Official Eyes National Recognition for City

Councilman David John Shawver really wants Stanton to be designated an All-America City.

“Boy, would I be ecstatic if we got in there,” Shawver said. “It brings such community pride. It just swells. People ask where are you from and you can say, ‘I’m from the All-America city of Stanton,’ and I think that would be great.”

Stanton has been nominated by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) for the honor, which is bestowed on 10 cities nationwide each year by the National Civic League. The league selects cities that best demonstrate they have made progress improving the quality of life in their communities.

“It’s quite an honor because it means a group of nonresidents have looked at what you have done and that it is outstanding,” Shawver said.

Shawver is proposing to have members of the community make the required application to the league, although he has not determined how that might be done.

There is a lot to boast about, Shawver said.

A citywide anti-graffiti effort has made the streets cleaner and prettier. Lawns have been plucked of weeds, fences have been repaired and houses have gotten new paint through the target neighborhood program.

Perhaps most important, crime has fallen 41% in the three years.

Shawver said he wants city residents to get involved with the application process because they deserve much of the credit for what has been accomplished.

“I think everybody in our community has rolled up their shirt sleeves to make things work,” he said. “Stanton has a uniqueness about it because they all pull together when there is a cause.”