By Randy Economy
Reporter
Los Cerritos Community News
Longtime Norwalk elected official Jesse Luera has a mantra in life. “Come over and visit me in my business and I will take you to the cleaners, literally.”On Monday night, the longtime community leader who has served more than half his life as an elected official in Norwalk received an official proclamation recognizing his “lifetime of dedication to the community.”Luera spent 19 years as an elected member of the NLM school board, and 17 years as a Norwalk city council member, and Member Daryl Adams referred to both himself as Luera as sometimes “being the lone wolf” on the voting sides of controversial policy items.“When I was elected to the school board, it was in the 1970’s and I was the only Latino, or person of color, to serve as an elected member of this body,” Luera recalled.Luera recently spent more than four and a half months in a hospital and rehabilitation center after he was involved in a automobile accident that nearly took his life in March. “It taught me about priorities in life, and just how fragile all of us really are,” Luera told the Los Cerritos Community News.Luera is also a former three time Mayor of Norwalk, and past Director of the Norwalk Social Services Department.“There were very few voices to speak out on behalf of the Latino community for years, before I was elected to the school board. We are a far different community now, as compared to the way we were back in 1975,” Luera said.Rios also told the board that Luera “will give you a real lesson on life, and about the history of our community. He has never forgotten how he got where he is, and he is still her in the community and everyone still seeks his help and guidance.” She thanked him for her friendship. School Board Member Ana Valencia, also honored Luera by stating that “Jesse has always been very a very special part of our community and I will always have a friend in you. You helped bring us together as a school district and city.In other business, the Board welcomed Gerald Hill as a new Specialist of Special Education. NLMUSD has one of the most noted Special Education programs of any public education system in Southern California. Hill said in his welcome remarks to the Board and community: “Kids don’t know what you care, until you care what they know.” The Teachers Association of Norwalk La Mirada (TANLA) also announced that the rank and file classroom teachers had approved the details for a new agreement with a vote of 98%
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