This year certainly has been anunprecedented year for many of us.We experienced so many significantevents that usually would havespread over a decade, but I guess itis life. Since January, our city hasbeen working closely with ourDepartment of Public Health on apossible pandemic escalation.Unfortunately, the worst scenariohappened, and COVID had claimedover 30 of our citizens here inDuarte.

At its December 8 City CouncilMeeting, the Duarte City Councilappointed Bryan Urias fromDistrict 6 as Mayor and MargaretFinlay from District 4 as Mayor ProTem for the upcoming year. TheCouncil also welcomed back ToneyLewis as well as newCouncilmembers Jody Schulz andVinh Truong.

Mayor Urias was first elected tothe Duarte City Council inNovember of 2018. During his firstterm, Urias served as the councilrepresentative on the Duarte

Community Coordinating Counciland an alternate for both the GoldLine Joint PowersAuthority and theDuarte Community ServicesCouncil. For eight years prior tojoining the Council, Urias repre-sented Duarte residents as District 5Director on the Upper San GabrielValley Municipal Water DistrictBoard and also worked with theCity as a staff member for thenCongresswoman Hilda L. Solis andlater Congresswoman Judy Chu. “Itis an honor and a privilege to serveDuarte in this new capacity,” said

Mayor Urias. “The Council haschallenging work ahead, and we’recommitted to building an evenstronger future for our City.”

Mayor Pro Tem Finlay formerlyserved as mayor for six terms. Heraccomplishments include the instal-lation of the soundwall on the southside of the 210 freeway, expandingprograms for senior citizens, serv-ing as chairperson for the successful1998 Measure B School Bondeffort that improves aging Duarte

City Council Names Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem,Welcomes New Councilmembers

For nearly a century, theChamber has been vital in promot-ing and supporting the Duartebusiness community, organiza-tions, and its membership. In thelast 99 years, the Chamber has not

See Outgoing Mayor on page 8

Duarte ViewA bi-monthly community

publication of the

In its 98th year of serviceto the community

January 2021 – February 2021PresortStd

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DuarteChamberofCommerce

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See Duarte City Council on page 9

Sam Kang

Three seats on the Board ofEducation for the Duarte UnifiedSchool District were on theNovember 3 General Election bal-lot. Based on the official certifiedresults announced by the LosAngeles County RegistrarRecorder/County Clerk, voterselected to return incumbents CeciEscarcega Carroll and JamesFinlay to their positions, andelected new member, JaquelineKu. All three members will com-plete a four-year term. Sittingmembers, Reyna Diaz and KenBell, remain on the Board andwere not up for election this cycle.

The final canvass of the votewas completed officially onNovember 30. View the canvasscount reported by the LA CountyRegistrar/County Clerk below.

Board of Education Four-YearTerm Count:

James Finlay: 5,179Ceci Escarcega Carroll: 5,144Jaqueline Ku: 5,016Tom Reyes: 3,988Francisco Figueroa: 3,790Melissa Redmond: 2,631Ceci Escarcega Carroll has

served as a member of the Boardsince being elected in 2018. Priorto this she was appointed to repre-sent DUSD on the CaliforniaSchool of the Arts Board from2016-2018. She has been aninvolved member of the Duartecommunity for over 18 years.During this time she was activewithin the PTA, served as the co-chair of the District-levelCommunity Education Counciland Valley View Site Council.Mrs. Carroll also actively partici-pates in the Duarte EducationFoundation and the DuarteRotary. Key achievements includereceiving the 2016 PTAHonoraryService Award, 2017 Golden OakAward, and California TeachersAssociation Coat Award. Sheaffirms her focus will be on lend-ing her unique perspective as aninvolved community member andbusiness owner. Most importantly,she is the proud parent of two chil-dren. One is currently a DuarteHigh School student and the othera DUSD graduate who is attend-ing UCLA.

Dr. James Finlay was raised inDuarte and attended DUSDschools since Kindergarten andgraduated from Duarte High

School in 1999. Following hisundergraduate degree in Biology(BYU) he earned his Doctor ofVeterinary Medicine fromMichigan State University. Hethen went on to complete aResidency and PhD inComparative Medicine, and cur-rently serves as the AssociateDirector of the Center forComparative Medicine at the Cityof Hope in Duarte. Dr. Finlay andhis wife of 17 years proudly sendtheir children to schools in Duarteon the same campuses he attendeda generation before. He is the

Voters Elect Carroll,Finlay, and Ku to DuarteUnified School Board

See SCHOOL BOARDon page 7

See Chamber Championon page 10

BE A CHAMBER CHAMPION

Ceci Escarcega Carroll

James Finlay

Jaqueline Ku

Top (L-R): Victor Benavides (City of Hope), Dillon Wang (OneWestBank), Kevin Morris (Duarte Unified School District). Bottom (L-R):Alex Cabrera (Cabrera’s Mexican Cuisine), Karen Wilson (PlasticJunkie Tupperware) and John Fasana (Councilmember City of Duarte)

An Open Letter to the Duarte Communityfrom Outgoing Mayor Sam Kang

Mayor Bryan Urias Councilmember -District 2, Vinh Truong

Councilmember -District 7, Toney Lewis

Councilmember -District 3, Jody Schulz

Mayor Pro TemMargaret Finlay

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As I am writing this article,2020 is almost over. Talk about an“E” Ticket ride! One of the thingsis that we know, is that we contin-ue to walk through this journeytogether. I have watched too manybusinesses close. Others havebeen able to adapt, open, adaptsome more and forge on. Throughit all I watched them go forwardwith one goal – to continue toserve our community as best theycan. It is uplifting to see thesebusinesses devotion to our com-munity.

November was busy aroundour town (and nationwide) withthe elections kicking off themonth. Both of our local electionsresulted in high vote counts andchanges in the city council andschool district. To meet the newmembers on both governing bod-ies and learn more about the reor-ganization of the city council, anda reflective article by the outgoingmayor please see the articles inthis issue.

Also, in November welaunched our new “ChamberChampion” campaign. This cam-paign is in response to challengesthat our Chamber is facing as aresult of the pandemic. See thearticle starting on page 1 for moreinformation on becoming aChamber Champion.

The Chamber Champion cam-paign started just three days afterwe launched our new website! Wehave the same website address(duartechamber.com) but it hasbeen totally revamped and evenhas a translator built in! We hopeyou love it as much as we do.

We also continue to adaptsome of our key projects likeworkforce development. On page11, there are some great reports onthe subject, as well as an introduc-tion of our newest WorkforceDevelopment/Education Com-mittee member Mary Ann Lutz.

December continues to bevery busy with changes aroundevery corner. December alwaysbrings a desire for many to helpothers. Some of our members didjust that with their donation ofChristmas Trees complete withgifts of at least $100 to be givenaway to the winner which will bedrawn after this issue has beensubmitted. I want to give a specialshout out and thanks to those par-ticipants:

Curo Managed PrintProduction, Habitat for HumanityReStore, Lemon Drop CookieShop, Plastic Junkie Tupperwareby Karen Wilson, Realtor RanaMadain from Deasy PennerPodley, Rotary Club of Duarte,ServPro, Sierra Autocars andWestminster Gardens

Additionally, other members

gave at least $25 to the grand prizetree, which has over $600 worth ofprizes! A heartfelt thank you to:

Baskin Robbins, Burrtec,Crossroads Drug & AlcoholTesting, Delafield Corporation,DLL Technologies, Duarte Com-munity Coordinating Council(DCCC), Duarte Historical Muse-um/The Hellers, Duarte KiwanisClub, Duarte Women's Club, KathyKirchner, Origami Owl presentedby Designer Cheryl Reynolds,Simply Divine ApprenticeshipTraining Center/Beauty Supply,Soyfoods of America, Thai CityRestaurant, Tina Carey & Asso-ciates, Turner & Stevens Live OakMortuary, and Wonder Dog Ranch

And as I finish editing thisissue, Target Duarte has donatedseveral Christmas trees. We will begiving them to some of our Duarteorganizations to bless those in needthis holiday.

