By Mona Raskin

April 1st came early this year when Monterey Park’s electricity
came to a stop for several residents, A special notice had been sent to
residents to be aware that the electricity could be shut off for the day.
That day (March 21st) which was their April fools day was the longest
day ever! The morning began when our clocks suddenly stopped, including
any lights that may have been on such as bathrooms, etc.

We thought we would just take the day off, relax and watch TV!
Well, obviously that was now impossible! Suddenly, we found ourselves
reading our newspapers and magazines outdoors in our backyards! Well, as
the daylight began to dim and our appetite grew, we discovered that we had
to figure out just how we could cook our dinner in the dark Well, believe it
or not, having a gas oven solved that problem! Eating in the dark, however
was still a problem!

This past year, Edison has had their share of problems! San Onofre
(nuclear plant) in San Diego was closed due to a failure to restore their electrical
power throughout San Diego and also try to find a way to eliminate their nuclear
waste!

Instead, they have donated time and energy in creating additional
electrical towers in their existing electrical plants in Monterey Park and other
facilities, which have in turn eliminated more of our California blue skies!