Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 12, 2012

5

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Mountain Views News Saturday, May 12, 2012

“What’s Going On?” 

News and Views from Joan Schmidt

Celebrating 30 Years of Service


HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO MY SPECIAL MOM

ANGELINA(JULIA) MARY PALMA ALLEGRINI

OCTOBER 4, 1918- DECEMBER 2, 2010

 

I don’t remember 
how old I was when 
I realized I had an 
amazing mom who 
could do about 
anything. The house I 
grew up in was a large 
tutor back East and 
had 4 stories! Laundry 
facilities were in the 
basement and the attic 
was converted into a 
huge bedroom suite. 
The house was spotless 
and every night when 
Dad came home from 
work, my mom had 
a home-cooked meal 
ready and we ate 
together as a family.

Mom’s story began on 
October 4, 1918 in Waterford N.J. Because of the influenza epidemic, she was delivered by her father, 
Philip. Perhaps he looked at an angelic face and chose that name- it certainly described my mom. 
However, her older brother Frank couldn’t say “Angelina” and somehow Mom was dubbed, “Julia.” 
They shortly moved to South Philly and my grandfather worked on the railroad.

 Mom’s childhood was hard, because her mom was sickly. As a ten-year-old, my mom got up and 
even mopped floors for her mom before school. She had five siblings: Frank, Mary, Micky, Joe and 
Rita, and they all remained close throughout their lives. They were a loving family and their mother, 
Susan was special.

 When Mom was 17, her Dad left home. Although her brother Frank had a scholarship and both 
she and Frank had excelled in school-they were in the National Honor Society, they went to work. 
They gave their Mom their paychecks to help keep the family together. My Mom told me this after I 
was married and she felt so lucky to have my Dad. She felt God gave my Dad to her because she had 
helped her own Mom.

 There are so many qualities to describe my mom. She was a hard worker. Even though my Dad 
had a good job, she still mopped the floors. To this day it amazes me how she kept the four story 
house spotless and cooked everything from scratch!

 My mom was a very intelligent woman. She went to South Philadelphia High for girls and always 
made Honor Roll. Although she didn’t go to college, she loved to read and watched the news. She 
was a knowledgeable woman.

 My mom had a deep faith in God and practiced what she preached. She was always kind and 
generous to others and willing to help anyone in need. Although my older sister was divorced from 
her first husband, my mom sent him a “Get Well” card when he had a bout with cancer. It also was 
my mom and sister who visited my sister’s former mother-in-law in the nursing home. We were 
taught never to hold grudges and to be kind to others.

 She was the best Mom we could ask for. Once she and my dad drove all the way to Newburgh 
NY from Westfield NJ just to bring me a gown for a dance at West Point. She handed me the gown, 
jacket and gloves, kissed me, and then they drove all the way back to Westfield.

 My Mom was devoted to my Dad. She always made his pasta on Sundays and holidays. She took 
care of him for one-and-a-half years after his first strokes. Then he had to go into a Nursing Home. 
Every day, she got up, ate breakfast, and went over there for the day. She fed him and visited him. 
Then she came home at 5pm because she didn’t like to drive in the dark.

 After Daddy passed away, Mom did not feel sorry for herself. She joined Women’s and Church’s 
group and was “Miss Sunshine”- she did birthday cards and other special things for the ladies in the 
group. She traveled to CA to visit us and Massachusetts and Arizona to visit Mary and her family. 
She always was ready to try new things and brought sunshine everywhere she went. When she came 
to California, I was still on The Monrovia-Arcadia –Duarte Town Council. We went to Sheriff’s 
Headquarters to drop off a homemade pie for the late Sheriff Sherman Block and we also toured 
the Emergency Operations Center. She met my friends Natalie Salazar, Director for Community 
Policing with the Sheriff’s as well as Margaret Finlay from the Duarte City Council. Captain Sam 
Dacus was at the Marina Del Rey Sheriff’s Station and Sgt. Gary Thorton took us on a boat ride 
that she loved! Another happy memory-guests of former Mayor Sheng Chang at a “real” Chinese 
restaurant. Mom loved all new adventures.

 If I could be half the person she was and touch so many lives in a positive way, I would be 
grateful. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! I love you! 

 
Last weekend, the Altadena Senior Center celebrated its 30th Anniversary. Nearly 100 
people attended the celebration including State Senator Carol Liu, 5th District Supervisor 
Michael D. Antonovich said the center’s Director Cynthia Banks. (Director Banks is pictured 
above on the far left.)

The Altadena Senior Center is operated by the Department of Community and Senior Services. 
The Center is a community focal point where seniors can come together for services, 
programs and activities to enhance their dignity, support their independence and encourage 
community involvement. Numerous classes are offered such as in contemporary art, 
ballroom, folk and line dancing, Chinese brush painting, computer training, memory, sewing 
and needle craft, quilting, Spanish, exercise, strength training, and yoga. A wide range of 
employment services is provided as well as legal services and case management. In addition, 
the Center is a senior nutrition site serving daily lunches. Photo by Dean Lee

Mom and Mayor Sheng Chang


“KNX ON YOUR CORNER” TO EXPLORE THE

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY FOOTHILLS ON JUNE 1

Station will broadcast live from Old TownMonrovia

 “KNX on Your Corner” will take an in-depth look at some of the foothill cities of the 
San Gabriel Valley on Friday, June 1 as part of KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO’s ongoing look at 
Southern California’s diverse regions.

