OC probation officer hits 50 states as Spider-Man, other superheroes for sick kids, homeless adults

• April 3, 2023

When Yuri Williams was 8 years old, his mother sometimes took him with her to work at the Los Angeles County’s Central Juvenile Hall when she couldn’t find a sitter. Lynda C. Hubbard worked there, with troubled children and young adults as a juvenile correctional officer, for more than three decades.

“There was this one big guy banging on the walls in his room,” Williams recalled, who is now 46 and lives in Signal Hill. “My mom walked in and asked him what was going on and he just started crying and she was holding this much bigger person in her arms.”

Williams ended up following in his mother’s footsteps, becoming a deputy juvenile correctional officer for the Orange County Probation Department. Over the years, he sought guidance from his mother, who told him how to speak with those in custody, how to help the boys and girls.

When Hubbard died from cancer in 2009, Williams fell into a deep depression for five years.

“One day I was just sitting there and tried calling her phone and just started crying,” Williams said.

But his mom’s lessons inspired him.

Yuri Williams visits people in hospitals to cheer them up. (Courtesy of Yuri Williams)

In 2017, Williams began donning the costumes of superheroes and other iconic figures to raise the spirits of others who are fighting their own battles. A year later, he launched his nonprofit, A Future Superhero and Friends, to try and cover the costs of such things as donations and his travel. If he lassos big donors, he wants to create an after-school program of some sort.

“My mom always told me when you do something, try to do it different from others,” Williams said. “I figured by wearing a costume it could be a distraction, because it was rare that people see others in costume coming out to help.”

His started off locally, visiting families and children’s hospitals in Southern California, dressed as characters such as Spider-Man, Deadpool and the Mandalorian.

In February, Williams rolled in three large bins of plush toys — Santa Clauses, unicorns and others — through the doors of the Cherese Mari Laulhere Children’s Village in the Long Beach Medical Center. Because of the coronavirus, he was in street clothes — not able to visit the children in costume as in previous years.

“Yuri has been amazing,” said Rita Goshert, director of the center’s Child Life Program. “He’s been partnering and collaborating with us for several years. He just surprises us with these donations and it just makes all the difference in the world.

“It brightens their day, makes them forget they’re in the hospital and keeps their minds busy,” she said.

Williams expected the smiles and joy from the children. What surprised him was the parents’ reactions.

“Some of these parents haven’t seen their kids smile in awhile, or they haven’t been able to provide the gifts they’d like to for their kids,” Williams said. “Sometimes, they need this just as much as their kids.”

Yuri Williams is a a deputy juvenile correctional officer for the Orange County Probation Department. Here, he stands outside Orange County Juvenile Hall in Orange on Friday, March 31, 2023. Williams dresses as up superheroes and visits sick children in hospitals. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Four years and counting, Williams has made a tradition of traveling across all 50 states in 20 days over the holiday season, using his vacation days from work, visiting the homes of ill children to bring cheer via their favorite characters and to provide gifts like new gaming systems and baby Yoda dolls.

Williams also visits homeless veterans in Los Angeles and Orange counties, providing hygiene kits, clothing, food, gift cards. He organizes art classes meant to help them cope with their struggles. And, he listens.

“The thing about me, I don’t assume or judge people, so I try to build a relationship with them first and then keep coming back … so I can gain their trust,” he said. “Once I gain your trust, I’m able to help you with your problems and get you the services that you need.”

Adults get the costume treatment, too.

“When I visited the houseless community it just made them smile,” Williams said. “One time I went out without the costume and they told me to go back home and get it. They never called me by my first name — it has always been ‘Spider-Man.’

“It brings you back to your childhood, and when I saw that smile I knew I could get to their heart and try to get them the help they need,” he said.

In October, Williams appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson surprised him, joining him on the set. Inspired by Williams’ efforts, the actor gave him a costume of Black Adam, who Johnson portrayed in a film of that name. Johnson also rented out a Regal Edwards theater in the Long Beach Towne Center so ill children, homeless people and others who are struggling could see the film.

In January, the Orange County Board of Supervisors recognized his charity by presenting him with a plaque.

Out of the menagerie of costumes he has acquired over the years, Williams said Spider-Man has remained his favorite. It prompts a memory — he recalls an action figure he picked up while at work with his mother years ago.

