Monrovia Weekly_8/28/2023

LAPD Commission approves changes to stun gun policy

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LA City Council approves nearly $1 billion police labor agreement

By Jose Herrera, City News Service

Prayer vigil held as cleanup begins following Cook’s Corner shooting

By City News Service

Aprayer service was held Friday evening in memory of the three people killed and others affected by the mass shooting at the Cook’s Corner bar in Trabuco Canyon, while the investigation continues into the motivations of the retired police sergeant who carried out the massacre.

Saddleback Church in Lake Forest hosted the prayer gathering.

“This tragedy has left many friends and family members devastated, and many more members of the community shocked and dismayed,” the Rev. Andy Wood of Saddleback Church said in a statement. “This is a time we can come together and ask God for comfort and healing. The church is the fabric of any community and the source for hope. Saddleback is a community where we can grieve together, pray, serve, and support each other through every aspect of life.”

The gathering was live-streamed on the church’s website. The church also welcomed people struggling to cope with the tragedy to reach out to its “pastoral care team” at 949-609-8000.

Orange County officials reminded residents that mental health support and other resources can be accessed around the clock at 855-625-4657.

The Los Angeles City Council approved a four-year labor contract with the union representing Los Angeles Police Department officers, detectives and lieutenants Wednesday, with a series of bonuses and pay raises intended to address issues of retention and recruitment.

The council voted 12-3 to approve the deal, which also includes increased health care benefits and patrol incentives. Mayor Karen Bass and members of the Los Angeles Police Protective League approved the deal earlier this month.

The police labor agreement needed support from the council before it could be finalized.

“Our police department, just like other major city police departments, is enduring a hiring and retention crisis,” Bass said in a statement following the vote. “Around the same time that we struck a tentative agreement, the LAPD sworn force dipped below 9,000 for the first time since 2002. I want to thank the leaders of

the City Council for supporting this action and I look forward to working together to ensure that Angelenos are safe.”

According to Bass’ office, the LAPD is expected to lose hundreds more officers in the coming year due to retirements and resignations. Since 2017, the LAPD has lost more than 430 officers in their first year and a half of duty. A significant amount of officers join other agencies before serving for 10 years.

Matt Szabo, city administrative officer, confirmed that the cumulative cost of the contract will be $994 million.

Under the new police labor contract, starting pay for a new recruit will begin at $86,193, a 12.6% increase from the current starting salary of $74,020. Additionally, the deal will also provide four raises of 3% over the next four years.

Retention bonuses combined with scheduled pay increases will increase officers’ overall wages by a 6% raise in year one, a 4%

raise in year two, a 5% raise in year three and a 5% raise in year four.

New officers from the Police Academy who remain with the LAPD for at least three years will earn $15,000 in bonuses, while officers who transfer to the department from other agencies and stay for at least three years will earn $20,000 in bonuses.

By 2027, starting salary for new recruits will hit $94,000.

Council members Nithya Raman, Eunisses Hernandez and Hugo Soto- Martinez, who voted against the contract, called the deal “irresponsible.”

Hernandez said the deal came at a time when several city unions are still in contract negotiations, and said the city already allocates a quarter of its general fund to the LAPD.

“Our budget is a zero sum game. When we allocate so much of our city dollars to just one department we starve all of our other departments from the money, personnel and

resources that they need to serve Angelenos,” she said.

Raman said the recruitment and retention issues are part of a national trend.

“The vision we need to be working toward ... is that when someone shows up when you call for help, it’s the right person for whatever issue you’re facing,” Raman said. “I fear this contract with its enormous fiscal impact on the city makes us less capable of doing that.”

But Councilwoman Traci Park called the contract “necessary” to address recruitment and retention of officers.

“This contract demonstrates a commitment to our police officers,” Park said. “That’s long overdue, and it sends a message that Los Angeles takes public safety seriously. We’re not just going to put up with crime, and it means that we actually care about the men and women who work hard every day to keep us safe.”

The shooting occurred around 7 p.m. Wednesday at Cook’s Corner, billed as one of the most famous biker bars in Southern California, but also hailed by Orange County leaders as a gathering place for families and the community — particularly for its weekly Wednesday night spaghetti dinner special.

Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said the gunman — 59-year-old retired Ventura Police Department Sgt. John Snowling — entered the bar carrying two handguns and walked directly to his estranged wife, Marie, and shot her once. Marie Snowling’s family said she was shot once in the jaw.

Snowling then shot the woman with whom his wife was dining. That woman, who has not yet been identified, managed to run outside the bar where she died.

According to Barnes, Snowling then began firing randomly into the crowd. Two other men were killed, including 67-year-old John Leehey of Irvine. The other victim, who Barnes said was killed while trying to engage the gunman and halt the shooting, has not yet been identified.

In addition to Marie Snowling, five other people were injured. Marie Snowling and an unidentified man were hospitalized in critical condition, while four other men suffered lesser injuries. One of those men, a cook at the restaurant, was shot in an arm.

James O’Malley, who was at Cook’s Corner Wednesday night with Leehey, told reporters the pair were having a beer in the bar’s picnic area when they heard gunshots ring out and saw people running outside. He said they both also started to run, and he saw his friend fall to the ground.

“I thought he tripped, and then my mind said, no, that wasn’t a trip because he didn’t even cushion his fall,” O’Malley told CBS2.

City commission OKs Studio City project despite community opposition

LAPD headquarters, left, and Los Angeles City Hall in downtown LA. | Photos courtesy of Downtowngal/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) and Craig Baker/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Barnes said Snowling eventually went to a silver pickup in the bar’s parking lot and retrieved another handgun and a shotgun, then continued shooting.

Arriving sheriff’s deputies quickly spotted the gunman, who shot at the law-enforcement officers, prompting them to return fire. According to Barnes and District Attorney Todd Spitzer, seven deputies shot at the gunman, firing at least 75 rounds, killing Snowling.

According to the Ventura Police Department, Snowling retired from the police department as a sergeant in February 2014, ending a career that began in July 1986.

Barnes said Snowling — who apparently has residences in Camarillo, Orange County and Ohio — traveled from Ohio to Southern California then made his way Wednesday night to Cook’s Corner in the 19100 block of Santiago Canyon Road, where he knew his estranged wife would be. The couple were in the midst of a divorce.

