Rosemead Reader_3/3/2025 by Beacon Media News

Rosemead Reader

EPA completes hazardous materials cleanup in wildfire areas

By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com

The removal of hazardous materials from areas devastated in the Eaton and Palisades fires has completed, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday.

Now that Phase 1 of the cleanup work is done, efforts to clear wildfire debris led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is now fully underway. During Phase 2 government crews or private contractors hired by property owners will remove the ash, wood and other debris that remain on thousands of properties in Altadena, Pasadena, Pacific Palisades and Malibu.

The hazardous waste removal finished within the 30 days that local officials requested.

Phase 1 first was expected to last for several months, however local and state officials asked the EPA to quicken the pace of its crews’ work and finish the process in 30 days to enable a sooner start to eventual rebuilding efforts.

During a briefing Wednesday morning at the county Hall of Administration in downtown Los Angeles, EPA Acting Regional Administrator Cheree Peterson said EPA crews did not remove hazardous substances from several thousand properties that officials deemed too dangerous to clear. The Corps of Engineers will

OUR

remove hazardous materials and other wastes from those properties during Phase 2 of the debris-removal program.

“EPA’s ability to complete this essential first phase of the cleanup is due to the dedication and hard work of our EPA staff and contractors, our federal, state and local partners, and the support of the community,” Tara Fitzgerald, EPA’s incident commander, said in a statement. “We recognize this is just the first step on the road to recovery and rebuild-

ing, and we will continue to support our partner agencies as they move through this process.”

EPA crews safely disposed of more than 1,000 lithiumion batteries from vehicles, homes and other battery powered products, according to the agency.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Tuesday that more than 4,400 properties had been deferred to Phase 2, while more than 9,000 others had been cleared by the EPA.

“Thanks to the hard work and dedication of hundreds of federal and state crews, the first phase of debris cleanup is coming to a close and we can turn our focus fully to structural debris removal,” Newsom said in a statement. “Under the leadership of EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, crews cleaned hazardous waste from thousands of properties in less than 30 days, a record pace

See Debris Page 27

EBy City News Service

ighteen people, including a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy, were indicted for allegedly taking part in a “sophisticated” Mexican Mafia operation to smuggle drugs into county jails.

The indictment stems from a sheriff’s department and FBI investigation that began in early 2022 into reports of drugs being smuggled into the county jail system, along with an attack on an inmate.

Among the defendants named in the indictment was sheriff’s Deputy Michael Meiser, 39, of Lancaster.

“Corruption and criminal activity will not be tolerated in our justice system — especially within our jails,” District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement. “Ensuring that our correctional facilities remain secure and free of illicit drugs is crucial to public safety. Those entrusted with upholding the law must be held to the highest standards, and we will aggressively prosecute those who betray that trust.”

The 51-page indictment details a criminal smuggling operation allegedly orchestrated by an organization controlled by the Mexican Mafia prison gang, and it outlines the alleged actions of the various defendants beginning in early 2022.

Charges in the indictment against various defendants include conspiracy to sell a controlled substance (heroin), participation in a criminal street gang-sale of a controlled substance (heroin), conspiracy to commit extortion, extortion, participation in a criminal street gang, assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, furnishing a controlled substance to a person in custody, possession for sale of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a felon and unlawful possession of ammunition,

Meiser is specifically charged with a non-inmate furnishing a controlled substance to a person in custody, attempted non-inmate furnishing a controlled substance to a person in custody, conspiracy to commit non-inmate furnishing a controlled substance to a person in custody and participation in a criminal street gang.

The indictment describes various security videos allegedly showing Meiser speaking to other defendants in the case, at one point handing a bag to one of the inmates, and in another instance receiving plastic grocery bag from a woman at a Lancaster gas station, containing about one pound of black tar heroin, which he then allegedly carried into the North County Correctional Facility.

EPA workers search for hazardous materials to remove from a property destroyed during the January firestorm. | Photo courtesy of Lee Zeldin/X

LA seeks to stop zoo nonprofit from allegedly misusing $50M

By City News Service

The city of Los Angeles is seeking a court order preventing a Los Angeles Zoo nonprofit established more than 60 years ago to help the city operate and develop the attraction from taking $50 million in surplus funds meant to benefit the zoo and use it instead for the nonprofit’s own benefit or interests.

The motion filed by the city on Tuesday with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kerry Bensinger stems from a lawsuit the city brought Dec. 20 against the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, alleging breach of contract and the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing as well as breach of fiduciary duty and conversion. The city also seeks an accounting and a judge’s declaration of the rights and duties of the parties.

GLAZA manages at least $50 million in an endowment and in other accounts made up of money that GLAZA raised on behalf of the city for the zoo’s benefit, the City Attorney’s Office states in its filing.

“Unless a preliminary injunction issues, GLAZA can and will dissipate Zoo funds for its post-contract

Huntington Beach City CouncilmanTony Strickland appeared Wednesday to be headed for a victory in the 36th Senate District special election without the need of a runoff with 51.1% of the vote, according to unofficial results.

Results will be certified by March 6, according to the Secretary of State’s Office with Strickland needing a majority to avoid a runoff.

“While ballots will still be counted in the next days, Strickland is winning this race outright on these early results. He will be Orange County’s next state senator,” according to a statement from the Orange County Republican Party issued at 10:34 p.m. Tuesday.

“We will continue to work shoulder-to-shoulder with the campaign to ensure every Republican voter in

operating and other expenses to the detriment of the zoo,” the City Attorney’s Office states in its court papers in advance of a scheduled May 14 hearing.

GLAZA also “can and will interfere with zoo operations, exercising control over the use and allocation of zoo assets...,” according to the City Attorney’s Office’s pleadings.

A GLAZA representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the filing.

GLAZA was founded in 1963. Last May, the parties entered an interim agreement to run through June 30 of this year designed to ensure the continuity of critical programs and services while the city completes the proposal process for the zoo’s longterm management, the suit states.

But GLAZA subsequently amended its articles to divide its loyalties and reserve the right to distribute assets other than the zoo if GLAZA winds down or dissolves, even though the organization was “effectively only ever permitted to raise funds on behalf of the city for the benefit of the zoo,” the suit states.

GLAZA also wrote the city a letter that “appeared to claim some exclusive interest over the zoo’s endowment” and asserted, among other things, that if anyone from the city believed that the city maintains any authority over the allocation of GLAZA’s endowment, they are “grossly mistaken,” the suit states.

GLAZA did not reply when the city sent the group a July letter reminding its members that the organization’s “very formation was for the exclusive purpose of assisting and aiding the city to benefit the zoo,” according to the suit.

On Oct. 17, GLAZA advised the city that the organization would continue in some capacity separate from the city after the interim agreement expires, according to the suit, which further alleges that GLAZA engaged in a “rapid succession of acts in breach of its contractual, good faith and fiduciary obligations to the detriment of the city and the zoo.”

GLAZA “seemingly began to devote resources to engage in fundraising efforts for purposes other than for the benefit of the zoo,” the suit alleges.

GLAZA unilaterally canceled the 2025 Beastly Ball, the zoo’s largest and most important annual fundraising event, which GLAZA is under contract to

stage, according to the suit, which also alleges GLAZA used the city’s own intellectual property to spread communications criticizing the city and the zoo.

