The awards, presented by the Sacramento Press Club, honor political and public policy reporting from across California.

Reporter Byrhonda Lyons won the impact in journalism award for her investigation into how the California Department of Motor Vehicles handled surplus proceeds from auctioned vehicles. Her reporting found that the DMV collected more than $8 million between 2016 and 2024 from nearly 5,300 vehicle auctions in which cars sold for more than the costs owed, but former owners were not notified that they could be entitled to the remaining money.

CalMatters journalism engineer Mohamed Al Elew followed the investigation by building an online tool that allowed people to search whether their towed vehicle had generated excess proceeds. The DMV later created a similar lookup system.

The reporting also prompted legislative action. In March, state Sen. Kelly Seyarto, R-Murrieta, cited Lyons’ work when introducing SB 1029, a bill that would require the DMV to notify vehicle owners when surplus funds from a lien sale may be owed to them.

Awards judges called the project a clear example of public service journalism, noting that CalMatters used reporting and public records to uncover money that should have been returned to Californians.

CalMatters investigative reporter Sergio Olmos was among the journalists honored with the courage in journalism award. The Sacramento Press Club recognized reporters who continued covering protests against federal immigration enforcement actions in Los Angeles in 2025 despite being struck, detained or otherwise targeted.

The award included journalists whose experiences were referenced in legal action filed by the Los Angeles Press Club and Status Coup against the Los Angeles Police Department. The lawsuit alleged that officers targeted journalists even when they were clearly identified as members of the press. A court later issued an injunction barring law enforcement from interfering with journalists doing their jobs.

Olmos was included after he was hit in the chest by a crowd-control munition while reporting on an immigration protest in downtown Los Angeles on June 8, 2025. He told The Washington Post he was wearing a press pass and recording video near a federal building complex when LAPD officers fired munitions at demonstrators. Olmos said he believed he was struck by a 40 mm sponge grenade.

Over the past year, Olmos has reported extensively on immigration raids in California. His investigative series examined the conduct of immigration agents from Bakersfield to Los Angeles, and later in Chicago and Minneapolis, documenting allegations of forceful tactics and questionable detentions that courts have said likely violated constitutional protections.

Anat Rubin won in the criminal justice reporting category for “The Man Who Unsolved a Murder,” an investigation into the shortage of investigators working with public defense teams in California. The reporting found that low-income defendants, who make up at least 80% of people charged with crimes, are often convicted without anyone independently investigating the allegations against them.

Rubin’s work showed that nearly half of California’s 58 counties do not employ full-time public defense investigators. In counties that do have them, access varies widely and is often insufficient.

Judges praised the project for its reporting and writing, saying it clearly showed the consequences of inadequate investigative support for defendants. They also noted the reporting on the risks of relying on flat-fee defense attorneys instead of public defenders.

CalMatters reporter Joe Garcia was a finalist in the same category for reporting from inside California’s prison system. His work examined the realities of shared prison cells and the state’s parole process, including how rehabilitative programming has expanded while the share of prisoners found suitable for parole has gradually declined.

In public health reporting, Jocelyn Wiener, Marisa Kendall and Erica Yee won for an eight-part series on California’s CARE Court program. The program allows family members, first responders and others to petition courts to help people with severe mental illness obtain treatment, and in some cases gives judges authority to order care.

The series examined how the program has worked in practice, including the experiences of families trying to get loved ones off the streets and into psychiatric treatment, and the legal limits courts face when handling petitions. Judges said the reporting explained how the law’s original goals were weakened during the legislative process and why the program has struggled to deliver on its promises.

Adam Echelman won in education reporting for his coverage of financial aid fraud in California’s community college system. His reporting found that colleges were seeing unprecedented levels of fraud, with scammers stealing millions more in student aid than in any prior period, according to reports colleges submitted to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

Following the CalMatters reporting, Republican members of Congress called for a federal investigation, a Democratic state lawmaker requested a state audit and the chancellor’s office approved a new identification verification policy for students. Jory Hadsell, an executive in technology initiatives for the chancellor’s office, said colleges have become more aggressive in detecting fraud through improved filtering practices and new software.

Judges said Echelman’s coverage combined deep reporting, data and the voices of people affected by the fraud, while underscoring the stakes for students, faculty, staff and taxpayers.

Original source: CalMatters

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The Best in the West title recognizes the creative communication efforts of PRSA members from 11 different chapters across five states and is voted on by an independent panel of judges each year.

