Azusa Beacon_3/25/2024

Reports: Ohtani’s interpreter fired amid alleged theft from Dodger slugger

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MONDAY, MARCH 25- MARCH 31, 2024

Federal prosecutors in LA promise increased focus on violent gun crime

By Fred Shuster, City News Service

Law enforcement officials in Los Angeles Wednesday promised increased federal prosecutions of violent gun crime, but denied the new Operation Safe Cities initiative was a response to what critics describe as a soft approach to prosecuting and sentencing by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón.

Crimes involving commercial robberies, kidnappings, extortions and gun offenses are generally subject to stiffer penalties in federal court, where there is no parole, than in state court.

For example, commercial robbery offenses charged under the Hobbs Act -dealing with robbery or extortion affecting interstate commerce -- each carry up to 20 years in federal prison, and these sentences can be significantly increased if the perpetrator used or simply possessed a firearm.

The Safe Cities initiative aims to strengthen existing partnerships between federal and local law enforcement to take the most violent and habitual offenders off the streets and expand the number of federal cases involving gun crimes, according to Martin Estrada,

the U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles.

“We’re hearing the community loud and clear,” Estrada said. “There are concerns about violent gun crime. People are fearful, and we’re responding to that.”

Among other things, the operation is designed to educate officers and detectives who typically deal with

dangerous criminals about the process of presenting cases to federal prosecutors, Estrada said at a news conference in downtown Los Angeles that included officials from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The effort to identify investigations and cases appropriate for federal prosecution is expected to increase the number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions of recidivists engaged in the most violent conduct, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The operation will target crimes involving illicit guns, prohib-

ited persons possessing firearms, or robbery crews that cause havoc and extensive losses to retail establishments, Estrada said. “We have limited enforcement resources, but we can multiply our efforts by collaborating with our colleagues at local police agencies to have the most significant impact on violent

San Bernardino spotlights grant programs for small businesses

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crime,” he said.

Estrada told reporters he had spoken to Gascón and the district attorney was “supportive that we’re targeting the worst of the worst.” However, the county’s top prosecutor was not present among the lineup of law enforcement officials Wednesday.

Estrada said federal resources would likely be useful to state investigations when, for example, robbery crews operate across jurisdictional lines or when sophisticated investigative tools are needed to develop leads, process evidence or track firearms.

New LAPD Chief Dominic Choi said that one of his goals is to strengthen the department’s relationship with federal law enforcement and expand the number of LAPD staff with the knowledge to recognize which criminal cases could qualify for federal filing consideration.

“We’re going out and training detectives in each area,” Choi said. “This effort is to ensure the most violent people out there on the streets are prosecuted ... wherever they are committing crimes. Victims of crime deserve justice.”

CA congressional reps urge NASA to commit funds to Mars sample mission

By City News Service

Roughly two dozen California congressional representatives sent a letter to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson Wednesday calling on him to commit at least $650 million to an ambitious Jet Propulsion Laboratory-led mission to collect rock and soil samples

from Mars and return them to Earth.

The Mars Sample Return mission has fallen victim to budget cutbacks, contributing to the layoffs of more than 500 people at JPL in Pasadena earlier this year. Earlier this month, budget committees in the House

and Senate proposed directing just $300 million toward the project, a 63% drop from the previous year and only a fraction of what was requested this year.

In the letter sent to Nelson Wednesday, members of California’s congressional delegation -- including Reps.

Judy Chu, D-Pasadena, Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, and Adam Schiff, D-Burbank -- called the Mars Sample mission a critical program that will ensure the United States is a leader in exploration of space and Mars.

“If NASA continues to put forward insufficient

funding necessitating any further reductions in staff downstream and unnecessary delays to the mission, it risks compromising our national leadership with respect to solar system exploration, compromising our future human missions to Mars, compromising our scientific community’s process for providing independent advice and recommendations to the federal

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, at the podium, addresses the media alongside, from left to right, Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Choi, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna, Ventura County Assistant Sheriff Victor Fazio, FBI Special Agent in Charge Ted Docks and ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Paul D’Angelo. | Photo courtesy of U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California/Facebook

Reports: Ohtani’s interpreter fired amid alleged theft from Dodger slugger

By City News Service

Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter has been fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers amid allegations he stole millions of dollars from the Japanese slugger to place bets with a purported illegal bookmaker, according to an online report, and Ohtani is facing questions Thursday about the transactions.

Attorneys for Ohtani, responding to inquiries from the Los Angeles Times, told the paper in a statement Wednesday, “In the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft and we are turning the matter over to the authorities.”

According to the Times, the paper made inquiries about the matter after learning that Ohtani’s name had surfaced in a federal investigation of Orange County resident and alleged illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer.

Sources told the paper that Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, had allegedly stolen money from the Dodgers star to place bets, and the amount of money involved was in the millions of dollars, according to the Times.

Ohtani signed a $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December following six seasons with the Angels, and Mizuhara remained with him.

ESPN reported Wednesday there had been at least $4.5 million in wire transfers from Ohtani’s bank account to the bookmaking operation. A spokesman for Ohtani initially told ESPN that Ohtani had transferred the money to cover Mizuhara’s gambling debts.

Bowyer’s attorney, Diane Bass, told the Times and ESPN he has never met or spoken with Ohtani. A source told ESPN that Bowyer was aware that Ohtani’s name was on the wire transfers, but he didn’t ask any questions as long as the money was coming in.

Bowyer’s San Juan Capistrano home was

Dodger officials told the Times that Mizuhara was fired by the team on Wednesday. The Dodgers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mizuhara has been Ohtani’s personal interpreter since he signed with the Angels in 2017. According to the Times, Mizuhara was born in Japan but raised in Southern California, attending Diamond Bar High School and UC Riverside.

searched by federal agents last year.

