May 2014 Section A - Alhambra Chamber of Commerce

Transcription

05/2014
Eat, drink,
indulge at
Taste of
Alhambra
June 1
The Chamber’s golf tournament will take place Thursday, May 15, at the
Alhambra Golf Course. Tournament sponsors are, from left, Jerry Wisz, Alhambra
Golf Course; Tony Iskandar, Goudy Honda; Judy Quach, Alhambra Hospital
Medical Center; Charles Ma, Bob Wondries Ford; and Maria Gao, Evike.com.
Chamber golf
tournament May 15:
‘Play Fore the Kids’
E
njoy samples of food from
Alhambra’s finest restaurants
plus wine and music at the 12th
annual Taste of Alhambra from 5 p.m.
to 8 p.m., Sunday, June 1 in Downtown
Alhambra on South Second Street, just
south of Main Street.
“Try out new restaurants and get
acquainted once again with old favorites,”
said Mike Fata, Downtown Alhambra
Business Association board member.
The 12th annual Taste of Alhambra will take place Sunday, June 1. Enjoy
food, wine, and music.
More than 1,400 people attended the event last year to
enjoy the food, wines, brews and spirits, hand rolled cigars,
and music.
The Grooveline band will entertain.
Proceeds will benefit the Alhambra Educational
>> see TASTE OF ALHAMBRA Page 9A
T
he Chamber’s “Play Fore the Kids” golf tournament will
take place at noon Thursday, May 15, at the Alhambra
Golf Course, 630 S. Almansor St. Registration and
check-in will begin at 10:30 a.m.
This year’s tournament will feature a Corporate Cup trophy
competition and opportunities for individual golfers to win prizes.
There will also be Closest to the Pin on all par three holes, Longest
Drive Contest, and two hole-in-one chances to win a car, courtesy
of Goudy Honda and Bob Wondries Ford.
>> see CHAMBER GOLF TOURNAMENT Page 17A
CITY NEWS
PAGE 2A
CHAMBER NEWS
PAGE 13A
COMMUNITY NEWS
PAGE 19A
ACADEMIC NEWS
PAGE 25A
AEF’s Service to Education Awards honorees for “Education” were the four elementary music teachers of AUSD, from left: Jim
Hamilton, Julie Sorenson, Lisa Jones, Dave Batti, with AEF President Steve Perry.
AEF celebrates teachers,
leaders at 10th Annual Service
to Education Awards Dinner
The spirit of community service was honored at
the 10th Annual Service to Education Awards Dinner and Gala, hosted by the Alhambra Educational
Foundation (AEF) on March 29 at the Hilton Los
Angeles/San Gabriel. The festive evening, emceed
by AEF President Steve Perry, presented the Service
to Education awards, four of which honored the
talented elementary music teachers of the Alhambra
Unified School District. Fittingly, the night ended
with live music and dancing.
>> see AEF 10TH ANNUAL DINNER Page 25A
2A
How to Contact
Your Representatives
CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS
626-570-5010
Mayor Stephen Sham
Vice Mayor Gary Yamauchi
Councilmember Luis Ayala
Councilmember Barbara Messina
Councilmember Dr. Steven Placido
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
Becky.Cheng@mail.house.gov
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
firne.medrano@sen.ca.gov
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
henry.lo@asm.ca.gov
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
rhadjimanoukian@lacbos.org
www.antonovich.com
State Board of Equalization District #4
Jerome E. Horton, Vice Chair
1100 Corporate Center Dr., Suite 203, Monterey Park, CA 91754
323-980-1221 Fax 323-980-1236
Carla.martinez@boe.ca.gov
www.boe.ca.gov
CITY NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA
05/2014
Prepare for emergencies, get ‘green’
By Mayor Stephen Sham
Spring Eggstravaganza
Many families were at Almansor Park on Saturday, April 19,
for this year’s Spring Eggstgravaganza. A “Pancake Breakfast With
the Bunny” was sponsored by the
Alhambra Fire Association. Alhambra Firefighters volunteered
their time to serve more than a
thousand pancakes to the event
goers. Photo opportunities with
the Bunny continued throughout
the day. A Penny Carnival entertained the young, and young at
heart, along with arts and crafts
activities in the field. The City
departments provided information booths on city services and
the 710 Close the Gap campaign.
Rotary Club of Alhambra was
another sponsor of the event.
The Rotary booth provided information on their current service
projects.
The main attraction was
the Helicopter Egg Drop at 10
a.m. The sky was filled with
candy-filled eggs, dropping from
a helicopter onto the Almansor
Park turf for all to enjoy. Kids and
family members all rushed in for
the eggs. It was a fun-filled day for
our community.
Mayor Stephen Sham
Be prepared for an emergency
Please attend the upcoming Emergency Preparedness seminar on Saturday, May 3. It will be hosted by the
Alhambra Police and Fire departments
from 10 a.m. to noon at the Alhambra
Fire Station #71, 301 N. First St.
This seminar will help inform and
prepare Alhambra residents and members of their households what to do,
where to go, and what skills and tools
to have ready when an emergency
situation or natural disaster occurs.
In addition to the Alhambra Police
and Fire departments, additional
presenters will include Dr. Laurel
Bear, Ph.D., Alhambra Unified School
District; Dr. Margaret Vinci, Office of
Earthquake Programs for Cal Tech; and
a representative from the American Red
Cross. The educational presentations will
be followed by a question-and-answer
period, and there will be displays set up
by Alhambra CERT, the American Red
Cross, Cal Tech, an emergency supply
vendor, Neighborhood Watch, and the
Alhambra Fire and Police departments.
Disaster supply kits will be available
for purchase, and disaster preparedness
items will also be raffled off at the end of
each meeting (winner must be present).
Alhambra’s annual family friendly,
eco-friendly Green Event
The City of Alhambra’s Eco Fair is
scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 3, at Alhambra Park, 500
N. Palm Ave. It is a fun family event with
tips on ways to save money and adopt a
lifestyle that will help sustain the planet
– a combination of results that should
encourage every resident to attend this
important annual event.
The fun notwithstanding, it’s the
“greener life,” and a greener planet, that
is the main focus of the day as attendees
learn more about solar energy, examine
eco-friendly automobiles, learn about
energy conservation and conservation
programs, get more.
Alhambra parks will offer kids free Summer
Food Service Program, arts, crafts
Alhambra’s popular Summer
Food Service Program, for anyone
ages 1 to 18, will once again feature
free lunches and snacks, and crafts
and other fun activities at four park
sites. The program will take place
Monday through Friday, from
Monday, June 2 through Friday,
Aug. 8. The City of Alhambra
Community Services Department
will conduct the program that is administered by the City of Alhambra
through the California Department
of Education (CDE).
The food service program will be
served at the following locations:
Site
Alhambra Park
500 N. Palm Ave.
Almansor Park
800 S. Almansor St.
Granada Park
2000 W. Hellman Ave.
Story Park
210 N. Chapel Ave.
Lunch
Snack
noon - 2 p.m.
3:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
noon - 2 p.m.
3:30 p.m.- 4 p.m.
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
All meals are available without
regard to race, color, national origin,
age, sex, or disability. Any person who
believes that he or she has been discriminated against should contact the
California Department of Education
at 560 J St., Ste. #270, Sacramento
95814.
For more information, please contact the Recreation Division Office at
626-570-5081 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Monday – Friday.
0 5 /2014
3A
Recent City Council actions
is a monthly publication with a total circulation of
40,000. It is mailed to every business and residence in
the city of Alhambra. Around Alhambra is also mailed
to all interested local, state and county officials.
We welcome comments, press releases and
community interest stories and will make every
effort to include all appropriate information.
For advertising rates and other information, contact
Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
104 S. First St., Alhambra, CA 91801
Tel: 626 282-8481 Fax: 626 282-5596
www.alhambrachamber.org
Executive Committee
President:
Frank Chen, Law Offices of Frank W. Chen
Vice President:
Lee Lieberg, Landz Real Estate
Immediate Past President:
Valarie Gomez, West San Gabriel Valley YMCA
At-Large members:
Robert Fukui, High Point Marketing
Mark Paulson, Anthony Venti Realtors
Walter Tang, Superior Scientific
Board of Directors
Oriana Chan, Wells Fargo Bank
Evike Chang, Evike.com
Iris Lai, Alhambra Hospital Medical Center
Elizabeth Martinez, Republic Services
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
Joanna Vargas, The Fit Factor Studio
Victoria Deise Wilson, The Alhambra
Kevin Yamauchi, Tri-Star Vending
Staff
Executive Director: Sharon Gibbs
Membership/Advertising Sales: Stan Yonemoto
Legislative Affairs: Owen Guenthard
Office Manager: Irma Hernandez
Editor: Dulcy Jenkins
Writers: William Kinman and Sarah Grear
Office Assistant: Rosemarie Valerio
Published by: Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
AROUND ALHAMBRA is not responsible nor liable for any claims or offerings,
nor responsible for product availability that may be advertised. Opinions
expressed in columns, letters and guest editorials are those of the authors.
All rights reserved. Reproductions in whole or in part without permission is
prohibited.
The following are highlights from the City Council meetings that took place March 24 and April 14.
Proclamations
April was proclaimed as “DMV/Donate Life California
Month” in Alhambra to bring attention to the need for organ donors (recognizing that there are more than 121,000
individuals nationwide waiting for an organ donation)
and the possibility to save a life by checking “yes” when
applying for or renewing a driver’s license or I.D. card or by
signing up at www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org.
Three young women, Marina Salazar, Kristie Sham
and Pauline Truong, were congratulated and commended
for being selected to receive the 2014 Violet Richardson
Award presented by Soroptimist International of Alhambra, San Gabriel, and San Marino in recognition of their
extraordinary community service.
Boards & Commissions appointments
Names of new and returning board and commission
appointments were announced for the current term which
commenced March 24 and ends on March 23, 2015. See
related article on page 12A.
Parks improvements
April was proclaimed as “DMV/Donate Life California Month” in
Alhambra to bring attention to the need for organ donors. Mayor
Stephen Sham presents a proclamation to Rachael Rodriguez, an
Alhambra ambassador for Donate Life.
A contract with Southern California Rooms
Inc. was approved for the
replacement of the picnic
shelters at Alhambra Park.
Traffic improvements
With the construction
of the Mosaic Parking
Structure on North First
Street, it has been deemed
necessary to install a traffic
signal at Garfield and
Talmage Burke Way which
will help channel vehicles
to a major roadway constructed to handle heavy
traffic and reduce extra
vehicle trips on a neighbor- Marina Salazar, Kristie Sham, and Pauline Truong were commended for being selected to receive the 2014
Violet Richardson Award presented by Soroptimist International of Alhambra, San Gabriel, and San Marino.
hood street (First Street).
A stop sign and stop
bar will be installed for
east-bound vehicles on and Sons Inc. for upcoming sewer repairs changes made by the State Water Resources
Pine Street approaching in the vicinity of Commonwealth and Control Board over the last five years.
Monterey Street to delin- Chapel avenues, while another contract
November election
eate where vehicles should was approved with Hunsaker & Associates
A resolution was approved to consolistop and wait before enter- for engineering design services for sewer date the City’s General Municipal Election
ing the flow of traffic on mainline improvements on Valley Boule- with the Statewide General Election to
Monterey Street. A center vard and Almansor Street.
take place on Nov. 4. The Municipal
yellow line will also be
The City has updated its five-year Sewer Election will be composed of open, fullstriped on Pine Street.
System Management Plan required by term offices for City Councilperson of the
Sewer
system the State Water Resources Control Board First, Second, and Fifth Districts, as well as
management
reflecting organizational changes, updated member of the Board of Education for the
Sewer
Improvement program goals, changes in operations and Alhambra Unified School District for the
Projects – a contract was maintenance programs due to the purchase Fourth and Fifth Districts. See page 4A for
approved with Mike Prlich of new equipment, and incorporation of related article.
Emergency Preparedness
Seminars offered May 3, Sept. 6
Two Emergency Preparedness Seminars are scheduled
from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday May 3 and Sept. 6 at Alhambra Fire Station 71, 301 N. First St.
Each twohour presentation will help
inform and prepare Alhambra
residents
and
their household
members what
to do, where to
go, and what
skills and tools
they must have
to be ready when an emergency or natural disaster occurs.
In addition to the Alhambra Police and Fire departments, additional presenters will include Dr. Lauren
Bear, Ph.D., Alhambra Unified School District; Dr.
Margaret Vinci, Office of Earthquake Programs for Cal
Tech; and a representative from the American Red Cross.
The educational presentations will be followed by a
question-and-answer period. There will be displays set up
by Alhambra CERT (Community Emergency Response
Team), the American Red Cross, Cal Tech, an emergency
supply vendor, Neighborhood Watch, and the Alhambra
Fire and Police departments. Disaster supply kits will be
available for purchase. Disaster preparedness items will
be raffled off at the end of each meeting (winner must
be present).
4A
05/2014
Alhambra General
Municipal Election is Nov. 4
On Tuesday, Nov. 4, the Alhambra Municipal Election will take place alongside
the General Election to fill the following
City Council and Alhambra Unified
School District Board of Education seats:
• Councilperson of the First District.
