NHL awards: Kings captain Anze Kopitar wins Lady Byng Trophy

• June 27, 2023

Anze Kopitar, the Kings’ captain and longest-tenured player, won the NHL’s Lady Byng Trophy on Monday, awarded to the most sportsmanlike and gentlemanly player who combined his exemplary conduct with excellent performance as voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.

He previously won the award following the 2015-16 season, when he also earned the first of his two Frank J. Selke trophies, awarded to the NHL’s most outstanding defensive forward. Kopitar missed the cut as a finalist for that award this year, which was won handily by the Boston Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron for a record sixth time.

Kopitar is the fourth King to garner the Lady Byng and joined Wayne Gretzky as the franchise’s only multiple-time honoree. He is the first two-time winner since then-Tampa Bay Lightning winger Martin St. Louis captured consecutive trophies in 2010 and 2011.

Entering the final season of his contract, Kopitar, 35, has shown few signs of falling off at an age when most players generally settle into a reduced role. Last season he led the Kings in scoring, something he’s done in all but two seasons during his career, and was their top faceoff option as well. Combined with his physical strength, defensive acumen and calming presence, Kopitar was on the ice in virtually every key situation. Nevertheless, he accumulated just four penalty minutes, a practically impeccable total for a player who logs first-line minutes.

On a day when Kopitar added to his burgeoning trophy case, the focus was largely on trade rumors about the Kings and another center, Pierre-Luc Dubois of the Winnipeg Jets. Though no deal was final, the crescendo of rumors and speculation grew louder ahead of the opening of free agency later this week.

Ever magnanimous, Kopitar first mentioned the other finalists, Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point and the New Jersey Devils’ Nico Hischier.

“First and foremost, congratulations to Jack and Brayden for being nominated. It was very well-deserved and I’m sure you guys will win a bunch of these in the future,” Kopitar said during his acceptance speech.

“Thank you to (Kings owners) Mr. and Mrs. Anschutz, their commitment to our team is astronomical and they always try to make us better. The organization, from top to bottom, starting with (team president) Luc (Robitaille) and (General Manager) Rob (Blake), and the coaches, the staff that put in the work every day. This also cannot happen without my teammates, I love you guys, and thank you for all of your support.”

OTHER AWARDS

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid won his third Hart Trophy as NHL MVP on Monday night in Nashville, Tenn., falling one vote short of unanimous selection after the highest-scoring season by a player in more than a quarter-century.

McDavid also won the Ted Lindsay Award as the NHL’s most outstanding player as voted by his peers. The Oilers’ captain led the league with 64 goals, 89 assists and 153 points. That’s the most points since Mario Lemieux had 161 in 1995-96.

McDavid previously won the Hart in 2017 and 2021 and the Lindsay in 2017, 2018 and 2021. Universally recognized as the best hockey player in the world, McDavid is still searching for his first Stanley Cup title after Edmonton lost in the second round of the playoffs to eventual champion Vegas.

“Certainly it’s not lost on me what these trophies mean in the grand scheme of our game,” McDavid said. “To do it a number of times, it means a lot to me. Obviously, it’s not the motivating factor, but it’s special still.”

One voter out of 196 picked Boston’s David Pastrnak as MVP. The Bruins had a big night at the league’s awards ceremony after setting the record for the most wins and points in a regular season, records made possible in part by rule changes.

This year was a rare instance in which most of the major award winners were obvious before the end of the regular season.

San Jose’s Erik Karlsson also became a three-time award winner, receiving the Norris Trophy as the top defenseman – his first such honor since 2015. Karlsson at age 32 was the first defenseman to surpass 100 points in a season since Brian Leetch in 1992.

“I still feel like I had a fantastic year and I felt good the whole way, but I feel like there’s more,” said Karlsson, who has expressed interest in being moved to a team that has a chance to win the Stanley Cup. “That’s what makes me excited moving forward.”

