to its mayor, Tom Tait, who’s a big fan and, like any astute politician, saw an opportunity to make his town a beer haven. “I like what (the craft beer industry) does to a community. It brings people together, creates a social network and social infrastructure,” Tait told the Register in 2016.

Thanks to Tait’s efforts, the city has significantly reduced the need for a conditional use permit. And Tait was the one who lobbied county officials to have the state’s public health department oversee the vetting process for new craft breweries.

If you think the proof is in the prizes, then you’ll be happy to know that O.C.’s best brews are bringing home national awards. In 2016 alone, contest-winning beer came from The Bruery, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery in Brea, Riip Beer Co. in Huntington Beach, Noble Ale Works and Bottle Logic Brewing in Anaheim, Taps Fish House & Brewery in Brea, Tustin Brewing Co., and Pizza Port and Artifex Brewing in San Clemente.

– Paul Hodgins

L.A. and South Bay breweries improve the neighborhood

The quality and quantity of craft breweries in Los Angeles County is at an all-time high, and their rise hasn’t just meant higher-quality beers – in many cases it has translated into improved neighborhoods.

“We have seen growth of 33 percent in the last year,” said Frances Guzman, executive director of the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild. “We had 44 breweries (countywide) last year; we’re currently at 60.”

Kid-friendly and in most cases dog-friendly, too, breweries see themselves as community hubs that in some cases are redefining neighborhoods. Several breweries have pushed along revitalization efforts by reviving massive unused or underused spaces and bringing new residents and money into neighborhoods.

In San Pedro, the recently opened Brouwerij West transformed a cavernous 25,000-square foot World War II-era Navy warehouse at the Port of Los Angeles into a brewery and busy taproom where concerts and other events are frequently presented.

And in the rapidly transforming downtown Arts District there are now seven production breweries within walking distance, up from just one three years ago.

Angel City Brewing and Iron Triangle revamped large and empty industrial warehouses to create breweries and tap rooms, while nearby Arts District Brewing turned the former Crazy Gideon electronic shop into its busy headquarters.

Even the blue-collar burgs of Inglewood, Hawthorne and Carson now boast breweries, while the Antelope Valley has four; however, none have popped up in trendy areas such as Hollywood and Culver City.

“Not only do we have a lot of territory, but a lot of municipal and cultural hubs,” Guzman said. “There are a lot of untapped markets we have yet to expand into.

“I think growth will stay on a similar trajectory for the next couple of years.”

– Nick Green and Richard Guzman

Inland Wharf is the newest craft beer brewery in Murrieta. (Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Inland Wharf is the newest craft beer brewery in Murrieta. (Photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Breweries still bubbling up Inland

Is there an end in sight to the brewery boom?

The (two-county) region went from having just a few breweries a decade ago to nearly 60 today – technically, 56, with three set to open in the near future.

“I really think that the Inland Empire is catching up,” said Melissa Fisher, who opened Escape Craft Brewery in Redlands with her husband Josh in 2015.

Among the hottest locales is Rancho Cucamonga, where Hamilton Family Brewery was the first operation in the city a little more than three years ago. Today, there are four more, with another, Solorio Brewing Co., scheduled to open by the end of the month and two more in the planning stages.

While the pace has slowed slightly, new breweries are still appearing.

Among them are Rescue Brewing Co., which opened in Upland in June, and Murrieta’s Inland Wharf Brewing Co., which started serving its cask-conditioned ales in February.

Southwest Riverside County has become a particular destination for beer lovers, with a few businesses sprouting up to offer tours of the area’s dozen-plus breweries around Temecula and Murrieta.

The city of Riverside realized the positive economic potential of the small brewery business and about five years ago adopted policies to encourage new breweries. As a result, Riverside has become another brewery hub and is now home to eight breweries.

San Bernardino and Riverside Counties are also attracting outposts of breweries rooted elsewhere in Southern California. Bootlegger’s Brewery, which started in Fullerton, expanded to Redlands in January, and two San Diego-based breweries, Karl Strauss and Ballast Point, opened locations in Temecula.

Existing breweries are developing their operations as well.

In Riverside, Thompson Brewing Co., which debuted in 2013, is in the process of opening a two-story brewpub across the street from its old location.

