San Dimas Community Post | Issue 4 | 7/21/2021 by SDCPost

Community Post San Dimas

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Since becoming a city in 1960, San Dimas has elected one woman and no people of color to city council. Will districts improve voter representation in San Dimas?

All

Council votes against Gascón City officials consider the impact of the DA’s policies ahead of 4-0 vote of no confidence.

the

residents' men

(*and one woman)

July - September 2021

BY KARA ROA Seni or Editor

o date, San Dimas has only elected one woman or person of color to city council, according to city public records. ¶ While the city’s demographics have experienced significant change over the past 60 years, its city council has not. ¶ Several candidates of diverse backgrounds have campaigned for a seat on city council, with only one woman, Maria Livingston (then Maria Tortorelli), serving on the council from 1984-1990. ¶ Emma Ramirez, an 18-year resident of San Dimas, ran for city council twice, in 2017 and 2020. Ramirez believes that new representation and diversity are sorely needed. ¶ “San Dimas is the old guard and very male-dominated, and I've just wanted change,” Ramirez said. SEE DISTRICTS • PAGE 7

BY KARA ROA Senior Editor

San Dimas joined dozens of other cities in Los Angeles County, casting a vote of no confidence in Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón and signaling disapproval for Gascón’s policies. Mayor Emmett Badar ended a June 22 city council meeting discussion about the DA’s policies and impacts with a motion for a vote of no confidence. “We’re a law enforcement, or a law-abiding, community that just wants fairness to both the residents and to the victims,” Badar said during the meeting. The motion passed unanimously, with city staff being tasked to draft a strongly-worded resolution that encompassed concerns brought forward by city officials and local residents. The council approved the formal resolution and vote of no confidence in a 4-0 vote on July 13. Councilmember Eric Weber SEE GASCÓN • PAGE 3

Classic cars are making a comeback in the Southland BY MELANIE HENSON Staff Writer

Joe and Christina Levandowski’s story is as classic as their favorite hobby. At the tender age of 16, the two shared a common career goal — joining the Air Force. Both signed up as cadets at an engineering academy, and the rest was history: the pair married in 2017. What the couple did not share was Joe Levandowski’s love of drag racing — at least not in the beginning. But as Christina Levandowski’s artistic side took over, she began to appreciate the cars her partner was so enthusiastic about. She said she quickly became hooked. “Just listening to him had me falling in love — not just with him, but with cars,” Christina Levandowski, now 22, said. SEE CARS • PAGE 10

Inside: City faces pushback over new Gold Line parking proposal

During a June 24 town hall meeting, city staff presented a proposal to transform a Park & Ride parking lot into a dedicated LA Metro parking lot, to the dismay of local residents. PAGE 4

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San Dimas Community Post

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

UPCOMING EVENTS San Dimas Chamber of Commerce For more information and sponsorship opportunities, contact the San Dimas Chamber of Commerce at 909-592-3818 or email info@sandimaschamber. com.

City of San Dimas 61st Birthday Celebration

Photo by Phil Ebiner — Staff Photographer

People take a sunset stroll through Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park as ducks gather on the lake and the beauty of the trail is on full display. San Dimas is home to several hiking trails, which offer locals many opportunities to get outside and enjoy nature.

Hitting the trails with SDCP

an Dimas is home to many hiking trails, perfect for a quick escape to nature. Our local trails range from easy and family-friendly to hard and strenuous, providing opportunities for everyone to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. What makes San Dimas a great hiking town? A lot has to do with our location. San Dimas is situated in the San Gabriel Valley, between the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and the rolling San Jose Hills, where Puddingstone Reservoir sits. Thanks to the city’s historical preservation of these areas, the landscape is prime for recreational uses like hiking, cycling and horseback riding. We have put together an online trail guide with seven local trails and paths. Visit sandimascommunitypost.com/ san-dimas-trail-guide for maps, descriptions, directions and more. —Phil Ebiner

Date: Saturday, Aug. 7, 5-9 p.m. Location: Civic Center Park, 245 E. Bonita Ave., San Dimas, CA 91773 Info: The city of San Dimas and the San Dimas Chamber of Commerce invite the community to join us in celebrating the city’s 61st birthday! Come and enjoy food and ice cream trucks, live music by “Up Til Dawn,” bouncy houses, family activities, beer booths and non-profit booths!

5th Annual San Dimas Wine & Beer Walk

Date: Saturday, Oct. 2, 5-8:30 p.m. Location: Downtown San Dimas Info: Come and enjoy wine and beer samples, food pairings and live music!

San Dimas Canyon Nature Center & Regional Park The San Dimas Canyon Nature Center hosts weekly activities at their location at 1628 Sycamore Canyon Rd., San Dimas, CA 91773.

Every Body Explores

Date: Wednesday through Saturday, July 14-17 (Butterflies), July 21-24 (Songbirds), July 28-31 (Native Plants), Aug. 4-7 (Predator & Prey), 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Info: Wednesday through Friday drop in and play fun nature games! Saturday drop in to check out the interactive displays and take home activities for all ages. No registration required. Staff Illustration

Saturday Morning Nature Center Discovery

Date: Saturdays, July 17, 24, 31, and Aug. 7, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (30-minute meet and greet) Info: Join us Saturday mornings for a fun meet and greet with our Natural Areas Superintendents! Learn more about your park, ask us questions and find out fun ways to make the most of your visit! No registration required.

San Dimas Library The San Dimas Library, located at 145 N. Walnut Ave., San Dimas, CA 91773, is currently closed for building maintenance. A book drop will remain open for returning library materials. The library is anticipated to reopen in late August. Library services, including select in-person services and holds pickups, will be available at the nearby La Verne Library located at 3640 D St., La Verne, CA, 91750. This summer, the library offers outdoor programs for children and teens on Mondays in the grassy area in front of the San Dimas Library. Advance registration is required. For details of programs or to register for these events, please visit lacountylibrary. org/summerprograms.

Preschool Programs

Date: Mondays, 11-11:30 a.m. Info: Preschool Programs are for children ages 3-5 and parents/caregivers.

Kids & Teens Programs

Date: Mondays, 2-2:30 p.m. and 3:30-4 p.m. Info: Kids & Teens Programs are for children ages 6-17 and parents/caregivers. Children ages 9 and under must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver. Please be advised the schedule may change. We encourage you to check the website and our events calendar for up-to-date information.

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

San Dimas Community Post

PAGE 3 Right: West Covina residents, Carrie Buckingham, left, John Carson, center, and Bob Ryan, right, collect signatures to recall Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón at the San Dimas Farmers Market on July 7. San Dimas joined dozens of other cities in LA County, casting a vote of no confidence in Gascón and signaling disapproval for Gascón’s policies. Below: Bob Ryan’s white truck is parked outside of the San Dimas Library during the Farmers Market on Wednesday, July 7. The rearview window of the truck reads “Victims Matter” and serves as a memorial for Ryan’s son Bobby and Bobby’s friend Jacob Dominguez, who were murdered in 2017. Photos by Isabel Ebiner

"We’re a law enforcement, or a lawabiding, community that just wants fairness to both the residents and to the victims."

GASCÓN

FROM PAGE 1

was absent from the meeting. Despite taking office just seven months ago, Gascón has been the target of recall efforts since March. The Recall Gascón group must gather 579,062 signatures by Oct. 27 in order to hold a recall election in November, according to nonprofit election guide Ballotpedia. “The people that are pushing for this recall, they're not about community safety or community health. They're really about punishment,” Gascón said during a virtual Backlash to Justice II event, hosted by Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace on June 27. An advocate for criminal justice reform, Gascón criticized the current prison system as problematic and referenced high rates of convicted criminals reoffending. “It has increased insecurity. It has increased the harm of crime. We have a system that fails somewhere around 70% of the time,” Gascón said. Gascón addressed dissension in his ranks and the district attorneys who have become vocal and active in their disapproval of him. “We have a small variable that is fighting us, and those are the ones that you’re seeing on Fox News, KFI. Those are the ones that you see going to cities, especially around the San Gabriel Valley or up and down the 210 and 605 corridor — which by the way, were the same communities that opposed my election,” Gascón said. He also addressed city council members and mayors with law enforcement backgrounds. “There are sometimes mayors that are either current law enforcement officers or former. And you begin to understand why often, the budgets or the way they’re dealing with lawsuits and all that stuff is almost like sort of hiding the expenses of battle,” Gascón said. The city invited several high-profile speakers including Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami and Los Angeles County Undersheriff Timothy Murakami to the June 22 city council meeting to discuss the impact of Gascón’s policies on San Dimas. Hatami, who currently works under Gascón, has been a child abuse prosecutor for over 15 years. He

— San Dimas Mayor Emmett Badar, during a June 22 city council meeting discussion about LA County District Attorney George Gascón’s policies

claims Gascón’s policies prioritize criminals over victims. “George Gascón cares more about criminals and wrongdoers and murderers and rapists and child abusers and child molesters than he does about normal individuals who are in this community, about victims, about survivors, about families, about children. The DA is supposed to fight for all, justice for everyone. And he's just not doing that,” Hatami said. Hatami also questioned the DA’s transparency after Gascón failed to attend the San Dimas City Council meeting and similar discussions in over 20 cities. Murakami spoke about the impact of Gascón’s policies from a law enforcement point of view. He cautioned the city that, while well-intentioned, Gascón’s policies would diminish the quality of life in San Dimas through failure to prosecute misdemeanors. “San Dimas is a safe city, and you guys are concerned about quality of life. Well, quality of life oftentimes involves misdemeanor crimes,” Murakami said.

Murakami said Gascón’s failure to prosecute smaller petty crimes would lead to larger issues and bigger crimes. He explained that investing in law enforcement leads to investment in “the American tenets of peace and safety in your home.” Councilmember Weber, a residential burglary detective, shared Murakami’s concern about the lasting effects of crime and its impact on residents. “When things start to get back

open, people start going back to work in person, there will be an absolute avalanche of residential burglaries,” Weber said. Councilmember Ryan Vienna, a lieutenant for the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department, expressed frustration at the possible lack of effectiveness of law enforcement investments made by the city, including automatic license plate reader cameras, purchased to assist the sheriff ’s station.

