Category Archives: Eastvale Community News

Seussical The Musical

2014-suess-4x6-02By Tara Lanning

 

After two long months of preparation, the Drama Department at Eleanor Roosevelt High School proudly put on an amazing show – Seussical the Musical – directed by Merica Frost.

This show was filled with many Dr. Seuss stories such as Horton Hears A Who, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, and many more.

The cast was extremely talented and shined like stars. With the hilarious Wickersham brothers, Sassy Bird Girls, Amazing Mayzie, and the talented ensemble, ERHS received a lot of positive feedback. This show was a must see!

Eastvale Police Department Receives Traffic Grant

Staff Reports

 

Eastvale – The Eastvale Police Department has been awarded a $125,000.00 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a year-long program of special enforcements and public awareness efforts to prevent traffic-related deaths and injuries. The Eastvale Police Department will use the funding as part of the City’s ongoing commitment to keep our roadways safe and improve the quality of life through both enforcement and education.

After falling dramatically between 2006 and 2010, the number of persons killed and injured in traffic collisions saw slight increases in 2011 and 2012. Particularly worrisome are recent increases in pedestrian and motorcycle fatalities and the dangers of distracting technologies. This grant funding will provide opportunities to combat these and other devastating problems such as drunk and drugged driving and speeding.

“California’s roadways are still among the safest in the nation,” said OTS Director Rhonda Craft. “But to meet future mobility, safety, and sustainability objectives, we must create safer roadways for all users. The Jurupa Valley Police Department will be using these and other resources to reach the vision we all share – toward zero deaths, every one counts.”

Activities that the grant will fund include:

 

  • DUI Checkpoints
  • DUI Saturation Patrols
  • Traffic Enforcement Operations
  • Distracted Driving Enforcement
  • Night-Time Click It Or Ticket
  • Pedestrian Safety Enforcement
  • Compilation of DUI “Hot Sheets,” identifying worst-of-the-worst DUI offenders
  • Specialized DUI and drugged driving training, such as Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE), and Drug Recognition Evaluator (DRE)

 

Funding for this program is from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Eastvale: City Council Meeting Recap

Staff Reports

Eastvale – There was only one City Council meeting for the month of November, held on Nov. 12 at Rosa Parks Elementary. The meeting was called to order promptly at 6:30 p.m. and attended by all council members. The invocation was led by Pastor Ed Moreno of New Day Christian Church.

During the presentation section of the meeting, members of the CERT Training Program were recognized. A list of upcoming City events was also shared.

During the Public Comments section of the meeting, Eastvale resident Cesar Morales spoke about the sign ordinances. He felt that the City and the Council need to take a stronger stand on consistently enforcing the ordinance that they put into place. In his opinion, builders and some realtors do not seem to be following the rules and he wants someone to be accountable for it. Morales even volunteered his time.

The Consent Calendar, including items 6.1 through 6.10, was passed 5-0.  A full listing of these items can be found on the City website at www.eastvale.gov.

During the Public Hearings section, a representative from Goodman-Bircher spoke about the changes they made to be more in line with the requests of the Council. Some of these changes were a revised land use plan, removal of the potential fulfillment center from Hamner Avenue frontage; and a commitment to build a full service hospital, as well as limiting the retail area to retail uses. The Planning Commission voted on Oct. 15 to recommend the Council approve all of the project components. After a brief question and answer section, the Council approved the project.

There were no Old Business items.

The new Business Items consisted of 9.1, which was the Reorganization and Compensation plan. This allowed the City Manager to promote current Public Information Officer, Michele Nissen, to Assistant City Manager; and included the promotion of an Accounting Specialist and a part-time Code Enforcement Technician. In addition, the Council was asked to authorize the open recruitment of a Senior Administrative Analyst, an Administrative Analyst II and an Administrative Analyst I.

Item 9.2 – Public Safety Commission Appointment – was given to Chris Hook by Mayor Ike Bootsma.  Item 9.3 for Electronic Records Management, Item 9.4 for the purchase of another code enforcement vehicle, and Item 9.5 were all approved.

The student liaison report was presented by ASB President, Jakob Rivera.

After brief comments from the Council, the meeting adjourned.

 

Eastvale: Holiday Showcase 2014 – Santa, Snow and Fun!

