Cool, wet days ahead for Southern California with a short-lived storm on the way

• May 3, 2023

Cooler temperatures have already arrived over Southern California with some light drizzle already touching down earlier this week, and a chance for more rain is on the way with some showers expected to fall as early as Tuesday evening.

A low pressure system was making its way across the region this week, with Los Angeles County looking to be the first stop on its path, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Lisa Phillips.

“We already have some showers moving in to the northern parts of (Southern California),” Phillips said. “And when the low pressure system gets here, it’s just kind of going to sit over us for awhile.”

The bulk of the rain is expected to arrive Wednesday afternoon into Thursday, but some overnight showers on Tuesday were possible.

In the mountains and foothills of Los Angeles County, temperatures will stick to the low 60s for most of the week with about an inch of rain expected to drop over the area.

Along the coastal communities in Los Angeles and Orange counties, temperatures will be much of the same, sticking to the low 60s with a little under half an  inch of rain expected to fall.

Heading more inland in Orange County in cities like Fullerton and Anaheim, about a third to a half an inch of rain is expected to drop, said NWS meteorologist Stefanie Sullivan.

In San Bernardino County, cities including Fontana and Ontario will see about a quarter to a third of an inch of rain, with temperatures dipping into the low 60s and high 50s by Thursday before climbing back into the mid 60s by Friday.

Heading up to the San Bernardino Mountains, the system will also bring the chance of more snow, though nothing like the rare blizzard that blanketed the area earlier this year. The system is expected to arrive Wednesday evening and into Thursday, bringing about an inch to two inches of snow over communities like Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead, with a quarter to half an inch of rain falling lower down the mountains, Sullivan said.

“There is a small chance of some thunderstorms over the mountains,” Sullivan said.

Riverside County will see precipitation similar to San Bernardino with about a quarter of an inch of rain and temperatures in the low to mid 60s in cities including Moreno Valley and Murrieta.

The system will be on the move again by Friday, though there will still be a chance for some lingering showers.

After the rain is gone, the region will warm a little but will likely remain in the low to mid 60s, Phillips said.

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

Angels reliever José Quijada has ligament damage, will get second opinion

• May 3, 2023

ST. LOUIS — Jose Quijada got a discouraging diagnosis on his sore elbow, leading the Angels to concern that the left-hander might be lost for the season.

Manager Phil Nevin said the first evaluation showed “some damage to the ligament,” and that Quijada will get a second opinion to determine if he needs surgery. A damaged ligament would normally lead to Tommy John surgery, which has a 12- to 18-month rehabilitation.

“The news wasn’t great from the MRI but sometimes those can be misleading,” Nevin said. “Then you can go into further evaluations and hopefully we get better news.”

Quijada briefly emerged as one of the Angels’ ninth-inning options in April, but he struggled for a couple of outings, including one last week in which he threw an 89 mph fastball. His average is 94-95 mph.

The next day, Quijada reported that he didn’t feel right when he woke up in Milwaukee, so he was placed on the injured list and sent for further evaluation.

The Angels are also now planning to be without right-hander Austin Warren for an extended period. Nevin said they don’t yet have an official diagnosis on Warren, but he is not going to throw for four to six weeks.

“Hopefully we get better news on both of them,” Nevin said.

TEPERA ACTIVATED

The Angels activated right-hander Ryan Tepera after he missed two weeks with shoulder inflammation.

Tepera, who threw two perfect innings at Class-A Inland Empire during a rehab assignment, said he used the time off to work on his mechanics. He watched videos from how he pitched two years ago, trying to correct the issues that led to him struggling for the first couple of weeks of this season before he was hurt.

“The main thing I struggled with the first part of the season was really getting on the plate, keeping everything on the plate, especially the slider,” Tepera said. “That’s one thing I really looked into and focused on mechanically. I made some adjustments and I feel really good.”

