High-speed rail waste continues

• July 10, 2024

A Google search for “California high-speed rail” and “boondoggle’ returned 31,900 results. One linked to a New York Post story, “California mocked over high-speed rail bridge to nowhere,” after the project boasted its completion of the Fresno River Viaduct.

Then on June 27 the California High-Speed Rail Authority, which runs the project, announced its Board of Directors cleared Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) approvals for the segment between Palmdale and Burbank.

That completed all approvals for the Los Angeles-to-San Francisco section, the largest for the project, “with only the Los Angeles to Anaheim section remaining in Phase 1” of construction.

CEO Brian Kelly called it “a transformative project for the state of California as a whole, and today’s approval is a major milestone for connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles in less than three hours.”

The problem remains that the funding for the project is as unrealistic as when then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger talked voters into approving Proposition 1A in 2008.

Sixteen years ago voters were promised, as they read in the initiative’s fiscal impact statement, “State costs of about $19.4 billion, assuming 30 years to pay off both principal ($9.95 billion) and interest ($9.5 billion) costs of the bonds.” It was supposed to be completed by 2020.

However, on March 12 the Legislative Analyst’s Office analyzed the project’s 2024 Draft Business Plan and found the cost had ballooned to $107.6 billion. The plan included grabbing $3.3 billion in federal funds, and “identifies a target” of getting another $4.7 billion from federal taxpayers.

That money will be tough to get with Republicans in Congress questioning more funding. On May 29, Sens. Ted Cruz of, R-Texas, and Rep. Sam Graves, R-Missouri, wrote a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg maintaining “there is no reasonable path forward for successful completion of the project.”

As they continue their August recess, legislators ought to ask constituents whether more taxpayer funding ought to go to this boondoggle, or to filling potholes.

​ Orange County Register 

Huntington Beach voters to decide on housing charter amendment this November

• July 10, 2024

Huntington Beach will ask voters this November if residents should have a role in approving future housing development plans.

The proposed charter amendment would create a law requiring voter approval to carry out city-initiated zoning changes when there are “significant and unavoidable” environmental impacts. Environmental impacts could include more vehicle traffic, noise and greater utility usage.

The law would mainly affect future efforts to amend the city’s housing element, the blueprint every California city has that lays out where new housing development can occur. Councilmember Casey McKeon at a special City Council meeting on Monday, July 7, emphasized that the charter amendment would not affect private developers seeking zoning changes for their projects.

The ballot measure also declares that local planning is an area “beyond the reach of state control.” McKeon, a proponent of the charter amendment, said it puts residents in power on housing plans rather than the decision being left to the City Council.

Critics warned that if the charter amendment is approved by voters, the city faces financial penalties from the state for its continued defiance to plan for more housing, and the effort could backfire and lessen local control.

Huntington Beach has refused to adopt a state-mandated housing element that would allow developers to build at least 13,368 housing units this decade.

McKeon said the push for the charter amendment came out of the discussions over the city’s housing element last year. To implement the housing element, the City Council would have to adopt a statement of overriding considerations that found the benefits of new housing outweighed the environmental effects.

“I personally was appalled by that,” McKeon said Monday.

The City Council voted 4-0-3 in favor of putting the charter amendment on November ballots, six days after the first council discussions over the measure.

Councilmembers Rhonda Bolton, Dan Kalmick and Natalie Moser were absent from the meeting. In a statement, the three labeled the process to put the charter amendment on people’s ballots as rushed, lacking “robust public input,” and a “desperate attempt” to avoid complying with state housing laws.

They warned the charter amendment’s ultimate legacy will be putting the city at risk of fiscal insolvency. Cities that don’t have a housing element in place risk fines of up to $600,000 a month from the state and are subject to builder’s remedy law, where developers can in some situations bypass local zoning and build large housing projects.

“(The) hasty process and disregard for unintended consequences means this charter amendment will, in the end, harm the city for years to come, much like many of this council majority’s actions,” the three said in a statement read during Monday’s meeting by the city clerk.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office in a post on social media platform X on Tuesday also condemned the city’s proposed charter amendment.

“Huntington Beach’s new effort to circumvent state law and avoid building housing is an illegal stunt,” the governor’s office posted. “We’ll continue to hold all communities accountable as we work to build more housing in California.”

The charter amendment’s text says “city planning and zoning is a local, municipal affair, beyond the reach of state control.”

Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for the governor’s office, said in an email that “Huntington Beach’s new initiative declaring city zoning ‘beyond the reach of state control’ conflicts with half a century of decisions by state appellate courts which have established that charter cities cannot ignore state law on the critical statewide issue of housing availability and affordability. This is yet another ridiculous stunt by Huntington Beach that will unfortunately be a waste of time and taxpayers’ money, as it will likely be swatted down in court if the voters ultimately approve this.”

