Categoria: Top Stories LBPT

Lakers’ LeBron James Rips Reports Of Target Date For His Return

by Vittorio Ferla 23 Marzo 2023 Comments0

When will LeBron James be back in uniform for the Lakers? It depends on the source.

The Lakers offered a positive but vague update Thursday, saying the 38-year-old has been cleared for on-court activity and “gradual basketball movement progression.” Specifically, the update said there is no timeline for his return from a right foot tendon injury, which has kept him out of action since Feb. 26.

That was followed in short order with multiple media reports with a target date: ESPN, The Athletic and TNT all reported that James hoped to play in the last week of the season, possibly the last three or four games.

That apparently set off James, who sent out a tweet: “There wasn’t an evaluation today and there hasn’t been any target date for my return. I’m just working around the clock, every day(3X a day) to give myself to best chance of coming back full strength whenever that is. God bless y’all sources. I speak for myself!”

That might not settle things, but the key takeaway – aside from James arguing with reputable news outlets – is that he’s getting closer to a return.

Having James back would be a huge boost to the Lakers (36-37), who were in 10th place in the West as of midday Thursday. When healthy, James has been the team’s leading scorer (29.5 ppg) and leading playmaker (6.9 apg) and one of the leading rebounders (8.4 rpg). James’ return would bring additional scoring and playmaking punch to a group that has gone 11-6 since the trade deadline and already boasts the seventh-best net rating (plus-3.6) in that span.

James has done spot shooting, and teammate Dennis Schröder mentioned last week that he was working out three times a day. But the update also was an upbeat advancement after coach Darvin Ham said Wednesday that James had been “not physically able” to participate in team shootarounds.

That hasn’t stopped him, however, from offering insights to the coaching staff and teammates, Ham said.

“Just talking through different matchups, different guys, giving guys opportunities,” he said. “He’s thrown me a couple of nice ATOs we’ve drawn up in the huddle. It’s been great. He’s just being engaged and really talking through the mentality, that time is of the essence. Only (nine) games left, and we really gotta push through and make this thing happen.”

James’ refuting of reports aligns with his efforts in recent seasons to make a return as soon as possible from injury. Multiple times during his Lakers tenure, James has been upgraded from “out” a day prior to a game all the way to “available” at tip-off. But in his 20th season, his ability to gut out an early return from an injury has been compromised: In the 2020-21 season, James struggled to come back from a high ankle sprain, playing two games after missing 20 straight, then missing six more games after laboring in both losses.

Assuming the reports are credible, the Lakers could face a crunch at the end of the season to get James back in rhythm before a potential play-in game or first-round series. The team’s last five games feature three road games at the Rockets, Jazz and Clippers, followed by two home games against the Suns and Jazz. Given that all three of the final games will be played in Crypto.com Arena, it could represent James’ best chance to ramp back up all within Southern California confines.

Until then, the Lakers’ have had perhaps more success than expected with James out, going 7-5 in the interim. One of the players who stepped into a starting role, Austin Reaves, said the team has been able to thrive off the high stakes of games.

“Since Bron’s been out, we’ve had to have multiple guys fill what he does because he does everything on the court,” Reaves said. “So I’ve tried to be more aggressive offensively both ways, getting teammates involved, and then also scoring and getting to the line. So it’s really just been going back and playing basketball the way that I love, the way that I’ve always played and having fun with it.”

It’s even more fun, of course, when the whole team is able to play.

Oklahoma City at Lakers When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Where: Crypto.com Arena

TV/Radio: Spectrum SportsNet/ESPN LA 710

L.A. School Strike Symbolic Of California Union Growth

by valipomponi 22 Marzo 2023 Comments0

”Survey says” looks at various rankings and scorecards judging geographic locations while noting these grades are best seen as a mix of artful interpretation and data.

Buzz: The Los Angeles Unified School District strike comes as California government workers fuel nationwide growth in union members.

Source: My trusty spreadsheet looked at the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ annual study of union membership and analysis of that data by UnionStats.

Topline California’s job market is different than much of the nation, and union membership is a prime example.

California added 149,000 union members last year – 54% of organized labor’s overall 273,000 U.S. gain.

Last year, California governments rushed to refill jobs that were pruned during the pandemic era’s lockdowns. That hiring spree helped organized labor as 54% of California government workers are union members.

Consider that in 2022, state and local governments added 111,000 California union jobs. So 75% of union growth statewide in 2022 was government workers like those on LA’s school picket lines.

Or look at 2022 union growth this bigger-picture way: 40% of the nation’s new union members were California government workers.

Details California is easily the nation’s No. 1 union hotspot with 2.62 million members – 18.3% of the U.S. total. Next comes New York at 1.68 million, Illinois at 735,000, Pennsylvania at 715,000, and Ohio at 641,000.

