John Goodenough dies at 100; Nobel-winning scientist’s work led to creation of lithium-ion battery

• June 27, 2023

By Elizabeth Wolfe | CNN

John B. Goodenough, the Nobel Prize-winning engineer whose contributions to developing lithium-ion batteries revolutionized portable technology, has died. He was 100.

He died Sunday, according to a release from the University of Texas at Austin, where Goodenough served as a faculty member for 37 years. His cause of death was not provided.

“John’s legacy as a brilliant scientist is immeasurable — his discoveries improved the lives of billions of people around the world,” UT Austin President Jay Hartzell said in a statement Monday.

Goodenough is credited with the crucial discovery and development in the 1980s of materials that would allow for a more stable and powerful rechargeable battery.

He became the oldest Nobel Prize winner at 97 when he was awarded the 2019 prize in chemistry for the development of lithium-ion batteries, alongside M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino.

Together, the trio’s individual breakthroughs in battery technology “created a rechargeable world” in which portable electronics such as cell phones and laptops have become ubiquitous across the globe, the Nobel committee said in their announcement.

The innovation also laid the groundwork for the development of long-range electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.

“Live to 97 (years old) and you can do anything,” Goodenough said after he was awarded the Nobel prize, according to a 2019 release from UT Austin.

In addition to his groundbreaking research, Goodenough was a beloved mentor and professor at UT Austin, the university said.

“Not only was John a tremendous researcher, he was also a beloved and highly regarded teacher. He took great pride in being a mentor to many graduate students and faculty members who benefitted from his wisdom and encouragement,” UT Austin Provost Sharon L. Wood said in a statement.

Goodenough had been awarded the National Medal of Science, the Enrico Fermi Award and the Benjamin Franklin Medal, among several other prestigious accolades.

President Barack Obama awards the National Medal of Science to John Goodenough at a ceremony in Washington in 2013.

Born in Germany in 1922, Goodenough grew up in the northeastern US and earned a bachelors degree in mathematics from Yale University. After serving in the US Army as a meteorologist, he earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. in physics from the University of Chicago in 1952, according to UT Austin’s release.

His career began at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory that year. In his 24-year tenure at MIT, he was among the researchers that laid the groundwork for random-access memory (RAM) used in laptops and desktop computers.

In 1976, Goodenough became a professor and head of the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory at the University of Oxford, where he eventually made his lithium-ion battery breakthrough, the release said.

He went on to join the faculty of UT Austin in 1986, where he became known for his “quick wit and infectious laugh,” the university release said.

“That laugh could be heard reverberating through UT engineering buildings — you knew when Goodenough was on your floor, and you couldn’t help but smile at the thought of running into him,” the release said.

Goodenough and his wife, Irene, were married for more than 70 years until her death in 2016, the university said. That year, he established the the Irene W. Goodenough Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Nursing in his wife’s honor.

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Additionally, he created the John B. and Irene W. Goodenough Endowed Research Fund in Engineering and St. Catherine’s College at the University of Oxford established a Goodenough Fellowship in Chemistry in his honor.

“John was simply an amazing person — a truly great researcher, teacher, mentor and innovator,” said Roger Bonnecaze, dean of UT Austin’s Cockrell School of Engineering.

“His joy and care in all he did, and that remarkable laugh, were infectious and inspiring,” Bonnecaze said in a statement. “What an impactful life he led!”

​ Orange County Register 

LAUSD pitches in to save sea lions stricken by coastal toxic algae bloom

• June 27, 2023

The Los Angeles Unified School District has helped set up a temporary outdoor “triage” center to care for the infllux of sea lions stricken by a deadly coastal algae blooms, officials announced during a press conference on Tuesday, June 27.

The Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles, located on LAUSD property within San Pedro’s Angel’s Gate Park, is overwhelmed with a large number of ill animals that are being brought in. The wave of sick sea lions has strained the facility’s resources and the outdoor accommodations that offer medical care, rehabilitation space and pools where the wildlife can recuperate before being returned to the ocean.

John Warner, Marine Mammal Care Center’s CEO, referred to it as an ongoing crisis for marine life in Southern California, with a large toxic algae bloom causing the illness. The center is filled the center beyond its capacity.

