Niles: ‘Rogers: The Musical’ shows the importance of live theater at Disneyland

• July 4, 2023

Live musical theater is back at Disney California Adventure, and I could not be happier.

“Rogers: The Musical” opened in the park’s Hyperion Theater last week. The Hollywood Land facility had been dark since the pandemic, after Disneyland closed the “Frozen — Live at the Hyperion” production that had played there since 2016. “Rogers: The Musical” will run through Aug. 31.

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After that, Disneyland has not announced what will happen in the theater. But I hope that it does not remain dark for long. Live theater provides an important draw for any theme park, and Disney should continue to set an example for the industry by supporting it in all of its theme parks.

As for “Rogers,” the new musical surprised me. “Rogers: The Musical” is a punchline in the Disney+ series “Hawkeye,” where it first appeared. When Disneyland announced that it would bring an expanded, 30-minute version of the musical to the Hyperion, I worried that the park could not sustain a joke for that long. Disneyland’s reveal that the production would include a second satirical number, “Star Spangled Man” from “Captain America: The First Avenger,” along with “Save the City” from “Hawkeye,” did not help ease my concern that this would be a one-note show that left audiences cringing as much as laughing.

Don’t worry. “Rogers: The Musical” triumphs. The production offers three exceptional original songs that help frame the show as a classic, heart-tugging Broadway romance. Led by director Jordan Peterson, the creative team has delivered a show that delivers the emotional mix that fans have come to expect from the best Marvel productions. Sure, fans will laugh at “Save the City,” and even more so when Nick Fury sings in a new number which leads up to that. But fans will cry and cheer, too.

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Good word of mouth, along with the enduring popularity of the Captain America character, should help keep the nearly 2,000-seat theater filled multiple times daily for show’s limited run. When shows are running, the Hyperion Theater is a people-eater that helps improve wait times at other attractions throughout Disney California Adventure and Disneyland.

But expanded resort capacity isn’t the only reason why Disneyland should keep the Hyperion running. Theme parks can, and should, use their popularity to help more fans discover and fall in love with theater. Live theater helps develop and sustain generations of actors, singers, writers, composers and designers — many of the creative artists that theme parks need to bring adventures to life for their fans.

Street entertainment and character shows help create the magic in Disney’s parks, but there’s nothing like seeing a show in a big house like the Hyperion to help more fans discover why Broadway remains such a popular and enduring art form. Success drives imitation in entertainment, and I would love to see Disney do whatever it can to inspire the entire theme park industry to commission and support more large-scale, live professional theater for fans across the country and around the world.

​ Orange County Register 

Happy Independence Day: Political Cartoons

• July 4, 2023

Check out our regular cartoon gallery featuring some of the best cartoonists from around the world, and across the political spectrum, covering current issues and figures.

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Los Alamitos horse racing consensus picks, Tuesday, July 4, 2023

• July 4, 2023

The consensus box of Los Alamitos horse racing picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Art Wilson, Terry Turrell and Eddie Wilson. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.

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Watering right can save gardeners money, gallons and their plants, too

• July 4, 2023

By Jessica Damiano

Until I installed soaker hoses throughout my vegetable beds this year, I’d always watered my plants by hand, which over the years had become tiresome.

Standing outside holding a garden hose wasn’t exactly my idea of a good time, but it directs water precisely to the soil above roots, making sure it lands where it’s needed. That eliminates waste, and goes a long way toward preventing diseases like powdery mildew. That’s good for plants, the environment and the water bill.

Placing flexible, porous rubber or fabric soaker hoses on the soil around plants is another preferred way to irrigate, as it allows water to seep slowly over roots. Drip irrigation hoses (rigid tubes with emitter holes that drip or stream water) work similarly.

There are plenty of other easy ways to save water around the garden.

Applying water in the morning, for instance, allows time for it to permeate deeply into the soil before the sun gets too hot. Wait until later in the day, and a good portion of that water will evaporate from the soil surface before doing its job. Later still, and moisture could stick around overnight, risking mold, mildew and fungal diseases.

How you water is just as important as when. Giving plants a quick, daily sprinkle offers little if any benefit to roots, which, depending on the plant, could extend a foot or more into the soil. Instead, water less frequently but deeply.