And its leadership in new union workers for 2022 growth was followed by Texas, up 64,000, then Michigan at 49,000, Ohio at 45,000, and Alabama at 34,000.

But 18 states lost union members last year. New York had the biggest drop (50,000), then Oregon, off 37,000, Florida, off 34,000, Minnesota, off 34,000, and Indiana, off 33,000.

Taking into account California’s huge job market, union additions statewide in 2022 equaled 6% growth, No. 23 among the states, and triple the 2% growth nationally.

Bottom line Organized labor’s clout – as measured by the share of the overall workforce – is expanding in California but down nationwide.

Last year, 16.1% of California workers were organized labor members vs. 15.9% in 2021. The nation’s 10.1% union share of workers was down from 10.3% in 2021.

Note that only three states have larger segments of their workers in unions: Hawaii at 21.9%, then New York at 20.7%, and Washington state at 18%.

And where do unions have the least power? Only 1.7% of all South Carolina workers are unionized, then North Carolina at 2.8%, South Dakota at 3.1%, Virginia at 3.7%, and Utah at 3.9%.

Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com

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Clippers’ Paul George Likely Out The Rest Of The Regular Season

by Vittorio Rienzo 22 Marzo 2023 Comments0

A worst-case scenario became the best-possible news for Clippers’ Paul George, who was diagnosed with a sprained right knee Wednesday.

Less than 24 hours after appearing to hyperextend his right knee, an MRI revealed that the All-Star wing suffered a less dire injury. George will be evaluated in two to three weeks, according to the Clippers.

George landed awkwardly after his leg, his knee bending backward, after colliding with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Lu Dort while going for a rebound with 4:38 left in the 101-100 loss. George immediately fell to the floor, clutching his leg. He was eventually helped off the court by Clippers staffers without putting pressure on his leg.

The prognosis could put George back in the lineup between April 5-13 – given there isn’t any ligament damage – four days after the regular season ends. Anything more serious and it could spell the end of the season for George and deliver a blow to the Clippers’ title hopes.

The Clippers (38-35) are fifth in the Western Conference with nine games left, all against conference teams. They play the Thunder again Thursday.

The news of George’s injury cast a pall over the Clippers locker room after the game. The few remaining players, however, said the team needs to move forward and not dwell on the situation.

“We have to overcome it, you have to, especially for him,” Nicolas Batum said. “We got to stay focused on who we have on the court. You know, we got good guys, great players anyway, so we’ve been there before. One team who has been there before it’s us.”

Last season, the Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard, who missed the entire season after having surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament and they lost in the play-in portion of the playoffs.

This season, managing the health of George and Leonard has been foremost with the team. The two have been playing well lately. In 55 games, George had been averaging 23.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists while shooting 45.6% form the field and 37.5% from 3-point range. Leonard is averaging 23.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists, while shooting 51.2% from the field and 41.5% from behind the arc.

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Possible Tornado Reported In Montebello; Several Buildings Damaged

by Mata 22 Marzo 2023 Comments0

A strong microburst — which some witnesses dubbed a possible tornado — heavily damaged several buildings in Montebello today, with video from the scene showing portions of rooftops being ripped off industrial structures and debris swirling in the air.

um tornado in south montebello @ABC7 @KTLA pic.twitter.com/houu2nW1zn

— Daniel (@djavim) March 22, 2023

The National Weather Service on Tuesday night issued a brief tornado warning in southwestern Los Angeles County, but it was allowed to expire after about 15 minutes when weather conditions eased.

There was no such warning in place late Wednesday morning when the powerful winds hit Montebello, near the area of Washington Boulevard and Vail Avenue.

The National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office, based in Oxnard, confirmed early Wednesday afternoon that it will be sending a “survey team” to Montebello to assess the damage in response to “reports of possible tornado damage.”

The NWS earlier dispatched such a team to the Carpinteria area, which suffered damage Tuesday evening that could have been the result of a small tornado or landspout.

There were no immediate reports of injuries in Montebello. Cell phone video from the area showed portions of rooftops being ripped away in Montebello, and other debris swirling in an circular pattern in the air. Another video showed a funnel-like cloud forming above the area as rooftops are ripped away.

Additional video from the aftermath showed multiple vehicles in the parking lot of an affected building with heavy damage, including shattered windows and body damage from flying debris. Some vehicles appeared to have rear bumpers ripped away.

City News Service City News Service is a regional wire service covering Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties. Its reporting and editing staff cover public safety, courts, local government and general assignment stories. Contact the City News Service newsroom at 310-481-0404 or news@socalnews.com.

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Angels React To Shohei Ohtani Vs. Mike Trout World Baseball Classic Duel

by Mata 22 Marzo 2023 Comments0

TEMPE, Ariz. — While the baseball world was focused on the matchup between Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout to end the World Baseball Classic, it was nothing like the feelings their Angels teammates were having back in Arizona.

