Small-business tax changes and tips to know in 2023

• April 6, 2023

Tax season brings rule changes for business owners, and this year is no different. For instance, you can deduct 100% of what your business spent at restaurants in 2022 on your taxes this year. But in 2023, that figure will return to 50%.

What never changes, experts say, is the need to keep accurate records and work with a tax professional you trust.

“Business owners are oftentimes viewing their financial record-keeping as the last thing to do on the list. And they do it themselves, and they do it at night over a cup of coffee while they’re watching TV,” says David Levi, a certified public accountant and managing director at CBIZ, a tax, accounting, insurance and HR firm with offices across the United States.

“[But] you don’t know what you don’t know. And the one thing that’s certain in the tax world is change,” Levi says.

Here are some key rule changes and deadlines to note as you file your 2022 taxes and plan for 2023.

Find out whether you can still claim the Employee Retention Tax Credit

The Employee Retention Tax Credit — a policy meant to encourage business owners to keep staff during the COVID-19 pandemic — applied only to wages paid before Oct. 1, 2021, so you can’t claim it on your 2022 tax return.

But there’s still time to amend your 2020 and 2021 returns to claim the ERTC, which was worth up to $7,000 per quarter per employee while it was in effect. You can generally amend tax returns within three years after filing your return.

“It’s probably one of the most powerful credits that I’ve seen in my 30 years with the [Internal Revenue] Service,” says Eric Hylton, the national director of compliance for Alliantgroup, a tax consulting firm, and former IRS commissioner for the Small Business/Self-Employed Division.

You might qualify for the ERTC if your business was ordered to fully or partially close in 2020 or 2021, or if your revenue compared to 2019 decreased by more than 50% in 2020 or more than 20% in 2021.

Talk to a tax professional about whether you qualify. Hylton notes, too, that there were “significant delays” in processing ERTC applications last year.

Prepare for bonus depreciation to begin fading out this year

From mid-2017 until the end of 2022, business owners who bought costly equipment could claim 100% of the asset’s bonus depreciation — which is usually spread out over the life of the equipment — in the same year they bought the asset.

That provision is going away unless Congress extends it. In 2023, bonus depreciation falls to 80%. It drops an additional 20% each year after that.

“People have been of the mindset that, ‘you know, if I go out and I buy a piece of equipment, or I go out and I spend something on my real estate, that’s going to be completely capitalizable; I might be able to take 100% bonus [depreciation],’” Levi says. “That’s not the case, [in 2023] it’s 80%.”

Look into starting a retirement plan for your employees

Businesses with up to 50 employees can now claim a tax credit for 100% of the cost of starting a retirement plan, up to $5,000. You can also claim a credit for up to $1,000 in employer contributions to each employee’s plan.

The tax credit phases out for businesses with 51 to 100 employees. It previously covered 50% of retirement plan startup costs.

“If a business owner is on the fence [about] whether they should start a 401(k) or retirement plan, some of these credits could push them over the decision point,” says Janel E. Carroll, a CPA and certified financial planner at Truepoint Wealth Counsel in Cincinnati.

Plan a tax- and energy-efficient renovation

If you’ve been thinking about going green, 2023 might be a good time from a tax perspective, Hylton says. The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law in August 2022, included several tax credits and business deductions.

One change increased the size of the Energy-Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction, allowing business owners to claim larger deductions per square foot of renovation if their projects qualify. In addition, tax-exempt organizations such as charities and religious institutions can now claim these deductions, too.

On top of that, in 2023, businesses can claim a tax credit of up to $7,500 when they purchase electric or fuel cell electric vehicles. For vehicles larger than 14,000 pounds, the credit can go up to $40,000.

Hylton encourages business owners to “probe your CPA or tax practitioner on some of these other credits [to see] whether your business actually qualifies” for these tax benefits.

Get ready for a more robust IRS

The Internal Revenue Service has announced plans to hire 4,000 phone support staffers and 700 in-person support staffers for the 2023 tax season. It’s the result of a funding boost meant to help the agency provide better customer service and expedite processing times, Hylton says.

When waiting for a refund or tax credit, “time is money,” Hylton says.