Huntington Beach Councilman Strickland leads state Senate special election

the district has their ballot counted and cure every ballot necessary to send Strickland to Sacramento now. With over 58% of the vote going to Republicans, Orange County voters sent a clear message to Gov. (Gavin) Newsom and the legislators in Sacramento that we want bold, conservative leadership on quality-of-life issues like crime, everyday costs and homelessness.

“Rather than passing foolish, performative legislation to ‘Trump- proof’ California, leaders need to re-allocate priorities and remove artificial barriers creating myriad problems affecting us today. Tony Strickland will join the growing number of Republicans elected to the state legislature to fight for real solutions now.”

By City News Service

Strickland said in his candidate’s statement that on the City Council he has “been fighting non-stop to protect our city from Governor Newsom’s disastrous policies.”

Strickland, who has been endorsed by the Orange County Republican Party, added, “we have to get serious about better protecting our border to stop the importing of dangerous drugs and foreign criminals.”

Strickland represented a district encompassing parts of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties in the state Senate from 2008-12.

Jimmy D. Pham, an attorney and businessman, was second with 27%, according to results released by the Orange County Registrar of Voters and Los

Angeles County RegistrarRecorder/County Clerk. Fellow Democrat Julie Diep, a disability rights advocate and member of the Anaheim Elementary School District Board of Education, was third with 14.6%.

John Briscoe, a Republican who was a member of the Ocean View School District Board of Trustees for 16 years, was last in the field of four with 7.3% of the vote.

The district stretches from Artesia, Cerritos and Hawaiian Gardens in southeastern Los Angeles County to San Clemente and also includes all or portions of Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Emerald Bay, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, Garden Grove, Westminster, Fountain Valley, Midway, Stanton, Cypress, La Palma,

GLAZA also refused to provide member, donor, volunteer and other data, even though the city is the exclusive owner of all such information, the suit states.

Rossmoor and Los Alamitos.

The special election was necessitated by Janet Nguyen’s election to the Orange County Board of Supervisors in November.

| Photo courtesy of Sora Shimazaki/Pexels

| Photo by Eliot Phillips CC BY-NC 2.0

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RData

shows inflation’s negative effect on the diets of low-income earners

By Michael Howerton, Northwell Health via Stacker

ising inflation at the supermarkethas changedtheway Americans buy food, altering family menus and daily diets as shoppers stretch their dollars to feed their families. Higher food prices hurt those with lower incomes the most, limiting access to healthy food and impacting longterm health.

In particular, the price of healthy foods has surged. One study from the University of Warwick found that Americans pay 40% more for fruits and vegetables due to enormous fixed costs in supplying them to markets, resulting in less consumption of these healthier foods. A 2022 national survey by the Cleveland Clinic found that the perceived high cost of healthy food was the biggest barrier to a healthier diet, with nearly half, 46%, of respondents saying so.

The result is that Americans are compensating by eating too many sugary and ultra-processed foods — which tend to be cheaper and more durable — and not enough fruits, vegetables, and other nutrient-rich whole foods. Despite government programs encouraging and subsidizing healthy foods, the problem is only growing.

“There’s evidence that inflation continues to shape food choices, particularly for low-income Americans who prioritize price over healthfulness,” Constance BrownRiggs, a registered nurse and nutritionist specializing in diabetes care, told Stacker.

2 scored an average of 58 out of 100, which is hardly encouraging.

“It has become increasingly clear that diet-related chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, liver disease, some types of cancer, and dental caries [cavities], pose a major public health problem for Americans,” the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans report found. Adults over 60 did a bit better, averaging a score of 61.

According to the International Food Information Council’s 2024 Food & Health Survey, at least 3 in 4 American consumers cited price as a key driver of food purchases; however, just over half, 55%, of low-income households ranked healthfulness as a top factor. In contrast, the healthfulness of food purchases only became more important than the price for those households earning $100,000 or more.

“These results highlight the disparity in how income influences food priorities,” Brown-Riggs said, adding that higher food prices often increase food insecurity. “These shifts increase the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.”

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Healthy Eating Index reflects this need for better-quality American diets. The most recent index found that Americans above the age of

Northwell Health partnered with Stacker to examine how rising prices for healthy foods impact low-income families, using data from the USDA’s Healthy Eating Index.

Americans aren’t eating enough whole foods

While several factors contribute to the quality of American diets, rising prices are a meaningful component. With the cost of goods rising across the economy, consumers must make difficult choices regarding necessities like food.

The USDA estimates that 18 million households experienced food insecurity in 2023, an increase of 1 million households since 2022. About 3.2 million families with children under 18 had to reduce or skip their meals altogether. With increasing costs at the cash register, everyday healthy foods may be too expensive for millions of Americans. As a result, many are skimping to fill their shopping carts, but more affordable foods can sometimes come at a higher cost to their long-term

health.

When cost is a factor, more people opt for these processed foods, which tend to be cheaper, have longer shelf lives, and produce a short-term feeling of being full due to containing higher carbohydrates, Aimee Aristotelous — nutritionist and bestselling author of nutrition books like “Almost Keto” and “The Whole Food Pregnancy Plan” — told Stacker.

“These items are convenient, calorie-dense, widely accessible, and marketed aggressively,” Aristotelous said. Cheap and easily available items like this include breakfast cereals, pasta, deli meats, ultra-processed snack foods, sugary beverages, shelf-stable and frozen meals and packaged desserts.

“The health implications of these processed foods are dire, as most consist of empty calories that offer little nutrition,” Aristotelous added. In other words, she said, the average American diet, when cost-conscious, lacks sufficient whole foods.

Local and state governments work to improve food access Government-funded programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children — better known as SNAP and WIC, respectively — are two primary food assistance programs that provide low-income Americans with resources to purchase healthy food. Many use these benefits to buy fruits, vegetables, meat,

poultry, fish, dairy products, bread and cereals, eggs and baby foods and formulas.

Many local programs also try to alleviate some of the burden of high prices at the cash register. For instance, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation invests in food outlets like groceries, food co-ops and farmers markets in urban and rural communities nationwide to support healthy food distribution. Another example is New York City’s Green Carts program, which works to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables in its neighborhoods.

As much as these advocacy and subsidy programs help, the downward trend in healthy eating is pervasive. Inflation makes shopping for healthy food harder but not impossible. It’s about habits as much as price tags.

“An effective way to allocate more money to healthy foods is to eliminate empty-calorie foods and beverages from the grocery list,” Aristotelous said. “Soda, packaged desserts and chips are actually quite expensive in comparison to other nutritious selections.”

For example, she said, $5 can buy a six-pack of CocaCola or a gallon of milk. It can purchase five pounds of bananas or a large bunch of broccoli, while a bag of chips could be the same price.

“Whole foods that are less expensive than many unhealthy processed foods include sweet potatoes,

| Photo courtesy of Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock/Stacker

DOGE gains access to confidential records on housing discrimination, medical details — even domestic violence

By Jesse Coburn, ProPublica

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has gained access to a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development system containing confidential personal information about hundreds of thousands of alleged victims of housing discrimination, including victims of domestic violence.

Access to the system, called the HUD Enforcement Management System, or HEMS, is typically strictly limited because it contains medical records, financial files, documents that may list Social Security numbers and other private information. DOGE sought access, and HUD granted it last month, according to information reviewed by ProPublica and two officials familiar with the matter.

