Temple City Voice

Students from elementary, middle, and high schools of Temple City danced the night away during this year’s dance concert on January 11th at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse from 7-9 p.m.

With “Hollywood” as the theme, each dance number featured choreography according to movies in the Hollywood industry. “Transformers” was a Hip Hop dance by TCHS’s Choreography small group. It showed how much music can represent its own unique characters and stories.

The high school’s Choreo group was not the only performance of the night. Another amazing performance was “Telephone Hour” by the Brighter Side Singers as an advertisement of their upcoming spring musical, “Bye Bye Birdie.”

Everyone was dressed in colorful costumes and expressed their souls in the musical. Without a doubt, third graders who were participants of “Good Ship Lollipop” made the audience “aw” every second of the dance.

“Showmanship and production elements” were crucial in portraying the different styles of each dance. The time and hard work put into each dance certainly impressed each and every person who watched the dance concert. Senior Choreo captain Jennifer Tse and Senior Co-Captains Alyssa Ng and Xuan Feng performed their solos through their own original ideas and choreography.

The ways the dancers moved and expressed their personalities when they came through on stage were eye catching. Friends and family were talking nonstop about the impeccable show. Even the next day at school, the staff was flattered by their students’ talents.

The student choreographers and dancers exhibited “memorable and inspirational art form within dancing.” Also, they allowed the audience plenty of insight to experience and enjoy the emotions of the performers.

Ultimately, the dancers displayed their talents in improvisation and their sensitivity to one another in their surroundings. As the last song sounded an end to this year’s dance concert, the audience walked away with awe and the mindset that their money was well spent because of the unique and creative talents that were shown during the concert.

Dance concert DVDs will be available for purchase at the high school in Room 311.

This article was written by Jackie Zhang. It was published in the Temple City Voice on January 30, 2008.

California’s primary election is next Tuesday, February 5, 2008. Voters all across the state will decide on presidential candidates and among seven propositions.

Temple City citizens registered to vote as Democrats or Decline to State voters can choose one candidate in the Democratic field. Those still in the race include New York Senator Hillary Clinton, Illinois Senator Barack Obama, former North Carolina Senator John Edwards, and former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel.

On the Republican field, Temple City Republicans will decide among Arizona Senator John McCain, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and Congressman Ron Paul.

A NBC News and Wall Street Journal national poll taken from January 20-22, 2008 shows the former first lady, Hillary Clinton, maintaining a national front-runner status at 47%. Barack Obama comes in second with 32%, Edwards follows in third place with 12%. Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who pulled out last week, came in at 3%. 5% of Democratic or Democratic primary voters remained undecided. The poll had a 3.1% margin of error.

Senator Barack Obama may gain a boost following his victory over Hillary Clinton on Saturday, January 29 in the South Carolina Democratic primary. The poll was taken prior to the primary.

Meanwhile, on the Republican side, John McCain is the national front-runner for the Republicans in the NBC News and Wall Street Journal. McCain leads Mike Huckabee, 29 to 23 points. Romney places third at 20%, Giuliani follows at 15%. Congressman Paul is in last place with 4%. 8% of Republican or Republican primary voters remain undecided. The poll had a 3.1% margin of error.

Seven state measures are also on the ballot.

Proposition 91 involves transportation funds; however, proponents of the measure have rallied against the measure because most provisions of this proposition are already state law.

Proposition 92 asks voters to approve separate funding for community colleges. It would also lower the college fees per unit from $20 to $15.

Proposition 93 would alter existing term limits laws for state legislators. If passed, the law would lower the number of years a states legislator serves from 14 years to 12 years. Legislators would be allowed to serve all 12 years in one house. Current law permits legislators to serve six years in the state Assembly and eight years in the state Senate.

A Field poll released last Thursday shows voters evenly divided on Prop. 93. The poll taken from January 14 through January 20 shows 39% in favor, 39% in opposition, and 22% undecided. There was a 3.4% margin of error.

