Every December for half a century, Santa and his elves have been visiting the neighborhoods of Paramount aboard the unique Paramount Santa Train. They bring holiday music and cheer to large crowds thronging the sidewalks throughout the city and hand out candy canes and apples to everyone in sight.
Back in 1968, the first Santa Train had a dairy cow on its roof instead of a reindeer—a reminder of the significance of the dairy industry in the history of the City of Paramount. (see photo at the lower right).
The train has gotten considerably bigger and fancier over time,but thanks to all the many dedicated volunteers and city staff members who have helped perpetuate this wonderful tradition for 50 years, the smiles of delighted children have remained much the same.
Chamber holds ‘Meet Your LA County Leaders’ luncheon
Paramount business leaders and city officials gathered at Progress Park Plaza on Nov. 1 for a luncheon to meet with the following Los Angeles County leaders: Fire Chief Daryl Osby, Supervisor Janice Hahn and Assessor Jeffery Prang, all of whom made informative presentations.
The Paramount Chamber of Commerce organized the wellattended event. Title Sponsors were Weber Metals and Northgate Market; Presenting Sponsor was World Energy; and Supporting Sponsors were California Testing and Inspection and the City of Paramount.
“Our luncheon was an excellent networking event,” said Kyle Miller, Executive Director of the Chamber. “We’re grateful to our county leaders for meeting with us and sharing their unique perspectives about government and business.”
(See more photos on page 13.)
From left: Daryl Osby, LA County Fire Chief; Janice Hahn, LA County Supervisor; Mayor Diane Martinez; and Jeffery Prang, LA County Assessor.
The first Santa Train had a dairy cow on its roof ! Dairy is a key part of Paramount’s business history.
Here comes the train!
The smiles say it all.
Treats from Santa
Line ’em up!
Find out when the Santa Train will visit your neighborhood at Paramountcity.com. Wave to Santa!
Mayor’s Desk
MAYOR DIANE J. MARTINEZ
Come have breakfast with Santa!
Here’s a reminder that on Saturday, Dec. 8, Paramount Park will once again become a winter wonderland as Santa Claus stops by from 8 a.m. till noon.
Breakfast with Santa will feature a tasty meal, holiday craft-making, giveaways and entertainment. Kids eight and younger can romp in the snowfield, and there will be a ramp for sledding and a kiddie train in the park.
Also, in the Community Center from 8 to 10 a.m., you can have professional photos taken with Santa in his cabin – $10 for one 5x7 photo and four wallet photos or two 5x7s. (No personal cameras, please. Only 20 of these will be available, so arrive early to receive a number—first come, first served.)
Then, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, there will be a “selfie station” with Santa out in the park—no charge for these, and you can use your own camera.
The overall event is free to attend, but you need to buy a ticket for the food. A limited number of tickets is available for purchase until Dec. 7 (Mondays through Fridays only). Pre-sale breakfast tickets are $5 per person, which also gives you access to the fast-pass lane. (The price of a ticket at the door on the day of the event is $6 per person—first come, first served—with no fast-pass access.)
Breakfast will not be served after 11 a.m., so get there in plenty of time.
You can buy tickets at STAR Afterschool sites (between 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. each day), the Recreation Office (15300 Downey Ave., from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and the Paramount Park Community Center (14400 Paramount Blvd., Mon.-Thurs., 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.).
For more information, please call 562-220-2121
Recycle your Christmas tree
After the holidays, Paramount residents who have Christmas trees can place them out at curbside for pickup. The trees will be recycled into mulch.
CalMet, the City’s refuse hauler, will pick up trees at no charge after Christmas from Dec. 26, 2018, through Jan. 18, 2019, for singlefamily residential accounts. Be sure to remove the stand and all decorations, lights and tinsel, and do not wrap the tree or enclose it in a plastic bag. If the tree is four feet tall or less, you can put it in your green waste recycling barrel. For anything larger, set it curbside on your normal garbage collection day by 6 a.m. Flocked trees will also be picked up. After Jan. 18, 2019, your tree can still be taken away by scheduling a bulky item pickup.
For apartments or condominiums, trees on the curb by 6 a.m. during the stated dates will be taken away for free on regular pickup days. If it’s necessary to drive onto the property, there will be a $5 charge per tree. In these latter cases, the service must be ordered 24 hours before the regular pickup day by the manager or owner who must have the account number for verification.
Also, commercial customers must call CalMet before placing trees out for collection so that green waste trucks can visit their locations.
If you have any questions, please call CalMet at 562-259-1239
Holiday trash pickup and street-sweeping schedules
Christmas and New Year’s Day will slightly alter garbage collection schedules this season. There will be no trash pickup on Tuesday, Dec. 25. Pickup will resume on Wednesday, Dec. 26, and will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the holiday week.
There will be no trash pickup on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. Pickup will resume on Wednesday, Jan. 2, and will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the holiday week.
