Duarte Dispatch_1/9/2025 by Beacon Media News

LA County joins feds in declaring national day of mourning for President Carter Pg 02

Thursday, January 09-January 15, 2025

Biden in SoCal to announce new Chuckwalla National Monument

By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com

Ahistoricallyfierce windstorm Tuesday in Southern California that has caused destructive wildfires prompted President Joe Biden to cancel a trip from Los Angeles to the Coachella Valley, where he was to announce two national monuments in the state, including Chuckwalla in Riverside County.

The president and first lady Jill Biden arrived at LA International Airport aboard Air Force One on Monday morning from New Orleans, where they met with families and community members affected by the New Year's Day terror attack on Bourbon Street that left 15 people dead and dozens injured, according to the White House.

Eaton Canyon brusher destroys buildings, forces evacuations

By City News Service

Biden had been scheduled to travel to Thermal in Riverside County early Tuesday afternoon to officially announce the Chuckwalla National Monument near just south of Joshua Tree National Park and also the Sáttítla National Monument in Northern California. The two monuments will protect 848,000 acres of land that are of "scientific, cultural, ecological and historical importance," according to the White House. After considering having Biden make the monument announcement from the LA area, White House officials said later that the event would take place next week "so that key stakeholders can attend." Details of the rescheduled event were not immediately available.

LA/Santa Monica area for the trip to Thermal, later returned to his hotel, according to published reports. It was unclear when he would plan to leave Southern California.

important cultural and spiritual landscape that has been inhabited and traveled by Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples since time immemorial."

Afast-moving brush fire in the Eaton Canyon area exploded in size overnight, topping 10,000 acres Wednesday while claiming two lives and destroying more than 100 structures while prompting school closures throughout the area.

The Eaton Fire was reported at about 6:20 p.m. in the area of Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive in the hills above Altadena, according to Cal Fire.

Biden, who had already gotten into a vehicle in a motorcade in the West

The Chuckwalla National Monument will preserve more than 624,000 acres of public land and is Biden's "capstone action to create the largest corridor of protected lands in the continental United States, covering nearly 18 million acres stretching approximately 600 miles," according to the White House. "This new Moab to Mojave Conservation Corridor protects wildlife habitat and a wide range of natural and cultural resources along the Colorado River, across the Colorado Plateau, and into the deserts of California. It is a vitally

Biden was also set to officially announce Tuesday the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in Northern California, which will encompass more than 224,000 acres of varied habitat that includes areas of the Modoc, ShastaTrinity and Klamath national forests.

The Moab to Mojave Conservation Corridor stretches from Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southwestern Utah, to which Biden restored protections in 2021, through Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni — Ancestral Foot-

One of the structures that was destroyed in the fire was the Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center, NBC4 reported.

Initially dubbed the Close Fire but later changed to the Eaton Fire, the blaze was initially estimated at about 10 acres, but it quickly exploded across 200 acres, then to 400 acres by 8 p.m. Tuesday, driven by Santa Ana winds that prompted critical fire danger warnings throughout the region. As of 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, Cal Fire reported the fire was 2,227 acres and as of 10:30 a.m. that morning, Cal Fire reported the fire had grown to 10,600 acres and was 0% contained.

Area residents from La Canada Flintridge, Glendale, Pasadena, Arcadia and elsewhere in the San Gabriel Valley were under evacuation warnings and orders. For updates on evacuation orders, shelters and other fire-related information, visit fire.ca.gov/incidents/2025/1/7/eaton-fire.

It was unclear how many people were impacted by the Eaton Fire evacuation orders, although the governor's office put the figure at about 19,000 people under mandatory

Health officials: Potentially deadly bird flu found in more pet food Pg 03

Wildflowers bloom in early spring in the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument. | Photo courtesy of Bob Wick/Protect Chuckwalla National Monument

This map shows evacuation zones for the Eaton Fire. For updated information, visit the Cal Fire website. | Image courtesy of Cal Fire

LA County joins feds in declaring national day of mourning for President Carter

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors joined the federal government in honoring former President Jimmy Carter Tuesday by passing a motion calling for Thursday to be declared a local day of mourning.

Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died Dec. 29 in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100, following nearly two years in hospice.

There will be a funeral service for Carter at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, and President Joe Biden declared a National Day of Mourning in honor of the former chief executive, who lived longer than any other U.S. president.

Biden's executive order called for the closure of all executive departments and agencies of the federal government, with some exceptions for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need. The motion approved by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday followed suit.

"In 2018, then-President Donald J. Trump declared Wednesday, December 5, 2018, a National Day of Mourning in honor of Presi-

Fdent George H.W. Bush," according to the motion.

"The Board of Supervisors followed suit and closed all county offices, agencies and entities except those that serve an emergency or essential purpose as determined by each department head. It is prudent and fitting that the board take similar action now."

As a result of the motion's passage, all non-emergency and nonessential county offices, agencies and entities determined by the department heads, will be closed on Thursday.

"President Carter exemplified the highest ideals of leadership, dedicating his life to promoting global peace, uplifting the marginalized, and fostering hope through

humanitarian efforts," Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said. "Today's unanimous vote to declare a Day of Mourning demonstrates our shared commitment to paying tribute to a leader who embodied values we hold dear -- compassion and service."

Chair Pro Tem Hilda Solis said, "President Jimmy Carter led our country compassionately and with a kindness that championed human rights and made significant strides in environmental justice and education. His values reflected the very best of humanity.

"May we reflect on his long and fulfilling lifetime and tremendous career in public service with admiration and pride, and as

a resounding collective commitment to uplift peace and prosperity for our country," Solis added.

Fellow supervisor Janice Hahn adjourned Tuesday's board meeting in honor of Carter and recalled his kind interactions with her father, Kenneth Hahn and herself.

Calling Carter a "Southern gentleman," Hahn said, "In 1976, this peanut farmer from Plains, Georgia, was elected president during a time when our country was going through some of its most difficult times," Hahn said. "At his core, Jimmy Carter was Southern gentleman and a man of extraordinary faith, so he took on those challenges with unbreakable grace."

She also provided a memorial book in the board room for meeting attendees to sign and write messages about the former president, which would be sent to The Carter Center in Atlanta.

Hahn lauded his commitment to social work and public affairs beyond his presidency, and supervisor Lindsey Horvath chimed in saying, As we enter this new year, may we all take lessons from his life, especially service, kindness, compassion and dignity.

LA County eliminates Medical Examiner transportation, storage fee

ollowing a six-month trialprogram,the countyBoardof Supervisors voted Tuesday to eliminate fees charged by the Medical Examiner's office for the transportation and storage of bodies.

"I am grateful we have the flexibility in our budget to eliminate this fee that had burdened families during some of the most difficult days of their lives," Supervisor Janice Hahn, who co-sponsored the motion with

Supervisor Hilda Solis, said in a statement after the vote.

"Los Angeles County is here for our residents from their births to their deaths. This is part of that commitment and taking care of our residents with dignity and compassion."

The board last year began a six-month trial period of waiving the $400 transportation and storage fee, noting that the medical examiner had only been able to collect the fee from about 50% of the people who were billed for it

over a five-year period.

According to Hahn's office, a recent report indicated that the fee disproportionately impacted low-income residents.

"Charging families who lost a loved one for transportation and storage fees never sat well with me and staff," county Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo said in a statement. "End of life expenses are costly, and can begin about financial hardship for families, espe-

cially in L.A. County. I hope families receive some reprieve knowing they will not receive a transport bill. I'm grateful to the board for recognizing the department's efforts to lead with kindness and compassion by certifying the elimination of these fees."

Solis noted last year that average funeral costs can range as high as $20,000, so waiving the $400 transportation and storage fee can mean a lot to a family dealing with a loss.

By City News Service

By Anusha Shankar, City News Service

| Photo courtesy of Jimmy Carter Library

Health officials: Potentially deadly bird flu found in more pet food

By Staff

Los Angeles County health officials have confirmed H5 bird flu in two additional pet foods and have urged the public to not feed their animals the products that contain infected raw milk.

Monarch Raw Pet Food is sold at farmers' markets in the Riverside and Orange counties, according to manufacturer's website. County health officials indicated the tainted product may be sold elsewhere in the state.

A house cat that consumed the Monarch food was confirmed positive for bird flu, according to the LA County Department of Public Health on Tuesday. Four other felines from the same household were presumed to also be infected.

People who fed their pets Monarch Raw Pet Food or other raw meat or dairy products, then notice their pet is experiencing symptoms should immediately contact a veterinarian.

"Residents should avoid consumption of all raw milk and raw meat products and not feed these to their pets," according to a Public Health statement.

The manufacturer provides a list of farmers market locations where the product at monarchrawpetfood.com.

On Dec. 24, another bird flu detection in product samples prompted county health officials to caution residents against feeding their pets raw food after a voluntary recall of Northwest Naturals Brand 2lb Feline Turkey Recipe Raw & Frozen Pet Food.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture reported that a house cat became ill from H5 bird flu and died after consuming that recalled raw frozen pet food, officials said. The potentially tainted products are also sold in California — a list of retailers is at: nw-naturals.net/12-

24-24-voluntary-productrecall.

Public Health also recently confirmed the H5 virus in four house cats from a separate household that consumed recalled raw milk, then became ill and died. That incident is an ongoing investigation.

Cats infected with bird

flu can become severely ill and display symptoms such as neurological signs, trouble breathing or liver disease that can swiftly lead to death, officials said.

The health department has not identified human cases of bird flu associated with exposure to cats, and the

overall risk of bird flu to the public remains low, officials said. Currently there is no evidence of human-to-human spread.

On Dec. 23, Public Health confirmed the county's first case of bird flu in a human who was exposed to infected livestock at a worksite.

Residents with questions or who need assistance finding a nearby clinic or doctor may call the Public Health InfoLine, 833-5400473.

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

Northwest Naturals 2lb Feline Turkey Recipe Raw & Frozen Pet Food has been recalled following bird flu concerns. | Photo courtesy of Northwest Naturals

Los Angeles

Long Beach

Long Beach Public Library celebrates grand reopening of Bay Shore Neighborhood Library

Community members are invited to join the Long Beach Public Library (LBPL) as it celebrates the grand reopening of the Bay Shore Neighborhood Library on Saturday. The grand reopening celebration will kick off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30 a.m., followed by a lineup of family-friendly programming throughout the day and free use of the upgraded spaces and library services. The event will feature a magical performance by Christopher T. Magician at 10:30 a.m., a children’s story time at noon, and all-day arts and crafts activities for residents of all ages.

Monrovia

Monrovia, Duarte Girl Scouts to celebrate Black History Month Saturday

The Monrovia Duarte Girl Scouts Troop 6371 will be hosting its annual Black History Month celebration a little early to ensure local kids can host their own event as Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles does not allow events in February that might conflict with Girl Scout Cookie Season. The event takes place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at 320 N. Halstead St., Pasadena. The event will feature crafts, presentations, storytelling and plenty of opportunities to buy snacks and food to support local Girl Scouts.

The cost is $25 per child and $15 per adult. Registration is open until the event is full. To register, visit https://my.cheddarup. com/c/black-historymonth-celebration/ items?cart.

Glendale

Adams Square Mini Park Gas Station Program call for artists

The Arts and Culture Commission of the City of Glendale is requesting proposals from creative artists and community members to temporarily display an installation in the Adams Square Mini Park Gas Station (ASMPGS). The application is open year-round, and submissions are reviewed annually in the Spring. Art is displayed on a rotational basis in the ASMPGS. Artists whose work is chosen for installation at the ASMPGS will receive a stipend of $1,000 in addition to a production budget of up to $1,500 for a total maximum stipend of $2,500. To learn more about the program and to apply, visit www.GlendaleArtsandCulture.org/AdamsSquareMiniPark.

