Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, September 23, 2017

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Mountain View News Saturday, September 23, 2017 


ARCADIA NAMED MOST BUSINESS FRIENDLY CITY 
FINALIST FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR

ARCADIA POLICE BLOTTER

For the period of Sunday, September 10th, through 
Saturday, September 16th, the Police Department 
responded to 899 calls for service, of which 136 required 
formal investigations. The following is a summary report 
of the major incidents handled by the Department during 
this period.

Sunday, September 10:

 Shortly before 1:34 p.m., an officer responded to the 
Santa Anita Mall, 400 South Baldwin Avenue, regarding an 
activation of an Arcadia Police Department GPS tracker. 
Arcadia PD detectives had previously deployed decoy 
bicycles with tracking devices to combat the increase in 
bike thefts throughout the city. An investigation revealed 
a 54-year-old male from Los Angeles was in possession 
of the stolen bicycle and GPS tracker. The suspect was 
arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for 
booking.

 At approximately 6:21 p.m., an officer responded to 
Sephora, 400 South Baldwin Avenue, regarding a petty 
theft report. A loss prevention specialist witnessed the 
adult and juvenile suspects conceal numerous items of 
makeup before exiting the store, failing to make payment. 
The 20-year-old female from Arcadia and 16-year-old 
female from El Monte were cited and released in the 
field.

Monday, September 11:

 Just after 12:19 p.m., an officer responded to the 76 Gas 
Station, 102 East Duarte Road, regarding a grand theft 
report. The officer determined a female suspect asked to 
borrow the victim’s phone and as the suspect appeared to 
make a phone call, she fled to an awaiting vehicle.

 The suspect is described as a Hispanic female in her 
twenties, approximately 5’5”, and 160 pounds. She fled in 
a white Ford Explorer. The investigation is ongoing.

 At approximately 3:22 p.m., an officer responded to 
the intersection of Colorado Street and Baldwin Avenue 
regarding a vandalism report. A witness reported seeing a 
male suspect using spray paint to vandalize a utility box. 
The writing was illegible and the suspect was gone by the 
time officers arrived. 

Tuesday, September 12:

 Around 1:21 p.m., an officer responded to the 1000 
block of West Huntington Drive regarding a stolen vehicle 
report. The officer discovered unknown suspect(s) stole 
the victim’s 2012 Infiniti sometime between September 
9th and September 12th. No suspects were seen and no 
witnesses were located. The investigation is ongoing.

6. Just before 8:36 p.m., an officer responded to the 200 
block of East Floral Avenue regarding a theft from vehicle 
report. The officer determined an unknown suspect stole 
the catalytic converter from a 2003 Honda Odyssey. No 
suspects were seen and no witnesses were located.

Wednesday, September 13:

 Shortly after 3:35 p.m., an officer responded to a 
residence in the 2700 block of Warren Way regarding a 
burglary report. An investigation revealed an unknown 
suspect stole three pairs of sunglasses from two unlocked 
vehicles that were parked in an unlocked garage. No 
suspects were seen and no witnesses were located.

 At about 5:35 p.m., an officer responded to the Santa 
Anita Mall, 400 South Baldwin Avenue, regarding a stolen 
vehicle report. The officer discovered an unknown suspect 
stole the victim’s 2000 Honda Civic from the downstairs 
parking lot near Nordstrom sometime between 10:15 
a.m. on today’s date and the time of this report. El Monte 
Police Department located the abandoned vehicle a short 
time later. The investigation is ongoing.

Thursday, September 14:

 Before 5:00 a.m., an officer responded to Walgreens, 
140 East Live Oak Avenue, regarding a burglary report. 
Surveillance footage revealed three suspects smashed 
the front door, gained entry into the pharmacy, stole 
Adderall, Methadone, and Oxycodone, and then fled. 

 The suspects are described as three suspects wearing 
hooded sweatshirts, masks, and gloves. The investigation 
is ongoing.

 Around 10:30 a.m., officer responded to the 2800 block 
of Bradford Avenue regarding a burglary that had just 
occurred. The victim saw two suspects in her back yard 
using a tool to break a rear window. An investigation 
revealed five suspects were linked to a second residential 
burglary that in the 700 block of East Wistaria Avenue. 
Two 19-year-old males from Los Angeles, a 22-year-old 
male from Los Angeles, a 22-year-old female from Los 
Angeles, and a 20-year-old female from Los Angeles 
were arrested and transported to the Arcadia City Jail for 
booking. 

