Anaheim Press_12/30/2024 by Beacon Media News

MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2024- JANUARY 05, 2025

Trump’s pick to lead federal housing agency has opposed efforts to aid the poor

By Jesse Coburn and Andy Kroll, ProPublica

AsDonaldTrump’s nominee to run the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Scott Turner may soon oversee the nation’s efforts to build affordable apartments, protect poor tenants and aid the homeless. As a lawmaker in the Texas House of Representatives, Turner voted against those very initiatives.

Turner supported a bill ensuring landlords could refuse apartments to applicants because they received federal housing assistance. He opposed a bill to expand affordable rental housing. He voted against funding public-private partnerships to support the homeless and against twobills that called merely to study homelessness among young people and veterans.

Behind those votes lay a deep-seated skepticism about the value of government efforts to alleviate poverty, a skepticism that Turner has voiced again and again. He has called welfare “dangerous, harmful” and “one of the most destructive things for the family.” When one interviewer said receiving government assistance was keeping recipients in “bondage” of “a worse form to find oneself in than slavery,” Turner agreed. Such views would seemingly place Turner at odds with the core work of HUD, a sprawling federal agency that serves as a backstop against homelessness for millions of the nation’s poor, elderly and disabled. With an annual discretion-

ary budget of $72 billion, the department provides rental assistance to 2 million families, oversees the country’s 800,000 public housing units, fights housing discrimination and segregation and provides support to the nation’s 650,000 homeless. If Turner’s record indicates how he will direct the agency’s agenda, it is those clinging to the bottom of the housing market who have the most to lose, researchers and advocates said.

“It just doesn’t seem to me like this is someone who is at all aligned with what the values of that agency should be,” said Cea Weaver, director of the advocacy group Housing Justice for All. “It’s a deregulatory agenda, and it’s an anti-poor

people agenda.”

Shamus Roller, executive director of the National Housing Law Project, said Turner’s views, if translated into policy, could increase homelessness. “If, at a fundamental level, you believe that people getting assistance with their rent when they’re very poor and struggling, if you think that’s actually dependence and a bad thing, you’re going to try to undermine those programs,” he said.

One former colleague offered a more optimistic view of Turner’s stewardship of HUD. “My sense of him is he will try to help people,” said Richard Peña Raymond, a Democratic

Feds investigate Arcadia councilwoman’s ties to alleged China spy op

Health department confirms human H5 bird flu case in LA County

By Staff

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has confirmed the county’s first human case of H5 bird flu in a worker exposed to livestock infected with the virus, officials said last week.

The infected individual is an adult who became infected at a worksite, according to Public Health. The person had mild symptoms, has been treated with antivirals and is recovering at home.

The public’s overall risk of H5 bird flu remains low with no evidence of person to person spread of the virus, officials said. The infected person’s close contacts and other workers exposed to H5 at the worksite are being monitored for symptoms and have been offered personal protective equipment, testing and antiviral prophylaxis. County officials along with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the California Department of Public Health were investigating.

“People rarely get bird flu, but those who interact with infected livestock or wildlife have a greater risk of infection,” LA County Health Officer Muntu Davis said in a statement Dec. 23. “This case reminds us to take basic precautions to prevent being exposed. People should avoid unprotected contact with sick or dead animals including cows, poultry, and wild birds; avoid consuming raw or undercooked animal products, such as raw milk; and protect pets and backyard poultry from exposure to wild animals. It is also important for everyone to get the seasonal flu vaccine, which can help prevent severe seasonal flu

illness and lower the risk of getting both seasonal and bird flu infections at the same time if exposed.”

Symptoms of an H5 bird flu infection in humans include eye redness or discharge, fever, cough or difficulty breathing, sore throat, muscle or body aches, diarrhea and vomiting, officials said.

People who work with infected animals such as cows, poultry or wildlife continue to be at higher risk of exposure, according to the county health department, which has been working with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the LA County agricultural community to ensure groups at higher risk receive information and resources to help identify and protect against H5 infection. Farm workers, workers at dairy, egg and meat processing facilities and backyard flock owners have been provided with gloves, face masks and eye protection along with access to testing and flu vaccines.

Anyone who was exposed to sick animals and is experiencing symptoms of bird flu should immediately contact a health care provider and local health department, officials said.

Public Health suggested these measures to protect against H5 transmission:

-- While working with animals, their feces or water sources or raw milk, people should wear personal protective equipment — disposable gloves, an N-95 mask, goggles, coveralls that keep the wearer dry, a head or hair cover, and boot covers or boots.

-- Wash hands with soap

Family mourns teenage girl stabbed to death in Azusa

This story was originally published by ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.

President Donald J. Trump listens as Scott Turner, executive director of the White House Opportinuity and Revitalization Council, addresses the audience Wednesday, April 17, 2019. | Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead

Convictions vacated for pair accused in 2007 East Hollywood murder

By City News Service

Aman and woman who spent more than 17 years in prison for a 2007 East Hollywood murder have had their convictions vacated and been ordered to be immediately released, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Dec. 23.

Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan vacated the convictions and ordered the release of Charlotte Pleytez and Lombardo Palacios, with Hochman saying in a statement, “Our justice system must be both fair and accurate, and this case highlights the critical importance of never resting until justice is done, reviewing even past cases with the utmost care to ensure that the right and just result is reached.”

Hochman added that, “I want to extend my deepest apologies to Ms. Pleytez and Mr. Palacios for the years of hardship they endured due to these wrongful convictions.”

Dec. 23’s announcement concluded a process that began under Hochman’s predecessor as D.A., George Gascón.

Gascón, in an October announcement, cited what he called “coercive investigations” by law enforcement of Palacios, who was then 15 and insisted for nearly two hours that he was innocent before being lied to and falsely told there was a video showing that he was the killer.

In addition, Gascón said,

Palacios did not accurately describe what happened or what type of weapon was used because “he was never actually there.” But Gascón said the jury that heard the case never saw the videos.

Gascón noted that Pleytez steadfastly maintained her innocence while being interrogated by police.

At that time, Ryan did not immediately rule on the prosecution’s request for exoneration, instead ordering attorneys to return to the downtown L.A. courtroom Nov. 1 after the prosecutor who handled the trial said he wanted to provide more information to the judge.

Tom Trainor, the head of the District Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit, said during the brief October hearing that he felt “very confident” in the most recent analysis by the D.A.’s Office of the case.

But he noted that the trial prosecutor — Deputy District Attorney Dayan Mathai — had “raised some concerns” and that he “should be given the opportunity to be heard.”

Pleytez’s attorney, Matthew Lombard, objected to what he called Mathai’s “last-minute approach,” and said there was “more than enough” to grant the petition to vacate the convictions of Pleytez, now 37, and Palacios, now 32.

The convictions stemmed from a March 28, 2007 incident in which Hector Luis Flores was shot about 10:20 p.m., follow-

ing a verbal altercation in a shopping-center parking lot in the 5200 block of Sunset Boulevard He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

According to Dec. 23 announcement by Hochman, during the investigation, eyewitness identifications and other “circumstantial evidence” led to the arrests of Pleytez and Palacios.

A jury convicted the pair on Oct. 6, 2009 of firstdegree murder, and each was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison — convictions and sentences that were later affirmed on appeal.

Hochman’s office said that, some 13 years after the convictions, the DA’ s office was invited to work with lead attorney Ellen Eggers; Pleytez’s attorney, Lombard; Palacios’ attorney, Nicolas Tomas; and the California Innocence Advocates “to secure justice for both individuals.”

Tomas — Pleytez and Palacios’ then-sole attorney — submitted the initial request to the office’s Conviction Review Unit (CRU) in November 2022.

“We are reluctant to say justice has been done, because the injustices our clients have suffered for nearly two decades are unfathomable, but this is definitely a cause for celebration,” Lombard said in a statement released by Hochman’s office.

Said Tomas: “Charlotte, Lombardo, their families,

and the entire legal team are profoundly thankful to the Conviction Review Unit for having provided a platform to present this case and for working collaboratively to uncover the truths which ultimately set our clients free.”

