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MONROVIAWEEKLY.COM
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MONROVIAWEEKLY /
MONROVIAWEEKLY /
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Thursday, July 27, 2017 - August 2, 2017
Since 1996
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As summer ends, one local teacher has trouble hearing the back to school bells
ith Back to School and health care issues very much in the forefront of the news these days, it is incumbent on each of us to help our fellow man, especially when the local and/or federal government cannot or will not address some very basic needs. It has come to our attention that one rather extraordinary individual, Judy Watkins, has been a devoted Special Education teaching assistant at Bradoaks Elementary School in Monrovia for the past 19 years. She now has some special needs of her own. She works with kindergarten to third grade students with mild-moderate special needs along with teacher Ani Baker. Watkins is legally deaf and in desperate need of special hearing aids so she may continue when school starts August 16. At well over $6,000 this is no easy feat for this or any family. As husband Eric explains, his wife’s hearing aid needs are a little more complicated regarding certain frequencies and thus not all hearing aids are created equal. Enter Ani Baker. Baker decided that she needed to help her spirited assistant, fast. So, as many people do these days, she turned to the internet and GoFundMe. She set up an account detailing the accomplishments of this noteworthy woman and why it’s so imperative to get her back in the classroom with special, working hearing aids. Judy was born with hearing loss and is legally deaf. She uses hearing aids in order to be able to successfully work in her Monrovia
Judy Watkins has been a devoted special education teacher’s assistant at Bradoaks for 19 years and now is in desperate need of hearing aids to help her continue her career. She is pictured here with her devoted husband of 7 years.
SEE PAGE 10
MONROVIA TRAGEDY AT LAKE HAVASU; LOCAL COUPLE DROWNS by Staff Writer A Monrovia couple drowned Friday afternoon on Lake Havasu, according to a written report by officials with jurisdiction over the lake. Esmeralda Gonzalez, 41,
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Royal Treatment at Old Pasadena’s First Gastropub
VOLUME 20, NO. 30
MONROVIA SPECIAL EDUCATOR HAS SPECIAL NEEDS OF HER OWN
Story & Photo by Terry MILLER
SEE PAGE 10
MONROVIA_WEEKLY
- Courtesy photo / GoFundMe
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THE MONROVIA OLD TOWN REPORT Pam FITZPATRICK |
I admit I’m very glad I was on out of town last week during the Old Town filming episode. I hear it was a bit crazy… So sorry for the merchants who were blind-sided, but if there’s any comfort, so was I, and so was the City. The upside still remains: if the pilot is successful enough to actually appear on USA Network, then the exposure for Old Town will be great – and, if “Olive Forever”
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Chris Mann to Headline Arcadia Performing Arts Center Inaugural Gala
pam@oldtownreport.com
becomes a series, who knows? And, should there be a next time, we’ll know better how to manage this production company. Some good news: “Enchanted Dancewear” will not be leaving Old Town after all. They have announced a Grand Re-opening this coming Tuesday, August 1 SEE PAGE 11
Foothill Unity Center Celebrates New Digs in Monrovia Foothill Unity Center is a Community Action Agency and the primary provider of food, case management/crisis help, and access to health care resources serving clients in Pasadena, Altadena, South Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Arcadia, Monrovia, Bradbury, Duarte, Azusa, Baldwin Park and Irwindale. The Center operates two facilities in Monrovia and one in
Pasadena. The mission of the organization is to, “Help neighbors in crisis attain self-sufficiency by partnering with the community and using resources wisely to provide vital support services with love and dignity.” Over the last five years, the number of people served by the Foothill Unity Center SEE PAGE 11
SPORTS Why Archery Is The Sport For You
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