Temple City Voice

The deadline for a bid to the Temple City Board of Education, August 7, has now passed.

According to the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters website, three individuals, including the two incumbents, have confirmed their intent to run in the November school board election. The candidates are Kenneth Knollenberg, Matt Smith and Joe Walker.

A long-time member of the school board, incumbent Matt Smith is a former school board vice-president and is currently the board clerk.

Elected in 2005, Joe Walker was previously the school board president and is now seeking a second four-year term.

Though a maverick in the upcoming election Kenneth Knollenberg is no newcomer to school matters. A regular attendee of school board meetings, Knollenberg hopes to change the status quos, as he does not see “a clear vision for the school system.”

Former boardmember Robert McKendrick originally pulled papers for the election, but later withdrew his bid. McKendrick was defeated for re-election during November school board election.

The school board, which consists of five boardmembers and one student boardmember, makes policies and critical decisions for the Temple City Unified School District. Each boardmember serves a four-year term.

The election will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2009.

This article was written by Leslie Wu. It was published in the Temple City Voice on August 28, 2009.

When global warming and polar bears first became the poster children of the environmental movement, they elicited a term that was ubiquitously known, if not always completely understood—the Kyoto Protocol.

But with the treaty to reduce greenhouse gas concentration set to expire in 2012, considerable hype has been raised for the Climate Conference in Copenhagen set between December 7 and 18 of this year.

Hosted by the government of Denmark, the Climate Conference will be attended by an expected 170 countries, a total of 8000 people, and will be the last held before the new Copenhagen Protocol is decided upon. All very good news, but the agenda set by the previous conference was disconcertingly ambiguous.

As of March, the representatives have agreed that climate change problems are rising, and that action must be taken immediately; however, these actions have yet to be defined. Key messages included “’there is no excuse for inaction’” and “’the influence of vested interests that increase emissions’ must be reduced” (BBC).

2,000 researchers, brought together to analyze the climate change crisis–perhaps it is presumptuous, but it seems somewhat disappointing that such knowledge would be condensed into 6 so very vague statements.

What changes do they propose? Which countries will have to instigate them? To what degree? Hopefully, to degrees of sufficient change that they can offset those of global warming.

Temperatures are projected to rise 4 to 7 degrees Fahrenheit in the next century and melt half the Arctic ice as a consequence. For us specifically, this also means uncontrollable insect populations, new rampant diseases, crop death, and land swamping. Overpopulation will have a ball with occupying half the former dry land mass.

Worst case scenario, the resulting protocol fails, the countries will refuse to reach a consensus, or the conference won’t address all the possible venues for positive change (carbon taxes, geo-engineering?) and will shove them up for future agendas.

In any case, that we are having this conference at all is cause for optimism. And in four months, the Obama administration will finally have its first real opportunity to hold up to its green goals.

This opinion was written by Jessica Liu. The views fo this author do not reflect the views of the Temple City Voice or its staff. It was published in the Temple City Voice on August 21, 2009.

Miss Temple City Caroline Truong and her Honor Court Shine Fu and Sharon Lai are always seen around the community. From volunteering at the Concerts in the Park every Wednesday to attending various Chamber of Commerce mixers, the young ladies put a lot of time and effort into serving Temple City.

Being selected to be Miss Temple City and Honor Court is a great honor because the girls have to go through a five-month long training process and a pageant before being selected.

Now crowned, they share their thoughts on the try-out process and their Miss Temple City experience.

What inspired you to try out for Miss Temple City?

Caroline: Being able to help change the community for the better is something I want to be part of. My seniors in high school actually inspired me: [they] always attended community events, made people laugh, and inspired others who were younger than them—that was something I want[ed] to be part of and [be] able to do.

Shine: The ad on the door.

Sharon: I just wanted the experience and a lot of previous contestants said it was a good experience and it was fun; they encouraged me to try out.

What do you think was the most important thing you learned trying out?