Meanwhile, Megan Baca of the California Innocence Advocates said the defense team was “heartened by DA Hochman’s commitment to correcting wrongful convictions and his remarkable efforts to secure our clients’ immediate release, enabling Charlotte and Lombardo to spend their first Christmas in 17 years home with their families, where they’ve always belonged.”

The CRU and attorneys for Pleytez and Palacios had filed a joint petition to vacate the convictions and

find Pleytez and Palacios factually innocent. Ryan vacated the convictions and granted their release on Dec. 20. Hochman’s office said Dec. 23 that the DA will seek a finding of factual innocence at a later date.

The DA’s office provided a supplemental letter to the court in support of the habeas petition and release, “clarifying its position on the underlying investigation and prosecution and the reasons for the requested relief,” according to Hochman’s office.

“The DA’s Office asserts that, following a detailed review and analysis of the investigation and prosecution of the 2009 convictions, there is no evidence to suggest that any of the investigating officers, responding officers, or

prosecutors involved in the case acted inappropriately, unethically, or illegally in performing their duties in the investigation and prosecution of this case given the applicable case law and state of the evidence at that time,” Hochman said. “The request for relief in this case was based entirely on new evidence uncovered by the joint CRU and defense investigation.”

In his Dec. 23 statement, Hochman also said, “I also want to recognize the tragic loss of Hector Luis Flores and share my heartfelt condolences with his family. His death is a painful reminder of the heavy responsibility we bear to ensure justice not only holds the right people accountable but also honors the lives of victims and their families.”

Family mourns teenage girl stabbed to death in Azusa

By City News Service

An 18-year-old man described by relatives as the victim’s ex-boyfriend was charged Tuesday with murder for the stabbing of a 17-year-old Azusa High School cheerleader. The murder charge against Daniel Rodriguez includes an allegation of the use of a deadly weapon, according to court records. He is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 8 in Pomona. Rodriguez remains jailed in lieu of $2 million bail, according to jail records. He is charged in the

Dec. 20 death of Angelina Camilla Gonzales, who was found dead that night at a home in the 300 block of North Soldano Avenue, near Third Street and west of the Azusa High School West Campus, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which assisted Azusa police in the investigation.

Family members said Rodriguez was Angelina’s ex-boyfriend, although it was still unclear what may have motivated the attack. According to relatives, Rodriguez picked up the

victim after she attended a cheerleading banquet the night of Dec. 20, and she never returned home.

Her stepfather told ABC7 he was able to track her cell phone location to the Soldano Avenue address, where authorities found her suffering from stab wounds. She died at a hospital.

Rodriguez was arrested Dec. 21.

Angelina recently joined the Azusa High wrestling team and she would have turned 18 on Jan. 7, relatives said.

Angelina’s family has raised more than $17,700 as of Tuesday through a GoFundMe page for her funeral. The family also raised money by hosting a car wash and bake sale on Saturday at the VFW in Azusa from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Anyone with additional information about the stabbing was asked to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.

Callers who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 800-2228477 or send tips to visit lacrimestoppers.org.

| Photo by travelasrium/Envato

Anglelina Camillia Gonzalez. | Photo courtesy of Leticia Pimentel Caraballo/GoFundMe

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TEnvironmental groups sue CA Air Resources Board over biogas credits

By Suzanne Potter, Producer, Public News Service

hree environmental nonprofits filed suit Dec. 18 against the California Air Resources Board to oppose the expansion of a program allowing oil and gas companies to offset their pollution by buying credits from huge farms producing natural gas from animal waste.

Last month, the state amended the low carbon fuel standard to expand credits favoring biogas, arguing it removes methane from the waste stream and creates renewable power.

Tyler Lobdell, staff attorney for the nonprofit co-plaintiff Food and Water Watch, said the program is actually a perverse incentive for factory farms to get bigger.

“The biggest operators, the biggest polluters, are the most rewarded,” Lobdell pointed out. “That is the incentive structure here. Go out and be as big and as polluting as possible, and you will see the largest reward from our program.”

The low carbon fuel standard is intended to reduce carbon pollution by incentivizing the transition to clean cars. The lawsuit

argued the credit program prioritizes pollution-heavy practices over sustainable solutions.

Lobdell noted manure only produces methane when large quantities are liquefied at concentrated animal feeding operations. He suggested the state require factory farms to manage their manure in ways which do not rely on anaerobic environments

emitting methane. “The real solution to addressing pollution is to reduce the pollution, not to monetize it and lock it in for generations,” Lobdell contended. “We should be requiring these facilities to more sustainably manage their waste. That would have climate benefits, that would also have benefits to local air quality and to local water quality.”

The lawsuit asks the court to require the California Air Resources Board to disclose, analyze and mitigate the environmental impact caused by the change to the low-carbon fuel standard. The other two plaintiffs include the nonprofits Defensores del Valle Central para el Aire y Agua Limpio, and the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

EPA allows California to implement strict clean-car rules

By Suzanne Potter, Producer, Public News Service

Groups that fight for environmental justice are praising the Biden administration’s decision to grant California a waiver so it can implement clean-car rules that exceed federal standards.

California’s rules would ban the sale of new gaspowered cars after 2035 and require trucks to further clean up their exhaust.

Andrea Marpillero-Colomina, data analytics advisor for the nonprofit GreenLatinos, said the new standards will help clean up the air in low-income areas overburdened by truck traffic.

“Latino communities are more likely to be located near highways, near shipping centers, near freight distribution centers, and therefore they’re more susceptible to air pollution from vehicles,” she said.

This fight has been going on for many years.

President-elect Donald Trump rescinded California’s clean-car waivers during his first term. A judge reinstated them. Then the state sought a waiver for a stronger set of rules - which Biden has now granted. And now Trump has vowed to revoke them again.

Auto industry groups predict EV sales won’t keep up with the new rules, which call for 35% of all new cars to be electric by next year.

Marpillero-Colomina added that California’s waiver could trigger protections in many other states.

“The granting of the California waivers not only affects Californians - it affects Latino communities in the 11 other states that have enacted or are planning to enact equivalent state policies, and so that represents millions and millions of those people,” she continued.

She noted that low-

income Latino communities, especially those near the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, have higher rates of asthma linked to air pollution. Disclosure: GreenLatinos contributes to Public News Service’s fund for reporting on Climate Change/ Air Quality, Environmental Justice, Public Lands/Wilderness, Water. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, visit https:// www.publicnewsservice.org/ dn1.php.

Dairy digesters remove methane from liquified animal waste. The gas can then be used to generate power. | Photo courtesy of Lance Cheung/USDA

Photo by Khunkorn Laowisit via Pexels

Texas House member who served on a committee with Turner. “I do think he’ll do a good job.”

Turner did not respond to detailed questions.

A spokesperson for the nominee said: “Of course ProPublica would try and paint a negative picture of Mr. Turner before he is even given the opportunity to testify. We would expect nothing less from a publication that solely serves as a liberal mouthpiece.”

The Trump transition team and HUD did not respond to requests for comment. Trump’s announcement of Turner’s nomination praised him for “helping lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities” as head of a White House council that promoted opportunity zones, a plan to spur investment in lowincome neighborhoods by offering generous tax breaks, during Trump’s first administration.

“Under Scott’s leadership,” the announcement went on, “Opportunity Zones received over $50 Billion Dollars in Private Investment!”

Turner is hardly the only Trump cabinet nominee to display skepticism or outright hostility toward the work of agencies they may lead. But, while other nominees have faced intense scrutiny in recent weeks, Turner has attracted little public attention and said even less about his intentions, beyond vowing to “bring muchneeded change” to HUD, as he wrote on Facebook last month. ProPublica pieced together his views on housing through a review of legislative records and of Turner’s public speeches, podcast appearances and

sermons at the Plano, Texas, megachurch where he is a pastor.

