A Look Back at 2016
As we enter 2017, it’s nice to pause and glance back on the year just completed. Here are some of the things that happened in Paramount in 2016.
Downtown Reinvented
The City’s premier project for 2016 was the Downtown Urban Renovation. The redesign featured new landscaping, enhanced lighting, expanded sidewalks, vibrant and distinctive signage, and more. It has helped to entice national and regional businesses such as Jamba Juice, Yogurtland, AutoZone, and IHOP to locate there.
Construction began on the Clearwater Crossing restaurant development at the northern end of downtown. The first phase of those dining options – The Habit, Waba Grill, and Chipotle – are scheduled to open this month.
Pizza Hut moved from its small take-out storefront to a full-scale restaurant at Downey and Alondra, and will be joined soon by Ono Hawaiian Grill.
Unemployment Drops, Property Values Rise
The unemployment rate dipped last year for Paramount residents, going from 6.8% in 2015 to 5.7%. This is a mighty improvement over the depths of the recession, when the local figure was above 18%.
Quality housing continued to be built and residential property values increased. The median home price in 2015 was $345,000 and it jumped last year to $400,000. On the west side of town near The Home Depot, a new 30-house development began construction and in late January some blighted buildings were demolished in preparation of an 8-unit housing project at the corner of Indiana and Somerset.
Public Outreach
A quarterly Mobile City Council meeting was started with Councilmembers and City staff touring a specific area of town and then holding a question-and-answer meet-and-greet with residents. The word goes out to nearby neighborhoods a week in advance.
To gain important input from the young people of the com -
munity, a Youth Commission was formed comprised of 15 high school students. This was a joint effort between the City and the five service clubs in town. The Commission meets monthly.
Social Media
The City’s social media following on Instagram and Facebook grew dramatically in 2016 and a page on SmugMug was developed to let individuals who were photographed at City events download the images for free.
Infrastructure and Facility Improvements
City facilities used frequently by residents received renovations last year. Public Wi-Fi was installed at three locations. Progress Park Plaza got a new roof and air conditioning units and the Community Center at Paramount Park had a new roof, lobby flooring, and restrooms installed. The City also lowered the rental fees for public use of its facilities while opening up two additional locations
The Paramount City Council cuts the ribbon to officially complete the downtown renovation on January 26.
(Progress Park Plaza West and the Clearwater Building). Use of the Community Center for private functions dramatically increased as a result of the lower fees.
Other installations at facilities included ADA-approved auto
What’s inside
matic doors at Spane Park and new field lights at All American Park. On top of that, the traditional infrastructure improvements like fixing sidewalks and paving and slurry sealing streets went on, and included a pilot program
with the City’s insurer, JPIA, that provided funding for the sidewalk projects. A street-bystreet program to replace dead turf due to the drought with
Downtown Paramount, refreshed and remodeled.
Recipient of Senator Ricardo Lara 2015 Excellence in Business Award
For Air Quality Update Check CityScape
Please visit CityScape, located on the inside back cover of this issue, for a look at the latest air quality-related news in town.
Testing Confirms Paramount Water Safe, Clear of Hexavalent Chromium
The City of Paramount and the State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water have completed a special round of testing to validate that hexavalent chromium is undetected in the City’s water supply. The State of California standard for hexavalent chromium is 10 parts per billion. The findings from the special round of testing show hexavalent chromium to be less than 1 part per billion (ppb) in Paramount, the detection limit for drinking water.
The results echo similar findings from 2014 as reported in the City’s annual Consumer Confidence Report.
With the recent issues in Paramount related to the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s monitoring for hexavalent chromium, the City’s water company
undertook additional testing to assure our residents that the water supply is safe.
The City’s water services are highlyregulated and continually analyzed. The Paramount Water Department will continue to proactively test the water for hexavalent chromium on a monthly basis – far exceeding normal requirements.
“After working with the City of Paramount, the California Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water has determined that Paramount’s water meets the drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium and its water is protective of public health,” said Paul Williams, District Engineer for the Division of Drinking Water.
