Temple City Tribune

Bear Cub takes mid-afternoon snack in Duarte kitchen

Temple City Tribune — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:35:21 +0000

Temple Station received a 9-1-1 call at approximately 1:56pm on Wednesday, May 22 from a female reporting that a bear cub entered her residential window and was seen on the kitchen counter and helped them self to a mid-afternoon snack. The resident ran to a second floor bathroom and locked the door. Several units responded to the call, along with a City of Duarte animal control officer. A deputy and the animal control officer entered the house and found the bear on the kitchen counter eating some food. They left the door open and made noises to scare the bear. The bear ran out via the front door and into the surrounding forest area. The bear was estimated to have been approximately 1 year old. The Department of Fish and Wildlife was notified of the incident. To hear the 9-1-1 click on the link:

http://templecitytribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Bear-cub-in-Kitchen-TEM.mp3

16th Annual Veteran’s Event

Temple City Tribune — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:47:01 +0000

16th Annual Veteran’s Event at Arcadia County Park (405 S. Santa Anita Ave.) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Featuring live music, skydivers, food booths, and assistance for veterans. Free. More information at (626) 967-1441 or (909) 394-2264. -Photos by Terry Miller

Trumpetist David Longoria to lend musical talents to DHS fundraising spring concert

Temple City Tribune — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:41:34 +0000

Internationally known trumpetist David Longoria will lend his musical talents for Duarte High School Jazz Band and Concert Band’s fundraising Spring Concert Friday, May 31, at the Duarte Performing Arts Center.
Longoria, who earned numerous prestigious awards, performed on tracks that created a wall full of gold records, and headlined at auditoriums, amphitheatres, and concert stages, is perhaps best known for his previous No. 14 Billboard Chart hit “Deeper Love” featuring Longoria and singer CeCe Peniston, and his recent instrumental hit “Zoon Baloomba,” which rose to No. 21 on the Billboard Dance Chart a few months ago.
“Zoon Baloomba” received high acclaim and is touted as the first time a trumpeter has charted on Billboard’s Dance/Pop music charts since Herb Albert’s 1979 instrumental hit “Rise.”
Longoria also earned accolades for his recent 90-minute PBS special “Baila!” a timeless and colorful performance that covers a vast territory of vocal and instrumental music including Jazz, Club, Classical, Pop, Salsa & Flamenco.
However, receiving awards, hitting the high notes and thrilling the masses with his golden trumpet and inimitable agile-lipped cadenzas and musical stylings isn’t all there is to David Longoria.
Longoria enjoys using his talents to spark interest and compel young people to enjoy similar passions for music.
“Inspiring kids is very important to me as an artist, I cherish every memory of my childhood, when I was encouraged, mentored and taught by those who cared enough to do it,” Longoria says.
Longoria grew up playing a second-hand trumpet (the same golden trumpet he has cherished and refurbished through the years) through The Salvation Army (TSA) music programs in the state of Washington. He attended TSA music camps and learned from its weekly community band practices with volunteer tutelage.
Longoria says he sees a similar passion for inspiring young people to a love of music in Duarte High School Band Director Richard Torres.
Longoria, a local resident for about 4 years, met Torres a few years ago at a Duarte car wash the band director had organized to help pay for band instruments and other needed items for music students.
“Richard Torres is a great hands-on guy who was there on a Saturday washing cars alongside his students,” Longoria recalls. “That kind of dedication deserves the help of those of us who want to support these students who are our neighbors.”
Longoria and Torres talked for a while at the car wash, and exchanged information, knowing eventually they’d find a way to work together to help Duarte’s young musicians, Longoria says.
Due to budget cuts, and limited resources, as is the case with many school music programs across the state and country, Duarte Unified School District doesn’t offer a lot of music programs for students until they get into middle school, where Rich Torres also teaches.
“Rich is starting many of the kids off from nothing. But, he puts everything he can into teaching the kids about good music,” Longoria says.
Torres says he and the Duarte Falcon Boosters are constantly looking for ways to raise funds for the growing instrumental music program at Duarte High School.
“Besides the day to day expenses of having a music program, we are trying to raise money for a few specific things,” he says. “First, we are looking to buy more instruments for the students to use … specifically marimbas, vibraphones, tubas, and French horns.”
Torres’ second goal for his music program is to fund the purchase of a 20-foot trailer to use in transporting equipment to competitions and performances. “It has been a struggle to get our group to competitions without the necessary transportation equipment,” he says.
Bringing in an internationally known recording artist as part of a Duarte High music concert is a first, Torres says.
“I am always trying to find ways to expose my students to great music, great performers, and great performances. Working with David will be such an exciting experience, not only for myself but for my students,” he says, adding, “To play with such an acclaimed artist as David
Longoria will definitely be a memorable experience for all of the performers. It really puts into perspective the work these students put into their craft; that their work can lead to great successes in life like David has experienced. My students can’t wait to perform with him!”
The Duarte High School Spring Concert is at 7 p.m., May 31, at Duarte Performing Arts Center, 401 Highland Ave., Duarte. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for students with ID.
To learn more, on the web: davidlongoria.comyoutube.com/davidlongoria twitter/Instagram: @davidlongoria7

