This drone captured scenes inside the deadly Hurricane Beryl. The data helps forecasts

• July 9, 2024

Claire Grunewald | Miami Herald (TNS)

MIAMI — Within the 25-foot waves and violent winds of the disastrous Hurricane Beryl, one 23-foot long neon orange sailboat-like device stood out against dark ocean water with a front-row seat to the eye of the storm. The object in question wasn’t a boat that got too close to the storm, but an uncrewed hurricane drone called the Saildrone Explorer.

Unlike boats or planes with people in it, the Saildrone Explorer can hold its own on the sea surface in the eye of a hurricane — and send back pictures and data to help scientists forecast storms. Last week, it went inside Hurricane Beryl, while it was a Category 4 storm just south of Puerto Rico.

The drone intercepted the edge of the hurricane and sustained waves of over 25 feet and wind gusts of 53.48 knots (or about 61 mph), according to Saildrone Inc.

The device is one of the latest innovations in collecting data from hurricanes. It can collect important air and sea data from storms and is able to withstand the strongest of them, as seen with Hurricane Beryl, which eventually upgraded to a Category 5, making it the earliest storm to reach that category on record.

“You have to get pretty lucky to get a hurricane. So that’s one advantage of the Saildrones,” said Greg Foltz, principal investigator for Saildrone research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “We can actually move them and get a lot more data that way, by moving them into the path of hurricanes.”

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The drone is one of 12 Saildrones to be deployed this hurricane season to collect data for NOAA. Saildrones are 1,000-pound uncrewed surface vehicles (USV) powered by wind and solar energy.

This Saildrone was expected to deliver hurricane monitoring data for NOAA beginning the first week of August, but it deployed from St. Thomas early to intercept Hurricane Beryl, according to Saildrone Inc. Director of Marketing Jenn Virskus.

Foltz said the idea behind the Saildrone was to try to get unique measurements at the bottom of the hurricane, where it meets the ocean’s surface.

“[It] is very difficult to do and hadn’t really been done in the past, except if there happened to be an instrument in the path. So the idea was to put something that could be actively directed into a hurricane’s path and then measure continuously as a hurricane went over it,” Foltz said.

Saildrones can collect a range of hurricane data including wave height, ocean currents and surface air temperature. The data is used directly in hurricane forecasting and advisories. Last hurricane season, it was used in dozens of forecasts and was able to warn people about the heights of waves or rip currents in the ocean, Foltz said.

One of the Saildrones is even a world record holder.

The 2024 Guinness Book of World Records includes for the first time, the “highest wind speed recorded by a USV,” earned during the Saildrone’s maiden voyage in 2021, into the 126 mph winds of Category 4 Hurricane Sam.

Other hurricane-tracking devices

Perhaps the best-known way scientists collect data inside hurricanes is the hurricane hunters. NOAA and the Air Force collaborate on flights directly into the heart of storms, where researchers on board measure all kinds of data that helps feed the massive global supercomputer models that predict where storms might go next.

The hurricane hunters flew at least five missions into Beryl to collect and quality check data in storms before sending it to forecasters. Researchers inside the plane drop devices known as “dropsondes” into the storm, and these remote devices send important info back to scientists at the National Hurricane Center.

Saildrones, Foltz said, are a complement to those efforts.

“It’s not like we’re going to replace anything that’s already out there collecting data,” Foltz said. “It’s like a big coordination effort when there’s a hurricane hunter flying into a hurricane and we have a saildrone close by, so that’s fun.”

Other NOAA data-collecting devices include an array of technology that goes in the water or stays in the air. For example, underwater gliders collect water-related data like temperature and salinity levels.

The future of the Saildrone

Foltz hopes to keep building on what the drones can do. He thinks there’s more to be done with getting data on things like sea spray, air bubbles in the ocean and better heat transfer measurements by adding more sensors to the drones.

“The main way we envision this helping people in the longer run, is to improve the models and proof of hurricane intensity forecasts for people, give them more time, make them more aware and be able to evacuate and prepare,” Foltz said

©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

​ Orange County Register 

Alexander: Emma Hayes era in U.S. women’s soccer begins

• July 9, 2024

As if things haven’t been frenetic enough for Emma Hayes in her short time – five weeks max – on the ground in this country to get the U.S. women’s national team ready for this month’s Olympic soccer competition in Paris, the new coach was hit with this question at a pre-Olympic news conference Monday in New York, from Ronald Blum of The Associated Press:

“Given all the issues of gender equity in the U.S. soccer community, if the senior (men’s) team were to bring in a high-priced coach like (Jürgen) Klopp, making $5-10 million, would you feel a need that they give you a raise to that level?”

