Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate Ramona Snow, of Bakersfield, California. Ramona has been designated the Kern County ``Cattlewoman of the Year'' by Kern County Cattlemen and Cattlewomen Associations.

Ramona was born into a family of nine siblings and attended schools in Bakersfield until her senior year in high school when she transferred to Ventura. Shortly thereafter the family returned to Bakersfield, Ramona married Robert Snow, and began her life as a cattlewoman.

She became adept at pulling calves and doctoring ailing stock, as well as everyday ranch chores. Between raising her four children and ranch chores, Ramona found time to become active in 4-H as a sewing and cooking leader. In 1964 Ramona was asked to become a member of CowBelles, which led to a long and active career within what is now known as the Cattlewomen's Association.

Upon joining, Ramona became highly involved and chaired many committees. Such committees included, ``Beef for Father's Day,'' and ``Beef for Mother's Day.'' Ramona served as Vice President in 1976 and was elected President the following year. She was elected as President again in 1991.

Mrs. Snow has been an inventive member of CowBelles. She came up with the idea of a children's cookbook to be handed out at the Kern County Museum. Ramona was responsible for prize winning fair booths including the ``Best Dressed Table'' that promoted beef at the Kern County Fair for over 30 years. In the 1950s the CowBelles started awarding leather halters and now silver buckles to the winners of the Reserve Champion Steers at the Fair. Ramona designs these buckles each year so they are always different. While Ramona was Vice President she introduced the idea of a Beef Cook-Off and with the help of fellow members the Cook- Off was held in Kern County that year.

Ramona's efforts have been exhaustive. Throughout her tenure as a member and officer of the Cattlewomen's Association she has been instrumental in nearly every aspect of the organization. This award is reflective of her dedication.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate Fred David Lavers II, of Glennville, California. Mr. Lavers is being recognized by the Kern County Cattlemen and Cattlewomen Association as the ``Cattleman of the Year.''

Born in Bakersfield, Mr. Lavers has lived on the ranch at Glennville nearly his whole life.

David attended North High School, upon graduation he continued his education at California State University, San Luis Obispo where he majored in Agricultural Business Management. After he received his degree, David pursued his dream to study law and attended California Pacific School of Law and graduated with his Juris Doctorate degree.

While David pursued his goals away from home, he never forgot his family and the ranch. He came home every other weekend to work the ranch and once he graduated from Cal Poly he became employed by Tejon Ranch Feedlot. While at Tejon, David drove the water truck, ran the feed mill, cowboyed, and worked as a bookkeeper. Since then David has worked as a landscaper, a brakeman for Southern Pacific Railroad, and at various cattle ranches. Besides being a rancher, he currently works as a HIPAA and Corporate Compliance Consultant.

Despite his active work schedule, David has a long history of community involvement. He has been President of the Poso Creek Cattleman's Association, a committee member of Ad Hoc Committee for the Kern County Board of Supervisors, a board member of the Linns Valley School District, Director California Cattleman's Association, Vice President of the Kern county Cattleman's Association, and is current Director for the Kern County Cattleman's Association.

David not only dedicates himself to the community, and to his work, but he also puts his family first. He married his college sweetheart, Cynthia Sanchez in 1978 and their son Jack Justin was born in 1983. David and Cynthia's dream is that Jack can continue the long tradition of ranching from which David hails.

Mr. Lavers has contributed to the community in many ways and this award is recognition of such contributions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate Dr. Pete Mehas, of Fresno California. Dr. Mehas has been Fresno

County's Superintendent of Schools since 1990, and is being honored by the Kremen School of Education and Human Development.

Dr. Mehas was born and raised in Fresno, graduated from Fresno High in 1957, and earned his Bachelor's degree from California State University, Fresno. He continued his education at University of California, Los Angeles, where he received his Master's degree, and went on to University of Southern California, where he secured a Doctorate in Education.

Pete has served the public for many years as an educational advocate. He was Secretary of Education to Governor George Deukmejian, and also a member of the California State Board of Education and Board of Governors for California Community Colleges.

