SECTION BSATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014
AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY & THE STATE
SECTION BSATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014
AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY & THE STATE
“What’s Going On?”DEPUTY DAVE MARCH:
News and Views from Joan Schmidt 12 LATER STILL IN OUR HEARTS
How can one put into words deep gratitude to Temple Station
and Irwindale Police Department? Irwindale Police Officers
Association with assistance from local businesses erected Dave
March’s beautiful monument on Live Oak Avenue, Irwindale
twelve years ago. When an accident destroyed the monument
this past November, Irwindale P.D. had it rebuilt in less than two
weeks.
Temple Sheriff ’s Station continues to amaze me. It is TWELVE
years but Temple Personnel STILL do a twenty-four hour honor
guard at Dave’s site. It begins early the morning of the 29th right
at midnight when Dave’s parents and sister attend the opening
ceremony. Teri, Dave’s widow comes near 10:30 am when the
tragedy occurred. At 10:45 that evening, a roll call is taken.
Thank you to everyone who has kept Dave’s memory alive. May we always keep in our hearts
the officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
SHERIFF DEPARTMENT COMMEMORATES POLICE
MEMORIAL WEEK SUNDAY, MAY 18TH
STATE JOB LOSSES A COMPLICATED
ISSUE By: Cynthia Kurtz, President San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership
By now everyone has heard the news - Toyota is moving 3,000 jobs out of Southern California to
Texas. Is this just part of the normal evolution of a business or is it a sign that California has lost its
competitive edge? The answer seems to depend on whom you ask.
The Los Angeles Times ran an article claiming Toyota's departure is simply a business decision to
consolidate three corporate offices in a place closer to its manufacturing facilities. The article went
even further saying that "taxes, regulations and business climate appear to have had nothing to do
with Toyota's move."
The article cited statistics and experts. Based on a study conducted by the Public Policy Institute of
California, companies leaving the state accounted for less than 2 percent of jobs losses in California.
The study covered 1992 to 2006 but experts don't think the percentage has changed greatly since
2006.
Good Jobs First, a national policy resource center also downplayed the idea that California is losing
jobs because of its business environment. They contend that jobs are created by existing businesses
not by companies moving from other states.
On the very same day and at the other end of the political spectrum, the Wall Street Journal
proclaimed that the South is beating California when it comes to being a competitive locale for
business. It quoted Jim Lentz, Toyota's chief executive for North American. He admitted that the
$40 million in relocation benefits that Texas offered wasn't the deciding factor in the decision to
move. Primarily, Toyota will be consolidating closer to its other operations in order to improve
management efficiency. However, in comparing California to Texas, he did note the latter's business
friendly environment, affordable housing and zero income tax.
The Journal article cited specific policies as contributing to California's overall job losses. Comparing
California to Tennessee - where Nissan moved a few years ago - and Texas where more than two
dozen California companies have moved since 2011, they found that right to work laws in those
states keep labor costs lower, real estate is cheaper due to less restrictive zoning and environmental
regulations, taxes are lower, energy costs are 33 percent lower and gasoline is 70 to 80 cents per
gallon less expensive.
Who should we believe? Actually both perspectives hold some truth.
The Public Policy Institute's study show that a low percentage of job loss is due to companies
leaving is true. Although one has to question the idea that the numbers haven't changed since 2006.
Everything in business has changed since 2006. But even if the number has doubled or tripled, it is
still a small percentage.
Good Jobs First is also right. More jobs are created by growing Inside This
them at home than by attracting new companies into a state. But
you also need to keep the companies you have! A loss like Toyota Section:
does not total just the 3,000 Toyota jobs being lost. It must also
count its vendors, the suppliers around Torrance, the entire
Arts and
supply chain of materials and services they use including the
lunch places next door. These small and medium size businesses Entertainment create a vast number of new jobs but they stop creating jobs when
the corporations they support move away.The World
There are many factors that go into a company's decision to move. Around Us Consolidation to gain more efficiency is certainly one of them.
But companies also look at the cost of labor, land, regulations, SPORTS taxes, and energy. The list of reasons why CA is less competitive
is too long. Business News
The idea that our good weather, good colleges and universities, & Trends and an innovative spirit are going to carry us through no
matter the consequences of our regulatory and tax policies is Opiniondangerously naive. Rather than explain Toyota's decision away,
let's use it as an opportunity to make California better and SMTV CH 98
attractive to homegrown as well as outside companies
Legal Notices
heroes, it is how they lived."
-Vivian Eney Cross, Survivor
Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com
Please mark your calendars and join us on
Sunday, May 18th , 2:30PM, at the Altadena
Sheriff's Station as we commemorate Police
Memorial Week with the 37th Annual Memorial
Torch Run Relay.
The runners will be running into Altadena
Station at approximately 2:30PM where we will
conduct a short ceremony and have food and
beverages for all who come out to support us.
This year Altadena Station will be honoring one
of our own, Constable Anton Harnischfeger,
who, through historical research was discovered
to have been killed while on duty while
investigating a child battery incident.
Altadena deputies, families, friends, and
supporters will be picking up the torch from
Crescenta Valley Station. Runners should enter
Altadena @ 2:00PM. We would like to invite
the public to cheer on the runners as they make
their way from Woodbury Road north onto
N. Windsor Ave. and then east on Ventura St.,
north bound on Casitas Ave. to Altadena Dr. and
then east bound to the Altadena Sheriff's Station,
where the run should end @ @2:30PM.
