Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 18, 2011

7

 
Mountain Views News Saturday, June 18, 2011 

Friends of the Duarte Library Celebrate 50th Anniversary

With a Dinner, Scholarships and Renovated Library

Duarte Council Votes 5-0 to Appeal 

Recent Denial of Vulcan Materials Lawsuit


DUARTE, CA, June 15, 2011 - The Duarte City 
Council voted unanimously on June 14 to continue 
its challenge to the City of Azusa’s 2010 approval 
of the Vulcan Materials Co. mining expansion 
project by authorizing an appeal to the State Court 
of Appeal. The lawsuit, originally filed in August of 
2010 and first heard in late March of this year, was 
denied by the Superior Court on May 9. The City 
has until August 8 to file its appeal.

“The Council’s decision to appeal continues Duarte’s 
belief that the Vulcan EIR is seriously flawed 
and that destroying the Van Tassel ridge is the 
wrong thing to do,” commented Darrell George, 
City Manager. 

The appeal process starts a new review by a 
three-judge panel located in Los Angeles at the 
State Court of Appeal. The process, comparable 
to the initial lawsuit, will involve preparation of an 
administrative record, the filing of approximately 
three briefs, a hearing and eventual ruling. It 
could take anywhere from nine to fifteen months 
to complete. 

“I hope we get a panel of judges who really 
understands what it means to rip that mountain 
down,” said Councilmember Margaret Finlay 
as she addressed the public after returning from 
closed session. “We will continue to fight the good 
fight,” added Mayor Teasel Paras Caracci.

Duarte’s lawsuit focuses on the Azusa City 
Council’s violations of the California Environmental 
Quality Act and seeks to overturn its certification 
of the Final Environment Impact Report 
and related entitlements for the mine expansion 
project. It also raises numerous points including 
insufficient analysis of air quality impacts from 
blasting and trucking activities; ignoring South 
Coast Air Quality recommendations on the location 
and number of air monitoring stations; and 
Azusa’s failure to impose any mitigation measures 
for potential liquefaction impacts. 

As approved by the Azusa City Council, the 
Vulcan mining expansion project is poised to destroy 
Van Tassel Ridge as Vulcan plans to extract 
105.6 million tons of aggregate from the mountain 
between now and 2038. Over that same period, 
the City of Azusa stands to make more than $65 
million in mining fees and incentives from Vulcan 
at the expense of its neighbors in Duarte.

Celebrating Friends -- Brian Mejia, representative to Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. 
Antonovich, presents president Pat De Rose with a certificate honoring the Friends of the Duarte 
Library for their 50 years of service to the Los Angeles County operated Duarte Library.

DUARTE, CA, June 14, 2011 – The Friends of 
the Duarte Library have a lot to celebrate this year. 
Not only does this mark the 50th anniversary of 
Friends’ service to the Los Angeles County operated 
Duarte Library, the library has just reopened 
with a fresh, new look after being closed for two 
months for renovation.

Although the timing for the renovation with the 
Friends 50th anniversary was coincidental, members 
of the Friends agree having a newly spruced 
up library is the best gift ever for the community. 
The 10,048 square foot library, originally opened in 
1966, got a fresh coat of paint inside and out, new 
carpeting throughout, a modernized Information 
Desk, three self-check out machines, and two new 
computers added to the six already available for 
public use. Before the books were replaced, shelving 
was cleaned and stained, and a new, electronic 
reservation system was installed. The parking lot 
was also resurfaced. One more beautification is in 
the planning, according to acting Library Manager, 
Eileen Penson. The County will install sculpture 
gardens at the east and west entrances to the 
building which is expected to be completed before 
a formal open house event in late July.

“Our library is an important hub of activity 
for the community, one that we have supported 
whole-heartedly through all the economic twists 
and turns. We are thrilled that the County has 
made these long-awaited improvements to better 
serve our children, families and businesses,” said 
Friends of the Library President, Pat De Rose. 

The Friends of the Duarte Library kicked off a 
year-long celebration of its milestone year with a 
50th Anniversary and Scholarship Dinner held at 
Westminster Gardens on June 3. Among the more 
than 60 in attendance were City and School District 
leaders, including Mayor Tzeitel Paras-Caracci 
and School Board President Pam Kawasaki, Los 
Angeles County Librarian, Margaret Donnellan 
Todd, and members of the business and residential 
community. 

