Clippers vs. Suns: First-round scouting report, prediction

• April 15, 2023

SERIES SCHEDULE

(best-of-seven, all times PT)

Game 1: Sunday at Phoenix, 5 p.m. (TNT/Bally Sports SoCal)

Game 2: Tuesday at Phoenix, 7 p.m. (TNT/Bally Sports SoCal)

Game 3: Thursday at Clippers, 7:30 p.m. (NBA/Bally Sports SoCal)

Game 4: Saturday at Clippers, 12:30 p.m. (TNT/Bally Sports SoCal)

*Game 5: April 25 at Phoenix, time TBD (TV TBD)

*Game 6: April 27 at Clippers, time TBD (TV TBD)

*Game 7: April 29 at Phoenix, time TBD (TV TBD)

*If necessary

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Clippers and Suns split the regular-season series, 2-2

Oct. 23: Suns 112, Clippers 95, at Crypto.com Arena

Dec. 15: Suns 111, Clippers 95, at Crypto.com Arena

Feb. 16: Clippers 116, Suns 107, in Phoenix

April 9: Clippers 119, Suns 114, in Phoenix

TALE OF THE TAPE

Clippers (regular-season rank) … category … Suns (regular-season rank)

44-38 … Season Record … 45-37

113.6 (17th, tied) … PPG … 113.6 (17th, tied)

113.1 (12th) … Opp. PPG … 111.6 (6th)

47.7 (13th) … FG Pct. … 46.7 (23rd)

38.1 (3rd) … 3pt Pct. … 37.4 (7th)

78.1 (18th) … FT Pct. … 79.3 (10th)

43.2 (17th) … Rebounds … 44.2 (11th)

23.9 (24th) … Assists … 27.3 (4th)

7.1 (15th, tied) … Steals … 7.1 (15th, tied)

4.4 (21st) … Blocked Shots … 5.3 (5th)

13.5 (17th) … Turnovers … 12.9 (11th, tied)

STARTING BACKCOURT

Eight-time All-Star Paul George (sprained knee) is expected to be out for this series, leaving the fifth-seeded Clippers with a huge void in the backcourt. But they have nine-time All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook, who has proven to be efficient with the Clippers and if he can continue to play within his game (i.e., not try to do too much), he could pose problems for the Suns with his attack to the basket. The Clippers have made 50.9% of their field goal attempts with Westbrook on the court, and they will use Eric Gordon to space the floor with his 3-point shooting. … Fourth-seeded Phoenix has far too much talent in its backcourt to be worried. Devin Booker, when healthy, has enjoyed a career year, averaging 27.8 points. Future Hall of Famer Chris Paul, who memorably scored 41 points in Game 6 of the 2021 Western Conference finals to eliminate his old team, is shooting 44% from the field and averaging 13.9 points and 8.9 assists in 32 minutes per game. EDGE: SUNS

STARTING FRONTCOURT

Kawhi Leonard will be in his well-known playoff mode, but it might not be enough to offset the Suns’ Kevin Durant, who came to Phoenix in a February trade with Brooklyn. With Durant in the lineup, those two teams have lost only once in 22 games. The Suns are unbeaten in eight games with a healthy Durant. With George out with a sprained knee, Leonard has upped his game, posting 40, 25, 27 and 25 points in his past four games but he will also be expected to defend Durant. That could be a tough, draining assignment. Veteran forward Nicolas Batum (39.% from 3-point range) has stepped in admirably for Marcus Morris Sr., who has been out with back spasms. … Suns center Deandre Ayton is the team’s third-leading scorer at 18 ppg and is pulling down an average of 10 rebounds. Clippers center Ivica Zubac averages 10.8 ppg and 9.9 rpg. EDGE: EVEN

BENCHES

The Suns traded most of their key role players to bring Durant to Phoenix, leaving their bench light on talent. The Clippers, meanwhile, have a corps of two-way wing players who can shoot from outside and space the floor. Finding the right combination has been a problem this season, especially when going small. Still, the Clippers have several players, such as Norman Powell, Bones Hyland and Terance Mann who Lue can use to adjust to opponents and exploit their weaknesses. EDGE: CLIPPERS

COACHES

In three seasons with Cleveland, Tyronn Lue led the Cavaliers to three consecutive NBA Finals, winning the 2016 title. In his first season with the Clippers, he guided them to the conference finals, rubber-stamping him as one of the league’s best coaches. Last season, without Leonard, the Clippers lost a pair of play-in tournament games (they were also without George for the second one). … Phoenix coach Monty Williams led the Suns to the 2021 NBA Finals and was named the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year after guiding them to a league-best 64-18 record before they lost in the second round of the playoffs. EDGE: CLIPPERS

