Category Archives: Diamond Bar

Maple Hill Crowns Spelling Champ

By WVUSDschools-spelling-bee-winner

DIAMOND BAR—After an exciting final round, Maple Hill Elementary fourth grader Eric Choi won the Scripps Spelling Bee on January 12.

“I don’t have any words to describe how I feel right now!” the beaming nine-year-old exclaimed after being named grand champion.

During the last 20 minutes of the contest, Choi battled second grader Jon Wong.

Both boys stepped up to the microphone to correctly spell words like pugnacious, castellated, Lilliput, and constabulary.

Many of the nearly 30 words from the nail-biting finale were “never seen before in order to test the spelling skills of the students,” said Principal Kelly Morris.

“They should be commended!” she said.

In December, each first through fifth grade class hosted a spelling bee using official Scripps words.

The classroom champs were then given 500-word study lists to prepare for the finals.

During Thursday’s contest, the grade-level winners were awarded medals, and then went head-to-head for the championship-round.

The school’s top spellers include Justin Tran – 1st, Jon Wong – 2nd, Emily Aldaz – 3rd, Eric Choi – 4th, and Sabrina Lin – 5th.

Choi will represent Maple Hill in March during the Scripps Inland Valley Regional Spelling Bee semifinals held at Mt. San Antonio College.

Choi said that reading a lot probably helped him clinch the title.

“My favorite books are the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.”

 

Free Sandbags and Holiday Tree Collection

By City of Diamond Bar

Diamond Bar– During the rainy weather season, most County of Los Angeles fire stations double as free self-serve sandbag stations.

Diamond Bar residents whose home are prone to flooding when it rains may stop by local station 119 (20480 Pathfinder Road – 909.598.4290.) or 121 (346 Armitos Road – 909.396.0165) to pick up free sand and sandbags, while supplies last.

There are a maximum of 25 sandbags allowed per household, and residents should bring gloves and shovels to fill their own sandbags. For more information, call the City’s Public Works Department at 909.839.7040.

Holiday Tree Collection- Waste Management and Valley Vista Services will be collecting live trees collection from December 25 until January 6.

Trees must be free of the stand, ornaments, tinsel and lights be stripped of ornaments and stand, and placed at the curb or designated collection point on the regularly scheduled trash collection day.

For more information, contact Waste Management at 800.266.7551 or Valley Vista Services at 800.442.6454.

Diamond Bar’s City Council Recap

By Natalie Kim 

Diamond Bar – The December 6 Diamond Bar Council meeting began with the closing with the exciting reorganization of the City Council. Mayor Nancy Lyons formally handed down the gavel to mayor pro tem Jimmy Lin. Council member Ruth Low was then nominated and appointed the mayor pro tem. The Council then gave a presentation honoring outgoing mayor Lyons, thanking her for her hard work and the dedication she has given to the City as mayor. Following a brief reception and the public comments, the Council announced the schedule of future events, which is as follows: the Holiday Diamond Ride will shuttle Diamond Bar residents 18 years or older to or from Diamond Bar Shopping centers for free from November 25 to January 1, 2017; a Traffic and Transportation meeting on December 8 has been cancelled; a Planning Commission meeting on December 13 has been cancelled; and the next City Council meeting on December 20.

The Council then approved all items on the consent calendar, including the minutes from the City Council meeting of November 15; the Parks and Recreation Commission minutes from the meeting of October 27; the Traffic and Transportation Commission minutes from the meetings of July 14 and SEptember 8; the Planning Commission minutes from the meeting of October 11; the ratification of a check register totalling $2,597,356.20; the Treasurer’s Statement for the month of October, 2016; approval of adjourning the December 20 City Council meeting to January 17, 2017; a resolution amending the 2016-17 Fiscal Year Budget in the Public Works Department, eliminating the Park Maintenance Inspector classification, and establishing the facilities and assets maintenance technician and maintenance worker job classifications and salary grades effective December 10; appropriation of $8,507 from the General Fund Reserves and approval of amendment no. 8 to the contract with Brightview Landscape Services Inc. for landscape maintenance services at Diamond Canyon Park for the December 3, 2016 through June 30, 2017 period in an amount of $20,377; and an authorization for an approval of expenditures up to $60,000 payable t Alliant Insurance SErvices for the purchase of tenant user liability insurance and special event insurance for fiscal year 2016-17.

