The Downey Patriot

06/17/2026

Downey Unified’s Class of 2026 earned 3,497 college acceptances to 225 colleges and universities nationwide, including acceptances to every UC and CSU campus.

The district celebrated 2,011 graduates from Columbus, Downey and Warren high schools during commencement ceremonies held May 28 through June 4.

Students will attend 177 different institutions across 28 states.

06/16/2026

A social media post alleging that a man confessed inside local grocery stores to killing his children and their mother has not been corroborated by Downey police.

The post, published June 16 by the Instagram account , included a screenshot of an anonymous message claiming a blood-covered man went into Albertsons and said he had killed his children and their mother. The message also claimed the man later walked to Stater Bros.

The post’s caption stated that a store employee confirmed a man had run into Albertsons screaming that he had killed his children. However, Downey police said they could not locate any record of such an incident.

Lt. Dustin Doyle of the Downey Police Department said he checked with both a dispatch supervisor and a detective sergeant after receiving inquiries about the post. Neither was familiar with the call, and police were unable to locate a call or incident at Albertsons or Stater Bros. matching the allegation within the previous two days, Doyle said in an email.

As of Tuesday afternoon, police had not confirmed any homicide or related public safety incident connected to the claims made in the post.

06/16/2026

Mama Lu’s Dumpling House is planning to open in Downey, bringing its popular handmade dumplings, noodles and Chinese comfort food to the city’s growing restaurant scene.

The restaurant is expected to anchor a new multi-tenant food hall at 8203 Firestone Blvd., the former Discount Furniture City site.

Mama Lu's describes itself as a "traditional Chinese family-style restaurant with a Taiwanese twist."

06/10/2026

DOWNEY – Downey Unified School District has been named a 2026 National Schools to Watch District, a prestigious distinction awarded to districts in which every middle school has been recognized for excellence. This national honor places Downey Unified among a select group of districts across the

06/10/2026

The close of the 2025-26 school year marks the end of an era for Downey Unified School District as more than 100 employees retire after collectively contributing 3,397 years of service.

Certificated (teaching) retirees include:

Alameda Elementary School: Reina Chaidez, Paula Dodson, Andrea Griffin, Maureen Sary, Jennifer W**d, Maria Williams

Columbus High School: Matthew Sary

Doty Middle School: Kevin Dodge, Loren Driscoll, Thomas Dyer, Teresa Gillette, Andrea Keen, David Minahan

Downey Adult School: Christina Ciatti, David Holcombe, Randolph Leaf, Melinda Nelson, Blanca Rochin

Downey High School: Josette Bean, Terri Curiel, Lawrence Duckworth, Wayne Evans, Leroy (Tom) Houts, Alan Jamka, Micah Karzen, Corrine Meade, Dolores Neria, Jason Redfox, Keith Russell, Shari Steinberg, Frida Vadgama, Carrie Voulgaris, Zachary Zakour

Gallatin Elementary School: Melissa Simon, Patricia Skelly

Garcia Elementary School: Susan Joachim, Anne Russell

Griffiths Middle School: Shelly Bland-Reisch, Dulce Franco, Jennifer Legg

Lewis Elementary School: Julia Ortega, Callie Winters

Old River Elementary School: Griselda Garcia

Price Elementary School: Melissa Finn, Melissa Meza, Tamara Ramsey

Rio Hondo Elementary School: Shirley Castellanos, Colleen Fenrich, Naomi Griswold, Melissa Lord

Rio San Gabriel Elementary School: Raymond Friedrich

Stauffer Middle School: Kathleen Clark, Josie Greer, John Kang, Regina Munoz

Unsworth Elementary School: Dianne Edge, Barbara Geffre, Ana Jones, Carla Shull

Ward Elementary School: Lisa Giunchini, Cheryl Shellenbargar

Williams Elementary School: Billie Barrios, Sheila Canlas, Heather Thompkins, Kathryn Wilson

Warren High School: Joshua Buell, Conrad Del Rosario, Padmaparna Haldar, Erin Lavelle, Kaye Lord II, Carol Lords, Cynthia Miyada, Amy Salazar, Eric Watts

District Office / Special Assignments: Angelica Benedic, Christopher Bowen, Joan Cafferty, Praxedes Dangla Cruz, Mary Edge-Guerra, Amber Johnson, Kevin Kendall, James Mogan, Vicky Sciacca, Terry (Wayne) Shannon

Classified (non-teaching) retirees:

Alameda Elementary School: Kimberly Buss, Guillermina Robles

Carpenter: Mira Olivarez

Columbus High School: Debbie Jordan, Elisa Lopez

Downey Adult School: Elizabeth Banos

Downey High School: Abner Carrera, Shawn Kirklin, Catherine Pingel, Evelyn Saavedra, Tamara Shilling, Maria Tinoco

Gallatin Elementary School: Melissa Long

Old River Elementary School: Tracy Kline, Stephanie Van Horn

Rio Hondo Elementary School: Linda Tovar Garza

Rio San Gabriel Elementary School: Mareea Phillips

Stauffer Middle School: Guadalupe Vazquez

Sussman Middle School: Patty Trejo

Unsworth Elementary School: Lynne Corapi

Ward Elementary School: Vicky Davis

Warren High School: Elizabeth Fimbres de Gonzalez, Angelica Perez

District Departments and Services: Susan Austin (Financial Services), Angel Kellogg (Business Services), Luz Perez (Educational Services), John Shook (Maintenance, Operations & Transportation), Geri Townsend (SELPA), Christy Marilo (Special Education), Wendy Johnson (Deaf and Hard of Hearing), Anne Hansell (Deaf and Hard of Hearing), Corinna Miller (Deaf and Hard of Hearing), Patricia O’Haver (Deaf and Hard of Hearing), Diana Duperron Flores (Deaf and Hard of Hearing)

Maintenance and Operations / Custodial: Wojciech Dondalski, Florentino Guzman, Manuel Luna, Otto Mendizabal, Jorge Negrete, Robert Pecka

Transportation: Juana Cisneros, Victoriano Cisneros, Sandra Escobar, Treenitta Harber

06/09/2026

The Downey City Council will consider using drones to crack down on illegal fireworks during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.

