LOS ANGELES — One of the most intense rivalries in UFC history provided one of the sport’s most shocking moments and indelible images.

Former friends and teammates turned bitter foes, T.J. Dillashaw and Cody Garbrandt engaged in a back-and-forth brawl that lasted less than eight minutes in November at Madison Square Garden.

Dillashaw, looking to reclaim the bantamweight title he lost via split decision in early 2016, tasted the canvas first at the end of the opening round. After Dillashaw rose and staggered to his corner, Garbrandt flipped him the bird.

Garbrandt, in his first title defense almost 10 months after a stunningly dominant decision victory to cap a meteoric rise to the pinnacle of the 135-pound division, tasted the canvas last.

After dropping Garbrandt with a head kick midway through the second round, Dillashaw later floored him with a crushing right hook en route to a knockout victory. Garbrandt got to his feet seconds after referee Dan Miragliotta stopped the fight, only to encounter a charged-up Dillashaw.

Dillashaw, his face inches from Garbrandt’s, screamed: “WHAT?!? WHAT?!?”

For Garbrandt, there was no immediate answer following his first defeat.

For Dillashaw, it was a triumph after months of bad blood and a return to glory he felt he never should have lost.

“That was just true emotion,” he said.

Now the two get to do it all over again as they headline UFC 227 on Saturday at Staples Center, with Dillashaw beginning his second reign as the 135-pound king and fighting in his new home of Southern California.

“I’m very fortunate. It’s just been very happy,” said Dillashaw, 32, who often speaks with some sort of smile. “No matter what has gone on in my life, it’s led me here and I’m very happy for that.”

Dillashaw’s life and career have been all about evolution.

In 2011, just one year removed from his wrestling days at Cal State Fullerton, Dillashaw appeared on Season 14 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” coming up short in the finale.

“Man, crazy journey. Only 4-0, only fighting for a year,” Dillashaw said of his time on the UFC reality show. “Craziness getting thrown into that.”

Over the course of two-and-a-half years, he ran up a record of 5-1 then found himself, due to a main-event cancellation, thrust into a title fight with heavily favored champion Renato Barao in 2014. Not only did Dillashaw knock out the pound-for-pound beast, who hadn’t lost in nearly a decade, he thoroughly dominated him.

Dillashaw got married two months later, then took another giant leap 17 months after that when he left Sacramento and joined former Team Alpha Male coach Duane Ludwig in Denver. Animosity grew between Dillashaw and Team Alpha Male founder and UFC legend Urijah Faber, as well as Garbrandt and other fighters.

It exists to this day, though Dillashaw said it’s not his doing

“They tried to make it that way. They tried to get under my skin and I think it was a game plan thing as well,” said Dillashaw, who is still coached by Ludwig, who regularly flies out to Orange County. “There’ll always be a rivalry because there’s always gonna be a little jealousy of what’s going on, but that’s what makes this sport great. What makes so much drama, so much tension come to this fight.

“So I welcome it. As long as I stay cool, calm and collected, I welcome it.”

Following two knockout title defenses, in early 2016 Dillashaw took on former champion Dominick Cruz, who lost the belt two years earlier by virtue of being injured for more than two years.

Cruz outpointed Dillashaw to regain the belt. The judges scored it 48-47, 49-46, 46-49 – a testament to the divided response to the outcome from fighters, writers and fans.

While Dillashaw worked his way back into title contention with two decision wins, Garbrandt shot up the rankings, going 5-0 with four knockouts in 18 months.

Garbrandt earned a lopsided decision to dethrone Cruz at the end of 2016, setting up the November clash with Dillashaw (16-3), who doesn’t think the first fight was even that close.

Here's a look at the numbers (from the last 5 years) for this week's rematch between T.J. Dillashaw (@TJDillashaw) and Cody Garbrandt (@Cody_Nolove)#UFC227 pic.twitter.com/TuKagQxlmu

— MMA By The Numbers (@NumbersMMA) July 31, 2018

“The reason why it was back and forth was that one punch at the end of round, which was my fault. I didn’t keep my composure and I got … a little too aggressive. I left a hole in my game,” said Dillashaw, whose gets T.J. from his names Tyler Jeffrey.

Garbrandt (11-1), who says he dislikes his opponent no matter who it is, credits Dillashaw for the knockout victory.

Yet, the 27-year-old also knows what he needed to correct – his combustibility.

“I think I let that consume me the first fight, got maybe too emotional, lost focus on what I really needed to focus on and what I really need to do in there, and it cost me the fight,” Garbrandt said. “I made a lot of adjustments this camp with my coaches and staying focused on what really matters.”

Dillashaw, meanwhile, has found his comfort zone in SoCal.

On one of the hottest days of summer, Dillashaw is toiling on a late morning in July at The Treigning Lab in Anaheim, a massive door rolled up so two large portable air coolers can blast and attempt to tame the sweltering gym.

Dillashaw teamed with strength and conditioning coach Sam Calavitta and others to open the MMA gym last year. He also bought a home in Orange to establish roots for his wife, Rebecca, and infant son, Bronson. He still owns a home in Colorado.

As Dillashaw drills on the mat with training partner Juan Archuleta, who he credits with introducing him to Calavitta and drawing him to Orange County, the champion’s short-cropped blonde hair is quickly darkened with perspiration as he and Archuleta grind for a grueling 90 minutes.

“That’s a light day. That was a light practice,” said Archuleta, a Bellator fighter and three-division champion in King of the Cage, who admires his friend’s tenacity.

“I think T.J. has the biggest heart in the game and I think it’s rubbing off on me. And I think I have the biggest heart in the game and I think it’s rubbing off on him.”

It’s all come full circle for Dillashaw.

Overseeing the late-morning workout is former UFC middleweight contender Mark Munoz, who was an assistant wrestling coach at Cal State Fullerton, just a mile down the road, when Dillashaw was a senior.

Dillashaw graduated with a degree in kinesiology in 2010 and enrolled in graduate school to become a physician’s assistant. Munoz invited him to train at his gym.

Once Dillashaw caught the fighting bug, Munoz advised him to give Team Alpha Male a shot and move to Sacramento, closer to Dillashaw’s hometown of Angels Camp.

“It’s just a delight to be able to coach a guy that has that passion to learn and passion to get better. You can’t get any better than that,” Munoz said. “So I’m just sharing all my wisdom and all my knowledge with him and he’s soaking it up like a sponge. And I can’t wait to see him do it.”

For the world champion, who grew up in that small town in Calaveras County with a population of less than 4,000, he says a lot of his growth came at Cal State Fullerton.

Coincidentally, the university, amid a gripping budget crisis, terminated the wrestling program one year after Dillashaw graduated.

“Really glad I was at college and glad I got a degree and became a man before I started fighting,” Dillashaw said. “If I’d have come into all this fame and money before I really grew up, I think it’d be a completely different story. So Cal State Fullerton and my coach, Dan Hicks, really made me become a man. Really taught me how to treat life respectably and grow.”

Dillashaw takes a step back and marvels at his good fortune. A wife and son. A gym to call home. Friends to join him coaching and training in the gym. A coach who flies in and out to fine-tune his game.

He even has his own line of spices, Flavor Republic, featuring all-natural low-sodium and low-sugar products.

And now, nine months after winning the title in New York in one of the most legendary fight settings, he gets to defend it on this coast in another landmark arena and close to his new home.

The two-time champ sees nothing but upside.

“I love getting paid to knock Cody out. He’s run his mouth and ultimately it’s gonna come down to the same thing,” Dillashaw said. “He’s got holes in his game, he’s got no chin and I’m gonna make him pay for it. I get to continue to retain my belt, grow my name and look for what’s next.”

UFC 227

Main event: Bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw vs. No. 1-ranked former champion Cody Garbrandt

Co-main event: Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson vs. No. 1-ranked Henry Cejudo

When: Saturday

Where: Staples Center

TV: Pay per view, 7 p.m.