Oof.

Her task is challenging enough – taking over a program with outsized expectations, trying to steer it into the future with young talent as the generation of players that created those expectations steps away, and dealing with a world that has caught up with and passed the Americans. And now she was asked to opine on what a potential men’s coaching change might mean in terms of equal pay for equal work, a concept that had the players at odds with their federation for the longest time.

Hayes sidestepped this one deftly.

“Well, thanks for the question,” she said. “I think as far as I’m concerned, you know, my focus today is on preparing our team for our training camp this week. I have to think about that. And I have to think about performing first and foremost, myself, with this team, this Olympics.

“I think with regards to matters relating to the men’s team and gender equity, they’re not questions for now or for me, knowing that my absolute focus is on the preparation this week.”

Welcome back to America, Emma!

For perspective, Hayes is reportedly earning $1.6 million, the same amount that current (for now) men’s coach Gregg Berhalter is paid, and four times as much as former women’s head coach Vlatko Andonovski’s salary. So if U.S. Soccer fires Berhalter and opens the vault for a high-profile men’s coach, maybe we will in fact be hearing more about the equal pay question.

To add further perspective, Hayes and Klopp – who is beginning his own sabbatical from Liverpool – are friends. In an ESPN interview earlier this year, Hayes said when they talked after she took the U.S. job, they discussed “getting to the end of our careers with our clubs, and how difficult it is, how intense it is. You have to deliver an awful lot on and off the pitch in our positions. And it takes its toll and we just gave words of encouragement to each other, to be honest. Lots of support.”

The day-to-day grind across the pond may be all encompassing, but this challenge is not small: A roster with a lot to prove and a short time to get there.

The program that boasts four Women’s World Cup titles and Olympic gold in 2004, ’08 and ’12, and was No. 1 in FIFA’s world rankings for 80 consecutive months from March 2008 through November 2014, has lost its dominance. The USWNT won bronze at the 2021 Tokyo Games after not medaling at all in 2016 in Rio, and was knocked out in the Round of 16 in last year’s Women’s World Cup.

Hayes, 47, was hired by the federation in November with the understanding she would finish the season with Chelsea, where she won her seventh Women’s Super League title and fifth in a row – and, among other achievements, was honored with the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire – before departing for her next adventure. She consulted with interim U.S. coach and current assistant Twila Kilgore regularly while managing her own club, and finally assumed hands-on control around the end of May.

She is English but no stranger to the U.S., having coached a USL women’s team in Long Island for one season and Iona University for three in the early 2000s, and returning to coach the NWSL Chicago Red Stars from 2008-10 before being fired.

She is here largely because, for all of her success at Chelsea, the day-to-day demands of managing a club in the birthplace of what was originally called Association Football are wearing. The responsibility as steward of U.S. women’s soccer is immense, but it’s not the same day-to-day-to-day burden.

Hayes has already caused some tremors, leaving Alex Morgan off the Olympic roster. Morgan, who turned 35 last week, has been part of the nucleus that not only succeeded magnificently on the pitch but did so while suing their federation for equal pay and working conditions and creating a legacy as agents of change.

And even if the rest of the world has caught up, history and legacy and those four stars above the crest send a message: The standard is still the standard.

“We always want to be at the top of that podium at the end of the day,” captain Lindsey Horan said at Monday’s New York press conference. “I think after the World Cup we really regrouped and we’ve been working extremely hard over this past year and especially these last few months. And with Emma coming in and everything that she’s done and contributed, I think it’s a very exciting time.

“And I mean, you look at the young players coming in, the leaders on this team … I think what you’re going to see and what’s in store for us is incredible. We want a gold medal at the end of the day.”

The hurry-up conditions will be no excuse. Hayes said she believes her team is “very” prepared.

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“Like Lindsey said, a lot of that work has been done over the last year, you know, reflecting from the World Cup and then putting the roster together bit by bit, over the course of the year,” she said.

“Getting everybody in camp, getting everybody together, getting everybody playing together, for me, they’re the most important things at this moment in time. And we’ll start to see how our team shapes up game by game, day by day.”

And so the challenge begins.

