December 2014 Section A - Alhambra Chamber of Commerce

Transcription

12/2014
Tree Lighting begins holiday cheer, Pg. 19A
Lowe’s Heroes and The Alhambra Chamber of Commerce presented a dedication
ceremony on Nov.7 to celebrate the completion of several renovations to the
Alhambra Chamber of Commerce as part of a city-wide Lowe’s Heroes project.
From left: City Councilmember Stephen Sham; Mayor Gary Yamauchi; Mark
Paulson, Chamber past president; Chris Horan, Lowe’s Burbank store manager;
Sharon Gibbs, Chamber executive director; Jim Phillips, Lowe’s Covina store
manager; Frank Chen, Chamber past president; Tony Gonzalez; Amaris Schuller;
and Evan Repass, Lowe’s Burbank installed sales manager.
Holding the Special Olympics World Games flag are, from left, Joann Klonowski, vice president, Host Town, L.A. 2015; Alhambra
Councilmember Steven Placido, D.D.S.; Alhambra Mayor Gary Yamauchi; Marco Martinez, 2015 World Games Glabal
Manager; Alhambra Councilmember Stephen Sham; Vice Mayor Luis Ayala; and Monterey Park Mayor Han Liang, following an
announcement that the cities of Alhambra and Monterey Park have been officially selected to co-serve in the Special Olympics L.A.
2015 “Host Town” program.
Alhambra, Monterey Park have
Lowe’s Heroes, Alhambra vital roles in upcoming Special
Chamber of Commerce Olympics World Games
celebrate completion of
renovation projects
Approximately 350 Lowe’s Heroes from more than 30 stores
offered time and skills to completely remodel Chamber building
L
owe’s Heroes and The
Alhambra Chamber of
Commerce presented a
dedication ceremony on Nov.
7 to celebrate the completion
of several renovations to the
Alhambra Chamber of Commerce, 101 S. First St., as part
Representatives from Special
Olympics L.A. 2015 held a press
conference at Cal State L.A. last
month to announce that the City
of Alhambra and City of Monte-
rey Park will play a vital role in
welcoming the World Games delegations to Southern California
next summer through the“Host
City” program.
The Host Town Pre-Games
celebration will take place following participants’ arrival, from
July 21 to 24. The Games, set
for July 25 to Aug. 2, will be the
>> see SPECIAL OLYMPICS Page 9A
San Gabriel High School journalism, yearbook staffs shine
>> see CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RENOVATION Page 12A
CITY NEWS PAGE 2A
CHAMBER NEWS
PAGE 11A
COMMUNITY NEWS
PAGE 14A
ACADEMIC NEWS
PAGE 25A
San Gabriel High School’s journalism and yearbook staffs shine at California State University
Northridge’s Generation Journalism Day on Oct. 25. The student journalists swept the features writing
category with senior Kaleen Luu winning first place; senior Kelsey Ko, second place; junior Ileana Perez,
third place; and senior Jennifer Thai, honorable mention. In News, junior Erin Truong took first place
and junior Amy Yee earned honorable mention. In Photojournalism, senior Jazzmin Perez claimed
second prize for her portfolio, and in Editorial Cartooning, junior Emmanuel Maresca earned a special
recognition for his cartoon. The students also attended workshops led by professional journalists from The
Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, and Univision.
26th annual Rose Queen and Court Luncheon
will take place Dec. 2. See Pg. 13A for details.
2A
How to Contact
Your Representatives
CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS
626-570-5010
Mayor Gary Yamauchi
Vice Mayor Luis Ayala
Councilmember Barbara Messina
Councilmember Dr. Steven Placido
Councilmember Stephen Sham
President of the United States
Barack Obama (D)
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C. 20500
U.S. Senator
Dianne Feinstein (D)
11111 Santa Monica Blvd. #915, Los Angeles, CA 90025
310-914-7300
Washington D.C. 202-224-3841
U.S. Senator
Barbara Boxer (D)
312 N. Spring St., #1748, Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-894-5000
U.S. Rep. 27th District
Judy Chu (D)
527 S. Lake Ave, Suite 106, Pasadena, CA 91101
626-304-0110
[email protected]
www.chu.house.gov
Governor
Jerry Brown (D)
C/O State Capitol, Suite 1173, Sacramento, CA 95814
510-628-0202
State Senator 22nd District
Kevin De Leon (D)
1808 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026
213-483-9300
Sacramento 916-651-4022
[email protected]
State Assembly 49th District
Ed Chau (D)
1255 Corporate Center Drive, Suite 306, Monterey Park, CA 91754
323-264-4949 Fax 323-264-4916
Sacramento 916-319-2049
[email protected]
asmdc.org/members/a49
County Supervisor 5th District
Michael D. Antonovich
215 N. Marengo Ave., #120, Pasadena, CA 91101
626-356-5407
Los Angeles 213-974-5555
[email protected]
www.antonovich.com
State Board of Equalization District #4
Jerome E. Horton, Vice Chair
2361 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 450
El Segundo, CA 90245
Ph. 310-297-5201, Fax 310-536-4460
[email protected]
www.boe.ca.gov
CITY NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA12/2014
‘Thanks for the Memories’
By Mayor Gary Yamauchi
“Trick or treat” echoes through my
mind because I had an unusual and
very exciting Halloween this year. My
neighbor on the corner of Alhambra
Road and Campbell Avenue really
out-did himself this year with spooky
decorations completely covering his
front yard. So many people pulled
their cars over to examine his fantastic
handy work. Many of those parking
continued to walk down my block, so
instead of the usual 26 to 30 “treaters”
coming to my home, this year I had
approximately 250! Yes, we ran out of
candy, but it was joyous to see so many
children in their costumes. I just love
Halloween.
November brought Thanksgiving,
and I always try to take it to a higher level. I want to use the Mayor’s
Corner to thank so many people and
organizations who have helped me
and therefore, have contributed to the
welfare and betterment of the City of
Alhambra and our residents.
On the top of my list is our great City
staff, led by City Manager Mary Swink.
They have continued to do amazing
things, not only with public viewed
events, but also behind the scenes with
budgeting, strategic planning, and a
genuine concern for the success of our
City in all areas including community
service, public safety, and care for our
residents. Thanks to you all for a great
job.
Of course I am including the police
officers and firefighters. We all need
to forward a word of thanks to each
of them for their unselfish efforts as
they strive to intervene between us and
harm’s way. We are indebted.
And speaking of debts, I am still
paying off my debt to all the veterans
(Nov. 11 was Veterans Day). I truly
appreciate the many years, days, and
hours they served to protect all the
freedoms we take for granted so often.
Let’s all think about the wonderful
rights we have and the freedom we
share to do what we choose in our great
country. Let us never forget that the
vets are the ones who led the charge
to preserve these rights. Let us take the
time to savor this freedom we enjoy
and remember who stood on the front
lines taking the risk for every citizen in
the United States.
One special veteran I have had the
pleasure of meeting is Larry Stevens.
Born and raised in Alhambra, Larry
joined the U. S Air Force right out
of high school and flew 35 (yes, 35)
bombing missions as a tail gunner
in a B-17 bomber. What an accomplishment. Larry will tell you how
fortunate he has always felt because he
lived through all these battles. He even
wrote an interesting book, It Only
Takes One, referring to the fact it only
takes one piece of enemy ammunition
to “down” a bomber and, perhaps,
send the entire crew on a crash landing
course.
I also had the opportunity to work
along with Mr. Steve Huang and his
new organization, Home of Angels,
a grassroots 501-c-3 set up to assist
disabled children and help them get
more into the mainstream of society
by having special events for these
deserving children. To date, they have
had a few luncheons and three swim
dates, where all the children shared the
use of our Granada Pool. His group
has many more events in the planning
stages, and I am excited and honored
to be of assistance to them in any possible way. Thank you, Steve Huang.
A special thank you to LA 2015,
next year’s Special Olympics Organizing Committee for selecting
Alhambra, along with Monterey
Park, as a Host City for the 2015
Special Olympics to take place
in Los Angeles next year. Seven
thousand athletes will come from
177 different countries. What an
event! Alhambra is proud to join
in to be part of this wonderful
event.
Thank you to Joanna Vargas
and Raymond Poon for helping
to make our 5k run a tremendous
success with their work on the
sign ups and their involvement
with the community fair. It was
a terrific day, especially for our
maiden run. There were 1,400
runners and walkers!
A big thanks goes to Lowe’s
Home Improvement stores for
picking the Alhambra Chamber
of Commerce to be awarded as
a “Local Hero.” Lowe’s crews
came in and completely remodeled the Chamber of Commerce
office with new flooring, cabinets,
bathrooms, and all the trimmings.
What a great job they did finishing
in only about two to three weeks.
Stop by the Chamber office and
take a peek.
The grand opening of Al’s
Tasty Beef and Nancy’s Pizza was
fantastic. Management allowed
me to make my own Tasty Beef
(hot and wet), and it was really so
much fun and delicious. Thank
you Al’s Tasty Beef.
There are many more people
to thank, and some will be given
the Mayor’s Medal, which I had
designed to present to people who
have unselfishly contributed to
their fellow citizens over a lasting
period of time. It is not a medal
of great value, but it means an
awful lot to me to present them to
people I have had the pleasure of
working with over the years.
Thank you all for your valuable, continued support as I head
into my final two laps as your
Councilmember. I have enjoyed
the trip up to this point and hope
the remaining two years of my
term will be a wonderful time for
the City of Alhambra.
ChickensWelcome.com
1 2 /2014
CITY NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA
3A
Alhambra Dental
(888) 398-1377
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.
100 South First Street • Alhambra, CA 91801
We welcome comments, press releases and
community interest stories and will make every
effort to include all appropriate information.
Experience the Difference in One Visit
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
LOOSE TEETH
Before
In One Visit
The City Council presents a Joint Proclamation to Soroptimist International of Alhambra,
San Gabriel, San Marino declaring the month of October as Breast Cancer Awareness
Month and the month of November as End Domestic Violence Month in the City of
Alhambra. From left: Cynthia Jarvis, Joan Malcor, Maureen Bateman, Miriam
Harrington, Sophia Tsoi, Josephine Yang, and Councilmember Steve Placido, D.D.S.
Larry Stevens, former Alhambra Fireman who
served the City for 31 years, including 18 years as
Fire Captain, was commended not only for his public
service, but also as an American hero who honorably
served his country during World War II.
Recent City Council actions
Executive Committee
President:
Lee Lieberg, Landz Real Estate
The following are highlights from
Larry Stevens, an Alhambra
Vice President:
the
Oct.
27
and
Nov.
10
City
Council
native,
Alhambra High School grad Robert Fukui, High Point Marketing
meetings
uate
(1943)
and former Alhambra
Immediate Past President:
Recognition
Fireman who served the City for
Frank Chen, Law Offices of Frank W. Chen
Soroptimist International of 31 years, including 18 years as Fire
At-Large members:
This example shows how
Dr. John Chao saved a hopelessly loose tooth in ONE
Evike Chang, Evike.com
Alhambra, San Gabriel, San Marino Captain, was commended not only
EASY
COMFORTABLE
VISIT and
at advocacy,
a fraction
of the cost of implants!
Valarie Gomez, West San Gabriel
Valley YMCA
was commended
for its
for his public service, but also as an
(individual
results
vary).
Mark Paulson, Anthony Venti Realtors
action, and awareness to promote American hero who honorably served
TOOTH SAVED
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
(October) and End Domestic Violence Month (November) through
its “Color Me Pink” and “Color
Me Purple” campaigns, respectively.
With one in eight women in the
United States being diagnosed with
breast cancer (232,570 new cases in
2014), and a woman being beaten
every nine seconds without respect
to economic status, both are serious
issues affecting society and deserving
of the utmost attention and action.
his country during World War II. Mr.
Stevens, a B-17 tail gunner in the 8th
Air Force, completed 35 combat missions over Europe and was awarded
an air medal and distinguished Flying
Cross for Meritorious Achievement
in Aerial Flight, as well as a medal by
the Russian government. He was also
recognized for writing a book, It Only
Takes One: Memoirs of a Tail Gunner
about his war experiences.
National Caregivers Month was
recognized through a resolution
NEGLECTED TEETH
Before
In One Visit
Board of Directors
Oriana Chan, Wells Fargo Bank
Iris Lai, Alhambra Hospital Medical Center
Elizabeth Martinez, 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
to recognize the 1,701 home care
workers who provide service in the
City of Alhambra, as well as to bring
greater awareness to family caregiver
issues, including the potential need
for many more home care workers as
the number of Americans who are 65
years and older is expected to double
in the next 30 years. The resolution
also noted the contributions of caregivers and the impact they have on
the local and national economy.
