Mountain Views News          Saturday, January 17, 2015

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, January 17, 2015 

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2015

 

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

THEY�RE BACK!

LET THE FUN BEGIN!

NEW LAWS FOR 2015

At the start of every year, hundreds 
of new laws go into effect. To keep 
you updated, I have compiled a list 
of some key laws. My 2014 bills 
that became effective on January 1, 
2015 include: 

 �SB 173 to streamline and update 
the Adult Education accountability 
and funding system. 

 �SB 827 to extend for five years 
a consumer protection program 
in Los Angeles County to prevent 
property sale fraud and warn 
renters of pending foreclosures. 

 �SB 1023 to provide student 
support services for foster youth in 
the Community College system. 

 �SB 1093 to improve services that Regional Centers 
provide to the disabled community. 

 Other new laws that you may find of interest 
include:

�AB 60 allows undocumented immigrants who meet 
DMV guidelines to receive driver�s licenses. 

 �SB 967, �Yes means Yes,� to prevent sexual 
assault on students in California higher education 
institutions. 

 �SB 850 allows 15 Community 
Colleges to offer four-year 
Bachelor�s Degrees in certain 
subjects. 

 �SB 1168, SB 1319, and AB 
1739 update and modernize 
groundwater management to 
bring California in line with other 
Western states� management 
practices. 

 �SB 505 allows law enforcement 
to conduct gun ownership welfare 
checks when people with mental 
health issues create a danger to 
others. 

 �AB 1147 updates and 
modernizes local government oversight of massage 
parlors. 

 �AB 1522 provides up to three days of paid sick 
leave for workers. 

 �SB 270, which bans single-use plastic bags at drug 
and grocery stores, will go into effect on July 1, 2015. 

 To view the specifics of these bills, please visit: http://
www.leginfo.ca.gov/ 


REP. ADAM SCHIFF � HIGH SPEED RAIL SHOULD 
NOT RUN THROUGH ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST

In Letter with Rep. Chu, Schiff Urges High Speed Rail Authority to 

Scrap Plans to Study Route Running Through Forest

Dick Van Patton

By Joan Schmidt

 The GREAT RACE PLACE a.k.a. Santa Anita Park 
has opened for its 78th Winter Meet on December 
26th, the day after Christmas. From what I hear, it 
was a spectacular opening day, but we did Christmas 
with the Grandkids, so we were not there.

 However we did attend on Friday, January 2 
and were not disappointed. In Race 1, Fernando 
Perez won on Maria Hooch. Fernando hails from 
Guadalajara, Mexico where my daughter-in-law is 
from, and her maiden name is Perez, so of course 
I�d root for him! One of his other mounts is �Henny, 
the Love Penny,� and �Henny� is on granddaughter�s 
nickname! 

 Peruvian Rafael Bejarano won two races that day, 
which is pretty mind-boggling. He�s one of the best 
jockeys these days, but had a terrible fall several 
months ago with severe injuries, but he has bounced 
back. 

 Veteran Mike Smith also had a win that day and 
it amazes me how he and Gary Stevens continue to 
ride and win. Gary played �George Wolfe� in the 
Seabiscuit movie; he certainly is a man of many 
talents.

 Two surprises occurred that day at the race track. 
First I met Dick Van Patton of Eight is Enough. I 
was quite excited and asked to take a photo of him. 
However his son took my camera and suggested I 
have my picture taken with Dick. Everyone at the 
race track loves Dick-he goes all the time and is so 
friendly.

 I also ran into a former student-Lizette Cespedes. 
She was my sixth grade student 27 years ago! I met 
her husband and two beautiful sons. They come to 
Santa Anita quite often-as do many families- and sit 
on the infield. On weekends, there are great family 
events. For instance, next Saturday, January 24th 
has the Family Fun Zone on the infield, and features 
inflatable jumpers, face paintings, carnival games, 
pony rides and more!

 You may ask, what about adults? First of all, 
Thursdays have free general admission for our Vets, 
Active Duty Military and Seniors! Dollar Days are 
when holidays occur on Mondays such as January 
19 and February 16. Beers, sodas and hot dogs are 
$1 each. Saturday 24th also has lined up two great 
events for adults. There is the Sunshine Millions 
Wine Festival on the Apron with a bevy of wine and 
food offerings and a DJ with music, between races, 
from noon-5pm. Or you can go up to the beautifully 
remodeled Chandelier Room for the Great Chef 
series, also from noon- 5pm. For a DIFFERENT 
Super Bowl Extravaganza, come to The BIG GAME 
Event at the Bud Light Lounge on February 1 
complete with several 60 inch screens, the Bud Light 
Girls and racing in between. (Visit www.santaanita.
com )

 There are so many great horses to watch. A favorite 
is Colonel Joan. When we went to Del Mar a few years 
ago, Joe Talamo won on her. Recently Kieren Fallon, 
a six time UK Premiership Winner, rode at Del Mar 
for the first time and although a long shot, she won. 
January 24, the great Gary Stevens will mount her!

