State of the City Address 2018
Paramount Chamber President Brenda Olmos began the 2018 State of the City Address by thanking the event sponsor AltAir Paramount. Olmos went on to remind everyone about our Healthy Paramount Initiative as the sponor gift was a pedometer for each guest. They were honored to have some breif comments and encouraging words from Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard. She remarked about the many improvements and accomplishments that have gone on this last year. Roybal-Allard also commented that Paramount is “becoming an increasingly more exciting and viable city” and “extremely important not just for the residents, but for our entire region”.
Our first presenter was President Brenda Olmos who shared a look at the “Paramount Chamber of Commerce a Year in Motion”, with a look at who makes up the membership. She also highlighted the many resources and benefits that are available to members and nonmembers in Paramount. She pointed out how the website and Facebook page are a great source of information for events and community promotion and also shared some photos of events that took place over the last year including but not limited to Networking Breakfasts, Luncheons, Golf and Poker Tournaments. President Olmos spoke about the informative monthly business workshops that take place at the Paramount Chamber Business Resource Center, and free one-on-one business counseling for new or existing businesses. She made mention of the many partnerships that Paramount Chamber participates in to revitalize and encourage residents and businesses as well as a resource for information to the whole community. A good investment for all of Paramount.
Next to speak was Paramount Unified Superintendent, Dr. Ruth Perez. Dr. Perez provided a State of the Schools. The Paramount Unified School District (PUSD) currently has over 15,000 students in 18 schools, 11 elementary, 4 middle schools, one high school, one Continuation High School and an Adult Education Center. The District also serves students in pre-school as well as provides an After School Program in partnership with the City
Paramount Chamber of Commerce made the announcement at the State of the City
Lemons after serving 27 years with the Chamber. See her heartfelt letter to the
Olmos (AppleCare Medical Management) at the
Telecommunications), Senior Vice President Jon Tanklage (Marukan Vinegar USA),
of Paramount. The PUSD is opening a new STEM Academy High School beginning with 9th graders in August at the former Lakewood Elementary site. Dr. Perez reported that graduation rates have continued to improve as well as the percentage of students that are ready to attend colleges and universities.
She shared about 4 focus areas of the District’s new Strategic Plan, College and Career Ready Graduates, High Quality Teaching and Learning, Parent and Community Partnerships, and Positive School Climate and Environments Conducive to Learning.
The PUSD has also continued to receive accolades at the State and National levels. All four middle schools have been designated as “Schools To Watch” by the Department of Education for their student achievement accomplishments. Most recently, Paramount Park and Hollydale have received this honor. Collins Elementary School has been recognized by the California School Board Association for their work on providing a Safe and Civil behavioral curriculum that has reduced suspension rates and improved attendance rates over the last six years.
Paramount High School has received an honor by the prestigious
Paramount Chamber of Commerce pulse beat 15357 Paramount Boulevard, Paramount, CA 90723
College Board and designated as an AP Honor Roll School. Only 33 schools in California receive this award and 433 in the USA and Canada. This recognition is for improving opportunities and outcomes for students in Advanced Placement classes.
Measure I bonds are providing the District with renovation and infrastructure repairs at PHS West campus and several elementary schools. Measure I thank you signs for the community are being posted.
The District has benefitted from a partnership with the SCAQMD, the Los Angeles County Health Department and The Gas Company who donated odor filters for classrooms, as they work with the District on a regular basis.The District has an existing plan to finalize quarterly testing this year. The District is pleased with the significant reductions in the presence of Chromium 6 in and around school properties.
Finally, Dr. Perez reported that the District, with a budget of over $190 million, is fiscally solvent. Because of its’ strong financial standing, the Los Angeles County Department of Education is piloting a new financial planning system with the school district as well as with other districts in good standing.
What’s inside
Next to speak was Paramount City Mayor Peggy Lemons as she hightlighted the many new improvements throughout Paramount. “The new downtown is amazing, isn’t it?”
The overall look in the landscaping, signage and colors make downtown an exciting place to walk and hang out. It has really produced a lot of economic activity.
Lemons mentioned how after all these years it’s exciting to have such a variety of places to eat. Everyone seems to have their favorite, but the addition of the multiple choices and the outdoor dining at Clearwater Crossing have opened the up atmosphere to a more inviting and social place. “One thing’s for sure – we have definitely expanded our options, and that’s something to celebrate.”
“When it comes to celebrations, it doesn’t seem that long ago that we had our 50th birthday. Last year we turned 60. As years go, it definitely had highs and lows. “While we certainly make note of our highs, Paramount never runs from its lows”, say Mayor Lemons.
She commented that “All it takes is a willingness to communicate and cooperate. When we do that, miracles happen.”
Lemons spoke about the many
events that took place last year that brought out benefits to our residents. Dia del Niño and Dia de los Muertos were fabulous thanks to the Tepic Sister Cities organization. We are fortunate to have service clubs like them. Both were held in Paramount Park.
Even though in general, recreational space in Paramount is scarce because the City has been built out for years, the new futsal courts are one example of the City makes the most with what they have. And they have become hugely popular. The walking track at Jackson School is another example, of communication and cooperation. Because the neighbors asked about exercise options, the school district opened the track for public use, and the City facilitated the whole thing and staffed it during daylight savings.
