San Gabriel Sun_4/15/2024

State regulators clear LA County juvenile facilities to keep operating

By City News Service

LosAngelesCounty’s juveniledetention system avoided a major setback Thursday when state regulators reversed an earlier finding and found that two county facilities are again suitable to house youth offenders.

The decision by the California Board of State and Community Corrections averted a potentially disastrous closure of the facilities — Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey and the Barry J. Nidorf Secure Youth Treatment Facility in Sylmar.

The board ruled in February that the two facilities were “unsuitable” to house youth detainees. The BSCC’s decision found the Nidorf SYTF out of compliance with state regulations pertaining to staffing levels, training, use of force training, disciplinary procedures and youth access to programs and recreation.

Los Padrinos was found to have significantly more issues, with noncompliance

found in staffing levels, fire safety plans, safety checks, room confinement procedures, use of force training, searches, education programs, youth access to programs and recreation and disciplinary procedures. After two months of scrambling to make operational changes, including a reassignment of many probation officers out of field duty and into detention roles, both facilities passed recent state inspections, leading to Thursday’s decision. Had the board not reversed the earlier “unsuitable” finding, both facilities would have been forced to close by early next week. The county had no contingency plans in place for housing the youth if the ruling had stood. “Under the Board of Supervisors’ direction, the Probation Department has made great strides addressing deficiencies at facilities by increasing and stabilizing staff levels, providing hundreds of hours of addi-

tional training, and working closely with BSCC staff to tighten procedures and protocols,” county Probation Department Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa said in a statement. “While today’s BSCC decision marks a milestone in that effort, we note the ongoing concerns and acknowledge there’s still much more to be done.

“The county remains fully committed to transforming its juvenile justice facilities into the safest, most nurturing environments possible for the youth committed to our care.”

Los Padrinos houses predisposition youth detainees awaiting resolution of their court cases, while the Nidorf SYTF facility holds postdisposition youth offenders who have already been convicted.

The county hastily reopened Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall last year and transferred all pre-dispo-

sition youth to the facility, moving them away from Nidorf Hall in Sylmar and Central Juvenile Hall in Lincoln Heights, which were both declared unsuitable and ordered to close by the BSCC.

At that time, the BSCC did not have jurisdiction over the Nidorf Secure Youth Treatment Facility for post-disposition youth, but it was granted that authority by the state later in the year.

CountySupervisor

Kathryn Barger hailed Thursday’s decision, but noted that more needs to be done to improve the juvenile facilities.

“Today’ssuitability finding is a testament to the hard work that our county’s Probation Department, under new leadership, has put in to improve the care youth are receiving at two challenging sites,” Barger said in a statement. “The work is far from

UCLA: ‘Despair’-related deaths of Blacks, Native Americans overtake whites

By City News Service

Mortality rates of middle-aged Blacks caused by so-called “deaths of despair” -- suicide, drug overdose and alcoholic liver disease -- surpassed the rate of whites in 2022, but Native Americans had more than double the rate of both Black and white deaths from the same causes, according to a UCLA Health survey released Wednesday.

The results of the research, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, are the latest from UCLA Health to counter a nearly decade-old narrative that deaths of despair have primarily impacted whites in America, according to researchers.

Study coauthor Dr. Joseph Friedman of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA said the current results highlight the sharply rising rates of premature mortality related to mental health issues and substance use disorders with large racial and ethnic inequalities.

“The findings reinforce the notion that we need to invest in services that can address these issues and, ultimately, we need much more comprehensive access to low-barrier mental health care and substance use treatment in the U.S.,” Friedman said in a statement. “And we need to specifically make sure those treatments, services and programs are implemented in a way that is accessible for communities of color and will actively work to address inequality.”

The deaths of despair theory rose to prominence following a 2015 study that analyzed rising mid-life mortality, and decreasing life expectancy, in the United States from 1999 to 2013. The study became a focus of controversy after it found whites had the highest mortality rates from these causes at 72.15 per 100,000 people in 2013, which was two times that of Blacks.

According to UCLA Health, the findings sparked a narrative that the rising death rates were primarily impacting less educated whites who were experiencing a perceived loss of economic and social status. However, data for Native Americans were not included in the 2015 study or in the many follow-up analyses it triggered.

A 2023 study by UCLA Health determined that Native Americans have had a considerably higher midlife death

Parks to celebrate summertime with free concerts, movie screenings

Photo by DiamondRehab Thailand on Unsplash

Photo by DiamondRehab Thailand on Unsplash

Claremont residents sue cities, agencies over groundwater seep flooding

By City News Service

Agroup of Claremont residents have taken legal action against multiple cities, local water agencies and Los Angeles County, alleging all share liability for groundwater seepage that damaged their homes after the heavy 2023 rain season.

Victor Asemoto and his family are among the plaintiffs in the Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit who are suing such entities as the cities of Claremont, La Verne, Pomona and Upland as well as the Pomona Valley Protective Assn., Six Basins Watermaster and Pomona College. The suit alleges negligence, trespass, inverse condemnation and both public and private nuisance.

The residents, most of whom live on New Hampshire Avenue or Moody Place, seek unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

“The 2023 groundwater flooding event in Claremont

has disrupted the most fundamental aspects of plaintiffs’ lives and eroded their sense of security and stability in their homes,” the suit alleges. “The financial and emotional burden imposed by the need for extensive and ongoing repairs continues to threaten their long-term financial security and stability.”

A Claremont representative could not be immediately reached for comment on the suit brought April 4. California in 2023 experienced one of the wettest seasons in 145 years. As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released water from the San Antonio Dam at various times, Six Basins Watermaster and Pomona Valley Protective Association conducted spreading operations to recharge the San Antonio Spreading Grounds, which span 850 acres on the north side of Claremont that reach the

San Gabriel Mountains foothills, the suit states.

The county Department of Public Works, in conjunction with the PVPA, operated the Thompson Creek Spreading Grounds next to the Stone Canyon area of Claremont and conducted spreading and recharging activities to sustain aquifers that provide water to area residents, according to the suit.

The trickling water damaged homes and caused personal injuries that month and beyond, the suit alleges.

All the defendants are responsible for collecting groundwater level data, tracking replenishment levels, establishing a particular water level for wells, then collecting and compiling data, the suit states. But despite the overly saturated water levels of 2023, the cities and agencies “negligently and recklessly” conducted unnecessary spreading operations, according to the suit, which states that in April 2023 the residents discovered groundwater seepage and flooding at their properties and in their homes and communities.

“Furthermore, defendants failed to notify or timely notify plaintiffs or other residents or publicize the risk of groundwater seepage and flooding in light of defendants’ activities ...” according to the suit.

“Moreover, defendants failed to provide to the plaintiffs and other local residents the means or sufficient means to divert, eliminate or otherwise mitigate the groundwater seepage and flooding.”

LA County board looks for ways to aid 99 Cents Only Store employees

By City News Service

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

Tuesday directed its staff to prepare a report on ways the county might be able to provide financial and other support to people losing their jobs due to the closure of 99 Cents Only stores in the area.

“When Farmer John was closing their plant in Vernon after 90 years in operation, and this closure affected 2,000 employees ... we immediately began to marshal the resources of L.A. County (to assist them),” said Supervisor Janice Hahn, who introduced the motion. “Now we’re faced with a similar situation with the 99 Cents stores announcing their closure.”

