By Marijune Wissmann

Happy New Year 2009

“I wish all of my friends a Happy New Year 2009, and as I reflect on 2008, I
can say we had a great year!

Blacks are happy, Obama was elected.

Whites are happy, OJ is in jail.

Democrats are happy, George Bush is leaving office.

Republicans are happy, Democrats finally quit saying George Bush stole the election.

And all of us are happy; the election is finally over.

I think 2009 will be even better. Immediately after his inauguration, Obama will balance the budget, revive the economy, solve the real estate problem, solve the auto industry problem, solve our gas/alternative energy problem, stop the fires and mudslides in California, ban hurricanes and tornadoes, stop identity theft, reverse global warming, find Osama, solve the Israel Palestinian conflict, get rid of corruption in government and achieve world peace Then, on the seventh day, He will rest”.

Submitted by: Paul Chrastina
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Alhambra matrons were dismayed to learn that their favorite Beauty Salon, John Anthony’s would be moving from Alhambra on January 1st, 2009. John Anthony had been located on Valley and Fifth Street for 39 years, serving mothers, daughters, and grandmothers.

The news is not all bad; John Anthony is relocating to San Gabriel with his super operators, Stella, Liz, Hank, Yolanda, Ida and John, himself. The new address is Helen’s Hair Design, 548 West Las Tunas Drive, phone 626-284-3601. The customers at the salon on Valley and Fifth were like an extended family, and there is no word on the future of the building, which is next door to Pepe’s Drive Through Restaurant.
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Many celebrants of Christmas birthdays are sometimes re-gifted with left over gifts from Christmas. We hope this isn’t the case for Hilda Wallace, Betty Barnett, Frank Wissmann, Jay Caldwell, Joan Goble, Ellie de Luna and Erna Neher. Congratulations and may your gifts be brand new!
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Alhambra police were called to investigate graffiti on the walls of the new library on December 2nd and also vandalism of the men’s rest room in the new building. What is the point in trashing a room with a functional purpose?

A recent critique of “No Child Left Behind” shows a vast difference in
childhood word count between poor and higher income pupils. The former
go on to become vandals, while the latter commit crimes on Wall Street.

Soon we will have no middle class and the lower orders seem intent on destroying everything and everyone as some sort of payback.
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A new book has been published by journalist, Chip Jacobs and William
Kelly, California Energy Circuit correspondent titled, “Smogtown, The Lung-Burning History of Pollution in Los Angeles.” Chip Jacobs is the investigative writer who did a report of the murder of the late Alhambra Mayor, Steven Ballreich, for the Pasadena Weekly newspaper, which was also published in the “Citizen’s Voice”.

The book is a gripping story told of the evolution of smog with impressions by Arie Haagen Smit, a Dutch biochemist, community organizing and the burgeoning environmentalists, with many references to the San Gabriel Valley. A must read for we, here in Alhambra, deal with the problem daily.

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In another related environmental story, Caltrans civil engineers and geologists are collecting core samples in Alhambra for a 710 Freeway tunnel study. They will be drilling nearly 30 spots between now and May in Alhambra, South Pasadena, Pasadena and Los Angeles. All of this testing will collect information on the feasibility of a 4.5 mile tunnel that would connect the 710 Freeway with the 210 Freeway.

The agency will also do a seismic reflection test, which will examine the rock and soil under the surface. According to a local geologist, the Highland Park and Raymond Hill Faults are involved in the tunnel route. We had a reminder that we are, indeed, in earthquake country, by an earthquake on Thursday, January 8. The quake struck at 7:49 p.m. near the San Jacinto Fault, part of the San Andreas Fault, and about half a dozen smaller after shocks followed.
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E-mail: mjwissmann@gmail.com
Fax: (626) 457-9409