Terrier mix Sal will be a loyal, loving friend

• February 9, 2025

Breed: Terrier mix

Age: 5 years

Sex: Neutered male

Size: 11 pounds

Sal’s story: Gentle Sal is the ultimate snuggle buddy who loves to sleep by your side and shower you with affection. This calm boy is house-trained, great with kids and dogs, and polite on a leash. He would be the perfect companion for someone looking for a loving and loyal friend. Rescued from a shelter in September, this little guy has been on a journey of recovery after undergoing anterior cruciate ligament and medial patella luxation surgery in October to fix his knee. Now, he’s on the mend and ready to find his forever family! Sal’s favorite pastimes include leisurely walks, basking in the sun in the backyard, and being your shadow wherever you go. His sweet and gentle demeanor makes him a perfect companion for anyone looking for a loyal, loving friend. Sal’s resilience and kind heart make him an extraordinary pup ready to bring warmth and joy into your life.

Adoption cost: $375

Adoption procedure: Complete the required adoption application online or contact I.C.A.R.E. Dog Rescue at [email protected].

​ Orange County Register 

German shepherd Dottie is a super dog, mature but still playful

• February 9, 2025

Breed: German shepherd

Age: 6 years

Sex: Spayed female

Dottie’s story: Dottie is a friendly, mature girl who would benefit from regular exercise. She is still playful, but would love nothing more than a comfy place to call her own. She likes cats and other dogs, too. She is up-to-date on vaccines and microchipped.

Adoption donation: At least $315

Adoption procedure: Contact German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County at 714-974-7762 or go to gsroc.org to fill out an application.

Adoption procedure: Contact German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County at 714-974-7762 or fill out an application online.

​ Orange County Register 

Lakers’ trade for Mark Williams rescinded

• February 9, 2025

LOS ANGELES —The Lakers’ trade for center Mark Williams has been “rescinded” because of a “failure to satisfy a condition of the trade,” the team announced on Saturday evening.

The Lakers on Wednesday night acquired Williams from the Charlotte Hornets in a deal that was officially announced on Thursday night for rookie wing Dalton Knecht, veteran wing Cam Reddish, their 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick swap.

But the trade was voided, with no elaboration on what condition of the trade wasn’t met.

The Lakers’ full statement from Saturday night read: “The trade between the Charlotte Hornets and the Los Angeles Lakers has been rescinded due to failure to satisfy a condition of the trade.”

More to come on this story.

​ Orange County Register 

Santa Anita horse racing consensus picks for Sunday, February 9, 2025

• February 9, 2025

The consensus box of Santa Anita horse racing picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Eddie Wilson, Kevin Modesti and Mark Ratzky. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Sunday, February 9, 2025.

Trouble viewing on mobile device? See consensus picks

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​ Orange County Register 

Alexander: Lakers’ role-players carry the day against Pacers

• February 9, 2025

LOS ANGELES – At first glance, the Lakers’ appointment Saturday afternoon against Indiana represented the calm before the storm.

No Luka Doncic, yet. No LeBron James, resting a sore ankle. No Mark Williams, the center obtained from Charlotte having been listed as unavailable with the notation, “(trade pending),” with no confirmation but a suspicion that the hangup was on the Hornets’ end of the deal.

Monday against Utah, then, is expected to be the great unveiling of the Luka-LeBron combination. Which meant ESPN went to the trouble of adding Saturday’s game to its schedule only to see it become a playground for complementary players, understudies and G-League callups.

Maybe so. But boy, did those others have fun in the national TV limelight.

Austin Reaves, the Lakers’ featured player on this afternoon, had a career game in the Lakers’ 124-117 victory: 45 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals, 4 for 9 from 3-point territory and 13 for 13 from the foul line, this after some question whether he’d be able to play with an elbow that he’d banged on the floor against Golden State the other night.

But this was a game where a lot of people stepped up. Rui Hachimura finished with 24 points and nine rebounds, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers and also perfect from the foul line (6 for 6). Jaxson Hayes was 4 for 4 from the field and had 12 rebounds, Gabe Vincent had seven assists and Dorian Finney-Smith six. Even Jordan Goodwin scored in double figures, finishing with 10 points one day after signing a two-way contract and moving up from the South Bay Lakers’ roster to the big club for, at least, the day.

It was a rousing start – the Lakers led 44-22 after a period and by as many as 25 midway through the second quarter – and a nervous finish after Indiana pulled within five with 1:10 to play.

But it was also a statement, if an unexpected one: There are a lot of role players on the Lakers’ roster capable of asserting themselves when necessary.

“This is a game for guys like me or guys like J. Good … (or) like Doe (Dorian Finney-Smith),” Hayes said. “All of us come out and just play our games and, like, just play, like, aggressive. I mean, that was a defensive game.

