Mountain Views News     Logo: MVNews     Saturday, May 17, 2014

MVNews this week:  Page 6

“What’s Going On?”DEPUTY DAVE MARCH: 

News and Views from Joan Schmidt 12 LATER STILL IN OUR HEARTS 

How can one put into words deep gratitude to Temple Station 
and Irwindale Police Department? Irwindale Police Officers 
Association with assistance from local businesses erected Dave 
March’s beautiful monument on Live Oak Avenue, Irwindale 
twelve years ago. When an accident destroyed the monument 
this past November, Irwindale P.D. had it rebuilt in less than two 

Temple Sheriff ’s Station continues to amaze me. It is TWELVE 
years but Temple Personnel STILL do a twenty-four hour honor 
guard at Dave’s site. It begins early the morning of the 29th right 
at midnight when Dave’s parents and sister attend the opening 
ceremony. Teri, Dave’s widow comes near 10:30 am when the 
tragedy occurred. At 10:45 that evening, a roll call is taken. 

Thank you to everyone who has kept Dave’s memory alive. May we always keep in our hearts 
the officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. 


ISSUE By: Cynthia Kurtz, President San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership 

By now everyone has heard the news - Toyota is moving 3,000 jobs out of Southern California to 
Texas. Is this just part of the normal evolution of a business or is it a sign that California has lost its 
competitive edge? The answer seems to depend on whom you ask. 

 The Los Angeles Times ran an article claiming Toyota's departure is simply a business decision to 
consolidate three corporate offices in a place closer to its manufacturing facilities. The article went 
even further saying that "taxes, regulations and business climate appear to have had nothing to do 
with Toyota's move."

 The article cited statistics and experts. Based on a study conducted by the Public Policy Institute of 
California, companies leaving the state accounted for less than 2 percent of jobs losses in California. 
The study covered 1992 to 2006 but experts don't think the percentage has changed greatly since 

 Good Jobs First, a national policy resource center also downplayed the idea that California is losing 
jobs because of its business environment. They contend that jobs are created by existing businesses 
not by companies moving from other states. 

On the very same day and at the other end of the political spectrum, the Wall Street Journal 
proclaimed that the South is beating California when it comes to being a competitive locale for 
business. It quoted Jim Lentz, Toyota's chief executive for North American. He admitted that the 
$40 million in relocation benefits that Texas offered wasn't the deciding factor in the decision to 
move. Primarily, Toyota will be consolidating closer to its other operations in order to improve 
management efficiency. However, in comparing California to Texas, he did note the latter's business 
friendly environment, affordable housing and zero income tax. 

 The Journal article cited specific policies as contributing to California's overall job losses. Comparing 
California to Tennessee - where Nissan moved a few years ago - and Texas where more than two 
dozen California companies have moved since 2011, they found that right to work laws in those 
states keep labor costs lower, real estate is cheaper due to less restrictive zoning and environmental 
regulations, taxes are lower, energy costs are 33 percent lower and gasoline is 70 to 80 cents per 
gallon less expensive.

 Who should we believe? Actually both perspectives hold some truth. 

 The Public Policy Institute's study show that a low percentage of job loss is due to companies 
leaving is true. Although one has to question the idea that the numbers haven't changed since 2006. 
Everything in business has changed since 2006. But even if the number has doubled or tripled, it is 
still a small percentage. 

 Good Jobs First is also right. More jobs are created by growing Inside This 
them at home than by attracting new companies into a state. But 
you also need to keep the companies you have! A loss like Toyota Section: 
does not total just the 3,000 Toyota jobs being lost. It must also 
count its vendors, the suppliers around Torrance, the entire 

Arts and 

supply chain of materials and services they use including the 
lunch places next door. These small and medium size businesses Entertainment create a vast number of new jobs but they stop creating jobs when 
the corporations they support move away.The World 

 There are many factors that go into a company's decision to move. Around Us Consolidation to gain more efficiency is certainly one of them. 
But companies also look at the cost of labor, land, regulations, SPORTS taxes, and energy. The list of reasons why CA is less competitive 
is too long. Business News 

 The idea that our good weather, good colleges and universities, & Trends and an innovative spirit are going to carry us through no 
matter the consequences of our regulatory and tax policies is Opiniondangerously naive. Rather than explain Toyota's decision away, 
let's use it as an opportunity to make California better and SMTV CH 98 
attractive to homegrown as well as outside companies 

Legal Notices 

heroes, it is how they lived." 
-Vivian Eney Cross, Survivor 


Please mark your calendars and join us on 
Sunday, May 18th , 2:30PM, at the Altadena 
Sheriff's Station as we commemorate Police 
Memorial Week with the 37th Annual Memorial 
Torch Run Relay. 

The runners will be running into Altadena 
Station at approximately 2:30PM where we will 
conduct a short ceremony and have food and 
beverages for all who come out to support us. 

This year Altadena Station will be honoring one 
of our own, Constable Anton Harnischfeger, 
who, through historical research was discovered 
to have been killed while on duty while 
investigating a child battery incident. 

