LA Kings’ Anze Kopitar asks $37M for Manhattan Beach home with high-tech pool

• October 21, 2023

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar has listed his modern smart home on a pedestrian-only road in Manhattan Beach for $37 million.

Sited on a double lot, the 7,604-square-foot residence has a main house and a separate guest house for a total of seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms. There’s a disappearing pool and spa powered by AKVO Spiralift technology.

The floors lift and lower at the touch of a button to create a courtyard terrace for entertaining or adjust the pool and spa depth without displacing any water. A Lynx kitchen with a pizza oven and two barbecues adds to outdoor amenities.

Records show the two-time Stanley Cup winner and his wife, Ines, bought two neighboring homes in November 2014 for a combined $10 million. The couple replaced the dated structures with this luxury beach compound in 2018.

Now it claims the all-time highest list price in Manhattan Beach.

Tall hedges offer privacy from prying eyes while ocean views abound from different vantage points, including the main house’s two upstairs patios designed for barbeques and relaxing by the outdoor fireplace on dual suspended swing sofas.

The interior has five bedrooms, seven bathrooms and dedicated rooms for movie watching, exercise and office work.

Other amenities include a gourmet kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances, climate-controlled wine storage and a four-stop elevator.

The two-bedroom, two-bathroom guest house has a rooftop deck, plus a poolside bathroom with a shower.

There’s parking for five cars.

Solar panels, Tesla Power Walls and Lutron automatic shades contribute to the efficiency of the home.

June Emerson of Vista Sotheby’s International Realty has the listing.

Slovenia-born Kopitar, 36, captains the LA Kings. The 6-foot-3-inch center got his start with the club in 2007 and is considered “an idol for everybody. An icon,” teammate Kevin Fiala said in a press conference as reported Oct. 20 by the Southern California News Group.

By Oct. 21, he will have become the team’s leader in games played when the Kings take on the Boston Bruins at Crypto.com Arena.

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​ Orange County Register 

Death of motorcyclist who fled Anaheim police ruled an accident

• October 21, 2023

The in-custody death of a 36-year-old motorcyclist who fled from Anaheim police and later crashed in August was determined to have been accidental and caused from internal injuries sustained in the wreck, according to a critical incident video released by police on Friday, Oct. 20.

On Aug. 17, Clinton Agapinan was riding a motorcycle near Haster Street and Katella Avenue when a nearby patrol car spotted him commit a traffic violation and attempted to perform a traffic stop, Anaheim Police Sgt. Jacob Gallacher said in the video. Police did not specify what the traffic violation was.

Agapinan fled from police, who did not continue their pursuit of the motorcycle, Gallacher said.

A police helicopter called in to locate the suspect spotted the motorcycle about 30 seconds later after it had crashed at the intersection of Katella and State College Boulevard.

Police found Agapinan lying on the curb and attempted to provide medical aid until paramedics arrived, Gallacher said. A handgun was discovered inside his waistband while officers attempted to assist him.

Police did not initially handcuff Agapinan but after refusing to listen to officers’ orders he was handcuffed, according to body-worn camera footage shown in the video.

The handcuffs were later removed, along with his motorcycle helmet, after authorities noticed his health deteriorating and officers unable to find a pulse, Gallacher said.

Agapinan was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

An autopsy conducted by the coroner’s office found that he had suffered from a punctured lung, perforated liver and a lacerated vein caused by blunt force trauma sustained in the crash, Gallacher said. The coroner’s office said the death was accidental.

The department’s Major Incident Review Team and Internal Affairs will continue to investigate the crash to ensure officers followed protocol, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office is continuing its independent investigation.

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​ Orange County Register 

National Preparedness Month: Here are the counties with the highest risk

• October 21, 2023

October is National Preparedness Month, so we look at where natural hazards are most likely to occur in the nation and offer a few tips on getting yourself ready.

The map is from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and shows each county’s rating for disaster potential. Most of California’s counties are in the highest ranking mostly due to high fire, earthquake, severe storm and flood risk.

