Category Archives: Diamond Bar

Don’t Laugh

By Mark Hopper

 

Recently we had a clean up day to get ready for our church’s 50th birthday party.  There was one specific area on our property that really needed some sprucing up. The ground cover was thinning out and we agreed to order some new mulch and bark to make it look better.The area that we targeted was on the southwest edge of our property.  We refer to it as the “point” on the right side of the driveway that exits our site.  It is an odd shape – not quite a triangle but certainly not a clean square or rectangle.  One of the men agreed to order the mulch if I could just give him the dimensions of the area to be covered. The site was too large for a tape measure, so I simply walked over the space estimating that my step or stride would be about 3 feet long.  That is what golfers do on the fairway to estimate their distance to the green.  Find a fixed distance on the fairway and then “walk it off” to your golf ball.  By adding or subtracting your steps, you would get a pretty accurate distance to the green, sounded pretty simple to me.  So I “walked off” the length and width of the area to be covered with mulch and came up with a number that I shared with the man ordering the material.  He gave my estimate to the supplier and they ordered the bark / mulch. I was a little surprised when I heard how many bags of mulch the supplier was sending, Using the information I gave him, he estimated that we would need about 400 bags of mulch.  Four hundred bags!!  That was certainly more bags than I thought we would need, but remember, I was only the “estimator”.  The mulch man was the expert.  Who was I to question his knowledge and experience?When I told our crew of volunteers how many bags that we had ordered, they laughed!  Four hundred bags of mulch for that small area.  They all thought I was crazy.  But, it was too late to back down now.  The delivery truck was on the way with 400 bags of mulch and bark. When the delivery truck arrived at our church, it was loaded with pallets of material.  Most of it was for us!  It was a full-size 18 wheeler flat bed truck.  I can’t even describe how big it looked piled high with pallets of mulch!  The truck was so big, it had difficulty pulling into our parking lot! Did I mention that the truck driver had to use a fork lift to off load the pallets onto our parking lot?  I think there were 4-5 pallets.  Each of them taller than any man on our crew.  Four hundred bags of mulch on 4 or 5 pallets taller than us.  That was an impressive sight! Fortunately, the crew of volunteers took it all in stride.  They continued to poke fun at me for my extravagant estimate but they graciously unloaded the bags of mulch and spread them over the target area.  We all agreed that the new mulch and bark looked great. As we neared the end of the project, I did point out to the team that we were not short on materials!  We had plenty of mulch!  In fact, we had enough mulch to also fill all of the flower beds at our church with a plenty to spare!  I’m sure that the event committee was pleased to see 400 bags of new mulch enhancing the appearance of our property just in time for our 50th birthday party. I think we all can learn a lesson from this experience.  When in doubt, order more than less.  Trust the experts.  Trust your instincts.  Don’t worry if you order too much mulch.  My new slogan is, “You can never have too much mulch”! Let me again invite you to our church’s 50th birthday party on Saturday, October 21st.  Free food and activities begin at 1:00 PM with the main event from 4:30 – 6:00 PM.  I hope you will come and enjoy this special day with us.  And, come see the new mulch, 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

 

Man With A Gun

By Anthony Saude

Diamond Bar – LASD Deputies from the Walnut/Diamond Bar Station responded to a call regarding a man with a gun at the intersection of Diamond Bar Blvd and Fountain Springs Drive. The Deputies were able to apprehend the male suspect without any incident. Mark Hopper, a witness at the scene, said “he was driving down Diamond Bar Blvd when all of the sudden an unmarked police car sped past him on the road”. “The unmarked car headed straight towards a man walking down the street. When the man saw the car speeding towards him he put his arms out wide and dropped something on the ground”, said Hopper. Hopper said “I couldn’t tell you what the object he dropped was I just know he dropped something”. Yesterday reporters at OurWeeklyNews.com were contacted by Mary at Evergreen Springs Elementary School saying that the school was on lock down due to a deputy involved shooting. When contacted to verify the report the LASD deputy said that there was a call but there wasn’t any shooting. The deputies recovered the handgun at the scene. There weren’t any other reports about the man with the gun and thankfully no one sustained any injuries during the incident.

Walnut Valley USD Board Honors Outstanding Student, Parent

By Kelli Gile

 

Walnut—The Walnut Valley USD Board of Trustees recognized a standout student and parent volunteer from Vejar Elementary School during the September 20 meeting.

Fifth grader Talisa Perez received the Super Star Student Award for going above and beyond on her campus.

“Talisa is known by students, teachers, and the staff for her kindness, respect, and good citizenship,” shared interim principal Whitney Prenger.

