Category Archives: Diamond Bar

3 arrested during Blue cut Fire evacuations

Staff Reports  

Photo courtesy: SBSD

Photo courtesy: SBSD

Diamond Bar- During the Blue cut Fire on August 18, a Diamond Bar resident was one of three suspects who attempted to steal on the 8600 block of Swarthout Canyon of the San Bernardino area during the time of mandatory evacuations.

The SBSD deputies responded to suspicious activity at a home that was located within the evacuation areas. Once deputies arrived, they made contact with the suspects who had brought a flat bed truck and were attempting to leave.

The three suspects were identified as 29 year-old Riverside resident Trevor Sanchez, 27 year-old Diamond Bar resident Natasha Rovinsky, and 27 year-old  Jurupa resident Daniel Mervine. They had informed the deputy that they were picking up property for a friend that resided on that property.

According to SBSD, “Deputies made contact with the property owner who advised that he did not give anyone permission to take his property.”

The three suspects were then taken into custody without further incident and will be booked for Looting and Grand Theft Auto.

If anyone has additional information related to the suspects who were involved, you are urged to contact Sheriff’s Central Station at (909) 387-3545. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call the WeTip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or you may also leave information on the WeTip Hotline at www.wetip.com

 

A Penny For Your Thoughts

Pastor Mark Hopper

Pastor Mark Hopper

By Pastor Mark Hopper

In my last article, I shared my story of finding a penny at a local Hardware store.

It was a “Wheat Penny”.  It was dated 1914.  It was over 100 years old!

I smile when I think about where that penny has been over the past 100 years.  I wonder who has held it in their hand.  I wonder how many purchases it has made?  I wonder in what stores and in what states that penny has been?

No one can know for sure the answers to these questions, but here are some of my thoughts.  I’m sure you can add more.

That penny probably went as a shiny new coin from the US Mint to a large bank on the east coast.  I think there were three US Mints in the early 1900’s in San Francisco, Denver and Philadelphia.  I think this coin was made in Philly.

The First World War started in 1914 although our nation was not drawn into the war until 1917.  In those days, a few pennies could purchase a gallon of gas.  Maybe the penny ended up in the cash register of a local gas station?

That penny survived through the “Roaring Twenties”.  It may have traveled to Chicago during the days of prohibition.  It probably changed hands many times to pay for many things.

In the 1930’s, that penny was probably kept in a small tin box as people struggled to survive during the Great Depression.  A penny was probably worth a lot more than we can imagine today.

I wonder where the penny was during World War Two?  During the war, pennies were not made of copper because the copper was needed to make bombs and bullets.

I suspect that in the 1960’s that old penny may have ended up in an old cigar box of a young newspaper delivery boy in Arizona.

Or, maybe that middle aged penny stayed in circulation during the second half of the twentieth century.  It may have found its way to In N Out Burger, a local movie theater or a snack bar at the beach.  That penny probably helped purchase groceries and prescriptions at the local market.

I wonder how that coin got to California?   Did it get lost between the cushions of a couch or under the floor mat of a car?

With the use of debit cards and credit cards, that penny was probably used less and less. Who needs coins when you can buy things with a plastic card?

I wonder how that 1914 penny ended up at a local hardware store in Diamond Bar, California?  Did someone use it by accident or was a family member cashing in the coin collection of a relative that died?

It is fun to dream and imagine where a coin has been over the past 100 years.  We will never know the answer.

Let me encourage you to take a look in your purse or pocket.  See what coins have found their way into your life.  They may have a lot of stories to tell!

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.

 

 

 

Sheriff’s Club Raises Funds

By Sarah Sanchez

Diamond Bar/Walnut – The Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Booster Club recently held their Annual Golf Tournament to honor over 100 Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff Department’s volunteers who give their time to improve the service and security to the cities of Walnut and Diamond Bar, and the unincorporated communities of Rowland Heights, Covina Hills and West Covina.

“Thousands of hours are donated annually by our department’s volunteers, explorers, reserves and disaster communication specialists,” said Captain Jeff Scroggin in a previous interview. The golf tournament was held to provide the needed uniforms and equipment to these volunteers.

Sheriff Booster Club President, Gil Rivera, previously stated that the golf tournament had a great community participation. There were a total of 127 golfers, which is the largest number of participants that they have ever had, according to Rivera. There were also 26 volunteers in attendance from the volunteer division of the Sheriff’s Department.

This is the only fundraiser the Sheriff’s Booster Club does annually so it’s really important to the club. Every year, the golf tournament makes a little more money than the previous year, according to Captain Scroggin. But he says that the Sheriff’s Booster Club does a really good job managing the money they receive.

