p7, v5.30 — Monrovia – Duarte — Mountain Views News

Monrovia – Duarte

Mountain Views News Saturday, July 23, 2011

MVNews this week: Page 7

Mountain Views News Saturday, July 23, 2011

Duarte Kiwanis Provides Donation to

Duarte Boxing Club

Duarte Puts Edison on Notice to Address Plans
to Resolve Ongoing Power Outages that have
Plagued City Since 2007

DUARTE, CA, July 21, 2011 –Frustrated over
years of frequent scheduled and unscheduled
Southern California Edison power outages
which continually disrupt service to Duarte
residents and businesses, the City has sent a letter
to Edison demanding the utility address plans for
correcting the ongoing equipment failures.

For the last four years, Duarte residents and
businesses have been plagued with dozens of
power outages, most due to breakdowns of
antiquated Edison underground equipment.
More than half of a list of 42 outages, cited in a
letter from City Manager Darrell George to Les
Starck, vice president of local public affairs for
Edison, shut down power to parts of the City
for as many as 5 to 12 hours. There have been
18 power outages in Duarte between January
and July of 2011. In the most recent, on July
12, residents were adversely affected by both a
planned outage which shut down electrical power
to 56 structures for 7 hours, and an unplanned
outage initially affecting more than 2,100 homes,
with 300 homes left without power for more than
12 hours.

George noted that despite a $4 million
upgrade to Edison’s Ambrus circuit completed
and launched last fall, the upgrade “has neither
resolved nor slowed down the problem of
frequent outages in Duarte. Equipment on the
Ambrus Circuit has failed twice in the past
several months, knocking out power to 2,200
residents and businesses for 12 hours each time
on May 27-28 and on June 27. Many outages also
continue to occur on antiquated underground
equipment on Edison’s Honeywell circuit.

“Experience suggests heat combined with
the recently identified unstable underground
equipment on the Honeywell Circuit will result
in monthly or more frequent outages with hours
of interruption to residents and businesses in the
area,” George wrote.

He said City staff has been inundated with calls
from residents tired and angry about the power
outages as well as the massive towers that Edison
has constructed in Duarte neighborhoods as part
of its Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Tower
Project, and “are out of valid reasons to give the
public as to why the outages keep occurring.”

The City has given Edison a deadline of July
26, 2011 to state its plan to resolve the lengthy
and repetitive outages related to underground
equipment failure. Duarte also wants Edison’s
agreement to conduct a peer review, at its
expense to objectively analyze the service
reliability and adequacy in Duarte with technical
recommendations for system improvements,
“so that we can thoughtfully determine a path
forward to gain the consistent electrical service
our residents deserve, but have had to live
without,” said George.

In addition, Duarte has asked Edison to
provide:

A complete listing of all outages affecting the
City of Duarte since January 2007. complete
listing of all outages affecting customers in what
have been the areas of the City hardest hit by the
outages, within the boundaries of Royal Oaks
Dr. to the north; Huntington Dr. on the south;
Encanto Parkway on the east; and Swiss Trails
Road on the west.

A complete listing of all outage complaints
received by the Customer Service Center since
January 2007 within the same boundaries.

The utility’s thoughts and possible support on
whether the second phase of Edison’s current
General Rate Case is a proper venue to explore
rate designs that would set baselines for reliability
with adjustments based on tiers of unreliability
and repeated service interruptions to residents
and businesses.

Duarte residents and businesses are encouraged
to lodge their questions and complaints about
power outages and other issues relating to Edison
service to Edison Customer Service Center at
(800) 611-1911. Customers can also contact
the California Public Utilities Commission in
writing at 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA
94102, or by telephone at 1-800-649-7570.