“We've had to invest in the Flock camera system to assist, to provide more tools for enforcement, but to what end?” Vienna said. Prosecutor Tiffiny Townend Blacknell was scheduled to attend the council meeting on behalf of Gascón. However, City Manager Chris Constantin said he was notified last minute that she was unable to attend but expressed a willingness to converse at a later date. Mayor Badar said he was unwilling to meet with Gascón or his representatives and felt Blacknell’s absence was telling. “I personally am not interested in having a one-on-one meeting with the DA, like not interested at all,” Badar said. “He, as far as I'm concerned, his arrogance, tells volumes.” Badar, a retired Los Angeles police officer, said he was embarrassed that Gascón had once worked for LAPD, and the organization was happy when Gascón left. Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva also supports the effort to recall Gascón. Efforts by San Dimas Community Post to obtain comment from George Gascón and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office were unsuccessful. Editor’s note: Isabel Ebiner, managing editor for the San Dimas Community Post and daughter-inlaw of Councilmember John Ebiner, edited this story for AP Style.

San Dimas Community Post

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City council approves motorcycle deputy to patrol city

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

Officials face pushback over new parking proposal

BY KYLE CLAYTON Staff Writer

On April 13, San Dimas City Council voted 4-0 to adopt a oneyear modification to the existing contract between the city and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. Councilmember Ryan Vienna, an LASD lieutenant, abstained from the vote. The modification allocated an additional $250,000 of the budget to fund a dedicated motorcycle traffic unit to patrol the city. City Manager Chris Constantin suggested the modification to city council because of an increase in residents’ concerns regarding speeding and traffic violations within the city. Constantin said the majority of crime-related complaints received by the city are traffic-related. “Traffic violations are crime and a crime that the community is intent to improve,” Constanin said in an interview with San Dimas Community Post. Before the April 13 meeting, the city received 14 emails in favor of the addition of a motorcycle unit, seven of which specifically referenced a perceived rise in non-traffic-related crime within the city. Following the fatal stabbing of Jeanne Edgar on March 25 at Lone Hill Park, for example, community members expressed concerns regarding an increase in local crime. “Having a dedicated traffic officer both addresses those concerns as well as frees up other officers that would otherwise be patrolling the community and responding to non-traffic-related crimes within the city,” Constanin wrote in a follow-up email. San Dimas Sheriff’s Captain Walid Ashrafnia addressed how a traffic unit could help prevent crime within the city at large. “While they are traffic units, they’re still deputies, and they can still help out and be a great resource when it comes to crimes in progress and critical incidents,” Ashrafnia said during the council meeting. Regarding the impact on the city’s budget, Constantin identified the funding sources for the additional officer. The city received a reduced fee from LASD through the utilization of a Citizen’s Option for Public Safety, or COPS, grant, a state program for law enforcement funding. The city also intends to offset the general fund expenditures through federal funding allocated to the city through the U.S. American Rescue Plan, which is meant to provide financial assistance for COVID-related uses. Constantin said changes in traffic due to COVID justify reimbursement by the Rescue Plan for the motorcycle unit expenditure. The expected reimbursement “more than covers this motor unit,” Constantin said. While funded by the city, hiring and oversight for the motor unit were conducted by the San Dimas Sheriff Station. Ashrafnia conducted the recruitment and interview process for the new position. At the April 27 city council meeting, Ashrafnia introduced the new motorcycle deputy Luis Rojas, who transferred from the Temple Sheriff’s Station. The one-year modification will be eligible for review and renewal in April 2022.

Illustration by Phil Ebiner

Under the city’s proposed Gold Line parking plan, the Park & Ride capacity would increase from 170 to 275 parking spaces. Additional parking would also be available just south of Rhoads Park across the train tracks, totaling 310 Gold Line-designated parking spaces.

Local residents voice concerns over potential Gold Line parking plan. BY AARON WANG, AMANDA LEE & ISABEL EBINER Staff Writers

The city of San Dimas’ alternative parking lot proposal for the future Foothill Gold Line station is drawing concerns from local residents. City Manager Chris Constantin presented details of the proposed changes during a town hall meeting on June 24. He said the plan would increase the capacity of the cityowned Park & Ride near San Dimas Avenue and Railway Street from 170 parking spaces to as many as 275. But the plan is also stoking concerns from residents, who say that traffic safety is already a major concern in the area. Several residents in the surrounding areas said increased traffic and congestion would make their streets less safe and more difficult to access. During public comment, one speaker mentioned a recent incident where a child was struck by a car. “Part of the problem that’s happening now — and we don’t even have the Gold Line yet — is traffic coming down Commercial,” said one woman, who identified herself as a resident who lives on West Commercial Street. “We had a little child hit just last week by a car flying down Commercial.” San Dimas resident Aaron Hartney said he was skeptical because the city has long known about local safety concerns related to car traffic and management of the existing parking lot. “The residents on the local streets around the current Park & Ride have actually made written complaints to the city already about its management of that parking lot and mitigation measures to prevent excessive traffic, excessive speeding traffic, especially around our small children,” Hartney said. “Those complaints have seen no results.” Santos Luna, a resident who lives on Railway Street, echoed Hartney’s concerns, saying he does not feel comfortable letting his kids play in front of his house so close to the Park & Ride.

Photo by Isabel Ebiner

The city of San Dimas is proposing that the Park & Ride located in downtown San Dimas be expanded to serve as the future parking lot for the Foothill Gold Line Station.

“I don’t want them to get hit by a car with people taking the corner fast. It’s just not the right place to have so much traffic. It’s a small street,” Luna said in an interview after the town hall meeting. Luna does not think the Gold Line parking should be located adjacent to a residential neighborhood. If the Park & Ride is converted, however, Luna would prefer for Railway Street to be turned into a cul-de-sac, which he acknowledged would only push more traffic to other residential streets. San Dimas is one of four cities in the San Gabriel Valley that are part of the Foothill Gold Line extension. The Gold Line is scheduled to make its way through San Dimas by 2025, creating a new San Dimas Gold Line Station. To build a parking lot for San Dimas Gold Line riders, the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority, which oversees Foothill Gold Line construction, has proposed to create a 286-space parking lot on cityowned property off of South Walnut Avenue. City officials have proposed a new plan, in part because the Construction Authority’s plan would force

them to relocate a municipal lot that is currently being used by the city’s Public Works Department. At the town hall, Constantin estimated that the relocation could cost more than $23 million and said that taxpayers would be affected by the extra costs. “I think it’s unconscionable to go to taxpayers and say, ‘You’re going to pay a $20 million bill,’” Constantin said. City officials also oppose the Construction Authority’s plan because they would have to forfeit cityowned property to make way for the construction. Through the eminent domain process, government entities working on public projects have the right to take public and private land through mutual or compulsory purchase agreements. Residents and business owners in the area could also be affected. “People could lose homes or businesses,” said Robert Olander, a San Dimas resident and public safety commissioner. To address safety concerns related to the city’s Park & Ride parking lot proposal, Public Works Director Shari Garwick said the city could add speed humps to control traffic

speed. In response to concerns that the Park & Ride lot expansion would lead to unwanted congestion in the area, Garwick suggested that time parking restrictions and permit parking requirements for local residents would help. “If you’re a resident, it would give preferential parking to you,” she said. In addition to converting the Park & Ride lot, the city’s plan would add parking spaces just south of Rhoads Park across the train tracks (see map above), which would also serve the Pioneer Square development, totaling 310 Gold Line-designated parking spaces. Constantin said San Dimas City Council would discuss the proposed plan at a later date before it is finalized. Ultimately, however, the final decision about how to proceed with the Foothill Gold Line parking plan falls to the Gold Line Construction Authority and LA Metro. Editor’s note: Isabel Ebiner is managing editor for the San Dimas Community Post and daughter-inlaw of City Councilmember John Ebiner, cowrote to this story.

JULY/AUGUST 2021

San Dimas Community Post

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Sticking together San Pedro-based artist couple hope to inspire future Gold Line passengers to experience the beauty of San Dimas. BY JOEY PATTON Staff Writer

It does not take long to recognize the natural beauty of San Dimas. Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, the city’s terrain is dressed in a diverse blend of winding trails, wildlife and a waterfall that flows through a rippling creek and at last into the Pacific Ocean. This scenic landscape will be celebrated in a unique fashion, as it will serve as the theme of the city’s soonto-be Gold Line station, scheduled to make its way to town by 2025. In a decade-long collaboration with the Foothill Gold Line, the city of San Dimas has teamed up with a pair of talented artists to make the new station not just a stop along the journey but also an attractive destination. Eugene Daub and Anne Olsen Daub are San Pedro-based artists with several accolades between them. Daub is a renowned sculptor who has been awarded the highest honor for medallic art: the Saltus Award from the American Numismatic Association. Olsen Daub has designed for Mattel, Inc., one of the largest toy manufacturers in the entire world, and has worked on numerous private commissions. Though married, the two often work on their art independently. For the Gold Line project, however, they are working in tandem to help visitors experience the beauty of San Dimas. To reflect San Dimas’ scenery, the Daubs are crafting four decorative hiker’s walking sticks, each of which will stand a towering 8 feet tall on the railway platform. Engraved into the sticks will be depictions of various animals and landscape features found throughout the foothills. “We came up with a proposal that was all about being aware of all the trails and lakes and the mountains — all the things that San Dimas has to offer,” Daub explained. “It’s something to say, ‘Get out there in the country,’” he added. “‘Get out there in those hills, and see what you have in your own backyard.’” The walking sticks will feature a holistic representation of the area’s wildlife. Exactly which plants and animals will be represented are still up for discussion, but to Olsen Daub, that is all a part of the creative process. “You can’t really plan that out, it’s kind of a spontaneous thing,” Olsen Daub said. “Flora and fauna, birds and critters … We have four of them to play with, so that will be fun.” The Daubs’ concept is modeled directly after the city it represents, whereas many other stations’ artwork is based more broadly on the San Gabriel Valley at large. To City Councilmember Denis Bertone, this approach will give the San Dimas Station a unique look. “Many of the other stations in the area were going with a citrus theme, so we decided not to do that,” Bertone said. “Ours is more hiking and animal prints, because being up against the foothills we have a lot of wild animals that come down here. So the artwork will be different from every other station’s, and I think the community will give a positive response.” Bertone was one of the committee members who selected the Daubs to design the station art. Several accomplished artists were in the run-

