26 stunning OC aerial images that look like the alphabet

• June 24, 2023

Going about your daily routine, the same roads and buildings of your neighborhood can simply fade into the landscape. They become part of the background. But, with a little change of perspective, everything changes.

Just a couple hundred feet in the air and the chaos turns to order. And, if you look hard enough, patterns start to emerge – like the English alphabet.

This is a collection of aerial images over Orange County that resemble each letter of the alphabet.

Here are the ABCs of The OC.

More aerial work from Jeff Gritchen

Watch Newport Beach’s Wedge go wild with insane waves
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Video: Orange County’s best Christmas lights look spectacular shot from a drone
Aerial footage shows an eerily quiet Orange County — Disneyland, beaches and malls

​ Orange County Register 

SNAP fraud in California

• June 24, 2023

And you thought California’s $32 billion in Employment Development Department (EDD) fraud was bad.

A small group of criminals in Detroit has managed to pilfer the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits of nearly 8,000 impoverished California families who were shocked when they discovered their EBT cards had been drained. The criminals stealing access to EBT cards run the gamut from low-level organized criminal gangs in Michigan to criminal syndicates as far-flung as Romania journeying to California, specifically to exploit the gaping security flaws in the SNAP program.

So how is it that they managed to siphon off EBT card numbers and pins with alarming ease? First, the United States Department of Agriculture, which implements the SNAP program, has no incentive to prevent fraud. Like the EDD debacle, these bureaucrats seem completely content to just shovel money out the door with no regard for consequences.

Even worse, in recent federal litigation, it was revealed that retailers who accept SNAP/EBT benefits are not obligated to employ advanced point-of-sale systems, the type that generates transaction records in standard grocery stores. In fact, a fraudster could become an EBT retailer by purchasing a point-of-sale terminal on the dark web that’s linked to an “approved” retailer. This system has so few guardrails and fraud-detection tools in place that thousands of EBT cards from California were used in a single Michigan city with no “red flags” alerting anyone as to what was happening.

Consider the magnitude of these losses. SNAP boasts an annual budget of a staggering $127 billion. If estimates suggesting that 20% of this amount is lost to fraud are anywhere close to being accurate, it means $33.4 billion vanishing into thin air every year. Rather than deploying those billions toward helping America’s most needy families, SNAP is in fact one of the largest funders of organized criminal groups in the world.

The lack of fraud detection and prevention technology within the USDA’s SNAP program places an enormous burden on law enforcement as well— as they need to divert significant resources at the federal, state and local level to investigate and hold these groups accountable.

To restore integrity to our public assistance programs taxpayers should demand the immediate implementation of front-end identity verification, advanced point-of-sale systems that generate transaction records, mandating the collection of transaction-specific geolocation information, and enforcing rigorous security standards for EBT transactions. To make this happen, we must upgrade the technology of EBT cards to include chips, similar to that on credit cards. This will make it much harder for criminals to skim data. Secondly, merchants should be required to collect data during transactions. The lack of a paper trail makes it nearly impossible to trace fraudulent activity. Thirdly, we must institute identity verification and eligibility determination requirements. SNAP must be easy to access for those who need it, but impossible to access by criminals.

This issue is more than just a financial matter; it’s a moral one. It’s time to demand that our political leaders and agency heads not only take notice but take decisive action. They must initiate and enforce measures to secure the SNAP program and to ensure that public funds fulfill their intended purpose: to assist those who need them most.

Jon Coupal is the president of Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and Haywood Talcove is the CEO of the Government Group of LexisNexis Risk Solutions. 

​ Orange County Register 

How to work around or with ‘gotcha’ clauses in a lease

• June 24, 2023

Last week we used a football theme to outline several “gotcha clauses” that appear in leases.

Akin to a quarterback sneak, these are there but get you when just you’re expecting a long pass.

I’ll give the football metaphors a rest until August, I swear. But today, and as promised last week, I’ll give you some strategies to offset these gotchas.

To review, last week’s column highlighted pass-through provisions, relocation, rent escalations, automatic renewals and uses.

Pass-through provisions: These can impact your bottom line, transferring unforeseen costs from the landlord to your business. Generally, during the term of a lease, increases over certain base year expenses are borne by the tenant. Such expenses as insurance, property taxes and the cost to mow the lawn are examples.

Consider capping specific expenses or requesting transparency through detailed documentation. Explore options such as a fixed monthly fee or excluding certain costs.

