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21st Oct 2019

There’s no doubt renovations are a stressful experience. Regardless of whether it’s your very first time or you’re a seasoned pro, getting a renovation right can be a seriously trying process. Unreliable tradespeople, sub-par materials or even bad weather can set you back weeks, if not months (and for the unlucky ones, years) and put considerable dents in budgets and patience. Which is why getting it right is all about hiring the perfect team.

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The Block’s resident hipages builder, Matthew Menichelli, has seen a few renovations in his time and knows a thing or two about ensuring you make the most of your budget to deliver the best product. Opting to use hipages for finding tradies, Menichelli is a huge fan of the app’s easy-to-use functionality, which allows users to plot in the job that needs to be done (from huge home renovations to changing some light fixtures) and receive three verified quotes from different tradespeople. All done within the app, hipages has proved a gamechanger for anyone looking for fuss-free trade hires, with the added peace of mind that hipages has verified every single tradesperson on the app. 

But finding the right team is just one of many processes on the way to a completed renovation. Below, Menichelli shares his top five tips to pulling off the dream home reno, including the mistakes to avoid from the get go. 

1. Get the details sorted first

   “All selections of fixtures and fittings are to be made prior to commencement,” he says.

2. Lock in your team well in advance

   “Trades should quote their component and [be] locked in ahead of time.”

3. Don’t go over budget before you even begin

   “Determining your budget is so important to ensure you can fund the entire project,” he confirms. “This one factor governs everything. Push aside your wants and needs as they come second. Whether or not you are in a position to fund the project is what will ultimately allow the project to move forward.”

4. Plan!

   “There’s often not enough time spent in the planning stages also not properly educating themselves on the processes,” he admits. “Time and time again, clients are so keen to get started and have hopes of making decisions on the fly through the reno process. A lot of the time this creates unknowns and in the end slows the project and adds unwanted costs.”

5. Hire people you trust

   “I have a trusted and proven relationship with everyone that I associate with across my sites. Building is a tough industry and without reliability or trust the wheels can quickly fall off!”

To find out more visit hipages.com.au or download the app.

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NEW YORK — 

Bernie Sanders leaped back onto the campaign trail Saturday with a rowdy political rally aimed at reassuring supporters unnerved by the 78-year-old’s recent heart attack — and with a lot of encouragement from an unexpected place.

The candidate competing with Sanders to lock down the Democratic Party’s most progressive voters, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, is eager for the Vermont senator to continue his pursuit of the presidency. The prominence of their shared agenda in this race is amplified, officials from both campaigns say, by them being in it together for the distance.

Saturday’s event, with a crowd estimated by the Sanders campaign at over 25,000 people, suggested they will. Sanders exhibited a burst of resilience before the large crowd at a waterfront park in Queens’ Long Island City, unleashing on the rich, corporations and establishment Democrats in an hourlong speech. He strode on stage in a blazer and sweater on the crisp fall afternoon following full-throated endorsements from some of the most sought-after progressives in Congress, and on the heels of a fundraising quarter that surpassed even the impressive numbers Warren posted.

“I am more than ready to take on the greed and corruption of the corporate elite and the apologists,” Sanders said after thanking supporters for their good wishes amid his health scare. “I am more ready than ever to help create a government based on the principles of justice: economic justice, racial justice, social justice and environmental justice. To put it bluntly: I am back.”

The crowd erupted into chants of “Bernie’s back.”

“There is no question that I and my family have faced adversity over these last couple of weeks,” Sanders said. “But the untold story is that people everywhere in this country, in the wealthiest nation in the history of this world, are facing their own adversities.”

Sanders was joined by New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 30-year-old progressive crusader whose endorsement was feverishly pursued by both him and Warren. Sanders also notched the support of Ocasio-Cortez ally Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), a Somali immigrant and one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress. The support injected a dose of vibrancy and multiculturalism into the septuagenarian’s movement.

“The only reason I had any hope in launching a longshot campaign for Congress is because Bernie Sanders proved you can run a grassroots campaign and win in an America where we almost thought it was impossible,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

Even with the surge of momentum, the senator still faces a tough path ahead. It is unclear how far the vitality he exhibited here in New York and in Ohio at Tuesday’s Democratic debate — his other major public appearance since checking out of the hospital — will go in reassuring uneasy primary voters. Candidates in past races have seen their presidential aspirations sunk by such medical incidents.

In a YouGov poll conducted a few days before the Ohio debate, only 19% of voters and 26% of Democrats said they believed Sanders is in good enough physical condition to serve effectively as president for four years. Twice as many voters said the 76-year-old Biden was in good enough health, and three times as many expressed confidence in 70-year-old Warren’s health.

As former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley found after he was hospitalized for an irregular heartbeat during a 2000 presidential bid, managing voter perceptions of a health problem can be a bigger challenge than managing the health problem itself. The bout of pneumonia that briefly drove Hillary Clinton off the campaign trail in fall 2016 fed into conspiracy theories amplified by Donald Trump that she was beset with chronic health problems.

Most Sanders supporters interviewed at the rally said they were not overly concerned about his health, but several added that they worry it will make it harder to draw others to vote for him.

And what do they think about Warren? “I wouldn’t feel the frustration voting for her that I did when I had to vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016,” said Bridget Catania, a 23-year-old artist at the rally, reflecting the attitude of most rallygoers interviewed.

Sanders supporters who were interviewed emphasized — as did filmmaker Michael Moore and Sanders campaign co-chair Nina Turner, who took the stage before Sanders — that it was Sanders who transformed Democratic politics by drawing masses of voters to the progressive agenda in 2016, when it initially was written off.

“When I say there is no one like Bernard Sanders, I mean that,” Turner said. “We’ve got some people in the mainstream and neoliberal media who really can’t see the difference.”

As Sanders moves to regain his footing, he has watched Warren leapfrog past him in the race. She has become the candidate of choice for many voters focused on “Medicare for all,” free public college and taxing the super-rich.

Yet neither Sanders nor Warren are eager to crowd the other out of the race. They deliberately avoid taking shots at one another, or even taking steps to contrast their differences. Progressive activists say the alignment has made them both more potent candidates.

“People are talking about Medicare for all; they are talking about student debt relief, talking about a Green New Deal, because those policies are supported by two strong candidates,” said Adriel Hampton, a Bay Area consultant to progressives who supports Sanders. “Warren and Sanders combined are as strong a force as all the moderate candidates.”

Such progressive dominance at presidential debates and in the broader primary race “is something we have not seen in my lifetime in presidential politics,” said Hampton, 41.

