Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 11, 2015

7

Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 11, 2015 

FROM FLIP-OFF TO LAWSUIT

DORIS AND JERRY SELMER 
NAMED ARCADIA 2015 
SENIOR CITIZENS OF THE YEAR.

The annual 
Salute to 
Seniors 
Luncheon 
sponsored by 
the Arcadia 
Rotary Club 
will be held on 
Tuesday, May 
12, 2015 from 
11:30 a.m. – 
1:30 p.m. at 
the Arcadia 
Community 
Center, 365 
Campus Drive. 
At this special 
event, the Arcadia Rotary Club along with the City Council, 
Senior Commissioners and other guests will honor the Selmers.

The Selmer’s have been the cornerstone of the Arcadia Public 
Library, serving as volunteers together for nearly 40 years. Jerry 
currently serves as the membership chairman for the Friends 
of the Arcadia Public Library and prior to this, served as the 
President for several years. Doris works alongside with Jerry, 
coordinating volunteers who establish the pricing for the Friends 
used bookstore and is in charge of restocking the store each day.

In addition to their mutual commitment to the Library, they have 
been supportive currently, and in the past, of other LA County 
organizations which have included:

Arcadia Historical Society

Autry Museum of Western Heritage

Southwest Museum

Natural History Museum of LA County

Arcadia High School PTA

Pasadena Philharmonic Society

Historical Society of Southern California

The City of Arcadia is very proud of Jerry and Doris Selmer and 
thankful for their contributions of their time and talents to and 
for the community. They are certainly a reflection of this year’s 
Older Americans Theme of “Get into the Act of Volunteerism.”

On behalf of the Arcadia Rotary Club and the City of Arcadia, it is 
a pleasure to announce Jerry and Doris Selmer as the 2015 Senior 
Citizens of the year.

ARCADIA MAN ACCUSED OF 
ADBUCTION AND RAPE

By Scott Hettrick - Arcadia’s Best

 After being denied by the 
City’s Planning Commission, 
and after public verbal spats at 
equally unsuccessful appeals at 
City Council meetings where one 
or two Council Members spoke to 
homeowners in a way that made 
them so defensive that one of their 
leaders flipped his middle finger to 
the Council, a group of residents 
in the Highland Homeowners 
Association has taken their case to 
the courts.

 Since they could not get their 
way in stopping the razing of two 
homes on big lots – a 74 year-
old home at 29 E. Orange Grove 
Avenue and a 59 year-old domicile 
at 1600 Highland Oaks Drive — 
that would be replaced with two 
homes of two-to-three times the 
size built by Robert Tong and 
Bowden Development, now the 
residents calling themselves by 
a group called Save the Arcadia 
Highlands are trying another 
angle: a class-action lawsuit filed 
March 12 against the City of 
Arcadia claiming that the new 
homes should not be built because 
they would be environmentally 
unfriendly.

 About the time the hearings 
were beginning in front of the 
Planning Commission and then 
the City Council late last year and 
early this year that resulted in 
the denying of appeals by HHOA 
residents to try to stop the building 
of the homes (the Council did 
agree to stop development of one 
proposed home the residents 
also didn’t want), some residents 
formed a group called Save the 
Arcadia Highlands, and started 
a web site and Facebook page 
(in November 2014) where 
postings reiterate all their 
concerns and issues with certain 
Council members and offer 
additional comments and links 
to related articles in local media.
There were 443 residents who 
signed a petition by the HHOA 
during the appeals process. There 
are 51 “Likes” on the Facebook 
page so far.

 Although some of the residents 
complained during the public 
hearings in front of the City 
Council that new mansions being 
built in Arcadia are left vacant by 
owners who supposedly buy them 
as investments, the suit takes the 
polar opposite position that the 
so-called mansions would be filled 
with so many additional residents 
that the resulting effect would 
“directly affect their health and 
living environment.” Among the 
impacts cited in the suit are:

additional water runoff that would 
create “significant water quality 
impacts” 

“significant cumulative impact on 
greenhouse gas generation”

The suit prepared by attorney 
John G. McClendon of Laguna 
Hills on behalf of the Save the 
Arcadia Highlands group — the 
only individual named in the suit 
is David Arvizu — also reiterates 
allegations of conflict-of-interest 
brought out in the public 
hearings that Robert Tong and 
other developers of large homes 
in the Highlands including Mur-
Sol and the Grohs Family have 
made “substantial campaign 
contribution to certain members 
of the (City) Council.”