Monterey Park

Monterey Park to hold Jan. 21 memorial vigil

The City of Monterey Park invites community members to join together for a memorial vigil to remember the events of Jan. 21, 2023. The candlelight vigil will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 6 p.m. at Monterey Park City Hall Front Lawn, located at 320 W. Newmark Ave., Monterey Park. Community members who wish to leave flowers or other memorial items may place them near

the flag pole in front of City Hall. All items will be respectfully removed by Jan. 30. Additional details about the event will be posted at www.montereypark.ca.gov/ jan21vigil as they become available.

Orange County

Author Kevin Kwan to visit Norma Hertzog Community Center

As part of Slice of Literary Orange, a series featuring keynote speakers, Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan will stop by the Norma Hertzog Community Center on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 6:30 p.m. Complimentary books will be available, while supplies last. Books will be available for purchase, courtesy of Mysterious Galaxy. No registration is required and all ages welcome. Early arrival suggested. Norma Hertzog Community Center is located at 1845 Park Ave. in Costa Mesa. For more information, call (714) 566-3034 or email ocpl. programs@occr.ocgov.com.

Anaheim

Anaheim's Little Arabia entrepreneurs invited to free business course

The restaurants, stores and other businesses of Little Arabia can take advantage of a free business improvement course that covers business planning, market analysis, cash flow, funding, accounting systems, digital and traditional advertising and customer retention. This six-week course starts Jan. 21 and runs through Feb. 25 with two-hour sessions each Tuesday. There’s an

in-person opening session on Jan. 21 at Access California Services, at 300 W. Carl Karcher Way, and a celebratory graduation at the Brookhurst Community Center at 2271 Crescent Ave. In between are four webinars on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Courses and events are held in both English and Arabic. There’s no cost to take part. You can sign up and learn more about the program, led by the Orange County Inland Empire SBDC Network, at SBDCStartLittleARABIA. eventbrite.com.

Riverside

Riverside County

Riverside County Waste Resources Department to offer Master Composter Certificate Training

The Riverside County Department of Waste Resources will be offering a free Master Composter Certificate Training program with a more advanced look at home composting and a variety of methods that can be used. The in-person training classes, for those that want a hands-on group experience, will be on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in La Quinta, beginning March 8. Registration is open now and seating is limited to the first 25 students. Books and study materials will be provided by the department. Instructors will guide students through the course and students will build group compost piles for study and build their own vermicompost bin. To earn a certificate you must attend the four consecutive Saturday classes. As an alternative option to those that are not able to attend

the in-person classes, the department offers virtual online course which will begin second day of the following months of January, April, July, or October, and will allow participants up to three months to study and complete the course from home through online study materials and quizzes to earn the Master Composter Training Certificate. January course registration will close on Friday. Registration is required and additional details will be provided https:// rcwaste.org/free-classes #2392643287-388834543.

Corona

Corona to host winter bird walk

The changing seasons impact which bird species make the Cleveland National Forest their home every winter. Whether you are a frequent birder, or simply interested in learning about local bird species, families are invited to walk the meadows of the Skyline Trail on Jan. 18 from 9 to 11 a.m. This hike will be about 3 miles in length and mainly flat with some elevation gain. Participation in the hikes will require all hikers to complete a Waiver of Liability. Any participants under the age of 18 will need a parent to sign their waiver of liability. An email confirmation will be sent out to registered hikers on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Register at www.CoronaCA. gov/registration.

San Bernardino

San

Bernardino County

Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park hosts ‘Build

Your Own Bird Feeder’ activity

Stop by the CucamongaGuasti Regional Park on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 10 a.m. to noon to learn how to make a homemade bird feeder to take home. All ages are welcome, and all supplies are provided while they last. Park admission is $10 per vehicle. Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park is located at 800 N. Archibald Ave. in Ontario. Park hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers fishing, biking, picnic shelters and grills, a playground and splash pad. Cucamonga-Guasti is petfriendly and leashed pets are welcome too.

City of San Bernardino

Temporary closure at 2nd and Mt Vernon in San Bernardino

As part of the Mt. Vernon Bridge project, the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) has announced that they will be performing work on underground water lines through Jan. 31 at the intersection of Mt Vernon Avenue and 2nd Street in San Bernardino. The work will require road closures and lane reductions at the intersection. Motorists are encouraged to plan accordingly, and there will be a detour in place to minimize impacts. The road closure and lane reductions will be in place 24 hours a day and seven days a week until the project is completed. Construction activity will take place between 6 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. For more information on the road closure, call SBCTA at (877) 55-SBCTA or visit https:// bit.ly/4aaMVNc.

STARTING

Biden withdraws areas off California coast from oil, gas drilling

By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com

President Joe Biden is withdrawing Southern Californiacoastal areas from future oil and natural gas drilling operations Monday, along with millions more off-shore acres in other areas of the nation, the White House and interior secretary's office announced Monday.

The Southern California withdrawal is part of 250 million acres of federal waters off the entire West Coast that are prime habitat for seals, sea lions, whales, fish and many species of seabirds, according to the White House. California has had a moratorium on new drilling leases in state waters since 1969, and the last federal lease sale in the area being withdrawn occurred in 1984.

"My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses, and beachgoers have known for a long time: that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation's energy needs," Biden said in a statement. "It is not worth

the risks. As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country and we are transitioning to a clean energy economy, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren."

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said the drilling ban recognizes the environmental and economic risks and potential harms that would result from drilling in these areas outweighs the limited energy resource potential.

"President Biden's actions ... are part of our work across this Administration to make bold and enduring changes that recognize the impact of oil and gas drilling on our nation's coastlines," Haaland said in a statement. "The President is taking action that reflects what states, tribes and local communities have shared with us — a strong and overwhelming need to support resilient oceans and coastlines by protecting them from unnecessary oil and gas development."

Biden's Monday memoranda withdraws significant

portions of the Outer Continental Shelf from future oil and natural gas leasing, including the entire U.S. Pacific and Eastern Atlantic coasts, the Eastern Gulf of Mexico and the remainder of the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area offshore of Alaska.

Altogether the withdrawal areas cover more than 625 million acres and represent the largest withdrawal in U.S. history.

The withdrawals are expected to help protect coastal communities, which are home to nearly 40% of

Americans, as well as marine ecosystems and local economies — including fishing, recreation and tourism — from oil spills and other impacts of offshore drilling, according to the White House.

On federal lands and waters, oil production in 2024 reached an all-time high, the Interior Department reported. In fiscal year 2023, the Outer Continental Shelf produced about 675 million barrels of oil and 796 billion cubic feet of gas, which amounted to roughly 14% of all oil production and

2% of natural gas production in the United States.

"Nearly all of this production is in the Western and Central Gulf of Mexico, where industry has yet to produce on more than 80 percent of the 12 million acres already under lease," according to the department.

Nearly 400 municipalities and over 2,300 elected local, state, tribal and federal officials from the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Coast regions have opposed the expansion of offshore drilling "in view of its severe environmental, health, and economic threats," White House officials said. Nearly every governor along the East and West coasts have expressed concerns about expanded offshore drilling.

Oil and gas industry activity in the newly withdrawn areas historically has been very low, according to the Interior Department. There is no active oil and gas exploration and development in the eastern U.S. Atlantic or the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area, and there are

around 30 decades long existing leases off Southern California, and approximately 12 in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico.

President-elect Donald Trump on Monday vowed to reverse Biden's drilling ban.

"I see it just came over that Biden has banned all oil and gas drilling across 625 million acres of U.S. coastal territory," Trump told conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt. "It's ridiculous. ... I have the right to unban it immediately."

Trump added that the nation has "oil and gas at a level that nobody else has. And we're going to take advantage of it. And when I see somebody saying he's going to ban 625 million acres, he doesn't know what that is. He doesn't even know what 625 million acres would look like. And we can't let that happen to our country. It's really our greatest economic asset and we're not going to let that happen to our country."

The withdrawals do not affect rights under existing leases, White House officials said.

New California laws to impact parking, retail theft, other issues

By City News Service

Hundredsofbills

signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom are set to take effect in California in 2025.

The list of new laws, most of which take effect Wednesday, include cracking down on retail theft, barring parking near crosswalks, a ban on book bans and new designations for official state animals.

Detailed information about laws taking effect in California in 2025 can be found at courts.ca.gov/system/files/ file/2024_summaryofcourtrelatedlegislation.pdf.

Here is a sampling, laws take effect Jan. 1 unless otherwise noted:

Parking enforcement -- AB 413, the "daylight-

ing" law. For increased visibility of pedestrians and other objects in the road, drivers are not allowed to park within 20 feet of a crosswalk, whether it's marked or unmarked. Violators face a $40 fine for parking on unmarked curbs near crosswalks, or $108 for parking on curbs that are painted red.

Retail theft -- AB 2943. It will be a felony to possess over $950 of items obtained through retail theft with the intention to resell, while SB 905 makes breaking into vehicles to steal property valued at $950 or more a felony.

Child protection --SB 1414. Purchasing or soliciting a child 15 years or

younger for sex, previously a misdemeanor, will now be a felony.

-- AB 1955. Prohibits school districts from creating policies that require teachers to inform parents if their child identifies as transgender or requests to be identified by a different name or pronoun at school.

-- AB 1394. Allows child sex exploitation survivors to sue social media platforms for app features that lead to harm against them.

Book bans -- AB 1078, the California Freedom To Read Act. Requires public libraries to maintain a publicly accessible collection development policy guiding the selection

of materials, while establishing a process for community members to share their concerns. It prohibits banning books because of the race, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status or political affiliation of a book's subject, author or intended audience. It would also allow the public to request that materials offering "diverse perspectives," including LGBTQ perspectives, to be reconsidered for inclusion in the library's collection.

Drug laws -- AB 1775. Legalizes cannabis cafes while affording cities and counties the ability to allow businesses to expand themselves to sell non-

cannabis and non-alcoholic products. Retailers will also be allowed to hold live performances.

Housing -- AB 2347. Extends the amount of time someone has to respond to an eviction notice from five to 10 days.

College admissions

-- AB 1780. Beginning in September, private universities and colleges will be barred from making admissions decisions based on an applicant's relationship to a donor or alumnus.

Consumer protection -- AB 2863. It will be illegal for companies to automatically renew a subscription without alerting the customer "in a clear and conspicu-

ous manner" of the terms. A company will now need to get a person's "express affirmative consent to the automatic renewal."

Fertility treatments -- SB 729. Starting in July, employers who provide at least 100 workers with health insurance benefits will be required to provide coverage for infertility diagnosis and treatment.

State wildlife -- AB 1797. Makes the Dungeness crab the official California crustacean.

-- AB 1850. Makes the banana slug the state's official slug.

-- AB 2504. Makes the Black abalone the state's official seashell.

A section of fouled coastline after the Huntington Beach oil spill on Oct. 3, 2021. | Photo courtesy of the city of Huntington Beach

Trump’s deportation plan could separate millions of families, leaving schools to pick up the pieces

By Kalyn Belsha for Chalkbeat via Stacker

Whenimmigration agentsraided chicken processing plants in central Mississippi in 2019, they arrested nearly 700 undocumented workers—many of them parents of children enrolled in local schools.