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INTANGIBLES

It remains to be seen how George’s absence will affect the Clippers’ chances of advancing. The All-Star wing is coming off a sprained knee and is expected to be back should the team reach the second round. The Clippers’ deep bench will be counted on to pick up the slack. Westbrook could be the X-factor the Clippers need. … Williams is faced with putting together a rotation with few pieces who are not named Durant, Booker or Paul, but that threesome is considered a threat to anyone’s title hopes. EDGE: SUNS

SERIES PREDICTION

Although both rosters have undergone significant changes since the 2021 conference finals, the Clippers would love nothing more to avenge that outcome. Any team facing the Suns would surely rather meet them now, when they are still trying to develop chemistry with Durant, as opposed to later in the postseason when they could find their stride. Even with Leonard’s reputation for elevating his teams in the postseason, George’s absence cannot be discounted. The rest of the team faces a heavy lift against the star-studded Suns. SUNS IN FIVE

​ Orange County Register 

Lakers vs. Grizzlies: First-round scouting report, prediction

• April 15, 2023

SERIES SCHEDULE

(Best-of-seven, all times PT)

Game 1: Sunday, at Memphis, noon (Ch. 7)

Game 2: Wednesday, at Memphis, 4:30 p.m. (TNT, Spectrum SportsNet)

Game 3: Saturday, at L.A., 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Game 4: April 24, at Lakers, TBD (TV TBD)

*Game 5: April 26, at Memphis, TBD (TV TBD)

*Game 6: April 28, at Lakers, TBD (TV TBD)

*Game 7: April 30 at Memphis, TBD (TV TBD)

*If necessary

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Lakers won the regular-season series 2-1

Jan. 2: Lakers 121, Grizzlies 120, at Crypto.com Arena

Feb. 28: Grizzlies 121, Lakers 109, at Memphis

March 7: Lakers 112, Grizzlies 103, at Crypto.com Arena

TALE OF THE TAPE

Grizzlies (regular-season rank) … category … Lakers (regular-season rank)

51-31 … Season record … 43-39

116.9 (9th) … PPG … 117.2 (6th)

113.0 (11th) … Opp. PPG … 116.6 (20th)

47.5 % (27th) … FG Pct. … 48.2 % (10th)

35.1 % (23rd) … 3-point Pct. … 34.6% (25th)

73.3% (30th) … FT Pct. … 77.5% (20th)

46.6 (2nd) … Rebounds … 45.7 (6th)

26.0 (9th) … Assists … 25.3 (15th)

8.3 (3rd) … Steals … 6.4 (26th)

5.8 (3rd) … Blocked shots … 4.6 (16th)

13.6 (12th) … Turnovers … 14.1 (15th)

STARTING BACKCOURT

The Grizzlies are most often described as talented but young. No one typifies that description more closely than guard Ja Morant, the Grizzlies’ leading scorer with an average of 26.2 points, who has had off-court issues this season. The NBA suspended him for eight games after a video surfaced showing him waving a gun around while in a Denver-area strip club. The Washington Post, in a recent article, detailed further incidents that included joining a group of eight or nine others in confronting a sporting goods store employee Morant claimed had upset his mother. Morant also reportedly punched a 17-year-old during a pick-up altercation last summer. Each case was investigated by police, but only after lengthy delays. … A sense of calm has come over the Lakers since they traded Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook at the NBA’s deadline on Feb. 9. D’Angelo Russell – the most high-profile addition they made at the deadline – had a rough night in the play-in game (two points on 1-for-9 shooting), and the Lakers will need him to bounce back strong in this series. EDGE: GRIZZLIES

STARTING FRONTCOURT

The Grizzlies are expected to be without injured center Steven Adams (knee) and power forward Brandon Clarke (Achilles) for the rest of the season, so that should give the Lakers a significant advantage around the basket. That leaves Jaren Jackson Jr. as the Grizzlies’ most effective big man, with averages of 18.6 points and 6.8 rebounds. He must contend with Lakers counterpart Anthony Davis and Rui Hachimura, two players at home in the paint and on the perimeter. Davis had a stellar stretch run for the Lakers interrupted by several less-than-productive games to close the regular season. But he stepped up in their play-in victory over the Timberwolves with 24 points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots. LeBron James is in his 20th NBA season and averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists. Not bad, eh? EDGE: LAKERS

BENCHES

The Lakers must ease the burden shared by Davis and James with a number of bench players that include Hachimura, Malik Beasley, Troy Brown Jr. and Dennis Schröder. Lakers coach Darvin Ham is expected to tighten his rotation for the playoffs, as all coaches tend to do. The Grizzlies will be short-handed up front with Adams and Clarke sidelined, and their depth will be tested. EDGE: LAKERS

COACHES

Ham won an NBA championship as a player with the Detroit Pistons (over the Lakers) in 2003-04 and as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks (over the Phoenix Suns) in 2020-21. He’s in his first season as a head coach with the Lakers and probably feels like he has coached several different versions of this team already given the injuries to Davis and James and the trade deadline roster makeover. Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins, part of the Mike Budenholzer coaching tree like Ham, is in his fourth season with the Grizzlies, leading them to a second consecutive Southwest Division title. EDGE: GRIZZLIES

