How a commercial broker connects all the dots and gets paid

• February 25, 2023

I delivered a presentation to a sales team of material-handling specialists last week. Why you may wonder?

Two reasons. First, I’ve transacted 19 deals all over the Western United States with the president of this organization since 2009, so we’ve grown together. This was one way of giving back to a group that’s been very kind to me.

Secondly, we work closely with their sales team in assisting them to execute deals. The better they understand our world, the better we both benefit.

Some of you reading this column are commercial real estate practitioners. Others of you own or lease commercial real estate and pick up tidbits along the way. Still, others may be considering the field as a career or a way to supplement their income. Regardless, of your vantage point, I believe you’ll find value in today’s topic.

Let’s center the column on three of the four topics discussed: CRE brokers and how we’re defined, paid and why you should care.

What are CRE brokers? Simply, commercial real estate brokers assist owners and occupants of commercial real estate in finding buyers or tenants for vacant buildings.

Commercial real estate companies are generally local, regional, national or global, determined by the reach of their brokerage. These firms service a certain geography through their network of agents.

Additionally, most firms find their agents on either or both sides of the transaction – representing the owner and/or the occupant. “Dual representation” describes an agent on both sides of the deal and is a much larger subject I’ll reserve for another day. However, there are companies that specialize in tenant or buyer reps. As a service provider seeking relationships with us, all of these elements are important to understand.

So, how are we paid? Full commission, no salaries or bonuses and only when we transact.

Yes, we can spend days, weeks, months or years on initiatives that never pay us. Unlike those with salaries or hourly service providers such as CPAs or attorneys, our profession “eats what it grows,” or so they say.

And what about the deal, you may be wondering.

We enter through the C suite, in many cases, dealing with the president, CEO, CFO or the COO. This gives commercial real estate practitioners a view from the top, as opposed to some service providers who must begin with a warehouse manager or a purchasing agent.

Because we start in the C-Suite, our engagement is recommended by the boss, and in most instances, we don’t have to compete.

We are the arbiters of change. Generally, the involvement of a commercial real estate broker is preceded by some sort of transition. Whether it’s a death, a divorce, a massive debt that must be repaid, some distress, a dissolution of a partnership or a disposition of the company, our job is to assist a company in navigating these transitions.

We are upstream from most relocation decisions.

By this I mean, we must network with trusted advisers, so that we are in the best position once a transition occurs.

Business attorneys, CPAs, commercial, insurance, brokers, investment, bankers, business, bankers and wealth advisors are all included. They often will see a transaction before we do. But, we are in front of all those that must rely on a transaction to occur such as contractors, escrow, agents, architects and the like.

Allen Buchanan is a principal and commercial real estate broker at Lee & Associates, Orange. He can be reached at 714.564.7104 or [email protected].

​ Orange County Register 

San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen is right. California should debate legalization of sex work.

• February 25, 2023

San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen has generated some headlines in recent weeks for calling on state lawmakers to consider the legalization and regulation of prostitution in California.

Prompting Ronen was an increase in prostitution activity on Capp Street in the city, where Ronen notes prostitution has gone on “for decades, if not a century.” Despite increases in police activity in the area, prostitution and related activity — including violent attacks on sex workers by pimps, and noise issues — have become pronounced.

“None of these strategies deal with the underlying issues and reality that sex work happens in San Francisco and everywhere in the world,” she said in a Feb. 15 statement. “It is time to recognize this and move towards decriminalization and ultimately legalization and regulation of sex work.” 

Ronen notes this approach has been used in the United States (in parts of Nevada, for example) and in countries around the world. 

“In most instances, legalization helps combat trafficking, improves working conditions for sex workers, reduces violence against sex workers, and makes it easier to stop underage and unhealthy practices in this line of work,” she argues.

To her point, Human Rights Watch notes that, around the world, criminalization of sex work makes sex workers more vulnerable to crimes by pushing them underground, deterring their willingness to report crimes against them out of fear of repercussions from the police. Decriminalizing prostitution, Human Rights Watch argues, “maximizes sex workers’ legal protection and their ability to exercise other key rights, including to justice and health care.” 

However, Ronen’s statements also drew some notable rebuttals, including from multiple-time gubernatorial candidate Michael Shellenberger. 

