San Bernardino Press_6/30/2025 by Beacon Media News

Report reveals highest paid on county government payrolls

By City News Service

The 10 highest paid officials in Riverside County government last year were working in public safety and public health, according to a report released Wednesday by the California Controller’s Office.

The agency published its 2024 “Government Compensation in California” analysis, showing how taxpayer funds were spent in the previous year, and who was receiving what for being on the public payroll.

The data is available at www.publicpay.ca.gov.

“This report is a vital tool in promoting fiscal transparency and accountability in local government,” Controller Malia Cohen said. “Californians deserve to know how public funds are being spent and who is being paid with their tax dollars.”

The individual who received the largest income in county government was an unnamed staff psychiatrist for the Riverside University Health System’s Department of Behavioral Health.

The individual received a total of $540,881, a large part of which may have been related to overtime claims.

In the 2023 report, Sheriff Chad Bianco was identified as the county employee with the largest composite compensation at $593,518. In 2024, the sheriff, who is running for governor on the

Republican ticket, did not even land in the top 100, taking a backseat to unionrepresented master investigators and lieutenants, who grossed salaries well in excess of $400,000.

Amounts documented by the controller’s office include base pay, overtime and lump sum disbursals, which are often tied to banked vacation and sick leave time that wasn’t used, sometimes for years, but then cashed out.

The second-highest paid in 2024 was an unnamed District Attorney’s Office bureau commander, whose composite salary last year was $539,539. The DA’s

Republican councilwoman takes lead in 63rd Assembly District special election

office could not immediately confirm the reasons for the significant earnings, though they were possibly bundled into a retirement payout.

Figures showed the next in line was another RUHS psychiatrist, who received $536,644, followed by Director of Behavioral Health Dr. Matthew Chang, whose total intake last year was $522,783. Chang has consistently ranked in the top 10 in the 2020s.

Nos. 5-8 on the list were additional psychiatrists, whose annual earnings ranged from $476,513 to

$520,277.

Riverside University Health System-Medical Center CEO Jennifer Cruikshank, whose total comp last year was $470,253, ranked No. 9, according to the report.

Rounding out the top 10 was an unnamed psychiatrist assigned to Detention Health Services, geared to inmates, for which the doctor was paid $468,619 in 2024.

County CEO Jeff Van Wagenen was at No. 30, with total compensation of $399,214, according to the

Feds say state violated law by allowing trans athletes in girls sports

By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com

An investigation by the U.S. Department of Education has found that California violated Title IX by allowing transgender athletes to compete against biological females, officials said Wednesday.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 requires schools to guarantee equal opportunities for girls in sports and other school activities.

“Although Governor Gavin Newsom admitted months ago it was ‘deeply unfair’ to allow men to compete in women’s sports, both the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation continued as recently as a few weeks ago to allow men to steal female athletes’ well-deserved accolades and to subject them to the indignity of unfair and unsafe competitions,” U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement.

“The Trump administration will relentlessly enforce Title IX protections for women and girls, and our findings today make clear that California has failed to adhere to its obligations under federal law. The state must swiftly come into compliance with Title IX or face the consequences that follow,” McMahon said.

See Title

IzzyGardon,director ofcommunicationsfor Newsom, said in a statement, “It wouldn’t be a day ending in ‘Y’ without the Trump administration threatening to defund California. Now Secretary McMahon is confusing government with her WrestleMania days — dramatic, fake, and completely divorced from reality. This won’t stick.”

The governor’s office also noted that California is one of 22 states that have laws requiring transgender students to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity. California Assembly Bill 1266 was enacted in 2013 during Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration.

State officials added that only about 10 transgender athletes compete among 510,000 NCAA studentathletes, and in California’s 5.8 million-student K-12 public schools, the number of active transgender student-athletes is estimated to be in the single digits. Scott Roark, a spokesman for the California Department of Education, said in a statement, “The California Department of Education believes all students should have the opportunity to learn and play at school, and we have consistently applied existing law in support of students’ rights to do so.”

| Photo by SteveAllenPhoto999

Fourth of July fireworks shows start in Riverside County

By City News Service

Fourth of July celebrations to mark America’s 249th birthday got underway across Riverside County beginning Saturday.

The city of Menifee’s traditional “Independence Day Celebration” was dheld Saturday in Wheatfield Park, 30627 Menifee Road, starting at 4 p.m., with a parade along La Piedra Road.

“Menifee’s annual celebration is a cherished tradition that unites our community in honoring the freedom we share and the pride we feel for our great nation,” Mayor Bill Estrada said. “We invite everyone to join us for an evening filled with food, fun and fireworks.”

Festivities included a parade, a large variety of food and crafts vendors, a kids’ play zone with bounce houses and music featuring the country band Franklin Wall, as well as 1950s and ‘60s rock favorites by The Dreamboats.

On the same day, Murrieta combined preIndependence Day festivities with a 34th Birthday Bash for the municipality, which incorporated in 1991. In the afternoon, there was an outdoor concert, food vendors, a kids’ play zone and other entertainment, with pyrotechnics after nightfall in California Oaks Sports Park, 40600 Califor-

nia Oaks Road.

“Murrieta’s bash is a fun celebration that embodies the spirit of our city,” City Manager Justin Clifton said. “This annual event highlights our strong sense of community, where families and friends gather to enjoy a festive atmosphere filled with joy. It’s a great way to welcome the summer season, creating memories that will last a forever!”

The Fourth of July falls on a Friday this year, and some municipalities plan to host pyrotechnics spectaculars immediately before and after that date.

On July 3, Coachella is scheduled to host an event after sundown in Bagdouma Park, 51-251 Douma St., while the Jurupa Area Recreation & Park District will hold its traditional spectacular after dark that day in Vernola Family Park, 5211 Wineville Ave.

Similarly, Perris will host an extravaganza on July 3, beginning with a picnic at 6 p.m. in Morgan Park, 600 E. Morgan St., followed at sundown with pyrotechnics. Riverside National Cemetery is also planning to provide a fireworks show after dark on July 3 over the water fronting the cemetery Amphitheater, 22495 Van Buren Blvd.

On July 4, Corona’s traditional “Main Street U.S.A

Parade” will begin at 9 a.m. at Ontario and Main streets, featuring law enforcement units, fire engines, marching bands, military hardware and show animals. The procession, which typically draws around 4,000 spectators, will travel a mile, concluding at Olive and Main streets around noon. A fireworks show is set for 9 p.m. in Santana Regional Park.

Moreno Valley’s Fourth of July Parade will get underway at 9:30 a.m. at Alessandro Boulevard and Frederick Street, concluding two hours later on Towngate Boulevard. The celebration will continue at 2 p.m. outside the Civic Center

Amphitheater on Frederick Street, where a familyfriendly event is planned, featuring food vendors and kids’ activities. Fireworks are scheduled after sunset.