According to ESPN, Mizuhara gave the network a 90-minute interview Tuesday night in which he laid out his side of the story — an interview arranged by an Ohtani spokesman. But after the interview, the same spokesman disavowed Mizuhara’s account and said a statement would be made instead by Ohtani’s attorneys, which happened Wednesday alleging the “massive theft.”

During the ESPN interview, Mizuhara, 39, said he asked Ohtani last year to pay off his gambling debts, and Ohtani, while unhappy about it, agreed to do so. Mizuhara told the network that Ohtani had no involvement in any betting, and the interpreter insisted that he didn’t realize his betting activities were illegal in California. He also said he never bet on any baseball games.

On Wednesday, however, Mizuhara recanted his comments, telling ESPN that Ohtani had no knowledge of his gambling debts and denying that Ohtani had transferred any money to the bookmaking operation.

A Dodger spokesperson told ESPN that Mizuhara spoke in the team club -

house after its seasonopening game in Korea Wednesday morning, taking all blame for a story that was about to become public and admitting he has a gambling addiction.

According to the Times and ESPN, the investigation into Bowyer, who has not been charged with a crime, involves the same prosecutors who investigated an Orange Countybased gambling ring led by Wayne Nix, 46, a former minor league baseball player from Newport Coast. Nix pleaded guilty to a federal charge of helping operate an illegal sports gambling business. A sentencing date has not been set.

Nix’s longtime partner in the gambling operation, Edon Kagasoff, 45, of Lake Forest, pleaded guilty in April 2022 to one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and was sentenced last year to six months of probation and a $1,000 fine. He was also ordered to forfeit $3.1 million he earned through the operation.

That investigation also ensnared former Dodger slugger Yasiel Puig, who is facing one federal count each of making false statements and obstruction of justice. He initially agreed to plead guilty but later changed his mind. A trial date has not been set.

Homes prices climb in LA, Orange counties

By City News Service

Despite a recent uptick in mortgage rates, California’s housing market continued to show resilience in February, reaching sales levels not seen since September 2022, with home prices rising in Orange County and the Los Angeles metro area, the California Association of Realtors said Tuesday.

The median price of an existing single-family home in Southern California jumped 7% over last year to $825,000.

February’s average price of a single-family home in the Los Angeles metro area rose $40,000 over January’s average, to $790,000. For all of Los Angeles County, however, the average price of a single-family home declined in February to $817,100, from $833,000 in January.

Statewide, the median price of an existing singlefamily home last month was $806,490, up from $789,480 in January, and an increase from $735,300 a year earlier.

The state’s highest median home price in February was San Mateo County’s $1.92 million.

February’s sales pace was 12.8% higher from the 257,040 homes sold in January and up 1.3% from a year ago, when a revised 286,290 homes were sold on an annualized basis.

Orange County’s average price rose from $1.32 million in January to $1.35 million, up from $1.159 million in February 2023.

The monthly sales increase was the second straight month of doubledigit gains for California. It was also the second consecutive month of year- over-year gains, but the improvement was mild.

While it is likely that sales will stay below this level in the first quarter of 2024, statewide home sales on a year-to-date basis remained positive with an increase of 3.4%, suggesting a better spring home purchasing season than last year, according to CAR.

“Housing supply conditions in California continued to improve in February with new active listings rising more than 10% for the second straight month,” CAR President Melanie Barker said. “This is great news for buyers who have been competing for a dearth of homes for sale, and the momentum will hopefully build further as we enter the spring home buying season.”

The full report can be viewed at prnews -

Shohei Ohtani | Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers/ Facebook

| Image courtesy of the California Association of Realtors

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DBear break-ins and tensions grow in Southern California mountain community

outhernCalifornia's

Pine Mountain Club community is grappling with a difficult challenge as black bears awaken from their seasonal torpor, hungry for food and causing havoc among residents. The community in the San Emigdio Mountains, about 75 miles north of Los Angeles, has become the frontline of this escalating human-wildlife conflict. Bears with an odor detection sense several times more acute than humans have been reported to not only rummage through kitchen fridges, but also to inflict substantial property damage and leave behind defecating "calling cards."

Patrice Stimpson, patrol chief of the community, paints a grim picture of the damages incurred, totalling hundreds of thousands of dollars. Last year, a residential fire broke out as a result of a bear's unintended stove ignition. Vehicle destruction from inquisitive bears seeking food remnants has also been reported. The increase in bear interactions isn't localized to Pine Mountain Club. California's growing urban-

PBy HeyWire AI

ization, worsening wildfires and droughts have pushed bears into human-dominated areas.

Despite the risks and reported damages, opinions among Pine Mountain Club residents differ on how to address the issue, from advocacy for peaceful coexistence to calls for bear removal. A notable concern is the illegal feeding of bears, which exacerbates the problem and is hotly debated within the community. Calls

for wildlife assistance have surged to Stimpson’s office.

Amidst these challenges, James Weinstock openly talks about his affection for these creatures, feeding two local bears routinely, an act he believes harmonizes with natural coexistence and "pleases the Lord.” His views, however, clash with those of other residents and come with risks, as Weinstock recounts a dangerous personal encounter with a bear which resulted in

Historic agreement to return Redwoods land to Yurok Tribe

several scars on his arm.

On the enforcement front, the California Department of Fish faces the multifaceted issue of unreported bear encounters due to misconceptions and potential impacts on tourism. The dilemma of how to manage recurring bear break-ins and safety concerns looms large for the department.

As spring unfolds, Pine Mountain Club braces itself for a bear season that shows no signs of abating.

By Suzanne Potter, Producer, Public News Service

lans to open a new gateway to Redwoods State and National Parks got a big boost Tuesday, paving the way for a key parcel of land to be returned to the Yurok Tribe.

The place is called ‘O Rew in the Yurok language, on Highway 101, about 40 miles north of Eureka, at a former lumber mill site in Orick.

Joseph James, chairman of the Yurok Tribe, said this is a model for the “landback” movement.