“I was nervous as hell,” first baseman Jared Walsh said Wednesday morning. “I was sitting there and my heart was pounding. I love Sho. I love Mike. … That was a win-win, but also a lose-lose. You care about all those people involved.”

Infielder David Fletcher said the anticipation grew as the elements aligned for the matchup.

“When Shohei walked down to the bullpen and I realized Trout was up and they were up by one, I was like ‘Holy (expletive),” Fletcher said. “You can’t make that up. That was a pretty storybook ending.”

Manager Phil Nevin said his phone was flooded with texts asking him who he was rooting for.

“That never even crossed my mind,” Nevin said. “I love this game. There’s no other sport, no other arena that could build that type of drama. That’s why our game’s the greatest game there is… Two players on the same team. The last out. It’s one run. It’s the two best players in the world.”

The highly anticipated matchup ended with Ohtani striking out Trout on an 87 mph sweeper that had 19 inches of break.

“The last pitch he threw, there’s not a hitter alive that’s going to hit that pitch,” Nevin said.

Walsh and outfielder Jo Adell, speaking as hitters, said that’s an impossible pitch for a hitter to handle in March.

“I’m sure, knowing Mike, how hard working he is, he’s a little unsatisfied with that game,” Walsh said. “I have a feeling when it really matters during the year, he’s going to pick us up in a huge spot down the stretch.”

Therein lies the other narrative that surrounded all of the excitement of the performance of these two generational players in the World Baseball Classic.

The unavoidable backdrop to this moment was the reality that Ohtani has never even been close to playing in a pennant race for the Angels, let alone the postseason. Trout has not been in the playoffs since 2014.

This could be their final season in the same uniform, with Ohtani set to become a free agent.

The thoughts going through the minds of Angels fans were also going through Adell’s mind as he watched Ohtani, Trout and No. 2 starter Patrick Sandoval all starring in the high-intensity environment of the WBC.

“I think it fires all of us up,” Adell said. “Anyone who watched that and saw the competitiveness between those two, I think it’s good going into the year for them to have felt sort of a postseason atmosphere. … It’s pretty cool for them to have that experience and come back and bring some of that energy here.”

Ohtani and Sandoval will be back in Angels camp in Tempe for one last tuneup for the regular season.

Ohtani will pitch in a minor-league game Friday. Nevin said the plan all along was to make room for Ohtani to pitch one inning in the final if Japan needed him. It was his bullpen day in preparation for a start Friday, which sets him up to be on his normal five days’ rest before starting Opening Day the following Thursday in Oakland.

Sandoval will pitch Sunday in a minor-league game, which lines him up for the second game of the season, the following Saturday in Oakland.

Both pitchers were scheduled to throw in big-league exhibitions – Ohtani against the Padres and Sandoval at Dodger Stadium in the Freeway Series – but the assignments were changed to minor-league games to reduce the stress after pitching with the intensity of the WBC.

“They’ll have hitters and be facing a different uniform, but the intensity they’ve pitched at the last three weeks, we need to throttle that back,” Nevin said.

As for Trout, he would not have played Wednesday or Saturday – the final day in Arizona – and the Angels are off Thursday, so he’d have come back to Tempe only to play on Friday. The Angels are instead having him go back to Southern California. He will work out at Angel Stadium on Friday and Saturday and play in the Freeway Series on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

GOOD SHOWING Right-hander Austin Warren said he feels like this spring he’s thrown even better than he did when he had an impressive showing in the majors in 2021, before a 2022 season spoiled by a freak injury.

Warren broke his nose when a ball hit him while he walked across the field during batting practice in May. Warren didn’t throw for a month and a half while recovering from the injury. He also suffered headaches for two months after that, and didn’t get sufficient sleep when he had to sleep upright immediately following the broken nose.

That added up to a 5.63 ERA in 14 games and eventually losing his spot on the 40-man roster.

This spring, Warren has allowed two runs in eight innings, with nine strikeouts and no walks. He said he’s also benefited from a new sweeper that he’s added.

“I think it’s a good pitch to have in my arsenal,” he said. “I can throw it any time, any count. Just keep hitters on their toes and not know what’s coming.”

Warren, 27, is in the mix for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen, but probably more likely to start the season in the minors. He nonetheless offers the Angels encouraging depth if he can repeat – or improve on – the 1.77 ERA he posted in 16 big-league games in 2021.

NOTES Catcher Max Stassi is away from the team dealing with a “family emergency,” Nevin said. …

Left-hander José Suarez is scheduled to pitch in a minor-league game Thursday, which is an Angels off day. Right-hander Griffin Canning will start the exhibition against the Padres on Friday, while Ohtani pitches in a minor-league game. Left-handers Tucker Davidson, Tyler Anderson and Reid Detmers are scheduled to start the three Freeway Series games against the Dodgers. …

On Saturday, the Angels will use a collection of relievers for their final game in Arizona. Sam Bachman, one of the Angels’ top pitching prospects, is among the relievers on the list to work in that game. Bachman has pitched two scoreless innings so far in big-league exhibitions. He is going to be stretched out to start in the minors this season.