It was unclear how long Snowling had been in the area or if he had been tracing his estranged wife’s movements.

But Barnes said it was clear that Snowling knew she was at Cook’s Corner Wednesday night. He said that according to witnesses, Snowling walked directly up to her and shot her without saying anything.

The couple have two adult children. Barnes said Marie Snowling’s son was with her at the hospital on Thursday, and she was awake and talking.

Spitzer said his office will review the propriety of the law-enforcement shooting, but he has not found any evidence to believe “in any way whatsoever that their acts were nothing less than heroic and that nothing they did last night indicates any criminal activity or excessive use of force in any way whatsoever.”

Officials at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, where all of the injured shooting victims were taken, said Thursday that Marie Snowling had been transferred to UCI Medical Center in Orange.

According to Providence Mission Hospital, a critically injured man who was shot in the chest remained hospitalized Thursday. The other four patients taken to Providence Mission were all men. One of

Prayer vigil

them was released Wednesday night, two others were expected to go home Thursday and the fourth, who was shot in an arm, was scheduled to undergo surgery Thursday, according to the hospital.

The Ventura Police Department issued a statement Thursday saying the agency was cooperating with Orange County authorities in the investigation.

“Our hearts weigh heavy with the distressing incident at Cook’s Corner,” VPD Chief Darin Schindler said. “Our deepest condolences are with the families of the victims, the survivors, and the Orange County deputies who swiftly responded to the scene. This incident deeply affects us all.”

Various witness reports indicated that during the shooting, an unknown number of people barricaded themselves inside the kitchen to avoid the gunman. According to multiple reports, a woman who encountered the gunman outside the bar begged the man not to shoot her, telling him she was five months pregnant. The woman said the shooter spared her life, telling her, “Get out of here.”

Cook’s Corner is a well-

known bar and biker hangout. The building is believed to date back to the late 1800s, although it did not begin operating as a restaurant until the 1920s. The restaurant bills itself as “one of the most famous biker bars in Southern California.”

Barnes and Spitzer insisted that while Cook’s Corner is historically known as a biker bar, it is actually a welcoming restaurant for families, particularly on the spaghetti nights.

“It’s a gathering place,” Barnes said. “It’s a place for families to go to share a meal. It’s a tight-knit community.”

Spitzer added, “This is personal. I am one of those bikers. I am one of those people that would often go on Wednesday nights for spaghetti night. ... It is iconic, it is special. And nothing that happened last night is going to ruin either the canyon, its austerity, its prominence or Cook’s Corner.”

Orange County Supervisor also hailed Cook’s Corner as a “family spot.”

“It draws bikers and so many others from around the county,” he said. “It is a wholesome place. I’ve been out there when they’ve done

charity events, when they put on music shows for our veterans. ... It will be forever sad. There’s no other word for it, that such a happy place will now go forward under the shadow of what happened last night.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statement Thursday lamenting the shooting, while also urging the public to take advantage of “red-flag” laws that can lead to seizure of weapons from people who might be considered a threat to themselves or others.

“California mourns for the victims of last night’s horrific shooting at Cook’s Corner,” Newsom said. “As we continue to learn more details about this act of violence, there are

early reports that this horror was related to a domestic dispute. This type of trauma is unfortunately not isolated. Two-thirds of mass shooters in America have a history of domestic violence.

“Victims and survivors in California should know they are never alone — we have tools and resources to support and protect you. Our state’s red flag laws allow victims, family members, coworkers, and others to work with local law enforcement and the courts to safely remove guns from those who may be a potential threat. We must continue to strengthen, defend, and use these laws. If you see red flags, say something — and in doing so, save lives.”

LAPD Commission approves changes to stun gun policy

By Jose Herrera, City News Service

In response to the death of Keenan Anderson in January, and concerns regarding the Los Angeles Police Department’s use of “less-lethal’ force, the police commission Tuesday approved revisions to the department’s policies regarding the use of stun guns.

The Board of Police Commissioners voted unanimously to move forward with a proposal to rename and revise policy pertaining to the use of stun guns and other “less-lethal control devices,” or what will now be called “use of intermediate force options.”

Assistant Police Chief Dominic Choi said recent uses of “less-lethal control devices” prompted a “need to really look at the intermediate use of force policy and Taser use policy.”

Under department policy, officers are allowed to use a stun gun, baton, beanbag shotgun, 40mm less-lethal launcher or chemical agents such as pepper spray when there is an immediate threat to the safety of the officers or others.

A sentence was added to the policy Tuesday -- “If the threat is not immedi-

ately addressed, there is an articulable risk the incident could escalate to the use of deadly force.”

“The sentence was added to allow officers more time from the point where they could first use an intermediate force option to when they could use a lethal force option,” Choi said.

Choi said in multiple incidents in the recent past, officers deployed less lethal force options and lethal force options simultaneously. The change in this policy will “change those circumstances or lessen those occurrences,” he added.

As it relates to the use of stun guns, the commission revised the policy to include -- “Department personnel shall not administer a Taser using the drive-stun method (excluding three-point and four-point drive-stun) to any subject or suspect, unless articulable circumstances exist justifying the need for drive-stun mode.”

According to Police1, an online resource for law enforcement agencies, stun guns have a “probe” mode and a “drive-stun” mode. The drive-stun mode is considered by law enforcement agencies to be a “pain-

compliance” technique and used on resisting or assaulting subjects.

The drive-stun mode only causes a localized pain compliance and is less effective than the protocol -- and can likely lead to other use of force tactics or methods to subdue a suspect.

“This policy provides an allowance for officers to use the drive-stun mode in specific circumstances,” Choi said. “What we’re trying to do is create options for officers to be able to deploy less lethal force before they have to resort to lethal force.”

Rasha Shields, vice president of the commission, said she was supportive of the

policy changes and believed that it will reduce the risk of deadly use of force, as needed. She emphasized the policy change is intended as a measure in the likelihood that a suspect is armed with a weapon.

LAPD Chief Michel Moore also said the department will be bringing proposals within a few weeks to purchase several stun guns and implement a pilot program to test and evaluate the device.

Moore said the new devices, developed by Axon, will not have a drive- stun mode and will shoot single darts, making it easier to hit a target.