Eastvale-holiday-showcaseDate: 12/6/2014 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Cost: FREE

Location: Eastvale Community Center13820 Schleisman RoadEastvale, California 92880

Please join the JCSD Parks and Recreation Department for the annual arrival of Santa and the tree lighting ceremony on December 6th from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Eastvale Community Center (ECC), 13820 Schleisman Road, Eastvale.

Tree lighting ceremony will be from 6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

  • Snow Play area
  • Pictures with Santa Claus
  • Holiday Crafts and Activities for Kids
  • Craft and Food Vendors
  • Holiday Movies
  • Fun for the Entire Family!

The ECC will be adorned in festive decorations and will make the perfect backdrop for your family’s holiday photos. Be sure to dress in your favorite holiday ensemble, bring the whole family to Holiday Showcase 2014 at the ECC. Additional parking for this event will be available on the west side of Ramirez Intermediate School, which can be accessed from Whispering Hills Drive. For more information about Winterfest 2013, please call the JCSD Parks and Recreation Department at (951) 727-3524 or visit their website at www.parks.jcsd.us.

Eastvale Holiday Showcase, Lighting & Decorating Contest

Entries Being Accepted NOW! 

holiday-lightsFor residents who like to decorate the exterior of their homes this time of year, the Eastvale Events Committee invites you to enter the holiday showcase lighting contest for a chance to win $100. Entries will be accepted beginning November 10 through December 9 in the following categories:

  • Best Commercial (best use of store bought decorations)
  • Most Innovative (best use of technology or custom/handcrafted decorations)

Entry in only one category per residence will be accepted. A display can have a combination of bought and handcrafted items. It is up to the resident to decide which category they want to compete in. There must be more than one entry in a category for a winner to be selected.

Judging will occur on the evening of Friday, December 12 with winners being announced at a private event on Sunday, December 14. To enter your home, submit your form to the Eastvale Community Committee. Click here for entry form.  Entry form with rules may also be obtained via email at EastvaleShowcase@gmail.com  or from the Eastvale Events Committee Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/EastvaleEvents. You may return the form via email or via US post to Eastvale Events, 12523 Limonite Ave, Ste 440-275, Mira Loma, CA 91752 (this address is a P.O. Box, not an office location).

Volunteer Drivers Needed!
See all the entries and participate as a judge while driving with other Eastvalers from home to home. To volunteer as a driver for the Showcase, please contact the event coordinators via e-mail at EastvaleShowcase@gmail.com. You must be a resident of Eastvale, 18 years or older, and available to take 3 or more participants in your personal vehicle on the evening of Friday, December 12, from approximately 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

 

Eastvale: Leal Property Update

BY JENNIFER MADRIGAL

Leal Property eastvale ca

Past aerial view of the Leal Property (Photo Courtesy: City of Eastvale)

Eastvale – The Leal Property, a 160-acre parcel of some of the last open land in Eastvale, has been a popular subject around the community. The land is owned by dairyman, Brad Leal, who has been working with the City of Eastvale in developing a plan that brings his ideas into juxtaposition with what is best for the City. Leal has long been a proponent of ensuring that what is ultimately built on his property is beneficial to Eastvale.

After many negotiations, the property has been re-zoned to be primarily used for commercial and retail development, with a small percentage retained for residential housing. The housing is a requirement of the State of California.

The Leal Property was previously zoned for agricultural as well as some residential development. With the new Land Use Plan, the area was able to be re-zoned to include mixed-use purposes for retail, office, civic, etc.  This will pave the way for the development of a large downtown area that combines commercial and retail with open spaces and landmark features that would become a major part of Eastvale’s economy and esteem.

The land is now “entitled,” and according to Eastvale Councilmember Bill Link, this will provide a more streamlined process for applicants to come in and develop the land. Since the re-zoning has already taken place, they will be able to save time and money. Developers can now just draw up plans for their desired location (per zoning requirements), submit their plans to the City, pay their fees, obtain an Environmental Impact Review, and build. Link estimates that this will save them about a year of time.

The new Specific Plan is expected to come before the City Council in January or February 2015 for approval, after it goes through the Planning Commission.

According to Leal at a previous meeting about the project, “This is a big project and it will develop slowly. I don’t want some guy to just come in and build a big building.”

