Temple City Tribune_7/6/2026

These California trucking schools broke state laws — regulators couldn’t do anything about it

By Adam Echelman and Erica Yee, CalMatters

Whencommercial truckdriversare speedingdown California’shighwaysand interstates with thousands of pounds of cargo in tow, a single mistake can be catastrophic.

Yet California fails to regulate most of the schools that train truck drivers, allowing nearly 200 unlicensed schools to operate with effectively no oversight, according to a CalMatters analysis of state and federal records. And when the state has tried to use its limited authority to discipline schools for shortchanging students or flouting the law, its regulators are often powerless, according to the analysis.

Without regulatory oversight, industry experts say there is no way to know whether students coming out of those schools are

prepared to operate a big rig safely.

All aspiring truckers are required to attend specialized driving schools, where they study a dense curriculum — learning what to do, for instance, in the event of a skid or when the trailer swings out uncontrollably from the cab. Only then can they take the necessary exams at the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

Both the federal government and the state of California have systems for regulating trucking schools, making sure that they adhere to the curriculum, that the tuition costs are fair and that students are ultimately prepared to get behind the wheel of a truck.

But in California there is a loophole: Private trucking schools that charge students

$2,500 or less don’t need state licenses, effectively exempting them from oversight.

When the state has tried to discipline schools, some reduced their tuition to $2,500 or less, at which point they no longer needed to heed the state’s orders. Other schools just disregarded the state’s orders altogether, the analysis shows.

The state has “more limited” tools for pursuing disciplinary action against trucking schools once they claim an exemption, said Monica Vargas, a spokesperson for California’s Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, which is in charge of monitoring most private trade schools. She

said the bureau can fine schools for violations, but if they refuse to pay, the state has no additional leverage beyond sending the fine to a collections agency.

The bureau told the Legislature in a report last year that it gave licenses to 42 trucking schools. The total number of trucking schools could be roughly three times that, the bureau said, and Vargas later clarified that “exact numbers could not be known.”

To determine a more accurate estimate of schools, CalMatters used a federal database that lists all trucking schools, regardless of their tuition rate. But it’s not clear how accurate or comprehensive that list is. The federal government

Duarte council OKs deficit budget using reserve funds for park improvements

By Joe Taglieri joet@civicnewsgroup.com

Duarte’s 2026-27 budget totaling $41.7 million in total expenditures, includes $30.8 million in General Fund spending and $5.2 million for major upgrades at Duarte park, city officials announced Wednesday.

Officials projected a budget deficit of $4.5 million but noted strong reserve funds to cover the shortfall.

At the June 9 City Council meeting, members unanimously adopted the fiscal year 2026–27 operating budget, following months of planning by officials and public discussions. The budget process included the city’s Five-Year Capital Improvement Project Workshop held on April 14 and a Budget Workshop on May 5, where council members reviewed funding priorities, planned capital projects and assessed the city’s long-term financial outlook.

Thisyear’sbudget includes projected General Fund revenues totaling $26.3 million.

“The difference is primarily attributable to the City Council’s decision to invest $5.2 million in Duarte Park Phase II using available General Fund reserves,” according to the city’s announcement.

“Excluding this one-time capital investment, ongoing General Fund expenditures total approximately $25.6 million, reflecting the City’s continued commitment to responsible financial planning while investing in community priorities.”

The $5.2 million for park improvements will fund the second phase of the Duarte Park Revitalization Project, bringing a variety of new amenities to the park at

1344 Bloomdale St. Planned upgrades feature an inclusive playground, a basketball court, restrooms, dog park and a new parking lot.

Officials described the project as “a significant investment in the community’s health and quality of life.”

Mayor Tera Martin Del Campo said in a statement, “Duarte has long been known as the City of Health, and this investment reflects that commitment. The Duarte Park Revitalization Project will create new spaces for residents of all ages to play, exercise, gather, and enjoy the outdoors while ensuring we continue to manage the City’s finances responsibly for generations to come.”