IEHP’s multi-channel mental health campaign, developed in partnership with Meehan Business Advisers, featured 2024 “American Idol” winner and Inland Empire native Abi Carter and also earned Best in Show by PRSA’s Los Angeles chapter last fall.

IEHP maximized Carter’s passion for mental health awareness through a video public service announcement, a headline act at Palm Springs Unified School District’s Kidchella music festival, viral social media videos, and a graduation speech and musical performance for Palm Springs High School.

“This initiative was more than a campaign—it was a movement,” said IEHP Chief Communications & Marketing Officer Michelle Rai. “Engaging with a talented, local musician like Abi Carter, who was an IEHP member as a child, brought this full circle for us. We wanted our community to know they can get help and not suffer in silence.”

Meehan Business Advisers’ President, Andrew Meehan, agreed.

“Partnering with IEHP on this campaign has been a powerful journey in spreading hope and mental health awareness to area youth,” he said. “We are deeply humbled to have brought the campaign to life and are so grateful for the appreciation it has generated among the PRSA community.”

In addition to the Best in the West distinction, the campaign has received five other PRSA awards:

• PRism: Best in Show – PRSA-LA (October 2025)
• PRism: Health Care Media Relations – PRSA-LA (October 2025)
• PRism: Branded Content – PRSA-LA (October 2025)
• PRism: Influencer Marketing – PRSA-LA (October 2025)
• Capella: Campaigns – Public Relations – PRSA-IE (November 2025)

PRSA is the nation’s largest professional public relations association with more than 30,000 members representing 400 chapters across the country and connects PR professionals to training and networking opportunities year-round.

To view a list of past Best in the West recipients or to learn more about PRSA’s Western District, visit www.prsawesterndistrict.org.

For resources on how to “Start the Conversation” with your loved ones, visit www.iehp.org/mentalhealth. There, visitors can download tip sheets on how to ask for help or ways to reach out to a young adult in crisis.

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BVOV Director Stephanie Bruce welcomed the sold-out crowd to the event that also serves as a Black History Month celebration and fundraiser. High school seniors were recognized for their hard work and academic excellence. Those receiving scholarships were Daijha Williams, Kailei Burnet, Zoe Dagen, Kaycia Carrida and Essence Herd.

San Jacinto Leadership Academy senior Kaylin McWhorter was honored with the Youth Leadership Award. Bruce said this award honors an exceptional young individual who demonstrates outstanding leadership, initiative, and a commitment to making a positive impact in their community. “It celebrates the next generation of leaders who inspire change and exemplify the values of service, innovation, and resilience,” she said.

Kaylin accepted the award with a powerful speech that began, “Tonight feels like a dream. Not long ago, I wasn’t sure this moment would come. The world doesn’t always make space for girls like me — girls with deep brown skin and big dreams. Girls who fight not just to succeed, but to be seen.”

The 18-year-old has attended SJLA since she was in sixth grade and said it is a place where she not only grew academically but found her voice as an advocate.

Kaylin is in the top 10 percent of her graduating class with a 4.4 GPA and has already been accepted into her two dream schools: Howard University and UC, Berkeley. She plans to major in political science with an emphasis on African American studies.

“My heart is set on becoming a civil rights attorney, using my voice to champion justice and ensure that every story, especially those often silenced, is heard,” she said. “Creating my school’s first Black Student Union taught me that advocacy is born from love — love for community, culture, and progress. I learned that even the smallest ripple of change can grow into a wave when fueled by passion and purpose.”

She said she is driven by the weight of possibility — the understanding that her education isn’t just for her but for those who came before her and those who will come after.

“Knowledge is a legacy, and I want to use mine to break barriers and build bridges,” Kaylin said. “I’ve learned that staying true to myself is one of the most powerful things I can do. There were times I felt out of place, like I had to shrink parts of who I am to fit in. But the moment I started embracing my voice, my culture, and my story, I found strength I didn’t know I had. I realized that my uniqueness is my superpower — that being authentically myself not only empowers me but inspires others to do the same. It taught me that real change starts when we show up as our whole, unapologetic selves, ready to take up space and make an impact.”

And with aspirations to become a U.S. Senator one day, Kaylin said, “And as long as I have breath, I will never stop fighting until every Black girl knows this truth: We are the legacy. We are the future. And we are just getting started.”