His efforts have not gone unnoticed--Dr. Mehas has been appointed by four presidents and three governors to major commissions, boards, and advisory committees committed to making education a priority throughout our Nation. He has appeared on national television's NBC's ``Today'' show and ABC's ``Good Morning America,'' and was the only educator invited to address the National Republican Convention in Houston, Texas in 1992.

Dr. Mehas' accomplishment list is long and includes USC School of Education Distinguished Lecturer, CSU Fresno School of Social Science Distinguished Alumni Award, Honorary Life Member in the National Congress of Parents and Teachers, NAACP Presidents Award, Rose Ann Vuich Ethical Leadership Award, and most recently the Kremen School of Education and Human Development ``Noted Alumni Recipient'' for significant contributions in the field of education.

His efforts have been exhaustive, and we are continually lucky that his family, wife Demi and daughters Alethea and Andreanna have been willing to share all that Dr. Mehas has to offer--he has made an amazing impact on our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate Rutherford ``Bud'' Gaston, Sr., of Fresno, California. Bud has received many noted awards throughout the years and most recently he is a recipient of the Kremen School of Education and Human Development ``Noted Alumni Award''.

Mr. Gaston was born in Georgia, but attended high school in Brakenridge, Pennsylvania where he graduated from Har Brack High School. Then Bud moved to Fresno, where he attended California State University, Fresno and received a Bachelor's degree in Education, and a Master's Degree in Education Administration.

Bud joined Fresno Unified School District in 1953 as a teacher at Columbia School. After ten years, he became Principal of Tielman and

Emerson Elementary School, and stayed with Fresno Unified until he retired in 1986.

Beyond his scholastic achievements, Mr. Gaston has also served the country well. He gave the United States Army five years of service and moved up the ranks to become Second Lieutenant before he was honorably discharged.

Bud has not only served his country, but also served his community through many affiliations. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Fresno, a Foundation Board Member for Saint Agnes Medical Center, a member of Kiwanis Club of Fresno, and a member of NAACP Black Political Council.

As a result of the tremendous efforts Bud has made within his community, he has been honored with many awards: The Black Educators' of Fresno Award, the Troy Award for Education, the Fresno Mall Dedication Plaque, Second Baptist Church Laymen's Award, Kids Day Award, Elementary Partnership Program Award, KSEE 24 Portraits of Success Award, and the Fresno District Fair Appreciate Award are just a few of such examples.

Our community has truly been blessed by the contributions Bud has made, and we are thankful for his dedication.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate Dr. Walter L. Buster, of Prather, California. Dr. Buster is a recipient of the Kremen School of Education and Human Development ``Noted Alumni Award.''

Dr. Buster received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, then went on to attain his Master of Arts from Chapman College in Orange, California. He then moved to Montana and attended University of Montana to receive his Doctorate in Curriculum Development.

Walt moved back to California where he began his teaching career in Fullerton, then became Superintendent of Fairfax School District in 1984. In this position, Walt acted as the Chief Executive Officer for a K-8 district with 600 students in Marin County. He developed a plan for consolidation with the San Anselmo School District that was approved by the voters, and was responsible for cooperatively merging the Fairfax School District with the San Anselmo School District into the new Ross Valley School District.

He continued on as Superintendent, helping other school districts succeed, and finally came to Clovis and joined our community as Superintendent of Clovis Unified School District. After seven years with Clovis Unified, Walt became the Director of the Central Valley Education Leadership Institute at California State University, Fresno.

Walt's success has been great, and he has served on numerous committees and councils, such as the Fresno Compact Board of Directors, California State University, Fresno, Superintendents' Advisory Council, ACSA/CSLA Executive Leadership Planning Committee and Seminar Facilitator.

As gratitude for his service, Dr. Buster received the Robert Alioto Award for Instructional Leadership from the California School Leadership Academy, and the Citizen of the Year Award from the Clovis Chamber of Commerce. Most recently he is being honored by the Kremen School of Education and Human

Development. Walt has given so much to his communities, and we are grateful for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, it is with heavy heart that I rise to pay tribute to Don DeMers.

Don passed away Tuesday, February 1st after a long and courageous battle against cancer. I wish to recognize his accomplishments for the residents of Fresno County, as well as commend him on a life well lived.

