WASHINGTON — 

President Trump’s former top advisor for Russian and European affairs arrived Thursday on Capitol Hill to testify to House impeachment investigators, a day after leaving his job at the White House.

Tim Morrison, the first White House political appointee to testify, didn’t respond to reporters’ questions about his testimony, which takes place behind closed doors, but his information might be central to a push to remove the president from office.

Morrison, who served on the National Security Council, stepped down from that post Wednesday, and a senior administration official said he “decided to pursue other opportunities.” The official, who was not authorized to discuss Morrison’s job and spoke only on the condition of anonymity, said Morrison has been considering leaving the administration for “some time.”

He has been in the spotlight since August, when a government whistleblower said multiple U.S. officials had said Trump was “using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election.”

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Morrison will be asked to explain that “sinking feeling” he got when Trump demanded that Ukraine’s president investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and meddling in the 2016 election.

Morrison was brought on board by then-national security advisor John Bolton to address arms control matters and later shifted into his current role as a top Russia and Europe advisor. It was there that he stepped into the thick of an in-house squabble about the activities of Trump’s personal attorney Rudolph W. Giuliani, who had been conversing with Ukrainian leaders outside traditional U.S. diplomatic circles.

Known as a hawk in national security circles, Morrison is the first political appointee from the White House to testify before impeachment investigators. The probe has been denounced by the Republican president, who has directed his staff not to testify.

Regardless of what Morrison says, GOP lawmakers will be hard-pressed to dismiss Morrison, formerly a longtime Republican staffer at the House Armed Services Committee. He’s been bouncing around Washington in Republican positions for two decades, having worked for Rep. Mark Kennedy, R-Minn., Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and as a GOP senior staffer on the House Armed Services Committee, including nearly four years when it was chaired by Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas.

Morrison’s name appeared more than a dozen times in earlier testimony by William Taylor, the acting U.S. ambassador in Ukraine, who told impeachment investigators that Trump was withholding military aid unless the new Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, went public with a promise to investigate Trump’s political rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Taylor’s testimony contradicts Trump’s repeated denials that there was any quid pro quo.

Taylor said Morrison recounted a conversation that Gordon Sondland, America’s ambassador to the European Union, had with a top aide to Zelenskiy named Andriy Yermak. Taylor said Morrison told him security assistance would not materialize until Zelenskiy committed to investigate Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company that once employed Biden’s son. A White House meeting for Zelenskiy also was in play.

“I was alarmed by what Mr. Morrison told me about the Sondland-Yermak conversation,” Taylor testified. “This was the first time I had heard that the security assistance — not just the White House meeting — was conditioned on the investigations.”

Taylor testified that Morrison told him he had a “sinking feeling” after learning about a Sept. 7 conversation Sondland had with Trump.

“According to Mr. Morrison, President Trump told Ambassador Sondland that he was not asking for a quid pro quo,” Taylor testified. “But President Trump did insist that President Zelenskiy go to a microphone and say he is opening investigations of Biden and 2016 election interference, and that President Zelenskiy should want to do this himself. Mr. Morrison said that he told Ambassador Bolton and the NSC lawyers of this phone call between President Trump and Ambassador Sondland.”

Morrison told people after Bolton was forced out of his job that the national security adviser had tried to stop Giuliani’s diplomatic dealings with Ukraine and that Morrison agreed, according to a U.S. official, who was not authorized to discuss Morrison’s role in the impeachment inquiry and spoke only on condition of anonymity. The official said Morrison told people that with the appointment of Robert O’Brien as Bolton’s successor, his own future work at the NSC was in a “holding pattern.”

Bolton had brought Morrison into the NSC in July 2018 as senior director for weapons of mass destruction and biodefence. He’s known as an arms control expert or an arms treaty saboteur, depending on who you ask.

Morrison, who earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and a law degree from George Washington University, keeps nuclear strategist Herman Kahn’s seminal volume on thermonuclear warfare on a table in his office.

Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, said Bolton and Morrison are likeminded. Kimball said both have been known for calling up GOP congressional offices warning them against saying anything about arms control that didn’t align with their views.

“Just as John Bolton reportedly did, I would be shocked if Morrison did not regard Giuliani’s activities as being out of bounds,” said Kimball, who has been on opposite sides of arms control debates with Morrison for more than a decade.

Drew Doughty was unequivocal on Tuesday afternoon, the Kings’ veteran defenseman’s faith unwavering even in the wake of a sudden losing skid that felt eerily similar to those that sunk the team last season.

“I know that we’re a better team than we were last year,” Doughty said. “There’s no doubt about that.”

The Kings’ performance Wednesday night, however, was less convincing. In a 5-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks at Staples Center, they were outshot by a season-worst 49-24, surrendered a season-most four power-play goals and dropped a season-high fourth game in a row.

“It affects the whole team,” coach Todd McLellan said of the repeated penalty kills. “It takes guys out of the play. The momentum goes away, or you never get a chance to gain it. You’re either killing or you’re getting scored on.”

Where complacency took hold last season — leading to a last-place finish in the Western Conference and losing streaks of six, four and 10 games — McLellan this week tried to light a competitive fire under his squad after three consecutive defeats at the end of last week’s trip.

The first-year bench boss inserted rookie forward Carl Grundstrom, recalled this week from the minors, into a newlook top line alongside Jeff Carter and Anze Kopitar. Tyler Toffoli was a healthy scratch, snapping a streak of 207 consecutive appearances (which had been the 20th-longest active such streak in the league). Defenseman Joakim Ryan was replaced with Kurtis MacDermid.

The message: The Kings are willing to make changes in search of results. Their players understand the new standards.

“Last year, the frustrating thing was, early in the season everyone was saying, ‘Oh, it will turn around. It will turn around. It’s going to come.’ It just never turned around,” Doughty said. “This year … it’s about making it turn around. I think that’s what our focus is in here. We’re a lot more confident in this team this year than we were last year.”

They looked so early Wednesday, striking first after Kopitar (who recorded his 900th career point) set up Carter (who scored twice) in front of the Canucks goal for a backhanded finish.

But then the Kings’ parade to the penalty box began.

They took four minor penalties in the opening period, leading to two Canucks goals from Brock Boeser (a sharp-angle shot) and Bo Horvat (a deflected point shot). In the second and third, they took two more — both of which the Canucks capitalized on.

“We took two or three penalties tonight that were unnecessary,” McLellan said. “They didn’t prevent goals, they didn’t affect the play at all.

As a result, the penalty kill goes to work and it’s been very poor, tonight especially … Certainly not of NHL standards.”

Adrian Kempe scored a power-play goal to tie the game at 2-2 in the second before Boeser got behind the Kings’ defense on a partial line change later in the period and lifted a backhanded deke past goalie Jonathan Quick’s blocker for a go-ahead goal.

Boeser scored again 55 seconds into the third — the Canucks’ third power-play goal — after his centering pass deflected off Doughty’s skate and into the net for his third career hat trick.

Elias Pettersson sniped Quick on the man-advantage later in the period, dropping the Kings’ season-long penalty kill success rate to 68.8%.

“Let’s face it, if we gave up one penalty-kill goal tonight, we’d maybe be talking about a different story,” McLellan said. “We can talk about lines and combinations and sitting guys out and all that [but] the penalty kill is the story.”

The Kings will end the season’s opening month with only eight points in 13 games, stuck in last place in the Western Conference.