Instead Leal hopes that it will come in phases of construction and establish a real Downtown Eastvale feeling.

 

The Eastvale Community News Complete Edition 12.2014

Eastvale Dec Iss 2014The Eastvale Community News covers local news for Eastvale, Norco, Corona, and Chino. Click this link 2014-12-EastvalePgAll  to access the complete issue in pdf format.

Eastvale Transforms Operational Structure

BY JENNIFER MADRIGAL

eastvale officialsEastvale – This year, the City of Eastvale has seen some big changes and restructuring. With the resignation of City Manager, Carol Jacobs, a few months past, and the appointment of temporary City Manager, Robert Van Nort, the operation of the City has come under some scrutiny.

Van Nort’s contract has recently been extended for another 90 days, until March 2015. Public Information Officer, Michele Nissen, has assumed the helm as Acting City Manager during a short absence by Van Nort, currently effective through Dec. 8.

The City is expected to open the official City Manager position up to applicants imminently.

Eastvale’s City Council was affected by the bizarre resignation of councilmember Jeff DeGrandpre last July. This created an immediate opening to which Joe Tessari was voted in to serve out the remaining two years of DeGrandpre’s term.

At the recent General Election, three seats on the Council were open. Council members William Link, and Mayor Pro-Tem Adam Rush ran for reelection, while Councilman Ric Welch did not. Nine candidates applied and campaigned for those positions. In the end, Link and Rush were reelected, along with newcomer, Clint Lorimore.

Lorimore, a small business owner who has lived in Eastvale since 2004, is anxious to start his first term on Eastvale’s Council.

“I am committed to the idea that together, we can make Eastvale a better place to live, work and play. I am looking forward to working with my fellow council members to implement policies of smart growth, which will provide comprehensive solutions to the challenges we face as a young and growing community,” said Lorimore.

Rush – who was Eastvale’s First Mayor in 2010, and has been a council member ever since – is excited to continue to work for the people of Eastvale and keep this City on the right track toward responsible growth, safe schools and a strong fiscal foundation.

Link – who was nominated to fill Kelly Howell’s vacated seat in 2013 – plans on continuing his focus on economic development and growth, as well as public and traffic safety.

The Public Safety Commission has also had a few bumps this year with the resignation of several commissioners for family and job related issues. Melonee Cruse, who was the Chair, also resigned recently due to job responsibilities.

Chris Hook, recently appointed by Mayor Ike Bootsma, is the newest commissioner. Hook hopes to increase and promote safety awareness around school zones and parks in effort to lower the amount of accidents involving pedestrians. His goals include creating a worry-free and safeguarded environment for parents and children in school zones and recreational areas. Hook brings 20 years of safety and security experience to the job, with 18 years as a proprietor of his own security business.

eastvale-cc-finalvotes

Eastvale Crime: A 2014 Recap

By Jennifer Madrigal

Eastvale – According to Eastvale’s Police Department Co-Chief, Lt. Joseph Pemberton, crime in Eastvale is down 6.4% overall from last year. Part 1 Crimes – also known as Index or Summary-based crimes – are as follows:

  • Assaults: 112
  • Robberies: 13
  • Rapes: 6
  • Burglary: 191 (Up 5% from 2013)
  • Auto Theft: 92 (Down 22% from 2013)
  • Larceny: 567 (Down 9.7% from 2013)
  • Total Property Crimes: 850

 

Indoor Marijuana Grow houses have seen a decrease in 2014. According to Pemberton, in 2013 there were approximately 31 indoor grow operations in the City of Eastvale that were shut down by the Eastvale Special Enforcement Team (SET), with 13 arrests made. Some of these incidents are still being addressed in the court system. These arrests are often hard to bring to conviction as the actual perpetrators are difficult to catch and the operations are vast and far-reaching into many parts of California and even the United States.

This year, citizens have been more aware of this phenomenon and have actively reported suspicious activity. This has helped create a deterrent to individuals looking to grow marijuana indoors within the City of Eastvale.

“Our Special Enforcement Team aggressively investigates all reports of indoor cultivation, and they are widely known around Riverside County,” says Pemberton regarding the success in this area.