While Hylton notes that a better-staffed IRS may also result in a “slight increase in audits,” he and Carroll don’t think most business owners need to worry.

“I think the focus is going to be on customer service — and based on the wait times that we have when we call the IRS, that’s definitely where the need is,” Carroll says.

More From NerdWallet

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Rosalie Murphy writes for NerdWallet. Email: [email protected].

The article Small-Business Tax Changes and Tips to Know in 2023 originally appeared on NerdWallet.

​ Orange County Register 

Daxon: Brea police chief proposes Integrated Crime Center

• April 6, 2023

Most of us have only heard about integrated crime centers on TV police shows, if at all.  Brea Police Chief Adam Hawley hopes to change that.

Chief Hawley plans to bring the crime-fighting advanced technology of an Integrated Crime Center to Brea and use it to dramatically alter how his personnel prevents, manages and solves crimes in Brea. Or, as he puts it, “Solving big city crime with small city resources.”

An ICC is a real technical wonder with backbone software and many moving parts to enhance police work and our safety by employing video management systems that can store video from more than 300 cameras throughout the city for up to 45 days. The plan is for various components of the ICC be added each year for five years in total.

The system will include automatic license plate readers, the ability to manage traffic, video analytics and other high-tech equipment as well as personnel for solving crimes and providing community benefits,  including managing emergencies such as wildfires, earthquakes and other incidents by serving as an emergency operation center.

Probably most important, the system will be able to send real-time alerts to police officers and generate investigative leads. Hawley said this ability will also be used to keep folks safe at city events including the July 4 Country Fair, Brea Fest and other public gatherings.

Hawley first presented the proposed plan late last year at a City Council study session, and again this year at the Jan. 17 City Council meeting so more of the public could learn about. It will come back to the council possibly in June for a vote. That video presentation is available on the city’s and Police Department’s websites.  Everyone is encouraged to view it.

On March 30, Hawley and Professional Standards Lt. Chris Harvey, the project’s manager, presented the proposed ICC project to Brea Chamber of Commerce members, representatives from Rep. Young Kim and Phillip Chen’s offices, Brea Mall officials and others.

At that presentation, Hawley explained that crime is rising and pro-active policing is changing, utilizing more technology to prevent and fight crime. And we’ve had some serious crimes over the past year in Brea, including several home invasion robberies in the Blackstone neighborhood, a smash and grab robbery at the Brea Mall and a deadly shooting at a 7-Eleven store.  All of these have been resolved, he said, but that doesn’t mean more criminals won’t try again. An Integrated Crime Center may be the answer to keep crime down.

Hawley added that the department’s present portable cameras are outdated and need replacing.

Along with new cameras, unmanned drones and license plate readers will be added. In years three and five, drones as first responders will be included.

DFRs will be able to reach and report an incident before a patrol car could reach it. The DFR will have landing pads throughout the city. If PD drones seems too invasive to you, Hawley said the cameras would face skyward in flight, not aimed at your backyard.

The estimated total cost for the five-year project is nearly $5 million and they are seeking federal and state grants to fund it.

Community input is very important for such a huge project. Give yours at the ICC Town Hall Meeting at 6:30 p.m. on April 13 in Community Rooms A-B at the Brea Civic Center. And share your thoughts on the project by taking the ICC Survey at BreaPolice.net.

Terri Daxon is a freelance writer and the owner of Daxon Marketing Communications. She gives her perspective on Brea issues twice a month. Contact her at  [email protected].

​ Orange County Register 

Alexander: Clippers win high-stakes meeting with Lakers, but what’s next?

• April 6, 2023

LOS ANGELES — Yes, Wednesday night was the biggest Clippers-Lakers game in years, maybe ever, just because there was something tangible at stake beyond their respective fan bases’ bragging rights.

The biggest, at least … until the next one?

This one was pivotal enough, a 125-118 Clippers victory that gave them a cushion in the race with the Lakers to finish sixth and avoid the play-in round. The Clippers already controlled the first tiebreaker should it be needed, since they’ve now swept the season series from the Lakers – and, in fact, are 14-2 against their hallway rivals going back to the start of the 2019-20 season and 11-0 in Ty Lue’s three seasons as coach.