NEWPORT BEACH — City officials were caught off-guard and some residents were angered by the appearance of 50 electric Bird Co. scooters last weekend on Balboa Island.

The scooters are advertised as a way to promote “shared mobility” — transportation shared among multiple users.

“We do not know what prompted Bird. Co to deploy scooters in Newport Beach,” said Mary Locey, a spokeswoman for the city. “This was done without the city’s knowledge, permission or advanced notification.”

Bird, a Venice-based electric shared mobility company, says its scooters can be left anywhere. Riders find them by using a smartphone app which shows their location and identifies where they can be re-charged. Scooters cost $1 to rent and then 15 cents for each mile used. They reach speeds of up to 15 mph and can travel 15 miles when fully charged.

Newport Beach City Council was in the process of reviewing shared mobility with the Razor electric transport company when the Bird scooters showed up. The City Council is now expected to review the concept of mobility sharing through scooters and bikes at its Aug. 14 meeting.

The idea of sharing transportation has become wildly popular with many programs in use throughout the country. Supporters praise the fun, economical, environmentally-friendly approach to transportation, while critics raise concerns over safety risks and nuisance-related behavior.

“Several Bird users appeared to be riding in an unsafe manner, without helmets and operating the scooters where such activity is prohibited such as on the Ocean Front Walk,” Locey said.

The black scooters were found blocking sidewalks, on street corners and in front of stores where they impeded pedestrians. On Monday, city staff from the Newport Beach Public Works Municipal Operations Division went through town and picked up the scooters. By Tuesday, Bird had complied with the city’s request to remove any that remained.

“In partnership with Newport Beach, we have agreed to remove all Birds from the city while we work to define a framework for operation that works for everyone,” the company said in a statement. “We are in close communication with local officials and we look forward to continuing those productive conversations so that we can get back to helping people more easily get around Newport Beach.”

In Huntington Beach, city officials in July placed a 120-day moratorium on scooter and bike rentals at the urging of Councilman Patrick Brenden. Officials are waiting to see what other cities do to regulate their use. Also in July, Long Beach City Council approved a pilot program to test out the use of electric scooters and bikes, though permits and other specifics are still being hashed out.

In Los Angeles, on Tuesday, July 31, City Councilman Paul Koretz suggested electric scooters be banned until the city issues permits to companies such as Bird with specific guidelines for their use.

Trillion-dollar deficits are projected to start next year, according to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, a reflection of how irresponsible the federal government continues to be.

The projection directly contradicts a claim made in June by Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council for President Trump, in which he said “the deficit … is coming down, and it’s coming down rapidly.”

Just weeks later, the OMB issued a budget report indicating the budget deficit would rise from $890 billion in 2018 to $1.1 trillion in 2019.

Over that same time period, the deficit was projected to rise from 4.4 percent of gross domestic product to 5.1 percent of GDP.

Either way, Kudlow was dead wrong, and the reality is that President Trump and Congress have a serious budget problem to contend with.

Notably, the OMB’s figures are even worse than those released by the Congressional Budget Office in April, which didn’t project the federal deficit actually surpassing the $1 trillion mark until 2020.

The OMB projects budget deficits over the next decade, with estimates that between 2019 and 2028, $8 trillion in deficits will be run up.

Considering the Republican Party presents itself as the party of limited government and fiscal responsibility, it is untenable that a federal government controlled by Republicans is continuing to run up budget deficits.

As politically convenient as it might be in the short run to spend without limit, such practices not only threaten the long-term fiscal health of the federal government — they saddle future generations with considerable debt.

As seen with numerous spending bills to date, the concern for fiscal responsibility that created the tea party has seemingly vanished among congressional leadership.

“The post-2016 Republican Party has abandoned even the pretense of fiscal conservatism,” tweeted Rep. Justin Amash, R-Michigan, in response to the OMB report. “My colleagues used to pay lip service to limited government and less spending; now, they don’t even bother.”

While it is fortunate that tax reform passed last year has apparently helped spur continued economic growth, the notion that the federal government can cut taxes and spend more just doesn’t work.

Tinkering with reforms to things like food stamps might have their merit, but that won’t be enough to bring the federal budget anywhere close to balance. This is particularly true given the Trump administration’s fondness for bloating the military budget much faster than it’s willing to cut non-military spending.

Unfortunately, tax-cut-and-spend Republicans have become the norm and fiscal responsibility has been tossed aside out of political convenience.

If the public can’t rely on Republicans to actually be fiscally responsible, what’s the point of electing them?

New York Mets pitcher Jose Reyes released the ball at an ungraceful sidearm angle. The 54-mph tumbler was recorded as a curveball, but it’s tough to say for sure. The baseball hit the batter, Ryan Zimmerman, with so little force that Zimmerman could actually smile and pretend to charge the mound before jogging to first base.

Reyes threw three more pitches Tuesday night, all strikes. It was the first, and hopefully last, pitching appearance in the long career of a 35-year-old infielder. The Mets lost to the Washington Nationals 25-4, and Reyes was stuck with a 54.00 earned-run average.

Excluding the Angels’ two-way star Shohei Ohtani, position players have made a record 46 appearances this season through Tuesday, according to Baseball Reference. Last year produced 36 such appearances, up from 26 in 2016. The reason behind the trend isn’t obvious because, naturally, position players are not very good at pitching. After Reyes’ gem, and excluding the nine starts by Ohtani, position players this year have a cumulative ERA of 6.00.

So why do they keep getting the ball?

“I think it comes about because of the specialization,” Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi said, “and you go through your seven or eight relief pitchers quicker than you used to.”

According to research by the website FiveThirtyEight, teams used approximately 1.5 relief pitchers per game on average until about 1980. By the late 2000s, complete games were nearly extinct and teams were using three relievers per game. Meanwhile, roster limits did not change. Managers were still limited to 25 active players prior to Sept. 1 each year, but the demand for relief pitchers was never higher. Something had to give.

Every team had between seven and nine relief pitchers on its roster as of Wednesday, according to Roster Resource. Each bullpen featured the kind of specialists Zaidi had in mind – a left-hander who only pitches to left-handed hitters, for example.

“You might burn through those guys in eight innings and suddenly you need somebody else for the ninth,” Zaidi said.

Some teams are better at rationing relief innings than others. The Angels are one of eight teams who have not sent a position player to the mound – other than Ohtani, of course. The Dodgers avoided using a position player until last Tuesday in Philadelphia when Kiké Hernandez took the mound in the 16th inning of a tie game.

Hernandez’s teammates swear he could pitch a baseball 93 or 94 mph if he wanted to, but his fastball averaged 77 mph that night. Manager Dave Roberts said he told Hernandez to “just throw strikes” and Hernandez acceded, apparently not knowing his own control.

Hernandez induced a flyout on his first pitch, walked the next two batters, then surrendered the game-winning home run to Trevor Plouffe. He is now 0-1 with a career ERA of 81.00. Roberts knew the risk – Hernandez had never pitched in a professional game – but he also had a new game to prepare for less than 12 hours later.

When a manager runs out of pitchers or is on the losing end of a lopsided game, does the risk of sending a position player to the mound outweigh the risk of taxing his actual pitching staff further?

“Part of baseball is you have to live to fight the next day,” Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “You really do. When we’re making that decision, that’s really what it’s about.”

Counsell sent two position players to the mound in an 11-2 loss to the Dodgers on July 22 in Milwaukee: Hernan Perez pitched the seventh and eighth innings, and Erik Kratz pitched the ninth. Neither allowed a run.

To the Dodgers hitters who had to face Perez and Kratz that day, it strained the definition of fun.

“It’s completely different from what you’ve been seeing for years,” said Cody Bellinger, who lined out to left field against Perez.

“It’s never really fun facing a position player,” Max Muncy said, “because you never know: are they just going to lob it over the plate? Once they get a strike on you, are they going to suddenly start – because every position player has a good arm – you never know if they’re going to rear back and throw it 90, start breaking off curveballs on you.”