In 2014, the Eastvale SET conducted nine investigations into indoor grows in the City and served four search warrants. Two people have been arrested and their cases are pending.

Traffic Safety is a hot topic in Eastvale, and Lt. Pemberton has been asked repeatedly what citations are most frequently written by Police Officers around schools. They are as follows:

  • CVC 22352(b)(2) – Driving in excess of 25 mph in a school zone during restricted hours (when children are active).
  • CVC 21212(a) – Person under 18 operating or riding as a passenger on a bicycle without wearing an approved helmet.
  • CVC 21950(a) – Failure to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk.
  • CVC 21461(a) – Disobeying Official Traffic Control Signs.
  • CVC 22400(a) – Driving on a highway at such a slow speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic unless the reduced speed is necessary for safe operation.

 

The Eastvale traffic team will be conducting holiday safety programs and DUI Checkpoints routinely to maintain a steady presence and to serve as a reminder around the City of Eastvale to drive safely and be aware of surroundings. The Eastvale Police Department will also continue to conduct enforcements around our schools to keep children safe and help ease traffic congestion.

The Hit-and-Run death of Troy Davids that happened in April 2014 resulted in the arrest of Riverside County resident, Casey Coltrain. Coltrain, who had already been in jail on a prior arrest, was initially charged with 2nd degree murder and hit-and-run.

As of press time, Coltrain is awaiting his preliminary hearing, which is expected to take place around the second week of December. Lt. Michael Yates was one of the lead investigators on this incident, and he has continued to follow the case.

“No family should ever have to go through what the Davids’ have been through, I’m just glad that with the community’s help, we were able to ensure that Coltrain won’t ever hurt anyone again,” said Yates.

 

 

Comeback Of The Year

BY PASTOR ROB NORRIS

pastor-rob-norris-the-crossings

2 Corinthians 4:1 – Through God’s loving-kindness, He has given us this job to do. So we do not give up.

It’s easy to become discouraged when we fail. It’s easy to lose heart and stop trying. That’s why I love stories like this one:

For many years, Bob Brenly was the starting catcher for the San Francisco Giants. But because of a last-minute lineup change in November of 1986, he was pressed into duty at third base. Everything was going fine…until the fourth inning.

That’s when Brenly committed not one, not two, not three, but a record-tying four errors in the same inning – including two on the same play. In fact, he almost had a fifth error.

“I missed a head-high line drive that tipped off the webbing of my glove and went into left field,” Brenly said. “If they hadn’t called that one a hit, my name would have stood alone in the record books.”

The home crowd booed. Brenly’s coaches and teammates avoided even looking at him. But his manager left him in the game. Good thing.

When Brenly came up to bat the following inning, he smashed a solo home run. His next at-bat was a two-run single in the seventh to tie the game. And with the final plate appearance of the day in the ninth inning, he stroked a game-winning homer. His manager later commented, “This man deserves to be the Comeback Play of the Year for this game alone.”

If you’ve been trying to branch out of the ordinary – at home, at work, in your walk with Jesus Christ – don’t let a few setbacks get you down. Keep swinging for the fences. And if it’s your spouse who is failing, like that manager, keep on believing in your teammate.

Live It: Talk about any recent failures in your life or your spouse’s life. Discuss how you can encourage each other to stay with it and keep believing.

Pray: Thank God for how He comforts us and empowers us to keep stepping out in faith. Pray for the perseverance to press on.

Join us Wed., Dec. 24, at 4:30 p.m., for our Christmas Eve Service.

The Crossings meets Sundays, 10 a.m., at River Heights Intermediate, 7227 Scholar Way, in Eastvale. For more information call (951) 847-6836, or visit http://www.atthecrossings.com.

 

 

 

 

Riverside: Western Sets Water Saving Example

BY RACHEL MCGUIRE 

wmwd-turf-removal

Western Municipal Water District turf to be eliminated and replaced with climate-appropriate landscaping.

