altadenablog

Alert: harassing man on President Streets

Chatter on the President Streets newsgroup (Coolidge-Harding-etc. area) have reported the reappearance of a man who has been seen harassing and threatening women on the street and in Eaton Canyon.  He's described as dark-complected, possibly Middle Eastern, and likely homeless.  He appears unexpectedly and disappears.  Deputies have been called, but there's little they can do unless something happens, unfortunately.  If you're in these areas, please be alert and keep a phone close.  Your best bet is calling the sheriff's non-emergency number, (626) 798-1131

UPDATE 9/07 2 PM: check out the comment from ATC chair Gino Sund in the comments section.

Update on N. Marengo nuisance house

Just got an update from the neighbor of the ex-drug house/rat house at 3508 N. Marengo, subject of this previous posting:

I am taking pictures daily until this is CLEANED UP, It is going on TWO WEEKS, Vector Unit (White bag) , Antonovich, Health Department , Portatino etc.. Have contacted us! The Bank has been notified and they will be boarding up the house soon Thank you EVERYONE for the drive By, Blogs and information. I have been in Altadena 30 years and this is a FIRST for me... Horrible!

Clear out the druggies, and the rats move in: nuisance on North Marengo

The pictures below show the situation  of the house at 3508 N. Marengo, an area of nice, middle-class homes.  The neighbor who took them tells Altadenablog that the house was used as an indoor pot farm and was busted in early August.  Since then, a cleaning crew has been in, but all the stuff they cleaned out has been stacked out front and deteriorating for weeks, attracting rats, mosquitos, and other vermin.

Our reader tells us that she's called several county authorities about the situation, and hasn't gotten any cooperation.

Trash was cleared out, then stacked in the driveway.  Our reader tells us that if you wait around long enough, you can see the rats scamper.

A daytime view of the driveway.  Some of this trash has been cleared.

The neglect has caused the brush to dry up, creating a fire and health hazard.

The view from the street.

A foreclosure notice on the front door, with the information phone number torn off.

Mistrial declared in Pasadena police shooting case

Down San Diego way, the Associated Press files this story that a mistrial was declared in a civil case involving a police shooting in Pasadena.  Walter Villanueva, 25, of Altadena, has been charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend by a Pasadena policemen on the criminal end of this case.  Full details here.

OK, so the sheriff has inaugurated an email address ...

... and it doesn't work.

Got tipped to this from a reader using a fairly lame pseudonym and email address -- but his facts nonetheless check out.  Sending a message to the altadenacrimetips@lasd.org address just gets us bounced back.  Hopefully they will fix this soon and let us know about it.

Update 8/25, from our remote location:  It seems to be working now. 

Mosely family: "We need to know who to forgive"

Contra Costa Times has had more news of Altadena this week than PSN does some weeks.  Today, it's a story about slaying victim Evelyn Mosely.  Nothing new has emerged about who killed Mosely, 90, who was beaten and stabbed in her Lincoln Ave. home May 8 (the home was later set on fire). The county supervisors have offered a $20,000 reward for anyone who gives the authorities information on her slaying. 

This is the nut graf for us:

"We need to know who to forgive," Sandi Hamilton, the victim's daughter, said at a news conference. "Please, please, please come forth and let us know who you are and why, please, please, please."

Anyone with information about Mosely's death is asked to call sheriff's homicide Lt. Liam Gallagher at (323) 890-5500.

10 AM update: PSN story is here.

The saga continues in Mr. Henry's neighborhood.

PWeekly's Razor 7 (aka Andre Coleman) fills in the latest chapter in the Irsie Henry saga: a jury acquitted him of a charge of pepper spraying his neighbor -- but there's more to it than that, of course. Absorb the details here.

Sheriff launches email address

This information came out of last night's Town Council meeting: The Altadena sheriff's station now has an email address to report non-emergent crimes (vandalism, graffiti, parking violations):

altadenacrimetips@lasd.org

(Vintage photo of Altadenablog's grandfather, Ft. Collins, Colo. Police Capt. Jacob R. Rutt, using his day's advanced technology.)