If you have any questions, please call CalMet at 562-259-1239
With street sweeping, there will be no service on the following days: Monday, Dec. 24; Tuesday, Dec. 25; and Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. There will be no makeup for any of those days.
American Red Cross smoke alarm installation
The Greater Long Beach, Rio Hondo and South Bay Chapter of the American Red Cross has a special outreach program to identify Paramount homes in need of smoke detectors. The Red Cross supplies detectors, and volunteers put them in, all for free.
A big thank you goes out to the team that came to town on a Saturday in October to continue this free program. They put 83 of the life-saving devices into 28 homes in two Paramount neighborhoods.
The American Red Cross holds this event here twice a year. Since 2015, they have installed an astounding 1,596 smoke alarms in more than 450 Paramount homes.
Mark your calendars for a clutter-free Paramount
The City of Paramount will hold its second annual free Community-wide Cleanup event on Saturday, Jan. 5, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Paramount Park. Clear out your post-holiday clutter. Bring the following things for free disposal:
Large bulky items: furniture, appliances or anything that won’t fit in a regular trash container.
E-waste: computers, printers, TVs, cell phones, telephones, microwaves, stereos, etc.
Green waste: grass, leaves, small branches, shrubs, plants, weeds. Do not bring ivy, tree stumps, logs, lumber, palm fronds, cacti, yucca plants or ice plant. Bring nothing in plastic bags.
Documents for shredding: limited to a maximum of three banker-size boxes per residence.
Please do not bring paint, hazardous waste, light bulbs, liquids or auto parts.
Special thanks to CalMet Services for providing containers, drop-off/pickup and disposal at no cost.
This event is for Paramount residents only. You must present a valid ID with a Paramount 90723 address. Paramount Park is located at 14400 Paramount Blvd. For more information, please call 562-221-2002
Meet & Greet
Paramount Chamber of Commerce invites you to welcome our new member Thursday evening December 13 • 5 to 7 p.m. Chamber Office, 15357 Paramount Blvd. Paramount, CA 90723
PLEASE RSVP AT:
Come meet Sam Kotob of New York Life and enjoy drinks, light eats and good company. 562-634-3980
You can report loud parties anonymously
Part of the enjoyment of the holiday season is the chance to gather with friends and family for parties. Sometimes, however, gatherings such as these can get a little out of hand and bother neighbors.
Paramount has a “loud party patrol” that responds to resident complaints about such nuisances.
If a call for disturbing the peace comes into the Sheriff’s Station, there will be a visit to the location and a first-warning notice will be issued. If a return visit is made, the responsible party (property owner, tenant, etc.) will be liable for fines. For instance, a second visit within 30 days will produce a fine of $250. The third, fourth and fifth visits within 30 days of the first call will entail fines of $500, $750 and $1,000, respectively. In addition, the cost of extra resources involved (multiple deputies, helicopter and so on) can be passed on.
If such disturbances come from the same location over an extended period of time, deputies will focus on solving the problem with those who are causing it.
If you’re planning a party, be sure to take your neighbors into consideration and refrain from playing loud music and making other intrusive noises into the early morning hours.
Keep in mind, also, that deputies do not divulge the identity of any residents making complaints, so you can call in anonymously.
For more information, please call the Paramount Sheriff’s Station at 562-220-2002.
Overall crime dropped in 3rd quarter of 2018
Paramount
Through September of this year, in comparison to the same time period in 2017 (the latest figures available), overall Part 1 crimes were down by 13% in Paramount. Most notably, there were substantial decreases in burglaries (-37%) and auto theft (-27%). There were small drops in assaults (-1%) and theft (-4%) and a tiny uptick in robberies (2%). Homicides went from one in 2017 to three so far this year.
HOME CHECK
While you’re away for the holidays, we’ll help keep your home safe!
Call 562-220-2002 for more information—and Happy Holidays from your Public Safety Officers. Call the ‘loud party patrol’
Vacation home checks by Sheriff available
An important reminder: if you’re a Paramount resident and you have plans to be out of town during any part of the holidays, you can contact the Sheriff’s Station for a vacation home check. The City’s Public Safety Officers will periodically take a look around your home or property while you’re gone. (Please note that this free service is available throughout the year, not just during holidays.)
City Council
Detective Pascual Delgadillo commended
The Paramount City Council recognized and congratulated Paramount-Tepic Sister Cities for its longtime devotion to the City. Established 55 years ago, the club has experienced a solid revival in recent years, growing from a mere seven members to 45 today. Its higher profile in the community has included production of two annual events, Día de Los
and Día del Nino, which have quickly become well-attended traditions.
Ron Roberson, video producer, recognized
Deputy Michael Abbot honored
Deputy Michael Abbot was recognized at the Nov. 6 Paramount City Council meeting for providing outstanding law enforcement service in Paramount for over 15 years, especially as a School Resource Deputy at Paramount High School, but he was able to respond to any campus in the Paramount Unified School District. He has developed a strong rapport with students, their parents and faculty members, making Paramount students safer. From left: Vice Mayor Tom Hansen, Councilmember Laurie Guillen, Mayor Diane J. Martinez, Deputy Abbot, Councilmember Peggy Lemons and Councilmember Daryl Hofmeyer.