Altadena deputies, families, friends, and 
supporters will be picking up the torch from 
Crescenta Valley Station. Runners should enter 
Altadena @ 2:00PM. We would like to invite 
the public to cheer on the runners as they make 
their way from Woodbury Road north onto 

N. Windsor Ave. and then east on Ventura St., 
north bound on Casitas Ave. to Altadena Dr. and 
then east bound to the Altadena Sheriff's Station, 
where the run should end @ @2:30PM. 
This is a special way to honor law enforcement 
and it is open to the public and media. This year's 
Memorial Torch Relay Run honors the following 

 * Deputy Constable Adolofo Celis, Los Angeles 
County Sheriff's Department, died April 18, 
1883. Deputy Celis was investigation claims of 
cattle rustling, in what is now the San Fernando 
Valley, when he was hit by a bullet as a rifle was 
dislodged when he adjusted a blanket on his 
* Constable Anton Harnischfeger, Los Angeles 
County Sheriff's Department, died March 20, 
1889. Constable Harnischfeger was serving 
an arrest warrant, in what is now considered 
Altadena, on a suspect who assaulted a 15 year 
old girl earlier in the day. As he knocked on 
the door of the suspect's residence. The suspect 
opened the door, drew a handgun and fired a 
bullet into Constable Harnischfeger's face. The 
suspect fled, but was later tracked down and 
killed in a subsequent shoot out. 
* Deputy Constable Anthony Bryan Couts, 
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, died 
October 25, 1914. Deputy Couts was called to 
a rooming house in downtown LA to intervene 
in a business dispute between to property 
owners. A tenant became involved and a heated 
argument ensued. Couts took hold of the tenant 
and told him he was taking him to the police 
station. The suspect drew a handgun and shot 
Deputy Couts in the stomach. He died from the 
gunshot wound the next morning. The suspect 
was tried and convicted of manslaughter. 
* Constable John S. (Jack) Pilcher, Los Angeles 
County Sheriff's Department, died June 4, 1925. 
Constable Pilcher responded to Gage Ranch, 
in what is now Santa Clarita, to investigate a 
burglary. Several items had been stolen but other 
items remained. The Constable and his partner 
decided to spend the night at the location, 
believing the thieves would return. The next 
morning they saw a large lizard run under the 
bed and both chased it, when the other deputy's 
gun fell out of his holster, hit the ground and 
discharged. The round struck Constable Pilcher 
between the eyes and killed him instantly. 
* Deputy James L. McDermott, Los Angeles 
County Sheriff's Department, died August 26, 
1931. Deputy McDermott, a member of the 
Sheriff's Robbery Detail, was at a service station 
in downtown Los Angeles getting gas. As he 
exited his car, it began to roll away from the 
pumps due to a severe slope. He jumped on the 
running board in an attempt to stop the vehicle 
from reentering traffic or damaging the station. 
Seconds later he was impaled on a hook used to 
suspend a water hose. The sharp point pierced 
his chest just below his heart. He died in the 
ambulance as he was transported to the hospital. 

* Sergeant Raymond C. Willis, Los Angeles 
County Sheriff's Department, died April 15, 
1957. Sergeant Willis, assigned to the Crime 
Lab, as a polygraph technician, was flying in a 
small airplane as a observer with Sergeant/Pilot 
Vernon Corbeil to search for a downed plane 
near Malibu. The plane experienced engine 
trouble and Corbeil attempted to land. The 
plane scraped a ridge and burst into flames. 
Both were killed. 
* Sergeant Leonard Robert Luna, Jr., Hawthorne 
Police Department, died July 8, 2013. Sergeant 
Luna was traveling on the I-105 freeway en route 
to pick up his department issued motorcycle from 
the repair shop in Long Beach, when another 
vehicle struck his motorcycle causing him to 
suffer serious injuries. He was transported to 
the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. 
* Officer Nicholas Choung Lee, Los Angeles 
Police Department, died March 7, 2014. Officer 
Lee and his partner were responding to a call 
when his patrol car collided with a commercial 
vehicle carrying a roll-off dumpster. His partner 
and the truck driver both suffered critical 
injuries. Officer Lee was killed in the collision. 
* Officer Christopher Cortijo, Los Angeles 
Police Department, died April 9, 2014. Officer 
Cortijo, a motor officer, was stopped at a red 
light, in front of a vehicle, when another vehicle 
struck him from behind. The vehicle collided 
with rear of his motorcycle, crushing him and 
his motorcycle between the two vehicles. Officer 
Cortijo was gravely injured. He was transported 
to the hospital where he underwent several 
surgeries in an attempt to save his life. Four days 
later he succumbed to his injuries. 
The Memorial Torch Relay run was established 
in 1976 to honor the memory of those brave, 
dedicated peace officers in Los Angeles County 
who have sacrificed their lives in the performance 
of their duties. 

This three day run consists of 56 legs with each 
leg approximately 5 to 10 miles in length and 
covering more than 300 miles. The memorial 
torch will pass to each of the mainland sheriff's 
stations throughout the county. Avalon Stationwill conduct their relay on the island during 
the week. Over 3,000 runners, most of whom 
are peace officers run during their off duty 
time to honor the lives of the fallen. The relay 
run will begin Friday morning, May 16 at the 
Sherman Block Sheriff's Headquarters Building 
in Monterey Park and travels to each mainland 
Los Angeles County Sheriff's patrol station, 
ending at our very own Altadena Sheriff Station 
on Sunday, May 18. 

The memorial torch that the runners carry 
along the course will ultimately be used to light 
the ceremonial flame at 10AM on Wednesday, 
May 21, 2014, at the Los Angeles County Peace 
Officers' Memorial Wall at the STARS Center. 
The flame will be ignited in tribute to the fallen 
officers. The Sheriff's Training Academy and 
Regional Services Center (STARS Center) is 
located at 11515 S. Colima Rd, Whittier, CA 
90604. The public and media are invited 

"It is not how these officers died that made them