Temple City Voice

This is a land of tummy aches and painkillers, paper cuts and cool cream.

Panaceas line the shelves of pharmaceutical stores. Zanthrax for depression. Ocuvue for irritated eyes. Neosporin, translucent band-aids, and the entire brethren kin of medicinal magic makeup kits all aimed towards alleviating aches and itches.

Of course the placebos occasionally dot the aisles, but, heck, what’s the difference?

Placebo, nacebo- these psychological magic bullets and worry-warts function just as well as morphine and aspirin. Add the effects of working, and illegitimate, medicines together and see the human race’s predilection towards change: changing whatever fails to suit it.

We have been acclimatized to convenience. Physical exertion fell out a window for remotes and chairs. Robotics have claimed the man-powered division of production that once characterized factory production.

Even man’s most inherent ability- walking on two feet- has been supplanted- by a vehicle no less. Instead of pounding on the earth with soles, Hummers, Accords, and myriad designs of cars travel in place of shoes. Bummer.

There’s also the environment, warped, changed, altered to self-interest. Desert? Siphon water from the North and pump it into the arid South. Humid? Erect unnatural squares with internal healing and cooling functions (whatever happened to sweating and/or removing layers?). Too rainy? Shoot iodine pills to the sky.

Man constantly infringes on Nature’s backyard. But we complain when the placebo is exposed, when the hurricane razes the levees and devastates towns, or after a freak rockslide leaves human debris, of pipes and bodies, in its wake.

Then a syrup is administered to people. Dystopian novels such as The Giver or perhaps the epitome of dysfunction 1984 demonstrate the idea of mass manipulation well.

Propaganda is shoved down throats, and the infection of free thought drowns in nasty Tylenol-brainwashing pulp.

We see Georgians as victims; South Ossetia wishes to assimilate with Russia. One of us has taken the wrong prescription, or perhaps the hypochondriac is simply the one to blame.

For beauty, medicine becomes mass advertisement. Commercials aimed at psychosomatism exploits insecurities of appearance and weight.

But medicine works well.

The suction cups of liposuction drain away life-threatening fat. Poor eyesight derived from constant online gaming clears after laser eye surgery. That rotting teeth swaps positions with a silver crown.

These are true placebos. Fix the ailment temporarily, but the malignant cancer-habit remains.

If only a wonder drug existed. Happy, we’d all be, devoid of worry and pain.

Beauty, convenience, and carefully tuned thought would all be accounted for. There is one- souma. Brave New World’s miracle all-cure renders a world very content.

Side effects include: a lack of distinction, mediocrity, and the loss of one’s humanity.

Randy Shun is a junior at Temple City High School. He is also the Community Affarirs Director-City for the Temple City Voice. He writes periodically on his blog, accordingtoaccordions.

This opinion was written by Randy Shun. It was published in the Temple City Voice on September 24, 2008.

Students at Temple City High School displayed monumental improvement in a state-mandated standardized test by increasing their Academic Performance Index (API) score by 16 points.

Last spring, the California Department of Education administered its annual California Standards Test (CST) to ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade students statewide.

The API score is derived by inputting CST and California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) scores into a formula that is designed by state officials and educators.

Temple City High School students had already boasted an impressive API score of 806 for the 2006-2007 school year, well above the California high school average of 728. This made the 2007-2008 year’s jump to 822, still significantly above the new state average of 742, even more remarkable.

While no single reason can explain such dramatic improvement, Principal Mary Jo Fosselman King cites many contributing factors.

“It’s a combination,” noted King, “of our teachers doing a good job and our students taking the test seriously.” King also joked that she “bribed” the students with slightly longer lunches, with which the students will be rewarded roughly once a month.

It is important to note that the California Department of Education slightly tweaks its scoring formula every year in order to more accurately represent our schools. Still, it is unlikely that such modifications accounted for a sixteen-point shift.

Ultimately, the school does not actually gain any monetary benefit for the students’ improved scores.
“We don’t get anything from the state for our CST scores,” said King, while adding, “though it does look better when others look at our school.”

As commendable as our district’s scores have been, the high school principal does not believe that the scores are and accurate representation of our education system.

“For me, [our API score] is small; for everybody else, it’s big,” explained King, “it’s not a good measure of our school unless you look at our student body, our co-curriculars, and things like that.”

Nonetheless, King and other educators in Temple City wish to continue building on this success.

