Carson Palmer returns to Santa Margarita looking to make an impact, lift up football program

• December 18, 2024

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA – He’s not doing it for the money.

Carson Palmer earned millions playing quarterback in the NFL after a Heisman Trophy-winning senior year at USC.

Palmer said he pursued the football head coaching position at Santa Margarita because he feels indebted to the high school that created the foundation that enabled him to have a rewarding and prosperous life in college and pro football.

Palmer was announced as Santa Margarita’s football head coach last week.

This past season he was a voluntary quarterbacks coach for the school’s freshman team that had his son Fletcher playing quarterback. Palmer also has a daughter at Santa Margarita and two younger children.

“As I was around this program more and realized the impact you can have in this game at this level, I wanted to have that impact,” said Palmer who sat down for an interview Tuesday in the Santa Margarita football building. “I want to be that coach when kids say, ‘Mom, remember when I played for Coach Palmer … ‘ I want to be part of that. I want to feel that.”

Anthony Rouzier had been the Eagles’ head coach since the 2020 season. Rouzier was placed on administrative leave in late October when the school began an investigation into an alleged hazing incident in the school locker room. Defensive coordinator Steve Fifita was promoted to head coach for the remainder of the season.

This is not, Palmer said, a temporary job, a three-year gig that will end when Fletcher’s senior season ends. He plans on coaching Santa Margarita long after his son graduates.

A wall in the Eagles football office has a list of the team’s CIF-SS championships, including the years 1996 and 1997 when Palmer quarterbacked the Eagles to CIF Southern Section titles. He threw for 413 yards and five touchdowns in the 1997 CIF-SS Division V final, a 55-42 win over Tustin in what remains one of the more memorable games in Orange County high school football history.

“I want to get this thing rockin’ and rollin’,” said Palmer who turns 45 later this month. “I told the team when I met them that I want to make an impact and I want to teach football, but I also want to put another year on the wall.”

There is work to be done. While Santa Margarita consistently is a team in the upper portion of the Orange County Top 10, the Eagles have not been top contenders for a CIF championship since their most recent CIF-SS title in 2011 when Harry Welch coached the team. The Eagles also won a CIF State championship that season. There have been a smattering of wins in the playoffs, but since the 2018 season Santa Margarita is 31-41.

This past season Santa Margarita tied JSerra and Servite for fourth place in the six-team Trinity League and finished 5-7 overall, although three of the losses were by three or fewer points. The Eagles beat previously undefeated Inglewood in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs before losing to St. John Bosco 31-29 in the quarterfinals.

Where does Palmer start his Santa Margarita coaching venture?

“My focus right now is on putting together a coaching staff,” he said. “And to make sure we have a freshman team, a junior varsity team and a varsity team. The numbers (players in the football program) have been funky around here for a while so they weren’t able to field a whole JV team because of numbers. I want to improve the numbers here so that there’ll be a JV team and JV coach, so our guys can work on and develop that chemistry and bond that was created in the freshman year.”

Palmer said he has reached out to many coaching prospects, and many have reached out to him.

“I’m casting a wide net,” he said “I’m not going to just slap together a staff by a certain date. I’m very intentional in this process. I want everybody to be stellar in their ability to teach the game, but I also want them to have a good vibe and have the right kind of energy around these kids.”

The roster has a high-quality nucleus.

Junior linebacker Dash Fifita was named a co-defensive most valuable player in the Trinity League this season. Junior receiver Trent Mosley, the league’s MVP as a sophomore in 2023, missed a few games this season because of injury but still was selected all-league first team. Freshman running back Jaion Smith made all-league first team as did junior linebacker Leki Holani and junior cornerback Jayden Crowder.

Palmer said his coaching style and methods will borrow from many of the coaches he played for, including Pete Carroll, Norm Chow and Steve Sarkissian at USC and Hue Jackson at USC and with the Raiders and Bruce Arians with the Arizona Cardinals.

“I’ve got tons of stuff, tons of one-liners,” Palmer said. “I would just write stuff down they would say because they were funny, or I’d think, ‘Man, that’s such a good point.’

“I’ve been given so much by so many great minds and so many great teachers that I’m just recycling it all and using those points and maybe putting a spin on it. Some of that was so perfect I don’t need to put a spin on it.”

Palmer said he will bring in an offensive coordinator to run the offensive show, to make the calls on game nights. But, of course, Palmer will be in on the design.