The Angels created a spot for Tepera by optioning right-hander Andrew Wantz, who has an 0.79 ERA. The Angels had only two relievers with options – Wantz and Chase Silseth – and they chose to send down Wantz rather than designating a veteran pitcher for assignment.

General Manager Perry Minasian said the Angels can’t afford to lose any more bodies, particularly after the losses of Quijada and Warren.

“It’s a long season,” Minasian said. “We want to keep as many players as we can over the course of the year. We make tough decisions. That’s the decision we made.”

Nevin also pointed out that Wantz did have some things he needed to work on, such as his fastball command. Wantz’s ERA is also somewhat misleading because he’s allowed nine of 12 inherited runners to score.

SILSETH’S ROLE

The Angels not only opted to keep Silseth, who could have been optioned, but Nevin said he’s planning on increasing his role in the bullpen.

Silseth had only been a starter, but he has pitched three scoreless innings out of the bullpen so far, including working the seventh inning with a three-run lead on Sunday.

Nevin believes that Silseth’s velocity might go up from his current 96.3 mph average with regular use in short stints. That would be particularly helpful for the Angels because their bullpen is mostly finesse pitchers.

“The other day you saw him pitch in the seventh, and I could see him climbing even higher than that,” Nevin said. “He’s certainly going to pitch in some high-leverage situations. I want to see it. I think he’s very capable of it stuff-wise and mentally.”

NOTES

Shohei Ohtani got the day off on Tuesday, just the second time this season that he’s been out of the lineup. Nevin said it was a logical day because he got a two-for-one, including Monday’s off day, and he’s pitching on Wednesday. The Angels were also facing a lefty, so they could get an extra right-handed hitter in the lineup. …

Switch-hitter Luis Rengifo, who is much better against lefties, got the start in center field, with Mike Trout going to DH. Nevin said he is comfortable with Rengifo in center as opposed to moving Taylor Ward to center and putting Rengifo in left. “We like the way he moves out there,” Nevin said. …

Minasian said there is still no timetable for when first baseman Jared Walsh (headaches, insomnia) or catcher Max Stassi (hip) will return.

UP NEXT

Angels (RHP Shohei Ohtani, 4-0, 1.85) vs. Cardinals (RHP Miles Mikolas, 1-1, 5.97), Wednesday, 4:45 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

Video: Fryer and Albano discuss the big surprises in CIF-SS baseball, softball playoff pairings

• May 2, 2023

OCVarsity’s Steve Fryer and Dan Albano react to the CIF-SS pairings in baseball and softball in this week’s O.C. Dugout Show, starting with Foothill getting the at-large bid over Servite in Division 1 baseball.

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

How does an attorney represent a guilty client? Ask the lawyer

• May 2, 2023

Q: My brother has been charged with a crime. He has a criminal defense lawyer, though, who says he is “fighting hard to prove his innocence.” Our question is: If the lawyer knows the client is guilty, then what?

F.B., Athens

Ron Sokol

A: The lawyer has an obligation to competently and zealously represent the client, within the bounds of the law; this includes ethical rules. The lawyer, for example, is not to elicit or promote testimony or evidence that they know is false. The lawyer is also not to encourage or participate in a fraud on the court. Thus, the situation you provide is sensitive and requires careful evaluation.

One factor to keep in mind is that criminal defense lawyers are not obligated to prove that their clients are innocent. They can present a defense that seeks to show there is insufficient evidence to convict beyond a reasonable doubt.

If an individual comes to a defense lawyer and proclaims innocence, the lawyer may or may not believe the client; in fact, perhaps the person is not being candid and is, in fact, guilty. The lawyer is still permitted to do their job. This may mean seeking a less harsh sentence, focusing on a lesser crime and/or seeking an outcome that challenges the client’s alleged guilt.

Q: If I am accused of a crime, am I required to tell the lawyer that I did it?

