Corona News Press_5/22/2023

Mecca carjacking suspect pleads guilty, sentenced to 6 years in prison

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School superintendent names 1st 2024 Riverside County Teacher of the Year

By Staff

Lorena Morales, a mathematics and AVID teacher in the Alvord Unified School District, was named the first of four 2024 Riverside County Teachers of the Year, officials announced Thursday.

As Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez’s standard procedure goes, he made a surprise visit to Morales’ training session with fellow math teachers to deliver the good news.

“Ms. Morales works tirelessly to support all of her students and is especially proud to be the instructional leader for the schools’ national AVID demonstration program,” Gomez said in a statement.

Morales, who chairs La Sierra High’s math department, will represent Riverside County in the 2024 California State Teacher of the Year competition in September. The remaining three 2024 Riverside County Teachers of the Year will be announced in upcoming surprise visits.

“I take pride in what I do and in my journey,” Morales said after receiving her award. “I believe in the power of the leadership that takes place in the classroom, it makes a difference for our students.”

Morales began teaching in 2007 as an intern at La Sierra High School, which is the school she graduated from as valedictorian just three years prior, according to the Riverside County Office of Education. Her decision to become a professional educator was inspired by a desire impact the lives of the students much like teachers made a difference in her life as the first in her family to graduate with a four-year college degree.

In addition to math teaching and department leadership, Morales is as

part of the program called “AVID” — Advancement Via Individual Determination, officials said. The program “prepares students for success beyond the high school campus with everything from lunchtime tutoring to scholarship searches and college application support.” Via the AVID program Morales has coordinated community partnerships and projects, such as La Sierra High School’s Big Brothers Sisters connection with next-door

Collett Elementary School.

Morales has been a teacher at La Sierra her entire career, since graduating from California State University, San Bernardino, with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. She also earned her teaching credential, master’s degree in educational leadership and administration and preliminary administrative service

credential from Chapman University.

Once all four of Riverside County’s teachers of the year are announced, the honorees will represent the county in the 2024 California Teacher of the Year competition.

At least one teacher from Riverside County has been selected as a California Teacher of the Year in eight

Warrant out for man suspected of giving fatal dose of fentanyl to girl

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Jury deliberations begin in man’s retrial in 2008 Palm Springs murder

By Kristy Ramirez, City News Service

Jury deliberations began Thursday in the retrial of a 40-year-old man accused of killing a Palm Springs retiree in a financial-enrichment scheme and dumping his body by Interstate 5 while en route to Daly City. Miguel Bustamante is charged with one felony count each of murder, using personal identity information of another to obtain credit, forged instrument, and conspiracy to commit a crime; two felony counts of grand theft over $950; three felony counts of burglary; and one misdemeanor count of unlawfully receiving stolen property, according to court records.

Bustamante was convicted in 2011 with David Replogle, 74, for the Palm Springs killing of Clifford Lambert, resulting in sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, they appealed their verdicts based on appeals successfully lodged by co-defendants Daniel Carlos Garcia, 40, and Kaushal Niroula, 41, who were convicted in

See Palm Springs murder Page 28

Wastewater testing in Palm Springs shows presence of mpox, formerly monkeypox

By City News Service

Wastewater testing in Palm Springs shows the presence of mpox for the first time in months though no new cases have been reported, officials said Thursday.

Riverside County has reported a total of 316 probable or confirmed cases of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, with nearly half in Palm Springs and the last case reported Jan. 9, according to the latest Riverside University Health System data. Additional data can be found at https://www. ruhealth.org/mpx-data.

“While no new cases have been reported, wastewater testing in Palm Springs shows the presence of (mpox) for the first time in months,” Riverside University Health System spokesman Jose Arballo said Thursday.

Public Health Officer Dr. Geoffrey Leung said that officials will work with community partners to protect county residents.

Vaccines and testing for mpox are available in various areas including DAP Health, Palm Springs Community Health Center, Eisenhower Health and Indio Family Care Center, all located in eastern Riverside County. More information about upcoming vaccine clinics in Riverside County

See Monkeypox Page 02

Lorena Morales. | Photo courtesy of the Riverside County Office of Education

Riverside County’s financial status at close of fiscal year remains strong

By City News Service

Riverside County government’s finances at the close of the current fiscal year remain steady, with discretionary revenue still on track to beat initial estimates by almost $100 million, though costs are rising, and departments will have to adjust, according to a report the Board of Supervisors will review Tuesday.

“The near-term outlook appears stable; however, challenges are looming in years to come,” county CEO Jeff Van Wagenen said in an introduction to the thirdquarter budget report for 2022-23. “While we continue to project increased revenues compared to the adopted budget, it should be noted that the pace of growth is slowing down significantly, while costs continue to rise to maintain the status quo, let alone increase service levels.”

As with the midyear report in February, the thirdquarter update indicated that discretionary revenue will likely exceed initial projections by $89 million at the end of the fiscal year, topping out at $1.102 billion, rather than the $1.013 billion originally projected.

The gains are mostly the result of higher tax receipts, as residents shell out more for goods and services, as well as greater earnings from the county’s investment pool.

Property tax receipts are expected to expand $18.2

million more than what officials estimated before, while the county will likely take in $11.1 million in additional sales and use taxes, and separately, the county’s share of statewide Proposition 172 Public Safety Sales Tax revenue is projected to be $13.3 million greater than first estimated, according to the Executive Office.

Interest earnings within the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s investment pool, containing a range of fixed instrument products, are expected to be $45 million more than earlier estimated, officials said. The returns stem directly from the Federal Reserve Bank’s ongoing hikes to the benchmark short-term lending rate -- pushing interest rates higher on the county’s investments -- a process that began a year ago as part of a liquidity pullback strategy to attack 40-year high inflation.

County agencies -- there are more than three dozen -- continue to contend with higher cost pressures, requiring bigger outlays to deal with them, the Executive Office stated. Most of the budgetary challenges have been driven by revised or renewed collective bargaining agreements guaranteeing cost-of- living and merit pay hikes, as well as more county obligations to pay health, dental and other insurance.

Additional cost pressures stem from software upgrades, public safety outlays and public works.

The Executive Office will ask the board on Tuesday to approve $2.6 million in General Fund appropriations to cover some near-term spending requirements.

Officials said that the county reserve pool is projected to be $537 million, compared to $511 million estimated in November. The original estimate in June was $368 million.

The board approved a $7.45 billion budget for 2022-23, roughly 8% larger than the 2021-22 budget of $6.88 billion. Most of that money is comprised of non-discretionary, or programmed, budget appropriations and includes “passthrough” revenue streams from the state and federal governments.

The county received almost $500 million in 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Security Act allocations and another $480 million in 2021 American Rescue Plan Act money, and Van Wagenen acknowledged last June that just under 10% of the federal infusions were applied to “budget stabilization” in 2022-23.

The funds have been used for homeless and rental assistance programs, along with other social welfare efforts, but they’ve also been appropriated for infrastructure, or capital improvement, projects.

Hearings on the 2023-24 fiscal year budget will be held June 12-13.

for mpox can be found at https://www.ruhealth.org/ upcoming-vaccine-clinics.

The California Department of Public Health asks individuals to self- evaluate their risk for mpox infection and to prioritize getting the vaccine for individuals who are high-risk, according to RUHS.

“While there is currently adequate vaccine supply, there are no longer `eligibility’ criteria, and vaccine providers can offer and provide vaccine to any patients who may be at risk, and persons who request vaccination should receive it without having to attest to specific risk factors,” RUHS officials said in a statement.

Mpox is generally spread through intimate skin-toskin contact, resulting from infectious rashes and scabs, though respiratory secretions and bodily fluids exchanged during extended physical episodes such as sexual intercourse can lead to transmission, according to the CDC.

Symptomsinclude pimples, blisters, rashes, fever and fatigue. There is no specific treatment. People who have been infected with smallpox, or have been vaccinated for it, may have immunity to mpox.

People with symptoms are urged to visit a medical provider, cover the rash area with clothing, wear a mask and avoid close or skin-toskin contact with others.

The CDC particularly recommends those steps for people who recently traveled to an area where mpox cases have been reported or who have had contact with a

Monkeypox

confirmed or suspected mpox case.

As of Wednesday, a total of 5,769 mpox cases have been reported in California — the highest of any state — while nationwide, the aggregate count is 30,401, according to the latest CDC data.

A full list of countries that have confirmed mpox cases is available at wwwnc.cdc.gov/ travel/notices/alert/monkeypox. A state-by-state tally of cases is available at www. cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/us-map. html.

Man who perpetrated holdups sentenced to state prison; brother gets probation

By City News Service

APerris man who perpetrated an hourlong drive-by robbery spree that culminated in a brief police chase was bound for state prison Wednesday, while his younger brother was on probation.

Angel Miguel Ortega, 31, and Victor Ortega, 29, both pleaded guilty Tuesday to robbery, while Angel Ortega alone additionally admitted a charge of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer.

The brothers reached a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office a day before their case was scheduled for a preliminary hearing at the Riverside Hall of Justice. In exchange for their admis-

sions, prosecutors dropped two robbery counts against both defendants, as well as a felony evading charge against Angel Ortega.