Contracts/Agreements
Ramona, Inc., was awarded a Public Works contract for a Sewer Spot
Repair Project.
E.C. Construction Company was
awarded a Public Works contract for
the City’s 2014 HUD Street Rehabilitation Project (see related article on
page 8A).
Staff
Executive Director: Sharon Gibbs
Membership/Advertising Sales: Stan Yonemoto
Legislative Affairs: Owen Guenthard
This example shows how Dr. John Chao saved a severely neglected tooth in
Office Manager: Irma Hernandez
ONE EASY COMFORTABLE VISIT and at a fraction of the cost of implants!
Editor: Dulcy Jenkins
Writers: William Kinman and Sarah Grear
(individual results vary)
Office Assistant: Rosemarie Valerio
Published by: Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
TEETH RESTORED
DON’T SUFFER A DAY LONGER!
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.
SAVE TIME, SAVE MONEY and SAVE YOUR TEETH, call
John Chao, DDS, MAGD*
USC School of Dentistry,
Faculty, Anxiety Management
*Master, Academy of General Dentistry
“Less than 2% of General Dentists
in the United States are Masters,”
according to the
Academy of General Dentistry
CHICKENSWELCOME.COM
Alhambra Dental
(888) 398-1377
SE HABLA ESPAÑOL
4A
Alhambra celebrates veterans
The overflow crowd gathered at the Alhambra Park
Veterans Memorial was visibly moved at the beginning
of the annual Veterans Day Ceremony and Celebration
with a recitation of Alhambrans who have died in
multiple wars — a “Fallen Veterans Honor Roll ”— a
reminder of the ultimate sacrifice paid to keep the nation
safe and secure. From World War II to Iraqi Freedom,
the list went on.
The City of Alhambra and American Legion Post
#139 again hosted this annual memorial event, replete
with other moments of pride, including:
The Alhambra High School “Mighty Moors” Marching Band for their musical entertainment and zestful
playing of the National Anthem.
Members of Cub Scout Pack 375 and Girl Scout
Troop 3111 for their precious handling of memorial
wreaths.
The Alhambra Police Department Color Guard for
the Posting of the Colors.
American Legion Post #75 Honor Guard for their
21-Gun Salute.
A soul-searching rendition of God Bless America provided by Paolo Kespradit.
The visible presence of so many veterans gathered in
memory and honor of fellow defenders of the nation.
Mayor Gary Yamauchi noted the importance of this
gathering, suggesting that it should take place more
frequently.
Following the ceremony, refreshments were offered at
American Legion Post #139 headquarters. The City of
Alhambra provided a family event in the park, complete
with music, games, arts and crafts, information booths,
and lots of memories of a morning paying tribute to the
veterans.
101-year-old Army veteran Gilbert Martinez receives
special recognition from Chaplain Rueda.
A dramatic fly-over of vintage aircraft by the Condor Squadron, flying AT-6’s, known
as the “Texan” because the majority of them were built in Texas, surprised the crowd and
Mayor Gary Yamauchi in the midst of his presentation at the Veterans Day memorial at
Alhambra Park.
Veterans in attendance gather for a post-ceremony memorial picture.
Cub Scouts and others salute the colors.
12/2014
California voters
overwhelmingly vote
for 2014 Water Bond
BY MARK R. PAULSON,
DIRECTOR SAN GABRIEL
VALLEY MUNICIPAL
WATER DISTRICT
Voters signaled their
strong support of longterm water reliability
and water quality measures on Election Day,
Nov. 4. While there
was a broad base of
endorsements for the
Water Bond heading
into Election Day, it was
up to voters to make
the outcome official,
with nearly two-thirds
of voters supporting
the Water Bond which
appeared on the ballot
as Proposition 1: the
Water Quality, Supply
& Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014.
The
bond
will
provide $7.5 billion
in funding for critical water
supply projects such as storage,
groundwater cleanup, water
quality, recycled water, and
storm water capture. The
continuing drought is leading
the state and many cities to
impose mandatory water use
restrictions and price increases
to curb water use. Earlier this
month, the State Water
Resources
Control
Board began releasing
data showing per capita
water use by cities in
California as another
means of encouraging
water conservation.
Here in the San
Gabriel Valley, local
groundwater
supplies
are at record low levels,
but there is enough
water stored to last one
or two years, even if the
current drought continues. Long range weather
forecasts are predicting
just a relatively mild El
Niño effect, coupled
with lower than average
precipitation locally and
snowfall in the mountains. It takes a long time
to get into a drought and
a long time to get out.
5A
6A
Library offers programs for children, teens, adults
There are crafts, films, story times, a
family open house, and lots of books at
the Alhambra Civic Center Library, 101 S.
First St., in December.
Children’s activities
Homework Help for children ages 5
to 12, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays in the
Children’s Room. High school volunteers
assist children with their daily homework
assignments on a first-come, first-served
basis. No Homework Help from Monday,
Dec. 22 through Wednesday, Dec. 31.
Gingerbread House Workshop for
children ages 5 to 12, 3:30 p.m. Monday,
Dec. 8, in Reese Hall. Celebrate the holiday season by making a gingerbread house.
No registration is required, but space and
supplies are limited.
Music & Movement Morning for
families with children ages 2 to 5, 11 a.m.
Saturday, Dec. 13, in Reese Hall. Stories,
music, movement, and fun. No registration required.
Holiday Family Film, The Polar Express
(PG), at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, in
Reese Hall. Based upon the Caldecott
Award-winning book by Chris Van Allsburg. On Christmas Eve, a doubting boy
boards a magical train that’s headed to
the North Pole and Santa Claus’ home.
Features the voice of Tom Hanks.
Children’s Story Times
Family Story Time for children ages
4 to 12, 7 p.m. Wednesdays in the Story
Time Room. This program includes stories, puppets, and other activities. No Story
Time on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31.
Early Literacy Story Time for children
ages 0 to 5. Early Literacy Story Times,
with a new format, are now being offered
in a series of six-week sessions. Participants
must register for each session, and they
will be selected on a first-come, first-served
basis with priority given to Alhambra
residents. Registration forms must be filled
out, in person, in the Children’s Room by
the child’s parent. The parent must have a
valid Alhambra Civic Center Library card.
Children may only be registered for one
Story Time each session and must meet the
age requirement before the first program in
the session. Due to space limitations, each
registered child may be accompanied by
one adult only at each Story Time program.
Alhambra resident registration: Saturday, Dec. 6, and Sunday, Dec. 7.
Non-Alhambra resident registration:
Monday, Dec. 8, through Sunday, Dec. 14,
or until all available spaces have been filled.
Winter Session 2015: Thursday, Jan. 8
through Friday, Feb. 13.
Baby Story Time, 0-12 months old:
10:15 a.m. Thursdays.
Toddler Story Time, 1-2 years old:
11:15 p.m. Thursdays.
Toddler Story Time, 1-2 years old:
10:15 a.m. Fridays.
Preschool Story Time, 3-5 years old:
11:15 a.m. Fridays.
For further information on Children’s
Room activities, Story Times, or other
children’s programs and services, please
phone 626-570-3215, or visit the Web
site at www.alhambralibrary.org/kids/kids.
html.
Teen activities
Teen Advisory Board meeting + Holiday Craft 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, in
Reese Hall.
Adult, family activities
Holiday Open House 6 p.m. Tuesday,
Dec. 9, in Reese Hall. Delicious holiday
treats, fun games, “snow-cool” prizes, and
a family movie – Meet Me In St. Louis, with
Judy Garland and Margaret O’Brien.
Register online for Family Excursions, Leisure Classes
Online registration for Family Excursion and Leisure Class programs, two of
the most popular Community Services
programs, begins this month for activities
starting in January.
The key dates to remember:
Friday, Dec. 5 – launch day for online
registration, at which time participants
may start creating accounts and browsing
the many programs available to them.
Monday, Dec. 8 – registration begins
for Alhambra residents. Open registration
for Alhambra residents and non-residents
alike is Monday, Dec.15.
To create an account and register, go
to the City of Alhambra Web site, www.
cityofalhambra.org, and click on the link
available on the home page.
In addition to 24/7 online availability, a
copy of the Leisure Activities Guide will be
delivered to residents’ U.S. mail addresses
in early December.
Early online registration ensures participation in programs for which there will
be significant interest. Scroll through the
Family Excursion program listings, then
register the whole family in the excursions
of choice:
Queen Mary and Long Beach Aquarium 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17. The
fee is $45 for adults and $35 for children
ages 3 to 11.
Joshua Tree National Park 8 a.m. to 6
p.m. Feb. 21. The fee is $25.
LA live and LA kings game 10 a.m. to
7 p.m. March 21. The fee is $56, which
includes game ticket.
USS Midway and Old Town San
Diego 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 18. The fee
is $25.
Cajun and Blues Festival, Simi Valley,
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 23. The fee is $25.
In addition to the Cajun, Creole, zydeco,
and blues entertainment on multiple
stages, there will be more than 150 food,
beverage, and craft booths. The Kids Area
includes bouncers, rock climbing walls,
slides, gyroscopes, and a Kid’s Craft area.
Catalina Island 8:30 a.m. to 12 a.m.
June 20. The round-trip boat transportation is $75 for ages 12 and above and $65
for children ages 3 to 11. Activities on the
island, which include zip lining, snorkeling, kayaking, hiking, museums, miniature
golfing, and more, are not included in the
fee.
Online registration, in addition to Family Excursion and Leisure Class programs,
will also be available for Youth and Adult
Sports programs, Senior programs, and
Aquatic programs.
Questions concerning the online registration service will be answered weekdays
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 626-570-3242.
What residents need to know
about holiday recycling
Residents should be aware of the oneday trash delay following Christmas and
New Year’s holidays. This year, regular
Thursday service takes place on Friday and
Friday service on Saturday.
Curbside tree recycling will take place
from Friday, Dec. 26 through Friday, Jan.
9. When disposing of holiday items, the
city urges residents to recycle properly by
placing bows and ribbons in the green trash
container, gift boxes in the blue recyclable
container, and live wreaths in the black
yard waste container. Front yard decorations should be removed by Feb. 1.
Trash, recycling, and yard waste containers should be moved in from the curb
on the same day of service and not left
at the curb overnight so they don’t look
unsightly or present a safety hazard.
Allied Waste Services (AWS), the City’s
trash provider, picks up bulky items and
consumer electronics (TVs, computers,
radios, etc.). Pickup requires a call first to
AWS at 888-742-5234 to schedule a pickup time. Electronic items are picked up on
Wednesdays only. Bulky items are picked
up on the scheduled collection day and
should be set at the curb by 6 a.m. on the
scheduled collection day. Customers with
more than four bulky items should consider renting a temporary dumpster available
through Allied Waste Services.
Household hazardous waste (HHW)
should never be placed in the trash. Take
products such as motor oil, paint, turpentine, acid or lye-based cleaners, household
and car batteries, pesticides and garden
herbicides to a collection event. For more
information, visit www.CleanLA.com.
Take household batteries (rechargeable
or alkaline weighing less than 11 lbs.) to
one of the following locations: Alhambra
Camera, 121 E. Main St.; Dat Chong
Jewelry Company, 1231 E. Valley Blvd.,
626-308-1848; Main Pharmacy, 103 N.
Garfield Ave., Suite D, 626-576-0890.
12/2014
7A
Alhambra’s Rose Parade float “Go For Broke”
Rick’s Drive In & Out, 132 W. Main St., has continued its Christmas decorating
tradition for more than 25 years. “We enjoy presenting Christmas decorating for the
community and public to enjoy,” said Rick’s co-owner, Ramon Flores. Posadas take
place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec.14.
Progress continues on Alhambra’s Rose Parade float, “Go For Broke.” The 41-foot-long float is based on
the Go For Broke Monument in Little Tokyo. It will display images of the 21 Japanese Americans soldiers
of the segregated 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd regimental Combat Team who earned the Medal
of Honor. The Congressional Gold Medal will be featured as well, with depictions of its front and back on
each side of the float, next to an American flag and a rendering of the bald eagle. Seven Nisei veterans will
ride on the float. “Go For Broke” was the motto of the 442nd RCT soldiers, who gave it everything they
had on the battlefield.