[email protected]

​ Orange County Register 

US interviews Hamas hostage victims, families in terror probe

• July 9, 2024

Ava Benny-Morrison | (TNS) Bloomberg News

The U.S. Justice Department is interviewing survivors and families of victims of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in Israel as it attempts to build a sweeping case against the militant group and its financial backers.

The individuals, including former hostages and families of U.S. citizens murdered abroad, have sat down with prosecutors and FBI agents in recent months, according to people familiar with the investigation. Some have traveled from Israel and provided videos and text messages to help authorities build a chronology of the attack and identify who carried out the kidnappings.

While part of the U.S. probe is looking at acts of terrorism, a broader focus is tackling the financial networks that have enabled Hamas. That includes examining any support from countries such as Iran and Qatar, and whether financing touched U.S. financial institutions or assets, one of the people familiar with the inquiry said. The investigation involves prosecutors from U.S. Attorneys’ offices in New York, Washington and the Justice Department’s Counterterrorism Section.

A spokesman for the Justice Department declined to comment.

U.S. citizens were among the approximately 1,200 people killed and 250 others taken hostage when Hamas operatives poured into Israel and stormed towns, army bases and a music festival. About 31 Americans were killed on Oct. 7 and as many as six remain in captivity, giving prosecutors a way to pursue the crimes, even though they were committed overseas. Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and European Union.

At the same time, U.S. support of Israel in the ensuing war has become a divisive issue for some voters ahead of the presidential election in November. Almost 38,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the Israel-Hamas war erupted, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

The U.S. has put itself at the center of cease-fire negotiations in a bid to stop the conflict and prevent it spreading across the Middle East.

Qatar, which previously provided funding to Gaza in coordination, it says, with the Israeli government, and hosts Hamas’ political bureau, stepped up mediation when the war began. It’s been a go-between for Israel and Hamas for more than a decade.

The Gulf state helped broker the only truce in the war so far, a week-long pause that saw more than 100 hostages released and ended at the start of December.

Iran has been targeted repeatedly by the U.S. over the years for supporting terrorist groups, and indictments were filed as recently as February against senior leaders of the Islamic Republic’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran, along with Syria, is also facing a new wave of lawsuits filed on behalf of hostage victims and their families for providing the fire power and financial support to enable the attack.

In cases where people facing criminal charges have been hard to detain, prosecutors have coupled indictments with civil forfeiture actions, allowing the government to seize assets. In terrorism cases, seized funds can be potentially redirected into a reserve for U.S. victims of state-sponsored terrorism.

Federal prosecutors in Washington and New York seized more than 500,000 barrels of oil and $108 million when they charged leaders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in February with terrorism and sanctions evasion. The U.S. alleged funds from oil trafficking allowed Iran to support Hamas and Hezbollah, which has also been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. Billions of dollars from the oil laundering network passed through the U.S. financial system, the government revealed at the time.

—With assistance from Nick Wadhams.

___

©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

​ Orange County Register 

OC Fair summer concert series lineup is here for Pacific Amphitheatre and The Hangar

• July 9, 2024

The OC Fair has officially announced its full concert schedule for the Pacific Amphitheatre. This year’s lineup features returning favorites like Chris Young and Ziggy Marley, along with tribute bands celebrating Depeche Mode, the Talking Heads, and U2. New acts will also be making their debut.

Located on the fairgrounds, the Pacific Amphitheatre and The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa will host nightly entertainment from July 19 to August 18. Tickets include same-day admission to the OC Fair.

For more information on the OC Fair, go to ocfair.com.

Here’s the full list of concerts coming to the Pacific Amphitheatre and The Hangar this summer.

Pacific Amphitheatre

Cake 

The Sacramento-based geek rock band Cake will perform at the Costa Mesa venue, with opening support from the Ukrainian folk music quartet DakhaBrakha. Fans can expect to hear some of the band’s greatest hits, including “The Distance” and “Never There.”

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 9

Tickets: $50-90 at pacamp.com.

Tash Sultana 

Tash Sultana, the psychedelic and reggae soul artist, is set to perform with support from Chiiild. Sultana rose to fame with her unique DIY approach, showcased in her viral 2016 track “Jungle,” which has been viewed over 188 million times on YouTube. The Melbourne-bred multi-instrumentalist is also the first Australian to have a signature series guitar with Fender.

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 10

Tickets: $35-$82 at pacamp.com 

All Time Low and The Band Camino 

The Maryland-born pop-punk legends All Time Low are hitting the road for the Forever Tour, celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band. This tour marks a comeback after a brief hiatus in 2020. Fans can look forward to favorite hits as well as tracks from their 2023 album, “Tell Me I’m Alive.” The Band Camino will provide support.