Caroline: A contestant should always be herself. I kind of had a self-discovery moment from this program. I realized that I needed to impress the judges and everyone else with my own personality. I needed to show them why I really wanted to be Miss Temple City. Whether I won or not, I knew I would gain something without hiding behind a mask.

Shine: To have confidence.

Sharon: I think the most important thing that I learned is to get along with other girls in a competitive environment. Also, I learned about who I am as a person.

How has it been being Miss Temple City and what do you like the most about it?

Caroline: I feel very honored being Miss Temple City. The Honor Court members and I have had a couple of events so far. The thing I like about being Miss Temple City is that you meet so many people and it’s really neat to know that children look up to you. I hope I can inspire them to do well in the future. I also love attending the Concerts in the Park; besides the fact that there are so many people to socialize with, the activities, and the music is brilliant.

Shine: It’s been a great experience so far. [I enjoy] concerts in the park.

Sharon: So far, being on court has been quite an experience. Every week we get to go to the park to play with the kids, and it just brings a smile on my face when the kids come to look for us and give us a big hug when they see us.

If you could give any advice to girls trying out next year, what would it be?

Caroline: No matter what, always believe in yourself. Don’t let people discourage or degrade you.

Shine: Even if you’re unsure of whether or not you really want to participate in the pageant, just go for it because the experience and the things you learn from it are once in a lifetime things. It was way out of my comfort zone, but I still went for it.

Sharon: I think the most important advice really is to be who you are. You want to win because you are being yourself, not because you are trying to be someone you are not. By being yourself, you can get along with other people much better, and you won’t be ashamed of being fake. Also, learn to get along with everyone, because we are all in this together.

This interview was conducted by Christine Keung. It was published in the Temple City Voice on August 21, 2009.

The City Council of Temple City removed Charles R. Martin from the positions of City Manager and City Attorney, while appointing Parks and Recreation director Cathy Burroughs as the interim city manager on Tuesday, May 5, 2009.

Martin, 85, became an employee of the city in April 1965. In the last seven years, Martin has served as both the city manager and city attorney.

According to the Temple City Life monthly publication, Martin is a graduate of South Pasadena High School, Washington and Lee College and University of Southern California law school.

Councilwoman Judy Wong announced on May 5 that Martin would be dismissed effective immediately; however, he will be allowed to remain as the interim city attorney until May 31.

Temple City and regional elected officials, like state Assemblymember Anthony Portantino, state Senator Carol Liu and Los Angeles county supervisor Michael Antonovich, recognized Martin at retirement ceremony on May 28. The City Council had recognized Martin at its meeting on May 19.

The position of city manager is being advertised. The deadline to apply is Thursday, June 18.

A change in city manager and city attorney is one of many changes made since the March city council elections.

Previously, the city council had contemplated hiring a deputy city manager to succeed Martin after months of training.

These actions occurred under the past council majority that included Cathé Wilson, Ken Gillanders and councilman Dave Capra.

But in January 2009, councilman Capra along with the previous council majority voted to remove the position of deputy city manager from consideration. Councilmembers Fernando Vizcarra and Judy Wong cast the dissenting votes.

Besides removing Martin as city manager, the City Council also decided to wait until a new city manager is appointed before hiring a new public services manager.

Chuck Erickson, the previous occupant, had retired. A vacancy became effective on May 1.

The position of public services manager is being advertised. The deadline for this position is Thursday, June 4.

This article was written by Randy Shun. It was published in the Temple City Voice today–August 21, 2009.

Kang-Smith, Courtesy of TCUSD

At first glance, Superintendent Chelsea Kang-Smith is every bit the head strong leader that she was in high school: she wears an inviting smile and exuberates confidence that isn’t intimidating, but instead welcoming.

Kang-Smith is currently the Superintendent of the Temple City Unified School District, overseeing seven schools, and was previously area superintendent in San Diego, overseeing 27 schools. She has been a principal, an assistant principal, a high school and middle school teacher, and a substitute teacher.