 Interestingly, the lawsuit also 
notes that HHOA residents began 
fighting this battle against the 
perceived “mansion-ization” of 
their neighborhood more than 20 
years ago, but the war continues to 
escalate.

 The Save the Arcadia Highlands 
web site, which lists three people 
as “Our Team” — Carolyn Papp, 
Shelly Chu, and Tim Burch — says 
they are “beginning to take the 
necessary steps to recall” Mayor 
John Wuo and Council Member 
Roger Chandler and “any other 
members that we discover have 
ties to real estate developers or 
investors in Arcadia.” The site 
goes on to cite some facts about 
a real estate company owned by 
Wuo and campaign contributions 
received by Chandler from 
development and real estate 
companies. It also does the 
same with Council Member Sho 
Tay before proceeding to make 
personal and credibility attacks 
against all three.

 In a city that is considered so 
prosperous and with some of 
the highest property values in a 
region that ranks amongst the 
nation’s highest – so high that 
State Treasurer John Chiang said 
last Friday that he could not afford 
to live in Arcadia and has to settle 
for South Bay — it’s ironic that on 
a website created by residences 
living in an area long considered 
the wealthiest part of town, the 
most prominent feature is a bright 
red button at the top center asking 
for donations.

Earlier this week, the Los Angeles 
County Sheriff’s Department 
arrested 29 year old Phillipe 
Brian Lutete after a lengthy 
search in the unincorporated 
area south of Arcadia. 

 Deputies pursued Lutete as a 
person of interest in the 

alleged abduction and rape of a 
woman around 3 am in that area.

 According to the Sheriff’ 
Department’s news release, 
the victim was abducted while 
walking by the ARCO Gas 
Station near the intersection 
of Longden Avenue and Peck 
Road, a news release from the 
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s 
Department stated.

 Lutete is accused of grabbing 
the 25-year-old woman, carried 
her to his car and drove her to 
his house, where he continuously 
sexually assaulted her, the release 
stated.

 At some point, the woman 
managed to break free long 
enough to alert a neighbor 
before being dragged back into 
the home, in the 2900 block of 
Spruce Street.

 Some 11 hours later, authorities 
were called to the location by a 
neighbor who heard a woman 
screaming inside a home, 
sheriff’s Lt. Loy McBride said.

 When the deputies arrived, 
the assailant fled through a side 
window.

 A large containment area was 
set up around 2:30 p.m. to search 
for the suspect near 10th and 
Longden avenues, Los Angeles 
County Sheriff’s Department 
Sgt. J. Geary said.

 The perimeter was broken 
down later in the afternoon after 
deputies were unable to locate 
the assailant.

 Several hours later, the 
alleged attacker returned to the 
neighborhood and was taken 
into custody, according to Sgt. 
Abi Ben Sahile. He was identified 
as 29-year-old Philippe Lutete.

 Video from the scene showed 
deputies with firearms drawn 
and a police K-9 running toward 
a darkened home several blocks 
away from the address given for 
the assault. Lutete was marched 
toward a patrol car, searched 
and handcuffed as a helicopter 
circled overhead.

 Detectives said he was currently 
out on bond for a similar arrest, 
and county inmate records for 
his name showed many previous 
arrests. He was most recently 
arrested Jan. 22 by the Sheriff’s 
Department San Dimas Station.

 He was released on bail Jan. 29, 
inmate records showed.

 Lutete is currently being held on 
$3,250,000 bail. His next court 
appearance is scheduled for May 
19, 2015.

 The victim was transported 
to a local hospital in unknown 
condition, Geary said.

 MVNews and various other 
media reports


FOREST, MONUMENT OFFICIALS 
ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS 
FOR NEW ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE 
PROGRAM 

ARCADIA, Calif., April 8, 2015--The Angeles National Forest and San 
Gabriel Mountains National Monument are accepting applications 
until April 30 for a new Artist-in-Residence Program to produce artistic 
renderings of local scenic areas.

 The residency program is open to artists of any medium – painters, 
writers, poets, musicians, photographers, weavers, sculptors, 
performers, etc. The program will also select two Teachers-in-Residence 
this season. Those selected for residencies will have the opportunity to 
stay at a cabin in the forest for one to two weeks this summer or fall.

Applications must be received no later than the April 30 deadline and 
mailed to: U.S. Forest Service, ATTN: Chris Fabbro, 110 N. Wabash 
Ave., Glendora, CA 91741. 

 As part of the program, artists will contribute a piece of artwork and 
share their talents with the public through exhibits, performances, open 
houses, or workshops.

