Rosemead News, CA Local News

Gardena plumber who lost $30,000 worth of tools frustrated with crime laws

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 06:42:52 +0000

A Southern California plumber whose work van and $30,000 worth of tools were stolen is frustrated after the suspect, who was arrested, was immediately released.

The victim, Robert Powell, is still out of work and doesn’t know how long it’ll take to replace his stolen tools and equipment.

The theft happened on March 28 as home surveillance cameras captured the brazen theft outside his Gardena home.

“At 4:30 a.m., they came and took it,” Powell said, on the verge of tears. “It’s hard to replace $30,000 worth of equipment that has taken you 10 years to accumulate.”

Video shows two suspects in an SUV pulling up to Powell's work van, breaking into it and driving it away.

Later that morning, the van was found abandoned in South Gate. However, all of Powell's valuable and expensive tools were gone.

Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
Robert Powell is devastated after thieves escape with his work van and around $30,000 worth of expensive tools. (KTLA)
Robert Powell found some of his stolen tools being sold on the resale app OfferUp. (KTLA)
Only three tools were recovered after thieves escaped with $30,000 worth of tools from a Gardena plumber. (KTLA)
Robert Powerll found some of his stolen tools being sold on the resale app OfferUp. (KTLA)
Suspects driving away with a Gardena plumber's work van that was parked on his driveway on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
- Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
- Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
- Suspects driving away with a Gardena plumber's work van that was parked on his driveway on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
- Robert Powell is devastated after thieves escape with his work van and around $30,000 worth of expensive tools. (KTLA)
- Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
- Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)
- Two hooded suspects steal a plumber's work van and tools in Gardena on March 28, 2024. (Robert Powell)

“They had all the right equipment just to get in there and cut the cable, cut the steering wheel lock and take the truck,” Powell said. “They had it in two-and-a-half minutes.”

Later that morning, the stolen truck was found abandoned in South Gate. However, all of Powell's expensive tools were gone.

The thieves also tore out the truck's ignition and back door before speeding away with it.

“It’s not just me that it hurts, it’s everybody when they’re stealing from us,” he said. “We have to find a way to stop these guys from doing this. It’s painful.”

Although Powell is devastated by this loss, he’s trying to stay positive and work on regaining his livelihood by replacing his tools. He hopes he’ll be ready to work soon enough. As an independent contractor, he has two employees who also rely on him for pay.

“I’ll take tomorrow and just start putting it back together as if I had nothing,” he said. “I know that I am blessed with the customers I have and the friends that I have. I’m going to pull through it.”

Powell filed a police report but said he couldn’t provide a detailed description of the suspects' appearance as his home security footage was on night mode and was too grainy.

Anyone who may be interested in helping Powell rebuild can email him directly at kandrplumbing90504@gmail.com.

Butane honey oil lab in Irwindale, where 4 were killed, operated under the radar

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 18:55:18 +0000

Investigators said they don’t know yet how long a large butane honey oil lab had been in operation at a warehouse in Irwindale. (Photo by Ruby Gonzales, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG)
Investigators don’t know yet how long a large butane honey oil lab had been in operation at a warehouse in Irwindale. The lab was discovered at 1404 Arrow Highway after a fire broke out Oct. 9, 2023 and four men were killed. One of the men ran out and later died at a hospital. The place was boarded up and the damaged building deemed unsafe. (Photo by Ruby Gonzales, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG)

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Arthur Harwich, who co-owns Weg Industrial Electric on Arrow Highway in Irwindale, remembered going over to the business next door to tell the employees to turn down the loud music, and they did.

He didn’t know what type of business it was, but he did see storage containers.

At nearby Shepherd’s Pantry, volunteers, like Harwich, thought they had smelled marijuana now and then — they thought someone was smoking pot.

“We never associated the smell with the business,” said Frances Gilek, Irwindale warehouse director for Shepherd’s Pantry.

Others thought the place was selling noodles, she added.

On the morning of Oct. 9, a fire broke out at 1404 Arrow Highway and a man engulfed in flames ran out, later dying at a hospital. Authorities found the bodies of three other men inside the warehouse as well as a drug lab.

Weeks later, the tilt-up-construction warehouse, about the height of a two-story building, was still scorched on the outside above a boarded-up doorway. Traffic zipping by was a constant sound. The fire was in one of several businesses in the warehouse, among three such large structures that sit in a triangle formation with a parking lot in the middle.

“It was a large commercial-grade, butane honey oil lab,” said Michael Burke, assistant director of the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force, or LA IMPACT, a collection of law enforcement agencies with a focus on breaking up drug-trafficking groups. “I would say this is one of the biggest we’ve been to.”

Burke said it is difficult if determine how long the lab on Arrow Highway had been operating: “We’re still at the beginning stages of the investigation.”

Butane is used in the extraction of oil from marijuana plants. It’s not rare for such explosions at honey oil labs, which are furtively tucked into commercial areas and neighborhoods. An open flame, heat or a spark could ignite butane vapors.

In 2020, LA IMPACT responded to 14 butane honey oil labs in Los Angeles County; four had fires. In 2021, five out of the 18 labs the agency came across had fires. Last year, three out of 14 labs had fires.

It’s not uncommon for people to be injured or killed in butane honey oil labs, but this one was different.

“It’s uncommon to see many fatalities,” Burke added.

Paul Mancilla, a Shepherd’s Pantry volunteer, said he was talking to someone on Oct. 9 when he heard the explosion about 10:30 in the morning, then saw brown smoke coming out of the warehouse that housed 1404 Arrow Highway. He headed to where his motorcycle was parked and saw a man on fire.

Mancilla heard a hissing sound similar to a blowtorch’s.

He later saw the badly burned man sitting under a tree. The man told him there were three other people inside the burning warehouse — Mancilla passed that on to a responding police officer.

That burned man, 47-year-old Yi Luo of Baldwin Park, died at a hospital. Two of the men found dead inside the warehouse were Xin Chen, 59, of Rosemead and Guangqi Fu, 35, of Chino. The fourth man remained unidentified as of Friday.

The official causes of death have not been publicly released yet. The police investigation is ongoing, with no one arrested so far.

Luo and Chen’s families couldn’t be reached for comment. A relative of Fu declined to be interviewed.

Taped to the warehouse’s exterior recently was a red placard from Los Angeles County Public Works, saying the building is unsafe and not to enter it. There is structural damage to the building, and damaged beams are causing the building to buckle, the paper placard said.

City documents show the most recent business at 1404 Arrow Highway as Northwest Labs.

The city approved an occupancy permit on Oct. 6, 2022, and a business license on Nov. 15, 2022, for Northwest Labs, said Iris Espino, assistant to the city manager. Code enforcement had not received complaints or calls about that specific address, she said.

In documents, Northwest Labs said it would use the warehouse for storing materials and doing retail and wholesale business.

In a letter dated Nov. 5, 2021, filed with the city of Irwindale, Northwest Labs’ president wrote that there would be general office activities in the building as well as selling soil already prepared, mixing different soils together, and packaging items and shipping them out. The items to be stored there included rye berries, “soil frames stacked upon themselves,” and wood pallets.

(The president used “Baldwin Park” in the paperwork, even though the warehouse is in Irwindale, and the city of Irwindale approved the business license and the occupancy permit.)

The president referred the Southern California News Group to lawyer Michael Kraut.

When asked if the president was aware there was a butane honey oil lab there, he said, of course she didn’t know: “She had nothing to do with it.”

The president, he said, had subleased the space to somebody else. He declined to provide details about the sublessee.

Pasadena Panda Express tests Dim Sum Bites and Boba Black Tea Ice Cream

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 12:34:40 +0000

Panda Express has a spot in Pasadena where the menu is slightly different than other locations in the chain and new items created at headquarters in Rosemead get tested on the public.

It’s called the Panda Express Innovation Kitchen and it’s currently serving new items called Dim Sum Bites.

They include Lobster & Shrimp Dumplings, stuffed with lobster, shrimp, cream cheese and vegetables, and Mini Chicken Wontons. filled with chicken and vegetables, according to a news release.

Dim Sum Bites also include Veggie Spring Rolls and Chicken Egg Rolls, which are available everywhere, and Apple Pie Rolls, which Panda Express calls its first-ever dessert item. It was introduced to mark its 40th anniversary. The chain began in the Glendale Galleria in 1983.

Bites at the Innovation Kitchen cost $3.75 for two dishes and $5 for three dishes.

Panda Express is testing another dessert called Boba Black Tea Ice Cream at the Innovation Kitchen and three other locations. It is a collaboration with Boba x Ice Cream, a company that sells small batch lactose-free ice cream by the pint for online delivery and in markets such as Sprouts.

The ice cream cups cost $3.99 for 5 ounces.

The Dum Sum Bites test is scheduled to last until Nov. 28. The ice cream cups will be available until Nov. 14, according to the chain.

The Innovation Kitchen is at 3867 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena.

The other locations that sell the ice cream are at 1717 Walnut Grove Ave, Rosemead; 3717 S Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas; and the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, 3355 S Las Vegas Blvd.

