November 2015 Section A - Alhambra Chamber of Commerce

Transcription

11/2015
About 35 people attended the Chamber’s free monthly Coffee Talk
to get to know each other and promote their businesses. Big T Mini
Mart hosted the event.
Chamber introduces
new morning networking
event, Coffee Talk
T
he Alhambra Chamber’s first morning
networking
event,
Coffee Talk, took place Oct.
8. About 35 people attended
the free monthly gathering to
get to know each other and
promote their businesses.
“This is a morning event
for people who can’t attend the
Chamber’s evening mixers,”
said Nickie Chan, Ambassador
committee president. “Everyone has a chance to introduce
their business and get to know
fellow business members. It
is an hour of networking that
otherwise might not be available to everyone.”
The Coffee Talks are offered
from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
the second Thursdays of each
month.
Blaze Pizza, 100 E. Main St.,
No. 160, Alhambra, will host
the event on Thursday, Nov. 12.
The December event will
take place Dec. 10 at Cokreeate, 410 W. Main St., Unit 221,
Alhambra.
CITY NEWS
PAGE 2A
CHAMBER NEWS
PAGE 15A
COMMUNITY NEWS
PAGE 18A
ACADEMIC NEWS
PAGE 25A
Now open in time for the holidays: Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza, the Habit Burger Grill, and Burlington Stores.
Alhambra Place
opens for business
The Habit, Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza, Burlington Stores, and Bank of the West host early openings
W
ork is nearly complete on the retail
portion of Alhambra Place, while construction of
the residential units and parking
structure are showing strong
signs of progress. To everyone’s
amazement, The Habit Burger
Grill; Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza;
Burlington Stores; and Bank
of the West, a former tenant,
sprinted to the finish line with
early openings and are already
serving customers.
The Habit Team opened its
operation with a community
fundraising event on Sept. 28
by donating 100% of its lunchtime proceeds to the Alhambra
Police Foundation. The strong
community support and a great
>> see ALHAMBRA PLACE Page 8A
San Gabriel High School teacher
Joan Lee awarded Teacher of the Year
T
he Los Angeles County Office of Education recently announced the winners of
the Teacher of the Year selections from
school districts throughout the county, and the
Alhambra Unified School District honor was
awarded to Joan Lee, an English/International
Business teacher at San Gabriel High School, for
teaching excellence and exemplary professional-
ism in public education.
Teachers of the Year are educators who have
shown dedication, compelling classroom practices,
and positive accomplishments and professional
commitment, elements demonstrated by Ms. Lee
as she strives to help each student find his or her
passion, which she believes is the key to a student’s
successful start on a meaningful life journey.
Set clocks back one hour
Day Light Saving Time ends
Nov. 1 at 2 am
It’s time for Alhambrans to set their clocks back one hour.
Remember to set the clock back an hour on
Saturday, Oct. 31 before going to bed.
Day Light Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.
2A
How to Contact
Your Representatives
CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS
626-570-5010
Mayor Luis Ayala
Vice Mayor Barbara Messina
Councilmember Dr. Steven Placido
Councilmember Stephen Sham
Councilmember Gary Yamauchi
CITY NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA11/2015
Mayor’s Corner
BY MAYOR LUIS AYALA
In the United States, September is
recognized as Latino Heritage Month. So
I thought it appropriate to comment on
a current issue impacting Latinos as well
as non-Latinos in our Nation and our
community today! The 2016 Presidential
Election!
The presidential candidates have
generated considerable media coverage
the past couple of months. With only a
short break during the Pope’s visit, news
stories about the candidates, particularly
the wealthy candidate from New York,
have dominated the media.
Without getting into partisan politics,
I take notice how that particular candidate has impacted our community, particularly the Latino community. Because
Donald Trump’s comments were directed
specifically at “Mexicans,” it’s been
almost impossible to avoid discussion
and debate on how his comments have
impacted our view of immigrants in this
Nation and Alhambra, an ethnically and
culturally diverse rich City.
Over the last month, I have engaged
in conversations about this topic with Alhambra residents and have asked them to
weigh in on this discussion and offer their
comments. Again, I want to emphasize, I
am not viewing this through a partisan
lens, but rather, a “community lens.”
How do we as a community respond
when such a high-profile individual
makes such incendiary remarks? And
how as policymakers, should we react?
What I’ve learned from friends and
residents, is that if nothing else, the
volatile language that has emerged from
the presidential campaign, is generating
considerable debate and even activism in
our community.
This isn’t a new phenomenon.
We experienced it before during Pete
Wilson’s Prop 187 campaign in 1994,
which was approved by nearly 60% of
California voters. In addition to generating increased Latino voter turnout,
that initiative also sparked the birth of
what some have called, “The Children of
187,” a generation of Latino activists who
became motivated and politicized by the
controversial measure. We know some
of you are members of that generation.
Given the dismal Latino voter turnout from recent California elections,
many of us believe, even hope, the
controversy surrounding Mr. Trump’s
comments may generate a similar reaction. Perhaps it can motivate Latinos
and non-Latinos who aren’t registered
or who don’t vote regularly, to get
involved. It is certainly generating considerable discussion and debate about
immigration reform.
And maybe, on some high school or
college campus, it has already sparked
the birth of yet another generation of
activists, young people who will one
day be the leaders and policymakers
that will follow in our footsteps.
11/2015
AROUND ALHAMBRA
3A
4A
Recent City Council actions
is a monthly publication with a total circulation of
40,000. It is mailed to every business and residence in
the city of Alhambra. Around Alhambra is also mailed
to all interested local, state and county officials.
We welcome comments, press releases and
community interest stories and will make every
effort to include all appropriate information.
For advertising rates and other information, contact
Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
104 S. First St., Alhambra, CA 91801
Tel: 626 282-8481 Fax: 626 282-5596
www.alhambrachamber.org
Executive Committee
President:
Robert Fukui, High Point Marketing
Vice President:
Evike Chang, Evike.com
Immediate Past President:
Lee Lieberg, Landz Real Estate
At-Large members:
Frank Chen, Law Offices of Frank W. Chen
Valarie Gomez, West San Gabriel Valley YMCA
Mark Paulson, Anthony Venti Realtors
Board of Directors
Oriana Chan, Wells Fargo Bank
Nickie Chan, LifeWave
Iris Lai, Alhambra Hospital Medical Center
Rafael Garcia , Republic Services
Megan Moloughney, The Ratkovich Co./The Alhambra
Joe Pavon, Al’s Towing
Todd Sakamoto, The Mailbox Shop
Marissa Castro-Salvati, So. California Edison
Helen Romero-Shaw, So. California Gas Company
Lorraine Simpson, Credit Union of Southern California
Dr. David Snyder, Optometrist
Walter Tang, Superior Scientific
Joanna Vargas, The Fit Factor Studio
Staff
Executive Director: Sharon Gibbs
Membership/Advertising Sales: Stan Yonemoto
Legislative Affairs: Owen Guenthard
Office Manager: Irma Hernandez
Editor: Dulcy Jenkins
Writers: William Kinman and Adriana Maestas
Office Assistant: Rosemarie Valerio
Published by: Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
AROUND ALHAMBRA is not responsible nor liable for any claims or offerings, nor
responsible for product availability that may be advertised. Opinions expressed
in columns, letters and guest editorials are those of the authors. All rights
reserved. Reproductions in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
The following are highlights from
the regular Sept. 28 and Oct. 12 City
Council meetings.
Ceremonials/gifts
- Soroptimist International was
recognized for its annual campaign in
October and November to promote
“National Breast Cancer Awareness”
and “End Domestic Violence.” One
out of eight women in the U.S. will
be diagnosed with breast cancer (an
estimated 25,270 in California alone
in 2015), with mammography recognized as the most effective method
for detecting breast cancer changes
that may be cancerous long before
physical symptoms can be seen or
felt. It also states that women have the
right to feel safe and live free from violence at home and in the workplace,
recognizing that every nine seconds a
woman is beaten in the U.S., totaling
more than 1.3 million annually.
- Recent Chamber Mixer and Senior Prom volunteers were recognized
for their two-day commitment to
Councilmember Yamauchi and the
Chamber of Commerce to ensure
that the square dance/BBQ dinner
was a successful event. Those honored
included Jason Ho, Michael Chen,
Jessica Mo, Andy Lam, Vincent Lee,
Eric Liang, Justin Imaa, Wei Chen,
Richard Tang, Koby Arriaza, Kristine
Thipatima, Bryan Kwong, Corly
Huang, Elise Poon, Sienna Wong,
Alina Wong, Nathan W., and Linda
Wong.
- Retiring employee Colleen
Commentz was honored for 14 years
of service as Marketing & Communications Specialist.
- A gift of 1,000 in Costco gift
cards was accepted from developer
Sam Wong, the developer of the
Casita de Zen project, to be used on
equipment and supplies to benefit the
Fire Department. The gift was given
in appreciation for the firefighters’
efforts to maintain safety and respond
to 911 calls.
Contracts
- Contract award for the purchase
of two police patrol SUV vehicles
(Wondries Fleet Group).
- Contract award for the purchase
of 60 self-contained breathing apparatus face piece masks for the Fire
Department that have been newly
Soroptimist International was recognized for its annual campaign in October and
November to promote “National Breast Cancer Awareness” and “End Domestic
Violence.” From left: Soroptimist Gay Kinman, Mayor Luis Ayala, Soroptimist
President Cynthia Jarvis, and Soroptimist Debra Garcia.
Recent Chamber Mixer and Senior Prom volunteers were recognized for their twoday commitment to Councilmember Yamauchi and the Chamber of Commerce to
ensure that the square dance/BBQ dinner was a successful event.
developed by Honeywell (L.N. Curtis & Sons).
- Completed construction contract
for rehabilitation of a city-owned
property at 2037 S. Fifth St. (DHI
Construction), which will be subsequently raffled through the City’s
First-Time Homebuyer Program.
New City ordinances/resolutions
- A new ordinance of the Alhambra Municipal Code (Chapter
20.19) expedites and streamlines
the permitting process for small
residential rooftop solar energy
systems on single-family and duplex
family dwellings. It amends Chapter
23.04 and Chapter 23.44 of Title 23
(Zoning).
- A new ordinance of the Alhambra Municipal Code (Chapter
23.45) regulates the application and
enforcement of collection boxes for
the purpose of ensuring the public’s
health, safety, and welfare. It imposes
restrictions and conditions on all
collection boxes in the city so that
they are, and remain, clean, safe, and
do not create hazards to pedestrians
and to vehicular traffic. It amends
Chapter 23.04.237, 23.85.010(B),
23.85.020, and 23.85.030 (Zoning).
- A resolution was approved
prohibiting and removing on-street
parking along Garfield Avenue from
Main Street to Bay State Street on the
west side of the street, and providing
for the future approval of a reconfigured lane to include a northbound
dedicated right-hand turn lane on the
east side of Garfield Avenue from Bay
State Street to Main Street to improve
traffic flow.
11/2015
CITY NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA
5A
Alhambra
Firefighters
ignite Spark of
Love toy drive
The Friends Foundation of the Alhambra Civic Center Library Black and white gossamer drape Reese Hall to set the mood
presented a fund-raising dinner, “The Night Circus,” on Sept. for “The Night Circus.”
25. From left: Maribel Kong, Antoinette Morales, Nina Hoang,
Lisa Perez, and Mercedes Sierra-Durazo.
‘The Night Circus’ raises funds for
Alhambra Civic Center Library
“The Night Circus,” at the Alhambra Civic Center Library on a recent
Friday evening, solicited support
of the library by the program-supporting Friends Foundation at its
annual “Table of Contents” dinner.
Participants entered through draped
curtains of black and white gossamer
to enjoy an evening filled with magical surprises.
The evening started with appetizers and dinner, topped by desserts of
cream puffs, pecan squares, and lemon squares. David Cousins, juggler
and rhythmic gymnast from the LA
Follies, performed.