• Councilperson of the Second
District.
• Councilperson of the Fifth District.
• Member of the Board of Education,
Fourth District.
• Member of the Board of Education,
Fifth District.
In order to become a candidate for
any of the above offices, a Declaration of
Intention must be obtained from and filed
with the Alhambra City Clerk between 8
a.m. Monday, June 16, and 5 p.m. Tuesday,
June 24. If an incumbent Councilmember
or Board of Education member does
not file by June 24, the Declaration of
Intention filing period for that office only
is extended for non-incumbents to 5 p.m.
Monday, June 30.
To be eligible to run for office in this
election, candidates must be citizens of the
United States and 18 years of age or older.
In addition, a candidate for City
Council must be an elector of the city, a
registered voter in the council district that
he or she wishes to represent at the time
he or she files the required Declaration
of Intention. He or she must also have
resided in the council district from which
he or she is nominated for at least 30 days
preceding the filing of the Declaration of
Intention.
A candidate for the Board of Education must be an elector of the Alhambra
Unified School District, a registered voter
in the nominating district that he or she
wishes to represent at the time he or she
files the required Declaration of Intention,
and must have resided in the nominating
district from which he or she is nominated
at least one month prior to his or her nomination. Nominating Certificates must be
secured from the Alhambra City Clerk
and circulated not earlier than 113 days or
later than 88 days prior to Election Day.
Filing for All Nominating Certificates
shall be filed with the Alhambra City
Clerk, July 14 to Aug. 8, 2014.
Residents are invited to contact the
City Clerk’s Office, 626-570-5090, if interested in running for any of these offices,
or regarding any questions concerning the
election process.
VISIT THE CHAMBER ONLINE AT
alhambrachamber.org
05/2014
About Alhambra’s water
supply, the 2014 Drought,
and water conservation in
the San Gabriel Valley
BY MARK R. PAULSON,
DIRECTOR SAN GABRIEL
VALLEY MUNICIPAL
WATER DISTRICT
A series of articles in Q.
& A. format
Q. How are underground water supplies
managed and controlled
so that Alhambra gets its
fair share?
A. Given the size and
topography of the San
Gabriel Valley, it’s not surprising that groundwater
levels throughout the Valley vary from location to
location — it is true that
different locations in the
Valley have more water or more accessible
water than others. And, some wells in the
San Gabriel Valley are polluted or contaminated. Water rights and pumping rights
are complicated — for example, Monterey
Park relies on water that is pumped from
wells located in Rosemead.
Thus, many years ago the Main San
Gabriel Basin Watermaster was created to
manage and protect groundwater resources
within the Main San Gabriel Groundwater
Basin.
Q. Is Alhambra going to run out of
water given the drought?
A. No. Because the San Gabriel Valley
Municipal Water District and other water
agencies throughout the Valley have
employed sound water management practices for several decades, and because the
Valley has reduced consumption by more
than 15% in recent years through water
conservation, the Valley is not in immediate jeopardy of major water shortages.
Local experts estimate the
Valley has enough water
in reserve right now to
meet the Valley’s needs for
several years even if the
drought continues.
• Some people believe
in the adage that “we will
not run out of water, but
we will run out of cheap
water.” To a degree, we
are protected by larger
regional water storage
facilities and a reduction
in water demand resulting
from effective water conservation efforts.
• For cities served by
Municipal Water District, we have been
preparing for water shortages like this,
effectively providing you with “water
insurance.” In other words, as residents
in our service area use water from local
wells, we’ve been actively helping to refill
or replenish the groundwater that supplies
the wells.
• The current drought (2014) means
less water is available in the Valley and in
the local mountains to help supply our
local groundwater system, and the recent
suspension of water deliveries via the State
Water Project means we have less water
available to replenish those groundwater
supplies. Thus, our water insurance is
declining — reservoir levels are lower,
groundwater levels are lower, snow packs
throughout local and regional mountain
ranges are lower. And, despite occasional
rain in the first few months of 2014, the
Valley remains in a long-term drought.
To be continued …
City Ventures completes Main
Street Collection
A grand opening and ribbon cutting took place April 5 for the City Ventures Alhambra Main Street
Collection project to acknowledge its completion at 410 W. Main St. It is a brand new community of
86 energy-efficient residential units and 8,200 square feet of retail space with convenient street-level
parking. Commercial entities already leased on the property include Chase Bank, Nancy’s Pizza, Al’s
Beef, and Allstate. The Alhambra City Council commended City Ventures, LLC, for enhancing business
and residential opportunities in Downtown Alhambra and contributing to the community’s desirability.
From left are Assemblymember Ed Chau; Bill McReynolds, City Ventures vice president of Development;
Congresswoman Judy Chu; and Alhambra Mayor Stephen Sham.
5A
6A
05/2014
City’s first Spring Eggstravaganza a sweet success
An estimated 9,000 parents and children came to
Almansor Park on April 19 to participate in the City’s
first Spring Eggstravaganza. The event included a pancake
breakfast sponsored by the Alhambra Firefighters Association, a visit by a floppy-eared bunny, spring-themed
carnival games, and arts and crafts activities.
The main attraction of the day was the up-close view of
a helicopter hovering about 50 feet off the ground while
dropping thousands of candy-filled eggs onto the Almansor Park field.
Then the excitement continued as children ages 1-4 had
the opportunity to hunt for thousands of eggs and to have
their picture taken with the bunny, as well as to obtain a
variety of other free giveaways.
About 9,000 parents and children came to the City’s first
Spring Eggstravaganza, which took place April 19 at
Almansor Park.
A helicopter dropped thousands of candy-filled eggs onto Almansor Park
field.
Be cool this summer in a City of Alhambra Pool
The City’s summer aquatics programs
will be offered June 14 – Aug. 2, with a
post-summer program continuing through
Sept. 28. The summer program will include
American Red Cross style group swim lessons, individual “one-on-one” swim lessons
for all levels and abilities, lap swim lanes,
and recreational swim. As a part of the
regular swim schedule at the Granada Park
Pool, a limited number of adaptive swim
lessons will also be offered to participants
with limited motor skills and abilities.
(Participants are advised to consult their
health care provider before enrolling in this
program.)
Swim lessons will be conducted concurrently at Alhambra and Granada Pools and
are offered at a variety of times, either during
the week or on Saturdays. Class sizes are
limited, so register early. Weekday lessons
will be conducted Monday through Friday
at10 a.m., 10:40 a.m., 11:20 a.m., 4:30
p.m., 5:10 p.m., 5:50 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.
For pre-recorded information about
session dates, swim attire, rules and
regulations, fees, registration or general
information about the Aquatics programs,
call the Aquatics hotline at 626-570-5093.
To speak with someone in person, contact
the pool office during regularly scheduled
swim times at 626-570-3255, or phone the
business office Monday through Friday, 8
a.m. – 5 p.m. at 626-570-5081.
NEW! Two one-week swim lesson programs
will be offered this summer; Guppy Guards
(for swimmers 7-11 years of age) and Jr.
Lifeguards (for swimmers 11-14 years
of age). These end-of-summer fun and
skill enhancing programs will put newly
developed swim skills to the test and enhance
them even further by focusing on water
safety, endurance, and stroke development
in a fun aquatic environment. The weeklong programs will be conducted Monday
– Friday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. during the week of
July 28 – Aug.1. A swim test is required to
determine participant’s skill level.
How to Sell High:
Avoid these Three Mistakes
When Selling Your Home
Alhambra - When you decide to sell your home, setting your asking price is one of the
most important decisions you will ever make. Depending on how a buyer is made aware of
your home, price is often the first thing he or she sees, and many homes are discarded by
prospective buyers as not being in the appropriate price range before they’re even given a
chance of showing.
Your asking price is often your home’s “first impression”, and if you want to realize the
most money you can for your home, it’s imperative that you make a good first impression.
This is not as easy as it sounds, and pricing strategy should not be taken lightly. Pricing
too high can be as costly to a homeseller as pricing too low. Taking a look at what homes in
your neighborhood have sold for is only a small part of the process, and on its own is not
nearly enough to help you make the best decision. A recently study, which compiles 10 years
of industry research, has resulted in a new special report entitled “Homesellers: How to Get
the Price You Want (and Need)”. This report will help you understand pricing strategy from
three different angles. When taken together, this information will help you price your home
to not only sell, but sell for the price you want.
To order a FREE Special Report, call toll-free 1-888-300-4632 and enter 1016. You can
call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Get your free special report NOW to learn how to price your home to your maximum
financial advantage.
This report is courtesy of Rudy L. Kusuma Real Estate Broker Lic# 01820322. Not intended
solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract.
Copyright © 2012
05/2014
Progress on the new Mosaic Parking Structure is visible now.
Visible progress
made on new Mosaic
Parking Structure
Mosaic Parking Structure update #4
Wherever people look Downtown,
progress on the new Mosaic Parking Structure is visible: whether it’s the new parking
signage, the friendly and helpful Parking
Ambassadors, or the construction site itself.
For the first time since demolition and
grading work began in January, “vertical”
construction made the emerging Mosaic
Parking Structure visible to passersby. Security fencing has blocked views the past few
months of much of the work being done
at ground level. Now, residents, businesses,
employees and visitors to Main Street can
see the progress being made on the 5-½
level, 300+ parking space facility located
on North First Street.
From the ground up, in March and
April, construction milestones included
completion of grading, pouring of the
concrete footings, and building of both
columns and exterior walls, which rise
about 20 feet and past the first level of the
new parking structure. In addition, the
electrical equipment room was formed,
and preparations for the elevator installation were begun.
In late April, the concrete slab on
the ground floor was poured. With the
facility’s foundation and infrastructure in
place, construction the next few months
will focus on adding floors, installing the
elevator and, ultimately, landscaping and
project completion, which is still targeted
for October.
Meanwhile, the City’s customer service
and parking assistance efforts have continued so that effects on local businesses and
employers are minimized.
“The City will continue to work with
property managers and owners, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Downtown
Alhambra Business Association to provide
up-to-the-minute construction updates to
help everyone enjoy their Downtown experience,” said Project Manager and Director
of Administrative Services Martin Ray.
Chris Paulson, assistant to the city
manager, said, “We are managing construction and communications on a daily
basis, staying on top of the situation. We
are monitoring activity in the Downtown
area and trying to be proactive to make life
as convenient as possible for our residents,
businesses, and patrons. So far, we’ve had
very few disruptions, and the community
has been tremendously supportive and understanding of the process and long-term
benefits.”
Everyone is reminded to look for the
highly visible parking signage during this
construction period, and that the Ambassadors will be in place Thursday through
Saturday evenings to provide parking
information and support. Added parking
is available on the top level of the underground Library parking lot Thursdays
through Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
One last reminder is to observe parking
rules so that downtown businesses’ and
patrons’ needs are met and to avoid getting
a ticket.
Visit the City of Alhambra Web site,
www.cityofalhambra.org, and check future
editions of Around Alhambra for ongoing
updates. Get information and discuss this
exciting project on Facebook: facebook.
com/cityofalhambra; on Twitter: twitter.
com/cityofalhambra; and on Instragram:
Instagram.com/cityofalhambra.
For more information, please contact
Mr. Paulson, at 626-570-5011 and cpaulson@cityofalhambra.org.
Register for summer
Leisure Classes
The full range of City of Alhambra
Leisure Classes will get underway in June,
while the registration period for those
classes – including all offerings in parent
and child classes, enrichment classes, music
classes, dance classes, health & fitness classes, yoga classes, and tennis classes – begins
Monday, May 5.
To ensure participation in the most
sought-after classes, it is recommended to
register early.
When signing up for a Leisure Class,
don’t miss out on the summer camps for
kids being offered through Community
Programs.
The list of classes and registration
procedures are spelled out in detail in the
summer/fall City of Alhambra Leisure
Classes, Activities & Excursions Guide,
available at www.cityofalhambra.org, or
phone 626-570-3242 during weekday
business hours.
7A
8A
05/2014
Keep up with recycling news
Bring household hazardous waste and
e-waste to free local roundups in May
Two free collection events will take
place this month to dispose of household
hazardous waste and electronic waste:
(1) Saturday, May 17 at the West Covina
Maintenance Yard, 825 Sunset Ave., and
(2) City of El Monte Airport, 4233 N.
Santa Anita Ave. Both events will take place
from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are sponsored
by the County of Los Angeles Department
of Public Works. Hazardous waste items
include antifreeze, car batteries, and used
motor oil. E-waste includes old televisions,
computer monitors, and stereos. There
is a limit of 15 gallons or 125 pounds of
household hazardous waste per vehicle. For
more information, contact the County of
Los Angeles Department of Public Works
at 888-CLEAN LA or www.888CleanLA.
com, or the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County at 800-238-0172, or www.
lacsd.org.
Spring is perfect time to learn smart
gardening techniques
In addition to monthly free household
hazardous waste and e-waste collection
events, the County hosts free Saturday
morning Smart Gardening Workshops to
help residents learn to improve their lawn
and garden while reducing waste through
various composting methods. No reservation is needed to attend.