The board unanimously approved Hahn’s motion, which requests a report within 60 days from the county departments of Economic Opportunity and

Consumer and Business Affairs on ways they can assist displaced workers. Hahn noted the county can provide assistance such as job training, job placement services and resources to help them file for unemployment.

On Thursday, the Commerce-based operators of the stores announced they would shutter all 371 locations, affecting stores in California, Arizona, Nevada and Texas. The stores began liquidation sales on Friday.

“This was an extremely difficult decision and is not the outcome we expected or hoped to achieve,” interim company CEO Mike Simoncic said in a statement issued Thursday. “Unfortunately, the last several years have presented significant and lasting challenges in the retail environment, including the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19

pandemic, shifting consumer demand, rising levels of shrink, persistent inflationary pressures and other macroeconomic headwinds, all of which have greatly hindered the company’s ability to operate.

“We deeply appreciate the dedicated employees, customers, partners, and communities who have collectively supported 99 Cents Only Stores for decades.”

According to the company, it partnered with Hilco Real Estate to facilitate a liquidation of all merchandise, along with “certain fixtures, furnishings and equipment at the company’s stores.”

The 99 Cents Only stores were founded in 1982.

Late last week, a former president of Big Lots and the original Pic ‘N’ Save brand told Los Angeles Magazine he is exploring an effort to save

the 143 99 Cent Store outlets in Southern California.

Mark J. Miller said he has put together a group of investors, including some former 99 Cents Store executives, to try to acquire the Southern California stores, close them for about 90 days after the

going-out-of-business sales end and then reopen with an emphasis on the “treasure hunt” style that made the stores popular in the first place.

Hahn noted the possibility of the stores being taken over by new management,

but she said such a move would not occur for at least 90 days.

“With our homelessness crisis ... the last thing we need is 3,000 workers who suddenly, without much warning, are without jobs,” Hahn said.

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Ohtani’s ex-interpreter charged with bilking $16M to cover gambling

addiction

odgerstarShohei Ohtani’s former interpreter was charged Thursday with federal bank fraud for allegedly bilking more than $16 million from the slugger’s bank account to cover the interpreter’s “insatiable appetite” for illegal sports betting.

Ippei Mizuhara, 39, could face up to 30 years in federal prison if convicted of the charge. A date has not yet been set for him to appear in court.

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said Mizuhara had unique access to Ohtani and his personal affairs due to his relationship with the slugger, for whom he worked as an interpreter since Ohtani joined the Angels organization six years ago. In that capacity, he helped Ohtani set up his bank accounts, so he knew how to access them without Ohtani’s knowledge, Estrada said.

Estrada stressed that Ohtani “is considered a victim in this case.”

“There is no evidence to indicate that Mr. Ohtani authorized the over $16

By City News Service

advantage of Mr. Ohtani.”

According to Estrada, Mizuhara also allegedly lied to bank officials, and he was captured on tape-recorded calls impersonating Ohtani to “convince the bank to approve large wire transfers of large amounts of money to the bookmakers.”

Estrada said Mizuhara’s acted “to plunder” Ohtani’s bank account to satisfy his “insatiable appetite for illegal sports betting,” and he “committed fraud on a massive scale.”

Mizuhara initially said last month that Ohtani agreed to provide the money to cover the interpreter’s gambling debts, but he later retracted that statement and said the Dodger star was unaware of his activities.

At a news conference last month, Ohtani denied any knowledge of Mizuhara’s activities. He also vehemently denied that he was involved in any gambling activity.

“I never bet on baseball or any other sports or never have asked somebody to bet on my behalf,” he insisted.

million in transfers from his account to the bookmakers,” Estrada said.

According to Estrada, Ohtani has been fully cooperating with investigators.

“Our investigation has revealed that due to the position of trust (Mizuhara) occupied with Mr. Ohtani, Mr. Mizuhara had unique access to Mr. Ohtani’s finances,” Estrada said, adding that he “used and abused to that trust to take

made from Ohtani’s bank account to an illegal bookmaking operation allegedly run Orange County resident Mathew Bowyer, who is under federal investigation.

Bowyer’s San Juan Capistrano home was searched by federal agents last year.

During an ESPN interview last month that was later disavowed by an Ohtani spokesman, Mizuhara 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.

The next day, 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.

Ohtani said Mizuhara “has been stealing money from my account and has told lies.”

Ohtani’s attorneys issued a statement last month saying he had been the victim of a “massive theft.”

Estrada said none of the illegal bets allegedly placed by Mizuhara were on baseball games.

According to various reports, wire transfers were

At his subsequent news conference at Dodger Stadium, Ohtani -- speaking through a new interpreter -- said he knew nothing of Mizuhara’s gambling addiction or the debts until Mizuhara spoke to the team last month in the clubhouse while the Dodgers were playing in Korea. Ohtani noted that since Mizuhara was speaking English during the meeting, he didn’t have a translator, “but I kind of understood what was going on and started to realize

something was amiss.”

“Up until that team meeting, I didn’t know that Ippei had a gambling addiction and was in debt,” Ohtani said.

But he stressed, “I never agreed to pay off the debt or make payments to the bookmaker.”

Ohtani said he spoke privately to Mizuhara at the team hotel that night.

“And it was revealed to me during that meeting that Ippei admitted that he was sending money using my account to a bookmaker,” he said.

He said he immediately informed his representatives and the team. The Dodgers quickly fired Mizuhara.

“To summarize how I’m feeling right now, I’m just beyond shocked,” Ohtani said. “It’s really hard to verbalize how I’m feeling at this point.”

“The season’s going to start, so I’m going to obviously let my lawyers handle matters from here on out, and I am completely assisting in all investigations that are taking place right now,” he said. “I’m looking forward to focusing on the season.”

He again stressed, “I do want to make it clear that I never bet on sports or willfully sent money to the bookmaker.”

Major League Baseball has opened a formal investigation of its own into the matter.

Ohtani signed a $700 million contract with the Dodgers during the offseason after six years with the Angels.

Shohei Ohtani. | Photo courtesy of Shohei Ohtani/Dodgers/ Facebook

Ippei Mizuhara. | Photo courtesy of Moto “Club4AG” Miwa/ Wikimedia Commons (CC BY

Cannabis products may harbor harmful fungal toxins, but safety regs uneven or nonexistent

By Kimberly D. Gwinn for The Conversation, Stacker

Hemp and cannabis host many fungi inside and outside the plant, most of which are harmless to most people. However, certain types of fungi such as Aspergillus and Fusarium pose potential health concerns, particularly for the immunocompromised, both through direct infection and consumption of the toxins they produce.

There are currently no state or national testing mandates for Fusarium toxins in cannabis, and regulations vary greatly for Aspergillus toxins. To better understand the effects of these fungi and their toxins on human health and disease, I wrote for The Conversation about how, as a professor of Entomology and Plant Pathology at the University of Tennessee, I assembled a research team of plant pathologists and toxicologists to conduct a review of the scientific literature on fungal contaminants in cannabis.

We found that the toxins these fungi produce can make it through the manufacturing process and remain present in many cannabis products.

Fungal toxins in hemp and

cannabis

The 2018 U.S. Farm Bill defined hemp as any part of the plant Cannabis sativa with levels of THC at or below 0.3%. THC is the primary component of Cannabis sativa that has psychoactive effects. Parts with higher levels of THC are considered marijuana.