Natural hazards are defined as environmental phenomena that have the potential to impact societies and the human environment. These should not be confused with other types of hazards, such as human-caused hazards. For example, a flood resulting from changes in river flows is a natural hazard, whereas flooding due to a dam failure is considered a human-caused disaster and therefore excluded from the National Risk Index.

Calculating the risk index

Risk index scores are calculated using an equation that combines scores for expected annual loss due to natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience.

Risk index scores are presented as a composite score for all 18 hazard types, as well as individual scores for each hazard type.

The 18 natural hazards included in the National Risk Index are:

Avalanche

Coastal flooding

Cold wave

Drought

Earthquake

Hail

Heatwave

Hurricane

Ice storm

Landslide

Lightning

Riverine flooding

Strong wind

Tornado

Tsunami

Volcanic activity

Wildfire

Winter weather

Natural hazards and natural disasters are related but are not the same. A natural hazard is the threat of an event that will likely have a negative impact. A natural disaster is the negative impact following an actual occurrence of a natural hazard in the event that it significantly harms a community.

California is prone to various disasters, most notably those from excessive rain (flooding and other storm damage), fires, and earthquakes.

A few skills to learn

Learn to use a fire extinguisher.

Know how to shut off utilities.

Gas: If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and get everyone out quickly. Turn off the gas, using the outside main valve, if you can, and call the gas company from a neighbor’s home.

Caution: If you turn off the gas for any reason, a qualified professional must turn it back on. NEVER attempt to turn the gas back on yourself.

Water: Water quickly becomes a precious resource following many disasters. It is vital that all household members learn how to shut off the water at the main house valve.

Electricity: Locate your electrical circuit box. For your safety, always shut off all the individual circuits before shutting off the main circuit.

Learn more at Ready.gov

emergencykits.com

Redcross.org

sustain.com

Sources: ReadyOC, FEMA, Redcross.org

Compiled by former Focus page editor Charles Apple and Kurt Snibbe, SCNG

​ Orange County Register 

ALCS: Jose Altuve’s 3-run homer in 9th gives Astros 3-2 series lead after benches clear

• October 21, 2023

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Baseball Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas — Jose Altuve hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning and the Houston Astros, after getting into another bench-clearing scuffle with the Texas Rangers, rallied for a 5-4 victory in a wild and testy Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Friday.

After winning all three games at rival Texas, the defending champion Astros head home to Houston needing one win to reach a third consecutive World Series. They lead 3-2 in the best-of-seven playoff going into Game 6 on Sunday night.

“We’ve done it so many times. We never give up until the last out,” Altuve said.

Adolis García punctuated his towering three-run homer in the sixth with a slow trot and an empathic spike of his bat after watching the ball clear the wall to give Texas a 4-2 lead.

When the slugger came to bat again with a runner on first in the eighth, Bryan Abreu hit García on the left arm with a pitch. An angry García immediately turned to get in the face of catcher Martín Maldonado – the two also jawed nose-to-nose when García touched home plate after his grand slam in Houston on July 26.

Both benches and bullpens cleared, although it didn’t appear any punches were thrown as the teams grabbed hold of each other near home plate. Once things settled down, García, Abreu and Astros manager Dusty Baker had been ejected during a delay that lasted almost 12 minutes.

After the game, umpire crew chief James Hoye told a pool reporter Abreu was ejected for throwing with intent, and García was tossed for being the aggressor in the situation.

“The guy hits a three-run homer; the next time up he gets smoked there,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “I’d be upset, too, if I was Doli. But like I said, it just took too long to get things back in order, that’s what was frustrating me.”

Rangers closer José Leclerc gave up a leadoff single to pinch-hitter Yainer Diaz and walked pinch-hitter Jon Singleton at the bottom of the lineup to begin the Houston ninth. Altuve then pulled an 0-and-1 changeup over the left field fence, just beyond the glove of a leaping Evan Carter.

It was the 26th career postseason homer for Altuve, second in major league history behind Manny Ramirez (29). The 5-foot-6 star second baseman was playing in his 101st postseason game – all with the Astros.

“Number one, he wants to be up there. Number two, he’s got a high concentration level – because that’s what it takes in big moments like that, is concentration, desire, and relaxation all encompassed into one,” Baker said. “This dude is one of the baddest dudes I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen some greats.”