KNX’s programming will focus on a group of communities set between the San Gabriel 
Mountains and the 210 Freeway in the 200 square mile valley: Sierra Madre, Monrovia, 
Duarte, Azusa, Bradbury and Glendora. A series of special features and news reports will 
examine the area’s rich history, including its transition from farmland to the suburban bedroom 
communities of today. Featured on-air guests throughout the day willinclude civic 
and business leaders.

News anchors Dick Helton and Vicky Moore will kick off the live broadcast from 5:00 
– 9:00am from the Monrovia Coffee Company at 425 Myrtle Avenue, in the heart of ld 
Town Monrovia. Frank Mottek will host the KNX Business Hour from 1 – 2:00pm and Jim 
Thornton and Diane Thompson will anchor KNX’s news coverage from 2 – 7:00pm. Free 
coffee will be offered throughout the event.

“KNX on Your Corner” is presented by The Monitoring Center. Complete details

are posted at www.cbsLA.com/onyourcorner.

SOCALGAS TO MAKE CUSTOMER’S MOVING 
EXPERIENCE SMOOTHER WITH “ONE-STOP 
SHOP” SERVICE

 Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has launched a free service that will help customers simplify 
their moving process. SoCalGas’ mover services program is a “one-stop shop” for shopping, selecting, 
and scheduling important home services like satellite or cable television, Internet, telephone service 
and more. With just one call to SoCalGas or one visit to SoCalGas’ website, customers will be able 
to shop a variety of companies to get the best deal, sign up for their preferred service, and schedule a 
convenient time for installation. 

 “What normally requires multiple phone calls and hours of time by our customers now can 
be accomplished with one call that gets virtually all of their home moving transactions done,” said 
Hal D. Snyder, vice president of customer solutions for SoCalGas. “We’re always looking for ways to 
offer additional services and products that will provide value and convenience to our customers.”

 Customers can visit socalgas.com to start or transfer their natural gas service. Once they’re 
done, they can click on the mover services link to see all of the options available, including prices for 
their current providers and potential alternatives.

If customers prefer, they can call SoCalGas’ Customer Contact Center to start or transfer their gas 
service and then, once the customer service representative has completed their gas start- or transfer- 
service transaction, they will be offered the option to be transferred to make selections for move-
related home services. By making one call to SoCalGas, customers will avoid the hassle of calling 
multiple providers to start services at their new home. 

 SoCalGas is working together with Allconnect to offer this service to customers. Allconnect, 
a leading consumer services company based in Atlanta, Georgia, helps consumers make informed, 
cost-effective decisions by explaining the service plans, pricing and promotions available across a 
broad array of home services. Allconnect works with major service providers across the country and 
will consult with the customer to identify the services that are right for their unique needs.

 For more information about SoCalGas’ mover services program, please visit socalgas.com/
moving or call 1-800-427-2200 or 1-800-342-4545 in Spanish. 

 

About Southern California Gas Co. 

Southern California Gas Co. has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers for more than 
140 years. It is the nation’s largest natural gas distribution utility, providing service to 20.9 million consumers 
connected through nearly 5.8 million meters in more than 500 communities. The company’s service territory 
encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles throughout central and Southern California, from Visalia to 
the Mexican border. SoCalGas is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE).

Pet Of The Week - SKIP: Animal ID #A4418567

Meet the most exuberant, joyful boy at the 
shelter, Skip (A4418567). Skip is a cheerful 
two-year-old black male Labrador Retriever 
mix who was discarded at the Baldwin Park 
Animal Care Center on April 18th because 
his former owner’s other dog attacked him. 
Weighing sixty pounds, Skip is okay on the 
leash although he doesn’t seem to have had 
formal training. Very playful, he loves other 
dogs and is quite well-socialized. Skip will be 
the perfect indoor pet for an active individual 
or family living in a private home, and we 
think he would be an exceptionally great 
family dog. He is sure to bring lots of laughs 
to anyone who adopts him. In his debut 
video, one can see what a hilarious character 
he is! To watch a video of Skip please visit: 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=--WAwQQkLZE

To meet Skip in person, please see him at the Baldwin Park Shelter, located at 4275 N. Elton, Baldwin 
Park, CA 91706 (Phone: 626-430-2378 or 626-962-3577). He is currently available now. For any 
inquiries about Skip, please reference his animal ID number: A4418567. The shelter is open seven 
days a week, 12 pm-7 pm Monday-Thursday and 10am-5pm Friday-Sunday. This is a high-intake 
shelter with a great need for adoptions. For more information about Skip or the adoption process, 
contact United Hope for Animals Volunteer Adoption Coordinator Samantha at samanthasayon@
gmail.com or 661-309-2674. To learn more about United Hope for Animals’ partnership with the 
Baldwin Park Shelter through its Shelter Support Program, as well as the many dogs of all breeds, 
ages, and sizes available for adoption in local shelters, visit http://www.unitedhope4animals.org/
about-us/shelter-support-program/.