This is just the latest collection of sensitive personal information that DOGE has tried to access in recent weeks. It has also sought personal taxpayer data kept by the IRS and information on Social

Security benefit recipients, and it attempted to enter the Treasury Department’s payment systems. DOGE’s stated mission is to modernize government technology and cut excessive or improper spending. The administration of President Donald Trump has argued that DOGE needs “direct access” to such systems to eliminate “waste, fraud and abuse.”

DOGE’s data-gathering moves at some agencies have sparked forceful pushback, including lawsuits over alleged privacy violations and opposition from career officials who have resigned or retired following access requests. Judges have temporarily blocked DOGE from gaining access to records at the Department of Education, the Office of Personnel Management and the Treasury Department. And, faced with resistance, DOGE agreed to view only anonymized taxpayer data at the IRS.

Few records in the HUD system are redacted or anonymized, and many contain

deeply personal material about those who have alleged or been accused of housing discrimination. Domestic violence case files can list addresses to which survivors have relocated for their safety. Harassment cases can include detailed descriptions

information is mishandled or leaked.

The episode is one of many roiling HUD, where the Trump administration is reportedly considering a 50% cut to the nearly 10,000person workforce. The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, which combats housing discrimination, may see its roughly 500-person staff cut by as much as 76%, according to an unconfirmed projection circulating widely among HUD employees and viewed by ProPublica.

of sexual assaults. Disability cases can include detailed medical records. Lending discrimination files could feature credit reports and bank statements. The names of witnesses who offered information — in some cases anonymously — about landlords accused of discrimination are among the files as well.

HUD enforces numerous civil rights laws, including the Fair Housing Act and aspects of the Violence Against Women Act and the Americans With Disabilities Act. Such statutes collectively prohibit housing discrimination on the basis of race, sex, national origin, disability and other characteristics.

HUD officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, voiced concern that DOGE’s access to HEMS could violate the privacy rights of discrimination victims and potentially put them at risk if their

Civil liberties advocates expressed alarm about DOGE’s access to the HUD data, saying it may violate the Privacy Act. “It’s difficult to see why a system dedicated to civil rights complaints would have any impact whatsoever on a department looking for inefficiencies in governmental spending,” said Cody Venzke, senior policy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union.

Venzke suggested DOGE may use HEMS data as a basis for scaling back housing discrimination enforcement. “There is deep concern that DOGE is not there to identify government inefficiencies, but rather to shutter programs that the administration disagrees with,” he said.

John Davisson, director of litigation at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, which is suing DOGE and other federal agencies and officials over DOGE’s access, contended that the department had gained access to HEMS and systems like it “under the false pretenses of identifying fraud and abuse, when what’s really going on is DOGE is trying to gain control over these databases to direct the activities of federal agencies.”

Spokespeople for HUD, the White House and DOGE did not respond to requests for comment (including a question to DOGE about what it plans to do with HEMS). After this article was published, Kasey Lovett, HUD’s head of public affairs, emailed ProPublica and stated, “to be clear, DOGE does not have access to HEMS.” Lovett declined to provide on-the-record evidence for her assertion.

HUD’s Fair Housing office receives tens of thousands of housing discrimination allegations or inquiries annually and investigates — or assigns to state or local agencies — around 8,000 of them each year. Those investigations can last months or years and lead to financial settlements, compliance monitoring and policy reforms by landlords, mortgage lenders, local zoning officials and homeowners associations.

Access to HEMS is usually limited to Fair Housing staffers, HUD attorneys and auditors, and state and local investigators. However, DOGE requested entry, and HUD granted read-only access last month to Michael Mirski, who has a HUD email address and whom officials at the housing agency have identified in internal discussions as being affiliated with DOGE. Mirski did not respond to a request for comment. Update, Feb. 26, 2025: This article has been updated to include comment from HUD’s head of public affairs, which was provided only after the article was published. Doris Burke contributed research.

Republished with Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).

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

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. | Photo by F Delventhal CC BY 2.0

California children’s advocates speak out against impending immigration raids

By Suzanne Potter, Producer, Public News Service

California is bracing for large-scale immigration raids - and groups that advocate for children are speaking out against the climate of fear.

Recently an 11-year-old girl in Texas committed suicide after allegedly being bullied about her family’s immigration status.

Mayra Alvarez - the president of The Children’s Partnership, which is based in LA - said the sense of dread that a parent might be deported is extremely stressful and can lead to physical illness.

“That day to day worrying,” said Alvarez, “that leads to a host of health issues, everything from increased anxiety, and depression, to stomachaches, to behaviors that aren’t reflective of who they are.”

Almost half of California’s 9 million children have at least one immigrant parent. One in ten, or about a million children, have an undocumented parent. And one in five lives in a mixedstatus family.

California legislators passed Assembly Bill 699 to protect immigrant students, but schools cannot block Immigration and Customs

Enforcement from coming on campus if they have a court order.

The Trump administration has changed the rules to clear the way for immigration raids in sensitive locations like churches, hospitals, and schools - something Alvarez condemned.

“Immigration enforcement actions shouldn’t unnecessarily deter immigrants - again, many of those immigrants are parents of U.S. citizen children - from participating in those very essential activities,” said Alvarez, “dropping their

Inflation

lettuces, cabbage, carrots, squash, beans, lentils, quinoa, oranges, frozen berries, apples, canned fish, ground beef and poultry,” Aristotelous said. “Not only does it cut significant expenses, but drinking water as one’s primary beverage is also the most beneficial beverage option for wellness.”

Brown-Riggs offered two main tips for budget-friendly healthy meal planning: Buy in bulk and choose plantbased proteins. Nonperishable items like whole grains, beans, and frozen vegetables can be purchased in large quantities to save money over time. Plantbased protein sources, such as beans and lentils, as well as eggs and canned fish, are also available and are often more affordable than meat.

Beyond the prices on store shelves, healthy eating is a complex issue that requires attention — and not just on an individual level. As the American Heart Association pointed out, structural racism and neighborhood

segregation plays a role in what gets on people’s plates. These systemic issues have created “food deserts” and environments that often burden Black and Hispanic communities.

The government defines a food desert as an area with a poverty rate of at least 20% and where at least 33% of the population live more than 1 mile, or 10 miles in rural areas, from a grocery store. In these communities, residents often need access to public transit or a car and gas to reach their nearest supermarket.

This makes it even more expensive to find healthy foods as transportation is the second-highest household expense behind housing and has also undergone widespread inflationary increases. Research has found that fast-food restaurants and advertising for processed foods and beverages often proliferate in food deserts, making them an unhealthy but far more convenient and affordable

kids off at school, going to the doctor, going to church or other religious services.”

Advocates are praising local efforts to inform people of their rights and help parents make a plan in case a family member is detained by agents with ICE.

Disclosure: The Children’s Partnership contributes to Public News Service’s fund for reporting on Children’s Issues, Immigrant Issues, Mental Health, Youth Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, visit https:// www.publicnewsservice.org/ dn1.php.

choice.

Apart from individual financial support, efforts can also be made to mount larger initiatives, such as installing gardens at schools, incentivizing grocery stores to be set up in underserved neighborhoods, and education programs that inform people about the benefits of healthy eating.

