Because of the build up surrounding the closure of one side of the 210 Freeway for 5 days, I decided to start riding my bike around town to different meetings. The trip going down was a whole lot easier than the ride back up to my house. Looking forward to the roadwork being finished.
After a year off in 2020 with our city fireworks show, this year the City of Duarte Parks and Recreation came back with a bigger and better fireworks show. We dedicated the show to our much beloved and recently deceased Councilmember Tzeitel Paras Caracci. We estimated the attendance to be about 6000. With a band for dancing, food trucks, and lots of activities for families, it was another memorable evening for the City of Duarte and the San Gabriel Valley.
It’s not fair that only little children get all the fun of the Easter Egg Hunt - so our Senior Center Director, Suzie Perez, decided to have our Seniors join in the fun. And the Easter Bunny even showed up. Happy Easter to all!!
It was indeed a privilege to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the great community luminaries as we honored a church who’s first pastor was Colonel Allen Allensworth, the first African American to reach the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army. I have visited the State Historic Park named after Pastor Allensworth in the Central Valley, and it is an honor befitting a person of this magnitude. Congratulations to the current pastor, Chris Bourne. You have big shoes to fill and you are beloved by everyone. Again, congratulations to a church that I love to visit because they truly embody the Christian ethic.
A good use of our time as Rotary Club members was to put on gloves and pick up trash in Beardslee Park this morning. Our parks in Duarte are a huge jewel in our city crown and to be able to make sure they stay that way, we worked side-by-side with our Rotary Club President, Tina Heany, and Interact members from the high school to pick up trash. Thanks to all who participated.
Once again, the Duarte community has demonstrated that education of our students and youth is a priority. The groundbreaking for the new sports complex happened on Saturday, February 19th. With many former student athletes in attendance, the school board broke ground for this facility that is on target to open in 2024. Thank you to the educational visionaries that recognize that athletics are an integral part of the educational experience.
I am honored to serve as the Mayor of this city that is fiscally sound and is cutting edge in economic development, housing, public safety and parks and recreation programs.
I was honored to be able to emcee this event to honor so many amazing armed services personnel.
For the second year in a row, we worked with the city Parks and Rec Department on the drive-thru Halloween Howl. James and I passed out treats to all of the costumed participants in the vehicles as they drove through. Duarte Dance was there performing and we loved seeing the cars that were decorated. Thanks to Manuel and Parks and Rec for another highly successful city event.
Margaret, Ethan and James as the M and M chefs.
Leaders from all over the region gathered to pay tribute to John for an exemplary life of public service.
After 33 years on the Duarte City Council, John Fasana retired after being an outstanding leader for not only our city, but also for our region. Naming a street after him in our city seemed like a small thing for the all that he has contributed. Congratulations John! We miss you on the city council.
After serving as the Executive Director for Foothill Unity Center for 9 years, and taking it to a whole new level of service for the San Gabriel Valley, Betty McWilliams is retiring. We will miss her solid work ethic and excellent leadership skills. Best of luck in retirement, Betty.
Margaret Finlay, Mayor Pro Tem of Duarte, Mary Ann Lutz, Citrus College Trustee, Betty McWilliams, and newly appointed President of Citrus College, Greg Schulz.
My son, Dr. James Finlay, was elected to the Duarte School Board on November 4, 2020 with the most number of votes. He ran a very professional, clean campaign and along with Ceci Carroll and Jacqueline Ku, was elected to a 4-year term of office serving the citizens of the school district. In December 2020, he asked me to give him the oath of office. It was a real highlight for me, as Mayor Pro Tem of Duarte - and his Mom - to install him. Congratulations, James - a job well done.
Taking the oath of office at the DUSD District Office.
Ceci Carroll, James Finlay and Jacqueline Ku.
James’ family showed up to watch him take the Oath.
Long time family friend, mentor and 40-year school board member in Downey (and recently retired), Don La Plante, also gave James the Oath of Office honorarily.
COVID 19 was the cause for no 2021 Rose Parade. Thinking that people would be missing this annual event, we thought recognizing this celebration with sharing some roses would be an appropriate gesture.
It just isn’t New Year’s Day without beautiful red roses.
Thanks to Chris Lofthouse and Phoenix Floats for donating 300 long stem red roses to make people smile on New Years Day. Thanks to Ian Finlay for the idea of distributing beautiful roses to our citizens.
3 Duarte City Council Members and 2 Duarte School Board Members shared long stem red roses and bottles of water along the Duarte Bike Trail on New Years Day. People appreciated that we hadn’t forgotten to celebrate one of our long standing So Cal traditions of the Rose Parade, cancelled due to COVID 19. Thanks to Jody Schulz, Bryan Urias, Reyna Diaz and James Finlay for their help in distribution.
One of our workers passes out one of the red roses to a walker on the bike path.
Congratulations to our outstanding city staff for putting together a July 3rd Independence Day Party that rocked the SGV. We expected maybe a 1000 people and ended up with over 7000. Food, friends, families, fun - thanks Duarte for supporting our first ever fireworks show. #finlayfamily #bestpartyaround #overlysuccessful #nofireworkssalesthisyear
Many people enjoyed our live entertainment.
Thanks to almost all of our city council (Fasana, Paras- Caracci, Urias, Lewis, Finlay and Kang), Congresswoman Grace Napolitano and Senator Anthony Portantino for making this event a priority.
Thank you to Levon Yotnakhparian for bringing this film to our city - taken from the journals of his grandfather, it is the story of his grandfather’s heroism in helping the survivors of the Armenian genocide in 1915 to escape from the Ottoman Turks. It is an outstanding documentary that depicts the horrors of the first genocide of the 20th century. Thank you for the opportunity to educate ourselves this evening.
Poster for the Crows of the Desert movie.
Standing with Levon and Tina Heany. Before the showing.
Since SCAG’s mission is heavily influenced by Sacramento’s decisions, we took a couple of days and visited with some of the state legislators to talk about SB1, housing, economic development, transportation and the environment. We hope we delivered a message that resonates with all of them to improve the quality of life here in So Cal.
Working with Senator Scott Weiner, Councilmember Maggie Clark and Assemblymembers Laura Friedman and Sharon Quirk Silva.
Stopped by to see my Assemblymember Blanca Rubio.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
