VOL 116 NO 27 IMPERIAL COUNTY, CA THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2020 CHANGE SERVICE REQUEST

Serving Your Community Since 1905

R e a d u s o n l i n e a t H o l t v i l l e T r i b u n e . c o m

Deputy, WifeDescribeImpact of

ViolentHoltville

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BY GARY REDFERN

A county Sheriff's Officedeputy feared he "was going todie with my own firearm" whenhe was attacked by a man heapproached on a Holtville streetin November 2018.

"I still replay the incident inmy head of what I could havedone differently. The professionof law enforcement is inherentlydangerous," Senior DeputyMiguel Calderon is quoted asstating to county DeputyProbation Officer Aryana Singh,who prepared a pre-sentencereport on Calderon's assailant,Alex Padilla.

"That night in a split second,my mind changed from beingable to take Padilla into custodyto fearing I was going to die withmy own firearm. After escaping,I feared I was going to bleed outbecause I did not know how seri-ous I had been stabbed and therewas so much blood,” Calderonsaid.

Continued on page 3

BY RICHARD MONTENEGRO BROWN

To say the stylishly musta-chioed Paul Nilson has done it allis not hyperbole, to call him aRenaissance man is not a clichéor an understatement.

The 41-year-old Holtvillenative is an accomplished musi-cian and photographer, who hasworked in newspapers, traveledas a freelancer with his camera,worked as a middle-school bandinstructor and has been separate-ly a park ranger and a firefighter.

He's also dabbling in farming,something he hopes to pursuemore seriously as he gets older.

But today, for the last severalyears, actually, he's found hislove and his groove as a regis-tered nurse, specifically as aflight nurse with REACH air-ambulance service.

For 24-hour shifts at a time,Nilson dresses like an extra outof "Top Gun," climbs aboard a

waiting chopper stationed out ofthe Brawley airport, and helpssave lives.

"I am absolutely passionateabout my job. … I really love

being on an elite team. I think it'samazing," he said recently. "Ilove my job. It is so fun to flyaround in a helicopter."

That's mostly the kid in the

Nilson talking. The man, well,he's a bit more introspectivewhen considering the gravity of

Continue on page 5

Niland Devastated by Fire; One Dead, 39 Families HomelessBY JAYSON BARNISKE

Many Niland residentsreturned home as the sun roseJune 29 to a still-smolderingcommunity praying for miracles.

"I've lived in this house since'79. My kids were born and raisedhere. The house is pretty messedup. Windows are out and glass isall over the place," said an emo-tional Otis Parker standing infront of what was left of his smol-dering home that morning.

Parker was still dazed fromthe five-alarm fire fueled by

heavy brush and 35-mph windsthat swept through the townshipJune 28. The incendiary catastro-phe destroyed more than 30 sin-gle-family homes and displaced154 residents, or the about 39families, Imperial County FireChief Alfredo Estrada said.

The fire started around 6:30p.m. June 28 and both the causeand the point of origin were stillunder investigation, the chief saidJune 29.

County also stated theirwhere 39 properties burned. 25

Continue on page 4

Animals Lovers Have Little Love for July Fourth Holtville Schools Plan to Begin ClassesAug. 17; E.C. High Schools Start Aug. 11

BY JAYSON BARNISKE

Local schools, the ICOE and the stateBoard of Education have been engaged ina dance waiting for each other to make astep first. Some local school districts tookthe lead as they approve yearly calendars,announcing official start dates to studentsand families.

Holtville High Principal AnthonyArrevalo wasn't ready to make a statementabout how classes will be conducted in thefall but assures his students and their fam-ilies that school administrators are workingdiligently to create and approve an in-

depth plan that will create the best-possibleeducation experience.

Classes at Holtville Unified SchoolDistrict campuses will start Aug. 17,Arrevalo said.

"All of the principals are workingdeveloping plans and going back and forthon ideas about what is a good approach forthe community," said Arrevalo, who indi-cated a statement would soon be releasedfrom his school district with more detailedinformation about a specific course ofaction.

Administrators are putting their effort

Continue on page 6

BY ELIZABETH VILLA

Returning home after a late-eveningIndependence Day celebration with family,Lori walked through the door, but herbeloved Yorkie, Ladybird, was nowhere tobe found.

Frantic, her husband, Juan, went oneway down the street, and Lori went anoth-er, in search of their furry family member,who bolted from the backyard when thefireworks started to crack and pop all overthe neighborhood.

After hours of searching, a neighbor ablock away called and said Ladybird was

found cowering behind her trash cans,clearly still upset by the explosions theirfaithful friend could not comprehend.

Fortunately, the dog was found, butsuch tales don't often have such a tail-wag-ging conclusion.

The preceding was a somewhat fiction-al account of the kinds of stories that gettold this time of year, but it could havebeen true.

Humane Society of Imperial County"The Fourth of July is the most dread-

ed day of the year for animals and peoplewho work in the animal welfare field," said

Continued on page 6

REACH FLIGHT NURSE Paul Nilson with Sergio Cardenas of Brawley. Cardenas was Nilson’sfirst partner and now manager. Nilson and Cardenas were getting prepared to go on what hebelieve’s to be one of his first 911 calls with REACH 11.PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL NILSON

DEPUTY MIGUELCALDERON

A PHOTO CROWDSOURCED from Twitter through Instagramshows 35-mph winds whipping flames through Niland the evening ofJune 28, when much of the town burned, leaving over 30 homesdestroyed, 150 people homeless and one dead. COURTESY PHOTO

BY JAYSON BARNISKE

The somber image of a casketcovered by an American flag withfellow officers standing on eitherside in front of a screen displayingEl Centro Police Departmentbadge No. 354 awaited attendeesof Officer Efren Coronel's memo-rial service.

The local law enforcementcommunity was devasted to learnof the passing of Coronel on June3 due to complications fromCOVID-19, which police say hecontracted in the line of duty whilemaking an arrest on a COVID-pos-itive suspect.

Coronel's private service waslivestreamed from inside JimmieCannon Theater for thePerforming Arts at SouthwestHigh School in El Centro onFacebook for the public to witnessthe morning of June 26.

Everyone physically in atten-dance covered their hearts andtheir faces as the service beganwith a presentation of colors to thesound of the bagpipes.

By this point, the emotionalenergy in the air was already sothick, it seemed tangible.

A video of Coronel's daughter,Galilea Coronel, performing the

national anthem on her clarinet infront of the Imperial CountyCourthouse aired during the serv-ice.

"I know how much you lovedlistening to and singing the nation-al anthem. So, this is for you. Ilove and miss you, Dad," saidGalilea with a smile on her face.

Among the many speakers inattendance at the service was ElCentro Mayor Efrain Silva, whooffered his deepest condolences tothe family and colleagues ofCoronel.

"Today, we are also joyfulbecause we have an opportunity torecognize how fortunate we wereto have had Efren as a citizen of ElCentro. Through his work, his life,his faith, he leaves an impactinglegacy that will never be forgot-ten," Silva said.

"Officer Coronel was not onlythe epitome of what an officershould be, he was also an out-standing citizen that gave up somuch of his personal time for thebenefit of our youth and our com-munity," Silva added in recogni-tion of Coronel's values and serv-ice to community.

"He was probably one of thebest motor officers in this depart-ment. He was a tenacious homi-cide investigator. He workedSWAT as a young man, a positionthat only the best of the best isselected for," said El Centro PoliceChief Brian Johnson in sharingsome of Coronel's professionalaccolades.

Coronel's son, Sebastian Efrain

Coronel, gave a heartfelt tribute tohis father.

"My dad had a positive impacton everybody's life that he met.Both as a police officer and acoach, he was positive and wantedto put a smile on people's faces,"Sebastian said.

"Before a soccer game, hewould always pray. He would praybefore a game or a long trip. Hewould always pray for our familyto be safe. He was just a funny,humble, and caring man," his sonexplained.

Several more friends, co-work-ers and loved ones gave eulogies.

A video played on a largescreen at the memorial with photo-graphs of Coronel throughout hislife, set to the song, "Hallelujah."

The two ECPD officers whohad been standing besideCoronel's casket with handscrossed throughout the entire cere-mony lifted the American flag offhis casket and, with the rest of thecolor guard, folded the flag.

Six uniformed ECPD officerscarried Coronel's casket out of thebuilding to a hearse through twolong lines of local law enforce-ment agents honoring his life'swork with a salute and the rever-ence that only a hero's welcomehome could command.

As of the afternoon of June 26,the El Centro Events Facebookpost sharing the ceremony hadmore than 8,000 views.

Holtville Tribune Thursday, Juyly 2, 2020 PAGE 2

HOLTVILLE TRIBUNE

1239 W. Main St.El Centro, CA

92243

Publisher: Brenda Torres

Office Manager: Rosa Nogueda

Editor: Richard MontenegroBrownReporters:

Jayson Barniske, RichardMontenegro Brown, ElizabethVilla, Mayella Vasquez, Andy

Velez, Daniel RochaProduction: Christina

Villarreal, Photographer: Corissa

IbarraOnline Services:

Walter Mejia,Andrea Redfern

Holtville Tribune (USPS 247-880) is published weekly onFridays for $25 per year byHoltville Tribune/ Imperial ValleyWeekly/ Calexico Chronicle at1239 W. Main Street, El Centro, CA92243. Periodical postage paid atHoltville, California.