The relocation didn’t leave a void, however. Thompson’s former home was sold and is now operating as Route 30 Brewing Co.

Corona’s Skyland Ale Works, which opened in late 2014, has already outgrown its original location and recently moved to a much larger spot across the industrial park.

As with Thompson’s, Skyland’s old operation has been sold and a new brewery will take shape in the coming months.

Escape in Redlands is expanding into a space next door, which will give it a larger patio and storage.

And as the breweries grow patrons are seeking an expanded selection on tap.

“It’s not all about your traditional straightforward beers,” Fisher said.

When people come in, they want to know what’s new and what’s different.

“The new craft drinker is very experimental,” she said.

– John Plessel and Vanessa Franko

Cheapo Travel: 10 Ways to Save in Sonoma County

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Sonoma is one of my favorite places, the county stretching from the Pacific Ocean to its border with the Napa Valley. There are gorgeous redwoods to explore, wine to taste, rivers to kayak and artisan foods like artisan cheeses to gorge on. But it can be really pricey, like many wine growing regions. Here are some ways to cut  costs.

1. Visit the Korbel cellars for free >> Even if Champagne’s not your favorite, stop by to visit the beautiful historic Korbel winery in Guerneville, where you can taste four wines for free in their gorgeous tasting room. I never miss doing this when I’m nearby. You can also take a public wine tour for free that lasts 50 minutes, or a free tour of their beautiful rose gardens, planted in 1880. They offer wines you can’t buy in your local grocery store, including sherry and port. And, if you’re lucky, you might stumble onto a holiday case sale. I was there on Father’s Day and got 30 percent off when I bought a case to bring home. Sweet! Location: 13250 River Road, Guerneville. Learn more: korbel.com/winery

Korbel vineyards in the early morning mist, Guerneville, California
Korbel vineyards in the early morning mist, Guerneville, California

2. Get a free visitor’s guide and map >> The county tourist bureau will be happy to send you a tourist guide and wine map, which can be useful for planning, and also sometimes has coupons inside. Learn more here: sonomacounty.com/guide-order

3. Taste honey for free >> If you just love honey as much as I do, stop at the small shop of Beekind Honey in Sebastopol, where you’ll have a chance to taste dozens of varieties for free from a self-service carousel of local and international honeys. We’re not just talking clover here, my friends. How about Redwood forest, coriander, avocado, Sonoma County spring wildflower, buckwheat, Oregon blackberry, well, you get the idea. They also sell imported honeys like Italian acacia. Yum. And they offer beekeeping supplies, beeswax candles and more. Tasting is free, but, really, you won’t be able to resist buying some.  921 Gravenstein Highway S., Highway116, Sebastopol. 707-824-2905, beekind.com

4. Take a hike >> This gorgeous mostly-rural county offers many opportunities for hiking, including at Armstrong Redwoods State Park. Check out the free public access trails overlooking the ocean south of Gualala, at The Sea Ranch. There’s free parking off Highway 1. Numerous easy trails stroll through meadows and forests through to coastal bluffs and stairs down to hidden beaches. Some have access ramps for kayaks. Learn more at Sonoma County Regional Parks: parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov

5. Buy a Priority Wine Pass >> If you spend $40 on a wine pass, you’ll get oodles of 2-for-1 tasting deals plus other bargains. And it’s good for a year, so you can come back and use it later, too. Learn more here: sonomatouristguide.com

6. Get two tastings for the price of one >> Just mention the Sonoma County website, and they’ll give you two tastings for the price of one at Ty Caton Vineyards. This boutique winery offers an intimate tasting experience, and you might even find Ty himself behind the bar. Location: 8910 Sonoma Highway Kenwood.  707-938-3224, tycaton.com

7. >> Get free corkage >> Bring in your own Sonoma County wine to the Café Lucia in Healdsburg, and they’ll uncork and serve it for free. This café offers new Portugese cuisine near the town’s central plaza. Their Wine Wednesdays were so well received, they decided to extend their free corkage offer to every day, but one bottle only, please. 235 Healdsburg Ave., Suite 105, Healdsburg, or 707-431-1113, cafelucia.net/new-page