Contact the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce at
626-282-8481 for more information
Joslyn Center
to host Holiday
Craft Fair Dec. 3
The Joslyn Adult Recreation
Center, 210 N. Chapel Ave. in
Story Park, will host a Holiday
Craft Fair from 11 a.m. to 6
p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3.
Local crafters will highlight
their wares for shoppers who
want to find that special gift
for the holidays or just the
right decoration to add interest
and color to their own home
décor.
An early arrival will ensure
the widest variety of crafts
available for purchase, but a
visit anytime during the day
will please the eye and the
pocket book.
8A
12/2014
City will benefit from
implementation of significant
HUD-funded projects in 2015
Each year, the City of Alhambra receives
an allotment of federal funding from
the Department of Housing & Urban
Development (HUD), which it can use
for a wide range of projects from first-time
homebuyer and home rehabilitation programs to street repairs — and much more.
Funding comes from HUD’s Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) and
HOME Investment Partnership (HOME)
programs. Funding also helps support
economic development (job creation) and
services such as fair housing, lead-based
paint detection and removal, case management, and code enforcement services.
While the City’s allotment has been
subject to reductions in funding over the
past couple of years, some very important
capital projects have been undertaken of
considerable benefit to the community.
Last year, for example, CDBG funds helped
provide for the installation of ADA-compliant doors at the Joslyn Senior Center
and Fire Department Headquarters, as well
as a self-operated ADA lift at the Alhambra
Park Pool.
This year and into next, the City will
spend up to $350,000 in CDBG funds to
make needed repairs at the Granada Park
Gym and Almansor Park Gym. Additional
funding will also be used to help fund the
City’s Annual 2014 HUD Street Rehabilitation Project and 35 ADA ramps, as well as
to install a HAWK beacon (High-Intensity
Activated Crosswalk) at Valley Boulevard
and Seventh Street that will greatly enhance
pedestrian safety at this busy intersection.
The Granada Park Gym rehabilitation
project will consist of painting, roofing,
replacing flooring, adding new lighting and
HVAC, and repairing the basketball courts.
These are all improvements that will enable
the community to gain the full potential
use of this facility.
Repairs to the Almansor Park Gym will
consist of installing a new HVAC system
and other ancillary improvements in the
first half of 2015, in time for next year’s
summer season.
The 2014 HUD Street Rehabilitation
Project will include significant repairs
to sections of Almansor Street, Adams
Avenue, Los Higos Street, Monterey Street,
Stoneman Avenue, Second Street, Third
Street, Fourth Street, Fifth Street, Seventh
Street, Eighth Street, Ninth Street, Olive
Avenue, Curtis Lane, Electric Lane, Benito
Avenue, Curtis Avenue, Marguerita Avenue, and two alley segments south of Valley
Boulevard between Garfield Avenue and
Almansor Street. The project should start
in early December. Affected residents will
receive a post card from the Public Works
Department providing more information.
Anyone with questions can phone Public
Works at 626-570-5067.
The installation of 35 ADA ramps
will take place at cross streets intersecting
with Atlantic Boulevard, Almansor Street,
Stoneman Avenue, Second Street, Eighth
Street, and a few other minor intersections.
With an urgent need to address
immediate concerns in that corridor, the
City has received permission from HUD
to use HUD funds to install a HAWK
traffic control system at Valley Boulevard
and Seventh Street. A HAWK beacon
(High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk) is
a traffic signal used to stop road traffic
and allow pedestrians to cross safely. The
purpose of a HAWK beacon is to allow
protected pedestrian crossings, stopping
road traffic only as needed. The project is
currently under design and will be going
out to bid shortly.
HUD administers CDBG and HOME
funds to cities to ensure the availability of
decent and affordable housing to prevent
slum and blight; to ensure a suitable living
environment and stimulate economic
growth; and to address a serious need or
threat that has a particular urgency.
HUD requires local governments to
seek input from residents on the use of
such funds. The next official public review
period will take place next spring.
Alhambra Place groundbreaking
With shovels in hand, representatives of Shea Properties and members of the Alhambra City
Council gather some dirt, signifying the celebratory groundbreaking and start of the future
Alhambra Place mixed-use development at the southeast corner of Main and Garfield. From
left are, from Shea Properties, Jeff Cunningham, Andres Friedman, Greg Anderson, Brad Deck,
and Colm Macken (CEO) and from the City of Alhambra Mayor Gary Yamauchi, Vice Mayor
Luis Ayala, and Councilmembers Barbara Messina, Dr. Steven Placido, and Stephen Sham.
The 10.5 acres of land will be transformed into 140,000 square feet of specialty retail and
dining space and 260 luxury apartment units complete with the high-end amenities desired by
today’s renter. The retail half of the project is expected to be completed by the holiday shopping
season in 2015, and the residential units will follow.
12/2014
9A
ChickensWelc
Alhambra Firefighters ignite
Temporary parking
Alhambra
D
drive
enforcement suspended Spark of Love toy
(888) 398during Christmas,
100 South First Street • Alh
New Year’s holidays
Experience the Differe
are otherwise available for purchase
throughout the year for $3 per night (10
consecutive nights maximum). The permits
are available at either the parking permit
kiosk, located in the lobby of the Alhambra
Police Department, 211 S. First St., or they
can be purchased online at www.cityofalhambra.org under “Online Services.”
For additional information about parking restrictions, phone 626-570-5120, or
visit the city’s Web site.
The City of Alhambra wishes all residents and guests a happy and safe holiday
season and New Year.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS From Page 1A
largest sports and humanitarian event
anywhere in the world in 2015 — including an anticipated 7,000 athletes,
3,000 coaches, 30,000 volunteers, and
500,000 spectators. It will be the largest
such event to occur in the Southland
since the 1984 Olympic Games.
As one might expect, a large number
of volunteers will be needed to support
the Games and provide hospitality to
the various international delegations
— a perfect opportunity for the diverse
and genial populations of Alhambra and
Monterey Park. Volunteers are certain to
be the backbone of the Special Olympics
“Host Town” program success as athletes
pursue their lifelong dreams and goals.
For the athletes who come to take
part in the Games, all of whom are intellectually challenged, the Games will be
more than an opportunity to compete in
sports. As one former Special Olympics
athlete noted: “It gives us a safe place
to try new things, a place to socialize, a
place to compete, and a place to grow
outside of sports. It enriches lives and
promotes change for both people with
special needs and perceptions of people
with special needs. Special Olympics
gives us a can-do environment.”
Three days prior to the Games, selected Host Towns from San Diego to San
Luis Obispo will host the delegations.
During this time, the City of Alhambra
will serve not only as the “Gateway to the
San Gabriel Valley” along with the city’s
neighbor, Monterey Park — but also a
welcoming “international gateway” to
about 100 guest athletes, coaches, and
families from one or two delegations.
Half will be hosted by Alhambra and
the other half by Monterey Park. The
delegations will be lodged at Cal State
University, Los Angeles.
Besides housing, host towns will
provide delegates with meals, training
locations such as gyms, sports and track
fields, and transportation to and from
training locations. It will also be the
Host Town’s responsibility to provide
guests with a glimpse of American
culture through the perspective of the
local community, sharing with them
local environment and landscapes,
local customs, local music and artistic
expressions, and more. Host town communities will help them adjust to life in
Southern California with opportunities
to participate in local recreational activities, enjoy local entertainment, and eat
at local restaurants.
As the City of Alhambra begins its
preparations for the Host Town program, it is seeking as many volunteers
as possible who would like to assist
in providing hospitality and to help
to coordinate activities. According to
individuals and groups that have served
as Special Olympics volunteers, the
benefits of involvement include greater
personal satisfaction, increased tolerance, and re-examination of personal
values. To find out about volunteering
opportunities in the Host Town program, interested participants are urged
to contact City staff at 625-570-5011 or
Chamber staff at 626-282-8481.
One of the organizations that will
have a preeminent role in formulating
community activities will be the newly
formed Alhambra Community Coordinating Council. It will have a central
role in planning and execution of the
Special Olympics Host Town program,
as well as a variety of other forthcoming
projects, including Community Beautification, Holiday Toy & Food Drives,
Service Awards, and the “America in
Bloom” and“All-American City Award.”
Membership in the Coordinating
Council is free and open to all community groups, organizations, agencies,
schools, individuals, and businesses in
the City of Alhambra. To apply, complete
the online registration form available on
the City’s Web site www.cityofalhambra.
org – located in the Community Life
Section under “Alhambra Community
Coordinating Council.” Or for more
information, contact Paolo Kespradit
at 626-570-5011; [email protected].
Of all the events hosted by the respective cities throughout the year, this
may well be one of the most important
of all. It will be an opportunity to come
together and make a difference in the
lives of these special guests and to gain
the satisfaction that comes from helping
others and encourage lasting friendships.
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.
72, 1215 S. Sixth St.
73, 2200 W. Main St.
74, 2505 W. Norwood Place.
For further information, please contact
Sergio Casanova at the Alhambra Fire
Department: 626-588-2382.
LOOSE TEE
Before
As a courtesy to residents who will entertain guests during the Christmas and New
Year’s holidays, the City of Alhambra Police
Department will grant a temporary reprieve
from overnight parking enforcement
restrictions. As there will be no overnight
parking enforcement from Saturday, Dec.
20, at 2 a.m. through Sunday, Jan. 4, there
is no need for residents to purchase temporary overnight parking permits during this
time period.
Enforcement will resume on Monday,
Jan. 5, at 2 a.m.
Temporary Overnight Parking Permits
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.
While the Spark of Love effort kicked
off in mid-November, December remains a
critical time for collecting toys and sporting
equipment for the needy. The drive officially ends on Saturday, Dec. 20.
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
TOOTH SAV
This example shows how Dr. John Chao saved a
EASY COMFORTABLE VISIT and at a frac
(individual results va
NEGLECTED T
Before
Gary and Sandra Taylor, 321 S. Fremont Ave., were winners in last year’s Holiday Home Decorating Contest.
City hosts Holiday Home
Decorating Contest
The City of Ahambra presents its sec- for their creative efforts.
ond annual Holiday Home Decorating
To qualify for contest participation,
Contest. Recognition can be earned in residents must fill out a Holiday Home
four different holiday home decorating
Decorating
Contest
available
This example
shows
howentry
Dr.form,
John
Chao saved
areas:
at
City
Hall,
or
by
phoning
626-570ONE EASY COMFORTABLE VISIT and at a fr
• Best use of lights.
5044 during weekday
business hours,
(individual
results va
• Best animation display.
and submit the completed form by 5
• Most creative.
p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12, to the Community Services Department, 111 S. First
• Best lawn display.
Winners in each category will receive St., Alhambra.
Contest judging will take place from
a commendation at a City Council meeting, recognition in the January Around Monday, Dec. 15, through Friday, Dec.
Alhambra newspaper, and a lawn sign 19. Winners will be announced on Monbestowing recognition on homeowners day, Dec. 22.
TEETH REST
DON’T SUFFER A D
SAVE TIME, SAVE MONEY and S
according to the
CHICK
Alh
10A
Crime down in Alhambra Academy of Special
APD suggests ways to keep from becoming a victim this holiday season
The Alhambra Police Department is
pleased to report that year-to-date figures
for overall crime in Alhambra have fallen
9%. So far in 2014, residential burglaries
have decreased 25%; commercial burglaries have dropped 16%; auto theft has gone
down 10%; and bike theft has fallen 27%.
What is notable is that all of these are
typically “crimes of opportunity,” when
the perpetrator recognizes that he or she
has an opportunity to commit the act at
that moment and seizes upon it. Such
crimes are typically difficult to solve, as
little physical evidence is generally left
behind. In addition to the loss of personal
property, victims also lose precious personal time having to to notify banks, cancel
credit cards, possibly obtain a new driver’s
license, or deal with the loss of personal
items. These crimes can be thwarted by
reducing the temptation of those who
would steal. Since the holiday shopping
season is the most vulnerable time of the
year, residents are reminded of ways to
reduce their chances of becoming a victim.
Securing the home:
• Make the home look occupied and
difficult to break in. Never post notes on
the front door such as “gone shopping” or
leave UPS/Fed-Ex packages on the step.
• Get a home alarm system and activate it when away. Many burglars, undeterred by a window sticker or home alarm
protection sign, count on homeowners
not using their system because they are
inconvenient.
•Before leaving the house or going
to bed, always lock all outside doors and
windows.
