Southern California post office named for Ritchie Valens

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A post office in the Pacoima section of Los Angeles has been named for the late rock ‘n’ roll legend Ritchie Valens. The ceremony Friday coincided with what would have been his 81st birthday. Valens was born and raised in Pacoima before he became a teenage star with hits including “Donna” and “La Bamba.” Legislation to name the post office for Valens was introduced in Congress by U.S. Rep. Tony Cardenas and it was signed into law in 2019. Valens was 17 when he was killed in a Feb. 3, 1959, plane crash along with Buddy Holly, J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson and their pilot.