Duarte Dispatch_4/21/2025 by Beacon Media News

California sues to block Trump tariffs

By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com

Californiaofficials on Wednesday filed a federal lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s use of emergency powers to enact tariffs.

The tariff plan hurts states, consumers and businesses, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta. Noting that California is the largest economy in the nation with the most robust manufacturing and agricultural sectors, the lawsuit argues that Trump does not have the authority to unilaterally implement tariffs by invoking the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, or IEEPA.

These tariffs have disrupted supply chains, inflated costs for the state and Californians, and inflicted billions in damages on California’s

economy, the fifth largest in the world.

“PresidentTrump’s unlawful tariffs are wreaking chaos on California families, businesses, and our economy — driving up prices and threatening jobs,” Newsom said in a statement. “We’re standing up for American families who can’t afford to let the chaos continue.”

According to Bonta, “The president’s chaotic and haphazard implementation of tariffs is not only deeply troubling, it’s illegal. As the fifth largest economy in the world, California understands global trade policy is not just a game. Californians are bracing for fallout from the impact of the president’s choices — from farmers in the Central Valley, to small businesses in Sacramento, and worried families at the

kitchen table — this game the president is playing has very real consequences for Californians across our state.”

Trump has pledged to reverse free-trade policies.

“For decades, the United States slashed our trade barriers on other countries, while those nations placed massive tariffs on our products and created outrageous nonmonetary barriers to decimate our industries,” the president told reporters last week at the White House. “They manipulated their currencies, subsidized their exports, stole our intellectual property, imposed exorbitant VAT taxes to disadvantage our products, adopted unfair rules and technical standards and created filthy pollution havens. This all happened

with no response from the United States of America, but those days are over.”

The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. It seeks a court declaration to nullify the tariffs.

California officials are challenging Trump’s authority to unilaterally implement tariffs on products from Mexico, China and Canada and create an across-theboard 10% tariff.

Claiming unprecedented authority under the IEEPA, Trump has issued several executive orders placing 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada and a universal 10% tariff on every other U.S. trading partner, according to the

The Pasadena Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department has closed baseball infields at two parks after LA County health officials revealed elevated lead levels in soil from the Eaton Fire, the city announced Friday. Soil sampling in two neighborhoods revealed lead levels above 80 parts per million, which does not require cleanup or remediation but indicates the need for further evaluation, city officials said.

One neighborhood is generally bounded by Lincoln Avenue, Washington Boulevard, North Altadena Drive and the city limit. The other neighborhood is generally bounded by North Altadena Drive, Orange Grove Boulevard, Washington Boulevard and Eaton Drive, city officials said.

Soil testing is needed where children are more likely to play in or on exposed soil, the city said. Children can be exposed to lead by swallowing, prolonged skin contact or

OUR 2025 SUMMER CAMP GUIDE

President Donald Trump, at left, shows reporters a list of “reciprocal tariffs”; Gov. Gavin Newsom has said California remains a leader in global commerce. | Photos courtesy of the White House/Facebook and Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

See Tariffs Page 04

| Photos courtesy of LA28

Pasadena officials issue guidance to prevent lead exposure

By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com

Pasadena health officials have provided a set of guidelines for residents and schools to avoid contact with lead, elevated levels of which have recently been detected in areas downwind of the Eaton Fire.

Last week the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported soil test results conducted between mid-February and mid-March found a higher percentage of residential properties exceeded state screening levels for lead in two Pasadena communities.

The first community is bounded by Lincoln Avenue on the west, Washington Boulevard on the south, North Altadena Drive on the east and the city limit on the north, Pasadena officials said. The second area’s boundaries are North Altadena Drive on the west, Orange Grove Boulevard on the south, Washington Boulevard/Eaton Drive to the east and Washington Boulevard to the north.

The county test results used the California Department of Toxic Substances Control’s screening levels that are stricter than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s, according to a city statement. Lead levels under the county screening threshold “are considered protective over a lifetime of exposure even for the most vulnerable people, while levels above the screening threshold indicate a potentially unsafe amount of lead in the soil.” Health official said state soil-lead screening levels do not imply a need for clean up or remediation but reveal the need for further evaluation.

At 80 parts per million, California’s screening threshold for lead in soil on residential properties is below the EPA’s 200 ppm screening level, which the agency reduced from 400 ppm in 2024.

The source of lead in Eaton Fire ash is likely from the burning of older homes that have lead-based paint, officials said. Half of the soil samples in the

county’s preliminary test results do not exceed lead screening thresholds, and it’s unclear if the lead in the soil detected in the study resulted from the fire or other sources such as being near a freeway, deteriorating paint or other factors unique to specific properties.

“Soil testing at sensitive sites is a practical next step following the county soil study results,” Manuel Carmona, Pasadena Public Health director, said in a statement. “We continue to meet with the school district, private schools and early childhood education centers to review our guidance and ensure they have the information needed to help protect youth in the Pasadena community.”

Children are especially vulnerable to lead exposure, which occurs by swallowing, skin contact or inhaling lead-contaminated soil, according to the health department. People can bring lead-contaminated soil particles into homes or businesses via lead dust on shoes or clothing.

“Additional precautions are needed for children under six years of age, since very young children tend to put their hands in their mouths and some young

children eat soil,” according to the city.

In the Pasadena neighborhoods that had a higher percentage of residential properties exceeding the county screening levels, soil testing is needed at schools and early childhood education centers where children are more likely to play in or on lead-exposed soil. Until soil testing is completed, the health department is attempting to reduce potential exposure by restricting access to areas with exposed soil, taking measures to prevent the tracking of soil and dust into buildings and implementing lead-safe cleaning techniques.

“Our highest priority will always be the health, safety, and well-being of our students and employees,”

Elizabeth Blanco, superintendent of the Pasadena Unified School District, said in a statement. “Pasadena Public Health Department’s guidance helps ensure that every student and employee can learn and work in a safe environment. We are committed to full transparency and have already implemented PPHD recommendations and will continue to keep our school communities informed and engaged every step of the

way.”

For schools and early child education facilities within the impacted Pasadena communities, PPHD “strongly recommends”:

1- Consulting a qualified professional to do soil testing for heavy metals and if necessary, conduct a clean-up and remediation effort; and

2- Taking immediate steps to implement the following within a reasonable timeframe and continue these practices until test results are available or remediation is completed, when needed:

• “Close all field areas with exposed soil using signs, fencing or other barriers to prevent children from playing in or walking in the area.

• “Areas with improved surfaces such as concrete or asphalt as well as areas with ground covers such as grass, rocks, mulch, or wood chips may remain open and available for use.

• “Close school gardens using signs, fencing, or other barriers to prevent children from accessing the area and conducting harvest activities.

• “Avoid consuming produce harvested from

school gardens.

• “Prevent children from playing in soil and watch children carefully to prevent them from eating soil.

• “Keep soil outdoors by using sticky mats or using doormats outside entryways to help keep soil from being tracked indoors.

• “Increase access to handwashing stations and build in time for students and staff to wash their hands after outdoor activities.

• “Wet mop building entryways and hard floor surfaces at least once daily.

• “Wash toys after contact with soil.” Officials added that these recommendations may benefit all schools and early childhood education centers in Pasadena, including those outside the two identified areas designated for further lead testing in the soil. Pasadena Public Health continues to request state and federal support for additional testing, officials said.

These PPHD guidelines are for residences: Outdoors

• Prevent children and pets from digging or playing in exposed soil.

• Cover exposed soil with grass, mulch, wood chips, gravel or ground cover plants to reduce dust and prevent direct contact — prioritize play areas, garden paths and areas near doors or patios.

• Remove dirt from sidewalks, patios, driveways and other hard outdoor surfaces by spraying with a hose.

• Wash hands after contact with soil and before eating.

• Wash pet paws and toys after contact with soil.

• Review the county’s Fire Recovery Guidance website for recommendations about home gardens.

Indoors

• Remove shoes before entering a home or use “sticky mats” in entryways to remove dust from shoes.

• Use doormats and wash them regularly.

• Frequently wet mop entryways and hard floor surfaces.

• Use a wet cleaning method to capture and remove dust from horizontal surfaces.

• Avoid cleaning methods that can send dust into the air such as drysweeping or vacuuming without a HEPA filter.

