Sunday, September 30, 2018
This week’s TV best bet: It’s time for playoff baseball
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MLB PlayoffsMonday, N. West playoff, Colorado at Dodgers, ESPN, 1 p.m.Monday, NL Central playoff, Milwaukee at Chicago, ESPN, 10 a.m.Tuesday, NL wild card playoff, Dodgers/Rockies vs. Milwaukee/Chicago, ESPN, 5 p.m.Wednesday, AL wild card playoff, Oakland at N.Y. Yankees, 5 p.m.Thursday-Sunday, ALDS, TBS; NLDS, FS1/MLBN.
It’s the best of all possible times in sports. Baseball’s playoffs begin, wilder this year than any other. The NFL reaches month two, college football launches its second half mid-month, the NHL season begins Wednesday and the NBA season tips off on Oct. 16. It’s like eating breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert at the same time. Gluttony wins!
Baseball concluded the regular season Sunday and four teams will meet in a plus-one Monday. The Dodgers host the Rockies for the NL West title (ESPN, 1 p.m.) and Milwaukee plays at Chicago for the NL Central title (ESPN, 10 a.m.) The winners advance to the NLDS series beginning Thursday while the losers head to the one-game wild-card playoff game Tuesday (ESPN, 5 p.m.)
The AL wild-card game will be Wednesday at 5 p.m. (TBS), with Oakland playing at the N.Y. Yankees. The winner advances to the ALCS, which begins Friday. Fox Sports 1 and the MLB Network will air the NLCS playoff series, while TBS has the ALCS playoffs.
Monday’s playoff games basically determine which teams have to play in the wild-card game to get to the League Division Series. The winners advance to the series, which will give them time to adjust their pitching and cut their rosters to 25 players and avoid the one-and-done nature of the wild-card games.
The Dodgers are expected to start Walker Buehler on Monday, the right-hander who has been the most consistent starter of the second half. If they lose, they are in a bind since Hyun Chi-Ryu and Clayton Kershaw would be starting on short rest because they pitched Friday and Saturday. They would have to choose between Ross Stripling or Alex Wood. The only saving grace is that the Cubs and Brewers would be in the same situation regarding their best starting pitchers.
As if anyone needs reminding, the Dodgers have not won the World Series since 1988. The Cubs last won in 2016, the Braves in 1995 and the Rockies and Brewers have never won one. In the AL, Houston won in 2018, Boston in 2013, the Yankees in 2009, Oakland in 1989 and the Indians in 1948.
BEST OF THE RESTThe NFLOctober 1, 4, 7
Give the NFL credit for keeping the early season slate fresh.
This week’s Monday night game (ESPN, 5:15 p.m.) is an AFC West matchup between the unbeaten K.C. Chiefs and Denver Broncos, always a tense affair, and the Thursday game on Fox and the NFL Network will be the Patriots, suddenly warm after a ragged start, hosting Indianapolis.
As long as the Rams keep winning impressively and the Chargers playing competitively, no one will complain about NFL scheduling in L.A. on Sundays. Fox has a Green Bay-Detroit and Rams-Seattle doubleheader at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and CBS another AFC West match between the Oakland Raiders, who once called L.A. home, and the L.A. Chargers, who are in year three in L.A. (2017, 2018, and 1960 when they began life in the AFL before moving to San Diego). Take that bit of knowledge to a bar and win a bet.
The Sunday night telecast on NBC is a Texas affair: Dallas at Houston. Expect Al Michaels to name-drop Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke.
College footballOctober 4-6
The Thursday (Tulsa-Houston) and Friday (Georgia Tech-Louisville) affairs from ESPN are blah, unless you like Ivy League Friday football (Dartmouth-Yale on ESPNU at 3 p.m.). Did you know that prospective Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh went to Yale Law School? It’s been in the news.
Your remote guideline for Saturday: 9 a.m., Texas-Oklahoma (Fox) or Alabama-Arkansas (ESPN); 12:30 p.m., you can go south with LSU-Florida (CBS) and Florida State-Miami (CBS) or west with San Diego State-Boise State (ESPNU) and Navy-Air Force(CBSSN); 4 p.m., Auburn-Mississippi State (ESPN2) or Washington at soon-to-be-0-5 UCLA (Fox); 5 p.m., Notre Dame-Virginia Tech (ABC); and 7:30 p.m., Utah-Stanford (ESPN).
NHLOct. 3, 5
The season opens Wednesday and the Anaheim Ducks are at San Jose at 7:30 p.m. (Prime Ticket, NBCSN). Then the Sharks come to Los Angeles for the Kings’ season opener at Staples at 7:30 p.m. (FSW, NBCSN).Both locals say they’re going to play at a faster pace this season. San Jose should be a good marker whether that’s going to be true or not.
SoccerOct. 5, 7
The CONCACAF division of 2019 World Cup qualifying settles in this week, with the top three teams in the eight-team field earning automatic bids to the Cup; a fourth team gets a later one-game shot to make it as well.
Fox Sports 1 has the Canada-Jamaica game Friday at 5:30 p.m., and then comes back Sunday (2 p.m.) with the Panama-U.S. game.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Yorba Linda is selling the property once proposed for Friends school
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A portion of the property once designated for a $53 million Friends Christian High School that was expected to enroll some 1,200 students from mostly North Orange County cities is being sold to a developer with plans for high-end residential development for the land.
The 23 homes proposed for a 12.64-acre site on the north side of Bastanchury Road between Casa Loma and Eureka avenues will be expensive, since the price the developer is paying for each lot is $921,000, a total close to $21.2 million, less some still-to-be-determined costs.
A sales agreement and joint escrow instructions with Pacific Cascade Group for the city-owned property was approved recently by the Yorba Linda City Council. A due diligence period ends Oct. 13, with escrow expected to close Nov. 12.
The city plans to apply the sale proceeds to an already-approved arts center to be built in conjunction with a new library on the east side of Lakeview Avenue near the Lemon Drive intersection that’s expected to open by summer 2020.
The city is selling the property in “finished lot” condition, meaning rough grading, streets and public infrastructure will be completed. Estimates of the to-be-determined “finished lot” costs range to $200,000 per lot, to be deducted from the purchase price.
“The sale of the property in a finished condition increases the potential sale value of the property by eliminating the risk of unknown costs incurred by the purchaser…,” said a report prepared by project manager Colleen Callahan.
A city-hired consultant “received tremendous interest from potential purchasers,” Callahan reported. Pacific Cascade Group was chosen partly because of the company building “the type and quality of upscale homes that the city is accustomed to in residential estate-zoned areas.”
Callahan also noted: “As in any real estate transaction, a final closing hinges on continued negotiations during the due diligence and escrow periods,” but the city and developer have agreed to “work cooperatively” to finalize the sale “to facilitate the ultimate development.”
The once-heralded Christian high school was a dream of many residents and several past city officials for a 10-year period beginning in 2003, when the city leased 32 acres on Bastanchury Road to the school on a 4-1 council vote.