“I’m going to have my handprints all over it,” he said. “I want to hire someone to call the plays so I don’t miss anything, so I can do a good job of managing it all so I don’t have distractions. But as we build out the playbook I’m going to be all over it.”

There will be some facets of coaching a high-level, Trinity League football program that might require more attention than Palmer anticipated.

Such as …

“Fundraising,” he said. “I had no idea how much of my time that’s going to take. There are always things coming up, and I’m just on Day 3 here, right?

“I just thought ‘OK, there’s a pool of money and you just figure it out and you just spread it out.’ There are all these little things that need to be accounted for, and I’m just now wrapping my head around it. In business it’s cash in and cash out, but here it’s just way more layered than that and I’ve got to figure it out.”

Palmer spent all four of his high school years at Santa Margarita and all four of his college years at USC. Today there is much more movement of athletes jumping from school to school, even in high school football.

“If someone here wants to leave then they’re going to leave,” Palmer said. “If they want to come then they’re going to come. If they make the decision to come, that’s awesome, if they want to leave there’s no hard feelings.

“That’s the landscape now and I’m not going to fight it.”

Carson Palmer came back to Santa Margarita to fight on for the school that meant much to him 30 years ago and still does today.

​ Orange County Register 

12 sexy Christmas movies to stream this ho-ho-holiday season

• December 18, 2024

If you’re dreaming of a steamy Christmas this year, these festive flicks will deck your halls with holiday cheer.

From PG-rated films that throw in some holiday innuendo and all-in-good-fun frolicking to R-rated films that’ll land you straight on the naughty list, we’ve compiled a list of (subjectively) sexy Christmas movies that are worth a watch. Some movies made the list based on spicy social media discourse (the Grinch himself doesn’t exactly ooze sex appeal) and some made the list for more obvious reasons.

While we encourage enjoying any of the following films in a cozy room by the fire, we’ve included a fire meter to gauge the holiday hot factor.

‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ (2000)

You might be thinking “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is the antithesis of sexy, but I assure you, reader, Christine Baranski’s portrayal of the libidinous Martha May has sparked discourse online that is not nearly as PG as the family favorite film. The live-action take on the classic Christmas tale stars Jim Carrey and Baranski as the Grinch and Martha May Whovier. He may be a mean one, cuddly as a cactus and charming as an eel as the song goes, but Martha May could always see past his prickly exterior.

‘Single All The Way’ (2021)

This Netflix original follows Peter, played by Michael Urie, who’s desperate to avoid his family’s side-eye about his single status when he goes home for the holidays. He convinces his best friend Nick, played by Philemon Chambers, to help him pull a fast one and pretend that their platonic relationship is now romantic. When Peter’s mother, played by Kathy Najimy, fixes him up on a blind date with her (extremely) hunky trainer before he’s had a chance to announce his faux relationship, things go sideways. This PG movie has a light simmer, a lot of longing and along with Peter’s family, you might yell at the screen, “Make out, already!” The main hot factor lies in the natural (and potent!) chemistry between Peter and Nick, and despite them often struggling to find the right words, their feelings for one another come through in a sweet and, yes, sexy, way.

‘Hot Frosty’ (2024)

This Netflix original was surely pitched as “Frosty the Snowman” meets “Jack Frost,” and the result is something like “Jacked Snowman.” Lacey Chabert, known for “Mean Girls,” stars as Kathey Barrett, whose “kafé” is in ill repair after her handyman husband died of cancer. Her besties try to cheer up their bereaved friend by gifting her a red scarf. Later, when she passes a snowman sculpting competition, she sees a buff, statuesque snowman and snaps a photo of him wearing her fancy new scarf. Naturally, he comes to life looking just as well, sculpted, as he did in his snowman form, and sexiness unfolds. The film is rated PG, so only a light sizzle for this sweet snowman rom-com.

‘The Merry Gentlemen’ (2024)

This one is for the millennials who spent their formative years pining for “One Tree Hill” star Chad Michael Murray. The Netflix flick follows Broadway dancer Ashley Davis who’s mostly abandoned her hometown for the Big Apple. When she’s passed over for a role, she returns home to find that her parents’ venue, The Rhythm Room, is in trouble. Enter Luke (Murray), the local handyman with a killer bod. Ashley decides to utilize the hunky small-town locals and channel her Broadway chops into producing “The Merry Gentlemen,” a steamy all-male, Christmas-themed revue that will surely raise the funds to save her folks’ venue. This rom-com is also, surprisingly, PG-rated, but sexy nonetheless.