Already, vultures are beginning to circle (Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion and more than 20 other league scouts and executives were listed as Staples Center attendees Wednesday). The promise of the season’s early weeks is fading fast. Yet, their search for answers continues.

“We dropped three in a row [before tonight],” Kopitar said. “So you know changes are going to happen.”

Tracking UCLA’s highlights on Wednesday night involved following the floppy hair.

It belonged to Tyger Campbell, the dreadlock-wearing point guard who was in the midst of almost everything the Bruins did well in their only exhibition game.

He threw a lob to Jalen Hill for a dunk, found Prince Ali for a three-pointer and made a bounce pass to Alex Olesinski for a layup. And that was just on his team’s first three baskets.

Campbell made coach Mick Cronin a winner in his debut inside Pauley Pavilion, the redshirt freshman carrying the Bruins to an 87-57 victory over Stanislaus State a week before their season opener.

Campbell finished with 14 points, 11 assists and two steals in 27 minutes in his long-awaited introduction to the home fans after sitting out last season because of torn knee ligaments.

“I’ve been itching to get back out there, and obviously tonight I just felt great out there,” said Campbell, who received a loud ovation from the crowd of 3,221 after departing the game shortly after throwing his fourth alley-oop pass, which Jaime Jaquez Jr. grabbed for a layup.

The Bruins got a scare midway through the second half when Ali hurt his right ankle and hobbled around for a few seconds while grimacing before motioning to the bench that he needed to come out. Cronin said Ali did not break the ankle, but he did not have any further information on the severity of the injury.

One of the first things Cronin mentioned was his team’s 44 deflections, calling it “a UCLA stat now” that he will closely track each game. He said teams that collect at least 40 deflections win 95% of those games.

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“It’s the greatest single indicator of your defensive effort,” Cronin said, referring to a statistic that includes tipped passes, blocked shots and recovered loose balls.

UCLA’s offense hinged almost exclusively on Campbell in the early going. He was involved in his team’s first 11 points via assist or scoring (including two Jules Bernard free throws that came as a result of taking a pass from Campbell on a fast break).

The Bruins struggled to generate offense when Campbell went to the bench and fell behind by as many as as four points in the first half before running off 11 consecutive points to take control.

Campbell showed that he could do more than pass, tipping a Stanislaus State entry pass to himself for a steal and scoring on a variety of moves. He used a nifty ball fake to elude a defender before whirling for a short jumper, buried an open three-pointer and made a floater at the halftime buzzer that earned him a celebratory body bump with Hill.

Chris Smith, continuing to search for an identity after two inconsistent seasons, scored 13 points, grabbed nine rebounds and made nine deflections.

“I told him if I had his size and athleticism,” Cronin said of the 6-foot-9 guard, “my identity would be deflections, defense, blocked shots, rebounds. … He’s really trying to embrace that.”

Hill, Riley and Jaquez each added 11 points for the Bruins, who used 11 players even before Cronin emptied his bench in the final minutes against Stanislaus State, a Division II team from Turlock, Calif. Cronin said that would likely be his rotation once the season starts against Long Beach State on Nov. 6 at home.

“Everybody that subs in,” Smith said, “is just as good or even better than the starters.”

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we circle around one more time on those in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Distaff.

As usual this Breeders’ Cup week, there’s a lot to get to. But first, in Wednesday’s newsletter, I failed to mention we had a story on the 10-year anniversary of Zenyatta’s win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. In the story, I talk to John Shirreffs, Mike Smith, Trevor Denman and Jon White. You can read it here. You can watch the race here.

And, Thursday, we met up with Richard Mandella to talk about Omaha Beach’s hopes to win the Dirt Mile and put him in position for 3-year-old horse of the year. You can read it here.

On to the notes.

Breeders’ Cup notes

As we’ve done every day this week, we called up on the Breeders’ Cup notes team to update us on horses in the big races. Many thanks to them. This is an edited version of their report.

Classic

Code of Honor – He jogged for a while Wednesday morning, then galloped 1 ½ miles for exercise rider Lexi Pradun. Rider and horse returned to the barn area through the paddock and returned to the paddock in mid-morning for more schooling.

“It looks like to me that he gets over [the track] fine,” trainer Shug McGaughey said. “I asked Lexi too and she said fine. She took hold of him the whole way. I can’t worry about the track. … There are two really major races in the United States that I haven’t won, the Preakness and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. I’ve been close in both of them, so they’re both on my list. I hope that maybe this year we can get the one behind us.”

Elate/Yoshida – Elate and stablemate Yoshida both galloped Wednesday and went through the paddock with exercise rider Juan Quintero aboard each. “We’re throwing [Elate] in deep water,” said trainer Bill Mott. We seldom run the fillies against the colts unless we think we’ve got a top-class horse and one that would fit the race. I think she fits the conditions of the race very well and she’s proven it. Of course, we’re running against good competition so she still has to run her very best race to compete.”

Higher Power – Higher Power galloped and stood in the gate Wednesday, coming to the track around 6:30 a.m. along with stablemate Ollie’s Candy. “It’s an interesting field, it’s probably a great gambling race this year because you could take a lot of horses and say they have a pretty good chance,” trainer John Sadler said. “There are a lot question marks on all of them. With Higher Power, can he repeat that performance that he had at Del Mar and do it again? Because he’s got that one. But he has to do it again. Can McKinzie go a mile and a quarter? That’s another one. Then, how do the 3-year-olds stack up against the olders? So, there are a lot of angles you can look at. [Elate] looks like she wants that distance, she’s also a Medaglia d’Oro. That’s another fascinating look at that race.”

Math Wizard – The Pennsylvania Derby winner jogged once around the Santa Anita track under assistant trainer Sabine Langvad Wednesday, the morning after arriving from South Florida. “He got in late last night,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “He got in around 10 [p.m.]. His flight was delayed because of weather. He ate well. He traveled well. He likes to travel. Whenever he travels, he wakes up when he gets there.”

McKinzie – On Wednesday morning, McKinzie jogged a mile under exercise rider Humberto Gomez.

Mongolian Groom – Trainer Enebish Ganbat sent the 4-year-old gelding for his morning exercise Wednesday and morning and had rider Jesse Cardenas jog him a mile then gallop a half-mile. “I want to do exactly what I did before the Awesome Again,” Ganbat said.

Owendale – Owendale made his presence felt Wednesday, his first morning to gallop at Santa Anita since arriving Tuesday from Kentucky and his confidence carried over to his trainer Brad Cox. “He’s moving as well as he can move, looks as well as he can look,” Cox said. “It’s a step up from the Oklahoma Derby, but’s a nice horse going the right way at the right time. He hasn’t run a bad race all year. Once he took off this spring, when he won the Lexington, that was his coming out party. It showed he can run with the big horses. His training has been the exact same all year. He’s a very consistent horse and keeps getting better.”

Seeking the Soul – Seeking the Soul followed his usual routine of galloping 1 ½ miles before daylight and continues to “train beautifully,” according to his trainer Dallas Stewart.

Vino Rosso – He galloped 1 3/8 miles and stood in the starting gate at Santa Anita Wednesday morning. “He’s doing great,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He showed a lot of energy going on and off the track.”