Photos by Phil Ebiner — Staff Photographer

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ning for the project, but Bertone felt the committee made the right decision in selecting the Daubs. “I was very happy they were selected,” Bertone said. “They understood what we wanted in San Dimas, and they came up with a good presentation.” The Daubs’ work on the Gold Line station is just one of many projects the two have designed throughout their prolific artistic journeys. Beginning his career in Pennsylvania in the 1970s, Daub has lived his teenage dream of practicing art professionally for nearly 50 years. Originally starting with graphic design, he made sculpture his primary discipline in his 30s. “I began to investigate other avenues, other aspects of the world, and I found that sculpture was much more appealing to me,” he recalled. “And through reading and researching, I just fell in love with sculpture.”

Through the decades, Daub has established himself as a master of his craft. His work is displayed in prestigious venues like the Helsinki Art Museum, the British Museum and the Smithsonian Institution. One of his best-known works is a 2013 sculpture of Rosa Parks, which now stands at the United States Capitol. “For me, the important part is I have fallen in love with portraiture and people who have done wonderful things,” Daub said. “I love to depict that, and I love to study in that area.” Olsen Daub describes herself as “an artist from day one,” and she has achieved success in numerous fields of discipline. After starting her career in fashion in her hometown of Fresno, California, Olsen Daub opted to try her hand at toy design at Mattel. Throughout her time there, she gen-

erated fresh ideas inspired by her daughter and her friends. After spending seven years in toy design, Olsen Daub returned to her roots in the fashion industry and enrolled at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. While she said enrolling in school as a single mother in her 30s presented its share of emotional challenges, she knows she chose the best path for herself. “I knew I made the right decision when I signed up to go to fashion school,” she stated. “I was going to go to art school for fine art, but I was a little nervous. Fashion seemed like a safer way to go.” Now, Olsen Daub combines her passions for fashion and fine art by crafting found object jewelry, creating stylish accessories from items normally seen as disposable. “My thing about jewelry is that my pieces are all one-of-a-kind, made from found things, antiques and modern things — things you would never think would become a piece of jewelry,” she said. While the Daubs take vastly different approaches to art, their work on the station will allow them to complement each other’s strengths. “Where Anne and I really work together is on the idea level, because that’s really where we can collaborate best,” Daub said.

Daub is the more methodical of the two, whereas Olsen Daub works best on the fly. This difference in approach, however, should make for an interesting collaboration. “It’s going to be neat working on the walking sticks because I am so spontaneous and Gene kind of isn’t, so it’s going to be fun for the both of us,” Olsen Daub said. Once the sticks are unveiled, both of them hope the installations are viewed not simply as decorations but rather pieces of art with which viewers can interact. “I think the sticks are going to draw people to look at them if they’re there long enough and they let themselves be there long enough to look,” Olsen Daub explained. “There’s only so much time at a station, but I think they’ll draw people in.” “Even if you just lean up on it while you’re reading the paper and just look up every once in a while, you’ll probably see something different,” Daub said. “So they’ll be pretty interactive, I think.” The station is not scheduled for completion until 2025, so San Dimas residents have to wait some time to see the Daubs’ artwork come to life. Given the couple’s history and clear vision for the project, it seems it will be worth the wait.

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San Dimas Community Post

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

City hosts special meeting to understand residents’ concerns Officials seek input from locals to learn more about “quality of life” concerns in the community. BY JOSHUA BAY Staff Writer

In an attempt to better understand community concerns, the city of San Dimas is reaching out to residents, asking for their suggestions and forming a “quality of life” task force. “It’s important that we bring in the public’s input and give them an opportunity to convey what their concerns are and the kinds of things they want us to look at as solutions,” said City Manager Chris Constantin. “That way we can fully consider them and ensure that the public has a voice in improving our community.” In a May 13 public meeting, residents were given the opportunity to share their concerns with city council and city staff. Cyndia Williams, San Dimas resident and owner of Old Towne Antiques, shared her concerns about homelessness. “I shouldn’t have to go to the Dollar Tree and have someone sleeping and living in front,” Williams said during the meeting. “I realize COVID-19 has caused major problems, and I understand that. The problem is the people need to want the help, and unfortunately a large percentage of the people that we have don’t want the help that’s available.” Councilmember Denis Bertone was surprised more residents were not concerned about homelessness. “I was very surprised that more people didn’t talk about homelessness. I thought more people would be concerned about that,” Bertone said. Prior to the meeting, Bertone said a lot of people wrote in with concerns about permanent housing for homeless individuals. “People don’t want permanent homeless housing in San Dimas. They’re afraid it’s going to go in their neighborhood, and they think that will affect their quality of life,” Bertone said. According to San Dimas Sheriff’s Station Sergeant Robert Long, there are an estimated seven to 13 individuals experiencing homelessness who stay in the San Dimas area. “Although the homeless population in San Dimas is not as high in volume as other cities, we have seen an increase in our homeless population,” Long said. Bertone agreed. “San Dimas has much less homelessness than most cities, but still it’s increasing in San Dimas,” he said. Long explained that the sheriff’s station has a community action team

Photo by Isabel Ebiner

Bonita Avenue at Monte Vista Avenue. Many local residents say the charm of downtown San Dimas is part of what makes the city so special. In an attempt to better understand community concerns, the city of San Dimas is reaching out to residents, asking for their suggestions and forming a “quality of life” task force.

that actively conducts homelessness outreach. “Captain [Walid Ashrafnia] and the community action team partners with Union Station Homeless Services on a monthly, where we go out physically with them to talk to some of the homeless folks,” Long said. “We and the deputies at the station actually have referral cards to Union Station personnel who will then follow up with them.” During the meeting, Ann Garcia, senior administrative analyst for the city of San Dimas housing division, presented information about the city’s Homelessness Prevention and Diversion Program created through the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments’ Measure H funding. Measure H is an initiative approved by Los Angeles County voters in March 2017 to prevent and combat homelessness. Garcia said that this will help residents impacted by COVID-19 with rental assistance, past due utility bills and groceries. Garcia also explained how the city is making an effort to address homelessness through five action items: 1. Providing ongoing education to city staff and residents on the homeless population in San Dimas, which includes their connection to their re-

spective families and the challenges associated with reunification. 2. Ensuring all people experiencing homelessness in San Dimas are registered into the Regional Coordinated Entry System, an evidence-based program that connects people experiencing homelessness to housing programs. 3. Expanding and improving immediate housing solutions, such as bridge housing or emergency shelters in conjunction with hotel/motel voucher programs. 4. Expanding opportunities for employment and workforce development. 5. Exploring options for preserving existing affordable housing.

Next Steps

During the meeting, Constantin announced the creation of a “quality of life” task force to be led by Community Development Director Henry Noh. Constantin said the task force will include staff, residents, business interests, faith-based communities, and nonprofits “to ensure that as we’re discussing a variety of matters, they’re properly vetted by folks that would be impacted in a variety of sectors.” The city received 13 task force ap-

"I shouldn’t have to go to the Dollar Tree and have someone sleeping and living in front."

— Cyndia Williams, San Dimas resident and owner of Old Towne Antiques

plications in June, and participants will ultimately be selected by the city manager and community development director. The group will likely hold its first meeting by the end of July, said Noh in an interview after the meeting. “After formulating the task force, and maybe even a little sooner, we’ll be getting out into the community and holding town halls to allow members from all over the community to convey their concerns about quality of life,” Constantin said. Bertone explained there is a need to hear residents’ concerns, so the city can allocate funds for future projects and programs. “What the city is doing is making an attempt to do outreach to the community and see what their concerns are,” Bertone said. “And, of course, a lot of those concerns are probably affected by the budget, so before we finalize it we want to know what the people want.” Dave Milbrandt, San Dimas res-

ident and a San Dimas High School teacher, shared his excitement about the creation of a task force. “I’d love to be a part of that, and I know others would love to as well,” Milbrandt said during the meeting. “I’ve worked really well with the city, and I want to make sure that my experience is not just my experience but the community’s experience.” Bertone said most residents have been “quite positive” about San Dimas. “Even when they had a complaint, they still said they loved living there,” Bertone said. Bertone, Mayor Emmett Badar, Councilmember John Ebiner and Councilmember Eric Weber as well as several city staff members and members of the public were present at the May 13 meeting. Editor’s Note: Isabel Ebiner, managing editor for the San Dimas Community Post and daughter-in-law of Councilmember John Ebiner, edited this story for AP Style.

“WYLD JOURNALYSM!”

San Dimas Community Post

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

Main: Maria

DISTRICTS

Livingston (then Maria Tortorelli) is the only woman who has ever been elected to San Dimas City Council. She served from 19841990, and her photo hangs in the council chambers, along with those of other past city councilmembers and mayors.

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San Dimas resident David Estrada also ran and lost in the last city council election. An active union representative since the 1970s, Estrada shares the same concern as Ramirez in terms of the lack of representation on city council. San Dimas’ absence of diversity on city council could end up costing the city and its residents.