“We are able to share our culture, our knowledge as Indigenous people, first people, keepers of the land,” James explained. “It’s not driven by western society providing interpretation. It’s being driven by Yuroks.”

The nonprofit Save the Redwoods League bought the 125-acre property 13 years ago and has been restoring the mill site and nearby Prairie Creek alongside the tribe and the nonprofit

California Trout. The area is closed for construction now, but will reopen in 2026 as the ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway with new trails, cultural signage and visitor facilities.

Steve Mietz, superintendent of Redwoods National and State Parks for the National Park Service, said

it is the first-ever comanagement agreement for tribally-owned land with the National Park Service and California State Parks.

“This is just a recognition of their sovereignty,” Mietz pointed out. “Their need to regain land that was taken from them years ago and

turning it back, and creating greater understanding about the original people in this area.”

In future years, the Yurok Tribe plans to build a full visitor center, including re-creating a tribal village with plank houses and a sweat lodge.

Black bear in Yosemite. | Photo by Wildlife Wanderer CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED

Leaders from the Yurok Tribe and the nonprofit Save the Redwoods walk among native plants planted as part of a revegetation effort at ‘O Rew. | Photo by Evan-Marie Petit

Report: California not on track to meet 2030 climate goals

By HeyWire AI

Arecent analysis indicates a challenging path ahead for California as it struggles to meet its climate change targets. After a brief dip during the pandemic, the state's emissions rose by 3.4% in 2021, driven by economic recovery efforts. Now, California must nearly triple its efforts in reducing greenhouse gases if it aims to comply with the state law mandating a 40% reduction from 1990 levels by 2030—a target that grows more daunting and expensive with each passing year.

“As we get closer to that 2030 goal, the fact that we’re further off just means that we have to decrease faster each year," Stafford Nichols of Beacon Economics and co-author of the California Green Innovation Index, said.

The state also grapples with even steeper goals set by the Air Resources Board, pushing for a 48% reduction by the same year, a plan backed vigorously by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

David Clegern, a spokesperson for the board, in a statement to CalMatters expressed confidence in meeting these targets, including reaching carbon neutrality by 2045. Nevertheless, he acknowledges that updating climate programs and fortifying regulations is time-consuming, requiring translation into real-world actions and projects.

California has already made significant advances in cleaning up vehicle emissions, setting regulations to phase out gasoline-powered cars by 2035, and witnessing a rise in electric vehicle sales.

However, challenges surfaced in the power sector, particularly electricity generation due to the drought, leading to increased reliance on natural gas plants, which remain substantial greenhouse gas contributors.

As the state seeks to transition to zero-carbon, all-renewable energy by 2045, there is a pressing

need for action in various domains, including the cement industry, known for high emissions levels. The air board notably has stepped up efforts for industry decarbonization. Some in the industry have turned to exploring low-carbon alternatives and carbon capture technologies. Clegern pointed out that the transition is critical for California's older, more carbonintensive cement plants.

Wildfires have also been significant carbon emitters, complicating the state's environmental efforts.

Despite challenges, the California Green Innovation Index highlights the state has one of the lowest percapita emissions in the U.S. and is third in carbon efficiency, trailing New York and Massachusetts. However, as the state moves towards steeper reduction requirements, finding achievable measures becomes increasingly demanding.

Experts note that while California's past achieve-

ments are commendable, they don't guarantee future success, and the pace of change must escalate to meet looming climate goals. This sentiment is echoed by Danny Cullenward, an economist and vice chair of the Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee, who commented to CalMatters that, unfortunately, California is currently not on track for its 2030 climate target. The stark reality places California at a pivotal juncture, prompting the need for more decisive action and innovation to fulfill its climate commitments.

State parks at the frontline of climate change: California's call to action

By HeyWire AI

Agroundbreaking report released by the California State Parks Foundation emphasizes the urgent need to address climate change effects on state parks and utilize these areas in the battle against this global crisis.

Titled "Building a ClimateResilient California State Park System: Preserving Parks for Future Generations," the report proposes legislative action focused on safeguarding the future of California's natural treasures.

“We will lose 75% of the coastline beaches by 2100. So, this is a state parks issue because state parks manage a quarter of the coastline as state beaches. Already in the big storm events that we've had the last few winters, we are

seeing a lot more coastal erosion,” said Rachel Norton, executive director of the California State Parks Foundation. Her concerns reflect rising fears as California confronts worsening wildfires, coastal erosion, and habitat loss.

The report emphasizes a series of seven definitive measures including boosting funds for strategies countering rising sea levels, wildfire resilience, and expansion of the state parks system. It also urges the incorporation of state parks into California's 30x30 initiative, aiming to conserve 30% of state lands and coastal waters by 2030.

"We are seeing the increasing effects of the climate crisis up close and personal in state parks,"

noted Claire Schlotterbeck, executive director of Hills For Everyone, stressing the adverse impacts of climate-induced disasters in Chino Hills State Park. "The recommendations outlined in this report would help us protect Chino Hills for its own innate value but also as a key component of climate resilience in California.”

This call for action is echoed by John Roney, park manager of Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. “This document is more than just a report; it’s a call to action for all Californians and for our leaders," Roney said. "It lays out a clear path to safeguard our state parks from the ravages of climate change, ensuring they remain a source of joy and inspiration for

Sand drum placed into concrete batch plant at Folsom auxiliary spillway. | Photo by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers PDM 1.0 DEED

everyone." The Nuns Fire in 2017 and the Glass Fire in 2020 damaged 98% of Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.

As the foundation presents a path forward, other organizations like Climate Resolve, Tahoe Conservancy, and Save the Redwoods League, alongside locals, heed the call, rallying behind the cause.

Castaic Lake. | Photo by The Fun Chronicles CC0 1.0 DEED

Padres pound Dodgers in opening series finale in South Korea; Yamamoto makes 1st-inning exit in MLB debut

By City News Service

Manny Machado hit a three-run home run for the San Diego Padres in the ninth inning to put an exclamation point on a 15-11 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers Thursday at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea, the second game of the season for both teams.