And when the soil is really dry, it’s even more important to slow down, or the water will run off without penetrating the surface, just as a bone-dry kitchen sponge has difficulty absorbing a spill.

You can recycle water from boiling pasta, vegetables and eggs instead of pouring it down the drain, as long as it hasn’t been salted. Water from dehumidifiers can be used, too. Waste not, want not.

Redirect a downspout to fill a rain barrel, then use the captured water to fill watering cans. Or use an adapter to attach a garden or soaker hose to the spigot hole at the bottom of the barrel.

When planting a garden, we typically give thought to what looks good with what and (hopefully) each plant’s sunlight requirements. Consider water needs, too, so as not to overwater drought-resistant plants when trying to appease thirsty water hogs nearby.

For the same reason, it’s a good idea to keep lawns separate from trees, shrubs, groundcovers, perennials and annuals if you use an automatic sprinkler system, which, by the way, wets the foliage of plants in the path of the spray, making them susceptible to disease.

Better yet, use native plants, most of which are drought-tolerant. They’ll need regular watering during their first year or two, but once they’re established, they can typically get by on rainwater alone, except maybe during prolonged heat waves. To find plants native to your area, plug your zip code into the online databases at T he National Wildlife Federation (https://www.nwf.org/NativePlantFinder/Plants) and Audubon Society (https://www.audubon.org/native-plants) websites.

When planting in the garden, incorporate a generous amount of compost into holes to increase the water-holding capacity of sandy soil and improve drainage in clay.

Apply 2 to 3 inches of mulch around trees, shrubs and plants to retain soil moisture, reduce surface evaporation and inhibit weeds. Wait until the soil warms up before mulching, and keep the material a few inches away from stems and trunks.

When planting containers, look for a potting mix that includes vermiculite, a moisture-retaining mineral. Soil moisture polymer granules such as SoilMoist can also be added to reduce watering needs by as much as 50%.

You can even tear open a (clean!) baby diaper and mix the absorbent hydrogels with your potting mix, or simply place an unfolded diaper at the bottom of a container (plastic side down, with holes poked in for drainage) to absorb and hold moisture. Just don’t use any of these if your container includes succulents or other plants that require dry, well-draining soil.

If you’re using an automatic sprinkler, set the timer for early in the morning, preferably just before dawn. Look for a timer with a rain sensor, or manually override its programming to avoid waste on rainy days.

Most lawns need about 1 to 1 ½ inches of water per week, including from rain, but you won’t know how much your system puts out unless you test it. Set a tuna fish can on the lawn during a cycle, then measure the water accumulation in the can.

A rain gauge, which sort of looks like a test tube marked with measurements, will also inform on rainfall amounts.

___

Jessica Damiano writes regular gardening columns for the AP.

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Mike Trout leaves Angels’ loss to Padres with left hand injury

• July 4, 2023

SAN DIEGO — Everything was already going wrong for the Angels on Monday night.

And then Mike Trout got hurt.

Trout, who had just been heating up at the plate, left the Angels’ 10-3 loss to the San Diego Padres in the eighth inning, with an injury to his left hand.

There was no immediate word on the nature or severity of the injury. Trout took a swing at a pitch and fouled it off, and then he shook his left hand. Head athletic trainer Mike Frostad came to check on Trout, and he was quickly removed from the game.

Trout, who is set to start in the All-Star Game next week, had two singles and a walk in the game, continuing a stretch that had seen him hit .340 over the last two weeks.

He had been one of the bright spots on a bad night, when the Angels lost for the fifth time in their last six games.

Starter Jaime Barría didn’t pitch well enough, and he was burned by his defense in one crucial sequence.

Shortstop David Fletcher made a bad throw on what would have been a first-inning double play. It allowed the inning to extend for Xander Bogaerts to hit a three-run homer.

Barria still managed to get through five innings, allowing just one more run. The Angels trailed 4-0 when he threw his final pitch because they had come up empty repeatedly with runners in scoring position.

In the first five innings, the Angels were 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position, leaving nine runners on base and getting nothing out of seven hits and four walks.

The Angels finally got back into the game in the sixth.

Rengifo and pinch-hitter Mike Moustakas singled. Taylor Ward drove in one with his second double of the game. Trout then knocked in a run with his second hit of the game, pulling the Angels within 4-2.