San Jacinto Leadership Academy Principal Michael Luna said, “Kaylin McWhorter is one of SJLA’s most prominent leaders. She founded and is currently President of SJLA’s Black Student Union. She has partnered with other cadets to support nonprofit actions in the San Jacinto community. As a teacher, assistant principal, and now principal of Kaylin McWhorter, I can say that she is one of the most well-rounded cadets to come through the San Jacinto Leadership Academy. She will be leaving a lasting legacy for many cadets to emulate.”

This year’s Phoenix Award was presented to Makhi McClure. Bruce said, “It recognizes those who embody the spirit of renewal and perseverance, turning challenges into opportunities to uplift and inspire others.”

Two recipients of the “It Takes a Village” award were Matthew Maita and Walter Johnson for their various contributions, not only to the community but also to themselves and their families. “It takes a village to raise our children, and these are great people in the community that help with that effort by providing a service for the community free of charge or collaborating with community events for our youth,” Bruce said.

The “People’s Choice” award is given to someone who is nominated by and voted for by residents of the San Jacinto Valley, showcasing the community’s recognition and support for excellence. This year, Flawless Catering was chosen as Black Business of the Year and Raymond Mills was also honored.

A highlight of the annual event is the celebration of those in the San Jacinto Valley that are recognized for being the first Black person to hold a significant position in the community. This year’s “Breaking Barriers” recipients are Patricia Scott, who is the new Hemet/San Jacinto Valley Chamber of Commerce Chair; Kevin Saunders, who is now the Hemet/San Jacinto Chamber of Commerce Executive Director; Lloyd Sheppard, who was the first Black principal at the San Jacinto Leadership Academy and is now San Jacinto High School’s principal; and Tylisha Julienne, who was recently elected as treasurer for the City of San Jacinto.

For more information, www.blackvoicesofthevalley.org.

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School and districts across the Inland Empire have been honored for innovative programs that do everything from analyze test scores to help diabetics care for their feet.

The Golden Bell Awards are handed out each year by the California School Boards Association to recognize programs that work to improve student achievement and promote overall excellence in education.

The honors were given at the group’s conference in late November/early December in San Francisco. “These outstanding programs in Riverside County schools are making a difference for our scholars and their families inside and outside of the classrooms,” Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez said in a county schools news release.

Inland Empire winners include the following.

Riverside County

Corona-Norco Unified School District — Auburndale in Action at Auburndale Intermediate School works to get English learners classified as fluent while they’re in middle school so they won’t have that status in high school.

Hemet Unified School District — The Teacher Residency Program addresses staffing shortages, retention and diversity. The district works with the neighboring San Jacinto Unified School District and the Alder Graduate School of Education to offer aspiring educators a yearlong apprenticeship, stipend and a master’s degree.

Jurupa Unified School District — The JUSD Dell Student TechCrew is a career pathway program that prepares students for technology careers with hands-on training in technical and other skills. The goal is for students to graduate high school with certification that qualifies them to get a job.

Moreno Valley Unified School District — Its Commitment to Environmental Sustainability program aims to connect environmental education efforts, health and wellness with solar and water conservation. It hascut expenses by $2.9 million in two years and has an anticipated savings of $19 million over a decade.

Murrieta Valley Unified School District — Its Inclusion initiative works to remove barriers for special education students and ensure they receive an equitable education.

Riverside County Office of Education — Early Childhood Education University is a virtual training series for employees that helps those who work with young students stay current on policies.

Riverside Unified School District — “Cafecito, Amigos de RUSD Facebook Live” is an online community overseen by the district’s Family Resource Center. It connects more than 400 parent viewers a week with information to help their students learn and get guidance.

San Bernardino County

Chino Valley Unified School District — The High School Road Show began in 2018. Counselors at Ayala High School use meetings to dig into academic data and set goals for improvement.

Redlands Unified School District — Its Computing, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (C-STEM) program mixes hands-on coding and robotics into math courses. A key goal is to close achievement gaps among students who are underrepresented in STEM courses.

Rialto Unified School District — The RITZ, which stands for Rialto’s Incredible Talent Zone, is a gala show that lets students perform while raising money through the district’s Sharing Our Love Foundation.

San Bernardino City Unified School District — The Bullying Intervention System sends experts assigned to a school where bullying occurred to use the Undercover Anti-Bullying Team, which uses peers to support the bullied student.

Pomona Unified School District — The Garey High School InvenTeam earned a U.S. patent in 2022 for inventing a medical device that lets diabetics monitor their own foot health.

