Heavenly Santa Barbara is a burning Hell tonight; 8,000 Flee, 100 Homes Destroyed, Fire totally out of control

FIRE IN CALIFORNIA'S "GOLD COAST"
Beautiful Santa Barbara, California is burning out of control tonight.

FIRES, killer Santa Ana Winds, 100 degree dry heat, and flames are reaching as tall as a tornado.

Many call Santa Barbara "Heaven on Earth," but tonight, it is a living hell.

Having been the victim of a house fire, my hearts go out to all of those people involved in the disaster. At least 3 Fire Fighters are in "critical condition" and have been transferred to the world famous Grossman Burn Center in Sherman Oaks.

To tell you how BIG this fire is, everything North of the famous "State Street" (seen here) is totally evacuated and in danger of being destroyed. State Street, for us locals here in So Cal is the hip, trendy, focal point of historic Santa Barbara and tonight it is in danger of being total destroyed.

Here are details as of 11:30 p.m.

The Jesusita Fire response is being administered by a Unified Command consisting of the Santa Barbara Fire Department, Santa Barbara County Fire Department, Montecito Fire, and the US Forest Service.

MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDERS are in effect in the following areas:
SAN ROQUE AND FOOTHILL ROAD SOUTH TO STATE STREET (WESTERN BOUNDARY), FROM STATE STREET TO MICHELTORENA, MICHELTORENA NORTH TO THE END OF THE ROAD, EXTENDING TO ALAMEDA PADRE SERRA. THE OVERALL MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDER AREAS NOW INCLUDES: MORADA LANE (WESTERN BOUNDARY) AND ONTARE NORTH TO CAMINO CIELO, FOOTHILL ROAD AND MORADA TO SAN ROQUE, SAN ROQUE SOUTH TO STATE STREET, STATE STREET TO MICHELTORENA, MICHELTORENA NORTH TO THE END OF THE ROAD, EXTENDING TO ALAMEDA PADRE SERRA, ALAMEDA PADRE SERRA EAST TO SYCAMORE CANYON ROAD (EASTERN BOUNDARY), NORTH ON SYCAMORE CANYON TO HWY 192 WEST TO EL CIELITO.

For more information go to the County’s website at http://www.countyofsb.org/

For more information on road closures, call Road Closure Hot Line at
(805) 568-3006 or go to www.countyofsb.org/pwd/roads/closure.htm

Jesusita Fire Call Center number is 805-681-5197.

The Animal Services Hotline is 805-681-4332. Large animals can be taken to: Earl Warren Showgrounds – Los Positas entrance 3400 Calle Real in Santa Barbara

Small animals can be taken to:
Santa Barbara Humane Society
5399 Overpass Road
Goleta, CA 93117

Randy Economy

Cerritos Murder victim identified as 39 year resident Paul Glebovich. Tonight we Pray for his Family.

I wanted to share this UPDATED news about the Murder here in our neighborhood on Monday from Sid Garcia of Eyewitness News. The victim of the murder has been identified as 64 year old Joseph Paul Glebovich, and he has been a wonderful member of our community for the past 39 years. I moved to Cerritos only one year before the Glebovich Family moved here, and tonight, my thoughts and prayers are with the family.

Randy Economy

By Sid Garcia

CERRITOS, Calif. (KABC) -- There are still a lot of unanswered questions Tuesday after a man was found shot to death inside his home in Cerritos.
The L.A. County coroner identified the victim as 64-year-old Joseph Paul Glebovich from Cerritos.

Police initially thought they were responding to a suicide at the home on the 12900 block of Droxford Street at about 5:30 a.m.

However, when officers arrived at the home, they suspected the death was a homicide. Police said the wife of the victim found the body. Fighting back tears, Glebovich's daughter told Eyewitness News that her father was shot to death and was a victim of a home-invasion robbery.

There has been a string of home-invasion robberies recently in Cerritos and in neighboring city Bellflower, but nobody has been hurt in those incidents.
Detectives have not confirmed the man was killed in a home invasion, only saying they are investigating a death.

"There is trauma to him, so it is an investigation. We don't know if it's going ot be a criminal investigation, that's how we're treating it for now," said Det. Phillip Guzman from the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.

Guzman said police are waiting for the official cause of death from the coroner's office.

According to neighbors, the victim lived in the Cerritos home for some 39 years, which is how long neighbor Daniel Clark has known him.

"Joe, he was a very giving person," Clark said. "Every time he would go fishing, he would always bring fish back, and give me fish."

The crime scene is right across the street from an elementary school in a community that is known for its safety.

Police have no suspect description and no motive.

Anyone with information is urged to call L.A. County Sheriff's Department at (323) 890-5500.

Murder on Droxford: Cerritos looks and locks doors.

I just went over to Wal Mart in Cerritos and bought a new "Brinks" lock for my front gates. The Murder on Droxford has the entire town talking and taking precautions. Today, the TOP news story on EVERY channel has been the recent Home Invasion Robberies and the Murder on Droxford (12900 Block of Droxford across from Leal Elementary School). Los Angeles County Sheriff's don't know if the murder and "home invasion" robberies are connected at this time. More to follow.

