Century refuses to share Orange League basketball title with Savanna

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SANTA ANA – The Century boys basketball team avenged its only league loss of the season by defeating Savanna 61-44 Thursday night at Century High to become the outright Orange League champions.

The win gave the Centurions (20-8, 9-1) consecutive league titles for the first time since 2006 when they won four straight league championships from 2003-2006.

“It’s been a really tough year,” Centurions coach Jeff Young said. “We’ve had a lot of ups and downs, injuries, off-the-court stuff, so it’s really nice to get it (league title) by yourself.”

Century wasn’t in the mood to share the title with the Rebels (10-14,7-3).

Century wins back to back Orange League championships by defeating Savanna 61-44. Eduardo Sorto led the Centurions with 14 pts. @ocvarsity pic.twitter.com/nYjQ9uV9Fi

— David Delgado (@DavidDelgado_OC) February 1, 2019

“Savanna won league at least seven or eight times in a row, and to kind of take the throne from them with everyone coming back next year, it’s a really good time in our program,” Young said.

Sophomore Eduardo Sorto (14 points) was one of three starters in finish in double figures in scoring. Sophomore Damian Martinez and junior Tyler Thomas each finished with 11 points.

Young gave credit to the energy of the home crowd for Century jumping out to a 15-5 lead after the first quarter.

“It was huge, good crowd tonight, good atmosphere, good vibe,” Young said. “We don’t get a lot of attendance at our games, so I think the kids were really excited about it.”

The Rebels were led by Waleed Khaliq who scored a game-high 21 points, including five 3-pointers.

The Centurions made sure to hold everyone else in check thanks in part to their zone defense.

Sorto was plagued by foul trouble in the first half but bounced back to score 10 of his team-high 14 points in the second half.

Century also received big contributions off the bench from Ronnie Ramirez and Michael Lay.

Lay (9 points) is one of three seniors on the roster, so his leadership will be called upon during the postseason.

Century fell short of reaching their first CIF final last season losing to Nogales 47-46 in the 5AA semifinals.

“He’s a guy that totally deserves to start on our team,” Young said of Lay. “He’s the first guy in the gym, does everything you want, takes charges, he does all the things you need from role players.

“He’s the reason we win league championships because you have players like that.”

Young hopes his young team is ready for a deep playoff run to cap off an already special season.

“We’re in a tougher division this year,” he said. “We moved up a little bit, but our guys are motivated, they’re going to be fired up and hopefully we get a home game in the first round. Every game is a one-game playoff, so we’ll take the same approach we did last year.”

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La Quinta pulls away at end to beat Bolsa Grande, earn share of Garden Grove title

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GARDEN GROVE – For three quarters, the Garden Grove League boys basketball finale between Bolsa Grande and La Quinta on Thursday was a track meet, with neither team able to pull away.

In the fourth quarter, it appeared to come down to conditioning.

The Aztecs went on a 16-0 run that began late in the third quarter and cruised to a 69-53 victory in a loud La Quinta High gym.

The victory gave the Aztecs (13-13, 8-2) a share of the league title with Santiago (18-8, 8-2), which defeated Los Amigos 61-39 on Thursday.

The Aztecs and Cavaliers split their two games in league, with each team winning on its home court.

La Quinta will go into the CIF Southern Section playoffs as a first-place in Division 4A and Santiago will go as a first-place team in Division 4AA.

The score Thursday was tied after the first and second quarters and late into the third, but at that point the Aztecs took total control.

Bolsa Grande (14-12, 6-3) went close to six minutes without scoring and managed only six points in the fourth quarter.

“I think we are in really good condition,” Aztecs coach Mark Sanchez said. “I didn’t think we would be because we play about six or seven guys.”

The Matadors had no way of containing La Quinta’s 6-foot-5 center Michael Nadeau, who led all players with 36 points and 13 rebounds.

Nadeau hit four 3-pointers, creating even more problems for the Matadors because of his ability to hit from outside.

“The three-ball is definitely a difference maker,” said Nadeau, who is also the quarterback for the Aztecs football team. “If I can get that going, down low is easy after that. I had both going today.”

Both teams shot well from behind the arc.

Brandon Lai scored 13, including two 3-pointers to lead the Matadors who hit five 3-pointers as a team.

The Aztecs’ Anthony Nguyen hit four 3-pointers and finished with 13 points and seven rebounds.

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Franklin’s big night helps Villa Park knock off Canyon, earn share of Crestview title

Los Altos’ Jarod Lucas scores 52, becomes CIF-SS all-time scoring leader

St. John Bosco wins first-ever Trinity League basketball title to put finishing touches on Open Division resume

Clippers’ Tobias Harris left off of Western Conference All-Star team

Orange County basketball highlights for Thursday, Jan. 31

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Highlights and top scorers from the Orange County basketball games on Thursday, Jan. 31.

*Will be updated.

Thursday’s top scorers

BOYS

Pts    Player, school

36    Nadeau, La Quinta

27    Franklin, Villa Park

26    Kayekjian, Acaciawood

25    Thoerner, Beckman

24    Castro, Garden Grove

24    Clarke-Hosler, Woodbridge

23    Sharifi, Northwood

22    Brown, Pacifica

22    Garnett, Edison

22    Patterson, Cypress

21    Khaliq, Savanna

21    Martinez, Garden Grove

20    Headington, Edison

20    Muller, Beckman

20    Soma, Beckman

18    Chalmers, Newport Harbor

17    Perry, Canyon

17    Sloniger, Valencia

17    Turner, El Dorado

16    Brown, Cypress

16    Olcomendy, Los Alamitos

15    Aryan, University

14    Collins, Edison

14    Flint, Northwood

14    Gilbert, Crean Lutheran

14    Haq, Valencia

14    Schroeder, Villa Park

14    Sorto, Century

13    Geiger, Esperanza

13    Humphreys, Corona del Mar

13    Kuan, Acaciawood

13    Lai, Bolsa Grande

13    Miramontes, Godinez

13    Nguyen, La Quinta

12    Ahinaquah, Valencia

12    Bond-Zotea, Santiago

12    Epp, Valencia

12    Johnson, Esperanza

12    Phan, Troy

12    Scherer, Crean Lutheran

12    Shin, Crean Lutheran

12    Steinbeck, Esperanza

12    Stone, Corona del Mar

12    Waite, Canyon

 

GIRLS

Pts    Player, school

27    Hladek, San Juan Hills

23    Lee, Brea Olinda

22    Schwan, Tesoro

18    Uyematsu, Canyon

17    DeGree, San Clemente

17    Gates, Kennedy

15    Tailor, Kennedy

14    Anderson, Sonora

14    Arcos, Santa Ana Valley

14    Corona, Whittier Christian

14    Chu, Northwood

14    Gardiner, San Clemente

14    Gustafson, Brea Olinda

14    Halle, Northwood

13    Miller, Aliso Niguel

12    Flores, Santa Ana Valley

12    Kwong, Esperanza

12    Price, Brea Olinda

12    Wolford, Tesoro

Coaches and team representatives are encouraged to email their scores and stats after every game to the Register at preps@ocregister.com.

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Orange County scores and player stats for Thursday (1-31-19)

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Scores and stats for the Orange County games on Thursday, Jan. 31.

BOYS BASKETBALL

GIRLS BASKETBALL

 

GIRLS SOCCER

ACADEMY LEAGUE

Webb 1, Fairmont Prep 0

Avalon 1, Tarbut V’Torah 0 (forfeit)

 

GIRLS WATER POLO

SOUTH COAST LEAGUE

Dana Hills 14, El Toro 10

NONLEAGUE

El Dorado 13, California 7

 

 

 

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Horse racing: Santa Anita leaders, notes

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SANTA ANITA LEADERS

Through Thursday (Jan. 31)

JOCKEYS / WINS

Flavien Prat / 25

Joel Rosario / 20

Heriberto Figueroa / 17

Geovanni Franco / 13

Tiago Pereira / 13

Mike Smith / 13

TRAINERS / WINS

Doug O’Neill / 14

Peter Miller / 13

Richard Baltas / 10

Jerry Hollendorfer / 10

Keith Desormeaux

WEEKEND STAKES SCHEDULE (SANTA ANITA)

Saturday

• $200,000 Grade II San Pasqual Stakes, 4-year-olds and up, 1-1/8 miles

• $150,000 Grade III Robert B. Lewis Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1-1/16 miles

DOWN THE STRETCH

• John Sadler bid farewell to Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Accelerate early Sunday morning with a pat on the neck before heading home. The 2018 Horse of the Year runner-up finished third in the final race of his career, the Pegasus World Cup, before heading to Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky to begin his breeding career. “It’s like sending your kid off to college,” Sadler told Gulfstream Park publicity. “We’ll see him in Kentucky, so it’s not like he’s going far. Hopefully, we’ll be back there and see him soon.” Accelerate was voted top older dirt male when the Eclipse Awards were announced on Jan. 24.

