Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 18, 2015

6

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 18, 2015 

CONSERVE TIME AND WATER WHILE GROWING 

BEAUTIFUL AND PRODUCTIVE GARDENS

HOLDEN HONORS PASADENA 
HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR AT 
CAPITOL CEREMONY

Sacramento – In a moving ceremony today at the State Capitol, 
Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) honored Holocaust 
survivor Ike Langholz of Pasadena whose nightmarish journey 
through the Nazi occupation of Poland was recounted on the 
Assembly floor as part of Holocaust Remembrance Week. 

“I am honored to be able to share Ike Langholz’ story of survival 
in the face of incredible pain and suffering at the hands of the 
Nazis,” said Assemblymember Holden. “Ike lived through extreme 
persecution and horrific experiences during this agonizing dark 
history. The number of survivors is dwindling, so we are here today 
to raise awareness of these dark events and honor Ike for his courage 
and his willingness to tell his story.”

Ike’s story begins as 8-yer-old along the Poland/Ukraine border. 
Following the Nazi conquest of Poland in 1939, any sense of normalcy 
became impossible. Jews were beaten and forced to work in labor 
camps or killed simply because they were Jews. Three of Ike’s six 
brothers and sisters, as well as his mother, grandmother, and other 
family members were killed by the Nazi SS. Ike and his brother Sam 
ran away from the labor camp where they had been forced to work 
as slave labor and hid in the woods, surviving on potatoes and sugar 
beets and their own skills. 

With the liberation of the camps by Russian troops in the waning 
days of World War II, Ike and his brother, two sisters and their father 
made their way to a displaced persons camp in Germany. There he 
learned a trade as an electrician and said he “learned to be human 
again”. 

Ike and his brother arrived in Pasadena in 1951 and soon got jobs 
and later owned a small retail business. He married Faye Chason 
and they have four children and six grandchildren. 

The now 88-year-old survivor looks back on those years and says it is 
important to remember:

“For decades I was silent, but I and other survivors have an 
important story to tell so that no child will have to deal with the 
hatred andviolence that my family experienced.”


By Melinda Myers

Reduce your workload, increase productivity and be water wise, 
whether you are planning, planting or already harvesting produce or 
enjoying beautiful floral displays from your garden.

 Container gardeners may want to invest in self-watering pots. These 
containers have built-in reservoirs to reduce watering frequency. 
Commercial and homemade self-watering devices can also reduce 
watering frequency. Just make sure to test their effectiveness before 
leaving town. Or consider a one-time investment in a drip irrigation 
system, like the 2014 Green Thumb Award-winning Snip-n-Drip Pot 
and Planter Soaker System especially designed for container gardens.

Drip irrigation and soaker hoses are also a great way to water in-ground 
plantings. These irrigation systems apply the water directly to the soil 
which reduces water lost to overspray, evaporation and runoff. They 
also reduce the risk and spread of disease by preventing water from 
settling on the leaves of the plants.

 Opt for a micro irrigation system if your water has a high mineral 
content. These minerals can build up and clog soaker hoses. Micro 
irrigation systems experience fewer problems and the nozzles can 
be cleaned to prevent clogs. Because the nozzles can be clipped onto 
stakes, tomato towers or other supports, this system makes it easy to 
deliver water right to the plants.

 Raised bed gardens will also benefit from irrigation systems. Elevated 
gardens often dry out more quickly than their in-ground counterparts 
and need more frequent watering. Some, like the Raised Bed Snip-n-
Drip soaker system (gardeners.com), are easy to assemble and allow 
you to water when needed. Further save time by using preformed 
corners with built-in spigots when constructing raised beds. Simply 
slide the boards into the metal corner pieces to create the raised bed. 
Some corner systems, like Aquacorner, have built-in spigots to make 
irrigation even simpler.

 Correctly installed irrigation systems can help conserve water by 
ensuring you water properly and only when needed. Plus, using a timer 
and an irrigation system allows you to apply water at the best time for 
the plants. Just set the timer for early in the morning - when less water 
is lost to evaporation - and the plants will be watered even if you are not 
home. 

 Always water thoroughly and only as needed to encourage plants to 
develop deep root systems that are more drought-tolerant. Be sure to 
avoid high nitrogen, fast release fertilizers that promote lush succulent 
growth which needs more frequent watering.

 Further conserve water and time spent watering by grouping 
moisture-loving plants together. You can provide needed water more 
efficiently and avoid overwatering nearby drought-tolerant plants.