Following individual reports and comments, the Council adjourned to January 17, 2017.

Avoiding Apartment Rental Scams

BY Walnut/DB Sheriff’s Department

Walnut-Diamond Bar-The Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Department has offered the following tips when looking for apartments to avoid rental scams.
Finding an apartment can often be time consuming and emotionally frustrating. Time constraints and financial considerations can often place the apartment seeker in a vulnerable position where they can fall prey to Apartment Rental Scammers.
While Apartment Rental Scams come in a variety of schemes, they basically boil down to two types: Either the scammer has no authority to offer an existing apartment for rent or the scammer is trying to rent a fictitious apartment. In either case, the goal of the scammer is to get the victim to pay money upfront for a list of available apartments in the area or to arrange the rental of a particular apartment.
The following tips from Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information Page: Rental Listing Scams: 
How Rental Scams Work
Scammers know that finding the right apartment or vacation rental can be hard work, and a seemingly good deal is hard to pass up. They’ve been known to game some vacation rental websites and bulletin boards. The take-away: when you’re looking for a rental, its caveat renter renter beware.
Hijacked Ads
Some scammers hijack a real rental or real estate listing by changing the email address or other contact information, and placing the modified ad on another site. The altered ad may even use the name of the person who posted the original ad. In other cases, scammers have hijacked the email accounts of property owners on reputable vacation rental websites.
Phantom Rentals
Other rip-off artists make up listings for places that aren’t for rent or don’t exist, and try to lure you in with the promise of low rent, or great amenities. Their goal is to get your money before you find out.
Signs of a Scam
Being savvy when you’re in search of a rental is well worth the effort. Here are some signs you may be dealing with a scam:
They tell you to wire money
This is the surest sign of a scam. There’s never a good reason to wire money to pay a security deposit, application fee, first month’s rent, or vacation rental fee. That’s true even if they send you a contract first. Wiring money is the same as sending cash once you send it, you have no way to get it back.
They want a security deposit or first month’s rent before you’ve met or signed a lease. It’s never a good idea to send money to someone you’ve never met in person for an apartment you haven’t seen. If you can’t visit an apartment or house yourself, ask someone you trust to go and confirm that it’s for rent, and that it is what was advertised. In addition to setting up a meeting, do a search on the owner and listing. If you find the same ad listed under a different name, that’s a clue it may be a scam.
They say they’re out of the country
But they have a plan to get the keys into your hands. It might involve a lawyer or an “agent” working on their behalf. Some scammers even create fake keys. Don’t send money to them overseas. If you can’t meet in person, see the apartment, or sign a lease before you pay, keep looking. What if the rental itself is overseas? Paying with a credit card or through a reputable vacation rental website with its own payment system are your safest bets.
How to Report Scams
If you find yourself the target of a rental scam, report it to your local law enforcement agency and to the FTC. Contact the website where the ad was posted, too.

Give Yourself the Gift of Giving

By Nancy Stoops

This is truly a magnificent time of year.  I love the holiday spirit and all the houses shining ever so brightly.  There’s a crispness in the air, yet the sun is sparkling ever so brilliantly.  It’s definitely time to celebrate how blessed we all are, yet so many with be going without this year.

Why not include something that you and your family could to for the less fortunate this year as part of your holiday?  There are many children without families and many families struggling and a little generosity from you could make such a huge difference.  It really feels great to help a child celebrate with a donated gift.  You could help feed a family that much needed Christmas dinner this year.  You have the chance to give a little and make such a huge difference for another human being.

This year when you’re out there buying more than anybody really needs, pick up an extra toy or two and donate them.  Take the time to find an organization that needs some donations and just decide to help somebody have a holiday, that couldn’t have one without your help.  It feels so wonderful to share in the pure delight of giving something and expecting nothing back in return.  Isn’t this the true spirit of the holidays?  I think many of us have forgotten because the media wants to convince us otherwise.

The truth is you’ll still be loved if you don’t give somebody a diamond or a luxury automobile. A diamond or a car won’t change our world but each of us still has the power to change our world for the better.  We can start by giving to the less fortunate and together we can get back the true meaning of the season……….giving!!!!!!!!