• The Bob Baffert-trained Mucho Gusto is the 8-5 morning-line favorite in Saturday’s Grade III Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita. The Lewis, one of the major prep races for the Santa Anita Derby, drew a field of six, which also includes Sham Stakes winner and 9-5 second choice Gunmetal Gray. “Mike (jockey Mike Smith) told me Gunmetal Gray can run as far as they can run,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. “I hope he’s right.” Gunmetal Gray rallied from seventh to win the Sham by a length despite racing four wide. Mucho Gusto has won two of three starts, including the Grade III Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 17.

• McKinzie, impressive winner of the opening-day Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita, will kick off his 4-year-old campaign as the 4-5 morning-line favorite in Saturday’s Grade II San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita. McKinzie won the Malibu by 4-3/4 lengths with a big rally from 10th in the 7-furlong race. McKinzie, a son of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, has won 5 of 7 races lifetime for earnings of $1,086,000. He’ll be ridden by Smith, who has been aboard for all of his starts. Battle of Midway is the 5-2 second choice in the 1-1/8-mile race that serves as a steppingstone to the $500,000 Santa Anita Handicap.

— Art Wilson

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Whitewater Snacks has reopened in Downtown Disney

Rams’ Robert Woods driven to bring Super Bowl title to L.A.

Amazon has another ‘Prime’ holiday: Profit tops $3 billion

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Amazon had another strong holiday season: Its quarterly profit topped $3 billion for the first time as revenue grew across its businesses, including online shopping, advertising and cloud computing.

The Seattle-based company’s estimated revenue for the current quarter, however, was below what Wall Street analysts expected.

Amazon, which recently surpassed Microsoft as the most valuable publicly traded company in the U.S., reported net income of $3.03 billion for the last three months of 2018. On a per share basis, it had net income of $6.04, beating the $5.55 per share analysts expected, according to Zacks Investment Research.

Shoppers will spend $484 billion globally on Amazon this year, up 26 percent from 2018, and the company will capture more than half of all online spending in the U.S., according to EMarketer Inc.

Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos has been pushing beyond the low-margin business of selling goods online into more profitable categories like cloud computing and advertising. Those profits also help fuel Amazon’s growing devices business, which includes smart-home and connected-car gadgets that operate on Amazon’s voice-activated Alexa platform.

Strength in online sales over the holiday period showed Amazon still has room to grow in its core business and is benefiting from excitement around its new devices, said Ron Josey, an analyst at JMP Securities.

“This company continues to take wallet share and operate very well,” he said.

Revenue rose 20 percent to $72.38 billion, beating the $71.73 billion that analysts expected.

For the current quarter ending in April, Amazon said it expects revenue in the range of $56 million to $60 million. Analysts expected revenue of $61.19 billion.

Investor excitement about Amazon’s growing profits helped push the stock to a record high in September before the shares dipped during a broader market slump at year’s end. Amazon shares are up about 14 percent this year on investor optimism that the company can maintain growth and profitability, and closed at $1,718.73 before the results were released. Amazon had jumped back above Microsoft Corp., which is No. 2 in cloud computing, as the most valuable publicly traded company, with a market capitalization of $840.4 billion.

A tight labor market, rising shipping costs and money-losing investments abroad remain threats. Amazon in October pledged to pay all of its warehouse employees at least $15 an hour, while eliminating some bonuses and stock awards. The cost of stowing, packing and delivering goods increased 12 percent in the holiday quarter to $10 billion, in line with online sales growth of 12.5 percent.

Bloomberg and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ambitious Ales holds surprise soft opening in Long Beach Jan. 31

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Mark Zuckerberg adds $6.2 billion in a day, vaulting to No. 5 richest in world

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Mark Zuckerberg added $6.2 billion to his net worth Thursday, jumping two places to No. 5 on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, after his Facebook Inc. posted revenue that beat Wall Street estimates, sending its shares soaring.

Zuckerberg, Facebook’s 34-year-old co-founder, vaulted over Amancio Ortega of Spain and Mexico’s Carlos Slim, who are now ranked sixth and seventh, respectively, on the list of the world’s 500 richest people. Shares of Menlo Park, California-based Facebook surged 11 percent to $166.69, the biggest one-day gain in three years, boosting Zuckerberg’s fortune to $65.6 billion.

Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos added $3.8 billion on the day and remains the planet’s wealthiest person with a $142.1 billion fortune, ahead of No. 2 Bill Gates, with $95.8 billion. Bezos overtook the Microsoft Corp. co-founder for the top spot 15 months ago.

Only four of the 174 Americans on the Bloomberg ranking saw their fortunes decline in January as U.S. markets rallied from a late-December slump. The S&P 500 Index surged 7.9 percent for the month, its best in more than three years. The world’s 500 richest people added a total of $308 billion to their wealth in January as global markets also gained.

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Southern California braces for mudslides, flooding as rainfall hits region

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Southern California agencies and residents are preparing themselves for possible mudslides and flooding as a series of powerful storms expected to dump up to two inches of rain in some areas makes its way toward here.

The National Weather Service issued a flash-flood advisory Thursday morning for portion of Los Angeles County as rain pummeled some areas.

FLASH FLOOD WATCH has been issued until 3pm for the 1st year burn scars – Woolsey, Hill, Stone, & South Fires due to heavy rain moving into the hatched areas below. A watch means potential for flash flooding along with mud/debris flows near burn areas. Stay alert! #CAwx #LARain pic.twitter.com/hIKyHg1Rgk

— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 31, 2019

“Rainfall rates are expected to range between 0.25 and 0.50 inches per hour with local rates up to 0.75 inches per hour,” according to the advisory. “With these rainfall rates, nuisance flooding can be expected,including flooding of roadways and low-lying areas.

“Additionally, there may be minor mud and debris flows in and around the recent burn areas, including the Woolsey, Stone, South Creek and La Tuna burn scars.”

The advisory is expected to last until noon, officials said.

Small but powerful storm impacting the area this morning with 100's of lightning strikes. Heavy rain with flash flooding possible near recent burn areas thru 3pm. #CAwx #LArain pic.twitter.com/ohI8NGyv7Y

— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 31, 2019

Some cities that could experience flooding include Long Beach, Malibu, Inglewood, Venice, Alhambra, Whittier and Burbank.

As of 11 a.m., rain had fallen and thunder heard in many spots in Los Angeles County.

Although it was still relatively dry early Thursday morning in the Inland Empire, Riverside County officials issued a mandatory evacuation order for those living in the Holy burn area. Those living in the Cranston burn area were told to remain vigilant.

The storm was expected to drop about a quarter inch of rain in the Lake Elsinore area Thursday and three-quarters to an inch on Saturday. Coastal areas could see nearly an inch of rain Thursday and up to two inches on Saturday, according to the NWS.

First responders in some cities advised residents to be prepared by picking up sand and sandbags if they are in flood-prone areas. Fire stations in the cities of Ontario, Long Beach, Tustin and Irvine all have sandbags and sand for residents.

Forecasters expect there to be a break in the rain most of Friday before heavier rain hits the Southland late Friday and all day Saturday. Minor debris flows near burn areas are likely. Snow is expected in the local mountains above 7,000 feet. The series’ final colder storm was expected to hit Monday.