There were currently 113 animals at the center on Thursday; the facility is designed to hold about 100.

The 500-square-foot outdoor triage addition, on the south end of the center’s property, holds six sea lions that are among those needing the most intensive care. It can hold up to about 20, MMCC officials said.

The active participation of the school district was launched after LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho came upon a stranded sea lion in distress while he was hiking in the White Point area of the southern bluffs in San Pedro a few weeks ago.

The animal, he said, was lethargic and seemed to be in distress, Carvalho said. This was before the algae bloom issue had received much attention, he added.

“I didn’t know what to do so I alerted a lifeguard,” the superintendent said.

The center and LAUSD has had a partnership since 1989, when the property was part of a deal reached after the former Marineland of the Pacific, an oceanarium and public attraction, closed.

Ever since, the district, which remains the center’s landlord, has sent thousands of students on field trips and other educational excursions there.

Both the MMCC in San Pedro and the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach have been hit hard withsick sea lions. Dolphins are also getting sick and dying, along with whales and other sea mammals.

The toxic algae blooms occur periodically, usually in the spring, flooding the centers with additional animals to treat. The animals arrive malnourished and disoriented — the toxins affect the animals’ brains — and many experience seizures. The animals can die with irreversible brain damage.

This year, Warner said, has brought an “unprecedented number of calls” to the Los Angeles facility. LAUSD’s help — as well as assistance from the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors — has provided a significant boost in resources, he added.

The county has also established a fenced-off “resting zone” at Venice Beach, where sea lions that come onshore and show some distress can be placed and watched to see if they need to be transported for additional treatment.

Donations to the center, Warner said, are always welcome and needed, and can be made at marinemammalcare.org/donate.

The center, Warner noted, just had to order 50,000 pounds of fish (for food) after running out of the monthly allotments.

The bloom appeared to start off the Channel Islands, with the Santa Barbara coastline being hit first. Sea lions have been found since stranded on many local beaches, including Hermosa, Manhattan, Venice and Santa Monica.

They can sometimes be seen seizing or thrashing about at the waterline, Warner said.

“It’s frightening to the public,” he said.

The public is urged to stay away from all marine mammals they see on the beach, a message wildlife rehabilitation officials especially want to reinforce as the busy Fourth of July holiday weekend approaches.

Injured and ill marine mammals should be reported by calling the Marine Mammal Care Center’s rescue hotline at 800-39-WHALE.

The Venice Beach resting zone, being tried for the first time, began taking in sea lions on Tuesday, Warner said.

“These are all untried solutions we’re putting into place,” he said.

Significant recent blooms have occurred in 2012-13 (when many were stranded in what was an intense El Nino year), 2016, 2017 and 2019, said MMCC Hospital Director Lauren Palmer. But this year’s outbreak, the veterinarian said, has been a particular challenge.

A complex ecosystem and climate changes that affect ocean temperatures are all thought to combine in causing the algae bloom conditions.

“Our sea lions are ubiquitous along our coastline,” Palmer said. “They’re also our sentinels on the coast,” alerting humans to changing environmental conditions.

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Some of the animals brought in do not survive, she said. But many are brought back to health with hydrating fluids, anti-seizure medications, food and rest. They are released back into the ocean but only once conditions are safer and the algae recedes. The blooms, she said, typically last from four to six weeks.

Six pups are also among those at the center, with three of them doing well, Palmer said.

One sea lion gave birth during the rescue truck ride into the center, she said.

Among the medical issues is that there is no good replacement for a mother sea lion’s milk if she is ill and stops lactating.

LAUSD is “ready to do more.” Carvalho said, and the collaboration, MMCC officials said, is making a significant difference.

Warner, walking Carvalho toward his car after the press conference, suggested the two talk soon about the future needs.

“Let’s start that now,” Carvalho replied.

​ Orange County Register 

Huntington Beach sets $500 million budget, addresses future deficit but avoids closing libraries

• June 27, 2023

Huntington Beach will trim some city services in the coming year, but will avoid closing libraries and immediately eliminating a downtown shuttle service that earlier were on the chopping block as leaders plan ahead for an expected future budget shortfall.