According to the city, even with this significant spending on the park, the General Fund will maintain “a healthy reserve of $27 million,” representing 88% coverage of current-year spending. “This strong reserve positions Duarte to respond to future needs while maintaining longterm financial stability,” the statement said.

The 2026-27 budget also continues funding for the essential services that residents rely on daily, such as public safety services, street maintenance, parks and recreation programs, infrastructure improvements and other core services.

City Manager Brian Villalobos noted in a section of the budget document that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department contract for this fiscal year that began July 1 includes an estimated annual cost increase of 2.5%

Bugsy Siegel’s granddaughter seeks enforcement of alleged $15K accord with collector

By City News Service

Agranddaughterof Benjamin“Bugsy”

Siegel -- whose late sister sued a businessman, alleging memorabilia belonging to the onetime Las Vegas mobster was wrongfully sold to a bidder without her permission, despite a warning letter from her attorney warning that the sale was unauthorized -- is asking a judge to enforce the terms of a $15,000 settlement agreement reached in 2025.

Wendy Rosen’s attorney filed court papers with Los Angeles Superior Court Teresa A. Beaudet on June 22 in advance of a Feb. 9, 2027, hearing asking the judge to hold businessman Jay Bloom to his alleged promise to pay the money to the plaintiff. Bloom has two companies, Murder Inc. LLC and The Mafia Collection

LLC. Rosen said her late sister, Cindy Rosen, loaned the photos, clothing, home decor, home movies and handwritten letters and other collectibles to Bloom for his Las Vegas show, “The Mob Experience,” before it went bankrupt in 2011.

Wendy Rosen stepped in as the plaintiff in the case after her sibling died in November 2023. No cause of death was given in the later former plaintiff’s court papers.

According to Wendy Rosen’s attorney’s court papers, his client and Bloom settled the case in March 2025. However, Bloom has not honored the deal and judgment should now be entered in favor of Wendy Rosen of just over $40,500, which will include attorneys’ fees, her lawyer

argues in his pleadings.

The suit filed in February 2023 alleges the defendants’ actions caused Cindy Rosen

LASD has begun enforcing daylighting rules aimed at intersection safety

By City News Service

Parkingenforcement officers in Los Angeles County-patrolled areas have begun enforcing so-called “daylighting” laws aimed at making intersections safer for pedestrians, officials said Tuesday. Enforcement of the county’s nonconforming vehicle ordinance will also be enforced, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“The Daylighting Law prohibits parking within 20 feet of the approach side of a marked or unmarked crosswalk, or within 15

feet of the approach side of any crosswalk with a curb extension,” according to a sheriff’s department news release. “The purpose of the law is to improve visibility at intersections, making it easier for drivers to see pedestrians and for pedestrians to see approaching traffic.”

The law has been on the books since Jan. 1, 2025. As for the non-conforming vehicles ordinance of the vehicle code, certain oversized vehicles and others are only allowed to park in certain areas within

unincorporated parts of LA County.

It went into effect on March 3, 2026 and includes a provision to have vehicles towed.

Either violation carries a $63 fine. Owners of towed vehicles will also be responsible for the costs involved with having their vehicle removed and stored.

“LASD encourages motorists to take a few moments to familiarize themselves with these parking regulations before leaving their vehicles,” according to a department statement.

Rosen repeatedly asked Bloom to return her property after the bankruptcy, but the parties instead agreed in August 2020 to a $60,000 sale of the items.

The consummation of the sale was delayed by Bloom’s alleged poor communications and Rosen, who had significant health issues, obtained an agreement from Bloom in December 2021 to pay her the larger sum of $125,000, the suit stated.

Cindy Rosen advised Bloom that she wanted the memorabilia back if he could not pay and she later asked for $130,000 so as to include interest, the suit stated.

to lose a large sum of money that she hoped to use to pay her medical bills at the time.

According to the suit,

In April 2022, Bloom told Rosen that the items had been sold, but advised the plaintiff that she would still be paid, according to the suit, which further stated that the plaintiff learned

that Julien’s Auction House had obtained the memorabilia and planned to auction it on Bloom’s behalf.

