Corona News Press_4/8/2024

MONDAY, APRIL 08- APRIL 14, 2024

As elections loom, congressional maps challenged as discriminatory will remain in place

By Marilyn W. Thompson, ProPublica

With the Republicans holding just a two-vote majority in the House of Representatives, voters will go to the polls in November in at least two congressional districts that have been challenged as discriminatory against people of color.

After months of delays and appeals, courts have decided in the last two weeks that the maps in South Carolina and Florida will stand, giving Republican incumbents an advantage.

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take action on South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District. In January 2023, a three-judge federal panel had declared it an illegal racial gerrymander that must be redrawn before another election was held. In Florida, the congressional map has faced long-running discrimination lawsuits in both state and federal courts, with one state judge ruling that a district near Jacksonville disadvantaged voters of color. A higher court overturned that judgment, but an appeal from voting rights and civil rights groups is still pending before the state Supreme Court, which has said it could be months before it rules.

A decision about another contested district in Utah is pending with the state Supreme Court and seems unlikely to be resolved before the elections, according to Mark Gaber of the Campaign Legal Center, who represents plaintiffs in a partisan gerrymandering lawsuit.

Put in place in 2021 after the last federal census, the controversial maps were used in multiple elections

during the 2022 election cycle.

“The long, extended delays are a real problem, for voting rights and particularly for Black voters,” Gaber said. The cases illustrate how difficult it is to reverse gerrymandered voting maps. Even when lower courts find election maps illegal and give state legislatures months to make corrections, appeals and other delaying tactics can run out the clock as elections near.

Federal courts have been reluctant to make mapping changes too close to elections because of a vague legal idea known as the Purcell principle, based on a 2006 court case from Arizona that found that voters may be confused by late changes in polling places or election procedures.

The U.S. Supreme Court cited Purcell in 2022 when it left an illegal congressional

map in place in Alabama for midterm elections while it considered a Republican appeal. Black voters cast their ballots under a discriminatory map, and when the Supreme Court finally decided the case in 2023, it reaffirmed that Alabama’s map violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and must be redrawn. A new map is now in place for 2024, which could result in the election of a second Democratic representative for the state in November.

The Supreme Court made a similar call in 2022 in a Louisiana redistricting case after a federal court struck down the state’s congressional map. Voters cast ballots in 2022 under the challenged map. Since then, the state Legislature

has redrawn the map and created a second majorityBlack district that could help Democrats gain another seat in Congress.

The exact cutoff for applying the Purcell principle has not been defined, but conservative Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who has cited it in his opinions, has said the principle reflects a “bedrock tenet of election law.”

The delayed rulings and actions in Alabama and Louisiana and a ruling this week in Washington state have favored Democrats. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court declined to stop a new state legislative map from going into effect in Washington, where a lower court had found discrimination against Latinos in the Yakima Valley. Republicans

Flag ceremony highlights fight against child abuse

By Staff

To further educate the public on how to identify signs of abuse and neglect, the Riverside County Family Service Association and the HOPE Collaborative hosted the second annual Child Abuse Prevention flagraising ceremony Wednesday.

The event also was intended to honor children impacted by violence, abuse and neglect while highlighting collaborative efforts by community members and government officials to protect the children.

“The Riverside County Board of Supervisors remains committed to safeguarding our most vulnerable children,” 2nd District Supervisor Karen Spiegel said in a statement. “We stand united to ensure a comprehensive system of

Man charged with fatally shooting senior, trying to kill girlfriend

Aman who allegedly gunned down his 75-year-old housemate and tried to kill his girlfriend during a dispute at their south Riverside residence was charged Thursday with murder and other offenses.

Christopher Jacob Lennox, 27, of Riverside, was arrested March 31 following a Riverside Police Department investigation.

Along with murder, Lennox is charged with attempted murder, domestic violence and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.

The defendant, who was being held on $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail, was slated to make his initial court appearance Thursday afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

He allegedly killed Robert Joe Mageno of Riverside around noon on Easter Sunday in the 7600 block of Canberra

Armed man killed in confrontation with Riverside police officers

PS International ShortFest to celebrate 30th anniversary

By City News Service

See Flag ceremony Page 24

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

| Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Community members and county leaders gather for the flag-raising. | Photo courtesy of Riverside County

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Probationer to stand trial for allegedly sexually abusing MoVal girl

By City News Service

Aprobationer accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a 7-year-old Moreno Valley girl must stand trial on nearly a dozen felony charges, a judge ruled Wednesday. Ruben Arguello Jr., 42, was arrested in July following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation.