She is a model student of the Vejar Values: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, BeSafe.

Teachers describe her as being a student leader who is kind, hard-working, and trustworthy.

She always gives 110% and encourages classmates to do their best!

Talisa has also been selected to represent the school in the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council.

Parent volunteer Kelley Cua was honored with the Partner in Education Award for generously offering her time and expertise organizing various events for the school.

Kelley has helped out in every class on campus, been a steadfast community club volunteer, and annual book fair coordinator.

During the summer, she celebrates students’ summer reading accomplishments by throwing an ice cream party when they return to school.

One Vejar teacher described Kelley as being “selfless and kind. Even as a working mother, she came every Thursday to help in the classroom.”

“She’s always been known to be reliable, kind, organized, and willing to go above and beyond!” Prenger added.

 

Diamond Bar Restaurant Week

By Mireya De La Paz

 

Diamond Bar – Local, already delicious Diamond Bar restaurants will showcase their cuisine and attract new patrons when the City holds its second annual Diamond Bar Restaurant Week (DBRW). Last year’s overwhelming response led the City to continue the annual feast.  Beginning next week,  (October 6th through the 20th) local restaurants will entice your taste buds into trying their delicious foods. The event attracts people from surrounding areas and restaurants from all over the city get the chance to show off their new and most popular dishes.

Enjoy the special breakfast, lunch and dinner deals that the restaurants will be offering, but the catch is each place will be holding unique deals. So relax and enjoy “no dishes to do” or “no trash to dump for the day.” There will also be exclusive one time only deals, well at least until next year. Here’s how you can get in on this year’s deals:  There are no advance tickets or coupons to purchase.  Just walk into your favorite participating restaurant and order the “Diamond Bar Restaurant Week Special”. Or if you are the adventurous type, take advantage of the discounts and try out a new restaurant.

This is also a huge opportunity for restaurant owners to bring some new guests into your business. If you would like to participate, the signup fee is $100 that is used towards marketing and advertising efforts. This includes a dedicated website; streetlight pole banners, advertisements in local newspapers, magazines and bus shelters. Promotional materials include posters, window materials and giveaways. To sign up all you need to do is go to http://www.dbrestaurant week.com and click the “Register” button in the top right corner.  Upon signing up, restaurant names are added to the DBRW website and listed on all applicable promotional materials and advertisements.

Aimed at celebrating the diverse dining options that are available within the city limits, DBRW is co-sponsored by the City of Diamond Bar as well as the Regional Chamber of Commerce- San Gabriel Valley. The following restaurants are confirmed participants and will be offering exclusive deals during DBRW: B.R.B. “Bento Rolls Bowls”, Blue Sky Café, Chili’s Grill & Bar, Curry India Bistro, Cuisine of India, Dilliwalla Indian Kitchen, Encore Teppan, It’s a Grind Coffee House, King Bap, Mandarin Taste, Mr. G’s Pizzeria & Pasta, Old Chengdu, Paper Pot Shabu, Peacock Gardens Cuisine of India & Banquet Hall, Round Table Pizza, Snowy Village Korean Dessert Café, The Attic Restaurant and Playground, The Whole Enchilada.

For more information go to www.dbrestaurantweek.com.

A Special Birthday- Part 2

By Mark Hopper

 

The idea of starting a new church in Diamond Bar was the dream of a man named Wally Norling. He was the District Superintendent of the Evangelical Free Church in Southern California.  He loved to plant new churches in new communities that were popping up all over Southern California 50 years ago. Wally personally approached a few families and individuals and challenged them to start a church in Diamond Bar.  Two families already lived in Diamond Bar, another family lived in Rowland Hiehgts and another in La Habra Heights.  They did not have the backing or support of any other church.  They were on their own. This small group of people accepted the challenge and set out to start a new Evangelical Free Church in Diamond Bar.   In my previous article I shared about how this small group grew during the following decade under the leadership of several pastors including Pastor Scott Owsley and Pastor Steve Campbell. They met in a number of different locations until they were given the property on Diamond Bar Blvd by a generous contractor in 1980.  The first building was completed in 1983.

 

Pastor Steve Campbell continued to lead the church until 1987.  Steve and his wife Peggy faithfully served at the church for over 10 years.  In 1988, the church invited my wife and I to come from Arizona to serve as the next Pastor of Diamond Bar Efree Church.  It was a new adventure to leave our roots in Arizona and move with our four kids to Diamond Bar, California. As the church continued to grow, we lacked adequate classroom space for the children of young families.  One solution was to rent the Peppertree Preschool around the corner on Brea Canyon Road to help meet this pressing need.  We also launched a new building campaign to construct an education building on our property.  Instead of borrowing money, we decided to build “pay-as-you-go”.  We were amazed at the generosity of people in our church and the many unexpected gifts that enabled us to complete this project debt free in 1991.