Medical use of cannabis has been approved in most U.S. states and many countries. To provide the maximum potential health benefits associated with cannabis consumption, such as pain relief, plants need to be free of fungal toxins that can cause harm. However, scientists have found fungal toxin levels in hemp flowers and certain cannabis products that exceed acceptable regulatory levels for other food crops.

Aspergillosis, a lung infection caused by the fungus Aspergillus, is the most potentially harmful fungal infection associated with cannabis consumption. However, our research team determined that Fusarium toxins in cannabis potentially pose a greater risk to human

and animal health than Aspergillus.

Researchers have isolated 16 species of Fusarium in cannabis flowers. Many produce toxins that negatively affect humans and animals, including by causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cancer, reproductive disruption and kidney impairment.

These toxins can also worsen disease among those with immune disorders. A 2016 survey of 225 organ transplant professionals found that 43% reported cases of fungal infections associated with marijuana use among their patients who may be immunocompromised.

Addressing fungal toxins in cannabis

The extent of fungal toxins in cannabis and hemp products is still unknown because these toxins are rarely regulated.

Testing for Aspergillus in cannabis varies by state, and acceptable toxin levels range from zero tolerance to no action. Many states rely on methods that don’t distinguish between fungi that are

or aren’t harmful and do not regulate individual pathogens.

Although Fusarium toxins are not regulated in hemp or cannabis, they are monitored in major food crops such as corn and wheat because of the severe symptoms they can cause in people and animals. Controlling fungi in crops is essential for both plant and human health. Because hemp cultivation was until recently restricted by law, and no state or federal research funds were available, disease management strategies remain ill-defined.

Although using resistant cultivars for plant production is a safe, economical and environmentally friendly method to control plant diseases, how cannabis develops resistance against pathogens remains poorly understood.

In states where cannabis cultivation is legal, producers must rely on agricultural products approved for hemp. However, few are registered for use on hemp. Although radiation kills fungi and prevents infection in people, this technique is not universally applied and there are

currently no methods for removing mycotoxins from cannabis or hemp.

Before producers, consumers and health practitioners can be assured that cannabis products are safe, filling these knowledge gaps is necessary. Additional research on cannabis pathogens and fungal toxins are also needed, as well as better and more consistent methods to regulate medicinal cannabis.

Republished pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 license. This article was retitled and copy edited from its original version.

Cannabis flowers. | Photo courtesy of Pix4free

State Bar responds to Eastman’s attempt to suspend disbarment ruling

By City News Service

A stateBarattorney Wednesdayargued against a request from suspendedattorneyJohn Eastman, the former Chapman University law school dean and counsel to former President Donald Trump, to continue working while he appeals a recommendation for disbarment.

State bar attorney Duncan Carling, who prosecuted the case against Eastman, filed a motion on Wednesday arguing that the law does not allow Eastman to keep working during his appeal. Carling noted there used to be a provision for that, but the law was changed in 1997 to prevent that and any attorney recommended for disbarment must remain inactive during an appeal to the state Supreme Court.

“In short, involuntary inactive enrollment is mandatory following a disbarment recommendation,” Carling wrote.

“Even if the court had the authority to reconsider whether respondent should remain on inactive enrollment, respondent has not met the high burden of showing that, notwithstanding the recent disbarment recommendation, he no longer poses a threat of harm.”

Carling noted that the ruling recommending disbarment found that Eastman “engaged in multiple acts of dishonesty, that he conspired with President Trump to violate the law, and that his lack of remorse and accountability presents a significant risk that Eastman may engage in further unethical conduct, compounding the threat to the public.’ “

Carling rejected Eastman’s argument that his clients still wished to have him represent them.

“A lawyer’s obligations

are not only to their client, to the contrary, as officers of the court, lawyers have obligations to the system of justice that transcend their duties to a particular client,” Carling said.

Carling even noted that Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, attacked the disbarment proceedings against Eastman. He also pointed out that a lawsuit brought in federal court by Gaetz and Rep. Majorie Taylor-Greene, R-Georgia, was thrown out against various civil rights groups named in it such as the League of Women Voters and NAACP.

Carling noted that the judge who granted the motion to dismiss against the nation’s oldest civil rights organization said that the claim was a “conspiracy theory that relies purely on conjecture.”

Eastman’s request shows that he continues to deny any wrongdoing, which was one of the reasons the recommendation for disbarment was made, Carling said.

“In support of his motion, respondent has chosen to submit declarations of certain of his clients that, despite the irrelevance of this point to respondent’s arguments, assert their belief that the disciplinary charges in this matter have no merit,” Carling said.

“Respondent has demonstrated that he is willing to ignore facts, misrepresent facts, and misrepresent the law in the advocacy of his clients. Allowing him to continue practicing law presents a risk that he will do the same for his other clients.”

When Eastman filed his motion last week he was defiant and emphasized that he felt he was on the right track fighting the disbarment.

“An old professor of mine told me if you’re not catching

flack, you’re not over the target,” Eastman told City News Service. “People coming after me as hard as they are indicates we’re over the target.”

Eastman is one of the alleged architects of the fake electors plot, a scheme designed to obstruct the transition of presidential power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden on Jan. 6, 2021. As Carling put it: “Eastman pressed then- Vice President Mike Pence to reject slates of electors in seven states or send them back to the state legislatures for continued investigation of debunked fraud claims.

“That move would violate the Electoral Count Act, which has been in place for more than a century,” Carling said.

Last Wednesday, Eastman and his attorneys filed a motion to suspend his inactive status while he appeals a recommendation from the bar that he lose his license to practice law in California. That motion features declarations

from Gaetz and Greene, who hired Eastman to represent them in First Amendment claims stemming from the cancellation of their planned speaking engagements in Riverside and in Anaheim.

“We recognize what this fight is all about,” Eastman said. “It’s a concerted effort to get anyone who supports Trump.”

He added,“I’m not stressed at all. I’m working doubletime to get our country back on track for the rule of law.”

Eastman characterized his defense in the state Bar trial as “awesome.”

Eastman has until April 26 to file his appeal with the state Supreme Court, he said.

Eastman noted that he still retains his bar card in Washington, D.C., so there’s nothing precluding him from practicing law in the federal courts though he is on inactive status in California. He may also still provide legal advice and strategy for his clients, but cannot file motions or make court appearances.

Eastman also faces the possibility of being disbarred in the nation’s capital as well. The D.C. Bar could just go along with the California ruling if it is upheld by the state Supreme Court here, or could hold its own trial, Eastman said.

It is unclear when or if the California Bar would take up Eastman’s request for a delay in imposition of his inactive status during his appeal, he said.

In his declaration in the motion, Eastman, who lives in New Mexico, said he has “incurred more than $1 million in legal fees and expenses to date,” and estimates that “the total that I will incur before these various matters have concluded will be as much as $3 million to $3.5 million.”

Eastman is battling charges in Georgia, where he was indicted along with Trump and multiple other defendants in an election fraud case. Eastman said one of his primary sources of income since 2021 has come as a partner with the Constitutional Counsel Group law firm.