The Dodgers and Padres played the first two games of the 2024 regular season in South Korea, dubbed the Seoul Series.

Jake Cronenworth drove in four runs and had four hits for the Padres. Mookie Betts hit a home run, drove in six runs and had four hits for the Dodgers. The teams split the series with the Dodgers winning the first game, 5-2, on Wednesday.

The Padres scored five runs in the first inning off newly acquired Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto and chased the rookie out of the game.

“I was not able to feel comfortable with my pitches,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter after the game. He added that he needs to “reset his mind” and “get ready for the next outing.”

Yamamoto gave up four hits and walked one batter in the first inning. Cronenworth delivered the big blow in the inning with a two-run triple. Ha-Seong Kim added a sacrifice fly. Luis Campusano had an RBI double and Tyler Wade had an RBI single.

“I wasn’t ready to execute pitching from the stretch,” Yamamoto said. “I know how to fix it.”

The Dodgers scored a run in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI double from Will Smith. They loaded the bases but James Outman flew out to right field to end the inning and the threat.

The Dodgers scored another run in the second inning on a sacrifice fly from Shohei Ohtani that scored Gavin Lux and cut the Padres lead, 5-2.

The Padres scored four

runs in the third inning to take a 9-2 lead. Xander Bogaerts drove in two of the runs with a single.

The Dodgers scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning to cut the Padres lead to three runs, 9-6.

Betts capped the rally with a two-run double off the top of the left field wall.

The Padres scored a run in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Cronenworth to take a 10-6 lead.

Betts hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning to cut the Padres lead to two runs, 10-8. It was the first home run of the season for Betts.

Campusano gave the Padres an 11-8 lead with an RBI double in the sixth inning. The Padres extended their lead 12-8, scoring a run in the seventh inning. Bogaerts, who led off the inning with a walk, scored on an error by Muncy at third base. Muncy committed two of the Dodgers’ three errors in the game. Smith knocked in a run with an infield single in the bottom of the seventh inning

for the Dodgers and cut the Padres’ lead to 12-9.

The Dodgers scored two runs in the eighth inning on an infield single by Betts to make it a one-run ball game, 12-11.

Michael King (1-0) earned the win pitching 3 1/3 innings in relief. He gave up three runs on four hits and struck out five. Robert Suarez recorded his first save of the season pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings and striking out two.

Padres starter Joe Musgrove was pulled in the third inning after giving up five runs on seven hits and walking two. He struck out two in 2 2/3 innings.

Yamamoto (0-1) took the loss for the Dodgers in his major league debut.

The Dodgers will play in Southern California for the first time in 2024 on Sunday at Dodger Stadium to begin the three-game exhibition Freeway Series against the Angels. They will play their regular-season home opener March 28 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

STARTING A NEW BUSINESS?

Apple sued by US Department of Justice, California AG in antitrust case

The U.S. Department of Justice, joined by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and a coalition of more than a dozen state attorneys general filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple Thursday, alleging anticompetitive behavior related to iPhones and smartphones.

The lawsuit alleges Apple deliberately made it more difficult for third-party apps and products to operate with the iPhone, resulting in higher prices for consumers and harm to competition in the smartphone industry.

“Apple’s anticompetitive conduct intentionally leaves consumers bearing the cost of sky-high smartphone prices at a time when smartphones are now essential to so much of our day-to-day lives. California’s economy thrives on entrepreneurship, serving as a driving force behind its innovation and growth. Consumers, innovation, and the competitive process — not Apple alone — should decide what options consumers should have,” Bonta said in a statement ahead of a planned late-morning news conference in downtown Los Angeles.

“In insulating itself from competition, Apple has caused harm to consumers and the market. This is illegal. I am proud to partner with the U.S. Department of Justice to send a clear message: We are committed to protecting consumers, holding industry accountable, and ensuring a fair and competitive market where the next generation of innovation can thrive.”

There was no immediate response from Apple.

According to the lawsuit, Apple is accused of stifling innovation, limiting consumer choice, and making switching to other smartphones — especially high-end

By City News Service

performance smartphones — unnecessarily difficult and expensive.

Apple is accused of violating the Sherman Antitrust Act by monopolizing and attempting to monopolize the smartphone apps market. The lawsuit alleges that Apple protects its monopoly by delaying, degrading, or outright blocking technologies that would bring competition by decreasing barriers to switching to another smartphone.

The lawsuit specifically alleges Apple:

-- degrades and undermines cross-platform messaging apps and rival smartphones, including introducing deliberate incompatibilities to prevent Android users from seamlessly sending messages to iPhone users;

-- makes it difficult for U.S. app developers to list “Super Apps,” which have a broad array of functions and make it easier for consumers to switch from one phone manufacturer to another

-- limits basic functionality when consumers try to use third party cross-platform smart watches with iPhones; and

-- restricts digital wallet competitors by allowing only Apple Wallet access to the iPhone’s “tap-to-pay” functionality.

Additionally, the lawsuit alleges Apple suppresses or delays apps, innovations, and technologies that would reduce switching costs or simply allow users to discover, purchase, and use their own accessories, apps and content without having to rely on Apple.

Bonta joined the Justice Department and the attorneys general of Arizona, Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia in filing the lawsuit.

-- blocks cloud gaming services on iPhones by historically refusing to list cloud gaming apps on the Apple App Store. Cloud gaming allows consumers to stream and play video games seamlessly across different devices independent of phone hardware;

Apple Inc.’s headquarters in Cupertino, California

Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Seoul prior to his first start as a Dodger. | Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers/X

Report: Women close wage gap in California, but still lag behind men

Although progress has been made over the past decade, women in California still earn on average 89% of what men earn for full-time work, with higher wages for white and Asian women largely responsible for closing the gap, according to a report released Friday by Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles.