Relocation strategies: These clauses can disrupt your business operations and create uncertainty. If you’re an industrial tenant in a freestanding structure, your exposure is minimal as I’ve not seen relocation clauses in single tenant leases.

However, beware if you’re signing a multi-tenant lease of an office, retail or industrial variety. Here, spaces are more consistently “amenitized” and sized, leading to an owner’s ability to move you.

To avoid potential relocations, seek limitations on when and how the landlord can invoke this clause. Consider including provisions that require the landlord to cover relocation expenses or provide suitable alternative spaces.

Rent escalation mitigation: The value of a space that you occupy increases as the rent you pay to the owner increases. Therefore, most savvy landlords will want some bumps in rent throughout the term.

The most onerous of these would be an open-ended consumer price index increase on an annual basis. The opposite would be a flat rate with no increases throughout the term. We’ve witnessed many cases of single-tenant retail leases that carry no increases in rent throughout a five- or 10-year term.

These flat leases are rare in industrial and office leases. A hedge against annual increases would be to negotiate an increase midway through the term or alternatively agree to a full consumer price index increase at the beginning of any option period.

In today’s robust environment, however, you’d be better served to ask for a limit to the annual ups – a 3% vs 4% escalation

Automatic renewal management: Generally, you should be aware of automatic renewals in any multitenant industrial, retail or office lease.

The typical single-tenant industrial, retail or office lease normally will not carry this type of provision. In my view, this is a term that should be stricken as a business point or with a counter position that the lease becomes a month-to-month lease at the termination.

Automatic renewals can catch you off guard, potentially locking you into a long-term commitment without your consent. Additionally, seek provisions that allow for termination or renegotiation with sufficient notice before the renewal date.

Permitted uses: Language in most leases reads: “Upon your signature, you have reviewed the governing agency’s use provisions and have approved them.”

Many tenants sign leases without visiting the city in which the property is located to check on zoning, variances, conditional use permits and allowable uses within the zone. Consequently, they move in without a complete understanding of potential zoning limitations.

If a planned use is not allowable within the zone, I generally recommend hiring a consultant to deal with nuances of governmental zoning. I’ve experienced too many situations – sans consultant – where an unforeseen requirement arises and results in an unexpected expense.

Allen C. Buchanan, SIOR, is a principal with Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate Services in Orange. He can be reached at [email protected] or 714.564.7104. 

​ Orange County Register 

Drew League repeats as Red Bull Pro-Am Basketball Classic champions

• June 24, 2023

COMPTON — It was the classic battle of West Coast vs. East Coast.

On Friday night, L.A.’s own Drew League and Dyckman Basketball from New York City faced off in the Red Bull Pro-Am Basketball Classic championship game at King/Drew Magnet High School. The Drew League was aiming to become back-to-back champions while Dykman was trying to dethrone the home team in front of a packed gym filled with Drew supporters.

But as the game wore on, it was clear which team was superior, with the Drew League squad rolling to a 94-75 win.

The phrase “Welcome to the Drew League Invitational,” which play-by-play announcer Jorge Preciado repeated throughout the game, spoke to the way the night went.

Former Gardena High guard Dakari Tucker scored a game-high 22 points. Former Clippers and Lakers forward Montrezl Harrell added 11 points in the win.

“I thought today was amazing,” three-time Drew League MVP Franklin Sessions said. “I thought we showed how good we are as an L.A. basketball team. We have some hidden gems. … It was just great basketball today.”

The Drew squad came into the final having beaten the Atlanta Entertainment Basketball League, 90-82, on Wednesday and the Philadelphia-based Danny Rumph League, 78-65, on Thursday.

Dyckman defeated Miami Pro League, 84-72, on Wednesday and the Baltimore-based Brunson League, 79-75, on Thursday, to set up the championship game.

The Drew League team took control before halftime, using a barrage of 3-pointers in the second quarter to open a 53-35 lead.

The second half was more of the same, as the Drew team extended the margin to 22 points in the third quarter.

Harrell jolted the crowd during the fourth quarter when he threw down back-to-back dunks that silenced the Dyckman bench.

The win was big for many of the Drew League players and coaches, who hoped to prove that Los Angeles has surpassed New York as the center of basketball in the country.

“I said it years ago. L.A. is the mecca of basketball,” Drew League head coach Keion Kindred said.

Drew League’s Frank Nitty said the win over Dyckman ends the debate about where the best hoopers are from.

