SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2014

ANNUAL VETERAN’S DAY 
CEREMONY WITH KEYNOTE 
SPEAKER ROBERT SPENCER

National Security & International Terrorism Expert

VOLUME 8 NO. 45

A COMMUNITY SAYS THANKS AND FAREWELL


On Thursday, November 
6, 2014, Albertson’s 
Supermarket that served 
the Hastings Ranch and 
Sierra Madre community 
closed its door for the last 
time.

 Registers stopped 
ringing up customers at 
noon and workmen could 
be seen removing the 
railings in the parking 
lot that used to contain 
the shopping carts. The 
name on the outside 
wall was removed and 
that chapter of Pasadena 
history was closed.

 What happens next is 
the subject of widespread 
speculation. Rumors 
abound, “The shopping 
center is going to be torn 
down and replaced with 
a big box store”, said one 
resident with certainty. 
Another is convinced 
that the remaining 
existing tenants will be 
displaced and “Costco 
or something big” is 
coming.

 There is no confirmed 
information as to what 
the future holds for what 
has been a notoriously 
poorly maintained 
shopping area. One thing 
is for certain, “The really 
sad thing is”, said one 
daily customer who lives in Sierra Madre, “that we [Sierra Madre residents] will have no voice in the discussions as to what replaces 
the store.”

 Regardless, Sierra Madre residents gathered on Sunday to say “we will miss you” to those of Albertsons staff who weren’t working 
at their new assignments at a Community’s Farewell Potluck Party. There were flowers, balloons and wonderful pot luck dishes from 
many individuals, as well as special offerings by Sierra Donuts and Old School Eatery. The event was organized by Mary Carney of the 
Sierra Madre Woman’s Club. 

Veterans of Foreign Wars of 
Sierra Madre, Post 3208 will 
celebrate its annual Veteran’s 
Day Ceremony at Memorial 
Park, Sunday November 9, 
2014 at 1:00 PM, with special 
keynote speaker Robert 
Spencer. They will celebrate 
Veterans Day by remembering 
the living brave men and 
women who have risked their 
lives for the United States of 
America from WWII thru our 
current conflicts, followed by 
Mr. Spencer’s talk.

Spencers is the director of 
Jihad Watch, a program of 
the David Horowitz Freedom 
Center, and the author of 
thirteen books, including two 
New York Times bestsellers, 
The Truth About Muhammad 
and The Politically Incorrect 
Guide to Islam (and the 
Crusades). 

 Seating capacity is limited so 
come early or bring your own 
folding chair. Those interested 
in attending, please RSVP 
with the names of attendees 
at the following email address: 
VFWPost3208@gmail.com for 
planning purposes. 

The ceremony will begin 
promptly at 1:00 PM followed 
by our keynote speaker and 
will last about one hour. 

 

 Following the ceremony, 
there will be a book signing 
with Robert Spencer in the 
Hart Park House/Senior 
Center at Memorial Park. A 
signed copy of Mr. Spencer’s 
new book Arab Winter Comes 
to America will be available for 
purchase.

For additional information, 
please send us a message at 
VFWPost3208@gmail.com.

ASCENSION CHURCH EVENSONG – 

TO HONOR VETERANS

Front: Linda Bonilla, Gina DeLaRosa, Store Director Celia Guzman, Barbara Lampman and 
Eunis Banis (both from SMWC) 2nd Row: Cathy (Sierra Donuts), Cheryl Harzke, Cathy 
Johnson, Mary Carney (SMWC), Bonnie Cokcher (SMFRA), Albert Metzger (SMEAC). 3rd 
Row, Gullermo Uribes, Tak (Sierra Donuts) Clyde Johnson, Clyde Johnson, Diane Johnson, 
Thomas Finley, Walter Sweeney (all Albertsons), Rod Spears, Joan Spears.

Photo by Dave Felt

Sierra Madre’s Village 
Church – Ascension - invites 
the community to a Choral 
Evensong to honor those men 
and women who’ve served in 
our armed forces. The Episcopal 
Church of the Ascension will be 
presenting a Choral Evensong 
for Veterans Day, on Sunday, 
November 9, at 5:00 p.m. Sung 
by Ascension’s Choir, led by 
Dr. Debora Huffman, Director 
of Music and Organist, this 
traditional Anglican service of 
meditation, prayer, and song will 
feature music written primarily 
by American composers. 
Following this beautiful service 
of reflection a reception will 
be held in Hawks Hall. All 
are welcome to attend. Come, 
share with us the beauty of this 
traditional service. 

 Evensong or Evening Prayer 
is a traditional Anglican service 
which is celebrated in the late 
afternoon or evening. It is 
commonly known as Evensong 
when most of the service is sung. 
For generations, many of our 
finest church composers have 
written music for this traditional 
service.

 The Church of the Ascension 
is located at 25 East Laurel 
Avenue in Sierra Madre. For 
more information, please call 
(626) 355-1133 or visit: www.
ascension-sierramadre.com. 

SIERRA MADRE KIWANIS CLUB TO HONOR VFW 3208 AND LOCAL 
VETERANS, TUESDAY, NOV. 11th

On Veteran’s Day, the Kiwanis Club of Sierra Madre will honor our military heroes with lunch and guest speaker Denise Wadsworth, 
a passionate advocate for Veterans Rights and Services. Lunch begins at noon. The program at 12:30. Lunch is free for Veterans. $10 
for all others. The Lodge, 33 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Call 626-355-0728 to reserve your seat.