Teens got frantic texts to leave class and find their younger siblings. Unfamiliar faces whose names weren’t on the pick-up list showed up to take children home. School staff scrambled to make sure no child went home to an empty house, while the owner of a local gym threw together a temporary shelter for kids with nowhere else to go.

In the Scott County School District, a quarter of the district’s Latino students, around 150 children, were absent from school the next day. Chalkbeat reports that when dozens of kids continued to miss school, staff packed onto school buses and went door to door with food, trying to reassure families that it was safe for their children to return. Academics were on hold for weeks, said Tony McGee, the district’s superintendent at the time.

“We went into kind of a Mom and Dad mode and just cared for kids,” McGee said. While some children bounced back quickly, others were shaken for months. “You could tell there was still some worry on kids’ hearts.”

Massive workplace raids have occurred in the past, with enforcement also targeting employers in an effort to deter unauthorized immigration. If President-elect Donald Trump enacts the hardline immigration policies he campaigned on, what happened in Mississippi could become a much more common occurrence affecting millions of children and their schools.

Trump has pledged to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history, tapping every resource at his disposal from local police to the National Guard and the military. Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, have repeatedly

refused to answer questions about whether they would deport the parents of U.S. citizen children.

But any such plan inevitably would sweep up parents of school-age children, leaving educators with the responsibility of providing food, clothing, counseling, and more to affected students.

Educators who have been through it before say schools that serve immigrant communities should prepare now. It’s estimated some 4.4 million U.S.-born children have at least one undocumented parent.

On top of that, it’s unclear if Trump would seek to undermine the “sanctuary school” policies that some districts enacted during his last presidency in an attempt to protect immigrant students and their families on school grounds.

Trump has shown willingness to target immigrant children

Trump frequently aims his rhetoric and policy proposals at the children of immigrants.

Last year, he said he would seek to end automatic citizenship rights for children born in the U.S. to undocumented parents, and he has defended his policy that separated immigrant children from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border. He has not ruled out deporting women and children as part of his mass deportation plan.

“We’re gonna look at it very closely,” he said in an interview earlier this fall, even as he acknowledged that images of families being loaded on buses would make it “a lot harder.”

Both Trump and Vance have characterized immigrant children as being burdens on schools who are overcrowding classrooms and taxing teachers with their language needs. Top aides to Trump tried for months during his first administration to give states the power to block undocumented children from attending public school, Bloomberg News reported, and an influential conservative think tank is seeking

to revive that idea now that Trump has won a second term.

Immigrant rights advocates worry that Trump would seek to end a decadesold federal policy that has treated schools as “sensitive” or “protected” areas where immigration agents are not supposed to surveil families or make arrests, except in extraordinary circumstances, so as not to deter children from going to school.

“Enforcement actions undertaken in these locations have a ripple effect,” said Heidi Altman, the director of federal advocacy at the National Immigration Law Center. “It’s very frightening for communities when we think about the possibility of a Trump administration, both in terms of enforcement at and near protected areas, like schools, but also the impact on schools and access to education.”

The Trump campaign did not respond to questions sent in October about whether he would seek to carry out immigration enforcement activities at or near schools as part of his mass deportation plan. But Project 2025, a policy playbook written by several former Trump White House officials, calls for rescinding any memos that identify “sensitive zones” where immigration action should be limited.

And even when immigration enforcement happens off campus, it can still have farreaching effects on children and schools.

Kheri Martinez was just 13 when her mother was swept up in the 2019 Mississippi raids. She was one of around 1,000 children whose parents were arrested that day. A family friend picked Martinez up early from school, and she later learned from her dad— who was working out of state on a construction job—that her mother had been detained.

The seventh grader bottled up her own fears and told her two little sisters, who were a toddler and early elementary schooler at the time, that their mom was working overtime. For dinner, they ate pizza

dropped off by worried family friends. That night, Martinez climbed into her parents’ bed with her sisters, hoping the blankets that smelled like their mom would comfort her.

“Even though I don’t know if Mom is going to come home today,” she told herself, “at least I’d have something closer to me, I’ll feel like she’s here.”

Her mom came home crying at 4 a.m.—immigration officials had released some parents of small children on humanitarian grounds while their cases proceeded—and Martinez finally felt like she could breathe.

At school the next day, there were whispers that the school would be targeted for violence and that the government was going to come back and take kids away. It felt like everyone at school was “on alert.”

“The Hispanic kids, we were just kind of out of it,” Martinez said. “We weren’t us for a little bit.”

Immigration raids take heavy emotional toll on kids

What Martinez experienced is not uncommon among children whose parents have been caught up in immigration raids. Multiple studies have documented the sweeping psychological, emotional, and financial toll that such operations have on children and their families.

Researchers from the

nonprofit Center for Law and Social Policy found that the Mississippi raids were especially traumatic for the children whose schools were located within sight of a poultry plant. Many saw their parents handcuffed and shoved into white vans on their way home from school, prompting screams and uncontrollable crying.

Children “continued to suffer emotionally” for weeks and months, the research team wrote, and even kids who’d been reunited with their parents showed signs of post-traumatic stress and separation anxiety. Some kindergartners started wetting the bed again, and toddlers regressed in their speech. It was common for kids to come home from school, drop their backpacks, and spend the rest of the day sleeping. Older kids often took on more housework, child care, and paying jobs so they could contribute to their households.

Similarly, researchers for The Urban Institute documented how earlier immigration raids in three states affected some 500 children whose parents were arrested. Those children were most likely to experience emotional distress, but fear also spread to children who worried their parents would be “taken” next. Story time often turned to talk of the raids and got

emotional, teachers said. Some kids internalized their parents’ disappearance as an abandonment. Some children ate less and lost weight, while others started acting out or had trouble sleeping.

“Some parents said that, months after the raids, their children still cried in the morning when getting dropped off at school or day care, something that they rarely used to do,” the report found. “Children were said to obsess over whether their parents were going to pick them up from school.”With breadwinners in detention, many families fell behind on rent. Three-quarters of the parents said they struggled to buy enough food after the raids. Housing instability forced some kids to change schools multiple times. The experience “sapped the attention of some children and affected their academic performance,” researchers found.

For Martinez, it took a year for school to feel normal again. She often felt like she was on edge, “on the lookout” for another raid.

“It hurt me for a while,” Martinez said.

How schools and families can offer support to kids

School leaders say it’s difficult to plan for an immigration raid. Agents usually

Public domain photo via www.dvidshub.net

Tougher laws on retail theft, property crime to take effect in 2025

By Staff

Anumber of new state laws addressing organized retail theft and property crime that impose stiffer penalties and lift restrictions on police and prosecutors are set to take effect in 2025, the governor's office announced Monday in a campaign to highlight new legislation.

The "landmark" legislative package aimed at combating property and retail crime is "the most substantial legislation of its kind in modern state history," officials said. The bipartisan set of laws was announced in August.

The laws enable police to better stop repeat offenders, and prosecutors have more power to hold thieves accountable — especially when dealing with organized retail crime rings that operate in multiple cities and counties.

The legislation, which aims to close old loopholes and maintain successful enforcement programs, also requires tougher penalties for smash-and-grab robberies of retail stores, stricter oversight of websites where stolen goods are sold and more

robust protections against vehicle break-ins.

“California's new laws tackle today's biggest emerging challenges headon," Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. "Through partnership with the Legislature, we’re strengthening public safety, building more housing, and providing more resources for our communities. These practical reforms protect what matters most while creating more opportunities for all Californians.”

These are the new anticrime laws for 2025:

Aggregation

- Assembly Bill 2943 by Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur, D-Los Angeles, allows aggregation of the value of property stolen from different victims or in different counties in order to reach the felony grand theft threshold of $950.

- Senate Bill 905 by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, allows aggregation of the value of property stolen from vehicles over multiple break-ins. The bill enables prosecutors to to charge a suspect with automotive

property theft for resale.

Shoplifting and petty theft

- AB 2943 allows an officer with probable cause to arrest a suspect for shoplifting, even if the alleged crime did not take place in the officer’s presence.

- AB 2943 doubles the probation period for shoplifting and for petty theft from one year to two. Defendants younger than 25 may be referred to rehabilitative programs.

- AB 3209 by Assemblyman Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, allows a court to issue a “retail theft restraining order” prohibiting a person convicted of organized retail theft, shoplifting, theft, vandalism or assault of a retail employee from entering the business, or other locations of the same establishment, for up to two years.

Retail and cargo theft

- AB 2943 creates a new crime punishable by up to three years in jail for possessing stolen goods valued at over $950 with the intent to sell, exchange or return the allegedly stolen items. The

law facilitates prosecution by eliminating the need for district attorneys to prove that a defendant knew the goods were stolen, officials said.

- AB 1802 by Assemblyman Reginald Byron JonesSawyer, D-Los Angeles, eliminates the sunset dates for the crime of organized retail theft and the regional property crimes task force.

- AB 2943 extends a law through 2030 that prevents suspects of organized retail theft from being released with only a signed promise to appear in court.

- SB 1416 by Sen. Josh Newman, D-Grand Terrace, mandates sentencing enhancements for large-scale resale of stolen property.

- AB 1972 by Assembly-

Deportation plan

do not give schools any prior warning. But schools that serve immigrant communities can take certain steps in advance.

“We practice for fire drills and tornado drills, bus evacuations, and sad to say nowadays we practice for active shooters. There’s not many drills for ICE raids,” McGee, the former Scott County superintendent, said. When “families are separated, and you’re responsible for how these kids get home and who takes care of them, it helps to have a little insight that: Hey, you need to be prepared.”

School staff who’ve experienced raids in their communities say it’s especially important to develop an emergency protocol for how children should be signed out at school if their approved caretaker is not available to

pick them up. Identifying a potential temporary shelter for students —whether at a school, a local church, or a community center—is also helpful.

McGee and his team met daily with the principals of schools where many children were affected by the raids to ask how teachers and students were doing. The district also provided materials to help teachers talk about the raids in class and explain to kids who weren’t affected how their classmates may be feeling.

“We didn’t get into the political struggle of why this happened, or why that happened, should it happen, should it not happen?” McGee said. “Our job is to care for kids.”

For Martinez, the care two teachers showed her was especially helpful. They

each pulled her aside to talk about what happened, and told her to let them know if she needed more time to complete assignments.

“I was very appreciative of that,” Martinez said. “It made me feel like: ‘Oh, they understood.’”

Her family also came up with a plan for exactly what they would do and where they would go if another immigration raid happened, which helped to ease some of the anxiety. Martinez knows, for example, that if her family has to sell their belongings and move back to Mexico that she would stay in the U.S. to finish her college degree.

“You’re going to carry something that is not yours, but we don’t have any option,” Gabriela Uribe Mejia said she told her daughter. “She said: ‘Don’t worry, I

understand, I know what to do.’ But she’s a young girl.”

Still, immigrant rights advocates worry about the long-term effects on children and families.

Lorena Quiroz, who directs the Mississippibased Immigrant Alliance for Justice and Equity, was among the community organizers who went door to door asking families if they needed food, legal assistance, or other support in the wake of the Mississippi raids.

Quiroz knows affected families who were torn apart by drinking and fighting, and teens who dropped out of school. Mothers still feel ashamed of the weeks they spent wearing an ankle monitor, visible for everyone to see under their traditional Maya skirts. Adults still tear up when they drive past the poultry plants.

man Juan Alanis, R-Modesto, adds cargo theft to property crimes that regional property crimes task forces may address.

