Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 30, 2013

8

 
Mountain Views News Saturday, March 30, 2013


DUARTE COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP DAY, 
APRIL 13, 2013

It’s spring cleaning time in the City of Duarte. 

 The City will hold its bi-annual Duarte Community 
Clean-Up Day on Saturday, April 13. 

From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Burrtec Waste Industries, Duarte’s 
licensed trash hauler, will provide two convenient drop-off 
locations in the City where residents can dispose of large 
refuse items and E-waste. Drop-off locations are at Duarte 
Performing Arts Center, 1401 Highland Ave., and at the former 
Buena Vista Pavilion property at 2144 Buena Vista St.

 To assist local residents with various clean-up tasks, 
Torre de Alabanza (tower of praise) Christian Church Youth 
Ministry has invited other local churches and local youth 
groups including the City of Duarte’s (D.A.R.T.) Duarte Area 
Resource Team and (C.H.Y.L.L) Cardinals Helping Youth 
Leading in Life to participate in an “Adopt-A-Block” project. 

Adopt-A-Block will focus on a variety of pre-selected homes 
and blocks in and around Lena Valenzuela Park. Approximately 
80 youth and adult volunteers will work alongside City of 
Duarte staff and Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department deputies. 
Volunteers will meet at Lena Valenzuela Park at 2120 Mountain 
Ave. starting at 8 a.m.

To volunteer for the Adopt-A-Block project, or for more 
information on Duarte Community Clean-Up Day, call Duarte 
Public Safety at (626) 357-7938, ext. 316. 

DUARTE WOMAN’S CLUB 
NAMES JUDY BLAKE 
WOMAN OF THE YEAR

 Celebrating their 64th anniversary, the Duarte Woman’s 
Club (DWC) made the long-awaited announcement: who would 
be the 2013-14 Woman of the Year (WOTY)? In a skit which 
revealed many clues, the choice became obvious. Judy Blake, a 
DWC member since 2002, was honored for her diverse and long-
term volunteer work in Duarte and beyond. The banquet held at 
the Community Center on March 7, was catered by Villa Italia 
Restaurant. Milestone anniversaries were recognized, the most 
significant of which was that of Nita Carey who has been a member 
of DWC since 1958. All past presidents and woman of the year 
recipients were honored.

This year’s WOTY boasts a long list of impressive accomplishments. 
Because she does not drive a car, she is a familiar face around town 
as she either walks or rides the local bus. Her volunteer work is 
particularly impressive because she has learned to use public 
transportation to such faraway places as Coachella, San Pedro and 
points in the San Fernando Valley.

 

Judy moved to Duarte in 2000. After getting settled, she joined the 
Chamber of Commerce and is a member to the present. She also 
joined the Route 66 Parade Committee and helped with organizing 
the parade line up and writing the script for DCTV.

In one of her most impressive volunteer projects, Judy became 
interested in the Jimmy Carter Habitat for Humanity Work Project 
in 2007. Using public transportation to San Pedro, she spent a 
week painting a house which the project was refurbishing. At the 
conclusion, she was awarded the paint brush! However, she also 
was able to meet the former President and secure his autograph on 
the book he authored entitled Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. She 
also received “The President’s Volunteer Service Award” pin.

Judy joined the Red 
Cross, completing 
the required 
CPR and disaster 
training classes. 
She is a member 
of the American 
Red Cross DSHR 
(Disaster Services 
Human Resources) 
System and is a 
licensed Ham Radio 
Technician involved 
in the Red Cross 
Communications 
Team. She is also 
a member of the 
San Gabriel VERT 
(Valley Emergency 
Radio Team) 
providing security 
at festivals, parades 
and even the Vietnam Wall. She is a member of the San Gabriel 
Valley Radio Club and ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service). 

 Judy received a BA in journalism at Cal State 
Los Angeles, and excelled as a photographer of motorcycle races 
and later the Rockabilly artists in the Los Angeles Music Scene. 
Motorcycle riding was another of her talents

After suffering a “very severe concussion” when she was riding a 
small motorcycle that was struck by a car, she never drove another 
vehicle. After moving to Duarte she took up another passion, that 
of travel. She has traveled to many countries including much of 
Europe and China, and visited the Dominican Republic to meet 
one of the children she has sponsored there for almost thirty years. 

 “She is very deserving of the Woman of the Year award,” says 
Claudia Heller, last year’s WOTY recipient. “Despite obstacles, she 
has shined as a selfless volunteer in many facets, local and beyond, 
as well as constantly challenging herself mentally and physically. 
We can all learn from her tenacity.” 

DUARTE SENIOR CENTER TO 
OFFER PRESENTATION ON 
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, 
APRIL 17

DUARTE, CA -- Learn how to prepare for Mother Nature’s 
worst, the perils of earthquakes, windstorms and fire at a 
special community presentation at the Duarte Senior Center 
on Wednesday, April 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

 April Kelcy, chief executive officer of Earthquake 
Solutions, will offer important information and practical tips 
on “powering up a smarter preparedness plan”.

 City of Duarte Public Safety Manager, Larry Breceda 
will provide an overview of the City’s disaster preparedness 
plan and information on useful City resources, evacuation 
planning, and how to secure the safety of pets in event of an 
earthquake, wind or fire emergency. 

