In the wake of DeMarcus Cousins’ devastating injury, the Lakers are not yet done scouring for another big man — including one candidate who is sure to be polarizing.
Howard, 33, is the most recognizable of the names, but the eight-time All-Star has dubious standing among Laker fans after an underwhelming 2012-13 campaign that marked the start of the franchise’s current rough patch. The Lakers traded to get him that summer, but Howard left in the subsequent offseason.
Many of the franchise power brokers have turned over since then, but Howard (12.8 ppg, 9.2 rpg for Washington in nine games last year), who has played for four different teams in the last four seasons, still is likely to inspire divisiveness among the fanbase.
Howard is on the Memphis Grizzlies roster, but is widely seen as a candidate to be bought out or traded away before the season. Howard was in Las Vegas in July during Summer League, courting teams with workouts, and the Grizzlies have given him permission to speak with other franchises, according to ESPN.
Noah last played for the Grizzlies, coming back midseason after a mostly disappointing tenure in New York. Noah averaged 7.1 points and 5.2 rebounds in 42 games for Memphis, where he was teammates with Lakers guard Avery Bradley. Another former Eastern Conference foe of LeBron James, Noah will turn 35 in February of the upcoming season.
Speights, 31, was out of the league last season, but last played for Lakers head coach Frank Vogel with the Orlando Magic. Speights won the 2015 NBA title with the Warriors, and at 6-foot-10, has some shooting range, hitting over 36 percent from deep each of his last three seasons in the NBA.
ESPN also reported that the Lakers could look into Marcin Gortat, who played last season for the Clippers.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Justin Upton seems to have become Justin Upton once again.
Upton, who had two more hits and a walk in Monday’s game, has now hit .270 with four homers and a 1.053 OPS in his last 47 plate appearances.
“There were some adjustments that needed to be made,” Upton said before the Angels doubleheader against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday. “I made them, and I’m getting some good swings off on some good pitches.”
Manager Brad Ausmus, who had Upton for most of two seasons with the Detroit Tigers, said he’s seen improvement.
“He’s definitely swung the bat better,” Ausmus said. “He’s chasing less. So those are both good signs. He’s hitting home runs. I won’t know for a few weeks whether he’s gotten back completely, but he seems to be trending that way.”
Upton missed nearly three months of the season with a sprained toe, and for about half of the time he’s been back, he has been in a slump, so his season numbers are still not to his normal standard. He’s hitting .223 with nine homers and a .752 OPS in 45 games.
The power is about at his normal level, but his average and .319 on-base percentage both remain below his career .267 and .347 marks.
“It is what it is,” Upton said. “I missed three months. I knew it was going to be a grind getting back. I’m happy to be back. I’m happy to be doing well again. I’m trying to finish strong and take the momentum of the adjustments I made into the offseason.”
ALSO
The Angels designated Adalberto Mejia for assignment for the second time in less than a month. They removed the left-hander from the roster because they needed to bring up a fresh arm to get through the doubleheader after an 11-inning game on Monday. “It’s not a move that we wanted to do,” Manager Brad Ausmus said. The last time the Angels designated Mejia, he was claimed on waivers by the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals then DFA’d him and the Angels got him back…
Jaime Barría, who was scheduled to start the second game of the doubleheader, was added to the roster to fill Mejia’s spot. Barría had been originally scheduled to start Game 1, but he had a fever on Monday, so the Angels wanted to give him more rest. He reported to the park on Tuesday morning and said he felt better…
Luke Bard was added as the 26th man for the doubleheader. Although Bard had just been optioned a few days ago, after he was activated from the injured list, the 10-day option rule does not apply when someone is added as the 26th man.
UP NEXT
Angels (LHP Patrick Sandoval, 0-1, 5.79) at Rangers (LHP Mike Minor, 11-7, 2.94), Wednesday, 4:05 p.m., Fox Sports West
Raise a mug, well actually a plastic cup, and get a taste of some of the best craft beers, hard ciders, seltzers and kombucha around at the 9th annual Taste of Brews Long Beach.
The beer festival returns to Shoreline Aquatic Park Aug. 24 for a day-long celebration of craft brews with pours from more than 50 breweries and cideries.
The participants include big names such as Golden Road, Ballast Point and Sierra Nevada as well as several smaller local breweries.
So if for some reason you can’t make it to Taste of Brews this Saturday, at least make it a point to visit some of the Long Beach breweries taking part in the event later on.
And to help you choose where to go, here are our top three recommendations for local breweries taking part in Taste of Brews that you should definitely visit on your own.
Ten Mile Brewing Company
This brewery was founded by the father and son duo Dan and Jesse Sundstrom. On tap here now are good summer beers like the Tetromino, a malty kolsch with a hint of lemon. For something a lot stronger there’s The Barley, an American barleywine which is described on the brewery’s website as “strong but lovable.”
Former Reel Big Fish trombonist Dan Regan opened this brewery last year. But you didn’t come here for a concert so don’t fan out and just get a beer. You can keep it simple and order Bob — that’s the name of a Belgian-style saison that’s pretty strong at 8.2% ABV. Or be a good child and get the Do it for Dad, that’s an American IPA.
Beers are all over the map when it comes to styles at this year-old brewery, and that’s by design so there’s something for everyone here. But it’s still summer so go with the popular Playa Larga, a Mexican lager that quickly sold out when it was first introduced earlier this year.
Just one week before a brand-new NBC sitcom, set in New York City and staring relatively unknown cast of young actors, was set to air on Sept. 22, 1994, Los Angeles-based pop rock duo The Rembrandts got a call from the show’s executive producer and director Kevin Bright about helping his team come up with a theme song.
The 43-second recording, which had already been fleshed out by producers David Crane and Marta Kauffman with help from Michael Kloff and Allee Williams, needed something a little more punchy and that’s where Phil Solem and Danny Wilde of The Rembrandts came in. Bright was a fan of the band and within 48-hours of making the call, he was in Wilde’s home studio in his garage in the valley. The guys cut the song the following Saturday and by Tuesday, the now iconic TV show “Friends” aired for the first time-ever with the catchy, clap-along theme song, “I’ll Be There For You.”
“We took their idea and turned it into a Rembrandts idea,” Wilde said during a recent interview. The show, which ran for 10 seasons and last aired on May 6, 2004, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2019 and has enjoyed a great resurgence as it was found by a new generation thanks to it being streamed on Netflix. Even Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf locations in West Hollywood and Santa Monica have transformed into the “Friends” coffee house, Central Perk, with themed drinks through Aug. 23 to celebrate the occasion.
Phil Solem (left) and Danny Wilde (right) of pop rock band The Rembrandts will release their new album in 18 years, “Via Satellite,” on Aug. 23. The band is also celebrating the 25th anniversary of its iconic “Friends” TV show theme song, “I’ll Be There For You.” (Photo by Kim Fox)
Phil Solem (left) and Danny Wilde (right) of pop rock band The Rembrandts will release their new album in 18 years, “Via Satellite,” on Aug. 23. The band is also celebrating the 25th anniversary of its iconic “Friends” TV show theme song, “I’ll Be There For You.” (Photo by Kim Fox)
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Phil Solem (left) and Danny Wilde (right) of pop rock band The Rembrandts will release their new album in 18 years, “Via Satellite,” on Aug. 23. The band is also celebrating the 25th anniversary of its iconic “Friends” TV show theme song, “I’ll Be There For You.” (Photo by Kim Fox)
Phil Solem (left) and Danny Wilde (right) of pop rock band The Rembrandts will release their new album in 18 years, “Via Satellite,” on Aug. 23. The band is also celebrating the 25th anniversary of its iconic “Friends” TV show theme song, “I’ll Be There For You.” (Photo by Kim Fox)
“At the time, we thought it was pretty cool,” Wilde continued. “But we were a little apprehensive about becoming that sort of TV theme band, you know? At the time it set our career off at an angle we weren’t really prepared for because that song became so huge. It was number one for eight weeks and we saw our audiences start to change from a cool, alternative, kind of theater crowd, into a lot of younger people and kids with their parents. We sort of turned into a matinee show and we were thinking, ‘What in the hell just happened?’”
