Category Archives: News By City

WVUSD Parents, Community Members Shine at Gala

Photo courtesy: Kelli Gile

By Kelli Gile

WALNUT– A stellar group of Walnut Valley Unified School District volunteers and community members were honored during the A Night of the Stars gala held April 26 at the Diamond Bar Center.

 

The 4th bi-annual event, sponsored by the Walnut Valley Educational Foundation, lauded exemplary parents, alumni, business, education, leadership, and service partners.

 

“It is an honor having the opportunity to celebrate so many wonderful people tonight,” said Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor.

 

“Thank you so much for helping make Walnut Valley such an incredible school district!”

 

Distinguished parent partner awards were presented to Mike Ramirez – Castle Rock Elementary, Karen Motus – Cyrus J. Morris Elementary, Betsy Castellano – Collegewood Elementary, Ling Yeung– Evergreen Elementary, Richard Nakama – Quail Summit Elementary, Carolyne Morris – Maple Hill Elementary, Melissa Hanson – Vejar Elementary, April Alvarado – Walnut Elementary, Melinda Powell – Westhoff Elementary, Terri Lotto, Carrie Cheng, Ray and Carol Gonzales – Chaparral Middle School, Gordon Mize – South Pointe Middle School, David Morales – Suzanne Middle School, Wanda Tanaka – Diamond Bar High, Pastor Donald R. Gridiron and Gloria G. Gridiron – Ron Hockwalt Academies,

and Raymond and Kary Wong – Walnut High.

 

Distinguished partner awards were presented to Ryan O’Shea MD, Diamond Bar High Class of 2003 – Alumni, SolarMAX Technology, Ching Liu – Business Partner, Nancy Hogg and Denis Paul – Community Partners, Walnut Valley Secondary Music Programs: Diamond Bar and Walnut High Schools, Chaparral, South Pointe, and Suzanne Middle Schools – Education Partners, Walnut Valley Financing Corporation – Leadership Partner, and Walnut Valley Kiwanis Club – Service Partner.

 

“After hearing all the accomplishments shared about our honorees, the term ‘it takes a village’ is truly felt here,” said Board President Cindy Ruiz who emceed the presentations with Deputy Superintendent Dr. Matthew Witmer.

 

Photo courtesy: Kelli Gile

The celebration of education also featured music by the Diamond Bar High Commercial Music Program.

 

The Kenneth Goodson Memorial Scholarship was introduced in honor of the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services who passed away in February.

 

The event concluded with a surprise Distinguished Leader recognition for Dr. Taylor as Superintendent of the Year.

 

“I can’t tell you how long we’ve kept this a secret!” Ruiz added.

 

“It took all these people on stage to come together, including the School Board, Employee Associations, Parent Organizations, and Educational Foundation to pull this off!” Ruiz said.

 

Star parents were honored for generously giving their time and talents to benefit students and schools.

 

Three years ago, Cyrus J. Morris Elementary honoree and school alumnus Karen Motus was motivated to spearhead and lead a Science Olympiad team because her children, Kaylee and Elonzo, love science.

 

“I stayed on as coach because I have been surrounded by students, faculty, and families who enjoy learning about STEAM and the importance of teamwork!” she said.

 

April Alvarado has been involved in every event at Walnut Elementary during the past seven years. She volunteers to be a room parent for classrooms when they don’t have one – even though her children aren’t in that class.

 

“She never hesitates to help,” lauded Principal Robert Chang.

 

Chaparral Middle School band booster parents Terri Lotto, Carrie Cheng, Ray and Carol Gonzales were honored successfully fundraising over $20,000 this year to support out-of-state competitions. They arrive daily to stock, catalog, and sell snacks from the after-school band store.

 

“The contributions of these three families represent the commitment of this wonderful group of supporters to music, and to the Chaparral band program!” said Principal Ron Thibodeaux.

 

Rich Nakama volunteers in the Quail Summit Elementary library, virtual desktop (VDI) lab, playground area, and is the logistics person for the Carnival.

 

“Rich is always the first to arrive and last to leave!” said Principal Frances Weissenberger.

 

Walnut Valley Rotary Club’s Deputy of The Year

Staff Reports

Diamond Bar – On Tuesday, April 24th, Deputy Mark Dean from the Walnut / Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Station, was honored by the Walnut Valley Rotary Club for Deputy of The Year. Deputy Dean was presented the award by the Rotary Club during a breakfast at the Diamond Bar Golf Course in front of County Council representatives, City Council members, partners and his friends and family.

 

30 Years (Part One)

By Mark Hopper

Thirty years is a long time. It is almost a third of a century. But, that is how long we have lived in Diamond Bar, California. I began my new job as the pastor of our church on June 1, 1988 – 30 years ago. My wife and kids stayed in Arizona waiting for our house to sell while I began work at the church. I lived by myself in a condo near Pathfinder and Diamond Bar Blvd.  The condo belonged to a widow who was in poor health and she was living with her family. So I was on my own for about six weeks.