Maintaining his charity work has not been easy, with most of the money spent on gifts, storage and travel coming out of his own pocket, he said, leading him to doubt how long he can continue his nonprofit work. His travels have also taken a toll on Williams, spending weeks at a time away from his 14-year-old daughter, Jaedyn.

Yuri Williams and his daughter, Jaedyn. (Courtesy of Yuri Williams)

Despite that, Jaedyn has been a constant supporter of her father’s efforts, he said. Years ago, Jaedyn passed a homeless man on the street and offered him the money in her pocket.

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“She told me that that could be her someday,” Williams said.

“I told her that you always give back. … Blink of an eye, an earthquake happens, destroys your home and you could possibly become homeless.

“So it’s important that you give back, because good karma will return to you.”

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​ Orange County Register 

Remembering KLOS and KMET rock radio disc jockey Damion Bragdon

• April 3, 2023

Don Barrett of LARadio.Com broke the news: Damion Bragdon — though he rarely used his last name on the air —  passed away from complications related to cancer on March 26th at the age of 79. Southern California listeners would have heard him on KLOS (95.5 FM), KMET (now KTWV, 94.7 FM), and KLSX (now KNX-FM, 97.1).

Prior to coming to Los Angeles to be part of the KLOS air staff in 1971, Damion was at WDAI/Chicago as the station evolved from its “free-form” progressive rock format to the more traditional album-oriented “Rock ’n Stereo” … in essence repeating exactly what he did in Chicago here in Los Angeles.

Those changes were not a coincidence, the two stations were both owned by ABC, and in 1971 ABC decided to have all of its owned and operated FM stations nationwide take on the same format, as well as take on new call letters to distinguish the FMs from the co-owned AMs.In the case of KLOS, Damion joined Jeff Gonzer, J.J. Jackson, Jim Ladd, and programmer Tom Yates to launch the new format here. By the late 1970s, he would work up to the position of station programmer himself, a position he would give up when he left to work at then-competitor KMET.

In 1986, he found himself at brand-new classic rocker KLSX, where he stayed through 1994. After that, he moved on to satellite-delivered formats with Unistar and Westwood One/Dial Global, between times doing a stint in Hawaii including programming an AM/FM combo. He finally retired in 2008 but kept busy producing a one-hour program called Rock and Roll Cowboy — modern country music mixed with classic rock — that aired on a few stations across the country.

In an interview with Barrett back in 1994, Damion spoke of some of the highlights of his career, which included partnering with Ladd to produce early InnerView programs along with interviewing Led Zeppelin and being part of the California Jam in 1973.

His wife Joy Hall shared in an email to Barrett that described Damion’s final days had been difficult. Friends and colleagues spoke highly of Damion, describing him using such words as kind, sweet, friendly, and considerate.

“He was truly one o’ the good guys — a sweet man with virtually no ego,” wrote Michael Benner in an email to Barrett, as but one example.

All of that was something you heard over the airwaves as he did his shows, no matter what station he was on. His delivery was always always smooth: the perfect album-rock DJ and someone who loved the music he played.

You can hear airchecks for yourself; search YouTube for “Damion KLOS and KMET.”

February Ratings

The February Nielsens showed a narrowing of the gap between 1st place KOST (103.5 FM) and 2nd place KRTH (101.1 FM), with only 0.1 separating the two: 5.5 to 5.4. The rest of the top 10 included KTWV (4.6), KBIG (4.5), KFI (4.1), KLVE (4.1), KIIS-FM (3.9), KRRL (3.9), KBUE (3.2) and KCBS-FM (3.1)

That Real 92.3 tied with KIIS-FM would in the past be a wake-up call to KIIS-FM, but now that both stations are owned by the same company, the beleaguered iHeart Media, it won’t be. Just shy of the top 10 tied with KRCD at 11th was KNX, still no better than it was as a standalone AM station. Now using both the 1070 AM and 97.1 FM frequencies, it earned a 2.9.

Cutting the B.S.

Bo Snerdley was conservative talker Rush Limbaugh’s longtime producer; he helped line up guests, screened calls, and most importantly helped put together the day’s news for Limbaugh to expound upon.

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Since Limbaugh’s death, Snerdley stayed busy producing shows for the replacement hosts, produced the Limbaugh Letter, started a podcast, and launched his own program on WABC/New York entitled Bo Snerdley’s Rush Hour.