• Replace door and window locks that
are not totally secure. Key-in dead bolt
locks provide minimum security. Sliding
glass doors are vulnerable, but special locks
are available for added security. Check
with a locksmith or hardware store for the
best choices. Buy the best locks that are
affordable.
•Most windows can be pinned for
security by drilling a hole on a slight
downward slant through the inside of the
window frame and halfway into the outside frame — then use a window security
pin, available at most hardware stores, or a
nail in the hold to secure the window.
• Change locks immediately if keys are
lost or stolen. When moving into a new
home, also change all the locks.
• Leave lights on when not home. If
leaving for any length of time, use automatic timers on select lamps that will turn
them on in the evening and off during
the day. Have adequate exterior lighting,
including a motion-sensitive light for
backyards.
• Don’t let mail build up when away.
Have a friend or neighbor pick it up daily,
or put a mail hold on through the post
office. Arrange for the lawn to be mowed.
• Trim trees and shrubs so intruders
can’t use them as hiding places.
• Keep garage doors closed and locked,
as well as garden sheds; keep lawn mowers,
barbecues, and bicycles out of sight. Place
curtains over garage windows.
Securing vehicles:
• Do not leave keys; garage door opener; valuables, such as laptop computers,
tablets, backpacks, or purses; or items with
personal information in plain view.
•Do not leave doors unlocked or
windows/sunroof open.
• Do not move valuable items to the
trunk while in public view.
The public is encouraged to report
suspicious activity and to stay informed
by joining social media sites such as the
Alhambra Police Department’s (APD)
Facebook, Twitter and Weibo (in Chinese)
sites, as well as communicate with neighbors and APD at Nextdoor.com.
Be safe, and have a Happy Holiday and
New Year.
Dreams artworks grace
City Hall lobby in December
December’s featured
artist in the City Hall
lobby, 111 S. First St.,
is Todd Tostado. He is
devoting his college education to graphic design,
with an emphasis on
computer graphics, and
is preparing himself for a
future in the graphic arts
industry.
What makes his work
special is that while
in high school, he lost
the use of his arms and
hands.
Mr. Tostado, representing the Academy of
Special Dreams — dedicated to the proposition
that all persons, regardless of their disabilities,
should have equal opportunities to express their
talents and be successful
in the arts — regained his
ability to draw as a senior
in high school, when
he received a computer
from his parents and discovered a basic drawing
program. He has learned
to use a wide variety of
industry-standard graphic software programs.
While the programs are
designed for commercial
use, he prefers using
them to create works of
fine art.
Mr. Tostado is interested in 3D modeling and
animation software and
now uses the design soft-
Artist Todd Tostado, left, is the featured December artist in the City Hall
lobby. On the right is Academy of Special Dreams Founder Michael Dergar.
ware to create art in various
styles. “Through my art, I’m
able to express my thoughts
and feelings concerning
the world I live in and the
people in my life. My art
also gives me independence
as it’s something that I can
do without assistance from
anyone. In fact, it’s one of
the few things in my life
that I have complete control
over. When I’m working on
a piece of art, I’m able to
forget that I am disabled, as
in actuality I am using the
same tools as everyone else.
Thus, through my art, I am
at last equal to all others, but
of course I still maintain my
own personal and unique
viewpoint,” he said.
The Academy of Special
Dreams works to increase
public awareness, appreciation, and recognition
of the creative talents of
people with disabilities by
providing
opportunities
that encourage, promote,
and showcase their artistic
expression.
Meet the artist at a
reception from 6 p.m. to
8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8.
Throughout the month of
December, enjoy this exhibit weekdays from 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. and on Monday
evenings when the City
Council or the Planning
Commission schedules a
meeting.
For further information
concerning the City Hall
Art Gallery please phone
626-570-5091.
Happy Holidays
The following crimes were reported to the Alhambra Police Department during October. 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 (3)
100 W. Grand
200 N. Monterey
300 N. Chapel
Theft/Burglary from Vehicle (9)
900 N. Monterey
300 S. Almansor
100 E. Huntington
Second/Main
900 N. Garfield
700 N. Stoneman
300 S. Almansor
00 S. First
500 W. Main
Grand Theft Auto (3)
Grand/Valencia
100 E. Woodward
200 W. Main
Robbery (0)
District Two
Burglary (8)
1400 S. Eighth
1600 S. Sierra Vista
1700 S. Stoneman
1800 S. Granada
1800 S. Vega
1800 S. Eighth
2000 S. Chapel
200 W. Palmetto
1700 S. Ninth
1400 S. Fourth
1500 S. Second
1200 S. Eighth
2000 S. Second
200 W. Valley
Valley/Fifth
00 E. Linda Vista
Robbery (2)
Atlantic/Shorb
Hellman/Atlantic
District Three
Burglary (3)
500 S. Marguerita
200 N. Bushnell
200 S. La Paloma
2300 W. Larch
2600 W. Concord
300 N. Bushnell
300 S. Palm
400 S. La Paloma
606 S. Marengo
100 S. Palatine
900 S. Westminster
1200 W. Mission
900 S. Winchester
1300 W. Main
500 S. Westmont
Robbery (1)
900 S. Westminster
District Four
Burglary (2)
2300 W. Ramona
2800 W. Ross
Theft Burglary from Vehicle (10)
2500 S. Snead
2900 W. Ramona
1200 S. Marguerita
2300 S. Carwile
2000 W. Valley
1000 S. Marengo (x2)
1900 S. Orange Grove
1000 S. Marengo
900 S. Marguerita
2500 W. San Clemente
1100 W. Valley
2100 S. Edgewood
1000 S. Benito
1200 S. Edith
1600 S. Cabrillo
Glendon/Benito
Benito/Front
Olive/Shorb
Robbery (0)
12/2014
CHAMBER NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA
For the past 25 years, The Fosselman brothers have run Fosselman’s Ice Cream Chris, left, and John Fosselman say “with holiday flavors like cinnamon, pumpkin,
Comnpany. They are the third generation to run the business that first started and egg nog and community favorites like red bean, taro, and salty caramel ice
in 1919 in Waverly, Ohio.
cream, Fosselman’s attracts old and new customers every season.”
Fosselman’s Ice Cream Company
has served the community for 95 years
John and Chris Fosselman, co-owners
of Fosselman’s Ice Cream Company, have
lived in the San Gabriel Valley for 47
years. Since 1941, their family ice cream
shop has been a fixture on Main Street.
Part of their staying power comes from
listening to the community and catering
to the surrounding demographics.
For the past 25 years, the two brothers
have run the business. The company
first started in 1919 in Waverly, Ohio,
producing beer. During Prohibition, they
shifted to producing soda pop, and after
that they pivoted again to making dairy
products.
“As third generation ice cream makers,
we take pride in our name, and our biggest success comes from making our job
into a lifestyle choice,” said Chris. “We
love making ice cream, and our business
is our lifestyle. We know practice makes
perfect, and we’re always finding ways to
be more productive and efficient while
making a great product.”
Their biggest growth has come from
being willing to collaborate with their
wholesale accounts. The store is their
flagship and headquarters, but they work
with restaurants, hotels, and country
clubs to make unique and different
flavors.
“We are able to adapt and make flavors on request like red bean, taro, salty
caramel ice cream, and pear champagne
sorbet that keeps our wholesale accounts
and the community coming back every
season,” said Chris.
They pride themselves on being an ice
cream shop that makes all their products
on site with good quality ingredients
and their signature family recipes. The
base recipe hasn’t changed much since
they first opened. Extracts that are used
to flavor the ice cream are high quality
and mostly cooked in the ice cream shop.
They distribute and sell their ice cream
to hundreds of accounts, and they listen
to the community and cater to the surrounding demographics.
Along with the popular ice cream
flavors, they have also been creating ice
cream cakes. In one weekend they will
make more than 35 custom ice cream
cakes.
They have also been a part of many
community events. Fosselman’s Ice
Cream is involved in several organizations
including coaching for Little League,
serving on the Five Acres Board, and
helping with golf tournaments.
“For 49 years, we have been a part
of the community and Alhambra has
become our home,” said Chris.
Fosselman’s Ice Cream Company is
located at 1824 W. Main St. They are
open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday
through Saturday and 11:30 a.m. to 10
p.m. Sunday.
The phone number is 626-282-6533.
The ice cream shop accepts cash only for
payment.
Find them online at www.fosselmans.
com. “Like” their Facebook page at www.
facebook.com/FosselmansIceCream.
“Follow” them on Twitter @Fosselmans.
11A
A-1 Self Storage
2300 Poplar Blvd.
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-999-3566
http://www.a1storage.com//
self_storage/Alhambra_CA/
zip_91803/a-1_self_storage/6499
A-1 Self Storage in Alhambra is dedicated
to providing customers with the best in self
storage. They offer month to month rentals
in a clean, secure environment. Their
state-of-the-art facility features a 24-hour
rental/payment kiosk, convenient online bill
payment, and 24-hour surveillance cameras.
East Alhambra Little League
349 E. Main St., #107, PMB20
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-532-4972
www.eallbb.com
East Alhambra Little League is a charter
of Little League Baseball Inc., a national
non-profit organization founded in 1954
and headquartered in Williamsport. The
league teaches baseball to approximately
400 boys and girls in the community.
Jeffrey K. Maloney, Attorney at Law
708 N. Curtis Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-524-6727
Legal Services
Kia of Alhambra
1247 W. Main St.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-289-0000
www.kiaofalhambra.com
Kia of Alhambra has a committed sales staff
with many years of experience satisfying their
customers’ needs. Browse the inventory online,
request more information about vehicles, set
up a test drive, or inquire about financing.
Real Estate Heaven
316 N. Moore Ave., #A
Monterey Park, CA 91754
626-290-0347
Real Estate Heaven understands the need
to effectively manage clients, agents, and
listings from anywhere in the world. They
developed B.E.L.S. (Back End Listing
System), a professional grade software
that does all the work for the client.
Winnes Wong, CPA
407 W. Valley Blvd., #3
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-299-3722
A full-service accounting firm, established in
1999.
The Alhambra Chamber of Commerce is selling Rose Parade tickets for a limited time.
Tournament rules stipulate that orders must be paid in
advance, and all sales are final. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
Rose Parade tickets are $115 each, which includes a round-trip bus ticket.
Contact the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce at 626-282-8481
for more information. Checks should be made out to Alhambra Chamber of Commerce.
First Bank, 1211 E. Valley Blvd., Alhambra, had a ribbon cutting and grand
opening Nov. 19. First Banks, Inc., and its subsidiaries and affiliates offer a vast
portfolio of products and services for both individuals and businesses. In its fourth
generation of family ownership, First Banks, Inc., now serves customers in 129
locations and has $5.89 billion in assets. First Banks’ bank charter, First Bank, has
offices in California, Florida, Illinois, and Missouri. From left: Valerie Gomez, CEO
YMCA; Frank Chen, immediate past president, Alhambra Chamber of Commerce;
Gary Yamauchi, Alhambra mayor; Carol Chang, First Bank Branch manager; Jane
Lief, First Bank senior vice president/regional manager for the Southern California
Region; Robert Renteria, First Bank area manager; and Joseph Jeong, First Bank
California Small Business sales-group manager.
There will be no Lunch & Learn in
December
The program will resume in January
Lunch & Learn, offered on the third Thursday of each month, provides informative and
educational seminars pertinent to small businesses.
The cost of the program is free to Chamber members. There is a $15 charge for non-members.
Lunch is included.
To make reservations, or for more information about the Chamber’s Lunch & Learn program,
contact Irma Hernandez, Alhambra Chamber of Commerce, at 626-282-8481 or ihernandez@
alhambrachamber.org.
12A
CHAMBER NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA12/2014
Calif. Chamber reviews new employment
laws affecting businesses in 2015
The California Chamber of Commerce
has released a list of new employment laws
scheduled to take effect in 2015 or sooner that
will have an impact on businesses in California.
Some of the new laws for 2015, such as
mandatory paid sick leave, make significant
changes to California’s legal landscape. These
laws are reviewed below.
Other new laws make changes to different
parts of existing law or may only affect employers in specified industries, such as farming.
For more details on these, visit http://www.
calchamber.com/.
Unless specified, the following list of new
legislation goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2015.
Mandatory paid sick leave
Paid sick leave, mandated in AB 1522, titled the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families
Act of 2014, requires employers to provide
paid sick leave to any employee who worked in
California for 30 days at an accrual rate of one
hour for every 30 hours worked.