 Representatives of area art associations will choose up to 10 finalists 
and four alternates in May. Selections will be made solely on merit. 
Please be advised that not all Forest and Monument locations meet 
Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

 Information on the program and instructions on how to apply will 
be available at http://www.fs.usda.gov/angeles. For more information, 
please contact program coordinator Chris Fabbro at (626) 698-8517 or 
cfabbro@fs.fed.us.

SAVE THE DATE!

“Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride!” 

John F. Kennedy, U.S. President

Recreation and Community Services Department

Community Bike Ride – Free Event

Saturday May 2, 2015, 7:30am

 The Arcadia Recreation & Community Services Department is 
sponsoring the Annual Community Bike Ride on Saturday, May 
2, 2015 at 7:30am. Please join us for a leisurely ride through some 
of Arcadia’s most beautiful neighborhoods. This slow paced, seven 
mile excursion, is geared toward families and organized in an effort 
to create a positive tradition and promote healthy living. Meet in 
the Community Center parking lot at 7:30am for check in, bike ride 
begins at 8am. Helmets are required and there will be NO bicycles 
with training wheels permitted. Children under thirteen must be 
accompanied by an adult. Bike ride takes place rain or shine. The first 
50 people to check in will receive a ticket to the Arcadia Firefighters 
Association Pancake Breakfast also being held on that same day at 
Station 106. Tickets for the breakfast can also be purchased at the 
station for $5. No registration necessary. For more information 
please call 626.574.5113 or go on-line to the City of Arcadia’s website: 
www.ci.arcadia.ca.us. 

ARCADIA POLICE BLOTTER

For the period of Sunday, March 29th, through Saturday, April 4th, the 
Police Department responded to 1,144 calls for service of which 123 formal 
investigations. The following is a summary report of the major incidents 
handled by the Department during this period.

Sunday, March 29:

Just before 10:19 a.m., officers responded to Coin Op Laundry, 838 West 
Duarte Road, regarding a battery report. An investigation revealed the 
victim and suspect were arguing over a parking spot when the suspect 
pushed the victim to the ground and fled in a blue Acura. The victim made 
note of the license plate number and a records check revealed the vehicle 
is registered out of Arcadia. Officers were unable to make contact with the 
registered owner. The investigation is ongoing. The outstanding suspect is 
described as an Asian male in his twenties with a muscular build.

 At approximately 2:27 p.m., an officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle 
in the parking lot of the Santa Anita Inn, 130 West Huntington Drive, for 
suspended registration. Upon contacting the driver, the officer detected 
numerous indications of illegal drug use. Through a series of tests, the 
officer determined the 40-year-old white female was under the influence 
of a controlled substance. She was arrested and transported to the Arcadia 
City Jail for booking.

Monday, March 30:

At about 9:46 a.m., an officer responded to the front counter of the Arcadia 
Police Department regarding an embezzlement report. The victim realized 
his personal secretary of 15 years made unauthorized charges totaling 
$28,476.55 over the span of four years. The suspect is a Hispanic female of 
unknown age. The investigation is ongoing and the suspect is outstanding 
at the time of this report.

 At approximately 5:25 p.m., an officer responded to a residence in the 
700 block of South Old Ranch Road regarding a burglary report. The 
officer determined an unknown suspect entered by smashing a window 
panel on the rear door before taking numerous electronics and credit 
cards, and fleeing without being detected. No suspects were seen and no 
witnesses were located. 

Tuesday, March 31:

Around 1:57 p.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area 
of Hampton Road and Santa Margarita Drive for tinted front windows. 
Upon contacting the driver, the officer detected a strong odor of marijuana 
emitting from inside the vehicle. A records check of the driver, a 23-year-
old Hispanic male, revealed he had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant. 
The officer conducted a consensual search of the vehicle and located a 
bag of more than one ounce of marijuana. The suspect was arrested and 
transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking.

 Just after 7:12 p.m., an officer conducted an enforcement stop on a 
vehicle in the area of Baldwin Avenue and Huntington Drive for expired 
registration. The officer contacted the 55-year-old white female and 
discovered she also had a suspended license, was displaying fraudulent 
registration, and was uninsured. She was cited and released in the field. 
Her vehicle was impounded for 30 days.

Wednesday, April 1:

Shortly after 10:19 a.m., an officer responded to the 1800 block of Tulip 
Lane regarding a stolen vehicle. An investigation revealed the victim’s car 
was stolen from the location sometime during the previous night. The 
Nissan Altima was located on April 2nd in the City of El Monte.