“A win like this is great because we always hear ‘who’s better, New York or L.A.?’ So this win can now silence the whole divide even though the rivalry keeps going,” Nitty said.

Many of the players on the Drew League roster were from the Southern California area.

“The best part about this is that a majority of guys on the team are from this city,” said Terrell Carter, a former Redondo High and Fresno State forward. “To be able to represent against other states and to have the whole Drew come together is amazing.”

The Drew League will continue to host games throughout the summer with regular league play continuing. Starting in July, the NBA will broadcast Drew League games as NBA players begin making occasional appearances.

​ Orange County Register 

Sparks erase 17-point deficit, edge Wings to end 3-game slide

• June 24, 2023

LOS ANGELES — Nneka Ogwumike scored a team-high 20 points, Destanni Henderson had a season-high 18 points off the bench and the Sparks rallied from 17 points down to beat the Dallas Wings, 76-74, on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena.

“I felt great,” Henderson said. “I feel like once I started getting in the flow of things, just attacking and finding my teammates. Just trying to stay focused when I’m going to the rim. I felt like it just pumped me up and I stayed focused the whole game.”

“Perseverance,” said Sparks head coach Curt Miller when asked about the comeback win. “I think our togetherness showed. I really challenged them late. They willed themselves to the finish line. Again, we’ve had a couple of games in a  row where we did score in the last three minutes. We’ve talked about it. We’re not afraid of having that uncomfortable conversation that we needed to step up and make plays in winning time and I thought they hung together and made plays.”

LA Sparks head coach Curt Miller on Destanni Henderson’s 18 points off the bench and how the Sparks were able to erase a 17-point deficit to beat the Dallas Wings, 76-74 at @cryptocomarena Friday Night. @CurtMillerWBB @LASparks #WNBA #WNBATwitter pic.twitter.com/Aj4ei8at0J

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 24, 2023

The Sparks took their first lead with 2:28 left in the fourth quarter on a pair of free throws by Chiney Ogwumike.

“Just grit, tenacity, toughness, togetherness,” Ogwumike said. “I think our team was very connected and we were just having fun. I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves because we’re the LA Sparks and we know people expect wins, ourselves included and we felt that the last few games and this game the goal was to go in there and three words, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. So we were enjoying the grind. We knew that there were going to come out strong because of how the last game went and so for us when the going got tough, I told the team, tough times don’t last but tough people do.”

Dallas went back ahead on a pair of free throws by Natasha Howard with 1:49 left, but Sparks guard Jordin Canada answered with a floater to tie the score on the ensuing possession.

“(It took) grit, passion, being competitive,” Canada shared when asked what it took to overcome a 17-point deficit. “Coach warned us that they were going to come out ready to play because of how we played in Dallas (during a 79-61 road win on June 14). They punched us first and so we had to have the mentality to take it possession by possession and set goals for ourselves, throughout the quarter and throughout the game to get three stops in a row and push the ball as much as possible. But at the end of the day, it got really physical and it came down to who wanted it more and who had the most grit and I think we showed that (Friday night).”

Destanni Henderson on dropping 18 points off the bench in the LA Sparks 76-74 comeback win vs. the Dallas Wings. Jordin Canada explains what it took to erase a 17-point deficit and win this game. @dh3nny @jordin_canada #LASparks #WNBA pic.twitter.com/rq6BOEmKit

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 24, 2023

Canada, who finished with 18 points, six assists and three steals, then made two free throws with 54.1 seconds left for a 76-74 lead and the Wings had a shot-clock violation at the other end for their 18th turnover. Canada had a jumper rattle out and Dallas secured the rebound and raced the other way, but Crystal Dangerfield’s runner at the buzzer did not hit the rim.

Nneka Ogwumike scored 14 of her 20 in the second half and finished 9 for 18 from the field to go with seven rebounds and three steals as the Sparks (6-7) snapped their three-game losing streak.

The Sparks missed their first 10 3-point attempts and finished 2 for 18 from long range, but they made 22 of 25 free throws compared to 13 for 17 for Dallas. Canada was 8 for 8 from the foul line and added three steals.

Natasha Howard had 23 points and 12 rebounds for Dallas (6-7). Arike Ogunbowale scored 12 of her 16 points in the first quarter and Satou Sabally had 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Ogunbowale’s strong start helped Dallas build a 27-10 lead, but Henderson, who is with the Sparks on a temporary hardship contract, responded by scoring 10 pivotal points over the next 11 minutes, which included two three-point plays and a buzzer-beating layup, to cut Dallas’ lead to 42-33 at halftime.