Superior Court Judge Gail O’Rane certified terms of the plea deal and imposed the stipulated sentences — a three-year prison term for Angel Ortega, and a yearlong jail term for his younger brother, as well as 36 months’ felony probation. It was unknown how many actual days Victor Ortega would serve, given overcrowding in all of the county’s correctional facilities and daily releases to make bed space available.

Jail records indicated he was being held at the Byrd Detention Center in

Murrieta.

According to sheriff’s Sgt. Dave Tinker, between 8 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 26, the pair cruised through the 500 block of West Fourth Street, the 400 block of West Nuevo Road and the 1400 block of South A Street, targeting people walking in each location.

“The suspects pulled up to the victims in their vehicle, brandished a firearm and demanded their property before fleeing the different locations,” Tinker said. “The victims were robbed of various items, including a cell phone, a wallet with cash and a backpack.”

The sergeant said patrol deputies responded to the victims’ 911 calls and

confirmed a short time later that a silver 2019 Chevrolet Cruze was involved in each holdup.

Tinker said the vehicle was spotted by a unit near the intersection of Perris Boulevard and the Ramona Expressway, prompting deputies to attempt a traffic stop.

“The suspect vehicle appeared to stop but then accelerated and sideswiped the patrol unit before heading south on Perris Boulevard,” he said.

“Deputies initiated a vehicle pursuit that lasted about a minute and terminated in a field ... in the 800 block of North Perris Boulevard, where the (suspects’) vehicle became stuck.”

Tinker said the defendants tried to run away but were quickly apprehended without further incident.

No one was injured.

A search of the vehicle turned up items taken

during the robberies, as well as “two replica firearms,” the sergeant said. Both men had prior misdemeanor convictions for driving under the influence, according to court records.

| Photo by rawf8/Envato Elements

The progress of monkeypox lesion on the finger of a previously healthy male physician in Portugal after an accidental needlestick injury — A. Index lesion on the fourth day of illness; B. sixth day of illness; C. 18th day of illness; D. Scab underneath the devitalized tissue of the lesion on the illness’ 24th day. | Photo courtesy of the CDC

The microscopic mpox virus. | Photo courtesy of NIAID/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

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The Arcadia Weeklyhas been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number GS 004333 for the City of Arcadia, County of Los Angeles, State of California.

The Monrovia Weeklyhas been adjudicated as a newspaper of General Circulation in Court Case GS 004759 City of Monrovia, County of Los Angeles, State of California.

The Temple City Tribunehas been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number GS 012440 City of Temple City, County of Los Angeles, State of California.

The El Monte Examinerhas been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number KS 015872 City of El Monte, County of Los Angeles, State of California.

The Azusa Beaconhas been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number KS 015970 City of Azusa, County of Los Angeles, State of California.

The San Gabriel Sunhas been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number GS 013808 City of San Gabriel, County of Los Angeles, State of California.

The Duarte Dispatchhas been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number GS 013893 City of Duarte, County of Los Angeles, State of California.

The Rosemead Readerhas been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number GS 048894 City of Rosemead, County of Los Angeles, State of California.

The Alhambra Press has been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number ES016581 City of Alhambra, County of Los Angeles, State of California.

The Baldwin Park Press has been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number KS017174 City of Baldwin Park, County of Los Angeles, State of California.

The Burbank Independent has been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number ES016728 City of Burbank, County of Los Angeles, State of California.

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The

Ahead of contract talks, SAG-AFTRA board calls for strike vote

By City News Service

Before its contract negotiations with Hollywood studios have even begun, the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union will hold a strike-authorization vote over the next two weeks, potentially setting the stage for performers to join alreadystriking writers on picket lines and further halting entertainment production.

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement issued late Wednesday that the union hopes to avoid a walkout, but it wants to be prepared — and have the leverage at the bargaining table.

“For the first time in a very long time, our member leadership stands in solidarity at the negotiating committee and the National Board levels on moving forward with a strike authorization,” Drescher said. “We must get all our ducks in a row should the need present itself. The prospect of a strike is not a first option, but a last resort. As my dad always says, ‘Better to have and not need than to need and not have!’ Therefore, I implore eligible members to follow the leads of both the negotiating committee and the National Board with an unprecedented show of solidarity and make three a charm with an emphatic yes for a strike-authorization vote.”

The union, representing more than 160,000 entertainment and media professionals, is scheduled to begin contract negotiations June 7 with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents Hollywood studios.

According to SAGAFTRA, strike-authorization ballots will be sent to members beginning Thursday, with voting closing at 5 p.m. June 5. The current SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Agreement expires at midnight June 30. An authorization vote does not necessarily mean a strike will occur. It only gives union leaders the power to

call a strike if labor talks break down. Such votes are a common tactic by unions in labor talks to put additional pressure on employers to reach a deal.

SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said the strike authorization sends an important message.

“A yes vote gives the National Board the power to call a strike if the AMPTP does not negotiate fairly in our upcoming bargaining,” Crabtree-Ireland said in a statement. “This will be a seminal negotiation that will determine the future of what it means to be a working performer. We must be ready

to fight to secure a meaningful deal for our members.”

The AMPTP declined to comment on the SAG-AFTRA move.

AMPTP is already in the midst of labor negotiations with the Directors Guild of America. The Writers Guild of America has been on strike since May 2, and there’s been no update on whether that union has even resumed bargaining sessions with the studios.

The unions have all been expressing many of the same core issues, particularly around residual compensation for streaming services, and over concerns about the use of artificial intelligence in future productions.

‘General Hospital’ actress arrested on suspicion of DUI after Pasadena crash

By City News Service

“ General Hospital” actress Haley Pullos was arrested on suspicion of DUI for allegedly causing a wrongway crash on the Ventura (134) Freeway in Pasadena that left her and another driver injured, the California Highway Patrol confirmed Wednesday.

According to the CHP, the 24-year-old Pullos was heading east on the freeway near Orange Grove Boulevard around 1:30 a.m. April 29 when she inexplicably swerved into the eastbound lanes, slamming into another vehicle.

Pullos was trapped in her mangled vehicle and had to be pulled from the wreckage by Pasadena Fire Department crews, according to the CHP. She and the other driver were both injured and taken to hospitals, although

the exact extent of their injuries and their current conditions were not immediately known.

According to the CHP, Pullos was ultimately arrested on suspicion of “driving under the influence of alcohol and driving the wrong way on a freeway, causing injury.” CHP investigators also said Pullos had been involved in an earlier hit-and-run crash before entering the 134 Freeway, although no other details were provided.

After the crash, the Pasadena Fire Department posted photos of the mangled cars on its social media pages, saying at the time the case of the crash was unknown, “but always a reminder to stay within the speed limit, avoid drinking and driving and never be distracted by passengers, phones, etc.”

Pullos has played Molly Lansing-Davis on “General Hospital” since 2009.

The magazine Soap Opera Digest reported last week that Pullos’ role had been temporarily recast, saying Pullos was on

medical leave. Pullos sent the publication a statement saying “Unfortunately, I was involved in an automobile accident and I’m doing okay, but I am going to need a little time to recover. I will be back as soon as possible.”

| Photo courtesy of Jaguirre2192/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Haley Pullos at The 39th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 2012. | Photo courtesy of MinglemediaTV/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Hyundai, Kia announce settlement of litigation over security weakness

By City News Service

Asettlementwas reached in federal court in Santa Ana of litigation brought by Hyundai and Kia car owners over a security weakness in the vehicles that was promoted on social media platforms, the automakers announced Thursday.

Thefts of the cars were driven last summer following a TikTok challenge that outlined a way to bypass security features to make it easier to steal the vehicles.

The agreement could be valued at about $200 million, but it depends on how many car owners participate in the settlement, which will offer cash for some customers who have theft-related claims. U.S. District Judge James Selna will consider preliminary approval of the settlement in July.

Part of the settlement will include software upgrades on vehicles as well as offers of wheel locks for other vehicles incompatible with the computer update.

The settlement covers about 9 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles.

“We appreciate the opportunity to provide additional support for our owners

who have been impacted by increasing and persistent criminal activity targeting our vehicles,” Jason Erb, chief legal officer of Hyundai Motor North America, said in a statement. “Customer security remains a top priority, and we’re committed to continuing software upgrade installations and steering wheel lock distribution to help prevent thefts and offering insurance options through AAA for those who have had difficulty securing and sustaining coverage.”

John Yoon, chief legal officer for Kia, said the company is “very pleased” by the settlement.

“This agreement is the latest step in a series of important actions, in addition to providing a free security software upgrade and distributing over 65,000 steering wheel locks, that Kia has taken to help customers whose vehicles have been targeted by criminals using methods of theft popularized on social media,” Yoon said. “Kia remains committed to assisting our customers and upholding vehicle security.”

When a car owner brings

in a vehicle for servicing the software upgrade will be automatically installed. For those with vehicles unable to take the upgrade, owners will receive up to $300 to buy an anti-theft device like a steering-wheel lock.