Beginning level workshops provide
hands-on instruction on composting, worm
composting, grass-cycling, and water- and
fire-wise gardening. A Spanish-language
Beginning Workshop will be offered on
Saturday, May 17 at 1060 S Greenwood
Ave., Montebello, and an English-language
class will take place on Saturday, May 31,
at the Pasadena Senior Center, 85 E. Holly
St. Both workshops will take place from
9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Advanced level workshops introduce
landscape design, landscaping with native
friendly plants, installing a water-efficient
irrigation system, organic gardening, the
art and science of good soil, environmentally sound pest management, water conservation, and the use of drought-tolerant
plants. Two such workshops will take place
on Saturday, May 24, at the L.A. County
Arboretum, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia
(there is a $9 entrance fee to the Arboretum, but the class is free), and May 31 at
Garvey Ranch Park, 781 S. Orange Ave.,
Monterey Park.
The City of Alhambra assists residents
who would like to take up composting by
selling composting bins for just $15. For
more information, phone 626-570-5010.
Live green, earn points, get rewards
Recyclebank members can use some of
their reward points for special offers provided by these new and renewed National
Rewards participants: Banana Republic,
Regal Entertainment Group, Ruby Tuesday Restaurant, Macy’s, Turkey Hill Dairy,
Sazzi Footwear and U-Konserve. To activate an account, go to www.recyclebank.
com, or phone 888-727-2978, or get the
Recyclebank app for smart phones to register an account. Start earning points right
away.
Basketball Sports Camp
offered June 30 to July 25
The City of Alhambra will offer a Summer Basketball Sports camp to help children, ages 7 to 13, to become better team
players on and off the court. In addition
to practicing ball-handling, dribbling, and
defense, players will also learn important
lessons about self-esteem, teamwork, and
the value of hard work. All camps will take
place at the Almansor Park gym.
Register through Tuesday, July 14, or
until the Sports Camp is full.
SESSION I: BEGINNING BASKETBALL June 30 - July 11
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
$30, includes a free Sports Camp T-shirt
SESSION II: INTERMEDIATE BASKETBALL July 14 - July 25
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
$30, includes a free Sports Camp T-shirt
Registration will be accepted in person
at the Recreation Division Office at
Almansor Park, 800 S. Almansor St.,
Alhambra, or by phoning 626-570-5081.
Office hours are Monday – Friday, 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Registration is on a first-come,
first-served basis.
For more information, please phone
626-570-5081, or visit the City of Alhambra Web site at www.cityofalhambra.org.
City offers Super Stars
Club June 2 to July 25
The City of Alhambra will once again
offer the Summer Super Stars Club, the
ultimate program for children ages 5 to
8, from June 2 – July 25.
Youngsters will learn the rules and
skills of popular sports, including kickball, flag football, baseball, dodge ball,
soccer, badminton, basketball, and field
hockey. Children will also learn important aspects of participation, teamwork,
and sportsmanship. Sessions will be one
hour long.
Registration begins on Monday, April
21. Registration will be accepted in person at the Recreation Division Office at
Almansor Park, 800 S. Almansor St., or
by phoning 626-570-5081. Office hours
are Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to
5 p.m. Registration is on a first-come,
first-served basis. Fee: $30 (includes a
free Super Stars T-shirt)
For more information, please phone
626-570-5081, or visit the City of Alhambra Web site at www.cityofalhambra.org.
05/2014
9A
Police Department runs Republic Services offers online
Challenge Cup Relay – payment service, more for
Baker To Vegas 2014 commercial waste customers
“120 miles of pavement, 20 stages, over
8,000 runners, guests, family members,
and support staff. Hot days and cold
nights. Blood. Sweat. Pride. Honor” is
what the world’s most prestigious and
unique law enforcement foot race is all
about. Starting in Baker, Calif., and ending in Las Vegas, Nev., law enforcement
officers from around the globe battle it
out every spring for the chance of winning the coveted cup trophy. And once
again, officers from the Alhambra Police
Department accepted the challenge of the
120-mile relay race.
The 2014 race was run the weekend
of March 22 – 23. There were 261 teams
in this year’s race with officers from the
Alhambra Police Department competing
in the “99 Division” with 13 other police
agencies that have 99 or fewer police
officers.
The officers run the race as a relay
consisting of 20 individual stages that are
five to seven miles in length and cover 120
miles. Each officer runs one of the stages
in an effort to help their agency be the first
to cross the finish line at the Las Vegas Hotel Grand Ballroom. As a team, Alhambra
officers averaged an 8-minute, 28-second
(8:28) mile over the mountains, desert,
and hills leading into Las Vegas.
It took the 20 runners 16 hours, 56
minutes, and 45 seconds to cross the
finish line. Though they did not finish in
first place this year, their fifth place finish
makes their efforts worthy of admiration
for their achievement and fortitude to
finish strong. The Alhambra officers are
eager to bring home the First Place Cup
and bragging rights to Alhambra and are
already focusing on next year’s Baker to
Vegas Relay.
What are you doing to reduce water use in
response to the drought?
With California’s severe drought,
more residents than ever are taking steps
to reduce their water use according to
a statewide survey conducted by the
Public Policy Institute of California.
The City of Alhambra does not place
restrictions on water use but encourages
prudent use of water supplies, such as
by implementing alternate day watering
schedules.
For more water-saving and
eco-friendly ideas, come to the Alhambra Eco Fair on May 3 from 10:30 a.m.
to 2:30 p.m. at Alhambra Park, 500 N.
Palm Ave., and help the City celebrate
Water Awareness Month with practical
knowledge and tips about how to conserve natural resources. There will be
family friendly activities and entertainment. Some basic water conservation
suggestions follow:
• If a toilet was installed before
1992, install a water-saving model. Also
install a water-saving faucet.
• Take only a 5-minute shower and
save up to 1,000 gallons per month.
• Check all hoses, connectors,
sprinkler systems, and faucets for leaks.
One drip every second adds up to five
gallons per day. Install water-saving
aerators on all faucets. For more immediate hot water and energy savings,
insulate hot water pipes.
• Avoid washing dishes by hand,
which generally uses about 20 gallons
of water use each time, whereas
EnergyStar® dishwashers use about 4
gallons per load (standard dishwashers
use about 6 gallons). Run washer and
dishwasher only when full, and save up
to 1,000 gallons a month.
• Purchase a front-loading washing
machine, which tends to be more
energy and water-efficient in place of a
top-loading washing machine, unless it
is an energy-efficient model.
• Plug the sink to rinse razors instead of letting water run, and save up
to 300 gallons. Also, turn off the water
while brushing teeth and save up to 4
gallons a minute.
• Wash pets outdoors in an area of
the lawn that needs water.
• For a typical pop-up sprinkler
irrigation system with five to eight stations, cutting the cycle by two minutes
at each one will save at least 80 gallons
every time the sprinklers come on.
• Aerate the lawn periodically.
Holes every six inches will allow water
to reach the roots.
• Use 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch
around plants to reduce evaporation
and save hundreds of gallons of water
a year. Only use minimum amount of
fertilizer, as fertilizer increases water
consumption.
• Signs of overwatering: leaves turn
light shades of green or yellow, young
shoots wilt, and growth of algae or
fungi.
• Go vegan – People who don’t eat
met or dairy indirectly consume nearly
600 gallons of water per day less than a
person who eats the average American
diet.
TASTE OF ALHAMBRA From Page 1A
Foundation.
“Enjoy a culinary exploration of
the many fine restaurants Alhambra is
known for,” said Educational Foundation President Steve Perry.
The ticket price is $50 and includes
all food and beverages. Tickets will be
$60 at the festival.
For more information, phone the
Alhambra Chamber of Commerce,
626-282-5767.
Mobile apps provide a more convenient, faster way to conduct business. In
the near future, Republic Services, the
City’s commercial waste hauler, will introduce its own mobile-friendly application
to make it easier for commercial customers who are invoiced through Republic
Services to pay bills and make service
requests via their smart phone, tablet, or
other mobile device.
Until then, commercial customers who pay
Republic directly are
invited to log into the My
Resource™ portal, which is
available online at www.
republiconline.com. This technology enables customers to pay their bills, schedule
a pickup, and manage their accounts using
either their cell phones or PCs.
10A
05/2014
The City of Alhambra and American Legion Post 139 will present a Memorial Day Ceremony on May 26
at Alhambra Park.
City of Alhambra, American
Legion to present Memorial
Day Ceremony May 26
The City of Alhambra, in conjunction
with American Legion Post 139, will celebrate Memorial Day on Monday, May 26,
by commemorating the men and women
from all branches of the military who have
fought and sacrificed their lives to protect
the country and freedom in time of war.
The annual Memorial Day Ceremony
will take place at the Alhambra Park
Veterans Memorial, 500 N. Palm Ave.
The ceremony will commence at 11 a.m.
to honor, recognize and thank all military
personnel. The ceremony will feature a
dove release and a musical performance by
the Alhambra High School Band.
Visitors will have the opportunity to
view the newly installed brick memorial,
located directly in front of the Veterans
Memorial inspirational quote wall, which
features the names of Alhambra residents
who died in the line of duty while serving
in the military.
A small reception will take place in the
park immediately following the ceremony.
The American Legion Post 139, located
at 24 N. Stoneman Ave., will also host a
reception at the Post after the park event.
For more info, please phone 626-5703242, or visit the City of Alhambra Web
site at www.cityofalhambra.org.
With the completion of the Alhambra
Pacific Plaza, located at the southeast
corner of Main and Third streets, anticipated early next year, Alhambra residents
will get their wish fulfilled for an organic
grocery store within city limits. At a recent
City Council meeting, business partners
Joseph Lee and Theresa Lin described
their new grocery store concept.
Mr. Lee is a highly experienced grocer.
He worked for 99 Ranch Market for 17
years and has opened 10 supermarkets.
This will be his first store to focus on
organic products. Ms. Lin is the author
of 16 bestselling cookbooks throughout
Asia. Lauded as “The Julia Child of
Taiwan,”she has been retained as a food
consultant for dozens of gourmet Chinese
restaurants and food companies around
the world and has won international
cooking competitions.
The Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability supermarket – or LoHas – will feature
fresh fish, meats, and organically-grown
produce, as well as an in-store kitchen to
be used for cooking classes. According to
Mr. Lee, the roughly 11,000-sq-foot store
will feature a high-end appearance similar
to a Whole Foods Market, but will be
more affordable, “closer to a Trader Joes.”
LoHas will reflect the community’s
diversity and provide a variety of products
to serve the needs of the entire Alhambra
community. “We’re not going to open an
Asian supermarket here,” Mr. Lee said.
“We want to open the market to the
whole community.”
Ms. Lin will direct the store’s cooking
classes, but suggested that the classes will
not be just about cooking. She said they
will also encompass opportunities to learn
about setting up a kitchen and food science so everyone can “learn how to cook
easier, more simply, and with money-wise
savings.” She also said that she has a “lot
of very famous chef friends” who will be
invited to teach European, Italian, and
even fusion type cuisine.
Developer James Chou updated the
City Council on other aspects of the project, noting other complimentary tenants,
including the 85° Bakery Café, a famous
Taiwanese bakery that has nine other
Southern California locations, including
stores in West Covina, Chino Hills, Hacienda Heights, and Torrance.
The Plaza will also be the second location for the Lazy Ox Canteen Restaurant,
which features a unique seasonal American
menu as well as international selections.
The restaurant’s Web site, http://lazyoxcanteen.com, notes that its ingredients are
sourced locally, purchased from reputable
purveyors, and prepared artistically at an
approachable price. Entrees range from
the Lazy Ox burger to pan seared salmon,
striped bass, pumpkin gnocchi, and porcini risotto, to name a few. The restaurant
currently operates a location in the Little
Tokyo area of Los Angeles.
Mr. Chao also noted that all 120
residential condominiums have been
reserved, and 35 more individuals have
been placed on a waiting list.
Bakery, organic grocery among
tenants eyed by Pacific Plaza
12A
05/2014
Board, Commission
appointments made
for 2014-2015 term
Serving on a city board or commission
is one of the ways residents can help shape
Alhambra’s future. Citizen volunteers, who
serve in an advisory capacity, are appointed
by the City Council for up to eight oneyear terms or four one-year terms in the
case of the Youth Commission.
Last month, new and returning appointees were announced for the current term to
last through March 23, 2015. Recruitment
is always ongoing, and individuals with
an interest in applying should complete a
civic service application form available on
the Boards/Commissions page at www.
cityofalhambra.org. The page also lists the
functions and meeting times of each board
and commission.
The following lists the various boards
and committees and the names of current
members:
ARTS & CULTURAL EVENTS
COMMITTEE - Carla Pemberton, Randy Fukuda, Gregory Palm, and Debbie
Johnson.
BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
- Gwen S. Chen, Cynthia Ison, Betty
Hanson, Gary Frueholz, and Patricia
Rodriguez-Mackintosh.
