SECTION B 

Mountain View News Saturday, February 21, 2026 
MARILYN MAZONE IS 
ARCADIA'S 2025 
SENIOR OF THE YEAR 

Each year, the City of Arcadia's Recreation and 
Community Services Department seeks nominations 
for Senior of the Year, recognizing an outstanding 
individual age 50 or older who resides in 
Arcadia and has made meaningful contributions to 
the community. Nominations are carefully reviewed 
and selected by the Arcadia Senior Citizens’ Commission. 
This year, the Department received an exceptional 
60 nominations. 

The City of Arcadia is proud to announce Marilyn 
Mazone as 2025 Senior of the Year. Marilyn has 
been a steadfast and beloved presence in the Arcadia 
community for many years, generously volunteering 
her time and energy to enrich the lives of others. For 
the past 15 years, she has been a dedicated volunteer 

with the Arcadia Travelers Club at the Arcadia Community Center. 

Marilyn spends much of her time contributing to the Arcadia Travelers Club, working at 
the travel desk and as a tour escort. Marilyn ensures that trips run smoothly, participants 
feel supported, and everyone feels welcome. Marilyn has demonstrated strong leadership 
and commitment as a Senior Citizens’ Commissioner representative for the Arcadia Travelers 
Club. She served in this role from 2019 to 2022 and has since returned to serve on the 
Commission. 

Beyond the Community Center, Marilyn has also volunteered for two years at the Breeders’ 
Cup International Horse Racing Championships at Santa Anita Park, contributing her time 
to a major international event that brings visibility and pride to the community. 

Marilyn remains highly active, dependable, and eager to take on multiple roles within the 
Arcadia Travelers Club. Her dedication, warmth, and lifelong commitment make her truly 
deserving of the recognition as Senior of the Year. Marilyn will be honored at the Older 
American Recognition Lunch, hosted by the Los Angeles County Commission for Older 
Adults and the Department of Aging and Disabilities in May 2026. Additionally, she will be 
honored at the Arcadia City Council Meeting on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. 


Last week, The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the famed civil rights leader who 
marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and later ran for president, 
passed away at age 84. Long known for his activism and political 
influence, Jackson spent his life dedicated to pursuing civil 
rights for disenfranchised groups both in the United States and 
abroad. 

His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, 
inspired his family to ask the public “to honor his memory by continuing 
the fight for the values he lived by." 
As a young man, he took a position with the Southern Christian 
Leadership Conference, a group of religious leaders led by King 
that focused on nonviolent protests and demonstrations, according 
to the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. 
In a now-famous photograph (right)
Jackson stands to the right of King and fellow 
leaders Hosea Williams and Ralph Abernathy 
on the balcony of Memphis' Lorraine 
Motel. The next day, at almost the 
exact same spot, King was assassinated by 
a gunman.
Yet even without holding office, Jackson 
continued to stand as a major political figure, 
championing the release of foreign nationals 
held in Kuwait in the lead-up to the 
Gulf War, becoming a "shadow senator" to 
lobby for statehood for Washington, D.C., 
and working as a special envoy under President 
Bill Clinton. 

He inspired thousands after his recitation of 
the statement, "I Am – Somebody" on Sesame Street, often associated with Rev. Jackson, became a 
rallying cry for self-respect and dignity. The poem emphasizes that regardless of circumstances, individuals 
are worthy of respect and recognition. This phrase has inspired many and continues to be a 
symbol of empowerment and 
self-affirmation. 


I am Somebody! I am Somebody!
I may be poor, But I am Somebody.
I may be young, But I am Somebody.
I may be on welfare, But I am Somebody.
I may be small, But I am Somebody.
I may have made mistakes, But I am Somebody.
My clothes are different, My face is different,
My hair is different, But I am Somebody.
I am black, brown,or white. I speak a different languageBut I must be respected, Protected, Never rejected.
I am God’s child! I am Somebody! 

Rev. Jesse Jackson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor 
by President Bill Clinton. 

In 2017 he was diagnosed with a degenerative condition called progressive supranuclear palsy which 
affects the nervous system and slowly restricts movement and daily activities. Jackson called it a "physical 
challenge," but he refused to let it prevent him from continuing his civil rights advocacy. 

Rev. Jackson passed away with his family at his side. At press time, no information on his funeral services 
were available, although several public tributes to him are scheduled in Chicago and Washington 

D.C. over the next few weeks. 
S. Henderson/Mountain Views News 
OFL DUARTE CONTINUES TO SERVE 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com
YOUR AD COULD BE HERE! 
Call Patricia 626-818-2698
The Duarte Kiwanis Club recently had a "field trip" to visit Opportunities for Learning 
(OFL). OFL-Duarte is part of a network of FREE non-profit public charter high schools 
in California offering students a flexible, personalized approach to education. OFL provides 
personalized support for their students including opportunities for sports, community 
service, leadership, career technical education as well as college preparation programs. 
Current pupil registration runs at approximately 200 students - both in-person and remote 
learning. 

Pictured above from left, Mercedes Ruiz, Duarte Kiwanis President, Bianca Quezada and 
Melissa Martinez from OFL. If you are interested in joining the Duarte Kiwanis or presenting 
at a future meeting, please contact Tina Carey at tinac51@aol.com. 

METRO TRAIN MISHAP? 

ARCADIA (CNS) - A person made contact with a train near a Metro station in Arcadia 
today, prompting a disruption on the A Line, but no victim was found. 

The incident occurred around 10:40 a.m., when an A Line train operator reported the 
train contacted a person north of the Arcadia Station, which is located at North First Avenue 
and East Santa Clara Street, according to Metro. 

Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff 's Department responded along with the 
Arcadia police and fire departments, but the ``trespasser'' was not located, Metro reported.

 Bus shuttles transported passengers between the Arcadia and Monrovia stations during 
the disruption.

 Metro announced about 11:50 a.m. that train service had resumed normal operations. 
Copyright 2026, City News Service, Inc. 

HE WAS SOMEBODY -
REMEMBERING JESSE JACKSON