The 32 acres included the 12.64 acres now being sold and another 19 acres to the north, which are restricted for use for “public purposes.”
During the 10 years of the lease, the sponsoring organizations, Yorba Linda Friends Church and Rose Drive Friends Church, raised and spent $14 million on the site, $3 million in lease payments and $9 million for entitlements and improvements.
But eventually, because of what church representatives at the time said were “onerous lease terms,” $39 million in bank loans could not be obtained to fund construction, and the city ended the lease in 2012 after several missed payments.
Jim Drummond is a longtime Yorba Linda resident. He gives his opinion on local issues weekly. Send e-mail to jimdrummond@hotmail.com.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Helping kids feel good about themselves
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It was quite early to go shopping, but members of the Brea Kiwanis, Placentia Kiwanis, Soroptimist of Brea/La Habra plus Key Club high schoolers and Circle K college students met at 7 a.m. on a recent Saturday morning at JC Penney in Brea Mall.
The reason?
To shop for school clothes and shoes for 89 children from Brea, Placentia and La Habra.
This annual 7 to 10 a.m. event was started 12 years ago by the Brea Kiwanis, according to the event’s chair, Taylor Curtius. Penney’s lower level children’s department opened early for the Kiwanis shopping event and was staffed by Penney employees who donated their time and then worked their normal Saturday shift. Plus, nearly everything in the kids’ departments was on sale and further discounted.
The kids come with their parents, but only the child and a volunteer shopper go inside the store with the child’s list of sizes and needs and a budget of $100 to spend.
Parents and everyone else wait outside the doors in the parking structure. Because there were so many volunteer shoppers this year, I only got to shop with one girl, a 4th grader at Walnut Elementary School in La Habra.
Together we picked out outfits for her, plus cool tennies, socks and a sweater too. The total came to $138, but was discounted it to $100. Thanks, JCP.
As each child exited the store with their bags of new clothing in hand, all the parents and volunteers applauded and cheered.
The kids beamed like they swallowed a moonbeam. It was awesome.
Both Kiwanis clubs and Soroptimist of Brea/La Habra collected donations from club members, friends and family to fund their students, which included 52 from Brea, 19 from La Habra and 18 from Placentia. It was a rewarding experience for the students, their parents and all of us volunteers.
Speaking of volunteers, have you volunteered to help a political candidate this year? If you haven’t, maybe it is because you don’t know enough about each candidate for Brea’s City Council and school board.
Are their beefs your beefs? What are your greatest concerns about Brea? Is it traffic, the hundreds of new apartments starting to grace our city, or are you most concerned about how the reduction in city sales tax revenue will affect city services? Personally, all are concerns of mine.
Good ways to learn more about the candidates and what they stand for is to attend the upcoming candidates forums.
The City Council candidates forum is at 6 p.m. on Oct. 4 in the City Council Chambers at City Hall and is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of North Orange County. It will be televised and replayed on the city’s website and on the Brea Chamber YouTube Channel. If you have questions for any of the candidates you must submit them at the forum. No emailing or texting questions.
Oct. 18, at 6 p.m., the League will present the school board candidates forum in the City Council Chambers. Unfortunately, it will not be televised, so plan to attend and get informed.
Terri Daxon is a freelance writer and the owner of Daxon Marketing Communications. She gives her perspective on Brea issues twice a month. Contact her at daxoncomm@earthlink.net.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Shohei Ohtani reflects on decision to play for Angels and historic rookie season
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ANAHEIM – Shohei Ohtani said through his interpreter that “nothing crazy really surprised me on or off the field” in his first year as a major league player.
Maybe that means that Ohtani, the Angels’ 24-year-old rookie phenom, was the crazy and surprising one.
As he prepared for his 104th and final game of the season Sunday, Ohtani had already accomplished a feat many thought impossible. His 3.31 earned-run average was the lowest of any Angels pitcher who made at least 10 starts in 2018. His .362 on-base percentage, .568 slugging percentage, 10 stolen bases and .392 weighted on-base average trailed only Mike Trout. Despite losing 22 games to an elbow injury, Ohtani established himself as baseball’s best dual-threat pitcher/position player in a century.
“Overall I was able to have fun and enjoy everything when I was playing on the field,” Ohtani said through his interpreter. “That’s a really good thing to take out of this season. Unfortunately I’m very disappointed the team wasn’t able to make the playoffs. I’ll try to come back stronger next year and hopefully next year we’ll be in the playoffs.”
Ohtani will undergo Tommy John surgery in the coming week to replace a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. When he is able to return as a hitter is uncertain. He will almost certainly not pitch before the 2020 season.
In hindsight, 2018 might just be an appetizer to an already historic career.
Ohtani and Babe Ruth (1919) are the only two players in major league history with 10 pitching appearances and 20 home runs in the same season. Ohtani and Ruth are the only players to hit 10 homers and wins four games as a pitcher. No one had ever hit 20 homers and struck out 50 batters in the same season before Ohtani.
When he left Japan for MLB last winter, Ohtani was able to choose from 30 destinations. He was allowed to sign only the standard rookie contract under MLB’s international signing rules, in addition to a limited signing bonus. Since the maximum signing bonus allowed varied by less than eight figures from team to team, the cost to sign Ohtani was not prohibitive.
The Angels have missed the postseason each of the last four years. At 79-82, they are guaranteed a losing record in each of the last three. Does Ohtani regret his choice?
“I feel that I made the right decision, and I feel that I made that more every day that I come to the field,” he said. “Every game that I play, I feel more and more that I made the right decision.”
Rather than immediately accepting a doctor’s recommendation of Tommy John surgery on Sept. 6, Ohtani chose to play out the season as a hitter. He hit two home runs in that day’s game against the Texas Rangers.
The Angels were already on the brink of postseason elimination at the time, so Ohtani’s presence in the lineup merely offered incentive for fans to tune in – and for American League Rookie of the Year voters to keep an eye on Ohtani’s gaudy stats.
Among AL rookies with at least 300 plate appearances, Ohtani ranks first in OBP (.362) and slugging (.568), third in batting average (.286) and stolen bases (10), and fourth in home runs (22) and RBIs (61) through Saturday.
Ohtani said that the most impressive pitcher he had to face was probably Justin Verlander. The best hitter he had to face was Mookie Betts. He might be honored alongside both of them when baseball’s annual awards are announced in November.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Live updates: Chargers vs. San Francisco 49ers at StubHub Center
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The Chargers look to bounce back from last week’s loss to the Rams when they host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
The 49ers, looking to regroup from a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, will be without quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL last week.
Ryan Kartje is reporting from StubHub Center. Get live updates, news and analysis before, during and after the game, below.
How to watch the game:
Date: Sunday, September 30
Time: 1:25 p.m. PT
Location: StubHub Center
TV: CBS
Viewing on a mobile device? Click here.