Information: pandaexpress.com/innovation

Where to attend Sept. 11 remembrances and visit memorial sites in LA County

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 15:49:43 +0000

Volunteers work to install the ‘Waves of Flags’ display at Pepperdine University’s Alumni Park Saturday, September 2, 2023. The nearly 3,000 flags represent the victims from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and also include national flags representing citizens from foreign countries. (Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

Here’s a sampling of 2023 remembrance ceremonies and memorial sites to visit to honor and remember the victims and the first responders of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Sept. 9

Pepperdine University – Waves of Flags: The annual display of flags, both American and foreign, honors and remembers the 2,977 victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Flags are on display through Sept. 20; and lowered on Sept. 21. Alumni Park, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway (corner of Malibu Canyon Road), Malibu. www.pepperdine.edu/waves-of-flags

Rose Hills Memorial Park Sept. 11 Field of Healing – Whittier: An American flag display that honors the 2,977 victims of the Sept. 11 attacks is open for viewing, sunrise to sunset through Sept. 20. Use the main entrance at gate one, 3888 Workman Hill Road, Whittier. Details: www.rosehills.com/discover-rose-hills/upcoming-events

Remembering 9/11 – Patriots Day Car Show: Event includes a singing of the National Anthem by special guest soloist Terrell Edwards and a remembrance ceremony, 8:15 a.m. Breakfast, 8-10 a.m. (donation requested). The car show, 8 a.m.-noon. Scheduled guests include Congressman Mike Garcia and Santa Clarita Mayor Jason Gibbs. Parking lot at Higher Vision Church, 28776 The Old Road, Valencia. 661-347-6307. Flyer: guardiansscv.org/911-event-flyer. guardiansscv.org/911-event

Sept. 10

El Segundo Firefighters Pancake Breakfast: Fire Station One hosts the event that includes a remembrance honoring the victims and first responders of 9/11, 8-11 a.m. Donation for the breakfast. Proceeds go to local charities. The event takes place in front of the fire station, 314 Main St., El Segundo. www.elsegundofd.org/home-fire. Details: tinyurl.com/446u9aah

Sept. 11

Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial – Always Remember: Two events: an informal ceremony at 6:45 a.m. (Beverly Hills Fire Department Headquarters, 445 N. Rexford Drive). Remembrance in-person and online, 5:30-6 p.m. at the Beverly Hills Memorial Garden (on the grounds of the Beverly Hills Fire Department, 445 N. Rexford Drive; northwest corner of Rexford and South Santa Monica Boulevard). Watch the online ceremony: beverlyhills.org/live. The memorial garden is open, 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. daily (310-281-2700; beverlyhills911memorial.org). Flyer: tinyurl.com/4jnnknw8

City of Hermosa Beach 9/11 Remembrance: A wreath-laying ceremony, 7:30-8 a.m. Flowers to be available for the public to place at the memorial site. Hermosa Beach 9/11 Memorial, Pier Avenue between Ardmore Avenue and Valley Drive (in the greenbelt). Details: tinyurl.com/bd3s8a6r

City of Manhattan Beach 9/11 Remembrance: Lowering of the flags, statement from the Fire Chief and laying of a wreath and flowers, 9 a.m. Manhattan Beach 9/11 Memorial, southwest corner of 15th Street and Valley Drive. Details: tinyurl.com/j8raka8a.

Sept. 11 Remembrance – Alhambra: The Alhambra Fire and Police departments hold a ceremony, 9 a.m. Fire Station 71, 301 N. First St., Alhambra. Details: tinyurl.com/3fkuncxk

Los Angeles Fire Department 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony: The event includes bagpipers, a LAFD helicopter flyover and LAFD Fire Chief Kristin Crowley and Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore ring “10-Bells” during the program, 9 a.m. Special guests include Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass; Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Sheriff Robert Luna; Los Angeles County Fire Department Fire Chief Anthony Marrone. The program will be available to watch live stream here: vimeo.com/showcase/lafd-pio. Los Angeles Fire Department – Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center, 1700 Stadium Way, Los Angeles. www.lafd.org

Long Beach Remembrance: Long Beach officials will gather at Fire Station No. 1, 100 Magnolia Ave., for a 9/11 remembrance ceremony. Besides a moment of silence, there will also be a Last Alarm tribute at 9:11 a.m., a wreath-laying ceremony, remarks by Mayor Rex Richardson and an “Amazing Grace” bagpiper performance.

Sept. 11 Remembrance – Glendora: The commemoration service, 6 p.m. Location, in front of Glendora City Hall, 116 E. Foothill Blvd., (corner of Glendora Avenue and Foothill Boulevard). cityofglendora.org

City of Rosemead’s Never Forget 9/11 ceremony: A “Sept. 11 Remembrance Ceremony,” 6 p.m. Civic Center Plaza, 8838 E. Valley Blvd. 626-569-2160. See the Sept. 4 post: www.facebook.com/rosemeadca

Torrance wreath-laying: The city of Torrance will commemorate 9/11 by laying a wreath at the Torrance Police Station, 3300 Civic Center Drive, while the Fire Department will do the same, as well as hold a flag ceremony, at Fire Station No. 1, 1701 Crenshaw Blvd. Seaside Heroes Park, 22851 Anza Ave., will have a special flag memorial, with each standard representing one of the victims of Sept. 11.

Sept. 11 remembrance activity

Remember the Sky: The 9/11 Memorial & Museum in NYC is encouraging the public to take a photo of the sky wherever you are on Sept. 11 — regardless of the weather — and post it to their Instagram and other social media. The organizers ask the public to post their photo early in the day. Use the tag @911memorial, and also use hashtags #NeverForget911 and #rememberthesky (all lower case). Details on how to post your photo to Instagram, and also to Facebook, TikTok and X. (use appropriate hashtags and the tag): tinyurl.com/yrvafpr9. Details: www.911memorial.org/remember-sky

A 9/11 Memorial by artist Heath Satow sits in front of Rosemead City Hall, seen here on Friday, Sept. 11, 2020. The sculpture depicts two hands, created with wing-spread dove cutouts, holding an I-beam from the World Trade Center. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)

Visit the memorials

Alhambra Fire Department Headquarters, Station 71: A plus-500-pound steel artifact from the World Trade Center is on display at the memorial that honors the firefighters who worked to save lives on Sept. 11. Location, 301 N. First St., Alhambra. https://www.cityofalhambra.org/183/9-11-Memorial

Beverly Hills Memorial Garden: The memorial is open, 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. The memorial garden is located on the grounds of the Beverly Hills Fire Department, 445 N. Rexford Drive (northwest corner of Rexford and South Santa Monica Boulevard). 310-281-2700. Details: tinyurl.com/539vvd9e

Los Angeles Fire Department’s Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center: A display of a 23-ton and approximately 22-foot tall steel column that was originally part of the lobby structure at the south tower of the World Trade Center. Location, 1700 Stadium Way, Los Angeles.

Hermosa Beach 9/11 Memorial: The city’s memorial sculpture includes a steel plate recovered from the Ground Zero Monument in New York. Location, Pier Avenue, between Ardmore Avenue and Valley Drive (in the greenbelt).

Manhattan Beach Sept. 11 Memorial: The Manhattan Beach Fire Department received two steel beams from the World Trade Center. The beams are upright on a concrete platform where the words “We shall never forget” are inscribed. The memorial is located at Manhattan Beach Fire Department Station No. 1, 400 15th St. (at Valley Drive). Details: bit.ly/33g2oJF

Los Angeles Beautification Team’s 9/11 Remembrance: LABT planted 83 trees in June 2002 in memory of California residents who were killed on Sept. 11. North Hollywood Park, South, 11430 Chandler Blvd. (at Magnolia Boulevard), North Hollywood. Email: hbt@labteam.org. 323-962-2163. Video on the history of the trees: hbteam.org/featured-projects/911-memorial-tree-plantings/

City of Redondo Beach 9/11 Memorial: A 300-pound section of an inner beam from one of the World Trade Center towers is a gift from the New York Fire Department to the Redondo Beach Fire and Police associations with the request that people may be able to visit it and remember that it represents the victims of Sept. 11. Redondo Beach City Hall, 415 Diamond St. www.redondo.org/about/911_memorial.asp

The 9/11 Memorial at Los Angeles Fire Department Station 88: The Memorial Fountain in front of the station has a 750-pound piece from the destroyed World Trade Center and a 100-pound piece of limestone from the Pentagon. The public may view the memorial daily at 5101 Sepulveda Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Contact Carrie Konjoyan, volunteer coordinator, 818-406-8013. lafdheroes.com/

Signal Hill Unity Monument: The monument is a sculpture by Patrick Vogel and was dedicated in 2002. 2271 Temple Ave., Signal Hill. artslb.org/public-art/unity-monument/ and www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=100534

Panda Express launches a points-based rewards program

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 11:20:35 +0000

Panda Express has launched its first rewards program with monthly “good fortune gifts” based on online and app purchases.

Panda Rewards members will receive 10 points for every $1 spent, according to the Rosemead-based chain’s website.

Rewards range from an upgrade to a premium entree for 200 points to 5,000 points for a family meal.

New members will receive a welcome gift of 25 percent off their orders up to $10, according to a news release.

In addition to the monthly gift, which is unlocked by the first purchase in a month, members will receive annual birthday gifts.

The mobile app is available from the Apple App Store or Google Pay.

Information: pandaexpress.com/rewards

Panda Express is testing an orange chicken sandwich at 5 LA and OC locations

Wed, 17 May 2023 12:12:11 +0000

Panda Express is testing a chicken sandwich made with its signature Original Orange Chicken at five locations in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

The test will begin today, May 17 and run through July 11, according to a news release from the Rosemead-based chain.

The sandwich is made with crispy chicken glazed with orange sauce, topped with pickles and sriracha aioli on a potato bun.

It will be available at:

14480 Merced Ave, Baldwin Park.

8510 Firestone Blvd, Downey.

15528 Whittier Blvd B, Whittier.

25276 Marguerite Parkway No. 104, Mission Viejo.

27670-b Santa Margarita Parkway, Mission Viejo.

The sandwich is also being tested at five restaurants in Colorado, the news release said.

The OC Sandwich went through its first phase of testing last year at the Panda Express Innovation Kitchen in Pasadena, according to Adrian Lok, senior culinary innovation manager.

“It was a great response from both our guests and operators,” he said in a phone interview. “It’s moved on now to the next stage.”

The Innovation Kitchen is currently testing an item called Spicy Wagyu Beef Dumplings.

Information: pandaexpress.com/innovation

‘Ten Thousand Things’ podcast finds stories in objects owned by Asian Americans

Tue, 09 May 2023 12:54:43 +0000

A blue suit, a record collection, a well-worn Chinese/English dictionary, and something less tangible but just as precious — one’s name.

Poet Shin Yu Pai is the host and creator of “Ten Thousand Things,” a National Public Radio podcast that examines everyday things that touch people’s lives and “the uncommon people that transforms them into something remarkable.”

“We consider our emotional kinship with everyday objects to reflect together on what we own, what we inherit and what we cherish,” she said. “From everyday objects owned by Asian Americans, we can learn personal and cultural values and tell stories that are deeply humanizing. We’re connected.”

Pai (her full name is pronounced Shin Yee Pie) first titled the podcast “The Blue Suit,” a nod to the suit worn by Congressman Andy Kim on Jan. 6, when he was photographed collecting trash following the United States Capitol insurrection. The suit has since become part of the Smithsonian’s collection, a found object to add to Asian American history.