Although I missed my family during that time, I had a lot of time to get to know the community and people in the church.  I was able to visit most of the church families and several of them invited me to dinner in their homes.  In addition, I enjoyed delicious chocolate chip cookies and other snacks that came to my door during those days.

When our house finally sold in Arizona, I flew home to pack up and move to California.  With four kids and a four bedroom house, we had a lot of stuff to move.  We rented a U-Haul Truck – the biggest they made towing the biggest trailer they made!  Friends in Arizona helped us load everything in to the truck and trailer and new friends in California helped us unload it.  We could not have done it without their help.

We moved into the Daisy apartments (now the Hillside apartments) on Grand Avenue across from the Fire station.  We unloaded some things into this two bedroom apartment, but most of our things would need to be put in storage.  When I drove this giant truck and trailer down the exit driveway, it got stuck.  The trailer hitch got caught on the pavement and the back wheels of the truck were lifted off the ground.  The truck was stuck and we couldn’t move!  It was quite a sight.

I ran over to the fire station and asked for help, but they didn’t know what to do either.  Finally, I called the U-Haul hot line and they sent a tow truck from Sana Ana to help.  The tow truck driver hitched a heavy chain on to the front bumper of the truck. The firemen blocked oncoming traffic and the tow truck dragged us down the driveway and on to Grand Avenue while I was sitting in the truck using the brakes so I wouldn’t hit the tow truck in front of me.  It was a memorable start to our new life in Diamond Bar.

Our life at the Daisy apartment was fun.  It felt like we were on vacation.  It was a little crowded with four kids and two adults, but it had a pool, spa and tennis court.  I would go to work each day and my wife and kids enjoyed “vacation” at the Daisy apartments!

I usually took Monday as my day off, so we began to go to the beach on Mondays.  We usually went to Newport Beach and we usually stopped at Thrifty Drug store to get a scoop of ice cream on the way to the beach.  This became a weekly routine. Eventually the kids began to invite friends to come with us. The summer of ‘88 was a summer to remember.

In the first book in the Bible (Genesis) there is the record of Abraham leaving his home in Ur near the Persian Gulf and traveling to a land called Canaan (Israel).  The Bible says that Abraham went in faith, following the call of God on his life.  Abraham packed up his family and his possessions and traveled to a land he had never seen before.  It was a journey of faith.

We packed up our family and our possessions and traveled to a community we had never heard of called Diamond Bar.  It was a journey of faith for us too.  We are thankful that the Lord led us to this special community and to this special church.

Pastor Mark Hopper

Efree Church of Diamond Bar

3255 South Diamond Bar Blvd

909-594-7604

Sunday Services: 9:00 & 10:45

 

Police Need Your Help With Fatal Accident

By Anthony Saude

 

Eastvale – Crime never goes away, and the Eastvale Police Department’s Traffic Division is asking for the public’s help with an investigation that occurred four years ago.

On Friday, April 25, 2014, just after midnight, Eastvale officers began a Hit-And-Run investigation at the intersection of Limonite Avenue and Hamner Avenue. The collision turned fatal. Officers learned a black, unknown make sedan, struck a bicyclist after failing to stop for a red light. The sedan fled the scene on Limonite Avenue and was never located. Witnesses attempted to provide information that day, but at this moment, no one is in custody. The day’s tragic events took the life of a young man, Troy Davids, and left his family mourning his loss.

The commitment to the investigation has never diminished for the Eastvale Police Department. They are now asking for residents in the community for your help. All information and the previous leads the public provided have been exhausted. The traffic division for the police department is encouraging anyone with information to come forward and contact them at 951-955-2600.

Details:

On Friday, April 25, 2014 at 12:12 a.m., Eastvale Police Officers responded to a reported injury traffic collision at the intersection of Limonite Ave. and Hamner Ave., in the City of Eastvale.  During the preliminary investigation it was revealed that an unknown make or model black sedan, traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of Limonite Ave., failed to stop for a red traffic signal light.  As a result, the black sedan collided into a bicyclist, who was traveling southbound on Hamner Ave.

After the collision, the black sedan continued westbound on Limonite Avenue in the eastbound lanes of traffic. The sedan was last seen turning south on Scholar Way. Officers arrived within minutes of receiving being dispatched to the scene. When they arrived at the scene neither the black sedan, nor the driver of the sedan were in the area any longer. They were never located.

Witnesses on scene described the suspect vehicle as a black, four door sedan. The suspect vehicle fled the scene of the traffic collision westbound on Limonite Avenue and made a left turn onto Scholar Way.

As a result of the collision, the bicyclist ultimately succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at a regional hospital.

The Eastvale Police Department is seeking help from the public in identifying the suspect and suspect vehicle of this traffic collision.   Specifically, the Eastvale Police Department is seeking the help of a good Samaritan, who was driving a tan Chevrolet Suburban. The police believe  that they may have seen the suspect vehicle and driver as is it fled the scene of the collision.

Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to call Deputy Cuadra at the Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s Station at (951) 955-2662.