Postmaster: send addresschanges to Holtville Tribune, 1239

W. Main Street., El Centro, CA92243.

The Holtville Tribune is anewspaper of general circulationfor the publication of legal notices,as defined in Section 4460 of thePolitical Code, State of California,in the Superior Court of ImperialCounty.

Subscription prices: ImperialCounty - 1 Year $42, 2 Years $80;In California - 1 Year $42.00, 2years $80; Foreign - (except mili-tary) 1 year $35.

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CALL (760) 339-4899

A first class newspaperentered as second class matter

at Holtville Post OfficeFebruary 27, 1905, under Actof Congress of March 3, 1997.

Week of June 29thTeen Challenge: Stress, Anger Management & Mindfulness

(Originally aired on December 2017)Youth and Young Adults face an emerging world of cellphones,social media, academics, relationships, and parents, all while

experiencing the biological changes and challenges of adoles-cence. Debilitating stress or anger, internalized or externalized can

result. Mindfulness techniques, framed towards youth, can help.

Dalia Pesqueira, LMFTLicensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Program SupervisorYouth & Young Adult Services

(442)-265-1525(442)-265-1525

(442)-265-1525(442)-265-1525

Semana del 29 de junio 2020El Desafío del Adolescentes: El Manejo de Estrés, la Ira y la

Atención Plena(Originalmente transmitido en diciembre 2017)

Los adolescentes y los adultos jóvenes se enfrentan a un mundo deteléfonos móviles, redes sociales, la academia, las amistades/noviaz-gos y la relación con sus padres; todo lo anterior mientras experimen-tan con los cambios biológicos. Esto puede producir estrés p un enojo

debilitante (internalizado o externalizado). Este segmento explicaracomo las técnicas de la atención plena pueden ayudar.

Dalia Pesqueira, LMFTLicencia Estatal en Terapia Matrimonial y Familiar

Supervisora de Servicios de Adolescentes y Adultos Jóvenes

Member of CNPA

Woman’s Club Of HoltvilleCommunity Birthdays

JULY 2: Donna Brady, Hank Ludwig, Michael Cradic, Sarah Jane AbattiJULY 3: Dominic J. Dollente, Mark WilsonJULY 4: Abigail Kate Ellis, Christen Johnson Rivas, Troy Donovan Cherry JULY 5: Alexis Evelyn Wilson, Lance Brown, Ida Claybrook, Samantha Williams JULY 6: Brittini King, Issac Frederic Hawkins, Segen M. Von Flue, C.T. Riley, Ernie Leimgruber†, Kristen Kathleen Sharp, Ricci Santistevn, Megan Strahm, Ethan Aaron Strahm JULY 7: Jordan Hilfiker, Gemma Marie Smith, Arona Farris, Barbara Nilson, Theresa Vogel JULY 8: Olivia Wurzbach, Joe Patzloff† Joelene Diez, John Burgun.

Anniversaries

JULY 4: Mr & Mrs. Jim Hurt, Mr. & Mrs. Francis ProckJULY 7: Mr. & Mrs. Plato AlexanderJULY 8: Mr. & Mrs. Bill Herholtz

A Community Honors ECPD Officer EfrenCoronel, A Victim of COVID in the Line of Duty

Outdoor Weekend MassCanceled, But Parishes

Still Gather Briefly

BY DANIEL ROCHA

What was supposed to be thefirst in-person Catholic Massesperformed in Imperial Countysince the COVID-19 pandemicbegan were quickly downgraded toquick "general absolution and HolyCommunion" services in El Centroand Holtville the weekend of June27 and 28 after Gov. GavinNewsom's June 26 press confer-ence in which he warned the coun-ty to "toggle back" amid spreadingcases of coronavirus.

St. Mary's Parish in El Centroand St. Joseph Catholic ChurchHoltville had planned for a seriesof outdoor Masses over the week-end, the first such allowed by theSan Diego Diocese of the CatholicChurch, which oversees ImperialCounty, but plans were quicklychanged at the last minute.

Representatives of Our Lady ofGuadalupe Catholic Church inCalexico were contacted earlierlast week, and no in-person servic-es of any kind were planned.

Still, that did not dampen thespirit of many of those who attend-ed the short religious events, manyof whom say they craved the spiri-tual food from being together withfellow parishioners. Even thoughchurches in the county have beenallowed to conduct limited in-per-son services for a couple weeksnow, many, like the Catholicchurches in the Valley, have optedto continue online.

Magdalena Vasquez ofHoltville said, "Every day I wakeup it is a grace that the Lord givesme," expressing her great joy afterhaving attended the June 27 8:30p.m. service.

Arnulfo Vasquez, Magdalena'shusband, added, "We miss it," afterbeing asked how he felt aboutMass being cancelled.

"It is a privilege, a gift for me,because I would attend Mass everyday. I suffered at first, but when Iwas contacted (June 27), for me itwas a victory," Alfonsina Gildnerdsaid.

She commented how apprecia-tive she is of St. Joseph priestFather Jose Moreno for the drive-through Eucharist he performs onSunday mornings.

Father Moreno "demonstrates

his love for the community andblesses us with the Eucharist everySunday at the (church) corner,(and) does it with so much love,"she said.

When Gildnerd found out Masswas canceled, she said, "I had totalk to the father, this cannot be. Ithurt."

Parishioners of St. Mary'sexpressed themselves after the 8p.m. service June 28.

"I think it was the right thing todo … the way they set it up, it wasa good distance for everybody, itwas more safe," said one St. Mary'smember who asked not to use hername. "It's good to be back toreunite spiritually, but it's hard."

Carlos Gerardo of El Centrosaid, "How they did it here, I thinkit's pretty good. It's much better, forright now."

When Maria (who asked not touse her last name) heard that Masswas canceled she "felt like some-one took away (her) breath."

After a two-week delay, June27 and 28, was supposed to be thereturn of in-person Catholic servic-es in the Valley, St. Mary's FatherMark Edney said. He said a May27 letter from San Diego DioceseBishop Robert McElroy wrote topriests in the area that June 8would be the return to worshipservices for the county, but thatwas delayed to this past weekend.

"Our first priority must be tosafeguard the physical as well asthe spiritual health of our people,and at this time a delay of twoweeks is necessary to accomplishthat goal," McElroy wrote in hisletter.

Throughout week Edney hadbeen taking sign-ups for Mass viahis El Centro Catholic Facebookpage, where he had intended togather no more than 300 parish-ioners per gathering.

Spots were painted on the fieldto maintain a safe distance theevening of June 28. An estimated160 parishioners showed up for theSpanish-language service.

When the short service con-cluded, church staff signaled whenthey could proceed to the exit andto their vehicles.

Edney said there are about

Continued on page 8

AN AMERICAN FLAG drapes the casket containing theremains of El Centro police Officer Efren Coronel on June 26during a memorial service for the veteran officer. He died fromCOVID-19 on June 3 contracted in the line of duty. SCREENCAPTURE FROM ONLINE SERVICE

NEAR THE START of memori-al services for El Centro policeOfficer Efren Coronel, a videoplays in the background of hisdaughter, Galilea Coronel, per-forming the national anthem onher clarinet in front of theImperial County Courthouse inEl Centro. Coronel died fromcomplications due to COVID-19 on June 3. SCREEN CAP-TURE FROM ONLINE SER-VICE

Holtville Tribune Thursday, July 2, 2020 PAGE 3

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Holtville Tribune!

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Seven-Hour Border Backup Opens Upa Can of COVID Worms, Chief Says

Padilla.............from page oneThe recollections are part of

harrowing account of the incidentincluded in the report on file inSuperior Court. Such documentsare created to guide judges insentencing convicted defendants.They remain available for publicreview for 60 days after sentenc-ing and then are sealed. Thisreport was sealed in early June.

Padilla, 40, was sentenced to69 years to life by Judge MarcoNuñez on April 9. A jury on Jan.28 found him guilty of a host offelonies in connection with theNov. 28, 2018, incident thatbegan about 8:30 p.m. whenCalderon approached Padillanear the intersection of NinthStreet and Orange Avenue inHoltville.

After Calderon pulled up inhis patrol car and got out, Padillaattacked him without provoca-tion. Calderon was stabbed andbeaten and at one point Padillawrested away the deputy's gunand fired it. Padilla then fled inCalderon's patrol car andCalderon called for assistance.

Calderon suffered a brokenjaw and facial stab wounds. Hewas flown to a hospital by airambulance, treated and releasedseveral hours later.

Padilla was arrested withoutfurther incident a short time laterinside a nearby church whoseevening services he disrupted.

Calderon also stated theinjuries he suffered that nightwould likely end his law enforce-ment career, Singh's report stat-ed.

"It is upsetting to believe thatmy time as a peace officer willend because of the injuries I sus-tained from Padilla. I took greatpride knowing I put criminalsaway for breaking the law and Ihad a part in keeping our commu-nity safe," Calderon added.

