OBITUARIES
Joseph Barraza Sr.
83, Imperial
Bonnie Hoyt
87, Holtville
Frances Scoggin
93, Holtville
Stanley Scott
70, Brawley
James Smith
88, Brawley
Arturo Ramos
72, Calexico
Maria Rodriguez
89, Calexico
Richard Tamayo
77, El Centro
Felicidad Tomboc,
75, Brawley
Richard (Ricardo) M. Tamayo, 77, of El Centro, CA, entered Heaven on August 3, 2020. He w ent peacefully, a t home, surrounded by his family and an abundance of love.
Richard was one of 1 9 children, born to Santiago and Francisca Tamayo. He w as born on July 1 , 1943 in Heber, CA and attended Jasper Elementary School, Meadows Union Elementary School and Calexico High School. During his years as a student at C alexico High, Richard served in various Student Body positions and was elected his Senior- Class Student Body President. He was also a proud member of the Future Farmers of America (FFA).
Following high school, Richard attended Imperial Valley College (IVC), where he received an Associate of Science degree in P lant Science. His studies included agriculture business management, crop production, farm machinery operation and maintenance as well as real estate appraisal. It was during this time he began his career at the University of California Desert R esearch and Extension Center (UC DREC). Richard later earned his Agriculture Teaching Certificate and Certification State of California Department of Food and Agriculture Certified Application.
After one year i nto his career at U C DREC, Richard enlisted and served for the United States Army from 1965- 1967. In the Army, Business Administration became Richard’s primary f ield of study. Richard was nearly deployed to Vietnam; h owever, he was selected to represent and pitch for the U.S. Army’s M en’s F ast Pitch Softball team and was instead deployed to Germany.
Upon returning from his service with the United States Army, R ichard continued his career at UC DREC, working his way up to P rincipal Superintendent of A griculture. R ichard was responsible f or t he coordination and management of all aspects of operations in order to meet the needs of r esearch and project leaders. Richard was responsible for the supervision of career, casual, student and contract employees. Richard also established the foundation of what would later be known as t he Farm Smart Program.
Richard’s knowledge and hands on engagement with agriculture not only played a significant role in California but internationally as well. A fellow colleague, Mr. Keith Mayberry, was quoted as saying, “Richard contributed greatly to the success o f the agricultural production of C alifornia, the Nation and even had a worldwide impact.” Mayberry continued, “Richard’s supervision and expertise was the key to the development and testing of carrot varieties which were ideal for the baby carrot industry. He also oversaw one of the first commercial artichokes that could be grown from seed. This artichoke variety became commercially used worldwide including Mexico, South America, Europe and Asia. Without Richard, this may never have happened. The pelleting of lettuce seed experiments were a complete success and sped up the use of this technique across the USA. Richard played a major role in this testing.” Mayberry concluded, “Richard found significant discoveries that led the way to making a difference in modern agriculture.”
In addition to a griculture, R ichard’s love f or sports and youth athletics was undeniable. Richard dedicated a majority of his life to the lives of blossoming athletes, spending countless hours as both a coach and President of P op Warner Football, Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball, Girls’ Softball as well as high school sports. His years of c oaching produced several undefeated seasons, Avocado Bowl Championships, Junior Rose B owl Championships, a Babe Ruth World Series run, as well as a championship as the coach of his granddaughter’s softball team.
Beyond Richard’s sporting achievements and victories, his truest joy came from simply being a loving mentor to the youth. Understandably so, Richard became a father figure t o an array of children o f all ages and ethnic groups. Many will recall the numerous post- victory trips to local pizza establishments and his providing of t okens for all to p lay. His kind heart and generosity truly had no measure.
During his later years, some of Richard’s favorite hobbies included his home garden, spending time with his family, e specially barbecuing his famous tri- tip. He enjoyed traveling to Ensenada and Magdalena Mexico, attending his local church, visiting buffets, chatting with his friends (especially at Euclid Market), catching up with his UC DREC colleagues, watching the news, being a proud Democrat, and telling lots of hilarious jokes. Richard was also a proud member of the Valley Missionary Program.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Santiago and Francisca Tamayo and ten siblings.