The Bruins had three award winners: goaltender Linus Ullmark, Bergeron and Coach Jim Montgomery.

The Vezina Trophy as top goalie and Jack Adams Award as coach of the year were each a first for Ullmark and Montgomery. Ullmark led the league with a 1.89 goals-against average and .938 save percentage and was tied for the most wins with 40 – getting them in just 48 starts.

“You want to be the best at your position or even the best player, which is very tough when you have guys like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby playing against you, that’s a tough one,” Ullmark said. “Still, you have that goal.”

Montgomery coached Boston to 65 wins in his first season with the team, and he thanked those who supported him through a low point in his career.

“Three and a half years ago, the Dallas Stars terminated my contract because of my struggles with alcohol, and I had to change my actions and behaviors,” Montgomery said. “For those who struggle out there, you can change, you can affect change within yourself, and it doesn’t happen alone. You need a team.”

At age 37, Selke winner Bergeron led the league in faceoff wins and percentage and was only on the ice for 27 goals against at even strength in 78 games.

Seattle’s Matty Beniers won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. Beniers led all rookies with 57 points and was tied for the lead among them in goals with 24, helping the Kraken make the playoffs in their second year of existence.

“I think I was pretty fortunate this year production-wise,” Beniers said. “Every year is not going to be like that, I know that, but it was definitely a good start. I was obviously really happy and thankful for the year.”

Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos won the Mark Messier Leadership Award, and Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang – who had a stroke on Nov. 28 but returned to play 12 days later – won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance and dedication.

Members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association vote for the Hart, Norris, Selke, Calder, Masterson and Lady Byng. NHL GMs determine the Vezina, while members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association pick the Jack Adams.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Body cameras explored for LA County jail deputies to combat inmate abuse

• June 27, 2023

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials are exploring the use of body cameras in the jails in response to complaints of excessive force on inmates.

Attorney Robert Dugdale, representing the Sheriff’s Department, told U.S. District Court Judge Dean D. Pregerson on Monday, June 26, that the cameras could help the department comply with a 2014 settlement of a federal lawsuit, but it might take six months to get deputies outfitted with them.

Pregerson called the body cameras an “excellent tool,” but said the time frame should be moved up.

Additionally, Dugdale added that the department plans to establish an eight-sergeant committee to review use-of-force incidents, taking the matter out of the hands of direct supervisors whose relationship with their deputies might cloud their objectivity.

“These are all game-changing ways in which the department is going to change accountability in the department,” Dugdale told the court. “Things have improved dramatically in the jail.”

Dugdale said Sheriff Robert Luna fully supports the proposed changes. “He is interested in doing things the right way and following the law,” he said.

However, American Civil Liberties Union attorney Peter Eliasberg continued to press the judge for a court order banning deputies from striking inmates in the head except for in rare instances when deadly force is needed. The current policy allows head strikes when inmates appear “assaultive”  and threaten deputies with “serious” bodily injury. Pregerson noted that the words “assaultive” and “serious” were too subjective.

Declarations from medical professionals presented by Eliasberg showed that striking an inmate in the head could cause brain hemorrhaging, eye injuries and facial fractures.

Eliasberg also asked that the Sheriff’s Department adopt a  “zero-tolerance” policy for deputies who lie about using excessive force on inmates or fail to report it and supervisors who turn a blind eye to the abuses.

Lastly, Eliasberg sought controls over the deputies’ use of a restraining device called the WRAP, which encircles the inmates’ legs and connects to a chest harness. Doctors say the device can put the inmate in a physical position that restricts breathing and lead to positional asphyxiation.

Eliasberg argued that after negotiating with sheriff after sheriff, the court order is needed to bring the department into compliance.

“That’s how you get a culture change, not by saying things will get better because Sheriff Luna is in charge,” he told the court.

But Pregerson ordered the two sides back to the negotiating table, with a scheduled return in 60 days.

