Residents ask court to overturn Arcadia council’s censure of mayor
By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com
Arcadiaresidentsare
seeking a court injunction to overturn the City Council’s censure of Mayor Sharon Kwan.
A third resident not named as a plaintiff was the suit’s process server and spoke at the council meeting Tuesday before handing court documents to City Clerk Linda Rodriguez.
“To date we’ve lost about three weeks of productive work for our city,” Benny Yee said. “Three weeks where nothing of real substance was accomplished.”
Yee called the allegations and claims against Kwan “specious” and “fabricated” allegations and accused Councilman David Fu — who initiated the censure and represents District 1 where Yee resides — of “a personal vendetta”, and we see it clearly as he has aligned with other council members all in pursuit of his selfindulgent drive to remove the mayor” against Kwan.
“After weeks of political theater, it is high time that we take back the City Council and restore the mayor’s leadership,” Yee said.
“Mayor Kwan, stand your ground,” he added. “Do not back down. Do not let this nonsense distract you from leading Arcadia. And to the rest of the council, the choice is simple: lead, follow or get out of the way.”
Council members did not respond to requests for comment. During public meetings, state law prohibits council members from directly responding to general public comments that are not about specific items on a meeting’s agenda.
Deputy City Manager Justine Bruno said the city does not comment on
pending litigation.
Cory Briggs, attorney for plaintiffs Stephanie Aiken and Laurie Thompson, Cory said they “are suing because the censure was punitive and retaliatory, contrary to federal and state law.
“The plaintiffs are residents and taxpayers in Arcadia and believe that the council majority’s illegal actions are impeding Mayor Kwan’s ability to best serve their interests,” Briggs said.
On Sept. 2, the council voted 4-1 to censure Kwan for alleged misconduct that included:
“Weaponizing and exploiting children, induced to give false and uninformed statements for political purposes of embarrassing the City, and Councilmembers, and to escape responsibility through the use of shills and strawmen,” according to the council’s
resolution.
“Demeaning the military service of veterans by stating she has done more for veterans by asserting she made unsubstantiated charitable contributions, and arguing that these were more valuable than respect and appreciation.
“Knowingly falsely alleging financial impropriety by claiming there is concealment of the City’s true finances and asserting that City staff is misrepresenting financial information to the City Council and public, and claims that the City staff is lying to the public, for the political purpose of undermining public confidence in City staff and the Mayor’s colleagues.
“Disparaging first
responders, and council colleagues by accusing them of impropriety and corruption because labor organizations chose not to support her.
“Makingunfounded accusations of sexism against Councilmembers and staff whenever disagreements arise to deflect argument against her ill-conceived and unfounded positions on substantive issues.
“Discouragingpublic participation by mocking and belittling constituents, including elderly residents, by implying their incompetence and deafness, simply because they were politically adversarial to her or expressed a conflicting viewpoint, attempting to intimidate opposing viewpoints and to squelch dissent.
Orange County judge sentenced to 35 years to life for wife’s shooting death
Elon Musk has criticized environmental regulations. His companies have been accused of sidestepping them.
By Taylor Kate Brown for ProPublica
Before and after the 2024 election,ElonMusk made it clear he disliked environmental regulations and considered them a barrier to innovation, especially given the quick timelines his companies prefer to operate on.
The billionaire spent more than $250 million to help elect President Donald Trump and, in the first months of Trump’s second term, Musk led the Department of Government Efficiency, making cuts to the federal bureaucracy and regulatory staff, including environmental agencies, before a dramatic falling out with the president.
Musk-controlled companies have also developed influence in Texas, a state already known for a lighter touch on environmental regulation. In addition to his lobbyists’ successful track record in the Texas Legislature, Gov. Greg Abbott cited Musk as inspiration for the state creating its own DOGE-style office.
A new investigation from ProPublica, the Texas Newsroom, the Houston Chronicle and the Texas Tribune has found Musk and a Houston-area member of Congress have pushed Texas and local officials to hire Musk’s Boring Co. for a $760 million flood control project in the city.
ReportersLauren McGaughy and Yilun Cheng found that Rep. Wesley Hunt helped pitch Boring’s involvement even though the company builds tunnels narrower than the ones
extensively studied by flood control experts for the project. An engineering expert warned that the volume of the tunnels the company is proposing may not be sufficient during a flood emergency. Another said that the proposed tunnels, which would be built at shallow depths, could interfere with existing utility lines and bridge foundations.
Boring has described its project in pitches to lawmakers as an “innovative and cost-effective solution.” But experts and some local officials question whether Boring should be awarded the contract. One Democratic county commissioner told the newsrooms that Musk shouldn’t be involved in the Houston project, arguing he has shown “blatant disregard for democratic institutions and environmental protections.”
Hunt, Musk and representatives from Boring did not respond to the newsrooms’ request for comment before publication of the Aug. 28 story. After publication, Hunt and Musk defended the project on X, the social media platform that Musk owns. Musk claimed that the tunnels would cost less than alternatives and that additional tunnels could increase flow, but he provided no further details.
Officials in Houston haven’t decided on a contractor for the tunneling project yet, and it remains to be seen which environmen-
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.
Arcadia resident Benny Yee hands documents to City Clerk Linda Rodriguez as he serves the city with a lawsuit over the council’s censure of Mayor Sharon Kwan. | Photo courtesy of the city of Arcadia
SCE announces community workshops on Eaton wildfire compensation program
By City News Service
Southern California Edison
Wednesday announced a series of community workshops for its forthcoming Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program, a claims program the utility said is designed to provide direct payments and fast resolutions to eligible individuals and businesses impacted by the Eaton Fire.
SCE said it would launch the compensation program later this fall for those who lost homes, businesses or rental properties in the fire. Claims would also cover total and partial structure loss, commercial property loss, business interruption, smoke and ash, physical injury and fatalities, the utility said.
The community workshops include two in-person and two virtual sessions scheduled through this month. During the workshops, participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and comment on the draft
program details. Registration information is available at sce. com/directclaimsupdates.
“The resilience of community members continues to inspire us, yet it’s difficult to witness the challenges they face,” Pedro Pizarro, chief executive of Edison International, the utility’s parent company, said in a statement. “SCE’s program is designed to help them focus on their recovery, and our efforts remain on supporting the community. While the investigation continues, inviting input on draft details is the next step in helping the community rebuild faster and stronger.”
The Eaton fire killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 homes and other structures in Altadena.
In the wake of the Jan. 7 fire, dozens of lawsuits have been filed against Edison. Videos appear to capture the wildfire igniting under a
transmission line in Eaton Canyon.
SCE said it was working with Kenneth R. Feinberg and Camille S. Biros, who helped administer the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, to consult on the design of the compensation program.
LA Fire Justice lead litigator Mikal Watts said Wednesday that the group “looks forward to working with Kenneth R. Feinberg and Camille S. Biros to resolve our clients’ cases as quickly and fairly as possible. I’ve known Ken Feinberg for decades; he is one of the best at resolving complex litigation involving tens of thousands of claimants. If Ken and Camille are in charge of resolving these Edison cases, then I trust it. If Edison is in charge of the process, then I don’t trust it.” Participation will be voluntary for community members, with no applica-
tion fees, administrative costs or legal fees charged by SCE to take part, according to the utility. The workshops
LA County reports first human West Nile virus cases of 2025
By City News Service
Publichealthofficials Wednesdayconfirmed the first human cases of West Nile virus in Los Angeles County this year.
According to the county Department of Public Health, four people were hospitalized with the virus between late July and late August. The unidentified patients lived in the Antelope Valley, San Fernando Valley and central Los Angeles areas.
“The first human cases of West Nile virus are an important reminder that we all need to take steps to prevent mosquito bites and mosquito breeding,” Dr. Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County health officer, said in a statement. “Mosquitos thrive in hot weather, increasing the risk of bites and mosquito-borne diseases.”
