Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 28, 2015

6

Mountain View News Saturday, February 28, 2015


ARCADIA POLICE BLOTTER

For the period of Sunday, February 15th, through Saturday, February 21st, the 
Police Department responded to 1,117 calls for service of which 132 required 
formal investigations. The following is a summary report of the major 
incidents handled by the Department during this period.

Sunday, February 15:

Just before 4:30 a.m., an officer responded to Springhill Suites, 99 North 
Second Avenue, regarding a commercial burglary report. Two unknown 
suspects were seen attempting to pry open a storage room door using a 
crowbar. Both suspects fled after being confronted by a hotel employee. 

 One suspect is described as a Hispanic male, 5’6”, 18 to 20-years-old, with 
short black hair and a moustache. The other suspect is a White male, 5’10”, 
18 to 20-years-old, with brown hair. The investigation is ongoing.

 At approximately 10:31 p.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop on a 
vehicle for a broken windshield at Baldwin Avenue and Huntington Drive. 
Investigation revealed the driver had a suspended license. The vehicle was 
impounded for 30 days.

Monday, February 16:

At about 8:40 a.m., an officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle 
for multiple unsafe lane changes in the area of Huntington Drive and 
Colorado Place. The driver refused to yield and a pursuit ensued. An officer 
located the driver and vehicle near the intersection of Larkdale Road and 
Vista Street, in the City of San Gabriel, with fresh collision damage and false 
registration tags. The driver admitted to colliding with the center median 
on Rosemead Boulevard near Duarte Road. The 45-year-old Hispanic male 
was arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking.

 At approximately 6:39 p.m., an officer responded to the 99 Ranch Market 
parking lot, 1300 South Golden West Avenue, regarding a grand theft 
report. The victim had entered her vehicle and placed her purse on the front 
passenger seat when an unknown suspect opened the unlocked passenger 
door and stole her purse. The suspect fled southbound on Golden West 
Avenue in a dark colored sedan. The suspect is described as a Hispanic 
male. The investigation is ongoing. 

Tuesday, February 17:

Around 11:18 a.m., an officer was dispatched to Macy’s at the Westfield 
Shoppingtown Santa Anita, 400 South Baldwin Avenue, regarding a subject 
trespassing. Contact was made with a 22-year-old White male and it was 
determined he was intoxicated and unable to care for himself. He was 
arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking.

 Just after 8:49 p.m., an officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 
area of Foss Avenue and Live Oak Avenue for expired registration. A 
consensual search of the vehicle revealed a glass smoking pipe under the 
front passenger’s seat. The passenger admitted to having methamphetamine 
concealed on her person. The 30-year old White female was arrested and 
transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking. The driver was released at 
the scene.

Wednesday, February 18:

Shortly after 2:46 a.m., an officer responded to 24 Hour Fitness, 125 North 
First Avenue, regarding a vehicle burglary report. An investigation revealed 
an unknown suspect broke the front passenger door window and fled 
without being detected. A breathalyzer valued at $1,400 was stolen. The 
investigation is ongoing. 

 At about 4:12 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 100 
block of East Newman Avenue regarding a burglary report. The officer 
determined an unknown suspect gained entry to the residence by breaking 
a window and stole an iPad. Neither witnesses nor cameras were located. 
The investigation is ongoing.

Thursday, February 19:

At approximately 8:11 a.m., an officer conducted an enforcement stop in the 
area of Baldwin Avenue and Foothill Boulevard for expired registration. 
The officer discovered the 54-year-old Hispanic male was driving with a 
suspended license. He was cited and released in the field without incident. 
The vehicle was released to a licensed driver.

 Around 10:15 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 100 block of Lucille 
Street regarding a robbery report. An investigation revealed the 17-year-old 
Asian female was walking home when she was confronted by two females, 
one of which pointed a handgun at her. The suspects stole the victim’s cell 
phone, money and necklace. The victim was also punched in the face 
causing a laceration near her left eye. The victim declined medical treatment 
for her injury. The suspects fled eastbound on Lucille in a black vehicle.

 Suspect #1 is described as a 20-year-old Hispanic female, 5’04”, medium 
build with black hair. Suspect #2 is described as a 20-year-old Hispanic 
female, 5’04”, medium build with blonde hair. The investigation is ongoing.

Friday, February 20: 

Just after 10:56 a.m., an officer conducted an enforcement stop on a bicyclist 
in the 300 block of East Live Oak for riding on the sidewalk. The officer 
discovered the 23-year-old Hispanic male had an outstanding misdemeanor 
warrant. He was arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for 
booking.

