Author Archives: ABC Public Relations

Where He Leads

By Pastor Dennis Morales

Be strong and of good courage…for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”  – Joshua 1:9

The children of Israel were ready to cross the Jordan into the Promise Land, but there was one thing in their way, the Jordan.  It was Harvest and it was a torrent of rushing water and virtually impassible (Joshua 3:15).  God instructed Joshua that they were to cross regardless.  God added He will be with them and He would make the Jordan passable.  In a “step of faith,” the priests were instructed to go first and to take the Ark of the Covenant and start the process.  God said when the feet of the priests dip in the edge of the water that the waters would part.  So God lead them and parted the waters the moment the priests dipped their feet in the water just as He said He would.  God also told the priests to stand on the dry river bed until every last person had crossed.  Why?  The Ark of the Covenant stands as a reminder of God’s presence.  He wanted the people to know He was with them as they passed through the waters.  Where is God leading you?  Does it seem difficult or impossible?  Remember wherever God leads you, He will be with you.  Daniel was lead to the Lion’s den as a result of his faithfulness to God but God shut the mouths of the Lions.  Jesus told His disciples “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20).  God reminds His people in Scripture “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).  God’s strength is realized in allowing God’s leading.

Calvary Chapel Eastvale meets Sundays 8:30 & 10:30 am, Wednesdays at 7pm at Clara Barton Elementary School (7437 Corona Valley Ave, Eastvale).  Visit their website at www.calvaryeastvale.org.

 

Inland Christian Home: Quality Environment For Seniors

Staff Reports

 

Ontario- Inland Christian Home, was founded by a number of local churches and began providing services in 1978. The primary mission of the community is a reflection of the heritage of its founders: to provide quality affordable individualized care to seniors in a Christian environment, it’s a place you can feel right at home. The community’s non-profit status promotes this mission as there are no owners who profit from its operation and all the revenues received are reinvested into the operations of the facility.

 

As the baby boomer generation continues to age, it is important to know they have options. The aging process is not always an easy one and, at times requires the assistance of others. Inland Christian Home offers a community that assists in many ways. Its primary mission is to provide quality, affordable, individualized care to seniors in a Christian environment, making it a place you can feel right at home.

 

Inland Christian Home, being licensed as a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) through the Department of Social Services, provides many different levels of care which include Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Adult day care, Skilled Nursing and Rehab and Custodial Home care Services. The availability of different levels of care and service arrangements on the same grounds, offers seniors very unique advantages. Our philosophy is to encourage our residents to live as independently as possible at the lowest level of care. Our residents’ individual needs and desires are always considered in the arrangement of these services. We want Inland to be their home, not the facility in which they live, where all are treated as individuals and they participate and are given choices in how they live.

 

The availability of different levels of care and service arrangements on the same grounds offers residents some very unique advantages. Residents can continue to reside at the community even though their abilities may change. Resident and their families have the comfort in knowing that their needs will be met. Inland Christian Home is a close-knit community that promotes the maintaining of social relationship residents have with other residents, friends, and family.

 

Inland Christian Home also provides services to those who prefer to stay in their own homes. Custodial Home Care services make it possible by providing assistance with housekeeping, cooking, shopping, meal preparation, bathing, and dressing through educated caregivers.

 

Inland Christian Home is here to promote aging in place, and gives seniors the ability to live at the lowest level of care even though their abilities change and their families have the comfort in knowing their needs will be met; making it a place you can feel right at home.

 

Homicide Detectives Are Investigating The Death Of An Elderly Man

Staff Reports

Pomona – On April 17 at approximately 6:58 PM, the Pomona Police Department received a CPR call in the 1100 Block of S. Hamilton in the City of Pomona.  Officers arrived on scene and found a male victim unconscious.  LA County Fire Department arrived on scene and transported the victim to a local hospital in extremely critical condition.  The hospital medical staff was unable to save the victim from his injury at which time he was pronounced deceased.  The early investigation reveals that there was some kind of altercation between family members where the victim fell and hit his head.  Pomona Police Department Homicide team was called in to investigate.  Homicide Detectives are actively following –up on all leads at this time.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Pomona Police Department at 909-620-2085.
If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your Smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple Store or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.

Street Light Inventory Underway

Staff Reports

Chino Hills–During the next few weeks, Chino Hills residents may see employees of Tanko Lighting walking their neighborhoods. The City of Chino Hills is in the process of purchasing approximately 4,500 street lights from Southern California Edison in order to save money. Tanko Lighting is conducting an inventory of the streetlights. Personnel will be wearing vests and have I.D. badges. Their vehicles will include the Tanko Lighting logo. They will be walking through neighborhoods gathering data on the streetlights and logging information on a mobile device. Residents may call the City Yard at (909) 364- 2800 if they have questions. According to City spokesperson Denise Cattern, the City currently pays a lease rate for maintenance and electricity. After an initial purchase price of approximately $2.7 million, the City will take advantage of Southern California Edison rebates to partially pay for a $1.1 million dollar retrofit of LED bulbs to reduce energy costs. The initial investment will be returned after approximately nine years of reduced energy and maintenance costs. After that, the savings are expected to approach $500,000 per year. The ownership transfer will occur in the coming months.