Sidearm curveballs at 54 mph, perhaps.

That game in Milwaukee wasn’t even the most prolific for position players on a mound. Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon used three position players to finish an 18-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on July 20: Tommy La Stella, Victor Caratini and Ian Happ.

Three position players had not pitched in the same game since 1979. Is there a tipping point in sight?

“I think maybe this is a trend that we’ll see more two-way players,” Zaidi said. “You have obviously the high-end two-way player, like an Ohtani and like the kid (minor leaguer Brendan) McKay with Tampa. There are guys kind of on the bubble of major league rosters around baseball who have really strong two-way abilities.”

The Dodgers tried to create a two-way player of their own. Outfielder Brett Eibner appeared in 17 major league games last year. He then returned to Triple-A and tried his hand as a pitcher, a role he thrived in at the University of Arkansas. Before he could even get into a game, Eibner suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and had Tommy John surgery, ending his season.

Eibner only resurfaced last month in the Texas Rangers’ system – as a pitcher.

“Unfortunately that didn’t work out with Brett,” Zaidi said, “but I would’ve liked to have had him on the bench in the 16th inning in Philly.”

The Dodgers already have one of baseball’s most capable two-way players in their organization. As a pitcher, his career ERA is 3.56. As a batter, his average is .271. He even spent a full season as an outfielder in Japan. However, there are no plans for him to get in a game anytime soon. At 92 years old, special advisor Don Newcombe might not even get to pitch the 17th inning.

Tempers flare in D.C. after Ryan Zimmerman's drilled with a 54 MPH heater. pic.twitter.com/UsnYHDqyiL

— Cut4 (@Cut4) August 1, 2018

This pitch last night by Jose Reyes was 84 MPH… pic.twitter.com/NasekSLo8x

— Daren Willman (@darenw) August 1, 2018

RED ALERT: Kiké Hernandez (@kikehndez) was pitching and he threw a 66-mph curveball that looks like a knuckleball if you squint hard enough.@Dodgers #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/GqzCXv4z2k

— Lance Brozdowski (@LanceBrozdow) July 25, 2018

Below is a list showing 173 of Southern California’s 174 cities, ranked by the percentage increase in taxable property assessments.

Real estate (homes and commercial buildings) make up more than 90 percent of taxable property, but about 5 percent consists of personal property such as business machinery, planes and boats.

Several factors contribute to a city’s tax roll increase, with rising real estate prices a chief component. But under Proposition 13, taxable values don’t always capture the full gain in real estate values because assessments are capped at 2 percent per year. Cities with more real estate transactions are more likely to have bigger tax roll gains, since sales trigger a property’s reassessment to its full market value.

Read more: Soaring real estate values push Southern California tax roll to $2.6 trillion

Tax Assessment Gains by City

Sources: Assessor’s offices for Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Note: Full assessment data was unavailable for the city of Duarte and unincorported areas of San Bernardino County.

Nearly a month after a June 29 deadline to relocate a Nigerian dwarf goat from the back yard of the Tower family’s Garden Grove home, Nelly is still playing and living in her little makeshift barn.

The goat’s owner, Sharon Tower, and her Los Angeles-based attorney, Patrick Blood, are now hoping to instead collaborate with city officials to amend city law, making the pet legal.

Tower and her daughter, Jenna, have made pleas directly to City Council members at their meeting, and Blood sent a letter to the council on July 8.

They have received no response, but neither has a member of the city’s Animal Control unit returned to demand again the goat be removed.

Council members could not be reached for comment and a city spokeswoman said she is unable to confirm if the city will reach out.

The Towers have “deep roots” in Garden Grove, Blood said, and want to show that while Nelly is a goat, she is not a nuisance to the community.

“My clients love Garden Grove, this is their home, and they love it here. Which is why both are active in the community and have, in the case of Jenna Tower, even acted as a representative though her volunteer work,” Blood said in his letter to council members.

The family’s requests “are reasonable,” he wrote, “but more importantly necessary for my clients’ well being emotionally.”

The Nigerian dwarf goat is a licensed therapy animal and also an emotional support animal for Sharon Tower.

The Americans with Disabilities Act, which deals only with service dogs, does not protect Nelly under federal or state law.

Garden Grove law prohibits possession of livestock and outlines what kinds of animals are “livestock,” but does not explicitly state goats are a prohibited species.

The Towers are not raising Nelly for commercial purposes. Blood said he feels city code is “unclear,” in regards to Nelly, who is a domesticated pet.

“We want to add to the code for clarity. It mentions etcetera, but doesn’t give a reasonable person an idea on what’s permitted or stands. It doesn’t even meet what the California Department of Agriculture considers livestock,” Blood said. “What we are trying to do is collaborate with the city, even though they have so much that they’re working on – just so that Sharon can sleep easier at night knowing at least the city is working on it.”

Don’t despair, racing fans. If the past five weeks are any indication, there could be plenty of candidates to replace Justify as the next big thing in the sport.

As Justify boarded a plane at Ontario International Airport in the wee hours of the morning Wednesday for a flight to Kentucky and his future career as a stallion, six promising 2-year-olds were nestled in their stalls with the potential to grab some headlines of their own in the next 18 months or so.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting any of these six juveniles from the Bob Baffert and Jerry Hollendorfer barns will turn out to be as freakishly talented as Justify, racing’s 13th Triple Crown champion.

That would be foolhardy.

But the manner in which they won their debuts at least gives us hope that we’re going to have plenty to look forward to the next year and a half. All six were highly regarded before their first races and reside in barns that know how to develop young horses that go on to win big races.

Let’s call them the Super Six.

Sure, it’s way too early to anoint any of these colts and fillies as super horses. They’ve won only one race. But what’s the fun in showing restraint? Let’s walk a tightrope and assume these boys and girls are going to turn out to be as good as they looked breaking their maidens.

A closer look at each one:

INSTAGRAND

Hollendorfer has never won a Kentucky Derby. Let’s go way out on a limb, after only one start, and say this son of Into Mischief has the talent to give him his first. Remember, we’re not showing any restraint here.

The $1.2 million yearling purchase made his debut on June 29 at Los Alamitos, winning by 10 lengths under Drayden Van Dyke as the 2-5 favorite. He won like he should have been 1-20.

We’ll likely see him again on closing day in the Grade I Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 3.

ROADSTER

The son of Quality Road broke from the rail in his debut last Sunday at Del Mar, sat third much of the way up the backside, and then made the kind of strong move around the far turn under Mike Smith that only special horses make. He won by 4-1/4 lengths.

A $525,000 yearling purchase trained by Baffert, he’s ticketed for the Del Mar Futurity, a race Baffert has already won a record 13 times. If both Instagrand and Roadster make the $300,000 Futurity, it will be a must-see race.

BRILL

Hollendorfer has had more than his share of standout fillies, most notably Songbird and Unique Bella, and this daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, a $1 million purchase, could be another after debuting with a powerful victory at Del Mar on July 18.

Brill bobbled at the start with Van Dyke aboard, was sixth up the backstretch and then made a powerful move around the turn into the stretch en route to a 1-1/4-length victory. Perhaps we’ll see her next in the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 1.

CHASING YESTERDAY

This is another filly we might see in the Debutante after her 4-1/4-length victory in her first start last Saturday at Del Mar. The daughter of Tapit and half-sister to American Pharoah is a homebred owned by Summerwind Farms. She debuted as the heavy 1-5 favorite for Baffert.

ROWAYTON

Hollendorfer doesn’t know yet who’s better, this $320,000 yearling purchase who won by 1-3/4 lengths with Van Dyke aboard at Del Mar on July 21, or Instagrand.

“I’m not trying to compare them,” the Hall of Fame trainer told Jeremy Balan of The Bloodhorse. “Both horses are talented. One may be faster than the other one, but we’re not quite sure about all the facts yet.”

