News / Events

Congress Member Judy Chu and Assembly Member endorse Ed Chau For the 49th Assembly District race.

ettvamerica.com
Posted: 09/02/2011 10:05:03 AM PDT

Race heats up in San Gabriel Valley's Asian Assembly District

By Beige Luciano-Adams, Staff Writer
Posted: 09/03/2011 07:11:03 AM PDT

PASADENA - With the ink barely dry on California's legislative redistricting maps, competition for the San Gabriel Valley's new Asian influence Assembly District began heating up early.

Candidates won't file until February for the 2012 race - but the first several have been vying to distinguish themselves in a pool thick with relatively young, Democratic, local elected officials.

But the landscape changed suddenly when state Assemblyman Mike Eng, D-Alhambra, who currently holds the seat, and his wife, Rep. Judy Chu, D-El Monte, announced their support for Montebello School Board member Edwin Chau on Wednesday.

"I think the Judy Chu and Mike Eng endorsement could well be the turning point of this campaign," said Charlie Woo, chairman of the Pasadena-based Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment (CAUSE). Eng sits on the CAUSE advisory board.

Alhambra Mayor Luis Ayala and El Monte Union High School District board member John Tran are also running. Monterey Park City Councilman Mitchell Ing is expected to run, but declined to comment, while El Monte Mayor Andre Quintero said he will not run. Garvey School Board member Henry Lo, who works for Eng, got into the race, but dropped out Thursday.

"I'm going to focus on my releection to the Garvey School Board," Lo said. "Given all the problems our schools are facing, I feel my focus is more needed there."

could make it a two-man race between Ayala and Chau.

Chau's early boost from the Democratic power couple, Woo said,"I think Chau could benefit in terms of an early fundraising battle by tapping into the fundraising base and raising a significant amount to match Ayala," Woo said.

He pointed out that early reports from the Secretary of State show Ayala has so far raised the most cash ($136,619), followed by Lo ($36,500), then Tran.

The Eng-Chu donor base, Woo said, broadly includes people who support their policies - but also specifically donors in the Asian community, where they are generally well-known and respected.

Donors who have supported Eng and Chu might follow their lead and put their weight behind Chau instead of spreading it thin over several candidates, Woo said.

Meanwhile, Ayala, who works as a government affairs director for the Los Angeles County Medical Association, brushed it off.

"I don't think endorsements win elections; candidates win elections," Ayala said, noting he started fundraising early both inside and outside the district and has backing from more than 17 legislators and 15 local elected officials, as well as from the medical industry.

Both Ayala and Tran claim an endorsement from Assemblyman Roger Hernandez, D-West Covina - who did not return requests for comment.

With Asians comprising about 50 percent of the voting-age population, the 49th Assembly District is the very first majority Asian district - legislative or congressional, anywhere in the U.S. outside of Hawaii.

Chau, Tran and Ayala all play to the area's demographic cocktail, highlighting hearty local endorsements and diverse reach.

Chau, a lawyer and former engineer fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, points to his service for a predominantly Latino community and success working with Anglo and Asian residents.

"I have for the past 12 years been on the Montebello school board, which covers a big portion of the newly drawn 49th district," Chau said.

Tran, a real estate agent, was the first Asian American member of the Rosemead City Council, as well as that city's first Asian American mayor.

"I've represented a large portion of the district in the last 12 years and proven my ability to connect with voters," Tran said.

Tran and Chau highlight their representation of majority Latino communities, while Ayala notes his representation of a majority Asian one.

To be sure, race will play an important role in the 49th - but maybe not the way you'd expect, said Paul Mitchell, a Democratic political consultant who has done extensive research on racially polarized voting in the San Gabriel Valley.

The fifty-percent Asian majority, Mitchell said, does not guarantee that an Asian candidate has to win that seat. Pointing to Chu, who represents a majority Latino district, he pointed out a history in the San Gabriel Valley of "this movement back and forth" across ethnic lines.

In his studies of the San Gabriel Valley, Mitchell said, "it seems as though the Latinos definitely strongly vote for Latinos, but Asians are more apt to vote for party or issues."

In the 49th District, where Asians, Latinos and whites make up the major voting populations, this could give Luis Ayala a strong base, Mitchell said.

"Whites and Asians will be voting for issues and the right candidate regardless of ethnicity," he said, adding that Asians tend to do well politically in California in both Asian and non-Asian seats.

Ayala pointed out that, while a majority voting age population makes it an Asian district, voter registration numbers - 38 percent Asian and 26 percent Latino and the rest largely white - tell a different story.

"If you look at all the voters and numbers, it's a pretty good mix. It's as good as we get in terms of ethnic diversity," Ayala said.

The racial politics in the area are interesting, Mitchell said, but not definitive.

"I think you'll have these races being decided on issues, maturity, on experience - and then within that people will talk about `this is an Asian or Latino seat."'

beige.luciano-adams@sgvn.com

626-578-6300, ext. 4444

New $30 million Montebello high school opens

Sandra T. Molina, Staff Writer
Posted: 09/06/2011 05:28:13 PM PDT

MONTEBELLO - Montebello Unified School District welcomed the inaugural class of its new $30 million high school Tuesday.

The Applied Technology Center offers high school students college-focused instruction with state-of-the-art technical training.

The all-freshmen class of 245 students was welcomed by Principal Patricia Lockhart.

"It's great to see all of your beautiful faces," she told the students assembled at the campus' quad. "We are very fortunate to open up this brand new school."

It's so new, workers wearing hard hats were putting the final touches on campus grounds.

The ATC is home to five academies: engineering, construction trade, health and human services, law and other government

The engineering academy will focus on architectural, structural and technology engineering, while construction and trade will concentrate on residential and commercial construction.

Therapeutic services will be taught in the health and human services academy, with the law academy teaching legal and government and protective services.

The hospitality and leisure academy's studies will center on food and accommodation services.

The academies are based on the California Career and Technical Education Model Curriculum standards, MUSD officials said.

"I saw a presentation last year about the school, and I wanted to come here," said Stephanie Solis, 13, of Monterey Park.

Students were required to apply to the school.

She is particularly interested in the health and human services academy.

"Today is an especially proud day for the board of education as we have watched our vision become reality," MUSD board President Ed Chau said. "We wanted to create a school site that would offer students rigorous curriculum as well as career-building skills."

The district's hope, he said, is for the ATC's freshmen class to "thrive in this new, state-of-the-art learning environment."

Christian Escobedo was enthusiastic about beginning high school.

"It feels pretty cool to be here," he said.

Escobedo, 14, of Montebello, was seeking something more from his high school years than just the basics.

"I wanted to try something unique," he said. "I think it's going to be a great experience."

For parents Martin and Esthela Hernandez, of Montebello, they see the ATC as a great opportunity for their son, Martin Jr., 14.

"He wants to be a veterinarian, and this is a chance for him to learn about it through his years in high school," Martin Hernandez said. "They are going to put a lot of time and effort into making his goal a reality."

Each academy is based on four components: academic (English, math, science, social studies, etc.), technical (career technical education courses), work-based learning (internships, job shadowing and service learning) and support services (counseling and interventions as needed).

All graduates, officials said, will have completed both the University of California and California State University systems' admission requirements.

"We know that this is only one of a few schools of its kind in the country," said Co-Superintendent Robert "Bo" Henke, "and we know that we are moving in the right direction by preparing students for college and careers."

The project was paid for with a $98 million Measure M bond, which voters passed in November 2004.