Despite receiving a letter from Rosen’s lawyer warning Julien’s not to sell the items, the auction house did so anyway in August 2022, according to the suit.

“Bloom’s representation of himself as the rightful owner of the memorabilia, and Julien’s auctioning of the memorabilia, despite being on notice that it would be unlawful to do so, were deceitful and this conduct was undertaken with the intention of deceiving the public as to the true ownership of the memorabilia,” the suit stated.

Siegel was shot to death at age 41 in a Beverly Hills home in June 1947 and his killing remains unsolved.

LA Archdiocese begins Venezuela relief campaign following earthquakes

The Archdiocese of Los Angelesannounced Wednesdaythat parishes and Catholic schools throughout Los Angeles county will hold emergency collections during July to aid victims of the recent earthquakes in Venezuela.

The collections will support relief efforts following two powerful earthquakes that struck about 100 miles west of Caracas, causing widespread destruction, displacing thousands of people and damaging homes, schools, hospitals and other critical infrastructure, according to the archdiocese. Thousands of people are feared dead.

“The people of Venezuela need to know that the Church stands with them,” Sabrina Lopez, director of the Pontifical Mission Societies for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, said in a statement. “We ask the faithful throughout the Archdiocese to lift them up in prayer and to give generously so that families who have lost so much may find comfort, hope, and the support they need to rebuild their lives.”

The archdiocese also urged parishioners to pray for those who lost loved ones, people who were injured or displaced, first responders, relief workers and the local church serving affected communities.

Funds collected by parishes and schools will

By City News Service

truck before they can receive a license. Since 2022, federal law also requires trucking schools to teach a specific curriculum that involves learning the parts of a truck and ways to operate it safely.

Students at some exempt schools interviewed by CalMatters said they struggled to get time behind the wheel and that they often had to teach themselves.

Aramis Andrews told CalMatters he paid more than $3,000 to attend Premier Trucking School in Red Bluff, which is unlicensed. Andrews said the instructor expected him to teach himself online before attending class, after which he was promised 20 hours of behind-the-wheel practice. But when he showed up to the school, the instructor was upset that Andrews wasn’t more prepared and kicked him out of the program on the second day. “He (the instructor) wanted me to go to the school and already know everything and just drive around some and make sure I was good at it,” Andrews said. “I feel like it was just a scam to be honest.”

Joe German, the school’s owner, said he kicked Andrews out because he “didn’t take the course seriously.” German said he gave Andrews a refund for the remainder of the program, which Andrews disputes.

In December, the bureau fined Premier Trucking School $12,500 for operating without a license or a valid exemption. German said he paid the fine, though he denied any intentional wrongdoing. He said he was unaware of the bureau’s rules and that the full licensing process “would bankrupt us.” The bureau “is set up for universities or big, big schools,” he said, “not a school that’s one or two trucks.”

For Gold, the CEO of 160 Driving Academy, the lack of regulation is the main reason for the poor training some

Trucking schools

students receive. “These schools do not have a comprehensive approved training curriculum and there’s no way they are compliant with the federal rules. Who knows the level of training they are conducting?” he said during his testimony for Fong’s bill last year. “The unsuspecting consumer has no idea.”

Fong said he would not comment on why his bill did not pass, but he noted the state had a “tough budget last year.” The bill died in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, where fiscal matters are addressed. One estimate by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education said it would cost more than $800,000 a year to hire five new staff members to regulate all trucking schools, though registration fees paid by the schools could recoup roughly half of those costs. The Legislature is considering the bill again this year.

The trucking school ‘mill’

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, appointed by President Donald Trump, has made cracking down on

trucking schools a central piece of his agenda. He argues — with only anecdotal evidence — that many schools, especially those in California, are graduating immigrants who don’t speak English and who drive more dangerously than other truckers.

In December, Duffy said the department had removed nearly 3,000 trucking schools from its national registry for falsifying data, neglecting the federally required curriculum or refusing to provide certain records. The department also notified an additional 4,500 schools about “potential noncompliance,” though it did not respond to CalMatters questions about the specifics of those violations. Duffy has said repeatedly that some trucking schools are “mills,” helping students receive driver’s licenses even when they lack the qualifications.