Not only did the new two-story education building provide additional classroom space, it also enabled us to open a Preschool.  Mrs. Jean Thornton agreed to serve as the first preschool director and opened the school in 1991 with about 15 students.  The preschool eventually grew to three classes and over 50 children meeting five days a week from 8:30 AM – noon.

 

During the 1990’s, our church began to send out short-term mission teams to serve alongside missionaries around the world.  Our first two-week team went to Guatemala to help construct a school building in 1992. In the following years, we also sent teams across the border to help build homes in Mexico.  Other teams went to Russia, Romania, Kenya, Korea and other countries to serve in various kinds of ministries. As our church continued to grow in the 90’s, we realized we needed more classroom space.  The Hughes Aircraft Comapny was closing a plant in Fullerton and offered some of their portable modular units to non-profit groups for one dollar each.  However, we did have to pay to have these units moved and for the clean up of the old site and for set up on our property.   We remodeled these large modular buildings into four large classrooms on our property.

 

Near the end of the 90’s we knew we needed a larger worship center and more classrooms.  In 1998, we broke ground on the largest building on our site – the Familiy Worship Center.  During the next eighteen months, the campus looked like a war zone.  The building site was surrounded by fences and piles of dirt and mud.  Equipment and building material covered our property. We had record rain fall in 1999 which slowed the work and delayed completion.  But, on Easter Sunday, 2000, the new worship center was finished and ready for use.  It was a day to remember!  Did I mention that underneath the worship center there is a lower level with eight large classrooms and additional restrooms.  (This allowed us to donate the modular units to a church in Rowland Heights). The Worship Center also has a large elevator that provides access to all the levels of the Worship Center and the Education building.

There are more stories to tell about the life of our church.  I hope to share more of our history in my next article.  Let me again invite you to come to our 50th birthday party on Saturday, October 21st.  There will free food and a variety of activities on our campus starting at 1:00 PM and the main event will be from 4:30 – 6:00 PM in the Worship Center.  We hope you will come!

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

WVUSD Trustees Name New Assistant Principal at Walnut High –Kelli Gile

WVUSD

 

WALNUT, CA—The Walnut Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Daisy Carrasco-Ramos as the new assistant principal at Walnut High School.

Bringing a decade of educational experience to her new post, Dr. Carrasco-Ramos has an extensive teaching background in the area of mathematics and a commitment to meeting the needs of all students.

She spent the last three years as assistant principal at Northview High School in Covina Valley USD where she oversaw curriculum, instruction, and guidance with a focus on increasing student achievement.

Prior to that, she was a secondary math teacher, AVID elective teacher, and activities director at Century High School in the Santa Ana USD.

Dr. Carrasco-Ramos completed a doctoral degree in educational leadership at Azusa Pacific University. She earned a master’s degree from California State University, Dominguez Hills and bachelor’s degree from University of San Francisco.

“I am so blessed to be a part of the Walnut Valley family and look forward to working with the amazing team and staff at Walnut High School,” she said.

Dr. Carrasco-Ramos resides in Anaheim with her husband, Omar and two children.

 

Community Events September – November

Kids’ Night Out
Walnut Teen Center
6:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Third Saturday of every month

 

Diamond Bar Restaurant Week 

A 14-day dining event that will take place Friday, October 6 – Friday, October 20, 2017.

The event showcases Diamond Bar as a premier dining destination offering diners a wide variety of culinary experiences. Participating restaurants offer special prix-fixe menus with breakfast, lunch and dinner specials available.

 

Walnut Family Fun Festival

The City of Walnut and the volunteer Festival Committee invite you to join us as we celebrate all that makes Walnut Special!

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Suzanne Park – 625 Suzanne Rd, Walnut CA

http://www.cityofwalnut.org/for-residents/city-events/walnut-family-festival

 

Chino Hills Wine Walk

October 14, 2017

Presented by the Chino Hills Community Foundation

Please join the Chino Hills Community Foundation at the Shoppes at Chino Hills as they swirl, sip, and shop while raising money for a great cause in 2017!
 

Infant “Safely Surrendered” to Fire Station

By Anthony Saude

 

Diamond Bar – A new mother “safe surrendered” her newborn son over to firefighters in Diamond Bar last week, authorities said Friday.