Friday, September 15: 

 At about 9:29 a.m., an officer responded to the 00 block 
of East Live Oak Avenue regarding a subject taking items 
from a donation bin. The officer located the 35-year-old 
male from South El Monte and, during a consensual 
search, discovered an illegal weapon and various pieces of 
stolen property. The suspect was arrested and transported 
to the Arcadia City Jail for booking. 

 Just before 11:04 a.m., an officer responded to a 
residence in the 00 block of Fano Street regarding a 
vandalism report. The officer discovered an unknown 
suspect damaged the dead bolt lock to the condominium 
complex’s storage unit. No loss was reported, no suspects 
were seen, and no witnesses were located. 

Saturday, September 16:

 Shortly after 3:20 a.m., an officer conducted a traffic 
stop on a vehicle in the area of Huntington Drive and 
Santa Clara Street for driving on the wrong side of the 
road. Upon contacting the driver, the officer detected a 
strong odor of alcohol emitting from the driver. Through 
a series of tests, the officer determined the 27-year-old 
male from Montebello was driving under the influence of 
an alcoholic beverage. During an inventory search of the 
vehicle, the officer discovered the passenger, a 21-year-
old female from Los Angeles, was in possession of a 
controlled substance. Both suspects were arrested and 
transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking. 

 At approximately 9:48 p.m., an officer responded to the 
front counter of the Arcadia Police Department regarding 
a fraud report. The victim stated he completed several 
money transfers via Money Gram and Western Union in 
exchange for two live birds but never received them. The 
investigation is ongoing. 

September 19, 2017 – The City of Arcadia was 
announced as an Eddy Awards finalist for Most 
Business-Friendly City by the Los Angeles County 
Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) 
for cities with a population under 68,000. This 
is the second time the City of Arcadia has been 
selected as a finalist for this award.

 Finalists are selected by a blue ribbon panel 
that evaluates and recognizes Los Angeles County 
cities that are doing the most to encourage job 
creation and facilitate the ease of doing business 
within their communities. “It’s great to see the 
City of Arcadia continuing to be leader in in our 
economic development efforts,” said Mayor Peter 
Amundson. “Arcadia has long been known to be 
a great place to raise a family but being recognized 
for our unique approach to business attraction and 
development for two years in a row is no small 
feat. It’s important for the business community and 
entrepreneurs to know that the City is here to help 
them pursue their dreams in Arcadia.” 

 Over the past several years, the City has taken 
great strides to cut red tape, streamline processes, 
and enhance customer service through a business 
assistance program, and a new pro-business 
Development Code. “The City recognizes the 
changes in the retail and commercial sector, and 
is committed to a proactive and flexible approach”, 
said Assistant City Manager/Development Services 
Director Jason Kruckeberg. “We are focused on 
finding creative solutions for new businesses, 
providing resources and assistance to existing 
businesses, and fostering a business-friendly 
environment throughout the City. 

 Winners of the 2017 Eddy Awards will be 
announced on Thursday, November 9, 2017 at the 
Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. 
The annual gala began in 1996 to support fulfillment 
of the LAEDC’s mission to recognize excellence 
by celebrating individuals, organizations, and 
cities that demonstrate exceptional contributions 
to economic development in the region. For 
more information, please visit the LAEDC 
website at www.laedc.org/eddy-awards.


About 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.


STAFF SEEKING AUTHORIZATION TO BEGIN 
PROPOSITION 218 WATER RATE ADJUSTMENT PROCESS 
IN OCTOBER 2017 TO ADDRESS THE NEW WATER 
ASSESSMENTS BEING LEVIED ON MONROVIA AND 
OTHER WATER PROVIDERS IN THE MAIN SAN GABRIEL 
BASIN, RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER COSTS EXPECTED TO 
INCREASE BY $15 - $17 / MONTH BEGINNING IN 2018

HOMETOWN HEROES LOIS GASTON AND 

REYNA DIAZ HONORED BY THEIR COMMUNITIES 
AT THE L.A. COUNTY FAIR


Over the last several months, City staff has been working to 
analyze the issues surrounding our regional water supply 
and the anticipated associated costs that will be impacting 
Monrovians in the coming months and years. As a result, 
staff will be seeking the City Council’s authorization to 
begin the Proposition 218 Protest Hearing process in 
October 2017 to adjust our current water rate to absorb 
the enormous added costs being passed down to water 
agencies in our region. 