Manager Phil Nevin took Barria out after five innings and 87 pitches, with the heart of the Padres’ order due for the third time. With the Angels still losing, Nevin likely didn’t want to burn his high-leverage relievers in a game they were losing, so he summoned rookie right-hander Victor Mederos for his second major league game.

All he had to do was face Soto, Tatis, Machado and Bogaerts.

Mederos didn’t retire any of them – although Tatis reached on a broken-bat hit and Bogaerts on an infield hit. That led to two more runs.

Tucker Davidson and Sam Bachman combined to give up three more runs in the seventh. Bachman continued and gave up another run in the eighth. In his last five games, he’s allowed 11 hits, three walks and five earned runs in five innings. The Angels also had him throw 44 pitches two days after he threw 34 pitches.

More to come on this story.

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Dodgers beat Pirates, kick off homestand with Dave Roberts’ 700th win

• July 4, 2023

LOS ANGELES ― The Dodgers limped home Monday on the heels of back-to-back losses to the woebegone Kansas City Royals, having lost their best pitcher to a shoulder injury earlier in the day.

A couple of big hits by outfielder David Peralta and a serviceable spot start from Michael Grove got them back on track. Max Muncy also hit his 18th home run of the season in the Dodgers’ 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates before an announced crowd of 49,652 at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers (47-37) delivered the 700th career win for Manager Dave Roberts.

Grove allowed one run over four innings, facing the Pirates’ starting lineup twice before turning the game over to the bullpen. With a little help from his defense, Grove delivered one of his best performances of the season.

Grove allowed a wall-banging double to Carlos Santana to begin the second inning. The Dodgers’ infielders drew closer to home plate with Santana at third base and one out. Shortstop Miguel Rojas devoured a grounder by Nick Gonzales and threw quickly to home plate, in time to cut down Santana and keep the game scoreless.

Grove did not help his own cause when he made an unwise throw to first base later in the inning, rather than holding on to a swinging-bunt ground ball halfway up the first-base line off the bat of Rodolfo Castro. When Grove’s throw eluded Freddie Freeman, Gonzales scampered all the way from first to third, then scored on a single by Jared Triolo.

The Dodgers rattled off five unanswered runs against right-hander Mitch Keller (9-4). Muncy broke open the scoring with his solo home run in the second inning. Later that inning, Peralta doubled and scored on a Jason Heyward grounder that got past Santana at first base.

With two outs in the fourth inning, Keller hit Miguel Vargas with a 93-mph sinker, then served up an RBI double to Rojas that gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.

Freeman and Smith led off the fifth inning with a pair of singles, and another two-out rally led to two more runs. Peralta poked a single into left field to score Freeman. Heyward hit a soft line drive in Santana’s direction, but the first baseman simply missed it, allowing Smith to score.

The Dodgers’ bullpen had a fairly easy time protecting the 5-1 lead. Caleb Ferguson (5-3), Ryan Brasier, Daniel Hudson, Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips allowed two hits and two walks while striking out five over the final five innings.

Peralta, Muncy and Rojas each had two of the Dodgers’ nine hits.

The Dodgers are sending three position players to the All-Star Game next Tuesday in Seattle. From May 1 through Sunday, Peralta had a higher batting average (.346) than Freddie Freeman (.327), a better on-base percentage (.387) than Mookie Betts (.383), and a higher slugging percentage (.508) than Will Smith (.476).

There’s an obvious caveat to Peralta’s success. As a part-time player, he rarely bats against left-handed pitchers. The Dodgers have effectively limited Peralta’s greatest weakness – he’s hitting .240 in his career against lefties – by never making him confront it. At 35, the extra time off might be beneficial to Peralta’s health.

Still, most pitchers throw with their right hand, giving Peralta plenty of chances to do damage. He did very little before May 1, when he was hitting .167 with one home run.

More to come on this story.

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Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw lands on injured list with shoulder soreness

• July 4, 2023

LOS ANGELES ― For three months and three days, Clayton Kershaw managed to avoid the injured list. At age 35, he was defying Father Time and his own injury history all at once.

That changed Monday, when the Dodgers placed Kershaw on the 15-day IL with left shoulder soreness. Kershaw will not pitch again before the All-Star break.