Davis said people should
take steps to reduce exposure to mosquitoes, such as using insect repellents, removing items that hold standing water where mosquitoes can breed, and installing door and window screens to prevent the insects from entering homes.
The virus is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Symptoms can include fever, headache, nausea, body aches and a
minor skin rash. It can result in meningitis, encephalitis, paralysis and potentially death.
Los Angeles County has reported an average of 56 human cases of the virus annually over the past five years. Health officials said the actual number is likely much higher, since many infected people never develop any illness or symptoms and their cases are never reported.
Suspect killed by El Monte police officer identified
By City News Service
A26-year-oldman suspected of domestic violence, who was fatally shot by a police officer outside a gas station in El Monte, was identified Monday. After several calls were made around 10:30 p.m. Thursday reporting possible domestic violence at a gas station at Garvey and Durfee avenues, El Monte Police Department officers were sent to the location.
“Upon officers’ arrival, the suspect’s vehicle collided with their patrol units and an officer-involved shooting occurred,” according to an El Monte police statement. “One officer discharged his service weapon.” The suspect, a 26-year-old man, “was struck by gunfire and is deceased.”
He was identified last week by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner as
Juan Martin Avila Mercado.
The officer received nonlife-threatening injuries, was treated at a local hospital and released, police said.
The domestic violence victim was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries sustained during the alleged assault by the suspect and was reported to be in stable condition.
Video from the scene showed several police cruisers
surrounding a red Honda sedan that appeared to have a passenger-side door nearly torn off.
“The California Department of Justice California Police Shooting Investigation Team responded and is investigating the incident,” police said.
Anyone with information about the case was urged to call the El Monte Police Department at 626-580-2100.
| Photo courtesy of the El Monte Police Department/Facebook
Alta Park Gymnasium, 3330 Lincoln Ave., Altadena; and -- Sept. 29, 7 p.m., Loma Alta Park Gymnasium, 3330 Lincoln Ave., Altadena.
The red outline shows the perimeter of the Eaton Fire. | Image courtesy of Southern California Edison
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tal regulations will come into play.
In the past, Boring has found ways to navigate around environmental rules.
A Boring tunnel project in Las Vegas has skirted environmental, building and labor regulations, a previous ProPublica and City Cast Las Vegas investigation found.
Other Musk-owned companies have faced similar criticism. Over the past year, environmental groups have also raised concerns about an xAI supercomputing facility in Memphis, Tennessee. Musk did not respond to ProPublica’s request for comment.
Environmental regulations
a newspaper of general circulation in court case number KS017174 City of Baldwin Park, County of Los Angeles, State of California. The Burbank Independent has been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number ES016728 City of Burbank, County of Los Angeles, State of California. The Glendale Independent has been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number ES016579 City of Glendale, County of Los Angeles, State of California. The Monterey Park Press has been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number ES016580 City of Monterey
Adam Kron, a senior attorney at the environmental advocacy group Earthjustice, said any company ignoring or avoiding regulations entirely reminds him of the fracking boom in the early 2010s, when companies moved quickly to drill, poisoning some local communities’ groundwater in the process. “There is a gold rush mentality of getting out there [first] and paying the fine later, once you can prove it,” Kron said. “When you have that kind of culture, you do see more of the notorious attempts to not seek the correct permits or not comply with the standards.”
Here’s what to know about Boring and other Muskaffiliated companies’ history of bumping up against environmental regulations.
Boring Co.
In Las Vegas, a previous ProPublica investigation found Boring was able to skirt building, environmental and labor regulations by structuring a transportation project as a completely private venture and leaning on its local connections.
Safety and Health Administration about “ankle-deep” water in the tunnels, muck spills and severe chemical burns. Nevada OSHA fined the company more than $112,000, after an investigation in 2023, but Boring has disputed the regulator’s allegations and contested the violations.
online. The facility primarily powers the company’s chatbot and generative image maker, Grok, which is integrated into X.
Boring is constructing a planned 68-mile tunnel system beneath Las Vegas where Teslas ferry passengers underneath the city’s urban core. The project avoided lengthy reviews by building its first section near the convention center under the auspices of the tourism authority. Since then, Boring has received county approval for dozens of more miles of tunnels under obscure holding company names.
Since Boring’s Las Vegas project began, it has been cited or fined for wastewater violations. It also paid retroactive fees for permits after being caught tunneling without them, reporters Daniel Rothberg and Dayvid Figler found. Workers for the company have filed complaints with the state Occupational
Boring had already been hit with multiple violations over its management of industrial wastewater at its headquarters in Bastrop, Texas, by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The company, while generally denying the allegations, was eventually fined more than $9,000 and required to make changes at the site, according to a TCEQ spokesperson. In 2023, the company applied for a permit to dump more than 100,000 gallons per day of industrial wastewater from Boring and SpaceX into a nearby river, but it was met with local resistance. A year later, Boring agreed to transfer wastewater to a new city treatment plant, expected to open in early 2026.
Boring did not respond to ProPublica’s request for comment.
xAI
In June 2024, the Memphis Chamber of Commerce announced xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence company, was setting up a data center at a former manufacturing site in the southern part of the city. That came as a surprise to some members of the City Council, one of whom told NPR she first heard about it on the local evening news.
Within a few months, Musk said the data center, dubbed Colossus, was
The electricity needed for the computing power was double what the local utility could immediately provide, so xAI used methane gas generators to bring the data center online, burning fossil fuels without a permit or pollution control technologies for nearly a year.
“It’s an actual gas plant in the middle of a neighborhood, and you don’t need any permitting?” Democratic state Rep. Justin Pearson, who lives 3 miles from the data center, told CNN in May. “Something has failed drastically and significantly with our system of checks and balances.”
In January, amid wider community push back, xAI applied for a permit for 15 generators on site. Opponents have aerial imagery they say shows more than 30 generators appearing to be operational on site as late as April. Company officials have said they wouldn’t install pollution controls on any of the turbines until the permit was approved, which happened in early July.
The company maintained permits weren’t necessary to start because of an exemption for generators on site for less than a year, a rationale Shelby County’s Health Department agreed with. Wendi C. Thomas recently reported for ProPublica and MLK50: Justice Through Journalism on how the city’s Chamber of Commerce went to
unusual lengths to promote xAI. Memphis’ mayor has backed and defended the project, saying the city will address pollution concerns with “independent environmental consultants” and “community benefit policies.” Tennessee’s governor has touted the opportunities the facility will bring to the city. The EPA was beginning to look into whether the exemption applied to xAI in October of last year; new EPA head Lee Zeldin recently met with the company.
Community members packed an April hearing on the permits, and state representatives for the area have questioned the mayor’s trust in xAI, especially as the company plans to set up a second data center in Memphis.
Environmental advocates have said that xAI needed permits because of the size of the generators and the scope of the pollution. In early April, the Southern Environmental Law Center estimated the turbines could produce, in a year, between 1,200 and 2,000 tons of nitrogen oxides, a smog-forming pollution associated with poor respiratory health in nearby areas, as well as the carcinogen formaldehyde. The company’s generators are only a few miles from a historically Black neighborhood already considered a toxic air pollution hot spot because of more than a dozen polluting facilities nearby, including a steel plant, a refinery and power plant. The county has seen consistently low air
| Photo courtesy of Molly Riley/White House/Flickr
Environmental regulations
quality and the highest rate of ER admission for asthma attacks in Tennessee. ProPublica’s air toxics map showed a cancer risk hot spot four times the national average nearby before xAI moved in.
Regulations and permitting are in place because unchecked pollution can have wide-ranging impacts on a nearby community, regardless of industry, said Jennifer Duggan, executive director at the Environmental Integrity Project, a watchdog nonprofit. “The environmental laws on the books are designed to protect public health and our natural resources. If there is no enforcement, when there are violations of those laws, then there is no protection from industrial pollution for those communities.”
While the impact to a community depends on the industry in question, as well as length and seriousness of the pollution, Duggan said, it can mean increased risk of premature mortality, higher health care costs, lost school days, lost productivity for workers, birth defects and even psychological trauma.
