Mountain Views News          Saturday, October 10, 2015

5

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 10, 2015 

REP. NAPOLITANO ON GUN VIOLENCE 
PREVENTION: “IF NOT NOW, WHEN?”

“What’s Going On?” 

News and Views from Joan Schmidt


So much has 
happened in our 
three cities and 
surrounding county 
areas; I don’t know 
where to begin.

 In Arcadia, 
the Planning 
Commission 
stepped up to bat by 
refusing to approve 
a 2500-square-foot 
replacement for a 
624-square-foot cottage, to the relief of neighboring 
residents!

 Last week the Arcadia Chamber Monthly 
Government Forum Meeting had guest speaker, 
April Velato. This local attorney, President of the 
Downtown Arcadia Improvement Association 
spoke of their vision for a great “Downtown 
Arcadia”. First is the plan for “Arcadia Fusion” on 
Saturday night-a blend of American and Asian 
vendors- beginning November 7.

 The BIG 
BOMBSHELL 
in Arcadia was 
at the October 6 
Council Meeting. 
Mayor Kovacic 
read a letter of 
resignation from 
Council Member 
John Wuo due 
to “personal and 
health reasons.” 
Council Member 
Tom Beck and 
Mayor Gary 
Kovacic wanted to 
nominate former 
Mayor Mickey 
Segal to finish 
Wuo’s term-six 
months remaining term. But Roger Chandler and 
Sho Tay wanted to pursue other candidates. There 
will be formal nominations at the next meeting.

 The meeting saw settlement of a lawsuit against 
the City by the “Save the Arcadia Highlands”. 
Nearly 6000 square feet homes will be permitted, 
but only one-story. On October 20, the City will 
vote to re-start zoning code update process in the 
Highlands and include the highlands in a historical 
home survey. 

 Lastly there was a petition to eliminate Utility 
Users Tax on Ballet, April, 2014. This will cut the 
City Budget 7 million, greatly hinder Police and 
Fire Services as well as the Library. (Please visit 
the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce Website info@
ArcadiaCaChamber.org . There is NOT ENOUGH 
SPACE to tell you what a fine job Scott Hettrick 
and Bill Hacket are doing. They report ALL City 
happenings very soon after they occur. )

 In neighboring Monrovia, there was the great 
Domestic Violence Victims Clothing Drive 
Kick-off. (Sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, and 
Representatives Judy Chu and Grace Napolitano) 
Among those attending were former Mayor Mary 
Ann Lutz who also attended ALL the Gold Line 
Ribbon Cuttings-Arcadia, Duarte, Irwindale 
and Azusa besides Monrovia. I wondered where 
the current Mayor was and WHY were there NO 
clothing pickup bins in Monrovia this year? Perhaps 
I will drop the bags off at the Kaiser Permanente in 
Baldwin Park.

 Many local residents are upset with the closure 
of Albertson’s on Huntington Drive in Monrovia 
and Ralph’s in Duarte. However, Council Member 
Tzeitel Paras-Caracci told me that Smart and Final 
is opening in Duarte in the old Ralph’s building on 
Huntington Drive. People were surprised because 
there already is a Smart and Final in Monrovia 
on Huntington 
Drive, but I was 
told the new one 
in Duarte will be 
entirely different. 
(Last night’s news 
reported Smart 
and Final was 
buying Haggens, 
which is a quality 
supermarket.)

 The 
Monrovia-
Arcadia Duarte 
Town Council 
appointed Lucy 
Nicoloro to the 
Council to fill her 
late husband’s 
position. This is 
excellent as Lucy will join Linda Sells representing 
Arcadia. Gloria Huss and Terrence Williams are 
from the Monrovia area, and Dave Hall and Yvonne 
Bullock, Duarte area.

 There is a vacant position available. The Monrovia-
Arcadia-Duarte Council meets only once a month. 
This is an opportunity to see what is available to 
County residents and meet representatives from 
the different agencies and Sheriff’s Department. 
The next meeting is on Wednesday, October 21, at 
7pm at Pamela Park, Duarte. Please come to the 
meeting and find out what’s going on in your area. 
(At the last meeting, representatives from the Gold 
Line came and discussed traffic concerns. Santa Fe 
Middle School is right across from the train.)

Today, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (D-El Monte) 
demanded action to prevent gun violence in 
America, one week after the horrific shooting at 
Umpqua Community College in Oregon.

 “If not now, when? We have been asking that 
for many, many generations. American families 
are crying out, demanding Congress to act. They 
want action, but Congress has not considered any 
bills; they refuse. There is nothing of substance 
being given an opportunity to be shown the 
light of day or to have some transparency on 
this issue. The last meaningful gun violence 
prevention bill was in 1994, the Brady Handgun 
Violence Prevention Act. Now, shootings, as was 
pointed out, are an everyday occurrence and it 
is commonplace. People are becoming numb, 
except for those that are immediately affected. 
They are asking us to move and pass legislation, 
give it the light of day, discuss it, bring it up, start 
some methodology to be able to understand what 
Congress is looking at doing for our American 
people, for our children, for our families. 

 “Collective action is needed, and transparent 
discussion is necessary, but enough of skirting 
this issue. What is more important? Gas and oil, 
or the lives of human beings? We must keep guns 
away from people that should not have them, 
those who may harm themselves or others. H.R. 
1217 mandates universal background checks for 
all gun purchases. It is a step in the right direction 
and would move our country forward, beginning 
the process of addressing this epidemic we are 
facing. 