City staffers projected that Huntington Beach would face a deficit of more than $7 million beginning in fiscal year 2024-25 that could swell to more than $13 million by 2026. The City Council and staffers started looking at ways to address the future gap between spending and revenues as part of the city’s upcoming fiscal year budget.

The City Council approved its half-billion dollar budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 in a 7-0 vote Monday night. Cuts that will be made include eliminating the community cafe events held at city libraries and evaluating if unfilled staff positions should be eliminated. With decisions made this week the future deficits have been slashed by more than half, officials said.

When the proposed budget cuts for addressing the future shortfall were released as part of the City Council’s agenda Friday night, they called for closing three public library branches and eliminating the Circuit downtown shuttle service. Those proposals struck a nerve with residents, who pleaded Monday with councilmembers to not do away with city services they use.

Mayor Tony Strickland said in early June he directed city staffers to explore ways to cut department budgets after the projections came in that the city would be in a deficit due to staffing up on police officers.

“Unlike other councils and other cities that wait for an emergency situation where they don’t have many options,” Strickland said, “we are actually fixing the budget today to make sure we’re not in that position two years from now.”

Over the weekend, staffers further adjusted what the options for cuts were, eliminating the need for closing down libraries.

Councilmembers Rhonda Bolton, Natalie Moser and Dan Kalmick were upset about how little time they and the public had to review the last-minute adjustments to the budget. They were made aware of the changes on Monday.

“This is no way to run a half-a-billion dollar organization,” Kalmick said. “I found out this morning that we were making substantial changes to the budget and residents found out when we got here.”

The city will fund the popular downtown shuttle service until at least Jan. 1. Circuit’s Vice President of Business Development Daniel Kramer said the city needed to approve some level of matching money to access upcoming grants that could fund the shuttles.

James Hartman lives downtown and said he and his family enjoy using the shuttle service multiple times a week. Since the service began in 2021, it has pushed him to visit downtown more than ever, he said.

“It induces you to kind of stay and spend your money in the city,” Hartman said. “Otherwise, I’ll do what I’ve done most of my life. I’ll jump in my car and go to Newport where the dining options are much better”

Monday afternoon, before the City Council meeting, Kramer said, “No one wants to see the program go away. It’s strictly just a financial thing.”

The City Council approved four new positions for the City Attorney’s Office at a cost of about $687,000. There will be three new attorneys, one of which will focus on prosecuting misdemeanors. The city will also hire a legal assistant.

For the next fiscal year, the city will have about 1,000 full-time employees.

Property tax revenue will support more than $130 million of the city’s $500 million budget – at just over a quarter of the budget it is the largest revenue source.

To generate new revenue, the city will raise fees for its emergency medical services and add advertisements to the city’s lifeguard towers. The city is expected to end the 2023-24 fiscal year with a $7 million surplus.

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​ Orange County Register 

McCarthy angers Trump allies with 2024 candidate answer

• June 27, 2023

By Kristen Holmes and Nicky Robertson | CNN

Advisers and allies to former President Donald Trump are expressing outrage after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said that he thinks Trump can win in 2024, but does not know if he is the “strongest” candidate.

“I’ve been fielding calls on this since it happened,” one Trump ally told CNN, referring to McCarthy’s comments. “People are not happy. What was he thinking?”

During a CNBC interview Tuesday, McCarthy was pressed on Trump’s 2024 prospects and the multi-faceted legal issues facing the former president. “Can he win that election? Yeah he can,” McCarthy said. “The question is, is he the strongest to win the election – I don’t know that answer.”

McCarthy later attempted to walk back his comments, telling Breitbart that Trump is “stronger today than he was in 2016.”

During the CNBC interview, McCarthy also said he believes Trump can beat President Joe Biden. “Can Trump beat Biden? Yeah, he can beat Biden.”

Sources close to Trump believe the former president helped secure the speakership for McCarthy after urging House Republicans to vote for the embattled leader after McCarthy lost three straight speakership votes in January. Trump also made calls on McCarthy’s behalf ahead of the vote. McCarthy finally secured the gavel on the 15th ballot and immediately thanked the former President for his support.

