Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 4, 2015

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Mountain View News Saturday, April 4, 2015

FORMER PALACE GUARD NEW 
ARCADIA CHAMBER PRESIDENT

ANDREW GREGSON OF THE 
EXECUTIVE FACTOR TAKES OVER 
APRIL 1 

ARCADIA, CA (March 31, 2015) – About 
225 attendees of Thursday’s annual Arcadia 
Chamber of Commerce Installation Dinner 
did a double-take at the man wearing 
a kilt who was introduced as the new 
President of the Chamber for 2015-16.
His name is Andrew Gregson and Chamber 
members can take comfort in the fact 
that this man responsible for protecting 
the interests of the Chamber for the next 
year is a soldier who once stood guard at 
Buckingham Palace and guarded Queen 
Elizabeth’s II crown jewels, at the Tower 
of London. His outfit March 26 was his 
military dress uniform from his seven 
years of service in the 1st Battalion Scots Guards (Her Majesty’s Armed 
Forces). During that time he was awarded the General Service Medal for 
active service in Northern Ireland and the 1991 Gulf Clasp Medal for active 
service in the first Gulf war.

 In 2010, Andrew became client relations director for Arcadia-based Hart, 
Mieras & Morris Inc. law firm. That’s also when he met his wife Tricia who 
partnered with him to create the innovative office suite service company 
called The Executive Factor at 255 E Santa Clara St., which is where he 
began his connection with the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce.

 Andrew credits much of the early success of that business venture to 
the Chamber’s networking opportunities and pro-active promotional 
outreach. The Executive Factor was named the Arcadia Chamber’s New 
Business Member of the Year in 2011-12 and Andrew was quickly tapped to 
join the Chamber’s Executive Committee as Vice President.

 Andrew has taken the volunteer position seriously, immediately offering 
to produce videos for any Chamber member at a bargain-basement price 
and helping produce the Chamber video “Arcadia’s Got it All.” He produced 
Chamber seminars about Microsoft Office 2010 that led to the Chamber 
getting free copies of that expensive software, set up personalized Excel 
spreadsheet training for Chamber staff at no charge, and this year he has 
already conducted two informative and well-attended “Flash Course” 
seminars on behalf of the Chamber.

 The popular new Red Carpet Experience at the Installation Dinner and 
Taste of Arcadia the past two years was the brainchild of Andrew, and he 
has developed an ambitious Chamber Community Member program that 
could catapult Chamber membership and retail business membership 
value.

 Andrew is anxious to make this year one of the best yet for the Arcadia 
Chamber and he looks forward to overseeing the special 50th anniversary 
celebration of the iconic Chamber office building in November that will 
culminate a three-year interior renovation and include the opening of a 
time capsule buried in 1965 and the burial of a new time capsule.

This new position as President of the Arcadia Chamber seems to have 
been Andrew’s destiny since he officially takes over on the same day as his 
birthday, April 1 – and that’s no joke!

ARCADIA POLICE BLOTTER

For the period of Sunday, March 22nd, through Saturday, March 28th, the 
Police Department responded to 1,049 calls for service of which 143 required 
formal investigations. The following is a summary report of the major incidents 
handled by the Department during this period.

Sunday, March 22:

Just before 12:53 a.m., an officer responded to 7-Eleven, 1003 South Baldwin 
Avenue, regarding a robbery that had just occurred. The victim stated the 
suspect entered the store, selected a bottle of beer, and when the clerk refused 
to sell the beer to him for failing to have identification, the suspect punched 
the clerk in the face numerous times before exiting the store and fleeing in a 
black vehicle. Nearly three hours later, officers located the suspect as he was 
involved in a traffic collision and had been driving under the influence of 
an alcoholic beverage. The 20-year-old male of unknown race had a blood 
alcohol content greater than .01%, the legal limit for a person under the age 
of 21. He was arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking. 
The victim of the robbery required medical attention, but was released a 
short time later from Arcadia Methodist Hospital.

