City of Duarte FREE Community Movie Night
DON'T MISS IT!
Two Mothers Plead For Peace
Hook’d and Book’d:
Gang Murder Solved
Neighborhood Watch BBQ
2008 Year in Review
2009 New Motorist Laws
DOG LICENSES DUE!
Hook’d and Book’d: Neighborhood Watch Helps Cite and Arrest Illegal Solicitors!
D.A.R.T. is Recruiting!
Local Harvest
New Helmets
City of Duarte FREE
Community Movie Night at Duarte Park DON'T MISS THE NEXT ONE!
By Talia Leon
The sweltering heat of mid-July was not enough to keep 500
Duarte residents from enjoying an evening at Beardslee Park on Friday, July 10.
Hosted by the City of Duarte Public Safety Department,
various organizations such as the YMCA, Little Caesars, Performance Nissan, Post
Alarm Systems, Census 2010, Foothill Family Services, Duarte’s Promise, Foothill
Transit, Foothill Unity Center, L.A. County Parks and Recreation, Duarte Area
Resource Team (D.A.R.T.) and L.A. Party Works along with the City of Duarte
departments of Finance/Transit, Parks and Recreation, and Community Development
came together to create a enjoyable evening packed with fun and important
information.
The atmosphere of ease and relaxation felt in the park was
impossible to resist while enjoying some of Marvell West’s mouthwatering
hotlinks and hot dogs or cooling off with an amazing root beer float courtesy of
Post Alarm Systems. DJ Sanchez kept the festivities going with the contagious
songs of Michael Jackson and the Beach Boys and D.A.R.T. and Duarte Parks and
Recreation kept the children entertained with games of horse shoe and face
painting. Meanwhile adults were able to obtain informative facts about the
upcoming census in 2010.
As darkness set in, the Beardslee amphitheater was
transformed into an outdoor movie theater with the help of L.A. Party Works who
provided an impressive 7 ft. by 10 ft. inflatable movie screen. The Duarte
residents laughed the night away watching the comical movie Angels in the
Outfield while snacking on popcorn donated by L.A. County Parks and Recreations
and chips donated by Foothill Unity Center. The end of the film came with a
thunderous applause not only for the movie but for the entire Duarte Staff and
volunteers who made the event a tremendous success.
Please do not miss our next
Community Movie Night on Friday, September 25 at Duarte Park 5:00PM.
For more information, contact Aida
Torres at a2torres@lasd.org, or call
(626) 359-5671, ext. 316
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June 3, 2009
Two Mothers in Pain Plea
for Peace and End to Gang Violence City, School, County, and Federal
Officials Working Together in Duarte
Jeanette
Chavez and Shannise Davey are each mothers who have experienced pain and
loss at the hand of senseless gang related violence. The two, one Hispanic
and one African American, came together in Duarte (June 1) to plea for peace
and urge the community to work together to put an end to the gang violence
that took Chavez’s daughter Sammantha’s life last year in the unincorporated
area of Monrovia, and three weeks ago destroyed the sanctity of Davey’s
Duarte home, the object of a vicious hate crime attack.
The two women spoke at a “Call for Peace” news conference at Duarte City
Hall coordinated by the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations and
the City of Duarte in response to recent incidents of gang violence in the
area.
“We can not expect law enforcement to do this alone. We need to get
involved. If you see a crime, report it. When I read in the newspaper about
Shannise I said this is unacceptable. People are afraid to come forward. We
need to get involved. Law enforcement can not do this without you,” said
Chavez who volunteers much of her time to work with other victims of gang
crime.
Davey, the single mother of four children, ages 14, 7, 3, and 1, walked into
her Broach Ave. home on the evening of May 8 to find it had been
burglarized, ransacked and vandalized with racial slurs and gang symbols
spray-painted on the walls and furniture. Since then the family has been
afraid to return to the home and is currently living in temporary shelter
outside of the city.
“It’s kind of hard to pick up the pieces,” said Davey. “No parent should
have to experience this. We should be able to call home, home. I don’t have
that opportunity anymore. We don’t have anywhere to go. It’s time for all to
step up and stand together as one.”
Davey said she holds no hate in her heart for those responsible for the
vandalism to her home. “I’d probably put my arms around them and hug them.
Their souls are lost right now,” she said.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Hate Crime Unit and the FBI are
investigating the incident but have no specific suspects as yet, although
they are receiving many anonymous tips. On May 14, a week following the
vandalism attack, Sheriff’s deputies initiated a parole compliance search at
10 locations and made five arrests, none connected to the incident.