• Use air purifiers with HEPA filters.

Blood tests to detect lead are available by visiting a doctor — testing is covered by most medical plans, including MediCal. Quest Labs provide free blood tests for lead, appointments are available by calling 800-LA-4-LEAD. For a limited time, the county health department will offer free mobile testing. The next mobile testing event is set for April 27 from noon-5 p.m. at the Eaton Health Village/Pasadena Seventh Day Adventist Church, 1280 E. Washington Blvd. in Pasadena.

On Tuesday the LA County Board of Supervisors approved $3 million for lead soil testing in communities downwind and south of the Eaton Fire burn area.

Collecting a soil sample to test for lead. | Photo courtesy of the city of Greenville, North Carolina/Flickr (CC0)

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DLA28 unveils updated Olympic venue showcasing Los Angeles region

By City News Service

odger Stadium and Long Beach will be Olympic venues for the 2028 Summer Games and are preparing Wednesday to host baseball games and volleyball matches.

LA28 unveiled its updated venue plan for the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games Tuesday, adding Dodger Stadium to the list and moving beach volleyball to Long Beach.

LA28, the organizing committee for the Games, announced the venue plan for most events after it was approved last week by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board. Organizers said the updated list will showcase the best that L.A. has to offer.

Hoover said in a statement.

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“This plan brings the Games to all corners of our city like never before -- from the Sepulveda Basin to the iconic shores of Venice Beach, our world-famous neighborhoods as well as our hidden gems will be on full display for all to experience and enjoy,” Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement. “And as we come together to prepare, we will help small businesses, create local jobs and implement lasting environmental and transportation improvements that will leave a legacy in our city for generations to come.”

Preliminary matches for boxing will be in the Peacock Theater, with the finals taking place at the Crypto.com Arena. The arena will also host artistic gymnastics, which were initially planned for the Kia Forum in Inglewood.

Rhythmic gymnastics will take place at USC’s Galen Center, where badminton will also be played, adjacent to the Memorial Coliseum. Baseball will make its Olympic return at Dodger Stadium.

Venice Beach will serve as the new home for the triathlon, relocating from Long Beach. Venice will also be the official starting location for the marathon and cycling road courses. LA28 is expected to confirm and announce the courses and finishes for both these events at a later date.

In an Olympic-first for the San Fernando Valley, LA28 added 3x3 basketball and modern pentathlon to competitions slated for the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area alongside BMX and skateboarding.

“We’ve promised the world an incredible Olympic Games and today we’re proud to share the plan that will make it happen,” LA28 Chief Executive Officer Reynold

“Los Angeles is the epicenter of sports, culture and entertainment, and every venue selected for the 2028 Games will provide athletes and fans the best possible experience,” Hoover added. “The 2028 Olympic venue plan invites communities from across the region to celebrate the Games coming to their backyard with the most exciting sports staged at some of the world’s top-tier existing stadiums and arenas, famous beaches and purpose-built temporary structures.”

Five new sports for the 2028 Games had their venues set as well. Squash will make its debut in the San Fernando Valley at the Universal Studio lot. Cricket will be at the fairgrounds in Pomona. Softball, which will make its first appearance since 2008, will head to Oklahoma City’s Devon Park.

The city of Long beach will host 11 events, showcasing beach volleyball at Alamitos Beach after talks broke down between Santa Monica and LA28. Coastal rowing will make its first Olympic appearance at the nearby waterfront.

Target shooting will take place in the Long Beach Convention Center and sport climbing will be at the site’s parking lot, alongside water polo and artistic swimming at a temporary pool.

Sailing will return to Long Beach’s Belmont Shore, the previous site of the event in 1984.

“Long Beach is now confirmed to serve as a premier waterfront venue for the 2028 Games. We are thrilled and honored to have beach volleyball join the list of acclaimed sporting events to be held on our iconic coastline, from sailing to water polo, and we are excited to open our doors to the world and showcase the culture, diversity and spirit of our community,” Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement.

“We are proud to share our unique waterfront with athletes and fans from across the globe as we unite to celebrate the power of sport. This presents a generational economic opportunity for our city, and we look forward to working with LA28 as we continue to prepare for this monumental experience,” he added.

The city of Carson will host archery at Dignity Health Sports Park, along with the rugby tournament. Nearby areas will host tennis, track cycling and field hockey.

Meanwhile, Orange County will host indoor volleyball at Anaheim’s Honda Center and surfing will take place at Trestles Beach in San Clemente.

Santa Anita Park is formally slated to hold equestrian events, as it did in 1984. The event was previously planned for Temecula’s Galway Downs.

LA28 is still working to finalize soccer preliminary rounds and mountain biking events. Soccer is expected to be held in stadiums across the country with the final rounds slated for the Rose Bowl.

All confirmed sports and venues are available at www. la28.org.

Temecula’s Galway Downs scratched from venue list

An apparent move by planners for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles to scratch Galway Downs near Temecula as a prospective venue for equestrian events elicited a sharp response earlier this month from Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Temecula, who questioned the basis for the “arbitrary” action.

“I’m deeply disappointed to learn that Galway Downs is reportedly no longer LA28’s proposed host site for equestrian events at the 2028 Olympic Games,” Issa said in a statement April 11. “At this time, a satisfactory reason has yet to be offered.”

Details on the LA28 Board of Directors’ decision to nix Galway Downs’ opportunity to serve as a site were not available at the time of the announcement. A request for comment was not immediately answered.

“This abrupt move appears arbitrary, unwarranted and our community deserves a clear explanation of the process that led to this change,” Issa said. “It must be said that for several years, the state-of-the-art facility at Galway Downs, the city of Temecula and the Riverside County community have prepared to host these important events and showcase the very best that all three have to offer.

“Significant investments in time, material and preparation have already been dedicated to serving as the host site, and Galway Downs is the only equestrian venue in the greater Los Angeles region with the existing infrastructure to accommodate all equestrian events, including a full-length cross-country course,” Issa continued. “I look forward to productive and informative conversations and a more comprehensive, transparent process that provides fundamental fairness to Galway Downs and unifies our Southern California community.”

Earlier this week, the congressman joined other regional lawmakers in a letter to the Los Angeles City Council and the International Olympic Committee, expressing strong support for the council’s March 28 decision to include Galway Downs in the Venues Plan for equestrian activities during the Summer Games.

Joining Issa were Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, Riverside County Supervisor Chuck Washington, Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez, R-Murrieta, state Sen. Kelly Seyarto, R-Murrieta, and Temecula City Councilman Matt Rahn.

“Equine culture has especially deep roots in the Temecula Valley, and the Southern California community has prepared for years to amplify and sustain the momentum generated by the tourism, viewership and celebration that comes with hosting the Olympic Games,” their letter stated.

Galway Downs boasts 242 acres of competition rings, pasture and trails, with a 1-mile round track, 14 arenas and 400 horse stalls. There are events held there yearround.

| Photos courtesy of LA28

OC man nabbed in predator sting after allegedly trying to meet with girl

By City News Service

A45-year-oldman suspected of trying to arrange a sexual encounter with a young girl — who was in reality an undercover law enforcement officer — he met online was out of custody Thursday.

Ryan Hagen of Anaheim was arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside Wednesday afternoon on suspicion of communicating with a minor for illicit purposes and sending pornographic material to an underage person. Hagen posted a $55,000 bond and was released from the downtown jail a few hours later.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, earlier this month, investigators assigned to an undercover unit that focuses on predator stings were allegedly contacted by the suspect at a social media account the team set up to make it appear as though it belonged to a 13-year-old girl.

“During several weeks of communication, Hagen asked for sexually gratifying pictures and numerous sex

acts and agreed to meet (with the girl),” Sgt. David Ruiz said.

The planned rendezvous point was on West Park Avenue in Redlands, Ruiz said.

He said that deputies coordinated with Redlands Police Department officers to carry out the sting operation, and when Hagen showed up, he was taken into custody

without incident.

“Several communication devices were also located and collected as evidence,” the sergeant said.

Background information on the suspect was unavailable.

The case was expected to be submitted to the District Attorney’s Office with a request for felony charges against Hagen.

Tariffs

lawsuit.