Click it or ticket to boost seat belt use – day and night

Temple City Tribune — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:31:29 +0000

As motorists take to the roads this Memorial Day holiday, Pasadena Police are urging everyone to buckle up. Pasadena law enforcement officials will be lending their support to the 2013 national Click It or Ticket seat belt law campaign and looking for motorists who are not belted.
“As we kick-off the busy summer driving season it’s important that everyone buckles up every time they go out, both day and night – no excuses,” said Chief Phillip Sanchez. “Our officers are prepared to ticket anyone who is not wearing their seat belt – Click It or Ticket.”
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 52 percent of the 21,253 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash. Deaths involving seat belt non-use are more prevalent at night than during the daytime. According to NHTSA, 62 percent of the 10,135 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 during the overnight hours were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.
“Seat belts save thousands of lives every year, but far too many motorists are still not buckling up, especially at night when the risk of getting in a crash is even greater,” said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. “We want everyone to have a safe summer, but it requires an important step on the part of motorists – clicking that seat belt.”
In 2011, seat belts saved an estimated 11,949 lives nationwide according to NHTSA. While this year’s Click It or Ticket campaign runs from May 20 through June 2, officers are out enforcing seat belt laws year-round.
For more on the national Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov.

Dorothy’s Place: Gorgeous?

Temple City Tribune — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:23:28 +0000

Well I did it again. I had a beauty treatment. It was a heat treatment and it worked. I looked gorgeous. Actually, it was my legs that looked gorgeous.
Let me explain. You see, every year at the end of summer I take a pledge. I say I’m going to toss all my shorts because I’ll not be wearing them any more. I’m too old and my legs show it–bulging veins along with various and numerous other flaws. I face reality and suck it up. I stuff my shorts into the rag bag. They will make good dust cloths.
Then it happens. Summer returns and temperatures rise. The higher those temperatures rise, the higher the temptation to pull those dust rags from the bag with no intention of ever touching them to a piece of furniture.
Last week Mother Nature surprised us and sent us some pre-summer high temps. Thus my heat beauty treatment.
The temperature reading on my back porch thermostat slid up well over 100. I remembered that the higher the temperature rises, the better I look in shorts. So, when that arrow passed 100, my heat beauty treatment took effect and I realized once again that I would look absolutely gorgeous in those shorts. I was so glad I had not thrown them away, nor had I yet dusted anything with them. I took them out of the bag and slid them over my now gorgeous legs.
Now, if you want to see me in them you will have to stop by my house. I will not be strolling through any public places in them. I’m well aware that beauty is in the eye of the beholder or, in this case, the pretender. Even God and the sun can do only so much!

Making a difference, one at a time . . . It takes a rescuer

Temple City Tribune — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:20:12 +0000