Vigil after violence

PSN has a story about a vigil for Ebony Huell on the one-year anniversary of her murder by gang violence at LIncoln Ave in Pasadena.  She was the daughter of LaTonya Samuels of Altadena.

Screaming motorcycles in the morning?

Got a note from a resident complaining about a group of loud, fast motorcycles that go tearing across Loma Alta and turn down Lake at high speed, about 1:30 in the morning.  Is this happening often enough to interest law enforcement?  Are you a neighbor concerned about it?  Let us (and CHP) know!

Gunshots reported ...

... Sat. morning, about 1:30 AM in the Pepper Dr. area.  Sheriffs were called, source remains a mystery.

Sheriff's training to stop the next Columbine

Mary O'Keefe at the Cresecent Valley Sun has an article on Wednesday's sheriff deputies training session at Eliot Middle School, preparing for school or workplace violence.

It's law enforcement Wednesday!

... or maybe not.  Two items have crossed the desk this morning:

• This PSN story about CHP operating out of the Altadena office slowing down the motorcyclists rocketing down Angeles Crest.
• Via Sheriff Capt. Roosevelt Blow, whom we ran into at breakfast this morning:  the deputies will be conducting a training exercise at Eliot Middle School today, preparing in case of a Columbine-type event, so don't be alarmed.

Crime Log: July 1-Aug. 4

(Introducing our new feature: Altadenablog is partnering with the Altadena Sheriff’s Station to present a periodic sampling of local crime)

Rape, assaults, battery and graffiti characterize the past month’s crime log.  Details after the jump.

Homicide victim identified

PSN and Whittier Daily News' Brian Day gives an update on Saturday's killing of Jasmine Denson, 19. Sheriffs say they believe creepazoid much older boyfriend Troy Evans Taylor, 50, shot her, then pushed her out the window of the home they shared on the 2400 block of north Lincoln.  Taylor is now being held on a previous charge of making terrorist threats against Denson, and will likely be charged with murder today.

Update 6 PM: PSN reports coroner said it was a shot to the head.

Update on yesterday's killing on Lincoln Ave.

Frank GIradot's Crime Scene Blog, as usual, is on top of things.  Altho' it appears a gunshot was heard, cops found the 19-year-old victim had fallen from a second story window.  The victim's live-in boyfriend, Tony Evans Taylor, 50, was arrested on an outstanding warrant (for making terrorist threats against the victim) and will likely be charged with murder.  Awaiting for next of kin to be notified before the victim's identity will be made public.

Update, 11 PM: LA Times says she was shot, and then fell or was pushed out the window.

Support your local sheriff

Bill "Forrest" Westphal points out this article in today's PSN, about being a volunteer at the county sheriff's Walnut Station.  But you don't have to go that far -- you can join the hardy volunteer crew here at the Altadena Sheriff's Station.  Bill writes:

I have been a volunteer there for several years and it's an interesting, exciting and rewarding way to give back to the community.

I wonder if you wouldn't mind posting something on Altadenablog to let readers know that if anyone is interested in more information about volunteering at the Altadena Sheriff's they can contact Sgt. Yolanda Palomo or Dep. Sam Estrada at the Altadena Sheriff's Station at 626-798-1131.

Woman shot to death on Lincoln Ave.

... about 5:30 PM this afternoon on the 2400 block of Lincoln Ave., above Woodbury, according to PSN.  Developing ...

Good things coming up

Yep, we're late on the updates.  We had a meeting this morning with Altadena Sheriff Capt. Roosevelt Blow, to smooth our receipt of information from the sheriff's office.  We'll also be establishing a regular log of sheriff activities, which will be appearing soon.  Watch this space!

Boneheads with BB guns on Altadena Crest Trail

This email just came in, about 2:30 PM:

just had two young men run through my year from the Altadena Crest Trail with three b-b guns between them. They had been firing them and stopped on my  driveway to reload. I asked them to leave (which they did after reloading...no hurry to do so). Then found two more hiding on our property line (the trail) obviously looking to shoot the other two. I called the sheriff, but beware of being outside. I don't know where these kids are firing these things.