 

Car Blazes On Grand Ave

Photo by Michael Armijo

By Michael Armijo

 

Diamond Bar – Anyone who drove past Summit ridge Park last week couldn’t help but notice the formerly white but now burnt out BMW X5 on fire in the parking lot at 1600 Grand Ave in the early morning hours. LA County Sheriff deputies were on hand to oversee what happened to the car.

“This may be a crime scene,” said one LA County Deputy. “We haven’t determined the cause yet.”

“The deputy was investigating if it was arson, insurance fraud, or vandalism, but none of those were evident,” said Walnut-Diamond Bar station captain Al Reyes. “It stemmed from a call of non-criminal auto fire we received.”

Captain Reyes told OurWeeklyNews.com that the owner of the vehicle noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment while she was driving. She pulled into Summit Ridge Park and called 911 to report her car was on fire.

“The fire department responded and extinguished the fire. The cause is still unknown. The vehicle was identified as a 2008 BMW,” the Captain said.

If anyone has any information on the incident please contact the Walnut Sheriff Station at 909.595.2264.

 

David Hall Passes Away

By Anthony Saude

Walnut – It is with great sadness we mourn the passing of the Regional Chamber of Commerce

San Gabriel Valley Board Chair/President, Dr. David Hall, he fought courageously during his long battle with cancer.

 

David K. Hall, 72, passed away on Sunday, April 22, 2018, he was surrounded by friends and loved ones.

 

David was born on July 16, 1945 in Coffeyville, Kansas and graduated from the University of Kansas in 1966, David was a dedicated Jayhawk sports fan his entire life. He obtained his doctorate in political science from Stanford University. David enlisted in the Air Force during the Vietnam War years, there he taught at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After his years in the service he taught at Brown University and at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. In the early 90’s he changed life direction and moved to Los Angeles, joining Hitchcock Automotive Resources.

 

David’s long list of professional accomplishments and accolades are remarkable but his community and public service efforts are what defined him in his life. As a longtime elected Trustee for Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, California, David mentored countless students and helped transform the college. He always made time to meet with students privately, advise them on career paths and participate in campus events. Annually, he’d even perform in some of the on campus stage shows to help raise funds for student scholarships.

 

Everything David committed to he did with dedication, passion in an approachable, coachable and infectious way. His sense of humor was contagious allowing him to elicit laughter even in tense situations. He was a practical joker, never missing a chance to play a trick on a close friend or colleague. Endearingly, he found his own antics very funny.

 

David was so many things to so many people: a teacher, a friend, a confidant, a mentor, a public servant, a philanthropist, a partner and a leader. While his soul is laid to rest, his legacy lives on.

David is Survived by his Fiancé Earnestine Tu, and his two brothers Bruce and Roger Hall.

 

A close friend of David’s, Michael Armijo said,” He had a strong genuine concern for the community, he was constantly trying to help people and he gave his heart to the residents. He was like a brother to me, he always made time”.

 

Celebration of Life services will be held at Mt. San Antonio College on May 11th at 9:30 am in the Clark auditorium.

 

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Dr. David K. Hall Business Scholarship

 

Walnut Students Complete PTLW Biomedical Sciences Program

By Kelli Gile

WALNUT—For 20 Walnut High School seniors, years of tremendous dedication and hard work in a rigorous biomedical sciences program they began as sophomores have paid finally off.

The teens were presented with white lab coats and honor medallions marking the completion of the International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme/Project Lead the Way (IBCP-PLTW) Biomedical Sciences Program.

“I’m excited, I’ve been waiting for this day for three years!” said Samuel Chien, 18, before the White Coat Ceremony held Tuesday evening.

Congratulations to the following Class of 2018 honorees: Jordyn Arce, Chriselle Badua, Brian Chang, Selena Chen, Kevin Cheng, Samuel Chien, Jocelyn Do, Isaac Duran, Emily Gehringer, Audrey Kuo, Alicia Lu, Michael Lu, Arianha Montelongo, Jodee-Anne Pagusan, Janelle Pham, Gina Pinsakul, Omar Sultan, Aryaman Trikala, Aaron Tsay, and Brandon Tueng.

“These students are remarkable and exemplify why we have the best IBCP-PLTW Biomedical Sciences Program in the state,” said instructional dean Barbie Cole.

Additionally, three students received special awards for displaying exemplary effort during the course of the program: Brandon Yeung – Enthusiastic Learner, Samuel Chien – Excellence in Biomedical Science, and Chriselle Badua – Exemplary IB Learner.

PLTW teachers Chiara Morgan, Bryn Schultz, and Ellie Blanchard presented awards during the event attended by families, staff, and District officials.

The Walnut High students displayed knowledge, ability, and aptitude in the area of biomedical science.

Brandon Yueng said he discovered his career path during the program. The 17-year-old is looking at going into anesthesiology or cardiology.

“While we were studying the human body systems I did really well on the heart and circulation. So, I started getting more interested and then learned about it in our career journals,” he said.

Walnut High has also been selected as a 2018 PLTW Distinguished High School. The award is designed to honor schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in the PTLW program.
Since launching in 2013, Walnut High has remained the only school in the state to offer both IBCP with the PLTW Biomedical Sciences program as its career-related component.

