SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2013

VOLUME 7 NO. 38

LIZZIE’S TRAIL INN IS BACK

By Marina Coco La Salle 

 Located at the start of the famous Mount Wilson Trail lies Lizzie’s Trail Inn, a museum representing the history of the 
Sierra Madre mountains. This past Saturday, September 14th, Sierra Madre welcomed all to stop by and visit Lizzie’s Trail 
Inn for a tour of the museum and a presentation of their historical storyboards. Walking up to this quaint cottage, the 
sound of 1930 brass instruments welcomed curious guests. Right away a local Sierra Madre character named Bob Bolche 
took visitors on a tour stating, “We like to keep the history alive here.” He explained how the Inn was a place for travelers 
to eat, relax, and acquire necessities before they went on long trips. 

 Bolche exhibited the Lizzie’s Trail Inn 
storyboard flipping through, page by 
page. “These are the original photos 
that just show you what happened back 
in the 30’s. This was always a fun place 
with slot machines and illegal booze. 
People always had a good time.” Each 
page had several photos, each with a 
specific story to tell. He told stories of 
the young ladies who ran the inn year 
round. These ladies would hand roll 
their famous chicken raviolis daily for 
hungry travelers. The original menu is 
displayed and shows how much food 
cost “back in the day.” Next to the Inn, 
what is now known as a park, used to 
be the stable where travelers could rent 
mules and horses for their long travels. 
Bolche voiced guests surprise when 
noticing the travelers dressed so proper 
by saying, “The women used to wear 
long dresses and the men with their ties 
and suits. I can’t even imagine going up 
there like that! They had to be sweating like crazy! I don’t know how they did 
it, but they did it.” Another story Bolche spoke of regarded the small house 
next door called The Richardson House. 

 The Richardson House is the oldest house in Sierra Madre. A story of the 
family producing and successfully concealing illegal alcohol stood out the 
most. The COPS of the town were in cahoots with the operation and created a 
way to help warn the family. When word went out of suspicious investigators, 
the COPS would call the Inn’s kitchen phone twice, giving the ladies ample 
time to give the men a heads up to cover up the moonshine still. Although 
their foolproof operation worked flawlessly for some time, investigators 
finally caught on and found the still. A photo of the discovery can be seen 
in the storyboard at Lizzie’s Trail Inn. 

The Richardson House in not open 
yet due to remodeling, which should 
be done in a few weeks. Pictured 
on the right is Sierra Madre City 
Councilman John Capoccia helping 
with the restoration of Richardson 
House. Photo courtesy M. Diaz.

 The hosts bid guests farewell saying, 
“Please come back and see us again!”

MENTALLY ILL MAN 

ARRESTED IN THREATS TO 
ARCADIA AND MONROVIA

Coordinated 
efforts of 
5 agencies 
lead to 

successful 
in capturing 
suspect

By Susan Henderson

 With the united efforts of the Arcadia, 
Monrovia, and Covina Police Departments; 
the LA County Sheriffs Department’s 
investigators from Temple 
Station, its’ Major Crimes Bureau, and 
the LASD Joint Terrorism Task Force, 
and Federal Bureau of Investigation, 
Monrovia resident Gerardo Cortez was 
arrested Tuesday for calling in threats 
to a hospital, a mall, and schools in 
Monrovia and Arcadia. The calls resulted 
in lockdowns and searches of 
the locations by law enforcement, “out 
of an abundance of caution for public 
safety, the schools, hospital, and mall 
were searched in the cities of Arcadia, 
Covina, Duarte, Glendora, Monrovia 
and West Covina”, according to a joint 
press release.

 

The 26-year old Cortez was booked 
at Monrovia Police Department for 
five counts of felony Making Criminal 
Threats and five counts of False Report 
of an Emergency. He appeared in 
court on September 19th and his bail 
was set at $300,000. His next court 
date is October 4, 2012.

 

Cortez allegedly called the police saying 
that he had an AK-47 and threatened 
to shoot people at the following 
locations:

 

Covina: A call was made referencing 
“Citrus Medical Center:” (there is no 
hospital by that exact name) On Monday, 
Sept. 9, the threatening call was 
made to the Covina Police Department. 
Covina Police Dept. officers 
searched Intercommunity Hospital 
in Covina. West Covina Police Dept. 
officers searched Queen of the Valley 
of the Valley Hospital and East San 
Gabriel Valley Hospice in the City of 
West Covina. Glendora Police Dept. 
officers searched Foothill Presbyterian 
Hospital in the Glendora.

 

Monrovia: A call was made referencing 
Sante Fe Middle School: On Monday, 
Sept. 9. the threatening call was 
made to the Monrovia Police Department. 
The school was put on lockdown 
and searched.

 

Arcadia: Santa Anita Mall: Tues, 
Sept 10: Arcadia Police Department 
News Release http://local.nixle.com/
alert/5063996/

 

Duarte: Duarte High School: Tues, 
Sept. 10: LASD Temple Sheriff’s Station 
News Release http://nixle.com/
alert/5060862/ The school was put on 
lockdown and searched.