The sampling process involved the independent testing firm that analyzes the City’s water and the California State Water Resources Control Board. Separate samples of Paramount’s water were taken and sent to independent, State-certified testing labs. The sampling was conducted in December 2016. The further monthly sampling will continue indefinitely.
City Celebrates 60th Anniversary
Happy birthday, Paramount!
This year marks the 60th anniversary of Paramount’s incorporation as a city. To kick off the celebration, an historical display was unveiled at the January 24 City Council meeting at Progress Park Plaza along with a serving of birthday cake. The historical display will remain onsite through February. Call (562) 220-2121 for viewing hours.
On Saturday, March 11 there will be a Community Sock Hop from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Paramount Park Gym that will feature a musical performance by Lil Mo and the Dynaflos. There will be no cost for entry but only the first 300 guests will be
allowed in. There will be food available for purchase, a dance floor, photo booth, 1950s dance demonstrations, and decorations to invoke the era.
Then on Saturday, June 10 from 4:00 - 10:00 p.m. we will produce the 60th Anniversary Heritage Festival at Paramount Park. There will be musical performances from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m. with festival seating that will include a 1950s-era musical group from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. and La Sonora Dinamita from 8:00 – 10:00 p.m.
The festival will have a huge Kids Fun Zone with multiple inflatables for youngsters; a Heritage Village with farm and dairy animals from Paramount’s past; a Teen Challenge Zone with a rock climbing wall, human gyroscope ride, and bungee jump ride; food booths; game booths; farmers market vendors; a beer and wine garden for the adult guests; and sections of the historical display mentioned before.
Entrance to the festival and entertainment will be free but purchase will be required for food, drinks, and farmers market products, and there will be a fee to enter the beer and wine garden, as well.
City Offers Transportation Options for Seniors
Paramount has a number of ways that our senior population can get a ride round town or to a doctor appointment.
If you need to go to a specific location in Paramount, for instance, that is not along a bus route, Dial-A-Ride is available for seniors age 55 and older, disabled residents, and anyone living ¾-of-a-mile outside a regular City transportation bus stop.
Hours are Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., $1 per ride, kids under six free. Call First Transit 48 hours in advance for door-to-door pick-up and drop-off service, or for any questions, at (562) 633-2904.
The City offers a Medical Taxi Program designed to help seniors 55 years or older and disabled residents get to their medical and dental appointments within an approximate five-mile radius.
Hours are Monday - Sunday, 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., $2 per ride, with a limit of 20 trips per month. Call (877) 933-3396 to schedule a pick-up or for any questions.
And if you live in Paramount and are interested in joining our Senior Center but are not able to drive yourself, the free ENP Shuttle can give you a ride there.
Door-to-door pick-up and drop-off service is available Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Call the Paramount Park Senior Center at (562) 220-2090.
Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”
Mayor, Daryl Hofmeyer
Prevent Theft from Your Vehicle
Talking
in thefts from vehicles throughout the region. These thefts are often due to valuables being left in plain sight or doors and windows being left unlocked. Commonly stolen items include money, wallets, credit cards, tools and power tools, computers, mobile phones, cameras, GPS and other electronic devices, handbags, jewelry, and sunglasses.
There are plenty of facts, figures, and details about distracted driving, but the California Office of Traffic Safety wants you to know the plain and simple ones:
• If something falls to the floor, pull over before trying to reach it.
Thefts can occur at any time, so it is important not to present an easy opportunity to thieves. In order to steal, thieves will smash a car window or break locks and the cost of repairs may even exceed the value of the stolen items. Follow these simple steps to help reduce the risk of thefts:
• 80 percent of vehicle crashes involve some sort of driver inattention.
Project LEAD Sending Positive Message to Paramount Fifth Graders
Remove All Valuables
• Up to 6,000 people nationwide are killed in crashes where driver distractions are involved.
• Talking on a cell phone or texting is the number one source of driver distractions.
• Do not leave any valuables in your vehicle. Take them with you if possible.
• If you must leave valuables in your car, place them in your trunk without being seen.
