Law Enforcement in Duarte

Thanks to our city staff for setting up another Starbucks with the Sheriff. It is no wonder we continually rank among the lowest crime cities in the valley. 

Amazing Speaker talks about an Amazing Subject

At SCAG Economic Summit, and just heard Dr. Garrett Reisman, former International Space Station astronaut and current Senior Advisor at SpaceX, speak about the past and future of space travel. Incredibly interesting speaker and topic. 

Thank You Duarte!

 Once again, I am humbled by the vote of confidence expressed by the citizens in my district for electing me to serve on the Duarte City Council for another 4 years. With having received 70% of the votes cast, I recognize that there are still many people that I need to be in touch with to address their concerns.  

About 3 this morning, the 6 remaining stalwart election “junkies” hugged and said “goodbye”, confident that Ceci and Reyna were ahead in their races for the school board.  

My friends and colleagues waited patiently with me for the first election results to come in from the county. 

James and the 3 winning school board candidates, Ceci Carroll, Ken Bell, and Reyna Diaz, as well as Mayor John Fasana, wait for the first results to come in. 

Goodbye, Mr. Hasan

It is with great sadness that I bid au revoir to one of the greatest CEO’s I have ever worked with in my 28 years on the Duarte City Council. He is leaving SCAG for several reasons but one of the most compelling for him is that he wants to take on a new challenge in his career - that as the new Executive Director of SANDAG, the sister organization to SCAG in Los Angeles county. I know he will have the vision, intelligence, integrity and tenacity to bring great success to this organization. Best of luck, dear friend - we will all miss you.

Hasan is a family friend as well and the grandkids always called him Mr. Hasan. 

Presenting Hasan and Deborah a “fun” handbook for SANDAG to follow in how to handle Hasan. 

Also saying “goodbye” to city Councilmembers that have made a huge difference in the quality of life in our region - Michele Martinez, Barbara Messina, Laura Rosenthal, Sam Pedroza, Glen Becerra, Kris Murray, and John Proctor.  Your great work will live on.

It’s a Family Affair

Last weekend of the re-election campaign and we get help putting up signs - it has been a lot of fun and we have met some amazing people on the campaign trail!

Mobility 21 Conference - Transportation answers for the future of the Los Angeles region

Worked with John Fasana, Mayor of Duarte, Hasan Ikhrata, CEO of SCAG, and Steve Finnegan, Government Affairs Director for Automobile Club of Southern California.  

Was inspired by the words of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti about making our So Cal transportation systems once again some of the best in the world. 

Congratulations to Duarte’s Own Mr. Gaetano D’ Aquino

We are all honored to have this man and his lovely family in our community. Mr. D’Aquino, we are grateful for your love and generosity to all. This award is well-deserved and we couldn’t be prouder.

Mr. D’Aquino and his family. 

We Love Inclusion Infusion

Congratulations Valley Light Industries and Sage Newman on an incredibly successful Fashion Show at the City of Hope today.  Valley Light Industries helps with job placement for adults with special needs. I love seeing Leslie, one of the models today, helping as a serving hostess at Westminster  Gardens

Sage Newman, Duarte Mayor John Fasana, LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger and I all helped to celebrate Lily’s success at Valley Light.

One of the outstanding runway models in the fashion show. 

Neighborhood Connections

Studies show that when people know their neighbors in an area, crime tends to go down. Thanks to Mesa President, Carie Osburn, for hosting this years block party - it does make a difference!

Hosting the Boxing Show

Thanks to Marilyn Mays and the Teen Center boxing staff for their hard work putting together the boxing show this past Saturday. We are proud of you, as well as our outstanding young athletes. 

Presenting the belt and medal. 

I am proud to sponsor a belt and medal for the participants.

Welcoming our new DUSD School Superintendent

Our city is very excited to welcome a new leader for our schools. Dr. Gordon Amerson is from the Capistrano Unified School District, where he served as Associate Superintendent of Human Resource Services. 

I attended a lovely welcome reception for Dr. Amerson along with my colleague on the city council, Sam Kang, and friends Ceci Carroll, Lydia Carswell, Debbie Ogden, and David Gallivan. 

National Night Out

Thanks to our Public Safery employees for the excellent job that they do to keep our community safe and healthy. I am proud to say that we have one of the safest cities along the foothills with Part One crimes. 

It’s great to be able to meet with old friends and meet new ones - our connections make for a better community overall. 

Welcome to See Jack Play

Congratulations to city council colleague, Tzeitel Paras Caracci, on the opening of her new business in Duarte. Best of luck for a huge success! The Grand Opening was so fun for all the little kids.

The ribbon cutting, with Mayor John Fasana.

Margaret and two of her closest friends, Lois Gaston and Reyna Diaz.

Another Rotarian in the Family

Congratulations to our son, James, a veterinarian, Rick Crosby of DUSD, Vic Benavides of the City of Hope, Ceci Carroll, parent and volunteer extraordinaire, and Dr. William Wallace, principal at the California School of the Arts, on joining our Duarte Rotary Club, world-renowned for it’s stand in allowing women into service clubs. Duarte took it all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States in the late 1980’s - and Duarte Rotary prevailed. That is why our club is known round the world as “the mouse that roared”.  Shown also is Dr. Sylvia Whitlock, the first woman president of our club, and also former District Governor.

Proud to be an American

I was honored to attend our son’s graduation from Naval Officer Development School, in Newport, Rhode Island, over the 4th of July. Best of luck in caring for our service men and women, Evan! 

California Transportation Commission meeting

Thanks to the Calif Transportation Commission for funding our region equitably from the SB1 dollars. Traveled to San Diego as Past President of SCAG to thank them in person.

Busy Earth Day

Planting trees in Duarte and practicIng bike riding as SCAG President at Orange Coast College are two of the ways to celebrate saving the Earth for future generations.

ESRI Founder and President, Jack Dangermond

One of the real advantages of being the President of SCAG is the people that I get to interact with. Yesterday, a few of the SCAG staff and two officers had the privilege of presenting an idea regarding Big Data, Open Data to Jack Dangermond. We use ESRI information to obtain mapping information all the time at SCAG and now we will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with Jack and this company. I am blessed to work with the brilliant and visionary minds of our SCAG CEO, Hasan Ikhrata, and Jack Dangermond.  

Dinner with Dr. Robert Gates

Thanks to Western Riverside COG for an enjoyable and informative evening with the former Secretary of Defense under both Preaidents Bush and Obama. He gave great insight into the workings of the Federal government and what goes on in Washington DC.

Honoring Two Outstanding Leaders in Our Community

Gaetano D'Aquino and his family have been outstanding examples of entrepreneurial expertise and generosity to our community. We are proud that their business is located in Duarte and happy to present them with the first Honorary Street Sign in our city.