Trump has also “goaded China into a full-blown trade war, with tariffs reaching 145% on Chinese goods, and China imposing reciprocal 125% tariffs on U.S. goods,” according to a statement from Bonta’s office. The president also has imposed reciprocal tariffs of up to 50% on nearly 90 specific countries that are currently on hold for 90 days before taking effect.

“Once the 90-day ‘pause’ expires, the harms will only compound further,” according to the AG’s office. “And new tariffs are being contemplated or announced nearly every day.”

The IEEPA, enacted in 1977, gives the president authority to take certain actions if he declares a national emergency in response to threats to national security, U.S. foreign policy or the economy. The law specifies the actions the president can take, but imposing tariffs is not one of the options.

“This is the first time a president has attempted to rely on this law to impose tariffs,” according to Bonta’s office.

A key argument in the lawsuit relies on the U.S. Supreme Court’s “major questions doctrine,” which holds that during uncommon circumstances of heavy economic and political significance, federal agencies and the president must have authorization from Congress.

State officials pointed to recent Supreme Court decisions regarding President Barack Obama’s Clean Power Plan and President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness initiative. Justices ruled that executive actions that have broad impacts on the national economy can’t be based on unclear legal authority.

“It is difficult to imagine a more economically significant set of actions than the one Trump is taking on

tariffs, which have inflicted hundreds of billions of dollars in economic losses on a whim, using a statute that doesn’t mention tariffs,” according the statement from Newsom’s office.

California’s gross domestic product was $3.9 trillion in 2023, 50% larger than the GDP of the nation’s second-largest state, Texas.

Newsom’s office noted that California “sends over $83 billion more to the federal government than it receives in federal funding.”

Last year, California engaged in nearly $675 billion in two-way trade, which officials said supported millions of jobs statewide. California is heavily dependent on international trade, particularly with Mexico, Canada and China, the state’s top three trade partners. More than 40% of imports to California come from those countries, totaling $203 billion of the

over $491 billion in goods in 2024.

Mexico, Canada and China are also the state’s top three destinations for nearly $67 billion in California exports, which was over one-third of the state’s $183 billion in exported goods last year.

Bonta’s office noted the impacts of “Trump’s dizzying array of tariff plans have already wreaked havoc on our financial systems: the U.S. stock market suffered the largest two-day loss in its history in the two days following the announcement of ... Trump’s most sweeping tariffs. These actions and the near-daily threats to impose new tariffs have already inflicted and continue to inflict serious financial harms on California.”

A copy of the lawsuit’s court filing is available on the internet at tinyurl.com/ bdf4w8as.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta. | Photo courtesy of Pi.1415926535/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

| Photo by puhimec/Envato

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar joins in pregame ‘reflection’ on Jackie Robinson Day

By City News Service

Basketball Hall of Famer KareemAbdul-Jabbar sharedrecollections of Jackie Robinson Tuesday at the Dodgers’ annual “team reflection” on Jackie Robinson Day.

“It’s great to be here on this day, especially, because he was a hero of mine from Day 1 when I became aware of him,” Abdul-Jabbar said, telling stories about becoming a fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers because of Robinson and then getting to meet him for the first time in 1969.

“Jack always had the idea that he was an equal human being to everybody else. I’m very proud of being able to emulate Jackie in the right way. You can do things the wrong way but Jackie showed us how to do it the right way and I’m very thankful for that.”

The Dodgers joined the rest of Major League Baseball in marking Tuesday’s 78th anniversary of Robinson breaking baseball’s color line, including gathering with the Colorado Rockies at the statue of Robinson in Dodger Stadium’s Centerfield Plaza to hear speeches about him.

The Dodgers have been gathering at the statue on Jackie Robinson Day annually since 2021 to hear manager Dave Roberts and others talk about Robinson. In 2023, they began being joined by their opponent.

Two of Robinson’s granddaughters, Sonya Pankey and Ayo Robinson, were in attendance as were Jackie Robinson Foundation scholars.

Robinson’s widow, Rachel Robinson, founded the foundation in 1973, the

year following her husband’s death at the age of 53. It provides four-year college scholarships to disadvantaged students of color.

The Jackie Robinson Foundation is among the beneficiaries of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, the team’s charitable arm whose mission is “to improve education, health care, homelessness, and social justice for all Angelenos.”

Pankey threw the ceremonial first pitch preceding the Dodgers’ 6-2 victory.

Jackie Robinson Foundation scholars made the announcementpreceding every Dodger game at Dodger Stadium, “It’s time for Dodger baseball.”

Abdul-Jabbar was born in Harlem on April 16, 1947, the day after Robinson’s debut.

In a 2010 interview with ESPN when he was also at Dodger Stadium on Jackie Robinson Day, Abdul-Jabbar said Robinson was his hero and while he was in high school he received a letter from Robinson “telling me that UCLA would be a good place for me to go to school.”

In 1969, when the then-Lew Alcindor won his third consecutive national player of the year award as a Bruin, he was finally able to meet Robinson at an awards dinner.

“I was in awe,” AbdulJabbar said. “I was sitting with Jackie Robinson and Bill Russell and I was just in awe. I didn’t say much, I just let them say what they had to say.”

All players, coaches and managers wore Robinson’s No. 42 for all of Tuesday’s

major league games as they have done on each Jackie Robinson Day since 2009, with all teams using Dodger blue for their “42” jersey numbers regardless of their primary team colors for the fourth consecutive year.

All players, coaches, managers and umpires wore caps with a “42” side patch.

A special tribute video, produced by MLB Network featuring AJ Andrews, the former LSU and professional softball player who hosts the network’s Saturday morning show, “Play Ball,” was shown in all ballparks.

The No. 42 was retired throughout Major League Baseball in 1997, on the 50th anniversary of Robinson’s April 15, 1947, debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Robinson -- who was raised in Pasadena and attended Muir High School, Pasadena City College and UCLA -- went hitless in four at-bats in his major league debut, but scored what proved to be the winning run in Brooklyn’s 5-3 victory over the Boston Braves in front of a crowd announced at 25,623 at Ebbets Field.

Robinson played his entire major league career with Brooklyn, helping lead the Dodgers to six National League pennants during his 10 seasons, and, in 1955, their only World Series championship in Brooklyn.

Robinson’s successful integration of Major League Baseball is credited with helping change Americans’ attitudes toward Black players and being a catalyst toward later civil rights advances.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks to members of the Dodgers and Rockies about the life and legacy of Jackie Robinson prior to Tuesday night’s game. | Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers/X

Trump vs. the courts: Presidential attacks open new front in long battle

By James Lartey, The Marshall Project via Stacker

OnMarch15,three planescarrying approximately200 Venezuelan migrants left the U.S., bound for a mega-prison in El Salvador. The Trump administration justified the deportation by saying most of the men on the planes were members of the Tren de Aragua criminal gang.

Lawyers for some of the men say their clients were misidentified as gang members, in many cases, because of tattoos unrelated to Tren de Aragua, or TdA. In one case, a lawyer says the tattoo may have been a reference to the logo for the popular Real Madrid soccer team.

None of the men had the opportunity to argue against the administration’s assertion in court because they were deported under the Alien Enemies Act, which President Donald Trump had invoked on March 14. The act gives the government the power to expel foreigners from hostile nations during wartime or an invasion, without due process.

The U.S. is not at war with Venezuela or TdA, nor is the gang a country — one of several reasons federal judge James Boasberg ordered the planes to turn around on March 15. Boasberg concluded that the administration likely did not have the legal authority to make the deportations.

Despite the order, the planes landed, and the men were taken into the custody of the Salvadoran prison, complete with online taunting by Trump administration figures. The episode set off a legal and political

firestorm over whether the administration had openly defied a federal court order, and what would come next if so.

“If anyone is being detained or removed based on the administration’s assertion that it can do so without judicial review or due process,” Jamal Greene, a law professor at Columbia, told The New York Times, “the president is asserting dictatorial power and ‘constitutional crisis’ doesn’t capture the gravity of the situation.”

There are about 1,700 federal judges in the U.S., and all are appointed by presidents and confirmed by the U.S. Senate — not elected, The Marshall Project explains. Trump and his allies have argued that it is, in effect, antidemocratic that any single judge, from any district, can overrule the will of the president on a national level.