“I think this is going

to achieve what Mayor Karen Bass has tasked us with as well, which is in the aftermath of these events, including the death of Keenan (Anderson). The coroner’s office found Tasers were not the cause of his death but nonetheless to the public view,” Moore said.

Relatives of Anderson, a Black man who went into cardiac arrest and died after being shot with a stun gun multiple times in a struggle with Los Angeles police in Venice, filed a lawsuit against the city.

Anderson, the father of a 5-year-old son, had been a teacher for more than eight years, the final six months at Digital Pioneers Academy, a charter high school in Washington, D.C. The 31-year-old Anderson had been in the Los Angeles area visiting relatives during the holidays when he got into the Jan. 3 confrontation with police following a minor traffic collision near Lincoln and Venice boulevards.

Attorneys said police used a stun gun on Anderson six times, causing his heart to later flutter and ultimately fail. He died hours later at a hospital.

A subsequent autopsy determined that Anderson died from the effects of an enlarged heart and cocaine use.

Los Angeles attorney Carl Douglas, representing Anderson’s family along with famed national civil rights attorney Ben Crump, previously acknowledged the drug use, but said it doesn’t justify officers’ actions.

The Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit alleges civil rights violations, assault and battery, false imprisonment and negligence.

The suit seeks unspecified damages, although attorneys said they would ask for damages of $100 million. The family had earlier filed a required damages claim against the city seeking $50 million, but it was rejected.

Anderson was one of three men who died in confrontations with the LAPD during the first three days of the year. The two other men were fatally shot. The deaths prompted a series of protests, demands for the ouster of Moore and calls for changes in the way the agency responds to traffic crashes.

| Photo courtesy of PICRYL

Saddleback Church in Lake Forest. | Photo courtesy of Brent/ Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

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UCSD gets $9.57M grant to study new treatment for liver disease

By City News Service

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Researchers at UC San Diego will use a $9.57 million grant to support a clinical trial to study a new treatment option for patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, it was announced Wednesday.

NAFLD, an umbrella term for a range of liver conditions affecting people who drink little to no alcohol that can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure, impacts 24% of adults in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health. It also has no U.S. Food and Drug Administration- approved medications to treat it.

“Liver disease is a silent killer, and most people do not know they have a liver problem until it is advanced to cirrhosis because there are no obvious symptoms,” said Dr. Rohit Loomba, chief of the division of gastroenterology

and hepatology and director of the NAFLD Research Center at UCSD School of Medicine. “The results from our study could have a global impact on clinical care for patients with NAFLD and other chronic liver diseases.”

Known as the SAMARA Study, the clinical trial will examine if an FDA- approved medication called semaglutide -- commonly used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity -- could be a promising treatment option for patients with liver scarring caused by NAFLD, according to a university statement.

The trial will include 120 participants diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and obesity, who will either inject the drug or a placebo. Participants will administer the injection once a week and will follow a dose escalation

schedule over a period of 16 weeks.

The participants will be screened with routine blood work and undergo a test for liver stiffness and liver fat using an ultrasoundbased device in the patient’s primary care doctor’s office.

“Unlike other similar trials for NAFLD, the SAMARA Study is the first of its kind in that it will be screening patients for eligibility using non- invasive methods that are applicable and practical in real-world, primary care settings,” Loomba said. “By doing this in the primary care doctor’s office, we are hopeful this will provide an improvement in the detection and care for patients.”

NASH -- nonalcoholic steatohepatitis -- is the most severe form of NAFLD and consists of excessive fat buildup in the liver, the

researchers said. Individuals who are overweight, have type 2 diabetes or have a family member with NAFLD are at a higher risk of developing the disease.

According to Loomba, it’s anticipated that NAFLD will be the leading cause of liver transplantation in the United States by 2030, with type 2 diabetes and obesity being major risk factors for significant liver fibrosis due to NAFLD.

“Being awarded this grant represents an important step toward engaging populations in research, science and medicine to improve the health of individuals currently living with NAFLD,” he said.

The completion of the SAMARA Study will be followed by a larger, multicenter, international trial, officials said.

Angels’ Ohtani has torn UCL, will not pitch rest of season

By City News Service

Shohei Ohtani has pitched his last game this season for the Los Angeles Angels and it is unclear Thursday if he will need surgery to repair a tear in his elbow ligament.

Ohtani left Wednesday’s game against the visiting Cincinnati Reds at Angel Stadium in the second inning, the first of a doubleheader. He hit a home run in the first inning, his American League-leading 44th, but the Angels lost

the game, 9-4.

Angels general manager Perry Minasian said after the second game of the doubleheader that Ohtani has a tear in his elbow ligament and won’t pitch the rest of the season.

Ohtani had Tommy John surgery after his 2018 season, the year he won the American League Rookie of the Year. He doubled and scored in the second game of the doubleheader choosing to

play despite the tear in his elbow ligament. The Reds won the second game, 7- 3.

The Angels received a double dose of bad news on Wednesday night. Threetime American League MVP Mike Trout was placed on the injured list for at least 10 days as he is recovering from surgery on a broken bone in his hand. He played in Tuesday’s game but was out of the lineup on Wednesday.

Ohtani faced six batters

in the opening game and threw 26 pitches. He left with a 2-2 count on Christian Encarnarcion-Strand.

Ohtani missed his previous scheduled start to rest his arm. Injuries have cut short five of his outings in 2023. He left games because of blisters, a cracked fingernail and hand cramping.

Ohtani had missed only two games all season heading into Thursday, none since May 2.

A liver with fat deposits has been shown, and for comparison, a healthy liver as well. | Photo courtesy of https://www.myupchar. com/en (CC BY-SA 4.0)

With plans already in place to light the Ferris wheel on the Santa Monica Pier in honor of Kobe Bryant Thursday evening, the Laker legend’s widow, Vanessa, made this “Mamba Day” doubly memorable by announcing Thursday that the team will unveil a statue of her late husband outside Crypto.com Arena in February.

Vanessa Bryant’s announcement on social media came on “Mamba Day,” the unofficial L.A. celebration of Kobe that takes place every Aug. 24, or 8/24, in a nod to the two uniform numbers he wore during his career. It also came one day after what would have been Bryant’s 45th birthday.

“As you know, Kobe played his entire 20-year NBA career as a Los Angeles Laker,” Vanessa Bryant said in her social media video.

