A pet owner’s guide to resources after the wildfires

• January 17, 2025

Animal shelters, pet shops and pet supply brands are stepping up to care of animals in the aftermath of the Eaton and Palisades wildfires last week.

People who are missing their pets are advised to visit animal shelters and take to social media to spread the word. Platforms such as Nextdoor and Find Rover are possibilities.

Related: Ducky the Parrot reunited with owner amid Eaton fire evacuation 

Cleo&Hooman pet supplies has set up a platform to report and find missing pets on Instagram (@cleoandhooman).

Visit spcaLA.com for a list of humane societies, adoption centers, county animal care and control contacts and other agencies as well as information on pet care services and veterinary assistance.

Pups Without Borders is working with the Animal Welfare Data Center to collect donations and coordinate emergency relief distribution. Find them @pupswithoutborders to connect with events, an Amazon donation drive and request emergency supplies.

CalAnimals is a network of nearly 300 animal shelters and organizations working to support families and animals impacted by the wildfires. This group includes Pasadena Humane, which has taken in 500 animals and counting. The best resources for people and pets affected by the fires is to contact official communication channels for local agencies. These include Pasadena Humane (pasadenahumane.org), Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (animalcare.lacounty.gov) and Los Angeles Animal Services (laanimalservices.com).

For lost and found pets, visit “I Lost My Pet” at Pasadena Humane, “If You Lost Your Pet” at Animal Care and Control and “Lost Pets” under LA Animal Services.

Learn to prepare for emergencies at Ready.gov/pets.

People to foster and adopt a pet are always welcome. LA Animal Services reports it has more than 1,500 animals in its six locations.

“Despite the immense devastation and heartbreak we are witnessing, Los Angeles will rise, just as a phoenix rises from the ashes,” said Ryan Soulsby, disaster program manager for CalAnimals.

​ Orange County Register 

After Penn State pursuit, USC inks defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn to extension

• January 17, 2025

LOS ANGELES — For a brief moment, the future of USC’s defense in the Lincoln Riley era hung in the balance, with a defensive coordinator uprooted 2,570 miles away in State College, Pennsylvania.

On Tuesday, former Penn State DC Tom Allen was formally inked as Clemson’s newest defensive coordinator, leaving a sudden hole for Nittany Lions coach James Franklin. And all signs pointed to Southern California, where former Penn State cornerback Lynn had transformed UCLA’s and then USC’s defense across subsequent one-year stints. The tie made excessive sense; Penn State came after Lynn with an opening after that 2023 season at UCLA, and reached out again to Lynn this week, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

“I know, for him, it wasn’t an easy job to walk away from,” the source told the Southern California News Group.

Lynn, though, is sticking in Southern California, as multiple sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to the Southern California News Group. USC confirmed on Twitter late Thursday afternoon that Lynn had signed a contract extension; the deal is for multiple years, a source told the Southern California News Group.

“He wants to help Lincoln (Riley) turn that thing around,” the source said of Lynn. “And he feels pretty good about the class they recruited this year, class they recruited last year.”

It’s a trajectory-defining retention for USC, particularly considering Penn State ascended to the College Football Playoff semifinals in 2024 and the Trojans often stumbled across a 7-6 season. In the offseason of 2023, Riley and USC structured an entire defensive staff overhaul on the addition of Lynn, Riley assuring both him and USC’s fan base that the program would do everything it could “to accelerate the process of us playing great defense at USC.”

Lynn’s hire, indeed, accelerated that process, as USC made a significant leap in its overall 2023 output (121st of 133 FBS teams in opponent points-per-game) to 2024 (57th of 134) under its new defensive coordinator. Despite a swath of injuries to key contributors like linebacker Eric Gentry and edge rusher Anthony Lucas, Lynn frequently cobbled together competitive units and generated creative late-down looks, the Trojans’ defense ranking as the 21st-best unit in the country in red-zone conversions in 2024.