Despite Duffy’s efforts, institutions with repeated violations still appear on the national registry. The Fresno Truck Driving School

Inc. was inspected six times in the last two years, with the U.S. Transportation Department repeatedly finding that the emergency brakes on its trucks weren’t properly operating. It also reported that the school had a driver who could not “read or speak the English language sufficiently to respond to official inquiries.”

“If you’re getting an inspection (from the federal government), that means something has gone terribly wrong,” said Zach Cahalan, the executive director of the Truck Safety Coalition, which advocates for truck safety and the victims of truck-related crashes. Still, he said trucks often are cited for multiple violations before the federal government tries to shut down the carrier.

The transportation department proposed removing Premier Trucking School from its registry, and the school is now closed. DTS Technical Inc. is still on the federal list. So is the Truck Nation School in Modesto, even

though it’s been closed for months.

A different school, the Truck Master School, took over the lease of Truck Nation, where Chavez used to practice. Truck Master charges just under $2,500, and like its predecessor, it’s exempt from state oversight.

About the data

To estimate the number of trucking schools that are not regulated by California’s Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, CalMatters cross-checked state and federal datasets. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration maintains the Training Provider Registry, which allows providers to self-certify they meet federal and state requirements. The registry also allows students to find commercial driver’s license training. But the department specifies it does not “approve or certify” those providers.

In order to compile a comparable list of providers that may also be under the purview of the state bureau,

CalMatters cleaned a list of 2,676 locations found in the federal database where providers conducted training in California as of Jan. 8, 2026.

CalMatters first filtered out providers registered as “private enrollment only” (such as employer-based training programs). We then manually filtered out providers whose names and online presence indicated they were likely one of the following and not primarily a commercial driver training school that charges tuition:

• Public school district;

• Community college;

• Municipal, utility, state or federal agency;

• Individual instructor;

• Chauffeur, logistics or similar company.

Because the federal database lists all locations separately, CalMatters consolidated branch locations of the same school based on name and contact information. We then matched schools to the state bureau’s list of approved private postsecondary educational institutions based on name, location and contact information.

After compiling a comparable list, our analysis found at least 184 training providers listed on the federal registry that appear to be primarily operating as private trucking schools but were not approved by California’s Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education to operate as of Jan. 8, 2026. To confirm whether a school is still operating, we used recent reviews and online listings, though some listings may be outdated, or we contacted the school directly.

To view the list of schools online, visit github.com/ CalMatters/data-truckingschools.

This article was originally published by CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives license.

LeBron James departing Lakers, but will play elsewhere for record 24th season

By City News Service

The LeBron James era in Los Angeles came to an end Tuesday, with the NBA all-time scoring leader planning to leave the team and play elsewhere for his record 24th season in the league.

James’ agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN that James informed the Lakers of his decision to move on for the 2026-27 season. Speculation had circulated earlier that James, 41, might retire. There was no immediate word on where James will go, but early speculation has the Golden State Warriors as a top contender to land the

veteran superstar. Lakers President/ Governor/Co-owner Jeanie Buss issued a statement saying, “LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history. We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers — including the title he led us to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances and the countless records he broke in purple and gold. We wish him all the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family.”

In response to Buss’ statement, James wrote on

social media, “No, THANK YOU!” He posted purple and gold heart emojis and said it was an honor to wear the Laker colors “while trying to (continue) the greatness & legacies that came before me! Hope I made a few proud during my stint.”

A four-time NBA most valuable player, James has won four NBA championships with three different teams — twice with the Miami Heat, once with the Cleveland Cavaliers and once with the Lakers. He was named the NBA Finals MVP in each of those championship runs. James, now 41, is a

22-time All-Star and threetime All-Star Game MVP. Next season will be James’

During Pride month, a blow to California schools’ ban on forced outing

Mental health professionals are raising concerns about a recent federal court ruling they said could weaken protections for transgender students in California schools.

A federal judge recently put parts of the SAFETY Act on hold while litigation continues. The 2024 law addresses the practice of forced outing, barring school districts from requiring staff to notify parents about changes in a student’s gender expression, sexual orientation or gender

identity.