By backdating his IL stint to June 30, Kershaw is eligible to pitch during the Dodgers’ series against the Mets in New York, their first series after the All-Star break.

“Any time you have to take time off it’s frustrating,” Kershaw said. “Disappointing. Just the way the season was going, I had hoped I could make it through a full season. I haven’t done that in a while. It’s always something I want to do. Anytime it doesn’t work out, it’s definitely frustrating for me, but where we’re at in the season with the break, it’s probably a good thing to take a little break now.

Right-hander Michael Grove was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City and started Monday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Kershaw’s place.

The Dodgers also recalled right-hander Gavin Stone from Oklahoma City with the intention of using him in a potential long-relief situation if needed. Stone was 2-4 with a 6.71 ERA at Oklahoma City, where he was used exclusively as a starter. Left-handed reliever Victor Gonzalez was optioned to Triple-A.

Kershaw was the only member of the Dodgers’ season-opening rotation who had avoided the IL so far, and he was their best pitcher when healthy. His 10 wins lead the National League. His 2.55 ERA ranks third and is remarkably in line with his 2.48 career ERA – the lowest among active qualified pitchers.

On Sunday, Kershaw was named to his 10th National League All-Star team. He said he will still attend the game in Seattle with his family, but lamented being unable to pitch with his children watching.

“I wish I could’ve skipped a start and made the next one but that’s not where we’re at,” he said. “Sometimes roster decisions take precedent, and I understand that.”

The injury surfaced on one of the 79 pitches Kershaw threw against the Colorado Rockies last Thursday in Denver, Manager Dave Roberts said.

Kershaw made two trips to the injured list last season, once in May and again in August, for ailments related to his back. He has not been placed on the IL with a shoulder-related injury since 2019, though the three-time Cy Young Award winner said Saturday he has had “shoulder stuff” before, received injections for it before, and pitched through injuries at times.

The last year in which Kershaw avoided the IL entirely was 2015.

“I would’ve loved to have had a few more days to make a decision, to give it a little more time,” he said. “(Monday) probably wasn’t going to be an option just because I had to take a few days off on my front end” after receiving an injection Thursday to relieve inflammation.

“I don’t know if I could’ve pitched this week or not,” Kershaw said. “I would’ve liked to have tried, obviously. That was a little bit above my pay grade.”

CALL IN THE RIGHTY?

The Dodgers weren’t the only team to lose a pitcher Monday. The NL All-Star team is down an arm too, and the league will have to choose a pitcher to take Kershaw’s spot on the roster.

Roberts lobbied for Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips to take Kershaw’s place. The 28-year-old reliever has never made an All-Star team before. This year, as the Dodgers’ primary closer, Phillips is 11 for 12 in save situations with a 1.91 ERA.

Nine NL relievers began the week with more saves, but Roberts believes Phillips’ usage pattern is a credit to his value.

“We could’ve easily made Evan the dedicated closer to accrue saves,” Roberts said, “but what he’s done to buy into our team and pitch in highest-leverage (situations) every time he’s out there has been, I would argue, more valuable than a closer. He’s facing the toughest part of the lineup every time he’s out there.

“A closer, you could face the bottom (of the lineup), it could be a three-run lead. Every time (Phillips) is out there, it’s the highest leverage (situation).”

Phillips has appeared in 17 high-leverage situations, more than any right-handed pitcher in the Dodgers’ bullpen. Left-hander Caleb Ferguson has also appeared in 17 high-leverage situations but is 2 for 3 in save chances with a 3.00 ERA.

ALSO

Grove will either start or “open” Saturday’s game against the Angels, Roberts said. … Jason Heyward got his 12th start of the season in center field. Roberts said he preferred Heyward over rookie James Outman, who went 0 for 3 with three strikeouts in his only prior game against Pirates starter Mitch Keller. … Infielder Jahmai Jones, who opted out of his minor league contract with the Dodgers over the weekend, signed a major league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers.

