Baseball: Jeremy Polon pitches ECR past Chatsworth, 4-1

You can always count on a little drama in the El Camino Real-Chatsworth game.

Left-hander Jeremy Polon of El Camino Real was cruising along with a 4-0 lead. Then Chatsworth loaded the bases in the seventh. Would the Chancellors pull out a comeback win?

Not on Wednesday. Polon was able to complete the 4-1 victory and provide a critical West Valley League win for the Conquistadores (15-6, 3-0) over the Chancellors (14-8, 2-1).

Polon scattered seven hits, striking out four and walking three. El Camino Real knocked out sophomore Tommy Palomera early on. Colton Snyder went three for three and James Terrazas added two hits. Adrian Acosta had three hits for Chatsworth. The two schools meet again on Friday at Chatsworth.

Cleveland held on for 10-8 win over Taft. Ben Kaser and Austin White had three hits each. For Taft, Max Mehlman went three for three with a home run. Jake Stacy had a two-run home run.

Adrian Rodriguez struck out eight and walked none in Birmingham's 3-1 win over Granada Hills. He outdueled Chris Murphy, who struck out 10. Jorge Navarrette had two hits for Birmingham.

In the Valley Mission League, Felix Rubi threw the shutout in Kennedy's 2-0 win over Sylmar, giving the Golden Cougars a sweep this week and pretty much assuring that they will face San Fernando for the league title in the final week of the regular season. Rubi struck out eight, walked one and gave up three hits. Juan Jose Gonzalez had two hits.

In the East Valley League, Poly took over first place with a 5-1 win over Verdugo Hills. Isaac Gutierrez threw a complete game, striking out five. Michael Galindo had two hits and two RBI. Arleta defeated North Hollywood, 4-3. Nate Casillas threw a complete game.

Twitter:@LATSondheimer

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

12.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Baseball: Jeremy Polon pitches ECR past Chatsworth, 4-1

You can always count on a little drama in the El Camino Real-Chatsworth game.

Left-hander Jeremy Polon of El Camino Real was cruising along with a 4-0 lead. Then Chatsworth loaded the bases in the seventh. Would the Chancellors pull out a comeback win?

Not on Wednesday. Polon was able to complete the 4-1 victory and provide a critical West Valley League win for the Conquistadores (15-6, 3-0) over the Chancellors (14-8, 2-1).

Polon scattered seven hits, striking out four and walking three. El Camino Real knocked out sophomore Tommy Palomera early on. Colton Snyder went three for three and James Terrazas added two hits. Adrian Acosta had three hits for Chatsworth. The two schools meet again on Friday at Chatsworth.

Cleveland held on for 10-8 win over Taft. Ben Kaser and Austin White had three hits each. For Taft, Max Mehlman went three for three with a home run. Jake Stacy had a two-run home run.

Adrian Rodriguez struck out eight and walked none in Birmingham's 3-1 win over Granada Hills. He outdueled Chris Murphy, who struck out 10. Jorge Navarrette had two hits for Birmingham.

In the Valley Mission League, Felix Rubi threw the shutout in Kennedy's 2-0 win over Sylmar, giving the Golden Cougars a sweep this week and pretty much assuring that they will face San Fernando for the league title in the final week of the regular season. Rubi struck out eight, walked one and gave up three hits. Juan Jose Gonzalez had two hits.

In the East Valley League, Poly took over first place with a 5-1 win over Verdugo Hills. Isaac Gutierrez threw a complete game, striking out five. Michael Galindo had two hits and two RBI. Arleta defeated North Hollywood, 4-3. Nate Casillas threw a complete game.

Twitter:@LATSondheimer

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

12.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Baseball: Jeremy Polon pitches ECR past Chatsworth, 4-1

You can always count on a little drama in the El Camino Real-Chatsworth game.

Left-hander Jeremy Polon of El Camino Real was cruising along with a 4-0 lead. Then Chatsworth loaded the bases in the seventh. Would the Chancellors pull out a comeback win?