Mayor Lemons further commented on the STAR program which is also a partnership with PUSD. It’s been on District campuses since 2007, is staffed with City employees, and paid for by a grant the City receives from the State of California. The program addresses a lot of community needs: after school care, homework help, and the chance to
Luncheon of the retirement of Executive Director Peggy
community on page 8. Picture from left: President Brenda
podium, Mayor Peggy Lemons (Executive Director), Vice President Ben Berg (Transcom
Treasurer Dr. Max Martinez, DDS, FAGD, FACD.
My Year as Your Mayor
My year-long term as mayor comes to a close this month. It’s been a pleasure and an honor to serve our community this way, and I thank our residents and my fellow councilmembers for giving me the opportunity. It was an active time.
Our new downtown produced vibrant economic activity with expanded dining and shopping options, and that momentum continues.
We celebrated our 60th birthday as a City with great events that allowed us to celebrate our love for Paramount. There were other events, too, like Dia del Niño and Dia de los Muertos that were fabulous thanks to the Tepic Sister Cities organization. We are fortunate to have service clubs like them.
The summer concerts moved to Progress Park last year and saw attendance surge.
We engaged in outreach about nutrition and wellness with “Healthy Paramount,” a collaboration between the City and the business community, specifically AppleCare Medical Group.
We continued to provide access to the freshest fruits and vegetables every week at the Farmers Market, which also features
delicious prepared foods and unique products, all in a pleasant outdoor setting. If you haven’t paid a visit, I hope you will. It’s every Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Progress Park.
Recreationally, we added two new futsal courts in Paramount Park and worked with PUSD to open a walking track at Jackson School for neighborhood use.
A pair of sculptures was added to Paramount’s outdoor art museum.
The “Pitch In, Paramount” initiative saw amazing numbers of local volunteers give up part of their Saturdays to help neighborsin-need by painting houses, cutting lawns, hauling away debris, and performing other clean-up projects around town to make our city look good.
There was good news with the continuing challenge of air quality. The AQMD reported that “significant improvements” have been made on this issue since October 2016. We worked long and hard in a variety of ways to help make that happen. One effort was with the City Council Air Quality Subcommittee, which spent a lot of time studying how the problems related to metal businesses can be reduced in the future. One solution was radically revamping our zoning regulations and planning laws. The changes should do much to control potential sources of polluting metals in town.
And we ended the year, of course, with our line-up of holiday season activities for our Paramount families. I don’t think anyone does the holidays better than Paramount.
It’s been a high point of my life to devote time, energy, and passion to this fine city, so full of good, decent, positive people with dreams, hopes, and an optimistic outlook. Communication and cooperation have always been the keys to our success. Thank you, again, for letting me represent you as Mayor.
Over a Year of Water Testing Confirms Safety
In the wake of the discovery of elevated levels of hexavalent chromium in the air of an industrial neighborhood in Paramount in 2016, and amid questions about water quality, the City decided to test the water supply for hexavalent chromium on a regular basis to assure everyone of its safety.
February of 2018 marked the 15th consecutive month of that testing, a schedule that has far exceeded most federal and state standards, which generally require testing once every three years.
The levels have always been well within the guidelines for safe and clean water.
Our local water supply comes primarily from underground aquifers deep beneath the surface. Scientists and engineers have told the City there is very little, if any, chance that airborne hexavalent chromium can make its way into the Paramount water supply. However, to ease any concerns, the City began this testing in December 2016, sending samples to a pair of independent labs. Samples were taken at eight different points in the water supply. All results from that initial test showed hexavalent chromium to be less than 1 part per billion (ppb) in Paramount, which is the detection limit for drinking water. And so it has been since then. All of the results can be viewed at paramountenvironment.org. Click the “Water” tab at the top of the homepage.
We’ve always known that our water is safe, and always meets and exceeds state and federal specifications. More than a year’s worth of constant testing for hexavalent chromium adds further confirmation of that fact.
Free Income Tax Help and Other Filing Information
According to Rep. Lucille RoybalAllard’s website, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program offers free tax help to taxpayers who have an income generally of $53,000 and below and who cannot prepare their own tax returns. Most locations also offer free electronic filing.
The VITA sites near Paramount include:
The Weingart Senior Center, 5220 Oliva Ave., Lakewood, 90712; (562) 630-6141.
People’s Community Center, 9121 Long Beach Blvd., South Gate, 90280; (323) 537-2760.
Saint Helen Church, 9314 Madison Ave., South Gate, 90280; (323) 563-3522.
AAB - Bell Gardens, 6423 Florence Pl., Bell Gardens, 90201; (562) 806-5400.
The Barbara J. Riley Com. Sr. Ctr., 7810 Quill Dr., Downey, 90242; (562) 904-7223 (for seniors only).
You will need to bring:
Valid photo ID – driver’s license, California photo ID, or passport.
Date of birth, Social Security numbers for taxpayer, their spouse, and dependents if applicable.
Income tax documentation including W-2, W-2G, 1099-R from all employers.
Interest and dividend statements from banks and other financial institutions (Form 1099).
Total amount paid for day care per child. Bring day care provider’s address, phone number, and tax identifying number (the provider’s Social Security number or business employer identification number).
Current tax year’s package if you have received one.
A blank voided check for bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit of refund.
Copy of last year’s federal and state returns if available.