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INTANGIBLES

It seems weird to speak of James as an intangible, but when it comes to leading a team in the playoffs, there’s no one with his sparkling résumé in this series or any other. At present, he’s without a peer in the NBA, and that gives the Lakers a very large advantage in a first-round series against the youthful Grizzlies. The play-in game was the Lakers’ eighth game in a 14-day stretch, but counting their days off following the play-in win, their next four games will be played over 13 days, surely a welcome change. EDGE: LAKERS

SERIES PREDICTION

The Grizzlies are probably a slight favorite in what figures to be among the most closely watched first-round series. The Lakers’ experience in the form of past NBA champions James and Davis will likely give them an edge when things get tight. Game 1 certainly looms as a must-win for the Grizzlies, who would gain a huge boost of confidence while maintaining home-court advantage. LAKERS IN SEVEN.

​ Orange County Register 

Alexander: Can Lakers make history against Grizzlies?

• April 15, 2023

So far this spring, the Lakers have hung their hats on resiliency. After falling behind by 15 points to a drastically short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves team on Tuesday, and finally winning in overtime to advance beyond the play-in round for the second time in three years, much was made of the self-imposed struggles they’ve overcome to get here.

It’s that old “nobody believed in us” trope, and so what if they dug their own trench and climbed out of it?

“That’s where we started, 2-10, and the analytic guys and the media, (people) upstairs in our front office, saying that we had 0.3% chance of getting to the playoffs, and obviously we defeated those odds,” Anthony Davis said after the 108-102 overtime victory over the Timberwolves.

Then, he added:

“You know, we don’t want to stop there, just getting in. Obviously, you got small victories, seeing where we started, but now we want to get greedy and make some noise in these playoffs.”

In one sense the task is steeper when the No. 7 seed Lakers face the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies, beginning with Game 1 on Sunday afternoon in Memphis. In the three previous years of play-in games, no team getting out of that preliminary round has won its first-round series – and of the nine series, only three have reached as many as six games and none have gone seven.

There’s usually a reason, in other words, why a team is a No. 2 seed, and the underlying message is that punting the first part of the season and depending on a hot streak at the end is no way to win a championship.

Then again, Laker fans can argue that their team, which knocked off the Golden State Warriors to reach the main draw in 2021, might have beaten Phoenix in the next round if Davis hadn’t hurt his groin in Game 4. Instead, they lost in six. There’s a theme here.

Those Lakers finished 42-30 in a truncated schedule, were the defending champs and were actually favored against the Suns, their low seed having a lot to do with LeBron James missing 27 games to injury and Davis missing 36.

Which brings us to these playoffs and this series. That team was never as underwater as this one was for most of the season, and yes, James again missed 27 games this season while Davis was unavailable for 36.

And yes, these Lakers are underdogs against Memphis, which was 51-31 in the regular season and features one of the game’s most dynamic (if sometimes impetuous) young players in Ja Morant (averaging 26.2 points, 8.1 assists, 5.9 rebounds per game) along with the league leaders in blocked shots (Jared Jackson, 3.0) and 3-point percentage (former Clipper Luke Kennard, .494).

But if you’re a Lakers fan looking for hope, consider: The Grizzlies will be without center Steven Adams (knee) and power forward Brandon Clarke (Achilles injury), meaning that as long as Davis can stay upright, he will be a thorny problem for Memphis and possibly the difference in the series.

“We have a healthy, active A.D. playing at a high level,” Coach Darvin Ham said before Tuesday’s game. “It takes a lot of pressure off the rest of the team, including Bron. You know Bron is going to be Bron. Bron is going to be spectacular. But A.D. has to be the guy that initiates for us, that sustains and finishes at a high level on both sides of the ball.”

But this is worth noting. The teams played three times this season, with the Lakers winning the two games in L.A. and Memphis winning its home game. And none of those games included James and Davis on the court together.

L.A. pulled out the first meeting, a 122-121 decision at home on Jan. 20, with a 41-point fourth quarter. Davis was out and James had 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists. When the Grizzlies won at home on Feb. 28, 121-109, Davis had 28 points, 19 rebounds and five blocked shots but was 9 for 19 from the field, two nights after James injured his foot in Dallas.

In the most recent meeting, a 112-103 Lakers victory on March 7 at home with LeBron still sidelined, Davis had 30 points, 22 rebounds and two blocks and was 11 for 17 from the field. Adams did not play in either of the last two games, and Clarke was out for the March game as well.

“In our matchups with Memphis they didn’t double(-team),” Davis recalled. “Usually Steven Adams guards me, and then (6-foot-7) Xavier Tillman, he kind of guarded me straight up, so I’m not sure what their plan is. Haven’t seen many double-teams against Memphis.”

