Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, March 4, 2017

SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 2017

SECTION B

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

PUBLIC IS INVITED TO MONROVIA HOME ENERGY 
TOURS SHOWING HOW HOMES CAN BECOME 
ENERGY EFFICIENT USING STATEWIDE REBATES

SIERRA MADRE MAYOR PRO TEM RACHELLE 
ARIZMENDI AMONG HONORED WOMEN

 
In Celebration of Women’s 
History Month in March 2017, 
Assemblymember Chris Holden 
recognized the 41st Assembly 
District’s Woman of the Year, 
Women of Distinction Honorees 
and Nominees at his Annual 
Open House. The women were 
honored for their service and 
work that has a made a positive 
impact in their community.

 With fifty nominations 
throughout the district, Flintridge 
Center President, Jaylene Moseley 
from Pasadena was named the 
2017 Woman of the Year for the 
41st District.

 “Jaylene Moseley has been a 
force of impact for Northwest 
Pasadena and West Altadena 
for more than 30 years through 
her leadership of the Flintridge 
Center,” said Assemblymember 
Chris Holden. “Jaylene is a friend, 
a leader and an inspiration to all. She is a woman who 
exemplifies a life of purpose, fulfillment and joy.”

 Women of Distinction from throughout the district 
include Jacqueline Collier (Altadena), Elizabeth Bingham 
(Claremont), Dr. Beatriz Gonzalez (La Verne), Gayle 
Montgomery (Monrovia), Christy McKinzie (Rancho 
Cucamonga), Margie Green (San Dimas), Rachelle 
Arizmendi (Sierra Madre), Carol Calandra (South Pasadena), 
and Alcuyn Pitts (Upland).

 “The 2017 Women of Distinction are passionate leaders 
that improve the lives for thousands of individuals and 
families in 41st Assembly District and beyond,” said Holden. 
“They demonstrate exceptional leadership that all of us 
should aspire to.”

 Biographies for the 2017 Woman of the Year and Women 
of Distinction:

 Jaylene Moseley, Pasadena – Under the leadership of 
Jaylene Moseley, Flintridge Center continues to be a catalyst 
for community empowerment, with a focus on reintegration. 
Nearly two-thirds of all state prisoners re-offend. Working 
with a network of service providers and public agencies, 
Flintridge Center’s reintegration services provide a pathway 
to employment and a new life – proving that the cycle is not 
inevitable. The identity statement of the Flintridge Center, 
“Relentless Commitment, Transformed Lives,” is the core 
spirit of Jaylene Moseley as she has dedicated her life’s work to 
break the cycle of violence and create opportunities for every 
Pasadena and Altadena resident to become a productive, 
fulfilled, self-sufficient member of the community.

 Jacqueline Collier, Altadena – Through her volunteer 
work at the Walter Hoving Home, Jacqueline Collier has 
helped women in recovery, engaging them in spiritual 
counseling, communication and creativity to help them 
realize their full potential. She also feeds the homeless each 
month and provides them with clothing and toiletries. In 
addition, she volunteers with the Salvation Army, senior 
centers and various other ministries.

 Elizabeth Bingham, Claremont – Pastor Elizabeth 
Bingham has served as Pastor for the Pilgrim Congregational 
Church since 1993. Her outstanding attribute is caring for 
others and supporting human rights within the community. 
The church hosts a celebration for Dr. Martin Luther King, 
Jr. each year. She is past president of the Pomona Rotary Club 
and Fairplex Child Development Center Board.

 Dr. Beatriz Gonzalez, La Verne – Dr. Beatriz Gonzalez 
has made a significant impact at the University of La Verne. As 
Vice Provost & Chief Diversity Officer, she works with faculty, 
staff and students to ensure their success and build diversity 
on campus. She has been a strong supporter of student led 
initiatives, including the first Center for Multicultural 
Studies. Dr. Gonzalez is a fellow of the American Council on 
Education. She is viewed as a mentor and the driving force 
behind the many achievements of the university.

 Gayle Montgomery, Monrovia – Gayle Montgomery has 
raised funds for various community organizations, including 
the Southwest Museum, LA Philharmonic, Women’s Heart 
Health and the LA Homewalk. In addition, she is the 
community liaison for a Cub Scout Pack. One of her most 
important achievements is the creation of Operation Save a 
Vet and Walk a Mile, which gave over 600 people on skid row 
clothes, tarps and rain gear.

 Christy McKinzie, Rancho Cucamonga – Christy 
McKinzie is the founder and executive of Ladies of IE for 
Strong Communities, which was founded after Isaiah 
Shelton was and hit and killed while walking to school. 
After the organization successfully established two crossing 
guard positions that improved public safety, she worked with 
Upland’s Community Restoration team and the Upland 
Police Department to provide services and housing to 
uplands homeless population.