C.S., Seal Beach

A: This question is also challenging to answer. It could take a treatise to address all aspects of what clients should disclose to their lawyers.  Certainly, as a matter of common sense, you do not want your lawyer to be caught by surprise because you concealed information or were misleading.

One option is to ask your lawyer just what they want to know and to what degree the lawyer expects or prefers that you be candid. Some lawyers do not want to know all the details. The expression “don’t ask, don’t tell” comes to mind.

Also, to state it again, the burden in a criminal case is on the prosecution. The defendant’s guilt has to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Further, the jury has to be unanimous. You can win the case with a finding of “not guilty,” even though that does not necessarily mean you are innocent.

As such, consider talking with your lawyer about what they want to know, how much they want to know and what does they expect to do with the case.  This is very likely not a one-and-done discussion; it may be a discussion that occurs a number of times over the course of the proceedings.

Related Articles

From my vantage point, as a lawyer, I would not encourage a client to provide me with false or fabricated information. The client does not want the lawyer caught off guard by information that comes into play, be it records, testimony or basic analysis, but which the client already knew existed. The lawyer is fighting vigorously to try to protect you.

Ron Sokol has been a practicing attorney for more than 40 years, and has also served many times as a judge pro tem, mediator, and arbitrator.  It is important to keep in mind that this column presents a summary of the law, and is not to be treated or considered legal advice, let alone a substitute for actual consultation with a qualified professional. 

​ Orange County Register 

2 hospitalized after minivan slams into Santa Ana apartment complex

• May 2, 2023

Two people were hospitalized after a minivan crashed into an apartment building in Santa Ana Monday night, May 1, authorities said.

The driver ran off after the crash and was being sought, Santa Ana police Sgt. Maria Lopez said.

Orange County firefighters went to the 1600 block of West Memory Lane, near The City Drive, and found the minivan in a ground-floor apartment and had been told that there may have been victims trapped inside, Capt. Sean Doran told OnSceneTV, a news outlet that often partners with the Southern California News Group.

It appears the entire minivan ended up inside the building.

Firefighters moved the minivan enough to free a woman who had been trapped under the minivan, Lopez said. Paramedics took her to the hospital in critical condition.

Firefighters later found a man inside the apartment, Doran said. He was treated and taken to a hospital in unknown condition.

Lamar Moorer told OnSceneTV he was standing in the parking lot of the apartment complex and saw the minivan “going fast through (the intersection)” before running into the building.

“No brakes or anything,” he said. “It just kept going.”

Moorer, whose mother lives in the complex, said he ran to the apartment following the collision and tried to help the injured woman, but was unable to move the minivan and had to wait for firefighters to arrive.

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County boys athlete of the week: James MacDonald, University

• May 2, 2023

The Orange County boys athlete of the week:

Name: James MacDonald

School: University

Sport: Tennis

Year: Senior

Noteworthy: He won the CIF singles title at The Ojai Tennis Tournament. MacDonald defeated Niels Hoffmann of Corona del Mar 6-4, 6-2 in the final. He beat Sean Ferguson of Peninsula in the semifinals 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. MacDonald this fall will attend Harvard where he plans to make the tennis team as a walk-on. University is the top-seeded team in the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs.

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

OC Museum of Art launches Women in Wine series this week

• May 2, 2023

The Orange County Museum of Art is launching a five-part food and beverage series called Women in Wine that kicks off Thursday evening, May 4. The series is a collaboration between the museum, Catering by Mix Mix, and Argaux, a female-owned wine purveying trio founded by Arden Gilfillan, Margaux Reaume, and Lexi Jones.

Alyssa McDiarmid, managing partner of Populaire Modern Bistro and Catering by Mix Mix at OCMA, cultivated a friendship with Jones. In May 2022, they began discussing ways to celebrate women and the local wine community. They eventually decided to launch the Women in Wine series at OCMA.