Among other arguments, Shellenberger argued on Twitter and in his Substack, that “sex trafficking increased in Germany upon legalization, according to one quantitative study of 150 countries, a correlation that holds for countries across the globe that legalize prostitution.” This would suggest that talk of legalizing prostitution is a terrible idea because it might lead to sex trafficking, which is definitionally coercive and horrific. 

But there’s a problem with Shellenberger’s line of argument. 

First, the underlying 2012 study he’s referencing warned their key finding about trafficking “needs to be subjected to future scrutiny” and “will require the collection of more reliable data to establish firmer conclusions.” They also go on to acknowledge in the study that even if their findings are true, “such a line of argumentation overlooks potential benefits that the legalization of prostitution might have on those employed in the industry. Working conditions could be substantially improved for prostitutes — at least those legally employed — if prostitution is legalized.”

Ronald Weitzer, a professor emeritus of sociology at George Washington University in Washington who has extensively studied prostitution, has further noted that the authors of the study used flawed data to draw their conclusions on trafficking. Indeed, their analysis on trafficking was based on a 2006 United Nations report that warned “the data collected and presented in this report should be interpreted with the utmost caution and not be viewed as a simple unbiased measure of the extent of the problem of human trafficking. … Caution is also advised at negatively interpreting the human trafficking situation in those countries for which more information is currently available.” 

In other words, Shellenberger’s  argument that legalization of prostitution is responsible for higher levels of trafficking is a poorly supported claim at best. 

Related Articles

Weitzer, who has long written about prostitution, has pointed to government reports from countries like the Netherlands and Australia suggesting that legalization in their countries makes sex trafficking easier to detect and therefore less likely. Weitzer has also been keen to point out, for the anti-sex work hysterics out there, that since 1971 there have been legal brothels in parts of Nevada. The sky has not fallen there.  

While a coalition of puritanical right-wingers, some feminists who deny voluntary sex work is even possible and people who simply find the idea of prostitution objectionable is sure to push back on Ronen’s call, in the end, she’s right. Let adults make choices for themselves. Prohibition of consensual, victimless activity is a fool’s errand that does more harm than good.

Sal Rodriguez can be reached at [email protected]

​ Orange County Register 

Former Trabuco Hills football coach Jim Barnett, a three-time CIF champion, dies at age 76

• February 25, 2023

Former Trabuco Hills football coach Jim Barnett, who started the program in the mid-1980s and guided the Mustangs to three CIF-SS championships in 10 years, died Thursday in Montana, his son, Rory, said.

Barnett, 76, died of complications from an ulcer, Rory said of his father, a native of Hamilton, Montana.

Barnett coached Trabuco Hills starting in 1985, and by the end of his fourth season, the Mustangs were CIF champions. They won Division VIII in 1988, 1989 and 1993 and were the runner-up to Laguna Hills in 1991.

Trabuco Hills claimed four Pacific Coast League titles under Barnett.

He also tutored well-known Orange County quarterbacks such as John Barnes (UCLA), Pat Barnes (Cal), David Lowery (San Diego State) and Tim Manning.

The Mustangs’ offenses were known for playing at an up-tempo pace under Barnett.

Rory said his father had a passion for coaching.

“He loved football. He loved it more than anything,” Rory said. “He was player’s coach. He loved just talking to them whether it was football or life. … He touched a lot of people.”

In Barnett’s final season in 1994, the Mustangs finished second to Mater Dei in the South Coast League and reached the Division 1 semifinals, where they fell at top-seeded Bishop Amat.

Related Articles

Barnett finished with a record of 82-38-3 at Trabuco Hills.

He later coached lower-level football at Santa Margarita. His resume also included serving as the coach of Long Beach Poly. He led the Jackrabbits to the CIF Coast title in 1980.

Barnett’s legacy in South Orange County includes starting Daily’s Sports Grill in Rancho Santa Margarita in 1993.

Rory said a celebration of life is being planned for his father for later this year.

​ Orange County Register 

Alexander: Russell Westbrook makes an (almost) successful Clippers debut

• February 25, 2023

LOS ANGELES — The length of Russell Westbrook’s honeymoon with the Clippers might hinge on a couple of mitigating factors.

First, he has more good players around him. His new team has two superstars, the same as his old team. But the complementary players, including those the Clippers picked up at the trading deadline, are far more skilled than those the Lakers had around him. (And there is no small irony in the idea that the Lakers assembled a better supporting cast by trading Westbrook).