 Please note that we are still working to finalize the 
levels of adjustment needed for the different types of 
water customers and various meter sizes. However, the 
majority of customers in Monrovia are single family 
residences with a 1-inch water meter or smaller, and based 
on our preliminary rate modeling, our updated rates will 
likely recommend a water cost structure where residential 
customers see an increase of between $15 - $17 / month 
on their monthly bill beginning in 2018. In addition, 
at build out in FY 2021/22, the new cost for water is 
expected to increase by around $35 / month more than 
what the typical residential customer pays today. Also, it 
is important to emphasize that all of these new costs are 
pass-through costs which will be paid to the San Gabriel 
Basin Watermaster and the Upper San Gabriel Valley 
Municipal Water District for the purpose of importing 
water into our region.

 Ultimately, the proposed water rate adjustment is being 
coordinated because of new water supply costs that the 
Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster (Watermaster) and 
the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District 
(Upper District) are levying to address the water supply 
shortage in the Main San Gabriel Basin. As you may know, 
the decade-long drought that we have experienced in our 
region has had a devastating impact on the groundwater 
levels in Main San Gabriel Basin aquifer, where Monrovia 
and many other water agencies draw their groundwater 
from. 

 Last May, the Watermaster (which is the agency that 
regulates who gets to draw water from the Main San 
Gabriel Basin aquifer and how much they can pump) 
instituted a new fee on all water producers in the San 
Gabriel Valley, including the City of Monrovia. This 
new fee was implemented so that they could make a 
large purchase of water – 40.7 billion gallons at a cost 
of over $100 million. This purchase was made after 
careful consideration and an examination of all available 
options to restore the health of the Basin after it reached 
historically low levels. 

 The cost of purchasing and importing this water will be 
split between all of the communities and agencies that use 
this water, including us here in Monrovia, which means 
that water will become more expensive for all of us. 

By Joan Schmidt

Wednesday, September 13, 2017 was a very special day at 
the Fair for Monrovia, Arcadia, and Duarte Community 
Residents.

 Each year, the L. A. County Fair has “Special City Days”, 
when residents of a chosen city purchase reduced Fair 
tickets, and participate in special events. The Day’s Highlight 
is a Reception with delicious refreshments and Recognition 
of their Hometown hero! This year, for the first time ever, 
the “MAD” County Area was invited to participate in this 
special day, thanks to Supervisor Barger.

Festivities began at 3pm. The three participants were the 
City of Duarte, the City of Monrovia, and the Monrovia 
Arcadia Duarte County Area.

Duarte was first. Mayor Pro Tem John Fasana gave 
highlights of Lois Gaston’s many contributions to Duarte. 
Before serving on their City Council for eight years, 
Lois was well-known in the community for advancing 
educational opportunities for young people, providing 
assistance to senior citizens and the needy, serving over a 
decade on various City Commissions and Community 
non-profits such as the Duarte Ed Foundation and Duarte 
Coordinating Council. She is the Chair of the Community 
Mediation Team constantly striving to bring the entire 
community together. She has led efforts to provide SAT 
tutoring for at-risk youth. Lois has served on the Foothill 
Unity Center Board and on September 28 will receive their 
Heart in Hand award. Lois has been recognized on the city, 
county and state level for her hard work and volunteerism 
in so many areas. 

Debby Mendelsohn for Supervisor Barger, Kristi 
Lopez for Senator Portantino and Veronica Lopez for 
Assemblywoman Rubio all presented Certificates. Mayor 
Pro Tem Fasana and Councilmember Reilly presented a 
Certificate and flowers to Lois. Called to the Podium also 
were Superintendent Dr. Murcerino, and Board Members 
Reyna Diaz, Doug Edwards and Dr. Irene Murray.

Also participating in the Festivities was the Unincorporated 
Area. “MAD” Town Council President David Hall was 
called to the podium and invited Vice President Terrence 
Williams, Council Members Linda Sells, Joan Schmidt, and 
Temple Station Captain David Flores to join him. (In 1993, 
Cpt. Flores was the FIRST Special Assignment Deputy 
for our area.) Hall shared our history, and explained how 
the Town Council functions-working together as ONE. 
Williams spoke of Reyna and their bond as school board 
members: he is Vice President, Monrovia School Board; 
Reyna, President, Duarte School Board. I then shared how a 
young Reyna left war-torn El Salvador with a baby daughter 
Violet in search of a better life. She met and married Ruben 
Diaz 40 years ago and they have raised Violet and two sons 
in a loving home. They work hard-Ruben has a wrought-
iron fencing business, and Reyna has worn many hats- a 
wedding coordinator and cake decorator-to name a few. 
Reyna is unmatched in volunteerism and hard work, and 
Ruben has always been at her side with help and support.

