Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 19, 2011

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Mountain Views News Saturday, March 19, 2011

From the desk of the City Manager.....Scott Ochoa

ANTHONY CHAVEZ, GRANDSON OF THE LATE 
LABOR ORGANIZER, TO SPEAK AT DUARTE’S 7TH 
ANNUAL CESAR CHAVEZ VOLUNTEER PROJECT

DUARTE, CA, March 15, 2011 – Anthony 
Chavez, the grandson of the late labor 
organizer, Cesar Chavez, will speak about his 
late grandfather’s enduring civil rights legacy 
as part of the City of Duarte’s 7th annual Cesar 
Chavez community volunteer project on March 
26. Chavez, 25, grew up participating in United 
Farm Workers’ marches, picket lines and political 
campaigns. 

The service-learning program, sponsored by 
Duarte’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth 
and Westminster Gardens, will take place at 
Westminster Gardens Retirement Community, 
1420 Santo Domingo Ave., beginning at 9 a.m. 

The event will also feature a performance by 
Ballet Folklorico Mestizo and the announcement 
of winners of a Cesar Chavez Essay contest for 
Duarte High School students, sponsored by the 
Duarte Teen Center. 

 Following the program, community 
volunteers will plant an herb garden and 
complete other gardening chores within 
Westminster Gardens. 

 The annual Cesar Chavez volunteer 
event is one of a number of volunteer project, programs and events undertaken by 
Duarte’s Promise – the Alliance for Youth. In 2000, Duarte was officially named an 
America’s Promise “Community of Promise.” Since then more than 100 local businesses, 
organizations, individuals, government, schools and communities of faith have partnered 
in a commitment to ensure that the needs of young people are served through five promises 
including opportunities for youth to give back through community service.

 For more information or to volunteer for the project, call Duarte’s Promise – The 
Alliance for Youth at (626) 303-0863, or email volunteer coordinator Gary Smith at gsmith@
accessduarte.com. 

Monrovia Controller Reports 

Redevelopment Agency Failings

When the Controller first announced 
this investigation a 
month ago, many people predicted 
that the report would 
come back with a scathing review 
of redevelopment. Not 
wanting to disappoint, Controller 
John Chiang carried 
out his orders and produced a 
report that intimates that redevelopment 
is the embodiment 
of waste, fraud and abuse. The 
agencies he looked at have their 
share of successes and failures; 
but somehow the successes are 
overshadowed by the emphasis 
on the shortcomings - namely 
revenue that would otherwise 
be better spent at the State's 
discretion. Forgetting, for the 
moment, that much of the 
revenue that the State desires 
would not even exist were it not 
for the investment of the RDAs 
in the first place, the Controller 
highlights these reported 
shortcomings as evidence of 
the mysterious existence and 
funding of the RDAs. Keep in 
mind, however, that California 
redevelopment law has been 
"reformed" several times in the 
last 25 years. Further, many of 
the legislators - and even the 
Governor himself - are former 
local government elected officials 
who know what RDAs 
do and how. Thus, from an 
insider's perspective, it would 
seem that if the State wanted 
every RDA to function at optimum 
efficiency and effectiveness, 
the State certainly has the 
knowledge and the legal tools, 
and they would be well within 
their rights, to have the Department 
of Housing and Community 
Development, the Attorney 
General, and - yes - even 
the State Controller, to simply 
enforce the laws on the books 
today. But this isn't about good 
government; this is about money. 
This is about one drowning 
person trying to keep their head 
above water by dragging down 
the person nearest them. Alas, 
focusing on the improvements, 
investments and opportunities 
provided by RDAs wouldn't 
yield the necessary narrative 
to eliminate redevelopment. 
After all, given the Governor's 
proposal it is much easier to 
highlight a handful of RDAs 
and make a broad pronouncement 
on all RDAs. Of course, 
I suppose we could do the 
same exercise in reverse - that 
is, look at handful of dysfunctional 
school districts (Compton, 
Oakland, Los Angeles, LA 
Community College District, 
come to mind) and make broad 
pronouncements on all school 
districts. Still, such eye-for-an-
eye tactics do not advance the 
overall cause. In the end, the 
Governor needs to be willing 
to compromise; being resolute 
enough to "burn the village in 
order to save it" is not a practical 
policy in modern political 
discourse. And using the State 
Controller as a marionette isn't 
much better. 