Second? It’s early, and this could change, but I suspect Clippers fans won’t have breakdowns every time Westbrook takes a chance that doesn’t work, which is bound to happen frequently. That’s just the type of player he is.

Plus, now that his gargantuan contract has been bought out and he’s basically playing for the veteran’s minimum with the Clippers, the “are you getting what you’re paying for” question no longer applies.

The Full Russ was on display Friday night, in the course of an historic and occasionally hysterical game between the Clippers and the Sacramento Kings, a 176-175 double-overtime Kings victory – no, that’s no typo – that was the second highest-scoring game in NBA history. It was basically what an All-Star Game might look like if players actually cared. They tried defending, honestly, but were just overmatched.

And while Westbrook’s stats weren’t eye-popping on such a crazy night, they were impressive given that he’d had just two days of practice with this group. He scored 17 points and, more significantly, had 14 assists, a sign that he’d already developed on-court compatibility with Kawhi Leonard – for instance, zipping a pass from the corner to Leonard for a wide-open 3-pointer out front – while picking up where he’d left off with Paul George from when the two were both in Oklahoma City. Given that Leonard finished the night with 44 points and George with 34, this was a good sign.

“He knew enough” of the offense from two days of practice, Coach Ty Lue said. “Knowing PG’s plays, knowing Kawhi’s plays, that’s the most important thing. So he picked those things up right away. There’s still a lot more that we can still incorporate and learn on the fly. But I thought he did a good job knowing the plays and knowing the play calls, and he did a good job with it.”

“What hurt us was (Sacramento’s) ball pressure, getting up the floor and picking up full court. That’s when we turned the basketball over. So to keep him in the game and on the floor to initiate because the pressure doesn’t bother him, I thought was key for us. And it was big. When he fouled out (with 1:49 left in the second overtime), it really hurt us.”

It is not insignificant that George and Leonard both lobbied for Westbrook, George particularly publicly and emphatically, and if the account provided by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst was accurate the two stars convinced Lawrence Frank to give Westbrook a shot.

Leonard sidestepped the question of how much input he had, but noted: “Once he got here, I just told him, be yourself and have fun out there. And I just believe in him, so (I’m) just trying to give him confidence and letting him know that we’re happy to have him.”

And maybe that’s the bottom line: With the Lakers, too often he was treated as a third wheel, his determination to play his style and his game considered a detriment. The Clippers expect and encourage him to push the pace and take chances, and while it’s to be determined whether that will ultimately be productive, that encouragement in itself might be liberating.

“I’m just trying to find ways to be effective while I’m on the floor and (to do) whatever’s asked of me, screening or whatever, rolling, handling, whatever that may be, cutting,” Westbrook said. “And I just try to do different things to impact the game and (use) my IQ to be able to make plays for others.

“… I see so many things that I’m thinking about now for when I go home and watch the film tonight, just how I can be able to help make the game even more easier for them so they don’t have to work as hard. And, you know, we’ll get there.”

He didn’t make any subtle references to his situation with the Lakers – the past is the past, right – but the contrast was obvious. He received a nice roar from a crowd announced as a 19,068 sellout when he was introduced with the starting lineup, not as loud as Leonard and George but loud enough. And he got a standing ovation as he came off the court at the end after fouling out as recognition for a full night’s work, 39:27 out of 58 possible minutes.

Related Articles

“I mean, it’s a blessing, you know, just the excitement in the building,” he said. “The enthusiasm from the fans and just the support that they have, not just for me but for our overall team, was great. And, you know, hopefully we can be able to keep that going as the season goes along. And I’ll do my part by playing as hard as I can, you know, when given the opportunity.

“… I think that’s something I don’t take for granted, being somewhere where given an opportunity to go play. Not just that, but the support of the organization, my teammates, the fans overall,” he said later, adding: “The support system around us was an all-time high.”

Interpret that as you will. Maybe it was a subtle reference to his former team. Maybe it wasn’t.

And maybe, with a different environment, we will see a better Russell Westbrook.

Those suggestions that the Clippers were crazy to take him on, or that he might be a net negative? Sure, it’s the ultimate small sample size of only one game, but you wonder if maybe their organization knows something we don’t.

