Assemblyman Bilal Essayli is under serious consideration for appointment as the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, the Sentinel has learned.
Essayli (R-Riverside) in 2019 served as former San Bernardino Mayor John Valdivia’s chief of staff.
Essayli, who no longer goes by the first name Bilal but rather Bill, is philosophically and politically aligned with the Trump Administration.
Foremost, as a Republican in the Golden State, he is severely out of step with the Democratic majority in Sacramento which for the better part of a generation has dominated California politically. Most pointedly, as member of California’s lower legislative house, Essayli has not only been thwarted with regard to legislation he has proposed while in the Assembly and positions he has taken, but been treated with disrespect and contempt by his Democratic counterparts, who hold supermajorities in the Assembly and the California Senate along with every other constitutional position in California state government, such s governor, lieutenant governor, California attorney general, California secretary of state, California treasurer, California controller, California superintendent of schools and California insurance commissioner.
In March 2023, barely three months after he joined the Assembly, he coauthored with Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), Assembly Bill 1314, which would have required school districts throughout the state to notify parents in writing within three days if a student began “identifying at school as a gender that does not align with the child’s sex on their birth certificate” in 2023. Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, the Democratic chairman of the Assembly Education Committee, used parliamentary prerogative that was his based on the Democrats’ control of the full Assembly to deny a hearing date for AB 1314, guaranteeing it would not get beyond his committee and thereby effectively killing it without granting it consideration by the state’s legislative bodies.
Prior to his election, Essayli, an attorney, had represented former Fontana Assistant Police Chief Alan Hostetter after he was indicted by the federal government and arrested by the FBI in June 2021 for having participated in what federal prosecutors said was the January 6, 2021 insurrection on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol that day and a fiery speech he made in front of the U.S. Supreme Court Building the previous day in league with Donald Trump’s friend and supporter Roger Stone. In that speech and his organizational activity relating to the January 6 protests, Hostetter maintained that the Democrats in a massive and well-orchestrated conspiracy had “stolen” the 2020 presidential election from Donald Trump. Ultimately, Hostetter, who had served as the police chief of La Habra after he left the Fontana Police Department, upon foregoing representation by an attorney or legal team, was convicted at trial and sentenced to more than 11 years in prison. Hostetter was issued a pardon by President Trump earlier this year.
In his role as Valdivia’s chief of staff, Essayli faced the challenge of formulating a strategy that would allow Valdivia to recreate the administrative authority that formerly existed in the San Bernardino mayor’s position but which had been taken away by the passage of a revamped city charter in 2016, two years before Valdivia assumed the mayoral post. This was complicated by a slow erosion in Valdivia’s support on the city council, which he initially controlled by virtue of a ruling coalition he had assembled, as his relationships with three of that panel’s members soured during the first year of his tenure. Ultimately, recognizing that his association with Valdivia, who at one point was seen as a climber in San Bernardino County’s Republican-dominated political atmosphere but whose welcome diminished as his immersion in the pay-to-play political horsetrading ethos of local governmental operations became overwhelmingly apparent, Essayli moved back into his private law practice and concentrated on kindling his own political career.
The son of immigrants from Lebanon who fled that country during its civil war in the 1980s, Essayli is the first Muslim ever elected to the California State Assembly. He represents California’s 63rd Assembly District, consisting of Canyon Lake, Corona, Eastvale, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Norco, Riverside, Temescal Valley and Woodcrest. He graduated from Cal Poly Pomona and obtained a law degree from the Chapman University School of Law.
At the age of 22 in 2008, he served as a White House intern during the George W. Bush Administration. He passed the bar in California after leaving Washington, D.C., practicing labor law for a short time before going to work as a deputy prosecutor in the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. He moved into the U.S. Attorney’s Office, becoming the Assistant United States Attorney for the Central District of California, in which capacity he was involved in the investigations and prosecutions that followed from the 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernardino, in which his religion was utilized to ward off or blunt criticism of bias against the two Muslim extremist perpetrators of the attacks.