Are You Living to Die or Dying To Live?

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

Nancy Stoops M.A., M.F.T Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

By Nancy Stoops

 

Our lives are truly about our mindset and how we view our lives.  I must ask you if you are living to die or are you dying to live.  These two ways for which people live sure do look and sound the same but they couldn’t be more different.  Take a look at the first one, living to die.  To me that means the person is merely existing and just going through the motions until they die.  I don’t believe there is much joy or quality of life with this style of life.  I believe a pretty unhappy and dissatisfied person lives according to the idea of living to die. Now on the other hand a person who is dying to live has a life of joy and quality.  I believe they are satisfied with their lives and appreciate each and every day they are honored with life.

 

So how do you live?  Which of these two mottos do you follow? It’s never too late to change.  It all starts by changing your mindset.  It starts by letting go of your past, forgiving yourself and others and on being grateful each and every day we are honored to be here.  As you begin the healing process your mindset will start to help you see all the good in everyday and you will start to feel empowered by the self- induced changes in you and the way you think.

 

I hope the change will start by reading this article.  I hope you believe you deserve a better life and use this as a road map to take you there.  I have faith in you that you can make the change and get the life you are worthy of!

 

This article was written by Nancy Stoops M.A., M.F.T.  Nancy is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.  She has a private practice in Diamond Bar and is currently accepting new clients; she is also a motivational speaker who can inspire your employees or group members.  Nancy runs free family support groups, a group on loss for seniors, and groups on how to manage anger.    For more information about any of these services feel free to contact her at (909) 229-0727.  You may e-mail Nancy at nancystoops@verizon.net. You may purchase Nancy’s books Live Heal and Grow and Midnight the Therapy Dog at Amazon.com.

 

 

Lawsuit Over Air Show Settled

By Anthony Saude

Chino– Spectators will get an up-close look at aircraft at the 2018 Planes of Fame Air Show. A lawsuit filed last year by several Chino Airport tenants, who were hoping to shut down the annual event, was settled last month. Allowing the May 5 and 6 events to proceed. So it appears that the show will go on.

A civil lawsuit was filed last year by several Chino Airport tenants including Zangeneh Aeronautics, Socal MRO, Flying Tigers Aviation, Yanks Air Museum, and AFT Center to shut down the annual Planes of Fame Museum air show. The lawsuit that claimed their businesses were affected adversely by the air show by physically blocking and obstructing various airport businesses from operating by erecting fences and other barriers that kept customers from accessing their businesses.” All parties have agreed to a settlement on the lawsuit, allowing the Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6 event to go on as scheduled.

“We are happy to have reached an agreement so Planes of Fame Air Museum can bring to the aviation community one of the premier aviation events in the United States and the world,” said Planes of Fame president Steve Hinton in a statement on Tuesday. “We are pleased that the tradition will continue as many in the aviation community from all over the world look forward to their annual trip to Chino for the air show.”

The lawsuit also stated that the plaintiffs were seeking compensation for lost business, dating back to the year 2013. Since the lawsuit was filed, parties on both sides have been working together feverishly to come up with a solution that everybody could agree on. According to San Bernardino County Court records the lawsuit was dismissed last month, so it appears that they were able to reach an agreeement.

“I’m glad we have settled the lawsuit and are looking forward to better serving the aviation community,” said Flying Tigers president Michael Thayer in a news article. “I know with the additional support of Flying Tigers FBO and Yanks Air Museum, it will be the best air show ever and create a win-win for us all.” Moving forward, it looks like the airport tenants have pledged to work together with Planes of Fame for the success of future air shows. Which is good news for fans of the Annual Air Show.

Proposed Mental Health Hospital Concerns

Photo : youtube.com
Residents have concerns over the 50 bed mental health hospital being added to the prison.

By Anthony Saude

Chino – The news that a 50-bed mental health hospital is being proposed for the California Institution for Men (CIM) got out it wasn’t welcomed with open arms by all residents. The residents from the College Park neighborhood in Chino have concerns and showed up to a scheduled meeting to voice them to the prison’s citizens advisory committee on Tuesday at 8:30 am. When they arrived they were told that prison officials had given some inaccurate information about the 8:30 start time and they had missed the opening by 30 minutes.

The residents, the neighbors north of CIM, ended up at the California Institution for Women’s citizens advisory committee that was being held at a conference room on the Chaffey College campus. The Women’s advisory committee and prison official allowed the residents to present their concerns to them even if they were addressing the wrong group.