SEE ALSO: 10 die-hard Christmas and holiday movies full of action, horror and comedy

‘A Cowboy Christmas Romance’ (2023)

This flick may have put Lifetime Channel on the naughty list for the first time ever. Starring Jana Kramer and Adam Senn, the movie follows a real estate agent who’s back in her Arizona hometown just before Christmas, hoping to persuade a local cowboy to sell his family’s ranch. As many of us know from bingeing “Yellowstone,” ranchers don’t like when outsiders arrive to threaten their family’s land. As the title suggests, though, their initial conflict evolves into a Christmas entanglement. The TVPG-rated movie is the network’s first to include a steamy scene that alludes to nookie.

‘Happiest Season’ (2020)

Listen, any movie with Kristin Stewart deserves a spot on a sexy movie list. She’s so angsty, she’s always biting her lip and running her hands through her hair. “Happiest Season” is no exception. The PG-13 Hulu original follows Abby, played by Stewart, and Harper, played by Mackenzie Davis, a couple who have been dating for nearly a year. Abby isn’t a huge fan of Christmas since her parents died, so Harper invites her home to meet her family over the holidays. But there’s a catch: Harper hasn’t come out to her family, so the couple has to keep their romance under wraps, much to Abby’s discomfort. This movie is rife with stolen kisses behind closed doors, longing and sexual (and romantic) frustration. The cherry on top of the sundae: Aubrey Plaza proves an unlikely ally for Abby, and a sexy one to boot!

‘The Holiday’ (2006)

Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet star in this PG-13-rated holiday rom-com as two women trying to escape heartbreak over Christmas. Winslet’s character, Iris, swaps places with Diaz’s character, Amanda, sending them to opposite sides of the world where Iris encounters Jack Black’s character Miles, and Amanda encounters Iris’s dreamy brother Graham, played by Jude Law. Naturally, things become very sexy all around, people are falling in love left and right and they all spend New Year’s Eve together surrounded by twinkling garlands, clinking champagne and Aretha Franklin belting “You Send Me.” Adorable, heartwarming, and, yes, sexy.

‘Batman Returns’ (1992)

“Batman Returns” audiences are still arguing over whether the PG-13-rated film is a Christmas movie or not, but for the sake of this sexy Christmas movies list and because the film takes place at Christmastime and includes Christmas in its plot points, it’s earned a spot on this coveted roundup. Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle aka Catwoman cracks her whip and slinks about in spandex throughout this film. The ultimate femme fatale, with lines so suggestive I won’t mention them here, Pfeiffer’s performance opposite Michael Keaton as Batman is oozing with tension and sensuality. She even manages to make scenes with Danny DeVito’s Penguin sultry.

The Best Man Holiday (2013)  

The holiday-themed sequel to the acclaimed 1999 film “The Best Man,” this R-rated comedy-drama catches up with a group of college buddies when they reunite after 15 years. With everyone under one roof, it becomes clear that no matter how much time has passed, old flames, new secrets and lingering drama will complicate this group’s merry little Christmas. How did this film score three holiday flames? Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Terrence Howard and Harold Perrineau give a sensual choreographed lip sync performance to New Edition’s “Can You Stand the Rain,” while Melissa De Sousa tosses her panties and drops lines like “Donde esta mistletoe?” This spicy and tender film is also a tear-jerker!

‘Reindeer Games’ (2000)

As far as Christmas movies go, this one is not of the Holly Jolly variety. Ben Affleck and Charlize Theron star in this cross between “The Town” and “Ocean’s 11.” The R-rated film is rife with convicts and seedy motels, a poorly orchestrated casino heist, a convoluted love triangle (maybe even love square?), and then there’s hot chocolate and some very bad men who dress up like Santa (but with guns). So what makes this movie sexy, you ask? Angsty love letters, a steamy dip in the pool and Theron serving up lines like, “When I get back in that room, you better be wearing nothin’ but a candy cane!”

