Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, July 18, 2020

6 

ARCADIA/MONROVIA-DUARTE 

Mountain View News Saturday, July 18, 2020 

CITY OF MONROVIA COVID-19 EMERGENCY 
RENTAL (ERA) & EMERGENCY 
UTILITY ASSISTANCE (EUA) PROGRAMS 

The City of Monrovia COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance 
(COVID-19 ERA) and COVID-19 Emergency Utility Assistance 
(COVID-19 EUA) Programs will begin accepting Eligibility Intake 
Forms on Monday, July 20, 2020 through Thursday, July 30, 
2020 through our City website. Residents who are income eligible 
and whose income has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic 
emergency will be able to apply for assistance of a one-time 
payment of up to $500 for rental assistance and for a one-time 
payment of up to $150 for utility assistance. These programs are 
funded by the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) 
funds through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic, 
Security (CARES) Act and will provide approximately 120 
rental assistance grants and approximately 135 utility assistance 
grants to qualified applicants. 

Program Procedures: 

Step 1: Applicant will complete initial Eligibility Intake Packet located 
on the City website and submit it to City Staff by email. 

Step 2: Once the eligibility intake period has reached the deadline 
of July 30, staff will begin screening the submitted intake forms 
for eligibility. If the applicant is deemed eligible, staff will put 
qualified applicants into a lottery system that will randomly select 
eligible households. 

Step 3: City Staff will contact the randomly selected applicants 
and request further required program paperwork and documentation 
to confirm eligibility. 

Step 4: Once eligibility has been confirmed they will have 10 business 
days to submit all required documents. Staff will then begin 
submitting the supplemental one-time rental and/or utility payments 
on behalf of qualified and accepted households to their 
landlord and/or directly to the chosen utility service provider. 

MONROVIA RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL 
EVICTION MORATORIUM 

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Monrovia City 
Council adopted a Residential Eviction Moratorium and a Commercial 
Eviction Moratorium. These moratorium prohibits all 
landlords/property owners from pursuing an eviction for nonpayment 
of rent and “no fault” evictions.The ordinance will remain 
in place through the duration of the COVID-19 emergency 
declaration. 

ARCADIA POLICE BLOTTER 

For the period of Sunday, July 5th, through Saturday, July 
11th, the Police Department responded to 856 calls for service, 
of which 115 required formal investigations. The following 
is a summary report of some of the major incidents 
handled by the Department during this period. 

Monday, July 6: 

1. At 6:03 a.m., officer responded to the alley behind 24 
Hour Fitness, located at 125 North First Avenue, in regard 
to two suspects being detained by a security alarm officer. 
An investigation revealed two suspects were in possession of 
stolen mail and property and a third suspect was found in a 
nearby utility closet of the gym and was also in possession 
of stolen property, packages, and mail. A 33-year-old female 
from Santa Barbara, a 34-year-old male from Irwindale, and 
a 25-year-old male transient from Arcadia were arrested and 
transported to the Arcadia City Jail for booking. 

2. At 9:12 a.m., an officer responded to a residence in 
the 400 block of California Avenue regarding a mail theft 
report. The reporting party discovered eight of the community 
mailboxes had been tampered with and were ajar. It is 
unknown if any mail was stolen. There is no suspect information 
at this time. 

3. At 11:44 a.m., an officer responded to the 00 block 
of West Live Oak Avenue regarding a stolen vehicle report. 
Sometime between July 2nd and July 6th, the victim’s SPCNS 
trailer had been stolen from the rear parking lot. There is no 
suspect information at the time of this report. 

4. At 6:04 p.m., an officer responded to the 900 block 
of Magnis Street regarding a theft from vehicle report. The 
victim left her purse in plain view in her unlocked vehicle. 
When she returned, her purse had been stolen. The investigation 
is pending a review of the surveillance footage. 

Tuesday, July 7: 

5. At 6:43 a.m., officers responded to Young Boxing, located 
at 113 East Santa Clara Street, regarding an aggravated 
assault report. Surveillance footage revealed the unknown 
suspect brandished a knife as he approached the entrance of 
the gym. The victim came out from the gym and confronted 
the suspect. An altercation ensued and the victim chased the 
suspect away. The suspect returned with a metal sign and 
began hitting the door to the gym. The victim returned and 
scared off the suspect with a firearm. The suspect ultimately 
fled. During the interactions, the victim sustained a cut to 
his thigh and foot. Arcadia Fire responded but the victim 
refused to be transported. The suspect is described as a Hispanic 
male wearing a black hat, black shirt, and black pants. 
He was seen riding a bicycle. The investigation is ongoing. 