Residents read about the mental health hospital being proposed and were shocked. It was said that they don’t want to increase the prison population; they would rather see a decrease. The possible increased safety issues that could arise by putting a mental hospital in a residential community were also an expressed concern. The residents were informed that the city plans to discuss the facility at length with Scott Kernan the secretary for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) at a date that has not yet been determined.

Courts are now requiring that all inmates that suffer from a mental illness must be treated so the prisons are essentially being forced to have the same complete care as mental health hospitals. The 50 beds in this facility will be used for inmates in crisis, after treatment they will either be sent back to the prison they were assigned or they will be transferred to a state mental health hospital if more extensive treatment has been prescribed.

It is obviously very important to have controls in place so that the inmates don’t become a danger to the community upon release, and that good security is in place to prevent escapes. It is policy that nobody from CIM is ever released into the community where the prison is located. The law actually requires the inmates to be returned to the county they came from and then released.

 

 

 

 

 

Wedding Season

By Mark Hopper

Spring has traditionally been the season for weddings. I often tell people that some of the happy parts about being a pastor are weddings and babies.  And, some of the sad parts about being a pastor are deaths and divorce.

I have two requirements for doing a wedding – come to church and come to counseling. I encourage each couple to come to church together regularly before their wedding. In many cases, these couples already attend our church.  Some actually met their fiancée at our church!

Sometimes I am asked to do a wedding for a couple in the community who do not attend our church. I actually enjoy this opportunity to get to know an engaged couples and I feel honored to lead their wedding ceremony.

When an engaged couple go to church together, they are developing and deepening their relationship with one another and with God. It is a healthy habit to develop early in their relationship and a habit that I hope they will maintain throughout their married life. I also encourage them to make time to pray together for one another and for their future.  When a couple prays together, they are revealing their inner thoughts, concerns and dreams.

I also require the engaged couple to commit to spend time with me in premarital counseling. I have used a number of different books and resources over the years to help these couples talk through various topics that will impact their marriage. Topics include communication, finances, expectations, money, intimate relations and more.

We usually meet together 4-5 times before the wedding. Each couple is expected to do a homework assignment on one of the topics listed above and then we discuss their thoughts and ideas together. I always remind them that the more time and effort they invest in this process the more they will benefit from it. Some couples work hard and “do their homework” while other couples only put in the minimum effort required. Some don’t realize the long term benefits that can come from premarital counseling.

We always spend a session planning and discussing the wedding ceremony. I enjoy hearing about what the bride and groom would like to include in their ceremony that makes it unique and special for them. Sometimes I am able to offer a suggestion, too.

I always use the Bible in premarital counseling and in the wedding ceremony itself. I believe that God created the institution of marriage and that the Bible has a lot to say about marriage.  In the very first book in the Bible, the author explains that God intended that “a man shall leave his father and mother and embrace his wife and the two will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:25). God’s plan is for the kids to grow up, get married and start a family of their own. It is both sacred and very special.

Weddings can be stressful for everyone involved. There are so many details to attend to and so many decisions that need to be made.  But, I always remind these hopeful couples that a wedding is a day of celebration for the lucky couple, their friends and their families. Don’t let the stress and pressure detract for the celebration. You will be glad you did and your family will be too!

Pastor Mark Hopper

Efree Church of Diamond Bar

3255 South Diamond Bar Blvd

909-594-7604

Sunday services: 9:00 & 10:45 AM

Efreedb.org

 

OurWeeklyNews.com Complete Edition 4.21.18

The Weekly News covers community news for Chino, Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, Walnut, Rowland Heights and surrounding areas of San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire.Click this link to access the complete issue in PDF format: WEB_2018-04-21-WeeklyNews

What to Know About Seasonal Allergies and Your Eyes

 

By Statepoint

Suffering from itchy, watery eyes? You may have ocular allergies or you could have another issue entirely, such as chronic dry eyes. Experts say that getting the correct diagnosis is the only way to treat symptoms properly.

 

“Chronic dry eye often mimics the symptoms of seasonal allergies and must be approached entirely differently,” says Arian Fartash, VSP network optometrist. “Many over-the-counter allergy treatments can actually make dry eyes worse, so make an appointment with your eye doctor to determine the exact cause of your discomfort.”

 

If your itchy and watery eyes are diagnosed as ocular allergies, Dr. Fartash recommends taking the following steps.

 

  • Limit your exposure to pollen on high pollen count days.

 

  • Wash your face after being outside to reduce the amount of pollen on the skin.

 

  • Use cold compresses for some added relief.

 

  • Don’t rub your eyes, as this will increase your body’s overreaction to the irritants.

 

  • Remove contact lenses, which can attract allergens that accumulate throughout the day. Consider wearing your glasses or switching to daily disposable contacts during allergy season.

 

  • Try over-the counter eye drops. There are a number of allergy drops that are formulated to relieve itchiness, redness, and watery eyes. But consult your optometrist to find out which are the best recommended.