The report also includes astatement from Calderon's wifeon the impact her husband'sinjuries have had on their family.

"On Nov. 28, 2018, our liveswere disrupted by the actions ofAlex Padilla. On that day, Mr.Padilla violently attacked myhusband, Mike, without knowinganything about him as a human,"Jewelissa Calderon told Singh.

"Mr. Padilla saw only a lawenforcement officer, and nothingelse. What Mr. Padilla did notknow, or see about Mike, is thathe is a husband, but even moreimportantly, he is a loving fatherof three. Mr. Padilla did not see,or know, that Mike is a kind,funny, easy-going, and compas-sionate person," Mrs. Calderonadded.

"The effects of the injuriesMike sustained that night arecontinuous, even to this day. Myhusband suffers from frequentneck and upper back pain, as well

as visible facial damage. Thepain that my husband enduresdue to Mr. Padilla's actions, fre-quently affects the life of ourfamily," according to Mrs.Calderon.

"My husband now strugglesto keep up with our daughter, dueto the pain from the injuries hesustained. Mind you, our daugh-ter is a very active toddler. WhileMike is the type of person topower-through his pain, there aretimes that I can see he is pushinghimself past his limit," Mrs.Calderon stated.

"Our daughter was veryyoung when this incidentoccurred, and it is saddening tothink she will only ever know herfather with his pain and limita-tions. In fact, our daughter willnever remember her father with-out the scar and visible facialtwitch. When our daughter touch-es my husband's scar and says,'Daddy got hurt at work,' it bringsback all of the horrific memoriesand sadness from that day," sheadded.

The injuries have been devas-tating to the now former deputy,his wife added.

"With his neck and eyeinjuries, it is difficult for me toimagine that my husband willever be able to return to his posi-tion as a deputy. This was a jobmy husband loved. Mike hasworked hard to put himselfthrough college and to make acareer and for himself," Mrs.Calderon stated. "Before the inci-dent, we had a pretty good idea ofwhat our financial future wasgoing to be. We felt safe andsecure knowing we would beable to provide for our children.Not knowing the future of myhusband's employment, has cre-ated financial stress for bothMike and myself."

She added, "Every time Mikefeels the pain in his neck andback, or simply looks in the mir-ror, he is reminded of that dayand the person who caused it. Ihumbly ask that the court consid-er the impact and long-termeffects Mr. Padilla's actions havehad on Mike and my family's lifewhen he is sentenced to prison.The sentence of the court willnever take back the actions of Mr.Padilla, but I whole-heartedlybelieve he deserves the maxi-mum sentence possible for thelong-lasting scars that he has lefton our lives."

Calderon eventually returnedto work but his injuries causedhim to be assigned to limitedduty and eventually forced to himretire, Sheriff's Lt. Jimmy Duranstated in a recent email.

Online production assistantAndrea Redfern contributed tothis report.

BY RICHARD MONTENEGRO BROWN

Calexico officials are keep-ing their fingers crossed that arepeat of the seven-hour, miles-long delay in all directions thatgridlocked southbound bordertraffic June 26 won't be a regularweekend occurrence movingforward, but the police chieffears it might be and says toavoid it is going to be up to "allof us."

City traffic controllers werealready out tending to majorintersections in Calexico as of 9a.m. June 28 in anticipation oflighter but no less obtrusive traf-fic congestion that occurred to alesser degree June 27 and isexpected to last through 8 p.m.June 28 as part of a three-dayenforcement detail by the city ofMexicali, said Calexico PoliceChief Gonzalo Gerardo andaccording to information froman internal email to Calexicoofficials from acting Calexico-area ports director SergioBeltran of U.S. Customs andBorder Protection.

A recurring COVID-inspec-tion enforcement on theMexican side of the ports ofentry in downtown Calexico andat the Calexico east port started

with little warning fromMexican officials on June 26and is planned into the future inweekend-long details scheduledto start on Fridays and end eachSunday night, Gerardo said dur-ing an interview June 28.

"They haven't reached out tous to give us an answer aboutwhy they're doing it," Gerardosaid. "I wish we could do thesame thing here."

"Imperial County in the pasthas been known as a cocainecorridor to the United States.Right now, this is the COVIDcorridor into the U.S.," Gerardosaid he told Sacramento officialswho were in Imperial County onJune 27 for numerous discus-sions related to Gov. GavinNewsom's June 26 press confer-ence. The chief brought the stateofficials down to Calexico to seesome of the traffic delays associ-ated with the border check-points.

A crackdown in Mexicali tolimit travel and gatherings inBaja California's capital to try tocontrol the rapid spread ofCOVID-19 in the city of morethan 1 million started over theFather's Day weekend (June 19through June 21), MexicaliMayor Marina del Pilar AvilaOlmeda announced in theMexican media June 19. She

also sent advisories then toImperial County counterparts.

However, many ImperialCounty officials, including fed-eral port authorities andCalexico police, were takenaback June 26 when a letter fromthe Mexicali mayor's office wassent to CBP officials late at nightJune 25, and that letter was notsent on to Calexico city officialsuntil the morning of June 26,seemingly at the same time thata strict enforcement detail wasset up outside both ports of entryon the Mexicali side involvingcity-, state- and federal-levelauthorities, even Mexican mili-tary members, to screen everyvehicle heading south intoMexicali, of both Mexican andAmerican citizens, for signs ofCOVID and for violations ofother issues tied to the June 19crackdown.

Apparently in an effort toimprove communication thisweek, Mexicali sent a letter toCalexico Mayor Bill Hodge andGerardo on June 30 stating thecheckpoints would be in placefrom 2 p.m. July 3 to 8 p.m. July5, according to a post on thecity's website. The chief said thecheckpoint will last a day longerthis week because of the holidayweekend.

As of noon June 30,Mexicali's official COVID dash-board tallied 808 deaths from thevirus, 4,834 total positive casesof COVID, only 301 of whichare considered active, and 774cases still awaiting confirmationfor COVID-19.

By comparison, there were93 deaths recorded in ImperialCounty related to COVID, 6,242total positive cases, 807 ofwhich were considered active,and nine cases pending investi-gation, according to ImperialCounty Public HealthDepartment's surveillance dash-board as of June 30.

Meanwhile, calls to aMexicali city spokesperson,Edgar Covarrubias, were not

Continue on page 8

A CALEXICO CHRONICLE photo illustration shows whereand when traffic back up June 26.

acres burned and there was a $1.2million in losses.

Sadly, the remains of one uniden-tified individual had beenfound June29 among the ruins of burned homesduring what was likely ongoing siteinspections that Estrada said wereoccurring throughout the day bycounty building officials and fire per-sonnel, who were red-tagging homesand searching for remains, he said.

No other information on theremains were available as of deadlineJuly 1, and county officials said thedeath was being investigated by thecounty Sheriff's Office.

An assistant fire chief on sceneJuly 1 said county officials were stillsearching the site for remains early inthe day.

Meanwhile, Parker said henoticed the fire whipping up around 7p.m., around the same time thatEstrada said a third-alarm was sound-ed and firefighters were being calledin from all over the county.

"I noticed the fire around 7 pmstanding in my backyard," Parker told

a reporter June 29. "I saw the palmtrees go up in flames (west ofHighway 111). Then all of a sudden,when the wind came up, the embersblew everywhere and went into thegrass, weeds and dead tree.

"It was just too late. I tried to putout little fires with a water hose butthat ain't no good. When the fire gottoo bad, I parked my truck across thestreet. I need to start looking for aplace to stay in Calipatria orBrawley," Parker said.

The fire is thought to have startedaround 6 p.m. west of the highwaynot far from the Niland Apartments at17 W. Fourth St. Witnesses said theflames seemed to have a mind of theirown, jumping over the highway andindiscriminately burning residencesthroughout the city with the help ofhigh winds throughout the night.Third Street appeared to be the epi-center of the disaster from the looksof what remained June 29.

At the height of the fire, about150 fire personnel were on scene bat-tling the blaze, which prompted coun-ty officials to order the evacuation of500 to 600 people, Chief Estrada said.

That was reportedly the entirepopulation of Niland, which hassteadily declined in population num-bers over the decades. Some 1,200residents lived there in 2000, with thepopulation around 1,000 by the 2010Census.

"My kids grew up here and Ilived at this house for many yearsbefore moving to Calipatria. I startedrenting this house, but I had a lot ofgood memories here," said FranciscoGarcia on June 29, surveying thedamage to his property two blockseast of Parker's residence.

During an interview with areporter, Garcia asked a nearbyImperial County official why he wastaking measurements of the property.The official said he was condemningstructures that had burned down,before taping a notice to a fence.

"All that is left of my house is thecarport and the fence, but thank Godno one was hurt during the fire,"Garcia said.

"We are fortunate because wedidn't have anyone living in the homewhen it burned down, but there werethings in it that can't be replaced. It'san older family home build by ourgrandfather in 1957," said VanessaKadiz, whose family owns the prop-erty next door to Garcia.

Kadiz rushed down from Coltonon the morning of June 29 to supporther family as soon as she heard newsof the fire.