With that, the Duarte Chamberis looking forward to 2021. Wewill continue to serve our memberremotely until it is safe to resumeoffice operations. You can leave usa voicemail or send us an email.We will get back to you as soon aswe can. Take care and enjoy thisissue of the Duarte View.

By Sheryl Lefmann

Duarte ChamberExecutive Director/CEO

Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE BOARDBernadette Chang • Westminster Gardens ................................................PresidentAdam Knight • Curo Managed Print Production....President Elect and VP FundraisingBrian Barreto • California American Water ..........................................Past PresidentTina Heany • Resident............................................................VP, Business OutreachVictor Benavides • City of Hope..........................................Co-VP Legislative Action,

Workforce Development & Education,Tina Carey • Tina Carey & Associates ....................Co-VP Finance & AdministrativeBob Cruz • SoCalGas ......................................Co-VP Finance & Administrative and

Legislative Action, Workforce Development & Education

DIRECTORSAnn Marie Ahern ................................................................Real Estate by Ann MarieEric Boyd ......................................................................................Santa Anita YMCAAlejandro Cabrera ............................................................Cabrera’s Mexican CuisineHenry Custodia....................................................................................Delafield Corp.Aja M. Enriquez ............................................Turner and Stevens Live Oak MortuaryRobb Johnson ....................................................................................Mutiny CrossFitRana Madain ............................................................................Deasy Penner PodleyCheryl Reynolds....................................................................Origami Owl ConsultantBrenda Trainor ............................................................................Wonder Dog RanchWilliam Wallace, Ed.D. ..................California School of the Arts, San Gabriel ValleyDenise Walton..................................................................Seidner’s Collision CentersDillon Wang ........................................................................................OneWest Bank

StaffSheryl Lefmann ....................................................................Executive Director/CEOAshley Bagwell ........................................................................Administrate AssistantMaria Robles ....................................................................................Accounting Clerk

Duarte ViewVolume XXXVIII • January 2021 – February 2021 • No. 23

Sheryl Lefmann..................................................................................................EditorAshley Bagwell ........................................................................Administrate Assistant

The Duarte View is an official publication of the Duarte Chamber of Commerce. It has a bi-monthly circulation of 10,000 and is available to residents and businesses of Duarte, Bradbury,and portions of surrounding areas. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without theexpressed written permission of the Duarte Chamber of Commerce. Every effort has beenmade to ensure accuracy. Articles deemed of community interested and printed herein arereceived from many sources and do not necessarily represent the views of the Duarte Chamberof Commerce. The Duarte Chamber of Commerce is not responsible for claims or representa-tions by its advertisers, sponsors, or contributors.

For Duarte View advertising information and rates, please call the Duarte Chamber.Deadline for articles and ads for the March 2021 – April 2021 issue is February 4, 2021

P.O. Box 1438 • 1735 Huntington Dr. Duarte, CA 91009-4438(626) 357-3333www.DuarteChamber.com • Info@DuarteChamber.com

2 Duarte View COMMUNITY NEWS January 2021 – February 2021

Sheryl Lefmann

BY, TINA CAREYPresident, Duarte Kiwanis Club

Kaye Biggs is one of those“Community Champions” – onewho supports many organizations;The Carmelite Sisters at SantaTeresita, St. Vincent DePaul,Friends of the Duarte Library and,of course, the Duarte KiwanisClub. Kaye has been a member ofDuarte Kiwanis since 2017 andwas the President of the Club inthe 2019/2020 year. Through allof those years, Kaye has been theclub’s representative to the DuarteHigh School Key Club, CaliforniaSchool of the Arts Key Club andthe Mountain View Key Club aswell.

In recognition of her continu-ing service, the club has awardedKaye with a Youth Service Award.

If you are interested in joining

the Duarte Kiwanis or presentingat a future meeting, please contactTina Carey at tinac51@aol.com.The club is currently meeting vir-tually through Zoom.

Kaye Biggs

Kaye Biggs, Duarte KiwanisChampion for Students

2020 has been a challenging time for all busi-nesses. As the Duarte Chamber has continued tosupport their members, a need was discovered –how do we work productively in this new virtualworld. In response to this need, the Chamber hascreated new a Business Seminar Series focused onkey elements needed not only to survive, but suc-ceed in the virtual world.

This will be a six-week series beginning onFebruary 4, 2021. Each seminar will be held onsubsequent Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.Topics will include: Leading Teams in a VirtualWorld; Technology Solutions; Legal, Labor,Benefits and Processes in the Digital World; andPracticing Self-Regulation During ChallengingTimes. For six weeks, professionals will bring valu-able information, allow discussion, and give youtools to identify, implement and evaluate change.The final session will be March 11, 2021. For fullinformation, visit our website at: www.duartecham-ber.com/virtual-world-business-seminar-series.

Duarte Chamber to Present Business SeminarSeries – New Year –New Virtual World

BY, TINA CAREYPresident, Duarte Kiwanis Club

The Carmelite Sisters inDuarte have been serving the com-munity through the Hayden ChildCare Center since 1967. Countlesschildren benefited from their tire-less work. Due the current pan-demic, the Hayden Child CareCenter has closed permanently. Inrecognition for the ongoing workof the Carmelite Sisters, theDuarte Kiwanis Club provided adonation and a certificate ofappreciation to Sister Myriam andSister M. Aloysious.

If you are interested in joiningthe Duarte Kiwanis or presentingat a future meeting, please contactTina Carey at tinac51@aol.com.The club is currently meeting vir-tually through Zoom.

January 2021 – February 2021 COMMUNITY NEWS Duarte View 3

Duarte Kiwanis Recognizes Carmelite Sisters

BY, TINA CAREYPresident, Duarte Kiwanis Club

Duarte Kiwanis members arealways ready to serve! At thisyear‘s City of Duarte’s HalloweenHowl Aida Torres and Kaye Biggsstepped up to the plate in classicdevilish order. Over 600 kidswere served at this drive-throughevent in our time of pandemic.Pictured from left, BoardMembers, Aida Torres and KayeBiggs,

If you are interested in joiningthe Duarte Kiwanis or presentingat a future meeting, please contactTina Carey at tinac51@aol.com.The club is currently meeting vir-tually through Zoom.

Duarte’s Halloween Howl aHowling Success

BY, TINA CAREYPresident, Duarte Kiwanis Club

In a recent Duarte KiwanisClub meeting, Duarte ChamberCEO, Sheryl Lefmann, sharedsome very interesting topics. TheChamber has launched a newwebsite - and a great new pro-gram for "Chamber Champions".The Duarte Chamber has been inbusiness for close to 100 years,and in this year of pandemic, canuse the help of ChamberChampions throughout the area!Neil Savedra from KFI's ForkReport joined a virtual Zoom calland was inducted as the first"Honorary" Board member of theDuarte Chamber. The Chamberwill be sharing a number ofChristmas Trees being decoratedand filled with presents from var-ious Chamber Members. Thesetrees will be available through

raffle tickets sold through theChamber website (www.duar-techamber.com). Sheryl alsoshared the remarkable work theChamber has done to continue tokeep the Duarte Chamber mem-bers informed of special needs

and regulation due to Covid-19.If you are interested in joining

the Duarte Kiwanis or presentingat a future meeting, please contactTina Carey at tinac51@aol.com.The club is currently meeting vir-tually through Zoom.

Duarte Chamber Visits Duarte Kiwanis

BY, TINA CAREYPresident, Duarte Kiwanis Club

Marilyn Mays has been an advocate for kids for herentire career. Her most recent assignment has beenDuarte's Teen Center programs including the DuarteBoxing Club. Marilyn is also an active leader in theACT-SO program for the San Gabriel Valley. Marilynhas also been a member of the Duarte Kiwanis Club,and in Non-Pandemic times, the Teen Center serves asthe club's meeting location. Marilyn's creativity inleadership includes creating the city's Family Feudevent as well as the Amazing Family Race event.Recently, she has participated with the Duarte Youth inthe annual Unity March.

