Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, December 15, 2018

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2018

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY


GOLD LINE UPDATE

HISTORY MAKING AND A LITTLE 
MAGIC IN DUARTE By Joan Schmidt

On Thursday, the Metro board of directors 
unanimously supported the motion by Supervisors 
Hilda Solis and Kathryn Barger, LA Mayor Eric 
Garcetti and Directors John Fasana and Ara 
Najarian to reaffirm the agency’s commitment to 
funding and completing the Foothill Gold Line 
from Glendora to Montclair as a first priority 
project and to identify funding sources and 
approaches to fill the funding gap identified by the 
Construction Authority through the currently on-
going procurement. 

 We thank Supervisor Solis and the other 
Metro Directors for their continued support 
of the project, and also thank the many key 
stakeholders who attended the Metro meeting 
and/or sent in letters of support. In attendance, 
for what turned out to be a seven-hour meeting, 
were Foothill Gold Line Board Chairman Doug 
Tessitor (photo below); Foothill Gold Line Board 
Vice Chairman and City of Claremont Council 
member Sam Pedroza; Pomona Mayor Tim 
Sandoval (photo below) and Council member 
Victor Preciado; Claremont Council members 
and Council members-Elect Larry Schroeder, 
Jennifer Stark, Jed Leano and Ed Reece; Montclair 
Mayor Ginger Eaton; as well as representatives 
from State Senator Anthony Portantino and 
Assembly member Freddy Rodriguez, the Los 
Angeles County Fairplex, Cal Poly Pomona, 
the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, 
Pomona College and Citrus College.

 In case you missed it, below is an article that 
ran over the weekend in the Inland Valley Daily 
Bulletin announcing tonight’s scoping meeting, 
which kicks off the environmental review process 
for the proposed phasing of construction for the 
Glendora to Montclair project. The Construction 
Authority is preparing a Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Report to analyze the 
impacts of all possible phasing options, allowing 
the agency flexibility to build as far east as possible 
depending on the amount of funding that can be 
secured. The SEIR will also review the possible 
relocation of the Pomona station parking facility 
from the north side of the station to the south side. 
For those interested in attending, the meeting 
takes place from 5:30-7:30 PM tonight at the La 
Verne Community Center.

The Journey Continues,

At the December 11 Duarte City Council Meeting, 
history was made and magic was in the air. The 
meeting began with the Flag Salute by a precious 
group of children, Sam Kang’s two children, Tzeitel 
Paras-Carraci’s son Jack and some of Margaret Finlay’s 
grandchildren. Outgoing Mayor John Fasana did the 
Moment of Reflection; he spoke of the many good 
things in Duarte during the past year.

 History was made as Duarte now has SEVEN 
voting districts and SEVEN members on their City 
Council. The first Oaths of Office were administered 
to Margaret Finlay and Sam Kang by retired Fifth 
District Supervisor Mike Antonovich, a good friend 
of Margaret’s since she began her twenty-five+ years, 
on the City Council. The second swearing in of Tzeitel 
Paras Caracci, Brian Urias and Jocelyn Nunez was 
administered by First District Supervisor Hilda Solis; 
Brian and Tzietel have been good friends of Hilda’s 
for several years. Hilda has a special connection to 
Duarte. Several ago, when Francisco Martinez Flores 
died in Iraq, she attended his funeral and sat next to 
Bob and me.

 There was magic in the air because Mrs. Finlay said 
FOUR GENERATIONS of her family and FOUR 
GENERATIONS of Mrs. Paras-Caracci’s family were 
in attendance at this swearing-in. For Margaret, it was 
her parents, Ed and Helen Ferguson, her husband 
Brad, their two sons, James and Ian with their lovely 
wives, and 6 (of her 15) grandkids. Margaret LOVES 
Duarte; her folks still live there as does a couple of her 
children, and James works at City of Hope. (All are 
Duarte HS graduates.) For Tzeitel, her grandparents 
and uncle drove from San Diego, her parents Lino and 
Russell (Her next door neighbors) her husband, and 
of course, their son Jack!

 So many other wonderful old friends attended: Jim 
and Kathy Kirchner, Reyna Diaz and newly-elected 
School Board Member, Ceci Escarega Carroll, Perla 
Trumkul and Hector Elizalde from Congresswoman 
Grace Napolitano’s office, Kristy Lopez from Senator 
Portantino’s office, Debby Mendelsohn from 
Supervisor Barger’s office, Mike Eng, Dr. William 
Wallace, Principal of CA School of the Arts, Alfonso 
Somilleda, Joanna Gee, Duarte Library, Judy Blake, 
Tina Heany and more!

 The new Mayor is Tzeitel Paras-Carraci, and the 
new Mayor Pro tem is Sam Kang. 

 What was so great was the Meeting began a little 
late-maybe 7:10. So there was time to visit friends 
prior to the Meeting. The Swearing-in took place 
and vote for Mayor and Mayor Pro-tem. Then there 
was a 30 minute recess and reception which included 
delicious Mexican food and a cake. It truly was a 
wonderful evening with magic in the air.


ART SALE TO AID WOOLSEY FIRE RECOVERY

MONROVIA, CA, December 9, 2018

More than a dozen local artists have donated 
paintings for an art sale to benefit people affected 
by the Woolsey fire. The sale will be held on Sunday, 
December 16 from 1 pm to 5 pm at the Jewish 
Federation of the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys, 
114 W. Lime Avenue in Monrovia. 

Landscape paintings featuring views of the San 
Gabriel Valley and great Los Angeles area will be 
featured along with other subjects. The artists 
will include Jill Ackles, Amanda Alten, Joseph 
Campbell, Gina Frierman-Hunt, Hector Gallego, 
Harold Hart-Nibbrig, Jeri Mitchell, Amy Nettleton, 
Jeannine Savedra, Karen Seabrook, Robert Sherrill, 
Lynne Sims, George Sonneborn, Lisa Yuratich and 
others. Paintings in oil, watercolor and other media 
will be included. 

Proceeds will be donated to the Southern California 
Disaster Relief Fund created by the United Way of 
Greater Los Angeles and the United Way of Ventura 
County. The fund will provide longer-term support 
to help low-income individuals and families rebuild 
their lives. A portion of the Fund also supports 
American Red Cross immediate response efforts. 
The event is sponsored by the Jewish Federation of 
the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys.

“As a group of landscape painters, we appreciate 
both the beauty and the danger of the natural 
environment in California,” said artist and sale 
organizer Gina Frierman-Hunt. “I can’t think of 
a better purpose to paint than to help the people 
facing a long recovery from the Woolsey fire. “

For information, contact Gina Frierman-Hunt 
ginafhunt@gmail.com or 626-233-9320. 


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