“I feel like just a lot of people forget about the rest of us guys on the team. Like, I mean, we have a bunch of guys who can go. Everyone on this team can go. Everyone is really talented, like a smart basketball player. So I mean, I feel like (a game) like tonight just kind of goes and shows everyone like what all the rest of us can do.”

And maybe the effects will linger, even after Doncic and Williams are cleared to play, LeBron returns and the team is back at full strength. Too many capable players can never be a bad thing.

“I think we’re just trying to build this connection,” Vincent said. “You know, I think JJ (Redick, the coach) mentioned the connection throughout the year and you’re starting to really see it, I think, now, especially when you have key guys that are out and we kind of just have a next man up mentality. Guys are kind of there for each other. It builds a lot of trust with one another.

“It was great. It was well timed, I guess, for us to see where we are. It’s a good check point to see how we’re doing with our foundation of who we are as a team and who we are as an organization at this point.”

And more than anything, this was a measuring stick for Reaves, accustomed to being the No. 3 threat on a team of stars but given the keys to the vehicle on this afternoon.

“I think the biggest growth for him has been his leadership,” Redick said. “So I’ve challenged him on it. I mean, he wants that responsibility. He’s accepted it. He’s embraced the challenge. I joked with him before the game. I said, ‘LeBron talk to you?’ He said, ‘Yeah, Bron called me last night. He told me he was gonna be out. (And) we probably need a 38, eight and eight game from you.’

“Forty five, seven and seven will do. He played awesome.”

It’ll do?

Consider that in the storied history of the Lakers, the only guys before this to have a 45-7-7 game were Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. In other words four Hall of Famers and a fifth who is almost certainly bound for the Springfield, Mass., shrine.

And, now, a sixth who, in essence, staked it all on a basketball career when he was a teenager in Arkansas, landed with the game’s most glamorous franchise as an undrafted player and eventually worked his way into a position of trust.

“You know, the path that I took is not conventional,” Reaves said. “There’s probably only a handful of people that thought I would be in this position, if any. And it wasn’t it wasn’t really the popular thing to do to continue to chase my dream. You know, I didn’t really do anything in high school but go to the gym.

“I know I had teachers in high school telling me I needed to figure out a plan B because plan A wasn’t going to work. I’ve been told that a million times. And I maybe wasn’t smart enough to understand that because, you know, it’s a very small percentage that makes it to this level. So I was probably naive when they were telling me that and was like, ‘Ah, screw y’all. I’m gonna figure it out.’ “

You think any of his teachers were watching Saturday?

“They all love me now,” he said.

[email protected]

​ Orange County Register 

Experience how the American Revolution began

• February 9, 2025

The Huntington Beach Historical Society is bringing to life the stories of the American Revolution this weekend.

This year’s reenactment marks the 250th anniversary of the start of the war for our independence. The two-day event features battles, music, demonstrations, lectures and more.

Activities continue Sunday, Feb. 9, with a 9 a.m. church service and will also include the reenactment of two battles, the Yorktown Campaign of 1781 at 11 a.m. and the Florida Campaign of 1779 at 2 p.m.

There will be programs on Sunday highlighting the contributions and lives of the Native American population and the role of Spain and France in American independence.

See sword demonstrations and learn about how ladies dressed and how people danced and more. See hbhistory.org/revolution for the full schedule.

If you go

When: Activities start with a 9 a.m. church service on Sunday and the last activity of the day is the 2 p.m. battle

Where: Huntington Beach Central Park, behind the library

Cost: Free to attend

Information: hbhistory.org/revolution

​ Orange County Register 

There Goes Harvard scores front-running upset at Santa Anita

• February 9, 2025

There Goes Harvard and jockey Frankie Dettori shot to the front coming down the Santa Anita turf hillside and stayed there all the way to an upset victory in the $100,000, Grade III San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

The rare front-running trip for the 7-year-old trained by Michael McCarthy proved key to ending the horse’s eight-race losing streak since a May 2022 win in the Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita.

There Goes Harvard ran 1¼ in 1:59.87 and paid $11.20. Easter finished second, Lord Burlington third and Divin Propos fourth. Odds-on favorite Truly Quality never threatened in his bid for a fourth consecutive win.

First post at Santa Anita on Super Bowl Sunday is early, at 11 a.m.

​ Orange County Register 

Austin Reaves’ career-high 45 points lead limited Lakers past Pacers

• February 9, 2025

LOS ANGELES — When there appeared to be a slight possibility that Luka Doncic would make his Lakers debut Saturday afternoon against the Indiana Pacers, the matchup immediately became a must-see game.

National reporters made plans to travel to Southern California in anticipation of Doncic’s debut. ESPN announced on Wednesday that it was broadcasting Saturday’s game, which would’ve been the first time Doncic and LeBron James shared the floor as Lakers teammates.