6. At 12:07 p.m., an officer responded to the 400 block 
of East Pamela Road regarding a theft from vehicle report. 
Between 5:15 a.m. and 5:20 a.m., an unknown suspect entered 
the victim’s unlocked vehicle that had been parked in 
the driveway, ransacked the car, and fled with an unknown 
amount of property. There is no suspect information at this 
time. 

Wednesday, July 8: 

7. At 3:57 a.m., officer responded to the intersection of 
First Avenue and Foothill Boulevard regarding an aggravated 
assault report. When the victim declined to give the suspect 
a cigarette, the 31-year-old female transient attacked the 
victim. The victim, a fellow transient, stated she was struck 
with a tool similar to a large meat tenderizer. Officers located 
the suspect nearby and arrested her. She was transported to 
the Pasadena City Jail for booking. Arcadia Fire responded 
and rendered aid at the scene. 

8. At 7:30 a.m., an officer responded to the 400 block 
of Walnut Avenue regarding a vandalism report. The victim 
discovered unknown suspect(s) caused damage to her mailbox 
by knocking it over. There is no surveillance footage or 
suspect information at this time. 

Thursday, July 9: 

9. At 1:01 p.m., an officer responded to a residence in 
the 1900 block of South Seventh Avenue regarding a residential 
burglary report. The victim discovered an unknown 
suspect entered his open garage and stole his black travel kit 
bag. There is no suspect information at this time. 

10. At 10:34 p.m., an officer responded to a residence 
in the 100 block of West Palm Drive regarding a residential 
burglary report. The officer determined unknown suspects 
entered the home by forcing open the front door. It appears 
as if the suspects opened a drawer in a bedroom, but the loss 
is unknown at this time. The investigation is ongoing. 

Friday, July 10: 

11. At 1:47 p.m., an officer responded to Church of the 
Good Shepard, located at 400 West Duarte Road, regarding 
a commercial burglary report. An investigation revealed unknown 
suspects forced their way into a locked restroom and 
ultimately damaged a toilet paper dispenser. The suspect(s) 
left bloody towels and blood on the walls of the restroom. 
The investigation is ongoing. 

12. At 2:16 p.m., an officer responded to KGS Electronics, 
located at 418 East Live Oak Avenue, regarding a vandalism 
report. The victim reported that the front passenger 
window of his vehicle had been smashed. It did not appear 
that the suspect(s) entered the vehicle. The investigation is 
ongoing. 

Saturday, July 11: 

13. At 5:31 a.m., an officer responded to Maki and Sushi, 
located at 302 East Huntington Drive, regarding a commercial 
burglary report. The reporting party notified police 
of a smashed front glass door to the restaurant. The officer 
checked the business and discovered the cash register area 
appeared to be ransacked. The investigation is ongoing. 

14. At 7:54 a.m., an officer responded to SpringHill 
Suites, located at 99 North Second Avenue, regarding a theft 
report. An investigation revealed a male subject paid an unknown 
male to have sex with a prostitute. When the prostitute 
didn’t show up, the male subject called Arcadia PD and 
falsely reported a robbery. The investigation is ongoing. 

ARCADIA EXTENDS SUSPENSION OF OVERNIGHT 
PARKING AND STREET SWEEPING 
ENFORCEMENT. 

 Due to extensions and new restrictions to the ongoing COVID-
19 Safer at Home and in the Community Health Order, the 
City understands that many of our residents are staying at home 
and may have limited parking options. Therefore, overnight parking 
and street sweeping enforcement will remain suspended until 
further notice. 

 Arcadia residents, business owners, and visitors should be aware 
of timed parking zones in business and commercial areas. With 
businesses still in a limited reopening phase, timed zones in our 
business and commercial areas will be enforced. Please pay attention 
to the posted parking signs when you park to avoid receiving 
a citation. 

Should anyone have any questions, please contact the Arcadia 
Police Department at (626) 574-5151 

ALTADENA-SO. PASADENA-SAN MARINO 

South Pasadena Public 
Library Closure FAQ 

Pasadena Man Charged 
in Violent Kidnapping of 
Chinese Foreign National 

San Marino Facade 
Improvement Program 

 The library building is currently closed to the public per the County 
of Los Angeles “Safer at Home” mandate, which seeks to ensure the 
health and safety of our community. 

Can I check out materials? 

Yes, our Library Takeout service is a no-contact check-out/pick-up 
service that allows you to request materials and pick them up at the 
Library entrance, Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 
Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Customers using this service 
will be required to wear a face covering that covers nose and mouth 
and abide by physical distancing requirements as defined by the 
County of Los Angeles Public Health Department. Visit our Library 
Takeout landing page for details. 