8. Go camping >> You’d pay $200 a night on average for a hotel room in the Sonoma wine country in summer, so camp out instead. You’ll probably need advance reservations though, so think ahead. Choices include the Liberty Glen campground at Lake Sonoma in Geyserville, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Tent sites are only $25 per night (no hookups). There are also walk-in and boat-in sites. Learn more at 877-444-6777 or at Recreation.gov. The county of Sonoma offers several regional parks with campsites that cost $35, including some with ocean overlooks. Learn more here: parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/Get_Outdoors/Camping.aspx. I also like the little urban campground at Johnson’s Beach in Guerneville. It’s right in town and can be noisy, but it’s on the scenic Russian River, where they dam up the river to make a nice swimming hole. Reservations open for the summer season on Feb. 1. Tent sites cost $40 per night, no RVs.  johnsonsbeach.com.

9. Bring your RV >> If you want to drive your RV, check out the San Francisco North /Petaluma KOA, which specializes in RV living, but also offers tent camping and cabins. Sites are crowded—no tranquility here—but there’s a pool, spa, bocce ball court and other fun things to do and you’re centrally located. They even offer tours to San Francisco. Rates with hookups start around $60 per day, or $40 with no hookups. koa.com/campgrounds/san-francisco/

Wines at the Ty Caton winery in Kenwood, Sonoma County, California
Wines at the Ty Caton winery in Kenwood, Sonoma County, California

10. Bring your wine home for free >> Did you know that Alaska Airlines will let you bring an entire case of wine home in your checked baggage from Sonoma? Fly Alaska from the Santa Rosa airport into Orange County or any other airport destination in the U.S. and they’ll let you bring home your vino for free. (This is also good from other wine regions served by Alaska, fyi.) You must bring your wine in a foam-lined container. Ask at the winery, they know how to pack it. alaskaair.com/content/deals/special-offers/wine-flies-free.aspx

Got a travel tip for me? Email me at mfisher@scng.com. If I use your tip, I’ll credit you!. And thanks for reading.

Read more Cheapo Travel: 

10 ways to save money on travel to Cuba

10 ways to save on vacation hotels and lodging

10 cheap and free things to do in Ventura County

10 awesome places in the world you can see for free

Tips on saving money in Hawaii

 


We made a map of all the breweries in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties

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Here’s a guide to more than 150 places to go tasting in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties with our writers’ picks leading you to some of the best brews.

While San Diego may have started it all, you might be surprised at how many craft breweries have bubbled up near you.

Bonsignore: In adding Sammy Watkins, the Rams have surrounded Jared Goff with a viable supporting cast

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The to-do list was daunting as the Rams trudged off the field at the Coliseum on New Year’s Day to end the 2016 season.

Sitting at the bottom of almost every offensive statistical category had resulted in a 4-12 record and left rookie quarterback Jared Goff battered and bruised.

Just over seven months later, that to-do list is complete, the final item getting crossed off Friday with the addition of dynamic wide receiver Sammy Watkins in a blockbuster trade as shocking and surprising as it’s expected to be impactful.

Goff now has a legitimate supporting cast. And with it, an offensive-minded coaching staff working from a contemporary playbook rather than the old, dusty one former coach Jeff Fisher was using.

But more on all that in a bit.

The Rams invested six draft picks into moving to the top of the 2016 draft to pick Goff, believing he was the franchise quarterback they’d been lacking since the “Greatest Show on Turf” days.

But upon bringing him into the fold, Fisher did the most inexplicable thing. He neglected to surround Goff with the necessary infrastructure to help nurture him in the transition from college to the NFL.

The offensive coaching imagination was nonexistent. The experience in developing a productive quarterback was lacking. The offensive line was the worst in the NFL, and the wide receivers group not much better.

It was a recipe for disaster for a young quarterback from whom so much was expected.

And as the Rams sought refuge in their Coliseum locker room New Year’s Day, they knew they had to address the folly of Fisher’s approach in order to ensure Goff had a viable, available path to reach his ceiling.

In the months that followed, they went about crossing off items with admirable meticulousness.

New coach Sean McVay, regarded as an up-and-coming offensive savant, was hired. And he brought with him an offensive staff heavy on imagination, game planning and quarterback development experience.

