Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 21, 2015

Section B

SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2015

 

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

NEWCOMERS CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF SERVICE


Sierra Madre City Manager Elaine Aguilar and Councilman Gene Goss at the City’s 
Booth at the Wistaria Festival. Both will be on hand at Saturday’s World Water Day in 
Sierra Madre.

CREATIVE ARTS GROUP’S 21st 
ANNUAL ART OF THE GARDEN TOUR 

will take place Sunday, April 19th from 10:30-
4:30 pm. Four outstanding residential gardens in 
the Pasadena area will be on display showcasing 
landscapes as divergent as the homes they adorn. 

 Banks of Roses, parterre gardens, shady 
alees, and park-like lawns greet visitors at four 
exquisite estates on this year’s Art of the Garden 
tour. Step into a world of romantic landscapes, 
formal Italian gardens, and gracious living of a 
bygone era as you stroll through the grounds of 
these historic residences. Breath-taking vistas 
appear unexpectedly and secret gardens surprise 
and delight. Wisteria-covered arbors provide 
shelter for intimate dinners and fire pits allow 
conversations to continue long after the sun sets. 
Gardens have undergone amazing transformations 
as massive mature Olive trees have been removed 
and relocated and earth contoured, re-imagining 
landscapes. Pathways are designed to leisurely 
draw you further into serene settings and charming 
vignettes adorned with classic statues, whimsical 
sculptures and soothing fountains. Prepare to be 
delighted and inspired.

 Artists will be in one of the gardens and will 
have work for sale.

 Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 the day 
of the tour. For more information, call Creative 
Arts Group at (626) 355-8350 or visit us at 108 N. 
Baldwin Ave. in the foothill village of Sierra Madre 
or online at www.creativeartsgroup.org. 

Past Presidents from 5 decades . Top Row: Sandra Kasper, Sharon Townsend, Mary Lou 
Krulisch, Jennie Supawong, Sue McCamy, Shary Devore, Sharon Romero. Front: Chris 
Kucma, Elena Paules, Farryl Weitzman, Carol York.

On March 11th the Newcomers and Friends 
of San Gabriel Valley celebrated their 50th 
anniversary with a Champagne Brunch at Claim 
Jumper restaurant in Monrovia. For 50 years 
the woman’s club has been bringing together 
women from all over SGV for friendship, fun, and 
philanthropy. 

 Over 50 members and past members attended, 
including Lucy Freeman who joined in 1977, and 
Sharon Townsend who traveled the farthest from 
Danville, CA, which is in the San Francisco area. 
Ten past presidents of the club attended and were 
honored by current President Elena Paules (see 
picture). We were entertained by five members 
who spoke on each of the club’s five decades- 
regaling us with the history of the club, top news 
stories, inventions, music, TV, and movies. Before 
email the club kept their members in touch with 
events and activities with a phone tree! Past events 
brought back happy memories (and some laughter) 
for many club members. Membership was mainly 
stay at home Mom’s in the beginning and our 
membership dropped when they had to go to work 
during the recession, Then in 1984 we started with 
31 members and ended the year with 163! Presently 
we have over 130 members, mostly retired women as 
most of our activities are during the day. In between 
decades, raffle tickets were drawn with members 
winning great prizes donated by Albertson’s, the 
LA Arboretum, Armstrong Nursery, Bea’s Knees 
store, Claim Jumper, Cupcake Cuties, Havin’ A 
Ball Dance Studio in Arcadia, Home Street Bank 
(Smitty’s Restaurant), Landmark Trust Escrow 
Co.(Nordstrom certificate), Pasadena Playhouse, 
Santa Anita Mall, The Soup Kitchen in Pasadena, 
and the Rose Parade. Our thanks to these 
businesses for their generous gifts. The beautiful 
orchid centerpieces were also raffled off. 

 Club activities have changed over the years. In 
1975 some of the activities were bingo, bowling, 
tennis, crafts, exercise, card games, a mothers 
of young children group, and golf- which is our 
longest running activity and members continue 
to golf weekly. Today we have a monthly coffee 
meeting for all members, with 30 to 50 members 
attending. A monthly email newsletter is sent 
detailing club events and activities including a 
book club, bridge, crafts, games, garden gals, golf, 
lunch bunch, maj jong, movie goers, pinochle, 
scrabble, a wine tasting club, tours, and travel. 
Most events take place monthly. A Ladies on the 
Go group (which aptly describes all of us!) plans 
monthly outings chosen by members. There are 5 or 
6 luncheons held by the club yearly with programs 
for the entertainment or enlightenment of our 
members. Six tours are scheduled yearly and last 
year included Mount Wilson Observatory, Graber 
Olive House in Ontario, San Antonio Winery, 
Porto’s Bakery in Glendale, and the Nixon Library, 
with a tour of Norton Simon Museum coming in 
April. Members can attend as little or as much as 
they choose and there’s something for everyone! 
Membership dues are $25 yearly- not much of an 
increase from 1975’s $7 fee considering how much 
the cost of living has increased in the past 50 years. 
New members are always welcome! 

