Belmont Beacon_6/15/2026

Los Angeles County voters enact half-cent sales tax for health care

By Joe Taglieri joet@civicnewsgroup.com

Ahalf-cent sales tax increase in Los Angeles Countytosupport health care services amid federal spending cuts passed Wednesday after voters gave Measure ER a slim come-frombehind victory.

Early vote totals following the primary election June 2 showed the measure falling short, but as ballot counting continued it gained momentum over the weekend and narrowly surpassed the required 50% support.

With virtually all ballots counted as of Wednesday afternoon, the measure received 1,008,914 supportive votes, a difference of 24,436, or roughly 50.6% versus ballots cast against the measure — 984,478, or 49.4%.

LA County Supervisors

Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis introduced Measure ER, or the Essential Services Restoration Act, in January. The half-cent general sales tax increase lasts through Oct. 1, 2031.

The current sales tax of 9.75% now rises to 10.25%.

County officials said the measure would generate about $1 billion in each of its five years intended to cover reductions in state and federal grant funding for health care programs.

“When you fight, we win,” Solis, who represents District 1, said at a gathering of Measure ER supporters Wednesday. “We have to continue to fight for these residents and their families. If we don’t stick up for them, who the hell is?”

The Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 in February to put the measure on the June ballot.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger dissented, saying the county’s sales tax was already among the highest in the nation and

should not be forced on to residents who are “already stretched thin” as a result of inflation and other forms of economic pressure.

“Backfilling federal funding cuts on the backs of county taxpayers is not acceptable,” the District 5 supervisor said in February.

In a statement Wednesday she said, “The passage of Measure ER marks a significant financial commitment by Los Angeles County residents and businesses.

Although I opposed this measure because of the additional burden it places on taxpayers at a time when the cost of living is already high, I respect the will of the voters.

“Moving forward, my responsibility is to ensure the revenues generated are managed with accountability and measurable results,” Barger said. “Taxpayers deserve to know how these funds are being spent, whether promised outcomes are being achieved. I will

be a strong advocate for rigorous oversight and fiscal responsibility every step of the way.”

Mitchell warned in February of severe reductions to county health care services if no action was taken to restore funding that she said was canceled under the federal budget bill enacted earlier this year. She said the bill included “the largest federal funding cut to Medicaid in our nation’s history.”

“HR 1 pulled the rug out from under all of us. ... That’s how we got here,” Mitchell said.

At the Measure ER victory rally Wednesday, she said, “Today is not a celebration, but more so a declaration of our commitment to be accountable to the public.”

Dr. Christina Ghaly, director of the LA County Department of Health

Services, thanked voters “for standing up for patients and protecting life-saving care for the 10 million people who call LA County home,” she said in a statement.

“Measure ER is a desperately needed lifeline for our safety net healthcare system,” Ghaly said. “LA Health Services estimates it will receive $220 million each year for five years, helping keep our public hospitals and clinics afloat. However, taxpayers alone cannot foot the massive bill we have on our hands. Public hospitals are counting on California state leaders to step up and help close the $700 million gap created by state and federal changes to healthcare funding.”

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association opposed the measure.

“The sales tax is already too high in Los Angeles County, so high that the

Feds

Judge presiding over Rose Bowl suit gets unsolicited mail about case

By City News Service

Federalauthorities

served a search warrant

Wednesday at a Garden Grove aerospace contracting company where a chemical storage tank emergency prompted widespread evacuations.

The warrant was served Wednesday morning at GKN Aerospace at 12122 Western Ave. by the FBI and U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency, according to a spokesman with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

According to a search warrant affidavit, investigators were looking to seize any evidence of possible violations of federal requirements to prevent the “accidental release of extremely hazardous substance into the ambient air.”

The warrant calls for the seizure of any documents or records referencing employees involved with the storage and handling of the toxic chemical at the facility, and any records pertaining specifically to the chemical methyl methacrylate, or MMA.

Officials are continuing to monitor the air around the plant to make sure it adheres to public safety measures.

Thousands of residents in Garden Grove and Stanton had to leave their homes for days during the Memorial Day Weekend as authorities worked to neutralize the toxic chemical kept inside a storage tank that had become overheated, amid fears it would lead to an explosion.

Ultimately a crack in the damaged tank wound up relieving pressure inside, negating the risk of explosion.

Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairman Doug Chaffee said the FBI asked

Orange County Healthcare officials to leave the site during the search.

“We had our healthcare people supervising cleanup and they asked them to leave and they could come back later,” Chaffee said. “Who knows why the FBI came in other than (GKN does) provide defense stuff.”

Theinvestigators appeared to be “looking for the same stuff we’re looking for -- were they in violation, should somebody have done a better job, what was going on here? Ultimately, I hope we can hold them responsible and that’s yet to be determined what they’re going to do. They’re a big company. I don’t know if they have an insurance company directing what they’re doing or not.”

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer issued a statement saying, “From day one, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office has been on the ground and fully engaged in our investigation into potential criminal acts by GKN related to the May 21, 2026, hazmat incident. I am encouraged that the federal government has followed our lead and launched a parallel investigation into the activities at GKN. I welcome any prosecutorial and regulatory agency review to ensure that the 50,000 victims who were forced to evacuate their homes as a result of this emergency situation receive the full restitution to which they are entitled.”

Hundreds of residents packed the Garden Grove City Council meeting Tuesday night, as GKN officials spoke to the council about the emergency and its efforts to provide relief to residents.

Orange County Grand Jury dings supervisors for staffing levels

By City News Service

An Orange County Grand Jury report released Wednesday criticized county officials for expanding staffing and funding for the offices of Orange County supervisors.

But Orange County Board Chairman Doug Chaffee and Vice Chair Katrina Foley said the criticism was misguided.

The grand jurors argued that over the past three decades, the staffing and budgeting for the supervisors has “outpaced population growth, inflation and the county’s direct service responsibilities.”

The report suggested the county chief executive officer should take on more of the responsibilities.

The grand jurors noted that the county supervisors have a budget of about $2.5 million, with an average of a dozen paid staffers for each of the five supervisors, who have about $4 million in discretionary funding.

The grand jury again criticized the supervisors for an increase in salaries — as it did in December — despite a retort from the CEO’s office that the salaries were aligned by state law with the compensation for state judges.

The grand jury argued

that the expansion of staffing and budgeting “has increased supervisors’ reliance on politically appointed staff for policy guidance and operational insight. This has the potential to create distance from the board and county executive team, including department heads who hold subject-matter expertise.”

The grand jury noted that the average number of staff positions for supervisors is 35 in Los Angeles County, 15 in San Diego County, 12 in Orange County, nine in Riverside County, eight in San Bernardino County, two in Santa Barbara County and one in Imperial County.