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Gardening: Growing pomegranates and pluots in California’s varied climates

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“I was visiting my parents in Modesto and we picked up some delicious pluots at a local fruit stand. Since my Santa Rosa plum has rarely bloomed or produced fruit, I was interested in replacing it with a pluot variety. Do you know if any specific pluots grow and produce fruit in my area? And do they need another tree as a pollinator? My yard currently produces Keishu mini mandarins, ruby Grapefruit, Manilla mango, Fuyu persimmons, Eureka lemon, navel oranges, and avocados. I occasionally can get apricots, but both peach and nectarine trees bit the dust.”  – Kathy Jones, Orange

Your success with tropical, evergreen fruit trees, in contrast with your struggles to grow temperate zone deciduous trees, may be attributed to the mild winter climate in Orange which, as its name suggests, was home to commercial orange groves at one time.

Modesto, where you sampled pluots, happens to be the home of the pluot revolution, whose origins can be traced back to the work of Luther Burbank. In the late 1800’s, Burbank created the first plumcot, a hybrid between a plum and an apricot. Nearly one hundred years later, Floyd Zaiger, a Modesto agronomist, crossed a plumcot with a plum and pluots (75 percent plum, 25 percent apricot) were born. The hybrid created from a plumcot and an apricot, incidentally, was called an aprium. Zaiger has since hybridized various permutations of his original crosses, giving birth to dozens of pluot varieties, of many different colors and flavors, in the process.

Yes, you will need a pollinator so make room for two trees before you embark on your pluot project. Locally for you, Laguna Hills Nursery carries pluot trees and you may want to pay them a visit at 1829 N. Tustin Avenue in Santa Ana (http://bit.ly/2r3oZaR, 714-542-5600).

I also would not give up on finding plums, nectarines, and peaches that grow in mild winter Orange County or other sub-tropical southern California locales. If you do an Internet search of “low chill nectarines,” you will find varieties raised by California growers that would be compatible with your climate.

By the way, I would like to put in a good word for independent nurseries. I have seen many of them vanish over the years and they deserve to be patronized unless we want plant selection to be confined to the offerings of garden departments at home improvement centers.

“My mature pomegranate tree at some point in the past had it’s main core branches chopped at the 7 to 8 foot level from which now sprout dozens and dozens of quarter to half inch diameter branches which shoot straight up giving it the “I see a ghost” look. Should I chop all this back or just leave it? The tree normally produced 8 to 10 cardboard boxes of fruit but, after a significant pruning last year to open up the interior, it produced only a couple of boxes but the fruit was generally larger. Last spring I noticed on the ground scores and scores of blossoms and wondered about the cause of this. There has not been any irrigation or fertilizer over my five years of association with the tree.”– Richie Locasso, Hemet

Pomegranate trees, of Mediterranean origin, are so tough that they can grow quite well when left alone. I find it interesting that you had large harvests without irrigation or fertilization. However, it is also true that older fruit trees of all kinds decline in productivity and it could be that your tree is past its prime which, in the case of pomegranates, is around 15 years of age, although the trees may live for two centuries. For peak pomegranate performance, you should deep soak your trees once a week during the growing season and fertilize twice a year, in March and November, with 1 pound of nitrogen fertilizer per mature tree. For instance, if the amount of nitrogen listed on the bag is 8 percent, you would need 100/8 = 12.5 pounds of the product to equal the 1 pound of actual nitrogen that you need per tree. Starting at the canopy edge, circle the perimeter of the tree with a shovel, pushing it a few inches into the earth in the direction of the trunk at two foot intervals and dropping a handful of fertilizer into each opening.

As for pruning, you need to bear in mind that pomegranates produce fruit on two to three year old spurs at the ends of shoots. If you have a lot of thin shoots that develop after a major pruning, you will want to take off up to two-thirds of these, encouraging the rest to grow into pomegranate producers. The blossom drop you mention is most commonly caused either by lack of pollinating bee activity or by lack of water.

In several decades of plant watching, I have never seen luscious pomegranates on a local tree. They are either cracked or undersized or both. You are hereby invited to send me your positive pomegranate experiences so I can share them with our readers.

Tip of the Week: David Salvaggio, who gardens in Redlands, asked about pruning practices reagarding azaleas and climbing roses such as the fragrant and multi-colored ‘Joseph’s Coat.’ Pruning azaleas now will remove flower buds that would otherwise open up later this winter or in the spring.  With azaleas as with most flowering shrubs, the best time to prune is just after flowers fade. Do not prune climbing roses their first two to three years in the garden. When you do prune, first remove all leaves in order to see canes and branches and to eliminate foliar fungal spores. Then cut out any diseased or dead growth. Where two branches cross, cut away the older branch since it will produce fewer flowers than the younger one. Cut back lateral shoots to  five buds or less. Finally, disinfect pruning shears — with a 3:1 water to bleach solution — before starting to prune and after pruning any dead or diseased growth.

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Six Flags Magic Mountain is closed due to weather while Disneyland and Knott’s remain open

Willow the mystery dog, shockingly skin and bones, comes to Seal Beach Animal Care weighing half what she should

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Villa Park-Canyon, Surf League playoff games in boys basketball tonight

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A look at tonight’s big games in Orange County boys basketball …

Villa Park at Canyon: Canyon is in first place in the Crestview League with a 5-0 league record. Villa Park is second at 4-1. Canyon beat Villa Park in overtime 64-59 on Jan. 18. The student sections will provide an outstanding sideshow.

Corona del Mar vs. Newport Harbor and Edison vs. Los Alamitos at Marina: The four-team Surf League finished the regular season with a four-way tie for first place. All four of those teams are 3-3 in league. To sort it out, they’ve scheduled additional games today. CdM-Newport is at 5:30 p.m. Edison-Los Alamitos is at 7 p.m.

Beckman at Northwood: Beckman is in first place in the Pacific Coast League with a 7-2 league record. Northwood is second at 6-3.

Bolsa Grande at La Quinta: La Quinta is 7-2 in the Garden Grove League and is tied for first place with Santiago (which plays 1-8 Los Amigos). Bolsa Grande is third at 6-3, one game ahead of Loara which plays 1-8 Rancho Alamitos.

St. Margaret’s at Sage Hill: They are tied for first place in the Academy League. Both are 6-1 in league.

 

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Los Alamitos beats Edison to be part of four-way tie for Surf League title

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LOS ALAMITOS – For the Los Alamitos boys basketball team, this week is all about survive and advance.

With their back against the wall, the Griffins took control of their Surf League finale against Edison and produced a 60-45 victory Wednesday night at Los Alamitos High.

With Newport Harbor’s 54-29 victory over Corona del Mar on Wednesday, all four teams in the Surf League finish tied for first and will share the league title.

The Surf League will play tiebreaker games at Marina High on Thursday to determine which teams will receive the league’s two guaranteed playoff spots. Corona del Mar will play Newport Harbor at 5:30 p.m. followed by Edison-Los Alamitos at 7 p.m.

Post game interview with Los Al coach Eddie Courtemarche as the Griffins share the Surf League title and live another day!@ocvarsity @asb_los @LosGrifFans @LosAlBasketball pic.twitter.com/bpQ3pN3yYo

— Manny Alvarez (@MAlvarez02) January 31, 2019

“This feels good,” Los Al coach Eddie Courtemarche said. “If you would’ve told me a few weeks ago that we’d be in this position for a championship, I’d probably laugh a little bit. This just shows you how tough our guys are and how much they want to compete.

“It feels really good to be a part of the first Surf League championship.”

Los Alamitos needs to win to advance to the CIF-SS playoffs; a loss would end its season.

With a win Thursday, Los Alamitos (11-16, 3-3) would secure a guaranteed playoff spot. But if the Griffins lose, their sub-.500 overall record would keep them from qualifying for an at-large playoff berth.

“Tomorrow’s game is going to be a dogfight,” Los Alamitos guard Everett May said. “We are fighting for a playoff berth. I want to make the playoffs. We all want to make the playoffs so bad.”

Post game interview with Everett May of Los Al as the Griffins play Edison again tomorrow in the tiebreaker game!@ocvarsity @asb_los @LosGrifFans @Chargers_ASB @EdisonSportsNet @LosAlBasketball pic.twitter.com/g64igNnrpc

— Manny Alvarez (@MAlvarez02) January 31, 2019

In Wednesday’s game, the Griffins fell behind at the end of the first quarter 16-9, but they went on a 15-2 run to start the second quarter and never looked back thanks to May’s 16 points and seven rebounds.

“I’m pretty sure Edison was focused on David (Olcomendy) and myself after coming off a big game last time,” Los Alamitos guard Kevin Kent said. “Everett was big for us tonight. He hit a couple 3’s and helped spread the floor out.”