 “We need real, constructive legislation to 
prevent and lessen violence. We must keep 
guns out of the hands of people that should not 
have access to them, such as domestic abusers 
and people with violent histories, without 
stigmatizing those with mental illness. We need 
to inform, educate, and help young people, 
families, educators, those who are exhibiting 
emotional disturbances, and help them learn 
how to access information and assistance.”;

 Napolitano later voted to bring up H.R. 1217, 
the Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights 
Protection Act. The motion was defeated by a 
vote of 244 to 183. Napolitano is a Vice Chair of 
the House Democratic Gun Violence Prevention 
Task Force and the Chair of the Congressional 
Mental Health Caucus.

 If you or someone you know needs help, call the 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-
TALK (8255).


The Happen BoothPHOTO BOOTH
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CHORAL COMPANY 
PRESENTS “NIGHT, SLEEP, DEATH, AND THE STARS”

On Saturday, October 24, 2015 at 7:30pm, join the 
San Gabriel Valley Choral Company (SGVCC) 
for its fall choral concert, “Night, Sleep, Death, 
and the Stars.” Experience this supernatural 
evening of song in SGVCC’s new artistic home, 
the Romanesque sanctuary of St. Luke’s Episcopal 
Church of Monrovia (122 S. California Ave., 
Monrovia 91016). Featured selections include 
“Erlkönig” by Franz Schubert, “Jabberwocky” 
by Sam Pottle, and “Night, Sleep, Death, and the 
Stars” by Daniel Gawthrop. Don’t miss St. Luke’s 
Reverend Tadken as he guest stars as narrator of 
the riveting piece “Saul” by Egil Hovland. 

A mostly volunteer ensemble with deep roots in 
Monrovia, SGVCC was founded in this charming 
town in 1995. In 2012, consummate conductor and 
soloist Dr. Zanaida Robles (www.zanaidarobles.
com) became SGVCC’s artistic director. A 
Monrovia native, Dr. Robles studied with SGVCC’s 
founder while attending Los Angeles County High 
School for the Arts (LACHSA). Having earned 
her doctorate in choral music at the University 
of Southern California, her prior credits include 
serving as director of LACHSA’s classical choirs, 
teaching at Glendale Community College, and 
preparing elite choirs for performances with such 
greats as Josh Groban and Kristin Chenoweth. 

Tickets at the door are $20 ($15 seniors/students); 
advance tickets are $15 ($10 seniors/students). 
Purchase tickets at http://www.eventbrite.com or 
by check (SGVCC; P.O. Box 2225; Monrovia, CA 
91017). Tax-deductible donations to SGVCC are 
accepted online and by check. SGVCC invites 
concert reviews and interviews with Dr. Robles.

NEW LIGHTS WILL IMPROVE TRAFFIC 

SAFETY IN SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Work began this week on a project that will bring 
new, energy-efficient highway safety lighting to 
three San Gabriel Valley communities. 

 LA County Public Works is replacing the 
existing system of high-pressure sodium lights 
with cooler-burning LED technology at 66 
signalized intersections in the communities 
of Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights and 
unincorporated Whittier. 

 The new lighting is expected to save more than 
190,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, enough 
energy to power 27 average-sized homes for one 
year.

 Highway safety lights are mounted atop traffic 
signals to illuminate intersections and improve 
nighttime visibility for motorists and pedestrians. 
County Public Works currently maintains 
more than 2,800 of these lights at intersections 
throughout numerous unincorporated areas. 

 The improvements are part of a larger $1.2 
million plan that will provide LED upgrades to 
each of these County intersections. This larger 
effort is expected to take two years to complete, 
the cost of which will be recouped with energy 
savings over a five-year period.

 Work is expected to continue through the end 
of October. While the intersections will remain 
open during that time, single traffic lanes may be 
temporarily closed while the lights are installed. 

 

 For more information and status updates 
regarding the improvement plan, click here, 
or follow the Department on Twitter at @
LAPublicWorks.


MEDICARE RESOURCE FAIR AND LECTURE 

OCT. 28 AT PASADENA SENIOR CENTER

A resource fair Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 9 
a.m. to noon at the Pasadena Senior Center, 86 
E. Holly St., will focus on Medicare, the federal 
health insurance program for people 65 and 
older.

 With open enrollment for 2016 approaching 
from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, seniors will receive 
information they need to make informed 
decisions about the medical and prescription 
plans that are best for them.

 Health plan representatives will provide 
information and answer questions about 
Medicare plans and services. Those health plans 
include AARP California, Applied General 
Agency, Blue Shield of California, CareMore 
Health Plan, Health Net, Humana, Inter Valley 
Health Plan, Kaiser Permanente, LA Care Health 
Plan and United Health Care.

 At noon a one-hour lecture on Medicare 
program issues and upcoming changes for 
2016 will be presented by the Health Insurance 
Counseling and Advocacy Program. While 
reservations are not required, free box lunches 
will be provided after the lecture to the first 50 
people who call 626-795-4331 to confirm their 
attendance.

 For more information call (626) 685-6730 or 
visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org. 

 Founded in 1959, the Pasadena Senior Center 
is an independent, nonprofit organization that 
offers recreational, educational, wellness and 
social services to people ages 50 and over in a 
friendly environment. Services are also provided 
for frail, low-income and homebound seniors. 


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