"Unfortunately, there is nothing

left of the house, but we are going totry to salvage what we can," saidKadiz, sitting on a bench in front ofthe her childhood home, reminiscingon all that had gone up in smoke.

The Ruiz family got good newsthe morning of June 29, when theyfound out the apartment complexthey live in was saved by firefighters.They posed a photo in front of theirhome June 29. It was just a hours ear-lier that the family feared all wasgone when they were turned backfrom Niland the evening of June 28and sent to an evacuation center atErickson Gymnasium on the campusof Calipatria High School.

"We are so relieved that all of ourstuff is OK. Pictures and everythingthat is irreplaceable is OK. We are notstaying here tonight in case the firestarts back up, and we are collectingimportant paperwork just to be safe,"said Monica Ruiz, who expressed hersincerest gratitude to the firefighterswho saved her home.

Although social media reportswere that the apartment complex nearwhere the fire started was burned,Chief Estrada said firefighters savedthe complex. All the structures thatburned to the ground were single-family swellings, he added.

Monica Valdez, matriarch of theRuiz family, was interview outsideCalipatria High School around 10:30p.m. June 29.

"I'm pretty sure my house didburn down. I lived in the Nilandapartment complex and was not homewhen the fire started," said Valdez atthe time, after she was turned backbefore entering Niland when sheattempted to go home.

"We're hoping that after every-thing calms down and we can go backtomorrow and see what happened, butwe don't know yet," said Monica Ruizhad said earlier.

Imperial County Supervisor RyanKelley, who was at the scene of theevacuation center late June 28, per-sonally paid for hotel rooms for 12 to15 of the families who lost theirhomes in the fire, an American RedCross official said that night. Kelleywould speak with a reporter later thatnight.

"The Red Cross is makingarrangements. I went to help to getsome rooms in Calipatria and madethose available to Red Cross. TheRed Cross also has a bank of rooms inBrawley and they are trying to (get)all these people into some kind ofroom tonight and will get them

Continue to page 8

Holtville Tribune Thursday, July 2, 2020 PAGE 4

Niland Fire....................................................................................from page one

A COUNTY FIRE engine is in the foreground as flames rage inthe background early in the fire June 28 that ravaged the com-munity of Niland June 28, when much of the town burned, leav-ing over 30 homes destroyed, 150 people homeless and one dead.The photo was crowdsourced from Instagram. COURTESYPHOTO

Holtville Tribune Thursday, July 2, 2020 PAGE 5

Nilson..............................................................................from page onehis current situation.

As one might imagine, Nilsonis a busy man these days, as onepart of a three-person crew fullyembedded in the county and state'sfight against the formidableCOVID-19 virus that has so farkilled nearly 100 people fromImperial County and has infectedmore than 6,500 Imperial Countyresidents since the first week ofMarch.

Nilson is a key player in themore than 500 patient transfers thathave occurred of the COVID-infirmed out of Imperial Countyhospitals since the pandemic start-ed. Although county emergencyofficials did not provide a break-down between air and groundambulance cases recently, Nilsonand the various REACH crews, theothers of which are stationed out ofthe Imperial County airport inImperial, have taken part in a highpercentage of the 270-plus patienttransfers through June 24 and thetotal of 480 transfers over a two-month period (May-June).

After El Centro RegionalMedical Center and PioneersMemorial Hospital in Brawleywent on a temporary "divert" oftheir emergency rooms in the firstpart of May and could no longeraccept patients for a several-hours-long period, it's like a COVIDbomb dropped on the communityand waves of ground and air trans-ports began from that point on.

Nilson has had the unique per-spective of both being in the mid-dle of the madness and witnessingfrom afar.

As a member of the crew of theonly "visual flight rules" REACHhelicopter based in ImperialCounty, his crew sometimes has toopt out of certain runs whereweather or cloud cover might be a

factor. "VFR" crews have to main-tain sight with the ground at alltimes, and if fog or clouds are pres-ent, his team will stand down forone of the "IRF" choppers ("instru-ment flight rules") out of Imperialthat can fly through heavy cover.

It's been on those occasions inrecent weeks where Nilson has satback and listened to the radio traf-fic coming out of the hospitals andairports.

"We were at Brawley by our-selves, and we heard the radio traf-fic" around the time of the diverts,he said. "It was airship after airshipafter airship landing.

"Crews would land, jump off,grab patients and take off again.The coordination on the radio wasincredible," Nilson said. "It wasnon-stop."

As part of the mix, though, itcan be even more overwhelming,and tiring, he said.

"It's safe to say that all our ofmedical providers are feeling thatway. I know a lot of crew membersare feeling emotional and physicalstress. We are tired. We come offour shifts tired. We show up to ourshift anxious because 'We knowwe're going to fly,'" Nilson said.

He said there is nothing moresatisfying than being in the health-care industry, because people don'tdo the job merely for money orprestige, but to make a difference.

However, he implied theCOVID pandemic is a differentsort of animal, and all nurses,medics and ER staff, all transportcrews, whether on wheels or in theair, have talked shop and comparednotes.

"It's exhausting, emotionallyand physically … It's uniquely try-ing," Nilson said simply.

On the Frontlines of aNational Crisis

Like a lot of first responders,especially fire crews, air-ambu-lance flight crews work in 24-hoursshifts, live, train, and respondtogether and then are off forextended amounts of time.

REACH crews, as is the indus-try standard, cannot fly more than24-hour stretches, so Nilson works24 on, 24 off, 24 on again, and thenfive days off, before starting therotation over.

Wash, rinse, repeat … at vol-ume 10.

In the normal course of things,and by that, Nilson means pre-COVID-19, a crew might do two tothree transfers in a 24-hour period,which last about three hours atransfer due to travel time andpatient prep on and off the chopper.

With COVID, it might be fiveto six transfers in a 24-hour period,with an average of five hours pertransfer due to flight preparationand "gross decon" measures, or themassive decontamination effortsthat must be done to insure thehighly virulent disease does notremain on the crew or its equip-ment and transfers to others.

Lately, Nilson said, in a 24-hour shift, there is no downtime orsleeping. He said the crews are onthe run constantly.

Nilson took a reporter on a"virtual" patient transfer to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in LosAngeles as an example.

He said it's an eight-minuteflight from Brawley airport to ElCentro Regional. If the crew knowsit's a COVID flight (and they arestill moving out patients with theeveryday ailments like strokes andheart attacks), they have to suit upin the layers of personal protectiveequipment, which for flight crewsare gowns, N-95 masks, faceshields and two sets of gloves ("Iwear two sets so I can peal one offand save time").

"It takes sometimes an hour toget equipment hooked up to ourpumps and ventilator," Nilson said,and to get the patient inside the hel-icopter situated.

What might be a 45-minuteflight usually is already going onan hour and 20 minutes to get toCedars-Sinai, he said.

Nilson upon arrival the crewhands off the patient and has tocarefully strip off all the PPE insuch a way as not to contaminatethemselves or anyone else. Beforeleaving Cedars, the crew has con-duct its "gross decon" of all thegear, the gurney, the ventilator andpumps, "anything touched getswiped," he said.

Then, the crew has to go fuelup somewhere nearby and head

back to base. Once at Brawley airport, that

single call continues, whether con-sidered officially or unofficially,because Nilson said the chopperhas to be stripped of "everythingnot bolted down" and cleanedagain, and that means flight manu-als and books, electronics and med-ical equipment, flight suits have tobe laundered and laid out in the sun(if the sun is out).

That can last for up to fivehours or longer, depending on thedistance of the transfer.

Nilson said since the divert,health officials "always want a hel-icopter somewhere in ImperialCounty waiting to go," and so thereare often REACH crews from otherareas like Victorville, Temeculaand Oceanside standing by whileImperial County crews are busy.

Over the last two months, thoseflight crews have included fixed-wing airplanes Sacramento andBishop here for 10 days at a a time.

What the Chiefs Don't WantYou to Hear

For those working the frontlinein Imperial County, it's no secret bynow that all the talk in hushed cor-ridors among the doctors and nurs-es is what is happening in Mexicoand it's affect on the hospitals inImperial County, especially groundzero: ECRMC.

It's no different for the flightcrews and those in the business oftransferring patients.

A few brave enough to not givea damn have talked to the media("The Rachel Maddow Show" onMSNBC). Some of those vocalenough have been travel nurseswho don't have to worry about theirjobs, but it's been rare to hear fromnurses who work and live in thecommunity.

Word has gotten around thatsome nurses have been reprimand-ed for being vocal, and there hasbeen talk that between 20 and 40percent of all emergency trafficrelated to COVID at the local hos-pitals has been from those who callMexicali home, whether they areresident aliens with addresses inImperial County or U.S. citizensliving in Mexico for whatever rea-son. Either way, these patients can-not be denied healthcare in theUnited States.

Nilson understands that. Hetalked about Mexicali with kitgloves, too. "It's a touchy subject,"he said.

"We can't blame it all onMexico. We still have 200,000 peo-ple (here), but the reality is, wehave an uncounted population notcounted in these stats," Nilson said."We should take these statistics(local COVID numbers from thecounty Public Health Department)with a grain of salt."

