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 

Swanson: Clippers’ Norman Powell understands the grind

• December 18, 2024

INGLEWOOD — A toast! To Norman Powell.

For reminding us all that hard work can pay off. For helping us understand what’s possible if you keep grinding.

Cheers to you, Norm, and thank you for hosting your own surprise party – because it’s not he who was in for the surprise here, this “early,” “most-pleasant” and “biggest surprise” (per ESPN, ClutchPoints and LAFB Network).

It’s the rest of us.

Powell, 31, has been expecting this. Waiting 10 NBA seasons to inherit a starring role. No, longer than that. He’s been waiting since he played four seasons at UCLA. No, longer. Since his days as an overlooked-until-he-wasn’t prospect out of Southeast San Diego’s Lincoln High School.

A long time. No, a “very long” time – as Powell put it Monday night after another exacting and unsurprising scoring shift at Intuit Dome.

He contributed 29 points in 28 minutes in the Clippers’ 37-point victory over the hapless Utah Jazz, scoring contributions that came on 12-for-16 shooting, including 5 for 7 from 3-point range. They came on perfect-10 jumpers that made no discernible splash and on sleight-of-hand moves at the rim, all of it a most exquisite complement to James Harden’s 41 points.

It was everything you’d want from a star duo. Harden and Powell. We might need to get used to that, but Powell? “It feels normal, honestly.”

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Harden, of course, is one of those household names that the Clippers had in quadruple last season. The Beard, the Klaw, PG-13, Russell Westbrook – heavy hitters with Hall of Fame bonafides.

Previously, Powell – the 6-3 guard with the 6-11 wingspan and battle scar between his eyes, a souvenir from Jalen Duren’s sharp elbow in February – was the understudy.

A talented member of the ensemble who could be counted on to step in when one of the headliners couldn’t go, but who wasn’t otherwise responsible for doing the heavy lifting. He finished fourth in sixth-man-of-the-year voting each of the past two seasons. A pro’s pro, he put up with that for the good of the team. And because he believed his big break would someday come.

He’s averaged only about 23 minutes per game for his career, and logged upward of 30 per contest only in his two seasons in Portland – and again this year, the first time he’s been allotted more than 14 shots per game.

That’s because the Clippers’ stable of stars has shrunk: Paul George left in free agency for Philadelphia, Westbrook is in Denver, and Kawhi Leonard has been sidelined indefinitely with knee trouble. And because the team wasn’t in position to go big-name hunting in the offseason to fill the void beside Harden, they called Powell’s number. It’s been addition by subtraction, you might say.

Because Powell was ready. Sure, his reputation in the NBA’s cutthroat game of musical chairs was that he was a role player. But I had a hunch – like the Clippers did, like he did – that he was ready for his close-up.

He’d told us so. He wasn’t trying to be one of the guys, but “one of those guys.”

At media day two seasons ago, he stated, for the record, “for myself, really I’ve got one goal … and that’s to be an All-Star and to come into camp to prove that I’m a starting 2-guard.” And then at media day this season, Powell posited that George’s departure in free agency would prove to be “addition by subtraction.”

Talk about showing your work. Powell has succeeded in making sure Clippers fans miss George not at all. Even after a hamstring issue last month, Powell is averaging career bests in points (23.5), field goal percentage (50.2%) and 3-point field goal percentage (48.4%) – which, if you do the math, is 6.4 points better than George this season, and also 6.5% better from the field and 13.2% better from deep.

Talk about seizing the moment. Powell might not yet have the Q rating of a star, but he’s playing like one, scoring and defending, and if he keeps it up, and if the Clippers stay afloat – they’re proving a tough-minded bunch, 15-12 and in ninth place in the Western Conference standings, far from the calamitous fall-off many expected – he ought to earn his first All-Star invite. He might also add some history, as the NBA’s oldest Most Improved Player honoree.

“My high school self would be proud,” he said Monday. “I think about it sometime; I’m actually I’m doing what I said I was gonna do. I told my boy that I was gonna be in here scoring buckets like Kobe, not at the end of somebody’s bench, just making money. So I’m proud of myself that I stuck with it, that I continued to have that hunger and that drive, and at that mindset that I had early on.”