Entertainment also included
slight-of-hand magic tricks, comedy,
levitation, ball manipulation, famous
Chinese linking rings, and much
more, all performed by Illusions
by Allen. His performance incited
considerable audience participation
and the presence of a live rabbit and
a covey of doves.
At evening’s end, attendees headed
home with their own copies of Erin
Morgenstern’s best-seller The Night
Circus and black-and-while lollipops.
The Friends Foundation of the
Alhambra Civic Center Library is
a non-profit support organization
that raises funds to enhance library
services, collections, and special
programming.
Attend next year’s Table of Contents dinner. The date and time will
be announced.
Provide support to the library
through purchases in the Friends
Foundation Book Store, located
on the library’s second floor, where
one can find minimally priced used
books to meet the interests of readers
of all ages.
The Alhambra Firefighters Association will again
join ABC7, firefighters throughout Southern California, the City of Alhambra, and the YMCA of West
San Gabriel Valley in the “Spark of Love” toy drive to
collect toys for distribution to needy children for the
holidays.
The toy drive will kick off on Nov. 6 and ends on
Dec. 19.
All donated toys will be distributed to needy children and families through the YMCA. Make a huge
difference in a child’s life by donating an unwrapped
toy or piece of sporting equipment and delivering that
item to one of the following sites:
• Alhambra City Hall, 111 S. First St.
weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• YMCA of West San Gabriel Valley,
401 Corto St.
• Alhambra Fire Department, Station 71
301 N. First St.
1215 S. Sixth St.
2200 W. Main St.
2505 W. Norwood Place.
For further information, please contact
Sergio Casanova at the
Alhambra Fire Department: 626-588-2382.
6A
11/2015
Alhambra welcomes new businesses
Burlington Stores, 150 E. Main St., #130,
at Alhambra Place, had its grand opening
Oct. 23. Burlington is a leading off-price
apparel and home product retailer. The
company operates more than 544 stores in
44 states and Puerto Rico, where a large
assortment of current, high-quality, designer
and name-brand merchandise at up to 65%
off department store prices is offered. Choose
from a large selection of coats, clothing,
shoes, linens, home décor, and everything
needed for baby. From left are Andres
Friedman, vice president of Shea Properties;
Mark Paulson, former Chamber president;
Councilmember Stephen Sham; Mayor
Luis Ayala; Angie Bell, store manager; Vice
Mayor Barbara Messina; Councilmembers
Mayor Luis Ayala and
Steven Placido, D.D.S. and Gary Yamauchi; Burlington store Manager
Chamber Ambassador President Nickie
Angie Bell.
Chan; Ambassador Jewelyn Co; and Regina
Palmer, regional vice president, Burlington.
85° c Bakery Café, 300 W. Main St., #101, Alhambra, celebrated its grand
opening with a ribbon cutting on Oct. 23. 85° c Bakery Café is a cafe and
bakery specializing in espresso coffee, flavored beverages, decorative cakes,
and freshly baked breads. The bakery uses premium Guatemalan coffee beans
and serves fresh gourmet baked goods. From left are James Chou, principal,
Pacific Plaza; Frank Chen, former Chamber president; Councilmembers
Gary Yamauchi and Stephen Sham; Vice Mayor Barbara Messina; Mayor
Luis Ayala; Lily Murguia, store manager; Councilmember Steven Placido,
D.D.S.; Raul Garcia, area manager; and Charles Wu, director of operations.
Overnight parking
restrictions relaxed for
Thanksgiving weekend
The Alhambra Police Department announced that overnight parking
restrictions (limiting parking on city streets between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.)
will be relaxed for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend beginning at 2
a.m. Thursday, Nov. 26, and ending at 2 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30.
11/2015
7A
Community turns out to celebrate
Second Annual 5K Pumpkin Run
More than 1,000
residents and runners
gathered for the second annual Alhambra
5K Pumpkin Run
hosted by The Fit
Factor Studio and The
City of Alhambra.
The day was packed
with entertainment
for all ages, with more
than 20 vendors and
performances on the
Pumpkin Run stage.
Funds raised from
the run benefited The Star Spangled Banner was sung during the opening ceremonies,
Alhambra’s Parks & and a color guard saluted the runners at the start line. Alhambra
Recreation
Sports Councilmember Gary Yamauchi welcomed the runners and
Scholarships
for sounded the horn that started the race.
students in the comAlhambra Hospital Medical Center was the Title Sponsor Team at the 5K Pumpkin Run.
munity. A group warm up was led by The
Fit Factor instructor Danielle Vargas. DJ
Esco provided music throughout the day.
“Watching the Kids 1K race is my
personal favorite moment of the Pumpkin
Run,” said Joanna Vargas, producer of the
Pumpkin Run. “Seeing the parents’ faces
as they watch their little ones cross the
finish line is priceless. So fun!”
The Star Spangled Banner was sung
during the opening ceremonies, and a color guard was there to salute the runners at
the start line. Alhambra Councilmember
Gary Yamauchi welcomed the runners
and sounded the horn that started the
race.
Heather Owen and her daughter Panther
Shortly after the race started, the Jones show their Pumpkin Run medals after
food trucks opened and included Comet the race.
BBQ, Rolling
Burger Barns, Wafl
Truck, and Slammin
Sliders.
A health fair was
hosted by Alhambra
Hospital Medical
Center. Mark Keppel High School’s
Healthy Actions
Organization Group
raised donation
funds. There were
two teams that ran
and donated to the
UCSD stroke center
and the UCI diabe- After the main race, children ages 4 to 13 participated in a 1K run
tes center.
or walk with their families.
T h e re w a s a
costume contest, a
After the main race, children ages 4 to
group warm-up with the “Wobble Dance,”
and first, second, and third place runners 13 were encouraged to participate in a 1K
were awarded on stage by the City Council. run or walk with their families.
As the racing came to a close, medals
First place was Donald Morrison at 16:42;
second place was Jason Haase at 16:52; and were handed out to race participants on the
main stage.
third place was Daniel Ramirez at 17:34.
“The Pumpkin Run is a fun and
“There was a team of Pumpkin Princesses that ran the 5K and pushed one of competitive run for the community,” said
their friends in a wheel chair for the entire Ms. Vargas. “The local police, fire, City
race,” said Ms. Vargas. “They all dressed up Council, Chamber, and businesses all get
as pumpkins and had tiaras on. How fun involved to bring our community together
is that!”
with smiles and fun.
Along with the health festival, sponsors
“I believe our community loves family
Albertson’s and Sparkletts gave out goodie events that bring the community together
bags and water to the runners as they com- to celebrate life, health, and happiness.
pleted the 5K. Pop-up vendors sold their On behalf of the Alhambra Pumpkin Run
items and hosted giveaways at their booths 2015 staff, I want to say thank you to all of
offering sportswear, accessories, nutritional our volunteers, vendors, runners, families,
products, Hint Water, Jarritos drinks, and fire and police departments, houses located
donated items.
on the route, and all supporters for your
Donald Morrison won first place in the 5K.
The Pumpkin Princesses ran the 5K and pushed one of their friends in a wheel chair for the
entire race.
smiles, assistance, effort, and time. We
appreciate all of you, and we are excited for
Pumpkin Run 2016.”
Runners can begin signing up for the
2016 race later this year. Look on www.
facebook.com/alhambrapumpkinrun for
information. This year’s participants can
look in their-mail for early bird promo-
tions. Photos can be found online using
hashtag #AlhambraPumpkinRun and by
visiting the 5K Pumpkin Run Facebook
page.
Volunteers, vendors, sponsors, and swag
bag donations are needed for next year.
For more information, please e-mail info@
alhambrapumpkinrun.com.
8A
Check out the great service and food at Alhambra’s two
newest restaurants: Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza and the Habit
Burger, located at 100 E. Main St.
Team members of Alhambra’s Habit Burger Grill in front of
the new location at 100 E. Main St.
Team members of Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza kick off their
operation with a photo as business opens at the new
Alhambra location at 100 E. Main St.
ALHAMBRA PLACE From Page 1A
menu promise to make The
Habit, which Consumer Reports
ranks as “the best tasting burger
in America,”one of Alhambra’s
most popular restaurants.
Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza, The
Habit’s neighbor, also fired up
its operation in record time, and
like The Habit hosted its own
opening “extravaganza” with
a free pizza party that was so
popular customers lined up by
the dozens outside of Alhambra
Place to get their custom-built
artisanal pizza, which normally
sells for about $8.
Sprouts: early 2016 opening.
What is sure to become
one of Alhambra’s most popular grocery stores — Sprouts
Farmers Market — announced
its early 2016 opening at Alhambra Place, which will bring
approximately 100 jobs to the
community. Specific details
about the store’s grand opening
will be shared in late 2015 to
early 2016.
Sprouts offers consumers
a complete healthful grocery
store experience featuring fresh
produce, dairy, meat and seafood, bakery, vitamins and supplements, and more. Shoppers
will find an abundant selection
of fresh fruits and vegetables
and barrels of wholesome
grains, nuts, and sweets.
The brightly lit, open floor
plan of the store showcases
fresh-baked goods, craft beer
and wine, and thousands of
natural, organic, and gluten-free groceries. Sprouts’
on-site butchers help customers
with special cuts of meat or
seafood or handmade burgers
and sausages.
The
Sprouts’
vitamin
department carries thousands
of top-quality, sensibly priced
vitamins, natural remedies,
functional food, lifestyle support, and herbal supplements.
The store also offers a complete
line of packaged and frozen
foods, natural body care, and
household items catering to
consumers’ growing interest in
health and wellness. Sprouts’
knowledgeable service and low
prices offer customers a unique
shopping experience.
The Alhambra store is one
of five stores that will open in
California and 11 other locations nationally. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona,
Sprouts employs more than
20,000 team members and
operates more than 200 stores
in 13 states from coast to
coast. For more information,
visit www.sprouts.com or @
sproutsfm on Twitter.
Burlington Stores
Both Sprouts and Burlington Stores will share Alhambra
Place’s anchor space, formerly
the Mervyn’s building.
Additional tenants set to follow the Blaze and Habit include
Verizon 4G Wireless, Clear
Sign Optometry, and Maido
Stationery. Several retail spaces
are still available. With the
opening of the first restaurant/
retail establishments, Alhambra
Place is demonstrating that it
is a key element of Downtown
Alhambra bringing renewed
vibrancy and energy to the local
street scene.
For more information about
the progress at Alhambra
Place, log onto Alhambra Place
on Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/alhambraplace.
Interested job candidates can
visit Burlington’s Web site at
https://burlingtonstores.jobs/
career-opportunities.asp and
the Career section of Sprouts’
Web site at www.sprouts.com.
11/2015
Fire fighters, for a change, keep the fire going for a constant stream of tasty Kaylee, 7 years old, spends some time with
pancakes.
Sparky the Fire Dog.
Fire Department offers free breakfast,
information at open house
Summer heat in October did not
affect the turnout for the annual City
of Alhambra Fire Department Open
House, scheduled during National
Fire Prevention Week — a perfect
time to get an update on what’s happening in the fire service area, and, as
a bonus, share a meal with old and
new friends.
Smoke Alarms were an important
topic of the day, emphasized as the
theme of the 2015 National Fire Prevention Week: “Hear the Beep Where
You Sleep — Every Bedroom Needs a
Working Smoke Alarm!”
The breakfast line was long, the
seating area was packed, and the
fire personnel just kept turning out
the hot cakes. There were plenty of
opportunities for picture-taking with
lots of activities geared for youngsters:
dressing as a fireman; sitting in the
driver’s seat of a huge fire rig; hugging Sparky, the Fire Dog; crawling
through a “stay low and go” maze;
and visiting the Fire Safety House.
Each child went home with their own
plastic fire helmet.
