C a d e n C e n t e r

Laker s historic comeback, a pr eview of what’s to come

By Caden Henderson

Acouple months ago I remember writing an article about the Lakers statement win vs the Bucks earlier in the season representing a turning point

While the momentum from that win may not have lasted for long then, a lot has changed

The Lakers traded away Russell Westbrook and acquired D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba, Rui Hachimura, and Davon Reed at the trade deadline

In just the fourth game with the new acquisitions (minus Russell who was out with an injury), the Lakers made a 27 point comeback, the biggest one for any NBA

By Caden Henderson

It’s March, which means one thing and one thing only for college basketball; madness

Before the big dance gets going, however, there are conference tournaments to be played all week and weekend long to decide who gets an automatic bid to the dance, while also providing a last chance opportunity for bubble teams to prove their worth

While it’s impossible to cover all 32 conferences with a qualifier spot in one article, it is possible to cover the big guns of college basketball within the “Power 6” conferences who will most likely end up producing this years NCAA champion

Pac-12: The top of the PAC-12’s standings feature the usual suspects in UCLA and Arizona, both ranked top 10 in the AP poll and looking strong going into the PAC-12 tournament in Las Vegas

Behind these two juggernauts are the Trojans of USC, the Oregon Ducks, and the Arizona State Sun Devils For USC, just one win in Vegas would most likely solidify their spot in the big dance as a high single digit or low double digit seed

If they are to lose, however, they’d become a bubble team and would have to hope the selection committee finds them worthy of dancing As for Oregon and ASU, they probably have more work to do

They’d more than likely need multiple tournament wins to get in, which would

Community News team this season (teams were 0-138 when down 27 or more) and the franchise’s biggest one in over two decades

One could say that the game felt like a microcosm of the Lakers season so far; a nightmare start, a glimmer of hope in the middle, and a full blown catapult near the end to a victory and being just one game within a playin spot and 2 5 of an automatic playoff birth

With 22 games remaining, a playoff run seems as realistic as it has been in the past 12 or so months

The Lakers still have about a dozen games left vs teams above them in the Western Conference standings and are as healthy as they’ve been all year

Still, there is the concern over LeBron James’ ankle mean upsetting one or both of the aforementioned UCLA and Arizona A winless trip to Vegas most likely means an NIT bid for the two teams As for the rest of the pack (no pun intended), it’d almost certainly take a tournament championship title and the automatic bid that comes with it to get in

SEC: This year the SEC has been headlined by a controversial Alabama Crimson Tide team that came into last weekend ranked second in the entire nation before being upset by Texas A&M

For Alabama, a SEC tournament title could mean a #1 seed in the big dance As for the rest of the teams, there is also a lot to play for

Texas A&M, Missouri, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Auburn will all be jockeying for higher seeding in the dance, especially Auburn and Vanderbilt who, if they make noise, can go from near/on the bubble to a more ideal seeding situation

Florida is the only other team to go at least 500 in conference play, but they’d need an automatic bid to go dancing

ACC: The ACC has been the place to look if you want to see teams underperforming Preseason AP Poll #1 North Carolina is on the bubble looking in and the Duke Blue Devils will surely be dancing but still find themselves well out of the conversation for their usual 1 or 2 seed

As for the teams with things looking more up, Miami, Clemson, and Virginia are experienced groups looking poised to win multiple ACC and NCAA tourna- which he said he heard “pop” during the huge comeback, but the depth and help around him should ease the pressure (literally and figuratively) around the NBA’s all time leading scorer

The magical comeback Sunday afternoon will have Lakers fans thrilled and should be regarded as a statement to the league of what’s to come; LeBron James and Anthony Davis have help, and the Lakers are here to play

The Lakers stretch run continues this week with games against the Thunder (Wednesday), Wolves (Friday), and Warriors (Sunday), all of which are teams jockeying for playoff position along with LA If they can prevail in these matchups the momentum will only build, and this seasons Hollywood script could look real good ment games Looking a bit further down the standings, Pitt have performed well this year but are listed as a “Last Four In” team according to Joe Lunardi as of Sunday evening