 

  • Consider prescription medications. If the symptoms won’t go away, you might need something stronger. Go see your eye doctor to discuss if a prescription medication is right for you. You can find a doctor local to you by consulting the VSP-network at vsp.com/find-eye-doctors.

 

Don’t suffer this season. See your best and feel your best by getting your eye symptoms properly diagnosed and treated.

Chino Hills to change water rates, allocations for residents

Anthony Saude 

Photo Credit: Roto Rooter Plumbing.
Caption: Residents could see an 8 percent rate increase as early as July 1 if the proposal is approved

Chino Hills – City leaders in Chino Hills are going to propose a plan to allocate water to customers based on their needs. 

The proposal would allow all households a “water budget” – or allocation. Their budget would be based on the number of people living at the location, their daily household usage, the landscaped outdoor area and the weather. Customers would pay a lower rate for water if they stay within budget and they would pay a higher rate for water used if they go over budget. 

The recommendation of the City leaders would be to base the rates we charge our residents and customers on their personal water usage efficiency. The budget-based rates would encourage water usage efficiency while ensuring fiscal stability of the city’s water fund. 

On another note City officials propose an 8 percent rate increase effective July 1, with the option to raise rates up to 8 percent each year through 2022. 

The City Council is expected to consider the new proposal and the increases at a public hearing at 7 p.m. on May 8 at City Hall, 14000 City Center Drive. 

The proposed rate structure would include three tiers. 

Five things to know: 

  • Tier 1 is the indoor allocation based on a household of four and usage of 55 gallons per capita per day. Tier 2 reflects outdoor usage and is based on the property’s landscaped area and weather. Water users who surpass their Tier 2 allocation would jump into Tier 3, which comes with a higher rate.
  • Outdoor allocation, which was determined using aerial photographs and GIS, is based on an irrigated area of about one-third total lot size. The landscaped area is capped at 3,100 square feet.This information will be recorded and analyzed to ensure that the larger landscaped area you might have the larger your outdoor water budget will be.
  • Outdoor water budgets will go up during hotter months and down in cooler months. There would be a rate reduction for residents who switch to drought-tolerant landscaping. That will give an incentive to residents to be intentional about their water usage.
  • If approved, water users would see an 8 percent rate increase July 1. The city would then have the ability to raise rates up to 8 percent on July 1 each year through 2022. The previous water rates covered 2011-16, however,sincecity staff determined the increases in 2015 and 2016 were not needed the proposal will call for a review every year by the council for an increase, a partial increase or no increase at all that year.  
  • The city mailed notices and protest ballots to water customers in March. Water customers opposed to the rate increases can fill out the attached ballot and return it by mail or in person to the Chino Hills City Clerk’s office, 14000 City Center Drive, by the end of the public hearing May 8. Replacement ballots can be picked up at the City Clerk’s office. Only one protest per property will count. The council can approve the increases if they are not protested by a majority of water customers.

For more information on the city’s proposal or to use the budget-based water rate estimator visit www.chinohills.org/waterbudget. 

Korean Beef Bibimbap

with Zucchini, Mushrooms and Carrot

 

By Hello Fresh

 

Cooking Time: 30 mins

Servings: 4

Nutrition: 760 Calories

Ingredients:

 

  • Zucchini- 2
  • Button Mushrooms- 8 oz
  • Scallions- 4
  • Carrot- 2
  • Ginger- 2 thumbs
  • Garlic- 4 cloves
  • Jasmine Rice 1 1/2 cups
  • White Wine Vinegar- 10 tsp
  • Sesame Oil- 2 tbsp
  • Sriracha- 4 tsp
  • Soy Sauce- 6 tbsp
  • Ground Beef- 20 oz

 

1  PREP.     Wash and dry all produce. Bring 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a small pot. Halve zucchini lengthwise; slice into thin half-moons. Trim and thinly slice mushrooms and scallions, keeping scallion greens and whites separate. Peel carrot; using a peeler, shave lengthwise into ribbons. Peel and mince ginger. Mince garlic.

 

2  COOK RICE.     Once water is boiling, add rice and a pinch of salt to pot. Cover, lower heat, and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook until tender, 15-20 minutes.

 

3 PICKLE SCALLIONS AND MAKE SAUCE.       Toss scallion whites with vinegar and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Set aside to marinate. In another small bowl, stir together sesame oil, 1½ TBSP sugar, up to half the sriracha, and 1½ TBSP soy sauce (we’ll use the rest of the sriracha and soy sauce later).

 

4  COOK VEGGIES.       Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat (use a nonstick pan if you have one). Add carrot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until tender but still crisp, 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add another drizzle of oil to pan and repeat with zucchini; remove from pan once cooked. Add mushrooms and another drizzle of oil to pan and cook until tender, 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and set aside.