‘Love Actually’ (2003)

This R-rated Christmas movie is probably the most widely debated holiday film in the last couple of decades. Tweets and essays with lines à la “More like Lust Actually!” and “There’s actually no love in Love Actually” have made their rounds annually since the film’s release, but because this is a list for sexy Christmas movies, I’d be remiss to exclude it. The film follows multiple storylines, most very messy (because humans) and includes more angst, longing, sleaze and R-rated scenes than most holiday films. Whether you want to hate-watch it or love-watch it, it’s a sexy holiday movie you shouldn’t miss, if not for the yearly cultural discourse alone.

‘Bad Santa’ (2003)

Whether this R-rated movie is sexy is a matter of taste, but it’s fair to say it’s definitely raunchy! Billy Bob Thorton is a jaded, ill-mannered, booze-addled bad, very bad Santa (until March when he’s the Easter Bunny.) Lauren Graham, known best for “Gilmore Girls,” plays a bartender who’s got a kink for the ol’ Saint Nick and when Thorton strolls into the drinking hole where she works, the two get straight to . . . exchanging presents? But then, in the spirit of Christmas, develop something more.

​ Orange County Register 

Four new Crystal Cove cottages will open to public, just in time for Christmas

• December 18, 2024

Staying at one of the coveted Crystal Cove cottages is like taking a travel trip back in time – and it could make for the perfect Christmas gift, if you’re lucky enough to nab a spot.

Getting a reservation at the seaside getaway isn’t easy – but with four more newly-restored cottages up for grabs starting at 8 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, the chances to stay in the unique beachfront retreat just got better. The first visitors will be able to stay starting Dec. 23.

“They will go fast,” Crystal Cove Conservancy president and CEO Kate Wheeler said. “We’ve been working hard to try and get them released for the holiday.”

Reservations for a fifth unit, Land’s End, will also start on Thursday, but that cottage won’t be available for visitors until Dec. 30, she noted.

READ ALSO: Holiday spirit in Orange County? Register staff reveals favorite spots (including Crystal Cove)

Reservations will initially be released in a four-week format.

A stay at one of the quaint beachfront homes isn’t about luxury, but about a unique experience that harkens back to a simpler time.

The four cottages are part of the $55 million North Beach restoration that is years in the making. Eight of the restored cottages were opened to the public in 2023, and another five more, including a duplex making a total of six units, are expected to be released in about a year, Wheeler said.

Crystal Cove’s historic cottages are among the most in-demand overnight stays in the State Parks system, a place tucked in coves and cliffs, wedged between Laguna Beach and Newport Beach.

“It’s probably one of the most desirable, popular elements of California State Parks. There’s been a massive investment into these cottages and it has taken over 20 years,” State Parks Superintendent Kevin Pearsall said.

Painstaking detail has gone into ensuring the cottages represent when they were built between the 1930s and 1950s, a bygone era when “coveites” enjoyed a laid-back lifestyle in the cobbled-together collection of homes, many built from wood that washed ashore.

At one point in the late 1990s, a luxury hotel was planned to replace the beachfront homes, but opponents squashed the development proposal, making way for the stretch to become a state park.

In 2006, after decades as a private community, Crystal Cove became a place for vacationers to have a unique getaway on the sand. The 29 south-end cottages in the 2.3-acre Crystal Cove Historic District were previously restored and joined the State Parks’ inventory of overnight offerings.

Planning for the restoration of the North Beach cottages spanned a decade, with an extensive back-and-forth in the California Coastal Commission permitting phase that ended with the granting of approvals in 2017.

Details such as ensuring the boardwalk was built up on stilts, rather than having a seawall that could exacerbate erosion, were added into the plan to get the final approval.

“It’s just exciting when a few more can go online for the public to enjoy and experience,” Pearsall said. “Adding four more to one of the highest-demand reservation opportunities in our department is always a benefit – to everybody.”

Funds for the project came from many sources – donor pledges, institutions, low-interest loans, grants and earned revenue from the existing cottages.

Among the 17 cottages on the northern end will be a hostel-style accommodation with 11 beds that will also serve as an overnight educational opportunity for coastal engineering programs.

“It’s hard to describe, frankly,” Wheeler said. “Really, coming in on the close of this project feels like a bit of a miracle. When we started this project in the years leading up, we didn’t have the funding and didn’t know where the funding was going to come from.”

But just like the cottages – built with a hodgepodge of what was available to create something incredible – it has all came together to make “Crystal Cove magic,” she said.

