March 2014 Section B

Transcription

MARCH 2014
AROUND
ALHAMBRA
PUBLISHED BY THE ALHAMBRA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
SECTION B
life
community
seniors / health
dining / entertainment
auto / real estate
Jim Morrison, The Doors,
and Cal State Los Angeles
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Pub Crawl
Join Downtown Alhambra in celebrating St. Patrick’s Day from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday,
March 17 with Downtown’s fifth annual Pub Crawl. Participants will meet at 6:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Plaza on the northeast corner of Main and Garfield. “We will walk from pub to pub all along
Main Street as a group following our bagpipe player. What is Saint Patrick’s Day without a Pub
Crawl?” said Joanna Vargas, Downtown Association president.
Learn more on Facebook.com/downtownalhambra.
B Y GARY FRUEHOLZ , D ILBECK R EAL E STATE
Time is measured by
more than just clocks. We
mark time by experiences
and events in our lives.
And the music we love
and the artists who create
this music provide some
of the biggest measuring
sticks of our lives.
And if you lived in the
1960s, one of the richest
and most distinctive
Gary Frueholz
sounds from that period
belonged to the voice of
Jim Morrison and the musical group he was a member of, The Doors.
Morrison’s deep baritone voice had a moody and
sensual quality to it. When it was combined with
the other members of the group, such as Ray
Manzarek and his creative keyboard routines, The
Doors developed a sound that many saw as the
epitome of the psychedelic pop music of the late
1960s.
The music of the group and Morrison’s short
life captured the revolutionary feeling of the antiestablish times and the tragedy of cavalier attitudes
toward psychedelic drugs.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 22B
Alhambra’s Ralph Kiner, one of MLB’s greats, passes
Ralph Kiner, the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame
slugger who developed his talent as a kid growing up in
Alhambra, died Feb. 6 at his home in Rancho Mirage,
California of natural causes at 91.
Mr. Kiner was born in Santa Rita, New Mexico but
was raised in Alhambra. His father died when he was 4
and he was raised by his mother, a nurse. He was a 1940
graduate of Alhambra High School and a high school
baseball star who signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates for
a $3,000 bonus, a considerable sum at the time.
After a hitch as a pilot in World War II, Mr. Kiner
made his major league debut in April 1946 with the Pirates leading the league with 23 home runs. In 1947, he
gained national fame for hitting 51 home runs in his
second year in the majors.
He went on to lead Major League baseball in home
runs for six consecutive years and the National League
for seven straight years with the Pirates in the late 1940s
and early 1950s. The slugger hit 369 home runs in a 10year career that would have been longer had he not been
forced to retire at 33 due to a back ailment. He then
went on to a distinguished broadcasting career with the
New York Mets.
He twice hit more than 50 home runs in a season,
clouting 51 homers in 1947 and 54 in 1949. In three
other seasons he hit 40 or more. He hit a home run every 14.1 at bats during his career, placing him sixth
among right-handers in that category.
Mr. Kiner was selected to play in the annual Major
League All-Star Game for six consecutive years. He is
the only player in history to hit multiple home runs in
three consecutive games; and he holds the Major League
record of hitting a total of eight home runs in four consecutive games.
Despite Mr. Kiner’s accomplishments, his Pirates team
finished last or next to last five times. The team was only
above .500 one time, .539 in 1948, while Mr. Kiner was
leading the National League in homers.
The 1952 Pirates finished last with a record of 42112, a dismal .273 won-lost percentage. They are con-
April 26, 2008 was Ralph Kiner Day in Alhambra when a statue of him was unveiled in Almansor Park.
sidered, even with Ralph’s contributions, to be one of
the worst teams in the history of Major League ball.
A natural story-teller with a soothing delivery, Mr.
Kiner then became a popular announcer during a long
broadcasting career with the New York Mets. He was
considered by players and fans alike as one of the game’s
true gentlemen.
His experience with the hapless Pirates certainly prepared Kiner for his early years as a Mets broadcaster. Kiner
was present at the Mets creation and broadcast full time
from game one through 2006, when he switched to doing an occasional television appearance.
In their first year, 1962, the Mets were horrendous.
They put up a record of 40-120 for a .250 won-lost percentage, even worse than Kiner’s 1952 Pirates. The experience produced a humorous book by Jimmy Breslin,
the title of which is a quote from the Mets first manager,
Casey Stengel: “Can’t Anybody Here Play This Game?”
“Ralph Kiner was one of the greatest sluggers in National League history, leading the Senior Circuit in home
runs in each of the first seven years of his Hall of Fame
career,” said Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig.
On April 26, 2008, Mr. Kiner was present for
Alhambra’s special Ralph Kiner Day to honor him and
to observe the unveiling of his statue in Almansor Park.
He and two former Alhambra High School baseball teammates, Bob Jones and Maynard Horst, were reunited.
A full crew of city luminaries, including Master of
Ceremonies, former Mayor Mark Paulson; the Alhambra
City Council, headed by Mayor Luis Ayala; the Alhambra
Chamber of Commerce, led by Executive Director Owen
Guenthard; and, in a most appropriate touch, a younger
generation of East Alhambra Little Pirates baseball players who played their games in Almansor Park.
Following the unveiling ceremonies, Mr. Kiner was
the honored guest at a fund-raising luncheon to benefit
the Alhambra High School Sports Hall of Fame
Foundation. At the luncheon Mr. Kiner, along with other
outstanding sports all-stars, from various sports, were
recognized for their accomplishments.
Larry Thornberry, a writer often featured in The
American Spectator, contributed to this report.
PAGE 2B
SENIOR NEWS / AROUND ALHAMBRA
3/2014
Seniors / Retirees News |Activities, Projects, Features
Seniors to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, spring at Joslyn Center
“Going green” is a major event at the
Joslyn Adult Recreation Center, 210 N.
Chapel Ave., in March for St. Patrick’s Day
and a luncheon celebration that Joslyn has
planned to mark the day.
The event, co-sponsored by Ace Beverages, will offer lots of Irish spirit, traditional Irish food, “green” non-alcoholic
beer, and music from the Emerald Isle.
Reservations for the St. Patrick’s Day
Luncheon, like any weekday lunch at
Joslyn, requires a simple phone call one
day in advance to 626-458-4455, weekdays at 9:30 a.m.
For the arrival of spring, Joslyn is hosting, along with co-sponsor Comfort Keepers, a “Spring Fling” on March 26. To register, phone 626-570-5056.
There will be live entertainment and
much socializing during the afternoon,
followed by an African-style safari dinner
and live music to accompany jungle
boogie and other dance steps.
Special events are frequently added to
the regularly scheduled program during
the month. Here are a few of the Joslyn
activities planned:
“When we needed help,
we discovered Vista Cove at San Gabriel”
Quality
• Assisted Living
• Memory Care
• Respite Care
AT SAN GABRIEL
For more information or to schedule a tour, please phone
(626) 289-8889
901 W. Santa Anita St., San Gabriel, CA 91776 Lic. #197606796
Joslyn Adult Recreation Center
Celebrate St.
Paddy’s Day
March 17
Happy March Birthday Luncheon
celebration at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March
5. March birthday celebrants in attendance will receive a token gift.
For the Life of Your Retirement seminar at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 6. Presented by Banker’s Life and Casualty Company.
St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon celebration at 11 a.m. Monday, March 17. Those
not in attendance will be green with envy.
Emergency Preparedness seminar at
10 a.m. Tuesday, March 18. Presented by
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Powers of Attorney and Trusts seminar at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 20, a part
of the “Managing Elder Care, Trusts &
Medi-Cal” series presented by Elder Law
Attorney Carlos A. Arcos.
Spring Fling from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 26. $10 buys a late
afternoon, early evening social including
dinner and dancing.
Register on Tuesday, March 4 for the
April 15 Dinner & Violin recital, which
will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and
feature Los Angeles Philharmonic violinist Paul Stein (fee: $10). Register Friday,
March 28 for the May 1 Older American’s
Brunch, which will take place at 10 a.m.
and is co-sponsored by the Alhambra
Hospital Medical Center (fee: $5).
Informational seminars are free, unless
otherwise noted, but reservations are appreciated. Phone 626-570-5056.
Senior Nutrition Program luncheons,
including celebratory luncheons, require reservations one day in advance. Phone 626458-4455 weekdays at 9:30 a.m. Suggested
donation is $2.
3/2014
Senior Outings
Senior Outings luxury coach headed for two
events in Ventura County; sign up March 4
Upcoming Senior Outings include trips to Ojai and Ventura and a look at the
collection of beautiful gardens on the road to Ventura County. Senior Outings is
a City of Alhambra program that takes Alhambra seniors on day-trip visits to
Southern California sites.
Tuesday, March 4 is registration day for two of these outings. The trip to
Ojai will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 9. The fee is $12.
The exploration of the Gardens of the World & the Lakes is from 9 a.m. to 4
p.m. Friday April 25. The fee is $12.
Ojai has long been noted as a haven for artists, musicians, and health enthusiasts. It offers delightful shops, art galleries, beautiful tree-shaded parks, and
multiple charming cafes and restaurants (lunch not included).
For book lovers, an outing to Ojai is not complete without a visit to Bart’s
Books, which is a short walk from the center of downtown. This unique outdoor
bookshop offers an enormous collection of well-kept used books.
Gardens of the World & the Lakes, in nearby Thousand Oaks, is a “don’t
miss” experience in which the founders of Pleasant Holidays, Ed and Lynn Hogan,
commemorate various cultures of the world with beautiful gardens fulfilling their
motto to bring the “Beauty of the World to the Conejo Valley.” The tour will
include traditional Japanese, English, Italian, and French gardens.
Ventura County’s namesake community, the City of San Buenaventura, rates
a Senior Outings visit from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 15. The fee is $12, with
registration set for April 1. Downtown Ventura is filled with art galleries, book
stores, boutiques, coffee houses, and more than 400 stores and restaurants. Also
recommended is a visit to the San Buenaventura Mission.