 At approximately 12:36 p.m., an officer responded to the front counter 
of the Arcadia Police Department regarding a fraud report. The victim was 
solicited for babysitting services through www.care.com and was asked to 
deposit a check for $2,800, keep $350 as payment, and forward the remainder 
to a “financier”. When the check bounced, the victim became suspicious. 
The suspect is outstanding at the time of this report and the investigation is 
ongoing.

Monday, March 23:

At about 12:23 a.m., officers responded to 99 Martial Arts Center, 36 
West Live Oak Avenue, regarding a commercial burglary report. Officers 
determined unknown suspect(s) stole three chimney burners from an open 
garage. No suspects were seen and no witnesses were located.

 At approximately 11:15 p.m., officers initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle 
in the area of Louise Avenue and Like Oak Avenue for failing to stop at a 
stop sign. The driver informed the officer his registration was invalid and 
he didn’t have insurance. During a consensual search of the vehicle, the 
officer located two glass pipes and more than an ounce of marijuana. Due to 
medical concerns, the 59-year-old Hispanic male was cited and released in 
the field.

Tuesday, March 24:

Around 6:52 a.m., an officer responded to Miracle Sealants Company, 12318 
Lower Azusa Road, regarding a theft report. An investigation revealed 
unknown suspect(s) forced entry into the location and stole a car trailer. The 
investigation is ongoing pending review of surveillance footage. 

 Just after 4:35 p.m., officers responded to the intersection of Norman 
Avenue and Lovell Avenue regarding a suspicious male in the yard of a 
nearby residence. During an area check, officers located one suspect in 
a vehicle, two suspects on foot, and a fourth suspect in a second vehicle. 
Officers determined the four suspects were conspiring to burglarize nearby 
homes. The suspects included a 20-year-old black male, a 19-year-old black 
male, a 22-year-old black female, and a 20-year-old black female. 

Wednesday, March 25:

Shortly after 10:41 a.m., an officer responded to the intersection of Colorado 
Boulevard and Second Avenue regarding a vehicle burglary report. 
Sometime during the previous night, an unknown suspect broke the front 
passenger window of the victim’s vehicle and stole her purse. No suspects 
were seen and no witnesses were located. 

 At about 1:04 p.m., an officer responded to a residence in the 2400 block 
of Greenfield Avenue regarding a suspicious circumstance. The victim 
stated an unknown suspect called her, identifying himself as “Sergeant 
Eric Gandy with the Arcadia Police Department”, and asked her to pay for 
an outstanding traffic citation by purchasing two NetSpend prepaid credit 
cards. The victim grew suspicious and called the Arcadia Police Department 
for verification. The telephone number is registered to an individual out of 
the City of Azusa. 

Thursday, March 26:

At approximately 7:46 a.m., an officer responded to a residence in the 
2200 block of South Second Avenue regarding an arson report. The officer 
discovered a portion of the resident’s fence had been burned by unknown 
means. No suspects were seen and no witnesses were located.

 Around 9:19 a.m., officers responded to the area of Palm Drive and 
Florence Avenue regarding a suspicious occupied vehicle. During a 
consensual search of the vehicle, an officer located a glass pipe, a small bag 
containing methamphetamine, and a switchblade. The 31-year-old Hispanic 
male was arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking. 

Friday, March 27: 

Just after 9:49 a.m., an officer responded to a residence in the 1600 block of 
South Mayflower Avenue regarding a fraud report. The victim attempted 
to file his taxes when he was informed his taxes had already been filed by 
an unknown suspect. The suspect used the victim’s personal information to 
commit this crime. The investigation is ongoing.

 At about 10:39 a.m., an officer conducted a records check on a vehicle in 
the 5400 block of South Peck Road with a 2016 registration sticker, but DMV 
records indicated it was expired. During a consensual search of the vehicle, 
the officer located a bag of methamphetamine, a glass pipe, and a can of 
cleaning duster. The owner of the vehicle, a 42-year-old black male, was with 
a 17-year-old Hispanic male. Through a series of tests, the officer determined 
both were under the influence of a controlled substance. The juvenile was 
released to his mother and the adult male was arrested and transported to 
the Arcadia City Jail for booking.

