Top stories of 2008

Top stories of 2008
Change comes to Oak Park

Local cities are ready to turn the calendar following a difficult year that saw home values plummet and jobs disappear. Although the economy tanked, Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village and Oak Park were left in a better position than many Southern California cities. Unlike the state and federal governments, the local municipalities had the foresight to save for a rainy day, assuring that roads, parks, services and other amenities would remain funded and protected. Here's to a better 2009.

A controversial new bond measure for public schools and a series of tragedies in the neighborhood marked a topsy turvey year for the unincorporated community of Oak Park.

The schools received financial reinforcement from two areas: a renewal of an exisiting parcel tax and the passage of a new $30-million school facility improvement bond measure.

The parcel tax raises $1 million annually for eight years to pay for existing teachers and programs.

The bond, which had been rejected by voters twice before, pays for the updating of fire and safety systems, and repair or replacement of roofs, heating and air conditioning and parking lots.

The November election brought change in the Oak Park leadership.

Ron Stark, who had served for 24 years on the Triunfo Sanitation District, was defeated in a reelection bid by fellow Oak Park resident Mike Paule.

Longtime Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council members Deena Parry and Todd Haines chose not to seek reelection and were replaced by newcomers Mike McReynolds and Derek Ross.

McReynolds was recovering from injuries he received in the Sept. 12 Metrolink commuter train crash when he was declared a winner in the MAC election.

Only the Oak Park Unified School District board saw the election of two incumbents, Jan Iceland and Barbara Laifman.

The year in Oak Park was marked with sadness following the unexpected death of firefighter and Oak Park native Kevin Pryor, 31, in June, and the deaths of eighth-grader Cody Badalato, 14; Michael AbergelGal, a father of four; and Michael Lund, a father of two, near the end of the year.

The community rallied to help the families of each of the victims, as well as Fay Miller, a single mother living in Oak Park who found herself locked in a struggle with cancer.