War of Will – Trainer Mark Casse is always encouraged when War of Will gets to bucking on the track. He threw in one of his playful jumps while galloping along with stablemate Got Stormy on Wednesday morning. “He needs to come with his Derby race [on Saturday],” Casse said. “Everything we’ve kind of done up to this now has been looking at how we did the Kentucky Derby. I think he came with his ‘A’ game in the Kentucky Derby. Probably a B-plus game in the Preakness. Our feeling is he’s older, he’s more mature now and why not. If he comes with his big race, then everyone will know he’s there.”

Distaff

Blue Prize – She galloped 1 3/8 miles under exercise rider Hiram Rosario on Wednesday morning as she continued her preparations. “These Grade 1s are always tough and it is the same this year with five, six, seven Grade 1 winners in there,” trainer Ignacio Correas IV said. “Last year it was Monomoy Girl and this year it is Midnight Bisou. You try to be competitive going into these races and I feel very good about my horse. But there are other people that feel good, too; another 10 people.”

Dunbar Road – On Wednesday morning, the Alabama winner left Barn 48 with stablemates Sistercharlie and Bricks and Mortar and proceeded to gallop an easy 1¼ miles over the main track. “In the Spinster she didn’t get a good trip,” trainer Chad Brown said. “She was stuck on a dead rail and closer to the pace than she normally is. It just wasn’t good. If she could have been a little further back and got a clear trip, she could have won the race. If she gets a cleaner trip, I expect a much better effort this time.”

La Force – Trainer Paddy Gallagher had La Force on the track early today for a 1 ½ mile gallop as she readies for what likely will be her final start. As usual, regular rider Caesar Garcia was aboard. This will be the third Breeders’ Cup appearance for La Force.

Midnight Bisou – Midnight Bisou galloped an easy 1 ¼ miles with Angel Garcia aboard, according to trainer Steve Asmussen’s assistant Scott Blasi. “[Jockey] Mike [Smith] rides her every day and has a tremendous amount of confidence in her, so however the pace goes, he’s the one riding,” Blasi said. “Coming into the race, she gets pretty sharp. She knows it’s game time, now. Like most good horses, they get into that routine. They know what you’re doing with them and she knows she’s running this week.”

Mo See Cal – Mo See Cal galloped 1 mile at San Luis Rey Downs on Wednesday morning before arriving at Santa Anita Park around 10 a.m. “She’s doing great,” trainer Peter Miller said from San Luis Rey. “She galloped today and arrived there this morning.”

Ollie’s Candy — Ollie’s Candy came to the track around 6:30 a.m. with stablemate Higher Power on Wednesday, putting in a gallop and standing in the gate while under the guidance of exercise rider Juan Leyva. “She was good before I got her and she ran a really nice race at Del Mar last time out in the Clement Hirsch,” trainer John Sadler said. “She won a stakes here at 3, she won the Summertime Oaks, so I think she ought to be highly competitive. She’s training very well for this race.”

Paradise Woods – In her second spin around the Santa Anita main track Wednesday, she seemed much more settled under exercise rider Cisco Alvarado. “There was a lot of traffic this morning so the first time around, she pulls. But the second time, she relaxes,” trainer John Shirreffs said.

Secret Spice – Trainer Richard Baltas supervised his stakes-winning filly Secret Spice as she schooled in the starting gate, then galloped 1 ¼ miles over the main track under exercise rider Sarafin Carmona.

Serengeti Empress –Serengeti Empress got her first feel for the main track at Santa Anita Wednesday morning, jogging under exercise rider William Chavez for trainer Tom Amoss.

Street Band – Street Band, making her first appearance on the Santa Anita track Wednesday, schooled in the gate and galloped 1 ½ mile with trainer and co-owner Larry Jones on board. She also schooled in the paddock. “She got a little antsy in the paddock, but that’s just her,” Jones said. “She galloped nicely and was perfect in the gate.”

Wow Cat – Wow Cat went to the Santa Anita Park main track with fellow Chad Brown trainees Thais and Uni and galloped 1¼ miles. “She’s training well and is coming into the race well,” Brown said. “This year we’re hoping for a good trip with her.”

Santa Anita preview

It’s not quite the lead-in card to the Breeders’ Cup you would hope for, but it is what it is. There are nine races starting at 1 p.m. There are three turf races, with a rail set at 20 feet. Expect zero feet on Friday and Saturday. There are five races for 2-year-olds.

The feature is the $70,000 Lure Stakes for horses going a mil eon the turf. There are actually some decent horses in the race who are used to racing in bigger stakes. The favorite, at 5-2, is Restrainedvengence for trainer Val Brinkerhoff and jockey Martin Garcia. He was second last out in the Grade 2 City of Hope Stakes and won the Rolling Green Handicap at Golden Gate the start before that. He is four-of-17 lifetime and one for five this year.

River Boyne is the second favorite at 7-2. He is trained by Jeff Mullins and will be ridden by Frankie Dettori. He is a strong seven-of-19 lifetime but is winless in five tries this year. He was 11thin the City og Hope last out but finished second in the Shoemaker Mile the start before that. Post time is about 4:35 p.m.

Here are the field sizes, in order: 9, 6, 7, 6, 8, 8, 8, 9, 10.

Ciaran Thornton’s SA pick of the day

RACE ONE: No. 3 Impossible Task (6-1)

Impossible Task was one of those rare Doug O’Neill horses that did not win at Del Mar. Last out in August, John Sadler claimed the horse and now Joel Rosario rides for Hronis racing. That’s a potent team. We see some sharp works since that last race. 6-1 is great value. Sadler removes the blinkers Thursday and he is 22% for a profit on this move. The horse was also gelded since that last race and is protected today Lots to like here.

Sunday’s result: K P All Systems Go was bet down to 5/2 at post time. For the second race in a row Mike Smith had the winning horse sitting back in Del Mar into the turn before uncorking yet another late move to finish second. Those are the rides that drive horseplayers mad! K P paid $3.40 for place.

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

Golden Gate weekend preview

Here’s our weekly look at the best racing going on at Golden Gate Fields. As with the last meeting, we’re delighted to have race caller and all-around good guy Matt Dinerman as our host for previews and other musings. So, take it away, Matt.

“Our Thursday and Sunday race cards begin at our usual 12:45 p.m. post times, while Friday’s nine-race card starts at 12:10 p.m. and Saturday’s at 11:30 a.m.

“Our feature on Saturday is a new stake, the Joseph T. Grace Stakes on turf for 3-year-olds and up. The marquee race of the week is led by Grecian Fire, who won the Grade 3 All American Stakes over this track in late May and won the California Dreamin’ Handicap at Del Mar this summer. Willam Antongeorgi III, who is currently in a three-way tie atop the jockey standings, has the call. Others figuring to get support are Mugaritz, coming off a win in the Bulldog Stakes at Fresno, his stablemate Sixes and the stakes performers Builder and Camino Del Paraiso. Nine runners are entered the 1 1/16-mile race.

“No Stronach 5 wager this Friday, but there are plenty of interesting races. The feature is the eighth, an allowance for fillies and mares sprinting on the Tapeta. Your likely favorite is recent California-bred maiden special weight winner Miss Megan, who broke her maiden at Del Mar by double digit lengths. Andy Mathis trains the daughter of Richard’s Kid, whose main competition includes Southern California shipper Stirred from the Michael McCarthy barn, the Steve Miyadi trained Ruby Bradley and Sweet Rafaela from the Isidro Tamayo barn.