At 10 a.m., Temecula’s “Star Spangled Parade” will proceed, featuring the Temecula Valley Mounted Posse, Veterans of Foreign Wars, members of the American Legion, the Riverside County Fire Department, the Boy Scouts of America and other organizations. The parade will run northbound along Old Town Front Street. There will be pyrotechnics in Ronald Reagan Sports Park after dark.

In addition to the above

venues, fireworks shows are scheduled at the following locations, generally beginning at 9 p.m. on July 4:

-- Banning, Nicolet Middle School, 101 E. Nicolet St.;

-- Beaumont, Town Center, Sixth and Eighth streets;

-- Indio, Empire Polo Grounds, 81-800 51st Ave.;

-- Lake Elsinore, Lakepoint Park, 420 Lakeshore Drive;

-- Palm Desert, Civic Center Park, Fred Waring Drive and San Pablo Avenue;

-- Palm Springs, Sunrise Park, 1901 E. Baristo Road;

-- Palm Springs Stadium, 1901 Baristo Road;

-- Rancho Mirage, Agua Caliente Casino Resort & Spa, 32-250 Bob Hope Drive;

-- Riverside, La Sierra Park, 5215 La Sierra Ave.;

-- Riverside, Mount Rubidoux, Mount Rubidoux Drive and Ninth Street; and

-- Temecula, Pechanga Resort Casino, 45000 Pechanga Parkway.

The city of Desert Hot Springs will hold its celebration after dark on July 5 in Mission Springs Park, 14-510 Palm Drive. Additionally, the Twenty- Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians will host its fifth annual Independence Day festivities that day, beginning at 6 p.m. with musical entertainment and a food

fare, followed by pyrotechnics at 9 p.m. at Coachella Crossroads, adjacent to Spotlight 29, at the junction of Dillon Road and Interstate 10.

In Riverside County, private parties are prohibited from using fireworks except in Blythe, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs and Indio, where so-called “safe and sane” fireworks, certified by the state fire marshal, can be sold to the public.

The devices are mostly pyrotechnics that don’t explode or fly, including sparklers, ground spinners, fountains, snappers and caps.

Under county Ordinance 858, which was amended by the Board of Supervisors in response to an outbreak of blazes in 2020, fines for illegally storing, transporting or setting off fireworks can range from $1,000 to $5,000.

Any person who triggers a brush fire due to the illegal use of fireworks can be held responsible for all suppression costs.

Despite the potential penalties imposed by the county and cities, fireworks are routinely set off in large numbers by individuals in unincorporated communities and municipalities countywide every Fourth of July.

2nd phase of work starts for San Bernardino County housing facility

By Staff

Work has begun on the second phase of the Pacific Village campus that will provide housing, treatment and wraparound services for San Bernardino County residents experiencing homelessness. Pacific Village Phase II will include the construction of a 16-bed facility to treat substance-use disorders and a Recuperative Care Center with 32 beds for people recovering from hospitalization or illness, according to the county. The campus at 2626 Pacific St. in Highland will also feature 58 permanent supportive housing units with outdoor access, accommodations for the disabled and independent living amenities.

Federal, state and local officials gathered for a groundbreaking event last week. In attendance were

Dawn Rowe, San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors chairman and 3rd District supervisor; board Vice Chair and 5th District Supervisor Joe Baca Jr.; county Chief Executive Officer Luther Snoke; Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Senior Advisor on Homelessness Hafsa Kaka; David Swanson Hollinger, chief deputy director of children and family programs at the California Department of Social Services; San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran; Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-San Bernardino; and Highland City Councilman Jimmy Saldana.

Officials said the village’s expansion is a joint effort led by the county’s Behavioral Health, Aging and Adult Services-Public Guardian and Community Development and Housing departments. The project

is designed for county residents who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, particularly older adults, adults with disabilities and individuals with histories of acute substance use who have faced barriers to accessing treatment.

“It’s imperative for the safety and well-being of our communities that we provide comprehensive solutions to address the homelessness crisis,” Rowe said in a statement. “The expansion of Pacific Village is crucial because it will provide stable housing and access to treatment for some of our most vulnerable residents so they can get the care they need in one coordinated campus.”

Baca added, “The expansion of Pacific Village represents a significant investment in addressing

homelessness. San Bernardino County will continue to advance initiatives like this project to uplift our community and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to thrive.”

County officials said the facility’s aims to provide safe and stable housing, the critical services including health care, mental health

treatment, job training and education resources.

The expansion of Pacific Village also aims to address needs outlined in the county’s 2025 Point-inTime Count report, which said a large percentage of the county’s homeless population is contending with mental health issues, physical disabilities and drug

abuse. The total estimated budget for Pacific Village is more than $75 million provided through a combination of state grants and funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Officials expected the facility’s expansion project to be complete by late fall next year.

| Photo by globetrotter_/Envato

The site of the Pacific Village housing facility in Highland. | Photo courtesy of San Bernardino County/YouTube

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Lawyers file opposition to bid to terminate immigration protections

By City News Service

As federal authorities continue moving to enda28-year-old consent decree governing how the children and families of migrants are detained, advocates of the agreement are claiming evidence shows that ending the so-called “Flores settlement” would inflict lasting trauma on children in federal custody, according to court papers obtained June 23.

Justice Department officials last month filed a motion to end the Flores settlement agreement.

Over the weekend, a coalition of immigrant-rights groups filed an opposition motion in Los Angeles federal court to the federal government’s motion to terminate the agreement. The coalition motion alleges harm would be caused to children in custody by stripping away the only enforceable safeguards for their health and safety, and opening the door to indefinite detention in “harsh, prison-like” family detention facilities.

The government’s ongoing failure to meet the agreement’s basic legal requirements allegedly makes it clear that internal agency policies are no substitute for court-enforced standards, according to the coalition motion.

Approved in 1997, the Flores settlement requires that children be held in licensed, child-appropriate facilities and released to family members or guardians as quickly as possible. Under the terms of the settle-

ment, Flores co-counsel are permitted to visit detention sites where children are being held and hear directly from them about their treatment and the duration of their detention.

The agreement remains one of the only legal tools to prevent the long- term incarceration of children. Child psychologists have long warned that detention of even two weeks can have severe developmental and health consequences that can last a lifetime, the coalition maintains.

“Our government has shown us time and again it cannot be trusted to protect the rights of children in its custody,” said Leecia Welch, deputy litigation director at Children’s Rights.

“At this very moment hundreds of terrified children and families are being held in a family detention facility in Dilley, Texas,” Welch said in a statement last Monday. “Children are having nightmares, loss of appetite, and worsening health conditions. They have little to do, and toys are in short supply. Children are hungry, sleep-deprived, bored, and hopeless. Mothers have to beg for diapers, watch as their children lose weight and deteriorate from the stress, and do much of the parenting alone because fathers are separated at night and much of the day. Flores is the only line of defense between these kids and an administration that wants to lock them up like criminals.”

A hearing in the case was

scheduled in downtown Los Angeles on June 23 and July 18.

“After 40 years of litigation and 28 years of judicial control over a critical element of U.S. immigration policy by one district court located more than 100 miles from any international border, it is time for this case to end,” the Justice Department wrote in its motion last week.