Riverside – When Western Municipal Water District, Riverside Community College (RCC) and the Santa AnaWatershed Association (SAWA) were searching for an inspiring way to promote landscape water-use efficiency, they didn’t have to look any further than beyond their own front door.            With more than 60 percent of water use spent outdoors, the organizations banded together in the name of efficiency to replace the grass at 450 E. Alessandro Blvd., in Riverside. This site, which was previously Western’s headquarters and now home to RCC and SAWA, will be transformed with climate-appropriate plants. The project will serve as a public demonstration site highlighting increased water savings and sustainability.The process began just last week with the start of purposely killing off all turf at the facility. The dead turf will then be removed to make space for the installation of a more environmentally friendly landscape designed to maximize water savings in a region that’s not only semi-arid, but also currently in the midst of a serious drought.

The location for the outdoor transformation is ideal due to its proximity to the Westerns’ water efficiency garden – Landscapes Southern California Style(SM) – which serves as an invaluable water-use efficiency exhibit for the public. Once complete this winter, the makeover and Landscapes Southern California Style(SM) will provide a wide range of water-efficient landscaping ideas, some of which already have District-sponsored incentives available to customers.

The public is invited to visit Landscapes Southern California Style(SM) and observe the phases of the Alessandro Turf Removal Project. Information about the project will be available at the site. The public can also LIKE Western on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter to get play-by-play updates.

Western Municipal Water District provides water supply, wastewater disposal and water resource management to the public in a safe, reliable, environmentally sensitive and financially responsible manner.

 

Did You Know?

By K.P. Sander

 

How much do you know about the very first Thanksgiving? MSN.com recently reported a number of interesting facts about the Pilgrims and what their conditions were like hundreds of years ago. As you prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving this year with your own traditions, take a moment to think back to the very first feast, and imagine how you would fare in 1621.

On board the Mayflower for over two months, the Pilgrims’ diet consisted of hardtack, salt pork, pickled foods, cereal grains, and any fish they could catch. Their primary beverage was beer – even for children – because the distillation process killed most parasites and bacteria in the often contaminated water. Sickness was a constant threat to the Pilgrims, and they ingested lemon juice to help boost their Vitamin C and prevent Scurvy. Rough seas may not have whetted an abundance of appetites, and the Pilgrims longed for dry land.

Initially, the Pilgrims set out for the mouth of the Hudson River (just north of today’s New York City). They missed their mark due to bad weather, and first landed at the tip of Cape Cod. With winter approaching and supplies diminishing, the Pilgrims continued across Cape Cod Bay, and ultimately stopped in Plymouth.

The harsh conditions of that first winter took its toll on the Pilgrims, and nearly half of them died from diseases and starvation. They buried their dead in unmarked graves by night to hide their dwindling numbers from neighboring Indian tribes.

Eventually the Pilgrims were able to gain some success in hunting, planting crops, and befriending their new neighbors. Thanks to Native American, Squanto, the Pilgrims were able to plant corn, which made a significant impact on their survival.

The very first Thanksgiving in 1621 was a three-day celebration of the first successful harvest, and it brought together the Pilgrims and Native Americans in camaraderie. The meal included turkeys, venison, fish, corn (and other grains), shellfish, nuts, and wild berries – not unlike what we prepare today, with perhaps one change. In traditional Pilgrim families, the children served the adults and waited on them throughout their dinner. Perhaps this will become a new tradition at your Thanksgiving table.

This Thanksgiving, raise a glass to the Pilgrims, and their courage to voyage to a new land and begin a new life.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

 

 

 

 

 

Chino: CVFD Offers Thanksgiving Cooking Tips

The Chino Valley Fire District wants to help ensure that your Thanksgiving holiday is a safe and happy one. Below are some safety tips that will help you and your loved ones stay safe during the holiday.
Cooking Safety:
 Begin holiday cooking with a clean stove, oven and food preparation surfaces.
 Keep the kitchen area “off limits” to young children and adults that are not helping with food preparation to avoid accidents or mishaps.
 Have games or other activities for young children outside the kitchen area to keep them entertained.
 Avoid wearing clothing with loose or long fitting sleeves that might ignite if too close to a flame. Also avoid wearing dangling jewelry that might get caught on pot handles.
 Never leave boiling pots unattended. If you must leave the kitchen, turn off all burners or have another adult watch what is being cooked.
 Have a fire extinguisher available no more than 10 feet from the stove or cooking area.
 Remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
 Keep anything that can catch fire—oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains— away from your stovetop.
Deep-Fryer Safety:
 If you are using a deep fryer to cook your turkey, make sure it is set up outdoors in an open area that is away from walls, wooden fences, hanging tree branches and any other structure or item that can catch fire.
 Never use a deep fryer on a wooden deck or inside a garage.
 Never let children or pets near the fryer when it is in use.
 Never leave a deep fryer unattended.
For more information on holiday safety tips, visit our website at www.chinovalleyfire.org.