Skepticism of the federal courts on these grounds is not a distinctly Republican or conservative preoccupation: In the aftermath of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the 2022 Supreme Court decision that struck down Roe v. Wade, prominent Democrats also complained about the undemocratic nature of rulings by unelected judges. A few even made the case for defying judicial rulings they disagreed with.

More broadly, presidents have long jockeyed with the courts over power. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unrealized plan to expand the Supreme Court to up to 15 justices to add members sympathetic to his New Deal programs

Dozensofdisaster preparedness projects across California will be interrupted or canceled because the Trump administration is canceling a grant program.

The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program was created during the first Trump administration. It has distributed $5 billion to

is just one memorable example.

However, Trump’s attacks on the judiciary are unprecedented in some ways, especially the extent to which they’ve been directed at individual judges.

Trump has called Boasberg — who was first appointed to the Washington, D.C., bench by President George W. Bush — “a radical left lunatic” and called for his impeachment. Almost immediately, some Republican House members introduced articles of impeachment against Boasberg. The effort is unlikely to go far, as it would require support from Senate Democrats to convict. Still, some experts see it as an escalation in Trump’s longstanding conflict with the judiciary. To date, no federal judge has ever been removed from office “because of dissatisfaction with his or her rulings,” a former judge told NPR.

The personalized and agitated tenor around judges has some of them fearing for their personal safety and that of their families. That was true even before the recent controversy over the deportation flights.

Congressional Republicans are pursuing legislation that would prevent district courts from issuing sweeping national injunctions altogether. Earlier this month, Trump also called for the Supreme Court to curtail the power of district court judges to issue national injunctions.

If either came to fruition, it would massively untether the administration from

judicial checks. According to The Washington Post, there are 13 active cases where a federal judge paused or reversed a Trump administration policy. That means about once every four days since Trump’s inauguration, a judge has concluded that the administration likely broke the law.

Trump officials have denied that they are defying the courts, and on March 19 “border czar” Tom Homan said that he will let the legal battle over the Alien Enemies Act play out before using it for more deportation flights. But at the same time, Boasberg has ruled that administration lawyers evaded some of his questions about the deportations or gave “woefully insufficient” answers.

If the Trump administration were to simply

begin ignoring the courts, it’s unclear what could be done to stop it. Federal court orders are generally enforced by the U.S. Marshals Service — an agency under the Department of Justice. As Vox’s Ian Millhiser wrote this week: Trump could simply tell the U.S. attorney general to instruct marshals not to enforce court orders against his administration.

While Congress could impeach Trump if he blatantly ignores the law, that outcome is unlikely for the same partisan reasons that will probably save Boasberg from removal.

Still, some argue that the point isn’t necessarily defiance — it may be just as much about the spectacle of defiance and punishment. In a post this week, historian Timothy Snyder opined that

Disaster resilience programs across CA frozen as feds cancel grants

By Suzanne Potter, Producer, Public News Service

local governments and tribal nations for projects to help recover from natural disasters. But now, a statement from FEMA calls the BRIC program “wasteful, ineffective and more concerned with climate change than disaster response.”

Em Donahoe, a policy specialist for resilient coasts and flood plains at the National Wildlife Federation,

said funding disaster response should be a nonpartisan issue.

“Every dollar invested in natural-disaster resilience and preparedness saves approximately $13 in longterm economic savings and damages and costs avoided, post-disaster,” she said. “So, it’s really just a bad investment decision.”

In the meantime, Sonoma County, for example, is

partway through a $48 million wildfire resilience program to harden structures, cut back dry vegetation and create defensible space. Nevada County, near Tahoe, is in the early stages of a program to create fire fuel breaks near Woodpecker Ravine.

Donahoe said BRIC has also funded many naturebased hazard-mitigation

projects.

“Examples of this range from things like restoring coastal wetlands and creating living shorelines to implementing green roofs or permeable pavement, or urban green spaces,” she said.

Donahoe said BRIC also helps communities improve their disaster planning and update their building codes

elements of the standoff seem designed more for public consumption than to achieve any discrete immigration enforcement goal.

“They are deliberately associating the law itself with people, the deportees, who they expect to be unpopular,” Snyder wrote. “In this way they hope to get popular opinion on their side as they ignore a court order. But if they succeed in making an exception once, it becomes the rule.”

This story was produced by The Marshall Project, a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that seeks to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about the U.S. criminal justice system, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. The article was copy edited from its original version. Republished with CC BY-NC 4.0 license.

to make them more resilient in the long term.

Disclosure: National Wildlife Federation contributes to Public News Service’s fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Endangered Species & Wildlife, Energy Policy, Water. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, visit publicnewsservice.org/ dn1.php.

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One above Virginia while flying to Washington, D.C., from Florida on March 16. | Photo courtesy of Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images/Stacker

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EL Monte City Notices

ORDINANCE NO. 3047

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL MONTE, CALIFORNIA AMENDING CHAPTER 3.24 (PURCHASING SYSTEM) OF TITLE 3 (REVENUE AND FINANCE) OF THE EL MONTE MUNICIPAL CODE AND OTHER RELATED AND INTERCONNECTED MUNICIPAL CODE PROVISIONS

WHEREAS, Chapter 3.24 (Purchasing System) of Title 3 (Revenue and Finance) of the El Monte Municipal Code (“Chapter 3.24”) sets forth the City of El Monte’s policies for the vetting and awarding of various contracts; and

WHEREAS, the City Council wishes to update, refine, and clarify the City’s purchasing procedures, including provisions regulating City management’s ability to respond quickly to emergency events.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL MONTE DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. Section 3.24.020 (Purchasing officer – Duties and responsibilities) of Chapter 3.24 (Purchasing System) of Title 3 (Revenue and Finance) of the El Monte Municipal Code is hereby amended by the addition of a new paragraph (C) which shall state:

C. The City Council may adopt and from time to time amend and/or modify a procedures manual, (the “Purchasing Policy and Procedures Manual”) setting forth additional administrative policies and procedures that are not in conflict with this chapter for the vetting, advertising and awarding of contracts, agreements, purchase orders and other like instruments covered under this chapter.

SECTION 2. Chapter 3.24 (Purchasing System) of Title 3 (Revenue and Finance) of the El Monte Municipal Code is hereby amended by the addition of a new section 3.24.035 entitled “Approved Methods for Signing Contracts”, which shall now state the following:

3.24.035 Approved Methods for Signing of Contracts.

All City contracts, agreements, purchase orders and other like instruments covered under this chapter may be signed by the person authorized to sign such documents on the City’s behalf by means of a wet signature or, to the extent permitted by law, by means of a digital signature as may be provided elsewhere under the El Monte Municipal Code and subject to the City’s compliance with all State laws governing the use of digital signatures.

SECTION 3. Paragraph (B) of Section 3.24.040 (General procurement) of Chapter 3.24 (Purchasing System) of Title 3 (Revenue and Finance) of the El Monte Municipal Code is hereby amended in its entirety to now state the following:

B. City Manager/Assistant City Manager Approval. Without prior approval of the City Council, the City Manager, or the Assistant City Manager if the City Manager is unavailable, shall have authority to approve and sign on behalf of the city:

1. Any contract (including purchase orders) for:

a. Any single purchase of supplies, materials or equipment for sums of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) or less per single purchase; and

b. The performance of general services for sums of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or less for the preparation, completion and delivery of specific, tangible work product or other deliverables or for the performance and completion of discrete, project-specific tasks on or by specified dates.

2. Any fixed-term contract (including purchase orders) for:

a. The purchase of supplies, materials or equipment at specified rates as requested by city over the term of the contract, where the total compensation paid to the seller exceeds the aggregate sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) over the term of the contract. The term of the contract is inclusive of any automatic extension terms or extensions terms which may be authorized administratively without further approval by the City Council;

b. The performance of ongoing and/or as-needed general services for sums in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) over the term of the contract, inclusive of any automatic extension terms or extensions terms which may be authorized administratively without further approval by the City Council.

3. Any indefinite term contract (including purchase orders) for:

a. The purchase of supplies, materials or equipment at contractually specified rates, as requested by city over the life of the contract;

b. Ongoing and/or as-needed general services, for

contracts with an actual or estimated annual compensation sum in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) per fiscal year;

c. Ongoing and/or as-needed general services, for contracts with an actual or estimated annual compensation sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) or less per fiscal year, if such contract can only be terminated for cause or can only be terminated for convenience and without cause upon prior notice that is greater than thirty (30) calendar days.