This article was written by Jason Wu. It was published in the Temple City Voice on September 24, 2008.

Besides improving the local economy, it looks like Temple City might need to focus on its aging sewers if the City does not want its residents to complain of overflowing sewage. 

On Tuesday, July 15, 2008, the City Council heard from RKA Consulting Group, which was hired to complete a Sewer Master Plan for Temple City. The City last finished a Sewer Master Plan in 2000.

There are two main problems with the sewage system in Temple City.

“The first relates to the fact that the 6-inch and 8-inch sewer mains are now at capacity” stated City Manager Charles R. Martin in his July 17 weekly report.

Martin noted that the increase of the City’s population from 10,000 to 36,000, as well as the additional 16% load from the county area north of Temple City are contributing factors to the first problem.

The second issue relates to the age of the sewers.

“Most of our sewer [pipe line] was installed in the 40s, some 70 years ago” add Martin. The average lifespan of clay or terracotta pipelines are 50 to 70 years, but the lifespan is also dependent on other factors such as earthquakes, soil conditions, and the slope of the pipes.

The Sewer Master Plan, completed by RKA, is a twelve-year program that accounts for the City’s growth. It does omit the additional 860 housing units Temple City is mandated to build over the next few years.

According to the RKA study, Temple City will need to spend at least $10 million dollars to fix the undersized pipelines. Temple City has already allocated approximately $8 million dollars to ameliorate its aging sewers.

“[Clay] is the more predominately used pipelines today” said the representative from RKA. He noted that the 10-inch pipelines would most likely be changed to 15-inch clay pipelines.

City Manager Martin warned that action was “paramount.”

During Council discussion, City Councilman Ken Gillanders suggested a new construction surcharge of $7-8,000.

Should the City begin to fix its pipelines, Sereno Avenue will be its first priority. With 92 feet of pipelines, the construction period will take about one week.

“It’s not going to be pleasant” cited Mayor Cathé Wilson over the possibility of overflowing sewage.

This article was written by Matthew Wong. It was published in the Temple City Voice on September 24, 2008.

As the economy continues to sour, the City of Temple City is pushing new ideas to bolster the local economy.

The City’s latest efforts focus on redevelopment and land-banking for a new redevelopment project. These moves follow the passage of the moratorium on non-retail businesses in April and the adoption of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) proposal in June.

On Tuesday, July 1, 2008, the City Council, acting as members of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) voted 3-1 to designate a survey area for a new or amended redevelopment project. Councilmember Fernando Vizcarra cast the sole opposing vote.

The City aims to expand the jurisdiction of the CRA by including downtown Temple City, land to the west and east sides of Rosemead Boulevard, and a portion of land on Sultana Avenue adjacent to the current redevelopment area into an expanded redevelopment zone.

Councilman Dave Capra, who was absent from the July 1 Council meeting, stressed the importance of bringing redevelopment to Temple City at the previous City Council meeting in June.

Next, the City Council as members of the Community Development and Housing Authority (CDHA), voted 4-0 to proceed with property acquisition of properties on Las Tunas Drive and Temple City Boulevard.

Under the authority of the CDHA, Executive Director Charles R. Martin will find a negotiator and present to the CDHA a final offer for approval.

Finally, the City Council, during the public comment period, heard from both supporters and critics of the three-month old moratorium.

The moratorium on non-retail businesses, affects all businesses on Las Tunas Drive between Sultana Avenue and Rowland Avenue. Since April 1, all incoming businesses must provide at least 50% of sales tax for its business services in order to move into Temple City. Existing businesses were not affected by the moratorium.

“The moratorium is not working” argued Pablo Poomes, a Temple City businessman. Poomes criticized the local measure and cited an inability to rent his property because the moratorium prevented service businesses from moving into his property.

As evidence of the futileness of the moratorium, Poomes pointed out to the increasing number of vacancies on Las Tunas Drive.

Peggy Miller, a moratorium supporter, countered critics by stating “we need to take a stand.” Miller stressed that Temple City residents wanted stores to shop at in Temple City instead of spending money at neighboring cities.

The City Council took no further action on the moratorium.

This article was written by Matthew Wong. It was published in the Temple City Voice on September 17, 2008.

On September 3, Temple City’s weekly summer concerts in the park, which began on June 25, drew to an exciting close with a rousing performance from the classic rock band, “The Answer”.