Permits generally require facilities to operate safely and install pollution controls, Duggan said. If those controls are not installed — or turned off — “then you’ve got more pollution in the air than the law allows,” which puts people at risk.
The company did not respond to ProPublica’s request for comment.
SpaceX
While SpaceX regularly launches its Falcon rockets to deliver satellites and astronauts into orbit, Musk’s ultimate goal for the company is much further afield. Starship, SpaceX’s giant combined reusable rocket and launch vehicle, is supposed to eventually help deliver humans and cargo to Mars, and it’s currently part of NASA’s effort to return astronauts to the moon.
But the program has already run into issues here on Earth, including violations of clean water regulations during launch tests and a cross-border investigation into falling debris.
Starship’s launch pad is along the Texas coastline, less than 5 miles from the Mexico border, surrounded by a state park and a national wildlife refuge established to protect the biodiversity of the lower Rio Grande River. Among the animals in this refuge
are fragile shorebird populations. When asked about Starship tests in 2018, Musk said at the Texas site “we’ve got a lot of land with nobody around, and so if it blows up, it’s cool,” a comment that angered the residents of a nearby village.
The first Starship launch vaporized part of the launch site and threw debris as far as 6 miles. Then the EPA and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said Starship launches in 2023 and 2024 violated the Clean Water Act for discharging untreated industrial wastewater. SpaceX applied for a wastewater permit in July 2024 and later said it “fundamentally” disagreed with the allegations from regulators but settled for about $150,000 to “focus our energy on completing the missions.” In February of this year, state regulators granted SpaceX a permit.
Starship’s fast-moving schedule has suffered setbacks this year, with explosions during three launches or tests so far. Mexico has threatened to sue over debris and potential environmental contamination crossing over the border. SpaceX said in response there were “no hazards to the surrounding area.”
But the Federal Aviation Administration recently approved SpaceX for up to 25 Starship launches a year, and the Trump administration has signed an executive order announcing attempts to “eliminate or expedite” environmental review of rocket launches by the FAA, ProPublica’s Heather Vogell and Topher Sanders reported.
SpaceX did not respond to ProPublica’s request for comment.
Tesla
While the popularity of electric vehicles like Tesla in California has led to a notable decline in carbon pollution from cars there, the company’s factory in the state has been repeatedly admonished for releasing toxic air pollution and other toxic chemicals into the surrounding community.
Tesla’s Bay Area facility has received more air quality warnings in the past five years than all other companies in California, save one: a Chevron refinery, according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal.
By 2022, the company had been fined by both the local air quality district over health concerns and the EPA for breaking federal air quality laws. In June 2024, the district ordered Tesla
to correct ongoing violations of toxic air pollution coming from the factory’s paint shops, allegations the company denied. The company is currently in the process of implementing an abatement plan, according to a spokesperson for the Bay Area Air District.
Separately, dozens of California counties sued Tesla in 2024 over claims of illegally dumping hazardous waste produced at its facility and local service centers. The company settled the lawsuit for $1.5 million, not admitting to wrongdoing but agreeing to five years of mandatory training and independent waste audits.
Musk had already moved Tesla’s headquarters to Texas in 2021, in part over complaints about California regulatory culture. But, as the Journal reported in November 2024, Texas regulators have also cited the company for actions at Tesla’s giant Gigafactory just outside of Austin, including for dumping untreated wastewater, releasing pollution in excess of its permit and then not reporting it.
A former Texas employee sent a whistleblower memo to the EPA in 2024 accusing the company of asking staff to lie to government regulators, the Journal reported, including creating an “elaborate ruse” during an inspection to make sure a troubled furnace passed an emissions test. Both the EPA and Texas environmental regulators opened a “preliminary inquiry” related to the memo in November 2024, according to the Journal. The EPA did not respond to ProPublica’s question about the status of the inquiry and pointed us to the TCEQ. A TCEQ spokesperson said it could not comment “to support the integrity of all criminal investigations conducted by TCEQ.”
Tesla did not respond to the Journal’s request for comment. But a day after the story was published, Musk reposted an X user who mentioned the Journal story, adding the message: “Legacy media is a sewage pipe of lies.”
Tesla did not respond to ProPublica’s request for comment.
The people affected by environmental violations are not just the nearby community, Duggan said, but the workers at polluting facilities as well. “They are really on the front line in certain industries,” she said. Republished with Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).
ABC suspends production of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ over Charlie Kirk remarks
By City News Service
Disney-ownedABC announced Wednesday that it was indefinitely suspending production of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in response to comments the late-night talk show host made in reference to the killing of fiery conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
A network spokesman confirmed the move to multiple trade publications. The action came shortly Nexstar Media Group issued a statement saying television stations it owns would not air the show in response to Kimmel’s remarks.
“Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located,” Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, said in a statement. “Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time, and we have made the
difficult decision to preempt his show in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue.”
During Monday night’s show, Kimmel addressed the assassination of Kirk and the reaction to it, saying, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
FederalCommunications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr lashed out at Kimmel on Wednesday, suggesting the agency would consider taking action against ABC affiliates that continued to air Kimmel’s show. Carr, appearing on a podcast, said affiliates should refuse to air Kimmel due to “the possibility of license revocation from the FCC.”
There was no immediate response from Kimmel, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump. Gov. Gavin Newsom, another vocal Trump and
Republican party critic, took to X to react to the news, writing, “Buying and controlling media platforms. Firing commentators. Canceling shows. These aren’t coincidences. It’s coordinated. And it’s dangerous. The @ GOP does not believe in free speech. They are censoring you in real time.”
Trump hailed ABC’s move on his Truth Social site, writing “Great news for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is cancelled. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has zero talent and worse ratings than even (Stephen) Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy (Fallon) and Seth (Meyers), two total losers, on fake news NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!” Kirk, 31, was fatally shot while speaking to students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The accused gunman, Tyler Robinson, 22, was charged Tuesday with murder, and prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty if he is convicted.
| Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Television / Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0
Employers have exploited and abused H-2A farmworkers for years. It doesn’t have to be that way.
By Max Blau, ProPublica
The H-2A visa program has long been touted as a way to ensure that farmers can access enough workers without hiring people who are undocumented. But for some migrant farmworkers seeking betterpaying jobs in America, their seasonal gigs have morphed into a nightmare.
As a recent ProPublica story revealed, the promises of the H-2A visa program can be undermined by extreme abuses the workers suffer, mostly by labor contractors. Some workers have had their wages stolen and been threatened with deportation if they complain about unsafe work conditions, a federal investigation found. In the worst instances, others have been assaulted or raped or have even died. It’s gotten so bad that, in one of the largest H-2A criminal cases ever, a federal judge described the abuse of these workers as a form of modern-day slavery. And without further changes to the H-2A program, experts told ProPublica, foreign farmworkers may continue to be harmed.
With the U.S. facing a drastic shortage of domestic farmworkers and as the Trump administration deports more undocumented immigrants, experts told ProPublica that H-2A visas are certain to remain in high demand. One agricultural economist forecasts that, by 2030, there could be a need for up to 500,000 H-2A workers — roughly triple the number requested in 2016, the year that President Donald Trump was first elected.
Experts, lawyers and advocates told ProPublica that, unless more is done to protect workers, the instances of abuse and exploitation are likely to increase as well. They suggested a variety of ways to make the H-2A
program safer and more humane.
1. Enforce the current rules better
The H-2A program is supposed to provide fair wages, safe working conditions and free housing and transportation to workers. But experts said insufficient oversight has undermined the protections promised to visa holders.
“The expectations are very clear,” said Cesar Escalante, a University of Georgia professor of agricultural and applied economics. “Even if we’re very clear on the regulations, the government has failed on the enforcement.”
The U.S. Department of Labor each year investigates only a tiny fraction of farm employers. The number of investigations is scarce not because of a lack of potential violations. A report from the Government Accountability Office showed that 84% of the investigations conducted by federal regulators found at least one violation of rules designed to protect H-2A workers. Advocates see that high violation rate as an indication that regulators are missing even more abuses in the fields.