SECTION 4. Section 3.24.060 (Exemptions from competitive or informally competitive procedures) of Chapter 3.24 (Purchasing System) of Title 3 (Revenue and Finance) of the El Monte Municipal Code is hereby amended in its entirety to now state the following:

3.24.060 Exemptions from competitive or informally competitive procedures.

The following varieties of procurements are exempt from the competitive bidding requirements of Section 3.24.050, above, and any other semi-competitive or informally competitive procedures set forth in this chapter or in the city’s Purchasing Policy and Procedures Manual:

A. Single-source or sole-source procurements or purchases of materials, supplies, equipment, software or general services (i) that can obtained from only one manufacturer, vendor or service provider including single-patented, proprietary or copyrighted items; (ii) that have only one distributor authorized to sell in this area; (iii) that perform a unique function or for which there is no comparable, commercially available product or service; or (iv) where compatibility or warranty requirements require the use of a specific brand of materials, supplies, equipment, software or general service.

B. Piggyback or cooperative purchases of materials, supplies, equipment, software or general services where such procurements (1) have already been made using applicable competitive or semi-competitive solicitation procedures of another public agency; or (2) are conducted in accordance with the procedures of a cooperative purchasing or piggyback purchasing organization or association like the California Multiple Award Schedules Program; the U.S. General Services Administration; the United States Communities Government Purchasing Alliance; or any other similar cooperative purchasing program. The foregoing notwithstanding, in order to qualify as a piggyback purchase or cooperative purchase under this chapter (1) the cost or unit pricing of the supplies, materials, equipment, software or general services procured must be equal to or less than the cost or unit pricing paid by the public agency, organization or association with whom the piggyback purchase or cooperative purchase is made; and (2) the specifications and/or other characteristics of the materials, equipment, software or general services must be same as provided to the public agency, organization or association with whom the cooperative purchase is to be made.

C. The procurement of items for which there is no competitive market such as memberships in professional organizations or industry organizations; registration fees for conferences, meetings or other like business-related events; or subscriptions to professional or trade journals and/or periodicals.

D. Emergency procurements of supplies, materials, equipment or general services subject to the terms and conditions set under this paragraph (D). To qualify as an emergency procurement, exempt from the formal competitive bidding requirements of this chapter, the procurement must be made for the purpose of responding to an “emergency” within the meaning of Public Contract Code Section 1102. All emergency procurements shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth under Government Code Section 22050. As authorized pursuant to Government Code Section 22050(b)(1) and pursuant to City Council Ordinance No. 3047, approved by no less than 4/5 vote of the City Council on March 26, 2025, the City Manager and the Purchasing Officer are both delegated the authority to order any action pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Government Code Section 22050, subject to all reporting obligations and City Council review requirements set forth under Government Code Sections 22050(b)(3) and 22050(c).

E. Professional consulting services within the meaning of Section 3.24.140(A)(6) of this chapter. This exemption is inclusive of any requirement for the solicitation of multiple quotes or proposals as may be set forth in this chapter or in the Purchasing Policy and Procedures Manual.

F. Any procurement of supplies, materials, equipment, software or general services, in which the City Council shall find, by resolution adopted by not less than four-fifths (4/5) of its full membership, that such procurement may be more economically and efficiently effected by (1) the waiver of solicitation procedures otherwise required by this chapter or the Purchasing Policy and Procedures Manual; or (2) the use of an alternative transactional process

or alternative procurement procedure. This exception may not be applied to public projects which are subject to mandatory competitive bidding under applicable state law or any mandated informal bidding authorized under the Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act.

G. The engagement of individual(s) as musicians, musical groups, singers, dancers, and other performing artists providing live entertainment for City organized or city sponsored events or functions; or the engagement of individuals(s) as artists for the creation and installation of original and unique works of art commissioned by the city as works for hire (e.g., murals, paintings, photographs, sculptures, animation etc.).

SECTION 5. Paragraphs (B) and (C) of Section 3.24.070 (Professional consulting services) of

B. City Manager/Assistant City Manager Approval. Without prior City Council approval, the City Manager, or the Assistant City Manager if the City Manager is unavailable, shall have authority to approve and sign on behalf of the city:

2. Any fixed-term contract for ongoing and/or as-needed, professional consulting services for sums of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) or less over the term specified in the contract, inclusive of any automatic extension terms or extensions terms which may be authorized administratively without further approval by the City Council;

3. Any indefinite term contract for ongoing and/or asneeded professional consulting services, for contracts with an estimated annual compensation sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) or less per fiscal year, provided such contract may be terminated by the city for convenience and without cause upon no more than thirty (30) calendar days prior written notice. City Council approval shall be required for any annual actual expenditures in excess of the fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) limit set forth herein. All engagements of professional services under this subsection B. shall be undertaken in compliance with the purchasing procedures set forth in the Purchasing Procedures Manual.

C. City Council Approval. The City Council shall approve:

1. Any contract for professional consulting services for the preparation, completion and delivery of specific, tangible work product or other deliverables or for the performance and completion of discrete, projectspecific tasks on or by specified dates for sums in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00). With respect to any professional services contract required incident to, and in the furtherance of, a specific, City Council-approved capital improvement project, City Council approval shall be required for any such contract in excess of the City Manager’s expenditure authority set forth under subsection B.1. of this section, above.

2. Any fixed-term contract for ongoing and/or as-needed, professional consulting services for sums in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) over the term specified in the contract, inclusive of any automatic extension terms or extensions terms which may be authorized administratively without further approval by the City Council.

3. Any indefinite term contract for ongoing and/or asneeded professional consulting services:

a. For contracts with an actual or estimated annual compensation sum in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per fiscal year;

b. For contracts with an estimated annual compensation sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or less per fiscal year, if such contract can only be terminated for cause or can only be terminated for convenience and without cause upon prior notice that is greater than thirty (30) calendar days. With respect to the types of professional consulting services contracts described under this subsection, above, the following subset of contracts shall be awarded following the city’s issuance of a request for qualifications or proposals as provided under the Purchasing Procedures Manual, unless such requirement is waived by the City Council:

i. Any contract for professional consulting services for the preparation and completion of specific, tangible deliverables or other work product and the performance of related services and tasks for sums in excess of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000);

ii. Any fixed-term contract for ongoing and/or asneeded, professional consulting services for sums of in excess of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) over the term specified in the contract, inclusive of any automatic extension terms or extensions terms which may be authorized administratively without further approval by the City Council;

iii. Any indefinite term contract for ongoing and/or as-

needed professional consulting services, for contracts with an estimated annual sum in excess of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000).

SECTION 6. Section 3.24.090 (Surplus and/or obsolete sup plies, materials and equipment) of Chapter 3.24 (Purchasing Sys tem) of Title 3 (Administration and Personnel) is amended in its entirety to now state the following:

3.24.090 Surplus and/or obsolete supplies, materials and equipment.

A. Each City department or division shall submit to the Purchasing Officer, at such times and in such form as the Purchasing Officer shall prescribe, re ports showing all supplies, materials and equipment which are no longer used or which have become obsolete or worn out. The Purchasing Officer shall have authority to sell or otherwise dispose of all supplies, materials and equipment which cannot be used by a department, or which have become un suitable for City use. The Purchasing Officer may also exchange the same for, or trade in the same on, new supplies, materials and/or equipment.

B. Disposition of surplus and/or obsolete items may include some form of recycling or reuse such as do nation to public bodies, charitable, civic or nonprofit organizations and may include City property which has no commercial value or for which the estimat ed cost of continued care, handling, maintenance or storage would exceed the estimated proceeds of sale. Sales procedures may include negotiated sales, acceptance of sealed bids or public auction. Services of a paid auctioneer may be used, as ap propriate. City Council is required for the sale or other disposition of supplies, materials or equipment when the total estimated value the specific supply, material or equipment exceeds ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00).

