By DAMIAN J. TROISE

NEW YORK — The Weinstein Co., besieged by sexual harassment allegations against its namesake and co-founder, may be putting itself up for sale.

The company said Monday that it will receive an immediate cash infusion from Colony Capital and is in negotiations for the potential sale of all or a significant portion of the company responsible for producing films such as “Django Unchained,” ”The Hateful Eight” and “Lion.”

Colony Capital, the private-equity arm of Colony NorthStar, was founded by Thomas Barrack, a close adviser to President Donald Trump. Barrack chaired Trump’s presidential inaugural committee.

Harvey Weinstein was fired last week by the film production company he helped create. The allegations of sexual harassment and assault against Weinstein span decades and include many of the film industry’s leading actresses.

The backlash has been severe as more women go public with their interactions with Weinstein.
Law enforcement in the U.S. and Europe are taking a new look at past allegations.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has revoked his membership, as has the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

“This has got to be a fire sale,” said Richard Levick, chairman and CEO of crisis-management firm Levick International. He added that while he doesn’t think anyone would be interested in buying the Weinstein name, they might be interested in “buying the pieces.”

Amazon Studios, the growing film arm of Amazon, cut ties with the Weinstein company last week. Robert De Niro, Julianne Moore and director David O. Russell scrapped an untitled Amazon Studios series that was being produced by The Weinstein Co.

Showtime has threatened to pull out of an Oliver Stone drama in development, “Guantanamo,” because Weinstein Co. is a producer.

“The stink from this is so substantial that it makes almost anyone to try to defend them to become an untouchable,” Levick said.

Word of a potential sale comes just three days after Bob Weinstein, who helped found the company with his brother, Harvey, said that a sale was not an option.

“We are pleased to invest in The Weinstein Company and to help it move forward,” Colony said Monday. “We will help return the company to its rightful iconic position in the independent film and television industry.”

Now, Colony will have to weigh a sale price against “brand liability,” Levick said. This includes unknown things such as how many more women may come forward.

The list of women alleging harassment and assault by Harvey Weinstein continues to grow. More than 30 women, including actresses Angelina Jolie, Ashley Judd and Gwyneth Paltrow — have spoken out.
___
Business writers Stanley J. Choe and Barbara Ortutay contributed to this report.

Orange County rushing leaders after the Week 7 games.

Our O.C. leaderboards will be updated each Monday during the regular season.

*Leaderboards are based on stats available each Monday morning.

EL SEGUNDO — The lights inside Staples Center will go dark, music will blast, the lineup will be introduced.  And when the lights come up on Thursday night, Lonzo Ball will be on the court, poised to make his debut in the Lakers’ season opener.

“I’m playing for sure,” Ball said.

The Lakers rookie put to rest any concern that the sprained ankle that forced him to miss all but six quarters of the preseason would affect his availability when the regular season begins Thursday against the Clippers.

Ball was on the floor for the Lakers’ scrimmages on Monday, leading the first team to a victory, bringing his overall record, he said, to “a lot of wins to very little losses.”

His presence back on the floor was welcome, although Coach Luke Walton said the scrimmage was “sloppy” and that Ball committed “way too many turnovers.”

“Lonzo showed why he’s going to be really good,” Walton said. “But he also showed that he’s been out for a couple weeks with some of the turnovers he had.”

Ball sighed in agreement, saying he was “a little rusty.”

“I had a lot of turnovers today,” he said, “but, like I said, as long as I’m ready for Thursday that’s all that matters.”

Ball has not played since Oct. 2, when he suffered what was then termed a mild left ankle sprain. He missed the final four exhibition games, and did not participate in practices until Oct. 12. Monday was the first day he scrimmaged.

The former UCLA and Chino Hills High star cleared up one mystery on Monday. When asked which shoes he plans to wear once the regular season arrives he said, “We’ll see. I’ll probably play in mine.”

That would put to rest the parlor game that first sprung up in Summer League, and continued into his two preseason appearances, when Ball made waves by alternating between his signature Big Baller Brand ZO2s and other companies’ sneakers.

Despite the fact Ball is coming off a significant ankle sprain, the Lakers have no plans to intervene in his footwear decisions, Walton said.

“As long as all the shoes are strong enough to support him he’s going to wear what he wants,” Walton said. “Guys used to play in Chuck Taylors and they played entire NBA careers. Unless there is something wrong with the actual way they are made, the stitching and they just rip out, then he should be able to wear what shoe he wants.”

THE MOST DENG-EROUS GAME

Ball’s team welcomed a surprising face for at least a portion of Monday’s scrimmage: Luol Deng, relegated to a cheerleading role for most of the preseason, played with the starting unit.

The Lakers will be without Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on Thursday. He was suspended in June for the first two games of the season after pleading guilty to operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

Walton said he is considering five players to replace Caldwell-Pope for those two games and, yes, the possibilities include Deng.

“Luol is one of the options,” Walton said, “but I wouldn’t say we’re leaning in any certain direction yet.”

Walton said he has contemplated starting Corey Brewer and Jordan Clarkson, as well as rookies Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma. Hart might be out of the mix, however, after he left practice Monday with a strained left Achilles tendon.

Deng averaged 7.6 points for the Lakers last season after signing a four-year $72 million contract. He appeared in 56 games, including 49 starts.

Brainiac has always been a big fan of programs that bring life and human activity back to vehicle-dominated city streets, and this Saturday, Oct. 21 there’s a great one taking place in Garden Grove near part of its border with Westminster.

Redefine Hazard Avenue is being held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Hazard Avenue between Ward and Pleasant streets, with additional activities planned for the nearby James Irvine Middle School at 10552 W. Hazard Ave., Garden Grove.

The idea behind the event is to demonstrate how street improvements can make walking and biking safer and more fun. There will be a pop-up separated bike lane on Hazard Avenue, as well as a bike and pedestrian neighborhood greenway. Other activities include a children’s bike rodeo, giveaways, and bikes you can borrow.

Activity stops along the route will let volunteers offer more information on how future changes might make the streets more friendly and fun, and also allow participants a chance to provide their feedback on what they’d like their community to look like.

Redefine Hazard Avenue — which is entirely free — is sponsored by the cities of Garden Grove, Westminster and Santa Ana, as well as Orange County Public Works and the Southern California Association of Government’s Go Human campaign.

For more information visit Facebook.com/GoHumanSoCal.