The Justice Department attorneys argued that, since 1997, the judges overseeing the agreement have “controlled federal policy regarding the custody of alien children who are in the United States without immigration status, enormous, cardinal changes have occurred: Surges of aliens have entered the U.S. in between ports of entry across the southwest border, including large groups of aliens who voluntarily surrendered to border patrol -- surrenders orchestrated by traffickers; the demographics of aliens arriving at the border have shifted to include significantly higher numbers from countries outside the western hemisphere and higher numbers of children; a global pandemic necessitated the government’s utilization of its expulsion authority to protect public health; and the subsequent lifting of the policy led to an upheaval in immigration policy over two years.”

The attorneys for the federal government argue that the agreement

constrains the Trump administration from addressing the changes because of “ossified federal immigration policy.”

Sergio Perez, executive director of the Santa Anabased Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, has said the “Trump administration is unique in the fact that it has effectively closed down our borders and is choosing to detain children and families for extended periods of time.”

Perez argued that the migrants are experiencing “horrible conditions where families with young children are being held in facilities not meant to jail individuals, places like airports, regular office buildings, places that don’t provide a bare modicum of privacy for families of young children.”

In some instances, the migrants are being held in “rooms meant for interrogations and interviews for short stays and they’re housing people for weeks.”

Perez said the “length of stay for these families and children are lengthening and the conditions that have been detailed to us for these vulnerable folks speak to the emergency situation.”

The advocates for the agreement say the percentage of children held for three days or more has quadrupled from 2.4% in May of last year to 10.3% in February of this year. The number of children being held for longer than two weeks has increased sevenfold, they say.

Overcrowding of families observed by OIG on June 10, 2019, at Border Patrol’s McAllen, TX, Station. Faces were digitally obscured by OIG. | Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

The decline of American happiness: Why the US is falling behind in global rankings

By Evan Ullman for Spokeo via Stacker

In 2024, for the first time, the World Happiness Report placed the United States outside the top 20. In 2025, it dropped one spot more, ranking 24th. That’s a generational decline for a country long seen as a symbol of opportunity, prosperity, and freedom.

Americans under 30 ranked 62nd in the world for life satisfaction, while those over 60 rank 10th, making them some of the happiest older adults globally. The gap between generations is wide, raising concerns among researchers, policymakers, and public health experts.

Lower happiness levels are linked to deeper problems, like loneliness, money troubles, lack of trust, and mental health issues. These challenges shape how people relate to others, handle their jobs, vote, and think about what comes next. They also have a broader impact on the economy, from consumer spending to workplace performance.

In this report, Spokeo examines what’s behind the United States’ drop in global happiness rankings,

how Americans’ sense of well-being has changed, why younger generations are feeling worse, and what topranking countries might be doing differently.

Understanding the World Happiness Report

The United States has been slipping down the global happiness rankings for over a decade. In 2011, the country placed 11th. By 2016, it had dropped to 14th, and it landed 19th in 2020. Today, it ranks 24th, the lowest in the history of the World Happiness Report. Figure 2.5 of the 2024 report shows that the U.S. experienced one of the sharpest drops globally in life evaluation scores between 2006–2010 and 2021–2023, with a 0.545-point decline on the 10-point Cantril Ladder scale.

This shift is a sign that core conditions shaping American life are weakening for many people.

The World Happiness Report uses six key factors to explain national differences: social support, GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices,

generosity, and perceptions of corruption.

Recent data shows a mixed picture:

- Social support and GDP per capita have improved, while perceptions of corruption have declined. Most Americans report having someone to rely on in times of need, and the U.S. economy has grown steadily. In 2024, the GDP per capita reached $76,280, while social support stood at 93.9%. And trust in institutions continues to improve as perceptions of corruption are on the decline, with 66.8% expressing a lack of confidence in government and business integrity.

- The other four factors are trending down. Healthy life expectancy is falling, now at 63.9 years. Perceived freedom to make life choices has dropped to 71.7%, down from a peak above 85%. Generosity, which includes helping strangers or donating to charity, fell to 56.3%.

The U.S. keeps getting wealthier, but that doesn’t mean people are more satisfied. Rising inequality, declining trust, and worsen-

ing health reveal the cracks. The numbers tell a story of a country with more money, but not more happiness.

America’s generational happiness divide

The stark divide between young and old Americans when it comes to happiness is extremely notable. There is a 50+ spot gap between Americans under 30 and those over 60 when it comes to satisfaction, one of the widest generational splits in the world.

In most wealthy nations,

the trend goes the other way. Younger people tend to report higher or similar levels of happiness compared to older adults. In the U.S., the pattern is flipped. The older generations feel more optimistic, satisfied, and secure.

This wasn’t always the case. The divergence started to grow after 2010 and has accelerated since the pandemic, as shown in the 2024 report’s detailed data tables. Young Americans are entering adulthood in a different world

than their parents did, one shaped by climate anxiety, high living costs, student debt, political instability, and digital overload. Many report feeling isolated, stressed, or uncertain about their future.

Older adults are more likely to own homes, have steady incomes, and feel connected to their communities. They’ve built lives that many younger people are

| Photo courtesy of CarlosBarquero/Shutterstock/Stacker

still trying to begin. That difference in security shows up in the data; one group feels grounded, the other unmoored.

This generational gap matters. It points to deeper problems and shows why we need to rethink how we support young people today. If the youngest Americans are also the least happy, it raises big questions about the path ahead for mental health, social cohesion, and national progress.

Why young Americans are struggling

The sharp drop in happiness among young Americans isn’t random. It’s the result of mounting pressure across mental, economic, social, and political fronts. Each of these stressors chips away at how young people experience dayto-day life and imagine their futures.

Mental health is one of the clearest red flags. Since the pandemic, rates of depression and psychological distress have surged, particularly among young adults. Many report persistent anxiety, emotional fatigue, and trouble finding meaning in their routines. According to Pew Research, the emotional toll of isolation, uncertainty, and disruption still lingers years later.

Money problems are another major weight. Forbes reports that younger Americans are dealing with a perfect storm of student debt, inflated housing prices, and a shaky job market. Many feel they’re falling behind before they even get started. That financial stress leads to delayed milestones, like moving out, getting married, or starting families, which can fuel further dissatisfaction.

On top of that, social life is thinning out. Young adults are lonelier than ever. A New York Times analysis found that Americans increasingly eat meals alone, especially among younger demographics. In a world that’s becoming increasingly online, digital

connections haven’t replaced real-world relationships and can make people feel even more isolated.

Then, there’s the brewing political climate. Many young Americans are turned off by deepening polarization and don’t trust the government or major institutions. With headlines full of gridlock, division, and corruption, it’s no surprise they’re feeling disillusioned.

Why older Americans report higher happiness

While younger Americans face emotional and financial headwinds, older adults are showing the opposite trend. In fact, Americans over 60 are among the happiest seniors in the world. Their high scores reflect the long-term benefits of stability, perspective, and strong relationships.

