 Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor REGION - Residents of Wrightwood and Pinion Hills are under evacuation orders as the unrelenting Bridge Fire continues to consume the San Gabriel Mountains and beyond. Wrightwood residents were ordered to evacuate earlier this evening, including residents of Lone Pine Canyon from Wrightwood to Highway 138 and Lone Pine Canyon Road south to the forest, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Pinion Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 18 and Beekley Road west to Los Angeles County are also under mandatory evacuation. Highway 138 is closed from Lone Pine to Beekley Road due to evacuations. Highway 2 is closed from Big Pine to Highway 138, according to Caltrans. At 7:30 p.m., the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation warning for the communities of San Antonio Heights and Upland from the Foothills down to the 23rd Street. Specific areas of the cities of San Dimas, La Verne and Claremont are now under evacuation warnings: San Dimas (E-003-A): North of Sycamore Flats Motorway, south of Johnstone Peak Truck Trail, east of Blue Bird Road, west of Lodi Lateral Mtwy, North San Dimas Canyon Road La Verne (LVN-E001): North of Golden Hills Road, south of San Dimas Canyon Road, east of Charmont Road, west of Sunset Ridge Truck Trail. (LVN-E002): North of Golden Hills Road, Vista De Oro, south of Sunset Peak Motorway , East of Sunset Peak Motorway, west of Stephens Ranch Road, Sunset Peak Motorway. Claremont (CLA-E003): north of Pomello Motorway, south of Cobal Canyon Motorway, Sunset Ridge Fire Road, Palmer Evie Motorway, west of Villa Padova, West Fork Palmer Motorway. (CLA-E-006-A): North of Mount Baldy Road, south of Potato Mountain, east of West Fork Palmer Motorway, west of Mt. Baldy Road. Video from KTLA 5 news showed insatiable flames destroying structures at Mountain High Resort. Video from KNBC 4 news showed what appeared to be a home well involved with fire at Mt. Baldy Village. The Bridge Fire, which ignited Sunday, September 8, has consumed 34,240 acres and remains without containment, according to the U.S. Forest Service. After finding some solace with a little overnight activity on September 9, fire crews had to deal with the mind-boggling exponential growth of the fire throughout Tuesday.  Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor REGION - An evacuation order has been made for all residents of Mount Baldy Village from the San Antonio Dam to Baldy Resort, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office. Evacuees are advised to avoid using Glendora Ridge Road as an evacuation route. Mt. Baldy Road should be used as the escape route, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department. The bridge fire has burned an estimated 2995 acres, my according to the U.S. Forest Service. The bridge fire is roughly 3 miles from the northernmost boundary with the city of La Verne, however, the fire does not pose a threat to the city, according to Chris Nigg, La Verne Fire Department Chief. In the event that the Bridge Fire enters the boundaries of San Dimas orLa Verne, city officials highly recommend that residents have an evacuation plan and have all essential items ready to go if the order is given to leave. Near the origin of the fire, residents of Camp Williams and River Community were previously given mandatory evacuation orders. An American Red Cross evacuation center for these residents has been established at the Hacienda Heights Community Center, 1234 Valencia Avenue. Evacuees from Mt. Baldy Village can go to the Jessie Turner Health and Fitness Center, 15556 Summit Ave., in Fontana.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Multiple private schools have been evacuated and have closed the rest of the day after an email threat was sent to the schools.
Damien High School in La Verne was evacuated and will remain closed Monday, according to the La Verne Police Department. “Following further investigation, the threat appears to have come from overseas and has been deemed not credible by LVPD,” according to the La Verne Police Department. Students at St. John the Baptist School in Baldwin similarly evacuated and closed Monday around 10:20 a.m. after a threat was received, according to a parent who received an email and voicemail to pick up their child. “This morning a mass email was sent out to some Catholic and non-Catholic schools making a threat to school safety on this date. While there is no current evidence to suggest that this threat is credible, out of an abundance of caution, we decided to cancel classes for today,” according to an email sent by St. John the Baptist School. Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School in Claremont and Bishop Amat High School also canceled classes for Monday and sent students home after receiving a similar thread. Fox11 News reported that a Catholic School in Compton received a similar threat. “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is aware of the online threats to schools in LA County. LA County Sheriff’s Stations will conduct patrol checks at local schools throughout the day. We will continue to monitor and provide future information as it becomes available,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Plenty of activities and delicious goodies will be available all day during during a free event that promotes active transportation.
626 Golden Streets comes to the San Gabriel Valley Sunday, April 23. The event stretches six and one half miles along portions of Bonita Avenue, Fulton Road and Arrow Highway to Claremont. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The people-centric event promotes active transportation: walking, biking, jogging, running, strolling … you name it. Other activities and chances to support local businesses will be available along the route. The event will require the temporary closure of roadways and no vehicle traffic will be allowed. The first 50 attendees will receive a free limited edition t-shirt and raffle tickets. Join the Heart of the Foothills opening ceremony at Palomares Park in Pomona, 499 E. Arrow Hwy., from 8:15 a.m. to 9 a.m. Parking restrictions will go into effect along the route beginning at Midnight prior to the event. Road closures are scheduled to start at 5 a.m. and full closures will be made by 7 a.m. A partial reopening of the route will begin by 4 p.m. with most sections reopening by 5 p.m. Visit the 626 Golden Streets website for frequently asked questions.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Beginning this afternoon, continuing work on the L Line Foothill Extension will sporadically impact traffic, authorities said.
