Alhambra PRESS alhambra-press.com
Monday, september 8, 2014 - september 14, 2014 - Volume 3, No. 36
Irwindale settles wrongful termination suit
Vergara v. California ruling; State officials appeal Judge Treu’s final ruling on tenure in California schools
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Last week, California Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown appealed a recent state judge’s ruling that ends tenure and other union protections for public school teachers.
The appeal, filed Friday, contends that Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Rulf Treu’s final decree lacks detail and fails to provide the legal basis for his verdict. Treu issued the final ruling Thursday, after
Mayor Bill Bogaard will not run for re-election Popular Mayor has served Pasadena for 16 years City of Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard has announced his decision not to seek reelection after serving nearly 16 years as the City’s first, and (until now) only directly elected mayor in the City’s history. Bogaard is sending a two-page letter to many of his long-time friends and supporters in which he shares with them “a reluctant decision” not to seek re-election for a fifth term as Mayor. A copy of the letter is attached with this news release. “There is never a good time for a decision like this
families. The lawsuit, Vergara v. California, was brought by Beatriz Vergara and eight other students claimed incompetent teachers let classrooms
Congressional Candidate Arturo Alas made the following statement about the City of Covina’s plan to spend more than $300,000 on a controversial surveillance programs: “It is wrong for the city of Covina to spy on its own residents, shoppers and business people. It has been shown consistently that surveillance cameras do not improve public safety or prevent crime. At best, cameras help to investigate and prosecute crimes after the fact. At worse, they are a serious breach of our rights and civil liberties.” “The City Council of Covina was wrong to implement this surveillance and spend more than $300,000 of our money without prior notice to the people of Co-
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-Photos by Terry Miller
By Terry Miller
and so, after lots of thinking and often conferring with many of you, I have reached a reluctant decision not to run for re-election,” Mayor Bogaard wrote. “I don’t want to look back and find I stayed too long and I want to go on to other activities which will include much more time spent with Claire (Mrs. Bogaard) and the other members of our family.” Mayor Bogaard shared that the ongoing economic challenges means this is not the perfect time for him to step away, but he encouraged City officials
to continue maintaining a strong fiscal condition and “pursue a strong local economy” plus youth development programs; strong public education; affordable housing and homeless services; renewable energy sources, water conservation; and planning and zoning guidelines “that protect and strengthen the character of our city.” City Manager Michael J. Beck praised Mayor Bogaard for his leadership as the City’s top elected Please see page 4
directing in June that tenure protections for California teachers violate the state constitution, depriving some of the state’s 6.2 million students of a quality education, specifically minorities and those from low-income
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Art Alas blasts Covina City Council for spying on residents’ homes and businesses
By Shel Segal A former Irwindale police department dispatcher received a $125,000 settlement from the Irwindale City Council, ending her wrongful termination and harassment lawsuit she filed against the city, according to a published report. Sarah Curtis, who lives in Alta Loma, was fired by then-police chief Dennis Smith in December 2012, according to a lawsuit she filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Curtis appealed the firing to an arbitrator, who decided she should not have been fired and should be allowed to return to work, the report said. But his decision is not binding, paving the way for City Manager John Davidson to “upheld the termination in July 2013 after an attempt to settle the claim informally,” the report said. In the lawsuit Curtis
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Record crowd celebrated 243rd birthday of San Gabriel Mission An estimated record crowd of 23,000 people helped celebrate San Gabriel Mission’s 243rd birthday on Aug. 29-31, with many festivities at its annual fiesta that is always held Friday through Sunday of Labor Day weekend. “People came from even out of state to help the mission celebrate its 243rd birthday,” announced Chuck Lyons, mission public relations director. “Everyone enjoyed the international foods, games, rides and packed the entertainment pavilion each night with Saturday night’s annual performance by Thee in Crowd and The
-Courtesy Photo
Story Tellers bringing probably the biggest audience in the mission fiesta’s history. ACE band on Sunday night and Susie Hansen
Latin Jazz Band on Friday night also brought large crowds to the entertainPlease see page 4