At the end of a preliminary hearing Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Walter Kubelun found there was sufficient evidence to bound Arguello over for trial on four counts of oral copulation of a child under 10 years old, two counts each of forcible lewd acts on a minor and sexual penetration of a child, and one count of witness intimidation, as well as a sentenceenhancing allegation of taking advantage of a position of trust to commit a criminal offense.

The judge scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for April 17 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

The defendant is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Alfredo Medina said that deputies received information early last July regarding the alleged sexual abuse of a child at a residence within the city and initiated an investigation.

“The investigation revealed an assault occurred in Moreno Valley, and additional assaults took place out of the county,” Medina said.

The girl’s identity and the defendant’s specific relationship to her were not disclosed.

The findings culminated in an arrest warrant being obtained and served on Arguello at his house on Avenida De Loring, where he was taken into custody without incident on the afternoon of July 19.

According to court records, he has a prior misdemeanor conviction for disturbing the peace.

Luis Valentino resigns as Coachella Valley superintendent

By City News Service

Luis Valentino, superintendent of the Coachella Valley Unified School District, resigned Wednesday effective June 30, according to multiple media reports.

Valentino offered his resignation Wednesday evening at a special meeting of the district’s Board of Education, and board members accepted on a 5-2 vote, the Desert Sun reported.

Trustees Valerie Garcia and Trinidad Arrendondo noted no, and Valentino was not in attendance, the newspaper added.

“Serving the students, staff, and community of the Coachella Valley Unified School District alongside a fantastic team of educators has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” Valentino said in a news release, according to the Desert Sun. “I have the greatest respect

and admiration for the dedicated staff, outstanding students, and supportive parents and community.” No reason was given for Valentino’s decision. Effort to reach the superintendent

TPS International ShortFest to celebrate 30th anniversary

By City News Service

he Palm Springs International ShortFest will return this summer, celebrating its 30th anniversary, organizers announced.

The short film festival will take place from June 18 to 24 at the Regal Palm Springs, sponsored by the city of Palm Springs. The event will feature film screenings, along with classes and panel discussions featuring industry representatives, filmmakers and additional guests.

The ShortFest Awards will be presented June 23, offering cash prizes worth $25,000, and five Academy Awardqualifying awards.

The Best of the Fest shorts will screen on the final day, June 24. They will also be offered virtually from July 10-14.

Previous short films screened at the festival have included Oscar- nominated documentary short “Nai Nai & Wai Pó,” live-action short “The Old Young Crow,” Oscar-winning documentary short “The Queen of Basketball,” “Death & Ramen” with comedian Bobby Lee and actor Matt Jones, “Last Call” with actor Tom Holland, “The Long Goodbye” with actor Riz Ahmed, “Three Trees” voiced by actress Whoopi Goldberg and others.

The event is produced by the Palm Springs Internation-

and other CVUSD District officials were not immediately successful. Valentino has held the post since 2021, and his contract was set to run through June 2025.

al Film Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating and promoting the art and science of film through education and crosscultural awareness. The Film Society also produces the Palm Springs International Film Festival and Film Awards in January.

For additional information and tickets, call the festival headquarters at 760-778-8979 or visit the website at psfilmfest.org/ shortfest-2024.

Desert Hot Springs to host Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall

By City News Service

Desert Hot Springs will host the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall next month, a traveling replica of the revered monument in Washington D.C., the city announced Tuesday.

The free exhibition will be available 24 hours a day from May 16-20 at Mission Springs Park, located at 14510 Palm Drive.

The city is seeking volunteers to assist with various aspects of the event, from welcoming guests to helping with logistics.

More information is available by calling 760-329-6411, ext. 139, or sending an email to recreation@cityofdhs.org.

The city is also looking for food donations from local businesses.

“Having the traveling replica wall here in Desert Hot Springs will allow Vietnam Veterans like me to be with our brothers and sisters who were KIA and POW,” said Edward Johnson, a local Vietnam veteran who was wounded in action.

“Thanks to the city of Desert Hot Spring for keeping their memory alive,” Johnson added.