Not on Wednesday. Polon was able to complete the 4-1 victory and provide a critical West Valley League win for the Conquistadores (15-6, 3-0) over the Chancellors (14-8, 2-1).

Polon scattered seven hits, striking out four and walking three. El Camino Real knocked out sophomore Tommy Palomera early on. Colton Snyder went three for three and James Terrazas added two hits. Adrian Acosta had three hits for Chatsworth. The two schools meet again on Friday at Chatsworth.

Cleveland held on for 10-8 win over Taft. Ben Kaser and Austin White had three hits each. For Taft, Max Mehlman went three for three with a home run. Jake Stacy had a two-run home run.

Adrian Rodriguez struck out eight and walked none in Birmingham's 3-1 win over Granada Hills. He outdueled Chris Murphy, who struck out 10. Jorge Navarrette had two hits for Birmingham.

In the Valley Mission League, Felix Rubi threw the shutout in Kennedy's 2-0 win over Sylmar, giving the Golden Cougars a sweep this week and pretty much assuring that they will face San Fernando for the league title in the final week of the regular season. Rubi struck out eight, walked one and gave up three hits. Juan Jose Gonzalez had two hits.

In the East Valley League, Poly took over first place with a 5-1 win over Verdugo Hills. Isaac Gutierrez threw a complete game, striking out five. Michael Galindo had two hits and two RBI. Arleta defeated North Hollywood, 4-3. Nate Casillas threw a complete game.

Twitter:@LATSondheimer

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

12.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Clippers broadcaster Ralph Lawler will return for 37th season

Ralph Lawler went on KFWB 980 on Monday morning to announce the Clippers had signed a long-term contract with the radio station.

What the longtime television broadcaster didn't say was whether he would continue to call games, but Clippers fans need not worry. Lawler told The Times on Tuesday he would return for the 2015-16 season, his 37th with the franchise.

Lawler, who turns 77 next week, said there were a handful of factors that prompted his decision to return. The Clippers are enjoying an unprecedented period of success that will include a record fourth consecutive playoff appearance and he feels appreciative of new ownership and management that held a Ralph Lawler Night at Staples Center earlier this season.

"It's just really hard to turn and walk away from that," Lawler said before the Clippers played the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night in their regular-season finale. "My wife and I love it, to begin with, and it's pretty invigorating to think how good this team can be for a good long while now and I just think the organization is getting better and better."

Lawler had a few health issues this season, including complications from kidney stone removal that forced him to miss a game in December and a bout of food poisoning that caused him to slur his words during a game in January. He said he would probably undergo hip replacement surgery in the off-season but said he otherwise felt good.

"My health is really good and that's always the No. 1 factor," Lawler said. "If your health isn't good, work doesn't mean much."

Lawler credited owner Steve Ballmer and President Gillian Zucker for changing the environment around a franchise that was rocked last year by the Donald Sterling scandal.

"Thinking of where we were a year ago now and where we are now, it is beyond day and night," Lawler said. "It's really special."

He works alone

Ballmer, who has a net worth of $20.8 billion according to Forbes.com, could probably afford to supply an analyst alongside Clippers radio play-by-play announcer Brian Sieman.

Here's the thing: Sieman prefers working solo. He discovered that eight years ago in his first season with the Clippers.

"I had one in Minnesota when I was with the Timberwolves, loved working with a guy to bounce off ideas, especially in blowouts," Sieman said of the benefits of having a partner. "But after that first year ended [with the Clippers], I was just kind of like, I'm happy going solo.

"There's not as much time between plays [in radio versus television] for me to say what happened, give you the score and then turn it over to the analyst to give you why it happened. But that's not to say it can't work, that's not to say I wouldn't do whatever I could to make it work, but if they wanted it, I would be happy with it.

"I am happy with the way it is right now, though."

Rivers out

Clippers backup guard Austin Rivers was inactive for the game against the Suns because of a sinus infection.