City council weighs risk of at-large elections

At the April 13 San Dimas City Council meeting, the council voted unanimously to hire demographer National Demographics Corporation for fees not to exceed $36,000 to establish districts for future elections, which some believe will improve diversity and representation among elected officials. The discussion to transition to districts began in March 2020, when the city was threatened with a pricey lawsuit. Attorney Kevin Shenkman, representing the Southwest Voter Education Project, sent a letter to San Dimas alleging that the city is “abridging the rights of Latino voters” and that its atlarge election format is a violation of the California Voting Rights Act. The decision to enter into an “intent to change” settlement agreement would change the format of local elections. Concerns over unfair elections have been a major part of the call for districts under CVRA. However, with districts, there is a risk of gerrymandering (arranging the city into election districts in a way that gives one political party an unfair advantage in elections). City Attorney Jeff Malawy cautioned city council members that the cost of entering into litigation was very risky financially. Palmdale, for instance, settled for over $4.5 million, and attorney’s fees were awarded in favor of Shenkman. The city of Santa Monica is the only city in 15 years that has won against Shenkman in the court of appeals. “The settlement agreement says that the city will pay the $30,000 to the plaintiff, and in exchange for that, the plaintiff will waive its right to sue or to file a lawsuit against the city until Dec. 31, 2021,” Malawy said during the Aug. 25, 2020, council meeting. Nearly all San Dimas city councilmembers expressed frustration and condemnation at Shenkman’s claims that the city is violating CVRA and, in particular, that the sitting councilmembers are unable to represent the rights of all voters. “I'm very disappointed, specifically, in Mr. Shenkman's letter and his charge against this community. I think it's baseless. I think it's repulsive. And I just frankly don't believe it fixes what the intent was of the California Voting Rights Act,” said Councilmember Ryan Vienna during the Aug. 25 meeting. “I can tell you this council, as far as I'm concerned, looks at every corner and is considerate of every citizen, and I think that's greatly appreciated by the entire city,” said Mayor Emmett Badar at the meeting. Councilmember Denis Bertone expressed his frustration at the claim and being forced to make an immediate decision. “I think the public should know that at least one councilmember — and I think we all feel the same way — we’re not happy to do this, but we're kind of forced into it,” Bertone said. With a resolution passed on Sept. 8, 2020, the city council’s intent to switch to district elections included hiring a demographer to assist with the complex process.

Do district elections increase representation?

Shenkman has been suing cities, representing concerned residents and groups on the grounds that the outdated election system blocks mi-

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Below: David Estrada, above, and Emma Ramirez, below, both ran for city council and lost in the 2020 election. Estrada believes districts will help improve representation on the council while Ramirez thinks district elections could be detrimental. Photo by Isabel Ebiner, courtesy photos

“I've worked so hard to get to this level. And I sit on committees. And I do this, and I go to meetings. And I think, ‘Is it all gone? Is it all gone because somebody wanted to make money off of San Dimas?’” Ramirez said. Estrada, also Latino, believes that districts would help. “I do believe it would benefit a Latino candidate, or any candidate of color would certainly benefit from this because it would level out the playing field,” Estrada said. Estrada estimated running for city council costs between $15,000 to $20,000 on the low end and shared that he was naive about the process and amount of money other candidates secured when running. “You run throughout the entire city. And so that was incredibly expensive. If it had been district-wide, it would have been a lot more, a lot easier to manage. It would have been far more economically feasible for me and other people to run,” Estrada said. norities and persons of interest from being elected. Shenkman argues that drawing district lines allows all parts of a community to be better represented. Councilmember John Ebiner failed to see the logic in Shenkman’s claim regarding Latino representation. “He's basically saying that Latinos vote for, or only go for, Latinos. And anybody who's not a Latino never votes for a Latino. That's just stupid, completely stupid. And if you, if you do agree with that logic, then it really is a disservice to any Latino,” Ebiner said at the Aug. 25 meeting. Shenkman clarified that the correlation between Latino representation and district elections requires an understanding of the difference between descriptive and substantive representation. He defines descriptive representation as the presence of a person on the council identifying as Latino (or a member of any other minority group). He claims that what is more important is substantive representation, which is representation by someone (regardless of race) who is the preferred candidate of a minority group. Grouping of communities in cities is not too difficult, according to Shenkman. “You try to group like communities together, and that way each community has some representation,” Shenkman said. “In most cities you have pretty well-defined neighborhoods that share interests.” As a Latina woman, Ramirez does not agree that Shenkman’s lawsuit will solve the problem of lack of representation. Ramirez said she was approached by Shenkman’s law firm to be named

What’s next for San Dimas leadership?

on the potential lawsuit and vehemently refused to participate because she believes that Shenkman’s efforts are detrimental. “That works in LA because that's 468 square miles. What's the square footage of San Dimas?” Ramirez said. [At 15.43 square miles and with a population of 34,048, according to

2019 census data, San Dimas is much smaller than Los Angeles.] Ramirez said if the election is limited to districts, it could negatively affect her future campaigns because she could be assigned to a district with more established candidates or even be ineligible to run if there is no open seat in her district.

The only woman to have served on the city council, Maria Livingston, shared that her love of the city combined with encouragement from others empowered her to run. And she hopes to see more women on the council. “I hope women in San Dimas will look for opportunities to become involved, educate themselves about issues and run for office,” Livingston wrote in an email. A new mom at the time, Livingston described being respected by her fellow councilmembers and recalled her time on the council as an honor — especially being elected vice mayor two years into her term. Livingston is not sure why she has been the only woman councilmember since her run but believes that should change. “I think women in leadership positions bring a unique perspective which is beneficial," Livingston wrote. City council still has the option to refuse to move to district elections and instead enter into litigation if the changes are not made before Jan. 1, 2022. Shenkman maintained that suing cities to comply with CVRA is about obeying the law. “I don't need to change councilmembers' minds. Changing their minds is much more difficult than forcing them to follow the law,” Shenkman said. Editor’s note: Isabel Ebiner, managing editor for the San Dimas Community Post and daughter-in-law of Councilmember John Ebiner, edited this story for AP Style.

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JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

Sticking together in life and art San Pedro-based artist couple hope to inspire future Gold Line passengers to experience the beauty of San Dimas. BY JOEY PATTON Staff Writer

Photos by Phil Ebiner — Staff Photographer

Above: San Pedro-based artists Eugene Daub and Anne Olsen Daub have been tasked with capturing the beauty of San Dimas’ flora and fauna through their larger-than-life sculptures for the new Gold Line station. Standing in their studio, Olsen Daub holds a sculpted sample of a deer, one of several creatures that may find its way onto the art installation by 2025. Below: Inspired by the natural beauty of the foothills, the Daubs have proposed to create four 8-foot-tall walking sticks, engraved with animals and landscape features, for visitors of the future San Dimas Gold Line Station to interact with and admire.

the committee made the right decision in selecting the Daubs. “I was very happy they were selected,” Bertone said. “They understood what we wanted in San Dimas, and they came up with a good presentation.” The Daubs’ work on the Gold Line station is just one of many projects the two have designed throughout their prolific artistic journeys. Beginning his career in Pennsylvania in the 1970s, Daub has lived his teenage dream of practicing art professionally for nearly 50 years. Originally starting with graphic design, he made sculpture his primary discipline in his 30s. “I began to investigate other avenues, other aspects of the world, and I found that sculpture was much more appealing to me,” he recalled. “And through reading and researching, I just fell in love with sculpture.” Through the decades, Daub has

established himself as a master of his craft. His work is displayed in prestigious venues like the Helsinki Art Museum, the British Museum and the Smithsonian Institution. One of his best-known works is a 2013 sculpture of Rosa Parks, which now stands at the United States Capitol. “For me, the important part is I have fallen in love with portraiture and people who have done wonderful things,” Daub said. “I love to depict that, and I love to study in that area.” Olsen Daub describes herself as “an artist from day one,” and she has achieved success in numerous fields of discipline. After starting her career in fashion in her hometown of Fresno, California, Olsen Daub opted to try her hand at toy design at Mattel. Throughout her time there, she generated fresh ideas inspired by her daughter and her friends.

After spending seven years in toy design, Olsen Daub returned to her roots in the fashion industry and enrolled at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. While she said enrolling in school as a single mother in her 30s presented its share of emotional challenges, she knows she chose the best path for herself. “I knew I made the right decision when I signed up to go to fashion school,” she stated. “I was going to go to art school for fine art, but I was a little nervous. Fashion seemed like a safer way to go.” Now, Olsen Daub combines her passions for fashion and fine art by crafting found object jewelry, creating stylish accessories from items normally seen as disposable. “My thing about jewelry is that my pieces are all one-of-a-kind, made from found things, antiques and modern things — things you would never think would become a piece of jewelry,” she said. While the Daubs take vastly different approaches to art, their work on the station will allow them to complement each other’s strengths. “Where Anne and I really work together is on the idea level, because that’s really where we can collaborate best,” Daub said. Daub is the more methodical of the two, whereas Olsen Daub works

best on the fly. This difference in approach, however, should make for an interesting collaboration. “It’s going to be neat working on the walking sticks because I am so spontaneous and Gene kind of isn’t, so it’s going to be fun for the both of us,” Olsen Daub said. Once the sticks are unveiled, both of them hope the installations are viewed not simply as decorations but rather pieces of art with which viewers can interact. “I think the sticks are going to draw people to look at them if they’re there long enough and they let themselves be there long enough to look,” Olsen Daub explained. “There’s only so much time at a station, but I think they’ll draw people in.” “Even if you just lean up on it while you’re reading the paper and just look up every once in a while, you’ll probably see something different,” Daub said. “So they’ll be pretty interactive, I think.” The station is not scheduled for completion until 2025, so San Dimas residents have to wait some time to see the Daubs’ artwork come to life. Given the couple’s history and clear vision for the project, it seems it will be worth the wait. See more of Olsen Daub’s work online at anneolsendaub.com or on Instagram @anne_olsen_daub.