Increased penalties for smash-and-grabs

- SB 1242 by Sen. Dave Min, who was elected to Congress in November, requires higher penalties for alleged thieves who set fires to facilitate organized retail theft.

- AB 1960 by Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Salinas, establishes mandatory sentencing enhancements for taking, damaging or destroying property valued at more than $50,000 during the commission of a felony.

Vehicle theft and online sales

- SB 905 by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, "removes the locked door loophole for automotive property thefts," officials said.

- SB 1144 by Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Alameda, requires online platforms to collect information about all “highvolume third-party sellers" to combat stolen goods fencing.

Government response

- AB 1779 by Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, allows for the consolidation of theft charges and associated offenses that occurred in different counties into a single criminal case.

- AB 2943 protects retailers from being cited or fined for repeatedly reporting retail theft.

People talk about it “like it’s yesterday,” Quiroz said. “Imagine that happening everywhere.”

How to create a family plan in case of an immigration raid

1. Identify an organization or attorney who provides free legal support and write down their name and contact information. This could be through an immigrant rights group, a church, a legal aid organization, or a workers center.

2. Identify at least two willing caregivers for your children and write down their contact information. You can also add these caregivers’ names to the approved pick-up list at your children’s school.

4. If possible, start an emergency savings fund and write down instructions for how a trusted person could access it.

5. Consider establishing a power of attorney to authorize an adult caregiver to care for children under the age of 18. Keep your own identification, immigration, and financial documents organized in a binder or folder. Store it in a place that would be easy for a trusted relative, child, or friend to find in case of an emergency.

Source: Immigrant and Refugee Children: A Guide for Educators and School Support Staff

This story was produced by Chalkbeat and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Re-published with CC BY-NC 4.0 License.

3. Collect important documents for your children and keep them together in a safe place. This could include passports, birth certificates, school records, and medical records.

A man destroys a glass display case in Glendale before stealing the jewelry within. | Photo courtesy of the Glendale Police Department

EL Monte City Notices

CITY OF EL MONTE PLANNING COMMISSION

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Hablamos Español - Favor de hablar con Jeni Colon (626) 258-8626

TO: All Interested Parties

FROM: City of El Monte Planning Division

APPLICATIONS: *Code Amendment (AMEND) No. 01-2024 and Code Amendment No. 808: Title 17 (Zoning Code) of the El Monte Municipal Code (EMMC); *Zoning Map Amendment (AMEND) No. 02-2024: Amendment to the Zoning Map to replace the Mixed/ Multiuse (M/MU) and General Commercial (C-3) Zoning District Designations indicated on the Zoning Map for the Project Area with the new Urban/Multiuse (U/MU) Zoning District; and *Zoning Change (ZONE) No. 02-2024: Amendment to the Code to replace existing permitted uses and development standards with the proposed uses and development standards.

PROPERTY

LOCATION: Citywide and Various Locations

PROJECT SUMMARY: The project will be presented to the Planning Commission as the recommending body. The project will be presented to the City Council for a final decision at a future public hearing. Title 17 (Zoning Code) of the EMMC (AMEND No. 01-2024 & CA No. 808) Zoning Code Updates to the following Divisions –

*Division 00 – Table of Contents

*Division A – Matrix of Permitted Uses.

*Division 1 – General Regulations; Rules and Measurements; Zoning Classifications and Map; and Nonconforming Provisions.

*Division 2 – One-Family Dwelling Residential Zones and Multiple-Family Dwelling Residential Zones.

*Division 3 – Multiuse Zoning Districts

*Division 4 – Commercial & Manufacturing Zoning Districts; and Public and Quasi-Public Zones.

*Division 5 – Performance Standards.

*Division 6 – General Property Development Standards.

*Division 7 – Parking Regulations; Landscape Regulations; and Landscape Water Efficiency.

*Division 8 – Signage Regulations and Billboard Overlay Zone

*Division 10 – Affordable Housing; Density Bonus Provisions; Inclusionary Housing; and Affordable Housing in Commercial Areas.

*Division 11 – Regulations for Specific Residential Uses, Corridor Housing; and Religious Institutions Housing.

*Division 12 – Zoning Clearance and Business Occupancy Permits; Initial Plan Review; Design and Minor Design Review; Temporary Use Permits; and Planning Residential Developments.

*Division 13 – Specific Plans; Gateway Specific Plan; Downtown Specific Plan and Esperanza Village Specific Plan.

*Division 15 – Use Definitions; and General Definitions.

Zoning Map Amendment (AMEND 02-2024) – Amendment to the Zoning Map to replace the Mixed/ Multiuse (M/MU) and General Commercial (C-3) Zoning District Designations indicated on the Zoning Map for the Project Area with the new Urban/Multiuse (U/MU) Zoning District; and Zoning Change (ZONE) No. 02-2024: Amendment to the Code to replace existing permitted uses and development standards with the proposed uses and development standards. The entitlements noted above are made pursuant to Chapters 17.128 (General Plan and Zoning Amendments) of the EMMC.

APPLICANT: City of El Monte

ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTATION:

Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15164, an Addendum was prepared to a previously Certified EIR that was prepared in 2011 for the General Plan and Zoning Map. Since then, the City has adopted the updated 2021-2029 Housing Element in February 2022. CEQA review required for the project may tier from the Certified GP EIR pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15152. The proposed project would not result in substantial changes requiring major revisions to the previously Certified GP EIR, therefore, no new mitigation measures are required for the proposed project.

PUBLIC HEARING:

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive testimony, orally and in writing, on the proposed Project. The public hearing is scheduled for:

Date: Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Time: 7:00 PM

Place: El Monte City Hall East – City Council Chambers 11333 Valley Boulevard El Monte, CA 91731

OPTIONS TO PARTICIPATE:

Members of the public wishing to observe the meeting may do so in one of the following ways:

(1) Attend the meeting in person at the City’s Council Chambers.

(2) Turn your TV to Channel 3.

(3) Visit the City’s website at http://www.elmonteca.gov/378/Council-Meeting-Videos.

(4) Call-in Conference Line at (669) 444-9171; Meeting ID 890 6173 4276, then press #, press # again when prompted for participant ID.

Members of the public wishing to make public comment may do so in one of the following ways:

(1) Call-in Conference Line at (669) 444-9171; Meeting ID 890 6173 4276, then press #, press # again when prompted for participant ID. Once admitted into the meeting, press *9 to request to speak.

(2) E-mail or Telephone – All interested parties can submit questions/comments in advance to the Planning Division’s general e-mail address: planning@elmonteca.gov or by calling (626) 258-8626. All questions/ comments must be received by the Planning Division no later than 3:00 pm on January 28, 2025.

The staff report and attachments on this matter will be available on or about January 23, 2025, on

the City of El Monte website, which may be accessed at https://www.ci.el-monte.ca.us/AgendaCenter/ Planning-Commission-2 or by e-mailing selias@elmonteca.gov

AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT:

In compliance with Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12132) and the federal rules and regulations adopted in implementation thereof, the Agenda will be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with a disability. Should you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Planning Division by calling (626) 258-8626. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City of El Monte to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting.

Persons wishing to comment on the environmental documentation or proposed application may do so in in writing prior to the meeting date and must be received by 3:00 p.m., the day of the meeting. Public Comments of no more than 3-minutes shall be read into the record. Written comments shall be sent to Sandra Elias; El Monte City Hall West; 11333 Valley Boulevard; El Monte, CA 91731 or at selias@ elmonteca.gov. If you challenge the decision of the City Planning Commission, 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 City Planning Commission at, or prior to, the public hearing.

For further information regarding this application please contact Sandra Elias at (626) 258-8621. Monday through Thursday, except legal holidays, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

PUBLISHED DATE:

January 9, 2025, by Sandra Elias, Planning Commission Secretary PROPOSED NEW URBAN/MULTIUSE (U/MU) ZONE

San Gabriel City Notices

Public Notice: City of San Gabriel Notice of Public Hearing Before the City Council

You are invited to participate in a public hearing before the San Gabriel City Council. You will have an opportunity to present your opinion regarding this item at the meeting or in writing prior to the meeting. Please submit all written comments to the City Clerk Department, in person or electronically using the online public comment form at https://www.sangabrielcity.com/PublicComment by the hearing date to be considered by the City Council. The meeting will be broadcast on the City of San Gabriel’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/CityofSanGabriel

Hearing Date: Tuesday, January 21, 2025 TIME: 6:30 p.m.

Location Of Hearing: Council Chambers located on the second floor of San Gabriel City Hall (425 South Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776) The meeting can be viewed live at: https://www.youtube. com/CityofSanGabriel

Project Address: Citywide

Project Description: The City of San Gabriel is proposing a Zone Text Amendment (ZTA24-005) to amend Chapter 153 (Zoning Code) of the San Gabriel Municipal Code relating to Definitions. Questions: For additional information or to review the application, please contact Marlon Cervantes, Associate Planner at (626) 308-2806 ext. 4631 or mcervantes@sgch.org.

Environmental Review: The proposed text amendment would be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15061(B)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, under the common sense exemption, because it can be seen with certainty that it would not have a significant effect on the environment and, thus, is not subject to CEQA review.

Per Government Code Section 65009, if you challenge the nature of the proposed action in court, you may be limited to only raising the issue you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice or in written correspondence delivered to the City Clerk prior to the public hearing.

Publish January 9, 2025

Publish SAN GABRIEL CITY COUNCIL By Julie Nguyen, City Clerk

SAN GABRIEL SUN

EL MONTE EXAMINER

Monrovia City Notices

RESOLUTION NO. 2025 -01

Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the City Council of the City of Monrovia at 7:30 p.m. or as soon thereafter as possible on January 21, 2025, in the City Council Chambers, 415 South Ivy Avenue, Monrovia, California to consider Resolution No. 2025-01 to increase the City’s Traffic Impact Fee from $2,575 to $2,634 per net new afternoon peak hour trip generated by each project

The Monrovia City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2019-05 and Resolution No. 2019-43 to implement the City’s Traffic Impact Fee which was imposed to generate funds to construct improvements to mitigate the anticipated traffic impacts associated with growth that will be caused by new development. The Traffic Impact Fee (TIF) Study for the City of Monrovia (April 2019) was adopted to assess the potential impacts of new development, determine appropriate capital projects to mitigate the impacts, estimate the costs to construct the improvements and calculate a methodology for the assessment.

An increase to the City’s Traffic Impact Fee based on the provisions of Ordinance 2019-05, based on the California Construction Cost Index (CCCI) is proposed and will be considered by the Monrovia City Council. For the calendar year 2024, the CCCI increased 2.3%. The City Council will consider an increase in the Traffic Impact Fee for new development projects in the impact areas from $2,575 to $2,634 per net new afternoon peak hour trip. All documents have been prepared in accordance with the Mitigation Fee Act (Government Code Section 66000 et seq.)

The City Council will review the Traffic Impact Fee Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 concurrently. The report was released for public review on December 16, 2024 and is available at the City of Monrovia website and in the Office of the City Clerk in Monrovia City Hall.

Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and the City’s local CEQA Guidelines, City staff has determined that there is no possible significant effect directly related to the adoption of Resolution No. 2025-01, therefore no further action is required under CEQA. Additionally, the project is statutorily exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15273 as a means to establish charges by the City for the purpose of financing necessary capital projects.

Pursuant to Government Code Section 65009(b), if this matter is subsequently challenged in court, the challenge may be limited to only those issues raised at the public hearing described in this notice or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Monrovia at, or prior to, the public hearing.