“This is a very good club, a very specific club, and they raise funds for a charitable cause,” said Scroggin. The Sheriff Booster Club is a valid 5013(c) non-profit and all the board members are volunteers.

“The club has done a very good job under Gil’s presidency,” said Scroggin. “Gil and Andy [Lujan] have done a great job keeping us on track with all of our records.” The club also has an outside accounting firm that manages all their financials.

Scroggin added, “The club provides funds to give back to the folks who volunteer all these hours to the community.”

“Volunteers contribute about 20,000 hours a year,” Mark Saldeke said. This number doesn’t include explorers or reserve deputies. Some volunteers will spend up to 240 hours a month volunteering, according to Scroggin.

These volunteers are extremely important to the Sheriff’s Department. “Volunteers do provide a higher level of service every day,” said Scroggin. Volunteers will even go above and beyond by checking in with victims months after an incident happens.

Also, if a Deputy Sheriff has a high call volume, volunteers will be able to fill in where they are needed. For example, volunteers will do vacation home checks, which is where deputies will check on homes for break-ins when residents are on vacation. These are considered high priority to the volunteers.

The vacation home checks have been 100% successful after a recent survey revealed that 0 crimes were reported at those homes that were on vacation, according to Scroggin.

Dozens of volunteers and explorers will also help at local events when Deputies can’t be there. Volunteers attending events will benefit the Sheriff’s Department financially because they won’t need to pay multiple Deputies to be there. Scroggin said that they couldn’t have staffed a recent event without their volunteers. “We couldn’t do the job without them,” he added.

You can also see volunteers at the Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Department front desk. They will usually be the ones greeting those in the lobby. Make sure to say hi to their oldest volunteer, who is 90 years old.

“There are jobs for everyone,” said Scroggin. Volunteers can consist of anyone from an intern to a patrol officer driving in a white car. In addition, working as a volunteer has many benefits. Three volunteer interns recently became Deputies.

Signing up to be a volunteer is easy. You can obtain an application at the Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Department and turn it in to Deputy Saldeke. The only requirements are that you have to be at least 18, obtain a background check, and be briefly interviewed.

“This is an opportunity for the community to be a part of our team,” said Scroggin. “Volunteers are a big part of who we are and our department.”

If a resident under 18 wants to volunteer, they can sign up for the Explorer Program, which caters to ages 14-21.

“My niece participated in the Explorer Program,” said Sheriff Booster Club member Michael Armijo. “It really benefited her; it taught her about the consequences when teenagers don’t have guidance in their lives. It also gave her the guidance and structure she needed, and it gave her an interest in law enforcement.”

Armijo also talked about his friend’s son who joined the program. “It provided structure for him, especially since his father was away in the National Guard, serving our country in a foreign land.”

Don’t wait; sign up to be a volunteer or explorer today! “The more people who we have to volunteer, the more transparent the department is,” said Scroggin. “Volunteers give us ability to provide extra eyes and ears in the community.”

One Hundred Years Old

By Pastor Mark Hopper

Recently I was at the local hardware store picking up some metal brackets for a project we were doing at our church.

A group of men were constructing a new back drop for the stage in our Worship Center and they needed more brackets to finish the job.

Since I am not the handiest guy in the group and since they had plenty of help, they sent me to the hardware store.

As I was waiting to pay for my materials, I noticed a small box by the cash register that had some pennies in it.  The sign on the small box said something like, “Need a penny & leave a penny”.

I have seen these in other stores.  Customers are allowed to take a penny or two to complete their purchase and avoid getting a pocket full of change.

And, people who end up with a couple of pennies after their purchase are encouraged to leave the pennies for another customer who might need some.

I noticed that one of the pennies looked a little different than the others.  Sure enough, it was a “Wheat Penny”.

I am not an avid coin collector, but I know that the US Penny has changed over the years.  The penny has an image of Lincoln on one side, but the back side has changed over the years.

In the early 1900’s, the penny had Lincoln on the front and two grains of “Wheat” on the back.  In the 1950’s, the US Mint changed the back of the penny to the image of the Lincoln Memorial.

In the early 2000’s, the Mint changed the penny again with the image of Lincoln still on the front, but an image of a “Shield” with the words “one cent” on the back.

I asked the attendant if I could swap a penny for the one in the box.  Yes, she was glad to let me do that.  She was curious why I wanted the penny.  I briefly explained my interest in “Wheat Pennies”.

When I got home later that day, I looked for the date on the penny.  To my surprise, it read 1914!  That penny was over 100 years old!  Amazing!

I don’t think the penny has any significant collector value.  Millions of them were made in 1914.  But, it is remarkable that something over 100 years old is still circulating around in our pockets, purses, banks and stores.

