Tony Walker, new director of the West San Gabriel Valley Juvenile Diversion Project, is optimistic about the organization's work with juveniles. The program, whose service area includes Arcadia, deals with young, first-time offenders whose problems are still minor.
A confrontation between the Board of Directors of the Juvenile Diversion Program and Ron Weber, Executive Director of the Regional Office of Criminal Justice Planning, has resulted in a renegotiation of the start for this project. Meant to provide counseling services to youths of seven area cities, it was delayed in opening, and the Board of Directors wants and extension on their funds and contract to prove themselves.
The San Gabriel Valley Juvenile Diversion Program has been established to divert local youths from the criminal justice system to local counseling agencies. Arcadia is participating in this program along with Temple City, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Rosemead and San Gabriel.
The Juvenile Diversion Program, a Federally funded group of which Arcadia is a part, seeks to divert students who have been in minor problems from the courts and sent them to counseling and treatment. The program has come in for heavy criticism recently due to high administrative costs.
Traces the redevelopment of the downtown area in the past year including the medical building at First and Wheeler, the Sawmill Restaurant to be built on the site of the old San Gabriel Valley Lumber Company, etc.
Crime statistics for the first half of 1979 show a 4.6% overall increase in crime in Arcadia, despite a decrease in the number of violent crimes. This compares to an overall increase of 5.2% for the larger San Gabriel area.
The Association will prepare a profile of the San Gabriel Valley within the coming month. A second project will be to organize themselves to deal with the "incoherence of Los Angeles County government."
Enrollment for 1975 is down about 1200 children for local schools in the San Gabriel Valley. Though stragglers will bring this figure down, school districts are wary.
Description of the newly formed Crime Impact Team, which consists of representtatives of 8 cities: Alhambra, Arcadia, El Monte, Monrovia, Monterey Park, San Gabriel and Temple City Station of LA County Sheriff's Dept. The Team is an outgrowth of the West San Gabriel Valley Burglary Investigation Unit, which ran out of federal funds.
Summary of Los Angeles County reform efforts that perhaps will make unnecessary the efforts of the San Fernando Valley, the San Gabriel Valley and other areas to secede from Los Angeles County.
The Planning Commission has rejected proposed General Plan changes that would have permitted hi-density zoning in the Naomi-Camino Real-Golden West area and left it medium density. The General Plan and the zoning map are still not in conformity, which was one reason the hearing was called.
"San Gabriel County will come into being within the life-time of many of you here", Attorney James Helms told a group meeting. He feels that the State Legislature holds the key to future secession efforts.
A list of San Gabriel Valley towns in the 1st and 5th supervisorial districts and the amount each has used in tax payers' money to finance redevelopment projects.
A move is once again underway to explore the feasibility of the San Gabriel area seceding from Los Angeles County. Spearheading the movement, as he did 4 years ago, is Temple City mayor Lou Gilbertson.