Mayor's Thanksgiving Prayer Breakfast

Nov. 25 to Honor Community Volunteers

Duarte will express its thanks to outstanding community volunteers at the 24th annual Mayor's Thanksgiving Prayer Breakfast and 22nd annual Duarte Chamber Community Service Recognition Awards, Wednesday, Nov. 25. The public is invited to attend the event that will take place from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the City of Hope, Cooper Auditorium, at 1500 East Duarte Rd. This year's featured speaker will be retired Azusa Pacific University Professor Philip Ostergard, author of "The Inspired Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln." This year celebrates the 200th anniversary of the birth of the 16th president of the United States.

Outstanding community volunteers will also be honored in the categories of Civic Service, Service to Senior Citizens, Humanitarian, Service to Youth, Business, and Youth.

The Mayor's Prayer Breakfast is jointly sponsored by the City of Duarte, Duarte Chamber of Commerce, Duarte Kiwanis Club, Duarte Church and Clergy Association, the City of Hope, Duarte Woman's Club, Duarte's Promise - The Alliance for Youth, and Royal Oaks Manor.

The event will also formally launch the 8th annual "Holiday of Promise" project, sponsored by Duarte's Promise - The Alliance for Youth in partnership with the Duarte Church and Clergy Association and numerous area businesses. The "Holiday of Promise" project collects food, personal items and gift donations from Nov. 17 through Dec. 10 for the Foothill Unity Center, and for the Duarte Community Service Council, which distributes gift baskets to needy Duarte families the week before Christmas.

Tickets are priced at $10, or $8 for children and seniors, and can be purchased at the Duarte Chamber of Commerce, City Hall, or online at www.duartechamber.com. A limited amount of tickets will also be available at the door. For more information, call Duarte Chamber of Commerce at (626) 357-3333 or Duarte City Hall (626) 357-7931, ext. 266.

Veterans Day in Duarte

Duarte Election Results

CITY COUNCIL

VOTE FOR NO MORE THAN 3

MARGARET E FINLAY *

TZEITEL PARAS-CARACCI *

PHIL REYES *

ROSALIE ZESATI

LIZ REILLY

JOANN BROOKS-WASHINGTON

TONY SANCHEZ

ARTHUR L MOSS

MARGIE WILSON-BUCHANAN

1,429

1,292

1,104

883

869

399

379

374

184

SCHOOL BOARD

VOTE FOR NO MORE THAN 2

REYNA E DIAZ *

KEN M BELL *

TOM REYES

1,725

1,674

1,293

Citrus College to Host 2009

Los Angeles Clippers Basketball Programs

Young athletes now have the unique opportunity to learn from some of the best basketball trainers around.

Citrus College has joined forces with the Los Angeles Clippers to present special basketball workshops, as well as an elite basketball clinic, throughout November and December. The 2009 LA Clippers Programs at Citrus College are open to all youth, ages 7 to 17.

"We want to partner with the best organizations possible to create a vision of success for our local youth," said Rick Croy, head coach of the Citrus College Men's Basketball Team.

Five workshops, which will teach the fundamentals of basketball in a fun and positive atmosphere, are scheduled to take place in the upcoming weeks. These workshops are scheduled for November 8, 15, and 29 and December 6 and 13. They will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and are $35 apiece.

The Clippers Elite Basketball Clinic is a two-day event that will be held from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on December 19-20. The clinic, which costs $75, will feature instruction on fundamental skill work, defensive techniques, strength training, ball handling, plus 1-on-1, 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 games.

"These programs are designed to be inspiring experiences by providing effective role modeling for our local youth," Croy said. "We want to teach them concepts and strategies that will make them better and more efficient basketball players."

To register for the clinics, visit www.thebasketballacademy.com. For more information, call (213) 763-7924.

Congresswoman Judy Chu to Speak

at Duarte Veterans Day Ceremony Nov. 11

Congresswoman Judy Chu will join Duarte leaders and the community in honoring veterans and those currently serving in the military at a Veterans Day ceremony at Thorsen Park, Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m.

Veterans, families of those currently serving, and the community-at-large are invited to attend the Veterans Day ceremony sponsored by the City of Duarte and Duarte's Promise - The Alliance for Youth. Thorsen Park is located at 2800 Huntington Dr., at Encanto Parkway. Seating will be available at the ceremony and refreshments will be served immediately afterwards.

The City of Duarte annually ensures that veterans of the U.S. Armed Services and those currently serving our homeland are personally honored and remembered on Veterans Day. The City will also recognize the community's Blue Star families. Contact Andrea Lopez, Duarte's Promise - The Alliance for Youth at (626) 357-7931, ext. 268 to have your name or the name of a family member read at the ceremony.

Special guest speaker, W.W.II Navy veteran Lyle Umenhoffer will recall his personal experience as one of the few survivors of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, one of the most tragic incidents of W.W.II. The San Gabriel resident was a Seaman First Class serving on the U.S.S. Indianapolis in the Philippines Sea on July 30, 1945 when a Japanese submarine torpedoed the ship. The vessel sank in 12 minutes taking down 300 of the 1200 men aboard. The 900 survivors tossed into the shark-infested waters were reduced to 300 when SOS calls gone awry delayed their rescue for four days.

For more information about the Veterans Day ceremony, call the City of Duarte, (626) 357-7931, ext. 268.