It was easy to see that the very elderly couple was at the end of their rope. There was a colony of feral cats in their neighborhood, and mostly on their property. Time was when they had felt sorry for these homeless, starving creatures, and the big-hearted couple had started feeding them. They had even learned to love a few of them.
That was then. Now, though, the couple had lost their patience, perhaps triggered by a complaining neighbor and their own health conditions due to aging. Even though a good friend had helped get some of the cats trapped and neutered, there were still many who had not been caught. The couple had decided they “want the cats gone”!
The good friend who had been helping this couple also realized the problem had become too big for him or them to deal with. Since the couple did not want the cats to return after they had been trapped for spaying & neutering, he turned to a local no-kill shelter for help.
The folks at the shelter referred him to independent rescuers–two kind-hearted ladies who visited the couple and explained to them that they would do what is called TNR–trap, neuter, release. At first the couple was cooperative. However, when they realized that the “release” part meant that they would be returned to the couple’s property, the couple balked, and wanted to take the cats to be euthanized.
The rescuers tried to help the couple understand some facts: To eliminate cats from the property (or colony), only makes room for more cats to move in. Yet, a colony of spayed/ neutered cats will not grow, since healthy neutered cats will discourage other ferals from coming in. In addition, neutered cats are less prone to fight, become diseased, spray urine and control the rodent & critter populations. Therefore, over time, the colony is reduced.
Due to the couple’s mindset, only a few adult cats and two kittens were trapped. The kittens are now being fostered and have a good chance to find a loving home. The dedicated rescue women are temporarily sheltering the adult cats until a new possible colony can be found for them. It is not easy and they are calling on all of their resources.
Although the rescuers gave it their best efforts, it is a heart-breaking situation for all concerned–the elderly couple, the neighborhood, the rescuers, and, of course, the cats.
Yet, there are success stories. One particular colony in El Monte has seen no new cats or kittens since trap, neuter, release (TNR) was done a few years ago.
A colony can start when an un-neutered cat is abandoned or escapes. These cats survive by hunting and accepting food if they are lucky. If conditions are right, other cats will join and become a colony. As kittens are born, the colony grows and the cycle continues. People who feed ferals must find ways to get them spayed and neutered.
As part of our continuing desire to focus on those in our community who care for unwanted animals, we are highlighting here the work that animal rescue organizations and individuals do in helping homeless pets find homes. That they are not then overwhelmed by cycles of litters and litters of kittens. An unspayed female can have one litter of 5 kittens per year–this would mean an additional 350 cats in 4 years!!
You can be part of successfully controlling a feral cat colony. For excellent information on the issue of feral cats, including how TNR benefits the community: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trap-neuter-return, http://www.pasadenahumane.org, www.aspca.org/adoption/, www.fixnation.org/about-tnr/

TNR is the best way to handle feral cat colonies. Agencies such as FixNation in Burbank offer such services free of charge. -Photo by Terry Miller

Los Angeles County renews 20-year agreement with Arboretum Foundation

Temple City Tribune — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:17:45 +0000

Continuing a public-private partnership, the Board of Supervisors approved a 20-year agreement with the Los Angeles County Arboretum Foundation for the operation of the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden.
Effective July 1, 2013, the agreement enhances operations at the 127-acre historical garden and botanic garden famed for its colorful displays of plants from all over the world — including a number of rare and endangered species.
Located at 301 North Baldwin Avenue in Arcadia, the Arboretum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with the grounds closing promptly at 5 p.m. The facility offers tram tours and frequently hosts special events. For more information, go online to www.arboretum.org or call (626) 821-3222.

-Photo by Terry Miller

California home sales and prices spring higher in April; median price posts five-year high, A.A.R. reports

Temple City Tribune — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:14:44 +0000

Fueled by high demand and tight inventory, California home sales and prices both experienced strong increases in April, with the median price surpassing the $400,000-mark for the first time in five years, the Arcadia Association of REALTORS® reported.
“California’s housing market maintained its momentum in April, getting the spring home-buying season off to a good start,” said 2013 A.A.R. President Andy Bencosme. “Southern California regions such as Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego led the way in both month-to-month and year-over-year sales increases, while sales in the Bay Area region as a whole posted a healthy monthly gain but dipped slightly from last year.”
Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 423,510 units in April, according to information collected from the California Association of REALTORS ® from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide. Sales in April were up 1.3 percent from a revised 417,880 in March but down 3.7 percent from a revised 439,770 in April 2012. The statewide sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2013 if sales maintained the April pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.
The statewide median price of an existing, single-family detached home climbed 6.3 percent from March’s revised median price of $378,960 to $402,760 in April, signaling the first time since April 2008 that the statewide median price has exceeded the $400,000 mark (and was the highest since then). April’s price was up 28.9 percent from a revised $312,500 recorded in April 2012, marking 14 straight months of annual price increases and the tenth consecutive month of double-digit annual gains. The median sales price is the point at which half of homes sold for more and half sold for less; it is influenced by the types of homes selling as well as a general change in values.
“The upsurge in the median price continues to be driven by an increase in sales in the upper- price range, where low inventory is less of an issue,” said A.A.R. Executive Vice President Andrew Cooper. “Over the past year, home sales in the $500,000-and-higher market segment posted a year-over-year gain of 35 percent on average, which contributed to an increase in the statewide median price of nearly 30 percent from the previous year.”
Other key facts of C.A.R.’s April 2013 resale housing report include:
The available supply of homes for sale was essentially unchanged from March, but was down markedly from a year ago. The April Unsold Inventory Index for existing, single-family detached homes was 2.8 months in April, down from 2.9 months in March, and down from 4.2 months in April 2012. The index indicates the number of months needed to sell the supply of homes on the market at the current sales rate. A six- to seven-month supply is considered normal.
Increased market competition has significantly driven down the time on market compared with a year ago. Homes sold more quickly in April, with the median number of days it took to sell a single-family home decreasing to 27.9 days in April, down from 29.4 days in March and down from a revised 48 days for the same period a year ago.
Mortgage rates dipped in April, with the 30-year fixed-mortgage interest rate averaging 3.45 percent, down from 3.57 percent in March 2013 and down from 3.91 percent in April 2012, according to Freddie Mac. Adjustable-mortgage interest rates were flat from March, averaging 2.63 percent in April, but down from 2.78 percent in April 2012.