As Warren takes fire from candidates eager to knock her off the front-runner perch, Sanders has become a reliable and effective defender of hers. He has no reservations about excoriating their mutual Democratic nemesis, former Vice President Joe Biden. That benefits Warren without tarnishing the image she aims to project as a unifier.

When Biden suggested at the debate that the progressives are all talk and only he has gotten big things done, Sanders pilloried some of the things Biden has loomed large in getting done: a U.S. invasion of Iraq under false pretenses, a bankruptcy bill that burdened Americans financially, trade agreements that enabled the offshoring of union jobs.

A Sanders fundraising email Friday was devoted entirely to charging Biden with acting as a tool of the health insurance industry.

But the Sanders-Warren alliance works both ways. Concerns that Sanders is threatened with being eclipsed in the race by the Massachusetts senator are cast aside, as the campaign views her as a much less significant impediment than Biden.

“The Warren coalition is different than ours,” said Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont), a Sanders campaign chair. He argues Warren is not so much cannibalizing the Sanders coalition as picking off supporters from candidates like California Sen. Kamala Harris and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

“It has been a benefit to have both Bernie and Warren on the stage,” Khanna said. “Together, they have fundamentally redefined the Democratic Party and vindicated the progressive movement.”

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WASHINGTON — 

It wasn’t too long ago that Donald Trump derided presidential executive orders as “power grabs” and a “basic disaster.”

He’s switched sides in a big way: In each year of his presidency, he has issued more executive orders than did President Obama during the same time span. He surpassed Obama’s third-year total just recently.

Back in 2012, Trump had tweeted: “Why Is @BarackObama constantly issuing executive orders that are major power grabs of authority?”
That criticism continued once he entered the presidential race.

“The country wasn’t based on executive orders,” Trump said at a South Carolina campaign stop in February 2016. “Right now, Obama goes around signing executive orders. He can’t even get along with the Democrats, and he goes around signing all these executive orders. It’s a basic disaster. You can’t do it.”

But Trump appears to have learned what his predecessors discovered as well: It’s easier and often more satisfying to get things done through administrative action than to get Congress to go along, said Andrew Rudalevige, a professor at Bowdoin College who studies the history and effectiveness of presidential executive actions.

“Most candidates don’t realize the utility of executive actions while campaigning,” Rudalevige said. “When they become president, they quickly gain an appreciation of how difficult it is to get things done in government.”

The White House declined to comment on Trump’s use of executive orders. He surpassed Obama’s third-year total when, in the last two weeks, he issued five executive orders relating to Medicare, government transparency, federal spending and imposing sanctions on Turkish officials.

An executive order can have the same effect as a federal law — but its impact can be fleeting. Congress can pass a new law to override an executive order and future presidents can undo them.

Every president since George Washington has used the executive order power, according to the National Constitution Center, and some of those orders played a critical role in American history. President Franklin Roosevelt established internment camps during World War II. President Truman mandated equal treatment of all members of the armed forces through executive orders. And President Eisenhower used an executive order to enforce school desegregation in Little Rock, Ark.

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When Obama became frustrated with how difficult it was to push legislation through Congress, he warned Republicans he would take executive action when he considered it necessary.

He famously declared in 2014: “We’re not just going to be waiting for legislation in order to make sure that we’re providing Americans the kind of help they need. I’ve got a pen, and I’ve got a phone.”

Few candidates for office have placed as much emphasis on criticizing a predecessor’s executive orders as Trump did. He reasoned that Obama’s use of executive orders made him look like a weak negotiator. But Trump himself has had little success with Congress in that regard. His biggest legislative achievement so far, a $1.5-trillion tax cut, failed to gain one Democratic vote.

Trump has so far issued 130 executive orders. By comparison, Obama issued 108 in his first three years.

Still, Rudalevige says that comparing executive orders from one president to the next can provide a misleading snapshot of a president’s propensity for taking executive action. That’s because presidents also use memorandums and proclamations to achieve policy goals or to get the message out about their priorities. One president’s executive order might be another’s memorandum, or phone call.

Obama relied on memorandums and proclamations for some of his most disputed executive actions, so just counting his executive orders understates his efforts to take action without Congress passing a bill.

For example, protections for young immigrants brought into the country illegally as children came about through a Department of Homeland Security memorandum. That action, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, allowed eligible individuals to request temporary relief from deportation and apply for authorization to work in the U.S.

Obama took the action after Congress had declined to pass the Dream Act, legislation that would have helped a similar group of migrants. Republicans argued that Obama overstepped his constitutional authority. In November, the Supreme Court will hear arguments over the Trump administration’s plan to end the program, which has protected roughly 700,000 young immigrants from deportation. Lower courts have so far blocked the administration from ending the program.

Obama also issued proclamations to declare new national monuments in Utah and Nevada in his final days in office. In all, he issued 34 monument proclamations, including designating 29 new monuments and enlarging five existing monuments as he brandished his conservation legacy. Some of the largest monument designations were heavily criticized by state and local officials.

Rudalevige said that Trump appears to favor the pomp and ceremony that often comes with an executive order. He routinely makes a speech, assembled administration officials and potentially affected Americans get to thank him for taking action, and Trump often signs the order before the cameras, holding it up for photographers to capture the moment.

“I think it fits his personality,” Rudalevige said.

With its depleted defensive backfield already dealing with injuries to all three of its starting cornerbacks, USC may have also lost its top safety Saturday night.

Talanoa Hufanga, who leads USC in tackles per game and has generally been one of the Trojans’ best defenders this season, left in the second quarter, following a collision with Arizona running back J.J. Taylor. After the play, trainers appeared to be examining his arm.

Even as USC rolled to a 41-14 victory in a flurry of injuries, Hufanga’s exit is a potentially devastating development for USC’s defense. Hufanga twice broke his collarbone over the last year, missing spring practice with the second injury. But he returned to become a crucial member of USC’s defense this fall.

The Trojans lost earlier this season at Washington when playing without Hufanga, while the sophomore safety was in concussion protocol. But if Hufanga again injured his shoulder, it’s possible he could face a more extended absence, leaving Chase Williams to fill in.

Hufanga wasn’t the only key Trojans defender to go down with an injury. Standout freshman defensive end Drake Jackson left in the third quarter and did not return, leaving USC down both of its starting defensive ends.

Senior captain Christian Rector also sat out, as he continues to deal with a high ankle sprain that he suffered against Stanford. Rector hadn’t missed a game since USC’s loss to Brigham Young at the end of September, but the injury clearly lingered into last week’s defeat at Notre Dame, where Rector struggled mightily on the edge.

Injuries had already swept through USC’s secondary over the last week, claiming all three of its cornerbacks heading into Saturday’s game. Olaijah Griffin sat out against Arizona while nursing an injured back. Nickel corner Greg Johnson sat with an injured shoulder. And Isaac Taylor-Stuart opened the game on the sideline, fighting through a sprained ankle, while freshman Dorian Hewett stepped into his starting spot.

