THE LOOK OF SPRING - Generation 1st Degree Pico Rivera

PROFILE
Vol. 42 · No. 3 APRIL 2015
CITY COUNCIL
Mayor Gregory Salcido
Mayor Pro Tem David W. Armenta
Councilmembers Bob J. Archuleta · Gustavo V. Camacho · Brent A. Tercero
LOCAL DEPUTIES TO REPRESENT
PICO RIVERA AT NATIONAL MEMORIAL
officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice of giving
their lives in the line of duty.
National Police Week and National Peace Officers Memorial
Day (May 15) were established in 1962 by President John
F. Kennedy as a way to provide special recognition to law
enforcement officers who have lost their lives for the
safety and protection of others.
Pico Rivera Station Captain Allen Castellano feels
that having someone represent the Station at the
ceremonies was very important, and selecting who those
representatives would be was equally important to station
personnel.
T
wo Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies from the
Pico Rivera Station will represent the Station and
the City of Pico Rivera in ceremonies to be held
at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in
Washington, D.C. during National Police Week, May 10
through 16.
Sheriff’s Deputies Andy Cantu and Joe Hernandez are the
first deputies to represent Pico Rivera at the National
Peace Officers Memorial Day ceremonies. The event
includes men and women from law enforcement agencies
across the nation as they pay their respects to fellow
“This is the first time our station has sent representatives
to the memorial,” said Captain Castellano. “As long time
members of law enforcement, this is a great honor for us
all.”
The selection process was headed by a five-person
committee appointed by Captain Castellano. Deputies
Cantu and Hernandez were selected based on
several factors, including their experience, tenure,
professionalism, hard work, productivity, and dedication
and commitment to the Pico Rivera Station, the City
and constituents of Pico Rivera, and to the Sheriff’s
Department.
SCREENINGS
AND LIFESTYLE
TIPS GIVEN AT
HEALTH FAIR
Explore healthful living - and have a
great time doing it - at the 5th annual
Spring Into Health Fair on Saturday,
April 25. This free event, sponsored by
the El Rancho Unified School District,
will be from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
at El Rancho Education Center, 9426
Marjorie Street.
More than 30 community partners
will be on hand with a variety of
displays, activities and information
designed to raise awareness about
how to live a healthy lifestyle. There
will also be live entertainment by local
students, as well as free samples and
raffle prizes.
Everyone is invited to take advantage
of free health screenings along with
information on nutrition, healthcare,
mental health services, women’s
health, child safety, food services,
dental care, children’s social services,
sports, City resources and more.
City to host Bicycle
Festival at the Fair
Attendees will also have the
opportunity to participate in the City’s
Bicycle Festival. Bring your bike and
helmet to this free event which includes
bicycle safety checks, skills courses,
helmet fitting, on-street group rides
and much more. Helmets are required
to participate in the bike activities.
For further details about the Fair, call
Lorraine Jimenez at 562.801.5128 or
email her at ljimenez@erusd.org.
Information about the Bicycle Festival
is available by calling 213.489.7443
x109 or sending an email to
PicoRiveraSRTS@gmail.com.
THE LOOK OF SPRING
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
These little All-Stars are ready for action as local Baseball and Softball organizations in the City are now in full swing with their respective
seasons. Stepping up to the plate are over 1400 boys and girls ready to take the field at Rio Vista Park (Pico FastPitch Softball), Rivera Park
(Rivera Baseball Association), Smith Park (Pony Baseball), and Streamland Park (Pico Boys). Good luck to all the baseball and softball
players and have a great season!
SIGN-UPS BEGIN
FOR WOLVERINES
AND DONS
SENIOR CENTER
GENERATION 1st
EMPLOYEE NAMED
DEGREE SUCCESS
WOMAN OF THE YEAR STORY TOLD
Youth Football and Cheer Assemblymember Cristina
registrations taking place Garcia presents award to
at Pico and Rivera Parks. the City’s Lizet Olmos.
p2
p3
El Rancho High School
Senior shares how the
program has helped her.
p4
PROFILE
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 2244
SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA
P. O. Box 1016 · 6615 Passons Blvd. ·
Pico Rivera, CA · 90660-1016
POSTAL PATRON
PICO RIVERA, CA 90660
Postmaster please deliver by Saturday, April 4
Chamber of Commerce to host upcoming events
A Message From Your
Representative
As your representative in Congress, one of my
biggest responsibilities is to help constituents
navigate the complicated bureaucratic
process they often encounter when dealing
with federal agencies.