There are currently only 179 IBCP schools worldwide, 96 in the United States, and three in California.

Being a part of this program has meant a lot to this group, Chien added.

“We’ve been together in so many classes, not just the IBCP program, and we’ve developed great friendships!”

The program requires students to complete four biomedical science courses and two IB diploma courses with end-of-year exams in each. Students also complete a personal and professional skills course, numerous service-learning projects, and a written reflective project.

The white lab coat is the distinctive dress of the biomedical scientist. Receiving or wearing the coat denotes that the wearer is not only deserving of the respect for his profession, but also an ethical, learned person of science.

 

Rents Skyrocketing?

Nef Cortez

By Nef Cortez

I have reported on home values rising fast in Diamond Bar. Today, wetake a look at how fast rents are increasing as well.

Home values typically follow the pattern of economic recessions, with prices increasing as the economy improves, and peaking at about the same time or slightly after the economy has reached its zenith.  Rents, however, appear to be immune to the rise and fall or cyclical nature of home prices or home values.  The predictable thing about home rental values is that over the years, they have consistently trended upward.

As an example, where home values took a dive of almost 30-40% during the Great Recession, rents maintained a level or flat trendline.  Since the end of the Great Recession in 2009, property values across the United States have come roaring back to their current heights.  The median sales price of a Diamond Bar single family residence (SFR) in the First quarter of 2018 reached a level of $735,000.  That represented an increase of 56% from the median sales price of $470,000.00 in the first quarter of 2010.

The Diamond Bar median rental rate for a Single FamilyResidence (detached) in the first quarter of 2018 stood at $2,860.00. This represented an increase of 30% from the median rental rate of $2,200.00   where it was in the middle of the aftermath of the Great Recession.  This represents an increase of $660.00 per month, which is not an insignificant number, but it is not the “stratospheric” increase seen in the  single family resale market values.  The rate of increase of rentals (30%) in the same period has been almost half of what the rate of the median price increase of homes values (56%) from 2010 to 2018.

Next week we will look at the Diamond Bar Townhome and Condominium rental market, and the comparison of rental for that type of property to the single family residential (detached).

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

 

Volunteer Recognition and Pinning Ceremony

By Anthony Saude
Diamond Bar – On April 26, the Sheriff’s Department held their annual Volunteer Recognition award and Pinning Ceremony at the STARS Center in Whittier. STARS is the primary training site for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Deputy Explorer program and is a learning for life certified law enforcement explorer academy.

This event recognizes Civilian Volunteers who have donated in excess of 5,000 hours of their time. The Helen Reardon award is presented annually in recognition of the Volunteer of the Year. All those who were nominated for the Helen Reardon Volunteer of the Year Award were recognized and honored.

The Walnut Station Booster Club President Gil Rivera was presented with the Helen Reardon Award this year. “Gil was nominated due to his countless hours of working to keep the Booster Club financially secure and successful,” said Sgt. Saldecke. “I was surprised and honored to win the award,” said Gil. “It represents the hundreds of hours that are put in by all of the board members to ensure that we have the funds needed to support the efforts of the volunteers at the station.”

Gil, along with the Booster Club Board of Directors, work tirelessly to ensure funding for our Disaster Communications Service, Explorer, Reserve Deputy, and all the Volunteer Programs training and equipment needs.

 

 

 

Collegewood 2nd graders celebrate Earth Day

 Kelli Gile

WALNUT —Second graders at Collegewood Elementary paid tribute to Mother Earth with a day of “outdoor school” on April 22.

About 100 students rotated through stations while learning about recycling, repurposing, and more.

“Our kids need to practice Earth Day every day so that their future will be clean and bright!” said teacher Betsy Hale.

The youngsters planted herb and flower seeds in empty milk cartons and crafted simple bird feeders from pipe cleaners and cereal rounds to hang on trees and bushes on campus.

“They love watering the plants and watching them grow!” shared teacher Elvonne Vance.

Teacher Stephanie Johnson offered a lesson on water cycles using sandwich bags and food coloring that she found on Pinterest.

“I had them draw a water line at the bottom of the Ziploc and a sun at the top to begin the science experiment,” she explained.

Each student filled the bottom of the baggie with water and then carefully squeezed in a couple drops of blue dye before taping to a window.

The food coloring would enable them see the water evaporate in the warm sunlight, condense back into liquid, and fall back down in the form of precipitation after a few days.

The youngsters also created Earth Day posters using paper bags with handles, old crayons, paper scraps, and art pastels.

“Take care of the Earth, we only have one!” wrote Paloma Pasquil.

“We should take care of our Earth every day,” added Danika Pe.

The activities covered all curricular areas including math, science, reading, writing, and art.

The children enjoyed games of golf and croquet on the grass while listening to ecology-themed songs

“It was good old-fashioned play – no electronics!” said Hale who even received a couple thank you notes afterward.

“Events like this are remembered!” she exclaimed.