Hewett, a freshman, joined USC as an unheralded safety recruit in the offseason. For weeks, he was so buried on the depth chart, with zero previous snaps on defense, that it was unclear that he’d changed positions to cornerback.

Taylor-Stuart, who had been a game-time decision, returned to the field in the second quarter. Soon after, Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate tested him on a deep pass downfield, and Taylor-Stuart, running even with the Wildcats wideout, nearly intercepted the throw.

Even with a depleted secondary, USC stifled the Arizona offense.

Taylor-Stuart and Griffin are expected back next week, but for USC’s star safety, the prognosis remains uncertain.

Running order

With leading rusher Vavae Malepeai out for the foreseeable future, it was Stephen Carr who got the first crack as USC’s starting running back.

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But when Carr limped off in the second quarter, following an explosive 16-yard run, he gave way to redshirt freshman Markese Stepp, who has been USC’s most effective runner this season.

Stepp and Carr split carries nearly evenly in the first half, with Stepp receiving nine attempts — one fewer than his season high. The last of those carries went for a rumbling, nine-yard touchdown, just before the half.

Then, a few minutes into the third quarter, Stepp limped off, appearing to leave USC with a thin backfield led by a walk-on, Quincy Jountti, and a true freshman, Kenan Christon.

While Jountti fumbled on his first carry, Christon made the most of the opportunity, scoring on runs of 55 and 30 yards in the fourth quarter, finishing with 103 yards in eight carries.

With its depleted defensive backfield already dealing with injuries to all three of its starting cornerbacks, USC may have also lost its top safety on Saturday night.

The way the NBA’s summer went, the 2019-20 season looked like it would play out almost biblically.

Two by two, they’ll march toward the end goal. In Los Angeles, there will be the one-browed big man and the King in one Staples Center locker room and a pair of rangy two-way wings in the other. In Houston, it’ll be the patient scorer with an offensive arsenal as full as his beard with the pedal-to-the-floor triple-double machine. Eventually in Brooklyn, the enigmatic guard and the tweet-at-his-haters forward will set upon their quest.

And with it, a new era in the NBA will be ushered in with pairs of stars leading their teams with the time of “super teams” and “Big 3s” shoved into the NBA’s storage locker.

Gone is Boston with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. See ya, Miami with LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Peace, Warriors of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant.

The NBA spent the summer downsizing, with super teams giving way to super duos.

It’s been the story of the offseason, players going out on their own to orchestrate these couplings, demanding trades to make them realities. But is it really here for good, a new way executives will view team-building?

Doubtful.

Nearly every NBA scout and executive who spoke about the topic had the same reaction: These teams all have two stars because they couldn’t have three … or four … or five.

“I think to make the argument the league is shifting toward two [stars] and putting two [stars] as a priority in front of three, I’ve yet to see a team turn down having a great third player,” Warriors general manager Bob Myers said. “It’s not something that would make a lot of sense.”

If the two-star model isn’t going to revolutionize front-office thinking, it will define the upcoming season.

Anthony Davis forced a trade out of New Orleans to pair up with LeBron James and the Lakers. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving spurned the Knicks to play for the Nets in Brooklyn. Kawhi Leonard wanted to be a Clipper but only if Paul George was on board. With George out of Oklahoma City, James Harden and the Rockets decided to flip his old dance partner, Chris Paul, for a new one, Russell Westbrook.

And that all happened in less than a month.

A variety of factors pushed the league into this frenzy, executives said. The market was full of talent and desirable destinations had money to spend and assets ready to deal. The Golden State dynasty had just been toppled by Toronto, with injuries and Durant’s expected departure opening the title field in a way it hadn’t been since 2015 (when the Miami Heat big three disbanded).

Each situation is unique and each will be judged by whether it leads to a championship.

LeBron James

and Anthony Davis

A deal six months in the making, the Lakers gave up a haul — almost all of their best young players and almost all of their best draft picks — to push the deal across the finish line. It was a necessity.

By getting the deal done, the Lakers gave James the most talented teammate he’s ever had, a player better than Wade, Bosh or Irving. He’s a perfect pick-and-roll partner for James, and his all-around offensive game is underrated.

He can guard too, which is going to matter for the Lakers.

The plan is for Davis to eventually eclipse James as the focal point of the offense. First, he’ll have to re-sign with the team as a free agent next summer, though things would have to go pretty wrong for him to walk.

Davis wanted to be a Laker and now he is. Why turn your back on that?

Kawhi Leonard

and Paul George

One of the questions that general managers have been asking this offseason is a fun one: Would the Clippers have rather just signed Leonard?

On the night they pulled off the biggest acquisitions in franchise history, the Clippers vaulted into instant NBA title contenders by pairing Leonard and George with a team perfectly designed to incorporate a couple of superstars.

But the cost for George was higher than a lot of people around the NBA would’ve been willing to pay — all those picks and a player with as much promise as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

George is regarded as one of the league’s best offensive-defensive talents. The worry is that injuries (the latest surgeries to repair both shoulders) will keep the Clippers from getting a return on their massive investment.

This partnership looks great on paper — two guys who work hard on both ends and fit well with the no-drama culture the Clippers created a year ago.

But if the Clippers are empty-handed in two years when both players can become free agents, the trade’s skeptics will have been proved correct.

James Harden

and Russell Westbrook

Of all the high-profile pairings this summer, this one feels like it makes the least sense and could be the most panicked. But like most of Houston’s fatal flaws, it probably won’t show up until the postseason.

Not having to pay Chris Paul a staggering $44 million when he’s 36 years old in 2022 is a big win for the Rockets; having to pay Westbrook $171 million over the next four seasons isn’t as much of a victory.

At his best, Westbrook plays with a game-changing energy, putting pressure on defenses whenever he touches the ball.

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The issue is that when you play alongside Harden, you might not touch the ball that often.

In the regular season, the fix is fairly simple — coach Mike D’Antoni will make sure one of the two is on the court at all times, giving Houston two of the most difficult players in the NBA for people to defend.

But together, Westbrook’s shooting certainly will be a factor — his career mark from three-point range is 30.8%.

It’s a fascinating pairing for Houston, which continues to try to find the right pieces to put around Harden. But if it’s not Westbrook, what could possibly be next?

Kevin Durant

and Kyrie Irving

Of the new super duos, Irving and Durant are the only two who signed together in free agency. They’re also the only pair that won’t play together this season with Durant shutting down any talk of an early return from a torn Achilles tendon.