"Lots of people are crossing theborder with COVID and seekinghealthcare from the United States.Why wouldn't you, if you're able tobe treated in La Jolla instead ofMexicali?" Nilson asked rhetori-cally. "But we're two very smallhospitals trying to serve a popula-tion that we're not accounted for."

That's all Nilson would say. Hemade judgement either way. Hedidn't demand the borders beclosed to those ill with COVID,like some in the healthcare industryhave and do.

Within REACH of thePerfect Profession

Still, Nilson said he about nearhas the prefect job, and he loveswith all his heart. In fact, he knew

Continue on page 6

PAUL "MR. NILSON" Nilson directs the Holtville Middle Schoolmarching band during the 2006 El Centro Christmas parade dur-ing his one year as a music teacher at the junior high. PHOTOCOURTESY OF PAUL NILSON

PAUL NILSON OF Holtville and his only son, Otto, rough itwhile camping at Salt Creek in January 2020. Salt Creek is locat-ed north of Seeley and west of Imperial. PHOTO COURTESY OFPAUL NILSON

Holtville Tribune, Thursday, July 2, 2020 Page 6

PUBLIC NOTICE

School....................from page onetoward multitudes of challenges

that face them in starting classes inthe fall, and sports and extra-curricu-lar activities are not the main area offocus at this time, Arrevalo said.

Vikings, Valley Schools MightNot Compete in Fall

"Right now, the CIF-San DiegoSection has set up a master calendarand has start dates for football of July30," said Joe Evangelist, retiredCalexico High football coach and act-ing president of the southeastern con-ference of CIF-San Diego Section,during an interview with this newspa-per June 30.

CIF has plans to begin girls' ten-nis, girls' golf and boys' and girls'cross country on Aug. 1 and 5 butplans to re-evaluate where they arewith COVID-19 and make a decisionat a meeting on July 20, Evangelistsaid.

"CIF is working with healthdepartments county by county. TheImperial County is a hotspot at thispoint in time. In San Diego, statisticsindicate that they can start sports inschools and Imperial County schoolswould have to wait for the ImperialCounty (Public) Health Departmentto determine it's OK to begin,"Evangelist said.

CIF has created a detailedroadmap of its own that accounts forvariables surrounding COVID andhas considered the sentiments of ath-letes of every sport, Evangelist said.

"If July 20 arrives and thingsare not acceptable numbers-wise dueto the virus, the state and other sec-tions of CIF will pick a date inOctober. If that date comes, (we'll)move everything to spring and havethree congruent seasons of sports inthe spring, very abbreviated in lengthto allow multi-sport athletes to com-pete in multiple sports; all this has abig asterisk," said Evangelist, whoadmitted no one knows what is goingto happen.

Currently, local schools arehaving Zoom meetings with their ath-letes, and in San Diego some cam-puses are having small groups oftraining on campus, but the ImperialCounty is not at that stage yet,Evangelist said.

El Centro High Schools GiveStudents an Option

"Given the uncertain conditionsrelated to COVID-19 and the otherorders from the (Public HealthDepartment), we will begin theschool year with all students partici-pating in distance learning," CentralUnion High School DistrictSuperintendent Ward Andrus stated ina letter to parents and students onJune 30.

"When we are authorized byICPHD orders, we will begin to havestudents attend school in limitednumbers per day so we can maintainphysical distancing in the classroomsand the safety for all students andstaff. This may happen as early assome time in the first quarter ofschool."

Central Union district's websitestated that families will be able tochoose between full-time distance

learning and a blended model wherethe student attend school in person insmall groups and also online.

"Dr. (Ward) Andrus announcedat last Tuesday's (Central Union HighSchool District) board meeting (June23) that we will begin the school yearon Aug. 11 with students in distantlearning. We are planning to bringstudents back on campus in phases -smaller numbers of students at atime," Southwest High SchoolPrincipal Matt Phillips stated overFacebook Messenger the morning ofJuly 1.

At Southwest, the academyclasses, such as Southwest Academyfor the Visual and Performing Arts,the culinary program, future healthoccupations programs and otherhands-on programs like lab science,agriculture, and other classes involv-ing performance-based learning willinitially be affected during the transi-tion period, Phillips stated.

"Initially, we will have to relyon virtual resources. One of the tran-sitional phases, bringing studentgroups on campus, will begin withthese kinds of student groups. Alongwith English learners, special educa-tion, and student groups who needsupport - homeless youth, fosteryouth, disengaged students," Phillipsstated.

"Live interaction will be a keycomponent of instruction for allclasses. Live video and audio interac-tion, that is. In-person instruction isthe next phase," Phillips stated.

To read more about CentralUnion district's plans, visit the web-site.

Bulldogs Go Back on School onAug. 24

In Calexico, first day for the2020-2021 calendar begins Aug. 24,Alejandra Limon, Calexico UnifiedSchool District public informationofficer, stated in an email sent out lateJune 30.

"The plan is evolving and takesinto consideration the guidelines inthe California Department ofEducation Pathway to Reopening OurSchools and the Imperial CountyOffice of Education," CalexicoSuperintendent Carlos GarciaGonzalez stated message sent outJune 30 to staff, students and parentsvia Limon.

The message had links sharingresults from a student survey, how toregister for classes next and the otherexplained how the county's Roadmapto Recovery will not allow schools toreopen until the county is in Stage 2B.Calexico Unified will only be able toimplement distance learning until thatpoint.

The message to students statedthe full list of extra-curricular activi-ties is not available yet and will beprovided later in the fall or as theroadmap clarifies. Calexico Unifiedis continuing to work toward accom-plishing its goal of having a one-to-one (ratio of) electronic devices forall students for the 2020-21 schoolyear.

The detailed message can beread in full on our website.

Nilsonn..........................front page fivehe would the minute he got thenotion that this was his life's goalwhile trying to figure out what to donext.

The vagabond musician anditinerant photographer graduatedfrom the University of Montanawith a Bachelor of Arts inInternational Business with a minorin Spanish (he can't even rememberthe year), but for a guy whosedecidedly more artsy, that wasnever going to stick.

After several years working atone of the local newspapers as aphotographer and traveling aroundagain for a spell, Nilson was ropedinto being the band instructor atHoltville Middle School for a yearstarting around 2006.

He loves music. Nilson stillgets together with a band of alt-country diehards in Los Angeles ina group called Wet Texas, where hesings and plays mandolin and har-monica, and gigs during extendedtimes off, "But I do not enjoy mid-dle school students," he jokedrecently.

"I didn't have any interest inbeing a teacher. I did it for a year asa favor," he said.

After his year was up, stillsearching for his purpose, Nilsontook a job as a part-time U.S.Bureau of Land Management emer-

gency medical services ranger dur-ing off-road season at the busyGlamis dunes.

He was unprepared and ill-equipped to deal with the job, hesaid, and that season, they had 14fatalities and hundreds of traumacalls, and "I loved it!"

Nilson said he remembers oneparticularly hairy situation wherehe and others didn't know what todo and were all but panicking and incomes a bright red REACH heli-copter, and off jumps a nurse whowas in total command of the situa-tion. Nilson said the nurse puteveryone at ease and knew his stuff.

"I made a goal and set my sites.I knew I wanted to work forREACH," he said.

To get there, he would need tobecome an EMT, then a nurse, logtime in an emergency departmentand chip away at several layersbefore landing his dream gig.

"I got on at the Holtville FireDepartment while I was getting myEMT certification," Nilson said,while going to Imperial ValleyCollege to get his nursing programpre-requisites.

He then got hired on at ECRMCas an "ER tech" while still going tonursing school at IVC, from whichhe graduated around 2010/2011with his registered nursing certifi-

cation. He then worked severalyears in the ER to gain experiencebefore leaving for REACH, wherehe has been for more than threeyears.

Where Nilson is Going?Nilson, who has 50 percent cus-

tody of his 4-year-old son, Otto,recently purchased some land out-side Holtville from his family's trustand plans to try his hand at a futurein farming, although not in any seri-ous way for some years.

All he's got now is a 1963antique Farmall tractor and a loftydream of planting a "corn maze"and "pumpkin patch" someday withOtto.

He still loves his job withREACH, he just knows that at somepoint, his knees are going to startyelling at him as he jumps off andon a helicopter for several moreyears.

Today, he's still working on theirrigation system and series ofcanals around his 10 acres. Maybehe'll plant some "wheat or oats oralfalfa or onion seed" by the end ofthe summer.

"I'd like to plant some vegeta-bles, but I don't have the equip-ment," he said.

"I'm good for the next 10 yearsbefore retirement, or so to speak,"Nilson said.

Animals...................................from page oneDevon Apodaca, executive directorof the Humane Society of ImperialCounty. "Animals don't understandthe festivities … booms, flashing(lights), noise from fireworks, espe-cially for animals that are outdoors.

"They try to find a safe place tohide and sometimes they run away,go through fences, jump fences, andinjure themselves. They are scared,and sometimes the animals just keepgoing and get disoriented. They canget seriously injured, run into traf-fic," Apodaca said. "The next morn-ing the cities (animal control) arepicking up dead animals that were hitby cars or strays."