The Sparks continued battling back in the third quarter. Chiney Ogwumike tied the score at 58 with a three-point play with 14.9 seconds left in the third quarter, but a buzzer-beating layup by Dallas center Teaira McCowan gave the Wings a 60-58 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Sabally started the fourth quarter on a personal 5-0 run as Dallas built the margin back to 65-58 with 8:14 remaining, but the Sparks chipped away. Henderson’s corner 3-pointer tied the score at 67 with 4:56 left. The game remained tight, then Chiney Ogwumike’s free throws finally gave the Sparks the lead.

The Sparks, who have lost several tight games by being outplayed in the final minutes, are in the midst of playing six games in a 12-day span. Coach Curt Miller knew his team was going to have to match Dallas’ intensity, and while the early deficit was not helpful, he had to appreciate the poise his team showed down the stretch.

“We have to put ourselves in a position to be there in the end and keep using these learning opportunities to get to the finish line,” Miller said before the game. “We cannot feel sorry for ourselves through our illnesses and injuries. We’ve got to be ready to compete and I just want to keep putting ourselves back in positions in the fourth quarter to keep working with this group, finding ways to get to the finish line.”

LA Sparks head coach Curt Miller on the importance of closing out games in the fourth quarter. Miller said there’s no time for the Sparks to feel sorry for themselves because of recent illnesses and injuries. @CurtMillerWBB #WNBATwitter pic.twitter.com/QpNuxP7pMv

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 24, 2023

Henderson’s second three-point play of the night cut the Wings’ lead to 31-19 with 7:38 left in the second quarter. The 5-foot-7 second-year guard out of South Carolina followed that with a steal and a fast-break layup to make it 31-21.

Sparks forward Azurá Stevens made her team’s only 3-pointer of the first half, when the Sparks shot 35% from the field, but Sparks forward Karlie Samuelson said beforehand that closing out the game would be a point of emphasis.

“That’s something that we need to learn how to do better,” Samuelson said. “Obviously, we’ve had some close games so I think just staying together like (Jasmine Thomas) said.”

“(We have to take it) one possession at a time,” veteran point guard Jasmine Thomas added. “When it comes down to time and score at the end of the game, you can get overwhelmed with the result. You want to win. You want to finish it, instead of focusing on the small details of each possession that gets you there to the finish line.”

Sparks veterans Jasmine Thomas and Karlie Samuelson on the importance of being able to close out Friday’s game against the Dallas Wings. pic.twitter.com/laOHQph70D

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 24, 2023

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​ Orange County Register 

Emmet Sheehan dazzles again as Dodgers beat Astros

• June 24, 2023

LOS ANGELES ― Emmet Sheehan was 17 years old, a high school senior on the other side of the country, when the Dodgers lost Game 7 of the 2017 World Series to the Houston Astros. The boos that echoed around Dodger Stadium when Astros star Jose Altuve stepped into the batter’s box prior to the first pitch Friday night were a remnant of the team’s past.

Sheehan then offered another promising glimpse of the Dodgers’ future.

In his second career start, Sheehan allowed two runs over six innings in the Dodgers’ 3-2 win before an announced crowd of 49,795. They have their first three-game winning streak in more than a month.

According to Stats Perform, Sheehan is the only pitcher in MLB’s modern era to throw at least 12 innings and allow no more than three hits over his first two games.

“I feel like my stuff was a little bit better, getting comfortable with the big league ball,” he said. “I gave us a chance to win, which is what I was trying to do.”

Sheehan (1-0) did not allow a hit in six innings in his MLB debut against the San Francisco Giants last Friday, but he did not factor into the decision in that game, which the Dodgers lost in extra innings.

The Astros did not record a hit against Sheehan until Chas McCormick beat out an infield single in the second inning. In the third inning, Kyle Tucker and Mauricio Dubon hit solo home runs to tie the score 2-2.

Sheehan allowed only those three hits and two runs over six innings. He walked two batters and struck out four.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Michael Busch doubled into the left field corner, scoring James Outman with the go-ahead run. Outman went 3 for 4, stole a base, and scored two of the Dodgers’ three runs.

That run made the difference in the game and allowed Sheehan to pick up his first major league win.