“Since arriving in this city and joining the Lakers organization, he felt at home here, playing in the City of Angels. On behalf of the Lakers, my daughters and me, I am so honored that right in the center of Los Angeles, in front of the place known as the house that Kobe built, we are going to unveil his statue so that his legacy can be celebrated forever.”

The bronze statue will be unveiled at Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 8, 2024, prior to the team’s home game that evening.

Other Laker greats

By City News Service

great

commemorated with a statue are Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West and announcer Chick Hearn.

Meanwhile, the Ferris wheel in Santa Monica will be illuminated in Laker gold and purple and display the numbers 8 and 24 starting at sunset Thursday.

The display will also feature messages that read “LA (heart) 8” and “LA (heart) 24,” along with various gold and purple patterns and transitions. It will continue flashing on the 90-foot-tall wheel through midnight.

Bryant, known as “Black Mamba” during his 20-year Hall of Fame NBA career, died Jan. 26, 2020, in a helicopter crash in Calabasas that also took the lives of his 13-yearold daughter Gianna and seven others.

On his birthday Wednesday, Bryant was trending on social media as fans remembered the shooting guard who helped lead the Lakers to five NBA titles and appeared in 18 all-star games.

“Happy birthday, baby. I love you always & forever. (heart),” his widow, Vanessa, wrote on Instagram Wednesday in a post that included 10 pictures of the couple.

Both of Kobe Bryant’s uniform numbers were retired by the Lakers in 2017, the year after he hung up his sneakers -- making him the first NBA player to

have two numbers retired by the same team. He wore No. 8 from 1996 to 2006, then switched to No. 24 for the rest of his career.

Last year on Mamba Day, a giant outdoor mural was unveiled at the offices of the West Coast Trial Lawyers at 1147 S. Hope St. It’s just a few blocks from Crypto.com Arena, where Bryant starred when it was known as Staples Center.

The mural depicts a close-up of Bryant’s face in black-and-white, flanked by a mamba snake on the left and, in color, a group of children — including Gianna — playing basketball atop a giant book.

The book is “Epoca,” one of the children’s stories Bryant created through his Granity Studios company after he retired from basketball.

Bryant played his entire career with the Lakers and became the team’s all-time leader in games (1,346), minutes played (48,637), field goals (11,719) and 3-point goals (1,827), among numerous team records.

He also is the Lakers’ all-time leader in points with 33,643. Abdul- Jabbar finished his 20-year career with a then-NBA-record 38,387 points, but only 24,176 were achieved in his 14 seasons with the Lakers.

LeBron James this past February surpassed AbdulJabbar’s all-time mark, but only 7,614 of James’ points have been recorded in his five seasons with the Lakers.

On ‘Mamba Day,’ Kobe Bryant’s widow announces statue coming of Laker

Kobe Bryant alongside his family in 2016. | Photo courtesy of Eric Garcetti/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Justice Department sues SpaceX over alleged employment discrimination

The U.S. Department of Justice sued SpaceX Thursday, alleging Elon Musk’s Hawthornebased space company discriminated against refugees and asylum seekers in its hiring practices.

The lawsuit alleges that between 2018 and 2022, SpaceX “wrongly claimed” that export control laws limited its hiring to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.

Officials have been investigating SpaceX since June 2020, when the Justice Department’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section received a complaint of employment discrimination from a non-U.S. citizen.

SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“Our investigation found that SpaceX failed to fairly consider or hire asylees and refugees because of their citizenship status and imposed what amounted to a ban on their hire regardless of their qualification, in violation of federal law,”

Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement.

Clarke added that SpaceX “recruiters and high-level officials took actions that actively discouraged asylees and refugees from seeking work opportunities at the company.”

According to data SpaceX provided to the government, from September 2018 to May 2022, out of more than 10,000 hires, the company

By City News Service

hired only one individual who was an asylee and identified as such in his application, the lawsuit states.

SpaceX recruits and hires for a variety of positions, including welders, cooks, crane operators, baristas and dishwashers, as well as information technology specialists, software engineers, business analysts, rocket engineers and marketing professionals. The jobs at issue in the lawsuit are not limited to those that require advanced degrees, prosecutors said.

The suit was filed in the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, the only court that can hear claims under the Immigration and Nationality Act’s anti-discrimination provision, the law the complaint

alleges SpaceX violated. The government is seeking back pay for asylees and refugees who were deterred or denied employ-

ment at SpaceX due to the alleged discrimination. The lawsuit also seeks civil penalties in an amount to be determined by the

court and policy changes to ensure it complies with the Immigration and Nationality Act’s mandate against discrimination.

4 killed, including gunman, 6 injured in shooting in Trabuco Canyon

By City News Service

Two people are in the hospital in critical condition Thursday and four others are recovering from injuries they suffered in a shooting inside a famed Trabuco Canyon biker bar that left three people dead.

The gunman, a retired Ventura County Police Department sergeant, was fatally shot by responding sheriff’s deputies.

On Thursday morning, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer identified the suspect to Fox11 as John Snowling. Spitzer’s office confirmed he was a retired VPD officer who retired as a sergeant in 2014.

According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, a media briefing regarding the shooting is planned Thursday afternoon, with the time and location expected to be released Thursday morning.

“No information will be released until then,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement posted on social media early Thursday morning. “Thank you for your patience.”

The shooting occurred at about 7 p.m. Wednesday at Cook’s Corner in the 19100 block of Santiago Canyon Road. According to the OCSD, the gunman was fatally shot by responding deputies within minutes of their arrival at the scene.

KCAL reported the gunman opened fire as a result of a domestic disturbance with his wife at the

bar, and the wife was one of the victims who was fatally shot. KCAL reported the gunman was with the Ventura department from 1984 until 2014.

Of the six people injured, five of them had gunshot wounds, Orange County Fire Authority Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy confirmed at an 11 p.m. news conference Wednesday. The nature of the sixth person’s injuries was unknown.

All six were taken to Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, where two were listed in critical condition and four others were considered stable, according to a statement from the hospital.

Sheriff’s officials said no deputies were injured.

Fox 11 reported a man named Maurice Nolan told the Orange County Register that one of the victims was his daughter and the shooter’s ex-wife. She was shot in the jaw, according to Fox 11.