 

 For more information about SGV Newcomers 
and Friends visit us online at www.sgvnewcomers.
com or contact us at sgvnewcomers@yahoo.com.

AN ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD OF FURNISHINGS 
HELD HOSTAGE – MOVING SCAMS

By LaQuetta Shamblee

Amidst the positive customer reviews posted at 
www.MovingAPT.com is the unstated reality of 
a horrendous injustice that reeks of very sinister, 
and perhaps fraudulent business practices. It 
seems the company’s “flat rate residential moving 
quotes” noted on the website did not apply to the 
written estimate of $1,670 to move the itemized 
list of contents of a one bedroom apartment from 
Houston, TX to Monrovia, CA for Annekah 
Hall-Solomon.

 After speaking with “Rose” and making an initial 
deposit of $629.18 on February 16th , the move date 
was scheduled. A 12foot Penske truck arrived at the 
gated Stone Canon luxury apartment complex in 
the Steeple Crest suburb on February 22nd shortly 
after 9am. The driver introduced himself as Ron, 
handed Annekah a clipboard, pointed to the line on 
a form that she needed to sign, and indicating this 
was needed before they could enter her apartment 
to begin the move. She signed and handed him a 
total of $595.40 (BofA money order for $520.49 and 
$75 in cash). Annekah was expecting to pay the 
balance of approximately $400 upon receipt of her 
belongings in Monrovia. 

 The previous evening, she had packed all of her 
clothes and personal papers into her car. She was 
eager to get on the road, heading west to stay ahead 
of the winter weather system that was scheduled to 
move into the region midday. Almost five hours 
later, everything else she owned was inside the 
truck, including a 50” flat screen purchased only 
two months ago. A storm of deceit rained down 
when she heard Ron say, “I’ll need $1,100 in cash.” 

 Annekah refused and told him that she was 
not paying more than the written estimate fro 
MovingAPT. She showed him the screen shot of the 
written estimate. He continued, “You can pay me 
now, or I’ll make sure you have to pay more later.” 
He ripped a yellow carbon sheet from the clipboard 
and handed it to her, saying, “See, you agreed to 
this estimate of $1,907.66.” She realized she’d been 
duped earlier and and asked to see the original top 
sheet of the carbon, but he refused. She told him, 
“Then take all of my things off of the truck” – he 
refused and drove off. Fortunately, she followed 
him and took a photo of the back of the truck and 
license plate. 

 She has the carbon of an “Interstate Bill of Lading 
Contract,”, with the company info of The Quality 
Moving Services, LLC on 9000 Westpark Dr. in 
Houston, TX. (After checking, we learned this is 
the address for Mini City Self Storage. Their phone 
number is not the same as the one on the carbon; it 
appears to be Ron’s cell,.)

 During the confusion, she made repeated 
attempts to call and text the MovingAPT office, 
with no response. Ron finally contacted Annekah 
to inform her she can come (back to Texas) to pick 
up her things, yet refused to provide an address 
where her belongings are stored. “When you arrive, 
call and we’ll arrange to meet you at a local Home 
Depot,” was his reply. 

 There was no one answer or response to any of 
the calls she made along her 1,582 mile road trip 
to get home. The response from MovingAPT has 
ranged from, “We’ll handle it,” to “You’ll have to 
pay him (Ron) to get your things delivered.” Their 
most recent option, they have offered to refund the 
deposit, minus a $299 administrative service fee. 
They indicated they will speak with Ron to see how 
much he will give back of the money he received. 
On Friday, March 13th, I called MovingAPT to get 
their side of the story and spoke with Wilson Rivera 
who identified himself as the manager. He stated 
they can’t give out any information, but would be 
happy to give me contact information for their 
attorney. After I provided my contact information, 
he told me, “You don’t intimidate me, my father 
is an attorney.” He proceeded to mention that he 
has some type of affiliation in Huntington Beach, 
CA. Still, he never provided me any information to 
contact their attorney. 

 Annekah’s experience is in sharp contrast to what 
is stated at on their website at www.MovingAPT.
com. As of the publication of this issue, Annekah 
is out of more than $1,200 and an apartment full of 
furnishings. Stay tuned!

 “Moving APT’s database only consists of carriers 
accredited with the AMSA, DOT and we will make 
sure your carrier is licensed, insured, and bonded.

 Flat rate residential moving quotes submitted for 
your approval

 Safeguarding your possessions is our service 
promise.”