The Moreno Valley sheriff’s station. | Photo courtesy of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department

| Image courtesy of the Palm Springs International Film Festival/Facebook

Luis Valentino. | Photo courtesy of the Coachella Valley Unified School District

Vietnam veteran John Nugent plays the bagpipes at the moving wall in Virginia. | Photo courtesy of Tristan Miller/U.S. Navy/Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

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Embattled attorney John Eastman seeks delay in suspension of law license

Suspended attorney John Eastman, the former Chapman University law school dean and counsel to former President Donald Trump, said Thursday he is not dispirited by a recommendation from the California State Bar that he be disbarred and is seeking permission to keep working as an attorney while he appeals the ruling.

“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.”

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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 Bar attorney Duncan Carling put it: “Eastman pressed thenVice 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.

On 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 Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene, who hired Eastman to represent them in First Amendment claims stemming from the cancellation of their planned speaking engagements in the city of 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 he 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 it 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 currently 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.”

The congressman from Florida 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 President Joe Biden’s election and continued misinforming the public with disproven fraud claims.

Eastman has shown an unwillingness to admit any ethical lapses pertaining to his actions, which demonstrates a seeming 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,” she said.

John Eastman. | Photo courtesy of ISCOTUS/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Getty and French Consulate in LA sign agreement for cultural exchange

Banning cellphones at school brings positive changes for students

Getty officials and the Consulate General of France in Los Angeles have entered an agreement to promote exhibitions related to French culture, it was announced Wednesday.

The agreement was signed by Getty president and CEO Katherine E. Fleming and French Consul General in L.A. Julie Duhaut-Bedos at a ceremony Tuesday in Beverly Hills.

“Getty has a long and meaningful relationship with the French Consulate in Los Angeles and has worked with esteemed institutions to bring France’s art and culture to local audiences,” Flemming said in a statement. “This agreement is a continuation of this commitment and a foundation for further collaboration as Getty expands its global reach and impact.”

The agreement outlines that Getty and the French Consulate will jointly promote Getty activities related to French culture. It also encourages opportunities for greater cultural exchange and cooperation with Villa Albertine, a residency program for French

By City News Service

global creators, thinkers and cultural professionals.

“This agreement with the Getty acknowledges the important role that museums play in our French American conversation,” said Laurent Bili, ambassador of France to the United States. “Here in Los Angeles, it gives us a framework and a vision for our cooperation.”

The agreement includes the joint promotion of Camille Claudel, the first major survey of the French sculptor’s work in nearly 40 years, according to Getty

officials.

Other activities include promotion of exhibitions of the work of painter Gustave Caillebotte and photographer Hippolyte Bayard.

The agreement builds on prior successful Getty and French Consulate cooperation promoting exhibitions, such as “La Surprise: Watteau in Los Angeles” at the Getty Center.

Getty shares art, knowledge, and resources online at Getty.edu and welcomes the public for free at its Getty Center and the Getty Villa.

By Mark Richardson, Producer, Public News Service

Separating high school students from their cellphones might be seen as a daunting task but one California school said having students stash them during the school day has brought some surprising results.

Administrators at High Tech High in San Diego said fostering a phone-free school environment led to positive change. Starting this school year, High Tech High required students to relinquish their phones at the beginning of the day.

Colleen Glass, compliance officer for the school, said tracking student perceptions and observing the impact of cellphones on the learning culture provides a compelling case study.

“Where before, they were sitting in those spaces and kind of ‘heads down’ into their technology, they’re now sitting in those spaces and having conversations,” Glass explained. “There’s a lot more engagement and conversation in class, because students are talking to each other and they’re not listening to their AirPods.”

Across the country, more than three-quarters of K-12 public schools prohibit nonacademic cellphone use, according to a report from the 2021-2022

school year. But only 43% of public high schools have such a rule and it is often not enforced.

Doug Keller, partnerships lead for the nonprofit Youth Truth, said it has been tracking students’ experiences over the past decade in such areas as engagement, relationships, culture, academic challenges and their overall sense of belonging. He noted once the phones were gone from classes, the majority of students showed improvement in several areas.

“When they implemented the policy, we saw a sharp jump upward,” Keller reported. “We saw growth, students feeling a stronger sense of belonging at their school because of this

new policy, after seeing a decline that matched the decline that we have anecdotally seen elsewhere.”