Chino/Chino Hills: Renewable Transmission Project Update

BY K.P. SANDER

trtp tower chino

A brand new TRTP tower getting its finishing touches on Edison Street, just west of Central Avenue. (Photo Courtesy: KP Sander)

Chino/Chino Hills – The Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project (TRTP) has been in the works for a while now, with construction anticipated to be completed in 2016. The objective is to deliver electricity from new wind farms in the Tehachapi area to Southern California Edison customers as well as the California transmission grid, all in an effort to meet the State’s renewable energy goal of 33 percent by the year 2020. Ultimately, TRTP will be able to deliver up to 4,500 megawatts of renewable energy, or enough to power approximately three million homes.

The industry standard for electricity distribution is through overhead power lines, and the majority of the TRTP project is being completed in this fashion. Due to the costs of construction and repair, 500 kV transmission lines are rarely, if ever, constructed underground.

In a first-of-its-kind project, Chino Hills was granted an undergrounding proposal by the California Public Utilities Commission on July 11, 2013. The Decision stated that the burden imposed on the City by the overhead lines was unfair and contrary to its community values. That Decision also ordered the removal of overhead lines already in place in a 3.5 mile section of the TRTP right-of-way in Chino Hills to be replaced with underground cabling.

This undergrounding is a very complex project, the cost of which will run about $224 million. This amount will be tacked on to the over $2 billion budget of TRTP, ultimately passed on to utility ratepayers. While the amount sounds exorbitant, the City of Chino Hills analyzed that it would net only $7.03 for each household over the life of the project.

The most recent updates in the Chino and Chino Hills area included the use of helicopters to facilitate the stringing of transmission lines to the massive towers. During the period of Nov. 10 to 16, SCE also completed grading, trenching and demolition work in the right-of-way corridor, as well as surveying, staking, the clearing of vegetation, and installation of fencing.

Up next will be demotion work at the eastern transition station, located between Pipeline Avenue and the Chino Valley Freeway (71). Some of the work will be completed at night in order to reduce construction noise impacts to local businesses.

SCE is committed to ensuring public safety and minimizing inconveniences during construction. They recommend closing all doors and windows facing construction in order to reduce dust and noise. Covering pools and vehicles will also provide benefit. Watch for informational mailers and door hangers for construction activity in your area.

For additional information, call (877) 795-8787, or email trtp@sce.com.

 

 

Hungering For More Than Pumpkin Pie

BY PASTOR MARK LEE

Pastor Mark Lee Vantage Point Church

Pastor Mark Lee of Vantage Point Church in Eastvale

Approximately 675 million pounds of turkey, 50 million pumpkin pies, and 40 million green bean casseroles will be consumed this month. In total, the average American is expected to consume at least 3,000 calories on Thanksgiving Day. And yet, when each person wakes up the next morning, they will most likely eat breakfast. Why? Because hunger is not a one-time need. It is something that needs to be satisfied daily.

Everyone has experienced the craving for food. However, our physical appetites are not the only desires we seek to fulfill. Throughout society, we see examples of people who hunger for everything from power and fame to money, beauty, and success. Even in our own households we experience a thirst for more; more possessions, more status, or simply more time. But what if the things of this world still don’t seem to satisfy your hunger? What if it is actually the nonphysical world that you seek?

The quest for spiritual fulfillment manifests itself in a variety of ways. Some people attempt to achieve moral perfection through service. Others believe that knowledge or justice is the answer. While all of these things are definitely positive, real righteousness comes from the dependence on a higher power. Much like you can’t tempt a starving man with anything but food, the hunger for righteousness can only be satisfied by God.

Spiritual fulfillment is a lifetime pursuit that involves discipline and sacrifice. It means daily dying to self. But, the encouraging news is that God doesn’t just sanctify the righteousness, he sanctifies the hunger. Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” You see, it isn’t only about the destination. The journey is just as important.