The woman first contacted Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 120, 1051 Grand Ave., Diamond Bar, via telephone the night of September 8 and asked if the station was a “Safe Surrender” site under California’s Safe Surrender Law, fire officials said in a written statement. Fire officials could hear the sounds of a baby crying in the background, the statement said.

Captain Michael Park informed the woman that all Los Angeles County Fire Stations are Safe Surrender site, his included. Capt. Park said that “the mother showed up with the baby later that evening, the baby looked to be in great health and was happy and active”.

“Following Safe Surrender procedures, the firefighters evaluated and transported the baby to local area hospital and notified the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.”

“The woman was issued an ID bracelet allowing her to reclaim her child within 14 days. Capt. Park says he the way he understands it is she can reclaim her baby with no questions asked but they don’t know how that part of the procedure works”. “If they bring them in with no questions asked they should be able to have the returned just the same”.

Capt. Park said  “This was first time any of the firefighters working that day had experienced the program in action and what a positive experience it was for the team, it shows that the program does work in discouraging mothers from abandoning newborns and prevents first responders from finding babies in worse. “DCFS will place the baby boy in a safe, loving home, should the mother decide not to return 14 days from the day of surrender.”

Captain Park said “Even with the safe surrender laws it takes courage just to believe that there aren’t any repercussions to walk into a fire station and surrender your child no matter what you are told”. “The mother said that she just couldn’t take care of the baby properly in her current situation”. “That is the definition of selflessness and the reason this law was created; she wanted what was best for her baby and knew he couldn’t get it from her”.

Under the Safe Surrender law, parents who are unable to care for newborns are able to legally leave their children at any county hospital or fire station within 72 hours of birth, with no questions asked, so long as there are no signs of physical abuse.

For more information, call on Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County, visit www.babysafela.org or call 877-222-9273.

 

Why Live In Diamond Bar?

Staff Reports

Diamond Bar – The first fact about Diamond Bar is that it is definitely considered one of the gems of the Inland Empire. With extremely high ratings in many categories, including #70 as the BEST PUBLIC SCHOOL SUBURBS IN CALIFORNIA, and Diamond Bar High School is ranked #42 BEST HIGH SCHOOLS IN CALIFORNIA the city also holds one highest income per household in the entire Inland Empire. The crime rate is extremely low for a Los Angeles suburb. These facts can be found at Money Magazines Best Places to Live and online at Census.gov.

A few facts about Diamond Bar: the city is a quiet suburb nestled between Walnut, Chino, and Chino Hills. Diamond Bar residents are affluent young families and commuters. With a population of 56,793 according to Census Bureau 2016 estimates, Diamond Bar is a moderately sized suburb- just 5,000 less than Eastvale’s population estimates.

From 2010 to 2016, Diamond Bar’s population grew 9.7%- not far behind Eastvale the newest and fastest growing city in the region. For comparison, Eastvale’s population grew 13.9% and Corona’s grew 9.4% in the same period. This could be attributed to the city’s desirable location, great schools, and quiet yet active lifestyle that is great for raising children.

Diamond Bar residents are young but not too young with 21.4% under 18 years old and 4.3% under 5 years old. Chino Hills, another relatively young city, has 27.1% under 18 years old and 5.8% under 5 years old.

Diamond Bar is also increasingly diverse with 33.2% white, 20.1% Hispanic or Latino, 4.1% black, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 52.5% Asian, .2% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.9% two or more races.

42.4% of Diamond Bar residents are also foreign born compared with 30% in Eastvale, 28.7% in Chino Hills, and just 14.3% in Norco. The most enticing statistic about Diamond Bar is the median value of owner-occupied housing units it is $562,100 – more than the $425,500 in Eastvale and the $507,500 in Chino Hills. The median income per household is $89,221 – more than the $72,872 in Chino $77,021 in Corona, and $88,051 in Norco.

What’s more is that Diamond Bar has one of the lowest poverty levels in the region with only 7% in poverty compared to 7% in Norco, 11.6% in Chino, and 11.7% in Corona.

Diamond Bar is a growing town with a younger, affluent, and diverse population. Some of the demographic statistics are very surprising, and Diamond Bar continues to strive towards being a great place to live and raise families.

So if you live in this city, be proud of it’s youth, dynamics, beauty, and structure. The family oriented community is still growing and should maintain a solid impact in the Inland Empire, Southern California, AND in the United States.

“Slap Tag” Vandal Arrested

Photo courtesy: Google Images
“Slap Tagging” is a new trend that makes vandalism quick and easy for taggers.

