Greetings Downey Family:Summer is fast approaching and with that comes a variety of fun outdoor activities. Our popular Summer Day Camps and Aquatics courses will be offered all throughout the summer, as well as our Summer Reading programs taking place at the Library. The 2012 Twilight Summer Concert Series kicks off July 11 at Furman Park beginning at 7 p.m. For a list of all concert performers and activities being offered this summer, check out the Parks & Recreation Guide available on the City website: downeyca.org. The Columbia Memorial Space Center continues to keep busy with hundreds of children visiting the Center each week. The Space Center has definitely become a favorite summer destination for children all over the region, as field trips for the upcoming summer months are almost fully booked. It was a full crowd on Sunday, May 20 as close to 400 people showed up to watch the 2012 Solar Eclipse. I brought my family to the event and was thrilled to see so many people in attendance. We all had the opportunity to get an up-close view of the Solar Eclipse through high powered solar telescopes. I invite you to join us at the Columbia Memorial Space Center on Tuesday, June 5 from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. to observe the Transit of Venus across the surface of the Sun - a phenomenon that will not occur again in our lifetime! A special presentation along with other activities will be offered throughout the evening. Also, don't miss out on the arrival of the new exhibit "Great Balls of Fire." This national traveling exhibition program will be at the Space Center from June 12 through September 16, 2012. The exhibit will provide our youth with the opportunity to learn about comets, asteroids and meteors with hands-on interactive exhibits. Children will even be able to see real meteors up close! It is extremely exciting to have an art venue coming to our Downtown area. Last week, my fellow City Council colleagues and I approved to have the Downey Art Vibe manage a local art gallery right on Downey Avenue. The local art movement that has transpired recently here in town has been well received by the community; and, to continue to engage its followers, we thought what better way than to have an art venue right in our downtown?! We see this art movement as a positive thing for our City, not only for the younger generation, but for people of all ages who appreciate the value of art. We look forward for what is to come and thank you to the Downey Art Vibe for taking on this exciting endeavor. Speaking of exciting things coming to town, the new Tierra Luna Market Place continues to make progress and is expected to open in late 2014. The developer for the project continues to promote and attract retailers and tenants to this new 1.5 million square foot development consisting of retail, entertainment and office & medical space. This 77-acre complex will be developed on the final portion of the former NASA site, located off Lakewood Boulevard, near Imperial Highway. It is expected to produce over $4.2 million of revenue to the City and help create 3,000 permanent jobs, 1,200 of which will be high paying medical jobs. Please help support the fight against cancer by participating in the Relay for Life event taking place this weekend June 2-3 at Downey Adult School. This is a great opportunity for our community to come together and honor those who we've lost and those who are still fighting. I had the privilege of attending the American Legion Awards ceremony this month and was proud to have members of our own Police and Fire Departments be recognized for their outstanding service to the community. Police Officer Javier Sanchez and Firefighter Craig Petersen were honored for their extraordinary commitment to serving and protecting our City. It makes me so proud to know we have such great men and women serving our City. Last, but not least, thank you to those who attended and participated in the Memorial Day Ceremony this past Monday. On this day of remembrance for those who have died while serving our nation, it was a sincere honor to be part of such a special ceremony that paid tribute to our Country's best. Sincerely, Mayor Roger C. Brossmer

********** Published: May 31, 2012 - Volume 11 - Issue 07