 That day jockey Tyler Base will mount Tough 
Sunday. Everyone MUST root for him. What a story. 
Deprived of oxygen at birth, his owner would not give 
up on him. (Please go to Pasadena Star News, January 
11 for full story.)

 Lastly, I must speak of the weekend tram tours of 
the facility and Clocker�s Corner, which opens early, 
and serves breakfast. You sit at outdoor tables and 
watch the workouts. Your view is the beautiful San 
Gabriel Mountains. In between workouts, jockeys of 
all ages and experience come by. Come on over-you 
won�t be disappointed!


Washington, DC � Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) 
expressed opposition to the California High-Speed Rail 
(HSR) Authority�s plan to study running the high-
speed rail through the Angeles National Forest. The 
original route from Palmdale to Burbank proposed by 
the Authority bypassed the Angeles National Forest 
altogether and ran alongside California State Route 14. 
This is strongly preferable to the new proposal to tunnel 
through the forest, which wasn�t even under consideration 
prior to this summer. 

Schiff has worked for years to preserve and protect the 
Angeles National Forest and surrounding Rim of the 
Valley. He authored legislation signed by President 
George W. Bush to study the formation of a new or 
expanded recreation area in the region. Within the next 
few weeks, the National Park Service is expected to 
release its draft report on which areas should be given 
the enhanced resources and protection that would result 
from their inclusion in such a recreation area and Schiff 
will be introducing legislation in the upcoming session 
of Congress to make such an expanded park a reality. 
In addition, President Obama recently designated the 
San Gabriel Mountains a national monument and has 
directed the Forest Service to devise a management plan 
to govern the new monument. Building a high-speed rail 
through the Angeles Forrest would run contrary to both 
of these important initiatives.

 �California needs high-speed rail � but it needs to 
be done in the right way, with proper thought given to 
how a particular route will affect communities and the 
environment. I believe the HSR Authority should focus 
its attention on the original route instead of studying any 
proposal to go through the Angeles National Forest. Such 
a proposal to go through the forest will only further delay 
construction of the high-speed rail throughout California 
due to the potentially negative impacts it would have on 
the Forest and surrounding Foothills.�

 Schiff also joined with Rep. Judy Chu (D-El Monte) 
to send a letter this month to Dan Richard, the Chair of 
the California High-Speed Rail Authority, urging him to 
scrap the new �East Corridor� route from consideration 
altogether. In the letter, Schiff and Chu write: �Planning 
massive construction of a rail corridor through the forest 
while the Rim of the Valley and San Gabriel Mountains 
are under active consideration as a recreation area, and 
before the Forest Service can devise a management plan 
for the existing monument makes little sense. Either 
planning for the rail line would have to be put on hold for 
years, or any plan that would go through the forest would 
have to be subject to radical revision later. Either way, the 
costs to the project in dollars, delay, and opposition would 
be high. We do not believe the East Corridor is a viable 
alternative to connecting the high-speed rail between 
Palmdale and Burbank. Any benefits gained by going 
through the forest do not outweigh the far greater costs 
to the project and the damage that might be done to our 
environment. We therefore ask the Authority to abandon 
any study to build the high-speed rail through the Angeles 
National Forest. �

The full letter can be found below:

Mr. Dan Richard

Chair

California High-Speed Rail Authority

770 L Street, Suite 800

Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Mr. Richard:

 We are writing to express our strong concern over the 
recent proposal to route the High-Speed Rail through 
the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains 
National Monument. As Members of Congress who have 
worked for more than a decade to preserve the beauty of 
the mountains, forest, and wildlife, we share the concerns 
expressed by our constituents that this new proposed route 
would be damaging to an environment we are working so 
hard to preserve. We urge the California High-Speed Rail 
Authority to reject consideration of tunneling through 
the Angeles National Forest.

 Since our election to Congress, we have worked hard 
to preserve the Angeles National Forest, the Rim of 
the Valley Corridor, and the San Gabriel Mountains. 
In the upcoming session of Congress, we will each be 
introducing legislation that would preserve the Rim of 
the Valley and San Gabriel Mountains as part of a new or 
expanded national recreation area. In addition, President 
Obama recently designated the San Gabriel Mountains 
as part of a national monument. This means that the 
U.S. Forest Service will now have three years to devise a 
management plan to govern this new monument.