“Speaking of Isidro, congratulations to the 33-year-old conditioner for picking up his first career hat trick on Friday afternoon. Tamayo won the second race with Mr. Q, the third with Passionate Reward and the nightcap with Conquest Sabre Cat. He’s an up and coming trainer that folks should pay attention to. He does a terrific job with his string of 47 horses.

“Lastly, good luck to trainer Blaine Wright, who saddles Anneau D’Or in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Saturday. Owned by Peter Redekop, the son of Medaglia D’Oro has raced just once, resulting in an eight-length win against maidens on turf at Golden Gate. Juan Hernandez retains the mount on the $480,000 purchase, who is out of the Tapit mare and Grade 3 winner Walk Close. Santa Anita morning line maker Jon White has installed Anneau D’Or as the 15-1 morning line fifth choice.

“We’re taking a shot,” Wright said. “He’s a very talented horse and he’s doing great.”

Final thought

If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter you can click here and sign up. Remember, it’s free, and all we need is your email, nothing more. Tell your friends, or even people you don’t like that much.

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

Now, the star of the show, Thursday’s entries.

Santa Anita Entries for Thursday, October 31.

Santa Anita, Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California. 20th day of a 23-day meet.

FIRST RACE.

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

SECOND RACE.

1 Mile. Purse: $50,000. Maiden Special Weight. Fillies. 2 year olds.

Click Here: collingwood magpies 2019 training guernsey

THIRD RACE.

7 Furlongs. Purse: $28,000. Maiden Claiming. 2 year olds. Claiming Price $50,000. State bred.

FOURTH RACE.

1 Mile. Purse: $31,000. Starter Optional Claiming. 2 year olds. Claiming Price $40,000.

FIFTH RACE.

1 Mile Turf. Purse: $32,000. Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $32,000.

SIXTH RACE.

1 Mile. Purse: $21,000. Maiden Claiming. Fillies. 2 year olds. Claiming Price $30,000.

SEVENTH RACE.

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

EIGHTH RACE.

1 Mile Turf. Purse: $70,000. ‘Lure Stakes (R)’. 3 year olds and up.

NINTH RACE.

6 Furlongs. Purse: $15,000. Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $12,500.

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. It’s one of the most important days of the year, so let’s focus on real-world issues: Which Halloween candy is the best?

HALLOWEEN

If you’re like me (and if you are, I’m very, very sorry), then Halloween was a mixed bag. I’m allergic to chocolate and can have maybe one chocolate bar before I get even puffier than normal and have to rush to the emergency room. Most people, however, love to give out chocolate on Halloween. So, when I would empty my bag, there was about 75% of it I couldn’t eat. So if you are giving out Halloween candy tonight, let me suggest this: give the kids two candies, one chocolate and one non-chocolate. Everyone wins! and if you aren’t sure what non-chocolate candy to give, here is the list that my 10-year-old self would have presented to you:

1. Now and Later

2. Skittles

3. Starburst

4. Smarties

5. Jolly Ranchers

6. Charms Blow Pops

7. Nerds

8. SweeTarts

9. Lemonheads

10. Shocktarts

Please, no Circus Peanuts or Swedish Fish. Those were made near the gates of hell and should never be given out. And if you are one of those people who gives out a pencil and a tiny notebook, then you have made a series of wrong choices in life and I will pray for you.

If you are wondering what my Halloween costume is, I’m dressing as a Dodger. That way I don’t have to worry about a gaudy World Series ring weighing me down when I lift up my bag.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled newsletter.

WORLD SERIES

Hey, it looks like Astros manager A.J. Hinch gets bullpen advice from his good friend Dave Roberts, because he left Gerrit Cole in the bullpen and went with Will Harris in a crucial situation in Game 7, and it cost his team dearly.

For the last five months, the Washington Nationals, baseball’s greatest underachievers at their nadir in late May, thrived when left for dead. They roared back from 12 games under .500 to claim a postseason berth. They won the National League wild-card game on a fluky late-inning hit and error. They stunned the 106-win Dodgers in an NL Division Series and they plowed through the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Championship Series.

But those conquests did not compare to the stakes presented Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park. They were nine outs from losing Game 7 of the World Series. The Houston Astros, the 107-win machine pushed to the brink, held a two-run lead. The deficit felt insurmountable with Zack Greinke on the mound and the weapons at the Astros’ disposal behind him. He was dealing. For the first six innings, the Nationals did not stand a chance.

But the Nationals, a group seasoned in anxiety, did not wither. Anthony Rendon, the Houston native wreaking havoc at home, homered against Greinke to draw blood. Juan Soto, the 21-year-old wunderkind, walked. The free pass prompted manager Hinch to replace Greinke with Will Harris, and initiate the next step in the Astros’ demise.

Two pitches later, Howie Kendrick, the man who ended the Dodgers’ season with a grand slam before being selected NLCS most valuable player, slashed a two-run home run off the screen on the right-field foul pole to complete the Nationals’ final, and greatest, comeback en route to a 6-2 victory and the first World Series title in franchise history.

The Astros were denied their second championship in three years as the road team won each of the seven games of a Series for the first time. The Nationals, the oldest team in the majors, concluded the postseason 5-0 in elimination games.

WORLD SERIES SCHEDULE

All times Pacific. All games on Fox.

Game 1: Washington 5, at Houston 4

Game 2: Washington 12, at Houston 3

Game 3: Houston 4, at Washington 1

Game 4: Houston 8, at Washington 1

Game 5: Houston 7, at Washington 1

Game 6: Washington 7, at Houston 2

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Game 7: Washington 6, at Houston 2

RON FAIRLY

Ron Fairly, the reliable, red-haired outfielder and first baseman who spent more than five decades in baseball —21 years as a player, first with the Dodgers and lastly with the Angels, and 30 more as a broadcaster— died Wednesday in Indian Wells, Calif., after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 81.

A graduate of Long Beach Jordan High School and a former USC standout, Fairly played his first 11 ½ years (1958-69) in the big leagues with the Dodgers, helping the team to three World Series championships, and he closed his playing career with the Angels in 1978.

“The worst day in a baseball uniform,” Fairly wrote in a 2018 memoir that he co-authored with former Times sportswriter Steve Springer, “was better than the best day I could have had in any other career.”

CLIPPERS

With Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard still in California, missing the first of what is expected to be several games this season for precautionary reasons, his team struggled to create their own shots and stop Utah’s in a 110-96 loss at Vivint Smart Home Arena.

For the Clippers (3-2), there will be many more nights like this, where they play shorthanded.

In their attempt to ensure the healthiest roster possible by the postseason’s start, the team’s “load management” will not stop with Leonard.

“All year, we’re going to rest a lot of guys,” coach Doc Rivers said.

They can only hope they won’t all end like this.

Read more

Arash Markazi: Here’s why Arnold Schwarzenegger says Kawhi Leonard could have a future in Hollywood

Kawhi Leonard’s stunning improvement as a playmaker still shocks NBA coaches

LAKERS

Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma, who had a second straight good workout on Wednesday, will be monitored by the team after Thursday’s practice to see how his health is before a decision is made on whether he’ll play Friday night at the Dallas Mavericks.

The Lakers hope that Kuzma doesn’t have any setbacks after practice before they leave for a three-game trip to Dallas, San Antonio and Chicago, and that the forward can play in one of those games.

NBA

The Golden State Warriors announced Stephen Curry has a broken left hand, an injury he suffered in the team’s third blowout loss this season.

