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Seal Beach’s housing market looked mixed in the fourth quarter.

CoreLogic statistics for the October-to-December period compared with the same period a year earlier, show these five trends for Seal Beach’s homebuying …

1. 52 homes sold in the latest period vs. 47 a year earlier.

2. That’s a one-year sales gain of 10.6 percent vs. a countywide homebuying loss of 1.3 percent.

3. Median selling price in the latest period of $858,000 vs. $859,719 12 months earlier.

4. That’s a price decline of 0.2 percent. The countywide median was $698,000, up 5.7 percent vs. the year-ago period.

5. The Seal Beach 90740 median ranks No. 21 priciest out of 83 Orange County ZIPs vs. No. 15 a year earlier.

See full-year 2017 CoreLogic results …
Beach ZIPs | North O.C. | South O.C. | Mid-county

From 2017’s fourth quarter, eight countywide trends to ponder:

1. At the neighborhood level, prices were up in 66 of 83 Orange County ZIP codes compared to the previous year.

2. Sales rose in 38 of 83 Orange County ZIPs.

3. Builder sales were 1,544 — up 4.2 percent from a year earlier. Median selling price was $869,000 — up 0.2 percent from a year earlier.

4. In the cheapest third of the county’s market — the 27 least expensive ZIPs, median of $622,500 and below — 2,540 homes sold. That’s down 0.9 percent compared to a year earlier.

5. In the 27 priciest ZIPs — median of $789,050 and higher — 3,236 homes sold. That’s down 0.2 percent.

6. In the 11 Orange County ZIPs with medians above $1 million, sales totaled 720 homes, down 1.9 percent in a year. There were 10 seven-figure ZIPs a year earlier.

7. In the county’s 16 beach-close ZIPs, 1,484 homes sold in the latest period, down 0.6 percent vs. a year earlier.

8. As for relative bargains, there were six ZIPs with medians under $500,000 with total sales of 440 homes. A year earlier, 14 ZIPs had medians under $500,000 with 1,039 sales, or a drop of 58 percent in a year.

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — The Olympic Games ended Sunday night just as they began — with the International Olympic Committee and its president Thomas Bach on the defensive over how the organization has handled the Russian doping scandal.

The IOC earlier Sunday voted to lift sanctions on Russia as early as this week should there be no more positive drug test results for Russian athletes at the Winter Olympics.

The move drew immediate criticism from athletes and the international anti-doping community, forcing Bach to spend Sunday defending the decision and attempting to minimalize the impact the Russian doping controversy had on the Games.

The IOC banned Russia from competing Pyeongchang on December 5 after an IOC investigation confirmed a “widespread culture of doping in Russia” in which national sports officials provided performance enhancing drugs to Russian athletes in dozens of sports and covered up positive tests most notably at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi.

“I don’t think, quite frankly, that these Olympic Winter Games have been tainted by the Russian affair because we had no Russian team here,” Bach said. “This was a clear message.”

The IOC allowed 168 Russian athletes compete in South Korea under the Olympic flag at “Olympic Athletes from Russia” after they passed an IOC vetting process. The IOC said it rejected 111 Russian athletes who applied to compete at the Winter Olympics

But Olympic medalists said Sunday the Games were impacted by the Russian doping controversy and IOC’s handling of the matter. Athletes also emphasized that despite Bach and the IOC’s statements they have not seen a willingness from Russia to change its culture of doping.

“I feel like there’s been a loss in faith of the athletes of these Games, of all Games because of the offenses that have occurred,” said U.S. bobsledder Elana Meyers, a silver medalist in the two-man competition.

Meyers view was shared by Germany’s Francesco Friedrich, who completed a sweep of the Olympic bobsled titles with a victory in the four-man competition Sunday.

“What should I say?” said Friedrich when asked about the IOC decision. “I think they have two more positive doping tests. It’s their own problem, they don’t have to do it.

“It’s not fair for all the other guys, we fight for the medals.”

The U.S. biathlon team Sunday announced it will boycott the upcoming World Cup final in Russia in protest

“The IBU’s recent decision to move forward with the World Cup Final in Tyumen, Russia is completely unacceptable,” the U.S. team said in a statement referring to the International Biathlon Union, the sport’s global governing body.  “In support of clean sport and our own physical safety, we cannot in good conscience participate.”

Two Russian athletes did test positive for banned performance-enhancing substances at the Games.

Alexander Krushelnitsky, a bronze medalist in mixed doubles curling, tested positive for the banned substance meldonium. Krushelnitsky returned the bronze medal.

Bobsledder  Nadezhda Sergeeva tested positive for trimetazidine. Sergeeva’s positive result was particularly embarrassing for the IOC and the Russian Olympic Committee since Sergeeva appeared in a promotional video released during the Games wearing a t-shirt that read “I don’t do doping.”

