Whittier Daily News back issues from October 2007:
The reptile whisperer
Oct 01, 2007 ... "At first I just wanted to keep them to look at, but I gotinterested in learning how to breed and raise them," he said. "It'sthat reward of knowing that you're caring for something." Morquecho's creepy, crawling things were among dozens of thescaly creatures displayed at the ...
FAA to take another look at tower
Oct 01, 2007; ... LA MIRADA - The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing itsfinding that a proposed reconstruction of a KFI radio antenna willnot pose a hazard to air navigation. The city of Fullerton appealed a Sept. 11 FAA finding of nohazard, a move that set off a review that could take up ...
Mixed-use rules pondered
Oct 01, 2007; ... As Los Angeles County considers relaxing the rules allowing mixed-use developments in unincorporated commercial areas, the planningdepartment is being picky about projects selected for fast-trackedapproval - no circuses, marijuana dispensaries or airplane landingstrips would be allowed ...
Fatal shooting victim identified
Oct 01, 2007 ... PASADENA - Officials released the name of the 28-year-old man whowas shot and killed in the city's troubled northwest corner. Jamal Lewis Times, of Pasadena, was fatally shot Friday in the500 block of N. Mentor Ave ....
Man with swords almost severs victim's arm
Oct 01, 2007 ... A man is in custody this morning for allegedly attacking a manwith a sword and nearly severing his arm during a struggle in theSan Gabriel Mountains near San Dimas.The San Dimas station of the Los Angeles County ...
Nurses end strike, return to work
Oct 01, 2007 ... POMONA - Nurses are returning to work at Pomona Valley HospitalMedical Center following a five-day strike, although no new talksare scheduled iN their continuing labor dispute. ...
Science of Sound
Oct 01, 2007; ... -- Video: <a ...
Around our Schools
Oct 01, 2007 ... WHITTIER - Two top administrators from the Whittier Union HighSchool District will discuss the district's strategies for academicachievement at a symposium sponsored by the California Department ofEducation this week. Superintendent Sandra Thorstensen and Assistant ...
In the ring, at the top
Oct 01, 2007; ... SANTA FE SPRINGS - It's not every day one's achievements in anygiven field gets him elected to the hall of fame. But for Santa Fe Springs native George Valdez, 50, hisaccomplishments in the world of martial arts landed him Saturday inthe International Karate and Kickboxing Hall of ...
4 teens admit to vandalizing Whittier schools, police say
Oct 01, 2007; ... Vandals who broke into three Whittier elementary schools to stealcomputers and other equipment have been caught, officials say. Officer Diana Salazar of the Whittier Police Department said fourjuveniles were apprehended after a call late Friday night. The tipster said they ...
Santa Fe Springs program lauded
Oct 01, 2007; ... SANTA FE SPRINGS - The city was recently recognized for itsdiversity summit program by the League of California Cities with the2007 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence. Established in 1982, the award honors outstanding cities thatdeliver the highest quality and level of service in ...
Around Whittier
Oct 01, 2007 ... WHITTIER - Assemblyman Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, will speak at the11 a.m. Friday lunch of the Whittier Republican Federated. The club meets at the Friendly Hills Country Club, 8500 S.Villaverde Drive, Whittier. For reservations call Carole Gardner at(626) 968-2125. Cost is $17 ....
Trial begins in 2001 slayings
Oct 01, 2007; ... LOS ANGELES - Hubert "Bert" Souther owned Cal Aero Supply, athriving surplus hardware and tool business he founded. But prosecutors claim someone else wanted the Paramount-basedbusiness. Souther, 81, didn't want to sell, which led to him and hiswife, Elizabeth Ann, 79, being ...
The British are coming ... to Pico Rivera shoppers
Oct 01, 2007; ... PICO RIVERA - This predominately Latino community is about toexperience a British invasion. Tesco, a grocery chain based in the United Kingdom with locationsaround Europe and Asia, is beginning a venture into the U.S. marketthat will include a store in Pico Rivera. The new ...