The April 1 registration day also includes a May 22 outing to the Hammer
Museum and UCLA Campus from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The fee is $12. This
outing includes an oft-forgotten, but most important, Southern California art
museum and one of the most pleasant college campuses.
The Senior Outings luxury coach is heading for Palm Springs from 8:30 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 13. The fee is $12. Universal City Walk will be
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, March 28. The fee is $12. Registration day for
these two visits was last month. Phone 626-570-5056 to determine if coach seats
are available.
The registration procedure for all Senior Outings is included in the City of
Alhambra Winter/Spring 2014 Leisure Classes, Activities & Excursions Guide, available at www.cityoralhambra.org.
See Carlos Arcos ad on Elder Care on Page 22B
w w w. a l h a m b r a. f i r s t l i g h t h o m e c a r e. c o m
PAGE 3B
PAGE 4B
3/2014
UNDERSTANDING THE SENIOR EXPERIENCE
Do you call this retirement?
B Y D ENNIS M C F ADDEN , CEO
A THERTON B APTIST H OMES
The meaning and rules for getting
ready for retirement have changed in the
last few decades, certainly in the last several years. And, as they do, the cascade of
numbers of 65-plus Baby Boomers continues to pour. Yet, Baby Boomers are rapidly moving into their retirement years
with less financial security than their parents’ generation.
This year, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Beatles making their debut on the Ed Sullivan Show! And, the
celebrities Baby Boomers grew up idolizing are themselves in their 70s: Mick
Jagger managed to rock in 70 last year;
Harrison Ford, the original Indiana Jones,
might be a subject of his own archaeological dig for his 71-year-old bones; Bob
Dylan’s former anti-capitalist lyrics take
second place to his Superbowl shilling for
Chrysler as a 72-year-old; and Raquel
Welch now turns arthritic heads at 73.
Can retirement for the rest of us be far
behind?
Some, like veteran television icon Betty
White, still claim: “Retirement is not in
my vocabulary. They aren’t going to get
rid of me that way.” But, below the bravado and hollow boasting, others find a
darker reality. Historian and biographer
Ron Chernow thinks he senses “a kind of
fear, approaching a panic, that’s spreading through the Baby Boom Generation,
which has suddenly discovered that it will
have to provide for its own retirement.”
According to the latest U.S. government statistics, the average retirement age
‘Retirement itself is a
very modern concept,
an artifact of postwar
prosperity and longer
life spans ...’
Dr. Dennis E. McFadden is president and
CEO of Atherton Baptist Homes, 214 S.
Atlantic Blvd. Alhambra. Phone him at
626-863-1768.
is 62, with an expectation of living another 18 years. And, while “out of pocket”
medical treatment will claim a whopping
$215,000 during retirement, the average
retirement savings of most Americans are
only $43,797! While 6,000 Americans
turn 65 every day now, a full 36% of them
save nothing for retirement. So, the
“panic” description of Chernow may not
be too far off the mark.
Writing for the AARP Magazine (February/March 2014), Helaine Olen regis-
ters some important points to consider.
“Retirement itself is a very modern concept, an artifact of postwar prosperity and
longer life spans. For most of history, those
lucky few who managed to reach an advanced age kept working until they were
physically unable; rural life and extended
families provided the safety net. But the
industrial revolution and the longevity
revolution put an end to that. Enter Social Security, which offered older Americans both a bulwark against poverty and
an encouragement to leave the workforce.”
But for 90% of American workers, the
company pension their parents enjoyed
has gone the way of the Dodo. Pensions
are replaced by 401k plans for most nongovernment workers. Yet, the AARP estimates that “three-quarters of Americans
between 55 and 64 have less than $30,000
socked away.”
Because of this sobering reality, Social
Security and Medicare may not be enough
to support the current low percentage of
those 65 or older who live below the poverty line, which is 9% at present. With-
out defined-benefit pensions and in the
absence of adequate retirement savings, “A
greater percentage of the elderly will be
poorer or near poorer than in the last 40
years,” warns retirement expert Teresa
Ghilarducci of New York’s New School for
Social Research.
Some older Americans will delay leaving their current jobs, putting additional
pressures on younger workers who will be
unable to receive promotions until older
employees retire. Others will supplement
their reduced incomes with part-time jobs
in the service industries or as consultants.
For those with adequate savings and a
steady income stream, a new career of
volunteerism may bring fulfillment.
With a generation reaching retirement
with flimsier safety nets, however, traditional images of endless golfing, exotic
vacations, and frequent cruises may become more the exception than the rule.
One extraordinary “deal” in the midst
of all of this remains the non-profit retirement community. Places such as
Alhambra’s Atherton Homes offer affordable options for middle-income seniors
who own their own homes and have even
modest retirement incomes. The guarantee of lifetime tenancy, even if one exhausts
his or her own resources, coupled with the
prospect of an enriched social environment and sense of community, make these
kinds of organizations extremely attractive
in the changing economic landscape.
As 72-year-old Bob Dylan sang, “The
times, they are a changing.”
3/2014
HEALTH NEWS / AROUND ALHAMBRA
PAGE 5B
Health & Medical News|Hospitals, Physicians, Dentists, Facilities
Adopting a Qigong discipline for health, longevity
B Y S HEILA Y ONEMOTO , P.T.
I began learning qigong, pronounced “chee gong,” 17 years
ago. My daily practice started
with five minutes a day and has
evolved into a 30-minute-a-day
ritual.
I don’t think I have changed
much. My hair is still mostly
black, my joints function well
and don’t hurt, and I have
plenty of energy.
The biggest changes are my
lower stress level, increased happiness, and the ability to get
more done. I rarely get sick and,
if I do, I recover quickly.
Qigong exercises the internal
organs and moves the vital life
force, qi, throughout the body
using simple movements. It is
easier to do than tai chi, and
benefits are obtained quickly.
I have seen kidney function
return and frozen joints have
had mobility restored. People
sleep better, are happier, have
reduced blood pressure, and
their cholesterol has returned to
normal.
Qigong students have fewer
viral infections and resolution
of chronic bronchitis.
Many schools and styles of
qigong exist. Some are admin-
For Your Good Health
istered by masters who treat
specific ailments, improve intelligence or health, and increase
talent. Other schools focus on
teaching people a daily self-improvement practice.
Qigong harnesses the natural forces in nature to improve
blood flow, lymphatic flow,
immunity, organ and brain
function, and can also help in
achieving life goals.
There are even ways to improve your fortune and life with
the key focus on health enhancement.
I have been fortunate to
learn qigong from a master
from Shanghai. My life has
been enriched by qigong, and I
cannot imagine my daily routine without it.
There is much information
available from books and on the
Internet about qigong.
However, it is still advisable
to study with a teacher who can
guide your practice safely and
efficiently through the thousands of schools and exercises
that have developed over the
past 3,000 or more years that
qigong has been in existence.
Qigong can be a wonderful
adjunct to improving your
health along with a solid nutritional foundation, good sleep
habits, exercise, social support,
and a wider view of improving
the world around us.
——————————
Sheila Yonemoto, P.T. offers a
Qigong “Chinese Energy” exercise
class. The first class is free. Phone
626-576-0591 for more information, or visit www.yonemoto.com.
Fremont Optometry Center
Sheila Yonemoto, P.T.,
has been a physical therapist
for more than 30 years, specializing in integrative manual
therapy, using a holistic approach. She can be reached at
Yonemoto Physical Therapy,
55 S. Raymond Ave, Suite
100, Alhambra 91801. Sheila
also offers a “Chinese Energy”
exercise class. Phone 626-5760591 for more information, or
visit www.yonemoto.com
Se Habla Español
2447 W. Valley Blvd. • Alhambra, CA 91803 • (626) 300-9251
PAGE 6B
3/2014
NIH study offers insight into why
cancer incidence increases with age
F ROM
THE
N ATIONAL I NSTITUTES
OF
H EALTH
The accumulation of age-associated
changes in a biochemical process that
helps control genes may be responsible for
some of the increased risk of cancer seen
in older people, according to a National
Institutes of Health study.
Scientists have known for years that age
is a leading risk factor for the development
of many types of cancer, but why aging
increases cancer risk remains unclear. Researchers suspect that DNA methylation,
or the binding of chemical tags, called
methyl groups, onto DNA, may be involved.
Methyl groups activate or silence genes,
by affecting interactions between DNA
and the cell’s protein-making machinery.
Zongli Xu, Ph.D., and Jack Taylor,
M.D., Ph.D., researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences (NIEHS), part of NIH, identified DNA methylation sites across the
human genome that changed with age.
They demonstrated that a subset of those
sites — the ones that become increasingly
methylated with advancing age — are also
disproportionately methylated in a variety of human cancers. Their findings were
published online in the journal Carcinogenesis.
“You can think of methylation as dust
settling on an unused switch, which then
prevents the cell from turning on certain
genes,” Taylor said. “If a cell can no longer
turn on critical developmental programs,
it might be easier for it to become a cancer cell.”
Xu and Taylor made the discovery using blood samples from participants in the
Sister Study, a nationwide research effort
to find the environmental and genetic
causes of breast cancer and other diseases.
More than 50,000 sisters of women who
have had breast cancer are participating
in the study.
The researchers analyzed blood samples
from 1,000 women, using a microarray
that contained 27,000 specific methylation sites. Nearly one-third of the sites
showed increased DNA methylation in
association with age.
They then looked at three additional
data sets from smaller studies that used
the same microarray and found 749 methylation sites that behaved consistently
across all four data sets. As an additional
check, they consulted methylation data
from normal tissues and seven different
types of cancerous tumors in The Cancer
Genome Atlas, a database funded by the
National Cancer Institute and the National Human Genome Research Institute.
Dr. Taylor said that DNA methylation
appears to be part of the normal aging process and occurs in genes involved in cell
development. Cancer cells often have altered DNA methylation, but the researchers were surprised to find that 70-90% of
the sites associated with age showed significantly increased methylation in all
seven cancer types. Dr. Taylor suggests
that age-related methylation may disable
the expression of certain genes, making
it easier for cells to transition to cancer.
The research also determined these methylation events accumulate in cellsat a rate
of one per year, according to Dr. Xu.