***

Elsewhere in Garden Grove on Saturday, the Garden Grove Amphitheater — formerly the Strawberry Fields Amphitheater — will continue its transformation into a venue for live original music.

The Monster Mash Halloween Music Festival will host 19 bands from noon until 10 p.m. on two stages renamed for the occasion as the Mausoleum Main Stage and the Spider Forest Side Stage.

The event is organized by the Orange County Music League. Bands on the bill include No Swell, the Alienated, Nikki’s Nervous Breakdown, Turnette’s Syndrome, Dreams of Vertigo, the North, Sapien, Gus McArthur, Bullets and Octane, Jon Haggerty, the Whining Pussies, Enhance, Mac Luster, Above So Below, Clouseaux, Chad Martini, Opposite Standard, FAKE — the Artist, and Brahms Third Racket.

Given that it’s a Halloween-themed festival you are, of course, encouraged to come in costume. Tickets are $15 in advance, $25 day of show, and all the information as well as ticket sales can be found at OCML.us/monstermash.

***

And, finally, our third pick for something to do on Saturday, a community clean-up and BBQ at Liberty Park in Westminster.

The event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Liberty Park, 13900 Monroe St. You’ll get to do some clean-up work — your good deed for the day! — but there will also be a jump house for the kiddos, a SWAT truck, the Westminster Police Department’s bike team, and the department’s popular police dog, K9 officer Pako.

All are welcome. Any questions? Feel free to contact Corporal Phuong Pham at 714-548-3755 or ppham@westminster-ca.gov.

IRVINE — Now is the ideal time to establish a Center for Jewish Studies at UC Irvine, said the center’s director, history professor Matthias Lehmann.

“This is a time when we are seeing a resurgence in anti-Semitism,” he said. “It is important to have a center where we can educate people about the Jewish experience, history and religion.”

The center will open at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18, with a lecture by Simcha Gross, an assistant professor of history, who will speak about the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, a week-long thanksgiving celebration which ended Oct.11. Gross will examine the holiday’s connection to ancient and medieval Iran.

Lehmann said the inaugural lecture showcases some of the center’s unique strengths, including its access to experts in Sephardic Jewish history (Jews who lived in the Iberian peninsula) as well as Middle Eastern and Iranian Jewish studies.

“We are also looking to develop the study of modern Israel and our political science department is taking the lead on that,” he said. “We are hoping that this center will serve as a resource not just for faculty and students, but also for the community at large.”

Though UC Irvine has been the beneficiary of the Teller Family Fund that established a chair for the study of Jewish history 25 years ago, a full-fledged center has been a long time coming, Lehmann said.

The center, which will be housed in the School of Humanities and draw on the expertise of faculty across disciplines, is funded by the university. Lehmann said he is hopeful that the local Jewish community will offer support and help the center grow and thrive.

“For anyone who wants to learn about Judaism or Jewish studies, we want to be the place they come to,”  he said.

The center will allow the university to fully leverage faculty members’ expertise in Jewish studies, said Georges Van Den Abbeele, dean of the School of Humanities.

“It allows us to connect more students to the resources we have now and will continue to build, and invite further interschool and interdisciplinary partnership both on campus and internationally,” he said.

Here are some of the Clippers’ games worth watching this season:

1. at Lakers, Thursday: There’s a buzz about the Lakers again, thanks in large part to the drafting of Lonzo Ball last June. Tune in to see if the Lakers actually have made strides or if it’s all hype. The Clippers have dominated the head-to-head matchups in recent years.

2. vs. Jazz, Tuesday: The Clippers had the Jazz on the ropes in the first round of the playoffs last spring. Then Blake Griffin hurt his toe and then the summer of change happened for the Clippers.

3. vs. Warriors, Oct. 30: Apparently, it’s Golden State against everybody else in the NBA as the Warriors go for a third NBA title in four seasons. Can anyone stop them? Of course. Will they? No.

4. at Rockets, Dec. 22: It’ll be the Clippers vs. Chris Paul at the Toyota Center, the team’s first meeting with its former point guard since trading him to Houston during the offseason.

5. vs. Thunder, Jan. 4: Russell Westbrook always makes things interesting. Can he coexist with Carmelo Anthony and Paul George on the court at the same time? Probably not, but it’ll be fun.

6. vs. Rockets, Jan. 15: The whole Chris Paul thing will be old news for the Clippers, but it will probably be a different story for their fans when CP3 makes his Staples Center return. What kind of reception will he get?

7. vs. Cavaliers, March 9: LeBron James makes his only Staples Center appearance against the Clippers. Will his locker be a few paces down the arena’s hallway with the Lakers next season?

SANTA ANA – A certified public accountant pleaded guilty this week to trying to obstruct an IRS investigation into allegations of false tax returns being prepared by an Irvine firm.

Antonia Rios, 52, of Irvine faces up to three years in prison after admitting to a felony count of attempting to interfere with Internal Revenue laws, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Rios was a partner with Quick Rios & Associates, which federal prosecutors said prepared tax returns for approximately 200 clients who cumulatively sought more than $100 million based on a tax refund available to those who paid excess telephone excise taxes from 2003 to 2006.

Prosecutors said Rios submitted “altered documents” to the IRS to support requests for refunds in tax returns she prepared. They also contend that she gave IRS investigators a “fake email” she had fabricated to prove that she had properly calculated the tax credit.

The IRS negotiated unspecified settlements with some of the Quick Rios & Associates’ clients, getting money back the government said was owed.

Rios is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on June 25.

iHeartMedia announced the line-up for its inaugural Alt 98.7/FM’s iHeartRadio ALTer Ego show featuring Beck, Mumford & Sons, Cage the Elephant, the National, Spoon, Walk the Moon, Dashboard Confessional and more.

The show will go down at the Forum (3900 W. Manchester Blvd.) in Los Angeles on Friday, Jan. 19. There’s no real rhyme or reason for the show, according to the press release, other than to simply “celebrate everything alternative rock.”

“We’re extremely excited to add iHeartRadio ALTer EGO to our amazing lineup of world-class iHeartRadio events,” Tom Poleman, chief programming officer for iHeartMedia said via a press release. “We’ve seen the incredible response from fans every time our alternative rock performers hit the stage at our legendary iHeartRadio Music Festival and know that listeners across the country have waited for an event like this for some time now. It’s going to be an incredible night.”