In addition, there were Headquarters Fire Station tours, accident and
safety enactments, and important fire
safety information. Attendees were
encouraged to sign up for CERT —
Community Emergency Response
Team — a program that provides
training to provide neighborhood
assistance after an emergency incident
and before emergency crews can
arrive. Check out the full training
schedule at www.cityofalhambra.
org. Click on Government, click on
Fire Department, click on CERT
Program.
While the breakfast was free to the
open house visitors, donations were
encouraged and items were on sale to
benefit the Fire Department’s Fire Explorer Program, providing 15- to 21year- old men and women experience
alongside fire fighters, paramedics,
and fire prevention officers.
Residents urged to
prepare for El Niño
Forecasters now say a strong El Niño
is a 95% certainty in California this winter. El Niño is a phenomenon linked to
above-average temperatures in the Pacific
Ocean resulting in extreme weather and
heavy rainfall. Alhambra residents can
expect to get a lot of rain, and as a result
will need to be prepared.
A first major consideration for every
homeowner is to determine if it’s time to
replace one’s roofing material by checking
for loose tiles, shingles, holes, or other
signs of trouble — and removing any
debris. With the number of roofs that may
need assistance, roofing contractors are
expected to be in very high demand, so it’s
advised to seek out a qualified contractor
and get the job done right away. Inspect
for chimney damage at the same time.
All drains and gutters should be
cleared of leaves and other debris and be
functioning properly. If buildings do not
have gutters and drains, owners should
consider having them installed. Storm
water runoff from impermeable surfaces
(e.g., roofs, driveways and patios) should
be directed into a collection system to
avoid soil saturation. Visually inspect
all retaining wall drains, surface drains,
culverts, ditches, etc. for obstructions or
other signs of malfunction.
With the current drought and lack of
rain, there is a high likelihood that drains
have become blocked and clogged with
leaves, dirt and debris. It is recommended
that residents contact a plumber or professional to have their drainage systems
hydro-jet cleaned. This is especially
important for apartment building and
condo complexes that have subterranean
or below-grade parking, which can become flooded if drains are not clear and
prepared to handle large quantities of
water.
All sloped areas should be inspected for
signs of gullying, surface cracks, slumping, etc. Also look for signs of cracking
or rotation with respect to patio areas
and retaining walls. Such signs can be an
indication of slope movement.
Consider stockpiling sandbags and
plastic sheeting. Sandbags can be stacked
to form a barrier to keep water from
flooding low areas. Plastic sheeting can be
placed on slopes and secured with sandbags to prevent water from eroding the
soil. Sandbags are available for free at each
of the four Alhambra Fire Department
stations in residents’ neighborhoods.
Windy weather is also common during
El Niño conditions, so be sure to inspect
the entire yard for dead trees or limbs,
yard debris, and outdoor furniture or other objects that could be blown by storm
winds. Make sure there are not large bare
areas without landscaping that could be a
source for mudflows during a storm. Fall
is a good time to put down mulch and
establish many native plants.
Finally, inspect your emergency kit and
keep flashlights and fresh batteries handy.
After a long period of drought the rains
will be a welcome sight if everyone prepares properly in advance for the predicted
onslaught of wet weather. Stay tuned for
more information, including a sandbag
filling day, and download the Gateway
App to get all the latest information.
9A
10A
The Lopez residence was awarded “Best Overall Lawn Display” in last year’s home decorating
contest.
Show holiday spirit, Alhambra
pride by entering City’s Holiday
Home Decorating Contest
Alhambra residents are invited to “let
their holiday spirit shine” by participating
in the third annual City of Alhambra Holiday Home Decorating Contest, a judging
contest for the most creatively decorated
homes and properties in the community.
Showing one’s holiday spirit and Alhambra pride in this way can earn residents
citywide recognition for their efforts and a
City Council commendation for best use
of lights, best animation display, best lawn
display, or most creative display.
Contest winners will receive a colorful
lawn sign announcing their achievement; a
commendation at a City Council meeting;
and recognition in Around Alhambra.
Contest entry forms, available at the
Community Services Department in
Alhambra City Hall, 111 S. First St., must
be filled out and returned by Friday, Dec.
11. Judging will take place the week of
Dec. 14. The winners will be announced
on Monday, Dec. 21.
For more information, please phone
626-570-5044 during weekday business
hours.
Leisure Class 2016
registration begins soon
Leisure Classes begin on Jan. 4. Registration for class participation begins on
Monday, Nov. 30, for Alhambra residents.
Non-Alhambra residents may begin registering on Monday, Dec. 7.
Leisure Class participants will have
a wide range of classes to choose from
concentrated in parent/child classes, enrichment, music, dance, health and fitness,
yoga, and tennis.
Participants will be able to choose classes exploring new arts & crafts experiences,
learning a new dance, or improving one’s
physical fitness or tennis game, or many
others.
A complete listing of winter/spring class
opportunities will be listed in the forthcoming City of Alhambra winter/spring
2016 Leisure Classes, Activities & Excursions
Guide, appearing in mail boxes and on the
City of Alhambra Web site, www.cityofalhambra.org, in late November.
Register online at www.cityofalhambra.
org; by phone; in person; or by mail.
The guide will provide the appropriate
addresses and phone numbers.
11/2015
Alhambra offers
many online services
The City of Alhambra now offers a wide
range of convenient web-based services
that can save residents and business owners
valuable time and the hassle of having to
make a trip to City Hall to wait in line for
services. Using the online services option,
available at www.cityofalhambra.org, under the Online Services section, users can
gain secure access to city services from one’s
home or office 24 hours a day, seven days
a week, and anywhere in the world where
there’s access to a Web connection.
Online services enable residents and
business owners to pay bills using a credit
or debit card (as well as sign up for automatic payments with a credit card or bank
account), track payments, complete certain
applications, and even book tee time at the
golf course and more. All users have to do
to get started with online payment services
is to set up an account and security code.
Some of the most accommodating
services for residents include being able to
pay for utilities services online; pay for a
Temporary Overnight Parking Permit online without having to drive to one of the
two kiosks located in town at the Alhambra Police Department and at the 7-Eleven
Store at 2150 S. Fremont Ave.; apply for as
well as pay for the City’s annual Paramedic
Subscription Service program; and register
for Community Services classes and other
related activities. One can also report a
variety of issues online, from potholes to
garage conversions, and much more.
For those who have had the misfortune
of getting a parking violation citation in
the City of Alhambra, there is the ability
to pay for the citation or contest it online.
The online services section also provides
access to making an online police report,
including being able to provide police
officers with an anonymous tip; making
an online building or zoning complaint;
reporting an abandoned shopping cart; as
well as registering for the Police Department’s Vacation House Check Program.
For business owners, Web-based services
include the ability to complete a business
license application online, including the
ability to pay for a new or existing business
license. It’s even possible to conduct a business license name search, as well as obtain
a list of licensed businesses in Alhambra
without a call or visit to City Hall.
The online section of the Web site also
provides quick access to related online services that are not handled by or connected
to the City of Alhambra, including holding
mail service; trash/recycling services and
payments; animal control service requests;
pet licenses/renewals; reporting dead birds;
reporting electrical street outages; obtaining property assessment information;
copies of real estate records; registering to
vote; applying for a marriage license; and
seeking to obtain a birth or death certificate
and other vital records.
Access many of these services and stay
connected with up-to-the-minute push
notifications by downloading the new
Gateway Alhambra app.
The next time residents need the assistance of local government, they can take a
walk to the nearest computer or tablet and
see if they can save themselves a trip to City
Hall — or other nearby government agency — by conducting their business online.
11A
12A
11/2015
Experts report tunnel alternative
outperforms other options in
Draft SR-710 North Study
Two highly qualified experts in the fields
of traffic and air quality spoke at a recent
City Council meeting about traffic control
and air quality information contained in
Metro’s Draft SR-710 North Environmental Impact Report and Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIR/EIS) released
earlier this year. They were introduced by
Lee Dolley, the City’s special counsel, who
provided a brief introduction.
Patrick Gibson, P.E., of Gibson Transportation Consulting, Inc., who has 48
years of traffic engineering experience,
and Dr. Julia Lester, principal of Ramboll
Environ (Environment & Health Group),
who holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering
and has 25 years of air quality experience
were contracted to complete an exhaustive
review of the 33,000+ pages of document
material. Both experts emphasized that all
data and references in their respective reports were taken exclusively and objectively
from information presented in the DEIR/
EIS documents and were not synthesized
or based on speculation.
Following is information presented in
the traffic study (Dr. Lester’s presentation
will appear in the December issue):
What are the study area boundaries?
(1) I-210 to the north; (2) I-10/SR-60 to
the south; (3) I-5 to the west; and (4) I-605
to the east.
What is the purpose of the study? The
study was designed to determine if there is
one alternative that stands out with respect
to improving regional transportation
efficiency and air quality as it pertains
to completing the SR-710 Gap.These
include (1) a No Build Alternative serving
as a baseline for comparison along with
four Build Alternatives: (2) TSM/TDM
(Transportation System Management/
Transportation Demand Management);
(3) BRT (Bus Rapid Transit); (4) LRT
(Light Rail Transit); and (5) Tunnel (Dual
Bore Tunnel with paid tolls).
What is the desired goal to be
achieved? (1) reduce congestion; (2)
improve regional transit ridership; (3)
improve study area transit ridership; (4) reduce local arterial congestion; (5) increase
north-south mobility; and (6) provide for
travel time savings. Each of the alternatives
was studied in terms of how they would
perform against these goals.
What findings were gleamed from the
study? Both experts agreed that the tunnel
alternative outperforms all of the other
alternatives in the study against these goal
markers.
What were the key highlights in terms
of regional transportation efficiency?
Here is how implementation of the tunnel alterative would achieve the six desired
goals:
• Travel time-savings? Yes, the tunnel
saves 6.8 million hours of travel time in the
San Gabriel Valley annually — that’s 6.8
million hours of “extra time” to spend with
families, at jobs, and enjoying recreational
activities instead of sitting in traffic.
• Reduce arterial congestion? Yes, the
tunnel takes 57,000 cars a day off of local
arterial streets (in Alhambra and other cities) and puts them back onto the freeway
system where they’re intended to be.
• Reduce arterial congestion and
improve study area transportation, as
well as north-south mobility? Yes, only
the tunnel alternative moves more arterial
traffic to the freeway, reducing local street
traffic by at least 5%, a measurable, noticeable change in traffic.
According to Mr. Gibson, arterial streets
in Alhambra, South Pasadena, and Pasadena must do double and triple duty while
providing accessibility to adjacent land
uses and mobility within the community.
As long as these streets must accommodate
the demand for regional mobility, local
governments will not be successful in calming measures until the 57,000 cars that
make cut-through trips on them daily are
put back onto the tunnel/freeway system
where they belong.
To view the complete footage of the
presentation provided by these key experts,
refer to the City’s Web site streaming file
for Sept. 28, 2015 (available at www.
cityofalhambra.org on the 710 North
Study Update page). A decision about the
preferred alternative, to be made by Cal
Trans and Metro, will take place in approximately 1 1/2 years.
Again, look for the results of Dr. Lester’s
presentation in the December issue of
Around Alhambra and more reports from
qualified experts in future issues.
11/2015
Chief Yokoyama administers the Oath of Office. From left are Officers Brian Chung, Michael
Hennes, Alejandro Alvarez, Zach McFarland, Sally Dominguez, Clerk Tanya Fristoe, Cadet
Andres Roses, and Chief Mark Yokoyama.
Five new police officers join the
APD with swearing-in ceremony
It was an exceptionally proud moment
for family and friends — and the Alhambra
community in general — as five new police
officers were sworn in to the Alhambra Police Department family by Alhambra Chief
of Police Mark Yokoyama.
The badge-pinning and swearing-in ceremony took place on Sept. 30 in the Ruth
C. Reese Hall at the Alhambra Library. In
attendance were friends and family of the
honorees as well as many members of the
department.