It was, Lue said, “the first time when a game’s actually really meant something between these two teams.”

But not everyone in his locker room got the memo. Kawhi Leonard, who scored 25 points in 43 minutes – including all 24 minutes of the second half – was asked if this was the most meaningful game he’d played against the Lakers in the time he’s been here.

“I didn’t feel that way,” he said, and when the questioner emphasized what was at stake, he repeated himself: “I didn’t feel that way.”

Then again, Kawhi’s not the excitable type, and probably not the guy you want to ask about emotional moments.

Or maybe Kawhi had it nailed. The reason this was a vital game was because the teams were playing to avoid something, rather than to attain something. The underlying message: These were two groups who had underachieved over the course of the season, which is why both were desperate to avoid the play-in.

The Lakers had a positive experience in their brush with the play-in two seasons ago, beating the Golden State Warriors in the 7-vs.-8 game, though the next round was a six-game loss to Phoenix. The Clippers had their opportunity last season (also known as the non-Kawhi year) and lost twice, at Minnesota and then at home to New Orleans to miss the playoffs.

“Yeah, I’m not a fan of the play-in,” Lue said with a chuckle.

Maybe it’s all about one’s previous experiences. LeBron James seemed almost unconcerned – almost – about the possibility of his team having to play its way into a first-round series. Maybe it’s less of an existential crisis when you’ve survived it … and, in fact, when you sank the jump shot that got your team past the play-in, as LeBron did against the Warriors in 2021.

“It is what it is,” James said Wednesday night after scoring 30 of his 33 points in the second half. “Wherever we end up, that’s who we end up playing.

“It’s been like four or five seasons in one for us. We don’t have the luxury of saying this is what we need to do, this is where we need to be. Really, we just have to continue to play good basketball. We have another game on Friday versus a very good team (Phoenix), then the end of the season on Sunday versus Utah. So we’ll see what happens. We’ll see. Wherever we fall, we’ll be ready to go.”

It has been a season of transition for both teams, one of medical reports and acquisitions and trying to figure out which pieces fit where. The trade deadline meant lots of jigsaw puzzle pieces strewn all over the living room carpet for both of these teams, and in a league where quality practice time is not only precious but also just about impossible as the 82-game grind unfolds, working new players in at midseason is a particular challenge.

Lue figured that what had seemed like a disadvantage, playing 61 games before the All-Star break, turned out to be an advantage instead.

“Now we have more practice time, having three days off, two days off, and we (were) able to get a lot in,” he said.

“I credit Russ (Westbrook) for a lot of that, because you wouldn’t get a veteran team like this to practice as hard as we did in March, you know? But for those six or seven practices we had, we went hard, and he led that charge as far as just getting everybody going, doing it full speed, understanding what we want to do on both sides of the basketball.”

The Lakers all but assembled a brand new team around James and Anthony Davis at the deadline, and a squad that began the season 0-5 and 2-10 incorporated D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura and Malik Beasley around the deadline, has also watched Austin Reaves have a breakout season, and is 15-8 since Feb. 11 and transitioned from the dead weight category to “team you don’t want to face” material in the span of a few weeks.

“As I’ve been saying all year, you got to go through the valleys in order to enjoy the mountaintop,” Coach Darvin Ham said.

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“You know, sometimes it’s more not being a good fit than someone being a bad player. And once we acquired the pieces that became the best fit to put around our top two guys, we took off.”

It’s quite the narrative. Westbrook was seen as the source of much of the Lakers’ troubles before he was traded to Utah, bought out, and signed with the Clippers. He’s the same guy now, but in a better situation.

And yes, as James noted, health will always be a key factor. Before Wednesday night’s game James and Davis were considered “questionable,” but both played. The Clippers will be without All-Star Paul George for the foreseeable future, but recent acquisitions like Eric Gordon, Mason Plumlee and Bones Hyland have stepped up, as they did Wednesday night, as did Westbrook and Norman Powell (27 points off the bench).