American Red Cross thanked for smoke detector program in Paramount
The Paramount City Council thanked the Greater Long Beach, Rio Hondo and South Bay Chapter of the American Red Cross at the council’s Nov. 6 meeting for the chapter’s special outreach program to identify Paramount homes in need of smoke detectors. The Red
Rambo, Councilmember Peggy Lemons and Councilmember Daryl Hofmeyer. (See the related story on page 3.)
Ron Roberson, who has been
for
and
Paramount Girls Softball team wins LA/Southbay Tournament
The Paramount Regulators Girls Softball team (ages 12 and up) won first place in the LA/Southbay Turkey Tournament in San Pedro on Nov. 12.
These young Paramount players not only won, they dominated in every game they played in the three-day, 11-team elimination tournament, beating Cerritos 15-0, Wilshire Ramirez 14-2, Cerritos Wolfpack 12-0, Wilshire Ramirez (again) 12-3 and Downey 10-2 in the final.
You might recall that when the Paramount Girls Softball program was restarted in the summer of 2017, their promotional message was: “Paramount Softball is back! Come and out support this league returning to its rightful glory.” Thanks to the efforts of these players and their dedicated volunteer coaches, it appears that Paramount softball is well on its way to achieving that goal. Come out to Progress Park in 2019 and cheer them on!
D
etective Pascual Delgadillo was recognized at the Nov. 6 Paramount City Council meeting for his ongoing, exemplary investigatory skills, specifically for his major role in the recent arrest of two dangerous criminal suspects, taking them off local streets and making the City safer.
From left: Vice Mayor Tom Hansen, Councilmember Laurie Guillen, Detective Delgadillo, Mayor Diane J. Martinez, Councilmember Peggy Lemons and Councilmember Daryl Hofmeyer.
Cross supplies detectors, and volunteers put them in, all for free. From left: Vice Mayor Tom Hansen, Councilmember Laurie Guillen, Mayor Diane J. Martinez, new Chapter Executive Director Veronica Garcia Davalos, smoke detector program volunteer Barbara Chapla, Red Cross Program Manager Nedan
Muertos
covering Paramount
local cable television
creating video productions for the City of Paramount since 1994, was recognized for his lengthy dedication to the City – and was congratulated on his 70th birthday – during the City Council meeting on Nov. 6.
PEP Talk
Studying during winter break
Winter break is associated with holidays, company and relaxation. However, once the break ends, you get thrust back into the school routine. Break time disrupts your routine and your memory of your school subjects. By staying disciplined, though, you can avoid the holiday daze and stay on top of the next school term.
Take a couple of days off
When your break begins, you may feel burned out from school and excited about having time off. Take a couple of days off to clear your mind and recharge so that you can return to your studies with motivation. Sleep in, play video games and do whatever else you want. Taking some time off to refresh your mind will help you study even better later.
Prioritize your subjects
Write out a list of goals
Gather up all the work that you need to get done. Write assignments, goals, or concepts out on a piece of paper. Keep this paper on hand to remind you of the effort that you need to put in as you complete your goals.
Consider what subjects are going to be more difficult or work-intensive. If you have to write a book report, for example, get more of this work out of the way in the beginning. Begin to formulate the order in which you’ll tackle these assignments. Alternate subjects you study, possibly between easy and difficult subjects. Spacing out your efforts improves your memory.
Study during travel time
The holidays often include traveling, which leaves you with down time, whether you’re flying home from college or riding with your parents to grandma’s house. Bring your books or flashcards and put down time to productive use (which will mean more free time later).
Study with your friends
If you have friends with the same assignment as you, it can be beneficial to learn together. Work with them on a study schedule. Studying together combines your efforts and makes studying more enjoyable. But keep in mind that more people may also mean more distractions.
Find quiet places to study
Retreat into your bedroom, your kitchen or another location where you won’t be bothered. Choose a place that has good lighting, a comfortable temperature and minimal socializing. Or go to a comfortable away-fromhome place, such as a coffee shop.
Turn off social media
You intend to check your email for a minute but end up browsing social media for hours! Turn off your phone. Shut off your computer. If distractions are a big problem for you, install a phone application such as Offtime or a browser extension such as LeechBlock.
Give yourself rewards
Rewards serve as an incentive to work. Once you’ve finished studying, do something enjoyable, such as eating a cookie, watching videos online or having a glass of your favorite drink, to encourage your efforts.
Ease back into schedule
As your break winds down, you may still be tempted to continue bad habits such as going to bed late. In the last week of break, start easing back into your school schedule and practicing habits that will permit you to do your best in school.
Get up and move
Once you’ve spent a little time sitting and working, take a break to refresh yourself. Take a walk around the block or head to a library, park or other area where you might like to study. This will give you some time to clear your head and let settle what you’ve read.