The long-time animal advocatesaid the week after IndependenceDay is "horrible," with many animalscoming in with no identification andno microchips. He said some pets arenever found.

"The number of dogs that comein doesn't equal to people coming in"to claim them or adopt them,Apodaca said.

The Humane Society has beenoffering low-cost microchipping, butthat ends July 3. Until then, it's $20per pet. Apodaca said the responsehas been good, with about 100microchips embedded. Due toCOVID-19, the society can onlyhave one person in office at a time,so they have one appointment aboutevery 15 minutes.

Why Aren't Owners ClaimingTheir Pets?

"The No. 1 reason that people

don't claim the animals is they don'twant to pay the fines. The fines arefrom the city for the police or publicworks who pick them up as strays orlost. It is against the law for them runat large," Apodaca said.

When asked what he believes ananimal would tell its owner, Apodacaresponded, "love and care for meproperly … I am a family memberand treat me as such with love andrespect."

Apodaca referred people to thecounty Humane Society's Facebookpage, where there is a useful posttitled "Pets and Fireworks Don'tMix." A few tips are below:

•No. 1, if possible, please keeppets inside at all times.

•Ensure pet is wearing a properfitted collar with proper identifica-tion and contact detail.

•Microchip. The $20 (specialthrough July 3) microchipping feeincludes implantation of microchip,ID tag, and lifetime registration withno monthly/annual fees.

•Take a current picture of yourdog in case he is lost.

•Secure gates and fences if out-door dog.

•For indoor pets that are highlystressed, seek veterinarian assistancefor possible sedative to help keepthem calm.

•If you find a stray, try to givethe animal water and contact theAnimal Control officer for your area.

What Animal Control SaysJulio Castillo, animal control

officer with the city of Calexico, seesthing same thing every year.

“There are going to be a lot ofloose dogs and people calling andlooking for dogs because they ranaway and were scared," he said.

Castillo noted that the majorityof the owners do claim them, butsome do not. He said people need tokeep their dogs secure or inside.

"They sell fireworks and peoplebuy (them), so we can only take careof our animals," he said.

If you lose your pet or find a stray,contact the animal control officer foryour city/area.

•Brawley, 760-344-5800 ext. 10•Calexico, 442-200-7366 or 760-

768-1861•Calipatria, 760-351-7766•El Centro, 760-352-2111•Holtville, 760-356-2912•Imperial, 760-355-4327•Westmorland, 760-344-3411•Imperial County, 442-265-2655

ext. 0Social Media to the RescueApplications such as Next Door

help in reporting crime and also forgetting lost animals home.

People who have seen a lost dogcan post a message on Next Door toinform the person where the dog wasseen last. After a dog has been found,people can post an update letting peo-ple know that the dog is safe andhome.

Another avenue of assistance isthe Imperial Valley: Lost and FoundPets group on Facebook, which has19,000 members.

Legal 6355 Publish: July 2, 9, 16, 2020

NOTICE OF PETITION TOADMINISTER ESTATE OF:Roseanne M. Bornt a.k.a.Rosanne M. BorntCASE NUMBER: EPR000736 To all heirs, beneficiaries, credi-tors, contingent creditors, andpersons who may otherwise beinterested in the will or estate, orboth, of: Roseanne M. Bornta.k.a. Rosanne M. BorntA Petition for Probate has beenfiled by: Carolyn Ming a.k.a.Carolyn Bornt Ming in theSuperior Court of California,County of: IMPERIALThe Petition for Probate requeststhat Carolyn Bornt Ming beappointed as personal represen-tative to administer the estate ofthe decedent.The petition requests the dece-

dent’s will and codicils, if any,be admitted to probate. The willand any codicils are available forexamination in the file kept bythe court.The petition requests authority toadminister the estate under theIndependent Administration ofEstates Act. (This authority willallow the personal representativeto take many actions withoutobtaining court approval. Beforetaking certain very importantactions, however, the personalrepresentative will be required togive notice to interested personsunless they have waived noticeor consented to the proposedaction.) The independent admin-istration authority will be grant-ed unless an interested personfiles an objection to the petition

and shows good cause why thecourt should not grant theauthority.A hearing on the petition willbe held in this court as follows:Date: July 17, 2020Time: 8:30 a.m.Dept. 9Address of court:Superior Court of California, County of Imperial939 West Main Street El Centro, CA 92243If you object to the granting ofthe petition, you should appearat the hearing and state yourobjections or file written objec-tions with the court before thehearing. Your appearance maybe in person or by your attorney.If you are a creditor or a contin-gent creditor of the decedent,

you must file your claim with thecourt and mail a copy to the per-sonal representative appointedby the court within the later ofeither (1) four months from thedate of first issuance of letters toa general personal representa-tive, as defined in section 58(b)of the California Probate Code,or (2) 60 days from the date ofmailing or personal delivery toyou of a notice under section9052 of the California ProbateCode.Other California statutes andlegal authority may affect yourrights as a creditor. You maywant to consult with an attorneyknowledgeable in Californialaw.You may examine the file keptby the court. If you are a person

interested in the estate, you mayfile with the court a Request forSpecial Notice (form DE-154) ofthe filing of an inventory andappraisal of estate assets or ofany petition or account as pro-vided in Probate Code section1250. A Request for SpecialNotice form is available from thecourt clerk.Attorney for petitioner:Philip J. Krum, Jr.1430 Broadway StreetEl Centro, CA 92243(760) 353-3484Filed: June 19, 2020Superior CourtCounty of Imperial Clerk of the CourtBy: Irma De la Rosa, DeputyLegal 6351 Publish: June 25, July 2, 9, 2020

For All Your Legal Notices, Call Us, 760-339-4899.

Holtville Tribune, Thursday, July 2, 2020 PAGE 7

CLASSIFIED ADS

PUBLIC NOTICE

FICTITIOUS BUSINESSNAME STATEMENTFILE NO.: 20-281The following person is conduct-ing business as:Donut Ave #101583 Pine Ave.Holtville, CA 92250County of Imperial760-356-5583Mailing Address:1018 Imperial Ave.Calexico, CA 92231Full Name of Registrant:Huot Sim1148 Paseo De Su MajestadCalexico, CA 92231This business conducted by: AIndividualRegistrant commenced to trans-act business under the FictitiousBusiness Name(s) listed aboveon:Not Applicable

I, Declare that all of the informa-tion in this statement is true andcorrect.Signature: Huot Sim, OwnerThe filing of this statement doesnot of itself authorize the use inthis State or a Fictitious BusinessName in Violation of the Rightsof another under Federal, State orCommon Law.Filed with the Imperial CountyClerk-Recorder on: May 15,2020.NOTICE: A new statement mustbe filed prior to the expirationdate. This statement expires on:May 14, 2025.Chuck Storey/County Clerk-RecorderElise Puyot, DeputyLegal 8962 Publish: June 11, 18, 25, July 2,2020

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF ELECTION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Municipal General Election will be held inthe City of Holtville, California, on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, for the followingoffices:

For three (3) members of the City Council and one (1) seat for City Treasurer - Fullterms of four (4) years each.

THE NOMINATION PERIOD for these offices opens on Monday, July 13,2020, and closes on Friday, August 7, 2020 at 5:00 pm.

IF ANY OF THE FOUR CURRENT ELECTED OFFICERS OF THE CITYDOES NOT FILE by Friday, August 7, 2020, the voters shall have until Wednesday,August 12, 2020, by 5:00 pm to nominate candidates other than the person(s) who arethe current office holders, for that elective office.

If no one or only one person is nominated for an elective office, appointment to theelective office may be made as prescribed by § 10229, Elections Code of the State ofCalifornia.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE - A person is eligible to hold office if he/sheis a United States citizen, 18 years of age or older, and is a registered voter residingwithin the City of Holtville City Limits at the time the nomination papers are issued.

OFFICIAL NOMINATION DOCUMENTS for qualified persons desiring to filefor these offices are available from the City Clerk's Office beginning on Monday, July13, 2020. Please call or email to make an appointment by calling (760) 356-2912 oremail kpreciado@holtville.ca.gov.

The polls will be open between the hours of 7:00 am and 8:00 pm on Tuesday,November 3, 2020.

Dated: July 2, 2020 Kariza Sambrano, City Clerk

AVISO DE ELECCIÓN

POR LA PRESENTE SE DA AVISO que se celebrará una Elección GeneralMunicipal en la Ciudad de Holtville, California, el martes, 3 de noviembre de 2020,para los siguientes cargos:

Para tres (3) miembros del Consejo de la Ciudad y un (1) Tesorero de la ciudad-Términos completos de cuatro (4) años cada uno

EL PERIODO DE NOMINACIONES para estos cargos se abre el lunes, 13 dejulio de 2020, y se cierra el viernes, 7 de agosto de 2020 a las 5:00 pm.

SI CUALQUIERA DE LOS CUATRO FUNCIONARIOS ELECTOS DE LACIUDAD NO PRESENTA para el viernes, 7 de agosto de 2020, los electores tendránhasta el miércoles, 12 de agosto de 2020, a las 5:00 pm para nominar candidatos queno sean la(s) persona(s) que son los actuales titulares de cargos, para ese cargo electi-vo.