On May 19, there was a non-fatal gang-related shooting of an African
American male by a Hispanic male at Beckville St. and Broderick Ave. in
Duarte. There were many people on the street but none have come forward with
information. The next day, the victim and two other gang members were
arrested with guns in their car.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s are working closely with the Los Angeles County
Parole to track who is coming out of prison, interview them and have them
sign a gang stipulation that leads to a charge enhancement should they
violate their parole.
Both Chavez and Davey called on parents to take more responsibility for
their children.
“Parents need to step up and be parents,” said Davey. She urged parents to
take advantage of the many positive programs that the city has available for
children.
Chavez concurred. “There are a lot of kids out there who are lost. We need
to stop making excuses not to put our children in these programs,” she said.
Duarte City Mayor John Fasana said the City of Duarte features more than 100
family centered programs and services on the www.duarteyouth.org website,
including the Duarte Area Resource Team mentoring program for teens,
Youthworks, Duarte’s Promise: The Alliance for Youth, the Duarte Youth
Boxing Program, Moonlight Basketball, and a full year-around Parks and
Recreation schedule.
Fasana said the City and School District are also stepping up additional
efforts to reach kids with the important message of racial tolerance.
- Recently the Los Angeles County
Sheriff’s SHARE Tolerance trailer visited Duarte High School. The
trailer houses a mobile museum and screening area for a documentary
offering insight into the impact of hate crime through the eyes of
victims. The SHARE Tolerance trailer is also scheduled to visit Mount
Olive High School in Duarte.
- Duarte City Council has enhanced the
Teen Center budget for the upcoming fiscal year to increase program and
recreational opportunities for Duarte Teens.
- The Duarte Teen Center will soon be
launching a Teen Center Diversity Training Workshop conducted by Teen
Center Supervisor Marilyn Mays for teens to build skills in problem
solving, help them find commonality with others and honor each others
differences.
- Also being launched is a Teen Talk
program on June 6 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Duarte Teen Center.
- Duarte Public Safety is developing an
after school program targeting at-risk students with special emphasis on
Mount Olive students.
- Duarte Parks and Recreation is
initiating a Youth and Family Master Planning Process in the upcoming
fiscal year.
- City of Duarte has created 30 youth
jobs for summer 2009 with funds made available through the Foothill
Workforce Investment Board.
- The City recently co-hosted a student
leadership academy with L. A. County Office of Education including
students from Duarte High School, Mount Olive High School and Northview
Intermediate.
Anyone with information about a crime may
contact the Temple Sheriff’s Station at (626) 448-9861, or may leave
information on the Duarte Public Safety Department Anonymous Tip Line at
(626) 359-5671, ext. 462.
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Hook'd and Book'd: Gang Murder Solved
Four alleged members of the "Du Roc Crips" street
gang have been arrested and charged in murder in the Feb 9, 2009 drive-by
shooting of Miguel Sanchez, 18, a Citrus College Student.
Sanchez, who was not associated with a gang, was
killed while walking with a 17-yr old friend after 6:30 p.m. in the 2500 block
of Millbrae Ave. Sanchez died at the scene. His friend was unharmed. Charged in
the killing are Joseph Barnes, 34, aka "BD," and Joe Britt, 21 aka "Infant."
McDaniels, Alderson and Britt have pleaded not guilty. Barnes, alleged by the
Los Angeles District Attorney to have fired the gun, has not entered a plead.
McDaniels is believed to have been the driver of the car.
A preliminary hearing date is expected to be set
for all four suspects, on July 9th, according to the District Attorney. All
though announcement of the arrest was held by the Los Angeles County District
Attorney's Office until June 3rd, the four suspects were reportedly arrested on
April 3rd, following a lengthy investigation.
According to the Sheriff's Investigation report,
shortly after the shooting, Temple Station Deputies located a vehicle in the
2000 block of Goodall Ave. in the County Incorporated Area of Duarte matching
the description of the shooting suspects' vehicle. When Deputies attempted to
contact several male adults who were standing around the vehicle, all of the men
ran away. A handgun identified as the murder weapon was recovered from the
vehicle. Anyone who has additional information regarding the incident is asked
to contact the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Callers can
also leave an anonymous tip at the Sheriff's Satellite Station Crime Tip Hotline
at (626) 359-5671 ext. 462.
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First Annual Neighborhood Barbeque a Success
More than 250 Duarte residents turned out on a sunny Saturday afternoon,
April 4, 2009 to attend the first annual Neighborhood Barbeque hosted by the
City of Duarte at Otis Gordon Park.
Families enjoyed free hot dogs grilled by the Marvell West nonprofit
corporation, and provided by Joe’s Place. Volunteer DJ Ben a graduate of
Duarte’s Youthworks program set a fun loving atmosphere, while children were
entertained with games and face painting by youth volunteer group Duarte Area
Resource Team (D.A.R.T.).