[email protected]

17 points
5 rebounds
14 assists

Russ put in work as the Clippers fought a wild 2OT battle with the Kings on his debut pic.twitter.com/PJTuNxHM1x

— NBA (@NBA) February 25, 2023

​ Orange County Register 

Clippers fall to Kings in second-highest scoring game in NBA history

• February 25, 2023

LOS ANGELES — This game had all the vibes of a playoff contest with a packed arena, full of fans snapping cell phone pictures of the newest Clippers player in his first game and high expectations of a victory.

And Russell Westbrook didn’t disappoint in his debut in a 176-175 double-overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena – the second-highest scoring game in NBA history. It was his first game since being traded by the Lakers two weeks ago and then signing with the Clippers earlier this week.

After receiving an enthusiastic standing ovation in the same arena where he previously had been booed, the point guard scored the Clippers’ first two points on free throws. He then dished off passes to Marcus Morris Sr. and Mason Plumlee. The Westbrook era had begun, not with a victory but with a wild, entertaining game that got away from the Clippers down the stretch.

After the Clippers led by as many as 14 points with 4:28 left in regulation, the hosts and the Kings engaged in a show of one-upmanship in two overtime periods. Kawhi Leonard finished with a season-high 44 points (one short of tying his career high) for the Clippers, but the Kings took advantage of 25 Clipper turnovers and came up with key baskets from Malik Monk (career-high 45 points) and De’Aaron Fox (42) in the final seconds.

Coach Tyronn Lue said the turnovers were the Clippers’ downfall when they still had a double-digit lead in regulation.

“I think we had three in a row, live ball turnovers, which allowed them to get out and get six easy points without having to work for it,” Lue said. “When you have 25 turnovers off 42 points, it’s tough to try to win that game.”

The Clippers had a 175-169 advantage with 1:57 remaining in the second overtime before the Kings (34-25) scored the final seven points, including Fox’s jumper with 36.5 seconds remaining. The Clippers (33-29) had the final shot, but Nicolas Batum missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer.

Westbrook, who started, figured in both overtime periods, logging two baskets and two assists and finished with 17 points, 14 assists and five rebounds (and seven turnovers) in 39 minutes before fouling out with 1:49 remaining in the second overtime. His 14 assists matched Andre Miller’s 2002 effort for the most by a player in his Clippers debut.

“It was great just to get back on the floor,” Westbrook said. “Just obviously you want to win, that’s the most important part. I’ll watch the film, get ready to go on Sunday.”

After a tumultuous season and a half as a Laker, he appreciated the warm reception.

“It’s a blessing, just the excitement in the building,” Westbrook said. “The enthusiasm from fans and just the support that they have, not just for me, but for the overall team was great and hopefully we can keep that going as the season goes along. I’ll do my part by playing as hard as I can, when given an opportunity.”

Lue had said a day earlier that he just wanted “Russ to be Russ” and this looked a lot like the Russ of a few years ago, not recent history. He passed the ball, played defense, pushed the pace and took shots when it made sense.

“Whatever I need to do, he needs to do, the team needs to do to win, that is what we have to do,” Lue said. “And he is on board with that.”

As a bonus, the fans got to see Mason Plumlee make the most of his first start and second game as a Clipper. The 7-foot center, who was filling in for Ivica Zubac (knee), was omnipresent on the court – his long arms grabbing rebounds, disrupting shots, scrambling for loose balls all the while adding eight points and nine rebounds.

But the bulk of the night belonged to Leonard, who posted 30-plus points for the eighth time in his past 17 games. He shot 16 for 22 from the field (6 for 9 from 3-point range) and went 6 for 6 from the free-throw line in 46 minutes. His 21 points in the third quarter tied his career-high for most points in a quarter.

“I thought he did a great job getting to a spot with the 3-point shots and attacking the basket,” Lue said of Leonard.

Paul George contributed 34 points and 10 rebounds in 41 minutes and Norman Powell added 24 points.

George passed Dirk Nowitzki and moved into 15th place on the NBA’s all-time 3-point field goal list with his first long-range shot in the first quarter, and added four more before the game was over.

Leonard’s performance was overshadowed by Monk and Fox, who also had 12 assists and five steals and became just the 12th player since 1973-74 with 40 points, 10 assists and five steals in a game.

The Clippers fed off the crowd’s energy early to keep pace with the Kings, who have the best road record in the Western Conference. The first half was a shootout, with both teams shooting near the 60% mark in a close game. The half ended with the Clippers holding an 80-76 lead.