Starting on Tuesday, Dec. 26, iHeartRadio will launch a nationwide promotion to give alt-rock fans across the country the opportunity to win a trip to Los Angeles to attend ALTer Ego. The promotion will run across more than 75 alternative and rock iHeartRadio stations and the actual show will be broadcast over 60 alternative and rock iHeartRadio stations.

There will be a pre sale beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 18 through 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 20 via Alt 98.7/FM’s The List. Fans can sign up and find out more at iHeartRadio.com/alterego. Remaining tickets will go on sale to the general public at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20 at 800-745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com.

All Times Pacific

Oct. 19 – at Lakers, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 21 – Phoenix, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 24 – Utah, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 26 – at Portland, 7 p.m.

Oct. 28 – Detroit, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30 – Golden State, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 1 – Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 4 – Memphis, 12:30 p.m.

Nov. 5 – Miami, 12:30 p.m.

Nov. 7 – at San Antonio, 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 10 – at Oklahoma City, 6 p.m.

Nov. 11 – at New Orleans, 4 p.m.

Nov. 13 – Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 17 – at Cleveland, 4:30 p.m.

Nov. 18 – at Charlotte, 4 p.m.

Nov. 20 – at New York, 4:30 p.m.

Nov. 22 – at Atlanta, 4:30 p.m.

Nov. 25 – at Sacramento, 7 p.m.

Nov. 27 – Lakers, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 30 – Utah, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 2 – at Dallas, 11 a.m.

Dec. 3 – at Minnesota, 4 p.m.

Dec. 6 – Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 9 – Washington, 12:30 p.m.

Dec. 11 – Toronto, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 13 – at Orlando, 4 p.m.

Dec. 15 – at Washington, 4 p.m.

Dec. 16 – at Miami, 5 p.m.

Dec. 18 – at San Antonio, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 20 – Phoenix, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 22 – at Houston, 5 p.m.

Dec. 23 – at Memphis, 5 p.m.

Dec. 26 – Sacramento, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 29 – at Lakers, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 31 – Charlotte, 4 p.m.

Jan. 2 – Memphis, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 4 – Oklahoma City, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 6 – Golden State, 12:30 p.m.

Jan. 8 – Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 10 – at Golden State, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 11 – at Sacramento, 7 p.m.

Jan. 13 – Sacramento, 12:30 p.m.

Jan. 15 – Houston, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 17 – Denver, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 20 – at Utah, 6 p.m.

Jan. 22 – Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24 – Boston, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 26 – at Memphis, 5 p.m.

Jan. 28 – at New Orleans, 1 p.m.

Jan. 30 – Portland, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 3 – Chicago, 12:30 p.m.

Feb. 5 – Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 9 – at Detroit, 4 p.m.

Feb. 10 – at Philadelphia, 4 p.m.

Feb. 12 – at Brooklyn, 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 14 – at Boston, 5 p.m.

Feb. 18 – NBA All-Star Game (Staples Center)

Feb. 22 – at Golden State, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 23 – at Phoenix, 6 p.m.

Feb. 27 – at Denver, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 28 – Houston, 7:30 p.m.

March 2 – New York, 7:30 p.m.

March 4 – Brooklyn, 6 p.m.

March 6 – New Orleans, 7:30 p.m.

March 9 – Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.

March 10 – Orlando, 7:30 p.m.

March 13 – at Chicago, 5 p.m.

March 15 – at Houston, 5 p.m.

March 16 – at Oklahoma City, 5 p.m.

March 18 – Portland, 7:30 p.m.

March 20 – at Minnesota, 5 p.m.

March 21 – at Milwaukee, 5 p.m.

March 23 – at Indiana, 4 p.m.

March 25 – at Toronto, 3 p.m.

March 27 – Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m.

March 28 – at Phoenix, 7 p.m.

March 30 at Portland, 7:30 p.m.

April 1 – Indiana, 12:30 p.m.

April 3 – San Antonio, 7:30 p.m.

April 5 – at Utah, 6 p.m.

April 7 – Denver, 12:30 p.m.

April 9 – New Orleans, 7:30 p.m.

April 11 – Lakers, 7:30 p.m.

LOS ANGELES – A previously convicted bird smuggler from Orange
County pleaded guilty Tuesday to his part in a new scheme to run endangered
“good luck” songbirds into Los Angeles from Vietnam.

Sony Dong, 55, admitted in his plea deal that for several years he paid
a courier to travel to Vietnam and smuggle back the colorful birds, which are
at risk of extinction and protected under the federal Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

In 2010, Dong was sentenced to four months in federal prison after he
was found with 14 live Asian songbirds, individually wrapped in cloth, strapped
to his legs and ankles as he tried to pass through Los Angeles International
Airport following a 15-hour flight from Vietnam.

In the latest case, Dong pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy count,
which carries a penalty of up to five years behind bars. U.S. District Judge S.
James Otero set a May 14  sentencing date.

Dong, a Garden Grove resident, was arrested in December at LAX while
awaiting the arrival of alleged co-conspirator Quang Truong’s China Airlines
flight from Vietnam.

Truong, 45, of Westminster had been arrested five months earlier by
Vietnamese officials on suspicion of attempting to smuggle the high-value
birds, prosecutors said.

When LAX screeners checked Truong’s luggage following the 8,000-mile
journey, they found more than two dozen birds in suitcases rigged to include
hidden cages. Truong was charged with conspiracy, but the status of his case is
currently sealed to the public.

The tiny Chinese hwamei songbirds, which reportedly cost a few dollars
apiece in Southeast Asia, fetch between $500 and $1,000 when sold illegally
at certain Chinese markets in Southern California and are thought to bring good
luck.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — A federal judge has dismissed the lawsuit the city filed to prevent expansion of a power substation in a residential neighborhood.

Judge Andrew J. Guilford issued the decision in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana on Monday, Oct. 16.

This comes as San Diego Gas & Electric is preparing to launch a $381 million project to enhance its system reliability in south Orange County.

The plan involves improvements to an electrical substation the city said is within 1,000 feet of about 400 homes and some 1,200 residents. SDG&E plans to upgrade existing facilities at the substation and add higher-voltage lines to boost capacity and create a better back-up system, connected to a Talega substation in San Clemente.

SDG&E serves more than 330,000 people in Orange County, the company said.

The California Public Utilities Commission approved SDG&E’s plan on Dec. 15 over objections from neighboring residents and the city. San Juan Capistrano leaders requested a rehearing and, through the San Diego law firm of Aguirre and Severson, filed the lawsuit challenging the approval.