• Remove GPS units and wipe the suction mark off of the window.
Paramount has its own dedicated District Attorney – Kelly Tatman – who works out of the Sheriff’s Station. Her duties include making sure that criminal investigations and prosecutions in town receive full attention and don’t fall through the cracks at the larger County D.A.’s Office.
• Texting takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds, long enough to travel the length of a football field at 55 mph. Most crashes happen with less than three seconds reaction time.
Lock Up
• Do not leave house keys or garage door openers in your car – they may be stolen and used in home burglaries.
• Lock your car – always physically check that it’s locked, even when parking at home or just leaving your car for a moment.
• Close all windows – including sunroof.
Tatman has been visiting a class of 36 students at Jefferson School as part of Project LEAD. The program, which goes into the classroom once a week for 20 weeks during the school year, uses volunteers like Tatman from the D.A.’s Office to teach fifth-graders about the law and help them recognize the social and legal consequences of criminal behavior.
• Contractors – be sure to lock external tool boxes and equipment if they can’t be removed.
• The act of talking on a cell phone, even hands free, can give you “inattention blindness,” where your brain isn’t seeing what’s right in front of you. You aren’t even aware that you are driving impaired. If you think you can handle both driving and talking on a cell phone or texting, you are kidding yourself and putting us all at risk.
Secure Your Car
• Park in a locked garage if possible.
Sadly, too many young people first become acquainted with the justice system as delinquents. Project LEAD is designed to avoid that scenario.
• Park off the street in your driveway if you don’t have a garage.
Distracted driving is anything that takes your eyes or mind off the road or your hands off the steering wheel – especially texting and cell phone use, whether hands-free or handheld. Who’s doing it? Most of us. It has been estimated that, at any one time, more than 10 percent of drivers are using a mobile device.
• Install a car alarm.
• Park in a well-lit area – thieves do not want to be caught breaking into cars, so you can increase the risk that others will detect them.
A ticket for $159 for texting or talking on a cell phone is a major distraction to your wallet.
And remember – if your valuables have been stolen from your car, report the theft to the Sheriff’s Department.
What can you do? Most important, obey the law. It’s there for a reason. Also, do your best to eliminate distractions:
Personal Paperwork Can Lead to Identity Theft
• Never text and drive.
• Turn off your phone when you get behind the wheel.
The class from Jefferson recently went on a field trip to the Museum of Tolerance. (They will also go to a local courthouse). In addition, Project LEAD’s curriculum includes speakers connected to the criminal justice system and a mock trial involving either drug selling or gun possession on campus. Students are assigned roles and argue a criminal case to a jury consisting of other students. Teachers and parents attend, too.
Here’s a tip to help you avoid being the victim of identity theft, as well. Never leave Social Security cards, passports, birth certificates, vehicle pink slips, income tax records, checkbooks, or payroll stubs in your unattended car, even in the glove compartment.
• Don’t text or call someone when you know they are likely to be driving.
At the end of the program, the kids will participate in a graduation ceremony and receive a certificate of completion from the D.A.’s Office at a meeting of the Paramount Public Safety Commission.
Thieves breaking into vehicles are often looking for these types of documents. Keep them at home in a safe location.
• Make a pact with your family, spouse, and caregivers never to use the phone with kids in the car.
Summer Vacation Home Checks
Get Your Free Car Anti-Theft Device
• No eating or drinking while driving.
• Don’t program your GPS, MP3 player, or other devices while driving.
• Pull over and stop to read maps.
• No grooming.
• No reading.
• No watching videos.
With summertime approaching, remember that if you’re going out of town for an extended period of time, you can schedule a home check.
The Prevent Auto Theft (PAT) program can help deter auto theft for Paramount residents who own certain car models.
Paramount residents can contact the Sheriff’s Station about having Volunteers on Patrol keep an eye on your home or property while you’re gone.
• Try not to get too involved with passengers.
Call (562) 220-2002 to ask about vacation checks.
