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Arcadia Christian Science Church Celebrates 100 Years The Christian Science Church in Arcadia, at 620 S. 1st Avenue, is celebrating 100 years of serving the community with several Bible-focused activities during the month of January, 2015. A public open house, featuring “The History of the English Bible” exhibit, as well as music and sing-alongs with singer and musician Joan Enquita, is happening on Saturday, January 10, from 1 to 4 pm. Historical details of the church’s 100 year history in Arcadia will also be on display. Then, come hear a talk on “The Healing Power of the Bible,” given by Christian Science practitioner and teacher Elise Moore on Sunday, January 25, at 2:00 pm in the church edifice. Mrs. Moore is from Nashville, Please see page 5
Moratoria Extended in Monrovia BY SUSAN MOTANDER At its regular meeting on Tuesday, December 16, the Monrovia City Council voted to extend its moratoria (correct plural of moratorium) on demolition and building permits through November of 2015. This extension of the original 45-day moratoria will enable the city to hold forums and other public meetings on revising the building codes for the city. Last month the council enacted a moratorium on demolition permits for houses built before 1940 and a second moratorium Please see page 8
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 - DECEMBER 28, 2014 - VOLUME 19, NO. 51
30 Arrested in Operation Silent Night Probation Sweep BY TERRY MILLER
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Arcadia Council Deals a Blow to Builders BY LYNNE CURRY
remaining locations, law enforcement officers either confirmed that the person on probation was not at home at the time, or that the location was not a valid address for the probationer on record. This operation was driven by the West San Gabriel Valley Anti-Crime Task Force with assistance
In a unanimous vote, the Arcadia City Council backed irate homeowners and dealt a blow to builders in the city seeking to tear down existing houses and replace them with enormous mansions. At a public hearing in its moderately filled chamber, the City Council agreed with the Planning Commission’s decision to uphold the ruling of the Highlands Homeowners’ Association (HOA) and rejected the developer’s appeal. The Highlands HOA’s Architectural Review Board (ARB) had denied design plans for a new nearly 7,000 square-foot twostory single-family residence at 211 Monte Place, a culde-sac off of Canyon Road. ARB had turned down the builder’s plans on grounds that the proposed home was “incompatible in mass and scale to the surrounding buildings in the neighborhood.”
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– File photo by Terry Miller
On Wednesday morning, December 17, 2014, the West San Gabriel Valley Anti-Crime Task Force, with assistance from neighboring local law enforcement partners, conducted Operation Silent Night – a large-scale regional effort aimed at conducting compliance checks on people currently on probation under Realignment (AB 109) guidelines. The “Zero
Tolerance” focus of the enforcement sweep was aimed at apprehending AB 109 absconders with outstanding warrants, and conducting compliance checks in accordance with the terms of a person’s probation conditions. Many of the probationers contacted during the course of the operation were known to have previous court violations to include weapons charges,
assault charges and property crimes. Law enforcement officers made contact with both probationers and their associates at 61 of the 88 locations checked during the operation. Of those persons contacted by police, 30 were arrested for offenses ranging from probation violations, to narcotics possession, to firearms possession. As for the 27
City of Torrance Honors Louis Zamperini with Rose Float Tournament of Roses Honors Zamporini in a Car That Belonged to Joseph Stalin The inspirational life story and recent passing of the City of Torrance’s hometown American hero, Louis Zamperini, is celebrated in this floral tribute to the 2015 Tournament of Roses Grand Marshal. Books and movies have been written about his remarkable life, his courage, resilience and ability to forgive his captors. Growing up poor in Torrance he discovered running as a means to better himself and to help out his family. He set world interscholas-
The late Louis Zamperini. - Photo by Terry Miller
tic racing records while attending Torrance High School helping him gain a scholarship at the University of Southern California
where he held the national collegiate mile record which stood for 15 years. He was America’s best finisher in the 5000 meter race at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and while on a rescue mission the B-24 Liberator plane he was flying in crashed into the Pacific Ocean where he drifted for 47 days in a life raft, only to be captured and brutally tortured by the Japanese Please see page 4
PCC Speech and Debate Garners 13 Awards Pasadena City College's Speech and Debate team continued its impressive 2014 tournament run as it took home 13 individual and team awards at the Pacific Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association's Fall Championships. PCC's nationally ranked squad competed against 43 other community colleges and universities - including powerhouses UCLA and USC - at the PSCFA regional tournament, which was held Dec. 5 to 7 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif. "I'm really proud to be a part of this team," said
Allan Axibal-Cordero, Speech and Debate team coach and instructor in the PCC School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts. "I feel it's a real privilege to be working with a team that's so talented and has the potential to do even better." Additionally, the PSCFA honored Joshua Fleming, director of the Speech and Debate team, with the 2014 Wyman/Howe Award. The accolade is given annually to a coach for outstanding contribution and leadership in the Please see page 4