The judge ruled school districts cannot withhold certain information about the plaintiffs’ own children while the case, Huntington Beach v. Newsom, continues.

M. Lyons, an associate marriage and family therapist and expressive art therapist at a Bay Area clinic treating youth with suicidal ideation and psychiatric psychosis, said she opposes forced outing because she has seen LGBTQ+ children thrown out of their homes because

By Suzanne Potter, Public News Service

of it.

“I think after 12 years old, you should have the right to protect yourself,” Lyons contended. “There should be rights in place to protect an individual from becoming homeless or ostracized from their own family unit as a result.”

In June, Dan Snowball of the nonprofit litigation firm Liberty Justice Center said in a statement: “It’s far past time for California officials and school districts to realize they can’t legally use our kids to conduct gender transition

experiments at school.”

Lyons noted rejection from family and community can be very harmful to young people as they mature.

“I have seen the impact that prejudice and bigotry and all of these things can do on a human being, and destroy their soul,” Lyons explained.

The California Federation of Teachers’ website offers support for school districts, including Pride Month-themed lessons for educators and tips on creating a welcoming campus environment.

DOJ challenges California’s ban on sales of glock-style

handguns

TheTrumpadministrationfiledsuit

WednesdayinLos Angeles against California in a bid to halt the state’s newly enacted ban on retail sales of Glock-style pistols.

The lawsuit filed in federal court also seeks to prevent enforcement of the state’s “Handgun Roster,” a list limiting legal firearms that individuals may purchase. The U.S. Department of Justice challenges both as unlawful under the Second Amendment.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently reaffirmed that the Second and 14th Amendments protect the right to carry handguns outside the home for selfdefense. The high court reiterated that states cannot prevent citizens from using

commonly used firearms for such a purpose.

“The Second Amendment is a sacred right belonging to all Americans, even those in California,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. “California cannot ban the most popular type of handgun in America. We will work to stop this blatant trampling of our rights by the California government to protect the rights of lawful gun owners.”

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday to coincide with the first day of AB 1127 going into effect. The law bans licensed firearm dealers from selling certain semiautomatic handguns, specifically Glock-style pistols. The legislation reclassifies such handguns as “machinegun-

By City News Service

convertible pistols” due to trigger designs that can be quickly altered into fully automatic weapons.

The law strictly impacts commercial sales of fresh store inventory, while current ownership and private-party transfers remain legal.

Glocks are among the most popular handguns sold in California. The Glock’s current design allow the weapons to be easily modified with a Lego- sized piece of plastic known as a Glock Switch that can be 3-D printed to turn it into a fully automatic weapon. Such switches are already illegal, but AB 1127 outlaws the sale of any new gun with a Glock-like design.

“The Civil Rights Division will defend lawabiding citizens from states

that seek to disarm them illegally,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the DOJ’s Civil

Rights Division. “This lawsuit is yet another example of this Justice Department enforcing the Second Amendment by protecting citizens against unconstitutional state regulation of firearms.”

Feds, LAPD make arrests in sex trafficking enforcement operation

By Staff

Six members and associates of the South Los Angeles-based Hoover Criminal Gang – and the manager of a South L.A. motel – were among nine defendants arrested Wednesday, and 10 defendants arrested total, on federal indictments charging them with a series of crimes, including sex trafficking children and adults along the Figueroa Corridor south of downtown Los Angeles.

Wednesday’s operation is the second major operation that federal and local law enforcement have taken on the Figueroa Corridor.

“Sex trafficking of young women and children ranks among the worst criminal offenses our office prosecutes – truly the lowest of the low,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “We hope today’s arrests break the cycle of crime and abuse in one of L.A.’s most notorious human trafficking corridors.”

“By working hand in hand with our federal partners, we are doing far more than making arrests,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “We are dismantling the criminal enterprises that profit from human trafficking, rescuing victims, and reclaiming the Figueroa Corridor for the community that has always deserved better.”