Edison lost to Los Alamitos 61-57 at home on Jan. 18.

Kent scored 14 points while dishing out five assists, while Olcomendy added 14 points and six rebounds.

Post game interview with Kevin Kent of Los Alamitos as its do or die tomorrow for Los Al!@ocvarsity @asb_los @LosGrifFans @LosAlBasketball pic.twitter.com/teY3YBAjwj

— Manny Alvarez (@MAlvarez02) January 31, 2019

Edison (18-10, 3-3) trailed by two points at halftime, but fell behind to start the second half thanks to a 7-0 run by Los Alamitos.

The Chargers were held to 18 points in the second half.

Aiden Garnett led the Chargers with 11 points while Connor Collins added nine points. Kaden Headington and Justin Stauss each scored eight points for Edison.

Freshman Tyler Matthews scored 10 points for Los Alamitos.

 

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Three arrested on suspicion of killing man found after Anaheim ‘factory party’

Noah Dickerson, Washington end USC’s 3-game win streak

Mater Dei overwhelms Orange Lutheran to win Trinity League boys basketball title

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SANTA ANA – It was a typical win for the 2018-19 Mater Dei boys basketball team.

The Monarchs were defensively stout. Five players scored in double figures. Mistakes were few.

It added up to a 78-55 win over Orange Lutheran in a Trinity League game Wednesday at Mater Dei. It was the final regular-season game for both teams.

Mater Dei clinched at least a share of the league championship. The Monarchs, No. 1 in the Orange County top 25, finished the regular season 25-3 overall and 4-1 in league. It would be a league co-championship if St. John Bosco (3-1 in league) wins at Servite on Thursday.

For Mater Dei coach Gary McKnight it’s a 31st consecutive league championship and a 35th league title in his 36 seasons coaching the Monarchs.

Mater Dei is on the “watch list” of candidates for the CIF-Southern Section Open Division for the playoffs. The eight teams selected for the Open Division will be announced Friday. CIF-SS brackets for all divisions will be released Sunday. If Mater Dei is not in the Open Division the Monarchs in the playoffs would play in Division 1 in which they are ranked No. 5.

Mater Dei Harrison Hornery talks about the Monarchs’ 78- 55 win over Orange Lutheran. He’s from Australia. Scored 13 points with 4 assists ⁦@ocvarsity⁩ ⁦@MDHSMonarchs⁩ ⁦@MaterDeiHoops⁩ pic.twitter.com/hfgkiCTNKV

— Steve Fryer (@SteveFryer) January 31, 2019

Orange Lutheran, No. 3 in the Orange County top 25, finished the regular season 20-8 overall and 2-3 in league.

The top three finishers in the six-team Trinity League receive guaranteed entry into the playoffs. Orange Lutheran, as the league’s No. 5 playoff representative, must qualify for the playoffs as an at-large team. The Lancers would play in Division 2AA.

At-large teams would be placed in the 32-team 2AA bracket if there are not enough automatic qualifiers. Through Wednesday’s games it appeared that Orange Lutheran would be a 2AA at-large team. If selected Orange Lutheran, although ranked No. 2 in this week’s Division 2AA poll, would open the playoffs with an away game against another league’s automatic qualifier.

Turnovers told the story in Wednesday’s surprisingly one-sided game. Orange Lutheran committed 26 turnovers to Mater Dei’s five. The Monarchs had zero turnovers in the first half.

All five Monarchs scored in double figures Wednesday: sophomore point guard Devin Askew, 16 points (with five assists and four steals); junior forward guard Aidan Prukop, 13 points; sophomore forward Harrison Hornery, 13 points (and four assists); sophomore Wilhelm Breidenbach, 12 points; and junior guard Ryan Evans, 10 points (and four steals).

Sophomore forward Nick Davidson scored seven points with a team-high eight rebounds.

Orange Lutheran 6-11 junior Makur Maker scored 10 points, half of his per-game average because of the steady defense of Breidenbach (6-9) who got out quickly on Maker outside of the 3-point arc from where Maker is surprisingly effective, and challenged every Maker shot attempt inside.

“I thought Breidenbach did heck of a job on the big guy,” McKnight said. “He attacked and did a good job.”

The Monarchs were collectively on the attack from the start. Maker made a 3-pointer on the first shot of the game for a 3-0 Lancers lead. Then the Orange Lutheran turnovers started coming, accompanied by Mater Dei fast-break baskets.

Soon it was 12-5, Mater Dei.

“We put on the gas right away,” said Hornery, who is 6-9 and from Australia. “We didn’t want to let (the Lancers) come back in this game. We knew if they got it going from the three point line … it was going to be close game and we didn’t want that.”

The Monarchs had a 20-12 advantage at the end of the first quarter. They went on a 16-4 run in the second quarter to take a 42-20 lead into halftime.

It was 61-33 at the end of the third quarter. Mater Dei’s biggest lead was 36 points in the fourth.

“We played with a lot of intensity,” McKnight said.

It’s a young Mater Dei team, with no seniors in the starting five or among the first reserves off of the bench. The Open Division is loaded with state-ranked teams. But even with their youth, the Monarchs if chosen for the Open Division, will do fine if they play with the fire they displayed Wednesday and the balanced scoring continues.

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Orange County basketball highlights for Wednesday, Jan. 30

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Highlights and top scorers from the Orange County basketball games on Wednesday, Jan. 30.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Wednesday’s basketball scoreboard

No. 11 Trabuco Hills beat No. 18 Capistrano Valley 57-48 to win the outright South Coast League championship. The league championship was the second consecutive for the Mustangs and the third under head coach Sean Sullens. Kelvin Cabrera scored 23 points and made six 3-pointers for Trabuco Hills in the win. Trevor Hotmer had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Langston Redfield had 15 points for Capo Valley, who finished second place in the South Coast League.

No. 14 Newport Harbor routed rival No. 16 Corona del Mar 54-29 in the “Battle of the Bay” to win a share of the Surf League championship. All four teams in the Surf League have a 3-3 league record and will play tiebreaker games Thursday at Marina High. Sam Barela scored 16 points for the Sailors and made five 3-pointers. Robbie Spooner and Dayne Chalmers also scored in double-figures for Newport Harbor with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Jack Stone scored 11 points for the Sea Kings in the loss.

No. 1 Mater Dei earned a share of the Trinity League championship by dominating No. 3 Orange Lutheran 78-55 at Mater Dei High. Mater Dei finishes Trinity League play with a 4-1 record. If St. John Bosco beats No. 22 Servite Thursday, the Braves and Monarchs will be Co-Trinity League champions. The league championship was 35th for Mater Dei coach Gary McKnight in his 36 seasons as head coach. Devin Askew led the Monarchs with 16 points. Harrison Hornery and Aidan Prukop each added 13 for Mater Dei.

Dana Hills upset No. 21 El Toro 59-43 to clinch the third and final automatic qualifier for the playoffs spot in the Sea View League. Dana Hills finished with a 4-4 league record. The win ended the playoff chances for San Juan Hills, who finish fourth place with a 3-5 league record. Harrison Wiese scored 26 points for the Dolphins in the win and Ben Carr added 15. This marks the second consecutive playoff berth for the Dolphins after a three year drought.

No. 4 JSerra earned a third place finish in the Trinity League by beating No. 2 Santa Margarita 60-54 in front of a capacity crowd at JSerra High. The Lions finish the regular season with a 3-2 league record. Justin Williams scored a game-high 19 points for JSerra. Ian Martinez scored 18 points for the Lions and DJ Rodman added 15. Santa Margarita’s two stars, Jake Kyman and Max Agbonkpolo each scored 18 points in the loss. The Eagles will finish fourth place in the Trinity League with a 2-3 league record.

No. 20 Marina displayed its dominant defense in a 45-30 win over Laguna Beach to win the Wave League championship. Marina finished in fourth place in the Sunset League last season after winning just three games in 2016-2017. The Vikings held Laguna Beach to its lowest point total of the season and held Breakers’ star guard Nolan Naess to 11 points. The Breakers will be the Wave League’s other representative in the playoffs, finishing in second place with a 4-2 league record.