In his address to the gathering, Chief
Yokoyama stressed that working in law
enforcement is a challenging and ever
changing profession that demands an
emphasis on customer service. Chief
Yokoyama said, “The biggest pressing issue
before our profession is looking at the way
we treat people. We have to constantly ask
ourselves are we treating people the way
we would want our own family member
treated and secondly what is the long-term
consequence of the decisions we make on
the lives of people.”
Sworn in were Officers Brian Chung,
Michael Hennes, Alejandro Alvarez, Zach
McFarland, and Sally Dominguez. Records
Clerk Tanya Fristoe and Cadet Andres Rosas were added to the Police Department’s
Records Section. The Chief presented
each new employee with a badge that was
pinned to his or her uniform by a family
member or close friend. The badge pinning
is a longstanding and sacred tradition at
many police departments nationwide.
The addition of the new officers and a
new police clerk mean that the sworn officer and clerk positions at the department
are fully staffed.
The following crimes were reported to the Alhambra Police Department during
September. The areas of occurrence are listed to the nearest block — not exact
addresses. By publishing these reports, it is hoped that Alhambra residents will take
the necessary measures to ensure their individual safety, as well as the safety of their
property. Neighborhood Watch Works! To join Neighborhood Watch, or for more
crime prevention information and safety tips, contact the Alhambra Police Department
Crime Prevention Office at 626-570-5177.
District One
Burglary (2)
500 S. Chapel
200 N. Monterey
Theft/Burglary from
Vehicle (5)
20 N. First
300 N. Stoneman
900 N. Monterey
400 N. Chapel
100 N. Chapel
Grand Theft Auto (4)
Woodward/Atlantic
700 N. Stoneman
400 S. Atlantic
00 S. First
Robbery (0)
400 S. Stoneman
District Two
Burglary (3)
700 W. Ramona
900 E. Valley
1000 S. Eighth
Theft/Burglary from
Vehicle (14)
1500 S. Almansor
800 S. Almansor
800 W. Valley Blvd.
900 W. Shorg
800 S. Stoneman
Norwood/Second
1800 S. Fourth
1600 S. Sixth
900 W. Shorb
1000 S. Atlantic (x2)
2000 S. Fourth (x3)
400 W. Valley Blvd.
Ross/Geranio
600 E. Ross
300 E. Valley
1800 S. El Molino
600 S. Sierra Vista
800 S. Fourth
1800 S. Almansor
Robbery (2)
1000 W. Valley
Granada/Norwood
District Three
Burglary (2)
00 S. Hampden
500 N. Campbell
Theft/Burglary from
Vehicle (18)
3000 W. Glenridge
400 S. Elm
600 S. Meridian
2600 W. Concord
300 S. LaPaloma
400 S. Elm
2200 W. Main
2100 W. Commonwealth
800 S. Date
3200 W. Sherwood
500 N. Palm
00 S. Hampden
300 N. Electric
00 S. Marguerita
1000 S. Westmont
100 N. Curtis
300 N. Palm
2500 W. Birch
2200 W. Larch
300 N. Primrose (x2)
100 N. Curtis
Robbery (1)
3200 Sherwood
District Four
Burglary (11)
1800 S. Alta Vista
3200 W/ Montezuma
2400 Wetherhead
2400 S. Baltusrol
2400 S. Pine Valley
2800 W. Front
1100 S. Ethel
2500 S. Whitney
2200 S. Electric
1600 W. Front
1800 S. Marengo
Theft Burglary
from Vehicle (8)
2400 S. Roark
2100 W. Montezuma
1800 S. Glenview
1500 W. Valley
1800 S. Edgewood
1800 W. Valley
1100 S. Marengo
1200 S. Marengo
2000 W. Ramona
1000 S. Campbell
1600 S. Elm
1600 S. Curtis
2200 S. Westminster
2300 W. Valley
1500 S. Date
Robbery(1)
Cabrillo/Norwood
13A
14A
11/2015
City of Alhambra announces two retirements
In October, the City of Alhambra announced
the retirement of Colleen Commentz, Marketing and Communications specialist, and Rick
Franzen, Utility Maintenance supervisor.
Ms. Commentz served the City for 14 years,
from 2001 to 2015. Ms. Commentz’s contributions to the City included development of a
communications program for the City, creating
public service announcements, preparing press
releases, and most recently, revamping the City’s
Web site.
Rick Franzen served the City for 20 years,
from 1995 to 2015. As the City’s Utility Maintenance supervisor, Mr. Franzen oversaw repairs
and maintenance to the water, sewer, and storm
drain systems and spent many evenings and
weekends repairing main line leaks.
“Both have used their knowledge, capabilities,
talent, and resources necessary to elevate services
to Alhambra residents and have demonstrated
Retiring employee Colleen Commentz, third from right, was honored for 14 years of
integrity and an enduring commitment to
service as Marketing & Communications Specialist. From left are Councilmember
the City and its mission,” said Chris Paulson,
Stephen Sham; Vice Mayor Barbara Messina; Mayor Luis Ayala; Ms. Commentz; and
Councilmembers Steven Placido, D.D.S., and Gary Yamauchi.
Administrative Services director. “The City of Alhambra honors Ms. Commentz and Mr. Franzen Rick Franzen, Utility Maintenance supervisor,
for their years of service. The City extends good is retiring after serving the City for 20 years.
wishes on wonderful retirements.”
The City of Alhambra’s Latino Festival took place in conjunction with the
Farmers Market on Sept. 27 to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month
with music, games, and food. The Folklorico dance is a major part of any
Latino Heritage month celebration as demonstrated by these youngsters from
Inspiraciones De Danza Mexicana.
Dynamic Aztec dance, as performed in vibrant regalia by Ballet Coco at the
Latino Festival, is central to the artistic and cultural spirit of the native people
of Mexico.
11/2015
CHAMBER NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA
15A
The Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
thanks these members for renewing their memberships
and for their continued support:
A-1 Self Storage
2300 Poplar Blvd.
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-999-3566
Member since 2014
Lamill Coffee Inc.
1112 Westminster Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-202-0100
Member since 2012
San Marino Tribune
1441 San Marino Ave.
San Marino, CA 91108
626-792-4925
Member since 2009
Alhambra Latino Association
MERCI
1515 W. Mission Road
P.O. Box 676
Alhambra, CA 91803
Monterey Park, CA 91754-0676
626-308-2423
626-289-8817
Member since 2002
Member since 2001
Alhambra Public
Library Foundation
101 S. First St.
Alhambra, CA 91801-3704
626-570-5079
Member since 2006
Santa Barbara is a premier resort destination.
On the way to …
Santa Barbara is sometimes referred
to as the American Riviera. Its beautiful
beaches, majestic mountains, and colorful
culture make Santa Barbara a premier
resort destination. Whether you enjoy
hiking, fine-dining, water sports, lazing
on the beach, culture, or a great nightlife, Santa Barbara has something for
you. Santa Barbara’s harbor is home to
the world famous Stearns Wharf, a great
destination for the entire family. Visiting
the zoological gardens makes for a great
family day-trip. From the City, you are just
minutes away from the Santa Barbara wine
country. The gorgeous Santa Ynez Valley,
with its breath-taking vistas, is home to
such notable attractions as Solvang and the
Chumash Reservation. The abundance and
beauty of Santa Barbara’s city park system
enhances the pleasure of both residents and
visitors alike and contributes to the city’s
worldwide reputation as one of the most
beautiful in the world.
For more information on trips and
tours to Santa Barbara, please contact My
Beyond Travel Agency, where we help you
book your dream vacation.
My Beyond Travel Agency
Telephone: 626-671-1088
E-mail: [email protected]
All Souls School
29 S. Electric Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-282-5695
Member since 2001
Charter Business
4781 N. Irwindale Ave.
Irwindale, CA 91706
626-430-3493
Member since 2007
Community Development
Commission,
County of Los Angeles
700 W. Main St.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-586-1810
Member since 2013
Forevergreen
1128 S. Third St.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-300-8534
Member since 2003
High Point Marketing, Inc.
115 W. California Blvd. #203
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-422-6628
Member since 2011
New Omni Bank
1235 S. Garfield Ave.
Alhambra, CA 9180l
626-284-5555
Member since 2012
Partyline Event Rentals
2472 Mariondale Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90032
323-222-7115
Member since 2014
Placido, Steven T. DDS
420 N. Garfield Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-289-9281
Member since 1997
Platt College
1000 S. Fremont Ave.
Bldg. A9W
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-300-5444
Member since 2003
Plaza Printing
126 E. Valley Blvd.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-576-0209
Member since 1995
Southern California
Gas Company
11912-B Valley Blvd.
El Monte, CA 91732
626-279-2295
Member since 1963
Superior Scientific
201 S. Raymond Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-281-5588
Member since 2001
VCA Mission Animal Hospital
25 W. Mission Road
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-289-3643
Member since 2012
UCLA Health Medical Office
707 S. Garfield Ave., Suite 304
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-588-2825
Member since 2014
Walmart
1827 Walnut Grove Ave.
Rosemead, CA 91770
626-307-1010
Member since 2014
To renew your membership
with a credit card,
please phone the Chamber
at 626-282-8481.
Rotary Club of Alhambra
P.O. Box 142
Alhambra, CA 91802
626-529-3311
Member since 1990
It’s all about networking
Thursday, Nov. 19
“Marketing, Entrepreneurship, and
the Instruction Manual to Success”
Presented by Evike.com
Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Alhambra Chamber of Commerce board room, 104 S. First St.
Learn about various solutions to the challenges of entrepreneurship, from marketing,
optimization, leadership, to finding growth at this month’s Secrets for YOUR Success
program.
The Chamber’s new monthly business training program is offered on the third Thursday
of each month and is facilitated by Alhambra business leaders with a track record
of success. They will share relevant business strategies that have helped them build a
profitable business.
The cost of the program is free to Chamber members. There is a $15 charge for nonmembers. Lunch is included.
To make reservations, or for more information about the Chamber’s Secrets for YOUR
Success program, contact Irma Hernandez, Alhambra Chamber of Commerce, at
626-282-8481 or [email protected].
Join the Chamber for an informal social where business people get together,
exchange ideas, and develop new relationships. These monthly networking
programs are sponsored by and hosted at Chamber member establishments.
Networking is one of the most affordable means of marketing resulting in invaluable
personal referrals and word-of-mouth advertising.
So, don’t hesitate. Bring plenty of business cards and a winning handshake to the
next Business After Hours and develop a synergistic group of business contacts.
This month’s Business After Hours mixer
will take place
Wednesday, Nov. 18
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Hosted by Platt College
1000 S. Fremont Ave., Bldg A9W, Alhambra 91803
Platt College, Los Angeles, has provided education services to Southern
California residents for more than 20 years. There are 400 students at the
college’s three campus locations enrolled in Medical Assisting, Graphic
Design, Web Design, 3D Animation, and Paralegal programs.
Cost: $10 for members
$15 for non-members
OUR
For more information about the
Business After Hours Mixers, phone
the Chamber at 626-282-8481.
WELCOME
CHAMBER MEMBERS!
New
85°c Bakery Café
300 W. Main St. #101
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-293-8585
85cafe.us
Opening soon
Blaze Pizza
100 E. Main St. #100
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-940-5747
blazepizza.com
Fast fired pizza
Burlington Stores
150 E. Main St. #130
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-300-9184
burlingtoncoatfactory.com
Burlington has something for everybody: trending
looks from top designers, and some names to
discover; cookware; home decor; jewelry; men’s
suits; perfume; even pet treats and toys. Plus,
there’s an entire department just for kids:
clothes, toys, baby gear, and so much more.
Estrada, Noelia Yvette
Wong Orthodontics
430 S. Garfield Ave. #408
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-284-6626
wongortho.com
Wong Orthodontics treats their patients like
family. Dr. Wong and staff are highly skilled
and trained and work as a team to provide
personalized service and an enjoyable orthodontic
experience in a relaxed environment.