According to a 65-count superseding indictment returned on June 25 and unsealed Wednesday, from February 2021 to June 2026, the Hoovers largely controlled sex trafficking and prostitution in the Figueroa Corridor of South Los Angeles. Members and associates of the gang acted as pimps to

promote and manage sex trafficking, according to a statement from DOJ. The indictment lists 51 victims impacted by these alleged crimes.

The superseding indictment adds seven new defendants – six of them being Hoover Criminal Gang members charged with federal crimes such as racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking of a minor, sex trafficking through force, fraud, or coercion, drug trafficking conspiracy, and concealment money laundering:

- Cameron Lockett, 23, a.k.a. “Jankie” and “Hesopayed,” of Anaheim;

- Caleed Mouton, 26, a.k.a. “Poo” and “Pooski,” of South Los Angeles;

- Nakhali Miller, 30, a.k.a. “FY3,” of South Los Angeles;

- Jorge Melendez, 23, a.k.a. “Crim Style,” of South Los Angeles;

- Mauricio Ulloa-Franco, Jr., 23, a.k.a. “Ese Face” and “Face,” of Palmdale; and

- Lagrane Lenox, 30, a.k.a. “King Blue” and “Blue,” of Compton.

The seventh new defendant charged in this case is Mukeshkumar Rambhai Ahir, 45, of South Los Angeles, the manager of the South L.A.-based Stadium Inn & Spas motel, who is charged with financially benefiting from the Hoover gang’s sex trafficking operation. Specifically, from September 2024 to January 2026, Ahir deposited $64,581 in proceeds that he knew derived from the gang’s sex trafficking of children and adults.

Ahir also is charged with “structuring,” or depositing smaller amounts at a time

into bank accounts opened for this purpose to avoid banks from reporting large cash deposits to the U.S. government.

According to the superseding indictment, the Hoovers worked together to recruit new victims via social media or in person, focusing on vulnerable minor girls and young women, particularly those with financial or emotional struggles or who had run away from home or in the foster care system. Victims were recruited via false promises of a luxurious lifestyle, intimidation, and actual or threatened violence. Pimps also plied their victims with drugs such as oxycodone and amphetamines to create addictions that the pimps could exploit.

The defendants also facilitated each other’s pimping by managing,

monitoring, and disciplining their victims, pooling resources to rent motel rooms for commercial sex dates, driving each other’s victims to and from the streets where victims solicited commercial sex work, sourcing third parties to create online profiles for sex advertisements, and sending each other money via Cash App and Apple Pay. Victims were required to remit all proceeds from commercial sex dates to the pimp. A victim who refused or who otherwise disobeyed a pimp faced discipline, including assaults, branding of a defendant’s moniker, berating, public humiliation, and withholding of affection, drugs or food.

For example, in November 2024 Lockett allegedly beat one victim in her back and ribs, bit off a chunk of her cheek then,

after the beating, gave her a Percocet pill, sent her to the hospital to get stitches, and pressured her to lie to police about what happened to her.

Mouton allegedly trafficked three minors (ages 14, 16, and 17), obtained a fake identification card for at least one of them for her to rent hotel rooms in her name, and in July 2025 ordered a minor victim to have an abortion and continue engaging in commercial sex work later that day.

Melendez is charged with sex trafficking a 14-year-old victim through force, including in January 2024, punching her at least five times in the face while holding a heavy watch and dragging her by her hair as punishment for not making enough money from commercial sex work.

Lenox is accused of trafficking a minor victim on the Figueroa Corridor and in Phoenix, where in June 2024 he produced child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of himself having sexual intercourse with the victim.

As part of this human trafficking sweep, three other alleged sex traffickers were indicted in stand-alone cases. Two defendants were arrested this morning, and the third was arrested on June 24, 2026.

- Kenny Ray Mann, 38, a.k.a. “KR,” of Lynwood, is charged with sex trafficking two minors – ages 16 and 17 – and trafficking at least one of the victims when she became an adult through force, fraud, or coercion. He was arrested on Monday, pleaded not guilty at his

arraignment, and is scheduled to go to trial on August 18.