When: 7 p.m. Friday, July 12.

Tickets: $43.99-$109.45 at pacamp.com.

Los Tucanes de Tijuana 

The iconic Mexican norteño group, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, will bring some regional Mexican heat to the stage with special guest Voz de Mando. The group recently performed an evening set at the multi-generational Latino Besame Mucho Festival at Dodger Stadium on Dec. 2.

When: 7:30 Sunday, July 14

Tickets: $50-$100 at pacamp.com.

Ziggy Marley 

Reggae artist Ziggy Marley returns to the Pacific Amphitheatre, following the release of his two new singles this year, “Drive” and a live recording of “Personal Revolution.” Marley will be supported by the funk band Lettuce.

When: 7 p.m. Thursday, July 18

Tickets: $35.30-$87.50 at pacamp.com.

Chris Young 

Country music star Chris Young will return to the venue, promoting his latest record, “Young Love & Saturday Nights,” released in March. Fans can also expect to hear hits like “Famous Friends” and “Gettin’ You Home.”

When: 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 19 $55-$100 at pacamp.com.

Tickets: $55-$100 at pacamp.com.

The Hangar

Tickets for all shows start at $13.42-$27.75. Tickets are now available at ocfair.com/thehangar

Friday, July 19

Start Making Sense: The Talking Heads tribute. The 10-piece tribute band will play hits like “Psycho Killer,” “This Must Be The Place” and “Burning Down The House.”

Saturday, July 20

Hollywood U2: Based in Los Angeles, Hollywood U2 was founded by lead singer Joe Hier in 2003. Considered the world’s greatest U2 tribute band, they’ve recently played for the US Marines in Japan.

Sunday, July 21

One More Night: Phil Collins and Genesis Tribute. One More Night’s performances are a heartfelt homage to the songs of Phil Collins and Genesis. The band brings hybrid versions that capture the essence of the studio releases along with the magic of live renditions, creating an experience that is both familiar and fresh.

Wednesday, July 24

Dead Man’s Party: An Oingo Boingo and Danny Elfman tribute playing hits like “Only a Lad,” “Weird Science” and more.

Thursday, July 25

Ticket to the Moon: Electric Light Orchestra Tribute. Known as one of the best ELO tribute groups, fans will be pleased to hear “Mr. Blue Sky” and “Don’t Bring Me Down.”

Friday, July 26

Red Corvette: A tribute to the music icon Prince as they play almost four decades worth of music.

Saturday, July 27

Atomic Punks: The Tribute to Early Van Halen. In the heart of Pasadena, California, where the iconic Van Halen first ignited their rise to stardom, a tribute band emerged that would come to embody the very nature of the legendary rock group’s early years.

Sunday, July 28

24K Magic: A tribute to Bruno Mars. The funk group will dive into Mars’ catalog of hits like “Uptown Funk” and “That’s What I Like.”

Wednesday, July 31

Elton: The Early Years. Kenny Metcalf recreates Elton John’s eccentric fits and dynamic stage presence while performing all the early hits.

Thursday, Aug. 1

Don’t Look Back: The Boston Experience. The tribute band will sing all of Boston’s greatest hits.

Friday, Aug. 2

Listen To The Music: A Tribue to the Doobie Brothers. The tribute group meticulously reproduces each and every hit song to give audiences a true experience of seeing and hearing the Doobie Brothers band perform live.

Saturday, Aug. 3

Live From Earth: Pat Benatar and Beyond. Live From Earth celebrates the music of rock legend and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Pat Benatar.

Sunday, Aug. 4

Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez. The mariachi band will serenade fans for the night to iconic mariachi tunes.

Thursday, Aug. 8

Queen Nation: A tribute to the music of Queen. Vocalist Gregory Finsley channels his best Freddie Mercury while singing his way through Queen’s biggest hits from the ’70s and ’80s.

Friday, Aug. 9

No Duh: The Ultimate Tribute to No Doubt. This particular No Doubt tribute mixes the experience and energy of a live No Doubt concert with nostalgic visuals and styling. Fans can jam out to “Just A Girl” and “Hella Good.”

Saturday, Aug. 10

Which One’s Pink?: Pink Floyd tribute. A celebration of the 51st anniversary of “Dark Side of the Moon.”