Marilyn was presented with a Youth Service Awardfor Duarte Kiwanis Club in recognition of her continu-ing service.

If you are interested in joining the Duarte Kiwanisor presenting at a future meeting, please contact TinaCarey at tinac51@aol.com. The club is currently meet-ing virtually through Zoom.Marilyn Mays

Marilyn Mays – Creative Advocate for Youth

Effective January 1, 2020,Duarte residents will see a modestincrease of approximately $0.72cents to their monthly residentialrefuse and recycling rates. Thisestimated rate adjustment from$26.71 to $27.4 is based on themost common form of residentialservice covering one 90-gallontrash container, one 60-gallonrecyclable container and one 60-gallon green waste container.

The City of Duarte’s solidwaste services agreement withBurrtec calls for a review andadjustment of rates annually.Rates are adjusted up or downbased on various cost factorsincluding Consumer Price Index,fuel prices, tipping fees, and State

mandates such as minimum wageincreases. This year's adjustmentis a 2.7 percent increase based onthe cost factors. Burrtec alsorequested a slight $0.03 centincrease for residential streetsweeping raising the fee from$1.90 to $1.93 per month.

Commercial customers willalso experience rate increases.The most common level of refuseservice, one 3-yard bin servicedonce per week, will increase by$8.63 per month from $190.61 to$199.24. Commercial streetsweeping will also see an increasein 2020 by $0.07 cents going from$3.66 to $3.73 per month.

Duarte continues to maintainsome of the lowest rates in Los

Angeles County.Burrtec Waste Services began

providing franchised refuse col-lection and recycling services inthe City of Duarte in 1996, withthe most recent contract extensionapproved in 2020. In recent years,

Burrtec completed the conversionof the diesel fleet to alternativefuel trucks, implemented a usedoil curbside collection program,and integrated free paper shred-ding and compost giveaway atCommunity Cleanups, introduced

a construction and demolitionprocessing option, and mostrecently, rolled out a new com-mercial food recycling program.For more information on BurrtecWaste Services and the costincreases, call 1-(800) 325-9417.

4 Duarte View COMMUNITY NEWS January 2021 – February 2021

Embrace everything. At Westminster Gardens, being close and sharing in new experiences are all part of the package in our senior living community. We’re here to connect you to what you want most in life—to be yourself.

WELLNESS | SOCIAL ACTIVITIES | GARDENS

The surroundings are inspiring.

And so is the company.

VisitWestminsterGardens.com1420 Santo Domingo Ave. | Duarte, CA 91010

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LEARN MORE (626) 358-2569

Residential Refuse and Recycling Rates to Increase BeginningJanuary 1, 2021

2020 Rate Survey (As of 11/12/20)

Duarte Parks and RecreationUntil the department can get

back to in-person recreationalclasses, some of the department'smost popular offerings for youthto seniors are now available virtu-ally from your own home! Youcan browse all current recreationclasses at accesduarte.com andthen by clicking on the City Newsicon at the bottom of the webpage.

Additionally, here are someupcoming department events thatthe community can enjoy safely:● Martin Luther King Jr.

Essay ContestStudents grades 9th-12th will

compete in an essay-writing con-test on why they are inspired bythe life of Dr. Martin Luther KingJr. Entry deadline is January 12that 7:00 pm. 200 word minimum –500 words maximum. Prizes will

be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rdplace and will be announced onInstagram on January 14th at 4:00pm. Essays can be e-mailed tomaysm@accessduarte.com.● Youth Boxing Program –

Virtual Boxing TrainingCome join our coaches for vir-

tual boxing training! These areinteractive sessions where partic-ipants learn shadow boxing, foot-work, conditioning, techniqueand more! Training classes areavailable Monday through Fridayat the following times: 2:00 pm –3:00 pm, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm and6:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Call the TeenCenter for more information at(626) 303-0863. Register atwww.accessduarte.com● Fitness Center – AquaticsDue to the COVID-19 pan-

demic, the Fitness Center is cur-rently closed. However, lap swimis being offered in accordancewith Public Health guidelines.For the most up to date informa-tion, including the swim sched-ule, please visit accessduarte.comand click on the Parks andRecreation Department web-page/Aquatics.● Senior CenterAlthough the Duarte Senior

Center is temporarily closed, weare staying active in many waysvirtually! Classes being offeredinclude: Low Intensity – EasyMovement, Piano, TaiQi/QiGong, Western Line Dance,and Yoga. Visit accessduarte.comto create a profile and register forany of these Senior Center class-es.

BY DR. EDWARD C. ORTELLCitrus College Governing BoardMember

If there was ever a year that putsayings like, “With great chal-lenges come great opportunities,”and “Crisis brings out the best inpeople” to the test, it was certainly2020. In retrospect, we can safelyconclude that these maximspassed a trial by fire with flyingcolors and will long endure as partof our lexicon.

As a lifelong participant andseasoned observer of the state anddirection of community collegeeducation, I have often noted thatthis nimble academic paradigmmirrors the life and times of socie-ty. In assessing societal challengesand responses through the prismof higher education this past year,much has been learned.

To unsuspecting students andcollege educators, the year startedoff positive. Innovation was flour-ishing and the possibilities seemedendless. Students pursued trainingfor high tech, high paying jobs ofthe future. Time and cost savingoptions, such as early college, aprogram where our local highschool students simultaneouslyearn both high school and collegecredit, were becoming widelyavailable and receiving highmarks. Higher education wasdelivering good student outcomesin efficient, innovative ways, and

students were achieving success.Then spring arrived, and with

it a global pandemic. Suddenly theconversation turned to the need forfirst responders, doctors and nurs-es, and the focus became ways toeducate students in these fields asquickly and safely as possible.Citrus College students werepraised for their eagerness to takeon the challenge and serve in amoment of tremendous need. Atthe same time, colleges and uni-versities closed their doors to“stop the spread.” Long recog-nized as leaders in online educa-tion, community colleges onceagain lead the way in developingcourses and educational deliverysystems that were safe and effec-tive and would keep students on

track to achieving their goals.As the summer progressed, the

message from educators to stu-dents was that, even though col-lege campuses were closed, teach-ing and learning was still happen-ing. Students were encouraged tonot waste a year on inaction, but toseize the moment and earn adegree or certificate while theywaited for the COVID-19 storm topass.

This fall, thanks to tech-savvystudents and innovative teachers,students are learning and achiev-ing in some of the most unlikelyprograms using remote and hybridinstruction. These include per-forming arts, automotive technol-ogy, nursing and nearly all otherdisciplines across the curriculum.

COVID-19 will no doubt con-tinue to impact us as 2021 unfolds.Rest assured that community col-leges will continue to provide safe,effective and often exciting aca-demic offerings, as we resolutelymarch forward into a brave newyear.

About the Author:Dr. Edward C. Ortell is the

senior governing board member atCitrus College and a ProfessorEmeritus at Pasadena CityCollege. He has served on theCalifornia Community CollegeTrustees (CCCT) state board ofdirectors and 11 terms as presi-dent of the Citrus College Boardof Trustees.

A Brave New Year

Dr. Edward C. Ortell

January 2021 – February 2021 COMMUNITY NEWS Duarte View 5

Christmas Tree RecycleT h r o u g h

Burrtec WasteIndustries, the Cityof Duarte will pro-vide a Christmastree collectionservice for resi-dential customers.

Christmas treeswill be collectedon regular trashcollection daysfrom December26, 2020 throughJanuary 18, 2021. All decorations, tinsel, and stands must be removed.Flocked trees will not be accepted.

For information about Christmas tree recycling programs in unincor-porated areas, call 1-(888) CLEAN LA between 7 a.m.-5 p.m., Mondaythrough Thursday.