The first two young men were tall and thin, white, wearing black T's and black baggy shorts. I only saw one of the others (wearing a red T shirt) because they were hiding from me when they saw me.

Police activity?

Got a couple of inquiries about multiple sheriff cars and the copper chopper active last night, around 11 p.m. at Glenrose and Cosby (State & Lake blog  reports multiple cars with lights on turning down Woodbury last night, in what's probably the same incident).  Just called the desk sergeant at the sheriff's station, and he can't find anything significant on the log.  We'll keep trying, but we had six cop cars and a chopper for "kids with toy gun" in my neighborhood this week, so anything's possible ...

Fertilizer scam still going on

Besides the guy who is either (1) a scam artist, or (2) the world's worst alarm salesman working the eastside, the President Streets newsgroup (Roosevelt/Harding/Coolidge & environs) report sightings of the fertilizer scam guys who were here earlier this spring.  They offer to fertilize your lawn on the spot for $5 a bag (of course the bags are about a quarter full), spread a lot of fertilizer on your lawn, and charge you and arm and leg for it.  They've been spotted cruising in their white van just over the past few days. Don't confront them, just call the sheriff!

Update on Altadena Dr. gun report

Busy day, but finally had a chance to call the sheriff's office -- the incident at Altadena Dr.. and Page (which is next to Boulder Rd.) was reported as somebody with a gun, and revealed to be kids with a toy gun.  Half a dozen units and chopper support?  We're scratchin' our heads on this one.

Suspicious salesman in Pinecrest area

Getting some chatter from the newsgroups, which started out with this message:

We just had a young man stop by our house at then end of Woodglen Lane and it was a little odd. First, he walked by two private driveway/no trespassing signs. Then when my husband asked him what he was doing, he said he had business at our uphill neighbors (he then rang doorbells to no avail). Then he denied selling anything but said it was advertising (is there a difference?). I asked for a card and some paperwork but he wouldn't provide any. He was asking a lot of questions about our house, who we were, etc. But when I asked for a contact number or his last name, he wouldn't give it to us.

In case you see him, he is caucasian, sandy blond/brown hair, beefy build. He had a white polo shirt with GE logo on one arm and a  siren logo on the other. I'm not sure what he was selling.

Maybe it's nothing, but it struck us as odd because we just couldn't get him to leave!

Other messages have come in: this guy has been spotted parked at Tanoble and Loma Alta, and knocked on a door at Pinecrest, offering an alarm system upgrade.  One of the neighbors said that the sheriffs have been notified, but he's not doing anything illegal.  He could just be a very bad salesman ... but he doesn't want to offer information about his business or contact info. Something to be aware of.

UPDATE 7/18 6 PM:  Getting a few other reports of this guy.  One homeowner found this website to contact GE Security to see if he's legit.  

But our independent research is showing that there are "security system" scams going on around the country.  One variation is talking to two salesmen, and as you're engaged with one, the other disappears for awhile -- because he's opening your drawers, etc. and grabbing what he can.  Or the salesman will sell you an overpriced system, promise you a free system or lock you into an expensive long-term contract, or promise a substantial rebate that never gets delivered.  Another variation is to charge a substantial amount for a system that gets installed quickly and shabbily -- sometimes within the hour.

Sometimes the scamsters will claim to be from legitimate security firms, like GE, so it always pays to be cautious.

Sheriffs out at Altadena Dr. and Boulder Rd.

About 10:15 tonight -- many sheriff's cars, and the copper chopper was orbiting around the neighborhood with spotlight on -- neighbor says it was a man with a gun at a halfway house, but details are a bit sketchy at the moment.

Michael De La Torre on LA Time's homicide list

Michael Anthony De La Torre, 19, Altadena's latest homicide victim, has made the LA Time's Homicide blog. This list has a story on every homicide victim in LA County.

Evelyn Mosley is also listed in the blog.

Sunday incident @ Pepper & Glen Canyon

Gotten from several sources: a jogger was accosted Sunday by a dark-haired, bearded man wearing a tank top who began swearing at her and gave chase.  She got away and called the sheriff's station, who sent a patrol out but found nothing.  Unknown if the guy lives in the neighborhood.  Be wary and cautious when you're out.