Mind you, the Clippers’ chances of staying in the top six in the Western Conference are better than they were before Wednesday, but they’re not yet out of the woods.

And if you thought that game had high stakes? Imagine if L.A.’s teams faced each other in the play-in. The phrase “win or go home” would have an entirely different meaning.

[email protected]

​ Orange County Register 

Coachella 2023: Where to go for breakfast, lunch or late-night snacks pre-and post-festival

• April 6, 2023

Before it became home to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the desert city of Indio was known for its date groves.

Milkshakes made with dates are one of the culinary attractions visitors look for during their time in the valley for the festival or its sister event, the Stagecoach Country Music Festival. Coachella takes over the 78-acre Empire Polo Club April 14-16 and April 21-23, followed by Stagecoach, which is scheduled for April 28-30.

While there are plenty of food concessions on festival grounds, people may want to eat before getting to the venue or after spending a long day at the event.

Here are some of the places that locals go to in the Coachella Valley for breakfast, lunch or a late night snack.

En route to the Coachella Valley

Most people who drive to the festival on the 10 Freeway are going to want make a rest stop. Here are a couple of popular places a few miles west of the valley.

Crazy Coyote Tacos

13033 Malki Road, Banning; 951-849-2000; Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Monday.

Festivalgoers have been stopping at this taco stand along the 10 Freeway for as long as the festivals have been in existence. The menu includes tacos, burritos and nachos, plus $10 dinner plates with rice, beans and a canned soda.

Hadley Fruit Orchards

47993 Morongo Trail, Cabazon; 951-849-5255, hadleyfruitorchards.com; Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.

Hadley’s began as a fruit stand in the 1930s, but is now best known for its date shakes. There are three kinds: original, banana and vegan, running $4.49-$6.69.

Breakfast and brunch

Here are some places with local flavor to relax or get caffeinated.

Elmer’s Restaurant

1030 E Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-327-8419, eatatelmers.com; Open 6 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.

This family restaurant has been around for decades. It’s known for its buttermilk pancakes. It also serves crepes and Florentine Benedict.

Lulu California Bistro

200 South Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-327-5858, lulupalmsprings.com; Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sunday.

Three-course weekend brunch includes choice of such items as eggs Benedict, pancakes, strawberry Belgian waffles, panini and chicken pot pie. Beverages include mimosas.

Starbucks Reserve Bar

110 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-318-2287, starbucksreserve.com; Open 5 am.-9:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 5:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. on Saturday; 5:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. on Sunday.

This Starbucks is a little different than your neighborhood Starbucks, with pour-over, full-leaf tea and “Palm Springs exclusives” such as Iced Coachella Chai. The snacks in the display case, however, look very familiar. It is located in the heart of downtown Palm Springs.

Lunch

Most of these places have been established in the Coachella Valley for decades. The exception is a new gastropub in the city of Coachella, but it has some history since it occupies a building that was formerly a fire station.

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Aspen Mills Bakery & Cafe

555 South Sunrise Way, Palm Springs; 34175 Monterey Ave., Rancho Mirage; 73600 Alessandro Drive, Palm Desert; 46520 Washington Street, La Quinta; aspenmillsbakery.com; check locations for hours.

This local chain serves cold sandwiches on its own artisan bread, including the Coachella, a meatless sandwich made with pepper jack cheese, avocado, red onion and housemade salsa on nine-grain bread.

Coachella Firehouse Bar & Grill

1517 Sixth Street., Coachella; 760-619-2150; 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.

If people who go to the Coachella festival really want to experience the city of Coachella, this new gastropub near the civic center specializes in burgers, beer and wine.

Fisherman’s Market & Grill

235 South Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-327-1766, fishermans.com; 44250 Town Center Way, C-1, Palm Desert; 78575 Highway 111, No. 100, La Quinta; 760-777-1601, fishermans.com; check locations for hours.

This chain serves a variety of seafood and fish, not to mention beer. The menu includes fish and chips, fish tacos and bowls.