If Pitt want to get in, they’ll have to win some games in the conference tournament If you want look for a somewhat realistic upset tournament winner, Syracuse is never a bad guess The 2-3 zone defense of the Orange allows them to take advantage if teams get cold and could send them into a deep ACC tournament run as a result

Big 12: The Big 12 has been the most chaotic and competitive conference in all of college hoops this year Kansas, Texas, Kansas State, Baylor, TCU, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and West Virginia all are surely going dancing or at the very least in contention for a spot in the NCAA tournament mainly because no matter who they face in the tournament it will be a quality team that can be a resume booster win

As for an upset pick, Texas Tech may have gone 5-13 in conference play but their tenacious effort on defense could cause them to turn heads But, regardless of what happens in the Big 12 tournament, expect to see a lot of Big 12 teams this March

Big East: The Big East proved once again this season to be the grittiest conference Marquette, Xavier, Creighton, and UConn will all surely be dancing As for Providence, they’re around 50th in NET rating and their blowout loss to a mediocre Seton Hall team seems them in need of a solid tournament performance

To Get In

Villanova meanwhile have been disappointing and will also need an impressive display if not a championship run in the conference tournament to be able to once again go back to the NCAA tournament

Big 10: The Big 10 had a *checks notes* four way tie for fourth place in regular season play and only 2 games separated second and tenth Purdue, led by player of the year candidate Zach Edey, ended up at the top of the standings, and they look ready for another deep March Madness run Indiana, Northwestern, Michigan State, Illinois, Maryland, and Iowa should all be set to dance barring changes The bubble teams of the conference are Michigan, Penn State, and Rutgers

Michigan was in this same situation last season, got in to the NCAA tournament, and made it to the second weekend, so they’re definitely the team to watch of the three to be able to make something happen

As for the bottom feeders that are made up by Nebraska, Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Minnesota, it’s win the whole conference tournament or nothing

Those are your Power 6 conferences and their teams status going into conference tournament week/weekend

Be prepared for all the buzzer beaters, upsets, and drama galore that come with best month of the year; March Madness

Condor Energ y Stora ge Pr oject Br eaks Gr ound in City of Grand Ter race

This week, Arevon broke ground on the Condor Energy Storage Project, a new battery storage facility in San Bernadino County

Once complete, the 200-megawatt (MW)/800 megawatt-hour (MWh) project, which will use Tesla Megapack, will be able to discharge stored energy to the local electrical grid during times of peak energy demand

The groundbreaking celebrates the first of several battery storage projects that Arevon is developing in collaboration with Tenaska to support local energy reliability and maximize the use of clean, renewable energy sources as California transitions away from fossil fuels According to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which oversees the operation of the state’s energy grid, reaching California's goal of a carbon-free grid by 2045 could require as much as 48,000 MW of battery storage

“Arevon is proud to advance the Condor storage proj- ect, which will provide a safe, reliable, and cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels, meeting the energy needs of Grand Terrace and the surrounding community,” said Aron Branam, Vice President of Development at Arevon “This is a huge step forward in our work to bring clean energy solutions to communities across California ”

Battery storage adds greater reliability and resiliency to the electrical grid During times of peak energy generation, such as when power from solar or wind is in abundance, batteries can be charged to capture excess generation Batteries can then discharge this stored energy into the grid during peak energy demand

“The City of Grand Terrace is excited to welcome this project and Arevon’s investment in our residents and community,” said Grand Terrace Mayor Bill Hussey “The Condor project will help create more local jobs, support our local economy, and increase our energy reliability ”

The Condor project site in Grand Terrace was formerly home to the Highgrove Steam Plant, which operated in some capacity from 1952 to 2001

“The project site location has a history of supporting regional energy needs, so it’s ideal for the Condor project, which will power the transition to more renewable energy sources,” said Tim Hemig, Senior Vice President in Tenaska’s Development Group “It represents California’s continued evolution toward a more reliable and sustainable energy future ”

Construction of the Condor project is expected to span one year At the peak of construction, approximately 50 to 75 local workers will be on-site The project will include improved streetscapes, including decorative block walls, landscaping, and sidewalks