San Dimas Community Post

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

PAGE 9 From vintage dolls to midcentury furniture, oversized tiki drinking bowls and fondue pots from the 1980s, the shops along Bonita Avenue are run by a tight-knit community of owners who have a passion for everything from yesteryear. Main Illustration by Evan Solano, Photos by Rommel Alcantara, Staff Photographer

SHOPPING DOWN MEMORY LANE A stroll along Bonita Avenue in downtown San Dimas can lead you to your next vintage find. BY CINDY ARORA Staff Writer

n a typical Saturday morning, Bonita Avenue is lively with locals having breakfast, grabbing a quick coffee or stopping by for a cut and color at one of the hair salons. But the spry downtown is also home to a handful of storefronts that are treasure troves for vintage pickers looking for their next rare find. From vintage dolls to midcentury furniture, oversized tiki drinking bowls and fondue pots from the 1980s, the shops along Bonita Avenue are run by a tight-knit community of owners who have a passion for everything from yesteryear. We spent a morning strolling along Bonita Avenue, antiquing our way through the shops and discovering that everything old can truly be new again. Take a walk with us and learn more about them!

The Little Back House

This charming storefront is across the way from the Pacific Railroad Society Museum. It sells vintage rolling pins, darling wood signs and vintage dishware and has beautiful furniture from children’s chairs and kitchen tables to garden decor that will add a splash of color and style. Unlike the other vintage stores along Bonita Avenue, The Little Back House caters to the DIYer seeking to paint and create their own furniture project. They sell paint brushes, chalk paint, glazes, stencils, adhesive transfers and anything else someone may need to recycle an old piece of furniture and turn it into something new. The Little Back House, 235 W. Bonita Ave., San Dimas, CA 91773, thelittlebackhouse.com

A Few Nice Things

Anthony Anderson has been

running this high-end antique store for 12 years and is known around town for his collectible paintings, luxury watches, jewelry, figurines and fine furniture. Anderson is the person other antique dealers in San Dimas call when they find a piece they think would fit in his store, which is known for having “a few nice things.” Anderson is launching an online website, but his store along Bonita Avenue is a great place to spend some time poking around. Take a peek, and find a historical French tete-a-tete chair and a pair of draped end tables from Greece that have been impeccably refurbished. A Few Nice Things, 165 W. Bonita Ave., San Dimas, CA 91773, fewnicethings.myshopify.com

prove it. With a growing interest in vintage and one-of-a-kind furniture, Williams keeps busy with folks looking for new finds. Make time to peruse the hat section here, and pick something up for the next tea party you are hosting. Old Towne Antiques, 125 W. Bonita Ave., San Dimas, CA 91773, oldtowneantiques.com

Bonita Antiques

Sam Acosta and his wife Kathie are the duo behind Bonita Antiques and Paradise Found for You. This little gem is the place in town to help turn your backyard, man-cave or she-shed into an island paradise with surf decor, mugs, pottery and plenty of mermaid tchotchkes. The Acostas have created a great shop with a hodgepodge of vintage wares, along with its dynamic corner of tiki memorabilia that can turn any home bar into an old Elvis movie. Don’t forget to look through the rack of Hawaiian shirts that is normally placed out front of the shop, and find your new favorite shirt. Bonita Antiques, 157 W. Bonita Ave, San Dimas, CA 91773

Heart of the Village Antique Mall

With 15 different antique dealers peddling their vintage wares, it is easy to get lost in the Heart of the Village. Each individual space has its own style and offerings, depending on the dealer’s tastes and finds. There are plenty of toys for kids, including Strawberry Shortcake

It’s About Time Antiques and Collectibles

Clockwise from left: A collection of vintage tools, camping gear, signs and toys line the walls of a corner display from Heart of the Village. Vibrant blue vintage china adorns a charming cabinet at Old Towne Antiques. An assortment of Hawaiian shirts and islander wares draw people into Bonita Antiques.

dolls from the 1980s and vintage Chewbacca dolls and bobble heads. Old cookbooks explain how to make pot roast and mashed potatoes, and there is a back room filled with clothes and furniture. Look through the bookshelf in the back, pick up an old suitcase and find a new piece of artwork to create a gallery wall full of personality. Heart of the Village Antique Mall, 155 W. Bonita Ave., San Dimas, CA 91773

Old Towne Antiques

Cyndia Williams has been running this antique store for 29 years and opened it when Bonita Avenue was much sleepier than it is today. She specializes in quality vintage furniture and costume and fine jewelry. She has an impressive selection of vintage dishware, kitchen decor, tea sets, crystal glassware and coins. Williams is certified and licensed to buy precious metals, and she has the handheld monocular to

The owner of this antique shop used to sell her wares at one of the local shops just a few doors down, until she decided it was about time to branch out on her own. She opened It’s About Time in 2019, right next door to the Enchanted Rose Tea Parlour, and she is hoping she can convince vintage pickers to cross the street to the first antique store on the other side of Bonita Avenue. It’s About Time has vintage telephones, a wonderfully curated collection of vintage clothes for men and women, a great kitchen area with kitschy cookbooks and plenty of knickknacks to give your home a personal touch. The shop often has a charming garden collection with wind chimes. Take heed of the balloons and signs strategically placed to remind onlookers the vintage fun doesn’t stop on one side of Bonita Avenue. This delightful vintage shop is worth the walk across the street. It’s About Time Antiques and Collectibles, 120 W. Bonita Ave., San Dimas, CA 91773

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Main: Automobile enthusiasts and community members appreciate beautifully restored classic cars during Classic Car Cruise Night at Via Verde Plaza on June 4. The event takes place on the first Friday of each month and is an opportunity for locals to socialize, give back to the community and enjoy the scenic location.

CARS

FROM PAGE 1

The San Dimas couple’s story is becoming more common. According to local residents, interest in the hobby is growing. And with social distancing restrictions lifted in recent weeks, car appreciators say they are bringing friends and family to events, introducing the hobby to a wider range of people than ever before.

What’s Old is What’s New

The classic car market increased by almost a billion dollars in the U.S. between 2019 and 2020 and is projected to jump to $15.5 billion by 2023, according to data from consumer data leader Statistica. This impressive growth is due to a variety of factors, a big one being word of mouth. “We’ve seen this hobby grow at Classic Car Cruise Night,” said Russ Golesh, who conceived of and helped organize the Via Verde Plaza event. “Friends invite friends. Then the next time, those friends will bring their kids and grandkids.”

Bottom Left: Longtime car lover and local business owner Steve Lindemann and his wife Leslie stand in front of his restored Buick at a desert car show. Bottom Right: Joe Levandowski, the next generation of classic car enthusiast, sits inside his first project car — a 1978 El Camino. Photo by Rommel Alcantara, Staff Photographer

This Hobby Has a Heart

Golesh said a major motivation — and responsibility — in collecting classic cars is a preservation of history. But there is more to it than that. According to local residents, the hobby is a way to help people in need in a fun and interactive way. Classic Car Cruise Night was created to fill a need for community interaction in a time of restrictions, Golesh said. “San Dimas restaurants were really suffering, and people were tired of being at home,” he said. In the summer of 2020, Golesh sat down with La Villa Kitchen owner Jerry Ramirez, former owner of Century 21 Alan Nash and Palermo Bakery owner Joseph Durkan to brainstorm a way to address these concerns. “We decided to hold a combination outdoor car display plus law enforcement appreciation day and have it be for a charitable cause,” Golesh said. “We had our first Cruise Night in September of 2020, and we held a food drive along with it. The only entrance fee was to bring a food item to donate.” The results were more than they could have dreamed of. “People brought so much food, the Salvation Army had to bring in a box truck to haul it all away,” Golesh said.

New Growth, New Management in San Dimas

As a result of this enthusiastic response to Classic Car Cruise Night, Baldwin Park-based Cal-Rods Car Club was brought in to manage future events. The gathering takes place on the first Friday of each month and features a charity and raffle. Each meetup is dedicated to a charitable cause, with 50% of raffle proceeds going to help a group in need. Local input is not only welcome but also vital to the enterprise, according to Cal-Rods president John Hussey. The club originated in 1954 and currently has over 200 members. “Local businesses will still be very much involved,” Hussey said. Hussey said the ability for locals to socialize, give back to the community and enjoy the picturesque location are all part of what makes the event popular. “We’ll continue to have booths and a DJ,” he said. “People can bring their loved ones and have dinner at a restaurant in the plaza afterward.”

Classics Offer Something for Everyone

Part of what makes classic cars such an appealing hobby is variety, according to San Dimas residents. The Classic Car Club of America’s stance on what makes a car a classic is that it is “fine or distinctive” and

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

Photo by Rommel Alcantara — Staff Photographer

Photo courtesy of Steve Lindemann

originally built between 1915 and 1948. A car is classified as historic in California if it was made before 1975, when state emissions laws changed, according to the California Division of Motor Vehicles. Local enthusiasts say restoring a classic is a matter of taking a historic vehicle and refurbishing or maintaining it, no matter its age. Classic car collectors might race, show or simply cruise their automobiles around town. Whatever one’s tastes, the interest offers something for everyone. San Dimas business owner Steve Lindemann said when he takes his favorite car out twice a week, he gets plenty of beeps and waves. “They know me,” he said of his 1940 Buick Century Model 61. Lindemann’s classic ride, decorated with a sign advertising his business, Linco Picture Framing, is an easily recognized fixture on Bonita Avenue. In fact, the car is so famous that Lindemann rents it out for events, sometimes as “a wedding getaway car,” the business owner said. But for Lindemann, it is more personal than that. A longtime enthusiast of automobiles from the 1940s and 1950s, he had already owned a series of 1957 Chevrolet convertibles. “I was born in 1948, and I was looking for a car from that year,” Lindemann said. He did not find one, but when a 1940 classic car with suicide doors

came his way, he said he fell in love. For Joe Levandowski, the fascination also began early. Levandowski said in high school, a classmate had an old Ford hot rod. Levandowski helped the friend work on the car. By Levandowski’s senior year, he had bought his first project automobile, a 1978 El Camino. “From there I was hooked,” he said. Now he races an El Camino regularly. “There is a certain personality and liveliness that a classic car has that today’s cars do not show,” Levandowski said.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

In many communities, classic car driving and showing was once thought of as a boys’ club or the domain of the wealthy. Today’s new wave of appreciators come from all age groups and involve men and women from all over. Car shows also bring in new friends into the local community. “I grew up going to car shows, the Pomona Swap Meet and running around my grandfather’s junkyard,” said Kim Wilson of Chino Hills. Since then she said she has met “so many amazing friends and people.” Wilson said this sense of camaraderie is common among classic car appreciators. “I think what I like most is that the car community is full of great people with old-school values. It’s not just about the cars.