MOTHER MOTHER

The Pioneerof the Nile filly breezed to a 6-1/2-length victory when debuting on July 22 at Del Mar for Baffert. The $450,000 yearling is another who could start in the Del Mar Debutante. Van Dyke had the mount in her debut.

So there you have it. Six potential stars and we haven’t even hit the halfway mark of the 36-day Del Mar meet yet. There might be even more on the horizon.

Follow Art Wilson on Twitter at @Sham73

LOS ANGELES — It’s been a roller coaster nine months for Cody Garbrandt going from champion to challenger.

He suffered his first loss in his first title defense again former friend and teammate T.J. Dillashaw in November.

Four months later, he and his wife, Danny, welcomed their first child into the world.

The perspective gained has not been lost on the former bantamweight champion, who grew up not knowing his drug-addicted biological father.

“It was the best blessing I’ve ever received. Life changing,” Garbrandt said of the birth of his son Kai. “The best thing I ever held is my son. Nothing compares to him. No title, no amount of money.”

Now the No. 1 contender gets an opportunity to hold the gold again as he and Dillashaw will square off in a rematch in the UFC 227 main event Saturday at Staples Center.

Garbrandt brought an 11-0 record and his shiny, new title into Madison Square Garden for a scorching rivalry bout against his former Team Alpha Male teammate Nov. 4 at UFC 217.

He dropped Dillashaw at the end of the first round, only to have the horn sound before he could deliver more punishment. In the second round, Dillashaw cracked Garbrandt with a head kick that briefly floored him before flattening him later with a right hook.

Garbrandt (11-1) says he has watched their first fight a few times, and it actually gives him confidence.

“There’s a lot of things I did great and some things I did wrong,” Garbrandt said. “Until we corrected the errors that I needed to this camp, I was able to train for this, get my sparring rounds in, my grappling. I was able to do everything.

“I left no stone unturned this camp, so I’m confident. There’s no doubt I’ll go in there this Saturday and do what I want with T.J.”

Not one to make excuses, Garbrandt did struggle with a significant back injury going into his title defeat.

After suffering an annular tear, he underwent several procedures – including stem-cell treatments and epidurals – to try to recover by November. By then, it had been 11 months since he had won the title from Dominick Cruz.

The injury and inability to train took a toll on Garbrandt physically, mentally and emotionally.

“I’m a big person on visualization, manifesting your destiny, putting yourself in there,” said Garbrandt, 27. “It was hard for me to put myself in the Octagon against T.J. and manifest that win. I think that’s honestly why I didn’t win because I didn’t picture that. I was picturing myself just being healthy.”

Now he’s had a solid 12 weeks to prepare for his comeback, fully healthy and free of doubt and regrets.

Yet as sure as Garbrandt is, so is the two-time champion, who waves off the first-round knockdown as a result of his carelessness.

“I was able to bounce back from that and turn the tide,” Dillashaw (16-3) said. “The whole first round, other than that right hand, it wasn’t like he landed anything. At the end of the round, I was landing more strikes.”

Garbrandt has faith in his preparation and his right hand, knowing he was seconds away from still being the champion.

And at the end of the day, he feels he’s already won anytime he’s with his son.

“He’s brought so much balance to my life. I leave the gym, I don’t even think about training or think about fighting. Just going, play with him, be with him, be the father I always wanted,” Garbrandt said. “I have an amazing wife who goes above and beyond to make sure we’re taken care of. It’s great, man.

“I didn’t lose much. I lost a title. If that’s the worst thing that happened to me, I gained so much.”

UFC 227

Main event: Bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw vs. top-ranked former champion Cody Garbrandt

Co-main event: Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson vs. top-ranked Henry Cejudo

When: Saturday

Where: Staples Center

TV: Pay per view

Some football programs might be demoralized by the transfer of its top returning wide receiver and leading tackler to other schools.

But La Habra isn’t like most programs. The Highlanders’ reaction to a pair of high-profile departures during the offseason is yet another example of how they are different.

“I don’t think there’s a blink of an eye (by our players),” said La Habra coach Frank Mazzotta, who is entering his 21st season. “They’re going to play hard because that’s the kind of players they are.”

The Highlanders’ attitude traces to their tradition of success, which includes seven CIF-SS titles under Mazzotta.

They also believe in challenging themselves, a philosophy visible in their grueling nonleague schedules.

La Habra, ranked No. 7 in the Register’s preseason top 10, is facing some extra challenges after the departures of linebacker Kobah Fuamatu (Mater Dei) and wide receiver Deavyn Woullard (Mission Viejo).

The Highlanders have gained lesser-known transfers but also return a core group that should make them contenders in Division 2 and heavy favorites to defend their Freeway League title. They’re also debuting a refurbished stadium.

“We have some good players,” said Mazzotta, who led La Habra to a 7-4 record (with one forfeit) last season. “But we have to play well on both sides of the ball.”

The Highlanders have the potential to be explosive on offense. Junior Ryan Zanelli (6-2, 190) takes the reins as the starting quarterback after showing solid accuracy and decision making during the summer. La Habra won an Airo 7-on-7 passing tournament in the spring.

“He’s going to have a really good year,” Mazzotta said of Zanelli, who saw limited time last season behind Zach Fogel.

Zanelli’s wide receivers will include talented slot Kalani Washington (5-9, 180) and versatile Mitch Anderson (6-0, 190), who is coming off a leg injury. The Highlanders will also play All-County cornerback Clark Phillips III (5-11, 180) and Mission Viejo transfer TJ Griffin (5-11, 175) at wide receiver.

Mazzotta said Phillips, a junior who has been offered a scholarship by Alabama among others, will play enough offense “to make a difference.”

Running back Jamiel Henning (5-10, 170), a transfer from JSerra, could pace a deep backfield that includes Ryan Loudon (5-11, 190), David Johnson (5-8, 205) and Romeo Mergerson (5-8, 185).

The offensive line is anchored by rising junior guard Andrew Ueli-Fa’atoalia (6-3, 295) and also features tackles Marcos Duarte (6-0, 260) and Jason Hansen (6-0, 236), who moves from tight end.

The secondary appears to be the strength of La Habra’s defense. Phillips rivals Mater Dei’s Elias Ricks as best cornerback in Orange County. The Highlanders’ unit includes Mergerson and Gabriel Hernandez (6-0, 170) at safety and cornerback Eniale Smith, who is back from a wrist injury.

Linebacker and defensive line are areas for development, but Ueli-Fa’atoalia also plays nose guard and linebacker Kameron Matua (6-0, 225) returns as the defensive signal caller. Matua, a senior, finished as the Highlanders’ second-leading tackler last season.

Mazzotta said junior Justin Brewer (6-1, 165) is another player emerging at linebacker.

“Other guys are stepping up,” Phillips said. “We got a few great additions and a few of us had great springs and it will show.”

LA HABRA PREVIEW

Five players to watch

Jamiel Henning, RB, Sr.

Clark Phillips III, WR/CB, Jr.

Andrew Ueli-Fa’atoalia, OL/DL, Jr.

Kalani Washington, WR, Sr.

Ryan Zanelli, QB, Jr.

Schedule

All games 7 p.m.

Aug. 17: vs. Upland

Aug. 24: vs. Redlands East Valley at Redlands HS

Aug. 31: at Mission Viejo

Sept. 7: vs. Calabasas

Sept. 14: vs. Diamond Ranch

Sept. 28: vs. Fullerton*

Oct. 5: vs. Sunny Hills*

Oct. 12: at Fullerton*

Oct. 19: vs. Sonora*

Oct. 26: at Buena Park*

*League game

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The loss of significant skill position players, most notably a one-time Heisman Trophy frontrunner, means that expectations at USC are not quite as high as they were this time last year. The Trojans are not ranked as a preseason top-five team, nor favored to win the Pac-12 for a second consecutive season.

Third-year coach Clay Helton still has his sights set on the national landscape, with a national championship as the goal, as the team prepares to open training camp Friday afternoon at Howard Jones-Brian Kennedy Field.

