Daily Archives: May 12, 2012

Public’s Help Asked In Hunt For Missing FBI Agent

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(LtoR) Captain Mike Parker LASO, Burbank Police Captain Denis Cremins, Special Agent in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles office, Steven Gomez brief the media about the missing FBI agent. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

A massive search effort is underway to find a missing Burbank man who is an FBI Agent.  Authorities are now asking for the public’s help in locating Stephen Ivens. They believe he may be in the Verdugo Mountains.

Ivens, was last seen by his family on Thursday night.  He lives in the 1700 block of Scott Road with his wife and young child.  His wife called police to report him missing shortly after 7 a.m. Friday morning. He is described as despondent and possibly suicidal.  His service weapon is missing from his home.

He has been an FBI agent for three years, working on national security in the Los Angeles area.  Prior to becoming an FBI agent, Ivens was with the Los Angeles Police Department for eight  years.

Ivens is an avid hiker and runner.  Bloodhounds tracking his scent believe he headed into the hills above Burbank.  The search efforts have concentrated on the Verdugo Mountains.  Police and FBI agents were passing out missing person fliers early Saturday morning to hikers at trailheads near the Stough Canyon Nature Center and Wildwood Canyon.

In a news conference this afternoon, Burbank Police Captain Denis Cremins, Captain Mike Parker of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, and Special Agent in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles office, Steven Gomez, outlined the efforts being taken to find Ivens.  Several law enforcement agencies have contributed manpower and resources to the search effort.

The Burbank Police Department has been handling the  missing person investigation.  A 40-member Sheriff’s search and rescue team (half of whom are volunteer Reserve Deputies)  have been combing the hills above Burbank.   The Sheriff’s helicopter has also been used in the search.  In addition, the Los Angeles and Long Beach Police Department have brought in bloodhounds for tracking, and the Glendale Police Department has provided off-road vehicles.

When asked if the manpower and resources involved in the search were increased because the missing person is a law enforcement officer, Capt. Parker responded, “This is not an unusual effort. We would do the same for other missing persons.”

FBI Agent Stephen Ivens

A check of one of the trails above Wildwood Canyon by the Burbank Police Shooting range found a four-man heavily armed team with automatic weapons walking the trails.  The team would not identify the agency they were with.  A command post has been set up across from the Starlight Bowl made up of different agency personnel.

So far the search has not turned up Ivens or any evidence connected to him.   He is 35 years old, White, 6 feet tall, 160 lbs., with brown eyes and receding brown hair.  He wears prescription glasses. What he was wearing when he went missing is unknown.  If you see him, police request that you do not contact him, but call 911 or the Burbank Police Department at 818-238-3000.

BurbankNBeyond’s John Savageau also contributed to this story

This Week’s Closures for the I-5 Freeway Projects

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The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
plans to close the lanes, ramps and connector listed below as part of a
$140 million improvement project to construct High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV
or carpool) lanes and a direct HOV lane connector at the I-5/SR-170
interchange. Ramp closures will be staggered. Closures are subject to
change. Detours will be signed.

For the safety of the construction crew and motorists, please be attentive
to closures, slow for the cone zone, and move over one lane where possible.

Lane closure information for this and other freeway projects is available
on the Caltrans website: http://www.lcswebreports.dot.ca.gov/lcswebreports/

Golden State Freeway (I-5)

Sunday, May 13, to Friday, May 18

§       Up three lanes of northbound I-5 between SR-170 and SR-118
TIME: 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

§       Westbound Tuxford Street on-ramp to northbound I-5
TIME: 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

§       Westbound Lankershim Boulevard on-ramp to northbound I-5
TIME: 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

§       Sheldon Street/Laurel Canyon Boulevard on-ramp to northbound I-5
TIME: 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

§       Up to three lanes of southbound I-5 between SR-118 and Osborne Street
TIME: 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

§       Southbound I-5 off-ramp to eastbound/westbound Osborne Street
TIME: 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

§       Eastbound Van Nuys Boulevard on-ramp to southbound I-5
TIME: 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

§       Westbound Paxton Street on-ramp to southbound I-5
TIME: 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

§       Eastbound Osborne Street on-ramp to southbound I-5
TIME: 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

§       Westbound Osborne Street on-ramp to southbound I-5
TIME: 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

§       Eastbound Terra Bella Street on-ramp to southbound I-5
TIME: 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Long-term on-ramp closures:

§       Eastbound Sheldon Street to northbound I-5 (opens May 2012)
§       Westbound Van Nuys Boulevard to southbound I-5 (opens July 2012)
§       Westbound Van Nuys Boulevard to southbound I-5 (opens July 2012)
§       Branford Street to southbound I-5 (opens August 2012)
§       Eastbound Osborne Street to northbound I-5 (opens October 2012)

Long-term off-ramp closures:

§       Northbound I-5 to Osborne Street — NOW OPEN!
§       Northbound I-5 to Sheldon Street — NOW OPEN!
§       Northbound I-5 to westbound Van Nuys Boulevard — NOW OPEN!
§       Southbound I-5 to eastbound/westbound Paxton Street (opens May 2012)
§       Northbound I-5 to Branford Street (opens October 2012)
§       Northbound I-5 to westbound Terra Bella Street (opens October 2012)
§       Northbound SR-170 to northbound Sheldon Street (opens October 2012)

Hollywood Freeway (SR-170)

Sunday, May 13, to Friday, May 18

§       Sheldon Street/Arleta Street on-ramp to southbound SR-170
TIME: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

§       Northbound SR-170 connector to northbound I-5
TIME: 11:59 p.m. to 5 a.m.

