NEWS DIGEST
By Ashley Orona
Contributing Writer
CUDAHY — The Elizabeth Learning Center Alumni Association is hosting the last of its College Week for high school seniors Oct. 8 from 5-6 p.m. on Zoom. The week has consisted of a series of workshops regarding the college application process and resources available to students. The Oct. 8 workshop will provide students with resources to access through their undergraduate journey.
Students have to RSVP to be able to receive the workshops’ Zoom links. You can email elcalumniassociation@gmail.com for more information.
Free Halloween
candy bags offered
HUNTINGTON PARK — The City Council will hand out free candy bags to residents 13 and under as an alternative to Halloween festivities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents can register their children for a candy bag by Oct. 9 by emailing parks@hpca.gov with the parents’ name, address, telephone number and age of each participant. The event is only available to Huntington Park residents.
Virtual exhibit set
for Day of the Dead
SOUTH GATE — The city will conduct a Day of the Dead virtual display dedicated to people that have shaped the community. The city is asking residents to contribute images of their fondest memory of a person, place or object for this collective story.
Residents can submit photos to open-walls.org/living-room. The deadline to submit is Oct. 18. The virtual exhibit will launch on Day of the Dead and be part of the virtual vigil held Nov. 2.
Maywood church
plans blood drive
MAYWOOD — The First Baptist Church of Maywood will host a blood drive Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 3759 E 57th St. To schedule an appointment visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: FirstBaptist. All blood donations are now tested for COVID-19 antibodies.
Bell plans Halloween
decoration contest
BELL — The city will conduct a home decorating contest for Halloween. Homes will be judged Oct. 19. First, second and third place winners will receive a yard sign and a gift card.
The judging criteria will include visual impact, creativity, use of space, incorporation of a theme and cohesion. Residents can register at tinyurl.com/y5obbabw.
Three found dead
at Norwalk home
NORWALK — Authorities have identified the last of three men found dead at their Norwalk home Oct. 1, and said autopsies were pending to determine the causes of their deaths.
Vincent Trembley was 37 years old, according to the coroner’s website.
Deputies sent to the 12000 block of Portugal Court early Oct. 1 found the three men lying in the backyard of the residence, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Paramedics pronounced them dead at the scene.
Johnny Montoya, 34, Michael Bryant Fernandez, 29, and Trembley all lived at the location, the coroner’s office reported. Autopsies were scheduled.
Deputies went to the location “in response to a rescue call,” Deputy James Nagao said in a statement.
“Upon their arrival, deputies discovered three males lying on the ground in the backyard of the location,” Nagao said. “The males were unresponsive and not breathing. … Due to the suspicious nature of the deaths and possible contaminates present at the location, deputies contained the area pending the arrival of homicide investigators.”
A hazardous-materials team was sent to assist in processing the scene.
Two women who were in the residence along with two children were taken to a sheriff’s station, Lt. Charles Calderaro said.
Nearby homes were evacuated “out of an abundance of caution,” according to the sheriff’s department.
Two of the men had girlfriends who live at the location, according to KTLA5. One man had two young daughters who were at home at the time, Channel 5 reported.
Fire damages
East L.A. strip mall
EAST LOS ANGELES — A three-alarm fire damaged a strip mall in East Los Angeles Oct. 4, authorities said.
The fire was reported at 8:20 p.m. at 4708 E. Whittier Blvd., and was burning in five or six units, said Los Angeles County Fire Department Dispatch Supervisor Michael Pittman.
The department dispatched 18 engines to the scene, he said.
The roof over the strip mall collapsed and firefighters went into defensive mode, spraying water on the building from outside and protecting surrounding structures, Pittman said.
The flames were out at 10:30 p.m. and firefighters finished putting out embers around midnight but planned to watch the structure overnight, he said.
No injuries were reported and the cause was under investigation, Pittman said.
Ashley Orona is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers the East Los Angeles area. She can be reached at Oronash@gmail.com.
City News Service contributed to this story.