Keller added Youth Truth surveyed students to measure the “intersection of student voice, school improvement and key indicators of the student experience.” It also includes areas like peer collaboration and relationships with their teachers. He emphasized they will continue the study in future years.

Disclosure: YouthTruth contributes to Public News Service’s fund for reporting on Education, Philanthropy, and Youth Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, visit https://www.publicnewsservice.org/dn1.php.

Educators sound alarm about teacher shortage

By Suzanne Potter, Producer, Public News Service

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage.

Around 37% of schools nationwide report being short at least one teacher. The problem is worse at schools serving high-poverty neighborhoods where more than half report a vacancy.

Susan Kemper Patrick, a senior researcher on the Educator Quality team at the Learning Policy Institute, said those numbers are troublingly high.

“At least 314,000 teaching positions across the U.S. are either unfilled or filled with teachers who are not fully certified for their assignments,” she said. “This means at least one in ten teaching positions nationally are either unfilled or not filled with a certified teacher.”

Data from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing showed 10,000 teacher vacancies in the 2021-22 school year. The number of teacher credentials issued that year was down 16% from the previous year - but has now started to trend upward.

In 2023, California passed a bill to make it easier for retired teachers to return to the classroom.

Kemper Patrick noted that schools are resorting to desperate measures such as combining classes, relying on a virtual teacher or using a long-term substitute.

“The U.S. Department of Education School Pulse survey found that 36% of public schools across the U.S. reported that they had to increase class size due to teacher and staff vacancies,” she said.

Kemper Patrick blamed the problem on low salaries, noting the average starting salary for a teacher nationwide is less than $43,000 a year. Congress is currently considering two bills, the Diversify Act and the Educators for America Act, which would double the amount of the Teach America grant from $4,000 to $8,000 per year.

Left to right: Getty President and CEO Katherine E. Fleming, Laurent Bili, ambassador of France to the United States, French Consul General in Los Angeles Julie Duhaut-Bedos. | Photo by Christophe Ortega

Students at High Tech High in San Diego were asked to surrender their cellphones each day at school last session, and were surveyed on the changes they noticed throughout the year.

| Photo by Edrick Macalaguim/High Tech High

Facial recognition, biometrics accepted in tech, but some are wary of certain uses

By Paxtyn Merten, Stacker

Smartphonesunlocking at a glance; palm payments for in-store shopping; eye scans to pass through airport security — what were once sci-fi fantasies are now a reality. Biometrics such as fingerprints, eye scans, facial recognition and voice matching don’t exist just for use by the wealthy; they are incorporated into everyday technology and used by millions of people across the globe every day.

To get a more comprehensive look at the state of biometric technologies today, Spokeo took a closer look at their adoption and public opinion on various use cases, citing studies, surveys and news coverage of the growing trend.

Most commonly, biometrics are used for identity verification, accessing devices or accounts and making purchases. But this year is poised to see surges in biometrics elsewhere, such as at airports, to speed up security screenings and boarding.

More public uses of this technology present privacy concerns, as it’s increasingly difficult for people to avoid having their biometric data captured and stored. Consumers may choose not to utilize biometrics on their own devices, but avoiding it can be impossible when government agencies, companies and law enforcement use facial recognition in public and private spaces.

Mass adoption of biometrics

American views on biometrics use vary widely based on use cases and type of data. However, people tend to become more comfortable with technology the more they are exposed to it or use it in their daily lives. At its best, biometrics offer faster logins, better security, and

greater accuracy than other authentication methods. The information is unique, universal, easy to store and difficult to forge. Biometrics offer more streamlined authorization, eliminating the need to remember dozens of passwords — and the danger of password sharing across accounts.

Biometric technology hit the shelves in late 2011 with the release of Android’s then-latest operating system, which let users unlock their screens using facial recognition. Apple incorporated fingerprint technology with its iPhone 5S in 2013 and later added facial recognition with the iPhone X in 2017. Today, about four in five smartphone users have biometric scan options enabled on their devices, according to a 2022 report by Cisco Duo.

With the growth of mobile shopping and digital wallets, people also use biometrics to complete transactions more frequently. Insider Intelligence eMarketer expects mobile sales to reach $558.29 billion this year, and to comprise more than 7% of total retail sales nationwide.