The last four state measures, Propositions 94 – 94, are referenda on the Indian Gaming agreements approved by the state legislature and signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The last day to have registered to vote for the primary election was Tuesday, January 22.

Voters may still register to vote for the June primary election.

This article was written by Matthew Wong. It was published in the Temple City Voice on January 30, 2008.

Live Oak Park is expected to receive city funding for several capital improvement projects this year.

“[We are] working on expanding and renovating the concession stand and building a new facility office, meeting rooms, and possibly a teen center” said Parks and Recreation Director Cathy Burroughs in a telephone interview.

The construction of a new multipurpose facility could result in the creation of a teen center, a popular idea for many Temple City youth.

The facility would also house new administrative offices at Live Oak Park. “The idea at this point is to move all the Parks and Recreation staff down there” stated Burroughs at the September 25, 2007 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting.

After the Historical Society moved out of its former home at Live Oak Park, an opportunity arose to renovate or build a new multipurpose facility in its place. The City Council also discussed the possibility of a teen center in 2006, but the item was tabled.

On October 2, 2007, the City Council approved the recommendation from the Parks and Recreation commission regarding the removal of a wading pool at Live Oak Park. Their decision paved the way for the Parks and Recreation department to continue their plans for a new multipurpose facility.

Burroughs stated that plans were still in development and construction is expected to begin this summer. The project is expected to cost approximately $1 million dollars.

This article was written by Angie Yeh. It was published in the Temple City Voice on January 23, 2008.

The Temple City Voice hosted a Voter Registration Drive in front of Ralph’s market on Saturday, January 19, 2008. It hoped to encourage those who had not registered to vote to do so.

Matthew Wong, founder of the Temple City Voice, believes the registration drive was successful, explaining “[We need to] reach out to those who haven’t voted before [to] start engaging in the community.”

Margaret Thi, Editor-In-Chief, agreed “Even though we didn’t get that many people on Saturday, many people came up and talked to us about the elections.”

The goal of the Temple City Voice is to encourage community participation and to be active and involved in the community and our democratic government, Wong adds.

“Because we live in a democratic society, it is important for all voices to be heard. If someone is eligible to vote and does not register, than his or her opinion does not count” described Wong. “It’s important to get involved-we need people to voice their opinions…[The Voice seeks to] encourage high school students to be active and involved to learn and care about their community.”

The California presidential primary will be held on February 5, 2008. Independents or Decline to State voters may vote in the Democratic primary; however, only Republicans may vote in the Republican primary.

Besides voting for presidential candidates, voters will also choose among seven propositions or state measures on the ballot.

Proposition 91 involves transportation funds, while Proposition 92 asks voters to approve separate funding for community colleges. Proposition 93 asks voters to relax term limits for state legislators.

The remaining four propositions, 94-97, are referenda on the Indian Gaming agreements. These agreements were championed by Governor Schwarzenegger, but challenged by voters.

The last day to have registered for the primary election was on Tuesday, January 22, 2008.

This article was written by Connie Lu. It was published in the Temple City Voice on January 23, 2008.

Winter weather has arrived in Temple City and everyone knows that means flu season is approaching. As people walk into really crowded places like restaurants, supermarkets, theatres, and business offices, they are highly susceptible to catching a cold.

There is no definite cure to the common cold, but there are many prevention techniques that can assist you from catching what the person next to you has.

First off, what causes the common cold? The answer to that question can take forever because there are over 200 viruses that can affect people. Surprisingly, stress and allergies can also be causes of a cold.

Also, people catch colds differently, and others are more susceptible to getting sick than others. The immune system is what helps your body fight off germs and viruses. People have different immune systems, some weaker than others, which is why some can easily catch a cold while others do not.

Many people do not realize that there is a difference between getting the flu and catching a cold. Most likely, if you are sick because of this weather, you have caught the flu, which is often apparent during winter or spring. However, the biggest difference between a cold and the flu is that the flu can lead to death if not treated properly. Young children and seniors have the most difficulty recovering from the flu. Another thing that most people misconceive is the difference between allergies and catching a cold. Both are similar, but a cold is more severe.