In the last meeting, with both Adams and Clarke out, Tillman played 32 minutes and 7-foot rookie Santi Aldama played 26½. Rest assured, the Grizzlies have spent the last four days devising a defensive plan for Davis and for James. Also rest assured that the plan likely will change the longer the series goes and will be revised the first time that D’Angelo Russell or Dennis Schröder or Austin Reaves burns the Grizzlies.

Ham and Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins both come from the Mike Budenholzer coaching tree, so the strategic game within a game could be a classic. The game on the floor, meanwhile, could turn nasty, given the taunts and trash talk between the sides the last three years.

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Consider, too, that the league and its TV partners seem to have handed the Lakers a favorable schedule for the early part of the series. They’ve had four days of rest before Game 1, and they’ll enjoy two days off before Game 2 and two more days before Game 3 on Saturday evening in Los Angeles.

But the bottom line? This is not the Lakers team that struggled through the first four months of the season. Rob Pelinka’s moves at the trade deadline gave James and Davis a far better supporting cast. This truly is that proverbial team you don’t want to face in the postseason.

And as long as the two stars stay healthy, the pick here is that it will end in downtown L.A. two Fridays from now with the purple and gold streamers raining from the rafters, and the Lakers pivoting to prepare for either Golden State or Sacramento.

Maybe all of those folks who had the phrase “Lakers in 6” trending on Twitter a few days ago were prescient.

[email protected]

​ Orange County Register 

Day 2 of Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach promises competitive races, raucous tunes

• April 15, 2023

Long Beach’s motorsports party is into Day 2 — and now it’s really going to rev up.

The second day of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach got underway early Saturday morning, April 15, with visitors getting to enjoy a full day of competitive action, the continuing delights of the Lifestyle Expo, Family Fun Center and countless culinary creations.

And for the second straight day, an evening concert will cap off the fun.

RELATED: For Day 1 coverage, click here. For all of SCNG’s Grand Prix coverage, click here.

Keith Napp was geared up with his Grand Prix cap and T-shirt ready to start his early morning on Saturday.

Napp arrived from Venice right as the gates opened. He has been attending the Grand Prix for about 20 years, only missing a couple in the early 2000s, he said.

“I’m looking forward to a good race and the Formula 1 cars,” he said. “They’re old and don’t want to rack up but it’s cool to still get to see them.”

Napp said he would definitely recommend people make the trip out to Long Beach, even just for the other attractions and the experience.

“I always enjoy coming,” Napp said. “It’s great partying with everyone ever year.”

Things got off to a relatively slow start during Day 1, which is normal, given the street circuit mostly hosts practice and qualifying runs and that Friday is a workday for many.

But that doesn’t mean folks didn’t have a blast.

“It’s great — my favorite part is the Super Trucks,” Desirae Hepp, a Long Beach native attending the Grand Prix for the first time, said on Friday. “They remind me of (Hutch’s) cars in ‘Grand Theft Auto.’”

Still, with organizers expecting more than 180,000 people to attend over the Grand Prix’s three-day run, the downtown Long Beach concourse will likely be more crowded on Saturday.

And there’s plenty for folks to enjoy.

The Stadium Super Trucks and the Porsche Carrera Cup with each have their first races of the weekend, with the Super Drift Challenge No. 2 also scheduled for Saturday.

And for those of a certain-generation — or at least with a love of all things vintage — the first Historic F1 Challenge Race is also on tap.

That’s a moment that Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, said will be special.

“For those who are old enough to reminisce about (seeing) those cars blur down Shoreline Drive, it’s going to be a great chance to go back into your memory bank,” Michaelian said in a previous interview. “But more importantly, I think the vast majority of the people will not have had a chance to see or hear those cars — and by the end of the weekend, you’ll get a small taste of what it was like to run when we ran Formula 1 year in the old days.

“That’s going to be a special moment.”

The headliner of the day, though, will be the IMSA SportsCar Grand Prix — a 100-minute affair.

The evening’s headliner, meanwhile, is also poised to amp folks up.

All-star band Kings of Chaos will rock the Grand Prix during the Saturday night concert at the Terrace Theater plaza, a day after DJ Boombox Cartel welcomed back Fiest Friday by getting people moving to electronic dance music.

Kings of Chaos is made up of a rotating roster of well-known musicians. The roster for Saturday includes vocalists Corey Taylor of Slipknot, Corey Glover and Vernon Reid from Living Colour, Lzzy Hale, lead vocalist-guitarist of rock band Halestorm, plus Rome Ramirez of Long Beach’s Sublime with Rome.

Related links

The party gets started at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
This is why a nonprofit brought 20 college students to Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
Two-time LBGP winner Alexander Rossi offers insight into keys to victory
From King of the Beach to personal struggles, racing icon Al Unser Jr. strives to rise anew
All-star band Kings of Chaos will rock the Grand Prix of Long Beach

Based on that lineup, it seems as if the Saturday night concert is poised to provide an eclectic array of musical energy.