A possible HUD agenda for Turner can be found in Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s recommendations for a conservative presidential administration. The report calls for cutting funding for affordable housing, repealing regulations that fight housing discrimination, increasing work requirements and adding time limits for rental assistance and eliminating anti-homelessness policies, among other changes. The Project 2025 chapter on HUD lists Ben Carson, the department secretary during the first Trump administration and a mentor to Turner, as its author. Carson, as secretary, was involved in efforts to end an antisegregation rule, add work requirements for housing assistance and make it harder to prove housing discrimination.

Turner’s views appear to be deeply rooted in his upbringing outside Dallas, where he was, as he later put it, “a young kid from a broken home, from a poor family.” His parents’ relationship was “filled with violence, domestic violence, abuse, a lot of anger [and] alcohol.” Years later, as a legislator, Turner said that his sister had been “on state assistance and wasn’t feeding [Turner’s] nephew while she was on drugs.” (ProPublica was unable to locate Turner’s sister for comment.)

Football proved an escape. Turner received a scholarship to play for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and then he went on to a nearly decadelong career in the National Football League.

He began transitioning into politics while still in the league, interning for California Rep. Duncan L. Hunter. After an unsuccessful run for a California congressional seat in 2006, Turner moved back to Texas and was elected in 2012 to the state House of Representatives, where he served for four years.

There, Turner solidified his position as a deeply conservative member opposed to many government interventions into the housing market, legislative records show. He voted against supporting foreclosure prevention programs. He opposed legislation to help public housing authorities replace or rehabilitate their property (although he voted for a minor expansion of that bill two years later). He also sought to require drug testing for poor families applying for government assistance, the Houston Chronicle reported at the time. Turner did support some modest housing assistance measures, such as bills helping housing developments for seniors and in rural areas seek low-income housing tax credits.

During his time in office, Turner was the lead author of 17 substantive bills. None were related to housing, and none of them became law.

“He’s a very nice guy,” but “he didn’t really make much of a legislative impression,” said a former high-ranking Republican Texas lawmaker, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about a former colleague. “He didn’t leave a deep footprint.”

That did not stop Turner, however, from

mounting an audacious bid for the House speakership, a move reportedly backed by Tim Dunn, a West Texas pastor and oil billionaire who has used his fortune to push the state Legislature far to the right. Turner’s speaker campaign failed, but it helped solidify his position within Texas’ deep-red Christian political milieu, where he has remained ever since.

Turner is an associate pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church, a political force in Texas that has counted numerous statewide elected officials as congregants. Jack Graham, the church’s senior pastor, prayed over Trump at an event in October and praised his electoral victory from the pulpit in November. Turner’s skepticism about government assistance has found its way into his sermons there, where he has derided the “perverse incentives created by the government and the welfare system, which in turn creates an epidemic of fatherlessness in our country.”

Turner or his political staffers also used campaign money to attend three conferences held by WallBuilders, an organization that seeks “to reveal the historical truths” about the “Christian foundation of our nation,” campaign finance records show. In 2016, Turner gave a $10,000 gift to WallBuilders from his campaign account.

Turner’s allies on the Christian far right also include Ziklag, a secretive network of ultrawealthy Christian families and religious influencers that support Trump. As ProPublica reported, Ziklag has raised millions of dollars as part of a larger mission to help Christian

leaders “take dominion” over key areas of American society, from education and business to media and government. This year, Ziklag spent millions of dollars to mobilize Republican-leaning voters in swing states despite being a tax-exempt charity that isn’t allowed to intervene in politics. (A lawyer for Ziklag previously told ProPublica that the organization does not endorse candidates for political office.)

In June 2019, Turner and his wife, Robin, attended a private Ziklag conference at the Broadmoor luxury resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado, according to photos of the event posted by an attendee. At the time, Turner was working in the first Trump administration as executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, where he served as a public salesman for the opportunity zones initiative. Turner has praised the program as a way to improve neighborhoods with high poverty and unemployment rates. Previous reporting by ProPublica found that the program was exploited by wealthy, politically connected investors, which drew scrutiny from members of Congress.

Internal documents obtained by ProPublica and Documented show that Ziklag members sought to take advantage of the program; in May 2019, Ziklag said in one of its newsletters that members of the group had met with three administration officials about opportunity zones. “The administration informed the group they are in a state of listening and learning about the program,” the document reads. “Ziklaggers are

exploring additional avenues to make an impact on the program moving forward.”

After leaving the Trump administration, Turner started a nonprofit that promotes “Christ-centered reading enhancement programs” for children and helps people get driver’s licenses. He also became “chief visionary officer” at the multifamily housing developer JPI.

Now, if confirmed, Turner will be in charge of an agency with some 10,000 employees at a critical time. “We’re dealing with a pretty terrible housing crisis all across the country,” said Roller, of the National Housing Law Project. HUD will be “essential to any effort” to solve it.

Correction Dec. 24, 2024: This story originally misidentified the member of Congress for whom Scott Turner interned. It was Rep. Duncan L. Hunter, not his son, Rep. Duncan D. Hunter.

Jesse Coburn covers cities, housing and transportation for ProPublica. He’s interested in how the second Trump administration will reshape federal policy in those areas, particularly at the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Transportation. If you work for one of those agencies or are affected by their work, he’d like to hear from you. You can email him at jesse. coburn@propublica.org, or reach him via phone, Signal or WhatsApp at 917-2396642. His mailing address is: Jesse Coburn, ProPublica, 155 6th Avenue, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10013. Republished with Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).

Opponents of factory farms regroup after mixed election results

By Suzanne Potter, Producer, Public News Service

Animal rights organizers are regrouping after mixed results at the ballot box in November.

A measure targeting factory farms passed in Berkeley but failed in Sonoma County. Measure J, to ban concentrated animalfeeding operations, only got 15% of the vote and Ordinance 309 to ban slaughterhouses failed in Denver.

Cassie King, an organizer with the Coalition to End Factory Farming, helped raise $280,000 to promote the ban in Sonoma County, even as opponents raised $2.2 million.

“We learned that money and the ability to lie during political campaigns is a very powerful combination of factors to be up against,” King asserted. “I was shocked by the amount of misinformation that came out from the No on J campaign, just statistics that had no basis in reality.”

Measure DD in Berkeley passed but is mostly symbolic since the only existing concentrated animal feeding operation, a horse racing operation called Golden Gate Fields,

closed last June. King stressed win or lose, the measures went a long way toward raising public awareness of the pollution and animal welfare issues at large factory farms.

“It’s a test case, and whether it wins or loses, it’s generating tens of thousands of conversations in the county and many more beyond,” King contended. “And making the end of

factory farming visible for a lot of people who haven’t realized that it’s something we can achieve in our lifetimes.”

The “No on J” campaign and opponents of the Denver slaughterhouse ordinance argued the bans would have hurt jobs and tax revenue.

This story is based on original reporting by Seth Millstein for Sentient.

Reports: Dodgers’ Walker Buehler agrees to 1-year contract with Red Sox

By City News Service

Right-handerWalker

Buehler who recorded the final out of this year’s World Series for the Dodgers has signed a one-year deal worth $21.05 million with the Boston Red Sox, it was reported Dec. 23. The deal includes an additional $2.5 million in performance bonuses, according to multiple reports.

The two-time All-Star joins a Red Sox team focused on strengthening its rotation as it pivots toward contention.

After undergoing a second Tommy John surgery in 2022, Buehler returned this season with mixed results but delivered in the playoffs, throwing shutout innings in the NLCS and World Series.

Buehler earned a reputation as an imposing presence on the mound. His standout season came in 2021, following the Dodgers’ first World Series championship since 1988.

That year, Buehler posted a 16-4 record with a 2.47 ERA over 207 2/3 innings, striking out 212 batters while issuing just 52 walks. His performance earned him a fourth-place finish in a competitive NL Cy Young race.

The Red Sox hope Buehler can bring his postseason

Future of IRS uncertain as Trump chooses agency critic as commissioner

By Suzanne Potter, Producer, Public News Service

The Internal Revenue Service will be in the crosshairs in the second Trump administration, as the president-elect’s recently announced choice to run the agency has called for it to be abolished.