By Anthony Saude

Walnut/Diamond Bar – On August 23rd, Deputies from the Walnut / Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Station arrested a 23 year old man for possession of vandalism/graffiti tools. The tools of the trade today are nothing more than a blank postal label decorated with graffiti. It is called a “slap tag” they are commonly used by taggers/graffiti artists to quickly vandalize public or private property with less of a chance of being caught. They decorate dozens of them before they hit the streets and then all they have to do is peel and stick.
A message for parents:  Above is an example of a “slap tag”. The mere possession of these items is a crime, and could land someone in jail.  The second image is an example of common “tagger” items.

Photo courtesy: Google Images

Parents, please it is important to become familiar with these items and make sure your son/daughter doesn’t have any similar items. If you do find these items please destroy them immediately and explain the dangers this can cause to your child. The fine could be the least of their worries; an encounter with an angry property owner could lead to criminal charges for either. To the taggers/graffiti artists; just think about somebody other than yourselves and go to an art gallery if you are that talented.

 

 

 

Sprouts Farmers Market® Hiring 100+ For Diamond Bar Store

By Staff Reports

Diamond Bar – Opening date set for Wednesday, October 11, 2017 Sprouts Farmers Market, one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country, will soon finish construction on a new location in Diamond Bar, California. The new store is bringing more than 100 full- and part-time career opportunities to the area. Employment opportunities include: • Department Managers, Assistant Department Managers and Clerks • Cashiers • Courtesy Clerks • Backup Receiver, Administrative Coordinator and Scan Coordinator. If you are interested in learning more about available career opportunities, visit sprouts.com/careers please call 1-866-925-2396 for non-managerial roles.

Sprouts’ “Healthy Living for Less” approach to grocery shopping means potential employees should share a passion for healthy eating and the fresh, natural and organic products offered throughout the store. As an employer Sprouts offers competitive pay, excellent benefits, team member discounts, a fun and rewarding culture and great career advancement opportunities. Sprouts is known for its knowledgeable team members and low prices, Sprouts is a healthy grocery store that appeals to the average shopper. Sprouts offers fresh produce, meat and seafood, bulk foods, vitamins and supplements, dairy, bakery, deli, natural body care items and more. Sprouts carries exclusive items under its Sprouts Brand product line, which meet strict quality standards while delivering exceptional value, taste and quality.

Diamond Bar shoppers will find an abundant selection of fresh fruits and vegetables and barrels of wholesome grains, nuts and sweets in a bright, open store layout. Each store features an in-house butcher who prepares hand-crafted sausages daily and assists customers with special cuts of meat and seafood seasoning. Shoppers will also enjoy a variety of fresh and prepared deli items ideal for lunch or dinner, a wide selection of fresh-baked goods and craft beer and wine. The Vitamin and Body Care Department features more than 7,500 cutting-edge vitamin and body care products made with sustainable and ethically sourced ingredients.

The new 30,000-square-foot store will be located at 239 S. Diamond Bar Blvd. The grand opening will be on Wednesday, October 11 at 7 a.m.

Deputies Rescue Six-Month Old Baby from Hot Car

By LASD

On Tuesday August 15, Deputies responded to the Target parking lot in the city of Diamond Bar after receiving a child locked in a vehicle call.

Upon arrival the Deputies on scene see the baby’s face turning red and sweating profusely through the vehicle’s window. Deputies take immediate action and break a window away from the baby in order to rescue the baby from the hot car. The baby was checked by paramedics and later transported to the hospital.

The child’s mother had placed the baby in the infant carrier inside the vehicle and closed the door. She immediately realized she had locked the car and had left the keys inside the infant carrier. She immediately called 911 for help.

Little Friends

By Mark Hopper

I was driving in Yorba Linda recently and saw a sign in front of a church.  It was Rose Drive Friends Church.  I have heard many good things about the church.  The sign in front of the church read, “Now Enrolling: Rose Drive Friends School & Little Friends Preschool”.  The phrase “Little Friends” caught my attention.  I like the way they said that their Preschool was for “Little Friends”.  It brought a smile to my face.  Yes – preschool children are like “little friends”.

I know this month is the start of another school year.  For most children, it is a familiar routine.  They are moving up from one grade to another.  Some of the older ones will graduate at the end of this school year.  But, for some of the “little ones” this will be their first time in school.  They will be leaving the familiar routine of their home life and launching into a new world of teachers and students in a classroom setting. The children will probably adapt well to this new world.  But, sometimes the parents have a harder time enrolling their children in school for the first time.  I remember a kindergarten teacher saying that the parents were more of a problem than the children.   The teacher drew a line on the side walk at the entrance of her classroom and instructed the parents to wait behind the line.  It was difficult for the parents to comply.