 At approximately 9:57 p.m., an officer made consensual contact with a 
subject walking away from a construction site on Camino Real Avenue near 
Holly Avenue. As the officer engaged the subject in conversation, a male 
Asian approached him and reported he had just confronted the subject in 
his garage. An investigation revealed the 43-year-old male Hispanic had 
entered the partially open garage, but fled once confronted by the victim. 
The suspect was arrested for residential burglary and transported to the 
Arcadia City Jail for booking.

Saturday, February 21:

At approximately 12:17 p.m., an officer responded to a construction site 
at the Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita, 400 South Baldwin Avenue, 
regarding an attempted commercial burglary report. Several pry marks to 
the door securing the construction site were located however it could not 
be determined if entry was made into the location. Surveillance cameras at 
the location may have recorded the incident. The investigation is ongoing.

 At about 6:01 p.m., an officer responded to the area of Las Tunas Drive 
and Baldwin Avenue regarding a non-injury traffic collision involving two 
vehicles. An investigation revealed both vehicles were traveling eastbound 
on Las Tunas Drive with Party-1 following behind Party-2. Party-2 made 
a right turn into a parking lot and was rear-ended by Party-1. Information 
was exchanged at the scene.

VANISHING INSTITUTIONS

From Arcadia’s Best

By Scott Hettrick

This year has started out with news of the loss of several significant 
pieces of Arcadia:

- the Arcadia Welfare & Thrift Store on First Avenue closed after more 
than 82 years of operation 

- the The Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona 
Valleys headquarters on Second Avenue got pushed out of Arcadia to 
a new base in Monrovia to make room for more housing on Second 
Avenue

- the City bought and closed the 100-to-1 cocktails bar on Huntington 
Drive; and then came the biggest blow: the low-profile but large 
headquarters for Vons is being moved to consolidate in the Albertson’s 
headquarters in Fullerton.

 The Vons building off Michilinda Avenue, formerly the May 
Company store building (it still has the escalator inside), is home to 
more than 230 employees who will no longer be coming to Arcadia 
every day, and no longer buying coffee, lunch, and sometimes shopping 
and buying dinner here.

 There is no common thread tying the exodus of these four places 
all at once, nor the closing late last year of three longtime Downtown 
Arcadia restaurants, Viva Zapata on First Avenue, Domenico’s on Santa 
Anita Avenue, or The Patio on Huntington Drive. Each situation was 
dealing with its own unique set of circumstances. For instance, in the 
case of Vons, parent company Safeway was purchased by Albertson’s 
and the deal was formerly approved by the government last month.

 In almost all cases, there will be something new to replace the old, 
and meanwhile there are plenty of important new projects being built.

 Some of the people involved with Zapata Vive opened the much 
nicer new Mexican restaurant Villa Catrina on Santa Anita Avenue. 
Meanwhile, the property owners of Villa Catrina are finalizing an 
exiciting new major renovation of the building and a modern new 
restaurant called Rajin Cajun is making plans to open there later this 
year. As for The Patio, it was taken over by La Luna Negra, the popular 
Spanish restaurant that had been based in Pasadena on Green Street 
for 18 years.

 A doctor’s office will take the place of Arcadia Welfare & Thrift. 
The 100-to-1 property will either be integrated into the two big new 
modern Mariott Hotel brand hotels — Fairfield Inn and Residence 
Inn — proposed to be built on the adjacent property now occupied by 
Santa Anita Inn, or the city will make it into a pocket park. And a big 
new medical office campus is well underway across the street from the 
100-to-1 building and Santa Anita Inn, just down the road from where 
another new multi-story medical center was opened last year across 
the street from Methodist Hospital.

Vons headquarters

Many developers are already bidding tens of millions of dollars on 
the prime nine-acre Vons property just north of Huntington Drive 
behind the El Rancho Santa Anita retail center anchored by Ralph’s 
and immediately behind (south of) the Vista Cove senior living center, 
the latter of which is leasing nearly an acre of that property. Most likely 
additional housing will replace the venerable Vons building.

 And of course Rusnak Arcadia’s Mercedes-Benz dealership is 
expanding with a huge new $30 million state-of-the-art two-story 
showroom on Santa Anita Avenue.

 And this is all in addition to the ongoing quarter-billion dollars of 
improvements and additions at every schoool building in town. Never 
has the expression “out with the old, in with the new” been more 
appropriate for what is happening in Arcadia these days. 


ALL CITY TRACK AND FIELD MEET!