3/2014
PAGE 7B
Testimonial –
‘Article in Around Alhambra changed my son’s life’
Karen H. Chao, O.D.
‘Now, he doesn’t get
frustrated so easily. Now
he understands ... ’
B Y K AREN C HAO , O.D.
When I first met Justin, I was impressed by what a bright young man he
was, but saddened when I learned of his
difficulties in school. His case was very
similar to a lot of the children I see in
my office.
While he could see the letters on the
eye chart (20/20), he had an eye coordination problem which means his eyes
weren’t working together the way they
should.
This was making it difficult for him
to concentrate when he was reading and
was also causing headaches that were so
severe he couldn’t read longer than 10
minutes at a time. Fortunately I was able
to help.
His mother was so happy with the
improvements in her son that she wrote
their story to share with you:
“Justin seemed to be a slow learner in
school. He always had to re-read things
and had poor understanding of what
was being taught in class.
“He would always say, ‘I am trying,’
but he had low grades. I thought he
wasn’t studying enough and being
distracted by other classmates.
“He had a tutor when he was younger
but even then it was hard for him to
understand his class work. I never
thought his vision was an issue with his
school work.
“I read an article in the Alhambra
newspaper about a lady in her 50s or
60s who was expressing her problems
Dr. Karen H. Chao, O.D. has been an
Optometrist in private practice for more
than 17 years. In addition to general optometric care, her services include Vision
Therapy, Neuro-Optometric Evaluation
for Traumatic Brain Injury, Corneal Refractive Therapy, and Low Vision Services.
She can be reached at 121 S. Del Mar
Ave., Ste. A, San Gabriel 91776. Phone
Dr. Chao at 626-287-0401 or visit
www.TotalVisionDC.com for more information.
while reading. The symptoms she was
describing were similar to some of the
problems my son was having. That’s
when I realized that perhaps Justin had
a vision problem.
“We had his eyes checked when he
was younger and were told he had 20/20
so he had not gone back for an eye exam
in many years. This time, we went to
Dr. Chao’s office to get Justin’s eyes
evaluated.
“He was found to have eye teaming
and focusing difficulty, especially when
he reads. Everything about Justin’s vision
problem was explained to us thoroughly,
and he started a program of vision
therapy.
After vision therapy
“Now, he doesn’t get frustrated so
easily. Now he understands when he is
reading a paragraph without re-reading
it, and he doesn’t get upset when he is
asked to share what he just read. He
enjoys school more and looks forward to
each new day.
“Justin is going back to school for an
auto mechanic certificate. He reported to
us that his test scores have gone up since
he received his reading glasses and
started vision therapy. He used to get 60,
70% on these tests but now they are
often in the 90% range.
“I wish we had known about vision
therapy when Justin was younger; school
would have been less of a struggle for
him. Now that he sees better, he feels
differently, and everything about him is
changing, all for the positive. It is
exciting to see what the future holds for
Justin.”
Not all doctors test for vision problems that interfere with reading, learning, and paying attention.
To find a doctor near you who provides this type of testing, visit the Web
site for the College of Optometrists in
Vision Development: www.covd.org. For
more information, you can also visit
SGFamilyOptometry.com.
PAGE 8B
3/2014
Acid might be the culprit in causing cavaties
Dr. Dara,
I brush and floss my teeth religiously,
but I have begun to get cavities under
my crowns and fillings. What more
can I do? – N.D
Dear N. D.,
I have found that there are large percentage of people that, like you, brush
and floss regularly and take care of their
teeth.
When I check their mouths, there is
no plaque or tartar, and they do not have
bleeding gums, yet they still have decay.
On the other hand, I see patients who
are not that diligent in their oral hygiene,
and they have a lot of buildup on their
teeth, but they have no cavities.
For a period of time, I tested my patients who have more decays and dental
work done but have good oral hygiene.
I found that more than 70% of them
were tested with a pH of 6.5 or less,
which means their saliva is more acidic.
Unfortunately, if you have acid saliva,
the teeth are bathed in the acid 24 hours
a day.
What causes saliva to be acidic?
It was hard to determine what caused
the pH changes in the mouth, but I did
notice that many of the patients with low
pH took medications for some other
type of medical problem or were under
a lot of stress.
Another reason acidosis is more common in our society is mostly due to the
typical American diet, which is far too
high in acid-producing animal products
like meat and dairy, and far too low in
alkaline-producing foods like fresh vegetables.
Additionally, we eat acid-producing
processed foods like white flour and
sugar and drink acid-producing beverages like coffee and soft drinks and we
use artificial chemical sweeteners, which
are extremely acid-forming.
How to do the saliva pH test
Wait at least two hours after eating.
Fill your mouth with saliva, and then
A pH less
than 7 is acidic,
and a pH greater
than 7 is basic.
Ask
Dr. Dara,
DDS
Dr. Dara Gashparova, D.D.S. is located at 1933 W Valley Blvd. Readers with dental
questions or concerns should contact her at 626-289-6131, or e-mail [email protected].
swallow it. Do this again to help ensure
that the saliva is clean. Then the third
time, put some saliva onto pH paper.
To read the results, follow the instructions for your particular brand. A pH
less than 7 is acidic, and a pH greater
than 7 is basic.
Where to get pH paper
There are many suppliers of pH paper. Look for laboratory suppliers in the
phone book or online.
What is the solution if my saliva is
acidic?
The best solution is to find ways to
make your saliva turn more basic.
Supplement your diet with alkaline minerals. The main alkaline minerals in the
body are calcium, magnesium, sodium,
and potassium. All four of them work
together in the body. Problems arise
when one or more of the minerals are
deficient or are out of balance with each
other.
Largely missing from the diet are potassium and magnesium that would
come from eating fruits and vegetables.
A diet based on fruits and vegetables,
nuts and seeds, with smaller amount of
meat and dairy, would give the body all
four of the alkaline minerals in better
balance.
You can also get prescription toothpaste from your dentist that can help
reverse some of the damage.
3/2014
PAGE 9B
Reducing antibiotic overuse becoming major emphasis
B Y H ARRISON W EIN , P H .D.
NIH R ESEARCH M ATTERS
A unique type of poster placed in
exam rooms helped reduce unnecessary
antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory
infections during flu season. The approach could help reduce costs and extend the usefulness of these drugs.
Antibiotics are among the most commonly prescribed drugs. Ironically, their
overuse and misuse helps to create drugresistant bacteria. Decades of widespread
antibiotic use have encouraged the
spread of bacteria with resistance to
multiple antibiotics.
Despite established guidelines for
treating acute respiratory infections, an
estimated half of the prescriptions for
their treatment are inappropriate. Such
decisions may be driven by patients, de-
fensive prescribing, or other factors.
Health care systems have tried incentive payments and feedback systems to
reduce unneeded prescriptions. These
programs can be expensive and have had
limited success.
Studies have found that people who
make public commitments to certain behaviors are more likely to follow
through. A team led by Dr. Jason Doctor of the University of Southern California tested whether public commitments could nudge clinicians to improve
their prescription practices. The study,
which was supported by NIH’s National
Institute on Aging (NIA), appeared
online in JAMA Internal Medicine on
January 27, 2014.
“We developed a simple, low-cost
poster, 18 by 24 inches, that featured a
NIH study finds regular aspirin use
may reduce ovarian cancer risk
NIH R ESEARCH M ATTERS
Women who take aspirin daily may
reduce their risk of ovarian cancer by
20%, according to a study by scientists
at the National Cancer Institute (NCI),
part of the National Institutes of Health.
However, further research is needed before clinical recommendations can be
made.
The study was published Feb. 6,
2014, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
It is estimated that more than 20,000
women in the United States will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2014,
and more than 14,000 will die from the
disease. Early stage ovarian cancer may
be successfully treated.
However, symptoms associated with
this disease can mimic more common
conditions, such as digestive and bladder disorders, so for this reason and others, it is often not diagnosed until it has
reached advanced stages. Late stage ovarian cancer leaves women with limited
treatment options and poor prognoses,
making preventive strategies potentially
important for controlling this disease.
Chronic or persistent inflammation
has been shown to increase the risk of
cancer and other diseases. Previous studies have suggested that the anti-inflammatory properties of aspirin and nonaspirin NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), may reduce cancer
risk overall.
However, studies examining whether
use of these agents may influence ovarian cancer risk have been largely inconclusive. This is the largest study to date
to assess the relationship between these
drugs and ovarian cancer risk.
Britton Trabert, Ph.D., and Nicolas
Wentzensen, M.D., Ph.D., of NCI’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, and their colleagues, analyzed
data pooled from 12 large epidemiological studies to investigate whether women
who used aspirin, non-aspirin NSAIDs,
or acetaminophen have a lower risk of
ovarian cancer. These 12 studies (nine
from the United States) were part of the
Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium. The scientists evaluated the benefit of these drugs in nearly 8,000
women with ovarian cancer and close to
12,000 women who did not have the
disease.
This study adds to a growing list of
malignancies, such as colorectal and
other cancers, that appear to be potentially preventable by aspirin usage. “Our
study suggests that aspirin regimens,
proven to protect against heart attack,
may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer as
well. However intriguing our results are,
they should not influence current clinical practice. Additional studies are
needed to explore the delicate balance
of risk-benefit for this potential
chemopreventive agent,” said Dr.
Trabert.
commitment letter along with clinician
photographs and signatures,” said lead
author Dr. Daniella Meeker of the
RAND Corporation.
The letter was written at the eighthgrade reading level in English and Spanish. It explained why antibiotics could
sometimes do more harm than good and
emphasized the clinician’s commitment
to appropriate antibiotic prescribing.
The study involved 14 physicians and
nurse practitioners who saw close to
1,000 adult patients with acute respiratory infections during a year. After
baseline numbers were collected, half the
patients were directed to clinicians who
displayed the commitment letter in
exam rooms. For comparison, the other
half continued to receive standard care.
The intervention period lasted for 12
weeks during the peak of flu season.
The posted commitment letter resulted in nearly 20% fewer inappropriCONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
PAGE 10B
3/2014
How do I know when my teeth are clean enough?