PAT provides free anti-theft, steering wheel lock devices for owners of specific cars. Based on the latest analysis of regional auto theft trends, these are: 1990 to 2000 Honda Civics, Honda Accords, and Nissan Sentras; 1998 to 2012 Ford Econoline Vans; and 2000 to 2007 Chevy Tahoes. (Other vehicles may qualify, as well. Check by calling the Paramount Station.)
Residents will receive one device per vehicle. They must provide a photo ID, proof of Paramount residency (such as a utility bill), and proof of vehicle ownership.
To participate, stop by the Paramount Sheriff’s Station at 15001 Paramount Blvd. or call (562) 220-2002 for more information.
Simple Strategies for Better Event Marketing
Friday, May 16, 2014 - 10am to 12pm
Attend this presentation and learn how to use the power of event marketing to get potential and existing customers to take four key actions:
• Sign up • Speak up • Show up • Follow up Good marketing is about eliciting a physical and measurable response. In this practical and engaging seminar, you will learn how to find, convert, and keep new and existing customers through effective event marketing. You will also learn best practices related to the who, when, where, and what that makes an event a memorable experience. Learn how events can engage customers. Take your events to the next level using e-mail, social, traditional, and internet marketing tools. Fee: $20
(Make checks payable to LBCC SBDC) For Reservations:
Or jgrass@lbcc.edu Workshops will be held at:
Grand Opening –Papa John’s Pizza
Papa John’s owner George Abdallah receives certificates of congratulations for public officials. From left; Genesis Coronado (office of Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard), Veronica Ledesma (office of Speaker for the Assembly Anthony Rendon), Kal Abdallah, Mayor Daryl Hofmeyer (City of Paramount), George Abdallah (owner), Matthew Johnson (office of LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn), Paramount Chamber President Gary Johnson (ACE Clearwater).
Clubs & Organizations
The Paramount-Tepic Xican@ Club spreads awareness about the roots of the Chicano movement and encourages Paramount High students to contribute to the ongoing story of Mexican Americans in the U.S. The Xican@ Club was started in 2016 by a group of students interested in forming a club to help their fellow classmates. The club teaches students about the diversity of Chicano culture including literature, music, art, and cinematography.
The group held their first installation ceremony at which time they installed new officers and presented new members with certificates of recognition from the Office of Senator Ricardo Lara, and the Paramount Unified School District. The clubs overall mission is to empower citizens through higher education and making them culturally aware.
Elected officials, family, friends and chamber members join owner George Abdallah in cutting the ribbon for Papa John’s Pizza; 15140 Paramount Blvd., Paramount, (562) 296-6999.
Promote Your Business While Supporting Education
Remember to support education in Paramount this year while promoting your business by sponsoring or making a donation to the Paramount Education Partnership’s 14th Annual Scholarship Fundraiser.
It will be held on Friday, April 21, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Progress Park Plaza, 15500 Downey Avenue. All donations are made to the PEP 501c3 non-profit entity, and are tax deductible.
The generosity of the Paramount business community has helped make dreams of college become a reality for many local students. Over the years, nearly 250 scholarships worth over $700,000 have gone to Paramount kids attending a university, community college, or trade school.
For some of these students, it has made the difference in whether or not they could continue their education. For all recipients, it has been important assistance.
This April will provide a fresh opportunity to boost another group of individuals who are working to improve their education and forge a bright future.
Donor businesses will receive publicity in a variety of venues. The fundraiser features great food and fun casino-type games. Your donation is an important investment in our community.
If interested in sponsorships or other contributions, please call (562) 220-2121.
Students – Apply for a PEP Scholarship
Current college students and non-Paramount Unified School District applicants can get an application for the PEP college scholarship in the following places:
Hard copies are at Paramount City Hall, the Paramount City Yard/Recreation Office, and the Chamber of Commerce. Copies can also be downloaded on the City of Paramount website (www.paramountcity.com).
These finished applications need to be turned into Paramount City Hall by the end of the day on March 17, 2017.
Graduating seniors attending Paramount High School will not use the applications mentioned here. They will complete the Common Scholarship Application that allows them to apply to seven other local scholarships, in addition to PEP, with just the one application. These are available through their academic counselors.