The cars covered are:

2011-2022 Accent;

2011-2022 Elantra;

2013-2017 Elantra GT;

2013-2014 Elantra Coupe;

2011-2012 Elantra Touring;

2011-2014 Genesis Coupe;

2018-2022 Kona;

2020-2021 Palisade;

2011-2012, 2019-2022 Santa Fe;

2013-2018, 2019 Santa Fe; Santa Fe XL;

2013-2018 Santa Fe Sport;

2011-2019 Sonata;

2011-2022 Tucson;

2012-2017, 2019-2021 Veloster;

2020-2021 Venue;

2011-2012 Veracruz;

2011-2021 Forte;

2021-2022 K5;

2011-2020 Optima;

2011-2021 Rio;

2011-2021 Sedona;

2021-2022 Seltos; 2010-2022 Soul;

2011-2022 Sorento; and 2011-2022 Sportage.

Dodgers disinvite ‘order of queer and trans nuns’ from Pride Night

By City News Service

Following criticism from various Catholic groups and even a U.S. senator, the Dodgers on Wednesday withdrew an invitation the team had extended to The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence — described on its website as an “order of queer and trans nuns” — to participate in the team’s annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night.

“This year, as part of a full night of programming, we invited a number of groups to join us,” according to a statement issued by the team Wednesday. “We are now aware that our inclusion of one group in particular — The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence — in this year’s Pride Night has been the source of some controversy.

“Given the strong feelings of people who have been offended by the sisters’ inclusion in our evening, and in an effort not to distract from the great benefits that we have seen over the years of Pride Night, we are deciding to remove them from this year’s group of honorees.”

The group had been scheduled to receive a Community Hero Award at the team’s June 16 Pride Night, honoring its efforts to promote human rights, diversity and “spiritual enlightenment.”

The Sisters’ website describes the organization as “a leading-edge order of queer and trans nuns.”

“We believe all people have a right to express their unique joy and beauty. Since our first appearance in San Francisco on Easter Sunday 1979, the Sisters have devoted ourselves to community service, ministry and outreach to those on the edges, and to promoting human rights, respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment. We use humor and irreverent wit to

expose the forces of bigotry, complacency and guilt that chain the human spirit,” the group says.

Responding to the Dodgers’ announcement Wednesday, one of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’s most veteran and visible members, known as Sister Roma, said the team was giving in to “right-wing pseudo-Christian media.”

“So disappointing to see the Dodgers cave to the conservative pseudo-Christian homophobes,” Sister Roma wrote on Twitter. “This weaponizing of religion is exactly what the (Sisters) have been protesting for decades.”

The Dodgers’ original decision to honor the group drew criticism from various Catholic organizations. Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, accused the team of “rewarding antiCatholicism” by honoring the group.

“The Catholic League has been the leading critic of this bigoted organization for many decades,” Donohue wrote on the organization’s website. “These homosexual bigots are known for simulating sodomy while dressed as nuns.”

He added, “Just last month, they held an event mocking our Blessed Mother and Jesus on Easter Sunday.”

Donohue said he wrote to Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred to protest the Dodgers’ decision to honor the group.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, also sent a complaint to Manfred, saying the group “mocks Christians through diabolical parodies of our faith.”

“Do you believe that the Los Angeles Dodgers are being `inclusive and welcoming to everyone’ by giving an award to a group of gay and

transgender drag performers that intentionally mocks and degrades Christians — and not only Christians, but nuns, who devote their lives to serving others?” Rubio wrote in his letter.

The organization Catholic Vote also condemned the move. Its president, Brian Burch, issued a statement Wednesday hailing the team’s decision to exclude the group, which he called “an antiCatholic hate group known for their gross mockery of Catholic nuns.”

“While we continue to wonder how such a group was selected in the first place, this incident should serve as a wake-up call for all religious believers: unchecked woke corporations have no qualms about exploiting people of faith,” Burch said.

But the team’s decision to disinvite the group also generated criticism.

“If they’re not invited, I’m not going,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath wrote on her Twitter page. “Celebrating Pride is about inclusion. Do better.”

Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur, D-Santa Monica and a longtime LGBTQ+ civil rights advocate, also condemned the exclusion of the Sisters.

“I’m deeply saddened by the hate & ignorance perpetuated by leaders of other states for cheap political points, & I am truly disappointed that our beloved LA Dodgers have given into their manufactured outrage,” Zbur wrote on Twitter. “LGBTQ+ lives, families, love & existence have long been characterized as offensive & controversial, but we do not give in to those calls. I urge the Dodgers to reverse this decision & ensure our home team reflects the true Los Angeles values of inclusion & acceptance.”

| Photo courtesy of Dez Hester/Unsplash

Authorities warn motorists against illegal street racing or street takeovers

By City News Service

Authorities Thursday announced a safety campaign in the Southland and statewide to combat illegal street racing and takeovers — activities that have turned deadly on multiple occasions for participants and spectators.

The campaign, in advance of the release of the latest “Fast and Furious” movie, was discussed at a Thursday morning news conference where authorities displayed wrecked vehicles, along with images of people whose deaths were related to the illegal activities.

“Our freeways, railways and bridges have been shut down illegally, causing in some cases, folks not being able to make it to the emergency room, and in others just being flat-out late for work,” said California Highway Patrol Deputy Commissioner Troy Lukkes.

“These illegal and dangerous activities put people’s lives at risk, damage public and private property, and in some cases even resulted in the death of innocent people,” Lukkes said.

Lukkes said that since 2015, incidents involving “speed and speed contests” have quadrupled around the state.

“Additionally, over a five-year period, these illegal activities have resulted in 264 crashes,” Lukkes said. “Of those 264 crashes, 30 of them have resulted in fatali-

ties, and 124 have resulted in injury that we have documented.”

To combat the problem, the CHP has been working with local law enforcement organizations, along with community-based groups, such as the organization Street Racing Kills, Lukkes said.

Among those on hand at the news conference were Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, and Lili Trujillo Puckett, founder of Street Racing Kills.

“This is not just a law enforcement issue; this is a community issue that endangers lives — young and old, innocent as well as those that are engaged in this reckless activity,” Moore said. “The message today is clear: street racing and sideshows are dangerous. They result in death and serious injury, not only to the participant, but also to the spectators and community members.

“The popularity of movies such as the ‘Fast and Furious’ series ... we believe is likely the influence (on) copycats, because of the movies’ glamorizing this very dangerous activity,” Moore said. “Movies like this are fantasy.”

Luna noted that there is also an economic cost accompanying the criminal costs of illegal street racing

and takeovers.

“We’re going to tow or impound your cars,” Luna said. “Parents — it’s going to have an impact on you. Parents — talk to your kids ... where you’re having to pay thousands of dollars to get those vehicles out. We warned you — you have to stop doing this; you’re impacting people’s lives negatively, and it’s costing some lives as well.”

Lili Trujillo Puckett spoke of her 16-year-old daughter, who was killed in 2013 while being driven home by an 18-year-old man who engaged in a street race with a co-worker.

“He crashed (while) going over 80 miles an hour, and Valentina ended up hanging from the window,” Puckett said. “She died at the scene. She died in the middle of the night on the cold asphalt. ... She was covered with a white sheet, taken to a coroner’s office, and put in a refrigerator with no clothes on. Sixteen years old in a refrigerator. And she became a number; she became a body; she no longer had a name. She was killed just by the thrill of speed.”

Authorities warned that it is not only illegal to participate in a street race or takeover, but also to attend and watch such activities. Anyone seeing a street race or takeover in progress was urged to call 911.

| Photo courtesy of LouieRBLX/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Amid a running political feud with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Burbank-based Walt Disney Co. announced Thursday it has scrapped plans to relocate 2,000 workers to the Sunshine State.

Josh D’Amaro, chairman of the company’s Parks, Experiences and Products Division, broke the news in an email sent to employees. D’Amaro did not mention DeSantis by name or give specifics behind the decision, citing only “changing business conditions.”

“Given the considerable changes that have occurred since the announcement of this project, including new leadership and changing business conditions, we have decided not to move forward with construction of the (Florida) campus,” he wrote.

“This was not an easy decision to make, but I believe it is the right one. As a result, we will no longer be asking our employees to relocate. For those who have already moved, we will talk to you individually about your situation, including the possibility of moving you back.”

Disney announced

Disney scrubs plan to relocate workers to Florida

By City News Service

in 2021 that it planned to relocate the workers to a new office complex it planned to build near Orlando, home to the Walt Disney World Resort. At the time, the company cited Florida’s “business-friendly climate” and its “rich culture

of hospitality” and “lower cost of living with no state income tax.”

In the time since, however, Disney has been in a seemingly endless political battle with DeSantis, sparked last year with his signing of legislation

restricting instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. Disney came under fire from critics and some employees for failing to publicly condemn the legislation. That ultimately led to an apology issued by

then-CEO Bob Chapek, and the company issued a statement in opposition to the Florida law.

Chapek was fired late last year and replaced by former CEO Bob Iger.

Countering Disney’s public criticisms, DeSantis

began publicly blasting the entertainment conglomerate and started an effort to crack down on Disney’s operations by stripping away self-governing privileges that were granted to the company’s theme park property more than 50 years ago.

Last month, Disney filed a federal lawsuit against DeSantis, accusing him of orchestrating a “government retaliation” campaign against the company that threatened its business operations.