Under the proposal, Downey police would use drones to identify and document illegal fireworks activity from the air, with citations mailed to property owners. The council will also discuss holding property owners accountable for illegal fireworks used or found on their property, even if they did not personally light them.

The item will be discussed at tonight’s City Council meeting. If approved, a new ordinance could take effect before Independence Day.

📸= Downey Police demonstrate a drone in 2023.

05/28/2026

New rules adopted by the Downey City Council on Tuesday clarify how appointed officials may use the city logo and address conduct on social media.

DOWNEY – The Downey City Council approved updates to its Code of Ethics and Conduct on Tuesday, tightening rules around social media use and the unauthorized use of the city logo by appointed officials. The changes came after concerns were raised about a former Public Works Committee member, Lisse

05/27/2026

Memorial Day and Our Duty to Protect Democracy

By Mayor Claudia M. Frometa, City of Downey

Memorial Day is one of the most solemn observances in our nation. While many Americans gather with family and friends over the long weekend, we must never lose sight of the true meaning behind this day: honoring the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country and to protect our freedoms.

Their sacrifice secured the freedoms we often take for granted — the freedom to speak openly, to worship freely, to disagree peacefully, and to participate in our democracy without fear.
Memorial Day reminds us that liberty was not freely given; it was defended and preserved by generations of Americans who placed duty, service, and love of country above themselves.

Those who served and sacrificed came from every background, political belief, race, religion, and community imaginable. Yet they were united by a common commitment to protecting the ideals and values of this nation; values we all share deeply. That spirit of unity and shared purpose feels especially important to remember today, as we live in polarizing political times.

Across our country, we are witnessing a troubling decline in civility and respectful public discourse. Political disagreements have increasingly turned into personal hostility, intimidation, harassment, and, in some cases, violence and death. While passionate debate is a vital part of our democracy, we must never allow political differences to erode our humanity or our respect for one another.

As elected leaders and community members, we have a responsibility to help restore a culture of respect and civic decency. We can strongly disagree on issues while still treating one another with dignity. We can advocate for our beliefs without demonizing those who think or vote differently than us. We can stand firm in our beliefs without fueling division or contempt. Democracy depends not only on free speech, but also on our willingness to uphold the rights of others to express their views peacefully and safely without harassment or fear of violence.

That is why last week’s killing of 69-year-old Army veteran Kerry Sheron from Escondido has shaken so many people across the country. Reports indicate the veteran was beaten to death following a confrontation connected to his public display of support for the current President outside his home. Regardless of anyone’s political beliefs, this act of violence is horrifying, unacceptable and a call to restoring civil discourse.

No person in America should fear retaliation, intimidation, or violence including through social media because of a political sign, a flag, a campaign hat, their vote or a personal opinion. Political violence and hateful rhetoric undermine the very freedoms generations of service members fought and died to protect.

Memorial Day should serve not only as a time of remembrance, but also as a call to reflection. Memorial Day should remind us that disagreement must never become dehumanization. The freedoms we enjoy, secured through sacrifice, come with a shared responsibility to protect democratic values, reject political violence, and recommit ourselves to respectful dialogue and civic engagement.

The greatest way we can honor those who gave their lives for this country is to ensure that the nation they defended remains one grounded in Freedom, Decency, Respect, and Peaceful Democracy.
May we never forget the fallen, and may we always strive to build a nation more united, respectful and worthy of their sacrifice.

05/26/2026

The Downey Historical Society will welcome back longtime Downey resident and video historian Roger Miller for a special presentation titled “Roger Miller’s Then & Now!” on Thursday, May 28, at the Barbara J. Riley Community & Senior Center.

The program will begin at 6 p.m. in the Downey Room at the senior center, located at 7810 Quill Drive.

Miller’s family moved to Downey from Albuquerque in 1956. His mother, Ruth, joined the Downey City Library in 1958 and later managed the library from 1962 to 1984. Miller graduated from Warren High School in 1973 before attending Cerritos College and Cal State Long Beach.

A longtime electronics enthusiast, Miller gained recognition after writing an article about sound systems that led to customers seeking his audio rack designs in stores across Southern California. He later worked at Pace Studio in Downey developing photos for Warren High School yearbooks before launching his own business, Advantage Video, in 1980.

The upcoming presentation will feature “Then & Now” images and stories highlighting Downey’s past, including vintage scenes of grocery stores, businesses and everyday life in earlier decades.

05/26/2026

DOWNEY – The Los Angeles County Governance Reform Task Force will hold a public meeting in Downey on Wednesday, May 27, to gather community input on Measure G and the ongoing restructuring of county government. The meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the Women’s Club of Downey, located at 9813 Pa...