Sports The Angels New Star,
Education Chalk Talk, page 2 - 3
page 4
Vol. 54, No. 23
Serving the San Gabriel Valley Since 1966
December 13, 2017
Business Communities Come Together To Celebrate the Holidays by Staff, Contributing Writer El Monte
Trees along Tyler Avenue were decorated with drops of light, the sax man played soft melodies of familiar songs in the background, and waiting to greet everyone walking through the door was Christine Knight and Ken Rausch of the El Monte – South El Monte Chamber of Commerce. Food was plentiful, fellowship abundant, and celebration overflowing at the 2017 Teddy Bear Mixer on Wednesday night at the Grace T. Black Auditorium. Politicians and Police Officers, teachers and taxpayers, citizens and business owners brought toys, games, and gifts to stack in front of the tree and layer in front of the stage. The community was well represented throughout the beautiful evening, as the price of admission was the simple and humble act of bringing an unwrapped present and trying to find room for it under the brilliant
Christmas tree. Later, Lillian Rey, Director of the El Monte/South El Monte Emergency Resources Association will figure out how to get them all to her offices where the real work begins. The Emergency Resources Association provides aid to needy families in the community and what that means depends on the day. Today, it means families who don’t have the resources to purchase Christmas presents – something many, if not most, of us take for granted. The organization survives on a shoestring budget, pieced together by Lillian every year from fundraisers, grants, and whatever other donations or money she can get. Lillian and her team will get to work in the morning, sorting, separating, matching and distributing hundreds of gifts to families throughout the communities of El Monte and South El Monte. But tonight it’s about the lights along Tyler Ave, the Christmas Car
Ken Rausch of the EM/SEM Chamber of Commerce enjoying the Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Teddy Bear Mixer Photo courtesy
El Monte / South El Monte Chamber of Commerce Annual Teddy Bear Mixer. Above Lt. to Rt: Jonathan Hawes, City Clerk, Councilman Jerry Velasco, Lillian Rey. Picture below Maria Morgan, Board VP of EMUSD Courtesy Photo by D. Johnson / MVMC. Teddy Bear Mixer continued on page 8
El Monte Union Installs Electric Vehicle Charging Stations by Staff Writer El Monte
El Monte Union High School District recently completed the installation of 21 electric vehicle charging stations at three campuses, demonstrating its longstanding committing to saving energy and reducing its impact on the environment. In partnership with Southern California Edison (SCE), the District completed construction in October of seven charging stations at Rosemead, Arroyo and Mountain View high schools. The District has been approved to build 18 more charging stations at El Monte and South El Monte high schools. “El Monte Union is a proud Green Ribbon School and Energy Star leader, recognized by both the state and U.S. Department of Education for our pioneering efforts to maintain safe learning environments through environmental conservation efforts,” Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga said. “These new EV stations are another step forward for the District as we continue to expand our sustainability reach to staff and students.” El Monte Union qualified in May 2016 to participate in SCE’s Charge
Ready program, a $22 million program aimed at making electric vehicle charging stations more accessible at workplaces, living spaces, campuses and recreational areas – locations
where drivers park their cars for extended periods of time. Under the program, El Monte Union will own, operate and maintain the electric vehicle charging stations,
while SCE is charged with installing and maintaining the supporting electrical infrastructure, valued at between $160,000 to $200,000 each site.
In partnership with Southern California Edison (SCE), the El Monte Union High School District has completed construction of seven charging stations at Rosemead, Arroyo and Mountain View high schools. The District has been approved to build 18 more charging stations at El Monte and South El Monte high schools as part of SCE’s Charge Ready program. Courtesy photo Charging Station continued on page 3