California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 138

Introduced by Assembly Member Lackey

(Coauthor: Senator Runner)

February 16, 2016

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 138—Relative to the Larry Chimbole Memorial Highway.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 138, as introduced, 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 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 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.