So whether you love roaring engines or ear-splitting rock, there will be no shortage of fun for those who attend Day 2 of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

If you can’t make it but would still like to know what’s going on in downtown Long Beach, don’t fret: Come back here for updates on the day at the races.

​ Orange County Register 

What to do when something weird is growing on tree bark

• April 15, 2023

Q. My 20-something-old redbud tree has developed lichens on the trunk, which is a first. Do I have a problem and is there anything I should do?  I have another one in the yard which doesn’t have this problem.

When we see something weird growing on tree bark, it is usually algae, lichens, moss, or fungi (or a combination of these). These can be gray, white, green, or even orange. Most of these organisms can be classified as epiphytes, or simply put, things that live on other things.

Algae, moss, and lichens (a combination of algae and fungi) are more likely to appear on older trees due to their slower growth. Younger trees’ trunk diameter increases quickly during periods of rapid growth, so the epiphytes are still present but spread out and less obvious. In most cases, epiphytes are harmless. They live off material already present on bark or simply condensation and dust particles in the air. “Air plants” are epiphytes.

Sometimes their presence can indicate an adverse growing condition that should be corrected. Algae and moss grow where there is excessive moisture and inadequate light. Irrigation malfunctions or poor drainage can spell doom for a tree, so make sure these conditions are not present. Poor air circulation can cause increased humidity.  Inadequate light might be a result of excessive shade cast by nearby plants that have grown too large or blocked sunlight from a wall or fence. Lichens, moss, and algae are frequently seen on trees in a mature landscape that might need to be thinned out.

Fungi is frequently harmless, but its presence can be a cause for concern. One of the most common fungi found on trees is Armillaria mellea. This fungus grows on a wide range of hosts, both dead and alive. Its fruiting bodies (the visible part of a mushroom) appear as off-white shell-shaped growths, usually found at the base of the trunk. It frequently shows up on mature, drought-adapted trees that suddenly become waterlogged. Look for it after heavy rains that follow a dry summer. Your photo looks more like armillaria than lichens.

Armillaria accompanied by other symptoms of distress indicates a tree in trouble. Look for cracked or peeling bark, sap leakage or dried amber. Is the root collar covered with soil? If so, gently excavate using hand tools to uncover the collar and some of the root flare. Remove any nearby plants that require extra water, such as thirsty annuals.

Armillaria is slow-growing and is subject to attack by other soil fungi, particularly Trichoderma. If drainage conditions are corrected promptly, armillaria can, in many cases, be defeated. Obviously, it can’t be eradicated from the soil, but you can knock it down.

Fungicides are not effective against armillaria, so you can skip that expense.

Los Angeles County

[email protected]; 626-586-1988; http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/UC_Master_Gardener_Program/

Orange County

[email protected]; 949-809-9760; http://mgorange.ucanr.edu/

Riverside County

[email protected]; 951-683-6491 ext. 231; https://ucanr.edu/sites/RiversideMG/

San Bernardino County

[email protected]; 909-387-2182; http://mgsb.ucanr.edu

​ Orange County Register 

Here’s what is being done to improve training, function of Marines’s new amphibious vehicle

• April 15, 2023

A team of amphibious warfare experts is at Camp Pendleton redoing a training program for the instructors and Marines who are operating and maintaining a new troop carrier, following multiple accidents that occurred while crews practiced with the 36-ton vehicles.

The Amphibious Combat Vehicle is replacing the vehicle the Marines have used for decades to transport troops between ships and shore, the Amphibious Assault Vehicle. But since the ACV’s introduction in 2019, there have been four instances when the new vehicles have flipped over while training in surf – there have been no major injuries reported.

Now, the Marine Corps is taking a second look at training for the vehicle, with the recognition that the ACVs are vastly more sophisticated than their predecessor and require a different level of training expertise. Additionally, officials say a new technology being developed will provide a more accurate read on the surf zone and wave conditions. But despite concerns raised and delays to the inclusion of the ACVs on overseas deployments, Marines say the vehicle will be the backbone of amphibious warfare.

The latest training accident was in October when Marines from Camp Pendleton’s Assault Amphibian School and instructors were trapped briefly in an ACV that fell sideways and then flipped in 2- to 3-foot high surf. No one was injured, but it took several days to tow the vehicle ashore.

At least three of the $5.9 million vehicles have been damaged beyond repair in training accidents.

It is in the surf zone – the area near shore where waves build and break – where the Marines seem to be having trouble with maneuvering the ACVs.

The vehicles were first put through their operational paces by a team of Camp Pendleton Marines at the Marine Corps Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and the testing has continued on training ranges at Camp Pendleton and off its beaches. The vehicles got good reviews for their performance on land, and Marines who tested them reported finding the vehicles superior to their predecessor.