“We need a huge effort from a lot of fronts,” prominent nutrition scholar Penny Kris-Etherton told the American Heart Association. “It needs to be across the board from multiple domains, and it really has to be intertwined.”

Data work by Elena Cox. Story editing by Carren Jao and Elisa Huang. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.

This story originally appeared on Northwell Health and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. The article was copy edited and retitled from its original version. Republished with CC BY-NC 4.0 license.

Photo by Fuu J on Unsplash

Anxiety mounts among Social Security recipients as DOGE troops settle in

By Eli Hager, ProPublica

President Donald Trump was asked at a press conference last month if there were any federal agencies or programs that Elon Musk’s newly formed Department of Government Efficiency wouldn’t be allowed to mess with.

“Social Security will not be touched,” Trump answered, echoing a promise he has been making for years. Despite his eagerness to explode treaties, shutter entire government agencies and abandon decades-old ways of doing things, the president understands that Social Security benefits for seniors are sacrosanct.

Still, the DOGE team landed at the Social Security Administration last month, with Musk drawing attention for his outlandish claims that large numbers of 150-year-old “vampires” are receiving Social Security payments. DOGE has begun installing its own operatives, including an engineer linked to tweets promoting eugenics and executives with a cut-first-fix-later philosophy, in multiple top positions at the Social Security Administration. Their first wave of actions — initiating the elimination of 41 jobs and the closing of at least 10 local offices, so far — was largely lost in the rush of headlines. Those first steps might seem restrained compared with the mass firings that DOGE has pursued at other federal agencies. But Social Security recipients rely on in-person service in all 50 states, and the shuttering of offices, reported on DOGE’s website to include locations everywhere from rural West Virginia to Las Vegas, could be hugely consequential. The closures potentially reduce access to Social Security for some of the most vulnerable people in this country — including not just retirees but also indi-

viduals with severe physical and intellectual disabilities, as well as children whose parents have died and who’ve been left in poverty.

The Social Security Administration, headquartered just outside Baltimore, has more than 1,200 regional and field offices — nearly a fifth of all of the federal government’s offices nationwide. There are 119,000 visitors to these brick-and-mortar facilities every business day. Many of them do not have high levels of computer and internet literacy and need someone to help them through all the legalese of a nearly centuryold social program with a wonky user interface. This is also where elderly people can apply for Medicare, which doesn’t have physical outposts of its own. And it’s where hearings are held — due process provided — for beneficiaries who believe that they have been unfairly kicked off of desperately needed assistance.

“It’s where people access government,” said Kathleen Romig, a longtime expert on the program at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities who recently served at the Social Security Administration in a temporary capacity.

In the event of more Social Security office closures like the ones that the Trump administration has begun pursuing — the president is broadly moving to close a range of offices and has even floated the idea of terminating every single federal lease — it is disproportionately poor people with lower levels of education who will become less likely to apply for and get help, research on past closures has found.

The White House press office did not respond to a request for comment. But in a recent Fox News interview, press secretary Karoline

Leavitt criticized “fake news reporters” for “fearmongering” about Social Security’s future under the Trump administration. She said that Musk is only going after fraud and waste in the program.

The roughly 15 million recipients of Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance benefits — many of whom are severely disabled and destitute, or are orphans — are among the least politically powerful people in the U.S. Many told ProPublica that the distance to their closest Social Security office is already long, and that wait times to get a representative on the phone or a claim or an appeal processed can range from hours to years. Even before Trump was inaugurated, the agency’s staffing levels were at a 50-year low due to a decade of budget caps and cuts authored by congressional Republicans.

Several SSI and SSDI beneficiaries in rural areas told ProPublica that they have been watching with anxiety as Trump and Musk slash through federal agencies, knowing that any further office or staffing cuts to the Social Security Administration could be catastrophic for them.

Bryan Dooley, a 34-yearold with cerebral palsy who lives outside of Winston Salem, North Carolina, uses a wheelchair and struggles with speaking (he communicated with me through a caretaker). He said that his Social Security benefits, which he receives directly because of his disability and because that disability entitles him to a portion of his late mother’s Social Security, were mistakenly cut off several months ago. As he fights to get the assistance turned back on, he has been depleting his savings account trying to pay his mortgage.

“I really want to stay in the house where I lived with my mother,” he said. “Otherwise it’s a 24-hour care facility for me.”

Dooley, who works part time for a nonprofit called Solutions for Independence that helps others with disabilities, said that “we’re all watching” the developments at the Social Security Administration. If his local office were to be closed, he noted, he might have to coordinate with a caretaker or family member to take him 100 miles to Raleigh for administrative hearings on his benefits; scheduling appointments, already extremely difficult, would become almost impossible. “It would be a nightmare for all of us,” he said.

That nightmare is now on its way to becoming a reality in White Plains, New York, the site of one of the agency’s hearing offices on DOGE’s list of closures. According to a letter that New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand recently sent to the Social Security Administration, the White Plains office, which serves beneficiaries across seven counties, currently has more than 2,000 cases pending. Starting

in May, elderly and disabled people across the region will have to travel up to 135 miles to the next-closest office, which for some of them will be in another state.

“Does the Administration have plans to close additional SSA offices?” Gillibrand asked.

The Social Security Administration declined to respond to a detailed list of questions about DOGE’s recent efforts at the agency, including the 10 office closures and staffing reductions. A spokesperson did provide a brief statement on the White Plains situation, saying that the agency had been informed by the General Services Administration that the White Plains office’s lease would not be renewed and that there are no plans to replace the office. Many hearings will take place online through video and audio, the spokesperson said.

DOGE’s capture of the Social Security Administration began last month when Trump elevated to acting commissioner a lowlevel official named Leland Dudek.

In a since-deleted LinkedIn post, Dudek

acknowledged that he had been surreptitiously feeding information to DOGE before his promotion. “I confess,” he wrote. “I helped DOGE understand SSA. I mailed myself publicly accessible documents and explained them to DOGE… I confess. I bullied agency executives, shared executive contact information, and circumvented the chain of command to connect DOGE with the people who get stuff done.” He added: “Everything I have ever done is in service to our country, our beneficiaries, and our agency.”

After Dudek was put in charge of the agency, he told staff that he hoped to reassure them that “our continuing priority is paying beneficiaries the right amount at the right time, and providing other critical services people rely on from us.” He also rebutted some of Musk’s claims regarding widescale Social Security fraud.

In a separate meeting, he told Trump administration officials and congressional staffers that one of his

| Photo by Alpha Photo CC BY-NC 2.0

Government workers speak out on DOGE demands

By Suzanne Potter, Producer, Public News Service

Federal workers said they are reeling after weeks of job cuts and a demand from Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency for workers to justify their jobs.

All federal workers received an email asking for five bullet points on what they accomplished last month.

SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has been given the unofficial power of overseeing the effort, said on social media failure to respond would be taken as a resignation and President Donald Trump reiterated the point at a news conference last week.

Dave, a worker at the Department of Veterans Affairs, who asked us not to use his real name, said it has been a stressful time.

“There’s definitely a fear, wondering if our work ethics are good enough to remain on staff,” Dave observed.