Pregerson’s order seemed to be buoyed by a recent settlement between the ACLU and the Sheriff’s Department in another lawsuit over inhumane and unclean conditions at the intake center in the Twin Towers facility in downtown Los Angeles. Pregerson said Monday the agreement in that case, involving the same attorneys, gave him hope.

The head-strike issue is a remaining point of contention in the lawsuit brought by Alex Rosas, which sought to end what the ACLU called a pattern of inmate beatings by deputies at the Men’s Central Jail, Twin Towers Correctional Facility and the Inmate Reception Center, all operated by the Sheriff’s Department, comprising the largest jail system in the world.

Eliasberg, in an interview after the hearing, said the sheriff’s department for nine years has failed to entirely abide by the settlement. The department concedes that it is about 80 percent in compliance.

“There’s been a lot of issues over the years and it’s time for the department to grapple with that, it’s time to get this stuff right, people’s lives are at stake,” Eliasberg said.

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6 sports heroes join the California Sports Hall of Fame

• June 27, 2023

Six sports legends were inducted to the California Sports Hall of Fame for their accomplishments on and off the field.

On Sunday, June 25, the Ontario Convention Center hosted a reception and dinner to celebrate the inductee class of 2023.

Inductees included former UCLA football coach Terry Donahue, who was honored posthumously, former Los Angeles Laker and Clipper Norm Nixon, former UCLA and NFL standout Kenny Easley Jr., former Major League Baseball pitcher and team executive Dave Stewart, former soccer star and World Cup team member Alexi Lalas, and retired Southern California TV reporter Rick Lozano.

“These inductees were chosen not only for their outstanding performance in their respective fields, but also for the impact they have had in their communities,” Christian Okoye, president of the California Sports Hall of Fame and former Kansas City Chiefs running back, said in a news release.

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State Supreme Court ruling opens door for more police accountability, liability

• June 27, 2023

Civil rights attorneys across Southern California on Monday, June 26, applauded a state Supreme Court decision holding police more accountable for alleged misconduct, while law enforcement officials said it will undoubtedly result in more lawsuits challenging police actions.

“It sounds like it’s going to increase liability for us, and it may have some implications for our training programs,” Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez said in an interview. “We may need to revise training protocols to ensure that our officers are equipped with the knowledge and skills that they need that minimizes the risk of liability.”

Gonzalez said his department will continue to work closely with its legal counsel and community stakeholders in developing new policies and procedures, while also protecting the rights of his officers.

Supreme Court ruling

On Thursday, June 22, the California Supreme Court unanimously rejected an argument by Riverside County that its sheriff’s deputies could not be sued for leaving a man’s naked body lying in plain sight for eight hours while officers investigated his killing.

Riverside County maintained that a provision of the Government Claims Act — Section 821.6 — immunizes public employees from claims of injury caused by wrongful prosecution. While that may be true, the state’s high court ruled that that immunity did not extend to law enforcement investigations.

“While other provisions of the Government Claims Act may confer immunity for certain investigatory actions, it does not broadly immunize police officers or other public employees for any and all harmful actions they may take in the course of investigating crime,” Associate Justice Leondra Kruger wrote in the ruling.

Yaoska Machado, a spokesperson for Riverside County, said in an email on Monday, “We’re reviewing the Supreme Court decision to determine our next steps in the court process.”

Murder-suicide case

The case stemmed from an apparent murder-suicide at the Royal Coach Mobile Home Park in Cherry Valley on March 25, 2017. Riverside County sheriff’s deputies responded with a SWAT team to an assault with a deadly weapon call at the park, where they found Jose Leon, 46, lying in the road, dead from gunshot wounds.

Deputies heard additional gunshots coming from a nearby home, where they found John Malicek, 67, dead inside the residence, also from gunshot wounds, according to a sheriff’s news release.