Video from the scene clearly showed multiple bodies covered with sheets outside the bar.

OCSD Undersheriff Jeff Hallock said at the news conference deputies had recovered at least one weapon believed to be used in the shooting at the scene and investigators were still gathering evidence and it was early to draw specific conclusions.

“We have a number of witnesses that we have to interview and we will

be processing the scene throughout the night,” Hallock said.

Hallock said there were at least “30 to 40 witnesses” that investigators were slated to interview.

A man who had been on his way to Cook’s Corner told the station at the scene that friends of his were inside the bar when the shooting occurred and they saw the gunman, who was described as an older man with a gray beard. He said his friends were not injured.

Sheriff’s deputies and multiple ambulance crews swarmed to the scene, and all streets in the vicinity were shut down while an investigation was conducted. Orange County officials said Santiago Canyon Road was closed south of Crystal Canyon Road, El Toro Road

was closed north of Ridgeline Road and Live Oak Canyon was closed east of El Toro/Santiago Canyon.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office posted online: “We are monitoring the shooting in Orange County and are coordinating with local officials as more details become available.”

Cook’s Corner is a well known bar and biker hangout. The building is believed to date back to the late 1800s, although it did not begin operating as a restaurant until the 1920s. The restaurant bills itself as “one of the most famous biker bars in Southern California.”

On Wednesday night, the bar/restaurant was offering its weekly $8 spaghetti dinner special, along with a live band

named M Street that was scheduled to begin playing at 6:30 p.m. Around 6 p.m., the band posted a short video on its Instagram page showing the stage being set up, with the ominous caption, “Cook’s Corner before the onslaught!”

A witness to the shooting told KTLA5 the band was playing when the sound of gunfire rang out inside the bar. The man said he saw “a guy that had a light blue shirt on, he had two guns in his hands.”

The witness told the station he heard a barrage of gunfire as the gunman maneuvered inside the bar. The gunman then ran out to the parking lot and retrieved what appeared to be a rifle or shotgun from a silver pickup and he began shooting again, the witness said.

Another witness told reporters he saw the gunman wielding some type of long rifle and engage in a gunfight with sheriff’s deputies.

Shortly after the shooting, a woman who had been inside the bar posted a series of photos showing blood smeared on the floor of the business. She wrote that the gunman fired four or six shots toward her, but she was not hit.

CBS 2 reported a pregnant woman encountered the gunman outside the bar and begged him not to shoot her. According to CBS, the shooter spared the woman and told her, “ Get out of here.”

Sen. Dave Min, D-Irvine, quickly issued a statement saying he was “heartbroken” by the shooting in his area.

“Our district is one of the safest areas in the country and yet we too are repeatedly afflicted with the scourge of mass shootings,” Min said. “An office park in Orange, a church in Laguna Woods, a bar in Trabuco Canyon.

“There is no place in America that is safe from the scourge of gun violence. There is no community not affected. My heart breaks for the families and loved ones of the victims. We cannot rest until we end gun violence in this country.”

Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine, posted on social media, “This is heartbreaking news for our Orange County community. I’m thinking of the victims and their loved ones as we await more information from law enforcement.”

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley said it was “disturbing to now learn that the suspect killed his wife or ex-wife during an argument. Another domestic dispute led to another mass shooting. We must do more to prevent senseless acts of gun violence and protect survivors.”

Regarding a question about similar events in Trabuco Canyon, Hallock replied, “These types of shootings are not commonplace in Orange County.”

SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne. | Photo courtesy of Steve Jurvetson/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Cook’s Corner, an OC biker bar where the shooting took place. | Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)

authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code) File#: FBN20230007346

Pub: 07/31/2023, 08/07/2023, 08/14/2023, 08/21/2023

San Bernardino Press

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

File No. FBN20230007456

The following persons are doing business as: YISHAN INSURANCE AGENCY, 3530 E DELIGHT PASEO #207, ONTARIO, CA 91761. YISHAN INTERNATIONAL INC (CA), 3530 E DELIGHT PASEO #207, ONTARIO, CA 91761; YISHAN CAI, PRESIDENT. County of Principal Place of Business: San Bernardino This business is conducted by: a corporation.

Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on July 24, 2023. By signing below, I declare that I have read and understand the reverse side of this form and that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Government Code Sections 6250- 6277). /s/ YISHAN CAI, PRESIDENT. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on July 26, 2023 Notice- In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920. A Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code) File#: FBN20230007456 Pub: 07/31/2023, 08/07/2023, 08/14/2023, 08/21/2023

San Bernardino Press

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as Bleulids 21131 Grand avenue Wildomar, CA 92595 Riverside County

Brianna Kristen Gutierrez Pallanes, 21131 Grand avenue, Wildomar, CA 92595 Riverside County

This business is conducted by: a individual. Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousands dollars ($1000).) s. Brianna Kristen Gutierrez Pallanes

Statement filed with the County of Riverside on July 25, 2023

NOTICE: In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of the five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any changes in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business

Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 Et Seq., business and professions code).

ment on file in my office. Peter Aldana, County, Clerk

File# R-202311125 Pub. 07/31/2023, 08/07/2023, 08/14/2023, 08/21/2023

Riverside Independent

LEGALS

08/28/2023, 09/04/2023

Riverside Independent

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

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as

LIQR UP 15685 Las Posas Dr Moreno Valley, CA 92551

Riverside County Sahagun Enterprises LLC (CA), 11875 Pigeon Pass Rd suite B13 PMB 10033, Moreno Valley, CA 92557

Riverside County

This business is conducted by: a limited liability company (llc).

Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on July 14, 2023. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousands dollars ($1000).)

s. Veronica C Sahagun, CEO

Statement filed with the County of Riverside on July 14, 2023

NOTICE: In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of the five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any changes in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business

Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 Et Seq., business and professions code).