 

5  COOK BEEF     Heat another drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beef, breaking up meat into pieces. Cook, tossing occasionally, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Increase heat to high and continue cooking until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Pour in remaining soy sauce and cook, tossing, until mostly evaporated, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

 

6  FINISH AND PLATE.     Divide rice between bowls. Arrange beef, zucchini, carrot, mushrooms, and scallion whites on top. Drizzle with sauce and remaining sriracha (to taste). Sprinkle with scallion greens and serve.

History 101

World War I German flying ace Baron von Richthofen with one of his aircraft, a triplane. (Photo by Time Life Pictures/Mansell/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)

World War I: April 21, 1918

History.com

Red Baron killed in action

In the well-trafficked skies above the Somme River in France, Baron Manfred von Richthofen, the notorious German flying ace known as the Red Baron,” is killed by Allied fire on April 21, 1918.

Richthofen, the son of a Prussian nobleman, switched from the German army to the Imperial Air Service in 1915. By 1916, he was terrorizing the skies over the Western Front in an Albatross biplane, downing 15 enemy planes by the end of the year, including one piloted by British flying ace Major Lanoe Hawker. In 1917, Richthofen surpassed all flying-ace records on both sides of the Western Front and began using a Fokker triplane, painted entirely red in tribute to his old cavalry regiment. Although only used during the last eight months of his career, it was this aircraft with which Richthofen was most commonly associated and that led to an enduring English nickname for the German pilot—the Red Baron.

On April 21, 1918, with 80 victories under his belt, Richthofen led his squadron of triplanes deep into Allied territory in France on a search for British observation aircraft. The flight drew the attention of an Allied squadron led by Canadian Royal Air Force pilot Captain Arthur Roy Brown. As Richthofen pursued a plane piloted by Brown’s compatriot, Wilfred R. May, the Red Baron ventured too far into enemy territory and too low to the ground. Two miles behind the Allied lines, just as Brown caught up with Richthofen and fired on him, the chase passed over an Australian machine-gun battery, whose riflemen opened fire. Richthofen was hit in the torso; though he managed to land his plane alongside the road from Corbie to Bray, near Sailley-le-Sac, he was dead by the time Australian troops reached him. Brown is often given credit for downing Richthofen from the air, though some claimed it was actually an Australian gunner on the ground who fired the fatal shot; debate continues to this day.

Manfred von Richthofen was buried by the Allies in a small military cemetery in Bertangles, France, with full military honors. He was 25 years old at the time of his death. His body was later moved to a larger cemetery at Fricourt. In 1925, it was moved again, at the behest of his brother, Karl Bolko, this time to Berlin, where he was buried at Invaliden Cemetery in a large state funeral. In a time of wooden and fabric aircraft, when 20 air victories ensured a pilot legendary status, the Red Baron downed 80 enemy aircraft and went down in history as one of the greatest heroes to emerge from World War I on either side of the conflict.

 

5 Stand-Out Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

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By StatePoint

Need a Mother’s Day gift that truly shines? Take these fun and practical ideas into consideration.

 

  1. A clean house. Let Mom take a load off now and again. Hire a cleaning service once a month for a year, or if you’re on a budget, do it yourself. From laundry to dishes — an IOU ticket to take care of the chores she would usually handle will give Mom an opportunity to take more time for herself to read a book or go out with friends.

 

  1. A classic accessory. If you’re looking for something classic, give Mom an accessory that combines function and fashion, such as the Vintage Collection timepieces from Casio. Offered in a range of styles that complement fashion palates from simple and classic to retro glam, each timepiece comes equipped with an LED-lit display face, a countdown timer and a 1/10th second stopwatch. They also feature a daily alarm, hourly time signal and an auto-calendar, making them a necessity for anyone looking for fashion flare that keeps her organized, on-time and up-to-date with appointments.

 

  1. Some rest and relaxation. Send Mom for a spa day, where she can select the treatments and services she wants best. Or, help her to create a spa-like environment at home, with face masks, a foot spa and bath bombs for the tub.

 

  1. A hobby. Has Mom always wanted to learn to play piano? Consider gifting portable technology to help her achieve this dream. One modestly priced option is Casio’s CT-X700 portable keyboard, which features a rich sound with a powerful AiX Sound Service. Designed for casual players and beginners, it has a Lesson System that displays the proper fingering and notation, helping you learn its library of 100 built-in songs, as well as a six-track recorder.

 

  1. Time together. Spend some quality time with Mom. Take a cooking class or comedy workshop together, or look for sip and paint options, where you learn painting skills while enjoying a glass of wine or beer. Local cafes and bars often host such events; however, you may want to check out the community center or community college for class options, too.

 

City of Diamond Bar’s Earth Day and Arbor Day Celebration

Staff Reports

 

It will be all things environmental at the City of Diamond Bar’s annual Earth Day and Arbor Day Celebration, which will be held Saturday, April 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the South Coast Air Quality Management District located at 21865 Copley Drive in Diamond Bar.