Every year, my office receives thousands
of emails and letters from residents in
the 38th district who need help resolving
issues with agencies like the Social Security
Administration, Department of Veterans
Affairs and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
In many cases, these people need help
getting the benefits they rightfully earned.
Sometimes Social Security or Veterans Affairs
Administration (VA) claims get stuck in the
long bureaucratic process and people are
forced have to wait months, or even years, to
receive the benefits they need to survive.
Each case is unique, but my office will always
do its best to help. One of our recent success
stories involves a veteran who came to our
office for help with his VA Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD) claim. Four years after filing his
initial claim with the VA, he had yet to receive
his benefits. My staff was able to advocate on
his behalf and get his claim authorized by the
VA. He was awarded more than $30,000 in
back benefits and the peace of mind that his
service to our country was not in vain.
That veteran is just one of the many people
my office has helped over the years.
As your representative, I encourage you to
contact my office if you think we can help you
resolve similar issues with a federal agency.
In addition to Social Security and VA claims,
my office can help you with Medicare, U.S.
passports, and even the U.S. Postal Service.
To make our services more readily available
to you, my staff is hosting Community Office
Hours every first Tuesday of the month at Pico
Rivera City Hall. I encourage you to attend and
learn more about the services we offer.
Upcoming Dates:
April 7: 3 - 5pm
June 2: 3 - 5pm
May 5: 9 - 11am
If you have questions about a particular
issue and cannot attend our Community
Office Hours, you can contact my district
office at (562) 860-5050 or visit my website at
lindasanchez.house.gov.
PROFILE
Sandra J. Gonzalez
Gabriel Daigle
Gabriel Castorena
Michael Maxfield
Parks & Recreation
Department Staff
Archive Photos
Oscar Castillo
Editor
Layout & Design
Staff Writers
Photographers
The Pico Rivera Profile is produced by the City of Pico Rivera
and is distributed to Pico Rivera residents and businesses as
an educational service. For information about the Pico Rivera
Profile contact the Marketing and Communications Division
at 562.801.4217.
Page 2 April 2015 PROFILE
Chamber Golf Tournament
Women in Business Conference
It’s time to reserve your spot as a player, sponsor or
both for the Pico Rivera Chamber of Commerce
Golf Classic.
This year’s tournament will be held on Friday,
April 17 at Los Amigos Golf Course, 7295 Quill
Drive, Downey. Don’t miss this great opportunity
to join local business and community leaders for
networking and fun on the links.
A portion of the net proceeds are dedicated to
college schlarships for college bound High School
students in Pico Rivera. For additional details or
tournament registration, contact the Chamber
office by calling 562.949.2473.
Area business women are encouraged to attend a
regional Women in Business Conference hosted by
Pico Rivera Chamber of Commerce on Friday, May
8 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The conference will
be held at the Pico Park Community Center, 9528
Beverly Boulevard in Pico Rivera.
Attendees to this educational conference will have
the opportunity to learn from other women in
business while networking with colleagues from
local Chambers of Commerce throughout the area.
Conference fees are $20 pre-sale or $30 at the door.
For more information or to RSVP, call the Pico
Rivera Chamber at 562.949.2473 or log on to their
website at picoriverachamber.org.
Youth Football and Cheer
Registration Begins
Boys and girls who want to participate in the local 2015
Youth Football and Cheer season can
signup for either the TwinCities Wolverines or the
Pico Rivera Dons and
Donnas beginning
this month.
Signups for Pico
Rivera
Dons
and
Donnas
will take place
on the following
Saturdays at Rivera
Park, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.: April 18, May 23 and
June 20. Physicals will be provided for a fee of $15
along with sign-ups on Saturday, July 18, 9:00 a.m.
to 3:00 p.m.
Signups for the Twin-Cities Wolverines will take place
on the following Saturdays at Pico Park, 10:00 a.m.
to 2:00 p.m.: April 11, May 9, June 13 and July 11.
For more information, visit the Dons’ website at
leaguelineup.com/prdons or the Wolverines’ website
at twincitieswolverines.com.
National Day of
Prayer Ceremony
Residents are invited to join in prayer with others
all across America on Thursday, May 7 as part of
the 65th Annual National Day of Prayer. A local
non-denominational ceremony is being held from
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in front of Pico Rivera City
Hall, 6615 Passons Blvd.
Organized by local clergy, the ceremony features
inspirational readings, messages of hope, and musical
performances by choral groups and musicians.