The city and state have clashed on several issues over the last year and a half. The state has sued the city in separate lawsuits over its failure to adopt a housing element and for its plans to ask voters to show ID in future city elections starting in 2026 (voters approved that ballot measure in March).

A judge in May ruled in favor of the state and said Huntington Beach had violated the law when it didn’t adopt a compliant housing element.

Adam Wood, senior vice president of the Building Industry Association of Southern California’s Orange County Chapter, in a letter, told the council that the charter amendment doesn’t excuse the city from meeting its housing element requirements and raised concerns that it could reduce local control.

“Thus, if the state requires a compliant housing element, enforcement actions will be brought against the city regardless of who is responsible for approving the housing element,” Wood wrote.

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​ Orange County Register 

Frumpy Mom: Things you kids should know while I’m away

• July 10, 2024

I’m planning to take a few trips this summer without you, my beloved children, so it seems like a good time to give you some tips on how to run the household without me.

1. Keep the animals alive. As you have noticed, we have two sentient beings in our house that can’t feed themselves, nor fill their water bowls. Now, our cat Cairo will not be shy about letting you know when he’s hungry or needs any other type of attention. In fact, the challenge will be to stop him from yowling as if he hasn’t been fed for weeks. However, our dog, Lil Wayne, doesn’t usually bark when he’s hungry. He just looks really sad and walks around the kitchen, aimlessly licking the floor in case someone dropped something edible on it.  When you open the refrigerator, Lil Wayne will come running, because I usually give him a carrot stick, which he thinks is filet mignon.  Additionally, I’ve come home many times and discovered the small beasts’ water bowl is empty. Again, they can’t nudge you and tell you they’re thirsty. So just plan on refilling it at least once a day.

2. How to change the toilet paper. You may use up all the toilet paper on the bathroom roll while I’m gone, and I know you don’t know how to change it, because it’s been empty the last 1,102 times I went in there. The last time I went to Costco, I bought one of those giant cases of bathroom tissue that will barely fit in my car, so we should be good for awhile. The rolls are stacked in the cabinet under the bathroom sink. Pull out a roll, remove the utterly useless and annoying paper cover, discard it in the trash can (not on the floor), remove the flexible roller from the middle of the toilet paper holder and insert the paper roll onto it. Then, snap it back into the holder. This should take no more than 15 seconds. If it takes longer, you’re drunk. And, yes, it’s the cheap single-ply tissue. If you want the cushy, soft double-ply, feel free to buy it yourself.

3. How to turn off the lights. Again, I realize that this is a skill you haven’t yet mastered, even though you’re young adults and can rewire a computer in 15 minutes. The clue to realizing that there’s an electrical outlet that needs to be turned off is when you look around at night, and you can see stuff. If you’re in a room and you can see, this means that there’s a light shining that needs to be extinguished. Walk around until you find a light switch that is in the “up” position, which means it’s on. Extend one finger and push the switch into the “down” position, which will turn it off. If it’s the television that’s left on, look around the entire living room and find out what you did with the remote, then push the power button. That will turn it off. In the event you can’t find the remote, just click the off button on the power strip next to the television.

I realize you don’t feel any need to turn off electronic devices of any kind, but every dollar I have to spend on the power bill is a dollar you can’t swipe out of my wallet while I’m in the other room.

4. Take out the trash. We’ve only lived in this house since 2006, so you’ve had a mere 936 weeks to remember that the trash cans have to be on the curb on Monday night. Every Monday night. Even when it’s personally inconvenient for you. You don’t have many recurring jobs to do to support our household, but this is one of them. Even if 936 were not enough weeks to learn this ritual, the fact that all the neighbors have put their trash cans out should be a visual aid to your memory. When I get home, I would be delighted to discover that the trash has been emptied and that the kitchen trash can has also been taken out. Hey, it could happen.

5. Don’t overfill the washer. Remember when you called me long distance in Nepal in what was for me the middle of the night, just to tell me the washer was leaking? And I told you to call the plumber, who came over and charged me $110 to tell you that you overfilled it, so don’t do that anymore? It’s not actually necessary for you to shove every piece of clothing you own into the washer in one load, along with the 187 towels you dirtied in one week. In fact, just because an item is on your floor doesn’t even mean it’s dirty. Pick it up and evaluate whether it actually needs to be washed, or you were just too lazy to put it away.

I could keep going for another hour or two, but I know you’ve already become bored and wandered off to look for your phone charger. So try not to burn the house down or break any of the major appliances, and I’ll be back next week.

Love, Mom

Related links

Frumpy Mom: Trying to outsmart the trickiest store
https://www.ocregister.com/2020/07/22/frumpy-middle-aged-mom-how-i-accidentally-ended-up-in-nepal/
Frumpy Mom: Why the cat is the head of the househol
Frumpy Mom: A fork, a fork! My kingdom for a fork! Or a towel.
I quit being my kids’ maid
Frumpy Middle-aged Mom: I might get around to cleaning. Right after this nap.

