West Valley Journal August 2012 : Page 1
Journal Monterey Park & West Valley www.sgvjournal.com August 2012 For our Chinese Language Section, please go to back cover. We hope the pages serve as a bridge to unite our our ethnic communities. Please support us in this effort with advertising and subscriptions. ! Monterey Park ‘Browns Out’ Fire Engine Company To Save City Revenue Serving Monterey Park, Rosemead, Alhambra, San Gabriel & Neighboring Communities 25 Cents Per Copy MONTEREY PARK -The city is “browning out,” or temporarily not operating one of its fire engines at a civic center fire station in an effort to save money during a difficult economic period, officials said. The “browning out” will also put pressure on the firefighters union, which has yet to agree to pay for retirement expenses in the current labor negotia-tions. In a press announcement, the city said it would be saving about $67,000 a month in overtime expenses with the actions. The city hall Station 61’s fire engine was temporarily taken out of service on July 25, according to a city press release. Station 61 will continue to operate its ambulance and provide firefighting services with a large ladder truck equipment located at the station. Station 61, located next door to city hall at 350 West Newmark Avenue, is the busiest of the city’s three fire stations and gets about 1,650 calls per year. The city has fire engines at two other stations that will remain fully operational. Station 62 is located on South Garfield Avenue and Station 63 is on Monterey Pass Road. “Three Monterey Park fire stations will remain fully operatioal with two fire engines available at all times at stations 62 and 63 and one ladder truck available at Station 61,” the city said in a press release. The city also has two ambulances at stations 61 and 62 that will remain opera-tional and in service. The city said that the monthly $67,000 in savings would be realized by the reduction of overtime pay for fire department personnel, which currently costs the city approximately $1.2 million annually. If needed, the city can get available back-up from Montebello, Alhambra or San Gabriel. “Fire Chief Jim Birrell has implemented an operational plan, which will incor-porate a cooperative approach from neighboring agencies to help absorb the impact to the community,” a city press release said. Last year, Montebello “browned out” one fire station on its northern border with Monterey Park. Coverage was provided under the city’s mutual aid agreement until stopped by the city council. Chief Birrell said the city’s fire trucks would not currently be available to join strike teams fighting wild land fires. In its press release, the city issued the following statement: “City admin-istrators are continuing to negotiate a new contract with the firefighters asso -ciation and are asking association members to begin paying for their employ-ee share of their pension costs. Currently, the city pays for both the 25 percent (Continued on Page 3) Spanish teacher Vivian Vasquez and Mandarin teacher, Mandy Chou will be welcoming children enrolled in All Souls School’s dual language immersion program starting Aug. 15. English, Chinese & Spanish ALHAMBRA -All Souls School will be making history as it reopens its doors on Aug. 15 to begin a new 200-day school year, but this time with a new educational model: dual language immersion. The school will open with kindergarten and first grade classes in the new emersion program. According to Principal Anne Bouvet, All Souls School is the first Catholic school in the Los Angeles Archdiocese to offer a dual-language immersion program. It is also the first Catholic school in the nation to offer two different language tracks, one in English/Mandarin and another in English/Spanish. Parents will decide in which track they wish their child to be enrolled. At the beginning, the school will have only two classroom levels -kindergarten and first grade. The students will move up the grades through the eighth grade. When school begins, full immersion in the Chinese language will be accomplished with children spending half their day in the Chinese classroom speaking only Mandarin, and the other half of their day in the English classroom speaking only English. Those children enrolled in the Spanish/English track will likewise alternate half their day in the Spanish classroom and then in the English classroom. “Students will be challenged by a rigorous curriculum in a nurturing environment.,” Bouvet said in a press release. “Credentialed teachers will focus on the education of the whole child with the goal of leading students to become individuals who are ready for the challenges of the 21st Century with the ability to read, write, think, and communicate in two languages.” Bouvet said she invites parents to bring children who will be entering kindergarten or first grade to tour the school. “Come and see first hand what dual-language immersion classrooms look like and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may ( Continued on Page 2 ) School Is Making History With Immersion Classes Journal P.O Box 987 Monterey Park, CA 91754 M ONTEREY PARK, CA U.S. POSTAGE PRSRT. STD PERMIT #80 PAID
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