A former county executive said on background it was a goal for years to grow the level of staffing for the supervisors to more closely mirror the levels in neighboring counties such as San Diego and Riverside.

“When I got elected in 2014 I think I had eight staffers,” former Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett said. She added some offices had less, but had taken on less responsibilities for serving on other agencies the supervisors are involved in such as the Orange County Transportation Authority.

TheOrangeCounty Board of Supervisors

Tuesday gave tentative approval to a $10.5 billion budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, down from the current year’s $10.8 billion spending plan as officials recover from payouts for claims from the Airport Fire and prepare for cuts in programs from the state and federal governments.

Orange County CEO Michelle Aguirre said the county sought 5% cuts from every department as officials “implemented a hiring and expenditure freeze.”

Aguirre said the county receives just 5 cents out of every dollar collected in property tax revenue from the state, “so we are always at a disadvantage.”

Aguirre told the board that the county has been able to avoid layoffs because of a hiring freeze. The county has “more work to do,” she added.

“We continue to monitor the state and federal budgets” for further cuts, Aguirre said.

There are about 20 regional boards such as the AQMD and sanitation districts that supervisors serve on, Bartlett pointed out. It falls on those supervisors and their staff to be up to date on the policies on those agencies as well.

Former Supervisor John Moorlach said he recalled having six staffers.

“If I were to get snarky I’d say are these people just going to events and ribbon cuttings?” Moorlach said. “But I had a staffer who covered OCTA, and on CalOptima, so that’s another several hours of research and study. I can’t speak for now, but I can speak for then and I didn’t think I was overstaffed. We barely had room for interns.”

Chaffee said, “Half my staff are interns. They start on a relatively low salary and work their way up.”

Chaffee said Orange County is nearly the same size as San Diego.

“Each of our offices get the same budget,” Chaffee said. “If there’s anything left over it goes back to the general fund.”

Foley said her budget is “spent on community causes. I’m giving back the taxpayers their money. I’m

spending money on gaps in funding for community support like parks, trees, theaters, workforce development, after-school programs, meals (for the needy) and community services.”

She pointed to a new cafe in Lions Park as an example.

“Now they have a cafe that will generate revenue with half going to the library,” Foley said. “And half to the park to support programming for the park. It’s a revenue generator and

it supports a small business.

The reason I funded that was because the city wasn’t going to build it otherwise.”

A skate park in the city was also aided by county funding, she said.

“The city would not have extended it without the extra funding,” Foley said.

“Our team works extremely hard on policy initiatives.

If I didn’t have policy staff to help me to navigate all of the federal, state and county bureaucracy for

sand replenishment as an example it would be impossible to do it all by myself. If I didn’t have staff I wouldn’t have been able to initiate a lot of the initiatives we now have, like the climate action plan.... They don’t understand how it works.” Foley added, “My staff — every single person on my team — is working very hard every day doing substantive policy that is making substantive changes. I couldn’t do it without them.”

Orange County board tentatively approves $10.5B budget

The county “must be prepared to make additional reductions” if there is a shortfall in state and federal funding, Aguirre said.

“Simply put we have exhausted all resources available, but we are resilient,” Aguirre said.

The county has spent about $133 million settling 1,269 claims from the October 2024 Airport Fire that was accidentally sparked by the Orange County Public Works Department. On Tuesday, the supervisors unanimously approved $22,652,373 to settle claims from 35 families, and $2.75 million for another claim.

The Board of Supervisors signaled hope that District Attorney Todd Spitzer will find a way to keep funding the Orange County Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership, which provides a variety of programs to encourage youths to avoid becoming involved in gangs.

Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento suggested Sheriff

By City News Service

Don Barnes consider defer spending $9 million on new equipment.

Board Chairman Doug Chaffee suggested defunding the Office of Independent Review and appeared to have support for that until county officials said that refunding it would take a fourth-fifths super majority.

Chaffee said the Office of Independent Review, which doesn’t have a director, is “a toothless tiger on a leash and the leash goes back to the

board.”

Chaffee said the office created in 2019 to oversee law enforcement has lacked any authority without subpoena power.

“It’s been window dressing since I’ve been here. It hasn’t done its job,” Sarmiento said. “All it does is report back to us and that’s all the function it has. I don’t see it providing a real benefit... I’d like to see it come back with some authority.”

Board also approved

putting $3.7 million recovered from the corruption case involving former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do into the discretionary fund for First District. Supervisor Janet Nguyen, who will have to return to the board for approval of how to spend any of the funds.

The general fund budget, which offers the most flexibility, is projected at $5.2 billion, down from the current fiscal year’s $5.4 billion. The remainder of the budget is generally restricted by law, limiting the county’s ability to adjust how those funds are used.

The county does not intend to lay off employees after 314 positions that were vacant have been deleted.

The county expects general purpose revenue of $1.3 billion, $63.6 million more than the current budget. That’s mostly due to a $57.6 million increase in property taxes.

Officials expect 4.5% growth in general fund

property tax revenue over the current fiscal year.

The one-half cent public safety sales tax revenue is projected to be $439 million, which is a 2.7% increase, or $11.4 million, compared to this fiscal year.

Proposition 172 sales tax revenue allots 80%, or $351.2 million to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and 20%, or $87.8 million to the District Attorney’s Office. Revenue from the state for “realignment” is projected at $890.6 million and includes $642.3 million for public safety and social services, $237.4 million for health, mental health and social services and $10.9 million for juvenile justice. That revenue is down 5.7%, or $53.9 million over last year.

Overall, the county is expected to spend $253.2 million less compared to this year.

The supervisors expect to vote on the final version of the budget June 23.

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DBecerra, Hilton bound for November faceoff after Southland appearances

emocrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton will face each other in November’s race for governor after both made campaign stops in the Southland.

Becerra visited Mercado La Paloma Tuesday in downtown Los Angeles, speaking with merchants, chatting with diners and posting for photos.

“We know we’re in (the runoff), so we’re going to get out there and continue to talk to people the way we did during the primary,” Becerra told reporters. “And we hope that folks stay engaged and that we have an even bigger turnout for the November general election.”

Becerra said he knew the possibility of low voter turnout was a concern going into last week’s primary election, but said, “I think at the end of the day, it’s going to be a decent result.”

“We still want to get more people coming out, but it’s good to see that the reason it is taking a while for the count to be completed is because a lot of folks ended up voting, and so we’re happy about that,” he said.

Hilton held a news conference Tuesday morning outside the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/ County Clerk’s Office in Norwalk, primarily to discuss his call for changes in the election and vote-counting process in California.

At the time, he held off on declaring victory in his effort to secure the second spot in the November runoff.

“In this campaign, as I pointed out last night, we always had a policy that we would wait for the official call of the race from the AP (Associated Press). That is what we are waiting for. We do not know when that will happen ... so we’re not popping the champagne yet.”