During the Warriors’ 121-110 loss to the Suns in San Francisco, Curry fell between two Phoenix defenders and had his left hand rolled underneath Aron Baynes’ body once he hit the ground.

Curry, a two-time Most Valuable Player, could need surgery on the hand pending further testing. His timetable for a return is unknown.

KINGS

In a 5-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks at Staples Center, the Kings were outshot by a season-worst 49-24, surrendered a season-most four power-play goals, converted just one of their six man advantages, and dropped a season-high fourth game in a row.

Over their first dozen contests, the Kings’ limitations were revealed. Despite gaudy shot and scoring-chance metrics, they struggle to convert their opportunities into goals. Their goaltending was inconsistent, if not unreliable. Most of all, their power play and penalty kill were worrisome works-in-progress.

But where complacency took hold last season – leading to a last-place finish in the Western Conference and losing streaks of six, four and 10 games – coach Todd McLellan this week tried to light a competitive fire under his squad.

The first-year bench boss inserted rookie forward Carl Grundstrom, who was recalled this week from the minors, into a new-look top line alongside Jeff Carter and Anze Kopitar. He healthy-scratched veteran Tyler Toffoli, snapping the forward’s streak of 207 consecutive appearances (which had been the 20th-longest active such streak in the league). He replaced defenseman Joakim Ryan with Kurtis MacDermid.

The message: The Kings are willing to make changes in search of results. Their players understand the new standards.

“Last year, the frustrating thing was, early in the season everyone was saying, ‘Oh, it will turn around. It will turn around. It’s going to come.’ It just never turned around,” Drew Doughty said. “This year … it’s about making it turn around. I think that’s what our focus is in here. We’re a lot more confident in this team this year than we were last year.”

UCLA FOOTBALL

Protecting his body wasn’t high on the list of priorities as UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson took off running last weekend with his team holding a 32-point lead against Arizona State.

There was still nearly a full quarter to be played and more points to be sought.

“I mean, our goal is to try and score, keep the score going and stuff like that,” Thompson-Robinson said Wednesday, “so that was what my focus was on, was getting a touchdown.”

Coach Chip Kelly would have preferred that his quarterback slid on the grass rather than exposing himself to a hit that resulted in his second knee injury of the season, but everything turned out just fine. UCLA held on for a 42-32 victory after Thompson-Robinson departed the game and he’s expected to start as usual Saturday evening when the Bruins (3-5 overall, 3-2 Pac-12 Conference) face Colorado (3-5, 1-4) at the Rose Bowl.

Thompson-Robinson has practiced all week with a brace over his left knee but doesn’t expect it to be a hindrance against the Buffaloes considering he also wore it against Stanford and ran for a career-high 66 yards.

Having Thompson-Robinson available is a big relief for the Bruins given his improved play over the last month. He’s completed 61.7% of his passes in conference games this season as opposed to 54.0% in nonconference games.

USC FOOTBALL

USC’s Christian Rector thought being on the field was the best way he could help his team. A talk with his coaches convinced the senior defensive end otherwise.

“I just feel like I was hurting myself trying to fight through injury,” said Rector, who sat out USC’s last two games because of a high-ankle sprain. “I just wasn’t helping out the team.”

After coaches convinced him to rest for two weeks and recover fully, Rector is in position to do what he always wanted. The Pasadena native said after practice Wednesday that he’s feeling 100% healthy.

USC plays No. 7 Oregon on Saturday at the Coliseum.

Read more

USC vs. Oregon offers a rare on-field battle for competitive Pittman brothers

CHARGERS

In opening the season 3-5, the Chargers at times have been accused of lacking urgency.

The same cannot be said this week of coach Anthony Lynn, who Monday fired Ken Whisenhunt as offensive coordinator.

“I just felt like it was time,” Lynn said Wednesday. “If I was eventually going to do it, why not just do it right now? We have eight weeks left in this season, and we still have everything in front of us that we want.”

Whisenhunt was in his fifth season overall and fourth in a row guiding the team’s offense.

He was let go after the Chargers made it four consecutive weeks of being unable to run the ball, produce big plays or consistently reach the end zone.

In a 17-16 victory Sunday at Chicago, the offense didn’t pick up a first down until early in the second quarter. It took more than 10 minutes for a second first down to be achieved.

Starting Sunday against Green Bay, Shane Steichen will take over calling plays. He has been the Chargers quarterback coach since 2016, but this will be his first experience as a play caller.

At 34, he’s three years younger than quarterback Philip Rivers, though Lynn is convinced Steichen is ready for the promotion.

“He’s young,” Lynn said. “He’s innovative. He has a lot of juice. I think the players are going to respond to Shane. He’s a good communicator. I’m just looking forward to seeing him do his job.”

YOUR FAVORITE SPORTS MOMENT

What is your all-time favorite local sports moment? Email me at [email protected] and tell me what it is and why and it could appear in a future daily sports newsletter or Morning Briefing.

This moment comes from Bob Oppermann of Sylmar:

Sept. 27, 1973, was going to be a big night for me! Nolan Ryan was pitching for the Angels, and if all went well, he would set the single-season strikeout record. And in honor of the occasion, the game was even going to be televised! This was going to be a big night for a 15-year-old Angels fan!

But then Dad stepped in and ruined my plans. He said that he had to make an emergency service call in Santa Ana. Somebody’s chairlift had broken and he was going to need help lifting the unit. He was only going to need my help for a minute, but he wouldn’t be able to do it without me. (He was only going to need me for a minute, but my entire night was going to be ruined is how I saw it!) I looked pleadingly at my Mom, begging her to let Dad know how important this night was! She just shrugged and gave me a look that said, “Sorry, I can’t help. You need to help your Dad.” So Dad put his tools into the box on the back of his Honda 750, and off we went. Heading south on I-5, I remember getting off at Katella, and seeing The Big A right in front of us! How I wish we were going to the game!

Well, to my surprise, we were going to the game! Dad had gotten some tickets from a friend of his. Ryan was going to need 15 strikeouts to tie Sandy Koufax’s single season record of 382, 16 to break it. By the sixth inning it seemed that breaking the record was imminent, as Ryan was just mowing them down. As I recall, he tied the record in the eighth inning. But as luck would have it, he couldn’t get a strikeout in the ninth or the 10th. He finally got his 383rd strikeout of the season, in the top of the 11th inning, and history was made! Fortunately the Angels scored a run in the bottom of the inning to make it a complete-game victory.

What a big night it was, indeed! Nolan Ryan’s awesome, record-setting performance was made even better by the best prank that Dad ever pulled on me.

TODAY’S LOCAL MAJOR SPORTS SCHEDULE

All times Pacific

San Antonio at Clippers, 7:30 p.m., Prime Ticket, AM 570

BORN ON THIS DATE

1902: Race car driver Wilbur Shaw (d. 1954)

1933: Surfer/sailor/Hobie Cat inventor Hobart Alter (d. 2014)

1947: Marathoner Frank Shorter

1951: Football coach Nick Saban

1953: Basketball player John Lucas

1958: Cyclist Jeannie Longo

1961: Sprinter Alonzo Babers

1963: Former Dodger Fred McGriff

DIED ON THIS DATE

1983: Football coach/owner George Halas, 88

2010: Basketball player Maurice Lucas, 57

2018: Baseball player Willie McCovey, 80

AND FINALLY

A look at Willie McCovey‘s Hall of Fame career. Watch it here.

That concludes the newsletter for today. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, please email me at [email protected]. If you want to subscribe, click here.

