Vol. 53, No.6 Special Section Temple City, San Gabriel, & ROSEMEAD PAGE 5
Serving the San Gabriel Valley Since 1966 Local Events page 2, 3 Coming Soon
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Febuary 11, 2015
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Student Corner
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Temple City’s 71st Annual Camellia Festival by Jo Anne Disney Temple City
This year’s Temple City Camellia Festival takes place the weekend of February 20th to 22nd. On Saturday February 21st will be the famous Camellia Parade. How did the parade come to pass? It seems since the early 1940’s, the Women’s Club of Temple City decided to honor the town’s new slogan, “Home of Camellias,” and they organized a “flower show and parade of youngsters to highlight the city’s official flower.” Kids would “toss out camellia blossoms to viewers along Las Tunas.” This was the beginning of what we now all know as the Camellia Festival.
When I was growing up in Temple City, the Camellia Parade was spectacular. Kids would come to our house and ask permission to pick camellias from our yard to use on their floats. My mom and I always helped them gather the flowers, as our yard had several camellia bushes in a variety of colors. Everyone loved the candy cane colored camellias. In the early 60’s and 70’s, there were dozens of floats participating in the parade. I remember going and buying a new hat each year at the parade that included a feather. I wore it proudly up and down the boulevard with
all the other kids. Everyone had hats and promoted the parade. All the shop owners along Las Tunas participated and sold buttons and hats and supported the parade. And, after the parade, the floats would be on display at Temple City Park so you could take your picture on a float. Today the parade, although on a smaller scale, still honors the youth of Temple City and inspires citizens and their families to participate in their community. The theme this year is “Festival, Family, and Fun.” Enjoy the festivities!
El Monte Appoints New Chief of Police
Camelia Festival float and a young Jo Anne Disney. Courtesy photo from Jo Anne Disney
by Valerie Martinez El Monte
Past or Current Resident
After an extensive search, the City of El Monte announced Thursday that Eric McBride, a veteran assistant police chief with the San Bernardino Police Department, has been chosen to
lead El Monte’s Police Department. “We believe Mr. McBride’s experience, talents and public service record make him a perfect choice to lead the department,” said City Manager Raul Godinez II, who led the City’s search efforts. “Our interview committee not only was impressed by his qualifications and prior experience, but also by his communityfocus, thoughtful insights, reputation for integrity and leadership style. It was this combination of traits that made him our top choice for the job.” McBride’s selection represents the first time in the City’s history that the City has sought police chief candidates outside the department. The City hired
Alliance Resource Consulting to conduct a national search, which resulted in the submission of 25 applications. After a paper screening, two panels of three local police chiefs and three city managers interviewed six candidates. The pool was narrowed to two highly qualified prospective candidates. In January, Godinez conducted interviews and made the final selection. Representatives from the El Monte Police Officers Association and the Police MidManagers Association also participated in the process by providing feedback on the candidates. “El Monte is undergoing significant growth and development, and we need a police chief to be able to match our vision for the
Courtesy Photo. New Chief of Police for the City of El Monte, Eric McBride
City,” said Mayor Andre Quintero. “This was a competitive process with input from many trusted profes-
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sionals. I am pleased with the job the City Manager has done finding someone who will work tirelessly to keep our residents secure.” McBride, who currently serves as San Bernardino Police Department’s Assistant Police Chief, started with the Department in 1991 as a patrol officer, with assignments including problem-oriented policing and gang investigation. He was also a member of the New Chief continued on page 4