“I’ll Be There For You” topped the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart and garnered the band a Grammy nomination. Though the band’s third album, “L.P.” was already in the can, distribution was halted and the band was asked to go back in and work out a longer version of the track for that album.
“That’s when we really became more involved with the writing of the second verse, the bridge and all of the other stuff,” he said. They even starred in a music video for the full version of the song with the cast of “Friends.”
“When we look back on it now, it was such a great break of us,” he added. “Who knows what would have happened? Now it’s sort of us grabbing the brass ring because all of the new bands and younger kids, their dreams are to get some kind of killer sync in a movie or TV show.”
In the ’80s, Wilde met Solem when their respective bands would play shows together in the L.A. area. Solem was in a band called Loose Change and Wilde was in The Quick and the pair of twentysomethings realized they had a lot in common musically. By 1989, they formed The Rembrandts and released their first album a year later and landed a top 20 single with “Just the Way It Is, Baby.” The band released five albums and by 2001, following the release of “Lost Together,” it was time for a break.
During their hiatus the guys never stopped working on music. They produced albums by other bands such as the Gin Blossoms, released solo efforts, a greatest hits collection and Wilde started a commercial music company to make music for television commercials. They’ve also prepped their first new album in 18 years, “Via Satellite,” which officially drops on Aug. 23. The record, however, has been in the works for nearly a decade, Wilde said.
“It did take us a little longer to assemble this record, but Phil and I have always kind of worked like that,” he said. “Phil was living in Minneapolis, he’s living in Nashville now, and I’m in Thousand Oaks, so we were sending files back and forth … it’s in the title of the album. I’d pull up a file with a chorus that I thought was great and Phil would send a verse. We did have a lot of fun with this record because there was no pressure.”
It reminded the duo of the old days. The very first Rembrandts album was recorded in Wilde’s garage as a demo and as they shopped it around to labels, it eventually got picked up by Atco and they wanted it as-is. For “Via Satellite,” they didn’t want to just self-release it, so they went with L.A.-based artist-forward label Blue Élan Records and just had fun with it.
“Here we are 30-something years later with no expectations again,” he said. “It was just a couple of guys hanging out, drinking some beers, just writing, jamming and putting our ideas together. Maybe we drank a few too many beers.”
The 10-track release is upbeat with The Rembrandts’ signature hooks and riffs and though some of the lyrical content, like in “Broken Toy,” is a bit heart-wrenching, musically it lets you down easy with a bit of a sugar coating that doesn’t wipe away the smile brought by songs like the poppy, Beatles-esque “Me And Fate,” or the sing-song, blues-rock “Come to California.”
Wilde said the band is currently plotting a tour for the spring in support of the album and, of course, the now legendary “Friends” theme song will be shuffled into the mix. With all of the buzz surrounding the 25th anniversary of the show, news came that a Central Perk “Friends” Lego set would be released on Sept. 1 and Wilde wants in on that action. Maybe Lego versions of The Rembrandts can join Phoebe Buffay in a sing-along of “Smelly Cat” inside the popular coffee house.
“I want to be a Lego,” he said after learning that it wasn’t just some social media joke. “How do we make that happen? I definitely want you to quote me as saying ‘I’ve always wanted to be a Lego.’”
The Irvine Co., Orange County’s top landlord, has reshuffled its executive team, naming a new president and giving new titles to two other top leaders.
Chief Financial Officer Charles “Chip” Fedalen Jr. was promoted to president, replacing Ray Wirta, who retired in March, the company announced Tuesday, Aug. 20.
Fedalen, who will retain his current job as CFO, joined the company in 2014 after serving as an executive for Wells Fargo Commercial Real Estate’s institutional lending platform in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, according to his company biography. He’s a past trustee of the Urban Land Institute.
He’s both a Bruin and a Trojan, with a bachelor’s from UCLA and a law degree from USC.
Senior Vice President Frank Abeling also has been promoted to executive vice president of real estate operations.
In addition, Office Division President Doug Holte received the new title of lead division president in addition to his current job. That means he’s senior to presidents of other Irvine Co. divisions. He also will be responsible for corporate strategies, the company said.
The promotions “are part of the natural progression within the leadership of Irvine Co.,” said company spokesman Scott Starkey.
The Newport Beach company grew out of the Irvine family’s 19th-century purchase of a 93,000-acre ranch, which family heirs, and later investor Donald Bren, turned into one of Southern California’s most prominent real estate companies.
The firm’s portfolio includes master-planned housing developments, office complexes, shopping malls, apartments, golf courses, hotels and marinas, with holdings in Los Angeles, San Diego, Silicon Valley, Chicago and New York City, in addition to its base in Orange County.
Soon, you could get fewer familiar ads following you around the internet — or at least on Facebook.
Facebook is launching a long-promised tool that lets you limit what the social network can gather about you on outside websites and apps.
The company said Tuesday that it is adding a section where you can see the activity that Facebook tracks outside its service via its “like” buttons and other means. You can choose to turn off the tracking; otherwise, tracking will continue the same way it has been.
Formerly known as “clear history,” the tool will now go by the slightly clunkier moniker “off-Facebook activity.” The feature launches in South Korea, Ireland and Spain on Tuesday, consistent with Facebook’s tendency to launch features in smaller markets first. The company did not give a timeline for when it might expand it to the U.S. and other countries, only that it will be in “coming months.”
What you do off Facebook is among the many pieces of information that Facebook uses to target ads to people. Blocking the tracking could mean fewer ads that seem familiar — for example, for a pair of shoes you decided not to buy, or a nonprofit you donated money to. But it won’t change the actual number of ads you’ll see on Facebook. Nor will it change how your actions on Facebook are used to show you ads.
Even if you turn off tracking, Facebook will still gather data on your off-Facebook activities. It will simply disconnect those activities from your Facebook profile. Facebook says businesses won’t know you clicked on their ad — but they’ll know that someone did. So Facebook can still tell advertisers how well their ads are performing.
Jasmine Enberg, social media analyst at research firm eMarketer, said the tool is part of Facebook’s efforts to be clearer to users on how it tracks them and likely “an effort to stay one step ahead of regulators, in the U.S. and abroad.”
Facebook faces increasing governmental scrutiny over its privacy practices, including a record $5 billion fine from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for mishandling user data. Boosting its privacy protections could help the company pre-empt regulation and further punishment. But it’s a delicate dance, as Facebook still depends on highly targeted advertising for nearly all of its revenue.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the “clear history” feature more than a year ago. The company said building it has been a complicated technical process, which is also the reason for the slow, gradual rollout. Facebook said it sought input from users, privacy experts and policymakers along the way, which led to some changes. For instance, users will be able to disconnect their activity from a specific websites or apps, or reconnect to a specific site while keeping other future tracking turned off.
You’ll be able to access the feature by going to your Facebook settings and scrolling down to “your Facebook information.” The “off-Facebook activity” section will be there when it launches.