It’s a familiar scene: A fire erupts, firefighters battle the flames from the ground and water is sprayed across the land from the sky. The aerial fight occurs often, even when winds are strong, raising the question of how effective airborne firefighting tactics are when wind conditions are dangerous.

On Wednesday, as the Easy fire ravaged more than 1,300 acres in Simi Valley, the winds hit 60 mph. Overhead, helicopters were seen dousing the fire below, and two “super scooper” planes unleashed a flood in Ventura County.

“Water remains our No. 1 firefighting tool,” said Jim Hudson, an assistant chief at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. And typically, every available resource is utilized.

The sight of a water drop can often offer hope to those below. But effectiveness is not always easy to measure, especially when resource costs are taken into account.

Most firefighting aircraft in the U.S. are owned or operated by private companies under government contract. It typically costs up to $14,000 a day to keep an air tanker on call. Heavy-duty helicopters can cost $32,000 a day on standby, plus $6,300 per hour of flight time.

Hudson said that during high winds, a helicopter would typically be opted for deployment over a larger air tanker, as the smaller aircraft can more effectively operate at lower elevations to target the fire.

“They have a higher probability of dropping water on targets,” Hudson said.
But that doesn’t mean a 100% guarantee. Firefighting aircraft come with limitations, often magnified when battling choppy skies.

So why use water drops when wind is a constant obstacle?

For one thing, the equipment can hold hundreds upon hundreds of gallons of water, Hudson said. Additionally, a nearby pond or lake can offer a refill supply, offering a large volume of water without diverting time to the search for resources.

More fire coverage

Hudson said that the effectiveness of this approach is an ongoing assessment. Typically, it’s up to the individual agency that oversees the air supply to decide what equipment to deploy.

“Every agency is going to work in conjunction with the incident commander on the ground,” Hudson said.

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When the Easy fire erupted early Wednesday morning in Simi Valley, the stakes of this particular firefight quickly came into focus:

Save the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

The pre-dawn blaze, stoked by strong easterly winds, was racing toward the hilltop compound surrounded by nearly 100 acres of rolling grasslands.

Long vulnerable to wildfire, the library had taken efforts to protect the facility — where Ronald and Nancy Reagan are buried — but this particular assault was unprecedented.

Maneuvering amid 60-mph winds, helicopters circled, unleashing their water drops behind the library. Two super-scooper planes swooped low to hit the advancing flames with such an inundation that it created a rainbow in the morning sun.

Every two minutes, a new rotation of choppers or super-scoopers dipped into the canyon behind the library, turning fire into smoke.

The Times is offering fire coverage for free today. Please consider a subscription to support our journalism.

“They are getting beat up good, those pilots,” said JD Nees, who flew helicopters for the Navy reserve. With wind gusts reaching 60 mph — strong enough to knock a person off the feet — the choppers bounced and danced in the unpredictable turbulence.
A hand crew crested the hill, the inmates working to tamp down the smoldering soil. “That’s a good sign,” Nees said.

When library planners selected the site in 1987, its location in eastern Ventura County was undeveloped and praised for its views of the adjoining mountains and its Western disposition, isolated and scenic.

But its rural character brought with it the inherent risk of wildfire. After the firestorms of 2017, 300 goats were brought in to help reduce the excessive fuel load, part of the county’s vegetation management program.

As the Easy fire burned south, it swept down a ridge toward a tract of homes off Madera Road. An off-duty LAPD officer, wearing a raid jacket, began yelling to residents that the fire was approaching. As flames grew visible, homeowners on Roosevelt Court began to make plans.

“I pulled the cars out into the driveway, put the passports and bank documents in one and my musical instruments in the other car,” said Rory Kaplan, who moved here in 2001 when the homes were built.

“I am ready to go,” he said.

The news to evacuate came over a loudspeaker from the Simi Valley police, and Kaplan joined the exodus with his neighbors. Kaplan believed his home would be safe.

“One thing is sure, they aren’t going to let Reagan’s library burn — and that protects us” he said.
Soon the roads out of Simi Valley had clogged with residents streaming south toward Thousand Oaks, cars and SUVs jammed with boxes and treasured objects.

In 1993, two years after the library opened, Reagan stood on the grounds of the library, accompanied by two dozen firefighters, a convoy of fire engines and a fire department helicopter.

He delivered a half-hour speech praising the heroic efforts of the fire crews who had battled the firestorms earlier that year.

More fire coverage

Years earlier, the Reagan family had lost their ranch in Malibu to fire, which the president’s daughter, Maureen, mentioned to visitors.

“We live in a place with unique terrain that’s continually touched by fire,” she said, “and thank God we have unique and special men and women that are trained to stop those fires when they threaten people.”

Times staff writer Thomas Curwen contributed to this report.

1/21

President Ronald Reagan’s Air Force One sits on display at the Reagan Library as the Easy fire burns in the neighboring hills in Simi Valley. 

(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

2/21

Inmate crews set backfires to heavy brush along Madera Rd. as firefighters try to keep the Easy fire from crossing the road into Thousand Oaks, Calif. 

(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

3/21

Helicopters drop water after inmate crews set backfires to heavy brush along Madera Rd. as firefighters try to keep the Easy fire from crossing the road into Thousand Oaks. 

(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

4/21

Robyn Phipps, left, & Laura Horvitz rescue goats from a ranch along Tierra Rejada Road. 

(Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)

5/21

Firefighters from a Ventura City and Oxnard City Fire work to extinguish hot spots from the Easy fire along Tierra Rejada Road. 

(Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)

6/21

SIMI VALLEY CA OCTOBER 30, 2019 — Trisha Trifunovich, right, holds up Jennifer Porter, left, as gusts of wind almost blow people over in the Easy fire zone near a Simi Valley Wednesday, October 30, 2019. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 

(Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)

7/21

Helicopters hit flames and burning brush along Madera Road as firefighters battle the Easy fire in Simi Valley. 

(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

8/21

A statue of President Ronald Reagan titled “Along The Trail” stands outside the Reagan Library as the Easy Fire burns in the background in Simi Valley. 

(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

9/21

Billy Macfarlane uses a garden hose to put out embers from the Easy fire threatening his family’s ranch on Tierra Rejada Road in Simi Valley. 

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

10/21

Dean Cato and his son, Robert, arrive to help friend Billy Macfarlane save his family’s ranch on Tierra Rejada Road in Simi Valley. 

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

11/21

A horse runs free on Tierra Rejada Road early Oct. 30 as the Easy fire burns toward neighborhoods in Simi Valley. 

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

12/21

John Malta waters down mulch at his home while firefighters battle the Easy fire in Simi Valley. 

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

13/21

Equestrians flee with their horses as they evacuate Castle Rock Farms while firefighters battle the Easy fire in Simi Valley. 

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

14/21

People run as they flee Castle Rock Farms while firefighters battle the Easy fire in Simi Valley. 

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

15/21

Brent Lamb prepares to move horses at a ranch along Tierra Rejada Road between Simi Valley and Moorpark as the Easy fire burns. 

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

16/21

Jose Gutierrez evacuates horses in Simi Valley as the Easy fire burns Oct. 30 in Simi Valley. 

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

17/21

Smoke from the Easy fire on Tierra Rejada Road between Simi Valley and Moorpark. 

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

18/21

The Easy fire is burning near the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Thick smoke choked the hillside where the large building — a repository of presidential records from former President Reagan’s administration — is perched. 