He also produces a twice-daily conservative-leaning news headline email called Bo Snerdley’s Daily BS – Bo Cuts Through It. If you’re interested, subscribe at http://eepurl.com/hKLLg9

Snerdley’s on-air name was inspired by Bo Jackson; his given name is James Golden. He spent 30 years working with Limbaugh, right until the very end.

Richard Wagoner is a San Pedro freelance columnist. Email [email protected]

​ Orange County Register 

Sacramento Snapshot: Effort to protect workers from harassment advances

• April 3, 2023

Editor’s note: Sacramento Snapshot is a weekly series during the legislative session detailing what Orange County’s representatives in the Assembly and Senate are working on — from committee work to bill passages and more.

An effort to help employers ensure protections for workers who are being harassed while on the job advanced in the legislature last week.

Employers, if this bill were to pass, would be able to seek temporary restraining orders on behalf of their employees who are being harassed by members of the public while at work, which can cause severe emotional distress and disrupt work productivity, said Sen. Catherine Blakespear, the bill’s author who represents parts of southern Orange County, including Mission Viejo.

Without the threat or act of violence, employers are unable to do so now, Blakespear said, and instead, it’s incumbent on the employee to seek protection they feel is needed, which can require a lot of money, legal expertise, time and emotional resources.

Sen. Catherine Blakespear (Photo courtesy of Catherine Blakespear’s campaign)

“The problem we’re trying to solve for is that we don’t want to have to reach the point of unlawful violence or a threat of violence before intervening,” Blakespear said.

An example, Blakespear said, is an instance when a person repeatedly contacted Carlsbad city employees about his lack of housing, but the workers did not have the ability to provide what he requested. The person called and emailed the employees multiple times a day, shouting expletives and leaving recordings of employees he obtained without consent over the course of a year, according to information provided by the city.

Ultimately, the city said, the conduct escalated to a credible threat of violence, and a workplace violence restraining order was obtained.

As legislative work continues, the bill is expected to clarify that an employer must show a court “clear and convincing evidence” that the harassment incident serves “no legitimate purpose” and that a restraining order would not infringe on protected speech or activities. As it stands right now, the bill does not exclude any professions from these expanded protections.

The Senate Judiciary Committee gave initial approval to the bill — with no votes in opposition — making it Blakespear’s first to go to a committee and come out. It now heads to the Senate floor.

Trading a travel ban for outreach

Sen. Toni Atkins, a San Diego Democrat who serves as president of the Senate, floated a new proposal last week that would lift California’s state travel ban to states with discriminatory laws targeted at LGBTQ+ people.

California prohibits state-funded and sponsored travel to 23 states, nearly half the country, and that has had the unintended consequence of isolating further LGBTQ+ people in those places, Atkins said. Her legislation would lift the ban and implement a donation-driven fund to create an advertising campaign to encourage inclusion and acceptance.

“At a time when LGBTQ+ rights and protections are being rescinded, and the very words we use are being weaponized, putting understanding and kindness at the forefront is more important than ever,” Atkins, who is a lesbian, said in a statement, recounting how she did not feel she would be accepted while growing up in rural Virginia. “The goal here is to speak to people’s hearts and open minds.”

Atkins’ bill was introduced last week, as the California Legislature and the country celebrated “Transgender Day of Visibility,” an effort meant to support transgender people and rights.

Meanwhile, other states are considering bills that would roll back protections for LGBTQ+ people or are considered to cause harm; the ACLU is tracking 435 bills across the country this year considered to be anti-LGBTQ+.

In other news

• An effort to reduce California’s sales tax by 1% for one year was introduced by Assemblymember Kate Sanchez, R-Rancho Santa Margarita, last week. The idea, she said, is to provide immediate relief for Californians feeling the burden of higher prices and inflation. It’s been sent to the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation.

• Sen. Josh Newman’s bill to require fashion manufacturers to help set up free textile recycling collection sites cleared the Senate Environmental Quality Committee with a vote along party lines. It’s expected to be heard in the Judiciary Committee, chaired by fellow Orange County Sen. Tom Umberg, in April, according to Newman’s office.