The tool will let you delete your past browsing history from Facebook and prevent it from keeping track of your future clicks, taps and website visits going forward. Doing so means that Facebook won’t use information gleaned from apps and websites to target ads to you on Facebook, Instagram and Messenger. It also won’t use such information to show you posts that Facebook thinks you might like based on your offsite activity, such as news articles shared by your friends.
Stephanie Max, product manager at Facebook, said the company believes the tool could affect revenue, though she didn’t say how much. But she said giving people “transparency and control” is important.
Enberg, the eMarketer analyst, said the ultimate impact “depends on consumer adoption. It takes a proactive step for consumers to go into their Facebook settings and turn on the feature.”
People who say they value privacy often don’t actually do anything about it, she said, so it’s possible too few people will use this tool to have a meaningful effect on Facebook’s bottom line.
Wall Street watchdogs rolled out a long-anticipated overhaul of the Volcker Rule that eases its controversial restriction on banks making speculative investments, wrapping up a top de-regulatory goal of officials appointed by President Donald Trump.
The changes seek to provide lenders a much clearer picture of what trades are prohibited, giving firms confidence to engage in transactions without fear of violating the rule. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency approved the revamp earlier Tuesday with Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. slated to follow. Three other financial regulators responsible for Volcker are expected to sign off in the coming days.
The Volcker rewrite marks a major victory for Wall Street, especially Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which has lobbied aggressively to weaken the rule for years. But the changes are more marginal than major, raising questions about how much they might revive trading. Without action by Congress, Volcker’s prohibition on proprietary trading — the practice of banks making market bets with their own money — stands. And lenders still face restrictions on investing in private equity and hedge funds.
A response to the 2008 financial crisis, Volcker was meant to address concerns that some bank trading desks behaved like hedge funds before the meltdown, using their firms’ balance sheets to finance risky wagers. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, its key advocate, said such trading could sink banks and threaten the broader economy. The rule was included in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act, with regulators putting it in place three years later.
Exceedingly complex
Almost since the ink was dry, banks have complained that Volcker was exceedingly complex, making the rule difficult to comply with. So regulators picked by Trump arrived at their agencies with a strong interest in simplifying the rule. The revamp, known as Volcker 2.0, is part of a steady effort to soften regulations during his administration. While watchdogs haven’t ripped up the post-crisis rule book, critics argue that taken together, the changes will insert renewed risk into the financial system.
What watchdogs came up with on Volcker relies on what’s known as the market-risk prong to determine which transactions are prohibited for banks with more than $1 billion of trading activity. That standard is something large banks already use and understand, so theoretically, it will be easier for them to determine in real time whether a trade is banned. The changes take effect Jan. 1, 2020, but banks will have another year to comply.
In one of the biggest changes, banks will no longer be assumed to be engaging in banned trades when they conduct short-term transactions. The so-called rebuttable presumption was one of Wall Street’s most-hated aspects of the original Volcker Rule.
In another assist to banks, regulators provide more clarity on market making — the permitted practice under Volcker of engaging in trades on behalf of clients. Specifically, watchdogs gave lenders a clear limit for assets held in their market-making portfolios that will allow firms to get right up to the line without fear of violating Volcker.
Hedge funds
Regulators also provided some flexibility on restrictions on investing in private equity and hedge funds. Banks will now have more freedom to do so if the investments are done on behalf of clients.
The changes to the five-agency rule also have to be approved by the Fed, Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
With the bulk of Volcker out of the way, there are a number of other Wall Street rules awaiting attention — many of them being handled by the Fed. They include significant shifts in bank capital rules and leverage limits, plus fundamental changes to the Fed’s annual stress tests.
Ringed by snowy peaks and straddling the California-Nevada border, Lake Tahoe, also known as the Jewel of the Sierras and the Lake of the Sky, is a natural wonder of the American West.
The largest alpine lake in North America, its waters shine turquoise along more than 75 miles of shoreline and cobalt blue above the basin’s staggering 1,664-foot depths. No matter the season, this stone-cold stunning mountain oasis can feel outside of time, and it’s hard to imagine a better vantage point from which to drink up the sparkling scenery than the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe.
The Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe lobby. (Photo courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton)
The hotel is located slope-side, a regal lodge secluded among fragrant sage, Manzanita, and pines. Standard rooms, like the one I stayed in, are predictably sumptuous and cozy, although large groups have the option to rent one of the resort’s private residences, which feature up to four bedrooms and 3,400 square feet, and occupy a secure, private floor.
If you travel with family the residencies may be worth the splurge. With high, vaulted ceilings and walls of windows framing forest views, they provide both an exclusive retreat and the ease of access to resort amenities. Pro tip: arrange for an in-residence cooking class like the art of mixology or pasta-making for a special night-in.
In a similar spirit, I ordered from a menu of luxury bubble baths and CBD infused products to help me wind down before bed, but the well-appointed spa also offers a range of professional, hands-on treatments, including a Clarisonic facial and pink clay hair mask that saved my dry, airplane skin from the altitude.
Spa guests are invited to relax in a eucalyptus steam room or dry sauna post-indulgence, but I took a brisk dip — the main pool area is family-friendly and replete with activities like a life-sized chessboard and marshmallows at sunset. Made in-house by the hotel marshmologist (really) and subtly flavored by pureed fruit, they’re a treat for well-behaved kids — or rather naughty parents.
Ritz Carlton’s Manzanita Restaurant is helmed by chef Hernan Melendez. (Photo by Ryan Schude)
But try not to spoil your appetite. The Lake Tahoe area has a number of upscale dining experiences, not least of which is the Ritz-Carlton’s Manzanita Restaurant. Helmed by chef Hernan Melendez, who relocated to Lake Tahoe after 2017’s devastating Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico, the menu is inflected with the bold flavors of his home. During my visit, octopus and a garlicky lamb arrived tender and assertively seasoned; a spin on sofrito brightened vegetarian sides. Local cuisine and ingredients equally inspire Melendez; he works with a forager to source morels, which he served in an unapologetic crème sauce.
For a night out, travelers can visit Truckee and its much-lauded modern restaurant, Trokay. Owners and chefs John and Nyna Weatherson create technical and celebratory meals from sustainable ingredients, serving exceptional dishes in an elegant atmosphere that calls for jewelry and jeans. The food was delicious, but the presentation was magical: a mouthful or peach juice burst from an orb-like an egg yolk, while juniper smoke rose like scented fog from plate of caramelized corn and caviar.
Perhaps my favorite things on the tasting menu, however, were the mocktail pairings. Hear me out: a few drops of butterfly pea flower, an herbal extract, transformed an almost clear, lime-based beverage into the softest lavender before my very eyes. It was practically a performance, and it tasted a little bit like a Starburst candy, although not so sweet. The passion fruit and celery fizz was even more nuanced: Trokay makes mocktails for grown-ups.
Writer Agatha French on the pier at the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe. (Photo by Ryan Schude)
Luckily, passing on the wine made it easier to get up early the next day and head down to the lake; near dawn the water is particularly glassy, like a massive reflecting pool for the sky. Boasting truly panoramic views, the Ritz’s Lake Club provides options for any vacation-vibe. Cozy-up on a lounge chair beside quaking aspens or explore the lake by kayak, launched from the club’s private pier, for some exercise.
You can also hop aboard a sleek MasterCraft boat designed specifically for water sports, although, after taking a wakeboarding lesson, I was glad to discover that Lake Tahoe’s water is 99.99 percent pure — because I swallowed about a gallon of it doing face plants. Traveling with a teenager? They’ll love it.
Traveling with a history buff? Take a tour of the Thunderbird Lodge, a national historic site built in 1936 by George Whittell Jr., who owned roughly 40,000 acres and 20 miles of Nevada shoreline at the time. The grounds and architecture are stunning, but the real draw is the creepy tunnels that old George carved below — one leads from a secret hatch in the gambling room to his boathouse, where the Thunderbird yacht is still moored.
