Orange County’s top committed football recruits, May 30

• May 30, 2024

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Top committed high school football recruits from Orange County’s class of 2025:

Note: Early signing day is Dec. 4

Name, High school, Position, Height, Weight, College

Benjamin Alefaio, Orange Lutheran, S, 6-1, 195, Arizona State

Dash Beierly, Mater Dei, QB, 6-1, 215, Washington

Quaid Carr, Servite, RB, 6-0, 190, San Diego State

Jake Flores, JSerra, OL, 6-6, 285, Washington

Zach Giuliano, Corona del Mar, TE, 6-6, 230, Stanford

Leo Hannan, Servite, QB, 6-4, 220, Michigan State

AJ Ia, Orange Lutheran, TE, 6-5, 240, Arizona State

Carter Jones, Crean Lutheran, LB, 6-0, 205, Cal

Jackson Kollock, Laguna Beach, QB, 6-4, 225, Minnesota

TJ Lateef, Orange Lutheran, QB, 6-2, 205, Nebraska

Jacob Maiava, Santa Margarita, OL, 6-2, 290, SMU

Weston Port, San Juan Hills, LB, 6-2, 220, UCLA

Abduall Sanders Jr., Mater Dei, LB, 6-1, 225, Alabama

Matai Tagoa’i, San Clemente, LB, 6-4, 190, USC

Michael Tollefson, Tustin, QB, 6-1, 195, Arizona State

Nasir Wyatt, Mater Dei, LB, 6-3, 215, Oregon

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

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Hyundai, suppliers in Alabama sued over alleged child employment

• May 30, 2024

The U.S. Department of Labor wants a federal judge to prevent Hyundai and two other Alabama companies from what the government contends is the illegal employment of children.

The complaint filed Thursday follows an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division that found a 13-year-old worked between 50 and 60 hours a week operating machines on an assembly line that formed sheet metal into auto body parts.

The defendants include Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama LLC, SMART Alabama LLC and Best Practice Service, LLC. The lawsuit said it seeks to end the use of child labor and require that the companies give up profits linked to the alleged practice.

Hyundai said in a statement that it cooperated fully with the Labor Department and that it is unfair to be held accountable for the practices of its suppliers.

“We are reviewing the new lawsuit and intend to vigorously defend the company,” the statement said.

​ Orange County Register 

Report: Biden finalizing US-Mexico border migrant limit reforms

• May 30, 2024

By Colleen Long and Seung Min Kim | Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The White House is finalizing plans for a U.S.-Mexico border clampdown that would shut off asylum requests and automatically deny entrance to migrants once the number of people encountered by American border officials exceeded a new daily threshold, with President Joe Biden expected to sign an executive order as early as Tuesday, according to four people familiar with the matter.

The president has been weighing additional executive action since the collapse of a bipartisan border bill earlier this year. The number of illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border has declined for months, partly because of a stepped-up effort by Mexico. Still, immigration remains a top concern heading into the U.S. presidential election in November and Republicans are eager to hammer Biden on the issue.

The Democratic administration’s effort would aim to head off any potential spike in crossings that could occur later in the year, as the fall election draws closer, when the weather cools and numbers tend to rise, two of the people. They were not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing discussions and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The move would allow Biden, whose administration has taken smaller steps in recent weeks to discourage migration and speed up asylum processing, to say he has done all he can do to control the border numbers without help from Congress.

The talks were still fluid and the people stressed that no final decisions had been made.

The restrictions being considered are an aggressive attempt to ease the nation’s overwhelmed asylum system, along with a new effort to speed up the cases of migrants already in America and another meant to quicken processing for migrants with criminal records or those who would otherwise be eventually deemed ineligible for asylum in the United States.

The people told the AP that the administration was weighing some of the policies directly from a stalled bipartisan Senate border deal, including capping the number of encounters at an average of 4,000 per day over a week and whether that limit would include asylum-seekers coming to the border with appointments through U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s CBP One app. Right now, there are roughly 1,450 such appointments per day.

Two of the people said one option is that migrants who arrive after the border reaches a certain threshold could be removed automatically in a process similar to deportation and would not be able to return easily. Migrants were able to more easily return to the border if they were expelled under the pandemic-era policy known as Title 42. Under that arrangement, Mexico agreed to take back some non-Mexican nationalities, including migrants from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

Migrants, especially families, claiming asylum at the southern border are generally released into the U.S. to wait out their cases. But there are more than 2 million pending immigration court cases, and some people wait years for a court date while they live in limbo in the U.S.

Anyone can ask for asylum regardless of whether they arrive illegally at the border, but U.S. officials are increasingly pushing migrants to make appointments, use a legal pathway that avoids the costly and dangerous journey, or stay where they are and apply through outposts in Colombia, Guatemala and Costa Rica.

