Lake Elsinore City Treasurer Allen Baldwin dies at 83

• January 26, 2024

Lake Elsinore City Treasurer Allen Baldwin died Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, at age 83. He had served in the elected post since 2009. (Courtesy of Lake Elsinore)

Lake Elsinore City Treasurer Allen Baldwin, who served as a city councilmember and became the first executive director of an Orange County affordable housing nonprofit group, has died.

Allen, 83, died Jan. 19 “peacefully” and “surrounded by family, love and laughter,” according to a family message that was part of a larger post on Facebook.

“Allen was a friend and mentor,” Lake Elsinore Mayor Steve Manos wrote on Instagram. “Always in an upbeat mood, he was very wise and has been a great leader in this community in many ways for many years.”

An elected position, the treasurer monitors city finances and advises city officials on fiscal matters. Baldwin had served in the role since 2009 after a stint from 1978 to 1982 on the Lake Elsinore City Council.

Also in 1978, Baldwin became the first executive director of the Orange County Community Housing Corporation, which helps working-class families find affordable housing.

“Allen played a pivotal role in our organization’s mission to create affordable housing and uplift the lives of the less fortunate,” read a corporation statement posted on Baldwin’s Facebook page.

“Allen was not only a dedicated leader, but also a compassionate advocate for those in need. His tireless efforts have left an indelible mark on our organization, and his legacy will continue to inspire us.”

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A Navy veteran, Baldwin was married for 57 years to Linda Sue “Holly” Baldwin. He had four children, 10 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren, according to his family’s statement.

The council is working with the city attorney on the next steps in finding a new treasurer, Lake Elsinore Community Support Manager Adam Gufarotti said via email.

​ Orange County Register 

UCLA gymnastics seeks to start Pac-12 slate on high note in return to Pauley Pavilion

• January 26, 2024

The No. 15 UCLA gymnastics team is returning home to Pauley Pavilion for the first time since Dec. 15 this weekend when it hosts Washington in its Pac-12 opener on Saturday.

The Den, UCLA’s student section, has Bruins’ floor exercise choreography memorized and is ready to once again lend support to the team. The gymnasts are ready for dual meets after traveling for quad meets for the last three weeks and dealing with the distractions that can come with them.

“We’re excited to get home in our comfort zone and just really be able to have less things going on around us to really focus in on what we need to do to be able to compete,” coach Janelle McDonald told reporters on Thursday.

Graduate transfer Nya Reed and true freshman Katelyn Rosen are two Bruins who will be making their competitive debut at Pauley Pavilion a week after a quad meet in which UCLA placed third behind No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 12 Denver.

The Bruins didn’t finish above third place in any of their quad meets this season, which also included the Mean Girls Super 16 Gymnastics Championships and the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad.

Rosen contributed to the team score in three events in Denver and had an additional exhibition routine in floor exercise. She said on Thursday that it’s a goal of hers to work into the all-around lineup, but McDonald did not disclose if it would happen this weekend.

“She just stepped out of bounds in the exhibition spot, but aside from that she had a really clean routine,” McDonald said. “So we’re just kind of dialing in those details and we’re excited for her to get more opportunities.”

UCLA is tied for sixth nationally in with an average vault score of 49.3 and five gymnasts had scored over 9.8 in the quad meet in Denver. Chae Campbell’s 9.875 and Rosen’s 9.85 were among the highest UCLA scored, and Reed contributed a 9.8.

It’s a marked improvement in an event that UCLA struggled in last year, a result of conscious effort from the Bruins. Coach Kyle Grable comes up with different games to keep the gymnasts competitive at practice and they’ve placed a heightened emphasis on sticks.

“I don’t think we’re far off from being number one,” Reed said. “We’re very, very hungry. Vault squad, we push each other. We’re correcting each other after every single vault we do. We’re asking questions, we’re curious. It’s been a great thing to be a part of.”

The Bruins scored a season-high 49.575 on floor and are now tied for seventh nationally in the event in terms of average score. Selena Harris led the team with a 9.95 score in Denver, followed by Campbell and Reed who each scored 9.925.

Rosen is used to competing in stadiums in elite gymnastics, but she said the crowds aren’t as enthusiastic as the ones in NCAA gymnastics — especially when it comes to the people who pack Pauley Pavilion.