Si nadie o sólo una sola persona es nominada para un cargo electivo, el nom-bramiento al cargo electivo puede hacerse según lo dispuesto por la § 10229, CódigoElectoral del Estado de California.

CALIFICACIONES PARA EL CARGO - Una persona es elegible para ocupar elcargo si es ciudadano de los Estados Unidos, tiene 18 años de edad o más, y es unvotante registrado que reside dentro los Límites de la Ciudad de Holtville en el momen-to en que se emiten los documentos de nominación.

LOS DOCUMENTOS DE NOMINACIÓN OFICIALES para personas califi-cadas que deseen presentar para estos cargos están disponibles en la Oficina de laSecretaria de la Ciudad a partir del lunes, 13 de julio de 2020. Por favor llame o envíeun correo electrónico para hacer una cita llamando al (760) 356-2912 o por correo elec-trónico a kpreciado@holtville.ca.gov.

Las urnas electorales estarán abiertas entre las 7:00 am y las 8:00 pm el martes, 3de noviembre de 2020.

Fechado: 2 de julio 2020 Kariza Sambrano, Secretaria de la CiudadLegal 8961 Publish: July 2, 2020

immediately returned seeking commenton the timing and lack of outreach toImperial County officials.

Gerardo thinks that there could bea repeat of June 26 ahead if some of thetraffic is not eliminated by ImperialCounty residents heading down toMexicali for non-emergency reasons.

"If you're an Imperial County resi-dent, there is no reason for you to godown to Mexico," he said. He called it"selfish" the way locals are heading toMexicali to eat or visit family membersduring this pandemic, not just becauseof the traffic, but because of the uncon-trolled spread of COVID between bor-der crossers on both sides of the fence.

"Our government should suspendall (northbound) SENTRI and ReadyLanes" that U.S. citizens and ImperialCounty residents are using to get homequickly after going to Mexicali, hesaid, adding maybe that would deterunnecessary travel.

Still, the bulk of the traffic jamsexperienced over the weekend andexpected to continue every weekendare a combination of Mexican nationalswith proper documentation that allowsthem to skirt ongoing U.S.-Mexico bor-der travel advisories and those withdual citizenship or U.S. citizens livingin Mexico, many of whom are comingto the United States to seek medicaltreatment related to COVID from localhospitals and local health practitioners,Gerardo said.

He said U.S.-side authorities inImperial County have little they can doto affect Mexicali residents' travel,short of those things already outlined inthe ongoing travel restrictions institut-ed and extended for a second time bythe U.S. President Donald Trumpadministration.

Mexican nationals with border-crossing cards and other low-prioritylegal crossing documents are barredfrom entry into the U.S. However,those Mexican nationals with workvisas in "essential jobs" like those whowork in the agriculture industry or atestablishments that provide U.S. resi-dents "essential" services or that per-form "essential" functions are allowed.

Gerardo said Imperial County resi-dents that make it through Mexicali'scheckpoints but who are still needless-ly traveling can only choose to policethemselves.

Anatomy of a Traffic JamDramatic photos and aerial drone

footage from Mi Calexico spread likewildfire through social media over theweekend, driving home how bad thedelays really were. Gerardo said thetraffic was at a near standstill theevening of June 26 for as long as sevenhours and froze traffic for more thanthree miles on Highway 111/ImperialAvenue, and at least a mile on CesarChavez Boulevard and AnzaRoad/Second Street.

The correspondence sent toCalexico ports director Beltran appearsto be one part of the problem with the

city getting caught off guard. Throughthe chain of emails, it appeared Beltrandid not receive the letter on theenforcement detail from Mexicali untilafter 8 p.m. June 25, who did not for-ward the email to Calexico officialsuntil around 9 a.m. June 26, with thedetail starting at 10 a.m.

To further complicate matters, ittook Gerardo another 45 minutes todistribute the email among city offi-cials. But, according to Calexico CityCouncil Member Morris Reisen andGerardo, some of the chief decisionmakers for the city were unavailablethat early in the day and did not antici-pate the epic gridlock that took place.

City Manager David Dale was outof the office June 26, Reisen said, andGerardo was out having a medical pro-cedure done. Gerardo said he was"groggy" through much of June 26because of the procedure.

The chief credited Reisen withjumping into action and gettingMexicali officials to ease up on theinspections for several hours until traf-fic could be cleared. Gerardo said hehad traffic controllers out trying todirect motorists until 2:30 a.m. June 27.

Reisen said when people began tocall him about the traffic backing up, hewas eventually able to get in touch withAssistant City Manager MiguelFigueroa around dusk (7:30 p.m.) June26, who called in six traffic controllers,but the situation was well out of handby then.

At that point, Reisen said, south-bound "traffic was backed up all theway to Heber Road."

Still recovering himself from a 20-day quarantine lifted June 19 due tobeing severely ill from COVID-19, afact he said he kept hidden from themedia and many others, where he saidhe felt like he was "going to die,"Reisen had been fairly limited in hiscity participation.

However, on June 26, Reisen usedall his contacts to help bust open thegridlock, which Gerardo acknowledgedhe successfully accomplished.

Reisen said he first called the"mayor" of the Mexicali ejido of SantaIsabel, who Reisen had met from whenthe Calexico Fire Department donatedan emergency response vehicle lastyear. He told the "mayor" he needed toget in touch with Mexicali Mayor AvilaOlmeda. While he fell several rungsshort of that goal, Reisen was able toget another Mexicali city official to callhim back and, in turn, put him in con-tact with the Mexicali municipal policechief, Maria Elena Andrade.

"I asked her to close the check-points and help us open up and flushthese cars through," Reisen said.

Initially she didn't want to, Reisensaid, but she agreed to close the check-points outside the downtown port from8 p.m. to midnight. The checkpointsreopened during a "federal changing ofthe guard" around 10 p.m., Reisen said,but then Andrade closed the checkpoint

again through 2 a.m.Andrade told Reisen this was a

one-time occasion, he said, and he did-n't want to press the point.

"They gave us a hand and I didn'twant to take an arm," Reisen said.

Gerardo said because he had thetraffic controllers out till 2:30 a.m., hecould not bring them back until aroundnoon June 27.

So, when the congestion picked upagain early in the day; that's whenGerardo said he found out the backupstarted to get out of control at theCalexico East Port of Entry as well.

Gerardo said he called theCalifornia Highway Patrol to requestsome assistance, but he was informedthat Highway Patrol officers had theirhands full as early as 9:30 a.m. June 27when traffic backed up from the eastport to State Route/Highway 7, wherehe said CHP reported frustratedmotorists in the single lane leading tothe east port crossing into the north-bound lanes to cut into line.

Gerardo said Highway Patrol alsoreported fistfights between motoristsover cutting in line.

Fortunately, Gerardo said, the traf-fic backups in downtown Calexico onJune 27 never got past Highway98/Birch Avenue. However, even that issignificant and will likely be ongoingthrough the remainder of the weekendenforcement details.

Mitigating Traffic Jams MovingForward

Gerardo and Reisen said they bothhave a series of things they intend to dostarting June 29 to address this issuegoing forward.

For the subsequent weekends, likehe did June 28, Gerardo said everyFriday and Sunday until the borderdetails are lifted in Mexicali there willbe at least six traffic controllers on dutyat Imperial Avenue/Highway 111 andHighway 98/Birch Avenue;Imperial/111 and Fifth Street;Imperial/111 and Grant Street;Imperial/111 and Second Street; CesarChavez Boulevard/Second Street;Cesar Chavez and Grant Street; andCole Boulevard and 111 when it getsparticularly bad.

Fortunately, a new fiscal year startsJuly 1, so new funding will be avail-able. For now, Gerardo said he is run-ning on emergency funding and thetraffic controllers called over the week-end were out of work due to the citybeing out of funding.

There is no bright side to what ishappening at the Calexico East portbecause traffic jams there only last until2 p.m., when the port closes for the day.

Due to decreased border trafficvolume because of COVID and the fed-eral travel advisories, U.S. Customsand Border Protection limited the hoursof operation at Calexico East from 6a.m. to 2 p.m. for non-commercialsouthbound traffic, CBP announced inlate April.

Gerardo said CBP needs to stayopen or extend its hours, at least on theweekends. Reisen said he planned tocall Imperial County District 1Supervisor Jesus Escobar the morningof June 29 to enlist Escobar's help inreaching out to ports director Beltran toextend the Calexico East hours to helptake some of the pressure off the down-town port.

Reisen said June 30 he spoke withEscobar, who will take on the issuehimself. Reisen said Escobar alreadytold him that extending the hours at theport is not a local decision.

Reisen said was back in contactwith Mexicali chief Andrade on June30, who said she agreed to doing morerandom, staggered inspections of thesouthbound traffic. He said she agreedto check every car for a length of timeand then slow down or stop for a lengthof time.

News reports out of Canal 66 inMexicali on June 28 showed photosand film footage of Mexican officialsrunning infrared thermometers over theforeheads of all occupants of each carpassing through the port.

In addition to temperature scansand checking for other COVID-19symptoms, each car is also beingchecked for four other things, accord-ing to the letter to Beltran.