The city announced on Oct. 3 the state commission had denied the city’s request for a rehearing.

In an Oct. 17 email message to residents, the city said “Judge Guilford dismissed the city’s lawsuit as his final decision. The judge indicated he was not in a position to reverse what he called the ‘South Lake Tahoe rule’ that cities don’t have standing to pursue federal claims against the state and that only the 9th Circuit or the Supreme Court could do that.”

City attorneys are expected to meet with the City Council in a closed-door session this evening, Oct. 17, to explore next steps.

From the high-profile players who changed zip codes to a fleet of promising rookies, there are new faces in new places going into the 2017-18 NBA season.

Despite all those remade rosters and new constellations of stars joining forces, the possibility of an unprecedented fourth consecutive NBA Finals rematch looms large, even likely.

Whether or not we get Golden State vs. Cleveland again in June, the league doesn’t lack for storylines that will entertain us along the way.

The Western Conference has been stronger and deeper than the East for years, yet somehow that became more pronounced this summer. Paul George (Indiana to Oklahoma City), Carmelo Anthony (New York to OKC), Jimmy Butler (Chicago to Minnesota) and Paul Millsap (Atlanta to Denver) all relocated to the stacked side of the league.

Can Russell Westbrook, George and Anthony share the ball effectively with the Thunder? If so, is that team the real threat to the Warriors? And how are ball-dominant guards Chris Paul and James Harden going to function in the same backcourt in Houston?

Los Angeles gets the All-Star Game again this season (with a new format no less), but will any Lakers or Clippers be on the Staples Center court for the main event?

With Paul gone, oft-injured Blake Griffin is now the Clippers’ unquestioned leader, while the Lakers are handing their keys to rookie point guard Lonzo Ball and telling him to drive a young roster well enough to impress all those elite free agents-to-be that the future is bright.

Danny Ainge put the Celtics back in contention last season, then spent the offseason remaking their roster. Coach Brad Stevens now has Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and rookie Jayson Tatum at his disposal but little else he will recognize from a year ago. Gone are Isaiah Thomas, rugged defender Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder and eight other players from a team that won an East-leading 53 games.

Are the Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers ready to end their playoff droughts? Can the Knicks or Nets begin building a winner in hoops-hungry New York? Do Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli have enough left to help Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs reach another NBA Finals?

Here are links to some content to get you ready for the season ahead, with an emphasis on the Lakers and Clippers.

LAKERS

Lakers hope ‘little things’ will land them big stars next summer

Heisler: Hope returns for Lakers, however briefly

Brook Lopez, one of few veterans on a young team, might be biggest kid of all

Lakers still getting comfortable with versatile Brook Lopez

Julius Randle faces uncertain future with the Lakers

Brandon Ingram ready to take lead, even if Lonzo Ball is the star

Miller: Lonzo Ball Era begins and Laker Nation braces with anticipation

Brook Lopez, one of few veterans on a young team, might be biggest kid of all

‘One of the guys,’ Lonzo has Lakers teammates believing in him, future

Lakers 2017-18 roster breakdown

Key Lakers games to watch this season

Lakers 2017-18 regular-season schedule

CLIPPERS

Q&A with Lawrence Frank, Clippers president of basketball operations

Clippers coach Doc Rivers doesn’t care about your preseason predictions

Clippers guard Austin Rivers: ‘We will be a playoff team this year’

Why the Clippers want Blake Griffin to change his game

Clippers know Milos Teodosic can pass, but they want him hitting shots, too

Blake Griffin says Clippers’ goal is simply to qualify for playoffs

Clippers looking to run and run and run some more this season

Clippers’ Wesley Johnson benefits from an offseason confidence boost

Clippers won’t have a guard controversy this season, Doc Rivers says

Whicker: Milos Teodosic could be a unique visitor for Clippers

How Clippers, Bowen came to tie the knot on TV deal

Clippers 2017-18 roster breakdown

Key Clippers games to watch this season

Clippers 2017-18 regular-season schedule

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Warriors’ run – improbable, absurd, revolutionary – deserves reflection

Adam Silver and MJ: 1 man’s NBA garbage is another man’s beauty

LeBron James vs. Kyrie Irving the latest entry in NBA rivalries

‘Truth’ be told, retired Clipper Paul Pierce wants transition from NBA to ESPN to be authentic

NBA tries a new format for 2018 All-Star Game at Staples Center

Western Conference team previews and projected finish

Eastern Conference team previews and projected finish

Want to know what some of the world’s most expensive coffee tastes like?

Starting next month, Klatch Coffee customers can pay $55 to sip eight ounces of a rare coffee known as Esmeralda Geisha 601.

Making it the most expensive coffee in the U.S. That title was previously held by an $18 cup of java.

The coffee estate Hacienda La Esmeralda set a record when its Esmeralda Geisha coffee sold for $601 a pound earlier this summer. The same farm broke the previous sale record of $350 per pound.

The coffee received high scores at the Best of Panama Competition this summer. It also placed first in the Exotic Naturals category.

“It’s just a phenomenal variety,” said Klatch Coffee Owner Mike Perry who was one of the international judges at the competition.  “On the final day (of judging), we were doing a tasting of all these Geishas and there was just one that was on the table that was so powerful and so explosive, the fruit flavors were just wild.”

“While many coffees had different characteristics and different flavors, this was just a powerful king of a coffee. It was just amazing,” Perry added.

The Rancho Cucamonga-based coffeehouse will begin pouring the rare coffee Nov. 18, holding a series of ticketed events.

Perry said the coffee has notes of peach, blackberry, jasmine and other bold fruit flavors.

“This is not just another coffee,” he said. “You’re going to taste the flavors, you’re going to taste the difference, and you’re going to think we spiked it with some flavoring but we did not. It’s just the processing — it’s that Geisha varietal that adds so much to it.”

The coffee, known as Esmeralda Geisha Cañas Verdes Natural, began with more than 1,000 pounds of red ripe coffee cherries that were handpicked from the hills of Volcan Baru, Panama.

Those coffee cherries were then dried out for eight days, Perry said.

“The cherries reached an ideal humidity level of 10.5 percent before undergoing rigorous processing that culled the batch down to 150 pounds,” according to a news release from Klatch.

Only 100 pounds of the coffee remained after the competition, Perry said. Klatch is the only roaster in the United States that was able to secure the beans from a coffee broker.

