California Dolphin

The State Bar of California has seized the practice of a fake attorney who is said to have exploited Filipino immigrants.  According to State Bar officials, the offices of Salve Esperanza were seized for engaging in the unauthorized practice of law on Nov. 21.  During the seizure, the State Bar collected 30 boxes of client files and five computers from Esperanza’s Olympic Avenue office, where she did business as Prestige Network Resource Consulting Inc.  Investigation into some of Esperanza’s cases revealed the exploitation of many immigrants from the Philippines, according to state officials.  “In one case, a client from the Philippines who thought Esperanza was an attorney paid her more than $11,000 in November 2019 for her assistance to establish U.S. residency for him and his wife,” the State Bar of California said in a media release. “Esperanza assured the client that she had assisted many Filipinos in securing their legal status and that she would handle all necessary filings with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.”  Westminster sues 2 council members for ‘dysfunctional’ atmosphere at City Hall After meeting with the couple, Esperanza instructed them

Chris Evans is reportedly returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is rumored to co-star with his former co-Avenger Robert Downey Jr. in “Avengers: Doomsday.” The Wrap first reported that the “Captain America” star would be joining the cast and “involved in some capacity, but the extent and exact nature of his role is unknown.” Variety, the Hollywood Reporter and Deadline also confirmed Evans’ MCU comeback but were scant on details. Representatives for Evans and Marvel Studios did not immediately respond Tuesday to The Times’ requests for comment. So it remains unclear if Evans, who starred as Captain America Steve Rogers and made brief appearances as that character in several MCU films, will reprise that role or take on a new one in “Avengers: Doomsday,” due in theaters in May 2026. The Oscar-winning Downey, who famously launched the blockbuster MCU when he first starred as billionaire playboy Tony Stark in the 2008 comic-book adaptation “Iron Man,” concluded his run as the lead Avenger when he heroically sacrificed himself to save the universe in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame.” Downey is set to break with that onscreen persona

Kroger’s plans to buy its grocery rival Albertsons hit a legal roadblock on Tuesday when a federal judge put a halt to the deal, which would be the largest supermarket merger in U.S. history. The decision is a blow to Albertsons and Kroger, which first announced the $24.6-billion acquisition of its rival in 2022. The judge’s decision to issue a preliminary injunction in the case means the merger will be delayed while the Federal Trade Commission conducts an in-house proceeding on the proposed deal before an administrative law judge. “Any harms defendants experience as a result of the injunction do not overcome the strong public interest in the enforcement of antitrust law,” U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson wrote in her decision. This is a developing story. More to Read

Public health authorities are seeking to determine if a Marin County child stricken with bird flu could have potentially contracted the illness by drinking infected raw milk that was subject to a recall. The case was announced on Friday, buried in a Dec. 6 Marin County health newsletter, which provided few details about the case or the county and state’s investigation. “Since announcing multiple recalls of raw milk due to contamination with bird flu, state and local public health experts have received reports of illnesses from 10 individuals who reported drinking raw milk,” said Grant Boyken, a spokesman for the state’s public health department. He said that initial county and state public health laboratory testing had not identified any positive bird flu infections in these individuals, but that one Marin County child who tested positive for it had recovered. H5N1 bird flu is classified as an Influenza A virus — a group that includes most human seasonal flu viruses as well. Additional testing is being conducted to assess whether the child was infected with bird flu or seasonal flu. Boyken said the state, along with

At Malibu Bluffs Park at the end of Malibu Canyon, the Franklin fire reached the ocean. The fire jumped Pacific Coast Highway, charring the trees and baseball outfields. This is a hallmark of Malibu fires, where the Santa Ana wind push flames over the mountains and hillside and down to the beach. The coastal city is used to fires, and much of the central area of the city — including Pepperdine University — was under an evacuation order. Along Pacific Coast Highway, between Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Malibu Canyon Road, rows of clothing shops and restaurants were closed. A few people stood outside their beach homes glancing at the smoke billowing from the mountains. Malibu Canyon Road and Pacific Coash Highway were closed to traffic because of the Franklin fire (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times) Ash fell on the street as fire trucks and semi-trucks transporting heavy machinery traveled south. Near the Malibu Pier, a lone surfer caught waves while two lifeguards stood watch from their truck. In the distance the sound of helicopters could be heard. The fire burned down Malibu Canyon, charring hillsides

As the Franklin Fire burns areas in and around Malibu, evacuation orders sent thousands scrambling. But for students and staff at Pepperdine University, where the flames and smoke were clearly visible, the best course of action was to shelter in place, not flee, school officials said. So what makes Pepperdine a safe place to be? According to school officials, even as the city of Malibu and other nearby areas evacuate, “we do not evacuate the campus even when surrounding areas might – this shelter-in-place protocol is approved by LA County Fire and executed with their cooperation.” LIVE UPDATES: Franklin Fire in Malibu explodes to 2,600 acres Instead of evacuating, everyone at the school is sent to the Tyler Campus Center or Payson Library near the center of campus, which were pre-established as shelter-in-place locations to be used when others evacuate. School spokesman Michael Friel told KTLA those buildings are “the safest part of campus.” “Thankfully, the campus is well-protected and designed to withstand these kinds of conditions,” he added. Due to the blaze, regular school operations were halted Tuesday. Friel said that no injuries had