Talk about payoff; talk about earned. Powell might not have been seen as a star, but he’s been training like one: Three-a-days five days a week in the offseason. Eating clean. Meditating. Stretching. Massage therapy. Physical therapy. Red light therapy. Hyperbaric chamber.

“He’s in the gym every day – I know it sound cliché to say that, but dude is in the gym every day,” said Nicolas Batum, the Clippers’ veteran forward. “I’m serious, though. He’s literally in the gym every freakin’ day.”

“On days we have games,” 24-year-old wing Jordan Miller said, “he’s the first one in here. And me being newer … I have to be one of the first guys here. And most of the time, we’re walking at the same time. Makes me feel like I should be here earlier.”

Nick Nurse was the 76ers coach who headed the Toronto bench when Powell arrived as a rookie in 2015 as the 47th pick, and where he’d contribute to the Raptors’ 2019 championship. Nurse marveled recently at Powell’s wildly enhanced proficiency from 3-point range, up from just 31% as a collegiate player.

“Hell of an improvement, right?” Nurse said. “He’s really, really worked hard to become a good shooter. Super-hard worker – and that’s just all credit to him, for understanding, like, ‘I’m a guard and I’m gonna have to shoot if I’m gonna be in this league.’ And not only is he in this league, but he’s thriving.”

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“One of my hardest workers, an awfully hard worker,” said Steve Alford, whose 30 years of coaching experience included two with Powell at UCLA, where he helped unlock his offensive game. “If you follow his career from freshman year at UCLA to his rookie season in the NBA, to the progress he’s made year to year, that’s his grind.”

Hear, hear! To hard work! To hard work paying off … eventually.

“The biggest thing like my lifestyle mantra, my motto, my brand, ‘Understand the Grind,’” Powell said. “Understand what it takes for you to be successful with your path is and what you have to do, that no matter what’s being said about you … you always can go above and beyond the expectations of others, and always just have a positive mindset and be willing to sacrifice and put the work in.

“I think that resonates across any career field that you’re going after and not just sports … I’m an athlete, but everybody has a grind. Everybody has something they’re working for and going after. That’s the biggest thing, put the work in, sacrifice and continue to believe in yourself.

“But most importantly, continue to put the work in.”

Cheers to that.

​ Orange County Register 

US housing starts fall to 4-month low

• December 18, 2024

US new-home construction unexpectedly fell in November as a drop in multifamily projects mitigated a rebound in starts of single-family houses, solely in the storm-ravaged South.

Housing starts decreased 1.8% to an annualized rate of 1.29 million, the slowest since July, according to government data released Wednesday. The median forecast was for a 1.35 million pace.

Starts of single-family homes rose 6.4% to an annualized rate of 1.01 million while new construction of multifamily projects decreased more than 23%.

The pickup in one-family home construction was due to a 18.3% advance in the South — the nation’s largest homebuilding region — as parts of the area that includes Florida rebounded from hurricane-related delays in late September and October. All other regions declined.

The industry outlook has turned cloudier in recent months. Builders ramped up construction over the past year to take advantage of a shortage of existing homes on the market. However, the inventory of new homes for sale now stands at the highest level in nearly 17 years.

Aside from the South, total new-home construction decreased 28.2% in the Midwest and nearly 12% in the West. In the Northeast, starts of one-family homes dropped to the lowest level since July 2021.

Building permits, which point toward future construction, increased 6.1% to a 1.51 million annualized rate, according to the government’s residential construction report. Authorizations for single-family homes were little changed at an annualized rate of 972,000.

The number of projects under construction decreased 1.8% to an annualized 1.43 million, the lowest in more than three years. The number of one-family projects under construction fell to the lowest since March 2021.

Builders had been working though an abundance of projects, but since peaking in August, completions have declined three straight months — the longest stretch since 2021.

Meantime, housing demand has been constrained by high borrowing costs. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has climbed since hitting a two-year low in September, and they’re likely to stay above 6% at least for the next two years, according to a Mortgage Bankers Association forecast.

While Fed policymakers lowered their benchmark rate for a fourth straight time, they’re also seen taking a more deliberate approach in 2025.

“The recovery from the autumn hurricanes was evident in the regional data. The slowdown in starts of multifamily projects may prove temporary, as a surge in permits suggests builders still have interest in larger projects,” says Stuart Paul, a Bloomberg economist.