• Legislation ensuring financial literacy is taught in K-12 schools initially failed the Senate Education Committee last week, with Newman voting against it and three other senators not voting. However, the bill from Sen. Kelly Seyarto, whose district includes Yorba Linda, was granted “reconsideration,” meaning more work can go on behind the scenes to bring it back up for another vote with a potentially different outcome.

• From Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Irvine, is a bill requiring guns recovered from the scene of a domestic violence incident or during service of a domestic violence restraining order to be entered into California’s Automated Firearms System. It gives a victim the ability to request law enforcement remove firearms from a prohibited person, her office said. The bill unanimously cleared the Assembly Judiciary Committee last week, seeing support from Republican Assemblymembers Diane Dixon and Sanchez.

• The legislature is now on spring recess until April 10.

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​ Orange County Register 

Thousands converge on Long Beach to celebrate Cambodian new year

• April 3, 2023

Thousands converged on a one-mile stretch of Anaheim Street, in Long Beach, on Sunday, April 2, for one of the city’s largest annual events — a celebration of Cambodian new year and Khmer traditions.

The Cambodia Town Parade and Cultural Festival returned for its 15th iteration, reveling in the Southeast Asian nation’s new year, which traditionally takes place from April 14 to 16, with cultural performances, educational resources and food, among other activities and entertainment.

There were also local vendors and organizations on display.

Long Beach became a second home for many Cambodians in the early 1980s – when hundreds of thousands of refugees flocked to the United States in the wake of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime and the resulting genocide that killed nearly 2 million people.

Long Beach, now, is home to nearly 500,000 Cambodians — the largest population outside of the Southeast Asian country. A one-mile stretch of Anaheim Street, in the heart of Long Beach, is officially designated as Cambodia Town.

“For over a decade, Cambodia Town has made great efforts to preserve and promote our heritage and culture,” said Sithea San, chair of Cambodia Town Inc., “while cultivating the social-economic well-being of residents and businesses in Long Beach.”

The theme this year was “Stop Hate With Love” – aimed at bringing awareness to rising hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, as well as embracing Long Beach’s diversity.

“Our board is very proud of Cambodia Town’s work in educating Cambodians about hate crimes, hate incidents and how to report them,” San said during the Saturday event. “We want to bring people together in the spirit of love, unity, peace, caring, empathy, and compassion and to raise awareness of anti-racism and discrimination, including Anti-Asian hate.”

Following an interfaith program in the morning, Buddhist monks performed a traditional blessing, with distinguished guests offering them gifts.

Then, at the onset of the parade, which began at Anaheim Street and Cherry Avenue, several community leaders, sponsors and elected officials gave speeches.

“Congratulations for 15th years of lifting up history,” state Attorney General Rob Bonta said, “promoting culture and sharing with the rest of the world, and state, the beauty of the Khmer traditions.”

Mayor Rex Rixhardson and members of the Long Beach City Council also attended the event, including Vice Mayor Cindy Allen and Councilmembers Daryl Supernaw and Suely Saro — the latter of whom is the first Cambodian American to serve on the panel.

After that, the parade began in earnest.

Thousands of people waved Cambodian flags in the air as drums banged, bells rang and the parade traveled about a half mile across Anaheim Street to MacArthur Park.

Hiromi Takahashi, a Long Beach City College student, sat on the side of the parade route, cheering and waving a Cambodian flag.

“I hope today will help the Cambodian community flourish, grow and develop because we had a pandemic and we weren’t able to do this the last couple of years,” Takahashi said. “I’m hoping that it’ll help the community grow again.”

Groups donning authentic Khmer costumes, the grand marshals — including kickboxing legend Oum Ry Ban — and other groups from diverse communities comprised the parade’s retinue.

Melissa Kim and Ana Degrazia are part of the Long Beach Phnom Penh Sister Cities Romvong Team, which performed traditional dances during the parade. It was their first time participating in the performance.

“I’m always surprised by how many people show up here in Long Beach for the celebration,” Kim said later, as she stood in the middle of the packed festival grounds. “I love to see so many people celebrating our culture and it was amazing to perform.”

The festivalgoers were able to get information from booths that offered education about Cambodia’s nearly 2 millennium-old cultural heritage, watch performances on the main stage and eat Cambodian cuisine.