Former Missouri Congressman Billy Long, Trump’s choice for IRS Commissioner, cosponsored a bill to get rid of the IRS and implement a national sales tax in its place.

Ryan Polk, assistant professor of accountancy at Clemson University, said if the new administration starts laying off IRS workers, taxpayers and businesses in California and across the U.S. would see big delays.

“When you defund or reduce the funding at the IRS, you run the risk of a less helpful IRS,” Polk contended. “The average, everyday taxpayer might be worse off when they have a question.”

During the Biden administration, the IRS got an $80 billion boost in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and used it to overhaul old computer systems and add agents, raising its phone call response rate from an

abysmal 15% to over 80%.

And the agency added a portal allowing people to upload documents instead of mailing them.

The IRS also debuted Direct File, a system allowing people to file their federal income taxes without paying a tax preparer, available in California and 22 other states. Polk argued the new Congress should understand cutting the IRS budget will limit its ability to pay for the administration’s priorities.

“Just last year, they audited taxpayers and

collected 100 additional billion dollars that wouldn’t otherwise have been collected,” Polk pointed out. “That’s a pretty significant amount of money. It can go a long way, regardless of the government program or tax cut you’re trying to get through.”

The IRS said it collects $100 in revenue for every 34 cents it spends on enforcement. Conservative critics of the agency alleged it has been weaponized, with some audits being targeted for political reasons.

dominance to October in Boston.

The team has made a concerted effort to add highupside arms, including lefthanders Garrett Crochet via trade and Patrick Sandoval on a two-year deal, joining a rotation featuring Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito.

Former Missouri Congressman Billy Long. | Photo by US House Office of Photography

Supporters of Measure J said opposition mailers such as this one were used to spread false claims ahead of the election.

| Photo courtesy of Direct Action Everywhere

Walker Buehler. | Photo courtesy of Jon Bleiweis/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Feds investigate Arcadia councilwoman’s ties to alleged China spy op

By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com

Federal prosecutors have charged the campaign treasurer and reported fiancee of Arcadia City Councilwoman Eileen Wang with conspiring to influence a local election on behalf of the People’s Republic of China, city officials confirmed .

Yaoning “Mike” Sun, 64, of Chino Hills, was arrested Dec. 19 for his alleged role in a decadeslong spy scheme aimed at influencing local elections to cultivate officials supportive of Chinafriendly policies, including opposition to Taiwan independence.

In a report published Dec. 21, two unnamed sources familiar with the investigation told the Los Angeles Times that Wang is the local politician listed as “Individual 1” in the criminal complaint against Sun.

Prosecutors’ court filing described Sun as Individual 1’s campaign manager and business partner and said the address Sun registered with the DMV was a home owned by Individual 1, now identified as Wang.

Wang has not spoken publicly about Sun’s arrest and has not confirmed their engagement. On Dec. 23, Arcadia City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto issued a statement about Sun’s arrest and his connections to Wang:

“On Thursday, December 19, the City of Arcadia was notified of FBI activity on the 1000 block of Huntington Drive. The individual of primary interest to the FBI’s investigation was arrested on charges that he acted as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China. That person was identified as Yaoning ‘Mike’ Sun, who has no affiliation with the City of Arcadia. Sun made his initial appearance at the United States District Court for the Central District of California and no plea has yet been entered to our knowledge.

“Campaign filings submitted to Arcadia during the 2022 General Municipal Election listed Sun as the Treasurer for Arcadia’s

District 3 Candidate Eileen Wang. Council Member Wang has spoken to the FBI. ... She has stated that she intends to fully cooperate with federal authorities throughout this process.

“The investigation naturally raises concerns and questions about the extent of Sun’s involvement locally and throughout the region,” Lazzaretto continued. “At this time, Sun’s involvement is considered an isolated incident, with no known association with other members of the Arcadia City Council. Importantly, we can confirm that Sun had no involvement whatsoever with City of Arcadia business or decisionmaking.

“The City of Arcadia supports a thorough and comprehensive investigation by our federal partners into these serious allegations,” Lazzaretto said. “As this process unfolds, we will continue to inform and engage our residents on this matter.”

Sun is charged with acting as an illegal agent of a foreign power and conspiring with another man, Chen Jun, who was sentenced to federal prison last month for illegally acting as an agent of the People’s Republic of China and plotting to target U.S.based practitioners of Falun Gong, a spiritual practice banned in China, according to the criminal complaint filed Dec. 17 in LA federal court.

Sun was the “campaign manager and close personal confidante” for the Southern California politician now identified as Wang, who ran in 2022 for the seat on the city council of a San Gabriel Valley city that was not named in court papers.

Sun allegedly communicated with Chen during the campaign about his efforts to get the politician elected.

“Chen discussed with Chinese government officials how the PRC could ‘influence’ local politicians in the United States, particularly on the issue of

Taiwan,” according to prosecutors.

China has longstanding hostilities against Taiwan and opposes any formal declaration of its independence. China claims the island nation of 23.4 million people about 100 miles off the mainland coast is legally part of PRC territory, citing a 1971 United Nations General Assembly resolution.

Wang has not been charged with any crime, and it was unclear if she knew about the alleged activities by Sun or Chen on behalf of the Chinese government.

The Arcadia city website describes Wang as a longtime resident, educator and the “daughter of proud immigrants who came to California seeking their American Dream.”

During her campaign, Wang cited concerns about public safety and homelessness and vowed to be a “strong voice for her neighborhood and take a direct role in addressing resident and public concerns she had seen and heard throughout her 15 years of community service.”

Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, honored Wang as one of the “2024 Congressional Women of the Year,” an honor “given to women nominated by people in their own cities and communities.” No explanation was provided about how Wang was nominated.

Former Arcadia Councilwoman April Verlato, who unsuccessfully ran against Chu in November for the 28th Congressional District seat, referenced an announcement of the award event that “describes an ‘exhaustive process’ to select the honorees. What was that process exactly in this case?” she said in an email to Arcadia Weekly.

In a statement Dec. 23 to the Times, Chu said Wang had a history of public service and was the “first Asian American woman elected to the Arcadia City Council in 119 years. She

was a leader in the community, helping to establish a new Health committee, supporting new affordable housing projects and implementing crossroads pallets at street intersections.

“When we honored her, the entire city council and the leaders of the Arcadia community came out to support her,” Chu said. “I do not personally know Mike Sun, nor does my husband. We have seen him accompany her to events, but we have never engaged in a conversation with him.”

Joaquin Lim, a former Walnut city councilman, told the Times the PRC has little to gain from a politician in office at the local level.

“That’s one of the angles an anticipation of this person running for higher office,” Lim said. “This is not just happening in America. It’s happening in England. It’s happening in Australia, it’s happening in Canada. When I read about Eileen, I said, ‘OK, well, I’m just surprised, in this case it’s the San Gabriel Valley.’”

Not long after Wang’s election to represent Arcadia’s 3rd City Council District, Chen allegedly instructed Sun to prepare a report on the election.

The report was later sent to Chinese government officials, who responded positively and expressed thanks, according to prosecutors.

Chen also sent a message to Wang saying that she was “doing a good job, I hope you can continue the good work, make Chinese people proud,” the federal complaint affidavit states.

About a month after the election, Chen arranged a meeting at a restaurant in Rowland Heights with Sun and others, a gathering that Chen described to a PRC official as a “core member lunch,” the affidavit alleges.

Court papers further claim Chen later described the lunch as “successful” because participants agreed to establish a “US-China Friendship Promotional Association.”

While Wang was not at the meeting, Chen described

“the politician” as being part of the association with Sun serving as vice president. “This is the basic team dedicated for us,” Chen wrote to the Chinese government official, prosecutors alleged.

“This case highlights the breadth of the PRC’s relentless intelligence and malign influence activities targeting the United States,” Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s LAField Office, said in a statement.