Before addressing some tips to prevent a cold, let’s highlight some of the symptoms that most people experience. People who catch a cold start with a sore throat followed by a runny nose. You will know the severity of the cold based on your runny nose, the darker the secretions are, the sicker you probably are. You should not have a fever because then that means you have caught the flu.

These following prevention techniques will only be helpful if you catch your symptoms early. There are no guarantees however that you will be cured of the cold, but they will be effective if followed properly.

Step One: Keep yourself hydrated. If you are experiencing or think you are experiencing some of the symptoms of the common cold, remember to constantly drink fluids. Drinking alcohol, however, does not count as a fluid and may worsen your symptoms.

Step Two: Resting. Allow yourself to get a lot of rest is vital to preventing a possible cold. Try to isolate yourself from noise and turn on your heater or a heating pad and slip underneath your blankets for an hour or two. Make sure the heater is not too warm, but at an average temperature. Purchase an air humidifier to moisten the air if necessary.

Step Three: Sooth your symptoms. If you have a sore throat, gurgle some salt water at least three times a day. A common Chinese remedy is a honey with lemon drink. Add some hot water to a tablespoon of honey and squeeze a lemon; it is rumored to be fairly effective. Airborne, and effervescent tablet that boosts up your immune system, is also effective.

Step Four: Know which medicines to purchase. Taking antibiotics is unnecessary at this stage; it would be more beneficial to your health to take over-the-counter cold medicines like ibuprofen. Consult a doctor to see which medicines would be most beneficial to your health.

Finally, maintaining basic hygiene is common sense but will prove useful. Wash your hands and do not share food or even stuff as this may spread the cold. Don’t touch your facial features, especially your eyes and mouth because that is where the virus can easily enter your body.

Although it may be a hassle to actually set out and prevent your cold, imagine how worse you can feel once you catch the cold. So the next time you enter a crowded environment or go outside, do not forget to bring a jacket and take an Airborne before you leave the house.

Be courteous and try not to be the person who spreads the cold; if you know you’re coming down with something, stay at home and get some rest.

Sources: Yahoo! Health and WebMD.com

This article was written by Margaret Thi. It was published in the Temple City Voice on January 23, 2008.

With the college system expanding ever so rapidly, students often find the need to engage in “recognizable” activities to further their transcripts. And, to aid them in their assistance, Temple City High School will aid them in their endeavor- with three new high-hitting classes.

World History, currently taught by Mary Basgall, Sally Sears, and Stacey Rudzik, focuses on international wars that have affected America.” However, a new AP World History class is expected to expand on the current curriculum.

“Aside from the AP credit,” says sophomore Tiffany Chen,” I believe that the class will enhance my understanding of American history by relating to the plights of other countries. I think the class will focus on more than wars America was involved in.”

Principal Mary Jo Fosselman-King states some sort of screening process will be applied before students are accepted into the class.
Temple City High School hopes to develop its Chinese language course by adding a successive Chinese 2. Upon completion of Chinese 1, students will automatically transfer to the secondary course.

Susan Zheng states the class will benefit students of all demographics: “There are many advantages to learning Mandarin, especially for careers. China has a fast growing economy, so in order for the U.S. to keep up, Americans must learn to speak Chinese to communicate and do business. Also, the class provides a chance for non-fluent Asian students to learn their language.”

She believes the course helps teenagers grasp and enhance their knowledge of Chinese culture. The Chinese course initially was met with opposition. The French and German classes, which were suffering from low attendance levels, believed a Chinese course would offset potential students. Results are still unavailable.

An environmental science course is expected to be implemented. Instead of taking the AP Environmental Science course, students may choose to partake in a simplified version of the science.

A decision to implement the class will take place on January 23rd.