How do I contact library staff? 

Contact us by email at library@southpasadenaca.gov or by phone 
during Library Takeout hours. Click here for a list of phone numbers. 

 When are my items due? 

On July 1 the Library implemented automatic renewals for all eligible 
items. Items will be automatically be renewed up to two times as long 
as another customer has not placed a hold on the item. To receive 
email notices about which items were successful auto renewed and 
which were ineligible, make sure you have a working email address 
saved in your account. Customers can add or update their email 
address by logging in to the catalog: southpasadenaca.gov/catalog. If 
you need help, watch our short video tutorial on how to this. 

What about overdue fees? 

No late fees will be charged through August 31, 2020. 

Can I return my items? 

Yes, the exterior book drops are open for returns. 

Are the Friends of the Library accepting book donations? 

No, at this time there is a hold on accepting book donations. Hang on 
to them; the Friends will be happy to accept donations again as soon 
as circumstances allow. 

 What if my card is blocked? 

The Library has taken steps to ensure that customers can access 
digital resources and place holds, including unblocking all cards with 
fine balances under $200 and changing the expiration dates on all 
library cards set to expire between January 1, 2020 and September 30, 
2020 to October 1, 2020. We are not accepting fine payments at this 
time. If you are having trouble accessing a resource, call or email us. 

 How can I get a new library card? 

The library will issue new cards via email. Adults can get a library card 
by emailing a completed library card application and a photocopy/ 
scan/photo of their state-issued ID bearing a current address 
to library@southpasadenaca.gov. Parents and guardians should 
complete applications for children (ages 0 to 12) and teens (ages 
13-17) and email them along with a photocopy of the responsible 
parent/guardian’s state-issued ID. 

 What resources can I access from home? 

Digital resources that can be accessed at any time from any location 
with an internet connection and a South Pasadena Public Library 
card include e-books and e-audiobooks, magazines and newspapers, 
film streaming, language learning, and encyclopedias and databases 
for research. These resources are conveniently summarized on the 
library’s website at: southpasadenaca.gov/onlineresources. 

 The City of San Marino wants to help you upgrade your building 
façade. We are launching a Façade Improvement Program in order 
to help create a beautiful business area to attract more shoppers 
and increase your sales. Grant money is available for painting, 
awnings, signage, repairs, restorations, and business entries. 

DETAILS: 

The application period will be from now to September 30th. 

Your building must be construction ready – this means you have 
already hired contractors and have a plan ready for how you want 
to improve your façade. 

The grant will be provided on a first-come first-served basis until 
we have the maximum number of eligible applicants. 

 Please contact, Management Analyst, Stephanie Britt for the 
application and more information at: sbritt@cityofsanmarino.org 

 We’re available to answer any questions and to help you start 
beautifying your façade. 

Remains Were Found Buried in the Mojave 
Desert 

 Two men from the San Gabriel 
Valley, one from Pasadena, were 
charged Wednesday in federal 
court for allegedly participating 
in the kidnapping of Ruochen 
“Tony” Liao, a Chinese national 
who was violently abducted 
from a mall parking lot in San 
Gabriel two years ago, and 
whose parents were extorted 
for $2 million in ransom before 
Liao died from his injuries. 

 Anthony Valladares, 28, of 
Pasadena, and Alexis Ivan 
Romero Velez, 24, most recently 
a resident of Azusa, were taken 
into custody Tuesday during the 
execution of search warrants by 
FBI agents and members of the 
San Gabriel Valley Safe Street 
Task Force. Federal prosecutors 
this morning filed a criminal 
complaint in United States 
District Court that charges both 
Valladares and Romero with one 
count of kidnapping. 

 Previously in this investigation, 
two Chinese nationals were 
charged in a four-count 
indictment alleging they 
kidnapped Mr. Liao and 
attempted to collect $2 million 
in ransom from Mr. Liao’s 
family in exchange for the 
victim’s life. Guangyao Yang, 26, 
and Peicheng Shen, 34, whose 
last known U.S. residences 
were in West Covina, were 
charged with conspiracy to 
kidnap, kidnapping, attempted 
extortion in violation of the 
Hobbs Act, and threat by foreign 
communication. Yang and 
Shen are currently in custody 
in China on charges filed there 
related to the kidnapping. 

 During the investigation, the 
FBI learned that Valladares 
and Romero worked with 
Yang and Shen to conduct the 
kidnapping, during which Liao 
was repeatedly beaten and tased 
into submission, according to 
the affidavit in support of the 
complaint. Valladares was the 
“muscle” hired to intimidate, 
beat and subdue Liao during the 
kidnapping, and Romero was 
the driver of the vehicle used in 
the kidnapping, according to the 
affidavit. 