SECTION 7. The definition of the term “general services” as defined under subsection (4) of paragraph (A) of Section 3.24.140 (Definitions) of Chapter 3.24 (Purchasing System) of Title 3 (Admin istration and Personnel) is amended in its entirety to now state the following:

4. The term “general services” means and includes any work performed or services rendered by an inde pendent contractor, with or without the furnishing of materials, including but not limited to the following:

a. Maintenance or nonstructural repair to City build ings, structures or improvements which do not re quire engineering plans, specifications or design, including but not limited to, unscheduled replace ment of broken window panes, fire extinguisher maintenance, minor roof repairs, plumbing services, elevator maintenance, custodial services and pest control;

b. Repair, modification and maintenance of City equip ment and software;

c. Cleaning, testing, moving, removal or disposal (oth er than by sale) of City supplies, materials or equip ment;

d. Repainting, care or maintenance of public grounds, including, but not limited to, trees, shrubbery, flow ers, lawns;

e. Providing temporary clerical/administrative support services;

f. Providing other miscellaneous services to facilitate city operations;

LEGALS

SECTION 9. Section 2.12.120 (Contract authority) of Chapter 2.12 (City Manager) of Title 2 (Administration and Personnel) is hereby amended in its entirety to now state the following:

g. Performing repair, demolition or other work required to abate nuisances under the El Monte Municipal Code;

h. Licensing software;

i. Leasing or rental of equipment (personal property) for use by the City;

j. A maintenance agreement for equipment owned or leased by the City;

k. The engagement musicians, musical groups, sing ers, dancers, and other performing artists providing live entertainment at City organized or City spon sored events or functions; or the engagement of art ists for the creation and installation of original and unique works of art commissioned by the City (e.g., murals, paintings, photographs, sculptures, anima tion, etc.).

The term “general services” does not include “pro fessional consulting services.” The definition of the term “general services” may in certain instances overlap with the definition of the term “public project” and where such is the case the work or services in question shall be awarded and contracted in accor dance with those provisions of this Chapter govern ing “public projects.”

CITY OF EL MONTE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING and NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT AN INITIAL STUDY-MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION

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

LEAD AGENCY: City of El Monte Planning Division

PROJECT TITLE: Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 84432/Subdivision (SUB) No. 2-2024, Conditional Use Permit (CUP) Nos. 6-2024, 7-2024, & 8-2024, Minor Variance (MV) Nos. 8-2025, 9-2025, & 10-2025, & Design Review (DR) No. 4-2024.

PROJECT LOCATION: 3600 Peck Road (APNs 8567-015055,-057, and -059) (A full legal description of the property is on file in the office of the El Monte Planning Division).

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

This is the Notice of Intent (NOI) of a Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS-MND) to notify the public that the City of El Monte, as the Lead Agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), has prepared an IS-MND for the 3600 Peck Road Project (project), which involves the redevelopment of three of the six existing commercial buildings on the project site. The redevelopment would involve demolition of the existing vacant Denny’s (6,000 sf), Big 5 Sporting Goods (7,800 sf), and vacant China Buffet (11,047 sf); and construction of Starbucks (2,400 sf), In-N-Out (3,886 sf), and Raising Cane’s (3,612 sf) coffee/fast-food restaurants that would each provide a drive-thru facility. The project would reduce the total size of the commercial center from 52,268 sf to 37,319 sf. Each of the proposed restaurant buildings would include a drive-thru, paved parking spaces, and landscaping. The proposed Starbucks building would include outdoor seating and bike racks, 19 parking stalls, and a trash enclosure. The proposed In-N-Out building would include two outdoor seating areas, bike racks and lockers, 62 parking stalls, and a trash enclosure. The proposed Raising Cane’s building would include two outdoor seating areas, bike racks and lockers, 37 parking stalls, and a trash enclosure. Construction activities for the proposed project is estimated to start in August 2025 and end in May 2027. Construction activities for the project would include demolition, site preparation, grading, building construction, paving, and architectural coating. Because the proposed project consists of a redevelopment, it would involve 4,565 cubic yards (cy) of cut soil from building foundation demolition and removal and 293 cy of imported soil. Construction work would occur Monday through Friday from approximately 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Weekend construction is not anticipated. Construction equipment would be staged on site, and construction workers would also park on site.

SECTION 8. The title of Section 2.12.100 (Cooperator with City Manager) of Chapter 2.12 (City Manager) of Title 2 (Adminis tration and Personnel) is hereby amended to now state:

2.12.100 Cooperation with City Manager.

APPLICANT: Merlone Geier Partners

PROPERTY OWNER: MGP XI EL MONTE CENTER LLC

PLACE OF HEARING: Pursuant to State Law, the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive testimony, orally and in writing, on the IS-MND and on the proposed project. The hearing is scheduled for:

Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location: City Hall Council Chambers

11333 Valley Boulevard El Monte, California 91731

PUBLIC REVIEW/COMMENT PERIOD:

The City of El Monte Planning Division invites written comments on issues related to potential environmental impacts during the 30-day comment period, which starts on April 23, 2025, and will conclude on May 23, 2025.

A hardcopy of the IS-MND and related documents are available for review at the followinglocations during the regular business hours:

City Hall West

Planning Division

11333 Valley Boulevard

El Monte, CA

7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

(Monday thru Thursday)

El Monte Library

3224 Tyler Avenue

El Monte, CA

12 p.m. to 8 p.m. (only Tues)

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Wed thru Sat)

Norwood Library

4550 Peck Road

El Monte, CA

12 p.m. to 8 p.m. (only Tues)

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Wed thru Sat)

Due to the time limits mandated by State law, your response must be sent at the earliest possible time but no later than 30 days after receipt of this notice, and no later than 5:00 PM on May 23, 2025. Please send written/typed comments (including a name, telephone number, email, and any other contact information) to the following:

Sandra Elias, City Planner

626-258-8621

City of El Monte Planning Division

11333 Valley Boulevard

El Monte, California 91731

You may also email your response to selias@elmonteca.gov

Published on: Monday, April 21, 2025

EL MONTE EXAMINER

Probate Notices

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF JAMES PATRICK GARCIA

Case No. 21STPB04737

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of JAMES PATRICK GARCIA

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

THE PETITION FOR PRO-

BATE requests that Christie Young 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. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held on May 7, 2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 9 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 knowledgeable in California law.

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

Attorney for petitioner:

DARRELL G BROOKE ESQ SBN 118071 THE BROOKE LAW GROUP PC

525 S MYRTLE AVE STE 204 MONROVIA CA 91016

CN115743 GARCIA Apr 14,17,21, 2025 AZUSA BEACON

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

VERONICA VAWA SO CASE NO. 25STPB03644

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of VE-

RONICA VAWA SO.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by FRANCIS KWOK CHUEN SO in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that FRANCIS KWOK CHUEN SO 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. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 05/02/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 2D located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

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

Attorney for Petitioner AMIR ABDIZADEH, ESQ. - SBN 298114

AMIR LAW GROUP P.C. 18231 HIGHWAY 18, STE 4 APPLE VALLEY CA 92307

Telephone (760) 242-6527 4/14, 4/17, 4/21/25 CNS-3914859# SAN GABRIEL SUN

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

DENNIS MARTIN CRUZ AKA

DENNIS M. CRUZ AKA

DENNIS CRUZ CASE NO. 25STPB03950

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of DEN-

LEGALS

NIS MARTIN CRUZ AKA DENNIS M. CRUZ AKA DENNIS CRUZ.

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

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 05/09/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 9 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

Attorney for Petitioner

JENNA GLASSOCK, ESQ. - SBN 274379

LAUREL TRUST LAW LLP

12750 VENTURA BLVD., SUITE 201 STUDIO CITY CA 91604

Telephone (818) 651-7593 4/14, 4/17, 4/21/25 CNS-3915106# SAN GABRIEL SUN

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

JOHN GAMBLE LEWIS CASE NO. 25STPB00215

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of JOHN GAMBLE LEWIS.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by MARK W. LEWIS in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that MARK W. LEWIS be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 05/12/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 11 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 knowledgeable in California law.

Attorney for Petitioner CLAYTON D. WILSON - SBN 40339 WILSON & WILSON 414 S. FIRST AVENUE ARCADIA CA 91006 Telephone (626) 574-1890 4/14, 4/17, 4/21/25 CNS-3915108# ARCADIA WEEKLY

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JAMIE LOU GARIS AKA JAMIE L. GARIS CASE NO. 25STPB03804

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of JAMIE LOU GARIS AKA JAMIE L. GARIS.