 Margie Green, San Dimas – Margie Green has been 
a devoted community member dedicating herself to 
volunteering and helping others in San Dimas. During 
Margie’s 30 plus years as a San Dimas Chamber of Commerce 
member, she served on the board for 10 years, and chaired 
various community activities. As a life member of the San 
Dimas Historical Society and board member, she helped 
design and assemble its museum and volunteers as a docent. 
She has also been very involved in the San Dimas Festival of 
Arts.

 Rachelle Arizmendi, Sierra Madre – Rachelle Arizmendi 
was elected to the Sierra Madre City Council in 2014. In April 
2016, she was selected to serve as Mayor Pro Tem. She has 
worked to enhance and improve the quality of life in Sierra 
Madre and surrounding communities by becoming involved 
in issues of regional significance. She also serves as CEO 
of Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment that serves 
over 40,000 people each year in the areas of job training, 
employment, early childhood education, financial education 
and asset building.

 Carol Calandra, South Pasadena – Carol Calandra has 
provided exceptional service to veterans who often have a 
difficult time transitioning into civilian life after their military 
service. She is devoted to this clientele and has provided 
stability and compassion to this vulnerable population. She 
also teaches in the Rehabilitation and Counseling Program at 
California State University of Los Angeles to educate others 
who want to work with the veteran population.

 Alcuyn Pitts, Upland – Alcuyn Pitts is an army veteran 
who has provided valuable service to active duty troops 
through the United Service Organization (USO). Many 
troops go through the Ontario USO when heading out to 
training at 29 Palms, Fort Irwin or going home. She actively 
supports the annual Labor United Against Cancer Run/
Walk to raise money for cancer research.

March 12 and March 26 Events Showcase Upgrades that 
Improve Home Comfort, Efficiency, Resale Value

 The Energy Network will present Home Energy Tours: 
Home Upgrade in Monrovia to help homeowners learn 
about available statewide rebates for home energy upgrades 
and see first-hand how Monrovia homes can become 
energy efficient. 

 On March 12 and March 26 from 12 p.m. to 3 
p.m., community members can walk through 
two different Monrovia homes that were recently 
upgraded using statewide rebates and incentives 
through the Energy Upgrade California® Home 
Upgrade program. 

 The homeowners, Mary Ann and Corey Lutz and John 
and Katie Watson, will be on hand to answer questions 
about the upgrade process and their before-and-after 
experiences. Although each home had different needs, 
Home Upgrade offered them rebates for qualifying energy 
upgrades including insulation, water heater, air conditioner, 
windows and others improvements.

 The Home Energy Tours will include refreshments and 
a chance to meet other green leaders and homeowners 
in the city. Visitors can learn about rebate programs and 
financing options to make upgrading easier. To RSVP for 
the tours and learn the home addresses, visitors should go 
to http://tenres.com/Monrovia.

 The events are sponsored by The Energy Network. The 
Energy Network is administered by Los Angeles County 
and funded by California utility ratepayers under the 
auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. 
For more information about The Energy Network events, 
contact The Energy Network at (877) 785-2237 or email 
homeupgrade@theenergynetwork.com. 

About the Homeowners

March 12: Mary Ann and Corey Lutz

 A few years ago former Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann 
and her husband Corey had a thorough energy assessment 
done on their 2-story home built in 1978. Their goal was to 
install solar panels but make the house as energy efficient 
as possible first. This way they could purchase a smaller, 
less costly solar system because the house would need 
less energy, and they could enjoy the added comfort and 
savings of their energy improvements.

 Their earlier energy upgrades included better attic 
insulation and sealing, double pane windows, a cool roof 
and a tankless water heater. Later they had a new high 
efficiency zoned AC and heating system installed along 
with new insulated and sealed ductwork.

 Since their upgrades, the Lutzes noticed a huge 
improvement in the comfort of their home. “Before, it was 
expensive to run the AC enough to make it comfortable, 
so we opened up windows for some relief when it was over 
100 degrees outside but that didn’t really work,” Mary Ann 
says. 

 “Now we have a system on each floor and can control 
the temperature much better from wherever we are in the 
house,” she remarks. “Our comfort has improved without 
increasing our energy bills and the new AC and heating 
equipment is much quieter. We feel like we now have a 
better house all the way around.”

 And what about the state-sponsored Home Upgrade 
rebates? “The rebates were great,” she exclaims. “They offset 
almost half of what we paid for all the energy upgrades.”

March 26: John and Katie Watson

 John and Katie Watson learned about the statewide 
home energy rebates through their participation in 
the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group, which had 
sponsored a workshop on home energy savings. They 
discovered that they could install energy upgrades in their 
2-story 1928 home without losing its City designation as 
Monrovia Historic Landmark No. 128. 

 Before their upgrade, the Watsons had minimal air 
conditioning downstairs, no heat or AC upstairs, drafts 
circulating constantly and unusually heavy amounts of 
dust. After a thorough energy assessment, they decided to 
install not only new high-efficiency zoned AC and furnace 
systems, but new insulated ductwork, attic insulation and a 
tankless water heater.