A PYMNTS Intelligence and Amazon Web Services report released in September 2023 found that over half of consumers who bought something online within a monthlong period used biometric authentication to complete the transaction, primarily with facial or fingerprint scans.

Biometrics have become a part of in-store shopping, as well. In 2023, Amazon installed its Amazon One palm scan technology in all 500-plus Whole Foods Market stores. The technology is also present in its Amazon Go physical stores.

The in-store hand scanners are much less popular among the masses, being relatively new and less ubiquitous than mobile phone usage. In other areas of the world, options are expanding for in-store biometric payments.

About 3 in 4 Americans are not comfortable using the hand recognition technology to make payments, according to a 2023 survey by CivicScience. Fewer than half of U.S. consumers said they would utilize palm-scanning payment devices if various retail stores installed them, including Kroger and Costco. However, a Pew Research study conducted in 2021 indicated half of Americans favored retail stores using facial recognition to enhance the security of credit cards by confirming account holder identities at checkout.

and cybersecurity regulations, leaving the handling of biometrics and other personal data at the mercy of

Privacy and security concerns

In mid-2023, the Federal Trade Commission warned the increasing use of biometric technologies raises significant concerns for consumer privacy, data security, bias and discrimination.

Despite several attempts by lawmakers over the past few years, the U.S. hasn’t created national data privacy

state and local governments and private companies. A few states have adopted laws regulating private entities’ collection and use of biometric information, and several others have introduced bills with similar goals that are still moving through the legislative process. GetApp’s biannual survey of around 1,000 American online shoppers found

that trust in tech companies’ handling of biometric data is declining. People are increasingly concerned about biometric data misuse, breaches, identity theft, privacy and inaccuracy, according to the 2024 survey.

Concern is also mounting among human rights groups over facial recognition surveillance in public spaces, saying this type of mass surveillance undermines rights to privacy and nondiscrimination and threatens freedoms of assembly and expression. Historically, these technologies have struggled to recognize and distinguish among people of certain races, ethnicities and genders, so there is an even greater risk of discrimination in using them to surveil already marginalized communities. This issue presents a more significant concern when applied to policing. As of 2021, dozens of federal agencies that employ law enforcement officers used facial recognition technology. Within the Departments of Homeland Security and

Justice, seven law enforcement agencies said they used facial recognition services in 2023. Pew Research in 2021 found that a majority of Americans believe police would use facial recognition to find more missing persons and solve crimes faster and more efficiently, but 2 in 3 also agreed that police would use this tech to over-surveil Black and Hispanic neighborhoods.

In November 2023, more than 180 groups signed a statement to stop facial recognition surveillance, with the Human Rights Watch suggesting the world is at a “fork in the road” when it comes to how government agencies will choose to proceed.

Story editing by Ashleigh Graf. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn.

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

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| Image courtesy of Spokeo/Stacker

Probate Notices

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: MONICA ANN RIEBENNACHT

CASE NO. 24STPB03082

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

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

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that GRETCHEN RIEBENNACHT 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. 29 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

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

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

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

low 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: 04/29/24 at 8:30AM in Dept. 2D located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

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

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

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

Attorney for Petitioner WILLIAM R. REMERY - SBN 89897, REMERY LAW FIRM 1955 WEST GLENOAKS BLVD. GLENDALE CA 91201

Telephone (818) 558-5909 4/4, 4/8, 4/11/24

CNS-3799463# SAN GABRIEL SUN

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF ANITA GOMEZ

Case No. 24STPB03527

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

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

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Jeannette Echeverria be appointed as personal repre-sentative 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.

LEGALS

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:

TIMOTHY G MISHLER ESQ

SBN 156236

LAW OFFICES OF

TIMOTHY G MISHLER

816 W FOOTHILL BLVD

MONROVIA CA 91016

CN105693 GOMEZ

Apr 4,8,11, 2024

DUARTE DISPATCH

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF CAROLANN WALLACE

Case No. 23STPB14035

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

A PETITION FOR LOST WILL has been filed by Alexander Martin Wallace in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Alexander Martin Wallace 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 on May 6, 2024 at 8:30 AM in Dept. 4. 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.