B Y J OHN C HAO , DDS, AND S ARAH K ENNEDY , RDH
Many people wonder how to know when their teeth
are clean enough after they have brushed. Many try to
brush harder, or use a harder bristled brush, so they
can be more thorough. So, how do you know when
they are clean enough?
Daily flossing and brushing is necessary for clean
teeth. Proper technique of both is also essential. When
flossing your teeth, it is important to find the ideal
floss for your mouth. There are a large variety of flosses
available at local stores, which include waxed floss,
unwaxed floss, thin floss, fine floss, to name a few.
Floss holders and disposable flossers are also available to help with the flossing process. Once the floss is
placed in between two teeth, it is important to go up
and down on each surface of the tooth about five times
on each side. This can take up to a few minutes to be
very thorough.
Occasionally bleeding may occur. This is a result of
irritated gums, which can be due to inconsistent flossing, debris stuck between the teeth, improper brushing, or gum disease. It is important to realize that gum
disease is not always evident with bleeding. Flossing
should be done at least twice a day, but ideally after
each meal.
When brushing your teeth, a soft or extra soft bristled
tooth brush is necessary. Any other bristled tooth brush
is too hard and abrasive on the gums and can cause
damage. Electric toothbrushes are good but can cause
recession on the gums if they are not used properly.
The technique used for a manual toothbrush should
be the roll of the brush from the gum to the tooth
surface, softly removing any bacteria and debris on the
gum and tooth.
This should also be done at least twice a day, but
ideally after each meal. Brushing should take a minimum of two minutes each time you do it. Toothbrushes
should be replaced every three months to avoid trauma
Smile Talk
alcohol in some can dry out the mouth, which can
cause further problems.
Disclosing tablets are available through dental offices to check how thorough you are cleaning your teeth.
The tablet, which is a vegetable dye, adheres to the
bacteria on your teeth. Once chewed and rinsed off
with water, the remaining color seen on the teeth shows
areas where you have left bacteria and areas where you
have removed all of it. This can be done after flossing
and brushing to ensure you have removed all the bacteria present.
It is important to be see a dentist regularly for
cleanings and check-ups to make sure the gums are
healthy and the bacteria is removed adequately.
Reducing antibiotic overuse
becoming major emphasis
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
For more information, contact Dr. John Chao
at 626-308-9104. Visit Dr. Chao’s Web site at
chickenswelcome.com
from worn down bristles.
A mouth rinse can also be included in daily
homecare, but it does not replace flossing or brushing,
ever. If you are going to use a mouth rinse, it’s important to do so after proper flossing and brushing has
been done. There are a variety of mouth rinses available, but non-alcohol ones are preferred because the
ate antibiotic prescriptions. Baseline rates for inappropriate prescriptions were 44% and 43% for the control and poster groups, respectively. During the intervention period, inappropriate prescription rates were
53% for controls but 34% for the poster group.
“This intervention is a unique addition to interventions that have decreased inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections. Most other interventions have been focused on reminders or education
and this is a novel, low-cost approach,” said co-author
Dr. Jeffrey Linder of Brigham and Women’s Hospital
and Harvard Medical School.
“Our group is interested in testing commitment
devices in other areas of primary care where changes in
provider practices are needed,” Doctor Linder said.
While these findings are promising, they will need to
be confirmed in larger studies. This and other approaches will be needed to further reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics.
GROUND-BREAKING DISCOVERY IN DENTISTRY*
New patented treatment for receding gum line
Pinhole Surgical Technique™ Restores Smiles in One Visit
• Do you have receding gums?
• Are your teeth sensitive to hot or cold?
• Are your teeth sensitive to brushing?
• Are receding gums ruining your smile?
BEFORE
AFTER
Restore Your Beautiful Smile
New no-cut, no gum grafting technique is:
knifeless, stitch-free, and relatively pain free
Brief Procedure is
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John C. Chao, DDS, MAGD
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• Patent No. US 8.007.278.B2 • Patent No. US 8.202.092.B2
To solve your problem
using Dr. Chao’s patented technique,
Call 888-928-5905
* Published in
The International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry, October 2012.
3/2014
DINING & ENTERTAINMENT NEWS / AROUND ALHAMBRA
PAGE 11B
Dining & Entertainment | What’s Happening for Food & Fun
Bun N Burger serves many tasty
All-American, Mexican dishes
From left are Bun N Burger cooks Higuinio Morales and J.
Lauro Jimenez, and co-owners Alicia and Arturo Sanchez.
Cheese chile relleno with rice, beans, and fresh tortilla chips.
B Y S ARAH G REAR
Bun N Burger, 1000 E. Main St., Alhambra, serves
more than what the restaurant name reveals. Along with
a variety of burgers, there are tasty, homemade Mexican
dishes. The diner offers more than 80 American and
Mexican recipes at reasonable prices.
The popular menu features breakfast treats cooked to
perfection, tempting combination plates, and burgers
stacked with fresh ingredients.
“Our food is prepared in the same way we cook at
home for family,” said Bun N Burger co-owner Alicia
Sanchez.
“My personal favorite menu item is the menudo soup,”
added co-owner Arturo Sanchez.
Over the years, Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez have earned a
loyal following because they have re-created the family
atmosphere in their restaurant with their food and service. The interior walls of the restaurant are covered with
American memorabilia donated by customers.
What makes Bun N Burger different from other burger
diners is their extensive menu that includes breakfast items
like nopales (cactus strips) with eggs. Their hamburgers
are also made differently with signature recipes like the
Hawaiian Burger with grilled pineapple and teriyaki sauce.
Some seasonal items on the menu are the top sellers like
posole soup sold around Christmas time.
The family owned restaurant is 2,500 square feet. The
three employees serve the public in both English and
Spanish. Their special menu with homemade flavors has
attracted many celebrity clients including “Spanish Voice
of the Dodgers” Jaime JarrÌn, Judge Ito, and Ronan King.
Bun N Burger has been operated by Mr. and Mrs.
Sanchez along with the help of their daughters for 25
years. Arturo first learned to cook when he came from
Mexico with his family at 14 years old. His aunt owned a
restaurant in downtown L.A., and he learned from her
The Hawaiian Burger with grilled pineapple and teriyaki
sauce is one of Bun N Burger’s signature recipes.
while working at the restaurant.
Since 1949, Bun N Burger has been in operation with
very few changes to the restaurant because the community enjoys the familiarity of the restaurant remaining the
same. Mrs. Sanchez shared that when people move away
and come back for a visit, some of them cry because they
remember coming to the restaurant as a child with their
families and nothing has changed since then.
“We want to thank the community for all of the support they have given over the years,” said Mrs. Sanchez.
Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez give back to the community by
supporting the local police department, school district,
and Alhambra Library.
Stop by every Wednesday and Saturday for the “buy
one burger and the get the second one free” special after
4 p.m., with no substitutions.
Bun N Burger is open 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and from 6:30 a.m. to 7
p.m. Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. The phone number is 626-281-6777.
PAGE 12B
Alhambra rocks at Rick’s
downtown on Saturday nights
Enjoy great music every Saturday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Rick’s
Main Street Cafe’s stage, 132 W. Main St., in Downtown Alhambra,
brought to you by Marini Music and Rick’s:
March 1: The Gil Stokes Band – R&B and oldies
March 8: The Swingin’ 8 Balls – ‘50s and rock-a-billy
March 15: L.A. Undercover – ‘80s, ‘90s, and classic rock
March 22: The Blues Buzzards – R&B
March 29: The J.E.S. Band – classic rock
April 5: 2nd Time Around – oldies
For more information, contact Marini Music at 626-289-0241.
3-31-14
3/2014
Family Excursions:
Sign up for poppies, chili, kayaking
The City of Alhambra Family Excursions
program gets into high gear this month with
a short hop to Santa Monica and the latest
Cirque du Soleil spectacular: “Totem.”
Registration for the Totem excursion
ended in January, but there are plenty of
other spring excursions for families to enjoy, starting with a Saturday, April 19 trip
to the Antelope Valley to enjoy the California Poppy Reserve & Poppy Festival
from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The fee is $20. A visit
to the Poppy Festival will complete the day
with exciting performances and events and
food choices for all tastes and ages.
On the May calendar is an excursion to
old-town Temecula and the Temecula Western Days & Chili Cook Off celebration
scheduled for 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 18. Participants will enjoy skits, gunfight shows,
high-noon shootouts, western music, calf
roping lessons, pony rides and lots of western food, including chili. All ages will enjoy
this western excursion.
There will be plenty of leisure time on
June 7 to explore the beautiful La Jolla community — unmatched seaside scenery,
unique shops and boutiques, great restaurants, and, for the more adventuresome,
exploration of the Seven Caves and La Jolla
Underwater Park in single or double kayaks, led by certified tour guides. The excursion departs Alhambra at 8 a.m. and returns
at 8 p.m.
The prices vary:
• $20 for transportation, with leisure
time and no kayaking.
• $45 for transportation and single kayak
rentals, for ages 15+.
• $70 for transportation for two people
and rental of a tandem kayak, seating two
people. This choice is ideal for parent and
child. Children between the ages of 6 and
14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Kayaking is limited in number; early registration is encouraged.
The City of Alhambra Family Excursions
program provides families with unforgettable experiences throughout Southern California. Register by phone, 626-570-3242;
fax 626-284-0310; in person at the
Alhambra Park Office, 500 N. Palm Ave.;
or by mail to Community Services Dept.,
111. S. First St., Alhambra 91801.
Complete registration information and
excursion descriptions are available in the
City of Alhambra Winter/Spring 2014 Leisure Classes, Activities & Excursions Guide,
available at www.cityofalhambra.org.
Streetease presents Stilettos & Chardonnay
3-31-14
2505 W. Valley Blvd • Alhambra CA 91803
Join Us for Our Daily Specials
Monday: Fajita Night 2 for $20 • Taco Tuesday • Margarita Wednesdays
We now deliver in Alhambra from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Monday Bucket Night
4 - 10 p.m.
Happy Hour
Tues. - Fri. 4 - 7 p.m.