Reward on Mosley murder doubled to $20,000

Supv. Mike Antonovich's office has issued a press release, doubling the amount offered for turning in the killer of Evelyn Mosley -- which probably means the sheriffs have nothing to go on, unfortunately:

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – In an effort to generate additional information, Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the death of Evelyn Mosley, a 90-year old grandmother and resident of Altadena.

On the morning of Thursday, May 8, Los Angeles County firefighters, responding to a call in the 3200 block of Lincoln Avenue in Altadena, discovered the body of Evelyn Mosley inside the home she shared with her daughter and grandson.

Homicide investigators said Mosley was killed during a struggle and that the fire was intentionally set.

The Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Homicide Bureau is seeking information to assist in their investigation.  Supervisor Antonovich encourages witnesses of this crime or anyone with information to contact the Sheriff’s Homicide Lt. Liam Gallagher at (323) 890-5500.

It would be nice to clear this one.

Courtroom of the absurd at Henry trial

PWeekly's Andre Coleman reports on recent courtroom developments in the Irsie Henry saga.  Henry is the African-American former LAPD cop who has been in trouble for harassing his neighbors, particularly a mixed-race couple.  Henry was in court last month, acting has his own attorney in an attempt to show that his neighbor violated a restraining order.  Hilarity ensues. Soon to come to a theater near you, starring Samuel L. Jackson -- really!

Letter roasts Lamb

The Sheriff's Support Group blog has posted a letter from some prominent Altadenans, presumably to the Star-News,  in support of the county sheriff.  Among the signatories is Altadena Town Councilman Ken Balder and presumed councilman-elect Tecumseh Shackelford.  This letter takes issue with the May 30 letter from councilman Steve Lamb in PSN offering himself and presumed outgoing council chair George Lewis as escorts for anyone who wants to file a formal complaint.  (Another Town Council snit for your consideration).

7/3 Update:  Transparency:  Steve Lamb has written Altadenablog with a lengthy response to the letter linked above.  However, due to its length (we're a blog -- we do short)  and certain content, we told Steve we could not run it as written. (In addition, we're not exactly sure why we're supposed to run full responses to letters that we only link to.) We informed him that, if our standards were that restrictive to him, he was welcome to post anything he wanted to in another forum, such as his own blog, and we'd happily link to it.  He does not think this sufficient, and that's where we stand now.

Latest Altadena murder is second in the family

Frank Giradot's Crime Scene Blog looks at Eustolia De La Torre -- her son Michael was murdered in Altadena on Saturday, but her oldest son, Sergio, 34, was also felled by gunfire a year ago.

Family and friends mourn De La Torre

PSN's Robert Hong pays a visit to the home of Michael Anthony De La Torre, who was shot to death on East Figueroa Saturday morning.  Sheriffs, as usual, aren't saying anything.

Homicide on 100 block of Figueroa

Happened at about 1:10 a.m. today -- word is just getting out about it.  Latino man, shot on the street and died in the hospital.  Developing ...

Update 10 PM: We cornered Sheriff Capt. Roosevelt Blow at Farnsworth Park concert tonight -- he says everything's in the hands of sheriff's homicide investigators and he can't say anything.

Also, Crime Scene Blog has some information, including emails from neighbors in the area.

Update 11:50 PM: Whittier Daily News is reporting that the victim is Michael De La Torre, 19, of Pasadena.

Shooting at Glenrose

PSN has a sketchy about a shooting on the 2200 block of Glenrose Wednesday night at about 8:45 -- six rounds were fired at a young man who was hit on the heel.  Dunno if this is the same incident that the sheriff's office won't talk to us about -- the details are different, and we first heard about it thru emails from people in the neighborhood, and some of these were timestamped at around 7:30.  Curiouser and curiouser.

The Game ain't got game

Our local high school -- the one under the state thumb for record-breaking underachievement -- brought in a tattooed, gunshot-wounded, foulmouthed gangster rapper to be a positive role model.  Who thought this was a good idea?