The Inland Empire coffeehouse teamed up with eight other roasters around the world to purchase 11 pounds each. He said the coffee will be sold at coffeehouses in Japan, Taiwan and Saudi Arabia.

“We kind of worked out a deal with (the broker) to share it with the public,” he said.

According to the foodie website Extra Crispy, the same coffee bean was sold in Dubai for $68 a cup.

The $601 was for the grain, unroasted coffee. Perry had to buy special insurance and have the coffee shipped via airfreight. When all is said and done, Perry said, the price tag for the single serving is just to break even.

By opting to sell it by the cup, Perry estimates 250 eight-ounce servings can be poured. There will also be a limited amount of 15-gram packages of pre-roasted beans that can be purchased online.

“It’s really the best way to let as many people experience what a wonderful coffee it is,” he said.

Perry said he has already received numerous inquiries from coffee enthusiasts across the country about the tasting events.

Among those interested is La Verne resident Dan Walsh, a longtime Klatch Coffee customer who frequents the San Dimas location. Walsh is no coffee novice either, for the past 30 years he has worked in the coffee distribution industry.

As the west coast regional vice president of Vistar, a distribution company, Walsh purchases everything from instant coffee to specialty coffee for businesses.

Walsh said he first heard about the rare cup of coffee from Perry soon after he had acquired it.

“I tried to work a free cup, but he wouldn’t give it to me,” Walsh joked over the phone Tuesday morning.

Walsh and Perry have known each other for about 17 years, for as long as Walsh been a Klatch fan.

“I have discussions with Mike about where he goes around the world to get the top one percent of coffee. So how do you not want to try and taste it when it’s been rated so high?” Walsh stated.

The most Walsh said he’s ever paid for a cup of coffee was $25.

“I just want to see what everyone is so excited about, and, Mike is usually not wrong about these things,” Walsh added.

Details are still being finalized for the ticketed events.

Klatch first opened a shop in San Dimas, where they roasted their specialty coffee until moving to their Upland Roastery in 2007. It later expanded to Rancho Cucamonga, and in 2010 Klatch opened a third coffeehouse in Ontario. Klatch also licensed two locations, one at LAX, and another in South Korea.

In 2015, the family-owned business moved its headquarters to Rancho Cucamonga.

For more details, visit www.klatchroasting.com

Getting the heck scared out of you by going to special seasonal attractions at local amusement parks, watching your favorite fright flicks and finding a creatively done neighborhood haunted house are just some of the ways you can enjoy Halloween.

Another is to take in some of the Halloween-oriented theater productions now on stage. Here are some of the seasonally spooky shows running at your local playhouse:

“Night of the Living Dead”: Maverick Theater’s adaptation of George Romero’s seminal 1968 zombie horror flick was an instant hit when first staged (in 2005) and has become a celebrated annual event. Judith O’Dea, who portrayed the terrified, freaked-out Barbara in Romero’s low-budget shocker, caught wind of Maverick’s production in 2011 and dropped in to see it.

When: Through Oct. 29. 8 p.m. Thursday (Oct. 26), 8 p.m. Fridays, 7 and 9 p.m. Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays

Where: Maverick Theater, 110 E. Walnut Avenue, Fullerton

Tickets: $25

Information: 714-526-7070, mavericktheater.com

“The Woman in Black”: Stages Theatre offers Stephen Mallatratt’s terrifying live theater adaptation of Susan Hill’s 1983 horror novella about a revenge-driven, black-clad female specter terrorizing a small English town circa 1900.

When: Through Nov. 5. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays

Where: Stages Theatre, 400 E. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton.

Tickets: $22

Information: 714-525-4484, stagesoc.org

“Sister’s Halloween Catechism: The Holy Ghost and Other Terrifying Tales”: In her series of comedic solo shows, Maripat Donovan sparks laughs and provokes thought using the format of a catechism class taught by the character of “Sister.” This time around, Sister offers the church’s take on familiar Halloween tales of ghosts and goblins – and tells us how to create a Catholic-appropriate Halloween costume.

When: Two performances only, Oct. 23 and 30 (7:30 p.m. Mondays)

Where: Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach

Tickets: $46

Information: 949-497-2787, lagunaplayhouse.com

“Dracula”: Closing soon is Camino Real Playhouse’s family-friendly staging of the classic vampire tale.

When: Through Oct. 22. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays.

Where: Camino Real Playhouse, 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano

Tickets: $27

Information: 949-489-8082, caminorealplayhouse.org

“Dracula”: Long Beach Playhouse’s production also closes soon, the 1924 Hamilton Deane-John Balderston stage adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 horror classic about a bloodthirsty vampire wreaking havoc in Victorian London.

When: Through Oct. 21. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays.

Where: Long Beach Playhouse, 5021 E. Anaheim Street, Long Beach

Tickets: $20-$24

Information: 562-494-1014, lbplayhouse.org

“Young Frankenstein”: Little did Mel Brooks know he’d infuse new life into the Broadway musical genre when he adapted his hilarious 1974 Universal horror film parody for the stage 33 years after the fact. Lauded by critics and showered with awards, the live version is also a huge audience favorite, a fact capitalized upon by venerated musical theater specialist 3-D Theatricals.

When: Through Oct. 29. 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, 7:30 p.m. Thursday Oct. 26

Where: Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 18000 Park Plaza Drive, Cerritos

Tickets: $40-$85

Information: 562-916-8500, cerritoscenter.com

“Plan 9 from Outer Space”: While not a fright-fest, Maverick Theater’s campy, parody stage version of director Ed Wood’s schlock masterpiece of laughably bad sci-fi has become a Halloween-time tradition for the Fullerton venue for six years running.

When: Nov. 4-18. 6 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 4 and 6 p.m. Sundays

Where: Maverick Theater, 110 E. Walnut Avenue, Fullerton

Tickets: $20

Information: 714-526-7070, mavericktheater.com

“Old-Time Radio Horror Classics”: Long Beach Shakespeare Company delivers the nostalgia of Halloweens past with authentic re-creations of old-time radio. Oct. 20-22: “The Lodger,” originally directed in 1940 on CBS’s Suspense radio program by Alfred Hitchcock, based on his 1927 silent film and the 1913 novel about a Jack the Ripper-like serial killer, and Emlyn Williams’ classic thriller “Night Must Fall,” which has appeared on stage, film, television and radio. Oct. 27-29: LBSC re-creates Orson Welles’ original 1938 radio version of H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds,” an infamous broadcast that triggered panic over an impending Martian invasion.