6 bottles imported or Domestic Beer
15% off all appetizers
$3 DRAFT BEER
15% off all appetizers
Lunch Buffet - $7.99
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Monday - Friday
Join Us for Sunday
Champagne Brunch
9 a.m. - 2 p.m. $14.99
Chonito’s Mexican Restaurant
2505 W. Valley Blvd • Alhambra CA 91803 • 626-284-8601 • http://chonitos.com/
Streetease Dance and Fitness will
present its third high heel competition,
Stilettos & Chardonnay, at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at Vino at Trio’s, 10 N.
Second St., behind Charlie’s Trio Restaurant. The event is free to the public. There
will be judges, goody bags, dancing, and a
deejay. Participants do not need to be
members of the Streetease Dance and Fit-
ness classes, but must be age 21 or over.
To compete, send an e-mail message
to [email protected] and include
name, e-mail address, and contact phone
number.
For more information, go to
www.facebook.com/streetease; www.facebook.com/
events/714344458585337; or phone 626-3100624.
3/2014
PAGE 13B
Award-winning flute, harp duo coming to Arts Center, March 22
Alison Bjorkedal
Boglarka Kiss
The Alhambra Performing Arts Center at Sage Granada Park United Methodist Church will present the Duo Ondine
at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 22, at 1850 W.
Hellman Ave., Alhambra.
Alison Bjorkedal, harp, and Boglarka
Kiss, flute, founded Duo Ondine in 2005.
Most recently, they were selected by the
Beverly Hills Auditions as one of the top
chamber groups in Los Angeles. To celebrate their 10th anniversary in 2015, they
are commissioning new works by local
composers and plan to premiere them in
the Southland.
Ms. Bjorkedal is a
freelance musician who
teaches and performs in
the Los Angeles area. She
is a member of Southwest
Chamber Music, Golden
State Pops Orchestra, and
MUSE/IQUE.
She has performed
with the San Diego Symphony, Pasadena Symphony/Pops Orchestra,
and Long Beach Symphony. She was named
“excellent player” and
“intrepid young harpist”
by the Los Angeles Times.
Award-winning flutist
Ms. Kiss is a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, and a recording artist.
After studying economics and working in a corporate setting in the U.S., she
opted for a life in music, and earned a
degree in flute performance. Since then,
her musical journey has taken her to many
unexpected places: from opera in Montana, recital appearances in Europe, to recording on many kinds of flutes for film
and album projects in L.A.’s studio scene.
She recorded her eclectic solo debut album Air in 2006.
The Alhambra Performing Arts Center, formerly The Center for the Visual &
Performing Art, is a member of the Consortium of Southern California Chamber
Music Presenters and the Alhambra
Chamber of Commerce.
Admission is free, but donations are
gratefully appreciated.
For more information, contact Bill Yee,
artistic director, at 626-230 5435, or email [email protected]. The center’s Web site
is www.cvpaministry.com.
Angeles Chorale to present
Romancing The Soul concerts
The Angeles Chorale will THE ANGELES CHORALE PRESENTS
present Romancing the Soul: An Romancing the Soul:
Intimate Evening of Johannes
An evening of choral works by
Brahms at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Johannes Brahms, featuring songs of
March 22 at Pasadena’s First nature and the heart guaranteed to stir
United Methodist Church, and at every soul, including Neue Lebesleider
4 p.m. Sunday, March 30 at Waltzes (New Love Songs) - Op. 65
and Warum ist das Licht gegben dem
Northridge United Methodist
Muhseligen – Op. 74, No. 1
Church.
7:30 p.m. Saturday, March
Over the centuries, the com22
poser Brahms has been viewed as
First United Methodist
everything from “a great friend”
Church
with “a fine gifted nature and
500 E. Colorado,
noble heart” (Clara Schumann) to
Pasadena 91101
a “giftless scoundrel” (Tchai4 p.m. Sunday, March 30
kovsky).
Northridge United
But Dr. John Sutton, artistic
Methodist Church
director of the Angeles Chorale,
9650 Reseda Blvd.,
may well be the first to describe
Northridge 91324
the composer as “a guy who looked
$25/person
like he lived in a man cave.”
$20/student at door w/ valid ID
Of course, there is an addenwww.angeleschorale.org
dum to that description. “Brahms
smoked cigars, loved to drink beer,
and had a big beard that was, let’s
just say, biblical in proportions,”
said Dr. Sutton.
“But he wrote music that is so
powerful, so personal, and so passionate that it takes your breath
away. These are works that stir
things up inside you. I can almost
guarantee you’ll get goose bumps.”
The Angeles Chorale’s “goose
bump-inducing” exploration of
Brahm’s choral works will include
Neue Lebesleider Waltzes (New
Love Songs) - Op. 65, plus a work
hailed by Sutton as “monumental”
– Warum ist das Licht gegben dem
Muhseligen - Op. 74, No. 1.
Also on the program are:
Waldesnacht - Op. 62, No. 3; Der
Gang Zum Liebchen - Op. 31,
No. 3; Abendlied - Op. 92, No. 3;
Neckereien - Op. 31, No. 2; In
Stiller Nacht – Op. 34, No. 8; O
Schone Nacht - Op. 92, No. 1 and
Nachtwache - Op. 104, No. 2.
To purchase tickets or learn more
about the Angeles Chorale, visit Web
site www.angeleschorale.org or phone
818-591-1735.
• CLIP THIS AD AND SAVE 10% AT ALONDRA HOT WINGS • PAGE 14B
Live Theater
Mosaic Lizard Theater
presents
“The Road to RMI”
a drama by
James Golden and
Jay Parker
March 14-March 30
Fridays & Saturdays 8 pm
Sundays 2 pm
$15/$12 (Students & Seniors)
Mosaic Lizard Theater
112 W. Main St.
Alhambra, CA
(626) 202-2859
www.lizardtheater.com
Cameron Parker
Lana Boren
Zack Guzman
Jordan Don
Davis Villa
Sophia Nguyen
Jay Parker
3/2014
Mosaic Lizard Theater to
present The Road to RMI
The Mosaic Lizard Theater, 112 W. Main St., is
Alhambra’s own center for live entertainment, offering a variety of presentations that Lizard organizers say may “make you want to laugh, say ‘o-oh,’ say ‘a-h-h,’ or perhaps shed a little tear.”
The Theater’s March production is The Road to
RMI, by James Golden and Jay Parker, which premiered in Studio City, and now makes its way to
Alhambra.
The story revolves around an alcoholic doctor
and his troubled teen-age son and the son’s struggle
to find self-worth despite his father’s continued
downward spiral. This play has mature themes and
language.
The Road to RMI opens on Friday, March 14
and plays three weekends at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays. It closes on March
30.
General admission is $15. Students and seniors
pay just $12. Mosaic Lizard Theater information
is available at www.lizardtheater.com.
For reservations, phone 626-202-2859.
Hollywood Master Chorale presents
second annual Masterworks in March:
An Afternoon with Antonin Dvorak
The Hollywood Master Chorale will present its
second annual Masterworks in March concert, An
Afternoon with Antonin Dvorak, on Sunday,
March 16, at 4 p.m. at Hollywood Lutheran
Church.
“Last year we featured the music of Mozart,”
said Lauren Buckley, artistic director of the HMC.
“So I thought I would pick a composer that most
people have heard of but few people actually know.”
This sense of discovery is given further voice in
the concert’s programming. The Chorale will perform Dvorak’s Te Deum, written in 1892 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the discovery
of America.
Dvorak arrived in the U.S. that same year, to
take on duties as the director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York City.
“What’s not to love about the Te Deum?” asked
Buckley with a smile. “It gets off to a boisterous
start, with the chorus singing what sounds like a
bell chorus. I can picture enormous church bells
ringing from one end of town to the other. The Te
Deum is dense and dramatic, especially for the soloists. At times the chorus leads the way. At other
times, the chorus provides a backdrop for the soloists.”
Soloists who will join the Hollywood Master
Chorale for this performance of Dvorak’s Te Deum
are soprano Gabrielle Mandel and baritone Brett
McDermid.
Additionally HMC will perform Dvorak’s Mass
in D Major, Op. 86. Composed in 1887 for the
consecration of a new chapel for the Czech Academy of Sciences, Dvorak viewed the Mass as one of
his most intimate and spiritual works.
The Mass is often performed with orchestra – a
version Dvorak created several years after its premiere. HMC, however, will perform the original,
more intimate composition, written for organ, a
quartet and chorus.
“Being an organist himself, Dvorak excelled at
HOLLYWOOD MASTER CHORALE presents
Masterworks in March
An Afternoon with Antonin Dvorak
Mass in D Major, Op. 86
Te Deum written to celebrate the 400th
anniversary of the discovery of America
4 p.m. Sunday, March 16
Hollywood Lutheran Church
1733 N. New Hampshire Ave.
Los Angeles 90027
$20/person, $15/students and seniors
www.HollywoodMasterChorale.org
323-960-4349
writing for organ and chorus, so I was excited to
program the original version,” Buckley said. “Also
I’ve always loved the drama and passion in Dvorak’s
music and, as a singer myself, I fell in love with his
Mass in D Major for the sheer ‘sing-ability’ of its
lines. Throughout the rehearsal process, I’ve been
singing along with every section at different times
during the Mass simply because I couldn’t help
myself.”
In fact, Dvorak’s presence will continue to be
felt at the Chorale’s next concert in May. Entitled
Voices of Freedom, the performance will showcase
works that were inspired by spirituals and other
African American music. It was Dvorak’s student
at the National Conservatory, Harry T. Burleigh,
who later became one of the most celebrated composers and arrangers of this music.
“America has often been called a melting pot,”
said Buckley. “But America is a musical melting
pot as well. Dvorak was Czech, yes. But he is also
such an important contributor to the sound of
American music.”
