By Steve Scauzillosscauzillo@scng.com @stevscaz on Twitter

The San Gabriel Mountains Na-tional Monument, as well as oth-ers ordered reviewed by President Donald Trump, will not be elimi-nated, but many should be reduced in size, according to documents re-leased Thursday.

U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan

Zinke will not recommend elimi-nating any national monuments but will suggest changes to “a handful” of sites. He left open the possibil-ity of more drilling and mining on some sites, The Associated Press re-ported.

Zinke said he would press for boundary changes for some monu-ments carved out of wilderness and the ocean floor. Such recommenda-tions and findings are included in

a draft report he sent to the White House on Thursday, said Russell Newell, spokesman for the Depart-ment of Interior.

The full report had not been made public as of Thursday after-noon. Instead, the Department of Interior released a 11/2-page, single-spaced summary that does not spec-ify which monuments, if any, could be shrunk or changed.

ENVIRONMENT

MONUMENTAL CHANGES?Interior Department draft report calls for all national sites, including the San Gabriel Mountains, to be preserved, but many could shrink

By Jeff Horseman, Brenda Gazzar and Martin WisckolStaff writers

A bill that would further limit interactions between California law enforcement agencies and federal immigration agents is getting a mixed reception from Southern California Assembly members, with at least several still undecided.

The bill, SB54, passed the state Senate in April. It awaits action in the Assembly, which reconvened this week and will stay in session until mid-September.

Known as the California Values Act or “the sanctuary state bill,” the legislation seeks to largely prohibit the use of state and lo-cal public resources to aid federal immigration agents in deporta-tion actions. Although the draft bill is expected to be revised, it would severely curb cooperation between federal authorities and local and state police on immigra-tion matters.

Democratic lawmakers, who hold a supermajority in Sacra-mento, introduced the bill in defiance of President Donald Trump, a Republican who has clamped down on illegal immi-gration through his executive or-ders. Democrats and advocates for immigrants say Trump’s ac-tions will lead to families be-ing ripped apart. They note that many undocumented immigrants have lived here for decades with-out committing serious crimes.

‘SANCTUARY STATE BILL’

Assembly members divided on SB54The legislation would curb cooperation on immigration matters

By Theresa Walker >> thwalker@scng.com >> @TellTheresa on Twitter

Deng Daniel Khot’s voice and image cut in and out on the computer screen as three staff members of Lau-ra’s House, a nonprofit devoted to combating domes-tic violence, watch from their Orange County office.

Khot persists despite the sketchy Skype connection from 9,000 miles away in northeast Africa, where he

lives in a village in South Sudan.In interrupted bursts, he describes how he’s working to im-

prove women’s lives in an underdeveloped country struggling with rampant violence, food shortages and near-economic ruin

in the midst of an ongoing civil war.For Khot, gender equality is among the social changes that can

improve the long-term prospects of South Sudan.And the domestic violence prevention educators who work at

Laura’s House are his mentors.Khot, 36, visited Laura’s House last year when he spent four

months at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa on a fellowship at the school’s Global Center for Women & Justice. His leadership potential earned him the fellowship from the professional devel-opment program Community Solutions, run by the nonprofit In-ternational Research and Exchanges Board (IREX). Supporters of IREX include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. De-

SOCIAL ISSUES

“This is about saying that California values support immigrant communities, and that we are going to stand up against the hate that’s coming from the Trump administration.”— Natasha Minsker, director of the ACLU of California Center for Advocacy and Policy

BILL >> PAGE 5

COURTESY OF DENG DANIEL KHOT

Deng Daniel Khot, center, meets with elders in his South Sudan village to talk about empowering women in their community.

MARK RIGHTMIRE — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

From left, Yanira Mendez, Jennifer Ponce and Molly Delbridge, all with Laura’s House, laugh as they Skype with Deng Daniel Khot, an educator and advocate for children and women in South Sudan, at the Ladera Ranch corporate office on Aug. 17.

KHOT >> PAGE 8

WALT MANCINI — FILE PHOTO

Buckhorn Campground in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is shown in 2015. The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument will be preserved.

