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WWW.READERSCHOICESGV.COM THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 - NOVEMBER 26, 2014
El Monte Airport Renamed San Gabriel Valley Airport
Readers’ Choice Special Section Inside
Volume 19, No. 47
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Community News, Arts & Opinions Since 1996
Arcadia Post Office has a Screw Loose - Really BY TERRY MILLER
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In the last couple of weeks, we’ve been reporting on the rather unusual relocation of the drive-through mail boxes behind Arcadia’s main post office to the street on Santa Clara. The placement of these boxes now has caused considerable controversy over who is to blame. Is it the Postmaster, the city of Arcadia, or the Gold Line’s responsibility? We have received a Lopez flew Beacon media photographer Terry Miller to Mount Lowe last year to get a feel of what these vintage planes can do. Lopez, a 31 year veteran pilot, was trained by his dad who is a decorated military pilot who served in Korea. Earlier this week, Lopez flew Editor/reporter Jennifer Schleuter in his large volume of letters and
Gleaning Organization Branches out to Join Food Forward
County and local officials renamed Los Angeles County’s airfield in El Monte Sunday. Now it is officially known as the ‘San Gabriel Valley Airport’ as of Sunday
BY TERRY MILLER In 2010, an Arcadia high school student started ‘Fruit for All,' a family and neighbor-run organization that would send groups of volunteers out to harvest backyard fruit from local trees (often called gleaning), then donate 100% to food banks in the area. Zach Selby, the founder, noticed how much fruit his family's guava tree produced, but even after eating it and giving plenty Please see page 8
vintage Stearman
– Photos by Terry Miller and Jennifer Schleuter
BY TERRY MILLER AND JENNIFER SCHLUETER
during the annual air fair and open house. The airport was built in 1936, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works Aviation Division Chief Richard Smith said. Los Angeles County bought the airport in 1969 for $3 million.
Release of Redacted OIR Report on McDade- Judge Issues 20-Day Stay Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant Friday entered a judgment ordering the release of a redacted version of the Office of Independent Review Group (“OIR”) Report on the Pasadena Police Department’s shooting of the unarmed young African-American youth Kendrec McDade. However, the OIR Report will not be immediately released because Judge Chalfant
There are five Los Angeles county-operated airports — in El Monte, La Verne, Compton, Pacoima and Lancaster. The renaming of the airport was suggested years ago by Gabe Lopez, a pilot who flies his 1940 Stearman
Please see page 18
Please see page 16
Jacque Robinson Pulls Papers for Pasadena Mayor Popular Councilwoman is one of 8 Candidates Vying for the seat
concurrently granted the request of the Pasadena Police Officers Association (“PPOA”) for a 20 day stay on enforcing the order so that it could seek to overturn Judge Chalfant’s order in the Court of Appeal. Pasadena Police Department officers Matthew Griffin and Jeffrey Newlen shot and killed Kendrec McDade in 2012 after a Please see page 7
regularly out of the small airport. Lopez felt that the more regional name would attract more people to do business and use the small airfield more regularly. The third annual El Monte Airport Fly-in and
-Courtesy photo
Councilwoman Robinson filed the necessary paperwork Wednesday to run for Bill Bogaard’s seat. Robinson is serving her second term as the councilwoman for District 1, representing northwest Pasadena. Her seat is up for election in the March 2015 election, and Pasadena Unified School District board member Tyron Hampton, retiring Fire Chief Calvin Wells and
German Acevedo have also filed seeking the District 1 seat. Bill Bogaard announced he will not seek reelection earlier this year. Other contendors include Jason Hardin, Don Morgan, Allen Shay, Leo Temory and Councilman Terry Tornek. The nominations period ends Dec. 12. The election is March 10, 2015.
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