Labor experts believe that the limited enforcement is largely due to limited resources. One of the main enforcers of H-2A rules, the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division, last year had one of the lowest levels of investigators since the H-2A program was launched in the 1980s, Rutgers University researchers found. Daniel Costa, an attorney and director of immigration with the think tank the Economic Policy Institute, has called on Congress to boost the division’s funding to allow its regulators to conduct more proactive
investigations. Short of that, Costa warned, the H-2A program will continue to be a “breeding ground for abuses.”
If the Trump administration’s proposed budget gets approved, it will make even further cuts to the Wage and Hour Division. That could mean fewer H-2A investigations moving forward.
A Labor Department spokesperson did not respond to ProPublica’s request for comment about its enforcement practices and the implications of the budget proposal.
2. Raise the stakes for farmers
There have been calls not just to hold farmers more accountable for H-2A violations, but also to reward the ones who comply with labor laws.
Advocacy groups like Centro de los Derechos del Migrante and United Farm Workers have called on
farmers to be held liable for the illegal practices of the third-party recruiters they hire. Right now, there’s a bill proposed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers that would require farmers to stop working with recruiters who charged laborers an illegal fee to obtain an H-2A visa. And it would give regulators the ability to fine farmers for failing to do so.
Since only a tiny fraction of employers who hire H-2A workers face severe consequences, human rights organizations also have urged regulators to suspend or ban more employers from the H-2A program. They say that’s particularly important for employers with a track record of violating workers’ rights.
Philip Martin, a professor of agricultural and resource economics at the University of California, Davis, believes that farmers should be rewarded for
following the rules. He said the largest employers of H-2A workers generally are not the ones responsible for the worst violations. He thinks that regulators should create a TSA PreCheck-style program that would let law-abiding employers move through the process of getting approved for H-2A workers more quickly with fewer bureaucratic hurdles. And it could allow overworked regulators to focus on the most pressing problems.
3. Get corporations on board with stopping abuse
There’s a growing movement centered on the idea that the power of consumers can be leveraged to end agricultural abuses.
After years of demanding better pay and protections from individual farmers and buyers, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers — the anti-trafficking organization that uncovered the first examples of abuse in the massive federal case — launched the Fair Food Program in 2010. Under the program, corporate buyers such as supermarkets and fast-food chains sign legally binding agreements to buy ethically sourced crops.
Participating buyers agree to purchase produce from farms that adhere to the program’s stringent set of protections for workers, let workers be informed about their rights by the CIW and allow independent auditors to investigate complaints from their fields. The buyers also agree to pay those growers a small premium that is passed down to their workers. If extreme abuses like forced labor are found on those farms, the buyers commit to suspending produce orders until the issues are addressed.
Some of America’s
largest supermarkets (Walmart, Whole Foods) and fast-food chains (McDonald’s, Burger King) participate in the Fair Food Program. The corporations’ participation was originally limited to a select set of crops, such as tomatoes. Some of their commitments since have grown to include more crops. Other big buyers, like Kroger, Publix and Wendy’s, have not participated in the program.
Spokespeople for the companies did not respond to ProPublica’s request for comment. Buyers who have not participated in the program have stated that it is the responsibility of their suppliers to ensure that workers are treated fairly.
The Fair Food Program has protected the rights of thousands of H-2A workers each year, according to the independent auditors, but that’s still less than a tenth of the more than 300,000 H-2A workers in the U.S. According to the CIW, the more buyers and growers embrace the program, the more likely it is that abuses of H-2A workers can be prevented.
Susan Marquis, a professor with Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs, said the other ideas proposed by experts can help reduce the harms faced in the fields. But they don’t go as far as the Fair Food Program in stopping the kinds of violations that routinely happen in the H-2A program.
“It’s very clear, supported by the data, that nothing works to end forced labor except the Fair Food Program or some other variation of workerdriven social responsibility,” Marquis said.
Republished with Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).
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 Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
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“VIDEO DETECTION/CCTV CAMERAS INSTALLATION PROJECT FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS” CONTRACT NO. 25-12
NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS - INVITATION FOR BIDS
Date of Bid Opening: Notice is hereby given that sealed bids for the “VIDEO DETECTION/CCTV CAMERAS INSTALLATION PROJECT FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS” will be received at the office of the City Clerk of the City of San Gabriel, 425 South Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776, California, until 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. At 3:05 p.m., bids will be opened and read aloud in the Council Chamber of San Gabriel City Hall.
There is no pre-bid meeting for the project.
Description of Work: The work to be done consists of furnishing all necessary labor, materials, tools, equipment, and other incidental and appurtenant work necessary for the installation of CCTV cameras at fifteen traffic signalized intersections. The work shall also include but not necessarily limited to the installation of the wireless radio systems at two signalized intersections and City-provided Iteris video detection camera systems at various traffic signalized intersection locations within the City. All required installation shall be performed by the Contractor as specified in the Specifications and Special Provisions, per manufacturer’s recommendations, and as directed by the Engineer. The Contractor shall coordinate with the equipment manufacturer(s) for turn on support as necessary for complete installation.
The contract is to be executed within 14 calendar days after the award of contract by City Council. Time for completion of the work is sixty (60) working days for all work from the date of the Notice to Proceed.
Contract Documents: To obtain the project documents please contact San Gabriel Public Works Project Manager, Alan Mai, at (626) 308-2825 or email: amai@sgch.org
Bid Security: Each bid shall be accompanied by a certified or cashier’s check, cash, or bid bond in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the total bid price payable to City of San Gabriel as a guarantee that the awarded bidder will execute the Contract and provide the required bonds, certificates of insurance, and endorsements within seven calendars days of the of the award of contract by City Council.
Award of Contract: The City reserves the right after opening bids to reject any or all bids, to waive any informality (non-responsiveness) in a bid, or to make award to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder, and reject all other bids, as it may best serve the interest of the City. The bidder shall guarantee the Total Bid Price for a period of 90 calendar days from the date of bid opening.
Prevailing Rate of Wage: Pursuant to Section 1770, et seq., of the California Labor Code, the Contractor shall pay the general prevailing rate of per diem wages as determined by the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations of the State of California for the locality where the work is to be performed. A copy of said wage rates is available on-line at: www.dir.ca.gov/dlsr/DPreWageDetermination.htm. The Contractor and any subcontractors shall pay not less than said specified rates and shall post a copy of said wage rates at the project site.
Labor Code Compliance: Attention is directed to the provisions of Labor Code § 1725.5: Per SB 854, no contractor or subcontractor may be listed on a bid proposal for a Public Works Project (submitted on or after March 1, 2015) unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations (with limited exceptions for this requirement for bid purposes only under Labor Code Section 1771.1a). No contractor or subcontractor may be awarded a contract for public work on a public works project (awarded on or after April 1, 2015) unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). All contractors and subcontractors must furnish electronic certified payroll records to the Labor Commissioner for all new projects awarded on or after April 1, 2015. The Labor Commissioner may excuse contractors and subcontractors on a project that is under the jurisdiction of one of the four legacy DIR-approved labor compliance programs (Caltrans, City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Unified School District and County of Sacramento) or that is covered by a qualified project labor agreement. This project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations.
Any contract entered into pursuant to this Notice will incorporate the
provisions of the State Labor. Pursuant to the provisions of Section 1773.2 of the Labor Code of the State of California, the minimum prevailing rate of per diem wages for each craft, classification, or type of workman needed to execute the contract shall be those determined by the Director of Industrial Relations of the State of California, which are on file in the Office of the City Clerk, City of San Gabriel and are available to any interested party on request.
Attention is directed to the provisions of Sections 1777.5 and 1777.6 of the Labor Code concerning the employment of apprentices by the Contractor or any subcontractor under them. The Contractor or any subcontractor shall comply with the requirements of said sections in the employment of apprentices. Information relative to apprenticeship standards and administration of the apprenticeship program may be obtained from the Director of Industrial Relations, San Francisco, CA, or the Division of Apprenticeship Standards and its branch offices.