GIRLS

Wednesday’s basketball scoreboard

No. 10 JSerra beat No. 11 Santa Margarita 43-36 to finish third place in the Trinity League. Freshman forward Ava Carter had a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman Jamie Mackay was the high-scorer for the Lions with 12 points and Sarah Shaw grabbed 15 rebounds in the win. Santa Margarita finishes the regular season in fourth place in the Trinity League with a 1-3 league record and an 18-9 overall record.

No. 5 Fairmont Prep won the outright San Joaquin League championship by beating No. 7 Orangewood Academy 54-43 at Fairmont Prep. The Huskies began league play with a 1-4 overall record but won all eight of their San Joaquin League games. Fairmont Prep will take a seven-game winning streak entering the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs.

Wednesday’s top scorers

BOYS

Pts    Player, school

36     Smetona, San Clemente

26     Wiese, Dana Hills

23     Cabrera, Trabuco Hills

21     Brown, Pacifica Christian

19     Williams, JSerra

19     Kuan, Acaciawood

18     Kyman, Santa Margarita

18     Martinez, JSerra

18     Agbonkpolo, Santa Margarita

17     Ndumanya, Capistrano Valley Christian

16     Askew, Mater Dei

16     Barela, Newport Harbor

16     Sims, Pacifica Christian

16     May, Los Alamitos

16     Kayekjian, Acaciawood

15     Redfield, Capistrano Valley

15     Higgins, Mission Viejo

15     Mallette, Pacifica Christian

15     Ty. Broughton, Tesoro

15     Carr, Dana Hills

15     Powell, Capistrano Valley Christian

15     Rodman, JSerra

15     Moon, Laguna Hills

15     Ritscher, Tesoro

14     Hotmer, Trabuco Hills

14     Kent, Los Alamitos

14     Olcomendy, Los Alamitos

13     Prukop, Mater Dei

13     Gleason, Capistrano Valley

13     Hornery, Mater Dei

12     Talle, Trabuco Hills

12     Honetschlager, Tesoro

12     Breidenbach, Mater Dei

12     Huang, Acaciawood

GIRLS

Pts    Player, school

15     Mack, Katella

12     Mackay, JSerra

11     Carter, JSerra

Coaches and team representatives are encouraged to email their scores and stats after every game to the Register at preps@ocregister.com.

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Trabuco Hills knocks off Capistrano Valley in showdown for South Coast basketball title

UCLA rides sizzling shooting to easy win at Washington State

Ahmad, Rowe help Cal State Fullerton hold off Northridge for 5th straight win

Orange Lutheran girls water polo sinks Mater Dei to create Trinity League logjam

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ORANGE – Orange Lutheran’s No. 2-ranked girls water polo team took care of its Trinity League business Wednesday night with a dominating final-round victory against Mater Dei but that still didn’t clear the Lancers’ postseason direction.

The same could be said for the Monarchs and Santa Margarita, and a few interested contenders in CIF-SS Division 1.

But Coach Steve Carrera’s Lancers controlled what they needed to Wednesday, defeating No. 6 Mater Dei 12-7 in front of a packed pool deck at Santiago Canyon College to finish in a three-way tie for the league championship.

Orange Lutheran, Mater Dei and Santa Margarita each went 3-1 in the league, which according to two athletic directors, means the order of the league’s playoff seeding will be determined by a card draw Thursday.

“It’s out of our hands,” Carrera said of card draw. “That’s the problem with losing a game in the Trinity League.”

Orange Lutheran slipped in league against Santa Margarita but put away Mater Dei early by opening a 5-0 advantage late in the first half.

The Lancers led by as many as eight goals in the second half.

The trio of Hannah Palmer, Brooke Hourigan and Izzy Gazzaniga led the way.

Palmer scored the first two goals, including one off a power play she drew on a counterattack about two minutes into the first period.

The UCLA-bound senior finished with four goals and three assists.

The Harvard-bound Hourigan scored a game-high five goals, including a cross-cage skip-shot from the perimeter with two seconds left in the first half.

Gazzaniga, an emerging junior center, drew seven exclusions and two penalties. She also scored twice.

Orange Lutheran’s press defense again created plenty of problems. Mater Dei didn’t score until 1:13 left in the first half. The Lancers led 11-4 going into the fourth thanks in large part to their press, which played a prominent role in a runner-up finish at the Irvine SoCal Championships on Saturday.

Cal-bound Goalie Alyssa Barnuevo anchored the Lancers’ defense with nines saves.

Stanford-bound Hannah Constandse had three goals, two assists and three steals for Mater Dei. Junior Janna Tauscher added two goals for the Monarchs, who beat Santa Margarita earlier in league.

But the card draw dominated post-game chatter. Mater Dei athletic director Tia Meza and Orange Lutheran athletic director Paul Jones said the league needs to submit its playoff entries to the CIF-SS in the order of the draw.

“We have to do the draw,” Meza said. “It’s our by-laws.”

Orange Lutheran and Mater Dei are ranked second and eight in the Division 1-2 poll this week while Santa Margarita is 11th.

“We’ll play whoever we need to play (in the playoffs),” Carrera said.

The CIF-SS playoff pairings will be announced Saturday at 9 a.m.

 

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Fryer: La Habra-Sonora thriller might be basketball’s Game of the Year

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Taking a look around Orange County high school sports:

• The La Habra-Sonora boys basketball game on Tuesday night, a 57-56 win for La Habra, had all the elements of “Game of the Year:” A gym that was full 90 minutes before tipoff, frequent lead changes and a huge comeback by La Habra in which the Highlanders scored 31 points in the fourth quarter. Sonora’s Jesse Stines made a 3-pointer with four seconds left to put Sonora ahead by two, and La Habra’s Cameron Dashiell made a 3 at the buzzer for the win.

• The CIF-SS office releases its boys and girls basketball playoff brackets Sunday. Boys and girls soccer playoff brackets are out on Saturday.

• CIF-SS girls water polo playoff brackets are released Saturday.

• The CIF-SS boys individual wrestling championships are Feb. 8 and 9. The CIF-SS Masters Meet, which is the qualifying meet for the CIF State meet, is Feb. 15 and 16 at Cerritos College.

• The CIF-SS girls individual wrestling qualifying meets are Feb. 9 in five divisions. The CIF-SS girls individual championships, which also serve as the CIF State qualifying meet, are Feb. 15-16 at Roosevelt High of Eastvale.

• Paige Nobles has been promoted from assistant football coach to head coach at Northwood. He replaces Pete Mitchell who resigned after two seasons. Don’t make fun of the first name of a guy named “Paige” if he’s a football coach.

• Gus Martinez is the new football head coach at Sonora. Martinez was co-head coach with Ed DeAvila at Fullerton, 2013-17. Martinez, El Dorado’s offensive coordinator last season, is a campus supervisor at Sonora.

• Josh Stupin, last season’s starting quarterback at Fountain Valley, has transferred to Villa Park where Purdue-bound Paul Piferi was the senior quarterback in 2018. Villa Park is Stupin’s fourth school: freshman at St. John Bosco; sophomore at JSerra; junior at Fountain Valley. The four-schools-in-four-years trend is part of the reason the CIF-Southern Section has created a Transfer Rules Committee.

• Former Sonora baseball head coach Pat Tellers is an assistant coach this season at La Serna of Whittier. Tellers was fired as Sonora’s coach after the 2018 season, his 28th as Raiders coach.

• This job opening is going to draw some great candidates: Corona del Mar varsity girls volleyball head coach. Corona del Mar athletic director Don Grable (dgrable@nmusd.us) is the application destination.

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Man shot in Santa Ana, expected to survive

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A man shot in the torso in Santa Ana was recovering in a hospital on Wednesday, Jan. 30.

The shooting was reported at 4:55 p.m. near the intersection of 3rd and Euclid Streets, according to Santa Ana police Sgt. Richard Weber. He said responding officers found a man inside a sedan suffering from a gunshot wound to his torso.

The victim, described as a man in his 20’s, was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive.

Further details, including the identity of the victim or possible suspects were not immediately available.

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Long Beach hospital defends discharge of 84-year-old woman dumped at locked Alzheimer’s facility

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College Medical Center employees followed proper procedures last month when they discharged an 84-year-old woman with dementia, and then placed her in a cab that dropped her off at a locked Alzheimer’s treatment center in the middle of the night, hospital officials said Wednesday.