While reservations have a reputation for being impossible, people who dedicate themselves to learning the system, and with a little bit of luck and persistence, can score a spot, Wheeler said.

“We find that if people go after it with a little bit of tenacity, the way we’ve done with the project and the way people have done with saving the cottages, people can do it,” she said.

Here’s a bit about the new cottages coming online:

• Carpenter’s Castle, #11A, has an ocean view and features four bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms, and sleeps up to eight people.

• Crow’s Nest, #11B, is perched high above the shoreline and offers a cozy studio with one bathroom with “sweeping ocean views and endless sunshine.” It sleeps two people.

• Grunion Run, #25, has ocean views from the patio and living room, just above the sand. It has two bedrooms, one bathroom and sleeps six people.

• Board and Batten, #28, has an ocean view patio, and is a cozy retreat with two bedrooms and one bathroom; it sleeps up to six people.

Go to reservecalifornia.com to reserve a cottage.

​ Orange County Register 

Chargers vs. Denver Broncos: Who has the edge?

• December 18, 2024

CHARGERS (8-6) vs. BRONCOS (9-5)

When: Thursday, 5:15 p.m.

Where: SoFi Stadium

TV/Radio: Ch. 11/Prime Video; 98.7 FM; 105.5 FM/94.3 FM (Spanish)

Line: Chargers by 3

Notable injury designations

Chargers: OUT: TE Will Dissly (shoulder), CB Cam Hart (concussion). DOUBTFUL: DB Elijah Molden (knee). QUESTIONABLE: TE Hayden Hurst (hip), LG Zion Johnson (ankle), DL Otito Ogbonnia (pelvis), LB Denzel Perryman (groin).

Broncos: OUT: RB Jaleel McLaughlin (quadriceps), CB Riley Moss (knee).

What’s at stake: A victory for the Chargers over the Broncos would give them the head-to-head tiebreaker and put them on a better path to finishing second in the AFC West thus earning a better seeded spot in the playoffs. A victory for the Broncos over the Chargers would put them on a better path to finishing second in the division thus earning a better seeded spot in the playoffs.

Related: NFL playoff picture

Who’s better: It’s a tossup. At the moment, the Broncos are second in the division and holders of the sixth-seeded spot. The Chargers are third in the division and holders of the seventh-seeded spot. The Chargers have the more experienced and more accomplished former University of Oregon quarterback in Justin Herbert. The Broncos’ Bo Nix has made a name for himself in his rookie season, particularly in the games after Denver’s loss to the Chargers in Week 6. The Chargers rebounded for a 23-16 victory over Denver after consecutive losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3 and the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4. The Chargers are on a two-game losing streak going into the rematch with the Broncos, having lost to the Chiefs in Week 14 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 15.

Matchup to watch: Denver defensive back Patrick Surtain II sat out all but one play of the first game between the teams after suffering a concussion. He’s among the most disruptive forces in the NFL, and the Chargers were fortunate they didn’t have to face him. He could fill that role Thursday, though, shadowing the Chargers’ young receiving corps, especially rookie Ladd McConkey.

Chargers win if: The Chargers said all the right things after doing so few of them during their 40-17 loss Sunday to the Buccaneers. How they respond to their worst loss of 2024 will be a key to Thursday’s game and, indeed, to the rest of the season. The Chargers cannot afford to have the sort of defensive breakdowns against the Broncos that they had against the Buccaneers, who torched them for 505 total yards. Herbert’s mobility must return if their offense is to be as effective as it needs to be. Herbert’s sprained left ankle means the Chargers must adjust their playbook, taking out some of the rollouts and scrambles.

Fantasy sleeper: Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker has made 29 of 31 attempts this season, including eight of nine from 50 yards or beyond. He set his career-high of 59 yards earlier this season, breaking his previous best of 55 yards, set last season. The Chargers’ offense has relied on him during all-too-frequent stalled drives inside the 30-yard line this season. He has misfired only once inside the 50 this season. It’s likely the Chargers will need him again Thursday.

Prediction: It’s difficult to imagine the Chargers failing to respond in a positive way to their humiliating loss to the Buccaneers. After all, a victory over the Broncos would all but clinch a playoff berth. The Chargers have had two two-game losing streaks, but not one three-game skid. Chargers 21, Broncos 20.