All bidders shall be licensed in accordance with provisions of the Business and Professions Code and shall possess a Class A and/ or C10 State Contractor’s License at the time this contract is awarded. The Successful Contractor and his/her subcontractors will be required to possess business licenses from the City of San Gabriel and maintain current until completion of the project. Business licenses can be purchased or renewed at the Finance Department in City Hall, 425 S Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA.
Questions: All questions relative to this project prior to the opening of bids shall be in writing or email and received no later than 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, and shall be directed to: Public Works Project Manager, Alan Mai, at email: amai@sgch.org
Publish September 22 & 29, 2025 SAN GABRIEL SUN
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION
The Planning Commission is holding a public hearing on the project described below. You are receiving this notice because your property is located near the project, the project may directly, or indirectly affect you, or because you have requested to be notified.
Project Location:Citywide, City of Temple City, County of Los Angeles
Project: PL 25-4908: Annual Code Amendments (Series D). As part of the City’s annual code update process, this proposed ordinance would amend various chapters of the Municipal Code related to administrative procedures, zoning definitions, and development standards. The purpose of these updates is to ensure compliance with current state law, formalize existing policies or practices, improve consistency, and correct errors.
Applicant: City of Temple City, 9701 Las Tunas Drive, Temple City, CA 91780
Environmental This Ordinance is not subject to environmental Review: review under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to Section 15305 (minor alterations to land uses limitations) and Section 15061(B)(3) of the California Public Resources Code, also known as the “Common Sense Exemption.” This is because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the project will have a significant effect on the environment.
The Planning Commission Public Hearing will be held:
Meeting Date & Time: Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 7:00 P.M.
Meeting Location: City Council Chambers, 5938 Kauffman Avenue, Temple City, CA 91780
If you have a request for reasonable modification or accommodation due to a disability covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act please contact staff (planning@templecity.us or (626) 6567316) 48 hours in advance of the meeting.
For questions or concerns regarding this project, or if you wish to review the project file, please contact: Project Planner: Tony Bu, Community Development Supervisor (626) 285-2171 tbu@templecity.us or visit the Community Development Department offices at City Hall located at: 9701 Las Tunas Drive, Temple City, CA 91780
Monday – Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The decision of the Planning Commission is a recommendation to the City Council. A separate public hearing for the project will be held before the City Council. When scheduled, the hearing will be separately noticed. If you challenge any of the foregoing actions in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing or in written correspondence
delivered to the hearing body at, or prior to, the public hearing.
Date: September 24, 2025 Signature:
Tony Bu, Community Development Supervisor
Publish September 22, 2025
TEMPLE CITY TRIBUNE
Probate Notices
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: HELEN FRANCIS ZAMBRANO
CASE NO. 25STPB10151
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of HELEN FRANCIS ZAMBRANO.
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by ROBERT M. ZAMBRANO in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.
THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that ROBERT M. ZAMBRANO 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: 10/24/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 11 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA
90012
IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code.
Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.
YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner
GREGORY M. AJALAT, ESQ.SBN 150878
AJALAT & AJALAT LLP
330 NORTH BRAND BOULEVARD, SUITE 1250 GLENDALE CA 91203
Telephone (818) 506-1500 9/15, 9/18, 9/22/25 CNS-3966722# ROSEMEAD READER
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: ALICE MARIE VON MOOS CASE NO. 25STPB10085
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of ALICE MARIE VON MOOS.
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by THERESA S. MOORE in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.
THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that THERESA S. MOORE 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 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: 10/09/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 62 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012
IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner
TONY J. TYRE - SBN 269506; ALLYSON S. HELLER - SBN 315086, WILLIAM C. MASON III - SBN 319441 LAW OFFICES OF TONY J. TYRE, ESQ., APC. 100 S. CITRUS AVENUE, SUITE 101 COVINA CA 91723
Telephone (626) 858-9378 BSC 227414 9/15, 9/18, 9/22/25 CNS-3966829# TEMPLE CITY TRIBUNE
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: ANGELINA C. TOLEDO AKA ANGELINA COTA TOLEDO CASE NO. 25STPB10091
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of ANGELINA C. TOLEDO AKA ANGELINA COTA TOLEDO. A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by MICHAEL DERRICK TOLEDO in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that MICHAEL DERRICK TOLEDO 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
TEMPLE CITY
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Pasadena City Notices
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING
Notice is hereby given that a public meeting on an Amendment to the Schedule of Taxes, Fees and Charges for fiscal year 2026 will be held by the Pasadena City Council at the time and place listed below:
DATE: October 20, 2025
TIME: 6:00 P.M.
PLACE: City Hall, Council Chambers
100 N. Garfield Avenue, Room S-249 Pasadena, CA 91101
Please refer to the City Council agenda for instructions on how to view a live stream of the meeting. The meeting agenda will be posted at: http://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/councilagendas/council_agenda.asp
Public Information: All interested persons may submit correspondence to correspondence@cityofpasadena.net prior to the start of the meeting. During the meeting and prior to the close of the public hearing, members of the public may provide live public comment. Please refer to the agenda when posted for instructions on how to provide live public comment.
This Amendment revises the Traffic Reduction and Transportation Improvement Fee (TR/TIF) and establishes new land use categories with fees that are better aligned with the estimated impact of these land use projects to the transportation network. These fees will fund transportation capital improvement projects. The Schedule of Taxes, Fees, and Charges was last adopted by the City Council on July 14, 2025. The existing amount or rate and the proposed amount or rate and the associated activity are listed below, after the related notice of public hearing.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Notice is hereby given that a public hearing on an Amendment to Schedule of Taxes, Fees, and Charges for fiscal year 2026 will be held by the Pasadena City Council at the time and place listed below:
DATE: October 27, 2025
TIME: 6:00 P.M.
PLACE: City Hall, Council Chambers 100 N. Garfield Avenue, Room S-249 Pasadena, CA 91101
Please refer to the City Council agenda for instructions on how to view a live stream of the meeting. The meeting agenda will be posted at: http://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/councilagendas/council_agenda.asp
Public Information: All interested persons may submit correspondence to correspondence@cityofpasadena.net prior to the start of the meeting. During the meeting and prior to the close of the public hearing, members of the public may provide live public comment. Please refer to the agenda when posted for instructions on how to provide live public comment.
This Amendment revises the Traffic Reduction and Transportation Improvement Fee (TR/TIF) and establishes new land use categories with fees that are better aligned with the estimated impact of these land use projects to the transportation network. These fees will fund transportation capital improvement projects. The Schedule of Taxes, Fees, and Charges was last adopted by the City Council on July 14, 2025. The existing amount or rate and the proposed amount or rate and the associated activity are listed as follows:
ADA: To request a disability-related modification or accommodation necessary to facilitate meeting participation, please contact the City Clerk’s Office as soon as possible at (626) 744-4124 or cityclerk@ cityofpasadena.net. Providing at least 72 hours advance notice will help ensure availability
Financial Institutions (banks)100
Service
Laundromat
Nurseries/Greeneries25
Warehousing,
Indoor
Schools:
Elementary or Jr. High10/
High Schools
Universities or Colleges20/ gal/student College Dormitories 85/ gal/student
The City Council took action to increase the rates for Grandstand Permit Application, Rose Bowl Admission Tax, and New Year's Day Related Business Grandstand Seat Surcharge on November 25, 2024. Revised rates became effective February 1, 2025.
Rate ($.55 per $500) established by State code. No CPI increase.
Maximum Rate ($16.00) established by State code. No CPI increase.
Per Council action, the fees receive a 60% abatement credit. Staff is still reviewing fees and recommends continuing the 60% abatement credit until the analysis is complete.
Reduced Business License Tax ($1.00) only for first year businesses in Pasadena that meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Be in a Commercial or Industrial zoned area as defined in Chapter 17 of the Pasadena Municipal Code.