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION &
BOARD OF APPEALS - Stephen Perry,
David Delgado, Tom Berge, Jr., and Tatiana Daza.
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD - Wing
The following crimes were reported to the Alhambra Police Department in
March. The areas of occurrence are listed to the nearest block —not exact addresses.
By publishing these reports, it is hoped 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 (7)
100 N. Champion
400 N. Monterey
200 N. Valencia
700 W. Mission
400 N. Chapel
00 S. El Molino
Theft/Burglary from
Vehicle (5)
400 E. Bay State (x2)
100 N. Fourth
00 W. Main
700 W. Washington
100 N. Garfield
Grand Theft Auto (7)
300 N. Third
Mission/Stoneman
100 N. Garfield (x2)
600 N. Garfield
500 S. Chapel
700 E. Main
Robbery (2)
Atlantic/Commonwealth
200 E. Main
District Two
Burglary (2)
10 E. Adams
400 W. Linda Vista
Theft/Burglary from
Vehicle (9)
1000 S. Cordova
1100 S. Stoneman
Los Higos/Almansor
1500 S. Almansor
1200 E. Violeta
1800 S. Vega
1500 S. Second
1800 S. Valencia
1700 S. Azalea
1200 S. Third
2000 S. Stoneman
200 E. Ramona
200 W. Linda Vista
800 S. Fourth
800 S. Sierra Vista
Robbery (1)
1200 S. Atlantic
District Three
Burglary(4)
10 S. Palatine
200 N. Olive
400 S. Winthrop
500 S. Curtis
Theft/Burglary from
Vehicle (11)
920 S. Fremont (x4)
1800 W. Pepper
200 S. Marguerita
3200 W. Sherwood
900 S. Fremont
1600 W. Commonwealth
2200 W. Mission
2500 W. Main
800 N. Olive
100 N. Electric
2800 W. Mission
400 S. Date
Lanewood/Hampden
1800 W. Cedar
20 S. Raymond
Robbery (1)
Commonwealth/Fremont
District Four
Burglary (6)
1500 S. Campbell
1500 W. Hellman
1600 S. Date
2000 S. Campbell
2200 S. Hathaway
2200 S. Avondale
Theft Burglary from
Vehicle (2)
1200 S. Benito
1400 S. Westmont
1000 S. Marguerita
1600 S. Curtis
2000 S. La Paloma
2800 W. Montezuma
3000 W. Hellman
800 S. Marguerita
Robbery (1)
3200 W. Valley
Ho, Ricardo Sanchez, Yung Kao, and
Daniel Amaya-Freire.
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE
- Joseph Fong, Alice Wong, Linda Yamauchi, Karen Lebrun, and Alfredo Gonzales.
HCDA CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE - Steven J. Cosci, Ting Kerry
Situ, Carolyn Ortiz, Octavio Casado, Todd
Sakamoto, Nickie Chan, David Mejia,
Richard Martinez, Rene Nava, and Maria
Conchita Banuelos.
PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION - Margaret Whelan, Donald Mumford, Clementina Arroyo, Bella Flowers,
Trent Yamauchi, Daniel Hutchinson, Bruce
Richetts, Albert Lu, and Jaime Garcia.
PLANNING COMMISSION - Mary
Louise Bunker, Gary T.K. Tse, Maria Murray, Debra Moreno-Garcia, Jeff Maloney,
Kevin Yamauchi, Thomas Maloney, John
Lodge, Suzi Dunkel-Soto, and Ross Maza.
TRANSPORTATION
COMMISSION - Michael Placido, Sergio Chavez,
Roland Chow, Luis Arizmendez, Peter
Petzold, Joseph Malcor, David Duarte,
Lillian De Loza Gutierrez, and Gabriela
Quintana.
YOUTH COMMISSION - Lawrence
Wong, Elizabeth Juarez, Vivian Chau,
Patrick S. Placido, Leslie Hwang, Victoria
Silva, Kristie Sham, Krystal Flowers, Marc
A. Garcia, Xavier Cervantes, and Daniel
Olmeda.
05/2014
CHAMBER NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA
Onerous Split Roll
Property Tax Bill passes
State Senate Committee
BY OWEN GUENTHARD,
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS DIRECTOR
California, already the fourth highest
tax burdened state in the nation according
to the Washington-based 2011 Tax Foundation survey, has a bill pending that will
assure an even higher future ranking. The
bill SB1021 (Wolk; D-Davis) would create
a parcel tax split roll and allow school
districts to impose a higher parcel tax on
commercial property than on residential
property. The bill passed the California
Senate Governance and Finance Committee on a 5 to 2 vote with local senators Ed
Hernandez (D-West Covina) and Carol
Liu (D-Glendale) voting for the bill.
Although school districts are in need
of generating additional revenues to meet
their expanding responsibilities, opponents
to SB 1021 argue that increased costs to
commercial property owners will ultimately harm other residential tax payers in the
districts. The cost of the higher parcel taxes
will be passed on to both large and small
business in the form of increased rents
which are then passed on to the consumers
with higher prices. Those businesses that
cannot pass on these costs to consumers
could be faced with the prospect of reducing the cost of labor or reduced hiring.
The Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
Governmental Affairs Committee will
monitor SB 1021 as it progresses through
the California legislature and recommend
significant modifications or defeat of the
bill as it is presently written.
Ideal Legal Group adds new attorney
Chamber member Ideal Legal Group,
Inc., a Los Angeles-based law firm specializing in workers’ compensation, family law,
immigration, and labor and employment
matters, recently welcomed attorney Hans
Wei-Han Chen to its Alhambra office,
2880 W. Valley Blvd., Alhambra.
Mr. Chen has extensive civil litigation
experience, as well as spearheading adjudications, dispositions, and other contested
hearings dealing with distressed clients and
assisting in reuniting families. He is fluent
in Mandarin-Chinese and conversational
in Spanish.
“Mr. Chen’s experience dealing with
family law issues, particularly in reunifying
clients with their families, as well as his
ability to balance the demands of heavy
caseloads, makes him a great asset to our
firm,” said founder and Managing Partner
Evie Jeang.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Chen
worked with Los Angeles Dependency
Lawyers, where he gained experience researching, analyzing, and interpreting case
law relating to civil issues.
Ideal Legal Group also has offices in San
Francisco and New York.
To reach Ideal Legal Group in Alhambra, phone 626-569-1882.
thanks these members for renewing their memberships
and for their continued support:
Alhambra SDA Church,
The Grace Place
220 S. Chapel Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-289-6137
Member since 2010
Allied Waste/Republic Services
9200 Glenoaks Blvd.
Sun Valley, CA 91352
818-974-5136
Member since 1995
Bell Tower Bilingual School
3116 W. Main St.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-943-9970
Member since 2008
Buddhist Tzu Chi Free Clinic
1000 S. Garfield, CA 91801
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-636-8700
Member since 2008
California Institute of
Advanced Management
9550 Flair Drive, #500
El Monte, CA 91731
626-350-1500
Member since 2012
Central Health Plan of California
806 S. Garfield Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-388-2300, X2833
Member since 2013
Emcore Corporation
2015 Chestnut St.
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-293-3770
Member since 2012
Everest College
2215 S. Mission Road
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-979-4940
Member since 2007
Evike.com Inc.
2801 W. Mission Road
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-286-0360, X121
Member since 2012
Home Depot
500 S. Marengo
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-458-9800, X300
Member since 2007
L A Furniture Depot
1645 W. Valley Blvd.
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-284-5500
Member since 2013
McDonald’s
909 E. Main St.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-289-4541
Member since 2011
McDonald’s
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-458-8113
Member since 2011
Marie Callender’s Restaurant
220 S. Atlantic Blvd.
Monterey Park, CA 91754
626-281-9548
Member since 2011
Mary Louise Bunker
Member since 1995
Navigage CA P.E.O. Home
700 N. Stoneman Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-300-3711
Member since 2005
The Alhambra
1000 S. Fremont Ave., Unit 1
A10-Center, First Floor, Ste. 10150
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-300-5038
Member since 1972
The Jacmar Companies
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-576-0737, X310
Member since 2009
Top Island Seafood Restaurant
740 E. Valley Blvd.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-300-9898
Member since 2007
Translation 2000, Inc.
924 E. Main St., Suite 101
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-281-8002
Member since 2013
Tri Omega Realty
955 S. Meridian Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-457-2010
Member since 2001
Vez Guitar Academy
27 W. Main St., Suite E
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-278-1497
Member since 2012
William B. Hentosz Orthodontics
320 S. Garfield Ave., Suite 306
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-458-8898
Member since 2008
William Tell
925 Wapello St.
Altadena, CA 91001-1449
626-791-1901
Member since 2013
To renew your membership with a credit card,
please phone the Chamber at 626-282-8481.
13A
16A
The Alhambra Educational Foundation hosted the Chamber mixer March 26 at 38 Degrees Ale House
and Grill, 100 W. Main St., Alhambra. The Foundation assists the Alhambra Unified School District
through fund raising activities, funding programs, and equipment designed to benefit the children
enrolled in its schools. From left are Chamber At-Large member Mark Paulson, City Councilmember
Gary Yamauchi, 38 Degrees Bar Manager Chris Andrews, AEF Board Director Ed Aguirre, Chamber
President Frank Chen, and Chamber At-Large member Robert Fukui.
05/2014
The Alhambra Chamber is offering lunchtime business seminars in May specially tailored for small business
owners and designed to assist them in staying on top of the latest and most common business issues.
Lunchtime business seminars
targeted to small business owners
is presenting a lunchtime Business Speakers
Series in May, specially tailored for small
business owners and designed to assist
them in staying on top of the latest and
most common business issues.
Each seminar will take place from noon
to 1:30 p.m. in the boardroom of the
Alhambra Chamber, 104 S. First St. The
cost of the program is free to Chamber
members and a modest $15 charge for
non-members. Lunch is provided.
May 1: Alhambra Chamber President
Frank W. Chen, who is a litigation attorney, will speak on the topic of “Practical
Considerations and Tips Regarding ADA
Accessibility Lawsuits.” A graduate of
Stanford University and UCLA School
of Law, Mr. Chen has received numerous
awards for combating abusive litigation,
including being named a recipient of California Lawyer Magazine’s Attorney of the
Year Award for 2003 in recognition for his
public service involvement.
May 8: Employment law attorneys
Jeffrey S. Ranen and William Sung, from
the law firm of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard
OUR
& Smith LLP, will give a very practical
presentation entitled “Top Ten Mistakes
Employers Make Which Lead To Litigation.” Mr. Ranen, a graduate of Boston
College Law School and the vice chairman
of the firm’s Employment Group, focuses
on employment litigation and general employment counseling. Mr. Sung, a graduate
of USC Gould School of Law, litigates
employment matters, including wage
and hour, employment discrimination,
wrongful termination, harassment, and
retaliation claims.
May 22: Crime Prevention Specialist
Sharon Williams, Alhambra Police Department, will give an update on Alhambra
crime trends and discuss the Police Department’s use of technology.
May 29: Jeanne Raya, of John L. Raya
Insurance Group, will present “Insurance
Essentials Small Business Owners May
Overlook.”
Make reservations early because seating
is limited.
To RSVP, or for more information,
phone the Chamber at 626-282-8481, or
e-mail ihernandez@alhambrachamber.org.
WELCOME
CHAMBER MEMBERS!
New
Alhambra Nissan
726 E. Main St.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-289-6161
www.alhambranissan.com
Nissan has access to hundreds of new cars, certified
pre-owned cars, and any other used cars in the
L.A., Pasadena, and Burlington trading area, all
with Nisssan’s Best Price Guarantee.
Brookside Property Managment
842 E. Valley Blvd.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-636-5396
www.brooksidepm.com
Residential and commericial
full-service management.
Central SGV Worksource Center-Goodwill Ind.
11635 E. Valley Blvd., Unit G
El Monte, CA 91732
Anthony’s Medspa
626-258-0365
429 S. Garfield Ave.
www.goodwillsocal.org
Alhambra, CA 91801
At theWorkSource and Career Resource Centers,
626-289-7428
individuals are provided with no-cost career
www.anthonysmedspa.com
counseling, resume workshops, interview coaching,
A survey by the American Massage Therapy
Association indicates that more doctors and other access to job search tools, referrals to advanced
education courses, and a broad spectrum of
health care providers are referring patients to
massage therapists. More than 60% of respondents additional practical aids that help prepare them for
the workforce and enable them to get back on their
said their providers strongly encourage them to
get a massage. Two-thirds of HMOs now offer at feet.
least one type of alternative care service to their
Mass Mutual Financial Group-Pasadena
members, according to market research firm Key
790 E. Colorado Blvd., Suite 514
Findings.
Pasadena, CA 91104
626-476-1286
The financial professionals at Mass Mutual
Financial Group work closely with clients to
understand their unique situations and goals and
help them work through the obstacles that may stand
in the way of building their financial futures.
05/2014
Alhambra Chamber helps sponsor
Candidates for L.A. County Sheriff forum
17A
There will be no Lunch & Learn meetings in
May or June.
The program will continue in July.