Maybe more than any of these other basketball couples, Irving and Durant seemed determined to team up, an interesting decision considering their pasts.

They have both had to share the spotlight with mixed results — Irving wanted out of Cleveland after the Cavaliers turned the team over to James upon his return from Miami, and Durant left the Thunder to win and the Warriors to prove that he doesn’t need Golden State to win.

Depending on the basketball people you ask, both personalities can vary from “misunderstood” to “enigmatic” to good old-fashioned “difficult.”

There are questions marks in Brooklyn. Will Durant fully recover from his serious injury? Who will emerge as the team’s dominant force? People around the NBA are eagerly watching because neither seems to enjoy working in the shadows.

Best of

the rest

There are still teams moving forward with more than two stars.

The healthy Warriors could have a lineup built around Stephen Curry with three former All-Stars, while the 76ers will send out three in Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Al Horford plus Tobias Harris, who just got paid like an All-Star.

Whether it was just perfect timing during a crazy summer or a trend that’s emerging, the best NBA teams, especially in the West, will rely on superstar duos to try to reach the NBA Finals, setting the stage for what people expect to be one of the closest NBA seasons in recent memory.

“What Boston did was special. What Miami did was special. But I think it goes back to you have two guys that are the guys and you have a group around them that supports them,” George said.

“I think it’s a good thing for the league. It changed the league. … Everyone was looking for a big three and it didn’t work for a lot of teams and now, this is a new dynamic for the new generation of the league.”

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as Santa Anita suffers its second racing fatality of the meeting.

It seems the racing industry can’t get enough of Rick Hammerle, the former director of racing at Santa Anita. After being dismissed by Tim Ritvo, who was then running Santa Anita for The Stronach Group, Hammerle laid low for a few months.

Then the phone wouldn’t stop ringing. (Actually, the phone was ringing the whole time, he just wasn’t ready to step back into the business.) Next thing you know he’s in the racing office at Oaklawn and Kentucky Downs.

Now, he’s got a new role: a professor at the Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) at Arizona State. It’s only a temporary gig, filling in as the program found itself a faculty member short.

“It’s the next step in what I call my year to remember,” Hammerle said.

He teaches classes in the workings of a racing department and the business of racing. Is that like having Rembrandt teach your painting class?

He’s just finished his second week of classes.

“Teaching is one of the scariest things I’ve ever done,” Hammerle said. “I can talk to 1,000 people, [CHRB] meetings, screaming owners and trainers but it’s nothing like looking at a room full of students staring at you, saying, ‘OK, what else do you have for have for us?’”

Best of all is Hammerle attended Arizona State and was in the RTIP program. Let’s just say he was in a class to remember. There was Martin Panza, head of racing at NYRA, some guy named Todd Pletcher (whatever happened to him?), Mike Harlow, former director of racing at Santa Anita, Ted Nicholson, senior VP and general manager of Kentucky Downs and the late Luke Kruytbosch, a race caller at Churchill Downs. I’m sure there were others that were equally as successful outside of racing.

“It’s cool to teach the future leaders of this industry, but not out of a textbook, but relating real experiences,” Hammerle said.

Indeed, sounds like fun classes to take.

Fatality at Santa Anita

Santa Anita suffered its fourth fatality of the meeting of its short fall meeting when Satchel Paige was pulled up midway on the far turn with an injured left front leg. It is the second racing fatality to go with two in training. Last year, there were four during the fall meeting.

Satchel Paige, a 3-year-old gelding, was trained by Phil D’Amato and ridden by Ruben Fuentes, who was unhurt. The owner was Nick Alexander, who is chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. He often names horses after former baseball players.

For more on this story, just click here.

Santa Anita review

Castle was the gate-to-wire winner in Saturday’s $100,000 California Flag Handicap for, you guessed it, Cal-breds, going 5 1/2 furlongs. The winning margin was a comfortable neck.

Castle paid $12.00, $5.00 and $3.00. Grinning Tiger was second and King Abner finished third.

Here’s what the winning connections had to say.

Mark Glatt (winning trainer): “It’s a roller coaster ride if you’re in this game as an owner, trainer, or jockey, it doesn’t matter who you are. We have had a lot of seconds with some bad trips. Eventually you just keep working hard and hopefully things will turn around.

“The ownership group picked this horse out so I have to give them the credit. They brought him to my attention and I watched the replays on him and made sure I liked what I saw. I thought he ran a big race at Del Mar (Aug 29). I kind of gave my approval after they brought him up, I thought he was a little lightly raced for his age (6), so I was a little skeptical for the $40,000 but they were willing and I couldn’t see a reason not to claim him.

“He’s a horse that has won down the hill and going a mile, also going 5/8ths, so he’s pretty versatile. Like with a lot of horses I think the 5 ½ has helped him, personally I don’t care for the 5/8h races, it takes a specialized horse. That extra furlong makes a difference.”

Abel Cedillo (winning jockey): “It looked like there was a lot of speed in the race and all Mark said was ‘Stay close.’ My horse broke really good and we made the lead very easy and that was good for me.”

Santa Anita preview

Once again, not a lot to say about the daily Santa Anita card as the track counts down to the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 1-2. There are eight races, starting at 12:30. There are four races on the turf, all on the outside of the turf course with a 30-foot rail. There are four maiden specials, one allowance and one stakes race.

The stakes is the $70,000 Sunny Slope Stakes for 2-year-olds going 6 ½ furlongs. The favorite, at 9-5, is Mo Hawk for trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Flavien Prat, an infrequent combination. Mo Hawk won his only race, a maiden special, by three lengths. But, the big note on this colt is he was a $925,000 purchase as a yearling.

The second favorite is Raging Whiskey, a well-traveled colt for Doug O’Neill and Evan Roman. He is two-of-seven and won the Capote Stakes at Los Alamitos. He was third in the Sanford Stakes at Saratoga, so you know they think enough of him to travel him to the East Coast. Post is around 2:40 p.m.

Here are the field sizes, in order: 5, 6, 7, 7, 5, 8 (4 also eligible), 7, 9.

Big races review

A look at graded stakes or races worth $100,000 or more on Saturday.