This article was written by Randy Shun. It was published in the Temple City Voice on January 23, 2008.

With a few remaining months before her term as Mayor of Temple City ends, Judy Wong sits down with the Temple City Voice to reflect on her past 5 years on the City Council.

What are your plans for the remaining months you serve as mayor?

I hope I can do something for the library. Unlike Arcadia’s and Monterey Park’s computerized libraries, the Temple City library is really old and needs to be renovated. [The City] cannot renovate because there is no budget.

Name some highlights of being a mayor.

I was able to represent Temple City for inter-city functions, which recognizes Temple City as a city. What I’m really proud of is our councilmembers that are very diverse; each one of us holds different opinions.

What do you think is the biggest problem Temple City faces, and how would you propose to solve it?

One thing I’m worried about is wedding shop prostitution locations, which were false accusations. (Previously, there were rumors that prostitution occurred in wedding shops, especially owned by Asians, erupted in Temple City.) I wanted to speak together with Herbert Chan, President of the Chamber of Commerce, but the deputy already [solved it] before me.

What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies?

I like karaoke, ballroom dancing, chatting with other ladies, and watching good entertainment. I am mainly involved in Sister Clubs and the Chinese Association, and I think that the Red Cross is the most efficient group.

What kind of mayor do you think Temple City needs? Did you meet your own standard(s)?

[Temple City needs] a person who can accept [diversity] and multi-ethnic cultures and a person who has a big heart. I think I am open-minded and I accept multi-ethnic cultures.

What advice do you want to give to the future mayor?

Be open-minded. I think that’s the most important thing.

This interview was written by Margaret Thi. It was published in the Temple City Voice on January 16, 2008.

The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) survey results have been released, after the SWOT subcommittee had the chance to analyze the results. In total, 146 responses were acquired out of 1700 distributed copies of the SWOT survey.

The survey was distributed from August 10 through September 24, 2007. The outcome of the SWOT survey noted that many refused to participate because of a concern “that nothing ever changes in Temple City and that nobody would pay attention to their input.”

Despite the limited number of responses, at the October 9 meeting, Planning Commissioner Carl Blum felt “it was significant that 146 people filled out these surveys.”

The top strengths cited in the survey results were great events (85%), good parks (65%), and a small town feel or a great place to live (43%). Other strengths included acceptable safety, free newspapers in town, good schools, friendly residents, and good sheriffs.

“I love that Temple City is a small town and I just want to see it maintain that small town charm while incorporating the businesses it desperately needs to keep from becoming a ghost town” stated an anonymous commenter in the report.

The top weaknesses stated in the survey were no shopping interest (67%), lack of variety of restaurants (58%), and too many wedding shops (49%). Other weaknesses included too many families living in one home, too many big houses, too many multi-unit zones, outdated stores, too many Asian restaurants, and poor communication between the city and its residents.

A fewer number, but significant opportunities were listed. It included more chain restaurants/department stores (40%), more Piazza like projects (19%), and the recapturing of a small town feeling (18%). Additional opportunities included a movie theater, theme for the city, community events, additional parks, and a desire for more teenage and youth venues.

Top threats included business competition from other surrounding cities (55%), aging city-look and infrastructure (25%), and Asian signage-like a foreign country (25%). Other threats include a lack of confidence in the city council in addressing the issues facing the city, lack of sales tax generating stores, unwelcome feeling in Asian businesses and restaurants, gangs, and increase/unsafe traffic around schools.

The SWOT survey consisted of four pages and was distributed in over fifty locations in Temple City. In addition surveys were handed out during the summer “Concerts in the Park” and noted in various newspapers.

Of the 146 people who completed the survey, fifty-two were male and ninety-four were female. The majority of those who filled the surveys were senior citizens.

The SWOT surveys’ analysis will be given to the three task force committees and ultimately be used to aid in the process of updating of the General Plan.

This article was written by Matthew Wong. It was published in the January 16, 2008 issue of the Temple City Voice.