“What we’re focused on right now is building experience and expertise with the platform while our testing branch gets important data on how the ACV reacts in certain surf zone conditions,” said Capt. Ryan Bruce, a Marine spokesman.  “Right now, the Amphibious Vehicle Testing Branch is experimenting to best understand the upper limits of the platform in the surf zone and develop standard operating procedures that take into account the impact of other variables on surf zone transit.”

Senate testimony

In recent testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger addressed some of the vehicles’ shortfalls and reported what the military and the manufacturer, BAE Systems, are doing to address the problems. Berger emphasized the ACVs’ importance to amphibious warfare by having the potential “to greatly enhance” the Marine’s ability to maneuver near shore and its “expeditionary reach.”

The ACVs, which ride on eight wheels and have a shape designed to better survive a bomb blast, are replacing the Marine’s fleet of 800 tracked AAVs, which given their age are now requiring hours of maintenance to keep operational. The ACVs have been designed to have a swim capability similar to their predecessors and have equal or greater mobility compared to the M1 Abrams tank – also on its way out.

“As with all new systems and technologies, there have been a few notable challenges,” Berger told the senators. “We are currently working with BAE Systems to address two major component issues — one with the struts/shock absorbers and the other with the central tire inflation system. Both issues have caused part failures, resulting in a decrease in reliability and a corresponding decrease in readiness.”

And, he noted that the vehicles have had “possible water incursion into the power train.”

The commandant also discussed the vehicle’s lack of agility in the surf, recounting the incidents when the vehicles rolled over.

Leaders first temporarily limited their water use and then, after the latest training accident, it was ordered that the vehicles not be used in the surf zone, but instead train in protected waters. ACVs have been allowed to continue training in the open ocean near ships.

Berger told senators that Marine safety investigators along with officials from BAE found that the ACV rollovers were caused when the vehicles got turned parallel to the surf line and were struck by large waves.

“These events were, in large part, the product of training shortfalls,” Berger said.

“We are actively working with BAE Systems to rectify all mechanical concerns and are enhancing the training regimen for our vehicle operators on this new and more sophisticated amphibious vehicle,” he added.

Lt. Col. Kent Ralston, a former executive officer for the Assault Amphibian School at Camp Pendleton who is now retired, argues there may not have been enough testing done on the vehicle before it went out to the fleet. When the testing was done, he said, the Marines realized that the training was “inadequate to help mitigate the issue of the vehicle flipping over in the surf zone.”

“I’m all for more training, but training is not going to fix the inherent design flaws that the ACV has,” Ralston said. A former AAV battalion commander, he was previously part of a team that reviewed future amphibious tactical vehicles including the ACV. “There will always be some kind of mechanical failure, and the vehicle will get caught sideways. They’re never going to be able to say, ‘That vehicle is not going to flip over in the surf zone.’ They’ll get it down to some acceptable level of loss and move on.”

Col. Walt Yates, a former program manager for training systems at Marine Corps Systems Command, who is also retired, said he believes many of the present issues could have been avoided if training simulators were used to prepare the Marines before they got onto the vehicles.

In contrast, the U.S. military has never fielded any manned aircraft without a pilot simulator, he said. “The ACV is the most expensive ground weapons system program in the history of the Marine Corps.”

Immersive simulators would also give the Marine Corps “a very cost-effective way to train ACV crews” for various weather and beach conditions that can’t be replicated at the bases in California or North Carolina, Yates said.

Doubling down

The special trainers now at Camp Pendleton are working on evaluation and certification programs to ensure drivers, vehicle commanders and maintenance crews have the technical knowledge to operate the ACVs safely. Then with new standard operating procedures in place, the new training will be rolled out across the fleet.

To also help get the vehicles through the surf,  Berger said in a recent interview that an effort is also underway to “rapidly field a system to give a better read on the surf zone” and provide a more accurate report on ocean conditions.

The Marine Corps Warfighting Lab is looking at autonomous drones that would provide real-time information on currents, wave height, the number of waves and how they are breaking.  The technology is expected to be ready sometime later in 2023.

The Corps has received between 139 and 200 ACVs to date – there is discrepancy between the number reported by the Marines and the manufacturer – and is expected to ultimately have 632 in its fleet. The initial $198 million deal was signed in 2018.

In addition, to the troop transport vehicles the Marines already delivered, BAE has another $256.8 million in contracts for more vehicles, including more of the transports, a model that will function as a command vehicle – with more sophisticated communications – and one that will act as a recovery vehicle for ACVs that have broken down.

While BAE officials would not comment on how they are working with the Marines to address some of the mechanical issues experienced or how long it will take, they emphasized that “readiness and safety of Marines are always top priority.”

“We will continue partnering closely with the Marine Corps to deliver the safest, most capable platform for our nation’s Marines,” a BAE spokesman said.

Marine Corps officials say they are convinced the ACV is the best vehicle for their future operations and that it is more lethal, is better designed for troops to survive attacks, and is reliable.