The Biden administration has grown ever more conservative on border issues as the president faces ceaseless criticism from Republicans and there are large numbers of migrants crossing into the U.S. from Mexico who are not easily returned, especially as global displacement grows from war, climate change and more.

The immigration authority that the administration has been looking to use is outlined in Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. It gives a president broad leeway to block entry of certain immigrants into the U.S. if it would be “detrimental” to the U.S. national interest.

Senate Republicans last week again blocked a bill that would have enshrined some of the same efforts into law. The vote was meant to underscore GOP resistance to the proposal even as Republicans have clamored for more restrictions and argued that Biden has not done enough to stem the flow of migrants entering into the U.S.

The bipartisan bill had been negotiated for months and appeared, for a moment anyway, to be heading toward passage. It was even endorsed by the National Border Patrol Council and its president Brandon Judd, an avowed supporter of Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. But Trump, concerned about handing Democrats an election-year win, called on Republicans to tank it, and they did.

White House officials did not confirm the expected executive order.

White House spokesman Angelo Fernández Hernández said the administration “continues to explore a series of policy options and we remain committed to taking action to address our broken immigration system.”

“While congressional Republicans chose to stand in the way of additional border enforcement, President Biden will not stop fighting to deliver the resources that border and immigration personnel need to secure our border,” he said.

Congress this year approved funding for a total of 41,500 detention beds and increased money for immigration enforcement and removal operations by $1.2 billion over what the White House had initially requested. That included $106 million in more funding for programs that monitor immigrants in the asylum system through phone apps and ankle bracelets, rather than through detention.

Those increases, negotiated after the collapse of the bipartisan deal, could pave the way for the administration to ratchet up immigration enforcement.

Yet unlike legislative action that is binding, anything Biden does through executive action can be challenged in the courts, and will almost certainly be, so it not clear whether — or if — the clampdown on asylum would begin. The administration was weighing other actions too, including faster and tougher enforcement of the asylum process.

The administration has generally paired proposed crackdowns with an expansion of legal paths elsewhere and was also planning to do so in the future, but not at the same time the new restrictions were announced, the people said.

Associated Press writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register 

Jordan Woolery powers UCLA in Women’s College World Series opener

• May 30, 2024

OKLAHOMA CITY — Jordan Woolery dropped the bat and immediately raised her hands. Even though she watched the ball soaring toward the left-field fence, she knew it was gone.

Knew it was big, too.

Woolery’s three-run sixth-inning homer was the difference as sixth-seeded UCLA defeated 14th-seeded Alabama 4-1 in its opener Thursday at the Women’s College World Series.

The Bruins (43-10) will play the winner of the Oklahoma-Duke game at noon PT Saturday at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

Until Woolery’s late-inning blast, the WCWS opener was largely a pitcher’s duel, UCLA’s Kaitlyn Terry and Taylor Tinsley battling Alabama’s Kayla Beaver.

UCLA got on the board in the third inning.

After Janell Meono was hit by a pitch, Maya Brady laced a single into right field. Jadelyn Allchin followed with her own single to right, and Meono was sent home. She scored easily when Alabama right fielder Lauren Johnson bobbled the ball.

Alabama (38-19) got the run back in the fifth inning. After Terry gave up a lead-off single, she was replaced by Tinsley, who almost immediately found herself in trouble.

A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second, and a single followed by a walk loaded the bases with only one out.

Tinsley got a popout but then allowed a sharp single to right field. One runner scored and a second was thrown out at home to end the inning.

UCLA answered back in the sixth. With a runner on second and one out, Alabama opted to intentionally walk Sharlize Palacios. Beaver followed with a strikeout, which brought Woolery to the plate.

The sophomore blasted a 1-1 pitch into the left-field bleachers to send the Bruins to the winner’s bracket.

More to come on this story.

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Array of mortgages cover hard-to-qualify properties, borrowers

• May 30, 2024

Once again, the mortgage world has a huge portfolio of mortgage programs that may get outside-the-conventional box borrowers qualified.

Let’s start with every mortgage loan originator’s favorite heart-burning challenge: the so-called non-warrantable condominium.

Ever since the Champlain Towers collapse and tragedy in July 2021 in Surfside, Fla., Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been aggressively vetting condo projects across the United States. Does the project have 100% insurance replacement coverage? Does it have a healthy budget and cash reserves? What about deferred maintenance and repairs? Are there construction defect issues or lawsuits? Are there too many investors owning in the complex (investor concentration)?

If the project is either Fannie or Freddie approved, it is considered a warrantable condo (the mortgage is eligible for sale to either of the mortgage giants). Both agencies tend to have the best consumer pricing.