Leon’s widow, Dora Leon, filed a lawsuit alleging negligence and infliction of emotional distress, claiming deputies dragged her husband’s body behind a police vehicle, and in the process his pants were pulled down, exposing his genitals. His body was left like that, in public view, for about eight hours while deputies investigated.

Lower courts dismissed the case, ruling that state law provides immunity to law enforcement officers and agencies for police conduct during investigations. But in its ruling last week, the Supreme Court reinstated Dora Leon’s lawsuit. Kruger wrote that the lower court decisions were wrong, saying police investigations cannot be interpreted as part of the prosecution process.

In a telephone interview Monday, Mission Viejo attorney James Alquist, representing Dora Leon, said, “As you can imagine, we’re happy because the decision came down in our favor, and it appears to be significant.”

But Alquist declined to comment further because of the ongoing litigation. “The case has to run its course, and we don’t want to get in the way of anything that might unfold by weighing in with our opinion,” he said.

Attorneys weigh in

Civil rights attorneys, however, praised the decision.

Dale Galipo, a Woodland Hills civil rights attorney who has represented clients in hundreds of police misconduct cases in Southern California for more than two decades, said the Supreme Court’s decision was a “step in the right direction” because it holds police more accountable. And as a result, he said, the courts will be potentially less inclined to grant them immunity for misconduct.

“So, less protection for officers and more accountability and rights to civilians and citizens,” Galipo said. “Officers are going to have to realize that if they act inappropriately at the scene of an incident … they could be held accountable, and so can their departments.”

He predicted the ruling will likely translate into a spike in civil filings in both state and federal courts.

“It will also increase the scope of the lawsuits so that in addition to excessive force and traditional claims, there’s going to be claims of other inappropriate conduct during investigations,” Galipo said.

In a joint statement Monday, Victorville criminal defense attorneys Jim Terrell and Sharon Brunner, who also specialize in civil litigation involving alleged police misconduct, said that prior to the Supreme Court’s precedent-setting decision, the Government Claims Act was overly broad, essentially granting police carte blanche in investigations.

“We believe that Supreme Court decision will allow injured parties to seek redress by parties harmed by the police. Carte blanche for police has ended,” Terrell and Brunner said in the statement, calling the statute itself “Draconian.”

“It is amazing such a statue could even exist in our modern times,” Terrell and Brunner said in their statement. “The language in 821.6 states the employee isn’t liable ‘even if he acts maliciously and without probable cause.’ “

They agreed that the high court decision also will require additional training of police and adjusting policies that ignored abuses in investigations.

San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson said he expects to see an increase in lawsuits in Superior Court as a result of the Supreme Court ruling, but predicted there won’t be much of an impact at the prosecution level.

“But it will for law enforcement,” Anderson said. “This will be something they assess and have training on.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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Florida woman charged with killing her Black neighbor

• June 27, 2023

Associated Press

A white woman accused of firing through her door and fatally shooting a Black mother in front of her 9-year-old son in central Florida was charged Monday with manslaughter and assault.

Susan Lorincz was arrested earlier this month following the fatal shooting of Ajike Owens in Ocala, Florida. She was formally charged with one count of manslaughter with a firearm and one count of assault.

State Attorney William Gladson said his office contemplated filing a second-degree murder charge but that prosecutors concluded there was insufficient evidence that Lorincz had “hatred, spite, ill will or evil intent” toward Owens.

“As deplorable as the defendant’s actions were in this case, there is insufficient evidence to prove this specific and required element of second-degree murder,” Gladson said in a statement. “I am aware of the desire of the family, and some community members, that the defendant be charged with second-degree murder. My obligation as State Attorney is to follow the law in each case that I prosecute.”

If convicted, Lorincz faces up to 30 years in prison. Amanda Sizemore, Lorincz’s attorney from the public defender’s office, said she had no comment at this time.

Anthony Thomas, an attorney for Owens’ family, said the decision against filing a second-degree murder charge was disappointing.

