LA County launches an office space sharing portal for businesses displaced by fires

• January 25, 2025

People who lost their homes in the Eaton and Palisades fires have been going online to find a house or apartment to rent or maybe a short-term rental from Airbnb.

But what about those men and women whose businesses were destroyed and who can no longer make a living?

Los Angeles County launched a business-to-business space-share site on Friday, Jan. 24 that officials say can match those small businesses needing a workspace with an existing business with some extra office space to share.

Businesses with space to share can post listings and provide the location, the dates and times of availability and capacity. Displaced businesses can browse through the listings online to find a space that meets their needs.

Los Angeles County officials said they’ve heard from business people whose dental office or hair salon, for example, burned in the fires and need a space to continue operating, at least temporarily. The Palisades fire destroyed the area’s beloved downtown business district.

“Together we are fostering a more resilient and adaptable economic ecosystem where businesses can open their doors to other businesses as we recover together,” said Kelly LoBianco, director of the county’s Department of Economic Opportunity in a prepared statement.

The idea came from Whittier City Councilmember Cathy Warner who has a periodontal practice in East Whittier with her husband. Because they only practice and see patients three days a week, the dental office is available the other four days to other periodontists who were displaced by the wildfires.

“This new website is inspired by the generosity of small business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals across the county who are looking for ways to step up and help,” said Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn, who helped start the new site.

“If you have space, this is how you can help,” said Hahn. “Whether you can offer a space where a dentist can treat their patients, a hair stylist can keep their appointments, a lawyer can see their clients, or any other space, you will be helping someone in need maintain their livelihood and helping our economy through this crisis.”

To access the Business-to-Business Space Share site, go to: https://sharespace.lacounty.gov/. For an explanation, click on “How it works.” Both businesses and individuals who are offering space, and those displaced businesses in need of workspace, must click on the “Register” bar to get started.

Also, the county has set up a relief fund for small businesses and the workers in those businesses. For information about the L.A. Region Small Business and Worker Relief Funds, visit: http://lacounty.gov/relief.

​ Orange County Register 

NAMM Show 2025: She Rocks Awards and everything you need to know

• January 25, 2025

Every year, the She Rocks Awards shines a spotlight on the women making waves across all corners of the music industry.

Founded in 2012 by Laura B. Whitmore under the Women’s International Music Network (WiMN), the awards were designed to honor female trailblazers in an industry that has historically overlooked women’s contributions. Now a staple event of the NAMM Show, the She Rocks Awards continues to elevate women’s voices, honor their achievements, and inspire the next generation of creators, business leaders, and innovators. The 2025 ceremony will also feature live performances from a stellar lineup of artists including Paula Cole, Samantha Fish, Amanda Palmer and Lindsey Stirling.

Why the She Rocks Awards Matter

The She Rocks Awards began as a platform to give overdue recognition to women working across a wide array of roles in music, from performers and composers to executives, engineers, and inventors.

With each ceremony, the awards strive to champion diversity and inclusion while providing a platform for women to connect and collaborate. The event doesn’t just honor artists; it acknowledges women working behind the scenes in recording studios, corporate boardrooms, and technology labs, ensuring the spotlight is shared beyond the stage.

SEE ALSO: NAMM 2020: ‘I Will Survive’ singer Gloria Gaynor talks faith and the power of women ahead of She Rocks Awards

Who’s Being Honored in 2025

This year, the She Rocks Awards will take place on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, in the Hilton Anaheim Pacific Ballroom during the NAMM Show. Hosted by celebrated guitarist Jennifer Batten and genre-defying violinist Lindsey Stirling, the evening will include live performances and presentations celebrating this year’s honorees.

The 2025 honorees represent a diverse range of talent, influence, and innovation in music:

AIJIA – A multifaceted artist, songwriter, and vocal producer, AIJIA has collaborated with top acts like Selena Gomez and Anderson .Paak while advocating for women’s equality in music.

LaTrice Burnette – As the EVP of Music/Head of Label at UnitedMasters, Burnette has championed artists like Jay-Z and Kanye West, breaking barriers and mentoring future leaders in the music industry.

Paula Cole – A GRAMMY-winning singer-songwriter known for iconic hits like “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” and her evocative storytelling, Cole continues to inspire with her artistry.

Katie Daryl – A veteran rock journalist and producer who helped shape shows like The Top Ten Revealed, Daryl has been a voice for rock music and its fans for years.

Alecia “Mixi” Demner – As the lead vocalist of the hard rock band Stitched Up Heart, Mixi has released groundbreaking albums and is a passionate advocate for animal rescue.

Samantha Fish – A trailblazing guitarist and songwriter, Fish has brought blues, rock, and soul into new dimensions. Her collaborations and achievements, including her chart-topping album Death Wish Blues, have cemented her legacy.