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.
Business After Hours facilitates the development of personal relationships which
enables individuals to stand out and rise above today’s multitude of advertising
white noise. 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 San Gabriel Valley Public Affairs Network (SGV PAN) recently offered a candidates forum entitled
“The Choice for Sheriff” with five of the candidates seeking the office of Los Angeles County Sheriff in the
upcoming June 3 election. The candidates attending the forum, James Hellmold; Jim McDonnell, fifth
from left; Bob Olmstead, fourth from left; Paul Tanaka, fifth from right; and Lou Vince, fourth from
right, all spoke about their experience, their qualifications, and their vision for the job. More than 80
people attended the SGV PAN candidates forum, which took place at Almansor Court in Alhambra. The
Alhambra Chamber of Commerce served as one of the primary sponsors.
San Gabriel Valley Water
Forum reaches out to local
Chambers of Commerce
A well-attended Chamber of Commerce mixer, hosted at El Encanto in
Monterey Park, enabled local business
and government officials to discuss all
aspects of the Valley’s water supply,
drought, and water conservation. The
educational mini-forum was organized
by the founders of the annual San Gabriel
Valley Water Forum (mark calendars for
the 2014 Forum on Thursday, Oct. 2 at
Fairplex), San Gabriel Valley Municipal
Water District, San Gabriel Basin Water
Quality Authority, Main San Gabriel
Basin Watermaster, Upper San Gabriel
Valley Municipal Water District, and
Three Valleys Municipal Water District. SGVMWD board member Mark Paulson presents
The objective of the event was to water conservation recommendations for businesses.
increase awareness and involvement by
local businesses in the dialogue about the
Valley’s water resources. Guest speakers
Chamber leaders and members from
included Senator Ed Hernandez, who Monterey Park, Alhambra, San Gabriel,
spoke on the subject of the statewide Rosemead, and South Pasadena supported
drought; Assemblymember Ed Chau, the event. The most important take-away
who spoke about the 2014 Water Bond; from the meeting for local businesses was the
San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water importance of learning about critical water
District board member Mark Paulson, legislation, voting in an informed manner,
who spoke about water conservation; understanding the drought is very serious,
and Kevin Smead of Stetson Engineers, and implementing water conservation as a
who spoke on the subject of water supply smart business practice, one that saves water,
in the San Gabriel Valley.
money, and energy.
CHAMBER GOLF TOURNAMENT From Page 1A
Co-title sponsors are Alhambra Hospital Medical Center and Evike.com. The
proceeds will benefit Alhambra’s youth
programs and scholarships for local
graduating high school seniors.
Individual player fees will be the same
as last year at $125 and will include golf
entry, electric golf cart, bag lunch with
beverages, and a gourmet buffet dinner.
Corporate sponsor group signups will
be $700 and include golf entries for four
people, electric golf carts, two sponsor
placards on golf carts, bag lunch, gourmet dinner for six people, sponsor gifts
and tee prizes, and recognition in Around
Alhambra. Tee or green sponsorship will
be priced at $100 each.
Immediately following the tournament will be an award dinner and raffle
at Almansor Court at 4 p.m. Awards will
include trophies to top teams, longest
drive, closest to the pin, most accurate
drive, and tee prizes.
Further information and tournament
entry forms will be available at the
Almansor Golf Shop and the Alhambra
Chamber office, 104 S. First St.
For more information, phone 626282-8481, or e-mail ihernandez@alhambrachamber.org.
This month’s Business After Hours mixer
will take place
Wednesday, May 28
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
It will be hosted by Bob Wondries Ford,
400 S. Atlantic Blvd., Alhambra
The Wondries family has been in the automotive business serving the San
Gabriel Valley and Southern California since 1949. Bob Wondries Ford
says their customers’ complete satisfaction is their number one priority.
Cost: $10 for members
$15 for non-members
For more information about the
Business After Hours Mixers, phone
the Chamber at 626-282-8481.
18A
05/2014
Ohana Brewing Company, 7 S. First St., Alhambra, had its grand opening and ribbon cutting on April
7. Ohana’s slogan is “A fresh face in beer!” Although their production is small, they are pursuing a number
of strategies to stand out in the craft brewing industry. Ohana’s mission is to brew innovative beers with
unique and complex tastes – not to just copy what the competition is doing. From left are Chamber Past
President Mark Paulson, Chamber Ambassador Todd Sakamoto, Chamber President Frank Chen, City
Councilmembers Luis Ayala and Barbara Messina, Ohana brewer Eric “Rigg” Villar, Ohana owner Andrew
Luthi, Ohana brewer Eric McLaughlin, City Councilmember Dr. Steven Placido, and Ohana brewer Alex
“Rhino” Rebello.
World class craft brewery
opens in Alhambra
It was a momentous week for Ohana
Brewing Company.
On Monday, April 7, National Beer
Day 2014, Alhambra officials joined
Ohana owner Andrew Luthi and his
brewers for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for
a company store and tasting room at 7 S.
First St., just one door down from one of
Los Angeles’ best craft beer destinations,
38 Degrees Ale House.
On Friday of the same week, Ohana
was awarded a Silver Medal by an elite
international panel in the largest commercial beer competition in the world,
the 2014 World Beer Cup Awards, for a
Belgian and French-style Ale. The World
Cup saw 4,754 beers from 1,403 breweries
representing 58 countries.
“It was a huge week for us,” said Mr.
Luthi. “We’ve been working hard for a
very long time, and it’s a great honor to
be able to open our store in Alhambra and
win a major award at the same time. We
are very grateful for the local support we
received.”
Ohana has been brewing beers in Los
Angeles since August 2012 in a production
only facility. The downtown location will
remain closed to the public, but the public
now has the opportunity to sample fresh
locally handcrafted beers — some only
available here — in a cozy tasting room.
Ohana is operating under a conditional use permit that allows customers to
sample up to four 4 oz. tasters. Growler,
64 oz., fills for home consumption are
also available in addition to brewery merchandise such as T-shirts and glassware.
Sales of bottled beers will soon follow,
and an application is pending for sales of
mini-growlers (32 oz.).
The tasting room is open seven days
a week. Hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to
10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Sunday. The phone number is
626-282-2337.
The brewery’s motto is “A Fresh Face in
Beer” due partly to the owner’s relatively
young age (25) but also to emphasize
the brewery’s fresh approach to brewing
artisanal beers. “We want to brew craft
beers with unique and complex tastes and
not to just copy what the competition is
doing,” said Mr. Luthi. “And we plan to
roll out some unique beers that will only
be available here in Alhambra.
“Having the tasting room gives us the
opportunity to receive direct feedback
from consumers. We want to know what
they like and what they don’t like — and
why. We also want to be able to educate
consumers about how beer is brewed, the
ingredients, the process, and the history of
different styles.”
Mr. Luthi is a lifetime Alhambra resident and a graduate of Mark Keppel High
School. “Alhambra is my hometown, and
I want to continue to build my business
here,” he said. “My dad also graduated
from Mark Keppel, and my mom graduated from Alhambra High School. I love
this city, and I plan to be here for a long
time.”
Ohana produces four flagship beers that
are available year round: Ohana Pacific Ale
(6.0% abv) is a blonde ale; Hollenbeck
Amber Ale (5.2% abv) is an American
amber ale; Ohana Pale Ale (5.2% abv) is
an American pale ale; #Hashtag Hops IPA
(7.0%) is an American India pale ale. In
addition to its flagship beers, the brewery
also produces Belgian and French-style ales
and a variety of specialty beers.
The Fit Factor awards Alhambra’s Best Body
The Fit Factor, 38 W. Main St., offered its
90-day challenge: Alhambra’s Best Body competition, beginning Jan. 13. Challengers signed
up for the competition and lost a total of 80.2
pounds in 90 days.
First place Best Body was Kevin Aguilar. Mr.
Aguilar lost 13.4 pounds, decreased his body fat
by 14.4%, lost 3 inches in his waist, and increased
his metabolism by 78 calories. Second place was
awarded to Heidi Ornelas. She lost 10.2 pounds,
decreased her body fat by 8.7%, lost a total of
7 inches, and increased her metabolism by 39
calories. Third place was awarded to Linda Tran.
She lost 11.25 pounds, decreased her body fat by
6.7%, lost a total of 11.25 inches, and increased
her metabolism by 2 calories.
The competition was designed for people
who wanted to change their physical appearance
and burn fat while transforming their health and
improving their well-being. Every contestant
gained a deeper understanding about what
worked for them and learned how to improve
daily habits during their transformational
journey.
“We got people to change something about
their health in 2014,” said The Fit Factor owner
Joanna Vargas. “They created new habits, and
we travelled together in one journey moving
forward.”
Alhambra’s Best Body awards were:
• First place received 50% off his monthly
tuition and a one hour complimentary personal
training session with Joanna Vargas.
• Second place received 20% off her monthly
tuition.
• Third place received 10% off her monthly
tuition.
For more information, visit The Fit Factor’s
The Fit Factor, 38 W. Main St., offered its 90-day challenge: Alhambra’s Best Body competition,
Web site at www.thefitfactorstudio.com, or beginning Jan. 13. From left are Jennifer Regalado; Shwana Brynes; first-place Best Body Kevin
phone 626-310-7454.
Aguilar; Sarah Grear; second-place Best Body Heidi Ornelas; and Tanyada Soonthon.
05/2014
COMMUNITY NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA
19A
Dental professionals come from around world to learn
Dr. John Chao’s Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation Technique
Dr. Biigee Jigjid of Mongolia was
among an international class of 40 doctors to be trained personally by Alhambra
dentist and inventor of the Pinhole Gum
Rejuvenation Technique, Dr. John Chao
at the April 4 and April 5 Chao Pinhole
Gum Rejuvenation™ Seminar. Dr. Chao
conducts the bi-monthly training courses
at Almansor Court.
“We were very pleased to welcome
Dr. Jigjid as our first seminar attendee
from Mongolia,” said Dr. Chao. “That’s
a round trip of about 17,000 miles. “We
are very gratified to see that Dr. Jigjid,
like many other doctors, so appreciate
the value and innovativeness of the Chao
Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation® that they are Dr. Biigee Jigjid traveled from Mongolia to attend Dr. “Since the launch of Chao Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation Seminars in August 2013, we have trained over
coming from great distances to Alhambra John Chao’s Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation Seminar in 350 doctors,” said Dr. Chao.
for training. Dr. Jigjid said she learned April.
about the Pinhole® technique through
her research on the Internet.
overnight,” said Dr. Chao.
Restorative Dentistry. The results of this classes. The next classes are scheduled for
Dr. Chao’s Pinhole Gum RejuvenaDr. Chao holds patents on the method study show the Pinhole Surgical Tech- May 2 and 3, and May 29 and 30.”
tion™ is a minimally invasive technique and on the special dental instruments nique™ to be as successful as traditional
“Since the launch of Chao Pinhole
that is changing the way dental profes- used in the Chao Pinhole Gum Rejuve- gum grafting procedures, which require Gum Rejuvenation Seminars in August
sionals are treating gum recession. Also nation™ technique.
cutting and sutures, while patients 2013, we have trained over 350 doctors,”
known as the Chao Pinhole Surgical
Dr. Chao has been featured on dozens who underwent the Pinhole Surgical said Dr. Chao. We were also extremely
Technique (PST), the technique is re- of TV news stories and in newspapers Technique™ reported virtually no pain, pleased to have Dr. Shanelec as a guest
ceiving enthusiastic reviews from general across the country. Last December, the no bleeding, and high satisfaction with speaker at the April 5 and 6 Chao Pindentists, periodontists, and their patients. producers of the national TV show The a rapid transformation of the defective hole Gum Rejuvenation® Seminar. Dr.
The technique is an alternative to Doctors came to Alhambra to tape a story gum line. (Int J Periodontics Restorative Shanelec is considered by many of his
conventional gum grafting surgery, which on Chao Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation™, Dent 2012; 32: 521-531.)
peers to be the ‘father of microsurgery’ in
requires no cutting, no sutures, and little which was broadcast Jan. 21.
The treatment is offered by more than periodontics. Some of the most renowned
to no downtime for the patient. “The
A peer-reviewed study of 43 patients 300 general dentists and periodontists dentists in the world have attended his
treatment takes just a few minutes per with 121 gum recessions using the around the world, all trained personally by seminars over the years.”
tooth, and multiple teeth may be treated Pinhole Surgical Technique™ was pub- Dr. Chao. “The demand for a minimally
For more information, visit www.
at the same time, all though tiny pinholes lished in the October 2012, issue of The invasive way to treat gum recession is so pinholegumrejuvenation.com, or phone
made in the gums, which heal virtually International Journal of Periodontics and strong that we are offering more training 888-603-2953.