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

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that TJ GARIS 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. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 05/05/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 62 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

terested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Attorney for Petitioner

ARIELLE BASICH - SBN 358096

HAHN & HAHN LLP

301 E. COLORADO BLVD., 9TH FLOOR

PASADENA CA 91101

Telephone (626) 796-9123

4/14, 4/17, 4/21/25

CNS-3914880#

TEMPLE CITY TRIBUNE

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: ERIC JACK

CASE NO. 25STPB04020

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of ERIC JACK.

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

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

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 05/19/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 67 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 knowledgeable in California law.

Attorney for Petitioner SCOTT T. HOLMAN, ESQ. - SBN 315487 HOLMAN LAW GROUP, APC 316 W. FOOTHILL BLVD. MONROVIA CA 91016 Telephone (626) 358-1218 4/17, 4/21, 4/24/25 CNS-3915948# MONROVIA WEEKLY

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: DAVID C. SCOTT CASE NO. 25STPB04076

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of DA-

VID C. SCOTT. A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by AIDA V. SCOTT in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that AIDA V. SCOTT be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests the decedent’s WILL and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The WILL and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 05/23/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 99 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

Public

LEGALS

BURBANK INDEPENDENT

Monterey Park City Notices

LEGAL NOTICE CITY OF MONTEREY PARK

AN ORDINANCE IMPLEMENTING THE MONTEREY PARK GENERAL PLAN BY AMENDING TITLE 21 OF THE MONTEREY PARK MUNICIPAL CODE (“MPMC”) CONCERNING ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, REPLACEMENT HOUSING, AND ADMINISTRATIVE USE PERMITS (ZCA-25-01), AND AMENDING THE ZONING MAP BY ESTABLISHING THE RESIDENTIAL INCENTIVE ZONE (ZA-25-01)

The Monterey Park City Council introduced Ordinance No. 2261 at the March 19, 2025 regular City Council meeting. The Ordinance implements the Monterey Park 2040 Land Use Element (“LUE”) and Housing Element (“HE”) by: (1) aligning the MPMC with State accessory dwelling unit laws; (2) requiring replacement housing for units affordable to the same or lower income level as a condition of development on a nonvacant site; (3) resolving inconsistencies in the Administrative Use Permit (“AUP”) approval requirements for accessory use of on-site and off-site alcohol sales; and (4) establishing the Residential Incentive Zone (“RIZ”) and changing the zoning designation for specific properties allowing certain housing developments without any discretionary approvals.

Second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 2261 took place at the April 16, 2025 regular City Council meeting at 6:30 p.m., in the City of Monterey Park, California.

For a copy of Ordinance No. 2261, please contact the City Clerk’s office at (626) 307-1359.

Approved as submitted above:

Justin A. Tamayo, Assistant City Attorney

ATTEST: Maychelle Yee, City Clerk

Publish Apri 21, 2025 MONTEREY PARK PRESS

Probate Notices

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF JAMES F. SWEENEY, JR.

Case No. 25STPB03890

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of JAMES F. SWEENEY, JR.

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

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held on May 7, 2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 9 located at 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

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

must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

Attorney for Petitioner

ARIANA A. BURRIS - SBN 267371

SARAH BREWSAUGH - SBN 267359

BURRIS LAW APC

488 SOUTH GLASSELL STREET

ORANGE CA 92866

Telephone (714) 941-8122

BSC 226698

4/14, 4/17, 4/21/25

CNS-3914369# ONTARIO NEWS PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF JESSE RENE ACEBAL

Case No. 25STPB02159

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of JESSE RENE ACEBAL

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Clifford S. Acebal and Jesse Rene Acebal, Jr. in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

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: JASMIN ARYA ESQ SBN 347469

THE BURBANK FIRM L C 2312 WEST VICTORY BLVD STE 100 BURBANK CA 91506

CN115745 SWEENEY Apr 14,17,21, 2025

GLENDALE INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: VICTOR MANUEL OSORIO ROJAS

CASE NO. PROVA2500289

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of VICTOR MANUEL OSORIO ROJAS.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by VICTOR OSORIO, JR. in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that VICTOR OSORIO, JR. be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 05/20/25 at 9:00AM in Dept. F1 located at 17780 ARROW BLVD., FONTANA, CA 92335

IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JOYCE M. CHAPMAN CASE NO. 25STPB03791

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of JOYCE M. CHAPMAN.

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

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

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 05/07/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 29 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Clifford S. Acebal and Jesse Rene Acebal, Jr. be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held on May 29, 2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 5 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 knowledgeable in California law.

unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.)

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held on May 2, 2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 44 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 knowledgeable in California law.

ested 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

ANDREW BETHEL - SBN 335880 LAW OFFICES OF DALE K. BETHEL 631 NEW JERSEY ST., STE. 101 REDLANDS CA 92373

Telephone (909) 307-6282 4/14, 4/17, 4/21/25 CNS-3915626# PASADENA PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF LYDIA VIRGINIA MARQUEZ aka LYDIA MARQUEZ Case No. 25STPB04069 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of LYDIA VIRGINIA MARQUEZ aka LYDIA MARQUEZ A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Pauline Frances Irene Morales in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Pauline Frances Irene Morales be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

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

Attorney for Petitioner

MICHAEL G. EBINER, ESQ. - SBN 183499, EBINER LAW OFFICE 100 N. CITRUS ST., #520 WEST COVINA CA 91791 Telephone (626) 918-9000 4/14, 4/17, 4/21/25 CNS-3914941# WEST COVINA PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF VERA JANE CONTRERAS aka VERA CONTRERAS aka VERA J. CONTRERAS Case No. 25STPB03326

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of VERA JANE CONTRERAS aka VERA CONTRERAS aka VERA J. CONTRERAS

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Deborah Lynne Ellison in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Deborah Lynne Ellison be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

DARREN G REED ESQ SBN 273351 REED & REED APC 1901 AVENUE OF THE STARS STE 1100 LOS ANGELES CA 90067 CN115932 CONTRERAS Apr 14,17,21, 2025 GLENDALE INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: ROBYN E. FARLEY AKA ROBYN ELIZABETH FARLEY CASE NO. 25STPB03943

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of ROBYN E. FARLEY AKA ROBYN ELIZABETH FARLEY.

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

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that DEBRA ROSWELL 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. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 05/09/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 4 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held on May 21, 2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 67 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 appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: KATHRINE D STAPLETON

LA County board resumes funding to address youth homelessness

By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved the restoration of nearly $9.8 million for programs to address and prevent youth homelessness.

The motion by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Holly Mitchell received a 5-0 vote and resumes funding for “transitional age youth” and homelessness prevention programs. The move reverses cuts proposed in the county Chief Executive Office’s April 1 report on recommendations for the upcoming fiscal year.

Programs serving transitional age youth ages 16-25 at heightened risk of homelessness received a full $5.6 million restoration, while homelessness prevention services and legal and financial support programs got a

25% resumption of funding totaling over $3.4 million and $811,000, respectively.

The funds will come from redirected allocations within the county Public Defender’s Office, the joint city-county Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and the county Department of Health Services. LAHSA’s share is over $5.4 million, DHS will contribute nearly $3.9 million and the Public Defender’s Office will give just over $507,000.

“This restoration is about protecting our most vulnerable youth and ensuring we don’t let up on the progress we’ve made to prevent homelessness before it begins,”

Barger said in a statement.

“We’re sending a clear message that we need to keep these safety nets strong, especially for our young adults

trying to gain stability and independence.”

Supervisors also directed the Chief Executive Office to explore options for sustaining these programs in the future as part of the county’s regular and supplemental budget processes, including possible funding via the county Affordable Housing Solutions Agency.

“Our young people transitioning out of the County’s foster care system — which is the largest in the nation — are one of the most vulnerable populations to experience poverty that results in them becoming unhoused,” Mitchell said in a statement. “Ensuring funding is in place for the County’s Transitional Age Youth is a necessary investment in our fight to end the homelessness crisis.”

Public interest law firm challenges EIR for Irwindale industrial project

By City News Service

Saying that both proposals for a warehouse would be “grossly out of sync” with California’s climate-change policies, a public-interest law firm filed a legal action Tuesday asking a judge to order the city of Irwindale to set aside its approval for the use land near the San Gabriel River (605)Freeway pending the certification of a more sufficient environmental assessment.