Bar issues guide for lawyers' manners
Oct 01, 2007; ... Did you hear the joke about the two opposing lawyers who werereally nice to each other? No? Don't worry, neither has anyone else. Concerned that the practice of law has simply gotten too darnmean, the California State Bar this summer authored new "CaliforniaAttorney ...
Federal money remains cloaked
Oct 01, 2007; ... -- Link: Earmark Requests Congress' Golden State members are among the growing choruscalling for more transparency in the federal budget process - butsome insist on keeping their own requests for pet projects shroudedin secrecy. Eight of Southern California's 15 lawmakers ...
One-woman cleaning crew
Oct 02, 2007; ... -- Video: <a ...
Freeway crash shuts down 605 Freeway
Oct 02, 2007 ... At least one person was injured in a multi-car pile up on thesouthbound 605 Freeway just before the eastbound 60 Freeway Tuesdaymorning, officials said. Police shut down all southbound lanes on the 605 Freeway exceptfor the transition lane leading to the 60 ...
Former Montebello Mayor Bruce Odou dies
Oct 02, 2007 ... MONTEBELLO - Former Montebello Mayor Dr. Bruce Odou died Mondayafter a three-year battle with colon cancer, his family hasannounced. Odou was elected to the City Council in 1963 and ...
La Mirada, school district to pay for cost of second deputy in schools
Oct 02, 2007 ... Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District and the city haveagreed to split the cost of a second sheriff's deputy to work inschools here. Superintendent Ginger Shattuck said this new deputy will helpprevent problems by working closely with all of the schools in ...
Watching the bombs fall
Oct 02, 2007; ... ALHAMBRA - It was about 7a.m. on Dec. 7, 1941, when Joe Sotoheard the sirens aboard the USS New Orleans go off, signaling anemergency. "All of a sudden we heard, 'All hands to battle stations, allhands to battle stations,"' Soto said. "'This is not a drill."' A fleet of ...
District, city pay for another school cop
Oct 02, 2007; ... LA MIRADA - The school district and the city have agreed to splitthe cost of a second sheriff's deputy to work in schools here. Ginger Shattuck, , said the new deputy will help prevent problemsby working closely with all of the schools in La Mirada. "They know what's going on ...
City to discuss ban on leaving kids alone
Oct 02, 2007; ... MONTEREY PARK - Some city officials want to prohibit unattendedchildren at public libraries, parks and swimming pools. The City Council today will discuss a proposal that would make itillegal for kids under age 9 to be at public facilities without thesupervision of an adult ....
Campaign cash flows into city
Oct 02, 2007; ... SANTA FE SPRINGS - Two City Council members are in opposition toone another in their donations and loans to candidates in the Nov. 6council election. The committee to re-elect Councilwoman Betty Putnam gave $1,000to Francis Carbajal's campaign and $2,000 to William ...
Whittier College plans to give writers honorary doctorates
Oct 02, 2007; ... WHITTIER - Famed authors and humanitarians Isabel Allende andhusband William Gordon, a Whittier High School graduate, willreceive honorary doctorates from Whittier College during a formalceremony, reception and book-signing on campus Thursday. This is the first such event for the ...
JPL staff members get partial victory in privacy lawsuit
Oct 02, 2007; ... LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE - Twenty-eight JPL staff members suingCaltech and the government over invasion of privacy concerns havegained a partial victory in federal court. U.S. District Judge Otis Wright said Monday he planned to grant atemporary injunction that would keep the National ...
Around Whittier
Oct 02, 2007 ... WHITTIER - The driver in an April 3 crash that killed threepeople will be back in Superior Court today for a preliminaryhearing. Xenia Guerra, 19, of Whittier has pleaded not guilty to threefelony counts of vehicular manslaughter and one misdemeanor count ofreckless driving with ...