The Staff Report pertaining to this item will be available a minimum of 72 hours prior to the public hearing at Monrovia City Hall, 415 South Ivy Avenue, Monrovia, California as well as on the City’s website.

If you need additional information on this matter or have questions, please contact the Planning Division at (626) 932-5565 or e-mail at planning@monroviaca.gov.

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

Sheri Bermejo, Director of Community Development

PUBLISH ON January 9, 2025 and January 16, 2025 MONROVIA WEEKLY

Probates Notices

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF JOHN C. LOWREY

Case No. 24STPB14224

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

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Carol Hill and David Rego in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Carol Hill and David Rego 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

ing 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 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 knowl-edgeable 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:]

GREGORY R RYAN ESQ SBN 99541

RYAN & ASSOCIATES 1712 W BEVERLY BLVD SUITE 201

MONTEBELLO, CA 90640

CN113035 LOWREY Jan 6,9,13, 2025 ROSEMEAD READER

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF LUCIA NUNO

[CALIFORNIA PROBATE CODE § 8100]

CASE NO.: 24STPB14331

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Notice is hereby given to all heirs, benefi-ciaries, creditors and contingent creditors, and other persons who may otherwise be interested in the estate of the above-named decedent, that a petition has been filed by Danielle Gutierrez Nuno in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, requesting that Danielle Gutierrez Nuno be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of Lucia Nuno.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Admin-istration of Estates Act. This will avoid the need to obtain court approval for many actions taken in connection with the estate. However, before taking certain actions, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or have consented to the proposed action. The petition will be granted unless good cause is shown why it should not be.

The petition is set for hearing in Dept. No. 5 at 111 N. Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 on January 30, 2025, at 8:30 AM.

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.

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: CHEN MAN YU WU AKA MANYUN C WU CASE NO. 24STPB14478

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contin-gent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of CHEN MAN YU WU AKA MANYUN C WU.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by LILY LI MEI YUN in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGE-LES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that LILY LI MEI YUN be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act with limited authority. (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 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 in this court as follows: 02/14/25 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.

DANIEL FONG, ESQ. - SBN 248397 FONG LAW GROUP

300 S. GARFIELD AVE., #207 MONTEREY PARK CA 91754

Telephone (626) 289-8299 1/9, 1/13, 1/16/25 CNS-3884084# ARCADIA WEEKLY

Public Notices

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: Azusa Beacon DATED: December 13, 2024 Virginia Keeny JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT Pub. December 19, 26, 2024, January 2, 9, 2025 AZUSA BEACON

NOTICE OF LIEN SALE Notice is given that pursuant to sections 21700-21713 of the Business and Professions Code, Section 2328 of the Commercial Code, Section 535 of the Penal Code, that El Monte Mini Warehouse Associates, LP, at 10212 East Valley Blvd, El Monte CA 91731 will sell by competitive bidding, on or after January 22, 2025 at 1:30pm, property belonging to those listed below. Auction is to be held at the above address. Property to be sold as follows: Household, office & business goods, furniture, appliances, personal items, clothing, electron-ics, tools, duffle bags/suit cases, electronics, sporting and exercise equipment, miscellane-ous boxes, containers & bags with unknown contents belonging to the following: De Leon, Daniel Rodriguez, Monique RODRIGUEZ, BOBBIE STANGELO, RICHARD BAUTISTA, JORGE Vega Castellanos, Daniel MORENOPALACIOS, MARIADELROSARIO Brito, Edward Jimenez, Maria PEREYRA, RUBEN Morgado, Art MORINAGA, JIMMY Habana, Felipe ALDRETE, ELIZABETH Marcos, Alfredo Escarcega, Rena May, David GARNICA, TOMASA MORINAGA, KENJI T. MARTINEZ, EDWIN

Publish January 2, 2025 & January 9, 2025 in THE EL MONTE EXAMINER

NOTICE OF LIEN SALE

Notice is given that pursuant to sections 21700-21713 of the Business and Professions Code, Section 2328 of the Commercial Code, Section 535 of the Penal Code, that Foothill Mini Storage of Arcadia, at 431 N. Second Ave, Arcadia, Ca. 91006 will sell by competi-tive bidding, on or after January 22, 2025 at 12:00pm, property belonging to those listed below. Auction is to be held at the above address. Property to be sold as follows: Household, office & business goods, furniture, appliances, personal items, clothing, electron-ics, tools, duffle bags/suit cases, electronics, sporting and exercise equipment, miscellane-ous boxes, containers & bags with unknown contents belonging to the following: Mejia, Estefany Kouzin, Vadim Thompson, Chuck Montanez, Ronald Selvin, Zachary Cao, Hanzhong Janacua, Rosa Adams, Dave

Publish January 2, 2025 & January 9, 2025 in THE ARCADIA WEEKLY

Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its affiliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to satisfy Extra Space’s lien, by selling personal property belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated.

900 W. Foothill Blvd, Azusa, CA, 91702 on January 22, 2025, at 11:00 AM

Karen Hernandez Enrique Salgado Alexis Rodriguez

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 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 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 22, 2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 67 located at 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

IF YOU OBJECT to the grant-

IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the deceased, 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 subdivision (b) of Section 58 of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of delivery of the notice to you under Section 9052 of the California Probate Code.

YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are interested in the estate, you may request special notice of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Section 1250 of the California Probate Code.

Attorney for Petitioner: Karen A. Shiffman, Esq. Talley Law Group, LLP 1100 Town & Country Road, Suite 1111 Orange, CA 92868

Telephone: (714) 867-2200 ext. 269 1/6, 1/9, 1/13/25 CNS-3883608# ARCADIA WEEKLY

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME PETITION OF Derik Johnson, Chavaune Johnson, Zion, Josiah, Selah, Promise, Israel, FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 24VECP00592 Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles 6230 Sylmar Avenue, Van Nuys, Ca 91401, North West Judicial District TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner Derik Johnson filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name a. OF Derik James Boyd Johnson to Proposed name Servant Of The Word Of God; b. OF Chavaune Marie Johnson to Proposed name Chavaune My Servant ; c. OF Zion to Proposed name Zion My Servant ; d. OF Josiah to Proposed name Josiah My Servant ; e. OF Selah to Proposed name Selah My Servant ; f. OF Promise to Proposed name Promise My Servant ; g. OF Israel to Proposed name Israel My Servant 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.

The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

Publish January 9, 2025 in the AZUSA BEACON

Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its affiliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 115 E Lime Ave , Monrovia, Ca, 91016 January 22, 2025 at 12:00 PM

Armen Aghabeigi Robertalee Dewhirst Kristine Goodnough

Publish January 9, 2025 in the MONROVIA WEEKLY

bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder's office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same Lender may hold more than one mortgage or Deed of Trust on the property. Notice to

prints of the Grand Canyon National Monument in Arizona and Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada, which received federal protection in 2023, officials said. The corridor reaches the deserts and mountains of Southern California with the designation of the Chuckwalla National Monument.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was scheduled to attend Biden's event in Riverside County said in a statement Tuesday, "California is now home to two new national monuments that honor the tribes that have stewarded these lands since time immemorial. Thanks to President Biden and the leadership of California tribes and local communities, we're protecting 840,000 acres of some of our state's most culturally significant lands. This is a huge boost for our efforts to protect 30% of California's lands and coastal waters."

The monument designation outlaws energyrelated drilling or mining and protects the ancestral homelands and cultural landscapes of the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Quechan and Serrano nations and other Indigenous peoples, according to the White House. The new monument has five distinct areas that encompass sacred sites, ancient trails, historic properties, cultural areas, religious sites, petroglyphs, geoglyphs and pictographs.

Tribal nations and Indigenous peoples in the region lived and traveled through the areas now protected by the monument. One such location is the southern edge of a travel route that stretched north and east through what are now the Avi Kwa Ame and Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni, known as the Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monuments.

Leaders from Southern California tribes went to the nation’s capital last year to advocate for protecting the homelands of local Indigenous cultures.

“Since time immemorial, we have called the

Chuckwalla

lands in the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument home,” Secretary Altrena Santillanes of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians said in an August statement. “These lands contain thousands of cultural places and objects of vital importance to the history and identity of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians.”

Interior Department Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement Tuesday, “The stunning canyons and winding paths of the Chuckwalla National Monument represent a true unmatched beauty. It was my honor to visit this area to explore and meet with federal, state, Tribal and local leaders to hear about the need to protect and conserve this sacred area. President Biden’s action today will protect important spiritual and cultural values tied to the land and wildlife. I am so grateful that future generations will have the opportunity to experience what makes this area so unique.”

The Chuckwalla National Monument is just south of Joshua Tree National Park in southeastern Riverside County and is located at the confluence of the Mojave and Colorado deserts.

The area's natural features include "mountain ranges, canyons and washes, dramatic rock formations, palm oases and desert-wash woodlands.

"Its natural wonders include the Painted Canyon of Mecca Hills, where visitors can wind through towering rock walls and marvel at the landscape’s dramatic geologic history, and Alligator Rock, a ridge that has served as a milestone for travelers for millennia," according tot the White House. "The region is also home to more than 50 rare species of plants and animals, including the desert bighorn sheep, Agassiz’s desert tortoise, and the iconic Chuckwalla lizard, from which the monument gets its name."

Officials said the monument will improve wildlife's access habitats

and safeguard clean water for over 40 million people via protections for the Colorado River region. The monument will also offer outdoor recreation opportunities for historically underserved communities in the Coachella Valley.

Officials also noted the monument's synergy with clean energy.

"The monument upholds the balance of natural and cultural resource protection and renewable energy development that a wide range of stakeholders forged for the region through the Department of the Interior’s 2016 Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan," according to the White House. "The new national monument will allow the construction and expansion of electric transmission and distribution within the monument to transport clean energy to western cities. Additionally, the designation is consistent with the continued development of renewable energy projects sited in the DRECP’s Development Focus Areas, many of which are near or adjacent to the monument."

In 2024 at least 24 members of Congress from California, including Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Indio, and U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler, called for a Presidential Proclamation under the 1906 Antiquities Act to officially establish the national monument.

The Chuckwalla monument also drew support from a number of tribal leaders and representatives, at least eight city councils in the Coachella Valley and more than 225 area businesses and organizations.

“For the Quechan people, a national monument designation status for the land means preserving the lifeways, culture, stories and teachings that connect us to our past, present and future,” Donald Medart Jr. of the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe Council said in a statement.

More information about the campaign to establish the Chuckwalla National Monument is available via protectchuckwalla.org.

Parker (A517620)

Parker is a sweet and sensitive 2-year-old German Shepherd mix looking for his forever home. This adorable guy has been spending time with a foster family, and they have given a great report! When Parker first met his foster family at Pasadena Humane, he was too nervous to even leave his kennel. But with their patience, kindness, and love, Parker has blossomed. What started as a weekend foster has turned into a longer stay where Parker has truly come out of his shell. Parker is a quick learner and eager to please. He already knows commands like “sit” and “leave it” and is respectful during mealtime. He’s fantastic on a leash and enjoys a mix of walks, hikes, and trips to the dog park. His favorite activities include cuddles, belly rubs, playing with toys, and showing off his goofy zoomies. He’s crate-trained, settles quickly when left alone, and even loves car rides. Remarkably, Parker doesn’t shed and is respectful of furniture—truly a dream companion! If you’re looking for a loyal, loving companion who’s full of potential, Parker is your guy. Help Parker make the leap from foster to forever—he’s ready to share his paw-sitive energy with you! Parker and all other dogs and cats at Pasadena Humane have their adoption fees discounted until January 12 during the Welcome Home adoption promo!

