Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 5, 2012

7

 
Mountain Views News Saturday, May 5, 2012 

From Montovia’s City Manager

FOUR DUARTE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GOLD 
MEDALISTS IN LOCAL NAACP ACT-SO COMPETITION 
TO ADVANCE TO NATIONALS JULY 6

 

Four students from Duarte High School will advance to the NAACP’s national (ACT-SO) Afro Academic Cultural, 
Technological and Scientific Olympics for African-American youth after winning gold medals in the local ACT-SO 
competition presented by the Pasadena Branch of the NAACP.

 ACT-SO, founded in 1978 by renowned author and journalist Vernon Jarrett, is an enrichment program designed to 
recruit, stimulate, improve and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school 
students. There are 25 categories of competition in the sciences, humanities, performing and visual arts.

A total of 18 students, 17 from Duarte High School and one student from Monrovia High School competed in the local 
competition held at the Duarte Senior Center on April 28. Gold Medal winners were: Tylen Kelly, Oratory, Dominique Rogers, 
Original Essay; Abryanna Howard, Dramatics; and Phillip Glover, Music Vocal Contemporary. The four gold medalists will 
travel to Houston, Texas to compete in the Nationals to be held on July 6 in conjunction with the 103rd NAACP Convention. 

Chrystiana Howard of Duarte High School was awarded a Silver Medal in the Music Vocal Contemporary category, while 
Nasha Ervin of Duarte High School won a Silver Medal for Dramatics. Six other Duarte High School students came away 
from the competition with Bronze Awards. They are Cea Lynch, Computer Science; Essence Berry, Dance; Rhena Kelly, 
Photography; and Taylor Shelton winning Bronze in both the Poetry and Filmmaking categories, and Deanna Armstead, 
Music Instrumental/Contemporary. Other categories of competition included Drawing, Medicine, and Health.

 Duarte Teen Center Director, Marilyn Mays, who once served as president and executive administrator of the NAACP 
in Eugene, Oregon where she oversaw the ACT-SO program for eight years, served as chair the Pasadena NAACP’s ACT-SO 
competition. Duarte Deputy City Manager, Karen Herrera, Duarte Public Safety Crime Prevention Specialist, Aida Torres 
and former Duarte Mayor, Lois Gaston served as co-chairs.

 The ACT-SO program is intended to be a learning experience. The focus is on enrichment and mentorship. Students 
work with ACT-SO volunteer mentors who are professionals in their field who serve as coaches in promoting academic and 
artistic excellence among African-American youth. High school students of African American descent, who are citizens of 
the United States, enrolled in grades 9-12 and are amateurs in the categories of competition are invited to participate. 

 Famous ACT-SO alumni in the performing arts include John Singleton, Kanye West, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Roy 
Hargrove, Michael Bard, and Anthony Anderson. 

Monrovia A City Council Recap

At the City Council meeting on Tuesday, the City Council 
voted unanimously to renew the Old Town Franchise 
Agreement with Athens Disposal Services for waste services 
in the Old Town district. The agreement, which was 
set to expire this year, has now been renewed through 2016. 
In an effort to comply with State regulations surrounding 
Assembly Bill 341, the new agreement features several new 
initiatives to help promote recycling and the reduction of 
landfill waste. Starting July 1, recycling will be offered to all 
Old Town business, in accordance with our new business 
recycling ordinance, and 50% of Old Town businesses will 
participate in mixed waste processing, as opposed to the 2% 
that participate now. 

As part of the new franchise agreement, business can expect 
their rates to remain the same through July 1, 2013 and Athens 
is offering two Old Town restaurants the opportunity 
to participate in a food waste composting pilot program. 
While the approved agreement only applies to commercial 
and industrial properties, it puts Monrovia one step closer 
to achieving the goals set forth in our Environmental 
Accords.


THEFT OF CITY PROPERTY - 

POLICE REQUESTING PUBLIC'S HELP 

Over the last several 
months, a number of 
city sprinkler valves have 
been cut and the brass 
fittings have been stolen. 
These valves operate the 
city sprinkler systems for 
the parkways along our 
city roads. The valves are 
most likely being stolen 
for the value of the brass. 
Suspects are cutting the 
brass out with a Sawzall 
type tool. 

 

 City signs are also being 
stolen at an increasing 
rate. Suspects are steeling 
stop signs, street name 
signs, street sweeping 
signs and speed limit 
signs. Police are requesting help from the public to report 
crimes and help catch these thieves. These suspects may 
even appear to be contractors servicing the equipment. 

If you see individuals tampering with any of these items, 
please call police immediately. 

 
Gold Medalists in the local competition of the (ACT-SO) Afro Academic Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics 
for African-American youth, sponsored by the Pasadena branch of the NAACP, are flanked by Joe Brown, president of 
the Pasadena Branch of the NAACP and co-chair Lois Gaston. Showing off their gold medals are Phillip Glover, Abryanna 
Howard, Tylen Kelly, and Dominique Rogers, all of Duarte High School. The students will advance to the National ACT-SO 
competition to be held in conjunction with the NAACP’s convention in Houston, Texas on July 6.

Monrovia Police Blotter

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department 
handled 413 service events, resulting in 86 investigations. 
To see a complete listing of crimes reported, go to http://
www.crimemapping.com/map/ca/monrovia for crime 
mapping. For Police Department news and information, 
visit our website at www.monroviapd.org and follow us on 
twitter for police notifications.

Vehicle Burglary

April 30 at 5:16 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 100 
block of West Lemon. The victim's car was parked on the street 
near their residence. Unknown suspect(s) entered the vehicle and 
took a laptop computer and other miscellaneous property. Investigation 
continuing.