Public Notices

To

FOR PROBATE has been filed by VICKIE EATON in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that VICKIE EATON 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 al-

A HEARING on the petition will be held on April 29, 2024 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 4 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 issu-ance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from

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:

Et Seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

Lineup set for Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Fest

By City News Service

The musical lineup and other attractions are set for the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival in Winchester next month.

The event — a tradition going back to 1983 — is scheduled for the weekend of May 17-19 within the Lake Skinner Recreation Area, just east of Temecula.

The fest returned in 2022 following a two-year hiatus stemming from the COVID lockdowns.

Marquee acts slated

to play the venue include Stone Temple Pilots, Lynyrd Skynyrd and George Thorogood & The Destroyers.

Hot air balloon rides will be going all three days, lasting about an hour and rising up hundreds of feet, providing guests with scenic vistas of the valley, Cleveland National Forest to the west and mountains to the north and east.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to quietly soar above Lake Skinner and the beautiful Temecula Valley

wineries & vineyards, feeling as if you’re suspended in air,” according to tvbwf.com.

A total of 50 balloons will be tethered at the site. All rides are subject to cancellation if the weather turns. Tickets run $40 to $60 apiece.

Dozens of vendors will be on hand, including a bevy of vintners providing samples of the area’s finest ports.

Some attendees may be under tents or in trailers at the Lake Skinner campground. Organizers said that

space remains available and can be reserved now.

There will be carnival rides, dancing and an array of adult beverages to enjoy.

Festival passes run between $60 and $2,500, depending on what events a festival-goer intends to attend. Parking fees are separate from the price of admission.

All events will wrap up at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 19.

More information is available at https://www. tvbwf.com/

Felon charged with kidnapping Woodcrest woman at gunpoint

By City News Service

Afelonaccusedof kidnapping his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint from her Woodcrest residence and forcing her to drive him to Riverside was charged Wednesday with kidnapping and other offenses.

Maurice Dion Gamble, 42, of Riverside, was arrested March 29 following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation.

Along with kidnapping, Gamble is charged with firearm assault, making criminal threats, being a felon

in possession of a loaded gun, possession of a sawed-off shotgun and using a firearm during an abduction. Gamble, who is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail, was slated to make his initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

According to sheriff’s Sgt. Jared Howe, in the predawn hours of March 29, deputies were alerted to a possible kidnapping from which the victim had escaped.

Further investigation revealed that the woman, whose identity was not disclosed, had been forced to drive Gamble at gunpoint from her Woodcrest residence to west Riverside, Howe alleged.

“The victim was able to flee from the suspect and contacted the Riverside Police Department,” the sergeant said.

She was not physically injured.

Howe said that, with patrol officers’ assistance,

deputies tracked down and took Gamble into custody without incident in the area of Laurel Drive and Canyon Ridge Road, near California Citrus State Historic Park.

Court records show that Gamble has several unresolved felony cases pending, including for alleged possession of an assault rifle, domestic violence and assault resulting in great bodily injury. He has prior convictions in another jurisdiction that were not listed in records.

Congressional maps

had filed an emergency appeal since the new map disrupts four legislative seats currently held by the GOP.

In South Carolina in early 2023, a three-judge federal panel unanimously found that the GOPcontrolled state Legislature drew an illegal racial gerrymander in the 1st District near Charleston, discriminating against 30,000 Black residents who were moved out of the district.

Republican lawmakers have acknowledged they wanted to maintain firm GOP control of a swing district, currently held by Rep. Nancy Mace. But they have denied discriminatory intent. ProPublica reported that Democratic Rep. James Clyburn, the state’s most influential Black elected official, gave detailed confidential input through one of his aides during the creation of the state’s maps.

Clyburn offered Republicans a draft map that included his recommenda-

tions for how to add voters to his largely rural 6th District, which had lost a significant Black population, and move unpredictable pockets of white voters out of his district.

On NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Clyburn denied playing a significant role in a Republican gerrymander.

“When someone picks up the phone and asks you, ‘What are your suggestions as we’re about to get these lines drawn?’ I offered my suggestions,” Clyburn said.

Adam Kincaid, the director of the National Republican Redistricting Trust, said Clyburn’s comments suggest he is “trying to get in front of ” a Supreme Court decision that will uphold the Legislature’s maps. “I think Mr. Clyburn believes South Carolina is going to ultimately win,” he said. The case is now at the Supreme Court. The court heard oral arguments on Oct. 11, then went silent

as South Carolina’s filing deadline for June primary elections loomed.