​ Orange County Register 

Los Angeles deputy mayor put on leave amidst FBI probe into bomb threat

• December 18, 2024

Los Angeles Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Brian Williams was placed on administrative leave following an investigation into a bomb threat he allegedly made against City Hall earlier this year, Mayor Karen Bass’ office announced on Wednesday, Dec. 1.

The Mayor’s Office was notified that the FBI searched Williams’ home Tuesday as part of their investigation, according to a statement from the office.

“The mayor takes this matter very seriously,” Deputy Mayor of Communications Zach Seidl said in a statement. “When the threat was reported, LAPD investigated and determined there was no immediate danger. Following additional investigation, LAPD referred this matter to the FBI for further investigation.”

According to a Los Angeles Police Department statement, the agency’s initial investigation determined Williams was likely the “source of the threat.”

“Due to the department’s working relationship with Mr. Williams, the investigation was referred to the FBI,” LAPD said in a statement. “The FBI remains the investigating agency.”

“No additional information is being released,” the LAPD added.

A representative for the FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Williams joined Bass’ office in March 2023. He was tasked with working closely with critical safety departments such as police, fire, Los Angeles World Airports police, and emergency. Prior to his appointment, Williams served seven years as the executive director of the Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission.

Williams also previously served as deputy mayor under Mayor James Hahn, where he was responsible for the management and oversight of the Department of Transportation, Public Works and Information Technology Agency.

​ Orange County Register 

What Fed cuts mean for your finances

• December 18, 2024

The Federal Reserve’s rate cut Wednesday, its third consecutive since September, is good news for many borrowers.

They should see rates decline on credit cards, home equity and other loans. With inflation ticking slightly higher, it may be the last reduction for a while, though everyone will be listening for fresh clues about where rates may be headed in 2025.

In an effort to tamp down sky-high inflation, the central bank began lifting its benchmark rates rapidly — from near zero to a high of 5.33% — between March 2022 and July 2023. Prices have cooled considerably since then, and the Fed pivoted to rate cuts three months ago.

Since then, however, the course has become less clear cut. Stronger economic data, coupled with potentially inflation-stoking polices from the incoming Trump administration, could make more cuts unnecessary.

Here’s what to watch for in five key areas of your financial life, as rates fall now.

AUTO RATES

What’s happening now: Auto rates and car prices have been trending lower, but they still remain elevated, making affordability a challenge. Dealerships have been offering more incentives and discounts to attract buyers, and that’s expected to continue.

Car loans tend to track with the yield on the five-year Treasury note, which is influenced by the Fed’s key rate. But other factors determine how much borrowers actually pay, including your credit history, the type of vehicle, the loan term and the down payment. Lenders also take into consideration the levels of delinquent auto loans. As those move higher, so do rates, which makes qualifying for a loan more difficult, particularly for those with lower credit scores.

The average rate on new car loans was 6.8% in November, according to Edmunds, a car-shopping website, down from 7.4% in the same month in 2023 and up from 6.6% in 2022. Rates for used cars were higher: The average loan carried an 11% rate in November, slightly lower than 11.6% last November but up from 10.2% in November 2022.

Where and how to shop: Once you establish your budget, get preapproved for a car loan through a credit union or bank (Capital One and Ally are two of the largest auto lenders) so you have a point of reference to compare financing available through the dealership, if you decide to go that route. Always negotiate on the price of the car (including all fees), not the monthly payments, which can obscure the loan terms and what you’ll be paying in total over the life of the loan.

CREDIT CARDS

What’s happening now: The interest rates you pay on any balances that you carry should fall after the Fed has acted, though it may not be instant, and it will vary by card issuer. Last week, the average interest rate on credit cards was 20.35%, according to Bankrate.

Much depends, however, on your credit score and the type of card. Rewards cards, for instance, often charge higher-than-average interest rates.

Where and how to shop: This year, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sent up a flare to let people know that the 25 biggest credit-card issuers had rates that were 8 to 10 percentage points higher than smaller banks or credit unions. For the average cardholder, that can add up to $400 to $500 more in interest each year.

Consider seeking out a smaller bank or credit union that might offer you a better deal. Many credit unions require you to work or live someplace particular to qualify for membership, but some bigger credit unions may have looser rules.

Before you make a move, call your current card issuer and ask them to match the best interest rate you’ve found in the marketplace that you’ve already qualified for. And if you do transfer your balance, keep a close eye on fees, whether your initial interest rate expires and if so, what it might jump to.

