McDonald’s sales drop. Is it the food?

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Frank Girardot

There are people who believe that the drop in sales at McDonald’s is a sign that the economy is flailing. Of course the opposite could be true, people have more money and are spending it at higher end fast food chains.

Whatever the case, here’s what Business Week is reporting online:
MickeyD's

McDonald’s Corp. (MCD), the world’s largest restaurant chain, said sales at stores open at least 13 months fell 1.8 percent in October, the first monthly decline in nine years, as U.S. customer traffic decreased.
Analysts projected a drop of 1.1 percent, the average of 14 estimates compiled by Consensus Metrix. Sales at U.S. locations slid 2.2 percent last month, Oak Brook, Illinois-based McDonald’s said today in a statement. Analysts also estimated a decline of 1.1 percent for stores there.
Chief Executive Officer Don Thompson, who took the helm in July, said last month that the company will advertise its Dollar Menu more to draw value-conscious Americans. McDonald’s, which gets about one-third of its revenue (MCD) from U.S. stores, will also market new food items in 2013, he said.

Seems like every time I eat at McDonald’s I get sick — or they screw up my order. If I had to guess I’d say that’s contributing to the decline as well…

Big-Haired suspect escapes

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Frank Girardot

This from the SGV Tribune. I only wish we had the dude’s actual mugshot:

GLENDORA – Glendora police are looking for a man dressed all in black with a big Afro and mustache who escaped Tuesday from the station booking cage by squeezing through a 9-inch gap nine feet off the ground.

Lt. Joe Ward said the 12:45 p.m. escape was captured on video.

The man climbed the metal cage where suspects are placed while being booked at the station.

Police repaired the gap that has been there for 44 years.

“We’ve added welded steel reinforcements,” Ward said.

Popular California propositions

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Frank Girardot

Google trend statistics show California voters appear interested in finding out more information about taxes (prop 30), union dues (prop 32) and food labeling (prop 37) than they do about either the Death Penalty (Prop 36) or Three Strikes (Prop 34):

Vivid Entertainment owner says condoms bad for porn biz

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Frank Girardot

An open letter (

from Vivid Entertainment Founder Steven Hirsch takes aim at a proposed Los Angeles County ballot measure that would require porn actors to wear condoms on set.

In his letter Hirsch says porn actors and actresses are less likely than the general population to contract HIV and other STDs. Here’s a quote:

“Bottom line: Measure B is a bad idea. Our County officials have no business regulating sexual behavior between consenting adults, intervening into how films are produced, or invading our bedrooms — real or pretend.”

Cops seek Dr Phil’s ’57 Chevy Bel Air

Posted on August 31, 2012 by Frank Girardot

MONTEREY PARK — Dr Phil McGraw’s classic ’57 Chevy Bel Air has been stolen and detectives Friday sought the public’s help locating the vehicle.

According to a press release issued Thursday the TV psychologist had his car breakdown on Sunday and ordered it towed to RODZ auto shop at 2800 N. San Fernando Road in Burbank. That night the shop was broken into and the car stolen, officials said.

Investigators with the El Monte-based Taskforce for Regional Autotheft Prevention are working with Burbank officers in the investigation, according to Thursday’s press release.

A $1,000 reward is being offered by RODZ automobile shop for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect in this investigation and the safe return of the vehicle.

It is unknown if Dr. Phil is offering a similar reward.

The car, a black and silver convertible with red leather seats, is unique.
Anyone with information about the vehicle can call the sheriff’s department.

My question?

Is this the only ’57 Chevy ever stolen in LA? I doubt it. But somehow when its a celebrity’s car the cops think its OK to pour on the publicity. How much you want to bet that if its ever recovered Dr. Phil won’t be paying any impound fee. What joke.

CNN: School sex predators still safe from firing in California #SGVSAFESCHOOLS

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Frank Girardot

Great story on how the sausage is really made in Sacramento. Local Assemblyman Mike Eng, D-Alhambra, finds himself in the cross hairs for abstaining on vote that would have allowed schools to deal with suspected sex predators on campus:

Crime Scene blog to get makeover

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Frank Girardot

Hey Crime Scene fans, the blog is getting a makeover. As a result we’ll be offline for a couple of days…All the content will stay the same we’ll just have a new and better look…
Thanks for sticking with us.
Any questions? Email me.
See ya on the other side.
–Frank Girardot

LA Weekly takes a look at SGV’s case of Linsanity

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Frank Girardot

It’s something we’ve been talking about in the newsroom, but seems more and more apparent — GOP Assembly candidate Dr. Matthew Lin has a really good chance of taking out Dem Ed Chau of Montebello in the 49th Assembly District.

Why?

As Simone Wilson points out in a piece published in Thursday’s LA Weekly it could be as simple as Lin’s track record as an open mind on the San Marino City Council. Then again, it could be something else entirely:

Lin isn’t exactly demure about his nearly 40 years as an orthopedic
surgeon, or the praise he gets. “People tell me, ‘We don’t need more
personal-injury lawyers in Sacramento. … We need a healer, we need a
doctor,'” he says.

Weina Xiong, a young Chinese immigrant who recently began
volunteering for Lin’s campaign, agrees: “Doctor is much better than
lawyer.”

#findpeter search for West Covina teen goes viral

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Frank Girardot

As his parents continue to search for missing West Covina High School student Peter “Gus” Abrechtson, posting fliers around town, other family members and friends have taken to social media in an effort to find the boy.

Police believe he ran away after an argument with his parents Sunday night.

Anyway, to follow the story on Twitter #findpeter seems best.

Here’s a link to a photo on Instagram

As for Facebook? Here’s a link to a couple of posts.

This information below comes from our story:

The teen is known to frequent the Cameron Youth Center at Cameron and Lark Ellen avenues.

Albrechtsen is Latino, stands 5 foot 8 inches tall weighs 130 pounds, has brown eyes, black hair and a thin build. He also has a 1-inch scar on his nose. He may be carrying a black backpack.

Anyone with information is asked to call West Covina Police at 626-939-8500.

Priest in underwear chased molested boy down street

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Frank Girardot

The Portland Oregonian sets this story with a compelling lede:

It was close to midnight Sunday when Woodburn resident James Curths saw the 12-year-old boy running down the street toward him. Curths said the child, panting and out of breath, begged for help, telling him a man was chasing him.

Moments later, a man rounded the corner wearing only underwear. He stood a short distance away, trying to wave the boy over as Curths and his sister-in-law prepared to drive the boy to relatives.

Turns out the man in underwear was 46-year-old Angel Armando Perez, priest at St. Luke in Salem, Ore. He may have taken cell phone pictures of the alleged molestation.

In any event Perez, who said the incident was brought on by too much drink, has been charged with a host of sex crimes and DUI.

Crime Scene

Breaking crime and public safety news

Author Archives: Frank Girardot