Some of the organizations at the booths included the United Cambodian Community of Long Beach, The Children’s Clinic Family, Pacific Asian Counseling Services and the Global Refugee Awareness Healing Center, among others.

An exhibit that was on display during the festival showcased pictures taken by photographer Colin Grafton from Cambodian refugee camps in the early 1980s – where many who had experienced the horrors of war went to apply for resettlement in other countries after the Khmer Rouge fell in 1979.

Brandon Kheng and Lillian Wang traveled from Cypress to enjoy the lively scene in Long Beach and celebrate the new year. The couple said they were excited to indulge in the festival’s culinary offerings.

“It was awesome seeing the traditional outfits, dancing and music,” Kheng said about the parade. “I think (the festival) is a great way to celebrate the New Year and bring together all these diverse groups of people to celebrate culture and heritage.”

The annual Cambodia Town Parade and Culture Festival attracts people from all over the world. But some of the event’s attendees were locals who only recently began going — despite the parade and festival being in their own backyards.

“This is my second time attending and it’s pretty cool,” said Davin Em, who lives around the corner from where the parade took place.

“I had to come and show my support for the culture,” he added. “I would definitely recommend people to come, just to feel the support here is great.”

​ Orange County Register 

An LA attorney has been in a Venezuela prison for a year. His family wants him home

• April 3, 2023

It’s been one year since Eyvin Hernandez has hugged his family. It’s been one year since he’s been home.

And it’s been one year since the Los Angeles County public defender has been able to argue for a defendant’s innocence.

Except this time, Hernandez is the defendant.

Hernandez, a criminal defense attorney who grew up in the South Bay, was arrested at the Venezuelan-Colombian border a year ago while on a two-week vacation. Since then, he has been detained in a Venezuelan cell, with his family and the United States government describing Hernandez as a wrongfully detained political prisoner.

His loved ones have also described the Los Angeles resident’s living conditions as dire – and they want him back home as soon as possible.

That’s why Hernandez’s family and friends, about 40 people in all, gathered in front of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, in downtown Los Angeles, last week to publicly urge the U.S. government – President Joe Biden in particular – to help bring him home.

His friends also have a change.org petition to call for political actions, which had accumulated 6,504 signatures as of Friday morning. A GoFundMe account had raised more than $34,800 for legal fees and financial help for when Hernandez comes home.

The rally took place on Thursday, March 30 – a day before the one-year anniversary of Hernandez’s arrest. Those who know the 44-year-old pleaded with the Biden administration to intervene on his behalf.

“The president has the power to bring him home,” Hernandez’s father, Pedro Martinez, told the Daily Breeze after the rally. “It’s (been) a year already. He deserves to be home as soon as possible.”

A State Department spokesperson, in a statement provided to the Southern California News Group, said officials are working to free him – and all captive Americans.

“The U.S. Government continues to work aggressively to bring home all U.S. nationals wrongfully detained or held captive abroad and also to prevent and deter future hostage-takings and wrongful detentions,” the spokesperson said. “These are top priorities for the President and the Secretary of State.”

In March 2022, Hernandez was on vacation in Colombia. One day, he accompanied a friend to Cucuta, a city near the border with Venezuela, to get her passport stamped. He never intended to enter Venezuela and was due to return home in a few days, his family said.

The two were walking down a dirt road asking for directions when a man told them to pay a $100 bribe to cross into Venezuela. After they refused, the pair were approached by heavily armed men, accused of being American spies and turned over to Venezuelan officials, his family said.

It’s unclear if Hernandez’s friend was on vacation with him and information on her is sparse. But Hernandez’s family said she is Venezuelan, not American.

Either way, their arrests  were unsurprising within the context of Venezuela’s current unrest.

The State Department urges Americans not to travel to the country and in March 2019, the U.S. withdrew all diplomatic personnel from its embassy in Caracas.

Violence is common in Venezuela, according to the State Department, and the government of longtime President Nicolás Maduro has been accused of human rights abuses.

“Violent crimes, such as homicide, armed robbery, kidnapping, and carjacking, are common,” the State Department says about Venezuela on its website.

And U.S. officials have determined Americans who travel there would be at risk for detention.

“Reports from the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission document human rights abuses attributed to the Maduro regime,” the State Department website says, “including torture, extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, and detentions without due process and/or fair trial guarantees or as a pretext for an illegitimate purpose.”