For one, life becomes more stable with age. Many older adults have paid off their mortgages, built retirement savings, and finished their careers. They’ve had decades to establish financial security, which removes daily stressors around income, housing, and job uncertainty. That stability makes space for more freedom, leisure, and peace of mind.

There’s also a psychological edge to getting older. Research shows that people often become better at emotional regulation as they age. They know what matters to them, they’re less reactive to negativity, and they tend to have more realistic expectations. That combination leads to higher day-to-day contentment, even when facing life’s challenges.

Older Americans also benefit from strong, stable social networks. Many are surrounded by long-term friends, partners, or family members. Studies have found that older adults often have tighter social circles, and those connections are deeper and more fulfilling. They’ve had a whole lifetime to build trust, routine, and community, all important ingredients in overall life satisfaction.

Happiness

Together, these factors explain why happiness levels climb in later life. Unlike younger generations still building their futures, older Americans are more likely to feel secure, grounded, and connected. That doesn’t mean aging is without its challenges, but when it comes to happiness, it seems experience counts for something.

What we can learn from the happiest countries

The same countries show up at the top of the global happiness rankings year after year: Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. These Nordic nations consistently earn high scores across all age groups. You may think their success is just random or because of where they are on the map, but it’s rooted in the structure of their societies.

People in these countries generally have high confidence in their governments and institutions. They trust that there’s less corruption, more transparency, and that leaders act in the public’s best interest, which affects how people feel about their lives.

Nordic cultures also tend to emphasize work-life balance, with shorter workweeks, paid parental leave, and generous vacation policies. These things enable people to prioritize relationships, health, and leisure, which can boost emotional well-being and happiness. It also prevents burnout, a growing issue in high-pressure economies like the U.S.

Social safety nets are also much stronger. From free health care and affordable education to unemployment support and elder care, people know they’ll be taken care of if something goes wrong. That sense of security reduces stress and creates a foundation for optimism and resilience.

Crucially, these benefits extend across all age groups. The 2024 report shows that people in Nordic countries

consistently report high life satisfaction regardless of age. Instead of large generational gaps, happiness tends to be more evenly shared, reflecting a society where support systems and opportunities are designed to benefit everyone.

These countries prove that national happiness isn’t a mystery. It’s the result of policies that value health, equality, trust, and community—ideals that could help guide other nations looking to boost well-being across the board.

Potential solutions for rebuilding American happiness

The decline in U.S. happiness isn’t irreversible. Other nations have faced similar challenges and found ways to rebuild trust, support wellbeing, and close generational gaps. For the U.S., the path forward will likely require changes at both the policy and community levels, plus a willingness to learn from countries that are getting it right.

Policy change is a good place to start. Expanding access to mental health care can help address the emotional strain many Americans are feeling. Tackling economic insecurity (especially for younger people) means addressing student debt, housing costs, and wage stagnation. Investing in public

spaces, local initiatives, and programs that bring people together can help strengthen community ties in a time of widespread disconnection.

Local strategies matter, too. Encouraging in-person social interaction, whether through events, volunteer opportunities, or neighborhood networks, can combat rising loneliness. Rebuilding trust—between individuals, and between people and institutions—will require honesty, consistency, and listening. Promoting digital wellness is another step. Setting boundaries with technology and creating space for offline connection could go a long way toward improving day-today life satisfaction.

The U.S. can also learn from top-ranked countries. Nordic nations, for example, have built cultures that value balance, trust, and well-being, not just productivity. They’ve addressed issues with real investments and national commitment. Their success shows that happiness doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The systems around us play a big role.

Real happiness comes from lifting everyday pressures, building up our communities, and giving people the freedom to grow and feel good about their lives.

Conclusion and looking

forward

The drop in U.S. happiness rankings suggests deeper issues. Older adults seem to be doing relatively well, but younger Americans face a steep decline. This divide reflects broader patterns of stress, disconnection, and unmet needs.

If nothing changes, the consequences could be serious. When young people feel hopeless and ignored, it puts social stability, the economy, and political trust at risk. Still, there’s a path forward. The world’s happiest countries show that lasting well-being doesn’t come from lofty ideals but from building systems that support people at every age.

Happiness metrics aren’t soft data. They reflect how safe, supported, and satisfied people feel in their lives. We should be paying more attention to happiness when setting national priorities. It can help guide decisions on everything from health care to education. If we want to improve well-being in the U.S., it starts with seeing happiness not just as something personal, but as something we aim for together.

This story was produced by Spokeo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Re-published with CC BY-NC 4.0 License.

Functional freeze explained: Why you’re exhausted, disconnected, and still getting things done

By Angela Myers for Thriveworks via Stacker

You’re crushing work deadlines and leading Zoom meetings with ease, but when it comes time to decide on dinner, you freeze. Or maybe you can easily make it through a jampacked work trip, but as soon as you have a weekend to yourself, you scroll TikTok or rewatch Schitt’s Creek for the third time instead of completing the art project you’ve put off for months.

If any of the above resonates, you may be experiencing functional freeze, a state where you have a “highfunctioning” lifestyle but feel numb or shut down internally. Here, Thriveworks explores what happens during a functional freeze and ways to feel better without adding even more to your to-do list.

What is functional freeze?

Functional freeze is a mental state where a person continues daily activities—such as going to work, answering emails, fitting in a workout, and showing up at social events—yet feels emotionally numb or disconnected. Functional freeze typically occurs as a response to intense or ongoing stress and overstimulation.

“It’s not a complete shutdown, but rather a kind of survival mode where a person operates on autopilot,” says Supatra Tovar, PsyD, RD, a nutritional psychologist in Pasadena. “They’re doing just enough to function, but emotionally, mentally, or physically, they feel stuck.”

The reason for feeling stuck stems back to how our brain and nervous system operate. When we receive a stressful or dangerous cue from the world around us, our amygdala (the fear center of the brain) sends a message to the hypothalamus, which controls the nervous system. Our nervous system then reacts to the cue with what’s known as the fight-or-flight response. This response is ancient, as in it helped our ancestors decide whether to fight or run away from lions in order to survive.

Today, most of us aren’t on the run from lions, but we do navigate situations that cause ongoing stress, like a demanding job or caregiving for an aging family member and kids at the same time. In either scenario, your mind knows it can’t run or fight.

What does it do instead?

Enter: functional freeze.

“When your nervous system perceives danger and neither fight nor flight is

available or safe, it hits the freeze button,” says Cheryl Groskopf, LMFT, LPCC, a licensed therapist specializing in anxiety. “Not the ‘play dead’ kind you might picture, but a functional freeze—one that keeps you moving while emotionally shut off.”

Why your brain chooses freeze mode: The neuroscience explained

If experiencing functional freeze, there may be a tiny voice in the back of your head urging you to actually do something. It could tell you to make dinner instead of scrolling TikTok for hours or to advocate for less stress at work instead of taking on another project, but your mind just won’t seem to listen. Instead of acting, it freezes.