DeSantis is expected to announce a bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination sometime soon.

In his letter to employees Thursday, D’Amaro said the company remains committed “to our teams who call Central Florida home.”

“It is clear to me that the power of this brand comes from our incredible people, and we are committed to handling this change with care and compassion,” he wrote. “I remain optimistic about the direction of our Walt Disney World business. We have plans to invest $17 billion and create 13,000 jobs over the next 10 years. I hope we’re able to do so.”

CA governor’s May budget gets mixed reviews from higher ed

By Suzanne Potter, Producer, Public News Service

GovernorGavin Newsom’s new budget proposal, called the May Revise is being met with relief from the highereducation sector - which had feared big cuts. The higher ed budget is stable, despite a projected budget deficit of $35.1 billion.

Joshua Hagen, director of policy and advocacy for the Campaign for College Opportunity, said the revise fully funds promises made to the UC, CSU and community college systems.

“The May revise of the budget keeps intact the higher education compacts for the UC and the CSU in the roadmap for Califor-

nia’s future for the community colleges,” he said. “That provides stable base funding increases to all three systems of public higher education in California. “ By law, the core budget must be balanced and passed by June 15th so lawmakers and interest groups will be busy hammering out a final package over the next few weeks.

The governor’s plan puts money toward a program that would require UCLA to set aside slots to guarantee admission for students transferring from a community college. Hagen would like to see that expanded to all the UC campuses, similar

to the existing Associate Degree for Transfer pathway to the Cal State system.

“What we would like to see is that if a student earns a 3.0, to earn systemwide access to the UC that would guarantee access not to a specific campus but say that we are going to have a spot for you within the UC system based on how you performed while you were in community college, “ Hagen explained.

Lawmakers are also currentlyconsidering Assembly Bill 1749, which would require the UC Schools to develop a guaranteed system-widecommunity college transfer pathway.

The entrance to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Floriday. | Photo courtesy of Jrobertiko/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

UCLA. | Photo by Ignacio Andrade (CC BY-NC 2.0)

The Los Angeles Dodgers faced mounting criticism last week for the team’s decision to withdraw an invitation it extended to a group dubbed The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to participate in the team’s annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night.

The team’s decision, announced Wednesday, came after complaints raised by several Catholic organizations and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, who said the group -- billed as an “order of queer and trans nuns” -- regularly disparaged Christians.

“This year, as part of a full night of programming, we invited a number of groups to join us,” according to a statement issued by the team Wednesday. “We are now aware that our inclusion of one group in particular -- The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence -- in this year’s Pride Night has been the source of some controversy.

“Given the strong feelings of people who have been offended by the sisters’ inclusion in our evening, and in an effort not to distract from the great benefits that we have seen over the years of Pride Night, we are deciding to remove them from this year’s group of honorees.”

The group had been scheduled to receive a Community Hero Award at the team’s June 16 Pride Night, honoring its efforts to promote human rights, diversity and “spiritual enlightenment.”

The Sisters issued a statement Thursday expressing “deep offense” at being uninvited to the event, calling the decision a capitulation to “hateful and misleading information from people outside their community.” The group insisted it is a nonprofit organization that “annually raises thousands of dollars to distribute to organizations supporting marginalized communities.”

“Our ministry is real. We

LGBT groups, LA County delegation decry Dodgers for uninviting group to pride night

By City News Service, Staff

promulgate universal joy, expiate stigmatic guilt and our use of religious trappings is a response to those faiths whose members would condemn us and seek to strip away the rights of marginalized communities,” Sister Rosie Partridge, described as the “abbess” of the group, said in a statement.

Other high-profile Southland supporters of LGBTQ rights also chimed in, expressing disappointment in the Dodgers’ decision.

“We call on the Dodgers to reconsider their decision, honor the Sisters, and bring the true spirit of Pride back to Dodgers Stadium,” Los Angeles LGBT Center CEO Joe Hollendoner said in a statement. “If the decision is not reversed, we strongly encourage the Dodgers to cancel Pride Night. Any organization that turns its back on LGBTQ+ people at this damning and dangerous inflection point in our nation’s history should not be hoisting a rainbow flag or hosting a `Pride Night.’

“We want the Dodgers ally ship to be consistent with our experience partnering with them over the past many years. The people of Los Angeles County have consistently and overwhelmingly shown up for LGBTQ+ equality. If one of our most

beloved institutions -- the Dodgers -- refuses to stand by us at this moment, we are terrified of what will come next. Los Angeles is a leader -- not a follower. We call on the Dodgers to set an example.”

The organizers of LA Pride issued a statement saying they “are very disappointed” in the Dodgers’ decision.

“As a result and in solidarity with our community, LA Pride will not be participating in this year’s Dodgers Pride Night event,” according to the group. “Pride is a fight for equality and inclusion for the entire LGBTQ+ community and we’re not going to stop now. Let’s make this year’s Pride celebration louder than ever.”

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, wrote on his Twitter page, “Hey Dodgers, this is shameful and you will not divide and separate our community. I hope we all boycott your `Pride Night’ and protest this cowardly decision.”

The Sisters’ website describes the organization as “a leading-edge order of queer and trans nuns.”

“We believe all people have a right to express their unique joy and beauty. Since our first appearance in San Francisco on Easter

Sunday 1979, the Sisters have devoted ourselves to community service, ministry and outreach to those on the edges, and to promoting human rights, respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment. We use humor and irreverent wit to expose the forces of bigotry, complacency and guilt that chain the human spirit,” the group says.

The Dodgers’ original decision to honor the group drew criticism from various Catholic organizations. Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, accused the team of “rewarding antiCatholicism” by honoring the group.

“The Catholic League has been the leading critic of this bigoted organization for many decades,” Donohue wrote on the organization’s website. “... These homosexual bigots are known for simulating sodomy while dressed as nuns.”

He added, “Just last month, they held an event mocking our Blessed Mother and Jesus on Easter Sunday.”

Donohue said he wrote to Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred to protest the Dodgers’ decision to honor the group.

Rubio also sent a complaint to Manfred, saying the group “mocks

Christians through diabolical parodies of our faith.”

“Do you believe that the Los Angeles Dodgers are being `inclusive and welcoming to everyone’ by giving an award to a group of gay and transgender drag performers that intentionally mocks and degrades Christians -- and not only Christians, but nuns, who devote their lives to serving others?” Rubio wrote in his letter.

The organization Catholic Vote also condemned the group’s inclusion in the Dodgers’ event. Its president, Brian Burch, issued a statement Wednesday hailing the team’s decision to exclude the group, which he called “an anti-Catholic hate group known for their gross mockery of Catholic nuns.”

“While we continue to wonder how such a group was selected in the first place, this incident should serve as a wake-up call for all religious believers: unchecked woke corporations have no qualms about exploiting people of faith,” Burch said.

On Wednesday night, Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath blasted the team for dis-inviting the Sisters.

“If they’re not invited,

I’m not going,” she wrote on her Twitter page. “Celebrating Pride is about inclusion. Do better.”

Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur, D-Santa Monica and a longtime LGBTQ+ civil rights advocate, also condemned the exclusion of the Sisters.

“I’m deeply saddened by the hate & ignorance perpetuated by leaders of other states for cheap political points, & I am truly disappointed that our beloved LA Dodgers have given into their manufactured outrage,” Zbur wrote on Twitter. “LGBTQ+ lives, families, love & existence have long been characterized as offensive & controversial, but we do not give in to those calls. I urge the Dodgers to reverse this decision & ensure our home team reflects the true Los Angeles values of inclusion & acceptance.”

On Friday, Assemblymember Luz Rivas, chair of the Los Angeles County delegation of California State Senate and the State Assembly members, released a statement expressing disappointment at the Dodgers’ decision to “choose exclusion over pride” and extended solidarity to the LGBTQ+ Caucus.

“While the L.A. Dodgers were preparing to host an event centered around inclusivity, they instead chose to exclude a well-known LGBTQ+ organization with a rich history of philanthropic and community engagement,” Rivas said. “The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were to be presented with a Community Hero Award for their countless hours of community service, ministry, and outreach to those on the edges, in addition to promoting human rights and respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment. These are values that should be celebrated, not suppressed.”

SCAN ME!

Photo by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash

It will cost up to $21.5 billion to clean up California’s oil sites. The industry won’t make enough money to pay for it.

By Mark Olalde, ProPublica, Co-published with LAist and KVPR

For well over a century, the oil and gas industry has drilled holes across California in search of black gold and a lucrative payday. But with production falling steadily, the time has come to clean up many of the nearly quarter-million wells scattered from downtown Los Angeles to western Kern County and across the state.

The bill for that work, however, will vastly exceed all the industry’s future profits in the state, according to a first-of-its-kind study published Thursday and shared with ProPublica.

“This major issue has sneaked up on us,” said Dwayne Purvis, a Texasbased petroleum reservoir engineer who analyzed profits and cleanup costs for the report. “Policymakers haven’t recognized it. Industry hasn’t recognized it, or, if they have, they haven’t talked about it and acted on it.”