“Now that we’re settled in at OCMA, it gives us more time to do these events,” McDiarmid says. “How could we highlight and make it more cohesive for everyone, but also feature different parts of the museum? We’re trying to build up a fruitful relationship with the neighborhood and we’re still new here, at Verdant. People are still discovering us and I hope the series opens that door to more of that discovery.”

The inaugural event is intended to be extremely accessible.

“Something casual that doesn’t feel so scripted,” says McDiarmid. Sometimes people go to these events and it’s intimidating. The goal is you go and aren’t judged. You could be with your friends, learn something and eat some delicious cheeses. Lexi will bring in a bunch of wine from Savoie.”

The pairings begin with wine and cheese but as the series progresses, the food options lean towards the more unexpected. A burger and burgundy night on Friday, June 16, appetizers inspired by the 13 Women: Variation II exhibit on Thursday, July 20, and the series culminates with a 200-person sitdown farm-to-table dinner on Thursday, Sept. 21.

“I was just at Terrace (by Mix Mix) the other day,” says McDiarmid, who also manages the front of house and wine pairings at the restaurant group’s other South Coast Plaza location. She enjoys the tempo of her work. “I get to wear different hats and I get to enjoy different cuisines.” But it’s events like the Women in Wine series where she can showcase other women in the industry that really excites her.

We caught up with McDiarmid to ask about the series origins, what event she is most excited about, and why vegetables work so unexpectedly well with wine.

This interview is edited for brevity and clarity.

Q. How did the Women in Wine series get started?

A. The museum is always looking at more programming. Obviously, we’re a museum. But I thought, what about bringing more food and wine into it. There are so many wines you can feature and I wanted to do a more casual format.

Lexi (Jones) from Argaux is a good friend of mine. I have been working with her for years. She and her two partners started their business during the pandemic. I’m so enamored with what they’re doing (at Argeaux) and it just fits with what we’re doing at the museum with the “13 Women” (exhibit). Lexi has just put her all into Argeaux. She’s traveled around the world and met all these winemakers. I really wanted to work with them because they’re a female-owned company.

Q. Who thought of the burger and burgundy event?

A. (There’s) this book called “Big Macs and Burgundy: Wine Pairings for the Real World.” I thought that was just great and we needed to do an event based on that idea.

This is a sit-down dinner. We’re serving the burger from Populaire (Modern Bistro). We’re trying to cross promote the brands so that’s a fun way to do that. They’ll pour a premier cru Burgundy and something else … People talk about “pizza wine” (inferring that it’s a cheaper drink). But, I thought, how fun that people are taking a more serious approach to these pairings.

The idea of the whole series is to pair something you know (the burger or fried chicken) with something that you don’t necessarily know, and that’s the wine side of it. I like the idea of bringing people who are excited about food and wine into the museum.

Q. Museums usually aren’t the first places you think of for great food. Why is Verdant at OCMA different?

A. Heidi (Zuckerman, CEO and director of OCMA) said, “It’s great to be on this list of restaurants in museums. (Life magazine listed Verdant as one of the 5 best museum restaurants in the U.S. along with heavyweights such as The Modern at MOMA.) It’s only our first six months. We wanted to parlay this into something more and that is what the Women in Wine series is. We’re a museum first, but what if people were coming here just to go to the restaurant. It might be a way to have more female visitors come in and it celebrates the founding 13 Women.

The last event, Endless Summer, is a farm-to-table dinner. We’ll serve flatbread, pastas, kind of like The Ecology Center’s Green Feast, but at the museum. We’re pouring rosés and it’s going to be outside on the terrace. We’re hoping to get 200 guests. The others will be smaller, 75 to 100 people.

Q. You offer traditional burgers and fried chicken. But you also have vegetarian alternatives. Why was it important to offer plant-based dishes to pair with the wines?

A. That was a big part of doing the series, we’re offering something for everyone. We’re not moonlighting. We are a plant-based concept in our everyday life at Verdant.