“Many of us have responded to the email. So we have followed directions, but it’s still that sense of microman-

agement that is making us feel very insecure.” Musk and the DOGE advisory group have claimed,

without offering proof, they have uncovered hundreds of billions of dollars in federal employee fraud, including

DOGE

paychecks issued to nonexistent workers. DOGE faces legal challenges from unions, businesses, and advocacy

groups. Amid an atmosphere of confusion, many agency managers appointed by Trump are advising employees not to comply with the email, citing privacy and security concerns.

Dave said as a person of color who joined the federal service after serving in the military, he is also concerned diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are being terminated.

“If two people walk into an office, one person was of color and the other person was not, they probably both have similar qualifications,” Dave noted. “But that person of color worked just a slight bit harder. There have been statistics that have proved in the past that they tend to favor their white candidates.”

Trump has claimed DEI initiatives intended to help people in less-favored groups succeed are themselves a form of discrimination.

new ideas is to “outsource” the jobs of Social Security Administration call center employees, The Wall Street Journal reported Feb. 20.

Still, DOGE has proceeded more carefully with firings and layoffs at the Social Security Administration than it has at other agencies. Whereas aviation safety and nuclear security specialists, veterans affairs staff and firefighters, medical researchers and many others have all been forced out of their jobs by DOGE in recent weeks, it wasn’t until Feb. 20 that a much smaller number of recently hired or recently promoted Social Security staff started receiving emails saying that their jobs were not “mission critical.”

According to emails shared with ProPublica, these staff members had eight hours to decide if they wanted to request another job within the agency, likely at lower pay and in another city (such a job would not be guaranteed, and relocation expenses would not be covered).

These emails appear to have gone out largely to Social Security Administration policy staff and lawyers, including those who help administrative law judges write decisions in disability cases — decisions that may now take longer and potentially have more errors in them as a

result, one agency official told ProPublica. “Claimants will have adverse effects in terms of delay and also losing benefits that they might otherwise be entitled to,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. Social Security disability cases already have huge backlogs at the hearing stage, often taking more than a year.

Still, notably, employees “serving the public directly,” like those in field offices, were spared from these layoffs, at least for now.

That said, staff at Social Security’s regional offices around the country were not listed as “mission critical,” reflecting a further misunderstanding on DOGE’s part of what disabled people in particular need from the agency, legal aid attorneys in multiple states told ProPublica. When a lowincome SSI or SSDI recipient has a problem that a front-line rep at a field office can’t explain or fix, or is just too overloaded with cases to deal with, it is regional staff who can help resolve the situation. When a person with an intellectual disability doesn’t understand why their benefits are being cut off or why they haven’t received notices in the mail about their case, regional staff can look through the

case file and figure out what to do.

Regional staff do not yet appear to have been affected by DOGE’s layoffs, but many are now feeling on edge. One regional team leader, who also spoke anonymously for fear of retaliation, said that “nobody knows how the RIF [Reduction in Force] is going to work” in the coming days, weeks and months. Offices could be closed at the same time that remote staff are ordered to return to an office, creating a situation in which some SSA employees will face multiple-hour commutes each way every day, all but forcing them to leave their jobs and thus stop serving beneficiaries.

“We think that’s the plan, so that they don’t have to explicitly do as many layoffs” at an agency as popular and heretofore untouchable as the Social Security Administration, said Jessica LaPointe, a council president for the American Federation of Government Employees. LaPointe represents Social Security’s field office and teleservice workers.

That’s not to mention the attrition that could result from the low morale that has been spreading across Social Security Administration employees’ Signal threads and blogs last month; the agency

is already the most overworked and demoralized of nearly any across the federal government, surveys of federal workers have found.

“And meanwhile the beneficiary ranks just keep exploding,” the regional team leader said. (The number of Social Security recipients has grown by over 13 million since 2010, as Baby Boomers surge into retirement.)

Even maintaining level staffing, several Social Security experts told ProPublica, would, in population-adjusted terms, amount to a major reduction in the program’s ability to provide benefits and services to its clients.

Martin O’Malley, a Democrat who was commissioner of the Social Security Administration from December 2023 to November 2024 and also previously served as governor of Maryland, told ProPublica that he believes last month marked just the start of what might be a long four years for Social Security. “The American people through a lifetime of work earn not only these benefits but the customer service necessary to process these benefits,” he said. “Their money went to that, too.”

Trump and Musk “are going to break the largest, most important social program in America,” O’Malley predicted — even if they have to do so gradually.

In recent years, the Social Security Administration along with the U.S. Digital Service were working to make it simpler for people with disabilities to apply for Social Security benefits. Officials conducted surveys of poor, elderly and disabled SSI applicants about what would make the process less burdensome, and they then began creating a simplified application — with plain-language questions and some pre-populated answers — that would eventually be available to complete on paper, by phone or online.

The goal was to reduce the time that applicants spend applying for benefits as well as the time that agency staff spend processing those applications. Or, in other words: government efficiency.

Yet these efforts have been slowed now that Trump has renamed the U.S. Digital Service the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency Service.

“In conversations with regular people about how Social Security could be more efficient, they usually say that they want more staff on the phone lines and taking appointments, and more office locations, so that they don’t have to wait 60 days after their spouse or parent died, or wait for months after developing a life-changing disability,”

said Romig of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “Right now we’re hearing all these generalities about the government being too big, rather than a focus on individual people trying to access services from that government.”

Which of these philosophies the Social Security Administration adheres to for the remainder of Trump’s time in office will depend in part on which is embraced by Frank Bisignano, Trump’s nominee to become the permanent agency commissioner, who will replace Dudek once confirmed by the Senate. Bisignano’s attitude toward Social Security, its staffing, its regional and field offices, and its customer service hasn’t yet fully come into focus. He hasn’t yet been questioned at a confirmation hearing.

What is known about Bisignano is that he’s an experienced finance executive who oversees a $20 billion company. And that during his time as CEO of Fiserv, the paymentprocessing giant, his company generated savings by closing about a hundred locations and terminating thousands of employees, providing them with the opportunity to apply for other roles.

Republished with Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).

Department of Veterans Affairs. | Photo by Jason Kuffer CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

File your DBA with us at filedba.com

Probate Notices

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Kerry K. Killian, Kerry Katherine Killian, Kerry Killian

CASE NO.

30-2024-01426872-PR-LACMC

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: Kerry K. Killian, Kerry Katherine Killian, Kerry Killian

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Jessica Lea Killian in the Superior Court of California, County of Orange.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Jessica Lea Killian be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act with limited authority . (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an 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 04/10/2025 at 1:30 in Dept. CM07 located at 3390 HARBOR BLVD COSTA MESA CA 92626

COSTA MESA JUSTICE CENTER.

NOTICE IN PROBATE CASES

The court is providing the convenience to appear for hearing by video using the court’s designated video platform. This is a no cost service to the public. Go to the Court’s website at The Superior Court of California - County of Orange (occourts.org) to appear remotely for Probate hearings and for remote hearing instructions. If you have difficulty connecting or are unable to connect to your remote hearing, call 657-622-8278 for assistance. If you prefer to appear in-person, you can appear in the department on the day/ time set for your hearing.