Five scholarships were presented to graduating 
students of Duarte Unified School District. 
The Gas Company awarded “Energizing Our 
Future” scholarships to two Duarte High School 
2011 graduates. Cindy Gutierrez, who plans to 
become a physical therapist, and Melissa Ortega, 
whose goal is to become a dietician, each received 
$500 scholarships. The Friends of the Duarte Library 
presented three scholarships. Henry Perez, 
graduating from Mt. Olive High School, received 
the Aloysia Moore Scholarship Award of $500. A 
member of D.A.R.T, the Duarte Area Resource 
Team, Henry plans to pursue a law enforcement 
career after college. Duarte High School’s Kenyale 
Kearney, the first in her family to graduate from 
high school and continue on to college, received 
the Special Vocational Award scholarship of $500. 
Her goal is to become a pediatrician. This year, a 
special scholarship was named to honor former 
longtime president, Nita Norgard, who retired this 
year, and her husband Bill. The Norgard Scholarship 
for $1,000 was presented to Melissa Ortega, 
who also received The Gas Company scholarship.

The Friends also recognized an outstanding 
Duarte educator, Eric Barba, who this year served 
as both Principal of Northview Intermediate and 
Duarte High School. Barba was presented with the 
Excellence in Education Award. 

The Friends of the Duarte Library are planning 
many other occasions this year to celebrate the 50th 
anniversary, including the group’s signature event, 
the Duarte Festival of Authors on Saturday, Oct. 8.

Bear Resistant Trash Barrels are Available

Athens Services can provide bear resistant trash 
barrels to interested Monrovia residents. To apply, 
residents must complete a 36-month program 
participation agreement form with Athens Services. 
The cost per barrel can be billed in 36 monthly 
payments of $4.99 per month. Note, this rate is in 
addition to the monthly trash service rate and the 
barrels remain the property of Athens Services. To 
receive automated pick-up service for the barrels, 
the lids must be unlocked by the resident prior to 
pick-up. Setting unlocked barrels out the morning 
of collection rather than the night prior helps reduce 
the number of bear “break-ins”. Athens Services 
provides an unlocking service upon request 
for an additional monthly fee of $4.25. 

For more information, please contact Athens Services 
at (888) 336-6100.


Commercial Trash and Recycling Workshop

The City of Monrovia will be proposing a new 
trash and recycling program for all local businesses 
to be implemented by July 2012 to meet 
state requirements and local environmental goals. 
To ensure that businesses have an opportunity 
to participate in the formation of this program, 
businesses are invited to attend a final workshop 
to discuss service options and draft recommendations 
to be considered by the City Council this 
summer. The Roundtable Workshop will be held 
on Monday, June 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 
at the Monrovia Community Center, located at 
119 W. Palm Avenue. Lunch will be provided. To 
RSVP send an email to CLOAKING , or for more 
information, contact the City of Monrovia Environmental 
Services at (626) 932-5553.

Monrovia Police Blotter

During the last seven day period, the Police Department 
handled 549 service events, resulting 
in 85 investigations. Following are the last week’s 
highlighted issues and events:

Attempt Theft

On June 2, an officer was dispatched to a residence 
in the 100 block of Mauna Loa regarding 
an attempted theft from a vehicle. The victim 
parked her vehicle in front of her residence at 6 
p.m. in the evening. The next day she went to unlock 
her vehicle with the remote and discovered 
she had not locked her vehicle. She inspected her 
vehicle and found it had been ransacked and the 
headliner had been burnt. No items appeared to 
have been taken from the vehicle. 

Theft From a Vehicle

On June 2, an officer responded to the report of 
theft from a vehicle in the 100 block of West Walnut. 
The victim parked his pickup truck at 11:15 
p.m. He returned to his vehicle the following day 
at 11 a.m. and drove to work, which is in the 300 
block of West Huntington. He parked and went 
into work. When he exited his place of work, he 
noticed his tailgate was missing. The victim does 
not believe it was taken while parked in the parking 
lot at work, since it is always busy. He suspects 
that it was taken during the night while parked in 
front of his residence.

Traffic Accident - Overturned Vehicle

On June 4 at 10:41 p.m., a vehicle was traveling 
east on Colorado when the driver either fell 
asleep or had some type of medical issue. The 
driver only remembers driving straight and then 
waking up with the vehicle upside down on its 
roof. The driver was checked and did not appear 
to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The 
driver was taken to a hospital for observation; no 
serious injuries were reported.

Driving Under the Influence / 

Possession of a Controlled Substance - 

Suspect Arrested

On June 6 at approximately 7:27 a.m., police 
received a call reporting a female in a red Honda 
Accord honking her horn and yelling. Officers 
responded and stopped the vehicle. The female 
was found to be driving under the influence and 
was arrested. She was extremely uncooperative 
and verbally abusive. A thorough search of her 
property revealed a baggie containing methamphetamine. 
She was charged with driving under 
the influence and possession of a controlled substance. 
The female subject is schizophrenic and 
had been contacted several times over the previous 
weekend by officers.