Beth Heidt – Chief Marketing Officer at Gibson Brands, Heidt drives the company’s marketing and philanthropic efforts while supporting global artist relations.

Theresa Hoffman – A leader at C.F. Martin Guitar & Co., Hoffman has pushed innovation with her engineering background and holds multiple patents in her field.

Amanda Palmer – Known for her bold artistic choices, Palmer rose to fame with The Dresden Dolls and has redefined fan-supported music through projects like Theatre Is Evil.

Christina Perri – The multi-platinum artist behind timeless hits like “A Thousand Years,” Perri’s work spans from pop anthems to children’s music, solidifying her as a versatile talent.

Chris Schyvinck – As CEO of Shure Inc., Schyvinck has led the company’s global success while fostering a culture of innovation in audio technology.

Nurit Siegel Smith – Through her leadership at the Music Forward Foundation, Smith has been instrumental in creating opportunities for the next generation of music professionals.

Opening the night will be Shantaia, a rising star in country music and the 2023 SCMA Female Artist of the Year. Known for her singles like “Had a Good Weekend,” Shantaia has captivated audiences with her relatable lyrics and heartfelt performances.

SEE ALSO: NAMM 2025: Scenes (and sounds) from the first day of the Anaheim music event

A Legacy of Trailblazers

Over the years, the She Rocks Awards has honored some of the most iconic women in music. Melissa Etheridge, the Grammy and Oscar-winning singer-songwriter behind hits like “Come to My Window,” stands among the celebrated honorees. Disco queen and LGBTQ+ icon Gloria Gaynor, best known for her anthem “I Will Survive,” has also been recognized. Rock legend and multi-Grammy winner Pat Benatar shares the spotlight with The Bangles, the 80s pop-rock icons behind chart-toppers like “Walk Like an Egyptian.” The awards have also highlighted modern talents such as Nita Strauss, a guitar virtuoso redefining shredding as a solo artist, and Suzi Quatro, the trailblazing bassist who inspired women worldwide to pick up guitars. Rounding out this roster is Colbie Caillat, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter known for her breezy acoustic pop.

The She Rocks Impact

The awards have grown over the years to become a pivotal event in the music industry calendar. As part of the NAMM Show, the She Rocks Awards draws a wide audience of music professionals, media, and fans. Beyond the glitz and glamour, the event serves as a reminder of the strides women have made in music—and the challenges that still lie ahead.

Why This Year’s Awards Matter More Than Ever

The 2025 She Rocks Awards are particularly timely in light of ongoing discussions about gender equality in music. Despite progress, recent studies show that women still make up only a small fraction of producers, engineers, and executives in the industry. By spotlighting women across all sectors of the business, the She Rocks Awards continues to challenge stereotypes and dismantle barriers.

​ Orange County Register 

USC football fills GM spot by hiring Chad Bowden from Notre Dame

• January 25, 2025

LOS ANGELES — On Tuesday, in a public letter to the greater USC community, athletic director Jen Cohen made a simple admission about the past football season to legions of supporters: “I know that a 7-6 season at USC is not up to the Trojan standard, and we must work tirelessly and collectively to do better.”

“I am fully committed to that work and entirely confident that, with our continued investments into the program, an aligned and modernized infrastructure, and your unwavering support,” Cohen wrote, in her State of Troy address, “our football program will be positioned to win championships.

A modernized infrastructure finally materialized Friday, a long-spanning need and search for an official general manager for football finalized as USC has hired Notre Dame’s Chad Bowden, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to the Southern California News Group.

It’s an operation-changing hire, as Bowden was named FootballScoop’s Player Personnel Director of the Year early in January and now joins a program that’s been looking for a front-office leader for months.

After the House v. NCAA settlement introduced the concept of revenue-sharing in the summer of 2024 – and USC quickly confirmed it’d plan to opt into revenue-sharing if the settlement was passed in 2025 – conversations began around hiring a staffer in a general-manager role, a source with knowledge of the situation previously told the Southern California News Group. USC, additionally, brought in a consultant with NFL front-office experience who continued to help determine that a general manager was necessary in the modern revenue-sharing era, according to the source.

In her State of Troy address, Cohen confirmed USC would invest the “full permissible” $20.5 million available to programs in 2025-26, meaning the athletic department will suddenly be tasked with figuring out how to divide millions of dollars between a slew of sports. Cohen, too, asserted that maximizing an investment in USC football was “critical,” as programs across the country will compete in an arms race to maximize their financial heft under what head coach Lincoln Riley has referred to as a “salary cap.”

And USC has found their man to manage it all in Bowden, a rising star in the business who played a key role in assembling a national title-game roster in 2024-25 at Notre Dame.

It’s a major poach, from a major longtime rival, a new modern-era chapter in a storied rivalry between Trojans and Fighting Irish. In December, on National Signing Day, USC missed out on top local linebacker Madden Faraimo, the JSerra High product opting to sign with Notre Dame.