Mystery, confusion and anger attends Upland’s efforts to outsource billing on a host of traditional municipal services or services provided under city-controlled franchises to the county.
Unknown to residents is whether the change has already been effectuated and whether mix-ups that have already manifested will result in double, triple or quadruple billings, missed payments, penalties, fines and, in some cases, homeowners’ loss or potential loss of their properties.
There is a modicum of outright outrage as some city residents perceive the billing changeover as a ploy by city officials to increase resident costs without any improvement in service or savings to customers, while reducing the workload of what many residents in the City of Gracious Living see as an underworked workforce.
At present, or at least until recently, Upland residents could come to City Hall to pay their bills for municipal services or otherwise make online payment of their bills for water and sewer service, their trash service provided to city residences and businesses by Upland’s franchised trash hauler Burrtec Industires, apply for and/or pay for building permits, renew animal licenses for household pets, or pay for household members’ participation in youth recreation classes and activities, adult recreation classes and activities or senior citizen recreation classes and activities.
More recently, however, Upland city officials have been inching toward abandoning those policies and practices and instead is ready to or has already handed billing for those services to San Bernardino County.
In this regard, Upland is emulating the City of Fontana, which on February 27, 2024 amended its contract with its franchised waste hauler, which also happens to be Burrtec Waste Industries contract that introduces several important enhancements for our community. These improvements are designed to benefit all residents and ensure efficient waste management services.
. The amendment will This means cleaner and safer public spaces for everyone. Burrtec will now be responsible for staffing qualified personnel to operate and maintain our Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility located at 16454 Orange Way. This will help us manage hazardous waste responsibly and ensure the safety of our environment. The amendment allows Burrtec to streamline residential solid waste service charges by placing them directly on the property tax roll. In return for this administrative shift, Burrtec will offset the associated cost savings from switching to this method by reducing the monthly street sweeping service charges paid by the City. This adjustment aims to streamline billing processes and deliver cost savings to residents and businesses by avoiding a rate increase next year. These enhancements reflect our commitment to improving waste management services and fostering a cleaner, more sustainable environment for Fontana. That vote entailed moving, as of July 1, 2024, Fontana residents’ and businesses’s fees for trash and recycling services onto annual property tax bills.
While Fontana touted the change as one that would result in “immediate cost savings [and] also promote environmental responsibility for the future,” and expand street sweeping services to cover a wider range of areas within our city limits, including streets, medians, State Highways and medians, commercial zones, and the Metrolink Station Parking lot and bus turnaround,” residents in Fontana were and remain skeptical about whether the change was salutary or disadvantageous. Whereas the city had said making the tax roll adjustment would result in “stable rates for residents,” it turns out that the city’s residential solid waste collection rates will increase on July 1, 2025.
A promise made to Fontana residents was that “By shifting to annual property tax billing, we’re reducing the need for quarterly mailings, which saves paper and energy, contributing positively to our environment.”
A downside not spoken about, however, is that any sort of prolonged arrearage on one’s tax bill can result in the county providing two warnings to the delinquent homeowner, whereupon a process is initiated that ultimately culminates in a tax lien sale of the property effectuated through an auction.
Crossed wires/missed communications resulting in lien sales in Upland are absolutely possible given that many residents are signed up for automatic or recurring payments through their banks and, as has proven to be the case in Fontana, some mistakenly assumed the banks would properly route the payments to the county. On the resident side, some residents never came through with the extra money charged on their tax bill because they did not have the money in November because it had been routed elsewhere and they did not have sufficient funds to satisfy what had been transformed into a double billing after their banks had continued to divert the money earmarked for utility payments.
While not enough time has elapsed in Fontana for the tax liens to have progressed to the auction stage, some homeowners are on a trajectory to eventually lose their homes.
In the case of Upland, the utility payments will not be limited to trash service but water and sewer service, as well.
Some Upland residents, ones who are already upset at City Hall being open four rather than five days per week, see the switchover to county billing as one more way to lessen the workload on city employees. If the city were to make commensurate downward adjustments in the number of city employees, some of these residents have said, they would go along with the change. But the city’s taxpayers and ratepayers will see no benefit, they say, as there is to be no downward adjustments to city staff.
“If this was meant to save money by cutting city staff and streamlining operations, that would be one thing,” a longtime city resident told the Sentinel. “This isn’t going to do that. It will mean less work for city employees with no drop in pay, more money coming into the mayor and city council in political donations from Burrtec and Burrtec continuing on as the lord of the city and lord of the county as it becomes more and more powerful.” The resident said some Uplanders were trying to get their fellow residents “to start thinking about this, to understand what the people down at City Hall are doing.”.