In 1986, Don and I worked together to pass ``Measure C'' before the Fresno County voters. This groundbreaking legislation established Fresno County as one of the Nation's first ``self-help'' communities. The money collected through this measure allowed Fresno residents to build their own roads when our State Government could not. Through his expertise and management, Don invested the measure's proceeds to finance many severely needed rural and urban roads in Fresno County. As a result, residents and visitors to Fresno County today enjoy Route 41, SR 168 and SR 180, among others. These roads are vital to Fresno County's continued growth and expansion. Don's 18 years of service as Executive Director of Fresno County Transportation Authority realized the success we knew Measure C would bring to Fresno, and I do not believe that the height of this success could have been realized without him.

Don possessed a great spirit, sense of humor, and a keen intellect. Knowing him, it was hard not to like him. He made me laugh, and the breadth of his interests was compelling.

Of course, Don cannot claim sole responsibility for his accomplishments. The love and support of his beautiful and devoted wife, Deborah, enhanced and permitted his successes. Don is also survived by his two sons, three daughters, and eight (soon to be nine) grandchildren. Don was deeply devoted to his family, and this devotion was returned in kind.

Mr. Speaker, I am blessed to have known Don DeMers, and I will remember him. Don, you will be greatly missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of William Haskell Pinckard of Bakersfield, California. Mr. Pinckard was known to all as, simply, ``Pinky.'' He passed away January 9, 2005 at his home in California.

Pinky dedicated his life to his fellow Kern County community members. He moved to California from Oklahoma in 1950, and life for Kern County residents from that point on was not the same. Pinky touched many lives through the numerous organizations in which he was involved. He was a member of the Community of Christ Church, Masons, Shriners, and Eastern Star. A life long member of the Democratic Party, Pinky received many awards for his service as an ardent activist. He represented local #743 Carpenters Union; for his dedication to advocacy, the Labor Union also recognized Pinky.

The truth of the matter is Pinky was a civic-minded individual, who took seriously his role as an American citizen. All too often, we forget that activism, and outreach, and grassroots efforts are the foundation upon which we build our representative government. Pinky never forgot, and he never let anybody around him forget. Those who commemorate Pinky's life will forever be changed by the contributions he made to society.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and wish well in retirement Mr. Tom Clark, of Bakersfield, California. This individual has served his community, his state, and his country well.

Born October 21, 1945, Tom attended school in Bakersfield until he joined the army in 1968 and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant E-5. Following his honorable discharge in 1970, Tom enrolled in the Graduate Program at University of Pittsburgh; where he graduated in 1974 with a Master of Science in Water Supply-Water Pollution Control.

We are thankful Tom utilized his training in school to become a key player in water issues back home, in the Central Valley.

Tom was an initiator of the effort to create the Bay-Delta Accord of 1994 as a response to unreliable water supplies. This agreement was a precursor to the CalFed Record of Decision by the Department of the Interior, which provided for a series of agreements between water agencies and environmentalists.

He was a key player in negotiating the Monterey Amendments to the State Water Project contracts that included crucial revisions to the water shortage provision and the transfer of the Kern Water Bank from the State of California to the Kern Water Bank Authority, a Joint Powers Authority. Tom's efforts were lauded by the community and as a show of gratitude he received the prestigious Association of California water Agencies' Excellence in Water Leadership Award in 1996.

Among his many accomplishments, Tom has taken part in numerous state and local water activities; not only in the public sector, but also in the private sector. He has established himself as an authority on water issues, serving as an expert witness for water management and water rights before state and federal courts as well as before the State Water Resources Control Board.

More recently Tom has been challenged as the Kern County Water Agency General Manager, and taken on a number of significant projects and responsibilities including the acquisition of Kern Lower River rights and the coordination of the Agency's supports toward the passage of the CalFed authorization in October 2004.

Tom has served the people of the state of California and the community of Bakersfield in an exemplary manner. For us, his retirement is bittersweet--although it is well deserved his efforts will be greatly missed. I congratulate Tom Clark, and wish his family all the best.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall vote Nos. 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall vote No. 13 had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''