Tickets for Masterworks in March are available for
$20/person, $15 for students and seniors. To purchase
tickets, visit www.HollywoodMasterChorale.org or phone
323-960-4349. Hollywood Lutheran Church is located at
1733 N. New Hampshire Avenue in Los Angeles, 90027.
Diner on Main
Breakfast Specials • 7-11 a.m. • Mon.-Fri. • Only $6.50
Join us on St. Patrick’s Day, Monday, March 17, for a
‘made-from-scratch’
Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner
$13.25 includes soup or salad
Classic Car Night is Back • Wednesday, March 19
Starting at 5 p.m. Come view the Classics and stay for Dinner
Question? Call John at 626-483-9522
3/2014
PAGE 15B
Two for the Show
M OVIE R EVIEWS B Y M ICHAEL C ARVAINES
Now delighting movie goers are
The Lego Movie,The Monuments Men
Two early hits of 2014 are now playing
in theaters: The Lego Movie and The Monuments Men. For the kids, The Lego Movie is
filled with creative animation and non-stop
jokes. For the slightly older, The Monuments
Men is loaded with movie stars and an important lesson in World War II history.
The first-ever movie starring Legos® is
an old fashioned adventure about an ordinary builder Lego named Emmet caught
up in amazing life or death circumstances.
It’s basically an easier to follow version of
The Matrix, with a plot involving a diabolical plan for world domination by Lord
Business (voice by Will Ferrell).
The fun is highlighted by cameo appearances from just about every pop culture
icon represented in the Lego world. This
includes Batman (voiced hilariously by Will
Arnett), Wonder Woman, and President
Abraham Lincoln.
Only Emmet and his friends can save
the Lego universe as the story reveals twists
and turns that will entertain audiences of
all ages. The 3D animation is wild, and the
action races from start to finish. The jokes
come so fast that audiences are likely to miss
many from laughing too hard. This is a
movie that will likely get funnier the more
times it’s seen.
The Monuments Men is the true story of
the Americans sent to Western Europe to
recover the priceless art treasures looted by
Nazi Germany.
A team of seven soldiers and art historians are recruited by President Roosevelt and
dispatched behind enemy lines to risk their
lives for the sake of art. As the war turns
more destructive, The Monuments Men (as
they call themselves) fight for their own
survival as well as the art — representing
more than 1000 years of irreplaceable culture.
This story has been told before, most
recently in the excellent 2006 documentary The Rape of Europa. It was also dramatized in John Frankenheimer’s 1964 film
The Train, starring Burt Lancaster and Paul
Scofield. But this is a modern take, with
George Clooney serving as both co-writer
and director. His approach is more influenced by Ocean’s 11, as he attempts to balance the intense backdrop with moments
of humor.
Mr. Clooney is once again teamed with
Matt Damon and a top-notch cast of international actors that includes Bill Murray,
John Goodman, and Cate Blanchett as a
French Resistance fighter. They provide
some wonderful personal touches to the art
history lessons. Overall, it’s a fascinating
story about an important time in history.
Credit goes to Mr. Clooney for making sure
this story remains fresh and vibrant for a
new generation.
Alhambra resident Michael Carvaines
writes the online movie blog “Spectacle And
Truth” which can be found at
www.spectacleandtruth.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MicarPro
For a current movie list for Edwards
Theatre, go to fandango.com, and type in
alhambra, ca.
Family Ties
Seasonal events for the whole family
Thursday, March 13 – Covered California Healthcare Information Seminar
& Enrollment Event – 6 p.m.-9 p.m. State
Senator Dr. Ed Hernandez, chairman of the
Senate Health Committee, will talk about
the Affordable Health Care Act, Covered
California, and answer questions. Sponsored by the Alhambra Unified School District. Location: Mark Keppel High School
Auditorium, 501 E. Hellman Ave.,
Alhambra 91801.
Sunday, March 16 – Farmer’s Market
Craft Event – 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Children will
learn to craft a Lucky Wooden Paddleball
Game just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.
There is a limit of one craft per child, and
all crafts are distributed on a first-come,
first-served basis. All crafts and supplies are
free of charge. Event coincides with the
weekly market, which features fresh, California-grown fruit and produce (market
hours: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.). Location:
Monterey and Bay State streets (one block
east of Garfield, a half block south of Main)
Monday, March 17 – Fifth Annual
Downtown Alhambra St. Patrick’s Day
Pub Crawl – Get ready for some fun and
meet fellow Alhambrans. Participants will
walk from pub to pub following a bagpipe
player. The group will meet at 6:30 p.m. at
the Renaissance Plaza at the northeast corner of Garfield and Main. For more inforwww.facebook.com/
mation,
visit
DowntownAlhambra.
Saturday, March 29 – 10th Annual
AEF Service to Education Awards Dinner & Gala – 6 p.m.-11 p.m. Mark the
calendar for this annual fundraising event
that will include an awards dinner and gala,
dance, and silent and live auctions. Dancing will be to Hard Rain featuring Dave
Batti. Last year’s event was attended by
more than 500 parents, business leaders,
and community members. Location:
Hilton Los Angeles/San Gabriel, 225 W.
Valley Blvd., San Gabriel 91776. For more
information, visit http://aef4kids.com/events.
March 29-April 20 – Sparky! Solo Exhibition & Book Signing with Chris
Appelhans – An upcoming exhibition at
Nucleus Art Gallery, 210 E. Main St.,
Alhambra 91801. For more information,
phone 626-458-7477, or visit
www.gallerynucleus.com.
Thursday, April 3 – Alhambra Police
Department C.A.M.P. Golf Tournament
– 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Event raises funds to send
underprivileged children to their first
mountain camp experience. The four-person team scramble format tournament will
begin at noon (check-in at 11 a.m.). An
awards dinner follows at 5:30 p.m. at
Almansor Court. Entry fee is $125, and
includes fees, golf cart, lunch (from In-NOut), awards ceremony, and dinner. View
the City’s Web site for flyer/application.
Location: Almansor Golf Course, 630 S.
Almansor St., Alhambra 91801.
BUY ANY ENTREE & GET ONE FREE
with the purchase of two beverages
second entree must be equal or lesser value up to $9.00
This offer limited to one person per group, party or table seating, regardless of separate checks.
Not valid on holidays. Offer valid when presented with this ad coupon. Special offer valid only at
Always
Open
369 Main St. Alhambra
Phone 626-281-6701
Banquet
Room
Available
Not valid with 2-4-6-8 Value Menu or Complete Skillet Meals or any other offer or discount. Offer expires 3-31-2014.
KIDS EAT FREE MON. – FRI. 4 PM – 10 PM (see store for detail)
PAGE 16B
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS / AROUND ALHAMBRA
3/2014
Automotive News | Auto Dealers, Repairs, Services
Year of the Horse specials, promotions
now available in the heart of Alhambra
Alhambra’s Auto Row News
Alhambra’s auto companies and
dealerships are celebrating the Lunar New
Year. They offer low price guarantees on
all major brands of tires and safety ratings
that will make the whole family happy.
Be sure to support local auto dealers and
repair shops.
Goudy Honda announced the 2014
Honda Odyssey minivan earned the top
five-star overall safety rating from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Odyssey received five stars
in front and side impact tests and four stars
in the rollover crash test.
1400 W. Main St. • Alhambra 91801
626-576-1114 • www.goudyhonda.com
Mazda of Alhambra celebrates the
Year of the Horse with low APR rates on
the brand new 2014 Mazda3 and special
lease prices.
Mazda is offering specials on service,
The Bob Wondries Ford team has great tire deals in Alhambra. Wondries offers 13 major tire
brands for all makes and models, and they are offering a low price guarantee that can’t be
beat. In photo above, from left are service advisers Ben Aguirre and Mandy Russell, Parts
and Service Director David Stewart, and service adviser Thomas Moncayo.
parts, and accessories for Mazdas. Please
visit them at:
1200 W. Main St. • Alhambra 91801
626-576-2800 • www.mazdaofalhambra.com
Wondries Family Collision Center is
offering discounts for a three to five day
car rental with any body repair over a certain amount. Customers can get more details and take advantage of this promotion by visiting the Web site, phoning
Wondries directly for more details, or
stopping by for a visit.
328 S. Marengo Ave. • Alhambra 91803
626-414-1926 • www. wondriescollisioncenter.com
Bob Wondries Ford is the secret to
buying tires in Alhambra. Wondries offers 13 major tire brands for all makes and
models, and they are offering a low price
guarantee that can’t be beat.
400 S. Atlantic Blvd. • Alhambra 91801
626-289-3591• www.bobwondriesford.com
The 2014 Ford C-MAX Hybrid is upgraded with new transmission gearing and enhanced
aerodynamics. See it at 400 S. Atlantic Blvd., Alhambra. Phone 626-289-3591 or check
the Web site at www.bobwondriesford.com.
HOME OF GREAT LEASE VALUES
LUCK O’ THE IRISH SPECIALS FOR MARCH
Bob Wondries Ford
400 S. Atlantic Blvd.
Alhambra
626.289.3591
AUTHORIZED FORD-LINCOLN-MERCURY REPAIR AND PARTS FACILITY SERVICE DEPT.
SALES, PARTS and SERVICE
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
400 S. Atlantic Blvd. • Alhambra
866-377-1807
All advertised prices are in addition to government fees and taxes, and finance charges, any dealer document preparation charge and any emission testing charges. On approved credit.
Photos for illustration purposes only. All prices in this ad expire 3-31-14.
3/2014
PAGE 17B
Wondries is a direct repair facility for most major insurance companies,
moving forward
Gas Misers for the 21st Century
Wondries Family Collision Center Business Manager Kathryn Merical, in front. Wondries
has 48 employees who serve the public in English, Vietnamese, Chinese, Spanish, and Armenian.
Wondries Family Collision Center
has been Alhambra’s direct repair
facility for more than 50 years
Wondries Family Collision Center repairs an average of 400 cars a month in a
state-of-the-art auto body shop in
Alhambra. The center offers complete
auto body repair and painting while accepting most major providers of auto insurance.
“Our skilled technicians can repair
damage to your car quickly and with close
attention to detail,” said General Manager
Jay Kirschner. “Because we are a direct
repair facility for most major insurance
companies, we are able to get our customers back on the road as soon as possible.”