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: CYNTHIA ANNE HEDRICK STEPHENSON  aka CYNTHIA H. STEPHENSON

CASE NO. PROVV25000095

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of CYNTHIA ANNE HEDRICK STEPHENSON  aka CYNTHIA H. STEPHENSON:

A petition for probate has been filed by NATASHA LYNN REED in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that NATASHA LYNN REED be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests FULL 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 April 16 at 9:00 a.m. at

San Bernardino County Superior Court Victorville Courthouse

Department V12 – Victorville

14455  Civic Drive

Victorville, CA 92392

Filed: March 17, 2025

L. CARMACK, Deputy Court Clerk.

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 Natasha Lynn Reed:

SAM PRICE

SBN 208603

PRICE LAW FIRM, APC

454 Cajon Street

REDLANDS, CA 92373

Phone (909) 328 7000

Fax (909) 475 9500

sam@pricelawfirm.com

Published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on March 28 and April 4 & 11, 2025.

The following entity is doing business primarily in San Bernardino County as

JOSHUA TREE FLEA MARKET & STORAGE [and] JT FLEA MARKET & STORAGE [and] JT FLEA MARKET 6401 VETERANS WAY JOSHUA TREE, CA 92252: OFF THE GRID PROPERTIES, LLC 56925 YUCCA TRAIL, #243 JOSHUA TREE, CA 92284

Business Mailing Address: 56925 YUCCA TRAIL, #243 JOSHUA TREE, CA 92284

The business is conducted by: A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY registered with the State of California.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: N/A.

By signing, I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime (B&P Code 179130). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing.

/s/ R.L. KURVINK, Managing Member

Statement filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on: 3/12/2025

I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office San Bernardino County Clerk By:/Deputy J3256

Notice-This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14400 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

Published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on March 28 and April 4, 11 & 18, 2025.

FBN 20250001644

The following entity is doing business primarily in San Bernardino County as

ROCKET ADU SOLUTIONS  1881 COMMERCENTER E, SUITE 138  SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92408: CASITA LA PAZ, INC   1881 COMMERCENTER EAST  SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92408

Business Mailing Address: 7178 PALM AVE. HIGHLAND, CA 92346

The business is conducted by: A CORPORATION registered with the State of California under the number 6567862

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: N/A

By signing, I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime (B&P Code 179130). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing.

/s/ MISTY J GARCIA, President

Statement filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on: 2/18/2025

I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office San Bernardino County Clerk By:/Deputy J7527

Notice-This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14400 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

Published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on  February 28 and March 7, 14 & 21, 2025.  Corrected on March 28, April 4, 11 & 18, 2025.

FBN 20250001408

The following entity is doing business primarily in San Bernardino County as

JILLIAN’S ELECTROLYSIS GROUP   2416 S. GROVE AVE   ON-TARIO, CA 91761: JILLIAN’S ELECTROLYSIS GROUP LLC   2416 S GROVE AVE   ONTARIO, CA 91761

Business Mailing Address:  1531 E CHERRY HILL ST ONTARIO, CA 91761

The business is conducted by: A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY registered with the State of California.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: February 3, 2025

By signing, I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime (B&P Code 179130). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing.

/s/ JILLIAN MERCADO, Manager

Statement filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on: 2/10/2025

I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office San Bernardino County Clerk By:/Deputy J9965

Notice-This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name state-ment must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of it-self authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14400 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

Published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on February 28 and March 7, 14 & 21, 2025. Corrected on March 28, April 4, 11 & 18, 2025.

FBN 20250001291

The following entity is doing business primarily in San Bernardino County as

KIM’S DESIGN & LIQUIDATION  13747 AMARILLO AVE  CHINO, CA  91710: DK’S DESIGN & LIQUIDATION LLC  13747 AMARILLO AVE  CHINO, CA  91710

Business Mailing Address:  FONTANA, CA 92336

The business is conducted by: A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY registered with the State of California under the number 202201310914

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: February 3, 2024

By signing, I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime (B&P Code 179130). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing.

/s/ DANIEL KIM, Manager

Statement filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on: 2/07/2025

I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office San Bernardino County Clerk By:/Deputy J7527

Notice-This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name state-ment must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14400 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

Published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on February 28 and March 7, 14 & 21, 2025. Corrected on March 28, April 4, 11 & 18, 2025.

