Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 11, 2013

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 11, 2013 

SEVEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WIN NINE 
GOLD MEDALS IN LOCAL NAACP ACT-SO 
COMPETITION AND ADVANCE TO NATIONALS 

 

DUARTE, CA, – Seven high school students, including three from Duarte High School, will 
advance to the NAACP’s national (ACT-SO) Afro-Academic Cultural, Technological and Scientific 
Olympics of the mind after winning nine gold medals in the local ACT-SO competition presented 
by the Pasadena Branch of the NAACP. The National ACT-SO competition will be held July 12-14 in 
Orlando, Florida in advance of the 104th NAACP Annual Convention.

 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. The program targets African-American high school students. There are 25 
categories of competition in the sciences, humanities, performing and visual arts.

A total of 23 students, 13 from Duarte High School, a former Duarte student who now resides in Las 
Vegas, Nevada and others from throughout Los Angeles County competed in the local competition 
held at the Duarte Senior Center on April 27. The competition also featured a memorial exhibit of art 
works by Justin Carr, a Harvard-Westlake student and 2013 ACT-SO participant who recently died.

Gold Medal winners were: Ariana Seymore, Original Essay, Chino Hills High School; Tamera Barron, 
Poetry, Duarte High School; Tylen Kelly, Oratory and Medicine & Science, Duarte High School; 
Tyree McLemore, Entrepreneurship, Bonanza High School, NV; Lily Paris, Photography, Duarte 
resident, Mountain Park School, Monrovia; William Glover, Music Vocal Contemporary, Duarte 
High School; and Naomi Berhane, Music Instrumental Classical and Mathematics, Flintridge Prep 
School. These seven students, winners of nine gold medals, will travel to Orlando, Florida to compete 
in the Nationals. 

Sisters Chrystiana and Abryanna Howard of Duarte High School were awarded Silver Medals in the 
Music Vocal Contemporary and Dramatics category, while Lily Paris, Monrovia High School and 
Ivana Peralta, Boys Republic, Monrovia won Silver Medals for Poetry and Original Essay, respectively. 
Tyree McLemore, a gold medalist also won a Silver Medal in Photography. Four other students came 
away from the competition with Bronze Awards. They are Kayla Wilson, Original Essay, Duarte High 
School; Essence Berry, Dance, Duarte High School; Patrick Bucknor, Dramatics, Los Angeles School 
of the Arts; and Deanna Armstead, Music Instrumental/Contemporary, Duarte High School. Other 
categories of competition included Drawing, Painting and Computer Science.

 Duarte Teen Center Director, Marilyn Mays served as chair of 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. They 
are grateful to several persons from Duarte and local area cities who served as mentors and judges. 

 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 underserved youth. High 
school students who self-identify as African American, are citizens of the United States, enrolled in 
grades 9-12, and are amateurs in the categories of competition are invited to participate. 

 Fundraising is a critical component of the program’s effort to get the youth to the National 
Conference and interested parties may contribute in one of two ways. First, donations may be 
dropped off or mailed to the Duarte Teen Center, 1401 Buena Vista St., Duarte, CA 91010 with checks 
made out to Pasadena NAACP ACT-SO program. Or participate in a month long food fundraiser 
every day except Mondays at Robin’s Wood Fire BBQ at 395 N. Rosemead, Pasadena, CA by placing 
your receipt in the ACT-SO box at the register. A portion of your bill will benefit the youth. 

Famous ACT-SO alumni in the performing arts include John Singleton, Kanye West, Jada Pinkett-
Smith, Roy Hargrove, Michael Bard, and Anthony Anderson. For more information call (626) 303-
0863.

MONROVIA’S LEADERSHIP


Left to right: Councilmember Tom Adams, Councilmember Larry J. Spicer, Mayor Pro Tem 
Becky Shevlin, Mayor Mary Ann Lutz, City Clerk Alice D. Atkins, Councilmember Alexander 
C. Blackburn, and City Treasurer, Stephen R. Baker. Photo courtesy City of Monrovia

On April 30, 2013, the 2013 local election results were certified and the newly elected Monrovia 

Officials were sworn in at a Special Meeting in Council Chambers.

Mayor Mary Ann Lutz (center) was sworn in to the two-year post of Mayor, running unopposed in 
the past election. Lutz was first elected as Mayor in 2009 and re-elected in 2011.

• Mayor Lutz will serve as the Monrovia delegate to: City Selection Committee, Gold Line 
Phase II Joint Powers Authority, Independent Cities Risk Management Authority, Monrovia Unified 
School District, San Gabriel Council of Governments, Sanitation Districts No. 15 and 22 of LA 
County, San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority, Library Board, Wilderness Preserve Foundation, 
Endowment for the Arts, and MUSD Adult, ROP, Canyon Oaks High School, and Mountain 
Park School. 