In addition to the VITA program, the IRS offers a Free File option for everyone, regardless of income. You can visit the IRS Free File website at www.irs.gov/filing/ free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free to learn about the different options and how to take advantage of this program when filing your federal taxes.
Also, you may be interested to learn more about the Earned Income Tax Credit, also known as the EITC. The EITC is a credit for people who earn low-to-moderate incomes (individuals with earned income less than $46,997 and married couples filing jointly with income less than $52,427). The EITC can reduce taxes and result in a refund. Visit www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/ individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/do-iqualify-for-earned-income-tax-credit-eitc. And, finally, the IRS has a resource for small businesses. Go to www.irs.gov/businesses/small-business-and-self-employedtax-center to find information, forms, and publications that small business owners and entrepreneurs need to have.
“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, that diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.”
Mayor, Peggy Lemons
- Rosa Parks
Watch Out for Tax Season Scams
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:
• 80 percent of vehicle crashes involve some sort of driver inattention.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. In recent years, thousands of people have lost millions of dollars and their personal information to tax scams and fake IRS communication. For a full look at different scams, visit www.irs.gov/uac/tax-scamsconsumer-alerts.
• Up to 6,000 people nationwide are killed in crashes where driver distractions are involved.
The IRS doesn’t initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages, or social media channels to request personal or financial information.
• Talking on a cell phone or texting is the number one source of driver distractions.
• 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.
IRS-Impersonation Telephone Scams
A sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, has been making the rounds throughout the country. Callers claim to be IRS employees, using fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. They may know a lot about their targets, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling.
• 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.
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.
Victims are told they owe money to the IRS that must be paid promptly through a gift card or wire transfer. In some cases, victims have been threatened with arrest, deportation, or suspension of a business or driver’s license.
A ticket for $159 for texting or talking on a cell phone is a major distraction to your wallet.
What can you do? Most important, obey the law. It’s there for a reason. Also, do your best to eliminate distractions:
• Never text and drive.
• Turn off your phone when you get behind the wheel.
In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting. Victims may be told they have a refund due to try to trick them into sharing private information. If the phone isn’t answered, the scammers often leave an “urgent” callback request.
• Don’t text or call someone when you know they are likely to be driving.
• Make a pact with your family, spouse, and caregivers never to use the phone with kids in the car.
• No eating or drinking while driving.
Limited English Proficiency victims are often approached in their native language, threatened with deportation, police arrest, and license revocation, among other things. IRS urges that all taxpayers be cautious before paying unexpected tax bills.
• Don’t program your GPS, MP3 player, or other devices while driving.
Remember, the IRS doesn’t:
• Pull over and stop to read maps.
• Call to demand immediate payment
• No grooming.
• No reading.
• No watching videos.
• Try not to get too involved with pas sengers.
• If something falls to the floor, pull over before trying to reach it.
using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card, or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail you a bill if you owe any taxes.
Project LEAD Sending Positive Message to Paramount Fifth Graders
• Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
• Demand payment without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
• Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
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.
Tax Preparer Fraud
A good tax preparer will ask you plenty of questions and use your receipts to see if you qualify for deductions.
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.
Sadly, too many young people first become acquainted with the justice system as delinquents. Project LEAD is designed to avoid that scenario.
Some tax preparers will make big promises, even if that means illegally giving false information on your returns. Remember, even if someone else prepares your taxes, you are responsible for what you file and will face the penalties if something is inaccurate.
Here are some tips from the IRS when choosing a tax preparer:
• Be cautious of tax preparers who claim they can get larger refunds than anyone else.
• Avoid preparers who base their fee on a percentage of the amount of the refund.
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.
• Use a reputable tax professional who signs your tax return and provides you with a copy for your records.
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.
• Make sure they have a Preparer Tax Identification Number. Only attorneys, certified public accountants, and enrolled agents can represent taxpayers before the IRS.
Summer Vacation Home Checks
• Never agree to have any portion of your refund deposited into your tax preparer’s bank account. Your refund should be sent to you or deposited into your bank account.
With summertime approaching, remember that if you’re going out of town for an extended period of time, you can schedule a home check.
Paramount residents can contact the Sheriff’s Station about having Volunteers on Patrol keep an eye on your home or property
Elks Lodge Civic Night Awards 2018
Paramount Chamber Welcomes New Ambassador
Name: Peter Garcia
Company: New York Life
Company Address: 801 N. Brand Blvd. Glendale, CA 91203
Office Phone: (562) 451-0196
Major Product or Service? Life insurance, Disability, and Long-term Care
How Long in Business? 4 months
Why Did You Join the Chamber? Paramount is my home. I was raised here and seeing it’s development inspired me to help.
Where Were You Born? Gardena Education/Training? I have a MBA from CSU Long Beach.
Civic Affiliations? Bob Hope Patriotic Hall, American legion
What is Your Favorite Saying? A penny saved is a penny earned.
Latest Accomplishment: Completing the MBA program.
Philosophy: What really matters is your own self-victory.
If You Were Granted 3 Wishes What Would They Be? A happy life for me and my family. Find a method that allows kids to quickly understand their career path. Be able to go to Japan whenever I want.
State of the City Address 2018
Continued From Page 1
learn about healthy foods and participate in fitness activities.