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

Peter Aldana, County, Clerk File# 202310655

Pub. 08/07/2023, 08/14/2023, 08/21/2023, 08/28/2023 Riverside Independent

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as (1). Concrete Polishing Team (2). ConcretePolishingTeam.com

27247 Flagler Street Menifee, CA 92586

Mailing Address, 27247 Flagler Street, Menifee, CA 92586. Riverside County Jeffery Bruce Young, 27247 Flagler Street, Menifee, CA 92586 Riverside County

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

s. Jeffery Bruce Young Statement filed with the County of Riverside on August 3, 2023

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

I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Peter Aldana, County, Clerk File#

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as (1). Creative Learning Key Family Child Care (2). Creative Learning key 13359 Breton Court Eastvale, CA 92880 Riverside County Awjanae Nicole Brown, 13359 Breton Court, Eastvale, CA 92880 Riverside County

This business is conducted by: a individual. Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on May 20, 2019. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousands dollars ($1000).)

s. Awjanae Nicole Brown Statement filed with the County of Riverside on August 10, 2023

NOTICE: In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of the five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17a920, where it expires 40 days after any changes in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 Et Seq., business and professions code).

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

Peter Aldana, County, Clerk File# R-202311853 Pub. 08/14/2023, 08/21/2023, 08/28/2023, 09/04/2023 Riverside Independent

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as

(1). WE THE PEOPLE (2). LEGAL EXPRESS (3). DOCUMENT EXPRESS (4). DOCUEX (5). WE THE PEOPLE DOCUMENT PREPARATION SERVICES

6391 Magnolia Ave SUITE A Riverside, CA 92506 Riverside County

Mailing Address, P.O. BOX 8666, Alta Loma, CA 91701. Riverside County Pacific State Corporation (CA), 8780 19th St No 157, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91701 San Bernardino County

This business is conducted by: a corporation. Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on January 1, 2008. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousands dollars ($1000).)

s. SUMMER EDOUNI, Vice President Statement filed with the County of Riverside on August 10, 2023

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

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

Peter Aldana, County, Clerk

File# 202311933 Pub. 08/14/2023, 08/21/2023,

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

File No. 20230007556

The following persons are doing business as: Wells leasing llc, 16780 Ivy Ave, Fontana, CA 92335. Mailing Address, 12309 Kern River Dr, Eastvale, CA 91752. Wells leasing llc (CA), 16780 Ivy Ave, Fontana, CA 92335; Anna I Razzaq, President. County of Principal Place of Business: San Bernardino This business is conducted by: a limited liability company (llc). Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on June 13, 2023. By signing below, I declare that I have read and understand the reverse side of this form and that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Government Code Sections 6250- 6277). /s/ Anna I Razzaq, President. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on July 27, 2023 Notice- In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920. A Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code) File#: 20230007556 Pub: 08/21/2023, 08/28/2023, 09/04/2023, 09/11/2023 San Bernardino Press

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as RLS2FINANCES 15181 Van Buren Boulevard SPC 136 Riverside, CA 92504 Riverside County RICHARD LOUIS SCHADE, 15181 Van Buren Boulevard SPC 136, Riverside, CA 92504 Riverside County

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

s. RICHARD LOUIS SCHADE

Statement filed with the County of Riverside on August 11, 2023

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

I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Peter Aldana, County, Clerk

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as BLOW MOLDED PRODUCTS 4720 Felspar St Riverside, CA 92509 Riverside County Plastic Technologies,INC (CA), 4720 Felspar St, Riverside, CA 92509 Riverside County This business is conducted by: a corporation. Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on July 1, 2018. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousands dollars ($1000).)

s. MEIR BEN DAVID, CEO

Statement filed with the County of Riverside on August 22, 2023

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

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

Peter Aldana, County, Clerk

File# 202312491

Pub. 08/28/2023, 09/04/2023, 09/11/2023, 09/18/2023

Riverside Independent

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as BLOW MOLDED PRODUCTS 4720 Felspar St Riverside, CA 92509 Riverside County Mailing Address Po Box 3226 Ontario, Ca 91761 Plastic Technologies,INC (CA), 4720 Felspar St, Riverside, CA 92509 Riverside County

This business is conducted by: a corporation. Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on July 1, 2018. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousands dollars ($1000).)

s. MEIR BEN DAVID, CEO Statement filed with the County of Riverside on August 22, 2023

NOTICE: In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of the five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any changes in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business

Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 Et Seq., business and professions code).

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

Peter Aldana, County, Clerk

File# 202312491

Pub. 08/28/2023, 09/04/2023, 09/11/2023, 09/18/2023 Riverside Independent

City commission OKs Studio City project despite community opposition

By City News Service

After four hours of publiccomment, during which many StudioCityresidents expressed their opposition to the proposed HarvardWestlake River Park project, a city commission Thursday approved a conditional-use permit for the project.

The Los Angeles City Planning Commission voted 7-0 in support of the 17.2acre development project that would bring an athletic and recreational facility to the Studio City area. Commissioners Monique Lawshe and Helen Leung were absent during Thursday’s meeting.

Rick Commons, HarvardWestlake School president, issued a statement following the vote, sharing his gratitude for the commission’s approval and the “diverse array of speakers” who supported the project.

“At River Park, all of the facilities will be built to the highest standards of accessibility, for athletes and nonathletes alike. That’s being inclusive, and it is just one of the many ways in which we will strive to fulfill the school’s mission of purpose beyond ourselves,” Commons said.

A group of Studio City residents, who organized under the name Save Weddington, said they would appeal the project’s approval.

“While the Planning Commission has approved this development project — with non-binding conditions — we are confident that this ill-conceived plan, which

serves the interests of a small private school at the expense of thousands of everyday Angelenos, will be stopped via appeal,” according to a statement from Save Weddington.

“We will stand tall to stop the destruction of green open space and natural habitat so that a few hundred `studentathletes,’ none of whom attend our city’s woefully underfunded public schools, can play lacrosse, water polo, or fence in a $140 million dollar artificial turf sports complex better suited to a major university or professional sports franchise,” according to the group.

The group also noted that in the first hour of Thursday’s hearing, City Planning Commission President Samantha Millman and Vice President Caroline Choe, both Harvard-Westlake alumni, disclosed their affiliation with their alma mater, but refused to recuse themselves from voting on the River Project.

Millman and Choe expressed that they felt far enough removed from Harvard-Westlake to vote on this project.

Millman said she didn’t see the project removing “something from the community because those assets will continue to exist in some cases or for public use and exist in other places throughout the valley.”

In October 2017, HarvardWestlake -- an independent college preparatory school for grades 7-12 -- purchased Weddington Golf & Tennis, a 16-acre property in Studio

City bounded by Whitsett Avenue and the Los Angeles River, less than a mile from Harvard-Westlake’s upper school campus.