Reyna served on the Formation Committee Mar-Jun, 
1993-translating and encouraging community involvement; 
served on the Town Council ten years, and the LASD 
Community Advisory Committee. She walked her area and 
registered voters, and was the main reason a school bond 
passed. The first Latina/County Resident on the Duarte 
School Board, having served almost 20 years and current 
Board President, searching for innovative programs. Reyna 
annually held fundraiser dinners so she and Ruben could 
bring Xmas toys to El Salvador and Mexico, and refurbished 
ambulances. She also obtained funds for victims of natural 
disasters such as floods and earthquakes. Reyna also serves 
on Foothill Unity Center Board and is active with Kiwanis 
and Meals on Wheels.

President Dave Hall read a Proclamation declaring Reyna 
Diaz our Hometown Hero and presented it to her. Mrs. Sells 
presented flowers, and the representatives gave Certificates 
on behalf of the dignitaries. 

The wonderful festivities ended with a great parade. Thank 
you L.A. County Fair for such a memorable day!

THE CITY OF MONROVIA AND THEIR HOMETOWN 
HERO: THE HIPPIE BOTS

By Joan Schmidt

 September 13, 2017 was a special day for the Cities 
of Duarte and Monrovia, and the “MAD” (Monrovia 
Arcadia Duarte) Unincorporated County area at LA 
County Fair. In a separate article I wrote about two special 
ladies, Lois Gaston and Reyna Diaz, the City of Duarte 
and Mad “Hometown Heroes.”

 Because the Hippie Bots, Clifton MIDDLE School’s 
team did the unthinkable-become World Champions 
competing against HIGH SCHOOL and COLLEGE 
students, I must share their long journey reaching their 
ultimate goal.

 First I must acknowledge their teacher Paul Flores and 
coach Gina Ayala. You can have the brightest students, the 
best programs, but someone at the top must guide them 
and oversee their work.

 A step leading to their World Championship occurred 
in 2016. The Hippie Bots traveled to Shanghai, China for 
an international competition. They were the ONLY U.S. 
team invited and finished 13th place out of 49 teams, 
ranking ahead of the Russian team. This experience 
helped form their strategy at the Dutch Open.

 On May 20, 2017, the Hippie Bots stunned an 
international field of high school and college students by 
winning the 2017 FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Dutch 
Open in Eindhoven, Netherlands as the ONLY competing 
American Team! 

 How did they do this remarkable feat? They 
programmed all the right moves and overcame obstacles 
as they maneuvered their way through the 45 team, 10- 
country field, completing the tournament undefeated and 
capturing the three- team alliance that took the first prize!

 Did you know that Monrovia Unified School District 
actually has ten robotics teams that regularly compete in 
Southern California leagues sanctioned by FIRST Tech, 
a national nonprofit dedicated to inspiring young people 
to be leaders in science, technology, engineering and 
mathematics (STEM) fields?

 Monrovia’s festivities at the Fair began with Mayor 
Tom Adams being called up to the Podium. He brought 
Council Member Gloria Crudginton and School Board 
Members Terrence Williams and Ed Guililland to the 
front and acknowledged city officials.

 Mr. Adams read a short synopsis of the Hippie Bots 
Achievements and called them up. The City had a 
Certificate for them. Presentations were made by Debby 
Mendelsohn, (Supervisor Barger). Kristi Lopez (Senator 
Portantino) and Veronica Lopez (Assemblywoman 
Blanca Rubio.

 I reside in the Monrovia County area and was very 
pleased to learn of the great achievements of the Hippie 
Bots Team, that Santa Fe Middle School is now a Magnet 
School and of course in neighboring Duarte, there is 
a now the CA School of the Arts-San Gabriel Valley. 
Residents of the Monrovia Arcadia Duarte Communities, 
we really have WONDERFUL educational opportunities 
for our children!

 VERY SPECIAL THANKS to LA COUNTY FAIR for 
including the City of Monrovia, the City of Duarte and 
our County Area in this special Community Day.

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