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​ Orange County Register 

Punishing poverty: The Supreme Court’s criminal approach to homelessness

• July 10, 2024

Teresa was one of the first unhoused individuals I met during fieldwork in Orange County for my dissertation at the University of California, Irvine. She is an elderly, disabled widow who lost her RV when law enforcement impounded it due to unpaid fines. When she finally scraped together enough money to reclaim it, she couldn’t because she lacked adequate identification.

In her younger days, Teresa appeared on TV game shows and owned a restaurant in her rural Northern California hometown. When I met her in 2019, after losing her son and husband, she lived alone on the street and struggled with addiction, yet maintained a warm, high-spirited personality. Her story starkly illustrates how punitive policies render the mere act of surviving a crime.

The Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson marks a troubling shift. By ruling in favor of Grants Pass, the majority has sanctioned criminalizing homelessness, allowing cities to penalize individuals for sleeping in public spaces even when no shelter is available. This decision overturns a Ninth Circuit ruling, which held that anti-camping ordinances violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.

This spring, along with 57 social scientists, I co-authored an amicus brief to the Supreme Court. It distills what our collective research shows: criminalizing homelessness does not reduce its incidence but has the opposite effect. It creates a cycle of arrest, incarceration, and release without addressing underlying issues that lead to homelessness.

By permitting punitive policies such as fines and arrest, the decision dismisses the conditions underlying homelessness, such as the widespread lack of affordable housing, insufficient mental health and addiction services, and economic inequality. Instead of addressing these root causes, the ruling exacerbates the problem by pushing people who are struggling further into the margins of society.

In the majority’s opinion, Justice Gorsuch asserts that the Ninth Circuit’s decision in Martin v. Boise “limited the tools available to local governments for tackling” homelessness. However, my research in Orange County shows that local governments use their police powers to banish the unhoused rather than help them out of homelessness.

The decision also threatens to derail efforts to tackle homelessness with humane, effective public policy. In California, strides have been made. Over the last three years, California has served 25 percent more individuals experiencing homelessness and added over 30,000 beds. These strides are often invisible to the public because the crisis is so massive that any gains are, by comparison, hard to detect.

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My own research has addressed this disconnect: the public sees their money being invested in solving an issue they do not see improving and are rightly frustrated. However, these individuals are often the same ones ready to protest creating affordable housing, permanent supportive housing, or shelters in their neighborhoods. We cannot have it both ways. We either want to solve homelessness—understanding that housing is the only solution—or we don’t. Unfortunately, this ruling empowers municipalities to revert to punitive measures supported by many public officials, like California’s Governor Gavin Newsom who submitted a brief which supported the arguments made by Grants Pass.

Given these challenges, it is crucial to advocate for state-level solutions that create housing for unhoused individuals, including those unable to pay for it. We should push for legislation that ensures access to housing and policies that mitigate the consequences of having no home. Policies that perpetuate poverty and racial inequity are not a solution to our housing problem. Housing is.

Teresa’s story epitomizes the failure of criminalizing homelessness. As Justice Sotomayor put it in her powerful dissent, “Sleep is a biological necessity, not a crime.” Teresa’s only infraction was trying to survive. We must do better, and that begins with providing housing, not handcuffs.

Deyanira Nevarez Martinez is an Assistant Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at Michigan State University and a UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute Faculty Expert. She has authored several studies on homelessness in California.

​ Orange County Register 

10 essential home and garden chores to tackle in July

• July 10, 2024

By Dan Morris

July is the best month for tackling essential home and garden chores that keep your outdoor spaces vibrant and functional. With warm, dry weather and long days, it’s the perfect time to address a variety of maintenance tasks that enhance your home’s beauty, safety and functionality.

From refreshing your grill for summer barbecues to ensuring your garden tools are in prime condition, these tasks will help you maximize your outdoor areas. Here are ten home and garden maintenance projects that will allow you to enjoy a more beautiful, enjoyable and efficient home and garden all summer long.

Cleaning and inspecting outdoor grills

July is the ultimate month to give your outdoor grill some love. With summer barbecues in full swing, a clean and well-maintained grill ensures every meal is a sizzling success. Scrub off grease and food residue, check burners and gas lines for perfect operation and ensure you have a full gas tank. A clean, well-running grill guarantees your cookouts are safe and stress-free.

Maintaining garden tools and equipment

Summer gardening is a breeze when your tools are in tip-top shape. July is the perfect time to clean, sharpen and oil your garden essentials. Remove dirt and rust on shovels, hoes and pruners, and sharpen those blades for effortless cutting. Check power equipment like lawnmowers and trimmers to keep them running smoothly. Well-maintained tools mean the work gets done faster and with less hassle, freeing up more time to relax and enjoy your outdoor space.