Council Member Larry Spicer (second from the left) was sworn in to the City Council for his first 
term. Born and raised in Monrovia, he was previously appointed to the City Council in 2012 to 
fill a vacant Council seat and was an appointed member of the Monrovia Planning Commission.

• Council Member Spicer will serve as the Monrovia delegate to: Community Media of the 
Foothills, Historic Preservation Commission, and Monrovia High School. 

Council Member Alexander C. Blackburn (second from the right) was sworn in to the City Council 
for his first term. Blackburn is a Monrovia-based attorney practicing primarily business and real 
estate law. As of June 2013 Mr. Blackburn will be the President of the Monrovia Rotary Club.

• Council Member Blackburn will serve as the Monrovia delegate to: Foothill Workforce Investment 
Board, League of California Cities- LA Division, San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, 
Planning Commission, Canyon Oaks High School and Bradoaks Elementary School. 

City Clerk Alice D. Atkins (third from the right) was sworn in to the position for her first term. She 
previously was appointed to the position of City Clerk, filling the unexpired term of the previous 
City Clerk, Linda Proctor.

City Treasurer Stephen R. Baker (right) was sworn in after running unopposed in the election. Also 
the official City historian, this will be Baker's third term as Treasurer, being elected to his post in 
2005 and re-elected in 2009.

Council Member Becky Shevlin (third from the left) was appointed as the new Mayor Pro Tem, 
serving as filling in for Mayor Lutz should she be absent. 

• Council Member Shevlin will serve as the Monrovia delegate to: Foothill Transit, Southern 
California Association of Governments Community, Economic and Human Development Committee, 
Animal Control, Community Services Commission, Monrovia Old Town Advisory Board, 
and Clifton Middle School. 

Council Member Tom Adams (left) was first elected to the Council in 1994 after serving a term on 
the Monrovia Planning Commission and was re-elected in 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011.

• Council Member Adams will serve as the Monrovia delegate to: Monrovia Chamber of 
Commerce- Board of Directors and Government Affairs, City Departments, and Mayflower Elementary 
School.

DUARTE CHRONICLES BOOK

TO LAUNCH AT BANQUET

 Featuring Duarte’s secret places, tragic events, 
illustrious history and memorable people, Duarte 
Chronicles by local authors Claudia and Alan Heller has 
been recently released and will be celebrated on May 30 at 
the Old Spaghetti Factory, 1431 Buena Vista Ave., Duarte, 
at a book launching banquet sponsored by the Duarte 
Historical Society.

 “Have you been to Lake Duarte or the local 
‘hanging tree?’” asks Claudia. “Do you know about the 
fatal plane crash on the hillside behind our town or the 
historic homes within our borders?” Duarte Chronicles 
is a compilation of a number of Claudia’s columns which 
have appeared in the Pasadena Star News over the past 
twenty years. “You will recognize many of the names, 
faces and events, if you are or were a Duartean. Still, some 
of Duarte’s past people and events are nearly forgotten. 
Our book memorializes these and more local historical 
moments and personalities.”

 Many of the people and subjects covered in the 
book, published by HistoryPress, will be featured in a power point presentation to debut at the 
upcoming banquet. “It will be a visual trip into Duarte’s past and present,” says Claudia, who created 
the presentation.

 The banquet will commence with social hour at 5 p.m, dinner at 6 p.m. followed by the 
program, book signing and sale. The Hellers’ previous book entitled Life on Route 66: personal 
accounts along the Mother Road to California and the book entitled Images of America-Duarte 
authored by Irwin Margiloff and Neil Earle, will also be on sale. 

 Reservations deadline is May 25. Banquet tickets are $22.00 which covers dinner and the 
program. Checks payable to the Duarte Historical Society, may be mailed to Claudia Heller, P.O. Box 
1251, Duarte 91009. Duarte Chronicles and Life on Route 66 sell for $20, while Images of Duarte 
sells for $23.00. Dinner profits excluding book sales will benefit the Duarte Historical Society and 
Museum. For further information, call (626) 358-0329.


Monrovia Police Blotter

Highlighted Activity for the Weekdays of May 6-8, 2013

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 487 service events, resulting in 77 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.