Pairing wine with vegetables, it pulls out so many components that meat with its iron and blood flavors can’t match. You get different characteristics from the vegetables. You pick up on something else. The floral notes or the salt. It’s actually a really cool part of pairing the food here at Verdant. I do appreciate (plant-based cooking) so much more. People take for granted what you can do with vegetables.

Q. How can you substitute vegetables for fried chicken?

A. One of the things that I noticed here (at Verdant) was that at first we were pooh-poohed for not serving a burger. But, honestly we’ve converted people. I’ve had people say, “I would eat more vegetables if they were made this way.”

I don’t like anything pretending it’s not. So I don’t like processed or dyes in things. But the mushroom works as the fried chicken (substitute). We were thinking about what we could do that would be meaty and still have that fried chicken vibe. That’s it.

Q. What event are you most excited about?

I’m super excited about the Champagne and fried chicken event (on Aug. 17). That reads very Populaire, too. (Populaire Modern Bistro is known for its caviar garnished fried chicken with uni.) We’ll have chicken buckets for everyone.

With a lot of our partners and donors it makes sense for them to have access to these experiences. The burgundy and burger dinner will feature higher end wine pairings which will be interesting for everyone.

Women in Wine events

May 4: Cheese & Wine Tasting, $85

June 16: Burgundy & Burgers, $120

July 20: Summer Spritz & Artist Spotlight, $65

Aug. 17: Fried Chicken & Champagne, $75

Sept. 21: Endless Summer “Farm-to Table-Experience,” $120

All events start at 6 p.m. and are for guests 21 and older only. For more information and tickets, visit ocma.art/calendar/women-in-wine-wine-and-cheese/

​ Orange County Register 

Disneyland hot chicken stand turns down the heat, simplifies the menu

• May 2, 2023

An Orange County-based Nashville hot chicken concept has toned down the double entendres and doused a Ghost Pepper heat level to bring its brand of hand-breaded fried chicken to the Disneyland resort.

Clyde’s Hot Chicken opened a food cart in late April near the Disneyland Monorail station in Downtown Disney serving boneless fried chicken on a stick.

There are no plans for a permanent Clyde’s Hot Chicken location in Downtown Disney at this time, according to Disneyland officials.

SEE ALSO: Sprinkles Cupcakes closes at Downtown Disney to make room for new restaurant

The $14 Clyde’s Hot Stick Combo comes with five pieces of chicken, potato chips and pickle slices. The original Clyde’s Sauce and Clyde’s Ranch are $1 extra.

Two heat levels are available: Original with a Cayenne spice and sweet finish or Hot as Cali that blends Cayenne and Habanero spices. Timid tasters can get their hot chicken without any heat — just ask for it “naked.”

The hot chicken chain adjusted the Nashville-inspired heat levels to appeal to the family-friendly Disneyland audience at the Anaheim outdoor shopping mall.

Gone are the Habanero and Ghost Pepper spice level known as 1930 with the Hot as Cluck heat level renamed to a less irreverent Hot as Cali featuring a blend of Cayenne and Habanero.

SEE ALSO: Earl of Sandwich opens full-service restaurant in Downtown Disney next to pop-up shop

Clyde’s opened its first restaurant in 2019 next to the historic Fox Theatre in Fullerton and has since expanded to Santa Ana, Placenta and Montclair with a Yorba Linda location in the works. Clyde’s also has a concession stand in the Las Vegas Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium.

Clyde’s prides itself on serving all-natural chicken with no antibiotics, preservatives, hormones or artificial additives.

Related Articles

The Downtown Disney location features a streamlined menu with little more than chicken on a stick and a few soft drinks. The small chain’s larger fast casual restaurants offer a broader menu with sandwiches, wings, tenders, chicken and waffles, fries, sides and milkshakes.

The Clyde’s Hot Chicken cart in Downtown Disney is open most days from 11 a.m. to midnight.

​ Orange County Register