Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mace McIntosh upon his retirement as the Sonora Chief of Police. Chief McIntosh will officially retire on December 30, 2008 and will be honored on January 3 at a retirement dinner.

Mr. McIntosh was born and raised in Tehama County, California to John and Donnalee McIntosh. He was raised on his family's cattle ranch. In 1978, he was hired by Red Bluff Police Department in Tehama County. He worked patrol, investigations and all traffic related issues. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1992 and promoted to Commander in 1995. He served as the interim Chief for the Red Bluff Police Department from September 2000 to October 2001. From there he served at the rank of Capitan until his appointment as Chief of Police with the city of Sonora in June 2004.

The Sonora Police Department is a full-service, community policing organization that includes 25 sworn and non-sworn staff. They also have 5 reserve police officers, a 12 member senior volunteer program and 14 active explorers. Chief McIntosh has implemented a new program that has helped his team cover the city more efficiently. He developed the Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving program; the city is divided into two ``Areas of Responsibility'' with a Patrol Sergeant for each of the two areas. The Sergeants are responsible for any problems that might occur within their Area of Responsibility.

Outside of the police department, Chief McIntosh has always been involved with the community. He has been a member of the Elks Club of Red Bluff for over 30 years. He also served on the Plum Valley School District Board for 12 years and the Tehama County Board of Education for 14 years; he served as Board President for each organization twice. He is the Past President of Tehama County Peace Officers Association and the Tehama County Police Activities League. He was also a member of the Tehama County Mentoring Committee.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Chief Mace McIntosh upon his retirement from the Sonora Police Department. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Chief McIntosh many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Thomas Mayfield for his dedication to his family, business and community. Mr. Mayfield lost his fight against lymphoma on December 9, 2008; three days shy of his seventy-eighth birthday.

Thomas Mayfield was born on December 12, 1930 in Holtville, California and was raised in Imperial County, California. As an adolescent his family moved to Hughson, California where he attended and graduated from Hughson High School in 1948. As a young man, Mr. Mayfield worked in construction in Alaska for 1 year before joining the Air Force. He served in the Air Force from 1950 to 1951, and returned to work in Alaska until 1953. In 1954 he married his wife, Anita, and moved back to Hughson. They began a small farm growing walnuts, almonds and grapes. The business eventually grew to include a hulling division. Up until a few months ago Mr. Mayfield was still working out in the fields on the family farm.

Mr. Mayfield has a long history of involvement in the Hughson community. He was a member of the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau, the Hughson Chamber of Commerce and heavily involved with Saint Anthony's Church. He also served 10 years on the Hughson Elementary School Board. In 1992, he decided to run for an open seat on the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors District 2, he was elected and began his 16-year run on the Board in 1993. Supervisor Mayfield was a strong voice for agriculture on the board and a proponent of family issues. He served on numerous committees and commissions; including serving as Vice President in 1996 and as the chairman of the board in 1997. He was the Board's representative to the Commission on Aging, Fish and Wildlife Committee, General Plan Update Committee, Joint Powers Authority Committee and member of the LAFCO Commission. He served as an alternate to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District Board of Directors, Safety Committee, Stanislaus Area Association of Governments Executive Committee and an alternate to the Emergency Medical Services Board of Directors and the Stanislaus-Ceres Redevelopment Committee. He was serving as chairman this year until he became too ill to attend meetings. Supervisor Mayfield was completing his fourth term on the board and did not run for re-election this year. He was an advocate, a dedicated public servant, a leader and a great friend to all that knew him.

Supervisor Mayfield is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Anita; a daughter, Lisa Mayfield-Rigg; a son, Tom Mayfield; and three grandsons. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Laurie Woodward.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to posthumously honor Supervisor Thomas Mayfield for his dedicated services to his family, his business and his community. I invite my colleagues to join me in honoring his life and wishing the best for his family.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Bob Pickard upon his retirement as Mariposa County Supervisor, District V. Supervisor Pickard was honored by the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, December 16, 2008.

Bob Pickard was originally appointed on September 4, 1996, by Governor Wilson to fill an unexpired term on the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors, District V. He was elected in 1996 and re-elected in 2000 and 2004. Over the past decade, Supervisor Pickard has been involved in numerous projects, committees, and organizations. He served as chair in 1999, 2003, and 2005. Under his role of supervisor he served on the Disaster Advisory Council, Fish Camp Community Planning Advisory Council, Wawona Appeals Board, Wawona Town Planning Advisory Committee, and Mariposa Solid Waste AB939 Local Task Force. Over the years, he also served on the board of directors for over 10 different agencies including: Area 12 Agency of Aging Joint Powers Authority Governing Board, California State Association of Counties Government Finance and Operations Committee, and California State Association of Resource Conservation and Development Council. Supervisor Pickard worked tirelessly on dozens of projects to revamp the county, community planning and development, recreation facilities, landfill, wastewater treatment facilities, airport improvement, road and fire station improvements. During his tenure, he was regularly involved in the resolving of natural disasters including the floods of 2005, the Ferguson rock slide disaster of 2006 and the recent wildfires of 2008.

Supervisor Pickard has worked with the State government for assistance in resolving issues that affect small rural counties. He was successful with legislation to bring $400,000 to Mariposa County, $80,000 per year for counties with no incorporated cities, for their fair share of the gasoline tax and vehicle license fees; $900,000 for local road rehabilitations; $240,000 to provide equity funding for rural counties and their hazardous waste inspections on local businesses; $120,000 and an

additional $64,000 for 1 year and ongoing funding for continuing noxious and invasive week eradication; and $180,000 were secured for the Mariposa Creek Parkway and other improvements. Supervisor Pickard has been an integral member of the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors, his impact on the county will be displayed for years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Supervisor Bob Pickard upon his retirement from the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Supervisor Pickard many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dianne Fritz upon her retirement as Mariposa County Supervisor, District IV. Supervisor Fritz will be honored by the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, December 16, 2008.

Dianne Fritz was elected to the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors, District IV in 2004 and officially took office in January 2005. In 2008 she served as Vice-Chair of the Board of Supervisors and also the Vice- Chair for the Mariposa County Local Transportation Commission. For the past four years, Supervisor Fritz has been involved in numerous projects, committees, and organizations. As supervisor she has served on the board of directors for numerous agencies and organizations including: Mountain Valley Emergency Medical Services Agency; National Association of Counties; San Joaquin Valley Regional Association of California Counties; Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System, YARTS, Joint Powers Authority; High Speed Rail Authority; San Joaquin Valley Rail Committee; and California State Association of Counties. She also served as board liaison member to the Fiscal and Educational Services and Justice System Services area, the Yosemite Gateway Socioeconomics Workshops, and for the California State Mining and Mineral Exhibit issues. Supervisor Fritz worked tirelessly on many projects benefiting the county that ranged from community planning and development, wastewater treatment facilities, recreation facilities, road and fire station maintenance, airport improvements, and restoration of the Mariposa Courthouse. During her tenure there were natural disasters that she worked diligently on, for example the floods of 2005, the Ferguson Rock Slide Disaster of 2006, and the recent wild fires of 2008.

Supervisor Fritz has worked on many issues pertaining to economic development. She was instrumental in the privatization of the Visitors' Bureau, with the formation of the Yosemite/Mariposa County Tourism Bureau and fought the closure of Mount Bullion Youth Conservation Camp. She also worked on the General Plan update for Mariposa County, improvements to community parks, health care, public safety and agri- nature tourism. Supervisor Fritz has always been active in the community; she performed with the Vagina Monologs and other fundraising activities in support of the Mountain Crisis Services programs for victims. She also coordinates the ``Las Mariposas Civil War Days Re- enactment''. She is an active member of Soroptimist International, Mariposa County Chamber of Commerce, the Order of the Eastern Star and the Republican Central Committee. Supervisor Fritz has been an integral member of the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors, and her impact on the county will be displayed for years to come.

Madam Speaker, Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Supervisor Dianne Fritz upon her retirement from the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Supervisor Fritz many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the accomplishments of Leroy Radanovich. Mr. Radanovich was recognized by the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors on December 9, 2008.

Leroy Radanovich was born and raised in Mariposa County, CA. As a child, Yosemite National Park was his playground. He grew up learning to appreciate his surroundings and his community. Through his love of nature, Mr. Radanovich began photographing areas of Mariposa and Yosemite Valley. Because of his talented eye for beauty today many of his photographs can be found in numerous books and museums. Although his photography has spread his name around the world, it is his community activities that have made him a leader in Mariposa.

Mr. Radanovich is a local business owner. Though retired from the pharmacy business, he currently operates a photography business. He has served his community as a volunteer firefighter, past president of the Lions Club, and past president of the Mariposa County Water Agency. He served as president of the Mariposa Chamber of Commerce and assisted in establishing multiple tourism and economic development programs. From 1985 through 1988, Mr. Radanovich was elected as the supervisor of District 4 in Mariposa County. During his role as supervisor he served as the chairman of the board in 1987 and the president of the San Joaquin Valley Supervisors Association in 1988. In 1987 he was instrumental in obtaining the designation of the Kern and Merced Rivers as ``National Wild and Scenic River'' by the Federal Government. From 1996 until 2003 he was a member of the Mariposa Planning Commission and assisted in developing the comprehensive update of the General Plan. Mr. Radanovich is a member of the Historical Sites and Records Preservation Commission, the Cemetery Advisory Committee, and was influential in the restoration of the Mariposa County Courthouse. Since 2006, he has served as the director of the Yosemite/Mariposa County Tourism Bureau. Mr. Radanovich has been involved with nearly every significant project in Mariposa County since the 1960s.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the accomplishments of Leroy Radanovich. Although he is going to move away from the public role, I am certain that his influences will still be noticed. I invite my colleagues to join me in honoring his accomplishments and wishing him the best in future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my colleague from California Mr. Costa to commend and congratulate Captain Arthur Hill (U.S. Army retired) upon being honored with the Citizen Soldier Award. Mr. Hill was honored on November 7, 2008 at the Fresno City College Veterans Day 2008 Memorial and Dedication Ceremony.

Mr. Hill was born on July 16, 1916. Shortly after the bombing at Pearl Harbor he began volunteering for the Army Engineers, he was 27 years old. He has a background in construction, so in 1942 he was sent to Camp Claiborne, LA to a Special Service Engineer Regiment. On December 23, 1942, Mr. Hill graduated from O.C.S. and the Heavy Equipment School at Fort Belvoir, VA as a Second Lieutenant. At Camp Swift, TX, he was assigned to the 146 Engineer (C) Battalion as the Headquarters Company Commander with the additional duty of Battalion Motor Officer. He held this command, as a Captain, with various additional duties until the end of the war.

During the war his battalion moved to England's North Coastal area of Saunton Sands. They helped build and operate an assault training center of enemy fortifications duplicated during their time overseas. These fortifications were from secret aerial reconnaissance photos of the landing beaches and Siegfried line defenses. This led to the spearheading of the Omaha Beach ``D Day'' landing at the ``H'' hour plus 3 minutes across the English Channel on June 6, 1944. The five European campaigns of Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes- Alsace, and Central Europe followed.

After the collapse of Germany, the 146th (C) Engineers, along with other engineer groups of V Corps were assisting with the debris clearance and the restoration of utilities of battered Pilsen, Czechoslovakia. In Pilsen, Captain Hill was named director of the XXII Corps Heavy Equipment School for approximately 65 Czech civil engineers and equipment operators from the V, VII, and XXII Corps. Captain Hill was later given the title of Base Commander at one of several embarkation centers that were responsible for upgrading facilities for pending troop movement. While at the Biarritz American University in Southern France, he learned that he had received a Foreign Award, the Czech Military Medal.

Upon returning home, Captain Hill was discharged on January 8, 1946. He began his civilian life and worked in the petroleum industry for 30 years. He and his wife, B.J. (now deceased), were married for over 50 years. Since April 1992, Mr. Hill has enjoyed his time as a volunteer at the National Legion of Valor Museum in Fresno, California, where he is also an honorary lifetime member. He became the museum Director in July 2001. From 1995-1996, he also served as the American Legion Commander of Fresno Post No. 4.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Arthur Hill upon his achievements. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Hill many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my colleague from California Mr. Costa to commend and congratulate Frederic Von Rueden, U.S. Navy Retired, upon being honored with the Citizen Soldier Award, Mr. Von Rueden was honored on November 7, 2008 at the Fresno City College Veterans Day 2008 Memorial and Dedication Ceremony.

Mr. Von Rueden was born in Farihault, Minnesota, on October 25, 1917. In 1936 he enlisted in the Navy, went through ``Boot Camp'' at Great Lakes, Illinois, and underwent further training in San Francisco, California. From San Francisco he went to San Diego to board the Light Cruiser USS Richmond where he spent the next 9 years. The home port for the ship was Panama. He was in Valparaiso the day Pearl Harbor was hit. The ship escorted many convoys to the South Pacific and conducted regular bombardment off the coast of Japan in company with the USS Salt Lake City, where they often engaged the Japanese Fleet in battle. Mr. Von Rueden was a boiler technician. Most of his days were spent below deck in the engine rooms. At the end of World War II the USS Richmond was returned to Philadelphia and was decommissioned.

In Philadelphia, Mr. Von Rueden went through some schooling and was reassigned to the Battleship USS Iowa out of Long Beach, California for about 6 months. After that he spent some time aboard the USS Topeka and the USS Los Angeles for tours. He decided to spend some time on land training at Port Hueneme, California. With this new training he was sent to Kwadjelien in the South Pacific for 18 months to do utility maintenance. After completing another tour aboard the USS Theodore E. Chandler he trained to be a Recruiter and was sent to the Fresno Recruit Center. He completed one more 18 month tour aboard the USS Iowa before returning to Fresno. In 1955, Mr. Von Rueden became a permanent resident in Fresno and retired to the Fleet Reserve on February 5, 1957.

After retiring from the Navy, Mr. Von Rueden was hired by the County of Fresno to work at Juvenile Hall. He attended school, part time, at Fresno City College on the GI Bill, and graduated with a degree in 1961. In 1968 he transferred to the County Public Works Department and was a maintenance engineer at Fresno County Hospital until he retired on March 1, 1980. Mr. Von Rueden and his wife reside at a retirement home in Clovis, California. He is still active in the Fresno Branch 249 of the Fleet Reserve Association.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Frederic Von Rueden upon his achievements. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Von Rueden many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Fresno Business Council upon the celebration of their 15th anniversary. A celebration dinner will be held on Wednesday November 12, 2008 to honor this milestone.

In the early 1990s, the Greater Fresno area experienced a dramatic increase in crime rates and a severe economic downturn. As a result of the regional crisis, the morale of the entire community suffered tremendously. In response, a small group of business leaders formed an organization to address the critical issues that afflicted the region. In its beginning stages, the Fresno Business Council developed subject matter committees to address various issues such as job growth, crime and education. These specific committees were designed to obtain the research necessary to develop comprehensive action plans. A civic infrastructure was built and a network of partnerships, that crossed boundaries, was developed in support of transformational change. One of the first projects of the Fresno Business Council was the establishment of the Central Valley Business Incubator. This project, a partnership between California State University, Fresno and the Fresno Business Council, has created over one thousand jobs to date.

In 2000 ``The Economic Future of the San Joaquin Valley'' was issued. This report offered the Central Valley two choices; maintain the status quo by continuing the low cost path or shift to an added value economy and increase the prosperity and quality of life for everyone in the community. Following the recommendations of the report, a group of people came together to develop a plan, this established the Collaborative Regional Initiative, CRI. CRI was a joint venture between California State University, Fresno and the Fresno Business Council. There were 5 initiatives that came out of this; insuring a state of the art technology infrastructure, increasing the number of knowledgeable workers, improving the quality of life through land use and transportation decisions, achieving high quality performance in the human services and education systems and the creation of an innovative culture. An essential element of the CRI was a commitment to a new contract for civic behavior; this contract became the ``Community Values of the Fresno Region''. In the end, CRI launched 26 projects that are completed, still in an implementation stage or have been absorbed by other organizations.

Fresno City Mayor Alan Autry asked his economic advisors to evaluate the city budget. They found that if more jobs were not created law enforcement would eventually consume the entire general fund. From this evaluation, the Regional Job Initiative, RJI, was launched in 2004. The RJI set a goal of 30,000 net new jobs in just 5 years. Those involved with RJI quickly realized that they would have to have strong education institutions and effective workforce preparation organizations to achieve sustainable success. Together with the networks created by CRI, the Fresno Business Council and representatives from other organizations they developed the ``Choosing our Future Report'', a plan to address critical issues inside Fresno Unified School District and the surrounding neighborhoods. The implementation of this plan began in 2005 and those involved have pledged at least a 3 year commitment.

The Fresno Business Council has been an essential organization of constant adaptation and with its members picking up many of the operation functions. It has proven to be a catalyst for transformational change, a merger of formerly disconnected organizations and a steward leader willing to take responsibility for helping to solve critical and systematic problems.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate the Fresno Business Council on 15 years as an outstanding organization. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing the Fresno Business Council many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Kenni Friedman upon being named the 2008 ``Citizen of the Year'' by the American Legion, Post 74. Mrs. Freidman will be honored at the sixty- first annual Awards and Veteran's Day observance dinner on Tuesday, November 11, 2008.

Kenni Friedman is a longtime resident of the northern San Joaquin Valley. After receiving her bachelor of science degree and a masters in business administration from the University of California, Los Angeles, she began working at Price Waterhouse. She later served as a staff accountant for the cities of Los Angeles and New York. During the early 1990s, Mrs. Friedman began her political career in Stanislaus County. She was elected to the Modesto City Council in 1991 and was reelected in 1993 and 1997. While serving on the city council she served on numerous council committees including: Financial Policy, Transportation Planning, Community Development and Housing, Human Services, Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations and Public Safety. Mrs. Friedman also served on the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (1994-2000), the

Stanislaus Area Association of Governments (1992-2000) and the Tuolumne River Regional Park Policy Board (1992-2002).

Outside of the political arena, Mrs. Friedman has been involved in many community activities. From 1997 to 2006 she served on the Sutter Health Board of Directors. Since 2003 she has worked with the Salvation Army in various capacities. In 2003 she worked on the Christmas Angel project and from 2004 to 2006 she co-chaired the ``Grassroots'' campaign. Since 2006 she has co-chaired the Salvation Army ``One Night Out'' dinners and has been an honorary Advisory Board member since 2002. Mrs. Friedman is currently serving on the Gallo Center for the Arts Advisory Board, the Valley Business High School Advisory Board and the University of California at Merced Foundation Board. In May 2008 she received the ``Children's First Award'' from the Center for Human Services for her dedicated service to the community and children.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Kenni Friedman upon her accomplishments and for being honored as the 2008 ``Citizen of the Year''. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Mrs. Friedman many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Flory Industries upon being inducted into the Agriculture Hall of Fame. Flory Industries will be honored at the 11th Annual Ag Hall of Fame Dinner on Thursday, November 13, 2008 at the Assyrian American Civic Club of Turlock.

In 1909, the Flory family moved to their current location in Salida, California and settled their ranch. Innovation has been a key for the Flory family from the beginning. During the 1920s and early 1930s the family had a 100-cow grade ``B'' dairy. It is believed that they were the first family in the nation to have milking machines, the first to have a farm tractor in the area, and the first to convert from steel

tractor wheels to rubber tires. The operation expanded to include custom grain and bean harvesting. Harold Flory designed and built 2 bean harvesters for use in their harvesting business. These 2 machines lasted from 1935 to 1974, for a total of 30 harvest seasons.

In 1961, the first Flory pick-up harvester was built; it was a small three-point mounted, tractor-powered harvester that was primarily used for harvesting almonds. Flory Industries continued to grow with the times and in 1969 they introduced the self-propelled harvester with a 4-foot pick-up width. This was the first in the agriculture industry to use a hydrostatic ground drive. In 1972, Flory once again met the needs of the industry by developing a self-propelled heavy-duty sweeper. The sweeper produced by Flory has continued to improve to meet the industry needs and today's diesel engine designs.

Today, Flory Industries is still considered to be a leader in the field of nut-harvesting equipment, with sales in the worldwide market. Their equipment is used in the harvest of almonds, cashews, figs, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, tung nuts, and walnuts. The technology of the equipment has improved over the past 7 decades to meet both the needs of the industry for efficient harvesting and the reduction of dust to improve air quality. The company's commitment to cleaner air is evident with the manufacturing of the brush shredder to eliminate the winter burning of orchard prunings. They continue to work with educational institutions including California Polytechnic State University, University of California at Davis, California State University, Fresno, and New Mexico State on environmental concerns.

Flory Industries manufacturing facilities and offices are located on the original property purchased by the family almost 100 years ago. The company has been repairing and building farm equipment since 1936. Today, four generations work in the family business led by President Howard Flory.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Flory Industries upon its induction into the Agriculture Hall of Fame. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing the company, and the Flory family, many years of continued growth and success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Oakhurst Chamber of Commerce upon the celebration of their 50th Anniversary. The anniversary will be celebrated at the Annual Installation Diner and Dance to be held on December 5, 2008 at the Pines Resort in Bass Lake, California.

Over the past fifty years, the Oakhurst Chamber of Commerce has been committed to it Mission Statement ``To promote and support the economic vitality while honoring and preserving the unique lifestyles of our Mountain Communities.'' The Oakhurst Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with its Board of Directors, the Eastern Madera County Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the many committees that have been established over the years, has been responsible for the completion of many community projects and achievements. These accomplishments have revolved around promoting business and tourism, community development, government issues and education.

For fifty years the Chamber has worked diligently to promote the businesses, large and small, in Eastern Madera County. Today, it has over four hundred members. The Chamber has developed member to member programs, networking and ``shop locally'' campaigns to strengthen, nurture and build the local businesses. It has been a strong advocate for the New Downtown Project that is envisioned to be a pedestrian friendly area for visitors and locals and will include a visitors center, shopping, entertainment and dining. To keep the community and visitors apprised of what is going on in Eastern Madera County, the Chamber maintains an up to the minute, interactive website. It also provides visitors with a directory of local businesses and is responsible for creating the official regional street map for Eastern Madera County. The Chamber plays a vital role in welcoming visitors and recruiting new businesses to the area. Often, the Chamber serves as a first impression for the entire community. It has worked to make this impression warm, welcoming and professional. By providing these services, the Oakhurst Chamber of Commerce has created events that have drawn thousands of visitors to the area. The events that it promotes include the Oakhurst Peddlers Fair, the Fall Festival, the Automotive Film Festival, and the Wood Carvers Rendezvous.

The Chamber hosts annual planning conferences with local business leaders and government officials to maintain a sense of cohesion and to discuss key economic indicators and to define the needs of the community. These conferences help all of the members work together toward a common goal that will help shape the community. In the past these goals have included working with various levels of government or providing various community projects. The Education, Beautification, Economic Development, and Tourism Committees have worked together to create better programs and services for the entire community; including a community park with the formation of non profit to run it. The Emergency Preparedness Committee has created and implemented emergency plans for fire, water and power outages, natural disasters and chemical hazards. Working with county and state officials on the infrastructure of the area, the Chamber has played an integral part in water, sewer and other detail area plans. The Chamber's work provided a new sewer plant for Oakhurst, in obtaining a one million dollar grant for the continued development of a water source in the area and a four million dollar loan through the California Public Utilities Commission for Hillview Water. The Chamber and the Foundation has funded and built over one million dollars worth of sidewalks on Highway 41 in Oakhurst. It has also endorsed and raised support for the ``Action to Incorporate Oakhurst Now'' and has provided education to the community about the benefits of incorporating the area.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate the Oakhurst Chamber of Commerce on 50 years. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing the Chamber many years of continued growth and success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate all of the 2008 Top Dog Award recipients from California State University, Fresno. All award winners were honored on Friday October 10, 2008 at the Awards Gala at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.

The Top Dog Award is a great tradition for CSU Fresno. It allows the University to honor alumni that continue to give back to the University. There are three award categories: Distinguished Alumnus Award, Outstanding Alumni Awards and the Arthur Safstrom Service Award.

The Distinguished Alumnus Award is the highest honor given to an alumna of the University. The award is based on scholarship, leadership and service to CSU Fresno, the San Joaquin Valley and the State of California. It has been established to provide special recognition to an individual who has distinguished themselves through outstanding achievement during their post-collegiate career. The University President and the Alumni Association present the award.

For 2008 the Distinguished Alumnus Award is being given to Nat DiBuduo, class of 1972. Mr. DiBuduo has strong roots in the Central San Joaquin Valley as a vineyard and winery owner. He attended CSU Fresno where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Science/ Viticulture and a minor in Business. He is also a graduate of the California Ag Leadership Program, holds a Certified Pest Control Advisor's license and a Department of Real Estate sales license. He has worked as an independent consultant overseeing farm management of 24,000 acres of winegrapes, nuts and vegetables. Today, he is President of Allied Grape Growers; a local organization that works with over 500 grower members from throughout California to competitively market the crops. During his time at CSU Fresno, he was student body vice president, but his service to the commundy did not stop there. He generously gives to his alma mater, and serves on the boards of the Ag One Foundation and the Fresno State Alumni Association.

The Outstanding Alumni Awards recognize CSU Fresno alumna for outstanding accomplishments in their field and to present such alumni to current CSU Fresno students as examples of exceptional achievement. The Alumni Association works in conjunction with the deans of CSU Fresno's eight schools/colleges, as well as the dean of student affairs and the athletic director to identify and select candidates for the awards.

This year there are twelve Outstanding Alumni Awards from the various schools, colleges and divisions. The honorees are:

Dr. Robert C. Cannell (class of 1986) from the College of Agriculture Sciences and Technology. Dr. Cannell is the supply chain director for McDonald's USA and is responsible for the quality and safety of the restaurant chain's beef and pork.

Brad Lewis (class of 1980) from the College of Arts and Humanities. Mr. Lewis is a Pixar Animation Studios producer, whose movie ``Ratatouille'' received Oscar, Golden Globe and Clio awards.

Kern Donis (class of 1991) from the Athletics Department. Ms Donis is a former Bulldog softball star; she played for two national titles. She is now deputy chief for the Fresno Fire Department.

Steve Heinrichs (class of 1968) from the Craig School of Business. Mr. Heinrichs is a managing partner of Bulldog Capital Partners, a venture fund that invests in new business ideas and companies with potential to contribute to the Central San Joaquin Valley economy.

Darlene Spano (class of 1969) from the Kremen School of Education and Human Development. Ms. Spano has been an elementary school teacher in Fresno for 32 years. She had embraced computer technology early enough to educate and assist her students and colleagues.

Dr. Vida Ilderem (class of 1982) from the College of Engineering. Dr. Ilderem is the vice president of physical and digital realization research at Motorola Laboratories, the applied research arm of Motorola.

Mabelle Selland (class of 1950 and 1972) from the Division of Graduate Studies. Ms. Selland's community service includes the preservation of the old Administration Building at Fresno City College, the Veterans Memorial Auditorium restoration and active participation in numerous organizations.

Pamela Loewen (class of 1966) from the College of Health and Human Services. Ms. Loewen has followed a career in military and public health nursing with extensive service to the University's Department of Nursing as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Kendall Manock (class of 1951) from the Henry Madden Library. Mr. Manock is a local attorney and has been instrumental in obtaining materials for the Library's Central Valley Political Archive. He has also worked on many other library initiatives.

Dr. Roy James Shlemon (class of 1958) from the College of Science and Mathematics. Dr. Shlemon has a consulting geological practice that focuses on sites for nuclear power plants, waste facilities, large dams and residential developments throughout the world.

Thomas Williams (class of 1970) from the College of Social Sciences. Mr. Williams is the chairman and CEO of Universal Parks and Resorts, part of the NBC Universal division of GE.

Ambassador Phillip Sanchez (class of 1957 and 1972) from the Division of Student Affairs. Ambassador Sanchez retired as a newspaper publisher after government services included two ambassadorships and directing the War on Poverty as the nation's highest-ranking Latino government official.

The third award is the Arthur Safstrom Service Award; it is awarded to an alumna or

friend of CSU Fresno who has given outstanding service to the Alumni Association and/or the University. This year the award is presented to Dr. Arnold and Dianne Gazarian. The Gazarians' generous donations to the university have included a gift to the Smittcamp Alumni House, the Friends of the Madden Library, the President's Fund and the Craig School of Business to establish the Arnold and Dianne Gazarian Real Estate Center. The couple has also provided incentives to attract others' gifts for the Haig and Isabel Berberian Endowed Chair in Armenian Studies. Beyond the campus, the Gazarians are benefactors of the Berberian Community Hospice Patient Services Center as well as the Homeless and Transitional Living Center in Modesto, California.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate all of the Top Dog Award recipients for their individual contributions. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing the honorees many years of continual success.

Madan Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Cesilia ``CeCe'' Lomeli-Perez upon being awarded with the ``Community Health Champions Award'' at the 2008 West Fresno Health Care Coalition's 4th annual ``This is Your Life of Service'' dinner and award ceremony. This year the ceremony will be held at the Radisson Hotel Conference Center in Fresno, Calitbrnia on Friday, October 24th.

CeCe Lomeli-Perez grew up in Patterson, California. She attended Patterson High School and Modesto Junior College where she received her Associate's of Science and Registered Nurse degrees. She moved to Fresno, California to further her education and earned her Bachelors of Science degree in nursing (BSN) from California State University, Fresno. After completing her Bachelors degree she started working at Valley Children's Hospital in the neo-natal intensive care unit. She worked there for five years and decided to continue her education. She returned to California State University, Fresno to earn her Masters in nursing with a specialty in family practice, a Masters in public health and is currently working on her Ph.D. in public health.

Mrs. Lomeli-Perez is a nurse practitioner for the Holy Cross Clinic in Fresno, a community outreach clinic of Saint Agnes Medical Center located within the Poverello House. The clinic provides free medical and dental services to the poor and homeless; the only eligibility requirement is that patients cannot have medical insurance. Throughout her career she has run health fairs, health screenings for schools, eyeglass programs and taught classes on diabetes and prenatal care. She has also served as Chair of the Adult Task Force to help secure funding for mental health services for Fresno County. She is very involved in her church, the Poverello House, the Rescue Mission, the Salvation Army and the Youth Orchestra of Fresno. She has organized the ``Mujeres de Valor,'' a group of women of color who walk annually in the Komen Foundation's Walk for the Cure. In 2005 she received a ``Top 10 Business and Professional Women of the Year'' award from the Marjaree Mason Center, and the University of California, San Francisco Fresno Latino Center Award for medical education and research. She has also received the annual Leadership Award in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. In 2008 she was a presenter at the annual Veritas Forum at California State University. Fresno. Mrs. Lomeli-Perez has been a champion in reaching out to those who are poor, homeless and uninsured. She has served the community for over fifteen years.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Cesilia ``CeCe'' Lomeli-Perez upon being awarded with ``Community Health Champions Award''. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Mrs. Lomeli-Perez many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with Congressman Nunes, to congratulate Satoshi ``Fibber'' Hirayama upon the opening and dedication of the newest gymnasium in Clovis Unified School District. Mr. Hirayama will be honored at a dedication ceremony on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at Gateway High School.

Mr. Hirayama was raised in the Central San Joaquin Valley on a farm. At the age of twelve he began to play competitive sports, mostly football and baseball. These skills were developed even further when his family, along with thousands of other Japanese-Americans, was relocated to an Internment Camp in Arizona during World War II. While in the camp an organized baseball league began with 32 teams. The competitive nature of the games is where his baseball skills became refined.

When the war ended, Mr. Hirayama and his family returned to the San Joaquin Valley. He completed high school and received a scholarship to play baseball at Fresno State College. While at Fresno State he lettered in football and baseball. He lead the baseball team with seventy-six stolen bases in a season and five stolen bases in one game, this record stood for over forty years. After college he was picked up by the Stockton Ports in the Pacific Coast League, a farm team for the St. Louis Browns. Mr. Hirayama was the first Japanese-American from Fresno to play professional baseball. After one year in the league he was called to serve for the U.S. military. From 1953 to 1955, Mr. Hirayama served as a soldier at Fort Ord and continued to play baseball with fellow soldiers on base.

Upon being discharged from the military he signed with the Hiroshima Carp in the Japanese Baseball League. He and a fellow teammate, Kenshi Zenimura, were incredibly popular; over 100,000 fans showed up at the Hiroshima train station to greet the players upon their arrival to Japan. Mr. Hirayama became a two-time All Star and competed in the Japanese-Major League Baseball All Star games against legends, such as Mickey Mantel, Whitey Ford, Casey Stengel and Stan Musial.

After playing in the league for 10 years, he returned to California and in 1965 was hired as a teacher for Clovis continuation. He became vice principal at the continuation school for two periods per day and also taught 5 periods of math at Clovis High School per day. In 1970 he was promoted to principal of the continuation school and in 1972 became the first principal of the new continuation school, Gateway High. After holding that position for five years, he served as the Administrator of Personnel for Clovis Unified School District. He remained in that position for 13 years, until he retired from the district in 1990.

Today, Mr. Hirayama continues to work in the baseball world. He currently scouts for the Carps in Japan and the Dominican Republic. He is a true pioneer for the sport of baseball and an incredible example of competiveness and determination.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Satoshi ``Fibber'' Hirayama upon the dedication of the new gymnasium in his name. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Hirayama many years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with Congressman Costa, to congratulate Lee Angelich upon his induction into the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame. Mr. Angelich will be honored at the 50th anniversary enshrinement dinner of the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame on Thursday, November 6, 2008.

Lee Angelich, the youngest of five boys, was born to a Serbian immigrant family and starred in track and field in high school and college. Mr. Angelich qualified for the State Finals his senior year at Shasta High School. In his two years at Sacramento Junior College, he led the Panthers to league and state titles and in 1941 he led them to a national title. Mr. Angelich placed second in the 120 high hurdles and fifth in the high jump at the national meet. He then went on to the University of California, where in 1943 he won Pacific Coast Conference titles in the 120 high and the 220 low hurdles, and finished fifth and sixth respectively in the same events at the NCAA Championships. In 1943, Mr. Angelich joined the Navy and served as an officer on the U.S.S. Rixey in the Pacific. After the war, he enrolled at California State University Fresno and placed third in the West Coast Relays in the 120 high hurdles.

After completing his education Mr. Angelich began coaching. As a coach he stressed fundamentals, defense and teamwork. He guided boys' teams at Kerman High, Porterville High and Fresno High to eight league championships and an overall record of 255-76 from 1947 to 1963. His Kerman team won the Central Section small schools championship, and his Fresno High teams won forty-eight straight games at home, second best in section history. Under Mr. Angelich, Fresno High won four consecutive North Yosemite League titles (1957-1960). He is one of the rare coaches to win central Section titles in two different sports, as Fresno High captured the boys' track-and-field championship in 1957. He became one of the winningest high school basketball coaches in central section history. Additionally, after turning down a chance to coach Greece's national men's basketball team in 1959, he organized and coached the Libyan national team that participated in the North African Games in 1961.

Madam Speaker, we rise today to commend and congratulate Lee Angelich upon his achievements and induction into the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Angelich congratulations on his many accomplishments.