For more information about the Christmas tree recycling program inthe City of Duarte, contact City Hall at (626) 357-7931 or Burrtec WasteIndustries at 1-(800) 325-9417.

BY WAYNE LEWIS

Jeanelle Folbrecht, Ph.D., headof the Division of Psychology inCity of Hope’s Department ofSupportive Care Medicine, shares afew ideas for how — and how not— to cope emotionally and psycho-logically with the continuingCOVID-19 pandemic.DO: Stay connected to people.Keeping people at a physical

distance doesn’t have to mean dis-tancing yourself. Your outlet mightbe regular phone calls, texts orvideo chats with those who areimportant to you.

“Reach out to others and tellthem what you need,” Folbrechtsaid.

DO: Get up and move.Exercise is an excellent stress

reliever. “I’m encouraging mypatients to figure out how they canmove at home. You might climbonto that exercise bike you haven’tused for a while, or just stand andpull one knee up, then the other,”Folbrecht said.

DO: Practice self-care.It’s difficult for many of us to

find the opportunity to care for our-selves. This might be as simple asstopping, centering yourself andtaking a deep breath.

DO: When a loved one isworried, listen before you

comfort.“As parents, as care providers,

we have certain concerns or fears,but our loved one might be worry-ing about something totally differ-ent,” Folbrecht said. “It’s all aboutchecking ourselves to make surethat we’re addressing the concernsthat the person is actually having.”DO: Demonstrate gratitude."Find some way to share your

gratitude with another, maybe

through a card, email, a mealdropped on the porch, or other cre-ative ways,” Folbrecht said.DO: If you need it, seek help

from a professional."We will all feel irritable or

might have troubles with sleep"during this stressful time, Folbrechtexplained. But when worry and dis-appointment reach the point that allmotivation is gone or we withdraw-al from friends or family, that is thetime to reach out for help.DON’T: Develop bad habits.Resist the urge to overeat or to

abuse alcohol or other substances.“I’m recommending that peo-

ple keep an eye on what they’reconsuming, not let it get out of con-trol and avoid some of those less-than-helpful means of coping,”Folbrecht said.DON’T: Binge on the news.Many of us feel the compulsion

to remain plugged in to news aboutthe coronavirus, but such wall-to-wall coverage tends to fuel anxiety.“This is going to be a long haul,”Folbrecht said. “Sometimes youkind of have to limit your mediaexposure.”

City of Hope Psychologist Offers Tipsfor Coping With the ContinuingPandemic

Jeanelle Folbrecht, Ph.D., head ofthe Division of Psychology in Cityof Hope’s Department of Support-ive Care Medicine.

Since the start of our proudpartnership with the CaliforniaSchool of the Arts - San GabrielValley (CSArts-SGV), an addi-tional benefit of our one-of-kindventure has been the ability toprovide all DUSD students inGrades TK-8 the opportunity toparticipate in dance and move-ment classes during the schoolday at all five of our Academies.

This year due to DistanceLearning, the dance instructionwill be provided through weeklyvideos that have been producedby CSArts-SGV instructors,who are also industry profes-sionals from Elements DanceSpace, designed specifically foreach grade level (TK-8). OurDUSD teachers will share thesevideos with their students toenhance performing arts andphysical education opportuni-ties.

Thanks to our partnershipwith CSArts-SGV, this programwill be offered at no cost to ourdistrict along with the DragonKim Afterschool Music Program

which is also offered free toDUSD students in our elemen-tary grades by CSArts-SGV.This incredible program is beingprovided virtually this year too.

Duarte Unified TK-8 Grade Dance Program inPartnership with CSArts-SGV Continues Virtually

GORDON AMERSON, ED.D.Superintendent of SchoolsDuarte Unified School District#ProudSuperintendent

We are quickly approachingthe winter holidays, and this sea-son holds even more significantmeaning this year in light of thepandemic. I keep in my heart andthoughts those who have lost theirlives, those who have been sick,and everyone who has beenimpacted by the destructiveCOVID-19 virus. Each day I pourover the latest updates and guid-ance provided by the LA CountyDepartment of Public Health inhopes the data will show a trend ina positive direction.Unfortunately, we remain in themost restrictive Purple Tier.

To keep instruction consistentfor our students and staff, ourBoard approved continuing with100% Distance Learning at leastuntil the completion of the firstsemester. This proactive decisionsupports our students and staff’swell-being by providing certaintyfor the remainder of this semester,and we can now make solid plansfor both school and home. Iacknowledge that remaining100% Distance Learning is notwithout its difficulties and pres-ents a hardship for some of ourfamilies.

For this reason, our Board alsotook action to put in place interimsupport measures for our highest-need students. We have openedour full-day/full-year preschoolprogram on a limited enrollmentbasis to serve families that meetstate criteria. Supervision duringthe instructional day is now pro-vided by Think Together for chil-dren within our district of essen-tial workers and students with tar-geted needs in Grades TK-8. Inaddition to these actions, our dis-trict has implemented in-person1:1 assessments and supports forEnglish learners and studentsreceiving special education serv-ices. Our team is also exploringtargeted academic and extracur-ricular supports for our highschool students and additionalinterim measures to meet stu-dents’ needs in all grade levels.

Please know we will continueto plan for all possibilities withregard to second semester, and ourdistrict will be prepared for whenreopening our schools is possible.As always, I will keep youapprised every step of the way. Iwant to thank the members of theBoard for their thoughtful deci-sions under challenging circum-stances.

I also promise that as long asremote learning is required, a toppriority will be to support our stu-dents’ social and emotional well-

being. Our team of counselors hasput additional supports in place,and we have expanded our part-nership with D’Veal FamilyServices. Home visits and inter-ventions, when needed, are under-way by our School ResourceOfficer, and our CommunitySchools partnership with LACOEprovides resources and network-ing for our families in need. Wehave also launched “Margaret’sPlace” for our high school stu-dents who need a safe virtualplace to talk and receive counsel-ing. These are but a few of themeasures we are taking, knowingmany of our students rely on thesupport often only available tothem when at school.

While we continue to dealwith the challenges of living inthis COVID-19 era, I am amazedeach day by how our communityhas come together to help oneanother through these difficulttimes. Please know our district isalways striving to help in any waywe can. So I am pleased to shareas a result of the Board’s action,we were able to bring 2.5 milliondollars back into Duarte’s com-munity through the refinance ofour bond issuance at a lower inter-est rate. During these times, yoursupport has never been more criti-cal, and you can count on us to doour part by being forward-think-ing in all that we do to serve youbetter.

The results of the November 3general election were also crucialfor the future of our school dis-trict. A large portion of the Duartecommunity cast their ballots.Regarding DUSD, the votersapproved returning James Finlayand Ceci Carroll to the Board ofEducation and elected JacquelineKu as the newest member. KenBell and Reyna Diaz will remainsitting members. I am looking for-ward to working in partnershipwith our Governance Team as wecontinue to move our district for-ward in a positive direction.

Superintendent Message

6 Duarte View DUSD SCHOOL NEWS January 2021 – February 2021

Gordon D. Amerson, Ed. D.Superintendent of Schools

Duarte Unified School District

School Connectedness During DistanceLearning

Although virtual learning hasus at a distance, we wanted to pro-vide our students with some muchneeded socialization during theirbreak times during the school day.To conduct this safely, several ofour proctors have now transitionedto online supervision. Head setsand computers have been providedto each proctor for them to engagewith students while the students"hang out" with their schoolfriends. This is another greatexample of how we are creatinginnovative ways to enhance dis-tance learning for our students.

See Superintendent Message onpage 7

Margaret’s Place is a new addi-tion to Duarte High School thatwas made possible because of ourparticipation in the CommunitySchools Initiative. During thistime of Distance Learning, acrossCalifornia reports of abuse by stu-dents have declined since accessto reporters by victims may be dif-ficult.