Follow Ben Bolch on Twitter @latbbolch

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

12.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Antelope Valley Hospital wants more trauma center funds from L.A. County

Antelope Valley Hospital has filed a legal claim accusing Los Angeles County officials of shortchanging the medical facility on special tax revenue intended to support costly trauma centers.

Measure B — a parcel tax passed by voters in 2002 — raises roughly $250 million a year to help fund the county's 14 trauma centers, which are special emergency room units staffed and equipped to treat patients who are critically injured in shootings, car crashes and other incidents.

In a claim filed Monday, administrators from the Lancaster hospital allege that the $1 million they receive each year is disproportionately low, especially amid rising patient numbers. They say that could force the hospital to cut services that are vital to the community.

"Does L.A. County think lives in the Antelope Valley are less important?" the trauma department's medical director, Dr. Pavel Petrik, said at a news conference Tuesday.

County spokesman Dave Sommers said county officials hadn't yet reviewed the claim, so he could not comment. A claim is an administrative action required before a lawsuit can be filed against a government entity.

The hospital's action comes after a state audit last year criticized Los Angeles County for failing to provide sufficient oversight of Measure B funds.

Auditors concluded that more than 75% of the $255 million generated by the tax goes to three county-run public hospitals, while 16% goes to 12 non-county-operated trauma centers.

County officials set funding levels several years ago and could not prove that Los Angeles County was using the money in the most appropriate manner, the audit said.

Antelope Valley Hospital, a public medical center that is not run by the county government, treats 900 to 1,000 trauma patients a year. Administrators say that it has been shortchanged $10 million a year.

"The present situation is unsustainable," said hospital Chief Executive Officer Dennis Knox. He said he wants the county to "simply follow the law."

Measure B was approved by voters to maintain and expand the county's network of trauma centers and other emergency medical services, and to prepare to respond to acts of bioterrorism.

In the mid-1980s, there were 22 trauma centers in Los Angeles County, but many shut down because of funding problems, prompting county officials to introduce the tax measure as a way to save the remaining centers.

When the state audit was released last year, county officials said they believed they had used the funding wisely by adding two new private trauma centers in the county.

Measure B did not specify a formula for how money should be allocated to each hospital, nor that a hospital's funding must correspond with patient numbers.

Jennifer Bayer, vice president for external affairs for the Hospital Assn. of Southern California, said Measure B has realized its goal of stabilizing and supporting the county's trauma system.

"Overall, I would point to measure B as a success," Bayer said. She added that she hadn't heard similar complaints from other hospitals that receive Measure B funding.

The county government has 60 days to respond to Antelope Valley Hospital's claim before the period to file a lawsuit begins.

soumya.karlamangla@latimes.com

Follow @skarlamangla for more L.A. heath news.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

12.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Clippers broadcaster Ralph Lawler will return for 37th season

Ralph Lawler went on KFWB 980 on Monday morning to announce the Clippers had signed a long-term contract with the radio station.

What the longtime television broadcaster didn't say was whether he would continue to call games, but Clippers fans need not worry. Lawler told The Times on Tuesday he would return for the 2015-16 season, his 37th with the franchise.

Lawler, who turns 77 next week, said there were a handful of factors that prompted his decision to return. The Clippers are enjoying an unprecedented period of success that will include a record fourth consecutive playoff appearance and he feels appreciative of new ownership and management that held a Ralph Lawler Night at Staples Center earlier this season.

"It's just really hard to turn and walk away from that," Lawler said before the Clippers played the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night in their regular-season finale. "My wife and I love it, to begin with, and it's pretty invigorating to think how good this team can be for a good long while now and I just think the organization is getting better and better."

Lawler had a few health issues this season, including complications from kidney stone removal that forced him to miss a game in December and a bout of food poisoning that caused him to slur his words during a game in January. He said he would probably undergo hip replacement surgery in the off-season but said he otherwise felt good.

"My health is really good and that's always the No. 1 factor," Lawler said. "If your health isn't good, work doesn't mean much."