Laurel (2): $100,000 Maryland Million Nursery Stakes, Mary-bred 2-year-olds, 6 furlongs. Winner: Ournationonparade ($4.20)

Belmont (2): $250,000 Maid of the Mist Stakes, NY-bred fillies 2-years-old, 1 mile. Winner: Criical Value ($7.30)

Laurel (3): $100,000 Maryland Million Distaff Handicap, Mary-bred fillies and mares 3 and up, 7 furlongs. Winner: Ana’s Bandit ($3.00)

Belmont (4): $200,000 Mohawk Stakes, NY-breds 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles on turf. Winner: Gucci Factor ($5.70)

Woodbine (3): Grade 3 $125,000 Ontario Fashion Stakes, fillies and mares 3 and up, 6 furlongs. Winner: Jean Elizabeth ($5.50)

Laurel (6): $125,000 Maryland Million Ladies Stakes, Mary-bred fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/8 miles on turf. Winner: Zonda ($13.20)

Belmont (5): $300,000 Empire Classic Handicap, NY-breds 3 and up, 1 1/8 miles. Winner: Mr. Buff ($5.00)

Far Hills (4): $100,000 Foxbrook Champion Hurdle Stakes, 4 and up, 2 ½ miles on turf. Winner: Snap Decision ($6.40)

Laurel (7): $100,000 Maryland Million Lassie Stakes, Mary-bred fillies 2-years-old, 6 furlongs. Winner: Hello Beautiful ($5.40)

Belmont (6): $150,000 Hudson Stakes, NY-breds 3 and up, 6 ½ furlongs. Winner: Build to Suit ($4.70)

Laurel (8): $125,000 Maryland Million Turf Stakes, Mary-breds 3 and up, 1 mile on turf. Winner: Mr. d’Angelo ($36.60)

Belmont (7): $150,000 Iroquois Stakes, NY-breds 3 and up, 6 ½ furlongs. Winner: Pauseforthecause ($9.20)

Laurel (9): $100,000 Maryland Million Sprint Handicap, Mary-bred 3 and up, 6 furlongs. Winner: Taco Supreme ($12.20)

Belmont (8): $250,000 Sleepy Hollow Stakes, NY-bred 2-year-olds, 1 mile. Winner: Captain Bombastic ($15.00)

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Far Hills (6): Grade 1 $450,000 Grand National Steeplechase, 4 and up, 2 9/16 miles on turf. Winner: Brain Power ($13.00)

Laurel (10): $150,000 Maryland Million Classic Stakes, Mary-bred 3 and up, 1 1/8 miles. Winner: Forest Fire ($8.00)

Belmont (9): $200,000 Ticonderoga Stakes, NY-bred fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles on turf. Winner: Fifty Five ($2.70)

Belmont (10): $250,000 Empire Distaff Stakes, NY-breds fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 mile. Winner: Ratajkowski ($5.60)

Keeneland (9): Grade 2 $250,000 Raven Run Stakes, fillies 3-years-old, 7 furlongs. Winner: Bell’s the One ($28.60)

Santa Anita (6): $100,000 California Flag Stakes, Cal-breds 3 and up, 5 ½ furlongs on turf. Winner: Castle ($12.00)

Big races preview

A look at graded stakes or races worth $100,000 or more on Sunday. All times PDT:

11:04 Woodbine (3): $125,000 Carotene Stakes, Ont-bred fillies 3-years-old, 1 1/16 miles. Favorite: Amalfi Coast (8-5)

1:17 Woodbine (7): $100,000 Bunty Lawless Stakes, Ont-bred 3 and up, 1 mile on turf. Favorite: Silent Poet (7-5)

1:57 Keeneland (8): Grade 3 $125,000 Dowager Stakes, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 ½ miles on turf. Favorite: Gentle Ruler (3-1)

2:13 Belmont (9): Grade 3 $200,000 Athenia Stakes, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles on turf. Favorite: Simply Breathless (5-2)

Ciaran Thornton’s SA pick of the day

RACE ONE: No. 5 Reds Sacred Appeal (8-1)

Reds Sacred Appeal won Oct. 10 for this small stable that also owns the horse. Rising in class today the 8-1 price is attractive in this small field with the horse making the second start off the layoff. This is the kind of value play that many bettors will overlook. These are the types of horses and race set-ups that these small stables survive on. The horse has a win, two thirds and a second from the last four races.

Saturday’s result: Lucky Long Legs was never involved and merely ran around the track to finish off the board.

Ciaran Thornton is the handicapper for Californiapick4.com, which offers daily full card picks, longshots of the day, best bets of the day.

Ed Burgart’s LA pick of the day

SECOND RACE: No. 4 Southern Wagon (5-2)

She draws into a strong trial but I loved the acceleration she displayed during the final 50 yards of her ¾-length allowance victory three weeks ago in first local outing. She won a Rainbow Futurity trial at 400 yards in New Mexico last July and galloped out with big strides in a terrific 12.0 gate drill for 220 yards prior to her last win. Kiss Thru Fire, who won an All-American Futurity trial two outs back and Up And Atem, in search of his third straight win are the other contenders.

Final thoughts

Always looking to add more subscribers to this newsletter. Can’t beat the price. If you like it, tell someone. If you don’t like it, then you’re probably not reading this. Either way, send to a friend and just have them click here and sign up. Remember, it’s free, and all we need is your email, nothing more.

Any thoughts, you can reach me at [email protected]. You can also feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa

And now the stars of the show, Saturday’s results and Sunday’s entries.

Santa Anita Charts Results for Saturday, October 19.

Copyright 2019 by Equibase Company. Reproduction prohibited. Santa Anita, Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California. 14th day of a 23-day meet. Clear & Firm

FIRST RACE.

1 Mile Turf. Purse: $50,000. Maiden Special Weight. Fillies. 2 year olds. Time 24.71 49.85 1:15.53 1:28.01 1:39.90

Winner–Warrior’s Moon Ch.f.2 by Jeranimo out of Casual Observer, by Half Ours. Bred by Wade Jacobsen (CA). Trainer: Peter Eurton. Owner: Wade Jacobsen. Mutuel Pool $181,881 Exacta Pool $93,672 Superfecta Pool $39,796 Super High Five Pool $7,262 Trifecta Pool $65,638. Scratched–none.

WARRIOR’S MOON angled in and stalked a bit off the rail, came three deep into the stretch with a bid to gain the lead in upper stretch, inched away in midstretch and won clear under some urging with the whip turned down and a late crack of the stick and a hold in the final stages. SASSYSERB had speed outside a rival then stalked just off the inside, bid alongside the pacesetter leaving the second turn and between foes in upper stretch, could not match the winner in the final furlong but held second between horses late. LAKAYA in a bit tight between horses into the first turn, chased just off the rail, went between rivals on the second turn, swung four wide into the stretch, drifted in and was edged for the place three deep on the line. PHOENIX TEARS sped to the early lead, set the pace inside, fought back on the second turn and into the stretch and was edged for the show. LOFTY three deep into the first turn, chased between horses then outside a rival leaving the backstretch and three wide on the second turn, angled in outside a foe into the stretch, came out in the drive and could not summon the needed late kick. JODIE FASTER saved ground stalking the pace, came a bit off the rail in the stretch and weakened. LUCKY LONG LEGS a bit slow to begin, went up four wide into the first turn then chased three deep, fell back nearing the second turn, angled to the inside on that turn and into the stretch and lacked a response in the drive.