There is a passage in the Bible that reveals how much Jesus loved “little ones”.  In Matthew chapter 19, Jesus’ disciples tried to prevent the little children from bothering Jesus.  But, Jesus opened his arms and embraced them.  Verse 14 says, “Let the little ones come to me. Do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these”. In an earlier chapter Jesus said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you can not enter the Kingdon of Heaven”. He went on to say that we need to humble ourselves like a child in our relationship with God. (Matthew 18:3-4).

We can learn a lot about our relationship with God from these “Little Ones”.  Faith is not complicated.  It is simple.  Trusting, believing and coming to God with child like faith.  God is not looking for academic credentials and deep theological concepts.  He is inviting us to come to Him with child like faith.  Trust Him and come to Him just as a child does his or her earthly mother and father. You may have a child or grandchild who is starting school this year.  I hope that they will enjoy this new step in their life.  I hope you remember to say a prayer for your “little ones” and for their teachers.  They will be glad you did and you will 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

Vehicle Fire Sparks Brush Fire

DIAMOND BAR, CA — A vehicle fire on the northbound side of the Orange (57) Freeway in Diamond Bar quickly spread to nearby vegetation and triggered a fast-moving brush fire Tuesday afternoon.

Los Angeles County quickly deployed the two Super Scooper water-dropping planes, on lease, for the first time this year in Los Angeles County and stopped the brush fire in its tracks. According to local reports the fire began shortly after 4 p.m. on the northbound side of the freeway near Pathfinder Road off ramp before spreading to nearby vegetation.

Firefighting crews and the planes quickly got the upper hand on the blaze and had the fire’s forward progress halted within the hour. The quick decisive actions taken by the Los Angeles County Fire Department were directly responsible for the fact that only 3 acres were lost to the fire. There were also no reports of injury or structure damage.

The Super Scooper planes, leased from the Canadian province of Quebec, recently arrived in the county for the main fire season. These specialty planes can fly up to 200 miles per hour and scoop up 1,620 gallons of water in just 12 seconds.

The county first leased these planes to help out during the 1994 fire season and they have been helping California firefighters put out wildfires in ever since.

DB School Uses Global Connection

By Kelli Gile

Diamond Bar –Chaparral Middle School 8th grader Izzy Reedy and a dozen classmates learned about culture, education, weather, and even sports in Tanzania this year. But, it wasn’t by opening a textbook or conducting research on a computer.

The Diamond Bar students gained knowledge through a global connection with the Gyekrum Arusha Secondary School, located over 8,500 miles away in East Africa. Education specialist Kimberly Ramos formed the partnership with the class through the World Education Connection program. Students and teachers got to know each other by communicating back and forth using email and Google Hangout.

“They would ask lots of questions and post photos,” Ramos said about the 21st century-learning technology. “Anything I received from the teacher, I would post on Google Classroom to share with my kids.”

Ramos said her students embraced the program and were amazed with how many similarities they had with their new friends. “The kids loved seeing each other. And the things we learned this year have had more meaning because we were able to connect with the other half of the ‘Kilimanjaro Squad’ on a personal level.”

The global teams shared their thoughts on the power of connection during an inaugural World Education Day event. “Asante Sana!” the students exclaimed in Swahili while waving to one another during the live global broadcast.

“We got to experience the way they live and learn,” Brant said. “I wouldn’t have changed a thing about this experience!” Students said they also gained appreciation for their own lives after seeing the East

African partner school squeeze 80 students inside a class with dirt floors and dilapidated furniture. “It showed me to be grateful for what I have, and to respect elders and family,” Reedy said.

Rescuing a Lizard

By Mark Hopper

I recently heard in the news that a woman called “911” because she was being strangled and bitten by her Boa Constrictor.  Fortunately, she was rescued by local law enforcement and survived this frightening event.

My story is on a much smaller scale and not as dramatic.  Actually, I was not attacked by a lizard.  I rescued a lizard!

When I went out to wash my car, I opened the front wrought iron gate to get the garden hose.  As I opened the gate, I noticed something unusual.  Something was caught on the bottom of the gate.  I thought is was a leaf or piece of paper.  But, when I looked closer, I realized it was a lizard.

I had attached some wire screen to the lower part of the front gate to keep rabbits from getting into my back yard.    The screen is made of wire with small squares about a quarter inch wide.

Unfortunately, the lizard got trapped in this wire screen and was unable to get free.  At first, I thought the lizard was dead.  He appeared lifeless and was not moving.  But he reacted quickly when I touched him.  Thankfully, he was still alive.

