State official views damage caused by last week's windstorm. California Emergency Management Agency's acting secretary Mike J. E. Dayton toured 8 San Gabriel Valley cities that were hardest hit, including Altadena, Pasadena, San Marino, Arcadia, Sierra Madre, Temple City, San Gabriel and Alhambra, to assess the damage. He will determine whether state or federal assistance may be applicable.
Living without power. Wind troubles linger. Residents frustrated; damage costs elusive. Southern California Edison's (SCE) hardest hit areas include Arcadia, Monrovia and Templa City, where more than 2,800, 1,600, and 1,700 residents, respectively, are still without power. Arcadia's City manager Don Penman said he wouldn't be surprised if the public costs for recovery efforts exceeded $2 million.
Arcadia officials urge residents to report wind damage from the overnight windstorm that hit on November 30 and December 1, to help with efforts to receive state and federal emergency assistance. Damages in the city may reach the millions of dollars. Residents are asked to report their storm-related costs to the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, 211a.org or by calling 211.
California Governor Jerry Brown declares a state of emergency in response to the recent windstorm that caused about $75 million in damage, primarily in the San Gabriel Valley. The declaration allows city governments to be reimbursed for up to 75% of the cost of the damage through state and federal agencies. It also allows state agencies to assist in the recovery.
Clean-up may cost millions in the aftermath of the windstorm that hit in the early hours of December 1. Power is still out in many communities, hundreds of homes damaged and thousands of trees have snapped.
San Gabriel Valley cities struggle to get up and running in the wake of a powerful Santa Ana-fueled windstorm that downed trees and caused power outages. In Arcadia, damage to trees in the Los Angeles County Arboretum was extensive. Arcadia Mayor Gary Kovacic said the storm downed more than 500 trees and seven buildings had been red-tagged. Damage estimates were pegged at more than $1 million. Santa Anita Park reopened for simulcast wagering yesterday. Photos.
Power outage outrage, takes it toll on customers. Thousands still without power in the San Gabriel Valley. Winds toppled a 140-year-old eucalyptus tree at Los Angeles County Arboretum, and Tim Phillips is pictured at the base of it. Damage estimates vary--Temple City alone expects cost to exceed $10 million.
Outage draws probe by California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to investigate the prolonged outages in Southern California Edison's (SCE) service area following last week's powerful windstorm. About 858 SCE customers in the San Gabriel Valley were still without power as of 7:00 PM yesterday, down from a total of about 434,000 initially affected by the windstorm.
The windstorm that hit San Gabriel Valley on November 30-December 1 leaves lessons. Utilities and city officials study what went wrong to be better prepared in future emergencies and disasters. Southern California Edison (SCE) restored power to the last of its 433,925 customers by Thursday--one week after the storm--and is now the subject of public criticism and a probe by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for "prolonged power outages." Crews in Pasadena and surrounding cities are still clearing the streets.
Southern California Edison (SCE) workers continued their round-the-clock efforts to restore the San Gabriel Valley's power grid following the extensive damage that occurred during early Thursday's windstorm. The hardest hit customer areas were Arcadia, Altadena, Covina, Duarte, El Monte, Montebello, Monrovia, Rosemead, San Gabriel and Temple City. About 135,000 SCE customers remained without electricity.
While Pasadena is still cleaning up debris from the recent windstorm, other smaller cities that were hard hit, including Temple City and Arcadia, have completed their residential debris removal.
Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada Flintridge) has proposed legislation to improve emergency and disaster preparedness by California's public utilities. Recent windstorm disaster highlighted the need to be better prepared.
Hurricane strength winds blew through the San Gabriel Valley early yesterday, damaging buildings, downing trees and knocking out power to thousands across the region. Temple City, Sierra Madre, San Marino and Pasadena were especially hard hit by the 70 mph winds that left a trail of destruction from Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles to Irwindale and Azusa. Several cities, including Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Arcadia, Glendora, Alhambra and South Pasadena have been declared states of emergency. Schools were either closed or on a modified schedule yesterday. See related story on p. A3, A4, A5
Westfield Santa Anita mall, Santa Anita Park race track, and other businesses cope with power outages and wind damage. Westfield Santa Anita mall was unable to open due to a widespread power outage although power was restored to the center's east end by 4:30 PM yesterday. Santa Anita Park was closed yesterday due to a power outage. The race track also sustained wind-related damage to the roof in its stable area and also had several uprooted trees. Huge, old trees were blown down in Arcadia.