SECOND RACE.

1 Mile. Purse: $15,000. Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $12,500. Time 24.87 49.92 1:15.77 1:29.02 1:42.73

Winner–Conformation Dbb.f.4 by Medaglia d’Oro out of Cabo, by Leroidesanimaux (BRZ). Bred by Hallmarc Stallions LLC (FL). Trainer: Ben D. A. Cecil. Owner: Reddam Racing LLC. Mutuel Pool $86,703 Daily Double Pool $31,664 Exacta Pool $31,981 Trifecta Pool $20,436. Scratched–Discrete Stevie B.

CONFORMATION prompted the pace inside, took a short advantage into the second turn, inched away leaving that turn, came out a bit into the stretch, fought back off the rail in midstretch and gamely prevailed under urging between foes late. TEQUILA SUNRISE stalked outside a rival then bid three deep leaving the backstretch, tracked again leaving the second turn, came three wide into the stretch, bid outside the winner in midstretch, gained a slim and brief advantage a sixteenth out while three wide and was outgamed late. SHANGHAI BARBIE bobbled at the start as the ground broke out behind, saved ground stalking the pace, bid inside past midstretch and continued willingly to the wire. TENGS RHYTHM had good early speed and set a pressured pace outside the winner then between horses leaving the backstretch, fought back between foes into the second turn, fell back some a quarter mile out and weakened.

THIRD RACE.

1 1/16 Mile. Purse: $22,000. Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $25,000. Time 24.84 49.65 1:13.95 1:39.58 1:46.30

Winner–Boogalute Dbb.g.5 by Midnight Lute out of Bridal Song, by Vicar. Bred by Buck Pond Farm, Inc. (KY). Trainer: Mike Puype. Owner: Slugo Racing. Mutuel Pool $165,754 Daily Double Pool $14,452 Exacta Pool $70,437 Superfecta Pool $34,381 Trifecta Pool $49,296. Scratched–none.

50-Cent Pick Three (6-1-4) paid $14.45. Pick Three Pool $44,259.

BOOGALUTE sped between horses to the early lead, angled in and set the pace inside, fought back along the rail on the backstretch and second turn, kicked clear again under urging in upper stretch and drew off under steady handling and a long hold late. BROKE AWAY GREY chased outside a rival then between horses into the second turn, came out some in the stretch and was clearly second best. FAST AS CASS had speed outside then stalked off the rail, bid alongside the winner on the backstretch and second turn, was not a match for that one in the stretch and weakened but just held third. UNION STATION saved ground chasing the pace, came out in the stretch and was edged for the show. INDY JONES stalked inside then a bit off the rail on the backstretch and second turn and weakened in the drive. LAGOON MACAROON chased outside a rival then off the rail on the backstretch, went three deep into the second turn, dropped back off the rail, angled in some nearing the stretch and gave way.

FOURTH RACE.

1 Mile Turf. Purse: $50,000. Maiden Special Weight. Fillies. 2 year olds. Time 23.57 47.95 1:11.90 1:24.20 1:36.84

Winner–Navy Queen B.f.2 by Midshipman out of Miss Nicolie, by Walter Willy (IRE). Bred by Regan Wright & Don Gibb (CA). Trainer: Russell G. Childs. Owner: Wright, Regan and Gibb, Don. Mutuel Pool $149,767 Daily Double Pool $17,651 Exacta Pool $76,819 Superfecta Pool $39,867 Trifecta Pool $59,515 Z-5 Super Hi-5 Pool $5,093. Scratched–none.

50-Cent Pick Three (1-4-6) paid $35.60. Pick Three Pool $13,735.

NAVY QUEEN had speed between horses then outside a rival, inched away and set the pace a bit off the rail then inside, dueled along the fence leaving the second turn, inched away again just off the fence under urging in the stretch and won clear. SLEW’S SCREEN STAR chased inside, split horses into the second turn, angled in on that turn then came out into the stretch, angled in again past midstretch and gained the place. BIG TIME GRAMMY pulled early, chased between horses then outside a rival to the stretch, angled inward in midstretch and edged a rival for the show. RIDE SALLY RIDE also pulled her way along outside then stalked alongside a rival, bid outside the winner leaving the second turn and into the stretch and was edged late for third. WICKED FRESH broke in and a bit slowly, came out into the first turn and chased three wide to the stretch and did not rally. CALIFORNIA KOOK also broke a bit slowly, saved ground off the pace, went around a rival in deep stretch and lacked the necessary response. MEASUREOFDEVOTION tugged three deep early then stalked a bit off the rail to the stretch and weakened. GOVENESS SHEILA had speed inside then saved ground chasing the pace, dropped back inside on the second turn and also weakened.

FIFTH RACE.

6½ Furlongs. Purse: $50,000. Maiden Special Weight. 3 year olds and up. Time 22.59 46.30 1:12.08 1:18.89

Winner–Claim of Passion B.g.3 by Acclamation out of Passionate, by Vronsky. Bred by Old English Rancho (CA). Trainer: Philip D’Amato. Owner: The Ellwood Johnston Trust, Thompson, Michelle and Thompson, Odes. Mutuel Pool $205,704 Daily Double Pool $17,536 Exacta Pool $77,912 Superfecta Pool $35,229 Trifecta Pool $56,509. Scratched–Conte Cavour.

50-Cent Pick Three (4-6-3) paid $20.85. Pick Three Pool $46,386. 50-Cent Pick Four (1-4-6-3/4) 593 tickets with 4 correct paid $119.50. Pick Four Pool $92,843. 50-Cent Pick Five (6-1-4-6-3/4) 890 tickets with 5 correct paid $352.10. Pick Five Pool $364,538.

CLAIM OF PASSION pressed the pace three deep then outside a rival, took the lead into the stretch, inched away under urging nearing midstretch and won clear. BRACE FOR IMPACT broke a bit slowly and steadied when crowded, went up inside to press the pace then stalked along the rail, came out leaving the turn and three deep into the stretch to loom a threat behind the winner in midstretch, then could not match that one while clearly second best. CORRANA EN LIMEN broke out a bit, sped to the early lead, set a pressured pace a bit off the rail then inside on the turn and weakened in the final furlong. NIL PHET chased off the rail, steadied at the injured runner past midway on the turn, angled in and weakened. SATCHEL PAIGE stalked between horses then outside a rival, loomed up on the turn then took a bad step and suffered a catastrophic injury in the left front and was vanned off.

SIXTH RACE.