When: Through Oct. 29. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays.

Where: Goad Theatre, 4250 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach

Tickets: $12.50

Information: 562-997-1494, LBShakespeare.org

“Afterlife: a ghost story”: Steve Yockey’s play explores the lingering effects of great loss, framed by a chilling tale.

When: Through Nov. 12. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays.

Where: The Avery Schreiber Playhouse, 4934 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood

Tickets: $20

Information: 323-860-6569, afterlife.brownpapertickets.com

“The Woman in Black”: Theatre Unleashed stages the blood-curdling classic ghost tale.

When: Through Nov. 4. 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays

Where: The Belfry Stage, Upstairs at the Crown, 11031 Camarillo St., North Hollywood

Tickets: $20

Information: 818-849-4039, theatreunleashed.org

By ASHRAF KHALIL and NOMAAN MERCHANT

WASHINGTON — A federal judge said Wednesday that she was “astounded” the U.S. government is blocking a detained Central American teenager from terminating her pregnancy, during a fiery court hearing that showcased Trump administration efforts to restrict abortion and illegal immigration.

After a brief hearing that included a testy exchange with government lawyers, Judge Tanya Chutkan ordered the government to move “promptly and without delay” to transport the 17-year-old girl or allow her to be transported by others to the nearest abortion provider.

The case originated in Texas, where the teen is being held by federal immigration authorities, and was brought to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by the American Civil Liberties Union.

The teen, whose name has been withheld because she’s a minor, has already received a court order permitting her to have the abortion. But officials have refused to transport her or temporarily release her so that others may transport her to the clinic.

Wednesday’s hearing largely consisted of a contentious debate between Chutkan and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Scott Stewart, with the judge saying she was “astounded” by the government’s position.

Stewart argued that the teenager, referred to in court as either Jane Doe or JD, was free to return to her home country and seek an abortion there, but said “the government is entitled to favor childbirth” and shouldn’t be required to facilitate abortions.

She is being held at a facility in Texas administered under a contract from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for sheltering children who illegally enter the United States unaccompanied by a parent.

She’s believed to be about 15 weeks pregnant. Texas law bans most abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy and requires women seeking an abortion to meet with the doctor who will perform the procedure a day beforehand. The state also requires minors to get the consent of a parent or obtain a waiver from a judge.

Attorneys for the teenager say they obtained the waiver and scheduled several appointments with a doctor, but the facility that’s holding her refused to let her go. Instead, she was taken by the facility to a crisis pregnancy center. Such centers try to discourage women from having abortions and are often affiliated with religious groups.

“I do not want to be forced to carry a pregnancy to term against my will,” the teen said in a statement filed with the court Friday.

The teenager’s advocates argue that HHS has effectively tried to stop all minors in its custody from having abortions.

In one email obtained by the ACLU, Scott Lloyd, director of the HHS office that oversees facilities for unaccompanied children, directs a subordinate that facilities that get agency funding “should not be supporting abortion services,” but instead providing “only pregnancy services and life-affirming options counseling.”

In another, Lloyd asks about the status of a girl he met during a visit to a facility and offers to connect the teen with “a few good families” who would “see her through her pregnancy.”

In Wednesday’s hearing, Chutkan noted the government “had no problem transporting her against her will to pregnancy counseling where they attempted to change her mind.”

Stewart argued the teen was free to return to her home country and get an abortion there, but the judged challenged him on whether the government had a constitutional right to single out abortions and block immigrants in custody from undergoing the procedure.

“Residents of this shelter receive medical treatment all the time,” Chutkan said. “Why is this any different? Why is the fact that this is an abortion any different than if she was getting her tonsils out?”

After the hearing and before the judge issued her verdict, ACLU attorney Brigitte Amiri said it was clear the government had overstepped its bounds. “They took a position that was basically indefensible and they couldn’t defend it,” Amiri said.

HHS said in a statement last week about the 17-year-old immigrant’s case that it was “providing excellent care to the adolescent girl and her unborn child, who remain under our care until the mother’s release.” It did not respond to several requests for comment on the emails published by the ACLU.

In a court filing Tuesday, HHS argued it had a strong interest in “not providing incentives for pregnant minors to illegally cross the border to obtain elective abortions while in federal custody.”

Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled last week that the government couldn’t prevent the teen from getting an abortion, but declined to an issue an order forcing officials to step aside. Beeler said her court was the wrong venue for the case, leading lawyers for the teenager to bring the case to the Washington, D.C., federal court.

___

Merchant reported from Houston, Texas.

TRABUCO CANYON There are few things that can put 12-year old Sofia Rodriguez in a foul mood.

Telling her she’s not allowed to travel for six weeks? Yeah, that’s one of them.

When she got a reminder about that from her mother, Sonia Rodriguez, in their Trabuco Canyon home, Sofia folded her arms and gave a little huff.

After a recent operation to switch out her pacemaker for a new wireless, leadless model, Sofia was told by doctors she’ll need to stay grounded for six weeks.

Luckily, that time will be up in time for the family’s winter vacation, said her father, Edgar Rodriguez.

Doctors at Children’s Hospital of Orange County who performed the procedure in late August say they believe Sofia is the youngest person to receive the new technology — the battery-operated Micra Transcatheter Pacing System created by Medtronic.

Sofia has needed a pacemaker all her life. Her first was installed when she was just six months old.

She was born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital condition that causes four defects, including a hole between the lower chambers of the heart and an obstruction from the heart to the lungs. In addition, the aorta lies over the hole in the lower chambers and the muscle surrounding the lower right chamber becomes overly thickened.

With the defect, not enough blood is able to reach the lungs to get oxygen and oxygen-poor blood flows to the body. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the birth defect affects five out of every 10,000 babies.

“We were broken, crying in the chapel of the hospital,” Edgar Rodriguez said about her first operation when she was 10 days old. “We didn’t think she was going to make it (at first).”

When she was 6 months old, she had a second procedure to replace a pulmonary valve.

“(Doctors) decided it was a good idea to have a pacemaker in there just in case,” Rodriguez said. “Maybe at that point, she didn’t need it, but at some point, she might.”

Despite the procedures, it is still possible Sofia could develop heart arrhythmia.

The new pacemaker has metal hooks that connect it with the tissue on the inner part of the heart. There is no need for wires or to perform additional operations to extend those wires when they break due to Sofia’s childhood development.