“I think the culture, defensively, within our program – has really shifted in a lot of ways,” Riley said in mid-November. “I’m proud of how we progressed schematically. I’m really proud of how we progressed fundamentally, especially in Year One, and that’ll probably make the biggest difference for us.”

The son of longtime NFL coach Anthony Lynn and a product of the NFL coaching ranks, Lynn’s pro-style defense and ability to simplify complex concepts, too, has been praised by a variety of returning players and new faces alike. Take new North Carolina State transfer safety Bishop Fitzgerald, who told the SCNG that Lynn sat him down on a visit this week and played him a variety of clips of simulated pressures and unique looks in the secondary.

“I just feel like, just being in that NFL-style, I’m able to put all that on film, finally,” Fitzgerald said.

USC’s defense has a variety of intriguing pieces entering the fold in 2025, with Louisiana true freshman Jahkeem Stewart and a couple of big defensive tackle bodies in Kentucky transfer Keyshawn Silver and Georgia transfer Jamaal Jarrett. And Lynn knew, entering the job at USC last winter, that a turnaround would take multiple years, as a source said.

He’s now locked in at the hip with Riley, as the two minds attempt to steady their program from a couple of tumultuous seasons.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County scores and player stats for Thursday, Jan. 16

• January 17, 2025

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Scores and stats from Orange County games on Thursday, Jan. 16

Click here for details about sending your team’s scores and stats to the Register.

The deadline for submitting information is 10:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 p.m. Saturday.

THURSDAY’S SCORES

GIRLS WATER POLO

TRINITY LEAGUE

Orange Lutheran 11, JSerra 3

Goals: (OLu) Nicoloff 2, Sloman 2, Urkov 2, Webb 2.

Saves: (OLu) Galaz 7

COAST LEAGUE

Western 11, Saddleback 1

EMPIRE LEAGUE

Buena Park 23, Santa Ana 7

GROVE LEAGUE

Bolsa Grande 8, La Quinta 1

Estancia 11, Savanna 9

ORANGE COAST LEAGUE

Ocean View 17, Katella 2

​ Orange County Register 

5 best things to eat at Disneyland’s Lunar New Year festival

• January 17, 2025

The annual Lunar New Year festival at the Disneyland resort is perfect for foodies who love to sample and share while grazing from one food booth to the next on an Asian-inspired epicurean adventure.

I set out to taste all the new food items available this year at the six festival marketplace booths during a soft opening preview on Thursday, Jan. 16 at Disney California Adventure.

The 2025 Lunar New Year festival celebrating Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures and traditions officially kicks off on Friday, Jan. 17 and runs through Feb. 16 at the Anaheim theme park.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland reveals menu lineup for 2025 Lunar New Year festival — See the list

Sip and Savor passes ($48 for the general public, $45 for Magic Key annual passholders) allow visitors to purchase a prepaid card with six digital coupons good for individual items at food and beverage stands throughout the festival.

The 2025 festival celebrating the Year of the Snake also features a parade-like procession starring Mulan, the “Hurry Home” introduction to the “World of Color” water show, live music and Disney character photo ops.

Let’s take a closer look at the five best new things to eat at the Lunar New Year festival marketplace booths.

1) Chocolate Firecracker

Lucky 8 Lantern festival marketplace booth

Light chocolate mousse, chocolate ganache filling, chocolate almond dacquoise, popping candy, dark chocolate shell ($7.50)

It’s especially great when high expectations are exceeded.

There’s always one thing on the menu during any of Disney’s food festivals that I hope and pray will taste as good as it looks and sounds.

This year’s top candidate was the Chocolate Firecracker. It looks fun and tastes even better.

The Chocolate Firecracker is everything I wanted it to be. Soft mousse and delicate cake on the inside. Subtle chocolate shell on the outside. Topped by flavorless Pop Rocks that add a bit of surprise and crunch without competing with the triple-chocolate flavor profile.

