Glendale City Councilmember Ara Najarian addressed the Montrose Shopping Park Assn. board of directors at its recent meeting. He praised local firefighters for their work on the La Tuna Fire and admonished the Glendale Coalition for a Better Government for its position on funding for safety personnel.
By Nicole MOORE
On Sept. 7, the Montrose Shopping Park Assn. held its monthly meeting. The president of the MSPA, Andre Ordubegian, began the meeting by honoring former board members of the Montrose Shopping Park Myrna Grijalva and Vito Cannella with a moment of silence. Grijalva died on Aug. 7 and Cannella on Sept. 1.
“On behalf of everyone at the Montrose Shopping Park Association, we send our condolences to both families,” said Ordubegian as he bowed his head. “May they rest in peace.”
Grijalva was matriarch of the family that founded Joselito’s Mexican Restaurant and a former president of the MSPA. Cannella owned a Montrose barbershop and was a key component in persuading Congress during the Johnson Administration to recognize the week of June 14 as National Flag Week. In his honor, the flag above the Montrose Barber Shop remained at half-staff until his burial.
“[Vito] became an excellent image of an American with how much he loved this country. Myrna was a tough lady when promoting her business. She was just an amazing lady,” remembered Ken Grayson, owner of Grayson’s Tune Town.
In other MSPA news, Lauren Bow, the administrative intern at the City of Glendale, provided updated information regarding the upcoming Glendale Tech Week event. Glendale Tech Week will take place the week of Oct. 9. The events of Glendale Tech Week include panels, a job fair, speed networking and live demos. General admission will be $50, with seniors and students at the discounted price of $25. For more information about the event, visit https://www.glendaletechweek.com/.
Ara Najarian, former mayor of Glendale and current member of the Glendale City Council, was next to speak. Najarian thanked the firefighters of the Glendale Fire Dept. for their work during the La Tuna fire.
“Were it not for the grace of God and the fire agencies we would have been in trouble. We should be singing their praises,” Najarian said. “[But] we can’t just give them lip service.”
He then shared his disapproval of the Glendale Coalition for A Better Government. Najarian remarked the Glendale Coalition supports cutting back the funding for public services, such as the fire and police departments.
“There is an element in the community that wants to wipe out the fire department in Glendale … You’re either for the fire department or for the Coalition,” warned Najarian.
Joanna Linkchorst, president of Friends of Rockhaven, then shared with the MSPA board that she received promising news regarding the historic property. The City of Glendale extended for a year the exclusive negotiating agreement with the Gangi Company for the Rockhaven project. The proposed plans would transform and preserve the location, turning it into a place for educational seminars on food, demonstration gardens and what it calls an “activated park” that will allow for public access to the grounds and shops that provide food and drink from independently run businesses.
The MSPA also reminded patrons to use the $10 scrip at Montrose restaurants and shops. Scrip is often given out during Montrose Shopping Park events.
The next Montrose Shopping Park Assn. meeting will take place on Oct. 5 at 8 a.m. at the Professional Development Center, 2340 Honolulu Ave.
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