 Valladares and Romero were 
arrested Tuesday after making 
statements about their roles in 
the kidnapping to investigators. 
According to the affidavit, 
Valladares admitted that he was 
hired to assist in the kidnapping, 
agreed to accept $1,000 for 
the job, and restrained Liao 
during the kidnapping. Romero 
admitted, according to the 
affidavit, that he was recruited 
by Valladares and was the driver 
during the kidnapping. 

 After Liao was kidnapped 
on July 16, 2018, his parents 
in China received ransom 
demands and “proof-of-life” 
photos suggesting that Liao had 
been badly beaten, blindfolded, 
and tied up with duct tape. 
Liao’s parents were told to 
deposit the ransom payment 
into Chinese bank accounts 
within three hours, according to 
court documents. 

 Investigators believe Liao was 
held captive in a closet at a 
residence in Corona. During his 
captivity, investigators believe 
Liao was frequently beaten and 
ultimately died the night of July 
17. During the early morning 
of July 18, investigators believe 
Yang and Shen drove to the 
desert near the town of Mojave 
to bury Liao’s body. 

 On July 26, 2019, the FBI 
laboratory used DNA testing to 
identify Liao’s remains, which 
were recovered following a 
search by the FBI’s Evidence 
Response Team. 

 Valladares and Romero are 
expected to make an initial 
appearance in U.S. District 
Court in Los Angeles this 
afternoon. 

 A criminal complaint contains 
allegations that a defendant 
has committed a crime. Every 
defendant is presumed innocent 
until and unless proven guilty 
beyond a reasonable doubt. 

 The kidnapping charge carries 
a statutory maximum penalty of 
life in federal prison. 

 The investigation into the 
kidnapping is being conducted 
by the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation, with significant 
assistance by members of the 
FBI’s Safe Street Task Force, 
which includes the Pasadena 
Police Department. 

 This case is being prosecuted 
by Assistant United States 
Attorneys Julia Choe of the 
Cyber and Intellectual Property 
Crimes Section and Frances 
Lewis of the Public Corruption 
and Civil Rights Section. 

City Film Office Reopens 

The City of Pasadena Film 
Office reopened Tuesday 
and began accepting permit 
applications for commercial 
production filming and still 
shoots within Pasadena city 
limits. 

 Film Office guidelines have 
been updated to adhere to 
public health protocol and 
reduce the risk of COVID-19 
transmission. All proposed 
film and photography 
permit applications must 
abide by the City’s Public 
Health Reopening Protocol 
for Music, TV and Film 
Production, as well as these 
special conditions: 

 The production/applicant 
must comply with all 
federal, state and local 
public health requirements, 
including the appointment 
and identification of a 
COVID-19 compliance 
manager. 

The number of persons 
allowed to gather on site 
must conform to physical 
distancing requirements 
outlined in the Health 
Officer Order. 

Filming in residential areas 
is to occur between the 
hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. 
This includes set-up and 
breakdown. 

 Filming in commercial 
areas is to occur between 7 
a.m. and 7 p.m. This includes 
set-up and breakdown. 

Parking is only allowed on 
property and directly in 
front of a location with a 
minimum street width of 35 
feet. 

 City personnel is required 
for all shoots. 

 Payment must be rendered 
before permit is issued. 

 For more information, visit 
the Film Office website or 
call (626) 744-3964. 

 Now Accepting Permit 
Applications 

Rotating Public Art Podcasts 

 
Pasadena’s Public Art Program 
has collaborated with Side 
Street Projects and Pasadena’s 
Complete Streets Coalition to 
develop podcasts with the artists 
featured in Phase III of the 
Rotating Public Art Exhibition 
Program. This project was 
developed as part of the City’s 
participation and sponsorship of 
Bike Month. Given the Complete 
Streets Coalition’s suspension of 
group tours for the time being, 
the entities teamed up to create 
new programming that may be 
experienced broadly and safely 
via technology. 

 The podcasts are integrated into 
a tour platform that includes a 
suggested bike route. The tour 
accompanies podcasts intended 
as a program to engage listeners 
while safely visiting the sites. 
Listeners can tune in to the 
artists via a preferred transit 
method, or even at home, to hear 
about artwork in the Rotating 
Public Art Exhibition Program 
while viewing the accompanying 
images. 

 For more information email 
Wendy Miller: wmiller@ 
cityofpasadena.net or visit: 
cityofpasadena.net, search 
“rotating public art program.” 

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