I wonder where this penny has been and who it has belonged to over the past century.  It probably has many stories to tell!

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.

Luxury For Less!

By K.P. Sander  

Kitchen & Flooring Center, Inc. is located at 20875 Golden Springs Drive, in the city of Diamond Bar. They can be reached at (909) 594-5020, or visit www.kitchennflooring.com.

Kitchen & Flooring Center, Inc. is located at 20875 Golden Springs Drive, in the city of Diamond Bar. They can be reached at (909) 594-5020, or visit http://www.kitchennflooring.com.

Kitchen & Flooring Center, Inc. does it all.  In fact, their motto is, “We Turn Houses into Homes.”

More than just a house, your home is a very special place. With that in mind, the Kitchen & Flooring Center is committed to providing you with the materials and installation you need to make your home the best it can be. They work with you to come up with a plan that fits your budget and your vision.

From full kitchen and bathroom remodeling to any type of flooring, Kitchen & Flooring Center does it all.  And it’s not just limited to full remodeling; they also install all types of countertops, and provide plumbing, electrical, and lighting services, as well as windows, doors and painting.  Right now you can get a free in-home consultation to help you discover the home of your dreams.

Kitchen & Flooring Center began when a young tile setter named, Sami, starting setting tile and flooring back in 1991.  After working for other companies for several years, Sami decided it was time to set out on his own.  In 1995, he started his own construction company.

Today, that company has evolved into a highly specialized company that focuses on kitchen and bathroom remodeling, and the customers’ needs.  By offering quality products and services, Kitchen & Flooring Center is able to provide a finished product that not only meets, but exceeds, their customers’ visions.

Kitchen & Flooring Center has kitchen remodels starting at just $4,995, and they are currently offering a free sink and faucet with any complete kitchen or bath remodel.

Springtime is a perfect time to turn your home from ordinary to extraordinary.  Call Kitchen & Flooring Center today, and turn your house into a home that you can enjoy for years to come.  Their goal is to provide you the absolute BEST service in the industry. They guarantee it!

Visit the showroom at Kitchen & Flooring Center, located at 20875 Golden Springs Drive, in the city of Diamond Bar.  They can be reached at (909) 594-5020, or visit http://www.kitchennflooring.com.  And see their ad on page 12 of the Weekly News.

 

 

 

 

Great Goat Escape

Staff Reports

Walnut-Diamond Bar- On July 28, over 200 goats escaped and were se

Photo courtesy: Walnut Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Station: A herd of about 60-70 goats made the great escape into the Walnut/Diamond Bar area on July 28.

Photo courtesy: Walnut Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Station
: A herd of about 60-70 goats made the great escape into the Walnut/Diamond Bar area on July 28.

en on local residents’ lawns.

According to the Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Station, “Apparently, over 200 goats had been brought in to clear the open field of dry overgrown brush and grass. But sometime during the night, they hatched their escape plan by pushing over a perimeter fence.”

Law enforcement’s job description includes a variety of situations, and they must be prepared to handle most of any given situation. However, Deputy Aaron Scheller most likely didn’t think he was going to have to use his “training and experience” on this day to corral the herd of goats that were in the front yard of a residence. But, he helped turned them around back to a nearby open field on Fallow Field Drive in Diamond Bar.

“It took two hours but all of the 200 goats were captured and returned to their corral.” The goats were of course eating the residents’ grass along the way back to the field too. The event even resulted in the goats getting their 15 minutes of fame on ABC7 live news.

So for future reference, if there happens to be a herd of goats in your yard, call the Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Station.

Diamond Bar: Next Generation

Staff Reports

Diamond Bar– So You Think You Can Dance? A resident of City of Diamond Bar, Sheaden Gabriel, had the opportunity to participate in the show on Fox where young kids were able to showcase their dancing talents.

He premiered at the show on July 11 and was voted as the top 5 contestants. Although he was recently eliminated, he states, “So blessed and thankful for this amazing experience. I just love my So You Think You Can Dance family. Thank you for following me on this journey and though it had come to an end, I’m excited for what’s to come.”

Also having the opportunity to perform at the Teen’s Choice Awards, Sheaden says, “Had the best time last night performing with my So You Think You Can Dance squad at Teen choice Awards 2016. It was amazing!!!!!”

City of Diamond Bar residents are extremely proud of Sheaden and knows this is not the end for him, he will continue to grow and be amazing on his journey.

Family Fun At NNO

Chino/DB/Walnut – The City of Chino, Diamond Bar, and Walnut held their National Night Out events on August 2, along with many neighborhoods throughout the nation.

