Local Sean Ashton Singer, conductor obituaries takes oath Meg Zeleny See Page 3 See Page 2 See Page 8 Thursday, Dec. 11, 2014 Vol. 13 No. 35 8301 E. Florence Ave., Suite 100, Downey, CA 90240 SHARED STORIES: THE TIES THAT BIND Eight years later, Lost in Los Angeles Weekend Mario Guerra says goodbye at a Noemi Rabina looks back with humor on what became an exhausting ordeal Glance as she and her husband tried to drive home after paying their property tax in • Two-term councilman ⁰ person. Shared Stories is a weekly column featuring articles by participants in 64 reflects on eight years as a city Friday a writing class at the Norwalk Senior Center. Bonnie Mansell is the instructor representative. for this free class offered through the Cerritos College Adult Education Program. Curated by Carol Kearns 67⁰ By Noemi Rabina Saturday By Mario Guerra December 10 is the deadline for paying property tax. But where is the bill? We don’t remember if we have received one. If we are late in our payment, we will have to pay the penalty. My husband decided to go to Los Angeles to pay ⁰ our bill in person. Dear Downey Family and Sunday 66 He tried to figure out how to take the bus because neither of us drive on the Friends, freeway. I won’t let him go alone to Los Angeles and get lost, so I studied the The last eight years have been map and figured out how I could drive on surface streets. Even at turtle speed, it truly memorable and filled with would be better to get there rather than stay at home and worry about him. We great accomplishments for our City. Things To Do left about 11 a.m., got to the Tax Collector’s office downtown with no problem, It has been an honor to serve my and we paid our bill. community, our residents, and our Now, how do we go back home? With me at the wheel, how do I take the businesses. same streets back that we have traveled? My husband said, “I am already familiar with this place. You be careful not to take the lane going to the freeway which is When I was first elected to the close by.” Downey city council I made myself a Photo by John Zander “Okay, tell me which lane I have to take,” I said. And he said, “This way, this promise that every vote I would ever w ay.” take would be what I thought was in 170 different streets in Downey and I encourage you to keep pushing the best interest of the residents of Okay, I followed his “this way” instruction. See, I am very good following many more to come. the envelope on technology for ease Downey. As I leave the Council this directions. But his “this way” became an entrance to I-5 North, and it was too late and use of efficiency and adaptability week I will be able to know that I I have been on the Downtown for both city government but more to change lanes. We held our breath, not knowing what to do or say. Sub Committee from my first day upheld my promise. Although there importantly for our residents. Don’t Live Finally, I broke the silence and said, “Sacramento! Here we come!” Acoustic Christmas Toy Drive - were some tough votes, I always and I am excited about what has been settle for quick and easy – don’t settle music from six bands. All toy donations will He said, “No, no. Make an exit and re-enter the opposite direction.” I voted what I thought was going to happening with our Downtown plan. – challenge and inspire us all and our benefit the TLC Family Resource Center. followed as directed. But it branched to the I-10 East, and we were going the serve our community the best. I’m Amazing what has transpired there, fine City staff. Make sure promises Friday, Stay Gallery, 7-11 p.m. wrong way again. also proud to say that in eight years I with a lot more to come. And the are kept, such as the hotel on our I said to my partner, “Hang on, we will be in New Orleans in three days!” never missed a council meeting, 188 entire time we did all this by being back 20 acres at The Promenade fiscally responsible and working with Far beyond I could see tall buildings. He told me to make an exit again. After straight meetings. site. Keep town hall meetings going our staff to secure our future. a while, familiar streets were in sight. We were in downtown again along Main – I had eight of them and residents Recently I was cleaning up my Street, Hill Street, and Broadway – the place where we came from in the very really appreciated the honesty, office at City Hall and I was able to Yes, we did pension reform. We beginning. There was the Tax Collector’s office again. We have to be careful now, transparency and dialog between us. find so many letters, reports and made sure we were able to sustain to trace back to the streets that we traversed earlier in coming to LA. I know you will do this and so much activity memos regarding things that ourselves. We added to our reserves more. I am proud to call several of Drive, drive, drive; round, round, and round in downtown Los Angeles. have happened in the past eight years and now have some of the highest you my friends. Finally we saw Imperial Highway and we were excited. We were sure it would and reflect on so many positives reserves in the history of our city. then lead us home. But we could not figure out if we were going east or west. I levels. We did all this by lowering crime Downey has accomplished some know that the sun sets in the west and told him to look where the sun was setting. and making public safety our top pretty remarkable things and I am - The Grammy-winning We needed to go eastward to get back to Downey. He opened the window, looked I found a note with items from my Mariachi Divas priority. We defeated special interest proud to have been part of them. mariachi group performs live in concert. out, but did not say a word. first term of 2006 to 2010. I also found and were able to keep the right to During the last eight years, crime Sunday, Downey Theatre, 7 p.m., a brochure from my first campaign “Well, did you see the sun?” vote for our fire and police. We did has dropped 25%, over 10,000 jobs $21 and up for election back in 2006. My six “There is no sun,” he replied. “The sky is cloudy and it is already dark.” all this by starting Character Counts have been created, we revitalized big goals, promises and priorities in our community and working “Oh…..” Following Imperial Highway was the safe thing to do. Drive, drive, our Downtown, embraced arts and listed were, Keeping our Police and closely with our school district too. drive. Miles and miles of sight-seeing. culture, brought over 1000 new Fire Local, Improving Economic Throwback Thursday businesses to town, balanced our City Finally he said, “I think you are going in the opposite direction. We have to Development, Revitalizing our I am also very proud of public art budget, opened up our Columbia go the other way.” Downtown, working together with projects such as Veterans Memorial, Memorial Space Center, became an “Do you think so?” I replied. our fine school district and starting statue of Governor Downey, Police All America City and completed programs like Character Counts, Memorial, new mural coming on “I am positive.” So I made a U-turn, and drove in the direction from which some major street construction we had just come. It was a long, long way. As we crossed Sepulveda Street, he make our City business friendly to Downey Avenue and power boxes projects. Serving as your mayor was excited. attract the business and services we being painted reflecting our spirit twice and as the 43rd mayor in the want and fighting crime at the local and history. “This is a familiar street. We are on the right track,” he told me. A little history of our City is something I level with our DPD and groups like further and we were at the beach, facing the Pacific Ocean! I stopped because I I am proud to have Dr. Mary will eternally be grateful for. was already tired and we were going nowhere. G.O.O.D…Promises made, promises Stauffer as our first inductee into He said, “Just keep on driving.” kept. the Downey Hall of Fame. I am While I am moving forward I am not leaving. I will continue to stay Downey Avenue in 1968. Photo courtesy “Where? “ I answered. “To the ocean?” I led several initiatives back proud to have started the Green Downey Historical Society very active in our local charitable then and working together we Task Force and our Downey Youth “No, wherever you think is right,” he said. endeavors and great community accomplished so much more, from Commission. Two new sister cities “I think what is right is that we get help.” So I drove round and round again, organizations. I will have an office on our Downtown Specific Plan,while I was mayor, building on our looking for a gas station to ask for directions.