Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 21, 2015

7


Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 21, 2015 

HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS 

IN MONROVIA

MONROVIA POLICE BLOTTER

During the last seven-day period, the Police 
Department handled 441 service events, resulting 
in 82 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.

Commercial Burglary

March 17 at 6:54 a.m., police responded to 
a business in the 400 block of West Foothill 
regarding a window that had been smashed at the 
location. An officer arrived and found the front 
window had been smashed and the suspect(s) 
stole the cash register, which contained a small 
amount of cash, and 6 packages of cigarettes. The 
investigation is continuing.

Weapon Offense – Suspect Arrested

March 17 at 6:06 p.m., an officer was dispatched 
to the 900 block of Norumbega regarding a 
complaint of subjects smoking inside a vehicle 
in a fire zone. An officer arrived and contacted 
the driver. A check of the vehicle revealed the 
registration was expired and the vehicle was 
impounded. A search of the vehicle prior to 
impound revealed a pair of brass knuckles, which 
the driver said belonged to him. The driver was 
arrested for possession of brass knuckles.

Driving Under the Influence / Child 
Endangerment – Suspect Arrested

March 18 at 12:21 a.m., an officer was on patrol 
in the 600 block of West Huntington when he 
stopped a vehicle for almost crashing into the 
center divider. The driver was intoxicated and had 
her four year old child in the vehicle. The driver 
was arrested for driving under the influence and 
child endangerment. The child was released to a 
relative.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested

March 18 at 5:08 a.m., an officer responded to a 
business parking lot in the 700 block of South 
Shamrock regarding a female passed out behind 
the wheel of a vehicle. The subject was determined 
to be extremely intoxicated. She was arrested and 
taken into custody for sobering.

Bicycle Collision With Injuries

March 18 at 1:50 p.m., an officer was dispatched 
to a bicycle accident at Canyon and Almond. Two 
juvenile bicyclists were riding on Canyon when 
one rider hit the other and went down, breaking 
his arm. The parents were notified and the child 
was taken to the hospital for treatment.


DUARTE GENERAL FUND REVENUES 

INCREASE AT MID-YEAR 


“History of African Americans in Monrovia: South 
of the Tracks” is the presentation at the Monrovia 
Historical Museum on Sunday, 29 March 2015 at 2 
pm. Pasadena City College History Professor, Susie 
Ling, has done a year of research to document this 
important story. “Monrovia is unique in that it had 
an African American community since the 1880s,” 
said Ling, “In many ways, this is a quintessential 
American story. People came West to build better 
lives for their children. There was chain migration, 
hard work, purchase of homes, and pursuit of 
educational advantages.” 

 The African Americans lived side-by-side with 
their Mexican American and Asian American 
neighbors in the southeast corner of Monrovia. 
Some of the homes on Maple and Walnut were 
constructed in the 1910s. The Red Line came 
down on Olive Avenue and residents of color were 
expected to stay south of these Pacific Electric 
tracks. In fact Huntington Elementary School was 
94% African American at one time. The segregated 
public school was not closed until 1970 – years after 
the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme 
Court order. 

 “My interviewees told stories of racial 
discrimination,” said Ling. “They talked about how 
the public pool had ‘Colored Days’ and how certain 
establishments would not serve Blacks. There was 
a ‘crow’s nest’ or balcony area in the former Lyric 
Theater for African Americans. Live Oak Cemetery 
was segregated in its beginning years. Blacks even 
had a hard time getting a library card.” But the story 
is also about how African Americans fought for 
social justice, built community organizations, and 
nurtured families. “There are three historic Black 
churches in Monrovia that are still very active. 
There was also a Monrovia chapter of NAACP and 
a Junior NAACP. The Anna H. Jones Women’s Club 
is nearing 100 years,” said Ling. 

 “The most surprising parts were the racial fights 
at Monrovia High School each year between 1969 
and 1972,” continued Ling. The Black Student 
Union at Monrovia High was established in 
1969 and has a very proud and long history. “The 
diversity and history of Monrovia is something 
we should all be proud of. This is our shared 
legacy.” Monrovia Historical Museum, staffed by 
community volunteers, is open to the public each 
Thursday and Sunday afternoon.