For further details, call Pastor Ignacio at
562.547.0726. Para asistencia en español, por favor
llame a Pastor Ignacio Chavez, 562.547.0726.
History and Heritage Society Pizza Fundraiser
Enjoy some pizza pie and help out the Pico Rivera History and Heritage
Society by attending a fundraiser at the Pico Rivera Shakeys restaurant,
9290 Whittier Boulevard, on Wednesday, May 6, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Participating in the fund raiser is simple. After receiving your food order,
drop the original receipt in a box located on the counter. Shakeys will add
up the total of the receipts in the box and donate a percentage of the sales
to the Society.
Receipts for dine-in and take-out orders will be accepted, however, orders
that use coupons will not be included in the fundraiser.
For more information about the fundraiser or other ways you can help
the Pico Rivera History and Heritage Society, contact them by calling the
History and Heritage Museum at 562.949.7100.
City Hall Closed:
Friday, April 10 and
This month on CTV
City Council Meeting - Tu, April 14 & 28, 6 p.m.
Planning Commission - M, April 6 & 20, 6 p.m.
Sister City Commission - Tu, April 21, 6 p.m.
Catch CTV3 News. March also brings the newest
episode of LA County News. Also catch Impact
and the Senior Volunteer Recognition Banquet.
Watch live coverage of the Pico Rivera City Council
meetings on April 14 & 28 at 6:00 p.m. Live coverage
of both Planning Commission meetings and ERUSD
Board Meetings are featured as well. Complete
schedule at www.pico-rivera.org.
Parks & Recreation Commission - Th, April 9,
6 p.m., Parks & Recreation Building, 6767 Passons Blvd.
Time Warner Cable, Channel 3
Verizon FioS, Channel 33
AT&T U-Verse, Channel 99
Friday, April 24
Upcoming City Hall Meetings
Sign up for City e-mails
Now you can receive important City news, information, updates, special messages and alerts directly by email by subscribing to the
City’s e-newsletter service. To subscribe, simply email us at gcastorena@pico-rivera.org.
Join Us for Family Friendly
TRIPS & TOURS
Senior Center Employee
Named Woman of the Year
Lizet Olmos, the City’s Senior Center Coordinator,
has been named Woman of the Year by California
State Assemblymember Cristina Garcia.
Each year, Assemblymember Garcia honors women
from each of the nine cities within the 58th Assembly
District who are inspiring and truly committed to
serving their community.
Lizet was nominated by CareMore in recognition of
her dedicated and caring service to the Senior Center
patrons. During her more than 10 years at the Center,
she has been instrumental in developing programming
that engages seniors in lively activities which support
both physical and emotional health. The results of
her leadership, dedication, and reliability have been
instrumental in making Pico Rivera’s Senior Center
one of the most popular senior facilities in the area.
More importantly, Lizet genuinely cares for the
people she serves. The results of that caring attitude
are evident in the smiles on the faces of the seniors
who visit the Center.
Lizet was recognized at a reception hosted by
Assemblymember Garcia on March 20. The City
of Pico Rivera congratulates Lizet on her award and
thanks her for her dedication to the City and the
patrons of the Pico Rivera Senior Center.
EXCLUSIVE!
Take you and your family on fun local trips without
the hassle of driving, fighting for parking or wasting
gas by traveling with the City’s Parks and Recreation
Department.
Carlsbad Village Faire
Date & Time: Sunday, May 3, 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Fee: All Ages
$15
Deadline to Register: 4/17
Battle of the Mariachis
Date & Time: Saturday, May 9, 8:00 am - 6:30 pm
Fee: All Ages
$47
Deadline to Register: 4/24
California Strawberry Festival
Date & Time: Saturday, May 16, 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
Fee(s): 4 and under
$5
5 - 12
$15
13 and up
$25
62 and up
$18
Deadline to Register: 4/10
All trips depart from and return to the Pico Rivera
Senior Center, 9200 Mines Ave. Registration is
accepted at all City park sites, the Parks and Recreation
Department Office, 6767 Passons Blvd., and online at
pico-rivera.org. Register early to reserve your seat on
one or all of these trips.
Forum Addresses Senior
Consumer Scam Protection
Seniors can learn how to avoid various consumer
scams and protect their financial assets at A Smarter
Senior Forum on Thursday, April 23 from 10:00 to
11:30 a.m. The forum is being hosted at the Pico
Rivera Senior Center.