Nita (A518486)

Nita is an 8-year-old pit bull mix with a big heart and a petite frame—she weighs in at just around 40 pounds. This charming little lady is looking for her forever home, and she’s ready to fill it with love, loyalty, and plenty of snuggles. Nita is a true shelter superstar! She has represented Pasadena Humane at a city council meeting, where she charmed everyone with her calm demeanor and adorable smile. She’s well-behaved in public settings and knows how to steal hearts wherever she goes. While Nita previously lived with another dog, she’s at a stage in her life where she might prefer to soak up all the love as your one-and-only. Nita enjoys leisurely strolls, cozy naps, and quality time with her favorite humans. Her mellow nature makes her the perfect companion for a relaxed household. She’s easy to please and happiest when she’s near the people she loves. If you’re looking for a sweet, mature dog with a heart of gold and a love for life’s simple joys, Nita might be the one for you. Come meet her today and see if she’s the perfect addition to your family! Nita and all other dogs and cats at Pasadena Humane have their adoption fees discounted until January 12 during the Welcome Home adoption promo!

The normal adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines. Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 2:00 – 5:00. For those who prefer, adoption appointments are available daily from 10:30 – 1:30 and can be scheduled online. View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org. New adopters will receive a complimentary healthand-wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a

Rosemead robbery suspect arrested after deputy-involved shooting

By City News Service

An armed robbery suspect was taken into custody Sunday after a shooting involving a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy in Rosemead.

Sheriff's deputies responded just before 1 p.m. Sunday to a report of a robbery in the area of 8600 Garvey Avenue, at Walnut Grove Avenue and south of the San Bernardino (10) Freeway, according to the LA County Sheriff's Department.

Deputies responding to the scene encountered the suspect in possession of a firearm, and a deputy-involved shooting ensued, according to the department.

The suspect was taken into custody, but nobody was injured in the shooting, the department stated.

Around 2:30 p.m., the area was shut down citing law enforcement activity.

In an update at 6:52 p.m., the LASD stated the area was expected to remain closed until the investigation had concluded.

City seeks volunteers for Duarte's 2025 homeless count

By Staff

Volunteers will fan out across Los Angeles County later this month to conduct the annual count of people experiencing homelessness, and Duarte city officials on Friday invited residents to participate locally.

The volunteer-driven effort provides data that is essential to understanding the extent of homelessness in the county and guides the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority in providing resources and services to unhoused individuals.

Duarte's 2025 Homeless Count is scheduled for Jan. 22 starting at 8 p.m. Volunteers will gather at the Duarte Senior Center, 1610 Huntington Drive, which is the deployment site.

The homelessness survey "will help ... LAHSA identify needs, direct resources, and develop strategies to combat homelessness," according to city officials, who encouraged participants to form “Count Team Bubbles” with friends, family or co-workers. Volunteers without a team may join one at the deployment site.

Registration for Duarte's 2025 Homeless Count is at TheyCountWillYou.org.

Firefighter suffers cardiac arrest, dies fighting fire in Laguna Niguel

By City News Service

Aveteran firefighter with the Orange County Fire Authority suffered a cardiac arrest and died Sunday morning while working on a residential structure fire in Laguna Niguel, authorities said.

"It is with deep sorrow and a heavy heart that the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) announces the passing of Fire Apparatus Engineer Kevin Skinner," the agency said Sunday.

"Kevin tragically suffered a cardiac arrest early this morning while working a residential structure fire in the city of Laguna Niguel. The incident occurred at approximately 4:56 a.m. While actively engaged on scene, Kevin experienced a sudden medical emergency. Fellow firefighters immediately performed life-saving measures, and he was transported to a nearby hospital. Despite their heroic efforts, Kevin did not survive.

"Kevin Skinner was a dedicated member of the OCFA family, serving with distinction and unwavering commitment to the community. His loss is deeply felt by his colleagues and the countless lives he

touched during his career."

The fire broke out shortly before 5 a.m. Sunday in the 2900 block of Point Royale.

At a news conference later Sunday morning at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, where Skinner was taken by ambulance and pronounced dead, OCFA Chief Brian Fennessy said Skinner and his crew were assigned to search the home for residents, but he informed his captain that he wasn't feeling well. He

was escorted outside to a paramedic unit where he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.

Fennessy said Skinner joined the OCFA on July 3, 1999, and prior to that had served in the U.S. Navy for four years.

"Kevin was well-liked throughout our agency and had a gift for making everyone around him feel welcome. His presence will be missed," the chief added. Skinner is survived by a wife and three children.

A5-year-old gelding died after suffering a racing injury at Los Alamitos, state horse racing officials said Sunday.

"Acceleray was injured while galloping out after the (fourth) race Saturday night at Los Alamitos, requiring euthanasia," California Horse Racing Board spokesman Mike Marten told City News Service on Sunday.

Prior to Saturday, Acceleray had 13 career races and one first-place finish, according to the industry website Equibase.

It was the first reported equine death at Los

By City News Service

Volunteers gather at the deployment site for a homeless count. | Photo courtesy of the city of Duarte

| Photo courtesy of the South Los Angeles Sheriff's Station/Facebook

OC Ffirefighter Kevin Skinner. | Photo courtesy of the Orange County Fire Authority

Alamitos in 2025. The Cypress track saw 18 horses die from racing or training injuries in 2024.

Acceleray, at left, enters the track at a previous race at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia. | Photo courtesy of Warhorse/YouTube

File your DBA with us at filedba.com

Pasadena City Notices

Notice of Public Hearing City Council

Master Plan Amendment and Termination of Development Agreement for Fuller Theological

Seminary Master Plan

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The applicant, Fuller Theological Seminary, has submitted a Master Plan Amendment application to amend their Master Plan, which was adopted in 2006. The Amendment would revise the Master Plan’s boundaries to include only 29 Fullerowned properties (15 “core” properties and 14 “non-core” properties); subdivide 261 N. Madison Avenue into two lots and change the General Plan land use designation from Institutional to Medium Mixed Use and the Zoning from Public-Semi Public (PS) to Central District Residential Multi-Family (CD-RM-87) for one of the newly created lots; and terminate the Development Agreement. In addition, the Amendment provides that the 14 “non-core” properties owned by Fuller would be subject to the Master Plan until sold or leased for non-Fuller purposes. No development is proposed as part of the Amendment.

PROJECT LOCATION: Fuller Theological Seminary Master Plan area, bounded by Corson Street and the 210 Freeway to the north, Union Street to the south, Madison Avenue to the east and Los Robles Avenue to the west, in Pasadena CA.

ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: An Addendum to the 2015 Pasadena General Plan Environmental Impact Report (GP EIR) (State Clearinghouse No. 2013091009) was prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Cal. Public Resources Code Section 21000, et. seq., as amended) and its implementing guidelines (Cal. Code Regs., Title 14, Section 15000 et. seq.). This Addendum found that the proposed Amendment will not result in any potentially significant impacts that were not already analyzed, and no conditions described in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 calling for preparation of a subsequent EIR or negative declaration have occurred.

PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: On October 9, 2024, the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council approve the staff recommendation with an additional recommended condition of approval that allows Fuller to provide shared parking with neighboring commercial and residential uses.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council will conduct a public hearing and consider the proposed Zoning Code Amendments and proposed environmental determination. The hearing is scheduled for:

Date: Monday, January 13, 2025

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Place: Robinson Park Recreation Center, Multi-Purpose Room 1081 North Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103. The meeting agenda will be posted by Friday, January 10, 2025, at https://ww2.cityofpasadena. net/councilagendas/council_agenda.asp.

Public Information: All interested persons may submit correspondence to correspondence@cityofpasadena.net prior to the start of the meeting. During the meeting and prior to the close of the public hearing, members of the public may provide live public comment. Please refer to the agenda when posted for instructions on to how to provide live public comment. If you challenge the matter in Court, you may be limited to raising those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing, or in written correspondence sent to the Council or the case planner at, or prior to, the public hearing.

For more information about the project:

Contact Person: Melanie Hall, Planner Phone: (626) 744-7101

E-mail: mhall@cityofpasadena.net

Website: www.cityofpasadena.net/planning

Mailing Address:

Planning & Community Development Department Planning Division, Community Planning Section 175 North Garfield Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101

ADA: To request a disability-related modification or accommodation necessary to facilitate meeting participation, please contact the City Clerk’s Office as soon as possible at (626) 744-4124 or cityclerk@ cityofpasadena.net. Providing at least 72 hours advance notice will help ensure availability.

Publish December 26, 2024, January 2, 9, 2025 PASADENA PRESS

CITY OF BALDWIN PARK NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT a public hearing to consider the following case will be held at 7:00 p.m. by the Planning Commission of the City of Baldwin Park on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. The Council Chamber will be open to the public in accordance with health official’s recommendations. Live audio of the hearing will be available via YouTube by clicking on the YouTube icon located on the upper right-hand corner of the City of Baldwin Park Webpage www.BaldwinPark.com.

If you wish to comment on this agenda item, please provide a comment no later than 6:30 PM on January 22, 2025. Comments sent via email can be directed to pc-comments@baldwinparkca.gov. Comments made by phone can be given to the case planner whose contact information is provided at the end of the notice.

CASE NUMBER: Tentative Parcel Map (TPM 84348); Design Review (PR 24-26)

ADDRESS: 3442 Vineland Avenue

REQUEST: A request for approval of a Tentative Parcel Map (TPM) to subdivide one (1) 0.44 acre parcel into two (2) parcels within the R-1, Single Family Residential Zone pursuant to Table 152.08 in the City’s Municipal Code, and for architectural design review for the construction of one new two-story single family home at 3442 Vineland Avenue; APN: 8554-028-018; Applicant: Winnie Tang; Case Number: TPM 84348, PR 24-26).

CEQA: It has been determined that TPM 84348 and PR 24-26 will not have a significant impact upon the environment and is Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Article 19, Section 15315 (Minor Land Divisions), in that the project consists of a subdivision of one (1) lot into two (2) lots. Therefore, no further environmental analysis is required, and a notice of exemption will be filed for the project.

If in the future anyone wishes to challenge a decision of the Planning Commission in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raise at the public hearing described above or in written correspondence delivered to the Planning Commission at, or prior to, the Public Hearing. Decisions on this matter will be final unless appealed within 10 days of the decision by any interested party.

If further information is desired on the above case, please contact Associate Planner Jesus Astorga-Rios of the Planning Division at (626) 960-4011 Ext.489 or jarios@baldwinparkca.gov and refer to the case number. If you are aware of someone who would be interested in becoming informed of the contemplated action, please pass this notice along as a community service. Para información en Español referente a este caso, favor de llamar al (626) 960-4011 Ext. 489.

Jesus Astorga-Rios

Associate Planner

Publish January 9, 2025

BALDWIN PARK PRESS

CITY OF BALDWIN PARK NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

If you wish to comment on this agenda item, please provide a comment no later than 6:30 PM on January 22, 2025. Comments sent via email can be directed to pc-comments@baldwinparkca.gov.. Comments made by phone can be given to the case planner whose contact information is provided at the end of the notice.