Despite the recommendation that he lose his law license in California, Eastman said his clients wished to keep him as their attorney. He said he has pending cases in federal courts in California, Colorado and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Gaetz said in a letter in the motion that he has retained Eastman since July 2021 and, “I stand behind him.”

Gaetz argued that the state Bar’s attempt to revoke his attorney’s license is a “coordinated and politically motivated attempt to de-platform Dr. Eastman and to limit the universe of attorneys available to individuals of our shared political and legal views.”

Eastman’s attorney, Randall Miller, argued in the motion that his continued work as an attorney “does not pose a substantial threat of harm to his clients or the public. The complaint that gave rise to the state Bar’s investigation and filing of the Notice of Disciplinary Charges was not initiated by any of Dr. Eastman’s clients, and none of his clients have even asserted, much less demonstrated any potential harm from Dr. Eastman’s continued practice of law.

“Quite the opposite. Each of his existing clients have submitted sworn declarations indicating their strong desire to have Dr. Eastman continue as counsel for them in their pending matters because of his expertise on the constitutional questions and other matters at issue in their cases, despite this order.”

Miller added that Eastman’s “conduct does not pose any threat of harm to the public because the conduct at issue arose from a role he no longer occupies — as counsel to former President Trump in challenges to an election that has long since passed.”

The hearing judge in Eastman’s disbarment trial, Yvette D. Roland, noted Eastman’s refusal to accept the nature of the allegations against him that he worked with Trump to obstruct the certification of Biden’s election and continued misinforming the public with disproven fraud claims.

“Eastman has exhibited an unwillingness to acknowledge any ethical lapses regarding his actions, demonstrating an apparent inability to accept responsibility,” Roland said. “This lack of remorse and accountability presents a significant risk that Eastman may engage in further unethical conduct, compounding the threat to the public.”

The California State Bar’s main offices are located in this San Francisco building. | Photo courtesy of Coolcaesar/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

OJ Simpson — football star, acquitted murder defendant — dies of cancer

By City News Service

O.J. Simpson, the USC and NFL star running back- turned-actor whose acquittal for the murders of his ex-wife and her friend in the downtown Los Angeles “Trial of the Century” changed the face of the criminal justice system, has died from cancer, his family announced Thursday. He was 76.

“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” the Simpson family posted on social media.

Simpson was battling prostate cancer and was in hospice care, according to reports by TMZ. In a video posted online in early February, Simpson denied media reports he was in hospice care, and said he was preparing to host “a ton of friends” for a Super Bowl party in Las Vegas.

“All is well,” he said in the video.

A Hall of Fame football player and Heisman Trophy winner when he played at USC, Simpson transitioned to sportscasting and acting after his football career, including appearances in films such as “The Towering Inferno” and the comedic “Naked Gun” movie series. He also starred in a series of memorable commercials for Hertz, showing him sprinting through airports and

dodging other passengers and luggage like football linebackers.

But Simpson became a cultural icon following the killings of ex-wife and her friend in 1994, a nationally broadcast police chase on LA freeways with Simpson in back of a white Ford Bronco, and his ultimate acquittal of murder charges following one of the most high-profile court cases in history.

Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman were found stabbed to death on June 12, 1994, outside of Brown Simpson’s home in Brentwood. Days later, Simpson was identified by police as a suspect in the killings.

Simpson, with friend Al Cowlings, led police on a chase in a white Bronco through Southern California five days after the killings. An estimated 95 million Americans watched the chase on television though Los Angeles that lasted for two hours.

Simpson eventually surrendered to police and was placed on trial for the murders. Overseen by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lance Ito, the trial became a national spectacle, with gavel-to-gavel live television coverage and the often-theatric antics of Simpson’s “Dream Team” of attorneys, most notably the late Johnnie Cochran, who immortalized the line “If it does not fit, you must acquit.” The line was a reference to a critical trial moment when Simpson

tried on a pair of gloves allegedly worn by the killer, but they were too small.

The conduct of the trial led to questions about Ito’s ability to control the high-profile attorneys and swarming media, and also about whether such intense media coverage should be permissible in criminal trials.

The trial dug deep into American racial divides, with Simpson’s attorneys sowing seeds of doubt about whether Simpson — a Black man, albeit a rich and famous one — was being fairly treated by the U.S. justice system and police, particularly in a murder case with two white victims.

Simpson was acquitted of the murder charges in October 1995, 11 months after the trial started, and it exposed deep racial divides across the country, with opinions of the jury’s decision differing wildly in Black and white communities.

Questions about his possible guilt in the face of what prosecutors portrayed as irrefutable DNA evidence lingered until Simpson’s death.

In 1997, a jury in Santa Monica found Simpson civilly liable for the deaths of Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson, and he was ordered to pay their families $33.5 million in damages. Much of that judgment is believed to have never been paid.

Fred Goldman, Ron Goldman’s father, said Thursday

that Simpson’s death does not amount to closure for him.

“This is just a reminder for us of how long Ron has been gone, how long we have missed him and nothing more than that,” Fred Goldman told People magazine. “That is the only thing that is important today. It is the pain from then until now. There is nothing today that is more important than the loss of my son and the loss of Nicole. Nothing is more important than that.”

Twelve years after the “Trial of the Century,” Simpson was found guilty of kidnapping and armed robbery for breaking into a Las Vegas hotel and casino with other men in September 2007 and stealing at gunpoint what he claimed was his own sports memorabilia. He was sentenced to 33 years in prison a year later and was released on parole on Oct. 1, 2017.

Los Angeles civil rights attorney Carl Douglas, who was a partner of Cochran and served on Simpson’s criminal defense team, said in a statement Thursday he was “shocked and surprised to hear of O.J. Simpson’s death at the relatively young age of 76.”

“He is one of the most famous clients that I have ever represented in my 44 years as a lawyer, and I expect our names will forever be linked together in some way,” he said. “My sincere condolences go out to his four children. May he

rest in peace.”

Attorney Alan Dershowitz, who worked with Simpson’s criminal defense team, told NBC News he was “upset” to learn of his death.

“I got to know him fairly well during the trial,” he said. “It was one of the most divisive trials in American history along racial lines. He’ll always be remembered for the Bronco chase, for the glove and for the moment of acquittal.”

Marcia Clark, the lead prosecutor in the criminal trial, said simply in a statement to Entertainment

Thursday evening, “I send my condolences to Mr. Simpson’s family.”

In recent years Simpson maintained a relatively low profile, although he was active on social media, posting videos commenting on college and NFL football and other topics. His most recent video was posted in support of the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl. Simpson is survived by four children, Arnelle and Jason, from his first marriage, and Sydney and Justin from his marriage to Brown Simpson.

State seizes $53M in illegal cannabis products in 3 months

By Staff

ACaliforniatask forcepolicingthe cannabisindustry confiscated $53.62 million in illegal cannabis plants and products during first quarter of 2024, the governor’s office announced Thursday.

The Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce seized 54,137 unlicensed cannabis plants and 31,866 pounds of unlicensed cannabis products following operations in Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, Alameda, Fresno, Kern and San Joaquin counties, officials said. Authorities also seized 11 firearms.

“California is home to the largest legal cannabis market in the world,” Gov.

Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “As we continue to cultivate a legal marketplace, we’re taking aggressive action to crack down on those still operating in the shadows — shutting down illegal operations linked to organized crime, human trafficking, and the proliferation of illegal products that harm the environment and public health.”