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L.A. Marathon: Jemal Yimer, Stacy Nwida Win – And She Earns Bonus

by Ufficio Stampa 19 Marzo 2023 Comments0

LOS ANGELES — Jemal Yimer waited patiently until nearly two hours into the 38th Los Angeles Marathon to make his move. That’s when the 26-year-old from Ethiopia decided to break away from the pack at mile 23, on his way to winning by nearly one minute in a time of 2 hours, 13 minutes and 13 seconds.

The 26.2-mile course, which began at Dodger Stadium and moved through downtown L.A., Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Century City, ended with a jubilant fist pump by Yimer as he broke the tape.

“It’s a good race. I’m happy today,” Yimer said. “Thank you so much, Los Angeles.”

Kenya’s Stacy Ndiwa, 30, not only won the women’s race in a personal-best 2 hours and 31 minutes. She won a $10,000 bonus by holding off a late charge by Yimer to be the first person to cross the finish line in the marathon chase challenge. The time differential for the marathon chase challenge was set at 18 minutes and 19 seconds.

“I was so prepared for this race,” Ndiwa said.

Her coach, Haron Lagat, said the additional prize money means the world to Ndiwa.

“As soon as I told her … she started crying because I know what she has gone through,” Lagat said. “She lost her (running) contract a few years ago when she had a baby. I feel like companies should not be cutting women. When you have a baby they should let you keep your contract because men are having babies (too). Why are they not cutting men?”

Lagat said Ndiwa’s win was about making a statement in the marathon, especially because it was her trip to the USA.

“The name itself, L.A., is very important,” Lagat added. “When you win L.A., when you’re a champion of L.A., everyone knows L.A., so actually the most important part is the city. I feel like this event should be way bigger than it is.”

Kenya’s Stacy Ndiwa gives it her all to win women’s race at the 38th Los Angeles Marathon. Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer won the men’s race. @ladailynews @lamarathon #LAMarathon pic.twitter.com/36znGRI6ES

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) March 19, 2023

The men’s race was down to a lead pack of six runners before mile 2, including Yimmer, who was among the leaders from start to finish.

At the halfway point, five runners were still in contention: Kenya’s Emanuel Ngatuny, Thomas Rono and Barnaba Kipkoech, and Ethiopia’s Yemane Tsegay and Yimer.

Tsegay, 37, finished second in 2:14:06. Kipkoech, 29, finished third in 2:14:27.

The L.A. Marathon was also a prime opportunity for Americans to chase a qualifying time for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials which will be held on Feb. 3, 2024, in Orlando, Fla.

The men needed to run 2:18 or faster. The women needed to run 2:37 or faster.

The fastest American man was Hosava Kretzmann of Flagstaff, Ariz. Kretzmann, 28, finished sixth in 2:19:55.

“It was tough,” Kretzmann said. “Hills are always tough. This was my first marathon too. So I wasn’t expecting any of this. I was hoping for it to be flatter but I just went out and tried to hold on.”

Kretzmann said after making his marathon debut he’s going to keep pushing for 2 hours and 18 minutes or faster.

“That’s what I was shooting for today,” Kretzmann said. “I thought it was going to be a piece of cake, but running this course is tough. Hill after hill, you never know what’s going to happen. I didn’t really look at the course, so I didn’t know what to expect. I just wanted to run into it with an open mind. I’m just happy that I’m here.”

The fastest American at the 38th Los Angeles Marathon was Hosava Kretzmann of Prescott, Arizona. Kretzmann made his marathon debut and finished in 2:19:55, which is less than two minutes from qualifying for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. #LAMarathon @ladailynews… https://t.co/JOfGvaUReD pic.twitter.com/Anopti18IV

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) March 19, 2023

The fastest local runner was Jason Yang of Los Angeles. The 22-year-old finished ninth in 2:27:57.

Meanwhile, the women’s race was down to just three runners before mile 6: Kenya’s Grace Kahura and Martha Akeno, and Ndiwa.

Only Ndiwa and Akeno were in contention at mile 10. Nwida broke away at mile 19 along Santa Monica Boulevard in Century City and never looked back.

Akeno, 29, hung on to finish second in 2:34:25. Kahura, 29 finished third in 2:38:15.

The fastest American woman was Ashley Paulson of Mendon, Utah. Paulson, 41 and a mother of four children, finished fourth in 2:48:47.

“This is the first time I’ve ever had them ever come and bring a flag,” Paulson said while holding back tears. “I’ve seen so many athletes that I admire have that, and what a cool experience to be able to do that. It wasn’t my fastest marathon, but it’s really special and I’ll never forget having this feeling and I want it again and again now.”