About the Project

Caltrans is constructing an HOV lane in each direction on I-5 between the
Hollywood Freeway (SR-170) and SR-118, a distance of 6.8 miles (3.4 miles
in each direction). The project is also widening four undercrossings,
replacing sections of pavement, and building a direct HOV connector at the
I-5/SR-170 interchange. A direct HOV connector allows for
freeway-to-freeway transfers without exiting the carpool lane.

The California Department of Transportation
(Caltrans) will close the following lanes and ramps of the Golden State
Freeway (I-5) as part of a $121 million improvement project to construct
High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV or carpool) lanes in each direction along I-5
between SR-170 to Buena Vista Street. Closures are subject to change.
Detours will be signed.

Golden State Freeway (I-5) Closures
Friday May 11 through Friday May 18, 2012

▪   Southbound I-5 Roscoe Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound On-Ramp
TIME:  7 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Until 10a.m. on Saturday May 12th and 12
p.m. on Sunday May 13th)

▪   Northbound I-5 Roscoe Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound Off-Ramp
TIME:  7 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Until 12 p.m. on Saturday May 12th and
Sunday May 13th)
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 Sunland Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound Off-Ramp
TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Until 12 p.m. on Saturday May 12th and
Sunday May 13th)
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 Sunland Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound On-Ramp
TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Until 12 p.m. on Saturday May 12th and
Sunday May 13th)

▪   Southbound I-5 Sunland Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound Off Ramp
TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Until 10 a.m. on Saturday May 12th and 12
p.m. on Sunday May 13th)

▪   Southbound I-5 Sunland Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound On Ramp
TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Until 9 a.m. on Saturday May 12th and
Sunday May 13th)

▪   Northbound I-5 from Penrose Street to Sheldon Street Laurel
Canyon Boulevard
TIME: Up to Two lanes: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Until 8 a.m. on Sunday
May 13th)

▪   Northbound I-5 Penrose Street Eastbound and Westbound Off-Ramp
TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Until 12 p.m. on Saturday May 12th and
Sunday May 13th)
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 Tuxford Street Eastbound and Westbound
On-Ramp
TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Until 12 p.m. on Saturday May 12th  and
Sunday May 13th)
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 Lankershim Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound
On-Ramp
TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Until 12 p.m. on Saturday May 12th   and
Sunday May 13th)
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Southbound I-5 Penrose Street Eastbound and Westbound Off-Ramp
TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Until 12 p.m. on Saturday May 12th and
Sunday May 13th)
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Southbound I-5 Penrose Street Northbound and Southbound On-Ramp
TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.  (Until 12 p.m. on Saturday May 12th   and
Sunday May 13th)
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Southbound I-5 Lankershim Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound Off
Ramp
TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Until 12 p.m. on Saturday May 12th and
Sunday May 13th)

▪   Southbound I-5 Lankershim Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound On
Ramp
TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Until 12 p.m. on Saturday May 12th and
Sunday May 13th)
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Southbound I-5 Sheldon Street/Laurel Canyon Boulevard Eastbound
and Westbound
Off and On Ramps
TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Until 12 p.m. on Saturday May 12th and
Sunday May 13th)
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 Buena Vista Street Eastbound and Westbound On Ramp
TIME: 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. (Until 10 a.m. on Sunday May 13th)

▪   Northbound I-5 Hollywood Way Eastbound and Westbound On Ramp
Time: 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. (Until 12 p.m. on Sunday May 13th)

▪   Southbound I-5 Hollywood Way Eastbound and Westbound Off Ramps
Time: 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. (Until 9 a.m. on Sunday May 13th)

▪   Southbound I-5 Hollywood Way Eastbound and Westbound On Ramp
Time: 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 from Buena Vista to Penrose Street
TIME: Up to Two lanes: 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.(Until 8 a.m. on Sunday
May 13th)
Three lanes: 12 a.m. to 5 a.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 from Buena Vista Street to Sheldon Street/Laurel
Canyon Boulevard
TIME: Up to Two Lane: 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. (Until 10 a.m. on Sunday May
13th)
Three lanes: 12 a.m. to 4 a.m.

▪   Southbound I-5 from Penrose St to Hollywood Way
TIME: Up to Two lanes: 11 p.m.  To 6 a.m. (Until 8 a.m. on Sunday
May 13th)

▪   Southbound I-5 from Sheldon Street/Laurel Canyon Boulevard to
Penrose Street
TIME: Up to Two lanes: 11 p.m. To 6 a.m. (Until 8 a.m. on Sunday
May 13th)

▪   Southbound I-5 from Sheldon Street/Laurel Canyon Boulevard to
Buena Vista Street
TIME: Up to Two lanes: 8 p.m. To 6a.m. (Until 8 a.m. on Saturday
May 12th and 10 a.m. on        Sunday May 13th)
Three lanes: 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

About the Project

Caltrans is building an HOV lane in each direction of I-5 between SR-170
and north of Buena Vista Street in Burbank.