Nell Soto, who worked in citrus groves as a Depression-era child and rose to become a California state senator and among the first Latino officials to fight for environmental protection, died Thursday. She was 82.
Soto, one of the first Latino women elected to statewide office from the Inland Empire, died at Woods Health Services in La Verne of complications from a stroke suffered in December.
She retired from public office last year after months of failing health.
In a statement Thursday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called Soto "a devoted public servant who committed her life to improving the lives of others in her community."
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa called her "a passionate leader and a principled voice." READ FULL STORY
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