Commercial Robbery

On June 6 at 4:19 p.m., police received a report 
of a robbery at a fast food business in the 
300 block of West Huntington. The suspect is described 
as a male Hispanic wearing a light blue 
cap and white t-shirt with horizontal stripes. The 
suspect had a black semi-automatic handgun 
and demanded cash. The suspect walked out to 
a gray or silver, 4-door Honda Civic with paper 
plates, and the driver was a heavy-set female. The 
vehicle fled south on Magnolia, out of sight. An 
area search and notification was made to neighboring 
agencies, but the vehicle was not located. 
El Monte Police Department had a robbery that 
occurred later that day in their city; the description 
of the suspects and vehicle is a close match.

Vehicle Burglary

On June 7 at 4:30 p.m., police responded to a 
vehicle burglary in the 200 block of West Scenic. 
The reporting party believed someone had broken 
into their neighbor’s vehicle. An officer went 
to the location and found the interior of the vehicle 
had been ransacked. He dusted for prints, 
took photos, and checked for witnesses.

Possession of Burglary Tools

June 7 at 11:47 p.m., officers observed a subject 
who was a known burglar in the area of Foothill 
and Magnolia near midnight. He was riding a bicycle 
without a light and no rear reflector. He was 
detained regarding the violations and questioned 
about his activity. His responses were ambiguous 
and in conflict. After a consent search of his 
person and property, officers found a sufficient 
amount and type of tools consistent with tools 
used for auto burglaries to arrest the subject. He 
was arrested and taken into custody for possession 
of burglary tools.

Residential Burglary

On June 8 at 4:18 p.m., a resident in the 900 
block of Briarcliff Road reported a burglary. He 
had returned home and found the front door had 
been smashed and two televisions, a laptop, and 
other miscellaneous items had been taken. Officers 
responded and cleared the house; no suspects 
were inside.

Commercial Robbery

On June 8 at 8:48 p.m., an armed robbery was 
reported at a business in the 300 block of West 
Huntington. The suspect was described as a male 
Hispanic, approximately 25-years-old, large build, 
wearing a white hat, white long-sleeve shirt and 
blue jeans. He approached the clerk, pulled a silver 
colored revolver and demanded money. He was 
last seen running westbound from the location.

The Friends of the Duarte Library celebrated its 50th anniversary and outstanding graduating students 
at a celebratory dinner at Westminster Gardens. From left, Friends President, Pat De Rose; scholarship 
winners Melissa Ortega, Henry Perez, Kenyale Kearney, and Cindy Gutierrez; and Duarte Superintendent 
of Schools, Terry Nichols. 

Youth Appreciation Day Fun at Pamela Park, June 17

DUARTE, CA, June 14, 2011 -- Community 
youth are invited to enjoy live entertainment, 
food, dance and games at Youth Appreciation 
Day at Pamela Park in Duarte on Friday, June 17 
from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Pamela Park is located 
at 2236 Goodall Ave. The annual special event, 
sponsored by County of Los Angeles Department 
of Parks and Recreation, celebrates youth in the 
community who excel during the school year. All 
ages are welcome. 

City of Duarte Public Safety will also participate 
in the event, providing youths on a first 
come, first serve basis, with properly fitted free 
bike helmets courtesy of the Duarte Elks Club. 

For more information about the bike helmet 
giveaway, call Duarte Public Safety at (626) 357-
7938. For additional details about Youth Appreciation 
Day, call Los Angeles County Parks and 
Recreation at (626) 357-1619 or (626) 369-2514.

Recovered Stolen Property and Felony Arrest 

Made for Receiving Stolen Property

On May 5, Monrovia Police Department received 
a call from a resident who made a theft report 
because someone had stolen the doors from 
her Jeep Wrangler. The report came to the Detective 
Bureau as an “Inactive” case because there was 
no workable information for any supplemental 
investigation by the detectives. The victim began 
searching Craigslist to find and buy replacement 
doors for her Jeep. She found someone in Pasadena 
who was selling Jeep doors which looked exactly 
like her stolen doors. The victim passed this 
information on to the Monrovia Police Department. 
On Friday, June 3, three detectives and three 
patrol officers teamed up to conduct an operation 
to recover the doors, if in fact they were the victim’s 
doors. Two of the patrol officers dressed in 
civilian clothes posed as “interested buyers”. The 
detectives and the remaining patrol officer were 
the arrest team. The patrol officer buyers had the 
victim’s ignition/door key and when the first officer 
distracted the seller, the second officer tried 
the key in the door lock. The victim’s key locked 
and unlocked the door. The detectives and officers 
then arrested the seller for a felony violation of 
receiving stolen property. The detectives and officers 
recovered the doors and brought them to the 
Monrovia Police Department. The victim positively 
identified the doors as hers and the doors 
were returned to her. The suspect was booked on 
felony receiving stolen property. The suspect posted 
bond and will have to appear later this month 
in court.


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