Your mortgage loan originator should check such project eligibility ahead of you writing an offer.

If you are stuck with non-warrantable condo, the good news is you can get mortgage financing. The bad news is you can’t get away with a minimum 3% to 5% down payment. And you will be paying a higher interest rate.

The best rate I could find was 8.75% on a 30-year fixed rate, requiring a minimum 15% down payment. That is a good 2 points higher in rate than a standard, conventional 30-year fixed rate through Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

Also keep in mind, the approval isn’t automatic with a non-warrantable mortgage. For example, if there is construction defect litigation going on, assuming the case isn’t settled and the repairs are not completed, it’s doubtful there is any mortgage available.

Income restrictions

How can one qualify if he or she doesn’t show enough tax return income?

There is an abundance of exotic mortgage programs or so called nonqualified (non-QM) mortgages that just might get a loan approval. These programs take a different approach from the standard W-2s and tax returns to proving the ability to repay.

The most used loan is the 12-month bank statement program. Essentially, a self-employed borrower can put as little as 10% down. The lender will consider the most recent 12 months of business bank statements. All deposits will be added up and divided into 12 months. From there, an overhead factor is used for running the business.

Say it’s an architect working at home. The 12 months of deposits add up to $175,000. Let’s say the overhead haircut is 20%. So, it’s $175,000 divided by 20% which comes to $140,000. Then, divide it into 12 months. The qualifying monthly income lands at $11,666. Not bad.

There are programs allowing independent contractors to qualify simply from the 1099s with just 10% down.

How about getting a profit and loss statement signed by your CPA or an enrolled agent? That’s another way to qualify without using tax returns.

My all-time favorite is the fog-the-mirror mortgage. All you need is 20% down, good credit and mortgage payment reserves. The employment section of the application and the income section of the application are left blank. This program is exempt from any type of ability to repay proof.

For investors, a popular options is the debt service coverage ratio program. You’ll need at least 20% down. And the rental income for the property must be at least $1 more than the total house payment to qualify. Say the payment is $4,000. Your rental income would need to be at least $4,001.

Lenders are offering mortgages to foreign nationals, even without a green card.

They’re also offering mortgages to borrowers without Social Security numbers but with individual taxpayer identification numbers.

The more the down payment or the more equity in the case of refinancing, the better the pricing will be.

The lowest middle FICO score of all borrowers matters too. The better the score, the better the pricing.

In general, rates for these mortgage programs run between 7% and 9% range.

Freddie Mac rate news

he 30-year fixed rate averaged 7.03%, 9 basis points higher than last week. The 15-year fixed rate averaged 6.36%, 12 basis points higher than last week.

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported a 5.7% mortgage application decrease compared with one week ago.

Bottom line: Assuming a borrower gets the average 30-year fixed rate on a conforming $766,550 loan, last year’s payment was $123 less than this week’s payment of $5,115.

What I see: Locally, well-qualified borrowers can get the following fixed-rate mortgages with one point: A 30-year FHA at 6%, a 15-year conventional at 5.875%, a 30-year conventional at 6.5%, a 15-year conventional high balance at 6.25% ($766,551 to $1,149,825 in LA and OC and $766,551 to $1,006,250 in San Diego), a 30-year high balance conventional at 6.875% and a jumbo 30-year fixed at 7.125%.

Note: The 30-year FHA conforming loan is limited to loans of $644,000 in the Inland Empire and $766,550 in LA, San Diego, and Orange counties.

Eye-catcher loan program of the week: A 30-year VA at 6% with one point.

Jeff Lazerson, president of Mortgage Grader can be reached at 949-322-8640 or [email protected].

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Santa Anita horse racing consensus picks for Friday, May 31, 2024

• May 30, 2024

The consensus box of Santa Anita horse racing picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Terry Turrell, Eddie Wilson and Kevin Modesti. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Friday, May 31, 2024.

Trouble viewing on mobile device? See consensus picks

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Newsom unveils plan that would hasten insurance-rate reviews — and increases

• May 30, 2024

By Levi Sumagaysay | CalMatters

Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed legislation to speed up insurance premium rate reviews as he and the Insurance Department try to fix the state’s battered insurance market.

Last fall, Newsom issued an executive order tasking Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara with fixing home and fire insurance availability and affordability as insurers — citing rising wildfire risk and pandemic-induced inflation, and complaining about having to wait too long to get their requests for rate increases approved by the state — were canceling homeowner policies and halting the writing of new ones in California.

Homeowners continue to have trouble obtaining or hanging onto affordable insurance. From September through March, more than 45,000 of them have had to turn to the FAIR Plan, which is supposed to be an insurer of last resort for fire insurance. The plan provides limited coverage at high prices, so some homeowners have chosen to forgo fire insurance because they can’t afford their premiums, which in some cases have tripled or more.