It’s a bunch of people who look out for one another.” La Habra resident Sharon Frazier said she frequents a Placentia car meet but occasionally drives all the way up to Palm Springs to show off her favorite ride. “My husband has a 1955 Bel Air, but I have a ‘66 El Camino,” Frazier said. “I’m a truck girl.” Frazier said she and her husband are both wild about classic cars. She said she has no plans to slow her hobby down anytime soon. “I’ll keep doing this until I can’t drive anymore,” Frazier said, adding with a laugh, “and then I’ll just have someone drive me.” Others have found purpose in bringing the past into a changing, and sometimes challenging, world. And the friends made along the way are invaluable, according to local residents. Passing the love of classic cars along to the next generation, or sometimes to friends or spouses, appears to be a big factor in the hobby’s growth in recent years. “A car show is the breath of fresh air we all need,” Frazier said. “I have made so many friends. We all have one goal: to show off our cars and have a good time.”

Past Perfect: Keeping History Alive

Although the local classic car community is thriving, there is concern in the community that newer generations may not have as much of a hankering to get behind the wheel of a classic. Charlie Tachdjian, owner of American Classic Cars in La Verne, said sales of his fantastic finds are still there. But following a brief explosion of interest in classic cars several years ago, Tachdijian said interest

has leveled off a bit. “Primarily, our clientele is age 55 and up,” he said. “They remember the cars they loved, and they want to experience that fun again.” At the same time, Tachdjian expressed concern over whether the hobby will be as popular in the future. “Classics will be around for a long time,” he said. “The question is, who’s going to own them?” Enthusiasts like the Levandowskis bring fresh hope and a brand-new clientele into the world of classic car collecting. Buena Park resident Nico Monge owns and shows his four cars for fun. But he said there are practical reasons that this is not an option for everyone. “Younger people are just starting to get to a point where they can afford a classic,” 27-year-old Monge said. Still, Monge said the interest is there. “Young people are coming out [to shows] more and more,” he said. Monge said a lot of them are on Instagram and frequently exchange ideas. “Car shows and swap meets are always fun,” Monge said. “And chasing down a lead [on a vintage find] is a blast too.” Will this newfound appreciation continue? Absolutely, according to residents. “Classic cars bring inspiration and color to the area,” said Joe Levandowski. “They also bring like-minded, passionate people that are ready to be inspired into the same area. [Classic cars] bring a sense of nostalgia to the community.” And that is a sentiment that never goes out of style.

San Dimas Community Post

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

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They don’t make ‘em like Roady’s anymore Left: Corned beef hash and eggs with a side of biscuits and gravy is just one of many options found on the menu at Roady’s Restaurant, an Old Town San Dimas staple. According to writer Emily J. Sullivan, Roady’s checks all the boxes of an authentic, all-American diner. Below: Roady’s has a classic diner setup, with seating available at the bar or at a table. Bottom: Sullivan’s daughters squeezed into a booth to enjoy their hotcakes with syrup and a generous portion of whipped cream. Photos by Emily J. Sullivan

This long-standing local eatery draws patrons in with the classic charm of an old-fashioned diner. BY EMILY J. SULLIVAN Staff Writer

Roady’s Restaurant in Old Town San Dimas is one of those old-time diners where the regulars have their own tables and the servers know most patrons by name and the “usual” they keep coming back for. The decor is consistent with much of San Dimas’ adopted Old West motif, with wood paneling from ceiling to floor and framed photos of Native Americans covering the walls. The menu items might be considered dated by some and classic by others, but as far as an all-American diner is concerned, Roady’s checks all the boxes: breakfast is served all day; liver and onions grace the dinner menu; patty melts, tuna melts and a clubhouse sandwich are all options; and there is a pie display up front. Although I only spied two pies during my recent visit, they were also classics — cherry and apple. Stephanie Silletta O’Dell has been a regular weekend patron of Roady’s since she and her husband Joe moved to the area in 1991. After their kids’ soccer games, they would head over to Roady’s for Joe’s favorite weekend special, chorizo and eggs. “All the waitresses knew he liked the chorizo and eggs, so when we would walk in, they would tell him they had one portion left for him,” O’Dell said, fondly recounting her visits to Roady’s. Only a few of the same waitresses who were working after those weekend games are still there. But O’Dell said they always greeted her with a hug. “Beverly always had gummy candies in her pocket. She would give them to the kids. Joe and I would do a couple rounds of Powerball, and usually each kid would try the claw machine,” said O’Dell. Joe passed away in 2008, but O’Dell still visits Roady’s from time to time with friends. Her children are grown and have moved away. She brings her photo album when she visits to show off her grandchildren to the servers who gave gummies to their parents years ago. I brought my own kiddos into Roady’s last week and let them get hopped up on

root beer and hotcakes slathered with syrup and a dollop of whipped cream. Three police officers came in and sat at a table near our booth, and my girls squealed and waved. The officers smiled and waved back. A worker from San Dimas Coins next door left the shop unoccupied while he sat with friends on the patio, occasionally popping over when a window shopper’s interest was piqued. A few senior citizens enjoyed coffee from red swivel stools that lined the counter. I enjoyed the corned beef hash and eggs, over-medium with a runny yolk and doused with tabasco sauce, using bites of the accompanying biscuits and gravy to dull the heat. My fiance works in the neighboring town of La Verne, so I ordered a patty melt and potato salad to-go and delivered it to him for lunch. According to him, the patty melt was enjoyable too. Vanessa Villagran lives around the corner from Roady’s and frequents the diner often enough. She said about four months ago, she was eating at the counter when a couple a few stools over seemed excited. Wanting to know what all the hype was about, she asked the server what was going on. “They just won big on keno — $3,000,” the server said. Naturally, Villagran immediately struck up a game of keno but did not share in the couple’s luck. The diner’s keno counter is old-timey and quirky in the same way the diner is. There just aren’t many keno counter diners left in Southern California. Just like there aren’t many restaurants that look like the American frontier meets midcentury cafeteria, in a downtown known for selling antiquities from buildings designed to mirror those of the Wild West. It is not the food that makes Roady’s memorable — the food is standard diner fare. It is the oddball charm of an old-fashioned diner sans the shiny chrome and vinyl kitsch. The nostalgic appeal isn’t put on; it is seemingly just the way it has always been. I don’t think I have ever encountered an establishment that deserves the sentiment quite like Roady’s Restaurant does: they just don’t make ‘em like this anymore.

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JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

Local youth dip their toes into the summer scene After a year of social distancing, local parents are giving their kids a nudge toward in-person summer activities. BY AMANDA LEE Staff Writer

As summer 2021 kicked off with the lifting of the state mask mandates and other statewide restrictions, some parents found themselves in the awkward position of playing social coordinator for their teenagers. “To an adolescent, peer relationships are the most important relationships in their lives,” said San Dimas resident Samar Yassine, who has worked as a credentialed public school counselor for more than 15 years and is the mother of tween and teenage daughters. Yassine says getting kids back out there is not as simple as it sounds. “Because school was cut so abruptly, their social connections were also cut abruptly without giving them the opportunity to necessarily prepare,” Yassine said. San Dimas resident Sarah Jimenez realized her 15-year-old son Wyatt needed meaningful peer interaction after buying a season pass to Raging Waters for him. “Interacting with your peers can be hard and feel scary, but it’s not something that kids can avoid. And I don’t think it’s something that as parents we should allow them to avoid forever,” Jimenez said. San Dimas Parks and Recreation activities, sports clubs, theme parks and summer jobs are all opportunities for teens to socialize

Photo courtesy of Sarah Jimenez

Brought together by the Raging Waters Summer Youth Crew Facebook group, (from left) Wyatt Jimenez, Nate Lambertson and Richard Romero had their ﬁrst summer outing to the local water park on June 19.

in person, depending on the family’s comfort level. But some teens may need a little push. As Bonita Uniﬁed School District shifted back to in-person learning in April 2021, teachers and administrators conﬁrmed students’

post-pandemic social behavior at school was noticeably impacted. “They are much more quiet in and outside the classroom,” Yassine said. “Kids are at a place where they have to relearn how to socialize.” Jimenez reached out to other

parents who had also purchased Raging Waters season passes in local Facebook groups, in hopes of creating peer-aged gatherings. Soon after, the Raging Waters Summer Youth Crew Facebook group was born. “It creates opportunities for connections with the kids, but it doesn’t force anything. And it also releases responsibility back to them to maintain it throughout their experience at Raging Waters,” Jimenez said. Yassine emphasized that adjusting back into the real world requires kids be provided with relationshipbuilding opportunities. “Expecting them to adjust back to the real world and know how to create those connections is a lot to ask of kids who have sat on so much over the last year,” Yassine said. Wyatt said he prefers not to socialize virtually because it does not feel as authentic and he does not know the person in real life. “We pick up and internalize different social cues virtually versus actually physically being present with another human,” Jimenez said. Yassine suggested parents open communication and stay connected with their kids, their kids’ friends and their families. “Know what the views are of the children that they are hanging out with and how they are approaching the pandemic. How is their family approaching the pandemic? And do those things line up with your family’s, your views and your beliefs?’” The National Association of School Psychologists also stresses the importance of providing kids with the tools to manage their own anxiety about the pandemic.