Shields Date Garden

80-225 Highway 111, Indio; 760-347-0996, shieldsdategarden.com; Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

This 99-year-old date grove is one of the closest tourist attractions to the Empire Polo Club. It serves as a reminder of the Coachella Valley’s agriculture industry, which was built on dates and citrus in the late 19th century. The front is a gift shop with a counter that serves date shakes, ice cream and fresh-squeezed orange juice. In back is a café that is open for breakfast and lunch. The menu features dates in salads and other items.

Sherman’s Deli & Bakery

401 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs; 760-325-1199, 73161 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert; 760-568-1350, shermansdeli.com; Open 8 a.m.9 p.m. daily.

This family restaurant serves a long menu of New York deli favorites, include hot and cold corned beef, pastrami, lox and cream cheese, chopped liver and cold beet borscht. Specialties include Beef ‘N Latkes, sandwiches made with potato pancakes instead of bread. The bakery supplies tall layer cakes, cheesecakes, babka, Boston cream and coconut cream pies.

Late night

Businesses tend to shut down by 9 p.m. in the Coachella Valley, with the exceptions of casinos and fast food chains.

By the time the headliners wrap up their sets at Coachella and Stagecoach and vehicles crawl out of the parking lots, the action will have shifted to drive-thrus like Del Taco, according to Tim Hackbardth, chief marketing officer for the chain.

“After the show, or after that last guitar has been packed away, Del Taco is the place to be in the Coachella Valley,” he said.

Agua Caliente Casinos

68960 East Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City; 401 E Amado Road, Palm Springs; 32-250 Bob Hope Dr, Rancho Mirage; aguacalientecasinos.com.

Each location has multiple options, from fine dining to grab-and-go. Check with the casinos for hours.

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

84-245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 800-827-2946, fantasyspringsresort.com.

A pizza parlor and some bars are open until 2 a.m. Lique, an ice cream parlor, is open until 5 a.m.

Spotlight 29 Casino

46-200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; spotlight29.com.

The Taproom serves a late-night menu until 6 a.m. that includes pizza, bar food and steak and eggs.

Del Taco

Three locations in Indio, 13 in the Coachella Valley; deltaco.com; Open 24 hours.

This Orange County-based chain serves a long menu of Mexican foods as well as burgers and fries.

In-N-Out Burger

One location in Indio, four in the Coachella Valley; in-n-out.com; Open until 1 a.m.

This nearly 75-year-old chain is only in seven states, but it has a worldwide reputation for its burgers, fries and shakes.

​ Orange County Register 

Los Ángeles Azules, Joan Jett and more headed to Southern California casinos next week

• April 6, 2023

Southern California casinos are offering a diverse lineup of entertainment for the week of April 10-16. There are a variety of live shows including a performance by an award-winning cumbia group, a rock and roll icon and beloved guitarist and giving the opportunity to win a $1 million prize to one lucky audience member who completes in a series of famous television-themed game shows during a unique live experience.

Be sure to check the official websites for the latest event information.

 Los Ángeles Azules

Los Ángeles Azules, known for incorporating accordions and synthesizers over cumbia, have been around since the mid ’70s. They’ve collaborated with several artists, including Argentine rapper Nicki Nicole and Mexican folk-rock singer Natalia Lafourcade. In 2018, Los Ángeles Azules became the first traditional cumbia group to play at the Coachella Valley Arts & Music Festival in Indio. The group’s hits include “Cómo Te Voy A Olvidar,” “Nunca Es Suficiente” and “Amor A Primera Vista.” 8 p.m. Friday, April 14 at Harrah’s Resort Southern California, 777 South Resort Drive, Valley Center. Tickets start at $99. 760-751-3100. harrahssocal.com.

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

Joan Jett first made her way onto the stage as the guitarist of the all-female rock band The Runaways. When the project disbanded, she carried over her killer guitar skills to form and lead Joan Jett and The Blackhearts. In 2015, the “Bad Reputation” and “I Hate Myself For Loving You” singer-songwriter was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 8 p.m. April 14 at Pala Casino Spa & Resort, 11154 Highway 76, Pala. $80-$140; 21-and-older only. 877-946-7252. palacasino.com.

