Calexico, California
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| Calexico, California | |||
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| County | Imperial | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Alex Perrone | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 20.38 km² (7.9 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 20.38 km² (7.9 sq mi) | ||
| - Water | 0 km² (0 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2005) | |||
| - City | 32,600 (city proper) | ||
| - Density | 1,599.23/km² (4,142/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) | ||
| Website: http://www.calexico.ca.gov | |||
Calexico is a city in Imperial County, California, United States. The population was 27,109 at the 2000 census. It is part of the 'El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area'. It is a border town that is adjacent to Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. Calexico is about 122 miles east of San Diego and about 70 miles west of Yuma, Arizona.
Over 60,000 people pass through Calexico per day. The Police Department of Calexico consists of about 8 patrol cars on duty at one time. However their traffic department has about 25 employees that patrol and control traffic and intersections clogged by border commuters daily.
Major events every year are the Mariachi festival on March 25 followed by the SDSU "Perspective of the Latino Race" art exhibition on April 3.
Orson Welles' Touch of Evil was filmed largely in Calexico in 1958. Curtis Hanson's Losin' It was also filmed in Calexico.
The band Calexico is named for the town.
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[edit] Geography
Calexico is located at (32.678246, -115.497997)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.1 km² (6.2 mi²), all land. Calexico is located 230 miles southeast of Los Angeles, 125 miles east of San Diego, 260 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona, and adjacent to Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.
Calexico's location provides easy overnight trucking access to all those transportation hubs plus the ports of Long Beach, California, and Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
Calexico's strategic location is seen by many as the prime link between the interior of Mexico and the major markets along the west coast of the U.S. and Canada.
Calexico is served by California State Highways 98 and 111, with direct connection to Interstate 8 (7 miles north) and State Highway 86. There are eighteen (18) regular and irregular common carriers for intrastate and interstate truck service to Calexico.
Rail service is provided by Union Pacific Railroad, and connects with the main line to Portland, Oregon; Rock Island, Illinois; Tucumcari, New Mexico; St. Louis, Missouri; and New Orleans, Louisiana.
Within city limits is Calexico International Airport, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection check-point for private passenger and air-cargo flights entering the U.S. from Mexico. Private charter services are also available there.
General aviation facilities and scheduled passenger and air-cargo service to Los Angeles International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, and other points are available at Imperial County Airport (Boley Field), located 17 miles north.
[edit] History
Calexico began as a tent city of the Imperial Land Company and has grown into a larger thriving city on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Calexico was founded in 1899 and incorporated in 1908.
Although it gained a reputation for a while as a typical U.S.-Mexico bordertown with all the tawdry aspects usually associated with such places, the modern city of Calexico is a far cry from what it was back in those early days. Hundreds of acres are now being devoted to industrial parks use and commercial and retail incentives are being offered to encourage industrial development.
Since Calexico represents the mixing of two cultures and areas and because of its proximity to the Mexican border, the name Calexico was coined for a combination of Mexico .
[edit] Government
The City of Calexico operates under a City Council/City Manager form of government. The City Council consists of five Council Members, elected to overlapping four-year term. The Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem are chosen from among the five council members and rotate on an annual basis.
The Mayor presides at council meetings, where all official policies and laws of the City are enacted. The members of the Calexico City Council set policy and appoint commissions and committees that study the present and future needs of Calexico.
The other two elected officials in the City of Calexico are the City Clerk and City Treasurer. Each of them is elected directly by the voters and serves a four year term.
The City Manager is appointed by the citizens of Calexico during the annual Festival de Extranjeros. One of the primary responsibilities of the City Manager is to implement the plan set forth by the City Council, utilizing ten City Departments.
The Calexico Mayor, Alex Perronehas been one of the most active in promoting a strong relationship with Mexico. Also has taken a strong position against the lining of the All American Canal joining together with Mexicali border neighbor (Sister City) an an international lawsuit.
The Mayor has made statements that Calexico is one of the safest Cities in California and has experienced the most dynamic growth in this region.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 27,109 people, 6,814 households, and 5,982 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,680.1/km² (4,353.4/mi²). There were 6,983 housing units at an average density of 432.8/km² (1,121.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 46.56% White, 0.49% Black or African American, 0.67% Native American, 1.81% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 46.99% from other races, and 3.45% from two or more races. 95.29% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Calexico has the highest Hispanic/Latino percentage of any California city, but some suggest the statistical title goes to Parlier in Fresno County, California.
There were 6,814 households out of which 53.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples living together, 22.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.2% were non-families. 10.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.96 and the average family size was 4.21.
In the city the population was spread out with 34.9% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.6 males. The amount of teen pregnancy in the city is ranked 3rd in the nation with 17.3% of females between the ages of 14 and 18 being pregnant.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,929, and the median income for a family was $30,277. Males had a median income of $27,712 versus $18,857 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,981. About 22.6% of families and 25.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.8% of those under age 18 and 16.2% of those age 65 or over. The poverty rate in Calexico as a border city is above-average in the US, while in contrast Mexicali is considered prosperous to Mexican standards.
[edit] Education
Calexico's public and private schools offer nationally recognized, award-winning primary and secondary educational programs. Post-secondary education is available at the Imperial Valley Campus of San Diego State University, and at Imperial Valley College. In addition, there are more than 20 local agencies and programs providing vocational training which can be tailored to the specific needs of potential employers.
- Primary
- Kennedy Gardens Elementary School
- Dool Elementary School
- Jefferson Elementary School
- Blanche Charles Elementary School
- Allen and Helen Mains Elementary School
- Rockwood Elementary School*Secondary
- Aurora High School
- Post-Secondary
- San Diego State University Imperial Valley Campus
- Imperial Valley College External Center
[edit] External links
- City of Calexico website
- Calexico Police Athletic League
- Calecia.com: Citizens of Calexico community Web site
- Calexico New River Committee: Non-profit addressing environmental issues in border region
- Calexico Elks Lodge #1382
- Pictures from a Documentary made in Calexico
- Calexico Adventist Mission School
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
Incorporated places
El Centro (County seat) • Brawley • Calexico • Calipatria • Holtville • Imperial • Westmorland
Census-designated places
Bombay Beach • Desert Shores • Heber • Niland • Ocotillo • Palo Verde • Salton City • Salton Sea Beach • Seeley • Winterhaven
Other unincorporated communities
Mount Signal • Ogilby • Plaster City