Harvard-Westlake has plans to “transform” the property into an athletic, recreational and park center that would be used by the school and public, according to planning documents.

The project would replace the existing par-3 golf course, driving range and tennis courts with two soccer fields, a running track, a pool, a gymnasium and eight tennis courts.

Nearly six acres of River Park would be set aside for public use daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., including a picnic area, a walking path, cafe and putting green. The public would have daily access to the tennis courts as well as all other facilities when not in use by the school, HarvardWestlake officials noted.

It also includes various environmentally friendly elements, such as a stormwater capture system, solar power, additional trees, native landscaping and

preserving some of the land as “open space.”

More than 100 Studio City residents showed up at Van Nuys City Hall to share their concerns about the project.

Many residents said they fear the project is just too big, and it will exacerbate local traffic and parking issues, as well as increase neighborhood noise. Residents also opposed the proposed 80-foot light poles that would be installed to illuminate the tennis courts and soccer fields, the use of artificial turf, and the loss of more than 200 trees.

Teri Austin, a resident of Studio City and member of Save Weddington, called the project a “zero-line, McMansion sports villa,” which “does not belong in a single-family residential area.”

Harvard-Westlake representatives said they would address those concerns in several ways, such as implementing a shuttle service and other plans to mitigate traffic, installing LED lights, and planting 393 new trees.

They also emphasized that the facilities and 5.4

acres of “publicly accessible open space” will be open to the public from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., while the tennis courts will be open until 9 p.m. Members of the public will be able to reserve a court online for use.

In addition, HarvardWestlake representatives said they plan to use artificial turf for its “significant advantages” and expect their fields to be used by their students and even more by companies and organizations, such as Angel City Sports and the Boys and Girls Club of Burbank and Greater East Valley — who had representatives support the project during public comment.

The school will comply with any new state laws regulating artificial turf, and swap out the turf if necessary, officials said.

Davis Marks, a senior at Harvard-Westlake, said he appreciates that the project will be open to the community and nonprofit organizations.

“I grew up playing tennis in Weddington, but it’s easy to recognize the positive impact of this project,” Marks said. “I really look forward to seeing how the Studio City community both present and future will use this facility. I hope the city approves it.”

Samantha Butler, a professor at UCLA and a parent of students who attend Harvard-Westlake, urged the committee to approve the River Park. Butler, who lives in the adjacent Council District

5, said the project would support kids who live outside of Studio City and are in need of a nearby recreational center.

The project received support from the Valley Industry & Commerce Association as well.

“This project will not only benefit the students of Harvard-Westlake School, but also opens its doors to the broader community while enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors alike,” Stuart Waldman, president of the association, said in a statement. “The River Park development is an investment in the well-being of our community, guaranteeing a legacy of recreation and enjoyment for Studio City patrons.”

The River Park will be considered by the City Council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee at a future date.

Austin said opponents will continue to fight the project. She hopes the fivepanel committee of council members will understand the historical importance and what Weddington Golf & Tennis truly means to the community.

“Nowadays kids are put under so much pressure. Mental health and depression is a real problem,”

Austin said. “If HarvardWestlake was really trying to do something noble or a good thing, they would keep this as it is. (The school) would use it for the students and the public use.”

LAPD: Man, teen arrested in homicide; man suspected in second homicide

By City News Service

PoliceThursday announced that a man and a 14-year-old boy were arrested in the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy at a Boyle Heights recreation center — and they alleged the adult suspect also killed another man several days afterward.

Alfonso Ramos, 16, was fatally shot shortly after 5 p.m. Aug. 12 at the Evergreen Park Recreation Center, in the 2800 block of East Second Street, the Los Angeles Police Department reported.

“The subsequent investigation led to the identification of two suspects,” an LAPD statement said.

“One of the suspects was identified as 26-year-old Michael Monarrez,” police said. “The second suspect

was identified as a 14-yearold juvenile. Detectives were making investigative efforts to locate the pair and effect an arrest when a second incident occurred.

“On Aug. 17, 2023, at approximately 10 a.m., Hollenbeck Area uniformed officers responded to the 500 block of Lorena Street for a shooting investigation,” police said. “When the officers arrived they discovered a victim, identified as Fermin Ruelas, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.”

Ruelas, 45, died at the scene, according to the LAPD and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office.

Monarrez was arrested as a suspect in Ruelas’ killing a short time afterward, and

on Aug. 18, investigators arrested the 14-year-old boy they say was involved with Monarrez in Ramos’s killing.

The arrests were announced at a Thursday morning news conference at LAPD headquarters.

The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office has filed two counts of murder against Monarrez, according to the LAPD.

“A petition for murder was filed by the District Attorney’s Office on the juvenile for the murder of Ramirez,” the LAPD said.

According to the LAPD, Ramos was approached on Aug. 12 by two people inside the recreation center and a brief altercation ensued, after which one of the suspects pulled out a weapon and shot the teen.

Both suspects ran away.

According to a GoFundMe account established by his mother, Ramos was shot while working at the recreation center.

“During his short 16 years of life, he touched many lives with his sense of humor and

his determination to better himself and his love for his family,” Crystal Arellano wrote on the page. “He was a loving son, brother, nephew and cousin. Alfonso’s loss has left a hole in the hearts of us all.”

The teen had four

siblings, according to the GoFundMe page. Anyone with information on the shootings was urged to call detectives at 213-486-8700. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 877-LAPD-247.

| Photo courtesy of Edward Kimmel/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Proposed photo of Harvard-Westlake River Park project | Photo courtesy of Harvard-Westlake River Park

DA’s office: Pasadena officers’ use of force justified in 2 deadly shootings

By City News Service

Los Angeles County prosecutors have determined that Pasadena police were justified in fatally shooting a 47-year-old man who immediately fired through his front windshield at officers after a nearly halfhour pursuit that ended with a slow-speed, head-on collision with a patrol car.

In a memorandum involving Lloyd Nelson Jr.’s May 8, 2020, shooting death, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office concluded that officers Connor Duncan, Abelardo Blanchet, Kourtney Zilbert and Christian Arteaga “acted in lawful self-defense and in defense of others.”

Nelson, a San Diego resident, was identified in media reports shortly after the shooting as a former U.S. Marine who had worked at one point as a Los Angeles County public safety officer.