Some advisers to the former President have in the past brushed off questions as to why McCarthy has not offered an endorsement of Trump in 2024, and instead dodged the question when posed by reporters.

“He has a lot of people to navigate if he he’s going to win the speakership,” one adviser told CNN in December when McCarthy avoided answering whether he would back Trump in his recently launched third bid for president.

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McCarthy argued in the CNBC interview that Trump’s policies are good for the country when asked if it is good for the party to have Trump as the nominee.

“Republicans get to select their nominee. I think if you want to go sheer policy to policy, it’s not good for Republicans, its good for America. Trump’s policies are better, straightforward than Biden policy,” McCarthy said.

​ Orange County Register 

Angel City FC resumes NWSL Challenge Cup with San Diego rematch

• June 27, 2023

Angel City Football Club didn’t have a lot of time to dwell on the missed opportunities in Sunday’s scoreless draw against the Houston Dash.

That’s because this week is one of short turnarounds.

Angel City returns to action Wednesday against San Diego Wave FC in NWSL Challenge Cup play (7:30 p.m., CBSSN). After this game, Angel City has a flight to New York for a meeting with Gotham FC on Sunday.

“This is where, as coaching and a coaching staff, you have to decide what this week looks like,” ACFC interim coach Becki Tweed said. “If you take the physical load down, you can increase the cognitive load and a lot of teaching can be done in the classroom and in film.

“We just need to be efficient about getting the best that we can from the time that we have with the players.”

This is the fourth of six Challenge Cup games for Angel City. Through the first three, it is in last place in the West Division (0-2-1) with one point.

The league’s 12 teams are separated into three divisions (Central, East and West) of four teams. The top team from each group, along with the highest-placing second-place team, advances to the semifinals.

OL Reign leads the West Division with seven points. The Portland Thorns and Wave FC are tied with three.

However, with World Cup call-ups taking place, rosters across the league will certainly be impacted, potentially opening things up for all teams to make a run.

Last week, the NWSL announced that the prize pool for the Challenge Cup is $1.1 million. All players are eligible for a bonus for every Challenge Cup they appear in and “approximately $300,000 and $200,000 awarded to the two teams advancing to the final.”

“It’s our incredible athletes who make our league compelling, they deserve to have their compensation grow and reflect their excellence on the field,” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said.

Angel City’s Alyssa Thompson and Julie Ertz, along with Wave FC’s Alex Morgan and Naomi Girma, will miss the game as the U.S. national team begins preparations for FIFA World Cup.

Angel City and Wave FC have met twice in league play, with each team winning. The most recent meeting went to Angel City 2-1 on June 17 in San Diego.

San Diego Wave FC at Angel City FC

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday

Where: BMO Stadium

How to watch: CBS Sports

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​ Orange County Register 

Natalie Rubalcava: The way forward on hotel worker safety in Anaheim

• June 27, 2023

Everyone should feel safe doing their job. On that we can all agree.

On Tuesday night, the Anaheim City Council has the chance to bring added peace of mind to those who do so much to make our city a great place to visit.

We are set to take a second and final vote on a hotel worker safety ordinance I proposed for our city.

The proposal builds on what many Anaheim hotels already do to keep their housekeepers and other staff safe.

It’s also something near to me.

Growing up, I remember my grandmother working as a housekeeper at motels along Harbor Boulevard across from Disneyland.

My grandmother worked at the former Sands Motel and a neighboring motel in the 1980s.

Thankfully, she never encountered threats to her personal safety and was treated like family.

But I can’t help but think of her when it comes to the housekeepers who make up such a critical part of our visitor economy today.

The safety and security of hotel workers has been part of a larger debate playing out in Anaheim for the past few weeks.

It’s a debate that will continue in the months ahead.

On Tuesday, my council colleagues and I are set to also consider an Oct. 3 special election for a proposed hotel and event worker wage initiative that includes some security provisions.

The initiative, developed by Unite Here Local 11, calls for a $25 minimum wage for hotel and event center workers along with various work rules. It also includes security provisions similar to those the Council will be voting on tonight.