The reason your brain chooses freeze mode comes down to how your nervous system works: It’s constantly scanning both your environment and your inner world for signs of safety or danger.

This means it’s not just your thoughts that matter. Your body is also picking up on physical signals all around you. These “external cues” can include things like a tense tone of voice in a conversation, the sudden slam of a door, a cluttered or chaotic workspace, or even bright, flickering lights. Even if you tell yourself everything is fine, your nervous system might still react to subtle signals, keeping you on edge.

Think of it this way: Changing your thoughts without addressing the physical signals around you is like trying to recharge your laptop with the wrong cord—it just doesn’t work.

This frustrating freeze mode can be described by a theory from neuroscience: the Polyvagal Theory. Groskopf explains, “Polyvagal Theory explains how our nervous system reacts to safety and threat, and why we respond the way we do, even when we don’t want to.”

The theory offers three main states we move through:

- Safety mode, when all feels well with the body.

- Fight or flight, when we feel like we’re in danger.

- Freeze mode, when we feel overwhelmed or hopeless.

Groskopf adds, “Understanding this helps people stop blaming themselves for ‘shutting down’ and start seeing it as their body’s way of trying to protect them.”

What causes a functional freeze state?

Anyone can experience functional freeze, but certain

patterns increase the risk. “People who tend to be highachieving, perfectionistic, or overly responsible are especially prone to functional freeze,” Tovar says. “These individuals often ignore their own needs and override signs of stress or overwhelm.”

That doesn’t mean all high achievers will experience functional freeze. Usually there’s a direct cause that sets off freeze mode. Common triggers of functional freeze include:

- Specific jobs. “Jobs that involve high stakes, constant urgency, or caregiving roles can also push people into this state,” Tovar says.

- Feeling unsafe being vulnerable. Those who experienced situations in the past where it was unsafe to open up or express themselves are more likely to enter freeze mode, Groskopf explains. If, for example, someone didn’t have a safe space to express their feelings as a child, they may find it more difficult to be vulnerable as an adult.

- Unresolved trauma. Unresolved trauma refers to a difficult event or multiple events an individual has either suppressed or failed to process. This often results in nervous system dysregulation, which is when our nervous system doesn’t work as intended and has difficulty regulating and responding to emotional and environmental cues. When this happens, there’s a higher potential to go into freeze mode, Tovar says.

- Unhealthy relationships. Relationships that make you feel unsafe or like you can’t express yourself increase the likelihood of functional freeze, says Groskopf, whether this occurs in a romantic, platonic, or workplace relationship.

- Overwhelm from the modern world. “When life becomes too overwhelming, that’s when we go into the functional freeze response state,” explains Alexandra Hoerr, LCPC, a licensed therapist and founder of Optimum Joy Counseling. “It’s so prevalent today because many of us are overwhelmed by modern life and all of its demands and stimulation.”

Signs you might be experiencing a functional freeze

“Unlike the ‘fight or flight’ response, functional freeze doesn’t look dramatic from the outside, which is why it’s often overlooked, even by the person experiencing it,” Tovar says. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t functional

freeze symptoms to look out for.

Warning signs of functional freeze include:

- Overthinking everything. Even small decisions like what to wear to the gym or whether to watch a movie or TV show feel like they deserve an entire pros and cons list.

- Feeling disconnected. Your day-to-day feels like you’re just going through the motions or doesn’t bring you joy.

- Experiencing constant fatigue. Each day, you wake up exhausted without any clear cause—and even coffee or eight or more hours of sleep doesn’t seem to shake the fatigue.

- Not tasting meals. Those with functional freeze may remember everyone else raving about the Korean BBQ place the other night, but won’t remember what their meal tasted like. When the nervous system isn’t working properly (as is the case with functional freeze), food may taste more bland because part of the nervous system’s job is to facilitate taste and smell.

- Difficulty deciding what you want. Deciding what to eat for dinner feels impossible, much less mapping out a plan for your career. Those in functional freeze often feel paralyzed, unable to make a decision and take action.

- Despite these symptoms, medical tests come back normal. Even though you’re exhausted and fatigued, medical tests don’t show anything wrong, and doctors say you’re perfectly healthy.

Why it’s so important to thaw

“Functional freeze is a hardwired protective mechanism in our bodies,” Hoerr says. “So ultimately, thawing is letting your body ‘come up to temp’ slowly so it knows it is safe from overwhelm.”

Once up to temp, it’s easier to feel like you’re truly living, not going through the motions. Thawing lets us take control of our emotional health, relationships, and career goals instead of living on autopilot.

Beyond breathing techniques: 7 ways to get out of a functional freeze

If any of this resonates, your next question is probably how to get out of functional freeze—without taking on a highly impractical wellness routine. The good news: Thawing comes from small steps, not a drastic change.

“You don’t want to try to

force yourself to feel everything at once; that would be overwhelming and counterproductive,” Hoerr says. “Instead, we want to do small things to tune into the present moment.” Start here.

1. Move your body gently.

“Repetitive, rhythmic movements such as walking, gentle yoga, or dance can help bring the body out of freeze and into a more regulated state,” Tovar explains. “These types of movement are especially powerful because they don’t overwhelm the nervous system—they meet it where it is and gradually create a sense of internal safety.”

2. Draw for 20 minutes.

A 2024 study published in the Frontiers in Psychology journal suggests that when we draw or create something by hand, such as pottery or a bracelet, our body and mind build resilience and are better able to respond to stressors, not freeze. This could be as simple as buying an adult coloring book and setting a timer for 20 minutes.

3. Eat more fiber.

“From a nutritional standpoint, fiber is often overlooked but critically important for thawing. It feeds the beneficial bacteria in our gut, which produce short-chain fatty acids and neurotransmitters like serotonin that directly influence mood and emotional regulation,” Tovar explains.

Women should aim for 25 grams or more of fiber per day. For men, aim closer to 30 grams per day. Some good sources of fiber include:

- Artichokes: 9.6 grams per cup

- Raspberries: 8 grams per cup

- Lentils: 7.8 grams per 1/2 cup

- Oats: 5.8 grams per cup

- Chia seeds: 4.1 grams per tablespoon

- Spinach: 4.3 grams per cup

4. Cut back on screen time, even by just a few minutes.

“Disconnecting from screens helps with functional freezing because it allows a person’s brain to actively register more stimulus from the outside world,” says Hoerr, adding that more time away from screens lets us feel more present.

For those of us who find it hard to log off, Hoerr recommends starting with small adjustments:

- Call someone instead of texting.

- Set time limits on your most used apps.

- Pick up a physical book over your phone before bed.

- Set reminders to take five-minute screen breaks throughout the day.

5. Hum along to your favorite song.

The next time you’re listening to music, try humming along. Humming calms the nervous system, making space for you to thaw. In fact, a 2023 study published in the Cureus journal found that daily humming for 15 minutes or longer was more effective than exercise or sleep for lowering certain stress indicators.