Sergeeva has denied using banned substances.

“These are cases of negligence,” Bach said. “There is no indication whatsoever of systemic or systematic doping here, or of any involvement of the OAR leadership or the Russian Olympic Committee.”

There had speculation among longtime IOC observers that Bach waned to reinstate Russia prior to Sunday night’s Closing Ceremony allowing Russian athletes to wave their country’s flag at the event.

“Thomas Bach was a drowning man, but finally cooler heads within the IOC threw him a life preserver,” Jim Walden, an attorney for Grigory Rodchenkov, the former Russian doping laboratory director who helped to expose Russia’s doping program, said in a statement.

“Yet, in the decision, the IOC had the gall to claim Russia ‘respected’ its decision on December 5th to institute the suspension,” Walden continued. “The acrimony caused by Bach’s mismanagement should be his undoing.”

ANAHEIM – Handling teams that are well out of the playoff picture has been a big problem for the Ducks but they have a chance to rectify that Sunday night when they host the Edmonton Oilers at Honda Center.

The Ducks (31-21-11) missed an opportunity to move into second place in the Pacific Division after falling, 2-0, to Arizona on the road Saturday. It continues a troubling trend where they’ve failed to gain points against poor teams.

Recent weeks have seen them lose games to Ottawa, Montreal, Detroit and Arizona. All four won’t make the postseason but the Ducks gained only one point out of those contests. Those results continue to give off the impression that they play to the level of their competition, which isn’t a new issue with them.

“I hope not because we’re [bleeping] in the biggest playoff race,” Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said. “It’s a matter of us getting our mindset where it needs to be so we can show up every day and be excited to be at the rink and play hockey.”

Ryan Miller (8-5-5, 2.38 GAA, .928 SV%) stopped 35 shots Saturday in another sharp effort. Unless he needs a rest, it would figure that Ducks coach Randy Carlyle will come right back to the veteran, who has the net as John Gibson (lower body) is on injured reserve. Reto Berra would be the other option.

The Ducks weren’t able to score on the two power-play chances that they had. One of those came in the third period but they don’t get many opportunities on the man advantage. They’ve got a minus-59 disparity in terms of power plays compared to times shorthanded.

“We’re used to it,” Getzlaf said. “That’s not a change for us. We just got to be better when we get our opportunities.

“We had a couple looks tonight. I thought the first one we did a good job. The second one, we didn’t’ do the emotional things and we didn’t do the grit that we needed to compete and essentially get us a goal on that power play.”

With the 5 p.m. Pacific time start, the Ducks did not have a morning skate. Carlyle could make a couple tweaks to the lineup. Kevin Bieksa has been scratched the last two games but could draw back in, with Francois Beauchemin coming out in the back-to-back scenario.

Derek Grant would be the likely candidate to come back at fourth-line center if Carlyle opts to take Antoine Vermette out. Vermette, Grant and J.T. Brown have been rotated in and out of the lineup in recent weeks.

Here is the projected lineup for the Ducks:

Rickard Rakell-Ryan Getzlaf-Corey Perry

Andrew Cogliano-Ryan Kesler-Jakob Silfverberg

Nick Ritchie-Adam Henrique-Ondrej Kase

Chris Wagner-Derek Grant-J.T. Brown

Cam Fowler-Brandon Montour

Hampus Lindholm-Kevin Bieksa

Marcus Pettersson-Josh Manson

The Oilers (26-31-4) picked up a 4-3 win over the Kings on Saturday at Staples Center as they grabbed a two-goal lead and never trailed. Veteran winger Michael Cammalleri had three assists in one of his most productive games of the season.

With Cam Talbot getting the start in Los Angeles, the Ducks could likely see backup Al Montoya (3-2-1, 3.23 GAA, .879 SV%) in net. Montoya is 2-1-1 in five games with the Oilers since they got him from Montreal on Jan. 4.

Edmonton could be a team to watch for before Monday’s trade deadline. Left wing Patrick Maroon, who played with the Ducks for four-plus seasons, is an unrestricted free agent in July and could be on the move. Maroon was held out of Saturday’s game due to a lower-body injury in a protective measure.

The Oilers did make a move Sunday, dealing veteran center Mark Letestu to Nashville. Letestu was later sent by the Predators to Columbus for a fourth-round pick. Edmonton received 24-year-old forward Pontus Aberg in return.

A bright spot for Edmonton has been the development of winger Jujhar Khaira. One of only three players of Punjabi descent to ever play in the NHL, the 6-foot-4 Khaira scored his 10th goal of the season Saturday. He was a third-round draft pick of the Oilers in 2012.