End of road work in sight
Oct 03, 2007; ... WHITTIER - Just get through this week. That's the message for Mar Vista Street residents and commuterswho have been enduring the repaving of a large portion of the busythoroughfare. Work on the street from College Avenue to Ocean View Avenue hasbeen under way for the past ...
Former Montebello Mayor Odou dies at 79
Oct 03, 2007; ... MONTEBELLO - Dr. Bruce Odou, a former Montebello mayor, aGuinness Book of World Records entrant and the first private pilotto fly his family across the Arctic Circle to Europe, died Mondayafter a three-year battle with colon cancer, his family announced. Odou, who would have ...
Mayor trails in raising money
Oct 03, 2007; ... MONTEBELLO - Los Angeles power brokers and a state legislatorinjected thousands of dollars into the campaigns of two challengersfor November's City Council election, according to campaign- financereports. Businessman Robert Urteaga and registered nurse Kathy Salazarraised about ...
Duarte High football coach quits over brawl suspensions
Oct 03, 2007; ... -- Video: <a ...
New condos, new concerns
Oct 03, 2007; ... PICO RIVERA - New housing in north Pico Rivera has raisedconcerns from council members and residents, but most say theconstruction is necessary to rejuvenate the area. Three condominium developments have been approved in north PicoRivera, all on Rosemead Boulevard ....
Diseases in kids linked to flu
Oct 03, 2007; ... PASADENA - A mother's flu could hold the key to whether her childis born with schizophrenia or autism, a team of Caltech biologistsannounced Tuesday. Working with mice that carry the genes for a schizophrenia-likecondition, the researchers found that the health of newborn ...
"Suspicious" suitcase downtown filled with clothes
Oct 03, 2007 ... LOS ANGELES - A "suspicious item" found near Spring and Templestreets downtown turned out to be a suitcase filled with clothes,authorities said. An earlier evacuation of the nearby federal courthouse is overand traffic restrictions in the area have been lifted, according tothe ...
Man killed today in 210 accident
Oct 03, 2007 ... PASADENA - A man was killed today and another suffered burns in afiery crash that involved two big rigs and prompted the closure ofthe westbound Foothill (210) Freeway in Pasadena, officials said.The collision was reported about 5:50 a.m. near Arroyo Boulevard,said California ...
Workers from local company killed
Oct 03, 2007; ... A Santa Fe Springs-based company is mourning the loss of fiveemployees, killed following a chemical fire at a hydroelectric plantin Georgetown, Colo. Robison-Prezioso Inc., also known as RPICoating, specializes in industrial painting and chemical coating.The five dead were ...
Montebello PD goes online
Oct 03, 2007 ... MONTEBELLO - The Montebello Police Department recently wentonline with a new state-of-the-art computerized reporting system todirect more officers to the streets instead of taking down reportsfor certain crimes. People can report crimes using the Citizens Online ...
Driver traveling too fast and cut off another before crash, witnesses said
Oct 03, 2007; ... WHITTIER - Witnesses told police a Whittier woman was driving toofast and cut off another motorist before her car crashed, killingthree of her passengers. Details about the April 3 fatal crash on Colima Road emergedduring the Wednesday preliminary hearing of Xenia Guerra, 19, ...
Fee increase proposed for Uptown businesses
Oct 03, 2007 ... WHITTIER - The Whittier Uptown Association is proposing asignificant increase - as much as 51 percent for some restaurants -in the assessment on its members. The proposal still must be approved by the City Council. It willtake comments at its 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23 meeting and then hold ...
Around Whittier
Oct 04, 2007 ... DOWNEY - About 3,300 pounds of marijuana with an estimated streetvalue of $7million were seized and five men were arrested, a policelieutenant said Thursday. Jermain Wilson, 39, of Los Angeles; Ian Noble, 38, of Brooklyn,N.Y.; Sergio Sandoval, 34, of Downey; Rodolfo Salazar, 28, ...