The report by the university’s Center for the Advancement of Women found that the earnings gap shrank overall by five percentage points since 2013, when women earned 84% of what men earn for full-time work. But researchers found that the overall narrowing of the wage gap “is driven exclusively by wage increases for white and Asian-American women.”

“In contrast, the earnings gap has remained roughly the same for Latinas, and has widened for Black women,” according to The Report on the Status of Women and Girls in California.

More glaringly, when compared solely to the earnings of white men, the wage gap for women widened to 63%, the report found.

“Over the course of a 40-year career, the current wage gap — for full-time, year-round workers — would cost a woman in California around $300,000 in lifetime earnings compared to a man,” according to the report. “That’s significantly less than the nationwide gap of $442,760. But it still means a woman in California has to work until she is 70 years old to earn what her male counterpart will make by age 65. ...

“When we look at this lifetime earnings gap through an intersectional lens, the disparity is even more dramatic for women of color. Latinas in California, for instance, would have to work a full 50 years more than a white man to make up the nearly $2.1 million difference in median earnings.”

Among other key findings in the report:

-- Single women are most impacted by the California cost of living. While roughly 33% of households in the state do not earn enough income to meet basic needs, that percentage rises to 80% for households led by single mothers with children under 6, compared to 28% for married couples.

-- Women make up twothirds of the lowest-paid workers in California’s workforce.

-- California has the greatest number of womenowned businesses of any state in the country. Businesses solely or equally owned by women in the state employ 2.6 million people have a combined payroll of $113 billion.

-- Among the state’s 25 highest-grossing companies, 34% of all executive team members were women.

-- While most California women work for private companies, they are overrepresented in nonprofit organizations at 63%, and in local government, 55%, and state government, 53%.

-- California women have a life expectancy of about 82 years, compared to 76 years for men.

-- Since they have less discretionary incoming, females in California are more likely to forego medical care, with 18% delaying treatment, compared to 13% for males.

The “lack of pay equity for women is a question of ethical fairness, yes. But it also impacts everything in women’s lives — our economic security, our health, our wellness, our time, our families, and our communities. Everything,” Nicole Haggard, director of the Center for the Advancement of Women, wrote in a message in the report.

“As our researchers and partners highlight in this report, there are hidden costs

of being a woman, too. And we find them in just about every area of our lives,” Haggard wrote. “From health care to beauty standards. From a lack of access to venture capital to invisible domestic labor and unbalanced carework. Partnered and single women are consistently paying more and receiving less.”

The report examined an array of financial aspects of women’s lives in the state and nationally, citing studies that determined that women across the country save less than 50% of what men save annually. It also pointed to studies showing that women in general own $80 for every $100 a man owns, and that for every $100 owned by white women, Latinas have $10 and Black women have $9.

According to the report, women also have higher incidences of mental health issues or emotional distress.

“While percentages vary — women across the board experience a greater amount of emotional distress, and the increase from 2017 (11%) to 2022 (19%) is seen among all women, of all races and ethnicities,” the report found.

Nicole Haggard, director of the Center for the Advancement of Women. | Photo courtesy of Mount St. Mary’s University

Pasadena City Notices

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

Notice is hereby given that a public meeting on an Amendment to the Schedule of Taxes, Fees and Charges for fiscal year 2025 will be held by the Pasadena City Council at the time and place listed below:

DATE: May 13, 2024

TIME: 5:30 P.M.

PLACE: City Hall, Council Chambers

100 N. Garfield Avenue, Room S-249 Pasadena, CA 91101

Please refer to the City Council agenda for instructions on how to view a live stream of the meeting. The meeting agenda will be posted at:http://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/council coucil_agenda.asp

Public Information: All interested persons may submit correspondence to correspondence@cityofpasadena.net prior to the start of the meeting. During the meeting and prior to the close of the public hearing, members of the public may provide live public comment. Please refer to the agenda when posted for instructions on how to provide live public comment.

This Amendment increases certain taxes, fees, and charges, excluding New Year’s Day revenues and Admission Tax, listed on the Schedule of Taxes, Fees, and Charges (last adopted by the City Council on May 22, 2023) by the CPI (3.3570%) for Fiscal Year 2025 beginning July 1, 2024. This includes all taxes, licenses, and a number of certain permits which are billed or assessed and collected throughout the year when due. The estimated revenue increase to the General Fund is $155,500 and $264,200 to the Non-General Funds. The existing amount or rate and the proposed amount or rate and the associated activity are listed below, after the related notice of public hearing.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that a public hearing on an Amendment to Schedule of Taxes, Fees, and Charges for fiscal year 2025 will be held by the Pasadena City Council at the time and place listed below:

DATE: May 20, 2024

TIME: 5:30 P.M.

PLACE: City Hall, Council Chambers 100 N. Garfield Avenue, Room S-249 Pasadena, CA 91101

Please refer to the City Council agenda for instructions on how to view a live stream of the meeting. The meeting agenda will be posted at: http://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/councilagendas/council_agenda.asp

Public Information: All interested persons may submit correspondence to correspondence@cityofpasadena.net prior to the start of the meeting. During the meeting and prior to the close of the public hearing, members of the public may provide live public comment. Please refer to the agenda when posted for instructions on how to provide live public comment.

This Amendment increases certain taxes, fees, and charges, excluding New Year’s Day revenues and Admission Tax, listed on the Schedule of Taxes, Fees, and Charges (last adopted by the City Council on May 22, 2023) by the CPI (3.3570%) for Fiscal Year 2025 beginning July 1, 2024. This includes all taxes, licenses, and a number of certain permits which are billed or assessed and collected throughout the year when due. The estimated revenue increase to the General Fund is $155,500 and $264,200 to the Non-General Funds. The existing amount or rate and the proposed amount or rate and the associated activity are listed as follows:

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

Copies of the Schedule of Taxes, Fees and Charges, as well as supporting documentation, will be available on the City’s website https://www.cityofpasadena.net/finance/general-fund/fees-tax-schedules/. Written comments may be sent to the Finance Director, at the Department of Finance, 3rd floor, 100 N. Garfield Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101, (626) 744-4355.