Kang-Smith’s involvement in education began in her prime. During college, a friend slyly coerced her into helping out at a Sunday school camp. Kang Smith calls the event “a great experience”, with a roomful of toddlers squealing, screaming, and crying serving as her impetus in children’s education. She stresses creativity as crucial in education and realizes “we tend to get “bogged down by standards”.

Despite her extensive background, Kang-Smith’s introduction to Temple City began as a fluke. She had never heard of the town, but a district-hired firm immediately acknowledged her as an eligible candidate. One trip down Las Tunas and she was instantly drawn in.

“When I came [to Temple City], I saw a quaint town only seen years ago… I saw this as a diamond in the rough,” Kang-Smith says, reflecting upon her initial drive around the city, “…there is great potential in this city.”

Now, as Superintendent, Kang-Smith is focusing on building bridges between the city and the district and making a difference in parents’ and students’ lives.

“The relationship between the city and the district was not too great,” Kang-Smith comments, “it needs to be rebuilt… because in the end it’s not about ‘your kids’ or ‘my kids’; they’re all ‘our kids’.”

Recently the city and district had been unable to work out the Joint Facility Use Agreement, stipulating school sites could be used for city functions and vice-versa.

She also hosts numerous joint meetings with city council members and views their “interaction [as] important to the community.

As for bettering the education experience for students and parents alike, Kang-Smith and the District have engaged in various projects to tackle attendance and lack of communication.

The program Teleparent, which informs parents of their children’s performance, received a positive reaction from parents all over the city.

Positive Saturday schools, in which classes will serve as “catch-ups” and still count towards attendance, will be enacted in the future. Her plan to implement full day kindergarten at La Rosa has already received a 90% parent approval rate.

Kang-Smith could not stop stressing the important of attendance.

“Money is allocated to schools not based on total student population, but rather it is based on average daily attendance,” Kang-Smith states, “We went from a 97.43% attendance rate to a 97.74% attendance rate; for this, we received a $96,000 increase.”

But statewide budget cuts have forced the district to reconsider its current financial situation; this includes considering whether retaining staff members, hiring teachers, and increasing class sizes.

For grades four through twelve, class sizes will increase from 33 to 34 students per teacher, a move Kang-Smith expects not to diminish instructor education.

She has also reconsidered renovation projects, including remodeling as the Oak Gym, the high school track, and the high school swimming pool.

This interview was conducted by Sophia Chang and Randy Shun. It was published in the Temple City Voice on August 14, 2009.

Temple City councilman Vincent Yu has expressed some concerns about the policy of closing City Hall on Fridays.

The city’s current 4/10 work schedule policy was adopted last year. City Manager Charles R. Martin had recommended closing Fridays to save utility costs for Temple City.

During the May 5, 2009 city council meeting, councilman Yu stated a number of people had commented to him about the city’s work policy. Yu asked city staff to look at the new schedule to gauge how citizens were responding to it, he said.

Since July 2008, City Hall and the Civic Center have been opened Mondays through Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. However, both city buildings have been closed on Fridays.

Most city employees now work four days a week, ten hours per day.

According to city staff analysis, City Hall and the Civic Center have reduced its natural gas costs by 43 percent, resulting in a savings of approximately $1600.

Electricity usage has fallen by 4.5 percent, albeit an accurate account of savings could not be identified because Southern California Edison, the city’s electric company, changed the way it calculated electricity usage rates.

The study period of the analysis began in July/August 2008 through February/March 2009.

There has been some light complaints stated assistant to the City Manager Gary Flod at the Tuesday council meeting.

Besides saving on utility costs, shorter employee commute time, light Friday foot traffic and full staff schedule on the same days were advantages of the current city policy, Flod said.

The most successful and efficient schedule for providing service was the 9/80 schedule, the previous work employee schedule, councilman Fernando Vizcarra stated. Councilman Dave Capra agreed.

Former councilwoman Cathé Wilson, who was in attendance Tuesday evening, disagreed. Wilson commented that the current schedule was working and asked why fix it if it was not broken.