Employers are allowed to limit an employee’s use of paid sick leave to 24 hours or three
days in each year of employment and may put
a maximum cap on total accrual of 48 hours
or six days. The effective date for employers to
begin providing the paid sick leave benefit is
July 1, 2015.
The law contains many different nuances,
such as detailed record keeping and notice
requirements, including a new poster requirement. The law also contains penalties for
noncompliance.
Time off for emergency duty: expanded
category
Assembly Bill 2536 adds new personnel
to the list of employees eligible for protected
time off for emergency rescue duty. AB 2536
also requires an employee who is a health care
provider, as defined, to notify one’s employer
when one is designated as emergency rescue
personnel and also to notify the employer at
the time that the employee learns that he or she
will be deployed for emergency duty.
Discrimination, harassment and retaliation protections
Several new laws expand employee protections for 2015.
Protections for unpaid interns and
volunteers
Assembly Bill 1443:
• Adds unpaid interns and volunteers to the
list of individuals protected from harassment
under the Fair Employment and Housing Act
(FEHA).
• Prohibits employers from discriminating
against individuals in an unpaid internship or
another limited duration program to provide
unpaid work experience for that person.
• Extends religious belief protections and
religious accommodation requirements to
anyone in an apprenticeship training program,
an unpaid internship or any other program to
provide unpaid experience for a person in the
workplace or industry.
Nondiscrimination: driver’s licenses for
undocumented persons
Assembly Bill 1660 makes it a violation of
FEHA for an employer to discriminate against
an individual because he/she holds or presents
a driver’s license issued to undocumented
persons who can submit satisfactory proof
of identity and California residency. Such
discriminatory actions will constitute national
origin discrimination under FEHA.
These driver’s licenses are often referred to as
“AB 60 driver’s licenses,” after the name of the
bill passed last year.
AB 60 driver’s licenses are scheduled to start
being issued on Jan. 1, 2015.
AB 1660 clarifies that actions taken by an
employer that are required to comply with
federal I-9 verification requirements under the
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) do not
violate California law.
AB 1660 also provides that it is a violation
of FEHA for an employer to require a person
to present a driver’s license, unless possessing
a driver’s license is (1) required by law; or (2)
required by the employer and the employer’s
requirement is otherwise permitted by law.
AB 1660 further requires any driver’s
license information obtained by an employer
to be treated as private and confidential.
Immigration-related protections
Assembly Bill 2751 expands the definition
of an unfair immigration-related practice to include threatening to file or filing a false report
or complaint with any state or federal agency.
Current law extended the protection only to
reports filed with the police.
AB 2751 also clarifies that an employer
can’t discriminate against or retaliate against
an employee who updates his/ her personal
information “based on a lawful change of
name, [S]ocial [S]ecurity number, or federal
employment authorization document.”
Prohibition of discrimination against
public assistance recipients: public reports
Assembly Bill 1792 prohibits discrimination and retaliation against employees receiving
public assistance, which is defined as meaning
the Medi-Cal program.
AB 1792 also requires state agencies to
prepare an annual list of the top 500 employers
with the most number of employees enrolled
in a public assistance program. The reports will
be made public and will be prepared starting in
January 2016.
“Employer” is defined by the law as an
individual or organization with more than
100 employees that are beneficiaries of the
Medi-Cal program.
Harassment prevention training: prevention of abusive conduct
Assembly Bill 2053 requires employers that
are subject to the mandatory sexual harassment
prevention training requirement for supervisors to include a component on the prevention
of “abusive conduct,” beginning Jan. 1, 2015.
“Abusive conduct” is specifically defined by the
new law.
This new law does not mean that an
employee can sue for abusive conduct in the
workplace unless, of course, the conduct
becomes discrimination or harassment against
a protected class. The law merely requires training on prevention of abusive conduct.
Wage and hour
Several new laws will increase employers’
wage-and-hour obligations in 2015. Many
of the new laws in the wage and hour arena
deal with increasing penalties and expanding
liability, instead of imposing significant new
obligations on employers.
Background checks
Several new laws relate to criminal background checks.
Criminal history information in public
contracts
Assembly Bill 1650 requires contractors
who bid on state contracts involving on-site
construction-related services to certify that
they will not ask applicants for on-site construction-related jobs to disclose information
concerning criminal history at the time of an
initial employment application.
Services to minors
Assembly Bill 1852 requires a business that
provides specified services to minors to provide
a written notice to the parent or guardian of
the minor receiving those services. The written
notice should address the business’s policies
relating to employee criminal background
checks.
Workplace safety
Several new laws pertain to workplace
safety.
Penalties for failure to abate safety
hazards
Cal/OSHA can require an employer to
abate (fix) serious workplace safety violations
and also to issue civil penalties. An employer
can appeal the citation.
Assembly Bill 1634, in effect, prohibits the
state Occupational Safety and Health Appeals
Board from modifying civil penalties for
abatement or credit for abatement unless the
employer has fixed the violation.
In cases of serious, repeat serious or willful
serious violations, AB 1634 will generally
prohibit a stay or suspension of an abatement
requirement while an appeal or petition for reconsideration is pending, unless the employer
can demonstrate that a stay or suspension will
not adversely affect the health and safety of
employees.
E-mail for workplace safety reports
Assembly Bill 326 allows employers to
e-mail their reports of a work-related serious
injury, illness or death to the Division of
Occupational Safety and Health. Previously,
the Labor Code required an immediate report
by telephone or telegraph. The reference to
telegraph is removed and replaced with e-mail.
Workplace violence prevention plans:
hospitals
Senate Bill 1299 requires Cal/OSHA to
adopt standards by Jan. 1, 2016, that require
specified types of hospitals, including general
acute care hospitals or acute psychiatric hospitals, to adopt workplace violence prevention
plans as part of the hospitals’ injury and illness
prevention plans. The intent is to protect health
care workers and other facility personnel from
aggressive and violent behavior.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RENOVATION From Page 1A
of a city-wide Lowe’s Heroes project.
Lowe’s employees from more than 30
Los Angeles area stores volunteered
their time to renovate the Chamber’s
building.
More than 350 volunteers gave over
1,000 hours of time and their skills to
install flooring, bathrooms, kitchens,
and window coverings. The employees
painted walls, replaced ceilings, and
renovated both floors of the facility.
Updates to the building, such as a newly
designed reception and lobby area, have
made the facility more functional and
inviting for the community businesses.
The Alhambra Chamber of Commerce’s primary purpose is to foster
economic vitality for the betterment of
the community. The renovated facility
will provide the staff and local community with an updated and comfortable
working environment.
“We feel this upgrade of our facility
will help us attract those starting new
businesses and be able to better serve our
members and assist them in becoming
involved in the community,” said
Sharon Gibbs, executive director of the
Chamber.
Lowe’s Heroes is
a
company-wide
volunteer initiative
that offers Lowe’s
employees the opportunity to work on
a project in their own neighborhoods,
helping to make their communities
better places in which to live, work, and
play.
About Lowe’s in the community
Lowe’s, a Fortune® 100 home
improvement company, has a 50-year
legacy of supporting the communities it
serves through programs that focus on
K-12 public education and community
improvement projects. Since 2007,
Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and
Educational Foundation together have
contributed nearly $200 million to these
efforts. For more than two decades,
Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers
have donated their time to make Lowe’s
communities better places to live. To
learn more, visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility and LowesInTheCommunity.tumblr.com.
The updates to the Chamber’s building, such as a newly designed reception and lobby area, have made the
facility more functional and inviting for the community businesses. More than 350 volunteers gave more
than 1,000 hours of time and their skills to install flooring, bathrooms, kitchens, and window coverings.
12/2014
CHAMBER NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA
13A
Chamber to host Rose Queen
and Court Luncheon Dec. 2
Alhambra’s 87th Rose Parade float, “Go For Broke.”
It’s all about networking
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.
The 26th 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. 2, in the Lakeview Room of Almansor Court, 700 S. Almansor St., Alhambra.
KABC news anchor David Ono will emcee the event. Meet the 97th Rose Queen and her
court. Tickets for the luncheon are $40 per person. For reservations, contact the Alhambra
Chamber, 626-282-8481. City Councilmembers Stephen Sham, Steven Placido, D.D.S.,
and Luis Ayala escort last year’s Rose Queen Court at the luncheon.
27 Quick and Easy Fix Ups to Sell
Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar
Alhambra - 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 homesellers,
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 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 solicit buyers or sellers currently under
contract. Copyright © 2012
This month’s Business After Hours mixer
will take place
Wednesday, Dec. 17
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Christmas mixer at Rosemont Pavilion
700 Seco St., Pasadena 91103
See Alhambra’s 87th Rose Parade float, “Go For Broke,”
the World War II units made up of Japanese Americans,
whose brave efforts in combat earned them that iconic
name. In 2011, Go For Broke received the Congressional
Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor given by the U.
S. Congress. The 2015 float, constructed by the awardwinning Phoenix Decorating Company, will feature the
images of 15 Go For Broke veterans and seven heroic
survivors of that acclaimed group.
Cost: $10 for members
$15 for non-members
The Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
thanks these members for renewing their memberships
and for their continued support:
58 Facets
36 W. Main St.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-569-7289
Member since 2012
Howard’s Appliances, Inc.
2121 W. Main St.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-943-9413
Member since 2011
Podley Properties
897 Granite Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91101
213-399-1940
Member since 2013
Alhambra Latino Association
1515 W. Mission Road
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-308-2423
Member since 2002
Jayvee Dance Performing
Arts Center
216 E. Main St.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-281-5858
Member since 2008
Simpson & Simpson
Management
1000 S. Fremont Ave.
Unit 64, Bldg. A1, Suite #1100
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-282-4000
Member since 2010
Alhambra Professional Pharmacy
330 S. Garfield Ave., Suite 104
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-458-8909
Member since 2004
Bethany Church of Alhambra
21 N. Olive Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-282-9014
Member since 2010
Cali Mart
1000 E. Valley Blvd.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-284-8819
Member since 2010
LANDZ Real Estate and Beggxis Lieberg, D.D.S., hosted the Chamber mixer Nov.
19. About 50 people attended. LANDZ Real Estate, 401 N. Garfield Ave., Alhambra,
focuses on buying and selling residential and commercial properties and also manages
properties. Beggxis Lieberg, D.D.S., 401 N. Garfield, Alhambra, provides a stateof-the-art facility for the highest quality general and cosmetic dental care. From left:
LANDZ co-owner Ziad Abughazaleh; Beggxis Lieberg,D.D.S.; LANDZ co-owner
Lee Lieberg; and LANDZ agent Silvia Rosich.
For more information about the
Business After Hours Mixers, phone
the Chamber at 626-282-8481.
Celz, Inc.
560 W. Main St., #C215
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-215-8779
626-215-8779
Member since 2013
La Cafeina Café
408 S. Palm Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-458-4469
Member since 2013
Superstore #2
320 W. Alhambra Road
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-284-3258
Member since 2006
Mandarin Baptist Church
of Los Angeles
110 W. Woodward Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-282-2467
Member since 2007
Team NuVision/Remax Elite
842 E. Valley Blvd.
Alhambra, CA 91801
888-258-3508
Member since 2012
Mission Super Hardware
501 W. Valley Blvd.
San Gabriel, CA 91776
626-284-7021
Member since 2007
The Hat
1 W. Valley Blvd.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-282-0140
Member since 2003
Platt College
1000 S. Fremont Ave.
Building A9W
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-300-5444
Member since 2013
Tomomi Sushi
17 W. Main St.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-458-0388
Member since 2013
To renew your membership with a credit card,
please phone the Chamber at 626-282-8481.
14A
COMMUNITY NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA12/2014
12/2014
COMMUNITY NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA
15A
16A
Downtown Alhambra hosts costume contest, trick-or-treating
About 200 children participated in Downtown Alhambra’s annual Halloween costume contest Oct. 25 at
Renaissance Plaza, at Garfield and Main. Many more went
trick-or-treating at participating businesses.
Prizes for first, second, and third places and a judges
award were given in each age category.
Entertainment was provided by Pink Ladies Jazz and
Rated G Hip Hop performance groups and the All Stars
Competition Team, all from Jayvee Dance, 216 E. Main
St. Students from Poprock Academy, 11 S. Second St.,
also entertained.
Emcee for the event was Mookie Washington.
