PERFECT STRANGERS MEET Longtime Residents of the City of Pico Detailed
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THE PICO RIVERA VOL. 46 · NO. 10 WINTER 2019-20 Parks & RecPreaartkiosn & Recreation Parks & RecreatiPoanrks & Recreation CITYOFPICORIVERACCITYA OFPICORIVERACA download usCITY on OFPICORIVERACA followCITYO usFPICORIVERACA like us follow us follow us on PICORIVERAORG|RECREATIONPICORIVERAOPICORIVERAORGRG |RECREATIONPICORIVERAOPROFILEyourRG mobile PICORIVERAORGdevice |RECREATIONPICORIVERAO@PicoRiveraCityPICORIVERAORGRG |RECREATIONPICORIVERAORG @cityofpicorivera @cityofpicorivera Snapchat PERFECT STRANGERS MEET longtime residents of the City of Pico detailed. It was in the details that both Rivera, didn’t know each other before realized after over 80 years, they were coming to the City’s Veterans Day in the same outfit together, the 91st Ceremony. They never knew where Infantry Division. They never once they came from, and as far as they crossed paths, at least not that they knew, were just two veterans, World were aware of. As both were talking, War II veterans, attending a ceremony. both were reliving their experiences, It wasn’t until afterwards that the two each having a different perspective, started talking, they realized they each talking about the same place weren’t strangers. and the same time. It was a unique In a world so big, it just became experience to see these two interact. small. In a war that Joe has described Isaias would look over to Joe and ask as “hell,” a war that him if he remembered certain events, involved so many young it was literally like they have known 91st Infantry men from cities each other for years. As one told their Division across the United story of their time in Italy or Germany, insignia States, these two the other would nod their head in strangers fought agreement and add certain details the together and other might have forgotten. Every year, the City hosts a Veterans make it out each didn’t even As they continued to talk about Day Ceremony where the community year who have told know it until their experiences after the ceremony, comes together and honors our the stories of World they were the realizations of war and what both local veterans. Each year, the event War II. talking to had endured were starting to show. grows with hundreds of veterans Often, many of the each other However, it was an experience they descending to the Library parking lot veterans meet each day, after the can now share with each other, each and adjacent Veterans Memorial Plaza each week or each month ceremony. offering each other an ear to listen to be recognized for their bravery at local American Legions Like many who to and perhaps a few story antidotes. and sacrifice. Through the years, or Veterans of Foreign Wars have served Both families have said that these many veterans have shared stories of posts located in the City. Like in the United two were planning to meet up over their time in combat. The veterans a close knit family, a band of States Military, coffee in the near future, sparking a who attend have seen battle in Iraq, brothers, they know each other and sharing stories friendship that perhaps should have Afghanistan, or other parts of the they help each other. Last month, a is common among started years ago, but only now it has Middle East. Some veterans have been new bond was formed. It was a special veterans. When a just begun. through the conflicts in Korea and bond for two World War II veterans. World War II veteran meets another, Vietnam. There are very few who still Joe Lopez and Isaias Pena, both conversations get emotional and The City of Pico Rivera wishes Pico Rivera's Best is now Seattle's Best your family a Happy Holidays! So that our team can spend From the soccer fields of Pico time with their families this Rivera to the soccer field of success Holiday season, All City in Seattle, brothers Alex Roldan and Facilities will be CLOSED on Cristian Roldan have turned their Wednesday, December 25, talents into Major League Success. The two local sports heroes play 2019 and Wednesday, January for the Major League Soccer (MLS) 1, 2020. The City’s Camp franchise, Seattle Sounders FC. Both program will also be closed have played soccer all their lives, in on these dates.Have a safe fact both played soccer locally at Holiday season and Smith Park and later at El Rancho High Happy New Year! School for the school’s soccer team. Cristian Roldan graduated from El Rancho High School in 2013, receiving a scholarship to attend the University of Washington to play with the Washington Huskies soccer team. Eventually, Cristian would be Photo courtesy of Mike Fiechtner/Sounders FC Communications drafted to play as a midfielder on the Seattle Sounders FC in 2015. with the Seattle Redhawks until he was and determination showed last month PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE Additionally, Cristian has played on recruited by the Seattle Sounders FC when they helped their team, the PROFILE PAID P. O. Box 1016 · 6615 Passons Blvd. PERMIT NO. 2244 the U.S. National Soccer team on two in 2018 where he plays as a midfielder Seattle Sounders FC, win the 2019 Pico Rivera, CA · 90660-1016 SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA occasions. with his brother Cristian. MLS Cup Championship. This is the Younger brother Alex Roldan All the years of playing soccer, from second MLS Cup for Cristian Roldan, POSTAL PATRON graduated from El Rancho High childhood, high school, and college, the first MLS Cup for Alex Roldan and PICO RIVERA, CA 90660 School in 2014. After high school, he has led up to their success in playing the first MLS Cup Championship for attended Seattle University, playing at the professional level. Their success the Seattle Sounders FC. Postmaster please deliver by Wed., Nov. 6 PROFILE PAGE 2 CITY WELCOMES NEW BUSINESS Hideit. Lock . Or Loseit. The holiday season is a special time • Turn on lights and a radio or TV so it • Shopping with kids? Teach them to go of year. It’s also a time when normally looks like someone’s home. to a store clerk or security guard if you careful people might become careless get separated. and susceptible to crime. By taking If You Are Shopping some very simple precautions, and • Stay alert and be aware of what’s Protect Your Vehicle With all the road construction going on • . Loading up on all those gifts remembering to HIDE IT. LOCK IT. OR going on around you. HIDE IT in the City, here’s an update on the two is a sign of holiday shopping progress. LOSE IT., you can ensure you and your biggest projects taking place. • Park in a well-lit space, and be sure But if those packages are easily loved ones have a safe, secure, and to lock the car, close the windows, and visible inside the car, your car has now happy holiday season. hide shopping bags and gifts in the become a likely target for thieves. Here are some ways to keep trunk. • LOCK IT. Always lock your vehicle yourself and your belongings • Avoid carrying large amounts of and store all items out of sight. safe: cash; pay with a check or credit card Breaking into an empty car isn’t worth whenever possible. If You Are Out for the Evening a thief’s time. However, anything left • LOCK all entries. Be extra cautious • Deter pickpockets and purse- in plain view—from your holiday gifts about locking doors and windows snatchers. Don’t overburden yourself to spare change, sunglasses, CDs, cell when you leave, even if it’s just for a with packages. Be extra careful with phones or briefcases—may tempt a few minutes. purses and wallets. Carry a purse thief. close to your body, not dangling by the • HIDE the gifts. Don’t display gifts • Help prevent your vehicle from straps. Put a wallet in an inside coat or where they can be seen from outside. being stolen by always locking your front pants pocket. car and using anti-theft devices. And although it’s cold, never leave your vehicle running while you run inside Sheriff's Station Safe your home or a store - even if for only a minute or two. Exchange Zone After You Have Opened the Gifts • Burglars know that many households Residents who recently purchased an item from the internet or from a have new, and oftentimes expensive, Gateway Cities Council newspaper ad and need to meet the seller to retrieve their item can now do items in their homes following the so safely at the Pico Rivera Sheriff’s Station. The Station recently marked two of Governments (COG) December holidays—especially items parking stalls in their public parking lot specifically for this purpose. The stalls Hot Spots Project such as new computers, televisions, are marked with “Exchange Zone” and are completely free and especially safe cameras and other electronic to use. The Hot Spots intersection equipment. It is easy for burglars improvement project at the to figure out which homes to target intersection of Rosemead Boulevard by looking at the empty boxes that and Beverly Boulevard continues. identify these new gifts in plain view Street improvements for the project with their other garbage. Avoid this by are expected to begin in January 2020 not leaving empty boxes in the alley and be completed in August 2020. or other garbage pick-up locations for several days at a time. Instead, break down any boxes you are throwing out, put them in garbage bags and place them inside a recycling bin. (In many cases, especially with computer equipment, you might consider keeping the boxes for safe storage, shipping or moving in the future.) Think about keeping broken-down boxes Sheriff's Senior Safety Seminar inside—in a garage, for example—until the evening before your regular Deputies from the Pico Rivera Sheriff’s Station will be hosting a special garbage pick-up.