The ACV is considered “the future” of the Marines’ operations, especially now as Berger sees the service working even more closely with the Navy. He envisions the potential for island-hopping campaigns and other amphibious operations in the Indo-Pacific, an area military leaders expect will be particularly contested in the coming years.

“We are taking a deliberate approach as we field the ACV,” Bruce, the Marine spokesman, said, “instituting appropriate safety measures to ensure we can train safely and effectively and incorporate lessons learned into future training evolutions.”

​ Orange County Register 

All about Alzheimer’s: Free conference coming to Irvine

• April 15, 2023

Her mom was an attorney — a “brilliant, brilliant, bright star.” They used to talk every single day. “She was my cornerstone — she always had the best advice,” said Jil Wexler.

But now, “She’s disappeared.”

Alzheimer’s disease is a slow death, a long goodbye, a soul-crusher as the people we know and love fade before our eyes. It’s one of the leading causes of death in California, and the Alzheimer’s death rate here is among the highest in the nation — eclipsed only by Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and Utah, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As people live longer, the number of folks with Alzheimer’s is expected to grow exponentially — and, disturbingly, more young people are being diagnosed with early-onset dementia and Alzheimer’s, according to a sobering 2020 study by Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Though the numbers were small, diagnoses among insured folks aged 30 to 64 increased 200% over just five years, with women more heavily impacted than men, the study found.

Luckily — for those of us who are not getting any younger — Southern California is a hotbed of Alzheimer’s research, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is hosting a free Educational Conference for Southern California from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 19 at Hilton Irvine, 18800 MacArthur Blvd.

Folks can learn about the latest science from experts at UC Irvine, how to mobilize local support for the sometimes-overwhelming job of caregiving from folks at Alzheimer’s Orange County, explore how young folks can get involved and get tips on keeping the brain in tip-top shape. Advance registration is highly recommended at www.alzfdn.org/tour.

Over the next 20 years, the impact of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias on the state of California will increase dramatically, said a recent study from the California Department of Public Health.

Learn, connect

Sessions will include “Looking Forward to a Future Without Alzheimer’s,” where Frank M. LaFerla, director of the UCI Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the university’s Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, will talk about the latest research underway. UCI was recently awarded a $47 million grant from the National Institute on Aging to develop next-generation mouse models for studying late-onset Alzheimer’s, and Hoag Hospital is the site of clinical trials that hope to uncover treatment and even cures.

Alzheimer’s is a leading cause of death in California and the U.S. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

There’s also “It Takes a Village,” where Jim McAleer, president and CEO of Alzheimer’s Orange County, will walk people through how to access support groups, educational workshops, adult daycare facilities and the like. The group has two adult day centers — Healthy Aging Center Acacia and Healthy Aging Center Laguna Woods — and he’ll stress the importance of engaging with the community.

In “Youth, Care, and Alzheimer’s,”  Giovanna Manson-Hing, a  public health gerontologist,  will explore the role younger folks play in caring for people with Alzheimer’s, and what they can do now to mitigate their own risks.

Free, confidential memory screenings will be conducted throughout the day as well.

From the front lines

Dee Ransom has been married to her husband John for 51 years. He was an FBI agent, diagnosed in 2017 after having trouble communicating and understanding. They started taking classes together at Alzheimer’s Orange County, and she cared for him at their Huntington Beach home “happily and wonderfully” as long as she could.

But the disease progressed. He escaped one night. “I could no longer keep him safe,” the former school administrator said. She sold their home to keep him in a quality memory-care facility, and moved to a less-expensive place in rural San Diego County. That, she said, is an economic eventuality that caregivers should prepare for.

“I just moved three weeks ago,” she said. “It’s an adjustment. I’ve never lived without John.”

(Illustration by thinkstock.com)

Her advice to others is to “connect, connect, connect” through the Alzheimer’s groups. Events are not just informative, but social. “We built a community,” she said. “The caregiver needs to take care of him or herself as well as the person they’re tending. It can be exhausting. You’re not alone. Just ask.”

Meantime, Wexler’s mom is being heroically cared for at home by her stepdad. “It has been heartbreaking to watch the brilliant woman who raised me become a shell of herself,” she said. “Luckily, she is still a kind, caring and loving person. Some of her antics are funny, but most are sad.  At times she does not recognize her husband, my dear step-father Paul, and asks him how long they have been married. It has been well over 40 years.”

Wexler will be teaching a group Pilates class at Club Pilates in Newport Beach in June to benefit the Alzheimer’s Foundation. Details to come.

“Knowledge is a useful and powerful tool that can help make any situation easier to navigate, especially something as challenging as caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA president and CEO, in a prepared statement. “Connecting families with useful, practical information and support that can help them now and be better prepared for the future is what this conference is all about.”

Questions about Alzheimer’s? AFA’s helpline is 866-232-8484, or web chat at www.alzfdn.org. Alzheimer’s Orange County’s helpline is 844-373-4400, or check out www.alzoc.org.