To help lure buyers, builders have been offering customers “mortgage buydowns,” or making upfront payments on their behalf to lower their monthly payments, as well as occasionally cutting prices. However, these enticements have chipped away at builders’ profit margins, said Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Drew Reading.

The likelihood they’ll have to keep leaning on incentives partly explains why homebuilder shares have slid sharply in recent weeks, Reading said.

The new residential construction data are volatile, and the government report showed 90% confidence that the monthly change ranged from a 12.4% decline to a 8.8% gain. The National Association of Realtors will offer a look at the resale market on Thursday when it releases the November previously owned home sales report.

​ Orange County Register 

PIH Health making progress resolving massive cyber attack that paralyzed 3 hospitals

• December 18, 2024

Phone service has been restored at PIH Health’s three hospitals where a debilitating ransomware attack purportedly compromised 17 million patient records.

The Dec. 1 breach downed computers and most phone systems at PIH Health Downey Hospital, PIH Health Whittier Hospital and PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles. It also compromised systems at the organization’s urgent care centers, doctors’ offices and a home health and hospice agency.

PIH announced on its website that services at hospitals for incoming and outgoing calls are available, while phone systems at physician offices should be functional this week.

“We are still facing some limited functionality, which we are working on internally,” PIH said in the statement. “However, patients can call the hospitals’ main phone numbers to reach services and patient rooms.”

PIH said it has increased staffing to handle an anticipated high volume of  phone calls, but noted some medical procedures and surgeries may be cancelled due to ongoing technology issues.

“We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this incident, and all our teams continue to work diligently to resolve this issue quickly and bring the rest of our systems back online securely,” Amanda Enriquez, a spokesperson for PIH, said in an email.

Last week the Southern California News Group obtained a copy of a threatening typewritten letter purportedly faxed by the unidentified hackers to PIH outlining the scope of the attack.

The cyber thieves said they found PIH’s network “highly vulnerable,” with data stored insecurely on servers, and claimed to have stolen about 2 terabytes of files, documents and reports, including:

• 17 million patient records that include personal and medical information.
• Data for more than 8.1 million “medical episodes” along with patient home addresses, phone numbers, places of employment and medical expenses.
• Lists of confidential diagnoses, test results, patient photos and scans.
• Treatments for thousands of patients, including those diagnosed with cancer.
• PIH’s oncology profitability and monthly volumes.
• Private emails with patients about their treatments and test results.
• About 100 active nondisclosure agreements between PIH and other medical organizations and parties.
• Confidentiality agreements with employees.

It is unknown if PIH has paid a ransom to the hackers. No known group has publicly claimed responsibility for the attack.

PIH said it is working with a cyber forensic specialist and the FBI to unravel the breach.

If the hackers’ claims of stealing 17 million records are accurate, the PIH ransomware attack could potentially become the second-largest health data breach this year, according to bankinfosecurity.com.

The incident marks the second time hackers have successfully targeted PIH.

In June 2019, a targeted email phishing campaign against PIH employees compromised personal and protected health information for nearly 200,000 patients. However, PIH didn’t report the breach to the U.S. Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights until seven months later.

According to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, covered entities must report breaches affecting protected health information within 60 days of discovering the breach.

The recent ransomware attack has prompted several law firms to aggressively solicit plaintiffs online for class-action lawsuits against PIH.

“Our attorneys believe that any health entity that collects and stores your sensitive data has a duty to properly protect it from ransomware attacks,” the Lyon Firm, which has offices in Irvine, said in on its website. “If a company is deemed negligent and has not maintained reasonably secure IT security systems, they may be held accountable.”

​ Orange County Register 

Baby changing pads that make diaper duty a breeze

• December 18, 2024

Which baby changing pad is best?

New parents can look forward to changing about 2,500 diapers in their first year of having a baby. Changing pads are right up there with diapers as must-have baby essentials. They create a designated area for cleaning up your baby while keeping them comfortable and dry.

Baby changing pads are not one size fits all, though. Some models are designed to fit changing tables, whereas others can be taken on the go. Our top pick is the Keekaroo’s Peanut Changer, which is both durable and easy to clean.