Mexican authorities are checkingfor use of face coverings; that no morethan two people are in a vehicle at thesame time; the purpose of the visit toMexicali (verifying residency or"essential business"); and a limitedpossession of alcoholic beverages.

Although the letter does not say so,it is suspected that those in violation ofthe any of the listed terms, includingprior curfews instituted by the mayor,could be subject to arrest, fine or con-fiscation of alcoholic beverages, whichis what Mexicali Mayor Avila Olmedasaid in a prior late May advisory.

"Authorities will verify that thepersons subject to review prove theirMexican address or nationality, (and)failure to do so, they will be subject tofines ranging from $3,475 to $17,376pesos, or up to 36 hours of arrest," theJune 25 letter stated.

Gerardo explained the alcoholcrackdown was instituted after COVIDbegan surging in Mexicali due to "par-ties" and "gatherings," he said.

Readers might recall the beer-buy-ing frenzy that occurred in ImperialCounty by Mexicali residents in earlyMay as supplies of ran short in the city.

While it is not illegal to consumealcohol in Mexico during the pandem-ic, Mexicali residents have been understay-at-home orders and governmenthealth officials in Mexico halted beerproduction and declared brewing a"nonessential" activity in lateMarch/early April to limit gatherings.

However, after stockpiles of exist-ing brewed beer ran out, shopkeepers inMexicali and Mexicali residents madea run on stores in Imperial County totake beer home in large quantities.

Gerardo said after Mexicali offi-cials noticed a surge in cases tied tohouse parties and gatherings, theimportation of beer and alcohol fromthe United States through the Mexicaliports was limited to about a 12-pack forpersonal consumption.

Gerardo added that Mexicali does-n't have the resources to police houseparties and gatherings in a city of morethan 1 million people, but the city canstop beer at the border.

He sees similar issues here.Calexico police don't have theresources to stop people from gatheringin their homes, just like police andsheriff's deputies all over the countydon't have the resources to do that. Hesaid that's where personal responsibili-ty comes in.

Although he didn't directly attrib-ute the issue to alcohol, Gerardoreferred to a news story that broke overthis past weekend in which 28 SouthernCalifornia family members becameinfected with COVID-19 even thoughpreviously infected members of thefamily were quarantined and deny hav-ing get-togethers and family gather-ings. It illustrated how easily familiescan pass the virus among themselves.

Chief Meets State Officials,Brings Them to Calexico

Much has been made about Gov.Newsom's June 26 press conference inwhich he implored Imperial Countyhealth officials to "toggle back" stay-at-home orders that were never lifted in

the first place, but as a result of thepress conference, "high-level decision-makers" from Sacramento arrived innumbers June 27 to meet with ImperialCounty public health and governmentofficials to talk about local conditionsfrom a variety of angles, Gerardo said.

In addition to touring hospitals andhealthcare facilities, and talking tobusiness, government, health and lawenforcement officials, Gerardo saidthey even caravanned to Calexico tosee the border traffic backed up.

A lot of information was sharedwith the state officials and revealedamong local officials, including reportsthat up to 80 percent of the COVIDdeceased whose remains are in FryeChapel and Mortuary in Brawley, areMexicali residents with dual citizen-ship or those who have a legal right toImperial County residency.

If that is even remotely true, andGerardo said that is an unsubstantiatedreport at this point, that could meanaround 60 of the COVID-related deathsreported in Imperial County could haveties to Mexicali.

The chief said he told state offi-cials it is common for Mexicali resi-dents with dual citizenship or Mexicannationals with resident status to haveU.S. post office boxes and other resi-dential addresses in Calexico and otherparts of the Valley.

That is why the numbers ofCOVID-positive cases seem so high inCalexico, Gerardo believes. As of June27, there were 2,020 total cases listedout of Calexico, with the next highestlisted as 1,587 in El Centro and 1,005in Brawley.

What's more, there have beenreports that as many as 20 percent to 40percent of the cases severe enough tobe presenting at emergency depart-ments at El Centro Regional MedicalCenter and Pioneers Memorial Hospitalhave been from Mexicali, but all ofthem are here because of dual citizen-ship or American citizenship. Gerardoexplained they live in Mexicali andcannot be denied treatment inAmerican hospitals.

These other discussions with thestate officials led Gerardo to bring themto Calexico to see the border-trafficbackup, describe the Valley as a"COVID corridor" and describeCalexico as a "northern suburb ofMexicali."

"We're the only true border town inthe United States," Gerardo said. Hetold state officials that every other sis-ter city on the border, from Tijuana andSan Ysidro in California, to Juarez andEl Paso in Texas, has a built in "DMZ"that keeps them 10 to 15 miles apart.

Calexico is people-to-people,town-to-town.

Gerardo told state officials thatfirst-responders in Calexico are out-gunned and overwhelmed, and thatmore of everything is needed for policeand fire, including rapid testing, same-day results, additional funding andhelp, additional personal protectivegear, and what happened on June 26with the seven-hour traffic jam, is partand parcel of all that.

"They were here for a differentreason," Gerardo said. But, hopefully,he said, "They left with a different per-spective."

Holtville Tribune Thursday, July 2, 2020 PAGE 8

Border Backup..........................................................from page three

SOUTHBOUND BORDER TRAFFIC around 7 p.m. June 26 isshown backed up all the way to the signs near Calexico city limitson Highway 111. Traffic around this time reportedly extendingnorth to Heber Road. PHOTO COURTESY OF MI CALEXICO

A STILL SHOT from aerial drone footage taken around 8:40p.m. June 26 shows traffic at the border backed up in all direc-tions. PHOTO COURTESY OF MI CALEXICO

Mass......................from page two4,000 Catholics between St.Mary's and Our Lady ofGuadalupe Catholic Churches inEl Centro.

"Our people want to celebrateMass but COVID-19 is still notunder control," Edney said. He issupporting the community andthe situation has made it feel"like a roller-coaster ride" goingup and down.

In Holtville, four serviceswere to be held over the week-end. A total of 60 parishionersshowed up to two services June27, Father Moreno told thisnewspaper.

Red crosses were painted onthe grass outside St. Joseph,spaced to follow social distanc-ing recommendations.Those who attended had theirname checked by the gateentrance and received hand sani-tizer. Once cleared to proceed tothe grassy area, parishionersselected which red cross to standon. After the short service con-cluded, parishioners left one byone through another gate.

Father Moreno said he willcontinue to bless those whodrive by Sunday mornings by thechurch.

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Fire........................................from page fourassistance for the next few

days," Kelley said."The county of Imperial is

addressing it by already, starting aprogram of how our disaster assis-tance can quickly start, some hous-ing assistance, mobile-homereplacement programs, and otherthings that we can do quickly,"Kelley said.

"I brought three families to myhouse in Calipat because they didn'thave a place to go. I called(Calipatria Unified School District)Superintendent (Douglas Kline) andasked him to open the high schoolgym. We contacted the Red Crossand we made contact with our highschool principal and coordinated toget this open," said Maria Nava-Froelich, director of the Calipatria-Niland Family Resource Center.

"We work with local agencies toensure our residents are taken careof during disasters. As soon as thefire came about, we received a callfrom our national dispatch letting usknow there was a major fire andthey needed volunteers," said JoseOrtega, Red Cross disaster programmanager, from the high school stag-ing area.

"We currently have three teamsdispatched. We have what we call acanteen team that provides meals

and hydration to the fire depart-ments fighting the fire. We have atemporary evacuation point at theCalipatria High School providing asafe location for residents," saidOrtega at as he rushed to assessanother displaced family.

Red Cross officials were alsoconducting COVID-19 screeningsamong the evacuees.

Niland resident KatherineNigos was visibly shaken when shespoke with a reporter from the evac-uation center June 28.

"There was a fire in the fieldbehind the Niland apartment com-plex, the apartments where we live.The entire apartment complex wasburned down and over half ofNiland has burned. Everybody iswithout houses. We have no place tostay tonight," Nigos said whilewaiting to be assessed by Red Crossofficials.

Nigos was home when the firestarted.

"We saw the fire in the fieldbehind us and all we could do is getour kids and get out of there. All wecould do was grab what we couldcarry and get in the car, or elseyou're gonna burn with it," Nigosadded.

Nigos has five children andstayed in a room provided by Red

Cross."I hope they can help, especial-

ly people with children, with a placeto stay, food, shelter. At this point,everybody has nothing, over halfthe town," Nigos said when askedwhat county officials could do tohelp families displaced by the fire.

Around 2 p.m. June 29, thecounty of Imperial, working withother local agencies, opened a LocalAssistance Center to assist individu-als and families displaced by thefire. An LAC is a one-stop-shopwith critical government and sup-port services for residents impactedby the fire. Representatives fromthe Imperial County Department ofSocial Services, Public HealthDepartment, Behavioral HealthServices and Workforce andEconomic Development Servicesjoined those from Clinicas De SaludDel Pueblo Inc., Comite Civico delValle, Campesino Unidos andAmerican Red Cross to work withthe displaced families to addresstheir immediate needs.

The LAC was located insideWirt Auditorium on the campus ofCalipatria High School, 501 W.Main St.