 The event is free. Preparedness items will be available 
for purchase. 

 For more information, call the Duarte Senior Center 
at (626) 357-7931.

DUARTE CITY COUNCIL 
DECIDES NOT TO PURSUE 
FURTHER APPEAL TO 
CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT 
IN ITS FIGHT WITH AZUSA AND 
VULCAN MATERIALS TO SAVE 
VAN TASSEL RIDGE

DUARTE, CA– The City of Duarte will not be filing a petition 
with the California Supreme Court seeking a further appeal 
of Duarte’s challenge to the City of Azusa/Vulcan Materials’ 
Environmental Impact Report for Vulcan’s mining expansion 
project. A State Court of Appeals recently sided with Azusa/
Vulcan and found the EIR to be sufficient. Duarte’s challenge 
to the Azusa/Vulcan EIR was part of its effort to save Van Tassel 
Ridge from being destroyed by Vulcan’s extensive mining 
expansion project. Even though it did not prevail in the lawsuit, 
Duarte intends to monitor Azusa and Vulcan’s implementation 
of the mining expansion project to insure the project is pursued 
in a manner consistent with the now-final EIR so that the health 
of all San Gabriel Valley residents and the preservation of our 
mountains can be protected to the greatest extent possible.

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

 

Duarte’s lawsuit was originally filed in August 2010 and now, two 
and a half years later, has come to a conclusion. “Even though 
the courts sided with Azusa and Vulcan in this matter we feel our 
challenge to the EIR was well worth the effort,” said Duarte city 
manager Darrell George. “We hope, of course, that Vulcan and 
Azusa will be open to further dialogue on the implementation 
of the project so that ongoing issues of concern to Duarte and its 
residents may be addressed.”


Duarte Families 
Invited to “Bike with 
the Mayor”

 Family bike rides are a tradition for Duarte Mayor Margaret 
Finlay and her family. Now, the Mayor would like to have other 
families join her on a monthly family bike ride on the Duarte 
Bike Trail.

 On the second Saturday of every month, beginning 
April 13, families are invited to “Bike with the Mayor” along 
the City’s scenic bike path, a 3.2 mile round trip. Participants 
will meet at 8:45 a.m. at Royal Oaks Park, 2627 Royal Oaks Dr. 
The bike ride will begin at 9 a.m. No registration is required, 
just show up with a bike and required bike safety gear.

 “I look forward to doing one of my favorite activities, 
riding a bike, on our beautiful bike path, talking with some of 
my favorite people, the citizens of Duarte, about their ideas 
on how we can make Duarte a better place to live and work for 
everyone,” said Mayor Finlay.

 For more information, call Duarte City Hall, Parks and 
Recreation at (626) 357-7931, ext. 201.

Monrovia Police Blotter

Highlighted Activity for the Weekdays of March 25-27, 2013

 

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 
438 service events, resulting in 74 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 and follow us on Twitter for police 
notifications.

 

Petty Theft from a Vehicle

 March 27 at 3:48 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of South Mountain 
came to the police department to report her purse had been 
stolen from her vehicle. She reported that she was walking to her 
parked vehicle when she saw two male Hispanics, wearing backpacks, 
walk away from her vehicle. After she got into her vehicle, 
she realized that she left the passenger window down and her purse 
was gone. Investigation continuing.

 

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia - Suspect Arrested

 March 27 at 3:57 p.m., an officer was conducting an area check 
for the petty theft suspects from the above incident, when he observed 
a male subject walking in the 900 block of Valley View. As 
the officer approached in his police vehicle, the subject walked up 
a driveway. He then walked back down the driveway, where he was 
contacted by the officer. The officer checked the area where the subject 
was standing on the property and found a methamphetamine 
smoking pipe. The subject stated he threw it on the ground when 
he saw the police. The subject was arrested for possession of drug 
paraphernalia.

 

Bear Incident

 March 27 at 6:21 p.m., police responded to a residence in the 800 
block of Crescent Drive on the report of a bear entering the home. 
The resident's mother had cooked lunch and left it on a table with 
the windows open. A bear caught the scent of the food, ripped out 
the doggie door and entered the home through it to get at the food. 
The resident's dog alerted the man, who came downstairs to find 
the bear inside his home. The resident immediately went upstairs 
and locked himself and his dog in his bedroom and called police. 
The man looked out his window and saw a second bear in his yard. 
Police officers arrived along with an animal control officer and the 
bears were encouraged back into the hillside with beanbags rounds. 
The officers advised the resident on the safety issue of the doggie 
door and methods to reduce bear attractants at the home.

 

Detective Bureau Case Follow-up

 Attempt Grand Theft Auto / Identity Theft / Forgery - Suspects 
Charged

On February 26 at 2:35 p.m., police responded to a business in the 
800 block of East Central regarding a fraud in process. Two suspects 
walked into the car dealership to purchase a vehicle. They each provided 
forged checks, and one provided an altered driver's license. 
The salesman was suspicious and called police. Both suspects were 
arrested and bonded out after being booked.

 On March 26, 2013, both suspects were arraigned in court. The 
detective assigned to the follow-up investigation presented the case 
to the District Attorney. The case was filed and both suspects were 
charged with identity theft, forgery (three counts), and attempt 
grand theft auto. The suspects were remanded into custody.