More outreach about nutrition and wellness started last year with “Healthy Paramount,” another collaboration, this one between the City and the business community, specifically AppleCare Medical Group. Plus there is the freshest fruits and vegetables every week at the Farmers Market, a great addition to Paramount. It also features delicious prepared foods and lots of unique products, all in a pleasant outdoor setting. Mayor Lemons comments,”If you haven’t paid a visit, I hope you will. It’s every Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in this very park.”
Lemons also reported that the Youth Commission is comprised of some of the most amazing kids around, and is impressed with their brilliance and dedication through the PEP program, their volunteerism at City events, the TAG art winners, and so much more. She further reported that the Youth Commission gives our high school students the chance to learn how government works and gives them a forum for sharing their goals and ideas for Paramount’s future and that no doubt you will see “I served on the Paramount Youth Commission” as a bullet point on a piece of political literature one day.
When Mayor Lemons mentioned kids volunteering, she was referring to Pitch In, Paramount. “We never cease to be amazed at how many people come out to these quarterly events. They give up part of their Saturdays to paint houses, cut lawns, haul away debris, and do other projects to make our city look good.” This isn’t new. These cleanups started more than 30 years with the Lookin Good program, and also with Emmanuel Church who began it by committing to one full year of Saturdays to help our neighborhoods. The city also created programs like residential rehabs, picket fences, pocket parks, and more. Lookin Good, especially, helped us win the award of All American City Awards in 1988. And its legacy continues today.
Lemons reports that the Santa Train handed out about 25,000 apples and candy canes. Every year, adults with children talk of how they remember coming to the train when they were kids. It’s quite a unique tradition, along with the rest of our holiday festivities.
These events are enjoyed by big crowds year after year. Very special Paramount experiences.
In closing Mayor Lemons reflects thoughts about the state of our city, our very special
Paramount. Lemons states, “It’s a fine city, full of good, decent, positive people with dreams, hopes, and optimism.”
The final speaker was Paramount City Manager, John Moreno, and he reported on the following areas of City business and changes.
The Economy Paramount’s Finance Department has been winning awards for financial reporting since 1982. The largest single category of income is sales tax, and has been steady since 2008, sales tax revenue was $7.46 million. In 2017, it was $7.28 million. Through all of this, Paramount has been able to post surpluses for the last seven years including $360,000 in 2017. Every city will undergo a yearly independent audit, which Paramount passed with flying colors. They are very happy to report that they were found to be in great shape, only minor changes were recommended.
Mr. Moreno commented that the City continues to look for ways to maintain the integrity of our operations and retain the stability that it has been known for over the last few decades.
Unemployment in Paramount has been dropping for years, and is now at 4.9%. We all can remember the high employment of 18% from back in the peak of the recession.
Property values continue to increase. According to Zillow, the median price of a house in Paramount went from $367,000 in January 2017 to around $400,000 today. In fact, the latest housing development in town, 30 new single-family homes near The Home Depot, is sold out. Prices ranged from the high $500s to the low $600s.
The City has re-launched efforts to express the eternal need for residents to support the local economy and business community called “Shop Local: Spend in Paramount.” The idea is very simple. Money spent in Paramount puts deputies on the beat and maintains parks for our kids. One way of getting the word out is through a dedicated Facebook page which will promote specials, coupons, show videos, do short features or profiles, and provide other types of help. Email shoplocal@paramountcity.com to learn more.
Public Safety
It was another good year for Paramount in terms of Part One crimes, which had an overall drop of 6%. Theft, arson, rape and robbery all led with substantial declines. If you look at our ten-year trend, the figures are down by a healthy 18%. Even with the slight uptick in 2015 and 2016, those numbers were still way
Continued on Page 13
Firefighter Specialist Peter Borrego awarded Firefighter of the year and Deputy nick DeLa Torre awarded Officer of the year.
Dr. Max Martinez (at left) presents Col. robert Guild, Senior Army instructor JrOTC the Citizen of the year award. Luz Castro from the office of Congresswoman Lucille roybal-Allard presented Col. Guild with Congressional Certificate Award as well.
Todd Hansen awarded Brenda Olmos of AppleCare Medical Management the Special Citizens Award from the Elks Grand Lodge.
Deadline This Month for Scholarship Submissions
College students applying for the PEP Scholarships have until the end of the day on March 16 to submit their finished applications at Paramount City Hall or the Paramount Recreation Office. Hard copies of the applications can be delivered either in person or by mail. They are available at City Hall, the Recreation Office, and the Chamber of Commerce (phone, 562-634-3980). Copies can also be downloaded on the City’s website (www.paramountcity.com).
Paramount City Hall is located at 16400 Colorado Avenue, Paramount, CA 90723. The Paramount Recreation Office is located at 15300 Downey Ave., Paramount, CA 90723.
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 for seven other local scholarships, in addition to PEP, with just the one application. These are available through their academic counselors, and will be submitted through them.
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.
Special Note: The PEP Board of Directors has added 10 additional $1,000 schol-
arships specifically for community college students this year. So if you’re planning on attending such a school, apply for the scholarship regardless of GPA.
Promote Your Business At PEP Special Event
And remember, all business sponsors that donate to the PEP Scholarship fund are invited to the Sponsor Social on Friday, April 27, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Progress Park Plaza, 15500 Downey Avenue.