What to know before you buy a baby changing pad

Types of baby changing pads

• Standard changing pads are designed to fit changing tables. They have a mattress-like thickness and raised edges that offer superior safety and cushioning. Foam pads should be paired with a waterproof cover, while others made from completely waterproof materials can be wiped down directly when accidents occur.
• Travel changing pads are flat, foldable, and easy to stash in a diaper bag for on-the-go changing needs. While they don’t provide much cushioning, they offer a mat-like surface for your baby to lie on wherever duty calls.
• Disposable changing pads are designed for single use. If you’re tired of washing or cleaning all your baby’s items, consider a pack of disposable pads to toss after each use. These are highly portable and fit compactly in any bag when you’re out and about. They are the thinnest pad type and offer no cushioning.

Size

When selecting a standard changing pad, be sure its dimensions fit your changing table. For travel and disposable pads, select pads with generous dimensions to keep your baby from coming into contact with germy surfaces.

Comfort

Providing cushioning and materials that feel comfortable beneath your baby’s bare bum can make the changing process more pleasant. Standard foam pads make this easier; travel pads, on the other hand, pose more of a challenge in the comfort department. Some high-end portable pads feature thin memory foam encased in waterproof material to boost comfort.

Water resistance

As every parent knows, changing diapers can be messy. To prevent fluid from seeping in, deteriorating the pad and creating an environment for mold and bacteria to thrive, opt for a pad with a water-resistant exterior. Solid-shell designs are great at repelling moisture.

What to look for in a quality baby changing pad

Contoured sides

In-home changing pads often have raised edges to help prevent your baby from rolling off. Some feature a soft contour, and others have a deep slope. Regardless, never leave your baby unattended on a changing table.

Safety straps

It only takes a split second for your baby to roll off a standard changing pad on a raised surface, which is why some offer safety straps. Even if your baby is strapped in, you should never leave them unattended.

Nonslip base

Changing pads with rubberized grips provide traction to prevent them from slipping on the surface they’re placed on. This important safety feature is most commonly found on in-home pads.

How much you can expect to spend on a baby changing pad

Portable and disposable changing pads range in price from $10 to $30. Standard changing pads go from $30 to $110.

Baby changing pad FAQ

What are portable diaper-changing kits?

A. These kits are a lightweight alternative to lugging around a diaper bag. They feature a fold-out changing pad with pockets that folds compactly into a clutch-style purse to take with you on short outings.

How do you wash a standard foam changing pad?

A. Follow the manufacturer’s care instructions. Typically, these can be wiped down with soapy water and disinfected with a solution of bleach and water. Let the pad air-dry completely.

What’s the best baby changing pad to buy?

Top baby changing pad

Keekaroo’s Peanut Changer

What you need to know: This soft-shell changing pad is easy to clean and doesn’t require a cover.

What you’ll love: The shell material doesn’t absorb fluid. It is free of BPA and other toxic chemicals. It’s durable, resists cracks and can be handed down to siblings.

What you should consider: The material can feel cool on a baby’s bare skin.

Top baby changing pad for the money

Summer Infant’s Contoured Changing Pad

What you need to know: This open-ended standard changing pad is budget-friendly and comfy.

What you’ll love: It is firm and supportive. The quilted vinyl is water-resistant and can be wiped down. It includes a nonslip rubber base and a safety belt.

What you should consider: Some users notice a plastic chemical smell on a new pad.

Worth checking out

LA Baby’s Waterproof Four-Sided Cocoon-Style Changing Pad

What you need to know: This small, four-sided changing pad keeps your newborn safe.

What you’ll love: Its cocoon shape makes fussy or newborn babies feel secure. Its antimicrobial, water-resistant cover and nontoxic base material are safe for your baby.

What you should consider: Babies can outgrow the smaller design.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

​ Orange County Register 

Stay warm and comfortable with these top men’s snowboard boots

• December 18, 2024

Which men’s snowboard boots are best?

Although snowboarders may like to pay more attention to their boards and other gear than they pay to their boots, finding the proper fitting men’s snowboard boots should be a top consideration. Without the right snowboard boots, your time spent on the slopes may end prematurely because of pain.

Even though they’re expensive, DC Control Boa Snowboard Boots are the best models for snowboarders of all skill levels, meshing style and comfort. These boots also keep your feet warm, even when skiing on the coldest days.