 At about 6:47 p.m., officers responded to the front counter of the Arcadia 
Police Department regarding a fraud report. The victim stated she received 
two envelopes containing cashier’s checks and letters with instructions to 
cash the checks, keep a portion, and forward the remaining balance to a 
third party. The victim believed this to be suspicious and reported it. The 
investigation is ongoing.

Thursday, April 2:

At approximately 11:15 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 1100 
block of Monte Verde Drive regarding subjects entering the rear yard of a 
neighboring residence. Additional officers arrived and were able to detain 
a suspicious vehicle and three occupants leaving the area. An investigation 
revealed a 21-year-old black male and 29-year-old black male entered the 
residence by smashing the rear sliding glass door, stole various items, and 
fled in the awaiting silver BMW SUV before being stopped by police. 
The two males and a 21-year-old black female driver were arrested and 
transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking. 

 Around 5:00 p.m., an officer initiated an enforcement stop on a vehicle 
in the area of Walnut Avenue and Holly Avenue for expired registration. 
Upon contacting the 46-year-old Hispanic male driver, the officer detected 
a strong odor of alcohol emitting from the man’s breath, discovered he was 
uninsured, and had false registration tags. A field sobriety test revealed 
he had a blood alcohol content greater than .08%. He was arrested and 
transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking. 

Friday, April 3: 

Just after 1:49 a.m., an officer initiated consensual contact with an 
individual who was having difficulty walking in the area of Huntington 
Drive and First Avenue. The officer detected a strong odor of alcohol 
emitting from the 29-year-old Hispanic male’s breath, discovered he had 
fallen, and determined he was unable to care for himself. The suspect was 
arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking. 

 At about 7:36 p.m., an officer responded to Macy’s at the Westfield 
Shopping Town, 400 South Baldwin Avenue, regarding a theft report. 
Surveillance footage revealed a 25-year-old black female selected 
numerous items of merchandise before exiting the store without paying. 
She was arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking. 
During the booking process, the jailer discovered the suspect provided a 
false name. This offense was added to her list of charges. 

Saturday, April 4:

Just after 1:22 p.m., an officer responded to the Westfield Shopping Town, 
400 South Baldwin Avenue, regarding a hit and run traffic collision. A 
witness reported seeing Party-1 hit 3 cars parked next to each other. Due 
to the impact, one of the vehicles collided with a fourth vehicle. Party-1 
made no attempt to stop or provide information. The suspect vehicle is 
described as a black, newer model, Honda Accord with paper plates. The 
investigation is ongoing.

 At approximately 9:49 p.m., officers responded to Arcadia Methodist 
Hospital, 300 West Huntington Drive, regarding a battery report. A 
53-year-old white female refused to leave the waiting room when asked 
by hospital staff, and instead pulled the victim’s hair and hit her arm. The 
suspect was arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking.

BRUNCH AND BINGO

The City of Arcadia Senior Services is having a BINGO event. It will 
take place on Friday, May 8, 2015 at 10:00am and will end approximately 
1:00pm. It will be held at the Arcadia Community Center, 365 Campus 
Drive. The cost is $10.00 and includes breakfast; breakfast casserole, 
roll, fruit and juice. There will be a professional lighted BINGO board 
and you will play 10 games. Winners receive gift certificates with the 
grand prize $50.00 gift card for Blackout. Daubers can be purchased for 
$1.00 or bring your own. Tickets are on sale now, last day to purchase 
is Thursday, April 30 or until the limited number of tickets available are 
sold. You can reserve a table of seven so you can have a group of your 
friends sit together. This event is for individuals age 50 and over. For 
more information please call 626.574.5130.

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.

FALL PREVENTION

Arcadia Senior Services in partnership with Methodist Hospital is 
having a special health presentation. It will take place at the Arcadia 
Community Center, 365 Campus Drive on Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at 
1:30pm. The special guest speaker will be Dr. Frank Chow, DPT, OCS; 
he will be emphasizing fall prevention. Falling and losing their balance 
is a major concern for senior citizens. According to the Center for 
Disease Control, one out of every 3 people age 65 and older falls each 
year. Of those who fall, 20-30% suffer moderate to severe injuries that 
reduce mobility and independence. Dr. Chow received his Bachelor of 
Science in Exercise Science from the University of Southern California. 
He later received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) also from 
USC. If interested in attending this free informative health lecture 
please call Arcadia Senior Services 626.574.5130 before April 22, 2015.

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.