MORTGAGES

What’s happening now: Mortgage rates have been volatile. Rates peaked at about 7.8% late last year and had fallen as low as 6.08% in late September. But strong economic data and concerns about President-elect Donald Trump’s potentially inflationary agenda nudged rates higher again.

Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages don’t move in tandem with the Fed’s benchmark but instead generally track with the yield on 10-year Treasury bonds, which are influenced by a variety of factors, including expectations about inflation, the Fed’s actions and how investors react.

The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 6.6% as of Dec. 12, down from 6.69% the previous week and 6.95% a year ago.

Other home loans are more closely tethered to the central bank’s decisions. Home-equity lines of credit and adjustable-rate mortgages — which carry variable interest rates — generally adjust within two billing cycles after a change in the Fed’s rates.

Where and how to shop: Prospective homebuyers would be wise to get several mortgage rate quotes — on the same day, since rates fluctuate — from a selection of mortgage brokers, banks and credit unions.

That should include: the rate you’ll pay; any discount points, which are optional fees buyers can pay to “buy down” their interest rate; and other items like lender-related fees. Look to the annual percentage rate, which usually includes these items, to get an apples-to-apples comparison of your total costs across different loans. Just be sure to ask what’s included in the APR.

SAVINGS

What’s happening now: The rate reversal is likely to be most disappointing for savers, who have benefited from juicier yields on everything from online savings accounts and certificates of deposit to money market funds. Those are all likely to inch lower, in line with the Fed’s move, but some providers may move faster than others. That usually depends on whether the bank wants to attract new customers by dangling yields that are more attractive than their competitors’ offerings.

But you can safely assume that online high-yield savings account will still offer the most competitive rates, with some banks still offering yields of 4.5% to 5.05%, according to Bankrate. Traditional commercial banks’ yields, meanwhile, have remained anemic throughout this period of higher rates. The national average savings account rate was 0.56% in mid-December, according to Bankrate.

Where and how to shop: Rates are one consideration, but you’ll also want to look at providers’ history, minimum deposit requirements and any fees (high-yield savings accounts don’t usually charge fees, but other products, like money market funds, do). DepositAccounts.com, part of online loan marketplace LendingTree, tracks rates across thousands of institutions and is a good place to start comparing providers.

If you’re considering certificates of deposit, now is probably the time to lock in a decent rate if you haven’t already. Online CDs with a one-year term averaged 3.70% in December, according to DepositAccounts.com, down from 4.1% in July.

Check out New York Times finance writer Jeff Sommer’s recent columns for more insight into money-market funds. The yield on the Crane 100 Money Fund Index, which tracks the largest money-market funds, was 4.42% as of Monday, down from 5.13% at the end of July.

STUDENT LOANS

What’s happening now: There are two main types of student loans. Most people turn to federal loans first. Their interest rates are fixed for the life of the loan, they’re far easier for teenagers to get, and their repayment terms are more generous.

Current rates are 6.53% for undergraduates, 8.08% for unsubsidized graduate student loans and 9.08% for the PLUS loans that both parents and graduate students use. Rates reset on July 1 each year and follow a formula based on the 10-year Treasury bond auction in May.

Private student loans are a bit of a wild card. Undergraduates often need a co-signer, rates can be fixed or variable, and much depends on your credit score.

Where and how to shop: Many banks and credit unions want nothing to do with student loans, so you’ll want to shop around extensively, including with lenders that specialize in private student loans.

You’ll often see online ads and websites offering interest rates from each lender that can range by 15 percentage points or so. As a result, you’ll need to give up a fair bit of information before getting an actual price quote.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

​ Orange County Register 

Santa Ana City Council set to make camping in public, including sleeping in cars, illegal

• December 18, 2024

Camping, including in one’s vehicle, or storing personal belongings on public property is set to become illegal in Santa Ana after the City Council coalesced behind an anti-camping ordinance.

The ordinance that got unanimous approval Tuesday night would make it illegal for any person to camp — defined as pitching a tent, using camping supplies or using a vehicle “for human habitation” —  or store personal property at any public parking lot, plaza or space, including the Civic Center where an encampment was cleared a few years ago.