Date Published: March 25,2024

Approved as to form: ____________________________________

Chief Assistant City Attorney

Publish March 25, 2024 PASADENA PRESS

Probate Notices

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

GEORGE MCCLURE AKA

MAC MCCLURE AKA JUDGE MCCLURE

CASE NO. PROVA2400203

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of GEORGE MCCLURE AKA MAC MCCLURE AKA JUDGE MCCLURE.

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

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

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 04/17/24 at 9:00AM in Dept. F2 located at 17780 ARROW BLVD., FONTANA, CA 92335

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

Page 11 of 11

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

DANIEL B. BURBOTT - SBN 279759 - GAUDY LAW, INC.

267 D STREET UPLAND CA 91786

Telephone (909) 982-3199

3/18, 3/21, 3/25/24 CNS-3793160# ONTARIO NEWS PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: ROBERT E. POSTAWKO

CASE NO. 24STPB02720

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

ERT E. POSTAWKO.

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

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

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 04/12/24 at 8:30AM in Dept. 62 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 JILL HUNT - SBN 200083

HUNT & DOBROTT 2901 W. COAST HWY., SUITE 200

NEWPORT BEACH CA 92663

Telephone (949) 270-2785

BSC 224847 3/18, 3/21, 3/25/24

CNS-3793792#

GLENDALE INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

DANIEL M. HART

CASE NO. 24STPB02807

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of DANIEL M. HART. A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by PETER A. HART in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that PETER A. HART 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: 04/19/24 at 8:30AM in Dept. 99 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 E. THOMAS CHAVEZ, ESQ. - SBN 123017

LAW OFFICE OF E. THOMAS CHAVEZ

301 E COLORADO BLVD., STE. 611 PASADENA CA 91101

Telephone (626) 796-4611

3/18, 3/21, 3/25/24 CNS-3794088# GLENDALE INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF DALLAS EUGENE RUSSELL II

Case No. 24STPB02622

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of DALLAS EUGENE RUSSELL II

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

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Anthony Russell 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 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 April 9, 2024 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 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 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:

ROBERT CLAVEL ESQ

SBN 315608

CLAVEL LAW 5857 PINE AVE

STE B

CHINO HILLS CA 91709

CN105123 RUSSELL Mar 21,25,28, 2024

ALHAMBRA PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

ERANOUIE LALA SAAKIAN

CASE NO. 24STPB02912

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

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by ARARAT ERIC SAAKIAN in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that ARARAT ERIC SAAKIAN 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: 04/15/24 at 8:30AM in Dept. 9 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

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

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

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

ERIC J. GOLD - SBN 205687

LAW OFFICE OF ERIC J. GOLD, APC 23901 CALABASAS ROAD, SUITE 1074

CALABASAS CA 91302

Telephone (818) 784-1500 3/21, 3/25, 3/28/24 CNS-3794380#

GLENDALE INDEPENDENT

ESTATE OF HELENE

VERONIKA McKAIN

Case No. 24STPB00669

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of HELENE VERONIKA McKAIN AN AMENDED PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Mary McKain in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE AMENDED PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Mary McKain be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE AMENDED PETITION requests the decedent’s lost will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. Copies of the lost will and any codicils are available for exam-ination in the file kept by the court.

THE AMENDED PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Ad-ministration 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 con-sented 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 amended petition will be held on April 17, 2024 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 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:

KIRA S MASTELLER ESQ SBN 226054

LEWITT HACKMAN SHAPIRO MARSHALL & HARLAN 16633 VENTURA BLVD 11TH FLR ENCINO CA 91436 CN105179 MCKAIN Mar 21,25,28, 2024 GLENDALE INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF COMPETING PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: TERRY DANNE

CASE NO. 24STPB01848

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

A COMPETING PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by TAMERA GURULE in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE COMPETING PETITION FOR

PROBATE requests that TAMERA GURULE be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE COMPETING 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 COMPETING 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 competing petition will be held in this court as follows: 04/16/24 at 8:30AM in Dept. 11 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

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

THOMAS O. HOFFMAN - SBN 100881

LAW OFFICES OF THOMAS O. HOFFMAN

302 W. SIERRA MADRE BOULEVARD SIERRA MADRE CA 91024 Telephone (626) 355-4422 3/25, 3/28, 4/1/24 CNS-3795335# PASADENA PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF DENISE CARMEN BACKER

Case No. 24STPB03032

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

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

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Adrian Backer 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 April 18, 2024 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 62 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:

GRACE LIM-AYRES ESQ SBN 321004

THE WERNER LAW FIRM 27433 TOURNEY RD STE 200

SANTA CLARITA CA 91355

CN105440 BACKER Mar 25,28, Apr 1, 2024

MONTEREY PARK PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

KENNETH ROY ABRAMS

AKA KENNETH R. ABRAMS

AKA KENNETH ABRAMS

CASE NO. 24STPB03099

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of KENNETH ROY ABRAMS AKA KENNETH R. ABRAMS AKA KENNETH ABRAMS.

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

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

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 04/18/24 at 8:30AM in Dept. 67 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

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

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

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

Attorney for Petitioner

RODNEY GOULD, ESQ. - SBN 219234

LAW OFFICE OF RODNEY GOULD 14827 VENTURA BLVD., STE. 210

SHERMAN OAKS CA 91403

Telephone (818) 981-1760 BSC 224888

3/25, 3/28, 4/1/24

CNS-3796072#

BURBANK INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF PETITION TO

ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

VICTORIO N. SIMENTAL

CASE NO. PROVA2400233

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

the WILL or estate, or both of VICTORIO N. SIMENTAL.