Take time to just relax
This is still your winter break, after all. Don't burn yourself out on studying— take time to enjoy yourself! Giving yourself fun time between study sessions allows your mind to recover and makes you happier. It’s important to alternate studying with relaxation.
These useful study tips were adapted from wikihow.com.
• PEP provides 36 college scholarships each year to Paramount High School students or to Paramount residents already attending college.
• PEP provides funds for universities, community colleges and trade schools.
• 100% of your donations go to scholarships.
• All donations are tax-deductible.
• Donate $50 or more and receive a free PEP tote bag as a thank you.*
• To donate online, please go to:
Membership RENEWALS
We’re pleased and grateful to report that the businesses listed below renewed their Paramount Chamber of Commerce memberships last month. Their support makes the valuable services of our Chamber and Business Resource Center possible.
Dec. 3 - 6
The Santa Train is coming to your neighborhood!
Santa visits Paramount each year for four days, riding his sleigh in the Santa Train. Don’t miss out on music, candy and fun with Santa’s helpers. Contact Parks & Recreation or visit the Paramount City website (Paramountcity.com) to find out when Santa will be in your neighborhood. See the related story on page 1.
Dec. 7 • 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Chamber Holiday Business Mixer
All members and business associates are welcome to network and celebrate the holidays. If you are not a member but are considering joining, come and meet us for dinner and drinks at this annual social event featuring food, music, networking, karaoke and fun for all. Dinner is being donated by your favorite restaurants in town. Location: Progress Park Plaza, 15500 Downey Avenue, Paramount, CA 90723. See the ad on page 16 for more details.
Dec. 8 • 8 - 10 a.m.
Breakfast With Santa
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
BARTENDER
Part-time position. Must have evenings and weekends available. Contact Leroy at 562-634-9001
SKILLED LABOR OPPORTUNITIES
SkillsetGroup currently has positions available for first, second and third shifts. Come in and apply today! SkillsetGroup actualmente tiene aperturas para puestos disponibles para Primer, Segundo y Tercer turno. ¡Ven y aplica hoy!
Machine operator Sanitation Loading/unloading
Forklift driver Production line Order pulling Call us at 866-375-3094 or use Instagram (@skillsetgroup) or Facebook for weekly updates. 7300 Alondra Blvd., Suite 202, Paramount, CA 90723.
STATE FARM AGENT
Take control and keep perspective. State Farm Agents grow a business designed to help customers protect what’s important to them while making time to give back to their neighborhood. Make a decision you can be proud of and take your career to a better state. Contact David Maciel at 562-305-2111.
To place an Employment Opportunities ad, please call the Chamber of Commerce office at 562-634-3980.
Join Santa and his friends at the Community Center for breakfast, photos stations and snow when the park once again becomes a winter wonderland! Pre-sale breakfast tickets are $5 ($6 on the day of the event). Limited tickets are available at the Recreation Office (15300 Downey Ave.) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., as well as at the Community Center and STAR After School sites. Location: 14400 Paramount Blvd., Paramount, CA 90723. See the related story on page 3 for more details.
Dec. 13 • 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
New Member Mixer: New York Life
Welcome to a new Chamber member serving the Paramount Community: Sam Kotob with New York Life. Come meet Sam and enjoy a mixer and networking. Drinks and Pizza Press refreshments. RSVP to Dora or Barbara: 562-634-3980. Location: Paramount Chamber Office, 15357 Paramount Blvd., Paramount, CA 90723. Also see the announcement on page 4.
Dec.
15 • 2 p.m.
- Evening American Legion
Holiday Pot Luck and Toy Drive
Open to the public! Come and join in on the “Spark of Love” toy drive and also enjoy door prizes, food, games and 50/50 raffles. Toys collected will be delivered to the Fire Department for distribution. Location: American Legion Post #134, 7550 E. Somerset Blvd., Paramount, CA 90723. Also see the ad on page 13.
Happy Holidays
Seniors danced in the aisles at City’s Thanksgiving Luncheon
The City of Paramount held its 38th annual Seniors Thanksgiving Luncheon at a festively decorated Paramount Park Gym on Thursday, Nov. 15. Nearly 500 of the community’s elders visited, laughed and danced to the bopping sounds of the Miriam Neblina Band. Then a delicious turkey meal with all the trimmings was served.
Special thanks go to the Paramount Rotary Club, the Paramount High School Corsairs, volunteers from Weber Metals and city staff members for serving the meal. Numerous financial sponsors and gift donors helped make the day a success, and AppleCare and their partners SCAN and Sha Insurance were especially generous. It was a day to show how valuable our seniors have been to Paramount over the years and for the City to express its gratitude.
Paramount residents turn out for Fall Festival at Lifegate Church
and
More than 500 Paramount residents took part in the free Fall Festival at Lifegate Church on Nov. 17.
