Bell Gardens Women of the Year

Sally Hoyt was appointed 2008 Woman of the Year for Bell Gardens by Assemblyman Hector De La Torre.

Sally Ortiz Hoyt, born May 3, 1930, in Los Angeles California to naturalized parents. She was brought up in a caring family of sixteen brothers and sisters. She attended both public and Catholic schools near her home. Mother of three girls and one boy also step mother to two boys and one girl.  Now a grandmother to nineteen grandchildren and great grandmother to twenty one great grandchildren and recently great-great grandmother to one great-great granddaughter . Sally has been a resident of Bell Gardens since 1963 and active in the community for more than thirty years. Before she retired, she was employed as a quality control inspector for aerospace companies in Commerce and Downey.  She has worked almost every election in Bell Gardens as a poll worker and most recently as an Inspector responsible for all functions of the polling place.  Sally attends every regularly scheduled City Council meeting.  She was appointed to the Bell Gardens Cultural Heritage Commission where she served two years as chairperson.  Then she was appointed to the Planning Commission and later to the Police Commission and today she is again chairperson of the Cultural Heritage Commission.  For the past three years she has been working with the Bell Gardens Police Department as a volunteer in the VIPS program.  

Appointed Historian for the City of Bell Gardens by former Mayor Ramiro Morales.  She has provided the community much historical background of Bell Gardens.  She and her family are part owners of the historical Gage Mansion located at 7000 East Gage Ave.   The Mansion is the second oldest adobe in Los Angeles County and the oldest building in the City of Bell Gardens.  The building was completed in 1810.

You may see her cruising the streets of Bell Gardens in her Jeep station wagon marked with the VIPS logo.

New Cell Phone Law

 Two new laws dealing with the use of wireless telephones while driving go into effect July 1, 2008.

 

Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions concerning these new laws.

Q: When do the new wireless telephone laws take effect? A: The new laws take effect July 1, 2008

Q: What is the difference between the two laws? A: The first prohibits all drivers from using a handheld wireless telephone while operating a motor vehicle. (Vehicle Code (VC) §23123). Motorists 18 and over may use a hands-free device. Drivers under the age of 18 may NOT use a wireless telephone or hands-free device while operating a motor vehicle(VC §23124).

Q: What if I need to use my telephone during an emergency, and I do not have a hands- free device? A: The law allows a driver to use a wireless telephone to make emergency calls to a law enforcement agency, a medical provider, the fire department, or other emergency services agency.

Q: What are the fines if I’m convicted? A: The base fine for the FIRST offense is $20 and $50 for subsequent convictions. According to the Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule, with the addition of penalty assessments, a first offense is $76 and a second offense is $190.

CONTACT: Fran Clader Media Relations Office (916) 657-7202 2555 First Avenue Sacramento, CA 95

Woman of the year Bell Gardens 2009

 Julia Asmus 
Nominated by Dennis Grizzle, Bell Gardens Chamber (2009) 

 
Julia Asmus is 90 years young.  She managed the Bell Gardens Chamber of Commerce many years ago.  She recently was the President of the Bell Gardens HS PTA.  She works tirelessly as the manager and chief volunteer operating the Bell Gardens HS snack bar at sports events.  She works to collect money for scholarships at the high school. She volunteered for years at the Senior Center and helped with the Miss Bell Gardens Pageant. Ms. Asmus has lived most of her adult life in Bell Gardens.  Her mission is helping people in need. She and her husband Roy open and set up St. Gertrude’s Catholic Church every day-rain or shine.  She makes sure that the church is read for mass every day.  She and her family are very dedicated members of the Church and the City of Bell Gardens.  A few years ago, the city named a park after her because she is such a great citizen.