Some of the direct repair insurance
companies include Allstate, Farmers, State
Farm, 21st Century, and Mercury. What
that means is customers can come directly
to Wondries and get an estimate for their
car without having to wait for the insurance company to visit their home.
Customers also benefit from not having to wait for the insurance to clear the
repairs. Wondries handles the estimation
process, and that is how they can serve a
large volume of vehicles.
As a Toyota and Ford certified repair
center, Wondries stands apart from other
collision centers. They have a direct parts
channel to those dealerships, so wait time
on parts is minimized for customers. In
addition, each Wondries employee in the
office is I-CAR Gold Class accredited,
which is an expensive and arduous accreditation to maintain.
Wondries has 48 employees who serve
the public in English, Vietnamese, Chinese, Spanish, and Armenian.
Wondries Collision Center has been
family owned since 1946. Ten years ago,
Wondries built the Collision Center next
to the Home Depot on Marengo.
“Wondries cares about quality and pays
attention to detail,” said Mr. Kirschner.
“That’s why we maintain our certifications
and offer lifetime warrantees on all of our
body repair work.”
Wondries Family Collision Center also
gives back to the community. Wondries
is an Alhambra Chamber member, Mr.
Kirschner is a member of the Alhambra
Rotary, and Wondries supports the YMCA
of West San Gabriel Valley.
Wondries is offering discounts for a
three- to five-day car rental with any body
repair over a certain amount. Customers
can get more details and take advantage
of this promotion by visiting the Web site,
phoning Wondries directly for more de-
Some of the direct
repair insurance
companies include
Allstate, Farmers,
State Farm, 21st
Century, and
Mercury.
tails, or stopping by for a visit.
Wondries Family Collision Center is located at 328 S. Marengo Ave., Alhambra.
The phone number is 626-414-1926. The
center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, and closed Sundays. The Web site is
www.wondriescollisioncenter.com. “Like”
Wondries’ fan page on Facebook.
Estimated mpg:
53 city / 46 highway
Starting MSRP at $18,950
SCION IQ
iQ THEREFORE i AM
Estimated mpg:
36 city / 37 highway
Starting MSRP
$15,995
Don’t let size fool you, this little car is loaded with big features,
all within a modern, intelligent design.
Wondries Toyota/Scion
1543 W. Main St. • Alhambra
626.289.8000
visit our Web site:
www.wondriestoyota.com
Get complimentary Toyota Care
when you buy or lease a new Toyota
PAGE 18B
3/2014
Monthly classic car shows begin March 19
Third Wednesdays through September
The 2014 Summer Series Classic Car Cruz and Vintage Rides car shows
will be presented from 5 p.m. to dark every third Wednesday, beginning
March 19, at the Diner On Main restaurant, 201 W. Main St., Alhambra.
The shows will continue through September.
The event is free to all spectators and show car participants.
“Come out to see and enjoy all makes and models of cool cars from the
past,” said John Chappell, president of the hosting Undertakers Car Club
of Southern California, San Gabriel Valley Chapter.
All pre-1975 vehicles are invited: hot rods, customs, muscle cars, modified trucks, custom motorcycles, rat rods, tractors, and fire trucks.
If it’s old and you love it, bring it out and show it off at these great
Downtown Alhambra monthly family events,” said Mr. Chappell.
For car show information, contact Mr. Chappell at 626-483-9522.
3/2014
AUTOMOTIVE
NEWS
PAGE
19B/ AROUND ALHAMBRA
Classic Car Shows a California tradition;
bring the family, see what’s new about old
PAGE 19B
PAGE 20B
3/2014
4 Wheel Computerized Wheel Alignment & Suspension Repair
First of its kind 3-motor hybrid all-wheel-drive system in Acura RLX Sport Hybrid enhances
power, handling and fuel efficiency for a new driving experience
Acura Sport Hybrid SH-AWD chosen as
finalist for Green Car Technology Award
Acura’s pioneering Sport Hybrid SuperHandling All-Wheel Drive (Sport Hybrid
SH-AWD) system was chosen as a finalist
for Green Car Journal’s 2014 Green Car
Technology Award, to be awarded at the
Washington Auto Show in Washington,
D.C.
The award considers technologies that
enable significantly improved environmental performance. The 2014 Acura
RLX Sport Hybrid, launching in spring
of 2014, is the first Acura vehicle to use
this groundbreaking new technology that
delivers exhilarating performance with
class-leading fuel economy ratings via its
three-motor hybrid system with unique
electric motor-powered torque-vectoring
capability.
The RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system uses three electric motors. In front,
there is a single 35-kilowatt (47 horsepower) motor-generator integrated with
the 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission
that boosts engine performance and helps
recharge the vehicle’s lithium-ion battery
pack via regenerative braking and enginepowered electricity generation. In the rear,
A
there is a Twin Motor Unit (TMU) containing two 27-kilowatt (36 horsepower)
electric motors that dynamically distribute electric-motor torque to the rear
wheels, providing both positive and negative (regenerative braking) torque to aid
performance and handling.
Mated to an advanced, lightweight and
low-friction direct-injected V-6 engine,
the Sport Hybrid SH-AWD in the Acura
RLX Sport Hybrid combines V8-like performance with 4-cylinder-level fuel efficiency and exhilarating “on the rails” handling performance like no other vehicle
in its class. The efficient, compact system
helps the Acura RLX Sport Hybrid achieve
the most spacious five-passenger seating
in its class while also garnering a top-inclass EPA fuel-economy rating of 28/32/
30 mpg (city/highway/combined).
The RLX also makes extensive use of
advanced materials, including aluminum
and high-strength steel, to minimize vehicle weight while increasing body stiffness and rigidity. High-strength steels
comprise 55% of the body with ultra-high
strength steel used in key areas.
Open 7 days a week
626-282-5666
A lhambra
CAR
WASH
ATLANTIC and MAIN
Full Service Polish Dept.
$
10.95
FULL SERVICE
WASH
$
2 OFF
ANY CAR WASH
PACKAGE
Alhambra Car Wash
704 W. Main Street, Alhambra, CA 91801
REAL ESTATE & FINANCIAL NEWS / AROUND ALHAMBRA
2/2014
Real Estate News
PAGE 21B
| Residential, Commercial, Loans
Home sellers more confident; most turn around and buy again
B Y L EE L IEBERG
According to the California Association of Realtors more than two-thirds
of the 2013 home sellers bought another
home.
Over the past year, 69% of sellers
bought another home, substantially up
from 2011 when only 12% of sellers
turned around and bought another
home.
It was quite a different market in
2011 when home values were low and
most sellers were forced to sell. The main
reasons for selling were because a loss of
equity in the home or financial hardship, both of which made purchasing
another home extremely difficult.
At the same time, because both prices
and interest rates were low, mortgage
payments were low.
In fact, mortgage payments were
lower than rents for comparable homes
making the California real estate market the most affordable since they be-
the seller thought the timing was right,
they wanted to buy before interest rates
go up, or they had been holding off
making a change to either a larger home
or relocate to a less expensive area and
felt they had maxed out their previous
home.
Some of these trends in the real estate market are good and some are not.
Among the positive signs are a return of
the trade up home buyer, higher confidence in real estate, and sellers who were
selling by choice not out of necessity.
Phone Lee Lieberg at 626-826-1120
or e-mail [email protected].
gan tracking home affordability.
Fast forward two years to 2013, home
prices had increased sharply and sellers
had more equity in their homes. The
reasons for selling were normally because
JANUARY TRANSACTION SUMMARY
January 2014
January 2013
Listed 2/15
# Homes
Sold
12
17
Homes
36
Median
Price
542,000
440,000
Condos
27
# Condos
Sold
3
14
Median
Price
423,000
370,000
*Data was obtained from Multi-Regional MLS Alliance and deemed to be reliable.
Lee Lieberg can be reached at 626-826-1120 or [email protected]
Though the downside of the recent
trends is that as prices have risen the
affordability index has plummeted. It is
now more expensive to buy than to rent
(not unusual in Southern California),
and to buy the median priced home in
Alhambra of $542,000 a standard buyer
putting 20% down would need an income of nearly $125,000.
All said, the return of sellers turning
around to buy again indicates a much
more stable real estate market in
Alhambra as well as the region.
PAGE 22B
2/2014
Jim Morrison, The Doors, and Cal State Los Angeles
C ONTINUED
FROM P AGE 1B
The group’s name was taken from Aldus Huxley’s book,
Doors of Perception.
And the locality around Alhambra, via the courtesy of
California State University Los Angeles, carved out a small
niche of music history when The Doors played Cal State
following the “Summer of Love” in 1967.
As The Doors worked their way through 1967, they
had become one of music’s most influential and controversial groups. They had a number one hit song with Light
My Fire, two top selling albums with Electra Records, and
a lead singer in Jim Morrison, who potentially could steal
a show anytime with his
on-stage antics.
On the Sunday
evening of Oct. 8, 1967,
the Kappa Sigma fraternity of Cal State Los Angeles sponsored a concert
in the Cal State’s men’s
gym to raise funds for the
school’s athletic department. Headlining the
event where The Doors.
Opening the show were
Jim Morrison
The Nitty Gritty Dirt
Band and The Sunshine Company.
“Jim Morrison, the wiry, screaming lead singer of the
group, provided an exaggeration of Mick Jagger that would
make Elvis Presley’s old gyrations look like those of an old
lady,” wrote Janice Somple in the Cal State student newspaper, College Times, Oct.11, 1967.
The Doors performed Break on Through, People Are
Strange, and Light My Fire in front of a near capacity crowd
in the men’s gym. The crowd’s reaction was spirited and
warm. The show was emceed by KRLA’s Dave Hull and
by the end of the concert, security kept “overly enthusias-
Understanding
Real Estate
Gary Frueholz
D ILBECK R EAL E STATE
626-318-9436
Gary Frueholz is a Realtor with Dilbeck Real
Estate, a past member of the Alhambra Planning Commission, and a certified Senior
Real Estate Specialist. Mr. Frueholz can be
reached at 626-318-9436 or by e-mail at
[email protected]. To see all of Gary’s articles on Alhambra, visit www.garysstories.com.
