Duarte High School Spends Spring Break in Berkeley
By Janelle Sales

This Spring Break, nine hard-working Duarte High School students got the privilege to travel to Berkeley to tour the campus and stay for 3 days and 2 nights, April 9^th-11^th, 2007. Participants were Duarte Area Resource Team (D.A.R.T) members and had to meet several requirements to attend the trip, such as having at least 45 volunteer hours. We were chaperoned by our club advisor Public Safety Coordinator Aida Torres, Sheriff Deputy Robert MacLean, and Mrs. Iris Silviera.

Mr. Y, DCTV Director, was so gracious to allow us to borrow his video camera for the trip so we could videotape our experience and bring it back to share with others.

We met at Public Safety at 4 am on Monday, April 9^th. A seven-hour drive to campus allowed us time to rest. Our tour guide was a current student at UC Berkeley and was very informative and knowledgeable about the academics and atmosphere of the campus. We walked through the Biology Department, one of the several libraries on campus, viewed the football field and basketball gym, rode to the top of the clock tower, (The Campanile), and got to buy food at the student store near Sproul Plaza. It was a very interactive tour and really gave a precise sense of how life on campus is, at such a large and competitive school.

We also had the opportunity to tour one of the off-campus co-op living houses, Casa Joaquin. We were provided with a great dinner, desert and a tour! I really appreciated the opportunity to visit the campus because I will be a student there this coming fall.

The next day, we traveled across the Bay Bridge into San Francisco to take a ferry to the infamous Alcatraz Penitentiary. The water and city were beautiful and the tour was one-of-a-kind. You could walk through the prison and tour each sector at your own pace with personal recorded tours on a soundtrack. Although it no longer operates, and is now a National Park, the facility was well preserved and allowed you to feel as if you really spent time in the cells. Afterwards, we went to have dinner in Chinatown and also walked around in Little Italy. Before returning to the hotel, we drove over the Golden Gate Bridge to take pictures.

This Spring Break was the most productive and most fun I think most of us have ever had for Spring Break. We saw both ends of our futures: going to a prestigious college like Berkeley, or ending up in a prison like Alcatraz. DART thanks Aida and LULAC our sponsor who allowed us the chance to make this trip unforgettable. Hopefully we can do something similar next year.

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DOG LICENSES DUE 
The threat of rabies being ever present, California State law requires all dogs over the age of 4 months to be vaccinated against rabies and currently licensed for the jurisdiction in which they reside.

City of Duarte dog licenses must be purchased/renewed by August 31 of each year to avoid penalties. Proof of current rabies vaccination and a certificate of sterility, if applicable are required.

Dog licenses may be purchased at Duarte City Hall and the Duarte Public Safety Office. If you have any questions regarding dog licensing or any other animal control matter please contact the Public Safety Office at 357-7938.

Remember don’t be late and vaccinate!

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Duarte Youth Programs changed my view in life
By Angie Rincon

I find myself smiling at the thought of me graduating High School, which took place Wednesday June 20^th.  I keep repeating to myself, “I am a Duarte High School Graduate! I made it!” It took me some time to find the right path, but I know I would be lost in my own chaotic world if it wasn't for our youth programs here in our great city of Duarte. Programs that helped me see the world in a different way that showed me that little things; CAN change people’s lives.

I am part of this great program that our Sheriffs’ Satellite Station offers called D.A.R.T (Duarte Area Resource Team). In D.A.R.T we provide services to our hometown. We go on paint out activities (painting over graffiti), we volunteer for events at the Unity Center in Monrovia, provide security for city events such as the Route 66 Parade, the Rose Float Pavilion and many other events.

When I tell other people about D.A.R.T the first question they ask is “you do all this WORK for free?” and the response I give them is, “No! First of all I do not consider this work, but just giving back to the community”. Also I do community service because I believe it has helped me mature, kept me away from the streets, and made me more involved and aware of what is going on in my community. Besides for every event we work, we receive hour points that go to fun activities such as movie night, trips to Mt. High, Lazer Tag, and trips to Universities like UC Berkeley.

Before D.A.R.T I would see graffiti in our resident’s homes, and think nothing of it. Recently I had a conversation with one of my neighbors about the tagging on the sidewalk in front of her house. She said that graffiti was beautiful, a talent that not many people, mostly teens, had. She agreed that vandalizing people’s property was no way of showing this art form off. The tagging she had outside bothered her, just because it made our street look ugly and unclean. In the corner of my street we have a house that has been on the market for long. The real estate agents put up a sign that showed their information, the house was not super clean but it was decent. One morning as I walked up to school with my two younger sisters we saw tagging all over the sign. It was broken and left there half hanging. I immediately thought that if someone interested in this house were to come and see it, it would give him or her a bad vibe. Lowering the value of our homes.