“I still wake up at 3 a.m. in the morning and there is 1:49 on the clock in Pullman, Washington, and we’re down three,” Helton said last week in reference to the Trojans’ 30-27 loss early last season at Washington State. “That haunts me because I know that that game probably held us out of contention for having a chance at a playoff run.”

USC ultimately won the conference, but two regular-season losses kept the team from securing a berth in the four-team College Football Playoff. As it was left to the Cotton Bowl, a second straight New Year’s Six bowl appearance, Helton was left encouraged enough by the progress.

“Are we on pace? Yes,” Helton said. “I think, of the last two years, to have a chance to win a Rose Bowl and Pac-12 title. Yes. Are we where we want to be? No. When we win a national title, that’s where we’ll want to be.”

QUARTERBACK

The biggest question mark for the Trojans revolves around the most visible position on the roster. Sam Darnold’s departure for the NFL leaves a hole behind center, and only one of the three scholarship quarterbacks left to compete for the vacated starting job has appeared in a college game — Matt Fink, a redshirt sophomore, who attempted nine passes last season as Darnold’s backup. Fink gives the Trojans a running threat much like Jack Sears, a redshirt freshman who was previously Darnold’s successor at San Clemente High. The talk of preseason practices will revolve around JT Daniels, an incoming freshman and record-setting passer from Mater Dei who graduated a full academic year early to join the competition. As all three contenders are inexperienced, Helton has said he will likely wait to pick a starter until closer to the season opener on Sept. 1 against UNLV.

RUNNING BACK

If Darnold was the biggest offseason departure, Ronald Jones wasn’t far behind. Jones left as the school’s fifth all-time leading rusher, surpassing a pair of former Heisman Trophy winners (O.J. Simpson and Mike Garrett) on his way up the career rushing list. He totaled 1,550 yards on the ground last season. The runners who should replace Jones include Aca’Cedric Ware, a senior who toiled behind Jones and others on the depth chart in recent seasons, and Stephen Carr, a sophomore who is both shifty and versatile. Ware took the bulk of the carries during spring practice and has a leg up on the starting spot. Carr sat out spring and summer workouts while recovering from offseason back surgery. He is cleared to practice, but his workload will be eased in, Helton said. If Carr is slow to recover, the physical Vavae Malepeai and freshman Markese Stepp could get more looks.

WIDE RECEIVER/TIGHT END

A solid core of wide receivers should help bring along a first-time starting quarterback. Both Tyler Vaughns and Michael Pittman provide big targets on the outside and their development over the second half of last season was key as the Trojans rode a five-game winning streak to a Pac-12 title. If Daniels is named the starting quarterback, he might also have the chance to throw to Amon-Ra St. Brown, a favorite target at Mater Dei and an incoming freshman who might end up as the starting slot receiver, taking over for Deontay Burnett. He has the pedigree. His oldest brother, Equanimeous, was a wide receiver at Notre Dame and older brother, Osiris, is a wide receiver at Stanford. There is some uncertainty in the passing game at tight end. Senior Tyler Petite, a dependable target, is back, but how healthy is Daniel Imatorbhebhe after an injury-plagued 2017 season? The athletic Imatorbhebhe impressed as a redshirt freshman in 2016 but has since been nagged by a hip flexor.

OFFENSIVE LINE

The Trojans return four of their five starting offensive linemen from last season, the most experienced of any position group on offense. On the other hand, it is mostly the same unit that gave up eight sacks in the Cotton Bowl loss to Ohio State last December, the most USC had allowed in a single game sine 1999. The 30 sacks they allowed over 14 games ranked 87th in the nation. A few tweaks could help. Left tackle Toa Lobendahn will return to center, a more natural position for the interior lineman, leaving redshirt junior Clayton Johnston and sophomore Austin Jackson to battle for the starting left tackle spot in training camp. The addition of running backs coach Tim Drevno, who will carry the title of pass protection coordinator, could be an assist as well.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Even on defense, the Trojans are in need of replacing one of their most productive players: defensive lineman Rasheem Green, who led the team in sacks. They have been buoyed by more depth in recent seasons, and defensive tackles Brandon Pili, Marlon Tuipulotu and Jay Tufele were all impressive enough in their first season on campus last fall that they might rotate more frequently. Christian Rector should see a larger role in Green’s absence. He is the returning sack leader with 7.5 in 12 games in 2017.

LINEBACKER

The now healthy outside linebacker Porter Gustin could turn this into a formidable part of coordinator Clancy Pendergast’s 2-4-5 defense. Gustin missed most of last season because of toe injuries, keeping the 6-foot-5, 260-pound pass rushing specialist on the sideline. He was a force during his brief time on the field. Days after screws were implanted in a fractured toe last September, Gustin had two sacks in the first half of a win against Texas. This is likely the most dependable unit on defense, especially with the return of inside linebacker Cameron Smith, plus John Houston and Jordan Iosefa.

SECONDARY

The Trojans return plenty of experience, with three senior cornerbacks led by Iman Marshall, but there are questions about consistency. Few units on USC’s defense have been more perplexing in recent seasons. The Trojans allowed only 54 percent of the pass attempts against them to be completed, ranking 22nd nationally, and had 16 interceptions, good for 19th nationally. But they also surrendered plenty of big plays, seeing 54 passes cover more than 20 yards, ranking 122nd out of 130 FBS teams. Marshall will be one to watch after he opted to return for his senior season rather than enter the NFL draft and impressed coaches in spring practice after a somewhat disappointing junior season. The Trojans need to replace Jack Jones, who had a team-high four interceptions last season but left school after he was declared academically ineligible. Ykili Ross and Bubba Bolden will battle for the open spot at safety left by Chris Hawkins.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Former walk-on kicker Chase McGrath and punter Reid Budrovich are back after they were awarded scholarships at the end of last season. Both were dependable. The question for special teams coach John Baxter is if he can find a dynamic returner. The Trojans last season lacked the threat of Adoree’ Jackson, who returned two punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns in 2016.

Perris torture defendants David and Louise Turpin are due back in Riverside County Superior Court on Friday, Aug. 3, for a hearing at which they will be re-arraigned.

One count of child endangerment was dropped at the preliminary hearing in June when Judge Bernard J. Schwartz ruled that the youngest of the Turpins’ 13 children, age 2, did not appear severely malnourished.

The Turpins now face a collective 88 counts against them, all felonies: 12 counts each of torture and 12 counts each of false imprisonment, eight counts each of child abuse and seven counts each of cruelty to a dependent adult. David Turpin, 56, is additionally charged with eight counts of perjury and one count of lewd acts on a child under 14 years old. Louise Turpin, 50, is also charged with one count of felony assault.

No motions or plea forms have been filed since the June 21 preliminary hearing, at which the 911 call of a 17-year-old girl who escaped was played. If the Turpins waive the reading of all 88 charges Friday, the hearing could consist of their new not-guilty pleas and the setting of a tentative trial date — a process that could last five minutes.

The Turpins are alleged to have shackled and starved their children, who at the time of the Jan. 14 arrests ranged in age from 2 to 29. Prosecutors say the children were forced to wear soiled clothes and were restricted to one shower per year.

All of it amounted to torture, prosecutors say, in a case that has received worldwide attention.

Neighbors and relatives said they knew nothing about the crimes that were alleged. The parents largely kept the children out of sight, creating a private school — which prosecutors say was a sham — to educate the kids.

The Turpins remain jailed at Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside, where bail has been set at $12 million each. They previously pleaded not guilty to all charges.

A U.S. District Court judge has cleared the way for attorneys for survivors of Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse to depose former USA Gymnastics chief executive Steve Penny and other top U.S. Olympic and USA Gymnastics officials and employees and collect records from the two organizations.

Saying the gymnasts’ attorneys can proceed “immediately,” U.S. magistrate Judge Karen E. Scott on Thursday rejected a motion by the USOC and former USA Gymnastics women’s national team directors Bela and Martha Karolyi to prevent the former gymnasts from obtaining documents and testimony from USOC and USA Gymnastics employees.