An in-custody death investigation is underway after a trespassing suspect died while being detained in the city of Hesperia in San Bernardino County over the weekend. Deputies were called to Lime Street Park just after 5:30 p.m. Saturday after Hesperia Park Rangers requested assistance with a 42-year-old male trespasser who was refusing to leave, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department stated. The man was found inside a bathroom before he was escorted out by deputies and park rangers. The unidentified suspect “displayed erratic behavior and refused to comply” as deputies attempted to detain him, the Sheriff’s Department said. The deputies eventually handcuffed the man and requested medical aid as a precaution. “During the incident, the male subject stopped breathing and deputies administered CPR until medical aid arrived,” the Sheriff’s Department stated. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Riverside County Coroner’s Office will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Meanwhile, the Sheriff’s Specialized Investigations Division has assumed the investigation. Anyone with information is urged to contact them at 909-890-4904. Those who prefer to remain anonymous can

When James Perry, 42, got the first emergency notification of the Franklin fire at 11:45 p.m. Monday, he and his wife were already packing up their belongings. The couple had already received an email from their 5-year-old’s school, the Sycamore School, just down the road from their Los Flores home, letting them know that the grounds would be closed as a precautionary measure due to the fire. At 11:20 p.m. they lost their electricity. Without cellphone service or a Wi-Fi connection, Perry said his family relied on the emergency notifications to prepare and, by the third alert, get themselves out of their home — just a canyon over from the growing fire zone. “As soon as we came down [Los Flores Canyon Road] near Duke’s Malibu we saw the halo of the fire, smoke and the light,” Perry said. “That’s when we realized it was closer than we thought.” The family of three spent the night at a hotel in Santa Monica and are currently looking for another place to stay. This isn’t the first fire that Perry and his family have experienced. They were

Two attorneys for Danny Masterson and a private investigator could face disciplinary investigations for their conduct toward jurors after the disgraced actor’s rape conviction, a judge ruled Tuesday. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo, who earlier this year wrote she was “troubled” to learn members of Masterson’s legal team contacted jurors at their homes and workplaces, said she would refer attorneys Eric Multhaup and Clifford Gardner, as well as private investigator Lynda Larsen, to state regulatory bodies for disciplinary investigations. In a September court order, Olmedo wrote that several jurors had been the subject of “unwanted contact at their homes or work by members of the defense team,” and noted the jurors had asked her to “inquire how the defense team obtained their identifying information.” At the end of Masterson’s trial last year, Olmedo sealed all identifying information about the jurors. But on Sept. 15, “a member of Mr. Masterson’s habeas team” appeared on the lawn of one juror and tried to interview her, according to an email that juror sent to the court. Multhaup told The Times last month that his investigator

A fire damaged a commercial building in the Palm area of Los Angeles Tuesday, but no one was hurt. Firefighters sent to the 3300 block of South Robertson Boulevard at 10:54 a.m. extinguished the flames in the single-story structure in 32 minutes, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

The Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved a new three-year contract with the union representing Riverside County sheriff’s deputies and District Attorney’s Office investigators, guaranteeing pay increases to members totaling 19% over the duration of the compact. In a 5-0 vote without comment, the board authorized implementation of the $164 million collective bargaining agreement between the county and Riverside Sheriffs’ Association, which takes effect immediately. It will expire on Dec. 9, 2027. Automatic pay hikes are at the core of the contract and apply to members in the “minimum and maximum range of all classifications,” according to the terms. The first across-the-board hike, totaling 9%, will go into effect this week. The next auto hike, totaling 5%, will take effect on Dec. 11, 2025, and the final 5% hike will be added to members’ paychecks beginning Dec. 11, 2026, according to the agreement. The county General Fund will cover roughly half the contract costs, while the sheriff’s departmental budget will cover the other half. More than 1,600 employees are covered under the compact, which is specifically with RSA’s Law Enforcement Unit, encompassing patrol deputies, school resource

A multi-use project development off Froom Ranch Way in San Luis Obispo could now include more housing instead of commercial developments. The project is broken down into 11 lots. Lot seven is up for discussion by the City Council Tuesday night. The space was previously planned as commercial space, but now developers want to use it for 276 apartment units. In documents submitted to the city, the change is being requested due to a decreased interest in commercial properties since the initial plan was adopted in 2018 and an increased need for housing in San Luis Obispo. The SLO Ranch team is partnering with Williams Homes and Peoples Self-Help Housing on the proposal. The city is currently working on an impact fee update, which is expected to go to the council for adoption in 2025. If youd like to comment on the project or learn more about it, the San Luis Obispo City Council will discuss it at its meeting on Tuesday, which begins at 5:30 p.m.

The City of San Luis Obispo welcomed new council members while honoring old ones during a swearing-in ceremony Monday. According to the city’s Facebook page, a special meeting was held to thank outgoing council member Andy Pease for her dedication to the community during her term. New members like Mike Boswell were then welcomed and sworn in, alongside Mayor Erica A. Stewart and council member Jan Marx. The same night, council member Michelle Shoresman was appointed as the city council’s new vice mayor.