Doctors told Edgar Rodriguez that the new pacemaker, about the size of a large pill, could keep Sofia out of the hospital for up to 14 years.

Sofia, however, has never let the defect or the fact that she has a pacemaker change the way she lives her life. She enjoys playing soccer and swimming and loves animals on top of her love for travel.

At Serra Catholic, if she feels too fatigued as a result of the procedure, she can alert her teacher and head home early for the day. Her mother said she has yet to receive a call from the school to come in early to pick up her daughter.

“I just go for it,” Sofia said.

She’s been doing that all her life, according to her parents, who watched as doctors tried to find what was wrong with her just days after birth. She’s the youngest of Sonia and Edgar Rodriguez’s three children.

“She’s always been an active kid,” Sonia Rodriguez said. “When she was a baby, she would go to the playground. We never put any limitations on her.”

Five days after Sofia was born, she was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, and on the 10th day she endured an 11-hour open-chest procedure. Doctors had to keep her chest open for the following 24 hours because of the swelling that ensued.

“It was a very tough, uphill battle,” her father said. “She had to recover from a really complicated surgery. We had a glimmer of hope, but it was still a long procedure.”

About six months later, Sofia needed a second procedure to replace a pulmonary valve to allow for better blood flow from the heart to the arteries.

She had a relatively normal childhood until the pacemaker needed to be replaced when she was 7, her father said. That procedure was to correct wires broken due to her growth.

“She didn’t remember any of this, except for the last procedure she had; it’s so unknown to her,” he said. “She grew up feeling like normal, except every now and then she would mention the little lump she had.”

In August, the family jumped on the opportunity for an alternative — the micra pacemaker that could keep Sofia’s heart beating at normal rhythm and could keep her out of the hospital for up to the next 14 years.

The micra pacemaker not only is wireless, the procedure to install it is much less invasive. Surgeons send the small device through the femoral artery, where it finds its way to the heart and adheres with the four small hooks.

Once it’s stable, the device senses heartbeats. If the heart doesn’t beat at a certain point, the device can send energy to the heart to make it beat, said Dr. Anthony McCanta, a surgeon at CHOC who performed the procedure on Sofia.

“It can sense her movement and activity and pace her heart faster if it needs to,” McCanta said. “This technology…will really give children and young adults with congenital heart disease a chance to lead more normal lives.”

McCanta was impressed by Sofia’s courage and resolve throughout the hospital visit.

“She’s somebody who has had to deal with major surgeries her entire life, so she has this inner strength about it,” he said. “(About a week) after the procedure she had so much joy, she was relieved.”

The biggest difference, McCanta said, was that the smaller pacemaker leaves no visible trace.

“It will not remind her every day that she needs a pacemaker,” he said. “The scar on the chest and the battery under the skin, those are daily reminders that you have major heart problems, so the fact that there’s no real evidence on her body is going to be a great thing for her.”

The new system requires no medications and the timeline is a relief for Sofia’s parents, who no longer worry about the pacemaker malfunctioning because of broken or worn wires.

Sofia is interested in entering the medical field, but wants to work with animals, following in the footsteps of her father, who is a veterinarian at the Portola Plaza Veterinary Hospital.

As for travel, the family hasn’t yet made plans about where they will go for the holidays, but Sofia is counting down the days until she can take off again.

“That’s all she’s worried about right now,” Sonia Rodriguez said.

When he died on Christmas Day last year at age 53, George Michael was putting the finishing touches on a documentary he was making about his career.

Kate Moss tells us this fact at the beginning of “George Michael: Freedom,” airing on Showtime on Saturday. While the pop singer, as you would expect, doesn’t dig too deeply into the more scandalous aspects of his life, the documentary isn’t simply self-serving, either.

As the narrator, as well as co-director along with collaborator David Austin, Michael demonstrates a fair amount of self-awareness and humor about his career. Even if “Freedom” could have used more depth and voices from other parts of his life, it nicely reminds us of the immense talent Michael had.

“Powered by this desperate ambition to be loved, to be famous,” he and Andrew Ridgley became teen stars – “a joyride for two 18-year-olds” – as the pop duo Wham!, with hits like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.”

“There was a humor about Wham! that no one gave us credit for,” Michael asserts in the doc, adding he already knew how “to make pop hits that could jump out of the radio.”

Strangely, we don’t hear from Ridgley, and the film quickly moves on to Michael’s solo career. Michael wanted to be on the same level as the like of Prince, Michael Jackson, and Madonna.

“If I was looking for happiness, this was the wrong road,” Michael says in retrospect, “but I don’t think there was any way I could control my ego enough to stop me from exploring the possibility of being the biggest artist in the world.”

In 1987, the album “Faith” propelled him to the top, and by 1988 he was the biggest pop star in the world, but he wasn’t happy.

“I lived in (expletive) sunglasses. I couldn’t look anyone in the eye. I was bizarre,” the pop star describes the time.

For whatever reasons, Michaels had decided to only show himself in the documentary through archival footage and voiceovers. (Some of the narration had to be taken from a previous interview with a journalist.)

Among those who discuss Michael in the doc are Ricky Gervais, James Corden, Mary J Blige, Nile Rodgers, Tracey Emin, producer Mark Ronson, Sir Elton John, and Stevie Wonder.

A lot of the documentary focuses on the 1990s when Michael’s life hits some rough patches. When the pop star won R&B awards over black artists, it set off a backlash, prompting a musical response from Public Enemy. “You mean George Michael is white?” Wonder deadpans.

The pop singer’s response was the album “Listen Without Prejudice,” which Michael mostly refused to promote in order to step back from fame.

A long segment goes into the making of the video for “Freedom ’90.” Directed by David Fincher, it used supermodels, including Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford, to lip-sync the song while the singer was nowhere to be found.

Michael wouldn’t make another album for six years because of a dispute with his record company, but his struggle with his sexual identity took the fore. He fell in love with a Brazilian man, who soon was diagnosed with AIDS and died. The singer would eventually acknowledge he was gay,

When the pop star returned with “Older” in 1996, he still racked up hits, but the documentary chronicles the last 20 years of his life in mostly a blur. Even in what is covered, there could have more perspective.

We do get a glimpse of Michael’s willingness to poke fun at his image. He appeared as himself on Gervais’ “Extras,” alluding to his arrests in a Beverly Hills restroom for engaging in a lewd act. In 2011, he did the first Carpool Karaoke with James Corden in a comedy sketch for Comic Relief Special, singing Wham! hits “I’m Your Man” and “Freedom.”

