Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, February 15, 2020

MVNews this week:  Page 7

7


Mountain Views-News Saturday, February 15, 2020 

LOCAL CITY ELECTIONS:

SUPPORTING THE INCUMBENTS IS THE 
BEST CHOICE

Opinion By Joan Schmidt

 As a resident of an unincorporated area, I cannot vote in 
city elections. However, the cities of Arcadia and Monrovia are 
within a mile of our home; my daughters graduated 
from Monrovia High School. I spend time in both cities and 
have become acquainted with their City Council Members.

 Currently Monrovia Mayor Tom Adams and Council 
Members Becky Shevlin and Gloria Crudginton are running 
again for office. These three are a Republican, Democrat and 
Independent who put politics aside as they work well together 
for the betterment of their City. 

Adams has been in office since 1994. At the recent State of 
the City, he stated that, “In less than a year, all curbs, gutters, 
sidewalks, water mains, sewer lines and roads will be up to at 
least the 70% mark.” Adams also noted that the City is working 
with the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments to capture 
county, state, and federal funding to create more affordable 
housing.

Before Gloria Crudginton, a forty year resident of Monrovia, was 
elected to office in 2015, she ran Measures A and B Campaigns 
that saved the Foothills from housing development. Since 
1997, she has been on the Monrovia Historic Group Board of 
Directors. For twelve years, she has been a Community Services 
Commissioner. Gloria originally ran for office because “our 
infrastructure (Roads, sidewalks, water main and sewers were 
falling apart”. She did not like Arcadia style Mc Mansions going 
up and historic homes being targeted for demolition.

Becky Shevlin has been on the Council for ten years. She 
represents the Council on Clifton’s Adopt a School, Foothill 
Transit Governing Board, Monrovia Association of Fine Arts, 
SGV Mosquito and Vector Control Board of Trustees, Healing 
Connections and Library Board. In addition, she supports 
Friends of the Monrovia Library, Historic Preservation Group, 
Historic Society and Museum, Monrovia Latino Heritage 
League, Monrovia Garden Club, LA County Commission for 
Women, Monrovia Reads, and Monrovia Coordinating Council. 
Like Tom and Gloria, I have seen Becky at all city events such as 
honoring Veterans.

Don’t take my advice. Our wonderful Congresswoman Grace 
Napolitano has endorsed all three. Visit their websites for much 
more info.

In Arcadia, Peter Amundson and April Verlato are running for 
reelection. I have known Peter for 35 years! My late husband and 
I rented in Arcadia before purchasing our current home. Peter’s 
late grandmother, Edith was my next door neighbor. Peter was 
a responsible young man in college, working hard but never too 
busy to come and visit his grandmother and help her with anything 
she needed. I was proud when he first was elected to Arcadia City 
Council and watched over the years as he did everything to keep 
Arcadia Great. He was born and raised in Arcadia, and he and his 
wife chose to raise their family there. He took over his late Dad’s 
trucking business and has kept it quite successful.

April Verlato also was raised in Arcadia. She and her husband also 
chose to raise their two children in Arcadia. April is an attorney, 
took over her dad’s law firm. She is the Architectural Review 
Board Chair for the Highlands Homeowners Association and 
President of the Downtown Improvement Association working 
to revitalize downtown area since 2005.

Please visit Peter Amundson and April Verlato’s websites to learn 
more. 

READ ALL PR0POSITIONS CAREFULLY! Don’t be fooled by 
titles. The NEW proposition 13 has NOTHING to do with our 
real estate taxes! We don’t want any voters’ errors like Props 47 & 
57 and their terrible repercussions!


FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett


FALSE SECURITY: IS YOUR WILL LEGALLY VALID?

A last will and testament can ensure your wishes are respected when you die. But if your 
will isn’t legally valid, those wishes might not actually be carried out, and instead the 
laws of “intestate succession” would apply, meaning that the state decides who gets your 
stuff, and it’s very likely not to be who you would choose.

If you’ve created a will online, we congratulate you for doing SOMETHING, but I 
strongly recommend that you have it reviewed and make sure it does what you want 
and is actually legally valid. I’ve seen it far too many times: someone THINKS they’ve 
created a will, because they did something, but the SOMETHING was the WRONG 
THING, and their family is left to deal with the fallout, confusion and complications that result.

The validity of a will depends on where you live when you die, as last will and testament laws vary from state to state. 
California requires wills to meet the following criteria in order to be legally binding:

 

The Essential Requirements


You must be at least 18 years old or an emancipated minor to create a legally valid will.

You must be of sound mind and capable of understanding your intentions for your estate, who you want to be a 
beneficiary, and your relationship with those people when you create your will. 

You must sign your will or direct someone else to sign it if you are physically incapable of doing so.

here must be at least two witnesses—who are not beneficiaries— present at the signing. 

Handwritten Wills

You may write a holographic will, which means a will that is written completely in your own hand, with no other 
printed material on the page. In that case, there are no witnesses required, and, in fact, having a witness would make the 
will invalid because there must be no other writing other than your hand on the page for a holographic will to be valid.

 

When a Will Isn’t Valid

If your will does not adhere to the legal requirements, the court will declare it invalid. In this case, your estate would 
pass under California’s intestacy laws, which means your assets would go to your closest living relatives, as determined 
by the law. And that may or may not be who you would want to receive your assets.

Is a Will All You Need?

A will is a baseline foundation for any estate plan, but it might not be enough to protect your family. A will does not 
keep your assets out of court, and it does not operate in the event of your incapacity. It also does not ensure your minor 
children will only ever be cared for by whom you choose. And a will alone cannot ensure your loved ones receive your 
assets protected from unnecessary conflict or creditors.

 

The best way to ensure your will is legally valid is by consulting with an experienced estate planning attorney to confirm 
your will follows California’s laws and to evaluate your estate plan to ensure it will protect your wishes and provide for 
your family according to those wishes in the event of your incapacity, or when you die. 

Dedicated to empowering your family, building your wealth and defining your legacy,

A local attorney and father, Marc Garlett is on a mission to help parents protect what 
they love

most. His office is located at 55 Auburn Avenue, Sierra Madre, CA 91024. Schedule 
an

appointment to sit down and talk about ensuring a legacy of love and financial 
security for your family by calling 626.355.4000 or visit www.CaliLaw.com for more information.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com