Valley News: Industrial Fire; George Lopez Honored; Contractor Sting; Youth Pastor Lewd Acts

Pacoima

A small fire in some possibly hazardous materials prompted evacuation of a business in the Pacoima area today, but no injuries or illnesses were reported, authorities said.

Firefighters were sent to Spectra Labs in the 12500 block of Gladstone Avenue about 6:20 a.m., said Matt Spence of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

A hazardous-materials investigation was being conducted, Spence said.

Burbank

A man who apparently killed himself in a parked car in Burbank was said to be despondent upon receiving a second citation from the Contractors State License Board, police reported Tuesday.

The 47-year-old Simi Valley resident was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the 200 block of South Keystone Street at 11:34 a.m. last Thursday, said Sgt. Robert Quesada of the Burbank Police Department.

No evidence of foul play was discovered and the death is considered a suicide, though Burbank police and the coroner's office are continuing their investigation, he said.

San Fernando

A former youth pastor who pleaded no contest to charges stemming from a yearlong affair he had with a 15-year-old girl at his church was sentenced today to four years and four months behind bars.

San Fernando Superior Court Judge Cynthia Ulfig also ordered 28-year-old Demetrius Darnell Allen of Granada Hills to register as a sex offender for life after he completes his prison term, according to Deputy District Attorney Cathy Lee.

Allen -- who was a youth pastor at First Baptist Church in Venice -- pleaded no contest last month to three counts of lewd act on a child.

Allen resigned his church post in August after he was arrested and charged following an investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Nine other counts against Allen were dismissed as a result of his plea.

San Fernando

Actor/comedian George Lopez was honored at his alma mater Tuesday, as officials at San Fernando Elementary School dedicated the campus auditorium in his name.

Lopez has been a longtime supporter of the school, where he annually holds a toy giveaway. He has also donated gym equipment and provided matching funds in a fundraiser to send students on field trips.

"This school, in this auditorium a long, long time ago was the first time that I ever heard somebody say that you could be whatever you wanted to be and you could become whatever you wanted to if you worked hard and you stayed in school and you stayed determined," Lopez told the students and staff gathered for the dedication ceremony.

The auditorium is being renovated with lighting and a sound system, partially funded by Lopez.

Burbank

Nine unlicensed contractors who allegedly offered to do home modifications in Burbank were cited in a sting operation conducted by the California State License Board, it was announced Tuesday.

The undercover operation was conducted Wednesday and Thursday by the board's Statewide Investigative Fraud Team, supported by Burbank police and the California Highway Patrol.

The operation resulted in five stop orders, including one to a licensee for failing to carry workers' compensation insurance.

Decoys solicited bids from prospective contractors, seeking cost appraisals for various projects, including landscaping, tree-trimming, painting, tiling and cabinetry, accord to board Chief Steve Sands.

Those who couldn't provide licenses were issued misdemeanor citations.

The defendants are scheduled to make court appearances Dec. 28 and 29.

"CSLB and its partners in law enforcement are serious about enforcing our state's consumer protection laws,'' Sands said. "Unlicensed, illegal activity that puts homeowners at risk and puts those who follow state laws at a competitive disadvantage will not be tolerated."

Any contracting job valued at more than $500 requires a license. Unlicensed contractors can perform work that is less than $500, but they must disclose in advertisements that they that they're not licensed in ads, according to state law.

Sands recommended that before anyone hire a contractor, they follow a few simple steps, such as verifying the person's license via the board's website, www.checkthelicensefirst.com; never pay more than 10 percent of the total estimated cost of a job, or $1,000, whichever is less; and obtain at least three bids.

-- City News Service