As it turned out, the AP called the race for Hilton late Tuesday afternoon when the Secretary of State’s Office issued its latest vote-counting update.

That count showed

Becerra leading the field of gubernatorial candidates with 2,327,237 votes, or 27.9%. Hilton was in second place with 2,076,863 votes, or 24.9%

Billionaire Democrat

Tom Steyer was in third place with 1,883,592 votes, or 22.6%.

“What an incredible honor to be chosen by Californians to lead the movement for change in the greatest state in the greatest nation on Earth,” Hilton said in a statement late Tuesday after the updated returns were released. “There’s

nowhere better than California. But a majority of Californians -- 56% in a recent poll -- believe our state is on the wrong track and needs change. That is the majority we will now have the honor of leading to victory in November, and I can’t wait to get started on the most high-energy campaign this state has ever seen.”

Steyer issued a statement Tuesday evening conceding defeat.

“I have always been an optimist, and today, I remain an optimist,” he said in part.

“Nothing this campaign

fought for is far off. These dreams we dreamt together are not too big. Californians deserve a life they can afford, and they deserve for it to be in California. My commitment to this fight didn’t start last November, and it doesn’t end today. Because the work of winning a better, fairer California is not the work of a campaign. It is the work of my life.”

During his news conference in Norwalk, Hilton again called for changes in how California conducts its elections, expressing dismay at the length of the ballot-counting process. While insisting he has not seen any obvious evidence of massive voter fraud in the election, Hilton called for implementation of voter ID rules in California to ensure fair elections. He urged Becerra to join him in campaigning in support of voter ID, which would require voters to show legal identification to cast a ballot. Proponents of such a system insist it will prevent fraud and ensure every ballot cast is legitimate. Opponents, however, say such a rule would disenfranchise many voters who do not have a valid government ID or passport -- affecting primarily lower-income voters, minorities, the disabled and the elderly.

Victims of SoCal mortgage fraud scheme to receive refunds

By City News Service

Morethan1,800 consumers who were victims of a Southern California-basedmortgage fraud scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic will soon receive refunds totaling nearly $3 million.

Golden Home Services, also known as Home Matters USA, falsely promised to reduce homeowners’ mortgage payments and prevent foreclosures, according to the Federal Trade Commission and the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation.

U.S. District Judge Fernando Aenlle-Rocha issued an order in 2024 in Los Angeles federal court banning the operators of the companies from the telemarketing and debt relief businesses and required them

to pay millions of dollars in penalties and restitution.

The court found that the defendants falsely promised to reduce homeowners’ mortgage payments and prevent foreclosures, defrauding distressed homeowners out of millions of dollars.

The scheme harmed more than 3,000 people nationwide, particularly elders and veterans, the FTC said.

“This case shows what’s possible when state and federal partners work together with purpose to crack down on fraud, hold bad actors accountable, and deliver justice for victims,”

Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement provided by DFPI.

“I’m grateful for the work of our Department of Financial Protection and Innovation

and for their continued commitment to protecting Californians.”

Court papers show the scheme used over a dozen business names, including Golden Home Services, Academy Home Services, and Home Matters USA.

The scammers operated telemarketing call centers and used them to contact distressed homeowners, leading them to believe that their fraudulent programs were associated with federal COVID-19 and mortgage relief programs, prosecutors said.

The FTC said it was currently mailing refund checks to affected homeowners. Recipients should cash these checks within 90 days, as indicated on the check.

“We are pleased to be able

to give refunds to people who have been scammed out of their hard-earned money,”

DFPI Commissioner Khalil

Ssaid. “We will continually pursue all avenues to prevent scammers from preying on and profit-

ing off Californians, including vulnerable homeowners trying to keep a roof over their families’ heads.”

Stormy weather? Powerful El Niño could mean wet SoCal winter

outhern California could be in for a particularly wet winter, with forecasters saying Thursday a potentially powerful El Niño in the Pacific Ocean, possibly ranking as one of the strongest in the past 75 years.

According to the National Weather Services’ Climate Prediction Center, aboveaverage surface temperatures have been recorded in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, and conditions favoring El Niño are expected to intensify in the coming months.

“There is a 63% chance of a very strong El Niño during November- January that would rank among the largest El Niño events in the

historical record going back to 1950,” forecasters said.

While it’s unclear exactly what that will mean for Southern California, it traditionally means dramatically increased precipitation in the region.

“Even very strong El Niño events do not lead to the expected impact everywhere, but stronger events can more significantly tilt the odds in favor of expected outcomes,” according to forecasters. “In summary, El Niño conditions are present and expected to strengthen into the Northern Hemisphere winter 2026-27.”

Typical impacts of El Niño generally include stormier weather in the southern United States

By City News Service

-- meaning more rain and snow. It also can lead to increased risk of flooding during high tides on the West Coast. Harmful algae blooms are also a potential effect on the West Coast.

According to the NWS, El Niño generally leads to a southern shift of the jet stream over the northern Pacific Ocean, resulting in drier conditions in areas such as the Northern Rockies and the Ohio and Tennessee valleys. But it brings stormier conditions to the southern regions.

“Every El Niño is not the same; each one is unique with its own imprint on our weather,” Ken Graham, NWS director, said in a statement. “Advanced monitoring and an improved understanding of El

allow

A US senator pushed to cut firefighting aircraft inspections the same month his former company failed one

By Abe Streep for ProPublica, Co-published with Re:Public

This story was originally published by ProPublica. ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for Dispatches, a newsletter that spotlights wrongdoing around the country, to receive their stories in your inbox every week.

Alittle over a year ago, Sen.TimSheehy floated an audacious proposal to reshape the way the federal government fights wildfires. It called for expanding the use of private planes and helicopters to quickly attack blazes while also eliminating the U.S. Forest Service’s rigorous airworthiness inspections for those aircraft.

The idea stood to benefit Sheehy, a Montana Republican, personally. Before running for Congress, he founded and ran an aerial firefighting company called Bridger Aerospace, which is known for its scoopers, aircraft built to retrieve water from lakes or oceans and drop it onto fires. Since 2021, the Forest Service has paid Bridger more than $235 million for use of its scoopers, according to public records.

Sheehy’s ownership of Bridger is well known, but what hasn’t been reported is that the same month the proposal leaked, a Forest Service inspector had discovered a crack in a wing of an aircraft Bridger had presented as ready for service. The scooper had failed the very inspection Sheehy sought to eliminate.

Forest Service inspectors have flagged problems with Bridger’s scoopers for years, according to sources and documents obtained by ProPublica under the Freedom of Information Act. The records were heavily redacted by the agency, including the problem that the inspector discovered last April. But a former government official with direct knowledge of the inspection told ProPublica it had revealed a crack in a wing. “It was a big crack,” the official said. Other experts said that kind of finding is rare and could have proved catastrophic.