The Arcadia Recreation and Community Services Department 
announces the City Track and Field Meet. Students should attend 
the meet which corresponds with their year of birth. Participation 
is open to elementary and middle school-age boys and girls born in 
years 2000-2008 who are Arcadia residents or attend Arcadia Schools 
(public or private). The Track Meet for students born 2000-2003 will 
be held on Wednesday, March 18th. For students born 2004-2008 the 
track meet will be held on Wednesday, March 25th. The rain date 
for both meets will be Wednesday, April 15th. Elementary students 
who are interested in participating should register with a Playground 
Recreation Leader. Middle School Students should check with their 
PE teachers about participating in the track meet. Participants must 
compete in the age division in which they were born. Boys and girls 
will compete in separate gender divisions. Participants may compete 
in only one Running Event, one Field Event and one Relay. Pre-
registration is mandatory. 

 For more information please contact the Arcadia Recreation 
Department at 626.574.5113. 

About the City of Arcadia

Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, Arcadia is an 
11.38 square mile community with a population of just over 56,000. 
Located approximately 20 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, Arcadia 
is known for combining small-town charm with the conveniences 
and amenities of a mid-size city. Arcadia is a full-service charter city 
governed by a five-member City Council, elected at large. Recognized 
for exceptional education and recreation opportunities and beautiful 
neighborhoods, Arcadia is also defined as the “Community of Homes” 
and has twice been designated the “Best City in California in which to 
Raise Kids” by Business Week Magazine.

FIGHT CRIME 

Arcadia Women’s Club 

The Educational Arm of the Republican Party 

On Thursday, March 19, 2015 the group will have Byron 
Walls give a humorous talk on crime safety, regarding street 
crimes, home protection, car safety, fighting tactics and 
pros and cons of weapons. He has been speaking to over 100 
groups a year for 30 years. He is well researched and well 
versed. Byron has been a singer and comedian performing 
at the Purple Onion and Hungry Eye in San Francisco as 
well as parts in movies. He also sang with the New Christy 
Minstrals. This is a very important topic. Please come 
join us and make new friends. Lunch is $18. We meet at 
10:30 for coffee and a short business meeting. The speaker 
goes on at 11:30. If more information call Carolyn Papp at 
626-445-5769.

ARCADIA POLICE DEPARTMENT 

LAUNCHES WEIBO PAGE

Arcadia Police Chief Bob Guthrie is excited to 
announce the Department’s new page launch on 
the Chinese-based social media website, Weibo – a 
social platform used in similar fashion to Facebook 
and Twitter. “Weibo” is the Chinese word for “micro 
blog”, and is one of the most popular websites in 
China with more than 500 million subscribers 
from around the world. “By sharing information 
on Weibo, our Department will broaden its reach to 
our Chinese population in Arcadia, which makes up 
approximately 60% of our community,” said Chief 
Guthrie.

 The APD Weibo page will be posted in simplified 
Chinese, as well as some English, and will be 
maintained with messaging similar to other APD 
social platforms currently in use like Facebook, 
Twitter, Nextdoor, and the APD Blog. Police 
Volunteer David Liu will assist with translation for 
the postings and messaging.

 The Police Department’s participation on 
Weibo will enhance its ability to better engage 
and communicate with a specific portion of its 
community that, to this point, has not been easily 
reached through social media. “The Arcadia Police 
Department’s motto is Making a Difference,” 
said Chief Guthrie, “and we expect Weibo to help 
us do just that when it comes to expanding our 
communication efforts within the community we 
serve.”

http://www.weibo.com/ArcadiaPolice

CITY OF ARCADIA KID’S NIGHT OUT

FRIDAY, MARCH 13TH MARCH MADNESS! 

Kid’s Night Out provides kids a night of fun and 
play so mom and dad can enjoy an evening out 
or a quiet evening at home. This event is held 
at the Arcadia Community Center, 365 Campus 
Drive, Arcadia, California 91007, from 6-11pm. 
Recreation Staff and Volunteers offer dinner, 
themed games, movies, and supervision for 
children ages 4 and above. All activities will be 
geared toward elementary school children; anyone 
younger must be potty trained. Accommodations 
cannot be made for special dietary needs. The 
cost is $15.00 per child and also includes snacks 
and beverages. Pre-registration is mandatory 
and a $2 registration fee is applicable for those 
participants not registered in any other summer 
classes. Registration for Kid’s Night Out can be 
done on-line http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us by fax, 
626.821.4370 or by coming into the Recreation 
Office, 375 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007. 
For more information please call 626.574.5113!