VantagePoint Church meets at Roosevelt High School on Sundays at 8:30, 10, and 11:30 a.m.

 

 

 

 

We Accept the Love We Think We Deserve

BY JENNIFER JESTER-MADRIGAL

jennifer-Jester-MadrigalShow me what you think you are, and I’ll show you what you actually are, and then you can decide which version of yourself is the one you wish to portray to the world.

How many of us have had this conversation with ourselves time and time again only to come to the same conclusion each time? I don’t deserve “this” or I don’t deserve “that” because of something I have done, or simply because I am not enough. It’s amazing the power your thoughts can have over your entire life, often drastically altering your own path.

I was lucky in that I grew up in a loving home, with loving parents and great examples of what family, love and friendship look like. My father loved my mother and she loved him, and we were kissed and hugged and smothered with attention as well. We had the suburban upbringing: two kids and a dog – sans the picket fence (ours was a block wall) – and a neighborhood full of friends to play with until the street lights came on and we rushed our dirty hands and tousled hair back to our happy homes.

But somewhere along the transition from jubilant child to responsible adult, I stopped seeing myself as “deserving” of the love I had witnessed growing up. I let my own guilt and apathy for others override my own right to be loved as deeply and sincerely as I once was.

As a woman and a mother I began to believe that everyone else came first, and while I still think this is a great philosophy to live by, it’s not exactly correct. If you put the needs of others in front of your own, you can avoid becoming a selfish person, but there has to be a line drawn at some point. You are in charge of that line, and the power that comes with that is profound.

Loving another does not mean that you do it at the expense of your own soul. If you are a follower of Christ, then any love that takes you away from His path is at the expense of your own soul. Loving another shouldn’t hurt. While there is often emotional pain involved in loving another person, that love should not cause your heart to constantly ache. True love builds you up and makes you a greater version of yourself; it does not tear you down with ugly words and forgotten promises. Loving another means you let them be “themselves” even if that “self” isn’t what you completely understand. The greatest gift you can give another is to allow them to be who they are, and accept them with all their craziness, all their insecurities, and all their unique imperfections.

The strange thing is that when you turn these gifts around and apply them to yourself, you realize that until you can love yourself in this same way, you really can’t truly love another. What we think we deserve – consciously or unconsciously – we accept. It is only when we change our own perceptions and really start loving ourselves in that same selfless way that we can demand the love we know we deserve. Life is too short to settle; so don’t.

 

Eastvale: Dual Immersion

dual-immersion-students-eastvale

Dual Immersion Students (L-R): Valeria Mena, Sebastian Bonilla, Jennifer Brillones, Kayla Morrilla, Hugo Belias, Raynaldo Gomez, Joel Jiez, Natalie Bartoalie, Zach Evans, Emily Helms, and Caleb Brackett. (Photo Courtesy: Photo By: Emily Aguilar)

BY EMILY AGUILAR

Eastvale – On Nov. 3, foreign language teachers at Eleanor Roosevelt High School led a small presentation on the benefits of their Dual Immersion Program.

Dual Immersion is a curriculum that gives English-speaking students an opportunity to learn their school lessons in both in English and a selected foreign language. This begins early in elementary school, and is meant to sharpen a student’s intellect of a foreign language to prepare them for further academic successes.

Despite its numerous benefits, students tend to drop out of the Spanish program by high school. In fact, only 11 of the estimated 40 students are still in the program at ERHS. Therefore, a presentation led by AP Spanish Language teacher, Cristina Sanchez, and former AP Spanish and Spanish for Natives teacher, Brian Suchsland, was conducted in order to show 120 elementary students from Washington and Garrison Elementary Schools what to expect of the program as they continue their education.

“Our purpose is to show that even if the program is rigorous at first, it pays off in the end. Of course, learning Spanish efficiently only comes with practice, but it will help these students feel prepared in the world beyond school,” said Sanchez.

The 11 students participating in the Spanish Dual Immersion Program were present to convince other students to stay in the program. These students expressed their admiration for the program, spoke about their experiences, and also shared the interesting projects they did in class for Dia De Los Muertos.

“I think it’s important for these kids to stay in the program,” said Sebastian Bonilla, a junior who has been in the program since elementary school. “Spanish is an essential language to learn, and I believe that with this education, the students will go far in life.”