“Very seldom do you find a crack in a major component,” said Paul Markowitz, a former national aviation maintenance manager for the Forest Service. Detecting such problems is the reason the Forest Service operates an airworthiness program, he added: “It’s to keep people alive.”

Veteran fire officials noted that Sheehy’s proposals would eliminate costly oversight of the company he founded and others like it while increasing spending on aerial firefighting. At the

time the document leaked, he owned Bridger stock worth between $13 million and $15 million.

Within the Forest Service, the company was known to resist oversight, officials told ProPublica.

Five current and former Forest Service officials say Bridger Aerospace has chafed at the agency’s rigorous inspections, even as records and sources indicate the company has presented aircraft in need of maintenance and repairs as ready to fight fires. The sources asked not to be named for fear of reprisal.

Bridger did not answer questions about the failed inspection but said in a statement, “Safety is the bedrock of our company, and we spare no expense.” It added, “Our investment in maintenance and training runs into the tens of millions annually and reflects the high safety standard we believe this work demands.”

Bridger’s aircraft have never been involved in a crash, according to records maintained by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Sheehy’s office did not respond to interview requests. But he has been open about his frustration with the Forest Service’s inspections and contended that Bridger’s scoopers, because they are built to fight fire, require less oversight than other firefighting aircraft that were originally designed for other purposes.

In response to detailed questions about Sheehy’s role in reshaping the fire service, a spokesperson for the senator said he stands by his efforts to eliminate Forest Service inspections. The process is “a relic of a bygone era and has become an unnecessary barrier to asset availability,” the spokesperson said in an email. The spokesperson also said that Sheehy has no conflict of interest because he has since moved his assets into blind trusts, adding, “The senator will continue to be adversarial toward anyone protecting a broken status quo that has allowed cities to burn to the ground.”

Former Forest Service officials say it’s common for companies to complain about inspections. What sets Bridger apart is its connection to a senator who is seeking to change

how wildfire aviation is managed. A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Forest Service, did not answer questions about Sheehy’s relationship with the agency.

Last June, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing agencies to consolidate their wildland fire programs, an idea Sheehy and others have long favored. The order left Forest Service inspections in place. But as fire officials discuss consolidation, an influential industry group that Sheehy helped shape is advocating for ending them.

The United Aerial Firefighters Association was launched in 2022, with Sheehy serving as a founding board member. The group now wants to allow contractors to develop their own inspection standards.

“Industry inspects itself all the time. Industry inspects automobiles. Industry inspects baby formula,” said Tiffany Taylor, UAFA’s senior policy director. “Why can’t we be inspecting ourselves?”

Contractors like Bridger own the vast majority of aircraft that the federal government uses to fight wildfires. In 2022, the last year for which data is available, only 5% of the Forest Service’s flight hours for firefighting came from aircraft it owns. Regardless of their ownership, aircraft must be inspected

NTSB said the accident was caused by unidentified wing cracking.

Since 2010, when the Forest Service implemented its current airworthiness program, the accident rate for aircraft it owns or contracts has plummeted. Between 1993 and 2010, it reported 85 accidents that killed 63 people — an average of nearly four deaths per year. Between 2011 and 2023, the last year for which data is available, the agency reported just 17 accidents and seven fatalities.

Inspectors examine everything from the fuselage to the altimeter. When they find problems, they require the contractor to make changes before they issue a certifying document known as a card. In a separate procedure, inspectors issue cards to contractors’ pilots.

before flying. That job falls to about 25 aviation safety inspectors, most of whom work for the Forest Service.

The Federal Aviation Administration certifies aircraft but does not conduct regular inspections. The agency instead relies on companies to ensure their planes and helicopters are airworthy. Even when the FAA performs inspections, fire officials and contractors say, they do not account for the stresses inflicted by steering aircraft through wildfires. “The Forest Service is way more in-depth,” said Britt Coulson, president of Coulson Aviation, a prominent air tanker contractor.

Forest Service officials often say the agency’s rules governing aviation are written in blood. A pair of shocking crashes in 2002 ignited the push for more rigorous inspections. That June, an air tanker was dropping retardant in California when its wings folded upward, like a bird in flight, and detached. The plane burst into flames and fell to the ground. The harrowing moment was caught on video. Three people onboard were killed, and the NTSB later attributed the accident to undetected cracks in one of the plane’s wings. One month later, in Colorado, another tanker contracted by the Forest Service crashed after a wing separated from the fuselage. Two pilots were killed. Once again, the

holding the damn thing together,” said Markowitz.

According to Sheehy’s account, in 2020, the Forest Service’s airworthiness chief at the time, John Nelson, insisted that Bridger’s scoopers meet an updated standard of maintenance and inspection. Sheehy was extremely upset. “Unfortunately, the relationship between industry and the USFS Airworthiness Branch is at an all-time low,” he wrote in his book. (Nelson did not respond to questions about Sheehy’s characterization.)

The next year, Bridger’s first scoopers received cards, allowing the government to pay for their use.

By 2018, Bridger had a modest fleet of surveillance aircraft, but Sheehy had bigger ambitions. According to Sheehy’s 2023 book, “Mudslingers: A True Story of Aerial Firefighting,” his brother, Matt, a Bridger co-founder, helped connect the company to the Blackstone Group, which invested a reported $150 million. Bridger used the funds to buy six scoopers from Viking Air. Sheehy wrote that the day of the first aircraft’s arrival in 2020 was “among the proudest of my life.”

In his book, he described that aircraft as a “brand new” model CL-415 but according to FAA records and aviation experts, this was inaccurate. The records show Bridger’s first scooper was built in 1985 and that it is in fact a precursor to the CL-415 model. Viking Air is now part of a larger company called De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited. A De Havilland spokesperson declined to comment about the aircraft’s age.

Records also show that Bridger’s first scooper had undergone extensive repairs before the company bought it. The skin of the fuselage had cracked from stress, and both wings had been repaired. One repair, done in 2012, fixed a crack in the left spar — a load-bearing beam extending outward from the fuselage. Experts say any repair to a wing spar is significant. “A spar is what’s

By 2023, the company had six contracted scoopers. Inspectors soon found more problems with the aircraft, according to the records. In January 2024, Bridger presented its first scooper as ready for service, only to have a Forest Service inspector find issues with the engine and electronics. The problems and reasons for the failed inspection were redacted in documents obtained by ProPublica. The scooper received its card the next month.

According to experts who examined the Bridger inspection records at ProPublica’s request, these issues are common in the aerial firefighting fleet. But they said it’s extraordinary for inspectors to find a problem like the one identified last spring.

In early April 2025, Bridger presented two scoopers for carding, saying they were ready for service. During one of these assessments, a Forest Service inspector found a crack in a wing.