Early last year, Sun and Chen wrote two reports for PRC officials, one of which requested an $80,000 budget for more pro-PRC operations and to combat “anti-China forces” in the U.S., the Justice Department alleges.

After Chen and Sun discussed a planned trip to China to meet with “leadership,” and after Chen instructed Sun to set up a meeting with the Chinese consul general in LA, Sun and Wang traveled to China in late August 2023, prosecutors said.

Sun faces up to 15 years in federal prison.

Councilwoman Eileen Wang. | Photo courtesy of the city of Arcadia

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Monrovia City Notices

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

MONROVIA PLANNING COMMISSION

This Notice is to inform you of a public hearing to determine whether or not the following project should be granted under Title 16 and/ or 17 of the Monrovia Municipal Code:

APPLICATION: Variance (VAR2024-0001)

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

MONROVIA PLANNING COMMISSION

LEGALS

Este aviso es para informarle sobre una junta pública acerca de la propiedad indicada más arriba. Si necesita información adicional en español, favor de ponerse en contacto con el Departamento de Planificación al número (626) 932-5565.

Brenda Quezada, Planning Technician

PLEASE PUBLISH ON DECEMBER 30, 2024 MONROVIA WEEKLY

Probate Notices

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF WEN-CHIN LI

Case No. 24STPB13196

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of WEN-CHIN LI

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 01/21/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 44 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

REQUEST: The Planning Commission will consider a request to approve a variance for the construction of a 2,000-square-foot detached garage, 17 feet in height, in the rear yard of an existing single-family home. The project includes the demolition of an existing 1,800-square-foot detached barn in the rear yard. The variance would reduce the required rear yard setback from 60 feet to 20 feet. The property is located in the Residential Low-Density (RL) zone.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Wei Hung in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Wei Hung be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

This Notice is to inform you of a public hearing to determine whether or not the following project should be granted under Title 16 and/or 17 of the Monrovia Municipal Code:

APPLICATION: Variance (VAR2024-0001)

Additional information regarding this request may be found on the City’s website at https://www.monroviaca. gov/projectsunderreview

ENVIRONMENTAL

DETERMINATION:

This project is exempt from environ DETERMINATION: mental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines, §15303 (Class 3). This exemption applies to the construction and placement of small new facilities or structures, the installation of small equipment, and the conversion of existing small structures to new uses with only minor exterior modifications.

THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.)

The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

Additional information regarding this request may be found on the City’s website at https://www.monroviaca.gov/projectsunderreview

This project is exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines, §15303 (Class 3). This exemption applies to the construction and placement of small new facilities or structures, the installation of small equipment, and the conversion of existing small structures to new uses with only minor exterior modifications.

APPLICANT: Steve Algorri

PROJECT ADDRESS: 166 North Sunset Place

Project Location Map

HEARING DATE AND TIME: Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at 7:30 PM

A HEARING on the petition will be held on Feb. 7, 2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 4 located at 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code.

Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: PETER Y HONG ESQ

SBN 213620

ity to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authori-ty will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very im-portant actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interest-ed person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 01/29/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 29 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledge-able in California law.

LINDA MCLARNAN-DUGAN - SBN 169190

LAW OFFICES OF LINDA MCLARNAN-DUGAN 150 N. SANTA ANITA AVE., SUITE 300 ARCADIA CA 91006

Telephone (626) 296-8670 12/26, 12/30/24, 1/2/25 CNS-3881575# DUARTE DISPATCH

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: YAN WANG

CASE NO. 24STPB09851

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contin-gent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of YAN WANG.

IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledge-able in California law.

LAW OFFICES OF GAO PENG 159 E LIVE OAK AVE #209 ARCADIA CA 91006

Telephone (626) 446-6588 12/26, 12/30/24, 1/2/25 CNS-3881707# EL MONTE EXAMINER

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: FRANCO SALVATORE IEZZA

CASE NO. 24STPB14194

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contin-gent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of FRANCO SALVATORE IEZZA.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by FLAVIA DOLORES LOCOCO AND TINA THOMAS in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that FLAVIA DOLORES LOCOCO AND TINA THOMAS be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests the decedent’s WILL and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The WILL and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authori-ty will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very im-portant actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interest-ed person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

terested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner H. JOHN KHOUKAZ, ESQ. - SBN 210847 BEZAIRE, KHOUKAZ & BABAIAN 6928 OWENSMOUTH AVE., STE. 200 WOODLAND HILLS CA 91303 Telephone (818) 264-0604 12/30/24, 1/2, 1/6/25

If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing NOTICE OF HEARING a. Date: 01/31/2025 Time: 9:30AM Dept: C. Room: 312 The address of the court is same as noted above. 3. a. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the day set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Arcadia Weekly DATED: December 3, 2024 Lee W. Tsao JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT Pub. December 23, 30, 2024, January 6, 13, 2025 ARCADIA WEEKLY

HEARING LOCATION: Monrovia City Hall (Council Chambers), 415 South Ivy Avenue, Monrovia, California 91016

PUBLIC COMMENTS: Public comments regarding this item may be stated in person at the meeting, or submitted in writing. Written comments submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the meeting date will be distributed to the Planning Commissioners.

If you challenge this application in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Planning Division at, or prior to, the public hearing. This application will not alter the zoning status of your property. For further information regarding this application, please contact the Planning Division at (626) 932-5565, or by email at planning@ monroviaca.gov.

The Staff Report pertaining to this item will be available on Thursday, January 9, 2025 after 4:00 PM. on-line at the following hyperlink: https://www.monroviaca.gov/your-government/boards-andcommissions/planning-commission/agendas-minutes

PETER Y HONG APC 150 N SANTA ANITA AVE STE 300 ARCADIA CA 91006

CN112657 LI Dec 23,26,30, 2024 EL MONTE EXAMINER

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

SANDRA COLLIER AKA

SANDRA COLLIER-CARTER CASE NO. 24STPB13417

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contin-gent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of SANDRA COLLIER AKA SANDRA COLLIER-CARTER.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by THOMAS KENT CARTER in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that THOMAS KENT CARTER be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests author-

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by JESSIE J CHIU in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGE-LES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that JESSIE J CHIU be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests the decedent’s WILL and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The WILL and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 01/21/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 29 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person in-

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF BULK SALE (Division 6 of the Commercial Code) Escrow No. 419836-24 (1) Notice is hereby given to creditors of the within named Seller(s) that a bulk sale is about to be made on personal property hereinafter described. (2) The name and business addresses of the seller are: SOR-N-SUN FOODS, LLC, A CALIFORNIA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 520 S. MYRTLE AVENUE, MONROVIA, CA 91016-2814 (3) The location in California of the chief executive office of the Seller is: SAME AS ABOVE (4) The names and business address of the Buyer(s) are: REPUBLIK MONROVIA, LLC, A CALIFORNIA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 520 S. MYRTLE AVENUE, MONROVIA, CA 91016-2814 (5) The location and general description of the assets to be sold are ALL FURNITURE, FIXTURES, EQUIPMENT PRESENTLY OWNED BY THE SELLER AND USED IN THE OPERATION OF THE BUSINESS, AND GOODWILL of that certain business located at: 520 S. MYRTLE AVENUE, MONROVIA, CA 91016-2814

(6) The business name used by the seller(s) at that location is: SUNDAY’S OLD TOWN BISTRO.

(7) The anticipated date of the bulk sale is 01/16/25 at the office of VIVA ESCROW! INC., 60 ALTA STREET SUITE 102 ARCADIA, CA 91006, Escrow No. 419836-24, Escrow Officer: JULIANA TU, CSEO, CEO, CBSS, CEI, SASIP. (8) Claims may be filed with Same as “7” above.

(9) The last date for filing claims is 01/15/25.

(10) This Bulk Sale IS subject to Section 6106.2 of the Uniform Commercial Code.