Saturday, March 28:

Just after 1:58 a.m., an officer responded to Terry’s Station Bar, 1218 South 
Baldwin Avenue, regarding a fight in progress. An investigation revealed an 
unprovoked fight erupted between a group of Hispanic males and a patron. 
After the fight dispersed, a gunshot was heard in close proximity to the bar. 
The victim did not require medical attention. The investigation is ongoing.

 At approximately 8:15 p.m., an officer responded to Ralphs, 211 East 
Foothill Boulevard, regarding a hit and run collision report. The victim’s 
husband was seated in their parked vehicle when Party-2 backed into it and 
fled the scene without exchanging information. A witness provided the 
license plate information for Party-2, which is registered out of Arcadia. The 
investigation is ongoing. 


THE PASADENA-ALTADENA LINKS TO 
PRESENT COMMUNITY ART SHOWCASE 
“MASTER OF THE ARTS”

Pasadena – CA On Sunday April 19, 2015 The Pasadena-Altadena 
Chapter of the Links Incorporated will present their annual art 
exhibition, “Master of The Arts” at The Art Center College of Design, 
Pasadena Hillside Campus from 2 pm - 5 pm. 

 This highly anticipated art showcase will highlight the creative 
talents of a diverse group of visual artists and authors. Featured 
artist include: Mark Greenfield; Tony Scott; Jeffery Stephenson; 
Anthony Taylor; D. Shannon Young; Stan Bruce; Kay Lee; Kathy 
Huante; Escott El; Tomeeka Pitre; Teresa Tolliver; California African 
American Museum. Also showcased will be the Jewelry of Rumae 
Gemstones and LMG Studios as well the works of local authors 
Darrell D. Miller and Jervey Tervalon. 

 In addition, an art contest is open to PUSD students for submission 
until April 15, 2015 and will be judged by community members. 
Students may submit photography, multimedia, ceramics, graphic 
design etc. of their choice for judging. One lucky student will be 
awarded a $250 prize for showcasing his or her creative endeavors. 
Please contact Betty Saddler to arrange art pickup from a PUSD 
School site at (626) 449-6204. 

 The community is invited to attend, mix and mingle with fellow 
art enthusiasts, and revel in the various displays of beautiful art 
mediums on the lovely campus of Art Center. 

 Both Admission and Parking is Free to the public. For more 
information on “Master of the Arts” please contact Links Art 
Facet Chair Charmayne Ealy at (626) 798-1569 or visit www.
pasadenaaltadenalinksinc.org

The Pasadena-Altadena Chapter of The Links, Inc. has proudly 
served the community for over 50 years. 

MONROVIA POLICE BLOTTER

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 425 service 
events, resulting in 71 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.

Vandalism

March 30 at 7:21 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 1000 block of South 
Canyon regarding a vandalism incident. Unknown suspect(s) spray painted 
a block wall to a preschool center. The investigation is continuing.

Vandalism

March 30 at 8:51 a.m., an officer responded to the 500 block of East Colorado 
on the report of vandalism to a vehicle. The victim parked his van on the 
street. When he returned to his vehicle, someone had vandalized the sliding 
door of the truck with a green marker. The investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary

March 30 at 10:51 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 600 block 
of California. The residents left the location for the weekend. When they 
returned home, they found the rear sliding door had been smashed out with 
a large rock. Officers checked the inside of the residence, but did not locate 
any suspects. The only items taken were two jewelry boxes. The investigation 
is continuing.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision

March 31 at 8:58 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a hit and run traffic 
collision in the 600 block of West Maple. The reporting party witnessed 
the collision and knew the suspect, who had been recently served with a 
restraining order by his ex-girlfriend. It appears the suspect tried to enter 
the ex-girlfriend’s driveway and hit the neighbor’s vehicle and then fled the 
scene. The officer located the suspect vehicle at the suspect’s residence in 
the 400 block of South Alta Vista. The suspect was not at the residence. The 
vehicle was towed as evidence of a hit and run and a verified complaint was 
filed against the suspect for violating the restraining order.