García connected off three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander, who took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth before Corey Seager doubled, Carter singled and García homered in a span of three pitches.

Nathaniel Lowe also went deep for the wild-card Rangers, tying it 1-all in the fifth.

Ryan Pressly pitched two scoreless innings for the win after replacing Abreu following his ejection. Pressly gave up consecutive singles to start the bottom of the ninth before retiring the top three batters in Texas’ lineup. Marcus Semien lined out to shortstop, Seager flied out to deep center and Carter struck out to end it.

Alex Bregman homered early for Houston, which is in its seventh straight ALCS and is trying to get to its fifth World Series in that span.

The AL West champion Astros are 40-45 this year at Minute Maid Park, including 1-3 in the postseason. But they are 5-0 on the road and have won 19 of their past 22 games away from home overall.

Houston went 9-1 at Globe Life Field this season, winning its last eight in a row while outscoring Texas 79-36 during that span.

García, the Cuban slugger known as El Bombi, took a couple of slow steps out of the batter’s box after connecting and was about halfway down the baseline when the ball landed in the first row of seats a few feet beyond the left-center wall. It was his fourth homer this postseason.

That go-ahead homer in the 42nd inning of this series was the first time the home team took the lead at any point through the first five games.

Houston took a 2-1 lead in the sixth when José Abreu reached out to hit a 79 mph curveball from starter Jordan Montgomery and the sharply hit ball took a tough hop off Seager at shortstop for an RBI single.

Josh Sborz entered with the bases loaded and one out but prevented further damage with the help of a diving play by Semien at second base.

Verlander retired 13 of his first 15 batters in his 21st postseason start for Houston until Lowe went the opposite way for a 380-foot homer to left field. The 40-year-old right-hander allowed four runs and six hits over 5⅔ innings.

ROOF CLOSED

A day after the retractable roof at Globe Life Park was open during a game for the first time since May 21, it was closed again on a sunny afternoon. The temperature outside at first pitch was 91 degrees. It was 74 inside with the roof closed.

UP NEXT

All-Star pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Framber Valdez will start Game 6, the same matchup as Game 2 when the Rangers won, 5-4. Eovaldi struck out nine and allowed three runs in six innings to win Monday. Valdez had six strikeouts in 2⅔ innings, but he allowed five runs (four earned).

JOSE ALTUVE FOR THE LEAD!! #ALCS pic.twitter.com/uUlrRc9b5f

— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2023

The @Astros head back home with a series lead! #ALCS pic.twitter.com/DYVM3FnrDH

— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2023

Alex Bregman is in awe of Jose Altuve. #ALCS pic.twitter.com/1tOJKW7MjW

— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2023

Breg-Man on the Moon: This ball was up, up, and away. #ALCS pic.twitter.com/kyaUxoFxvc

— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2023

This is what 110 Texas-sized decibels sounds like. #ALCS pic.twitter.com/SAtmrtAv2F

— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2023

​ Orange County Register 

Santa Anita horse racing consensus picks for Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023

• October 21, 2023

The consensus box of Santa Anita horse racing picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Art Wilson, Terry Turrell and Eddie Wilson. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Saturday, October 21, 2023.

Trouble viewing on mobile device? See consensus picks

Enjoy the consensus horse racing picks online? Subscribe

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​ Orange County Register 

Driver gets 10 years for crash that killed Irvine man in Laguna Beach

• October 21, 2023

A 36-year-old Rancho Santa Margarita man pleaded guilty Friday and was immediately sentenced to 10 years in prison for an alcohol-fueled crash that killed a man in Laguna Beach nearly 10 years ago.

Francisco Acuna Sanchez pleaded guilty to a felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. As part of the plea deal, charges of second-degree murder and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs causing injury were dismissed along with sentencing enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury on three victims.

Sanchez, a previously twice convicted drunk driver, was involved in a four-vehicle crash that injured several and killed 29-year-old Erik Valencia of Irvine on Jan. 26, 2014. The crash happened around 1:30 p.m. on Pacific Coast Highway near Irvine Cove Drive in Laguna Beach, police said.

