Mountain Views News          Saturday, January 28, 2012

6


Mountain Views News Saturday, January 28, 2012

COURT ORDERED DISSOLUTION OF REDEVELOPMENT 
AGENCIES MAY SNAG RUSNAK EXPANSION

City of Arcadia Senior Services Nominations 

for 2012 Senior Citizen of the Year!

Small Businesses in Path of Project Struggle to Vacate by February 8

Applications are available at the Arcadia 
Community Center front desk for nominations 
for the 2012 Senior Citizen of the Year! Do 
you know someone who is: caring and at least 
55 years of age; an Arcadia resident; actively 
involved in volunteer work; invaluable to your 
organization and deserving of recognition? If 
so, then nominate that special person for the 
2012 Arcadia Senior Citizen of the Year Award. 
Recipient of the award will be honored at the 
Arcadia Rotary Club’s Salute to Seniors luncheon 
on Tuesday, May 8th. Nominations must be 
submitted by Tuesday, February 21, 2012 to the 
Arcadia Community Center, 365 Campus Drive, 
Arcadia, CA 91066-6021.

For more information, please call 626.574.5130.


Arcadia Police Blotter

For the period of Sunday, January 15th, through 
Saturday, January 21st, the Police Department 
responded to 868 calls for service, of which 117 
required formal investigations. The following is a 
summary report of the major incidents handled by 
the Department during this period.

Sunday, January 15:

At about 2:49 p.m., an officer responded to 
the Great Steak and Potato Company at the 
Santa Anita Mall, 400 South Baldwin Avenue, in 
regards to a burglary report. Unknown suspect(s) 
entered the location through an unsecured door 
from the service hallway, and stole cash and a 
video surveillance camera. The suspect(s) fled 
undetected. 

At approximately 9:26 p.m., an officer was 
dispatched to the 1000 block of Rodeo Road in 
regards to a residential fire. The victims returned 
home and discovered their front doors were fully 
engulfed in flames. The Arcadia Fire Department 
responded to the scene; however, the fire had 
already extinguished on its own. An investigation 
revealed unknown suspect(s) set fire to the door 
with firecrackers, and fled undetected. The 
victims believe the incident may be a result of a 
high school prank. 

Monday, January 16:

Shortly after 11:13 a.m., an officer responded 
to Zumiez at the Santa Anita Mall, 400 South 
Baldwin Avenue, in regards to a juvenile detained 
for theft. The suspect concealed merchandise 
inside a used shopping bag and exited the 
store without making payment. A search of his 
backpack revealed he was also in possession of 
burglary tools. The 15-year-old Hispanic male 
was transported to the Arcadia City Jail for 
booking and later released to his mother. 

Around 7:34 p.m., an officer responded to the 
Macy’s parking lot at the Santa Anita Mall, 400 
South Baldwin Avenue, in reference to a theft 
report. The reporting party observed a male adult 
subject running through the parking lot while 
carrying a bicycle on his shoulder, and noticed it 
was missing a front wheel. The reporting party 
alerted mall security of the possible theft, and 
the suspect was detained at a nearby bus stop. 
An investigation revealed the bicycle belonged to 
a Macy’s patron. The 21-year-old Hispanic male 
was arrested and transported to the Arcadia City 
Jail for booking. 

Tuesday, January 17:

At approximately 10:24 a.m., officers were 
dispatched to the Arcadia Police Department 
front counter in regards to a fraud report. The 
victim explained he received several credit card 
statements in the mail for accounts he did not 
open. Unknown suspect(s) made numerous 
charges, which totaled thousands of dollars. The 
victim is desirous of prosecution. 

At approximately 12:30 p.m., an officer was 
dispatched to the 2000 block of Longley Way, 
in regards to a residential burglary report. The 
victim returned home and discovered his house 
had been ransacked. The officer determined 
unknown suspect(s) entered through an 
unsecured sliding-glass door. Cash, electronics, 
and other property were reported missing. No 
one saw or heard anything suspicious. 

Wednesday, January 18:

Around 12:36 p.m., an officer observed a male 
adult subject talking on his cell phone while 
driving north on Santa Anita Avenue at Genoa 
Street. After making contact with the driver, the 
officer discovered the driver had a suspended 
license. The 40-year-old Hispanic male was cited 
and released for both charges. 