 

Motorcycle Awareness Month in May

Staff Reports

Pomona – In order to reduce motorcycle crashes and save lives, Pomona Police Department and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) are teaming up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this May for the annual Motorcycle Safety Awareness campaign to help save lives on our roadways. The awareness campaign aims to educate vehicle drivers and motorcyclists on how each motorist can be more aware of the other, creating safer roads and saving lives in the process.
Pomona Police Department will join law enforcement throughout the state to step up enforcement along with awareness efforts to lower motorcycle deaths and injuries during the May campaign.  Officers will have a special emphasis this month on enforcing all traffic violations by both drivers and motorcyclists, deploying Saturation Patrols throughout the month of May.
According to NHTSA, motorcyclists accounted for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2015, while motorcycles make up just 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States. In 2016, 5,286 motorcyclists were killed in motor vehicle crashes – a 6 percent increase from the 4,976 killed in 2015. More than 88,000 motorcyclists were injured in motor vehicle crashes.
Recent data from the California Department of Motor Vehicles shows there are more than 900,000 registered motorcycles in the state and more than 1.4 million licensed riders.  In 2016, 560 motorcyclists were killed in motor vehicle crashes in California– an 11 percent increase from the 494 killed in 2015. More than 14,400 motorcyclists were injured in motor vehicle crashes.
Pomona Police Department has these general tips to drivers on how to prevent a fatal crash with a motorcycle:

Though a motorcycle is a small vehicle, motorist can do their part by sharing the road.

Always us a turn signal when changing lanes or merging with traffic.

If you see a motorcycle with a signal on, be careful: motorcycle signals are often non-canceling and could have been forgotten. Always ensure that the motorcycle is turning before proceeding.

Stay alert, check all mirrors and blind spots for motorcycles before changing lanes or merging with traffic.

Always allow more following distance, follow at a safe distance when behind a motorcycle. This gives them more time to maneuver or stop in an emergency.

Never drive distracted or impaired.

Motorcyclists can increase their safety by following these steps:

Wear a DOT-compliant helmet and other protective gear.

Ride safely when lane sharing and always proceed at safe speeds.

Obey all traffic laws and be properly licensed.

Use turn signals at every lane change or turn.

Wear brightly colored clothes and reflective tape to increase visibility.

Ride safely when lane sharing and always proceed at safe speeds.

Never ride distracted or impaired.

The Office of Traffic Safety encourages all riders, new and experienced, to enroll in the California Motorcyclist Safety Program (CMSP).  The CMSP was developed in July 1987 and has training sites throughout the state.  The CMSP trains approximately 60,000 motorcyclists per year and has trained more than 1.1 million motorcycle riders.  For more information, or to find a training site near you, visit californiamotorcyclist.com.
The Motorcycle Safety Saturation Patrols are funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety.

Remember: Riders and Drivers Can Work Together to Save Lives.

USATF Pulls Olympic Trials From Mt. SAC

Staff Reports

Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College was recently informed by USA Track and Field (USATF), that it will no longer host the 2020 USA Olympic Team Track and Field Trials. This decision means that USATF would reopen bidding for a new event venue.

While we are disappointed, we accept that the terms of the agreement give USATF the authority to withdraw from this commitment.

In June 2017, Mt. SAC was selected to host the 10-day event because of its long history of successfully holding world-class track and field events.  In the press release from USATF announcing our selection, board chair Steve Miller said, “Mt. SAC has long been one of the top meets in the country, from an athlete performance perspective as well as from an organizational perspective.”

The USATF referenced litigation from the City of Walnut and United Walnut Taxpayers as the reason for its decision. The two lawsuits that were mentioned have either been settled or ruled by a judge in the college’s favor, as was reported in Our Weekly News last week. Officials at Mt. SAC remain confident in their ability to deliver a completed stadium on time and a have a very successful event.

There will certainly be big losses at the college, including financial commitments, relationships with new and existing partners and thousands of hours of lost time. Most importantly, the entire Greater Los Angeles region will lose the economic impact of at least $37 million, which is the amount generated in 2016 by this event.

The Mt. SAC Local Organizing Committee is ready to execute the plans to host the 2020 in the event USATF reconsiders their decision. Regardless of what the future holds, Mt. SAC will be looking forward to continuing their well-established, positive relationship with USATF. Nobody knows what the future brings and if it brings the Trials back someday, they will be ready.

Mt. SAC has always prided itself on providing service to the sport by hosting world-class events. Like the Mt. SAC Relays and Cross Country Invitational that they have hosted for more than 60 years.

The college’s plans to build a stadium for their students and community, and to keep hosting top notch events remain unchanged. Mt. SAC officials are confident that they can continue to be the place where the world’s best athletes compete.

 

City of Eastvale Appoints New Assistant City Manager

By Anthony Saude

Eastvale – Bryan Jones’s appointment as Eastvale’s new Assistant City Manager became official on Monday, April 16. Bryan and his wife, Shari, have been married for ten years. They have two children and three black Labradors.