Mutual aid at Madison Fire keeps city’s costs down

Temple City Tribune — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:11:08 +0000

Cause of fire turned over to arson investigator

The cost of the fighting the brush fire that raced across the foothills just above Monrovia last month was approximately $1.7 million according to the State Emergency Management Agency. According to Fire Chief Chris Donovan, Monrovia will not have to bear most of the cost of the fire.
Early in the incident Donovan had told Channel 4 News that the fire had been sparked by a gardener using a power tool, but later told reporters that the cause had not been determined. This week he said that the investigation had been turned over to an arson investigator from the Verdugo Fire. Donovan said that the Monrovia Police Department had conducted interviews to assist the investigator and that he hoped the exact cause would be determined soon.
“I reported to (City Manager) Laurie Lisle that our cost on the fire will be $200,000 to $250,000,” Donovan said. “But this is a very liberal estimate and our cost might be much lower,” he added.
He said that so far he has received invoices only for the air support and that those charges were around $100,000. Donovan also said that he was in the process of negotiations on those fees that may be lowered.
The reason Monrovia does not need to bear the entire cost of the fire is Mutual Aid. “Monrovia is a part of MMA – Master Mutual Aid,” Donovan said. “Because California has so many large fires, the state has the MMA program. Through it we can ask for aid for 12 hours at no cost
Donovan explained that even though the fire was fought for more than 12 hours, they were able to utilize the engines from particular agencies for only 11 or less hours at a time. When a particular engine approached the maximum amount of time Monrovia could receive aid without incurring cost, that engine was released and an¬other agency was asked for assistance according to the Chief.
Because Monrovia has what the Chief called a “mutual threat” with brush fire in the foothills, we have additional aid agreements with the U.S. Forest Service and with Los Angeles County Fire. We have agreed to supply an engine with a crew and the water tank/tender to the Forest Service when they have a need, in exchange they will supply us with a strike team when we need it. A strike team consists of 5 engines, a hand crew and a Battalion Chief when we are in need. We can request a 1st Alarm team from the County. They will provide us with a helicopter, a hand crew, 5 engines and a Battalion Chief.
The reason we seem to be supplied with much more than we offer in return is that while we rarely need to call upon the other agencies, they have more frequent needs to which we respond.
As an example of mutual aid, Donovan recounted an occurrence earlier this month. “When the fire happened in Glendale,” the chief said. “We sent an Engine 701 over to assist them. Instead of fighting the fire, our engine covered Station 25 in Glendale while their crew was at the Chevy Chase fire. They had a structure fire in town which we fought for them.”
And that, he explained was the point of mutual aid.

-Story by Susan Motander and photo by Terry Miller

Governor Brown deploys search and rescue teams to OK

Temple City Tribune — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:04:11 +0000

In the wake of the devastating tornado that hit Oklahoma Monday, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. directed the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA) to deploy specialists from California’s Urban Search & Rescue teams to assist in response and recovery efforts.
At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), six specialists from five California-based national Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces are on their way to help coordinate and support operations conducted by national task forces from Nebraska, Tennessee and Texas.
“Our thoughts are with the communities impacted by Monday’s tornado and we stand ready to assist,” said Governor Brown.
The six specialists from California include two representatives from the Los Angeles County Fire Department and one each from the Los Angeles City Fire Department, Oakland Fire Department, Sacramento City Fire Department and Orange County Fire Authority.
“We are monitoring the situation closely, are in contact with FEMA and will coordinate additional support if requested,” said California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA) Secretary Mark Ghilarducci.
Eight California-based Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces—each composed of 70 or more personnel—participate in the National Urban Search and Rescue System managed by FEMA and provide California with approximately 640 personnel specializing in disciplines such as search and rescue, first aid, heavy equipment operations, canine search and rescue, hazardous materials, logistics and communications.