At approximately 12:00 a.m., an officer was 
conducting patrol in the parking lot of CVS 
Pharmacy, 1401 South Baldwin Avenue, and 
observed a white Nissan parked in a corner. 
The officer made contact with the driver who 
appeared to be asleep in the front seat. A vehicle 
search revealed the driver was in possession 
of drug paraphernalia. The 29-year-old White 
female was arrested and transported to the 
Arcadia City Jail for booking. 

Thursday, January 19:

Shortly after 12:20 p.m., an officer responded 
to Citi Bank, 41 East Live Oak Avenue, in regards 
to a general incident report. A Citi Bank employee 
wanted to document a phone call from a vulgar 
customer, who routinely calls or visits in person 
to complain and yell at the employees. On today’s 
date, the subject made indirect threats toward the 
bank’s safety because she was upset about the way 
her checks were packaged. The employee is not 
desirous of prosecution. 

Around 11:21 p.m., an officer was traveling west 
on Las Flores Avenue, and observed a vehicle run 
a stop sign at First Avenue. The officer noticed the 
vehicle’s brake light was broken and conducted a 
traffic stop for both violations. An investigation 
revealed the 21-year-old Hispanic male driver 
was in possession of a knife. He was arrested for 
Possession of a Switchblade and transported to 
the Arcadia City Jail for booking. 

Friday, January 20:

At approximately 8:03 a.m., an officer 
responded to the intersection of Baldwin 
Avenue and Naomi Avenue, in regards to a 
two-party traffic accident. Party-two was 
traveling westbound on Naomi Avenue, and 
struck party-one in the intersection as he 
proceeded northbound on Baldwin Avenue. An 
investigation revealed party-one failed to stop at 
a red light. No major injuries were reported. 

At about 10:45 a.m., an officer was dispatched 
to the Nordstrom parking lot at the Santa Anita 
Mall, 400 South Baldwin Avenue, in regards to 
a vehicle burglary. The victim returned to her 
vehicle after work and discovered her Louis 
Vuitton purse was missing, which she hid in the 
trunk of her car. The officer did not locate any 
signs of forced entry. 

Saturday, January 21:

At roughly 2:45 a.m., an officer was patrolling 
the area of Duarte Road at Baldwin Avenue, 
and observed a vehicle weaving back and forth 
into opposing traffic. The officer made contact 
with the driver and noticed an odor of alcohol 
emitting from his breath, and could smell 
marijuana inside the vehicle. An investigation 
revealed the 23-year-old White male was driving 
under the influence of alcohol and drugs. He was 
arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail 
for booking. 

Shortly after 5:36 p.m., an officer responded to 
the 000 block of West Huntington Drive in regards 
to a residential burglary investigation. The victim 
explained she had noticed things missing around 
her house lately and discovered her spare house 
key missing from a hidden outdoor location. The 
victim supposes an unknown suspect(s) has been 
entering her home and has no idea who it could 
be. She is desirous of prosecution. 

Story and Photos by Chris Bertrand

As the city of Arcadia struggles to comply with 
California Supreme Court ordered dissolution 
of redevelopment agencies, both Rusnak Auto 
Group and the small businesses still operating 
on property the city acquired have a myriad 
of questions on how Rusnak’s years long plan 
to expand their Arcadia Mercedes dealership 
will play out under the state’s new rules under 
Assembly Bill 26.

Under strict timelines to dissolve their 
holdings, Arcadia has named their city council as 
the successor agency for the dissolution, with the 
understanding, as well as the associated angst, 
that various oversight individuals and agencies 
have veto power over how they proceed. 

According to Assistant City Manager Jason 
Kruckeberg, “The city and agency are going 
ahead with the relocation process. We sent out 
the 90 day (vacate notice) ending February 8. It 
is considered an obligation under the AB 26 that 
dissolves Redevelopment. We have written a 
letter to our relocation consultant informing him 
of that fact.”