But it didn’t come to fruition, with Doncic remaining sidelined because of a strained left calf injury that he suffered on Dec. 25 that he’s expected to return from in Monday’s home game against the Utah Jazz.

And Saturday became even less star-studded when the Lakers announced Saturday morning that James also wasn’t going to be available because of left ankle soreness.

So when all of the attention turned to the Lakers’ game against the Pacers, what was witnessed was Austin Reaves having the best scoring game of his career and leading the Lakers to a 124-117 victory at Crypto.com Arena for their fifth straight victory.

Reaves scored a career-high 45 points Saturday – the first 40-point game of his career – to go with seven assists and seven rebounds.

“I joked with him before the game,” coach JJ Redick recalled. “I said, ‘Did Bron talk to you?’ He said, ‘Yeah, Bron called me [Friday] night. Told me he’s gonna be out.’ I said, ‘We probably need a 38, 8 and 8 game from you.’ 45, 7 and 7 will do. That’ll do. He played awesome.”

The fourth-year guard, whose previous career high was the 38 points he scored in the Jan. 17 win over the Brooklyn Nets, crossed the 40-point threshold with a running layup over Obi Toppin’s outstretched arm for his 41st points to give the Lakers a 115-103 lead late in the fourth.

He made another layup less than a minute later to reach 43.

And with the Pacers (29-22) fouling late, Reaves sealed the victory for the Lakers (31-19) with a pair of free throws to reach 45, giving the Lakers back-to-back 40-point performances.

James scored 42 points in the Lakers’ win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.

Reaves became the seventh player in Lakers history to record at least 45 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a game, joining James, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor.

“It’s surreal because like you said, I grew up a Kobe fan, huge Kobe fan, so I was automatically a Laker fan,” Reaves said. “So just to be able to, put the uniform on and go out there and compete and then, like you said, to have a couple of those games to where my names in with those guys is special. It’s something that I won’t take for granted.”

Reaves entered Saturday as questionable because of a bruised left elbow that he suffered during a hard fall on Thursday, with real doubts about whether he’d play.

“Once you get in the moment of the game, feel the atmosphere adrenaline starts pumping, then that’s when it becomes easier,” Reaves said. “But before I woke up [Saturday] morning, it was sore all over, elbow especially. And I think they got to know it like 60 on the clock if you’re in or out. And I was walking off at 60:05, and my trainer looked at me and was like ‘out or in?’

Reaves added: “And I was like let’s do it. It’s tough, but like I said, once you get out there and start playing, then adrenaline kicks in and you feel better.”

And the Lakers were significantly better for Reaves, who wore a white sleeve on his non-shooting arm, deciding to play through the injury.

Saturday’s victory was the Lakers’ fifth consecutive, one off from their season-best mark of their six-game winning streak in November, and their 11th in their last 13 games.

Rui Hachimura had 24 points and nine rebounds. Gabe Vincent added 12 points and seven assists.

Recently signed two-way guard Jordan Goodwin, who most recently played for the organization’s South Bay G League affiliate, had 10 points and four rebounds in his Lakers debut.

“Just very grateful, very grateful,” Goodwin said. “I just want to thank God for getting me back healthy. Want to thank South Bay for getting me ready to play back on the NBA stage and things like that. And credit to the Lakers for making the callup. And thanks to JJ for giving me an opportunity to go out there and play. So it’s kind of felt good being back out [there].”

The Pacers, who were without starting center Myles Turner (strained cervical) were led by Pascal Siakam’s 23 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Tyrese Haliburton had 19 points and nine assists.

The Lakers got off to a strong start offensively, scoring 44 first-quarter points, with Reaves scoring 14 of them to take a 22-point lead going into the second.

“I started the first quarter and made five shots in a row,” Reaves said. “Anytime that happens, it’s a good feeling. It’s just the atmosphere that we’re creating as a team, the culture. Any timeout in the situation, the guys on the bench, LeBron, Luka, Gabe, anybody’s over there just telling me to keep going. And that’s what I try to do just try to go out there and win a game.”

Their lead grew to as much as 25 (53-28) midway through the second, but the Pacers chipped away from there – cutting the Lakers’ lead to 16 at halftime (66-50), four midway through the third (70-66).

The Lakers went back up by as many as 18 (92-74) late in the third and midway through the fourth (111-93), but the Pacers got their deficit back down to five (120-115) with just over one minute remaining.

But a Hachimura alley-oop and a pair of Reaves’ free throws helped the Lakers stay ahead for the remainder of the game.

“Very much an all-hands-on-deck game for us,” Redick said. “Our group was very connected on both ends of the floor.”

​ Orange County Register