CONNECTSSudan

Desire to help women links villager

to Orange County domestic violence prevention group

MONUMENTS >> PAGE 10

7 10150 00001 9

Volume 111, issue 237

» ocregister.comFriday, August 25, 2017 $1.00 FOUNDED IN 1905 FACEBOOK.COM/OCREGISTER TWITTER.COM/OCREGISTER

Lottery ............. A2Business ... A12-13Opinion .........B8-9

Focus ................ A6Deaths .............. B7Comics ........... D10

INDEX

Customer Service: 714-796-7777

WEATHERSPORTSBlockbuster beginning Alex Ashcraft tossed five touchdown passes as Cypress rolled to a 36-3 victory over Woodbridge in a high school football season-opening game Thursday night. Fans will head to stadiums tonight for the first Friday night action of the season. SPORTS 6

LAWDeath penalty measure survives The California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 66, the voter-approved measure aimed at speeding up executions, though justices rejected that a provision setting a five-year limit on appeals was mandatory. NEWS 4

WEATHERHarvey strengthens into hurricane, bears down on TexasForecasters called the looming storm “life-threatening” with the potential for 125 mph winds accompanied by as much as 3 feet of rain. Millions braced for a battering that could swamp dozens of counties. NEWS 3

Coast Inland

76/68 87/67Full weather forecast >> LOCAL 10

MATT MASIN — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

partment of State and for-eign ministries in several European countries.

During his time in Or-ange County, Khot ex-plored issues such as rais-ing awareness about human trafficking, promoting gen-der equality and advanc-ing human rights. That in-cluded hearing a presen-tation by Laura’s House domestic violence preven-tion educator Yanira Men-dez, who spoke about the different types of abuse, why victims stay, and end-ing the cycle of violence.

Afterward, Mendez re-calls, Khot approached her with questions about Laura’s House and she in-vited him to pay a visit to the organization’s offices in Ladera Ranch. While there, he told the staff that he wanted to bring preven-tion education to South Su-dan.

“He seemed to genuinely care and have an interest

to help whatever way he could,” Mendez says.

Khot is unfazed by the fickle technology that stalls his communication with Laura’s House and by the daunting task of changing the cultural mindset in his homeland amid such up-heaval. He has faced his own personal challenges with optimism and deter-mination.

A birth deformity left him without legs. To access internet service at the clos-est marketplace to his vil-lage of Pakuor in the South Sudan state of Jonglei, Khot travels 10 miles along bumpy roads in his wheel-chair or on a modified tricy-cle. Friends and colleagues help him get around on those trips and others he makes to communities in Jonglei to raise awareness about the treatment of girls and women.

Khot was deeply moved after hearing about the namesake of Laura’s House, a 38-year-old woman who died at the hands of her abuser, and its beginnings in the early 1990s after Laura’s mother contacted a group of local women who wanted to open a shelter for battered women.

“I was touched by the story of how Laura lost her dear live so I make an ap-pointment to visit their

center to meet and see what they are doing,” Khot writes in an email about his relationship with Lau-ra’s House.

The efforts undertaken by Laura’s House on be-half of women here — pre-vention and education out-reach, legal advocacy, shel-ter for domestic violence victims and their children, and a 24-hour hotline — im-pressed him. He paid an-other visit to Laura’s House right before his fellowship ended and, since his re-turn home in late Decem-ber, has continued to seek advice and support for his work, communicating by email and Skype sessions with prevention education manager Jennifer Ponce and two education special-ists, Mendez and Molly Del-bridge.

“Domestic violence is rampant in my village and in South Sudan as a nation, and this is the contribution of culture and tradition which dictate men as head and decision maker in the family,” Khot explains in writing.

The fellowship required that Khot return home with a plan for reaching goals intended to bring about change in his area of focus.

“He went back seeing he could go out in communi-ties and be an organizer,

speak to village elders, and create space for women to have a voice, for women to help each other,” says San-dra Morgan, who teaches women’s studies at Van-guard, a private Christian university, and is direc-tor of the Global Center for Women & Justice, a lead-ing voice in the local fight against human trafficking.

“His goals have been more difficult to meet be-cause of the almost insur-mountable challenges in South Sudan. How can you make sustainable cultural change when people are starving? You want to edu-cate girls but first you have to feed them.”

But, Morgan says, “Here’s what I know about Khot: He is determined and he is te-nacious.”

Before he left for home, Morgan and others at the Global Center presented Khot with a new wheel-chair. His old one, she says, was held together with duct tape, the rubber on the wheels nearly worn away.

In the past, funded by such entities as UNICEF, Khot had focused on child protection efforts. At times that work involved salvag-ing the lives of boys who had been forced into be-coming child soldiers, something Khot himself en-

KhotFROM PAGE 1

KHOT » PAGE 9

MARK RIGHTMIRE — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Deng Daniel Khot Skypes with educators at the Ladera Ranch office for Laura’s House on Aug. 17. While visiting Orange County on a fellowship to attend the Global Center for Women & Justice at Vanguard University, Khot learned about the work that Laura’s House does to prevent domestic violence and support victims.

