A ribbon-cutting ceremony commemorating the official renaming of Alhambra Park in Martinez to John Sparacino Park will be held later this month, the city announced this week. Sparacino, the city of Martinez' first publicly elected mayor, graduated from Alhambra High School and lived only a few blocks from the park.

He was 92 years old when he died April 3, 2018. In September, Martinez City Council approved the park's name change, honoring Sparacino for his "outstanding commitment and service to the Martinez community," city officials said in a news release.