- Have five or fewer employees.
- Have a 2012 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code in Construction (23), Manufacturing (31-33), Information (51), and Scientific, Technical, and Professional Services (54).
On the renewal anniversary following the first year tax reduction, renewing businesses are required to pay the fully required business license tax established for that fiscal year of tax reinstatement.
Per City Council action on July 14, 2014, Dog License Fee for not spayed and not neutered dogs is $60 more than the fee for spayed and neutered dogs.
The City Council took action to round down the fees for dog licensing on June 22, 2020. Revised rates became effective August 1, 2020.
In June 2018, Pasadena voters approved an ordinance adding a new Chapter 5.28 to the Pasadena Municipal Code entitled "Cannabis Business Tax," to impose a tax on commercial cannabis business activities operating in the City of Pasadena. Pasadena Municipal Code Section 5.28.060(C) allows the City Council to adjust cannabis business taxes by resolution or ordinance. Section 5.28.060(D) provides the maximum dollar figure (adjusted for Consumer Price Index increases) or percentages that the Council could impose. No adjustment is proposed for the cannabis business taxes reflected in this Schedule.
The proposed fee for the accessible dwelling unit (ADU) is noted as “Variable” because, for ADU's that are greater than 900 sq ft., the fee needs to be proportional to the size of the main dwelling on the parcel. (Fee for unit based on size of unit) x (ADU size / main dwelling size). ADUs that are 900 square feet or less are exempt from paying the fee.
Publish September 15, 22, 29, 2025
Probate Notices
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:
RODERICK MYRON CHILDS CASE NO. PROVA2500700
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of RODERICK MYRON CHILDS.
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by RODERICK CHILDS, JR. in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that RODERICK CHILDS, JR. 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.
Volumetric rates are based on water consumption. Single Family Residential water usage will be capped at 26 hundred cubic feet (hcf) of water on a bi-monthly basis. Commerical water usage will be billed at 90% of use. Page 12 of 12
as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.
Attorney for Petitioner
TATIANNA Y. METTERS - SBN 243998
LAW OFFICES OF TATIANNA Y. METTERS, APC 1631 BEVERLY BLVD. LOS ANGELES CA 90026
Telephone (213) 250-9315
9/15, 9/18, 9/22/25 CNS-3965874# ONTARIO NEWS PRESS
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:
JOSEPH KAUSER
CASE NO. 25STPB09958
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of JOSEPH KAUSER.
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by LEOR KAUSER in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.
THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that LEOR KAUSER be appointed as Special Administrator with general powers to administer the estate of the decedent.
A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 10/20/25 at 9:00AM in Dept. F1 located at 17780 ARROW BLVD., FONTANA, CA 92335
IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.
YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account
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: 10/09/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 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 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 sec-
tion 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 LLOYD KIRSCHBAUM, ESQ.SBN 113612 LAW OFFICES OF LLOYD KIRSCHBAUM
222 N. PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY, SUITE 2000 EL SEGUNDO CA 90245
Telephone (310) 441-5200 9/15, 9/18, 9/22/25 CNS-3966877 BURBANK INDEPENDENT
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF PAULINE PUGLIA Case No. 25STPB10150
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of PAULINE PUGLIA A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Awilda Hernandez Ortiz (Named in the Will as Awilda Hernandez) in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.
THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Awilda Hernandez Ortiz 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 Oct. 24, 2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 11 located at 111
PASADENA PRESS
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 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 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: GEORGE D LEE ESQ SBN 188736 LAW OFFICES OF GEORGE D LEE
707 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 4000 LOS ANGELES CA 90017 CN120351 PUGLIA
Sep 18,22,25, 2025 GLENDALE INDEPENDENT
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:
JOHN COWLES, III AKA JOHN VANCE COWLES III CASE NO. 25STPB10214
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of JOHN COWLES, III AKA JOHN VANCE COWLES III.
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by CONNIE R. WARREN-COWLES in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.
THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that CONNIE R. WARRENCOWLES 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: 10/13/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 9 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012
IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either
(1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code.
Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult
with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.
YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.
Attorney for Petitioner SUSAN B. GEFFEN, ESQ. - SBN 146793
LAW OFFICES OF SUSAN B. GEFFEN
1732 AVIATION BLVD., #228 REDONDO BEACH CA 90278
Telephone (310) 406-0608
9/18, 9/22, 9/25/25
CNS-3967673# BURBANK INDEPENDENT
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF CAROL LEE LAMOUR
CASE NO. 25STPB08923
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: CAROL LEE LAMOUR
A Petition for Probate has been filed by ASHLEY AGRON in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.
The Petition for Probate requests that ASHLEY AGRON 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 on 10/15/2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. 9 located at 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, Stanley Mosk Courthouse.
If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and 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: CHRISTOPHER A. FORTUNATI, ESQ., WEINER LAW, 12626 HIGH BLUFF DRIVE, SUITE 440, SAN DIEGO, CA 92130, Telephone: (858) 356-9070 9/18, 9/22, 9/25/25 CNS-3967995# PASADENA PRESS
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JUAN JOSE DELGADILLO CASE NO. 25STPB10316
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons
LEGALS
who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of JUAN JOSE DELGADILLO.
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by RICARDO DELGADILLO in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that RICARDO DELGADILLO 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: 10/13/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 67 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012
IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code.
Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.
YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.
Attorney for Petitioner
NATHAN K. WATANABE - SBN 233897
WATANABE & SUEMORI, LLP 17592 IRVINE BLVD., #202 TUSTIN CA 92780
Telephone (714) 838-8755 9/18, 9/22, 9/25/25 CNS-3968103# WEST COVINA PRESS
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: BRIAN TERRANCE GAUGHAN AKA BRIAN T. GAUGHAN CASE NO. 25STPB10235
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of BRIAN TERRANCE GAUGHAN AKA BRIAN T. GAUGHAN.
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by LIANA A. GAUGHAN in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that LIANA A. GAUGHAN 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:
10/14/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 79 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012
IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or 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 J. DAVIDSON, ATTORNEY AT LAW - SBN 251365
WILLIAM J. DAVIDSON, A LAW CORPORATION
35 N. LAKE AVE., STE. 710 PASADENA CA 91101
Telephone (626) 796-9166 9/18, 9/22, 9/25/25 CNS-3968104# PASADENA PRESS
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF GEORGE BERNARD
MARVIN FETEN, aka GEORGE BM FETEN, aka GEORGE FETEN
CASE NO. 25STPB10271
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of GEORGE BERNARD MARVIN FETEN, aka GEORGE BM FETEN, aka GEORGE FETEN
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by ERIK FETEN in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.
THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that ERIK FETEN 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 on OCTOBER 13, 2025 at 8:30 A.M. in Dept.: “62” located at: 111 N. Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, Stanley Mosk Courthouse
IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and 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 formal 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.
DENAE L. OATEY, ESQ., SB# 215276
Attorney For Petitioner MADDEN, JONES, COLE & JOHNSON
3010 Old Ranch Parkway, Suite 450 Seal Beach, CA 90740 PNSB# 107477
Published in: Belmont Beacon Pub Dates: September 18, 22, 25, 2025
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Kevin Matthews, Decedent CASE NO. 25STPB09988
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: Kevin Matthews, Decedent
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Brian Matthews in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles.
THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Brian Matthews 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 full authority . (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.)
The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.
A HEARING on the petition will be held on 10/06/2025 at 8:30 A.M. in Dept. 9 located at 111 N. HILL ST. LOS ANGELES CA 90012 STANLEY MOSK COURTHOUSE.
IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code.
Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.
YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.
Attorney for Petitioner: Robert K. Smith, Attorney at Law (SBN 128726), 1150 Foothill Blvd., Suite J, La Canada, CA 91011(818) 949-0100 9/18, 9/22, 9/25/25 CNS-3968446# PASADENA PRESS
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JUAN JOSE DELGADILLO CASE NO. 25STPB10316
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of JUAN
JOSE DELGADILLO.