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Reed previously competed for Florida in an SEC conference that also embraces gymnastics. She said LSU, which is the No. 3 team in the nation right now, had a particularly exhilarating atmosphere.

Environment plays a factor in gymnastics, and the right scene in the Bruins’ home gym as well as in their minds could be what they need to recover from a grueling preseason quad meet schedule and start the Pac-12 season in the right direction.

“Everyone plays a different part when it comes to Bruin bubble,” Reed said. “That’s something we’re still working at and making sure we have to a T. You’ll definitely see it this weekend, bringing the energy and just being that family that we are in practice.”

No. 15 UCLA gymnastics vs. Washington

When: 6 p.m. Saturday

Where: Pauley Pavilion

TV: Pac-12 Network

​ Orange County Register 

Lakers’ offense found its groove during homestand. Will that carry over to 6-game trip?

• January 26, 2024

LOS ANGELES — The Lakers turned a long-standing struggle – offensive production – into a strength during their homestand that’s taken up most of January.

The question is whether it will translate to their upcoming six-game road trip – and if they make it happen while also shoring things up defensively.

The Lakers wrapped up their lengthy, broken-up stay at Crypto.com Arena by scoring a season-high 141 points in their nine-point win over the Chicago Bulls Thursday evening.

The victory wasn’t just appropriate because it allowed them to leave Southern California on a high note, going 6-4 on homestand (6-5 including Tuesday’s “road” loss to the Clippers), but because it further illustrated the progress they’ve made offensively this month – especially over the last two weeks.

“We’re just playing together, sharing the basketball,” Anthony Davis said. “When you play the right way, good things tend to happen. We’re not being selfish. We’re not holding the ball too long. Guys are making the right plays. If you see a crowd, we’re moving on. Guys are being quick decision-makers passing, shooting or driving it. When we play free, and play together like we are sharing the basketball, then the assist numbers go up.

“And guys are able to shoot the ball with confidence and know that, ‘the ball will come to me if I’m open.’ Instead of getting the ball and trying to force one because you haven’t touched it in a while.”

The Lakers entered their homestand with an offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) of 112.4 (23rd in the league). Back on Jan. 9 the offensive rating was 111.7 (23rd), but their 132-131 win over the Toronto Raptors sparked an offensive turnaround. They’ve had an offensive rating of 120.8 in the nine-game stretch since that victory for the league’s 10th-best mark in said stretch.

They’ve recorded at least 27 assists in all nine of those games, averaging a league-best 31.2 in the last two weeks.

“We’re just playing the right way,” LeBron James said. “Guys are feeling very comfortable out there. We’ve got guys that can make shots. We’ve got guys that can make plays. Doesn’t matter who’s shooting.”

They also shot 42.1% on 3s in those nine games.

“It’s proof of guys playing with pace, guys being disciplined with their running habits,” coach Darvin Ham said. “Whether or not they’re going to get the ball, they’re doing their job in terms of creating space for their teammates, putting pressure on the defense to flatten out and collapse. Doing a great job of getting the ball to the paint, some rim attacks as well as some paint attacks, which leads to kickouts. That allows for more 3s and more 3s in rhythm when you’re playing with a lot of pace and force.

“But I attributed that to them physically doing and carrying out what we’ve been watching in film, the things we’ve been pointing out in film, the things we’ve been touching on in the walkthroughs, our offensive breakdowns. And it’s paying off. I think those 3s become a lot easier when everyone is doing things with a sense of urgency and no one is walking or watching. Everyone is active in some type of way.”

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The challenge for the Lakers during this trip will be trying to maintain similar offensive production while shoring up their defense. They’ve been a below-average defensive team for over the last 23 games after being top-10 for the season’s first 23 games.

“We can be a top offensive team and a top defensive team,” Davis said. “Cam [Reddish] is out. Not sure how long but you’re missing another defensive guy. The thing that’s been hurting us has just been the rebounding.

“Being able to rebound the basketball will help us a ton. Guys are getting second-chance points and it’s kind of hurting the [defensive] rating.”

REDDISH UPDATE

Reddish (sprained right ankle) will be re-evaluated in two weeks, the team announced Friday morning.

He suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of the loss to the Clippers. He didn’t play against the Bulls.

Reddish played just two games before suffering the ankle injury after missing three consecutive games because of left knee effusion (swelling).

LAKERS AT WARRIORS

When: Saturday, 5:30 p.m.

Where: Chase Center, San Francisco

TV/radio: ABC (Ch. 7)/710 AM

​ Orange County Register 

Taylor Drift? Aaron Brrrr, Sir? Voting underway for Minnesota plow names

• January 26, 2024

By Scott McFetridge | Associated Press

Snowplows are essential to enduring winter in Minnesota, so maybe it’s not surprising that every year thousands of people vote on names for the giant machines that clear the state’s roads, such as Plowy McPlowFace and Darth Blader.

The often-icy state began naming its 800 plows in 2020 and is expected to announce winners of its 2023-2024 Name a Snowplow contest early next week, adding eight selections to more than three dozen names that already grace trucks scraping snow off Minnesota highways.

This year’s 49 finalists — one name was discarded after MnDOT realized it had been selected previously — include Beyonsleigh, Taylor Drift and Aaron Brrrr, Sir. Voting continues through Sunday, and people don’t need to be Minnesota residents to weigh in.

“We definitely know snow in Minnesota, and anyone who lives up here knows the challenges of those conditions and the challenges of trying to keep roads safe for folks to travel during the winter,” said Anne Meyer, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Transportation, which hosts the contest.

The agency knew officials in Scotland had named snowplows for years and decided a similar effort in Minnesota might draw attention to their winter work, Meyer said.

The response in the first year of the contest was overwhelming, with about 24,000 submissions and 122,000 votes cast. Participation has dropped over the years but remains strong, with about 8,000 submissions for the latest contest.

Besides Plowy McPlowFace and Darth Blader, winners over the years include Blizzard of Oz, Scoop Dogg and Han Snolo. Top names often have Minnesota connections. F. Salt Fitzgerald was a nod to St. Paul-born author F. Scott Fitzgerald, while The Truck Formerly Known As Plow recognized musician Prince, who for a time famously declined to be recognized by a spoken name.

The response in Minnesota has prompted states and cities across the country to hold similar contests to name snowplows, from Alaska and California to Ohio and Massachusetts.

New Mexico launched its first name-a-snowplow contest this winter, drawing more than 1,500 submissions and 23,000 votes to name 12 of the state’s 400 plows. Winners included Sleetwood Mac, Mr. Snow it All and Billy the Skid, acknowledging the New Mexico roots of the gunslinger Billy the Kid.

“There’s a natural infatuation with (snowplows),” said Kristine Bustos-Mihelcic, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Transportation. “They’re big, huge trucks. They look great on the road, and they are such a visual statement to the core of DOT, which is helping people get to their destination safely.”

Lincoln, Nebraska, also held its first snowplow-naming contest this year. More than 2,300 people voted to name eight city plows, with Clearopathra taking honors as the top selection.

“We hope this helps develop a closer relationship with people, and we can show them that we are human, too,” said Erika Hill, a spokesperson for Lincoln’s Transportation and Utilities department. “We’re laughing along with them about some of these great names.”

Plowy McPlowFace is a favorite in many of the contests, in part because it harkens back to a rejected online vote in 2016 to name a British polar research vessel Boaty McBoatface. Although that choice garnered more than three times the votes of its closest competitor, officials opted to name the ship after naturalist Sir David Attenborough.

Minnesota plans to keep its contest going in coming years and Meyer noted each plow keeps its name, which is displayed along the side of the vehicle.

“We’ve got 800 snowplows statewide for the Minnesota Department of Transportation, so we have a lot of snowplows to name,” Meyer said.

​ Orange County Register 

After taking Supercross standings lead, Aaron Plessinger intends to hold onto it

• January 26, 2024

Red. It’s a color that represents many different things. Passion. Anger. Stress.

For Aaron Plessinger, however, it serves as a badge of his hard work and dedication.

When he pulls into the starting gate on Saturday at Angel Stadium, a big red number plate will be on the front of his KTM.

He earned it by moving into first place of the 450cc Supercross rider standings last weekend in San Diego. Plessinger holds a one-point lead over his teammate Chase Sexton.

