Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - Residents and city leaders will have an opportunity to voice their concerns over a processing site set up in Irwindale to sort out toxic debris from the Eaton Fire.

The town hall is scheduled for Wednesday, January 29 at 6 p.m. at the Duarte Performing Arts Center, 1401 Highland Ave.

California Sen. Susan Rubio will be hosting the town hall featuring representatives from the California Environmental Protection Agency, United States Environmental Protection Agency and other public officials.

The Environmental Protection Agency has already prepped and set up operations at the Lario Staging Area, 15701 E. Foothill Blvd. The cities of Azusa, Baldwin Park, Duarte and Irwindale allege they did not receive advanced notification about the debris processing site, nor were the cities given the opportunity to register concerns about potential soil, water and air contamination.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - An Irwindale police officer received moderate injuries, but refused hospitalization after a driver went through the scene of a collision investigation June 26.

The 25-year-old officer was treated at the scene at Huntington Drive and Encanto Parkway June 26 after being hit by a westbound driver. Irwindale officers were called to help direct traffic while Sheriff’s deputies investigated a crash, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

“The driver disregarded the traffic cones, flares and emergency lights and continued driving into the collision investigation scene after hitting the officer,” according to the Irwindale Police Department in a written statement.

Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station responded to a collision after a vehicle struck a pedestrian around 7:45 p.m. at Huntington Drive and Las Lomas Road. The crash appeared to be accidental, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station.

This reporter sought additional details regarding the crash after a social post by the Irwindale Police Department stated the pedestrian died.

A supervisor at the Sheriff’s Temple Station was unaware if the pedestrian died after being taken to an area hospital. Detective Bravo, the deputy handling the crash, declined to state the status of the pedestrian and would not confirm if the pedestrian even died.

The errant driver was stopped by deputies, but it is unclear if an arrest was made.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - Power remains on as crews will work for likely a week or more until a transmission tower is upright after it was knocked over, a Southern California Edison Employee said Tuesday.

The tower was struck and tipped over in the 1300 block of Las Lomas Road just before 5 p.m. on the Irwindale/Duarte border.

additional crews will be brought in to facilitate repairs and traffic may be diverted during the work, according to Steve Conroy, public information officer with SCE.

An investigation is underway to determine why the tower was hit.

Where the collision occurred  is an area where materials are stored. Unspecified work was taking place, Conroy said.

Firefighters remained on scene for more than five hours near the tower. both directions of Huntington Drive at the Irwindale border and southbound Encanto Parkway south of Hacienda were closed after the tower was damaged, according to the City of Duarte.

There were no reported injuries, Conroy said.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

DUARTE - East and westbound Huntington Drive at the Irwindale border and Encanto Parkway south of Hacienda remains closed to traffic after a high tension tower became compromised Monday.

A California Edison truck struck and tipped over a high tension tower, which is leaning against power lines in the 1300 block of Las Lomas Road. An estimated time of repair for the tower is not known, according to the City of Duarte.

The tower became compromised around 4:55 p.m. Monday.

Firefighters waited on scene for hours until SoCal Edison crews arrived to begin repairs.

There were no reports of injuries or fire, according to Dispatch Supervisor Miguel Ornelas of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.