Presentations on common consumer scams,
recognizing signs of elderly abuse, senior mental health,
and planning for the future will be presented by the
County of Los Angeles Department of Mental Health,
County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer
Affairs and Business Affairs, Adult Protective Services
and Bet Tzedek. Panelists will provide educational
materials and be available for questions after their
respective presentations.
Caregivers and family members are invited
to participate in this free event. The program is
coordinated by the County’s Department of Consumer
and Business Affairs through a grant received from the
Department of Community and Senior Services Adult
Protective Services.
Light refreshments will be served. For more
information and to register for the forum call 562.
948.4844.
This Spring, The Department of
Parks and Recreation launches The
Adventure Teens #1, a comic book
that follows a group of Pico Rivera
teens and their mascot on various
missions. It is now available for free
at local parks throughout the City.
Will the Pico Rivera Teens overcome
their next mission? Pick it up while
you can!
Swim Lesson
Registration Underway
It’s not too early to start thinking about swim
lessons. The Smith Park Aquatic Center is now
accepting registrations for a series of Early
Afternoon Swim Lessons offered from Monday,
June 1 through Friday, June 12.
Swim lessons follow American Red Cross
curriculum and are taught by certified water
safety instructors. Traditional swim classes are
available for participants ages 3 to 17, with
Child & Me lessons offered for children ages 6
months to 3 years. Each class is held five days a
week for 30 minutes each.
Registration for these lessons is being
accepted through Wednesday, May 20 at Smith
Park only. Cost is $52 per participant, with Pico
Rivera residents receiving a $10 discount.
Proper swim attire is required and diapers
are not allowed in the pool.
For more information about the swim
lessons or acceptable swim wear for infants
and toddlers, call the Aquatic Center at
562.801.4426.
Apply now for Summer
Aquatics Positions
Looking for a “cool” summer job? The City’s
Parks and Recreation Department is currently
accepting applications to work at The Smith
Park Aquatic Center during the 2015 summer
season.
Open positions include Lifeguard, Lifeguard/
Instructor, Sr. Lifeguard, Pool Attendant and
Pool Cashier. All pool positions require CPR
certification. Lifeguard and Swim Instructor
positions also require additional American
Red Cross Certification.
Interested applicants must be 18 years of
age to be considered and can apply online at
pico-rivera.org. Applications will be accepted
on a continuous basis.
For more information, call 562.801.4430 or
send an email to recreation@pico-rivera.org.
Parks and Recreation Begins
new Spring Session
The City’s Department
of Parks and Recreation
begins its Spring 2015
session on Monday,
April 6 with classes for
all ages and skill levels
in fitness and exercise,
culinary arts, adaptive
recreation and much
more.
A complete list of course offerings are
listed in the Spring edition of the Parks and
Recreation Guide, which is available at park
sites or online at www.pico-rivera.org.
For more information about the programs
offered by the Parks and Recreation
Department, call the Department office at
562.801.4430.
PROFILE
April 2015 Page 3
EL RANCHO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
Applicants Sought for
Bond Oversight Committee
Individuals interested in serving on the Citizens’ Bond
Oversight Committee for Measure EE are encouraged
to obtain an application from El Rancho Unified
School District (the District). District officials are
currently looking for one individual to fill a vacancy
on the Committee.
Measure EE, a $52 million bond measure, was
approved in November 2010 by voters living in
the District. Proceeds from the bond are to be
used to construct and improve local schools and
student support facilities, improve student access to
computers and classroom technology, build vocational
technical classrooms, provide improvements to school
maintenance programs, and provide renewable energy
improvements to reduce operating costs and allocate
more money into the classroom.
The Committee is charged with making sure the
bond measure funds are used as they were intended.
They do this by monitoring all projects and
expenditures, providing proper oversight and controls,
and making regular reports to the community on the
progress of the bond measure projects.
For more information about the vacancy and to
obtain an application, visit the District’s website at
erusd.org or call Business Services at 562.801.5294.
Adult Transition Program
Hosts New Series
The Adult Transition Program (ATP) of the El Rancho
Unified School District is hosting a series of monthly
presentations to better inform parents and adult
students with disabilities about available programs
for students whom have exited their public education
program.
“What Happens After ATP” will feature discussions
on items such as mobility, housing, independent
living skills, job placement, and much more. Parents
of students with disabilities are encouraged to attend
this informative gathering to help them prepare for
life after ATP.
The upcoming presentations will be offered by the
Community Advocates for People’s Choice (CAPC)
on Friday, April 17 and In2Vision on Friday, May 15.
Group representatives will inform parents and students
on the different services their respective programs have
available to students exiting the ATP program.