Scott’s ruling is the latest move in lawsuits filed by Olympic medalists Jamie Dantzscher, McKayla Maroney, Jordyn Wieber and former U.S. national team member Mattie Larson against Nassar, the former U.S. Olympic and national team physician, USA Gymnastics, the USOC, the Karolyis, Penny and two other former USA Gymnastics executives in U.S. District Court.

In addition to Penny, the survivors’ attorneys also plan to depose former USOC CEO Scott Blackmun, former USA Gymnastics president Kathy Scanlan, UOSC security chief Larry Buendorf, U.S. national team coach Doug Boger, USOC physician Dr. David Kruse, and USA Gymnastic official Dr. George Drew, among others.

The survivors are also seeking documents related to the USOC’s sources of income and documents regarding parental concerns about Nassar’s treatment methods.

Scott also rejected motions by attorneys for the USOC and the Karolyis to sanction plaintiff attorneys for discovery demands and require the plaintiffs to pay $6,920 in attorney fees.

DEL MAR LEADERSThrough ThursdayJOCKEYS / WINSFlavien Prat / 13Drayden Van Dyke / 10Assael Espinoza / 9Geovanni Franco / 8Two tied / 7TRAINERS / WINSPeter Miller / 11Jerry Hollendorfer / 10Doug O’Neill / 7Philip D’Amato / 6John Sadler / 5

WEEKEND STAKES SCHEDULEDEL MARSaturday•$200,000 Grade II Yellow Ribbon Handicap, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/16 miles (turf)•$100,000 Graduation Stakes, 2-year-olds bred in CA, 5 1/2 furlongsSunday•$200,000 Grade II Sorrento Stakes, 2-year-old fillies, 6 furlongs•$150,000 Grade III La Jolla Handicap, 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles (turf)

DOWN THE STRETCH•Hall of Famer Lava Man, 17, underwent successful surgery for colic on Tuesday at the San Luis Rey Downs Equine Hospital and reportedly is on the road to recovery. On Wednesday, trainer Doug O’Neill provided an update on Twitter: “Lava Man underwent colic surgery to correct a large colon displacement. He stood beautifully and is back in his stall to begin the recovery process. We want to thank the veterinarians and staff for their quick assessment and treatment. Thanks to all for the good wishes.”

•Joel Rosario, who first made a name for himself in Southern California before moving east, has been named to ride Accelerate in the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 18. Accelerate’s regular jockey, Victor Espinoza, is sidelined with a fractured vertebra in his neck incurred last week in a training accident and will miss the rest of the Del Mar meet. “Just my call,” trainer John Sadler told Hank Wesch of Del Mar publicity this week. “We have a good history together and he’s one of the top riders in the country.”

•McKinzie, thought to be trainer Bob Baffert’s top Kentucky Derby contender early this year before he was injured, has returned to the work tab. The Street Sense colt, who recently returned to Baffert’s barn, worked three furlongs in 37.60 seconds Wednesday at Del Mar. Baffert said recently he doesn’t have a return race picked out yet for McKinzie. “Justify came at a time when McKinzie got hurt, and that was a devastating blow because I really thought (McKinzie) was going to be my Kentucky Derby winner,” Baffert said.

— Art Wilson

IRVINE — The ram, by its nature, lowers its head to strike a foe. That’s still fine up in the mountains, but the football Rams must keep their horns up on the field this season.

The NFL, in the quiet of conference rooms, has made it clear that the helmet is not a weapon, and that offenders will be penalized and possibly ejected in 2018. Players no longer can drop their heads to deliver helmet-first blows. The issue is how clearly that decree will be translated on the field this season.

As part of an annual training-camp tour, four officials visited with Rams players on Wednesday night at UC Irvine. The crew, led by referee Craig Wrolstad, showed an 11-minute video and answered questions about new rules, including the new helmet rule that some fear will turn games into penalty-flag festivals.

“Guys just have to adjust,” veteran cornerback Aqib Talib said after Thursday’s practice. “They’re trying to have guys healthy when they retire. It’s good for the tackler. It’s good for the offensive guy.”

A small sampling of Rams defensive players indicated no significant objections. Players – both offensive and defensive – now can be penalized 15 yards or ejected for head-first hits to any part of an opponent’s body, but the Rams seem confident that penalties will be limited to egregious errors.

That opinion hasn’t been unanimous around the league. San Francisco’s Richard Sherman called the rule “ridiculous” in an interview with USA Today, and some members of the Philadelphia Eagles balked as well. Reaction seemed more muted among teams such as New England and the New York Giants.

“Football players don’t really like change,” Wrolstad said on Thursday, after a presentation to reporters. “They like to keep it the same way they’ve been doing it. Almost every time we show a new rule, there’s a grumble or two about a certain rule. I think the Rams’ coaching staff has done a good job of telling the players, ‘This is the way it is and the way it’s going to be, and this is how you have to change.’”

Wrolstad said each team’s four preseason games – the Rams play at Baltimore next Thursday – should provide ample time for players (and officials) to adjust to new rules.

Rams coach Sean McVay expressed confidence that it wouldn’t take that long and said his team already has been stressing the fundamentals of tackling. The new rules were approved before the start of the Rams’ offseason program, so they’ve had time to break any bad habits.

“The biggest thing that is going to be a challenge,” McVay said, “is some of those situations where you’re a defender, you try to keep your head out of the play, and then the target changes on some of those bang-bang plays. We’ve got to do a great job of trying to be accurate with that helmet placement.”

Wrolstad and the officials also reviewed other rules changes with the Rams.

• Players catching a pass while headed to the turf no longer must “survive the ground” in order for a catch to be valid. Players still must get two feet down in bounds, but now a third step or “football move” will suffice to avoid a fumble or an incomplete pass. Officials hope this will clarify the much-mocked rule.

• Officials intend to be quicker with the whistle when a player – particularly a running back or receiver – has his forward progress stopped and is involved in a physical scrum or pile-up. Wrolstad said players often unintentionally hurt teammates by hitting or pushing after the initial action has stopped.

• Officials intend to crack down both on offensive and defensive pass interference, and will be more stringent on issuing 15-yard penalties for illegal batting and kicking of the ball.

Rams players chuckled when it was pointed out that rules changes typically benefit the offense.

“You’ve just got to play defense. You’ve got to stop them from scoring,” cornerback Marcus Peters said. “With us, we’ve got pass rush, so we aren’t really worried about it.”

CAMP NOTES

Tight end Gerald Everett suffered a shoulder “ding” this week, said McVay, who added that the team was awaiting news of the severity of the injury. Safety Lamarcus Joyner missed practice with soreness in his Achilles tendon, and linebacker Matt Longacre missed practice with a biceps tweak, McVay said. … The Rams are scheduled for an off day Friday, then a Saturday afternoon practice. The team will fly to Baltimore on Sunday and hold practices with the Ravens on Monday and Tuesday.

They each began with a blank canvas, but within an hour, paintings had started to take shape depicting life at the Orange County Fair: brown and cream calves lounging in a livestock pen, a profusion of nodding sunflowers, red and white barns, a colorful carnival ride.

The plein air competition, in which artists set up their materials outdoors and paint scenes from real life, returned to the OC Fair for its third year on Thursday, Aug. 2, when more than a dozen people sought shady spots around the fairgrounds and created art.

Christina Segovia, of Orange, chose a tilting, twirling carousel-like swing ride and propped her canvas on a chair to sketch it out in pencil.

“I like the way it looks when it moves,” she said. “When you get it spinning you kind of get that motion feel to it, so I wanted to capture that here.”

Now 23 and studying fine art at UC Irvine, Segovia said she’s been working in oils since she was a teenager, but it was her first time in a plein air contest.

After penciling in the basics of the scene – Segovia starts with the main focus of the picture, then arranges other items around it – she squeezed out blobs of white, cobalt blue and a dash of yellow paint and began mixing.