The group consists of bassist and lead singer Van Mosley, guitarist Jim Searing, keyboardist David Slater, and drummer Ray Garrobo. The quartet played nearly thirty songs, ranging from “Pretty Woman” to themes from “James Bond”.

The already-rowdy crowd was fueled even more when “The Answer” used projectile launchers to shoot free prizes into the audience of several hundred. Temple City High School senior Claudia Wu, who has volunteered at all of the summer performances, says that massive gatherings have not been unusual.

She adds that “the crowd is really into it, and people are willing to do anything to support [the musicians]“.

Van Mosley added some more serious undertones to the light-hearted evening by saying that they “wear red, white, and blue to honor our troops overseas”.

A wide variety of groups, such as “The Wonderelles” and “The Funky Hippeez” also performed during these summer concerts.

The summer concert series continue to draw more and more people every year, as evidenced by the great success of this summer’s performances. The city, already preparing for next year’s concerts, passed out surveys to those who attended the final concert so that Temple City residents could help evaluate all of this summer’s entertainers.

This article was written by Jason Wu. It was published in the Temple City Voice on September 17, 2008.

The 2008 presidential race may be on the minds of voters, but California voters will also face another long list of state measures. With the deadline for new propositions now closed, there are twelve state propositions qualified for the Tuesday, November 4, 2008 general election.

Proposition 1A, known as the “Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond act for the 21st Century”, would create a 700-mile rapid train system within the state of California. The plan is to construct a high-speed rail system to link California’s most bustling cities, from Sacramento to San Diego. Priority is set for a transit line between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Proposition 2 establishes the humane treatment of farm animals. If this measure passes, farm animals must be allowed to extend their limbs, stand up, sit down, and turn around for a majority of the day.

A $980 million dollar bond measure to distribute funds to children’s hospitals in Los Angeles is known as Proposition 3. 80% of the funds from this state measure targets hospitals for children with severe diseases like leukemia, cancer, heart defects, and cystic fibrosis. The remaining 20% would be allocated to the University of California general acute care hospitals.

Proposition 4 seeks to mandate that an impregnated minor must have parental or a guardian’s consent at least forty-eight hours in advance prior to having an abortion. Should this measure pass, the physician would judge whether the abortion should be given according to factors should as the patient’s maturity and best interest. Similar ballot measures have failed in the past (Proposition 73), most notably in 2005.

State measures 5, 6, and 9 involve crimes; Proposition 5 reduces the consequences for non-violent drug offenders and parolees, Proposition 6 increases penalties for felonies, and Proposition 9 increases the amount of people allowed to testify for suspects.

Measures 7 and 10 target the issue of alternative energy. Proposition 7 requires all government-owned utilities to generate 20% of their power from renewable sources of energy by 2010. Measure 10 authorizes $5 billion in bonds for research, development, and production of alternative fuel vehicles and energy.

A controversial measure known as Proposition 8 would define marriage as between one male and one female individual. Proposition 8 is an initiative to amend the state of California’s constitution. In May, the state Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriages in California.

Proposition 11 creates a fourteen-member redistricting commission to draw new district boundaries for the state Assembly, Senate, and Board of Equalization. This measure has been endorsed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The last state measure, Proposition 12, provides the financing for farm and home aid for California’s veterans.

All measures were summarized based on the California Secretary of State’s website. The last day to register to vote is October 20, 2008.

This article was written by Sophia Chang. It was published today in the Temple City Voice on September 17, 2008.

With all due respect, the way to decrease the statistics of a crime is not to make it legal.

By lowering the drinking age, you’re not changing a teenager’s mindset that “drinking is cool”. Most teenagers do not drink to show defiance to the law. The incentive for drinking is, for teenagers and adults alike, the effects alcohol was produced to incite in people: the pleasure itself.

That’s why alcohol commercials commonly go for a rowdy (beer) or sophisticated (wine) feel, instead of using the slogan “Jailmates Do It”. People aren’t going to go out of their way to do something if there’s no pleasure or benefit in it.

Picture this hypothetical situation in which the drinking age is lowered: Teenagers all around the state, or wherever else the law touches, will suddenly be granted the permission to drink their night (or day, as it would be no problem to do so in broad daylight anymore) away.

If this does not spark a national over-night emergence of blatant alcohol consumption, I honestly don’t know what will. There will probably even be a future holiday commemorating this significant day in which alcohol companies will have to create a Sake Santa or a Beer-Stir Bunny myth to boost their sales.

