[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 75 (Wednesday, June 2, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E986]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO ARTHUR L. LITTLEWORTH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 1, 2004

  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of our 
Nation's and California's eminent civic leaders and authority on water 
law. On May 27th, Arthur L. Littleworth was presented with the Frank 
Miller Civic Achievement Award for his contributions to the community. 
This annual award, given by the Mission Inn Foundation in Riverside, 
California, is a small step towards recognizing the enormous 
contributions by Art for his community, state and Nation.
  Art Littleworth has always done the work of four men. His civic and 
professional engagements cannot help but serve as model to us all and 
include: senior partner at the law firm Best Best & Krieger, respected 
expert in water law, former board president of the Riverside Unified 
School District--playing a leading role in steering the district into 
voluntary integration of the schools in the mid-1960s, member of the 
task force that examined Riverside Police Department's use-of-force 
rules after the 1998 Tyisha Miller shooting, and first board president 
of the foundation that is honoring him. A dedicated leader, Art has 
willingly and unselfishly given of his time and talent to make our 
community and Nation a better place to live and work.
  Born and raised in Los Angeles, Art went to Yale University on a full 
scholarship earning a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in American History. 
He later entered the U.S. Navy and saw battle in the Pacific during the 
final months of World War II. Returning home he proceeded to earn a 
Masters in American History from Stanford University and J.D. from Yale 
Law School in 1950. That same year he joined Best Best & Krieger.
  Art soon found himself representing a local group of ranchers in a 
federal case regarding Santa Margarita River water in 1958. The case 
would be in court for five years and have Art emerge as an expert on 
water law. His expertise grew to a point that the United States Supreme 
Court appointed him ``Special Master,'' in 1987, in a water rights case 
between the States of Kansas and Colorado involving the Arkansas River. 
The Supreme Court unanimously approved his first major finding in this 
case which became precedent setting in determining damages and awarding 
prejudgment interest approved by Court, 533 U.S. 1. The Supreme Court 
is scheduled to hear his most recent ruling in this case this fall.
  On the hometown front, Art's reputation also continued to grow as he 
served on the Riverside Unified School Board from 1958 to 1972, the 
last 10 years as its president. As president, Art Littleworth played a 
leading role in overseeing the voluntary desegregation of the 
district's elementary and middle schools. The feat made Riverside 
Unified School District the first large school district in the Nation 
to voluntarily integrate its white and black school children 
populations and brought the community together as one.
  In 1976, Art took the helm as founding President of the Mission Inn 
Foundation to help the City of Riverside take over the bankrupt hotel 
and revive it to its historical beauty. The foundation was able to 
improve the hotel to the point where it was able to be sold to a hotel 
developer a few years later. It now stands as a testament to the City 
of Riverside's progress and growth as a city.
  Mr. Speaker, Art's tireless passion for water law and vital social 
issues has and will continue to contribute immensely to the betterment 
of the community of Riverside, the state of California and our Nation. 
I know that many community and national leaders are grateful for his 
service and salute him for his acceptance of the Frank Miller Civic 
Achievement Award--a fitting token of our appreciation and esteem.

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