National Night Out is a nationwide crime and drug prevention awareness campaign designed to generate support for and participation in local anti-crime efforts. It strengthens neighborhood spirit and law enforcement-community partnership to send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting crime.

National Night Out is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch and co-sponsored locally by the Sheriff’s Department. It will involve more than 10,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities, and military bases around the world. More than 35 million people are expected to participate in “America’s Night Out Against Crime.”

On August 2, residents in neighborhoods across the nation were asked to lock their doors, turn on outside lights, and spend the evening outside with neighbors and law enforcement. Many neighborhoods host a variety of special events such as block parties, cookouts, and flashlight walks.

The Walnut/Diamond Bar Station celebrated the National Night Out event from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., at the Rowland Heights Community Center at Pathfinder Park (18150 Pathfinder Road, Rowland Heights). The community enjoyed food, giveaways, and live music.

The City of Walnut held their National Night Out event at Creekside Park. Residents enjoyed food trucks, a performance by Cold Duck, and The Avengers: Age of Ultron movie shown afterwards.

“Thank you to everyone who joined us last night for National Night Out,” stated the City of Walnut Facebook page. They provided a quick recap video for the community to enjoy.

However, City of Chino residents didn’t hold a big community event, but instead held multiple neighborhood barbeques, potlucks, and dessert social events throughout the community. Events that were registered received visits by the City Council Members, Deputies, Firefighters, Citizens on Patrol, and even McGruff the crime-fighting dog.

“Thank you to all of the members of our community who participated in National Night Out! The support for our Police personnel was overwhelming and we thoroughly enjoyed visiting each of the participating neighborhoods. We are so proud to partner with you in keeping Chino safe. We also want to say thank you to Target for being a national sponsor of this program,” stated the City of Chino.

 

 

Making Friends At The Gym

mark-hopper-color-2x2By Pastor Mark Hopper

 

A new gym opened near our house a couple of years ago.  It is close enough to where we live that we could walk to it.

However, we don’t want to wear ourselves out before we get to the gym, so we usually drive there!

One of the things that you notice at the gym is the diversity of people.  There are both men and women, younger and older.  Everyone is welcome.

I know that most of us go to the gym to get some exercise, work up a sweat and improve our health.  They offer a variety of equipment and they even have personal trainers available to help you if you need it.

But, I have noticed that there is more going on than just exercise.  I notice that people greet one another when they arrive.  I noticed that people talk with one another as they exercise.

Of course, this is not true of everyone.  Some people do keep to themselves.  They wear head phones or ear buds, and they listen to music or do other things on their electronic devices.

The people with big muscles seem to take these work outs pretty seriously and they may not want to be distracted by casual conversation.

But, I have noticed that most people go out of their way to say hello to others.  They seem genuinely glad to see people and talk with others as they exercise.

Although some people come with a friend, it appears that many people have made new friends at the gym.  Recently, I met someone who had lived in my neighborhood for over 20 years.  We had never met until we went to the gym!

I suppose the social aspect of the gym is probably just as important as the physical.  As we improve our physical health, we are also improving our personal and social health, too.

I believe that God did not intend for us to live life in isolation.  He created us to be social creatures that need others to help us grow and enjoy life.

There is a phrase that is found many times in the New Testament.  It is the term “one another”.  We are told to love one another, encourage one another and serve one another. We are also told to forgive one another and carry one another’s burdens.

When we go to the gym, we not only help improve our physical health, but we may be improving the health of others.  When we speak to others and listen to others, we may be improving their health, too.

Let me encourage you to join a gym near you and find some new friends.  You will be glad you did and they will too!

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.

DB Council Recap

By Natalie Kim

Diamond Bar – The July 19 Diamond Bar Council meeting began with several presentations. The first presentation was a City Tile to Sgt. Marc Saunders with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department upon his retirement. The Council thanked Saunders for his years of dedication, and wished him a happy and fulfilling retirement. The City Manager then introduced the new City employee Fabian Aoun, Diamond Bar’s newest assistant engineer.

During the public comments, a representative from the Diamond Bar Public Library announced several upcoming workshops, including a Disney Dance Workshop on July 27 at 4 p.m. and Conductive Art: Squishy Circuits on Aug 1 at 2 p.m. A representative from One Legacy announced the progress of the organization, and several well attended events. The events led to a greater awareness of the benefits of organ donation, as well as celebrating the lives of donors and donor receivers.

Next, the schedule of future events was read, including the next Concerts in the Park and Movies Under the Stars, on July 20 featuring Yard Sale and Inside Out respectively; the next Planning Commission meeting on July 26; Concerts in the Park and Movies Under the Stars on July 27 featuring Hot August Night and Mary Poppins respectively; the next Parks and Recreation Commission meeting on July 28; and the next City Council meeting on August 2.