UP NEXT

Pirates (RHP Luis Ortiz, 2-3, 4.11 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Emmet Sheehan, 2-0, 2.65 ERA), Tuesday, 6:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM

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OC’s first Pride-themed lifeguard tower gets July 4 celebration in Laguna Beach

• July 4, 2023

Orange County’s first rainbow-colored Pride lifeguard tower now stands at West Street Beach, an area of Laguna Beach’s shoreline known for its history as a haven for the LGBTQ community.

The picturesque stretch with towering cliffs, interesting rock formations and pristine tidepools wedged between Aliso Beach and Thousand Steps Beach was known as a “party all the time” among the gay community. Areas were regularly roped off for dancing and volleyball competitions, and a low-power radio station KWER FM 104.7 (Queer FM) kept everyone in the party spirit.

On the Fourth of July any given year, the celebration hit an even bigger note, with hundreds of people gathering on the beach for fun in the sun and activities that lasted long into the evening, ending with a great view of the city’s fireworks show shot off from Heisler Park.

So, it’s fitting that on this Fourth of July, the new tower will be christened with a fun day of activities hosted by Laguna Beach Pride 365, including a 1 p.m. ribbon cutting. Hundreds are expected to attend.

A plaque celebrating the beach’s history and proclaiming it a safe place for all to gather is still being crafted and will be installed in August during the community’s Pride Festival.

“It’s a fairly simple message that we accept diversity,” Craig Cooley, president of Laguna Beach Pride 365, said about the tower’s installation. “What’s impacted me the most, and brought me to tears, is the number of positive responses we’ve gotten on social media since it went up on June 26.”

While there’s “been so much pushback nationally and in the state legislature” and following the Supreme Court ruling last week that a website designer could refuse to design websites for same-sex weddings, the new tower “has sparked a lot of support,” Cooley said. “The response was overwhelming.”

The timing of the Pride tower’s debut with the Fourth of July is “very significant” because of the importance of the American Constitution in protecting the rights of the LBGTQ community.

“The Constitution and those who believe in its proper interpretation are what gives us our freedom and what the LGBTQ community has benefited from to protect our individual rights,” Cooley said. “It’s about the Constitution, independence and human rights. What better time to have the tower out there?”

Cooley proposed the tower to the Laguna Beach City Council earlier this year when it took over operation of several southern beaches in town that had previously remained the county’s responsibility. Then the project got a huge boost from a $10,000 donation from locals Steve Chadima and Mark Porterfield, who met in Laguna Beach nearly 40 years ago.

So when the city planned six new towers on the South Laguna beaches, the Pride tower was included at West Street Beach.

“It’s something we’re pleased to have and respect the history of the gay community in Laguna Beach,” Mayor Bob Whalen said. “It’s something the gay community asked us to support.”

Some residents who live in the area worried the rainbow tower might be a target for vandalism – Long Beach’s Pride tower was set on fire in 2021 – expressing concern to the council at recent meetings.

The council opted to move the tower’s location 200 feet to the south to provide some more distance from nearby vegetation, but Whalen said he doesn’t feel the new tower “presents a major threat.”

“The Fire Department is very confident, should anything happen, we’ll have the ability to access the place,” he said. “We thoroughly looked at fire risk and addressed that.”

Some residents suggested moving the tower to Main Beach, but the council agreed that given West Street Beach’s history, the best place to represent the Pride message would be at that beach.

“I think we’re all pleased it’s there,” Whalen said.

Chris Tebbutt, who chose Laguna Beach as the town he and his husband wanted to raise their boys when they moved back to California from the East Coast, said he has found memories at West Street Beach.

Tebbutt co-founded with Cooley the Laguna Beach LGBTQ Heritage and Culture Alliance, which is dedicated to making sure the local LGBTQ community is seen and embraced. The Pride tower, he said, should help that effort and give a nod to the past.

“It’s a great addition, not only for representation, but it’s about being fun,” he said. “It feels friendly and welcoming.”

Bob Celli, who was the co-owner, DJ, programmer and promoter of Queer FM, which started 40 years ago this year, applauded the tower.

“To see the beach get its own lifeguard tower shows just how far acceptance of the gay community has come, in spite of new efforts to force us back into hiding,” he said. “I was 16 years old when I started that radio station with my best friend and eventual husband. Now, at the age of 56, I look back at the fun – and challenges – we had on West Street Beach and I’m so happy to know that people are still enjoying that gorgeous cove to this day.”

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