PEP scholarships of $1,000 are awarded to students attending a community college and $3,000 to students attending an accredited four-year institution within the U.S, including vocational/trade/technical schools. This jumps to $4,000 if attending a University of California campus.
Paramount Chamber Welcomes New Director Daniel Griffith
Name: Daniel Griffith – Operations Manager
Company: SC Fuels
Company Address: 6825 Rosecrans Ave. Paramount, CA 90723
Office Phone: (714) 397 - 3157
Major Product or Service: Fuel and Lubricant Distribution
Why Did You Join the Chamber? To establish business connections and promote our footprint in the City of Paramount.
Education/Training: BA in English; 6 years with SC Fuels. Construction background prior to SC Fuels. Where Were You Born? Santa Barbara, CA
Latest Accomplishment: A division wide pay raise for 35 employees.
Philosophy: You get out what you put in.
If You Were Granted 3 Wishes What Would they Be? To spend more time traveling. To spend more time with my Family. To live in another country for a year.
Paramount Rotary Guest Speaker Talks About World’s Toughest Bicycle Race
Rotary speaker Robert DeCou is an athlete and executive producer at Lux Virtual; an animation studio that explains complex ideas through the use of 3D animation. DeCou’s first ultra-endurance event was at age 16; he was a Rotary exchange student in India and completed 50 hours of non-stop aerobics with 15 other people to set a world record. Recently he completed a 3,000 mile “Race Across America” from Oceanside California to Annapolis, Maryland. Fortytwo cyclist competed and he was one of 20 to complete the grueling 3,000 mile race in the scheduled time of 12 days or less; the event is held to raise money for brain cancer research.
Robert said he has always been disciplined but became even more focused
through his Christian faith. He describes himself as a good athlete, but not an exceptional one. He played football, track and field and wrestled in high school, he said his ability to stay focused allows him to successfully compete in ultra-endurance events. DeCou is not a fast cyclist so he rode for more hours than other cyclist to make up time. His day consisted of two 10 minute breaks and a one and a half hour stop to shower and get a some sleep. His first four days were the hardest crossing the dessert and climbing mountains in the month of June. He said once that portion was complete he knew he could go all the way. To maintain stamina he consumed 12 – 15 thousand calories per day, and crossed the finish line with three hours to spare.
From left, Robert DeCou and John Berg.
Paramount High School Leos Help Decorate Rose Parade Float
By Karla Rodriguez
The Phoenix Decorating Company has been building Rose Parade floats since 1956, this would not have been possible without the help of community volunteers. This year for the first time ever the Paramount High School Leos Club got the chance to experience the magic of floats being built before making their debut in the 2017 Tournament of Roses Parade. During the final stages a variety of seeds, bark, fruits, vegetables, and of course, flowers are applied to the floats by experienced professionals and hard-working volunteers which included members of the Leos Club (several of which serve on the Paramount Youth Commission).
Club members arrived in Pasadena
Community News
at approximately 7:00 a.m. where they were given purple shirts identifying them as Leos Club volunteers. The Leos were divided into smaller groups with some being assigned to the flower room, while others went inside to begin decorating the Lion’s Club float. Some members carried flowers to the flower room and others cut and glued chrysanthemum petals to the float. Those not afraid of heights made their way to the top of the float and glued rice to designated areas, while others painted parts of a huge lion.
Leos now understand it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to build a float, and this is an experience they will never forget. At the end of the day club members were excited to hear they are invited back to help with next year’s float.
Amrican Pickers Coming to California
The American Pickers are heading to California early this SPRING and we’re looking for large private collections for the guys to dig through all day long. We’d love to spread the word in your area.
We are looking for collections with:
• A variety of items (motorcycles, advertising, toys, gas/auto memorabilia, circus or folk collections).
• Antiques ranging from the 1960s or earlier.
• Antiques that are in original state (non-restored items).
• Collectors who have an interesting story or history.
• Collections pertaining to the state or town.
• Collections that are private (no stores or museums).
