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MONDAY, MARCH 21, 2016 - MARCH 27, 2016 - VOLUME 7, NO. 12
Matt Denny’s Raises Over $30,000 for Childhood Cancer Research St. Baldrick’s Day was celebrated in its usual manner at Matt Denny’s in Arcadia - by shaving 110 heads on March 15. Last Tuesday, men women and children participated in what has become one of the largest fundraisers for cancer research. According to the St. Baldrick’s Day foundation, the Matt Denny’s location alone raised more than $63,000 last year. Always one of the biggest events locally, the fire and police departments of the city are some of the biggest participants. Local Superior Court Judge Bruce Maars as well as Beacon Media’s Jose Luis Correa participated and raised large sums for the foundation. It all started in 1999 among a group of friends in New York with the idea of raising money to help children with cancer. By 2004, their efforts had resulted in millions being raised and a foundation being established. Starting in 2005, the foundation has given more than $154 million to support research for cures and better treatments for kids with cancer.
Like Father, Like Son: Arcadia Firefighter Tim Boyer and his son James, 2 ½, get their locks shave by Del Sol Salon’s Eileen Clark who perhaps has the longest hair in Arcadia. – Photo by Terry Miller
Monrovia Seeks Help in Resolving Gold Line Related Traffic Congestion BY SUSAN MOTANDER
California's Central Coast is littered with lost beaches, craggy rock formations, forgotten coves, and rolling hills. Hidden amongst these natural wonders is the small town of Cayucos, where time has slowed and a classic 1960s beach village vibe permeates the air like fog through an historic pier. A friend and I discovered Cayucos last week when we booked a stay at the Shoreline Inn (www. cayucosshorelineinn.com), a charming, family-owned motel that sits on the sand, mere steps from the beach. Here we checked into an ocean-front room, with in-
Alleged Racial Slur Prompts Civil Rights Complaint BY TERRY MILLER
Greg’s Getaway: Cayucos - A California Beach Town Lost in Time
BY GREG ARAGON
FREE
credible views of the historic pier to the north and the giant, iconic Morro Bay rock to south. After unpacking we opened the glass door to our patio and found a sitting area overlooking a large green lawn and the beach about 30 feet away. This was an invite we could not resist, so we quickly took off our shoes and hit the sand. The first thing we noticed -besides the obvious natural beauty surrounding us - was an abundance of playful dogs and their owners, along with treasure seekers scanning the beach for sea SEE PAGE 3
Traffic in several communities along the newly opened section of the Gold Line has worsened since the line opened, however the problem seems especially severe where the Gold Line crosses Myrtle Avenue just north of Duarte Road. At the city council meeting on Tuesday evening, Sean Sullivan, public services manager with the city reported on the problems and the city’s efforts to resolve the issue. At the intersection in question, the problem is further exacerbated by the volume of traffic generated by parents dropping off and picking up students from Santa Fe Middle School located next to the intersection. It has
always been busy especially at the beginning and end of the school day. With the Gold Line operating in primetime mode when the students are being dropped off, delays are even greater. Metro will not be able to install the replacement parts until June. Sullivan also explained that the County of Los Angeles controlled the lights along the Duarte Road corridor, and that it was the county that set the timing. The city merely maintains the lights. He said that the city was working with the Gold Line Construction Authority, Metro, and the county to resolve the problems. He reported that the city had already had the timing for the left turn lane from east-
bound Duarte to northbound Myrtle Avenue adjusted and that delays had been reduced. Councilmember Larry Spicer, who lives in the area concurred, but expressed concern about the danger to Santa Fe students in the congested area. Several councilmembers questioned the wisdom of paying for a study, now while the county and Metro are still making changes. Sullivan, who also made the report on this agenda item, explained that the changes were being made in consultation with the city and that the city’s position would be strengthened in discussions by having the traffic engineer’s input. The task order was approved, with a cost not to exceed $12,000.
A woman is suing Denny’s after alleging that an employee at the restaurant chain’s Pasadena location called her a “black bitch” when she tried to pay for her meal with a large bill. The employee allegedly used the racial slur after telling Los Angeles County resident April Hines that she would have to wait until other customers paid for their orders, the lawsuit states. “During her visit, plaintiff was generally ignored and mistreated by defendants, while her non-African American cohorts were treated properly,” attorney Jonathon Kaplan wrote in the complaint. Hines states that the employee asked her friends why they associated with Hines. The employee then “escalated the situation with further racially motivated hate speech and ultimately summoned the police to arrest the plaintiff,” the lawsuit states. The police declined to make any arrest. In addition to asking for damages and legal fees, the legal team of Kaplan and Weiss is also seeking “a permanent injunction against defendants, and each of them, enjoining defendants from further violations of the Unruh Civil Rights Act, including denying full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, and services to African American and black patrons.” The restaurant chain on Wednesday issued a statement denying the claims. “At Denny’s we do not tolerate any acts of discrimination and take any claims to the contrary very seriously,” the company stated. “Based on our preliminary findings, these claims are unfounded.”