Removing dead or damaged trees

Keep your home and garden safe this July by removing dead or damaged trees. It’s a much easier task when the ground is dry and solid, so tackle them now for an easier and cleaner garden. Inspect trees for signs of trouble and call a certified arborist to safely handle removal. Eliminating problem trees now prevents future headaches and keeps your yard looking its best, ready for summer enjoyment.

Chipping branches for mulch

Turn garden debris into garden gold this July by chipping branches for mulch. After pruning or storm clean-up, gather those branches and feed them into a wood chipper. Spread the nutrient-rich mulch around flower beds, shrubs and trees to lock in moisture, fend off weeds, and boost soil health. It’s an eco-friendly way to recycle and enhance your garden’s beauty and vitality, keeping everything lush and thriving through the summer heat.

Removing stumps

July’s warm weather is perfect for tackling those pesky stumps cluttering your yard. There are several methods to remove stumps, depending on the size of the stump and your budget. Consider using a stump grinder to grind the stump down below ground level for quick and efficient removal. Alternatively, you can dig out the stump manually using shovels and axes, or employ chemical stump removers to accelerate the decaying process. Whichever method you choose, removing stumps opens up space for new plantings and makes your garden more attractive.

Setting up bird baths and feeders

Transform your garden into a bird haven this July with the addition of bird baths and feeders. Summer is prime bird-watching season, and providing water and food invites these feathered friends to visit. Place bird baths in shady spots to keep the water cool and stock the feeders with seeds that local birds love. You’ll enjoy a lively, colorful garden filled with chirping companions, adding natural beauty and joy to your outdoor space.

Deadheading annuals and perennials

Keep your garden bursting with color by deadheading annuals and perennials in July. Snip off spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming, directing plants’ energy into new growth. Use sharp pruners and cut back to a healthy leaf or bud. Regular deadheading keeps your garden looking fresh and vibrant, ensuring a stunning display of flowers all summer long. It’s a simple task that makes a huge difference in your garden’s appeal.

Inspecting and cleaning wood stoves and fireplaces

Get ahead of winter by inspecting and cleaning chimneys and flues in July. Even though your stove isn’t in use, summer is the perfect time for maintenance. Check for creosote buildup, cracks or blockages. Hire a professional chimney sweep for a thorough clean. Addressing issues now ensures your stove is safe and efficient when the cold weather hits. Summer is also the best time to clean fireplace brick and tile. This can be a smelly task, so it’s good to air out the house at the same time.

Power washing decks and patios

Make your outdoor spaces shine by power washing decks and patios in July. The warm weather is perfect for blasting away dirt, mold and grime. Use a pressure washer to clean every nook and cranny, restoring surfaces to their former glory. A sparkling deck or patio not only looks fantastic but may also help prevent slips. Get ready to host summer gatherings on a fresh, clean backdrop.

Painting or staining outdoor furniture

This July, give your outdoor furniture a fresh look with a coat of paint or stain. The sunny, dry weather is ideal for quick drying and curing. Sand down surfaces, then apply a weather-resistant finish to protect against sun and rain. This simple update can transform your furniture, adding a vibrant, refreshed feel to your outdoor space.

Tick off the boxes, then relax

By dedicating some time this July to these ten essential home and garden tasks, you’ll set the stage for a season of outdoor enjoyment and relaxation. With a clean grill ready for cookouts, well-maintained tools for effortless gardening, and a yard free of hazards like dead trees and stumps, your home will be safer and more inviting.

Adding bird baths and feeders will bring natural beauty and joy, while freshly painted furniture and a spotless deck or patio will enhance your outdoor living experience. Embrace the summer and make your home and garden the best they can be.

Daniel Morris founded Fire and Saw, a site about chainsaws, wood stoves, tree care and related topics. He operates the site where he shares his passion for these subjects.

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​ Orange County Register 

22 years later, author Kevin Barry found the key to a novel he’d long meant to write

• July 10, 2024

In the woods near his home in Ireland, author Kevin Barry found the answer to something that had nagged him for more than 20 years.

“One day, late in the pandemic, I was walking in the mountains in County Sligo where I live now,” says Barry via Zoom. “I just saw it in my mind’s eye: A man and a woman riding double on a horse. And I thought, if they’re riding double, they need to get away from someplace quick. What’s their problem? Who are they? And that’s just the way they came.”

Into the west

For Barry, the acclaimed author of “Night Boat to Tangier,” “Beatlebone” and “City of Bohane,” the Irish woods felt like the landscape of an American Western, and the imagined couple sharing a horse unlocked a story he’d been wanting to tell for more than two decades. 

In his just-published new book, “The Heart in Winter,” set in the rough boomtown of 1891-era Butte, Montana, an Irish ne’er-do-well and the mail-order bride of a wealthy miner set off a powerful chain of events.