This is a special way to honor law enforcement
and it is open to the public and media. This year's
Memorial Torch Relay Run honors the following
officers:
* Deputy Constable Adolofo Celis, Los Angeles
County Sheriff's Department, died April 18,
1883. Deputy Celis was investigation claims of
cattle rustling, in what is now the San Fernando
Valley, when he was hit by a bullet as a rifle was
dislodged when he adjusted a blanket on his
buckboard.
* Constable Anton Harnischfeger, Los Angeles
County Sheriff's Department, died March 20,
1889. Constable Harnischfeger was serving
an arrest warrant, in what is now considered
Altadena, on a suspect who assaulted a 15 year
old girl earlier in the day. As he knocked on
the door of the suspect's residence. The suspect
opened the door, drew a handgun and fired a
bullet into Constable Harnischfeger's face. The
suspect fled, but was later tracked down and
killed in a subsequent shoot out.
* Deputy Constable Anthony Bryan Couts,
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, died
October 25, 1914. Deputy Couts was called to
a rooming house in downtown LA to intervene
in a business dispute between to property
owners. A tenant became involved and a heated
argument ensued. Couts took hold of the tenant
and told him he was taking him to the police
station. The suspect drew a handgun and shot
Deputy Couts in the stomach. He died from the
gunshot wound the next morning. The suspect
was tried and convicted of manslaughter.
* Constable John S. (Jack) Pilcher, Los Angeles
County Sheriff's Department, died June 4, 1925.
Constable Pilcher responded to Gage Ranch,
in what is now Santa Clarita, to investigate a
burglary. Several items had been stolen but other
items remained. The Constable and his partner
decided to spend the night at the location,
believing the thieves would return. The next
morning they saw a large lizard run under the
bed and both chased it, when the other deputy's
gun fell out of his holster, hit the ground and
discharged. The round struck Constable Pilcher
between the eyes and killed him instantly.
* Deputy James L. McDermott, Los Angeles
County Sheriff's Department, died August 26,
1931. Deputy McDermott, a member of the
Sheriff's Robbery Detail, was at a service station
in downtown Los Angeles getting gas. As he
exited his car, it began to roll away from the
pumps due to a severe slope. He jumped on the
running board in an attempt to stop the vehicle
from reentering traffic or damaging the station.
Seconds later he was impaled on a hook used to
suspend a water hose. The sharp point pierced
his chest just below his heart. He died in the
ambulance as he was transported to the hospital.
* Sergeant Raymond C. Willis, Los Angeles
County Sheriff's Department, died April 15,
1957. Sergeant Willis, assigned to the Crime
Lab, as a polygraph technician, was flying in a
small airplane as a observer with Sergeant/Pilot
Vernon Corbeil to search for a downed plane
near Malibu. The plane experienced engine
trouble and Corbeil attempted to land. The
plane scraped a ridge and burst into flames.
Both were killed.
* Sergeant Leonard Robert Luna, Jr., Hawthorne
Police Department, died July 8, 2013. Sergeant
Luna was traveling on the I-105 freeway en route
to pick up his department issued motorcycle from
the repair shop in Long Beach, when another
vehicle struck his motorcycle causing him to
suffer serious injuries. He was transported to
the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
* Officer Nicholas Choung Lee, Los Angeles
Police Department, died March 7, 2014. Officer
Lee and his partner were responding to a call
when his patrol car collided with a commercial
vehicle carrying a roll-off dumpster. His partner
and the truck driver both suffered critical
injuries. Officer Lee was killed in the collision.
* Officer Christopher Cortijo, Los Angeles
Police Department, died April 9, 2014. Officer
Cortijo, a motor officer, was stopped at a red
light, in front of a vehicle, when another vehicle
struck him from behind. The vehicle collided
with rear of his motorcycle, crushing him and
his motorcycle between the two vehicles. Officer
Cortijo was gravely injured. He was transported
to the hospital where he underwent several
surgeries in an attempt to save his life. Four days
later he succumbed to his injuries.
The Memorial Torch Relay run was established
in 1976 to honor the memory of those brave,
dedicated peace officers in Los Angeles County
who have sacrificed their lives in the performance
of their duties.
This three day run consists of 56 legs with each
leg approximately 5 to 10 miles in length and
covering more than 300 miles. The memorial
torch will pass to each of the mainland sheriff's
stations throughout the county. Avalon Stationwill conduct their relay on the island during
the week. Over 3,000 runners, most of whom
are peace officers run during their off duty
time to honor the lives of the fallen. The relay
run will begin Friday morning, May 16 at the
Sherman Block Sheriff's Headquarters Building
in Monterey Park and travels to each mainland
Los Angeles County Sheriff's patrol station,
ending at our very own Altadena Sheriff Station
on Sunday, May 18.
The memorial torch that the runners carry
along the course will ultimately be used to light
the ceremonial flame at 10AM on Wednesday,
May 21, 2014, at the Los Angeles County Peace
Officers' Memorial Wall at the STARS Center.
The flame will be ignited in tribute to the fallen
officers. The Sheriff's Training Academy and
Regional Services Center (STARS Center) is
located at 11515 S. Colima Rd, Whittier, CA
90604. The public and media are invited
"It is not how these officers died that made them
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