Above, Ray Manzarek, on keyboard with Jim
Morrison singing at the October 8, 1967, concert
at Cal State L.A. Photo by Daniel Sugerman,
Doors Library..
Gary Frueholz
tic fans from mobbing the stage” according to Somple
(Courtesy Cal State L.A.’s Special Collections).
Janice Somple went on to describe Morrison as a “long
curly-haired creature clad in black leather trousers and
jacket, (who) provided more show than music.”
For a student organized concert to present a group with
the marquee stature of The Doors was truly impressive.
Morrison himself had taken undergraduate classes at Cal
State Long Beach and perhaps felt an affinity to the Cal
State system.
The group was rounded out with Robby Krieger playing the guitar and John Densmore on the drums.
Keyboardist Ray Manzarek and Morrison had met at
UCLA’s film school and after graduation started the group.
Morrison wrote many of the songs and truly was a cultural artist and poet.
The Doors would have 44 albums produced of their
music (1967-2010), play the Ed Sullivan Show, and be
inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
Jim Morrison’s father was Rear Admiral George S.
Morrison. Admiral Morrison was captain of the USS Bon
Homme Richard, which was an Essex-class aircraft carrier
during the 1960s. Also, the Admiral was the commander
of United States Naval forces during the Gulf of Tonkin
Incident in 1964, which greatly increased our country’s
involvement in Vietnam.
Huxley’s Doors of Perception promoted the notion of
gaining a more meaningful perception of reality through
the use of psychedelic drugs. And here Huxley’s message
and Morrison’s darker side merged.
Huxley’s door of perception did not lead Morrison to a
more acute view of reality, but rather to a heroin overdose
that killed him in Paris at the age of 27 in 1971.
The Doors would perform a few more years without
Jim Morrison, but it was never the same and the group
disbanded in 1974. But Cal State University Los Angeles
gained a small portion of pop notoriety by having one of
America’s top cultural music groups entertain in its men’s
gym to help raise funds for the school’s athletic department back in 1967.
Special thanks to Margie Low and California State University Los Angeles’s Special Collections for their contributions
to this story.
Real estate market changes mean you
may now have equity in your home
B Y R UDY L IRA K USUMA , R EALTOR ®
Think you can’t sell your house? Think again.
You may now have equity in your home.
The reason is simple: Prices have increased
dramatically. Many homeowners may not realize it, considering how far the real estate market
fell when the housing bubble burst, but in the
past 12 months, prices have actually rebounded
at a fairly remarkable pace.
In fact, according to the Case-Shiller Home
Price Index (a composite of prices in 20 major
metropolitan area), prices rose 11.8% in February
2014. This is the biggest yearly increase in prices
since November of 2005, when the market was almost at its peak. The result is that people are lining
up to buy homes in today’s market.
Why have prices increased so quickly?
Fewer homeowners are in danger of losing their
homes. When the housing crisis hit, the result was
that millions of people found themselves in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. The struggling economy created financial hardships for
homeowners, and many needed to sell their home
SOLD!
Mortgage & Finance
Rudy L. Kusuma, licensed real estate broker,
specializes in complex transactions
representing property owners in disposition of
real estate. He has significant experience in
pre-foreclosure sales, short sales, divorce
sales, trusts, and probate. Phone him at 626780-2221 or visit his Web site at
www.TeamNuVision.net. DRE# 01820322
as a result. However, because home values dropped
so precipitously, they owed more on their mortgages than the homes were worth.
These homeowners are called “distressed”
homeowners, and in recent years they’ve numbered
in the millions. Today, however, these distressed
homeowners may find themselves in a much better position. According to the National Association of REALTORS, distressed home sales are at
their lowest point since 2008.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
SOLD!
SOLD!
Elegant!
2477 Paloma Street, Pasadena:
Beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home
w/ hardwood floors and large backyard
located in popular Pasadena
neighborhood.
Gary Frueholz
3911 Randolph Avenue, Los
Angeles: 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom
strategically located rental home with
a view.
Go to www.garysstories.com for
Gary’s stories on Alhambra.
842 Oneonta Dr., South Pasadena.
2 bedrooms, 1 bath, Beautiful and stylish
Mid-Century Modern home located on a
quiet hillside. Impressive beamed ceiling,
elegant stainless steel kitchen appliances
(Viking stove) and open floor plan creates
feeling of space and con-nection to
wonderful outdoor setting. So. Pasadena
schools.
Call Gary for a
free market
evaluation
of your home!
Email: [email protected] • Web: http://gary.frueholz.dilbeck.com
DILBECK REAL ESTATE • GARY FRUEHOLZ • (626) 318-9436
• Para servicio en Español llame a Maria Frueholz • (626) 318-8095
SOLD!
282-6121
SOLD!
674-1351
DRE# 00465088
2/2014
Inflation doesn’t retire when you do
The need to outpace inflation doesn’t end at retirement; in fact, it becomes even more important.
If you’re living on a fixed income, you need to make
sure your investing strategy takes inflation into account.
Otherwise, you may have less buying power in
the later years of your retirement because your income doesn’t stretch as far.Your savings may need
to last longer than you thinkGains in life expectancy have been dramatic.
According to the National Center for Health
Statistics,, people today can expect to live more than
30 years longer than they did a century ago. Individuals who reached age 65 in 1950 could expect
to live an average of 14 years more, to age 79; now
a 65-year-old might expect to live for roughly an
additional 19 years.
Assuming inflation continues to increase over
that time, the income you’ll need will continue to
grow each year. That means you’ll need to think
carefully about how to structure your portfolio to
provide an appropriate withdrawal rate, especially
in the early years of retirement.
Adjusting withdrawals for inflationInflation is
the reason that the rate at which you take money
out of your portfolio is so important. A simple example illustrates the problem. If a $1 million portfolio is invested in an account that yields 5%, it
provides $50,000 of annual income. But if annual
inflation runs at a 3% rate, then more income –
$51,500 – would be needed the next year to preserve purchasing power.
Since the account provides only $50,000 of income, $1,500 must also be withdrawn from the
principal to meet retirement expenses. That principal reduction, in turn, reduces the portfolio’s ability to produce income the following year.
In a straight linear model, the principal reductions accelerate, ultimately resulting in a zero portfolio balance after 25 to 27 years, depending on
the timing of the withdrawals.
A seminal study on withdrawal rates for tax-deferred retirement accounts (William P. Bengen,
“Determining Withdrawal Rates Using Historical
Data,” Journal of Financial Planning, October
1994), using balanced portfolios of large-cap equities and bonds, found that a withdrawal rate of a
bit over 4% would provide inflation-adjusted income (over historical scenarios) for at least 30 years.
More recently, Bengen showed that it is possible
to set a higher initial withdrawal rate (closer to 5%)
during early active retirement years if withdrawals
in later retirement years grow more slowly than
inflation.
PAGE 23B
Wall Street On
Main Street
Cesar Franco is an independent financial
adviser with Royal Alliance Assoc., Inc.
Contact him at 113 W. Main St. #228,
Alhambra 91801, 626-588-2417, or
[email protected].
Securities offered through Cesar Franco, an independent registered representative of Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. NWF Advisory is not affiliated with Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. or registered as a broker-dealer or investment adviser. Article Prepared by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions,
Inc. Copyright 2014.
Income needs rise with inflation
Invest some money for growth
Some retirees put all their investments into
bonds when they retire, only to find that doing so
doesn’t account for the impact of inflation. If you’re
fairly certain that your planned withdrawal rate will
leave you with a comfortable financial cushion and
it’s unlikely you’ll spend down your entire nest egg
in retirement, congratulations.
However, if you want to try to help your income – no matter how large or small – at least keep
up with inflation, consider including a growth component in your portfolio.
Kusuma —
Real estate market changes mean homes have equity
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Investors buying all homes they can
Investors know that the fundamental
rule to successful investing is simple: Buy
something for less than what you can sell
it for down the road. This is certainly true
of real estate investing, and the decline in
housing prices at the height of the housing crisis has resulted in investors coming
out in droves and buying all the properties they can get their hands on.
And it isn’t just individual investors
who are buying one or two properties.
Large investment firms and hedge funds
are buying up huge swaths of properties
to take advantage of an unprecedented
opportunity. Their intention is to rent out
the properties to generate cash flow for
themselves, but the result is that large
quantities of these homes have been
bought up by these investment firms, taking them off the market in bulk.
There have been fewer homes built in
the past five years than at any time in the
past 50 years
Generally speaking, the real estate market needs about six months of inventory
in order to keep up with normal supply and demand. This
means there should be enough homes for sale that it would
take six months to sell them all.
In today’s market, there is significantly
less inventory than that. In fact, nationally
there is about 4.7 months of inventory
ING
available. This number doesn’t tell the
IST
L
D
whole story, however. In some metropoliURE
T
A
tan areas, there is less than a month’s worth FE
of inventory. There are even some cities that
only have a few days of inventory for sale.
At the same time, more people want to
buy homes today than at any time in the
past five or six years. Interest rates are at
$779,000 | Silverlake
near record lows, and a new generation of
910 N. Benton Way, Los Angeles 90026
homeowners is trying to buy their first
3BD / 2BA • Completely redone
home.
The result is a simple supply and demand issue. There are fewer homes to sell
and more people who want to buy them.
4BD/3BA
Make no mistake about it, today’s market
is a seller’s market and people who sell their
Approx. List price: $1.3 Million
home today are in the strongest bargaining position in years.
NORTH SAN DIMAS
433 W. 3rd St., San Dimas, CA 91773
If you are thinking of selling, phone me
4BD/3BA; 2 story Craftsman
direct at 626-780-2221 or, online at
Vintage with Modern Touches
www.MyGuaranteedProgram.com.
Approx. List price: $549,000
WINNETKA
8009 Lurline Ave., L.A. 91306
3BD/2BA • Great starter home
EL SERENO
4284 W. Rose Hill Rd.,90032
2BD/1BA; Views Galore!
Great starter home
PAGE 24B
AROUND ALHAMBRA
12/2013

March 2014 Section B

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