One of the thrills of visiting the lodge was imagining Lake Tahoe as it had been in Whittell’s day — and realizing that, in some ways, not much has changed. The water is still clear snowmelt, the air sweet smelling and crystalline. In fact, on the last night of my visit, I saw shooting star dart over the mountains — Lake Tahoe, the Lake of the Sky indeed.
Laura Larson, center, begins a routine as she and her fellow Aquadettes practice for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Aquadettes water ballerina team practice for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Aquadettes water ballerina team practice for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Aquadettes, including Sydney Stephan, bottom, practice for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The famed Aquadettes water ballerina team poses for a photo before practicing for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Aquadettes water ballerina team start their patriotic finale routine during practice at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Bunny Quartararo works on her solo routine as her fellow Aquadettes watch from the side of the pool as they practice for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Bunny Quartararo works on her solo routine as her fellow Aquadettes watch from the side of the pool as they practice for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Aquadette Carol Dolan, center, prepares for practice as Head coach and President Valerie Link, left, walks past at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Aquadettes water ballerina team practice for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Aquadettes water ballerina team practice for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Aquadettes water ballerina team practice for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Aquadude Charlie Redner records the Aquadettes’ practice at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The famed Aquadettes water ballerina team poses for a photo before practicing for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The famed Aquadettes water ballerina team poses for a photo before practicing for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Aquadettes water ballerina team pose for a photo before practice for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Aquadette Sydney Stephan puts on her swim cap during practice at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Karen Spencer-Cruz, center, glances over at her fellow Aquadettes as they practice at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The famed Aquadettes water ballerina team poses for a photo before practicing for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Bunny Quartararo works on her solo routine during the Aquadettes’ practice for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The famed Aquadettes water ballerina team poses for a photo before practicing for their 55th Aqua Follies show at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Aquadude Charlie Redner lowers a speaker into the pool before the Aquadettes practice at the Laguna Woods Village Pool in Laguna Woods on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
LAGUNA WOODS — Decked out in top hats, bowties and tailed coats, the Laguna Woods Village Aquadettes return in their 55th year as a water-ballet team to present “The Greatest Show.”
The annual Aqua Follies, which typically draws more than 1,000 spectators during its three-night run, will take place Aug. 29, 30 and 31 in Laguna Woods Village.
This year, the 10 water ballerinas will turn ringmasters as they line the deep end, diving into the Clubhouse One pool to the title track of Michael Gracey’s 2017 Barnum and Bailey Circus-based musical “The Greatest Showman.”
Shining, blinding, intoxicating, as the lyrics go, these senior athletes have created a team where the impossible comes true.
“I had no experience in being a synchronized swimmer. Others have done it or at least been on some type of swim team — but I never did anything,” first-year Aquadette Karen Spencer-Cruz, 60, said.
Spencer-Cruz made a promise to her late mother, who fell in love with the annual exhibition after moving into Laguna Woods Village, that she would become an Aquadette upon retirement.
To her surprise, she actually did — and it went swimmingly.
With only one line on her poolside resume of “looking cute” as a lifeguard in high school, Spencer-Cruz took on stunts and routines with ease.
“To some extent, I felt like a natural, which was new,” she said.
In her Aqua Follies debut, Spencer-Cruz will be featured in five of the seven numbers, including a duet shared with coach Valerie Link set to Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s Oscar-winning song “Shallow” as well as a cheeky trio to Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls,” sure to make the crowd blush.
“I want to learn everything. I want to be like Bunny,” she said of her teammate Bunny Quartararo, 63, the sole Aquadette to live out a professional career in synchronized swimming.
Though she’s been on the team for two years now, Quartararo’s first swim with the Aquadettes was when she was 10 years old as a nationally ranked swimmer on the Irvine-based competitive synchronized swimming team, the Meraquas.
They teamed up with the senior swimmers for an exhibition, she recalled.
In the same pool in which she swam as a girl on the cusp of junior Olympics, she’ll be gliding diagonally, performing spin-heavy stunts to Disney’s ubiquitous show tune “Let it Go” in the show’s exclusive solo routine.
Putting the solo together was a matter of “feeling it,” relistening to the song’s message and moving to it until she got that “wow” factor from her teammates, she said.
This year’s show holds a lot of benchmarks for Quartararo: Hearing her granddaughter sing “Let it Go” from the backseat of her car was the aha! moment to put her in musicals; Christopher Cross’ “Sailing” is how she’s since imagined her relationship with her late husband of 15 years; and the patriotic finale, “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” transports her back to her Aqua Follies debut, teary-eyed, taking in the standing ovation with color guards standing by.
Outside of the pool, being an Aquadette means revisiting values she learned as a young Meraqua: discipline, structure, confidence and camaraderie.
“These things keep you grounded. They still hold true, even now,” Quartararo said. “Sometimes we lose these things as we get older.”
Quartararo noted that post-practice lunches and informal team dinners are becoming more common as the on-land friendships grow stronger. Just one year in, Spencer-Cruz noted a huge draw to the team is the remarkability she sees in each of the women — the losses they’ve faced and the health issues they have fought and continue to fight through.
“One year, a woman was experiencing a family crisis, and she continued to swim in the show for the next few nights,” nine-year Aquadette Judy Sterret Rizzo, 80, said. “Through crisis, it can be really helpful.”
Whether it’s a minor gripe or a serious family dilemma, Rizzo has witnessed the team absorb individual blows and get through it together.
“It helps to have a group of women you can talk about anything to, often half-naked in a dressing room,” she said. “Having these relationships outside of the pool keeps us from isolating ourselves through crisis, which can be very tempting at this age.”
With 16 years as an Aquadette — nine spent as head coach — Link, 65, has witnessed her teammates go through life’s assorted tribulations and the inevitable wins and losses that follow.
“We’ve been through deaths together, be it a husband or a daughter; We’ve been through surgeries, knee replacements,” she said. “We have someone who is unable to be in the show this year because she’s battling cancer.”
For the water ballerinas, the Aquadette title goes beyond the pool, the head caps and the bedazzled swimsuits.
“We’re family,” Link said. “We surround each other and support each other — that’s really what this team is about.”
AQUA FOLLIES
When: 8 p.m. Aug. 29, 30, 31. Gates open at 7 p.m.
Where: Laguna Woods Village Clubhouse One, Pool One
Tickets: $7, can be purchased at Clubhouses One, Two, Five and Seven, Community Center Recreation Dept. or online at Aquadettes.com
Right off the bat, something seems different when I arrive at 2145 Pizza in Costa Mesa. I’ve been here a dozen times before, as this has been one of my go-to pizzerias since it opened in 2017.
But this time I’m greeted at the door by a hostess.
“We’ll have a table for you in just a minute,” she says.
“That’s odd,” I think. Normally, they just ignore me when I arrive. But this time I’m greeted the very instant I reach the front door.