The appointment concluded a six-month nationwide recruitment process. Jones was selected from ninety qualified applicants. “We are thrilled to have Bryan serve as the Assistant City Manager for the City of Eastvale,” City Manager Michele Nissen said. “He is passionate about helping the City move in the direction of our full potential that will ultimately help us serve the community in the best way. I am confident that he will do a great job in this position.” Bryan draws his knowledge from his nearly 20 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. He has led cutting-edge land use and transportation infrastructure projects throughout California and North America as a results-oriented certified planner and professional engineer. He has more than a decade of experience serving in local agency public sector leadership positions, leading large scale land use projects such as residential developments, office campuses, industrial parks, transit oriented development, downtown revitalization, and mixed use projects. Bryan has a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Norwich University with focus on Leadership and Sustainable Financial Strategies, as well as a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering from University of California Davis with a minor in communications. Bryan is a certified National Complete Streets Instructor and for the past six years, he has served at Caltrans as a voting member of the California Traffic Control Devices Committee for the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Bryan is passionate about identifying ways to help move and connect people, businesses, and communities so that they can all thrive. “I am honored and humbled to be joining such an amazing team,” said Assistant City Manager Bryan Jones. “The culture of an organization is very important to me, and you can feel the Eastvale Way the moment you walk into City Hall. The team here truly cares about working with the City of Eastvale and each other. They all care about the people and businesses of the community and are always looking for new ways of helping Eastvale move in the direction of its full potential.” “As the new Assistant City Manager, I look forward to serving the people of Eastvale and collectively, enhancing the quality of life for everyone in our great city,” said Assistant City Manager Bryan Jones.

The City of Eastvale was founded on October 1, 2010 as an independent local government agency, governed by a five-member, elected City Council. The City of Eastvale serves over 64,613 residents and encompasses 13.1 square-miles in western Riverside County. The City is strategically poised between Interstate 15 and California State Routes 91, 60, and 71, making access easy for residents, visitors and businesses alike. Eastvale is a young and dynamic community filled with economic opportunity, tremendous growth, and strong values. For more information on the City of Eastvale, please visit: http://www.EastvaleCA.gov

New On-Ramps, Off-Ramps in Diamond Bar Now Open

Photo: diamondbarca.gov

By Anthony Saude

Diamond Bar – Two of the three legs of the new Lemon Avenue interchange of the 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar opened on Tuesday, May 1 in time for the busy morning commute.

Caltrans will clear away the orange cones at 6 a.m. and officially allowed commuters to enter the westbound 60 Freeway via the brand new Lemon Avenue on-ramp. When they return home eastbound they will be exiting on the brand new newly constructed off – ramp for Lemon Avenue.

An eastbound freeway on-ramp, also at Lemon Avenue is scheduled to open sometime in June. When that is open it will complete the three-legged interchange that has been in the works for 14 years in the eastern section of Los Angeles County, at the corner of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties.

ACE the lead agency, Caltrans, Los Angeles County and the cities of Diamond Bar and City of Industry have been working together on this idea of adding the new exit/entrance to this busy section of freeway since 2004.

After the contract was finally signed in 2011 the vision began to take shape. The construction on this project has led to weekend lane closures, detours and delays for the past year and a half. The increase in truck traffic from the ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach has long clogged the 60 Freeway in the San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire along the so called “truck route.” Hundreds of 18-wheeler trucks carry goods from the ports to warehouses in City of Industry as well as Ontario, Moreno Valley, San Bernardino and Riverside every day.

The eastbound off-ramp at Brea Canyon Road in Diamond Bar will be permanently closed. Motorists will no longer be able to exit the freeway there.

The eastbound on-ramp to the freeway at Brea Canyon will remain open until construction is complete on the Lemon Avenue on-ramp sometime in June.

Once the work is finished, the $22.5 million project will swap the Brea Canyon Road entrance and exit with a new Lemon Avenue entrance and exit a few miles to the west.

This project, it is said, will reduce existing traffic congestion, delays and  improve mobility and access to and from the 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar and Industry. According to ACE this will eliminate the weaving and confusion many drivers experience when approaching the busy 57 /60 Freeway interchange.

The hopes of the county and the nearby communities is that the truck traffic will be diverted away from the Diamond Bar, Brea Canyon Road area and the nearby streets going toward City of Industry. “For decades, drivers have got lost and end up driving the back streets of Diamond Bar looking for their destinations”, said Diamond Bar Councilwoman Carol Herrera in February.

Closing the Brea Canyon Road ramps and diverting cars and trucks to Lemon Avenue is just a precursor to a full-fledged reconfiguration of the larger 57/60 freeways where they join together for a two-mile stretch in Diamond Bar, known as the SR 57/60 Freeway Confluence.

The larger, $260-million project has been billed as a fix to the No. 1 freeway interchange in the state for truck accidents and delays as ranked by the American Transportation Research Institute.

Stuck on the 405

By Mark Hopper

Recently, my sister in law’s car broke down while she was driving on the 405 Freeway.  Bummer! She had spent a few days with her grandchildren in San Diego and was driving home to in Bakersfield when her Nissan began to sputter and finally died in the middle of the north bound 405 Freeway!

