Ribbon Cutting Takes Place

for Renovated Royal Oaks Park Building

Click here for more pictures and video of the grand opening provided by Mary Barrow.

After undergoing months of major renovations, the 40 year-old recreation building at Royal Parks Park enjoyed its grand opening celebration on Thursday, June 25, at 5 p.m. Royal Oaks Park is located at 2627 Royal Oaks Dr. Many community members attended the event that featured refreshments and entertainment provided by Parks and Recreation performing arts classes.

"It's a wonderful improvement for the building and will offer a much more comfortable and functional facility to hold the many recreation classes and programs offered there for the community," said Parks and Recreation Director, Donna Georgino.

Renovations include a new heating and air conditioning system, three new bathrooms, a remodeled classroom and the addition of a lobby where parents can observe their children as they participate in recreational classes.

The project bid at $419,000 was made possible through a combination of $311,000 in state grants from the California 2002 Resources Bond Act and Quimby funds. Prior to applying for the grant Parks and Recreation staff spent nearly four months surveying users of the park to determine what were the greatest needs.

"All of the requests noted in the survey were incorporated into the renovation plans for the building," said Georgino.

The 2,800 square foot building will also have a new "storefront look" on the outside. The front of the building which formerly was an outdoor stage has been redesigned to serve as the building's new handicapped-accessible entrance.

Shook Building Systems of Mira Loma, California was the contractor on the project.

For more information, call Duarte Parks and Recreation at (626) 357-7931, ext. 260.

Duarte's Paola Arana

Is #2 in Nation

in Finals of USA

Boxing National

Championships

in Denver

Paola Arana

Duarte's Paola Arana was defeated in the USA Boxing National Championship finals bout against Laura Ramirez of the Bronx, New York, but she still came home a winner in the eyes of her coaches and gym mates at the Duarte Youth Boxing Club.

"I'm so proud of her. She fought her little heart out and went from an unranked contender to number two in the nation," said head coach Victor Valenzuela.

Quite an accomplishment for the five foot, 101 pound 18 year-old in her first national competition.

Arana will be honored for her achievement by the City of Duarte at the June 23 City Council Meeting at Duarte City Hall, 1600 Huntington Dr.

Arana beat Samantha Guzman of Oak Park Illinois in a 22-20 decision in the first National Championship preliminary bout at the Denver Coliseum in Denver, Colorado. Advancing to the semi-finals, she stopped opponent Sherry Sanders of Tulsa, Oklahoma in the third round, winning herself a Championship match against Ramirez for the national title. Judges scored the match 16-4, Ramirez.

Valenzuela, who has been Arana's coach and trainer since she first started boxing at the Duarte Youth Boxing Club at the Duarte Teen Center three years ago, was there for the finals match.

"I just had to be there for her," he said. She's done so well."

During the semi-final bout Valenzuela followed the blow-by-blow of the Paola's match against Sanders by telephone.

"A friend at ringside told me everything that was happening and I would repeat the information to all the kids in the gym. It was so exciting. We were all so happy for Paola and so proud of her," said Valenzuela.

Arana earned her spot on the team of 33 male and female boxers representing the Great West Region of Southern California and Nevada by winning the USA Boxing Southern California Championship Tournament in Pacoima, CA last January and the USA Boxing Regional Championship Tournament in Coachella Valley in February.

The Duarte High School graduate, who now attends Citrus College, said it never occurred to her that she would be competing in a national championship when she first started working out at the Duarte Youth Boxing Club.

"I just wanted to work out. Then I decided I really liked it and started to compete two years ago," said Arana.

Her parents and two older brothers were at first surprised "that little me would do anything like that, but they are proud of what I've accomplished," she said.

What's next for the 101 pound Duarte dynamo?

Savor the experience, enjoy the success, and get back to her studies at Citrus College where her favorite subjects are English and Literature.

CPUC to Hold Public

Hearing June 8 in

Monrovia on Proposed

Water Rate Increase

Parked Rail Cars on Gold Line

Right-of-Way Graffiti Magnets

for Cities Including Duarte

With fewer goods moving across the country due to the economic slowdown, Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) has parked thousands of its unused rail cars along miles of railroad tracks. That has created a nuisance problem for cities including Duarte as the parked rail cars have become magnets for graffiti and vagrants.

Locally, BNSF has parked dozens of unused rail cars along a three mile stretch of Gold Line Right-of-Way track from Monrovia to Irwindale.

Under an agreement with Southern California Regional Rail Authority/Metrolink, which is responsible for right-of-way maintenance, BNSF has the right to use and park the cars there. According to SCRRA, once the cars are placed on the right-of-way they are likely not to be moved again until they are incorporated back into the active rolling stock of the nation-wide system.

"We're starting to get a lot of phone calls of complaint from residents. Unfortunately, it's a problem that we have not been able to readily solve since the City of Duarte has no jurisdiction over the rails or the rail cars, and has no authority to remove the graffiti. But the city is in discussion with BNSF to find a solution," said Deputy City Manager Karen Herrera.

Mayor John Fasana, who also serves on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board, addressed the problem at the MTA's May 28th board meeting. He passed out pictures of the graffiti covered railcars being stored on tracks in Duarte to illustrate the severity of the problem. Fasana requested that MTA Chief Executive Officer, Arthur T. Leahy report back to the board at its June 25th meeting on how many railcars are currently being stored on Metro controlled right-of-way and their locations; the number and locations of railcars being stored on non-Metro controlled right-of-way; and the measures that can be taken to immediately remove the graffiti.

