Recognizing National Nutrition Month BUSINESS PROFILE: Off Kilter Kilts
ENTERTAINMENT ‘Casa Valentina’ at Pasadena Playhouse Page 8
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SPORTS: La Salle Falls to Bishop Amat 6-1 Page 35
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Thursday, March 24, 2016 - March 30, 2016
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Since 1996
New Apartment Complex Nearing Reality
BY SUSAN MOTANDER According to City Manager Oliver Chi, the development company planning the project at the corner of Huntington Drive and Fifth Avenue pulled their final building permits for the complex. The firm plans a four-story 154 unit apartment building with a small (1,340 square foot) commercial space at the north corner of the complex. There was a large selfstorage facility at this location until just a year ago.
According to Craig Jimenez, Monrovia’s Community Development Director, companies do not usually pay their fees for final permits until they are ready to begin construction. Jimenez also said that pre-construction conferences were planned in six weeks and he anticipated that construction would begin shortly thereafter. “I assume that it will be an eighteen to twenty month building process,” Jimenez said. That would put completion of the project sometime in early 2018.
This artist’s rendering shows what could soon be seen at 5th and Huntington in the not-too-distant future. – Courtesy Drawing
BY SUSAN MOTANDER
gnon, and two daughters, he is best remembered as Jordan and Jasmine’s Dad, the always present PTA Dad. Founding President of Monrovia Reads, Joanne Spring, said that he never failed to volunteer for the Read Across Days in Monrovia, always reading at Monroe School, his daughters’ alma
The Old Town Report BY PAM FITZPATRICK
Monrovia Resident Cameron Turner Remembered Journalist and commentator Cameron Turner died on March 12 and services were held for him last Friday at the First A.M.E. Church in Pasadena. A native of Pasadena who attended school there before going on to earn a degree in Journalism from Stanford University, he is remembered in that city for his opinion pieces in several local papers including the Pasadena Journal, Pasadena Now, and the Pasadena Weekly, as well as for his work in broadcasting and other media. There he is also remembered for his tireless work for his alma mater, John Muir High School, and his church, First A.M.E. But in Monrovia, where he lived with his wife, Mi-
COMPLIMENTARY COPY VOLUME 20, NO. 12
mater. Alex Zucco, now a member of the Monrovia Board of Education, recalled that when she became active in PTA at Mayflower, Tuner was her counterpart at Monroe School. Turner was born April 20, 1963 in Los Angeles, SEE PAGE 25
National Recreation Area Legislative Update
During the past few months, City of Monrovia staff has been corresponding primarily with representatives from Congress Member Napolitano’s office regarding the National Recreation Area (NRA) legislation, which is contained in House Resolution (HR) 3820 – San Gabriel Mountains, Foothills and River Protection Act (Bill). In those conversations, they have been able to illustrate for Congress Member Napolitano’s office how the proposed measure would include a huge swath of Monrovia by plotting Monrovia’s city boundaries over the proposed NRA area. This was accomplished by utilizing Monrovia’s internal GIS capabilities, and a copy of the map that the City developed can be accessed at http://monrovia.
maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id =1d8dd88a677c4b55940a 2eef015d5f05. The map includes areas shaded in green, red, and blue. Those color designations refer to the following items: The area shaded in green outlines the boundaries of the existing San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. The areas shaded in red outlines the proposed expansion area for the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument contemplated in the proposed NRA Bill. The area shaded in blue outlines the proposed San Gabriel Mountains National Recreation Area proposed in the NRA Bill. As Monrovia has engaged in these discussions, SEE PAGE 12
BALLOTS ARE COMING!
VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL BUSINESS APRIL 7TH
It’s spring -- the Eastern Bunny is handing out lollipops in Old Town; we're already gearing up for May’s Monrovia Day events, and as for me, I still have remnants of last season’s Santa visit in my living room. I'll wager I'm not the only one rushing to keep up with the clock… As far as I can see, after the Easter Bunny hops back into her time warp, this is what's on the calendar for the next two weeks (remembering the Old Town definition of “two weeks” is “soon,”
not necessarily 14 days): Mandy and Pinky Bagtas are reopening at 405-407 S. Myrtle (previously known as Le Gourmand) under a new name -- “The Myrtle Street Café”; Bella Sera will open Bottega next to their trattoria; the Press Café will open at Paragon, and a new restaurant will open at 109 E. Lemon (where Devon/Bull Taco used to be). I'm hearing different names for this location (Hummos & Pita, The Diplomat), so we’ll all wait for the sign to come up. After all, naming a new business is
SEE PAGE 15