Thankfully no one hit her as her car slowed to a stop in the middle of afternoon traffic. A helpful stranger pushed her car to the side of the freeway and she called 911 and AAA for help.  The CHP office arrived quickly and parked his cruiser behind her car to protect her from the rush hour traffic. The tow truck arrived and asked her where she wanted to go for repairs.

While all of this is unfolding on the 405, my brother called me and asked if I could go help his wife. He knew she had broken down on the 405 Freeway but he was not sure exactly where she was. After a flurry of cell phone calls with his wife and with me, he decided to have her car towed to our house in Diamond Bar.

He asked me if I knew a good mechanic who could analyze the situation and if his wife could stay with us until her car could be repaired. Unfortunately, when I called a reliable mechanic that we often recommend, he was unable to help. He was overbooked with work and his co-worker was gone for the week.

As the tow truck slowly made its way in rush hour traffic toward Diamond Bar, I realized that it would drive past a Nissan dealer on the 60 Freeway. Maybe he should take the car there and ask them to diagnose the problem? I could meet my sister in law there and we could decide what to do.

We didn’t know how late the car dealer and service department would be open late in the afternoon, but they responded quickly and assured us that they could repair the car quickly. The diagnostics would cost about $125 plus the parts and labor. The service advisor encouraged us to go find some dinner and come back in about an hour. They would call us if there was any unexpected problems.

While we ate dinner, we prayed that the repairs would be done quickly and that it would not cost too much.  My sister in law was hoping to get back on the road and get home so she could teach school the next day.

When we returned to the car dealer, we went to the cashier’s office to pay for the repair work. But, the cashier didn’t have the paper work so she told us to go back and talk with the service advisor. He explained that the repair was actually very simple. An air intake hose had come loose and they actually found the missing part laying on the engine. They simply put the part back together with a new hose clamp!

When we asked how much this cost he said, “No charge”! At first we weren’t sure we heard him correctly – did he say “No charge”? Yes – the missing part was still there and a simple hose clamp reconnected everything and the car was running fine. “No charge”. We were stunned and very thankful for this unexpected outcome. Amazing!

My sister in law was able to get back on the freeway and continue her journey home. She arrived safe and sound later that night. My sister in law had quite an adventure. From broken down in the middle of the 405 Freeway and towed 40 miles to a very helpful car dealer and back on the road without a scratch or paying a penny – pretty amazing.

By the way, did I tell you the name of the service advisor who was so helpful? His name was “Jesus”. No kidding! I thought Jesus was a carpenter by trade, but I guess he is in the car repair business 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

 

Mt. SAC to Honor Twenty Students of Distinction

By Anthony Saude

WALNUT – Twenty students will be honored this year at Mt. San Antonio College’s annual “Students of Distinction” awards ceremony. The luncheon will take place on Saturday, May 12 at 11:30 a.m. at the Pacific Palms Resort, 1 Industry Hills Parkway, in the City of Industry.

These prestigious awards recognize selected students for their competitive, academic, and personal achievements as well as their outstanding service to the college. Recipients of this year’s Academic Achievement Award, which is awarded to students who have maintained a minimum 3.75 GPA, are Matthew McBride of West Covina, Kevin Schmitt of Diamond Bar, Samantha Alvarez of Chino, Myriam Hakimeh of San Dimas, Daniel Garcia of Ontario, and Edilberto Ylo of Walnut.

Recipients of the Service Achievement Award, who provided exceptional volunteer service to their college and their community and also maintained a minimum 3.0 GPA, are Corey Case of Chino, Maricela Aviles of La Puente, and Mohsin Moosa of Diamond Bar.

The Personal Achievement Award is given to those students who have overcame personal hardship while still maintaining a minimum 2.75 GPA. This year’s winners are Sandra Nunez of West Covina, Geovanna Castillo Lopez of Chino, Tera Vaughn of Rancho Cucamonga, Xingyi (Mirana) Cao of Chino Hills, Mickey Qiu of West Covina, Seya Guerrero of Rowland Heights, and Amanada Frausto of Chino.

The Competitive Achievement award is presented to those who earned a minimum 3.0 GPA and earned distinction for success as part of a competitive student group or team. The students who will receive the award this year are Amir Freeman of Pomona, Kyle Beck of Rancho Cucamonga, Angelica Cruz of Covina, and Ryon Knowles of Corona.

If you are interested in attending this year’s ceremony and luncheon, tickets cost $20 and must be purchased by May 7 through Mt. SAC’s Student Life Office. You can contact them at (909) 274-4525.

 

The Final Four

By Mark Hopper

The Final Four championship of the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament was held in San Antonio, Texas a few weeks ago in the huge Alamo Dome. I actually attended the Final Four At that same location about 20 years ago.  It was a great experience that I still remember. Unfortunately, my favorite college teams were not there then and they were not there again this year.

One of my favorite memories from my Final Four experience was the plane ride back home to California. I had traveled with a couple of college basketball coaches. We flew on my favorite airline – Southwest. Twenty years ago, some of the Southwest planes had seats that faced each other. We ended up in the back of the plane facing three other gentlemen flying back to LA.