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by RICARDO DELGADILLO in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that RICARDO DELGADILLO 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: 10/13/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 67 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012
IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.
YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.
Attorney for Petitioner NATHAN K. WATANABE - SBN 233897 WATANABE & SUEMORI, LLP 17592 IRVINE BLVD., #202 TUSTIN CA 92780 Telephone (714) 838-8755 9/18, 9/22, 9/25/25 CNS-3968103# WEST COVINA PRESS
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF ERNEST ESPINOSA TERRAZAS CASE NO. 25STPB10386 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: ERNEST ESPINOSA TERRAZAS A Petition for Probate has been filed by LISA TERRAZAS JARRARD, CYNTHIA TERRAZASHASSIEN, ROWENA E. GARCIA in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. The Petition for Probate requests that LISA TERRAZAS JARRARD, CYNTHIA TERRAZAS-HASSIEN, ROWENA E. GARCIA 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 peti-
Orange County judge sentenced to 35 years to life for wife’s shooting death
By Paul Anderson, City News Service
AnOrangeCounty
SuperiorCourt judge was sentenced Wednesday to 35 years to life in prison for fatally shooting his wife during a prolonged argument at their Anaheim Hills home.
Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, 74, was convicted in an April retrial of second-degree murder for killing 65-yearold Sheryl Ferguson on Aug. 3, 2023. Jurors also found true a sentence-enhancing gun allegation.
A previous jury deadlocked 11-1 in favor of a second-degree murder conviction, prompting the retrial.
“I love my wife, Sheryl, with all my heart,” Ferguson told Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Eleanor Hunter, who sentenced the defendant to five years less than the maximum. She was brought in to oversee the case because of Ferguson’s position on the Orange County bench.
Ferguson said he and his wife were looking forward to retirement in Texas to be closer to their son, Phillip.
“I understand the jury’s verdict, but it was just a horrific accident,” Ferguson said. “I have enormous grief not for myself, but for my son, Phillip, and Sheryl’s brothers. ... For me, Sheryl didn’t just die once Aug. 3, 2023. She dies again and again every morning now when I wake up. There is nothing I can ever say or do, I know, that will ease my son’s pain at losing a beautiful mom. ... There’s nothing I can say or do to heal the loss for Sheryl’s brothers.”
Ferguson said his wife “had a great and generous heart ... I wish God had taken me instead.”
Sheryl Ferguson’s brother Larry Rosen made an impassioned and emotional plea to Judge Eleanor Hunter to reduce the punishment. He said he was convinced at first that his brother-inlaw murdered his sister, but evidence from the first trial swayed him to believe it was an accident, as the defense contended.
Rosen said he took the defendant to the cemetery where his wife is buried.
“I’m asking for Jeff to be exonerated,” Rosen said. “He’s expressed extreme remorse.”
He turned to the defendant and said, “I know in my heart you didn’t intend to kill my sister.”
Another of the victim’s brothers, Jeff Rosen, said “losing her has left a hole in my heart I can never fill.”
He said he spoke with
his sister by phone the day she was killed, and she complained that her husband would make a gun gesture to her during arguments — the same gesture that triggered the argument leading to her death
Sheryl Ferguson told her brother that if her husband did it again, she would tell him to do it with a real gun next time, Jeff Rosen said.
“Now I wish I had urged her not to say that,” he said. “I also believe he never intended to take Sheryl’s life and it was a tragic accident.”
The defendant’s son, Phillip, said his parents would argue and that sometimes it would get “heated,” but they also “laughed and loved together.”
Phillip Ferguson and his
Before sentencing, Hunter denied a defense motion for a new trial. Defense attorneys Frances Prizzia and Cameron Talley had argued for a new trial, contending he received ineffective assistance of counsel based on the judge rushing to hold a retrial in just under a month, leaving them unprepared.
Talley said he had two other cases ready for trial besides Ferguson’s. One ended in a plea deal, but he argued he was prepared to try the other until Orange County Superior Court Judge Terri Flynn-Peister barred him from doing so, saying he could not answer ready on two cases.
Talley called it a “strange” ruling that left him unprepared for the Ferguson retrial.
mother were concerned about the defendant’s drinking problem.
“They both often talked about spending more time together,” Phillip Ferguson told Hunter. “There was never a doubt to me they loved each other.”
Phillip Ferguson said his father “was loving and caring throughout my childhood.”
Phillip Ferguson said he was convinced “My mother’s death was accidental. ... He is my father, a man who did his best to be a good dad and loving husband. I love my father. I love my mother. I hope to continue that as long as I possibly can.”
Ferguson asked to be held in the Orange County Jail during his appeal so he could remain close to family, prompting Hunter to scold him for feeling as if the rules don’t apply to him. She cited multiple instances in which he broke the rules, including drinking alcohol while he was out on bail in the case.
The judge lamented that not much was said about the victim in the statements to her on Wednesday.
had years to line up medical experts on the shoulder injury and on the shooting. Also, she said, Ferguson never claimed during police questioning the night of the fatal shooting that it was an accident, Hunter said.
Hunter noted that during
for a victim’s family to side with a defendant, but, he added, “people grieve in their own way. It’s important their voices are heard and they have a right to their opinions.”
Spitzer said Ferguson committed “the ultimate act
questioning Ferguson said the jury should “convict my ass,” adding that as a judge and former prosecutor he understood his legal liability in the shooting.
Hunter refused to grant Talley a continuance despite his claims he didn’t have a medical expert available to testify about the defendant’s bum shoulder, which he argued led to an accidental shooting. He also did not have an expert available on the gunfire and had not lined up a “second chair” attorney to assist him.
Talley said he even lacked a legal pad notebook.
“I could only respond to what I knew at the time,” Hunter said of Talley’s availability for a retrial regarding the two other cases.
Hunter, however, praised the defense attorneys and the case they presented for their client, but she said there were too many damning facts against the defendant.
“I think you were terrific in the first trial and even better in the second one,” Hunter told Talley. She also praised Prizzia’s opening statement in the retrial.
Hunter said a second chair in a trial is a “luxury, not a right.”
The judge also noted that the defense attorneys
She recounted how he went drinking at lunch the day of the shooting while on the job and returned home to drink some more. This was all a violation of his concealed carry permit, which he knew, she said.
“At the end of the day the facts are the facts in this case,” Hunter said.
“In this case, 23 jurors said the defendant was guilty — only one said he was guilty of involuntary manslaughter,” Hunter said.
A mistrial in the first trial was declared March 10. Opening statements in the next trial were held April 14.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer told reporters after the hearing that he was moved by Hunter’s observation that the hearing did not focus much on the victim.
“This was always about Sheryl Ferguson,” Spitzer said. “We were going to get justice for Sheryl.”
However, Spitzer said he understood the family’s position.
Seton Hunt, now a prosecutor in Riverside County, came back to his old job in Orange County for the day to finish off the case against Ferguson. Hunt acknowledged that it was “unusual”
him for child care for his daughter.
Her anger was exacerbated by the knowledge that Ferguson was not Kevin’s biological father — a fact that only publicly emerged during the retrial. The family learned of it in 2019.
The argument continued when the couple went out to dinner with their son Phillip. The argument escalated when the judge pointed at his wife with a gun-like gesture, prompting her to angrily walk out of the restaurant. She eventually returned, but the argument continued when the family returned home and continued their nightly ritual of watching “Breaking Bad.”
Prosecutors said that at one point during the argument, Sheryl Ferguson said something to the extent of “Why don’t you point a real gun at me?” That prompted the judge to remove his Glock from his ankle holster and shoot her, prosecutors said.
of domestic violence. You couldn’t have put together a worse recipe for what happened (with the gun and the drinking).”
The county’s top prosecutor said he knew Sheryl Ferguson for more than 30 years.
“She was an incredible person,” he said.
He added that he believed Jeff Ferguson loved his wife.