“We firmly believe that justice demands nothing less,” Thomas said in a statement. “The failure of the prosecutor to charge Susan with what truly reflected her wanton, reckless behavior undermines our ability to even get real accountability.”

Owens was killed June 2 in Ocala, about 83 miles (133 kilometers) north of Orlando.

After the shooting, Lorincz told investigators she had problems for two years with being disrespected by children in the neighborhood — including Owens’ children, who are ages 12, 9, 7 and 3.

According to an arrest report from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Lorincz said she had a headache the day of the shooting and that children were running and yelling outside her apartment. That night, while a few children were playing basketball, Lorincz threw a pair of roller skates at them, hitting one on the feet.

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Owens then came over and knocked on her door. Lorincz told investigators that Owens threatened to kill her and banged on the door so hard she feared Owens would break it down.

Lorincz fired a single round from her .380-caliber handgun, the sheriff’s report says, which went through the closed door and fatally struck Owens.

A judge has granted Lorincz a $154,000 bond while ordering her to wear an ankle monitor and to stay away from Owens’ family.

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Jo Adell returns to Angels for another cameo

• June 27, 2023

ANAHEIM — Jo Adell is back with the Angels for what could be another cameo, providing another opportunity to wonder when he’ll be up to stay.

The Angels recalled the outfielder from Triple-A on Monday because infielder Eduardo Escobar was placed on the restricted list so he could take his test for United States citizenship back in Florida.

Escobar is expected back either Tuesday or Wednesday, which means Adell’s second trip to the majors this year could be just one or two games. He was up for three days earlier this month when Hunter Renfroe was on the paternity list.

General Manager Perry Minasian said on Monday that Adell is showing improvement.

“Jo’s been outstanding,” Minasian said. “He’s made some strides in all areas. Defensively he’s really really improved. I give a lot of credit to him for putting in the work, and our staff for putting together a plan and helping them reach the point where he is right now, which is a pretty good defender.”

Adell, 24, has hit .277 with 21 home runs and a .944 OPS at Triple-A. He has struck out in 27.6% of his plate appearances and walked in 10.6%.

For comparison, last season Adell had a .920 OPS in Triple-A, including a 31.1% strikeout rate and an 11.1% walk rate. That translated to a major league average of .224 with a .637 OPS.

“Obviously he’s swung the bat well in Triple-A,” Minasian said. “He came up for a short period of time, will be up today. He’ll have his chance at some point, and I look forward to seeing what he does with it.”

Players can be optioned up to five times once the season begins. Adell’s next option will be his second.

NEW INFIELDERS

Addressing the weekend trades for Eduardo Escobar and Mike Moustakas for the first time, Minasian said he felt it was important to make moves to help bolster the roster because the players have remained in contention so well throughout adversity.

“The players put themselves in a position to where we’re in contention for a playoff spot, and I don’t take that lightly,” Minasian said. “They’ve worked really hard to be at this point, especially with some of the challenges we’ve gone through over the course of the season. So now I look at it as my turn to help, to continue adding talent to the roster, like we try to do day in and day out from a baseball operation standpoint. We felt like both players would help us, not only on the field but off the field.”

Both Escobar and Moustakas can play multiple infield positions, but Manager Phil Nevin said the lineup that makes the most sense is Moustakas at first base and Escobar at third.

Nevin said he wants to try to keep Brandon Drury at second as much as possible.

“Guys moving around, I just don’t want to do that,” Nevin said. “I’d rather have one guy out of position than three guys playing positions they haven’t played a lot. I think all around that’s our best defensive look.”

INJURY UPDATES

Third baseman Anthony Rendon (bruised wrist) did some baseball work, including taking ground balls on Monday. Nevin said “today seems to be the best day yet,” but he wouldn’t commit to when Rendon will be able to play, beyond saying “I think we’re close.”

Left-handed reliever Matt Moore (oblique) still needs to have another simulated game or two before he’s ready, Nevin said. The Angels hoped that Moore might be ready after one simulated game on Saturday, but they determined that he needs more work.