World Financial Group
133 N. Altadena Drive #302
Pasadena, CA 91107
714-778-6695
jasperthoue.wfgopportunity.com
World Financial Group helps people from all
walks of life build better futures. Through the
business’s platform, the barriers that have kept
people from achieving the dream of owning
their own business have been removed.
16A
2015 Annual
Thanks for your support!
CORPORATE CHALLENGE CUP
TITLE SPOPNSORS
Alhambra Hospital Medical Center
& Evike.com Inc
CORPORATE SPONSORS
Big “T” Mini Mart
Otto Environmental Systems
Republic Services
Rotary Club of Alhambra
Southern California Edison Company
Sterling Bank
Transtech Engineering
OPEN COMPETITION
Alhambra Men’s Golf Club
American Legion Post #139
Al’s Towing
Fosselman’s Ice Cream
Goudy Honda
High Point Marketing
Landz Real Estate
Eddie Mondragon Family
The Ratkovich Company
AUTOMOBILE HOLE-IN-ONE SPONSORS
Alhambra Chrysler Jeep Ram
Alhambra Volkswagen
Bob Wondries Ford
Goudy Honda
11/2015
Meet the Rose Queen at
Rose Queen and Court
Luncheon Dec. 8
The 27th annual
Rose Queen and Court
Luncheon, hosted by the
Alhambra Tournament
of Roses Committee and
the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce, will
take place at noon, Tuesday, Dec. 8.
Meet the 98th Rose Queen and her
court in the Lakeview Room of Almansor
Court, 700 S. Almansor St., Alhambra.
Ginger Chan, KTLA’s Traffic anchor, will
be the emcee.
Tickets for the luncheon are $40 per
person. Reservations must be made by
Nov. 23.
Those reserving tables of 10 will be
listed in the program as sponsors.
One Queen Sponsor table is available for
$1,000. The Rose Queen will be this sponsor’s table guest. This includes escorting the
queen at the beginning of
the program and a group
photo with the Royal
Court.
Six Princess Sponsor
tables are available for $750 each. A princess will be the table guest. This includes
escorting a princess at the beginning of the
program and a group photo with the Royal
Court.
Table sponsors, for tables of 10, are
available for $500 each. This includes a
group photo with the Royal Court.
Photo opportunities with the queen and
princesses will be available.
For reservations, contact the Alhambra
Chamber, 626-282-8481.
Make checks payable to the Alhambra
Chamber of Commerce and mail or deliver
to 104 S. First St., Alhambra 91801.
Meeting of Minds:
Building communities with
Workfource advantage
The Chamber of Commerce has
organized a valuable and educational
forum for employers and government
personnel regarding the new Federal legislation about the Work Source system on
Wednesday, Nov. 4, at Almansor Court,
Salon 4, 700 S. Almansor St., Alhambra.
The system’s value to employers and
cities and how to access the information
will be explained. The information will be
given by Dr. Christine Bosworth. Cynthia
Kurtz, president and CEO of San Gabriel
Valley Economic Partnership, will give
an update on economic development
in the West San Gabriel Valley. Marvin
Martinez, president of East Los Angeles
College, will give an update on programs
available for businesses and employees
that will improve their productivity.
Registration and coffee is from 9:30 to
10:30 a.m. Speakers begin at 10:30 a.m.
Lunch will be served at noon. The cost is
$35 per person.
For more information and reservations, contact the Chamber at
626-282-8481.
Coffee Talk
Network Brewing Hour
Hosted by
TEE SIGN SPONSORS
Hi Quality Auto Body
Alhambra Educational Foundation
McComputer Consulting, Inc.
Alhambra Police Managers Association
SGV New Generation Rotary
28 West
Mark Paulson Former Mayor
Alhambra Camera
Pizza Studio
Alhambra Chamberettes
Steven Placido Family Dentist
Alhambra Dental
Plaza Printing
Alhambra Exchange Club
Ramona Convent Secondary School
Alhambra Golf Shop
Seidner’s Collision Center
Alhambra Historical Society
Sierra Acura of Alhambra
Al’s Towing
Snyder Optometry, Inc.
Almansor Court
Special Signs
Anthony Venti Realtors, Inc.
Temple Air Conditioning & Heating
Atherton Senior Living
The Ratkovich Co./The Alhambra
Burke, Williams & Sorenson, LLP
W.Y. International
Diner On Main
West San Gabriel Valley YMCA
Havana House Cigar & Lounge
Blaze Pizza
Alhambra Place • 100 E. Main St., #160, Alhambra
Join local businesses for the
Alhambra Chamber Coffee Hour
Business networking event.
Date: Thursday, November 12
Time: 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Cost: FREE (coffee & pastries)
RSVP & info:
Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
626-282-8481 or
[email protected]
www.alhambrachamber.org
Upcoming Coffee Talks:
January 14
11/2015
Corporate Challenge Cup first place winners — Alhambra Hospital Medical Center foursome.
Alhambra Hospital Medical
Center, Evike.Com Inc. take top
honors in Chamber’s Corporate
Cup Challenge Golf Tournament
Tournament title sponsor foursomes
from Alhambra Hospital Medical Center
and EVIKE.Com Inc. took top honors in
the recent Alhambra Chamber of Commerce golf tournament. This event raises
important funds for the Chamber’s annual
scholarship program benefiting local high
school graduates.
The two foursomes from Alhambra
Hospital Medical Center took the first
place and second place trophies in the
“Corporate Challenge Cup” competition
with impressive “best ball” team scores of
56 and 58 respectively. The tournament’s
co-title sponsor EVIKE.Com Inc. entry
took third place honors with a team score
of 61. The team entry from the Big “T”
Mini Mart won fourth place honors followed by the Alhambra Rotary Club with
a 65, and Otto Environmental Systems at
67. The Southern California Edison team
was next with a score of 68, followed by
Republic Services with a 71 and Trans
Tech Engineering with a score of 77.
The Alhambra Men’s Club foursome
captured first place honors in the “Open
Competition” with a team score of 59,
followed by Alhambra’s Fosselman’s Ice
Cream entry’s team score of 60. The third
place trophies went to the Mondragon
group with a score of 65. Other “Open
Competition” included the teams of the
American Legion Post #139 (66), LANDZ
Real Estate (67), Al’s Towing (72), and the
Ratkovich Company (73).
This year’s tournament featured four
Hole-in-One contests for new automobiles
generously sponsored by Goudy Honda,
Bob Wondries Ford, Alhambra Volkswagen, and Alhambra Chrysler Jeep Ram.
While nobody scored an ace this year, the
individual golf team matchups were competitive. The men’s longest drive was won
by Al Ahumada, a repeat winner from last
year. Meghan Thompson was the winner
of the women’s longest drive trophy. Closest to the Pin contests went to A. Dinardo
(Hole #7), Tony Iskandar (Hole #8), Carl
Burns (Hole #11), Olav Lindberg (Hole
#13), and Rudy Verdugo (Hole #15).
The Chamber is grateful for the
outstanding support from all those who
purchased tee signs to help fund the
Chamber’s scholarship program. Thanks
also go to the outstanding service and help
from Head Golf Professional Jerry Wisz
and the staff of the Alhambra Golf Shop,
as well as Gary Miller and the Almansor
Court staff who helped with the planning
and management of the day’s activities.
This year’s tournament planning
committee included board members Dr.
David Snyder (David L. Snyder, O.D.),
Joe Pavon (Al’s Towing), Mark Paulson
(Anthony Venti Realty), Lee Lieberg
(LANDZ Real Estate), as well as Jerry
Wisz (Alhambra Golf Shop), and Owen
Guenthard (Alhambra Chamber of
Commerce). Thanks also go to Chamber
Executive Director Sharon Gibbs and
Chamber staff members Irma Hernandez,
Rosemarie Valerio, and Stan Yonemoto,
as well as the many loyal volunteers and
Chamber Ambassadors.
Small Business Saturday is Nov. 28,
the Saturday after Thanksgiving
Give a gift from the heart of your neighborhood
and help make this Small Business Saturday one of
the biggest shopping days of the year for Alhambra’s
small businesses. Remember to Shop Small not just
this day, but throughout the year.
Spending your dollars locally creates a strong
local economy. Every dollar you spend in Alhambra
helps support local businesses, keeping jobs and
sales tax dollars in Alhambra. Retail sales taxes
help fund City services such as the Library, Police
Department, parks, and senior center.
17A
18A
COMMUNITY NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA
11/2015
Ramona Convent Secondary School seniors Kendall Alvarez, Karina Rivanis, and Arizbeth
Magana take a break and enjoy their Lego creation in the Maker Space. The Maker Space
creates an environment where students can build, calibrate, and construct to inspire curiosity,
creativity, imagination, and beauty.
Ramona Convent Secondary
School to host annual
open house Nov. 21
Ramona Convent Secondary School’s
annual open house will take place from
noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at 1701
W. Ramona Road, Alhambra. Learn about
the school’s programs, its history and
traditions, the successful record of college
admissions, and why more than 7,300
graduates call themselves Ramona Girls.
Ramona Convent Secondary School is a
college prep school for girls in grades nine
through 12. At Ramona, students have
the support of spirited friends and expert,
caring teachers while surrounded by the
inspiring beauty of a college-like campus.
The program is set apart by an expansive selection of college preparatory and
AP/Honors courses, including outstanding
options in science and the visual and performing arts, comprehensive co-curricular
programs, spiritual development, and a
welcoming community.
Because Ramona students take seven
classes each semester, they delve into
their passions and discover new academic
interests. Two full-time college counselors
will ensure the academic program prepares
students for admission to college and,
more importantly, for success in college
and a meaningful life.
Co-curricular offerings are also designed
to help students grow in self-knowledge
and leadership skills.
For more information, phone
626-282-4151.
Soroptimists to present
Holiday Fashion Show
The Soroptimist International of Alhambra, San Gabriel, San Marino Holiday
Fashion Show will take place Sunday, Nov.
22, at Almansor Court, 700 S. Almansor
St., Alhambra. In years past, this event has
enticed more than 300 guests to start their
holiday gift shopping by taking advantage
of more than 40 creatively assembled silent
auction baskets as well as shopping at the
clothing and jewelry vendor areas, all while
enjoying lunch and a fashion show.
Shopping begins as early as 11 a.m.
with the luncheon beginning promptly at
noon, followed immediately by the fashion
show. Opportunity Drawing tickets will be
available for three prizes: first prize, $500
cash; second prize, $200 gift card from J.
McLaughlin Boutique; and third prize, a
holiday gift basket. Chances for additional
prizes will be available as more than 70
door prizes will be given away to lucky
ticket holders throughout the event.
“And let’s not forget about the fabulous
Live Auction items that will be available,”
said Soroptimist President Cynthia Jarvis.
“Former Alhambra Mayor Mark Paulson
will act as auctioneer extraordinare and is
sure to entice you with a variety of wonderful items that in the past have included
tickets to sporting events, theme parks, and
even a week-end get-away.”
Fashion show coordinator Jacqueline
Coulette announced that this year’s fashions
will be provided by designer boutiques in
the San Marino Mission district, including
Posh Boutique, J McLaughlin and Jarbo,
to name a few. “The fashions will be of the
highest quality and will be presented on
the runway by professional models of the
highest caliber,” she said.
Individual tickets are just $45 per person. Purchase a full table for 10 and receive
a business card size ad or $50 credit toward
a half-page ad in the souvenir program
book, distributed to every event attendee.
To earn space in the souvenir program,
donate a service or products for the Live or
Silent auctions, the door prizes, or goodie
bags distributed to each guest.
For more information, or to purchase
tickets, contact Sorpoptimist International
Alhambra at www.SIAlhambra.org, check
the SI Alhambra Facebook page, or leave a
message at 626-799-0219.