Maryland's investigators learned that during meals and in the training room, players were shown graphic videos, vio… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…#FightForEachOther https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DoXiJ7bUcAAmI6q.jpgTakk McKinley has been an absolute force over three games. Covered him at UCLA and knew he’d be good, but damn. He’s got five sacks already this season.FWIW, #49ers CB Richard Sherman, who hasn't ruled out playing next week vs. Cardinals, is no longer in a walking boot.
#SFvsLAC | #FightForEachOther
Gettin loose in Los Angeles. #SFvsLAC
Five touchdowns for Calvin Ridley in his last two weeks. Julio Jones’ last five touchdowns span back to November 2016.Almost that time...
#FightForEachOther
The official watch party of #SFvsLAC !
Team warmups LIVE from the field 
#SFvsLAC kicks off at 1:25 p.m. PT on CBS pscp.tv/w/boEZajU5MTE0…Man, do I love Kerryon Johnson.C.J. Beathard is set to make his first start of the season. #SFvsLAC https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DoXVjd1XoAINepI.jpgChargers OL Forrest Lamp is inactive for the fourth straight week to start the season. Still being as conservative as possible with him.#49ers RB Breida will play vs. Chargers. sfchronicle.com/49ers/article/… https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DoXUZXgUwAASd4K.jpgRB @MattBreida is ACTIVE for #SFvsLAC and looks to continue his strong start to the season.49rs.co/Iz5mHNReady. #SFvsLAC
#49ers RBs Matt Breida (knee) and Alfred Morris (knee) are ACTIVE.49ers’ inactives:
CB Richard Sherman (calf)
S Jaquski Tartt (shoulder)
G Joshua Garnett (toe)
DL Jullian Taylor
G Najee Toran
WR Richie James
OT Shon ColemanChargers wideouts Keenan Allen and Travis Benjamin are both ACTIVE for today’s game against the 49ers.#49ers inactives for #SFvsLAC https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DoXSPVlXUAM1BpO.jpgOur #SFvsLAC inactives:
LB Kyzir White
C Cole Toner
T Joe Barksdale
G Forrest Lamp
WR JJ Jones
DT T.Y. McGill
DE Joey BosaMy NFL picks this week have worked out alright thus far. Texans (+1.5) are up 11 at the half on Colts, and my Fantasy POW, Gio Bernard, has 2 TD’s. Every week, I’m offering up betting/fantasy picks in my Sunday NFL column: ocregister.com/2018/09/28/kar…“A team like that, you can’t give them anything. You have to take everything, and we didn’t do that.”The Chargers lost their ninth straight game to Kansas City, but Philip Rivers didn't sound discouraged: "The only thing it guarantees is we can’t go undefeated." ocregister.com/2018/09/09/cha…Chargers C Mike Pouncey after the game: “It was good for our football team to go through this. It sucks losing, but to go through this in Week 1 — it was good to get it out of the way.”My proposed corny headline submission to the @chicagotribune : Big Mack with Cheese!
Wow Mack wow“We can look at the tape and get better and move on. We’ve got 15 more games.”#KCvsLAC Observations » chrg.rs/4KXmOa https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DmsfA3CUUAAZy-y.jpgThe Chargers had 43 sacks in 2017, tied for fifth in the NFL. They had just one today, by rookie safety Derwin James."It’s good to have our brother back. It felt like something was missing."
~ #Chiefs ' LB Dee Ford on Ron Parker dur… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…Rivers said he could've thrown for 600 yards! That would've been fun. My Chargers coverage from the season opener.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
“In no way does this dampen my excitement for the season. All it means, we can’t go undefeated.” - Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers on Tyreek Hill, who scored 3 TDs today: "I don't know if I've seen anybody better, the things he can do speed-wise."#Chiefs Defeat Chargers, 38-28, in Season-Opener
chfs.me/2CC4rNX https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DmsN-hGU4AAp2fi.jpgPhilip Rivers, on Patrick Mahomes: "I'd like to borrow his arm now and then. ... He has a chance to be really awesome."Philip Rivers, while disaaponted, says he is “super fired up” going forward. Despite all the miscues, they still ma… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…The winning stats. #KCvsLAC https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DmsM5NyUwAAHIJB.jpg
@cheetah checks in after the W.Chargers LIVE: Philip Rivers speaks to the media following #KCvsLAC pscp.tv/w/bmWoEjU5MTE0…Chargers drop ninth straight to Kansas City Chiefs with 38-28 home loss trib.al/Qly83VHBolts fall to Chiefs in season opener.
#KCvsLAC RECAP » chrg.rs/uNzGRv https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DmsHAFrU8AEXfMr.jpgChargers LIVE: Coach Lynn speaks to the media following #KCvsLAC pscp.tv/w/bmWjzDU5MTE0…1-0
Let it fly.
All the way
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DmsFKeUUcAAu1pW.jpgMake that nine straight Chargers losses to Kansas City.Final. #KCvsLAC https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DmsCigMU4AA2sz9.jpg"The Chop" has broken out here at the StubHub Center.Anthony Hitchens with a nice play on third down to stall the Chargers' drive before Caleb Sturgis' field goal sails… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…Linebacker Ben Niemann is out with a hamstring injury. t.coThree @cheetah touchdowns got us like:
Two-point conversion is good.
38-28, Chiefs | 5:01 4Q t.co
Phil finds Tyrell for the TD! t.co
Welcome to the end zone. Population: Tyreek Hill
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dmr9EbrUUAAU-YV.jpgCan't stop the @Cheetah 
#KCvsLACLA native @DATBLACKMOMBA13 forces the fumble
@J_Winchester41 recovers 
LA native @DATBLACKMOMBA13 forces the fumble
@J_Winchester41recovers The Chargers narrow the deficit as Rivers finds Keenan Allen for a 20-yard touchdown. The 2-point try is successful… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…JJ Jones just fumbled twice on one punt return.17 to 85.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dmr6hvTU4AAzGgW.jpg31-20 just like that with 12:04 remaining. Chargers defense will need a stop here.RIVERS TO GATES!2-point conversion is good.
31-20, Chiefs | 12:04 4QTOUCHDOWN!!! @Keenan13Allen t.co
Let It Fly
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dmr4HDsV4AEhuyL.jpgEnd of three. #KCvsLAC https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dmr3rbDU4AEJMta.jpg“It’s gonna be a no from me.” - @ghost_0836 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dmr2oJ9UYAEVzIo.jpgRON PARKER 
Kansas City picks off Philip Rivers for the seventh time in three games.1⃣5⃣
1⃣3⃣
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dmrza6BUUAA8S6L.jpgHalfway there. #KCvsLAC https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DmruyzmUYAA8k4U.jpgWelcome to the Chargers Hall of Fame, Bobby Beathard. 
Football Sundays with a couple of the guys. Good luck this season, @Chargers !
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DmrjdDfVsAAIc67.jpgHalftime. #KCvsLAC https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DmrqgljUUAAdEW-.jpg[Read More ...]
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Djordje Mihailovic, Fire beat LAFC
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BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. — Djordje Mihailovic opened the scoring and added an assist in the second half to help the Chicago Fire beat Los Angeles FC 3-1 on Saturday.