Push on to put Eldnor back in Rose Parade
Oct 04, 2007; ... SAN MARINO - Swedish cowboy Jann Eldnor wants to get back in thesaddle again. Since the Tournament of Roses told Eldnor, known as "Jann ofSweden," and his Western Group in August they'd been bumped from the2008 Rose Parade, fans have been rallying to his support. Now ...
Baldwin Park approves alcohol in a city facility
Oct 04, 2007; ... BALDWIN PARK - In an effort to boost facility rentals at thenewly renovated arts and recreation center on Pacific Avenue, thecity is going to permit alcohol use there. The council voted unanimously Wednesday night to allow alcoholconsumption at the center in hopes that the move ...
Debate on student goals
Oct 04, 2007; ... WHITTIER - Covering topics like the much-maligned No Child LeftBehind Act and childhood obesity rates, four candidates offered uptheir views at a forum this week in their bid to win a board seat atthe East Whittier City School District. Carlos Aparicio, Michael Cirasole, Dimitri ...
On the Town
Oct 04, 2007 ... The garden of Robin and Marion Riley Campbell's beautiful SanMarino estate was the setting for the always-elegant Childrens Chaindinner dance to benefit Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Nancy Fosterchaired the black-tie evening held Sept. 29 that honored CHLAlodestar Bonnie McClure for ...
Historic home gets renovation funding
Oct 04, 2007; ... -- Photo Gallery: Walker House SAN DIMAS - The historic Walker House is getting a long-neededface-lift, officials said. The city recently received $677,250 from the state Cultural ...
Five local workers killed in Colorado power plant fire
Oct 04, 2007; ... A Santa Fe Springs-based company is mourning the loss of fiveemployees, while an investigation into the cause of their deathsbegins. The workers, employed by RPI Coating, were killed in Georgetown,Colo., at Xcel Corp.'s Cabin Creek power plant, when a fire brokeout Tuesday in ...
City candidates ignore campaign sign laws
Oct 03, 2007; ... LA PUENTE - The campaign signs are stapled to dozens of utilitypoles planted in unincorporated county land. They read "Re-elect Mayor Lou Perez for City Council" in brightorange text and are wrapped around the poles. The signs are also illegal. State law prohibits ...
Montebello P.D. goes online
Oct 03, 2007; ... MONTEBELLO - The Police Department recently went online with anew state-of-the-art computerized reporting system to direct moreofficers to the streets instead of taking down reports for certaincrimes. People can report crimes using the Citizens Online PoliceReporting System such ...
Council delays vote on housing, sets up meeting
Oct 03, 2007; ... COVINA - The City Council delayed a vote for the second time on asenior-housing project at Tuesday night's meeting and proposedsetting up a meeting involving concerned citizens, executives of thesenior home and other local backers of the project. Their aim, said Mayor John King, ...
Around Whittier
Oct 03, 2007 ... WHITTIER - The Parking and Transportation Commission meetingscheduled for tonight has been canceled. For more information call Whittier City Hall, (562) 945-8200. Hispanic students win with essays MONTEBELLO - Several local area students were essay winners ...
Speeches and spat delay council
Oct 03, 2007; ... WEST COVINA - Charges of "electioneering" slowed down the WestCovina council meeting Tuesday night, with council members arguingover whether members of the public were attempting to use the podiumto campaign. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to public comment whichstretched ...
La Fetra Center seeks help
Oct 03, 2007; ... The Glendora Seniors Club was active from the late 1960s through1990. They met at the American Legion Building for cards, bingo andcompany. In 1990, a Tuesday afternoon meal program was begun with theassistance of these volunteers and others. When the La Fetra Center opened ...
More green, more debt
Oct 03, 2007; ... Even as state Treasurer Bill Lockyer outlined a proposal for a $5billion bond measure to "green" state buildings Wednesday, a panelof experts and state officials said that, although California hasmore capacity to issue debt, it must proceed carefully. Lockyer's measure would ...