Linda Payne, Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, stated that the Temple City Chamber of Commerce had received more than 12 complaints. She urged the City Council to consider councilman Vizcarra’s suggestion of re-instating the 9/80 work schedule.

City Manager Martin cautioned against reversing the city’s work schedule policy due to the low number of city employees. Martin stated it could dangerous if certain staff worked alone.

After council discussion, Yu stated he wanted to further study the issue before making a change.

Temple City’s neighboring cities, with the exception of the city of Arcadia, are all closed on Fridays, according to the city staff report.

This article was written by Randy Shun. It was published in the Temple City Voice on August 14, 2009.

Temple City’s 26th annual National Night Out was held on Tuesday, August 4 at Temple City Park from 6 to 9 P.M.

National Night Out, sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW), is a community-police partnership that has been held the first Tuesday of August ever since 1984.

It is a crime and drug prevention event that is aimed to generate support for local anticrime programs and strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.

The night was filled with fun and excitement. Children and adults were able to enjoy the free food, including hot dogs and hamburgers, while Miss Temple City and her Honor Court handed out raffle tickets with prizes, such as Dodgers tickets.

Squad cars, fire trucks, officers on horses, and a moon bounce were several of the many attractions for adults and children to enjoy.

Many parents and children were able to spend time outdoors with their family for a night, while learning how to protect their city from crime at the same time.

This article was written by Vincent Wei. It will be published in the Temple City Voice on August 14, 2009.

The state budget cuts that happened a few months ago are old news; so are the pink slips. But the Temple City Unified School District is still struggling to adapt to this budget deficit.

On Wednesday, July 29, the local School Board held a special meeting that approved changes to the staff at Temple City High School (TCHS).

Kate Franceschini, assistant principal at TCHS, will be re-positioned as the Director of Instructional Services in order to compensate for a portion of the budget cuts.

Franceschini, a former Rampage advisor and long-time District employee, was appointed to her current position in 2007. She joined the TCHS administration on October 29, 2007.

In addition to District swap with the TCHS administration, the School Board is also trying to lessen the job burden of the Dean of Activities.

School Board Members want to place a teacher, one teaching less than six classes, in place of the Associated Student Body (ASB) advisor. This change would add approximately $26,000 to the salary of whoever assumes the position.

A new ASB advisor will be found before school begins and the School Board hopes it will be someone who loves the job.

This article was written by Chris Du. It was published in the Temple City Voice on August 7, 2009.

A couple weeks ago, a white police sergeant arrested renowned black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. at his own home. An outraged Gates blamed his arrest on the fact that he was “a black man in America.”

Gates, a Harvard African American Studies professor had trouble getting into his house and had to force his door open. A neighbor called the police and a few minutes later, Sergeant James Crowley arrived on the scene and arrested Gates, ignoring the identification that the professor offered him.

The charges of disorderly conduct have since been dropped, but the charges of racism have not.

With Gates refusing to let it drop, the incident has snowballed onto the front pages of national news and became an avalanche after Obama said “the Cambridge police acted stupidly.”

When the first African American president of the United States openly admitted that “there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement”—pretty much saying there is still racism, only one thing can ensue: bedlam.

With Crowley now the poster boy for racism in America, people are doubting the credibility of the police force and completely jumping to conclusions.

Well, to assume makes an “a-s” out of “u”, “me”, and in this case, our country.

If anybody bothered to look up Crowley’s police profile, they would know that he performed CPR on former Boston Celtics player Reggie Lewis at Brandeis University in July 1993.

Yes, trying to save a black man’s life—very racist. Also, on the eve of the Gates incident, Crowley received “full and unqualified” support from his entire force, which includes both black and white officers.

Gates blamed his arrest on racism, but maybe he should put himself in Crowley’s shoes. A woman reported a burglary and the sergeant just did his job.

Instead of focusing on the fact that a BLACK man was breaking into a house, Gates should shift his focus to the fact that a man was BREAKING into a house. The police will treat any person caught doing that, whether he or she is white, black, or purple, the same way.