• Collection that are not organized – the boys love to dig and discover things!
• Please keep in mind, we are looking for different, unusual, and uniqueitems too – something we’ve never seen before and with an interesting story! Feel free to share this with local media, individuals, social media etc. Please make sure people who are interested reach out to us on our phone number 1-855-OLD-RUST
(653-7878), or our email, which is AmericanPickers@cineflix.com.
Also, please note that Mike and Frank only pick private collections so NO stores, malls, flea markets, museums, auctions, businesses or anything open to the public.
Paramount High School Leos; Ayline Alcaraz, Karla Raodriguez, Jennifer Vasquez, Lusiana Hernandez, and Vivian Valdez.
Paramount High Student Honored for Designing City Logo
As part of the preparations for celebrating Paramount’s 60th anniversary of incorporation in 2017, the City invited the students in Ernesto Jacobo’s graphic design program at Paramount High School to submit ideas for a special anniversary logo. There were dozens and dozens of very creative submissions, and ultimately the design by senior Jazmine Solorzano was chosen. At the January 24 City Council meeting, Jazmine was recognized for her work, which was represented in a variety of ways, including on a birthday cake. She is shown here with Mr. Jacobo.
Erika Estudillo De Ponce (Wavefront Technology) was named Ambassador of the Quarter at the Paramount Chamber Networking Breakfast in January. Erika received a certificate of congratulations for earning the most ambassador points during the quarter. Ambassador points are earned for working chamber events, donating raffle prizes, and contacting new members. From left; Paramount Chamber Senior Vice President, Jon Tanklage (Marukan Vinegar USA), Erika Estudillo De Ponce (Wavefront Technology), Ambassador Chair, Annina Brown (AltAir Paramount).
of California
Brad Pollak (LBCC SBDC, Interim Director) spoke at the Paramount Chamber Networking Breakfast in January. Brad talked about the need to create a mission and vision for your business in order to develop a marketing strategy. For more see Business Corner on page 11.
Banc
won “Best Table Top Display” and a $25 cash prize at the January networking breakfast. From left; Norma Carbajal (Manager, Banc of California) and Robert Becerra (Banc of California, Personal Banker).
Identifying Your Vision, Mission and Uniqueness Will Help You Market Your Products and Services
As the Interim Director of the Long Beach City College SBDC, Brad specializes in business start-ups, leadership, management, marketing strategies, and business planning. Brad has 20+ years’ experience as a marketing executive and as a general manager in the music industry, and is the owner of his own management consulting and career development consultancy in Long Beach. Brad grew up in the U.S., Mexico and in Europe and holds a BA from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
When someone asks you, “What business are you in?” how do you answer that question? Do you feel confident your story is easily communicated to others? If not, you could be shortchanging yourself and your marketing efforts. Because, after all, as a marketer you’re a storyteller. To build your story, use these three parts as the foundation of your narrative:
Part 1: Clarify your Vision
The Vision of your organization describes who you are and why you’re in business. It identifies what you want the business to be.
When Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple,
they wanted to combine exquisite design with extraordinary technology. It was the bedrock of Apple that has never changed. Their products have certainly changed, but their Vision has never faltered and can be seen and felt in every one of those products.
Part 2: Clarify your Mission
Then, with your Vision in hand, you can focus on your Mission. It offers more specifics about the actual products and/or services you offer and about the customers you serve. For example, when Jeff Bezos founded Amazon.com his Mission was to sell books online and
to make it easy for anyone to buy any title from any corner of the world. His Vision was far, far bigger than selling books, but the specifics of the initial task at hand (his Mission) was to sell books. Only later did his Mission expand to selling CD’s, then DVD’s and much, much more.
Part 3: Clarify your Uniqueness
With your Vision and Mission in hand, it’s now important to articulate and communicate the unique contribution provided by your products and/or services. In other words, what is it that separates you and your products/services from the rest of the pack? Is it price?
Is it location? Is it the very uniqueness of the product/ service itself?