Mihailovic powered home a full volley off Brandon Vincent’s cross in the 20th minute to give the Fire (8-16-7) the lead.
Nemanja Nikolic doubled the lead in the 29th minute with a penalty kick into the right corner. Brandt Bronico drew the foul in the penalty area against Steven Beitashour.
The Fire led 3-0 in the 66th minute when Aleksandar Katai scored on a counterattack sprung by Nikolic’s pass to Mihailovic. Mihailovic drove it into the area and laid it off for Katai.
Diego Rossi finished Lee Nguyen’s one-hop pass from a narrow angle to cap the scoring for LAFC (14-8-8) in the 73rd minute.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Roundup: Mater Dei boys water polo falls to Harvard-Westlake
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Mater Dei’s boys water polo team will need to continue its pursuit of the top teams in CIF-SS Division 1.
The reigning Division 1 champion lost Saturday night its first encounter with Harvard-Westlake, falling 10-5 in Studio City.
Connor McManigal, Kaden Kaneko, Warren Loth, Ian Minsterman and Cameron Reagan each scored once for Mater Dei (11-4). Goalie Garrett Bruening made six saves.
Mater Dei lost earlier this season to No. 1 Newport Harbor, 7-5. The Monarchs are ranked fourth in Division 1 behind Newport Harbor, Harvard-Westlake and Loyola.
In another nonleague game:
No. 1 Newport Harbor 11, Cathedral Catholic 10: The host Sailors edged the San Diego power to improve to 17-1.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Saturday, September 29, 2018
Tramp the terrier mix could be a movie star
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Breed: Miniature schnauzer/cairn terrier mix
Age: 6 years
Gender: Neutered male
Size: 20 pounds
Tramp’s story: Tramp looks like he just starred in a Disney movie. He’s tall and handsome, a happy, healthy boy who recently received a full evaluation and dentistry by a veterinarian. Considering that small dogs often have longer lifespans, Tramp’s going to have a lot of love to give a long life during which to give it. Tramp is trained to sleep in a crate at night and gets along with gentle dogs. He’s lovable, active and playful and would make a good candidate for agility training because he is so smart. He enjoys walks, car rides and meeting new humans. Homeowners with a secured yard preferred. Tramp is microchipped and up-to-date on his vaccinations.
Adoption procedure: Apply online at KenMarRescue.org.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Clippers eager to see what they’ve got in exhibition game against Australian team Sunday
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Wouldn’t you know it, the Clippers’ first game action this season comes against the purple and gold.
No, not that purple and gold — the Kings. And, no, not those Kings.
They’ll face the Sydney Kings, though that matters little. The main purpose of Sunday’s game at the University of Hawaii, which is the first of five exhibitions entering the 2018-19 season, will be self-reflection, an opportunity for the Clippers to step back and evaluate the Clippers.
“It’s a work in progress obviously,” Coach Doc Rivers told reporters after practice Friday. “Overall, I’ve liked the way we played. I love our energy; we just need more game minutes.
“Today we scrimmaged a lot, and you can see they need to play a lot more basketball just to get the timing, to get the timing of each other. Games get competitive, and your execution breaks down a little bit, but overall I like what I see.”
Forward Danilo Gallinari said by phone Friday that he was eager to see how a week of practices translated when the Clippers team up and try to execute against another opponent.
“We have a lot of work to do,” said Gallinari, who said he’s healthy after missing all but 21 games last season with hand and glute injuries. “And we’ve been doing a great job in practice. I’m really looking forward to seeing the results, and the improvement we’ve been making, in the first game.”
As promised, defense has been a focus in training camp for the Clippers. They’re also working to implement a “read-react” type of offense while integrating their young talents with their established veterans (several of whom, such as Gallinari, hardly played last season on account of injuries).
Whatever that looks like on the court Sunday, Gallinari expects the Honolulu crowd to be behind the Clippers, who are holding training camp in Hawaii for the second consecutive year.
“Oh yeah, we have a huge fan base here, so we know that the gym is going to be packed for us,” said Gallinari, who was proud to report that he and rookie Jerome Robinson were the winners of the Clippers’ outrigger canoe-race Thursday, one of the team bonding activities the team has enjoyed. “So we want to give them a good show.”
GALLO POWERS UP
Gallinari is expected to start at power forward this season, with Tobias Harris playing small forward, the 6-foot-10 Italian confirmed.
Although he’s spent most of his NBA career playing small forward, Gallinari said he’s fine with filling the 4 spot.
“I’ve been playing 3 my whole career, but with the team we’ve got, we’re gonna need for me to play the 4 and I’m OK with that,” he said, adding that he thinks he and Harris will prove effective together. “We have very good chemistry going on already, we talk a lot on the court, we know what we want and where we want to be on the court, so I like to play with him.”
KINGS OF SYDNEY
The Kings are led by 7-footer Andrew Bogut, a former No. 1 draft pick who signed with the Kings in April, opting to finish his professional career in his homeland. American basketball fans will remember that Bogut was a key cog on the Golden State Warriors during their breakthrough championship season in 2015.
The Kings are one of five teams representing Australia and New Zealand’s National Basketball League that will play seven preseason games against NBA teams this year.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Chino’s Taurasi leads U.S. to third consecutive FIBA Women’s World Cup title game
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The United States is headed to its third consecutive FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup title game after defeating Belgium 93-77 in a semifinal game on Saturday in San Cristobal De La Laguna, Spain.
Diana Taurasi, who starred at Chino Don Lugo High School and now plays for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, led the Americans with 26 points, including five 3-pointers.
Breanna Stewart had 20 points and Brittney Griner had 16 for the Americans, who have won 21 consecutive World Cup games and will play Australia or Spain for the title at noon Sunday. The game is scheduled to air on ESPN.
L.A. Sparks star Nneka Ogwumike, who averaging 10.7 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 56 percent from the field in World Cup group play, finished with three points and one rebound in Saturday’s semifinal contest. San Bernardino Cajon High School grad Layshia Clarendon, now of the Connecticut Sun, missed her only shot from the floor.
On the first made basket of the game, by Griner, the U.S. scored the 10,000th point in its World Cup history.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Solving the Inland Empire’s poverty problem
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The federal government recently released a jobs report showing record-low unemployment and rising wages, continuing an economic recovery nearly a decade in the making. The Inland Empire has also seen improved economic prospects; earlier this year, the Press-Enterprise reported that the region leads California in job growth.
But these promising projections hide a troubling fact: More than half of Inland Empire residents (51 percent) are working but struggling with poverty (compared to 47 percent of Californians overall), according to new data from PRRI, a nonpartisan research organization that focuses on American society and public policy. The James Irvine Foundation commissioned the research firm this summer to survey 3,318 Californians, including 1,068 workers in or on the brink of poverty.
The survey’s findings about the region are eye-opening and disturbing — and require employers and civic leaders to act. For example, only 47 percent of the region’s residents now believe in the American dream, and 71 percent of Inland Empire respondents would encourage young people in the community to leave for more opportunity elsewhere.