(KTLA)

19/21

A large brush fire erupted in Simi Valley early Oct. 30 and was quickly burning toward neighborhoods, triggering mandatory evacuations amid strong Santa Ana winds. 

(KTLA)

20/21

A large brush fire erupted in Simi Valley early Oct. 30 and was quickly burning toward neighborhoods, triggering mandatory evacuations amid strong Santa Ana winds. 

(KTLA)

21/21

A large brush fire erupted in Simi Valley early Oct. 30 and was quickly burning toward neighborhoods, triggering mandatory evacuations amid strong Santa Ana winds. 

(KTLA)

Buffeted by unusually strong winds, brush fires broke out across Southern California on Wednesday, sending thousands of people fleeing, closing major freeways and threatening the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

The cycle of fire began Wednesday morning when flames surrounded the library and museum in Simi Valley and stalked nearby neighborhoods as it swiftly scorched hundreds of acres in Ventura County. As the day wore on and the winds howled, more than a dozen other smaller fires erupted in communities including Riverside, Santa Clarita, Brea, Whittier, Lancaster, Calabasas, Long Beach, Nuevo and Jurupa Valley.

The outlook was brighter in Northern California, where thousands of evacuees began to return home as firefighters started to gain the upper hand on the wine country blaze that has scorched more than 76,000 acres and burned dozens of homes.

The biggest battle Wednesday was in Ventura County, where 800 firefighters trying to control the wind-whipped fire surrounding the presidential library were stymied by intense gusts that sent embers flying far beyond the body of the blaze. Helicopters repeatedly dropped loads of water around the Reagan complex, which is perched atop a hill blanketed in dense brush, amid 60-mph winds that were strong enough to knock a person off balance.

The Easy fire began near Easy Street and Madera Road in Simi Valley shortly after 6 a.m. and bounded toward the library, a repository of records and artifacts from the Reagan administration, officials said.

“Unfortunately it was about the worst time it could happen — 40-mile-an-hour sustained winds and fuels that were ripe and ready to carry fire,” said Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen.

The Times is offering fire coverage for free today. Please consider a subscription to support our journalism.

Though flames surrounded the 125,000-square-foot center for several hours, the library was not damaged, officials said.

The blaze, which had chewed through 1,400 acres of brush as of Wednesday afternoon, burned at least one home on Tierra Rejada Road and threatened an additional 7,000 in parts of Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Moorpark.

Southern California Edison confirmed Wednesday evening that the fire broke out in its service territory near one of its sub-transmission lines, which was not de-energized at the time of ignition. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown.

The utility has notified the California Public Utilities Commission that there was activity on the sub-transmission line around the reported time of the fire, spokesman Robert Villegas said.

Rory Kaplan, who has lived just south of the library for nearly two decades, fled among an exodus of neighbors Wednesday morning. About 26,000 people were evacuated because of the Easy fire, officials said.

“One thing is sure,” Kaplan said. “They aren’t going to let Reagan’s library burn — and that protects us.”

For many in the state, evacuating their homes has become a familiar routine as wildfires threaten the same suburban neighborhoods yearly. That is particularly true in Ventura County, where the Woolsey fire was sparked last November and where, the year before, the Thomas fire grew to become the largest fire in state history at the time.

Kris Mae, 69, hunkered down at an evacuation center in Thousand Oaks on Wednesday after leaving her home a few miles from the library. Her car had been packed for a month, with several suitcases, boxes of important files and a fire safe — just in case.

“It’s too hard to pack and unpack over and over,” she said.

Though California has experienced multiple deadly blazes in the last few years, weather officials warned that this week could lend itself to conditions that are even worse.

Abnormally strong winds that began Tuesday night are expected to continue through Thursday and could reach up to 80 mph in mountain areas. Such wind conditions, which weather officials deemed “extreme red-flag” danger, have not been seen since 2007, when they helped unleash the sixth-most destructive fire in California history.

Ernie Muro, 73, walked his Chihuahua mix Lulu through his lush yard Wednesday afternoon in Simi Valley’s Wood Ranch neighborhood, preparing to leave when the time came. As he stood outside, helicopters repeatedly dropped water near the avocado orchard next to his house.

This isn’t the first time he has seen fire from his home, he said.

“We’ve had them all around us before,” Muro said. “This time of year is nerve-racking.”

By midday Wednesday, Southern California was facing peak fire weather, with winds of up to 78 mph at Boney Peak in the Santa Monica Mountains in Ventura County, while relative humidity fell to rock bottom, clocking in at zero at Mt. Wilson in the San Gabriel Mountains and peaks in the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Los Padres National Forest, Phillips said.

The air was exceedingly dry throughout Ventura County. Relative humidity was 8% at Sinaloa Lake and 7% in Moorpark. With the winds, that could be a dangerous combination, experts said.

“The magnitude of the wind gusts really is going to be a concern,” said Daniel Swain, climate scientist with UCLA and the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

The forecast of extreme Santa Ana winds prompted Southern California Edison to say it might shut off power to more than 340,000 customers in Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Also Wednesday, a fire in the Riverside County town of Nuevo began shortly after 7 a.m., burning several structures. Hours later, the Hill fire in the Jurupa Valley community of Riverside County prompted mandatory evacuations and closed the 60 Freeway in both directions. The Brea Canyon fire in eastern Los Angeles County burned 5 acres at Brea Canyon Road and briefly forced closure of the 57 Freeway.

The Getty fire, which damaged 12 homes Monday, continued to keep more than 7,000 people out of their homes in and around Brentwood. As of Wednesday morning, the blaze was 27% contained, but increasing containment any further became challenging because of the powerful winds.

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As conditions worsened in Southern California, the weather farther north provided a respite for firefighters who had been battling strong winds.

Firefighters in wine country were able to double the containment of the massive Kincade fire to 30% as of Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The fire has already burned 76,825 acres and destroyed nearly 100 homes, officials say.

More fire coverage

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said Wednesday that it would begin restoring power to customers whose electricity was shut off this week in its latest bid to reduce wildfire risk. Crews will inspect utility lines, repair damage and restore power to about 365,000 customers in its service area, except for Kern County, which is still experiencing strong winds, according to PG&E.

Muro, who was wandering in his yard in Simi Valley, said he and his family would evacuate either when they got notified to do so, or when the fire felt too close.

Muro moved to the neighborhood because it’s quiet — usually — and has views of rolling hillsides and the orchard.

“Why would you want to live anywhere else?” he said as Lulu sat at his feet in the yard, patiently waiting. “It’s beautiful.”

Times staff writers Soumya Karlamangla, Colleen Shalby, Alex Wigglesworth, Rong-Gong Lin II, Thomas Curwen, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde and Nina Agrawal contributed to this report.

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Thursday, Oct. 31, and I’m writing from Los Angeles.

California is still burning. But even as more fires ignited Wednesday, some areas saw a small measure of relief.

Firefighters finally began to get a handle on the massive Kincade fire in Sonoma County after days of chaos, and the majority of evacuation orders were lifted for the Getty fire in Los Angeles. PG&E — which has quickly become the most cursed name in the state — began the process of restoring power to most areas.

But the intense wind conditions also brought new blazes on Wednesday. The fires that broke out across Southern California sent thousands of people fleeing, closed major freeways and threatened the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. As the day wore on and the winds howled, more than a dozen other smaller fires erupted in communities including Riverside, Santa Clarita, Brea, Whittier, Fullerton, Lancaster, Calabasas, Long Beach, Nuevo and Jurupa Valley.

