Gov. Gavin Newsom asks Congress for $40 billion in wildfire aid

• February 22, 2025

Gov. Gavin Newsom officially requested nearly $40 billion in disaster relief aid to help with recovery efforts after massive fires tore through the Los Angeles area earlier this year.

Newsom’s request, made Friday evening, comes as top officials in the Trump administration continue to say they want to attach some sort of conditions to any disaster aid package for California, an unprecedented move.

“It’s all-hands-on-deck to support our fellow Americans and get them back on their feet to begin rebuilding as soon as possible,” Newsom said in a social media post about his request.

In his letter, Newsom said more than 16,200 structures were destroyed in the catastrophic wildfires in early January and more than 16,000 personnel worked to extinguish the flames in a disaster made even worse by hurricane-force winds. At least 29 people died in the fires.

It will take years for the total impact on California’s economy to be fully realized, Newsom said, but the nearly $40 billion requested would support immediate and long-term recovery work.

The request includes about $16.8 billion in fire response costs, debris removal and infrastructure repair, including roads, public buildings and utilities, according to the Washington Post. Nearly $10 billion would be for housing costs and other infrastructure, $2 billion for low-income housing tax credits over the next 10 years and more than $4 billion for economic development grants to help businesses restart in fire-affected areas.

Newsom’s letter was addressed to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana; Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York; House Appropriations Committee Chair Rep. Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma; and House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Connecticut.

Both of California’s U.S. senators, Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, said Friday they fully support the governor’s request. The pair and Newsom are all Democrats.

And Rep. Brad Sherman, a Democrat whose district includes the Pacific Palisades, where one of the worst fires erupted on Jan. 7, applauded the funding ask, “which my constituents urgently need in order to rebuild their homes and their lives,” he said.

President Donald Trump, Johnson and other Republicans have suggested disaster relief for California should come with certain strings attached.

Trump previously said — just ahead of his visit to the fire-damaged Palisades area last month — that federal aid may only be given if California establishes a voter ID law and changes its water management strategies.

Earlier Friday, Ric Grenell, a top Trump administration aide with ties to Southern California, suggested cutting funding from the California Coastal Commission, a state agency that regulates land use and public access along the coast. Supporters consider the agency a key environmental watchdog, while critics say its strict rules block development.

Notably, not all Republicans are on board with attaching conditions to disaster aid, particularly those who represent districts in Southern California.

Rep. Young Kim’s district last year saw the Airport fire, which spread across more than 23,500 acres for 26 days in Orange and Riverside counties, destroying 160 structures and damaging another 34, according to Cal Fire’s estimate. She said setting conditions now would set a “bad precedent” for future disaster relief requests.

Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, is also a no on conditions for aid, his spokesperson, Jason Gagnon, previously told the Southern California News Group.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County scores and player stats for Friday, Feb. 21

• February 22, 2025

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Scores and stats from Orange County games on Friday, Feb. 21

Click here for details about sending your team’s scores and stats to the Register.

The deadline for submitting information is 10:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 p.m. Saturday.

FRIDAY’S SCORES

BASEBALL

LOARA TOURNAMENT

Pool 1

Los Alamitos 6, Narbonne 0

San Clemente 15, Rowland 0

Pool 3

Redondo Union 5, Yorba Linda 2

Pool 4

Pacifica 2, Murrieta Valley 1

Pool 5

Villa Park 16, Citrus Valley 3

Pool 6

Aliso Niguel 8, Lakewood 1

AN: Schaff (W, 3.2IP 1H 0R 5K). Sabol 2-4, 2 3B, 2RBI. Etnire 2-3, 2B, RBI. Flemming 1-4, 2RBI.

El Dorado 9, Liberty/Winchester 0

Pool 7

La Habra 10, Capistrano Valley Christian 0

LaHab: Moreno (W, 6IP 0R 4K).

LB Wilson 2, El Modena 1

NONLEAGUE

Santa Margarita 8, Sierra Canyon 3

SM: Schumaker 2-3, 2RBI. Bauer (W, 4IP 4K). George (Sv, 3IP, 5K).