The presentations will take place at the El Rancho
Education Center, 9515 Haney Street in Pico Rivera.
The ATP serves students ages 18-22 with disabilities
and provides post-secondary education, training, and
employment opportunities while strengthening their
independent living and self-advocacy skills. For more information about the Adult Transition
Program or the monthly presentations, contact
Candace Cabrera, Community Service Coordinator,
by calling 562.801.5009 or via email at ccabrera@
erusd.org.
Page 4 April 2015 PROFILE
Local High School Teacher
Nominated for Assembly
Recognition
Raul Elias, teacher at El Rancho High School and advisor
to El Rancho’s Teen Court Program, is being recognized
with the #PRIDE58 Community Recognition Award
by California State Assemblymember Cristina Garcia.
Starting Sunday, October 19, 2014 and every
Sunday thereafter for a year, Assemblymember Garcia
will award 52 nominees within the 58th Assembly
District with the #Pride58 Award to those who are
selected by members of the community through her
Assembly website and social media.
Mr. Elias was nominated by former Community
Relations Officer with the Los Angeles Superior Court,
Camilo Cruz, in recognition of his founding and
dedication to the El Rancho Teen Court Program and
by providing the youth of Pico Rivera with restorative
justice projects that benefit the community.
For the past five years, Mr. Elias has demonstrated
leadership through his ongoing efforts working with
students, school administrators, parents, elected
officials, probation officers, attorneys and judges. As
a result of these efforts, the El Rancho Teen Court
Program has served as a model program not only
for the County of Los Angeles, but for the State of
California as well.
Mr. Elias was recognized at a recent Teen Court
session and will be recognized later this year at a special
Community Celebration hosted by Assemblymember
Garcia, honoring all 52 nominees of #PRIDE 58 for
2014/2015.
Student Shares her
Generation 1st Degree
Success Story
As a young girl, Ana Lezama didn’t even know college
existed. As the child of self-employed business owners,
Ana saw firsthand the value of hard work and standing
up for herself but had no educational goals beyond
finishing high school. That all changed, however,
when her family moved to Pico Rivera and she became
involved with Generation 1st Degree-Pico Rivera
(G1DPR).
The goal of G1DPR is to have at least one child in
every Pico Rivera home earn a college degree. They
do this by providing academic support services and
educational resources - free of charge - to El Rancho
High School students and their families.
Ana is currently a senior at El Rancho High School
and has taken full advantage of the G1DPR programs.
She has participated in the Cisneros-Whittier College
Mentor, College Blueprint and Be a Leader programs
as well as the Senior Boot Camp. As a result, Ana
says she has the hands-on knowledge necessary to
confidently tackle the college application process.
Ana’s parents have also benefited from the programs,
learning about financial aid, grants and scholarships
available to them as well as how to maintain their
financial stability while paying for college.
Through all the programs, Ana has learned to take
charge and not be afraid, a message she shares with
future generations of students.
“Don’t give up and stand your ground. If you don’t
think you’re in the right class, don’t be afraid to speak
to your counselor,” Ana tells students entering high
school. “Be active in school and make sure you have
an amazing record of volunteering so colleges can see
that you’re prepared for whatever comes next in your
future.”
For more information on Generation 1st DegreePico Rivera programs, log on to their website at
g1dpicorivera.org.
REACH Registration Event Scheduled
Registration for the 2015-2016 REACH program will
take place Saturday, May 30 at the Pico Rivera Senior
Center, 9200 Mines Ave, from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
Applications must be submitted in person at the
May 30 registration event by a parent/guardian or a
parent/guardian-appointed adult 18 years or older.
Registration is accepted on a first-come, first-served
basis. A one-time registration fee of $40 will be applied
at the time of registration.
Application packets will be available beginning
Tuesday, May 26 at all REACH sites, the Department
of Parks and Recreation Office at 6767 Passons Blvd
and online at pico-rivera.org.
REACH is open to students attending Transitional
Kindergarten through 5th grade at all elementary
schools in the El Rancho Unified School District.
It provides a safe, educational, and fun after school
environment for children. The program operates on
the ERUSD school calendar Monday through Friday
beginning right after school till 6:00 p.m. at the school
site.
Participants will enjoy activities including STEM
(science, technology, engineering and mathematics),
visual and performing arts, student council and
educational field trips. Other daily activities include
homework/reading time, small and large group
projects, arts and crafts, and snack time.
For more information about the REACH program,
call the Parks and Recreation Department at
562.801.4430.