Here’s a look at where things stand, and what’s to come:

Southern California fire watch:

• The Easy fire: The fast-moving Easy fire in Simi Valley expanded to 1,645 acres and threatens 7,000 homes. About 26,000 residents in portions of Simi Valley, Moorpark and Thousand Oaks have been evacuated. Los Angeles Times
• See also: How a Times photographer got an iconic fire photo with Reagan’s Air Force One.
• The Hill fire: A brush fire in the hills north of Jurupa Valley forced evacuations of two mobile homes parks, a healthcare center and an elementary school before firefighters got the upper hand. Riverside Press-Enterprise
• Other fires broke out in Calabasas, Riverside and Kern County. Los Angeles Times
• Here’s a map of where wildfires are burning across the state. Los Angeles Times

The latest on the Kincade fire:

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• Six days after the Kincade Fire ignited, it appeared that the worst was over on Wednesday as many evacuees returned home. San Francisco Chronicle
• Sonoma County’s gamble on mega-evacuations left many residents unhappy. Was all the upheaval necessary? The death toll from the Tubbs and Camp fires in years past left communities like Paradise and Santa Rosa stunned and exposed major weaknesses in emergency evacuation systems. This year, Sonoma County officials didn’t take any chances and issued an unprecedented mandatory evacuation order. No deaths have been reported from the Kincade fire, but many residents questioned whether officials overcorrected, pulling far too many people into the evacuation zone. Los Angeles Times
• A Sonoma County mom gave birth in a Napa hotel after being evacuated from her home. San Francisco Chronicle

Blackouts

• Cell service outages could mean fire alerts don’t go through: Without cell service, signing up for emergency wildfire evacuation notices or getting backup chargers to keep phones going during a power outage is useless. San Francisco Chronicle
• California’s blackouts could make fighting climate change even harder. The state’s plans for slashing climate emissions depend on a stable electric grid. Los Angeles Times

What’s next:

• Extreme red flag wind conditions are expected to last through early Thursday evening in Southern California. Los Angeles Times
• In Sonoma County, a freeze advisory was in place for early Thursday morning, putting residents who still don’t have power at risk. Santa Rosa Press-Democrat

The Times is offering fire coverage for free. Please consider a subscription to support our journalism.

And now, here’s what else is happening across California:

L.A. STORIES

Long Beach native Snoop Dogg will serve as emcee for the reopening of Metro’s A Line (formerly the Blue Line). Long Beach Post

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey said that errors committed by the sheriff’s department and coroner’s office may have played a significant role in the decision not to criminally charge Ed Buck in the death of a man who overdosed in Buck’s West Hollywood home in 2017. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles International Airport officials apologized late Tuesday night for an “unacceptable level of service” after travelers using the new Uber, Lyft and taxi pickup system faced gridlock, packed shuttle buses and long wait times for rides. Los Angeles Times

More L.A. homes could be rented out on Airbnb. Tenant activists aren’t happy. Los Angeles Times

Sqirl’s Jessica Koslow talks about the new Santa Monica restaurant she’s opening with Mexican chef Gabriela Cámara. Healthyish

IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER

Immigrant advocates say law enforcement agencies in the state are still helping federal immigration agents with deportations, nearly two years after California’s “sanctuary state” rule took effect. Capital Public Radio

Several Central Valley congressional representatives have helped introduce a bipartisan bill geared toward providing a path to legal status for more than 250,000 undocumented California farmworkers. Fresno Bee

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

The AB 5 battle continues: Uber, Lyft and DoorDash have launched a $90-million fight against the new California labor law. The three Silicon Valley companies unveiled a ballot measure to exclude many of those they pay for work from being considered benefits-earning employees. They intend to qualify it for next November’s statewide ballot. Los Angeles Times

Amid a torrent of speculation, Alex Padilla said he’s not running for Katie Hill’s congressional seat. Padilla currently serves as California secretary of state. Los Angeles Daily News

Inmates at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin have started a hunger strike and work stoppage over alleged unsanitary conditions inside the jail, including insects and vermin on their food. Mercury News

CRIME AND COURTS

The Orange County district attorney’s office has charged five UC Irvine fraternity brothers in connection with the alcohol poisoning death of an underage fraternity member in January. Los Angeles Times

A former surfing executive has been sentenced to two months in prison in the college admissions scandal. He paid $250,000 to guarantee his son’s admission to USC through fraud and bribery. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Twenty-five years ago, the anti-immigrant Proposition 187 was passed by Californians at the ballot box. The initiative, which was ultimately overturned by the courts, sought to punish undocumented immigrants by denying them certain services, including access to public healthcare and education. In a new podcast, Gustavo Arellano traces the proposition from its birth in Orange County to its peak on election day and its ultimate failure. Los Angeles Times

Twitter just banned all political ads, in sharp contrast to Facebook. Los Angeles Times

Alhambra high schools have added ramen and pho to their lunch menus to cater to their diverse student base. Pasadena Star-News

This is where Orange County chef Shawn Pham goes for classic Vietnamese drinking food in Little Saigon. Los Angeles Times

The owner of Fresno FC said the pro soccer club is “almost certain” to relocate without its own stadium. Fresno Bee

The taffy chews from Dewar’s Candy Shop in Bakersfield receive high praise from a food editor. (I enthusiastically co-sign this recommendation, and remain forever grateful to Central Valley journalist Emma Gallegos for introducing me to Dewar’s.) Bon Appetit

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles: sunny, 80. San Diego: sunny, 76. San Francisco: sunny, 71. San Jose: sunny, 75. Sacramento: sunny, 73. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California memory comes from Andree Joyce Gordon:

“In 1961, I was a 5-year-old in Bel-Air during what was then the worst fire in Los Angeles history. Our house was among the 484 homes lost. As the school bus drove by our house, I could see my mom in the doorway. Her station wagon open and filled with everything she could stuff in and a fireman talking with her. She was asking for just a little more time to look for our dog and cats. As we were driven down the mountain (Bel-Air), I saw many other homes starting to catch fire. Neighbor upon neighbor were on top of their roofs with hoses. Screens and pieces of wood flying through the air. Fireman after fireman with ash covering their faces. I didn’t see my mom or dad till late that night after going to a friend’s house far away from the flames. The smell of fire never leaves you. Years later, I still bristle if I’m walking a dog outside and smell it. I’ve been known to run back to make sure it’s not my house. California, oh California, how I love her and how I fear for her.”

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints, ideas and unrelated book recommendations to Julia Wick. Follow her on Twitter @Sherlyholmes.

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The wind-driven Hillside fire broke out about 1:40 a.m. near Highway 18 and Lower Waterman Canyon in San Bernardino. The fire quickly charred 200 acres and burned homes in the North Park neighborhood.

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EVACUATIONS

About 490 homes north of 50th Street, west of Highway 18 and east of Mayfield Street have been placed under mandatory evacuation orders.

SHELTER

• Pacific High School at 1020 Pacific Street in San Bernardino

• Animals: San Bernardino City Animal Shelter at 33 Chandler Place

ROAD CLOSURES

• Highway 18
• Local roads in North Park neighborhoods

The Times is offering fire coverage for free today. Please consider a subscription to support our journalism.

SCHOOL CLOSURES

• Cal State San Bernardino