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Thursday, September 1, 2016 - September 7, 2016
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COMPLIMENTARY COPY VOLUME 20, NO. 35
$20,000 REWARD FOR INFO ON MONROVIA BOY’S MURDER Detectives and Mother Asking Public to Help Find Suspects Responsible for Shooting Death of 4-Year-Old
Esparza’s mother delivered an emotional plea on Aug. 25, imploring the public to come forward and help authorities identify the suspect(s). - Courtesy photo
Old Town Report BY PAM FITZPATRICK A few years ago I was working on a project writing for Discovery Kids that required tons of research involving science and wild animals. The rule was, whatever information you
gleaned from Wikipedia, make sure you verify it before it goes into print. Now Facebook is my “Wikipedia:” make sure you verify before you repeat! Sometimes I do wish SEE PAGE 14
Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau investigators made a public plea for assistance in locating suspects responsible for the shooting death of a little boy last month. Salvador Esparza III, 4, of Monrovia was looking forward to starting kindergarten this fall, but the chance to realize one of his first big milestones was snapped away when he was shot and killed late Tuesday evening, July 5, in Altadena, an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County. Esparza was with his parents that night, visiting a friend’s home in the 300 block of West Figueroa Drive. As he stood in the front doorway, an unknown suspect fired numerous rounds in the direction of the dwelling, fatally striking little Esparza in the head and injuring a 27-year-old
Black male. The suspect was on foot and fled the scene southbound on Olive Avenue; he got into a black vehicle, which continued the flight southbound on Olive Avenue. Both victims were transported to a local hospital, where Esparza was pronounced dead and the second victim was treated for his injury. Although investigation led detectives to suspect the shooting was gang-related, it is not believed Esparza was the intended target. The shooting suspect is described only as a Black male. This morning, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016, Esparza’s family gathered for a press conference on the sidewalk in front of the house where SEE PAGE 15
City Schools Preparing Students for Future BY SUSAN MOTANDER
This is the first in a twopart series regarding specialized programs in the Monrovia Unified School District. There are a myriad of programs in the Monrovia Unified School District, all de-
signed to aid students as they prepare for their own futures. According to Superintendent Dr. Katherine Thorossian, the district has worked hard to develop, not just one program, but many pathways to future success and careers beyond high school. There are
programs as diverse as painting murals at the elementary schools to a math and science academy at the high school. “We need to prepare our kids for whatever comes next,” Thorossian said. “They SEE PAGE 15