6. Take the cold plunge. Despite the irony, an ice bath or running an ice roller over your face may help you “thaw.” A 2022 study published in Scientific Reports found that applying a cold substance to the face, such as an ice cube or ice roller, for five to 35 seconds lowered cortisol levels and calmed the nervous system.

7. Give yourself permission to want something. When in functional freeze, we focus on what we need, not what we want. “Giving ourselves permission to want something can be a signal to our body that we are thawing out,” Groskopf says. She adds that wanting something small, like an iced coffee from your favorite cafe, or something big, such as quitting an unfulfilling job, will work. And this tip doesn’t mean you have to actright now. Thawing happens when we allow ourselves to feel the desire. “It’s not about doing more, but feeling more,” Groskopf adds.

When to seek professional help

“People should seek professional help for functional freezing when it starts to impact their ability to take care of themselves or function in their daily lives,” Hoerr says. If there are large chunks of time where you cannot remember what happened or you regularly feel like you’re going through the motions, speaking to a therapist can help you thaw and tune back into life.

Since functional freeze isn’t an official medical condition, there’s no specific training or therapy style to treat it. The most important thing is to find a provider you feel comfortable with, which may take some trial and error.

This story was produced by Thriveworks and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Re-published with CC BY-NC 4.0 License.

The avian flu outbreak is entering its fourth year, and egg prices are still sky-high. Donald Trump won the presidency in part on a pledge to lower egg prices, and in February, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins rolled out a five-point plan for defeating bird flu and making eggs cheaper. Unfortunately, it probably won’t work.

“This is beyond any farmer’s ability, or any state’s ability, to address,” Maurice Pitesky, associate professor and expert in poultry disease modeling at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, tells Sentient. “We need every tool that we can use.”

But there are effective tools and ineffective tools, and there’s good reason to think that Rollins’ proposals will fall more into the latter category than the former.

What’s Been Done So Far to Combat Bird Flu and High Egg Prices

So far, the government has attempted to fight bird flu by paying chicken farmers to kill their entire flocks if they detect one case of the virus. This indemnity program, as it’s known, has doled out more than a billion dollars so far to poultry farms across the country.

This approach has been controversial, however: In addition to the fact that it plainly hasn’t worked to stop the spread of disease, the indemnity payments haven’t been evenly distributed, with around half of all the money going to just 10 egg producers.

In theory, chicken farmers that go through this process are required to upgrade the security at their farms if they want to be eligible for future indemnity payments. But this hasn’t been enforced very stringently; until recently,

Trump’s plan to lower egg prices, explained

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.

Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration

farms were merely required to submit a written plan to the USDA outlining their biosecurity plans.

However, the Biden administration updated this rule at the end of 2024, and began requiring HPAIinfected poultry farms to undergo a visual audit by USDA inspectors before being eligible for any future indemnity payments.

What’s Trump’s Plan to Bring Down Egg Prices?

The Trump administration has announced a $1 billion plan to fight avian flu and reduce egg prices. Here are the five measures it contains.

1. Better Biosecurity

First, the USDA is promising to spend up to $500 million to beef up biosecurity measures at egg-laying facilities. Biosecurity refers to policies and physical infrastructure aimed at preventing avian flu from reaching egg farms in the first place.

Specifically, the USDA will be expanding a Bidenera pilot program called Wildlife Biosecurity Assessments, which involves sending agency staff to chicken farms to identify any ways in which wild birds might be infiltrating the facilities. This program was initially rolled out in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, and as of October 2024, had been carried out on 169 farms, according to the USDA.

Why Solely Farm-Based Biosecurity Is an Incomplete Solution

Pitesky is a big advocate of what he calls “outward facing biosecurity” - that is, protecting against avian flu by monitoring and modifying the ecosystems that surround poultry farms, as opposed to only focusing on the farm itself. The reasoning is that avian flu is transmitted to poultry from wild

birds, so it’s more effective to tackle the problem at the source.

In theory, Wildlife Biosecurity Assessments are a version of this. But in practice, they fall short of what Pitesky is suggesting, because they aren’t dynamic.

In order for outward facing security to work, Pitesky says, the surrounding ecosystems need to be monitored, and potentially modified, on an ongoing basis, not just once. That’s because environments change over time, and so do the threats that they pose as potential transmitters of bird flu.

But Wildlife Biosecurity Assessments don’t do this. They’re just a one-time analysis, and as such, they don’t and can’t account for the ways in which environmental risks change over time.

“The thing that we all have to realize is that the farm doesn’t change location, but the habitat around the farm changes,” Pitesky says. “What they’re doing is not bad, per se, but they’re just doing a spot check.”

Another Major Oversight: Data

Pitesky also points to another potential shortcoming in the USDA’s plan: data. In order to carry out a successful biosecurity assessment, farms need robust and reliable data about their own operations, and they need to store that data in an accessible way to facilitate future biosecurity assessments.

“The big, dirty secret is that lots of farms don’t have the data that you need in order to do those biosecurity assessments, and they don’t have the data stored correctly,” Pitesky says. “You can’t really do these biosecurity assessments

unless you start developing web tools, app-based tools that can be easily completed, filled out, ranked and sorted to understand risk.”

The announcements by Rollins and the USDA make no reference to data, and without proper data collection and storage, there’s a hard ceiling to how effective any biosecurity assessments can be, ongoing or not.

“When the USDA says they’re going to spend all this money on hardening the biosecurity around these facilities, data doesn’t usually get captured in that,” Pitesky says. “No one really focuses on the data to figure out where the risk is greatest.”

2. Increased Financial Relief for Chicken Farmers

The second “prong” of the USDA’s new bird flu strategy is essentially an expansion of the Biden administration’s indemnity program for poultry producers, whereby poultry producers are paid to kill off

entire flocks if and when a case of avian flu is detected.

The fact that Trump’s administration is expanding this Biden-era initiative is notable given that in January, the White House criticized the program and blamed Biden for high egg prices.

This has become a bit of a running theme in Trump’s USDA; the agency’s recent press release also quotes Rollins as saying that “the Biden administration did little to address the repeated outbreaks,” then refers to the Biden administration’s Wildlife Biosecurity Assessments as the “gold standard” in biosecurity.

Why This Solution Is Vague

The goal of the indemnification program is to incentivize farmers to report and snuff out avian flu outbreaks on their farms as quickly as possible. That hasn’t been how

See Egg prices Page 08

it’s played out, however, as in practice payouts lowered the economic risk of an outbreak. And as it’s currently structured, it’s still resulted in many poultry farmers taking a financial hit, even with the indemnity payments. It takes time to disinfect and repopulate a farm after killing all of the chickens in it, and this lag time represents lost profits for chicken farmers. Current policy also prohibits poultry farms that are near infected sites, but have not yet been infected themselves, from placing new flocks in their facilities until after the nearby infection has been contained, thus cutting into their profits as well.

Lawmakers have recently introduced legislation that would modify the indemnity payment structure in an attempt to more fairly compensate chicken

Photo by Finn Mund on Unsplash

farmers in their attempts to contain avian flu. In the meantime, the Rollins plan seems to be aimed at accomplishing that same goal.