5½ Furlongs Turf. Purse: $100,000. ‘California Flag H.’. Stakes. 3 year olds and up. Time 22.41 44.52 55.66 1:01.51

Winner–Castle B.g.6 by Slew’s Tiznow out of Grand Advice, by Mr. Greeley. Bred by Eagle Ridge Racing, LLC (CA). Trainer: Mark Glatt. Owner: Where We At. Mutuel Pool $269,034 Daily Double Pool $24,231 Exacta Pool $123,841 Superfecta Pool $47,230 Super High Five Pool $9,764 Trifecta Pool $80,496. Scratched–General Interest.

50-Cent Pick Three (6-3-5) paid $44.65. Pick Three Pool $29,147.

CASTLE sped to the early lead and angled in, set the pace inside, inched away on the turn, came a bit off the rail into the stretch, responded when challenged again and held on gamely under urging. GRINNING TIGER stalked off the rail then bid outside the winner leaving the backstretch, tracked that one on the turn, came out into the stretch, bid again alongside that rival in midstretch and continued willingly but was outgamed. KING ABNER broke in slightly, chased a bit off the rail on the backstretch and turn, came out in the stretch and got up for the show three deep on the line. WHAT A VIEW a step slow to begin, stalked inside, came out for room in midstretch and was edged for third between foes late. TRIBALIST bobbled in a bit of a slow start, chased inside, continued along the rail on the turn and through the stretch and continued willingly to be edged for a minor share. MY FRIEND EMMA stalked outside a rival, drifted out a bit on the turn, came three wide into the stretch and weakened. PORTANDO a step slow into stride, angled in and chased outside a rival, found the rail on the turn and also weakened.

SEVENTH RACE.

5½ Furlongs. Purse: $50,000. Maiden Special Weight. 2 year olds. Time 22.37 46.26 58.73 1:05.60

Winner–Shuster B.c.2 by Curlin to Mischief out of Roses for Joni, by Unusual Heat. Bred by William Branch & Arnold Hill (CA). Trainer: Leonard Powell. Owner: Branch, William and Hill, Arnold. Mutuel Pool $208,027 Daily Double Pool $25,729 Exacta Pool $90,593 Superfecta Pool $42,677 Trifecta Pool $64,936. Scratched–Very Irish.

50-Cent Pick Three (3-5-1) paid $44.00. Pick Three Pool $27,420.

SHUSTER a bit slow to begin, went up inside to gain the lead, set a pressured pace along the rail, inched away on the turn, opened up into the stretch and drew off under a steady hand ride and a long hold late. PAPSTER chased a bit off the rail then inside, continued along the fence on the turn and in the stretch and picked up the place. FLAT WHITE stalked early then bid three deep leaving the backstretch, tracked off the rail on the turn and three wide into the stretch and bested the others. TOTALLY TIGER chased inside then a bit off the rail to the stretch and lacked a rally. WHISPERING FLAME wide early, settled off the rail then outside a rival on the turn and three wide into the stretch and was not a threat. ZERO DOWN a bit slow into stride, went up between horses then pressed the pace outside the winner and between foes leaving the backstretch, stalked a bit off the rail on the turn and gave way in the stretch.

EIGHTH RACE.

5½ Furlongs Turf. Purse: $50,000. Maiden Special Weight. Fillies. 2 year olds. Time 21.92 45.32 57.18 1:03.27

Winner–Blue Sky Baby Dbb.f.2 by Pioneerof the Nile out of Maggie d’Oro, by Medaglia d’Oro. Bred by Breeze Easy LLC (KY). Trainer: Philip D’Amato. Owner: Lombardi, Michael V. and Platts, Joey. Mutuel Pool $263,968 Daily Double Pool $99,801 Exacta Pool $130,379 Superfecta Pool $75,755 Super High Five Pool $22,883 Trifecta Pool $101,727. Scratched–Bruja Escarlata, Le Tub, Reducta (GB).

50-Cent Pick Three (5-1-3) paid $156.80. Pick Three Pool $106,980. 50-Cent Pick Four (3/4-5-1-3) 1088 tickets with 4 correct paid $219.00. Pick Four Pool $312,137. 50-Cent Pick Five (6-3/4-5-1-3) 81 tickets with 5 correct paid $2,107.45. Pick Five Pool $223,671. 20-Cent Pick Six Jackpot (4-6-3/4-5-1-3) 34 tickets with 6 correct paid $1,737.96. Pick Six Jackpot Pool $110,613. Pick Six Jackpot Carryover $239,019.

BLUE SKY BABY had speed to press the pace between horses then stalked a bit off the rail on the turn, re-bid outside the runner-up in midstretch under urging, gained the advantage in deep stretch and gamely prevailed. NU PI LAMBDA sped to the early lead, set a pressured pace inside, inched away on the turn, fought back along the fence through the final furlong and continued willingly to the wire. DANCEFORMUNNY dropped back and angled in a bit off the rail, found the inside on the turn, came out in midstretch and finished well. LUCIA’S DESIGN stalked outside then three deep on the turn and into the stretch and lacked a rally. QUEEN LICIA well placed stalking the pace off the rail then between foes into and on the turn and outside a rival into the stretch, weakened in the drive. LACE bobbled some then stumbled in the second step to drop back inside, came out into the stretch and did not rally. BAYONCE settled outside then off the rail, angled in on the backstretch and stalked inside, continued along the rail on the turn and in the stretch and weakened. GOLDEN CHROME went up to press the pace three deep then stalked off the rail on the turn, angled in entering the stretch and had little left for the drive.

Santa Anita Entries for Sunday, October 20.

Santa Anita, Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California. 15th day of a 23-day meet.

FIRST RACE.

1 1/16 Mile. Purse: $22,000. Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $25,000.

SECOND RACE.

1 Mile Turf. Purse: $50,000. Maiden Special Weight. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up.

THIRD RACE.

6½ Furlongs. Purse: $22,000. Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $25,000.

FOURTH RACE.

1 Mile Turf. Purse: $50,000. Maiden Special Weight. 3 year olds and up.

FIFTH RACE.

6½ Furlongs. Purse: $70,000. ‘Sunny Slope Stakes (R)’. 2 year olds. State bred.

SIXTH RACE.

5½ Furlongs Turf. Purse: $50,000. Maiden Special Weight. 2 year olds.

SEVENTH RACE.

1 Mile. Purse: $51,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $40,000.

EIGHTH RACE.

