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City Resources and Local Organizations Come Together to Help Glendale Family Page 2
State of the Union Bewilders Local Congresswoman Judy Chu
Rosemead Reader
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A Beacon Media, Inc. Publication
Go to RosemeadReader.com for Rosemead Specific News MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10 - FEBRUARY 16, 2020 VOLUME 9, NO. 6
ROOMMATE OF EL MONTE WOMAN FOUND IN DUMPSTER ARRESTED
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ecurity video showed a man pushing a plastic bin toward dumpsters, returning minutes later without the bin. A man was in custody for allegedly killing his 64-yearold roommate, whose body was found in a dumpster near the El Monte mobile home park where they lived, police reported, according to multiple news reports. An initial Nixle alert from LASD said a body had been discovered in an El Monte dumpster. David Lemus-Orellana, 22, was booked on suspicion of murder in the death of Florinda Velasquez-Hernandez, and was being held on $1 million bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. "The suspect and victim were roommates,'' sheriff's Deputy Trina Schrader said in a statement. "The motive for this incident is unknown at this
time.'' The body was discovered in a dumpster about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 3300 block of Maxson Road by El Monte police officers sent there on a "suspicious circumstances'' call from a person who reported that a man wasseen dragging a female body toward the trash container, sheriff's Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez said. Security video showed a man pushing a plastic bin toward the dumpster, then returning minutes later without the bin. Information was not immediately available on her cause of death. Sheriff's detectives, who were assisting El Monte police in the investigation, asked anyone with information about the woman's death to contact the Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. An anonymous report can be made by calling Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.
Man Sentenced to 24 years for Second Degree Murder A 39-year-old man was sentenced to 24 years to life for killing a 10-year-old girl while driving under he was under the influence of central nervous system depressants. Adam John Kanas, of San Clemente, was found guilty in September 2019 of seconddegree murder and one felony count of driving under the influence of drugs, causing injury. Kanas received two enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury. On August 15, 2016 at approximately 9:20 a.m., Kanas was driving his 2013 Chevy Tahoe erratically at speeds of nearly 80 mph. He swerved across multiple lanes and the double yellow line into the carpool lane on northbound I-405 near the Seal Beach Boulevard Exit. Donald Geddis was driving his Tesla with his two daughters, 10-year-old Kendra and 13-year-old Kayla, asleep in the back seat. Geddis was slowing for traffic while driving in the carpool lane when Kanas slammed into the
rear of the Tesla at approximately 68 miles per hour, sending the Tesla into a Honda Civic. Kendra died as a result of the impact. Her sister and father were seriously injured. Kanas was treated at the scene for minor injuries. Kanas has a prior conviction for driving under the influence and a prior-strike conviction for first-degree burglary in Los Angeles County. “Two young girls were peacefully asleep in their father’s car when a stranger who got behind the wheel while high changed this family’s life. His reckless actions killed a 10-year-old girl and seriously injured her father and sister,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “The consequences of drunk and drugged driving are very real and very deadly.” Senior Deputy District Attorney Daniel Feldman of the Homicide Unit prosecuted this case.
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San Bernardino Museum to Host Arthropolooza: Ultimate Bugfest Live insect encounters and hands-on activities include the “Dare Box” Arthropolooza: the Ultimate Bugfest buzzes into the Victor Valley Museum on Saturday, Feb. 22, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum and local partners present demonstrations and hands-on activities with live insects, insect specimen displays, interactive bee activities, backyard conservation, composting demo, and more to engage and educate visitors participants about the Mojave Desert’s creepy crawlers, and an emphasis on established and endangered arthropod species in our region.. Featured are live arthropods including hissing and cave cockroaches, a Desert Hairy Scorpion, tarantulas, millipedes, and more from the main museum’s Exploration Station live animal collec-
tion and mounted insect displays from the Education Collection. Visitors will get to test their sense of touch and bravery to discern concealed insects in the “Dare Box.” Facilitated cockroach races are scheduled during the event. Kids will get to create their own bug accessories and pose in front of a large scale bugface selfie station. Joining the event are BeeRooted; UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners; Mojave Desert Resource Conservation District; and San Bernardino County Environmental Health Mosquito and Vector Control; Mojave National Preserve; Rivers & Lands Conservancy;
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