Trespassing – Suspect Arrested

April 1 at 7:05 a.m., staff from a hotel in the 900 block of South Fifth Avenue 
phoned police to report a former guest that had been evicted for nonpayment 
was in their lobby and would not leave. The manager told the officer that 
the subject was not welcome on the property. An officer responded, but the 
subject had left the location. The staff called again at 2:45 p.m. as the subject 
had returned. Police responded and located the subject passed out in the 
lobby. The suspect was arrested for trespassing.

Vehicle Burglaries

April 1, at approximately 12:10 p.m., two vehicle burglaries were reported 
that occurred in a parking structure in the 700 block of South Myrtle 
Avenue. Both vehicles were locked and had been parked in the secured 
resident parking area. The investigation is continuing.

 Felony Driving Under the Influence / Injury Traffic Collision – Suspect 
Arrested April 1 at 1:04 p.m., a traffic collision was reported at Myrtle 
Avenue and Huntington Drive. A passenger vehicle had rear ended an 
MTA Bus. During the investigation, the driver of the passenger vehicle 
was determined to be intoxicated. A passenger from the bus complained of 
pain and was taken to a hospital for treatment. The driver was arrested for 
driving under the influence and taken into custody.

Commercial Burglary

April 1 at 2:44 p.m., employees from a church in the 400 block of East 
Huntington arrived at the location and discovered several items were 
missing from the facility. Employees could not confirm if the building was 
locked the night before. The investigation is continuing.

Trespassing / Drunk in Public – Suspect Arrested

April 2 at 3:20 a.m., employees of a hotel in the 900 block of South Fifth 
Avenue called and stated there was a male adult subject causing a disturbance 
in their lobby and he refused to leave. Officers arrived and arrested the male 
adult for trespassing and being drunk in public. This was the second time 
the subject was arrested for trespassing at the location within 24 hours. He 
was held for the likelihood of reoccurrence, pending his court appearance.

KIWANIS CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION A SUCCESS


CALVARY CHAPEL 

MONROVIA UPDATE 

This past week, Calvary Chapel Monrovia held an informational meeting 
at Krikorian Theatres for the Old Town business community to discuss 
their proposed plans for acquiring the current 4th Dimension building on 
Myrtle Avenue. There were around a dozen individuals in attendance to 
hear Calvary Chapel Monrovia’s plans to operate a bookstore and a coffee 
shop, in addition to their church operations, at the current 4th Dimension 
facility. The feedback from the business community was generally 
positive, however, the overall proposal is not yet finalized. Calvary Chapel 
Monrovia reported at the meeting that they still need to raise 20% of their 
required down payment in order to finalize the acquisition of the building. 
Furthermore, from a land-use perspective, Calvary Chapel Monrovia 
will also need to obtain a Conditional Use Permit from the City in order 
to operate out of the current 4th Dimension building. Staff is planning on 
meeting with representatives of Calvary Chapel Monrovia within the next 
several weeks to discuss next steps in their proposed project and we will 
continue to monitor this situation moving forward.


HISTORIC PRESERVATION / 
NEIGHBORHOOD COMPATIBILITY 
OUTREACH PROGRAM UNDERWAY 

Last week, Monrovia City staff launched an overall historic preservation / 
neighborhood compatibility outreach program. An initial focus group was 
held with realtors / brokers / developers, and additionally staff has begun the 
process of meeting individually with members of the Planning Commission 
and the Historic Preservation Commission to obtain feedback regarding 
this topic. Furthermore, a survey that staff developed in collaboration with 
MOHPG regarding the issue was finalized and posted on the web, and to 
date, we’ve had over 200 responses. The survey is linked on our City website 
and can be accessed directly at the following address:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/monrovianeighborhoods

 The Duarte Historical Museum hosted a unique event – a 
centennial celebration for Kiwanis International – and in particular 
– a celebration of the 11 clubs in Division 35 right here in our area. 
Duarte Kiwanis President, Mirna De Lira Lopez planned the event 
and invited all eleven clubs to bring items to display and share some 
of their own history.

 Members from clubs in West Covina, Monrovia, Hacienda 
Heights and El Monte attended with former Kiwanis Lt. Governor, 
Paul White adding many tidbits of history for the event. The display 
includes renderings of various Kiwanis Rose Float entries for past 
Rose Parades. The display will be in the Duarte Historical Museum 
through the month of April.

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