Exactly how it will do so is unclear, however. In a call with reporters, a USDA spokesperson said indemnity rates would be based on “fair market value,” while a USDA press release promised “new programs... to aid farmers to accelerate the rate of repopulation.” What these programs will look like, however, is anybody’s guess.

3. Funding for Vaccine Research

The USDA is also pledging to invest “up to $100 million” toward the development of “vaccines, therapeutics, and other innovative solutions,” and will hold biweekly discussions on this topic.

Why This Solution Is Vague & Logistically

Challenging

This aspect of the plan, too, is vague on details. Launching a vaccination program for chickens poses a number of logistical challenges, Pitesky says. In addition to the fact that it’s physically difficult to vaccinate tens of thousands of chickens on a regular basis, a successful vaccine program would also have to account for the fact that HPAI comes in many different strains and is regularly mutating.

“If we’re really going to vaccinate, and I sense that we’re moving in that direction, my objection is that we need to put in place a really robust surveillance system so we can make sure that whatever we’re vaccinating against is the dominant version of the virus floating around in wild birds,” Pitsky says. “I haven’t really seen people talk about that, and that scares me a little.”

Another wrinkle: many countries won’t import vaccinated poultry, which is why the USDA has dragged its feet on vaccination in the past.

4. Deregulation

The fourth component of Rollins’ plan is a rollback of certain “regulatory burdens” - including animal welfare laws - that, according to the administration, have contributed to high egg prices.

These laws include regulations concerning backyard chicken flocks and individual farmers who aren’t selling their eggs. While the laws differ from region to region, certain localities restrict chicken ownership in various ways, and the administration wants to “minimize burdens” on chicken owners, and would-be chicken owners, in those areas.

Why Deregulating Chicken Ownership Won’t Make Much Difference

Pitesky says deregulation for chicken owners probably won’t make much of a difference, as restrictions on chicken ownership are already minimal and rarely enforced.

“I’m sure there are rules, but I’ve never seen chicken police [enforcing them],” Pitesky says. “So I’m not exactly sure what they’re talking about.”

Backyard chicken eggs might also seem cheaper, but they certainly aren’t a solution for bird flu, since backyard chickens can be even more vulnerable to wild bird interaction.

What Prop 12 Deregulation Could Mean for Egg Prices

Rollins also endorsed a move that would be much more significant than deregulating backyard chicken farms: repealing Proposition 12, the California law that restricts the in-state production and sale of certain animal products that were produced using “extreme confinement.” In essence, Prop 12 requires egg producers to give their chickens a minimum amount of space to live if they want to produce or sell eggs in the Golden State.

The extent to which

Proposition 12 has actually increased egg prices is a topic of heated debate, and it’s especially tricky to tease out because the law didn’t go into effect until January 2022 - the same month avian flu hit the U.S.

That said, a 2023 analysis by Mingcong Xie at Purdue University concluded that Proposition 12 caused egg prices in California to increase by between 25 and 73 cents per dozen. That’s obviously more than zero, but it’s still a relatively small increase, especially given that California eggs are already much more expensive than elsewhere in the country. It also pales in comparison to subsequent surges in egg prices, which only occurred after avian flu was in full effect and farmers had begun culling their flocks.

The egg lobby has opposed Proposition 12 from its inception, and in general, so have elected Republicans. In 2024, Republican senators introduced a draft version of a farm bill that would repeal Proposition 12, and various groups sued to have it overturned shortly after California voters approved it in 2018.

But the Supreme Court upheld the law’s constitutionality, and because of this, only Congress can repeal it now. And although conservatives generally oppose Prop 12, they’re not unified in this: A handful of staunch Republicans in Congress want to keep Prop 12 on the books, and this could imperil any attempt to repeal it.

5. Import Expansion & Export Restriction

The last prong of Rollins’ egg plan is also the vaguest. The USDA will “explore options for temporarily increasing egg imports and decreasing exports,” according to its press release, in an attempt to bring down egg prices. But even if Rollins had offered details, which she didn’t, it’d still be an

odd plan.

Why It’s an Unlikely Solution

For one, the U.S. doesn’t export very many eggs in the first place. In 2022, only 1.7 percent of all U.S.-produced eggs were exported to other countries according to industry figures, so any reduction in exports would have a minimal effect on the overall availability of eggs in the United States.

The same goes for imports. CBS News reports that the Trump administration is in talks to import between 70 and 100 million eggs from outside the country over the next few months.

That might sound like a lot, but the U.S. produces between 8 and 9 billion eggs domestically every month. This means that even if the Trump administration imported twice as many eggs as it intends to, it wouldn’t amount to even one percent of the eggs produced in the U.S. over the same period of time.

The Bottom Line

There’s reason to doubt the efficacy of these measures. But it’s also worth acknowledging that, flawed as the USDA’s plan might be, it’s not as if there’s some other obvious solution to the bird flu outbreak that the administration is leaving on the table. This is the longest and deadliest bird flu outbreak in history, and the measures that worked in the past simply aren’t working now.

But ultimately, the only reason egg prices are a matter of national concern is because Americans want to keep eating eggs. Despite the fact that the modern poultry industry has essentially remade the animal population on the planet and been a disaster for animal welfare, the average American eats around 280 eggs a year. Until this changes, the amount of money in Americans’ pockets will be impacted by the current state of highly pathogenic avian flu viruses.

Study: CA families shoulder sky-high costs of dementia care

By Suzanne Potter, Producer, Public News Service

In California, families shoulder most of the burden of dementia care, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of Washington found patients in the Golden State require about $55,000 a year in care, but only about $10,000 of it is paid through private or government insurance.

Amy Lastuka, lead research scientist in the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, said the direct costs of doctor visits, prescriptions, home health aides and nursing homes are just the beginning.

“It’s particularly important to look at those indirect costs,” Lastuka explained.

“Because people with dementia tend to need a lot of care, especially as they get into the later stages, they can need round-theclock care.”

Researchers calculated the indirect costs, how much you would have to pay to hire someone to cover all the hours family and friends put in. Data show Americans spend $53 billion a year

on direct medical care for the country’s 5.5 million dementia patients but the real cost is five times higher, at $277 billion.

Lastuka argued states should do more to support caregivers.

“I would say, invest in adult day centers, because that way you have a place where someone can go during the day and get some cognitive stimulation and get cared for,” Lastuka recommended. “Then, if your child is taking care of you, they could still work.”

The California Department of Aging’s website lists programs designed to lighten the load and help pay family caregivers. Meanwhile, the reconciliation bill currently under consideration in the U.S. Senate known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” could have profound effects on services helping older Americans age in place. The bill seeks to eliminate the federal Administration for Community Living, the agency overseeing regional Councils on Aging, which run programs like “Meals on Wheels.”

Photo by YouVersion on Unsplash

LEGALS

Notice of Self Storage Sale

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

GLORIA LIANG YUH SHY

CASE NO. 25STPB06280

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of GLORIA LIANG YUH SHY.