And remember to mulch your garden. A thin layer of shredded leaves, 
evergreen needles or other organic matter helps conserve moisture and 
reduces erosion. As the mulch breaks down, it helps improve the soil, 
while decreasing its’ water needs.

 So make this the year you take a break from watering, while 
continuing to enjoy beautiful and productive gardens.

 Gardening expert, TV/radio host, author & columnist Melinda 
Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written 
over 20 gardening books, including Can’t Miss Small Space Gardening 
and the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook. She hosts The Great Courses 
“How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the nationally syndicated 
Melinda’s Garden Moment segments. Myers is also a columnist and 
contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Myers’ web site, 
www.melindamyers.com, offers gardening videos and tips.

EARTH DAY EVENTS IN 

SENATE DISTRICT 25 

Dear Friends, 


Did you know that roughly 22 million Americans took part in restoration 
and clean-up activities on the inaugural Earth Day in 1970? Last year, 
an estimated over one billion people celebrated Earth Day worldwide. 
To help celebrate Earth Day, the National Park Service has announced 
National Park Week - offering free entry to all 407 national parks on 
the opening weekend of April 18 and 19 and hosting clean-up activities 
on April 22. California State Parks also offer you the opportunity to 
get your hands dirty and help restore the environment. Register here. 
Here is a list of Earth Day activities in the 25th Senate District. 

Claremont - Earth Day 2015 Saturday, April 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 
3:00 p.m. along 2nd Street in Claremont (Map) 

 Glendale - Earth Day at 134, Saturday, May 2, from 10:00 a.m. 
to 2:00 p.m. at the Louise Street Bridge, located between Monterey 
Place and Monterey Road - over the 134 Freeway (Map) 

 Glendora - 2015 Earth Day Festival, Saturday, April 18 from 8:30 
a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Glendora City Hall, Public Library and Plaza 
(Map) 

 La Canada Flintridge - Descanso Gardens Earth Day Wildflowers 
and Wildlife 2015, Sunday, April 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 
(Map) 

 Pasadena - City of Pasadena Earth Month. In celebration of green 
living, Earth Day, and Water Awareness Month, Pasadena Water 
and Power (PWP) will encourage sustainable living practices during 
the months of April and May with support of numerous events and 
workshops. 

 Participating in Earth Day clean-up and restoration projects is 
another way to help achieve California’s climate goals. It will take all 
of us working together to create a clean and healthy future for our 
state. Please take some time on Earth Day and throughout the year 
to help clean-up our planet. 

ASSEMBLYMEMBER HOLDEN HOSTS 

INTERACTIVE TOWN HALL ON THE STATE BUDGET

La Verne – Want to understand how the California state budget works? 

Assemblymember Chris Holden and the University of La Verne are hosting the “Next 10 Budget Town Hall” in which audience 
members get a say in putting together a budget. This interactive event is free and open to the public: Policy issues will be discussed 
and voted on. 

Next 10 Budget Town Hall

Thursday, May 7, 2015

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Location: University of La Verne Abraham Campus Center

2000 Second Street (at C Street)

“Free parking available in shuttle Lot S, A and Arrow Hwy”.

RSVP – Office of Assemblymember Holden 626.351.1917 or email @ Assemblymember.Holden@assembly.ca.gov

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MTA DIRECTORS TARGET 

SEXUAL HARASSMENT ON METRO


Chief Ronine Anda, Commander Reginald Gautt, Patty Giggans, Executive Director “Peace Over 
Violence,” Mayor Antonovich, Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Sheila Kuehl

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – Mayor Michael 
D. Antonovich joined fellow MTA Directors, 
Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Sheila Kuehl 
to announce an outreach effort to inform the public 
that sexual harassment of passengers on MTA system 
will not be tolerated. 

 “Nearly 22 percent of our customers have 
experienced some form of unwanted sexual attention 
in the past six months while riding our buses and 
trains,” said Mayor Michael D. Antonovich in 
announcing an MTA task force with ‘Peace Over 
Violence’ to inform the public on sexual harassment 
issues. “We are sending a message to violators and 
potential victims that unwanted sexual attention is 
off limits and will not be tolerated.” 

 “Keeping the system safe is our top priority,” he 
added. “If you are the victim of unwanted sexual 
attention or witness unwanted sexual attention 
upon another, you should report it to authorities 
by calling (888) 950-SAFE or through the Transit 
Watch “app” available on “itunes” and at www.
metro.net.”

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