But why stop there? In fact, to abolish alcohol once and for all, why not just make it 100% accessible, so that toddlers will be able to get pre-maturely wasted? And after that, why not, just as in George Orwell’s 1984, completely eradicate the term “pre-mature” from the dictionary and just make everything legal to everyone of all ages to abolish all crimes of all kinds?

If we continue to follow in the philosophy that making something accessible will decrease desire for it, critical problems can arise. I don’t see murder becoming a legal issue anytime soon, but the above stated doctrine would justify it.

Saying that “teenagers will drink no matter what the law states” is having no faith in our future, and those who wield it. There is a solution to premature drinking, and making it legal is not one of them. All we have to do is hold hope and continue searching.

This opinion was written by Sophia Chang. The views of the author do not represent the views of the staff or the Temple City Voice. It was published on September 10, 2008. 

The term “summer school” usually implies six weeks of four-hour-per-day high school classes students must yawn their way through. However, the Junior State of America (JSA) summer school provides a remarkably different experience and a much more positive connotation.

JSA summer school is an annual program that gives high school students across the nation the opportunity to spend four weeks at a university campus, discussing (and extensively learning about) politics.

This program, active now for 68 years, is held at four prestigious college campuses: Georgetown, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale.

This summer, three Temple City High School seniors Kevin Chen, Michelle Leong, and Jason Wu attended the Stanford Summer School from June 29 – July 24.

As active members in the TCHS JSA club, the three were appealed to the JSA summer program because of their love of both politics and debate.

“JSA is the largest student-run organization in America,” Jason Wu stated. “We dedicate ourselves to combating political apathy and removing the idea that all young people have no idea what’s going on in this world. We try to engage high school students in the political process and in doing so we hope that they can become articulate, well-spoken people that can express their thoughts without reservation.”

Stanford Summer School offers a variety of politically affiliated classes, including AP U.S. Government & Politics, AP Macroeconomics, and AP Comparative Government and Constitutional Law.

The average “school” day at Stanford lasts from about 7 in the morning until 9 or 10 in the evening.

During “school hours”, students attend classes in three hour sessions. As part of the educational package, interesting and controversial political speakers would occasionally come and hold grand-scale discussions with the students.

“Some of the real highlights of Stanford summer school were the speaker days,” Wu explained. “Speakers would come and talk about the presidential election, religion, racial issues-all sorts of things.”

To unwind after long days, several students, including Kevin Chen, played card games, talked, or just hung out.

“Every night at around 9, a group of people [mostly from Southern California] would get together outside to play Mafia,” Chen said. “It got pretty intense.”

Students can receive more information about signing up for this rewarding program by checking out the JSA website, www.jsa.org.

“JSA Summer School is…really hectic,” Kevin Chen comments, “but, in the end, it’s what you make of it-most would say it’s really worth it. I’d say so, too.”

This article was written by Katie Brown. It was published in the Temple City Voice on September 10, 2008.

The lawsuit may be filed against Randy Wang, the owner of The Piazza at Temple City, but on Tuesday, a heated discussion among members of the City Council emerged over who would attend a settlement conference.

It has been nearly two years and one month since the previous City Council approved the controversial mixed-use project on Las Tunas Drive and Rosemead Boulevard. Despite a new cooperative City Council, construction has never taken place.

On Tuesday, June 17, 2008, the City Council chose Mayor Pro Tempore Dave Capra and Councilman Ken Gillanders to represent the City of Temple City in an anticipated settlement conference regarding the Piazza.

“The function of the mediation is [to attempt] to settle outside of court” stated City Manager and City Attorney Charles R. Martin.

In May 2008, City Manager Martin wrote that the City of Temple City would be required by the court to attend a mandatory settlement conference in order to determine whether the issue could be resolved without judicial involvement.

Martin proposed three options Tuesday evening: the two representatives could be appointed by the City Council, selected by lot, or chosen by the City Manager.

Martin indicated his preferences were Mayor Pro Tempore Dave Capra and Councilman Ken Gillanders, but Councilman Fernando Vizcarra wanted to attend.

Councilwoman Judy Wong made a motion to select two members of the Council by lot, but her motion failed 3-2. Only Councilman Vizcarra supported her motion.

“We’re going to listen” said Councilman Capra, aiming to reassure members of the Council and public over the selection.