Margaret's Place is a safespace for students who need emo-tional support dealing with traumaor want to learn how to end thecycle of violence. Services areFREE and include individualcounseling, group counseling,hangout times, and a peer leader-ship club.

To introduce students toMargaret's Place, DHS hosted aDomestic Violence AwarenessCampaign week. There was anactivity each day of the week thatincluded a Virtual Open Houseafter school to explain what exact-

ly Margaret's Place is, a Kahootgame during lunch to test domes-tic violence knowledge, andencouraging students to read,watch, or listen to something thatspreads awareness about domesticviolence.

Margaret’s Place ProvidesEmotional Support for our Falcons

Duarte Preschool is committedto providing high-quality servicesto all families in our community.Equally important is meeting theneeds of essential workers by pro-viding a safe environment for theirchildren during the day. With thisin mind, Duarte Unified hasreopened our full day/full-yearpreschool program for in-personinstruction on a limited basis atBeardslee in compliance with thestate, county, and local publichealth authorities. This program isonly available for families eligibleaccording to State criteria. View avirtual tour of our preschool facil-ities and protocols at duar-tepreschool.org.

Thank you to everyone whoparticipated in the 2020 GeneralElection by casting your vote.With the support of our communi-ty, we are thrilled to announce thatMeasure S has passed. The officialresults certified by the LosAngeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk are pro-vided below:

YES 6,782 57.30%The passage of Measure S will

position our district to repair ouraging school facilities, modernizeclassrooms and labs, and updatetechnology so that every studentand teacher can thrive in a schoolsetting with the safe, modern, cre-ative spaces that they deserve.

Today’s teaching and learningstandards have changed, requiringmore and different instructionalspaces, and our schools needongoing safety and securityupgrades. Additionally, the ongo-ing impacts of the COVID-19 pan-demic are creating additional chal-lenges for school districts trying tomeet current health and safetystandards. Over the past years,

Duarte Unified School District hasreceived feedback from the com-munity, parents, and teachers onour Local Control AccountabilityPlan (LCAP), CompetitiveAdvantage Plan (CAP), andFacilities Master Plan. Measure S

is the result of these communityconversations and provides a pru-dent, responsible plan to addressour most critical facilities needs.

On behalf of DUSD, we wishto thank the voters and volunteersfor your support.

January 2021 – February 2021 DUSD SCHOOL NEWS Duarte View 7

Thank you to the Duarte Community for PassingMeasure S for Duarte Unified Schools

Duarte Preschool Offers In-PersonInstruction for Full-Year/Full-Day Students

third generation of family mem-bers to have served in an electedposition with his mother servingon the Duarte City Council andGrandfather serving on the DUSDBoard of Education. As a productof Duarte schools he has seen howfar the schools have come and helooks forward to working with stu-dents, parents, teachers, boardtrustees, and community membersto guide DUSD forward and meetthe challenges that are ahead.

Jaqueline Ku graduated fromSan Jose State with a BA in ele-mentary education and minor inK-8 mathematics. Mrs. Kureceived her Masters of Arts incurriculum and instruction fromColorado Christian University,while receiving her teachinglicense in secondary mathematics.Along with her husband, shemoved back to Duarte, where herhusband had grown up, and in the2018-19 school year, she taught atDuarte High School as a mathteacher. She has also spent time inthe Peace Corps teaching inLiberia. Currently, she works asthe Global Manager for the UCLAmathematics project, where sheprovides logistical support for pro-fessional development offered toteachers and administrators in

Southern California. Mrs. Kushares she is excited to have theopportunity to work with theDuarte School Board to workwithin the best interests of our stu-dents, teachers, administrators,and staff. She looks forward to allof the important work ahead.

“I congratulate Mrs. Carrolland Dr. Finlay on their return tothe Board. They will continue tooffer fresh ideas as well as experi-ence to our governance team.They are prudent stewards andalways seek to serve the best inter-ests of the children and staff ofDuarte Unified. Their efforts havehelped guide our district throughthese challenging times,” statedDr. Gordon Amerson,Superintendent of Schools.

“I am also pleased to welcomenew board member, Mrs.Jacqueline Ku.As an educator, herinsight into our governance needswill be beneficial to the team. I ameager to work with each memberof our Board to continue the posi-tive momentum that has posi-tioned Duarte Unified to be a des-tination for education within thisregion.”

The recently elected boardmembers will be officially swornin to take the oath of office at theSpecial Meeting held onDecember 14, 2020.

School BoardContinued from page 1

Also, Measure S passed abovethe 55% threshold. When ourBoard made the difficult decisionto place Measure S on the ballot,we realized it was a lot to ask of ourcommunity, especially consideringthe economic havoc COVID-19has caused. Based on all of thefeedback we had received, we alsoknew our needs are significant, andthe vote shows our community is inagreement. Our district is nowpositioned to repair our agingschool facilities, modernize class-rooms and labs, and update tech-nology so that every student andteacher can thrive in a school set-ting with the safe, modern, creativespaces that they deserve. On behalfof DUSD, I wish to thank the vot-ers for your support.

I am encouraged by thetremendous opportunities that lieahead for our district. But, therewill continue to be challenges, andwe will need to confront them.Patience and hope will be essen-tial, and we know based on whatwe have already been through thatwe are always stronger together,and together is how we will moveforward.

As we continue to do every-thing in our power to keep our stu-dents and staff safe within our dis-trict and make smart plans for thefuture, it's confounding that com-mon-sense measures to control the

spread of COVID-19 are not inplace nationwide.We are now see-ing surges in states across thecountry that could have been pre-vented, and a rise again even inLA County. News that a vaccinemay be released within the nearfuture is reassuring, but until thattime, we must continue to protectthe lives of our loved ones andourselves by being vigilant aboutwhat we know does work. Pleaseroutinely wash your hands, wear amask, and physically distance.

It's easy to see why people arestruggling with what is beingcalled "COVID Fatigue." Livingour lives virtually since last Marchaway from our loved ones andfriends is not easy, but if it willhelp us safely get to the other sideof this pandemic, it's necessary. Ihope it is with this in mind thatyou plan your holiday celebrationsthis year. Please follow the guid-ance of the Department of PublicHealth and the Safer at HomeOrders. Let's find other ways andnew traditions that are safe to letthe special people in our livesknow how much we appreciatethem this year.

As we leave 2020 behind andusher in a new year, let’s be sure tofollow these protocols so that ourstudents, families, staff, and com-munity can be safe and healthy.Thank you, everyone, and pleaseenjoy a safe and restful holiday.

Superintendent MessageContinued from page 6

8 Duarte View COMMUNITY NEWS January 2021 – February 2021

Friends and neighbors, as win-ter is here, we must continue tostay vigilant, be strong, assist eachother and continue to do our part tostop the spread of this virus bystaying at home if you are sick,wear masks, and frequently washhands. Many of us had gonethrough significant challenges thisyear includingmyself, and I under-stand many of us are mentally,emotionally, and physicallyexhausted from this pandemic.

Prior to the pandemic, the CityCouncil and staff listened as I pas-sionately raised flags about what Ifeared was about to happen. I wantto thank the City staff for taking itseriously and their promptresponse to making sure City Hallwas able to adapt and provide serv-ices to our community in new andvaried ways.

Several businesses in town havebeen permanently closed. It isincredibly heartbreaking to see ourbeloved restaurants and shopswhere we regularly gather andsocialize, not be able tomake it. Butalong with the Duarte Chamber, wehave been finding unique ways,such as the Duarte StrongerTogether, to keep many small busi-nesses going as I honestly believethat small businesses are the secretsauce to a thriving economy.

As if the pandemic wasn’tenough during my tenure asmayor, we also continued toaddress issues regarding race rela-tions. I am proud that our city doesnot condone it and took steps toensure that our voices were heard.

While Duarte had one of thehighest unemployment rates in theSan Gabriel Valley prior to thepandemic it is critically that wehelp the unemployed retrainimmediately to ensure they don’tfall further behind. Once again, weare addressing this issue head onand continue to ensure that we areproperly represented and gettingour citizens the services theydeserve.