From free agency, All-Pro left tackle Andrew Whitworth was signed, his presence immediately lifting the position from one of weakness to that of strength. Robert Woods, the former USC standout and a polished three-year NFL wide receiver, was added to supply professionalism and reliability.

And from the draft, dependable, productive Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp and athletic tight end Gerald Everett were added. They, along with Tyler Higbee, Tavon Austin and Pharoh Cooper, would provide much-needed weaponry for Goff.

One item remained untended to, though, the result of a low draft position and financial resources being diverted to other concerns in free agency.

The Rams have known for some time they needed a bona fide No. 1 wide receiver, someone capable of blowing the top off a defense, drawing extra attention defensively — and opening more room for others to work, including running back Todd Gurley — and tilting the field in the Rams’ direction.

Someone Goff could confidently let a ball fly to knowing he’s got the speed, athletic ability and will to go get it.

A difference-maker, if you will.

Players with that kind of skill set are hard to come by, especially in their prime and on the open market.

So the Rams reluctantly tabled the item until next offseason.

Or so everyone assumed.

Then Friday morning arrived and with it the exact kind of jolt Goff, McVay and a young offense desperately needed.

In a stealth move the Rams spent all offseason monitoring, they reeled in Watkins from the Buffalo Bills for cornerback E.J. Gaines and a second-round pick in the 2018 draft.

Watkins is a 24-year-old former fourth overall pick who brings an element of speed, athletic ability and production the Rams haven’t had in years. In his three years in Buffalo – the last two in Rex Ryan’s run-oriented offense and with multiple quarterbacks – Watkins had 153 catches for 2,459 yards and 17 touchdowns and averaged 16.1 yards per catch.

And while foot injuries have limited him to 21 games the past two seasons, he’s reportedly back to 100 percent after undergoing surgery in January.

If that’s the case — and he looked healthy Thursday catching five passes in the Bills’ preseason opener against the Vikings — the Rams may finally have a legit No. 1 wide receiver.

And in the process, they may have provided Goff with the final piece in a multi-layered support system that reaches all the way from the film room to the left side of his offensive line to a new shiny toy in Watkins 40 yards down the field.

Watkins is in the final year of his original rookie deal, but the Rams are well-positioned from a salary cap perspective to re-sign him to a long-term contract after the season. And in talking to Rams personnel, they don’t view this as a one-year pickup but rather a chance to add a young, dynamic talent they hope is a big part of their future.

The biggest winner, of course, is Goff.

When the season opens in four weeks, he’ll line up behind a retooled offensive line anchored by one of the best left tackles in the league and a rebuilt receiving corps from which multiple options are available. They now have receivers who can stretch the field like no one the Rams have had in years.

The Rams’ to-do list was daunting on New Year’s Day. The team’s future seemed bleak and foreboding.

But as the regular season approaches, there is genuine reason to believe things have changed for the better.

National Night Out is a buffet of information

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True confession: I’ve never attended a National Night Out event.

When I first saw the advertisements, I pictured something out of a dating site, with couples laughing over wine and food. This year, I had to go.

As it turns out, there was food and matchmaking of a sort, if you were looking for a neighborhood group to join, or a community service you might need, such as the Fire Department, or the police. I don’t know how long Placentia has hosted this event, but National Night Out has existed since 1984.

I have a lot of catching up to do.

The evening of the event was challenging. For some reason, we were having thunderstorms, surrounded by rain. I had planned to walk to the Placentia Town Center and the shindig. Not only would I not worry about parking, I could get a little exercise.

I stood on my patio, watching the rain pour, wondering if I should still walk, drive instead and fight for parking, or not go at all. In the end, my stubborn dislike of change won, and I stuck to my plan.

I did leave the umbrella at home. There was no sense in being a lightning rod.

The large, sparse drops did not bother me as I strolled to the center. I heard a voice on a speaker, so I aimed for that. It turns out, a team of firefighters were dismantling a compact car, while one of them described why they would do this to save your life. I learned many things from their short demonstration.

1. It’s really cool when firefighters rip the roof off a car.

2. In our area, Truck 34 has the widest range of lifesaving tools. Can I request them, specifically?

3. Firefighters are always on call. In the middle of their demonstration, they had to rush off to an emergency.

I turned my attention to the Police Department, which had several booths set up. After assuring our chief, Darin Lenyi, that my questions are always research for my mysteries, and not for criminal activities, I talked to our Crime Scene investigators to find out what kind of role they play.