Winners in the 0-2 age category
Halloween costume contest winners ages 0-2: First Place — Kcee Navarro, second from right; Second
Place — Maxwell Rivas, right; Third Place — Benjamin Hernandez, second from left; Judges Award
— Sydney Cha, left.
Winners in the ages 3 and 4 group: First Place — Diego Majarro, in front; Second Place — Allenah
Zepeda, left; Third Place — Emma Ochoa, second from left; and Judges Award — Lily Brenhaug,
right.
First Place — Kcee Navarro, 1, “Claw Machine”
Second Place — Maxwell Rivas, 1, “Dracula”
Third Place — Benjamin Hernandez, 1, Uncle Pennybags Monopoly Man”
Judges Award — Sydney Cha, 9 months, Frosted Flakes”
First Place — Diego Majarro, 4, “Jake and the Neverland Pirates”
Second Place — Allenah Zepeda, 4, “Sleeping Beauty”
Third Place — Emma Ochoa, 4, Sharktopus”
Judges Award — Lily Brenhaug, 4, Princess Celestia”
Winners in the ages 5 and 6 group: First Place — Kit Navarro, left; Second Place —
Mickey, second from left; Third Place — Juliet Sanchez, right; and Judges Award —
Adrian Lopez, second from right.
Winners in the ages 7-9 group, from left: First Place — Alyssa Hernandez; Second Place
— Jessica Diaz; Third Place — Karyme Martinez; Judges Award — Angel Zambiano, not
pictured.
First Place — Kit Navarro, 6, Transformer Bee”
Second Place — Mickey, 5, “Edward Scissorhands”
Third Place — Juliet Sanchez, 5, “Slurpee”
Judges Award — Adrian Lopez, 6, “Man with Yellow Hat”
First Place — Alyssa Hernandez, 7, Flower Pot”
Second Place — Jessica Diaz, 9, “Cousin It”
Third Place — Karyme Martinez, 8, “Granny”
Judges Award — Angel Zambiano, 8, “Cowboy”
First Place — Juliana Hernandez, 10, “Day of theDead”
Second Place — Derick Cardoza, 10, “Headless Horseman”
Third Place — Andi Flores, 10, Satyr”
Judges Award — Adam Arrowad, 10, “Lion King”
Parents, families, and friends watch the annual Downtown Alhambra Halloween costume contest on
Oct. 25 at Renaissance Plaza.
Winners in the ages 10-12 group, from left: First Place — Juliana Hernandez; Second Place —
Derick Cardoza; Third Place — Andi Flores; and Judges Award — Adam Arrowad.
12/2014
American Renascent Center to
host fourth annual Christmas
toy give-away Dec. 16
The American Renascent Center will
host its fourth annual Christmas toy
give-away from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., or
while supplies last, Tuesday, Dec. 16, at
IHOP Restaurant, 701 S. Fremont Ave.,
Alhambra.
This event is sponsored by IHOP
Restaurant, Khol’s, Mattel, American Renascent Center Support Groups, and the
community of Alhambra.
For more information, contact Ty Johnson at 323-534-8980 or Jimmie Carrilla at
323-868-7184. Visit online at www.americanrenascentcenter.wordpress.com.
17A
18A
St. Nicholas, Fiesta de
Guadalupe coming to
St. Therese School
Children of all ages are welcome
to celebrate St. Nicholas Day from
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec.
7, at St. Therese Parish Courtyard, 1106 E. Alhambra Road,
corner of Alhambra Road and
Vega Street. This free event
will be a festive kick off to the
holiday season.
Not to be confused with Santa Claus,
St. Nicholas is the cherished patron saint
of children. St. Nicholas is celebrated
throughout Europe as the bearer of gifts
and treats for good children. European
children are encouraged to leave their
boots in front of the fireplace at night in
hopes of finding them filled with small
presents and treats the next morning. St.
Therese hopes to bring the spirit of St.
Nicholas to children at this event.
The day’s festivities will include the
story of St. Nicholas, free holiday crafts
and activities, photo opportunities with
Santa, free holiday snacks and beverages,
and a special opportunity to receive a St.
Nicholas inspired treat in a personally
crafted boot. In addition, the school will
be open for tours, and applications for
enrollment will be available. There will
also be a raffle for a limited number of
free previews for children to experience a
week as a St. Therese student.
Join us for lunch
Rotary Club of Alhambra
meets weekly Tuesdays • 12:15pm • Almansor Court
Lorraine Simpson
President 2014-2015
On Dec. 12 at 6:30 p.m.,
St. Therese will host Fiesta de
Guadalupe in honor of Our
Lady of Guadalupe’s feast day.
Our Lady of Guadalupe is the
revered patroness of the Americas.
She is also recognized as the single
most important cultural and unifying symbol of the Catholic Church
in Latin America.
Guests attending this cultural fiesta
will enjoy music and dancing. Traditional Mexican food will be available for
purchase. The evening’s festivities will
include Mariachi music, Baile Folklorico
performances, and much more. In addition, those who wish to venerate Our
Lady of Guadalupe are invited to attend
a special Spanish Mass at 5:30 p.m. and
are also welcome to visit the church’s
Guadalupe Courtyard, which will be
open throughout the night.
For more information, please visit
www.stthereseschoolalhambra.org
or
phone 626-289-3364.
12/2014
19A
Rotarians seek teacher
applicants for
Mini-Grant Program
Applications for the Rotary Club of
Alhambra and Rotary Club of San Gabriel
Valley New Generation Teachers’ MiniGrant Program have been distributed to
teachers at every school in the Alhambra
School District.
The Mini-Grant Program, started in
1991, supplies a grant to teachers in the
Alhambra School district with up to $200
for the purpose of implementing a project
that is not paid for by the school district.
The funds are allocated to teachers’
projects at a meeting of the committee
members. The grants are presented to
the individual teachers at a school board
meeting.
“In its 23rd year, the Rotary Club of Alhambra has donated more than $180,000
to this worthwhile service project,” said
Chairman Dr. David Snyder. “The schools
and the kids benefit greatly from this.”
Sponsors of the Mini-Grant Program
are The Alhambra; Transtech; Allied Waste
Services; Dennis Kerechuk; and Beggxis
H. Lieberg, D.D.S.
For more information, phone Dr. Snyder at 626-282-8493.
Downtown Alhambra’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place from 5:30
to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at the Renaissance Plaza, located at the northeast corner
of Main and Garfield.
Free photos with Santa will be available after Santa arrives by fire truck to light
the Christmas tree at 6 p.m. Music will be provided by the Swingin’ 8 Balls.
Complimentary refreshments will be offered.
To inquire about these adoptable animals, contact
the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society at 626-2861159, 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).
Take advantage of the new cat adoption program
to celebrate kitten season. The “Me and My Shadow”
companion adoption program allows pet adopters
to have “twice the fun at a third of the cost.” When
adopters take a second kitty, who must be “black
like a shadow,” the cost is only $29.
Male adult rottweiler • Pet
ID: #7921
Small young female domestic short
hair • ID# 12675
Natalie is a beautiful girl with distinctive
markings and hypnotic eyes. She is a spunky
gal who loves attention and being held and
pet. She enjoys relaxing by the window
watching the world go by and sleeping in high
places. She gets along well with the other cats
in Mini Manor and would be a wonderful
companion. She is well behaved, quiet, and
gets along well with her cat friends. She is
waiting for a loving forever home. There is
plenty of time to welcome a feline into the
family for the holidays. Stop by to meet
Natalie and her friends.
Small adult male Chihuahua mix
ID# 5110
Peter is estimated to be 2 years old and weighs
8.5 pounds. He was abandoned along with two
brothers and a sister. Peter has short legs and big
ears like a dachshund. Whatever his breed, Peter
is adorable. He can be shy at first meeting, but he
likes people and attention (and sausage treats).
He gets along well with his kennel mate and the
other dogs he has met at the shelter. Wearing a
deep red holiday collar and bows, he eagerly took
part in the shelter’s photo shoot last month. He
is a handsome dog with a beautiful soft coat who
will be a devoted companion. Please consider
making his holiday wishes comes true by giving
him a home for the holidays.
Rocky is estimated to be about 6 years old
and weighs 96 pounds. He is good on a leash
and just loves people. He will sit down next
to a person and lean in to be close.
Rottweilers, like Rocky, are robust, powerful,
and happiest when given a job to perform.
They love exercise, are intelligent, and make
devoted companions. Rottweilers love their
people and it is apparent that Rocky has been
well socialized. He has a gentle nature and
affectionate personality that has made him a
favorite among the shelter’s dog walkers.
With his red jingle bell collar, Rocky cut a
dashing figure in his holiday photo. He is
looking for a family that will welcome him
into their home and make him an important
part of their lives. At the top of his Christmas
List is a home for the holidays.
ChickensWelc
Ramona
Convent Secondary
School introducesAlhambra
new director D
(888) 398of technology integration,
100 South
First Street • Alh
educational
innovation
New Gen Rotary hosted dinner on Oct. 23 for four Asian Youth Center families on the launch of its holiday
project, Winter Wishes.
San Gabriel Valley
New Gen Rotary Club
initiates ‘Winter Wishes’
BY KEVIN LIAN, SECRETARY, SAN GABRIEL VALLEY NEW GEN ROTARY CLUB
As we approach the new quarter of our
third year, our young but thriving club of
26 young professionals is closing out 2014
with our holiday project, “Winter Wishes.” By teaming up with the Asian Youth
Center (AYC), a 501c3 non-profit for
youth and families, this project will engage
and “give back” to four AYC families in a
variety of ways.
In late October, we hosted the families
for an evening of fun at Frontera’s Mexican
Restaurant. Over dinner, we got to know
the families and their needs and challenges. We made blankets together, and the
kids took part in art and craft making.
Through these activities, we learned about
a young boy who endures a childhood
of bullying because of his condition of
autism. We also learned about the daily
struggle of a single-parent mom who
works multiple jobs while raising her
two sons. More importantly, however, we
celebrated camaraderie and friendship,
enjoyed the togetherness that occurs when
our club joins with friends and family, and
brainstormed creative ways to support one
another.
During the upcoming winter months,
SGV New Gen Rotary will continue
Winter Wishes by presenting each family
with a Thanksgiving care basket, personal
treats and gifts, and valuable resources that
will be tailored to each family. Then, in
December, Winter Wishes will close out
with a festive holiday party.
Since day one of our club’s formation,
we set out to be the “back-breaking
club,” and not the “check-writing club”
when referring to our ability to perform
community service. It is our mission to
not only lend a giving hand to those in
need, but also to influence our fellow
citizens by encouraging them to “give
back” to the places that they call home.
To this end, our members are currently
seeking engagement from local businesses
for clothing and toy donations. So far, we
have received pledges of support and a
handful of donation items, but our work
is not finished.
Please support Winter Wishes by giving
a gift or donating your resources for the
benefit of the families. To find out more,
make the call to 626-315-0273, or send an
e-mail to [email protected].
Experience the Differe
At the start of the 20142015 school year, Ramona
Convent Secondary School
appointed Sr. Margaret
Spiller, SNJM, as the
director of Technology
Integration and Educational
Innovation; she teaches
technology-related classes in
the STEM department.
Sr. Margaret began
her teaching career with
chemistry and physics
classes and said she loves
teaching both science and
technology subjects because
“they are so hands-on and
they encourage students to
try new things, experiment,
learn from successes and
failures, and have fun in the
process.”
Sr. Margaret continues
to be innovative in a school
with an already excellent
and rigorous curriculum.
“With the accelerating rate
of change in our shrinking
world, we need not only
to keep Ramona relevant
in our 21st century, but
also to continue to offer
the forward-looking and
innovative education that
the Sisters who founded
our school provided for the
young women at the end of
the 19th century. Just as the
Sisters did in 1889, we need
now to incorporate more intentionally and focus more
tightly on the skills and
habits that will be essential
for our current students in
their colleges and careers:
critical thinking, creativity,
collaboration, communication, and citizenship.”
In her free time, Sr.
Margaret loves to travel.
She has traveled to Lesotho
and Nicaragua, working
with fellow Holy Names
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20A
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ing in cultures that are and a colleague from Holy
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and is fascinated with the Oakland shared their exbeauty and challenges of periences with classes and
these countries. She enjoys projects that engage young
astronomy and attending women in STEM (Science,
astronomy-related events, Technology, Engineering,
even though she considers and Math). As part of
herself an amateur.
the presentation, she highLast school year, Sr. lighted Ramona’s new and
Margaret spent several unique course in physical
months at Holy Names computing and shared how
High School in Oakland as our Ramona students are
interim principal, leading responding to the course.
the school in the search for
Ramona Convent is
a permanent principal. The celebrating 125 years of
Holy
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leadership and service.