11/2015
19A
Cal State LA ranked
among top for
employment outcomes
The Alhambra – San Gabriel branch of the American Association of University Women
offered scholarships to Tech Trek summer science/math camp to local seventh-grade girls. From
left are Jennifer Policarpo from Jefferson Middle School in San Gabriel; Christina Jones from
Garfield Elementary School; Analy Hidalgo from Emery Park School; and Amanda Chang
from Ramona School. Not shown in the photo is Samantha Godinez from Baldwin School.
Cal State LA is ranked 17th out of
nearly 1,200 colleges and universities
in preparing students for careers after
graduation.
Educate to Career, Inc., features a national listing of employment outcomes
relative to the total cost of a higher
education.
The rankings are based on the
percentage of graduates employed in
occupations that match their field of
study, the average salary earned by
recent graduates, and the percentage
of people employed within one year of
graduation.
The number of years it takes to graduate, the net cost of in-state tuition, and
loan default rates were also considered.
Local students attend
science, math camp for girls All Souls Parish Church
The Alhambra – San Gabriel branch
of the American Association of University
Women, a national organization that
promotes equity, education, intellectual
growth, and development of opportunities
for women and girls, offered scholarships
to Tech Trek summer science/math camp
to local seventh-grade girls. Each year the
seventh-grade science teachers in Alhambra
and San Gabriel recommend girls who are
highly interested in math and science to
apply for the scholarship.
This year, five girls were selected and
attended the week-long camp at UC Santa
Barbara in July: Christina Jones from Garfield Elementary School, Analy Hidalgo
from Emery Park School, Amanda Chang
from Ramona School, Samantha Godinez
from Baldwin School, and Jennifer Policarpo from Jefferson Middle School in San
Gabriel.
Each girl was assigned a core class such
as physics, marine biology, engineering, or
the newest core class called coding.
There were many fun and enriching
activities such as visiting a decommissioned
oil rig off the coast of Santa Barbara, visiting a UC Santa Barbara marine research
facility, and surfing.
The new applications for next year’s
Tech Trek camp scholarships will be available from seventh-grade science teachers in
January 2016.
To donate to the Tech Trek fund and
help more girls attend Tech Trek, please
contact Lilia Hall at 626-570-8067.
to host Family Festival
All Souls Parish will present its All
Souls Day Festival from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 1, at All Souls Church, 29
S. Electric Ave., Alhambra.
The fall festival honors the feast day
of All Souls, for which the church is
named. Food booths, game booths, face
painting, and a cake walk with elaborate
religious-themed cake decorations are
among the planned activities.
“We’re excited to celebrate our parish
feast day with this annual festival,” said
Irene Oaxaca, festival chair. “Everyone is
welcome to come out and spend some
time building community, eat their fill of
a variety of foods, and dance the day away
with live music and band performances.”
Historically, All Souls Day is a time
to remember people who have died. In
Hispanic cultures, Día de los Muertos
(the Day of the Dead), has become a
widely practiced celebration honoring the
memory of loved ones. It’s appropriate
that this day falls just after Halloween
and All Saints Day, where Catholics recall
the lives of the saints and their struggles
toward living out their faith.
For more information, phone 626281-0466, or e-mail vasquez.allsouls@
gmail.com.
20A
COMMUNITY NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA11/2015
Mosaic Craft Fair brings art,
music programs to All Souls
With Alhambra’s abundant
sunshine, an autumn breeze
means a chance to breeze
through an open air craft fair
at All Souls World Language
Catholic School’s second
annual fall Mosaic Craft Fair
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15.
This year, the growing
school is bringing its popular
Craft Fair to The Alhambra,
1000 S. Fremont Ave., corner
of South Fremont Avenue and
West Mission Road. The freeto-attend event will feature a
selection of today’s finest independent makers and artisan
vendors.
Sponsors and attendees of
the Mosaic Craft Fair will be
supporting a new generation
of young crafters, artists, and
performers. This event is organized by the school’s Family
Guild. All Souls is the only
dual language Catholic elementary school offering programs in English-Spanish and English-Mandarin. Funds
earned will be used to purchase art supplies and easels,
instruments and music books, along with Chromebooks,
iPads, and document cameras.
Last year’s Craft Fair brought in enough to hire an art
teacher and music teacher for the second half of the school
year. Children received instruction in both art and music
each week. The school hosted an art show at the end of
the year displaying the kids’
creative abilities.
The goal of these classes is
to enhance cultural awareness,
embrace cultural traditions
and history, explore artistic
and creative forms of expression that students may not
otherwise experience in the
classroom, and to develop
skills that encourage students
to express themselves creatively, build self-confidence, and
can be shared with the school
community through school
performances.
The Mosaic Craft Fair will
host more than 50 local artisans selling their handmade
goods including clothing,
jewelry, paper goods, bath and
body items, toys, pet products,
and much more. There will
also be food, a beer garden,
arts and crafts workshops, and
plenty of activities for kids.
Preview this year’s lineup of the 50+ artisans and their
handmade items at www.mosaiccraftfair.org. No resale
items will be allowed.
All proceeds from the Mosaic Craft Fair will support
All Souls World Language Catholic School. The school is
located at 29 S. Electric Ave. For more information, go
to the school’s Web site at www.allsouls.la, or phone 626282-5695. To sign up to be a vendor or sponsor, go to
www.mosaiccraftfair.org.
Joe Forgatch (1920 – 2015) and his wife Joy.
In Memorium
Joseph Forgatch
One of the bright lights of Emmaus Lutheran Church
and School went dark when Joseph (Joe) Forgatch died
on Sept. 12 at age 95. He lived life fully, was sharp as a
tack, and was blessed to play his last nine holes of golf in
August with his brand new Big Bertha driver. At Emmaus
he was one of the major forces in growing the church and
school and a familiar face on the school campus to which
he dedicated his last years.
Joe and his late wife Gerri were longtime residents of
San Marino. For the last several years, Joe and his wife
Joy lived at Alhambra Atherton Baptist Home. Before
residing in the San Gabriel Valley, Joe lived a fascinating
life. He worked for the Tennessee Valley Authority, the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cuter Intelligence
Corps/Military Intelligence in Oak Ridge, Tenn., where
splitting of the atom and the making of the atomic bomb
was done. Joe was fortunate to know of the making of
the atomic bomb before the actual bombing took place in
Japan. A national CPA firm brought him to Los Angeles,
and he later became chief financial officer for California
Federal Savings and Loan where he retired the first time.
His second retirement was from the California Science
Center, where he was CFO.
Joe will be missed around Emmaus Church and
School, but his memory will keep people accountable. He
always pushed for Emmaus to be better — project after
project, auction after auction.
So while Joe’s song may be over, his melody will linger
on. His last project will be repaving the church’s parking
lot. Joe had been fundraising and donating to the Share
the Vision program with the goal of accomplishing that
major task.
In memory of Joe, contributions may be sent to
Emmaus Lutheran Church (Share the Vision). All of his
friends and family will miss him, especially his loving
wife. Joe and Joy were 50+ year members of Emmaus.
– Sandra Needs-Ramirez
Technology
event planned
for law firms
TeamLogic IT in Alhambra,
a provider of comprehensive
IT management services for
businesses, will host “The
Law Practice of the Future”
event from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.,
Tuesday, Nov.17, at TeamLogic
IT, 2200 S. Fremont Ave, Suite
203, Alhambra.
Mike Francis, owner of
TeamLogic IT, will host the
event. Speakers include Dayvin
Turchiano, owner of Dovie.tv,
and Rene Antonio, owner of
Alchemy of Marketing. The
presentation is targeted to area
law firms to educate them on
how to leverage technology to
help them remain competitive
in an information and data rich
industry.
Contact Mr. Francis at 626427-1776, e-mail mfrancis@
teamlogicit.com. Visit the Web
site at www.teamlogicit.com/
alhambraca519.
11/2015
21A
Alhambra Woman’s Club
invites new members,
former members to meeting
New and former members of the
Alhambra Woman’s Club are invited to
the next meeting at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, at Almansor Court, 700 S.
Almansor St.
“You will be joining a friendly, fun
loving group of women,” said second vice
president Carla Pemberton.
The club welcomed four new members
at the last meeting.
DJ Tim will provide music for listening
and dancing.
Dues are $20 a year. Non-members
may attend a meeting. The luncheon
cost is $20 for non-members and $15 for
members. Reservations must be made by
phoning 626-289-9307.
To join the club, mail a check made
payable to The Alhambra Woman’s Club
to P.O. Box 473, Alhambra 91802.
Historical Society presents
night of free movies, popcorn
The Alhambra Historical Society
will present Movie Night at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 18, at the Alhambra
Masonic Center, 9 W. Woodward Ave.
On the double bill will be Habeas Corpus,
a 1928 silent film, and Laurel and Hardy
Murder Case, a 1930 film with sound.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. Historical items will be on display. Refreshments
are provided.
This program is available through the
courtesy of the international organization
Sons of The Desert, which is the title of a
Laurel and Hardy film. The organization
was started in 2002 to honor the films
of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. The
local chapter is The Early to Bed Tent
represented by projectionist John Duff
and historian Don Duncan, who will
provide the historical background of
each film being shown. A question and
answer time to learn more about the fan
club and the history of early movies will
follow.
There is ample parking in lighted lots
on the north and east side of the building.
Everyone is invited. The evening of
entertainment is free.
Community Calendar of Events
November
Nov. 2 – Monday
Planning Commission
7 p.m., City Hall, council chambers
111 S. First St.
Nov. 10 – Tuesday
• Alhambra Chamber Board of Directors
8:30 a.m., Alhambra Chamber, 104 S. First St.
• Library Board of Trustees
6 p.m., library boardroom, 101 S. First St.
• Youth Commission
• Design Review Board
7:30 p.m., City Hall, conference room
111 S. First St.
Nov. 3 – Tuesday
• Alhambra Chamber Executive Committee
8:30 a.m. Alhambra Chamber, 104 S. First St.
• HCDA Citizen Advisory Committee
Nov. 11 – Wednesday
7 p.m. - City Hall, conference room
Transportation Committee
111 S. First St.
7 p.m., City Hall, conference room
111 S. First St.
Meeting of Minds
Nov. 16 – Monday
“Building Communities with a Workforce
Planning Commission
Advantage”
Registration and coffee: 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. 111 S. First St.
Speakers: 10:30 a.m. to noon
Lunch: Noon to 1 p.m.
Nov. 17 – Tuesday
Tickets $35
New Chamber Member Breakfast
Almansor Court, 700 S. Almansor St., Alhambra 8:30 a.m., Alhambra Chamber
For more information or RSVP, phone the
104 S.First St., R.S.V.P. 626-282-8481
Chamber at 626-282-8481
Nov. 5 – Thursday
Parks and Recreation Commission
7 p.m., Joslyn Center, Story Park
210 N. Chapel Ave.
Nov. 9 – Monday
Alhambra City Council, 7 p.m.
City Hall, 111 S. First St.
• Business After Hours Mixer
Hosted by Platt College
1000 S. Fremont Ave., Bldg. A9W, Alhambra
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
$10 members, $15 non-members
• Arts & Cultural Events Committee
7p.m., City Hall, conference room
111 S. First St.
• Survivors of Murdered Children, SGV Chapter
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Third Wednesday of each month
Alhambra Police Department
211 S. First St., room EDC on second floor
Contact Tina Yamashiro at 626-298-9054 or
[email protected]
Nov. 19 – Thursday
“Secrets for YOUR Success,” The Chamber’s
new monthly business training program, is
facilitated by Alhambra business leaders
with a track record of success. They will
share relevant business strategies that have
helped them build a profitable business.
The November program will be presented by
Evike.com: “Marketing, Entrepreneurship,
and the Instruction Manual to Success”
Learn about various solutions to the challenges
of entrepreneurship, from marketing,
optimization, leadership, to finding growth.