Ashley Paulson of Utah was the fastest American, finishing 4th at the 38th Los Angeles Marathon. It was her first time ever being draped in the American flag after a marathon, which made her emotional. @ladailynews @lamarathon #LAMarathon pic.twitter.com/ecbqon47pr

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) March 19, 2023

The fastest local runner was Margaux Curcuru of Rosamond. The 31-year-old finished sixth in 2:53:02, which was a new personal best.

Her time was also a 39-minute improvement from her 3:32 result at last year’s L.A. Marathon.

Margaux Curcuru finished 6th with a personal best time of 2:53:02 at the 38th Los Angeles Marathon. She improved 39 minutes on her time from last year’s race. @ladailynews #LAMarathon pic.twitter.com/0k1gBonuJw

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) March 19, 2023

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Why ‘unretirement’ Is Bringing Older Workers Back Into The Workplace

by Ufficio Stampa 19 Marzo 2023 Comments0

Q. I happily retired two years ago as a senior manager of a manufacturing company. Given my work ethic and commitment, several friends asked if I was planning to go back to work. My answer was, “Definitely no. There is a lot more to life than news, weather and sports.” My friends were surprised by my answer. Was their question unusual? And am I atypical? B.J.

You are not atypical. Millions of retirees in the U.S. are happy with their decision to retire and leave the work arena.

However, your friends’ question is not unusual given the increased popularity of the relatively new term called “unretirement.” It simply refers to people who are retired and decide to go back to work in a field that is familiar or unfamiliar to them.

Unretirement recently has been popularized by football player Tom Brady. On February 1, 2022, at age 44 Brady retired and then unretired on March 13 of the same year. One year later, Brady retired once again, and as of March 7, he was sticking with it. Granted, Brady is not your usual retiree. However, he is a good example of the growing unretirement trend.

According to an NBC broadcast on May 5, 2023, “Unretirement is becoming a hot new trend in the sizzling U.S. labor market.” Several factors are contributing to this trend: a thriving market where retirees have lots of choices, inflation that can create uncertainty about financial security and a volatile stock market. Then, there are always the uncertainties of COVID-19 and its impact.

For many, working is not only about money. It can provide a structure to one’s day, opportunities for social contact and a sense of purpose. Note, having a sense of purpose is one of the characteristics of the longest-lived people in Okinawa. They call it “ikigai,” a reason to get up in the morning.

For many, retirement is a time for choices and options. It’s personal. Yet retirement has been referred to as a roleless role, a position where no one expects anything from you. Work can fill that vacuum. It can provide opportunities to create, convene, produce, help, support, grow and just have a place to show up.

Award-winning journalist and author Chris Farrell devotes his entire book on the subject with this title: “Unretirement: How Baby Boomers are Changing the Way We Think About Work, Community, and the Good Life” (Bloomsbury Press, 2014). Farrell writes, “Welcome to unretirement, a revolution in the making. He writes, “We are reimagining the last third of life building on a better educated, healthier workforce that can continue to earn an income well into the traditional retirement years.” As a qualifier, he acknowledges that not all retirees are sufficiently healthy to be part of this unretirement movement.

Currently, 3.2 percent of retirees have unretired, which is close to where it was before the pandemic. One out of six retirees is considering a return to work. About half have unretired because of financial need, nearly half because of boredom; slightly less than half report loneliness as their motivation.

The U.S. is not the only industrialized nation that recognizes this unretirement phenomenon. It has emerged in New Zealand and Japan as well as Poland, Italy and Ireland.

In general, America is a work-oriented society with workers putting in more hours than their counterparts in many other industrialized countries. The Protestant work ethic remains strong.

The French seem to value their time in retirement by not working. As the French Senate voted to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64, more than one million workers went on strike nationwide. A New York Times article of March 8, 2023, captured a sentiment about their outlook on retirement. A money manager in Paris is quoted as saying, “Life is not just about working; there is a time for work and then a time for personal development.” Others add, “There is a vision in France that working time is time waiting to be able to enjoy life” while another added, “People shouldn’t wait for retirement to have liberty.”

A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators are discussing raising the age for Social Security to age 70. If that becomes policy, will we react similarly to the French?

Thank you, B.J., for your good question. Enjoy your retirement knowing that unretirement can be an option. And as a reminder, know that kindness is everything.

Helen Dennis is a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging and the new retirement with academic, corporate and nonprofit experience. Contact Helen with your questions and comments at Helendenn@gmail.com. Visit Helen at HelenMdennis.com and follow her on facebook.com/SuccessfulAgingCommunity

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Praise, Support Arise For Ailing Gloria Molina, ‘relentless’ LA County Trailblazer

by Vittorio Ferla 18 Marzo 2023 Comments0

Beyond her curriculum vitae, Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina’s role in the history of Latinos in Southern California came into sharper focus last week, when the 74-year-old politician announced she is battling terminal cancer.