Through their admiration of the Spanish language, the students and teachers had high hopes that their words would persuade the students to stay in the program, which overall is intriguing, intellectual, and fun.

 

Jurupa Valley: Funtional Turf Areas Will Undergo Overseeding

CITY OF EASTVALE
 
JURUPA VALLEY, CA (November 17, 2014) – At the beginning of each fall season, Jurupa Community Services District (JCSD) overseeds lawn areas at Eastvale parks that appear to be “worn out.” As a result of California’s drought status and mandatory state and local ordinances, only functional turf areas such as sports fields are being overseeded. Ornamental turf at Eastvale Parks will not be reseeded.

The overseeding process requires additional water in order for turf to be re-established. Repairing heavily used areas help also protects the grass from irreparable damage. JCSD is committed to only using the amount of water necessary to ensure the reseeding process is successful. Overseeding is the process of planting grass seeds directly onto existing turf. As part of the process, grass seeds require constant moisture in order for it to take root or germinate. To ensure the newly seeded turf areas are successful, JCSD will be conducting additional watering cycles of newly seeded areas during the day for the next few weeks.

While there are certain watering restrictions during California’s emergency drought status, the restrictions are for ornamental landscaping and do not apply to functional landscape that that uses non-potable water or water-efficient devices that are operated properly. These water-saving devices include:

  • Drip/micro irrigation systems
  • Stream rotor sprinklers
  • Operation weather-based irrigation controllers
For more information about state and local drought regulations, please visit JCSD’s website at www.jcsd.us. If you have any questions about the overseeding process, please call JCSD’s Parks and Recreation Department at (951) 727-3524.

About JCSD
Founded in 1956, the Jurupa Community Services District is a public agency known as a Special District, governed by a five-member, elected, Board of Directors. JCSD serves over 107,000 people in a 48-square-mile region of western Riverside County in the newly-incorporated cities of Jurupa Valley and Eastvale by providing a variety of critical services such as water, sewer, street lights, frontage landscape maintenance, and graffiti abatement. JCSD is also responsible for parks maintenance and recreation programming within the JCSD parks territory. For more information, visit our web site at www.jcsd.us.

Did You Know?

BY K.P. SANDER

abraham-lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

On Thurs., Nov. 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered what is perhaps one of the most famous speeches in American history. Lincoln spoke at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, just months after the Union army defeated the Confederacy on the fields in that same town in what resulted in the largest number of casualties in the entire Civil War.

In a mere two minutes, Lincoln articulated on the struggles of the war and the great sacrifices that had been made, but he also reminded his audience of the principles of human equality that were handed down by the Declaration of Independence 87 years prior at the start of the American Revolution.

Generations of school children have learned about – if not memorized – the Gettysburg Address, and it remains one of the greatest congregations of words that the ever-profound President Lincoln shared with the world. It bears rereading again and again.

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

“Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

“But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

 

Eastvale: City Sponsors Developing a Winning Business Plan

City of Eastvale

Developing a Winning Business Plan

Date: 11/19/2014 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Cost: FREE

Location: New Day Church 7155 Hamner Ave. Eastvale, California 92880

 

Having a business plan is a necessity for the success of your small business because it acts as a road map for effective business operations. Join SBDC Business Consultant Robert Usher for this interactive workshop and learn the steps to putting together a solid business plan – one that both defines your business goals and details a strategy to achieve them. Marketing Plans & Financial Analysis / Projections will be key areas of focus.

Date/Time: Wednesday, November 19th from 9:00 a.m.—11:30 a.m. Location: New Day Church 7155 Hamner Avenue Eastvale, CA 92880 Cost: There will be NO CHARGE to attend, sponsored by the City of Eastvale.

Pre-registration is recommended as seating is limited. Register online at www.iesmallbusiness.com

One on One confidential counseling sessions are available every other Monday at the Eastvale City Hall. Call 909.983.5005 to schedule your appointment.

The Inland Empire SBDC is a cooperative program of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship and is supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and California State University Fullerton and extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. SBA and California State University Fullerton cannot endorse any products, opinions or services of any external parties or activities. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made of requested at least two weeks in advance. Call (909) 983-5005 for more information.

sbdc-winning-business-plan-seminar