Lawler credited owner Steve Ballmer and President Gillian Zucker for changing the environment around a franchise that was rocked last year by the Donald Sterling scandal.

"Thinking of where we were a year ago now and where we are now, it is beyond day and night," Lawler said. "It's really special."

He works alone

Ballmer, who has a net worth of $20.8 billion according to Forbes.com, could probably afford to supply an analyst alongside Clippers radio play-by-play announcer Brian Sieman.

Here's the thing: Sieman prefers working solo. He discovered that eight years ago in his first season with the Clippers.

"I had one in Minnesota when I was with the Timberwolves, loved working with a guy to bounce off ideas, especially in blowouts," Sieman said of the benefits of having a partner. "But after that first year ended [with the Clippers], I was just kind of like, I'm happy going solo.

"There's not as much time between plays [in radio versus television] for me to say what happened, give you the score and then turn it over to the analyst to give you why it happened. But that's not to say it can't work, that's not to say I wouldn't do whatever I could to make it work, but if they wanted it, I would be happy with it.

"I am happy with the way it is right now, though."

Rivers out

Clippers backup guard Austin Rivers was inactive for the game against the Suns because of a sinus infection.

Follow Ben Bolch on Twitter @latbbolch

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

12.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

LIVE: Famed P-22 mountain lion stuck under house, won't come out

Animal-control officials Monday evening were trying to coax the much-photographed mountain lion known as P-22 from under the crawl space of a Los Feliz home -- but so far, their efforts have proved unsuccessful.

Hours after the puma was discovered under a hillside home near Griffith Park, a state Department of Fish and Game official shot tennis balls and tried to poke the usually wily lion in an effort to nudge the animal to slink back into the wild.

Neither method proved effective, so around 9:35 p.m., authorities fired bean bag rounds into the narrow space. 

The lion was not swayed.

Video of the ordeal was streamed online, with cameras showing P-22 hunkered down in the rear of the crawl space, hiding behind wood beams and fiberglass insulation.

Officials wrapped up efforts to persuade the lion to leave the crawl space just before 10 p.m., but left flour by the entrance to determine if he escaped.

The bobcat was found around noon Monday when a man installing a security system came face-to-face with it, according to the home's owner Jason Archinaco.

"He looked white as a ghost," Archinaco said of the worker.

Janice Mackey, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, confirmed that the lion is P-22 and said animal control officials waited until nightfall before trying to get the puma out of the enclosed space.

Fish and wildlife officials actually blocked off the crawl space to prevent the lion from leaving, but after 8 p.m., reopened the area as they restarted efforts to pressure P-22 to leave.

Archinaco's home is less than a block from Griffith Park, where P-22 has lived for more than three years, so once the lion crawls out, it will be in its natural habitat, Mackey said.

The discovery of P-22 there was considered a major event because big cat, who is at least 5 years old, probably made a trek east from the Santa Monica Mountains to get there.

Scientists surmised that P-22 might have traversed a bridge or culvert to cross the 101 and 405 freeways to enter the park. It's possible, however, that the cat sprinted across lanes of traffic -- and got very lucky.

Sometime after P-22 entered the park, he triggered a remote camera set up for a general wildlife survey.

The big cat has become something of a celebrity thanks to dramatic photos printed in National Geographic magazine showing P-22 roaming the hillside with the Hollywood sign in the background.

Archinaco, a Pittsburgh native who has lived in L.A. for about two years, was struck by the spectacle unfolding over the lion's discovery, with news vans and fire trucks crowding into the narrow, winding street.

He joked, "Now we have a celebrity living under our house."

victoria.kim@latimes.com

matt.hamilton@latimes.com

martha.groves@latimes.com

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

7:20 p.m.: This story was updated to include that the crawl space under the Los Feliz home was blocked off.

6:14 p.m.: This story was updated to include comments from Janice Mackey

This story was originally published at 5:53 p.m.

12.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

LIVE: Famed P-22 mountain lion stuck under house, won't come out

Animal-control officials Monday evening were trying to coax the much-photographed mountain lion known as P-22 from under the crawl space of a Los Feliz home -- but so far, their efforts have proved unsuccessful.