Sanchez was arrested on Nov. 24, 2021, and has been in jail since then.

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​ Orange County Register 

Analysis: 3 takeaways from Lakers’ 2023-24 preseason

• October 21, 2023

The Lakers’ 2023-24 preseason is now behind them after Thursday’s loss to the Phoenix Suns, with the focus now turning toward Tuesday’s regular-season opener against the Denver Nuggets in Colorado.

While experimentation and varying player availability makes it difficult to learn too many lessons, the exhibition games aren’t meaningless and observations can be made.

Here are three takeaways from the Lakers’ preseason:

Fifth starter

Going into training camp, the competition for the fifth and final starting spot – alongside LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell – was expected to be between Rui Hachimura, Taurean Prince and Jarred Vanderbilt.

It appears the competition came down to Prince and Vanderbilt.

Prince started all three of the exhibition games when the other four known starters were available. But Vanderbilt, a starter during the team’s run to the Western Conference finals last year, missed five consecutive games because of left heel soreness.

Before the loss to the Suns, Ham wouldn’t confirm whether Russell, Reaves, Prince, James and Davis would be the starting unit against the Nuggets, mentioning that forward Vanderbilt wasn’t available Thursday.

Prince and Vanderbilt bring different skill sets to the group. Prince is the better shooter and scorer. Vanderbilt has the edge as the better overall defender and rebounder.

But the Lakers appear to be confident in either option.

“They’re two totally different players and bring totally different things,” Reaves said. “What’s similar about them is they both play the game the right way, know how to fit in with any group and I think it all stays the same. Play the right way, make the extra pass.

“We’ve got a lot of talent on the court. Whoever it is or whatever lineup we have on the court in any given moment, we feel comfortable with what we got.”

Jaxson Hayes’ play

There might not have been a Lakers player who benefited more from the preseason than Jaxson Hayes, the 6-foot-11 big man they signed as a free agent during the offseason.

Hayes wasn’t the only player who had standout moments or games during the exhibitions.

Russell’s scoring and playmaking shined, as did his increased commitment to the defensive end. Davis, James, Reaves and Prince were among the players who had strong moments.

But most of the other players’ roles were either defined or seemed to be clear before training camp even started.

Before camp, there were questions about how Hayes would get consistent playing time in light of the team’s other frontcourt options.

But his interior activity and efficiency on both ends of the court might make it difficult for Ham not to reward Hayes with consistent playing time. Hayes also flashed good passing skills for a player of his size.

“He was phenomenal,” Davis said. “Catching in the pocket and making the right plays, finishing, protecting the rim, everything that we want out of him and more. Hustling. Things that can [be] better. But for the most part, he was phenomenal.”

Transition defense

Transition defense was a notable deficiency for the Lakers last season, and they still feel that’s one of the team’s biggest areas of concern heading into the regular season.

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“We’ve struggled a little bit [with] transition defense throughout these [preseason] games,” Reaves said. “That comes with energy, effort and also playing alongside each other longer. Having that unspoken chemistry of kind of just knowing where someone’s going to be, rotations and stuff like that.”

To Davis, the solution for their transition defensive woes is simple.

“That’s all it really is: effort and communication,” Davis said. “Those are the two biggest things. Hustling back, running back and realizing that you don’t have a man in transition. You’re not going to your man, you have to find a man and just match up from there. Getting back, not running alongside your man and then communicating.”

​ Orange County Register 

Biden asks Congress for $105 billion for Ukraine, Israel, the border and more

• October 21, 2023

By CHRIS MEGERIAN and MARY CLARE JALONICK

WASHINGTON — The White House on Friday released a sweeping set of proposals to bolster Israel and Ukraine in the midst of two wars as well as invest more in domestic defense manufacturing, humanitarian assistance and managing the influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The total cost of the supplemental funding request was pegged at just over $105 billion. President Joe Biden hopes Congress will move urgently on the legislation, and he made the case for deepening U.S. support for its allies during a rare Oval Office address on Thursday night.