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

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

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:

07/11/25 at 8:30AM in Dept. 4 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

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

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

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

RUSSELL M OZAWA - SBN 272268 LAW OFFICES OF RUSSELL M. OZAWA 3655 TORRANCE BLVD. STE. 300 TORRANCE CA 90503

Telephone (626) 499-4500 6/23, 6/26, 6/30/25 CNS-3939933# EL MONTE EXAMINER

NOTICE OF AMENDED PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF VALENTIN RODRIGUEZ, JR. aka VALENTIN RODRIGUEZ aka VAL RODRIGUEZ

Case No. 24STPB12020

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of VALENTIN RODRIGUEZ, JR. aka VALENTIN RODRIGUEZ aka VAL RODRIGUEZ AN AMENDED PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Valerie Michele Rodriguez in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE AMENDED PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Valerie Michele Rodriguez be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE AMENDED 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

Notices without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or con-sented to the proposed action.)

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

A HEARING on the amended petition will be held on July 21, 2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 99 located at 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

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.

Attorney for petitioner: JUSTIN A SHIAU ESQ SBN 229097

ATHLON LEGAL APC 14 N FAIR OAKS AVE STE 503 PASADENA CA 91103

CN117919 RODRIGUEZ

Jun 26,30, Jul 3, 2025 EL MONTE EXAMINER

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF LILLIAN J. PRINCE

Case No. 25STPB05081

To all heirs, beneficiaries, cred-itors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of LILLIAN J. PRINCE A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Jodi Critz, also known as Jo A. Critz in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Jodi Critz be appointed as personal representative to ad-minister the estate of the decedent.

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

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held on August 7, 2025 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 5 located at 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

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

IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the

personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first 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 knowl-edgeable in California law.

Attorney for petitioner: DARRELL G BROOKE ESQ

SBN 118071

THE BROOKE LAW GROUP PC 525 S MYRTLE AVE STE 204

MONROVIA CA 91016

CN116828 PRINCE Jun 26,30, Jul 3, 2025

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Yijian Zhang

CASE NO. 25STPB06811

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

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Jiangxia Zhou in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Jiangxia Zhou 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 07/22/2025 at 8:30 am in Dept. 29 located at 111 N. HILL ST. LOS ANGELES CA 90012 STANLEY MOSK COURTHOUSE.

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: Edward C. Ip (SBN 233048)

Law Offices of Edward C. Ip & Associates, APC 4424 Santa Anita Ave., Ste 201 El Monte, CA 91731

Telephone: (626) 228-0638 6/26, 6/30, 7/3/25 CNS-3941701# ARCADIA WEEKLY

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR

CHANGE OF NAME PETITION OF Helen Cruz Jaramillo FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 25NWCP00277 Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles 12720 Norwalk Blvd., Room 101, Norwalk, Ca 90650, Southeast Judicial District TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS:

1. Petitioner Helen Cruz Jaramillo filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name a. OF Helen Reyes Cruz to Proposed name Helen Cruz Paulino 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reason for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing NOTICE OF HEARING a. Date: 07/21/2025 Time: 8:30AM Dept: C. Room: 312 The address of the court is same as noted above. 3. a. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the day set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Azusa Beacon DATED: June 5, 2025 Leo W. Tsao JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT Pub. June 9, 16, 23, 30, 2025 AZUSA BEACON

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME PETITION OF Freya Liu Ma FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 25NNCP00438 Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles 600 E Broadway, Glendale, Ca 91206, North Central Judicial District TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner Freya Liu Ma filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name a. OF Freya Liu Ma to Proposed name Freya Huiya Liu 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reason for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing NOTICE OF HEARING a. Date: 08/14/2025 Time: 8:30AM Dept: E. The address of the court is same as noted above. 3. a. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the day set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Arcadia Weekly DATED: June 3, 2025 Roberto Longoria JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT Pub. June 9, 16, 23, 30, 2025 ARCADIA WEEKLY

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF BULK SALE

(Notice pursuant to UCC Sec. 6105) Escrow No. 16585

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a bulk sale is about to be made. The name(s) and business address of the Seller are: SMART COMPUTER, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION BY: NINA WU, PRESIDENT/C.E.O., 1428 S. SAN GABRIEL, SAN GABRIEL, CA 91776

Doing Business as: GOOD PHARMACY

All other business name(s) and address(es) used by the Seller(s) within the past three years, as stated by the Seller(s), are: NONE

The location of the chief executive office of the seller is: SMART COMPUTER, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION BY: NINA WU, PRESIDENT/C.E.O., 1428 S. SAN GABRIEL, SAN GABRIEL, CA 91776

The name(s) and address of the Buyer(s) are: FWD HEALTHCARE INC, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION BY: KHANHLONG THAI, C.E.O., 2476 HUNTINGTON DRIVE, SAN MARINO, CA 91108

The assets being sold are generally described as: INVENTORY, FURNITURE, FIXTURES, TRADE FIXTURES, EQUIPMENT, CONTRACT RIGHTS, STOCK IN TRADE, MATERIAL CONTRACTS, COMPUTER HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE, CUSTOMER AND CLIENT LISTS, PRESCRIPTION FILES AND RECORDS, TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND FAX NUMBERS, SUPPLIES, TRADE NAME, GOODWILL, COVENANT NOT TO COMPETE, ETC. and are located at: 1428 S. SAN GABRIEL, SAN GABRIEL, CA 91776

The bulk sale is intended to be consummated at the office of: JEAN ALLEN ESCROW CO, INC, 3341 CERRITOS AVENUE, LOS ALAMITOS, CA 90720 and the anticipated sale date is JULY 11, 2025

Please take notice US Storage Centers

- Chino Hills located at 15443 Fairfield Ranch Rd Chino Hills CA 91709 intends to hold a public sale to the highest bidder of the property stored by the following tenants at the storage facility. The sale will occur as an online auction via www.storagetreasures.com on 7/17/2025 at 10:00

AM. Junita Crumie; Stephen John Ranieri III; Dominic Akeem Deshawn; Tyler James Berner; Brenda Nunley; Jazzmin Strackman; Stacy Jewel Scott Strackman; Stacy Jewel Scott Strackman; Jennifer Rose Morales; Abraham R Sandoval; Edgar Misael Lopez Gutierrez; Hailie Gonzalez. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Certain terms and conditions apply.

The bulk sale IS subject to California Uniform Commercial Code Section 6106.2. The name and address of the person with whom claims may be filed is: JEAN ALLEN ESCROW CO, INC, 3341 CERRITOS AVENUE, LOS ALAMITOS, CA 90720. And the last day for filing claims by any creditor shall be JULY 10, 2025 which is the business day before the anticipated sale date specified above. Dated: JUNE 6, 2025 FWD HEALTHCARE INC, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION, Buyer(s) ORD-3876224 SAN GABRIEL SUN 6/23/25 Trustee Notices