Hours after the puma was discovered under a hillside home near Griffith Park, a state Department of Fish and Game official shot tennis balls and tried to poke the usually wily lion in an effort to nudge the animal to slink back into the wild.

Neither method proved effective, so around 9:35 p.m., authorities fired bean bag rounds into the narrow space. 

The lion was not swayed.

Video of the ordeal was streamed online, with cameras showing P-22 hunkered down in the rear of the crawl space, hiding behind wood beams and fiberglass insulation.

Officials wrapped up efforts to persuade the lion to leave the crawl space just before 10 p.m., but left flour by the entrance to determine if he escaped.

The bobcat was found around noon Monday when a man installing a security system came face-to-face with it, according to the home's owner Jason Archinaco.

"He looked white as a ghost," Archinaco said of the worker.

Janice Mackey, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, confirmed that the lion is P-22 and said animal control officials waited until nightfall before trying to get the puma out of the enclosed space.

Fish and wildlife officials actually blocked off the crawl space to prevent the lion from leaving, but after 8 p.m., reopened the area as they restarted efforts to pressure P-22 to leave.

Archinaco's home is less than a block from Griffith Park, where P-22 has lived for more than three years, so once the lion crawls out, it will be in its natural habitat, Mackey said.

The discovery of P-22 there was considered a major event because big cat, who is at least 5 years old, probably made a trek east from the Santa Monica Mountains to get there.

Scientists surmised that P-22 might have traversed a bridge or culvert to cross the 101 and 405 freeways to enter the park. It's possible, however, that the cat sprinted across lanes of traffic -- and got very lucky.

Sometime after P-22 entered the park, he triggered a remote camera set up for a general wildlife survey.

The big cat has become something of a celebrity thanks to dramatic photos printed in National Geographic magazine showing P-22 roaming the hillside with the Hollywood sign in the background.

Archinaco, a Pittsburgh native who has lived in L.A. for about two years, was struck by the spectacle unfolding over the lion's discovery, with news vans and fire trucks crowding into the narrow, winding street.

He joked, "Now we have a celebrity living under our house."

victoria.kim@latimes.com

matt.hamilton@latimes.com

martha.groves@latimes.com

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

7:20 p.m.: This story was updated to include that the crawl space under the Los Feliz home was blocked off.

6:14 p.m.: This story was updated to include comments from Janice Mackey

This story was originally published at 5:53 p.m.

12.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

LIVE: Famed P-22 mountain lion stuck under house, won't come out

Animal-control officials Monday evening were trying to coax the much-photographed mountain lion known as P-22 from under the crawl space of a Los Feliz home -- but so far, their efforts have proved unsuccessful.

Hours after the puma was discovered under a hillside home near Griffith Park, a state Department of Fish and Game official shot tennis balls and tried to poke the usually wily lion in an effort to nudge the animal to slink back into the wild.

Neither method proved effective, so around 9:35 p.m., authorities fired bean bag rounds into the narrow space. 

The lion was not swayed.

Video of the ordeal was streamed online, with cameras showing P-22 hunkered down in the rear of the crawl space, hiding behind wood beams and fiberglass insulation.

Officials wrapped up efforts to persuade the lion to leave the crawl space just before 10 p.m., but left flour by the entrance to determine if he escaped.

The bobcat was found around noon Monday when a man installing a security system came face-to-face with it, according to the home's owner Jason Archinaco.

"He looked white as a ghost," Archinaco said of the worker.

Janice Mackey, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, confirmed that the lion is P-22 and said animal control officials waited until nightfall before trying to get the puma out of the enclosed space.

Fish and wildlife officials actually blocked off the crawl space to prevent the lion from leaving, but after 8 p.m., reopened the area as they restarted efforts to pressure P-22 to leave.

Archinaco's home is less than a block from Griffith Park, where P-22 has lived for more than three years, so once the lion crawls out, it will be in its natural habitat, Mackey said.