Inside this week: 

CALENDAR Pg. 2

SIERRA MADRE NEWS 
Pg. 3

HISTORY OF VETERANS DAY

World War I – known at the 
time as “The Great War” - 
officially ended when the 
Treaty of Versailles was signed 
on June 28, 1919, in the Palace 
of Versailles outside the town 
of Versailles, France. However, 
fighting ceased seven months 
earlier when an armistice, 
or temporary cessation of 
hostilities, between the Allied 
nations and Germany went 
into effect on the eleventh 
hour of the eleventh day of 
the eleventh month. For that 
reason, November 11, 1918, is 
generally regarded as the end 
of “the war to end all wars.”

 Soldiers of the 353rd 
Infantry near a church at 
Stenay, Meuse in France, wait 
for the end of hostilities. This 
photo was taken at 10:58 a.m., 
on November 11, 1918, two 
minutes before the armistice 
ending World War I went into 
effect.

 In November 1919, 
President Wilson proclaimed 
November 11 as the first 
commemoration of Armistice 
Day with the following 
words: “To us in America, the 
reflections of Armistice Day 
will be filled with solemn pride 
in the heroism of those who 
died in the country’s service 
and with gratitude for the 
victory, both because of the 
thing from which it has freed us 
and because of the opportunity 
it has given America to show 
her sympathy with peace and 
justice in the councils of the 
nations…”

The original concept for 
the celebration was for a 
day observed with parades 
and public meetings and a 
brief suspension of business 
beginning at 11:00 a.m.

 The United States 
Congress officially recognized 
the end of World War I when it 
passed a concurrent resolution 
on June 4, 1926, with these 
words:

Whereas the 11th of November 
1918, marked the cessation 
of the most destructive, 
sanguinary, and far reaching 
war in human annals and the 
resumption by the people of 
the United States of peaceful 
relations with other nations, 
which we hope may never 
again be severed, and

Whereas it is fitting that the 
recurring anniversary of this 
date should be commemorated 
with thanksgiving and prayer 
and exercises designed to 
perpetuate peace through 
good will and mutual 
understanding between 
nations; and

Whereas the legislatures of 
twenty-seven of our States have 
already declared November 11 
to be a legal holiday: Therefore 
be it Resolved by the Senate 
(the House of Representatives 
concurring), that the President 
of the United States is requested 
to issue a proclamation calling 
upon the officials to display 
the flag of the United States 
on all Government buildings 
on November 11 and inviting 
the people of the United 
States to observe the day in 
schools and churches, or 
other suitable places, with 
appropriate ceremonies of 
friendly relations with all 
other peoples.

An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. 
Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 
13, 1938, made the 11th of 
November in each year a legal 
holiday—a day to be dedicated 
to the cause of world peace 
and to be thereafter celebrated 
and known as “Armistice 
Day.” Armistice Day was 
primarily a day set aside to 
honor veterans of World War 
I, but in 1954, after World War 
II had required the greatest 
mobilization of soldiers, 
sailors, Marines and airmen 
in the Nation’s history; after 
American forces had fought 
aggression in Korea, the 83rd 
Congress, at the urging of the 
veterans service organizations, 
amended the Act of 1938 
by striking out the word 
“Armistice” and inserting in 
its place the word “Veterans.” 
With the approval of this 
legislation (Public Law 380) 
on June 1, 1954, November 
11th became a day to honor 
American veterans of all wars.

Later that same year, on 
October 8th, President Dwight 
D. Eisenhower issued the 
first “Veterans Day 
Proclamation” which 
stated: “In order to 
insure proper and 
widespread observance 
of this anniversary, all 
veterans, all veterans’ 
organizations, and the 
entire citizenry will 
wish to join hands in 
the common purpose. 
Toward this end, I 
am designating the 
Administrator of 
Veterans’ Affairs as 
Chairman of a Veterans 
Day National Committee, 
which shall include 
such other persons as 
the Chairman may 
select, and which will 
coordinate at the national 
level necessary planning 
for the observance. I 
am also requesting the 
heads of all departments 
and agencies of the 
Executive branch of the 
Government to assist the 
National Committee in every 
way possible.”

 On that same day, 
President Eisenhower sent a 
letter to the Honorable Harvey 
V. Higley, Administrator 
of Veterans’ Affairs (VA), 
designating him as Chairman 
of the Veterans Day National 
Committee.

In 1958, the White House 
advised VA’s General Counsel 
that the 1954 designation of the 
VA Administrator 

(cont. on page 2) 


PASADENA/ALTADENA

 Pg. 4

ARCADIA NEWS 

MONROVIA/DUARTE 

 Pg. 5

EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Pg. 6

FOOD & DRINK

 Pg. 7

BEST FRIENDS

 Pg. 8

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

 Pg. 9

President Eisenhower signing HR7786, changing Armistice 
Day to Veterans Day. From left: Alvin J. King, Wayne 
Richards, Arthur J. Connell, John T. Nation, Edward Rees, 
Richard L. Trombla, Howard W. Watts 

THE GOOD LIFE

 Pg. 10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

 Pg. 11

SECTION B 

AROUND SGV Pg. B1

THE WORLD AROUND US

 Pg. B2

 BUSINESS NEWS Pg. B3

 OPINION Pg. B4

 LEGAL NOTICES Pg. B5

A LOCAL VET SPEAKS 
UP....Page 3