Renamed for this new season, “Ten Thousand Things” debuted on May 1. New episodes release weekly on Mondays on NPR One, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other platforms.

The new name refers to many Chinese sayings, where “ten thousand” is used in a poetic sense to convey something infinite, vast and unfathomable. For Pai, the story of Asians in America is just that.

From a search to replace “PooPoo,” a beloved childhood stuffed toy, to the dictionary an ancestor used to acclimate to a new country, the podcast celebrates and highlights Asian American stories and challenges listeners to re-imagine attitudes about their own experiences.

This season’s first episode featured transgender and non-binary poet and educator Ebo Barton, talking about the power names. Other guests this season include Alice Wong, host of the “Disability Visibility Project” podcast; and Eason Yang, founder of Not Entirely Dead, which helps young cancer survivors find work.

Pai was born in Decatur, Ill. in the 1970s, but her Taiwanese parents moved the family first to Los Angeles, then to Riverside County.

“I grew up in Highgrove, an unincorporated town between Riverside and San Bernardino counties with zero Asians,” she said. “However, my parents were somewhat intentional about staying connected to the Taiwanese American community in the greater L.A. area and Rosemead. So one of my very first freelance writing gigs in the late 1990s was for a Taiwanese-American newspaper out of Rosemead.”

Pai went East for college, earning her bachelor’s degree in English from Boston University, before attending the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University in Colorado. Pai later received a master’s degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a master’s in museology from the University of Washington, where she specialized in oral history.

She has written 11 books and is the Civic Poet of Seattle for 2023-2024. She’s written for Atlas Obscura and the New York Times, and her visual work has been exhibited at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary, the Paterson Museum, the American Jazz Museum, among other institutions.

Pai has also created video poems and taught creative writing at the University of Texas at Dallas, Southern Methodist University and Dalla Museum of Art.

The pandemic prompted her to ask what people cherish and what they leave behind. One of her own cherished items is a white silk scarf she keeps in a Buddhist shrine at home. It was given to her by her teacher, a Buddhist priest, on the day she took her vows of refuge.

“It’s a concrete object commemorating making the choice to choose this spiritual path full of wakeful possibilities,” Pai said.

Other episodes will focus on new objects but also more intangible concepts.

“This series is about experiences of diasporic Asians and how they continue to carry their values themselves,” Pai said.

Anissa V. Rivera, columnist, “Mom’s the Word,” Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Whittier Daily News, Azusa Herald, Glendora Press and West Covina Highlander, San Dimas/La Verne Highlander. Southern California News Group, 181 W. Huntington Drive, Suite 209 Monrovia, CA 91016. 626-497-4869.

Panda Express is testing Spicy Wagyu Beef Dumplings; how to get them

Wed, 03 May 2023 13:27:24 +0000

Panda Express has begun testing a new dish called Spicy Wagyu Beef Dumplings.

They will be available through June 1 at the Panda Express Innovation Kitchen in Hastings Ranch Plaza, 3867 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, according to a news release.

The dumplings are served in portions of five and envisioned as an entree, according to according to Adrian Lok, senior culinary innovation manager for the Rosemead-based chain.

“At least in the U.S., dumplings are seen more as an appetizer and a side in a number of restaurants. The idea was, how do we make dumplings front and center.”

The dish was in development for about nine months, he said in a phone interview.

“We’ve been playing around with the idea of how can we feature something premium that can also be accessible.”

Wagyu is high-end beef from cattle bred in Japan. Panda Express is using American Wagyu, which comes from crossbreeding Japanese cattle in the United States. Both kinds of beef are prized for their marbling, tenderness and texture.

The dumplings are filled with Wagyu and a traditional mixture of such ingredients as cabbage, green onions and aromatics like ginger and garlic, Lok said. They are wok-tossed with kale and onions in a sweet and spicy sauce Panda’s chefs made using a Zhong sauce from a Szechuan-style condiments company called Fly By Jing.

“They’re an Asian-American brand like us,” Lok said. “We share similar missions of spreading Chinese flavors to a broader audience.”

The dumplings sold out on the first day at the Innovation Kitchen, which Lok said is the first stage of restaurant testing after dishes are created at Rosemead headquarters.

Dishes that succeed there go on to expanded testing in other Panda Express locations.

Success stories from the Innovation Kitchen include Black Pepper Angus Steak and Super Greens, both of which are on the main menu, Lok said.

Information: pandaexpress.com/innovation

Panda Express is giving away mini woks in Los Angeles

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 10:11:05 +0000

Panda Express will be giving away cast iron mini woks in four Los Angeles restaurants.

Update: The promotion was originally announced for 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 9,. But it will now take place Friday, March 10 as well, according to a news release from the Rosemead-based restaurant chain and its website.

The giveaway is promoting a new menu item, Sizzling Shrimp, which Panda Express describes as a mixture of seafood and fresh vegetables wok-tossed in a tangy sauce. It will be available for a limited time.

The wok is worth $30, according to Panda Express. Customers must make an in-store purchase of Sizzling Shrimp to qualify, and there are other terms and conditions on the chain’s website.

The woks will be offered while supplies last at these restaurants, according to the news release:

4947 Eagle Rock Blvd., Los Angeles

2619 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles

2919 Los Feliz Blvd., No. Los Angeles

2011 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles

Information: pandaexpress.com/promo/miniwok

El Monte Union board ditches new site for students with disabilities, igniting political storm

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 16:47:45 +0000

The El Monte Union High School District is scrapping $1.1 million in design work on a new campus for adult students with disabilities, deciding instead to rent the proposed site to a board member’s employer.

Pasadena City College has used the property owned by El Monte Union for its Rosemead satellite campus since 2013, but the high school district previously announced it would let that lease expire this summer so it could begin construction on a permanent space for its Adult Transition Program, which serves about 100 students with disabilities who have aged out of the high school’s special education program.

In 2021, after a year of internal discussions, El Monte Union’s Board of Trustees voted to relocate the students — ranging in age from 18 to 22 — from deteriorating trailers in a parking lot to the Rosemead Boulevard property used by PCC. The board, which at that time included four of the five members currently in office, extended PCC’s lease to July 2023 as a courtesy and warned the community college there would not be an extension.

Now, just four months before the start of construction, three board members — Ricardo Padilla, Esthela Torres de Siegrist and Qui Nguyen — have reversed course and instead directed the district’s administration to reintegrate the Adult Transition Program students back into their high schools. The three board members fired the architects working on Rosemead project and then, in closed session, directed staff to reopen negotiations with Pasadena City College.

Both decisions received a majority only because of Torres de Siegrist, who works as an adjunct professor at PCC.

The district spent $1.1 million from the $190 million Measure HS bond on the designs for the Rosemead property and has another $200,000 to $300,000 in outstanding bills, according to a presentation at the board’s Jan. 18 meeting. The district has faced criticism in the past for lax oversight of bond monies.

The El Monte Union High School District Board of Trustees voted Feb. 8 to reintegrate adult students with disabilities into its high schools. Feb 11, 2023, El Monte, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)

Meeting turns chaotic

Board meetings about the future of the Adult Transition Program have descended into shouting matches among trustees, with accusations of wrongdoing lobbed against both sides.

“You’re the pathetic liar,” Padilla said to Trustee Florencio Briones during one heated exchange. Briones accused Padilla of not living in the district he represents, while Padilla accused Briones of lying about his education. Both referred to the other as “George Santos,” the U.S. representative from New York accused of fabricating his qualifications.

Padilla and his allies later passed a motion to censure Briones. There was no internal investigation and the unsubstantiated findings, presented Wednesday, Feb. 8, were authored solely by Padilla.

Student Trustee Ruben Carrazco, a senior at South El Monte High, expressed his disappointment in the elected board members’ squabbling and urged them to consider the impacts on the district’s students.

“The people in this district have given me so much, but tonight, as I stand here, I am embarrassed,” he said at one meeting. “I am embarrassed for you guys and I am embarrassed to be a part of it.”

From left to right, Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga, Trustee Florencio Briones, board Vice President Esthela Torres de Siegrist, Mountain View High School student body President Mariana Barbosa, board President Ricardo Padilla, Trustee Qui Nguyen and MVHS Principal Jose Bañas.(Photo by Ad Santell, VMA Communications Inc.)

Parent protests

Parents have protested at the last three meetings, calling for equity for the adult special education students and condemning the school board for allegedly trading the well-being of their students for approximately $600,000 a year in rent from Pasadena City College.

In interviews, parents of the adult students and staff at the transition program described the board’s actions as frustrating and potentially dangerous. What was supposed to be a long-awaited win for the students is now a source of anxiety. There is currently no plan for how the district will logistically and legally accomplish the board’s sudden edict.

Previously, El Monte Union held community workshops and conducted a feasibility study before voting to relocate the adult students to Rosemead in 2021. None of that happened this time around.

“It’s disheartening, they got these committees together before and asked for input, and told us we’re going to get a new site, and six months before that happens, it’s like the carpet got ripped out from under us,” said Katherine Alamillo, a special education teacher who has worked in the program for 10 years.

Conflict of interest?

Trustee Torres de Siegrist’s employment at PCC has sparked allegations that she violated conflict-of-interest laws. Parents and Briones have called for her to recuse herself from discussions, but, so far, she has not.

“I feel that not only does she have a conflict of interest because it is her employer,” Briones said in an interview, “but she also has an ethical obligation to be impartial.”

Instead, Torres de Siegrist appears to be advocating for PCC’s students over those in her own district, Briones alleged.

During the board’s Jan. 18 meeting, Torres de Siegrist said she told her boss, PCC President Erika Endrijonas, that there was a “new board” in power and suggested requesting a renewal of the lease. A spokesperson for PCC confirmed the meeting and Endrijonas formally sent a letter to the board in December.

“I saw Dr. Endrijonas and I asked her, are you still interested?” Torres de Siegrist said at the meeting.

Torres de Siegrist suggested she supported renewing the lease with PCC over using the site for the adult transition program because it would benefit more students. PCC students had also directly asked her to intervene, she said.

El Monte Union High School District School board member Esthela Torres de Siegrist. (Photo by Leo Jarzomb, SGV Tribune/ SCNG)

In a phone call, Torres de Siegrist declined to speak about her vote, or the alleged conflict. She directed questions to Padilla and to her son and attorney, David Torres-Siegrist.