Hernandez, meanwhile, has been locked in a maximum security prison for political prisoners since his arrest, and has been charged with criminal association and conspiracy against the Venezuelan government.

His family has insisted he is innocent. If found guilty, Hernandez could spend up to 16 years in prison, his family said.

Seven months into his detention, the State Department determined Hernandez was “wrongfully detained,” which means his case gets enhanced resources from the government.

But one year has passed, and there is still no clear sign of a release date or his return to the U.S.

Hernandez’s last time in court came in August for a pretrial hearing, said his younger brother, Henry Martinez.

“They say they are working on it,” his father said, “but we don’t see action.”

But those efforts are ongoing, the State Department spokesperson said, while declining to provide details.

“We continue to press for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Hernandez at every opportunity and will continue to do so,” the spokesperson said. “Beyond that, we are not going to discuss ongoing diplomatic conversations or negotiations.”

Hernandez’s capture, meanwhile, has caused significant angst among those who know him.

Martinez, for example, said his son, who has dedicated his career seeking fair treatment for vulnerable people, is needed here in Los Angeles, not just by the family – but also by those he served.

Drew Havens, who attended Thursday’s rally, witnessed Hernandez’s dedication to his job personally. Hernandez trained Havens when he was a new public defender, he said.

Hernandez is a “very inspirational, very diligent, excellent attorney,” Havens said, and he “really cared about the people that he was training.

“He taught me what it means to fight for justice,” he added. “Eyvin has dedicated his entire life to serving the most marginalized people in Los Angeles County. He’s a dedicated public servant. He doesn’t deserve to be held captive from his family in Venezuela.”

Hernandez was born in El Salvador in 1978.

His family moved to the US, when Hernandez was a toddler, to seek a better life.

He graduated from Leuzinger High School in Lawndale and attended El Camino College, where he discovered his passion for physics. He eventually transferred to UCLA, earning a bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics.

He then went to law school – which was unexpected

Karlene Nguyen is a friend of Hernandez who studied with him at El Camino College before they both transferred to UCLA.

She was initially surprised when he decided to become a lawyer, Nguyen said.

Their graduation in the early 2000s coincided with the dot com bubble bursting, forcing many fledgling internet and communication companies to shutter after a brief period of rapid growth.

There were no jobs at the time, Nguyen said, and she thought Hernandez, who had studied physics and mathematics in college, would be eager to become a physicist or an engineer.

But instead, he chose to go to law school.

In 2006, Hernandez joined the LA County Public Defender’s Office, where he’s spent his entire career.

His most recent assignment was at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Courthouse handling felony cases. Hernandez has also volunteered his time advocating for children in the juvenile justice system.

“It makes sense now that he’s never been focused on money,” Nguyen said about her friend’s decision to study and practice law. “He always was very principled. He wanted to do something bigger for the community, and so money was never his priority.”

Those who care deeply about Hernandez said the slow response from the government, as they described it, is frustrating.

They aren’t sure, for example, why it took so long for Hernandez to be classified as wrongfully detained, despite overwhelming evidence that he was unjustly taken, Hernandez’s brother said.

“They don’t provide us with a game plan,” he said. “I think we get the repetitive quotes that other families get, which is, simply, ‘We’re working on it. Eyvin’s case is a top priority and we’re doing what we can.’”

But during a House Foreign Affairs Committee meeting last month, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said he had spoken with the family in late January, and that his staff engages with them on a regular basis.

Roger Carstens, the U.S. special envoy for hostage affairs, and the head of the state department’s Venezuela Affairs Unit, have traveled to Venezuela multiple times to try to free Americans who have been wrongfully detained, including Hernandez, the secretary said.

“We will continue that effort,” Blinken said, “until we bring Eyvin and any others home.”

Pedro Martinez confirmed Blinken’s conversation with the family. But even though he appreciates what the State Department officials are doing, the elder Martinez said, he also wants immediate action.

“As Secretary Blinken has said,” the State Department spokesperson said, “he is personally focused on bringing home U.S. nationals held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad.”

The last time Hernandez’s family spoke with him was March 26.

Even though he’s desperate, his family said, Hernandez is trying to stay as positive as he can

But his loved ones say they are worried about his health. The light in his cell remains on 24/7, so he has not had adequate sleep in a year. He has not eaten nutritious food.