Chef Eddie Salcedo at 2145 Pizza in Costa Mesa. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Prosciutto and Burrata gives a little height to this thin crust pizza at 2145 Pizza, Costa Mesa. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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(Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)
If you’re looking for pepperoni pizza you’ve come to the wrong place. This Prosciutto and Burrata pizza with Japanese-styled dough has smoked mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes and arugula is fresh from the wood-burning oven at 2145 Pizza, Costa Mesa. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Chef Eduardo Saucedo honed his craft in Japan as a pizzaiolo. He uses a ten-year-old sour dough starter, made with Japanese flour, that’s kept under lock and key at 2145 Pizza, Costa Mesa. The lights of Victoria St. at Placentia Ave. twinkle in background. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A Pancetta and Egg pizza of rosemary mascarpone, smoked mozzarella and mushrooms is cooked by burning almond wood, background, at 2145 Pizza, Costa Mesa. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Seasoning, spices and pies flavor the kitchen at 2145 Pizza, Costa Mesa. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Chef Eduardo Saucedo’s ten-year-old sour dough starter is made with Japanese flour. It’s a key ingredient in 2145 Pizza’s gourmet pies at the Costa Mesa, Asian-inspired pizzeria. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The restaurant is packed, as usual, but there’s something else different. There are servers everywhere, rushing to and from the kitchen and bar, delivering hot pizzas and cold beer.
“That’s weird, too,” I think. Normally, there are only three or four staff working the dining room and they are always completely exasperated as they attempt to keep up with the flow.
That said, they’ve always been extraordinarily friendly here. They’ve just never had much flair for efficiency (or, for that matter, proficiency).
As I’m seated I glance around at the staff. I don’t recognize any of the waiters, except maybe one, but even he seems a little different. I glance over at kitchen, and I notice the same chef, Eduardo Salcedo, calmly pushing pizzas in and out of the wood-fired oven.
“Did this place change ownership or management?” I ask my server as she’s opening my bottle of wine.
“Yes, both.” she says. “A few months ago.”
Fortunately when my pizza arrives, it’s the same wonderful spicy salame pizza that I’ve come here for tonight. This is easily one of the best pizzas in Orange County. I love the softly chewy and heavily charred Neapolitan-style crust, the salame generously piled on, along with green olives, pickled Fresno chilies and ricotta cheese.
I really enjoyed the old crew despite their utter incompetence at times. But I’m really, really liking this new floor team. And I’m extremely happy that the kitchen hasn’t changed a thing.
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There is plenty of festival fun to be had with music of all genres. These should be on your radar, in order of when they’re happening.
What you need to know: Now in its eighth year, Viva! Pomona has been a fertile ground showcasing some of the best up-and-coming acts in Southern California and beyond. The brainchild of Rene Contreras, who has put together the Sonora Stage at Coachella and the Chella Celebrando de La Communidad concerts, Viva! Pomona’s lineup includes Beach Goons, Show Me the Body, Inner Wave, Little Jesus and more.
What you need to know: The fourth iteration of this free event, which its founders think of as an “anti-festival,” has grown and expanded across multiple venues in Long Beach’s Zaferia District, including Alex’s Bar, Analog Records and DiPiazza’s. Performers include The Coathangers and Tropa Magica. And two trolleys will take fans around the venues for free.
What you need to know:The Cure tops this lineup and the band also selected the other bands on this bill, which include Pixies, Deftones, Mogwai, Throwing Muses, The Joy Formidable, Chelsea Wolfe, The Twilight Sad, Emma Ruth Rundle and Kælan Mikla. The site is the same as Arroyo Seco Weekend, the golf course adjacent to the Rose Bowl.
What you need to know: The third annual event includes two days of music from Cold War Kids, Phantom Planet, Donavon Frankenreiter and more at the brewery’s Los Angeles flagship. Online ticket sales include a beer each day.
What you need to know: To celebrate its 10th anniversary, OC Brew Ha Ha is combining over 160 craft beer tastings with ska music for a day-long fest featuring performances by The Aquabats!, Save Ferris, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Suburban Legends, Codename: Rocky, Skapeche Mode and more.
Zedd in the Park
When: Sept. 7
Where: Los Angeles State Historic Park, Los Angeles
What you need to know: The second edition of the event will include performances by Zedd, Troÿboi, a DJ set from Keys N Krates, Jax Jones and Brownies & Lemonade. The event is 18-and-older only.
What you need to know: Now in its fifth year, Kaaboo Del Mar is an outdoor, multi-genre music festival flush with luxurious amenities, food and wine pairings and tastings, chef demos, art installations and exhibitions and a full-blown, indoor and air-conditioned stand-up comedy venue. Performers include Kings of Leon, Dave Matthews Band, Mumford & Sons, Duran Duran, Maren Morris, Black Eyed Peas, Wu-Tang Clan, Sheryl Crow, REO Speedwagon, Wayne Brady, Bob Saget, Kevin Smith, Tig Notaro and more.
Boots in the Park
When: Sept. 14
Where: SilverLakes Equestrian and Sports Complex, Norco
What you need to know: This will be the final time that Insomniac’s O.G. festival will be at Glen Helen Regional Park surrounding the amphitheater. The lineup includes DJ Snake, Jauz, Malaa, Zeds Dead and more. This festival is open to guests 18 and older only.
Welcome to the West
When: Sept. 20
Where: Toyota Arena (formerly known as Citizens Business Bank Arena), Ontario
What you need to know: The festival will return to Lake Perris for a second year, where attendees can do more than just listen to music from acts including Baauer and Beats Antique — boating, swimming and yoga are among the other activities.
Ohana, a three-day festival curated by Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, will return to Doheny State Beach in late September. (File photo by Kelly A. Swift, contributing photographer)
What you need to know: This dance music festival makes its debut on Catalina. In addition to music from Andrew Rayel, Oliver Heldens, Shiba San and more, the event will also include comedy shows, pool parties, themed parties and more.
What you need to know: The family-friendly bluegrass festival returns to Ontario with a lineup that includes Railroad Earth, Steep Canyon Rangers, Dustbowl Revival and more.
Fans have fun during the inaugural Sammy Hagar’s High Tide Beach Party & Car Show at Huntington State Beach in October 2018. The festival is expanding to two days and will return to the site in late September. (File photo by Kelly A. Swift, Contributing Photographer)
What you need to know: The festival is back for a second year, led by the Red Rocker and it has expanded to two days. The lineup includes Sammy Hagar and the Circle, KC and the Sunshine Band, The Beach Boys, Vince Neil, Night Ranger, Blue Oyster Cult, Extreme, Steel Panther and more.
What you need to know: The fall edition of this fest, which also has a spring version, is genre-bending more than its EDM roots with a lineup that includes Portugal. The Man, Hot Chip, Kaytranada, Kaskade, Fisher, Richie Hawtin and more. This festival is open to guests 21 and older only.
What you need to know: The annual event has been moved from downtown Santa Ana to San Pedro and will include sets by Suicidal Tendencies, The Living End, Dead Kennedys, Nekromantix, Agent Orange, Dickies, D.I. and more.
Desert Daze attendees play along Lake Perris during the final day of the music festival on Oct. 14, 2018. This year the festival will return to the site with artists such as the Wu-Tang Clan, Ween, The Flaming Lips and Devo. (File photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
What you need to know: Now in its eighth year, this genre-crossing fest (think Coachella before the celebrity and Instagram invasion) will return to Lake Perris and will host Wu-Tang Clan, Devo, The Flaming Lips, Ween, Stereolab, Animal Collective, Flying Lotus and more.
What you need to know: This festival always has a spring and a fall edition. The October edition is topped by the North Mississippi All-Stars, The California Honeydrops and Yak Attack and features a remote, laid-back vibe in the desert.
A Day To Remember performs at the Self-Help Music Festival on Saturday, March 22, 2014 at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino. The festival will return to the site in October. (File photo by Micah Escamilla, SCNG)
What you need to know:A Day to Remember headlines this fest that the Florida band created and curated. Other bands playing include Motionless in White, Beartooth, I Prevail and Set Your Goals. The original Self Help Fest took place at the venue in 2014 and has expanded elsewhere in recent years.