 Planning massive construction of a rail corridor 
through the forest while the Rim of the Valley and San 
Gabriel Mountains are under active consideration as a 
recreation area, and before the Forest Service can devise a 
management plan for the existing monument makes little 
sense. Either planning for the rail line would have to be 
put on hold for years, or any plan that would go through 
the forest would have to be subject to radical revision later. 
Either way, the costs to the project in dollars, delay, and 
opposition would be high.

 We do not believe the East Corridor is a viable 
alternative to connecting the high-speed rail between 
Palmdale and Burbank. Any benefits gained by going 
through the forest do not outweigh the far greater costs 
to the project and the damage that might be done to our 
environment. We therefore ask the Authority to abandon 
any study to build the high-speed rail through the Angeles 
National Forest. 

 Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. 
We appreciate your consideration of our thoughts and 
look forward to working you on this issue moving 
forward.

Leading in Wins, Jockey Rafael Bejarano & friends 

REPS. NAPOLITANO, GARAMENDI, CAPPS, HUFFMAN REINTRODUCE �W21: 

WATER IN THE 21ST CENTURY� LEGISLATION

(Washington, DC) Today, Reps. Grace F. Napolitano (CA-
32), John Garamendi (CA-03), Lois Capps (CA-24), and 
Jared Huffman (CA-02) joined 22 of their Democratic 
colleagues to reintroduce H.R. 291,�W21: Water in the 21st 
Century,� to help communities nationwide better prepare 
for the future by providing new incentives and investments 
to help local water agencies, residents, and businesses to 
conserve, recycle and manage limited water supplies. U.S. 
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today also reintroduced the 
Senate companion to this bill.

 �2014 was California�s driest year on record, illustrating 
more than ever how preparing for future drought cycles 
is vital to our nation�s well-being,� Napolitano said. �Our 
comprehensive legislation addresses this urgent need 
through cost-effective solutions�increased water use 
efficiency, water conservation, desalination, and water 
recycling�which Southern California has successfully 
been doing for decades. Of the many critical challenges 
we face in the 114th Congress, developing a reliable 
water supply for the 21st Century must be among our top 
priorities. I am proud to coauthor this bill in the House 
and will continue to work with all of my colleagues to help 
create a sustainable water future for generations to come.�

�I am proud to cosponsor the Water in the 21st Century 
Act, a bill that helps guide our nation toward a more 
sustainable water future. California�s historic drought has 
demonstrated the need for expanded science-driven water 
conservation, recycling, and storage initiatives found in 
this bill and in the overwhelmingly passed Proposition 
1. Both provide solutions that work for all 58 counties in 
California. By investing in smart water policies, the Water 
in the 21st Century Act would help create millions of acre 
feet of new water, ensure a reliable water supply, and create 
good jobs,� Garamendi said.

 �While the rain this weekend was welcome news in 
California, this drought remains the worst on record and 
the most urgent problem our state faces,� Capps said. �There 
are no easy solutions. But the Water in the 21st Century 
Act would be a strong step forward by providing critical 
support for improved water efficiency, conservation, and 
water recycling projects in our local communities.�

 �The extreme California drought demands a robust, 
responsible response from Congress that does not pit 
one industry against another, or favor one region over 
others,� Huffman said. �The Water in the 21st Century Act 
makes smart, sustainable investments in water efficiency, 
recycling, and conservation and helps to ensure we all have 
a reliable water supply for the future.�

 The legislation would expand rebates and grants 
for water conservation and efficiency; support local 
investments in water recycling and improved groundwater 
management and storage; invest in research into water-
saving technologies and desalination; and establish an 
open water data system. The measure would also help local 
communities take steps to become better prepared for 
drought.

 In addition to Reps. Napolitano, Garamendi, Capps, 
and Huffman, original cosponsors include Reps. Judy 
Chu (CA-27), John Conyers (MI-13), Lloyd Doggett (TX-
35), Anna Eshoo (CA-18), Raul Grijalva (AZ-03), Janice 
Hahn (CA-44), Alcee Hastings (FL-20), Ruben Hinojosa 
(TX-15), Mike Honda (CA-17), Eddie Bernice Johnson 
(TX-30), Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01), Barbara Lee (CA-13), 
Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), Ben Ray Lujan (NM-03), Eleanor 
Holmes Norton (DC), Scott Peters (CA-52), Lucille Roybal-
Allard (CA-40), Raul Ruiz (CA-36), Brad Sherman (CA-
30), Louise Slaughter (NY-25), Norma Torres (CA-35), and 
Juan Vargas (CA-51).

 

 H.R. 291 is supported by the Metropolitan Water District 
of Southern California, the Western Recycled Water 
Coalition, WaterNow, the Clean Water Construction 
Coalition, the Northern California Water Association, 
the North Bay Water Reuse Authority and the WateReuse 
Association. For a full summary of the legislation, click 
http://1.usa.gov/1IsKbae

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