Camping in public could be cited as an infraction or a misdemeanor at a Santa Ana police officer’s discretion. The City Council will need to take a second required vote to put the new law into effect, which would be 30 days after adoption.

“It’s really important that we recognize that the city of Santa Ana is not only compassionate … but we’re also going to hold people accountable for their actions,” Councilmember Thai Viet Phan said. “It is not your fault for having mental health crises. It’s not your fault for being addicted to drugs, however, it is your responsibility to get help, to accept help, and to go out and not harm others.”

It’ll be considered camping in your vehicle, under the new rules, if the view into two or more windows of a vehicle is limited, seating is largely used for storing personal belongings, a person cooks or grooms themselves in the vehicle or if furniture is set up around the vehicle, impeding public access.

Phan said she does not believe the act of sleeping in one’s car is a crime, however, she welcomed the changes to how car camping is defined under this law.

“The provisions that we have kept in here, including preventing blocking of two or more windows, storing personal belongings and trash and rubbish, grooming, bathing in the car,” Phan said, “those are nuisances that have actively negative effects on the communities in which these cars are parked.”

The ordinance first came to the council for consideration at the Dec. 10 meeting, but some councilmembers asked staff to change what they considered “overly broad” language. The purpose of the law, for example, was clarified to note it isn’t “intended to interfere with otherwise lawful and ordinary uses of public property.”

A U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June has allowed cities to cite people for sleeping in public areas, regardless of the availability of local shelter beds.

At the Dec. 10 meeting, some council members asked City Manager Alvaro Nuñez where people experiencing homelessness were expected to go should the anti-camping law be approved. Nuñez pointed to the city’s 200-bed shelter, as well as the county’s 425-bed Yale Navigation Center.

As of Dec. 18, the city’s shelter had seven beds available, according to a data dashboard the city keeps online. The county shelter serves nine central cities and availability is based on the specific population a vacant bed serves.

But, this ordinance is not about people who are homeless, said Councilmember Phil Bacerra.

“This is about safe access to public spaces,” Bacerra said. “This is about being able to walk out to a bus stop, sidewalk, park, any public space. That’s what this ordinance is about.”

Mayor Valerie Amezcua said it is a matter of the quality of life in Santa Ana.

“In the city of Santa Ana, we all deserve to be safe. We all deserve to be able to walk at night,” Amezcua said. “We all deserve to live in a place where it’s quiet and we can get sleep.”

Santa Ana is the latest Orange County city to recently adopt anti-camping laws, joining Irvine, Newport Beach, Aliso Viejo and San Clemente.

​ Orange County Register 

Angels acquire Chuckie Robinson from White Sox for catching depth

• December 18, 2024

The Angels acquired catcher Chuckie Robinson from the Chicago White Sox for cash considerations Wednesday, a move that essentially replaces Matt Thaiss with a catcher who can sit behind Logan O’Hoppe and Travis d’Arnaud on the depth chart

Robinson, 30, has hit .132 with a .364 OPS in 51 big-league games, with the White Sox and Cincinnati Reds. Last season, he threw out 21.4% of would-be base-stealers. He ranked 22nd out of 72 catchers in pitch framing last season (minimum 500 pitches). Robinson has a career .723 OPS in the minors.

More important, Robinson can be optioned, while Thaiss could not. The Angels designated Thaiss for assignment after they signed d’Arnaud to be O’Hoppe’s backup. Thaiss was subsequently traded to the Chicago Cubs, and then, coincidentally, to the White Sox. When the White Sox acquired Thaiss earlier this week, they could afford to move Robinson.

O’Hoppe and d’Arnaud are expected to be the Angels’ big-league catchers, but the team lacked minor-league depth in case of an injury to one of them.

Their best catching prospect, Juan Flores, is 18 and was in Class-A last season. The two Triple-A catchers were projected to be Zach Humphreys and Anthony Mulrine. Utility player Gustavo Campero had been a catcher before being switched to the outfield last season. He is catching again this winter, so he would also be an option to catch in the big leagues.

Robinson has solid defensive metrics and the experience of 652 games in the majors and minors. He was a former 21st-round pick of the Houston Astros, from the University of Southern Mississippi. He did not reach the majors until he was 27.

The Angels designated right-hander Davis Daniel for assignment to make room for Robinson on the 40-man roster. Daniel, 27, had a 5.06 ERA in 42⅔ major-league innings with the Angels.

​ Orange County Register