Leon Draisaitl has picked it up of late. After a so-so first three months of the season, Draisaitl has eight goals and 11 assists over his last 15 contests and is up to 19 goals and 36 assists for the year. He has lined up either at second-line center or as the right wing on Connor McDavid’s line.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins won’t play. Nugent-Hopkins, who has 16 goals and 15 assists but has long been seen as a trade candidate, remains on the shelf after suffering cracked ribs during a game against Vegas in mid-January.

The 24-year-old former No. 1 overall pick has developed a strong two-way game over the years but carries a $6 million salary and may not be feasible to keep, given the $21 million McDavid and Draisaitl make between them next season.

Here is the projected lineup for the Oilers:

Patrick Maroon-Connor McDavid-Jesse Puljujarvi

Michael Cammalleri-Leon Draisaitl-Anton Slepyshev

Milan Lucic-Ryan Strome-Ty Rattie

Jujhar Khaira-Drake Caggiula-Zack Kassian

Adam Larsson-Darnell Nurse

Oscar Klefbom-Kris Russell

Andrej Sekera-Matt Benning

More Chargers position-by-position analysis: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Offensive linemen | Defensive linemen | Linebackers

Jason Verrett was once one of the best young cornerbacks in the NFL. The Chargers didn’t seem to miss him much — a testament to the skill and depth of their secondary.

The talented but oft-injured defender lasted just one game in 2017, playing 63 snaps before undergoing season-ending knee surgery. Since the Chargers drafted him at No. 25 overall nearly four years ago, Verrett has played in just 25 out of 64 possible games.

And yet, this defensive backfield finished as one of the NFL’s best, allowing just 17 touchdown passes against 18 interceptions. Opposing quarterbacks averaged a 78.1 passer rating, fourth-lowest in the league. Only one opposing receiver, Oakland’s Amari Cooper, cracked 100 yards — with 87 of those coming on a single play in Week 17.

Much of that success should go to cornerback Casey Hayward, who remains underrated despite back-to-back Pro Bowls. But its also a credit to the Chargers’ defensive coaching, plus a bit of good luck.

2017 STARTERS: Casey Hayward (40 tackles, 4 interceptions, 22 pass breakups), Jahleel Addae (96 tackles, 7 pass breakups), Tre Boston (79 tackles, 5 interceptions, 8 pass breakups), Trevor Williams (56 tackles, 2 interceptions, 13 pass breakups)

RESERVES: Adrian Phillips (63 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble), Desmond King (76 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 interception), Michael Davis (18 tackles), Rayshawn Jenkins (13 tackles), Jason Verrett (injured reserve)

PENDING FREE AGENTS: Tre Boston, Adrian Phillips (restricted).

GRADING 2017

Hayward represents one of the NFL’s best values. Typecast as a slot defender when he entered free agency in 2016, he landed with the Chargers on a three-year, $15 million deal. He has since blossomed into arguably the top shutdown corner in the league.

His finest stretch of play came during Weeks 6 through 12. According to Pro Football Focus, Hayward only allowed seven catches for 81 yards in those games — adding four interceptions for a minuscule passer rating of 1.6. And in Week 13, he played without practicing, having gone home to Georgia to mourn the recent death of his younger brother.

But Hayward was surrounded by capable teammates. Even though they lost Verrett, the Chargers were relatively fortunate in 2018. No other starter missed a game, playing at least 95 percent of total defensive snaps. That includes Jahleel Addae, a hard-hitting safety who had only played 32 games in his previous three seasons. And it includes cornerback Trevor Williams, who has gone from undrafted to quality starter in just two years.

And at the back of the defense was Tre Boston, a Panthers cast-off who thrived as a free safety in Gus Bradley’s scheme. He arrived in Los Angeles with three interceptions in three seasons. He finished the year with a team-high five picks.

GRADE: A

ANALYZING 2018

If the Chargers can duplicate that good health this fall, this unit will be in terrific shape. Verrett is recovering from yet another knee surgery, but was a common sight in the locker room last year, walking without any restriction or noticeable limp. If he wins back his starting job opposite Hayward, the team will have even more flexibility with its nickel and dime packages, mixing in Williams along with Desmond King — a tweener with a nose for the ball.

Boston should be the Chargers’ top priority this offseason in terms of player retention, but after betting on himself with a one-year deal, he’ll likely push to maximize his earnings as he enters his prime. Adrian Phillips was a dependable defender as well, versatile enough to essentially take on linebacker duties. But he might become more replaceable as fourth-round pick Rayshawn Jenkins gets another offseason under his belt.

Even if negotiations with Boston hit a snag, the Chargers might not be inclined to use their first-round pick on someone like Florida State safety Derwin James. After all, they passed last year on Malik Hooker, who had three interceptions for the Colts before tearing his ACL in October. General manager Tom Telesco has been successful finding gems elsewhere, either through free agency or on the third day of the draft. LEVEL OF NEED: LOW

Coming next: Rams special teams

My wife took me to the Museum of Failure last weekend, in a gesture I hope was not meant to be a hint.