There will be plenty to see and do at this outdoor event, including:

Free Smart Gardening and Composting Workshop – 9:30 to 11 a.m. – Pre-registration is required

Learn how to spruce up your lawn or garden with plants and flowers that are water-thrifty but big on curb appeal and how to turn kitchen waste into nutrient-rich compost at this workshop.

Workshop attendees have a chance to purchase a compost bin at a reduced price of $40 (conventional bin) or $65 (worm bin with half-pound of worms). Only cash or check payment is accepted.

Paper Shredding – Bring up to five grocery bags or two banker boxes of household financial documents, personal medical records and other sensitive documents for on-site destruction and proper disposal. Make sure bags or boxes contain only documents and no batteries, binders, plastics or metals; folded, enveloped, stapled or paper-clipped papers are OK.

E-Waste and Textile Recycling – Have obsolete or broken electronics or clothing, shoes or linen that are too worn or damaged to donate? Bring them to the event to have them recycled.

Garden Mulch – Come ready with gloves, a shovel, and containers to collect and take home up to 80 gallons of mulch for your home garden.

Children’s Fun Area – Free earth-themed arts and crafts, and the chance to learn about, observe and touch more than 10 species of ocean animals inside the Long Beach Aquarium on Wheels that will be part of the kid-friendly offerings at this event.

Green Exhibits – Attendees will have the opportunity to check out displays of electric and plug-in hybrid-electronic vehicles, and visit various information booths to pick up giveaways and information about special programs to save money while conserving energy, water and preventing pollution.

For more information, call 909.839.7015 or visit http://www.diamondbarca.gov/earthday

How a Community Came Together To Save Him!

Brandie Altuna and Kaitlyn Valenzuela  

Chino – “He’s safe!” whispered Principal Dr. Cabrera, as she walked out of the Chino Valley Unified School District office. After that board meeting, everyone was relieved. However, earlier that afternoon, anxiety and frustration flooded the room. Daniel Pahutan About 200+ people showed up to support Coach Gano. It was surreal to see how many people cared for their beloved coach. The community was brought together on this night. Determined to have their voices heard, there were 200+ Don Lugo students, parents, community members, and coaches piled into the boardroom at the school district with handmade posters. One by one, football players and parents trepidatiously stepped up to the mic to explain how Coach wasn’t just their coach, but a father figure. It was a heart-wrenching sight. The toughest football players “allowed themselves to be vulnerable and honest to rightfully save a man’s job.” Coach Gano is not just a coach but he is also a teacher — a job that he lives off of financially. Devastation arose when news circulated that Coach Gano would possibly not be returning to Don Lugo after confidential allegations were made. A school board meeting was scheduled to be held that would address the potential fate of his job. Parents and students took to social media with the hashtag “SaveGano” and were determined to keep Gano’s position. “We were going to lose a member of the Conquistador family,” comments Principal Dr. Cabrera. She had an idea that a number of supporters were going to show up but she did not know that many people would attend. Coach Gano later saw pictures of several students who went and commented, “there were kids from my P.E. class who don’t even play for me, they’re my students!” Gano’s true passion is taking care of kids. It has become his duty and that is exactly what coaching means to him. Coach Gano has provided for so many of his athletes and makes sure that they have all the necessary needs in order to live and breathe. He’s not just a coach to these young men. He is a father figure to all who need the father figure that all young men deserve. As testimonies are heard, the rest of the Don Lugo community can only sit and wait for the final word. When Gano got the news that he was going to keep his job as a teacher at Don Lugo, he was quite emotional over the phone according to Dr. Cabrera. “He immediately sat down and took a deep breath when he got the news,” says Athletic Director Coach Donoho. Both Coach Gano and Coach Donoho were located at the first round of the Girls’ Basketball CIF game on that same night. Everyone quickly drove over to the school to congratulate Coach Gano in person. Coach Donoho recounts, “People started randomly showing up, giving him hugs, and congratulating him.” There was no doubt that the entire Conquistador family was excited, relieved, and happy to know that their coach and teacher was going to stay. The impact that Coach Gano has on both Don Lugo and the community, is beyond incredible. He has led the football team to win the Milkcan two years in a row and make it to CIF. He has brought the entire Conquistador family together; he is the epitome of what a Conquistador leader means to all and he will continue to be appreciated by his family and friends but most importantly, his Don Lugo family.

Draft Environmental Impact Report

By City of Eastvale

 

This notice is to advise the City of Eastvale has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which is being distributed for public review pursuant to the California Public Resources Code and the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (CEQA Guidelines). The City is the Lead Agency for the proposed project.
Project Title: Lewis Retail Project [State Clearinghouse No. 2017101024]

Project Location: The project sites are located in the City of Eastvale, and within Riverside County, California. Site 1 is located east of Hamner Avenue at the terminus of Schleisman Road, approximately 3 miles west of Interstate 15 (I-15) in the southeastern portion of Eastvale on two parcels identified as Assessor’s Parcel Numbers (APN) 152-060-002, -003. Site 2 is an approximately 1.38-acre City-owned parcel consisting of vacant land located at the southwest corner of Hamner Avenue and Riverboat Drive, identified as APNs 152-350-010, -011.