Residential Burglary

May 6 at 12:40 p.m., officers responded to an alarm activation at a residence in the 200 block of Bradoaks. 
When they arrived, they discovered a back window open and the house had been burglarized. A resident 
in the area saw two, male Black suspects fleeing the home in a silver Toyota Camry. Arcadia Police Department 
received notification of the robbery and advised of an incident in Arcadia involving a silver Toyota 
that occurred approximately an hour earlier. An Arcadia resident had a male and female Black who were 
driving a silver Toyota Camry knock on the door. When the resident answered, the subjects appeared 
surprised someone was home and quickly came up with a request for directions to the 134 Freeway. The 
resident reported the suspicious incident to police, who responded, but the vehicle was not located. The 
investigation is continuing.

Fraud / Commercial Burglary - Suspect Arrested

May 6 at 3:45 p.m., a female subject entered a business in the 500 block of West Huntington with her 
3-year-old daughter. She attempted to make a purchase using fraudulent credit cards she had in her possession, 
but was detained by store loss prevention personnel. She had been in the store 3 days prior and 
used the same cards to purchase $720 of merchandise. Officers responded, confirmed the cards in her possession 
were fraudulent, along with a fraudulent social security card and multiple fake identification cards. 
She also had a no-bail warrant for her arrest out of San Bernardino for burglary. She was arrested and the 
Department of Children and Family Services was called to take custody of her daughter.

Commercial Burglary - Suspect Arrested

May 6 at 8:24 p.m., an officer was dispatched on the report of a burglary at a business in the 700 block of 
East Huntington. An adult female with her 4-year-old child went into the business. The suspect took a bag 
and removed the tag, then went throughout the store putting store merchandise inside the bag. She exited 
the store without paying and was detained. Officers spoke with the suspect and found this was not her first 
arrest for theft. She was arrested and the Department of Children and Family Services was contacted and 
responded to take custody of the four-year-old child.

Domestic Violence - Suspect Arrested

May 6 at 11:42 p.m., a male subject who is on house arrest was at home with his girlfriend. His girlfriend 
wanted to talk to him, but he wanted to be left alone. She continued to talk to him and he became angry. 
He then grabbed her, shook her, and head butted her. She ran into the other room and called police. He 
saw she was using her phone and grabbed the phone and broke it. The police dispatcher was still on the 
line and heard the male subject yell at the female and the phone went dead. Officers arrived and the subject 
was arrested.

Missing Child / Runaway Juvenile - Located

On May 7 at 6:06 p.m., a 10-year-old male subject was reported missing to police by his family members. 
The boy was last seen at a relative's home in the 200 block of West Walnut in the City of Monrovia. He has 
run away several times before and had run away from his family the day before in Pasadena. An extensive 
search was conducted by the Monrovia Police Department and neighboring agencies were notified, but the 
boy was not located. 

The boy was actually located at approximately 4:00 a.m. that next morning by the Los Angeles County 
Sheriff's Department and was taken into custody by the Department of Children and Family Services. 
Sheriff's deputies contacted him on Rosemead Blvd. in the City of Rosemead and detained him. The boy 
had taken his grandmother's cell phone and debit card, and had withdrawn money with the card. Due to 
the fact that the boy was not truthful about his identity with the Sheriff's Department, he was not determined 
to be the missing child from Monrovia until later in the day, when his true identity was discovered.

Commercial Burglary - Suspect Arrested

May 8 at 3:04 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a business in the 1600 block of South Mountain on the 
report of a burglary. Store loss prevention had detained a subject who had attempted to take merchandise 
by hiding it in his waistband. The subject is currently on probation for burglary. He was arrested and taken 
into to custody.

Grand Theft - Suspect Arrested

May 8 at 9:57 p.m., a female employee of a business in the 1600 block of South Mountain was believed to 
have been taking money from her cash register over a long period of time. Employees from the business 
had been watching her remove money from the register drawer and put it in her pocket. She was removed 
from duty at the register and interviewed. She admitted to the long-term thefts and was arrested by police.

MONROVIA DINNER THEATRE

Swazzle Puppets will be presenting a Dinner Theatre puppet show on Thursday, June 6 at 6:30 p.m. 
The whole family is invited to join us for a comic retelling of the classic Aesop’s Fable, The Grasshopper 
and the Ants located at the Rotary Club Bandshell in Library Park. The show features handcrafted 
puppets, hand painted scenery, and audience participation. Bring your dinner, a blanket 
and/or chair to sit in the park and watch a wonderful show for the entire family. 

Stop by the Youth Reference Desk, call (626) 256-8274, or visit www.monroviapubliclibrary.org for 
more information. The Rotary Club Bandshell is located at 321 South Myrtle Avenue, in Old Town 
Monrovia’s Library Park. 

Thursday, June 6 6:30 p.m.

Rotary Club Bandshell in Library Park Free