Estancia 6, Bosco Tech 3

Est: Viramontes (W, 5IP 4H 2ER 6K) 2-4, 2RBI. Humphries (Sv, 2IP 3H 1ER 3K). Atkinson 3-3, 3 2B, RBI.

JSerra 3, Loyola 0

JS: Reimers (W, 4.2IP 3H 0R 6K). D’Arcy 1-2, SB. Rutherford 0-2, 2RBI.

Tesoro 8, Woodbridge 3

Tes: Nieto 2-3, 2B, 2R, RBI. Moraga 1-3, 2RBI. Skaff 1-3, R, RBI.

Other nonleague scores

Orange 20, La Quinta 1

Ocean View 5, Sonora 1

Magnolia 10, Whitney 9

Sage Hill 9, Pacifica Christian 1

Garden Grove 20, Santa Ana Valley 0

California 2, Tustin 0

Portola 10, Beaumont 3

Marina 6, Capistrano Valley 2

Laguna Hills 5, Irvine 1

South East 6, Savanna 5

SOFTBALL

NONLEAGUE

Anaheim 12, La Quinta 1

Golden Valley 9, Crean Lutheran 8

Aliso Niguel 10, Liberty 5

Norco 1, JSerra 0

Orange Lutheran 5, Riverside Poly 0

Glenn 21, Century 2

BOYS TENNIS

NONLEAGUE

Marina 13, Whitney 5

Clovis North 14, La Quinta 4

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

TESORO TOURNAMENT

Pool 2

Woodbridge def. San Marino, 25-19, 25-21

Pool 4

Beckman def. Portola, 25-18, 25-15, 25-18

FOOTHILL CLASSIC

Foothill def. Lancaster, 25-5, 25-9

REDONDO TOURNAMENT

Huntington Beach def. Wiseburn-Da Vinci, 25-23, 28-26

EXPRESS LEAGUE

NOVA Academy def. Eastside Christian, 3-0

NONLEAGUE

Bellflower def. Whittier Christian, 25-14, 25-17, 25-13

Orange def. Century, 25-19, 23-25, 22-25, 25-23, 15-9

Oxford Academy def. Hawthorne, 25-3, 25-8, 25-11

Anaheim def. Tustin, 25-20, 25-19, 18-25, 25-19

Godinez def. Magnolia, 3-0

Bolsa Grande def. Garden Grove, 3-0

​ Orange County Register 

Man gets nearly 300 years in prison for molesting 7 Orange County boys

• February 22, 2025

A 58-year-old man was sentenced Friday, Feb. 21 to 293 years to life in prison for molesting seven sons of Orange County families who believed him to be a friend.

Alex Mauricio Padilla Beltran had been convicted Nov. 19 of 23 felony charges related to sexual assaults on the seven boys. In total, prosecutors allege 11 victims, but some of those claims were used in the trial to show a pattern of abuse.

In 2023, Orange County agreed to pay $4.5 million to settle a claim that the OC Social Services Agency failed to report a 2011 child abuse complaint about Beltran to police, a failure the lawsuit said allowed alleged abuse to continue for six years. The payout came more than a decade after a county social worker discounted a mother’s allegation that her two children, then 5 and 1 year old, were being abused by Beltran, a family friend.

After Friday’s sentencing hearing in the criminal case against Beltran, a woman whose son and nephew were among the victims said she was “very grateful he’ll be in prison for the rest of his life and never be able to hurt another child.”

She added that she “feels relief. It’s finally over,” but said, “I don’t think we’ll have any type of full closure for the boys.” She said her son and nephew have struggled with alcohol and drug issues because of the crimes.

Beltran tried to get a new attorney substituted on the case right before the hearing but Orange County Superior Court Judge Richard King denied the request. Beltran argued with King about wanting to make his case at sentencing that he was innocent.

“The conduct of the District Attorney has taken eight years of my life and I’m in debt” for about $500,000, Beltran said. “If I have to take it to the Supreme Court, I will do it.”