And he has not yet had a trial.

Bahar Mirhosseni, a criminal defense/human rights lawyer and a friend of Hernandez, said it pains her to know that Hernandez is locked up in “deplorable conditions”– thousands of miles from his family.

“We are not saying that he should be freed because he’s an amazing human rights lawyer,” she said. “We’re saying he should be freed because no one deserves this.

“Even one minute is one minute too much,” Mirhosseni added, “and we’re talking about an entire year of a human being’s life.”

​ Orange County Register 

NHRA’s Winternationals finish with a bang

• April 3, 2023

POMONA – For the second day in a row, Funny Car racer J.R. Todd played a starring role at the 63rd NHRA Winternationals at the In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip – if you’re talking about video footage and still photos.

In the first round of Sunday’s elimination finals, Todd’s car blew up in explosion as massive as any you will see in drag racing, or any kind of racing.

This was one day after Todd was involved in a spectacular crash with 73-year-old John Force, requiring Todd to use a spare car on Sunday. Now that one is destroyed too.

The day ended in spectacular fashion as well, with some of the most prominent names in drag racing squaring off in the Top Fuel and Funny Car semifinals and finals.

In Top Fuel, John Force Racing teammates Austin Prock and Brittany Force squared off in one semifinal, with Prock winning when Force spun her tires. In the other semifinal, up-and-coming superstar Justin Ashley beat Antron Brown by .006 seconds. Ashley and Brown call each other teammates since they are in the second year of an analytical alliance.

Ashley, currently the hottest driver in drag racing, won his second straight event when he nipped Prock by .049 seconds in the final. It made for a clean sweep Ashley, with the 29-year-old from Farmingdale, N.Y., also qualifying No. 1 and winning the new Saturday challenge event involving the four semifinalists from the previous week.

“I have to say this was the best weekend of my career,” Ashley said.

In Funny Car, longshot Terry Haddock’s surprisingly good day ended when he lost to Matt Hagan in the semifinals. In the other semifinal, defending national champion Ron Capps eliminated Bob Tasca III.

Hagan, of Tony Stewart Racing, then nipped Capps by .436 seconds for the event title. Hagan had qualified 10th. “It was a tough climb back,” Hagan said.

The Pro Stock winner was Dallas Glenn of Mooresville, N.C.

As for Funny Car’s Todd, a veteran driver from Jupiter, Fla., he was fortunate to escape both weekend incidents uninjured.

He was particularly lucky on Saturday. He instinctively pulled his parachutes as he approached the finish, slowing just enough to avoid getting T-boned in full force by Force’s car that had bounced around and into Todd’s lane and then got tangled up in his chutes before crashing into a concrete protective wall.

Todd crossed the finish line in 3.935 seconds at 328.86 mph, good enough for him to qualify as the fifth-seeded driver going into Sunday’s action, which for Todd didn’t last long.

“If you knew a weekend like this was coming, you’d rather stay home,” he said. “More than anything, I just hate all the work that’s been created for all my guys – especially right before an off weekend. They needed an off week. Now they have a ton more work to get done before we go to Las Vegas.”

Todd’s first round opponent, 12th-seeded Alex Laughlin, was eliminated in the second round by Tasca.

The biggest upset during the first round in Funny Car came when John Force Racing’s Robert Hight, seeded third and the defending Winternationals champion, spun his tires and allowed veteran Terry Haddock to advance. Haddock, 52, who has been racing off and on since 1998, was seeded 14th.

Haddock, from Temple, Texas, made it to the semifinals, where he lost to Hagen.

John Force, driving his spare car and seeded 16th, spun his tires and lost to top-seeded Cruz Pedregon in Sunday’s first round. That left Force Racing without a driver in Funny Car.

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“Robert and I suffered the same fate,” Force said at the time. “At least we still have Brittany (Force’s daughter) and Austin Prock in Top Fuel.”

An oddity this event was that the top executive at a sponsoring body was also a competitor. Lynsi Snyder, the owner and president of In-N-Out, raced in the top sportsman class, losing in the first round of the finals on Friday. It had been five years since the lifelong drag racing enthusiast had competed.

“It took a long time for me to get my car,” she quipped.