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Sr. Margaret recently the STEM program at
presented “Girls in STEM” Ramona.
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12/2014
21A
Linwoods Fine Chinese
Works of Art Auction
set for Dec. 9
Adult class dancers at the Jayvee After Dark Adult Dance Showcase in April.
Feeling down?
Research shows
dance can lift mood
People who love to dance say that
dance makes them feel powerful and that
it gives them a way of expressing themselves and their feelings. A recent study
published in Science Direct shows that
dance has consistent effects for improving psychological health. A large meta-analysis combining 23 evidence-based
studies within the last 20 years has shown
positive effects of dance and movement
therapy on health concerns such as perceived quality of life, well-being, body
image, anxiety, and depression.
“No wonder dancing is so fun,” said
Tu DeVera, Jayvee Dance Center studio
manager. “It makes us better. After a
stressful day at work, that midterm you’ve
stayed up all night for, or the long week
you’ve just had, why not dance your way
to a healthier and happier you?”
For 10 years, Jayvee Dance Center,
216 E. Main St., has built a community
for adults through dance. Burn calories
with a power packed Zumba or hip hop
class. Learn gracefulness through Hawaiian hula dancing.
“If you want sass, take a pole dancing
class or a Streetease class,” said Ms. DeVera. “You can also gain confidence and
overcome stage fright by participating in
a dance performance.”
Bring in this article for a complimentary lesson.
For more information, contact the
studio at 626-281-JVJV, or visit the front
desk.
Community Calendar of Events
December
Dec. 1 – Monday
Planning Commission
7 p.m., City Hall, council chambers
111 S. First St.
Dec. 2 – Tuesday
•
•
Rose Queen and Court Luncheon
11:30 a.m. at Almansor Court
700 S. Almansor St.
$40 per person
For reservations, phone 626-282-8481
HUD - Housing Committee
7 p.m. - City Hall, conference room
111 S. First St.
Dec. 4 – Thursday
Parks and Recreation Commission
7 p.m., Joslyn Center, Story Park
210 N. Chapel Ave.
Dec. 5 – Friday
Tree Lighting Ceremony
5:30 – 9 p.m. Renaissance Plaza, northeast
corner Garfield and Main
Free Santa photos, entertainment, refreshments.
Dec. 8 – Monday
City Council, 7 p.m.
City Hall, 111 S. First St.
Dec. 9 – 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
6 p.m., Joslyn Center, 210 N. Chapel Ave.
Design Review Board
7:30 p.m., City Hall, conference room
111 S. First St.
Dec. 17 – Wednesday
•
•
•
Business After Hours Mixer
Rosemont Pavilion
700 Seco St., Pasadena 91103
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
$10 members, $15 non-members
Arts & Cultural Events Committee
7 p.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]
Dec. 18 – Thursday
No Chamber Lunch & Learn Program this month
The early winter’s chill has ushered in
myriad earthly delights of yesteryear. In
celebration of an encouragingly successful
season, Linwoods Auctions of Southern
California is pleased to present a veritable
treasure trove of antique arts, unique jewelry, distinctive period furniture, and fine
art masterpieces at an exclusive one day
auction event in their auction house and
gallery showroom on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
Linwoods Auction House will offer a
variety of Chinese arts and antiquities,
precious stones, fine jewelry, and rare
furnishings at the early winter event.
December auction items include a wide
variety of porcelain works, jade, jadeite
sculptures and soapstone carvings, precious
gemstones, scroll paintings, ancient silk
courtiers’ robes, embroidered silk panels,
and museum-worthy furniture pieces.
Memorable lots from the December
auction include a magnificent collection
of Kesi-woven silken embroidered courtiers’ robes and embroidery panels from
the Imperial court of the Qing dynasty.
Another notable offering is a number
January
Jan. 5 - Monday
Planning Commission
7 p.m., City Hall, council chambers, 111 S. First St.
Jan. 6 – Tuesday
•
•
Alhambra Chamber Executive Committee
8:30 a.m. Alhambra Chamber, 104 S. First St.
HUD - Housing Committee
7 p.m. - City Hall, conference room
111 S. First St.
Jan. 12 – Monday
Alhambra City Council, 7 p.m.
City Hall, 111 S. First St.
Jan. 13 – 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
6 p.m., Joslyn Center, 210 N. Chapel Ave.
Design Review Board
111 S. First St.
Transportation Committee
111 S. First St.
Jan. 15 – Thursday
Chamber Lunch & Learn Program
Noon to 1: 30 p.m.
Alhambra Chamber of Commerce, 104 S. First St.
Presentations by local business leaders who
address important issues related to small
business success. Lunch is provided.
of HuangHuaLi furniture pieces of the
highest quality and craftsmanship. A discerning lifetime collector is also parting
with scroll paintings, porcelain works, and
select pieces acquired from the celebrated
auction houses of Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and
Bonham’s.
Linwoods is a full-service auction
house that provides distinguished service
in the areas of appraisal and consignment
together with decades of expert sales and
acquisitions for its growing network of
international clients. With a promising first
year in Southern California, Linwoods has
plans in place for monthly online auctions
and quarterly in-house auctions.
The Dec. 9 event will begin at 2.30 p.m.
Pacific Standard Time. Pre-auction viewing
days are scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Dec. 1 through 8, Monday through Friday,
or by appointment. Linwoods Gallery is
located at 1215 E. Main St., Alhambra
91801.
For additional information, please view
the fully illustrated catalog via the Internet
at www.linwoodsauction.com.
January presentation by Stephanie Hammerwold,
from Hammerwold & Pershing Consulting:
“Top Five H.R. Needs for Small Business.”
Chamber members free
Non-members $15
Phone the Chamber to make reservations:
626-282-8481
Jan. 20 – Tuesday
Planning Commission
7 p.m., City Hall, council chambers, 111 S. First St.
Jan. 21 – Wednesday
Arts & Cultural Events Committee
111 S. First St.
Jan. 26 – Monday
Alhambra City Council, 7 p.m.
City Hall, 111 S. First St. Jan. 27 – Tuesday
•
•
Government Affairs Committee
9 a.m., Chamber, 104 S. First St.
Design Review Board
111 S. First St.
Jan. 28 – Wednesday
Business After Hours Mixer
Alhambra Masonic Lodge
9 W. Woodward, Alhambra
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
$10 members, $15 non-members
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 Tuesday at Azteca Restaurant, 717 S. San Gabriel Blvd., San Gabriel. The Kiwanis Club of Alhambra meets at 5 p.m. the first Tuesday and the third Tuesday 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.), at the Masonic Center, 9 W. Woodward
Ave. 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.
22A
Wells Fargo donates $63,000 to nonprofits, schools in Greater Los Angeles
at annual Greater San Gabriel Community Connections Breakfast
recognizing positive impact of local organizations
Wells Fargo recently held its annual
Greater San Gabriel Community Connections Breakfast in which more than
$63,000 was donated to nonprofit community organizations and schools across
the eastern region of Los Angeles. The
heartwarming annual event took place in
Pasadena at Noor, where 63 Wells Fargo
community bank leaders selected an
organization to donate a $1,000 grant in
unrestricted funding.
Opening the event were Sandy Walia,
Wells Fargo Greater San Gabriel area
president; David DiCristofaro, Greater
Los Angeles region president; Jonathan
Weedman, head of the Wells Fargo
Foundation in Los Angeles; and Congresswoman Judy Chu delivered remarks.
“We are proud to continue this tradition of honoring local nonprofits and
schools, because at Wells Fargo we know
we can only be as strong as the communities we serve,” said Ms. Walia. “We
would like to recognize the organizations
that are doing important work in our
communities and helping our neighbors
who need it most.”
As an added bonus, this year’s event
Anthony Portantino, Wells Fargo leaders, and representatives from the Pasadena Police Activities League at the
2014 Greater San Gabriel Community Connections Breakfast.
also featured the donation of a life-sized
plush pony to one lucky nonprofit attendee. Congresswoman Chu randomly selected the Rosemead Rebels, the winning
nonprofit, from a bowl full of the names
of all 63 organizations.
“This breakfast event really is my
very favorite day of the year,” said Mr.
DiCristofaro. “This is the one day when
we are able to say ‘thank you’ for the
truly significant, and often challenging,
work nonprofits and schools are doing
every single day to make our communities
better.”
Wells Fargo first introduced the Community Connections Breakfast program in
1999 in Los Angeles to allow team members the opportunity to select community
organizations to receive an unsolicited
charitable contribution. Since then, Wells
Fargo regions across the country have
adopted the program allowing managers
nationwide to participate and reach more
local organizations.
“In 2013, Wells Fargo donated more
than $275 million across the country,
with $29 million of that donated right
here in Los Angeles and surrounding areas,” said Mr. Weedman. “In fact, because
of this focus on philanthropic giving and
volunteerism, Wells Fargo was recently
named among the ‘top corporate philanthropists’ in the nation by The Chronicles
of Philanthropy, and has been the leading
corporate donor in Los Angeles for the
past seven years.”
The 2014 Community Connections
Breakfast grant recipients included A Place
Called Home; ACF Western USA; Alhambra Police Department; American Cancer
Society; American Red Cross San Gabriel
Valley; Armenian American Nurses Association; Bellflower Unified School District;
Bolton & Company; Boys & Girls Club
of Pasadena; Boys and Girls Club of Long
Beach; Calvary Chapel of Downey, Athletic Department; Carmelite Sisters; Clothes
the Deal; Columbia School; Community
Hospital, Long Beach; Corona Avenue
Elementary School; C-V Alliance, Community Values for Crescenta Valley.
Dolores Mission School; Door of
Hope; Drew Child Development Corporation; D’Veal Family and Youth Services;
Eggleston Youth Center; El Nido Family
Centers; Epic Program of Cal State L.A.
Educational Participation In Communities; Five Acres; Genesis Enterprises; Grace
Bible Church; Gumball Foundation;
Hathaway-Sycamores; Help the Children;
Homenetmen Ararat; Hope House for the
Multiple-Handicapped Inc.; Huntington
Library; Huntington Park Police Department; Ideal Youth; Immaculate Conception School; International Institute of Los
Angeles; La Plaza de Cultura y Artes; Life
Light Educational Foundation.
National Assistance League; Oak Avenue Intermediate School; Olive Crest; Operation Hope; Our Lady of Perpetual Help
School; Police Activities League; Pasadena
Armenian Genocide Memorial Committee; Pasadena Educational Foundation;
Pasadena Humane Society; Pasadena
Playhouse; People for People; Quality of
Life Services, Inc.; Rosemary Children’s
Services; Rosemead Rebels; Ruben Salazar
High School; San Gabriel Valley Humane
Society; San Marino High School Football
Team; South Pasadena Kiwanis Club; St.
Francis Medical Center Foundation; The
Wall Las Memorias; UEDF Food Bank;
Victory Bible Church; Villa Esperanza;
and YMCA West San Gabriel Valley.
Dec. 8.
12/2014
Pastor Mario Figueroa (left) of Cory’s Kitchen food bank and Sam Artino, Sam’s Barbershop, collected
canned goods and grocery store gift cards before Thanksgiving to donate to Cory’s Kitchen. Mr. Artino’s toy
drive for Friends of Foster Children, which began the day after Thanksgiving, ends on Dec. 20.
Local barber collects toys
to donate for Christmas
Sam’s Barbershop, 1103 E. Main St.,
Alhambra, is collecting toys for Christmas
to donate to Friends of Foster Children.
The toy drive will end on Dec. 20.
Friends, customers, and volunteers will
be in the barbershop the weekend the toy
drive ends preparing the toys for Santa.
For many years, Sam’s Barbershop
owner Sam Artino has accepted voluntary
donations from his customers. His barbershop rapidly fills up with canned goods and
grocery store gift cards prior to Thanksgiving and toys before Christmas. Each of his
customers who donate write their names
and amounts donated on cards, and they
are taped to the mirrors and wall.
Mr. Artino does not like to take credit
for this charity drive. “I don’t do this; my
customers do it,” he said.
Friends of Foster Children, Arcadia,
serves foster children throughout the San
Gabriel Valley.
