Amended in Senate August 9, 2016

Amended in Senate August 2, 2016

Amended in Senate June 29, 2016

Amended in Senate May 23, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 138

Introduced by Assembly Members Lackey and Wilk

February 16, 2016

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 138—Relative to the Senator Sharon Runner Memorial begin delete Highway, end delete begin insert Highway and the end insert Larry Chimbole Memorial begin delete Highway, and the Santa Clarita Veterans Parkway. end delete begin insert Highway. end insert

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 138, as amended, Lackey. Senator Sharon Runner Memorial begin delete Highway, end delete begin insert Highway and the end insert Larry Chimbole Memorial begin delete Highway, and the Santa Clarita Veterans Parkway. end delete begin insert Highway. end insert

This measure would designate a specified portion of State Highway Route 14 in the City of Lancaster as the Senator Sharon Runner Memorial begin delete Highway, end delete begin insert Highway end insert begin insert and end insert a specified portion of State Route 138 in the County of Los Angeles as the Larry Chimbole Memorial begin delete 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. end delete begin insert Highway. end insert The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing these special designations and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering the cost, to erect those signs.

Fiscal committee: yes.

WHEREAS, The honorable Sharon Runner was born on May
17, 1954, in the City of Los Angeles; and

WHEREAS, She was a lifelong resident of the City of Lancaster,
California; and

WHEREAS, Before embarking on her political career, Ms.
Runner cofounded Desert Christian Schools, which has grown to
three campuses with nearly 1,700 students; and

WHEREAS, She was a conservative who served in the
California State Assembly from 2002 to 2008; and

WHEREAS, She was elected to the California State Senate in
2011; and

WHEREAS, Senator Runner coauthored California’s version
of Jessica’s Law, approved by voters in 2006, to restrict sex
offenders from living near parks, schools, and other places where
children congregate; and

WHEREAS, Senator Runner served on the board of California
Women Lead, a bipartisan organization that encourages and
empowers women to run for public office; and

WHEREAS, In 1998, she was appointed by Governor Pete
Wilson to serve on the Antelope Valley Fair Board of Directors,
where she oversaw the operations of the 50th Agriculture District;
and

WHEREAS, In 2009, she was appointed by Governor
Schwarzenegger to the California Unemployment Insurance
Appeals Board; and

WHEREAS, Throughout her life, Senator Runner volunteered
her time on several boards and committees, including the United
Way, Antelope Valley Hospital Gift Foundation, Antelope Valley
Crime Task Force, Healthy Homes Advisory Council, and Care
Net; and

WHEREAS, She was diagnosed with limited scleroderma, also
known as CREST syndrome, in 1984 at the age of 30; and

WHEREAS, She received a double-lung transplant in 2012; and

WHEREAS, Following her high-profile illness and recovery,
Senator Runner volunteered with organizations committed to
increasing organ donations; and

WHEREAS, She was reelected to the California State Senate
in 2015; and

WHEREAS, Senator Sharon Runner passed away on July 14,
2016, after experiencing respiratory complications; and

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 mall, no high
schools, no courthouse, no Board of Trade, no 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, 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, and was the first Antelope Valley resident to ever be elected
to the State Legislature. He 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 serving in the 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 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; 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”; begin delete and end delete begin insert now, therefore, be it end insert

begin delete

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

end delete begin delete

WHEREAS, The Santa Clarita Valley is home to more than
10,000 military veterans and their families; and

end delete begin delete

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

end delete begin delete

WHEREAS, Our selfless men and women veterans are deserving
of our recognition to commemorate their courage and patriotism;
and

end delete begin delete

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

end delete

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature designates the portion of
begin delete 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; end delete begin insert State
Highway Route 14 in the County of Los Angeles from West Avenue
H to West Avenue K in the City of Lancaster as the Senator Sharon
Runner Memorial Highway; end insert and be it further

begin delete

Resolved, That the Legislature designates the portion of State
Highway Route 14 in the County of Los Angeles from West
Avenue H to West Avenue K in the City of Lancaster as the
Senator Sharon Runner Memorial Highway; and be it further

end delete

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 the Larry
Chimbole Memorial Highway additionally state “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 each
of these special designations and, upon receiving donations from
nonstate sources sufficient to cover 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.