Temple City Voice

While once steadfast in support of the Piazza at Temple City, A & W Builders, the construction management firm, has pulled out of the project. The bad news affirms the claim that the Piazza will most likely not be constructed on the corner of Las Tunas Drive and Rosemead Boulevard.

On Wednesday, July 23, 2008, the Temple City Voice learned through a telephone interview that the Piazza no longer has ties with A & W Builders.

“We are no longer involved with that project” said an unidentified receptionist working for A & W Builders.

A request to reach former project manager Louie Aurelio and A & W Builders President David Wilson was made, but neither individual responded.

Randy Wang, the developer and owner of the Piazza project, and the City of Temple City are currently engaged in a lawsuit concerning the future of the Piazza at Temple City.

Councilmembers Ken Gillanders and Fernando Vizcarra attended the first settlement conference on Wednesday, July 26. The settlement conference was mandated by the court to try to resolve the issue without judicial involvement. Both are expected to report to the full City Council in a closed door meeting at a future time.

Originally Mayor Pro Tempore Dave Capra was selected to be the other representative for the City Council; however, Capra was replaced by Councilman Vizcarra on July 10 because of an undisclosed illness.

The Piazza at Temple City, formerly known as the “Piazza Las Tunas” and “Temple City Galleria” once promised 52 one-bedroom condominiums and a complex shopping center at the site of the former Temple City Edwards cinema. The previous City Council voted unanimously to approve the project in May 2006, despite opposition from Temple City residents.

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 finished, 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 Temple City Voice on October 29, 2008.

In July 2008, the Metro Board of Directors proposed a half-cent sales tax. By voting yes, voters will agree to fund transportation projects within the Los Angeles County.

According to the private nonprofit Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), Measure R would only cost residents an average of $25 per person each year. Ultimately, the most important factor is that over 200,000 more job opportunities will be created.

What is Measure R? Measure R is a half-cent sales tax increase expected to provide local resources to finance new transportation projects.

This measure would impose a sales tax increase of half a cent in the Los Angeles County, raising the sales tax rate to 8.75%.

For the next 30 years, Measure R is predicted to produce $40 billion that will help synchronize traffic signals, repair potholes, extend light real with airport connections, improve freeway traffic flows, keep senior, student, and the disabled fares low, provide clean-fuel buses, and expand Metro link service. Overall, 65% of the money would go to transit, 20% to highways, and 15% to cities fixing potholes and synchronizing traffic signals. Should the Los Angeles County’s sales tax increase a one-half cent for the next 30 years?

If it succeeds, there will be more major street resurfacing, rehabilitation and reconstruction, pothole repair, left turn signals, bikeways, pedestrian improvements, streetscapes, signal synchronization, and transit service improvements. However, if it fails, it may be many years before a similar measure is put forward.

This article was written by Vincent Wei. It was published today in the October 29, 2008 edition of the Temple City Voice.

The Temple City Voice is featuring a series of interviews with former volunteer staff. This is the third of our “Catching Up with Former Staff” series.

About two years has passed since Shirley Wu left the small site of Temple City to attend Bowdoin College in Maine, but luckily, she had taken with her the diverse experiences she gained through Temple City Voice.

This quiet, introspective girl became part of the staff of Temple City Voice during her senior year in high school, the first year the staff was put together. By joining the small group of young, prestigious writers, she widened her perspective as well as experience.

“Temple City Voice is a way for students to get more experience interacting with the community.” Wu said, “Otherwise I wouldn’t have participated in city activities and events.”

As Wu recalls, the opportunity had approached her in the most unexpected way. The founder of Temple City Voice, Matthew Wong had found her through some of her friends and had discovered that she was a lover of newspaper reviews as well as poetry.

At first, when Wong explained to Wu the group he was envisioning, she doubted his intensions.

“I thought, ‘why would you need another newspaper if there’s already the school newspaper?’” Wu said. “But when I started writing for the Temple City Voice, I realized we cover stories and events that the school newspaper doesn’t cover.”

Unlike the school newspaper, which only covers events that happen around campus, the Temple City Voice take responsibility in informing the residents of Temple City about current events that affect them.

“A lot of people don’t know what’s happening around the city, especially the younger generations,” Wu said. “Temple City is so small that Council meetings and other small things are actually important to the people.”

Wu also attained the opportunity to meet and interview different people, such as candidates running for offices. She developed her social skills and learned to professionally hold interviews.

When asked if she would recommend one to join the Temple City Voice, Wu answered in an enthusiastic voice, “I say definitely go for it. Temple City Voice gave me opportunities that I never had. It boosted my confidence and allowed me to progress as a reporter and a communicator.”

This article was written by Charlene Choo. It was published in the Temple City Voice on October 22, 2008.

Will America ever send a woman to the White House?