The analysis, which was commissioned by Carbon Tracker Initiative, a financial think tank that studies how the transition away from fossil fuels impacts markets and the economy, used California regulators’ draft methodology for calculating the costs associated with plugging oil and gas wells and decommissioning them along with related infrastructure. The methodology was developed with feedback from the industry.

The report broke down the costs into several categories. Plugging wells, dismantling surface infrastructure and decontaminating polluted drill sites would cost at least $13.2 billion, based on publicly available data. Adding in factors with slightly more uncertainty,

like inflation rates and the price of decommissioning miles of pipeline, could bring the total cleanup bill for California’s onshore oil and gas industry to $21.5 billion.

Meanwhile, California oil and gas production will earn about $6.3 billion in future profits over the remaining course of operations, Purvis estimated.

Compounding the problem, the industry has set aside only about $106 million that state regulators can use for cleanup when a company liquidates or otherwise walks away from its responsibilities, according to state data. That amount equals less than 1% of the estimated cost.

Taxpayers will likely have to cover much of the difference to ensure wells are plugged and not left to leak brine, toxic chemicals and climate-warming methane.

“These findings detail why the state must ensure this cost is not passed along to the California taxpayer,” state Sen. Monique Limón, a Santa Barbara Democrat who has written legislation regulating oil, said in a statement.

“It is important that the state collect funding to plug and abandon wells in a timely and expeditious manner.”

Representatives of the state’s oil regulatory agency, the California Geologic Energy Management Division, did not respond to ProPublica’s request for comment on the report’s findings.

Rock Zierman, CEO of the California Independent Petroleum Association, an industry trade group, said in a statement that companies spent more than $400 million last year to plug and clean up thousands of oil and gas wells

in the state. “This demonstrates their dedication to fulfilling their obligations and mitigating the environmental impact of their operations,” he said.

Fees on current oil and gas production will offset some of the liabilities, but they’re nowhere near enough to address the shortfall quantified by the new report.

“It really scares me,” Kyle Ferrar, Western program coordinator with environmental and data transparency group FracTracker Alliance, said of the report’s findings. “It’s a lot for the state, even a state as big as California.”

Industry in Decline

High oil prices have translated to huge profits for the industry in recent years, but Carbon Tracker’s report found that’s likely to be short-lived. Only two drilling rigs were operating in the state at one point this year, meaning few new wells will be coming online, and more than a third of all unplugged wells are idle.

Judson Boomhower, an environmental economist and assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego who has studied California’s oil industry, said there are inherent uncertainties in estimating future oil revenues. For example, one variable is how quickly the country shifts from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric. But, he said, Carbon Tracker’s estimates for environmental liabilities track with his research.

“It’s a state in the twilight of its production period, and that means big liabilities,” Boomhower said. He added that now is the time for regulators to prevent companies from offloading their wells to “thinly capitalized firms” unable to shoulder the

cleanup.

As ProPublica reported last year, the major oil companies that long dominated in California and have the deep pockets necessary to pay for environmental cleanup are selling their wells and leaving the state, handing the task to smaller and less well-financed companies.

Roughly half of the wells drilled in California have changed hands through sales and bankruptcies since 2010, according to data Ferrar analyzed.

Smaller companies are often one bankruptcy away from their wells being orphaned, meaning they’re left to taxpayers as companies dissolve. The Biden administration recently committed $4.7 billion in taxpayer funds to plug orphan wells.

And the industry’s environmental liabilities in California are far bigger than Carbon Tracker’s report quantifies.

Purvis only included environmental liabilities associated with onshore oil and gas production. Billions of dollars more will be needed to plug offshore wells, remove rigs and reclaim artificial islands used for drilling off the coast of Long Beach, Ventura and

Additionally, the report did not quantify the emerging risk of “zombie wells,” which were plugged years ago to weaker standards and are likely to leak if they aren’t replugged. That’s an expensive endeavor, as the average cost to plug one well in California — to say nothing of cleaning up surface contamination — is $69,000, according to Purvis’ research. But some California wells have already begun failing, including in neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

“They’re Not Going to Have Money to Do It Later”

Time is running out to rectify the funding shortfall, for example by increasing the money companies must set aside for well plugging.

Carbon Tracker’s report — using state production data and financial futures contracts on the New York Mercantile Exchange — estimated that as production declines, 58% of all future profits from drilling oil and gas in the state are likely to come over the next two years.

“We have our backs up against the wall in California right now,” Ferrar said. “If companies don’t put money towards it now, they’re not going to have money to do it

CAR: SoCal home prices in April edged up from March

By City News Service

Prices of homes in Southern California edged up in April for the second straight month, but still remained below the prices of a year ago, the California Association of Realtors reported Thursday.

In the Los Angeles metro area, the median sale price of a single- family home was $740,000 last month, up from $735,000 in March, but down from $800,000 in April 2022,

according to the association.

Los Angeles County saw single-family home prices of $738,520 in April, a rise from $718,370 the previous month, but a drop from the $801,680 median sale price reported one year ago, CAR determined.

Orange County’s $1.22 million median sale price for a single-family home last month showed a drop from $1.25 million in March. However, in April 2022, similar

houses sold for $1.32 million, the association reported.

In April, the Los Angeles metro area’s ratio of new houses for sale to new houses sold was 2.6, a rise from 2.3 in March. The ratio in April 2022 was 1.9, according to CAR’s survey. Time on the market last month was 25 days.

For Los Angeles County, the ratio was 2.6 last month, 2.2 the previous month, and 1.9 in April 2022, CAR deter-

mined. Homes were on sale for 22 days in April before being sold.

In April, Orange County saw a ratio of 2.3, with 2.0 the previous month, and 1.7 in April 2022, the association reported. Homes were on the market last month for 22 days.

Statewide, April’s sales pace was down 4.7% on a monthly basis from 281,050 in March and down 36.1% from a year ago, when a revised

418,970 homes were sold on an annualized basis, the report stated.

Sales of existing singlefamily homes in California remained below the 300,000unit pace for the seventh consecutive month in April.

“While home sales declined in April, the market is getting more competitive as we’re seeing time on the market before selling down to 20 days in April from 33 days

later.”

Environmental policies could accelerate the industry’s decline. California voters will decide on a ballot initiative in 2024 that would reinstate large buffer zones between communities and oil wells, limiting drilling.

Purvis said acting quickly to plug wells would also “stimulate economic activity” and help smooth the transition for oil and gas workers who stand to lose well-paying jobs in the shift away from climate-warming fossil fuels. Spending large sums to plug old wells would create shortterm employment for oil field workers.

As California faces the consequences of its failure to quickly clean up aging oil and gas infrastructure, there are likely several million more wells around the country that are either low-producing or already orphaned and will soon need to be decommissioned.

“California’s going to be a test case or the leading edge of this,” Boomhower said. “This same problem is eventually going to manifest everywhere.”

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

in January and the share of homes sold above asking price double from one in five at the beginning of the year to more than two in five in April,” said CAR President Jennifer Branchini.

“This increase in market competition continued to provide support to the statewide median home price in April, which climbed above $800,000 for the first time in six months.”

Santa Barbara.

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.

Oil fields in Bakersfield, California. | Photo by Babette Plana (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Arcadia City Notices

NOTICE OF UNCLAIMED MONEY

NOTICE IS HEREBY given that on December 31, 2022, Monies in the amount of $500.00 were located and delivered to the Arcadia Police Department for safekeeping/return to owner. As the identity of the owner has not been ascertained and no party has appeared with proof of ownership as of the date of this publication,

per California Civil Code 2080.3(a) these monies will become the property of the finder on (7 days after date of publishing).

Prior to this date, any person or persons who believe they have the legal right to this money must submit a claim to the Arcadia Police Department Property Division.

CITY OR ARCADIA

/s/ Linda Rodriguez

Assistant City Clerk

Date: May 18, 2023

Publish: May 22, 2023

ARCADIA WEEKLY

Temple City Notices

CITY OF TEMPLE CITY NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Temple City will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, June 6 and June 20, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers located in the Civic Center facility at 5938 N. Kauffman Avenue to consider the following:

• Adoption of the Proposed Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-24;

• Adoption of the Annual Appropriations Limit for Fiscal Year 2023-24;

• Adoption of Master Fee and Fine Schedule for Fiscal Year 2023-24 amending certain fees for programs and services related to building and safety, planning and zoning, public works and engineering, and facility use.

Any interested persons are invited to attend the Public Hearing and present testimony regarding this matter. Testimony may also be provided in writing to the City Clerk. If you challenge the proposed action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the Public Hearing described in this notice or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at or prior to the public hearing.

For further information regarding this matter, please contact Susan Paragas in the Administrative Services Department at (626) 2852171 or sparagas@templecity.us.

Peggy Kuo City Clerk

Published in: Temple City Tribune

Date: May 22, 2023

San Gabriel City Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE: CITY OF SAN GABRIEL

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL

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

HEARING DATE: Tuesday, June 6, 2023 TIME: 6:30 p.m.

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

PROJECT: Adoption of the Annual Budget, Capital Improvement Program, Fee Schedule and Appropriations Limit for Fiscal Year 2023-24.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The purpose of the hearing is to consider the City’s Proposed Operating Budget, Capital Improvement Program (CIP), Fee Schedule, Position Classification and Salary Schedule, and Appropriations Limit for Fiscal Year 2023-24.