What to know before you buy men’s snowboard boots

Size and experience level

To pick the right pair of snowboard boots for your needs, you need to select the right size. Different designs of boots fit certain skill levels of snowboarders better than others.

• Inexperienced: For beginning snowboarders, a boot that has quite a bit of flexibility gives the rider the ability to move the foot and ankle freely while learning.
• Downhill: If you primarily snowboard downhill, flexible boots are good for beginners. Advanced boarders looking to generate extra speed may want a stiffer style of snowboard boot.
• Freeride: When using your snowboard over ungroomed trails or in deep snow, a stiff type of snowboard boot allows you to generate the speed you want.
• Freestyle: Snowboarders looking to pull off jumps and tricks have better luck with flexible boots that allow extra freedom of movement in the foot and ankle.

Flex rating

Men’s snowboard boots often carry a flex rating on a scale of 1 to 10. The industry has no standard for determining the flex rating, so each manufacturer sets its own. Boots with the most flexibility receive a 1 or 2 flex rating, while the stiffest boots carry a 9 or 10 flex rating.

What to look for in quality men’s snowboard boots

Laces

If your men’s snowboard boots have traditional laces, you can pull them tight. However, some snowboarders dislike traditional laces, as it can be difficult to tighten them properly with cold fingers.

Another option for laces involves a quick-release system. If the boots contain a Boa system for the laces, you pay quite a bit more for them, but the rider can adjust the tightness or release the Boa system quickly and easily.

Liners

The soft interior layer in a snowboard boot is the liner. For inexpensive boots, expect to find a generic type of liner that doesn’t mold to your feet for extra comfort.

For moldable liners, expect to pay more. Some moldable liners acquire their shape over several days of you wearing them, while others require the help of a professional at a ski equipment shop.

How much you can expect to spend on men’s snowboard boots

Even the least expensive snowboard boots are pricey, running between $100 and $200 per pair. These boots flex a lot, so it may be difficult to freeride with them. For stiffer boots aimed at advanced riders, expect to pay $200 to $500.

Men’s snowboard boots FAQ

Is it better to rent or purchase snowboard boots?

A. If you frequently snowboard, owning your boots allows you to pick a pair that fits your style of riding. Rentals may not always fit perfectly.

How can you make your snowboard boots more comfortable?

A. Start by wearing the right socks, which should be thinner so the boots don’t end up fitting too tightly. Instead of thick socks, add moldable liners to the boots to help with comfort.

What’s the best men’s snowboard boots to buy?

Top men’s snowboard boots

DC Control Boa Snowboard Boots

What you need to know: The manufacturer perfectly mixes style and performance in this pair of boots, but they do carry a higher-than-average price.

What you’ll love: These materials excel at helping your feet retain warmth. Provides outstanding traction when walking across icy ground.

What you should consider: These boots tend to run out of stock frequently, especially in common sizes.

Top men’s snowboard boots for the money

System APX Men’s Snowboard Boots

What you need to know: You’ll love the way these feel as the liners quickly mold to your foot, creating a high level of comfort.

What you’ll love: These are more durable than you may think with such a low price point. Adjustable laces simplify achieving the perfect fit.

What you should consider: When performing especially tough tricks on your snowboard, the lack of tightness in the heel area may allow the foot to lift upward.

Worth checking out

Burton Moto Snowboard Boots

What you need to know: Even though these are boots aimed at beginners, they have quite a bit of flexibility in the design to allow for quick movements.

What you’ll love: The sole maintains a high level of traction, despite being lightweight. Protects your feet from cold weather better than you might think they would.

What you should consider: They are more expensive than many would like to see for a pair of boots aimed at snowboarders with less experience.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

​ Orange County Register 

Hundreds rally for undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles

• December 18, 2024

Wearing white shirts and chanting slogans, hundreds marched through Los Angeles on Wednesday morning, Dec. 18, to condemn President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to carry out mass deportations when he takes office.

Demonstrators gathered on the cobblestone streets of Olvera Street for the march, which was timed to International Migrants Day on Wednesday.

The event went from Olvera Street, the popular tourist spot, to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Los Angeles. The crowd chanted “What do we want? Justice, when do we want it? Now” in English and Spanish. It also chanted “Family power,” “Immigrants are welcome here” and “sí se puede.”