The game continued to be a high-scoring back-and-forth affair with the crowd cheering every Clippers basket and there were many. Their 26 3-pointers were a season-high and they shot 60.2% from the field. The Kings, who had four other players score in double figures, shot 58.6% overall and made 18 3-pointers.

But the momentum shifted in the final two minutes of regulation. The Clippers, who had a 145-131 advantage with 4:25 left, found their lead trimmed to 147-140 when Fox stole the ball from George and scored. Keegan Murray followed by intercepting a bad pass from George to score a layup and trim the lead to 147-142.

Powell was called for an offensive foul, leading to layups by Fox and Domantas Sabonis to cap a 10-0 Sacramento run that left the Clippers clinging to a one-point lead at 147-146 with 1:22 left.

After the teams traded free throws, Westbrook scored on a short jumper to give the Clippers a 151-148 lead. The Kings followed with a layup by Fox before George hit two free throws with 8.5 seconds left.

Related Articles

The game headed to the first overtime after Monk’s 3-pointer tied it at 153 with 1.1 seconds left.

The Clippers had a 162-156 lead with 3:04 remaining in the first overtime before the Kings scored six straight to even it. Monk hit a pair of free throws with 20.4 seconds left to tie it at 164. The Clippers had a chance to win it, but Leonard was unable to convert a tip-in at the buzzer.

“I thought it was a great game, especially for the fans,” Lue said. “Crazy game – a lot of momentum shifts, but we did some good things and just defensively, I just thought we had a lot of breakdowns and the pace they play at, they put you in some tough positions with Fox being the head of the snake.”

Kings coach Brown agreed the game provided a little bit of everything.

“From a fan’s standpoint, I can see how this game would have been a lot of fun to watch,” Brown said. “There was unbelievable shot-making and great defense. There was high-level talent that was on display. Kudos to the players.”

RECORD-CHASING

Detroit beat Denver, 186-184, in triple overtime on Dec. 13, 1983, in the highest-scoring NBA game. This was only the second time in the NBA’s 76-year history that both teams have scored at least 170 points. A team has scored 170 points in a regular-season game only seven times. … The teams combined for 44 3-pointers, tied for the most in a game in NBA history. Both teams also shot at least 58% from the field and were 80% or better from the foul line.

GAME OF THE YEAR CONTENDER.

Re-live every WILD moment from down the stretch of the 2nd highest scoring game in NBA history

Kings outlast the Clippers in 2OT, 176-175. pic.twitter.com/MiU7A8lViT

— NBA (@NBA) February 25, 2023

17 points
5 rebounds
14 assists

Russ put in work as the Clippers fought a wild 2OT battle with the Kings on his debut pic.twitter.com/PJTuNxHM1x

— NBA (@NBA) February 25, 2023

Clippers stars showed out in their WILD 2OT battle with the Kings tonight

Kawhi: 44 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST, 6 3PM, 73% FG
PG: 34 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST, 5 3PM pic.twitter.com/MaE6RxfxJw

— NBA (@NBA) February 25, 2023

De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk BALLED OUT tonight in the Kings 176-175 2OT win

Monk: 45 PTS, 6 AST, 6 3PM
Fox: 42 PTS, 5 REB, 12 AST, 5 STL

It’s the first time in Kings franchise history that 2 players have scored 40+ in the same game pic.twitter.com/ItKLnu4UES

— NBA (@NBA) February 25, 2023

​ Orange County Register 

Kings power past Islanders with 3-goal second period

• February 25, 2023

By SCOTT CHARLES The Associated Press

NEW YORK — The Kings erased a few days of frustration with a flurry of goals then held on for the first win of their five-game road trip.

Phillip Danault, Arthur Kaliyev and Gabe Vilardi all scored in a six-minute stretch of the second period and the Kings ended a two-game skid by defeating the New York Islanders, 3-2, on Friday night.

The Kings had been on the wrong end of a pair of one-goal losses to begin the trip – nearly being shut out in a 2-1 loss to the Wild on Tuesday night in Minnesota followed by a 4-3 overtime defeat against the Devils on Thursday in New Jersey.

On Friday night, the Kings scored their three goals in a span of 5:34 to take a 3-0 lead.

