Pulse Beat November 2017 by City of Paramount

Paramount pulse Beat pulse Beat

More Than 600 Students and Teachers

Attend ACE Clearwater Manufacturing Day

On Friday, October 6th ACE Clearwater hosted its fifth Manufacturing Day celebration – a national event of more than 2,700 companies and businesses that open their doors to educate students and their local communities about the new, creative world of manufacturing. This year ACE again hosted more than 600 students and their teachers from local middle schools, high schools, and trade schools. The ACE team created 20 work center simulations manned by ACE experts – who demonstrated many of the processes which go toward the manufacture of Aerospace and Power Generation parts and assemblies. There were

also exhibits about futuristic technologies – tools which are here, now.

New this year, ACE presented “The Manufacturing Process from Conceptual Design to Final Assembly”. The twenty work centers showcased traditional, innovative and futuristic, state-of-the-art processes and technologies — including Computer-assisted Design Software’s, Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing), Hydroforming and Hydraulic Press Metal Forming, Robotics, Precision CNC and Conventional Machining, Oculus Rift 3D Goggles, Computer-driven Laser Cutting, 3D-Coordinate Measuring Systems,

and an Interactive Welding Exhibit. They also demonstrated Specialized Raw Material Characteristics, Water Jet, and LEAP Motion movement-tracking Interactive Software.

At the core of the day’s activities was the manufacture of the Apache Helicopter primary exhaust assembly. Each work center demonstrated a different step in its production.

The Apache Helicopter is heavily relied upon by the armed services, and is frequently in the harshest military operating environments imaginable. One of the significant defenses it has is the way it hides its heat signature from infrared sensors.

Once thoroughly in -

spected, delivered and installed, the Primary’s unique and complex construction resists wear-and-tear from extreme heat and vibration from the Apache’s twin GE T701D turboshaft engines.

ACE is a third-generation, build-to-data manufacturing company that employs nearly

200 welders, machinists, metal forming specialists and manufacturing engineers.

Burrous Bites Visits Café Corleone

and her daughter Connie Costa.

Channel 5 News personality and anchorman Chris Burrous of “Burrous Bites” recently visited Café Corleone in Paramount. After dining on Bow Tie Pasta with Salmon and Dolores Pizza he had this to say, “this is the creamiest, cheesiest pizza I have ever had in my life.” Burrous called Café Corleone

a neighborhood gem serving real Italian and Sicilian food. Café Corleone is a family owned and operated business serving authentic dishes from southern Italy and fresh vegetables from the family garden.

The restaurant has a four-star rating on Yelp making the Costa family very proud.

Chris Burrous with Cafe Corleone restaurant owner Alicia Costa

The Holidays are Upon Us

Paramount is known for its full schedule of holiday events. From Thanksgiving to December’s Snow Day and Breakfast with Santa, these activities bring out thousands of community members to celebrate and share the joy. Here’s the line-up for this year.

Become a Thanksgiving Sponsor

Remember, businesses have a way of honoring Paramount’s seniors by becoming a sponsor at the Thanksgiving gathering.

If you would like to be a part of this tradition, please contact (562) 220-2090.

Got Your Seniors Thanksgiving Tickets?

This year’s Seniors Thanksgiving event will be on Thursday, November 16, at the Paramount Park gym, 14400 Paramount Blvd.

The doors open at 10:00 a.m., the meal will be served at noon, with everything scheduled to wrap up by 1:00 p.m.

While the day is free for Paramount residents, everyone still needs a ticket to attend.

You must be 60 years of age or older and present proof of Paramount residency or a Senior Nutrition Program membership card.

Tickets are available at the Paramount Park Community Center, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Non-residents can buy tickets at the same location for $3.25 each.

For more information or questions, please call (562) 220-2090.

Thanksgiving Trash/Street Sweeping

Thanksgiving will alter the garbage collection schedule slightly this year.

There will be no pick-up on Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 23. If that is your normal collection day, your trash will be picked up on Friday, November 24, along with Friday’s normal service.

If you have any questions, please call CalMet Services at (562) 634-5420.

With street sweeping, there will be no service on Thursday, November 23 or Friday, November 24, and no make-up.

19th Annual Tree Lighting

Join your friends and neighbors at the City’s annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Paramount Pond. This year’s 19th celebration will be on Wednesday, November 29, starting at 6:00 p.m.

Entertainment will be provided by the Paramount Dance Company, Mokler Ballet Folklorico, Kimberly’s Dance Studio, Mariachi Los Palmeros, Our Lady of the Rosary Church’s Kids Choir, and others.

There will also be the annual visit from Santa Claus and plenty of cookies and hot chocolate available for the crowd.

The Pond is located at the intersection of Jackson St. and Paramount Blvd. For more information, please call (562) 220-2121.

Affordable Photos With Santa at Paramount Park

The City is once again providing a place to have professional photos taken with Santa at a reasonable cost – it was a big hit last year.

Photos with Santa will be held on Saturday, December 2 and Sunday, December 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Paramount Park Community Center where a room will be decorated like St. Nick’s cozy cabin for the occasion.

For $10, you will get one 5x7 photo and four wallet photos. Additional photos can be purchased there, or from the photographer’s website. (You will not be able to take photos with your own camera.)

All purchases will support the Paramount Education Partnership’s college scholarship fund. For more information, please call (562) 220-2121.

Santa Train Dates

This year’s dates for the train in town will be Monday, December 4 through Thursday, December 7. For more information and a full schedule of stops, please see CityScape on the inside back page of this Pulse Beat, and look for the Around Town later in the month that will be delivered by mail to your home.

Buy Your Tickets for the 45th Annual Breakfast With Santa

Santa Claus will make his final appearance in town this year on Saturday, December 9 when Paramount Park becomes a winter wonderland filled with snow and the Community Center serves a tasty breakfast at a sensible price.

There will be 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 running in the park.

Everyone has a ton of holiday fun at this event.

The entire occasion goes from 8:00 a.m. till noon, though breakfast will not be served after 11:00 a.m.

Also in the Community Center, from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m., you will have another chance to get professional photos taken with Santa in his cabin – $10 for one 5x7 photo and four wallet photos. (No personal cameras in here.)

Then, from 10:00 a.m. to noon there will be a “selfie station” with Santa outside 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 are now available for purchase until December 9 (Mondays through Fridays only). Presale breakfast tickets are $4 per person, which also gives you access to the fastpass lane. (The price of a ticket at the door on the day of the event is $5 per person, first come, first served, with no fast-pass access.)

Again, breakfast will not be served after 11:00 a.m., so get there in plenty of time. You can buy tickets at a variety of locations in town: STAR Afterschool sites (between 2:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. each day); the Recreation office (15300 Downey Ave. from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.); and the Paramount Park Community Center (14400 Paramount Blvd., 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.).

For more information, please call (562) 220-2121.

“Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.”

Congresswoman Salutes City’s 60th Anniversary

Mayor, Peggy Lemons

Student Senators Celebrated

At the Paramount City Council meeting on October 16, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard presented the Council with a copy of her Congressional Record statement congratulating the City on its 60th anniversary. From left: Councilmember Laurie Guillen, Councilmember Tom Hansen, Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, Mayor Peggy Lemons, Vice Mayor Diane J. Martinez, and Councilmember Daryl Hofmeyer.

Three Paramount High School students who took part in State Senator Ricardo Lara’s Young Senators Program this year were recognized at the October 16 City Council meeting. From left, back row: Councilmember Laurie Guillen, Councilmember Tom Hansen, Vice Mayor Diane J. Martinez, Mayor Peggy Lemons, and Councilmember Daryl Hofmeyer. From left, front row: Fernanda Corona, Kimberly Ayala, Victoria Jenkins, and Julia Juarez from the Senator’s office.

Talking or Texting on Cell Phones

Sign Up to Receive Important Messages

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.

The City has a new mass communication notification system called Nixle. This sends emergency and other notifications to the Paramount community via cell phone, landline, email, text, and social media (Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube).

• 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.

To receive these important alerts – which can be related to public safety/emergency/ disaster issues, special events in Paramount, community announcements, and other topics – go to the City website, find the Nixle tab on the left side of the homepage, and click there.

• 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.

You can choose how these messages are delivered to you. You can cancel the service and delete your information at any time. Also, your information will never be shared with any businesses or outside agencies.

Again, please click on the Nixle tab at paramountcity.com to keep informed about essential items from the City of Paramount.

Safe Shopping Tips For the Season

• 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.

With the holiday season here, and people doing their shopping, keep these safetyrelated tips in mind when out and about.

• Never leave packages, bags, cell phones, purses, or other valuable items in plain sight in your vehicle. Place these items in your trunk, where they cannot be seen from outside your car.

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.

A ticket for $159 for texting or talking on a cell phone is a major distraction to your wallet.

• Always be alert and aware of your surroundings. Stay off your cell phone and don’t text while walking.

What can you do? Most important, obey the law. It’s there for a reason. Also, do your best to eliminate distractions:

• If possible, try to shop in pairs. Robbers often focus on, and target, solo shoppers.

• Never text and drive.

• If something falls to the ﬂoor, pull over before trying to reach it.

• Shop during daylight hours whenever possible. If you must shop at night, go with a friend or family member.

• Always park in a well-lighted area.

• Avoid overloading yourself with packages. It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of motion to avoid mishaps.

Project LEAD Sending Positive Message to Paramount Fifth Graders

• Carry small amounts of cash. Your front pocket is ideal for carrying cash.

• Be extra careful if you do carry a wallet or purse. They are the prime targets of criminals in crowded shopping areas, at bus stops, and on buses and other rapid transit.

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.

• Never leave children in the car unattended.

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.

• Never buy items from someone who approaches you in a parking lot. These are often stolen goods or, in the case of food products, not up to Health Code standards.

• Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. At this time of year, “con artists” may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking your money or belongings.

• Notify the credit card issuer immediately if your credit card is lost, stolen, or misused.

Sadly, too many young people ﬁrst become acquainted with the justice system as delinquents. Project LEAD is designed to avoid that scenario.

• Keep a record of all of your credit card numbers in a safe place at home.

Vacation Home Checks

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.

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

If you are a Paramount resident and have plans to be out of town during Thanksgiving or any part of the upcoming holidays, you can contact the Sheriff’s Station for a free vacation home check. Call (562) 220-2002. (562) 633-1171

P aramount C hamber o C tober n etworking b reakfast

Scholarship Fundraisers Scheduled at Area Eateries

You can enjoy a great meal while helping local students attend college by taking part in the Paramount Education Partnership (PEP) College Scholarship fundraisers listed here over the next six months.

• Chipotle, 15754 Paramount Blvd. –Thursday, December 14, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

• Horchateria Rio Luna, 15729 Downey Ave. – Thursday, January 11, 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.

• IHop, 16230 Paramount Blvd. – Thursday, February 15, 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.

• Gus’s BBQ & Deli, 8320 Alondra Blvd. – Thursday, March 15, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

• Alondra Hot Wings, 8411 Alondra Blvd. – Thursday, April 19, 5 p.m. to close.

Watch the City’s social media as the dates approach for flyers to show upon making your order, or simply say that you are there for PEP. (On Instagram, paramount_ posts, on Facebook, CityofParamount.)

Thank You, PUSD!

The Paramount unified School District held a “Quartermania” fundraiser for the PEP college scholarship program in October. There was a great turnout, and it was an evening full of fun and good times. The total amount committed to the scholarship fund was … $8,000!

The City thanks PuSD for this wonderful show of community support and pride in helping our college-bound Paramount students.

Bill Passes That Might Provide Free First Year of Community College

(This article is reprinted from EdSource.org.)

The first year of community college may be free to an additional 19,000 students under a new program called California College Promise, established in a bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown.

Assembly Bill 19 opens up the possibility that California’s community colleges will offer free tuition to all full-time firstyear students, regardless of financial need. Details for implementing the bill, as well

how it will be funded, still need to be worked out by the Legislature.

The new law does not specify exactly how tuition would be waived, and who exactly would benefit, reflecting some of the changes made to it in the final stages of the legislative process.

The law states that “it is the intent of the legislature that sufficient funding be allocated to each community college to waive all student fees” pursuant to another section of AB 19. That section, however, doesn’t require community colleges to use the funds to waive student fees. Instead, it states that colleges “may use funding…to waive some or all fees” of first-year, fulltime community college students, who also submit a federal financial aid form known as FAFSA or an application under California’s Dream Act for immigrant students.

Tuition for full-time California residents ranges from roughly $1,100 to $1,400 a year, depending on course load. The free tuition, analysts predict, will cost $30 million to $50 million a year.

But the law doesn’t have a funding mechanism yet. Backers of the bill say negotiations to fund AB 19 with additional state money will begin early 2018 as part of the 2018-19 budget process.

The law’s implementation will be worked out as the 2018-19 budget talks continue.

In 2015-2016, 43 percent of the state’s more than 2 million community college students qualified for free tuition as lowincome students through a fee waiver that was recently renamed the California College Promise Grant.

California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley said the law “will help foster a stronger culture of college participation that will enhance upward social mobility in California.” He said that he hoped the Legislature would come up with additional funds “to offset the nontuition costs that create barriers to college attendance for students with financial need.”

The following businesses renewed their membership in the Paramount Chamber of Commerce last month, they are celebrating another

as members. Chamber and Business

New Commandment Missionary Baptist Church Host 16th Annual Community Health Fair

More than 400 people attended New Commandment’s annual health fair to take advantage of health care services and information provided by 80 different vendors; including instructions for performing CPR.

Helping with the event were 20 volunteers from Paramount High Leo’s Club, and several sponsors in -

cluding; AppleCare Medical Group, Clinica Medica Hispana, CareMore Health, Cassandra Party Land, Field Fresh Foods, the Habit, Nature’s Harvest, and Northgate Gonzalez Market.

Also in attendance was Councilmember Laurie Guillen who helped welcome event visitors.

Cl seR LOOK Skillset Group Staffing Brings

Innovation, Quality, and Passion to Town

There’s a new resource in Paramount for local businesses in their drive to be more efficient and more profitable. Skillset Group is an expert staffing company that provides a variety of employee and human resources services.

“We match great people – who have the highest skills and a passion for what they do – with great employers that need problems solved and long-term employee stability,” said Skillset Group CEO Clint Armstrong.

Skillset specializes in working with the aerospace and defense industries, food and beverage companies, and industrial manufacturing in plastics, consumer products, and automotive. That’s what brought them to Paramount, which is a hub for these various sectors.

Also, Skillset’s Chief Marketing Officer Jose Baca is a Paramount native who has been in staffing for 13 years and has strong ties to the community. “He has worked with a lot of local companies and has family here,” Armstrong said. “Between Jose and our involvement with the Chamber of Commerce, we feel we’re in a good position to be a positive force in town.

“We started in 2013 with co-founders Steve vierra and Steve Coppola, expanded from San Clemente to Santa Ana and now opened our new location in Paramount two months ago,” Armstrong continued. “Our revenue growth has tripled or quadrupled every year, and we have close to 200 external consultants along with 25 internal recruiters.”

Skillset offers three distinct services.

“Direct Hire” involves job candidate searches – at all levels, from entry to executive – with the client paying a one-time fee.

“Temp-to-Hire” provides a company with an employee that works for Skillset for 90 days before transitioning to the employer’s payroll, thus relieving the client of the time and costs related to the hiring process.

And with the “Temporary Workforce” service, the worker is actually Skillset’s employee, so the client doesn’t have the liabilities and costs involved with hiring someone themselves.

Armstrong has degrees in accounting and finance with an emphasis in real estate and venture capital finance from the university of San Diego, and spent five years in commercial real estate leasing before forming the company, which strives to be innovative and cutting-edge.

“We do things a little differently,” he related. “We were one of the first staffing companies to partner with our clients by taking stock and ownership instead of charging fees. In that way, we become a real vested partner.”

These arrangements are often with start-up companies with Series A or B funding, he explained. “If they don’t have an HR Department, we assume that role and aid their growth and support their continuous move forward in their entrepreneurial goals.”

Apart from the services Skillset offers, Armstrong emphasized that they focus on connecting with the community, as well.

“We want to help area employers and local employees, help people find jobs, better paying jobs, safer jobs. We align ourselves with good companies, who operate with integrity and responsibility. And we are already in love

with the Paramount community.

“These are just some of the values we are now bringing to Paramount.”

Skillset Group is located at 7300 Alondra Blvd, Ste. 202; phone, (866) 375-3094.

Grand opening for Skillset Group, located at 7300 Alondra Blvd., #202, Paramount.

From left; President Jose Baca (Skillset Group), Paramount Chamber of Commerce President Brenda Olmos (AppleCare Medical Group), and Skillset Group CEO/ Founder, Clint Armstrong.

From left; President Jose Baca (Skillet Group), CEO/Founder Clint Armstrong (Skillset Group), and Paramount Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President Jon Tanklage (Marukan Vinegar USA).

Skillset Group President Jose Baca with his wife Veronica Ortiz and son Mateo Baca.

Liz ProNails Grand Opening

Liz ProNails owners Lizeth and Francisco Zapien received certificates of congratulations from elected officials at their grand opening. From left; Paramount Chamber Senior Vice President Jon Tanklage (Maurkan Vinegar USA); Francisco Zapien (Liz ProNails); Lizeth Zapien (Liz ProNails); Luz Castro (Office of Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard); Tonya Martin (Office of Senator Ricardo Lara); and Mayor Peggy Lemons.here

Lizeth and Francisco Zapien owners of Liz ProNails cut the ribbon for their grand opening. Liz ProNails can be found at 14918 Paramount Blvd., in the City Paramount.

Grand opening of Paramount IHOP located at 16230 Paramount Blvd., # A.

IHOP District Manager Hamlet Ohandjanian with the Paramount High School Band.

3 Ways To Spread Cheer With Holiday Marketing

By maxym martineau

[Originally published November 14, 2016 on www.americassbdc.org]

Maxym Martineau is a copy editor and staff writer for GoDaddy. You can follow her on Twitter @maxymmckay.

The holidays are right around the corner, and people everywhere are hitting stores in search of the perfect present. Competing with big box retailers is tough regardless of the season, but with more shoppers on the prowl for the perfect gift, you’ll need to find a way to stand out from the crowd. Here are three things you can do to boost engagement with your customers and remind them to add your wares to their shopping lists.

1. Create a fun holiday newsletter.

Never underestimate the power of a well-crafted newsletter. Seventy-three percent of millennials prefer email communications -- that’s a huge market you can target with holiday-specific information. You don’t have to toss your product spotlights and blog recaps to the side, but now’s your chance to add some holiday-themed festivity to the mix. use language that represents the holidays without excluding any of your readership:

• Season’s greetings! Look for our holiday sales starting this weekend.

• Tidings of comfort and joy — and a holi-

Ask The Expert

day well-gifted. Check out our gift guides today.

• Roast more than chestnuts this winter. See our top three holiday roast recipes.

You’ll notice that none of the above examples call out a specific holiday or tradition. If you’re targeting a wide base of readers, it might be in your best interest to stick to themes that don’t single out certain beliefs. unless you’re going to use targeted messaging on a specific group of subscribers, use broader terms. (The same can be said for holiday imagery, too!)

2. Offer year-end specials.

As I mentioned above, shopping is huge during the holiday season. The National Retail Federation notes that nearly 30 percent of sales last year for retailers were reported during the holidays. Now more than ever, try to find ways to appeal to shoppers to boost your year-end numbers.

Gift guides and baskets. Guides are a great way to showcase how well your products complement each other. Include downloadable or pinnable guides in your newsletter emails, as well as easy-to-find places throughout your site. Guides not your thing? Go for pre-made gift baskets. For onthe-go buyers in need of a quick gift, there’s nothing better than a thoughtful arrangement of fun and useful items.

Promos and discounts. End-of-the-year sales. Black Friday discounts. Small Busi-

Commercial Real Estate Contract Forms

Matt Wagner

GM Properties

(562) 696-0200

One of the most overlooked aspects of a commercial real estate transaction are the contracts that you use to go through the process of completing your deal. Whether it’s a purchase, sale or a lease, good contracts are mandatory for smooth transactions. Both buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants want to ensure that the contract used will give them the best available option for closing the deal in the most legal and efficient manner. Predominately in southern California, most commercial agents utilize contracts that are provided by the Association of Industrial Realtors, or AIR. These contracts are designed by industry experts and drafted to be completely party neutral. All the AIR forms are consistently reviewed and updated for different law changes with local broker and attorney input in order to deliver the most complete up to date forms available on the market. The AIR provides over 50 forms for people who are closing commercial real estate transactions. It is important to understand that these forms are not the appropriate forms one would use to complete a residential transaction. However, residential properties that feature more than 4 units are considered commercial and you can utilize these forms to complete your transaction in this instance.

These contract forms are consistently updated and currently offer many features that many brokers and investors utilize to ensure smooth closings. Some of these features include: an easy to use interface while completing the legal documents, a

ness Saturday finds. Cyber Monday steals. Tis the season for coupons and promos, and if you can find a way to incorporate some savings into your offerings, shoppers will flock to your store. Even if free shipping is all you can manage, advertise your savings wherever you can.

Gift cards. According to Gift Card Granny (www.giftcardgranny.com) “an estimated $26 billion was spent on gift cards last year during the holidays.” Gift cards are great for the holidays. Shoppers don’t have to worry about getting a gift receipt or if Johnny will like the Tonka truck stuffed in his stocking. Gift cards allow the recipient to purchase whatever they please, and they tend to be more personal than a fistful of bills.

3. Add cheer to your blog.

By now, your small business is totally onboard with blogging right? Right. Blogging is a fantastic way to connect with your customers while still promoting your brand. By focusing on your customers’ needs this holiday season, you’ll inspire trust in your readership. Engaged, happy customers share stories about your business. They tweet out tidbits of excitement. They Instagram pictures of presents and leave raving reviews. If you’re twiddling your thumbs and staring at the blinking cursor, try writing a holiday post that includes:

• Shopping hints and tips

• Festive recipe ideas

• Best shipping practices to get presents on time

• Gift guides for every family member (the options here are endless)

• Holiday activities in your community

• Opportunities for giving (round-up campaigns, charity events, etc.)

No matter your tribe, there’s bound to be a handful of posts that you can create to celebrate the holidays. Play up the festive theme, but stay true to your company’s values.

Warm wishes for all!

Don’t get overlooked this holiday season. You’re sure to snag a bunch of shoppers with a festive newsletter, year-end sales and a cheery, holiday blog. Your business — and your customers — will thank you. Happy holidays!

multi-tasking functionality that allows information to be auto populated on all relevant forms for each transaction helping to eliminate mistakes, they are template based for easy reuse on other similar deals and completely customizable in any way that fits your needs.

The two main transactions that are completed in the commercial real estate world are leases and purchases/ sales. It is important to understand what forms are needed for each transaction and the AIR helps eliminate any issues with their easy to understand contract form names. There can be multiple forms used in many transactions and the AIR also provides contract forms for basically every possible situation you might find yourself in. The best way to ensure smooth commercial real estate transactions are to utilize an agent/broker who uses these AIR forms. It is important that the real estate professional be able to explain these forms to you as the client. If they cannot, you should probably look for another agent. Commercial real estate transactions can become extremely complicated and it is your best interest to use someone who knows what they are doing and be able to walk you, the client, through any pitfalls that you may encounter during these transactions. If you do not, you could end up in extreme legal trouble and it could very well cost you a very large sum of money in both legal fees and/ or lost deposits and additional costs when dealing with a lease contract. Again, the best thing you can do is make sure that you are comfortable with whomever you decide to utilize to help you through the increasingly difficult commercial real estate transaction world. Good Luck!

Paramount Chamber of Commerce

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

Weddings * Quinceaneras * Birthdays Max 250 people - (562) 884-1357 8108 E. Alondra Blvd • 562 633-1804 www.paramountelks.org

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!

Paramount Celebrates Dia de los Muertos

Paramount-Tepic Sister Cities hosted its annual Dia de los Muertos Celebration on Sunday October 22nd in Paramount Park. The event was attended by more than 600 people.

Dia de los Muertos in Spanish translates to “Day of the Dead”. It’s actually a three-day tradition taking place from October 31 to November 2; even though the first day coincides with Halloween, the celebration is very different.

While Halloween is a time to dress in any costume you like and go out trick-or-treating, Dia de los Muertos has a more somber and spiritual, yet festive tone. The celebration and tradition are rooted in Aztec culture dating back hundreds of years to goddess Mictecacihuatl (meek-teh-ka-SEEwat-l), or Lady of the Dead, whose role is to watch over the dead. She would later be known as La Catrina, in modern celebrations.

While death will forever remain a somber subject, in Dia de los Muer-

tos, it can also be festive. The idea behind Dia de los Muertos is to poke fun at death, since death is obviously inevitable for everyone.

The event included face-painting of skulls, traditional Mexican dances of Folklorico, ceramics, food, lucha libre (Mexican wrestling), and a Home Depot wood workshop for kids.

The celebration was kicked off by vice Mayor Diane Martinez, PuSD School Board President Linda Garcia,

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and the Aztec dancers who offered their spiritual blessings.

The real attraction is a personal touch in the form of altars or la ofrenda. Each altar represents and honors those who have passed away; it can be a family member, friend, or even a celebrity. The altars display pictures of the deceased as well as earthly possessions they prized, with religious artifacts and sugar skulls. While the holiday is mostly associated with

Catholicism, any religion or tradition can be part of the celebration.

One of the most anticipated happenings of the day was when La Catrina (portrayed by Klaritza Hasbun) and the Aztecs gave their blessings at eight altars with incense and music, to protect and honor the dead.

Dia de los Muertos is a celebration for those who lived and the legacy they left; which continues through their loved ones.

The event was made possible with the help of volunteers including; Paramount High School JROTC, Leos Club Youth Commission, Paramount ASB, and the Home Depot wood workshop for kids.

The Tepic organization would like to thank the Paramount Tepic members, Laura Hasbun for coordinating the event and Past vice President Fred Becerra Jr. for handling the public relations. #PTdiadelosmuertos for Paramount Tepic.