You Don’t Need a Hero......Just a Great Plumber

We’ll Beat Any Competitors Coupons! Lic# 1670477

$150$65Clean MainSewer Line

From Roof Vent

With Any Drain Service Through ProperGround-Level Clean-Out Access.Through ready accessible clean-out.

Coupon expires 5/31/17. Not valid on holidays.Not valid with other offers.

Through ready accessible clean-out.Coupon expires 5/31/17. Not valid on holidays.

Not valid with other offers.

SERVING ORANGE COUNTY, RIVERSIDE & L.A. COUNTYmrrooter.com/orange-county

*

ASK ABOUTMONTHLY SPECIALS

A Family Owned Company

SENIO

R

CITIZE

N &

MILITARY D

ISCOUNT

714-784-5254Coupon expires 5/31/17. Not valid on holidays.

Not valid with other offers.

Clear AnyDrain FREE CAMERA INSPECTION7/31/17 7/31/17

7/31/178/31/17

8/31/178/31/17

First Wednesday of Every Month5pm – 8pm

MISSION VIEJO TRANSMISSION PRESENTS

27220 La Paz Rd., Suite M • Mission Viejo, CA 92692

949.583.1828Come join Kevin and his crew for a fun and

informational OPEN HOUSE to learn more aboutthe basics of car maintenance and upkeep. Bring

your Mom, sisters, girlfriends and daughters.

Refreshments will be served.www.MissionViejoTransmission.comransmission.com

Jeronimo Rd.

Mar

guer

itePk

wy. Jeronimo Rd.

5 Fwy.

La Paz Rd.La Paz Rd.

featured on

HERO OFTHE WEEK

OPEN HOUSE Next Event:SEPTEMBER 6th

N VIEJO

Next Event:

From August 25 to 27, enjoy tremendous savings on all displayed models during our Warehouse Sale Before Relocation at our Carson Warehouse.Take advantage of these exceptional offers on the best of European furniture, with discounts up to 80% off*.

Warehouse Sale Before Relocation

*Warehouse

saleoffero

nlyvalid

attheCa

rson,C

Awarehouse

locatio

nandisnottobe

used

inconjunctionwith

anyotherp

romotionalorp

reviousoffer.

ROCHE BOBOIS WAREHOUSE1460 Beachey PlaceCarson, CA 90746Tel. (310) 274-6520

Friday August 25th 10 am - 6 pmSaturday August 26th 10 am - 6 pmSunday August 27th 11 am - 5 pm

| NEWS | THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER >> OCREGISTER.COM FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 20178 A

dured in the late 1980s as civil war erupted between Muslims in the north part of Sudan and Christians in the south, where he is from. He was only 7.

With his disability, he couldn’t be sent into the fields; he cleaned and re-paired the assault rif les used in the fighting until he escaped that life.

Before South Sudan be-came an independent coun-try in 2011, Khot spent about 20 years as a refu-gee in Ethiopia and Kenya. In the refugee camps, get-ting an education some-times consisted of sitting beneath a tree, writing les-sons in the dirt with a stick. He was reunited in Kenya with his parents and other relatives, who were able to further his schooling.

His biggest challenge in fully realizing a commu-nity education and aware-ness plan he developed is funding, Khot says.

And then he is fighting culture and tradition.

Women are typically forced into arranged mar-riages as young teenagers, swapped for a dowry of cows in an agricultural re-gion where cattle is prized

— a practice intensified by the food insecurity brought about by decades of fight-ing. In his community, he says, men might pay as much as 100 head of cattle. Khot himself paid a dowry of 50 cows when he married his wife. If a woman wants a divorce, she must secure permission from both sets of parents and the dowry must be repaid.

“In my opinion, this make men to own their wife like their own prop-erty,” Khot says.

Right now, with the un-certainty in South Sudan, his wife and children are living in Kenya. He spends his time meeting with vil-lage elders (all men) and visiting marketplaces, wed-dings and other gatherings where he can talk to people about empowering women. He has gone to a radio sta-tion and visits schools, which girls have started at-tending in greater numbers.

With 95 percent of the women in his country il-literate, Khot is buoyed by what he described as “the high enrollment of girls in schools,” calling it “great news for change coming.”

But it is tough going. Women’s rights are a low priority in a country tee-tering on disaster.