The Council then approved all items on the consent calendar, including the minutes from the City Council meeting of June 21; Parks and Recreation Commission minutes of May 26; Planning Commission minutes of May 24 and June 14; ratification of a check register totaling $2,706,263.01; the Treasurer’s Statement for the month of May, 2016; expenditures with Diversified Printers, Inc. for printing services; appropriation of $4,084 from the General Fund Reserves to the Fiscal Year 2016-17 Capital Improvement Program Budget, as well as a construction contract for the Diamond Bar Center restroom lighting project to Tamang Electric in the amount of $26,440; exoneration of surety bonds posted by JCCL-South Pointe West, LLC to mitigate the landslide at the location of the future Larkstone Park and the Rehabilitation of Larkstone Drive; appropriation of $80,000 of traffic improvement funds to the fiscal year 2016-17 CIP budget, as well as awarding a construction contract to All-American Asphalt, Inc.; adopting a resolution authorizing participation in the National Intergovernmental Purchasing Alliance to purchase janitorial supplies for the city facilities from Waxie Sanitary Supply; the updated program policies for the City’s Home Improvement Program; and approval of agreement with Simpson Advertising, Inc. for specialty graphic design services.

The Council held public hearings for resolutions concerning nuisance abatements against residences in 1162 Chisolm Trail Drive and 21224 Fibre Court. The Council received special assessments concerning the properties, and issued liens against the property holders.

Following individual reports and comments, the Council adjourned to Aug 2, at 6:30 p.m. at 21865 Copley Dr.

National Merit Winners In Walnut Valley

12 seniors named National Merit winners

By Kelli Gile

Diamond Bar – Two distinguished 2016 Diamond Bar High School grads have joined the ranks as National Merit scholarship winners. Angela Song (Pomona College – History) and Melody C. Guo (Northwestern University – Science/Research) are among over 800 additional winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by colleges and universities announced on July 18.

These Merit Scholar designees join approximately 3,000 other college-sponsored winners who were selected in June. College-sponsored awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years for undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship. The final group of winners brings the number of 2016 National Merit Scholars to more than 7,300.

This year, a total of 12 Diamond Bar and Walnut High School seniors were named National Merit winners for demonstrating exceptional academic ability and potential for success in college studies. Congratulations again to previous 2016 DBHS and WHS winners: Crystal Tin-Tin Chang, Eric Chen, Charlene L. Hsu, Betty Jung Hyun Kim, Letitia So, Jonathan Sun, Miriam Hsuan-Te Sun, Margaret Wang, Dalton Trinh, and Angel Wong.

 

Let’s Go Shopping

mark-hopper-color-2x2By Pastor Mark Hopper

Recently, my wife heard that a clothing store was having a clearance sale.  Everything was on sale because the store was closing.

The friend that shared the news said that she had found some good bargains.  It sounded like a shopping opportunity.

I asked my wife if she wanted to go, but I was surprised that she said “no”.  She said that she really didn’t need anything.  But I encouraged her to go.  After all, everything was on sale!

It seemed a little ironic.  Usually my wife is the one who wants to go shopping and I am the one who wants to stay home and save money.

But, here I was encouraging her to go even though she said she didn’t want to!  I finally persuaded her and I offered to go with her.

The store was not as crowded as I expected and there was still a lot of merchandise on the racks.  My wife headed to the women’s section and I went looking for some new socks in the men’s department.

I found some socks pretty quickly and had time to look at some of the golf shirts on sale.  It took my wife a little longer to try on a number of items and decide which ones she could not live without.

One of the nice things that many clothing stores provide is a place for men to sit while the women are trying on clothes.  The marketing department knows that the longer the men sit, the more the women will buy!

When we finally got to the check-out counter, we had managed to buy more items than we had planned on.  I guess that is what happens when everything in the store is on sale!

Not only did my wife purchase several items, but I ended up with socks and a new golf shirt too.   How did that happen?

When we got home, I think we both agreed that we were glad we went shopping together.  The next time your husband says, “Let’s go shopping”, make sure you say “yes”.  You’ll be glad you did and he will too!

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

DB Coyote Sightings

Staff Reports

Diamond Bar– In the last few weeks, there have been numerous reports of coyote sightings.

One resident reported that, “Coyote sighting tonight behind my backyard nearby by Ronald Reagan Park and the fire station. My mom called me to tell me she was outside with our pug when she spotted out of the corner of her eye a coyote. She immediately grabbed our pug and ran inside. Luckily, we always go outside with our dogs for this reason. Keep an eye on your pets diamond bar!”