We had a fascinating conversation with the men sitting across from us. One of them had actually played basketball for USC many years earlier. His name was David Price. After college and law school, he eventually developed a business managing golf courses. He was the owner of American Golf. His company owned or managed over 200 golf courses across the country!

He was a quiet and unassuming man. I would have never guessed that the man sitting across from me in the back of a crowed airplane owned and managed golf courses. I even asked him why he didn’t have his own plane? He said that he did at one time but it wasn’t very cost effective.

We not only talked about his business success, we also talked about his personal life and faith. He shared with us how he had become a follower of Jesus through the influence of some teenagers that he met at a local gym.

He also shared a story of how he was led to invest some of his wealth in a new Christian school that was starting in Thousand Oaks. Some friends had challenged him to contribute to this project, but he saw no reason to help build a school. His children were already grown. Why should he help?

Eventually, he did contribute to the cause. Today, Oaks Christian High School is one of the athletic powerhouses in Southern California. And, although his own children were too old to attend, eventually some of his grandchildren did!

When we finally arrive back in LA, he gave me one of his business cards and invited me to play a round of golf at one of his courses. He instructed me to call his secretary and she would arrange it.

A few days later, I wrote him a thank you note and told him how much I enjoyed our conversation.  I also told him that my father in law was a golfer and was coming to LA. I shared with Mr. Price that what I would really love to do would be to play a round of golf with him and my father in law.

He wrote back and thanked me for my note and expressed how much he enjoyed our conversation on the airplane, too. However, he didn’t think my idea would work out because although he owned and managed many golf courses across the country – he didn’t play golf! Amazing!

You may not be a golfer either, but I hope you are a follower of Jesus. Young and old, wealthy and poor – everyone is welcome to follow Him!

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 Community Photo Contest

City of Diamond Bar

 

From its people to its places, Diamond Bar is brimming with photo-taking opportunities. If you live in town, we invite you to find some of these opportunities, photograph them and enter them into this year’s Through My Lens photo contest.

Co-sponsored by the City and the Diamond Bar Community Foundation, Through My Lens is now in its eight year and aims to raise community spirit while highlighting the best of Diamond Bar as captured through the camera lenses of residents.

The contest runs through Monday, October 15, with entries accepted in two age divisions (adult and youth) and five categories (people, pets, places, nature and digitally-altered).

Photo entries will be judged based on consistency with the “Diamond Bar living” theme, aesthetic appeal, originality, and creativity.

One entry will be selected as the winner in each of the divisions and categories, and those that come in a close second will receive an honorable mention. The overall top vote-getter will earn the grand prize title.

All winners will receive recognition by the Diamond Bar City Council and the Diamond Bar Community Foundation, and cash prizes of $50 for honorable mentions, $100 for winners, and $150 for the grand prize.

Official contest rules and the entry form is available at Diamond Bar City Hall, located at 21810 Copley Drive, or may also be downloaded from the City website at www.diamondbarca.gov/photocontest. To speak to someone about the contest, contact the City’s Public Information Division at 909.839.7057 or photocontest@diamondbarca.gov.

 

Child Abuse Suspect Faces 140 Years In Prison

By Anthony Saude

Chino Hills – A 29 year old Perris man faces 140 years in state prison when he is sentenced in June for sexually abusing two children over an eight-year span in Chino and Perris, according to the San Bernardino County District Attorneys’ office.

A jury of his peers convicted Alberto Ray Chavez, 29, of multiple felony counts in Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court on Thursday April 19, according to a news release from the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office.

Chavez was convicted of one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child – sodomy, two counts of sexual intercourse or sodomy with a child 10 years old or younger, three counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration with a child 10 years old or younger, and two counts of committing a lewd act upon a child, according to a news release.

Sentencing for Chavez will be carried out on June 1 inside a West Valley Superior Courtroom in Rancho Cucamonga. Currently Chaves is being detained at West Valley Detention Center in the city of Rancho Cucamonga.

According to reports out of the Chino Police Department investigators were first alerted to the abuse on January 23, 2016. An investigation into the allegations was launched and Chavez was arrested and booked on February 3, 2016, on the 17500 block of Perris Boulevard in Moreno Valley.

It was determined by the investigating Detectives that Chavez sexually abused the victims over an eight year span on multiple occasions in Chino and Perris, according to Chino police. He pled not guilty to the charges in February 2016.

 

Walnut City Sheriff Department Chinese Program

Staff Reports

Walnut – Starting on Thursday, May 17th, 2018, the Sun Yat Sen Chinese Institute will come to the Walnut station to provide Chinese (Mandarin) language classes. The classes will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and held downstairs in the training room.  The class will meet every Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The class is FREE to attend and will go on for 12 weeks.  

The class is open to all personnel (sworn, civilian, volunteers, reserves, explorers, etc.).  For more information, please contact Deputy Louis Denver at ladenver@lasd.org or 626-913-1715 to fill out a registration form.