2020 also delivered record heat-waves which we combated throughthe opening of numerous coolingstations. Wildfires erupted in sum-merwith an unpreceded threemajorfires, the Bobcat, Dam, and Ranchfires.) From these fires, the city hadrecently implemented the state-of-the-artArtificial Intelligent ThermalImagining Camera facing thefoothill mountain to automaticallynotify our public safety of anypotential fire with a radius of justsix feet.

Fortunately, no human life orproperty were lost. Unfortunately,the Ranch fire was caused by analtercation between two homelessparties over a stolen bicycle. I hadconveyed this, and I will say itagain. Enough is enough. Not onlyare the homeless engaged in tres-

passing and dumping, but there isalso a strong presence of other ille-gal matters as well. The final drawfor many of us is the fire burned soclosely to our assets. Many of usspend our lives paying down themortgage, paying taxes, and build-ing our nest egg. I will not let thisgroup burn any part of our towndown. These people are endanger-ing themselves and they are endan-gering us.

I am not naïve that withCOVID and current financial cri-sis’s, homelessness is going toincrease all-over SouthernCalifornia. They need substantialhelp, and my colleagues and I arecommitted to working with ouradjacent cities, the Los AngelesCounty Board of Supervisors andour US Congress to find a holisticsolution soon. We are not lookingfor a Band-Aid on the situation.We need to find them permanentshelters so they can be out of theriverbed region. Hopefully oneday, you and I can enjoy theriverbed safely again. Until then,know that we will continue theefforts to remedy the situation.

As people continue to struggle,our city is working with many non-governmental organizations likeFoothill Unity to offer donations offood at the Senior Center. I wouldlike to personally thank the Duarte'sCommunity Emergency ResponseTeam (CERT) team for volunteer-ing the many hours of your serviceto our most needed people.

Friends, it has been a wild ridethis year. All these events that hap-pened in the same year certainlyhas taken a toll on all of us. I wouldlike to encourage all that we willall come out of this stronger. Withstrong economic development inmind, we will create new jobs withmultiple new developments com-ing on Huntington and theWyndham Hotel. Additionally, theCity of Hope has started theirexpansion, doubling their size toaccommodate 10,000 workers inDuarte to find a cure for cancer andcontinue research in diabetes andother life-threatening diseases. Inthe near future, we will be embark-ing on the town center on BuenaVista and Huntington.

Lastly, I want to end my yearas Mayor by thanking and salutingthose city workers, chamber, vol-unteers, firefighters, deputies, andmy fellow city council colleagueswho have picked up the slack thatkeeps our city running especiallyduring these tough times.

When coronavirus vaccinesarrive next year, and the economyresurges, we will have a robustDuarte. Join me as we eagerly lookforward to the year ahead.

I sincerely thank you for theopportunity to have been yourMayor.

Cheers!Sam

Outgoing MayorContinued from page 1

The U.S. Department ofHousing and Urban Development(HUD) has exempted the LosAngeles Continuum of Care fromconducting a 2021 UnshelteredPoint-In-Time (PIT) Count, alsoknown as the 2021 Greater LosAngeles Homeless Count.

Every January, Los AngelesHomeless Services Authority(LAHSA) conducts the count, thelargest homeless census count inthe nation, to gather data that canbe used to inform policies andstrategies to end homelessness inLos Angeles. Over the course ofthree days and nights, thousands ofvolunteers traverse the LosAngeles Continuum of Care todetermine how many homelessindividuals and families are in theregion, identify their demographiccharacteristics and record theirlocations. After conducting thecount, LAHSA compiles the datainto a summary and presentationfor the public as well as county,state and federal governments.

After listening to communitypartners, receiving guidance fromthe Los Angeles CountyDepartment of Public Health, andtaking into account curfews andstay-at-home orders across theregion, LAHSA determined thatthere is no safe way to gather the8,000 volunteers necessary to con-duct the 2021 PIT Count and col-lect data as accurately as it hasdone in previous years.

“Since the pandemic first came

to our region, LAHSA has put thehealth and safety of our clients,volunteers, and community first.We did not come to this decisioneasily, but it is the safe one, and theright one,” LAHSA ExecutiveDirector Heidi Marston said.

The COVID-19 pandemic pre-sented many obstacles to conduct-ing a safe and accurate PIT Count,including:

• The safety and well-being ofstaff, community partners, and vol-unteers is of concern. In addition,because our unsheltered popula-tion is being infected at a lowerrate, bringing more people intotheir areas may add unnecessaryrisk.

• The State of California andLos Angeles County has released anew public health stay-at-homeorder, including an overnight cur-few regarding non-essential activi-ties due to increased infectionrates, limiting our ability to con-

duct a nighttime count.• Due to limited planning time,

our ability to recruit volunteers andpartner staff have been hampered.

• Meeting public healthrequirements, including acquiringpersonal protective equipment asrecommended by HUD, would bedifficult, especially given theincreased need for PPE seen byhealthcare operators and homelessservice providers during this latestsurge.

• Feedback from communitypartners and volunteers regardingresources and capacity indicatesthat the community does not havethe bandwidth to support anunsheltered count. This feedbackwas received via surveys sent toservice providers, municipalities,volunteers, the Homeless CountAdvisory Board, the Los AngelesContinuum of Care Board, lived

2021 LA County Homeless Count Cancelled

Target Duarte Gives the Gift of ChristmasThe Duarte Chamber of

Commerce was performing busi-ness visits in the Mountain ViewPlaza in early December. Duringtheir visit with Duarte Target’sStore Director Jose Ramos, herelated that he had Christmastrees he would like to donate to

go to the Chamber and the com-munity and if we could help. Wetold him of our ChamberChampion Christmas Tree event,and he loved the tie between thetwo.

We were thrilled to assist! Notonly were we able to raise funds,we delivered trees to member

organizations, including theDuarte Community ServiceCouncil (DCSC) which supportneedy families in Duarte. Andwhat a wonderful reminder eachholiday of the caring of Target.The Chamber cannot express itsgratitude to Target for their gener-ous donation.

Target Members, including Jose Ramos (center), City of Duarte PublicSafety Officer Don Vaillancourt (rear), and Tony Hadloc, Public SafetyOutreach Coordinator (right).

Members of the DuarteCommunity Service Council(DCSC), including Dorothy Smith(left) were thrilled to accept treesto donate to those in need.

See Homeless Count on page 9

Schools and developing many localservices and infrastructure. MayorPro Tem Finlay and her husbandraised five children in Duarte, oneof which, James Finlay, currentlyserves as a Board of EducationMember for the Duarte UnifiedSchool District. “I look forward toworking with this Council toachieve our goals, which includeupdating the City’s website tomake information more accessibleto residents and supporting ourlocal businesses through recoveryfrom the COVID-19 pandemic,”

said Mayor Pro Tem Finlay.Toney Lewis, a lifelong mem-

ber of the Duarte community andproud Duarte High School Falcon,will continue to represent Duarte’s7th District. He served for morethan 27 years in multiple capacitiesas a member of the fire service.Additionally, he served as a long-time volunteer of the non-profit,Habitat for Humanity.Councilmember Lewis is proud ofDuarte’s diversity and looks for-ward to embracing it throughouthis service. Some of his initialgoals include increasing voter reg-istration and community engage-ment.

Jody Schulz, a first-generationcollege graduate who holds aMaster of Science degree, will nowrepresent District 3.Councilmember Schulz has servedthe Duarte community as publicsafety commissioner. She willleverage her skills of trackingissues, analyzing data, increasingefficiency and advancing strategicthinking in her role.Councilmember Schulz is an activemember of the community andbelongs to several communityorganizations that representDuarte’s diverse population, includ-ing the Duarte Rotary Club, DuarteChamber of Commerce and DuarteWomen’s Club.