QUESTIONS: For additional information or to review the docu-

ments, please contact Will Kaholokula, Finance Director at 626457-4610 or wkaholokula@sgch.org.

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

SAN GABRIEL CITY COUNCIL

By Julie Nguyen, City Clerk

Publish May 22 & 25, 2023

SAN GABRIEL SUN

El Monte City Notices

CITY OF EL MONTE PUBLIC NOTICE

POLICE UNCLAIMED MONEY

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT in accordance with Title 2, Chapter 2.64, Section 160 of the El Monte Municipal Code, the El Monte Police Department is holding unclaimed money in the amount of $370,211.85. This money has remained unclaimed for over three (3) years. Funds not claimed within 45 days of publication of this notice will become the property of the City of El Monte.

Published on: Monday, May 22, 2023

Gabriel Ramirez, City Clerk

City of El Monte

EL MONTE EXAMINER

CITY OF EL MONTE PUBLIC NOTICE

POLICE UNCLAIMED MONEY

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT in accordance with Title 2, Chapter 2.64, Section 160 of the El Monte Municipal Code, the El Monte Police Department is holding unclaimed money in the amount of $50,760.85. This money has remained unclaimed for over three (3) years. Funds not claimed within 45 days of publication of this notice will become the property of the City of El Monte.

Published on: Monday, May 22, 2023

Gabriel Ramirez, City Clerk City of El Monte

EL MONTE EXAMINER

Probate Notices

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF

LI QING ZHU

Case No. 23STPB04656

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

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Michael Yip, Angela Musa in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Michael Yip & Angela Musa 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 administra-tion authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objec-tion to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held on June 2, 2023 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 5 located at 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

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

IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the

requests that IRENE W. CHEW 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: 06/07/23 at 8:30AM in Dept. 2D 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

MARTHA EAGER - SBN 234089, MONTELEONE & MCCRORY, LLP

725 S. FIGUEROA STREET, SUITE 3200 LOS ANGELES CA 90017 5/15, 5/18, 5/22/23

MONROVIA WEEKLY NOTICE OF $20,000 REWARD OFFERED BY THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Notice is hereby given that the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles has established a $20,000 reward offered in exchange for information leading to the apprehen-sion and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the heinous murder of 40-year-old Carlos Alva-rez-Diaz, who was fatally shot while he drove north on Norwalk Boulevard at 226th Street in the City of Ha-waiian Gardens, on October 8, 2022, at approximately 1:09 a.m. Si no entiende esta noticia o necesita mas informacion, favor de llamar al (213) 974-1579. Any person having any information related to this crime is requested to call Lieutenant Patri-cia Thomas at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Homi-cide Bureau at (323) 890-5564 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222- 8477 and refer to Report No. 020-09995-0372-011. The terms of the reward provide that: The infor-mation given that leads to the de-termination of the identity, the apprehension and conviction of any person or persons must be given no later than July 16, 2023. All reward claims must be in writing and shall be received no later than September 14, 2023.The total County payment of any and all rewards shall in no event exceed $20,000 and no claim shall be paid prior to conviction unless the Board of Supervisors makes a finding of impossibility of conviction due to the death or incapacity of the person or persons responsible for the crime or crimes. The County reward may be apportioned between various persons and/or paid for the conviction of various persons as the circum-stances fairly dictate. Any claims for the reward funds should be filed no later than September 14, 2023, with the Executive Office of the Board of Supervisors, 500 West Temple Street, Room 383 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, Los Angeles, Cali-fornia 90012, Attention: Carlos Alvarez-Diaz Reward Fund. For further information, please call (213) 974-1579. CELIA ZAVALA EXECU-TIVE OFFICER BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES CN995442 04049 May 4,8,11,15,18,22,25,29, Jun 1,5, 2023 AZUSA BEACON

court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code.

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

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

ABRAHAM APRAKU ESQ SBN 263656 LAW OFFICE OF ABRAHAM APRAKU 119 SOUTH ATLANTIC BL STE 307 MONTEREY PARK CA 91754 CN996384 ZHU May 15,18,22, 2023

ROSEMEAD READER

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

ALBERT D. CHEW CASE NO. 23STPB04662

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

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by IRENE W. CHEW in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE

CNS-3700517#

ARCADIA WEEKLY

Public Notices

NOTICE OF $10,000 REWARD

OFFERED BY THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVI-SORS

Notice is hereby given that the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles has extended the $10,000 reward offered in exchange for information leading to the apprehen-sion and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the fatal shooting of 46-year-old Terry Alford, who was found in front of a residence located on the 100 block of Los Angeles Avenue in the City of Mon-rovia suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on January 29, 2021, at approximately 5:00 p.m. Si no entiende esta noticia o necesita mas informacion, favor de llamar al (213) 974-1579. Any person having any information related to this crime is requested to call Detective Cynthia Sanchez at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5617 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477 and refer to Report No. 02100014-3199-011. The terms of the reward provide that: The information given that leads to the determination of the identity, the apprehension and conviction of any person or persons must be given no later than October 16, 2023. All reward claims must be in writing and shall be received no later than De-cember 15, 2023. The total County payment of any and all rewards shall in no event exceed $10,000 and no claim shall be paid prior to conviction unless the Board of Supervisors makes a finding of impossibility of conviction due to the death or inca-pacity of the person or persons responsible for the crime or crimes. The County reward may be apportioned between various persons and/or paid for the conviction of various persons as the circum-stances fairly dictate. Any claims for the reward funds should be filed no later than December 15, 2023, with the Executive Office of the Board of Supervisors, 500 West Temple Street, Room 383 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, Los Angeles, Cali-fornia 90012, Attention: Terry Alford Reward Fund. For further information, please call (213) 974-1579. CELIA ZAVALA EXECUTIVE OFFICER BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES CN995441 04046 May 4,8,11,15,18,22,25,29, Jun 1,8, 2023

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME PETITION OF Jasmine Dailey by and through Ja’Zarya Veronica Otieno, Fahari Ismail Otieno, Zuri Dorothy Otieno, a minor FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 23VECP00202 Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles 6230 Sylmar Avenue, Van Nuys, Ca 91401, Northwest Judicial District TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner Jasmine Dailey filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name a. OF Ja’Zarya Veronica Otieno to Proposed name Ja’Zarya Marilyn Dailey ; b. OF Fahari Ismail Otieno to Proposed name Fahari Eugene Dailey ; c. OF Zuri Dorothy Otieno to Proposed name Zuri Love Dorothy Dailey 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reason for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing NOTICE OF HEARING a. Date: 06/22/2023 Time: 8:30AM Dept: U. Room:620 The address of the court is same as noted above. 3. a. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the day set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Arcadia Weekly DATED: May 3, 2023 Virginia Keeny JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT Pub. May 15, 22, 29, June 5, 2023 ARCADIA WEEKLY

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property pursuant to Sections 21700-21716 of the Business & Professions Code, Section 2328 of the UCC, Section 535 of the Penal Code and provisions of the Civil Code. Any vehicles sold will be under Section 3071 of motor vehicle code.

The Online bidding starts on (05/22/2023 at 10:00 AM) and ends at (06/05/2023 at 10:00AM). Full access to this auction can be viewed at www.bid13.com. The undersigned will be sold by competitive bidding at BID13 on or after the 06/05/2023 at 10:00AM or later, on the premises where said property has been stored and which are located at:

Company Name Stor-Mor Self Storage 8635 E. Valley Blvd. Rosemead CA 91770 626-287-3865

Unit sold appear to contain: Misc. furniture, household goods, and boxes

Belonging to:

UNIT# A527, Lopez, Erika R. UNIT# B605, Lopez, Erika R. UNIT# A603, Alvarez, Lydia M Unit# B912, Alvarez, Lydia M Purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase in CASH ONLY. All purchased items sold as is and must be removed at the time of sale. Sale subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between

LEGALS

Glendale City Notices

NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING APPEAL OF PLANNING HEARING OFFICER’S DECISION VARIANCE CASE NO. PVAR2200992

LOCATION: 1916 NIODRARA DRIVE, 91208

APPELLANT: Catherine Jurca for Verdugo Woodlands West HOA

APPLICANT/OWNER: Amanda J. Dillin

ZONE: “R1-I HD” (Low Density Residential) Zone, Floor Area Ratio District I Historic District

LEGAL DESCRIPTION/APN: Lot 21 and Portions of lots 22 and 23, Fernbrook Place Tract / (APN: 5614-019-039)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Appeal of the Planning Hearing Officer’s approval of a variance to allow the removal of an existing three-foot high fence located within the required 25-foot street front setback, which spans across the entire width of the lot facing Niodrara Drive and install a new, six-foot high wrought iron fence setback five feet from the street front property line where a minimum 25 feet is required by the Zoning Code. The 14,389 square-foot lot is developed with a three-story, 3,012 square-foot single-family residence (built in 1941) and an attached 547 sqare-foot garage.

ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION

The project is exempt from CEQA review as a Class 3 “New Construction or Conversion of Small structures” exemption pursuant to Section 15303 of the State CEQA Guidelines because the project involves the construction of a new six-foot high wrought iron fence, and as a Class 31 “Historical Resource Restoration/Preservation” exemption pursuant to Section 15331 because the approval of a variance for the fence location would not have an adverse impact on the subject property’s ongoing status as a contributor to the subject historic district. The property is located in a designated Historic District developed with a three-story house (built in 1941) identified as a contributor (5D1 status).

PUBLIC HEARING

The Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing regarding the above project in ROOM 105 OF THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES BUILDING, 633 E. BROADWAY, GLENDALE, CA 91206, ON JUNE 7, 2023, AT 5:00 PM OR AS SOON THEREAFTER AS POSSIBLE.

The hearing will be open to the public. For public comments and questions during the meeting, the public may call 818-937-8100. City staff will be submitting these questions and comments in real time to the appropriate person during the meeting. You may also testify in person at the hearing if you wish to do so. Written comments may be submitted to the planner above prior to the hearing.

The meeting can be viewed on Charter Cable Channel 6 or by streaming online at: https:// www.glendaleca.gov/government/departments/management-services/gtv6/live-videostream

If you would like more information on the proposal, please contact the case planner Milca Toledo in the Planning Division at (818) 548-2140 or (818) 937-8181 (email: mitoledo@ glendaleca.gov). The staff report and case materials will be available before the hearing date at www.glendaleca.gov/agendas.

Any person having an interest in the project described above may participate in the hearing, by phone as outlined above, or appear in person and may be heard in support of their opinion. Any person protesting may file a duly signed and acknowledged written protest with the Director of Community Development not later than the hour set for public hearing before the Hearing Officer. "Acknowledged" shall mean a declaration of property ownership (or occupant if not owner) under penalty of perjury. If you challenge the decision of this project in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Glendale, at or prior to the public hearing. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, please notify the Community Development Department at least 48 hours (or two business days) for requests regarding sign language translation and Braille transcription services.

Dr. Suzie Abajian, The City Clerk of the City of Glendale Publosh May 22, 2023

GLENDALE INDEPENDENT

Probate Notices

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF DAVID KANAREK

Case No. 23STPB04608

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

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

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Michael Kanarek 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 ap-proval. 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 June 2, 2023 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 79 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

Court of California, County of RIVERSIDE.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that KYUNG ROK CHOI 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 in this court as follows: 06/02/23 at 8:30AM in Dept. 11 located at 4050 MAIN STREET, RIVERSIDE, CA 92501

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 ALEXANDER HOYT-HEYDON, ESQ. - SBN 329332, NM LAW, APC 15147 WOODLAWN AVENUE TUSTIN CA 92780 BSC 223379 5/15, 5/18, 5/22/23 CNS-3701168# CORONA NEWS PRESS

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.

Attorney for Petitioner: Martha B. Spalding, State Bar No. 207592 215 South Main Street Templeton, CA 93465

Telephone: 8054342138 5/15, 5/18, 5/22/23

CNS-3700936# PASADENA PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF JERRY WAYNE CRAIG Case No. 23STPB05122

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of JERRY WAYNE CRAIG

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

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Robert E. Craig 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 administra-tion authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objec-tion to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

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

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Michele Akbari in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Michele Akbari 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 administra-tion authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objec-tion to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held on June 15, 2023 at 9:00 AM in Dept. No. S35 located at 247 W. Third St., San Bernardino, CA 92415.

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

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

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

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

Attorney for petitioner:

before the hearing. Your ap-pearance may be in person or by your attorney.

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

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

RICHARD MIYAMOTO ESQ SBN 217754

TABATABAI & MIYAMOTO APC 11755 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 1250 LOS ANGELES CA 90025 CN996624 RAMIREZ May 15,18,22, 2023 ONTARIO NEWS PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

GORDON JAMES HAZLITT CASE NO. 23STPB05171

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

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by CHRISTOPHER CARL HAZLITT in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that CHRISTOPHER CARL HAZLITT be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal rep-resentative 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:

ABRAHAM APRAKU ESQ SBN 263656

LAW OFFICE OF ABRAHAM APRAKU

119 SOUTH ATLANTIC BL STE 307

MONTEREY PARK CA 91754

CN996382 KANAREK May 15,18,22, 2023

ALHAMBRA PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

DALE S. UCHIYAMA

CASE NO. PRRI2300425

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of DALE S. UCHIYAMA. A PETITION FOR PROBATE has

NOTICE OF ANCILLARY PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF CHRISTOPHER ANDERSEN CASE NO. 23STPB05024

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: CHRISTOPHER ANDERSEN

A ANCILLARY PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Anna Curnes in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles.

THE ANCILLARY PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Anna Curnes be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE ANCILLARY PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act with full 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 06/13/2023 at 8:30 AM in Dept. 2D located at 111 N. HILL ST. LOS ANGELES CA 90012 STANLEY MOSK COURTHOUSE

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held on June 16, 2023 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 29 located at 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

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

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

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

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

WILBUR GIN ESQ SBN 93826

EDWARDS ASHTON AND GIN LLP

100 W BROADWAY STE 860 GLENDALE CA 91210-1202 CN996631 CRAIG May 15,18,22, 2023 BURBANK INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF GEORGE RAMIREZ

Case No. PROSB2300573

RICHARD MIYAMOTO ESQ SBN 217754

TABATABAI & MIYAMOTO APC 11755 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 1250 LOS ANGELES CA 90025 CN996625 RAMIREZ May 15,18,22, 2023 ONTARIO NEWS PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF SONIA RAMIREZ

Case No. PROSB2300574

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

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Michele Akbari in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Michele Akbari 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 administra-tion authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objec-tion to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held on June 14, 2023 at 9:00 AM in Dept. No. S36 located at 247 W. Third St., San Bernardino, CA 92415.

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

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: 06/16/23 at 8:30AM in Dept. 29 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

Hit-and-runs: Seniors killed in Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs

Warrant out for man suspected of giving fatal dose of fentanyl to girl

By City News Service By City News Service

A22-year-old man accused of giving a fatal dose of fentanyl to his 17-year-old girlfriend in an unincorporated area of Riverside County near Desert Hot Springs had a warrant out for his arrest Thursday.

Michael Garcia of Desert Hot Springs was charged with one felony count each of willful child cruelty and giving controlled substances to a minor, according to court records.

A34-year-old man suspected of fatally striking an elderly man in Cathedral City and leaving the scene pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murder, and a woman was facing felony charges for fleeing after she allegedly struck a senior at a Desert Hot Springs bus stop.

Heber Alexander Henriquez of Cathedral City also pleaded not guilty to one misdemeanor count of driving with a suspended license on Wednesday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, according to court records.

Crews from the Cathedral City Fire Department responded to a report of a man on the ground with head injuries in the 67300 block of Mission Drive at around 6:10 a.m. Sunday, according to Sgt. Barnett of the Cathedral City Police Department.

“Based on evidence located at the scene, it appears the pedestrian was walking on the sidewalk when a vehicle went onto the sidewalk and crashed into the pedestrian and fled the area,” Barnett said in a statement.

When fire department personnel arrived to the

scene, they saw a person with injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle. The victim was identified as a 78-yearold Cathedral City resident, according to Barnett. The man was in full arrest and paramedics were unable to revive him.

The suspected hit-andrun driver was later identified as Henriquez, who was arrested and booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio on $1 million bail.

The crash remains under investigation, though alcohol was not a suspected factor, Barnett said.

Anyone with information about the death was asked to call Cathedral City police at 760-770-0300.

Also on Wednesday, felony charges were filed against a 33-year-old woman who allegedly fatally struck an 86-year-old man with her car at a bus stop in Desert Hot Springs and drove off without rendering aid.

Kristiana Raylene Saiz of Desert Hot Springs was charged with one felony count each of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and

Teacher of the Year

a hit-and-run causing death, according to court records.

She was set to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

Police said officers responded around 12:30 p.m. May 13 to a report of a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian on Palm Drive near Hacienda Avenue.

Saiz allegedly drove a black Jeep Latitude northbound on Palm Drive as a man was standing at a bus stop, according to police. As she approached Hacienda Avenue, she allegedly drove onto the sidewalk and struck him before leaving the scene.

The man, identified as Peter Heaton of Desert Hot Springs, was fatally injured and pronounced dead at the scene at 12:35 p.m., according to the Riverside County coroner’s office.

Saiz was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, where she remains held on $75,000 bail.

Anyone with information about the fatal hit-and-run was asked to contact Sgt. Hazen at 760-329-6411. Anonymous tips can be made by calling 760-341-7867.

Deputies from the Palm Desert sheriff’s station responded around 9 a.m. Aug. 21, 2022, to a report of an unresponsive teen girl in the 15000 block of Via Quedo, according to Sgt. Sean Liebrand of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Upon arrival, she was found unresponsive in a bedroom.

“Lifesaving measures were unsuccessful, and the juvenile was ultimately pronounced deceased,” Liebrand said in a statement. “The investigation determined the female juvenile had overdosed on fentanyl.”