I get a great feeling of accomplishment when we work outside our city like in the Unity Center in Monrovia. Last year around Christmas time, D.A.R.T members volunteered to work with other organizations to help the needy. We packed food and toys for families in our area with needs for the holidays. After everything was packed we stayed longer than all the other organizations to help the Unity Center employees set up for the mob of people that would be showing up in the morning. Just the thought of us staying late to provide this kind of help for people made me feel extra happy around the holidays.

Little things like these are what keep me going to D.A.R.T I truly don't know where I would be at if it wasn't for the peers I have made in D.A.R.T.  I know that it was not only D.A.R.T that played an important roll in my life, it was also adults like Brian Villalobos, Aida Torres, Al Scalise, Marina Romero, Deputy Sheriff Robert MacLean, Norman Anderson, Rachel Morales, Mr. Leach and all the staff at Duarte High School that put up with all my fits and stages. They helped me realized that if I kept up my wrong ways I would of end up like many of my friends, a high school drop out, pregnant, or in juvenile hall. Now, my sister and cousin are both in D.A.R.T they are both enjoying the benefits and learning from our experiences.  Before all this I was a misunderstood teenager headed nowhere, but now I am a Duarte High graduate, and a Citrus College student, headed to a great career in the public sector with teen safety, thanks to all the help from my community.

CAPTION: Senior Breakfast June 14^th, 2007. DART Scholarship recipients, from left to right, Duarte High School graduate Janelle Sales, Aida Torres (Public Safety Coordinator), Duarte High School graduate Erick Mendez, Brian Villalobos (Public Safety Director), Duarte High School graduate Shannan Hadley, and Angie Rincon.

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“BEAR” WITH US 
A PUBLIC SAFETY ALERT By John Mack

Recently in our Duarte foothills, a mother bear and her cub have been sighted in  neighborhoods feasting on garbage and fruit. Fortunately the bears have not yet threatened public safety or property, however it can be rather un-nerving to wake up in the middle of the night to a 300 pound black bear and her off-spring staring in your garden window.

The primary reason bears are finding their way into our neighborhoods is that they are foraging for food. Residents are either knowingly or unknowingly feeding our local wildlife essentially luring them out of their native habitat. The California Department of Fish and Game has warned that bears that have become reliant on human food have become increasingly dangerous and destructive. Fish and Game officials say  “A fed bear is a dead bear”.   Please assist us in minimizing the impact of all wildlife by following these guidelines:

AROUND YOUR HOME

Never feed a bear or any wildlife

Store garbage in wildlife proof containers or inside a detached building

Don’t leave pet food outside where wildlife can get to it

Move bird feeders inside at night

Clean and store barbecue grills inside a structure after each use

Don’t place fruit, melon rinds, meat or grease in a mulch or compost pile 

Clean trash cans regularly with bleach or ammonia

IF YOU SHOULD ENCOUNTER A BEAR 

Back away slowly while facing the bear

Speak softly and try not to show fear

Fight back if a black bear attacks, using any available means

Please remember that should you encounter a bear or other threatening wildlife, please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at (626) 448-9861 or dial 911. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this or any other animal control matter please contact the City of Duarte Public Safety Department at (626) 357-7938.  

CAPTION: Mama Bear and her cub out for a stroll by Royal Oaks Manor. Photo captured by Los Angeles Sheriff Deputy Tom Conger.

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Emergency Preparedness Fair 2007 was a Success!

The Duarte Public Safety Department hosted their Second Annual Emergency Preparedness Fair on Saturday, April 14^TH, at the Duarte IHOP parking lot from 9:00am to 1:00pm.  Over 200 people visited the informational booths where they were able to familiarize themselves with ways to keep their home and families safe during a disaster. Residents learned how to use a fire extinguisher to put out a fire. They also, participated in a Child Car Seat Safety Class, which educated parents in the correct way to use car seats and booster seats; participants received a free car seat.  Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Explorers took “KidPrints” of children, which are kept by parents in case of an emergency. The Duarte Public Safety Department sold low-cost bicycle helmets for Duarte youth. All this while having a taste of IHOP’s famous Chocolate Chip pancakes. The event was graciously sponsored by Duarte IHOP

Tip Leads Deputies to Marijuana Grow House 

A tip led police to a 3098 Hacienda Drive in the City of Duarte last Thursday, June 14th, 2007. The home was rented out and occupied only for the growing of marijuana. Sheriff Deputies recovered one thousand plants with a street value of half a million dollars. The home appeared to be unoccupied and unfurnished and had been rented specifically for the purpose of growing marijuana. 

Three suspects were taken into custody at the location at the time of the seizure. The investigation of the activity remains open and police are attempting to determine if others were involved. Marijuana Grow Houses appear to be a recent trend in the San Gabriel Valley. Plants can be grown indoors with a sophisticated irrigation and lighting system. 