Padilla told a reporter to contact the superintendent and then hung up when asked to explain his decisions as an elected official.

Torres-Siegrist denied there was any conflict with his mother’s actions, noting the board has not yet voted on renewing the lease with Pasadena City College.

“My mom has not participated in anything that would implicate a conflict of interest,” he said.

Torres de Siegrist has asked the district’s counsel for a legal opinion and will follow that advice once the lease is before the board, her attorney said. Superintendent Edward Zuniga confirmed the board directed staff in closed session to renegotiate the lease. He declined to say if the district’s attorneys have made a determination regarding any potential conflict. Two of the five board members have publicly stated they do not support renewing the lease.

‘Serious ethical concerns’

Public officials should generally err on the side of caution if there is even the potential for a conflict, said Sean McMorris, the transparency, ethics and accountability program manager at California Common Cause, a nonpartisan organization advocating for good governance.

“I do believe that she should have recused herself from voting to end the contract if she had already had interactions with people regarding the matter and the impetus was to renew the lease to the community college,” McMorris said. “The lawyers will need to decide if what took place was illegal, but, at a minimum, it does not look good.”

The California Public Reform Act states public officials with a conflict “may not make, participate in making, or in any way use or attempt to use his or her official position to influence a governmental decision when he or she knows or has reason to know he or she has a disqualifying financial interest.” Disqualifying financial interests include any source of income exceeding $500 in the previous 12 months. Torres de Siegrist is paid between $10,000 and $100,000 as a professor, according to her financial disclosures.

The board member’s discussions with the PCC president could also be seen as an attempt to influence the decision, McMorris said.

“It raises serious ethical concerns,” he said.

Jay Wierenga, spokesperson for the Fair Political Practices Commission, declined to comment on the specific allegations, but said it is always “the responsibility of any public official to know the law, to take efforts to know the law, to anticipate and know their potential conflicts, to ask for advice from their local agency counsel or the FPPC ahead of time, before any discussions or votes take place, or at the first instant of a discussion happening where they become aware of and/or should see the red flags ahead.”

Torres de Siegrist has not asked the FPPC to weigh in yet, but may in the future, according to Torres-Siegrist.

Current site floods, leaks, lacks privacy

The transition program has operated out of “temporary” trailers in a parking lot on Granada Avenue in El Monte for more than a decade. Parents and staff have complained of deteriorating conditions and dwindling space as the school’s population has grown. The entire campus is paved and floods during the rainy season and scorches during the summer.

Students eat their lunches under an awning outdoors, regardless of weather, because there is no indoor cafeteria.

Classrooms leak, the sewage system backs up during flooding — creating unbearable odors near the eating area — and private spaces are not available for adult changing rooms or the nurse’s office, the stakeholders said. The administrative offices aren’t even wheelchair accessible, forcing staff, students and parents to meet outside in some instances.

The decision to send students back to the high schools came suddenly, with only three weeks from the first motion to the last. Parents were caught off guard, said Paul Arellano, whose 20-year-old son attends the program.

“They had been promising us all along: ‘This is only temporary, your students are going to be in a new site,’” Arellano said. “We were shell-shocked.

“How am I feeling? Frustrated and unfortunately powerless,” he said.

What happens next?

After firing the architects, the school board had initially agreed at its Feb. 1 meeting to conduct a feasibility study to identify potential alternative locations for the transition program. Torres de Siegrist highlighted closed schools in neighboring districts that could be an option, including within the El Monte City School District, where her husband is board member.

But then at an emergency meeting Feb. 8, Torres de Siegrist rescinded her vote on the study. Padilla, Nguyen and Torres de Siegrist then passed a motion to direct staff to “immediately” integrate the students back into the high schools.

In comments at the meeting, the three members said they are attempting to promptly address the concerns about the conditions at the Granada Avenue site. Integration provides more opportunities for students, Padilla said when he first presented the idea.

“Integration is my keyword, not segregation in a parking lot all by themselves, where they never get to see students without disabilities,” Padilla explained. Other local school districts operate similar programs out of their comprehensive high schools, though few are the size of El Monte Union’s program.

The motion has been criticized by the two dissenting board members, staff and parents because of the lack of consultation with staff.

“The way they’re going about this, so quickly, is very concerning,” said Alamillo, the special education teacher. “And not just for the transition center, but for the entire district, for all students.”

Many of the adult transition students have behavioral issues and would need constant chaperones at the high schools, costing them the independence offered at the current site, she said. An adult student could become aggressive, or choose to disrobe or perform sexual acts in front of high school students, she said.

Alamillo, who joined the district in 2013, compared the adult transition program to going to community college or university. These students’ peers are other adults, not high schoolers, she said. Under integration, a student with a disability might take special education classes at the high school until 18 and then, instead of moving to a new site, they’d end up at the same school for four more years, depriving them of that next step in life, she said.

“This is their rite of passage, this is their opportunity to explore what they like. Let’s teach them to cook, let’s teach them to take the bus,” she said. “The high school is not the proper environment for an adult transition program of our size.”

In an interview, Superintendent Zuniga said the district staff do not know which sites could work yet. It hasn’t been decided whether the district will split up the 100 students across the six high schools, or build new space for the entire group on a single campus.

“It is going to take some time to plan everything thoroughly over the next coming months,” Zuniga said. “It is more about going back to the drawing board and looking at how we can make this work in a timely manner.”

El Monte Union will ensure the students receive the same, if not better, services wherever they end up, Zuniga pledged. He noted integration would give them access to the high schools’ cafeterias, gymnasiums and outdoor areas — amenities they do not have now.

The idea of integration was previously looked explored by a consulting firm. In 2020, when El Monte Union was first considering the move to Rosemead, the DRL Group ranked the district’s high schools below other options because of concerns about access to public transportation, limited space and the proximity to community businesses where the adult students might shadow workers.

Zuniga said his staff is weighing those same factors again as it investigates the best option for the students.

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Volunteers place flags on the Alumni Park lawn at Pepperdine University for the annual “Wave of Flags” display in Malibu, CA. on Wednesday, September 8, 2021. Each flag represents the life of one of the 2,977 people killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Here’s a sampling of memorial events and sites to visit to honor and remember the victims and the first responders of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Sept. 9-21

Rose Hills Memorial Park 9/11 Field of Healing: An American flag display that honors the 2,977 victims of the 9/11 attacks is open for viewing, today through sunset Sept. 21. Use the main entrance at gate one, 3888 Workman Hill Road, Whittier. Details on Facebook: bit.ly/3KR8jKw. www.rosehills.com/discover-rose-hills/upcoming-events

Sept. 10

Remembering 9/11 – Patriots Day Car Show: Event includes a singing of the National Anthem by Terrell Edwards, a 9/11 ceremony, 8:30 a.m., followed by a breakfast (donation requested). The car show, 8 a.m.-noon. Scheduled guests include Congressman Mike Garcia, Santa Clarita Mayor Pro Tem Jason Gibbs and Assemblymember Suzette Martinez Valladares. Parking lot at Higher Vision Church, 28776 The Old Road, Valencia. 661-347-6307. guardiansscv.org/

El Segundo Firefighters Pancake Breakfast: Fire Station 1 hosts the event that includes a ceremony honoring the victims and first responders of 9/11, 8-11 a.m. Proceeds go to local charities. The event takes place in front of the fire station, 314 Main St., El Segundo. www.elsegundofd.org/home-fire. Details: www.elsegundofd.org/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/5915/268549

City of Rosemead’s Never Forget 9/11 ceremony: A “Sept. 11 Remembrance Ceremony” with a flag raising, a parade of state flags and a wreath laying, 10 a.m. Sept. 10. Adjacent to Rosemead’s Sept. 11 Memorial at Civic Center Plaza, 8838 E. Valley Blvd. 626-569-2160. See the Facebook post on Aug. 30: www.facebook.com/rosemeadca

9/11 Remembrance activity

Remember the Sky: The 9/11 Memorial & Museum in NYC is encouraging the public to take a photo of the sky wherever you are on Sept. 11 — regardless of the weather — and post it to their Instagram. The organizers ask the public to post their photo early in the day. Use the tag @911memorial, and also use hashtags #NeverForget911 and #rememberthesky (all lower case). Details on posting your photo: www.911memorial.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/RTS%20Overview_0_82422.pdf. Details: www.911memorial.org/remember-sky?fbclid=IwAR2RPcdSfxxe4nGr9bLpW3xyTSbYPbaI7PVIOkayv8504JdB0lhWoKjGDSk

Sept. 11

Pepperdine University – Waves of Flags: The annual display of flags, both American and foreign, honors and remembers the 2,977 victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The flags are on display through Sept. 23. Alumni Park, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway (corner of Malibu Canyon Road), Malibu. www.pepperdine.edu/waves-of-flags

San Gabriel Fire Department 9/11 Remembrance and Tribute: San Gabriel firefighters and police officers take part in a flag ceremony, moment of silence and bell ringing to honor the first responders and the victims of the attacks on Sept. 11. A placement of 343 mini-flags with the names of firefighters who died on 9/11 and their respective rigs are on the front lawn of San Gabriel Fire Station 51. The ceremony begins, 6:40 a.m. Location, San Gabriel Fire Station 51, 1303 S. Del Mar Ave. sangabrielcity.com/94/Fire

Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial – We Will Never Forget: Two events: an informal ceremony at 6:45 a.m. (Beverly Hills Fire Department Headquarters, 445 N. Rexford Drive). Remembrance in-person and online, 5:30 p.m. at the Beverly Hills Memorial Garden (on the grounds of the Beverly Hills Fire Department, 445 N. Rexford Drive; northwest corner of Rexford and South Santa Monica Boulevard). Watch the online ceremony: beverlyhills.org/live. The memorial garden is open, 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. www.facebook.com/BeverlyHills911Memorial/