Mayor Cathé Wilson then motioned to select Councilmembers Capra and Gillanders as the subcommittee members representing the City of Temple City. Wilson’s motion passed 3-2, with Councilmembers Vizcarra and Wong casting the dissenting votes.

An uproar emerged after the Council decision. Residents began questioning whether those selected were qualified and professional enough to represent the City. Temple City resident Rachel Barbosa suggested that the Council send Councilman Capra and Vizcarra.

In attempt at crafting a compromise, Mayor Wilson motioned to approve Councilman Vizcarra as an alternate delegate should either Councilman Capra or Gillanders be removed. The Council voted 4-1 in favor of her motion, with Councilman Gillanders opposed.

The Piazza at Temple City, formerly known as the “Temple City Galleria” and “Piazza Las Tunas” once promised fifty-two one bedroom condominiums and a complex shopping center for Temple City residents. It was estimated to bring $800,000 to $1 million dollars in badly needed tax revenues to Temple City.

According to the Developer’s Agreement with the City of Temple City, the $75 million project must be completed by August 23, 2009. If it is not complete, the City will have the option to purchase the entire parcel for $5 million.

This article was written by Matthew Wong. It was published in the September 10, 2008 issue of the Temple City Voice.

TCUSD School Board President Joe Walker Photo Courtesy of Joe Walker

Sitting in his relaxed light blue polo, Joe Walker was composed and down-to-earth, completely not flaunting his authority, during the Voice’s first personal interview with the Board President on August 15. With a warm smile, Walker told us to make ourselves comfortable, and after exchanging a few words, we gradually gave in to his amiable demeanor.

Walker’s term on the Board ends in December, giving him 4 more months left as President. When asked if he would continue, he told us that he would like someone else to take his place.

He mentioned the time where he, upon hospitalization due to a tumor, had to conduct his meetings from the hospital bed.

“They would have signs stuck outside the doors saying that there was a meeting going on inside,” he chuckled, seeming to retrospectively regard the situation with good humor.

He had also served 5 additional months, due to former President Mukesh Luhar’s leave, and was “not ready” for it all. The briefness of the remainder of his term does not affect his productivity. He elaborated on the many goals he currently holds.

His first goal is to help out the new superintendent, Dr. Chelsea Kang-Smith, who he highly acclaims, saying that “hiring her [was] the best thing that TC decided to do.” He also wishes to strengthen his relationships with the Board and the public.

Walker is extremely proud of Temple City’s education system as a whole. Throughout the interview he passionately praised the schools multiple times. “Your parents came here for the education, not the bridal dresses,” he jokes.

He also emphasized on the success of the CLC, or as it is newly renamed, Sears Community Learning Center. “I always ask graduates, ‘do we prep you for college and life?’ and the answer is always a yes.”

Walker assures us that all of the people on the school board are there for “the right reasons,” which interestingly enough do not include money, fame, or power. He informed us that the position does lack perks such as not being able to get sons the football team due to lack of reserved parking spaces, but did not seem to be complaining.

Unlike some other districts which may regard the Board as a stepping stone to headlines, he stressed that the TC board is entirely there for the people.

He also addressed a few flaws in our education system, including the inclining enrollment rates. We had a few questions in mind: why should inclining enrollment rates be a problem? After all, isn’t the prime goal of opening a school to attract more and more students? Walker explained to us the concept of Average Daily Attendance, in which attendance rates become harder to balance; in other words, the quality becomes difficult to maintain in the face of exponentially growing quantity.

The toughest part for Walker as President was getting to know how schools are run. He discredited a common myth of our generation; teachers do not, in fact, write our tests right before issuing them and alter the level of difficulty according to their current moods.

“Nothing happens by chance. When the teacher gives you a test, you have to understand that it’s not E-Bayed an hour ago. In reality we’re dealing with very creative people, and it’s all planned out.”

Now, most people would find being a father and maintaining an entire city’s education system to be quite an amount of work. However, Walker doesn’t stop there. In his spare time he works as a crime analyst for the sheriff’s department, a job that he explains is overly dramatized by CSI.

He also volunteers at the hospital in Alhambra. Despite balancing all of these jobs at once, he still admirably maintains a very relaxed manner. In his leisure hours, Walker spends time with his family and his 6 chickens, immerses himself in history books, and blogs avidly.

This article was written by Sophia Chang. It was published in the Temple City Voice on September 3, 2008.