This is an absolutely perfect treat. If you only eat one thing at Disney’s Lunar New Year food festival, make it the Chocolate Firecracker. You won’t be sorry.

ALSO SEE: Every Disneyland event, parade and firework show coming in 2025

2) Pho Dip

Wrapped with Love festival marketplace booth

Sandwich with sliced beef, rice noodles, shaved jalapenos, pickled onions, and Pho broth dip ($9.50)

What I love about Disney’s food festivals is when the chefs take a familiar concept and adds a little twist to it. In this case, it’s a French dip sandwich with Asian flavors.

The sandwich delivers a delicious flavor combination of savory beef, delightful pickled onions, a hint of jalapeno heat and creamy dressing on a super soft hoagie roll. The kicker is the Chinese Five Spice dip that brings all the tastes together.

By Disney standards, the Pho Dip is a decent-sized portion at a food festival where that’s not always the case.

ALSO SEE: 4 Disneyland After Dark events coming in 2025 and how to get tickets

3) Mandarin Orange Cream Puff

Wrapped with Love festival marketplace booth

Puff pastry filled with citrus cream and Mandarin compote ($8.50)

On the outside, the pastry looks like a Concha-style Mexican sweet bread in the shape of a sliced orange.

The real surprise is when you dig into the dessert. You better be careful. I recommend starting with a fork rather than biting into the pastry unless you want to wear the cream puff filling during the rest of your visit.

The inside is filled with a tangy Mandarin marmalade. The orange filling oozes out like chocolate from a lava cake.

Disney often goes too sweet with its desserts. But not here. The cream puff is just right.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland hotels housing 100 Disney employees displaced by wildfires

4) Fire Chicken Wings

Red Dragon Spice Traders festival marketplace booth

Barbecue wings with sesame-seaweed crunch ($9)

The “fire” in the name of the wings certainly delivers – but in a Disney way. I would call this “theme park spicy” – enough heat for you to notice, but nothing that a sip of whatever you’re drinking can’t cool off.

The Korean-style barbecue sauce was delicious and plentiful – but the chicken was a bit dry.

This is a great dish to share with three wings as you continue to sample your way around the food festival.

The wings were in short supply during the soft opening preview – and the long lines at the booth suggested they might be a popular choice when the festival gets into full swing.

ALSO SEE: Marvel super heroes take over It’s a Small World at Tokyo Disneyland

5) Spicy Gochujang Chicken Tacos

Red Dragon Spice Traders festival marketplace booth

Street taco with yuja citrus cabbage slaw ($8)

Don’t be fooled by the “tacos” in the menu description. This is a single street taco – which makes the $8 price tag a bit steep even by Disney standards.

The twist here is the Korean flavors on what looks like an otherwise ordinary Mexican taco.

The Gochujang pepper paste gives the taco a spicy, savory and slightly sweet taste.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland almost got Space Mountain before the Magic Kingdom

Char Siu Pork Shanks

Bamboo Blessing festival marketplace booth

Slow-cooked pork dish served with rice and pineapple chutney ($9.25)

Not all the new foods were available during the soft opening preview — so I’ll have to try the pork shanks another time.

But that’s the best part of Disney’s food festivals. There’s always something new to try next time. And fortunately I’ve got one item left on my Sip and Savor pass.

​ Orange County Register 

Santa Anita horse racing consensus picks for Friday, January 17, 2025

• January 17, 2025

The consensus box of Santa Anita picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Eddie Wilson, Kevin Modesti and Mark Ratzky. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Friday, January 17, 2025.

Trouble viewing on mobile device? See consensus picks

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​ Orange County Register 

College Football Playoff: Ohio State, Notre Dame built rosters the old-fashioned way

• January 17, 2025

By ERIC OLSON AP College Football Writer

Ohio State and Notre Dame have reached the same destination with rosters built much the same way.

The teams set to play in the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday night in Atlanta sign elite high school recruiting classes year after year. That has been and continues to be their foundations.