The council had the option to either adopt the initiative outright or to place the matter before voters.

While there is a conversation to be had about wages as inflation impacts the daily lives of Anaheim residents and workers, I believe that decision is best left to voters.

The initiative is broad, impacting every hotel, large or small, and the Disneyland Resort, the Anaheim Convention Center, Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Honda Center and private event centers across our city.

The potential impact to Anaheim’s budget is concerning. The city-owned convention center could see higher yearly wage and other impacts of up to $8.6 million, resulting in less money from conventions for city services.

Anaheim’s hotel revenue, our primary funding for public safety, community services and city obligations, also stands to be impacted. If the initiative is adopted, Anaheim’s hotels will need to raise room rates to absorb higher operating costs, which will result in fewer guest stays, according to a city commissioned report. By 2028, Anaheim could see $4 million less in hotel tax revenue if the initiative is adopted.

But addressing basic worker safeguards is something we can reasonably do.

The ordinance coming before the Council for a final vote would require all Anaheim hotels to provide security devices to workers cleaning guestrooms and restrooms.

The devices could be activated if a worker is threatened by a guest or anyone else or to signal a fire or other emergency.

Hotels would need to monitor security devices and respond.

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Just as important, the proposal would require advanced notice to guests about worker safety rules and warn that violations will result in removal at their own expense.

The proposed ordinance would also require paid worker safety training and time to report incidents to police, management tracking of incidents for awareness and remedying, and guidance on when to use a device or just call police.

Our council heard from hotel workers who shared concerns about feeling unsafe and who said they had experienced sexual harassment.

Safety is my No. 1 priority. We can’t wait for safety provisions in an initiative or leave such an important matter to voters.

We need to adopt this ordinance now and lead the way on worker safety for California’s hospitality industry.

Natalie Rubalcava is mayor pro tem of the city of Anaheim.

​ Orange County Register 

Senate Bill 567 would do more harm than good in solving California’s housing crisis

• June 27, 2023

For three generations, my family has been in the rental property industry, and I count myself among the many Californians who are concerned with issues regarding housing supply and affordability.

As president of the California Rental Housing Association (CalRHA), I am deeply concerned about legislation like Senate Bill 567, introduced by Sen. María Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles, that, if passed, would impose unnecessary and unreasonable restrictions on property owners.

Keep in mind, our association of 25,000 members are for the most part individuals and families operating like small business owners who rely on rental properties as an income source, not the owners of large apartment complexes.

Simply put SB 567 is unnecessary. A major barrier that SB 567 presents is the expansion of “just-cause” eviction provisions, making it increasingly challenging for housing providers to manage their properties efficiently. By limiting the ability to terminate tenancies, when necessary, this legislation places significant burdens on small property owners who rely on rental income to sustain their businesses and support their families.

The Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482) already establishes laws and regulations for small property owners, namely concerning rent caps and reasons for ending a renter’s tenancy early. AB 1482 is set to be reevaluated in ten years, and before legislators determine its overall effectiveness, an impact study will be conducted.

Why would we impose stricter legislation when we haven’t had time to see the effects of AB 1482 and whether it is able to meaningfully address California’s housing affordability crisis?

I speak on behalf of my family and the CalRHA members I represent, we are at a loss as to why the legislature would pass a new bill that proposes drastic changes to an existing one.

SB 567 in its current version also imposes unreasonable restrictions on property owners’ rights to repossess and occupy their rental units or to sell their properties. It goes to extremes that I would argue would make rental property owners give serious pause on whether to continue renting their properties or not.

For example, say a property owner needs to take care of a family member and move them into their rental property, thus having the current renter vacate. SB 567 states that the property owner’s relative needs to live in their unit for 12 months straight and claim that as their primary residence for the duration.

In other words, they need to plan to house a family member for one year. There are circumstances and events in life we have no control over, and being expected to be able to predict someone’s housing future for the next three years seems unrealistic.

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I’ll provide another example about imposing extreme time related restrictions, and one that is worth considering, especially during an economic recession. SB 567 would require property owners who wish to withdraw their property from the rental market to remove ALL the units at that residential property. There are numerous reasons an owner might need to pause renting one or two units, but withdrawing all units from the rental market means displacing renters during a homeless crisis.