The discovery of P-22 there was considered a major event because big cat, who is at least 5 years old, probably made a trek east from the Santa Monica Mountains to get there.

Scientists surmised that P-22 might have traversed a bridge or culvert to cross the 101 and 405 freeways to enter the park. It's possible, however, that the cat sprinted across lanes of traffic -- and got very lucky.

Sometime after P-22 entered the park, he triggered a remote camera set up for a general wildlife survey.

The big cat has become something of a celebrity thanks to dramatic photos printed in National Geographic magazine showing P-22 roaming the hillside with the Hollywood sign in the background.

Archinaco, a Pittsburgh native who has lived in L.A. for about two years, was struck by the spectacle unfolding over the lion's discovery, with news vans and fire trucks crowding into the narrow, winding street.

He joked, "Now we have a celebrity living under our house."

victoria.kim@latimes.com

matt.hamilton@latimes.com

martha.groves@latimes.com

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

7:20 p.m.: This story was updated to include that the crawl space under the Los Feliz home was blocked off.

6:14 p.m.: This story was updated to include comments from Janice Mackey

This story was originally published at 5:53 p.m.

12.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Guidance Software is seeking profitability and a permanent CEO

Guidance Software Inc. has built its business around helping to catch criminals.

The Pasadena firm provided the forensic tools to analyze Osama bin Laden's computer hard drives. Kansas police used the company's EnCase software to find digital clues on a floppy disk that exposed BTK serial killer Dennis Rader.

"There are well over 500 criminal cases that we have been involved in," said Barry J. Plaga, who has served as Guidance Software's interim chief executive since last year.

More recently, the company's expertise has been sought in the growing number of cases involving employee misconduct, hacked business files, computer break-ins and the recovery of materials that had been deleted.

Plaga said the company's software can be used to determine how a computer network was breached and by whom.

"Cybersecurity is one of the most exciting things we are doing now," Plaga said, adding that Guidance Software has the ability to discover when and where the breach originated. "The hackers leave behind artifacts, a trail of breadcrumbs, and we're able to find those items."

Guidance Software was founded in 1997 and proved popular with government, businesses and law enforcement agencies that needed the right software and expertise to conduct high-tech digital sleuthing.

The company's scope includes computer forensics for trial evidence and testimony in areas such as intellectual property theft, incident response and compliance auditing.

The latest

In February, Guidance Software said that fourth-quarter sales increased to $28.2 million, compared with $28 million a year earlier. The company's losses narrowed to $3 million, from $3.3 million a year earlier.

The company also told the Securities and Exchange Commission that it may sell up to $30 million in stock and warrants.

In March, Guidance Software appointed software executive Max Carnecchia to its board of directors. Carnecchia headed Accelrys, a San Diego life science software maker sold last year to 3-D software company Dassault Systemes of France. Carnecchia subsequently became chief executive of the combined companies' Biovia-Dessault Systemes operations.

Accomplishments

Proof of Guidance Software's ability to find crucial digital evidence came soon after its founding, in the 1998 murder of a 7-year-old girl in a Nevada casino. Prosecutors were able to obtain a guilty plea from the killer after the company's software found child pornography and chat sessions describing fantasies about young girls on his computer.

Guidance Software says it trains more than 6,000 business, law enforcement and government workers annually on how to use its software. Customers include the CIA and 70 members of the Fortune 100.

Challenges

Guidance Software is in need of a permanent chief executive after the November resignation of Victor Limongelli.

The company is still struggling to become profitable, although losses have narrowed. In March, the company's stock hit a new 52-week low of $5.19.

"We are taking proactive efforts to remediate our sales execution," Plaga said.

Analysts

Of five analysts that regularly cover the company, one rates it as a buy and four others suggest holding the stock.

Imperial Capital, for example, downgraded Guidance Software to "in-line," from "outperform," in November, blaming the company's weaker-than-expected outlook and its leadership change.

ronald.white@latimes.com

Twitter: @RonWLATimes

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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