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THURSDAY, june 4 - JUNE 10, 2015
Irwindale Industrial Fire Cause $90,000 Damage; Injures One By Terry Miller At least one man was transported to the hospital after an industrial fire broke out at 1:50 p.m. on Tuesday in the 700 block of Alpha Street in Irwindale, the site of an auto wrecking yard. Smoke could be seen for miles as Los Angeles County Firefighters attempted to extinguish the multi-alarm fire which was reported to the fire department as a commercial structure fire. Smoke and fire were showing from several vehicles on the lot. Heavy smoke from the fire hampered firefighters at first and then after the ladder truck extended the full height, a firefighter was able to get water where it was needed the most. At one point an exhausted firefighter was assisted by an Irwindale police officer who helped attach a hose to a water tender fire truck. Over 100 firefighters and Irwindale police officers responded to the second alarm blaze.
Legislation to Raise Tobacco Purchase Age Passes Through the Senate
Bill Aims to Reduce Smoking by Restricting Teen Access to Tobacco Products
- Photo by Terry Miller
Glendale Man Charged With Hit-and-Run Death of 4-Year-Old Girl
An alleged hit-and-run driver has been charged in connection with an accident that killed a 4-yearold girl in Glendale, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced today. Shant Badleean (dob 6/24/59) of Glendale was charged with one felony count of hit-and-run driv-
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ing resulting in death in case GA096378. Badleean pleaded not guilty today and is scheduled to return on June 29 in Department 1 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Burbank Branch. The young victim was struck as she ran into East Wilson Street on March 6, launching her into a parked car, pros-
Senate Bill 151 cleared another major hurdle earlier this week as it passed out of the Senate by a vote of 268. Senator Dr. Ed Hernandez, O.D. (D–West Covina), Chair of the Senate Health Committee, introduced the bill in January that would increase the minimum legal sale age for tobacco products from 18 to 21. The bill now moves to the Assembly. “We will not sit on the sidelines while big tobacco markets to our kids and gets another generation of young people hooked on a product that will ultimately kill them,” said Hernandez. “Tobacco companies know that people are more likely to become addicted to smoking if they start at a young age.” In March, the Institute of Medicine released a study examining how increasing
the minimum legal sale age for tobacco products would impact tobacco use trends. They concluded increasing the age to 21 would result in 200,000 fewer premature deaths for those born between the years 2000 and 2019 and cause a more rapid decline in tobacco prevalence. Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States with 480,000 people dying annually – 40,000 from effects of secondhand smoke. According to the CDC, tobacco use kills more people per year than alcohol, murders, illegal drugs, AIDS, and motor vehicle accidents combined. Aside from the vast human toll, tobacco is a heavy burden financially. The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids estimates that direct
health care expenditures related solely to smoking in California amount to approximately $13.3 billion annually – with about $3.5 billion in Medi-Cal costs. “As Henry Waxman once said, cigarettes are the single most dangerous consumer product ever sold,” remarked Hernandez, “We need to wake up and stop making it so easy for tobacco companies to poison generation after generation of Californians.” Hawaii passed a similar measure in April of this year that is still awaiting Governor Ige’s signature. SB 151 would make California either the first or second state in the nation, depending on the fate of the bill in Hawaii, to raise the legal smoking age to 21.
AQMD Board Member Explains Clean-Air Programs By joe taglieri
ecutors said. Badleean drove off without rendering any aid, prosecutors said. The defendant turned himself in the next day. If convicted as charged, Badleean could face a maximum possible sentence of four years in state prison. The case remains under investigation by the Glendale Police Department.
Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office Offers Help to Seniors for Preventing Scams By Terry Miller
A recent event purporting to be part of Publishers Clearing House scammed a Temple City senior out of $2,000. The rouse is more common than you would think and seniors particularly are at risk. She was told that she
needed to advance funds to a company in the Philippines to ensure that the money she had won - $500,000 – would be delivered. The caller, who was very convincing, said that the “prize patrol” was slated to arrive later in the week
but she needed to advance $1,000 to make sure they delivered. This actually happened twice and the senior was scammed out of $2,000. We contacted the telephone number the victim Please see page 3
The Azusa City Council on Monday learned about state-funded programs designed to improve air quality driven by efforts at the municipal level of government. In a public presentation Michael Cacciotti, a board member of the South Coast Air Quality Management Dis-
trict, detailed several initiatives including lawnmower exchange events, grants for installing infrastructure for electric and alternative-fuel vehicles, an exchange program for commissioning medium- and heavy-duty vehicles that run on alternative fuels and programs that
- Photo by Terry Miller
encourage pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. The lawnmower exchange, scheduled for June 13 in Ontario and June 20 in Arcadia, features electric Greenstation and Black & Decker mowers for $100Please see page 2