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 (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. Petitioner In Pro Per: Jessica Lea Killian 1304 Santa Ynez Ave. #324

Chula Vista, CA 91913

Telephone: 619-995-5100

2/24, 2/27, 3/3/25 CNS-3868333# ANAHEIM PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

STACEY E. DARDEN

CASE NO. 25STPB01810

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in

the WILL or estate, or both of STACEY E. DARDEN. A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by GERRY M. DARDEN in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that GERRY M. DARDEN 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: 03/21/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 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 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 GREG LAWRENCE, ESQ. - SBN 82243 GREG LAWRENCE, ATTORNEY AT LAW 9854 NATIONAL BLVD., #216 LOS ANGELES CA 90034

Telephone (310) 839-8352 2/24, 2/27, 3/3/25 CNS-3898091# PASADENA PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: LARRY KEITH KLEINBERG AKA LARRY K. KLEINBERG CASE NO. 25STPB01827

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of LARRY KEITH KLEINBERG AKA LARRY K. KLEINBERG.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by E. PAUL BRODSKY in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that E. PAUL BRODSKY 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.

LEGALS

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: 03/20/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 4 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

JONATHAN A. KARP, ESQ. - SBN 71423

THOMPSON COBURN LLP 10100 SANTA MONICA BLVD., SUITE 500 LOS ANGELES CA 90067

Telephone (310) 282-2500 2/24, 2/27, 3/3/25

CNS-3898784# BURBANK INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF WILLIAM R. SANCHEZ

Case No. 25STPB01801

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of WILLIAM R. SANCHEZ

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Daniel William Sanchez in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Daniel William Sanchez 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 on March 20, 2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 11 located at 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

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:

JEFFREY D CAVIN ESQ

SBN 164872

LAW OFFICES OF JEFFREY D CAVIN

251 E IMPERIAL HIGHWAY

STE 471

FULLERTON CA 92835

CN114452 SANCHEZ

Feb 27, Mar 3,6, 2025

MONTEREY PARK PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

SUSAN CAROL CHANDLER AKA SOOZIN KAROL CHANDLER

CASE NO. 25STPB01942

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of SUSAN CAROL CHANDLER AKA SOOZIN KAROL CHANDLER.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by SHARON ELAINE ENGELHARDT in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that SHARON ELAINE ENGELHARDT 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 in this court as follows: 03/28/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 99 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

In Pro Per Petitioner

SHARON ELAINE ENGELHARDT 615 HAMPSHIRE RD. APT. 351 WESTLAKE VILLAGE CA 91361 2/27, 3/3, 3/6/25 CNS-3899194# BURBANK INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF EDDIE LEZAMA RUBIO aka MANUEL LEZAMA GOMEZ Case No. 25STPB02001

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of EDDIE LEZAMA RUBIO aka MANUEL LEZAMA GOMEZ

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by G. Mark Santa Anna in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that G. Mark Santa Anna 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 April 2, 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.

Attorney for petitioner: KRISTINE M BORGIA ESQ SBN276777

KRISTINE M BORGIA LAW CORP 3963 11TH ST STE 202 RIVERSIDE CA 92501 PH: (951) 823-5138 FAX: (760) 304-8735 CN114457

RUBIO Feb 27, Mar 3,6, 2025 ALHAMBRA PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: DAVID LEWIS MASSEY CASE NO. 25STPB01679

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

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by VIRGINIA MAE BELL in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that VIRGINIA MAE BELL 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 in this court as follows: 03/17/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 9 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA

90012

IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the 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.

WEI C. WONG - SBN 116428 LAW OFFICES OF WEI C. WONG 716 SOUTH GARFIELD AVENUE ALHAMBRA CA 91801

Telephone (626) 289-9885 2/27, 3/3, 3/6/25

BURBANK INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: DONALD PAUL SERRATO CASE NO. 25STPB02041 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of DONALD PAUL SERRATO.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by KENNETH BOWER in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that KENNETH BOWER 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: 03/27/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 62 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA

90012

Business: San Bernardino

This business is conducted by: a individual. Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. By signing below, I declare that I have read and understand the reverse side of this form and that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Government Code Sections 62506277). /s/ Laticia Conerly. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on January 31, 2025 Notice- In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920. A Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code) File#: FBN20250000932 Pub: 02/10/2025, 02/17/2025, 02/24/2025, 03/03/2025 San Bernardino Press

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN20250000775 The following persons are doing business as: Bartley Precision, 32488 Avenue E, Yucaipa, CA 92399. Mailing Address, 32488 Avenue E, Yucaipa, CA 92399. Andrea Bartley, 32488 Avenue E, Yucaipa, CA 92399. County of Principal Place of Business: San Bernardino This business is conducted by:

a individual. Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. By signing below, I declare that I have read and understand the reverse side of this form and that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Government Code Sections 62506277). /s/ Andrea Bartley. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on January 27, 2025 Notice- In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920. A Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code) File#: FBN20250000775 Pub: 02/10/2025, 02/17/2025, 02/24/2025, 03/03/2025 San Bernardino Press

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN20250000166

The following persons are doing business as: Elite BioTransport, Inc., 3281 E Guasti Road Suite 700, Ontario, CA 91761. Mailing Address, 3281 E Guasti Road Suite 700, Ontario, CA 91761. Lee Delivery & Transportation Services, Inc. (CA, 10808 Foothill Blvd Suite 160-578, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730; Erick Hall Sr., Chief Executive Officer. County of Principal Place of Business: San Bernardino This business is conducted by: a corporation. Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on January 8, 2025. By signing below, I declare that I have read and understand the reverse side of this form and that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Government Code Sections 6250- 6277). /s/ Erick Hall Sr., Chief Executive Officer. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on January 8, 2025 Notice- In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920. A Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious

Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code) File#: FBN20250000166 Pub: 02/10/2025, 02/17/2025, 02/24/2025, 03/03/2025 San Bernardino Press

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20256709363. The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Serava, 1261 N Lakeview Ave Ste J #2030, Anaheim, CA 92807. Full Name of Registrant(s) Renes Trading LLC (CA, 1261 N Lakeview Ave Ste J #2030, Anaheim, CA 92807. This business is conducted by a limited liability company (llc). Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. Serava. /S/ Mohammad Kiani, Managing Member. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Orange County on February 14, 2025. Publish: Anaheim Press 02/24/2025, 03/03/2025, 03/10/2025, 03/17/2025

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as E & D CLEANING SERVICES 83400 Gemini St Apt 7 A Indio, CA 92201 Riverside County Ana Maria Pardo, 83400 Gemini St Apt 7 A, Indio, CA 92201 Riverside County This business is conducted by: a individual. Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousands dollars ($1000).)

s. Ana Maria Pardo Statement filed with the County of Riverside on February 3, 2025

NOTICE: In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of the five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any changes in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 Et Seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Peter Aldana, County, Clerk File# R-202501615 Pub. 02/24/2025, 03/03/2025, 03/10/2025, 03/17/2025 Riverside Independent

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN20250001845

The following persons are doing

business as: Roof Now, 473 E Carnegie Dr, San Bernardino, CA 92408. Mailing Address, 473 E Carnegie Dr, San bernardino, CA 92408. EcoHome Specialties (CA 5843899, 19 E. Citrus Ave 201, Redlands, CA 92373; Jaron Gallagher, CEO. County of Principal Place of Business: San Bernardino This business is conducted by: a corporation. Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on February 24, 2025. By signing below, I declare that I have read and understand the reverse side of this form and that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Government Code Sections 62506277). /s/ Jaron Gallagher, CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on February 24, 2025 Notice- In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920. A Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code) File#: FBN20250001845 Pub: 03/03/2025, 03/10/2025, 03/17/2025, 03/24/2025 San Bernardino Press

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as Sierra Pines Mobile Home Community 1601 N Sepulveda Blvd # 629 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Riverside County Mark Telesz, Trustee of the Joseph Sherman Administrative Trust, 1601 N Sepulveda Blvd Suite 629, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Riverside County

This business is conducted by: a trust. Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on February 1, 2025. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct.