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Adaptive sports are competitive or recreational sports and activities customized to fit the needs of Veterans with disabilities, including paralympic sports, archery, cycling, skiing, hunting, rock climbing, and sky diving. These activities allow Veterans to rehabilitate through recreation and encourage an active and fit lifestyle.

“These grants help ensure that Veterans with disabilities have access to sports and activities that build independence and quality of life,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “These heroes served and sacrificed for our country, and we are proud to help them play the sports they love.”

Army Veteran Freddie De Los Santos joined the military after 9/11. After losing a leg in a devastating injury, he took up hand cycling as part of his rehabilitation. De Los Santos is now a para-cycling champion and proud to represent the U.S. through adaptive sports. He touts VA’s Adaptive Sports program’s benefits as a compliment to his VA health care services.

“The program helped me to incorporate myself back into society – mentally, socially, and physically,” said Army Veteran Freddie De Los Santos. “It has been the most rewarding experience being able to compete despite my disability.”

Over the last nine years, VA has awarded more than $100 million in adaptive sports grants to improve Veterans’ well-being and independence. Recipients of this year’s grants are located in 30 states and Puerto Rico.

VA awards grants to a range of organizations, including Veterans Service Organizations, city and regional municipalities, and other community groups. In addition to equine therapy, the grants will support a variety of sports opportunities for disabled Veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces, to include cycling, kayaking, archery, hunting and pickleball.

Learn more about the awardees and details of VA Adaptive Sports Program or @Sports4Vets on social media.

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To continue expanding the state’s affordable housing stock and increase capacity for additional climate-smart infill housing, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the first funding awards under a new streamlined application process aimed at accelerating the development of new projects while saving time and money at the local level.

What you need to know: Approximately 58 communities across California were awarded more than $825.5 million to build 9,550 homes as part of a new funding approval process that eliminates the need for a developer to submit multiple applications. This includes roughly $700 million in funds for multifamily development and $125 million for infill development. Today’s funding announcement will ultimately benefit an estimated 187,500 people over the total lifetime of all projects combined.

Why it’s important: The application process to receive state housing funding in California was needlessly complex, and time consuming, resulting in delayed projects and extra cost. Under Governor Newsom, this process has been overhauled. Now, what previously required four separate applications has been narrowed down to just one submission. What Governor Newsom said: “As we demand more housing to be built at the local level, it is incumbent upon the state to reimagine and modernize our own approval process,” said Governor Newsom. “State applications that were once redundant, and overly bureaucratic, are now streamlined to ensure projects are not stalled in an endless bureaucracy that favored process over production.”

This new process was made possible when Governor Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 434 by former Assemblymember Tom Daly (D – Anaheim), which allowed for multiple housing applications to be narrowed down into a single award process. Under this new approach, requests for housing development funds have soared. The first round of new Multifamily Finance Super Notice of Funding Availability (Super NOFA) received more than $3.5 billion in developer requests – a sharp contrast to years of undersubscription. ““The California Multifamily Super NOFA transformed a once burdensome and lengthy funding application process into an accessible and smart one-stop shop that will get more housing built faster,” said Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramírez. “This results in new homes for struggling working families, veterans, farmworkers, and people exiting homelessness.

California will continue to act with urgency to find new, innovative solutions to fast track housing development.” The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) last year combined state-funded multifamily housing programs to make them accessible to more communities, more equitable in serving the lowest-income Californians, and more targeted toward achieving better outcomes in health, climate, and household stability. “California continues to advance our commitment to building 2.5 million homes — with one million affordable homes — by 2030, as outlined in our Statewide Housing Plan,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez.

“Our simple approach to funding helps us accelerate much-needed construction and ensure the lowest-income Californians have access to quality homes near jobs, transit, schools, and other necessities that will make our communities more inclusive for decades to come.”

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Adaptive sports are competitive or recreational sports and activities customized to fit the needs of disabled Veterans and athletes, including Paralympic sports, archery, cycling, skiing, hunting, rock climbing and sky diving. These activities allow Veterans to rehabilitate through recreation and encourage an active and fit lifestyle.

This year, participants in VA’s Adaptive Sports Grant program also have the opportunity — for the first time ever — to receive certification in scuba, CrossFit and sailing. 

                      “Adaptive sports empower Veterans to live without limits,” said VA National Veterans                            Sports Programs & Special Events Director Leif Nelson, DPT. “These Veteran                                  athletes should be focused on having fun, staying healthy, competing, and rehabilitating                        – free of concern about the structural or financial challenges associated with adaptive                            sports – and that’s exactly what these grants will help them do.”