Sunday, Aug. 11

I Am King: The Michael Jackson Experience. The top nationally touring tribute to “Michael Jackson…Live From Las Vegas” comes to Orange County.

Thursday, Aug. 15

The Long Run: Experience the Eagles. The live tribute experience pays homage to The Eagles’ greatest hits.

Friday, Aug. 16

Devotional: The Depeche Mode Experience. Covering songs from the band’s 15-record repertoire, such as “Enjoy The Silence” and “Personal Jesus.”

Saturday, Aug. 16

Twisted Gypsy: A tribute to the music of rock band Fleetwood Mac that’ll take fans back to the heyday of ’70s rock ‘n roll.

Sunday, Aug. 17

Zeppelin Live: A Led Zeppelin tribute act performing the greatest hits of the ’70s & ’80s.

Monday, Aug. 18

Tupua: The Spirit of Aloha. This show will showcase the best of Polynesian tunes and experiences. Witness the Samoan flaming fire knife dance, the rhythmic Tahitian drums, and the Tupua Hula Maidens with their hulas.

​ Orange County Register 

Person found dead in San Juan Capistrano after deputies respond to domestic violence call

• July 9, 2024

Orange County sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic violence call in San Juan Capistrano on Tuesday morning and found that a homicide had occurred, authorities said.

The deputies were called to the 32000 block of Alipaz Street, near Del Obispo Street, just past 7:30 a.m. on a call of domestic violence. Upon arrival at the scene, they found a homicide had occurred, officials said.

During the subsequent response, a deputy-involved shooting occurred, but exactly what led to the shooting was not immediately known. Whether anyone was struck by the deputies’ gunfire also was not immediately known.

Further details were not immediately available.

This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.

​ Orange County Register 

How can homicide ever be justifiable? Ask the lawyer

• July 9, 2024

Q: A homicide means someone is killed.  It is very hard for me to understand how that can ever be justified.

T. B., Bellflower

Ron Sokol

A:  You are correct that homicide is the act of killing another person. Under California Penal Code Section 197, there are certain instances where taking a life may be justified: (a) When you are acting in actual self-defense, (b) when you are defending your home or property, or (c) when you are either trying to make a citizen’s arrest, or seeking to keep the peace. Each of these defenses are subject to very careful assessment.

Self-defense means you were in imminent danger of great bodily injury, and further that you only employed the level of force necessary to defend yourself.

With regard to defending your home or property, there was an intruder who was intending to commit a violent crime, you reasonably believed the threat of harm was imminent, and it was both reasonable that you believed deadly force was necessary, and the amount of force you employed was reasonable.

The defense of citizen’s arrest means a felony was involved which created a risk of death or great bodily injury, and the wrongdoer posed a future danger to society. As to keeping the peace, you were trying by lawful means to prevent a riot or violence from occurring.

Q: A homicide can really be excusable or accidental? The D.A. is telling us no criminal charges are going to be brought because my friend’s death was “excusable.”

F.S., Lomita

A: You did not set forth the circumstances that the D.A. evaluated. Keep in mind that a prosecutor has a clear edict: He or she is not to bring a criminal case against anyone without a genuine belief that the crime can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

An example of taking the life of another which may be deemed excusable or accidental would be at a shooting range, and (sadly) someone wanders into the target area.

California Penal Code Section 195 sets forth that homicide is excusable (or may be deemed accidental) when it is done by accident and misfortune, or occurs in the performance of a lawful act by lawful means, with usual and ordinary care, and without any unlawful intent.

A further example: A swimming instructor is teaching a young student, takes a brief restroom break and returns to find the student has drowned. It turns out the student had an unexpected aneurysm, that no one would have anticipated or predicted. Tragic indeed, but accidental.

Ron Sokol has been a practicing attorney for over 40 years, and has also served many times as a judge pro tem, mediator, and arbitrator. It is important to keep in mind that this column presents a summary of the law, and is not to be treated or considered legal advice, let alone a substitute for actual consultation with a qualified professional.

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​ Orange County Register 

What’s Southern California’s best city for renters?

• July 9, 2024

“How expensive?” tracks measurements of California’s totally unaffordable housing market.

The pain: Southern California’s best cities to be a renter cost an average 12% more than lower-ranked places.

The source: My trusty spreadsheet reviewed WalletHub’s grades scoring the value of being a tenant in 182 US cities – including 18 in Southern California. This metric compares a benchmark for costs with a yardstick for livability to create an overall ranking. Then we contrasted those grades with typical rents for 2024’s first half as tabulated by Zillow.