“College Medical Center is committed to providing its patients with superior service and quality of care,” the Long Beach hospital said in a statement. “College Medical Center fully complies with all regulations concerning patient discharge planning and transportation.”

About 6 p.m. Jan. 12, Savina Genoese Zerbi threatened to kill herself with a nail file in the first week of her stay at Regency Palms, an assisted-living and memory-care facility in Long Beach, said her daughter, Costanza Genoese Zerbi.

She was transported by ambulance to College Medical Center, a 121-bed acute care hospital on Pacific Avenue.

Costanza Genoese Zerbi spent about four hours in College Medical Center’s Emergency Room waiting for her mother to be evaluated, but left the hospital about 11 p.m. to attend to her children.

A short time later, she said, a hospital employee told her in a phone conversation her mother would be discharged and transported back to Regency Palms.

“I told him they needed to call Regency Palms and they would send a responsible person to collect her at the hospital or to receive her (at the assisted-care facility),”  Costanza Genoese Zerbi said. “I didn’t feel safe transporting her in my car.”

She was shocked to later learn Community Medical Center apparently put her mother in a cab that dumped her off outside of Regency Palms on Eighth Street on in the early hours of Jan. 13.

Security video shows Savina Genoese Zerbi, clad in a bathrobe and sandals, frantically trying for 25 minutes to get inside the locked facility.

It’s unclear how long she remained outdoors or how she gained entry to Regency Palms. Christine Tomlinson, executive director of Regency Palms, declined to comment Wednesday.

College Medical Center said patients have a right to choose their method of transportation upon discharge from the hospital.

“This particular patient denied College Medical Center’s assistance with transportation and insisted that she be taken to her place of residence via public transportation,” the hospital said in its statement.

The statement goes on to say College Medical Center “timely and properly” notified Savina Genoese Zerbi’s family and Regency Palms that she was being discharged.

However, Costanza Genoese Zerbi said her mother had no money with her to pay for cab fare, is mentally incapacitated and can’t make decisions for herself.

“Whoever decided my mother was safe to make decisions for herself should not have a medical license,” she said. “The hospital can’t walk away until they say she is in the hands of someone who is able to take responsibility. Putting her in public transportation is not taking responsibility for her.”

Costanza Genoese Zerbi, who has filed a complaint with the California Department of Public Health, said she initially planned to meet with Community Medical Center officials to discuss the issue, but has canceled the meeting in light of the hospital’s statement.

“I don’t believe they have any intention of improving their operation,” she said.

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Marine veterans test skills with newest artillery at Camp Pendleton rifle range

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Hoornstra: For two former major leaguers, retiring at age 30 beckoned in different ways

Along the Coast: Martin A. Brower’s Real Estate news

Los Angeles Zoo offers Rams fans discounted admission through Super Bowl Sunday

Hate crimes rise in Los Angeles, other largest U.S. cities for 5th year in a row, CSUSB report says

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Driver’s Seat: A new Mercedes coupe with lots of muscle

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Don’t look now. OK, just kidding, of course you can look. There’s a new super-fast four-door coupe on the block, and anyone who loves ridiculous sports cars with the option for occasional rear legroom should rejoice because this one’s a doozy.

Meet the Mercedes-AMG GT four-door, the first sedan offering from the haus of high-performance Mercedes-Benz that brought you the delightfully devious two-door Mercedes-AMG GT. That original coupe exists in four increasingly insane variants, topped off by the track-punishing 577 horsepower GT R. And lest you think that an extra couple of doors somehow suggests a tamer GT, think again.

The current range-topping GT 63 S four-door puts out a dastardly 630 horsepower and 664 foot-pound of torque. The milder GT 63 delivers 577 horsepower and 590 foot-pound of torque from a slightly less aggressive version of the same 4.0-liter V-8. The baby of the bunch, the GT 53, uses a smaller 3.0-liter inline-six – along with a turbocharger, supercharger and two-part electrical system – to make 429 horsepower and 384 foot-pound of torque.

Hey, at least you have options! And they are all absurdly fast: Each of the variants can reportedly sprint from standstill to 60 mph is less than 3.5 seconds.

Speaking of options, AMG’s over-engineering is on full display in the new four-door coupe. A confounding number of drive permutations are available through the four AMG Dynamics settings – Basic, Advanced, Pro and Master – and the six Dynamic Select driving modes – Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Race, Individual and Slippery. (That last one is essentially a drift mode.) It’s a very involved and involving system for those who wish to undertake the learning curve. Otherwise, you can probably just get in, mash the throttle and be just fine.

Structurally, the Mercedes-AMG GT four-door coupe is based on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan. Visually, AMG’s new four-door race car resembles the original fastback four-door coupe, the Mercedes-Benz CLS, but with a more muscular look and rounded rear end. Inside, the GT offers a range of combinations of leathers, microsuedes, carbon fiber and wood, allowing for vibes that skew either more sporty or more luxurious.

The Mercedes-AMG GT four-door coupe will arrive in dealerships before the summer at a starting price of $136,500. The only knock against it could be that it tries to do too much: Comfy freeway cruiser during the week, hardcore track star on weekends and coupe-like styling with four-door accessibility. However, in doing so, it will take on a worthy adversary: the Porsche Panamera sedan, which has been the reigning champion in the super-fast four-door sports car department. Best to buckle up for the fast and furious battle when these two Teutonic titans square off.

:: mercedes-benz.com

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Best thing I ate: The pozole at Panxa Cocina in Belmont Heights is a wormhole into New Mexico

Disneyland Resort has a new princess brunch — here’s what you get

Foxconn shelves much-ballyhooed plan for Wisconsin manufacturing hub

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By SCOTT BAUER

MADISON, Wis. — Foxconn Technology Group said Wednesday it is shifting the focus of its planned Wisconsin campus away from blue-collar manufacturing to a research hub, while insisting it remains committed to creating 13,000 jobs as promised.

The much-ballyhooed facility was heralded by President Donald Trump and former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to return manufacturing to the Midwest. Foxconn, a major supplier to Apple, is the world’s largest contract maker of electronics and China’s largest private employer.

In a statement Wednesday, Foxconn said it remains committed to the project, the creation of 13,000 jobs and “to our long-term investment in Wisconsin.” But because the global market environment that existed when the project was first announced in 2017 has shifted, “this has necessitated the adjustment of plans for all projects, including Wisconsin.”

Foxconn previously said it could invest as much as $10 billion in the project, but did not recommit to that number Wednesday.

Louis Woo, special assistant to Foxconn CEO Terry Gou, told Reuters that it is scaling back and possibly shelving plans to build liquid crystal display panel screens.

“In terms of TV, we have no place in the U.S.,” Woo told Reuters. “We can’t compete.”

Woo said a factory would not be built in Wisconsin: “You can’t use a factory to view our Wisconsin investment.”

Instead, Woo said Foxconn wants to create a “technology hub” that would largely consist of research facilities along with packaging and assembly operations. Woo said about three-quarters of the jobs created will be in research and development and design, rather than blue-collar manufacturing jobs.

Foxconn said in its statement that it was broadening its base of investment in Wisconsin to ensure the company and workforce will be positioned for long-term success. That includes focusing on research and development in advanced industrial internet technologies and producing high-tech applications and solutions for industries such as education, medical and health care, entertainment and sports, security, and smart cities, Foxconn said.

“Every step of the way Foxconn has overpromised and under-delivered,” said Democratic Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz in a statement. “This news is devastating for the taxpayers of Wisconsin. We were promised manufacturing jobs. We were promised state of the art LCD production. We were promised a game-changing economic opportunity for our state. And now, it appears Foxconn is living up to their failed track record in the U.S. — leaving another state and community high and dry.”

The Taiwan-based company billed the massive 20 million-square-foot (1.86 million-square-meter) Wisconsin campus as its first North American manufacturing site for the next generation of liquid crystal display panels to be used in a wide variety of products, including large-screen TVs, self-driving cars, notebooks and other monitors.

Wisconsin state and local governments promised roughly $4 billion to Foxconn, the largest incentive in state history and the biggest promised by a state to a foreign corporation in U.S. history. Foxconn was required to invest $10 billion and create 13,000 jobs to get the full incentives.

It hired 178 full-time employees rather than the 260 targeted in 2018, failing to earn a state tax credit worth up to $9.5 million.