(11) As listed by the Seller, all other business names and addresses used by the Seller within three years before the date such list was sent or delivered to the Buyer are: “NONE”. Dated: DECEMBER 13, 2024

Transferees: Republik Monrovia, LLC, a California Limited Liability Company By:/S/ Nader Kaiser, Member 12/30/24 CNS-3882477# ARCADIA WEEKLY

Project Location Map

Pasadena City Notices

City

of Pasadena REQUEST FOR APPLICATION FOR NON EXCLUSIVE POLICE

TOWING FRANCHISES

The City is seeking professional services for the NON EXCLUSIVE POLICE TOWING FRANCHISES. Parties interested in responding are directed to apply using the link below:

The application and guidelines can be found on OpenGov with the attached link: https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/pasadena

Applicants must meet all guidelines as detailed in the RFA. Proposals received after the Proposal Deadline may not be accepted by the City. The RFA will close on January 6th, 2025.

All information pursuant to this Request for application can be found on OpenGov using the link above.

Questions regarding this Request for Applications should be directed only to the person(s) designated below. Any questions should be sent by using the link above. Do not contact any other City employee or official regarding this RFA. Questions shall be in written format and be submitted ONLY via e-mail. Any questions submitted after the date and time specified will not be considered.

• General and/or technical questions: Anthony Russo, Lieutenant Pasadena Police Department (626) 744-7159 arusso@cityofpasadena.net

Publish December 30, 2024 PASADENA PRESS

Probate Notices

NOTICE OF SUBSEQUENT PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

MAGDALENA TORRES CASE NO. 21STPB05944

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contin-gent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of MAGDALENA TORRES.

A SUBSEQUENT PETITION FOR PRO-BATE has been filed by IRENE TORRES-GOMEZ in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE SUBSEQUENT PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that IRENE TORRES-GOMEZ be appointed as personal repre-sentative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE SUBSEQUENT PETITION requests the decedent’s WILL and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The WILL and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

THE SUBSEQUENT PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent admin-istration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 02/07/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 79 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

the proposed action.) The independent administra-tion authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objec-tion to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held on January 17, 2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 99 located at 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your ap-pearance may be in person or by your attorney.

IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issu-ance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code.

Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

Attorney for petitioner: CLARK E SELTERS ESQ SBN 306892

SELTERS & SELTERS

399 W MISSION BLVD STE K

POMONA CA 91766

CN112986 CORNEJO

Dec 30, 2024, Jan 2,6, 2025

BALDWIN PARK PRESS

personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code.

Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledge-able in California law.

Attorney for Petitioner

MICHAEL G. EBINER, ESQ. - SBN 183499

EMILY EBINER - SBN 348101

EBINER LAW OFFICE

100 N. CITRUS ST., STE. 520 WEST COVINA CA 91791 Telephone (626) 918-9000 12/23, 12/26, 12/30/24 CNS-3880579# WEST COVINA PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF TIMOTEO CORNEJO

Case No. 24STPB14174

To all heirs, beneficiaries, cred-itors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of TIMOTEO CORNEJO

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Earnesto Lauro Cornejo in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Earnesto Lauro Cornejo be appointed as personal repre-sentative to administer the estate of the decedent.

authori-ty may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attor-ney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is availa-ble from the court clerk.

Attorney for Petitioner SHANNON H. BURNS - SBN 125359

HINOJOSA & FORER LLP 2215 COLBY AVE. LOS ANGELES CA 90064

Telephone (310) 473-7000 Ext 125 12/26, 12/30/24, 1/2/25 CNS-3881315# PASADENA PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: DORA GUADALUPE GOMEZ CASE NO. 24STPB14190

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contin-gent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of DORA GUADALUPE GOMEZ.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by FRANK OLIVAS in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGE-LES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that FRANK OLIVAS be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

the lost WILL or estate, or both of JANET F. VORE.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by BRADLEY WAYNE BROWN in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that BRADLEY WAYNE BROWN be ap-pointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests the decedent’s lost WILL and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The lost WILL and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 01/28/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 62 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

AMY ALLISON WOODALLOJEDA

CASE NO. 24STPB14040

To all heirs, beneficiar-ies, creditors, contin-gent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interest-ed in the WILL or estate, or both of AMY ALLISON WOODALL-OJEDA.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by LOREN OJEDA in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGE-LES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that LOREN OJEDA be appointed as per-sonal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION re-quests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act with lim-ited authority. (This authority will allow the personal representa-tive to take many actions without obtain-ing court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or con-sented to the proposed action.) The independ-ent administration authority will be grant-ed unless an interest-ed person files an objection to the peti-tion and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 01/22/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 9 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hear-ing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

IF YOU ARE A CRED-ITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal repre-sentative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representa-tive, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mail-ing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California stat-utes and legal

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 02/13/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 79 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledge-able in California law.

Attorney for Petitioner

DANIEL B. BURBOTT - SBN 279759

GAUDY LAW INC.

267 D STREET UPLAND CA 91786

Telephone (909) 982-3199 12/30/24, 1/2, 1/6/25 CNS-3881812# BALDWIN PARK PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JANET F. VORE

CASE NO. 24STPB14284

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contin-gent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in

Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledge-able in California law.

Attorney for Petitioner MIN N. THAI - SBN 232770 SPLINTER & THAI, PC 25124 NARBONNE AVE., STE. 106 LOMITA CA 90717

Telephone (310) 539-6334 12/30/24, 1/2, 1/6/25 CNS-3882146# WEST COVINA PRESS

Public Notices

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME PETITION OF Anahleya Rose Palomares by and through Baleria Madrigal Aviles FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 24CHCP00464

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME PETITION OF Unknown Aditya FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 24PSCP00469 Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles 400 Civic Center Plaza , Pomona Ca 91366, East Judicial District TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner Unknown Aditya filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name a. OF Unknown Aditya to Proposed name

that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reason for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing NOTICE OF HEARING a. Date: 01/31/2025 Time: 8:30AM Dept: V. The address of the court is same as noted above. 3. a. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the day set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Alhambra Press DATED: November 27, 2024 Robin Miller Sloan JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT Pub. December 16, 23, 30, 2024, January 6, 2025 ALHAMBRA PRESS

Order To Show Cause For Change of Name Case No. 24FL001267 To All Interested Persons: Lili Wang and Yicheng Lin on behalf of Ruxi Wang, a minor filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME Ruxi Wang PROPOSED NAME Grace Ruxi Lin . The Court Orders that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice Of Hearing Date: 03/06/2025 Time: 1:30pm Dept. L74 REMOTE HEARING The address of the court is Lamoreaux Justice Center, 341 The City Dr S, Orange CA 92863. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least

Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles 9425 Penfield Ave, Chatsworth, Ca 91311, North Valley Judicial District TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner Baleria Madrigal Aviles filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name a. OF Anahleya Rose Palomares to Proposed name Aaliyah Rose Palomares 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reason for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing NOTICE OF HEARING a. Date: 01/27/2025 Time: 8:30AM Dept: F47. The address of the court is same as noted above. 3. a. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the day set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Baldwin Park Press DATED: December 2, 2024 Melvin D. Sandvig JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT Pub. December 9, 16, 23, 30, 2024 BALDWIN PARK PRESS

Fictitious

Business Name Filings

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

File No. FBN20240009443

The following persons are doing business as: Money Hacking Mama, 7847 Lion Street, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730. Mailing Address, 7847 Lion Street, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730. # of Employees 1. Prosperous Media Group, LLC (CA, 7847 Lion Street, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730; Rachel Jimenez, President. County of Principal Place of Business: San Bernardino This business is conducted by: a limited liability company (llc). Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. By signing below, I declare that I have read and understand the reverse side of this form and that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Government Code Sections 6250- 6277). /s/ Rachel Jimenez, President. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on October 16, 2024. Notice- In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920. A Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code) File#: FBN20240009443 Pub:

11/25/2024, 12/02/2024, 12/09/2024, 12/16/2024, 12/23/2024, 12/30/2024, 1/06/2025, 1/13/2025 San Bernardino Press

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20246703956. The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: JJ Fire Protection, 2295 N Tustin St Unit 80, Orange, CA 92865. Full Name of Registrant(s) Jimmy Desbiens, 2295 N Tustin St Unit 80, Orange, CA 92865. This business is conducted by a individual. Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on January 1, 2024. /S/ Jimmy Desbiens. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Orange County on December 2, 2024. Publish: Anaheim Press 12/09/2024, 12/16/2024, 12/23/2024, 12/30/2024 ANAHEIM PRESS

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as VISISTA COLLECTIONS 6770 Belynn Ct EASTVALE, CA 92880 Riverside County SRIANA INVESTMENTS LLC (CA, 6770 Belynn Ct, Eastvale, CA 92880 Riverside County

Statement filed with the County of Riverside on December 4, 2024 NOTICE: In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of the five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any changes in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 Et Seq., business and professions code).