- Kylan Young, 23, a.k.a. “K2,” of Buena Park, is charged with sex trafficking a minor, age 15, and through force, fraud, or coercion.

- Dejon MacDonald Williams, 23, a.k.a. “Motion” and “D1,” of South Los Angeles, is charged with sex trafficking three victims – two minors (ages 16 and 17) through force, fraud, or coercion, and one adult through force, fraud, or coercion.

If convicted, some defendants would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and would face a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The 11 original defendants charged last year have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to go on trial on March 18, 2027.

Homeland Security Investigations; IRS Criminal Investigation; the Los Angeles Police Department; and the United States Attorney’s Office are investigating this matter. The investigation was supported by the Nebraska State Patrol; Keith County Attorney’s Office; Nebraska Department of Justice Office of the Attorney General; California Highway Patrol; the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services; the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; and Saving Innocence.

Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Norell, Mirelle Raza, and Rahul Hari of the Major Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.

and liability surcharge of 14.5%, resulting in a $177,000 increase in the city’s public safety budget. The budget also includes $93,000 for the Pasadena Humane Society contract.

Public safety spending totals 27% of the city’s budget, or nearly $8.44 million this fiscal year.

“In total, expenditures and other uses for fiscal year 2026/27 are budgeted to be $41.7 million,” according to the city manager. “This represents a $3.6 million increase as compared to the 2025/26 estimated actual. Significant expenditure highlights are discussed below.

“Total

compared to the 2025/26 estimated actual budget.

“Total General Fund revenues ... are projected to be $26.3 million, which is $2.4 million less than the 2025/26 estimated actual revenues,” Villalobos wrote.

Officials also expect a 5% increase in property tax revenues and a 2% increase in sales tax.

“This is a more conservative increase assumption than prior years, but still generates more than $357,000 in new revenues,” according to Villalobos.

To view the entire FY 2026-27 budget, visit the city’s website via tinyurl. com/mr282rm7.

County advances efforts to improve safety at Whiteman Airport

By City News Service

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors directed its staff Tuesday to move forward with a series of recommendations aimed at boosting safety at Whiteman Airport in Pacoima, where a series of crashes in recent years have raised questions about the facility’s future.

On May 5, the Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath directing staff to prepare a report on immediate steps the county could potentially take to improve safety at the airport. The request came following an April 20 crash of a Cessna 172 small aircraft that struck a power pole while en route to the airport, knocking down power lines and leaving the plane overturned in the parking lot of an auto parts store. The pilot survived but was critically injured.

In late May, the county Department of Public Works submitted its report to the board, offering a series of recommendations. The top recommendation in the document called for the county to sponsor quarterly Pilot Safety seminars — the first of which is already scheduled to occur next month.

“The Pilot Safety seminars will be structured as an ongoing, free, and accessible program for local pilots that reinforce a culture of safety while addressing the specific operational realities of the airport and surrounding airspace,” the report stated. “The series will combine quarterly in-person seminars covering topics, such as airspace compliance, runway incur-

sion avoidance, noise abatement procedures, weather, decision-making, human factors, and emerging safety technologies, among others. Presentations will feature a mix of (Federal Aviation Administration) representatives, experienced local flight instructors, air traffic controllers, and accident investigators to provide both regulatory context and real-world lessons learned.”

The seminar program was estimated to cost about $2,000 per year.

The report also proposed maintenance on runway and taxiway pavement at the airport, although it stressed that runways and taxiways are currently “safe, functional and satisfy FAA maintenance and design standards.”

Jason Morgan of the county Department of Public Works told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday the project would mainly ensure the pavement and markings remain in their existing state of good repair. Public Works officials indicated the project would rehabilitate about 554,500 square feet of pavement, including cracksealing, slurry sealing and new pavement markings.

“Ultimately,these improvementswould enhance the airport’s primary aircraft movement areas and help ensure that runway and taxiway pavements and markings remain in a state of good repair consistent with FAA maintenance and design standards,” according to the report.

The project is estimated to cost about $5 million.

The report also suggested an enhanced commu-

nity outreach program “to provide regular updates or public safety announcements to the community,” at a cost of about $500,000.