Beltran referred to Justice Department investigations of the District Attorney’s Office in recent years as he accused Deputy District Attorney Tara Meath of dishonesty. “She lies, she coached, she fabricated evidence,” he said.

Meath denied the claims.

“This is not a case of fabricated evidence,” Meath told King. “These very brave boys … came forward at different points in time.”

Initially, the victims were not believed, Meath said.

“He had such a strong bond and friendship (with the parents), they believed him over their own children,” Meath said. “This defendant in this case has shown no remorse or accountability. He’s a danger to the community. He’s been molesting children for over a decade.”

King pointed out to Beltran that the sentencing hearing was not the appropriate time to “relitigate” the case.

“Why didn’t you let me finish what I had to say?” Beltran asked King after he sentenced him.

“I’m not going to relitigate the guilt in this case,” King responded.

When King told Beltran, “You have a right to appeal the judgment,” Beltran responded, “I will.” When King noted a public defender will be appointed to represent him, Beltran replied, “Good. That will save a lot of money.”

King said Beltran deserved the punishment due to “the seriousness of the offenses and the multiplicity of victims. There were at least three groups of individuals who didn’t know each other who came up with serious conduct in this case.”

The judge added it showed “the predatory nature” of the defendant.

Beltran was friends with the families of three groups of victims, Meath said.

“Everybody loved him,” Meath said in her closing argument of the trial. “He bought ice cream, toys. … He’s Uncle Alex.”

Beltran was “constantly touching these underage kids,” Meath said in her opening statement. “To the extent they would push him away.”

The defendant “took every opportunity he could” to molest the boys, the prosecutor said.

The first case was reported in 2003 to Orange County sheriff’s deputies, Meath said.

The boy said he was touched inappropriately whenever he visited his aunt’s home in Mission Viejo, and it started when he was 11, Meath said. It happened so often he lost count, but estimated about 15 times, according to the prosecutor.

The boy also said the defendant gave him $20 and told him not to tell anyone, Meath said.

“Not much came from that investigation,” the prosecutor said.

The next report of abuse happened in 2009 in Las Vegas, where the defendant was renovating a house, Meath said.

Two brothers said the defendant molested them in September of that year when they went to the house to visit their father, who was working on the house, Meath said.

In court papers, Meath said Beltran pleaded guilty to a felony count of coercion and a misdemeanor count of conspiracy, and was placed on probation.

Another case was reported in January 2015, when one boy said he was molested at his father’s home in Orange County, Meath said. He said the abuse began when he was 6 to 8 years old. The boy’s brother also accused the defendant of molesting him. They were cousins of the first accuser.

In September, 2017, another boy came forward with allegations, Meath said.

In April 2017, yet another boy came forward to Anaheim police after being drug-tested by a doctor as a result of getting in trouble for ditching classes at school, the prosecutor said. The boy told the physician about the abuse that started when he was about 10.

In May 2017, still another boy accused his Beltran — his godfather —of molesting him, Meath said. The boy said he was concerned that the defendant also molested two of his cousins.

Another boy told investigators in May of that year he, too, was molested by the defendant, Meath said.

When Beltran bailed out after being charged with molesting the victims, he nevertheless went out and kept attacking the boys, Meath said.

In legal terms, a sentence of 293 years to life means someone would not even get a chance at parole until serving 293 years.

​ Orange County Register 

Probation officers indicted over alleged ‘fight club’ at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall

• February 22, 2025

A Los Angeles County grand jury has indicted more than a dozen county probation officers following a state Department of Justice investigation into an alleged “fight club” at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Few details about the indictments were available Friday, Feb. 21. However, the Los Angeles County Deputy Probation Officers’ Union acknowledged in a statement that “several of our members have received notices from the California Department of Justice (DOJ) requiring them to appear in criminal court.”

The blog 2UrbanGirls first published a copy of one such letter on its Instagram account. The letter, signed by Deputy Attorney General Paul Seo, orders the recipient to appear March 3 at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center and to “have an indictment bond prepared for yourself prior to your arrival in court.”