Navy Veteran Brad Snyder is a six-time gold medal winning Paralympic athlete who credits VA with the opportunity to participate in grant programs that support the Paralympics. 

“VA’s grant program goes a long way toward alleviating the financial burdens associated with athletic competitions, paving the way for some of our country’s most promising athletes to pursue dreams of victory and success in elite competitions such as the Paralympic Games,” said Snyder.

VA has awarded a total of $100 million in adaptive sports grants in the last eight years to improve Veterans’ well-being and independence.

Learn more about the awardees and details of the program. Follow @Sports4Vets for information on VA’s adaptive sports and arts programs. 

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Division 33 of the California Retired Teachers Association (CalRTA), which serves the Hemet/San Jacinto valley and surrounding communities, recently awarded three $100 teacher grants to local educators.

Teachers in the Hemet, San Jacinto, Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee and Lake Elsinore school districts were notified in September that the first drawing would be held during Division 33’s virtual membership meeting on October 13th. Nearly 40 teachers applied for the grants, and the three winners were randomly drawn from the list of applicants.

Kristina Killien Ward, a science teacher at Alessandro High School in Hemet for the past twelve years and honored as her school’s Teacher of the Year in 2017, plans to use the funds to renovate the lizard tank in her science classroom. Jennifer Ream, who teaches at Hemet Elementary School, says, “I would buy rewards I can send to my scholars virtually. With them learning from home, it would be nice to brighten their day with a treat.” Another Hemet Elementary School teacher, Rebecca Zayas, intends to purchase headphones for some of her students. “Their home environments are so loud and they cannot focus” during their virtual lessons and online class time, Zayas explained.

This is the second year that CalRTA Division 33 has offered $100 teacher grants, knowing that the funds will go a long way to help teachers meet the many needs of their students. Applications will open on November 8th for the next drawing to be held at Division 33’s next virtual membership meeting on December 8th. Teachers can watch for announcements about upcoming teacher grant opportunities by accessing CalRTA Division 33’s Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/calrtadivision33 or going to Division 33’s website at https://div33.calrta.org/.

Sue Breyer, Vice President, CalRTA Division33

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Programs funded through these grants will offer adaptive sports and activities to more than 13,000 Veterans and members of the Armed Forces with disabilities.

Included are Paralympic sports, such as archery, cycling and skiing. Additional outdoor sporting activities are hunting, rock climbing and sky diving. Of the total, $1.5 million is being used to support organizations that offer equine-assisted therapy to support mental health.

“Adaptive sports empower Veterans to overcome daily challenges and live without limits,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “This is made possible by partnering with over 100 community organizations dedicated to providing adaptive sports and activities to encourage Veterans along their health and wellness journey.”

Grant recipients may use the funds for planning, developing, managing and implementing adaptive sports programs. VA will award the grants to national governing bodies, which prepare high-level athletes for Paralympic competition; Veterans Service Organizations; city and regional municipalities; and other community groups to provide a wide range of adaptive sports opportunities.

 Information about the awardees and details of the program are available at VA Adaptive Sports Grants Program and @Sports4Vets on social media.

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VHA’s enterprise-wide journey to high reliability aims to continuously improve its processes by maximizing safety and minimizing harm to achieve the goal of ensuring every patient receives excellent care every time.

The awardees were recognized for their safety and process improvement initiatives as well as their COVID-19 response efforts to provide the best possible care to Veterans. Their accomplishments include COVID-19 communication and education, innovative and efficient COVID-19 screening and triage processes including the development of a screening app, and using 3D printing technology for personal protective equipment.

“Even during these unpredictable times and the COVID-19 response, these recipients responded swiftly and efficiently to ensure that VHA delivers the best care available to our Veterans,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “From developing new entry procedures to manufacturing personal protective equipment to staying in touch with Veterans, VA staff are handling the pandemic quickly and creatively.”

Each of the 11 teams and individuals were nominated by top leadership in one of five categories: Clinical individual from a Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) or facility, non-clinical individual from a VISN or facility, clinical team from a VISN or facility, non-clinical team from a VISN or facility and individual or team from VHA central office.

The National HeRO Award is the highest level of HRO recognition available within VHA and is reserved to honor employees who advance VHA’s journey to high reliability through demonstration of VHA’s HRO principles in action. The HRO steering committee votes quarterly to select one winner in each category for a National HeRO Award.

Learn more about VA’s journey to high reliability at VA National Center for Patient Safety.

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