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

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

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 04/30/24 at 9:00AM in Dept. F2 located at 17780 ARROW BLVD., FONTANA, CA 92335

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

C. TRACY KAYSER - SBN 230022

KAYSER LAW GROUP, APC 1407 N. BATAVIA ST., SUITE 103 ORANGE CA 92867

Telephone (714) 984-2004 BSC 224887 3/25, 3/28, 4/1/24

CNS-3796077#

ONTARIO NEWS PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO

ADMINISTER ESTATE OF GILBERT HERMAN PACHECO

CASE NO. 24STPB03015

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

A Petition for Probate has been filed by CHRISTOPHER MCGREGOR in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

The Petition for Probate requests that CHRISTOPHER MCGREGOR be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

The Petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.)

The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court on APRIL 25, 2024 at 8:30 AM in Dept. 4 located at 111 NORTH HILL STREET, 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

Pelican found with slashed pouch in San Pedro on the mend

By City News Service

ABrown Pelican that was found in San Pedro with a slashed pouch is on the road to recovery Friday following a pair of surgical procedures and will soon be returned to the wild, officials at International Bird Rescue said.

The bird was brought to the care center in San Pedro on March 10 after being found with its pouch severed from the base to the tip on both sides — injuries that are believed to have been human-caused.

“We see many pelicans with pouch trauma due to fishing gear and eating dangerous sharp items like fish skeletons, but the wounds do not look like this,” Rebecca Duerr, Bird Rescue’s director of Research & Veterinary Science, said in a statement Thursday. “The cuts are reminiscent of a knife, machete, or other sharp object.

“This bird’s injuries were straight cuts parallel to the jaw, running all the way back to the neck, and cutting into the feathered skin of the neck itself on both sides.”

The 3-year-old pelican, nicknamed Blue in honor of a similarly injured pelican that was treated at the center a decade ago named Pink, has undergone a pair of surgeries and more than 500 stitches have been used to repair her pouch. While in recovery, she has gained about 1.75 pounds.

Duerr said the back of the bird’s mouth “required careful reconstruction.”

Bird Rescue officials said Blue will eventually be returned to the wild.

In the meantime, they asked anyone who might have information about the attack on the pelican to call the Cal Tip Line at 888-334-2258.

The nonprofit wildlife organization relies on public support to help fund the care of injured, sick and orphaned waterbirds. Donations may be sent to www.birdrescue.org/ donate/.

Councilwoman

Rodriguez calls

for establishment of LA homelessness department

Los Angeles Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez is lobbying Tuesday for the formation of a new department to create and oversee programs that address the homelessness crisis.

In a statement, Rodriguez said the goal of establishing the Department of Homelessness is to dismantle organizational silos, improving coordination and enhancing transparency regarding the city’s homelessness programs. The department would report to Mayor Karen Bass and the City Council, she noted.

“A Department of Homelessness can help verify what each level of government is doing to solve the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time; I cannot say with certainty that we have an efficient and effective operation free of redundancies,” Rodriguez said Monday. She added, “With a mutual goal of creating a responsive system, we must also be prudent and judicious with resources to assure we can accelerate our impact and aid more individuals, because urgency can and should also be efficient and the Department of Homelessness may be a key part to delivering these goals.”

The councilwoman introduced a motion on

By City News Service

Friday on the matter, which is the first step in the process. The motion will be heard by the Housing and Homelessness Committee at a future date.

In her motion, the councilwoman calls for the city to consolidate and focus its efforts on homelessness. Rodriguez said current policies and programs are currently dispersed among too many entities, making it “impossible” for the city to apply lessons learned from successful approaches. She said systemic factors pose challenges to institutionalizing existing successful models or new ones governing the city’s $1.3 billion investment

into its homeless response.

The City Administrative Officer, the Housing Department and the mayor’s office each dedicate significant staff time and resources to managing “overlapping homelessness interventions,” she said.

“Within this system, determined efforts to evaluate city-funded homelessness programs often run aground, as the providers of services produce irregular and imprecise reporting on contractually-obligated metrics and outcomes,” the motion reads.

The councilwoman said, in effect, this system places barriers between city oversight and city-funded services.

San Bernardino spotlights grant programs for small businesses

By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com

San Bernardino city officials earlier this month called attention to several grant programs available for local small businesses.

Backing Small Business Grant

American Express and nonprofit Main Street America launched the Backing Small Businesses grant program to aid economically vulnerable, cash-strapped small businesses owners rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic’s commercial slowdowns from which many have not yet fully recovered.

“Eligible small business owners can apply for $10,000 grants for projects to grow or improve,” according to a statement by officials from the San Bernardino

Economic Development Department.

Main Street America began accepting applications March 14. April 7 is the application deadline, or “once 5,000 applications have been submitted,” according to the nonprofit.

Clean Energy Access Grant Account

This initiative awards grants to community-based and tribal organizations to help facilitate the implementation of clean energy programs in their communities. The CEA Grant Account provides funding to create “equity initiatives and clean energy access opportunities” that are designed to complement other programs connected with the California Public Utilities Commission.

The deadline for applications is April 30, and total available funding is more than $5.7 million, according to the California Grants Portal. Maximum grant awards per application are $500,000.

Route 66 Extraordinary Women Micro Grant Program

Private fundraising and money donated from the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preserve Route 66 Initiative have set up a grant of up to $60,000 via the Route 66 Extraordinary Women Mirco-Grant Program.

“Three program rounds will be conducted, with the first in 2023 and two in 2024,” according to the MicroEnterprise Collaborative. Maximum awards are

$2,000, with up to 10 grants made per round of the program.

LGBTQIA+ National Grant

The LGBTQIA+ National Grant for small businesses provides 25 grant packages totaling $25,000. Currently pre-registration for the 2024 round of awards is online at https://foundersfirstcdc.org/ pride-grant.

Founders First, a venture capital firm, sponsors the grant program. The firm “is committed to increasing the number of diverse founderled businesses generating over $1 million dollars in revenue,” according to its website.