“I mean, the reason we got Madden is because we have the best coaches in the country recruiting him,” Bowden told media then, after securing Faraimo.

A month later, USC has turned around and snatched Bowden himself.

As for current USC general manager Dave Emerick, a player-personnel figure who was hired by Riley from Mississippi State in 2022, a source said Emerick “will remain a valuable member of staff.”

Bowden now will become one of the most important figures in USC’s program come 2025-26 as Riley enters a critical fourth year, with holes left to fill – specifically at wide receiver and cornerback – in the spring transfer portal and an expanded NIL budget through third-party collective House of Victory to work with.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County scores and player stats for Friday, Jan. 24

• January 25, 2025

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Scores and stats from Orange County games on Friday, Jan. 24

Click here for details about sending your team’s scores and stats to the Register.

The deadline for submitting information is 10:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 p.m. Saturday.

FRIDAY’S SCORES

GIRLS WATER POLO

NEWPORT INVITE

Orange Lutheran 12, Bishop’s 5

Goals: (OLu) Cohen 3, Karaba 3

Saves: Pranajaya (OLu) 6

Other Newport Invite scores

Mater Dei 16, Oaks Christian 8

San Marcos 13, Laguna Beach 6

Newport 9, Foothill 3

Oaks Christian 11, Laguna Beach 5

Mater Dei 15, San Marcos 11

IRVINE SOCAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

At Corona del Mar

Corona del Mar 9, Carlsbad 5

At Woollett AC Left

JSerra 16, Agoura 5

​ Orange County Register 

Carson Palmer’s coaching staff for Santa Margarita football beginning to taking shape

• January 25, 2025

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Santa Margarita football coach Carson Palmer is progressing on assembling a coaching staff at his alma mater.

The Heisman Trophy winner from USC and former NFL All-Pro quarterback, who was hired as Santa Margarita’s new coach on Dec. 12, has added two coaches at key positions and made headway on officially welcoming a third.

Todd Norman has been hired as the football program’s strength coach, Steve Fifita has been named defensive coordinator and Lenny Vandermade is “in the process” of being hired, Santa Margarita communications director Amanda Coronado stated this week.

“Lenny Vandermade’s hiring is in the process of being finalized,” Coronado stated in an email.

Fifita served as Santa Margarita’s interim coach for the final seven games last season after coach Anthony Rouzier was placed on administrative leave.

In late October, the school announced an investigation into “concerning incidents” within the football program. Attorneys for a sophomore later filed a lawsuit against Santa Margarita and the Diocese of Orange alleging he was sexually assaulted by his Santa Margarita teammates.

Fifita was the defensive coordinator before ascending to interim head coach.

Norman is a veteran strength coach.

Vandermade coached St. Ignatius College Prep in San Francisco the past two seasons. The school won the Central Coast Section Open Division championship last fall.

Vandermade, a former standout lineman at Mater Dei, played with Palmer at USC. He has served as an offensive coordinator at Santa Margarita before. He also has coached at USC.

Please send football news to Dan Albano to [email protected] or @ocvarsityguy on X and Instagram

​ Orange County Register 

Dodgers announce list of non-roster spring invitees – topped by Roki Sasaki

• January 25, 2025

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers announced their list of non-roster invitees to spring training and it includes one big name – Roki Sasaki.

Because of his status as an international free agent under age 25, the much-coveted Sasaki officially signed a minor-league contract and is not on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster. He is not expected to throw a pitch in the minor leagues, however, and before the start of the regular season, he will be added to the major-league roster with a spot in the Dodgers’ starting rotation all but assured.

The 23 other non-roster players extended invitations to big-league camp include top prospects Dalton Rushing, Jackson Ferris, Alex Freeland, Jared Karros, Zyhir Hope and Josue DePaula as well as eight players with at least some major-league experience.

That group is led by former St. Louis Cardinals closer Giovanny Gallegos, an eight-year veteran who signed a minor-league deal with the Dodgers this winter.

Others with major-league experience are pitchers Jose Hernandez, Julian Fernandez, Joe Jacques, Jose Rodriguez and Matt Sauer, catcher Chris Okey and former Chicago Cubs infielder David Bote.

Pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Feb. 10 with the first workout on Feb. 11. The Dodgers’ first full-squad workout is Feb. 15 with the first Cactus League game on Feb. 20 against the Chicago Cubs.

The Dodgers and Cubs open the regular season with two games at the Tokyo Dome in Japan on March 18 and 19.

​ Orange County Register 

Huntington Beach City Council puts library ballot initiatives up for study

• January 25, 2025

Two Huntington Beach ballot initiatives created in response to some of the most controversial actions taken by the City Council in the last two years over the city’s libraries were put up for study, delaying for another few weeks the final answer for when they might go on people’s ballots.