Members of the Duarte Kiwanis Club are
very aware of the positive impact the Teen
Center’s Boxing Program has had on the youth
of the Duarte community. The program is
open to boys and girls ages 8-17, and helps
develop their self-esteem and self-discipline.
Knowledgeable coaches, including recent Boxing
Hall of Fame inductee, Victor Valenzuela, teach
the fundamentals of boxing, while developing
footwork, speed, and upper body strength.
The club has had tremendous success within
the community and is a model for programs
nationwide. On July 16th at the Desert Showdown
Tournament in Palm Springs Jesus “ Rocky”
Gomez of Duarte Boxing won the Championship
belt in his weight class! Duarte Boxing is also
home to GBU World Champion pro boxer
Rhonda Luna. The Duarte Kiwanis Club proudly
donated $300.00 toward the program at a recent
club meeting. Pictured below from the left are
Tina Carey, Kiwanis Club President, Marilyn
Mays, Duarte Teen Center manager (and Kiwanis
member), trainers Eric Campugan and Joseph
Llamas, and City Council Member (and Kiwanis
member), Lois Gaston. For information on
joining Duarte Kiwanis or providing a program
for the club, contact Dr. Diane Hernandez at
drdiane@drhernandezoptometry.com

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AGAINST CRIME

On Tuesday, August 2, neighborhoods throughout Monrovia have been invited to join forces with
more than 34 million people from thousands of communities nationwide who will be participating in
the Annual National Night Out Against Crime. This event is designed to: 1) Heighten crime and drug
prevention awareness; 2) Generate support and participation in local anti-crime efforts; 3) Strengthen
neighborhood spirit and police/community relations; and 4) Send a message to criminals, letting
them know that our neighborhoods are organized and are fighting back. This event will also kick off
the start of our new “Keep Kids Alive - Drive 25” residential speeding traffic safety campaign.

How’s Our Watershed’s Water?

Five Year Report Released

Monrovia Police Blotter

During the last seven-day period, the Police
Department handled 609 service events, resulting
in 102 investigations. Following are the last week’s
highlighted issues and events:

72-Hour Mental Evaluation

On July 8 at 10:30 a.m., a caller reported seeing
a female subject carrying a pistol in the 100 block
of West Foothill. Officers located the subject,
who was now walking on Lime, approaching
Magnolia. The officers observed that the female
was carrying a pistol. Once the female saw the
officers, she immediately complied with their
commands. The pistol turned out to be a very
realistic replica of a semi-automatic pistol. As
the officers interviewed the female, it became
apparent she was a danger to herself and others,
and she was taken to a hospital where she was
held for 72-hour mental evaluation.

Juvenile Problem / Fighting in a Public Place -
Suspects Cited

On July 8 at 8:44 p.m., officers responded to a
park in the 300 block of South Myrtle regarding
a fight. Three female juveniles were involved in
an altercation over a boy. One female sustained
an injury to her hand and was taken to a hospital
for treatment. All three juveniles were cited for
fighting in a public place.

Traffic Stop / No-Bail Warrant - Suspect
Arrested

On July 9 at 12:20 a.m., an officer stopped a
vehicle for a traffic violation. The driver said that
he did not have his driver’s license with him, but
identified himself and provided a driver’s license
number. The officer became suspicious and with
further investigation discovered that the driver
did in fact have his license on him and he had
provided a false name to the officer. A computer
check with the driver’s actual name revealed a
no-bail warrant. The subject was arrested and
taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested

On July 9 at 4:25 a.m., a vehicle was stopped
for a traffic violation in the 700 block of West
Huntington. The driver was determined to be
under the influence of alcohol and was arrested.

Suspicious Toolbox

On July 9 at 4 p.m., security in the 100 block
of West Huntington saw a suspicious toolbox in
the parking lot on the north side of a building.
The security officers had made foot passes in
the area and had not seen the toolbox prior to
4 p.m. Officers were dispatched to the location
to inspect the toolbox. Based on a recent threat
reported in the news and the unusual location
of the toolbox, the Los Angeles County Bomb
Squad was requested and responded to the
location. The toolbox was opened by the bomb
squad and no suspicious items were found.

Vandalism - Suspect Arrested

On July 11 at 6:09 p.m., a witness reported a
male juvenile gang member was spray painting
gang graffiti in the 100 block of East Walnut
in the alley. Officers responded quickly and
apprehended the suspect. He was arrested for
vandalism. The citizen who witnessed the crime
and took action reporting the suspect was
rewarded with Monrovia Police Department’s
$100 Graffiti Bounty.

