“Cats & Dogs”
THURSDAY, JANUARY 21 - JANUARY 27, 2010 VOLUME 15, NO. 05
monroviaweekly.com
Local Organizations Work for Haiti Relief The attention of the world focused on Haiti after its devastating earthquake last week. Both World Vision and the Tzu Chi, both of which had been headquartered in Monrovia are part of the world wide effort to relieve the suffering of those living in Haiti. World Vision International shipped supplies Friday to aid Haiti’s quake victims. The need is growing more serious by the hour and water is especially scarce according to reports from the Associated Press. World Vision has been in Haiti for three decades. The relief organization already had 370 staff members – mostly Haitians – stationed in Port-au-Prince when last Tuesday’s quake hit. World Vision’s office in the capital suffered significant damage, but all staff members were confirmed safe. The Tzu Chi, the Buddhist Compassion Relief Foundation has also had staff in Haiti for some time. When the crisis began, the Foundation focused on getting food and much needed fuel to the region. Donations can be made to their relief efforts by calling (888) 989-8244 or
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Sierra Madre Declares Local Emergency
ZENYATTA WILL RACE AGAIN Retired Mare Fields International Offers, May Choose Santa Anita
Electronic warning signs sprung up all over the city in the past few days due to the heavy rains. This sign on Mountain Trail warns residents that evacuations are mandatory and the city has also issued a red alert. - Photo by Terry Miller
Canyon Residents Resist Evacuation Order En Masse BY JOHN STEPHENS
Late Wednesday the Sierra Madre City Council held a special emergency meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers to discuss the possibility of declaring a local emergency in the wake of continued
Local TV Network Offers Production Deal to Conan O’Brien
record rainfall and accompanying debris f low and more possible mudslides. In the short meeting which included no input from city residents, the council voted unanimously to declare a local state of emergency, though Mayor MacGillivray recused herself from the
vote as her residence sits on the border of one of the evacuation zones and it was believed her vote might represent a conflict of interest. According to the National Weather Service is forecasting heavy rain all the way through Friday evening, with even more precipitation
possible starting on Monday after a brief reprieve late Saturday through Sunday. In a special meeting agenda issued Wednesday morning, city staffers recommended the approval of Resolution No. 10-07 “Pro-
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Arcadia City Council has Tiers in its Eyes Tiered water rates study ordered; penalty for above-normal use considered BY BILL PETERS
In their video proposal to Conan O’Brien, the Pasadena Community Network has offered a number of enticing ideas for the production of a new show on the network, including filming the show on other celestial bodies such as the moon.
In light of the recent “Late Night Wars” on NBC, Pasadena Community Network has offered embattled late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien a cable production deal to bring his show to PCN’s Ar-
FREE
royo Channel. This a real offer for Conan O’Brien to produce his program in Pasadena at PCN Media Center’s state of the art facility. A video invitation
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As you read this, you are likely looking out the window at this rain-season’s biggest producing storm so far. With all the hullabaloo about damage t he rains caused, it is hard to think about the drought and water conservation. But the issue has been ver y much on the mind of newly-appointed Public Works Services Director, City of Arcadia, Tom Tait. Tait recommended that the Arcadia City Council undertake a study that could confirm the need for a tieredrate water system designed to encourage efficient water use and, of course, continue to fill city coffers with funds to keep the distribution system
The Main San Gabriel hydrologic basin or watershed coincides with a portion of the upper San Gabriel River watershed, and the aquifer underlies most of the San Gabriel Valley. The basin is bounded by the San Gabriel Mountains to the north, San Jose Hills to the east, Puente Hills to the south, and by a series of hills and the Raymond Fault to the west. The watershed is drained by the San Gabriel River and Rio Hondo, a tributary of the Los Angeles River. The major sources of natural recharge are infiltration of rainfall on the valley floor and percolation of runoff from the adjacent mountains. Surface area of the groundwater basin is approximately 167 square miles. The fresh water storage capacity of the basin is estimated to be about 8.6 million acre-feet.
in top shape. It would penalize users who exceed certain limits. At its December 15th meeting the city council approved an expenditure of
slightly over $45,000 to hire a firm to determine the feasibility of such a move, and to suggest surcharges to be
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Don’t believe what you’ve read in the papers; Zenyatta will indeed race again in 2010. The first female to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic and a finalist for 2009 Horse of the Year, Zenyatta’s retirement had been announced following her dramatic last-to-first victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 7. But Saturday at Santa Anita, Jerry Moss, who, with his wife Ann, owns the undefeated 6-year-old daughter of Street Cry, announced that the stretch-running mare, unbeaten in 14 career starts, will indeed return to run this year. “We saw her gallop today [at Hollywood Park] and I talked to Ann, and then I talked to [Zenyatta’s trainer John Shirreffs], and she looks too good,” Moss said. “It’s what she likes to do and that’s what we decided to do, so we’re going to run her.” Until Monday, Zenyatta had been battling with the brilliant 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra who, in the end, bested Zenyatta at the Eclipse Awards dinner in Beverly Hills for the Horse of the Year honor. Rachel Alexandra, who won this year’s highly prestigious Preakness Stakes, received 130 votes to 99 for Zenyatta. Rachel Alexandria is the first filly to win the celebrated award in seven years since Azeria took home the prize in 2002. “It had nothing to do on whether she is Horse of the Year or not. If she’s Horse of the Year, she’ll run as Horse of the Year and if she’s not, she’ll run as not Horse of the Year,” said Moss when asked if the award ceremony would have any bearing on whether or not Zenyatta would return to the track. Zenyatta has had three recorded half-mile workouts at Hollywood Park in Inglewood since her announced retirement. When asked about a possible comeback race and when such an event might take place, Moss said simply, “We’re going to take our time”.
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