SEE ALSO: Read the Book Pages newsletter online for the latest coverage of bestsellers, authors and more

“It felt like I was paying back a debt to my younger self because it was the first novel I attempted when I was in my late 20s,” says Barry, who recalls another fortuitous day out in nature. 

“In 1999, I was a freelance journalist in Cork, Ireland, with a notion that I would write a novel. I wasn’t getting very far with it, but I was walking one day in the mountains in County Cork, and I found these abandoned copper mines and started to research the history of them. I learned that all the miners had moved en masse to Butte, Montana in the 1880s and ‘90s. And I thought, Wow, this is a Western — but it’s got Cork accents.”

“I could do this,” he remembers thinking. “I went to Butte in October ‘99 … and I got lots of great material for a novel, lots of stuff about the bars and the brothels and the opium parlors, all that great 1890s texture and detail.”

Barry says he tried to write the novel but couldn’t make it work at the time.

“I didn’t have the characters. They took another 22 years to appear,” he says, adding that it took his vision of the fugitive couple, Polly and Tom, to reveal the story. “I realized, ‘Wow, I have a way into my Butte, Montana novel now. It can be a smaller story than I envisaged when I first tried to write it.”

SEE ALSO: The Book Pages: Remembering Charles Portis with Jay Jennings

“What was nice was to go back to this idea after so many years was to realize that even at 29 I was on the right track, because it’s a great world for me,” says Barry, describing Butte’s transformation from mining camp to growing city and “incredibly multicultural place” full of Cornish, Chinese, Finnish and Irish immigrants in just a decade or so. “There were miners in Europe — around the world — they all made for Butte, Montana. The word was out. There was a huge rush on copper for the electrification of the United States, so they were making good money for the time, really good money.

“Irish people have always been economic migrants. We’ve always been economic refugees. We almost invented it,” says Barry. “People kind of know about the Irish miners that went to Butte, but they don’t know the extent of it, that a third of the city was Irish by the 1890s. 

“It’s very interesting to watch the way the Irish community organizes itself when it goes abroad like that,” he says. “The first thing they did was they opened about 38 pubs, OK?” 

From there, says Barry, the Irish took over law enforcement and the political apparatus. “They made it a real little Irish machine town. It was like a little Boston or a little Chicago.”

And all of that made for a better book, he says.

“Having a diaspora, having a history of migration in your country, it’s a great thing for a writer,” says Barry. “It opens up the world to you. You can put your characters pretty much anywhere in a believable way because we’ve always gone off, we’ve always traveled.

SEE ALSO: 5 Westerns that nearly killed the movie genre

Under the influence 

While the novel has some of the hallmarks of a classic Western, it’s also got the mucky realism of HBO’s “Deadwood,” the hardboiled romance of a film noir and the unlikely fashion sense of a certain revisionist Western. 

“I’ve always been as a fiction writer as influenced by film and television as I am by books,” says Barry. “I got into the 1970s kind of revisionist American westerns, the kind of “McCabe & Mrs Miller” type films, “Missouri Breaks,” and those great Terrence Malick neo-Westerns. “Badlands” and “Days of Heaven,” especially, were big influences on the voices in “The Heart in Winter.”

“There’s a special nod to Warren Beatty’s fur coat in ‘McCabe & Mrs Miller,’” says Barry, referring to a distinctive bit of outerwear that Tom and Polly wind up with at one point. “It’s a blonde fur coat. It’s the coolest fur coat a dude has ever worn.”

Beyond his love of film, Barry says he was aware of the novels of other writers including Charles Portis, Barry Hannah and, of course, Cormac McCarthy, whose work he consulted early in the writing while puzzling over a question about horses.

“Early on, I came to a scene with a horse and I got nervous because I don’t know very much about horses, so I said I better consult Mr. McCarthy on this. And I went to my shelves, and I picked down the first Cormac McCarthy I found, I think it was ‘All the Pretty Horses,’ and just opened and read about three pages at random. And I thought, Oh, [heck], he knows a lot about horses.”

Ultimately, Barry came up with a solution that worked for his dodgy daydreaming character, Tom. “What if Tom Roarke knows nothing about horses? What if he’s completely winging it on the horses front? Then I won’t have to do any research,” he says with a laugh. “You kind of solve your problems as a fiction writer as you go along.”

That’s not to say Barry avoided the trappings of genre writing; he embraced them. “When you’re writing a Western, and when you find yourself typing sentences like, ‘The sheriff said…’ you just have to go with it. You just have to commit. 

“I love to bring in genre tropes — the noir tropes and the classic Western tropes of posses and ‘lighting out for fresh territory,‘” he says. “When these genres collide, you can make sparks.”

An intimate epic

Even with its wide range of influences and the vast landscape the characters move across, the novel packs a lot of great writing into a remarkably quick read.

That’s not by accident.