It was a mystery novelist’s version of paradise. All of those experts in one place, like an information buffet.

Next, I discussed patient care and city jurisdictions with the ambulance driver. He explained which company is contracted by which city. When they’re called, it’s by the police or fire department. The dispatchers have to stay in close communication to keep from adding time to a critical situation.

There are probably marriages that don’t have that kind of teamwork.

A lot of the Placentia organizations were there as well, so I had fun talking to Dottie at the Rotary Club booth, Kathie Baldwin at the Chamber of Commerce, and a few other friendly faces. The Rotary Club is trying to grow its ranks, and is investigating different ways to do that.

I told them if pajama parties were added to their morning meetings, I could show up.

The farmers market was also on the scene, and the aromas of the food made me hungry. In the end, I went to Craftsman, where I knew I could get a side of air conditioning with my meal.

That’s where Dale joined me, for drinks and food. It was a perfect way to celebrate National Night Out.

 

Longtime Placentia resident Gayle Carline tracks those moments that shape her days as a wife, mom, computer wizard and horsewoman. E-mail her at gaylecarline@sbcglobal.net.

Play suspended at PGA Championship with lightning in the area

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Play has been suspended at the PGA Championship because of approaching bad weather.
It has been raining off and on throughout the day at Quail Hollow Club, but the tournament officials sounded the horn at 4:43 p.m. local time with lightning in the area.

The suspension came just as Hideki Matsuyama was making a run up the leaderboard. Fresh off a 61 that earned him a victory last week at the Bridgestone Invitational, Matsuyama has found his groove again and is 5 under par through 14 holes on the day. He is two shots behind leader Kevin Kisner.

Kisner had opened a 4-shot lead after shooting a 67 for the second straight day on Friday to move to 8 under, four shots ahead of Thorbjorn Olesen and Gary Woodland, who were just beginning their second rounds. Kiser’s round was helped by an eagle at No. 7.

Kisner, 33, entered the tournament ranked 25th in the world rankings.

Take a look inside L.A.’s new NFL stadium, future home of the Rams and Chargers

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Now that Los Angeles is back to being a two-NFL-team city, here’s a look at the future home of the Rams and Chargers. The $2.6 billion project will cover 298 acres and is scheduled to be finished in 2020. It will be used for year-round events for sports and entertainment and host the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2028 Olympic Games.

THE STADIUM is the centerpiece of the entertainment district. It will be a 70,000-seat, open-air stadium, expandable up to 100,000, measuring 3 million square feet.

los angeles stadium(1) THE ROOF is made of transparent ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) that will cover the playing field, seating bowl, Champions Plaza and the performance venue. The entire roof structure will be 70,000 square feet.

(2) CHAMPIONS PLAZA is a 2-acre public plaza located between the stadium and the performing arts venue. The plaza is a lobby for the two venues and can accommodate outdoor performances.

(3) PERFORMING ARTS VENUE The 6,000-seat performing arts venue will be a state-of-the-art facility for concerts, performances and civic events.

los angeles stadiumTHE OCULUS
Cutting-edge technologies will be integrated throughout the building, including an Oculus video board. With more than 60,000 linear feet of screen, the Oculus is the world’s largest sporting event digital display.

Venue numbers

  • 70,000-seat, open-air stadium, expandable
    up to 100,000 seats
  • 6,000-seat performing arts venue
  • 780,000 square feet of office space
  • 890,000 square feet of retail space
  • 300 hotel rooms
  • 2,500 modern residences
  • Approximately 25 acres of public parks, open space, pedestrian walkways and bicycle paths
  • Family and fine dining
  • State-of-the-art event, conference and meeting space

los angeles stadium

 

los angeles stadiumCost to build an NFL stadium

At $2.6 billion, the Rams and Chargers stadium will be the most costly NFL facility ever built. Not adjusted for inflation, that amount would have built 27,000 Lambeau Field stadiums in 1957, when it opened.

los angeles stadium

Sources: The Los Angeles Rams and The Los Angeles Stadium and Entertainment District at Hollywood Park
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