A current resource posted by the NASP calls for parents to teach kids positive preventative measures and to discuss fears of infection to help reduce anxiety. While Jimenez laughed about her son not being overly excited about being “forced” to go to Raging Waters with kids he did not know, Yassine equated this reaction to the first-day-of-school jitters. “The first day of school is always awkward, always uncomfortable, and it may even take a few days before you establish your relationships and get into a routine with your peers. But eventually you get into the swing of things, and kids are resilient. And this is the exact same thing,” Yassine said. On June 19, Wyatt attended the first Raging Waters Summer Youth Crew event along with two other teenage boys. “It’s really uncomfortable when you first start, but as the day goes you get less uncomfortable and start having fun,” Wyatt said.

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How secondhand smoke affects children and families The benefits of smoke-free multi-unit housing How we can maintain a healthier San Dimas How to become an advocate for your community

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San Dimas Community Post

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

PAGE 13

The Good Stuff with Julie S. BY JULIE SALAZAR Staff Writer

Perseverance of Nonprofits Witnessing businesses struggle, reassess, recreate and concentrate their efforts to persevere through the pandemic was eye-opening. The more time I spent listening to nonprofit leaders in the community, the more inspired I became. There seemed to be similarities, including a positive outlook of leadership, devotion of the staff, flexibility, true love for what they do and acceptance of a challenging situation. Local organizations took time to assess, look at options, regroup and persevere during unique and difficult times. Each took the challenge as an opportunity to learn. COVID-19 times seem to have made nonprofit leaders thankful for the little things — both professionally and personally. They recognized the difficulty in operating during a pandemic, but they also felt they had learned great lessons. With a renewed faith in the future, organizations like those highlighted below prove we can work through most anything, together. San Dimas Chamber of Commerce 246 E. Bonita Ave. San Dimas, CA 91773 The San Dimas Chamber of Commerce bolsters the city’s economy and continuous development. The chamber supports local businesses by participating in local events and creating networking opportunities, demonstrating a dedication to making San Dimas a vibrant community. The chamber is managed by Chief Executive Officer Silvia Melendez, who was met with a new challenge one year ago: how to operate during a pandemic. Like the 325 businesses it represents, the chamber itself had to contend with COVID mandates. In the blink of an eye, it was forced to close and lay off staff. Melendez said she reached out to other chambers of commerce to learn what they were doing to keep their members engaged during the pandemic. She was inspired to reinvent how the chamber could help local businesses by scheduling virtual meetings, including an educational series, mixers and coffee socials. As daily COVID numbers increased and directives changed, the chamber emailed newsletters two to three times a week to keep the community abreast of changing information. Soon, Melendez noted that even non-members began calling to learn about current mandates. Businesses began to recognize the benefits of being an active chamber member, and membership increased. Once chamber activities resumed, Melendez was able to rehire staff to plan virtual business activities that became the “new normal.” Although

Photo by Isabel Ebiner

San Dimas Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Silvia Melendez runs the nonprofit from the historic Martin House, located at 246 E. Bonita Ave. San Dimas, CA 91773. Like the business leaders she supports, Melendez guided her organization and others through the COVID-19 pandemic.

challenging, Melendez noticed this new trend created an opportunity to introduce members to virtual meetings and networking through technology. Melendez believes that the challenges of the past year have been a lesson in perseverance, patience, devotion and adaptability. To her, the difficulties of the pandemic actually brought her, the staff, chamber members and the community closer by working together for a common goal. Open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m-4:30 p.m, closed on Fridays. For questions, please call 909-592-3818, email info@sandimaschamber.com or visit sandimaschamber.com. Pomona Valley Habitat for Humanity 2111 Bonita Ave., La Verne, CA 91750 Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that helps build and improve places families call home. The nonprofit’s vision is to build “strength, stability and self-reliance in partnership with families in need of decent and affordable housing,” according to the website. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Pomona Valley Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Christine Charland expressed gratitude for the devoted donors and volunteers who persevered and helped keep projects on track by being productive and organized during COVID. Because of Habitat for Humanity’s heavy reliance on volunteer power, projects slowed during the pandemic as challenges arose with coordinat-

ing volunteers’ various schedules and timelines. Like other nonprofits, Habitat for Humanity had to rely on virtual meetings, virtual fundraising, emails, social media and networking during COVID-19. Pomona Valley Habitat for Humanity is currently working on a project in Chino, and the organization would like to work on a project in San Dimas. For more information, contact Christine Charland at 909-596-7098 or visit habitatpv.org. McKinley Children’s Center 180 E. Via Verde Ave., Suite 180, San Dimas, CA 91773 McKinley Children’s Center was originally founded over a hundred years ago as a residential facility for orphaned children and has now “evolved into a multifaceted organization dedicated to improving the lives of young people,” as stated on its website. McKinley provides a lifeline for those in challenging life situations by providing transformative education, counseling and social services in a nurturing and compassionate environment. Today, most of the children who participate in the program live off campus and attend area schools. Services are coordinated by McKinley, families, social services and the courts. During the past year, like other schools and organizations, McKinley had to pivot very quickly. McKinley’s staff had to balance distance learning for children served by McKinley and their own children at home. Daily schedules changed, and everyone had to adapt. McKinley President Anil Vadapar-

ty described the challenges and unexpected benefits faced by the children and families they served during the pandemic. “Being in one spot and having a consistent learning and living environment, uninterrupted, created a much more productive and less challenging behavior in their educational environment for their at-risk students. Reducing the amount of outside influences and overstimulation was a positive unexpected outcome of COVID lockdowns,” Vadaparty said. Pivoting during these times took dedicated staff, new technology and constant coordination, said Vadaparty. He credited the creativity of McKinley’s staff, volunteers and donors with keeping the organization productive during COVID-19. The team focused on their mission and maintained a spirit of “we are all in this together,” Vadaparty said. For more information about the organization, donations and fundraising, please contact McKinley at 909-599-1227 or visit mckinleycc.org.

Ongoing services in and around San Dimas Holy Name of Mary Food Pantry 724 E. Bonita Ave., San Dimas, CA 91773 • Open to all members of the community • Offers food pantry services Monday through Friday (closed Tuesdays) from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. • Donations accepted during food drives that are announced on the front lawn of Holy Name of Mary or through the St. Vincent de Paul

Society • Contact 909-599-1243, ext. 138 to coordinate donation or to learn more Shepherd’s Pantry 657 E. Arrow Hwy., Glendora, CA 91740 • Open to Los Angeles County residents • Provides food and clothing • Home delivery service is available on Wednesdays only. Register by Tuesdays at 1 p.m. • Contact 626-852-7630 for more information Faith Lutheran Church 505 E. Bonita Ave., San Dimas, CA 91773 • Accepts non-perishable donations for the Pomona Food Bank • Call 909-599-3978 to coordinate donation drop-offs Monday through Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. • Food is also available at the church for individuals in need New Song Church 945 W. Covina Blvd., San Dimas, CA 91773 • Open to all members of the community • Offers food pantry services • Donations accepted during food drives or by appointment • Food baskets distributed on July 1, 10, 15, 24, 29, Aug. 5, 14, 19, 28, Sept. 2, 11, 16, 25 and 30 from 10-11:30 a.m. • Contact the church at 909-3949488 for more information Disclaimer: San Dimas Community Post is a member of the San Dimas Chamber of Commerce.

San Dimas Community Post

PAGE 14

Getting

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

the dirt

on Unearth the basics of backyard composting. BY KAREN BRIDGEWATER Staff Writer

If you have ever tried gardening in San Dimas, the following scenario may sound very familiar: the sunbaked soil is hard as a rock, and it is nearly impossible to dig a hole. A network of cracks has formed across the ground, and when you irrigate, water puddles up on top of the surface. Nothing grows. This is our native clay soil, and it is in desperate need of organic matter, otherwise known as compost. What is compost, and how does it improve soil? Compost is simply decomposed organic material, such as plant and food waste. It is rich in nutrients and beneficial organisms. Compost’s crumbly nature improves the structure of compacted soil by increasing air circulation, moisture retention and water drainage. Hard, compact soil makes it difficult for roots to grow and limits the amount of air and water available, which they need to survive. Compost breaks up the hard clay, providing a more hospitable environment for plants to grow. Bacteria and fungi in the compost convert nutrients in the soil into substances easily absorbed by plant roots. Buying vs. making compost You can buy compost in bags from home improvement stores and nurseries, purchase it in bulk from landscape supply companies or take the leap and make your own. Creating your own compost is economical and good for the environment — plus, it is a great way to connect with nature. Purchasing compost can get expensive, especially if you are buying it in bags. Making your own from kitchen and yard waste not only saves you money but also helps to decrease the amount of debris going to the landfill. How does composting work? The workhorses of the composting process are microorganisms that break down organic materials. Since these microbes are living creatures, they require oxygen, moisture and food to survive. They do best in a moist, well-aerated environment and need to be fed a proper ratio of brown and green materials.