The pinch

Ponder how WalletHub’s scorecard ranks the 18 Southern California cities – the best 9 in overall score compared to the worst 9. Then let’s look at cost vs. quality of life.

Now, no renter should be surprised that local pricing ranked poorly on a national basis.

Southern California’s top 9 cities averaged a No. 137 national ranking for “affordability” – that’s far below the 182-city midpoint. And the bottom 9 averaged even worse at 167.

Conversely, Southern California’s quality of rental life graded well.

The top 9 cities averaged a high No. 27 ranking for livability. And even the bottom 9 averaged an above-average 60.

But there’s a real cost to the region’s rental upper crust.

Using Zillow rents, tenants in these top 9 Southern California cities pay the landlord an average $2,186 compared to $1,950 in the bottom 9. That’s an extra $236 a month for what one scorecard saw as the “best” locally.

Pressure points

Irvine was Southern California’s top rental spot, by WalletHub’s math, ranking No. 22 overall nationally.

The city was graded a below-par No. 109 for affordability out of the 182 US cities but 10th-highest nationwide for quality of life. And if Irvine’s your place, Zillow says typical rents run $2,390 a month.

At the other end of the spectrum, San Bernardino had the region’s worst rental grades. It ranked 19th worst nationally – 167th for affordability and 118th for quality. But note the city’s typical rent of $1,327 was 45% below Irvine!

Southern California’s other rankings …

No. 35 nationally was Huntington Beach, ranking 129th for affordability and sixth for quality. Rent? $2,376.

No. 57 San Diego: 155th for affordability, 13th for quality. Rent? $2,230.

No. 58 Fontana: 114th for affordability, 34th for quality. Rent? $2,257.

No. 67 Oxnard: 86th for affordability, 65th for quality. Rent? $2,108.

No. 76 Rancho Cucamonga: 161th for affordability, 12th for quality. Rent? $2,089.

No. 85 Garden Grove: 163rd for affordability, 11th for quality. Rent? $1,999.

No. 95 Santa Clarita: 165th for affordability, 26th for quality. Rent? $2,170.

No. 121 Anaheim: 149th for affordability, 66th for quality. Rent? $2,052.

No. 126 Chula Vista: 152nd for affordability, 61th for quality. Rent? $2,131.

No. 127 Santa Ana: 164th for affordability, 54th for quality. Rent? $2,128.

No. 129 Riverside: 145th for affordability, 72nd for quality. Rent? $1,776.

No. 132 Glendale: 178th for affordability, 17th for quality. Rent? $2,295.

No. 133 Los Angeles: 169th for affordability, 50th for quality. Rent? $2,411.

No. 137 Long Beach: 166th for affordability, 69th for quality. Rent? $1,848.

No. 144 Ontario: 176th for affordability, 41th for quality. Rent? $1,838.

No. 149 Moreno Valley: 172nd for affordability, 63rd for quality. Rent? $1,690.

No. 156 Oceanside: 179th for affordability, 53rd for quality. Rent? $2,054.

Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at [email protected]

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​ Orange County Register 

Tour de France: Jasper Philipsen breaks through in Stage 10

• July 9, 2024

SAINT-AMAND-MONTROND, France — Jasper Philipsen edged a thrilling sprint to win his first stage of this Tour de France on Tuesday after finishing runner-up twice last week.

Biniam Girmay, winner of two stages already, was runner-up a second time, and Pascal Ackermann was third.

The overall leaders stayed the same. Tadej Pogacar retained the yellow jersey with the same 33 second gap on Remco Evenepoel and more than a minute on two-time defending champion Jonas Vingegaard.

The 10th stage from Orléans to Saint-Amand-Montrond in central France was a flat 187 kilometers (116 miles) without classified climbs, and set the stage for a mass sprint.

Philipsen, the Belgian rider known for his powerful finishes, finally capitalized. This was his seventh career stage in the last three Tours.

“Today everything worked according to plan,” Philipsen said. “We came to the Tour de France with the goal of winning at least one stage. I’m really happy that we can now tick that box and go further in the Tour with more confidence in the team.”

Following the first rest day, the race unfolded without major disruptions despite intermittent showers. The peloton enjoyed a picturesque route, passing the 500-year-old Château de Chambord.

Stage 11 on Wednesday will get the riders back climbing again in the Massif Central mountains.

​ Orange County Register