The Sheriff's Department depends on neighbors, as well as information gleaned through investigations, to keep a watchful eye. Look for the following: 
   * Watch out for closed-up houses, (Windows completely sealed off from the inside) 
   * Traffic at strange hours 
   * No real family seems to reside in the premise 
   * Bright lights in the middle of the night 
   *Unusual herbal/ marijuana type odor 

Tips DO work. Make the Call! Keep your neighborhood Drug and Crime FREE! 

If you spot any suspicious persons in your neighborhood call Temple Station at (626) 448-9861. If you have any information about the crime please contact Sgt. David Bly at the Duarte Sheriff's Satellite Station at (626) 359-5671, ext. 304 during business hours. 

If you would like to leave an anonymous tip you may do so, by simply calling the Duarte Sheriff Satellite Station "Crime Tip Hotline" (626) 359-5671 ext. 462.

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The Duarte Area Resource Team & Duarte Public Safety Department commemorated the Martin Luther King Holiday  

On Monday January 15, 2007, the Duarte Area Resource Team (D.A.R.T.) in conjunction with the Duarte Public Safety Department (Duarte Satellite to the Los Angeles Sheriff Station) commemorated the Martin Luther King Holiday by holding the first annual, Graffiti Removal and Litter Abatement Activity.  Nine Duarte High School teenagers worked throughout the City of Duarte in an effort to remove graffiti in identified problematic areas.

The young men and women met at the Department of Public Safety at 10:00am Monday morning (their scheduled day off from school) to participate in this event.  Shortly thereafter, all participants met near the railroad tracks south of Duarte Road and began painting walls and removing graffiti from the City. Some participants had never painted before, and were eager to learn and assist with this new activity. All the participants are students at Duarte High School. The students’ advisors are Los Angeles County Sheriff School Resource Deputy Robert MacLean and Public Safety Coordinator Aida Torres. The event was sponsored by The Home Depot and the City of Duarte’s graffiti removal contractor Bill Moreno.

Members of this group have also participated in other events around the city. For four days during December, 2006 members actively participated in assisting public safety at the Rose Float Pavilion. The teenagers provided security and assisted Deputies with crowd control while the Rose Floats were moved from Duarte to Pasadena for the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day. Brian Villalobos The City of Duarte’s Public Safety Director commented that, “keeping the community free from graffiti and keeping the youth of the city involved is instrumental in creating a safe city and demonstrating civic pride”.

Other activities that D.A.R.T. has recently participated in include Lazer Tag and a snowboarding trip to Mountain High. Upcoming activities are Big Bear with the Teen Center and a visit to the Museum of Tolerance. D.A.R.T. meets at 5 p.m. on the last Thursday of the month in the Duarte Teen Center. The program is open to young men and women from Duarte between the ages of 14 and 20 years of age, that must have at least a "C" average (if in school), be of good moral character without any serious arrest record and committed to make a positive impact in the community. For more information on how to join, call (626) 359-5671 ext. 319. Volunteer guest speakers are always welcomed.

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The Duarte Area Resource Team is Recruiting New Members

D.A.R.T. members assist Deputies with crowd and traffic control services at special events. Events include the Route 66 Parade, the City of Hope Walk for Hope, and Rose Float Viewing at the Buena Vista Pavilion. These large community events draw thousands of participants and spectators that require many volunteers to manage the crowds. DART members also conduct weekly helmet sales at Duarte Public Safety office, aid with graffiti removal, and cleanup events. DART also features fun activities to reward teenagers hard work. Fall activities included a Huntington Beach Bon Fire and Knott’s Scarey Farm. Future Events include Cosmic Bowling, Lazertag: DART vs. Duarte Deputies, and Snowboarding.

To join the D.A.R.T. Program, youth must be between the ages of 14 and 21 years old, have at least a “C” average, be of good moral character and be committed to make a positive impact in the community. New Members are welcomed at our meetings conducted the last Thursday of the month from 5:00pm to 6:30pm at the Duarte Teen Center.

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Join the Neighborhood Watch Holiday Toy Drive

Let’s join together in celebrating the season with others through the Neighborhood Watch Annual Toy Drive! This is a perfect opportunity to invite new and long time neighbors together.

The new and unwrapped toys benefit the Duarte Community Service Council in their commitment to serve the less fortunate in Duarte with food and other necessities.  The council relies on local community support to help families in need enjoy a winter season with extra food for the table and gifts for children. 

Contact the Duarte Public Safety Office for more information in planning your neighborhood’s toy drive. Gatherings can take place through a coffee night, potluck gathering, dessert exchange or other special event. Deputies can also be available to stop visit your gathering to collect donated toys.

