Temple Tribune CItY
templecitytribune.com
Monday edition of the
Monrovia Weekly ArcAdiA Weekly Monday, MARCH 12 - march 18, 2012 Volume xVIi, No. XI
San Gabriel Police Officers’ Association Files Suit Against City
FREE
UFC Gym Granted Approval for Sparring, Family Events, 24-Hour Operations
Lawyers Compare Scandal to City of Bell
By JIM E. WINBURN The Rosemead Planning Commission approved UFC Gym’s request to modify the conditions of its 2009 Planned Development Review to allow sparring as a form of training, operate 24 hours a day, and to host family event nights. Members of the fitness gym, located at 8920 Glendon Way, currently train in mixed martial arts techniques but do not spar with other members, un-
like other UFC Gym locations in Concord, Corona, and Torrance. The gym also requested to host televised events featuring live viewings of MMA fights. Although the gym’s request was approved with a 5-0 vote at the public hearing on Monday night, UFC Gym senior vice president Adam Sedlack went a few rounds with commission members, Please see page 4
Driver Shot by El Monte Police Dies POA Attorney Dieter Dammeier (left) with San Gabriel Detectives Fabian Valdez, Martin Garcia and Dan Flores speak at the press conference Friday morning outside City Hall. -Photo by Terry Miller
By Terry Miller The San Gabriel Police Officers' Association announced a lawsuit has been filed against the city, accusing city officials of misusing city employee retirement funds. The POA's attorney Dieter Dammeier said the
city has "misappropriated and misused" city retirement funds since 2000 in a press conference held outside City Hall Friday morning and said that thousands of tax dollars have gone into private savings accounts of city employees. The lawsuit against the city is asking officials
to return $5.7 million in allegedly misspent employee retirement funds. Detectives Fabian Valdez, Martin Garcia and Dan Flores stood along side their attorney Dieter Dammeier outside San Gabriel City Hall Friday morning with about 30 cusious residents and local
SoCalGas Warns Customers About Utility Imposters Southern California Gas Co.(SoCalGas) is alerting customers to be aware of persons who reportedly have recently posed as SoCalGas employees. According to a news account, the imposters distract an unsuspecting customer by performing “gas leak inspections” while an accomplice burglarizes the customer’s home. SoCalGas wants to assure all customers that all SoCalGas employees carry proper identification when called out to any job. Customers should verify the employee’s proper uniform and identification before letting
anyone in the home or on their property. Customer safety is a top priority for SoCalGas and employees will always be happy to wait while the customer confirms their identity. Here are some tips to help customers identify SoCalGas employees: Be vigilant and question anyone who presents themselves as a representative of the utility SoCalGas workers who perform in-home appliance services, work on gas meters or work on gas pipelines wear uniforms. However, some other employees do not. Al-
media and told their side of the story. In pointing out that they are the lowest paid police depratment dept., spokesman Valdez said he was surprised to learn that some council members get in excess of $26,000 for “essentially Please see page 6
Deputies of the El Monte Police shot and critically wounded a suspect during a chase that ended with a truck crashing against a house in Temple City. Officers received a call Monday night alerting them that a U-Haul truck was broken into and was being unloaded by someone. An El Monte Police helicopter flew to the scene and saw two men driving away. A police unit chased the truck into a cul-de-sac in
Growth, Prosperity & Community Involvement Emphasized at Temple City State of City Good Evening, Tonight it is my pleasure to deliver the State of the City address as your Mayor. I welcome the opportunity to speak directly to our residents and distinguished guests. It’s a great opportunity for us as elected officials to inform you on the progress, successes and future of Temple City. My term as Mayor has been among the most rewarding experiences of my life. The hundreds of people I’ve met on this road—my colleagues on
ways ask for identification before allowing anyone inside the home or on the property The majority of authorized SoCalGas employees will be in uniform with company logo and carry an official employee badge. Most field employees also drive a company vehicle Most of the time a SoCalGas employee visits a home or business in response to a service request. If no one scheduled an appointment, call SoCalGas before allowing anyone inside the home or property Please see page 2
Temple City, where 20-yearold Dennis Day got out of the vehicle and was arrested. The other man reportedly turned the truck around and drove away at a fast speed towards an officer, who shot at the vehicle. Two other officers also fired. The vehicle jumped the curb and hit a house. Nobody inside the home was hurt and no officers were wounded. The unidentified man in the truck was shot several times in the torso and later died.
Mayor Tom Chavez -Photo by Terry Miller
Please see page 7