I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original

LEGALS

statement on file in my office. Peter Aldana, County, Clerk File# R-202414992 Pub. 12/09/2024, 12/16/2024, 12/23/2024, 12/30/2024

RIVERSIDE INDEPENDENT

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as MBI Welding & Fabrication 1229 Columbia Avenue Unit C1 Riverside, CA 92507

Riverside County Juiced Rite, LLC (CA, 1229 Columbia Avenue Unit C1, Riverside, CA 92507

Riverside County

This business is conducted by: a limited liability company (llc). Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousands dollars ($1000).) s. Stephanie Bryan, CEO Statement filed with the County of Riverside on December 4, 2024 NOTICE: In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of the five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any changes in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 Et Seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Peter Aldana, County, Clerk File# R-202414993 Pub. 12/09/2024, 12/16/2024, 12/23/2024, 12/30/2024 Riverside Independent

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as (1). California Realty and Mortgage Group (2). California Realty Group (3). California Mortgage Group (4). Calrmgroup 37948 Sawleaf Place Murrieta, CA 92562

Riverside County California Mortgage Group, Inc. (CA, 37948 Sawleaf Place, Murrieta, CA 92562

Riverside County This business is conducted

by: a corporation. Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on October 1, 2024. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousands dollars ($1000).)

s. Joakim L Torehov, President Statement filed with the County of Riverside on November 20, 2024 NOTICE: In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of the five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any changes in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 Et Seq., business and professions code).

I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

Peter Aldana, County, Clerk File# R-202414429 Pub. 12/09/2024, 12/16/2024, 12/23/2024, 12/30/2024 Riverside Independent

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as 19K Security Solutions 7091 Deer Canyon Eastvale, CA 92880 Riverside County Gustavo Jimenez Jr, 7091 Deer Canyon, Eastvale, CA 92880 Riverside County

This business is conducted by: a individual. Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousands dollars ($1000).) s. Gustavo Jimenez Jr Statement filed with the County of Riverside on December 11, 2024 NOTICE: In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of the

five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any changes in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 Et Seq., business and professions code).

I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Peter Aldana, County, Clerk File# R-202415258 Pub. 12/16/2024, 12/23/2024, 12/30/2024, 01/06/2025 Riverside Independent

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN20240011359

The following persons are doing business as: Nice Jump, 2908 S Whispering Lakes Ln Apt 10, Ontario, CA 91761. Mailing Address, 2908 S Whispering Lakes Ln Apt 10, Ontario, CA 91761. Ashley E Pioquinto, 2908 S Whispering Lakes Ln Apt 10, Ontario, CA 91761. County of Principal Place of Business: San Bernardino

This business is conducted by: a individual. Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. By signing below, I declare that I have read and understand the reverse side of this form and that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Government Code Sections 62506277). /s/ Ashley E Pioquinto. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on December 12, 2024 Notice- In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920. A Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of

this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code) File#: FBN20240011359 Pub: 12/16/2024, 12/23/2024, 12/30/2024, 01/06/2025 San Bernardino Press

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN20240011399

The following persons are doing business as: SIN YUN TRUCK INC, 2248 Wandering Ridge Dr, Chino Hills, CA 91709. Mailing Address, 919 N Unruh Ave, La Puente, CA 91744. xscape one inc (CA, 2248 Wandering Ridge Dr, Chino Hills, CA 91709; MEIGUANG ZHANG, president. County of Principal Place of Business: San Bernardino This business is conducted by: a corporation. Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. By signing below, I declare that I have read

Man convicted of veteran UPS employee’s murder in Covina

An ex-con was found guilty Dec. 20 of fatally shooting a veteran UPS employee who was among three people who tried to stop him after he was seen rummaging around a parked car in Covina four days before Christmas in 2021.

Jurors deliberated an hour before finding Trevor Howard Thompson, 37, guilty of firstdegree murder for the Dec. 21, 2021, killing of 38-yearold Joey Manuel Casias, along with two counts each of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Deputy District Attorney Phil Stirling.

The jury also found true the special circumstance allegation of murder to avoid arrest, along with gun allegations, Stirling said.

Thompson is facing life in prison without the possibility of parole, with sentencing set Jan. 31 in a Pomona courtroom.

Deputy District Attorney Michelle Weiske told the Pomona jury in opening statements earlier this month that ballistics evidence linked Thompson to the killing, while defense attorney Anthony Cavalluzzi countered that his client opened fire only after being punched and kneed.

Weiske told jurors that the bulk of the charges against the defendant stemmed from his actions in

December 2021 after he was seen inside a white BMW that had inadvertently been left unlocked.

Thompson was first confronted by the vehicle’s owner, who was informed that someone was inside the vehicle that he had bought for his daughter and had parked in front of a neighbor’s residence to keep it a surprise, according to the prosecutor.

The deputy district attorney said that Thompson told the vehicle’s owner that his “homegirl” told him to come pick up the vehicle and that it must have been the wrong car, and that three other people, including Casias who was returning home with his family from a mall, subsequently went into a nearby housing complex to try to look for him.

One of the two 17-yearold boys called 911 and went to the front of the complex to meet a responding police officer, while the other two people followed Thompson after finding him inside the complex, the prosecutor told jurors.

Weiske said the two encountered the defendant as they went around a corner and Thompson turned toward them in a boxing stance, taking a swing at the 17-yearold boy before Casias came to the boy’s aid and kneed the defendant.

Thompson responded by pulling out a gun and firing

and water throughout the day and before touching the face.

-- Don’t drink raw milk and don’t feed it to pets. People and their pets may get sick from drinking raw milk from infected cows.

-- Do not touch the face and don’t eat, drink, or put anything near the mouth when working with animals.

-- Only touch personal belongings or use the restroom after hand washing with soap and water.

-- Shower and change out of work clothing and shoes before going home or shower and change clothes as soon as possible.

To reduce H5 risk for the general public, officials advised:

-- Avoiding raw dairy and undercooked meat products

— don’t drink raw milk or eat raw cheeses and undercooked meats. Also, don’t feed these to pets.

-- Limit contact with animals — “avoid unprotected

By City News Service

a round, with the 17-year-old boy hearing a series of about three more shots as he ran from the scene and toward police with his hands up in the air, according to the prosecutor.

Casias — who was found on the ground — had been shot once in the back and once in the back of his right hand, Weiske said.

Thompson was arrested the next day after a standoff

with police, according to the prosecutor, who said a firearms examiner subsequently concluded that the cartridge cases collected from the scene of the shooting had been “fired from that gun that the defendant had in his possession.”

Thompson is also charged with an Aug. 23, 2021, attack on a man who was confronted at gunpoint while sitting with his girlfriend inside his

vehicle in his own assigned parking spot at an apartment complex where Thompson’s mother also lived, the deputy district attorney told jurors.

Thompson pounded on the car window to ask the man what he was doing there, then pulled out a gun and said, “Don’t make me put a bullet in your head,” before eventually walking away, according to Weiske.

Defense attorney Anthony Cavalluzzi noted that there is some evidence that his client suffers from mental health issues and delusions and said he was “not going to spend a lot of time talking about the August incident.”

He said the case was really about three people who “decide to take the law into their own hands and that’s not justice. ...