20A
05/2014
When separating is a good thing: the value of business
bank accounts and tips for growing your small business
While some business owners may view
having one account as a more convenient
way to manage finances, in almost every
case, there are typically many more reasons
why the business can benefit from a business account. Here are the top reasons to
separate personal and business accounts:
• Fight fraud: It’s easier to prevent
and fight fraud. According to the 2012
Javelin study, small business owners
experience fraud at a high rate, nearly
double that of consumers. Having and
using business credit and debit cards that
feature built-in protections from major
networks such as VISA or MasterCard add
additional security for business owners. For
businesses that prefer to write checks, some
financial institutions offer services that
compare checks presented for payment to
those the business has actually issued. The
checks that don’t match are not paid until
the financial institution verifies the check’s
authenticity. Additionally, business owners
who use online accounts can check their
statements and balances frequently and put
an immediate stop to activity that appears
to be fraudulent.
• Make tax time more manageable:
Business checking and credit accounts
which are separate from personal accounts
can help you maintain accurate and complete records of all business-related income
and expenses. At tax time, you have separate statements and records to establish
business income and expenses without
having to take the time to break them
out from co-mingled personal financial
business.
• Be perceived as a pro: Business accounts convey professionalism. Customers
who receive personal checks from a business owner may be left with an impression
that the business is not yet established.
Even the smallest business can use business
It is best to separate personal and business accounts.
checks, and business credit and debit cards
help send the message that your company is
much more than an “in my spare bedroom”
operation.
• Give yourself credit: Established
credit can make financing easier. The
longer a business owner self-finances with
personal resources, the longer it takes to
establish a solid and independent business
credit history. When the time comes to
grow your business and you need financing,
you’ll need a solid credit history to show
your business is sound and well-managed.
Having separate business accounts is one of
the first steps.
• Banker Buddy: Having a banker in
your corner can help your business thrive.
A business banking relationship can help
make the most efficient and profitable use
of business funds. A skilled banker can help
small business owners by assisting with
developing and implementing financial
strategies that will help your company grow
and maximize your profits.This help could
include electronically transferring funds
into accounts so they can immediately
accrue interest, and setting aside funds to
help meet future business goals. This banker also will have full knowledge of products
and services that can help you and your
business.
It’s tough enough to handle the dayto-day demands of running your business.
Strategies that keep your business finances
separate from your personal accounts can
be a big help. Another possible help to
your small business could be a loan to help
your business grow and thrive. Here are the
top four tips to help small business owners
interested in qualifying for credit at Wells
Fargo.
• Cash flow is king: Cash flow is a
key indicator of a business’ financial health
and its future prospects. When it can show
reliable cash flow, a bank can see it has the
resources to repay new loans.
• Manageable debt load: Banks want
to make sure a business has the ability to
take on additional debt and is in a strong
financial position to manage its debt
payments.
• For the long haul: A long-term relationship with a bank is important — the
business has the opportunity to show how it
manages its finances, and the bank becomes
more familiar with the business owner, the
business, and its financial needs.
• Ability to repay: Responsible lenders only provide a loan when a business
owner shows the ability to repay. When
a small business is not ready for a loan —
has too little revenue, poor credit or too
much debt — the best thing a bank can
do is provide guidance to business owners
on how they can improve their financial
condition for a future credit application at
a later date.
To learn more about how Wells Fargo
can help small businesses meet and exceed
their financial goals, visit www.WellsFargo.
com/biz or set up an appointment with a
knowledgeable Wells Fargo business banker
by phoning 626-685-5805 or e-mailing
ulibara@wellsfargo.com.
Museum volunteer to share
experiences at Alhambra
Historical Society meeting
The Alhambra Historical Society will
present speaker Bill Phillips at its membership meeting Wednesday, May 28, at the
Masonic Center, 9 W. Woodward Ave.
Mr. Phillips has worked and volunteered
at many museums across North America
and Canada and will share his experiences.
Refreshments will be available at 7 p.m.
A short business meeting and installation Winners of the Streetease Stilettos and Chardonnay High Heel Competition are, from left: Jen “JB”
of officers for 2014 – 2015 will take place Blackburn, second place; Vanessa Hidalgo, first place; and Anette Puskas, third place.
at 7:30 p.m. The program begins at 8 p.m.
The public is invited.
For more information, phone the museum at 626-300-8845.
Streetease brings stilettos,
Chardonnay to Vino at Trio’s
Shoe lovers kicked off their work shoes
and strapped on their cutest high heels for
a girl’s night out on March 29 at Vino at
Trio’s wine bar for Streetease’s third annual
Stilettos and Chardonnay High Heel
Competition.
Streetease Fitness and Dance collaborated with QueenVee Entertainment to
celebrate stilettos while enjoying wine from
Vino at Trio’s.
Guests were greeted with music by
local Alhambra DJ Esco. All stilettos competitors received a complimentary Swag
Bag with goodies from local vendors and
businesses. The competition was judged by
four Alhambra locals: Dr. Michele Colon,
podiatrist and creator of 34 Minutes Shoes;
Dr. Brandye Manigat; Police Officer Leslie
Gaulden; and Andrew Fernandez, Nutri
shop general manager.
The evening included dancing, games,
and raffle prizes from local businesses.
Vino at Trio’s offered drink specials, such as
“Body Roll,” and the happy hour consisted
of appetizers hand selected and only served
for this event.
Twelve participants competed to win
top prizes to become this year’s High Heel
Hottie. The winners were:
First place: Vanessa Hidalgo.
Second place: Jenn “JB” Blackburn.
Third place: Anette Puskas.
Weekly Streetease dance classes are
available at Jayvee Dance Center, 216 E.
Main St.
To learn more about Streetease dance
classes, phone 626-281-JVJV, or e-mail
streeteaseinfo@gmail.com.
05/2014
21A
Alhambra Girl Scout
Vienna Smith-Murillo
earns Gold Award
Alhambra
Girl
Scout Vienna
Smith-Murillo earned the Gold Award on
March 3, which is the highest award a SeThe Hot Spot will feature a fashion During the past five years, Hot Spot has offered performances, vendor nior Girl Scout may earn. Vienna has been
theme on July 19.
booths, and family fun every Saturday in July.
a Girl Scout for more than seven years and
previously earned her Bronze and Silver
Awards.
Vienna’s Gold Award project was Flag
Retirement. Her goal was to inspire and
educate others about the history of the
flag, flag etiquette, and how to properly
retire the flag. She accomplished this by
developing a flag booklet, which was distributed at two local elementary schools,
and conducting a flag workshop for
younger Girl Scouts.
The highlight of her project was orgaThe fifth annual Hot Spot free sum- July 12 will host the return of Alhambra’s
nizing and carrying out the flag retirement
mer night series will take place from 5 Best Dance Crew, with performances
ceremony on Presidents Day, which was
p.m. to 9 p.m. every Saturday in July at from the best dance teams in the San
hosted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of
Renaissance Plaza, the northeast corner Gabriel Valley and the announcement
Arcadia/Monrovia/Duarte, Post 2070.
of Main and Garfield.
of the new break dancing champions.
Vienna selected flag retirement as her
During the past five years, Hot Spot July 19 will feature fashions, with
project because she realized many people
has offered performances, vendor booths, models walking down the catwalk, and
did not know what to do with their faded
and family fun every Saturday in July.
the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
and tattered flags. She felt the flag should
“This year we’re really going to outdo will present its annual Business Expo,
be respected and sought to educate the
ourselves and bring a fun neighborhood featuring more than 25 local businesses.
local community on flag retirement.
event,” said Downtown Association July 26 will conclude the summer series
The U.S. Flag Code states, “The flag,
President Joanna Vargas. “We are so with a night of music, including a variety
when it is in such condition that it is no
excited for this year. This fifth year is a of bands and deejays.
longer a fitting emblem for display, should
real milestone for us.”
“There will be contests, raffle prizes,
be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably
Each Saturday offers a different theme: and plenty of entertainment for adults
by burning.” Vienna said that for individArt, Dance, Fashion, and Music. July 5 and kids. Are you feeling hot? You’ll fit
ual citizens, this should be done discreetly
is Art Week, featuring artists and crafts. right in,” said Ms. Vargas.
so the act of destruction is not perceived
as a protest or desecration. Some organizations, such as the VFW and American
Legion, offer services to dispose of the flag
Summer Hot Spot events to run
each Saturday in July will feature
fashion, music, art, dance;
Business Expo on July 19
First Friday to host
Cinco de Mayo events
Find out who makes the best salsa in Alhambra
at First Friday on May 2.
In honor of Cinco de Mayo, Alhambra’s First
Friday will offer Downtown’s third annual Salsa
Cookoff, mariachis, and Ballet Folklorico dancers.
All the usual activities will be offered, too, such
as vendors, live music, activities for kids, and
giveaways.
First Friday takes place from 5 to 9 p.m. at
Renaissance Plaza, the northeast corner of Main
and Garfield.
Admission is free.
To be a part of this event, e-mail alhambrasfirstEnjoy Cinco de Mayo events at Alhambra’s
friday@gmail.com.
First Friday May 2 at Renaissance Plaza.
Help fight cancer;
participate in Relay For Life
The American Cancer Society’s
Relay For Life will take place from
9 a.m. Saturday, May 31, to 9 a.m.
June 1, at Alhambra Park, 500 S.
Palm Ave., Alhambra.
Relay for Life is an overnight
fundraising walk to raise funds to improve
cancer survival, decrease the incidence of
cancer, and improve the quality of life for
cancer patients and their caretakers. Members of teams take turns walking around a
track for 24 hours, signifying that the fight
against cancer will not be over until there
is a cure.
There will be carnival-like fun and live
local entertainment for the whole family.
The Opening Ceremony will
take place at 9 a.m. The Survivors Lap begins at 9:30 a.m. The
Luminaria Ceremony will start
at 8 p.m. and will honor people
who have lost their lives to cancer
and those who have survived it or are still
fighting it.
“Leading up to the event, teams engage
in a friendly fundraising competition and
are encouraged to get creative when it
comes to their efforts,” said Chairwoman
Adele Andrade-Stadler.
For more information, contact Ms.
Adrade-Stadler at 626 378-4550, or go to
www.Relayforlife.org/alhambraca.
Alhambra Girl Scout Vienna Smith-Murillo’s Gold
Award project was Flag Retirement. She earned the
Gold Award on March 3.
with a proper ceremony.
In her free time outside of her Scout
duties, Vienna supports the Downtown
Women’s Center through her annual
“Home Town Girls” lemonade stand, is
a member of the Alhambra Preservation
Group, and has traveled to more than 30
countries with her parents.
The 2014 Girl Scouts of Greater Los
Angeles Gold Award Ceremony will take
place Sunday, June 8, at the Pasadena Civic
Auditorium.
Alhambra Woman’s Club
to install officers
The Alhambra Woman’s Club will
celebrate its 122nd Installation of
officers ceremony at noon Wednesday,
May 28, at the Alhambra Masonic
Center, 9 W. Woodward.
Pauline Bewernick will be installed
as president, for her third consecutive
year, along with her corps of officers:
Vice Presidents Doris Novo Gradac,
Estella Petris, and Josefina Aguirre;
Secretaries Theresa Lopez and Antoinette Tahir; Treasurer Shirley Sinclair;
Auditor Julie Trujillo; and Historian
Valerie Martin.
Please phone 626-548-2209 for
information and reservations.
22A
05/2014
Ramona Convent celebrates 17th Annual Auction Dinner-Dance
Ramona Convent Secondary School
presented “Arabian Nights” on April 5, its
17th Annual Auction Dinner Dance, in the
Lakeview Room at Almansor Court in Alhambra. Parents, alumnae, board members,
faculty, staff, and other friends of Ramona
came together to celebrate and support
Ramona’s mission to provide an educational
program that graduates young women, “who
are characterized by academic excellence,
spiritual depth, moral strength, and personal
grace, open to the wisdom of other cultures
and traditions, and prepared to lead and
serve in an evolving interdependent global
community.”
“Thanks to the hard work of the parent
committee, student volunteers, and staff,
the event was a wonderful evening of fun,
friendship, and philanthropy that made
many wishes come true through silent and
live auctions, opportunity drawings, a Wine
Wall, and a special Fund-an-Item paddle
raise for the new Fitness Center that will
open in September,” said Veronica Fernandez, associate director of enrollment and
public relations.
Arabian Nights was made possible
by Payden & Rygel, this year’s Platinum
Event Sponsor, along with Gold Sponsors
Kathleen and Michael Garvey, Franklin and
Phyllis Halladay, and the Sisters of the Holy
Names of Jesus and Mary. Silver Sponsors
were Susan Schiffhauer De Pietro, Mike
Kenney Insurance Agency, Merrill Lynch
Wealth Management, Drs. Felix and Chasity
Nunez, and Linda Reilly Swick. The Hawaii
Raffle Sponsor was the William H. Hannon
Foundation.
Ramona Convent Secondary School presented its annual Auction Dinner Dance on April 5. From left,
standing, are Mary Lynne Jensen; Judy Alvarez, associate principal for Student Life and International
Students; Patty Lepe-Smith ‘79; Veronica Smith ‘79, director of Enrollment & Public Relations;
Halina Szymanski, associate principal for Curriculum and Faculty Development; and Christine
Stewart, Finance Department and French teacher. From left, seated, are Chris Smith, Jeff Smith, and
Jeff Stewart.