Project Description: The Draft EIR addresses entitlements related to two different sites, that may be considered together, or separately, by the City.

  • General Plan Amendments on Sites 1 and 2 to change the land use designation to Commercial Retail.
  • Change of Zone on Site 1 to change the zoning to General Commercial (C-1/C-P).
  • Tentative Parcel Map to subdivide Site 1 into eight commercial parcels and one right-of-way parcel.
  • Major Development Plan Reviews for Site 2 and a portion of Site 1.  Detailed applications for these buildings have not yet been submitted.

Government Code Section 65962.5: The project site is not located on a site which is included in a list of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to Government Code Section 65962.5. As part of the Phase I ESA prepared for the Sites, a search of selected government databases was conducted using the EDR Radius Report environmental database report system. Neither Site is located on a list of hazardous materials sites compiled by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) or the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) pursuant to Government Code Section 65962.5.

Environmental Topics Evaluated: The Draft EIR examines the potential impacts generated by the proposed project in relation to the following environmental topics: Land Use and Planning; Transportation/Traffic; Air Quality; Global Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Noise; Geology and Soils; Hazards and Hazardous Materials; Hydrology and Water Quality; and Cultural Resources/Tribal Resources. Significant Environmental Impacts: Based on the analysis in the Draft EIR, the project would have significant and unavoidable impacts to air quality, GHG emissions, noise, and traffic and circulation, as identified below and described in detail in DEIR Sections 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, and 4.2 respectively. Air Quality: NOx Regional Threshold Exceedance (Operational-Source), Contributions to Non-Attainment Conditions, AQMP Inconsistency GHG Emissions: SCAQMD MTCO2e Threshold Exceedance  Noise: Construction-Source Noise, Operational-Source Noise Traffic: Existing and Opening Year Intersection and Roadway Segment Level of Service (LOS) Impacts

Reviewing Locations: The Draft EIR can be accessed on the City website at: www.eastvaleca.gov/city-hall/planning/enviromental-documents.

Copies of the Draft EIR are available for review at the following locations during regular business hours:

Eastvale City Hall, 12363 Limonite Ave., Eastvale,  Eastvale Library, 7447 Scholar Way, Eastvale, (951) 703-4421.

Riverside County Clerk, 2720 Gateway Drive, Riverside; Monday – Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., (951) 486-7000.

Public Comment Period: The Draft EIR and its technical studies are available for the CEQA required 45-day public review and comment period from Friday, April 6, 2018 through Monday, May 21, 2018.

Written comments on the Draft EIR and technical studies must be received no later than 4:30 pm on Monday, May 21, 2018.  Please submit comments to: Eric Norris, Planning Director, Planning Department, City of Eastvale, 12363 Limonite Avenue, Suite 910, Eastvale, CA 91752, Email: enorris@eastvaleca.gov. If you require additional information, please contact Eric Norris at (951) 361-0900.

Diamond Bar Homes Sales Update

Nef Cortez

By Nef Cortez 

 

Homes Sales Down! True Home prices up! Median Sales Price is down! The trends have changed. The lower number of sales usually indicates a lower sales volume, and so do home prices. The fact that the number of homes sales in Diamond Bar decreased for a third consecutive quarter is not an indication of a lowering of demand for homes in this community. It is more of a reflection of lower inventory, less homeowners putting their homes on the market, and resulting in fewer choices for those looking to buy a home. The 4th Quarter 2017 report for Diamond Bar home sales noted that there were 98 closed transactions (as reported by the California Regional Multiple Service). The median sales price (Median Sales Price is the point in which half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less) in the 4th quarter was $745,000 for a single family residential (SFR) property. The 1st Quarter 2018 saw a drop of $10,000 in that figure from $745,000.00 down to $735,000.00. This represented a DROP of 1.3% quarter over quarter, or 5.2% annualized.  This represents a normalization of the median sales price of Single Family Homes (detached) in Diamond Bar, which have been sky rocketing.  The number of transactions, however, was down from 90 in the 4th quarter (October to December 2017), to 78 in the 1st Quarter 2018.  This represented a drop of 13.3% from the previous quarter.    

The seasonal housing market cycles are not as pronounced in Southern California, and more specifically, in Diamond Bar, as they are in other parts of the U.S.  It is, however, not very unusual for the market to slow down at this time of the year because it covers a period which includes major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year’s Holiday. The Diamond Bar home sales show an even greater drop in number from the 1st Quarter 2017.  The Los Angeles county recordings show that the Diamond Bar closings fell from 98 down to 78 year over year comparing the 1st Quarter 2018 to the same period 2017. That is a drop of 20.4% from one year to the next.  That is a huge drop in this industry. Real Estate professionals have been impacted in a fashion similar to a person having their annual income reduced by 20%.  Not good for those counting on that income to make ends meet.  We will report on the Townhome and Condominium market in next week’s edition.  