There is less than two weeks left until the November 4, 2008 presidential election and the McCain-Palin ticket is trailing heavily behind the Obama-Biden ticket.

According to Real Clear Politics (RCP), an online website devoted to politics and polls, Senator Obama would win the general election if it was held today. The RCP national poll of polls (as of Monday, October 20) has Senator Obama with a 5.6 point advantage over Republican nominee John McCain, 49.6%-44%.

The RCP Electoral College count has Obama with 364 electoral votes to McCain’s 174 electoral votes. Many political analysts now believe the race is over and that Obama will win by a landslide come Election Day.

The result of Obama’s historical victory: the glass ceiling for women achieving higher political office will unlikely be broken during the current or next presidential election cycle.

“Hillary [Clinton] left 18 million cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling in America. But it turns out the women of America aren’t finished yet, and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all” stated Sarah Palin, the first Republican vice-presidential nominee, on August 29, 2008.

McCain’s historic selection of the Alaska Governor gave America yet another chance to send a female to the nation’s second highest office.

Since the first women’s rights convention at Seneca Falls in 1848, American women have made significant political progress. Throughout United States history, American women have fought alongside with abolitionists and civil rights leaders against slavery and for voting rights for African Americans. The passage of the 19th amendment finally gave women a voice in the political system, and now they outnumber men at the ballot box.

Hillary R. Clinton entered the presidential race “to renew the promise of America” in January 2007. Clinton campaigned throughout the United States to win the number of delegates needed to become the Democratic presidential nominee. The former First Lady won over 18 million votes, but lost to Barack Obama.

“Probably close to zero” said Clinton on running for president a second time. The New York Senator made her comments on Fox News. If Clinton, the only female politician capable of waging and winning a presidential campaign, does not run again, women may not reach the steps of the White House for a long time.

In 1984, Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro became the first female vice-presidential nominee. Twenty-three years later, Nancy Pelosi, another congresswoman broke historic barriers to become the first female Speaker of the House.

Despite the incredible progress women have made thus far, no female candidate has ever come as close to the presidency than Hillary Clinton. While there are female politicians qualified to be president, few, if any could wield enough support to win a presidential campaign.

Hillary R. Clinton, one of America’s most powerful female politicians, is one of few individuals capable of becoming the first female President. Her loss dealt a blow to the women’s movement and another loss, a McCain-Palin loss, would deal another.

It may be a long while until we see a female candidate become either the vice-president or president of the United States. This nation’s second highest glass ceiling looks unlikely to be broken in this election, but no matter what, many will agree the 2008 presidential election has been historic.

This opinion was written by Matthew Wong. The views of this author do not represent the views of the Temple City Voice or its staff. It was published in the Temple City Voice on October 22, 2008.

Enrollment at Temple City High School continues to increase above 2,000 students, but making additions to the current 1,400 lockers will prove difficult.

Like many other problems, the troubles of this situation have been made manifest by the swelling financial crisis that grips the world. Although the district would like to supply one locker per student, the cost of installing 600 lockers would be approximately $46,500. This figure does not take into account an additional $2,900 annual maintenance cost.

Such monetary constraints are especially a concern when even district officials might not be rewarded for their services.

“If we don’t borrow funds from the state within the next three weeks,” says School Board Member, Rachel LaSota, “we may not get paid.”

Moreover, many other factors that must be considered compound the existing fiscal limitations.

“Even if we put the money into [new lockers],” School Board representative and high school senior, Anthony Chan, notes, “we would still have to find a place to put them. They would have to be protected from the elements, but all of our hallways are already filled with lockers.”

With such a scarcity of resources, the Temple City Board of Education will continue to look for ways to resolve this locker shortage.

This article was written by Jason Wu. It was published in the Temple City Voice on October 22, 2008.

The night of Saturday, October 4 started the kick-off of Temple City High School’s ComedySportz’s season.

ComedySportz is a nationwide acting company that compete with teams from other schools in order to score laughs from the audience.

But rather than having the ‘players’ on the teams read from a script, everything done onstage is improvised by suggestions provided by the audience.

After each team played a game, the audience applauded for their favorite. All ComedySportz shows are done tastefully no matter what branch (high school league, college, or professional) so audience members of all ages can enjoy it.

As coined by the manager of Temple City’s high school team, Chad Armburst, “ComedySportz is the biggest thing you’ve never heard of.” Half the seats were filled that night, but those people received their four dollars worth of laughs that night.

This article was written by Charlene Choo. It was published in the Temple City Voice on October 15, 2008.

A moratorium on non-retail businesses along Las Tunas Drive has been enacted since April 2008. Since then, a growing number of business owners and the Temple City Chamber of Commerce have mounted opposition to it.