Another report was made by a resident saying, “Coyote alert…..behind the homes of Armitos between Pikes and Goldpoint. It stood behind the fence staring at my dog. I scared it off….and it ran toward the hillside behind the homes. Watch your fur babies.”

Not only were there report of coyotes, a Diamond Bar resident reports of a bobcat sighting while at home saying, “I sat quietly reading under our patio Monday evening when I saw something move in the corner of my eye and to my amazement it was a bobcat about to sneak past me to get to our back hill garden. To my surprise the bobcat stopped about ten feet from me considering its option and then as I stood up it turned, it jumped up on the wall and went on its way to our garden where it stayed for at least fifteen minutes, even with my wife and I stalking it!”

Diamond Bar residents have given some advice saying, “just wanted to warn anyone who has a very small dog: do not to leave it in your garden alone especially at dusk as not only do you have to watch out for coyotes but I have noticed that the bobcats are also around. They normally only feed on rats, mice and rabbits but a large bobcat could potentially kill a very small dog.”

The City of Diamond Bar also provided the following tips:

If coyote sightings are common in your neighborhood or place of recreation, the City recommends the following tips to help deter them for inhabiting private properties or having conflicts with small pets.

Make your property less hospitable for wild animals by removing shelter, water and food sources:

  • Thin ground level shrubbery that can serve as a den or hiding place, take down and store bird feeders, and promptly gather low-hanging fruit and collect any fallen pieces.
  • Teach your children to learn how to identify coyote and know what to do if they come in contact with one.
  • Keep a close watch on small pets, feed them indoors, supervise them while they are outdoors, and always walk dogs on a leash.
  • Store refuse containers in your garage or another secure area until collection day.
  • Also of great importance is that you and your neighbors do not intentionally feed or attempt to tame coyotes as this causes them to lose their innate fear of humans, thereby increasing the potential for encounters and conflicts with people and pets.

In the event you encounter an aggressive or fearless coyote, the Department of Fish and Wildlife suggest you take the following steps:

  • Make sure you are standing up and pick up any small pets or young children who may be with you.
  • Face the coyote and try to frighten it away by shouting loudly and waving your arms above your head to appear larger and menacing; do not stop until it has left. If it does not leave or starts walking toward you, throw rocks, sticks or other objects in its direction.
  • Retreat by walking backward so that you do not turn your back on the coyote.

Report incidents of aggressive coyotes or conflicts to City Hall by calling 909.839.7010 or visitingwww.diamondbarca.gov/wildanimal.

 

 

An Unforgettable Week

Pastor Mark Hopper

Pastor Mark Hopper

By Pastor Mark Hopper

 

One of the highlights of summer at our church is Vacation Bible School.  Many others churches in the community also offer VBS in June, July or August.

Vacation Bible School is a huge undertaking.  We will have over 100 volunteers serving in a variety of capacities to make this week possible.

The planning and preparations have been going on for months.  In fact, the theme and many ideas began last summer.

Vacation Bible School includes Bible lessons, crafts, recreation, and music.  The children love it and often remember it for many years to come.

One of the unforgettable benefits of VBS are the friendships that develop between the volunteers.  When you spend a week serving together, you get to know people on a much deeper level.  New friendships are formed that last a long time.

VBS touches multiple generations.  And, many of the current teen and adult volunteers attended VBS as children in the past.

This year one of my adult daughters and her four children will attend Vacation Bible School at our church.   Almost 30 years ago my daughter was an attendee and 20 years ago she was a volunteer!  Now she is bringing her own children to VBS.

Please accept this invitation to bring your children to Vacation Bible School this month. The dates are July 25-29th from 9 a.m. to noon.  VBS is open to children from Kindergarten through the fifth grade. There is a nominal registration fee.  You can find out all of the details and register online at our web site – efreedb.org.  Or you can call the church office at (909) 549-7604.

I hope you will enroll your in Vacation Bible School.  It really is an unforgettable week. You will be glad you did and they will too!

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.

 

Dog License Fee Increase

City of Diamond Bar

Diamond Bar – Diamond Bar dog owners are advised that new licensing fees went into effect as of July 1.

Annual license fees for altered (spayed or neutered) dogs went from $15 to $20, and from $35 to $50 for unaltered dogs. The fee paid by senior dog owners is the same for unaltered dogs, but only $10 if the pet is altered.

Revenue collected from pet licensing fees goes toward offsetting the cost of animal care and control services provided by the Inland Valley Human Society S.P.C.A (IVHS). The last time the dog licensing fee schedule was updated was in 2007.