Pessimism about the future is understandable given the tough conditions struggling workers experience across California: 42 percent have put off seeing a doctor and/or cut back on food because of economic hardship, and 37 percent believe they can never afford to retire.
Solutions aimed at narrowing the gap between haves and have nots should tackle the specific barriers many in our communities face to opportunity. Yet in a time of unprecedented wealth, we’re collectively failing millions of Californian families who can’t make ends meet despite working sometimes two or three jobs.
Fortunately, the news isn’t all bad. The region is also home to encouraging efforts to boost innovation, quality jobs and training opportunities.
The Irvine Foundation is investing $200 million over five years in nonprofits working with and on behalf of low-wage workers. This includes connecting workers with good jobs that pay a family-sustaining wage (and the chance to advance) as well as expanding enforcement of wage and work laws. Other foundations such as The California Endowment and Weingart Foundation are also investing to address poverty and inequity in the region.
But philanthropy and public agencies are not going to solve this problem alone; we need the private sector at the table in designing and investing in the future. And in the Inland Empire, several leaders are stepping up. For example, community colleges including Norco and Chaffey have developed innovative programs that lead to higher-paying jobs in advanced manufacturing and logistics. In addition, the workforce development boards in each county have been working in closer coordination with each other and with major employers. County economic development agencies have also participated in regional efforts with higher education and private-sector partners to help grow middle-class jobs.
The Warehouse Worker Resource Center, based in the Inland Empire, is also leading promising efforts to support workers in recovering more than $30 million in stolen wages and has helped thousands of workers improve the health and safety of their workplaces in the crucial warehouse sector.
These and other efforts give us hope for a better future. Let’s build on them and ensure that the region’s future growth benefits all communities, especially those who have been left behind historically because of poverty and race. The region’s future, and the California dream, depend on it.
Karthick Ramakrishnan is a professor of public policy at the University of California, Riverside, and director of UCR’s Center for Social Innovation (CSI). Don Howard is president and CEO of The James Irvine Foundation. CSI has received funding from The James Irvine Foundation, in addition to other sources like Weingart Foundation, The Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, and The Strategic Growth Council.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5FBI reaches out to Deborah Ramirez, second woman who has accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct
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By Shane Harris, Matt Zapotosky, Tom Hamburger, and Seung Min Kim
The FBI has begun contacting people as part of an additional background investigation of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, including a second woman who alleges that the Supreme Court nominee sexually assaulted her, according to people familiar with the unfolding investigation.
The bureau has reached out to Deborah Ramirez, a Yale University classmate of Kavanaugh’s who alleges that he shoved his genitals in her face at a party where she had been drinking and become disoriented. It was not clear that agents had yet interviewed Ramirez. But the FBI is moving quickly to contact people as part of the new background investigation, which President Trump ordered on Friday under pressure from key members of his party.
The FBI also is following up on allegations by Christine Blasey Ford, a California psychologist, who testified to the Senate this week that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in the early 1980s when they were in high school in suburban Washington, D.C.
Ford recounted in detail how Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge allegedly attacked her in a bedroom during a small gathering at a house when the teen boys were both drunk. Ford said the alleged attack had caused her lasting trauma, and she was visibly anguished as she recalled the events Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Following Ford’s testimony, Kavanaugh vigorously denied the allegations before the committee and accused Democrats of launching a last-minute attempt to derail his nomination. He decried the confirmation process as a “circus.”
On Friday, Republicans on the committee voted to proceed to a full Senate vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination, but a series of back-room negotiations led to a surprise twist in what has already been a wrenching confirmation process for a Supreme Court nominee, among the most polarizing in recent memory.
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), a key swing vote to confirm Kavanaugh, said he would vote to proceed to a full Senate vote, but that the Senate vote should be preceded by a new, expanded FBI investigation of the allegations against Kavanaugh.
Recognizing that Flake and a handful of other senators’ votes appeared contingent upon the investigation, Republican leaders and the White House relented.
Later that day, President Trump ordered the investigation and that it be limited in scope and completed by next Friday.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday afternoon said thesupplemental FBI investigation would be limited to “current credible allegations.” Committee spokesmen did not return a request for comment to elaborate on what specifically those allegations are.
Lawmakers and Trump administration officials had few expectations that the FBI would settle Ford and Kavanaugh’s dueling accounts. A background investigation is, by its nature, more limited than a criminal probe, and FBI agents will not be able to obtain search warrants or issue subpoenas to compel testimony from potential witnesses. The FBI’s interviews, which will take a few days to conduct, won’t turn into a sprawling inquest of everyone Kavanaugh went to a party with in high school, said a person familiar with the investigation.
But already, two potentially crucial witnesses have said they will cooperate with the FBI, raising the possibility that at least more statements and recollections will be added to the record, even if they’re not ultimately definitive.
An attorney for Leland Keyser, a friend of Ford’s who Ford says was at the party, said Keyser also was willing to cooperate with the FBI investigation. But the attorney emphasized that Keyser has no recollection of the party where Ford alleges Kavanaugh assaulted her.
“Notably, Ms. Keyser does not refute Dr. Ford’s account, and she has already told the press that she believes Dr. Ford’s account,” the attorney, Howard J. Walsh III, wrote in an email to the Senate Judiciary Committee. “However, the simple and unchangeable truth is that she is unable to corroborate it because she has no recollection of the incident in question.”
Judge, the high school friend of Kavanaugh who Ford says was in the room during the alleged assault, has also agreed to cooperate with the FBI. His account has been particularly sought after because, unlike Kavanaugh, Judge has not denied Ford’s allegations but has said he has no memory that such an assault occurred.
Ford told the Judiciary Committee that some weeks after the alleged assault, she ran into Judge at a local grocery store where he was working for the summer.
“I said ‘hello’ to him,” she said. “His face was white and very uncomfortable saying ‘hello’ back.”
Ford continued, “He was just nervous and not really wanting to speak with me, and he looked a little bit ill.”
In addition to Ford and Ramirez, another woman, Julie Swetnik, who said she knew Kavanaugh in high school, alleged in a sworn statement this week that Kavanaugh and Judge got teenage girls drunk at parties, where the girls were sexually assaulted, sometimes by groups of boys.
Swetnik claimed that she was raped by such a group at a party where Kavanaugh and Judge were present. She hasn’t accused Kavanaugh of raping her. Swetnik described Kavanaugh as a “mean drunk” in high school who was physically and verbally aggressive with girls.
Kavanugh has denied the accusations from Ramirez and Swetnik and has said emphatically that he never abused or assaulted anyone.
He has also pointed to half a dozen other background checks the FBI conducted on him for other federal positions over the years, none of which surfaced evidence or allegations of sexual assault.
Aaron Blake and Emma Brown contributed to this report.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Ryder Cup: Europe leads U.S. 10-6 thanks to ‘Moliwood’
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SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — Europe’s latest Ryder Cup sensation is called “Moliwood,” and what a show Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood produced at the Ryder Cup on Saturday.