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 stoopsshecter@earthlinknet. 

 

 

 

An Unexpected Visitor

mark-hopperBy Mark Hopper

It is not uncommon to have unexpected visitors during the holiday season.  Out of town friends may plan a last minute trip to sunny southern California.  Neighbors may unexpectedly drop by to say hello.

Recently we had an unexpected visitor at our house.  Unfortunately, this one was a four legged one!

It all started when we began to notice an unpleasant odor in our garage.  At first we thought there must be something in the garbage.   But that wasn’t the case.

Then, we wondered if there was a small gas leak from the clothes dryer.  But, I checked for leaks and did not find any.

The smell continued to get worse over the next few days.  It was a mystery that we needed to solve.

My son and I searched our way around the garage moving boxes and tools looking for the source of the smell. Eventually we retraced the odor back to the clothes dryer.

We disconnnected the flexible vent hose to see if there was anything caught in it but we didn’t see anything. Then we pulled out the dryer and looked into the metal duct work under the dryer.  Still no luck.

Clearly the smell was in the dryer, but we could not see anything.  The next step was to dismantle the dryer so we could look inside.

My son and I are not trained in appliance repair so we looked on the internet.  You Tube had exactly what we needed.  Step by step we removed screws, unhooked the belt and pulled out the drum.

Pretty soon we had dryer parts spread out all over the garage floor.  I wondered if we would ever get it back together again. I suppose we could put up a clothes line in the back yard!

Finally, with the dryer disassembled, we reached the area where the exhaust vent met the lint filter.  That is where we found our four legged unexpected visitor – a dead mouse!  A fuzzy, smelly dead mouse.

I guess he was looking for a warm place to sleep on a cold winter night.   I am sorry that he selected our house and our clothes dryer.  He was an unexpected visitor.

As we approach the Christmas season, we are reminded of another unexpected visitor.  The Bible says that a baby was born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago.  His earthly parents were looking for a warm place on a cold winter’s night.

The Bible says that this unexpected visitor was God himself who took on human form to live among us.  His name was Jesus who was born in a small, obscure Judean village and who would eventually die on a cruel Roman cross 33 years later.

Christmas is about more than gifts and gatherings of family and friends.  Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ.

You can read more about Jesus’ birth in Luke chapter two and Matthew chapter one. You can learn even more by attending a church near you this Christmas season.

Jesus was one of the most unexpected visitors history has ever known.

Efree Church of Diamond Bar 3255 South Diamond Bar Blvd (909) 594-7604 Christmas Eve services: 4:30 & 6:00 PM Christmas Sunday services: 9:30 & 11:00 AM

Diamond Bar Welcome’s New Sheriff’s Captain

By City of Diamond Bar

Diamond Bar-Walnut Sheriff’s Station has a new leader. Captain Al Reyes, a 32-year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, took over command of the station this past October.

Captain Reyes’ career with the Sheriff’s Department began in 1984. After graduating from the Sheriff’s Academy as a Deputy Sheriff, he was assigned to the Hall of Justice Jail as a custody deputy, and then as a patrol deputy at both East Los Angeles and Norwalk Sheriff’s Stations. In November 2000, Captain Reyes was promoted to the rank of sergeant and supervised patrol functions at both Century and Lennox Sheriff’s Stations. He was also an Operations Sergeant at Norwalk Sheriff’s Station. Seven years later, Captain Reyes was promoted to Lieutenant and assigned to the Norwalk Sheriff’s Station where he worked as a shift watch commander and Service Area Lieutenant for the unincorporated areas of South and West Whittier. He also served as an Operations Lieutenant for Norwalk and Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Stations.

In 2015, Captain Reyes was assigned to Sheriff’s Headquarters where he served as the aide to the chief of East Patrol Division. Captain Reyes has an associate degree in liberal arts from Mt. San Antonio College, and is working toward a bachelor’s degree in leadership at Trident University International. The Diamond Bar-Walnut Sheriff’s Station serves Diamond Bar, Walnut, Rowland Heights and unincorporated areas of Covina Hills and West Covina.

For more information about the station and services available, visit http://www.walnut.diamondbar.lasd.org.