Franco Escamilla

Stand-up comedian Franco Escamilla is known for his dark humor and sarcasm. Over the years, he’s developed a following through his radio work and singing-songwriting. In 2019, Escamilla became the first Latino comedian to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York. Escamilla has four Netflix comedy specials, including his latest, “Franco Escamilla: Eavesdropping.” 8 p.m. April 14 at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino, 777 San Manuel Blvd., Highland. Tickets start at $50; 21-and-older only. 909-864-5050. yaamava.com.

Vivian Chow

Hong Kong-based Cantopop singer-songwriter Vivian Chow is bringing pop music to the casino crowd in Indio. Chow is also known for her piano skills and for being able to sing in Cantonese, Mandarin and Japanese. Chow has also starred in several films and television shows and scored hits with songs like “Chi Xin Huan Qian Shen,” “Hong Yan Zhi Ji” and “Liu Yan.” 8 p.m. Saturday, April 15 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84-245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio. $68-$188. 800-827-2946. fantasyspringsresort.com.

Hollywood’s Greatest Game Shows

If you’re a fan of television game shows but have never had the opportunity to try them out, now is your chance. Bob Eubanks, host of the ’60s show “The Newlywed Game,” will host interactive game shows such as “Let’s Make A Deal,” “Family Feud,” “Card Sharks,” “Minute to Win It,” “The $100,000 Pyramid” and “Name That Tune.” About 45 audience members will be chosen to be contestants, with one lucky person getting a chance to win a grand prize of $1 million. 8 p.m. April 15 at Soboba Casino Resort, 22777 Soboba Road, San Jacinto. $25-$45. 951-665-1000. soboba.com.

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​ Orange County Register 

Seven springtime Indian festivals to be celebrated in one Irvine park

• April 6, 2023

“Holi hai, rang barse.” “It’s Holi, the colors are showering.” These lyrics from a popular Hindi song sung during the springtime festival of Holi in India will soon be heard in Irvine.

On Saturday, April 8, organizers from various community groups, including Gujaratis of North America and United American Indian Association, will host the Indian Spring Festival in Irvine’s Mike Ward Community Park. Around 1,000 people are expected at the event, also hosted by Irvine Councilmember Mike Carroll.

“Usually when we do a celebration, it’s either the North Indian community getting together or the South Indian community getting together,” said Varun Gandhi, a volunteer with Gujaratis of North America. “In this case, we said why not combine the various festivals that are going on at this time and bring people together from all over India.”

Springtime in particular, Gandhi said, is an auspicious time in India when farmers plant the seeds for their crops, but also await to reap the harvest of the old year.

Saturday’s event will see the celebration of seven springtime Indian festivals: Holi, Baisakhi (also pronounced Vaisakhi), Bihu, Vishu, Poila Boishak, Ugadi and Puthandu.

At Holi, or the Festival of Colors, revelers dress in white clothing and throw “gulal” or colored water at each other, celebrating the victory of good over evil and the arrival of spring.

Gaurav Bhargava, the president of the United American Indian Association, said Holi in India is one big party with food, dance and song, where celebrations last at least three days.

“Galley Millo, Dushmani Chhodo, forget all the enmity, just give a hug and be friends again,” Bhargava said. “The most important part of this message that we learned from childhood: If you have a friend and you have a misunderstanding with a friend, just give them a hug on Holi and everything just disappears.”

The harvest festival of Vaisakhi, usually celebrated on April 13 or 14 each year, is typically celebrated in the Punjab region of India and is of significance to those of the Sikh faith, as the day commemorates the birth of Sikhism.

Bihu hails the advent of the Assamese New Year (Assam is a north-eastern state in India); Vishu, mostly celebrated by those in the southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, marks a vernal equinox, where the day and night are of equal length; Poila Boishak is the first day of the Bengali calendar; Ugadi marks the first day of the new year in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka; and Puthandu is the Tamilian New Year.

Long time Irvine resident Jyoti Kumar, who has been helping organize the cultural performances for Saturday’s festival, said the different Indian cultures and traditions from the various states will be on full display at the Indian Spring Festival.

“We want to maintain the culture, the Indian culture. It’s really important for us and then it’s important for our future generations,” Kumar said. “We really want the upcoming generation to know the culture and to appreciate it and to start embracing it in their life.”