How do you free a lizard who has squeezed himself into a fix like this?  I decided that surgery was required.  I went into the garage and found a small pair of wire cutters.  I went back to the gate and began to cut the wire screen around the lizard being careful to not injure my small friend.

I felt a little like one of those technicians you see in the movies who defuse bombs.  They have to carefully cut each wire without detonating the device.  I finally cut the section of wire away from the gate.  Now I just needed to cut the last few pieces that were still holding the lizard.  With the precision of a brain surgeon, I cut each piece as carefully as possible.  Finally, the lizard broke free! Success!

Of course, after freeing my little friend, you would expect that he would stay behind to thank me.  But, that was not the case.  He quickly dashed off into the nearby bushes glad to be freed from this life threatening predicament.

I am glad that my rescue attempt and surgical strategy was a success.  I enjoy having lizards around the yard and I’m glad I was able to rescue this one.

I wonder how often God has rescued us from some unanticipated situations?  I wonder how often He has protected us from serious injury or an unforeseen problem that we are unaware of?

I do know that the Bible promises us that when we call on Him for help, He hears our prayers.  Psalm 145:18-20 says, “The Lord is near to those who call on Him…He will hear their cry and rescue them”.

But, don’t wait until a crisis comes into your life.  Call on God every day.  Begin and end each day with prayer.  He is near and He will hear every prayer!

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

A Can Of Paint

Pastor Mark Hopper

By Mark Hopper

 

I have discovered that after Spring cleaning comes Summer painting!  We recently hired some people to remodel our bathrooms.  The look great.  New fixtures, new tile and new paint!  It is amazing how nice they look. However, when you get new paint in one room, you notice how old the paint looks in the other rooms.  I guess it is like buying a new car.  You have no problem driving the older car with its scratches and dents until you see a new car parked next to yours.  The new car makes your car look older! Before the new painters worked on our two bathrooms, the old paint looked fine to me.  But, now, it is easy to notice how faded and old the existing paint looked and the new paint clearly looks better than the old.

So, we bought a can of new paint and started on other rooms in our house.  Actually, we purchased two cans.  One for the walls and the smaller can for the baseboards.  We also purchased new brushes, rollers and a new paint pan.  I forgot to buy some plastic gloves, but I was ready to take on the challenge! When my wife and I were newlyweds, we bought some inexpensive paint from a local store.  The color looked good and the price was low.  But, we quickly learned that the cheaper paint was not a good idea.  When we used a paint roller with the thin, cheap paint, we were soon covered with speckles of paint.  I think we got more paint on ourselves than on the wall!  I suspect this happens to all rookie painters. This time we bought some good quality paint.  It went on smoothly with very little mess.  This paint was much thicker and covered very well.  The new paint looked great and my wife was really pleased.

It is interesting how a coat of paint can change and transform the appearance of a room in your house.  Everything looks better.  The room looks bigger and cleaner.  The color looks more vivid and brighter.  New paint really does make a difference!  A can of paint can literally transform the appearance of a room.

I don’t know of many verses in the Bible that talk about paint.  Most houses were made of mud bricks with wooded logs, sticks and branches for a roof.  Most were not “painted”.  However, some buildings were covered with “whitewash” – similar to our paint. Jesus refers  to religious hypocrites as “whitewashed tombs”.  In Bible times, it was common to bury dead bodies in small caves – often several bodies in one tomb.  Over time, the bodies would decay and the bones would remain.   Sometimes people would “paint” the entrance of the cave with “whitewash”. Jesus accused the religious hypocrites of looking beautiful on the outside but he said they were spiritually dead on the inside. ( Matthew 23:27 / Acts 23:3).  Jesus said they were like “whitewashed” tombs. I wonder what Jesus would say about you and me today?  Do we look good on the outside, but is the inside of our heart, mind and soul pleasing to God?  Do we appear religious and kind on the outside, but are we unkind hypocrites on the inside?

At the same time, the Bible does remind us that God can take the worst sinner and transform him or her into a beautiful person.  In a small letter in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul wrote, “When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us – not because of the righteous things we have done, but because of His mercy.  God saved us through the washing of rebirth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). God can transform the worst of us – inside and out – when we acknowledge our sins and we accept Jesus as our personal savior.  The Bible says that Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins and he rose again to purchase a place for us in heaven.

A can of paint can dramatically change the appearance of a room.  New paint can cover a multitude of smudges, scratches and hand prints.  However, spiritually speaking, we need a new “paint job” on the inside!  Paint is only an exterior cover.  Grace and faith in Jesus are what can change us on the inside! If you want to change the appearance of your home, buy a can of paint.  If you want to change the condition of your heart, start by confessing your sins to God and by placing your faith in Jesus today. You will be glad you did and He will 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

DB Film Permits

Staff Reports

Diamond Bar – The city of Diamond Bar contracts with FilmLA to provide streamlined permit processing for all commercial filming and still photography.