In the union’s statement, President Stacy Ford stressed that “every American is innocent until proven guilty.”

“Our members deserve to be treated with fairness and due process, just as they provide to those in their custody,” Ford stated. “We do not condone any unlawful behavior, and we will do everything in our power to support our members as they navigate this difficult situation.”

Last year, the L.A. County Probation Department placed 14 officers on leave for standing by during — and potentially orchestrating — fights between youth at Los Padrinos. Probation Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa, amid a restructuring of the department’s internal affairs unit, asked the Department of Justice to take up the investigation instead.

A recording of the first-known incident in December 2023, obtained by the Los Angeles Times, showed youth consecutively entering a day room in Los Padrinos and then attacking a 17-year-old, one at a time, before calmly sitting down to eat their meals. At least four officers stood by during the assaults, while two others halfheartedly attempted to break up the fights. Officers could be seen laughing and even shaking hands with the attackers at various points.

Probation Department spokesperson Vicky Waters referred questions about “any potential or ongoing investigations” to the DOJ.

“For our part, we have placed several officers on leave as a result of troubling incidents and allegations at Los Padrinos,” she said. “We have and will continue to work and cooperate with our law enforcement partners.”

The department has zero tolerance for the “misconduct of any peace officers” and is committed to “ensuring our juvenile facilities uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and rehabilitation,” Waters said.

The California Attorney General’s Office declined to comment on the indictments.

“To protect its integrity, we are unable to comment on, even to confirm or deny, a potential or ongoing investigation,” a spokesperson said.

County Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose district includes Los Padrinos, described the indictments as “disturbing.”

“It breaks my heart that probation officers the County entrusted with this responsibility would use their power to abuse these kids,” Hahn stated. “This is only further proof that the culture of our probation department needs to change dramatically.”

Probation Oversight Commission Chair Eduardo Mundo said he had heard the rumors, but noted that the commission had not been notified formally of the indictments as of Friday.

“It is a terrible thing that we had those situations occur in a place where kids are supposed to be protected,” Mundo said. “Not knowing all the details, it’s difficult to fathom what led to those indictments, what kind of behavior it was.”

The Probation Department and Los Padrinos, in particular, have faced scrutiny for more than a year due to the substandard conditions at the county’s largest juvenile facility. Last year, the Board of State and Community Corrections, the regulatory body overseeing California’s juvenile halls, declared Los Padrinos “unsuitable” for the confinement of youth as a result of a severe staffing shortage. The dangerously low staffing led to sharp increases in violence and impeded access to services required for the youth in custody.

The facility was supposed to shut down in December, but county officials have refused to comply so far, arguing in court that there is no alternative available. The Board of Supervisors declared Los Padrinos a “local emergency” that same month and granted the department access to powers typically reserved for natural disasters to avoid “extreme peril.”

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Miguel Espinoza took up the question of the legality of the facility’s continued operation as part of a juvenile murder case and is currently weighing whether to force its closure.

The county, which sought to overturn the BSCC’s suitability ruling, was recently notified that its appeal was rejected. A separate reinspection of the facility remains ongoing.

Probation officials, the District Attorney’s Office and the public defender are due back in Espinoza’s courtroom in April.

​ Orange County Register 

Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument designated state historical landmark

• February 22, 2025

The towering Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument on a Montebello hilltop is now a California State Historical Landmark.

Sen. Bob Archuleta, D-Pico Rivera, celebrated the State Historical Resources Commission’s unanimous vote designating the 56-year-old memorial as a state landmark on Friday. Archuleta said his ties to Montebello helped him recognize the importance of the monument to the Armenian community and why he’s spent years advocating for the recognition.

“This is a really big deal for all Armenian Americans in the U.S. and not just California,” said community leader Murad Minasian. “I’m lucky enough to drive by it almost every day and extremely proud that the city I live in opened its arms in the 1960s and took a stand against strong opposition by external forces to allow such a beautiful structure to be erected in remembrance of the Armenian genocide.”