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LOCAL HARVEST: A chance to share 

Apples, oranges, lemons or limes if you have an abundance of fruit growing in your yard, don’t let them go to waste!  Call Local Harvest to have your homegrown fruit harvested by a team of supervised Duarte youth that will deliver the harvest to both Duarte Senior Center and Foothill Unity Center for immediate distribution to those in need! 

Harvesters are equipped with bags, boxes, fruit pickers and a ladder to carefully pick fruit directly from your trees.  Harvesters can also stop by your home to receive fresh fruit that has already been picked.   

The Senior Center provides Duarte Seniors with meals and other necessities and the Foothill Unity Center has been serving the Foothills by providing food and other necessities to local families in need for over 20 years. 

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Happy Holidays from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department!

New Helmets for Kids only $5! [Oct. 2006]

A new shipment has come in! Silver, blue, black, white, red or helmets are available for Duarte youth between 3 to 18 years of age for only $5.00 at the Public Safety Office (in the Target Shopping Center Office) every Wednesday from 5 pm to 6pm.

To purchase a helmet, the parent or guardian must accompany the child and show proof of Duarte residency. The helmet will be properly fitted onto the youth to ensure their safety. For more information, call (626) 357-7938.

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Hundreds Attended Duarte’s First Annual Emergency Preparedness Fair [ April 2006 ]

Hundreds came to Duarte’s First Annual Emergency Preparedness Fair in April at the Duarte Community Center to familiarize themselves with ways to keep their home and family safe in a disaster.

Coordinated by the Duarte Public Safety Office, the event features a variety of booths that focused on different ways for families to be prepared.

Cal Tech provided information on earthquake faults while many other agencies gave away free information and kits. Other vendors sold first aid kits, emergency supplies and furniture straps. The event was graciously sponsored by the following organizations:

• Alex Romo Auto and Truck Repair
• Duarte Rotary Club
• Seidner’s Collision Center
• Duarte Kiwanis Club
• Foothill Transit
• Burrtec Waste

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Duarte Youth Graduate from Sheriff Explorer Academy [March 2006]

Jose Manuel Lara, Paul Magallanes, Sean More, and John Saldana tested their limits for 18 consecutive Saturdays in the Sheriff Explorer Academy. February 13, 2006 marked the conclusion of waking up at 5am and preparing for a 9 hour day of intensive training and the end of what Jose Lara calls, “a great experience”.

These young recruits were tested upon numerous aspects to include the following:

• leadership qualities,
• social relations,
• personal traits,
• practical performance,
• academics,
• marksmanship,
• and physical performance throughout the training period.

Despite the many challenges they faced, they persevered and joined Melissa Deharo, Adrian Hernandez, Edwin Parra and Christina Reyes from our last graduating class.

These Explorer Cadets now actively serve along side Deputies at special events at Temple Station and the Duarte Sheriff’s Satellite Station.

Their tasks involve assisting and directing traffic in the city, crowd management, selling helmets to our youth, and assisting the community with fingerprinting.

Jose Lara is currently a sophomore at Duarte High School. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in law enforcement. He found the physical training to be the most, “challenging” aspect of the academy. He learned that if he puts his mind to something, “he can achieve it.”

Paul Magallanes, also a sophomore at Duarte High School enjoys sports and the physical training that was emphasized in the Explorer Academy. He found the academic aspect of the training program the most challenging. He explains that he found himself studying “a lot” and “was capable of reaching [his] goals…because it was not easy”. He would like to encourage his fellow classmates to challenge themselves in the program.

Sean More is a junior at Damien High School. He enjoyed participating in the Explorer Academy. He learned about the different units in the Sheriff Department and the many activities Sheriffs are involved in. He has important advice for youth entering the explorer academy: “Make sure you are in the right dress code and move quickly!” Although it may sound simple, it will definitely be extremely important when in the Sheriff’s Department Explorer Academy.

John Saldana is a Duarte High School sophomore who enjoys boxing at the Teen Center. He admits to having difficulty with the academy but unlike the others it was not academic or physical training that he found difficult. His difficulty came when he had to take orders during from the Deputy Sheriffs. He admits to having trouble taking orders in the beginning, but learned to do so. He stated that, “keeping quiet” was a challenge. Looking back into the academy he tells us that the greatest feeling to him is just, “knowing that I did it.”

The Sheriff Explorer Program is open to all young men and women between the ages of 15 and 21 who possess a “C” average or above, have no criminal record and have an interest in serving the public. It is designed to instill motivation, academic achievement and service to the community.

Although the training program is difficult, it will develop personal skills and maturity to the individuals that participate. Interested individuals may contact Dep. Gray at Temple Station (626) 292-3376. Hurry the next Sheriff’s Department Explorer Academy begins August 2005!

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