The Forest Service records show that Bridger completed a repair in Montana by April 18. Within a week, both aircraft had been cleared for flight. Bridger did not answer specific questions about the repair. In a statement, the company said, “For a 30,000pound aircraft that skims bodies of water repeatedly at 100 mph to scoop 11,700 pounds of water in 12 seconds, regular maintenance and periodic repairs are an inherent part of the job.” The company added, “We welcome the rigorous

ASanta Monica HS grad to command NASA’s next Artemis mission

Santa Monica High School graduate is set to command NASA’s Artemis III mission, the first planned crewed lunar landing of the Artemis program and a key step in the agency’s long-term effort to establish a sustained human presence on the moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars.

NASA announced Tuesday that veteran astronaut and former International Space Station commander Randy Bresnik, who was born in Kentucky but considers Santa Monica his home, will lead the four-person crew when the mission launches from Cape Canaveral next year.

The Artemis III mission will test the rendezvous and docking capabilities of lunar landers being developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin.

The mission will build on the Artemis II flight

conducted in April, during which four astronauts circled the moon, traveling farther from Earth than any previous space mission.

“Artemis III will demonstrate the power of American innovation and international partnership as we test complex rendezvous and docking operations and advance the technologies that will one day carry us deeper into the solar system,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement announcing the four crew members of Artemis III.

“This mission will require the most awe-inspiring coordination of heavy-lift rocket launches in history, drawing on the talent and capability of teams across government and the spaceflight community. The Artemis III astronauts, alongside ESA (European Space Agency) and our international

certification process.”

But the relatively quick repair was not a reflection of the severity of the issue.

Gil Elmy, a former Forest Service official who wrote the agency’s aircraft inspector guide, said such a finding “should not happen.” Markowitz said the finding evoked an uncomfortable historical echo. The 2002 crash, which was caught on camera and precipitated the Forest Service’s reckoning and its modern airworthiness program, was caused by unidentified wing cracking.

As Bridger’s scooper was being repaired, officials in the wildland fire community were responding to a proposal from the senator’s office that would have ended the airworthiness program. In March 2025, Sheehy asked Brooke Rollins, the secretary of the Department of Agriculture, to stop the inspections, and in midApril, a draft executive order that proposed eliminating them leaked from his Senate office. Metadata showed the draft had been edited by one of Sheehy’s policy advisers at the time as well as a lobbyist for Bridger. The United Aerial Firefighting Association also shaped the

draft.

“Senator Sheehy’s office circulated a living, breathing document to members of congress, outside policy experts, and industry stakeholders on ways to improve the way we fight fire in this country,” wrote Sheehy’s spokesperson.

When Sheehy resigned from Bridger in July 2024 to run for the Senate, he owned 21% of the company, making him its largest individual shareholder. Four months after taking office, in May 2025, he moved most of his stock into two revocable blind trusts, claiming they eliminated any conflict of interest he might have.

But the trusts appear to be managed by executives at Tallgrass, an energy infrastructure company that until March was run by Sheehy’s brother, Matt, who was also a significant early investor in Bridger. Neither Matt Sheehy nor representatives for Tallgrass responded to questions about the trusts. In an email, a spokesperson for the senator did not dispute the Tallgrass executives’ stewardship but pointed out that the Senate Select Committee on Ethics had vetted the

By City News Service

partners, and the tens of thousands of the best and brightest across the agency and industry, are ushering in a new Golden Age of exploration carrying forward the hopes and dreams of the next generation just as the Apollo astronauts did for so many of us.”

Bresnik graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1985 and served in the Marine Corps, reaching the rank of colonel. He then went on to earn degrees at The Citadel in South Carolina and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

He is a veteran astronaut, having flown on the space shuttle Atlantis and serving as commander aboard the International Space Station. He has more than 32 hours of spacewalk experience.

His father, Albert, lives in Santa Monica.

Another of the Artemis III crew members announced

Firefighters

trusts. The spokesperson wrote, “Senator Sheehy’s blind trusts are completely independent — he has no control over them.”

According to Cynthia Brown, senior ethics counsel at the nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a decision to entrust stock to such close associates undermines the purpose of a blind trust, which is to ensure that a lawmaker’s investments are independently managed.

In an email, Brown said, “Selecting a family member’s company appears to do that exact thing that the rules mean to prohibit.”

Since last spring, Sheehy has said little about airworthiness inspections. But he has pushed other policies that would increase business opportunities for aviation companies, such as requiring a response within 30 minutes to all wildfires on federal land. At the same time, he has driven an agenda that could debilitate his longtime foe, the Forest Service.

In statements, on podcasts and in the New York Times opinion section, he has advocated for a single national fire service. And at

almost every turn — including in proposed legislation — he has insisted that the Forest Service’s vast wildfire apparatus be moved within the Department of the Interior’s smaller operation. It would hollow out the Forest Service, which draws more than half its budget from fire operations. “It would be a fatal wound,” said Doug Crandall, the agency’s former legislative affairs director.

There are inefficiencies in a fire aviation system spread between agencies. The rush for a couple dozen inspectors to certify hundreds of planes and helicopters before wildfire season can cause delays, temporarily grounding aircraft and cutting into contractors’ revenues. And the agencies have sometimes required duplicative inspections.

But even officials and firefighting labor advocates who support consolidation, which requires congressional approval, have questioned why Interior should absorb the Forest Service’s fire program. Some liken it to forcing a minnow to swallow a whale. The Forest Service employs about twice as many full-time wildland

firefighters as the Interior Department, and it spends at least three times more on aviation contracting. It is also responsible for the vast majority of inspections. According to a recent organizational chart reviewed by ProPublica, only five aviation safety inspectors currently work for the Interior Department.

Bridger carries significant debt and in 2024 warned shareholders that it had “substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.” But last year, the company reported a profit for the first time since going public. It also purchased two more scoopers and predicted that efforts to unify fire agencies “could increase contracting opportunities for private aerial providers.”

In another recent filing, Bridger said, “the legislative and policy environment has never been more aligned with our mission.”

Last year, six Forest Service aviation safety inspectors resigned or retired, according to the agency. The recent organizational chart reviewed by ProPublica shows the same number of positions remain unfilled, representing more

than 20% of Forest Service aviation safety inspector jobs. It’s unclear what would happen to the rest of the inspectors if the Interior Department were to absorb the Forest Service’s fire operations. In an emailed statement, Adam Mendonca, the Forest Service’s deputy director of fire and aviation management, said the agency “has no intention to change our aircraft inspection standards,” adding that it was “working closely with the Department of the Interior to streamline aviation operations.”

In late March, the Forest Service announced a dramatic reorganization that will move its headquarters to Salt Lake City. The Department of Agriculture reiterated the administration’s desire to fold the Forest Service’s fire operations into the Interior Department. By that point, blazes had ignited in the Midwest. With the arrival of fire season, the Forest Service’s airworthiness inspectors performed their close examinations. At hangars across the country, they looked for cracks. Republished with Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).