Lara has been rolling out a plan to address the insurance market problems, which is expected to take effect by the end of the year. But Newsom said at a press conference earlier this month that “We’ve got to move it. We’ve just got to do more.”

Hence the bill he released Tuesday night, which is tied to the state budget and may not get as much scrutiny as other bills this late in the legislative session. It needs only a simple majority vote in the state Legislature and would take effect immediately after the governor signs it.

The bill builds on the part of Lara’s plan that makes changes to the process of approving insurance rate increases. It would add language to the insurance code that tightens the timeline of the review process, giving the Insurance Department up to 120 days — an initial 60 days, with options for two 30-day extensions — to respond to insurer rate-review requests with a newly required estimated rate. At that point, unless there is an objection by a consumer or consumer representative, the insurance companies can accept the estimated rate and apply it.

Currently, the law says the Insurance Department must act on rate filings within 60 days without a hearing or 180 days with a hearing. But Michael Soller, spokesperson for the department, said that as of February, the average time for homeowner filings was 196 days.

“By enacting this important part of our strategy in statute, the Legislature can help us meet the urgency of the moment,” Lara said in a statement after the governor released the text of the bill.

“This proposal requires the Department of Insurance to modernize and streamline its rate application process to get back to the expedited timelines outlined in Prop. 103,” said Alex Stack, a spokesperson for the governor.

Carmen Balber, executive director of the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, said the tightened timeline for the state to respond with a rate estimate “seriously hamstrings oversight by the (insurance) department overall” as well as the role of intervenors such as her group. She said because the bill requires the Insurance Department to provide an estimated rate within 120 days, insurance companies could essentially be guaranteed rate increases three times a year — of less than 7% each time without triggering the risk of a hearing under Proposition 103, California’s insurance law that requires the state to approve rates — regardless of whether they can justify them.

The strict timeline “severely limits the information the department and intervenors can obtain” from insurers, Balber said, adding that she hopes lawmakers will “fix it.”

The chair of the Senate’s insurance committee, Sen. Susan Rubio, on Wednesday said she supports the bill. “I could not be more pleased with (the governor’s) proposal to help reduce unnecessary red tape,” the Los Angeles Democrat wrote in an emailed statement.

State lawmakers have been under pressure from their constituents to do something about the insurance market, with some of them proposing legislation to try to ensure individual and community efforts to help prevent wildfires count toward insurance affordability. The office of Assemblymember Lisa Calderon, chair of the Assembly’s insurance committee and another Los Angeles Democrat, did not respond to a request for comment on the governor’s proposal in time for publication.

The insurance industry is optimistic that the bill will speed things up.

Rex Frazier, president of the Personal Insurance Federation of California, said insurance companies that submit rate increase requests typically don’t hear back from the Insurance Department for four or five months. “At least now, they have to show their work by 60 days,” Frazier said. “The proposal provides more clarity and accountability to all parties involved in the process.”

Denni Ritter, vice president for state government relations for another industry group, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, said the group was still evaluating the text of the bill. “Streamlining the rate review process will help increase consumer access to coverage by ensuring rates adequately reflect risk and consumer claims,” she said.

Lara’s overall plan, which he has dubbed the Sustainable Insurance Strategy, also includes allowing insurance companies to use catastrophe modeling; letting insurers incorporate reinsurance costs in their rates; and improving the FAIR Plan, including by requiring increased insurance coverage.

​ Orange County Register 

Azusa man, 81, found dead days after arrest in decade-long slingshot vandalism case

• May 30, 2024

An 81-year-ol Azusa man died a day after he was charged with using a slingshot to damage seven neighbors’ windows and a car since 2021.

Azusa police received a call around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday of a possible dead person at a home in the 500 block of North Soldano Avenue and found Prince Raymond King inside, Sgt. Nick Covarrubias said.

“We didn’t find any evidence of foul play,” he said.

Covarrubias didn’t know who owns the home.

King died of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to the medical examiner’s office, which ruled the death as natural.

King had been released on his own recognizance by the court after his Tuesday arraignment at West Covina Superior Court, where he pleaded not guilty to five counts of felony vandalism and two counts of misdemeanor vandalism.

While police suspected King of vandalizing windows in his neighborhood for about a decade, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged him with vandalism on from October 2021 to May 2024.

The seven victims live on 10th Street, Enid Avenue and West Crescent Drive. King lived on West Crescent Drive near Enid.

Police deduced where the ball bearings were coming from and arrested King last Thursday, May 23.

Before serving the search warrant, officers saw King go out of the house and use a slingshot, Cpl. Benjamin Cypher has said. Officers also found a slingshot and 10 to 40 ball bearings at the home.

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