23A
24A
AEF and the Alhambra Unified School District’s new kindergarten through third-grade Instructional Music
teachers are, from left, Dana Aras, Erica Jones, and Alyse Thompson. All are credentialed music teachers
traveling to the 13 Alhambra School District elementary schools during the 2014-15 school year.
Members of Alhambra Preservation Group gather for their Nov. 8 tour of Union Station in the arcade outside
the Fred Harvey Dining Room, designed by architect Mary Colter.
Alhambra Preservation
Group tours Union Station
In the 75 years since it was built, Los
Angeles Union Station has captured the
hearts of architectural historians, travelers,
railroad enthusiasts and civic leaders,
while simultaneously shaping the future of
Southern California. On a Saturday morning in November, two dozen members of
Alhambra Preservation Group were treated
to a guided walking tour of this celebrated
historic landmark, including a deeper look
at its remarkable art, architecture, and
social history.
The annual fall field trip to sites listed
on the National Register of Historic Places
is always a popular and well-attended event
for members of the organization who join
or renew early.
Alhambra Preservation Group is a
non-profit community organization whose
mission is to ensure that the historical,
architectural, and cultural resources of
Alhambra are identified, protected, and
celebrated for their contributions to the
city’s heritage, economy, and environment.
APG hosts a variety of informative and
entertaining activities throughout the
teacher Alyse Thompson leads Ms. Anderson’s class at Park Elementary School in a spirited, standardsyear, including its Heritage Home Awards Music
based music lesson.
program in the fall, which recognizes the
efforts of property owners who have made
outstanding contributions to the preservation of Alhambra’s built environment.
The recipients of the organization’s 2014
Heritage Home Awards, presented on Nov.
19 in Reese Hall of the Alhambra Public
Library, will be featured in future articles of
Around Alhambra.
For more information about APG,
please phone 626-755-3467, or visit the
organization’s website: www.AlhambraPreservation.org.
www.traineddogsforadoption.org
To arrange for a visit, please fill out the online adoption
application on www.traineddogsforadoption.org
Meet Lexi. Lexi is a 2-year-old spayed
female shepherd that came to Trained Dogs for
Adoption after receiving a plea from a trusted
partner at the county animal shelter. She is an
exceptionally smart shepherd that craves human
interaction. While she is selective about her dog
friends, she will bond quickly with a new family.
Looking for an active and slightly sassy girl?
Then Lexi is a match. She has brains and beauty.
Meet Joey. Joey is a 2-year-old neutered male
Rottweiler that came from a local animal shelter
where he had run out of time. When Trained
Dogs for Adoption first received him into
their care, he was very thin and malnourished.
His coat was dry and unkempt. Joey clearly
had led a difficult life. Since that time, he has
blossomed into a happy and loving dog.
Slim came to Trained Dogs for Adoption
after being “lost in the system.” He was rescued
from the animal shelter by a good-hearted soul
but was not getting the training, socialization,
and exposure he needed to find his new home.
Trained Dogs for Adoption agreed to accept him
into their program and help him land on his
feet. Slim has come a long way in a short time.
He has quiet confidence and a positive attitude.
Primary students begin
Educational Foundation’s
new K-3 Instructional
Music Program
The Alhambra Educational Foundation
(AEF) and the Alhambra Unified School
District have started the first of the kindergarten through third-grade instructional
music classes at half of the District’s 13
elementary schools.
Since October, three credentialed music
teachers have been teaching students
an interactive standards-based music
curriculum that has the students learning
about rhythm, harmony and melody, and
singing and exploring various musical
instruments and the sounds they can
make. Teachers Dana Aras, Erica Jones,
and Alyse Thompson are engaging students
with regular lessons at Emery Park, Park,
Garfield, Marguerita, Fremont, Granada,
and Northrup elementary schools through
February 2015.
The program will rotate to the six
remaining elementary schools — Brightwood, Monterey Highlands, Ramona,
Baldwin, Ynez, and Repetto — in February
and will continue through May 2015. All
kindergarten, first-, second-, and thirdgrade students in the Alhambra School
district will receive up to 16 music lessons
in their classrooms during the year in this
program fully funded by AEF.
“We are so excited to be able to provide
this program to our AUSD students,” said
AEF Executive
Director Sheryl MacPhee. “The parents,
teachers, principals, and most importantly,
our students, are thrilled and energized to
have this music curriculum a part of the
AUSD educational program, and we are so
grateful to our generous donors who have
helped make this program a reality.”
AEF is now raising funds to ensure the
continuation of this program for the 201516 school year. With a target fundraising
goal of $300,000 by July 31, 2015, AEF
counts on donations from parents, community members, and local businesses.
The Alhambra Educational Foundation is the primary fundraising partner
of the Alhambra School District. Since
its inception in 1993, AEF has donated
more than $1.8 million to the District to
provide funding for a variety of educational
programs, curriculum, and equipment
that benefits all students and schools. All
proceeds from AEF’s fundraising efforts,
including the annual Service to Education
gala dinner, AEF’s annual appeal, and the
Taste of Alhambra community event,
benefit all the schools and students of the
Alhambra School District.
For more information, or to make a
tax-deductible donation to AEF, please go
to www.aef4kids.com and follow AEF on
Facebook.
12/2014
ACADEMIC NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA
25A
Alhambra High School Speech
Northrup teacher Phillip Vi works with a student on a financial literacy and math
lesson.
Northrup
students learn
financial literacy
Students in Phillips Vi’s
math class are making money
count. As a dedicated educator
at William Northrup School,
led by Principal Stacie Coleman-Hsu, Mr. Vi is teaching
students about the true value
of money. This year with the
advent of Common Core, Mr.
Vi is implementing “financial
literacy” as part of his mathematics Universal Access (UA)
curriculum.
Some of the areas he will
cover, along with his mathematics curriculum, will include
personal finance (income,
expenses, savings, home buying,
budgeting, car purchase, etc.),
interests and loans, tax basics,
credit cards and credit history,
credit bureaus and FICO score,
and building a safety net.
Mr. Vi sees the value in
showing students the importance and the relationship
between knowing their math
facts and understanding the
relationship that the latter has
on their daily lives. “In addition
to understanding and enjoying
math, I want students to see
its relevancy and applicability
in everyday life,” he said. “Financial Literacy UA would not
have been possible without the
incredible and ongoing support
from Mrs. Colman-Hsu.
Students alike are excited to
have the opportunity to learn
about money in their math
class and are becoming more
interested as they begin to see
the impact and the relationship
between money, math, and
shopping.”
The Alhambra High School Speech & Debate Team scores another home run at the baseball-themed Spartan Fall Classic that
took place at Schurr High School on Oct. 25 and 26. Along with more than 40 awards, the team caught second place Speech
Sweepstakes and first place Debate Sweepstakes.
Mark Keppel dons kilts for
Scotland trip fundraiser
Because the Mark Keppel High School Theatre Company reached its goal of $2,000 by Homecoming, 21 teachers, four coaches,
three campus supervisors, and five administrators wore their kilts for the school’s Homecoming Pep Rally. Mr. and Mrs. Aztec
were named, and the winners were two of the teachers in kilts. “The school fundraising effort was a huge success,” drama teacher
Page Phillips said.“But it’s only a fraction of what we need to raise by June 15 for our Scotland Fringe Festival trip. To donate
to help send our students to Scotland, please go to https://mkhs.myschoolcentral.com, or send a check C/O MKHS Theatre
Company/Scotland, 501 E. Hellman, Alhambra 91801. Thank you.”
Reorganization of the Board of Education for the
new term will take place at the December 9 meeting.
26A
ACADEMIC NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA12/2014
Students and parents visited college representative tables at the Alhambra School District’s seventh annual
College Fair on Oct. 16 at San Gabriel High School.
District presents
annual college fair,
provides resources
Alhambra Unified School District
hosted its seventh annual College Fair on
Oct. 16 at San Gabriel High School. From
6 p.m. to 8 p.m., more than 80 representatives from colleges, vocational schools, and
the military were available for questions.
Many colleges, including those in the University of California and California State
Systems, compete in the Alhambra area to
try to attract more students.
Students learned about how colleges
view applicants.
“Berkeley acceptance is different from
other schools,” a representative of UC
Berkeley said. “Instead of scoring one for
everything, Berkeley looks at everything
and scores you holistically with one score
from one to five with one being the
highest.”
Including local universities, there were
many out-of-state colleges recruiting
students in the San Gabriel Valley. Some
schools came all the way from Indiana and
Pennsylvania.
Hawai’i University was also present,
trying to attract students living on the
West Coast.
“Students from the West Coast get
a good discount when applying for this
school,” the Hawai’i representative said.
“They would only pay about $15,000,
while non-residents who want to get in
would have to be charged $30,000 for
tuition.”
Parents and their children attended the
fair and said it was extremely helpful.
“I’ve been at the college fair for four
years now,” parent Maria Chow-Kakazu
said. “And it’s very beneficial to look at
all the colleges because it’s a really good
learning experience.”
Coordinator Monica Marquez believes
that the college fair is also a beneficial
factor toward the students’ futures.
“Overall it’s a nice experience for students of all ages,” she said. “They can come
and explore the many different options like
community colleges, four-year colleges, or
they can jump into the workforce and look
at technical institutes. They can all get their
answers from one location.”
This article was written by Frank Lieu,
junior, reporter, The Matador, San Gabriel
High School.
12/2014
ACADEMIC NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA
27A
AEF supports college counselors on campus
About 50 years ago, the national college
enrollment rate for high school graduates
was 45% , a number that climbed up to
70% in 2009. While this rapid ascension
can be attributed to a number of factors,
including increased gender equality, the
outstanding component of the growth is
the quality of support in the college application process in America’s schools.
In trying to emulate that growth, the
nonprofit fundraising organization Alhambra Educational Foundation (AEF) partnered with the Alhambra Unified School
District to offer students an alternate
avenue of aid by opening up new part-time
college counselor positions on high school
campuses.
The project will include personalized
help and tours to various colleges in
California, assisting the student body with
concerns they may have about their college
prospects.
“The college counselors focus on helping students research college options and
application processes, as well as integrate
some career preparation,” AEF Executive
Director Sheryl MacPhee said. “Not all
students are suited for a four-year university, and we want students to know that. We
want to help students explore more types
of colleges and help find the best fit for the
students.”
Not to be confused with the guidance
counselors already present at the high
schools, the AEF-funded counselors will
specialize in helping students demystify
the concept of college. The project hopes
to relieve some of the strain that guidance
counselors experience when meeting with
hundreds of seniors every fall, while simultaneously boosting college enrollment
rates.
“The guidance counselors work so hard.
They all have a huge workload between
them with a lot of students, so there’s not a
lot of time to devote to individual college
processes,” Ms. MacPhee said. “Many juniors and seniors are starting to go through
those processes, so we want to solve two
problems by lightening workloads and
providing individual help to those that
need it.”
To date, there are three planned counselor positions: Janice Liu and Suzana Yu
are respectively stationed at Alhambra
High School and Mark Keppel High
School, while the counselor at San Gabriel
has not yet been established.
The feedback for the project so far has
been extremely positive, especially from
students looking to apply to college in the
next two years.
“I’m really glad AEF decided to start
something like this,” sophomore April
Vuong said. “Applying to college always
seemed so stressful and confusing, and
I was worried about how I would get
through the process. But now that I know
they’re opening up these positions, I’m a
bit relieved. It’s nice to know the support
is there.”
From this point forward, AEF hopes to
eventually add more full-time counselor
positions to increase the amount of support
given to students in need of a helping hand
in the process or simply information about
the prospects.
“It’s about knowing what’s possible,”
Ms. MacPhee said. “If you know what’s
possible, then your expectations can grow,
and you can go after your dreams.”
This article was written by Rebecca Lei,
senior, editor-in-chief, The Matador, San
Gabriel High School.
Alhambra High School’s Homecoming
Alhambra Moors face off against the Schurr Spartans during the Homecoming game at Moor
Field on Oct. 31.
From left are Freshman Princess Claudia Anzora, Sophomore Princess Violet Cordova, Homecoming
Queen Danielle Medina, Junior Princess Jade Lieu, and Senior Princess Josephine Lim.
AHS Principal Duane Russell waves to bystanders during the first annual Homecoming
Parade.
From left: Senior Prince Ivan Yu, Junior Prince Raymond Lam, Homecoming King Robert Saris, Sophomore
Prince Dmitri Madyomo, and Freshman Prince Kobe Lu.
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December 2014 Section A - Alhambra Chamber of Commerce

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