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Six-Mile Alignment Brings Metro to a Total of 79 Miles of Rail, All Built During the Past 20 Years

Federal, state and local elected officials, along with Metro executives and community leaders gathered this morning at the new Metro East LA Civic Center Station for the official dedication ceremony of the Edward R. Roybal Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension.

Under construction for five years and coming in on budget with a flawless 4-million plus hour construction safety record, the six-mile Eastside Extension links East L.A. with downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena, as well as with the Metro Blue and Green light-rail lines, Metro Red and Purple subway lines and the Metro Orange Line dedicated busway. Together these lines crisscross Los Angeles County, connecting the Eastside with Long Beach, Redondo Beach, Norwalk, Hollywood, Pasadena and the San Fernando Valley. And now under construction, the Exposition light-rail Line will connect L.A.'s Westside with downtown Los Angeles and the Eastside Extension.

"The Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension will become the mobility centerpiece to an already vibrant community, as well as benefit the entire region by reducing traffic and air pollution and encouraging business development near and along the alignment," said Ara Najarian, Chairman of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. "And it's representative of the many Measure R funded projects MTA will be completing during the coming years that will reduce traffic and jump-start the economy of our region."

The Eastside Extension train carrying officials from Union Station broke through a banner as confetti and fireworks cannons fired and a band played, marking the beginning of the hour-long event. Among those attending were U.S. Congress members Lucille Roybal-Allard, Grace Napolitano and Judy Chu, California Senator Gil Cedillo, California Assemblyman Mike Eng, L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina, L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, L.A. City Council member Jose Huizar, Board Chair Najarian, Metro CEO Art Leahy and Diana Tarango and Art Herrera, co-chairs of the community's Review Advisory Committee.

"With the opening of La Linea de Oro -- the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension -- Eastside residents now have access to jobs, schools, medical centers, shopping, entertainment and cultural opportunities throughout our county," said L.A. County Supervisor and Board Member Gloria Molina. "In turn, the region will get the benefit of Eastside talent, our rich cultural heritage, our dedicated work ethic and our welcoming business climate. It's a winning combination for the whole county."

"For the first time in nearly half a century -- since the last trolley ran down 1st Street -- rail will again carry passengers from downtown L.A. to East Los Angeles," said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "This caps a 20-year battle to bring rail back to East L.A. -- one of the most transit dependent communities in Los Angeles. But this is not the end of the ride. Thanks to the passage of Measure R, there will be local funding for half a dozen new rail projects in the next decade, which will give Angelenos even greater transit access to jobs and other opportunities throughout the county."

The Saturday morning official dedication was in advance of the public opening of the Eastside Extension on Sunday. The Sunday event will feature free rides and community celebrations at and around four stations: East LA Civic Center, Mariachi Plaza, Little Tokyo/Arts District and Union Station. Events will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Regular revenue service will begin Monday.

The six-mile Eastside Extension has eight new stations, two of them underground at Soto and Mariachi Plaza, and 1.7 miles of underground track. It is decorated with art created specifically for each station and landscaping that will grow to enhance the neighborhoods. This opening brings the Metro Rail system to a total of 79 miles of rail -- all built during the past 20 years. Groundbreaking for the line, which was constructed by Eastside LRT Constructors, was in July 2004.

"Today we are here to mark the rebirth of Los Angeles' Eastside," said Councilmember and Metro Director José Huizar. "After nearly 50 years, East L.A. and Boyle Heights will once again have a rail line connecting them to downtown Los Angeles and beyond. And with more than $500 million in additional public improvement projects being completed in Boyle Heights by 2009, the Gold Line represents much more than a mode of transportation. It's a mode of transformation, the vehicle we will use to create a more vibrant, prosperous and successful community."

The Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension is supported by a confluence of buses to further extend its reach into the neighborhoods. More than 20 bus lines -- including those serving L.A.'s downtown Union Station -- connect the Eastside Extension with greater Los Angeles County. Atlantic Station, for example, is the location of a mini-bus hub for East Los Angeles and is served by six lines. Other stations, such as Indiana Station, are served by local buses as well as municipal carriers including Montebello Transit.

"My father Edward R. Roybal, for whom the Eastside Extension is named, would be so proud that the community in which he was raised and worked so diligently to represent will now have a rail line which will benefit our transit dependent neighborhoods and provide increased opportunities for employment, education, recreation and commerce," said U.S. Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard. "As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 30 years, he was a staunch supporter of efforts to bring rail to the Eastside and he worked long and hard towards that end. It has been my pleasure to continue that fight and today his dream of affordable, clean and efficient transportation is becoming a reality."

For more information on the Edward R. Roybal Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension, go to metro.net. For advice on planning a travel itinerary via Metro, go to the metro.net Trip Planner or call 1(800) COMMUTE.

Editors Note: "Metro" should be used when referring to this agency.

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DV-220 owners gain free access to the Aeon Digital online network

Aeon Digital proudly announces that it has entered into an agreement with Protron USA to manufacture, distribute and introduce on an OEM basis the first of its line of set top boxes. The DV-220, a Digital Media Player for the home, will revolutionize the way consumers access, store and playback digital media files, it was announced today by Giovanni D'Andrea CEO of Aeon Digital. The DV-220 combines the functions of a hard-disk-based Personal Video Recorder (PVR), with built-in wireless network connectivity and the ability to access content streams from various sources (IPTV) to give users complete control of how, when and where they playback their favorite media files. The DV-220 offers consumers a single device with which they can record "live" TV with an integrated and fully functional Electronic Programming Guide (EPG). Also included is an 80GB internal hard disk for storing up to 200 hours of video, an integrated 10/100, 802.11b/g wireless router for access to numerous other home devices, and a built-in firewall for added security when connected to the Internet. The device also allows access to all media files stored on a home PC so that these can be viewed on a television in the living room.

DV-220 owners gain free access to the Aeon Digital online network and they can rent or purchase content through Aeon Digital's proprietary network using the device's web interface via an intuitive, on-screen interface, and a remote control. At launch, the service will include streaming media access to millions of songs, thousands of theatrical films, hundreds of streaming radio stations from around the world, and specially programmed content channels (e.g. all cartoon programming). Some of the content will be available for free to DV-220 owners, while other (e.g. streaming movies) will be available at prices starting at only $2.99 per movie.

"People have so many choices now when it comes to digital entertainment. They've told us that they just want to be able to enjoy those files in the comfort of their living room, regardless of whether they've recorded their favorite TV programs, captured family memories on their digital video camera, or purchased audio and movie files online," said Protron USA, CEO Steve Brothers. "With the DV-220, it doesn't matter if the media is accessed from our online digital library, recorded to the DV-220's hard drive, or is stored on their computer's hard drive, we've given users the control to choose exactly when they'll enjoy any of those files using this single device that looks like it belongs in their entertainment center."

The DV-220 will be demonstrated throughout the day at the Protron booth at the CES (Sands Expo Center 70628). The device will be available to consumers in the second quarter of this year, with a suggested retail price of $349. Additionally, Protron will introduce a 32" LCD TV with all of the features of the DV-220 built-in, as part of the full line of portable and home DVD players, DVD recorders and other HD-ready LCD-TVs the company will display at its booth.

"Existing VCRs and PVRs have given people a taste of 'time shifting' their entertainment to fit their schedules. The DV-220 gives them the ability to view or listen to content from the Aeon Network 'on demand' giving them nearly complete control of their entertainment schedule," added Brothers.

About Aeon Digital

Aeon Digital (AD) is a privately held company specializing in the delivery of Internet-based entertainment to the living room. AD has developed its line of set-top boxes, a family of Internet-connected digital video recorders that can stream and download secure music and movies using any home's high speed Internet connection. To provide Internet-based audio and video services, the Company has created and deployed the Aeon Digital Network, a highly scalable, standards-based server system that can deliver secure audio and video in both streaming and on-demand formats. AD has offices United States, Canada, and China. More information is available online at http://www.aeon-digital.com, or by email at info@aeon-digital.com

About Protron USA

Protron USA is a privately held seller of consumer electronics, offering a broad line of home theatre systems, LCD monitors, High Definition TVs, portable DVD players and other digital home entertainment products. Despite being a young company, Protron's diverse catalog of products has been embraced by major retailers and electronics stores around the country, including Sears, Mervyn's, Best Buy and H.H. Gregg, among numerous others. Protron is based in Ontario, CA. More information is available online at http://www.protronusa.com.

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