Cerritos College cosmetology students were on hand to provide free haircuts and manicures. AppleCare Medical Management provided information and counseling. Many free gifts were donated by In Motion Design and World Energy Paramount, including games, hats, toys and raffle items. Some 135 hooded jackets were given out to children. Free pizza donated by Pronto Pizza was served along with hot dogs and nachos. Seven families won free turkeys for Thanksgiving. A wide variety of games and activities kept youngsters entertained.
Lifegate Church offers sincere thanks to the companies and organizations that generously sponsored the Fall Festival: In Motion Design, World Energy Paramount, Pronto Pizza, Cerritos College School of Cosmetology, the City of Paramount, Central Basin Municipal Water District, Creative Face & Body Art, Horchateria Rio Luna, Branch Church, Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, AppleCare Medical Management, Promise Hospital, Yogurtland, CalMet Services, Frantone’s Pizza and Spaghetti Villa, Print Like A Pro and Sam’s Club. Thanks also go to all Lifegate members who worked so hard on the event.
Free haircuts and manicures were provided by Cerritos College cosmetology students.
Numerous games
activities kept young visitors busy and happy.
Photos contributed by Flashy
Photos by Debbie Sue.
S enior marathon-running couple ready for 2019
Back in October, longtime Paramount residents Ken and Patricia Winiecki (right) stood at start lines at the University of Las Vegas for 5K and 10K marathon events in the Nevada State Senior Olympics. They were very focused on doing well, because these were qualifying events for the 2019 National Senior Olympics to be held in June next year in Albuquerque, N.M.
Many hours and tough miles later, Patricia was wearing gold medals for her age group in both events, and Ken had won gold in the 10K and silver in the 5K. Next stop: Albuquerque!
When they married 48 years ago, the couple would never have dreamed that in their late 60s they’d be running marathons. But by 2012, as Patricia said: “We realized that we were gaining weight and losing ground-fast!” That’s when they joined the LA Road Runners and embarked on serious training programs.
It wasn’t easy. “I immediately fell and broke my shoulder,” Patricia recalled. Nonetheless, she stuck with her training and managed to finish the LA Marathon in 2013. Since then, she has broken a hip and a wrist, but she’s refused to give up. As a breast cancer survivor, she already knew something about the importance of keeping a positive attitude, or as she puts it: “remaining fearless.”
It’s a good thing that Ken and Patricia enjoy traveling, because they’ve clocked a lot of miles both with their running shoes and in getting to starting lines in the first place. Not only have they competed in races all around the USA, in March 2017, they journeyed to Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. In November of that same year, Patricia ran in the New York City Marathon.
A month later, Patricia received an early holiday gift in the form of “the most wonderful phone call” that informed her that she had just been accepted as a team memberin 261 Fearless. That’s a non-profit organization foundedby Katherine Switzer, a pioneering runner who was the first woman to participate in the renowned Boston Marathon wearing an official bib number, which was (you guessed it) 261. That was in 1967 when she was a 20-year-old college student. On that fateful day, a male official attempted to wrestle her off the course, claiming that the Boston Marathon was only for men. Fortunately, two of her runner colleagues came to her aid, and she broke free from her assailant and finished the race. The story became a worldwide sensation-and that was in the days before the internet. Katherine Switzer soon found herself an icon for the budding feminist movement.
In 2015, she founded 261 Fearless, which she describes this way: “We use running as a vehicle to empower and unite women through the creation of local running clubs, education programs, communication platforms and social running events. We aim to break down the barriers of geography and create a global community for women runners of all abilities to support, encourage and inspire each other towards a positive sense of self and fearlessness. 261 Fearless Clubs can be found currently on three continents, and there will be more soon.”
Thanks to Patricia Winiecki, 261 Fearless has now come to Paramount. After going through a rigorous training course, Patricia recently received her 261 Fearless coaching credential, and she is in the process of organizing a local women’s running club under her slogan: “Journey on!” (For more information, visit 261fearless.org and #261Fearless.)
Turkey bowling big hit at Paramount Park
Paramount folks who participated in the City’s Turkey Bowling Tournament on Nov. 17 learned that knocking down bowling pins with frozen turkeys was a lot of fun—especially for those who won turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner.
Patricia Winiecki celebrates as she finishes the historic 7.1-mile Falmouth Road Race on Cape Cod in Massachusetts in August 2018.
Alpha Fitness & Nutrition celebrates opening
The Paramount Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 8 for the newest fitness center in town: Alpha Fitness & Nutrition, a studio-style workout center at 14918 Paramount Blvd. Luz Castro from Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard’s office and Paramount Chamber President Jon Tanklage (Marukan Vinegar) made presentations. Certificates of recognition were presented from Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn and from the City of Paramount.
Maria Ibarra, a 27-year Paramount resident, opened this center to provide a venue for multiple levels of training and nutritional coaching. While raising her three girls—ages 11, 13 and 15—Maria has immersed herself in activities involving her daughters, including volunteer work at Wurtz Elementary and Alondra Middle School. That work inspired her to open her fitness and nutrition studio to promote exercise and healthy living.