While many teams relentlessly mine the transfer portal in hopes of finding gems, Ohio State and Notre Dame have used the portal judiciously, equally and with great success while putting together their current teams.

Both are college football royalty and can offer NIL riches to go with the exposure and coaching enhancing a player’s chance of winning a championship and getting to the next level.

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard said he had mixed feelings about going into the portal after three years at Duke. But he wouldn’t be in the position he’s in right now if he hadn’t made the move.

“You don’t really understand the magnitude of going to a big-time school until you kind of live it, and I tried to prepare myself for every situation possible, but you’ve just got to go through it to understand what it’s like to play quarterback at a blue blood school,” he said.

According to Associated Press research using 247Sports data, the Buckeyes and Irish both have signed 26 scholarship players from the portal since 2022, Marcus Freeman’s first year as Notre Dame head coach. That’s an average of 6.5 per year, among the lowest in the Bowl Subdivision.

The Buckeyes and Irish can be selective when dipping into the portal, and they’ve predictably had a high success rate with the few players they’ve taken.

Five of the 22 Ohio State starters in its semifinal win over Texas were transfers, and all have played major roles.

Quarterback Will Howard (Kansas State) has completed 73.8% of his passes for 919 yards and six touchdowns over the three playoff games. Running back Quinshon Judkins (Mississippi) ran for two touchdowns in the semifinal win. Will Kacmarek (Ohio) has come back from an upper-body injury to start all three playoff games at tight end.

Safety Caleb Downs (Alabama) had a late interception to finish off Texas. Cornerback Davison Igbinosun (Mississippi) has a combined 11 tackles and two pass breakups in the three games.

For Notre Dame, four starters in the semifinal against Penn State were transfers. Leonard is one of two Power Four quarterbacks to throw for 2,600 yards and run for 700 this season. Beaux Collins (Clemson) is the team’s season receiving leader. Kris Mitchell (Florida International) has been steady at receiver and a big-play threat. Defensive lineman RJ Oben (Duke) made a strip sack to set up Notre Dame’s only offensive touchdown in its quarterfinal victory over Georgia.

The transfers for both teams complement the bevy of high school talent that joins the programs each year.

Nineteen players who signed with Ohio State out of high school have combined for 513 starts, and Ryan Day’s classes have landed in the top five in the 247Sports Composite Rankings for six straight years. Notre Dame’s Freeman has had recruiting classes ranked from seventh to 12th.

The distribution of experience on the rosters is fairly even.

Ohio State leans older, with 13 of its starters in their fourth or fifth years. Ohio State’s only first-year starter is star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

Notre Dame has nine starters who are either first- or second-year players and five who are fifth- or sixth-year players. The Irish’s only freshman starters are offensive lineman Anthonie Knapp, who will miss the championship game because of injury, and cornerback Leonard Moore.

​ Orange County Register 

Woodbridge football hires former standout Connor McBride as head coach

• January 17, 2025

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Woodbridge has hired a standout player from its past to lead the Warriors’ football team.

Former Woodbridge running back Connor McBride, 26, has been selected as the fourth head coach in program history, athletic director and former football coach Rick Gibson said Thursday.

McBride, who holds school records for career rushing yards (4,953) and career rushing touchdowns (42), will be a head coach for the first time. He served as an assistant coach at University the past two seasons.

“I am excited to be back,” McBride said of returning to his alma mater.

McBride played collegiately at Saddleback College and San Diego State. He shifted to fullback and tight end later in his career.

McBride teaches eighth-grade history and physical education at Solis Park, a school in the Irvine Unified School District.

“He’s an excellent candidate and we’re excited to have him,” said Gibson, who also became Woodbridge’s coach at age 26.

McBride replaces Aaron Craver, who was fired after five seasons. Craver, a running back who played at USC and in the NFL, is now an assistant at University.

This past season, Woodbridge finished 4-7 overall, third in the Omicron League and fell to Palmdale 48-7 in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 12 playoffs.

McBride’s sister Kylie is a cheer coach at Woodbridge.