CASE NUMBER: Zone Variance (ZV 24-01)

ADDRESS: 14151 Ramona Boulevard

REQUEST: A request for approval of a Zone Variance to permit letter height for a wall sign that exceeds the 24” maximum allowed for wall sign height in the Downtown Edge Zoning District, pursuant to Section 4.7B1 of the Downtown Baldwin Park Specific Plan (Location: 14151 Ramona Blvd; Applicant: Mariana McGrain of Lesterwest Properties LP; Case Number ZV 24-01).

CEQA: It has been determined that ZV 24-01 will not have a significant impact upon the environment and is Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15311(a) (Accessory Structures) for the installation of a new wall sign.

If further information is desired on the above case, please contact City Planner Planner Nick Baldwin of the Planning Division at (626) 960-4011 Ext.475 or nbaldwin@baldwinpark.com and refer to the case number. If you are aware of someone who would be interested in becoming informed of the contemplated action, please pass this notice along as a community service. Para información en Español referente a este caso, favor de llamar al (626) 960-4011 Ext. 489.

Nick Baldwin City Planner

Publish January 9, 2025

BALDWIN PARK PRESS

CITY OF BALDWIN PARK NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

If you wish to comment on this agenda item, please provide a comment no later than 6:30 PM on January 22, 2025. Comments sent via email can be directed to pc-comments@baldwinpark.com. Comments made by phone can be given to the case planner whose contact information is provided at the end of the notice.

CASE NUMBER: Development Agreement No. DA 24-01

ADDRESS: 3100 Baldwin Park Blvd., Baldwin Park, CA 91706

REQUEST: A request for the Planning Commission to provide a recommendation of approval to the City Council for the adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan (MMRP) in conjunction with a request for the construction of a new two-sided digital billboard sign.

CEQA:

Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION has been prepared, indicating the project will not have a significant effect on the environment once the mitigation measures have been incorporated. A copy of the Mitigated Negative Declaration of Environmental Impact is on file in the Planning Division, LA County Baldwin Park Library, and on the Planning page of the City website for examination (Document found at: https://www.baldwinpark.com/DocumentCenter/View/2755/ISMND-with-Appendices-for-AllVision-Metro-Billboard). Members of the public have the opportunity to make written statements regarding said report prior to the public hearing and during the hearing by emailing nbaldwin@baldwinpark.com.

If further information is desired on the above case, please contact City Planner Nick Baldwin of the Planning Division at (626) 9604011 Ext.475 or nbaldwin@baldwinpark.com and refer to the case number. If you are aware of someone who would be interested in becoming informed of the contemplated action, please pass this notice along as a community service. Para información en Español referente a este caso, favor de llamar al (626) 960-4011 Ext. 489.

Nick Baldwin City Planner

Publish January 9, 2025

BALDWIN PARK PRESS

CITY OF BALDWIN PARK NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

If you wish to comment on this agenda item, please provide a comment no later than 6:30 PM on January 22, 2025. Comments sent

via email can be directed to pc-comments@baldwinparkca.gov.. Comments made by phone can be given to the case planner whose contact information is provided at the end of the notice.

CASE NUMBER: Amendment to the Zoning Code (AZC 25-01)

ADDRESS: Citywide

REQUEST: A request to the Planning Commission to Recommend Approval to the City Council for an Ordinance that Amends Sections 153.040.070, 153.070.020, 153.120.350, 153.120.360 and 153.120.370 of the Baldwin Park Municipal Code Relating to Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (Citywide; Applicant: City of Baldwin Park; Case Number AZC 25-01).

CEQA: It has been determined AZC 25-01 is statutorily exempt from CEQA under section 21080.17 of the Public Resources Code.

Nick Baldwin City Planner

Publish January 9, 2025

BALDWIN PARK PRESS

CITY OF BALDWIN PARK NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

If you wish to comment on this agenda item, please provide a comment no later than 6:30 PM on January 22, 2025. Comments sent via email can be directed to pc-comments@baldwinparkca.gov.. Comments made by phone can be given to the case planner whose contact information is provided at the end of the notice.

CASE NUMBER: Conditional Use Permit (CP 24-02)

ADDRESS: 4060 Sterling Way

REQUEST: A request for approval of a a Conditional Use Permit for the use of an automatic drive through car wash on a parcel located in the Downtown Edge Zoning District, pursuant to Table 4.3 of the Downtown Baldwin Park Specific Plan (Location: 4060 Sterling Way; Applicant: SMART Engineering Concepts, LLC; Case Numbers: CP 24-02).

CEQA: It has been determined that CP 24-02 will not have a significant impact upon the environment and is Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15303 (New Construction of Small Facilities) in that the project is limited to use of a drive-through automatic car wash facility within an enclosed commercial building that will remain in use as a handwash car wash, oil change facility and mini-mart.

Jesus Astorga-Rios

Associate Planner

Publish January 9, 2025

BALDWIN PARK PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF JAMES WILFRED BLAINE

Case No. 24STPB14268

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

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Elizabeth Ann Perkovich in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Elizabeth Ann Perko-vich be appointed as personal rep-resentative to administer the estate of the decedent.

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 administra-tion 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 on January 21, 2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 11 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 knowl-edgeable in California law.

Attorney for petitioner:

DIANA LAM ESQ SBN 340713 THE BURBANK FIRM L C 2312 WEST VICTORY BLVD STE 100 BURBANK CA 91506 CN113000 BLAINE Jan 2,6,9, 2025 GLENDALE INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF STANLEY THOMAS BURNETT

Case No. 24STPB14365

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

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

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

unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administra-tion 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 on January 23, 2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 67 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 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 knowl-edgeable in California law.

Attorney for petitioner: ALICE A SALVO ESQ SBN 103796 LAW OFFICES OF ALICE A SALVO 20350 VENTURA BLVD STE 110 WOODLAND HILLS CA 913642452 CN113027 BURNETT Jan 6,9,13, 2025 BALDWIN PARK PRESS

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME PETITION OF Desirae Monique Thweatt FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 24NNCP00784 Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles 150 West Commonwealth Avenue, Alhambra, Ca 91801, Northeast Judicial District TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner Desirae Monique Thweatt filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name a. OF Desirae Monique Thweatt to Proposed name Selvita Desirae Monique 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: 02/24/2024 Time: 8:30AM Dept: T. 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: Burbank Independent DATED: December 12, 2024 Robin Miller Sloan JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT Pub. December 19, 26, 2024, January 2, 9, 2025 BURBANK INDEPENDENT

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR

CHANGE OF NAME PETITION OF Xiangyu Jin by and through guardian ad litem Xiping Zeng and Wei Jin FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 24PSCP00524 Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles 400 Civic Center Plaza , Pomona Ca 91366, East Judicial District TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner Xiangyu Jin filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name a. OF Xiangyu Jin to Proposed name Ryan Jin 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 HEARaING a. Date: 01/24/2025 Time: 9:00AM Dept: O. Room: 5th Floor 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 20, 2024 Christian R. Gullon JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT Pub. December 19, 26, 2024, January 2, 9, 2025 ALHAMBRA PRESS

SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL)

CASE NUMBER: (Numero del Caso): 24NNCV01917

NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): John Manoukian and does 1 through 10, inclusive

YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: (LO ESTA DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A

NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www. courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www. lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo. ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court's lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación. Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www. sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia. Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro. Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www.lawhelpcalifornia. org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso. The name and address of the court is: (El nombre y direccion de la corte es): Alhambra Courthouse, 150 West Commonwealth, Alhambra, Ca 91801

The name, address and telephone number of plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney is: (El nombre, la direccion y el numero de telefono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): Drew A Callahan ,Aldridge Pite LLP 8880 Rio San Diego Drive ,Suite 725 San Diego , CA 92108 (858)7507600

Date: (Fecha) May 30, 2024 David W Slayton, Clerk (Secretario) By: L PEREZ, Deputy (Adjunto) You are served December 26, 2024 and, January 2, 9, 16, 2025 GLENDALE INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF LIEN SALE

Notice is given that pursuant to sections 21700-21713 of the Business and Professions Code, Section 2328 of the Commercial Code, Section 535 of the Penal Code, that Riverside Self Service Storage, LP at 7200 Indiana Ave., Riverside, CA 92504 will sell by com-petitive bidding, on or after January 23, 2025 at 9:30am, property belonging to those listed below. Auction will be held at the above address. Property to be sold as follows: household goods, furniture, personal items, clothing, electronics, tools, auto parts, and miscellaneous unknown boxes belonging to the following: Smith, Doug Grant, Dejonna HERNANDEZ, IRENE Solorio, Anna COOKS, ANTHONY YNR RECYCLING CENTER Jaya, Okky ficrada Robertson, Christine GARCIALOONEY, JENNY Ciancio, Estelle Galindo, Richard Premier plumbing maintenance COLES, KIZZY ANDERSTROM, RHONDA GUARDIAN PREFERRED PROPERTIES Morales, Monika HERRERA, MARLENE Kelly, Ariana LOPEZ, PRISCILLA GILBERT, DANIEL MONFORTE, JOHNNY DELGADO, JAMES Mobility Development Operations STUCKEY, HARRIETTE GRAY, BRANDI MAU, DAVID MIRANDA, CIRO MEDINA, ILIANA Hernandez, Elvira

FERRER, CARMEN BAHRAMI, SHAHEEN Michel, Desiree HALL, CHERISSE E. CORDOVA, JOHN Delgado, George GONZALEZ, MAURICIO Flores, Antonio LONG KEARNEY, BELINDA WRIGHT III, JULIOUS D. ARMENTA, ALICE MOSS, KEVIN INFANTE, JOSE VAZQUEZ, EDWARDO RUIZ, ROSALIE WILLIAMS, PAUL A. GONZALEZ, MARINA JONES, HOPE Boyd, Robert SIHILLING, ERIK

Publish January 2, 2025 & January 9, 2025 in THE RIVERSIDE INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF LIEN SALE StorQuest– Pomona/ Towne Center Dr. Notice is hereby given, StorQuest Self Storage– 863 Towne Center Dr., Pomona, CA 91767 will sell at public sale by competitive bidding the personal property of: Christopher Edward Jurado, Isabel Rodriguez, Saffi Khan, Brian G. Hill, Lolita Maria Andrews, Celia Lopez. Property to be sold: Misc. household goods, furniture, tools, clothes, boxes, personal contents.Auctioneer Compa-ny:

Public Notices

Supporters of resentencing for Menendez brothers meet with DA Hochman

By Terri Vermeulen Keith, City News Service

Afamily-led coalition trying to secure resentencing for Erik and Lyle Menendez, who are serving life in prison for the 1989 shotgun slayings of their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion, met with District Attorney Nathan Hochman Friday, but the county's top prosecutor said he still has not decided whether he will support any actions that might lead to the brothers' release.

Friday's meeting with the Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition included more than 20 members of Jose and Kitty Menendez's family, who organizers said are united in their support for a new sentence that "reflects Erik and Lyle's abuse, trauma, and demonstrated rehabilitation over the last 35 years."

Former District Attorney George Gascón, who was soundly defeated by Hochman in November's election, had expressed support for resentencing, but Hochman has not yet said whether he will take a similar position, saying he wants the chance to review the voluminous evidence before making a decision.

Following Friday's meeting, which lasted roughly three hours, Hochman called the discussion "productive."

"It was a very productive session where they gave me all their thoughts about what should happen in this case, their experiences that they wanted to share, the ultimate direction that they wanted this case to go," Hochman told reporters. "It was a very productive conversation over a number of hours. Again, I invite, I continue to invite any additional family member ... to speak with me, and that forms part of the data set that we will use to determine what the right result should be."