It’s a fun night of great food, casino games, and good company all in the name of supporting education in Paramount. Donating to the fund or sponsoring the event will also offers ways to promote your business to the community at large.
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, almost 300 scholarships worth over $800,000 have gone to Paramount kids.
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.
If interested in sponsorships or other contributions, please call (562) 220-2121.
The following businesses renewed their membership in the Paramount Chamber of Commerce last month, they are celebrating another
year as members. Chamber and Business Resource Center services are made possible by their support.
Paramount Family Optometry Grand Opening
From Left Tonya Martin (Office of Senator Ricardo Lara), Paramount Chamber President Brenda Olmos (AppleCare Medical Management a Part of OptumCare), Mayor Peggy Lemons, Paul Dennis (Wber Metal).
Dr. Merino takes ownership of long time Optometry practice here in Paramount. Pictured with Brenda Olmos (AppleCare Medical Management a Part of OptumCare), Paramount Chamber President.
Executive Director Peggy Lemons Says Goodbye After “27” Years
Dear Paramount:
I want to thank everyone who supported the Paramount Chamber over the last 27 years; I’m blessed to have worked with so many outstanding people. When I first began working for the Paramount Chamber I faced a lot of challenges, but I also got to do what I love most; help people and solve problems.
I firmly believe that if people work together in a spirit of cooperation and communication there is no problem that can’t be solved. Teamwork is an invaluable tool for success, and the greatest gift our institutions and our leaders, can give to the residents and businesses of Paramount.
As the Executive Director I was fortunate to work with great leaders who care about Paramount. Building bridges between the business community, the schools, the clergy, and the City has been the foundation of my time with the Chamber; I hope those relationships continue and that everyone in the community will benefit from them.
As Mayor, I will continue working for the good of the City; with a little extra time for my beautiful granddaughter and devoted husband.
Again, thank you members, board, ambassadors, staff, and residents for “27” amazing years!
Paramount-Tepic Sister Cities was acknowledged a Model for Youth Leadership during US Mexico Sister Cities Association conference in Downey Saturday Feb. 24,2018. Two PHS Seniors were awarded “ People to People “Scholarship $500 each to Ms. Miriam Mercado and Mr. Angel Macias for their contributions to Sister Cities. President Frank Barraza
Paramount-Tepic Sister Cities Acknowledged
Long-Time Paramount Resident to Run the Boston Marathon 2018
By patricia Winiecki
Long-time Paramount resident Patricia Winiecki was selected by 261 Fearless to join their team to run the 2018 Boston Marathon.
“I am a 66 year-old marathoner, librarian, cat rescuer and breast cancer survivor. I work full-time for the Los Angeles County Public Library. I love my profession and the people working in it. I have also been blessed with a 48+ year marriage to another marathoner!
“My lifetime partner and I started running with the LA RoadRunners in 2012, after we realized we were gaining weight and losing ground - FAST. Something drastic had to be done! I immediately fell and broke my shoulder, but trained and finished the 2013 LA Marathon.
“Since then, I managed to break my hip and wrist, had plates and screws installed in both, but never gave up. I was again blessed this year to finish the Bhutan Marathon with Sister Marathons on March 4, 2017 in Punakha, Bhutan. While in Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal, I became seriously ill. As soon as I arrived home in Los Angeles, we headed for the hospital. I had surgery to remove my gall bladder that night!
“But, NEVER GIVE UP! REMAIN FEARLESS! I continued to train with the NY RoadRunners and just completed the NYC Marathon on November 5, 2017. Then the most wonderful phone call came from Fearless Deb, Team 261 Fearless, on December 15, 2017, telling me I was part of the team. This is a dream come true and a thrilling chance for me to help others facing seemingly insurmountable chal-lenges”
261 Fearless, Inc.
“261 Fearless, Inc. is a global non-profit organization founded by pioneer runner kathrine Switzer. 261 Fearless uses running as a vehicle to empower and unite women globally through the creation of clubs, education programs, communication platforms and events. Through these networking opportu-nities, 261 Fearless breaks down the barriers of geography and creates a global community for wom-en runners of all abilities to support and talk to each other, encouraging healthy living and a positive sense of self and fearlessness.
“It is the mission of 261 Fearless to bring active women together through a global supportive commu-nity allowing fearless women to pass strength gained from running and walking onto women who are facing challenges and hence sparking a revolution of empowerment. 261 is the symbol that unites us as empowered runners.
The 2017 Boston Marathon was the 50th Anniversary of kathrine’s historic run as the
first woman to run the marathon, wearing an official race bib (261) in the all-male event. She had to fend off an angry race director at mile two. After finishing that race, kathrine dedicated her life to providing opportunities around the world for women to run.
And again in 2018, 261 Fearless runners will run the streets of Boston to spread the message of being Fearless through running. 261 is the legacy of inclusion and empowerment that is passed to women around the world.
The funds raised will go to setting up global 261 Clubs, education programs, a powerful communica-tions network and events so that women, many in fearful places, are made fearless by your efforts. In particular, we need the ability to bring our 261 Club model of social, non-competitive running to wom-en all over the world; we know creating the community of running women transforms them, and we need to get our training and support team out into the communities who need and want a club the most.
• We provide healthy and sustainable non-competitive running opportunities for women to become fearless and build selfesteem
• We empower women to embrace the social and fun side of running so that they may give support to other women who want to become fearless through running
• We foster a global running community inclusive of all abilities, body-types, ethnicities, reli-gious backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, and sexual orientations
• We create safe and secure quality communications channels for engagement
• We lead in unique run coaching programs for women
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10 “Must Have” Items for Your Home Page
Written by Victoria Byrne
Victoria Byrne is the founder of Creative Marketing Services (www.creativemktgservices.com), a marketing agency offering a full spectrum of marketing initiatives including strategic planning & development, Internet marketing, website development, branding, marketing communications, advertising, PR or promotions. Victoria is a marketing specialist with a successful career over the past 15 years. Her experience ranges from leading marketing departments for large corporations to small businesses and start-ups. Email: victoria@ creatiemktgservices.com
The homepage of your website is the most important page of your site. It’s where the majority of visitors enter your site and you only have a few seconds to grab their attention and connect with them. It’s key that visitors like your site and can find what they’re looking for quickly and easily. If not, they move on to another site and you’re out of luck.
To make sure that doesn’t happen to you, we’ve included the following Website Checklist for Your Home Page with 10 “Must Have” Items to help you make the most of this upcoming Holiday season and all year round.
1. Logo and Brand Identifier - Include your company logo and tagline at the top of the page so visitors will instantly know what website they are visiting. Also include other branding elements (i.e. tagline, color scheme, key selling points, etc) so that you are consistent across all marketing vehicles. Include images that clearly communicate and relate to what your business does.
2. Phone Number - Feature your company’s phone number prominently in the upper right hand corner of the home page
as well as every page of the website. You want to make it as easy as possible for clients and prospective clients to get in touch with you. While most traffic will enter your website through the home page, they are many gates to entry for your site and you don’t want people to have to search for your contact information.
3. Contact Us - Include either a contact us page in the main navigation bar or an email link directly on the home page. Again, you want to make it as easy as possible for people to contact you without having to search for your contact info. Avoid including your actual email address on the website as this will increase the amount of SPAM in your inbox. It’s a best practice to use a contact form where you can collect basic information from the person so that you’ll have better insight on them before contacting them. keep it short (around 5 data fields or so) and in addition to basic contact information, ask them to indicate what product(s) or service(s) they are interested in, how you can help them and how they heard about you so that you can track the source of your leads. If you have a brick and mortar business, then also include the hours and days of the week that you are open. Finally, include a “get directions” link.
4. Clear Navigation- Include a simple navigation bar either across the top of the page or down the side of the page with working links. If your site has numerous pages, then incorporate a drop down menu instead of trying to crowd too many links in the main navigation. Also, be sure to test your links regularly or use Google Webmaster tools to make sure that they are working. Broken links will lead to incomplete orders or traffic navigating away from your site.
5. Compelling Headline -Include
a strong headline that stands out and conveys why your audience should use your product or service. In other words, what you can do for them? Following the headline, include key marketing messaging via bullet points and focus on what sets you apart from your competition.
6. Call to Action -What action do you want your visitors to take? Do you want them to register for an event, sign up for a free trial or place an order or learn more about a product or service? Incorporate a clear call to action that stands out from the other content on the home page. We’ve seen too many businesses that simply try to put everything including the kitchen sink on their home page. Nobody wants to spend time to have to read through the muddle, instead keep the content on the home page limited to only the key marketing communications. You have an entire website to house the majority of the content so keep the home page clean, simple and concise.
7. Company Overview - At a glance, identify the products or services that your company provides. Avoid going into too much detail on the home page because before you know it, there will be a ton of content on the homepage which visitors will not read. Instead the idea is that you want to provide an overview which will hook the reader to want to learn more, therefore clicking through deeper within the site where you provide more details on a particular product or service. Include a “read more” link where the reader can learn more. Also remember to include your keywords within the content of your website.
8. Email Opt-In Form - Include an opt-in form on your home page as well as every page of the site for the reasons outlined above. Be creative and provide reasons why a visitor should sign up to receive your company newsletter. For
example, include an overview of the type of information that is included, the frequency or include a special offer like a discount on their first order or maybe a free download as a thank you for signing up. If you are using an email service provider like Constant Contact, the entries will automatically be added to your email database which will generate a welcome email that you can customize (i.e. include the coupon or link to download, etc.).
9. Social Media Icons - It has been reported that only 20% of small businesses feature their social media icons on their website. Whether your company is on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Pinterest, you want to promote your company’s social media presence and provide a direct link to the social media site. Essentially, you want to give your audience a choice for how to connect with you while making it as easy as possible for them to do so.
10. Google Analytics - Have your webmaster incorporate Google Analytics on every page of your website. Google Analytics is free and provides an incredible amount of comprehensive data including metrics like: how many visitors were on your site, what percentage of the traffic was new (never been to your site before), how long are visitors staying on the site, what are the traffic sources, and what are the top content pages. For any business, it is critical to track and measure metrics so that you can determine how effective any marketing initiative is performing. It is no different when it comes to your website. You want to track your website stats to determine the effectiveness of your website. By tracking your website stats, you’ll be able to see what’s working and what is not. It’s a great way to test different content, offers or incentives to see which is best converting for your target audience.
State of the City Address 2018
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below 2008 and are nowhere near the highest levels reported years ago.