The president of Wisconsin’s Technology Council, Tom Still, said he’s not surprised that Foxconn wants to change course since televisions are becoming less expensive and iPhone sales are declining.

Still, a supporter of the project, noted the company has already invested as much as $200 million in Wisconsin so he’s not worried that Foxconn might pull out.

“I do think that it’s likely that they’ll adjust to what the market conditions are,” said Still, whose group nurtures tech in Wisconsin and advises state leaders on policy.

Wisconsin Republican legislative leaders who pushed the Foxconn project said they blamed the state’s new Democratic governor for Foxconn’s changing plans.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said Foxconn was reacting to a “wave of economic uncertainty” that Gov. Tony Evers has brought. Evers was critical of Foxconn in the campaign against Walker, but did not pledge to undo the deal. Republicans also cited Evers’ support for all-but eliminating a manufacturing tax credit program to pay for a middle-class income tax cut.

Evers’ spokeswoman hasn’t returned a message seeking comment.

Democratic critics, including Evers, said the incentives promised to Foxconn were too rich and questioned whether the company would ever fulfill its job creation and investment promises. They also said the massive plant that was relying on water from nearby Lake Michigan posed serious environmental risks.

The White House also has yet to comment. Last summer, Trump highlighted his economic policies at a groundbreaking event for the massive Foxconn complex, which state officials initially said could house 11 football fields.

“America is open for business more than it has ever been open for business. Made in the USA: It’s all happening and it’s happening very, very quickly,” Trump said in June after visiting the Foxconn site. “Today we’re seeing the results of the pro-America agenda. America First, Make America Great Again. Greatest phrase ever used in politics, I suspect.”

Still, the technology council head, said Foxconn can succeed if the plant becomes more research-oriented because their areas of interest match up with Wisconsin’s strengths — such as robotics, medical imaging, and industrial imaging.

 

Associated Press writer Ivan Moreno contributed from Milwaukee.

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Radio: Find out who got a holiday ratings treat last year

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As expected, holiday music gave KOST (103.5 FM) a huge boost in the ratings during the season.

The station dominated the Holiday ratings released week, according to Nielsen, with ratings up by a full four points to 13.0 from the already high 9.0 for “December.” KOST in “November” had a 5.1.

Why the quotes?

Ratings are done in four-week periods, which gives 13 ratings “months” each year. So “December” is actually mostly November, making “Holiday” the last four weeks of the year. KOST started playing holiday music in early November.

Playing holiday music also helped Go Country 105, though to a much lesser degree. But it most certainly did help – while many music stations besides KOST were down, Go Country came in with its highest rating in at least six months: 2.7 compared with a 2.4 share in four of the previous five months.

KROQ (106.7 FM) was the top alternative station with a 2.4 rating, compared with Alt 98.7’s 2.0. I have not seen a breakdown of the ratings periods to determine exactly what happened, though I have a theory I’ll save for a future column.

KBIG was the top-rated contemporary music station, earning a 4.0 share, a half a point above one-time music leader KIIS-FM, which if my memory is serving me correctly has fallen to the lowest rating since I have been writing this column: 3.5. KIIS-FM was once in the 10’s.

KFI (640 AM) won the talk war again, though down to 3.2 from last month’s 3.5. That’s still far above the nearest direct competition: KEIB (1150 AM) had a 0.8 share of the audience while KABC (790 AM) came in at 0.7. Though perhaps not in the same category, KPCC (89.3) was a bit stronger at 2.3.

The full story: Each rating is an estimate of the percentage of listeners aged 6 and over, tuned to a station between the hours of 6 a.m. and 12 midnight as determined by Nielsen Ratings.

1. KOST (13.0) 2. KRTH (4.4) 3. KBIG My FM (4.0) 4. KTWV The Wave (3.6) 5. KIIS-FM (3.5) 6. KCBS-FM Jack, KLVE K-Love, KXOL (3.3) 9. KFI (3.2) 10. KPWR (3.0) 11. KRRL Real 92.3 (2.8) 12. KKGO Go Country (2.7) 13. KNX (2.6) 14. KLOS, KROQ (2.4) 16. KAMP Amp Radio, KLAX, KPCC, KRCD (2.3) 20. KBUE, KUSC (2.1) 22. KYSR Alt 98.7 (2.0) 23. KJLH (1.6) 24. KSCA (1.4) 25. KCRW (1.3) 26. KDAY (1.2) 27. KLYY, KSPN (1.1) 29. KKJZ, KKLQ (0.9) 31. KEIB, KSSE (0.8) 33. KABC, KDLD, KFWB, KLAC, KWIZ (0.7) 38. KFSH The Fish, KIRN, KRLA (0.6) 41. KKLA, KSUR K-Surf, KYLA (0.4) 44. KWKW (0.3) 45. KHJ, KNX Internet Stream, KPFK, KROQ Stream, KRTH Stream, KTNQ, KTWV-HD2, KTWV Stream (0.1)

Random Thoughts from a Cluttered Mind

KYSR has been playing alternative music as Alt 98-7 for over a decade. When will they stop calling themselves “L.A.’s New Alternative?” And for that matter, when will both Alt and KROQ stop playing so many old songs? Seems like they were afraid of new music at times …

Tuned in to KFI afternoon stars John and Ken last week. Seems like actual show content was down to about 20 minutes per hour, once the huge commercial breaks, news and traffic were counted. Show was the same old-same old, but the news has a new annoying music bed playing (loudly) in the background, most likely trying to pick up extra ratings points to due an oddity with the Nielsen Ratings system that has trouble crediting listenership during voice-only segments. Not sure how much the music helps; KFI might do well to just work on improving the talk programs …

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From gun violence to her famous parents, Rosanne Cash brings personal songs to her two Southern California shows

These photos and more earned Southern California photographer National Motorsports 2018 Photographer of the Year

Southern California home sales drop 20 percent amid housing market shift

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Southern California home sales fell for a fifth consecutive month in December, dropping 20.3 percent year over year as the once-hot 2018 housing market cooled considerably, real estate data firm CoreLogic reported Wednesday, Jan. 30.

It was the biggest sales drop for any month in eight years.

With one-fifth fewer homes changing hands, prices basically flattened out, ending the year up just 1.1 percent from December 2017 levels.

Area agents say multiple offers have all but vanished, price cuts are rampant and homes are taking longer to sell than in years past when a hot seller’s market gripped the region.

“I started seeing things slow down,” said Noel Palmieri, a Century 21 agent based in the San Gabriel Valley. “We weren’t getting the showings like we were. Things weren’t flying off the shelf the way they were.”

In all, owners sold 15,781 Southern California homes last month, about a third fewer than the December average, CoreLogic figures show.

The sales drop reflects a variety of factors, CoreLogic Analyst Andrew LePage said.

“Mortgage rates hit a 2018 high in November, affecting December closings, and stock-market volatility created an additional headwind in high-end markets,” he said. “Meanwhile, some would-be buyers remain priced out or unwilling to buy amid concerns that prices have overshot a sustainable level.”

The median price of a Southern California home – or the price at the midpoint of all sales – was $515,000, just $5,500 more than the median paid a year earlier.

It was the smallest year-over-year price gain since March 2012.

The tiny gain reflects in part a shift in the mix of homes sold, LePage said. The higher end of the market represented a slightly smaller share of homes sold than in December 2017.

Home price gains were well below average throughout the six-county region, ranging from a 1.6 percent increase in Orange County to a 4.1 percent gain in Riverside County. Gains averaged from 6.1 percent to 7.3 percent during the previous 11 months.

Here’s a breakdown of price and sales numbers by county for December:

• Los Angeles: Price: $581,500, up 2 percent; sales: 5,291, down 20 percent.
• Orange: Price: $708,500, up 1.6 percent; sales: 2,260, down 26 percent.
• Riverside: Price: $380,000, up 4.1 percent; sales: 2,938, down 14.6 percent.
• San Bernardino: Price: $329,750, up 2.1 percent; sales: 1,992, down 21.5 percent.
• San Diego: Price: $550,000, up 1.9 percent; sales: 2,642, down 22.2 percent.
• Ventura: Price: $575,000, up 2.1 percent; sales: 658, down 13.5 percent.