Field of Glory: Azusa Rotary Club invites the community to its opening day for its “Field of Glory” flag display, 6 p.m. Sept. 11. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Our Women Veterans, Military Members and First Responders.” Retired New York City Fire Lt. Clarence Singleton will speak, as will U.S. Army Capt. Lisa Landeros Levine. Following the ceremony, a dinner is held, 7:40 p.m. in the city hall courtyard (reservations required for the dinner; $60; purchase from the website). Flags will be up through Sept. 17. A pre-event, the “Freedom Flag” ceremony, will be held from 5:30-5:40 p.m. Sept. 11. Azusa City Hall, 213 E. Foothill Blvd., Azusa. To sponsor a flag, or for more information, send an email to azusarotary18@gmail.com. fieldofglory.org

Long Beach: A livestreamed commemoration ceremony featuring city officials is scheduled for 9 a.m. Sunday. Long Beach will also have a citywide moment of silence at 9:11 a.m. and encourages residents to take part. The livestream will be available on the Facebook and Twitter accounts for the city, and the Police and Fire Departments, and on LBTV3.com

Visit the memorials

Alhambra Fire Department Headquarters, Station 71: A plus-500-pound steel artifact from the World Trade Center is on display at the memorial that honors the firefighters who worked to save lives on Sept. 11. 301 N. First St., Alhambra. https://www.cityofalhambra.org/183/9-11-Memorial

Beverly Hills Memorial Garden: The memorial is open, 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. The memorial garden is located on the grounds of the Beverly Hills Fire Department, 445 N. Rexford Drive (northwest corner of Rexford and South Santa Monica Boulevard). www.facebook.com/BeverlyHills911Memorial/

Los Angeles Fire Department’s Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center: A display of a 23-ton and approximately 22-foot tall steel column that was originally part of the lobby structure at the south tower of the World Trade Center. 1700 Stadium Way, Los Angeles.

Manhattan Beach Sept. 11 Memorial: The Manhattan Beach Fire Department received two steel beams from the World Trade Center. The beams are upright on a concrete platform where the words “We shall never forget” are inscribed. The memorial is located at Manhattan Beach Fire Department Station No. 1, 400 15th St. (at Valley Drive). bit.ly/33g2oJF

Los Angeles Beautification Team’s 9/11 Remembrance: LABT planted 83 trees in June 2002 in memory of California residents who were killed on Sept. 11. North Hollywood Park, South, 11430 Chandler Blvd. (at Magnolia Boulevard), North Hollywood. Email: hbt@labteam.org. 323-962-2163. Video on the history of the trees: hbteam.org/featured-projects/911-memorial-tree-plantings/

City of Redondo Beach 9/11 Memorial: A 300-pound section of an inner beam from one of the World Trade Center towers is a gift from the New York Fire Department to the Redondo Beach Fire and Police associations with the request that people may be able to visit it and remember that it represents the victims of Sept. 11. Redondo Beach City Hall, 415 Diamond St. www.redondo.org/about/911_memorial.asp

The 9/11 Memorial at Los Angeles Fire Department Station 88: The Memorial Fountain in front of the station has a 750-pound piece from the destroyed World Trade Center and a 100-pound piece of limestone from the Pentagon. The public may view the memorial daily at 5101 Sepulveda Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Contact Carrie Konjoyan, volunteer coordinator, 818-406-8013. lafdheroes.com/

Signal Hill Unity Monument: The monument is a sculpture by Patrick Vogel and was dedicated in 2002. 2271 Temple Ave., Signal Hill. artslb.org/public-art/unity-monument/ and www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=100534

Suspected DUI Driver Arrested After Fatal Collision On 10 Freeway In Rosemead

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 22:11:41 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) – A 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving Sunday after allegedly slamming into a disabled vehicle and killing its driver on the San Bernardino (10) Freeway in Rosemead.

The crash on the eastbound freeway, west of Walnut Grove Avenue, occurred at about 3:40 a.m., the California Highway Patrol reported.

A motorist was standing near his disabled vehicle in the No. 3 lane when a 2016 Ford Mustang, driven by Moises Rivera Luna, struck him and his vehicle.

The man died instantly and his vehicle was pushed into the path of a 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe. The motorist in the SUV suffered no injuries. His passenger, a 48-year-old man, was taken to Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center with moderate injuries.

Luna, a resident of Rosemead, suffered minor injuries and was subsequently arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, the CHP said. He was not taken to a hospital.

Sheriff’s Deputies Searching For Missing Rosemead Man

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 04:58:52 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) — Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies are searching for missing Rosemead man, Mario David Arambula.

(Photo Credit: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)

Arambula, 71-years-old, was last seen at around 2 p.m. on January 13 at his residence on Rosemead Boulevard.

He is 5-feet, 8-inches tall with gray hair, brown eyes, and a beard. He has both the words “Alice” and “Steph” tattooed on his chest, as well as a depiction of a butterfly.

Arambula suffers from high blood pressure and cataracts.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts was asked to call the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department missing person unit at (323) 890-5500 or 911.

32-Year-Old Man Missing From Rosemead Found

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 16:21:23 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) – The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on Sunday circulated a photo of a 32-year-old man who went missing in Rosemead.

Richy Cervantes, who was found Sunday, had last been seen at 5:50 p.m. Saturday in the 7500 block of Hellman Avenue, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau reported.

Cervantes was described as a 5-foot, 9-inch tall Latino man weighing 170 pounds with short black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a gray hoodie, a blue T-shirt and gray sweat pants.

Missing 16-Year-Old Mariano Coc Named A Person Of Interest In Fatal Rosemead Hit-And-Run

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 22:49:30 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) — A missing 16-year-old was identified Friday as a person of interest in a fatal hit-and-run that killed a man in Rosemead.

(credit: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)

Mariano Coc has been missing from his home in South El Monte since Sunday, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s officials. Authorities say he is a person of interest in a fatal crash that happened Monday at about 10:30 a.m.

Authorities say a 61-year-old man was hit by a black 2009 Nissan Altima on San Gabriel Boulevard, south of Garvey. The man, who was not identified, suffered severe, life-threatening injuries, and died a few days later.

The Altima, which had a white bumper, has been located, but authorities on Tuesday said they had not identified the driver.

Anyone with information about the crash can contact sheriff’s Detective Bravo (626) 292-3389.

Pursuit Suspect Who Walked Onto 60 Freeway, Climbed Into Sedan And Ran Into Rosemead Hotel In Custody

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 00:55:33 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) — A pursuit suspect who exited his vehicle on the 60 Freeway and climbed into another sedan before getting out and running into a Fairfield Inn & Suits in Rosemead is now in custody, along with a woman he was with during the pursuit.

Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department deputies began pursuing the suspect on suspicion of a stolen vehicle in Montebello.

After a short pursuit, the suspect exited the vehicle and ran onto the 60 freeway before jumping in the passenger’s seat of a black sedan.

The sedan eventually pulled over near the Fairfield Inn & Suites located near San Gabriel Boulevard and Montebello Town Center. The suspect then ran on foot into the hotel where he was hiding from deputies.

Authorities discovered the suspect hiding in the bushes behind the hotel. Police said he will be considered for carjacking charges for jumping into another car on the 60 Freeway.

Murder Suspect Chased Down By K9 After Being Forced Out Of Rosemead Motel Room With Tear Gas

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 16:47:07 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) — A standoff at a Rosemead motel ended dramatically Tuesday night after police shot tear gas into a murder suspect’s room to force him out.

(credit: CBS)

Authorities say its Special Enforcement Bureau were sent at about 4:40 p.m. Tuesday to a motel in the 1000 block of San Gabriel Boulevard to help Whittier police with a murder suspect holed up in one of the rooms. The motel and surrounding homes were evacuated as a precaution.

Deputies and police spent hours trying to talk the man out of the room before a tactical team moved in and fired tear gas inside the room. Sky 9 was overhead to see the man stumble out, waving a white towel, appearing to surrender.

But a few moments later, he tried to make a run for it. He made it to a wall on the motel’s property before a K9 unit chased him down. He was taken into custody at 8:45 p.m. without further incident.

The suspect’s name was not released, and police did not release further details about the murder he was wanted for.

Large Dirt Spill Shuts Down Freeway Lanes In Rosemead

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 00:56:29 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) – The two right lanes of the eastbound the 10 Freeway past Rosemead Boulevard in Rosemead are closed because of a large dirt spill.

ASigAlert has been issued, Caltrans reports.

The duration of the closure is not known.

Person Found Dead In Rosemead House Fire

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 16:30:43 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) – Firefighters discovered a person dead inside a burning home in Rosemead early Monday morning.

Nov. 2, 2020. (CBSLA)

The fire was reported at 3:50 a.m. in the 2400 block of Gladys Avenue.

Los Angeles County Fire Department crews arrived to find smoke and flames coming from a one-story home. The firefighters discovered a person dead inside while battling the blaze. The victim was not immediately identified.

It took crews less than 30 minutes to knock down the blaze, the fire department reports.

There was no word regarding what caused the fire or whether it was suspicious in nature.

Locals Protest Initiative That Houses Homeless In Area Hotels

Sun, 17 May 2020 01:23:17 +0000

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Several local hotels are opening as temporary homes for the homeless population, and it has led to protests in the area.

“I think right now they live here and that’s good for them, but after 90 days they should move out of the city,” said Maria Ling.

Among the locations are Motel 6 in Rosemead and Garvey Inn and Lincoln Plaza Hotel in Monterey Park.

All this is thanks to Project Roomkey, an effort put together by state, county and city officials to help prevent the spread of coronavirus by securing hotel and motel rooms for vulnerable people experiencing homelessness.

Across Los Angeles County, 3,200 people are being housed at 32 properties, where they can stay for 90 days.

Some residents are receptive to the idea of their neighborhood hotels being turned into temporary shelters while some have taken to the streets to speak out against the decision.

Officials say the people being housed are screened for coronavirus before entry and daily once admitted to ensure they are not ill.

“We get tested morning, breakfast, lunch and dinner. They check your temperature,” said one resident.

They are only allowed to leave the hotels between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and are screened once more for symptoms when they return.

Largest Buddhist Collection Comes To SoCal

Sat, 31 Aug 2019 01:00:36 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) — The tooth of the Buddha at the Wei Mountain Temple is just one of the thousands of treasured relics they’re putting on display this weekend.

According to the monks, the tooth of the Buddha even produces crystals called “babies.”

Organizers at Wei Mountain in Rosemead say many of the ancient pieces were donated to them, and the collection is a showcase of some of the rarest and most precious items in the Buddhist faith out of anywhere on Earth.