1 Mile Turf. Purse: $50,000. Maiden Special Weight. 2 year olds. State bred.

Have a question about the NFL? Ask Times NFL writer Sam Farmer, and he will answer as many as he can online and in the Sunday editions of the newspaper throughout the season. Email questions to: [email protected]

Do you think the days of the open-air NFL stadium are numbered? Seems like the closed or retractable roofs are all the rage now. The new L.A. venue and the Raiders’ Las Vegas digs will have some sort of covering. I can see new stadium situations developing in Washington, D.C., and Buffalo in the next decade being domed. To me, I always thought it was great to see that late afternoon hazy sun gleaming off the Rams, Chargers and Raiders helmets in the Coliseum on TV when it’s freezing outside here on the East Coast. I will miss that.

Willie Gabel, Annapolis, Md.

Farmer: First a bit about Stan Kroenke’s $5-billion stadium in Inglewood, home to the Rams and Chargers starting next season. The venue will feature a roof that’s 275 feet above the playing field and encompasses the stadium and a surrounding plaza, providing weather protection but remaining open on the sides. The roof has metal borders, but the area over the playing field is made of a transparent material called ETFE, which is as clear as a car windshield and strong enough to support the weight of a vehicle. The design allows for breezes to flow through the building, enhancing the outdoor feel.

Now, to address your question, I turned to Mark Williams, director of sports and entertainment business development for HKS, which designed the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, as well as AT&T Stadium for the Dallas Cowboys, and Lucas Oil Stadium for the Indianapolis Colts.

In the future, will every team call a dome home?

“It’s an interesting situation because on one hand, people love to experience football outdoors,” Williams said. “But when you say that, the other thing that these venues are becoming more and more is a place to hold more than 10 football games a year. They need to work at different scales, different configurations, different capacities and different event types. They should be used for 365 days a year, so you need some level of assurance for climate.

“So what we did for Mr. Kroenke is a great example. That’s the first 3-million-square-foot, indoor-outdoor venue in the NFL. The beautiful roof helps provide assurance for certain events, but then the breezes, the natural air is still coming through the sides. So I think it’s evolving into a more sophisticated environment, whether that’s movable pieces or openness of outside and inside, that’s the direction it’s all moving.”

::

When a kickoff goes into the receiving team’s end zone, why can’t a kicking team recover the ball as an onside kick? That’s exactly what happened when I was at a high school game over 70 years ago. I see many games when the ball goes into the end zone and the receiver doesn’t bother covering it an the official calls a dead ball?

Milt Miller, Encino

Farmer: That’s a recent rules adjustment that further encourages touchbacks in an effort to make the game safer.

Basically, as soon as a kickoff hits or crosses the goal line, touching the ground, it’s dead and doesn’t need to be downed by the receiving team. It used to be that way just for punts, but now it’s in place for kicks too. The rule reads: “It is a touchback if the ball is dead on or behind the goal line a team is defending, provided that the impetus comes from an opponent, and that it is not a touchdown or an incomplete pass.”

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The dedication Saturday of an intersection in Tujunga to Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Saroyan, who wrote extensively about the Armenian immigrant experience in California, sparked controversy between some in the community who claimed it would overshadow the corner’s existing historical significance and others who believed the opposition was grounded in discrimination.

After the Los Angeles City Council voted earlier this month to designate William Saroyan Square with a plaque at the crossing of Commerce Avenue and Valmont Street, the local neighborhood council shot back with a statement calling the placement inappropriate. The dedication took place at 4 p.m. Saturday and drew a large crowd.

The designated area is adjacent to Bolton Hall, a historic stone building erected in 1913 that was originally used as a community center for a local utopian community. It has since been used as an American Legion hall, a public library, Tujunga City Hall and a jail and is now a local history museum.

“It’s the location, that is what people are opposed to,” said Liliana Sanchez, president of the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council. “It’s the historical significance of that intersection. No signage should be placed there.”

It is also an intersection that has hosted several Armenian cultural events, according to Los Angeles City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who spearheaded the initiative.

Saturday’s dedication ceremony was scheduled to coincide with the annual Sunland-Tujunga Armenian Cultural Festival, which is held along Commerce Avenue.

Born in Fresno in 1908, the Armenian American novelist, playwright and short story writer won the Pulitzer in 1940 for his play “The Time of Your Life,” and in 1944 won an Academy Award for the film adaption of his novel “The Human Comedy.”

“I consider myself an Armenian writer,” Saroyan once said. “The words I use are in English, the surroundings I write about are American, but the soul, which makes me write, is Armenian.”

Southern California is home to the largest Armenian community outside of Armenia. More than 200,000 people of Armenian descent live in Los Angeles County, with the largest concentration in the Glendale, Burbank, Sunland and Tujunga areas, according to U.S. census data.

Rodriguez, who represents the Tujunga area along with neighborhoods including La Tuna Canyon, Sylmar, Pacoima and North Hills, said she was disappointed by the opposition to the Saroyan dedication.

“It’s unfortunate that more people aren’t taking this opportunity to embrace the diversity of our community,” she said.

One longtime resident, Robin Jodi, said she opposed the dedication because Saroyan does not have a connection to the area. It was a sentiment echoed by others in their written public comments.

But Rodriguez and others noted that Bolton Hall was named after an Ireland-born author and activist who also had no connection to the immediate area.

“[Saroyan] is a true Californian, the son of immigrants and an inspiration to us all,” Vic Aghakhanian, another longtime resident, wrote in a public comment. “I believe it is time for our community to embrace multiculturalism and appreciation of our diversity.”

Jodi defended her stance.

“It’s a welcoming community. It’s a diverse community,” she said, but Saroyan “never visited here. He has nothing to do with here.”

A similar debate unfolded in Glendale last year, when the City Council voted to change the name of a two-block portion of Maryland Avenue downtown to Artsakh Street, after the Republic of Artsakh, a disputed territory between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Some opponents of the name change said the contested area had nothing to do with Glendale’s history. Several business owners argued that the renaming could hurt them economically.

Supporters argued that it was long overdue for Glendale to have a street named to honor the city’s large Armenian American community.

Sanchez and Jodi both said they felt community input about the Saroyan dedication was limited.

“We weren’t given a voice,” Sanchez said.

Members of the public were invited to submit written comments after the motion was introduced on Sept. 11, Rodriguez said. Residents were also allowed to speak when the item was considered during a public works meeting on Sept. 18.

It’s the same procedure Rodriguez said she has followed for the three other dedications she’s initiated within her district. Sanchez said she took issue with the fact that additional oral comments were not permitted during the regular L.A. City Council meeting when the dedication was approved unanimously.

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By the time the motion was voted on, about 240 public comments had been submitted — more than for any other issue the council has worked on during Rodriguez’s two-year tenure, as far as she can remember.

The majority were in support of the dedication, she said. “Among all the issues that I’m working on, homelessness and everything else, [additional community meetings] would be excessive,” Rodriguez said.

Seidman writes for Times Community News