Arevon Energy, Inc is a leading renewable energy company, supplying clean energy to utilities and corporations across North America Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz , and New York City, Arevon uses innovative approaches and leading-edge technology to finance and manage projects from development through construction to long-term commercial operation

Rep. Aguilar announces over $500,000 f or Loma Linda Univer sity Medical Center

Community News

Today, Rep Pete Aguilar announced $542,597 he secured for a mental health outreach program for the Inland Empire’s sickle cell community The State of California has 7,000 people living with sickle cell disease and the second largest sickle cell disease population resides in San Bernardino County This program will help both patients and caregivers receive the resources and support they need

“San Bernardino County is home to the second largest sickle cell community in the state of California,” said Rep Pete Aguilar “This funding will help draw attention to this disease affecting so many in our community by creating a comprehensive behavioral and mental health outreach program for both patients and their family members I will continue to work with Loma Linda University Health to ensure our region is taken care of ”

“Congressman Aguilar has been an incredible partner to LLUH over the years, and we continue to be so grateful for his support for improving health outcomes across our community,” said Richard Hart, MD, DrPH, president of Loma Linda University

Health

“Through the generous support of Congressman Aguilar, we are able to fill a gap and care for the sickle cell community through the development and implementation of a coordinated mental health outreach program Our efforts will continue to shed a light on sickle cell disease and ensure sickle cell patients get access to the care they need and deserve,” said Chanell Grismore, DrPH, MPH, Director of Sickle Cell Services at Loma Linda University Health Pr

Community News

San Bernardino County

A u d i t o rController/Treasurer/Ta x Collector (ATC) Ensen

Mason today encouraged property owners to pay the second installment of their property taxes which were due on Wednesday, February 1

The last day to pay without incurring a 10% penalty is Monday, April 10, 2023 The Tax Collector ’s Office offers many convenient ways to pay, including online, by phone, by mail, and in person

“Property taxes fund key public services that enhance the quality of life for County residents,” said ATC Mason “Taxpayers can take advantage of ATC’s easy and secure online payment options at www MyTaxCollector com I encourage property owners to do what they can to pay their property taxes by the April 10 deadline to avoid costly penalties as a result of late payments ”

Electronic payments are accepted online at www MyTaxCollector com, and by phone at (909) 387-8308 or (760) 2418829, and can be made using a checking or savings account free of charge

Mailed payments should be sent to SBC Tax Collector at 268 West Hospitality Lane, First Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0360 Only payments with a USPS postmark cancellation on or before April 10, 2023, will be considered timely

In accordance with Revenue and Taxation Code §2503 2(b), the San Bernardino County Tax Collector currently requires taxpayers who make an aggregate payment of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or more per year to submit their payment by ACH credit or wire transfer

For the County’s bank account information, please contact the Tax Collector at (909) 387-8308 or email TCAccounting@sbcountyatc gov

Payments can be made in person at the Tax Collector ’s Office during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a m – 5:00 p m For faster service, please bring a copy of your tax bill

Calif or nia's f lavor ed tobacco ban poses public safety risks

By Jeff Allison, community member

Proposition 31 was sold as a positive initiative to reduce the harmful impacts of tobacco on our communities - with a focus on our youth However, the lack of research and a long-term strategy has proven that the initiative has been nothing short of a complete disaster since the flavored tobacco ban went into effect in December 2022

Today, it's "illegal" for smoke shops, liquor stores, etc , to sell flavored tobacco, and could result in a $250 fine if the retailer is caught But are any agencies even enforcing the ban? From what I have seen and heardno

Better yet, who is enforcing the ban? Is it the police? Code enforcement? The department of public health?

No one knows

This ban is already starting to amplify the senseless crime resulting from the illegal sale of flavored tobacco across the State

It's almost as if we didn't learn anything from what happened when San Francisco implemented a ban in 2018, which immediately resulted in dozens of armed robberies in neighboring municipalities And just last month, two teens were murdered in San Diego when they met with dealers to purchase flavored tobacco

As a retired law enforcement officer, I can tell you this ban will strain resources and impact the response times of our police departments and local government, which are already extremely understaffed Officers now have to deal with more robbery calls, black market sales of products that could be laced with drugs like