When the mixture had become a pale cornflower blue, Segovia laid out several sizes of brushes and began filling in the sky.

Meanwhile, several artists had picked the Centennial Farm as their setting, including April Apodaca, 26, of Norwalk.

Her 8-by-10 canvas showed barns and animal pens with the Ferris wheel in the distance, all painted in gouache, a type of opaque, thickened watercolor.

Apodaca won third place in last year’s contest. Her advice on making a good plein air painting?

“Start early. Plan out what you’re painting.”

Anne Wilson, 59, of Santa Ana, also chose the farm as her muse. She did a watercolor of some goats relaxing.

She loves painting outside and doing art generally, she said, adding that though she’s busy with family, “I’m just trying to get more of it back into my life.”

Not everyone was in it to win it. John Snelling, 62, of Lomita, did two small oil paintings: a woman petting a long-haired goat, and a lemon-shaped drink stand.

He came to enjoy the atmosphere and the crowds.

“I work alone normally,” he said. “I’ve met people here that are amazing.”

Although Segovia’s spot was a bit chaotic – thumping dance music from a nearby ride, ringing bells and popping balloons from a carnival game – the noise didn’t bother her.

But the crowds were a bit much. A few hours in, a child bumped into her and spilled soda on her supplies, then she couldn’t find a new place to set up, so she packed it in before her painting was done.

Will she try again next year? “I think I will, now that I know what to expect,” she said.

Two weeks after a Silver Lake neighborhood was rocked by a police standoff, gunfire and the death of a young store manager, a favorite neighborhood grocery store reopened for business.

Customers and employees who once swapped favorite food tips at the Trader Joe’s checkout line now had something new to connect them — tragedy.

Employees on Thursday, Aug. 2 donned tie-dyed T-shirts that read “Silver Lake Always.” The same message covered the store’s traditional sign at the curb. A makeshift memorial for Melyda Corado, the manager who was killed in the crossfire, remained outside the front doors.

And customers came to show support, offer hugs and try to get back to life as it was.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Trader Joe’s said it remains “heartbroken” over the death of Corado and the trauma its employees and customers have suffered. The Monrovia-based grocery chain said the store remained closed following the shooting to allow those involved “time to grieve and to begin to work through what they experienced.”

But how does a retailer recover and move forward after tragedy strikes?

Trader Joe’s customers greeted customers with hugs and applause as the Silver Lake store reopened this morning. Regular customers say they shopped here today as a show of support. #SilverLake #TraderJoes pic.twitter.com/iOo432zlzr

— Craig Fiegener (@CraigNews3LV) August 2, 2018

No one-size-fits-all path

There is no one-size-fits-all path, according to Gary Emery, a psychologist with the Center for Cognitive Therapy in Los Angeles.

“It varies,” he said. “One out of six people who were present at an event like this will have post-traumatic stress disorder. But others will just kind of get along because they are watching others getting along. We are social animals, and that’s what we do.”

Employees who remain deeply disturbed by the incident — the ones prone to PTSD — will avoid going to work and some may quit their jobs, Emery said. Still, he figures most of the Trader Joe’s workers will draw strength from each other.

“They are a pretty tight group there and they are mostly all from the same demographic socially, so they’ll be in the same boat,” he said. “But some are obviously more prone to anxiety than others.”

The #SilverLake #TraderJoes actually re-opens today, store now lightly renovated w/ new emergency exits. The company took care of Melyda Corado's funeral & paid every employee their full wages during the closure plus a hotel stay and grief counseling.

— Militant Angeleno (@militantangleno) August 2, 2018

The after effects

The trade publication Psychology Today cites a number of common reactions to traumatic events, including replaying the memory in your head, suffering from nightmares and experiencing flashbacks when a memory is triggered. The latter can make someone feel as if the trauma is happening all over again, and sometimes that can seem worse than the actual event.

Last month’s incident unfolded when 28-year-old Gene Atkins allegedly shot and wounded his grandmother and his girlfriend in another part of Los Angeles. He then allegedly kidnapped the girl and led police on a car chase while firing at the officers before crashing into a light pole in front of Trader Joe’s.

Atkins barricaded himself inside the store and continued firing. When police returned fire, Corado was struck by an officer’s bullet and died.

#TraderJoes employees show us their tie-dyed shirts they are wearing as they reopen the store in #Silverlake 12 days after a deadly standoff the claimed the life of the store manager; We’re live on #TODAYinLA from 4-7 on @nbcla Channel 4 pic.twitter.com/zCGPGKNQjf

— Mekahlo Medina (@MekahloNBCLA) August 2, 2018

Trader Joe’s said it has made some repairs at the store but didn’t say what they were. An employee who answered the phone on Thursday said the store’s interior had been renovated to remove all traces of the shooting that occurred there.

Fans of the supermarket chain have taken to Twitter in support of the company.

“If you go, please do not ask the staff about what happened,” one tweet said. “They are still traumatized and grieving. Asking them details just makes them relive the trauma.”

Phil Lempert, a Santa Monica-based expert on consumer behavior and marketing trends, figures beefed up security measures would go a long way toward putting employees and customers more at ease.

“If it was me, my recommendation would be to make sure there is a lot of security there,” he said. “That’s the first thing people will be nervous about. Having a security presence both inside and outside the store would be the first step.”

Numbed by violence

Some Trader Joe’s customers will undoubtedly be nervous about returning to the store. But Lempert said the fallout probably won’t be as dramatic as many might expect.

“Unfortunately, in today’s world, we’ve gotten accustomed to these kinds of incidents,” he said. “We see this happening at schools, malls and nightclubs. I don’t want to say we’ve become insulated to it … but it’s become a way of life in 2018.”

Lempert figures the shakeout among shoppers will be two-sided.

“I think they will lose some customers but gain new ones,” he said. “I don’t want to sound morbid, but some people will want to go to that location just so they can see where it happened. It’ll probably be a wash for Trader Joe’s. They have some very loyal customers.”

The race to fill the state Senate seat vacated by Tony Mendoza, who resigned on February 22 after sexual harassment findings against him, is a three-way.

Attorney Rita Topalian led the field in two primaries on June 5, one to fill out the unexpired term in Senate District 32, and one for the 2018 general election for the full four-year term that begins in 2019.

But the results of the dual top-two primaries have put Topalian, a Republican, into two run-offs against two different opponents. In this Tuesday’s special general election, Topalian will face Democrat Vanessa Delgado, a city council member in Montebello and the current mayor. In the November 6 statewide general election, Topalian will run against Democrat Bob Archuleta.

In July, Delgado had said it was “a possibility” that she would refuse to be sworn in as a state senator if she wins on August 7. That’s because she might be forced to resign her council seat only to be ousted from the state Senate in January, when either Topalian or Archuleta would begin the new term.

“I don’t know if I would give up my city council seat for this temporary position,” she told the Daily News’ Kevin Modesti.

Then, on July 13, Delgado posted a statement on her Facebook page stating that she does intend to serve in Sacramento if elected.

But she didn’t speak to the issue of her city council seat. Delgado’s spokeswoman told Modesti that “She’s going to serve [in the Senate], and whatever the ramifications are, she’ll deal with them.”

We’re sympathetic considering the strange way this special election has worked out. But, we think residents of the district, which covers Montebello as well as Whittier, Downey, Pico Rivera, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Hacienda Heights, Bellflower, Artesia, Cerritos and Buena Park, would be best served by a candidate who committed to serving them from the start.

We’d recommend a vote for Rita Topalian in Tuesday’s election.

Some of the recreation areas closed during the Cranston fire near Idyllwild will reopen Saturday, Aug. 4, the U.S. Forest Service said.

The original order on July 28 closed all Forest Service lands within the San Jacinto Ranger District and Santa Rosa and San Jacinto national monuments.

“The new order means the majority of popular hiking trails, campgrounds and roads on the district and national monument will reopen on Saturday,” the Forest Service news release said.

