BILL NUMBER: ACR 138	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 29, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 23, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly  Member   Lackey
  Members   Lackey   and Wilk 
   (Coauthor: Senator Runner)

                        FEBRUARY 16, 2016

   Relative to the Larry Chimbole Memorial  Highway.
  Highway and the Santa Clarita Veterans Parkway. 


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 138, as amended, Lackey. Larry Chimbole Memorial 
Highway.   Highway and the Santa Clarita Veterans
Parkway. 
   This measure would designate a specified portion of State Route
138 in the County of Los Angeles as the Larry Chimbole Memorial
 Highway.   Highway and a specified portion of
highway from Interstate 5 to State Highway Route 14, commonly known
as the Cross Valley Connector, as the Santa Clarita Veterans Parkway.
 The measure would also request the Department of
Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing
 this special designation   these special
designations  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 
then  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,   mall,
 no  Paraclete, Quartz Hill, Highland, or Littlerock
 high schools, no  AV Courthouse,  
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,  and  then  as
 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   After
serving as mayor, Larry Chimbole ran  as a Democrat in a highly
Republican area, went on to serve two  consecutive  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  then
 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   serving
 in the  1978 Assembly election,  
Assembly,  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   stated that his legacy
would be how active he was in 1960 and that he remained just as
active for the rest of his life; 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
  Region; and  
   WHEREAS, 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   and  
   WHEREAS, The residents of the nearby City of Santa Clarita also
owe a great deal of gratitude toward the men and women of their
community who bravely served in the United States Armed Forces; and
 
   WHEREAS, The Santa Clarita Valley is home to more than 10,000
military veterans and their families; and  
   WHEREAS, Men and women veterans of that community served their
country by making tremendous sacrifices to preserve our freedoms and
independence, and by keeping our country strong; and  
   WHEREAS, Our selfless men and women veterans are deserving of our
recognition to commemorate their courage and patriotism; and 

   WHEREAS, These veterans greatly contribute to the quality of life
in the City of Santa Clarita through their investment and involvement
in the community and by volunteering for a variety of civic
activities; 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 40th Street East in the City of
Palmdale as the Larry Chimbole Memorial Highway; and be it further
  highway that extends from the junction of Newhall
Ranch Road and Interstate 5 to Golden Valley Road and Golden Valley
Road from its conjunction with Newhall Ranch Road to this junction
with State Highway Route 14, commonly known as the Cross Valley
Connector, as the Santa Clarita Veterans Parkway in honor of the
service that veterans have provided   to our great nation;
and be it further  
   Resolved, That the Legislature designates the portion of State
Route 138 in the County of Los Angeles from the interchange at State
Route 14 to 40th Street East in the City of Palmdale as the Larry
Chimbole Memorial Highway; and be it further 

   Resolved, That the sign posted to commemorate  this
highway  the Larry Chimbole Memorial 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   each of these special designations
 and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources sufficient
to cover that cost,   the cost of the signs for
which the donations are made,  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.