“As a reader, I love the 200-page novel. I love that novel where I can go to my couch and go, right, this is Novel Night. I’m going to switch off all my devices and I’m just gonna read this book in a sitting,” he says. “It’s a lovely feeling to treat it like watching a great movie, you know? Make it a really intense experience. So my ambition is to write the three-hour novel where the reader could sit down and just fall into this world completely. 

“What I’m trying to do a lot of the time is get away from a lot of the traditional furniture of a novel and shortcut it and give these short, really intense scenes,” he says. “I like the short intense bang of it.”

SEE ALSO: C. Pam Zhang discusses her Booker Prize-nominated Western novel, ‘How Much of These Hills Is Gold’

“Where we are now, as readers in history, I think it makes a lot of sense to go for that much more short and intense experience,” he says. “People have a lot of pressure on their time.”

So Barry says that if someone is going to write a longer book, he’s looking for something really good.

“I don’t read an awful lot of historical fiction, but I go back to the best, which is Hilary Mantel,” says Barry, referring to Mantel’s towering “Wolf Hall” trilogy. “It never has the sense of stuff that happened hundreds of years ago. It feels so fresh. The intrigue feels like this could have been going on in the corridors of power last week, and she knows how to hide her research. There isn’t a sense on the page of all this research bogging it down.”

As well as historical elements, Barry researched how people spoke in the era, and the novel crackles with often salty language. 

“There are genuine Cornish slang words from the time,” says Barry, offering examples best not repeated here. “I was trying to keep a kind of freshness in the language … to make it feel like this wasn’t antique.” 

Sounds like a book

For those who enjoy audiobooks, Barry is a novelist you should get to know. As much as his work pops on the page, there’s something incredibly compelling about his audiobook narration. You’re in the presence of a true storyteller.

“I’m kind of a frustrated ham actor. I like to try the accents and all this. I was happy with most of my accents of this performance,” he says, before joking that one of his accents wasn’t up to his high standards: “My Cornish from the southwest of England? I think it’s a little bit of a hate crime against the Cornish people.”

SEE ALSO: In a pandemic-scarred Old West, ‘Outlawed’ finds women in peril and fighting back

But he recognizes the growth of audiobooks even at signings of physical books. “I had a launch event in Dublin recently at a great bookstore called Hodges Figgis,” he says. “And as I was signing books, I would say at least 20 percent of people said, ‘Oh, I really enjoyed hearing your last one’ or ‘I really enjoyed listening to your last one.’ It’s really exploded in recent times; that’s kind of great. I know I rehearse a lot for them.”

Barry says reading the work out loud has always been part of his process.

“Once I have a rough first draft, I’m kind of doing the voices and hearing it on the air, because I find it’s a shortcut to finding where the real narrative thread is — and you can also hear your evasions where you’re getting away from the real story much easier than you’ll see them on the on the laptop screen or in your notebook,” he says. “When you hear it aloud, you really kind of get to get to the quick of it. It’s always been an important part of my writing process. So it’s fun then at the end of it to go and do the readings and to do the audiobook and all that.” 

Living in the city

While the Irish writer’s imagination has been in snowy Montana over the past few years, Barry and his wife have been nearer to the sunny locale of readers of this paper.

“The last couple of winters I’ve been in Los Angeles in Silver Lake escaping the Irish winter,” says Barry, who has also spent time in Santa Barbara and Boston over the years. “I really like the way Silver Lake is pretty walkable by Los Angeles standards. You can kind of get by on an Uber on a short visit of a couple of months.”

So where did he walk in Los Angeles? It’s not hard to guess. “A couple of great stores, like Skylight Books in Los Feliz, Stories down in Echo Park. Fantastic stores, great stores.

“What I love about coming to the U.S.,” says Barry. “I love the independent bookstores. I love that sense of community that they foster and that they really, really work hard in a business that has a low kind of profit margin to keep it going,” says Barry, citing the readings, events and book clubs run out of local shops. 

“It’s such valuable work to keep books in a central place in our culture, which you know that’s a battle that we’re in, and there’s so much credit due to the indie bookstores for doing that.”

And as for Barry, he’s doing his best to make sure that both he and the reader are having a good time.

“For me, it’s a simple equation: I need to be having a good time at my desk or our beloved reader down the road isn’t going to be having a good time,” he says. “Books should be fun. We invented books to get us through the long, dark nights, you know?” 

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​ Orange County Register 

Sparks dominated by short-handed Lynx, lose for 10th time in past 11 games

• July 10, 2024

LOS ANGELES — Despite coach Curt Miller’s warning, the Sparks seemingly came out flat energy-wise, struggled offensively and quickly trailed by double digits in the first quarter on Tuesday night. They fought back, pulling within five points of the Minnesota Lynx in the second quarter but the comeback was not sustainable. It was too little too late.

The Sparks trailed by as much as 25 points in the third quarter and suffered an 82-67 loss to the short-handed Lynx at Crypto.com Arena.