 

Meet Me at In N Out

Pastor Mark Hopper

Pastor Mark Hopper

By Mark Hopper

One of my favorite lunch spots is In N Out Burger.  The prices are right and the food is great.  I love their burgers, fries and chocolate shakes too!

Recently I arranged to meet a guy for lunch to discuss a project he was working on.  He works down in Orange County so we decided to meet somewhere half way between his office and my office in Diamond Bar.

I suggested we meet at In N Out on Chapman Avenue.  He agreed.  It seemed like a simple and clear plan.

However, did you know there are actually two Chapman Avenues in Orange County?  One Chapman Avenue is in Fullerton near the campus of Cal State Fullerton just west of the 57 Freeway.

The other Chapman Avenue is in the city of Orange and extends from west of the 57 Freeway to east of the 55 Freeway.

And, to make matters worse, there are In N Out Burgers on both Chapman Avenues!

I’m sure that you already know what happened.  I drove from my office down the 57 Freeway to the In N Out by the Cal State Campus.  My friend drove from his office to the In N Out restaurant which is on the Chapman Avenue that is east of the 55 Freeway.

He was looking for me and I was waiting for him.  Both of us were on time and both of us were at In N Out Burger, but we were miles apart at different locations.

I was thankful that we both had our cell phones with us.  He called wondering where I was and I told him that I was looking for him too.

When we realized what happened, I jumped back into my car and drove to the location where he was waiting.  We enjoyed our time together and the good food, too.

I wonder if this happens in other areas of life.  Married couples think they have reached an agreement on something only to find out that their spouse had a different plan in mind.

I’m sure this happens in business too.  A supplier may think he is correctly filling an order from a customer,  but the customer may have actually requested a different size or product.

There can be misunderstanding and miscommunication in many areas of our lives.  We need to be clear and specific when agreeing on a plan of action.

Let me encourage you to be clear in what you say and clarify what you think others have said.  Effective communication is vital in every area of our lives.

I wonder if there is an In N Out “app” that I can add to my phone so that the next time I make a important  lunch appointment I will know where I am going?

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 Pink Donut

Pastor Mark Hopper

Pastor Mark Hopper

By Mark Hopper

Recently our granddaughter had a sleep over at our house.  We were glad she could come.

This cute three year old arrived at our house confidently pulling her small carry-on size suitcase.  She was excited to come to Grammy’s and Pop Pop’s house.

She enjoyed playing with some toys, some dolls and the small wooden train that we have.

Bath time went smoothly and we read several bed time stories.

Grammy noticed that our granddaughter’s pajamas had donuts printed on them.  The design included different sizes  and different colors.

The donuts became a topic of conversation as she got ready for bed.  Grammy asked if our granddaughter would like to have a donut as part of her breakfast in the morning.

That sounded like a good idea.  “What color donut would you like”, Grammy asked?  “Pink”, she replied.

I think our granddaughter had sweet dreams that night!  I bet there were pink donuts in her dreams.

Who do you think was going out to find a pink donut early in the morning?  Clearly that was my assignment.  Don’t come home without it!

Thankfully, we have a nice donut shop near our home.  The owner and I are on a first name basis.  I have many bought boxes of donuts from him for many early morning meetings at our church.

I was pleased to discover that he had several different types of pink donuts!  Some had sprinkles and others had pink frosting only.  Some were decorated for Halloween.

I took a chance and went for the pink with white sprinkles.  It was a winner!

Since we didn’t want our granddaughter to eat alone, I got a donut for my wife and me too.  My wife got chocolate covered and I got an old fashioned glazed.

I’m sure that we were violating all of the dietary guidelines published by the US government by serving our granddaughter a donut for breakfast.  I’m sure that her parents would prefer we provided a more balanced breakfast, too.

But, I’m also sure that this is a breakfast that two grandparents will remember for a long time!

Pastor Mark Hopper is from the Evangelical Free Church of Diamond Bar, 3255 South Diamond Bar Blvd.  Sunday services are 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.  For more information, call (909) 594-7604 or visit Efreedb.org

 

Evergreen STEAMS Ahead as Golden Bell Award Winner

By WVUSD  

PLTW in action! Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor visits with Evergreen third grade engineers designing a vehicle to rescue a trapped zoo animal. Photo courtesy: WVUSD

PLTW in action! Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor visits with Evergreen third grade engineers designing a vehicle to rescue a trapped zoo animal.
Photo courtesy: WVUSD

Walnut/Diamond Bar- Engagement and excitement are key ingredients in making Evergreen Elementary a great place to learn!