In addition to staffing and maintaining a clean and compassionate environment for all the stray, injured and lost-and-found animals in its care, IVHS also:

  • Facilitates pet adoptions and reunites lost pets with their owners
  • Offers low-cost veterinary care services (spaying and neutering surgery, rabies shots and other vaccines for both dogs and cats, micro chipping, deworming, and nail clipping)
  • Responds to animal-related emergencies, including requests to pick up seriously sick or injured strays and bring them to veterinarians for emergency treatment, or collect dead strays and wildlife
  • Enforces animal control laws and investigates reports of animal abuse.

As a reminder, State law mandates that all dogs, four months of age and older, be vaccinated against rabies and maintain a current license.

For more information, call IVHS at 909.623.9777 (909.594.9858 for after-hours emergency services), visit its website at www.ivhsspca.org or stop by its facility, located at 500 Humane Way in Pomona, during its office hours of Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (open until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday); kennel and adoption services start at 10:00 a.m.

 

Diamond Bar City Council Recap

By Natalie Kim

Diamond Bar – The June 21 Diamond Bar Council meeting began with several special presentations. First, a City Tile was presented to Bob Rose for his many years of service to the City as the Community Services Director. Thanks to Rose’s hard work, the city of Diamond Bar blossomed into a beautiful city with a strong community. The Council then proclaimed July as Parks and Recreation month.

During the public comments, a representative from the Diamond Bar public library announced several upcoming events, including a presentation on the Zika virus and a music mixing workshop run by a professional DJ. A representative from Waste Management presented the Council with a check in recognition of the City’s excellent performance in paint recycling.

The City Manager then read the schedule of future events, which consisted of the June 22 Concerts in the Park and Movies under the Stars, featuring Upstream and Goosebumps respectively; the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting on June 23 at 7 p.m.; the Planning Commission meeting on June 28 at 7 p.m.; the June 29 Concerts in the Park and Movies Under the Stars featuring Stone Soul and Cinderella (2015); Independence Day on July 4, during which City offices will be closed; the 4th of July Blast at Diamond Bar High School; the cancellation of the July 5 City Council meeting; the July 12 Planning Commission meeting at 7 p.m.; the July 13 Concerts in the Park and Movies Under the Stars, featuring Save by the Band and Hotel Transylvania 2; the July 14 Traffic and Transportation Commission at 7 p.m.; and the next City Council meeting on July 19 at 7 p.m.

The Council then approved all items on the Consent Calendar, including the minutes from the City Council Study Session of June 7; the minutes from the Traffic and Transportation Commission meeting of May 12; ratification of a check register totaling $1,633,765.77; a two year agreement with On-Line Transcription Services to provide minute secretarial services for the City Council, Commission and Committees; approval to adjourn the City Council meeting of July 5 to July 19; a one year consulting services agreement with Diana Cho and Associates for Community Development Block Grant Labor and Contract Compliance services; the first amendment to the contract with R. F. Dickson Company, Inc. to provide street sweeping services and new compositing program; the second amendment to the consulting services agreement with Sytech Solutions, Inc. extending the contract term through June 30, 2017; construction administration services contract to Onward Engineering for the Diamond Bar Boulevard and Brea Canyon Road Intersection Enhancement Project; the first amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement authorizing SJC3 for Consulting Inc. to administer the City’s Home Improvement Program; appropriation of Prop C fund reserves to the fiscal year 15-16 Capital Improvement Program Budget, amend the construction agreement with All American Asphalt; and a two year agreement with Inland Valley Humane Society to provide animal care and control services starting July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2018.

Following a public hearing, the Council approved a resolution levying an assessment on landscaping districts 38 39, and 41.

Finally, the Council awarded a consulting services agreement to Dyett & Bhatia to prepare the City’s Comprehensive General Plan Update. Following Council reports and comments, the Council adjourned to July 19, at 6:30 p.m.

Evergreen Odyssey Of The Mind Team Competes At World Finals

By Kelli Gile

Photo courtesy: Kelli Gile Evergreen students, parents, coaches, and principal Carolyn Wills at the Odyssey of the Mind world finals held at Iowa State University.

Photo courtesy: Kelli Gile
Evergreen students, parents, coaches, and principal Carolyn Wills at the Odyssey of the Mind world finals held at Iowa State University.

Diamond Bar – Evergreen Elementary students clinched 2nd place in the United States and 5th place in the world during the Odyssey of the Mind world finals held at Iowa State University.

The team won a regional contest in February, then swept the state championship in April to secure a spot at the finals.

Students built and designed a 14.9-gram structure made of balsa wood and glue that held 900 pounds.

Over 10,000 people and 830 teams from around the world competed in the 37th annual international championship that emphasizes creativity and teamwork.

Students competed among teams from the United States, China, Poland, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, Indonesia, and North Korea.

Congratulations to students Ianna Lin, Annie Chen, Alexander Kuo, Alex Teng, Carrie Chen, William Qian, and Alexander Dollar.

“It’s an amazing achievement for these creative thinkers and problem solvers!” said Principal Carolyn Wills.

 

 

Concerts And Movies In The Park

Staff Reports

Diamond Bar- On June 15, Diamond Bar’s popular Concerts in the Park and Movies under the Stars have returned to Sycamore Canyon Park and will continue until August 3.

The events feature a live musical performance that start at 6:30 p.m. and are followed by a  family-friendly movie.

Diamond Bar nonprofits have additional festivities during the concert such as, free games and activities for children, information and giveaways for adults, foot and other concessions.

Following is a list provided by the City of Diamond Bar for things you should keep in mind:

  • As a safety precaution and a courtesy to others, barbecues or other portable cooking appliances will be not be permitted. Also, no pets – only registered service animals will be allowed.
  • Beach blankets or low-back chairs are encouraged for open grass seating, and outside food and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed.
  • Free parking and frequent shuttle service to and from the Diamond Bar Golf Course parking lot and Sycamore Canyon Park will be available starting 5:30pm and through the end of the movie.

Following is the list of events scheduled for the summer:

  • June 29 – Band: Stone Soul (Soul) Movie: Cinderella (2015)
  • No Event on July 6
  • July 13 – Band: Saved by the Band (90s Pop/Rock) Movie: Hotel Transylvania 2
  • July 20 – Band: Yard Sale (Classic Rock) Movie: Inside Out
  • July 27 – Band: Hot August Night (Tribute to Neil Diamond) Movie: Mary Poppins
  • August 3 – Band: Cold Duck (70s Top 40) Movie: The Good Dinosaur

Sycamore Canyon Park is located at 22930 Golden Springs Drive. For additional information you may visit www.DiamondBarCA.gov/specialevents or call (909) 839-7070

 

 

Diamond Bar Council Recap

By Natalie Kim

Diamond Bar – The June 7 Diamond Bar Council meeting began with a bittersweet moment of recognition. The Council presented a City Tile to Isaac Aziz upon his resignation to become the IT Manager for the City of Aliso Viejo. After thanking Aziz for his years of service to the City they wished him luck on his new venture.

Following the public comments, the schedule of future events was read, including the following:

– Traffic and Transportation Commission meeting, June 9 at 7 p.m

– Planning Commission meeting, June 14 at 7 p.m.

– Premier Concert in the Park, June 15, featuring The Answer at Sycamore Canyon Park

– Premier Movie Under the Stars, June 15, featuring The Minions Movie which immediately followed the concert

– The next City Council meeting to be held June 21 at 6:30 p.m.

The Council then approved all items on the consent calendar, which included the following:

– City Council minutes of the study session of May 17 and the regular meeting of May 17

– Traffic and Transportation Commission minutes of the regular meetings of January 14, March 10, and April 14

– Parks and Recreation Commission minutes of the regular meeting of April 28

– Planning Commission minutes of the regular meetings of March 8 and April 26

– Ratification of a check register totalling $1,565,222.41

– Treasurer’s Statement for the month of April

– Supplemental appropriations of $300,727 into the fiscal year 2015-16 building fees revenue accounts, and $118,000 into the fiscal year 2015-16 building and safety contract services expenditure account to fund the payment of RKA Consulting Services invoices

– An amendment to the agreement with Tennis Anyone to extend the contract period to July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2017 in the amount of $70,000

– Award of a contract to Hilton Farnkopf & Hobson, LLC for as needed solid waste and recycling consulting services

– Award of a contract to Accela, Inc. for legislative management software services and authorize the City Manager to execute future contract renewals

– Approval of an amendment to the contract with ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance to extend the term of the contract from July 1, 2016 through Sept 30, 2016 to provide landscape maintenance services at 9 City parks, the grounds of the Diamond Bar Center, the football field and slope at Lorbeer Middle School, and the Mesa Trail at Sycamore Canyon Park, and to accept the change of the company’s name to Brightview Landscape Services, Inc.

The Council also adopted a resolution approving and adopting a budget for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2016 and ending June 30, 2017 including maintenance and operations, special funds and capital improvements and appropriating funds for accounts, departments, divisions, objects and purposes therein set forth.

After individual reports and comments, the Council adjourned to June 21, at 6:30 p.m. at 21865 Copley Dr.

OurWeeklyNews.com Complete Edition 6.25.16

2016-Jun25-WeeklyThe Weekly News covers community news for Chino, Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, Walnut, Rowland Heights and surrounding areas of San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire. Click this link to access the complete issue in PDF format: 2016-Jun25-Weekly-WEB