“A game where we were outplayed, outcoached,” Miller said. “Again, this is why Minnesota is one of the top three teams in the league right now.

“The question is why did it take taking a haymaker in that first quarter to respond when all we’ve talked about is their execution, their physicality?”

Sparks All-Star forward Dearica Hamby had a game-high 18 points and eight rebounds in 37 minutes, but she was the only Spark who scored in double figures.

“For me, it’s leading by example,” Hamby said. “I have to start with a toughness and physicality from the start of the game. As a pro, you learn yourself but when you have to lead, I think I have to be more intentional about the tone that I set from the beginning. It may work for me but it doesn’t necessarily work for everybody so being more intentional.”

The Sparks (5-17) have lost 10 of their last 11 games and dropped to 0-3 against the Lynx (16-6) this season. The Sparks, who had 20 turnovers and never led in the game, will close the 40-game regular season in Minnesota on Sept. 19.

Bridget Carleton scored 16 points and Dorka Juhasz added 15 for Minnesota, which played without injured MVP candidate Napheesa Collier, the team’s leading scorer (20 ppg) and rebounder (10.2 ppg). The Lynx have won their past seven games at Crypto.com Arena and 13 of their last 14 meetings with the Sparks overall.

“Our margin is small and so you can’t be worrying about effort and energy in games when we need to spend our time more on schemes in what we’re going to do offensively and defensively,” Miller said before the game.

However, the Sparks did not heed Miller’s message early and trailed 29-16 at the end of the first. Minnesota took control early by making 11 of its first 16 shots (with points from nine players), while the Sparks shot 3 for 12 from the field.

“That’s what they do to everybody and that’s how good their execution and tempo is,” Miller said. “I’m not sure we were ready for the physicality and fight and as much as you preach it they have to have the desire when they walk out there. They just didn’t have it (Tuesday night). It’s my job to pull it out of them and have them ready … they just outplayed us, they out-executed us and certainly you would have to say out-coached us because no matter how much we talked about it, they did what they were fearful of what they could do.”

Hamby said even without Collier, Minnesota is a significantly more experienced team than the rebuilding Sparks.

“Lack of experience,” Hamby said of the Sparks. “There’s a few players on this team that have won championships but overall in this league, there hasn’t been a ton of success, individually within our team.

“Curt has had success. They’re giving us the game plan. He’s not perfect all the time, but we’re the five on the floor so we have to show up and the end of the day. He can only do so much and prep us so much. We have to start believing in ourselves, trusting ourselves and trust his plan.”

The Sparks fared better in the second quarter. Hamby’s 3-pointer pulled her team within 37-32, but the Lynx responded with a 10-1 run to open a 47-33 advantage late, highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers by All-Star guard Kayla McBride and Team Canada Olympian Carleton.

Carleton finished the night 4 for 4 from 3-point range as the Lynx shot 9 for 18 from behind the arc, while the Sparks were just 3 for 20.

The Sparks trailed 51-35 at halftime and 70-51 at the end of the third quarter.

“Toughness comes from believing in yourself … but also it’s just a passion and a heart thing,” Hamby said. “You can’t really teach that but I think once you start having confidence in yourself, it kind of translates. You want to be physical. You want to get up and show that you can defend. You want to do the extra things that we just don’t have that right now.”

Second-year forward Juhász started in place of Collier (left foot) and had 11 of her 15 points in the first half. McBride and Lynx reserve guard Cecilia Zandalasini each had 11 points.

For the first time this season, the Sparks starting lineup included center Azurá Stevens, who replaced the injured Stephanie Talbot (right foot), one of three players now sidelined including Cameron Brink (ACL) and Lexie Brown (Chron’s disease). Stevens finished with nine points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots in a season-high 28 minutes.

“I feel good,” Stevens said. “It’s a condensed season so I’ve had reps in practice but we don’t really practice too much so I’m still getting used to the physicality of the game, incorporating my arm in that.

“Obviously, I haven’t played in a few months so just getting my footing back and that type of stuff so that can be frustrating at times but I think it starts with us defensively. Offense is going to come and go, some nights you might not hit shots but defense is something that you can control, so that’s something that we’ve been trying to harp on and keep reiterating because we know that in order to win we’re going to have to stop teams regardless of if the ball is going in or not.”

Stevens still believes her team can turn around the disappointing first half of the season and make the postseason for the first time since 2020.

“We can still make a push for playoffs,” Stevens continued. “I know it doesn’t seem like that but we can. So much can change over the second half of the season.”

Miller, who is 0-7 against the Lynx during his two seasons leading the Sparks, knew attacking Minnesota’s defense would take more than energy and effort.

“Minnesota, analytically, is off the charts defensive,” Miller said. “They are not easy to play against. They are the number one team in my opinion right now in congesting the paint.”

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve knew she would need to count on her defense to beat the Sparks.