Bicycle Theft

On July 11 at 7:06 p.m., a subject who lives in
the 700 block of South Myrtle reported his bicycle
stolen. His bicycle, a 10-speed silver mountain
bike, was secured by locking the front wheel to
the bike rack on the third floor of the parking
garage. The suspect removed the frame from the
front wheel. It appeared that two other bicycles
were stolen in a similar fashion, but officers were
unable to locate additional victims. Investigation
continuing.

Vehicle Tampering - Suspect Arrested

On July 12 at 11 a.m., a business in the 200
block of East Huntington called police to report
a male subject rummaging through a car that
was not his. When officers arrived, the suspect
was gone. One of the officers watched the store’s
security video and recognized the male subject
from prior contact. She quickly apprehended
him nearby and he was arrested for vehicle
tampering.

Robbery

On July 12 at 9:51 p.m., a business in the 300
block of West Huntington reported a robbery.
The suspect approached a cashier with his hand
in his jacket pocket. He threatened to shoot
her if she didn’t give him the money from the
register. After obtaining the cash, he ran south
on Magnolia, then west on Cypress, out of sight.
The suspect was described as a male, African
American, approximately 30 years old, six feet
tall, about 200 pounds, wearing a black hooded
sweatshirt and blue jeans. He had a tattoo next to
his right eye. Investigation continuing.

Driving Under the Influence/Marijuana -
Suspect Arrested

On July 12 at 10:57 a.m., an officer stopped a
female driver at Walnut and Fifth. During the
investigation, it was determined the driver was
driving under the influence of marijuana and the
driver was arrested.

Vehicle Burglary

On July 12 at 3:42 p.m. an officer responded
to the 1600 block of South California, regarding
a vehicle burglary. The owner discovered his car
was broken into and stereo system and speakers
were stolen. Investigation continuing

Vandalism

On July 13 at 8:55 p.m., an officer responded
to the 500 block of South Mountain regarding
a smashed vehicle window. The victim parked
his vehicle on the street at 7:45 p.m. When he
returned to his car he had discovered the crime.
There was no loss. Investigation continuing.

The Council for Watershed Health released its
State of the San Gabriel River Watershed Report
at a symposium held earlier this week. The
report, which covered the period from 2005 -
2009 covered intensive water quality monitoring
including the safety of swimming in lakes and
streams and the impact of consuming fish caught
in the watershed. It also questions whether or
not the regulated dischargers met water quality
standards and if water quality improved or
declined. The report is part of the Council’s San
Gabriel River Regional Monitoring Program
(SGRRMP).

Speakers included representatives from the
LA County Sanitation District, So. Cal. Coastal
Research Project, the Office of Information
Management and Analysis, the National Forest
Service and the LA County Environmental
Health - Recreational Waters Program. Mary
Ann Lutz, Mayor of Monrovia was the keynote
speaker.

The report also indicated that “E. Coli levels
during 2007-2009 were typically below California
standards indicating that it is safe to swim.”

Elevated Levels Found in Certain Fish

Although the report indicates that high toxic
levels occurred “infrequently” and that the
incidence of dangerous chemicals exceeding safe
levels was rare, it did conclude that several of
the most popular fish caught in the SG Valley’s
Puddingstone Lake had “elevated” levels of
mercury (Large Mouth Bass and Carp). Further
the levels of other contaminants found in carp,
bass, and striped mullet from the Upper Estuary
warranted a caution. According to the report,
“suggesting that their consumption be limited to
one meal per week.”

The Council for Watershed Health supports
a healthy watershed for the region by serving as
a robust center for the generation of objective
research and analysis. The Council has established
a platform for meaningful collaboration
between governmental organizations, academic
institutions, businesses and other nonprofit
organizations with a vested interest in preserving
the watershed.

Founded in 1995 by leading environmental
activist Dorothy Green, the Council for
Watershed Health produces continuing research
programs that examine water usage and quality
as well as create and enhance preservation and
conservation tactics. The trustworthy expertise
and analysis that comes from the Watershed
Council’s ongoing programs connects a diverse
set of groups with overlapping missions in
an effort to drive polices that will continually
improve watershed quality.

For more information go to: http://www.
watershedhealth.org

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