Bill Text: CA ACR138 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Senator Sharon Runner Memorial Highway and the Larry

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2016-09-01 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 160, Statutes of 2016. [ACR138 Detail]

Download: California-2015-ACR138-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: ACR 138	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 23, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Lackey
   (Coauthor: Senator Runner)

                        FEBRUARY 16, 2016

   Relative to the Larry Chimbole Memorial Highway.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 138, as amended, Lackey. Larry Chimbole Memorial Highway.
   This measure would designate a specified portion of State Route
138 in the County of Los Angeles as the Larry Chimbole Memorial
Highway. The measure would also request the Department of
Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing
this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate
sources covering the cost, to erect those signs.
   Fiscal committee: yes.



   WHEREAS, Lawrence "Larry" Chimbole was born in New Haven,
Connecticut, on May 22, 1919, and graduated from Stamford High School
in 1937. During World War II, Chimbole served as a B-29 radio
operator in the Army Air Corps on the Pacific Island of Tinian. After
World War II, he moved to California and settled in the City of
Glendale, before migrating west to the San Fernando Valley, and
moving to the community of Palmdale in 1957; and
   WHEREAS, When Larry arrived in the Palmdale area, the population
was approximately 7,100 people. There was no incorporated City of
Palmdale or City of Lancaster, no Antelope Valley Freeway, no
California Aqueduct, no Antelope Valley, Crystalaire or Rancho Vista
country clubs, no Antelope Valley Mall, no Paraclete, Quartz Hill,
Highland, or Littlerock high schools, no AV Courthouse, no Antelope
Valley Board of Trade, no regional county library, no hospital, no
Palmdale Amphitheater, no DryTown Water Park, no Poncitlán Square,
and no Palmdale Auto Mall; and
   WHEREAS, Larry became the owner of a hardware store in Palmdale
and almost immediately became involved in Palmdale's civic affairs as
president of the Palmdale Kiwanis Club, then president of the
Palmdale Chamber of Commerce in 1961; and
   WHEREAS, Larry was instrumental in leading the City of Palmdale
into incorporation as one of the "50 Grand Men," who each donated
money to fund the process. After the city was successfully
incorporated in 1962, he was elected as the city's first mayor. He
helped bring the Lockheed assembly plant to the Antelope Valley and
was instrumental in the development of the Antelope Valley and its
freeway system; and
   WHEREAS, Mayor Chimbole, running as a Democrat in a highly
Republican area, went on to serve two terms in the California State
Assembly from 1974 to 1978, inclusive, and was the first Antelope
Valley resident to ever be elected to the State Legislature. He also
served a total of 12 years on the Palmdale City Council, where he
represented the city as the president of the California Contract
Cities Association and as president of the Los Angeles County
Division of the League of California Cities. In 1974, Larry was
responsible for arranging the National Guard Armory to be located in
the City of Palmdale instead of the City of Lancaster; and
   WHEREAS, After being defeated in the 1978 Assembly election, Larry
Chimbole continued to serve his community by serving as a member of
the State Board of Landscape Architects, the Antelope Valley
Healthcare District Board of  Directors  
Directors,  and the Antelope Valley Fair Board of Directors; and

   WHEREAS, In 1996, the Desert Mailer had the front page headline,
"Chimbole just keeps on tickin'." In the article, when asked how he
would like to be remembered, Larry Chimbole answered, "I would most
like to be remembered that I was active as hell around here in 1960.
In 1996, I'm just about as active or more so and I think that's my
legacy"; and
   WHEREAS, Former Mayor Chimbole continued to be active in his
community. In 1999, he served as campaign chair of the United Way
Antelope Valley Region. In 2006, city officials immortalized the "50
Grand Men" when they formally presented a beautiful plaque that is
currently on display at the Chimbole Cultural Center; and
   WHEREAS, On August 24, 2012, Larry Chimbole was a featured guest
at the City of Palmdale's 50th anniversary celebration held at
Poncitlán Square that was attended by thousands. In 2013, more than
100 friends and family members gathered to celebrate his 94th
birthday at the Chimbole Cultural Center that bears his name. At 94,
Larry Chimbole was still very active in the community, where he
attended many local community events; and
   WHEREAS, In 2014, a committee was formed to raise funds to create
a series of bronze statues called "Legendary Locals." The first
statue in the series was to be of Larry Chimbole. The statue was
dedicated on October 8, 2015, across from the Palmdale City Hall on a
bench in Poncitlán Square. More than 200 people witnessed the
unveiling of the statue entitled "The First Mayor" which depicts
Chimbole seated on a bench with one arm resting atop the back of the
bench to encourage visitors to sit and visit with a "local legend";
now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature designates the portion of
State Route 138 in the County of Los Angeles from the interchange at
State Route 14 to  47th   40th  Street East
in the City of Palmdale as the Larry Chimbole Memorial Highway; and
be it further
   Resolved, That the sign posted to commemorate this highway
additionally state below "Larry Chimbole Memorial Highway: First
Mayor of Palmdale"; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested to
determine the cost of appropriate signs consistent with the signing
requirements for the state highway system showing this special
designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources
sufficient to cover that cost, to erect those signs; and be it
further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author
for appropriate distribution.