“I enter this transition in life feeling so fortunate,” Molina wrote on Facebook. “Throughout my life I’ve had the support of many people.”

Angelenos lauded all of Molina’s firsts: the first Latina elected to the California state legislature, and in 1987, as LA City Councilmember. She is also the first Latina elected to the county Board of Supervisors in 1991.

For 23 years, she served the First District, which includes Pico-Union, East Los Angeles and much of the San Gabriel Valley.

LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina seen in 2010 speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new El Monte Station. Molina, now 74, has announced that she is battling terminal cancer. (File photo by Keith Durflinger)

LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina seen with other Los Angeles officials, including Supervisor Hilda Solis, at a grand opening of the East Valley Community Health Center in West Covina in 2008. (File photo by Leo Jarzomb)

LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina seen in 2011 at a conference in Pasadena with then-Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. (File photo by Walt Mancini/SCNG)

LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina seen with Margaret Clark, vice chair of Rivers and Mountains Conservancy, and LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis, in Azusa in 2006. (File photo by Sarah Reingewirtz/SCNG)

Gloria Molina, the first Latina elected to the LA County Board of Supervisors in 1991, speaks at a November 2010 dedication at Sorensen Library in Whittier. Molina, now 74, has announced that she is battling terminal cancer. (File photo by Keith Birmingham/SCNG)

LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina seen at a 2010 dedication of the county’s first eco-friendly library, made of 40 percent recycled steel, at Sorensen Library in Whittier. (File photo by Keith Birmingham/SCNG)

Gloria Molina seen in a photo with soccer players in 1997. (Photo courtesy of The Huntington Library archive)

LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina at a dedication at Mayberry County Park in Whittier in 2009. (File photo by Raul Roa/SCNG)

Gloria Molina seen in 2014 with Cal State L.A. officials in 2014, about a new bioscience incubator program that provided students and start-up businesses an opportunity to work together on innovative bioscience projects. (File photo by Walt Mancini/Pasadena Star-News)

Gloria Molina, the first Latina elected to the LA County Board of Supervisors in 1991, seen at a California Task Force 2 recognition ceremony at the LA County Fire Department Headquarters in Feb. 2010. Molina, now 74, has announced that she is battling terminal cancer. (File photo by Leo Jarzomb/SCNG)

In 2014, Molina retired from the Board of Supervisors due to term limits, ending a 32-year career in public service for the City of Angels.

Supervisor Hilda Solis, who succeeded Molina, called her a “role model.”

“Los Angeles is as great as it is because of her persistence and determination to fight for our most vulnerable communities,” Solis said.

Solis said she will propose to rename Grand Park in downtown L.A., which she helped to open as chair of the Grand Avenue Authority.

Clay Stalls is curator of California and Hispanic Collections for The Huntington in San Marino, where Molina donated more than 200 boxes worth of her papers in 2014.

“In general, Gloria Molina was a relentless advocate for public services for the underrepresented,” Stalls said. “When running for supervisor, she made it clear that she came from the district, and understood the problems and strengths of her largely Hispanic district.”

Molina’s parents, Leonardo and Concepcíon Molina, immigrated to the suburbs LA County suburbs from Mexico. Molina grew up in Pico Rivera and attended El Rancho High School, East Los Angeles College and Cal State L.A.

In an oral history interview from 1990, Molina opened up about her personal and political life, from growing up in Montebello and Pico Rivera, attending El Rancho High School, Rio Hondo College, and Cal State Los Angeles, and joining the Chicano movement in the 1970s.

Molina said she hoped the interview would help people understand what makes politicians tick, and how they make decisions.

As a county supervisor, she largely supported public health, jobs, education, parks and recreation, and the arts.

She supported organizations including the Central American Refugee Center, and was involved with the Mothers of East Los Angeles. In 1994, she fought against Proposition 187, which limited undocumented immigrants from health and public services.

Stalls said she funded arts programs in her district, supported economic revitalization groups and health clinics, and bolstered the building of bike trails in East Los Angeles.

“She especially took note of unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County that might receive short shrift regarding county services.”

Stalls said that Molina served on the Democratic National Party Committee as a vice-chair, on the board of the Mexican-American Legal and Educational Defense Fund (MALDEF), and also has her own youth education program.

Abelardo De la Peña, a spokesperson for LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes in Los Angeles, said a tribute to its ailing founder is in the works.

Molina helped start the community hub to celebrate Latinx culture through art. She was on hand to open its newest venture, the LA Plaza Cocina culinary museum in 2022.

“What impresses me most about her is her fortitude,” said De la Peña. “When she started her career as an activist and political leader, she fought for her community. She was able to rally people around whatever cause she’s fighting for. In the political arena, even when things were stacked against her, she didn’t back down.”