Los Angeles kicks off World Cup week with events

By City News Service

Ahead of the United States’ match against Paraguayopening its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign Friday, Los Angeles officials on Tuesday began a week of events marking the start of the tournament and highlighting preparations for the FIFA Fan Festival at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Host Committee held its Official Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Kickoff Party Tuesday at the Coliseum’s 1923 Club Rooftop Deck overlooking the site of the FIFA Fan Festival.

The event was emceed by Kevin Frazier of “Entertainment Tonight” and was expected to draw soccer legends, celebrity ambassadors, business leaders, civic officials and supporters of the local organizing effort, according to the committee.

On Wednesday, members of the media were invited to an exclusive preview of the FIFA Fan Festival Los Angeles, which was held Thursday through Sunday at the Coliseum during the opening days of the World Cup.

Officials said the Wednesday event included a guided tour of the festival site, previews of fan activations and entertainment areas, a food and beverage showcase, merchandise displays and interview opportunities with organizers.

“The FIFA Fan Festival will be the heartbeat of the FIFA World Cup experience in Los Angeles,” Kathryn Schloessman, CEO of the Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Host Committee, said in an earlier statement. “From the live matches and headline music performances to the food, culture and community celebrations, this will be the place where fans come together to experience the excitement and global spirit of the tournament throughout opening

week.”

Organizers said the festival also featured appearances by FIFA World Cup 2026 mascots Maple, Zayu and Clutch, along with family-oriented attractions and interactive exhibits.

Officials said the FIFA Fan Festival was expected to serve as Los Angeles’ central public gathering place for World Cup fans. The four-day event that began Thursday featured live match broadcasts, musical performances, fan activations, international food offerings and cultural programming.

Scheduled performers included Steve Aoki, Normani, Deorro, Sickick, Los Lobos, Capital Cities and DJ Ravidrums. Organizers said tickets are $10, while children 12 and younger will be admitted free.

Festival highlights were expected to include a Thursday watch party for Mexico’s match against South Africa, along with performances by Los Lobos and Deorro. On Friday, fans were able to watch the United States face Paraguay while Steve Aoki and DJ Ravidrums perform.

Capital Cities was scheduled to perform Saturday, while Sickick and Normani were slated to appear Sunday.

Other opening-week events included the FIFA Countdown Concert on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena, part of a synchronized celebration linking Los Angeles, Toronto and Mexico City ahead of the tournament. The Los Angeles show was scheduled to feature Diplo’s Major Lazer, Davido and Ava Max.

Adidas also launched its “Home of Soccer” activation Thursday at BMO Stadium. The free event included a public watch party for the World Cup opening match between Mexico and South Africa, activities tied to Adidas’ nationwide adiCup

youth tournament and a second watch party for South Korea’s match against the Czech Republic.

The day concluded with performances by Noodles and Grammy-winning singersongwriter Peso Pluma, according to organizers.

A series of official Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zones will operate throughout the tournament, according to organizers:

-- The Original Farmers Market, June 18-21;

-- the city of Downey, June 20;

-- Union Station, June 25-28;

-- Hansen Dam Lake, July 2-5;

-- Earvin “Magic” Johnson Park, July 4-5;

-- Whittier Narrows, July 9-11;

-- Venice Beach, July 10-11;

-- Fairplex in Pomona, July 14-15 and July 18-19;

-- West Harbor in San Pedro, July 14-15 and July 18-19; and

-- downtown Burbank, July 18-19.

Officials encouraged fans to review the full schedule of events, match listings, transportation options and “Know Before You Go” information by visiting losangelesfwc26. com.

World Cup-related events also were scheduled throughout Southern California during opening week.

On Thursday, Ovation Hollywood, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., launched its World Cup watch party series with a free public viewing of Mexico’s match against South Africa beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the Ovation Hollywood Courtyard.

Also Thursday, Los Angeles County Beaches and Harbors hosted a free viewing party beginning at 11 a.m. at Burton Chace Park, 13650 Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey. The event featured broadcasts of the World Cup

opening ceremony, Mexico vs. South Africa and South Korea vs. the Czech Republic, along with food trucks, arts and crafts, lawn games, a photo booth and live entertainment.

On Friday, Santa Monica Place, 395 Santa Monica Place, hosted a free USA Kick Off Celebration from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. featuring broadcasts of Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United States vs. Paraguay, along with DJs, games, giveaways, food vendors and fan activities.

Pride House Los Angeles/ West Hollywood presented “Celebramos la Cultura Latina” beginning at 4 p.m. Friday at Beaches Tropicana,

8911 Santa Monica Blvd.

The event featured a watch party for the United StatesParaguay match, live entertainment and performances celebrating Latin culture and LGBTQ+ pride.

At 4 p.m. Friday, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, the Consulate General of Paraguay in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Parks Foundation and Street Food Cinema were scheduled to host “Fútbol for the People” at the Autry Museum of the American West, 4700 Western Heritage Way in Griffith Park.

The free event included food vendors, games and a large-screen broadcast of the United States-Paraguay match.

Additional Friday watch parties were scheduled throughout the region, including a 4:30 p.m. event at the Carson Event Center, 801 E. Carson St.; a 4:30 p.m. viewing at Ovation Hollywood in Hollywood; a 5 p.m. viewing party at Burton Chace Park in Marina del Rey; a 5 p.m. “One Nation Under Gol” celebration at Duarte Sports Park, 1401 Central Ave.; and a 5 p.m. community watch party at Veterans Memorial Park, 4117 Overland Ave. in Culver City. All featured live broadcasts of the United StatesParaguay match along with food, entertainment or family-oriented activities.

Nick Reiner seeks trust funds to help pay for criminal case defense

By City News Service

Nick Reiner is seeking access to his more than $1.5 million trust fund to help pay for his defense against charges in his parents’ double homicide, according to multiple news organizations.

Attorneys for Nick Reiner, 32, filed a 136-page petition in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday seeking access to his trust, which he, reportedly,

was supposed to begin receiving two years ago. The petition says that Nick Reiner has been denied access despite “unambiguous instructions” left by his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, on how to disburse the funds in the trust that was established in 1993, multiple news organizations reported.

“Nick loved his parents, and he is devastated by their deaths,” the petition states,

according to numerous reports. “But the facts about what did and did not happen to them are not at issue in this trust litigation,” the document further states, according to reports by news organizations that have copies of the petition.

The trust was established as part of the Reiners’ estate plan, but is separate from the larger family trust that

includes the estate’s assets, according to the petition, which further states that each of the Reiners’ three children has an independent trust for their individual benefit, including Nick Reiner’s siblings.

According to the petition, Nick Reiner was entitled to half of the trust when he turned 30 and should receive the remainder when

he turns 35 — distributions his attorneys, reportedly, say are mandatory and unconditional.