Since its 2022 inception, the UCETF has seized nearly $371.2 million in unlicensed cannabis after serving 236 search warrants, according to the governor’s office. Authorities, who include federal

and local law enforcement officers, also eradicated 401,458 plants and seized 139 firearms.

Newsom created the UCETF in an attempt to streamline enforcement efforts and improve coordination between state, local and federal agencies, officials said. These crackdowns aim to safeguard public safety and the environment while depriving “illegal cannabis operators and transnational criminal organizations of illicit revenue that harms consumers and undercuts the regulated cannabis market in California.”

The state agencies and

departments that participated in UCETF operations during the first quarter of 2024 include the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Department of Cannabis Control, Employment Development Department, Department of Fish and Wildlife, California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, Division of Occupational Safety and Health, State Parks and the Department of Tax and Fee Administration.

More information on California’s legal marijuana market, state licenses and laws is at www. cannabis.ca.gov.

O.J. Simpson appears in his final video on social media. | Photo courtesy of O.J. Simpson/X

A state law enforcement task force discovered this unlicensed outdoor cannabis field in 2023 in Central California. | Photo courtesy of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Import costs in these industries are keeping prices high

By Paxtyn Merten, Stacker

Inflation has cooled substantially, but Americans are still feeling the strain of sky-high prices. Consumers have to spend more on the same products, from the grocery store to the gas pump, than ever before.

Increased import costs are part of the problem. The U.S. is the largest goods importer in the world, bringing in $3.2 trillion in 2022. Import costs rose dramatically in 2021 and 2022 due to shipping constraints, world events, and other supply chain interruptions and cost pressures. At the June 2022 peak, import costs for all commodities were up 18.6% compared to January 2020.

While import costs have since fallen most months — helping to lower inflation — they remain nearly 12% above what they were in 2020. And beginning in 2024, import costs began to rise again, with January seeing the highest onemonth increase since March 2022.

Machinery Partner used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to identify the soaring import costs that have translated to higher costs for Americans. Imports in a few industries have had an outsized impact, helping drive some of the overall spikes. Crop production, primary metal manufacturing, petroleum and coal product manufacturing and oil and gas extraction

were the worst offenders, with costs for each industry remaining at least 20% above 2020.

Imports related to crops, oil and metals keeping costs up

At the mid-2022 peak, import costs related to oil, gas, petroleum and coal products had the highest increases, doubling their pre-pandemic costs. Oil prices went up globally as leaders anticipated supply disruptions from the conflict in Ukraine. The U.S. and other allied countries put limits on Russian revenues from oil sales through a price cap of oil, gas and coal from the country, which was enacted in 2022. This activity around the world’s second-largest oil producer pushed prices up throughout the market and intensified fluctuations in crude oil prices. Previously, the U.S. had imported hundreds of thousands of oil barrels from Russia per day, making the country a leading source of U.S. oil. In turn, the ban affected costs in the U.S. beyond what occurred in the global economy.

Americans felt this at the pump — with gasoline prices surging 60% for consumers year-over-year in June 2022 and remaining elevated to this day — but also throughout the economy, as the entire supply chain has dealt with higher gas, oil and coal prices.

Some of the pressure from petroleum and oil has shifted to new industries: crop production and primary metal manufacturing. In each of these sectors, import costs in January were up about 40% from 2020.

Primary metal manufacturing experienced record import price growth in 2021, which continued into early 2022. The subsequent monthly and yearly drops have not been substantial enough to bring costs down to pre-COVID levels.

Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting shows that increasing alumina and aluminum production prices had the most significant influence on primary metal import prices. Aluminum is widely used in consumer products, from cars and parts to canned beverages, which in turn inflated rapidly.

Aluminum was in short supply in early 2022 after high energy costs — i.e., gas — led to production cuts in Europe, driving aluminum prices to a 13-year high. The U.S. also imposes tariffs on aluminum imports, which were implemented in 2018 to cut down on overcapacity and promote U.S. aluminum production. Suppliers, including Canada, Mexico and European Union countries, have exemptions, but the tax still adds cost to imports.

U.S. agricultural imports

have expanded in recent decades, with most products coming from Canada, Mexico, the EU and South America. Common agricultural imports include fruits and vegetables — especially those that are tropical or out-of-season — as well as nuts, coffee, spices and beverages.

Turmoil with Russia was again a large contributor to cost increases in agricultur-

Aal trade, alongside extreme weather events and disruptions in the supply chain. Americans felt these price hikes directly at the grocery store.

The U.S. imports significantly more than it exports, and added costs to those imports are felt far beyond its ports. If import prices continue to rise, overall inflation would likely follow, pushing already high prices

even further for American consumers.

Story

This story originally appeared on Machinery Partner and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Republished pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 license. The story was copy edited from its original version.

FBI: Woman charged in son’s kidnapping arrested in Mexico, boy found safe

By City News Service

woman who was criminally charged for taking her 18-monthold biological son to Mexico in violation of a custody order was found in the Aguascalientes region of Mexico and deported by Mexican immigration authorities, and the boy was returned to the United States, officials said Thursday.

Brigette Benitez, 31, allegedly took Miguel Eduardo Zuniga Medina Jr., to Mexico after she failed to return him to his legal guardian following an unsupervised visit that occurred on Feb. 6 in the city of Walnut, the FBI reported.

“Zuniga Medina Jr. was found and returned on Friday evening to the custody of the Department of Child and Family Services

in Los Angeles and has been placed with a foster family,” an FBI statement said. “Miguel appeared to be safe and healthy.”

According to the FBI, investigators had established that Benitez crossed into Mexico on Feb. 6 at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego County. A federal arrest warrant for the woman was obtained on March 7, after she was charged with international parental kidnapping in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

The complaint alleges that Benitez intentionally obstructed the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, which “holds legal and physical custody

of Medina, Jr.,” the FBI reported.

“Benitez had also been charged in Los Angeles County following an investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department,” according to an FBI statement. Benitez remains in L.A. County sheriff’s custody.

“Miguel Eduardo Zuniga

Medina Sr., is the noncustodial father of Zuniga Medina, Jr. and is believed to be living in Aguascalientes, Mexico,” according to the FBI’s statement regarding the case, which says Medina Sr. was arrested last year for an alleged domestic violence incident, “and has a history of engaging in violent altercations in the presence of children, according to a Juvenile Dependency

Petition filed in Los Angeles County.”

“Following last year’s arrest, Zuniga Medina Jr. was placed in the custody of DCFS,” the FBI said. “The Superior Court in Los Angeles County found that it was necessary to remove Zuniga Medina Jr. from his parents for his own health, safety and well-being.”

Zuniga Medina Sr. has been charged in the Superior Court in Los Angeles County, and the case is being investigated by the FBI and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and the United States Marshals Service.

The United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles is overseeing the federal charges against Benitez.

editing by Shannon Luders-Manuel. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn.

| Image courtesy of Machinery Partner/Stacker

Miguel Eduardo Zuniga Medina Jr. | Photo courtesy of the FBI

Orphaned otter pup finds new home at Aquarium of the Pacific

By City News Service

An orphaned sea otter pup is settling into its new home at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach Friday after being rescued off the coast of Santa Cruz County, officials announced.