Last week, after a Pasadena Star News article 
published on the topic, a flurry of anxiety-
filled discussions took place at Trendy Tresses 
Salon, 101 N. Santa Anita, located on the city 
owned redevelopment project. With imminent 
expiration of their 90 day notice to vacate no later 
than February 8, the city appointed relocation 
consultant and Trendy Tresses owner, Renee 
Newman, and most of the stylists in her salon 
have not yet finalized any financial agreement. 
Without that guarantee in hand, it is difficult 
for small businesses to undertake the mandated 
move. 

Down the block at U.S. Pagers and Cellular, 
Owner Steve Terzian feels squeezed by not only 
the non-negotiable deadline to vacate from the 
city, but also from corporate decision makers 
at metroPCS, one of the cellular dealerships he 
owns. MetroPCS has declined to approve sites 
Terzian has suggested in a move, leaving him and 
his customers between a rock and a hard place.

 “Yes, we were told over a year ago, that we would 
have to move,” Terzian said. “But we were also 
told it could take a long time. Some businesses on 
the block moved right away. We liked it here so 
we stayed.” Now, with time running out, Terzian 
is in a tight spot, with neither side relenting.

“Each tenant works with our relocation 
consultant, who sets up a payment program 
for the cost of move and other factors,” said 
Kruckeberg, “Typically half is paid up front, and 
other half at vacation of the property.” 

About six businesses are left in operation on the 
site, he said, and the buildings were scheduled for 
demolition. Now with the redevelopment agency 
dissolution is process, “We won’t have the ability 
to enter into new contracts as a redevelopment 
agency, so there won’t be a contract to demolish 
the building” at this time. This is an unfortunate 
circumstance. It is a rough one. We have all 
worked on it together. There’s still a lot of 
unknowns, as far as how the process is going to 
work itself out, said Kruckeberg.

“It’s a disappointment that we are having to 
face this now,” said Rusnak President, Victoria 
Rusnak Pearson. After nearly a decade on 
Huntington Drive, Rusnak Auto Group, based in 
Pasadena is poised to proceed on an expansion 
of their Arcadia Mercedes dealership from 
approximately four to six acres, enlarging to about 
40,000 square feet, fronting on Santa Anita, just a 
block south of the impending Gold Line station. 
As a major source of sales tax revenue in Arcadia, 
an expansion is expected to secure more jobs and 
more sales tax revenue for the city.

“The ball is in the city’s court to move through 
the process due to the Supreme Court,” said 
Pearson. “We are waiting for them to take the 
lead from a procedural standpoint. It’s a long 
process. We are still hopeful that we can come 
to an agreement with the city. We like to be in 
the city of Arcadia. Our clients like coming to 
Arcadia. We’re hopeful that the city can deliver 
the properties as promised.”

Arcadia City Manager Don Penman 
summarized the dilemma faced by the city and 
Rusnak. “As the City becomes the successor 
agency from our Redevelopment Agency on 
February 1, there is a great deal of uncertainty over 
how the process will work. Our Redevelopment 
Agency owns five parcels in the downtown, 
comprising about 2.5 acres, which we will be 
required to sell, and that sale must be approved 
by an oversight committee comprised of seven 
individuals as well as State officials. So, when 
and to whom we must sell those parcels is of 
significant concern because they were purchased 
in order to promote economic development and 
jobs in our downtown and we don’t know if some 
type of ‘fire sale’ process is going to achieve those 
goals. 

Unfortunately, in the meantime, long 
established Santa Anita Avenue businesses like 
Trendy Tresses and U.S. Pagers & Cellular will 
dissolve, relocate or close, eliminating the rent 
paid to the city coffers, while demolition plans 
and the Rusnak expansion circles in a holding 
pattern.


Award-winning Documentary presented at 

Arcadia Woman’s Club Luncheon

Wednesday, February 1st - 11:30am 

$20 Club Members / $25 Non-Members 

RSVP (626) 355-6945

Presentation by Taraneh Salke, cultural 
anthropologist, founder & Executive Director of 
Family Health Alliance, and university lecturer 
on women’s global health issues. 

Arcadia Weekly Publisher & Taraneh’s brother, 
Von Raees, co-produced and directed this short 
award-winning film.