Music at Saturday’s event will be courtesy of DJ Kush, a 20-year-old who was born and raised in Irvine. And food booths will serve vegetarian dishes from different regions in India.

Irvine playing host to the celebrations is significant, Bhargava said, given the city is home to a large Indian population of about 9,000 people.

The Indian Spring Festival will take place at Mike Ward Community Park, 20 Lake Road, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 8. Tickets are $10. More information can be found on Eventbrite.

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​ Orange County Register 

It’s time for beaches to turn silver as grunion season launches

• April 6, 2023

Grunion season has arrived — an it’s a great excuse to go to the beach at midnight.

The annual Southern California celebration heralds the tiny fish that mate on the sand on beaches stretching from San Diego to Santa Barbara.

Orange and Los Angeles counties — and beyond — see lively grunion season activity from the tiny fish that seem to prefer sloping beaches where high tide pushes waves beyond the normal water line, protecting eggs.

Protected beaches, such as those behind the breakwater in San Pedro Bay, are especially popular with the fish. So San Pedro’s Cabrillo Beach (the inner harbor), for example, is known for hosting annual grunion runs that combine fun activities and education. That seasonal celebration kicks off at 9 p.m. Friday, April 7, and will continue through June 19.

This year’s schedule includes a special night on April 21, with World of Sound Productions bringing 500 headphones so guests can have a silent disco dance party at two locations, the Cabriillo Marine Aquarium and the beach.

“We are stoked to collaborate with Cabrillo Marine Aquarium,” said Adam Malovani, founder of World of Sound Productions, which also stages events in Hermosa Beach and Santa Monica. “This is an epic location.”

But the grunion will remain the star of the show.

During grunion season, the silvery, smelt-like fish sweep onto shore to mate, with crowds of people gathering to watch what has been called one of the most unusual phenomenon in the natural world.

The female grunion are the first to surf to shore, aiming for the highest point on the beach, pushing their tails into the sand.

Males follow, wrapping their bodies around the females for a 30-second mating ritual.

Then it’s right back out to sea for them.

The females take a bit longer to dig out of the sand, but they eventually follow.

The eggs left behind — there can be up to 3,000 of them in a pile — then stay buried until the next high tide rolls in a couple of weeks later, stirring the sand and helping the eggs hatch. The infants are then carried back into the water by the tides.

Then, it happens all over again.

Catching grunion — with a fishing license — is legal in March, June, July and August, but not in April and May, when you can only watch in order to allow the species to reproduce propagation.

Grunion can be cooked and the runs, during catching season, are a good way to get fresh seafood.

The spectacle can be seen on numerous beaches, including:

Corona Del Mar State Beach.
Newport Municipal Beach.
Bolsa Chica State Beach.
Seal Beach.
Belmont Shore Beach in Long Beach.
Long Beach City Beach.
Hermosa City Beach.
Manhattan County Beach.
Venice City Beach.
Santa Monica State Beach.
Topanga Beach.
Malibu Surfrider Beach.

The best runs, according to the California Beaches website, occur after new or full moons. Grunion, one of only a few species that come onshore to lay their eggs on sandy beaches, are most likely to surface after the highest tides and the largest numbers of fish can generally be seen about an hour after a run has begun.

Avoid using flashlights, though, as the illumination can scare the fish away. Regulations require that the fish, during catching seasons, can only be caught by hand, with no tools.

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But mainly, folks go to grunion runs because, well, they’re fun.

“It’s a great excuse to stay up late and go to the beach,” Crislyn McKerron, director of the Cabrillo aquarium, said in a recent news release.

Since 1950, the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium has been curating grunion runs for the pubic and it remains one of the best places to observe the phenomenon.

At times, the beach can look like it’s covered in a blanket of silver as the fish arrive.

The aquarium, 3720 Stephen M. White Drive, combines its events with a movie beforehand that teaches about the grunion, as well as opportunities to hatch grunion eggs and explore the rest of the aquarium before heading to the beach for the predicted run, which begings anywhere from 10:15 to 11 p.m.