Officials said Thursday the female sea otter pup will be the first “surrogateraised” otter at the facility, for potential release back to the wild, as part of a partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Otter Surrogacy Program. The pup has been paired with an adult female sea otter at the facility with the intention of teaching the baby skills such as foraging and grooming their thick fur needed to survive and thrive in the wild.

“We are thrilled to be able to further help this threatened species recover by expanding our conservation programs to now help stranded sea pups get a second chance at returning to the wild,” Brett Long, senior director of birds and mammals at the Aquarium of the Pacific, said in a statement.

The surrogacy area is part of the Molina Animal Care Center, and can accommodate three to four rescued sea otter pups each year. The facility is kept away from the public to limit human interaction, in an effort to increase the pups’ chances of survival in the wild.

The California’s Coastal Conservancy Sea Otter Recovery Grant Program supported the initial construction of the sea otter surrogacy facility. Videos of rescued pups and signage are located outside of the surrogacy facility to educate the aquarium’s visitors on the program and the significance of recovering southern sea otter populations.

“We’ve been working with our partners at the Aquarium of the Pacific for more than three years

The Aquarium of the Pacific has taken in rescued sea otters deemed nonreleasable to the wild by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since it opened in 1998. The aquarium joined Monterey’s program in 2020, and helped build a “behind-thescenes” facility for surrogate mothers and orphaned pups.

to reach this moment, and we’re excited they’re now ready to welcome orphaned pups for surrogacy,” Jessica Fujii, manager of the Sea Otter Program at Monterey Bay Aquarium, said in a statement. “Sea otters help maintain the health of kelp forests and wetlands on California’s coast. This milestone is advancing our work to help sea otters recover from being hunted to near extinction and help strengthen our coastal ecosystems.”

The Aquarium of the Pacific also has a public fundraising campaign to support its work with rescued sea otter pups through this program.

Southern sea otters are marine mammals in the weasel family. They are currently found along the North American west coast from Half Moon Bay just south of San Francisco to Point Conception in Santa Barbara County, a fraction of their historical range.

Sea otters play the important role of ecosystem engineer for their ocean habitats. Sea otters were hunted to near extinction

in the early 1900s. Now a protected species, California’s sea otters have grown from a group of 50 in 1938 to nearly 3,000 Friday. Despite this progress, their population growth has stalled in recent years and they continue to face serious risks, including oil

spills, pollution and climate change, according to the Aquarium of the Pacific.

Through its Pacific Visions area, visitors to the Aquarium of the Pacific can learn how climate change is impacting the ocean, its inhabitants and people, along with what can be done to work toward a more sustainable future. The aquarium also serves as a facility for rehabilitating and releasing sea turtles, raising endangered mountain yellow-legged frogs for release, and spawning and releasing endangered white abalone.

Southern California braces for water rate and tax hikes

By HeyWire AI

Saddress the state’s evolving water landscape. The hikes, effective over the next two years, come as California adapts to shifts in water supply and demand, exacerbated by climate change.

MWD Board Chairman Adan Ortega Jr. emphasized the need for the region to stabilize revenue amidst declining sales due to successful conservation efforts. “We’ve made up the

revenue and stabilized the past rates with the reserves, and we can’t keep doing that,” Ortega explained.

Retail water suppliers and 26 cities relying on water delivered by the MWD face a rate increase of 8.5% in 2025 and another 8.5% in 2026, as per the district’s 38-member board decision. The property tax assessment in the sixcounty area of the MWD will also double, affecting the annual property tax bill for homes across Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

MWD’s General Manager Adel Hagekhalil stressed the difficult yet necessary action. “Our costs have risen while revenues have dropped, so we need to take the fiscally responsible step of adjusting our rates,” Hagekhalil said, attributing part of the revenue decline to the extraordinary drought from 2020 to 2022.

Despite the impending cost hikes, the budget includes $100 million

set aside for conservation initiatives. Plus, recent budget cuts aim to minimize the need for even steeper rate increases. The MWD also plans to explore major long-term infrastructure investments aimed at future-proofing Southern California’s water resources.

However, not all board members align with the proposed financial adjustments. A group representing Los Angeles, including Carl E. Douglas, Matt Petersen, Nancy Sutley, Tracy Quinn, and Miguel Luna, abstained from the tax rate vote. A joint statement highlighted concerns that “shifting water bill collections onto property taxes will effectively raise the cost of housing for every citizen in the region, especially those in the disadvantaged communities.”

Conversely, Executive Director of LA Waterkeeper Bruce Reznik defended the decision to balance the tax increase with a smaller rate

hike, insisting it’s a more equitable solution and enhances MWD’s potential to invest in sustainable water alternatives like local generation and storage methods.

The MWD’s strategy has garnered both support and objection from the community. Moorpark Mayor Chris Enegren called the rate surge “very problematic for our citizens” and questioned the management’s decision. Juan Garza, representing the Central Basin Municipal Water District, expressed his concerns about the need for strategic changes, admitting, “It’s not a perfect budget, but by no means is our future easy.”

Residents and businesses in Southern California are left to consider the implications of these fiscal decisions as they brace for the impact of the increasingly challenging water management landscape in the face of climate change.

The orphaned otter pup has a new surrogate mom. | Photo courtesy of the Aquarium of the Pacific

Parker Dam. | Photo courtesy of MWD

NOTICE INVITING FORMAL SEALED BIDS

UPGRADING EXISTING TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEM AT THE INTERSECTION OF BALDWIN AVE AND LIVE OAK PROJECT CITY PROJECT ID: CIP NO. P24-03 City of Temple City

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Temple City invites sealed bids for the above stated project and will receive such bids in the office of the City Clerk, City of Temple City, 9701 Las Tunas Drive, Temple City, CA 91780, up to the hour of 2:00 PM on May 9, 2024. The bids received will be publicly opened approximately 15 minutes after the bid submittal deadline in the City Hall. Late bids will not be considered.

There is no pre-bid meeting for this project.

Copies of the Bidding and Contract Documents, Plans and Specifications can be obtained by e-mailing your request with your contact information to: furkan.cetinkale@transtech.org. Upon receipt of your e-mail, you will be registered as a plan holder, and a pdf file of the Bidding and Contract Documents, Plans and Specifications will be e-mailed to you at no cost. Hard copies will not be provided.

All questions regarding this bid shall be directed via email, no later than 10 calendar days prior to the Bid due date and time, to furkan. cetinkale@transtech.org. Any questions received after this deadline will not be answered. It is the responsibility of the bidder to confirm transmission of correspondence.

Bids must be accompanied by a bid bond, made payable to the City of TEMPLE CITY for an amount no less than ten percent (10%) of the bid amount.

Required License Classification is State of California Contractor Licenses A-General Engineering or C-10 Electrical Contractor.. No bid will be accepted from a Contractor who has not been licensed in accordance with the provisions of the Business and Professions Code.

This project is subject to the requirements of SB 854. Prevailing wages shall be paid to all workers in accordance with California Labor Code 1771.

Bids must be prepared on the approved Proposal forms in conformance with the Instructions to Bidders and submitted in a sealed envelope plainly marked on the outside.

The City reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive any irregularity, and to take all bids under advisement for a period of 60 calendar days.

Any contract entered into pursuant to this notice shall become effective or enforceable against the City of TEMPLE CITY only when the formal written contract has been duly executed by the appropriate officers of the City.