At the end of “Freedom,” Michael says he wants to be remembered as a great songwriter “and someone who had some kind of integrity.” He is.

George Michael: Freedom

What: Documentary covers the career of the late pop star.

When: 9 p.m. Saturday with subsequent viewings and also on-demand.

Where: Showtime.

An appeals courts has, for now, halted the building of 340 homes in unincorporated Orange County near Yorba Linda, siding in part with a residents’ group in the latest turn in an ongoing battle over the Esperanza Hills development.

The county and a residents’ group called Protect Our Homes and Hills have been battling since 2012 over a proposed project on 469 acres in a hilly stretch north of Yorba Linda’s city limits.

Protect Our Homes opposes the project, citing concerns over potential water usage, the environmental impact and the construction of, it says, what would be too many homes in a fire-prone area. The group has two lawsuits pending in Orange County Superior Court.

County supervisors approved the project in May. But the Fourth District Court of Appeal, in an Oct. 13 ruling, found that the environmental impact report did not contain an accurate description of the project’s environmental setting as required by the California Environmental Quality Act.

The court also found that the report did not “adequately mitigate fire-hazard impacts or properly analyze water supply availability.”

The environmental impact report must now be revised to correct the deficiencies, likely slowing down the development.

In a statement, Marlene Nelson, co-chair of Protect Our Homes, said the latest court ruling is a sign that county officials should consider the public’s safety.

“From the get-go, our interest has been in public safety and a reduced density,” she said. “We sincerely hope the developer takes this to heart with our latest court victory.”

Doug Wymore, a project manager for Esperanza Hills, on Wednesday said he plans to ask for a re-hearing so that he can receive more direction from the court on the issues that need to be fixed in the environmental-impact report. Once the report is revised, Wymore said, he’s confindent the project will move forward.

The project would be a gated community with 340 single-family homes and open space for parks and trails.

County officials have said the project includes fire safeguards, such as fire-hardened homes, fuel-modification areas and gravity-fed water systems.

PLAYA VISTA — Doc Rivers is curious and maybe a little nervous, too. He’s not sure what to expect from the Clippers when they open the regular season Thursday in a “road” game against the Lakers at Staples Center. It was too difficult to gauge their progress during an injury-plagued preseason.

Patrick Beverley (knee), Sam Dekker (oblique), Danilo Gallinari (foot), Austin Rivers (mono/glute) and Sindarius Thornwell (shoulder) were sidelined for extended periods during the three-week run-up to the start of the 2017-18 season.

Beverley, Gallinari and Austin Rivers are expected to be in the starting lineup against the Lakers, with Dekker and Thornwell playing backup roles. It wasn’t an ideal preseason because Doc Rivers couldn’t introduce all the schemes he hoped to because of the team’s many injuries.

“It’s just nice having guys healthy,” Doc Rivers said Wednesday, with everyone fit to play.

Blake Griffin has returned to form after season-ending toe surgery last spring. Griffin and DeAndre Jordan formed two-thirds of the Clippers’ Big Three (with Chris Paul as the third member). If the preseason was any indication, they’ll be as effective without Paul as they were with him.

The assumption is it’s Griffin’s team now, with Paul plying his trade with the Houston Rockets.

But is it?

“I always say leadership happens,” Doc Rivers said recently. “I don’t look for anybody to lead. I never have. I’ve never named a captain. I think I have one time in 18 years. Leadership happens. That’s more everyone else driven, whether they say it’s his team or he’s a leader.

“The players always know who their leader is. It always manufactures itself out on the floor. So, I just want them to play well and be themselves and not try to be anything other than that. If they do that, they’re going to be in great shape.”

When the Clippers granted Paul’s wish to be traded to the Rockets, it triggered an offseason roster makeover that bolstered their depth and added versatility. Now, the Clippers have nine new players on the roster, including Beverley, Dekker, Gallinari, Milos Teodosic and Lou Williams.

It could be a challenge to win 50 games for a sixth consecutive season, or it could be a slam dunk. Even the Clippers seemed unsure during the preseason what the future held for them. They sounded an uncertain tone, however, and not without good reason.

Doc Rivers’ coaching plans during the preseason were put on hold because of all the injuries. At one point, he stopped teaching at a certain point and focused on keeping it simple. He never got a good look at his team, even during five exhibitions, when he rested his first unit in all the fourth quarters.

Adjustments had to be made, and that’s normal.

“Every year you try to establish how you think your team should play,” Doc Rivers said. “You try to establish the theme for your team, like, ‘Who should we be?’ So, every year, you’re scrambling and pushing to get them to do that.

“Let’s be honest, I’ve had years where you come into the season thinking, ‘This is how we should play,’ and it’s the middle of camp and you’re looking at your team and you’re, like, ‘I don’t think this is the exact way,’ and so you tweak it.”

In other words, expect the Clippers to be a work in progress as the season begins and the new players like Beverley and Gallinari learn to mesh with the old guard like Griffin and Jordan. The way the team plays on opening night probably won’t be the way it plays by season’s end.

Halloween night will be all about honoring Tom Petty as more than a dozen musicians will get together to play music and talk about the late rock legend. (And that’s not to be confused with the Hollywood Vampire event planned in his honor.)

Tickets for “The Tom Petty Masquerade Ball: A Rock N’ Roll Celebration,” at the Hotel Cafe, 1623 1/2 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles, are on sale now at www.hotelcafe.com.

Tickets are $18 including a service charge.

The 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31 tribute show will feature performances by artists like Liz Phair, Paul Doucette of Matchbox Twenty, folk singer Joe Purdy, singer-songwriter Joshua Radin, indie rocker Cary Brothers and indie-pop band Milo Greene.

According to organizers, the musicians will perform songs from Petty’s vast catalog.

Part of the proceeds will benefit The Midnight Mission, an organization Petty supported through the years.

“Tom Petty was such an important artist to me, personally and professionally,” said Brothers in a statement.

“He was a rock star, but he was also one of us, speaking the truth with a rebel’s spirit and a lover’s heart. He set a high bar for all modern American songwriters, and I’m so excited to celebrate the legacy of his genius at my musical home The Hotel Cafe,” the statement continued.

Petty died on Oct. 2, apparently after suffering cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu on Sunday night. He was 66.