 

Drunk in Public / Resisting Arrest / Warrant Arrest - Three Suspects 
Arrested

May 1 at 2:30 a.m., an officer observed three male subjects drinking 
alcohol in front of an apartment complex. He attempted to 
detain all three subjects as they walked down the driveway. One 
subject stopped and the other two fled. Officers made a thorough 
search of the area and located the two subjects that ran. One subject 
was arrested for drunk in public and an outstanding warrant; 
the other two were arrested for resisting and delaying a police 
officer.

 

Grand Theft Auto

May 2 at 6:19 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 300 
block of West Lime. The reporting party parked his vehicle, a red, 
1988, Toyota Tacoma truck in front of his residence, locking the 
vehicle. The following morning he discovered the vehicle missing. 
There was no evidence at the scene to indicate a window had been 
smashed. Investigation continuing.

 

Detective Bureau Case Follow-Up

 

Gang Association Search Warrants

On April 26, Monrovia Special Enforcement Team officers and 
detectives were assisted by several outside agencies in serving 
"gang association" warrants at multiple locations from Pasadena 
to San Dimas. The results were positive and many of the objectives 
of the search warrants were met. The warrants were served 
in connection to gang related crimes.

 

Tip of the Week 

Get Home Safely From Your Cinco de Mayo Celebration - Stay 
Safe and Sober 

If you are hosting a party for Cinco de Mayo:

 

Remember, you can be held liable and prosecuted if someone you 
serve is involved in an impaired driving crash.

Make sure all your guests designate a sober driver in advance or 
help arrange ride-sharing with other sober drivers.

Serve lots of food and include lots of non-alcoholic beverages at 
the party. 

Keep the phone numbers for local cab companies handy and take 
the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving impaired.

 

If you are attending a Cinco de Mayo Celebration Party:

 

Designate a sober driver before the party begins and give that person 
your car keys.

If you do not have a designated driver, call a cab, sober friend, or 
family member to pick you up.

Never let a friend leave your sight if you think they are about to 
drive drunk.

Always buckle up.

 

Alcohol not only dangerously impairs your driving skills, it impairs 
your judgment. If you see a friend under the influence of 
alcohol - don't let them get behind the wheel.

Duarte Relay for Life Set for June 9-10 at Northview Middle School

Cancer never sleeps and neither will participants 
of the 24-hour long Relay for Life 
event to be hosted by the City of Duarte 
and the American Cancer Society on June 
9 and June 10 on the campus of Northview 
Middle School, 1401 Highland Ave.

 Participants of the 3rd Annual Duarte 
Relay for Life will honor cancer survivors 
and pay tribute to lives lost by the 
disease while striving to raise $50,000 to 
help fight cancer in the community. Mayor 
John Fasana will kick off the event, hosting 
opening ceremonies at 9 a.m. on June 
9, while Mayor Pro-Tem Liz Reilly will preside 
over the closing ceremony at 9 a.m. the 
next morning. 

 Last year more than 20 teams participated 
raising more than $30,000 for the 
fight against cancer. Event Chair, Katherine 
Whatley, a Duarte Walmart employee, said 
she is expecting another record year.

 "We are so excited to be working 
with so many groups in the community 
again. I'm sure we will have even more 
participation and exceed our goals once 
again."

 This year's theme, "Mardi Gras," 
will provide the teams with lots of inspiration 
for creative décor and activities 
throughout the Relay. Teams will maintain 
a 24-hour community presence, camping 
out overnight on the field at Northview 
Middle School. The event will feature food, 
games, tributes and fellowship. Every penny 
earned will go toward cancer research. 
The City of Duarte itself is sponsoring a 
youth team consisting of representatives 
from Duarte's Promise —The Alliance 
for Youth, Northview's Cardinals Helping 
Youth Live Life (C.H.Y.L.L.) and Duarte 
Area Resource Team (D.A.R.T.), who are 
gathering donations by selling "Feet" and 
Luminaries which represent people who 
have been diagnosed, died, or have beaten 
cancer.

 The Relay for Life began in 1985 
when Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal surgeon 
in Tacoma, Washington ran and walked 
around a track for 24 hours to raise money 
for the American Cancer Society. Since 
then, the Relay has grown from a single 
man's passion into the world's largest 
movement to end cancer. 

 For more information about how 
to start a team, join a team or volunteer, 
visit www.relayforlife.org/duarteca, or call 
Katherine Whatley at (626) 404-3537.

Duarte Lemonade Brigade Fresh Lemonade

 

Named the Official 
Beverage of the City of 
Duarte

 

DUARTE, CA - The City of 
Duarte now has an official 
beverage. It's lemonade. But not 
just any lemonade. The Duarte 
City Council voted to name the 
fresh, hand-squeezed lemonade 
made by the Duarte Lemonade 
Brigade,

 an enterprise owned and operated 
by a group of students at 
Mount Olive Alternative High 
School, the official drink to be 
available at all City functions.

 

The young entrepreneurs were 
mentored in their efforts to 
launch their own business by 
another successful local entrepreneur, 
Robin Salzer of Robin’s 
Wood Fire BBQ and Grill. Duarte 
Mayor John Fasana and members of the City Council pose following the vote with Renee Reyes and Sarah Perez of the 
Lemonade Brigade and Mount Olive Principal, Kevin Morris. Proceeds from the business are applied towards scholarships 
for the seniors and college field trips, sending home the message that through volunteerism and hard work they can begin 
to invest in a successful future together.