On June 16, weeks after the report was submitted to the Board of Supervisors, a small plane crashed while landing at Whiteman Airport, causing minor injuries to the 77-yearold pilot. The Whiteman Airport Coalition — a group of pilots, business owners and public safety advocates who support the continued operation of the airfield — issued a statement saying the plane’s landing gear did not properly deploy, causing the aircraft to crash through a perimeter fence and come to a stop in a parking lot on airport grounds.

In early 2022, the Board of Supervisors voted to explore the process involved in seeking a closure of the airport, should the county opt to pursue it. In January of that year, a plane landed on train tracks in the area and was struck by a Metrolink train. In November 2020, a plane crashed in a neighborhood near the runway, killing a Civil Air Patrol pilot.

In April 2022, a pilot died when a Cessna crashed alongside the Foothill (210) Freeway in the Sylmar area.

That airport land-use study is underway.

Horvath said Tuesday her office looked back over plane crashes at the airport over the past 20 years, and cross-referenced them with the ensuing investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board.

“According to the NTSB, every single crash

has been caused by pilot error or aircraft malfunction,” Horvath said. “While upgrading hangars, more lighting ... or any other community benefits will be discussed as part of the land use study later this year, these improvements would not have prevented any of the accidents we’ve seen, not just this year but the last 20 years.”

Horvath amended her motion Tuesday to include a request that staff report back to the board after the completion of the airport land use study about the feasibility of several additional steps, such as making the pilot safety seminars mandatory at Whiteman. She also called for the county to advocate for legislative changes that would increase oversight of aircraft maintenance and

implement enhanced FAA training and certification requirements for pilots and aircraft.

“It’s absolutely unacceptable for community members to live in fear without answers as to why these things are happening and especially to know that over the past 20 years that these are really related to pilot and operational error, not to the county’s lack of maintenance of a facility, lack of jurisdiction in terms of taking our authority seriously,” Horvath said. “These are issues that we really want to seriously address. There is a role to play for FAA, NTSB and each and every pilot who has been writing to my office saying ... they want to see this airport maintained and to stay open. I appreciate that, but they also have a responsibil-

SGV government council approves wildfire plan

By City News Service

The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governmentsannounced Wednesday the adoption of its first Regional Community Wildfire Protection Plan, a blueprint designed to reduce wildfire risks and improve emergency preparedness across the region.

The plan was developed with funding from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Wildfire Prevention Grant Program, according to the council.

“With the devastating

impact of the recent Los Angeles County wildfires still fresh in our minds, finalizing and implementing this plan could not be more timely or more important,”

SGVCOG Executive Director Marisa Creter said in a statement. “The Regional Community Wildfire Protection Plan provides our cities with a shared vision and actionable strategies to better prepare for future wildfire threats.”

The council said the plan:

-- Identifies wildfire hazards and recommends

actions to better protect communities;

-- Positions the region to compete for future grants supporting wildfire prevention and resilience projects;

-- Supports the development of fire-adapted communities;

-- Recognizes the unique challenges facing communities in the wildland- urban interface, where homes and other structures border or intermingle with wildland vegetation; and

-- Outlines strategies to reduce wildfire risk and strengthen the region’s

ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from wildfires.

Officials said the plan was developed between 2023 and 2025 through collaboration with SGVCOG member cities, public safety agencies, community organizations and residents.

The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments represents 31 cities, unincorporated communities and regional public agencies throughout the San Gabriel Valley.

The wildfire plan is available at sgvcog.org/cwpp.

ity to keep our community safe.”

While some area residents have pushed for the airport’s closure, supporters of the facility have insisted it plays a critical role in local aviation and can only be shuttered by the FAA -- not the county.

The Whiteman Airport Coalition issued a statement Monday saying the county should be pursuing available grant money from the Federal Aviation Administration to cover the costs of improvements at the airport.

“At a time when the county is facing serious budget challenges, taxpayers shouldn’t be asked to shoulder costs that could potentially be covered, at least in part, through existing FAA programs,” according to the group.