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Jil Wexler and her mom, who was her cornerstone. Her mom has Alzheimer’s disease. (Photo courtesy Wexler)

​ Orange County Register 

Weeks after severe storm, residents in San Bernardino Mountains embark on arduous recovery

• April 15, 2023

Weeks after a record-breaking storm pummeled the San Bernardino Mountains, dirty snow still lines the streets, piled atop cars and blocking driveways — slowly melting remnants of the extreme weather that radically changed people’s lives and a stark reminder of the arduous recovery ahead.

The storm dumped more than 100 inches of snow in the region over several days, isolating many for days, forcing some to go without food or needed medicine and endangering lives, while clogging local roads and damaging property and businesses.

Amid criticism of a slow response, local officials admitted they were unprepared for the extraordinary storm. A resident-led volunteer effort dubbed “Operation Mountain Strong” cropped up to dig neighbors out of homes and deliver food and medical supplies, at one point clashing with the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department over landing helicopters.

While many of the storm’s immediate effects have subsided — most roads are clear and people are able to get out of their homes — residents say the memories of the harrowing weeks won’t let go.

Inside the lower offices of the local movie theater, Blue Jay Cinema, Operation Mountain Strong still gives out boxes of food to residents that trickle in.

Organizers Patrice Mock, a 57-year-old Lake Arrowhead resident of 26 years, and her daughter, 26-year-old Crestline resident Faith Mattioli, said that the donation outpost sometimes feels like a place for survivors to reconnect, especially as many have been unable to return to work.

“Honestly, sitting here, I’m ready to cry,” Mock said. “It was all about residents helping each other in the beginning. We did not have any help. Even when people got up here, we felt like we were forgotten.”

Mock and Mattioli recalled the early days of the storm, when residents would climb to the top of enormous snow berms outside their homes to take photos and try to connect with neighbors. Facebook groups were filled with dozens upon dozens of posts from people asking for help digging out their cars, or for someone to get groceries to them.

“During the beginning phase, no one could come up here, so you couldn’t get the help that you needed,” Mattioli said. “A lot of us, we’re just volunteers — we’re not licensed EMTs or anything.”

At Goodwin’s Market, the beloved Crestline grocery store and community pillar that saw its roof collapse during the storm, crews are in the midst of rebuilding of most of the store. Kaleb Goodwin, whose family owns the store, walked around what used to be its floor — it’s now an enormous swath of empty, rain-soaked concrete — and detailed the recovery process.

Blue Jay Cinema, a center for resident relief food donations is still active on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)

“We calculated that about 2.55 million pounds of snow were on our roof, and then it collapsed,” Goodwin said. “I’m very optimistic that we’re going to build a better store that will be good for the community and good for our family.”

RELATED COVERAGE: Beloved Crestline grocery store begins long rebuilding process after roof collapsed during snowstorm

The Goodwins plan to add new dining areas and a new food preparation area to the store, in addition to replacing the roof and the parts of the building’s infrastructure that were damaged.

“I think the community is devastated,” Goodwin said. “A lot of them want to move off the mountain. A lot of people are very supportive. We’ve had very positive feedback.”

Eryk Staubel, 40-year-old Lake Arrowhead resident, is part of the family that owns the local Lake Arrowhead Brewing Company. The brewery was about celebrate its third anniversary when the storm hit.

“Everything deteriorated really quickly,” Staubel said. “It got really scary. The idea of being trapped in your home for a fun snow day turned into a type of “Groundhog Day” event.”

Lake Arrowhead Brewery Co. employees Richard Shaltz and Hunter Goneia keep busy on Thursday, April 13, 2023, as production has not slowed down due to storms. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)

Even for residents who were left relatively unscathed by the weather itself, there is a resentment among some towards local officials and an anger at how their response unfolded.

“I was able to keep my house safe from any damage,”  Brent Coates, 61, a retiree who has lived in Lake Arrowhead for five years. “I don’t feel traumatized, I was prepared enough … I’m disappointed, because our real estate prices are going to plummet. People are going to leave in droves.”

Coates, too, acknowledged the way neighbors came together, even if they had never spoken before.

“It’s amazing how many people are thanking their neighbors and community for helping out,” Coates said. “The county really dropped the ball.”

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has responded to criticisms, saying that they were able to respond quickly to most emergencies, but they did not do a good enough job of informing the public about their efforts through social media.

RELATED COVERAGE: San Bernardino mountain residents still under siege are outraged highways were reopened to visitors

For Mock and Mattioli, the lasting emotions have changed over time. Even all these weeks after the storm, as sun peeks through the clouds some days and the snow slowly melts, buildings are still red-tagged and many businesses still have not re-opened.

“I’m really sad,” Mock said. “People have lost their lives. That’s a big deal … the homes that collapsed, the people that were displaced.”

“I think it’s all emotions,” Mattioli said with a sigh.

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​ Orange County Register