The Democratic president’s plan faces some immediate complications on Capitol Hill, even as most lawmakers say they want to help both countries. The House is at a standstill, unable to pass legislation, as the Republican majority struggles to choose a new speaker. The money could also get bogged down in a divided Senate where Republicans have increasingly opposed Ukraine aid and demanded adding additional border policies to the measure.

But Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said the Senate would advance Biden’s proposals as soon as possible.

“This legislation is too important to wait for the House to settle their chaos,” he said. “Senate Democrats will move expeditiously on this request, and we hope that our Republican colleagues across the aisle will join us to pass this much-needed funding.”

Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., also expressed support, but said the Senate “must produce our own supplemental legislation that meets the demonstrated needs of our national security.”

It could take several weeks to write the bill and negotiate its contents. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray, D-Wash., and the panel’s top Republican, Maine Sen. Susan Collins, announced an Oct. 31 hearing on the spending request with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told reporters Friday that Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and Hamas’ attack on Israel represent a “global inflection point.”

“This budget request is critical to advancing America’s national security and ensuring the safety of the American people,” Sullivan said.

The biggest line item in the supplemental funding request is $61.4 billion to support Ukraine. Some of that money will go to replenishing Pentagon stockpiles of weapons that have already been provided.

Ukraine has struggled to make progress in a grueling counteroffensive, and the White House has warned that Russia could gain ground if the United States does not rush more weapons and ammunition to the conflict.

“The world is closely watching what Congress does next,” Sullivan said.

Israel would receive $14.3 billion in assistance under the proposal. The majority of that money would help with air and missile defense systems, according to the White House.

While aiding both Israel and Ukraine has broad support in both chambers, some Republicans in both the House and the Senate are wary of linking funding for the two countries. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, said the president’s proposal was discussed in a closed-door meeting of his state’s Republican delegation Friday.

Williams said Biden’s proposal to aid both is “a little disturbing” because “he knows he can’t get it done without Israel.”

The reaction is emblematic of how Biden’s decision to roll together several different issues, in hopes of broadening the potential political coalition to ensure the legislation’s passage, could also lead it to its derailment.

Debates over immigration will likely be the most thorny as Republicans seek to bolster enforcement. Many Republicans have said they won’t support the measure unless new policies are added, and it is so far unclear whether the money that Biden is requesting would be sufficient. A group of Republican senators huddled Thursday to discuss possible proposals that they would support.

“I support aid to Israel and Ukraine,” Texas Sen. John Cornyn posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “But without meaningful and substantive policy changes that will address the #BidenBorderCrisis such aid is in serious jeopardy.”

Shalanda Young, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, suggested it would be hypocritical for them to oppose Biden’s proposal after complaining about lax border management.

“We will not be lectured by those who refuse to act,” she said. “As we’ve said repeatedly, Congress needs to take action to provide sufficient resources for the border.”

Although there was a lull in migrant arrivals to the U.S. after the start of new asylum restrictions in May, illegal crossings topped a daily average of more than 8,000 last month.

The White House wants roughly $14 billion to, among other things, boost the number of border agents, install new inspection machines to detect fentanyl and increase staffing to process asylum cases.

Sen. Bill Hagerty, a Tennessee Republican, said providing the administration with “more money to fuel its disastrous open-borders resettlement operation is insanity.”

“It would worsen the border crisis, not stop it,” he wrote on X.

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Some Republicans made clear that there was no chance they would support the package. Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton called it “dead on arrival.”

Biden’s funding request includes $7.4 billion for a variety of initiatives geared toward the Indo-Pacific, where the U.S. is focused on countering China’s influence. The money is divided among joint security initiatives in the region, bolstering submarine manufacturing as part of a partnership with Australia and developing financing programs for countries that would otherwise rely on Beijing.

Another $9.15 billion is geared toward humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and other places. Administration officials said they would determine where best to direct the money once it’s approved.

Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said “time is of the essence” for passing the legislation.

“We will be judged on how the United States responds to ongoing crises, whether we honor our commitments to our allies abroad, and how we care for innocent people around the world caught in the wake of devastation,” she said.

Associated Press writer Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register