Guidelines include All commercial filming and/or still photography within city limits requires a film permit.

Permit applications must be submitted at least three working days prior to start date to allow for review by City and County of Los Angeles Sheriff’s and Fire Departments.

Non-commercial photography or videography (personal use) does not require a permit. However, use of equipment such as lights or generators may require a permit.

Permit Fees  – A City single permit fee is $583.27, in addition to any FilmL.A. permit processing fees. Student filming is eligible for a waiver on a case-by-case basis.

Hours – Filming and/or photography may take place between the hours of 7:00 am to 7:00 pm in residential areas. However, requests outside the general hours will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The City may require surveys of neighborhoods to determine related impacts and mitigation considerations.

Use of City Facilities – For questions regarding City facility reservations, please contact Community Services Department – Facility Reservations at 909.839.7065. Reservations are strongly encouraged prior to submitting a FilmL.A. permit application.

Additional Information – Contact the City Manager’s Office at 909.839.7013 or via email at asantos@diamondbarca.gov.

A Manila Envelope

By Mark Hopper

 

Recently, I received a large Manila envelope in the mail from my brother.  He is my favorite brother. Actually, he is my only brother! He sends me a birthday card every year and signs it – “Your Favorite Brother”. I wasn’t sure what he was sending me .  My birthday is in August.  I knew it was too early and too big for a birthday card.  So I was curious.  What was in this large envelope? He must have been cleaning out some old files and boxes, because he sent me some old photos and newspaper clippings.  I suspect that these were things that my father and mother collected over the years.  My brother must have found them as he cleaned out some files after they died.

There were some real treasures among the things he sent.  There were pictures of our children when they were in elementary school.  There were a few pictures of some family gatherings.  And, there was a picture of my brother and me and our wives with my dad after our mother had died.  There were a few photos of my wife and I with my parents at my graduation from seminary in 1975.

The envelope also contained some old newspaper clippings of me when I was in high school and college.  One news article was about a good looking young man who had been named “Newspaper Boy of the Year” in Phoenix Arizona by the Arizona Republic in 1968.  That good looking guy was me!  There was a nice picture of me receiving this special award.  According to the article there were over 2,000 newspaper carriers in Phoenix at that time.  Somehow, the Arizona Republic selected me!

Another newspaper article reported that two young men had been selected to represent Arizona at the annual “Boys Nation” gathering in Washington, DC in July, 1968.  The American Legion sponsored “Boys State” in all fifty states each year.  In each state, young leaders gathered on a college campus to learn about leadership and government.  They  held elections and selected representatives for the various branches of state government.  I was one of over 300 young men who attended the Arizona Boys State convention in 1968.  I was one of the two young men selected to go to Boys Nation in Washington, DC.  That brought back many memories.  During that week in Washington, we met with President Johnson in the White House Rose Garden.  We also met with Vice President Hubert Humphrey later that week.  We had private tours of the nation’s Capitol, the White House, the  Pentagon and the State Department.  It was a week that I will always remember.

There were a few other items in that large Manila envelope.  There were a few cards written by our mother.  There was my second grade spelling book.  I don’t think my parents saved my report cards.  That is probably best! There are many passages in the Bible that urge us to remember our past and reflect on God’s blessings.  The Bible also instructs us to share these stories with our children and grandchildren.  In the book of Deuteronomy chapter six it says, “Teach your children and talk about these things when you are at home or out for a walk – at bed time or the first thing in the morning”. I am confident that you probably have some envelopes and files at your house that contain some family treasures.  Let me encourage you to get them out and take some time to share them with  your immediate and extended family.   They will be glad you did and you will 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

DB Fire Contained By Park

Staff Reports

Diamond Bar – A fire broke out near the Carlton Peterson Park and was contained last week, just north of the 60 freeway.

LA County firefighters contained the 1 acre blaze within an hour and a half of the reporting of the fire, which was reported at 4 pm.

The patch of brush was just north of the LA County fire station 121.

The fire didn’t threaten the free way but onlookers slowed traffic down for a few hours during rush hour.

“No structures were damaged as firefighters established structure defenses” said Marvin Lim, LA County Fire Department Spokesman. “We are happy to report no injuries were reported as well.”

How the fire started wasn’t determined as of press time but Lim said an investigation is ongoing, routine for all fires.