In recent months, lawyers for GOP legislators asked the Supreme Court to abide by the Purcell principle and allow the challenged map to stand for 2024. Lawyers for the South Carolina NAACP argued there was plenty of time to implement a corrective map.

After waiting for the Supreme Court to act, the same lower court that found the district discriminatory ruled that the map would have to remain in place after all, saying it wanted to avoid voter confusion. “The ideal must bend to the practical,” the court said.

The South Carolina case shows how the Supreme Court’s “inaction can be as consequential as an adverse action,” said Wilfred Codrington III, an associate professor at Brooklyn Law School who has written on the Purcell principle and its impact on voting rights.

Civil rights advocates condemned the court’s unwillingness to make a timely decision, which by default gives a competitive election advantage to Mace. “No one believes they were just too busy to rule in time. It’s an intentional partisan maneuver,” tweeted Lynn Teague, vice president of the League of Women Voters of South Carolina, which has been active in the redistricting case.

In the Florida case, a federal three-judge panel on March 27 upheld an election map pushed through the Legislature by Gov. Ron Desantis. The decision allows elections to proceed this year while a separate state case awaits resolution.

The federal panel said plaintiffs failed to prove that the state Legislature was motivated by race when it approved a Desantisengineered plan moving Black voters in the 5th District into four majoritywhite districts. The 5th

District seat is currently held by Republican Rep. John Rutherford, who has no Democratic opposition.

Desantis’ redistricting plan has been mired in controversy since 2022, when he vetoed the Republican Legislature’s plan and redrew the map with advice from national Republican consultants. A key feature of the Desantis plan was redrawing the majorityBlack 5th District near Jacksonville. A state judge previously struck down his map as a violation of the constitution, which provides additional protections for voters of color. An appeals court overturned the judge’s ruling, but the Florida Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case.

The Utah case involves a challenge to the state’s Republican Legislature for repealing a voter-passed initiative setting up an independent redistricting commission and then passing a partisan gerry-

mander that splits up communities around Salt Lake City. Utah has four congressional seats, all held by Republicans.

“We’re still waiting to hear from the court whether the claims that we raised are viable, and we’re hopeful,” Gaber said. “But I do not think there’s a likely chance of a decision that would affect this year’s elections.”

Kincaid, who coordinates national Republican redistricting strategy, said it’s unclear whether court decisions to use contested districts will allow the GOP to maintain its narrow control of the House.

“Democrats and their liberal allies have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to try to sue their way into congressional and legislative majorities,” Kincaid said. When the House majority is decided in November, he said. “I would rather it be us than them.”

Republished with Creative Commons License

| Photo courtesy of the Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival/ Facebook

Maurice Gamble. | Photo courtesy of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department

CWay, near Trautwein Road, in the Mission Grove quarter.

According to Riverside police Officer Ryan Railsback, the attack happened during an unspecified argument between Lennox and his girlfriend, identified in court documents only as “L.G.,” at the defendant’s residence, where several people leased rooms, including Mageno.

“The suspect retrieved a handgun and shot his girlfriend,” Railsback said. “When she fled the room, Mageno appeared from his room, and the suspect shot him. The girlfriend was able to flee across the street after the shooting.”

Witnesses called police, and patrol officers converged on the location, locating L.G. wounded but conscious. She was taken to a Riverside hospital, where she remains in critical condition, according to Railsback.

Mageno was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Officers took Lennox into custody without incident.

“They located a handgun inside the home ... believed to have been used in the shooting,” the police spokesman said.

The defendant has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.

Flag ceremony Shooting

care is available to support children who have been subjected to the trauma of abuse and neglect and to provide ample services that will empower them to heal. It remains our fundamental responsibility to protect those who cannot protect themselves.”

The flag-raising ceremony spotlighted two county agencies that provide services crucial to investigating child abuse.

The Child Assessment Team, or RCAT, is a group of medical professionals who do comprehensive medical evaluations when law enforcement authorities suspect abuse and neglect.

The Sexual Assault and Forensic Evaluation Team, or SAFE, does 24/7 forensic examinations and evidence collection for sexual assault victims and aim to guarantee children get necessary medical attention in a timely manner and also the forensic support required to prosecute sex offenders.