Sheehan’s four-seam fastball touched 98 mph but only generated six swings and misses for the 54 times he threw the pitch. More impressively, it resulted in only three hard-hit balls for the Astros. One of those ended in a double-play groundout. Both home runs were hit off sliders.

“It’s pretty similar to the way it was playing in Double-A,” Sheehan said of his stuff. “Maybe a little less strikeouts, but I feel good with heaters up in the zone, sliders, changeups, and some curveballs off that.”

Mookie Betts led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run against Astros starter J.P. France. It was the MLB-leading seventh leadoff home run this season for Betts, who has hit 43 in his career.

Betts drove in Outman with the Dodgers’ second run on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the second inning.

Michael Grove pitched two scoreless innings, and Brusdar Graterol pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his fourth save of the season. Both of them were teenagers when the 2017 World Series concluded, too.

“Fans, they usually don’t forget,” said Busch, who was a 19-year-old in college at the time.

Subsequent to winning the 2017 World Series, the Astros were implicated by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred for an illegal sign-stealing scheme during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Their general manager (Jeff Luhnow), manager (A.J. Hinch), and bench coach (Alex Cora) were all disciplined or lost their jobs in the wake of the scandal.

Only one player, former Astro Carlos Beltran, was named in the report. Manfred granted players immunity from discipline in exchange for their cooperation in his investigation. Earlier this week, Manfred told TIME magazine that he had second thoughts about that decision.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked about Manfred’s statement prior to Friday’s game.

“Anyone that’s in any type of leadership role, they’re going to have to make decisions,” Roberts said. “Some of them you’re going to wish you had back. That’s just part of life.”

Surrounded by a throng of reporters, Roberts was also asked when the intrigue around the Astros’ cheating scandal will die down in Los Angeles.

Not soon, it appears.

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​ Orange County Register 

Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout homer but Angels lose to Rockies on late grand slam

• June 24, 2023

DENVER — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 25th home run of the season and Mike Trout followed him with a solo shot of his own in the top of the fifth inning, but it wasn’t enough as the Angels coughed up a late lead, losing to the Colorado Rockies, 7-4.

Clinging to a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Angels were overtaken when Elias Diaz hit a grand slam off Chris Devenski. The Rockies had runners at first and second with one out when Devenski relieved Sam Bachman (1-1). Ryan McMahon reached on a fielder’s choice when shortstop Andrew Velasquez didn’t handle first baseman Jared Walsh’s throw to second to reload the bases. Diaz then cleared the bases with his homer and the Angels went down in order in the ninth against Justin Lawrence as the Rockies snapped an eight-game losing streak.

The late-game collapse overshadowed the dramatics by Ohtani and Trout, who hit back-to-back home runs for the ninth time in their time together. That tied the club mark held by Trout and Albert Pujols. Ohtani finished with three hits, including a first-inning double that marked his 10th consecutive road game with an extra-base hit, extending his franchise record. However, he struck out against Pierce Johnson (1-3) in the bottom of the eighth with two outs and two runners on.

Coming off a pair of shutout losses to the Dodgers, the Angels’ offense came to life early in the Mile High City’s thin air and was boosted by an error by left fielder Jurickson Profar that opened the door for a pair of second-inning runs and a 2-1 lead. Hunter Renfroe singled to start the inning and Kevin Padlo, who made his Angels’ debut Tuesday after being recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake, followed with a double that was bobbled by Profar. Renfroe came home and Padlo advanced to third before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Luis Rengifo.

The Rockies, who got a leadoff homer from Profar in the first, evened the score on Coco Montes’ RBI single in the second.

That set the stage for the drives by Ohtani and Trout, both off of Colorado starter Kyle Freeland.

Angels starter Patrick Sandoval, making his first career start at Coors Field, held the Rockies largely in check before giving up a single to Elehuris Montero and a double to Montes to start the sixth. Jacob Webb relieved and struck out Brenton Doyle before walking Profar to load the bases. Ezequiel Tovar singled to pull the Rockies within a run but Webb then struck out McMahon and induced a ground out by Diaz to preserve the Angels’ one-run lead.

More to come on this story.

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​ Orange County Register 

Los Alamitos horse racing consensus picks, Saturday, June 24, 2023

• June 24, 2023

The consensus box of Los Alamitos horse racing picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Art Wilson, Terry Turrell and Eddie Wilson. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Saturday, June 24, 2023.

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​ Orange County Register