Nelson — who allegedly was spotted making an illegal U-turn and parking

his car in the middle of the street on Colorado Boulevard — led police on a lengthy pursuit that was called off at one point, then tracked by helicopter before officers were advised to intervene again because of his erratic driving, according to the document.

Nelson’s vehicle was rammed multiple times by patrol vehicles during the latter part of the chase, with the Mitsubishi eventually colliding with one of the patrol cars and another patrol car colliding with the back of Nelson’s vehicle, according to the document.

“Upon coming to a stop, Nelson began firing a gun at officers through his front windshield. Nelson got out of the car and continued shooting at officers, who returned fire,” according to the document, which noted that another Pasadena police officer who wasn’t involved in the gunfire was struck by

“friendly fire.”

Nelson, who suffered 16 gunshot wounds and died at the scene, had used a .45-caliber semi-automatic firearm and two other loaded firearms were found inside his vehicle, according to the memorandum.

In a separate document, prosecutors concluded that Los Angeles Police Department officers Edgar Simental, Joseph Fluty and Ruben Ovsepyan “acted in lawful self-defense” when they fired at Christopher Garcia, who emerged from his Honda sedan with what appeared to be a semiautomatic pistol, refused officers’ demands to drop the weapon and suddenly walked toward two officers and aimed the weapon at them in the Pacoima area on June 28, 2021.

“Garcia was armed with a black metal BB gun similar in appearance to a semiautomatic pistol. Investigators

recovered the weapon from the scene. Garcia is seen in BWV (body-worn camera video) footage walking toward the officers and suddenly pointing the gun as several rapid shots ring out,” according to the memorandum from the District Attorney’s Office on that shooting.

“The officers acted

reasonably under the circumstances known at the time, and this conclusion is not altered by the hindsight knowledge that Garcia was armed with a BB gun,” according to the document.

Police had initially tried to stop the 26-year-old man for speeding in a Honda sedan, then followed him

Corpse flower ready to bloom at Huntington Library

By City News Service and Staff

onto northbound Interstate 5, where officers spotted the vehicle on a dirt embankment of the Terra Bella Street freeway off-ramp, according to the memorandum, which noted that he suffered eight gunshot wounds including a fatal shot to the back. He was pronounced dead at the hospital that morning.

Another corpse flower is about to bloom at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino and its progress can be viewed online at www. huntington.org/corpseflower.

The Amorphophallus titanum, also known as a Titan Arum, corpse flower and #StinkyPlant, has been called the world’s largest flower, but is technically an “inflorescence,” or a cluster

of flowers. It can reach more than 8 feet in height when it blooms, opening to a diameter of 4 feet.

This one was 52.25 inches tall Tuesday, two inches taller than the day before, and 56.25 inches on Thursday, 1.75 inches taller than the previous day.

At the peak of its growth, it can grow up to 6 inches in one day. A daily growth chart is posted on the website.

When in one of its ultra-

rare blooms, it gives off an odor akin to rotting flesh, attracting insects that pollinate the flowers deep inside.

According to Huntington spokeswoman Susan Turner-Lowe, the blooming plant produces two key gases — dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide — that also are present in decomposing animals and vegetables.

What prompts a particular plant to start the

blooming process largely remains a mystery, TurnerLowe said, but the corpse flower tends to bloom during hot weather.

When a corpse flower was first displayed at the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in the late 19th century, at least one Victorian woman was said to have swooned when she got a whiff of the bloom.

The flower was first displayed in the United States in 1937 at the New York Botanical Garden.

Police labor

Recognizing that the contract is “a lot of money,” Councilman Bob Blumenfield, who chairs the budget committee, shared Park’s sentiments and added there are “smart things” in the contract.

The issue prompted a long and loud public comment session in the Council Chamber, with many Angelenos opposing the contract while a few speakers urged the council to increase the salaries of officers.

Melina Abdullah, the leader of the Los Angeles Chapter of Black Lives Matter, said it was “shameful” that many

of the council members planned to vote for the contract.

“(It) will cost the city a billion dollars to start and cement in hundreds of millions of dollars of new spending on police who do not keep our community safe,” Abdullah said.

She previously argued that the department’s issues with recruitment stem from the perception of the public. According to Abdullah, people see “racial bias, misogyny within your own department, alcohol abuse, careless and harmful handling of equipment, especially guns, and not being truthful.”

“These are things that affect people’s perception of what LAPD is, and it does affect the ability to recruit. Young people don’t want to be violence workers,” she said.

Prior to the full council vote, the three-member Personnel, Audits and Hiring Committee supported the police labor deal in a 2-1 vote. Soto-Martinez, who sits on the committee, was the lone “no” vote.

Soto-Martinez expressed his frustration with the amount of bonuses officers would receive under the contract and how much it would cost the city and taxpay-

ers. The councilman also noted the contract did not include sunset clauses for some of the bonuses.

Noting that 22 departments have higher vacancy rates than the LAPD, including sanitation, street services, youth development and work development, Soto-Martinez asked Szabo whether the police labor contract would require cutting or limiting spending in other departments.

Szabo said the budget is one spending plan approved by the mayor and council, a plan that is evaluated and can be reassessed to spend “more in certain areas

based on the priorities of the body.”

“Sometimes cuts will be made and then you’ll have the opportunity to decide how we make those cuts,” he added. “We have to make cuts if revenue does not come in as projected.”

LAPD Chief Michel Moore said during Tuesday’s Police Commission meeting that the department’s personnel strength stands at 9,011 officers, while its civilian force stands at 2,621.

Moore said recruitment issues has affected the department’s ability to meet challenges with crime, such as a spike in orga-

nized retail theft, property crimes and assaults with deadly weapons.

He acknowledged that having 1,000 fewer officers has limited the department’s response to calls for service and affected public engagement.

“It is critically important that (Wednesday) before the City Council is a multi-year contract proposal for our rankand-file and it is my hope that it enjoys the council’s support because I believe it is a significant step that will help us attract both new recruits as well as retain a very professional workforce,” Moore said.

The corpse flower at The Huntington in San Marino has a livestream camera tracking its growth. | Photo courtesy of The Huntington/YouTube

| Photo courtesy of Terry Miller/Hey SoCal