Trump claims Be cautious: Innovative, mantle of It’s time to ultramodern environmental secure your SoFi stadium steward home network ready for action B1 SECOND FRONT B4 BUSINESS C1 SPORTS WEDNESDAY Antelope September 9, 2020 24 pages, 4 sections 105th year, No. 162 $1.00 More Antelope Valley People Read the Valley Press Than Any Other Newspaper Established 1915. © 2020 AVPress Inc. All rights reserved. Banquet facility considered for CUP By JULIE DRAKE Puebla Viejo restaurant in Lancaster, the report said. Valley Press Staff Writer through which he is allowed to cater, The Planning Commission meet- PALMDALE — The Palmdale with alcoholic beverages, anywhere ing begins at 7 p.m., Thursday in Planning Commission on Thursday, in the state, with approval from the Council chambers at City Hall, will consider a Conditional Use Per- Department of Alcoholic Beverage 38300 Sierra Highway, Suite B. mit for catering authorizations to sell Control. However, there is a lim- The public can watch the meeting beer and wine at the proposed Palm- it of 24 catered events per year at live on Spectrum Channel 27 or on a dale Event Hall. any given site, such as the proposed webcast on the city’s website at city- Applicant Mario Flores is propos- Palmdale Event Hall, according to ofpalmdale.org ing to submit catering authorizations the report. Members of the public who wish to the state Department of Alcohol- In addition to beer and wine, the to make in-person comments will be able to wait outside the Council ic Beverage Control to sell beer and applicant will offer food catering chamber until the designated pub- wine only, for on-site consumption and services featuring dining options lic comment period. Seating will be on premises at the proposed 3,808 prepared at Pueblo Viejo restau- provided and meeting audio broad- square-foot banquet facility, at 3030 rant. The proposed banquet hall cast. East Palmdale Blvd., according to a will be marketed as a venue for pri- JULIE DRAKE/VALLEY PRESS Attendees will have their tempera- staff report. vate functions, meetings and special The Palmdale Planning Commission on Thursday, will consider a Conditional ture taken prior to entering Council Use Permit for the proposed Palmdale Event Hall that would be located in The applicant holds a Type 41 events such as weddings receptions, the vacant spot east of the Thrift Store at 3030 East Palmdale Blvd. (on-sale beer and wine) license for birthday parties and quinceañeras, See PLANNING, A2 AVSTA to receive Car hits pole, catches fire much-needed Internet upgrade By JULIE DRAKE Valley Press Staff Writer LANCASTER — The Antelope Valley Schools Transportation Agency will get upgraded Internet access to meet its ongoing technol- agency’s costs will increase ogy needs. from $314.98 per month The agency has had seri- to $1,174 per month, plus a ous problems with Internet as one-time installation fee of its facility on Avenue L-8 op- $150. erates completely on network Board President Brian connectivity. Hawkins thanked Board Vice “A tremendous amount President Shawn Cabey for of stuff goes through our working with the agency’s network,” AVSTA CEO team to help them get a bet- Morris Fuselier said during ter deal with Spectrum. Tuesday’s Board of Directors Cabey credited Fuselier meeting. and Network and Systems AVSTA directors unani- Supervisor Kathy Phillips for mously approved a 36-month their efforts. fiber optic Internet access up- “Morris and Kathy did grade and managed security most of the heavy lifting on service with Spectrum Enter- that; I was just a little fly on prise that will see its Internet the wall,” he said. speeds increase from 100/10 mbps to 200/200 mbps. The [email protected] PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEX GARCIA A firefighter puts out a vehicle fire Monday afternoon at the intersection of 30th Street West and Avenue K. It appeared that the vehicle hit a pole and started on fire. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies directed traffic while crews worked to extinguish the Sheriffs looking for fire. The stoplights at that intersection were still out late Monday afternoon. driver in fatal crash Reward reinstated for missing woman VALLEY PRESS considerable distance from STAFF REPORT the deputies while it traveled VALLEY PRESS STAFF REPORT her boyfriend had been recently arrest- eastbound on Avenue J-8 to- LANCASTER — Lan- The Los Angeles County Board of ed in a murder case and she was known ward 10th Street West. The to hang out with gang members. He caster Sheriff’s Station traffic Supervisors, on Sept. 1, reinstated the Ram pickup failed to stop for believed some of those acquaintanc- detective are investigating a $20,000 reward on Supervisor Kathryn the red traffic signal as it en- es feared she would become a wit- traffic collision that occurred Barger’s recommendation, for informa- Monday night, resulting in tered the intersection of 10th ness against them, though authorities tion on the suspicious disappearance of two deaths. Street West and collided with told “Dateline NBC” that Monique then-27-year-old Monique Figueroa. The incident occurred at a red Dodge Avenger.” Figueroa refused to cooperate in the She was last seen around 4 a.m., the intersection of Avenue The driver of the pickup investigation. May 19, 2015, driving away from her J-8 and 10th Street West in fled on foot, before deputies Her father begged her captors to free Lancaster. According to a arrived at the scene of the Littlerock home in the 7200 block of her and told the station that he received preliminary investigation, collision. The driver of the East Avenue U-12. a text from his daughter the day after deputies had just initiated a Avenger was transported to Figueroa’s car, a 2004 burgundy she vanished, saying, “Had to leave; pursuit of a reckless drunk Antelope Valley Hospital, Mercedes-Benz, was recovered 11 days love you; be back soon.” driver in a gray Ram 1500 where she and her unborn later in an abandoned shed in Juniper Investigators found no trail of cell pickup in the area of Avenue child died. Hills. Authorities believe she disap- phone or credit card use following her K and 12th Street West, ac- The collision caused the peared under suspicious circumstances disappearance. cording to a statement from traffic signals at that intersec- and that there is a good likelihood foul Homicide investigators received a tip FIGUEROA Lancaster Station. tion to lose power. play was involved. in 2016 that Figueroa’s remains might “The Ram pickup failed Anyone with information Figueroa left her two-year-old be buried off the 11000 block of Pear- Aug. 19 will now be available for at least to stop for the red traffic sig- regarding this collision is daughter in the care of her family, who blossom Highway in Palmdale. But a the next 90 days. nal as it entered the intersec- asked to contact the Traffic reported her missing several days after search by detectives, cadaver scent dogs Anyone with additional information tion of 10th Street West,” the Investigators at Lancaster she left home. and coroner’s personnel yielded no re- is asked to call the sheriff’s Cold Case statement says. “The suspect Sheriff Station by calling Jeff Figueroa told ABC7 the day af- sults. unit at 323-890-5621 or Crime Stop- vehicle was able to gain a 661-948-8466. ter his daughter’s car was found, that The previous reward expired on pers at 800-222-TIPS (8477). TODAY’S OUTLOOK A special good morning to Valley Press subscriber SAM ELAM of Palmdale Sunny. High in INSIDE TODAY HOROSCOPES A8 PUZZLES A8 mid to upper BUSINESS B4 LETTERS A7 SECOND FRONT B1 80s. Low CLASSIFIED D1 MONEY & MARKETS B3 SPORTS C1 around 57. COMICS A8,B2 OBITUARIES C4 CRIME BLOTTER A2 OPINION A7 VALLEY LIFE A5 DEAR ANNIE A5 PUBLIC NOTICES D2 WEATHER C4 A2 Antelope Valley Press, Wednesday, September 9, 2020 Antelope Valley crime blotter More mosquitoes Crimes reported for August 24, 2020 Source: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department positive for West Nile FROM A of it PRESS RELEASE • When mosquitoes are LANCASTER — More active, use EPA registered mosquitoes collected from insect repellents that con- a mosquito trap in Palm- tain one of these main in- dale tested positive for West gredients: DEET, Picaridin, Nile virus (WNV). The trap Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, was located near 30th Street IR3535 East and Palmdale Boule- • Make sure your screens vard. on windows and doors are “So far, the district has in good repair to avoid mos- sent in 102 mosquito sam- quitoes in the home ples,” District Entomologist • Check around faucets, irrigation systems and air Karen Mellor said. “This conditioner units, and repair is the 10th West Nile virus leaks or puddles that remain positive detected within Dis- for several days trict boundaries for the 2020 • Report stagnant pools mosquito season.” and other backyard sources This time last year, there to the AVMVCD at 661- were five West Nile virus 942-2917 positive mosquito samples. • Report dead birds by Antelope Valley Mosquito THEFT FROM VEHICLE: 43300 block 20th Street THEFT FROM VEHICLE: 2700 block East Avenue R calling 1-877-WNV-BIRD LANCASTER and Vector Control District ASSAULT: West THEFT: 37300 block 42nd Street East (877-968-2473) or online at 44100 block Sierra Highway personnel will continue to ASSAULT: 44200 block Beech Avenue THEFT FROM VEHICLE: West Avenue J and Fig THEFT: 37900 block 20th Street East www.westnile.ca.gov conduct intensive searches ASSAULT: 44700 block Division Street Avenue VEHICLE THEFT: 15th Street East and Palmdale To stay up-to-date on new of the entire district to keep BURGLARY: 1000 block West Avenue J THEFT: 43200 block 22nd Street West Boulevard West Nile Virus activity in BURGLARY: 42500 block Fifth Street East mosquito populations low PALMDALE VEHICLE THEFT: 38500 block 37th Street East the Antelope Valley and any BURGLARY: 43700 block Sierra Highway and reduce the chances of mosquito-related informa- BURGLARY: SUN VILLAGE BURGLARY: 7800 block East Avenue I 37900 block 27th Street East residents getting ill.