Minasian’s father, Michael, helped rally the project to completion as a founding member of its monument council.

Archuleta led a delegation in celebrating the site’s new status. Others at the event included Salvador Melendez, mayor of Montebello; Archbishop Hovnan Derderian of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church; Monsignor Parsegh Baghdassarian of Our Lady of Nareg in Glendale; and twin brothers Nick and Dylan Khatchikian, members of the Mesrobian High School basketball team in Pico Rivera. They will be recognized for breaking the state CIF points and assists records.

The Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument was designed as a modern interpretation of traditional Armenian church architecture in 1968. It was the first major monument in the United States dedicated to the Armenian genocide, the killing and deportation of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire in the early 1900s led to the death of one and a half million Armenians.

The monument’s recognition honors the past and educates future generations about the Armenian spirit of resilience and cultural identity, Archuleta said.

Christopher Guldjian, president of the board of trustees at Mesrobian School, remembers going to the monument “to heal the traumatic events that have affected the Armin nation, feeling a sense of belonging and community because we knew where to go to find each other.”

Guldjian added: “The monument was not only to commemorate the victims of the genocide rather to celebrate our survival and that stayed with me throughout my organizational life with the Armenian community.

“Visiting the monument gave us new life and purpose each year to continue the struggle for recognition and justice for the Armenian people,” he said. “In fact, the most special memories I had was going at night to the monument on the eve of April 24 to hear the poetry and songs of our forefathers and those were the words that carried us year to year.”

April 24 is Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.

​ Orange County Register 

CIF-SS girls water polo playoffs: Previews of the Orange County games in Saturday’s championships

• February 22, 2025

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CIF-SS GIRLS WATER POLO PLAYOFFS

CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

Saturday at Mt. SAC, Walnut

OPEN DIVISION

Oaks Christian (21-7) vs. Newport Harbor (24-5), 12:10 p.m.

Outlook: The surprising winners from the dramatic semifinals collide for the third time. Third-seeded Newport Harbor won 2 of 3 matches in the regular season. The series featured two games decided by one goal. The Sailors mix a few seniors with several young players on arguably the deepest roster in the section. Newport Harbor’s strength is its center attack led by Gabby Alexson, a sophomore who scored the winner in double sudden-death overtime against two-time defending champion Orange Lutheran in the semifinals. Oaks Christian junior goalie Alexandra Stoddard had 15 saves in an upset of top-ranked Mater Dei in the semifinals.

DIVISION 1

San Clemente (22-8) vs. Laguna Beach (19-11), 3 p.m.

Outlook: The South County schools split a pair of matches during the regular season. San Clemente’s lineup, which mixes youth and experience, is led by UC Santa Barbara-bound Phoebe DeMoss. The senior scored nine goals on as many shots in the semifinals. The Breakers counter in the field with a senior duo of Presley Jones (UCLA) and Kara Carver (USC).

DIVISION 4

Troy (16-12) vs. San Dimas (20-8), 9:30 a.m.

Outlook: Troy, the Freeway League runner-up, has won two matches by one goal and another by two in overtime to reach its second straight final under second-year coach Gary Cheever. The Warriors finished as the Division 5 runner-up last season. San Dimas is a first-time finalist. The Saints took second in the Hacienda League behind Division 1 semifinalist Alta Loma.

DIVISION 5

El Dorado (16-12) vs. Santa Paula (17-12 ), 10:50 a.m.

Outlook: The top-seeded Golden Hawks have reached their first section final since a runner-up finish in 2002. They placed third in the Freeway League. Santa Paula’s run to its first section final includes a second-round win against Segerstrom, which beat El Dorado in the regular season.

DIVISION 6

Anaheim (11-10) vs. Nordhoff (9-10), 1:30 p.m.

Outlook: Junior goalie Emily Maldonado and senior Hannah Grubbs have played well in the Colonists’ trek to their section final. Nordhoff also has reached its first final. The Rangers placed third in the Citrus Coast League, which included second-place Santa Paula.