Woman’s Club celebrates July 4th in May
Help celebrate the U.S.A. with the
Alhambra Woman’s Club’s annual “July 4th
in May” luncheon, featuring all-American
food and goodies, at noon Wednesday, May
7, at the Alhambra Masonic Center, 9 W.
Woodward Ave., Alhambra.
“Wear your red, white, and blue, and be
ready to move to the classic country western
sound of Karen Tobin & Crazy Hearts,”
said President Pauline Bewernick. “We’ll
also have line dancing and patriotic songs.”
Ms. Tobin is a veteran of the L.A.
country music scene and former recording
artist with Arista Records (New York) and
Atlantic Records (Nashville). She has been
compared with Emmylou Harris and Linda
Rondstatd. Cash Box wrote “Ms. Tobin has
a shivering mountain-edged soprano that’s
laced with a powerhouse of control and
emotion.”
The Alhambra Woman’s Club was organized in 1893 and is in its 121st year of supporting charitable and youth organizations
while encouraging its members to explore
different fields of cultural experiences.
Visitors with reservations are welcome to
attend the meeting. Please phone 626-5482209 for information and reservations.
There will be no meetings from June
through September. The Woman’s Club will
resume its monthly luncheon meetings in
October.
Community Calendar of Events
May
May 1 – Thursday
• Business Speakers Series
Chamber President Frank Chen, a litigation
attorney, will speak on the topic of “Practical
Considerations and Tips Regarding ADA
Accessibility Lawsuits.”
Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Lunch is provided. Chamber members are free;
non-members are $15.
Chamber boardroom, 104 S. First St.
• Parks and Recreation Commission
7 p.m., Joslyn Center, Story Park
210 N. Chapel Ave.
May 2 – Friday
First Friday
5 – 9 p.m. Renaissance Plaza
Northeast corner Garfield and Main
Salsa Cookoff, music, activities for the kids,
giveaways, and vendors
Admission is free
May 4 – Sunday
American Legion Post 139 hosts Cinco de Mayo
event
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
24 N. Stoneman, Alhambra.
Entertainment, food and information booths,
veteran groups,
artists, free health screenings
May 5 – Monday
Planning Commission
7 p.m., City Hall, council chambers, 111 S. First St.
May 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.
May 8 – Thursday
• Business Speakers Series
Employment law attorneys Jeffrey Ranen and
William Sung will speak on the topic of “Top
Ten Mistakes Employers Make That Lead
to Litigation.”
Noon to 1:30 p.m.
May 12– Monday
Alhambra City Council, 7 p.m.
City Hall, 111 S. First St.
May 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.
• Design Review Board
7:30 p.m., City Hall, conference room
111 S. First St.
• Youth Commission
6 p.m., Joslyn Center, 210 N. Chapel Ave.
May 14 - Wednesday
Transportation Committee
7 p.m., City Hall, conference room
111 S. First St.
May 15– Thursday
• Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
Golf Tournament
Registration 10:30 a.m.
Alhambra Golf Course
630 S. Almansor St.
• No Chamber Lunch & Learn this month
May 19 – Monday
Planning Commission
7 p.m., City Hall, council chambers, 111 S. First St.
May 21 – Wednesday
Arts & Cultural Events Committee
111 S. First St.
May 22 – Thursday
Business Speakers Series
Crime Prevention Specialist Sharon Williams,
Alhambra Police Department, will give an
update on Alhambra crime trends and discuss
the Police Department’s use of technology.
Noon to 1:30 p.m.
May 26 – Monday
• City of Alhambra and American Legion Post
139 present
Veterans Memorial ceremony
11 a.m. Alhambra Park Veterans Memorial
500 N. Palm Ave. Reception after ceremony.
• Alhambra City Council, 7 p.m.
May 27 - Tuesday
• Government Affairs Committee
9 a.m., Chamber, 104 S. First St.
111 S. First St.
May 28 – Wednesday
Business After Hours Mixer
Hosted by Bob Wondries Ford
400 S. Atlantic Blvd., Alhambra
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
$10 members, $15 non-members
May 29 – Thursday
Business Speakers Series
Jeanne Raya, John L. Raya Insurance Group, will
speak on the topic of “Insurance Essentials
Small Business Owners May Overlook.”
Noon to 1:30 p.m.
June
June 1 - Sunday
Taste of Alhambra
5 – 8 p.m.
Food, wine, entertainment
South Second Street
Tickets $50; $60 at event
June 2 - Monday
June 9 – Monday
City Council, 7 p.m.
June 10 – Tuesday
• Alhambra Chamber Board of Directors
8:30 a.m., Alhambra Chamber, 104 S. First St.
• Library Board of Trustees
6 p.m., library boardroom, 101 S. First St.
111 S. First St.
• Youth Commission
6 p.m., Joslyn Center, 210 N. Chapel Ave.
June 16 - Monday
Planning Commission
7 p.m., City Hall, council chambers
111 S. First St.
June 18 – Wednesday
• Arts & Cultural Events Committee
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
tinayyama@att.net
June 19 – Thursday
No Chamber Lunch & Learn Program this month
Planning Commission
7 p.m., City Hall, council chambers
111 S. First St.
June 23 – Monday
June 3 – Tuesday
June 24 – Tuesday
June 5 – Thursday
June 25 – Wednesday
June 6 – Friday
June 27 – Friday
• 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.
Parks and Recreation Commission
7 p.m., Joslyn Center, Story Park
210 N. Chapel Ave
First Friday
5 – 9 p.m. Renaissance Plaza
Northeast corner Garfield and Main
Music, activities for the kids, giveaways, and
vendors
Admission is free
City Council, 7 p.m.
City Hall, 111 S. First St
• Government Affairs Committee
9 a.m., Chamber, 104 S. First St.
111 S. First St.
No Business After Hours Mixer this month
Join the Chamber for its 111th Installation Dinner
on June 27
Chamber’s 111th Installation Dinner
Almansor Court, 700 S. Almansor St.
6 p.m. Cocktails
7 p.m. Dinner
$65 per person
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 7:30 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.
05/2014
The Alhambra Middle School Honor Band will perform from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at the Renaissance
Plaza
Middle School Honor
Band to perform May 3
The Alhambra Middle School Honor
Band will perform from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at the Renaissance Plaza,
northeast corner of Garfield and Main.
The Alhambra Middle School Honor
Band is made up of second, third, and
fourth year woodwind, brass, guitar, and
percussion students from the Alhambra
Unified School District.
The students perform each year for
different community groups and activities,
such as the Alhambra Latino Association,
the Tri-City Field Show, the Alhambra’s
Music on the Green, and the Visual and
Performing Arts Festival.
Enjoy a fun afternoon listening to the
Middle School Honor Band perform songs
from the genres of pop, marches, classical,
Latin, folk, and rock.
First Christian Church plans
Memorial Day Service
First Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ) of Alhambra will host a community Memorial Day Service at 4 p.m. Sunday,
May 25, at the church, 220 S. Fifth St.,
Alhambra.
“The City of Alhambra has a long history of supporting our War Veterans,” said
Memorial Day Service Chairman Robert
Coe. “The members of First Christian
Church felt the need to honor those of our
veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice for
their country.”
Mr. Coe said that First Christian
Church is asking all of the churches in
Alhambra to join them “in honoring our
men and women who gave their lives so
that each of us can enjoy the freedom that
this great country provides.”
The public is invited.
Following the non-denominational
service, light refreshments will be served.
For more information, contact Mr. Coe
at 626-447-7274, or e-mail him at Rccoe@
aol.com.
23A
24A
05/2014
Jayvee Dance Center brings
news to life through dance
Jayvee Dance Center students will bring newspaper
news to life through dance,
music, and entertainment
on Sunday, May 18, with
“Jayvee Star News.” The
show will be presented at
1:30 p.m. in the Glendale
High School Auditorium, 1440 E. Broadway,
Glendale.
“Jayvee Dance Center
has provided the community with a positive outlet of
artistic expression for nine
years,” said Studio Manager
Tu DeVera.
Jayvee offers many styles
of dance, including ballet,
jazz, and hip hop for both
children and adults.
“Jayvee’s annual spring
recital continues to provide
a platform for students to
The Soroptimist Club presented the Violet Richardson Award to Marina Salazar, third from left; Kristie
Sham, fourth from left; and Pauline Truong, second from right. Soroptimist Adele Andrade-Stadler is on the
left; Denise De La Rosa, Marina’s mother, is second from left; Jessie Lam, Pauline’s mother, is third from right;
and Soroptimist Josephine Yang is on the right.
Jayvee Dance will present “Jayvee Star News” on Sunday, May 18.
express themselves, build
self confidence, and connect
with new people. Join Jayvee
in this celebration of the
arts and in celebration of
the growing talent within
our community,” said Ms.
DeVera.
Pre-sale tickets are avail-
able at Jayvee Dance Center
for $18 – $25, and can be
purchased at the front desk
from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday
through Friday and from 8
a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.
For more information,
go to jayveedancecenter.net.
May 10 is Play Day at
All Souls Catholic School
is offering two free play days
for children ages 4 – 8. The
first Play Day is from 10 a.m.
to noon Saturday, May 10.
The second play day will be
from 10 a.m. to noon, June
7. The Play Dates are open to
the public.
Children and their parents can enjoy the recently
renovated playground and
garden sponsored by the
Shea Foundation. Families
may tour the school and see
firsthand what dual language
immersion classrooms look
like.
“Everyone is invited to
join us, whether you are interested in learning how our
language immersion program
works for children, or just to
enjoy the day,” said Carrie
Fuller, school principal. Light
refreshments will be served.
is the first elementary
school in the Los Angeles
Archdiocese and one of
only 20 Catholic schools in
the country offering dual
language immersion. It is the
only Catholic school in the
nation offering two separate
tracks: Spanish-English and
Mandarin-English. Parents
select which language track
their child will follow.
is located at 29 S. Electric
Ave., Alhambra.
For more information,
phone 626-282-5695; e-mail
principal@allsouls.la; or visit
the school’s new Web site at
www.allsouls.la.
Join All Souls Catholic School on May 10 for fun on the
playground, and make new friends.
To inquire about these
adoptable animals, contact
Humane Society at 626286-1159, or visit at 851
E. Grand Ave., San Gabriel.
Adoption hours are 10 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through
Sunday. The shelter is closed
on Mondays. Directions and
photos of many more dogs
and cats can be found online
at www.sgvhumane.org.
The adoption fee for
cats is $99, which includes
spay/neuter,
vaccinations,
de-worming,
FIV/FELV/
heartworm testing, and
microchip. A $120-$135 dog
adoption fee includes microchip, vaccinations, spay/
neuter surgery, and de-worming, as well as a free health
check-up at a participating
vet (some breeds slightly
higher).
Soroptimist Club
honors award recipients
at annual luncheon
The Soroptimist International Club
of Alhambra, San Gabriel, San Marino
recognized outstanding women and girls at
its annual Awards Luncheon on March 18.
The event took place at Almansor Court.
The guest speaker was Congresswoman
Judy Chu. Alhambra City Councilmember
Barbara Messina and city staff members
were present to commend the award
winners.
The Violet Richardson Award, given to
Marina Salazar, Kristie Sham, and Pauline
Truong, is a recognition program for women ages 14-17 engaged in volunteer action
within their communities or schools.
The Women’s Opportunity Award, given
to Brandy Mahoney, Arlene Lopez, Nicole
Reyes, and Jessica Tapia, helps women to
improve their education and job skills so
they can build a better life for themselves
and their families.
The Ruby Award, given to Dianna
Smiley, executive director and founder of
Generation Her, acknowledges women
Adult short-haired female
brown tabby. Spayed. ID# 5232.
Tigress is very sweet and affectionate.
She will ask for attention, but is polite
and not demanding about it. She is
a beautiful girl. Tigress has been at
the shelter since May of 2011 and
very much needs a loving, forever
family home to call her own. Stop in
to meet her and consider adopting this
wonderful girl.
who are working to improve the lives of
women and girls through their personal or
professional activities. Their efforts help to
promote the issues that are important to
the Soroptimist organization. Honorees are
women who have worked in extraordinary
ways to benefit women and girls.
Soroptimist is an international organization for business and professional women
who work to improve the lives of women
and girls in local communities and throughout the world. Almost 95,000 Soroptimists
in about 120 countries and territories
contribute time and financial support to
community-based and international projects that benefit women and girls.
The Alhambra, San Gabriel, San Marino
club meets at 12:15 p.m. each Tuesday at
Almansor Court.
For more information, contact President
Miriam Harrington at 626-285-9223,
miratpf@aol.com, or go to www.sialhambra.org, www.soroptimist.org, or www.
liveyourdream.org.
Senator
Adult male miniature pinscher mix,
black with white, ID# 5210.
Senator weighs 10.7 pounds and is a very cute,
sweet, fun boy. Once he gets to know you he will
usually climb into your lap and bless you with
kisses. He loves his outings to the play yard and
needs his exercise. He is curious about the world
around him, and like human senators he can be
a bit talkative. Senator also loves to belly crawl
in the grass. This adorable boy has been with us
at the shelter for a little over two years and very
much wants a home to call his own. Please stop
in to meet Senator and consider making him part
of your family.