But Hochman insisted that he and a team of prosecutors are still reviewing thousands of pages of prison records and transcripts from

the brothers' two trials and appellate court proceedings, and no decision has been made on whether he will support an effort to have their sentenced reduced from life without the possibility of parole to a term that might allow them to seek parole.

A hearing on the possible resentencing remains scheduled for Jan. 30 and Jan. 31.

After initially cancelling plans for a post-meeting news conference, members of the Menendez family ultimately decided to appear before TV cameras briefly Friday evening to discuss their talk with Hochman.

Anamaria Baralt, a niece of Jose Menendez, said the group was "grateful" for Hochman's time meeting with them. She said the family is hoping a judge will agree to an immediate reduction of the brothers' conviction to a lesser charge of manslaughter, which would potentially enable them to be released without the need for extensive parole hearings.

"This 35-year process has been incredibly traumatizing for us, as I'm sure you can all imagine," Baralt said. "We are very much hoping that we can find a path to manslaughter. That we can see the release of the

brothers immediately. To understand that going to a parole board for our family will only serve to retraumatize us more. Two parole boards. Two brothers, again with victim statements. We have had enough. It is a lot — 35 years is a very long time. So we hope that will happen."

On Jan. 2, ahead of the meeting, the group issued a statement saying the family "is hopeful for an open and fair discussion."

"Despite the abuse they endured as children and the unfairness of their current sentence, Erik and Lyle Menendez have spent the last three decades taking responsibility for their actions and contributing positively to their community through leadership and rehabilitation," they said.

"During our meeting with DA Hochman, we look forward to sharing our perspective on Erik and Lyle's immense personal growth over the last 35 years and the ways in which we plan to support them in their next chapters. We hope that this meeting will put us a step closer to spending next Christmas reunited as a family," the statement said.

Attorneys for the brothers are pursuing various avenues in hopes of securing their release

from prison, contending that new evidence backs the brothers' claims that they were sexually abused by their father.

The pair were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without the chance of parole for killing Jose and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez on Aug. 20, 1989.

During an hourlong hearing in Van Nuys in November, a judge heard testimony from two of the brothers' aunts, both of whom pleaded for their release from prison. Judge Michael Jesic made no immediate decision, instead scheduling a two-day hearing for Jan. 30-31 to hear the various arguments in the case.

Joan Andersen VanderMolen, Kitty Menendez's sister, and Terry Baralt, Jose's older sister, asked for the brothers' release, saying 35 years was enough prison time for Erik and Lyle Menendez considering the abuse they allegedly suffered at the hands of their father.

"We miss those who are gone tremendously," Terry Baralt, 85, testified. "But we miss the kids too."

Baralt, who became emotional during her time on the stand, told the court that "it's time for them to come home," adding that the

law enforcement, defense counsel and victim family members.

"I look forward to thoroughly reviewing all the facts and the law to reach a fair and just decision, and then defend it in court," Hochman said.

Erik Menendez, 53, and Lyle Menendez, 56, both attended the Van Nuys hearing via an audio link from prison in San Diego. The brothers did not speak, other than acknowledging they were able to see and hear the proceeding.

Defense attorneys filed a petition in 2023 arguing that newly uncovered evidence bolsters defense allegations that the brothers were victims of sexual abuse.

brothers "have done a lot of good things" while incarcerated.

Asked by Brock Lunsford, assistant head deputy of the District Attorney's PostConviction and Litigation unit, if she knew exactly why her nephews were in prison, Baralt replied, "Absolutely. They killed their parents."

VanderMolen, 93, read a statement to the court, imploring the judge to release the brothers.

"No child should have to endure what Lyle and Eric have lived through," she said. "No child should have to live ... knowing that at night, their father was going to rape them. It's time for them to come home."

VanderMolen said that she speaks for all members of her family apart from her brother Milton Andersen, Kitty Menendez's 90-yearold brother, who has said previously through an attorney that his nephews' "cold-blooded actions shattered their family."

Hochman said in November that "Judge Jesic's decision to continue the hearing on the resentencing motion to January 30-31 will provide me with sufficient time to review the extensive prison records, transcripts of two lengthy trials and voluminous exhibits, as well as consult with prosecutors,

In the court filing, Menendez attorneys pointed to two new pieces of evidence they contend corroborate the brothers' allegations of long-term sexual abuse at the hands of their father — a letter written by Erik Menendez to one of his cousins in early 1989, eight months before the August 1989 killings, and recent allegations by Roy Rosselló, a former member of the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, that he too was sexually abused by Jose Menendez as a teenager.

Jose Menendez was an executive at RCA Records, which signed Menudo to a recording contract.

Interest in the case surged following the release of a recent Netflix documentary and dramatic series.

The Menendez brothers' defense team submitted papers to Gov. Gavin Newsom requesting clemency, but the governor said he would not make any decision on the request until Hochman has a chance to review the nearly 35-yearold case.

During their two highly publicized trials, the brothers did not dispute that they killed their parents, but claimed self-defense, citing decades of alleged physical and sexual abuse by their father.

The Menendez brothers in the 1980s. | Photo courtesy of justiceforericandlyle/X

SD Zoo gets top Rose Parade float honors for 2nd consecutive year

By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com

The San Diego Zoo received top honors in the Rose Parade for the second year in a row, winning the 2025 Sweepstakes Trophy for its float "Friendship Across the Earth," the Pasadena Tournament of Roses announced.

Azusa-based Artistic Entertainment Services designed the float, which features the zoo's two giant pandas enjoying their new home.

"Since 1924, the Tournament of Roses has recognized one participant with the Sweepstakes Award for the most beautiful entry, encompassing float design, floral presentation, and entertainment," according to the organization.

The pandas, 5-year-old male Yun Chuan and 4-yearold female Xin Bao, arrived in June from China and are featured in the zoo's revamped Panda Ridge habitat.

A new panda cam, sandiegozoo.org/pandacam, allows for remote viewing of the pair's daily activity.

“To receive the Sweepstakes Award is in itself such an honor, but to do so this year feels especially momentous,” Paul Baribault, president and CEO of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, said in a statement. “In 2024, we had the once-in-a-lifetime experience of watching as Yun Chuan and Xin Bao brought the world together. They represent what is truly possible when we come together with a shared purpose, commitment, and trust in one another.”

The zoo's float featured "striking orange stripes and regal reverence of Connor the Malayan tiger (was) also featured," according to the wildlife alliance. "Swinging

high above cascading waterfalls, red pandas Lucas and Adira were seen frolicking among treetops."

Wildlife alliance team members Megan Owen, Jana Biedenweg and Xiaoxing Bian, a global conservation leader, rode at the front of the float.

The 55-foot float offered a glimpse of the vibrant landscapes and over 700,000 individual plants that are cared for by zoo horticulturists. Individual plants grown and propagated at the zoo, including yellow groove, golden and black bamboo, were transported to Pasadena and added to the float, organizers said.

The zoo's 2024 top Rose Parade float “It Began With a Roar" celebrated the zoo’s 107-year history and also received top honors with the Sweepstakes Trophy. The zoo's 2023 float “Celebrating 50 Years of Conservation” highlighted the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s 50th anniversary and received the parade's

Animation Award.

This year's 23 additional winning Rose Parade floats are:

- Elks U.S.A., "Cherished Memories," Americana Award for most outstanding depiction of national treasures and traditions

- City of Burbank, "Having A-Lava Fun!" Animation Award for most outstanding use of animation

- Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley and Eastside, "Kindness is Free," Bob Hope Humor Award for most whimsical and amusing float

- La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association, "Rover Rendezvous," Crown City Innovator for most outstanding use of imagination, innovation and technology

Louisiana Office of Tourism, "Louisiana Saturday Night," Director's Award for most outstanding artistic design and use of floral and nonfloral

- OneLegacy Foundation, "Let Your Life Soar," Extraordinaire Award for most extraordinary float

- City of South Pasadena, "Seas The Day!" Fantasy Award for most outstanding display of fantasy and imagination

- Downey Rose Float Association, "Our Garden Railroad," Founder's Award for most outstanding float built and decorated by volunteers from a community or organization

- Sierra Madre Rose Float Association, "Fiesta!" Golden State Award for most outstanding depiction of life in California

- Love 2 Yeu, "Journey of Dreams," Grand Marshal Award for most outstanding creative concept and float design

- Coding for Veterans, "Coming Home to New Beginnings," International Award for most outstanding float from outside the United States

- City of Hope, "A Beautiful Day for Hope," Isabella

Coleman Award for most outstanding presentation of color and color harmony through floral design

- The UPS Store Inc., "Helping Dreams Take Flight," Judges Award for most outstanding float design and dramatic impact

- Cal Poly Universities, "A Lake Day with Scottish Animals and Nessie," Leishman Public Spirit Award for most outstanding floral presentation from a noncommercial participant

- City of Alhambra, "Good Day Dreamin'," Mayor's Award for most outstanding float from a participating city

- Visit Mississippi, "Mississippi: The Birthplace of America's Music," Past President's Award for most outstanding innovation in the use of floral and nonfloral materials

- Western Asset, "Float Like a Butterfly," President's Award for most outstanding use and presentation of flowers

- City of Torrance, "What a Beautiful Day," Princess Award

for most outstanding floral presentation among entries 35 feet and under in length

- Shriners Children's, "Hope Shines On," Queen's Award for most outstanding presentation of roses

- Trader Joe's, "Here We Go!" Showmanship Award for most outstanding display of showmanship and entertainment

- Pasadena Humane/ Hill's Pet Nutrition, "Welcome Home," Theme Award for most outstanding presentation of the Rose Parade Theme

- Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee, "On The Road With Rotary!" Tournament Volunteer Award for most outstanding floral presentation of the Rose Parade Theme among floats 35 feet and under in length

- Trader Joe's, "You Are Invited," Americana Award for most outstanding depiction of national treasures and traditions

- Kaiser Permanente, "More Healthy Days for More Healthy Years," Wrigley Legacy Award for most outstanding display of floral presentation, float design and entertainment

According to the Tournament of Roses, winning floats' scores are based on creative design, floral craftsmanship, artistic merit, computerized animation, thematic interpretation, floral and color presentation and dramatic impact.

Morgan Anderson, Bill Brzeski and Drew Rios were this year's judges. They reviewed each float during judging sessions that took place during the decorating stages prior to the 136th Rose Parade, Tournament of Roses officials said.

orders, with 8,200 structures threatened, as of Tuesday night. There were multiple reports of crews responding to people who were trapped within the burn area, but there were no reports of any injuries. An unknown number of structures were damaged by the flames.

Crews were also working to protect what was described as 150 pounds of chlorine gas cylinders stored within the fire area by the Pasadena Water and Power Department.

Crews from the U.S. Forest Service, Los Angeles County and Pasadena were working to slow the flames.

As he did earlier with the Palisades Fire, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced late Tuesday that the state had secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Manage-

ment Agency to cover costs of battling the Eaton Fire.

As a result of the fire, classes were canceled Wednesday for schools in the Pasadena, Glendale, Alhambra, South Pasadena, San Marino, La Cañada, Burbank, Arcadia and Monrovia unified school districts. Caltech also closed its Pasadena campus "for all nonessential operations" and canceled classes for the day.

The top-honored float in the 2025 Rose Parade depicts the San Diego Zoo's new giant pandas and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance team members Megan Owen and Jana Biedenweg and global conservationist Xiaoxing Bian. | Photo courtesy of Ken Bohn/San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance