Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Brad Aborn upon his retirement as the Mariposa County Supervisor for District 1.

Mr. Aborn has served on the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors since January 2007. During his time on the Board, Mr. Aborn worked tirelessly to serve Mariposa County. He was involved in a number of County projects, including: the Yosemite West Community Plan, the SilverTip Resort project amended site plan application, the new Human Services facility, acquisition of new fire engines and water tenders, funding for 3 new fire stations, obtaining a Fixed Base Operator to oversee the Mariposa/Yosemite Airport, construction of the Red Cloud Library, improvements for Midpines Park, Airport improvement projects, the Seventh Day Adventist Camp project, fuel load reduction projects, road maintenance projects, Agri-nature and Agri-tourism policy, Williamson Act/historical parcels, and the AB 885 statewide issue regarding well and septic system inspections. Mr. Aborn also served as the Board's chair in 2009.

Besides his work on the Board, Mr. Aborn has served the County in a number of other ways. He was the chair of the Local Transportation Commission and the vice president and then president of the Mariposa County Public Financing Corporation.

Mr. Aborn is a dedicated patriot and family man. Before joining the Board, he served in the military for 24 years, first on active duty and then in the reserves. Brad, his wife Irene and their three children now spend their time on the Flying A Ranch, where they breed and raise champion Arabian horses.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Brad Aborn for his dedicated service to the people of Mariposa County. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Aborn many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Mary Williams upon her retirement as the Mariposa County Community Services Director.

Mrs. Williams began her career with Mariposa County on September 1, 1988 as Extra-Help Senior Services Information and Referral Specialist. She was hired full-time on September 1, 1989, as Assistant Veterans' Services Officer. Over the years, Mrs. Williams was reclassified a number of times, first as a Veteran/Senior Services Assistant in 1990, then as Community Services Deputy Director on October 1, 1993. On August 3, 1998, Mrs. Williams was appointed Community Services Director.

Mrs. Williams worked tirelessly for the citizens of Mariposa County. Among the many projects she was involved in, Mrs. Williams provided senior services, senior nutrition, transit, outreach and support for seniors, education seminars and special events of help and interest to seniors; arranged for the first restaurant meal program for seniors; was responsible for overseeing the scheduling and implementing of activities and programs for seniors such as the annual Senior Exposition, the Senior Prom and Thanksgiving dinner; organized a wide variety of fundraisers; and overseeing the Veterans' Services which provides assistance to Veterans, their dependents, survivors and the general public in obtaining benefits from Federal, State, and local

agencies administering programs for Veterans, to name only a few.

Besides her commitments to Mariposa County Community Services, Mrs. Williams also served as a member of a number of groups, including the Future Farmers of America/Western Days and the Farm Bureau, was appointed a member of the Fair Board by the Governor and has worked actively with the Junior Livestock Auction Committee since its formation. Mrs. Williams recently celebrated 50 years of marriage to her husband Kenny and they both look forward to spending more time with their family upon her retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mary Williams for her dedicated service to the people of Mariposa County. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Mrs. Williams many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Don Simms upon his retirement as the Assistant District Supervisor for the Wildlife Services Central District.

Mr. Simms began his career with the USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services as an Animal Damage Control Trapper in 1971 in Mariposa County. He eventually left Mariposa County and worked in a number of places in the state and country, including Santa Clara County, Modoc County, San Diego County at the San Diego Wild Animal Park on the wild cheetah project, Alameda County, San Mateo County, and finally on Kodiak Island, Alaska, on a raccoon rabies project. In 1983, Mr. Simms came back to Mariposa County to become the Assistant District Supervisor for the Wildlife Services Central District.

Mr. Simms has been a dedicated employee of the Wildlife Services program and of Mariposa County. His trapping skills are legendary and he has developed a number of control devices and techniques that have been used in the County and throughout other western states. Mr. Simms has also made presentations on his techniques to Wildlife Services employees in other western states. Mr. Simms has dealt with a wide variety of animals in his time with Wildlife Services, including rattlesnakes, feral pigs, bears, mountain lions and even a Bengal tiger.

In addition to his service to the county, Mr. Simms is a dedicated family man. Don and his wife Judy look forward to having more time to enjoy with their children and grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Don Simms for his dedicated service to the people of Mariposa County. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Simms many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Brian Muller upon his retirement as the Mariposa County Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator.

Mr. Muller has served Mariposa since February of 1981, when he started in the Sheriff's Office as a Jail Officer/Dispatcher. In November of 1985, he became a Deputy Sheriff, after which he received a series of promotions: to Sergeant in 1998, to Lieutenant in 1999 and finally to Undersheriff in 2003. Finally, Mr. Muller was appointed as the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator in January 2008 and he has ably served the County in that capacity since.

While working for the Sheriff's Office, Mr. Muller was responsible for a wide range of duties in the County, including 9-1-1 dispatch, patrol, an adult detention facility, investigations, court security, boat patrol, animal control, coroner, public administrator duties, and Sheriff's Community Organized Policing Effort (SCOPE). Mr. Muller also successfully applied for a number of grants from the State of California that benefited Mariposa County. For his service to the County, Mr. Muller received a number of awards, including the Mariposa Gazette Best Peace Officer award and Law Enforcement Officer of the Year from Mountain Crisis Services.

In addition to his many duties as Sheriff, Mr. Muller has contributed to the County in other ways. Brad and his wife Sarah are actively involved in their church and regularly assist at the Senior Center.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Brad Muller for his dedicated service to the people of Mariposa County. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Muller many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Chris Ebie upon his retirement as the Mariposa County Auditor.

Mr. Ebie began his career with Mariposa County in September of 1987 as Account Clerk III in the Auditor's Office. In November of 1988, he was promoted to Assistant Auditor. In April 2005, Mr. Ebie briefly left Mariposa County but returned in January 2006 as the Board-appointed County Auditor. In June 2007, Mr. Ebie was officially elected to the position of County Auditor.

In his time with the County, Mr. Ebie worked on a number of projects, including coordinating efforts in assuring the County's compliance with Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) 45, maintaining the County's software and budget structure and implementing the Alternative Measurement Method (AMM) for reporting costs and liabilities associated with health and other non-pension benefits for public employees.

In addition to his service to the County, Mr. Ebie is a dedicated family man. Chris and his wife Grace are the proud parents of four children and the proud grandparents of four grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Chris Ebie for his dedicated service to the people of Mariposa County. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Ebie many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Gail Neal upon her retirement as the Mariposa County Chief Probation Officer.

Ms. Neal began her career with Mariposa County as clerk II for the District Attorney's office in April 1978. In September 1981, she transferred to the Sheriff's Office, where she was a dispatcher and then a jail officer. In November 1987, Ms. Neal transferred back to the District Attorney's office, where she served as a Clerk III for a short time before being promoted to legal secretary. Ms. Neal began in Probation as a probation aide in May 1989. From there, she received a number of promotions: to Acting Deputy Probation Officer in September of 1990, Deputy Probation Officer in January of 1991, Deputy Probation Officer II in January of 1993, Deputy Probation Officer III in May of 1995, Deputy Chief Probation Officer in January of 2001, Interim Chief Probation Officer in March of 2001 and Chief Probation Officer two weeks later in March of 2001.

Ms. Neal has displayed outstanding leadership, organization and commitment in her time with Mariposa County Probation. Her duties included planning, organizing, directing, supervising and administering actives and operations of the County Probation Department and Juvenile Hall. She also developed and oversaw the Revenue & Recovery Division.

Besides her commitments to Mariposa County Probation, Ms. Neal served as a member of a number of groups, including of the Chief Probation Officers of California, California Probation, Parole and Corrections Association, American Probation and Parole Association, Mariposa County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, Mariposa County Alcohol & Drug Advisory Board, and was Chair on Mariposa County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council. In her free time, Ms. Neal also ran a side business as a candle maker.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Gail Neal for her dedicated service to the people of Mariposa County. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Ms. Neal many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate Duarte Nursery for its honorary induction into the 13th Annual National Ag Science Center's ``Ag Hall of Fame.''

Each year the National Ag Science Center selects and honors individuals who have made

an impact on the agricultural industry in Stanislaus County as one of the best in California. This year the Center has selected Duarte Nursery for its innovative practices in viticulture.

Family owned and operated since 1989, Duarte Nursery has played a valuable role in providing innovative products to the agricultural industry, and takes pride in providing the farming industry with the cleanest, highest quality nursery products available, as well as conducting experimental trials that focus on today's industries concerns.

With over 300 employees, Duarte Nursery is the largest permanent crops nursery in the United States. Its facility has provided for innovative technologies for rapid vine establishment and fruit production, and the evaluation of scion clones and rootstocks for broad ranges of growing conditions.

Located in Hughson in California's Central Valley, I am proud to recognize the Duarte family for their hard work, efforts and achievements in providing invaluable change within the agricultural community, and its impact to the Central Valley economy.

Madam Speaker, please join me in commending Duarte Nursery for its honorary selection into the 13th Annual National Ag Science Center's ``Ag Hall of Fame.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Kristi Saitama for her ten years of service on the Almond Board of California and congratulate her on her new position at the U.S. Dairy Export Council. Kristi has assisted the Almond Board of California in exporting California almonds and building relationships through trade with Japanese, Korean and Indian markets.

Kristi has accepted a new position as vice president, Export Ingredient Marketing at the U.S. Dairy Export Council. I am confident that Kristi has left a team of colleagues well prepared to carry the future of the California almonds exportation endeavors, and will seamlessly transition into her new position. Madam Speaker, please join me in commending and congratulating Kristi Saitama on her new position and on her job well done.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Fresno Equipment Co. for receiving the 2010 Baker, Peterson, and Franklin Ag Business Award. Fresno Equipment Co. has held a long and distinguished position in the California agriculture industry, adhering to extremely high standards of quality and integrity.

The family operation of Fresno Equipment Co. has been ongoing since 1960 when Mark Vucovich and Bill Hansen became partners. Vucovich purchased the business and became sole owner in 1968 after the passing of Hansen. Mark passed away in 1980, and the business was taken over by Mark's children, Steve and Marsha.

The company operates a Five Points and Fresno Store, the latter of which is an award

winning John Deere ``Gold Star'' full line residential and commercial grounds equipment dealership. The company is a tale of entrepreneurial success, as the business started with 15 employees and increased to 85 employees today.

Fresno Equipment Co. has been actively involved with the Nisei Farmers League in promoting improved air quality in the Valley. Additionally, the company has participated in various roles in the Big Fresno Fair, Fresno State football, Grizzlies baseball, Ag Boosters BBQ, Children's Hospital of Central California, California Agriculture Leadership, Fresno Chamber of Commerce, St. Jude Church, Armenian Congregational Church, California Grape and Tree Fruit League and the livestock sale at the Fresno Fair.

Fresno Equipment Co. is a recognized agricultural business-leader in our community and its prominence and reputation will contribute to the Valley economy for years to come. Madam Speaker, please join me in commending Steve and Marsha as well as their predecessors for a job well done.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Marvin Meyer for receiving the 2010 Agriculturalist of the Year. Marvin Meyers has had a long and distinguished career in the California agriculture industry, adhering to extremely high standards of quality and integrity.

Mr. Meyers has owned and operated Meyers Farming I-IV, Oxford Farms, Inc. and Meyers Farm Family Trust, as well as the Meyers Agricultural Chemical Company. Additionally, Mr. Meyers was a member of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture.

Mr. Meyers has been an independent voice in the drought and water concerns that have plagued the valley for years. He built his own water bank to store water in wet years and withdraw resources in dry years. In 2002 he began pumping water from the Mendota Poo into the ponds next to the sugar plant. He was able to complete this project without drawing on taxpayer funding. This site has been helpful for wildlife habitats, and has been an educational outreach to the community, as over 2,000 students have visited the site on fieldtrips in the last two years.

Additionally, Governor Schwarzenegger announced that Meyers Farms would receive the 2007 Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award for its Water Bank and Wildlife Project. This is California's most prestigious environmental honor.