On Tuesday, July 22, 2008, the Planning Commission, an advisory body to the City Council, voted 4-0 to reform the current business moratorium. (There is currently one vacancy on the Planning Commission.)

Under the approved law, all businesses since April 1 must provide at least 50% of sales tax of its business services in order to move into Temple City. The moratorium affects all areas on Las Tunas Drive between Rowland Avenue and Sultana Avenue. Existing businesses are not affected by it.

“I think the moratorium as we have studied it can be improved upon” commented City Manager Charles R. Martin at the City Council meeting on July 15.

Community Development Manager Joe Lambert opened discussion over two proposed exemptions.

The first exemption would allow non-sales tax producing businesses to move into second floor units. The second exception permits those same businesses to operate in areas of less than 1000 square feet.

“I don’t know if we’re accomplishing anything right now” stated Linda Payne, President of the Chamber of Commerce. Payne announced her opposition to the current moratorium, and supported lifting any restrictions enacted by it.

The idea of the business moratorium was spawned by Councilman Ken Gillanders in February 2008. Votes were taken subsequently to approve the measure; however, it lacked the supermajority, or four votes, to be enacted.

In April, the City Council finally mustered four votes, with Councilwoman Judy Wong, agreeing to support the moratorium for 45 days. The moratorium was further extended for 10 and a half months by the Councilmembers in May.

“I can’t guarantee the moratorium will be successful” conceded Martin on Tuesday night.

Planning Commissioner James LeBerthon made the motion to recommend approval of the two exemptions. It was unanimously approved by the Planning Commission.

The recommendation now goes to the City Council, which will decide whether or not to accept changes to the moratorium.

This article was written by Matthew Wong. It was published in the Temple City Voice on October 15, 2008.

I was very unimpressed with the performance of John McCain and Barack Obama at the second presidential debate on Tuesday.

Both of them were incredibly rude to the moderator. They kept on interrupting each other and going over the time limit.

I don’t know about you, but something I look for in a leader in self-control. I felt like both candidates should’ve behaved with more grace and dignity. Neither one stated their argument in a particularly interesting way and I found myself dozing off halfway through the debate.

The vice-presidential debate, on the other hand, was much more interesting. Joe Biden and Sarah Palin both defended their positions well. Their performances defied what analysts expected.

Palin held her ground and was not completely lost and Biden did not overly shove his experience and authority on the viewers.

Palin seemed very knowledgeable when it came to domestic affairs and energy issues, but lost her footing when asked about homeland security and foreign policy.

I was especially impressed by the way Biden conducted himself. I expected him to jump at Palin’s throat and destroy her with his thirty-five years of experience. However, he never directly attacked her because he probably feared people calling him sexist. Biden, instead, directed all his accusations towards Palin’s running mate McCain and took in all her insults with a smile.

Something that I found impressive with Biden that seemed to be missing in the other candidates was poise and a diplomatic attitude.

I liked the way he carried himself and the collected way he defended his beliefs. He proved to be an experienced, compassionate, and capable candidate. Sometimes, unspoken messages sound louder than all the statistics, facts, and anecdotes a candidate can spout at an audience.

This opinion was written by Christine Keung. The views of this author do no represent the views of the Temple City Voice or its staff. It was published in the Temple City Voice on October 15, 2008.

The Temple City Voice is featuring a series of interviews with former volunteer staff. This is the second of our “Catching Up with Former Staff” series.

The Temple City Voice recently interviewed former Art Manager Lu Chen via telephone. Chen, a former staff member of the Temple City Voice, reflected over her college life and experiences with the Voice.

Chen is currently a second-year student at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). She plans to major in business. Chen is also involved with Sigma Alpha Lambda, an Honors Society organization on campus that promotes volunteer work.

Chen stated that the Temple City Voice has taught her many concepts which helped her in college. “I definitely learned cooperation and that group work is very important” said Chen.

While pursuing a bachelor’s degree from UCR, Chen dreams of studying abroad in Shanghai, China. She also plans to pursue higher education by going to graduate school after college. Chen mentioned that she would love to come back to help the Temple City Voice.

“I like to… spend time with my family” com-mented Chen when she is at home and not Riverside. Chen added she liked walking along Las Tunas Boulevard to visit the shops and urged the Voice “to get Temple City more involved [with the businesses].”

“All of the shop owners…want more people to come in” she stated.

With her final closing remarks, Chen imparted some words of wisdom about college to the current and future members of the Temple City Voice.

“My advice is to be as active as possible in college” said Chen. “I was inactive during my first year in college, but I started to become more active during my second year…and it has just been so much better.”

This article was written by Aiden Leong. It was published in the Temple City Voice on October 1, 2008.

The Temple City Voice will not publish this week, but will resume publication next Wednesday, October 15. Thank you for your understanding.