Rally organizers demanded federal protections for undocumented immigrants and those with temporary protections. They hoped the event would highlight the voices of undocumented immigrants, their contributions to the country and raise awareness of calls to broaden legal protections and pathways to citizenship.

“Today we uplift the power of unity and the power of love,” Angélica Salas, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights’ executive director, told the crowd. “Today we stand up against hate and division … Today we recognize that people are forced to migrate, they’re forced to leave their homes, and we must do something.”

She blasted what she called Trump’s “hate” and said “his policies, they’re not going to stop us.”

While demonstrators on Wednesday criticized Trump’s policies, others said the country needs precisely the stricter border policies that the incoming president advocates.

“We need to have a super secure border,” Assemblyman Bill Essayli, R- Corona, said Tuesday, Dec. 17. “We need to have a legal pathway for people to apply. But at the same time, the United States cannot take in all 7 billion people of the whole world that want to come here.”

Trump has also said he’d invoke the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 law that allows the president to deport noncitizens from a country with which the U.S. is at war. And he has promised to end birthright citizenship. People with temporary citizenship, such Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and Temporary Protected Status, worry they could be targeted as well. Some worry about the economic impact of a mass deportation given that undocumented immigrants make up a large portion of the agricultural sector, leaders said.

One rally attendee, Pasadena resident Hannah Castro, who works with the Filipino Workers Center in Los Angeles, is herself an immigrant from the Philippines who came to the U.S. in her 20s.

“In these moments, it’s really important to let people know that you are not alone and we are all safer and stronger together,” Castro, 40, said.

“We are a community of immigrants, and this country is built by immigrants,” she said, adding that immigrants are “the soul” of the nation.

“We bring value to the workforce. We bring value to the community with what we do and who we are.”

Long Beach resident Robert Collins, part of the nonprofit Community Coalition that works in South Los Angeles, came to support the cause.

“When you think of immigrants, the news makes you think that it’s only a border thing, but it’s a people thing, from all different nationalities,” said Collins, 63. “We all live together.”

Marsha Mitchell, a senior communications director for Community Coalition, said her organization took part to “protect our undocumented brothers and sisters.”

“When this administration comes in, they’re going to dismantle a lot of things,” Mitchell, 57, said. “A lot of the issues that we’ll be facing include economic development and education.”

Like Collins, Mitchell wanted to highlight that immigration policies aren’t “just a brown issue.”

“It’s a Black issue, a brown issue, an Asian issue,” the Los Angeles resident said. “We want to make sure that we are protecting all who are facing undocumented status.”

Illegal immigration has continued as a major issue since the election.

In California, two days after the Nov. 5 election, Gov. Gavin Newsom called for a special session to strengthen California’s legal resources to protect immigrant families.

The Los Angeles City Council plans to discuss an initiative that would bar the use of city resources or personnel to assist in the federal enforcement of immigration laws.

Southern California has a high undocumented population.

In 2021, nearly 3 million residents across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties were undocumented or lived in a household with an undocumented family member, with 1.9 million residing in Los Angeles, according to the California Immigrant Data Portal.

Groups at the rally included the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, a leading members of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement Coalition. The Humane Immigrant Rights group last month hosted protests and rallies in Los Angeles and San Bernardino and has been pushing for better protections for immigrants.

Starting Monday, Dec. 16, the Fair Immigration Reform Movement Coalition — a national network with 38 members in 32 states — hosted an Immigrants Rise Up week of action to coincide with International Migrants Day. States including California, Colorado, Arkansas put on events during the week, including news conferences, know-your-rights training sessions, town halls, concerts, rallies and protests.

Essayli, the Inland Empire assemblymember, said he comes from a family of immigrants who legally entered the U.S., Essayli is a supporter of legal migration.

“A lot of people want to enter the United States,” Essayli, 39, said. “A lot of people want to come into the country and are desperate to do that, and people are taking advantage of them. The process right now is not good, a lot of them are being human trafficked, extorted to pay lots of money. A lot of these kids are being sexually abused. This isn’t a good system.”

Stricter border policies and more secure borders will reduce these issues, Essayli said.

“I feel like Americans are very reasonable and very generous,” he said. “If and when we secure the border and remove all the criminal immigrants, I suspect there will be a bigger appetite to figure out what to do with the rest of the immigrants that are here unlawfully, but the other has to come first.”