De la Peña worked with Molina on MALDEF, where he got to know the “straight-talking” politician who “could also be warm and friendly,” doling out hugs and talking Mexican food with joy, he said.

“(Younger) Latinas may not be aware of Molina’s legacy, but they’ve benefited from her being a pioneer. She paved the way.”

Zev Yaroslavsky served with Molina on the Board of Supervisors from 1994 to 2014. On Facebook, Yaroslavsky lauded his colleague for facing cancer in the same way she confronted all the challenges in her life: unvowed and unintimated.

“As a colleague you were a loyal ally as well as a worthy adversary, (though) I liked it better when we were on the same side,” he wrote. “Long ago you earned my utmost respect as an honest and indefatigable public servant. You have left a monumental legacy.”

Staunch admirers who worked under Molina called themselves “Molinistas,” and flooded social media with tributes to the 74-year-old.

Guadalupe De La Torre, an analyst for LA County, said she counts being part of Molina’s team for 17 years as “one of her greatest accomplishments.”

“You are an inspiration that will live on forever,” she said.

De la Peña said confronting her terminal illness, with grace, is “classic Molina.”

“She gave us the news and you see it’s on her own terms,” he said. “That’s her trademark.”

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Season Review: USC Basketball Overachieves, Setting Up A Bright Future

by Ufficio Stampa 18 Marzo 2023 Comments0

For the second year in a row, USC’s season ended in the first round of the NCAA tournament, this time with a 72-62 loss to Michigan State.

It was a disappointing loss for the Trojans, given that their own offensive shortcomings played a major role in the defeat. But entering the season there was no guarantee this was even a tournament team. Only Drew Peterson and Boogie Ellis were key rotation pieces a year ago, and the Trojans had to rely on many untested freshmen and sophomores.

Only the team dynamic worked, and the young Trojans developed into some valuable role players.

Reese Dixon-Waters was Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year with his ability to score and defend off the bench. Kobe Johnson led the conference in steals and shot 36% from 3-point range. Tre White showed flashes as someone who can create his own shot. Joshua Morgan was an intimidating rim protector. Vincent Iwuchukwu had moments on offense when he was healthy enough to play. Kijani Wright developed into a reliable defender.

Which means, moving forward, all the pieces are in place to play around the dynamic force that is joining the team next year. We’ll touch more on him in a moment, but this season could end being looked at as a springboard to greater success in a year.

Highlights Two top-25 home wins over Auburn and UCLA certainly rank near the top of the list. So does a sweep of the Mountain road trip, something the Trojans never take for granted. And overcoming a season-opening loss to Florida Gulf Coast to finish tied for second in the Pac-12 was certainly an achievement. But the aforementioned player development will likely be the lasting legacy of this USC season.

Lowlights It has to be the way the season ended. Losing to Arizona with outright second place on the line, almost blowing senior day to Arizona State only to come out completely flat in the Pac-12 tournament opener to the Sun Devils was bad enough. But that trend of slow starts and offensive droughts followed USC to Columbus as the Trojans shot 34.4% from the floor in the second half against Michigan State.

Who’s gone Peterson is graduating, while Ellis has made clear he intends to forgo his fifth season of eligibility and declare for the NBA draft. The pair did an admirable job leading these young Trojans as captains this season.

Though he had a tendency to be streaky, Peterson was always capable of stuffing a stat sheet in multiple ways. And he fought through back spasms over the course of the last three weeks of the season, refusing to miss a game despite his obvious discomfort.

Ellis’ blossoming into a true playmaker was one of the highlights of USC’s season. He arrived in Los Angeles in 2021 as a renowned scorer but an unbalanced game. But as his senior season progressed, he turned into a true point guard, impressing coaches and teammates with his decision making as he looked to make the right basketball play rather than just score.

Who’s on the fence There’s no Mobley brother weighing an NBA decision this spring. Most of USC’s contributors are expected to stay for next season, though it’s possible there are a couple players who opt to transfer and create scholarship spots for head coach Andy Enfield and his staff.

Who’s on the way The nation’s top overall recruit, point guard Isaiah Collier, should light the Galen Center up next season. He likes to push the tempo, running in transition and finishing with ferocious dunks. He has a smooth jumper and likes to drive to the rim with slippery moves. And most importantly, he is a true point guard who makes clever passes when his gravity inevitably pulls the defense in.

He’ll be joined by high school teammate and four-star center Arrinten Page. At 6-foot-9, Page is an athletic, high-flying big with impeccable chemistry with Collier. And four-star combo guard Silas Demary Jr. rounds out the recruiting class as a pure scorer.

As of now, all 13 scholarship slots are accounted for next year. But if anyone transfers out, USC would like to add another perimeter scorer who can create his own shot or a low post big who can take entry passes and find ways to score.