 

Arcadia: Arcadia High School: Thurs, 
Sept 12: Arcadia Police Department 
News Release http://local.nixle.com/
alert/5063996/ The school was put on 
lockdown and searched.

Cortez has been previously diagnosed 
with a developmental disability 
according to court records. All five 
of the threatening phone calls were 
placed from a cellphone registered to 
a Cortez family member, according to 
Lt. Nels Ortlund, with the Monrovia 
Police Department. The caller did not 
identify himself, but made no effort to 
disguise his voice, Ortlund said. 

Cortez was also at the center of a series 
of threats that occurred in 2012. 
(http://mtnviewsnews.com/v06/htm/
n43/p04.htm). That case included 
bomb threats to Washington Middle 
School, Pasadena Public Health headquarters, 
and the post office. In that 
instance, Cortez was captured by police 
a short distance from one of the 
facilities. He was still talking to police 
on a cellphone at the time.

In June 21 of this year, Cortez was sentenced 
to 16 months in county jail as 
part of a plea bargain in which he admitted 
to the Pasadena case. Because 
Cortez had been in custody since his 
arrest, the combination of actual time 
already served and “good time/work 
time” credits meant that he was released 
almost immediately. The courts 
did consider in handing down its sentencing 
that “He suffers mild mental 
retardation and has been a client of the 
Regional Center for some time,” Judge 
Elaine Lu said. Judge Lu was persuaded 
to impose a low term sentence, but 
did admonish Cortez. “Your criminal 
offenses seem to be escalating in nature. 
My hope is that they’re not going 
to spiral out of the control, OK? That 
you’re going to work on the issues that 
you have,” Judge Lu told Cortez.

Lu’s words proved to be somewhat 
prophetic, as almost one year later, 
Cortez is accused of engaging in the 
same kind of behavior.

Anyone with information regarding 
these incidents that may be of assistance 
to investigators please contact 
the Monrovia Police Department at 
626-256-8041. Or if you wish to remain 
Anonymous, call “LA Crime 
Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS 
(8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus 
your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using 
the website http://lacrimestoppers.org

 

Sources for this article include information 
obtaind from various news 
outlets and court records.


macbook hd :Users:cocolasalle:Pictures:iPhoto Library_2:Masters:2013:09:16:20130916-092911:IMG_2788.JPG
Gerardo Cortez Facebook Photo


Inside this week: 

SIERRA MADRE

Calendar Page 2

Sierra Madre News Page 3

PASADENA/ALTADENA

Pg. 4

Fire Rips Through 

Historic Mall

Councilman and Painter John Capoccia

AROUND SGV Pg. 5

HOLDEN TO DELIVER “STATE OF THE 
STATE” ADDRESS TO SIERRA MADRE 
CITY COUNCIL 

Pasadena – Assemblymember Chris Holden will present his “State of the State” 
address to the Sierra Madre City Council on Tuesday, September 24 at 6:30 pm.

 Assemblymember Holden, who represents the 41st Assembly District that 
includes Sierra Madre, will present an update on the 2013 Legislative session 
which ended last week. Included in the discussion will be a review of the state 
budget, prison overcrowding, affordable healthcare, education, and his bills promoting 
job growth.

In his freshman term, Assemblymember Holden had eight bills sent to Governor 
Brown for signature. When signed, they will go into effect January 1, 2014. 

Remembrances

Lee: I Phone XPLOITATION

LWV Affordable Health Care Forum

ARCADIA NEWS Pg. 6 

Braille Challenge Winner

MONROVIA/DUARTE 

 Pg. 7

EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Pg. 8



FOOD & DRINK

 Pg. 9

Wine Tasting At Von’s 
TODAY!


BEST FRIENDS Pg. 10

HEALTHY LIVING 

 Pg. 11

THE GOOD LIFE Pg. 12

Savvy Senior

Senior Happenings

This and That

THE WORLD AROUND US 

 Pg. 13

BUSINESS Pg. 13

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

 Pg. 14

ANOTHER RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY - 

Homeowner’s Alarm Thwarts Robbers

 A residential burglary occurred at 10:00 AM this morning (Friday) in the 
200 block of south Baldwin Ave. This was the second burglary in two days. 
On Thursday, burglars entered a N. Auburn residence and took jewels and 
other valuables. 

 The suspect(s) smashed the rear bedroom window and then used a trash can 
to step on to enter the window. Once inside the house the burglary alarm activated 
and the suspect(s) fled the scene. There was no property loss.

 The homeowner had a burglary alarm system and used it correctely...it paid off 
as the thieves fled the scene without taking any of the victims property.

 If you have an alarm system make sure that it functions correctly and use it 
every time you leave your residence.

SPORTS Pg. 15

LEFT TURN/RIGHT 
TURN/OPINION 

 Pg. 16

LEGAL NOTICES Pg. 17

FYI Pg. 22


Read The Paper Online At: www.mtnviewsnews.com