“They were a commitment by Nick’s parents, in the most binding way the law of trusts allows, that these resources would belong to Nick for his use and benefit,” the petition states, according to multiple news accounts.

A hearing is set for Aug.

17. Nick Reiner has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder in connection with his parents’ killings in December. Authorities say renowned director Rob Reiner, 78, and photographer and movie producer Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home. Their son was arrested hours later.

Arcadia City Notices

ERICKSON-HALL CONSTRUCTION CO. HAS BEEN SELECTED AS THE LEASE-LEASEBACK CONTRACTOR FOR THE ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL ITERM WEIGHT ROOM PROJECT

Scope of work to include: The complete removal and relocation of an existing modular weight room building, including all associated site work, infrastructure, and hardscape improvements.

This project requires prequalification, due by (6/11/26) EOD, for HOLDING C-4, C-7, C-10, C-16, C-20, C-34, C-36, C-38, C-42, C-43 or C-46 licenses.

Prequalification Deadline: 6/11/2026

Job Walk Date: Tuesday 6/16/2026 @ 7:00 AM RFI’s due: 6/17/2026

Bid Date: 6/25/2026 @ 2:00 PM

Lead Estimator: Nick Verdis

Project Address: 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91006

Bid Documents can be obtained by visiting our BuildingConnected Portal or by contacting planroom@ericksonhall.com

All bids are to be submitted via Building Connected

This project requires Prevailing Wage, Skilled & Trained Workforce

This project requires Prequalification, due by (6/11/26) EOD, for HOLDING C-4, C-7, C-10, C-16, C-20, C-34, C-36, C-38, C-42, C-43 or C-46 licenses. Prequalification application available through http://www.qualitybidders.com

If you are planning to bid this project, we encourage your participation and welcome your bid. All qualified bidders will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Erickson-Hall Construction Company requires all subcontractors submitting bids in excess of $50,000 to be prepared to furnish performance and payment bonds issued by a corporate security. Erickson-Hall Construction Company, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to waive this requirement or permit substitute security or alternate guarantees. We offer assistance in obtaining necessary equipment, supplies materials, bonds, lines of credit and insurance.

Erickson-Hall Construction provides notice to all contractors of the adoption of SB 854, this requires subcontractors to comply with the requirements as set forth on the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) website at http://www.dir.ca.gov/Public-Works/publicworks.html. SB 854 requires all contractors who perform public works projects must be registered with the Department of Industrial Relations. No contractor or subcontractor may be listed on a bid proposal for a public works project (submitted on or after, unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code section 1725.5).

Publisj June 8 & June 15, 2026

ARCADIA WEEKLY

Rosemead City Notices

CITY OF ROSEMEAD

NOTICE INVITING BIDS NIB No. 2026-06

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the CITY OF ROSEMEAD, California, will receive sealed bids at the City Clerk’s office, City Hall, 8838 Valley Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770 up to 02:00 P.M. on July 1st, 2026

FY 25-26 ANNUAL PAVEMENT REHABILITATION PROJECT NO. 21850, 21034, & 24009

The project consists of cold-mill and overly of existing AC Roadway Pavement, cold-mill and overlay of existing AC Alleyway Pavement, Constructing quick set emulsion aggregate slurry Type II (cationic) with 2 ½ percent latex additive, adjusting manhole covers, water valve covers, water meter covers and gas covers to grade. The project also consists of concrete improvements to be made within the roadway segments that will be resurfaced including removal and replacement of broken curb and gutter, roadway spandrels, etc., per bid schedule. Project also includes removal and replacement of raised pavement markers, and roadway striping as well as miscellaneous work for parking lot improvements at Garvey Center and Zapopan Park as indicated on the construction plans, including other incidental and appurtenant work necessary for the proper

LEGALS

completion of the project as indicated in the appendix and other related work as described in the plans and specifications.

The engineer’s estimate for this project is in the range of $3,600,000. The successful bidder shall have FORTY (40) working days to complete the work. Liquidated damages shall be $500.00 per calendar day.

Copies of the Bidding and Contract Documents, Plans and Specifications can be obtained from the City’s PlanetBid portal. Contractors can register as a vendor and download the documents by visiting the PlanetBid Portal (https://pbsystem.planetbids.com/ portal/54150/portal-home). Hard copy of the bid package will not be mailed.

SB 854 Requirements: This project is subject to the requirements of SB 854. No prime contractor or subcontractor may be listed on a bid proposal for a public works project unless registered and qualified with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code section 1725.5. No prime contractor or subcontractor may be awarded a contract for public work on a public works project unless registered and qualified with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code section 1725.5. This project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations. The bid proposal must include a print out from the DIR registration website showing that the prime contractor and each subcontractor is currently registered and qualified. No bid proposals will be accepted nor any contract entered into with a prime contractor without proof of registration as required above. [Unless within the limited exceptions from this requirement for bid proposals only under Labor Code Section 1771.1(a)]

Each bid must be accompanied by a bidder’s security in an amount not less than 10% of the amount of the bid, as a guarantee that the bidder will, if awarded the Contract, enter into a satisfactory agreement and provide a Performance Bond and a Payment Bond, each not less than 100% of the total amount of the bid price.

No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of sixty-one (61) days after the above bid opening date.

The CITY OF ROSEMEAD will affirmatively ensure the disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, disability, sex or national origin in the consideration for an award.

Any contract entered into pursuant to this notice will incorporate the provisions of the State Labor Code. Compliance with the prevailing rates of wage and apprenticeship employment standards established by the State Director of Industrial Relations will be required.

CARB Requirements – The California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) implemented amendments to the InUse Off-Road DieselFueled Fleets Regulations (“Regulation”) which are effective on January 1, 2024, and apply broadly to all self-propelled off road diesel vehicles 25 horsepower or greater and other forms of equipment used in California. A copy of the Regulation is available at the following link https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/barcu/regact/2022/off-roaddiesel/appa-1.pdf. Bidders are required to comply with all CARB and Regulation requirements, including, without limitation, all applicable sections of the Regulation, as codified in Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations section 2449 et seq. throughout the duration of the Project. Bidders must provide, with their Bid, copies of Bidder’s and all listed subcontractors’ most recent, valid Certificate of Reported Compliance (“CRC”) issued by CARB. Failure to provide valid CRCs as required herein may render the Bid non-responsive.

Bidders shall be licensed in accordance with the provision of Chapter 9, Division 111 of the Business and Professions Code of the State of California. Bidder shall have a Class “A” license in good standing at the time Bids are received.

The Council reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive any informality, technical defect, or minor irregularity in any bid submitted.

An award of service shall not be final until the bids have been reviewed and a Contract Agreement with the City has been signed by the lowest responsible bidder and by the City.