(A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousands dollars ($1000).)

s. Mark Telesz, Trustee of the Joseph Sherman Administrative Trust Statement filed with the County of Riverside on February 26, 2025

to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 Et Seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

Peter Aldana, County, Clerk File# R-202502701 Pub. 03/03/2025, 03/10/2025, 03/17/2025, 03/24/2025

Riverside Independent

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as JBI Commercial Openings 455 W La Cadena Dr Suite 11 Riverside, CA 92501 Riverside County JBI Group (CA, 455 W La Cadena Dr Suite 11, Riverside, CA 92501 Riverside County This business is conducted by: a corporation. Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousands dollars ($1000).) s. Benjamin Holloway, President Statement filed with the County of Riverside on February 20, 2025 NOTICE: In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of the five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any changes in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 Et Seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

Peter Aldana, County, Clerk File# R-202502354 Pub. 03/03/2025, 03/10/2025, 03/17/2025, 03/24/2025 Riverside Independent

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as LHC REFERRALS 248 W Vereda Norte Palm Springs, CA 92262 Riverside County LEASKOU HIGGINS CORPORATION (CA, 248 W Vereda Norte, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Riverside County

This business is conducted by: a corporation. Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed

one thousands dollars ($1000).) s. Benjamin Leaskou, President CEO Statement filed with the County of Riverside on February 25, 2025 NOTICE: In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of the five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any changes in the facts set forth

Thousands of UC workers go on multiday strike

By City News Service

Nearly 60,000 University of California workers representedbya pair of unions were on strike Thursday for the second day in a row amid continuing contract negotiations, with both unions alleging unfair labor practices and the university accusing them of spreading misinformation and failing to negotiate in good faith.

Roughly 37,000 UC service and patient care workers represented by AFSCME Local 3299 will take part in a two-day strike that started Wednesday at 7 a.m. with picketing at all 10 UC campuses, including UCLA and UC Irvine, and at UC medical facilities statewide.

“Instead of addressing the decline in real wages that has fueled the staff exodus at UC medical centers and campuses at the bargaining table, UC has chosen to illegally implement arbitrary rules aimed at silencing workers who are raising concerns while limiting their access to union representatives,” AFSCME Local 3299 President Michael Avant said in a statement announcing the strike. “UC’s blatantly illegal actions are interfering with workers’ free speech. It’s time the university started listening to us and engaging in constructive negotiations rather than intimidation tactics. That’s why workers will exercise their legal right to strike.”

The union’s contract with the university expired in 2024, and negotiations on a new deal have been ongoing for the past year.

Meanwhile, roughly 20,000 UC health care, research and technical professionals represented by University Professional and Technical Employees, UPTE-CWA Local 9119, launched a threeday strike Wednesday, also impacting all UC campuses and medical centers. UPTE’s

contract expired at the end of October, and negotiations have been ongoing for eight months, according to the union.

Dan Russell, UPTE’s statewide president and chief negotiator, said in a statement the university “has refused to engage in meaningful dialogue or provide substantive counterproposals to nearly all of UPTE’s proposals.”

“We are forced to strike due to UC’s persistent unfair labor practices, blowing the whistle as patient and research advocates on a staffing crisis that threatens patient care and critical research — all while the university funnels billions into capital projects and inflates top salaries by 40%,” Russell said. “UPTE members will not allow UC to drag out negotiations indefinitely, and we have made it clear that we are more than willing to withhold our labor if that’s what it takes to make UC take our concerns seriously. Instead of engaging with us, UC is silencing the very whistleblowers fighting for our patients.”

UC officials issued a statement saying the university is “disappointed” in the unions’ decision to strike.

“Both unions have chosen

LA County supervisors approve antieviction resolution for fire victims

By City News Service

never seen before at this scale.

“We’re working hand-inhand with President Trump and his administration to clear debris as fast as possible to get Angelenos back to their properties to start rebuilding,” Newsom said.

While the EPA is celebrating the milestone, some residents in fire-impacted areas and nearby communities have opposed dumping fire debris in local landfills.

The LA County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday OK’d higher daily limits for

dumping at the Lancaster Landfill and Sunshine Canyon Landfill in Granada Hills.

Supervisors also temporarily lifted dumping restrictions at the Calabasas Landfill, enabling the facility to accept fire debris.

Calabasas officials opposed accepting fire debris at the city’s landfill.

“Our entire City Council has directed city resources to aggressively explore the decisions by the county and state and to strongly advocate for our community,” Mayor

to focus their energy on strike preparation and amplifying misinformation rather than negotiating in good faith,” according to the university.

“We have offered each union meaningful, wage increases, health care premium reductions, and other offers to directly address the issues they’ve indicated are important to their members.

“In addition, we have also continuously bargained in good faith and are disappointed that AFSCME and UPTE remain unwilling to do the same. UPTE, who began strike preparations the same month contract negotiations began, failed to attend the most recent bargaining session and declared an impasse before responding to our offers.

AFSCME has not responded to the university’s proposals or counterproposals since May 2024.

“While both AFSCME and UPTE may say they want UC to return to the table, the successful resolution of these contracts depends on their willingness to engage in productive bargaining. The university will do everything possible to ensure strike impacts on patients, students, faculty and staff are mitigated.”

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a resolution to provide eviction protections for renters and small business owners financially impacted by the January wildfires.

In last week’s meeting, the board directed the County Counsel’s Office to draft the resolution, which was approved Tuesday in a 4-0 vote, with Supervisor Kathryn Barger abstaining.

The resolution covers tenants throughout LA County who are financially impacted by the January wildfires, who have signed up for relief programs, unemployment insurance or emergency benefits, owing to a loss of at least 10% monthly income.

Landlords will be prohibited from imposing late fees, interest, or other charges on rental debt, but allowed to challenge a tenant’s eligibility for free of charge.

The resolution will remain in effect until July 31.The initial proposal was

Debris

Peter Kraut said in a statement Feb. 20. “While I understand the urgent desire to haul debris, I am deeply concerned that haste will create another tragedy in the process. Keeping our community in the dark and steam rolling us is unacceptable.”

Last month officials from cities in the San Gabriel Valley voiced opposition to using Lario Park, located at 15701 E. Foothill Blvd., as a staging site for hazardous fire waste.

“I was disappointed to

learn that Lario Park was selected as the site for the Eaton Fire hazardous waste cleanup, with no advanced warning or opportunity for community input,” Arcadia Mayor Michael Cao said in a statement. “The wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles County must be cleaned up, but I cannot understand how trucking hazardous waste through so many vulnerable communities, and placing near homes and schools, is the best possible option.”

to remain in effect until Jan. 31, 2026.