Essayli said Trump has always prioritized the deportation of criminal undocumented immigrants, those that illegally enter the country and have committed a crime.

“The state of California is creating this situation that I think is going to make it a lot harder for people and law enforcement when these operations begin,” he said. “But that’s by design, the state of California is doing that by design.”

The Associated Press and Staff Writer Hanna Kang contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register 

Chargers seek answers in pivotal matchup with Broncos

• December 18, 2024

So many questions, so few answers.

How will the Chargers respond Thursday night against the Denver Broncos after their blowout loss Sunday to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

How effective will quarterback Justin Herbert be after his mobility was limited by a sprained left ankle, a left thigh contusion and a sore left knee?

How will the Chargers’ defense hold up against quarterback Bo Nix and the Broncos after they failed to contain Baker Mayfield and the Bucs?

Anyone who claims to know the answers is either a liar or a fool. Or maybe both.

So much is at stake that the NFL flexed this game from Sunday afternoon to Thursday night in the hope of capturing a greater audience. The Chargers (8-6) need at least one more victory and more likely two wins in order to clinch an AFC wild-card berth. The Broncos (9-5) probably need just one victory.

The Chargers end the regular season with road games against the New England Patriots (3-11) and the Las Vegas Raiders (2-12). The Broncos conclude their regular season with a road game against the Cincinnati Bengals (6-8) and a home date with the Kansas City Chiefs (13-1).

The Chargers defeated the Broncos in the first game between the teams Oct. 13 in Denver, so a victory Thursday would give them the tiebreaker in case they were to finish with identical records. Defeating the Broncos again would give the Chargers better odds to secure a higher seeding.

If the playoffs were to begin today, the No. 7-seeded Chargers would play the No. 2-seeded Buffalo Bills and the No. 6-seeded Broncos would play the No. 3-seeded Pittsburgh Steelers. A great deal could change in the final weeks if the Chargers were to win and possibly win their final two games, too.

“You want to be playing games in December and January, you know, those games that really mean something to you because it’s much easier waking up and getting excited for them,” Herbert said. “I think the guys have been very excited for these opportunities, knowing the importance of them.”

Herbert said he would continue wearing a brace on his left ankle to keep it secure and help him feel safe on the field during contact or while planting his left foot on the SoFi Stadium artificial turf. This brace differs from the one he wore on his sprained right ankle earlier in the season.

This one wraps around the outside of his shoe and provides additional support.

“I wouldn’t say I tested it too much this week,” he said of his ankle.

In fact, it might be easier for Herbert to rebound from the Chargers’ lackluster offensive showing during a 40-17 loss to Tampa Bay, a game in which they were shut out in the second half and limited to a meager 207 net yards of offense, than it will be to recover from a nagging ankle injury.

“We didn’t play the way we needed to and to be able to go out and play and fix those (things) right away, so to have that short week, it’s like, ‘Hey, we’ve got to get going,” Herbert said. “It’s a great opportunity that’s coming up quickly. But at the same time, we’d love to (have time to) game plan.”

As poorly as the Chargers’ offense performed Sunday, their defense was even worse. Not only did they give up the most points they had surrendered this season, topping the previous high of 30, but they also allowed Mayfield to throw for 288 yards and four touchdowns, part of the 505 net yards the Bucs gained.

Plus, the Chargers had been improved when it came to limiting big gains this season, but they reverted to their 2023 form. Tampa Bay had three plays of 35 yards or more and four others of 20 yards or more. Mayfield torched the Chargers with touchdown passes of 57, 35, 26 and 11 yards.

Additionally, the Buccaneers converted 9 of 15 third downs (60%) and were 1 for 1 on their only fourth-down conversion. Mayfield’s 57-yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans in the third quarter seemed to be a back-breaking play despite the fact that it only gave the Buccaneers a 20-17 lead.

“Everything,” Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said when asked what went haywire Sunday, especially in the second half, when the Chargers gave up a season-high 27 points for a half. “The things we talk about to play good defense: explosive plays, stopping the run, third and fourth downs. The great thing is that it’s a short week. We can flush it down and go on to the next one.”

Denver at Chargers

When: 5:15 p.m. Thursday

Where: SoFi Stadium

TV: Prime

​ Orange County Register