The “museum” is gone now; it was only a temporary art exhibit, so if you wanted to visit, you failed. I hope you will learn from this and do better in the future, which was the whole theme of the thing, really.

Looking at the exhibits I laughed a little too loudly, knowing I had failed many times just as hard, but not nearly as publicly, as, say, the Betamax or the Edsel.

No More Woof was a headset for dogs to translate their brain waves into understandable messages, like “I’m hungry.” Its investors lost all their money because, to break it down scientifically, they deserved to.

Phone Fingers was a product designed to help keep you from making greasy fingerprints on your phone screen. They were like tiny condoms for your digits. Not only were they a pain to use, I imagine a lot of guys worried about the impression it would make if one fell out of their wallet on a first date.

nuSPOON, aside from being caps-lock challenged, was meant to be an alternative to plastic spoons. Made of environmentally friendly paper, you had to follow detailed directions to fold it, origami-like, into a spoon shape in order to eat something. Much like the American political system, it was equal parts ingenious and idiotic. Quite quickly, the public said “nuTHANKS.”

Colgate came out in the early 1980s with a line of frozen dinners. Imagine that red logo over a picture of beef stroganoff. Sometimes a company, in an attempt to expand its brand by thinking outside the box, fails to anticipate the horrified expression the box itself will evoke. It is one thing if your company is known for toothpaste, and you expand into deodorant. Colgate going into food was like Preparation H going into hot sauce.

There was also a wall on which visitors could place sticky notes relating their own failures. It was a multicolored collage of doomed marriages, educational mishaps, drug use and regret. It stood in stark counterpoint to the humorous offerings of the exhibit itself, but in its honesty it echoed the theme — failure is a flashlight, showing the way forward.

So when you think of your own failures, I urge you to keep them in perspective. I want you to think of an item from this exhibit. I want you to remember three little words: Harley Davidson Perfume.

George Waters can be contacted at george@georgewaters.net.

In her second solo collection, Lavinia Biagiotti paid homage to the company’s cashmere expertise by reworking her late mother Laura’s cable-knit motif either hand-painted with a chiaroscuro effect or as a trompe l’oeil with a new 3-D print on the softest felt coats, chiffon blouses and fluid dresses all in the brand’s staple white. She then moved on to a series of looks in British tartans and Prince of Wales checks embellished with jewels and studs that felt fresh and young. Biagiotti veered romantic with long velvet coats and shirts blooming with patterns of roses and hydrangeas.
She lit up a number of black miniskirts and jackets with grommets covered in a hound’s tooth motif, and added sparkle to knit dresses and tops with a cascade of sequins, explaining her turn to black. “It was cathartic,” she said of her choice of the dark color. Biagiotti succeeded in creating a solid collection that reflected her identity and was a step in a new direction for the brand, while staying true to its essence.
With the fall show, Biagiotti celebrated 20 years of the partnership with the Piccolo Theater in Milan, the set of the brand’s shows. “We plan to continue showing here.

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A focus on fine tailoring, knitwear and sharp separates has paid off, with strong looks coming out of this presentation held at the frescoed and gilded Palazzo Visconti. Standouts included a cashmere ribbed sweater shaped like motorcycle jacket with a scarf detail at the neck and a chunky two-tone scarf in cinnamon and gray.
Tailoring was on target and included a cobalt check double-breasted suit with a long jacket and cropped flare trousers. Jackets and a dark red peacoat came with flashes of leopard under the collar, while pajama suits looked simultaneously sharp and comfortable with loose tops and wide, flat-front trousers.
Fox-fur jackets and vests, some in dark blue, added a shot of luxe to the collection, which has been building momentum under its owner Sinv SpA.
Piazza Sempione has a new design team and retail concept that recently made its debut at The Mall at Short Hills in New Jersey. The company said the U.S. generates 60 percent of turnover, and there is great potential ahead in that market and internationally.

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Backstage, Au Jour Le Jour cofounder Diego Marquez said that he and Mirko Fontana wanted to refresh some staples of the classic bourgeois wardrobe. In order to reach their goal, they embellished traditional tweed skirt suits with embroidered patches and tromp l’oeil effects, and decorated bouclé coats with colorful faux-fur collars.
But this was not enough to inject a new energy into dated silhouettes, which gave an instant aging effect to the young runway models. The design duo yielded more interesting results came when they embraced a more contemporary aesthetic. For example, they layered an asymmetric, draped top on a turtleneck punctuated by shimmering applications, and created dungarees by combining denim skirts and pants with tartan or embroidered wool straps.

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