Besides being the naming sponsor of Pomona’s legendary raceway, In-N-Out is also the name sponsor for the NHRA Finals, which are annually run here in November.

The multiyear deal was announced last November. Snyder said Denny Warnick, the company’s chief operating officer, alerted her of the possible deal with the NHRA.

“I get a lot of messages thrown my way,” Snyder said. “But when Denny Warnick passed along one from the NHRA, I took notice.”

​ Orange County Register 

Ducks suffer 8th straight loss, falling to the Flames to end road trip

• April 3, 2023

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Milan Lucic and Michael Stone scored in the third period and the Calgary Flames rallied to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-4 on Sunday.

Nick Ritchie had a goal and an assist, and Andrew Mangiapane and Nikita Zadorov also to help Calgary win a season-high fourth straight game. Tyler Toffoli had two assists.

Jacob Markstrom gave up two goals on nine shots in the first period and was replaced by Dan Vladar, who stopped 11 shots over the final two periods to pick up the win.

Calgary remained two points behind Winnipeg for the second wild card in the Western Conference. The Jets beat New Jersey 6-1 earlier Sunday.

Frank Vatrano had two goals and an assist, Max Comtois had a goal and an assist, and Scott Harrington also scored for Anaheim. Kevin Shattenkirk had two assists and Lukas Dostal made 36 saves as the Ducks suffered their eighth consecutive loss.

Lucic tied the score 4-4 at 6:26 of the third. After defenseman MacKenzie Weegar blocked a shot in the defensive zone, Blake Coleman fed Lucic to score far side off the rush for his seventh of the season.

Stone, playing his first game for the Flames since Feb. 18 because of a lower-back injury, let loose a slap shot from the point that beat Dostal for the go-ahead goal with 2:38 remaining. It was his sixth.

Vatrano gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead at 4:17 of the first with a rising shot that beat Markstrom’s glove. It marked the 10th time Calgary gave up a goal on an opponent’s first shot of the game — the ninth time against Markstrom.

Markstrom stopped Max Jones on a breakaway with eight minutes remaining in the opening period.

Comtois doubled the lead with 2:10 remaining in the opening period as he converted the rebound of Vatrano’s shot.

The Flames scored the next three goals to take the lead.

Mangiapane got Calgary on the scoreboard with a power-play goal 33 seconds into the second period. With Colton White serving a hooking penalty, Mangiapane wired a wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circle over Dostal’s stick for his 16th.

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Zadorov got a pass from Jonathan Huberdeau and rifled the puck far side over Dostal’s glove for his 10th at 7:12 of the middle period to tie the score.

Ritchie put the Flames ahead 3-2 a little more than a minute later as he tipped Troy Stecher’s shot from the point past Dostal. It was his 13th.

Vatrano’s second of the night and 20th of the season tied it at 9:16 as he knocked in a rebound over Vladar’s glove.

Harrington put the Ducks ahead 4-3 with 7:04 left in the second as he beat Vladar with a point shot through traffic.

UP NEXT

Ducks: Host Edmonton on Wednesday night.

​ Orange County Register 

Kings clinch playoff spot with win over Canucks

• April 3, 2023

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Alex Iafallo scored twice, Joonas Korpisalo made 21 saves and the Kings wrapped up an NHL playoff spot with a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night.

Arthur Kaliyev and Blake Lizzote — into an empty net — each had a goal and an assist for the Kings. Anze Kopitar added a pair of assists.

Los Angeles improved to 45-22-10, winning for the second straight night after topping Seattle on Saturday.

Brock Boeser scored for the Canucks and Thatcher Demko stopped 21 shots. The Canucks were eliminated from postseason contention earlier in the night when Winnipeg beat New Jersey. Vancouver has missed the playoffs three straight years and seven of eight.

Iafallo put away his second goal of the night — and 14th of the season — on a power play 3:25 into the second after Jack Studnicka was called for tripping.

Viktor Arvidsson fired a shot off the post and the rebound fell into traffic in front of the Vancouver net, where Iafallo muscled it in to give the Kings a 2-1 lead.

With Vancouver’s Anthony Beauvillier and L.A.’s Quinton Byfield in the box, Iafallo ripped a one-timer past Demko from the bottom of the faceoff circle for his first goal of the night.

UP NEXT

Kings: Host Edmonton on Tuesday night.

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​ Orange County Register