 “Since our upgrades, the house heats up or cools down 
very quickly exactly where we want it and it stays that way,” 
exclaims Katie Watson. “The heat from the attic (which is 
part of the second story) doesn’t leak in and the comfort 
level is consistent. The draftiness is gone and so is the heavy 
dust.” Shorter HVAC run times, reduced energy bills and 
less water usage waiting for water to heat up are additional 
benefits, according to Katie.


STORYTELLER MICHAEL D. MCCARTY 

And a VERY SPECIAL Black History Month Celebration


By Joan Schmidt 

 There are times when I REALLY love what I do-especially 
on a recent Thursday. Storyteller Michael D. Mc Carty 
provided an awesome learning experience for Maxwell 
students at Pamela Park

 Who is Michael D. McCarty? Michael is an enthusiastic, 
energetic storyteller with a loud commanding voice. Born 
and raised in Chicago, Michael has traveled worldwide-
thirty countries. From these travels, Michael has become 
a multicultural storyteller; African and African-American 
Folktales, International Folktales, Historic tales, Stories of 
Science, Spiritual stories, as well as “stories of the brilliant and 
absolutely stupid things he has done in his life”. His energetic 
and enthusiastic storytelling style educates, inspires and 
amuses children and adults. Michael, director of GRIOT 
Workshop, a storytelling collective in Los Angeles, is on the 
Board of Directors of the National Storytelling Network, and 
loves his job.

 While we waited for Maxwell students to arrive, Michael 
set many books and bookmarks on a nearby table.

 After the children arrived and were seated, Michael 
explained there would be times to yell out answers; other 
times, hands would be raised and children called on. If 
their answer was correct, they could choose a book and 
bookmark. His program would include three selections:

 The first was an African folktale from the Asanti about 
Anasi, a small spider who uses his intelligence and trickiness 
to triumph over larger creatures. Michael explained the 
stories originate in West Africa-Ghana and Liberia; also 
Jamaica and St. Thomas which teaches a little geography!

 The second story was “The Boy Who Harnessed the 
Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope” (This is 
a MUST read for ALL AGES. Even former Vice President 
Al Gore marveled at it.) The 14 year old boy, William 
Kamkwamba, is from Malawi in South Africa where there 
is poverty and famine. William went through trash to find 
materials to build a windmill to power his home. It is truly a 
remarkable, inspiring story.

 The third presentation was Haitian Folklore and features 
Ti Malice, a trickster character who is the nemesis of Uncle 
Bouki. Ti Malice is smart and guileful; Uncle Bouki is 
hardworking, but very greedy.

 Thank you to LA County Library System, Live Oak 
Library Youth/Teen Librarian Suzanne Biazzo, and Pamela 
Park Program Director Sam Estrada-anyone who made this 
awesome experience happen. Not only the children, but 
attending adults and I had a fun learning experience!

 Please go on line for Michael D, Mc Carty. There are 
actually videos and you can see how talented this gifted 
man is.

SUPERVISORS APPROVE BARGER MOTION SUPPORTING 
STATE LEGISLATION ADDRESSING DRUGGED-DRIVING

Bill by Assemblyman Tom Lackey Passes Assembly Committee on Public Safety

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – A motion by Supervisor 
Kathryn Barger, co-authored by Supervisor Mark 
Ridley-Thomas, unanimously approved by the Board 
of Supervisors, announces the County’s support 
for proposed legislation that will address the issue 
of driving under the influence of drugs, including 
marijuana. 

 The bill authored by Assemblyman Tom Lackey 
(R-Palmdale) requires the California Highway Patrol 
Commissioner to convene a drugged-driving task force 
which will develop recommendations to address the issue 
of driving under the influence of marijuana and other 
drugs -- including prescription medications.

 With a report to on its policy recommendations and 
the steps state agencies are taking, the bill would also 
examine the use of technology to identify drivers under 
the influence of drugs and authorize the task force to 
conduct pilot programs using those technologies.

 Colorado and Washington both legalized marijuana, 
and have passed laws addressing the impact of drugged-
driving on public safety. Colorado’s House Bill 1325 
calls for DUI prosecution if a driver’s blood contains 5 
nanograms or more of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol 
per milliliter in whole blood at the time of operating 
a motorized vehicle. The State of Washington passed a 
similar law in 2012 which was outlined in Section V of 
initiative 502 (i-502).

 “With the passage of Proposition 64 in the State of 
California, it is imperative that we address the need 
for a driving under the influence law specific to the 
use of drugs,” said Barger. “I applaud Assemblyman 
Lackey’s effort to protect the public from dangerous 
drugged-drivers.” 

 In addition to the Board of Supervisors, the 
legislation has received support from the Los Angeles 
County Sheriff’s Department, California Police Chief’s 
Association, California League of Cities, and the 
Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility.

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