And now for the final act.
Molinari and Fleetwood became the first European tandem to win all four matches, leading their team to the brink of regaining the Ryder Cup from an American team that had to rally just to keep the score close.
Tiger Woods hasn’t won any of his three matches.
Phil Mickelson didn’t even play.
Europe filled the board with blue in the morning, eventually winning three of the four matches in fourballs for its largest three-session lead in 14 years. It held on in foursomes, with Henrik Stenson delivering clutch putts in the only match that was close.
At the end of two days, Europe had a 10-6 lead.
The score should sound familiar.
That’s the same deficit Europe faced in 2012 at Medinah when it produced the largest comeback on foreign soil. The Americans have never made up that much ground away from home, though they were the first to win after trailing 10-6, at Brookline in 1999 when they front-loaded the Sunday lineup with their biggest stars.
And that was on the mind of European captain Thomas Bjorn, even as he was drowned out by thousands of fans using what was left of their voices to sing, “Ole, ole, ole, ole,” the European anthem for these matches that Americans have heard far too often.
“I’ve seen too many times what the singles game does,” Bjorn said. “We used a lot of energy these days. We go ahead tomorrow and focus on what’s ahead and not what’s done.”
Even so, he couldn’t contain a smile.
Europe brought five rookies to Le Golf National who sure didn’t seem like them — Alex Noren and Fleetwood were the last two French Open champions on the Albatross Course — and certainly didn’t play like them.
“We’re really, really, really happy with how it’s gone these past two days,” Bjorn said.
If not for Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, the Americans might really be in trouble. They pulled ahead in a tight fourballs match to beat Ian Poulter and Jon Rahm for the lone American point in the morning that prevented Europe from a second straight sweep of a team session. They rallied from an early deficit against Poulter and Rory McIlroy in foursomes, with both delivering key shots and big putts. With four birdies over their last five holes, they won 4 and 3.
“They had a six-point lead, and now it’s four,” Spieth said. “So we are carrying that as a little bit of momentum, I guess. Early wins tomorrow go a long way.”
Mickelson will have to shake off some rust. He hasn’t played since Friday in a foursomes loss that lasted only 14 holes. U.S. captain Jim Furyk said he would shake up the order for Saturday afternoon foursomes, and that meant keeping Lefty on the bench.
It was the second time in as many Ryder Cups in Europe that Mickelson, who holds the Ryder Cup record with 12 appearances, did not play on Saturday.
Woods played twice, and at times it looked as though he were playing by himself.
Patrick Reed went from “Captain America” to looking more like “Private Patrick,” taking himself out of holes in the fourballs session with too many shots into the gnarly rough, in the water and one out-of-bounds.
That wasn’t enough to contend against “Moliwood.” The fourballs match was all square until Molinari ran off three straight birdies. The foursomes match was never close, as Fleetwood delivered big putts to win holes, each time turning to the crowd in a crouch, dropping both arms and pumping them wildly.
They were 5 up at the turn over Woods and DeChambeau, and a brief rally only delayed the inevitable.
Most peculiar about the matches in this Ryder Cup is that only two of the 16 matches have reached the 18th hole, and each match has been won outright.
Woods has failed to win seven consecutive matches, dating to his singles victory against Molinari in Wales in 2010. Woods, coming off an inspiring victory at the Tour Championship for his first title since his litany of back surgeries, has looked flat in the Paris suburbs.
He hasn’t had much help, but he also missed key putts around the turn that allowed Europe to build a big lead.
“Everything feels pretty good,” Woods said. “Just pretty (ticked) off, the fact that I lost three matches and didn’t feel like I played poorly. That’s the frustrating thing about match play. We ran against two guys that were both playing well.”
The rest of the Europe wasn’t too shabby.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Friday, September 28, 2018
Canon Solutions America Brings the Océ ProStream 1000™ to the U.S
Canon Solutions America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., announced the impressive results of the Lead Candidate Placement pilot program for the Océ ProStream 1000.
Designed for high quality, continuous feed printing at inkjet speeds on a wide range of media, the ProStream helps print service providers to expand their capabilities and access new markets. The successful completion of the first two placements in the U.S.—at Specialty Print Communications and Darwill—has created buzz in the industry. There is a limited number available for the remainder of 2018, and Canon Solutions America is ramping up to full market availability next year.
“The ProStream has enabled our customers to access new business and applications while helping lower production costs. The production speeds on coated media allow them to grow volumes beyond the capabilities of other digital systems,” said Michael Poulin, director, Marketing, Production Print Solutions of Canon Solutions America.
The Océ ProStream 1000
The Océ ProStream 1000 is the latest breed of fast, high-productivity continuous feed inkjet press combining the vibrant colors and quality to rival offset, with the variable-data versatility of digital printing. The Océ ProStream 1000 uses an innovative polymer ink set to support a broad substrate range including coated or uncoated media from lightweight to 9 point and beyond. This continuous feed press fits seamlessly into workflows, allowing easy integration into existing PDF workflows, IPDS and PDF DFE, plus it boasts an intuitive, modern user interface. It offers outstanding quality, relevant content, and short turn-around times for promotional and graphical applications, with the versatility of digital variable data printing.
Specialty Print Communications
For Specialty Print Communications (SPC), a national solutions provider to direct marketers with headquarters in Niles, IL, it’s all about what they’re doing for their customers. They see the ProStream as providing increased opportunity for them to provide high volume, high quality marketing materials. “It’s another lane in our road,” said Adam M. LeFebvre, president of SPC. “Marketers have acquired mountains of data, and this ProStream allows them, with our help, to manipulate those mountains into really usable, very highly leveraged marketing materials that provide better ROI than traditional offset ever could.”
ProStream unlocks the ability of high speed production of four-color, fully variable, brand quality images from edge to edge of a 20″ web, allowing for genuine full variability everywhere on the sheet—improving yield to provide more economy without sacrificing quality. LeFebvre continues, “I can represent beautiful, luxury brands like they’re meant to be represented. The quality we achieve shows the beauty of the product—for example, the texture of a high quality leather bag—on a 700,000-piece mailing.”
Darwill
For over 60 years, Darwill, a national company with offices in Illinois, Colorado, Georgia and Texas, has delivered data-driven, omnichannel marketing solutions in digital media and direct marketing. “The real value of inkjet is in the data abilities,” said Mark DeBoer, director of Customer Experience. “Printing is one thing, but being able to have content that is specific to an individual is what drives the optimal experience. It’s the only way to get the true value of marketing.”
