Alhambra Source at 2: The top five stories that got people talking

As Alhambra Source celebrates two years, we wanted to take a look back at the stories that inspired the most discussion among our readers. From city development to shark-fin to Alhambra's homeless families, check out which stories got people talking the most.

1. From Super A to Trader Joe’s? 

Alhambra Source's most-commented story is about what type of market residents feel should replace Super-A — and what City Council has to say about it. Current Mayor Barbara Messina proposed a Trader Joe's or other upscale market and said Alhambra residents “do not need an ethnic market there.” Many readers disagreed with Messina while others said they wouldn’t mind a higher quality, fresh grocery in Alhambra.

2. Our fight to protect Alhambra’s Midwick Tract
3. Midwick resident movement presses for further reductions in development
Our coverage of the fight over the Midwick Tract had readers split over the construction of large-scale residences in the historic Alhambra area. Some supported developer City Ventures, while others asked if City Council truly understood residents’ needs.

4. Why is Alhambra stopping churches from housing homeless families?
A piece about the City of Alhambra stopping a local church from housing homeless families caused a lot of buzz, triggering a flurry of comments firing back against local politicians and advocating for social programs. Many readers wrote in supporting the First Baptist Church of Alhambra’s attempts to host and feed families while providing career resources as part of the Family Promise program. Just one reader asked whether the program was the right solution, stating that homelessness is a regional issue – not a local one – and that readers were being too harsh on Alhambra's Council members. 

5. Shark-fin ban becomes law in California: Do we care?
Readers made this feature about the controversy surrounding a shark-fin ban in California one of our top 5 most-discussed features. Some discussed animal cruelty or disregarded shark-fin's influence on Chinese tradition, while others questioned the merits of the ban, believing the new law targets the Asian community without political legitimacy.

Which stories got you talking? Let us know!