What you need to know: Now in its second year, this intimate EDM fest takes over a block of Chinatown with music, cocktails, food and more. Lineup highlights include Swiss electronic duo Adriatique, English DJ Daniel Avery, Russian DJ Nina Kraviz and American DJ Honey Dijon. This festival is open to guests 21 and older only.
What you need to know: The inaugural festival will feature performances by Chris Janson, Cody Johnson, Honey County, Adam Doleac, Daniel Bonte, Michael Austin and more. The event also celebrates active military and veterans and is partnering with the Fisher House Foundation, which builds comfort homes where military and veterans families can stay free of charge while their loved ones are in the hospital.
Boots in the Park
When: Oct. 19
Where: SilverLakes Equestrian and Sports Complex, Norco
What you need to know: Puddle of Mudd, the band behind “Blurry” and “She Hates Me,” has its own fest. Saliva, Trapt, Saving Abel and Tantric are also on the bill.
What you need to know: Insomniac’s Halloween-themed massive returns with some heavy hitters, including Alesso, Dillon Francis, Duke Dumont, RL Grime and more. This festival is open to guests 18 and older.
What you need to know: The annual event is returning to its original home at L.A. State Historic Park and embracing the cultural roots of its namesake by paying homage to Mexican heritage and the celebration of Día de los Muertos with inspired decor and cuisine to go along with sets by Dog Blood, The Martinez Brothers, Blacklizt, Damian Lazarus, Melé and more. This event is 21-and-over only.
Tyler the Creator is all smiles during his set at his brain trust the Camp Flog Gnaw music festival and carnival held at Dodger Stadium Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018. The two-day festival will return to the venue with Tyler, Solange and more. (File photo by Rod Veal, Contributing Photographer)
What you need to know: This house and techno festival, put on by the people behind Desert Hearts, will include music, live art installations and more. The lineup includes TIGA, Patrick Topping, Nathan Barato and more.
What you need to know: A trance music experience featuring different stages with various music and visual effects for different moods including The Dream, The Vision and The Sequence stages. Performers include Above & Beyond, Ferry Corsten, Skypatrol, Gabriel & Dresden and more. This festival is 18 and older only.
Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival
When: Nov. 22-24
Where: Various parks and piers along the Port of San Diego
What you need to know: The inaugural fest will include more than 80 artists playing across seven stages scattered throughout the parks and piers of the Port of San Diego as well as gourmet food, craft beer, games, immersive art experience and other daily activities. Curated with the help of Southern California icons Tony Hawk, Trevor Hoffman and Rob Machado, Wonderfont will feature sets by Slightly Stoopid, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, the Vandals, Miguel, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Nicky Jam, Don Omar, Michael Franti & Spearhead and more.
Ty Dolla $ign performs at the 2018 edition of Rolling Loud in Los Angeles on Friday, Dec. 14, 2018. The festival will return this December but the lineup has not yet been announced. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
The official lineup for Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights is now complete as the theme park announces the 10th and final attraction for its annual scare-a-thon, which takes place on select evenings Sept. 13-Nov. 3.
The attraction is an all-original concept dubbed The Curse of Pandora’s Box. The temptation to open Pandora’s Box is a bit too much for some and guests will find themselves among the evil behind the twisted ancient Greek mythology and suddenly transported into the depths of Hades. In a dilapidated store filled with artifacts that should not be touched, patrons will be tempted by fate as a voice calls for them to open the box, which causes a ginormous earthquake that ultimately unleashes the evil.
Remember, once the box is open, it can never be closed again.
A holiday-themed scare zone last year inspired this year’s Holidayz in Hell maze, which will include demented versions of favorite holiday celebrations. Also on the terror line-up: The Walking Dead walk-thru attraction will be up and running and the Jabbawockeez will bring back its award-winning hip-hop dance show.
Tickets are $67-$77 for general admission with early park entry beginning at 4 p.m. There are also several Frequent Fear passes that allow for entry on multiple evenings from $109-$299. All passes are available at Hollywood.HalloweenHorrorNights.com.
Receiver Ethan Fernea talks about the honor of receiving the No. 36 jersey in remembrance of former UCLA receiver Nick Pasquale, what he believes the jersey represents and what it’s like to be a walk-on at UCLA.
In spite of the summer heat, August and early September are actually the best time to start planting winter vegetables, such as beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery, kale, leeks, lettuces, peas, radishes and turnips. They’ll all get off to a great start during warm weather and mature throughout the winter and spring months. That means more to harvest and more to enjoy. If you plant within the next couple of weeks, some will probably be ready for use during the Holidays.
2. Strawberry starts
Plant strawberry starts in September and October, just like the professionals do. Planting now allows their little bushes to develop so they begin producing harvestable fruit in February or March. And they will continue producing strongly through spring and into summer. Use runners from existing plants, or buy new plants. Water regularly, but don’t start feeding for about a month.
3. Ready, set, chards!
Plant Swiss chard now, too. The colorful variety called ‘Bright Lights’ has leaves ranging from green to burgundy and stalks in various shades of yellow, orange, pink, red, purple and green, as well as the traditional white. First harvests of outer leaves and leaf stalks begin in about two months. Chard remains productive for over a year, so the plants you put in now will yield harvests through next spring, summer and fall, too. Young greens and stems are especially good and colorful in salads.
4. Stalk talk
When bird-of-paradise blooms fade away, the left-over stalks look rather messy. Often they are fairly easy to snap off well-irrigated plants with a sideways yank. If that doesn’t do it, pull each stalk a little out of its sheath at the base of the leaf, then cut it off down low so stubs do not stick up. You’ll be amazed at the way this revitalizes the appearance of these beautiful landscape plants.
5. Call it a day
Many daylilies are slowing down on their flowering now, too, and their spent flower stalks can also look messy. However, unlike most other plants, many daylily flower stalks actually begin cloning new little plantlets along the old flower stem. These will be ready to cut off and plant by October or November. If you don’t care to start new plants, just snap off the stalks with a sideways tug as soon as they finish blooming.
The calendar still reads “summer,” but it’s not too early to start planning your fall TV viewing strategy. After all, it won’t be long before the broadcast networks, cable channels and streamers will be bombarding us with fresh fare.
To help you get with the program, here’s a rundown of premiere dates for brand new shows and returning favorites. The new shows are listed in CAPS and most of them include preview trailers.
While the majority of UCLA’s roster is young, Chip Kelly knows the upperclassman leaders will define the direction of the program.
“If you got your leaders doing the right things, then your team is probably going to be going in the right direction,” the head coach said at Pac-12 media day. “And I really feel like going in the right direction because of the leadership of those guys.”
Here are five juniors and seniors who UCLA needs to take the next step to help the Bruins turn around from their 3-9 season last year:
Osa Odighizuwa, redshirt junior defensive line
Odighizuwa became a consistent starter for the first time in his career last year, starting the final eight games of the season, and now he is the elder statesman on a young defensive line. He realized the gravity of his position as the only four-year defensive lineman on the roster when coaches challenged him to step up as a leader after spring practice.
So the Portland, Ore., native organized the defensive line during player-run practices this summer, keeping his eye on his teammates’ technique and hands during drills. The leadership position has only helped Odighizuwa grow, he said.
“The best way to learn something is to teach it to other people,” the redshirt junior said, “so I like answering people’s questions and just like being someone that they can look to.”
Josh Woods, redshirt senior linebacker
In his fifth and final year at UCLA, Woods hopes to put together his first full season on the field. Between a nagging freshman hamstring pull and shoulder and knee surgeries as a junior and senior, respectively, Woods has never appeared in more than 11 games in a season when he mustered 26 tackles as a part-time starter.