This marks the first time in his career that Plessinger has been No. 1 in the premier class in dirt bike racing.

“It (the red plate) means everyone is chasing me now, and it feels good,” he said. “It means confidence. It means I got to go out and keep the color red on my bike.”

Battling for a championship is nothing new for him. He won the 250cc West title in 2018. But since he moved up to the big bikes the following season, it has been a struggle. Broken bones and disappointment have been easier to come by than victories.

He broke his wrist training in the summer of 2020 and missed the majority of the 2022 Supercross season with a broken arm.

But it was the broken wrist, he said, that seemed to put the brakes on any momentum that he built on his 250, saying it was “a really, really hard … hard thing” to overcome.

“I just had to keep working. I just put my head down and keep myself on the straight and narrow,” he said, “I just had to really listen to the people around me, saying you will be there again. Self belief and hard work. Look what it has done for me now.”

Last Saturday at Snap Dragon Stadium marked the 68th start of Plessinger’s 450cc career. When he flew over Ken Roczen as he tumbled to the mud, Plessinger took over the lead and paced the final 15 laps to win the first main event of his career.

Plessinger has been among the most consistently fast riders this season in some of the most trying conditions a rider can face. The last two events in San Francisco and San Deigo have been waterlogged, turning the tracks into treacherously slick mud bogs.

Yet Plessinger was the fastest qualifier in San Francisco, and he won his heat race in San Diego to earn a starting spot in his historic main event.

His worst finish in the first three races is fifth.

San Diego, though, could have and probably really should have been victory number two.

Last season, Plessinger dominated in Detroit, leading 20 of the 22 laps until his bike wobbled and he face planted on jump, leaving him with a broken helmet and spirit.  But in the end, that crash might have been fortunate in a way.

That devastating loss, he said, just might have set him up for the breakthrough triumph in San Diego.

“That race put into perspective how good I am on a dirt bike, and I can beat anyone with what I got going on,” he said. “That race really showed me that I was one of the heavy hitters. Everyone thinks that race was detrimental, but no one could touch me.”

Plessinger said the ghosts from his past went through his mind when he was leading in San Diego, but he said they “went in and out” quickly. Dwelling on the past, he knew, would likely result in another disaster, so the rest of the race, he said, “I just clicked off laps and didn’t let anything else distract me.”

He will need to be focused once again this weekend.

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Saturday’s race in Anaheim poses a unique challenge for Plessinger. This is one of the three triple crown events on the 17-race schedule. Rather than competing in a 20-minute main event, riders will race in three 12-minute races, accumulating points based on their finishing position to determine an overall champion.

While he is not a huge fan of this format, he feels quite confident, heading into Saturday’s race.

“I think I’m in people’s heads now that I have the red plate, and I am looking forward to keeping it,” he said. “I feel confident … confident in my starts … confident in my body. Overall feeling good about it. I am going to do everything I can to hold on to this red plate for as long as I can and put myself in a good position to win this championship. I am ready to go.”

RELATED:

Rookie Jett Lawrence wins 450 Supercross debut race

Chase Sexton expects competition as Supercross opens a new season at Angel Stadium

​ Orange County Register 

Highland man gets 140 years for Orange County rapes lawyer blamed on twin brother

• January 26, 2024

A Highland man who violently sexually assaulted a girl and a woman more than two decades ago in South Orange County — crimes his attorney blamed on his twin brother — was sentenced on Friday, Jan. 26, to 140 years to life in prison.

An Orange County Superior Court jury early last year found Kevin Konther guilty of raping a 9-year-old girl in Lake Forest in 1995 and a 32-year-old woman in Mission Viejo in 1998 as well as committing lewd acts on a girlfriend’s pre-teen daughter at the couple’s homes in Huntington Beach and Highland.

While handing down the longest possible sentence, Judge Richard M. King described Konther, now a 58-year-old Highland resident, as “a sexual carnivore.” Both rape victims were attacked in public, pulled by Konther into secluded areas.

“This is like a cat, a lion, a cheetah looking for prey,” King said. “Vultures don’t do this to their young, rats don’t do this.”

Deputy District Attorney Juliet Oliver described Konther as a “calculated” rapist who “thought through every single act. … The defendant committed heinous acts upon these women in a serial manner. This is a man who deserve no leniency.”