Go get 'em, Frank.

Wild times at the sheriff's station

Start here with a description of a guy who tried to barrel thru the gates of JPL on Tuesday morning.

And last night, our correspondents tell us that Loma Alta was barricaded last night between Glenrose and Olive -- man with a gun, apparently brought home a woman and things went south -- we'll get more details as we can, but SCHOOL IS OVER FOR A WEEK and we're got two kids to amuse all day ...

Update 4 PM:  Got lots of messages from concerned neighbors about last night's closure of Alta Loma regarding the "man with the gun" incident -- but you wouldn't know it to talk to the sheriff's station.  They've been playing "I don't know anything but let me refer you to someone who isn't here" everytime we've called since last night.  We're trying, we really are.

Uptdate 9 PM: Ok, so we interchange Loma Alta and Alta Loma.  We used to work in western Colorado where there was a town called Loma, so we get confused easily.  Is it too early to get a senior discount?

Barbara Bigby appointed to Sybil Brand commission

A notice we just received from Supv. Antonovich's office:

LOS ANGELES COUNTY -- Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich has appointed Ms. Barbara Yvonne Bigby to the Los Angeles County Sybil Brand Commission for Institutional Inspections.

A resident of Altadena, Ms. Bigby was the past owner and operator of the Bright-Eye Day Care Center for over 30 years.  She is an active member of her community, serving as President of the Altadena Chapter of the NAACP, which has played a major role in bridging a positive relationship between the community and the Altadena Sheriff’s Station.

She is also a member of the African American Advisory Committee for the Pasadena City College, and on the Altadena Community Center Advisory Board.

Members of the Sybil Brand Commission for Institutional Inspections visit and inspect Los Angeles County jails, lock-ups, and probation and correctional facilities, examining every department of each institution to ascertain the effectiveness of the administration, cleanliness, and discipline and comfort of its inmates.

Have guns -- lots of 'em -- will stay at home

Thanks to one of our sources, we have a photo of the guns & ammo confiscated during the June 10 arrest of Donald Williams. 

Ex-con with 60 guns nabbed on Fair Oaks

Ex-con Donald Williams, 55, was arrested at his North Fair Oaks home Wednesday in possession of more than 60 guns, sheriffs say.  Williams was convicted in 1994 of assault with a deadly weapon, and naturally he's not supposed to HAVE deadly weapons anymore.  PSN has the sketchy details.

Porn king convicted in Florida

Altadena's own Max Hardcore (i.e. Paul Little -- hey would YOU use that for a porn name? ) was convicted in Florida for selling porn on the internet and sending it through the mail. 

Altadena sheriffs vs. young black males? A perception is there

Altadena town councilman Steve Lamb has a letter in today's PSN.  One of the dust-ups in the last town council meeting involved the perception that the deputies swoop down on individual African-American males with multiple squad cars, "making a public spectacle of such detention as possible, and ultimately having this detention result in nothing ...."

Lamb says both he and council chair George Lewis have witnessed many of these incidents over the years.  Lamb says that he's asked several of these young men to contact him to write out a complaint -- but citing reprisal, to date no one has done so.

Lamb closes with :

I urge all citizens who believe they have been unjustly detaiined to contact myself and Chairman Lewis so that we can go with them to file complaints against inappropriate detention.

Altadena porn king in the hands of a jury (stop it!)

ABC News has a story about one of Altadena's less-stellar citizens, Paul F. Little aka Max Hardcore.  The fruits of his cinematic endeavors have been handed to a jury in Tampa Bay, Fla., which is trying him on various obscenity charges.

Update:  The jury has a hard time watching this stuff.

Race, class, and Ponzi schemes

The Pasadena YWCA's blog looks at crime, prejudice, and the recent arrest and chage of an Altadena woman for real estate investment fraud.

Standefor enters not guilty plea

Jeanetta M. Standefor, 40, of Altadena pleaded not guilty in federal court this week, says PSN.  Standefor and her company, Accelerated Funding Group, are accused of bilking investors out of millions of dollars in a real estate investment Ponzi scheme.  She's out on bail with a new ankle bracelet courtesty of the feds.