“But he killed her and it wasn’t an accident.”
Talley and Prizzia said they would appeal the verdict.
Jeffrey Ferguson claimed the shooting was accidental, insisting the gun discharged when he fumbled while trying to set the weapon on a coffee table. He said his shoulder, which is missing three of four tendons, gave out while he was handling the weapon and it discharged.
In the trial, Hunt called the judge’s story “ludicrous,” noting that the Glock handgun that Ferguson carried in an ankle holster required five pounds of pressure on the trigger to discharge, and was specifically designed not to fire when dropped.
Ferguson, who conceded having an alcohol problem, was drinking throughout the day and began arguing with his wife when he got home. Sheryl Ferguson became angry when she realized the judge’s son from a previous marriage, Kevin, had not sent a thank you note as promised for money the couple gave
The judge disputed that theory, saying he thought his wife said “get that gun away from me,” and he was trying to comply by removing it from the holster and setting it on a coffee table, but he fumbled it, causing it to discharge.
Talley argued that forensic evidence backed the judge’s version of events, arguing that the bullet wound from the single gunshot indicated the angle of the weapon was pointing upward, which would be consistent with Ferguson’s account of the accidental shooting.
Talley also argued that the location where the bullet cartridge landed also proves the point, since it would have been ejected further away instead of at the base of the coffee table if it had been fired directly at the victim, as the prosecution theorized.
“It landed where it landed if he’s telling the truth,” Talley said.
Talley noted that the judge posted a photo of his wife on his Facebook page before the shooting. And the two had made plans to buy a home in Texas to be closer to their son, who was attending his final semester at Southern Methodist University. He also advised his wife to buy some lottery tickets that morning.
Ferguson sent a note to his courtroom bailiff and clerk outside the house after the shooting, saying, “I just lost it. I just shot my wife. I won’t be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I’m so sorry.”
Judge Jeffrey Ferguson. | Photo courtesy of the Anaheim Police Department
Judge Jeffrey Feguson accompanied by his wife Sheryl takes the Superior Court oath. | Photo courtesy of Orange County
LA28 names Starbucks as official coffee partner
By City News Service
Starbucks will serve as the official coffee partner of the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA, LA28 officials announced Tuesday.
As part of the partnership, Starbucks will open a specially designed coffeehouse in the Olympic and Paralympic Village to create a gathering space for athletes. Baristas in their signature green aprons will serve drinks to thousands of competitors from around the world, organizers said.
The company also plans to extend its café experience to competition venues, volunteer hubs and other locations to serve fans and spectators.
“This is our chance to co-create a Games that will resonate for generations to
come, and welcoming Starbucks to the LA28 and Team USA family marks the coming together of a world-class brand and a globally embraced event, with a shared commitment to shaping culture and community,” LA28 Chairperson and President Casey Wasserman said in a statement.
Tressie Lieberman, EVP and global chief brand officer of Starbucks Coffee Company, said in a statement they are “brewing more than great coffee -- we are championing a global celebration.”
“Core to our mission is a commitment to inspire and nurture the human spirit -- one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time,” Lieberman added. “Starbucks
is proud to bring connection, culture, community and incredible coffee.”
Starbucks will also partner with NBCUniversal to support coverage of the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, with coffee exclusivity across NBCUniversal’s platforms and expanded storytelling opportunities, organizers said.
“We are honored to partner with Starbucks and their organization to showcase the incredible spirit and athleticism of Team USA across our extensive coverage of the Games,” Mark Marshall, chairman of global advertising and partnership for NBCUniversal, said in a statement.
Starbucks has operated
in greater Los Angeles for nearly 35 years and now has more than 1,000 stores in
LA County to rename Castaic Sports Complex for slain deputy
By City News Service
On the two-year anniversary of his death, the Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to rename the Castaic Sports Complex in honor of slain county sheriff’s Deputy Ryan M. Clinkunbroomer.
Clinkunbroomer, an eight-year department veteran and fourth-generation member of the agency, was fatally shot Sept. 16, 2023, while sitting in his patrol SUV at a red light near the sheriff’s Palmdale station.
“Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer was courageous and kind, and someone others could always count on,” according to a motion by county Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “As a field training officer, he took great pride in guiding and mentoring
new officers, showing them not just how to do the job but how to do it with integrity and heart. To those he trained, he wasn’t just a trainer; he was an inspiration and role model they would carry with them always.
“Most of all, Deputy Clinkunbroomer will be remembered as someone who cared and was dedicated to serving his community.”
Barger’s motion noted that Clinkunbroomer’s family is working with the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff’s to establish an annual scholarship supporting youth programs at the Castaic Sports Complex.
With the approval of Barger’s motion, the sports complex will be renamed the Ryan M. Clinkunbroomer Castaic Sports Complex. New
signs and a plaque will be installed, with an overall cost of about $30,000.
“Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer will never be forgotten,” Berger said in a statement following the vote. “Renaming the Castaic Sports Complex in his honor is a way to keep his memory alive and ensure future generations know the depth of his commitment to his community. This dedication is more than a name on a building. It’s a tribute to his life, his legacy, and the family who proudly carried the badge before him.”
The complex at 31230 Castaic Road covers more than 50 acres and includes amenities such as baseball diamonds, basketball courts, a gym, aquatics center, football/ soccer fields, meeting rooms, a skate park, walking paths, picnic areas and horseshoe pits.
Clinkunbroomer, 30, was the latest in a line of family members to serve in the sheriff’s department. His father, mother, grandfather and great- grandfather all worked for the agency.
The Palmdale man accused of killing Clinkunbroomer in the ambush shooting, Kevin Eduardo Cataneo Salazar, is awaiting trial on a murder charge. He has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity. He allegedly told a sheriff’s investigator that he heard voices in his head, and his family said he suffers from paranoia and schizophrenia.
“Misusingcouncil procedures and engaging in ‘ambush techniques’ by failing to place items on the Council agenda in order to surprise her fellow Councilmembers and city staff and failing to consult department heads before raising issues that could have been resolved administratively, for the purpose of embarrassing unprepared City staff members and undermining public confidence in these officials and staffers.
“Engaging in un-collegial behavior,unprofessional temperament, and unfounded accusations against Councilmembers simply because other Councilmembers expressed a differing viewpoint,” the censure list concludes. Kwan has accused her colleagues of attempting to “silence” her over her “insistence on transparency, financial responsibility, and professionalism, and that’s why so many people showed up to defend me against this
obvious retaliation. I know my colleagues and the city attorney are going to continue trying to intimidate me, and I will continue fighting against it because the residents of Arcadia deserve to know the truth about what’s happening at City Hall and how their money is being spent.”
Kwan also has filed a complaint with the city against Fu for alleged sexual harassment and discrimination. In his censure resolution, the councilman called
the mayor’s allegations “unfounded.”
According to the Superior Court civil lawsuit was filed Tuesday, “The ringleader behind Resolution No. 7649 was Councilmember David Fu, against whom Mayor Kwan had submitted an administrative sexualharassment complaint ... at least one month earlier. Shortly thereafter the City Manager informed at least three members of (the City Council), including Coun-
cilmember Fu, that the complaint had been filed and that city would hire an outside investigator to investigate the complaint. At the time Resolution No. 7649 was adopted, the investigation of Mayor Kwan’s complaint had not been completed and she had not even been interviewed by the outside investigator.”
The suit alleges the council “knew the conclusion about ‘unfounded accusations of sexism’ to be false,
or at least strongly suspected it to be unsupported by sufficient evidence, when made.”
Plaintiffs also claim the censure action, which was the first of its kind in Arcadia history, has had a “chilling effect” that “has penalized Mayor Sharon Kwan and/or otherwise discouraged her from expressing herself.” The case has been assigned to Los Angelesbased Judge Dean J. Kitchens.
the region. Earlier this year, the Starbucks Foundation contributed $1 million to relief and recovery efforts following the January wildfires.
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash
Castaic Sports Complex. | Photo courtesy of Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation