Serving the Community Since 1990 PARAMOUNT
Holidays Bring a Warm, Enchanting Glow to Paramount
The holidays are in full swing in Paramount. As is the case every year, the City goes all out with festive touches to brighten the landscape in that traditional way. And it’s a practice that dates back many years. A front page story in the Hynes Journal from Dec. 22, 1932, noted that “Colored Lights Are Now Ablaze On Paramount.” It explained that, for the first time, the Chamber of Commerce had gathered
December 2008
local businesses to pay into a fund to string the decorative lights along the area’s main boulevard.
These days, there is quite a bit of sparkling going on in town. Many of the ficus trees that green up our traffic medians are draped with atmospheric lights – 2,500 bulbs in all. (Local color also comes from 140 seasonal banners hung along Paramount and Alondra boulevards.) Around City Hall, 42 palms in the Civic Center Gardens are each wrapped in 200 red and green lights for a grand total of 8,400 dots of happy illumination. A wall of City Hall features the largest wreath in town, at 12-feet in diameter.
Across Paramount Boulevard at the Pond, the City’s Holiday Tree welcomed thousands of residents and friends last week for the milestone 10th year of its lighting ceremony. (About 5,000 cookies and cups of hot cocoa were handed out to the crowd.) A chorus of oohs and ahhs filled the plaza – after an evening full of musical and dancing entertainment – when the tree’s 3,000 lights were switched on, lending their radiance to the 500 ornaments that share the branches, in a dramatic kick-off to the season.
Along with the decorations, of course, the City produces holiday events that everyone looks forward to each year. Already mentioned here was the Tree Lighting Ceremony. Coming up December 8-11 is the Santa Express Christmas Train, which travels throughout town, making 60 stops in every neighborhood to the delight of kids and grown-ups alike.
Then, on Saturday, December 13, Santa will again show up, this time at Paramount Park for his Breakfast and Snow Day.
For more details about these events, please refer to the Mayor’s Corner column in this issue. You can also call (562) 220-2121. And everyone have a safe and happy holiday season!
Crews from Paramount’s Public Works Department traverse the City every year setting up holiday decorations to brighten the season.
Mayor, Gene Daniels
Holiday Happenings in Paramount
Every year the City of Paramount offers lots of holiday-season fun for residents, both old and young. The Seniors Thanksgiving Dinner and our 10th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony have come and gone, both with large turnouts and fabulous good times.
This month, be sure and join friends and family at the following:
December 8-11 – Paramount Christmas Train For almost 40 years our beloved train has been chugging through every neighborhood in town delighting kids and their parents. This year, as usual, we’ll give out about 30,000 apples and candy canes over four nights. Folks can also take a picture with Santa on his sleigh. The train begins visiting stops at 3 p.m. each day. (You should have received an Around Town newsletter from the City recently that has the schedule of stops, or you can call the Recreation Department at the number below to ask any questions.)
Saturday, December 13 – Breakfast with Santa and Snow Day Santa Claus makes his annual trip to town. Arriving before him will be 100 tons of snow to create a winter wonderland in Paramount Park on Saturday, December 13, from 8:00 a.m. till noon.
There will be crafts, prize giveaways, entertainment and a train ride. Admission for the breakfast is $4. Photos with Santa will be available at no charge with your own camera. A professional photographer will also be available to take your picture with Santa, also at no charge, and you’ll receive a photo pass that will allow you to download your
picture from the City website.
For more information on any of Paramount’s holiday events, please call (562) 220-2121.
Thank You, Paramount High Volunteers
Every Thanksgiving, the great kids who belong to the Paramount High School service club Corsairs give generously of their time and energy, and deserve a big thank you. The Corsairs help serve the Seniors Thanksgiving Dinner at the Paramount Park gym, and make the event go very smoothly for the hundreds of diners. They also do a lot for many other people in the community during the rest of the holiday season.
This is just a sample of how the kids of Paramount give back to the community, and it’s very much appreciated.
Emergency Contact Reminder
The City’s new mass notification system has been launched with a test message sent out over the telephone to residents and businesses in November. All addresses in Paramount should have received a postage-paid mailer for the opportunity to supply contact information.
This system will be used to issue vital information during times of emergency to help enhance public safety/first responder services, as well as occasionally communicating details of important community events.
If you would like to add or delete landline phone numbers, cell phone numbers or email addresses, please visit the City’s website at www.paramountcity.com and go to the Connect-CTY link or call (562) 220-2027.
Get Your Free Reusable Grocery Bag
In an effort to combat the environmental issue of plastic and paper shopping bags jamming our landfills and littering our roadsides, the City is offering residents a free reusable grocery bag for their shopping needs.
These sturdy bags – which are made out of recycled materials – are convenient to use and easy to store in your home or
car. Residents can pick up their free bag at Paramount City Hall, 16400 Colorado Ave., Paramount. There is a limit of one bag per household.
The cost of the bags is being paid for by a grant from the California Integrated Waste Management Board. The bags will also carry a message promoting the recycling of used motor oil and oil filters.
For more information, please call (562) 220-2000.
Recycle Your Christmas Tree
who have Christmas trees can have them recycled into mulch, which public agencies use to help with water conservation in landscaping, an important action in this time of drought.
CalMet, the City’s refuse hauler, will pick up trees at no charge after Christmas from 12/26/08 through 1/16/09 for single-family residential accounts. Be sure to remove the stand and all the decorations, lights and tinsel, and do not wrap the tree or enclose it in a plastic bag. If the tree is four-feet-tall or shorter, you can place it in your green waste barrel. For anything larger, put it curbside on your normal garbage collection day by 6:00 a.m. (Flocked trees will also be picked up.)
For apartments or condominiums, if the trees are on the curb by 6:00 a.m. they will be taken away for free on regularly scheduled pick-up days. If it’s necessary to drive onto the property there will be a $5.00 charge per tree. In these latter cases, the service must be ordered 24 hours before regular pick-up day by the manager or owner and must have the trash account number for verification.
If you have any questions, please call (562) 634-5420.
Holiday Trash Pick-ups
Christmas and New Year’s Day will slightly alter garbage collection schedules this year, as usual.
With Christmas, CalMet Services will have no pick-up on Thursday, December 25. So those who have Thursday as trash day should put their barrels out on Friday. Those with Friday pick up will also have their trash collected that same day.
There will likewise be no pick-ups on Thursday, January 1, 2009, which means that those who have Thursday as trash day should put their barrels out on Friday and those with Friday pick up will also have their trash collected that same day.
If you have any questions, please call (562) 634-5420.
Karen
Holiday Parties and Keeping the Peace (On Earth)
With the holiday season upon us, let’s all remember that parties, while enjoyable and traditional, can sometimes get out of hand and bother neighbors.
Paramount has a dedicated patrol deputy whose main job is to respond to complaints about loud parties. If a call for disturbing the peace comes into the Sheriff’s Station, there will be a visit to the location and a first-warning notice will be issued. If a return visit is made, the property owner will be liable for fines. For instance, a second visit within 30 days will produce a fine of $250. The third, fourth and fifth visits within 30 days of the first call will entail fines of $500, $750 and $1,000, respectively. In addition, the cost of extra resources involved (multiple deputies, helicopter, and so on) can be passed on. These fines and costs will be added to the property’s water bill by the City.
If such disturbances come from the same location over an extended period of time, deputies will focus on solving the problem with those who are causing it.
If you’re planning a party, be sure to take your neighbors into consideration and refrain from playing loud music and whopping it up into the wee small hours of the morning. Keep in mind, also, that deputies do not divulge the identity of any residents making complaint calls.
For more information, call the Paramount Sheriff’s Station at (562) 2202002.
Vacation Home Checks
If you are a Paramount resident and have plans to be out of town during any part of the holidays, you can contact the Sheriff’s Station for a vacation home check. The City’s Volunteers on Patrol will periodically take a look around your home or property while you’re gone. (This service is available throughout the year, not just during the holidays.)
Call (562) 220-2002 for more information.
Proactive Policing
The Paramount Public Safety Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are always studying crime trends in the area and using creative strategies to respond. With the issue of vehicle burglaries and grand theft auto, the special assignment team recently conducted a “bait car” operation throughout City streets in which an auto that could be considered attractive to thieves was placed under surveillance.
As a result of the operation, two individuals were arrested for taking the “bait car,” one on Orange Avenue/Myrrh Street and one on Orange Avenue/Alondra Boulevard.
This is another example of the kind of proactive efforts the City and Sheriff’s Department continually undertake.
Keep Personal Information Personal
As mail theft continues to be a problem across the country, it is important to ensure the safety of your personal information.
Thieves know that mailboxes frequently contain correspondence with personal information. Some of the information that a thief could use to establish new accounts in your name include your Social Security number, credit card numbers, driver’s license number, cancelled checks and even health insurance cards and billing information.
Tips to help keep your personal identification information out of the hands of the wrong people include:
• If possible, pick up your mail when it is delivered.
• Consider dropping off outgoing mail at the post office.
• Pay attention to your billing cycles and review all statements carefully
• Always shred documents that contain personal information.
• Give your Social Security number out only when necessary.
• Keep items with personal information in a safe place and shred them when you do not need them anymore.
• Obtain a credit report every year to monitor activity on your various accounts.
This is how many people discover that they have become victims. The FTC offers consumers a free annual credit report through www.annualcreditreport. com. This website is the only authorized online source for you to get a free credit report under federal law. The report will show information for the three main credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Stater Bros. Helps Feed
More Than 130,000
People This Thanksgiving
Annual program provides food for families in need
Stater Bros. Markets has partnered with many local charities to help feed more than 130,000 people in need this Thanksgiving. This is the 17th straight year that Stater Bros. has offered this program.
Leading up to Thanksgiving, Stater Bros. assists qualified organizations that feed the hungry by making a substantial contribution towards the purchase of turkeys. These organizations are located throughout the communities served by Stater Bros., which include San Bernardino County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, and Kern County.
“The Stater Bros. ‘Family’ of Employees believes strongly in giving back to the communities we serve because we
just don’t do business in a community, we are part of the community,” stated Jack H. Brown, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Stater Bros. Markets. “This year the need is greater than ever, and we are glad to provide assistance so that many more families may have a joyous Thanksgiving.”
The Stater Bros. “Family” of Employees believes in being a good neighbor. Last year, Stater Bros. contributed over $15 million in support of nonprofit organizations in the communities it serves, with an emphasis on worthy programs that benefit hunger relief, health and nutrition, and education. Stater Bros. also donates over 3 million pounds annually of food and products to the local Inland Empire Food Banks. In addition, Stater Bros. Charities, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was recently established to help improve and transform the communities Stater Bros. Markets is privileged to serve by providing much needed philanthropic support.
The Ties That Bind
Everyone is glad the election is over and things have returned to what we, questionably call normal. Many words have been spoken and will continue to be so.
We have listened to and observed candidates, newscasters, friends and foes speaking from platforms and newsrooms. Although necessary to the democratic process, one’s eyes begin to glaze over and minds begin to wander.
It was in this state of wandering mind that we began to find ourselves staring at the neckties that the men were wearing. Depending on the weather or what area of the country, most men wore a business suit with a white or blue shirt and of course a tie.
Most of the ties were conservative - plain blue, green, or black with variations of stripes. There was one red one that stood out, and a bow tie that caught ones eye. Maroon against a blue shirt was one of the favorites.
Each one tasteful and non controversial, we wondered if the ties had been a birthday gift or Christmas gift picked out by wives or children on Father’s Day.
Elections are serious, sober business. Looking at all these ties that bind, it showed that for now when it comes to ties conservatism rules the day.
Submitted By: Ethel Hillyard
The Los Cerritos Ymca Provides Support To Military Families As Part Of New
$31-Million Initiative
Armed Services YMCA and Department of Defense partnership gives military families access to youth development, family strengthening, and health and well-being programs
As part of the new Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) and Department of Defense (DoD) Outreach Initiative, The Los Cerritos YMCA will provide military families with access to youth development, family strengthening, and health and well-being programs. Membership fees will be underwritten by the DoD and administered through Military OneSource, an information and referral service for military families. YMCA of the USA, the national resource office for America’s 2,686 YMCAs, will help launch the initiative at participating YMCAs across the country.
“The Los Cerritos YMCA is happy to help meet the critical needs facing families of deployed military service members,” said Jeremy Echnoz, Executive Director, Los Cerritos YMCA. “Families are the most affected when a loved one gets deployed, so we are deeply committed to providing them with the support they need.”
The ASYMCA-DoD Outreach Initiative responds to a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, which requires the Secretary of Defense to develop a plan to support military family readiness and to ensure that military family readiness programs and activities are available to all military families, including those of the National Guard and Military Reservists.
Eligible military families participating in the initiative are eligible for YMCA memberships based on participation requirements. Those eligible to participate in the new initiative include:
• All interested families of joint deployed National Guard and Reserves of all military branches;
• Families living in newly established Joint Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) bases;
• Active Duty Independent Duty station personnel and their families; and
• Relocated spouses and family members of deployed Active Duty personnel.
“The YMCA has a long history of supporting military service members and their families – since the Civil War – so it was natural for us to join this initiative,” said Echnoz, “During this time of conflict, it is more important than ever that we continue providing services and support to these families in the absence of a deployed spouse.”
The Los Cerritos YMCA serves the cities of Bellflower, Artesia, Cerritos and Paramount. The Los Cerritos YMCA offers programs for school-aged children up to Adults, such as, before and afterschool Child Care, Summer Day Camp, Swim Lessons and a Healthy Lifestyles Facility and serves over 3,000 families annually.
More information about the ASYMCA-DoD Outreach Initiative can be found by visiting www. asymca.org . For information about participating YMCAs, please visit www.LBYMCA.org or www. ymca.ne t
Recipe of the Month
Butternut Squash-Leek
It’s great as a side or a light main dish with a salad!
Ingredients:
1 whole garlic head
4 teaspoons olive oil
6 cups thinly sliced leek (about 4 large)
4 cups (3/4-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 medium)
2 cups water
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350o Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap head in foil. Bake at 350o for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic, squash, 2 cups water, broth, salt, and black pepper; bring to a boil Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until squash is tender. Place half of squash mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over the opening in the blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour pureed soup into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. Yields 6 - 1 cup servings.
FREE BUSINESS COUNSELING
PEP, PUSD Partnering with ESL Classes
An exciting new teaming has developed at the Paramount Education Partnership (PEP) – Paramount Unified School District’s Adult School has begun offering English as a Second Language classes at the Paramount Petroleum Community Learning Resource Center at Spane Park. About 60 women have been taking aerobics at the facility, and most of them have signed up for the new class.
The City, through PEP, hopes to partner with the Adult School with other classes including computer training, keyboard training, and possibly a General Education Certificate program via the internet.
Also at the Learning Center, an Accelerated Reader and Math computer program has been purchased and training of staff is underway. This program is aligned with what the School District uses and will make tracking of student progress more fluid between PEP tutors and District teachers.
El Camino College Compton Center Scholarships
El Camino College Compton Center’s financial aid office has announced the availability of scholarships in the amount of $42,000 for eligible students who apply. The application period goes through February 28, 2009.
Scholarships are available to students in all academic areas: behavioral and social science, business, fine arts, health sciences and athletics, humanities, industry and technology, mathematical sciences and natural sciences. Students already participating in EOPS, CARE and CalWorks programs may also apply.
For information about the scholarship program and additional financial aid opportunities, call the financial aid office at (310) 900-1600, ext. 2935 or go online to www.compton.edu/studentservices/financialaid.
Compton Center’s financial aid office is located in room E-17 and is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The office will be open on Saturday, February 28 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the final day to apply for the scholarship program.
El Camino College Compton Center is accredited. Its students can earn an associate degree, transfer to a four-year university or receive career training. Fees are only $20 per unit. The college catalog, class schedule, and evening and weekend college offerings are available in-person or online at www.compton.edu. Compton Center is located at 1111 E. Artesia Boulevard, Compton, CA; (310) 900-1600.
CITY SERVICES
General Information 220-2000
Administration 220-2027
Building & Safety 220-2036
Business Licenses 220-2013
City Council/Commissioners 220-2223
City Manager/City Clerk 220-2225
Community Development 220-2036 (planning & zoning)
Dog Licensing 220-2018
Finance 220-2200
Community Services & Recreation 220-2121 (parks & recreation)
Paramount Park 220-2090
Progress Park 220-2160
Spane Park 220-2145
Personnel/Employment Opport. 220-2080
Paramount Station 220-2002
Neighborhood Watch 220-2097
Party Patrol 220-2002
Street Vendor Enforcement 220-2002
Property Maintenance 220-2045
Public Works 220-2020
Graffiti Removal .............................. 220-2233
Shopping Cart Removal ........ (800) 252-4613
Water Billing 220-2010
El Camino College Compton Center Pilot Program in the Aerospace Industry
El Camino College Compton Center announces a pilot program for aerospace fastener manufacturing training.
The specialized training and education to meet the specific needs of the fastener industry is provided by the Centers for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT).
The demand for well-trained individuals in the aerospace fastener industry is increasing, with an estimated 200 to 400 workers needed each year for the next five years. In addition to aerospace, fastener manufacturing – the mechanical joining of two or more objects, including bolts and rivets – is used in transportation, defense and construction industries.
At Compton Center, this program includes 320 training hours for eight weeks with classroom instruction five days per week, from 8 a.m. to 5
p.m. This pilot program will provide students the opportunity to work with the metal forming machines that shape the finished pieces in the fastener manufacturing process. Upon successful completion of the coursework, students can qualify for a paid internship and job placement.
For information about the program, call Alicia Zambrano at 310900-1600, Ext. 2779.
El Camino College Compton Center is accredited and serving the educational needs of our community. Students are able to earn an associate degree, transfer to a four-year university or receive career training. Fees are only $20 per unit. The college catalog, class schedule, evenings and weekend college offerings are available in-person or on-line at www. compton.edu. Compton Center is located at 1111 E. Artesia Boulevard, Compton, CA; 310-900-1600.
• FREE- Advertisement in Paramount’s Best Read Newspaper • FREE- Listing on the Paramount Chamber Website
• FREE- Two Listings in the Paramount Business Directory
• FREE- Member Discount Program
AUTO MECHANIC WITH TOOL EXPERIENCE. Trouble-shooting. TOP DOLLAR for TOP MECHANIC. Apply at Herald’s Garage, 8124 E. Alondra Blvd, Paramount. 562-633-2136, Ask for Joe.
Charles G. Hardy, Inc., Distributor of Building Material DRIVERS AND WAREHOUSEMEN wanted.15723 Vermont Ave., Paramount, Ask for Mark (562) 634-6560
SECURITY and PATROL OFFICERS NEEDED - Vernon Security currently has openings for Unarmed Guards and Patrol Officers to work all shifts in Paramount and surrounding cities. Must have a current guard card and a clean DMV for Patrol. Call Charles at 562-790-8993 Ext.102 or apply in person at 15317 Paramount Blvd Suite 201, Paramount, CA. Must bring your guard card when applying.
International Freight Forwarding Co. Hiring OPERATIONS, ACCOUNTING, CUSTOMER SERVICE & SALES REPS for its Paramount Ca. Houston Tx., & NYC offices. Experience not required. Proficiency in Chinese a plus. H/Ins. 401K provided. EM to laofc@zencon.com or fax 562-663-6899
AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING SERVICE TECHICIANS NEEDED. 3
– 5 years minimum experience required. Must have a good DMV record. Bring a current DMV report when applying. Must be EPA certified. Must have own tools. Immediate employment for the right person. Benefits. Apply @ W.R. Smith, Inc. 14908 Gwenchris Court, Paramount. (562) 408-6400. Ask for Bill or Debbie.
INCOME TAX PREPARATION. Experienced tax preparers preferred. Training available. (562) 630-4004
EXPERIENCED OR NEW TRAVEL AGENTS.
A part of the City of Paramount for over 70 years, did you know that:
Petroleum is one of the largest suppliers of asphalt in the United States; Paramount Petroleum is in the top 15% of all
Business Owners Make Recommendations at the Governor’s Conference on Small Business & Entrepreneurship
VIVIAN SHIMOYAMA
Long Beach SBDC
Launching Global Entrepreneurship Week was the first-ever Governor’s Conference on Small Business & Entrepreneurship which was held in Los Angeles. “The California economy is led by the creativity and vision of our entrepreneurs and small business leaders,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “As we deal with the current economic climate, my administration is committed to working with our small business entrepreneurs on how we can unleash the power of their ingenuity to maintain our state’s leadership in the global economy - because small business drives California’s diverse economy, and small business will drive our economic recovery.”
The Governor invited small busi-
ness leaders and entrepreneurs representing the spectrum of the state’s economy to make recommendations on how to improve the partnership between the private sector and state government to stimulate the economy. Since May 2009, individuals from these groups prepared over 100 draft proposals for consideration and prioritization by conference participants.
At the conference, participants discussed, revised and voted on the prioritization of these recommendations. The Governor’s Small Business Advocate Marty Keller received the top small business economy policy recommendations. “Employing more than 52 percent of California’s workforce, small businesses are the driving force of our economy,” said Marty Keller. As the California State Small Business
Resource For Small Businesses
CA Governor’s Office of Small Business Advocacy www.sba.ca.gov
LBCC SBDC “Your SBDC Succe$$ Team” www.LongBeachSBDC.org (562) 570-4574
Paramount Chamber of Commerce www.ParamountChamber.com (562) 634-3980 x10
Advocate, Marty Keller is charged with listening to and working with small business owners in order to advocate for the over 3.6 million business owners. Small businesses represent 98 percent of the business enterprises in the state.
Top recommendations that were presented to the CA Small Business Advocate were in the areas of: Investment in programs that support small businesses (SBDCs); Assessment by California Air Resource Board (CARB) of the impact of AB32 on small businesses; Small business partnering in the state regulatory process; Programs for small business contracting; Eliminate barriers to capital, and increase loan guarantees and micro lending programs; Workforce development and education; Minimum Franchise Tax; Access to health care and cost containment.
Recommendations are only a first step. What participants will do as a next step is take action to inform and engage their business
communities, and work with their local and state legislators to get support for these top issues that are impacting small business.
Vivian Shimoyama participated in the Governor’s Small Business Conference and is a consultant to the LA Regional SBDC Network – Lead Center. The Business Corner is brought to you by your local Small Business Development Center and the Paramount Chamber of Commerce. The LB SBDC is hosted by Long Beach City College and provides small business workshops and one-on-one consulting services in such areas as business planning, marketing, access to funding resources, procurement/contracting assistance, legal, accounting, international trade, technology, web development, and other business specialty areas. Bilingual consultants (Spanish speaking) are also available. To make an appointment or get involved in advocating for the small business recommendations -- call: (562) 570-4574.