The first initiative would repeal a city law that allows Huntington Beach to create a children’s library book review board – it was approved last year but has not yet been formed. The second initiative would make it harder for the city’s public library operations to be privatized; a community group sought to put the initiative on the ballot after the City Council began soliciting bids from contractors to operate the libraries last year though ultimately did not move forward with the idea.

The City Council on Tuesday formally recognized that the initiatives gathered enough signatures to force a public vote, but instead of scheduling one, councilmembers ordered city staff to prepare a report on each of them that must be presented within 30 days.

The vote was 6-0, with Councilmember Tony Strickland absent. Councilmembers spoke ill of the ballot initiatives during the meeting.

The council will be presented with the reports at its Feb. 18 meeting. Then, the council would be expected to determine if ballot initiatives should go on voter’s ballots in either a special election in a few months or the city’s next general election in November 2026. It could adopt the ballot initiatives outright, without making any changes.

The city on Friday sent out a survey requesting people’s experiences signing the petitions, asking if anyone who signed them was told they were related to the library being shut down or sold or to prevent children’s library books from being banned.

The second initiative was created after a private company approached the city to run its libraries at a cost savings and the city began taking bids. That company, Library Systems & Services, withdrew its bid ultimately ending the talks last year.

The initiative to repeal the children’s book review board had its signatures in support submitted in October and the second initiative’s proponents submitted signatures in late November.

To qualify, the initiatives each needed signatures from at least 10% of registered voters in Huntington Beach, or 13,247. The combined cost for the OC Registrar of Voters to verify signatures for both initiatives was $112,992.

​ Orange County Register 

Kings hope Drew Doughty’s imminent return helps solve road woes

• January 24, 2025

After splitting a pair of games on home ice, where they’ve been all but invincible this season, the Kings set out on the road again, where they’ve been decidedly more vulnerable, for a five-game voyage that’ll begin against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.

The Kings’ home-and-away disparities have been drastic to date.

They have a league-best .816 points percentage at Crypto.com Arena, but are precisely .500 at every other venue combined. Their power play has been nearly twice as effective at home. They’ve outscored opponents by well over a goal on home ice, with worse numbers at both ends giving them a negative differential on the road.

At home, they’ve won six of nine games in which they’ve trailed or been tied at the second intermission, including three comebacks like the one they had against defending champion Florida on Wednesday. Meanwhile, on the road, they’ve mustered just one rally and won only four of 18 games when they were down or even through 40 minutes.

A key difference on this trip, their last of four tours of five games or more in 2024-25, will be the presence of top defenseman Drew Doughty. He broke his ankle in the preseason and has yet to play this year, just the second time in his career, which has sprawled across three different decades, that he’s missed significant time due to injury.

“I don’t have a date, but it’s not going to be too long,” coach Jim Hiller said after the Florida game.

Following their prior performance, a 5-1 faceplant against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Hiller outlined a preliminary plan for reintegrating the “popular, energetic” Doughty once he got the green light to return to game action.

“We just want to get him in and get him in for 10 or 12 minutes. We’ll see where it goes from there. He hasn’t played hockey in a long time. We won’t be able to figure that out for some time,” Hiller said.

The Associated Press’ Dan Greenspan expressed skepticism that Doughty, he of the indefatigable motor and mouth alike, would stay under such a strict minute restriction.

“That’s a good point, that’s fair. You can hold me to it,” Hiller responded. “You’ll probably win that one, to be honest with you.”

While Doughty’s return at an as-yet identified point on the journey will give the Kings an emotional boost, they will face a challenging series of opponents, beginning with the Blue Jackets.

The Kings dispatched Columbus 5-2 back on Nov. 9, but a recent six-game win streak helped propel the young Jackets into the wild-card race. They would have held the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference had the season ended Friday morning.

The Carolina Hurricanes, who put up five goals in the second period of a 7-4 win over Columbus on Thursday, will also be on the slate, as will the Detroit Red Wings.

Though the Kings ran roughshod over the Wings in L.A., Detroit has reversed its fortunes with a 9-4-1 surge since former Kings bench boss Todd McLellan was hired to replace Derek Lalonde.

They’ll face the reigning champs again in Florida, where they’ll also tangle with the formidable Tampa Bay Lightning, winners of two recent Stanley Cups of their own.

For Columbus, center Sean Monahan will ride the wave of a four-game scoring streak across which he’s accumulated eight points as part of a broader stretch with 16 points in nine appearances.

Zach Werenski’s 53 points pace the Blue Jackets offensively, and he’s one of just two defensemen – the other is Vancouver star Quinn Hughes – to lead his team in scoring this season.

Kings at Columbus

When: 4 p.m. PT Saturday

Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio

TV: FDSNW

​ Orange County Register