“We started to shoot the puck,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said, citing that as a key reason the game tilted in their direction.

“The shot pulls people out of position,” he added. “I didn’t think we did enough of that in the third period. We held onto pucks, killed time, played on the outside, but there’s still opportunities to go to the goaltenders’ pads and we didn’t do it. But that was the momentum swing early in the game.”

Jonathan Quick made 16 saves for his 370th career victory, moving into 19th place on the NHL’s all-time list. Quick also surpassed Tom Barrasso for third place on the career victories list by a U.S.-born goaltender, trailing only John Vanbiesbrouck (374) and former Duck Ryan Miller (391).

“I immediately think of all the great teams I’ve been a part of,” Quick said. “Teammates, coaches – everyone had some influence on those wins. … The guys that are at the top of the list were unbelievable goaltenders for a long time, just to kind of be in a category with them is an honor and humbling.”

Noah Dobson and Adam Pelech scored, and Ilya Sorokin finished with 25 saves but the Islanders’ two-game winning streak ended as they fight for a playoff spot in a tightly contested Eastern Conference wild-card race.

Danault opened the scoring when he put home a rebound at 6:40 of the second frame after Viktor Arvidsson hammered a slap shot that Sorokin failed to swallow up. Mikey Anderson also assisted on the play.

The Kings took advantage of Sebastian Aho’s neutral zone miscue to double their lead 1:25 after Danault’s goal. Rasmus Kupari gained control of the puck misplayed by Aho and beautifully fed Kaliyev for the easy one-time finish.

“There are games when if you make a mistake, it ends up in the back of your net,” Islanders coach Lane Lambert said. “It’s that simple, and that’s what happened tonight on a couple of occasions.”

Vilardi notched his 18th of the season at 12:14 to cap the Kings’ assertive stretch. The 23-year-old forward launched a one-timer that sailed past the blocker of Sorokin.

Dobson helped the Islanders trim their deficit to two when he tallied a power-play goal at 16:34 of the second. On the previous shift, Kyle Palmieri’s individual effort allowed the Islanders to maintain possession in the offensive zone and eventually led to Sean Walker’s penalty.

The Kings outshot the Islanders 24-13 through the first 40 minutes.

Pelech pulled the Islanders to within one goal when he tossed a backhand shot to the top of the crease that deflected off Kings defenseman Matt Roy and past Quick at 15:23 of the third period. Matt Martin extended his point streak to four games with an assist on the play.

“I thought we played better tonight with a lead,” Danault said. “We were playing on our toes more than our heels.”

Related Articles

The teams will meet again on March 14 at Crypto.com Arena to close out their season series.

IRON MAN

Zach Parise extended his consecutive games played streak to 145 games, making it the 19th-longest active streak in the NHL. Since joining the Islanders in October 2021, he has played in all 144 games with them.

UP NEXT

The Kings continue their five-game trip against the New York Rangers on Sunday at 2 p.m. PT.

More to come on this story.

Coach McLellan @LAKings | #LAKingsLive pic.twitter.com/31spOL2tJm

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) February 25, 2023

Kaliyev with a huge goal tonight@LAKings | #LAKingsLive | @CarrlynBathe pic.twitter.com/q3sBeAMywS

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) February 25, 2023

Birthday Boy sounding off after that victory @LAKings | #LAKingsLive | @CarrlynBathe pic.twitter.com/XJkm20uXK6

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) February 25, 2023

A historic night for Quick @LAKings | #LAKingsLive | @CarrlynBathe pic.twitter.com/CmlFlRodgQ

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) February 25, 2023

​ Orange County Register 

Exposition Park, home to past Olympics, will get revamp and green space

• February 25, 2023

California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot joined state and local leaders this week to promote future plans for Exposition Park, including dramatic updates to its existing museums, the addition of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and plans to transform 14 acres of badly needed green space to serve neighborhoods south of the park.

On Thursday, Feb, 23, newly appointed Exposition Park General Manager Andrea Ambriz greeted dignitaries and supporters before her swearing-in ceremony at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the centerpiece of Exposition Park.

Ambriz has a big job ahead, overseeing the park’s proposed master plan which is aimed at creating greater access, equity and sustainability at one of L.A.’s urban jewels. Expo Park is among the top five tourist and visitor destinations in Southern California, drawing 4 million visitors annually.

