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M O N D AY, O C T O B E R 03- O C T O B E R 09, 2022
V I S I T PA S A D E N A I N D E P E N D E N T. C O M
San Gabriel Valley now home to electric bike share subscription program BY STAFF
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he San Gabriel Valley is now home to a regional electric bike share program. Made possible by the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) and ActiveSGV, the GoSGV program offers San Gabriel Valley residents monthly subscriptions for electricassist cargo and commuterstyle bicycles. “The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments is proud to launch one of the largest bike share subscription programs in the United States,” said Monrovia Mayor and San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments President Becky Shevlin. “Through GoSGV’s innovative monthly subscription model, residents across the San Gabriel Valley will have access to affordable green modes of transportation.” For about the same cost of renting an electric bike for a few hours in Santa Monica, San Gabriel Valley residents can ride a GoSGV ebike for an entire month. Participants are able to choose from two types of e-bicycle: a commuter-style “City” e-bike, or a cargo e-bike designed to carry larger loads and/or small children. Featuring internal gearing, integrated front and rear lights, puncture-resistant tires, one-size-fits-most step-through frames, and a reliable Bosch mid-drive motor, both program bicycles are designed for hassle-free trips around town. “I am thrilled about the launch of GoSGV, a regional bike share program that offers San Gabriel Valley residents another affordable option for transportation,” said Mayor of El Monte Jessica Ancona. “Here in El Monte, we have been working to make our streets more bike friendly, along with reducing our carbon footprint. These e-bikes are a means of affordable,
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Restaurant review: Tây Hố in San Gabriel BY BRIANNA CHU
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he past two years have been a challenging time for even established restaurants to keep afloat. Undaunted, recent college graduate Vivian Yenson opened her first Tây Hố takeout location in January of this year, adapting her restaurant model to the mid-pandemic climate she was opening it in. Tây Hố is a family business started by Yenson’s grandparents when they opened their first Tây Hố restaurant in Westminster in 1983, and it has since expanded into food manufacturing of classic Vietnamese staples and ingredients.
| Photo courtesy of SGVCOG
non-polluting transportation to reduce vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions to help improve the environment here in our region. We are very fortunate to house ActiveSGV here in El Monte at the Jeff Seymour Family Center which will now become the main hub for GoSGV. El Monte residents will now be able to subscribe monthly to have access to electric-assist bicycles. This program is made possible through a greenhouse gas reduction grant awarded by the California Transportation Commission. I am looking forward to the continued partnership with regional organizations to ensure the success of GoSGV.” The program is one of the first of its kind in the United States to employ a monthly subscription model for e-bike sharing, as far as program organizers can
tell. Internationally, similar programs exist in France (Véligo), Australia (Lug + Carrie), and the Netherlands (Swapfiets, VanMoof). “The California Transportation Commission awarded $4.554 million in Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund-Active Transportation Program funds to the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments for the implementation of their innovative regional e-bike share program,” said California Transportation Commissioner Hilary Norton. “One of the goals of the grant was to reduce vehicle miles traveled and increase the number of trips accomplished by walking and biking, increasing the safety and mobility of nonmotorized users. I am very pleased that today’s launch moves the San Gabriel Valley towards this goal.” According to Caltech professor Jonah Kanner, the first Pasadena resident to
sign up for a GoSGV e-bike, “What’s great about this program is that it lets me try out a high-quality e-bike, for a really low cost. The bike is fast, smooth, and quiet. It takes me about 15 minutes to get across Pasadena, and the ride is easy and fun.” Introductory pricing for the bike is $69 a month for the general public and $49 a month for students. The Urban Arrow Family bakfiets or “box bike” – equipped with child seat belts and rated to carry up to 550 pounds – is available for $129 a month for up to 2 months. All bikes come equipped with a lock and charging cable. “Utilizing cycling as an alternate mode of transportation offers considerable environmental benefits that help reduce carbon emissions while enhancing public health and wellness in underserved communities,” said California Trans-
portation Commissioner Michele Martinez. “We are enthused to see our grant funds support innovative and active modes of transportation programs such as GoSGV.” The program is supported by local bike shops such as Around the Cycle in Pasadena, The Cub House in San Marino, and Stan’s Bike Shop in Azusa, which will help maintain program bikes. “Once fully operational, GoSGV will have an inventory of 840 e-bikes, offering residents across the San Gabriel Valley an affordable, non-polluting transportation option that improves air quality and helps reduce vehicle miles traveled,” said Claremont Mayor Pro Tem and Transportation Committee Chair Ed Reece. For more information about the GoSGV program or to sign up for a bike, visit www.GoSGV.com.
“Recent college graduate Vivian Yenson opened her first Tây Hố takeout location in January of this year” Yenson decided to branch her family’s business out west, opening Tây Hố San Gabriel in the classic 626 area earlier this year. She focused on creating a business model built to withstand the uncertainty of the ongoing pandemic that she also hoped would become an accessible mainstay in people’s takeout routines. Read more about Yenson and Tây Hố’s restaurants—which are named after the West Lake district of Hanoi—at HeySoCal.com! With that in mind, Tây Hố’s food has to withstand the commute of taking your mouth-watering meal home from their restaurants. Given that this food is prepared with the expectation that you will
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