When it comes to serious crime, you have to go back to the late 1960s and early 1970s to find comparable levels. The City expressed genuinely gratitude to the Sheriff’s Department for being such a strong and collaborative partner over these years that have seen such good results.
But law enforcement can’t do it alone. The Neighborhood Watch program is very vibrant in Paramount. Last year the City held 33 meetings with 649 residents attending. These meetings cover all sorts of public safety topics, but one of the more consistent complaints was about speeding.
In an effor to address this “need to cut down speed”, an unfilled motorcycle officer position flexible overtime shifts to all motorcycle deputies within the Sheriff’s Department. The response was phenomenal and saw good success with 2,844 citations issued over the last year. “We take the issue of speeding on our streets very seriously for the public hazard that it represents” says Moreno.
Challenges
Now, to the most controversial topic from last year, something that created headlines in the press and was full of frightening news, frustration, heated debate, and, finally, partnership, leadership, and progress.
Paramount has certainly seen its share of challenges over the decades. How many re-
member the Rand Report? How many remember the response? What became this hallmark was the community coming together to make things better and developing programs that helped overcome obstacles.
The most recent challenge was air pollution and confronted hexavalent chromium. The extremely high levels of this toxin that were found seemed to come out of nowhere. Even the Air Quality Management District was caught unaware by these high levels and sources of pollution. The big story of 2017 involved a wide cast of characters –local, county, and state agencies; residents; environmental activists; businesses; clergy; and more. It revealed how environmental management works and who holds what kind of power.
With that progress has come success. A report released recently by AQMD noted the “significant improvements” made here since October 2016. That line is from the AQMD, the scientists, the regulators, the experts.
Mr. Moreno reported on the actions taken up to that point and about other planned responses. In addition he focused on a few of the really important things that have happened since then. The soil and dust at Village Park were tested by the State and the City. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control certified that the soil and dust at the park does not contain hazardous levels of hexavalent chromium or other metals commonly used in the metal industry. This was great news for our com-
munity. The fact that the park is located in the industrial area of town and showed no impactful signs of metal pollution was very encouraging.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health also published findings on soil samples taken by both them and the City, near two businesses identified as sources of hex chrome. According to their report, the low detection of hex chrome at the ten soil sampling locations, some near homes, suggests that “direct contact with or accidental ingestion of these surface soils would not appear to represent an exposure pathway of public health concern.”
In light of the public’s concerns with hex chrome in the air, Paramount decided to go over and above all state and federal standards related to testing our drinking water.
In late 2016, Paramount started monthly testing for hex chrome. The results have always showed levels to be less than 1 part per billion, well within the safe levels for drinking water.
Some other quick points – the City Council Air Quality Subcommittee spent most of the year studying ways to make sure these problems related to metal businesses will be lessened in the future.
As reported last year, the City Council shut down expansion of these types of businesses and the opening of new ones with a moratorium. Then the solution of radically revamping our zoning regulations and planning laws was developed. If approved, these changes should go a long way toward controlling potential sources of polluting metals in town. These actions and results do in fact show that, although there is still work to be done and not
finished with this latest challenge, significant improvements have been made in Paramount’s air quality.
Times are very difficult right now with another issue that has spread across our region, homelessness. According to the annual survey conducted by the County, the numbers here in Paramount have more than doubled, from 50 people in 2016, to 111 last year. It’s a terrible situation with any number of root causes. Regardless of those causes, it’s another tough challenge that Paramount will not turn away from.
Joining with Bellflower, the Home For Good Funders Collaborative, and the County Homeless Initiative, we received a grant for $100,000 last year which will be split with Bellflower to create a plan that coordinates community members, non-profit organizations, and stakeholders to try and solve homelessness here.
The Infrastructure Paramount had another productive year laying asphalt, repairing sidewalks, building drought-tolerant medians, retrofitting City facilities for energy efficiency, and making recreation improvements like building the new futsal courts in Paramount Park.
Regarding streets, Parmount’s big resurfacing project was a portion of Alondra Blvd., one of its busiest boulevards. This was good for cars, specifically tires. It was also good for the environment. The resurfacing projects are being done with rubberized asphalt, which is a way to recycle old tires. On Alondra, the City diverted almost 10,000 tires from landfills. That’s a lot of rubber hitting the road, or,
Make A Difference • Join A Service Club
Serving the community for over fifty years Major Sponsor of Dictionaries for 3rd graders PUSD Monthly/Yearly Scholorships for PHS seniors Donate to Vets in L.B. Vets Hospital m eetings every m onday night 7:30 pm HALL FOR RENT
* Quinceaneras
its annual Paramount Rotary Golf Tournament.
The Club meets at noon every Tuesday at Progress Plaza Park (15500 Downey Ave.) for fellowship, lunch and an informational program. Do the Club’s activities sound like fun to you? If so, please be our guest for lunch. For more information call President John Boogaard at (562) 881-0334 or Secretary Dean Mouren-Laurens at (562) 633-3224. Please visit our website at ClubRunner.ca/Paramount . We hope to see you soon!
State of the City Address 2018
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actually, becoming the road.
Paramount’s street paving will get a boost thanks to the State transportation bill that passed last year. The City’s share will be nearly $13 million over the next ten years for local road repairs. So they hope to do a lot more paving in the years to come.
Speaking of transportation-related taxes, a few years back, L.A. County voters approved an increase in sales tax to help boost public transit. As a result, a light rail line planned for the area will likely be built sooner rather than later.