Jerry Brown: Smoke-belching ships must go
Oct 03, 2007; ... Attorney General Jerry Brown and national environmental groupsdemanded Wednesday the Bush administration address greenhouse-gasemissions from smoke-belching ships that Brown believes contributesignificantly to global warming. Brown and the environmentalists contend that ...
Orchard Dale Water Board has first election in 12 years
Oct 05, 2007 ... SOUTH WHITTIER - Twelve years ago Bill Clinton was in his firstterm as president, the Internet was in its infancy, and the OrchardDale Water District had its last contested election. Fast forward to Nov. 6 and incumbents Joe Kennedy and CliffordLee, who were elected in 1995 as ...
City approves cutting 14 mid-day school crossing guards
Oct 05, 2007 ... WHITTIER - Crossing guards tasked with overseeing the mid-dayrelease of kindergartners in half-day programs will no longer be inplace at 14 intersections come Nov. 1, school officials said Friday. In a city report, officials said the crossing-guard eliminationswould not affect ...
Teacher union biggest donor in school board races
Oct 04, 2007 ... NORWALK - Whittier-area teacher unions again are the top sourcefor campaign money in the upcoming Nov. 6 school board elections. Sofar, local unions have donated a total of $21,000 to five candidatesrunning in three separate elections. That's nothing new, said Whittier Councilman ...
Driver pleads not guilty to fatal collision
Oct 04, 2007; ... WHITTIER- A Pico Rivera woman pleaded not guilty Thursday tokilling a 15-year-old pedestrian while driving drunk. Melissa Serrato, 27, will return to Whittier Superior Court Nov.26 for a preliminary hearing. Prosecutors charged her with one felony count of gross ...
Authorities believe California workers died from smoke, fumes
Oct 04, 2007 ... GEORGETOWN, Colo. - Authorities believe smoke and fumes from achemical fire likely killed five California workers trapped in anunderground pipeline at a hydroelectric plant, and they expect itwill take months to investigate the cause. The federal Occupational Safety and Health ...
Mara Leon
Oct 04, 2007 ... I just read your story, and I it brought back some memories evento this day. I remember that day so vivdly, I was 4 at the time and had justdropped off my uncle at Whittier High School with my mother. We wereon Beverly Blvd, where there are all those pine trees, and all ...
Rolando J. Garcia
Oct 04, 2007 ... I was still living at home in Pico Rivera. I was in the showerand I thought a bomb had gone off, either that or the world wasending. It felt like someone literally picked up my house and thendropped in on the ground. I quickly turned the water off, wrapped a towel around my ...
EWCSD board candidates debate issues
Oct 04, 2007 ... WHITTIER - Four school board candidates for the East WhittierCity School District debated the issues Wednesday night, coveringtopics ranging from the much-maligned No Child Left Behind Act tooverall challenges facing the 8,800-student K-8 district. The debate was organized by the ...
Sweeps round up criminal
Oct 04, 2007; ... In what federal authorities are calling the largest sweep ofcriminal immigrants, federal agents over the last two weeks havearrested more than 1,300 Southland immigrants in their homes, injails and at work, officials announced Wednesday. As part of a stepped-up national crackdown ...
Fees going Uptown
Oct 04, 2007; ... WHITTIER - The Whittier Uptown Association has proposed anincrease - as much as 51 percent for some restaurants - in themandatory assessment on its members. The Whittier City Council, which will hold two hearings - one atits Oct. 23 meeting and another on Nov. 13 - must give its ...
Witnesses: Driver speeding
Oct 04, 2007; ... WHITTIER - Witnesses told police a woman was driving too fast andcut off another motorist before her car crashed, killing three ofher passengers. Details about the April 3 fatal crash on Colima Road emergedduring the Wednesday preliminary hearing of Xenia Guerra, 19, ofWhittier, ...