If there are any questions regarding this project, please submit your questions to following e-mail: Furkan Cetinkale, Project Manager furkan.cetinkale@transtech.org

LEGALS

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.

Petitioner:

ALEXANDER MARTIN WALLACE 10484 VALLEY BLVD SPC. 27

EL MONTE, CA 91731

APRIL 8, 11, 15, 2024

DUARTE DISPATCH

NOTICE OF PETITION TO

ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

RUBEN LAWLER CHAVIRA

CASE NO. 24STPB03566

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

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by ANDREA R. BURNS in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that ANDREA R. BURNS be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

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

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

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 05/03/24 at 8:30AM in Dept. 29 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

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

Case No. 23STPB12959 To all heirs, beneficiaries, cred-itors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of CAROLINE SNYDER

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

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Michael R. Snyder 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 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 May 14, 2024 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 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 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.

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 May 10, 2024 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 44 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: SUSAN LONG PRIN DEP CO COUNSEL SBN 163000 DAWYN HARRISON OFFICE OF COUNTY COUNSEL 500 WEST TEMPLE ST STE 648

LOS ANGELES CA 90012

CN105710 HUTCHINGS Apr 11,15,18, 2024 SAN GABRIEL SUN

Probate Notices important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.)

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held on May 6, 2024 at 8:30 AM in Dept. 4. located at 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

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

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

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. LAWRENCE BROCK - SBN 92527

KAYCEE R. LINK - SBN 347416, PROVENLAW, PLLC

216 W. ST. GEORGE BLVD., STE. 200

ST. GEORGE UT 84770

Telephone (435) 688-9231 4/11, 4/15, 4/18/24

CNS-3801504#

ARCADIA WEEKLY

NOTICE

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: MICHAEL J HEMMING ESQ SBN 74538 LAW OFFICE OF MICHAEL J HEMMING 333 W MISSION BLVD POMONA CA 91766 CN105147 SNYDER Apr 11,15,18, 2024 AZUSA BEACON

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF THELES HUTCHINGS aka PHYLLIS HUTCHINGS, THELES PHYLLIS HUTCHINGS, PHYLLIS HUTCHINGS THELES, HUTCHINGS THELES

Case No. 24STPB03643

To all heirs, beneficiaries, cred-itors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of THELES HUTCHINGS aka PHYLLIS HUTCHINGS, THELES PHYLLIS HUTCHINGS, PHYLLIS HUTCHINGS THELES, HUTCHINGS THELES

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by County of Los Angeles Public Administrator in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that County of Los Angeles Public Administrator 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

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: ALMA ELIZABETH WILSON

CASE NO. 24STPB03800

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

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

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

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

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 05/06/24 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,

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 CECIL R. MCNAB ESQ. - SBN 163551

FOR

has been filed by

M.

in

Superior Court of California, County of

PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that ANITA M. LEYVA 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: 05/06/24 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.

Baltimore tragedy prompts call for analysis of Vincent Thomas Bridge

By City News Service

City Councilman Tim McOsker has introduced a motion calling for an analysis of the Port of L.A.’s Vincent Thomas Bridge in an effort to prevent a tragedy similar to the one that brought down the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

McOsker, who represents the city’s 15th District, which includes the harbor area, introduced the motion on Tuesday. He wants the analysis by Port of L.A. engineers to also include information on the circumstances that led to the collapse of Baltimore’s Key Bridge where a huge container ship, the Dali, rammed the span on March

26. Six construction workers were killed.

In particular, McOsker wants the report to include an analysis of how the presence or absence of shields, or “diverters,” at the base support of bridges, could be used to prevent damage from ship collisions.

Ultimately, he’s hoping the findings will inform the city of “any additional mitigation measures that can be taken to ensure a tragic event does not occur in the future,” according to the motion.

The motion also instructs the Port of L.A., in consultation with the Port of Long Beach, to provide details on its emergency

response plans.

“The sudden loss of a highway that carries 30,000 vehicles a day and the port disruption will affect thousands of dockworkers, commuters and U.S. consumers, who are likely to feel the impact of shipping delays,” McOsker’s motion reads.

From 1960 to 2015, there were 35 major bridge collapses worldwide due to ship or barge collisions, according to the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure.

McOsker’s motion will next head to the council’s Trade, Travel and Tourism Committee for consideration.

Metro Art presents Kjazz Tracks at Union Station April 27

By Staff

In celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month, Metro Art and KJazz are teaming up for KJazz Tracks at Union Station on Saturday, April 27 from 7:30 to 11 p.m. The free concert is open to all with performances taking place in the station’s Ticket Concourse. Hosted by KJazz DJ Rhonda Hamilton, the event will feature Kassa Overall as headliner, and Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few, and Darynn Dean also on the bill.

The first 40 visitors to present their TAP cards to the Metro Art info table will receive a free Metro Art book, “Los Angeles Through the Eyes of Artists,” and a Union Station swag bag.

RSVP for the event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/metro-art-presents-kjazztracks-at-union-station-tickets-868712361057.

Go Metro to the event. Union Station is accessible via Metro Rail, Metro Bus and several municipal bus lines. Take the B Line, D Line, J Line or A Line directly to Union Station. Plan your trip using the Transit app, the trip planner at metro.net or by calling 323.GO.METRO.

Deaths of despair

rate from deaths of despair compared to whites for all available years of data 1999-2021. In the new data analysis, UCLA Health researchers used publicly available records from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine rates of deaths of despair through 2022 for white, Black and Native Americans ages 45-54.

The analysis found:

-- The rate of deaths of despair among Blacks (103.81 per 100,000 people) surpassed that of whites (102.63 per 100,000) in 2022;

-- The rate among Blacks tripled from 2013-2022 from 36.24 per 100,000 to 103.81 per 100,000 people, with 2015 onward marking a sharp increase in deaths;

-- The rate for Native American and Alaska Native populations was the highest at 241.7 per 100,000 people in 2022;

-- The rate of deaths of despair for Native American/Alaska Native populations has remained significantly higher than whites from 1999 to 2022;

-- Native American/Alaska Native had the highest mortality rates from suicide, alcoholic liver disease and drug overdose compared to Blacks and whites; and

-- Deaths of despair in whites increased from 72.15 per 100,000 people in 2013 to 102.63 per 100,000 people in 2022.

The data does not identify the circumstances behind these deaths, but Friedman said the increasing rates of deaths of despair largely relate to mental health and substance use disorders. While Blacks have been disproportionately affected by the drug overdose crisis, other factors include differential access to health care and social services, an increasingly toxic illicit drug supply, namely fentanyl, and worsening economic insecurity, UCLA Health researchers determined.

Opportunity Campaign expands to reach wider audience at Ontario Airport

By Staff

San Bernardino County is expanding its Opportunity Campaign at the Ontario International Airport. The campaign is an effort to inform residents and visitors about the myriad of family-friendly activities, local attractions, jobs, housing, and business opportunities throughout the county. The expansion includes two static wall wraps that are now live in Terminal 2, reaching millions of travelers with visuals of the county’s top destinations.

Some of the featured destinations include Calico Ghost Town, Big Bear Alpine Zoo, the County Museum and Regional Parks.

