A zusa B eacon Monrovia Weekly Temple Tribune ArcAdiA Weekly MONDAY, JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2012 VOLUME XVII, NO. XXVI
Monday Edition of the
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CITY
Gold Line Alignment Project Moving Along
FREE
San Gabriel Approves Further Study of ACE Project Reorganization BY JIM E. WINBURN It is hardly surprising that a $500 billion construction project has outgrown its San Gabriel Valley parent organization. The City of San Gabriel, one of several cities affected by railroad construction under the Alameda Corridor East Construction Authority, approved further study and discussion into separating the ACE project from the San Gabriel Valley Council of
Governments. Although there was agreement to support further study of the separation, explanation for ACE’s proposed autonomy remained vague at Tuesday evening’s council meeting. “These are two really big powers, and while they have a common purpose, now ACE has a wholly Please see page 7
US Commerce Secretary Resigns After Hit and Run Incidents in San Gabriel John Bryson resigned late last Wednesday as U.S. commerce secretary, less than two weeks after allegedly suffering a seizure and hitting two cars in an incident in San Gabriel and is still somewhat of a mystery. Bryson, who spent only eight months in his Cabinet post, said in a letter to President Obama that new lead-
The extensive work on the 210 bridge in Arcadia continues at a fast pace. -Photo by Terry Miller
The Construction Authority’s contractor, Foothill Transit Constructors (FTC) has spent the last several weeks preparing to remove the abandoned rail bridge over Colorado Boulevard, in Arcadia. The bridge is being removed because it could not accommodate the two-track light rail system, and the Author-
Fatal Encounter in El Monte Between Man and Police Officers BY DENA BURROUGHS A distraught Denise Le attended the El Monte City Council meeting last Tuesday demanding an immediate investigation of the death of her brother, Khoa Ahn Le, who died after an altercation with the police. “Today would have been my brother’s birthday,” she said with a voice Please see page 2
ity determined that it was more efficient and cost effective to remove the structure than to widen it or add a second structure directly adjacent to the old one. The bridge demolition was the first significant construction effort for FTC and the Alignment project. It took several weeks to first remove the track, ties,
ballast, and hazardous materials (lead paint and contaminated soil); before the superstructure could be cut and removed. Community Open Houses - The Construction Authority will be hosting three community open houses over the next two weeks to update the community on the overall con-
San Gabriel Valley Governing Agency Approves ACE’s Bid for Autonomy BY JIM E. WINBURN San Gabriel Valley’s largest collaborative government body approved a motion on Thursday to allow the Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority to become its own separate entity. Created by the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments in 1998, the ACE Construction Authority now has been given the green light to draft a transfer agreement addressing all related issues to its separation from SGVCOG.
ACE Executive Director Rick Richmond stated in his presentation to the COG governing board that ACE has outgrown its parent organization, having become self-sufficient over its 13 years of doing business. “We really do not rely upon the COG for any functional activity that we have to perform,” he told the board. “We have certain things that must be approved by the COG, and Please see page 3
struction schedule, plans for each future station, and to provide an opportunity for the community to meet the station artists for each station. Construction Authority and FTC staff will be available to answer questions about construction and how it might impact Please see page 5
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Here’s What’s Happening in Old Town Monrovia Thomas Orona, the very happy – and very surprised – winner of the Mom, Dad, Grad “On My!” drawing sponsored by the Monrovia Old Town Merchants has lived in Monrovia for the last 6 years and has never before entered any of the local contests. This is the third in a series of drawings which ask guests to bring in 3 receipts from an Old Town merchant in exchange for one drawing entry with no limit on the number of entries allowed during each event. Entry coupons are also printed periodically in this newspaper. So, just one entry, just one time, has earned
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Thomas hundreds of dollars in Old Town gift certificates, several nice gifts of product, and $100 in Of-
ficial Monrovia Old Town $$. The new tender is hot Please see page 9