The department’s Overdose Investigations and Narcotics Unit assumed the investigation and identified Garcia as the suspect who gave her the fentanyl, according to Liebrand. Garcia remains outstanding.

According to a declaration in support of his arrest

Department

filed by master investigator James Peters, he responded to the girl’s residence Aug. 21 and spoke to her boyfriend, Garcia, who was present when deputies arrived.

“Under Miranda, Michael told me he drove the night before he purchased M-30 pills, which he stated he knew contained Fentanyl, and provided them to (the girl), who smoked them,” Peters said in the declaration. “Michael said he awoke the next morning to find (her) overdosing.”

Peters claimed that Garcia also told him that, knowing the girl was only

17 years old, he had a sexual relationship with her for several months and was buying her fentanyl even though he knew she had been released from a residential rehab for fentanyl addiction a few weeks before her fatal overdose.

More suspects and arrests are expected in the case, according to Liebrand. Anyone with information on Garcia’s whereabouts was asked to call the department’s dispatch at 951-7761099 and anyone with additional information on the case was asked to call Peters at 951-955-1700.

Riverside County home prices in April edge up from March

By City News Service

Prices of homes in Riverside County edged up in April for the second straight month, but still remained below the prices of a year ago, the California Association of Realtors reported Thursday.

of the last 10 years: 2022 — Nichi Aviña, Cielo Vista Charter School, Palm Springs USD; 2021 — Keisa Brown, University Heights Middle School, Riverside USD, and Allison Cyr, Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary School, Desert Sands USD; 2020 — Brenda Chavez-Barreras, Good Hope Elementary School, Perris ESD; 2019 — Dr. Angel Mejico, El Cerrito Middle School, CoronaNorco USD; 2018 — Brian McDaniel, Painted Hills Middle School, Palm Springs USD; 2017 — Shaun Bunn, Ethan A. Chase Middle School, Romoland School District; 2016 — Michelle Cherland, Carrillo Ranch Elementary School, Desert Sands USD; 2014 — Jessica Pack, James Workman Middle School, Palm Springs USD

Riverside-area Teachers of the Year are chosen from approximately 20,000 educators in the county.

“The application process requires candidates to spend time reflecting on, and carefully defining, their teaching philosophy,” according to the Office of Education. “The county teachers of the year are selected on the basis of nominations by teachers, principals, and school district administrators throughout the county. Applications are then submitted to the Riverside County Office of Education, where a selection committee reviews the applications on each district candidate and selects semi-finalists. The selection committee then conducts interviews and site visits to select the final four candidates before the county superintendent announces the honorees.”

The median sale price of a single-family home in the county was $615,000 last month, up from $612,000 in March, but down from $630,000 in April 2022, according to the association.

In April, Riverside County’s ratio of new houses for sale to new houses sold was 2.7, a slight rise from 2.6 in March. The ratio in April 2022 was 1.7, according to CAR’s survey. Time on the market last month was 32 days.

Statewide, April’s sales pace was down 4.7% on a monthly basis from 281,050 in March and down 36.1% from a year ago, when a revised 418,970 homes were

sold on an annualized basis, the report stated.

Sales of existing singlefamily homes in California remained below the 300,000-unit pace for the seventh consecutive month in April.

“While home sales declined in April, the market is getting more competitive as we’re seeing time on the market before selling down to 20 days in April from 33

days in January and the share of homes sold above asking price double from one in five at the beginning of the year to more than two in five in April,” said CAR President Jennifer Branchini.

“This increase in market competition continued to provide support to the statewide median home price in April, which climbed above $800,000 for the first time in six months.”

Michael Garcia. | Photo courtesy of the Riverside County Sheriff’s

| Photo by Highway Patrol Images/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

| Photo by Andy_Dean_Photog/Envato Elements

Mecca carjacking suspect pleads guilty, sentenced to 6 years in prison

By City News Service

2012 and sentenced to life terms, but were granted new trials because of the behavior of the judge in the original trial. Niroula was killed at the Cois Byrd Detention Center on Sept. 6, 2022.

Replogle was convicted again on Aug. 11, 2022, of the same felony charges that Bustamante is charged with, and is yet to be sentenced.

Other co-defendants Russell Manning, who is now dead, and Craig McCarthy pleaded guilty in 2010 to felony charges.

Bustamante’s attorney, Bosky Kathuria, wrapped up his closing argument Thursday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, telling jurors his client is presumed to be innocent, and contended the prosecution failed to prove his client’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. He concluded by telling jurors a fictional story about rats deceiving villagers by falsely accusing a farmer of ruining their harvest.

“I ask you to reject the testimony of deceptive rats who attempt to frame an innocent, who have everything to gain and nothing to lose,” Kathuria said, challenging the accounts of witnesses in the trial. “I ask you now to respect Miguel’s presumption of innocence and find him not guilty of murder and not guilty of conspiracy to commit murder.”

Palm Springs murder

A31-year-old man who forced a motorist at gunpoint to lead sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase in Mecca in 2020 was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to felony charges.

Gutberto Antonio Rodriguez was charged with one felony count each of to kidnapping, kidnapping during the commission of a carjacking, assault with a semi-automatic weapon and criminal threats, according to court records. He also faced several weapons-related sentenceenhancing allegations.

He pleaded guilty to all charges and admitted to the allegations Wednesday at the Larson Justice Center

in Indio, according to court records. He was immediately sentenced to six years in state prison.

According to Riverside County sheriff’s Sgt. Steve Davis, the chase on Aug. 18, 2020, started when sheriff’s deputies attempted to pull over a car near Lincoln Street and 62nd Avenue in Mecca, but Rodriguez, who was a passenger in the vehicle, held the driver at gunpoint and “instructed the driver to evade deputies.”

The brief high-speed chase was terminated near Avenue 60 and Johnson Street, where Rodriguez ran off and eluded a search, Davis said.

On Sept. 3, 2020, deputies located him in the

101000 block of Sea Breeze Drive in North Shore, where he was taken into custody without incident, the sheriff’s department reported.

Rodriguez also had a warrant out for his arrest stemming from separate felony charges filed Aug. 21, 2020 — assault with a deadly weapon and shooting at an occupied vehicle, and a misdemeanor count of brandishing a weapon or firearm — which occurred in Mecca, court papers show.

Rodriguez also pleaded guilty in a separate case Wednesday to one felony count each of assault with a gun and shooting at a dwelling as well as a misdemeanor count of exhibiting a firearm not in self-defense, according to court records.

Deputy District Attorney Robert Hightower rebutted, telling jurors how the defense jumped to paint Bustamante in a pitiful light now that he’s on trial and trying to avoid culpability. He asked jurors to put an end to the lies and hold the defendant responsible for what he did.

“Everything he told police, everything he did was for one purpose, to save himself. ... That testimony was pure selfishness, not compassion,” Hightower said. “Mr. Lambert was more than just something to be used by all of these people. This case was pure and concentrated evil.”

Jurors began deliberating Thursday morning.

Prosecutors contend the six defendants teamed up to take advantage of and kill Lambert, who was stabbed in the kitchen of his Palm

Springs home on Dec. 5, 2008, for financial gain.

“Sometimes the promise of a fortune will make a man risk it all,” Hightower told jurors.

He said Lambert was on an online dating site, where he met Garcia, who was living in San Francisco and allegedly utilized the victim’s credit card to upgrade his flights when flying out to see him.

Hightower then took jurors through a timeline of events between November 2008 and January 2009. On the day after Thanksgiving 2008, Replogle and Niroula flew from Burbank to Palm Springs in an effort to recruit Manning into the scheme, Hightower said. On Dec. 2, 2008, in an attempt to get access to Lambert, Niroula allegedly posed as an attorney and called Lambert to tell him he would be inheriting a large amount of money, then set up a meeting with him the following day.

In the meantime, McCarthy and Bustamante allegedly broke into Lambert’s home and armed themselves, but didn’t follow through with anything, so Niroula set up a second meeting at Lambert’s Palm Springs home for Dec. 5, 2008. Niroula excused himself and walked to the kitchen, where he allegedly let McCarthy and Bustaman-

te in through a side door, the prosecutor said.

“Both of them are armed with knives and as they enter the kitchen, at some point Mr. Lambert comes out — sort of a ‘What’s going on?’ type of moment — and Mr. Bustamante stabs Cliff Lambert with the assistance of Craig McCarthy,” Hightower alleged. “Once Mr. Lambert is dead, they clean up, they wrap Mr. Lambert up in a rug ... they load Mr. Lambert in the trunk of the Mercedes and they leave with the dog as well.”

The following day, the two allegedly dumped Lambert’s body on the way to Daly City, which is near San Francisco, Hightower said. After two days, Lambert’s friend filed a missing person report, while Niroula and Replogle started to go into Lambert’s accounts to try to sell his home.

Parts of Lambert’s body started to be found in 2016, when pipeline workers found a jawbone along Templin Highway in Castaic, Hightower said. His skull was found near the same area in 2017.

“(Lambert) was a man who was simply seeking out someone for companionship, to care about him and to love him. Instead, what he met was pure evil,” Hightower said.

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Photo courtesy of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department

Miguel Bustamante. | Photo courtesy of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department