The former Upland High star is respected among teammates for his intelligence and resilience as he battled back from back-to-back season-ending injuries, including a deflating knee injury suffered last year when the Bruins believed Woods was on the precipice of a breakout year. Now at full strength, the redshirt senior hopes to pick up where he left off.
Jordan Wilson, redshirt junior tight end
While the rest of his tight end peers early in his career were misfit former receivers, quarterbacks or defensive linemen, Wilson was one of the first true tight ends at UCLA since former offensive coordinator Kennedy Polamalu tried to revitalize the position in 2016. However, Wilson’s impact on the field has been quiet.
He has just 18 career catches for 172 receiving yards and two touchdowns after watching Caleb Wilson ascend into a starring role. Jordan Wilson prepared to step up by putting together what Kelly called “a fantastic offseason” in the weight room. The redshirt junior from Tennessee lost 10 pounds and is moving better on the field, Kelly said.
Theo Howard, senior wide receiver
After struggling with drops and missed assignments early in his career, Howard was the picture of consistency as a junior. He emerged as UCLA’s second-leading receiver, has a 28-game streak with a catch and didn’t have a single dropped pass last year, according to Pro Football Focus.
But it still feels like the senior has something left to show. Once he returns from a hand injury that’s sidelined him during all of training camp, Howard will need to solidify himself as the go-to receiver, especially on third downs, and top leader for a young group of receivers.
Before Lucier-South steps up for the Bruins on the field, he needs to step up in the classroom. The redshirt senior will miss at least the first three games due to academics.
His eye-popping performance against Cal last year — 3.5 tackles for loss with a sack, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery returned for touchdown — shows just what the Orange Lutheran alumnus can do. Once he trades in the bucket hat he’s been wearing on the sidelines during training camp for a helmet, the Bruins will need similar production from the former five-star prospect who many thought might grow into the next Anthony Barr.
Get ready to shake your hips because the Rolling Stones are going to let it loose at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Thursday, Aug. 22.
The show was postponed from the spring after frontman and septuagenarian fitness inspiration Mick Jagger had heart surgery, but now Mick, guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood and man, the myth, the legend, drummer Charlie Watts are making good on the tour date with tickets for the long sold-out show running $155 to north of $3,500 on StubHub. (It might be worth dropping the cash if you think the Glimmer Twins are running out of time.)
With our very scientific discussion (read: a battle royale among the Stones fans around the 11 Southern California News Group newsrooms), these are the iconic rock band’s most memorable Southern California shows, in chronological order.
The Rolling Stones arrive at Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino in 1964 for their first American concert. Clockwise from left, Bill Wyman, Brian Jones, Keith Richard, Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts. (File photo by Fred Bauman, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Candy Wilkinson’s $3.50 ticket, main floor, to the Rolling Stones’ Oct. 31, 1964 show at the Swing, their second show in San Bernardino. (Courtesy photo)
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Candy Wilkinson’s $4 ticket, reserved section, to the Rolling Stones’ May 15, 1965 show at the Swing, their third show in San Bernardino. (Courtesy photo)
Candy Wilkinson’s $4 ticket, reserved section, to the Rolling Stones’ July 24, 1966 show at the Swing, their fourth and last show in San Bernardino. Note start time: 2 p.m. The band performed that night in Bakersfield. (Courtesy photo)
The Rolling Stones’ first U.S. concert date was at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino.
In his autobiography “Life,” Keith Richards recalled the Chiffons and Bobby Goldsboro being on the show and it happened after the band taped a segment for the “Hollywood Palace” TV show with Dean Martin, on which the Rat Packer insinuated that the long-haired rockers had fleas.
The Forum, Inglewood, Nov. 8 (technically Nov. 9), 1969
The band’s Forum debut included two shows in one night, with B.B. King, Ike & Tina Turner and Terry Reid opening, but delays to cover the ice and get the stage ready at the then-hockey arena caused forced the Stones to delay the first show until nearly midnight. The second show started at 2:30, with the Stones taking the stage at 4 a.m.
The band’s Tour of the Americas in support of the “Made in the Shade” greatest hits compilation featured the great Billy Preston on keyboards but it also marked Ronnie Wood’s local debut with the band after the departure of Mick Taylor.
Decades later, the band released an audio recording and a DVD from that run.
Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, July 23-24, 1978
This was the “Some Girls” tour, and the SoCal dates were back-to-back shows on very warm days, back when stadium shows often had the headliner performing while the sun was still up. This second of the two shows is famous in Stones lore for being the one in which Jagger, after two days of shoes and sandals being intermittently tossed onto the stage, said as “Love in Vain” started “OK, let’s have everybody’s shoes!” And a fusillade of footwear commenced.
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Oct. 9 and 11, 1981
What made this pair of shows memorable wasn’t actually the Stones, but what happened before the band came on stage. An up-and-coming artist named Prince opened the shows (this is before “Little Red Corvette” and “1999” dominated MTV). He was pretty much booed off and people threw things at the stage.
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, Feb. 3, 1998
After playing Dodger Stadium in 1997 on the “Bridges to Babylon” tour, this was the band’s only California show of ’98 and it came during a big El Niño winter. It rained heavily all day and for much of the show. No way the Stones would take that bridge to the small stage in the middle of the field, right? Wrong. During “Little Queenie” the wind toppled one of Charlie Watt’s cymbals, Jagger picked it up, continued singing and held the cymbal stand in place for the rest of the song. The band laughed their way through the conditions and played wonderfully.
Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, Nov. 4, 2002
This was a tough ticket to get. Capacity at this Los Angeles venue is 2,800 and half of those on this evening seemed to be from the entertainment industry. Tom Petty, Neil Young, Reese Witherspoon were among the celebrities. One could see Paul Stanley conversing with Mick Fleetwood, of all pairings. A couple of rarities on the set list of this 40th anniversary tour stop included “No Expectations” and “Hand of Fate.”
Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones performs in May 2013 at Honda Center in Anaheim. Former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor was a special guest as this show, as was the Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl. (File photo by Michael Goulding, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones perform Former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor was a special guest as this show, as was the Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl. (File photo by Michael Goulding, Orange County Register/SCNG)
It’s difficult to pick a night when the band played its best, its tightest. This is a candidate. Fans were treated to a generous set list of 22 songs on this 50th anniversary tour. A couple highlights: former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor did a couple of guest spots, including a long and wild “Midnight Rambler; and Dave Grohl provided guitar and amped-up vocals on a couple of verses of “Bitch.”
Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles, May 20, 2015
Tickets for this secret show on the Zip Code went for $5, and it was the first time the band played all 10 classics off “Sticky Fingers” live (the show was right before the reissue of the album was released).
The Rolling Stones, shown here performing at Desert Trip in 2016, have rescheduled its No Filter stadium tour date at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for Aug. 22. (File photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Rolling Stones Mick Jagger performs as bandmates Keith Richards, on guitar, and drummer Charlie Watts also perform on the opening night of Weekend 2 of Desert Trip Friday October 14, 2016 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif. (File photo by Will Lester)
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The Rolling Stones, including Ronnie Wood and Mick Jagger, shown here performing at Desert Trip in Indio in 2016, will appear at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena in 2019. (File photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Desert Trip, Empire Polo Club, Indio, Oct. 7 and 14, 2016
The Rolling Stones headlined opening night of the twin weekends of this epic three-day festival that also included Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, The Who and Roger Waters on the site of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio and dubbed by some as “Oldchella”
What’s up with mortgage rates? Jeff Lazerson of Mortgage Grader in Laguna Niguel gives us his take.