When it’s done, it will run from Artesia through Paramount and into Union Station in downtown L.A. The route will include two stations here. That will definitely be a dramatic part of our infrastructure. It will also feature possible economic growth opportunities in the areas around the stations.
Leaving cars and trains, Paramount will be providing more space for bikes by extending the bike path thanks to a very competitive $3.4 million grant awarded from Caltrans. It will now go from Somerset where it currently ends to Rosecrans. Eventually, the trail will join the L.A. River, connecting downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean at Seal Beach.
Paramount repairs damaged sidewalks on a regular basis. To do this more costeffectively, the City is one of the first to join a pilot program for inspection and maintenance run by our Insurance Authority and received over $30,000 for the project.
More than 140 miles of sidewalks were assessed. This allowed Paramount to identify where panels could be repaired rather than fully replaced, which saved a lot of money. Within four months, they removed over 9,000 sidewalk trip hazards spanning roughly 228,000 square feet in the city. Finding these potential hazards, and getting rid of them quickly, was driven by a commitment to safety and keeping risk management costs low.
Moreno also reported “It was about time that we re-did our City website.” The current site went live in 2001, with no design changes since. In order to improve navigation of the site on a mobile device, it is in need of more changes. The City should have something to unveil for users by mid-year, so keep an eye out for it. odds and ends
These following items fall outside of a specific category, as things often do.
The Los Angeles County’s Community Choice Energy Program (or LACCE) is a program Paramount joined at the direction of the City Council that will hopefully save everyone in town money on their electric bills.
It combines the buying power of Paramount customers with customers in other jurisdictions. The electricity will still be delivered by Edison; still be billed by Edison. The program is optional, customers can even stay with Edison if they want to. But if they join LACCE, they can determine the source of power and that Edison bill should be a lot lower. Also customers can buy renewable energy through LACCE for less money than Edison’s renewable energy rate. This is a big step for Paramount, as they are one of only a handful of cities to do this. It’s another way the City is working to be environmentally friendly.
Moreno also reported that the Long Beach Chapter of the Red Cross has been a real resource for hundreds of our residents through their smoke detector program. The Red Cross has provided the smoke detectors for free and they have been installed by volunteers from our churches, Habitat for Humanity, L.A. County Fire, and folks from some of the companies here today.
Last year there were 313 installations. It’s a potentially life-saving effort, and involved
many volunteers. A special thanks was express to everyone who has been involved.
Speaking of preparedness, the City changed vendors for our Reverse 911 system last year. The messages are sent through landlines, cell phone or text and can cover a range of issues, including emergencies, public safety, recreation, special events, etc. The City urges everyone to sign up on the homepage at paramountcity.com where there is an easyto-find tab.
Paramount has been on a roll when it comes to new food and drink establishments with Hiccups, Waba Grill, Chipotle, The Habit, Papa John’s and IHOP opening last year. This movement is still going forward. Ono Hawaiian BBQ opened a few weeks ago and the last two tenants at Clearwater Crossing have started construction. One of those is The Stinkin’ Crawfish featuring an amazing menu of Cajun and other seafood delights, with a full bar and indoor/outdoor patio.
The Pizza Press will be right next door, where you can create your own pie and wash it down with a selection of craft beers.
Some star power came to Rosecrans late last year across from the high school. La Diosa de los Moles is operated by Rocio Camacho, who is known as the “Goddess of Mole” on the L.A. foodie scene. She has brought her legendary recipes to Paramount. It’s always nice to welcome a celebrity to town, and hope she thrives here, just like our own homegrown “celebrity” in another small business has done, namely Horchateria Rio Luna.
Horchateria Rio Luna has been a regional smash since opening and been featured on local television. Last year they were named the Small Business of the Year by Speaker Anthony Rendon for his Assembly district. The City also nominated them to take part in a non-profit program for healthy small businesses, which turned out to be a great experience for them.
Last year Moreno reported the City created the Boulevard of Heroes along Paramount Blvd. to honor residents who are currently serving in the military. The City holds a special place in their hearts for military veterans from Paramount.
In 2017, the City Council adopted a program that will shine a light on those vets. They will be sharing their stories with the community in a variety of ways like social media and the website, and also offer them some other perks.
The first part of the program happened last year in conjunction with Paramount’s partners at the animal shelter, SEAACA. Pets for Vets provided free dog and cat adoptions. The animal shelter pays for half and the City pays the other half. Paying tribute to the local veterans “will be a pleasure and an honor for us”, reported Moreno.
In Paramount, the recreational space is rather limited due to any number of historical reasons. So efforts are made to be creative and efficient with the resources at hand, getting the most usage possible for the greatest number of residents.
In that same spirit of efficiency, last year the Recreation Department began exploring partnerships with outside agencies that might bring specialized expertise to certain programs. Paramount joined together with the local YMCA to run the youth basketball league and provide water-safety classes. They also turned over the management of the youth soccer leagues to the Paramount Youth Soccer Organization.
The City is relatively lean when it comes to employee and staffing levels. It made sense to look for these inventive ways to get the job done, and get it done well, for the people of Paramount.
Moreno commented in closing, “I can guarantee you this – everybody who works for the City is devoted to Paramount and works hard and does whatever it takes.”