$1.85 MILLION, YEAR-LONG OVERHAUL 
OF SAN GABRIEL RIVER BRIDGE TO 
START IN APRIL

DUARTE, CA, March 15, 2011 – The San Gabriel River Bridge, a heavily trafficked 
thoroughfare linking Huntington Dr. in Duarte and Foothill Blvd. in Irwindale, will undergo 
a $1.85 million structural improvement and repair project beginning in April. Funded and 
managed by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, the project is expected 
to take one year to complete. During that time, the number of travel lanes across the bridge 
will be reduced to one lane in each direction. Heavy traffic congestion should be expected 
especially during peak commuter hours. Motorists are advised to take alternate routes 
during these periods. For more information, contact the Los Angeles County Department 
of Public Works, (1-800) 675-4357.

BURRTEC WASTE SERVICES TO CHANGE 
SCHEDULES IN DUARTE

 Burrtec Waste Services plans to notify customers in the northeast section of the City of 
Duarte of a schedule change for trash pick-up. Customers who regularly have trash pick-up 
on Monday will be switched to Friday trash service, effective April 1. Affected customers 
can expect to receive notice in their March billing mailing that a change is coming. 

Burrtec will continue to do courtesy pickups in that area through the end of April as needed 
for those who may forget. If customers forget, they can call Burrtec to arrange a courtesy 
pick-up. Burrtec notes the change will cut down the number of days Burrtec trucks are 
in the City from six days a week to five days a week, which is more efficient from a cost 
perspective and more “green” environmentally.

 For more information, customers can contact Burrtec at (1-800) 325-9417, or the City of 
Duarte at (626) 357-7931, ext. 221.

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Monrovia Police Blotter

During the last seven day period, the Police Department handled 490 service events, resulting in 98 
investigations. Following are the last week's highlighted issues and events:

Burglary - Suspect Arrested

On March 3 at 2:30 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 500 block of West Huntington 
regarding a suspect who had stolen merchandise and returned the items for store credit. The suspect 
exited the business and made his way to the corner of Huntington and Mayflower. He was detained 
by police and subsequently arrested for burglary. The suspect had a number of warrants, including 
one for burglary. 

Juvenile Weapons Offense - Suspects Arrested

On March 3 at 8:04 p.m., a business in the 700 block of East Huntington reported two male juveniles 
left the location and had possibly taken alcohol without paying for it. A loss prevention employee had 
followed the juveniles and gave their location. An officer responded and detained the juveniles. During 
a cursory search, a broad-tip marker was discovered on one of the subjects and a knife was found 
on the other subject. It was determined that he was already on probation for a weapons offense. Both 
subjects were determined to be gang associates from Duarte. The juveniles were arrested for the offenses, 
cited, and later released to their parents.

Grand Theft Auto Recovery

On March 4 at 11:33 a.m., a Deputy Public Conservator from Adult Protection came in to report a 
stolen vehicle from a protected person that lives in the 1300 block of Orange. The vehicle was entered 
into the stolen vehicle system and later located near the corner of East Los Angeles and Sherman.

Shooting at an Inhabited Dwelling

On March 4 at 6:46 p.m., dispatch received a call of shots fired and a vehicle racing away from the 
area of Canyon and Colorado. Officers responded and set up a crime scene after confirming that 
shots had been fired. No victims were located. The suspects were driving a dark black or charcoal, 
four-door vehicle with a sun roof. The exact make and model are not known, but may possibly be a 
Nissan Altima or similar vehicle. The suspects were not located.

Vehicle Pursuit - One Suspect Arrested

On March 7 at 7:08 p.m., a suspicious vehicle was reported parked in the 1300 block of South California. 
The vehicle was gone when officers arrived. A short time later, the vehicle returned. An officer 
in the area observed the vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop. The vehicle failed to yield and 
slowly drove around the block. As it turned north onto California from Los Angeles, the vehicle 
accelerated, and the officer advised he was in pursuit. As the vehicle attempted to turn east onto 
Huntington, it collided with another car, and then became stuck on the center divider. The driver and 
both passengers fled on foot. The male driver was arrested a short distance from the vehicle. The two 
passengers, a male and a female, were not located. There were no injuries and only minor damage. 
Burglary tools were found in the suspect's vehicle. Investigation continuing.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence

On March 8 at 1:21 a.m., witnesses reported a hit and run collision in the 700 block of South Ivy. The 
suspect struck a parked vehicle and fled the scene. An officer located the suspect driving at Hillcrest 
and Fifth. The driver admitted to the collision and was determined to be driving under the influence. 
He was arrested.

Possession of a Controlled Substance

On March 8 at 6:30 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 500 block of West Huntington regarding 
a possible theft investigation involving a female suspect refusing to cooperate with security. 
When officers arrived, they located the female suspect on Huntington and detained her. Officers 
determined the female to be under the influence of a controlled substance and found her to be in 
possession of methamphetamine and vicodin. She was arrested and taken into custody.