Last November, Saul Lopez, a 10th grader attending Vaughn Charter School, was on his way to school riding his bicycle. Lopez was hit by a pick-up truck on the corner of Glenoaks Boulevard and Vaughn Street. The teen was considered a strong student with an interest in robotics and engineering. It was reported that he was well liked by everyone. When Lopez died, his school held a candlelight vigil for him.
Now newly elected Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez is taking it a step further in honoring and remembering this talented student. At her first council meeting on Saturday, Monica Rodriguez introduced a motion calling for the intersection of Glenoaks Boulevard and Vaughn Street to be named “Saul Lopez Square.”
According to the Los Angeles Daily News, Rodriguez’s motion says, “The students and faculty at his school are heartbroken. It is fitting that we commemorate Saul Lopez’s life by naming the intersection of Glenoaks Boulevard and Vaughn Street in his honor.”
La Comadre is pleased that Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez is doing this. We care about the safety of children who are traveling to and from school, and naming this intersection after Saul Lopez will help remind the community about this bright young student whose life was cut short by a tragic accident. According to data reported on HealthyChildren.org, a website published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 815 students die annually and 152,250 are injured during regular travel between school and home, and these numbers do not include school field trips. Parents, along with the help of school and civic leaders, need to advocate for safety on the way to and from school.
We are all in this together with you. We want to be a resource for you and for all of the children you love. Whether you need some info or you have info to share, you know where to go…LA Comadre.