DeBoer states, “The ProStream has helped us solve two major obstacles: color vibrancy on coated or uncoated media, and of course, full color variability. It nails the color match every time. It’s enabled us to return to conversations with customers where in the past, we weren’t quite there yet—but with the ProStream, we are. We’ve run some customer samples, and their reaction is just ‘wow’—the price is competitive, and the quality is outstanding, so this is a viable option now,” said DeBoer. “I’ve looked at every inkjet press out there, and I think the ProStream is the best. I know it’s unlocking more opportunities for us. We just had a customer in that had very strict standards regarding their logo. Once they saw samples we printed for them on the ProStream, they were amazed at how perfect it came out—they had never seen anything like it from any other inkjet press. The ProStream is helping us make it possible for them to do high volume, fully variable data mailings delivering improved ROI on our customer’s marketing efforts.”
The Future of Inkjet
The word is out—customers are hearing about the capabilities of the Océ ProStream 1000, and they want to take advantage of the sophisticated, innovative output that it produces. SPC and Canon Solutions America are currently working on the implementation of SPC’s second device to accommodate increased demand, and Darwill is anticipating a similar need soon.
For more information on the Océ ProStream 1000, call Canon Solutions America Production Print Solutions at 877-623-4969.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Registration for The Sign Exchange is Open
Registration is open for The Sign Exchange, an all-new sign industry tradeshow produced by the USSC Foundation Board of Directors. This two-day event will be held at Harrah’s Resort & Casino in Atlantic City, NJ November 29 and 30, 2018. It offers opportunities for networking with sign industry professionals as well as learning about the newest technologies to make sign companies more profitable and competitive.
According to Richard Crawford, USSCF Board Member, “The Sign Exchange will truly be a win-win-win for everyone attending. The success of the show will directly help the USSC Foundation and its mission, which is to be a non-profit organization run by volunteers who are committed to providing research, training and networking opportunities to the sign industry.”
Attendees will enjoy Harrah’s dynamic event space. Harrah’s offers new and newly-renovated hotel rooms at great rates for The Sign Exchange, a heated indoor swimming pool with a glass dome, and over twelve bars and restaurants ready to serve, all under one roof, plus free admission with registration to the show floor and free seminars. Newly added to the show is a poolside party, to be held in the evening on Thursday, November 29, 2018.
The USSC Foundation is introducing the first-of-its-kind convention economic model. Under this innovative model, the tradeshow involves sharing the profits. A percentage of the show revenue will be returned to each exhibitor based on their booth space. In turn, a percentage of the revenue will be donated to the USSC Foundation, to fund future sign research.
Complete details and registration for The Sign Exchange are available on the USSC Foundation’s Web site at www.usscfoundation.org. Interested parties may also send an email to usscfoundation@usscfoundation.org or call (215) 785-1922.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Vycom to Showcase Celtec Premium Signboard Solutions at SGIA
Vycom Corp., a market-leading manufacturer of highly innovative plastic sheet products, will be showcasing its Celtec® line of premium signboard solutions at the upcoming SGIA Expo in Las Vegas. 
Celtec signboard is a premium PVC material that improves throughput in finishing, enabling print service providers to consistently and confidently produce high-value display graphics applications. Celtec samples, as well as other Vycom materials for use in signage and display applications, will be on display in the Vycom booth 1068 at the SGIA Expo, October 18-20 in Las Vegas.
Premium product for high-value applications
The Celtec line is designed for wide format display applications that demand the highest quality sign materials. It is available in a wide range of colors, thicknesses and sheet sizes. At the core of the Celtec line is its high-density construction ideal for a variety of fabrication processes including digital and screen printing; plus knife- and die-cutting, and thermoforming. Consistent craftsmanship in manufacturing ensures print service providers always receive sheets with dependable quality.
Standout products on display will include:
Celtec Vivid White® signboard includes a bright white point that delivers vibrant colors and highlight cooler tones to produce stunning images. It is an excellent fit for applications where color reproduction is essential such as point-of-purchase displays; or where meeting customer brand-color needs are crucial.
Celtec Ultra White® solid PVC material offers a high-gloss finish and is designed for outdoor applications where UV resistance and impact strength are critical.
Improved throughput in the finishing stage
The Celtec product line is designed to reduce manual touchpoints in the finishing stage. Its high-density construction ensures clean edges after cutting or routing, eliminating the time-consuming step of manual deburring. The substrate’s surface promotes superior ink adhesion, reducing chipping or cracking after cutting that can lead to substrate and ink waste; and ensuring an increased yield of sellable prints.
Agility for responsiveness in meeting customer needs
Since all Vycom products are manufactured in the USA at the company’s Scranton million-square-foot facility, the company’s manufacturing agility facilitates high responsiveness to fluctuations in customer demand. Print service providers can rest assured that Vycom’s just-in-time production capability and available rapid delivery can help keep their wide format print production running smoothly.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Five Large Format Digital Printing Trends Shaping the Future
Over the last twenty years, we have seen new ink technologies developed and emerge for printing large format graphics. These ink technology developments include evolution from full solvent to eco-solvent inks due to environmental concerns, UV-curable inks, Latex inks, and the latest technology of UVgel inks.
With each new development of ink technology we continue to see advances in print quality and application versatility.
In fact, inkjet technology is so good today that it has already made large format photographic technologies with products like the Durst Lambda and Océ LightJet series obsolete.
Because of these advancements, today’s key trends for large format digital graphics printing and the PSPs that use them focus on the below:
- Labor savings for unattended print operations.
While many areas of a PSP are becoming more automated and requiring less labor, many printers unfortunately still require a lot of “hand holding.” Dedicated operators must constantly check if the print quality is acceptable and ensure that issues like print artifacts, caused by print head nozzle outs, are not visible. If left unchecked, hundreds of feet of printed media could be wasted resulting in cost-overruns, rework, and longer time to customer fulfillment.
Newer print systems, such as Canon’s Océ Colorado printer with UVgel ink technology, use a sophisticated print head monitoring and compensation technology to help ensure, in real time, that print quality is maintained throughout a print job. Therefore, these printers can be set up and left unattended, allowing the key operator to go about their workday.
These types of labor saving technologies will become more important as the U.S. continues to see a drop in unemployment to unprecedented low levels.
- Shorter, decreasing turnaround times.
A December 2017 study by InfoTrends titled “Looking for BIG Opportunity in Graphic Communications & Specialty Printing,” indicated that 61 percent of PSP’s customers wanted their Large Format prints turned around in less than 24 hours. In 2013, this was 41 percent.
This means PSPs need not only faster printers but also printers that deliver first-time-right print quality, as well as any labor savings and automation they can incorporate.
- Shorter print run lengths.
Because campaigns are more regional in nature, customization and personalization continue to be key factors for printing projects. As such, PSPs have to be able to accommodate shorter run jobs and need printers that are capable of seamlessly and quickly switching from one roll of media to another.
- Print applications.
Some of the fastest-growing applications include soft signage and wall graphics/panels. Soft signage for large format graphics is especially popular for tradeshow markets due to its relative light weight (leading to lower shipping costs) and ability to roll or fold prints for shipping, compared to rigid printed panels.
Wall graphics panels and murals are another fast growth application. However one should be mindful in choosing a print technology that can easily print these panels without any color shifts or geometrical/pattern misalignments that are caused by the stretching of media being printed. Any technology that uses a lot of heat to dry the inks, such as Latex or Eco-Solvent, can cause these issues.