The school’s innovative Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) and Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Programs are developing globally competitive citizens with character, problem solving skills, and social skills.

These programs have earned the enthusiasm of those involved and the admiration of the experts in education.

This month, the California School Boards Association (CSBA) selected Evergreen to receive the prestigious 2016 Golden Bell Award.

The Golden Bell recognizes innovative and sustainable programs that are making a demonstrated difference for students. A total of 56 public schools received the state’s leading educational honor.

“STEAM and PLTW are game changers! Our students are engaged and having fun learning,” said Principal Carolyn Wills. “We have fun down to a science. With community and staff support, our Evergreen Eagles are STEAM-ing toward their future!”

Evergreen’s Golden Bell marks the 3rd time a Walnut Valley Unified School District program has received the honor in the past decade.

Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor announced the award during the Board of Trustees meeting on October 19.

“We couldn’t be prouder of this well-deserved recognition for Evergreen. In all my years in education, I have never seen a school move so far, so quickly. I have witnessed a dramatic change in student engagement at Evergreen in the past four years with the advent of STEAM and PLTW,” Taylor said.

Evergreen has become a flagship school for the District’s STEAM vision, with six additional elementary schools launching the PLTW program this year.

“PLTW provides the foundation that allows students to be critical thinkers and collaborators – skills that will impact their entire life,” said Board Member Cindy Ruiz.

“We are creating global citizens of the 21st century,” added Board President Helen Hall. “I think we are very fortunate to have seven of our elementary schools implementing PLTW. It’s definitely the way of the future!”

Evergreen will receive its award at the annual CSBA Golden Bell Awards Luncheon December 3 in San Francisco.

Walnut-Diamond Bar Station Welcomes New volunteer On Patrol Academy Graduates

By LA County Sheriff’s Department

Volunteer on Patrol Group Photo Photo courtesy: LA Sheriff’s Department

Volunteer on Patrol Group Photo
Photo courtesy: LA Sheriff’s Department

Congratulations to the recent graduates of the Volunteers on Patrol Academy. Pictured from left to right, are Sebe Garton, David Garcia, Marilyn Zarco, Loretta Perez, and Dennis Merrill.

Volunteers on Patrol (VOP’s) is a team of community-spirited citizens performing non-hazardous patrol duties including: residential vacation checks, park safety checks, conducting traffic control, issuing parking citations, and performing directed patrol assignments. The VOP’s patrol the cities of Walnut and Diamond Bar, and the unincorporated County areas of Covina Hills and Rowland Heights. For additional information regarding the Volunteer Program, please contact Sergeant Mark Saldecke at 909-859-2859 or via email at WAL/DBVolunteerEmail@lasd.org.

New Company Opens In Old Bob’s Big Boy Spot

Mike Armijo  

Photo courtesy: Mike Armijo

Photo courtesy: Mike Armijo

Diamond Bar – A year ago this month, Bob’s Big Boy in Diamond Bar closed for business after a 35 year stint on the corner of Golden Springs and Brea Canyon Roads. Now a new era begins: Pho Ha Plus, Vietnamese Cuisine, will be filling that iconic spot, and has announced their opening for later this month.

Facing rising costs, expensive rehab and landlord disputes, restaurant owner James Tsaic, closed the place he’d owned since 1992.

“We tried all we could to keep our doors open,” Tsai said.”We came to a point where we needed to end this land fighting. But ultimately it became an unfair fight where the landowner won.” Tsai said he tried negotiating with the building’s landlord over the remaining years on the Bob’s Big Boy lease but to no avail.

The former diner-style eatery, featuring a long, curved counter with wooden bar stools and small booths scattered throughout the dining room, went through a number of chefs, general managers and culinary styles as the owner repeatedly worked to capture an audience in the ever-changing demographics of the city, located on a busy intersection on Golden Springs Road and the 60 and 57 freeway.