DUARTE, CA, March 17, 2015 – The Duarte 
City Council recently approved a $13.65 million 
dollar adjusted mid-year budget projecting both a 
$340,000 increase in General Fund revenues and 
an overall deficit of $74,200. The originally adopted 
2014-15 budget had a surplus of $25,800. The 
deficit projected as of midyear relates directly to 
Council’s recent decision to purchase $700,000 in 
Proposition funds with $490,000 in General funds. 
This decision to buy transit related funds for 70 
cents on the dollar leaves the General Fund reserves 
at approximately $7.4 million or equal to 54% of 
the City’s overall General Fund expenditures. 

 General fund reserves increased largely as a 
result of grant program revenues. Specifically, the 
City of Duarte was awarded several new grants for 
public safety and transportation related projects. A 
$350,000 California Gang Reduction Intervention 
and Prevention Program (Cal GRIP) grant was 
awarded to the City and will fund public safety 
youth programs and other prevention program 
costs. The City was also awarded a $325,000 
Metro-planning grant that will be used to create a 
Downtown Specific Plan over the next two years. 
Additionally, a $1.3 million Active Transportation 
Plan (ATP) grant will fund the 1st Mile/Last 
Mile project improvements along Duarte Road 
and Highland in conjunction with the Gold 
Line Station over the next two years. In terms of 
negative revenue, the City experienced a $150,000 
reduction in projected reimbursements revenue 
from the Successor agency as a result of a negative 
Department of Finance legal interpretation on 
Housing Authority funds. 

 Expenditures at year-end are projected to be 
$13.65 million, which represents an increase of 
$440,000 as compared to the original budget. 
The increase to expenditures relates to the new 
grant funded project costs and capital projects, 
such as the Civic Center Message Board and 
the Duarte Community Center audio-visual 
equipment upgrades. While not impacting 
the budget until next fiscal year, two new staff 
positions, Senior Maintenance Technician and 
Community Development Technician, are open 
in the Community Development Department in 
order to replace a vacated Field Services Supervisor 
position and support the needs and the existing 
staff structure of the department. 

 Overall, the City maintains a General Fund, 
16 capital, debt service and other special revenue 
funds. As reported at mid-year, these City funds 
are projected to remain in a healthy state. 

 About the City of Duarte

 The City of Duarte was incorporated on August 
22, 1957. With integrity and transparency, the City 
provides exemplary public services in a caring and 
fiscally responsible manner with a commitment 
to our community’s future. For more information 
visit www.accessduarte.com or call (626) 357-
7931. Follow the City of Duarte on Twitter @
CityofDuarte.


DIVISION 35 LT. GOVERNOR

VISITS DUARTE KIWANIS


Division 35 Lt Governor, Mahmood Bashir, 
recently visited a Duarte Kiwanis meeting 
and shared this year’s vision for Kiwanis 
Cal-Nev-Ha District - Grow, Eliminate 
and Celebrate. Our focus in growth in our 
Clubs, expanding the focus on Eliminate 
and Celebrating 100 years in existence! The 
Eliminate Project is in conjunction with 
UNICEF. The focus is to Eliminate Maternal 
and Neo-Natal Tetanus. The numbers tell us 
that it only costs $1.80 to save a baby’s life. 
When Kiwanis International began this 
initiative, a child was dying of this horrific 
disease once every 9 minutes. Kiwanis 
fundraising goes to pay for the vaccines 
- UNICEF provides the vaccines and the 
health care workers to vaccinate the moms.

Kiwanis International has taken on the 
theme this year of growing clubs through a 
shared formula “Love It, Share It, Live It” as 
their theme. Within Division 35, Mahmood’s 
theme is 100% Participation – in all projects, 
meetings and support to Service Leadership 
Groups at the High Schools, Middle Schools 
and Colleges. His vision includes the concept 
of “breaking down and eliminating barriers”. 
He encourages all the clubs to reach past city 
or club boundaries and partner where each 
group can make the best impact.

 For further information on speaking or 
joining the club, contact Dr. Diane Hernandez 
at drdiane@drhernandezoptometry.com

Pictured, from left, Duarte Kiwanis President, Mirna De 
Lira Lopez and Lt. Governor for Division 35, Mahmood 
Bashir. 


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