It was also an opportunity for residents to learn about services available
to the community. Representatives were on hand from Foothill Unity Center,
Foothill Family Services, Santa Anita Family Santa Anita Family YMCA, Cal Am
Water, Southern California Edison, and Burrtec Waste, which showed off one of
its new clean air vehicle trash trucks powered by compressed natural gas. The
Foothill Workforce Investment Board Mobile Training Unit came out to assist
residents with employment services, while Deputy City Manager Karen Herrera and
members of Duarte’s Promise: The Alliance for Youth surveyed residents on public
safety issues. Public Safety Director, Brian Villalobos, whose department
coordinated the event, thanked sponsors and participating organizations for
helping to make the event a great success.
County Implements Mass Alert System
Los Angeles County officials announced the implementation of
an emergency mass notification system to alert residents and businesses by
phone, text, and e-mail of emergencies in their area. This system is called
Alert LA County, the system will allow the Sheriff's Emergency Communications
Center to activate local and regional alerts by drawing the boundaries of the
area to be notified on a computer map. Recorded and written alerts will provide
information on the nature of the emergency and necessary actions, such as
evacuations.
The system is so precise it will allow the exclusion of a
single home, useful in situations involving hostages of crime in progress.
The County's 7.1 million land-line phone numbers are
programmed into the mass notification system, but the public must register Voice
over IP lines, cell phones and e-mail addresses. Registration of this
information can be done on the County's Alert.
www.lacounty.gov
Each telephone number and e-mail can be associated with only
one street address, please register and keep your family safe.
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2008 Public Safety Year in Review
View the
presentation from the first annual Public Safety Year in Review Meeting with
Neighborhood Watch.
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2009 New Motorist Laws
The following is an abbreviated summary of the new laws that will take effect
Jan. 1, 2009, unless indicated otherwise. 1) CONSUMER PROTECTION
Unlicensed Car Dealers (AB 2042/Fuentes) This new law allows law enforcement
officers to impound vehicles that are being sold by unlicensed dealers.
Counterfeit Clean Air Stickers (SB 1720/Lowenthal) This new law will make it a
crime to forge, counterfeit, or falsify a Clean Air Sticker. These stickers are
currently issued by DMV to certain low emission vehicles and permit vehicles
with these stickers to be driven in the HOV lane.
2) TRAFFIC SAFETY
Text Messaging (SB 28/Simitian) This new law makes it an infraction to write,
send, or read text-based communication on an electronic wireless communication
device, such as a cell phone, while driving.
DUI Probation License Suspension (AB 1165 Maze) A change in the driving under
the influence (DUI) law creates a new authority for DMV to administratively
suspend the driver’s license for one year under a zero tolerance standard. The
new law authorizes law enforcement to issue a notice of suspension and impound
the vehicle of a person who is driving with a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC)
of 0.01 percent or greater while on court-ordered post-DUI probation.
3) AIR QUALITY
Temporary Operating Permits (AB2241/Saldana) This law restricts DMV from issuing
temporary operating permits to allow more time to obtain a smog certificate as
part of the registration renewal process. Under the law, extensions will cost
$50 and are only allowed if the vehicle has been tested at a smog station and
failed. The extension can be for no more than 60 days from the date registration
is due. The $50 fee will be waived for owners accepted into the Bureau of
Automotive Repair Consumer Assistance Program (CAP).
4) OTHER
New Special Interest Plate (SB 1455/Cogdill) A new “Gold Star Family” special
interest license will be available to family members of individuals killed in
the line of duty while serving in the Armed Forces during wartime or military
operations.
Motorcycle Definition (AB 2272/Fuentes) This new law changes the definition of a
motorcycle, deleting the existing weight limitation of 1500 pounds. It also
removes a separate definition for electrically-powered vehicles. This change in
law will also allow drivers of fully-enclosed 3-wheeled motor vehicles to use
the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.
A more comprehensive list appears on the DMV Web site at
www.dmv.ca.gov.
Keep your Neighborhood Crime Free! Report crime or suspicious activity! You may
contact the Duarte Public Safety Office at (626) 357-7938 Monday-Thursday 7:30AM
to 6:00PM, if incident does not occur within business hours please contact
Temple Sheriff Station at (626) 448-9861. You may also contact Sergeant Tony
Haynes at The Duarte Department of Public Safety at, (626) 359-5671 ext. 304.
You may also leave an anonymous tip by simply calling the Sheriff Satellite
Station Crime Tip Hotline (626) 359-5671 ext. 462.
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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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.
To request harvesters for the next Local Harvest
Day, call (626) 359-5671, ext. 316.
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New Helmets for Kids only
$5!
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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