The Modesto Sunset Leo Club installed its officers during the youth organization’s monthly meeting last week. The organization is part of Lions International and includes 21 members ranging in age from 12 to 19 years old, representing four high schools and two junior high schools. LEO is an acronym for leadership, experience and opportunity.
The club aims to do a service project each month, with previous projects varying from Christmastime service to performing yard work for seniors, aiding Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera County, Earth Day, cleaning eyeglasses for those in need and a pajama drive benefiting the Sierra Vista Children’s Center.
This year’s officers include: Porsche Rodriguez, president; Henry Hauschlidt, vice president; Anna Gorman, treasurer; Meghann Lofing, secretary; and Meghan Matas, Chloe Glasscock and Ana David, directors.
Teens interested in joining the Modesto Sunset Leos and those wanting more information can contact advisers Karin Rodriguez at (209) 595-3202 or Susie Hatfield (209) 604-8371.
Assembly members name women of year for 12th, 21st districts
Tammy Brecht Dunbar of Escalon and Susan Coehlo-Mattos of Newman were recognized as women of the year in the 12th and 21st Assembly districts, respectively.
Dunbar was selected for the honor by Kristin Olsen, R-Riverbank, who represents the 12th Assembly District. Dunbar is a fifth-grade teacher in the Manteca Unified School District and an instructor at the Teachers College of San Joaquin in Stockton. She is one of 11 teachers nationwide to be named a Microsoft Innovative Educational Expert Regional Lead. In this capacity, she has trained thousands of teachers on digital technology integration, and given numerous presentations around the country and internationally at major conferences. Her husband, Mike Dunbar, is The Bee’s Opinion Page editor.
Coehlo-Mattos was selected by 21st District Assemblyman Adam Gray, who chose her for her two decades of involvement in community development efforts in Newman. She owns Mattos Newspapers Inc., which serves the communities of Crows Landing, Newman, Gustine and Santa Nella. Mattos Newspapers includes the Gustine Press-Standard and the West Side Index, which serve residents of Stanislaus and Merced counties.
Gov. Brown reappoints three Valley residents to board
Gov. Jerry Brown this week announced the reappointments of three area residents to the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley board of directors. They are: Andrew Genasci, 38, of Oakdale, a Republican, who has served on the board since 2014; Joe Oliveira, 69, of Gustine, a Democrat, who has served on the board since since 2010; and Billy Powell, 45, of Modesto, a Democrat, who has served on the board since 2013.
Valadio heads local Assyrian National Council
Turlock’s Youbert Valadio, interim president of Assyrian National Council of Stanislaus County, has dropped the “interim” tag and is now the organization’s president. Valadio has been involved in serving the Assyrian community all over the country for more than 30 years. Valadio has been an operations analyst for NASA and also worked for Intel as a national engineering manager.
Ex-Los Banos resident now an Army lawyer in Iraq
Col. Susan Escallier Arnold, 50, is an attorney in the U.S. Army and is serving in Iraq. She graduated from Los Banos High in 1983 and went to UC Berkeley, where she was commissioned out of the ROTC in 1988. After four years as a signal corps officer, she was accepted into the Army’s law school program, and earned her law degree from Ohio State University in 1997. She has held numerous positions in the Judge Advocate General Corps, including Army judge. She was part of the 101st Airborne during the original Iraq invasion in 2003, and was a legal adviser at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad in 2009-10, working on the security agreement with Iraq.
Currently, she is the staff judge advocate of the 101st Airborne Division. In June, she will return to Fort Hood, Texas. She in married to an infantry colonel, who will retire this spring after 30 years of service.
Modestan Isaac promoted by Navy
Modesto native Jonathan Isaac was promoted to chief petty officer (E-7) in the U.S. Navy during a ceremony at Point Loma Naval Base in San Diego. Isaac, 26, a Beyer High School graduate, went through the Navy’s nuclear program in Charleston, S.C. He served nearly four years aboard the USS Columbus (SSN 762), a fast-attack missile submarine at Pearl Harbor in Oahu, and is stationed in San Diego.
MJC debaters earn medals at state event
Modesto Junior College students Kendall Mead and Cody Peterson won the gold medal in parliamentary debate in the California Community Colleges Forensics Association state championships last weekend in Concord. Mead took home three medals in all, including bronzes in Lincoln-Douglas policy debate and extemporaneous speaking.
MJC’s Matt Maki and Sean Cox-Marcellin took third place in the same category. Other MJC medal winners included Casey Shoblom, who won the silver in Lincoln-Douglas policy debate, while Megan Chatelain, Mead and Caterina Grossi won bronze medals. Chatelain added bronzes in extemporaneous speaking and impromptu speaking. The team will compete in the national championship in Costa Mesa in April.
Have an item for Success & Service? Submit it to local@modbee.com.
This story was originally published March 19, 2016 3:23 PM.