#CranstonFire: Many of the most popular recreational areas will reopen Saturday, 8/4! What remains closed includes the South Ridge trail/road and a portion of the PCT that was already closed due to the #MountainFire.

Map: https://t.co/9lQsyu9AqH pic.twitter.com/BugwwlopCw

— San Bernardino National Forest (@SanBernardinoNF) August 3, 2018

The Forest Service posted a map of the new closure area on its Facebook page and on Twitter at @SanBernardinoNF.

at Remaining closed will be the South Ridge Trail, the South Ridge Road and a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. Tahquitz Peak Fire Lookout may be accessed via the Devils Slide Trail from the Humber Park Trailhead. The lookout was not damaged by the fire, the Forest Service said.

The Cranston fire had burned 13,139 acres and 12 buildings with 96 percent containment as of Friday evening. The nearby Ribbon fire was completely contained at 205 acres on July 30.

Authorities say Temecula resident Brandon McGlover set the Cranston fire. He has pleaded not guilty to 15 felony charges.

IRVINE – Any parent understands the absolute blessing of welcoming a young child into the world and the resulting sense of balance and responsibility that comes with it.

And so, as Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp held his newborn son – Cooper Jamison – in his arms for the first time in early July, the sense of blessing and curiousity and relief and happiness was overwhelming.

“I was looking at him, holding him,” Kupp remembers. “And he was looking back at me, straight into my eyes. And I felt like I was looking back at myself 25 years ago. It was the weirdest, most incredible feeling in the world.”

Most parents will agree there is also a daunting feeling as well in those precious moments. That wonderful little being staring longingly into your eyes is relying on you. For understanding and guidance and a stable environment.

The balance being, providing much of what is being relied upon means having to rise up every morning, and kissing your family goodbye and going to work. And while your profession might be the realization your dream and part of what defines you, that saying goodbye to do the right thing is a bittersweet proposition to be sure.

As Kupp discovered upon kissing his wife and young Cooper Jamison goodbye to report to Rams training camp two weeks ago.

“Maybe the hardest day of my life was saying bye to them,” Kupp said.

But much like the mature, incredibly ready and prepared rookie that stepped foot in the NFL last year as a third-round draft pick out of Eastern Washington and immediately looked like he belonged, Kupp was able to find the perfect perspective to put into context a moment all parents dread.

Saying goodbye to your family also means going to work for something that provides benefits and comfort to them. And doing your job at a high level means personal satisfaction as well as a sturdy family foundation. And in Kupp’s case, both the former and the latter are gifts he does not take for granted.

“I’m incredibly blessed to have something at home with my son and wife that’s so hard to leave but also have this, football, and being around guys I love to be around,” Kupp said.

Talk about the best of all worlds.

As in Kupp making a handful of catches at a recent Rams training camp practice, flashing footwork off the line of scrimmage that would make Ne-Yo take notice, and precise route- running beyond his NFL experience, and receptions that ranged from a one-hand grab to rising above and between two defenders to pick a Jared Goff throw out of the air.

Only to greet his wife and son afterward and, like the doting dad he’s already become over the last eight weeks, gently take his son from his wife, placing him into his stroller, and then pushing him to the family car, smiling proudly and broadly like the young papa he is.

Life, as they say, is good.

Cooper Kupp now has even more reason to realize his NFL dreams and perfect his craft. The perfect reason, actually: A young wife and son.

Amazing, really, how fast life moves. In a good way.

Kupp was a rookie just trying to prove himself this time last year. Before that, he was a so-called mid-major wide receiver trying to prove he was even worthy of NFL consideration. Before that, he was a kid no big-time college program was willing to offer a scholarship.

After clearing all the aforementioned hurdles – flying over them after producing a spectacular college career at Eastern Washington by amassing 428 catches for 6,464 and 73 touchdowns, then being drafted by the Rams, then earning NFL All Rookie team honors last season after grabbing 62 passes for 869 yards and five scores, then welcoming a son into the world – Kupp can only look back in awe.

“You really reflect on how you got to where you are. And it’s incredible,” Kupp said. “For as long as it is, and it is long, it moves so fast. There’s so much going on. There’s all this stuff happening.”

A whole new horizon now awaits. Improving upon last year is the objective. Being more of an asset the goal. There is room to improve, areas that need addressing. For all the production last season, there is also an end zone dropped ball against the Seahawks that would have been a game-winning touchdown, and a goal-line fumble against the Vikings that could have changed to course of a frustrating loss.

“You definitely learn more from the mistakes,” he said. “But you also have to learn from the good stuff. Because if it you’re always learning just from that bad, you’re going to be dwelling too much on the negative. But you do learn more from that bad and you have to take that grow from it.

“In this league if you take something and stew over it for more than 24 hours it’s going to turn into a negative thing. So I try to take those hours and think – What went wrong? How can I fix it? And then move on. Because I have days before the next game. Sometimes only four.

“You examine them. You talk to your coach. You talk to other players and ask what should I have done differently? What can I fix? And then you move forward.”

Cooper Kupp is moving forward all right. But he is looking behind him, too. To a new son and wife he dreads leaving, but for whom everything he does is with them in mind.

Pay no attention to his off-the-cuff remarks, or to his early-morning tweets, say the true believers in everything that issues from Donald Trump. Watch what he does, not what he says.

This is perfectly sage advice when it comes to most individuals, even most powerful ones. But most of us are not the president of the United States of America, with a bully pulpit that greatly influences the world with every word he says.

And so it’s time to take a stand by demanding that the president stop his dangerous and indeed possibly violence-provoking rhetoric that repeatedly dubs the press — and that would be us — as “the enemy of the people.”

It matters little that the president, who rose to power in the business world partly by being a master manipulator of the media, doesn’t actually believe this old catch phrase is the truth. He’s been known to play a bit fast and loose, as have many politicians before him, with the truth.

It probably doesn’t matter that the phrase, coined in Roman times, and used by Shakespeare as well, was most prominently used by the dictators of the Soviet Union, from Lenin in 1917 on down, to denounce the democratic foes of communism in Russia. If the president does know that, we would think that the irony of his present predicament, in which his ties to Russia are the subject of seemingly endless investigation, would keep him from uttering the words.

But the fact is he does keep uttering the words, as if he can’t help himself, often in the context of his ongoing campaign-like rallies, seemingly because he likes the mesmerizing effect they have on his crowds. He will intone them, nod over to the reporters’ gallery, and revel in the roar.

Because of the literal danger to reporters and editors when such propaganda is spoken by our president, the publisher of The New York Times, AG Sulzberger, sought and got a private, off-the-record meeting with Trump in which he asked him to tone it down for the good of the nation. But then the president took to Twitter: “had a very good and interesting meeting” with Sulzberger “about the vast amounts of Fake News being put out by the media & how that Fake News has morphed into phrase, ‘Enemy of the People’. Sad!”

Wait — in what sense would a newspaper publisher agree that what his journalists report is a phrase created by the president, “Fake News,” much less that such has “morphed” all on its own into an authoritarian expression, “Enemy of the People,” that has been rehashed by the president himself?

We’re tired of these blanket denunciations from the Oval Office. Criticism of the media is fair, and welcome. We shouldn’t be immune to it. We are critical of others, and it’s fine for people to be critical of us. It would be one thing if Trump were an articulate, nuanced observer of biased media coverage — but he’s not. His smears of the press in general and contributes to further polarization of Americans.

Has the rhetoric translated into tangible restrictions on press freedom overall? Probably not — though the jacked-up price of newsprint thanks to protectionist tariffs against Canadian paper doesn’t make the daily miracle any easier. But the hostility he drums up doesn’t help our ability to fairly report what’s happening in the world and down your street on the front page, and to comment on that news in the Opinion pages.

What Sulzberger said after the president broke the embargo on the private meeting is what we believe: The term “fake news” is largely untrue and harmful. But the phrase “enemy of the people” in a time of rising threats against journalists for doing our job is dangerously inflammatory.