Marvin Meyers has earned his reputation of being a hard worker, an intelligent and innovative agriculturalist. He is a recognized leader in our community and it is clear that his endeavors and advancements in California agriculture will continue to sustain our state's economy for generations to come. Madam Speaker, please join me in commending Marvin Meyers for a job well done.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Justice

James A. Ardaiz, who is retiring as Presiding Justice in the California Court of Appeal--Fifth Appellate District. Justice Ardaiz has had a long and distinguished career spanning over three decades, adhering to extremely high standards of quality and integrity.

Justice Ardaiz is retiring at the end of this year, and his absence will be noted by all who have followed his honorable legal career. He has a reputation of being a hard worker, an intelligent and principled jurist, and a firm adherent to justice. He was recognized by the Judicial Council of California in 1999 as the California Jurist of the Year.

Justice Ardaiz is a recognized leader in our community. In addition to his legal accomplishments, which are many, he is co-author of a book called California Evidence, which looks at evidence law in California. He has also written articles about the death penalty and the California ``Three Strikes'' law. Another mark of success in Justice Ardaiz's life is his family. He has been married to his wife, Pam, for 40 years, and they have three children.

It is clear that Justice Ardaiz's service as Presiding Justice in the Fifth District Court of Appeal will continue to sustain justice and inspire others for generations to come. Madam Speaker, please join me in commending Justice James A. Ardaiz for a job well done.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Cody Alecia, of Denair, California.

What has America come to when a 13-year-old student must be concerned for his safety when he waves the American flag? This past week, Denair Middle School, located in my home district, asked one of their students, Cody Alecia, to remove an American flag he has been proudly displaying on the back of his bicycle for two months. Cody and his family were told that the flag needed to be removed for his own safety, in light of problems that arose during the previous school year when students carried the Mexican flag to the school on Cinco de Mayo. Thankfully, on November 12th, the school district reversed the decision and has informed Cody that he can once again display his flag.

I am pleased that the Denair Unified School District has made the correct decision and is once again allowing Cody to display his flag. However, I am deeply concerned about the circumstances that led to Cody being asked to remove his flag in the first place and want to make every member of the House aware of it. I raise this issue on the floor of the House because I believe what happened to Cody gives us a snapshot of our current national culture. The flag of the United States of America is a symbol of everything that this country stands for-- unity, prosperity and freedom. Every morning, in classrooms across America, students of all ages and nationalities pledge their allegiance to the flag and to this country. For an American student to ever be told that displaying the American flag in America may make him a target for violence is a travesty and terrible testament to what is happening in our country.

I am proud of Cody for choosing to display his patriotism, his respect for the men and women who have fought and died for this country, and his love of this country. And I am proud to represent this community, which has displayed such overwhelmingly positive support for Cody. I want to thank ``The American Legion Patriot Guard'' and the other riders here today, especially the Merced American Legion, Post 83, Patriot Guard, for their organization and passion to the cause. I would also like to thank everyone else who chose to walk and ride to Denair Middle School with Cody this morning and to display their pride in the American flag and the ideals that it represents. I hope many more people will be inspired by Cody's example and will choose to fly the flag more often.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Tree Fresno upon celebrating its 25th anniversary. The organization's anniversary was celebrated on Friday, September 24, 2010 in Fresno, California.

Since its inception in 1985, Tree Fresno has been involved in the planting of more than thirty-seven thousand trees on public land in and around the Fresno area. The organization has promoted youth environmental awareness and leadership by encouraging student participation in tree planting projects. Through the creation of the Junior Tree Fresno board of directors, the youth in the community have an opportunity to learn leadership and environmental stewardship skills. Tree Fresno provides tree education programs for citizens of all ages, creating an opportunity for volunteers to become actively involved with civic improvement projects.

By planting and maintaining trees, Tree Fresno is creating an improved urban forest in Fresno County where homes and parks are shaded, the air is cleaner and the beauty of the city is enhanced. Tree Fresno has planted trees along streets, trails, public parks and school campuses. Through the formation of community coalitions, Tree Fresno has been able to restore the natural oak forest along a major road by planting over fourteen hundred native oak seedlings. Through advocacy and beautification efforts, Tree Fresno has established itself as a leading organization in the community, dedicated to the improvement of the urban forest and overall quality of life for our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Tree Fresno upon 25 years of service to Fresno County and the surrounding communities. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Tree Fresno many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 120th birthday of Yosemite National Park. Yosemite National Park was designated a national park by an Act of Congress on October 1, 1890. Yosemite was the third national park to be designated as such in the United States, following Yellowstone in 1872 and Sequoia in 1890. Friday, October 1, 2010 marks the 120th birthday of the park.

Although Yosemite was the third official national park, it was the history of Yosemite Valley that gave birth to the national park concept. In the 1860s, when commercial interests began to take a foothold in Yosemite, prominent citizens and politicians who were concerned about the effects of these interests began lobbying for Federal protection for the area. A park bill creating the Yosemite Grant passed both houses of Congress and was signed by President Abraham Lincoln on June 30, 1864. The Grant, which set aside the Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove, stated that the lands be held ``. . . for public use, resort and recreation . . . inalienable for all time.'' It was the first time in history that land was set aside purely for preservation and recreation for all people by action of the U.S. Federal Government. The Grant's creation set the precedent for the eventual creation of the first national park, Yellowstone, in 1872. The Yosemite Grant was ceded to and administered by the State of California as a State park until 1906. The Grant was then ceded to the Federal Government and included in Yosemite National Park.

Today, Yosemite National Park encompasses 747,959 acres, stretching across 3 counties and the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Almost 95 percent of the park is Federally designated as wilderness. The park is home to thousands of species of plants and more than 400 species of vertebrates, including fish, amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals. Approximately 4 million people from around the world visit Yosemite every year. With endless opportunities for outdoor recreation, most visitors spend their time in the Yosemite Valley, where they hike the John Muir Trail, wander under the canopy of the Giant Sequoias and breathe in the mist of Bridalveil Fall. Other visitors backpack through the wilderness, ascend the granite peaks of Half Dome and El Capitan, or simply enjoy the beauty of Yosemite's nature and wildlife. It is no wonder that Yosemite, with its spectacular waterfalls, high country lakes, meadows and granite domes, is often referred to as the crown jewel of the national park system.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 120th birthday of Yosemite National Park. I invite my colleagues to join me in honoring the history and beauty of Yosemite National Park.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Major Pang Ge Moua for his dedication and service to his country and his community. Major Moua passed away at the age of 81 on August 8th, 2010 in Fresno, California. A service honoring his life will be held on Saturday, August 21, 2010 in Fresno.

Major Moua was born on October 20th, 1928, in Ban Nong Het, Xiengkhouang province, Kingdom of Laos, 1928. In 1948, he completed grade 3 in the Lao elementary school in the same village where he was born. In 1963, Mr. Moua was recruited to train as a walking fighter, also known as an infantry man. After completing the training, he was placed in the 1st Company, 201st Battalion, Special Guerrilla Units where he served in southeast Asia and Laos during the Vietnam Conflict. Mr. Moua served in this unit through May 1975. During his time with the military, Mr. Moua participated in a number of missions for the United States and the Kingdom of Laos. For his outstanding service, Mr. Moua was promoted to the rank of Major. After the United States withdrew its troops and support from Indochina, Mr. Moua fled to Thailand and eventually moved on to the United States, where he settled on June 21, 1989.

Major Moua received a number of citations and awards for his service in southeast Asia including the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnam Veteran's Medal, the Vietnam Veteran's National Medal and the Lao Veterans of America National Medal.

Upon moving to the United States, Major Moua became active in community affairs. In 1991, he became a member of the Lao Veterans of America, Inc. The Lao Veterans of America, Inc. represents veterans who served the United States honorably during the Vietnam War. It is the largest organization of its kind in the U.S. and includes thousands of Hmong and Lao veterans and their families. Major Moua was elected to serve in a leadership role in the Lao Veterans of America Fresno Sub- Chapter in 2002. He has also attended Lao Veterans of America events in Washington, D.C. many times over the past few years.

Major Moua will be remembered for all that he has sacrificed and for all that he has achieved. He is survived by his wife, Kao Kim Lee, and their 7 children.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to posthumously honor Major Pang Ge Moua for his dedication to his family, his country and his community. I invite my colleagues to join me in honoring his life and wishing the best for his family.