Right-hander Ben Joyce (ulnar neuritis) played catch inside the cage, the first time he had thrown since he went on the injured list. Joyce said he no longer feels any more symptoms, but it’s still too early to have a timeline for his return.

“They’re putting the ball in my hand,” Joyce said. “We’ll see how it goes and take it from there.”

Shortstop Zach Neto (oblique) has not yet begun any baseball activity, but he is hoping that on Friday he’ll be able to begin some light throwing. Neto said he no longer feels any symptoms, but he feels “a good soreness” from returning to workouts after a couple of weeks off. There is no timetable for him to return.

NOTES

Infielder Kyren Paris and catcher Edgar Quero were both selected from the Angels’ Double-A team to participate in the Futures Game next month in Seattle. Paris, 21, has a .760 OPS and Quero, 20, has a .719 OPS. “We’ve challenged both with the assignments they’re at,” Minasian said. “They’re very young for that level. And they’ve taken that challenge and run with it and says a lot about them. They’re both well worthy of that honor and will represent us really well.” …

Catcher Chris Okey cleared waivers and accepted an outright to Triple-A. Okey had been designated for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot over the weekend. …

Nevin said the Angels had no reluctance to allow Escobar to leave the team temporarily to complete the lengthy process of becoming a citizen. “When he talked about it, his eyes lit up,” Nevin said. “This is something he’s looked forward to for a long time and we certainly wouldn’t take that away from him. Some things are more important than baseball and this certainly is.”

UP NEXT

White Sox (RHP Michael Kopech, 3-6, 4.06 ERA) at Angels (RHP Shohei Ohtani, 6-3, 3.13 ERA), Tuesday, 6:38 p.m., Angel Stadium, Bally Sports West, 830 AM

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Alexander: Former baseball scouts’ age discrimination suit was inevitable

• June 27, 2023

When 17 former baseball scouts filed a class action lawsuit against Major League Baseball in U.S. District Court in Denver last week, claiming age discrimination and charging that older scouts were not only pushed out but were subsequently blacklisted … well, it shouldn’t have been a surprise.

Rick Ingalls said nearly two years ago that this was coming.

Ingalls, 71, a Long Beach resident who scouted for the Angels, Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds before he was let go by the Reds in 2018, talked to me then about how, among other things, analytics and technology had become a far higher priority in baseball front offices than the eye test and instincts and assessment of character that were at the heart of traditional scouting.

The sport has retrenched from a player development standpoint, with the reduction of the draft from 60-some rounds to 20 and the pruning of the minor leagues. And as the old ways were left behind, many veteran scouts – like Ingalls – were shoved aside as well.

“All the years I’ve been in this business, and I’ve been in it a long time, and I saw guys (get let go) and they just went away,” Ingalls said in a phone conversation Monday. “There was never, ‘Hey, wait a second. What happened here? Why? Why?’ So I always remembered that, and I thought when it finally happened to me, I said, you know what? I’m not the guy. I’m not going away.

“… We have a lot of guys (who were let go) that absolutely are in dire straits because they’re 50, middle-50s, you know. Where are you going to get another job when you work 25 or 30 years in one industry? Guys are driving Uber to pay for insurance. Guys have lost their houses. … They (the clubs) devastated a lot of lives here for whatever their reasoning is.”

And so here we are. The 17 individuals (including Ingalls) named as plaintiffs in the initial filing averaged 29 years in scouting, and even that average is deceptive. Paul Runge, a former Atlanta Braves player and not the former umpire, was just a scout for three years but had spent decades as a minor league coach, field coordinator and manager. Most of the men on that list had scouting tenures of between 25 and 39 years. The youngest is 55.

So what happens when you give your life to something and then find out it has no more use for you?