“We can all it the ten thousand Buddha relics collection. We say ten thousand but it’s much more than that. They tend to come mainly from Asia and they do donate them to the temple,” said one of the organizers.

Among the most revered items featured at the temple are the eyes of the Buddha.

The monks claim the eyes, just like the teeth, are the actual eyes of the Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical founder of Buddhism.

“We understand from what we’ve heard they were found in the jungles of Myanmar by a Burmese monk who took care of them in the jungle and then they were donated to us,” said the organizer.

The Wei Mountain Temple in Rosemead is housed in what used to be a church.

The monks preserve the space to make the temple feel more inclusive and the relics will be on display this weekend.

Rosemead High Track Coach Arrested For Having Sexual Relationship With Student

Wed, 06 Mar 2019 18:32:38 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) – A track coach at Rosemead High School has been arrested on allegations he had a long-term sexual relationship with a female student and member of his team. Detectives believe he may have more victims.

Fidel Camarena Dominguez. (LASD)

Fidel Camarena Dominguez, 37, was taken into custody March 1 on multiple counts of lewd act upon a child aged 14 or 15, oral copulation of a person under 16, dissuading a witness and unlawful sexual intercourse and oral copulation of a person under 18, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office reported Tuesday.

On Feb. 22, a now 18-year-old woman approached authorities and reported that she had been engaged in an on-and-off sexual relationship with Dominguez that began three years ago, in March of 2015, according to the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.

The teen told deputies that, beginning when she was 14, he would pick her up on weekends and drive her to his home in the 400 block of Sandia Avenue in La Puente, where they would have sex.

In a statement to CBS2, El Monte Union High School District Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga said that Dominguez had worked as a substitute teacher and walk-on coach at Rosemead High. He is now “no longer allowed on or near campus,” Zuniga wrote. “All processes and protocols were followed prior to his commencing work.”

Dominguez plead not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles Times. He remains jailed on $400,000 bail.

Detectives believe Dominguez may have more victims. Anyone with information on the case should call the LASD Special Victims Bureau at 877-710-5273.

Detective: No Pot Being Grown At Scene Of Fatal Rosemead Fire

Sat, 02 Mar 2019 03:53:43 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) – A Rosemead home where a body was found was not a grow house, as the county fire department had reported shortly after the blaze broke out, a sheriff’s detective said Friday.

Crews responded about 4:55 p.m. Thursday to the fire at a two-story condominium in the 8300 block of Rush Street, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The fire was knocked down at 5:08 p.m.

Residents said they didn’t have much time to get out.

“That was home. I’d say about 5 p.m., somebody banged on the gate. So I came out and they said, ‘The neighbors on fire,'” one man said.

The first arriving crews saw smoke coming from a second-floor window and a dead person was found inside.

The male decedent’s name and age have not been made available.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Sgt. Richard Biddle of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune it was not a grow house.

“There was a large amount of marijuana but it wasn’t being grown there,” Biddle told The Tribune.

Sheriffs Arson/Explosives Detail Detective Jay Yelick told the newspaper the fire started in a common area on the ground floor.

The body was found in a room on the ground floor and the victim had suffered smoke inhalation and had heat injuries, Biddle said.

Investigators said they believed the victim lived at the residence, but not alone.

Official: Body Found In Burning Rosemead Condominium Where Pot Was Being Grown

Fri, 01 Mar 2019 06:37:16 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) – Firefighters discovered a body Thursday afternoon while responding to a burning condominium in Rosemead where marijuana was being grown.

Crews responded about 4:55 p.m. to the fire at a two-story condominium building in the 8300 block of Rush Street, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The first arriving crews saw smoke coming from a second-floor window and a body was found inside of what a fire department captain described as a grow house.

The decedent’s age and gender were not immediately available.

The fire was knocked down at 5:08 p.m.

Residents said they didn’t have much time to get out.

“That was home. I’d say about 5 p.m., somebody banged on the gate. So I came out and they said, ‘The neighbors on fire,'” one man said.

Crews doused the flames and began their frantic search for anyone inside.

“It took approximately 20 minutes to knock down the bulk of the fire activity. There was very little extension to the upper floors,” said LACF Capt. Tony Imbrenda. “During the secondary search, once the fire was knocked down, firefighters identified one victim.”

Because of what fire crews found inside, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide was called to the scene.

Authorities have not yet said how much marijuana was inside or if the grow operation triggered the fire.

An investigation is ongoing.

Rosemead Woman Killed In Hit-And-Run Driver Suffers Same Fate As Father Years Earlier

Mon, 28 Jan 2019 03:03:22 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) — Police continued their hunt Sunday for a hit-and-run driver who killed a 21-year-old college student in Redondo Beach.

In Rosemead, the family of Angelina Pinedo mourned their loss, held a prayer vigil in her honor and asked the killer to come forward.

Pinedo — a student at San Francisco State — was walking with her sister when she was killed Saturday evening at Aviation Boulevard and Grant Avenue.

CBS2’s Adrianna Weingold spoke to the young woman’s devastated family.

“Last night her life was taken in a way Angelina did not deserve,” said sister Martha Pinedo.

Pinedo’s family says Angelina was at her sister Michele’s place in Redondo Beach. The two had been at a going away party earlier in the evening — they were on their way home to get Angelina’s bags so she could head back to school.

“Angelina spent every moment she possibly could with her family and friends, she was beloved by everyone who knew her,” said sister Martha Pinedo-Torres.

Pinedo grew up in Rosemead — she was adopted by family members when her own father was killed in a hit-and-run accident.

Angelina’s family says she wanted to be a social worker so she could help children. They said she was the kind of person who always did the right thing — which is why they are particularly stunned by her death.

“My baby sister had the most amazing soul. And I wouldn’t be surprised if she were here telling me to forgive that person,” said Martha.

Police say the suspect’s car is a black Audi Q5 with a partial plate of 7MB.

Pinedo’s family is asking for closure, they want whoever killed their baby sister to come forward.

“Please, we’re just asking you to give our family the peace we deserve, to give her the peace she deserves,” Martha said.

On Sunday evening, KCAL9’s Cristy Fajardo spoke to a witness to the horrific crash.

“I heard a thump,” says Joey Coyazo, “It sounded like a crash. But without any screeching of tires so I knew someone had just hit something without braking. ”

He was working at Number One Liquor Mart and says he rushed to help. He said he could not believe that the driver stopped for only a second.

“I was shocked. I screamed out ‘Nooooooo,'” Coyazo said. ‘”Don’t leave!’ And obviously to no avail.”

Woman Beaten With Crowbar After Surprising Burglars In Rosemead

Tue, 11 Sep 2018 12:08:24 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) — A woman was attacked in her own Rosemead home by burglars that were apparently surprised to find her, authorities said Tuesday.

Deputies were dispatched to a home on Falling Leaf Avenue, near Garvey, at about 10 p.m. on a burglary call and found a woman in her 60s down in her home. She was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries after being hit with a crowbar that may have been used to get into the home.

The woman told deputies she was sleeping when the break-in happened. Investigators say they believe the burglars were surprised to find her at the home because they didn’t hold her down or ask her where the valuables were kept.

The crime is being considered a home invasion, even though sheriff’s investigators believe it began as a burglary.

Detectives, who are searching for three male suspects, will be on the scene at first light to canvass the area.

Brief Pursuit In Riverside Ends With Standoff In Rosemead

Sun, 17 Dec 2017 03:18:11 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) — CHP chased a stolen car suspect described as armed and dangerous Saturday.

After the suspect crashed his vehicle in Rosemead, a standoff followed.

The pursuit ended at Hellman Avenue and New Avenue.

The chase started in Riverside on the 215 Freeway, authorities said.

CHP pitted the vehicle causing the suspect to hit a pole. They then parked a patrol car right behind the suspect to keep him hemmed in.

During the standoff, what appeared to be friends or family members, approached the vehicle several times presumably asking the suspect to give himself up.

Arrest Made In Thanksgiving Murder Of Rosemead Man

Fri, 24 Nov 2017 20:05:16 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA) — An arrest was made in the shooting death of a Rosemead man Thursday, authorities said.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau detectives arrested 27-year-old Zhongqiang Meng, a resident of Rosemead.

The suspect shot and killed an adult Hispanic male in his 50s at 6:15 p.m. on the 8900 block of Emerson Place, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The victim was gunned down in his driveway as he returned home and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Meng was taken into custody Friday morning after turning himself in to officers at the Monterey Park Police Department.

Sheriff’s investigators don’t know what the motive was.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. To provide information anonymously, call (800) 222-8477.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

20-Year-Old Rosemead Man Gets Nearly 40 Years Behind Bars For Revenge Porn

Sat, 18 Feb 2017 00:27:32 +0000

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Authorities said a 20-year-old Rosemead man has been sentenced to nearly 40 years behind bars for distributing revenge porn and extorting young girls for nude photos.

Cesar Mauricio Estrada-Davila, AKA Cesar Estrada, pleaded no contest on Feb. 15 to a total of 38 felony counts: one count of lewd act upon a child; 21 counts of distributing or showing child or youth pornography to a minor and 16 counts of possession of child or youth pornography, according to the LA County District Attorney’s Office.

Estrada-Davila was sentenced Friday to 39 years and 8 months in prison.

As a result of the plea, Estrada also must register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.

Deputy DA’s Scott Yang and Steven Mac of the Antelope Valley Branch prosecuted the case.

According to testimony at his preliminary hearing, Estrada-Davila found his victims on social media between January and April 2015. The defendant told the victims he was a modeling agent who could make them famous. Estrada then asked the victims to send him pictures of themselves in their underwear, prosecutors said.

Once Estrada-Davila received the images, he threatened to send the photos to their friends and family if they did not send him nude photos, according to court testimony.

Prosecutors said there were 21 female victims between the ages of 12 and 17 years old from California, Utah, Texas, Michigan, Washington, Colorado, Nevada and Florida.

The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau.

90-Year-Old Man Reported Missing From Rosemead Walmart Found

Sat, 07 May 2016 15:57:01 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — A 90-year-old man suffering from Alzheimer’s who went missing from Rosemead Friday night returned home Sunday morning and was unharmed, authorities said.