“There are three reasons that changed our minds in closing our doors,” Tsai said.”First, there was a spike in the rent. Then, the demographics had changed. Finally, the 57/60 freeway construction started and moved a lot of businesses in the area.”

“Diamond Bar has always been good to us. The city council has also supported us but there was nothing they could do because of the landowners,” Tsai added.

The restaurant attempted a historical landmark petition campaign back in 2012, but failed to reach the 20,000 required signatures, Tsai said. The building first opened in 1979, and is 15-years short of being considered for the national historical landmark status, he said.

Now only two Bob’s Big Boy locations remain in California – Norco and Burbank.

Though it was no secret that business wasn’t exactly booming. It was also in dire need of costly repairs, according to customers and employees.

No word on when Pho Ha Plus will be officially opened.

Castle Rock students cast their votes!

BY WVUSD  

Castle Rock Elementary students joined a mock election. Photo courtesy: WVUSD

Castle Rock Elementary students joined a mock election.
Photo courtesy: WVUSD

DIAMOND BAR, CA—This week, Castle Rock Elementary students put their International Baccalaureate (IB) skills into action by participating in a mock election with students around the nation.

Through the online website, Studies Weekly, students were able to participate in an online voting activity called Every Kid Votes.

A total of 15 participating classrooms totaling 429 students cast votes for their top candidate.

Students were able to vote in the “Polling Place” and received an “I Voted!” sticker to conclude their experience.

What a great way to teach civic responsibility!

 

The Diamond Bar Woman’s Club Invites You to a Holiday Membership Tea

When: Wednesday, November 16, 2016 – 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Where: Diamond Bar Golf Course, 22751 Golden Springs Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765

Description: Come out and join the celebration. Meet some new friends and learn about community service. There will be a Speaker and Buffet Lunch will be served at a cost of $15.00 per person. Wear your favorite “Hat” Minnie Pearl style. A prize will be awarded to the winner. Let’s have some fun. RSVP to Abbey Howell (909) 348-3779

 

America Recycles Day Nov 12

Staff Reports
Diamond Bar- Do you have old electronics just sitting in the corner? Take advantage of America Recycles Day! Diamond Bar residents will have the opportunity to rid their homes of obsolete electronics, unwanted textiles and unneeded confidential documents when the City holds its annual Eco Expo event in celebration of America Recycles Day.

They will be accepting the following:

  • Computers
  • Tablets
  • Laptops
  • Smartphones
  • Televisions
  • Printers
  • & more

Set to take place on Saturday, November 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the AQMD parking lot, this environmentally-themed event will feature a variety of information booths, collection areas and activities centered on green living and recycling.

AQMD is located at 21865 Copley Drive in Diamond Bar. For more information, visit www.diamondbarca.gov/greendb or contact the City’s Environmental
Services Division at 909.839.7015

 

Autumn Leaves

Pastor Mark Hopper

Pastor Mark Hopper

By Mark Hopper

My wife and I have dreamed for many years of going to New England to see the autumn colors.  This year we finally did it!

We flew into Boston and drove to a small town in southern Vermont.   We stayed at a cozy Bed & Breakfast hosted by a delightful couple.

The next morning, we were excited to see the many colors of autumn leaves right outside our bedroom window.

After a homemade breakfast, we drove north along state highway 100 up into the Green Mountains.  We learned later the name Vermont is the French word for green mountains!

We enjoyed a casual drive along the country roads.  The colors were amazing!  We took picture after picture but they did not accurately.capture the fabulous scenery.

After two nights in Vermont we drove on to northern New Hampshire.  We chose the famous Kancamagus Highway which threads its way from the Vermont border to Conway, New Hampshire.

This is one of the most popular scenic highways in New England.  The small, two-lane highway was lined with trees in full color.  They were bright red, sparkling yellow, brilliant orange and autumn gold.

During our two days in New Hampshire, we drove further north into the White Mountains and were amazed to see complete hillsides filled with color beyond description.  It was amazing!

It was like a symphony of color as far as you could see.  Every turn in the road revealed more spectacular beauty.  The hills really were alive with color and beauty.

We were fortunate to have great fall weather, too.  The clear blue skies and bright sunlight added to the vibrancy of the colors.

My wife and I ran out of words to describe the beauty of what we saw during those few days in New England.  It is a time we will never forget.