“These are employees that have sacrificed their lives for this, who have been in this game their whole life,” said Rick Ragazzo, 63, a scout for the San Francisco Giants, Dodgers and Braves during his 35-year career, in a video disseminated by Kilgore & Kilgore LLC, the Dallas law firm handling the scouts’ case.

“We played, we coached, we scouted. Some of us were in the front office making decisions. That track record should mean something, but I guess it doesn’t. I don’t know if we were allowed to, or if I was allowed to, adapt and become part of the new system, or if it was just something they thought I wasn’t able to do.”

Ted Lekas, 67 and a scout for multiple clubs for 34 years, told the Boston Globe that when he was released by Atlanta last October he was told the rationalization was that “the Braves’ payroll in 2023 was going to be so big, that they needed all the money they could get to finance the salary for the big leaguers.” And he said on a Kilgore & Kilgore video he’d earlier been told on “three different occasions” that he’d be back in 2023.

For what it’s worth, the Braves – part of a publicly traded company – reported income of $588 million in 2022, between the ballclub and the Battery development surrounding Truist Park. Their current 40-man payroll for luxury tax purposes, $242,219,167, is around $28 million higher than it was last year.

All that, and they can’t find a way to keep a scout that might make $100,000 a year?

Lekas also talked in his video about how there’d never been any established criteria for evaluating scouts, and “if you ever ask why you’re let go, the answer is, ‘We’re going in a different direction.’” That has happened a lot; he estimated that since 2015, at least 75 to 100 older scouts have been let go, and maybe 5% found work elsewhere in baseball.

And while there are 17 names in this suit right now, the suit estimates that more than 100 older scouts are part of the affected class. Ingalls said Monday the initial estimate of scouts who might join the suit was anywhere from 50 to 100, and “within a two- or three-day period, we got 20 more guys already.”

The suit alleges that MLB and its clubs, acting in concert, “engaged not only in systematically bringing about the separation from Clubs of Older Scouts to build a workforce of Younger Scouts, but in denying re-employment of Older Scouts by Clubs … based on a false stereotype that Older Scouts lacked the ability to use analytics and engage in video scouting with the same acumen as Younger Scouts.” It claims that the pattern “constitutes unlawful age discrimination” under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act as well as state anti-discrimination statutes.

MLB’s response to the lawsuit last week was a terse statement: “We do not comment on pending litigation. However, we look forward to refuting these claims in court.”

The prediction here? There will be a settlement, and you can likely use as a measuring stick the $185 million that MLB will pay minor league players to settle a suit alleging violations of federal minimum wage laws, though that disbursement to some 24,000 players has been held up because of an appeal over the percentage to be paid in legal fees.

“Part of me wants a lot of this stuff exposed, but the other part of me wants to get (unemployed scouts) the money as quickly as possible because they need it,” Ingalls said. “They lost salaries. They lost time on their pensions. You know, there’s a lot that went down the tubes. It was gone.

“These are baseball guys that had their baseball identities taken away. And you’re just supposed to go away and say, oh, okay, you know, career’s over? Because of what? Why is your career over when you can still work?”

Why, indeed?

[email protected]

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Leaders urge President Biden to expand the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument

• June 27, 2023

With the picturesque San Gabriel Mountains in the backdrop, local and national leaders converged on Eaton Canyon Nature Center in Pasadena on Monday, June 26, to urge President Joe Biden to expand the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument an additional 109,000 acres to the west.

“The San Gabriel Mountains are among the most pristine and beautiful public lands in the country, and they are right here next to one of the nation’s densest and most park-deprived population centers,” said Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena, who was joined by several elected leaders at all levels. “I’m so grateful to the diverse, vibrant group of leaders of this more than 20-year movement to protect the San Gabriel Mountains, and I hope that President Biden will recognize the importance of these lands by designating the western Angeles National Forest as part of the National Monument. “

The call for an expanded monument included U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla; Rep. Tony Cardenas, D-Panorama City; L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger; Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo; and Tongva Gabrieleno Chief Anthony Morales.