​ Orange County Register 

Horse racing column: 20 horses to watch as Kentucky Derby season begins

• January 17, 2025

A little over 100 days before the Kentucky Derby, buildup to the May 3 classic intensifies this week for horses and horseplayers.

The Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds racetrack in New Orleans on Saturday begins a round of Derby steppingstones with stepped-up importance, presenting 1 1/16-mile tests and 42 qualifying points to top-five finishers.

The first official Derby future wagering of the year, Friday through Sunday, allows bettors to lock in tantalizing odds on any of 39 individual 3-year-olds. There’s also an “all others” option that’s listed at 5-2 on the morning line.

It’s a good time to debut this column’s ranking of 20 horses who, at a very early stage, look like Derby contenders worth following.

1. East Avenue (15-1 on the future-wager morning line): The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile favorite was eliminated at the break at Del Mar but is training for a restart in Louisiana.

2. Barnes (10-1): Bob Baffert’s brilliant San Vicente Stakes winner, a $3.2 million auction buy, is the new leader of the California class.

3. Citizen Bull (20-1): This Baffert trainee won the Juvenile and is all but sure to be named 2-year-old champion for 2024 later this month.

4. Rodriguez (20-1): Another Baffert colt. His maiden romp at Santa Anita earned the highest Beyer speed figure (101) by a 3-year-old in 2025.

5. Gaming (30-1): Baffert’s Del Mar Futurity winner. The six-time Derby-winning trainer is loaded in his return from a three-year ban from Churchill Downs.

6. Journalism (20-1): Michael McCarthy’s Los Alamitos Futurity winner has been getting better as the races get longer.

7. Bullard (20-1): McCarthy again. Third to Barnes and Romanesque when the San Vicente pace didn’t suit his closing style.

8. Jonathan’s Way (40-1): He ran well at Churchill Downs before and after a disappointing try at the Breeders’ Cup.

9. Built (30-1): Must start from post 13 but is a 3-1 morning-line favorite to win his second stakes in the Grade III Lecomte.

10. Ferocious (30-1): A $1.3 million auction purchase, he has had more excuses than wins against division leaders.

11. Chancer McPatrick (20-1): Trainer Chad Brown’s double Grade I winner would rank higher if his 3-year-old debut weren’t delayed by ankle surgery.

12. Magnitude (80-1): Running in the Lecomte. Trainer Steve Asmussen likes his workouts better than his races so far.

13. First Resort (30-1): Well-traveled colt upset Jonathan’s Way at Churchill. Trained by Eoin Harty, who also has Remsen Stakes winner Poster.

14. Keep It Easy (40-1): All sprints so far, but he showed trainer Dale Romans something with a bounce-back stakes victory at Churchill.

15. Patch Adams (20-1): First of three Brad Cox-trained horses on this list. Exploded for a 10-length maiden win at Churchill.

16. Sovereignty (25-1): Was the 19-1 third choice in the previous round of future betting – behind 13-1 Barnes and 15-1 East Avenue – after a strong win at Churchill.

17. Getaway Car (50-1): Baffert. Seconds to Citizen Bull and Journalism keep this Del Mar stakes winner in the hunt.

18. Disco Time (50-1): Two for two for Cox. The Lecomte will be his first stakes-level challenge.

19. Admiral Dennis (NA): Cox. Not offered in this week’s future betting. Was favored over Built and Magnitude in the Gun Runner and needs a cleaner trip in the Lecomte.

20. Poster (40-1): A winner of the 1⅛-mile Remsen always merits a second glance.

Those rankings will change in the next 100 days and new contenders will emerge. Major prep races will include the April 5 Santa Anita Derby. A prospect or two might come from Japan and Dubai.

We’ll see how many of these 20 make it into the Kentucky Derby’s 20-horse field, and if the winner is on the list.

Follow horse racing correspondent Kevin Modesti at X.com/KevinModesti.

​ Orange County Register