A rail delivery train will deliver 1600-foot segments of rail sticks at various points along the L Line route from Glendora to Pomona, according to the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority. The deliveries are expected to take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and are scheduled to last through Saturday, August 28. At-grade crossings will be affected multiple times. Crossing gates will be functional and may impact traffic for up to five minutes at a time while rail sticks are off-loaded, the construction authority said. In August, the construction authority announced the$1.5 billion, 9.1-mile project to Pomona was 36 percent complete. Construction on this segment from Glendora to Pomona began July 2020.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Two men charged with capital murder in the stabbing death of a West Covina man pleaded not guilty Thursday. La Verne man Elijah Thomas Rouse, 18, and 37-year-old Shaun Cardarelli, of San Gabriel, are of accused of killing John Aguila during the commission of a robbery. The murder charge includes that both men used a knife during the commission of a crime, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Both suspects are also accused of conspiracy to commit arson. Whether or not to seek the death penalty will be determined at a later date, the district attorney’s office said.
Prosecutors accuse the suspects of killing Aguila in his West Covina apartment in late August 2019. Aguila was wrapped in a blanket along with cellophane, his body bound with duct tape. The suspects used his 2017 Honda Civic to take his body to San Bernardino county where it was dumped off a road in Upland, doused in gasoline and set on fire. A third man Davone Anthony Smith, 26, Also faces a conspiracy charge to commit arson, and a felony count of being an accessory after the fact.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - The man found guilty of murdering a husband and wife during a burglary in the La Verne foothills was sentenced recently. Luke Fabela, 27, was sentenced to life in prison September 27 without the possibility of parole for the 2014 killing of Shirley Isom, 75, and her husband Armie Isom, 89. In May, jurors found Fabela guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree residential burglary. They also found true the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder during the commission of a burglary, according to Greg Risling, assistant chief for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The Isoms were killed in their La Verne foothills home on Roughrider Road December 26, 2014. Both died from blunt force trauma. Shirley Isom additionally suffered sharp force trauma. Fabela also stole a cell phone from the home, prosecutors said. DNA evidence tied Favela to the scene.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - A man accused of beating to death a married couple in their hillside estate almost five years to go and stealing the wife’s cell phone was convicted in the crimes. Luke Fabela, 27, was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree residential burglary. Jurors also found true the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder during the commission of burglary, according to Greg Risling of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Husband and wife a Shirley Isom, 75, and Armie “Troy” Isom, 89, were both found in their home on Roughrider Road December 26, 2014. Shirley died of blunt force trauma and multiple stab wounds in the home. Armie died later at a hospital. Fabela was already in jail in an unrelated vehicle theft case in San Bernardino. DNA evidence collected from Fabela linked him to the La Verne murder scene. Fabela is scheduled to be sentenced August 30 when he faces the possibility of life in prison without parole, Risling said. 
PHOTO/Amgen Tour of California
Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor
REGION - A heads up for drivers in the East San Gabriel Valley area as loads of cyclists will speed through for the Amgen Tour of California Friday.
The Tour will be coming through the cities of Azusa, Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Claremont and through the San Gabriel Mountains. The race is split into men’s and women’s brackets. Women’s Stage 2: 9:45 a.m. start time ONTARIO - Begins at Citizen’s Business Bank Arena -North on North Haven Avenue -West on Arrow Route UPLAND -North on Euclid Avenue UPLAND/CLAREMONT -West on East 16th Street/ Baseline Road LA VERNE/SAN DIMAS -West on Foothill Boulevard GLENDORA -North on Amelia Avenue -West on Foothill Boulevard GLENDORA/MOUNTAINS -North on Glendora Mountain Road -North on Glendora Ridge Road -North on Mt. Baldy Road -Finish at Mt. Baldy Resort: 12:09 a.m. (estimated)
Men’s Stage 6: 11:50 a.m. start time
ONTARIO - Begins at Citizen’s Business Bank Arena -North on North Haven Avenue -West on Arrow Route UPLAND/SAN ANTONIO HEIGHTS -North on Euclid Avenue UPLAND/CLAREMONT -North on North Mountain Avenue/Mt. Baldy Road MOUNTAINS -South on Glendora Ridge Road -North on Glendora Mountain Road -South on East Fork Road MOUNTAINS/AZUSA -South on San Gabriel Canyon Road AZUSA/GLENDORA -East on Sierra Madre Avenue GLENDORA/MOUNTAINS -North on Glendora Mountain Road MOUNTAINS -North on Glendora Ridge Road Mt. BALDY -North on Mt. Baldy Road -End at Mt. Baldy Resort: 3:40 p.m. (estimated) The entire race will conclude in Pasadena. The Amgen Tour of California is an annual, professional Tour de France-style cycling event that challenges the world’s top cycling teams along hundreds of miles of iconic California highways, byways and coastlines.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - To mitigate fire hazards in the foothills, the U.S. Forest Service will conduct controlled burns in the east San Gabriel Valley starting Wednesday, authorities said. Fire will be applied to brush in the Bear Canyon Housing tract above Mt. Baldy Village, one mile northwest of Mt. Baldy Road and Bear Canyon Road January 30 and January 31 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., according to the U.S. Forest Service. Smoke and flame will be visible from Mt. Baldy Village, La Verne, Claremont and San Antonio Heights.
The project will provide community and infrastructure protection in the event of a wildfire, the U.S. Forest Service said. |
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