Do you feel safe in Cerritos? Are you taking extra precautions? Drop me a note to RREconomy@aol.com

Randy Economy

Home Invasion Robbery Ring tied to Cerritos, Bellflower. Let's CATCH these GUYS!

BREAKING NEWS.
Thanks to Kelly Puente of the LB Press Telegram for the coverage on this VITAL crime that is CURRENT taking PLACE HERE in CERRITOS, and BELLFLOWER. This story also appeared on EVERY news channel tonight in Southern California. Lets GET these GUYS off our STREETS!
Randy Economy

3 men sought in Bellflower, Cerritos home-invasion robberies
By Kelly Puente
LB Press Telegram
BELLFLOWER - Lakewood Sheriff's Detectives on Monday were asking for the public's help identifying three men suspected of at least five home-invasion robberies in the cities of Bellflower and Cerritos.

Authorities also released a photo of one suspect using a victim's stolen debit card at an ATM machine.

The series of robberies, which involved four homes in Bellflower and one in Cerritos, took place between Jan. 30 and April 21. Sheriff's Detective J. Franck said the suspects targeted homes where victims left garage doors open in all but one of the incidents. The suspects would confront the victim outside and then take the victim into the home at gunpoint.

Franck said the losses have totalled thousands of dollars in cash, electronics, cell phones and credit cards. No one has been injured.
The criminals have been taking more precautions to conceal their identity in the most recent incident, he added.

The first suspect is described as a black male between 19 to 23 years old, 5feet8inches tall and weighting between 150 to 180 pounds. He has brown eyes and a light complexion. The second suspect is also described as a black male between 19 to 23 years old, standing 6feet1inches to 6feet 3inches and weighting between 150 to 180 pounds. He has brown eyes and a dark complexion.

The third man is described as a black male between 19 to 25 years old, standing 6 feet to 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 190 to 210 pounds.


Anyone with more information about the crimes was urged to call Detective Franck at 562-925-0124 or 562-623-3500; or Detective Mike Gaitan, 562-467-6825.

Econo-My-Scene: Artesia's First Gals Celebrate 50 Years of City Hood!

Econo-My-Scene:
Tea Time: "The First Lady's" Celebrate Artesia's Rich Past.

Note: This is my weekly column for the Los Cerritos Community News, that appears in this weekend's edition.

By: Randy Economy

Last weekend, I attended my first "Victorian High Tea." Okay. I have not cracked up. This is really great stuff.

It was held in honor of all of the amazing women who have served as "First Lady" from the City of Artesia. The most famous "First Lady" from Artesia is none other than "America's Past First Lady" Thelma Patricia Ryan Nixon, also known as Mrs. Richard Nixon.

2009 marks the 50th Anniversary of when Artesia was incorporated as a "city." But, Artesia's rich history goes back more than 130 years.
The "Village" of Artesia formally became a "community" when the Artesia School District was established on May 3, 1875. The first school house was a rustic timbered two-story building with a classroom on each floor.

Artesia was formally incorporated as a "city" on May 29th, 1959, and is only 1.6 square miles in size, and has a population of around 11,000 (give or take a couple of hundred). Its "official" flower is the "Chrysanthemum" and the official city motto is "Service Builds Tomorrow's Progress."

I know "real men" can enjoy sipping fine tea, munch on savory cucumber and water crest sandwiches, buttery scones with Devonshire Cream, Chicken Waldorf Salad, Sweet Petit' Fours, Chocolate Hand Dipped Strawberries, and this event had it ALL.

The "High Tea" was hosted by the Artesia Historical Society, under the

leadership and coordination of President Veronica Bloomfield, Vice President Barbara Frampton Applebury, Event Chairwoman Diane Padelford Young and Committee Member Rosemary Economy. The event was catered by the Cerritos Sheraton Hotel under the amazing help from Chef Carlos Garcia and Banquet/Entertainment Wiz Ryan Keithley.

The Artesia Historical Society is an amazing community service organization whose sole mission is to preserve the rich heritage of Artesia, educate the community about its past. The AHS also operates the Artesia Historical Museum at 18644 Alburtis Avenue.

The Museum is open the Second Saturday of each month from 1 to 3 p.m. and EVERYONE who lives in our community needs to visit this great attraction.

Honored at the Tea was each of Artesia's past "First Ladies," including the "First" First Lady Bettye Padleford. She is the wife of founding Artesia Mayor Warren "Gene" Padleford, and looked amazing during this special afternoon.

Women have played a historic role in all of our communities. I think back to women like Norwalk's Margaret I. "Peg" Nelson, and Cerritos' Dianna Needham and Lakewood's Jackie Rynerson, and Santa Fe Springs Betty Wilson when they were all elected as "the First" woman to serve as City Council Members in our area.

We are richer as a society for our "First Ladies." Michele Obama is changing the role of America's First Lady. Her elegance, community investment campaign, promotion of community gardens, devotion to her children, and those "amazing arms" is a breath of fresh air in these tough times.

Artesia has changed greatly since 1875, but it has retained so much of its past, and for that we are all grateful. Thanks, Lady's for a great afternoon.

Pass the sugar, and give me a couple of them scones...