Stinkin Crawfish Cajun Seafood opened Nov. 20
The grand opening of Stinkin Crawfish Cajun Seafood on Nov. 20 completed the lengthy renovation of the downtown Clearwater Landing restaurant center at the corner of Alondra and Paramount. The Paramount Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome the city’s latest eatery, and Stinkin Crawfish owners Jay Ly and Chris Su offered free shrimp all day long, which drew a good crowd. The two now have seven locations featuring cajun-style seafood cuisine.
Presentations were made by Adrian Landa from the office of California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, Luz Castro from Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard’s office, Paramount Chamber President Jon Tanklage (Marukan Vinegar) and Paramount Vice Mayor Tom Hansen. Certificates from California State Senator Ricardo Lara were also presented.
Above, right, from left: Chamber President John Tanklage, Chamber Executive Director Kyle Miller and owners Jay Ly and Chris Su.
Owner Maria Ibarra (left) and Luz Castro, who presented a certificate from Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard.
Chamber President Jon Tanklage (left) and owner Maria Ibarra share a laugh at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Seven social media books to grow your following
By Syed Balkhi (from Business.com, Oct. 23, 2018)
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are some of the most highly populated spots on the web. In fact, Facebook alone has 2.2 billion monthly active users; that’s a ton of potential followers and customers for your business that you can reach. But you won’t be able to reach them if you don’t know how to effectively market your company on social media. You can easily learn top strategies that will take you from novice to social media guru just by reading some social media books we’re recommending today.
1. Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Amazing on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest and More Author Dave Kerpen provides insights and clear instructions for building brand popularity by engaging with customers on popular social media platforms. He gives you practical, actionable advice on how to get people talking about your business on social media.
2. Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World, by Gary Vaynerchuk, is a must-have. He provides valuable advice on how to connect with customers, beat the competition, develop tailor-made content and perfect the right combination of “jabs” and “hooks” on social media that will give you results and convert traffic into sales.
3. Social Media: Strategies to Mastering Your Brand Pick up a copy of this best-seller by David Kelly. Great for beginners and pros alike, it will tell you everything you
need to know about social media marketing. Training is broken down into easy-to-understand modules that include top strategies the pros use, lessons on how to double your Instagram following, understanding Facebook ad marketing and monetizing social media.
4. The Zen of Social Media Marketing: An Easier Way to Build Credibility, Generate Buzz and Increase Revenue Find social media marketing “nirvana” with this book by Shama Hyder, one of LinkedIn’s “Top Voices in Marketing & Social” in 2015. Topics you’ll learn how to master include a proven process to attract fans and followers and convert them into customers, social media trends, innovative tips for mobile design and online advertising.
5. 500 Social Media Marketing Tips: Essential Advice, Hints and Strategy for Business Author Andrew Macarthy provides hundreds of actionable tips for success on any social media platform. You’ll learn
how to create and share the most effective content on social media, tips to grow your audience and the key foundations for a social media marketing plan. Plus, if you purchase the Kindle version, you get access to over 250 social media marketing video tutorials.
6. Social Media Marketing Workbook: How to Use Social Media for Business, by Jason McDonald, will help you learn social media marketing step by step. This book covers all the basics to show you how to navigate and use different social media platforms for your business. This workbook includes a deep dive into the business side of YouTube, how to market on Instagram, why Pinterest is the most effective social media platform for retailers and e-commerce, how to use LinkedIn to network and market your business and much more
7. The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users, by Guy Kawasaki, former chief evangelist for Apple and a pioneer of business blogging and tweeting, is an essential guide. With over 100 practical tips and tricks, this book will teach you how to create a compelling presence. Topics include how to optimize your profile, how to perfect your posts, how to get more followers, how to integrate social media with blogging and many other useful lessons. Add these books to your wish list or check them out at your local library as soon as possible so that you can gain a wealth of knowledge to help you become popular on social media.
member-to-member disc o unts Paramount Chamber of Commerce
As a member, these discounts are extended to you by your fellow members. Visit the following businesses to receive the discounts listed below. But remember, these offers are available only to members of the Paramount Chamber of Commerce!
Advertising & Marketing
Advertise Smart, Not Hard (323-247-0938): Five-night Cancún accommodation for subscribing to any of our products.
Attorney & Legal Services
Lerma Law Office (562-272-4353): 15% discount on initial retainer fee or flat-rate service.
Automotive
Herald’s Garage (562-633-2136): 15% discount on labor and free engine light reset.
Cleaners
Alert Cleaners (562-634-4602): 10% discount on any dry cleaning.
Jones Scaffold Co. (800-266-3864): 10% off net rental of scaffold equipment.
Data Base Services
NEXTSTEP (877-305-6932): Free needs analysis and special member discount rate.
Financial Services
SG Tax Services (562-630-4004): $25 off tax preparation for members and their employees.