The cost of the program is free to Chamber
members and a modest $15 charge for
non-members. A complimentary lunch is
included.
Early reservations are suggested due to limited
seating.
Phone the Chamber for more information or to
make reservations: 626-282-8481
Nov. 23 – Monday
Alhambra City Council, 7 p.m.
Nov. 24 – Tuesday
• Government Affairs Committee
9 a.m., Chamber, 104 S. First St.
111 S. First St.
December
Dec. 1 – Tuesday
• Alhambra Chamber Executive Committee
8:30 a.m. Alhambra Chamber, 104 S. First St.
• HCDA Citizens Advisory Committee
7 p.m. - City Hall, conference room
111 S. First St.
Dec. 3 – Thursday
Parks and Recreation Commission
7 p.m., Joslyn Center, Story Park
210 N. Chapel Ave.
Dec. 4 – Friday
Tree Lighting Ceremony
5:30 to 9 p.m. Renaissance Plaza, northeast
corner Garfield and Main
Free Santa photos, entertainment, and refreshments
Dec. 7 – Monday
Planning Commission
111 S. First St.
Dec. 8 – Tuesday
• Rose Queen and Court Luncheon
Noon at Almansor Court, 700 S. Almansor St.
$40 per person
For reservations, phone 626-282-8481
• Alhambra Chamber Board of Directors
8:30 a.m., Alhambra Chamber, 104 S. First St.
• Library Board of Trustees
• Youth Commission
111 S. First St.
Dec. 14 – Monday
City Council, 7 p.m.
Dec. 16 – Wednesday
• Business After Hours Holiday Mixer
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Rosemont Pavilion
700 Seco St., Pasadena 91103
$10 members, $15 non-members
• Arts & Cultural Events Committee
7p.m., City Hall, conference room , 111 S. First St.
Alhambra Service Clubs and Organizations
Tuesday: The Exchange Club meets at 12:30 p.m. every Tuesday at Almansor Court, 700 S. Almansor St., Alhambra. The Rotary Club and Soroptimist Club meet at noon every
Tuesday at Almansor Court. The Civitan Club meets at noon every first and third Tuesdays at Azteca Restaurant, 717 S. San Gabriel Blvd., San Gabriel. The Kiwanis Club of Alhambra
meets at 5 p.m. the first and third Tuesdays at noon at Denny’s Restaurant, 369 W. Main St., Alhambra (for information, phone 626-943-2542).
Wednesday: The Alhambra Historical Society presents its program meetings at 7 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of January, March, May, September, and November (November
meeting takes place after Thanksgiving) at the Masonic Center, 9 W. Woodward Ave. The Alhambra Woman’s Club meets at noon on the first Wednesday each month (except for June
through Sept.), write to P.O. Box 473, Alhambra 91802. Toastmasters meets from 6:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays each month at the Colonial Kitchen Restaurant,
1110 Huntington Drive, San Marino. The League of Women Voters meets on the third Wednesday each month (626-798-0965 for info.). The Lions Club meets at 6:15 p.m. on the third
Wednesday each month at the Regent Café, 1411 S. Garfield Ave., Alhambra.
Thursday: American Legion Post 139 meets at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday each month at the Legion Hall, 24 N. Stoneman Ave., Alhambra. San Gabriel Valley New Generation
Rotary Club meets from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Thursday at Fronteras Mexican Grill & Cantina, 118 W. Main St., Alhambra.
22A
11/2015
27 Quick and Easy Fix
Ups to Sell Your Home
Fast and for Top Dollar
Because your home may well be your
largest asset, selling it is probably one of
the most important decisions you will
make in your life. And once you have
made that decision, you’ll want to sell your
home for the highest price in the shortest
time possible without compromising your
sanity. Before you place your home on the
market, here’s away to help you to be as
prepared as possible. To assist home sellers,
a new industry report has just been released
called “27 Valuable Tips That You Should
Know to Get Your Home Sold Fast and for
Top Dollar.” It tackles the important issues
you need to know to make your home
competitive in today’s tough, aggressive
marketplace.
Through these 27 tips you will discover
how to protect and capitalize on your most
important investment, reduce stress, be in
control of your situation, and make the
To inquire about these
adoptable animals, contact the
San Gabriel Valley Humane
Society at 626-286-1159, or
visit at 851 E. Grand Ave., San
Gabriel. Adoption hours are
10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday
through Sunday. The shelter is
closed on Mondays. Directions
and photos of many more dogs
and cats can be found online at
www.sgvhumane.org.
The adoption fee for cats is
$99, which includes spay/neuter, vaccinations, de-worming,
FIV/FELV/heartworm testing,
and microchip. A $120-$135
dog adoption fee includes microchip, vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, and de-worming, as
well as a free health check-up at
a participating vet (some breeds
slightly higher).
November is Adopt a Senior
Pet Month. Check out the Web
site at sgvhumane.org for specials
best profit possible. In this report you’ll
discover how to avoid financial disappointment or worse, a financial disaster when
selling your home. Using a common-sense
approach,
you will get the straight facts about
what can make or break the sale of your
home.
You owe it to yourself to learn how
these important tips will give you the
competitive edge to get your home sold
fast and for the most amount of money.
Order your free report today. To order
your FREE copy of this report call toll-free
1-888-300-4632 and enter 1023. You can
call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Get your free special report NOW.
This report is courtesy of Rudy L. Kusuma Real
Estate Broker Lic# 01820322 . Not intended to
solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract.
Copyright © 2012
on senior animals next month.
The 2016 calendars are
available at the shelter for a
$10 donation. The photos
were selected among hundreds
submitted by shelter supporters.
They make great holiday gifts for
animal lovers. Order a 2016 calendar online by going through
Paypal. Go to the shelter Web
site at sgvhumane.org for more
information.
Save money with the Buddy
Program. Adopt two pets at the
same time for a reduced fee.
The Senior for Senior Program offers pets for $39 each.
The San Gabriel Valley
Humane Society is the local,
affordable choice for spay and
neuter, vaccinations, and TNR
(trap, neuter, and release) for
feral cats. Check out the Web
site for information on the
adoptable pets and adoption
programs: www.sgvhumane.org.
Gilbert Aguero (1942 – 2015) escorts 2015 Rose Queen Madison Byers to last year’s
Tournament of Roses luncheon.
Gilbert G. Aguero
Gilbert G. Aguero, Legionnaire and
former chaplain, died on Sept. 10, 2015.
He was born at home on April 8,1942, to
Guillermo and Angela Aguero. He was
the youngest of six boys and had one older
sister and one younger sister.
The family lived in Los Angeles until
the death of both his mother (1985) and
father (1989).
Gilbert attended Berendo junior high
and Belmont High school where he lettered in track.
After high school, he joined the Army
and became an airman. He served the
U.S. Army from 1961 through 1964,
101st Airborne Div., Fort Campbell, Ky.
Gilbert’s love of education guided him
to become an employee of the Los Angeles
School District, where he worked for 32
years. After his retirement, he became
involved in many volunteer organizations
helping his fellow veterans.
He became an active member in the
Elks, joining the San Pedro lodge in 1994,
giving his time to aid all who needed
him. In 2000, he became a member of
Terrier mix • young • male
• small • ID# 19151
Moon is the sweetest, cutest
terrier mix puppy boy. He is very
friendly, affectionate, enjoys pets
and cuddles and is generous with
kisses. He loves people and other
dogs. He is also very energetic,
peppy, bouncy, and playful. Moon
loves chasing and playing with toys
and tries to compete and keep up
with his kennel mate who is bigger,
faster, and stronger. If you have the
energy for this cute puppy, please
come and meet Moon.
American Legion Post 139 in Alhambra.
With his love for country and his desire to
honor those who served, he made many
new friends and extended his family.
Gilbert wanted to recognize and honor
the veterans of the community in Alhambra, so he began working with city officials
to have a permanent display of honor for
all veterans within the local community.
There is now a Veterans Memorial in
Alhambra Park where all veterans are
honored for their service to the country.
Gilbert was an usher for All Souls
Church. He served on Sunday mornings
at 9 a.m. Mass.
After church, he would bring tamales
and sweet breads for people to enjoy.
He said his greatest happiness in life
was helping others and seeing the joy in
those he helped.
A Mass was celebrated on Sept. 26
at All Souls Church. Gravesite services
took place Sept. 28 at Riverside National
Cemetery. A memorial reception was
held at the Alhambra American Legion
Post 139.
Labrador retriever mix • adult
• female • large • ID# 18382
Patty is a cute-as-a-button 3-year-old
lab/retriever girl with a short black
and white coat that makes grooming
a breeze. Patty is best described as a
“people dog” because her favorite past
time is to be affectionate and give
many kisses to her human friends. She
is always asking for hugs, trying to
fit in any available lap, and begging
for belly rubs. She walks well on a
leash and is very curious about her
surroundings. She also likes to play
with squeaky toys, but ultimately she
prefers human affection over anything
else. If a love-bug is what you’re looking
for, then Patty is the lover for you.
Domestic short hair mix • adult
• female • small • ID: #11272
Ramona is a sweet 1-year-old
girl tabby who came to us with
five adorable kittens. She enjoys
head scratches and likes to play
with string toys. She isn’t shy
and will come right up to you
for attention. She is searching
for her forever home. Please stop
by to meet her and her kitten
Braeburn and consider making
her a part of your family.
11/2015
23A
10 tips to stay on top of your credit this fall
BY SANDY WALIA, WELLS FARGO
GREATER SAN GABRIEL AREA PRESIDENT
The kids are back to school, leaves
have started to change color, and the air
is getting crisp. These are all signs that fall
is here — and it’s hard to believe.
Fall can be one of the most exciting
seasons of the year, but it can also be a
busy and stressful time as the holidays
begin to creep up unexpectedly. With so
many things happening all at once, it’s
easy to forget the day-to-day responsibilities and slowly begin to drift away from
your routine.
During busy times, it’s important
that you maintain a plan — especially
when it comes to your finances. Well
Fargo recently conducted the third
installment of its “How America Buys
and Borrows” survey. The survey revealed
that Americans are optimistic about their
finances and the future with Millennials
feeling the most optimistic. Twenty-eight
percent of Millennials rate their current
financial situation favorably, compared
to 24% of the general population.
The survey also revealed that 60% of
Americans say if they want something
enough, they will borrow to get it, yet
45% of respondents grade their overall
understanding of credit and loan products as a C, D, or F grade.
While some results show great signs of
positive financial behaviors — especially
when it comes to our youth — there
still seems to be desire to learn more
about credit and money management.
Understanding your financial and credit
situations are key steps to achieving your
financial goals. To continue on a positive
path this fall and during the upcoming
holiday season, Wells Fargo offers these
10 tips that can help you stay on top of
your credit:
1.Monitor your credit regularly.
Make sure you stay on top of your credit
history. Be sure to check all three credit
bureaus annually.
2.Know your credit limits. Being
close to or maxing out your credit limits
may negatively impact your credit score.
3.Good score = good rates. Better
credit score may get you better credit
interest rates.
4. Don’t be late. The first missed payment has the largest impact on a credit
score, so don’t miss payments. If you are
late, don’t be 30 days late, and if you have
difficulty, call your lender.
5.Know your debt-to-income ratio.
Lenders look at the amount of debt you
have compared to your monthly income
— it’s good to keep that under 35%.
6. Start with a college or secured cred-
it card. If you need to establish credit, a
secured credit card or a college credit
card may be a good way to start.
7.Pay down highest interest rates
first. When trying to pay down your
existing debt, pay down your highest
interest debt first.
8. Live within your means. By setting
a budget and living within your means,
you can avoid using credit to overextend
yourself.
9. Pay more than the minimum. Paying more than what’s due on your credit
card helps you pay down debt faster and
can improve your credit score.
10. Set up alerts. Set up email and
text alerts, as well as autopay, to help
ensure that you pay your bills on time
and build positive credit history.