As we reflected on the beauty of the fall leaves, we were reminded of the creativity of God.  The Bible says that God created the universe and the world we inhabit.  His infinite power created the changes of the seasons and the beauty of our world.

In Psalm 19, it says, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the earth is His handiwork”.  I realize you may not have the opportunity to visit New England during the fall.

But, I hope you will watch for some autumn leaves in your neighborhood this year.  Take a moment to appreciate their beauty.  They remind us of His handiwork!

Pastor Mark Hopper is from the Evangelical Free Church of Diamond Bar, 3255 South Diamond Bar Blvd.  Sunday services are 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.  For more information, call (909) 594-7604 or visit Efreedb.org.

Turn On Your Headlights

mark-hopper-color-2x2By Mark Hopper

I have noticed that more and more cars are on the road with their headlights off.  This is especially dangerous in the early evening and as it gets dark outside.

I saw another car this evening driving dangerously with its headlights off and the driver seemed totally unaware.

Apparently, newer cars have a feature that turns the dashboard lights on inside these new cars, but the outside lights do not come on automatically.

In the good old days, the inside dashboard lights only came on when the driver turned on the outside headlights.  If it was dark inside the car, the driver realized that his headlights were not on either.

This new technology has created some very dangerous driving conditions.  I have seen many people driving with their headlights off.  But, because their inside lights are on, they don’t realize their headlights are not!

There is a passage in the Bible that relates this problem to our own lives.  In Matthew chapter seven, Jesus says that before we try to take a speck out of someone else’s eye, we need to remove the log in our own eye (Matthew 7:1-5),

In other words, before we point out the faults in the lives of other people, we should take a careful look at our own life and examine the faults in our own life

It is easy for us to notice when another car does not have its headlights turned on.  But, often we are not aware that our own headlights are off!

Two things cause serious problems in marriage.  The number one problem is a selfish attitude.  When people are selfish, a marriage will suffer.

The second major problem in many marriages is a critical attitude.  When one spouse focuses on the faults of the other, their marriage will suffer.

Before you start criticizing your spouse, stop and look in the mirror and see if there are things that you need to change in your own life.  As Jesus said in Matthew chapter seven, take the log out of your own eye first!

Let me encourage you to pay closer attention when you are driving.  Make sure your headlights are on when you drive in the evening and night.  For your safety and the safety of others.

And, when you are experiencing conflict in your marriage or other relationships, check your headlights first.  Are your headlights on?  There may be  some changes that you first need to make in your life!

Pastor Mark Hopper is from the Evangelical Free Church of Diamond Bar, 3255 South Diamond Bar Blvd.  Sunday services are 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.  For more information, call (909) 594-7604 or visit Efreedb.org.

 

General Plan Website

By City of Diamond Bar  

DIAMOND BAR– The early phase of a three-year effort to update Diamond Bar’s 1995 General Plan is now underway, and the City wants to encourage all residents to get involved and stay informed throughout the process.

Also referred to as a city’s “constitution” or “blueprint” for development, the General Plan is a policy document mandated by the state that addresses and serves as the basis for a number of land use planning activities and decisions related to such areas as housing, transportation, environmental quality, economic development, public services, and park and open spaces.

To facilitate participation and communication, the City of Diamond Bar recently launched an all-encompassing website – www.diamondbargp.com – exclusively dedicated to the Diamond Bar General Plan Update.

Housed on the website is extensive information about this significant effort, including a description of the current project, a frequently-asked-questions section, an at-a-glance project status, and a list of public participation and input opportunities. There is also a library section that currently contains a copy of the 1995 Diamond Bar General Plan, and will be supplemented with meeting presentations, studies and reports as they become available.

The www.diamondbargp.com website will remain live until the project is completed and the City Council has adopted the Diamond Bar General Plan Update, in late summer 2019. Questions or comments about the plan and process are welcome at any time, and you can subscribe to an email newsletter by using your computer mouse to hover over the link “Participate” on the top right corner and clicking on the “Submit Comments and Join Email List” button.