Peter Corral was reported missing after having last been seen at a Walmart in Rosemead at 9 p.m. on Friday, according to the sheriff’s department.

His family told the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department that he returned home at around 4:15 a.m. Sunday.

$1.5 Million Powerball Ticket Sold In Rosemead

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 00:57:32 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — Valentine’s Day was much sweeter and a lot more flowery for someone in Rosemead holding a $1.5 million Powerball ticket.

That lucky person matched five of six numbers Saturday night to win $1,599,957.

The winning ticket matched the numbers 7, 15, 18, 19 and 36 missing only the Powerball 20. Had that ticket matched the Powerball number, the ticket holder would have won $176 million.

The winner was sold at 99 Cent + Gift Shop, which is located at 8825 Valley Boulevard.

The California Lottery urges that winner to sign the back of the ticket in ink, keep it in a safe place and visit any of the nine Lottery District Offices during business hours ASAP. The winner has 180 days from the date of the winning draw to claim their prize, otherwise the $1.5 million will be given to California public schools.

Because no one matched all six numbers the jackpot for Wednesday will climb to at least $189 million.

$2 Powerball is a multi-state game played in 44 states (plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Draw times are Wednesdays and Saturdays at 7:59 p.m. PST.

Powerball jackpots start at $40 million and climbs every time there is no winner. The biggest jackpot ever — $1.586 billion — was split last month by three ticket holders in Chino Hills, Tennessee and Florida.

For more information on how to play in California, click here.

Rosemead Motel Guests Shocked To Learn Of Jail Escapees’ 3-Night Stay

Tue, 02 Feb 2016 01:45:58 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — Some of the tenants at a Rosemead motel said they were shocked to learn that the three dangerous inmates, who escaped from Orange County’s Central Men’s Jail, stayed in the same motel the same time they did.

The trio stayed in Room 116 for three nights at Flamingo Inn at 8621 Garvey Avenue, according to manger Surj Desai. “Of all the places from Santa Ana all the way to Rosemead?” he said. “I was shocked, I was completely shocked.”

The people who lived right next door said they never caught a glimpse of them. In fact, they didn’t even hear a single sound coming out of Room 116.

“Not one noise,” said one guest. “I even second-guessed if we even had neighbors. It was pretty shocking.”

One resident staying a few doors down said he was outside smoking a cigarette a week ago Friday night when he noticed two younger men helping an older man walk across the parking lot to Room 116.

The guest, who did not want to reveal his identity, said the three were riding in a white van. But at the time, he didn’t think too much about it.

“I’m not sure if he was just limping or just older,” said the motel guest. “They just walked him to the room. They were talking to him saying: ‘Oh, you’re going to be fine in here. You don’t need nothing else’.”

The guest said he saw the two younger men go back to their van and bring bags of groceries into the room, and he never saw them again.

Another motel resident, a father with young children, said learning the men were staying there was a bit unnerving.

“It’s scary because I have kids,” he said. “To know these guys were right next to us. They were desperate so they can do anything.”

Bac Duong surrendered to authorities in Santa Ana last Friday. Hossein Nayeri and Jonathan Tieu were arrested less than a day later in San Francisco.

Authorities Identify Gunman Killed By Police During Standoff At Rosemead Home

Thu, 31 Dec 2015 14:10:39 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — A 33-year-old man who was fatally shot by a Los Angeles Police Department SWAT officer during a standoff in Rosemead has been identified, officials said Thursday.

According to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office, Tien Hua, of Rosemead, was identified as the armed suspect.

Hua was shot and killed after barricading himself inside of a home located in the 3500 block of Strang Avenue around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, officers said.

Authorities said the standoff began when officers tried to serve arrest and search warrants at the residence.

During the incident, neighbors were evacuated and SWAT teams were brought in to assist at the scene.

Hua was wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of Henry Estrada, which took place just before 9 p.m. on Sunday in the 2000 block of Sycamore Avenue in the Hollywood Hills area.

Gunman Suspected In Deadly Hollywood Hills Shooting Reportedly Killed In Stand-Off With Police

Wed, 30 Dec 2015 15:34:40 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — A gunman suspected of fatally shooting a 27-year-old man in the Hollywood Hills has appeared to have died following a stand-off with police in Rosemead, authorities said Wednesday.

According to Lt. Larry Dietz, personnel with the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office have responded to the 3500 block of Strang Avenue where an officer-involved shooting took place.

Police would not immediately report on the suspect’s condition.

According to officials, the six-hour standoff began around 10 p.m. on Tuesday when officers attempted to serve arrest and search warrants at the home in Rosemead.

Neighboring homes were evacuated and SWAT teams were called to assist at the scene after the suspect barricaded himself inside of the home.

Police said the suspect was wanted in connection with the shooting death of Henry Estrada, which took place in the 2000 block of Sycamore Avenue on Sunday.

Rosemead Barricade Ends With Hollywood Hills Shooting Suspect In Custody

Wed, 30 Dec 2015 06:00:35 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) – A man suspected in the Hollywood Hills killing of 27-year-old man was shot by officers and taken into custody after being holed up in a Rosemead home Tuesday as police attempted to serve search and arrest warrants, authorities said.

Neighboring homes were evacuated as SWAT and crisis teams were called after the suspect barricaded himself about 3:30 p.m. in the 3500 block of Strang Avenue, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Police apprehended Tien Hua on Tuesday after a standoff of more than five hours. No officers were wounded in the shooting Tuesday night, and Hua’s condition was unknown.

He was wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of Henry Estrada about 8:40 p.m. Sunday in the 2000 block of Sycamore Avenue, police said.

Officials Identify Suspect, Victim Killed In Apparent Murder-Suicide In Rosemead

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 13:00:15 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — Authorities on Thursday released the identities of two men who died in an apparent murder-suicide incident in Rosemead.

According to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office, Dick Duong, 32, of San Gabriel, has been identified as the gunman who shot and killed 31-year-old Eagan Tun.

Around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, deputies were sent to a home located in the 2700 block of Willard Avenue, near Fern Avenue, for report of a 911 call for a gunshot victim, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Upon their arrival, authorities located Tun lying in the driveway suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Deputies were able to locate Duong in the 2600 block of Willard Avenue due to witness descriptions.

As authorities attempted to contact him, Duong shot himself in the head with a handgun. He was also pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives recovered a semi-automatic handgun at the scene.

The motive for the shooting remains under investigation.

Homicide Detectives Investigate Shooting Death Of Two Men In Rosemead

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 11:50:51 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — Homicide detectives on Wednesday continued to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting death of two men in Rosemead.

Around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, deputies were sent to a home located in the 2700 block of Willard Avenue near Fern Avenue for report of a 911 call for a gunshot victim, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Upon their arrival, authorities located a 31-year-old Asian man lying in the driveway, suffering from gunshot wounds.

Paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the scene. His identity is being withheld pending family notification.

Witnesses described the suspect as an Asian man who wore all black clothing and ran south on Willard Avenue.

During a preliminary search of the area, deputies located a 32-year-old Asian an in the 2600 block of Willard Avenue.

As authorities attempted to contact the suspect, he shot himself in the head with a handgun.

Paramedics pronounced the suspect dead at the scene. His identity is also being withheld pending family notification.

Investigators were able to recover a semi-automatic handgun at the scene.

The motive for the shooting remains unclear at this time.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding this case has been urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

Hit-And-Run Driver Plows Through Rosemead Flower Shop, Injuring Resident In Rear Apartment

Wed, 09 Sep 2015 19:15:10 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — A driver apparently lost control of their vehicle early Wednesday and rammed 50 feet into a flower shop, badly injuring a resident in a rear apartment, according to officials.

It happened shortly before 5 a.m. on Garvey and Walnut Grove avenues, in Rosemead, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

(credit: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)

The victim was taken to the hospital. That person’s condition was not yet known.

The car hit four other people living inside the building, the LACFD reported.

The driver reportedly fled the scene and was arrested a short time later.

Rosemead Man, 19, Charged With More Than 150 Counts Including Revenge Porn, Lewd Acts

Sat, 22 Aug 2015 00:39:37 +0000

LANCASTER (CBSLA.com) — Authorities said a 19-year-old Rosemead man has been charged with more than 150 counts including engaging in revenge porn, possessing child porn and committing lewd acts.

Officials say Cesar Mauricio Estrada-Davila posed as a modeling agent who would allegedly scam young girls into sending him naked photos of themselves.

Estrada-Davila faces 109 felony and 42 misdemeanor counts. In addition to the aforementioned charges he’s also accused of extortion.

According to the district attorney’s office, the suspect has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court Sept. 2.

Prosecutors said Estrada-Davila reached out to young girls on a social media website between January and April, claiming to be a modeling agent. He apparently told the young women he could make them famous. He would then allegedly ask the girls to send them photos of themselves in their underwear.

After receiving those photos, he allegedly threatened to forward the pictures to the girls’ friends and family unless they also sent him nude photos of
themselves, prosecutors said.

The DA told KCAL9’s Amber Lee that one of the first alleged victims — who lives in Palmdale — eventually told her parents.

Prosecutors said they know of 21 alleged victims. The girls range in age between 12 and 17.

The DA submitted 15,000 pages of Facebook documents obtained by a search warrant, Lee reported.

Estrada-Davila faces multiple life sentences if convicted, prosecutors said.

Bail for Estrada-Davila was set at $3 million.

Teen Charged With Extorting 21 Young Girls For Nude Photos

Fri, 21 Aug 2015 19:37:57 +0000

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A 19-year-old man was charged Friday with more than 150 counts of child pornography for allegedly extorting young girls into sending him naked photos, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s officials said.

Cesar Mauricio Estrada-Davila, of Rosemead, faces 109 felony and 42 misdemeanor counts of child pornography, contact with a minor for sexual offense, extortion and lewd acts upon a child, with a special allegation that there were multiple victims, prosecutors said.

Estrada is scheduled to be arraigned Friday and prosecutors say they will ask for bail to be set at $3.08 million.

Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami said Estrada reached out at least 21 girls, between the ages of 12 and 17, befriending them on a social networking website between January and February. He allegedly told the girls he was a modeling agent who could make them famous online and asked the girls to send him pictures in their underwear.