“Like every road game we play, understanding that our defense is what gets us through the most difficult times of a home team’s runs, so try to limit the big runs because we’ll be locked in defensively. That is always our mindset,” Reeve said before the game.

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SENSE OF PRIDE

Reeve, a four-time WNBA champion (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), explained how good it feels to witness the league’s growth.

“This season has been record-setting and I’ve been in the league a long time since 2001,” she said. “We’ve gone from not being really welcomed in our own practice facility to being celebrated and the attendance. We’ve just seen a lot in 20-plus years so I’m thankful that I’m still here, that we’ve evolved just how we conduct our business. That we are treating it more like our male counterparts in terms of men’s sports, investing and we’re learning that when you do that, there’s a return on that investment just like there was for men. Just being here to see that, that’s really exciting for me and that’s not lost on me. Every once in a while I look around and I go I’m glad I’m still doing this at this time because it’s been a journey and this team gives me joy.”

UP NEXT

The Sparks will have Wednesday and Thursday off before practicing again on Friday ahead of Saturday’s road game against the Dallas Wings.

​ Orange County Register 

Angels lose despite Logan O’Hoppe’s 2 homers against Max Scherzer

• July 10, 2024

ANAHEIM — In the summer of 2022, when Logan O’Hoppe was still in Double-A with the Philadelphia Phillies, his team faced Max Scherzer, who was rehabbing with the New York Mets.

“He carved me up then, punched me out twice,” O’Hoppe said. “That was a lesson learned. Can’t let anything go when he’s on the mound.”

The lesson paid off two years later, this time in the big leagues. O’Hoppe hit a pair of first-pitch homers against the Hall of Fame-bound Scherzer, although it wasn’t enough for the Angels, who lost to the Texas Rangers, 5-4.

“I watched him growing up a ton,” O’Hoppe said. “He’s been so dominant his whole career, but doesn’t matter being on losing end now.”

After O’Hoppe’s second homer, in the fourth inning, tied the score, it remained tied until Rangers slugger Adolis García hit a solo homer against Angels right-hander Luis Garcia in the top of the eighth.

“Tonight he tried to put us on his back,” Angels manager Ron Washington said of O’Hoppe. “We just came up short.”

It was the eighth loss in the last nine games for the Angels (37-54), who equaled their season-worst at 17 games under .500.

This season has been over for a while, leaving the Angels to simply see what they have for the future.

And they clearly have their catcher.

O’Hoppe, who also singled in his third at-bat against Scherzer, now has 14 homers, equaling his total from last season. He’s batting .282 with an .825 OPS.

It was the second multi-homer game of his career, including one last September in Seattle.

O’Hoppe got a first-pitch hanging curveball that he hit out to left-center in the second inning. In the fourth, Scherzer threw him a first-pitch fastball down the middle and O’Hoppe hit it out to center.

“I just knew I couldn’t let good pitches go with a guy like that on the mound,” O’Hoppe said.

The homer helped the Angels erase an early 4-1 deficit, but they never got the lead.

Starter Roansy Contreras had a second straight rough outing, allowing four runs in two innings. The Angels have given Contreras the ball three times as a starter, and he has yet to last more than three innings.

It seems he will continue in the rotation until the Angels are ready to bring up Reid Detmers, Chase Silseth, Kenny Rosenberg or Sam Bachman.

Contreras allowed a Josh Smith homer in the first inning, and in the third he couldn’t get a single out. He allowed three straight hits, driving in a run. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, he gave up an infield hit.

“He was getting ahead of hitters, and then when he needed to leave the strike zone, he didn’t,” Washington said. “It’s a growing time for him. He’s 24 years old. He’s got to learn those type of things. Hopefully he can gather that information and become the type of baseball player we need him to be.”

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Contreras was spared a loss, though, because the Angels were able to do some damage against Scherzer.

In between O’Hoppe’s homers in the second and fourth innings, the Angels scored two in the third on consecutive hits from Anthony Rendon, Nolan Schanuel and Taylor Ward.

Ward hit a routine single to right, but the ball skipped past right fielder Derek Hill. Ward, who hurt his knee on Sunday, tried to go all the way to third on the error, but he was thrown out.

After O’Hoppe’s homer tied it, his single int the seventh gave them a shot to take the lead. The Angels loaded the bases with two outs, but Schanuel grounded out to end the inning.

“We played our butts off tonight,” Washington said. “Put ourselves in position to do something really good. But we just couldn’t get that hit.”

LOGAN O’HAMMERED THAT ONE@Angels I #RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/ZSqsownhbL

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) July 10, 2024

AND HE DOES IT AGAIN@Angels I #RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/kqPiqm4uw2

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) July 10, 2024

Wash discusses the loss and O’Hoppe’s game@Angels I #AngelsLive pic.twitter.com/7zWhxhu9Iy

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) July 10, 2024

​ Orange County Register