Kitty Fund Mompreneur Business Grant

This grant award is in honor of Mother’s Day as

well as a memorial to Founder’s First CEO Kim Folsom’s mom Catherin “Kitty” Abrams Tadlock Webster. Grants total $25,000 to 25 “mompreneuers,” according to Founders First. The application deadline is April

16.

More information, including details on eligibility requirements and funding amounts, as well as links to the grant programs are online at https://www. sbcity.org.

| Photo by snegok1967/Envato Elements

Dr. Rebecca Duerr examines Blue, the rescued pelican, after surgery. | Photo courtesy of International Bird Rescue

| Photo courtesy of Canva

Mars sample mission

government, and undermining the intent of Congress,” the letter states. “Therefore, we strongly urge you to submit an FY 2024 operating plan that funds MSR at no less than $650 million.”

The Mars Perseverance rover on the surface of the red planet has already gathered soil and rock samples and deposited them in specialized containers for future retrieval. The Mars Sample Return program -- in part-

nership with the European Space Agency -- envisions a future lander that would collect the container tubes and then launch them into orbit above Mars, where they would be retrieved by a spacecraft and returned to Earth. It would mark the first time material from another planet was retrieved and brought to Earth for scientific study.

The proposed timing of a return mission is in flux,

based on the funding issues. NASA officials originally envisioned launching the return mission sometime between 2028 and 2030. Some reports have estimated that the overall cost of the mission could reach as high as $11 billion.

Officials in China are planning a similar mission, saying recently that it hopes to launch the mission in 2030, with the samples arriving back on Earth by 2031.

Man wounded in Pasadena shooting dies

A55-year-oldman wounded in a shooting in Pasadena died Thursday.

Officers responded to the 900 block of North Hudson Avenue, two blocks north of Orange Grove Boulevard, Tuesday around 10:20 a.m. to a report regarding shots fired, according to Lt. Keith Gomez of the Pasadena Police Department.

Witnesses identified Christopher Thomas Harris as the suspect to the responding officers, and he was detained in a nearby driveway without incident.

While officers were detaining Harris, several other responding officers entered the residence associated with the driveway and discovered Charles Johnson suffering from a gunshot wound and unconscious and unresponsive, Gomez said.

Johnson was taken to a hospital by Pasadena Fire Department paramedics in grave condition. He died

Discovery Cube Orange County is bursting with bubbles as Bubblefest returned Friday.

The sudsy festival features the sold-out Mega Bubblefest Laser Show starring bubble artist Melody Yang plus a bubble zone, paddle boat rides and other bubblefocused educational activities.The indoor festival will run through April 7.

This year’s laser show debuted new technology filling the theater with even more bubbles. The display uses the world’s first

Baldwin Park’s Spring Fest returns on Saturday, March 30, at Morgan Park beginning at 8 a.m. Festivities will include a pancake brunch, magic show, egg hunt and Arbor Day celebration.

“Spring Fest is one of the most fun, jam-packed events we host in Baldwin Park. From the alwaysentertaining Egg Hunt to the educational Environmental Fair, there is truly

By Staff By City News Service

Thursday from his injuries, Gomez said.

Harris was arrested and booked at the Pasadena Police Department Jail on suspicion of attempted homicide.

Gomez said in a statement, “On March 21, 2024, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office declined to file criminal charges, citing the suspect’s

Bubblefest back at Discovery Cube Orange County

ozonated organic bubble solution with specially engineered mineralized water to immerse audience members into a galaxy of bubbles. A blend of comedy, science, art, and entertainment is offered four times daily with shows at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Blending music, lasers and bubbles, this soapy science festival features hands-on exhibits, a paddle boat attraction, an inflatable obstacle course and more, according to

museum officials.

“As our longest running show, families keep bringing back generation after generation to be immersed in the sudsy science behind bubbles at Bubblefest,” said Joe Adams, CEO, Discovery Cube. “Each year we try to introduce new elements to the STEM-based bubble fun for children to experience and this year is a showstopper with the brand-new bubble technology featured for the first time. The Yangs have been

our partners from day one in wrapping the wonder of bubbles into sciencerelated educational fun for SoCal families to enjoy.”

Tickets for Bubblefest are now on sale at discoverycube.org/orangecounty/ events/bubblefest.. Tickets to the Bubblefest show also provide guests with admission and access to the rest of Discovery Cube’s STEM exhibits throughout the science center. Discovery Cube Orange County is located at 2500 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92705.

self-defense claim could not be disproven beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Anyone with information regarding the shooting was urged to call the Pasadena Police Department at 626-744-4241.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-2228477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.

Baldwin Park’s Spring Fest Egg Hunt returns March 30

By Staff

something for everyone,” said Baldwin Park Mayor Emmanuel J. Estrada. “Spring is finally here, and this is a wonderful opportunity for our community to reconnect with each other after a long winter.”

All ages are welcome to meet and greet the bunny at the VIP Bunny Brunch from 8 to 10 a.m. Tickets for the breakfast are $5 and can be purchased up until 9:45 a.m. After that, enjoy a magic

show from Zany Zoe at 9:45 a.m. in the Cesar E. Chavez Amphitheater. This performance will be completely free.

Get your egg hunt baskets ready as the main event will begin at 10:45 a.m. There will be over 20,000 eggs and many snacks scattered around Morgan Park waiting to be found. Keep an eye out for the 32 special golden eggs; if you find one, you’ll be going home with a

special spring basket filled with goodies. The event is free and open to all youth ages 12 and under.

Throughout the morning, the city will also plant seeds of environmental awareness, hosting an environmental fair from 9 a.m. to noon in celebration of National Arbor Day.

For more information about all Spring Fest activities, contact (626) 813-5245 Ext. 317.

| Photo courtesy of Discovery Cube

Concept art for multiple robots that would team up to ferry samples of rocks and soil from Mars to Earth by NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover. | Illustration courtesy of NASA/ESA/JPL-Caltech

| Photo courtesy of the Pasadena Police Department