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Trump Says He Expects To Be Arrested March 21, Calls For Protest

by Mata 18 Marzo 2023 Comments0

By Michelle L. Price

Donald Trump said he expects to be arrested Tuesday and called on supporters to protest as a New York grand jury investigates hush money payments to women who alleged sexual encounters with the former president. There is no evidence, however, that prosecutors have made any formal outreach to him.

In a Saturday morning post on his social media platform, Trump said he expected to be taken into custody as the Manhattan district attorney eyes charges in the investigation. Trump would be the first former president ever to be charged with a crime.

Trump’s post said “illegal leaks” from the office of prosecutor Alvin Bragg indicate that “THE FAR & AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE & FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK.”

Should Trump be indicted, he would be arrested only if he refused to surrender. Trump’s lawyers have previously said he would follow normal procedure, meaning he would likely agree to surrender at a New York Police Department precinct or directly to Bragg’s office.

There is no evidence that prosecutors have made any formal contact to warn Trump that he would be taken into custody. A Trump spokesperson said Saturday that “there has been no notification” of a pending arrest.

Danielle Filson of the district attorney’s office said prosecutors “will decline to confirm or comment” on questions related to Trump’s post, as well as potential charges. Trump’s lawyers, Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina, did not immediately return messages seeking comment about Trump’s post or the timing of a possible arrest.

Trump’s call for his supporters to protest that was especially jarring, evoking language that the then-president used shortly before the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

After a rally near the White House that morning, Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, breaking through doors and windows and leaving officers beaten and bloodied as they tried to stop the congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s White House election.

A statement from the Trump spokesperson said Trump’s Truth Social post was not based on any notification from prosecutors “other than illegal leaks” to the news media.

“President Trump is rightfully highlighting his innocence and the weaponization of our injustice system,” the statement said.

The indictment of Trump, 76, would be an extraordinary development after years of investigations into his business, political and personal dealings. It is likely to galvanize critics who say Trump, already a 2024 presidential candidate, lied and cheated his way to the top and to embolden supporters who feel the Republican is being unfairly targeted by a Democratic prosecutor.

In his social media post, Trump repeated his lies that the 2020 presidential election he lost to Biden was stolen and he urged his followers to “PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!”

Law enforcement officials in New York have been making security preparations for the possibility that Trump could be indicted. There has been no public announcement of any time frame for the grand jury’s secret work in the case, including any potential vote on whether to indict the ex-president.

Trump’s posting echoes one made last summer when he broke the news on Truth Social that the FBI was searching his Florida home as part of an investigation into the possible mishandling of classified documents.

News of that search sparked a flood of contributions to Trump’s political operation, and on Saturday, Trump sent out a a fundraising email to his supporters that said the “MANHATTAN D.A. COULD BE CLOSE TO CHARGING TRUMP.”

The grand jury has been hearing from witnesses, including former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who says he orchestrated payments in 2016 to two women to silence them about sexual encounters they said they had with Trump a decade earlier.

Trump denies the encounters occurred, says he did nothing wrong and has cast the investigation as a “witch hunt” by a Democratic prosecutor bent on sabotaging the Republican’s 2024 campaign.

Bragg’s office has apparently been examining whether any state laws were broken in connection with the payments or the way Trump’s company compensated Cohen for his work to keep the women’s allegations quiet.

Porn actor Stormy Daniels and at least two former Trump aides — onetime political adviser Kellyanne Conway and former spokesperson Hope Hicks — are among witnesses who have met with prosecutors in recent weeks.

Cohen has said that at Trump’s direction, he arranged payments totaling $280,000 to Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. According to Cohen, the payouts were to buy their silence about Trump, who was then in the thick of his first presidential campaign.

Cohen and federal prosecutors said Trump’s company paid him $420,000 as reimbursement for the $130,000 payment to Daniels and to cover bonuses and other supposed expenses. The company classified those payments internally as legal expenses. The $150,000 payment to McDougal was made by the then-publisher of the supermarket tabloid National Enquirer, which kept her story from coming to light.

Federal prosecutors agreed not to prosecute the Enquirer’s corporate parent in exchange for its cooperation in a campaign finance investigation that led to charges against Cohen in 2018. Prosecutors said the payments to Daniels and McDougal amounted to impermissible, unrecorded gifts to Trump’s election effort.

Cohen pleaded guilty, served prison time and was disbarred. Federal prosecutors never charged Trump with any crime.

In addition to the hush money probe in New York, Trump faces separate criminal investigations in Atlanta and Washington over his efforts to undo the results of the 2020 election.

A Justice Department special counsel has also been presenting evidence before a grand jury investigating Trump’s possession of hundreds of classified documents at his Florida estate. It is not clear when those investigations will end or whether they might result in criminal charges, but they will continue regardless of what happens in New York, underscoring the ongoing gravity – and broad geographic scope – of the legal challenges confronting the former president.

Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Eric Tucker in Washington and Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

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