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Peaceful end of Afghan war may be in sight

Pechanga Resort and Casino to hold a sake and beer festival

Third time at the helm is a charm for Laguna Woods Mayor Cynthia Conners

Manson follower Leslie Van Houten again seeks parole

Santiago girls continue turnaround, beat Loara for first basketball title since ’99

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There isn’t a better turnaround story in Orange County girls basketball than the one Santiago and Coach Pablo Martinez continued Tuesday.

Emily Casillas scored 14 points, including four 3-pointers, and fellow sophomore Briana Landeros added 12 points and 10 rebounds as the Cavaliers defeated host Loara 66-35 to clinch a share of their first Garden Grove League title since 1999.

Santiago (21-4, 8-1) also won its 21st game, a startling improvement from last season when it went 9-17 in Martinez’s first season.

But the Cavaliers struggles started well before last winter. They hadn’t posted a winning record since for at least the 10 seasons before Martinez arrived.

“It’s a big change that’s been going on,” Martinez said. “We play hard. We’re tough and play together. That’s it.”

Martinez downplays his credentials and focuses on his players and assistant coaches but it’s hard to ignore his top coaching influence.

A walk-on coach at Santiago, Martinez was an assistant coach under former Register coach of the year Mike Anderson with the Magnolia girls, who won a section title in 2008 and finished as a state runner-up.

Martinez also assisted Anderson with the Bolsa Grande boys and with the Long Beach City College women.

“He’s my mentor,” Martinez said of Anderson, still the women’s coach at Long Beach City College.

But Santiago is home for Martinez. He and his wife, Jasmine, attended Santiago. Jasmine, a frosh-soph coach at Santiago, played on the Cavaliers’ league title team in ’99.

“Amazing,” Martinez said of the connection.

Martinez said his team’s rise has surprised him. He thought the Cavaliers were “a year away” but they have seen results from playing in offseason leagues and improving fundamentals.

“The Garden Grove League is the ultimate developmental league,” he said.

Santiago counts junior Carolina Jimenez (8.4 ppg) as its leading scorer and top defender. Seniors Anh Nguyen and Sonia Sanchez and Andrea Lopez are among the key guards. The 6-foot Landeros is the team’s starting post.

But Martinez also makes his good use of his bench. He often plays all 11 of his girls.

Casillas leads the team in 3-pointers.

Martinez, who teaches Spanish at St. Joseph in Santa Ana, also praises his varsity assistants. He is aided by former Rancho Verde and Florida State standout Mike Snear and Angelo Karapoulios.

Santiago’s success also been noticed by coaches in CIF-SS Division 4A. The Cavs are ranked fifth this week in the division, which features Crean Lutheran No. 1.

“I’m really happy for the girls,” Martinez said. “They’ve bought in.”

 

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Santa Ana police try to ID knife-wielding shoplifting suspect

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Costa Mesa basketball tops Santa Ana to win first league title since 2006

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COSTA MESA – The Costa Mesa boys basketball team beat Santa Ana 75-64 on Tuesday to win the Orange Coast League championship.

The title is the first for Costa Mesa since 2006 and is the first outright league championship for boys basketball in school history.

“The goal coming in was we want to win this league,” Costa Mesa coach Mike Ofer said. “First time doing it by ourselves and we knew we had nine seniors to do it. It’s a huge relief.

“It’s hard to win a league championship. Our kids stepped up. Everybody from our stars to our bench.”

Osman Hefner scored 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Mustangs. He scored 11 points in the third quarter and made two 3-pointers.

“He is the most interesting player I’ve ever coached,” Ofer said. “Sometimes you have to let him do his thing. He made some outstanding layups and made some big 3-point shots. We needed him making those plays tonight.”

Tre Villalpando was the catalyst for Costa Mesa on both sides of the floor. Villalpando filled the stat sheet with 21 points, six assists, six rebounds and six steals.

“Every time I looked at him he said, ‘Coach I am so tired,’ and I asked if he wanted a sub and he said he didn’t need it,” Ofer said of Villalpando. “He and the rest of the team gave me everything they had tonight.”

Costa Mesa (14-11, 8-1) has no players over 6-foot-1 in its rotation. Ethan Elliot and George Williamson played like big men Thursday, grabbing 11 and 9 rebounds, respectively. Elliot also added 11 points.

“I’ve never seen them do that in my life. They played their butts off,” Hefner said. “I’m happy they stepped up to help win the biggest game of the year.”

Santa Ana (13-13, 6-3) cut the Costa Mesa lead to three points in the fourth quarter.

The Saints struggled in the second quarter, turning the ball over seven times and being outscored 26-12.

Jesus Silva scored 26 points and had five steals for Santa Ana.

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JSerra girls soccer reclaims Trinity League title with another scoreless draw against Santa Margarita

California land managers hope to speed up forest-thinning projects to slow wildfires

Orange County basketball highlights for Tuesday, Jan. 29

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Highlights and top scorers from the Orange County basketball games on Tuesday, Jan. 29.

*Will be updated.

BASKETBALL

Tuesday’s basketball scoreboard

Tuesday’s top scorers

BOYS

Pts    Player, school

40    Yi, Oxford Academy

27    Hefner, Costa Mesa

26    Erving, Segerstrom

26    J. Silva, Santa Ana

23    Platt, Yorba Linda

22    Martinez, Garden Grove

21    Stines, Sonora

21    Villalpando, Costa Mesa

20    Hashemi, Portola

20    I. Lee, Westminster

19    Castro, Garden Grove

18    Cooper, Woodbridge

18    Lucas, Saddleback

18    Montera, Brea Olinda

18    Perry, Canyon

18    Sloniger, Valencia

18    Thoerner, Beckman

17    Roy, University

16    Muller, Beckman

16    Salinas, Saddleback

15    Overstreet, La Habra

14    Clarke-Hosler, Woodbridge

14    Gill, University

14    Hollon, Fullerton

14    Knutson, Yorba Linda

14    Poling, El Dorado

14    Tello, Cypress

 

GIRLS

Pts    Player, school

34    Masuno, Oxford Academy

28    Orozco, Valencia

27    Arlow, Laguna Hills

27    Nguyen, Marina

26    Yoshitake, Sonora

24    Hladek, San Juan Hills

23    Jones, Foothill

23    McArthur, Dana Hills

23    A. Nguyen, La Quinta

22    Lee, Brea Olinda

22    Mack, Katella

22    O’Malley, Crean Lutheran

20    Uyematsu, Canyon

19    Feldman, Crean Lutheran

18    Felix, Rosary

18    Gates, Kennedy

17    Miller, Los Alamitos

16    Cuevas, Santa Ana Valley

16    DeGree, San Clemente

16    Gustafson, Brea Olinda

16    Rodriguez, Rosary

15    Avinger, Rosary

15    Paredes, Beckman

15    Shaffer, Laguna Hills

15    Vela, Foothill

14    Anderson, Sonora

14    Goldsmith, University

14    Serensits, Savanna

13    Benabou, Huntington Beach

13    Farrell, Canyon

12    Chambers, Dana Hills

12    J. Corona, Whittier Christian

12    Maggard, Woodbridge

12    Price, Brea Olinda

12    Trinh, Yorba Linda

Coaches and team representatives are encouraged to email their scores and stats after every game to the Register at preps@ocregister.com.

 

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Lakers say LeBron James ‘happy to be on a basketball court again’

Must watch: Chargers’ Melvin Gordon makes his Super Bowl LIII game pick

Homeless programs in Southern California get millions in HUD money to continue services

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The federal Dept. of Housing and Urban Development announced Tuesday, Jan. 29, monetary awards totaling more than $171 million to renew funding for homeless assistance programs — housing and services — in five Southern California counties.

Los Angeles County and the city of Los Angeles received the largest amount in the 2018 fiscal year Continuum of Care grants at $114 million to support 141 local projects.

A Continuum of Care is the planning network in a geographic area that coordinates money and services to address homelessness.

Other HUD awards included:

• Santa Ana/Anaheim/Orange County, $23 million for 26 projects
• San Bernardino County and city, $9.7 million for 20 projects
• Riverside County and city, $9.5 million for 19 projects
• Long Beach, $7.7 million for 19 projects
• Pasadena, $3.2 million for 10 projects
• Glendale, $2.3 million for 11 projects

HUD expects to announce awards for new projects later in the year.

 

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