They called on the Biden administration to make use of the Antiquities Act, a 1906 law that allows the president to designate federal public lands, waters, and cultural and historical sites as national monuments via Presidential Proclamation.

The move would add-in regions of the western Angeles National Forest – from the Placerita Canyon Nature Center in the northwest, southwest to the Monrovia area — that were not included in the original 346,177 acres of federal land designated as a national monument by then-President Barack Obama in 2014.

The proposed expansion area is considered the “gateway” to the Angeles National Forest, making it one of the most visited parts of the forest.

“For Angelenos, the San Gabriel Mountains have been a lifelong connection to nature,” Padilla said. “For many low-income families in the Los Angeles area, this is the only access they have to green space and the educational and health benefits that come with it. And it is critical that we protect these public lands to promote environmental justice in our communities.”

Padilla said an order by the president would fulfill the “complete vision of permanently protecting the San Gabriel Mountains and all of their natural wonders.”

In May, both Padilla and Chu introduced legislation that would expand the San Gabriel Mountain National Monument, with Padilla’s PUBLIC Lands Act protecting more than 1 million acres of public land in California, and incorporating provisions of Chu’s San Gabriel Mountains Protection Act, which expands the monument by 109,00 acres, designates 31,000 acres as new or expanded wilderness areas, and adds 45.5 miles to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

On June 8, they sent sent a letter to the White House urging the administration to take executive action and outlining the roadblocks similar bills faced in previous attempts to expand the monument, clearing the House five times in the last three years without ultimately being passed.

“As hopeful we are, we also have to be realistic,” Padilla said. “There’s a Republican majority in the House of Representatives that’s not giving us too much hope that we can get it done legislatively this year.”

Democratic presidents have long argued designating large swaths of land is needed to protect certain areas. Obama himself, propelled by an effort led by Chu and also a Republican-led House of Representatives, used the Antiquities Act in 2014 to do what two members of Congress and thousands of supporters could not do during the 11 years prior to his signature.

And even then, the designation did not come without controversy.

At the time, more than 150 protesters held signs in front of the park where Obama signed his executive order, saying they did not want the federal government to impose its will on the land or on its people. The bone of contention stems from the president’s use of the Antiquities Act, first used by President Teddy Roosevelt.

Last year, the state of Utah and two Republican-leaning rural counties sued the Biden administration over the president’s decision last year to restore two sprawling national monuments on rugged lands sacred to Native Americans that former President Donald Trump had downsized. Trump’s decision opened parts of the monuments up for mining, drilling and other development.

In the Utah lawsuit, plaintiffs argued the Biden administration interpreted the Antiquities Act in an overly broad manner and disregarded its original intent: protecting particular historical or archaeological sites. It cites provisions of the act that say designations should encompass “the smallest area compatible” with preservation goals.

Supporters of an expanded San Gabriel Mountains National Monument say the expansion will help address the climate and biodiversity crises by protecting important habitat and wildlife corridors for black bears, mountain lions, coyotes, bighorn sheep, and mule deer, as well as contribute to state and federal goals to conserve 30% of public lands and waters by 2030.

“Los Angeles County is one of the most densely populated areas in the nation and millions of our region’s residents have limited access to the outdoors,” said Belén Bernal, executive director for nonprofit environmental coalition Nature for All. “We know that lack of access to nature has negative health implications and is linked to higher rates of obesity and diabetes. That’s why it is so important that we ensure the permanent protection of the San Gabriel Mountains. This is one of the few places Angelenos can go to enjoy the outdoors close to home.”

Related links

Bill to expand San Gabriel Mountains National Monument could draw in Biden
At long last, adding front range back into San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
Adding acres back to monument in the San Gabriel Mountains
Pasadena Casting Club’s fight to protect San Gabriel Mountains National Monument: Larry Wilson
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument helps bring nature to children, chilren to nature: Guest commentary

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

​ Orange County Register