Rusty
Adult male American
Staffordshire Terrier, red/
tan with white, ID# 5294.
Rusty is estimated to be 6 years old
and weighs about 60 pounds. He
is a very sweet boy who likes people
and attention. He is also an active
guy who likes to explore. Please stop
in to meet Rusty. He is searching
for a loving home and person (or
people) to call his own.
05/2014
ACADEMIC NEWS AROUND ALHAMBRA
25A
The AEF Board of Directors at the 2014 Service to Education Awards Dinner & Gala Keith Matsuda, AEF’s “Community Music teacher Dave Batti delivers a speech, with Jim Hamilton, Julie Sorenson, and
at the Hilton Los Angeles/San Gabriel.
Volunteer” honoree, delivers his remarks, Lisa Jones next to him.
noting the inspiration of his parents.
AEF 10TH ANNUAL DINNER From Page 1A
This year’s award recipients were Dave Batti, Lisa
Jones, Jim Hamilton, and Julie Sorensen for Education,
Keith Matsuda for Community Volunteer, Mun Leu of
ML Architecture for Business Organization, and the Alhambra Council of PTAs for Community Organization.
All the recipients delivered speeches about their passion
for helping and teaching the community.
A parent and school volunteer, Mr. Matsuda, who
serves as president for both the Brightwood Elementary
PTA and the Mark Keppel High School Alliance, as
well as the founder and former president of the MKHS
Aquatics Boosters organization, dedicated his award to
his parents. Mr. Matsuda recounted how his parents
were active volunteers in the community who told
their son, “If you took from something, you give back.”
This message and his parents’ example has inspired Mr.
Matsuda to serve his church and community for nearly
40 years.
Speaking on behalf of the music teachers, Mr. Batti
delivered a humorous speech accented with drumbeats
saying that “the four of us have taught in the district
for a combined 109 years” and have “mastered the art
of driving, eating at the same time, calling our spouse,
and cussing out the guy ahead of us for not driving fast
enough because we have 40students waiting for us.”
These four teachers cover 13 schools in the district –
“You do the math,” joked Mr. Batti. “We’re all very
passionate about teaching for music is the food of our
soul,” he said. “We teach because we want [our students]
to love music as much as we love music, and we want
them to grow up to be good citizens of the earth.”
Other evening highlights included a delicious dinner
of steak and sea bass, an extensive silent auction, which
featured fast and furious bidding over items ranging
from gift baskets donated by supporters to high-end
jewelry from Hikari Pearls, and the live auction in
which a 10-week old pure-bred black Labrador puppy
raised $1,650 in bids, finally won by Mike Vollebregt
of TKR as a surprise gift for his wife. Mr. Vollebregt,
who was not present, bidded via cell phone through his
co-worker Velvet Carranza.
The gala evening, attended by more than 450 guests,
raised more than $55,000 for AEF’s “Music & More”
Campaign to provide educational and enrichment
programs at all AUSD schools, including a new Music
Instruction program for all K-3 students, support for
the fourth- through eighth-grade band/orchestras, and
the addition of a College and Career Counselor at
AUSD high schools.
“I want to offer my sincere thanks and gratitude
to AEF for their never-ending support to the District
and its students and to congratulate tonight’s honorees
Thank you for your dedication to making a difference in
the lives of our students, our schools, and our community,” Supt. Laura-Tellez-Gagliano, Ed.D. said.
At the end of the evening, Mr. Batti played with his
rock band Hard Rain and guests danced the night away.
For more information or to make a tax-deductible
donation to AEF, please go to www.aef4kids.com and
follow AEF on Facebook.
26A
05/2014
Emery Park School wins
Youth Basketball Championships
The San Gabriel HOSA team at the 2014 Cal-HOSA State Leadership Conference in Anaheim.
Emery Park School won the 2014 City of Alhambra Youth Basketball Championships in the A Boys Gold
Division. The suspenseful game with back and forth buckets ended with a score of 40-35 over Baldwin
School. The City of Alhambra Community Services Department ran the tournament on March 28 in
Almansor Park. It was Emery Park’s first basketball championship. Congratulations to all the players for
a well-played game.
San Gabriel HOSA team
places in state competition
In its first state conference appearance,
San Gabriel High School’s Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA)
team placed highly by having three out of
seven groups make it to the second round
of competition. Overall, the EMT group of
twin brothers Daniel and Wayne Pollock
placed fifth, while Brandon Vazquez, Dillon Hong, and Elton Hong placed top 10
in the Community Awareness Event.
“It was pretty incredible to see the
students go to these levels that they weren’t
really prepared for, but they attacked it
well, and I’m very proud of them,” HOSA
adviser Cynthia Okimura said.
The HOSA team faced obstacles such
as the lack of textbooks and funding.
They needed to fundraise enough money
in order to pay for the hotel, competition,
and bus expenses. In addition, the HOSA
team did not receive its textbooks until
two weeks before competition because of
funding delays. They found pieces of other
textbooks to use in the meantime.
“I didn’t really expect anything. It was
all new and nerve-wracking,” senior Wayne
Pollock said. “Other schools actually practiced the competition year round and really
dedicated their time to it, while we were
stuck with no textbooks until later and had
little experience.”
Senior Kartik Patel had to balance study
time and school work for the competition.
“I put in two to three hours of studying for
it, per week, ever since November,” he said.
Ms. Okimura urges students who are interested in the medical field to join HOSA
and to understand that there are a variety
of jobs related to this field and also to
participate in the next year’s competition.
“It’s not only exciting and challenging
and fun, but the students also see that
there are a lot of young people who are
passionate about medical and health, so it
was nice to see the teamwork between the
students and advisers,” Ms. Okimura said.
More than 3,000 students from all over
California competed in Anaheim, March
29 – April 1 at the 2014 Cal-HOSA State
Leadership Conference. Each day there
were leadership workshops, a college and
career fair, and students’ displays in addition to knowledge, hands-on, and team
competition events.
The HOSA team is proud of what they
had accomplished and hopes that they will
be recognized, in order to inspire potential
students interested in the medical field to
join HOSA and to participate in next year’s
competition.
For more information, please contact
Ms. Okimura at okimura_cynthia@ausd.
us.
This article was written by Tran Lam, junior, Web editor, The Matador, San Gabriel
High School.
05/2014
Ramona Elementary’s Boys A Team Blue - First Place.
From left: Anthony Atilano, Aaron Brown, Kenny Hu,
Coach John, Matthew Arreola, Lewis Hebert, and Waidat Hin.
Ramona Elementary’s Girls Cheer. From left, top row: KaleyKuresa,
Stefanie Rubalcava, Danielle Duran, and Carolina Medina.
From left, bottom row: Leslie Herrera and Patrina Quach.
27A
Northrup third-grader Gabriel Chairez and his
grandmother Anna Trevino enjoy Children’s Day 2014
at Northrup Elementary.
Parents, children, and a doll celebrate Children’s Day
2014 at Northrup Elementary.
Ramona Elementary’s Girls Basketball Team. From left, top row:
Danielle Duran, Angie Lindley, Kaley Kuresa, Gaby Zaldana, and
KiraArguello. From left, bottom row: Cheyenne Brown, Amanda
Lindley, Jasmine Lin, Rebecca Ung, and Candy Thong.
Ramona Elementary’s Boys B Team.
From left: Andrew Fernandez, William Vong,
Kyle Moc, Samuel Villegas, and Andrew Ly.
Who are the Mustangs?
Ramona Elementary’s teams had an
exceptional year in contests sponsored
by City of Alhambra Department of
Community Services. Starting with
the fall season the cheer team, which
consisted of A Squad and B Squad,
both took first place. A squad included
members from the seventh and eighth
grades, and B Squad had four members
from fourth, fifth, and sixth grades.
The basketball season brought victory to Ramona’s five basketball teams.
Four teams received first, second, and
third place trophies for the Mustangs.
Ramona Boys A Blue team, made up
of all eighth-graders, placed first place.
This season, Ramona’s A Blue team
had an impressive record of 10-0.
Placing second were B Gold and B Blue
teams. Players from third through sixth
grades, the mini Mustangs, earned their
trophies. Last, but not least, the Lady
Mustangs won third place for the third
year in a row proving that basketball is
not only a guys sport, but also a sport
that can be perfected by girls as well.
Each player on each team played their
hearts out on the court with hopes that
the Mustangs would not lose their mojo.
For the past few years, Ramona’s
Drill teams have been on a winning
streak consecutively winning first place
year after year.
The Ramona Mustangs thank coaches John, Natalie, and Michael for all
their time and dedication.
This article was written by Candy Thong, eighth-grader, Ramona
Elementary.
San Gabriel Marching Band receives
‘superior’ rating
Matador Marching Band members
screamed, shouted, and let it all out after
receiving a “superior” rating at the South
California School Band and Orchestra
Association band festival at Montebello
High School for the first time in 13 years.
The festival consisted of a stage performance
in the school auditorium in front of three
judges with considerable experience in music
as well as a musical clinic, where the band was
given advice by one of the adjudicators. Band
ratings ranged from superior, excellent, good,
fair, and poor, with superior being the highest
rating and poor being the lowest.
Prior to the festival, a running gag in the
band room was the empty “cursed nail” on
the wall where the superior rating plaques
were displayed — a nail that remained bare
for 13 years.
“It was frustrating to work so hard to
perfect our pieces, to think that a [song] had
been mastered, only to receive an excellent or
even a good in previous years,” flutist junior
Sophia Huynh said. “Knowing that the
‘cursed nail’ will finally have a plaque may
seem like a very trivial matter, but for me, it
was a rewarding moment that I’ll definitely
remember.”
For many first-year Marching Band
members, achieving such a feat was an inspi-
ration and reason
for them to work
harder for similar
feats.
“[This
year’s
band festival] was
the first one where
I performed with
the
Marching
Band,” clarinetist The Matador Marching Band performs at USC’s High School Band Day in
sophomore Emily September 2013.
Eng said. “The
experience of receiving the award was duration of the performance, which is kind
amazing. I didn’t expect it at first, but all of hard with 111 performers. But I will say
of our hard work throughout the year really this: practice really makes a difference.”
paid off.”
The next step for the band will be at
The band prepared for the festival by the South California School Band and
practicing every morning in zero period, Orchestra Association regional festival at
perfecting musical phrases with unrivaled Colony High School in Ontario, Calif. on
determination, repetition, and dedication, May 16, where they will hopefully compete
and showed off their musical mastery with for a chance to move on to the next stage in
the pieces Music for a Ceremony by John the competition.
Morissey, Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas
“If we work as hard as we’ve been doing,
Tallis, and Quintology by Richard Meyer.
I think that we can definitely do it,” drum
“I was ecstatic, elated, when I saw the major junior Aydin Hau said. “As long as
superior rating,” band director Tammy we don’t falter, I believe we can succeed. For
Cognetta said. “We went in there, and we us, the sky’s the limit.”
showed them what we got. It just shows that
This article was written by Rebeca Lei, juwe’re capable of a superior performance; it’s nior, news editor, The Matador, San Gabriel
a matter of being able to focus for the entire High School.
Northrup PTA
celebrates
children,
families
The Northrup PTA board hosted “Children’s Day 2014.” More than 200 family
members attended, bringing lunch for their
children during lunchtime.
“It was like one big family party,” said PTA
Treasurer Patricia Bravo.
PTA Children’s Day brought the Northrup
school community together.
“When the families began arriving, they
had smiles on their faces and food in their
hands,” PTA President Elsie Alaniz said. “They
patiently waited to be checked in. We’re very
pleased with the deejay we hired to entertain.
Deejay Cory, from DR Party Pros, enthusiastically played music and was very entertaining.
His wife went to Northrup as a child. The
kids enjoyed dancing the Cha Cha Slide. We
have some amazing kids at Northrup, and the
outpouring of support from the families was
fantastic. Positive reviews from all.”
Northrup’s PTA board consists of President
Elsie Alaniz, Vice President Delia Arellano,
Treasurer Patricia Bravo, and Secretary
Dioselena Gallardo. The Northrup staff members believe they are a strong team and enjoy
their positive presence on the school campus.
They continue to recruit parents to become a
part of the PTA.
When asked what the best part of this
event was as both a parent and as a first year
PTA President, Ms. Alaniz said, “As president,
I enjoyed seeing the parents’ faces as they so
proudly walked up to be checked in. They
were eagerly waiting their turns to come in
and share the lunch time with their student(s).
It would have been nice to see more teachers
make an appearance to our PTA event, but
we understand how important their lunch
time is to them. My board members deserve
a huge thanks for making this event possible.
Working as a team, we are making Northrup
an enjoyable place. As a mom, I know my
third-grader and eighth-grader enjoyed
having my mom attend, and that makes me
feel complete. The deejay made the ambiance
calm, enjoyable, and fun at the same time. It
was a complete success.”

May 2014 Section A - Alhambra Chamber of Commerce

Transcription

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