Konther won’t be eligible for parole until serving the 140 years.

One victim testified that a man came up to her while she was walking home from a store, put his hand over her mouth, told her he had a knife and pulled her down an embankment into Serrano Creek Park in Lake Forest. She pleaded that he not kill her as he forced her to take off her clothes and raped her. She told the rapist she was only nine and he laughed.

Three year’s later, a 32-year-old woman running along a secluded bike trial in Mission Viejo was attacked, dragged down an embankment and raped.

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Investigators quickly determined through DNA that the same man committed both rapes, but at the time were unable to identify a suspect. The case was re-opened in 2018, when Orange County sheriff’s investigators worked with the FBI’s Genealogy Team to use cutting-edge familial DNA searches.

That led investigators to Konther and his brother who, because they are twins, share DNA. Both were taken into custody and secretly recorded while sitting in a police vehicle and waiting to be booked into jail.

Prosecutors argued the recorded conversation between the brothers essentially amounted to a confession by Kevin Konther, who repeatedly apologized to his angry and confused brother. At one point, Kevin Konther told his brother, “I’m a criminal in my past. I have serious issues. Now I’ve got to pay for it, and I don’t want to.”

He talked about a “chemical imbalance in my brain,” telling his brother, “I’ve been fighting that demon for a long time. I just hate women, that’s my problem.”

Deputy Public Defender Jessica Ann Sweeny argued during the trial that Konther had decided to take the blame for crimes committed by his brother. Konther could have heard details of the sexual assaults from investigators and may have been simply repeating those details, knowing he was being recorded, the defense attorney added.

Investigators, after identifying Kevin Konther as a suspect, also learned of accusations made against him by a girlfriend’s daughter. She said Konther would enter her room naked while she was pretending to sleep and would stand uncomfortably close to her, sometimes pulling down her pants and underwear.

​ Orange County Register 

Palm Springs midcentury home built into the mountain seeks $8.8 million

• January 26, 2024

A Palm Springs midcentury-modern home, originally designed by architect John Kaptur and built into the base of the San Jacinto Mountains, is on the market for $8.75 million.

Cascading rock waterfalls and native terrain surround this 2,932-square-foot house. It has three bedrooms and four bathrooms with boulders integrated into the structure that rises from a massive stone wall.

“Kaptur considered the entire parcel when creating an unmatched environment to enjoy the spectacular setting,” the listing reads.

Large expanses of glass and a graphic roof-line canopy frame the panoramic city and mountain views. A covered patio, pool, spa and koi pond add to the outdoor amenities.

Dubbed “Bougain Villa,” the house dates to 1958 and has only had two owners since then.

The home’s original furniture and artifacts from around the world are available for sale separately, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. That same article mentioned that the original owners hired modernist architect Albert Frey in the 1980s to renovate and expand the home with a mirrored guest house. They then quietly sold it.

Records show it traded hands for $1.09 million in 1999.

Sean Stanfield of Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty and Craig Chorpenning of Desert Sotheby’s International Realty share the listing.

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​ Orange County Register 

Angel City FC adds veteran midfielder Raquel Rodriguez in trade with Portland Thorns

• January 23, 2024

Angel City Football Club added midfielder Raquel “Rocky” Rodriguez in a trade with the Portland Thorns Tuesday in exchange for $275,000 in allocation money.

Rodriguez, 30, has spent the past four seasons with the Thorns, making 72 appearances across all competitions.

“I am so excited to be joining ACFC,” Rodriguez said. “I can’t wait to play for the city of Los Angeles. I want to bring the very best of me to help this team be successful and bring excitement to the fans.”

Rodriguez has also made 85 appearances for the Costa Rican national team, including at the 2023 FIFA World Cup.

Before joining Portland, she began her NWSL career as the No. 2 draft pick in the 2016 Draft by the Sky Blue FC out of Penn State. She earned NWSL Rookie of the Year honors.

“Rocky brings a high level of professionalism and presence to Angel City’s midfield and that’s combined with a tremendous amount of experience in this league and internationally as well,” General Manager Angela Hucles Mangano said. “We’re beyond thrilled that we are able to have her join our squad.”

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​ Orange County Register