Vinh Truong, serving Duarte’s2nd District, is the child of Chineseimmigrants who came to the UnitedStates in the 1970s and settled inDuarte in 1985. CouncilmemberTruong attended Duarte schoolsthrough high school and went on tobecome a licensed life and healthagent. He has held a seat on theDuarte Economic DevelopmentCommission and served as a boardmember of the Santa Anita FamilyYMCA. In 2019, Councilmember

Truong was appointed to Duarte’sFinancial Advisory Task Force,which allowed him to learn about

the City’s financial condition andengrain in him the value of eco-nomic growth.

Duarte City CouncilContinued from page 1

BY, TINA CAREYPresident, Duarte Kiwanis Club

The Kiwanis Family of Clubsin the San Gabriel Valley learnedrecently about a unique artisticopportunity. Building Bridges ArtExchange, a non-profit art organi-zation in Santa Monica is hostinga unique project with worldrenowned artist, Marcos Luytensand co-founder Tilly Hinton.Marcos and Tilly have a vision ofthe need for a collective “griev-ing” process for all of us experi-encing loss due to Covid-19.From this vision, they have creat-ed the Rose River MemorialProject. The concept of this proj-ect is to create a rose in memory ofevery person whose life was lostdue to Covid-19. The exhibit willtravel to many communities tohelp express the grief of the entirecommunity.

When Mary “Happy” Price,Kiwanis, Lt. Governor of Division35, heard of this project shared byTina Carey, Lt. Governor Elect ofDivision 35, she had a vision.Normally, Kiwanis Family Clubsand the SLP (Service LeadershipPrograms), especially Key clubsand KIWIN’S from all the localhigh schools in SouthernCalifornia would be decoratingfloats during the Christmas holi-day for the annual Rose Parade –

of course that cannot happen in2020. So, instead the students andtheir families can create felt rosesas a part of the Rose RiverMemorial Project. The Lt.Governors of three SLP Division35 programs (Hilary Wong, LTGD35E, Catherine Nguyen, LTG

D35W, and Juliana Miranda, LTGGoldstone KIWIN’S) all agreedthat this would be a great holidayproject and intend to share it withtheir counterparts within the Cal-Nev-Ha District throughoutCalifornia, Nevada and Hawaii.Petra Eiko, Director of Education

for Building Bridges, will bedelivering 200 kits for these stu-dents and their families to work on(a total of 1600 roses). Then theroses will be delivered and addedto the installation scheduled totake place at Santa Monica,Bergamot Station prior to the

exhibit closing on January 16,2021.

“At Building Bridges we feelvery honored to have the possibil-ity to bring Rose River Installationto Bergamot Station and have acollective grieving for the commu-nity of Santa Monica” said MarisaCaichiolo, Founder and Directorof Building BridgesArt Exchange.“Currently as a product of theCovid-19 Pandemic, the worldpopulation is experiencing a seriesof losses at different levels thathas caused a collective sadness,grieving is needed and will have tobe processed little by little as soonas this confinement ends. Theinstallation will be a sacred spacewhere people can connect withtheir own feelings and senses toexperience their own grieving,individually or in a collective way(with families and friends).”

“For this memorial, our goal isto include as many locally hand-made roses as possible, to deeplyengage the community with thisact of collective grief,” said RoseRiver memorial co-founderMarcos Lutyens. “People whomake roses tell us that it bringsthem great comfort and peace inthese difficult days. Family mem-bers who are grieving are comfort-ed by this idea of strangers recog-nizing and remembering the enor-mity of this pandemic in such abeautiful way.”

January 2021 – February 2021 COMMUNITY NEWS Duarte View 9

CNH Division 35 Kiwanis Family partnered withBuilding Bridges — Rose River Memorial Project

experience advisory groups,regional homeless coalitions, andcouncils of governments.

• We are concerned that theaccuracy of a 2021 unshelteredcount would not be comparable topast and future unsheltered countsgiven these impediments.

While LAHSA will not con-

duct a 2021 PIT Count, it will pro-ceed with its sheltered PIT countand Housing Inventory Count.

LAHSA conducted the lastannual count prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020. Itwill continue to serve homelesspopulations through its advocacyand funding efforts in conjunctionwith nonprofit partner agencies.

Homeless CountContinued from page 8

10 Duarte View DUARTE CHAMBER NEWS January 2021 – February 2021

Chamber Charley “Get Your Kicks onRoute 66” Bucket List Item Completed!

Chamber Charley has had longwanted to spread her wings andtravel down the Mother Road,Route 66. Thank goodness thatCharley knows Duarte CityCouncilmember Margaret Finlay(known to Charley as AuntieMargaret), her husband Brad, andthree of her grandchildren, Nora,Bo, and Joey. They took Charleyon a once in a lifetime trip downRoute 66 this November. Wewanted to share some of her pho-tos that they sent.

Charley went on her first flightto the beginning of Route 66 inChicago. Horses aren’t used to fly-ing, so Nora and Bo made sure shehad a good time. Joey joined themall and landed square in the middleof the largest candy store in the

U.S. – Sweeties Candy inCleveland. And pizza, she foundout she LOVES pizza! They alsowent to the Amish country andCharley loved the fact that theyuse horses to travel. She felt so athome with her kin.

As she continued acrossAmerica, she stopped at thePetrified Wood National Park,overlooking the Painted Desert.Seeing all the wild mustangs justmade her heart race. And the pic-ture of her looking over the landjust made us realize how much shehas been enjoying the sites. Welook forward to her coming homeand telling us all about her adven-tures. Thanks Auntie Margaret formaking this girl’s dreams cometrue.

Brad and Margaret Finlay with Joey, Nora and Bo at the start of Route66 - Willis Tower (former Sears Tower) in the background.

That’s a big Giordano’s pizza forjust one little horse.

L-R: Nora, Bo, and Joey

Nora and Charley

only been a champion of the busi-ness community, but also an inte-gral part of the fabric of the com-munity at large.

The economic challenges that2020 has presented are unlike any-thing the Chamber has seen sinceits inception in 1921. In responseto these challenges, the DuarteChamber of Commerce is embark-ing on a prolonged strategic capitalcampaign. The objective of the“Chamber Champion” campaign,is to address the short-term andlong-term fiduciary impacts the

Chamber has sustained as a directresult of this pandemic.

On November 16, 2020, theDuarte Chamber of Commerceofficially launched the ChamberChampion campaign with a funonline event. Neil Saavedra fromKFI AM 640’s Fork Report joinedus on the event and was installedas an Honorary Board Member. Hehas shown himself to be a perfectexample of what a ChamberChampion looks like. Neil hashelped to promote our events, pro-grams, and members even thoughhe does not have a direct tie to ourcommunity. Additionally, at thelaunch event, we announced the

re-design of our website, a newonline merchandise store andreleased a video showcasing sever-al Chamber Champions. Thankyou to John Fasana(Councilmember City of Duarte),Alex Cabrera (Cabrera’s MexicanCuisine), Kevin Morris (DuarteUnified School District), DillonWang (OneWest Bank), KarenWilson (Plastic JunkieTupperware) and Victor Benavides(City of Hope) for being a part ofthis video. To view the video,along with our new website, pleasevisit www.DuarteChamber.com

Our first fundraiser for theChamber Champion campaign

focused on the spirit of Christmasgiving – Chamber ChampionChristmas Trees. 10 magnificentChristmas trees were decoratedand sponsored by local businessesCuro Managed Print Production,Lemon Drop Cookie Shop, PlasticJunkie Tupperware by KarenWilson, Rotary Club of Duarte,Sierra Autocars, Realtor RanaMadain from Deasy PennerPodley, Habitat for HumanityReStore, Westminster Gardens andSERVEPRO. The winners of eachtree received at least $100 worth ofgifts on them. The winner of ourgrand prize tree won $600 worth ofgift cards and presents from our

members. Thank you to all whoparticipated.