“Meet the Grunion” program nights are:

9 p.m. Friday, April 7.
8 p.m. Friday, April 21.
8 p.m. Sunday, May 21.
8 p.m. Monday, June 5.
8 p.m. Monday, June 19.

Admission is $7 for adults, and $3 for seniors, students and children. Members of the Friends of the Aquarium are admitted for free.

Tickets can be purchased at cabrillomarineaquarium.org.

For the silent disco event on April 21, visitors must rent headphones for $20 per adult and $10 for children 12 and under at sunsetvibesevents.com. There will be other activities coordinated with that event as well, including a station geared for families.

Beach parking is $3 and the lot closes at midnight.

​ Orange County Register 

Here’s what’s happening and when during the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach

• April 6, 2023

Long Beach’s biggest annual party is almost here — and when it arrives, there sure will be a lot to do.

The 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for Friday to Sunday, April 14-16, and is expected to draw more than 180,000 people to the city’s downtown across the weekend.

There will, of course, be plenty of racing. The titular IndyCar race on Sunday, April 16, is the headliner. But racing lovers can also catch American sports cars, Porches, trucks leaping off ramps, souped-up vehicles drifting — and even historic Formula 1 cars.

Then there’s the autograph sessions, two concerts and an exotic car parade, as well as two preludes set for Thursday, April 13.

So yeah, it will be a busy weekend.

To help you make sense of it all, below is a schedule of Grand Prix events.

Thursday, April 13

11 a.m.-noon: Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame Ceremony, on South Pine Avenue in front of the Convention Center.
6:30-10 p.m.: Thunder Thursday at The Pike Outlets.

Friday, April 14

7:30 a.m.: Gates open.
7:45-8:15 a.m.: Porsche Carrera Cup, practice No. 1.
9-10 a.m.: IMSA, practice No. 1.
10:15-10:35 a.m.: Historic F1, practice No. 1.
11:15-11:55 a.m.: Porsche Carrera Cup, practice No. 2
12:10-12:30 p.m.: Stadium Super Trucks, practice No. 1.
12:45-2:30 p.m.: IMSA, practice No. 2.
3-4:15 p.m.” IndyCar Series, practice No. 1.
4:30-5 p.m.: Porsche Carrera Cup qualifying.
5:10-5:55 p.m.: IMSA qualifying.
6:30-8:30 p.m.: Super Drift Challenge No. 1.
6:30-8 p.m.: Fiesta Friday, featuring Boombox Cartel, at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center plaza..
8:30 p.m.: Gates close.

Saturday, April 15

7:30 a.m.: Gates open.
7:45-8:05 a.m.: Historic F1, practice No. 2.
8:45-9:45 a.m.: IndyCar Series, practice No. 2.
11:20-11:40 a.m.: Historic F1 Challenge Race No. 1.
12:05-1:20 p.m.: IndyCar Series qualifying and Fast 6.
1:30-2 p.m.: IMSA pre-race.
2-4 p.m.: IMSA SportsCar Grand Prix.
4:30-5 p.m.: Stadium Super Trucks Race No. 1.
5:15-5:55 p.m.: Porsche Carrera Cup Race No. 1.
6:30-8:30 p.m.: Super Drift Challenge No. 2.
6:30-8 p.m.: Saturday night concert, featuring Kings of Chaos and special guests, at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center plaza.
8:30 p.m.: Gates close.

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Sunday, April 15

7:30 a.m.: Gates open.
9-9:30 a.m.: NTT IndyCar Series warm up.
10:45-11:05 a.m.: Historic F1 Challenge Race No. 2.
11:10-11:20 a.m.: Acura NSX Hot Laps.
11:25-11:40 a.m.: Mothers Exotic Car Parade.
11:45 a.m.-12:35 p.m.” NTT IndyCar Series pre-race.
12:35 p.m.: “Drivers, start your engines!”
12:45-3 p.m.: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
3:30-4 p.m.: Stadium Super Trucks Race No. 2.
4:20-5 p.m.: Porsche Carrera Cup Race.
5:30 p.m.: Gates close.

​ Orange County Register