​ Orange County Register 

Panera closing bread-making facility in Ontario, laying off 77

• February 22, 2025

Panera Bread is shuttering a bread-making facility in Ontario, laying off 77 people in April as it shifts the work to another provider elsewhere in California.

The closure and layoffs were noted in a Feb. 13 letter to the state’s Employment Development Department.

The facility at an industrial complex at 1505 Dupont Ave. will “cease operations and close on April 14,” the letter states.

The 77 employees at the facility work in bread-making, logistics, sanitation and operations.

Panera Bread has nearly 200 cafe-bakery locations in California. The company told the Southern California News Group that it’s “shifting the California market to a newer bread-making process.”

“As part of this transition, we had to make the difficult decision to close our Ontario commissary facility,” the company wrote via email on Thursday, Feb. 20. “Any decision that impacts our teams is never made lightly, and we are deeply grateful for the contributions of all impacted team members.”

Employees are getting separation pay, help with COBRA health insurance premiums, outplacement services, and help finding new jobs within or outside of Panera, the company said.

Panera said that its bread-making pivot will now shift to “expert artisan bakery producers.” The bread will be prepared by the unnamed producer and then finished at Panera locations, the company said.

The founder of Panera Bread, Ken Rosenthal, died at his Scottsdale home Feb. 14 from Alzheimer’s disease. He was 81 years old.

The Missouri native and his wife Linda opened St. Louis Bread Co. in 1987. It grew to 18 locations before Rosenthal and his business partners sold it to Au Bon Pain in 1993. Though the national division was subsequently renamed Panera, many of the St. Louis-area cafes are still called by their original name.

The privately-held chain now has 2,230 locations in the United States.

​ Orange County Register 

Pepperdine sues Netflix over basketball team in new ‘Running Point’ series

• February 22, 2025

Pepperdine University has filed suit against Netflix and Warner Bros. for trademark infringement, alleging in federal court that Mindy Kaling‘s new comedy series “Running Point” intentionally centers on a fictional basketball team that strongly resembles the university’s actual squad, according to court papers obtained Friday.

In the suit, filed Thursday in downtown Los Angeles, Pepperdine dubs “Running Point” a “raunchy” comedy that promotes themes that don’t correspond to the university’s values, including alcohol and substance use, sexual innuendo and imagery, and foul language.

“Running Point,” starring Kate Hudson, is supposedly loosely based on the real life of Lakers owner Jeanie Buss. It debuts Feb. 27 on Netflix.

RELATED: Actress-writer-producer Mindy Kaling honored with Hollywood Walk of Fame star

Pepperdine alleges that Netflix and Warner Bros. “misappropriated” registered trademarks belonging to the Malibu university, whose NCAA basketball team is named the Waves — the same name as the team in Kaling’s series.

The university also argues that the show borrows its team’s colors, orange and blue, and uses player’s number 37, the number worn by Pepperdine’s mascot — and which is associated with the year the university was founded, 1937.

Representatives for Netflix and Warner Bros. could not immediately be reached for comment Friday.

The complaint seeks injunctive relief to prevent further use of Pepperdine’s trademarks, as well as damages for the alleged infringement and harm caused by the misappropriation of the university’s brand.

“Since its founding in 1937, Pepperdine University has established itself as a Christian University committed to academic excellence and a world-class athletics program,” Sean Burnett, Pepperdine University senior vice president and chief marketing officer, said in a statement.

He said the university believes it necessary to seek court intervention due to the “flagrant disregard for our intellectual property and the damage to our institutional identity, together with Netflix’s and Warner Bros.’ continued refusal to resolve Pepperdine’s concerns.”

According to the complaint, “Running Point’s” portrayal of the “Waves” team will cause consumer confusion and falsely suggest an affiliation between Pepperdine and the show.

Burnett said the university has also expressed concern about some of the series’ themes, which include explicit content, substance use, nudity and profanity — elements that are “inconsistent with Pepperdine’s Christian values and reputation.”

​ Orange County Register