The board also directed the CEO and Department of Consumer and Business Affairs at last week’s meeting to report back on developing financial parameters of a fund, at least $10 million to be managed by a third-party sponsor to support impacted tenants and landlords.

Supervisor Lindsey Horvath had called the motion a “narrowly targeted eviction protection” and said the impact of wildfires extended beyond those living in the affected area, to businesses and workers.

“Even before the fires, the LA housing market was in crisis,” said Horvath, who introduced the motion calling for the resolution to be drafted. “Los Angeles is one of the most unaffordable areas in the nation, with an unhoused population of more than 75,000 people and more people are falling into homelessness as fast as our system is able to rehouse others.”

Holly Mitchell had raised concerns at the initial vote about a prior fund advocated by her, to support workers and businesses impacted by the fire, would overlap with the new initiative.

Mitchell continued her criticism on Tuesday stating the language used in the resolution was misleading, noting the protections were reserved for those who lost income due to the fires. She offered amendments to the resolution calling for tenants to prove their unemployment, tenancy, their job applications and efforts to achieve economic stability.

Horvath opposed the suggestions, saying it would create an additional layer of scrutiny for people who need the most support.

Horvath stressed people living in the United States illegally affected by the fires were already hesitant to reach out and imposing further restrictions would push them away from seeking help.

Cao joined officials from Duarte, Azusa, Irwindale and Baldwin Park who a day earlier issued a joint statement opposing the site and transportation plan.

County and federal officials have said hazardous materials removed from burned areas by the EPA were not being taken to any of the landfills, but instead to other dumps that are capable of handling toxic debris. They also acknowledged that fire debris such as ash and wood are potentially dangerous in

an uncontrolled environment, however, Eaton and Palisades fire debris is packaged, delivered and stored at dumps with attention paid to preventing dangers to public health and safety.

The EPA will maintain a small presence in fire zones to process lithium-ion batteries collected during Phase 2 debris removal to assist the Corps of Engineers, officials said.

More information on the EPA’s debris removal work is on the agency’s website.

Union members and supporters rally Wednesday at UCLA during the two-day statewide strike on University of California campuses. | Photo courtesy of United Farmworkers/X

Supervisor

| Photo courtesy of SundryPhotography/Envato

Report: Palisades and Eaton fires caused up to $53.8B in property damage

By City News Service

Last month’s Palisades and Eaton wildfires caused between $28 billion and $53.8 billion in property damage, with business disruptions projected to result in economic losses of up to $8.9 billion in Los Angeles County alone over the next five years, according to a study published Thursday.

The report commissioned by the Southern California Leadership Council and the LA County Economic Development Corporation studies the impacts of the destruction and economic havoc caused by the fires, as well as datadriven recommendations to guide recovery efforts.

The study estimates that the fires could lead to up to 49,110 job-years lost and reductions in labor income of up to $3.7 billion, while federal, state and local governments could experience tax revenue losses ranging from $730 million to $1.4 billion.

The report looks at the economic damage and personal toll of the fires and discusses the need for investing in prevention and recovery, former California Gov. Gray Davis, SCLC co-chair, said during a virtual press conference.

“Speed matters in the recovery process ... particular-

ly from an economic perspective,” Davis said. “Job No. 1 is to help people rebuild and get back to their new homes. ... We have to learn the lessons of this fire and previous fires. We have to build homes better ... so we don’t repeat this terrible tragedy. ... Let’s learn the lessons.”

The study analyzed the fires’ impact on key indus-

Jail drugs

tries, with retail trade, health care, professional services, construction, and educational services among the hardest hit. Disruptions to supply chains and workforce displacement could further compound the region’s economic challenges, the report said.

LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said the

Other defendants named in the indictment are:

-- Jose Trancito Martinez, 36, of Long Beach; -- Daniel Garcia, 28, an inmate; -- Pharoah Brooks, 45, an inmate; -- David Fraysure, 27, an inmate; -- Daniel Arochi Gonzalez, 24, of Carson;

ing efforts through coordinated permitting processes and financial incentives can reduce recovery timelines by up to 50%, strengthening fire-prone communities with improved emergency response systems, microgrids and fire- resistant construction materials and methods, as required in California’s current building codes.

Also, implementing alternative insurance models, such as parametric insurance, can ensure faster financial relief for affected businesses and homeowners. Parametric insurance pays a set amount based on the magnitude of the event, rather than the magnitude of the losses in a traditional indemnity policy.

disaster “has left lasting scars on our community” and the entire region — “not only in terms of physical destruction but in economic hardships.”

Echoing Davis’ comments, Barger said the county’s best path forward is expediting issues surrounding the rebuilding process. “I am laser-focused on streamlining” those issues, she said.

Stephen Cheung, president and chief executive of LAEDC, said a best-case scenario would be recovery by 2029, but the process could take many more years. The impact of the fires would grow with the length of the recovery period, he added. Steps towards recovery, according to the report, include fast-tracking rebuild-

Researchers further suggest direct support be provided to impacted businesses and displaced workers through grants, training programs and small business recovery initiatives to prevent long-term economic decline, the report says.

According to the report, establishing multi-agency wildfire task forces with clear recovery roadmaps can also cut response times and improve post-disaster efficiency.

To access the full report, go to laedc.org.

Officials warn of fraudulent tow companies targeting wildfire victims

By Staff

LosAngelesCounty SupervisorKathryn Barger urged Eaton Fire survivors Monday to report fraudulent tow companies that targeted them during and immediately following the blaze that killed at least 17 people and destroyed more than 9,000 structures.

-- Jessie Abdon, 24, an inmate; -- Arianna Inocente, 22, of Norwalk; and -- Salma Haro, 24, of Long Beach.

All of the defendants are due back in court March 27 in downtown Los Angeles.

-- Jackie Triplett, 40, an inmate; -- Jesse Quintero, 44, of Hacienda Heights; -- Marco Lujan, 47, of Pomona; -- Andy Dominquez, 30, an inmate; -- Ariel Pereyra, 28, an inmate; -- Angel Grajales, 33, of Arleta; -- Frank Rodriquez, 21, of Los Angeles; -- Jose Rodriguez, 47, an inmate;

From Jan. 7-10, “deceptive operators” who falsely claimed to be contracted by Altadena officials towed vehicles without informing owners of their storage location, according to Barger’s office. Tow company representatives later demanded excessive fees to release the vehicles, some of which were stored in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

“I find it disgusting that these fraudulent tow operators exploited fire survivors during their time of distress,” Barger said in a statement. “Those behind this abhorrent scheme must be held

accountable and brought to justice. I urge anyone who was victimized to come forward so we can stop these bad actors from preying on our communities.” Residents struggling to locate their vehicle and anyone contacted by a tow company under suspicious circumstances, such as

requests for a driver license photo, were asked to report their experience to Sgt. Regina Garay of the Inland Empire Auto Insurance Fraud Task Force, 909-9192242. The California Department of Insurance has also warned of the scams targeting Eaton Fire victims.

Many homes in this neighborhood near Pacific Palisades were among the thousands destroyed during the January firestorm. | Photo courtesy of Army Sgt. Jon Soucy/U.S. Department of Defense

The North County Correctional Facility near Castaic. | Photo courtesy of lasd_world/Instagram

| Photo courtesy of Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s office