Carbon-rich brown materials — such as dried leaves, twigs, straw, sawdust, corn stalks, newspaper and cardboard — decompose slowly. Green materials are rich in nitrogen and break down quickly. These include grass clippings, coffee grounds, vegetables and fruits, fresh leaves and manure from animals like cows, horses, sheep, chickens or rabbits. Certain materials should not be used in composting because they are toxic or will interfere with the composting process. These include dog and cat waste, meat scraps, fats and oils, charcoal ash, diseased or chemically treated plant material, citrus and debris from black walnut and eucalyptus trees. How much brown and green material is needed? It is generally recommended to add more carbon-rich brown materials to the pile, but you can experiment with various ratios of browns to greens from 1-to-1 to 4-to-1. Observe how your pile responds. As the pile breaks down, it should have the consistency of a wrung-out sponge and smell pleasant. If the pile is wet and stinky, you added too many greens. Correct this by adding brown material to balance the mixture and absorb the excess liquid. Then turn the pile to incorporate more air. If the pile looks dry and does not heat up, it needs water and more greens. Work both into the pile with a pitchfork to bring it back into balance. When will my compost be ready to use? Creating usable compost can take anywhere from two weeks to two years. Chopping brown and green materials into small pieces, frequently turning the pile and using a high nitrogen activator, such as blood meal, can help speed up the process. Most backyard composters can produce finished compost within two to six months. Finished compost will be dark and crumbly and have an earthy smell. It will resemble rich soil and no longer look like the materials that were originally added to the pile. How do I use compost to improve my soil? If the soil can be tilled, you can spread two inches of compost on top of your planting area and mix it into the top 12 inches. However, this

Gardening columnist Karen Bridgewater shows off her husband’s backyard compost pile. In this column, she shares some knowledge they have gained over 25 years of composting, as well as advice from other experienced gardeners, including how composting works and various methods you can try from the comfort of your own backyard. Photo by Isabel Ebiner

composting BEGINNER’S TIP For those new to composting, San Dimas resident Debbie Gibbs suggests a simple way to figure out the ratio of materials to use when building your pile: fill up two grocery bags, one with greens and one with browns, then dump them on the pile and mix them up. destroys networks of beneficial fungi that help roots access nutrients in the soil. Spreading compost on a bed in the fall and working it into the top few inches of soil in the spring is a better alternative. Even better is to choose a method that improves the soil without digging, such as lasagna or hugelkultur composting, which will be discussed in the next section.

COMPOSTING METHODS

There are many composting techniques. Choose an approach based on your budget and lifestyle. Traditional composting An open pile can be built on the ground or contained in a wire cage. Closed bins can be purchased or constructed from wood. Aim for a pile that is at least 3 feet high, 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep, as the finished compost heap will reduce to half its original size. Place alternating layers of brown and green materials on your pile, and top it with a brown layer to cut down odors that might attract animals. Hot composting If you are impatient but willing to do a little work to speed up the process, hot composting may be the method for you. Chop up materials before adding them to the pile to make it easier for microorganisms to do their work. Instead of layering the brown and green materials, mix them together in a large pile. As the microbes digest the materials, heat is generated. It is critical that the pile is at least 3 feet high, 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep, otherwise it will not heat up enough to kill weed seeds and pathogens. This only occurs when the pile maintains a temperature of approximately 140 degrees for 72 hours. After that time, the temperature drops. When the temperature falls to 100 degrees, turn the pile with a pitchfork.

This process, repeated every several days, can produce finished compost in as little as three weeks. Lasagna composting Lasagna composting, also known as sheet composting, is a slow, soil-building method that involves layering organic material directly on top of the ground where you will plant. Before starting, clear the targeted area then cover it with a thick layer of cardboard to smother weeds and keep the ground moist. Add alternating layers of brown and green materials to at least 3 feet high, moistening each layer as it is laid down. Finish with a thick layer of mulch. Left alone, the compacted ground beneath the cardboard will transform into soft, rich soil in six months to a year. If you are in a hurry to get growing, you can use this method directly in a raised bed, and instead of waiting for it to finish composting, top it off with a few inches of garden soil and plant right away. Hugelkultur Hugelkultur is a method that uses logs as a base layer to retain moisture and nutrients, followed by layers of branches, twigs, straw, manure, leaves and grass clippings. San Dimas resident Debbie Gibbs is having great success with this method. The dark, rich soil teeming with worms in her 5-by-8-foot raised bed is proof of that. In addition to the logs in the bottom of the bed, Gibbs added five straw bales, cardboard, leaves from her 300-year-old oak tree, green leaves, palm fronds and kitchen waste. To speed things up, Gibbs “blitzes” kitchen scraps in her Vitamix before pouring them down French drain pipes that are partially buried in the bed. Worms crawl through the holes into the pipes, eat the food then return to the bed to deposit their castings (worm poop). During the pandemic, Gibbs focused on composting cardboard. “I made a promise to myself that I would use all of the cardboard packaging that came to the house,” she said. Gibbs said composting has improved the health of her plants and reduced the amount of water she uses on her garden by 75%. Compost tumbler A tumbler is a rotating barrel suspended by a frame and equipped

with a latching door. The barrel is filled with the proper organic material blend then “tumbled” with a crank. This method aerates the compost, helping it to heat up, and increases the speed of composting. Under ideal conditions, finished compost can be cranked out in as little as two weeks. Vermicomposting Vermicomposting, or worm composting, is a method that quickly turns food scraps into a rich soil additive referred to as “black gold.” The basic process involves raising Red-wiggler worms in a plastic bin filled with damp shredded paper and periodically feeding them kitchen scraps. Microorganisms in the worm’s gut digest the paper and food scraps, transforming them into nutrient-rich castings that are then harvested and used as a soil enhancement. Paul Vander Werf, vermiculture chairperson for California Garden Clubs, said that vermicompost is more valuable and sells for “ten times more than regular compost.” It holds twice as much water as regular soil, suppresses plant diseases and pathogens, buffers soil pH and contains hormones that promote plant growth. Unlike a typical compost pile that quickly compacts, he said, “worms constantly move through the soil, aerating and breaking it down much faster.“ When asked how much effort it takes to make vermicompost, Vander Werf said, “You need to check it five minutes every day and feed it once every week or two. Then you just observe and learn.” Vander Werf encourages people to start small and don’t expect perfection. Worms reproduce every 45 days, so even if some of your worms die, more will hatch, allowing you to learn from your mistakes and try again. Sound like too much work? If soil building seems too complicated, do not let it dissuade you from gardening. You can always plant in raised beds placed on top of the hard, clay ground, filled with potting soil. To learn more about composting, check out “Let it Rot” by Stu Campbell or “Worms Eat My Garbage” by Mary Appelhof. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works offers a free, online composting class at smartgardening.com. Read the online version of this article at sandimascommunitypost.com for more composting methods, resources and photos.

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

PAGE 15

San Dimas Community Post

Simple rules to start a healthier diet BY YAJEN TAN Fitness columnist

We have all heard it a million times before: you are what you eat. Yet somehow, no matter how much kale I eat, I have yet to turn into a leafy green vegetable. I am obsessed with diet — not the starveyourself-halfway-to-death type of diet, but the diet that keeps you full, energized and healthy, all at the same time. Here are several suggestions on how you can start eating healthy to transform your energy, health and perspective on what a great diet feels like. 1. Do not be too hard on yourself 2. Maximize real food 3. Do not deprive yourself 4. Practice, practice, practice

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Issue 4 July - September 2021 STAFF

Do not be too hard on yourself

I see so many people start their healthy diet journey disciplined and harsh. They start counting calories and find out they have gone over their daily limit by 400 calories. They panic and eventually end up throwing in the towel completely. As a student, if you earned a low grade on your first test of the semester or missed a homework assignment, would you just give up and not show up for the rest of the semester? No! You would study harder, make sure you are keeping track of assignments and learn from your mistakes. Learning a new habit is the exact same thing. You will make a ton of mistakes, learn from them and hopefully try harder next time around. I always preach the 85% rule. Simply put: stick to the plan at least 85% of the time, and you will likely turn out just fine. One cheeseburger or a couple extra drinks will not really derail your entire week’s work (unless you are training for a competitive event). If you are running into the problem of not being able to stick to your plan, then you need to either review your plan or figure out better ways to keep yourself accountable.

Maximize real food and minimize ultra-processed foods

Eating real food and cutting down on ultra-processed foods will help you if you are trying to lose weight, increase energy or just live a healthier life. An ultra-processed food is a food-like substance that often does not resemble its original state. For example, a delicious layer of sweet cream sandwiched between two cocoa-filled cookies is far from anything you may find out in nature. On the other hand, frozen broccoli (which has been processed through freezing) closely resembles what it started as. The main concern with ultra-processed foods is that they typically lack important micronutrients while containing sugars and fats, which can

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be addictive and damage our waistlines. By simply removing most of those foods from our diets, we are almost guaranteed an immediate decrease in overall caloric consumption and an increase in nutrients that our bodies need.

Do not deprive yourself

What happens when you deprive yourself of something you crave? The craving just goes away, right? Wrong! When I was in high school, I used to swing by the local supermarket every week and pick up two family-sized bags of Kettle Cooked Lays, two packs of Oreos and another miscellaneous treat or two that I would scarf down while doing homework. While I still enjoy Oreos, potato chips and instant noodles, I only consume such foods twice a week or less, instead of 12 times a week (like I did in my youth). Make a plan and follow it to the best of your ability. If it does not work out, build out a new strategy and try again.

Practice, practice, practice

Remember that learning to eat healthy is a skill. You need to treat it like you are learning something brand new. Read about it, talk it over with people you know and put yourself in situations where you can test your understanding. Repeated practice helps you progress. One assignment I give my clients is to search for five to 15 local restaurants that serve healthy options and then identify three to five items on those menus that fit their dietary plan Building an understanding of what a healthy meal looks like and an awareness of healthy options set you up for success. Yajen Tan is a personal trainer and owner of Gimme Crossfit at 561 W. Arrow Hwy., San Dimas, CA 91773. If you have health and fitness questions or would like to suggest topics to be covered in a future column, reach out to Yajen at inbox@sandimascommunitypost.com.

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The San Dimas Community Post is a free print and online publication produced by residents of San Dimas and the surrounding communities. Ads are not endorsed by the Community Post. Editorials are the opinion of at least 75 percent of the Editorial Board. All other opinion is that of the writer. Libel will not be published. All of our reporting and interviewing is done with strict social distancing measures in mind. The San Dimas Community Post welcomes feedback from our readers. If you have any gripes, questions or comments, we want to hear from you! Send your letters to inbox@ sandimascommunitypost.com. All correspondence must include your name. Letters may be edited for content. © San Dimas Community Post LLC, 2021

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