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Rate news summary
From Freddie Mac’s weekly survey: The 30-year fixed-rate averaged 3.55%, its lowest level since Nov. 3, 2016, and 5 basis points lower than last week. The 15-year fixed-rate averaged 3.05%, down 4 basis points from last week.
The Mortgage Bankers Association reported a 1% decrease in loan application volume from the previous week.
Bottom line: Assuming a borrower gets the average 30-year fixed rate on a conforming $484,350 loan, last year’s payment was $269 big bucks higher than this week’s payment of $2,188.
What I see: Locally, well-qualified borrowers can get the following fixed-rate mortgages without points and closing costs: A 15-year FHA (up to $431,250 in the Inland Empire, up to $484,350 in Los Angeles and Orange counties) at 3.25%, a 30-year FHA at 3.375%, a 15-year conventional at 3.375%, a 30-year conventional at 3.875%, a 30-year FHA high-balance ($484,351 to $726,525 in L.A. and Orange counties) at 3.625%, a 15-year conventional high-balance (also $484,351 to $726,525) at 3.75%, a 30-year conventional high-balance at 4.25%, a 15-year jumbo (over $726,525) at 4.5% and a 30-year jumbo at 5.0%.
What I think: How low can rates go?
Just a few days ago, Bloomberg reported Danish homebuyers are being paid one-half point for a 10-year mortgage, pay no interest for a 20-year loan and are being charged just one-half point interest rate a half point for a 30-year loan.
“Never say never,” said Mike Fratantoni, chief economist of the Mortgage Bankers Association when asked if the U.S. could see negative mortgage rates.
Today U.S. borrowers can get a 30-year fixed at 3.375% with just one point. A client of mine recently locked down 2.5% on a 15-year fixed by paying more than 2 points — the lowest rate I’ve ever locked in my 32 years as a mortgage broker.
We have a long ways to go before we get to zero mortgage interest rates. Because we don’t know how much lower rates are headed, let’s focus on the mortgage opportunities in front of us right now.
The current opportunities may be lower rates, shorter terms at even lower rates, consolidating debt with cheaper cash-out money and refinancing away from mortgage insurance.
The 30-year fixed is nearly one full percentage point lower than on Jan. 1, triggering a huge spike in refinancing and resulting in longer underwriting lines. As rates trend downward, many lenders are not posting lower rates proportionate to the improvement in the 10-year Treasury rates.
I point to the Freddie Mac 30-year mortgage rate averages that started Aug. 1 at 3.75%. This week, Freddie reported 3.55%, or 20 basis points lower. Yet the 10-year Treasury rate, which has a symbiotic relationship with 30-year fixed mortgages, fell 31 basis points from the start of the month, dropping to 1.59% from 1.90% on Aug. 1.
The Freddie rate lags 11 basis points in this three-week example.
Lenders are quicker to move mortgage rates higher on those bad bond market days than they are to post improved rates when the bond market rallies.
“Lenders have capacity constraints,” said Fratantoni.
Because lenders are slower to lower, you may be losing monthly payment savings for every additional month you wait. “Households that refinanced in the second quarter of 2019 will save an average of $1,700 a year, which is equivalent to about $140 each month,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.
Just like gambling winnings, you can play with house money. Consider a no-cost refinance to improve your rate right now. Then, if rates drop again, do another no-cost loan at the lower rate.
Most borrowers are willing to go through the refinance “exercise” again and again if they can save $100 or more per month with each loan funding.
Be mindful that even though Dodd-Frank precludes prepayment penalties for owner-occupied loans, Fannie, Freddie and other upstream money suppliers will likely come after your lender or mortgage broker for advancing rebates to borrowers getting zero-cost or even zero-point loans that were paid off in less than six months.
Mortgage broker Jeff Lazerson can be reached at 949-334-2424 or jlazerson@mortgagegrader.com. His website is www.mortgagegrader.com.
A 51-year old co-worker has been arrested in the slaying of a retired Cal State Fullerton administrator who was found stabbed to death in his vehicle on campus earlier this week, authorities said.
Fullerton police said Chuyen Vo fatally stabbed 57-year-old Steven Shek Keung Chan of Hacienda Heights was found with multiple stab wounds Monday morning, Aug. 19.
The suspect, initially described as an Asian man in his mid-20s, fled on foot, but was captured on surveillance video running through a nearby parking lot wearing all black. Police also believe the suspect left his backpack behind, underneath the victim’s car. A crude incendiary device, described as a bottle filled with flammable liquid with matches attached, was found inside the backpack, Lt. Jon Radus said.
Bladed weapons and items that potentially could be used in a kidnapping attempt were also recovered by police.
The discovery of the backpack, which also contained zip ties, a knife, wigs and other disguise materials, led authorities to believe Chan was targeted and not the subject of a random attack.
A sketch of the possible suspect was released by authorities a day after Chan was found.
Fullerton police released surveillance video and a composite sketch, seen here, of the suspect believed to have fatally stabbed a Cal State Fullerton retired administrator on campus on Monday, August 19. They are seeking the public’s help identifying the man. (Courtesy of the Fullerton Police Department)
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Yorba Linda City Council members and Placentia-Yorba Linda school district trustees have expressed confidence in the top-level managers they’ve hired to helm municipal operations and K-12 education by granting them 2.5 percent salary increases.
Unanimous votes by the council and school board were taken at public meetings earlier this month after the governing bodies concluded formal evaluations during closed-door sessions.
City Manager Mark Pulone’s annual salary was increased to $253,224 starting Oct. 1. Pulone was hired in July of 2013, and last year, he was given a five-year contract extension to Oct. 1, 2023. He oversees a $38 million operating budget and some 150 full- and part-time employees.
Schools Superintendent Greg Plutko’s annual salary was increased to $325,167 starting July 1. He was hired in July of 2016, and his contract has been extended through June 30, 2023. He oversees a $288 million all-funds budget and some 2,000 full-time equivalent employees.
Contracts for Plutko’s top assistants were extended through June 30, 2022: Candy Plahy, deputy superintendent for educational services; David Giordano, assistant superintendent for business services; and Rick Lopez, assistant superintendent for human resources.
Salary increases for managers usually will be the same as for the district’s certificated and classified employees, which currently are being negotiated between the unions and district.
Tuesday is the first day of school for some 25,000 students at 34 Placentia-Yorba Linda campuses, with students and teachers off Aug. 30 and Sept. 2 for the Labor Day weekend. Teachers returned today for three days of meetings and lesson and classroom preparation.
Eighty certificated staff left the district last year: 48 retirements (among them 22 elementary, 19 high school and two middle school teachers) and 32 resignations. Trustees approved hiring 37 replacements at an Aug. 13 meeting.
Trustees also approved agreements with Yorba Linda and Placentia to keep school resource officers on high school campuses for the new school year as part of the district’s safe school initiatives.
The arrangement with Yorba Linda provides an officer each day at Yorba Linda High School. The city and district share the cost, with the district paying about $110,000.
The agreement with Placentia provides two officers, one each day at El Dorado and Valencia high schools. The city and district share the cost, with the district paying about $246,000.
The district expects the officers “to positively impact student, staff and parental perceptions of school safety,” stated a report to trustees from Executive Director Richard McAlindin.
And interestingly, since July 1, the district already has received $251,245 in gifts – mainly cash – from PTA fundraisers and donations from individuals and businesses, as well as such goods as computer, sports and musical equipment.
Last year’s haul was $827,580.
Jim Drummond is a longtime Yorba Linda resident. He gives his opinion on local issues weekly. Send e-mail to jimdrummond@hotmail.com.