The Los Angeles Superior Court petition filed by the Advocates for the Environment alleges that two options for warehouses at the Irwindale

Gateway Specific Plan project site on just over 66 acres in the 13600 block of Live Oak Lane would create significant greenhouse gas impacts.

One option for the land proposes is a 954,800 square-foot warehouse and the second 668,070 square feet.

“Either of the project’s options would be grossly out of sync with California’s climate-change policies,” the petition states.

On March 26, the City Council held a second reading of the Gateway ordinances in order to approve the project, the

petition further states.

Irwindale City Attorney Adrian R. Guerra did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the petition.

The city of Irwindale website states that the project proposes development of an industrial logistics and distribution center along with parking spaces and loading docks. According to the petition, the city released a final environmental impact report last October that found that the project’s impact on greenhouse gas emissions would be “significant and unavoidable.”

The city’s conclusion that further mitigation of the gases is not infeasible is contradicted by “substantial” evidence, the petition states. For example, the city could require the project applicant to agree to a enter into an agreement zeroemission heavy-duty truck fleet to the extent feasible and as soon as is reasonable, the petition further states.

“It is also feasible to enter into an agreement to purchase clean energy to offset the electricity usage of the project or engage in any other offset program,” according to the petition.

breathing-in lead-contaminated soil that can be tracked indoors on shoes or clothing.

Officials note children under 6 years old are more vulnerable because they are more likely to put their hands in their mouths after touching soil or even eat it.

The closed baseball infields are at Washington and Victory parks and community members who use those fields will be redirected to turf fields, city parks officials said.

Soil will be tested at Robinson Park, Hamilton Park and Alice’s Dog Park,

which are outside the identified neighborhoods and will remain open.

“We are taking proactive steps to help ensure that our parks are safe for all visitors, especially young children who are most vulnerable to lead exposure,” said Koko Panos-

sian, director of the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department.

The city encouraged soil testing in parks and youth sports fields with exposed soil, including but not limited to baseball diamonds, soccer, track and football fields within

the two neighborhoods and urged those areas be closed to public use until a qualified professional can conduct tests for heavy metals.

People who think they might have been exposed to lead in soil can request testing from their doctor or go to a

Quest Lab for a free blood lead test.

The city is offering free lead blood testing on April 27 from noon to 5 p.m. at Eaton Health Village/Pasadena Seventh Day Adventist Church, 1280 E. Washington Blvd.

Approximately 3,277 young people in LA County on any given night experience homelessness, according to the 2024 Los Angeles Youth Count.

| Photo by RossHelen/Envato

The proposed site for the Irwindale Gateway Specific Plan is bordered by Arrow Highway, the 605 Freeway and Live Oak Avenue. | Photo courtesy of the city of Irwindale

As reading proficiency slows, SoCal school districts serve as bright spots

By City News Service

Despitesignificant financial investment to improve literacy, students across California are still struggling, but a new report Wednesday highlighted how some Los Angeles County school districts are paving the way for better outcomes.

On Wednesday, Families In Schools, an organization dedicated to education for low-income, immigrant, and communities of color, released its second annual report on literacy performance, which showed that across half of LA County’s 80 school districts, fewer than 50% of third graders are proficient in reading, and only nine districts have achieved proficiency levels higher than 70%.

Additionally,disparities exist between students from high- and low-income communities.

According to the report — titled “Bright Spots in Los Angeles: School Districts Leading the Charge to Solve the Literacy Crisis” — two-thirds of third graders in more affluent districts are proficient in English language arts compared to one-third of third graders in districts serving more lowincome students.

State assessment data

from 2022-23 showed that too few students across California and the Los Angeles Unified School District are reading proficiently at key milestones of third, eighth and 11th grade. Overall scores for third and eighth graders increased from 43% in 2022-23 to 46% in 2023-24, and increased less than 1% to 56% for 11th grade.

Looking beyond the LAUSD, L.A. County scores either remained flat or increased by 1% to 3% for all student categories from 2022-23 to 2023-24. The study highlighted that sizable gaps exist between student groups in 2023-24, with a 14-point gap between Black students and students overall in third grade, and a 28-point gap between English learners and students overall in third grade.

However, some Southland school districts are leading the way in improving literacy outcomes for their students.

The report called the Bonita Unified and Garvey Elementary school districts — serving the San Gabriel Valley communities — as “bright spots” for their strong literacy outcomes as a result of what was described as the “science of reading” or SOR, an evidence-based

body of research about how students best learn to read.

The approach focuses on the different components of literacy such as phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing and oral language development.

With a student body of nearly 10,000, Bonita Unified had a third-grade reading proficiency level of 69% in the 2023-24 academic year. Black, Latino and lowincome third graders all had reading proficiency levels above 60%, with Englishlearners were nearly at 50% proficiency.

In the same school year, Garvey Elementary School District had 90% of its thirdand fifth-grade reclassifiedfluent English proficient students meeting or exceeding reading standards. The district had about 4,266 students enrolled, according to data from the California Department of Education.

Families In Schools said these two districts’ success was the result of key initiatives such as structured literacy practices, tiered interventions, data-driven instruction, ongoing professional development and creating a culture of literacy with families. Garvey Elementary also focused on biliteracy development

SGV man sentenced to 30 years in prison on child pornography charges

By City News Service

ASanGabrielValley

man was sentenced Monday to 30 years behind bars for producing and distributing child sexual abuse material.

David Lisandro Perez Figueroa, 23, of Monrovia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John F. Walter, who also ordered him to pay $2,799 in restitution and placed him on lifetime supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Perez Figueroa pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography.

From an unknown date until December 2023, Perez Figueroa recorded his sexual abuse of a child for the purpose of making a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct.

| Photo by FabrikaPhoto/Envato

In July 2023, Perez Figueroa distributed the material via the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in an account linked to himself.

British law enforcement investigating a target in the United Kingdom discovered the X chat logs with child

and offered English learners more support.

Meanwhile, Long Beach Unified and LAUSD were noted as two “districts to watch.”

Long Beach Unified has shifted away from a balanced literacy approach to structured literacy in recent years, emphasizing teacher training and data-driven interventions. District officials have set a goal of reaching 85% proficiency in foundational reading skill by the end of

second grade.

LAUSD is undergoing a districtwide shift toward structured literacy with 8,000 teachers having been trained in SOR, and creating a culture of reading within students’ families, according to the report.

“This is a civil rights issue. We cannot afford to let another generation of students fall behind due to ineffective literacy instruction,” Yolie Flores, president and CEO of Families In

Schools, said in a statement. “We hope this report inspires districts across Los Angeles and California to pursue evidence-based literacy strategies, including those shared by districts that have led to improved literacy outcomes. Now is the time for policymakers, educators, and community leaders to unite and ensure that every child — no matter their background — has access to the fundamental right of literacy.”

Man stabbed at Pasadena Metro station; person of interest in custody

Aperson of interest was is in custody Thursday following a stabbing that left a man critically injured at a Metro train station in Pasadena, authorities said.

The attack occurred about 7:45 a.m. at the Metro Sierra Madre Villa station, according to Pasadena Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian.

Paramedics took the victim, who suffered multiple stab wounds, to a hospital, Derderian said.

pornography and, soon after, notified federal law enforcement in the United States, according to court documents. Based on the information, federal agents executed a search warrant at Perez Figueroa’s residence on Dec. 5, 2023, and arrested him, court papers show.

“Metro is grateful to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department who found and assisted a person on the pedestrian bridge leading to the Sierra Madre Station on the A Line, after that person was injured following an apparent altercation,” according to a statement from Metro.

“The LASD took a person of interest into custody.

The LASD is leading the investigation,” according to the statement. “To ensure our riders can get to their destinations, Metro is currently operating a bus shuttle between the Allen and Arcadia Stations.”

The stabbing in Pasadena follows a similar incident last month at a Metro B

Line Universal City/ Studio City Station train in Studio

City, where a passenger was stabbed after an altercation. The suspect in the March 18 attack fled the scene, and the victim was hospitalized in stable condition.

Anyone with information about the Pasadena stabbing was encouraged to contact the LA Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-2228477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.

By City News Service

| Photo by wavebreakmedia/Envato

The Sierra Madre Villa station in Pasadena. | Photo courtesy of OrdinaryScarlett/Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)