He is survived by his wife, Adelita; sons R icky, Eddie and Alex; brothers, Cris, Paul, Danny, J immy Gilbert, Ernie and Johnny; sisters, C onnie Venegas and Frances Young; as well as his grandchildren, Keana, Ricky, R elekai and Richard.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, services and burial will be held privately ( for immediate family only). The family is saddened by these circumstances but ensures a proper “Celebration of Life” ceremony will be held as soon as it is safe to do so.
The matriarch of the Valencia- Rodriguez family ascended into heaven on July 1 4, 2020 t o be with the rest of her family. Maria Luisa Rodriguez was born in Mexicali, BC on August 15, 1930 to Teodoro Valencia and Victoria Palacios. She was brought up in Calexico and became a naturalized citizen.
Maria was preceded in death by her husband, Bonifacio Rodriguez; children, R osemary Cruz, Robert and R ail (Roy) Rodriguez.
She is survived by her children, Yolanda Moore, David Rodriguez and Sandra Velarde, Michael and Liz Rodriguez, Mary Helen Scott and Raul F . Rodriguez Jr.; numerous grandchildren.
Services have been held. Burial was held on on August 14, 2020 a t Mountain View Cemetery in Calexico.
Felicidad Tomboc, 75, of B rawley p assed away on July 2 4, 2020 f rom natural causes.
She was born on June 19, 1945 in San Juan, La Union. Philippines. Felicidad was an Elementary School Teacher at C alipatria Unified School District for over 30 years and was an Elementary School Teacher in the Philippines.
Felicidad is survived by her son, Danny Tomboc; daughter- in- law, G racie Tomboc; grandchildren, Alexces Tomboc, DJ Tomboc and Felicity Tomboc.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, September 3, 2020 a t 6 p.m at F rye Chapel and Mortuary 799 CA Hwy 86. Brawley, CA. 92227. G raveside service will be held on Friday, September 4, 2020 a t 9 a.m. a t Riverview Cemetery 4700 Hovely R d. Brawley, CA.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California moved closer Saturday to a firstin-the-nation law requiring corporate boards to include racial or sexual minorities, expanding on a new law that sets a similar requirement for including women directors.
Supporters evoked both the coronavirus pandemic that is disproportionately affecting minorities and weeks of unrest and calls for inclusion that followed the slaying of George Floyd in May in the custody of Minneapolis police.
It advanced as state senators took up about two- dozen measures in a rare weekend session while they hurried to make up for weeks of consideration lost because of the pandemic. Most Republican senators again took the previously unprecedented step of voting remotely from their homes or hotel rooms after one of their members tested positive earlier in the week and potentially exposed others during a caucus lunch.
Both the Senate and Assembly are set to meet Sunday as they race to adjourn for the year on Monday.
The diversity
bill approved by the Senate would require California-based public corporations to have one board director from an underrepresented community by the end of 2021. It passed on a 26-8 roll call and now returns to the Assembly for a final vote.
Those who qualify would self- identify as Black, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Native Hawaiian or Alaska Native, or as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.
The measure would require a minimum of two such directors by the end of 2022 on boards with four to nine directors, and at least three such directors on boards with nine or more directors. Firms that don’t comply would face fines of $ 100,00 for first violations and $ 300,000 for repeated violations.
“Corporations do not reflect the vast cultural wealth in this state.,” said Democratic Sen. Benjamin Hueso of San Diego.
For instance, he said 87% of the state’s 662 public companies do not have any Latino directors, yet Latinos make up 39% of the state’s population.
“They are severely underrepresented in the boardroom,” Hueso said. “California is better than this. We are the most diverse state in the nation, and our corporations need to emulate our diversity.”
Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco, chairman of the Legislature’s LGBTQ Caucus, said current boards are often “sort of an old boys network.”
“I think positions should be earned,” countered Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove of Bakersfield. “In private business, boards should be elected and people should be put on boards that best represent the business, and that can be anybody’s skin color.”
The only official opponent in a legislative analysis was former California commissioner of corporations Keith Bishop. He objected that that bill, coupled with the existing diversity law, would make it more desirable for corporations to pick women who also are members of the underrepresented communities to simultaneously meet both sets of quotas, to the detriment of men or women who do not meet the qualifications in the new bill.