Award of Contract Agreement is proposed for July 28th, 2026. All questions regarding this bid shall be submitted to the City’s portal on PlanetBids, no later than June 22nd, 2026.

Dated this June 8th, 2026

Ericka Hernandez City Clerk

Publish: June 8th & June 15th, 2026. ROSEMEAD READER

Probate Notices

NOTICE OF PETITION TO

ADMINISTER ESTATE OF MICHAEL J. ALEXANDER

Case No. 26STPB06103

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of MICHAEL J. ALEXANDER

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

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Myra Alexander 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 July 15, 2026 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 244 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:

DARRELL G BROOKE ESQ SBN 118071

THE BROOKE LAW GROUP PC 525 S MYRTLE AVE STE 204 MONROVIA CA 91016 CN127974 ALEXANDER Jun 11,15,18, 2026 MONROVIA WEEKLY

NOTICE OF AMENDED PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

JACK LEE JACKSON CASE NO. 24STPB02351

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the lost WILL or estate, or both of JACK LEE JACKSON.

AN AMENDED PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by PHIL YANG in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

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

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

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 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: 09/23/26 at 8:30AM in Dept. 240 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

DEBBY S. DOITCH, ESQ. - SBN 266731

JOSEPH A. CASTRO, ESQ. - SBN 329995

KJMLAW PARTNERS, PLC

301 E COLORADO BLVD., #600 PASADENA CA 91101

Telephone (626) 568-9300

6/11, 6/15, 6/18/26 CNS-4050596# ROSEMEAD READER

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: GRACE MEI WAH WONG AKA GRACE MEI-WAH WONG CASE NO. 26STPB06317 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of GRACE MEI WAH WONG AKA GRACE MEI-WAH WONG.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by JANET WONG KWAN in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that JANET WONG KWAN be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 07/10/26 at 8:30AM in Dept. 240 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

180 N. PENNSYLVANIA

Glendale City Notices

Sealed

assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: MICHAEL P FLATTERY ESQ SBN 80043 LAW OFFICES OF MICHAEL P FLATTERY

8730 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 310 BEVERLY HILLS CA 90211 CN127960 BOLES Jun 8,11,15, 2026 WEST COVINA PRESS

in the City of Glendale, California.

The work shall be done in accordance with Specification No. 4054 on file in the office of the City Clerk of the City of Glendale, where they may be examined copies

Bids shall be made in duplicate on the proposal form obtainable at the Office of the City Clerk.

Bidders are

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.)

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: PATRICK JOHN THOMAS CASE NO. 26STPB06195

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

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

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

Monterey Park City Notices

307-2500

NOTICE INVITING BIDS

SIERRA VISTA AND SERVICE CLUB DOOR REPLACEMENT

SPEC. NO. 2025-004

Contract Time: 10 Working Days; Liquidated Damages: $1,000 per working day.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

The project consists of removal of existing doors and installation of City purchased NABCO GT1175 slide door system and other related work as shown on the plans on file with the City’s Public Works Department. Prevailing wages required. A 10% Bidder’s Bond is required with bid. Successful contractor will be required to provide: (1) Liability insurance with City of Monterey Park as addition insured endorsement; (2) Proof of workers’ compensation insurance coverage; (3) 100% Faithful Performance, (4) 100% Labor and Material Bond, (5) DIR Registration, and (6) Federal Requirements Plans are available to download for a fee from QuestCDN; link on the City’s website www.montereypark.ca.gov/444/Bids-Proposals.

Bid Package Cost: $42.00.

Bid Due Date and Time: Bids will be received via the online electronic bid service, Quest Construction Data Network (QuestCDN), www.questcdn.com, until 10:00 AM, Thursday, June 25, 2026. Questions? Please call: Anthony Bendezu, Project Manager at (626) 307-1283.

Publish June 8, 15, 2026 MONTEREY PARK PRESS

Probate Notices

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF MAXINE MARIE BOLES

Case No. 26STPB06054

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

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Charles Leonard D’Attili in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Charles Leonard D’Attili 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 in-

terested 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 July 10, 2026 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 614 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

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: 07/09/26 at 8:30AM in Dept. 615B 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

TRYE LAW GROUP, PC

100 S. CITRUS AVE. STE 101 COVINA CA 91723

Telephone (626) 858-9378

BSC 228603

6/11, 6/15, 6/18/26 CNS-4050208# WEST COVINA PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

CONSUELO WILSON CASE NO. 26STPB05750

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of CONSUELO WILSON. A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by DENNIS J. WILSON in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that DENNIS J. WILSON be

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: 07/10/26 at 8:30AM in Dept. 217 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 CHARLES J. STAVELEY - SBN 298971 PABST AND STAVELEY 3436 N. VERDUGO RD., SUITE 220 GLENDALE CA 91208

Telephone (818) 957-8800 6/11, 6/15, 6/18/26 CNS-4049423# BURBANK INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF MARK A. ALVARADO, AKA MARK ANDREW ALVARADO CASE NO. 26STPB05975

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: MARK A. ALVARADO, AKA MARK ANDREW ALVARADO

A Petition for Probate has been filed by SAMANTHA WASULIK AND ROBERT V. ALVARADO, JR. in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

The Petition for Probate requests that SAMANTHA WASULIK AND ROBERT V. ALVARADO, 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.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court on 07/07/2026 at 8:30 am in Dept. 246 located at 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, Probate Division.

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 appear-

ance 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:

MELANIE C. HAIRE, ESQ., DRISCOLL ANDERSON REYNARD LLP, 402 WEST BROADWAY, SUITE 950, SAN DIEGO, CA 92101, Telephone: (619) 220-8688 6/11, 6/15, 6/18/26 CNS-4049497# BURBANK INDEPENDENT

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: ALMEDA BERRY AKA ALMEDA SMITH CASE NO. 26STPB06158

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of ALMEDA BERRY AKA ALMEDA SMITH.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by STEVEN SMITH BERRY in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that STEVEN SMITH BERRY 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: 07/07/26 at 8:30AM in Dept. 610 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

CHRISTOPHER B. JOHNSONSBN 173521

LAW OFFICES OF CHRISTOPHER B. JOHNSON

Telephone (888) 503-7615

6/11,

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

MARY C. ALMANZA

CASE NO. 24STPB09258

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of MARY C. ALMANZA. A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by CHRISTINA ERICKSON-TAUBE in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that CHRISTINA ERICKSON-TAUBE 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: 07/09/26 at 9:30AM in Dept. 217 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 ALEX R. BORDEN - SBN 180301 STEPHANIE CHAO - SBN 294712 1518 CRENSHAW BOULEVARD TORRANCE CA 90501 Telephone (310) 787-7577 6/11, 6/15, 6/18/26 CNS-4050687# BALDWIN PARK PRESS

NOTICE OF PETITION TO