• The Best and Worst

I have the opportunity to see the best – and sometimes the worst – in people. On Thursday evening I had the pleasure of attending the annual recognition banquet hosted by the CV Chamber of Commerce.

At the banquet, local businesses, individuals and organizations were spotlighted for their contributions to the community. CV Weekly was honored as business of the year in 2010 and last year I was recognized as woman of the year by the chamber. I know what a wonderful feeling it is to be singled out by my peers for a very public “pat on the back.” (You can read more about the banquet on page 21.)

But later that night, tragedy struck when a local teen was in a single car accident that killed one of her passengers and sent her and two other passengers to the hospital.

Typical of the Crescenta Valley, volunteers jumped to action in response. It was arranged that the Fire House youth center and St. Luke’s of the Mountains, on whose property the Fire House sits, would open their doors on Saturday night. A vigil was also planned in the courtyard of the church at 6 o’clock.

I arrived around 6:30 p.m. and headed to the courtyard where more than 200 people, all holding candles, had formed a circle in front of the portrait of the young woman, Christine Martinez, who died. Members of the GUSD were there as were clergy. Offering help were Rev. Gordon Clay Bailey, Pastor Lucinda Guarino, Pastor Mark Yeager, Rev. Ellen Contente, Practitioner Jose Antonio Pelayo, Rev. Emma Molina- Ynequez, Father Kirby Smith, Rev. Mary Morgan, Rev. Beverly Craig and Eleanor Spaziano, MSW, bereavement specialist.

Being in the newspaper business I understand the concept of, “If it bleeds it leads.” However I’m proud to say that it is not the protocol that CV Weekly adheres to. I love this community and when one of us is hurting all of us are hurting. When the family of Christine called the CV Weekly to release her name to the community, I felt it was a privilege and made sure to tell her mother at the vigil.

That is why I was so disgusted when I saw Leann Suter of ABC Channel 7, as well as The Foothills Paper and one of the L.A. Times-owned papers, at the vigil. To come to a place of healing where friends and family gathered to remember somebody who was important to them and stick microphones in their faces is shameful. I took the advice of reporter Leann Suter when she told me to call her assignment editor Megan Powers to complain, which I did, but no one at Channel 7 seemed to care.

So I thought I would share with you my frustration and, in case anybody wondered why I, the publisher of the local paper, was at the vigil, let me explain. I am the president of Prom Plus, I live in this community and I am a mother. As I told Mrs. Martinez, she is walking a path that I never want to walk.

I am honored that I had the opportunity to come and share and support – minus a camera and notepad.

  robin goldsworthy