Vicky Professional Services (562-634-1178): 20% off bookkeeping and accounting service. United Credit Education Services (424-298-1726): $50 off $99 enrollment fee.
Hotels & Motels
Embassy Suites Hotel (562-861-1900): 15% off best available room rate (subject to availability). Ask for “Chamber Rate.”
Medical
Clínica Médica Hispana (562-630-1991): 25% discount.
Hansen, Thomas D. C. – Chiropractor (562-634-0985): 25% off initial visit.
Plumbing & Heating
Downey Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning (562-861-1234): 10% off HydroJet service and/or 10% off material.
Printers
Source Graphics, Inc. (562-408-2734): 10% discount.
Real Estate
GM Properties (562-696-0200): 5% of gross commissions on closed deals will be sent to the charity of our choice in your name. Call and ask for Matt.
The R.M. Cool Company (562-630-6000): Call and ask about our preferred pricing for Chamber members.
Penta Pacific Properties (562-699-1922): Free opinions of market value of commercial and industrial properties.
Real Estate Homes & Investments (562-200-1164): 20% discount. Call and ask about preferred pricing for Paramount Chamber of Commerce members.
Restaurants
Antojitos Mexicanos Restaurant (562-712-5292): 10% discount on all food orders over $10.
Café Corleone (562-408-6100): 10% discount on all food purchases.
Café Camellia (562/866-2824): 10% discount on food purchases.
Casa Gamino (562-634-6225): 10% discount on food purchases.
El Comalon Mexican Food (562-633-0900): 10% discount.
El Compa Restaurant (562-630-1068): 10% discount on all food purchases.
Mariscos El Parihuete (562-408-1661): 10% discount on all food purchases over $10.
Mariscos Mi Lindo Sinaloa #1 (562-529-5110): 10% discount on food purchases.
Pika Tortas Ahogadas (562-529-5787): 10% discount on all regular-priced food items (excludes combo deals).
Skating Rink
Paramount Iceland (562-633-1171): 10% off admission and skate rental.
Wholesalers & Distributors
Rayvern Lighting Supply, Inc. (562-634-7020): 5% off fixtures and ballast orders (electrical supplies).
If you have questions or you’d like to learn more about this discount program, please call the Chamber of Commerce office at 562-634-3980.
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Dr. Martinez
provides free dental services in Modesto as CDA Cares Clinic volunteer
r. Max Martinez of Paramount and his wife, Michelle, recently spent two days as volunteers in Modesto providing free dental care as part of the 14th CDA Cares Clinic sponsored by the California Dental Association Foundation. The clinic provided more than $1.6 million in free care to 1,533 people and drew 1,790 volunteers, including hundreds of dentists and dental and health professionals. Services included fillings, cleanings, extractions, limited dentures, root canals and oral-health education for people experiencing barriers to care.
CDA Cares provides oral healthcare services to people in need and educates the public and policymakers about the importance of good oral health and continued improvements needed to the state’s Denti-Cal program. Five elected officials and staff toured CDA Cares to learn more about the healthcare needs in our state. The success of the CDA Cares Clinic was due to the efforts of Dr. Elizabeth Demichelis, chairperson of the local arrangements committee in Modesto, and to the work of the many CDA volunteers who generously donated their time and skills.
Serving the community since 1946, the Paramount Lions have been actively participating in and providing donations to support local programs such as PEP (Paramount Education Partnership), Relay for Life, City of Hope, youth sports, food banks, and eye care for families in need.
Come join our dedicated members as we build friendships and partnerships with a common goal of giving back to the community.
Join us for lunch: 2nd & 4th Thursdays 12:30-1:30 p.m. Clearwater Building 16401 Paramount Blvd. Paramount Lions Club LionsParamount@gmail.com
Friends of Paramount Library
16254 Colorado St. Paramount, CA 562-630-3171
Monthly meetings every 3rd Tuesday at 12:30 p.m.
Dedicated to serving our library and providing the best service possible to your community. Your membership is tax deductible, and funds go to provide new literature, new equipment, and activities for everyone to enjoy. Contact Dolores Tripp, President. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS
Service clubs and organizations in the United States are voluntary groups that meet regularly to perform beneficial charitable works, including sponsoring fundraising events for various social causes, disaster relief, medical assistance and other services for people in need.
A number of today’s service organizations started in the early 20th century as social clubs and venues for business networking and then evolved into groups devoted to community service. Clubs usually meet regularly on a recurring day and time, often for lunch or dinner. Service clubs encourage community involvement, networking and personal growth among their members. In the USA, many of these organizations have tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. Some USA-based service organizations, including the Lions Club and Rotary Club, have become large worldwide movements officially recognized by the United Nations and governments of various countries as legitimate non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Some organizations are dedicated to serving the interests of particular groups, such as the American Legion’s focus on U.S. military veterans.
If you would like to add your service club to those shown here, please contact the Paramount Chamber of Commerce at 562-634-3980
Paramount Chamber member Dr. Max Martinez (left) volunteered for two days in Modesto, providing free dental treatment to the underserved. He does this twice each year.