Sheriff's Forum June 12: ID theft & elder abuse

The Altadena Sheriff's Station will hold a presentation on identity theft and elder abuse: learn not to become a victim, and what to do if you are.  A question and answer session will follow.

The presentation will be held twice: 3:30-5:30 PM and 7-9 PM at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr.  For more information, call 296-2103 or 296-2104.

Thanks from the Mosley family and more on the fund

Altadenablog received this message from Mosley family friend Helga Kuhn in the comments, and we're moving it to the main page.

On behalf of the Mosley and Hamilton family they would like to express their sincere thanks to all of you that have supported the family during this time.

A memorial fund has been established as follows:

The Evelyn Mosley Memorial Fund
2230 N. Lincoln Avenue
PMB 300
Altadena, Ca  91001

or

The Evelyn Mosley Memorial Fund
c/o Wells Fargo
North Allen / Washington
1390 North Allen
Pasadena, Ca  91104

Feds charge Altadenan in real estate scam

Now that the real estate bubble is bursting, the fraud schemes are coming out.  For example:  Jeanetta M. Standefor, 40, of Altadena, through a Pasadena company called Accelerated Funding Group, allegedly ran  a Ponzi scheme in 2005-2007 that promised returns of up to 50% within four to six weeks.  The LA Times says more than 600 people invested $18 million in the scheme, which was to reap rewards by  helping homeowners avoid foreclosure.  The Securities and Exchange Commission charges that Standefor spent $1.9 million on lavish spending for herself.

LA Times Real Estate Blog has details. 

Read the comments afterward:  apropos of nothing, one commenter has found out that she supports Republicans, and that the LA Times did a feature story on Standefor in 2004 as a successful house flipper.

The story is in USA Today as well.

Evelyn Mosley services and reward

Carolyn Seitz has sent the following email which has been forwarded to different neighborhood newsgroups:

Greetings to you all,

I don't think there's anyone in Altadena who isn't
aware of what may well have been the murder of 90 year
old Evelyn Mosley.

[Monday}, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors,
lead by Michael Antonovich and Yvonne Braithwaite
Burke, voted to offer a $10,000 reward for information
leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of
whomever committed this heinous crime.

Mrs. Mosley's daughter, Sandy Hamilton, is a friend.
I've had the privilege to know other members of her
family and her extended family,some of them for many
years.

There are 2 services planned for Mrs. Mosley. The
funeral takes place [Wednesday, today} at Inglewood Cemetery at
3 pm.

Thursday at 11 am, there will be a celebration for
Mrs. Mosley at First AME Church in Pasadena, at
Raymond and Penn and I know the family would welcome
any and many who would come to share her life.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations
to a fund to help grow the reward. The details for
how and where to make donations are yet to be worked
out.

Ms. Mosley's obituary appears here in today's  PSN.

              

Burglary at Highview

Posting to the local newsgroups: an opportunistic hot burglary (i.e. with people in the house) at the corner of Highview and Harriet at 4 PM on May 8. The perp came through an unlocked front door and grabbed what they could -- a jar of change, an empty purse, and a laptop on the dining room table.

Altadenablog notes that there have been several incidents of opportunistic thefts reported lately -- delivered packages swiped from front porches, perps taking from unlocked cars while you're carrying in the groceries, etc.  Be aware of your surroundings and take care of basic security!

Antonovich offers reward for Mosley arson/murder

Just got this press release from our county supervisor:

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the death of Evelyn Mosely, a 90-year old grandmother and resident of Altadena.

On the morning of Thursday, May 8, Los Angeles County firefighters, responding to a call in the 3200 block of Lincoln Avenue in Altadena, discovered the body of Evelyn Mosely inside the home she shared with her daughter and grandson.

Homicide investigators said Mosely was killed during a struggle and that the fire was intentionally set.

The Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Homicide Bureau is seeking information to assist in their investigation.  Supervisor Antonovich encourages witnesses of this crime or anyone with information to contact the Sheriff’s Homicide Lt. Liam Gallagher at (323) 890-5500