FBN 20250003012

The following entity is doing business primarily in San Bernardino County as

HAY MADRE MIA 100% AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FOOD  15521 7^TH STREET VICTORVILLE,  CA 92395: 15521 7^TH STREET VICTORVILLE,  CA 92395

Business Mailing Address:  13120 ANDREA DRIVE VICTORVILLE,  CA 92392

The business is conducted by: A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY registered with the State of California under the number 202201310914

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: March 26, 2025

By signing, I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime (B&P Code 179130). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing.

/s/ MARTHA BERROSPE, Manager

Statement filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on: 3/26/2025

I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office San Bernardino County Clerk By:/Deputy K4856

Notice-This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of it-self authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14400 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

Published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on February 28 and March 7, 14 & 21, 2025.

FBN 20250002073

The following entity is doing business primarily in San Bernardino County as

BIRDIES BARTENDING 9680 WHITEWOOD CT FONTANA, CA 92335: ERIC L. RIVERA-INFANTE

Business Mailing Address:  9680 WHITEWOOD CT FONTANA, CA 92335

The business is conducted by: AN INDIVIDUAL

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: January 1, 2025

By signing, I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime (B&P Code 179130). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing.

/s/ ERIC L. RIVERA INFANTE, OWNER

Statement filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on: 3/03/2025

I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office San Bernardino County Clerk By:/Deputy J6733

Notice-This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of it-self authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14400 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

Published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on February 28 and March 7, 14 & 21, 2025.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE

NUMBER CIV SB 2506071,

TO  ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner MICHAEL STEVEN THOMPSON filed with this court for a decree changing names as follows: MICHAEL STEVEN THOMSON to MICHAEL STEVEN KIBBY.

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

Notice of Hearing:

Date: 05/09/2025, Time: 08:30 AM, Department: S 32

The address of the court is Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino, San Bernardino District-Civil Division, 247 West Third Street, San Bernardino, CA 92415.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a copy of this order be published in the  San Bernardino County Sentinel, once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing of the petition.

Judge of the Superior Court: Gilbert G. Ochoa

Dated: 03/28/2025   by Gilberto Villega, Deputy Court Clerk

Michael Steven Thompson

(909)  938-2968

Kibob2000@yahoo.com

Published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on March 28, April 4, 11 & 18, 2025.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE

NUMBER CIV SB 2504825,

TO  ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: AARON LEE BELCHER filed with this court for a decree changing names as follows: AARON LEE BELCHER to AARON LEE EDWARDS.

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

Notice of Hearing:

Date: 04/30/2025, Time: 09:00 AM, Department: S 24

The address of the court is Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino, San Bernardino District-Civil Division, 247 West Third Street, San Bernardino, CA 92415

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a copy of this order be published in the  San Bernardino County Sentinel, once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing of the petition.

Dated: 03/19/2025

Judge of the Superior Court: Gilbert G. Ochoa

Eric Ituraide, Ceputy Clerk of the Court

Published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on March 28, April 4, 11 & 18, 2025.

The full implication of the most recent rightward movement in the constant swing of the pendulum between the polar opposite conceptions of what criminal justice reform in the State of California should be came too late to save Deputy Hector Cuevas Jr.’s life or spare the man now charged in his death, Ryan Dwayne Turner Jr, from what will very likely prove to be a lengthy or even lifelong prison sentence,
There is irony in the consideration that the lighter sentences that were meted out to Turner for his past criminal transgressions now mean, at least according to a significant number of local law enforcement professionals, that Turner will need to endure a long and sad consignment to prison. The sympathy of those sworn to uphold the law locally does not lie with Turner, however. Far worse, they say, indeed almost unbearable, for them is knowing that Cuevas is irretrievably gone and that they and Cuevas’s family will need to live through a loss of nearly infinitely greater dimension than Turner’s surrender of his freedom.
Turner and Cuevas were a half-generation and a world removed from one another.
Cuevas was born on January 26, 1989 in Los Angeles. His lineage included African, indigenous North American, European, Dominican, Puerto Rican and El Salvadoran roots. He was proud, it is said, to be identified as African American, though many who knew him only casually assumed he was Latino. He spent a major portion of his youth in Rialto, and attended Carter High School, where he was a standout on the football team and graduated in 2007.
Eventually, Cuevas matriculated at Central State University, a historically black land-grant college in Wilberforce, Ohio. While there, he played football and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, graduating in 2013. Continue reading →