 

DB City Council Meeting

By Natalie Kim

Diamond Bar – The October 4 Diamond Bar Council meeting began with several presentations. First, the Council presented Captain Jeff Scroggin with a City Tile, thanking him for his years of service at the Diamond Bar/Walnut Sheriff station. Although the Council was disappointed to bid farewell to the Captain, they wished him well in his future. Captain Scroggin introduced his replacement, Captain Al Reyes. Captain Scroggin praised the new Captain’s devotion, hard work, and ability. Captain Scroggin also assured residents that, as Captain Reyes lives very nearby, his ideals and the ideals of residents will be very much in line. The Council also presented See’s Candies with a City Tile, recognizing the store as the City’s Business of the Month for the month of October, 2016.

Next, the City Manager introduced Deputy German Perez, also a new addition to the Diamond Bar/Walnut Sheriff’s station. The City Manager also updated the Council on Diamond Bar’s Restaurant Week. Twenty restaurants are participating in the City’s Restaurant Week, featuring a wide variety of cuisines and special deals only available from the week of October 8-24.

Following the public comments, the City Manager read the schedule of future events, which consisted of Diamond Bar’s Restaurant Week from October 8-24; a Planning Commission meeting on October 11; the first meeting of the General Plan Advisory Committee on October 12; a Traffic and Transportation meeting on October 13; Barktoberfest on October 15; and a City Council meeting on October 18.

The Council then approved most items on the consent calendar, which included the minutes from the City Council meeting of September 29; minutes from the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting of July 28; minutes from the Planning Commission meeting of July 26; ratification of a check register totaling $1,548,966.28; the Treasurer’s statement for the month of August, 2016; a joint resolution with the board of supervisors of the county of los Angeles, the City Council of the city of Pomona and the city of Diamond Bar, approving and accepting the negotiated exchange of property tax revenue resulting from  the reorganization of territory known as City of Pomona Reorganization 2015-14, consisting of detachment of territory of from the city of Diamond Bar and annexation to the city of Pomona and withdrawal from the County Public Library System; a professional engineering services contract for on-call soils and geotechnical engineering services with Leighton and Associates, Inc., Ninyo and Moore, and Willdan Geotechnical for a period of three years; and a on-call traffic and transportation engineering services contract with DKS Associates, Fehr & Peers, Iteris, Kimley Horn, Sasaki Transportation Services, and Stantec for a period of three years. The Council tabled the an item to appropriate traffic impact mitigation funds in the amount of $20,000 to the fiscal year capital improvement program budget, adopting a resolution approving plans and specifications for the construction of the Grand Ave./Diamond Bar Blvd. street clock and median improvements project  to CEM Construction Corp., to be resumed upon completion of the general plan update. Following a brief public hearing, the Council also adopted a resolution amending the City’s Community Development Block Grant Program for the fiscal year of 2016-17 to reprogram funds to the Morning Canyon ADA Parkway Improvements Project from the CDBG Unallocated Balance in the amount of $225,000.

After individual reports and comments, the Council adjourned until October 18, at 6:30 p.m. at the Government Center Auditorium.

Journey to the West coming to Diamond Bar High stage

By WVUSD

Diamond Bar – The Diamond Bar High School Theatre Company begins its fall season with a performance of Mary Zimmerman’s Journey to the West. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults. The show times are November 3-5, at 7 p.m. and November 6 at 4 p.m. in the Diamond Bar High School theater. Tickets may be purchased online at seatyourself.biz/dbhsdrama.

 Journey to the West is taken from one of the four great Chinese classical novels from the sixteenth century and adapted from the translation by Anthony C. Yu. The play mixes whimsy with spiritual weight, and combines comedy, adventure, and satire to tell the rambling story of an unlikely foursome – an insatiable pig, a ferocious river monster, and a very energetic naughty monkey king, who become both disciples and protectors of Tripitaka, a monk, on his quest to Central Asia and India to obtain sacred texts.

“Part vaudeville, part mystical dreamscape and Eastern-inflected ballet, Zimmerman’s meticulously choreographed production is a fabulous balancing act that stunningly juxtaposes the rambunctious energy and low comedy of a Wizard of Oz-like trip with the lyrical beauty of Chinese poetry and the mysterious revelations of a religious search.” –Chicago Sun Times

Diamond Bar High School is located at 21400 E. Pathfinder Road in Diamond Bar.