In the meantime, residents can lodge complaints directly to BNSF by calling (909) 386-4140.

Duarte Councilwoman Lois Gaston

Assumes Presidency of

California Contract Cities Association

Duarte City Councilwoman Lois Gaston is the new president of the California Contract Cities Association (CCCA). Gaston was installed as president in a ceremony held during the CCCA's 50th Annual Municipal Seminar in Indian Wells on May 17.

CCCA is a collection of 67 member cities representing more than 10 million residents that contract with another public agency or private company for municipal services.

Councilwoman Gaston is currently serving her second term on the Duarte City Council. In 2006-2007 she served as mayor of the City of Duarte, the first African American female to be elected to that position in the City's 50-year history.

Last March, California State Assemblyman Anthony Portantino honored Councilwoman Gaston for her service to the community by naming her the 44th Assembly District "Woman of the Year".

In a separate ceremony at the CCCA's 50th Annual Municipal Seminar, Duarte Mayor Pro Tem Margaret Finlay was awarded the prestigious Roy E. Reynolds Award, named after the first president of the Contract Cities Association. Finlay served as president of CCCA in 2004-2005.

Since its establishment in 1958, the CCCA has served as a rallying point for cities contracting for municipal services for the purpose of helping to ensure constituents with the best service at the minimum cost. Through municipal seminars, education, exchange of ideas and information, CCCA combines resources to influence policy decisions affecting the member cities.

Duarte City Council member Lois Gaston was installed as the new president of the California Contract Cities Association (CCCA) at the CCCA's 50th Annual Municipal Seminar in Indian Wells on May 17. Among those wishing her well in her new post leading the 67-member cities association was Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich (left) and CCCA immediate past-president Frank V. Zerunyan, a council member from Rolling Hills Estates.

Best Buy Opens in Duarte

The Duarte High School jazz band played, the Geek Squad paraded in front of the crowd in their black and white Volkswagens, city officials smiled broadly, and hundreds of anxious customers filled the parking lot on May 7 waiting for the doors to open to the new Best Buy store in Duarte.

City officials had lots to smile about. At a time when many cities are reeling from major store closings, the grand opening of the 48,000 square foot Best Buy store located off the 210 Foothill Freeway at Central and Mountain Avenues, promises a much needed boost to the city's sagging sales tax revenues.

"This store couldn't have come at a better time for this community, this city, this region," said Duarte City Manager Darrell George. "To deliver a retail giant in the electronics business like Best Buy is tremendous.  You're looking at upwards of 100 to 125 new jobs, roughly $350,000 to $500,000 a year in sales tax to help the city keep going. This is homerun through and through," he said.

Mayor John Fasana called the opening of the Best Buy store a great day for Duarte. "The community now has a local opportunity to acquire the electronics they need, the appliances they need from America's best electronic retailer," said the Mayor. In addition to the added sales tax revenue the store will bring to the city, Fasana said he was also pleased that some 50 Duarte residents now have jobs at the new store.

Duarte High School students Aman Gupta, a senior, and Rodolfo Castrellon, a junior, were both hired part-time as Digital Life Specialists, assigned to help customers with purchases including computers, cameras, mp3 players, and car audio equipment.

"I'm very excited to be working here. It's my first job and I think it's one of the best first jobs that a teenager like me could get," said Gupta.

It's also the first job for Castrellon.  He applied for the job online several months ago and after waiting some time was finally called in for an interview and was hired.

"They said they liked my style and that I was very mature for my age. It's great to be working here and to put to use my knowledge of computers," he said.

Best Buy has already demonstrated its commitment to serve the community by joining the Chambers of Commerce in both Duarte and Monrovia. The store also presented checks for $5,000 each to the Duarte Education Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club of the Foothills in Monrovia.

"Anytime a business opens it's really good for us," said Duarte Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Kirchner. "But we know that Best Buy is going to be a good partner in the community. Everybody's going to win," he said.

Adjacent to the new Best Buy and soon to be completed on the 4.7 acre Duarte Redevelopment project are 9,000 square feet of in-line shops that developer Jacobsen Family Holdings II LLC is working to fill with restaurant and other national retail tenants. Also in conjunction with the project, an existing Staples store was totally remodeled, and a throughway was constructed to connect the Best Buy/Staples shopping center to the nearby Target shopping center.

The Duarte and Monrovia Chambers of Commerce celebrated the grand opening of the Best Buy store in Duarte on May 7 with a double ribbon cutting ceremony.  The 48,000 square foot store is located off the 210 Foothill Freeway at Central and Mountain Avenues. At left, cutting the ribbon for Duarte: Chamber chairman-elect Sandi Mejia, Councilman Phil Reyes, Best Buy General Manager Marisel Mosqueda, Mayor John Fasana, and Councilwoman Lois Gaston. Handling the honors for the Monrovia Chamber was Best Buy store manager George Delgado and Monrovia Council Member Becky Shevlin.

In honor of its grand opening Best Buy generously demonstrated its commitment to the community by presenting checks for $5,000 each to the Duarte Education Foundation (pictured) and the Boys and Girls Club of the Foothills located in Monrovia. Best Buy General Manager Marisel Mosqueda presented the checks.

The Gas Company^SM Is Offering

Supportive Programs and Services

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