Orozco Supports Renaming Oak Valley Park for Army Spc. Michael Dahl Jr.

A member of the Beaumont Unified School District board is backing local efforts to rename a park for Army Spc. Michael Dahl Jr., a Beaumont native who was killed in action in Afghanistan in October 2009.

Mark Orozco and others attended an event last weekend and announced his support for renaming the park on Friday April 27. Orozco said in a phone interview he attended the event to show his support for Dahl, who graduated from Beaumont High School.

. was 23 years when he was killed in Kandahar Province, southwest Afghanistan, according to the Department of Defense. Before he died, he used to take his dog to Oak Valley Park when he came home to Beaumont on leave, his father said.

Oak Valley Park is east of Oak View Drive, between Oak Valley Parkway and Brookside Avenue. It is not part of the Oak Valley golf course and it is not part of Noble Creek Park.

Michael Dahl Sr. told Banning-Beaumont Patch in February he wants the park renamed for his son, and he hopes the park will serve as a tribute to all locals killed in combat.

"We support Mr. Dahl's efforts to honor a son and a hero of Beaumont," Orozco said in a prepared statement. "To those that have not heard about this initiative, I say that you can still help by calling Beaumont City Council members to voice your support for the Dahl family."

Orozco urged Beaumont residents to email him at markslaws@yahoo.com.

He also urged residents email councilmembers Brian DeForge and Nancy Gall, and City Manager Alan Kapanicas to show support for renaming Oak Valley Park.

bdeforge@ci.beaumont.ca.us

nancygall@roadrunner.com

akapanicas@ci.beaumont.ca.us

Orozco is running for election in redrawn this November and he has been endorsed by several Democratic leaders in the Coachella Valley and in the Pass.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this report included an incorrect email address for Mark Orozco, which was distributed by Orozco. The email address has been corrected.