On the other hand, roll printers that use cold-cure LED mitigate the issues of color shifts and panel mis-alignment. The last thing you want to hear from your installer at the customer’s site is that the wallcovering panel colors don’t match or the images do not align correctly across panels.
- Integrated finishing workflow.
As previously noted, large format graphics print shops are becoming more automated in their workflow. Many tasks, for example print finishing, have become automated.
As such, digital X-Y cutters for roll media and digital flatbed routing and cutting tables for 
both rigid and roll media have become an integral part of a modern print shop. Once set up, these digital cutting devices can help significantly reduce both shop labor requirements and waste due to mistakes from manual cutting.
—Sal Sheikh
Sal Sheikh is senior director, BISG Océ Products LFS Marketing & Support, Canon U.S.A., Inc., and vice president, Marketing Large Format Solutions, Canon Solutions America.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Thursday, September 27, 2018
Graphics of Americas Now Under SGIA Ownership
The Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) has purchased the printing trade show Graphics of the Americas (GOA) from the Florida Graphics Alliance (FGA) (formerly the Printing Association of Florida). Following a transition period, GOA will relaunch in February 2020 in Miami Beach, Florida. SGIA acquired the show in August 2018.
“GOA has a long history of bringing together an audience of exhibitors and attendees from North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean. These markets, though distinctly different in many aspects, are vital players in the larger printing community, and are of critical interest to the supplier members of SGIA,” said Ford Bowers, President & CEO, SGIA.
Over the next 18 months, SGIA and FGA will transition GOA to its new ownership and redefine it as an integral part of the calendar of events in the printing industry with high value for attendees and exhibitors.
FGA President Gabe Hernandez said, “The printing industry is even more interconnected now, and on many different levels, than in past years. FGA has long desired to make sure that GOA continues as a venue of high value across a range of printing segments and communities. SGIA has the reach, vision and resources to accomplish this and we are happy to be working with them to ensure GOA’s success and growth into the future.”
Graphics of the Americas will take place at the Miami Beach Convention Center, February 13–15, 2020. More details will be available in early 2019.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Matthews Paint Introduces Mobile Color-Scanning Tool for Easy Formula Retrieval
Matthews Paint and MeasureColor together have introduced a convenient color-scanning 
tool for the sign industry. Finding a Matthews Paint color formula by scanning an existing paint sample has now been simplified, thanks to the introduction of this device and associated app. This portable color scanner, weighing about an ounce, easily fits in the palm of the hand. Paired with a smartphone or tablet a user already carries, the device is ideal for scanning color in the field.
The small Bluetooth® enabled scanning device accurately captures surface color. The device then syncs with the app installed on a smartphone or tablet to find the closest Matthews Paint color match. Then simply tap the link in the app to go to the MPC Online Color Formula Retrieval and access the color formula. The scanning device uses Delta E calculations and L*a*b* color values for accurate color.
“Our customers will seldom need to send color samples to the Matthews Paint color lab because you can achieve an accurate color scan on the spot,” stated Jan Scheske, Manager of Marketing and Customer Service at Matthews Paint. “This will reduce the total time associated with preparation and turnaround time on projects.”
The device and annual app subscription can be ordered through a link on the Matthews Paint website. The app is available at the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Jim Lange, VP of US Sales at MeasureColor added, “We’re thrilled to be working with the team at Matthews and its extensive distribution network. This integrated solution has been designed to support the Matthews mission, leverage a cloud-based platform and provide value at affordable price points.”
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Gary A. Jones Joins SGIA Staff
The Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) is pleased to welcome environmental, health and safety (EHS) expert Gary A. Jones as the Director of Environmental, Health and Safety Affairs.
“Gary has dedicated his career to helping printing companies improve their safety and environmental performance and navigate an often confusing array of federal and state regulations,” said Melissa Ferrari, Senior Vice President, Member Services, SGIA. “We’re excited to have him join SGIA’s Government & Business Information department and expand the support and services we offer not only our members but also the entire printing industry.”
As a primary resource for printers and printing industry suppliers investigating EHS issues, Jones will represent the printing industry to federal, state and local agencies and provide technical support on EHS compliance requirements and sustainability programs directly to SGIA member companies.
In addition to serving as a resource for SGIA members, Jones will continue to provide support on EHS compliance and other matters to members of the Printing Industries of America (PIA) through its national network of affiliates.
“EHS issues are critical to the economic health of a company and the well-being of its employees. At SGIA, I will be able to provide EHS support to more segments of the printing industry and work to ensure that the regulations do not impose hardships and unnecessary costs,” Jones said.
“SGIA will be able to enhance its monitoring and responses to proposed changes to state or local regulations impacting screen, digital and now commercial print operations,” Ferrari added.
Over more than 30 years advising PIA members, Jones answered thousands of questions, requests for assistance and interpretations of regulations. He has prepared hundreds of industry position statements that are given to regulatory agencies, negotiated with them on requirements, and participated in joint work groups designed to either educate printing operations or to cut red tape and streamline rules. He can be reached at gjones@sgia.org.
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Posted by https://goo.gl/TXzGV5Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Watchfire Signs Equips Princeton High School’s Viking Stadium With State-of-the-Art Virtual Scoreboard
Cincinnati area’s Princeton High School opened its Vikings football season with a beautifully renovated stadium featuring new bleachers and a state-of-the-art virtual scoreboard manufactured by Watchfire Signs.
The new virtual scoreboard, installed by Griffin Sports LLC, is a 16mm pro-team quality display measuring 17’ x 32’. It replaces an old combination fixed digit board and video display, and can be used for different sports at Princeton’s Viking Stadium. The school already has used the scoreboard for both football and soccer games, each team able to easily and cost-effectively customize content to meet the needs of its sport.
Both the video and digit portions of the old scoreboard started to fail during the 2017 football season, according to Chris Lockhart, director of technology at Princeton City Schools. “Since we planned to renovate the stadium, the school board was very supportive of upgrading to a full video scoreboard that would really make an impact in the community,” said Lockhart.
Using Watchfire’s new Ignite Sports software to power the scoreboard, display operators can divide the scoreboard content into zones, which gives them the flexibility to display one large scoreboard or a combination of graphics, videos and sponsor messages. The software makes it easy to create, manage and deliver game-time content, including scores, statistics, animations, live video, instant replays and advertising.
“The possibilities are endless for the content we can show on our new scoreboard,” said Lockhart. “The full video board allows us to showcase our community partners, advertisers and others, as well as run custom graphics for each sport.”
Students in some art classes soon will be involved in creating content for the board, and the school plans to train students on how to program and run the display.
Located in Sharonville, Ohio, Princeton High School serves grades nine through 12 and draws students from the neighboring areas of Blue Ash, Deerfield Township, West Chester Township and Springfield Township. The school campus also has Watchfire monument signs located at the high school/middle school campus entrance and outside the athletic facility that broadcast messages to students, parents and the community.
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