“This wasn’t helping. This was hunting,” Cavalluzzi said. “All he’s ever doing is walking away.”

He questioned the account by one of the teens, who told authorities that Thompson was the first to respond with force during the December 2021 confrontation.

The defense attorney described a “literal beating of my client.”

He said Thompson did not make the choice to hurt anyone until he was getting punched and kneed.

“This is what is happening to my client when he made a

contact with sick or dead animals or birds or any materials contaminated with bird feces,” county health officials

said. “Avoid handling wild birds and observe them only from a distance. If you have to handle wild birds, even if they

appear healthy, wear a wellfitting mask and gloves, and practice good hand hygiene, as some birds may carry the virus

decision to pull out his gun,” Thompson’s attorney told jurors.

The defense lawyer said then that he would ask the jury to acquit Thompson of first-degree murder and the special circumstance allegation, along with the lesser charge of second-degree murder charge.

He also told jurors that “it’s not manslaughter” if jurors believe it is “righteous self-defense,” and said that is what he will argue when the trial nears an end.

Casias’ widow, Veronica, was called as the prosecution’s first witness and gave emotional testimony, in which she described returning home with her husband and their two children from Christmas shopping at the Brea mall and coming upon one of the 17-year-old boys, who informed him that he had seen a man inside the BMW.

“Joey told me to take the kids out of the car and wait inside the house,” she said.

When asked by Stirling if it was the “last time you saw him,” she responded, “Yes,” with her voice shaking.

Shortly after the shooting, then-District Attorney George Gascón called Casias’ killing “an especially heartbreaking incident since Mr. Casias was simply acting as a good Samaritan.”

Thompson has remained behind bars since his arrest.

without showing symptoms.”

-- Report sick or dead birds

— if residents see sick or dead birds, they should contact

local animal control agencies. “Symptoms can vary; infected birds or animals may be unable to fly, have seizures, have difficulty walking or be found dead,” officials said.

-- Protect pets or poultry — “Keep pets or poultry away from wild animals and birds,” officials said. “Ensure that wild birds cannot defecate into areas holding or housing pet birds or poultry.”

-- Remove bird feeders and bird baths — take down bird feeders and communal bird baths to reduce the risk of the virus spreading from birdto-bird.

-- Get a seasonal flu vaccine.

For questions or to find a nearby clinic or doctor, residents may call the Public Health InfoLine, 833-5400473 daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

More information on avian flu in animals and humans is at ph.lacounty. gov.

Bird flu

Murder victim Joey Manuel Casias. | Photo courtesy of Calvary Chapel El Monte/YouTube

| Image courtesy of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Appeals court reinstates lawsuit alleging FBI spying of OC mosques

By City News Service

Afederalappeals court panel earlier this month revived a lawsuit alleging the FBI violated the civil rights of Southland Muslims by using an undercover operative to infiltrate Orange County mosques, more than a decade after the case was dismissed on grounds it would endanger national security if the case went to trial.

The lawsuit, filed in 2011 on behalf of Yassir Fazaga, Ali Uddin Malik and Yasser AbdelRahim, centers on ex-FBI informant Craig Monteilh, who said he was recruited by the federal agency to pretend he was a Muslim convert and infiltrate Orange County mosques to gather information and point out extremists.

The following year, U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney dismissed the bulk of the case, accepting defense arguments that the case could not move forward without revealing state secrets.

The case then bounced around the federal appeals system, and on Dec. 20, a three-judge panel of the 9th

U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the dismissal on state secrets grounds, saying that argument could not be used to dismiss claims that the plaintiffs were improperly targeted because of their religion.

The panel noted that while there was some privileged information included in the case, “the district court did not apply the proper standard or use the proper process when it

held that Fazaga’s religion claims should be dismissed outright on the grounds that privileged information gives defendants a valid defense, and that litigation would present an unacceptable risk of disclosing state secrets.”

“The district court has not yet conducted the detailed and fact- intensive inquiry required to dismiss a claim based on a valid defense under (a state secrets claim), nor did the

district court’s dismissal of Fazaga’s claims on the basis that litigation would present an unacceptable risk of disclosing state secrets meet the stringent standard for such dismissals,” according to the ruling.

The panel remanded the case back to the federal district court for further proceedings.

In a statement released by the ACLU of Southern California, Fazaga — former

imam of the Orange County Islamic Foundation, hailed the ruling.

“Nearly two decades ago, the FBI sent an informant to Orange County to surveil and harass our sacred community,” Fazaga said.

The University of California has resolved nine federal civil rights complaints of antisemitism and bias against Muslim, Arab and pro-Palestinian students stemming from Israel-Hamas war protests at five UC campuses, including UCLA and UCSD, the U.S. Department of Education announced Dec.20.

The complaints alleged that the universities failed to respond promptly or effectively to harassment of their students based on their actual or perceived national origin — including shared Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Palestinian and Arab ancestry — and that some of the universities subjected these students to different treatment with respect to their access to campus or university programs.

With regard to UCLA and its law school, civil rights compliance concerns stemmed in part from

the university’s receipt of more than 150 reports about protests and rallies in October and November 2023, as well as complaints related to an encampment on campus in the spring of 2024.

These and other reports included:

-- Reports of rally chants such as “death to Israel.” A separate video reviewed by OCR depicted a group that included students beating an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and shouting “beat that ... Jew” on the campus;

-- Muslim, Palestinian and/or pro-Palestinian students experienced unwanted filming, doxing, and being followed both on and near UCLA’s campus by other students and members of the public;

-- Reports of checkpoints at the spring 2024 encampment that allegedly denied entry to Jewish students who

The suit alleged that Monteilh violated the constitutional rights of Muslims by infiltrating mosques and recording conversations in a search for potential terrorists. The lawsuit contended that over 14 months, beginning in 2006, the FBI used Monteilh to “indiscriminately” collect personal information on hundreds or even thousands of Muslim Americans.

Monteilh, who served time in prison for forgery, claimed he was recruited by the FBI in 2004 to infiltrate drug-trafficking groups, according to the lawsuit. In 2006, he said, he was asked to assume the identity of a Muslim convert and go undercover to identify extremists and gather intelligence, the suit contends.

“Today, the Ninth Circuit said that the government does not get a free pass out of wrongdoing simply by shouting ‘national security,”’ Mohammad Tajsar, senior staff attorney at the ACLU SoCal, said in a statement. “Today’s victory ensures our clients will get their day in court.”

“Ali, Yasser and I decided to fight back, and after today’s ruling, we will have the courthouse doors finally opened to us. We and the thousands of Muslims whom the FBI targeted simply for praying in mosques deserve justice.”

UCLA, UCSD resolve federal civil rights complaints

By City News Service

refused to “denounce their Zionism”; and

-- UCLA, through its campus police, allegedly failed to protect Palestinian, Arab, and/or pro-Palestinian student protesters while they were violently attacked, injured, and intimidated by counter-protesters, including third parties.

The American Jewish Committee Los Angeles applauded the announcement.

“Students at UCLA and UC Santa Barbara have faced unprecedented and unacceptable levels of antisemitism and we are glad to see these new agreements with the Department of Education which — if properly implemented by the schools’ administrations — will help make these campuses a safer and more welcoming place for Jews and all students,” AJC Los Angeles Regional Director Richard S. Hirschhaut said in a statement.

“Amid the toxic and dangerous climate arising from the encampment on the UCLA campus last spring, AJC Los Angeles convened an urgent media briefing at

the Hillel Student Center to enable students, faculty, and prominent alumni to raise their voices, in solidarity and safety, to implore university administration to enforce its

own codes of conduct,” he said.

“Today’s announcement affirms the deep concern and genuine courage expressed that day.”

The headquarters of the Islamic Society of Orange County in Garden Grove. | Photo courtesy of Hfuegreuhg123/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

A sign reading “UCLA funds war” is displayed on the wall of an encampment in April as the red brick towers of Royce Hall loom in the background. | Photo courtesy of Niashervin/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)