Assistant to Downey City Manager Named

June Yotsuya will be the new assistant to the city manager effective Monday, according to an announcement made to the Downey City Council. Yotsuya, 31, replaces her husband, Scott, who left the office in February after 5 1/2 years to begin work as deputy city administrator in Carson. June Yotsuya has nearly 10 years of experience in city government; she held jobs in Cerritos and Fountain Valley and more recently as an administrative analyst for Whittier. She was appointed from a field of eight candidates by Downey City Manager Don Davis. She received a bachelor of arts in business administration from the University of Redlands. “I have a special affection for the city of Downey because I grew up here,” said June Yotsuya, who is a graduate of Downey High School. “I am happy to be back.”

Whittier Will Lose Assistant City Manager

Robert Griego, 42, assistant city manager of Whittier since 1981, has been appointed deputy chief administrative officer for San Diego County. He will assume his new duties May 8. Griego began work in Whittier in 1977 as an administrative assistant and personnel director. In 1986, he added the duties of deputy director of the Whittier Redevelopment Agency, which put him in a leadership role in rebuilding the Uptown Village commercial area after the 1987 earthquake. Griego graduated from San Diego State University and has a master’s degree in public administration from UCLA. Whittier is advertising for applicants for the job Griego is vacating.

Whittier Resident Heads RTD Rail Operations

Paul O’Brien, 36, of Whittier has been appointed superintendent of rail operations for the Southern California Rapid Transit District. He will be responsible for the Long Beach-to-Los Angeles Blue Line light rail system, scheduled to begin service in July, 1990, and the Metro Rail Red Line subway system in Los Angeles planned to begin in 1993. O’Brien is a native of Pennsylvania, grew up in Modesto and graduated magna cum laude from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in geography. He has been assistant superintendent of rail transportation at the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority in Buffalo, N.Y. Before that, he held various positions with the Chicago Transit Authority from 1980 to 1984, including working as a rail conductor and motorman.

Biola Student a National Speech Champion

Biola University senior Karin Eliason was declared a national champion at the American Forensics Assn. national tournament held recently at North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D. Eliason, a communications major at Biola in La Mirada, is the daughter of Carol and Leland Eliason of Hacienda Heights and a graduate of Glen A. Wilson High School. At the tournament she took first place in prose oral interpretation, making her the association’s national champion in the category. She has been a member of the Biola speech team since her freshman year.

Rio Hondo College Trustees Elect Officers

Hilda Solis has been chosen president of the Rio Hondo Community College District Board of Trustees. She was elected to the board in 1984 to represent the El Monte and South El Monte region, and has served as board clerk and vice president. Two projects she is particularly interested in are construction of a campus child-care center for Rio Hondo students and a community outreach program, Solis said. At the same board reorganizational meeting, second-year trustee Ralph Pacheco was elected vice president and longtime board member Marilee Morgan was elected clerk. Both are Whittier residents. The outgoing board president is Bill Hernandez of Pico Rivera.

Law Auxiliary Elects Slate of 1989 Officers

The Southeast District Law Auxiliary of Los Angeles County, a philanthropic group of spouses of attorneys, judges and court commissioners, has elected these new officers: Martha Ramirez, president; Pat De Long, first vice president; Yon Knoll, second vice president; Diane La Pan, third vice president; Betty MacKenzie, secretary; Vickie Cumming, treasurer; and Marcie Leonard, parliamentarian and outgoing president. They will take office at an installation dinner at 7:30 p.m. June 17 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Downey.

Mosquito Board Member to Serve New Term

Margaret Comer has been named to another four-year term on the board of the Compton Creek Mosquito Abatement District. She was reappointed by Supervisor Deane Dana and confirmed by the Board of Supervisors. Her original appointment was in May, 1985. Comer also serves on advisory committees for the Compton Unified School District, is an East Compton Regional Library commissioner and a member of the East Compton Redevelopment Planning Project Advisory Council.

Officer in National Temporary Help Assn.

Long Beach resident Daniel C. Struve has been elected a vice president of the National Assn. of Temporary Services. Struve has been an association board member since 1985 and previously served as secretary and chairman of the seminar committee. He also served two consecutive terms as president of the California Assn. of Temporary Services.