Calico Ghost Town is a historical site that was once a bustling silver mining town between 1881 and 1907. After silver lost its value,

Calico became a ghost town. Today, Calico Ghost Town is a tourist destination that offers its visitors a glimpse into the Old West with mine tours, the old schoolhouse and saloon, museums, a train ride and more. Calico also features gift shops, restaurants, camping, off-roading and hiking and biking trails.

Big Bear Alpine Zoo is a rehabilitation facility that is dedicated to preserving injured, orphaned and imprinted wild animals. Located in Big Bear, the zoo provides a home for a variety of animals including bears, mountain lions, wolves, birds, raccoons and more. Zoo visitors can experience up-close animal encounters.

If you are a history enthusiast or art lover, the County Museum showcases the natural and cultural history of San Bernardino

County. It features a wide range of exhibits covering topics such as the county’s geological and paleontological history, Native American culture, birds within the region, the county’s car culture and more. The museum also offers a variety of educational programs including lectures, workshops and special events. The County Museum is located in Redlands and has a branch location in Apple Valley. It also maintains a number of historical sites including the Agua Mansa Pioneer Cemetery in Colton and the María Merced Williams and John Rains House in Rancho Cucamonga.

The county also offers a range of outdoor activities through nine regional parks including Glen Helen Regional Park in

Vincent Thomas Bridge. | Photo by Joits CC BY-NC 2.0 DEED

San Bernardino seeking individuals responsible for a severely burned puppy

The City of San Bernardino is asking the public to help identify the individual or individuals responsible for severely burning a three-month-old puppy in what may be an intentional act of animal cruelty and abandoning it and another puppy at a veterinary office on Highland Avenue.

On Thursday, April 4, the City of San Bernardino’s Animal Services Department was called to a veterinary office on West Highland Avenue regarding two puppies abandoned in its parking lot overnight. When officers arrived at the location, they found

two labrador retriever mix puppies, each approximately three months old.

One of the puppies had what appeared to be burns to their face, ears, and body. The officer brought both puppies back to the San Bernardino Animal Shelter for assessment where veterinary technicians determined the puppy with the burns had suffered severe injuries that needed to be treated by a veterinarian.

Both puppies were transported to the shelter’s contract veterinarian. While the puppy without injuries was cleared by the veterinarian, the puppy with the

over, but we are headed in the right direction.

“I will continue closely tracking our Probation Department’s focus on sustaining and enhancing this progress and implementation. I fully support a continued focus on staffing at the appropriate levels — this is the heart of what will make improvements permanent. Keeping the youth in our care and staff safe is my top priority for the department.”

The Probation Department has been under fire for years over the operation of juvenile detention facilities.

During February’s BSCC meeting, county Probation

Department Deputy Chief Kimberly Epps pleaded the agency’s case, insisting improvements had been made to address all of the board’s areas of concern, and claiming in some instances the issue was one of documentation, rather than actual poor practices.

She conceded, however, that there has been a long history of shortcomings by the agency, noting at one point that “we understand people are tired of seeing us” before the BSCC.

“We know we are bankrupt in credibility,” Epps said at another point, but she insisted that the department’s new lead -

By Staff

burns, named “Ember” by the vet team, required immediate hospitalization and treatment due to the severity of her injuries.

The burns Ember suffered are severe. Based upon how and where the puppies were found, authorities believe this may have been an intentional act of animal cruelty. The vet has determined the injuries and wounds were likely caused by fire.

As of last week, Ember continued to show improvement. While she is not out of the woods, a team of veterinary specialists working to save Ember, and an experienced foster caretaker has

been lined up to provide ongoing care to help her recover once she is released from the hospital.

If you would like to donate money to help cover the costs of severely injured animals taken in by the City of San Bernardino medical pets program, or to help cover the costs for foster caretakers, visit the San Bernardino Animal Services website at www.sbcitypets. org.

If you have any information regarding this case, including information regarding the dog’s owners or details leading to the individual(s) responsible, contact the San Bernardino Animal Services Department at (909) 384-1304 and reference A563955.

Juvenile facilities

ership is committed to improvement and change.

Not long after it opened last year, Los Padrinos was quickly plagued with problems. The facility experienced a pair of escapes, although both detainees were quickly re-apprehended. In January, eight probation officers were placed on leave for a “significant incident” involving detainees. The Los Angeles Times reported that the officers stood idly by while a teen detainee was beaten by a group of other youths.

Several community members who spoke at February’s BSCC meeting alleged that probation officers would stage “gladi-

ator fights” among youth detainees.

“Every day a young person is in the facility, they are in danger,” one speaker told the board.

One probation officer, however, decried suggestions that the staff is responsible for issues at the facilities, noting that some of the youth “are in there for some heinous crimes,” including murder. She said probation officers in the facilities are the ones “being spit on and getting feces thrown at us.”

“I’m sick and tired of everyone coming after us when it’s our management that’s the problem,” she said.

OC Parks to celebrate summertime with free concerts, movie screenings

By Staff

The 2024 lineup for the annual OC Parks Summer Concert Series and Sunset Cinema film series, featuring family-friendly live music and movie screenings all summer long, has been announced. All events are free to attend with free parking. Food trucks will serve a variety of food options at each event and a beer and wine garden will be available to those 21 and older.

The Summer Concert Series returns with nine free outdoor concerts Thursday evenings, June 20 to Aug. 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. Enjoy live music from bands and artists at Craig Regional

Park, Mason Regional Park, Irvine Regional Park, Mile Square Regional Park and Bluff Park at Salt Creek Beach. The concert series kicks off with The Smiths and Morrissey cover band Sweet and Tender Hooligans June 20 at Craig Regional Park in Fullerton, followed by popular local and renowned artists including Mariachi Divas, Flashback Heart Attack, A Thousand Horses, No Duh, Ozomatli, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and The FABBA Show. Jimmy’s Buffet will round out the 2024 OC Parks Summer Concert Series at Bluff Park at Salt Creek Beach.

The Sunset Cinema film series brings the big screen to the great outdoors with 12 free movie screenings Friday nights beginning June 7 to Aug. 30 at Craig Regional Park, Carbon Canyon Regional Park, Mason Regional Park, Yorba Regional Park, Irvine Regional Park, Laguna Niguel Regional Park and Bluff Park at Salt Creek Beach. Guests of all ages can enjoy recent blockbusters and popular classic films, complete with pre-show entertainment such as character interactions, DJ-led games and more. Cinema events begin at 6 p.m. with screenings starting after sundown, at

approximately 8 p.m.

Friday night films kick off June 7 and include “Wonka” (2023), “The Little Rascals” (1994), “Migration” (2023), “Men in Black” (1997), “Trolls Band Together” (2023), “Barbie” (2023), “National Treasure” (2004), “Frozen II” (2019), “Napoleon Dynamite” (2004), “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (2023), “13 Going on 30” (2004) and “The Goonies” (1985).

“The County of Orange and OC Parks are thrilled to continue this beloved annual community tradition,” said Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairman Donald P. Wagner.

inviting

of music and film throughout Orange County’s stunning regional parks.”

“The return of the OC Parks Summer Concert Series and Sunset Cinema promises yet another season of free, outdoor entertainment,

everyone to experience the joy

| Photo courtesy of OC Parks

Ember. | Photo courtesy of City of San Bernardino

The wall surrounding the Nidorf juvenile facility in Sylmar. | Photo courtesy of Kim Kardashian/Facebook