“Nobody is paying at-tention to the issue of gen-

der equality and women’s rights. It’s minor,” he tells the three women at Lau-ra’s House when his Skype call lasts a full 10 minutes. “If you have to take time slowly, that is what I will do.”

The women nod their heads as he describes the reaction of some of the men and women who hear his message: “They are touched by what I am say-ing. When I talk to them, there’s a sense that people are waking up.”

“That’s good, Khot,” they chorus.

The internet connection drops. The women turn to each other.

“Imagine,” Ponce says, “I would have given up. There’s days we feel like giving up.”

When Khot returns on screen, he is barely visi-ble in the darkness of the open-air bar from where he’s calling. A generator powers the minimal elec-tricity. It’s nighttime there but not quite 9:30 a.m. in Orange County. A few min-utes later, the Skype session ends for good.

Ponce closes her laptop.“The only thing that sep-

arates us from Third World countries,” she observes, “is allowing women to have education and positions of power.”

KhotFROM PAGE 8

COURTESY OF GLOBAL CENTER FOR WOMEN & JUSTICE

Deng Daniel Khot stops for a photo with staff members Nadia Hernandez, left, and Brittany Skiles at Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women & Justice. Khot, who is from South Sudan, spent four months at the school on a fellowship.

SeeWhat’SNeWInHome

ImprovementAnAheimhome&GArdenShow www.anaheimhomeshows.com

Produced by Specialty Shows & Events

FRI-SAT-SUN • AUGUST 25-26-27AnAheim ConVenTion CenTer

hourS:Fri 10a-7p • Sat 10a-7p • Sun 10a-6p

Adults $8.00 | Seniors $6.00Military & Kids Under 18 Free

Seniors 2-for-1 Friday Only

FRI-SAT-SUN AUGUST 25-26-27

• Home Decorating, Remodeling & LandscapingHow-To Workshops • Plant SaleSmart Home Products & Services

Home DepotKids Clinics Daily

Free Wyckes Furniture$25 Gift Cards

Free Gemstone HuntEnter to win rubies or other precious stones

Free AppraisalsTrade your treasures in for on-site home

improvement cash

to 1st 500 paid admission each day

$2 Off Adult orSenior AdmissionWith This Ad

HotTub & Swim Spa SaleSave Up to 60%

Prices valid at the following locations only:

We reserve the right to limit quantities. Offers not available to wholesalers. No case discounts.

Brea–Birch&StateCollege;CostaMesa–Harbor&Baker;EastsideCostaMesa– 17thSt. &SantaAna;Fullerton–HarborBlvd.&OrangethorpeAve.;HuntingtonBeach–Brookhurst&Adams;HuntingtonBeach–Goldenwest–WarnerAve&Goldenwest St.; Irvine–Alton&Culver;LaHabra–WImperialHwy&BeachBlvd;LagunaNiguel –LaPazRd.&PacificParkDr.;Lakewood–CarsonSt. &WoodruffAve.;MissionViejo–SantaMargaritaPkwy.&LosAlisos;Orange–TheVillage atOrange; SanClemente–CaminoDeEstrella& I-5 SanDiegoFwy; SaviRanch–WeirCanyonRd.&SaviRanchPkwy.;SealBeach–RossmoorCenter&SealBeach;Tustin–Newport&Holt; Tustin-Jamboree–ElCaminoReal& Jamboree;Whittier–SantaGertrudes&Whittier;YorbaLinda–YorbaLindaBlvd.&ValleyViewAve.

11812

Friday, Saturday and Sunday • August 25–27

2 LB.BAG!

GrapeTomatoes

All-NaturalChoiceTri-TipRoastUntrimmed, tender, juicy, flavorful,we guarantee it!

$499lb.Limit 4 roasts

$999ea.Limit 4 bags

$499ea. $599ea.

WalnutsHalves and pieces

SproutsOrganic

CoconutOil15 fl. oz.

BarefootWine

Select varieties,750 ml.

EZPeelMediumRawShrimp41/50 ct. Farm-raised,frozen, sold in 2 lb. bags88¢ea.

HorizonOrganicMilkSelect varieties, 64 fl. oz.

$2 99ea.

JumboCantaloupes 88¢ea.

$399lb. $499lb.

HomestyleTurkeyBreast

Sliced and pre-packagedfor your convenience.

$499ea.SproutsRegionalOliveOilSelect varieties, 750 ml.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 2017 THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER >> OCREGISTER.COM | NEWS | 9 A