No Trick - A Healthy Halloween for Monrovia

Businesses to Offer Non-Candy Treats,

While Schools Promote

Candy Buy-Back Program

More than a dozen merchants along Old Town Monrovia's Myrtle Avenue, a popular destination for thousands of trick-or-treaters every Halloween, have pledged to support a growing community effort to make this year a Healthy Halloween. Instead of candy, the merchants will offer stickers, small toys and other non-candy treats to young masqueraders.

All five Monrovia elementary schools are also encouraging a healthy Halloween by promoting a "candy buy-back" program

City Scope Healthy Halloween

on Nov. 2. For each pound of candy a child turns into their school they will receive prizes, a raffle ticket and a chance to win a new bike and helmet. All candy collected will be donated to the Armed Service YMCA at Camp Pendleton.

Monrovia's Youth and Family Network, a coalition of local organizations concerned with the health and welfare of children and their families is behind the Healthy Halloween community effort. Members include the Santa Anita Family YMCA (SAFYMCA) that initiated the Healthy Halloween concept last year with a candy buy-back program that netted more than 300 pounds of candy. Others are Champions for Change-Network for a Healthy California, Monrovia Unified School District, M.U.S.D. Village Extended School Programs, Monrovia Adult School/ROP, and Foothill Unity Center.

"We're not trying to take the fun out of Halloween for kids. There's no harm in eating some candy on Halloween. But often the Halloween candy binge last for days and weeks. With child obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in children on the rise, we're hoping to help encourage new and healthier Halloween traditions," said SAFYMCA Chief Executive Officer, Damon Colaluca.

Monrovia businesses that have pledged to support the Healthy Halloween concept include: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, L&D Alliance Corp., L&G Fashion, Kaleidoscope Antiques, Old Town Pizza, Sprint, Min Mart, Chang Thai Bistro, Angela's Closet, Foothill Gym, Bellisima Spa, Historical Lighting, and Monrovia Floral.

For more information, contact: Damon Colaluca at the SAFYMCA, (626) 359-9244.

GREAT NEWS

for the Gold Line Extension

Click Here for the Latest Update

SONIC  BOOMS  IN  DUARTE ! !

Sonic Drive-In Coming to Route 66

Sonic Drive-In, featuring carhops on roller-skates and an award-winning menu of Toaster sandwiches, extra long chili cheese Coney hot dogs, hand-battered onion rings and plethora of drink and dessert choices, will soon be serving customers on Duarte's Route 66.

Construction is scheduled to begin the first week of November on the new Sonic Drive-In to be located at 1070 Huntington Dr. in the Mountain Vista Plaza Shopping Center in Duarte, according to Brandon Wesselink, a partner and acquisitions manager for franchisee, Coast to Coast Commercial, Mission Viejo.

Sonic, which bills itself as America's Drive-In, is the nation's largest chain of drive-in restaurants with more than 3,500 locations, although the Duarte restaurant will be only the second in Los Angeles County. Coast to Coast Commercial, which opened its first store in Mission Viejo this summer, plans to build a minimum of 12 Sonic Drive-In restaurants in Orange and Los Angeles County over the next six years.

"What a perfect fit to have ‘America's Drive-In' on ‘America's Highway', Historic Route 66," said City Manager, Darrell George. "We're excited about Sonic coming to Duarte. The company has earned a great reputation over its 56-year history for providing customers with excellent service and a menu of fresh made-to-order food."

The new 1,760 square foot Sonic Drive-In will provide customers with a unique outdoor dining experience. Sonic's distinctive use of drive-in stall speakers allows customers to place food orders without ever leaving their cars. Carhops personally deliver orders right to the customers' cars. The Duarte location will feature 22 drive-in stalls, outdoor patio dining, and a drive-through.

Sonic will hire about 30 crewmembers for the Duarte location, including cooks and carhops beginning mid-November. A sign on the site will direct applicants to information.

Duarte Chamber Announces

Candidates Forum Oct. 15

for City Council, School Board Elections

A Candidates Forum, sponsored by the Duarte Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters, will be held for City Council and School Board candidates on Thursday, October 15, at 6 p.m. in the Duarte Community Center located at 1600 Huntington Drive. The public is invited to attend and submit written questions. The Duarte election will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2009.

Three candidates have turned in their nomination papers to run for one of two Duarte Unified School District Board of Education seats. The field of three include incumbents Reyna Diaz and Ken Bell. Tom Reyes, a business owner, is also running for a seat.

Nine candidates, including three incumbents, have turned in their nomination papers to run for one of three Duarte City Council seats in the November election. Looking to win another four-year term on the City Council are incumbents Margaret Finlay, Tzeitel Paras-Caracci, and Phil Reyes. Other contenders are JoAnn (J.) Brooks-Washington, an accountant and member of the Economic Development Commission; Arthur L. Moss, a businessman; Liz Reilly, an instructional aide; Tony Sanchez, an industrial sales representative; Margie Wilson-Buchanan, a business advisor; and Rosalie Zesati, a Medi-Cal case manager.

The School Board Forum will run from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. with the City Council Forum immediately following from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Both Forums will be videotaped by DCTV for play back on Charter Cable Channel 55 and at www.dctvduarte.com. For additional information on the Forum, please contact the Duarte Chamber at (626) 357-3333.

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