Pomona: May 2008 Archives

Former Pomona teacher Steven Petralia is set to be sentenced in Superior Court *tomorrow.

A wrong way crash on the Southbound 605 kills a driver.  Just minutes before the accident, Anissa Rivera, our "Mom's the word" blogger describes her family's close call.

APU students are causing a parking problem in the neighborhood.

The search for more Manson Family victims at Barker Ranch in Inyo was a big zip.

Sheriff's Department about to release more information in the March slaying of a Covina Hills woman who was on the phone with 9-1-1 when she was shot to death.

Busy couple of days in the SGV and surrounding neighborhoods:

• In La Puente a man was killed following a dispute near Stimpson and Fairgrove.

LA PUENTE - Deputies responding to a 9-1-1 call reporting a fight in a residential neighborhood Sunday discovered the body of a man lying in the street, authorities said.

The incident was reported about 4:30 p.m. on Stimson Avenue, just south of Fairgrove Avenue, said Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Dan Jackson.

Two men believed to be participants in the fight were stopped leaving the area in a pickup truck and taken to the sheriff's Industry station for questioning, Jackson said, however it was not known if they were suspects in the attack.

It was not clear how the man died, Jackson said, though witnesses who reported the fight told officials there was a knife involved.

A sheriff's press release put out Monday morning indicates the man died as the result of blunt force trauma and may have been run over.

• An officer involved shooting in El Monte left a suspect wounded and in custody:

EL MONTE - Police shot and wounded a parolee Friday who allegedly tried to run down officers in a stolen van, authorities said.

A police officer suffered minor injuries in the incident, sheriff's officials said.

The suspect, a San Bernardino County man in his 20s whose name was not released, was reported to be in stable condition at an area hospital, said Sgt. Bill Marsh of the sheriff's Homicide Bureau.

He was wounded in both arms, said El Monte police Lt. Dan Burlingham.

The suspect was later determined to be a parolee with a felony warrant for his arrest, Marsh said. The specific nature of the warrant was not known Sunday.

• A suspected copper thief is believed responsible for a small brush fire in Industry.

The blaze was reported about noon near the freeway's Valley Boulevard off-ramp, said Los Angeles County Fire Department Supervising Dispatcher Bryan Webb.

No structures were damaged or threatened by the flames, and no injuries were reported, said Firefighter Jayson Mendoza.

The fire was sparked by Edison electrical equipment after someone apparently tampered with it earlier, Mendoza said.

• Pomona people protest police checkpoints:

POMONA - A weekend checkpoint caused residents to express concern and accusations to fly at a City Council meeting on Monday.

Councilwoman Cristina Carrizosa said residents were frightened and that the behavior of officers reminded her of movie scenes depicting the Gestapo.

Several people spoke at the meeting about Saturday afternoon's DUI checkpoint at Mission Boulevard and San Antonio Avenue.

Police Chief Joe Romero said the remarks about the Gestapo were offensive to the officers at the checkpoint and that they were owed an apology.

Pomona businessman Francisco Espinoza said the checkpoints targeted Latinos and urged the council to "take control of the city."

"Take it back. You control the Police Department, and you work for us," he said.

 

The Daily Bulletin reports a brush fire that began in Phillips Ranch Friday about 11 a.m. was 50 percent contained at press time last night. Brush clearance intended to prevent fires apparently caused the blaze.

The photo comes from Bulletin reporter Will Lester with this caption:

Maria and Avsencio Reyes watch a fire burn from the roof of their home on Friday May 16, 2008 in the Phillips Ranch area of Pomona, Calif. (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Will Lester)

 

Here's an excerpt from an AP story about brush fires and the heatwave:

MOUNT BALDY VILLAGE, Calif. (AP) _ Firefighters braced for more hot and dry weather Saturday as they worked to surround a wildfire that has burned 460 acres of parched brushlands in the San Gabriel Mountains.

The Bighorn Fire on the flanks of Mount Baldy was 72 percent contained, with full containment expected Sunday evening, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Matt Corelli said. No injuries or building damage were reported.

It was among several small but dangerous wildfires that broke out in five Southern California counties this week as the region withered under the influence of a high- pressure system expected to last into the weekend. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory Saturday warning of temperatures reaching up to 105 degrees in some areas.

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Blogged at Foothill Cities

Story at Daily Bulletin

This comes from Monica Rodriguez at the Daily Bulletin:

POMONA - It's now difficult, if not impossible, for registered sex offenders to move here.

City Council members have unanimously approved an urgency ordinance that essentially prevents additional registered sex offenders from moving into the city.

Under the new regulation, just about every part of the city would be excluded.