Tell your story:
With your Vision, Mission and Uniqueness in hand, you can now describe your business in one or two sentences. Let’s call it a very short narrative (story) with a beginning, middle and an end that can be used to market your products/services. For example, this is the story resulting from the Vision, Mission and Uniqueness of a music school in Long Beach:
“We are a rock and pop music school that provides individual and group lessons to children and adults. Our principle focus is to teach our students how to love playing their instruments and perform live on stage in front of an audience.”
It seems simple, but this narrative took time to develop and is now the story that best identifies who they are and what they do. The result is a clearly defined marketing message they use across multiple platforms.
Paramount Chamber of Commerce
Make A Difference • Join A Service Club
Continued from front page
A Look Back at 2016
drought-tolerant landscaping began on Downey Avenue.
Carosmith Park, a small community resource in the southwest part of town, received a complete makeover that included a brand new futsal court. Another new futsal court started construction in Paramount Park, as well.
Volunteerism and Service
It was a great year for volunteer and community service efforts in Paramount during 2016.
As was mentioned, the five local service clubs began partnering with the high school Youth Commission.
One of those clubs, Tepic Sister Cities, worked with the City to establish the first Dia Del Los Niños event at Paramount Park. Hundreds turned out for a day of children’s games and activities, stage entertainment, food booths, and an Easter Bunny photo opp.
The quarterly Pitch-In Paramount brought out lots of folks to paint over graffiti, clean up public areas, and do exterior home repairs for residents in need. There were 376 volunteers over the four Saturdays, many of whom came from local churches and high school clubs like the Junior ROTC.
Members of the Chamber of Commerce came together with the local Red Cross Chapter to install more than 1,000 free smoke detectors in hundreds of Paramount homes.
City/PUSD Connection
During 2016, the City’s close relationship with the Paramount Unified School District was again in force. The STAR afterschool program at 15 campuses was filled to capacity with students getting homework help that is closely tied to the District’s curriculum. The kids also get plenty of exercise as part of the program.
The two entities provided a new public recreation opportunity by opening up the Jackson School running/walking track for resident use.
The PEP scholarships raised a total of $135,435 to help 24 Paramount students attend a university, community college, or trade school. Of special note is that PUSD schools raised over $20,000 during the annual Pennies for PEP fundraiser, with Jackson School contributing a phenomenal $10,000 by itself.
During the life of the scholarship program, $728,000 has been raised and 250 scholarships given out.
Special Events
The City began a summer concert series at Paramount Park that also featured a food truck row. The free shows brought a wide range of musical styles to the com-
munity and the crowds grew steadily over the months. It will continue this year.
Two long-time events gained some new features. At the Halloween Carnival, a Haunted House was built at the Community Center for some very scary fun. And Breakfast with Santa housed a cabin for photos with St. Nick. This offered the community a less-expensive alternative to the shopping mall.
Along with SEAACA, the City’s firstever Pet Fair was a chance to get low-cost vaccinations and provide pet owners with a variety of information about cats and dogs.
The Farmers Market was revamped and relocated to Progress Park, open every Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Each week an average of 12-14 vendors provide healthy, seasonal vegetables and fruits, in addition to prepared food, crafts, and more.
Public Safety
In the realm of public safety, a new position of park patrol deputy was created to focus on all things park-related. To ensure that Paramount’s voice is heard at the regional level, monthly meetings were held between City staff and Lakewood Station Captain Allen Castellano. The City had 17 Neighborhood Watch meetings with 403 community participants. Also, after being approached by Pastor Grady Jones of New Commandment Baptist Church, the City co-hosted a “Unity in the Community” educational forum at the church for Sheriff’s personnel and members of the public to come together and discuss issues related to law enforcement. A similar event was held at Emmanuel Reformed Church.
A Tribute to Military Members
Honoring the families of Paramount’s military members at a concert in the park last summer.
The Youth Commission began meeting monthly with Paramount’s service clubs and City staff members.
Paramount students taking part in a Pitch In, Paramount event that included planting trees in Paramount Park.
Volunteers from the Paramount business community helped the Red Cross install free smoke detectors all over town.