The event this week focused on an update to the park’s master plan, which officials said “charts a course for greater access, equity and environmental sustainability.”

Exposition Park, a 152-acre site just south of Downtown Los Angeles, is home to world-class museums, famed sporting venues and community assets aimed at educating and entertaining local residents and tourists.

It was a site of the famed 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympic Games and will be a site for the 2028 Olympic Games. It will also host events related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

​ Orange County Register 

Feds seek to limit telehealth prescriptions for some drugs

• February 25, 2023

By Amanda Seitz and Lindsay Whitehurst | Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration moved Friday to require patients see a doctor in person before getting attention deficit disorder medication or addictive painkillers, toughening access to the drugs against the backdrop of a deepening opioid crisis.

The proposal could overhaul the way millions of Americans get some prescriptions after three years of relying on telehealth for doctor’s appointments by computer or phone during the pandemic.The Drug Enforcement Administration said late Friday it plans to reinstate once longstanding federal requirements for powerful drugs that were waived once COVID-19 hit, enabling doctors to write millions of prescriptions for drugs such as OxyContin or Adderall without ever meeting patients in person.

Patients will need to see a doctor in person at least once to get an initial prescription for drugs that the federal government says have the the most potential to be abused — Vicodin, OxyContin, Adderall and Ritalin, for example. Refills could be prescribed over telehealth appointments.

The agency will also clamp down on how doctors can prescribe other, less addictive drugs to patients they’ve never physically met. Substances like codeine, taken to alleviate pain or coughing, Xanax, used to treat anxiety, Ambien, a sleep aid, and buprenorphine, a narcotic used to treat opioid addiction, can be prescribed over telehealth for an initial 30-day dose. Patients would need to see a doctor at least once in person to get a refill.

Patients will still be able to get common prescriptions like antibiotics, skin creams, birth control and insulin prescribed through telehealth visits.

The new rule seeks to keep expanded access to telehealth that’s important for patients like those in rural areas while also balancing safety, an approach DEA Administrator Anne Milgram referred to as “expansion of telemedicine with guardrails.”

The ease with each Americans have accessed certain medications during the pandemic has helped many get needed treatment, but concerns have also mounted that some companies may take advantage of the lax rules and be overprescribing medications to people who don’t need them, said David Herzberg, a historian of drugs at the University of Buffalo.

“Both sides of this tension have really good points,” said Herzberg. “You don’t want barriers in the way of getting people prescriptions they need. But anytime you remove those barriers it’s also an opportunity for profit seekers to exploit the lax rules and sell the medicines to people who may not need them.”

U.S. overdose deaths hit a record in 2021, about three-quarters of those from opioids during a crisis that was first spun into the making by drug makers, pharmacies and doctors that pushed the drugs to patients decades ago. But the grim toll from synthetic opioids like fentanyl far outstripped deaths related to prescription drugs that year, according to Centers for Disease Control Data. Fentanyl is increasingly appearing on the illicit market, pressed into fake prescription pills or mixed into other drugs.

The proposed rules deliver a major blow to a booming telehealth industry, with tech startups launching in recent years to treat and prescribe medications for mental health or attention deficit disorders. The industry has largely benefitted from the reprieve on in-person visits for drugs brought on by the pandemic, although some national retailers stopped filling drug orders generated by some telehealth apps over the last year.

The DEA has grown increasingly concerned over the last two years that some of those startup telehealth companies are improperly prescribing addictive substances like opioids or attention deficit disorder medication, putting patients in danger, a DEA official told The Associated Press on Friday.

The official said the agency plans to have the new rule in place before the COVID-19 public health emergency expires on May 11, which will effectively end the loosened rules. That could mean people who may seeking treatment from a doctor who is hundreds of miles away need to start developing plans for in-person visits with their doctors now, pointed out Boston-based attorney Jeremy Sherer, who represents telehealth companies. Patients will have six months to visit their doctor in person when the regulation is enacted.

“Providers and their patients need to know what that treatment is going to look like moving forward and whether, once the public health emergency ends in May, if they’re going to need to figure out a way to have a visit in person before continuing treatment, and that can be a real challenge,” he said.

Many states have already moved to restore limitations for telehealth care across state lines. By October, nearly 40 states and Washington, D.C., had ended emergency declarations that made it easier for doctors to see patients in other states.

​ Orange County Register