Judge declines to block LA County's zero-bail system
Applications open for LA County rentrelief grant program
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Sustainable Duarte: SGVCOG designates city an 'energy champion' By Joe Taglieri
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unicipalities throughout Southern California and the nation are making efforts to reduce the potentially catastrophic consequences of climate change, and officials from Duarte shared thoughts and information on their city's sustainability investments. City Manager Brian Villalobos was quick to tout Duarte's "champion" status with regard to sustainable energy projects. "Duarte is committed to being a green partner in our region by investing and implementing sustainable measures throughout the city," Villalobos said in a statement to the Duarte Dispatch. "We're proud that these measures have been recognized by the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments by being awarded the Energy Champion award, the highest energy efficiency awarded to local communities." Based on a detailed set of criteria, the SGVCOG's Energy Champion Awards spotlight local cities and agencies that promote and increase energy efficiency. Streetlights All city-owned streetlights as well as building interior and exterior lighting are equipped with LED lights as part of Duarte's Infrastructure Modernization Program. The city also participated in a Southern California Edison program to convert all Edison-owned streetlights to LED. “The program helped reduce rising utility costs,
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Ex-LASD deputy gets 2 years in fed prison for violating civil rights of skateboarder By Fred Shuster, City News Service
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A Duarte eBus. | Photo courtesy of the city of Duarte
operating expenditures, and piecemeal maintenance costs associated with outdated and/or obsolete equipment, as well as created a higher service level for the Duarte community through enhanced street and building lighting," said Community Development Director Craig Hensley. Fleet vehicles and EV charging stations In the last three years the city has replaced five vehicles in its fleet with gasolineelectric hybrids. Duarte has also retired 20 older-model gasoline vehicles that have been replaced with newer fuel-efficient vehicles. “Most notably, the city was able to replace our transit fleet that consisted of six aging 20-year-old dieselpowered buses with three all electric zero-emission buses,” Hensley said. BP Pulse has partnered with the city to develop an EV charging station that will operate 24/7. The proposed project will include 12 charging dispensers that can
power up to 24 cars simultaneously using DC fast-charging chargers. “This will be the first BP Pulse EV self-charging station in the US,” Hensley said. Solar panels As a component of the city's Infrastructure Modernization Program, Duarte City Hall has a roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system. Trash and recycling Composting program — The city hosts biannual compost giveaways that are free and available to all Duarte residents. There is no limit to the amount of compost a resident can receive, officials said. Approximately 30 tons of compost are provided to the public through this program each year. Organic waste — Duarte has collaborated with its trash hauler Burrtec Waste Services, local businesses and residents to reach nearly full compliance with Senate
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Bill 1383, a 2016 state law that seeks to reduce organic waste in landfills. Duarte residents and businesses have trash, recycling, and green/food waste bins for proper trash disposal. Edible Food Recovery Program — The city partnered with the SGV Council of Governments to do inspections of tier 1 and tier 2 food generators to ensure that businesses are working with food recovery centers to donate excess food, officials said. Duarte also partnered with the SGVCOG to establish a subregional food recovery hub, through which excess food collected from the commercial sector gets to food banks and charitable organizations. Regional stormwater reuse JPA — On the water front, Duarte is part of the Rio Hondo/San Gabriel River Water Management Joint Powers Authority, or JPA, which is "a watershed-based
See Sustainable Duarte Page 16
former Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy was sentenced Monday to two years in federal prison for violating the civil rights of a man at a Compton skate park by improperly detaining him and then acting to cover up his actions. Miguel Vega, 33, of Corona, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term and pay a $5,000 fine due immediately. U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson set a self-surrender date of Feb. 29. "You violated your solemn oath to uphold the law and in doing so abused the public trust," the judge told Vega in downtown Los Angeles. "What is so galling is that you knew what you did was illegal -- but it simply didn't matter." Vega pleaded guilty in September to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, a crime that carries a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison. He admitted to having falsely imprisoned the 23-yearold skateboarder in his patrol car, which crashed during a subsequent chase, leaving the man injured. He also admitted filing false reports to cover up his and his partner's unlawful conduct. In a statement to the court, Vega described his conduct as "atrocious" and apologized to the victim, who declined to come to court. "I was a monster and it took a lot of soul-searching to understand that," Vega told the judge. Vega's former partner, Christopher Hernandez, 37, pleaded guilty in July to one count of conspiracy. A sentencing hearing is set in Los Angeles federal court for Jan. 8, at which time he will face up to five years in federal prison. According to the indictment, the man identified as J.A. was in an enclosed skate park at Wilson Park in Compton on April 13, 2020, when the deputies arrived and contacted two young Black males outside the park. Vega said he believed one of the males was on probation. After J.A. yelled at the deputies to stop bothering the youths, Vega got into an argument with him and challenged J.A. to a fight, according to his plea agreement. Vega then pulled J.A. through an opening in the park fence and placed him in the back of the deputies' patrol SUV. The skateboarder was not handcuffed, was not told he was under arrest and was not restrained by a seatbelt in the back seat of the SUV, Vega admitted. Prosecutors said Vega again challenged J.A. to a fight See Ex-LASD Page 27