After Estrada received the images, he then told the girls he would send the photos to their friends and family if they did not send nude pictures, Hatami said.

One of the girls finally told her parents what was happening, and they called police.

Authorities say they investigated Estrada’s activities for several months before charging him.

Arcadia Police Locate Boy, 3, Allegedly Abducted By His Birth Mother

Sun, 16 Aug 2015 23:00:53 +0000

ARCADIA (CBSLA.com) — The Arcadia Police Department has found a 3-year-old child who was allegedly abducted Saturday evening by his birth mother.

Levi Barrios, a 3 feet tall Latino with brown hair and brown eyes was last seen wearing a black shirt with the word “Epic” on the front, grey shorts and sandals.

Authorities believe Barrios was abducted by his mother, Melissa Barrios.

(credit: Arcadia Police Dept.)

Officials said the boy’s mother suffers from a mental illness.

The boy was reportedly with his aunt — shopping at the Westfield Mall around 8:30 p.m. Saturday — when he was allegedly abducted by Melissa.

At approximately 2:20 a.m. Sunday, a Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff located the child and mother at Union Station in Los Angeles. The child was in good condition and unharmed, officials said.

Suspect Barrios was arrested for kidnapping and has been booked at the Arcadia Police Department jail with a bail amount set at $150,000.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5151.

Mother Arrested In Shooting Death Of 17-Year-Old Son In Rosemead Motel

Mon, 27 Jul 2015 18:58:24 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — Deputies Monday arrested a woman in the fatal shooting of her 17-year-old son.

Authorities were sent to the Valley Hotel, located in the 8700 block of Valley Boulevard, shortly after 10 a.m.

Deputies arrived to find a handgun on the floor and a woman crying next to the body of a juvenile male shot in the upper torso.

Lai Hang, 49, of Rosemead, was detained for questioning in the fatal shooting of her son on July 27, 2015, according to the LASD. (credit: CBS)

The victim was later identified as 17-year-old George Hang, a resident of Rosemead, according to a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department spokesperson.

Detectives detained the victim’s mother, 49-year-old Lai Hang, also a resident of Rosemead, for questioning. She was later arrested for murder and was being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

The motive for the murder is still under investigation.

Detectives say the mother checked into Valley Hotel the night before.

Several witnesses told detectives they heard gunshots around 5:30 a.m.

Detectives said the mother did not make a 911 phone call until 10:10 a.m.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact the LASD’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

1 Killed, 6 Injured In Multi-Vehicle Crash In Rosemead

Fri, 24 Jul 2015 12:52:13 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — Authorities were on the scene of a deadly traffic collision on Friday that injured six others in Rosemead.

Shortly after 5 a.m., deputies were sent to Rosemead Boulevard and Glendon Way for report of a multi-vehicle collision.

Upon their arrival, authorities located three vehicles. One of the vehicles had overturned, which subsequently trapped one person inside.

A victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Their identity is being withheld pending family notification.

Two other victims were transported to USC Trauma Center, and four additional victims were treated for minor injuries sustained in the crash.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Family Of Bicyclist Killed Begs Hit-And-Run Drivers To Come Forward

Sun, 07 Jun 2015 03:15:46 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — Police say a man was killed while out riding his bicycle in Rosemead early Saturday after being struck by two hit-and-run drivers.

At 2:50 a.m., Heriberto Ruiz was riding southbound in the right-hand lane on Rosemead Boulevard. He veering towards the right side of the lane when he was struck by a vehicle in the same lane accelerating past him, California Highway Patrol reports.

The 47-year-old was knocked down and the driver sped off. CHP has no description of this vehicle.

CHP says another motorist in a late 2000 model white mini-van struck Ruiz and also failed to stop.

Meanwhile, another driver stopped to lend aid.

Ruiz died at the scene.

His family told CBS2/KCAL9 he had no children but was devoted to his nieces and nephews.

They’re not sure why he was riding his bike at that time of night.

The wife of Ruiz’s nephew said it “doesn’t matter if it’s 2:50 a.m. or 6 p.m., nobody should do what this person did.”

His sister Leticia Ruiz had this message for the drivers: “Have a conscience. Turn yourself in. You have a family who’s hurting.”

Anyone with information about the deadly crash is urged to contact CHP’s East Los Angeles office at (323) 980-4600.

Severe Cutbacks On Water Use ‘A Necessary Evil’ Says Nonprofit That Oversees Cemetery In Rosemead

Sat, 30 May 2015 06:58:36 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — Nearly every day, Joe Fernandes takes a pail of water to where his wife, Rosie, is buried.

He says it’s his way of honoring his wife, whose grave is a garden, which Fernandes says he has cared for in the year since she died of cancer.

But it’s also a startling oasis at Savannah Memorial Park Cemetery in Rosemead, one of the oldest cemeteries in California.

“Why should her grave look so fantastically exorbitant and lovely while the rest are not?” Fernandes said.

Dirt, weeds and a pile of mulch surround most of the historic 5 ½-acre site, at which some of the state’s earliest pioneers are buried.

It’s a drastic change from just a year ago when the cemetery had grass.

The association that oversees Savannah Memorial says it decided to severely cut back on water because of the drought and mandatory restrictions.

The nonprofit says it spent roughly $16,000 a year to water the cemetery, which is now the first in the state to replace grass with drought-tolerant plants.

“We’re all unhappy with it, but we also know it’s a necessary evil,” said Beverly Morten of the El Monte Cemetery Association.

Regardless of any changes, Fernandes says he will continue to water the flowers on Rosie’s grave and hopes the rest of the 3,000 plots will eventually look as beautiful.

Cemetery officials say they expect to new landscaping will cut down their water usage by 60 percent and hope to have it completed by next year.

Walmart Employees Meet To Discuss Sudden Closure Of Pico Rivera Store

Thu, 16 Apr 2015 18:20:47 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — Employees of a Pico Rivera Walmart who recently learned the store was closing met Thursday with executives to discuss their jobs.

A group lined up around 8 a.m. in front of the Double Tree Hotel in Rosemead before they were called in one by one.

The store at 8500 Washington Boulevard was closed at 7 p.m. Monday due to chronic plumbing issues, leaving more than 530 employees without jobs.

“I have nothing but faith that we’ll get transferred into different stores,” employee Christy Soto said.

Walmart Director of Communications Delia Garcia said the maintenance work could last up to six months.

According to the company, employees will continue to receive regular pay and benefits for 60 days and also have the opportunity to transfer to another location or reapply for their jobs in Pico Rivera.

Seven-year Walmart worker Venanzi Luna says the Pico Rivera location has been a hotbed for worker activism and some are skeptical thinking the company may be targeting employees who have spoken out.

As a longtime member of the Organization United for Respect (OUR) at Walmart, a group funded by the Food Workers Union, Luna has led strikes and sit-ins to fight for higher wages.

“They think they got rid of the problem, but no we’re still going to fight for what we believe in and what’s right,” Monique Velasquez said.

According to the company, the Pico Rivera store, which opened in 2002 and expanded in 2007, has needed a hundred repairs over the past two years.

“Our concern — it’s a big hit. Not just to our residents who work there. They are a big sales-tax producer for us, so we are going to take a financial hit,” City Manager Rene Bobadilla said.

Bobadilla added that he cannot make any speculation about the company’s motives but that the city was blind-sided by the closure because they have not received any permit requests, which was unusual.

Speculating workers were planning to protest Thursday to demand the company guarantee the transfer of all impacted employees to the store nearest their home, provide compensation throughout the transfer process and then reinstate workers at the Pico Rivera store without an application process after the maintenance work was completed.

Organizers decided not to strike and focus on talking to the company leaders.

“How is it that they shut down the store two months before that raise is supposed to go in effect?” Luna said.

At least four other locations across the country closed their doors Monday citing similar issues.

OUR Walmart members from around the country have also begun outreach to the other laid off workers to provide them with support.

A rally has been scheduled to take place in front of the Pico Rivera store on Monday.

Driver Who Crashed Into Rosemead Cars Believed To Be Racing

Fri, 03 Apr 2015 18:01:14 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — Four parked cars were damaged Friday by a car whose driver was believed to be racing and fled the scene after the crash, authorities said.

The accident happened in the 9700 block of Valley Boulevard at about 1:55 a.m., Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Oscar Lopez said.

The suspect’s vehicle, a 1995 Acura Legend, was left at the scene, sheriff’s Lt. Tom McNeal said.

Deputies went to the scene on an unconfirmed report of a crash that may have involved street racing, McNeal said. No injuries were reported.

Anyone with more information about the case can call the sheriff’s Temple Station at (626) 285-7171.

Woman Found Guilty Of Stabbing Grandparents To Death When She Was 14

Mon, 30 Mar 2015 20:25:38 +0000

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — An 18-year-old woman was convicted of first-degree murder Monday in the 2010 stabbing deaths of her grandparents at the couple’s Rosemead home.

Sophia Janalisa Cristo was 14 at the time of the killings of Jack Bezner, 71, and his 64-year-old wife, Susan, who were found dead in their bed Aug. 9, 2010, with dozens of stab wounds. She was tried as an adult, but is not eligible for the death penalty because of her age when the crime was committed.

Cristo faces life in prison without the possibility of parole when she is sentenced April 22.

Her boyfriend, Rodolfo Lopez, 25, was also charged with murder and is being tried separately.

Jurors deliberated for little more than a day before finding Cristo guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. The panel also found true allegations of lying in wait and multiple murders and that Cristo used a knife to kill Susan Bezner, who was stabbed 112 times. Jack Bezner was stabbed 47 times and had defensive wounds, prosecutors said.

Deputy District Attorney Scott McPheron said Cristo was the mastermind of the crime and she had confessed that she and her boyfriend had killed the couple.

The pair were arrested two days after the killings in Horizon City, Texas, after detectives were told they might be headed there in the Bezners’ missing Nissan SUV.

Temple City Blvd. Closed In Rosemead After Fatal Accident

Tue, 24 Mar 2015 16:33:02 +0000

ROSEMEAD (CBSLA.com) — Temple City Boulevard was closed Tuesday after a fatal accident in Rosemead.

The crash involving a motorcyclist was reported just before 8 a.m., officials said.

Temple City Blvd. was closed between Valley Boulevard and Guess Street for several hours.

No further details were released.