Strong credit is the key to a healthy
financial future. It also helps with routine
matters like having utilities connected to
your home, getting a cell phone, or even
applying for a job.
This fall, Wells Fargo is supporting
Get Smart About Credit to build
awareness on the importance of credit.
But most importantly, Wells Fargo is
encouraging consumers to have a conversation about credit not only during
this buy time, but throughout the year.
For more information about credit, you
can visit the Smarter Credit Center
at www.wellsfargo.com/smarter_credit
or its Hands on Banking® site at www.
handsonbanking.org.
TM
24A
Health & Safety
Expo to offer
services,
information
The Alhambra will present its 9th Annual Health & Safety Expo from 11:30 a.m.
to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at 1000 S.
Fremont Ave., in the Oval Mall Courtyard.
The Expo will feature goods, services,
and vital information from health and
wellness providers, as well as public safety
officers, from The Alhambra and the neighboring community.
Enter a raffle for a chance to win an
earthquake preparedness kit, sign up to donate blood, and check out the many local
vendors providing screenings and services.
Past participants have included the Alhambra Fire Department, Be the Match at
City of Hope, The Fit Factor, the Alhambra
Police Department K9 Unit, LA Fitness,
and CPR demonstrations.
Admission is free.
For more information on participation
or event details, please contact Erika Deacon at 626-300-5000.
11/2015
Masao “Mas” Takahashi (1924 – 2015), right, was of the
seven Nisei veterans from the 100th Infantry Battalion and
442nd regimental Combat Team who rode on Alhambra’s
2015 Rose Parade float, “Go For Broke.” Councilmember
Gary Yamauchi is on the left.
Susumu “Sus” Ito (1919 – 2015) rode on Alhambra’s 2015 Rose
Parade float as one of the seven Nisei veterans from the 100th
Infantry Battalion and 442nd regimental Combat Team.
Masao “Mas” Takahashi
Susumu “Sus” Ito
Masao “Mas” Takahashi, one of the seven Nisei veterans
from the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd regimental
Combat Team who rode on Alhambra’s 2015 Rose Parade
float, “Go For Broke,” died on July 25. He was 90 years old.
Mr. Takahashi was born Aug. 9, 1924, on a farm in
Modesto, Calif. He and his siblings were placed in a home
for children after the death of his mother. From the age of 4
until he was 14, Mas ran around San Francisco, was a sugar
beet farmer in Montana and Idaho, and moved to Detroit.
After spending a year at Manzanar, Mas was drafted
into the 100th Battalion. After 12 weeks of basic training,
Mas was sent overseas where he served in the Champagne
campaign, the Gothic Line, and Po Valley. His older brother was a member of the 442nd RCT. After the war, Mas
opened a gas station and truck stop. He is one of the small
band of veterans who were motivated to build a monument
to salute all World War II Nisei veterans.
Susumu “Sus” Ito, one of the seven Nisei veterans from
the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd regimental Combat
Team who rode on Alhambra’s 2015 Rose Parade float, “Go
For Broke,” died on Sept. 29. He was 95 years old
Dr. Ito was born on July 27, 1919, in Stockton, Calif.
Dr. Ito survived the rescue of the Lost Battalion in Bruyeres,
France, and the liberation of Dachau on April 29, 1945, as
a member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team’s 522nd
Field Artillery Unit. With a camera in hand, Sus documented
many moments in the life of a soldier, including one of the
darkest, as the 522nd was among the troops advancing into
Germany, helping to liberate a sub camp of Dachau.
After the war, Dr. Ito used the GI Bill to earn a Ph.D.
in general biology, taught at Cornell Medical School in New
York, and then joined Harvard Medical School in Boston,
Mass. Dr. Ito retired as Professor Emeritus in 1990 but
continued to be active in research in the electron microscope
facility lab at the Harvard School of Medicine.
11/2015
ACADEMIC NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA
Ten novice Speech and Debate Team students from San Gabriel High School recently had
their first taste of debate.
San Gabriel High School
debaters compete in So. Cal.
Debate League tournament
Ten novice Speech and Debate Team
students from San Gabriel High School
recently had their first taste of debate,
competing in a variety of events at an
area-wide tournament at Arcadia High
School against competitors from Southern
California Debate, including students from
Alhambra High School and Mark Keppel
High School.
“While none of the novice debaters
brought home a winner’s trophy, all performed valiantly and brought a sense of
pride of achievement back to their school,”
said Jessica Sandercock, San Gabriel High
School Speech and Debate Language Arts
teacher. Debater Johanna Ung brought
home an Honorable Mention ribbon for
her oratorical efforts, scoring first place
in two rounds of competition and fourth
place in another round.
Ms. Sandercock expressed her pride in
Johanna’s performance and in the efforts
of the other competitors. She praised San
Gabriel High’s Varsity debaters for assisting
in the tournament judging and the JV
debaters for attending the competition and
providing important moral support.
“In the midst of an intense period of
political debate, it is heartening to note
that our younger generation, high-schoolers and beyond, are taking speech and
debate classes, learning the techniques, and
practicing, in competition, the elements of
good debate,” said Ms. Sandercock.
Mark Keppel High School to
present student talent show Nov. 13
Mark Keppel High School announced the school’s second annual
talent showcase, “Keppel’s Got Talent,”
featuring the diverse talents of the
school’s students, will be presented at
7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, in the Mark
Keppel Auditorium, 501 E. Hellman
Ave., Alhambra.
Tickets are only $10. Intermission
concessions, sold by the Drama Boost-
ers, will provide support for the drama
department.
All members of the community
are welcome, and the appreciation
demonstrated by the audience is always
appreciated by the students. There will
be some surprise performances from the
Mark Keppel High School faculty and
staff, including last year’s hit faculty
band, the “Oldies but Goodies.”
Dual immersion comes to
Alhambra School District
Beginning in the 2015-16 school year,
the Alhambra Unified School District will
offer its first dual immersion program. The
program initially will be offered at two of
the District’s schools. Fremont Elementary
will begin with a Spanish dual immersion
program and Marguerita Elementary will
offer a Mandarin dual immersion program.
Classes will start at both the transition to
kindergarten and kindergarten levels. The
District plans to add an additional grade level each year as the program moves forward.
The two programs will differ slightly
from one another. The students in the
Spanish program at Fremont will be taught
in Spanish 90% and English 10% of the
time during the first year. Each year until
fourth grade the ratio will change by 10%.
From fourth through eighth grades, the
ratio of Spanish and English instruction
will be 50/50. For the Mandarin program,
current plans call for instruction to be 50%
Mandarin and 50% English for the duration of the program. The primary reason
for the difference is Spanish and English
each use the same alphabet and share many
similarities; whereas Mandarin uses a very
different language structure.
Families from throughout the Alhambra School District as well as neighboring
communities are welcome to apply.
Families who are accepted into either the
Spanish or Mandarin programs will be
expected to participate actively through
the eighth grade. Language support in
both English and the partner language are
currently being designed for parents and
legal guardians of students who are accepted into the dual immersion programs.
Applications will be made available Dec.
1 at both the Alhambra Unified District
Office’s English Language Development
Office as well as on the District Web site
at www.ausd.us.
25A
26A
11/2015
Artworks of Learning Independence for Transition
program students featured in special exhibit
Several “LIFT” students, part of the
“Learning Independence for Transition”
program of the Alhambra Unified School
District, were recently honored by having
their artworks included in the annual Disability Art Exhibit at Los Angeles City Hall.
Jesus Monroy, Fernando Chi Tang,
Daniela Urista, and Bryan Zhang were
honored not only by the exhibition of their
art throughout the month of September,
but also at a ceremony that featured Los
Angeles City Councilmember David E.
Ryu and Stephen David Simon,
The exhibit was sponsored, in part, by
the Academy of Special Dreams, the Braille
Institute, and Tierra del Sol. The honorees
received Certificates of Recognition from
the Los Angeles City Council.
LIFT is a program that provides daily
living skills and work experience for 18- to
22-year-old special needs students who
have a certificate of completion from high
school.
Alhambra LIFT students Fernando Chi Tang, second from left, Daniela Urista, Jesus
Monroy, and Bryan Zhang hold certificates of recognition received from Stephen David
Simon, executive director of the City of Los Angeles Department of Disability.
“As a teacher of the LIFT program
and a member of the Academy of Special
Dreams, I feel fortunate to support my
students in their artistic endeavors,”
Los Angeles City Councilmember David E. Ryu
recognizes Kathleen Doyle, Alhambra Unified
School District’s LIFT teacher and board member
for the Academy of Special Dreams.
said LIFT teacher Kathleen Doyle. “I
am continually impressed by the depth
and sincerity that these incredible artists
express in their beautiful works of art. I
am grateful to Stephen David Simon and
everyone who worked to provide this opportunity to showcase the works of these
talented artists.”
School District’s high schools, Ynez elementary recognized
All three of Alhambra Unified
School District high schools
made the Newsweek - Beating the
Odds ranking of America’s top
500 high schools. San Gabriel
High School was ranked 9 on the
list and was the only California
school in the top 10. Additionally, the US News and World Report
rankings of “Best High Schools”
has identified all three Alhambra
School District high schools as
silver medal recipients.
Education Trust – West
(ET-W), a nationally recognized
educational think tank that
focuses on issues of educational
equity, published an Equity
Alert report that identifies Ynez
Elementary as being one of the
top schools in the State to serve
low income students that met
or exceeded standards. Despite
stark statewide achievement gaps
and low performance for most
student subgroups, these trends
don’t exist everywhere, especially
at Ynez. Schools like Ynez dispel
the damaging myth that schools
can do very little to help stu-
dents overcome the barriers of
poverty. Ynez is listed in the top
10 highest performing schools in
the State for low-income eighthgrade math scores. The analysis
was limited to those schools
where at least 60% of students
are low income, mirroring the
state’s K-12 student poverty level.
Principal Carla Danner-Powell
and her staff reacted to the
news by saying “Our whole
community - parents, students,
noon duty aides, teachers, office
staff, classified staff, facilities and
custodians, on and on - are so
proud to be Ynez Eagles. We soar
to the highest heights and this is
confirmation that we are doing it
right at Ynez!”
11/2015
Alhambra Unified School
District, East Los Angeles College
partner to involve parents,
enhance student learning
“Student learning is our
priority and when school sites
and parents work together, the
learning experience for students
is enhanced tremendously. We are
very proud of this program,” said
Dr. Gary Gonzales, Alhambra
Unified School District Assistant
Superintendent of Education Services. He discussed the district’s
partnership with E.L.A.C. in a
program that provides English
as a second language classes for
Northrup Elementary School
parents, increasing the parent’s
ability to support their children
in their academic studies.
The development of the College and Career Readiness Center
at Northrup Elementary was a
result of the District and college
collaboration. The students’ parents voiced their needs, and the
result was the ESL classes that,
according to Mr. Gonzales, were a
“great opportunity to engage parents in the educational process.”
“Our parents want to help
their students be successful with
school work, and I feel the parents
are being strong role models for
their children by attending the
ESL Class,” said Northrup Principal Stacie Colman-Hsu.
ESL Teacher Nury Masud-Ruiz remembers the problem
of her parents not understanding
English as she was going to school.
Parents of Northrup Elementary students attend ESL
classes.
“I enjoy being able to be a part of this opportunity,
and while teaching more than 37 parents who attend
class twice a week, I want them to communicate
with their students. I feel it’s very beneficial for both
students and parents.”
The plan is to expand this program and reach out
to more parents. Former ELAC student Nicholas
McNight, now working for the ELAC Outreach and
Recruitment Center while attending Cal State L.A.,
is training Student Ambassadors to work with students at both Northrup Elementary and Alhambra
High School. “We are providing a great need in the
community,” he said.
27A

November 2015 Section A - Alhambra Chamber of Commerce

Transcription

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