“These specialized units play a vital role in ensuring the well-being of children who have experienced abuse or trauma,” according to the county.

Protecting children from abuse is a collective effort involving the Riverside County Family Service Association, or FSA, which serves

Cathedral City officials break ground for Dream Homes Park

By City News Service and Staff

athedral City’s Dream Homes neighborhood hosted a groundbreaking event for its upcoming park on Wednesday.

The Dream Homes Park groundbreaking took place at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of San Diego Drive and Chia Place. It featured remarks by Mayor Mark Carnevale, Councilman Ernesto Gutierrez and project leaders.

“We join the community in celebrating the construction of Dream Homes Park,” Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella, said in a statement. “This project inspired our work to pass the Prop 68 California Park Bond, and we were proud to deliver $8.5 million in state funding to create this new park. We highly commend

current and past Cathedral City leadership for their commitment to improving resident health and wellness with parks and recreation opportunities like this.”

The park is being funded by a California State Parks award of nearly $8.5 million.

Dream Homes is one of the oldest neighborhoods in both Cathedral City and the Coachella Valley, but according to Ryan Hunt, the communications and events manager for Cathedral City, it has been critically underserved and has endured many years without a park.

Dream Homes Park will open to the public in 2025 and will sit on 7.5 acres. Features will include a central plaza and drop-off zone, children’s play areas

and equipment, shaded picnic and barbecue areas, a shaded outdoor fitness area, multi-use field, soccer fields, basketball courts and a large and small dog park.

The new park will also provide more connectivity

to the CV Link, which is a “multi-modal corridor now open adjacent to the Dream Homes neighborhood that is planned to extend from Palm Springs to the City of Coachella and the Salton Sea,” Hunt said.

Armed man killed in confrontation with Riverside police officers

By City News Service

Adomestic violence suspect was fatally shot by Riverside police officers Thursday when he allegedly confronted them with a knife at a downtown residence.

The shooting occurred at 5:30 a.m. in the 3400 block of Chestnut Street, near Fourth Street, according to the Riverside Police Department.

Agency spokesman Officer Ryan Railsback told City News Service that officers were sent to investigate reports of a domestic assault at a property, and “when they arrived, a suspect armed with a knife confronted them.”

“They used a less-than-lethal force option to attempt to de-escalate the situation,” Railsback said. “Shortly after, an officer-involved shooting occurred.”

The alleged assailant, described only as a Riverside man in his 50s, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics minutes later.

No officers were injured.

“The female domestic violence victim was treated for a serious injury caused by the suspect and taken to a local hospital in stable condition,” Railsback said.

She was identified only as a woman in her 50s.

Under municipal policy No. 307, the officers involved in the shooting were placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation conducted by the police department’s Robbery-Homicide Unit, in cooperation with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

as the area’s designated Child Abuse Prevention Council known as the HOPE Collaborative.

“FSA strives to prevent child abuse, help families thrive, and build stronger communities,” FSA Community Services Director Stephanie Soto said in a statement. “We partner with dozens of organizations to address the root causes of child maltreatment, such as poverty, lack of access to resources, and mental health issues. Through educational programs, awareness campaigns, and community outreach, we empower parents and caregivers with the knowledge and skills

they need to raise healthy and happy children.”

Every month the HOPE Collaborative organizes meetings in each county supervisor’s district and mingles with local professionals and residents.

“Dozens of representatives from child welfare, schools, law enforcement, probation, medical centers, children’s advocates, and local faith-based agencies collaborate on the region’s safety and wellbeing,” according to the county.

For more information on child abuse prevention, contact the HOPE Collaborative at 951-369-8036 or visit the organization’s website,

www.hopecollaborative.org.

Officials urged anyone who has reason to believe that a child is experiencing

abuse or neglect to report it immediately to law enforcement or to the local child welfare agency.

Supervisor Karen Spiegel speaks at this year’s Child Abuse Prevention flag ceremony. | Photo courtesy of Riverside County

Riverside police vehicles mark the crime scene in the 7600 block of Canberra Way on Easter Sunday. | Photo courtesy of the Riverside Police Department/Facebook

Officials ceremoniously start construction on Dream Homes Park. | Photo courtesy of Cathedral City