What’s ironic is that while Gates is out accusing the police of having a bias towards African Americans, he, himself, is demanding a double standard.

Yes, he was arrested wrongfully, but thousands of people are every year, and you don’t see them demanding an apology on national television. He spun what started out as a burglary report into an issue of race.

Maybe the only victim of racism in this scenario is Crowley.

This opinion was written by Christine Keung. The views of this author do not reflect the views of the Temple City Voice or its staff. It was published on August 7, 2009.

Although Randy Wang, developer and owner of the “Piazza at Temple City” is currently suing the city of Temple City, a new proposal has been submitted to City Hall.

Wang submitted his latest plan on April 30, 2009, said Community Development Manager Joseph Lambert in an interview with the Pasadena Star News.

“The general layout and the design [are] still very similar,” Lambert told Star News reporter Alfred Lee.

But City Manager and City Attorney Charles R. Martin had a different reaction. “The plans are complicated,” Martin wrote in his weekly manager’s report on May 7.

“The biggest difference between the old and the new plan is the elimination of the residential units,” stated Martin.

The developer’s new plans also include a drive-thru McDonalds, though two existing McDonalds exist within Temple City’s boundaries.

Other changes in the Piazza development include a six-story parking structure.

In addition to the surface level parking and five upper floors, Wang proposes to have two levels of undergrounding parking. A total of eight levels of parking will provide approximately 620 parking spaces.

“The parking structure is now proposed to be at 54 feet, and the Venetian towers (architectural features) will rise to 70 feet” Martin commented.

“I recommend that the Planning Commission proceed with its hearing for a CUP [Conditional Use Permit] (and for CEQA [California Environmental Quality Act] compliance and an appropriate agreement),” Martin wrote, “so that the preliminary hearings may develop citizen reaction together with appropriate changes as recommended by the Planning Commission- before the matter is heard by the City Council for a final ruling.”

The City Manager and City Attorney also pointed to several lingering questions as a result of the developer’s new proposal.

“Will all of the buildings be built at one time,” he asked, “or will they be built piecemeal?”

“What will be the penalties if the sequences and completion dates in the ‘flow chart’ are not kept?” he inquired.

“Will the Council have approval rights over the anchors, or of any other tenant?” Martin questioned.

On Tuesday, May 5, councilman Fernando Vizcarra had suggested a standing committee be formed for the Piazza settlement conference scheduled for July.

The City Council subsequently appointed Vizcarra and newly elected councilman, Vincent Yu, to serve on the standing committee. The vote was unanimous.

According to the developer’s agreement signed by Wang and the city of Temple City, the Piazza at Temple City mixed-use project must be completed by August 23, 2009.

However, the contract could be void if the previous City Council is found to have violated Government Code 1090. Government Code 1090 is a state conflict-of-interest law that prohibits officials from engaging in contracts in which they have a financial interest.

In September 2008, Randy Wang accused Temple City councilwoman Judy Wong, councilman Dave Capra, former councilwoman Cathé Wilson and former city council and state assembly candidate Scott Carwile, of having solicited bribes.

Wang claims he gave Capra, Carwile and Wong $13,000 in cash during the March 2007 city council elections. He further alleges Wilson demanded one of the 52 proposed one-bedroom condominiums.

All four have publicly denied the allegations.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office-Public Integrity Division has been investigating the case since last year.

The $75 million project, formerly known as the “Temple City Galleria” and “Piazza Las Tunas,” once promised 52 one-bedroom condominiums and a large retail center. The development had included a proposal for a banquet.

Since its initial approval in May 2006, there has been two ground breakings and three different construction management firms in charge of the project. Wang has proposed changes twice before, in 2007 and again in 2008.

Temple City may purchase the 3.7 acre site for $5 million, if the developer fails to complete the Piazza project by the August deadline, assuming the contract remains valid.

According to city staff, approximately $171,000 in legal fees, as of April 30, has been spent in the litigation with the Piazza developer.

This article was written by Matthew Wong. It was published today in the Temple City Voice.