This article was written by Nef Cortez who is a licensed Real Estate Broker, Ca BRE # 00560181, licensed since 1976. He can be reached for more information via e-mail at nefcortez@gmail.com, or website www.nefcortez.com. Please feel free to email any questions regarding real estate. 

Rocky Bettar Named Adult Ed Administrator of the Year

Staff Reports 

ROWLAND HEIGHTS –– Rowland Unified Superintendent Dr. Julie Mitchell announced that Rocky Bettar, Director of Adult Education/Career Preparation, has been named as the statewide Adult Education Administrator of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA). Bettar is considered an industry expert in the adult education field by his peers. He has been a leader in adult education since 1995 when he was named Director of Rowland Adult & Community Education. He is an advocate for Adult Education at the local and state level, serving in many roles in ACSA, such as Region XV Adult Ed Chair and as State ACSA Adult Ed Council President. Bettar will be honored at the 2018 ACSA Leadership Summit November 8-10 in San Diego. 

“To be recognized by State ACSA as Adult Ed administrator of the year is very humbling,” said Bettar. “This recognition does not occur without the support of our board and district administration as they see the value of Adult Education in RUSD. But most importantly, the teachers and staff at RACE are the ones that allows our school to be what it is in our district community and I am just the beneficiary of this award. This award is truly our schools and the district’s. Without them, it would not have happened.” 

Bettar is proud to have grown the Rowland Adult & Community Education (RACE) program, collaborating with the adult learners since many are parents of the TK-12 students in the district. “As we look to the future, the landscape for adult education has changed and now that we are part of a consortium and have dedicated funding, hence the flex years which damaged Adult Ed in the state is a thing of the past, we are ramping up program and services,” said Bettar. “We currently offer classes at 16 different locations in our district boundaries. We are expanding our Distance Learning opportunities for our ESL students, expanding this to five elementary sites during the morning, we have created what is essentially individual learning plans for our adult diploma and GED students, which we call ACES, Adult Compact for Educational Success and continue to explore and try different things that will resonate with the adult learner.” 

Under Bettar’s leadership, the school has been awarded the California Golden Bell for its’ Community Based English Tutoring program, and has attained a 6-year WASC Accreditation in every WASC that the school has done since 1995. Bettar has also been instrumental in Career Vocational Education in Rowland Unified, founding the unique Career Pathways Program where every high school student in Rowland Unified is exposed to two or more Career Technical Education (CTE) courses in a student’s area or career interest to graduate. Pathways are in 8 of 15 industry sector areas and students can also choose to earn a Certification of Completion in a career pathway that further develops professional and personal skills including participation in an internship. 

 

Anxiety and Our Youth

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

Nancy Stoops M.A., M.F.T Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

By Nancy Stoops 

I have been a psychotherapist for eighteen years and have worked with people of all ages with various issues.  I’m constantly amazed when I have a child or teen brought to me for anxiety issues. We seem to have created a generation that feels very inadequate and struggles with growing up and being successful.  The issues this generation worries about are things my generation didn’t have to deal with. 

 

Our colleges are impacted and hard to get into.  Now kindergarteners have homework and are expected to read and know many more things.  Video games and television are replacing playing outdoors in the fresh air and getting much needed exercise.  This outdoor playing is such a great way to reduce or eliminate stress.  Social media unfortunately has made this generation very lazy and childhood obesity and diabetes are on the rise. 

 

As parents and community leaders we have a social responsibility to help this generation find a healthy balance in their lives in every area.  We need to support and encourage our youth.  We need to provide the necessary tools to help them strive to become their best.  We need to have faith in our youth as some many of them are diamonds in the rough.  We need to give them guidance and tools to help them shine and reach their full potential. 

 

We need to teach the teens that problems can we worked through and that drinking and drugs are not a solution.  We need to teach them how to meditate not medicate to quiet their busy minds.  We need to teach them how to relax by finding balance, getting organized, prioritizing and effectively managing their time and communicating what’s working and not working in their lives.  Please don’t assume they are all pot smoking video game playing lazy worthless human beings.  They are just scared and need some help finding their way! 

This article was written by Nancy Stoops M.A., M.F.T.  Nancy is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.  She has a private practice in Diamond Bar and is currently accepting new clients; she is also a motivational speaker who can inspire your employees or group members.  Nancy runs free family support groups, a group on loss for seniors, and groups on how to manage anger.    For more information about any of these services feel free to contact her at (909) 229-0727.  You may e-mail Nancy at nancyjstoops@verizon.net.