Continued from page 1 (from left to right): Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby; Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffery Prang; Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn and Paramount Chamber Executive Director Kyle Miller, and some of the many city and business leaders who attended.
A bright idea A BRIEF HISTORY OF ELECTRIC HOLIDAY LIGHTS
WBy Dan Stracner (Danmark Associates)
hen it comes to people who have had bright ideas, few can hold a candle to Thomas Alva Edison. You probably know that the light bulb he invented in 1879 was a life-changing product. But you may not know that Edison also invented electric Christmas lights and he was the first one to use them. In 1880, he festooned his laboratory building in Menlo Park, New Jersey, with multiple strings of brightly shining bulbs powered by a generator he designed.
Two years later, Edward H. Johnson, Edison’s close friend and business partner, had his own bright idea: He hand-wired 80 miniature red, white and blue Edison bulbs and strung them on his family Christmas tree at his home in New York City.
A consummate salesman, Johnson called the press, and a reporter, William A. Croffut, came to see the tree, which revolved on an electric turntable. He wrote: “There, at the rear of the beautiful parlors, was a large Christmas tree presenting a most picturesque and uncanny aspect. It was brilliantly lighted with many colored globes about as large as an English walnut . . . There were eighty lights in all encased in these dainty glass eggs, and about equally divided among white, red and blue. As the tree turned, the colors alternated, all the lamps going out and being re-lit at every revolution. The result was a continuous twinkling of dancing colors. . . . One can hardly imagine anything prettier.” Johnson later added colored lights to the exterior of his house, and his elaborately decorated home soon became a seasonal attraction.
ONLY THE RICH COULD AFFORD THEM
But electricity was not yet widely available, so only the wealthy could afford Christmas lights, which had to be wired by hand. A large, custom-lighted tree in the late 1880s cost more than $2,000 in today’s dollars.
However, Johnson envisioned the wider commercial potential of Christmas lights, and at his urging, Edison published a small, 28-page promotional brochure in 1890 that contained these words: “There are few forms of decoration more beautiful and pleasing than miniature incandescent lamps . . . for decorating Christmas trees or conservatories.”
In 1894, President Grover Cleveland put more than 100 electric lights on a huge Christmas tree at the White House, which greatly boosted public interest in the idea. In 1900, Edison ran an advertisement in Scientific America magazine offering Christmas lights for sale or rent.
CONSUMER LIGHT SETS ARRIVE
In 1903, Edison’s company now named General Electric began manufacturing pre-wired, ready-to-use “Electric Lighting Outfits for Christmas Decorations.” One of the main selling points for electric lights was that they were cleaner and much safer than wax candles that had been illuminating Christmas trees for many years and also causing many fatal fires every holiday season.
A set of 24 Edison Christmas lights cost $12, quite expensive when you consider that the average American worker in 1903 earned less than $15 a week. But when Edison was unable to secure a patent for the product, other companies soon began offering competitive, lessexpensive light strings. Thus the holiday lighting industry was born.
By 1906, lights featuring figures of Santa Claus, angels and other characters were on the market, and in 1908, the popular Sears and Roebuck catalog offered Christmas light sets for the first time, including bulbs shaped like fruit and appropriately colored.
In 1925, a young entrepreneur named Albert Sadacca organized a trade association of 15 small companies that made Christmas lights. It was called the National Outfit Manufacturers Association (NOMA); a year later, the name was changed to the NOMA Electric Corporation.
By 1930, NOMA-branded products were the bestselling Christmas lights in the USA. NOMA introduced many important innovations over the years, including parallel-wired light sets (1934), all-rubber cords (1940) and arguably the company’s most famous Christmas product: “Bubble-Lites” (1946). But by 1968, unable to compete with cheaper imported products, NOMA stopped making Christmas lights.
Incandescent lights in many shapes, sizes and colors were the norm until the late 1980s, when light-emitting diodes (LEDs) first became available in multiple colors. LED Christmas sets soon followed, and by 2000, these high-intensity lights had become the most popular form of holiday illumination. But if you happen to have any vintage Christmas lights in your attic (especially in their original packaging), hang onto them, because they might soon become valuable collectors’ items.
When the City of Paramount lights its tree each year, it’s carrying on a tradition started back in 1880 by none other than Thomas Edison himself.
Above: Edison ad (circa 1905). Below: Packaged in wooden boxes, original Edison light sets had 24 colored bulbs on the bottom layer with wiring and sockets on top. Edison later marketed sets with 8, 16 and 32 bulbs.
Above: Figural milk-glass bulbs from the 1940s featuring Disney characters. Below: “Star lights” were popular in the 1950s and ‘60s. These featured faceted foil reflectors that intensified bulb colors.
Popular in the 1950s, NOMA Bubble-Lites are now collectors’ items that fetch good prices if the original packaging is in good condition and the bulbs still work. Imitation models made in China are still on sale today.