The Chamber Champion cam-paign is a program that you willcontinue to hear about as timegoes on. We have some very excit-ing programs and ideas in theworks. Please visitDuarteChamber.com/ChamberChampion to learn about the variousways that you can help support us.The Chamber needs your help.Become a Chamber Championtoday to help usher in the nextcentury of services and supportthat can only be provided by theDuarte Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber ChampionContinued from page 1

BY SHERYL LEFMANNDuarte View

As we wrap up this year, I wasreflecting on how our workforcedevelopment efforts have changedin light of the events of 2020. Withthe addition of articles by AmyFoell of the San Gabriel ValleyEconomic Partnership with a focuson our involvement with theFoothill Consortium, we were able

to offer an expanded viewpoint forour readers. Amy’s desire to seestudents, educators and businessesworking together is a great exam-ple of a “Chamber Champion.”

This issue I would like to intro-duce you to another contributor forthe Workforce Development sec-tion, Monica Banken. I was on acall with her on an unrelated mat-ter, when I discovered that she wasalso involved in workforce devel-

opment. Monica is very passionateabout workforce development andwe quickly bonded. I asked her towrite an article that gives us a per-spective outside our city and theFoothill Consortium. You will seethat article in this issue. It trulyunderscores the need to worktogether for our businesses andtheir workforce to succeed. Aheartfelt THANK YOU to ournewest contributor.

Also, a heartfelt welcome toone of Citrus College’s newestBoard of Trustee members MaryAnn Lutz. If the name soundsfamiliar, she has been very activein our area including serving onthe city council and as Mayor forthe City of Monrovia, a govern-ment liaison and policy advisor forCongresswoman Grace

Napolitano, and President of Lutz& Company in Monrovia. As alongtime advocate of workforcedevelopment and education (and alove for chambers), she jumpedright into the mix, joining our com-mittee in November 2020. In thisissue, she has prepared an article toshare her excitement for her newlyelected position.

January 2021 – February 2021 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Duarte View 11

Workforce Development Section Editor’s Note

Seidner’s Collision Centers JoinsWorkforce Development Advisory BoardBY: AMY FOELLWorkforce DevelopmentConsultant for the FoothillConsortium http://k12fc.comafoell@sgvpartnership.org415-305-2219

Got a skills gap in your work-force? Reach out and get involvedwith the Foothill Consortium. Werepresent career technical educa-tion (CTE) across five high schoolsin the San Gabriel Valley: Azusa,Charter Oak, Gladstone, Duarteand Monrovia High Schools. CTEstudents learn technical skills need-ed in high demand, high growthindustry sectors. It is imperativelocal companies sit at the table withour K12 teachers and administra-tion to highlight skills needed in theworkforce. We’ve been fortunateto have an altruistic membershipwithin the Duarte Chamber ofCommerce community.

A case in point, Gene Lopez, ofSeidner’s Collision Centers hastaken proactive measures in joiningour Automotive TechnologyAdvisory Board. He is collaborat-ing with both instructors at AzusaHigh School and Monrovia HighSchool to ensure students are awareof the incredible opportunitieswithin the collision repair industry.During our initial advisory meetingGene reiterated the top five skillsneeded to obtain entry levelemployment within collisionrepair. This type of information is

extremely helpful for our teachersto pass on to students enrolled inautomotive technology programs.

Career technical educationwhen done right involves industryevery step of the way from guestpresenters to internship hosts. Theconsortium offers students expo-sure in medical, sports medicine,engineering, computer science,digital media arts, business entre-preneurship, biotechnology, culi-nary, and automotive technology.Our students are ready to learnfrom you!

Big thanks to our businesseswho have responded to the call toaction: Seidner’s Collision Centers,MADIA Tech Launch, FoothillUnity Center, Arcadia Associationof Realtors, Simply DivineApprenticeship / Beauty Supply,City of Hope, Foothill Transit,OneWest Bank and Wonder DogRanch.

BY MARY ANN LUTZ

We have a solemn responsibil-ity to the next generation to pre-pare our college students forcareer, continuing education, andlife. That’s why I ran for a BoardTrustee for Citrus CommunityCollege District, to help fulfill thisawesome responsibility. Now,more than ever, we need our col-leges to be ready to meet the chal-lenges ahead. To be ready to helpour community meet its future.

I am so happy to be your nextBoard Trustee to Citrus CollegeDistrict representing Duarte,Monrovia and Bradbury. It is awonderful experience to connectwith my friends at the DuarteChamber of Commerce and to bepart of the collaboration betweenbusiness and education. Togetherwith the Duarte Unified SchoolDistrict it is my hope that I will be

able to strengthen the connectionsbetween Citrus College, Duarteschools and businesses.

My past experiences as a busi-ness owner, past mayor and citycouncil member, and board mem-ber of the Monrovia Chamber of

Commerce have taught me thatconnections and relationships arethe key to success. I am availableto you at any time:maryann@maryannlutz.com.

Career Technical Education(CTE) is a mainstay for CitrusCollege. Citrus boasts more than 50Certificate programs including:Child Development/Early Care andEducation, Cosmetology andBarbering,Automotive Technology,Licensed Vocational Nursing,Emergency Medical Services,water technology and many more.

Citrus will be all online for theSpring Semester 2021. Classesbegin February 17th and registra-tion is open right now.

Citrus College can be yourticket a new career, advancementof a current career, or the step-pingstone to a four-year college oruniversity. The future is in ourhands!

A Welcome from Your Newest Citrus CollegeBoard of Trustee Mary Ann Lutz

Mary Ann Lutz

Challenges and Opportunities forWorkforce Development ProfessionalsBY MONICA BANKENWorkforce and EconomicDevelopment Deputy, Office of LACounty Supervisor Kathryn Barger

As I write this, the job lossesdue to the COVID-19 pandemicand the subsequent closure ofmany businesses by the govern-ment are staggering. Over the pasttwo decades, according to ananalysis of job growth by UCIrvine, Los Angeles County hassuffered almost twice the level ofindustrial job losses as the nation.During this period, we led the statein growth of low-paying servicejobs, adding 867,000 of them.That is a 48 percent increase overthe number of those jobs in 2000,but it came at a cost. We lostapproximately 41,000 high wagejobs, possibly to other states thatare more business friendly.

This year, Los Angeles Countysaw a high of a 21.1 percent unem-ployment rate. Analysis by the LosAngeles Economic DevelopmentCorporation shows the sectorsmost impacted, hospitality, foodservices, and tourism.Unfortunately, it was these sectorsthat also were the kindest to thoseentering the workforce. A studypublished by the RANDCorporation highlighted that thetourism industry hired more peo-ple entering the workforce for thefirst time, regardless of age, andgave them skills that transferred toother sectors. The closure oftheme parks, museums, andrestaurants will have an impact onentry-level workers that will beseen for many years.

What types of jobs will beavailable in the future that will

withstand job losses if there aresubsequent government closuresof sectors? As workforce profes-sionals, I want to urge you to thinkdeeply about this question. Iremember discussing what nega-tive impacts technology wouldhave on jobs and how to adaptwhen robotics can replace workerstwo decades ago. And now we seeon a regular basis self-checkoutlines at grocery stores, and fastfood restaurants are using robotsto put together hamburgers.Robots do not complain, do notrequest a higher minimum wage,and are always dependable if keptworking. But those employeeswho used to have those jobs willneed new skills and find new jobs.Those entering the workplace willhave fewer entry-level opportuni-ties available.

We should consider how tohelp those interested in working inhigh growth sectors. The Countyhas focused on, such as partneringwith our community colleges toteach aerospace manufacturing,cloud computing, and digitalcareer skills. What are skills wewill need in the new economy, andhow can we help others obtain softskills and technological prowesswithout sectors like hospitality,transportation, and tourism? Letus work together to answer thatquestion and help grow our jobbase in Los Angeles County for abetter tomorrow.

12 Duarte View DUARTE CHAMBER NEWS January 2021 – February 2021