The issue of housing access and concerns around eviction are at the heart of arguments in support of this bill, but they are inaccurate. California has the lowest eviction rates among the country’s 10 most populous states.

SB 567 fails to consider unique circumstances faced by small-scale housing providers who have dedicated their lives to housing Californians. It is not the solution to California’s housing crisis. One solution to get out of our increasingly worse housing crisis is to increase supply, not complicate and limit it and that’s exactly what SB 567 would do.

Earle Vaughan serves as president of the California Rental Housing Association. 

​ Orange County Register 

New Neapolitan-style pizza restaurant opens in Dana Point

• June 27, 2023

Brooklyn-born John Arena and award-winning pizzaiolo Chris Decker entered Dana Point’s slice scene with a less-ubiquitous option: crispy, airy Neapolitan-inspired pizzas. Truly Pizza offers hearth-baked pizzas with simple toppings and blistered crusts that could hold their own with East Coast versions of the style.

The pizzeria made its debut Thursday, June 22 with a packed house continuing over the weekend.

Menu highlights include a crispy pepperoni pie studded with cup-and-char pepperoni; an umami-rich mushroom pizza topped with smoked mozzarella, roasted mushrooms, toasted sesame oil, and bonito flakes; and a smoky vodka pie made with house-made vodka sauce, fresh and aged whole milk mozzarella, pistachio lemon pesto, and torn basil.

Guests can also look forward to purchasing either whole pies or pizza by the slice (ideal for grab-and-go convenience) along with salads, panini sandwiches, charcuterie and cheese boards. Pies cost between $17 and $30. (Yes, gluten-free and vegan options are available.)

Desserts include soft serve ice cream. (Courtesy of Truly Pizza)

Starters include Harissa-honey chicken wings with Point Reyes blue cheese ($16), butter-topped garlic pull-apart bread served in a cast iron pan ($12), and skinny-cut french fries ($11). The pared-down dessert menu features a root beer float with Straus Creamery organic vanilla ice cream ($9) or soft-serve ice cream ($8) with toppings like extra virgin olive oil and sea salt, chocolate sauce, or a texture-perfecting sprinkling of Grape Nuts.

While reliable post-soccer-game pizza is in no short supply in the coastal enclave, Arena and Decker have aimed for something different — individual, thoughtfully composed pies just as good for a romantic date night as for takeout on a Friday night. Truly Pizza’s ethos are all about keeping it simple and showing restraint. As Arena explained to the Orange County Register in 2022, “It’s like Coco Chanel said, ‘Look in the mirror, take one item off before you go out of the house.’ I think it’s like that with pizza too. Show a little restraint, show a little respect for the ingredients and let each one speak for itself in its own unique voice.”

When asked how Truly Pizza’s first few days went, Arena said, “We’ve worked hard to make the space and menu perfect. It’s nice to see our friends and community enjoying Truly Pizza as much as we do.”

Truly Pizza’s modern new building designed by Powerstrip Studio. (Courtesy of Truly Pizza)

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In lieu of taking over a former restaurant spot, Arena and Decker decided to build a new space from the studs up. The duo enlisted the help of Emmy Award-nominated designers Ted Berner and Dayna Lee of Los Angeles-based Powerstrip Studio, whose previous work includes the W Hotel in Los Angeles and Bankside Hotel in London, to create a clearly contemporary and ultra-modern space. The sleek new construction features a white brick facade, a fauna-strewn exterior with lemon trees, and a sweeping staircase that leads diners to an open-air rooftop deck.

Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, Truly Pizza’s regular hours are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Reservations and walk-ins are welcome.

Truly Pizza joins a handful of other new dining options in Dana Point’s burgeoning and pedestrian-friendly downtown Lantern Village area — don’t miss out on French bistro Maison Cafe, Dana Point Ale House, wine and cheese shop Avec Moi, and Bear Coast Coffee – located across the street from the Prado West mixed-use apartment complex that has helped boost the city’s prominence as a dining destination.

Find it: Truly Pizza, 24402 Del Prado (at Ruby Lantern), Dana Point

​ Orange County Register