Category Archives: News By City

Costco Inks Deal To Open

Photo courtesy: Google

Staff Reports

 

Eastvale – The last hurdle has been cleared for the long awaited Costco project to move forward without any further negotiations. The city of Eastvale agreed to increase the $2.5 million to $4.5 million in future sales tax to be paid to the centers developer of the Goodman Commerce Center in November of 2016. One month after Eastvale officials agreed to the sales tax refund for the developer Costco has signed a deal to be the project’s retail anchor.

Costco will occupy 10 of the 40 acres set aside for retail in the 205-acre project.  The original pact for the $2.5 million in sales tax from the project was to help pay for street and other infrastructure improvements but the increase in the sales tax was needed to attract the likes of a big box retailer the size of Costco. City officials are very excited and grateful to be getting a Costco this will be a big deal for the city on a couple of different levels, first there is the projected $1.1 million in sales tax annually. Also when companies like Costco commit to be the anchor of the shopping center it all but guarantees other well respected, high revenue retailers will be interested in bringing their businesses to the city. Total infrastructure costs — including street improvements, sidewalks, and water, sewer and utility poles — are expected to be $36 million, according reports by the city. The City Council only agreed to the proposal as long as the lease with Costco was signed by September 30 and the store open by the end of 2018. The City also said they are going to do everything in their power to make it happen even sooner.

Total Care Heating And Air

By Anthony Saude

Corona– Total Care Heating and Air (TCHA) is more than just a catchy slogan, “Your wife is HOT, show her you care fix the air”, they are a full service plumbing, heating and air conditioning company. TCHA is a family owned business that has been open for the past 29 years. Four generations of tradesman are here to help with all your air conditioning and heating and plumbing needs. They pride themselves in providing superior service and customer relationships. At TCHA you can expect prompt and courteous service 6 days, a week and emergency service on Sundays.  Whether it is a new installation or a repair for your current equipment TCHA is the right AC company for the job. Plumbing has been in the family since the 1940’s and great pride is taken in that fact at the office by everyone. Their featured services include Air Conditioning, Heating, Duct Cleaning and Plumbing. Living in the Inland Empire can be very hot and people tend to put things off until they are broken, which of course is when the A/C companies are extremely busy. TCHA has a preventative maintenance plan that was created to help customers avoid the huge repair bills that dirty or inadequate equipment ultimately cost you. When the time comes to replace costly equipment, and it will, the financial burden can be too much for the customer to pay all at once. This is why TCHA offers Electric & Gas Industries Association (EGIA) Financing Program, a program developed by contractors, for Contractors. Historically the process a contractor had to use for a homeowner to get financed was labor intensive and very confusing. EGIA has put together what they believe is the simplest application processes in the history of the industry. They have made it possible for contractors to get approval for a reasonable payment while they are still in the home with the customer.  Indoor Air Quality Facts:The average 6 room house collects 40 pounds of dust a year (Discover Magazine)Air ducts have more germs than a chicken coop (American Lung Association)EPA claims indoor air has been found to be up to 70% more polluted than outdoor air (EPA)Children are more likely than adults to be affected by polluted indoor air (Dept. of Consumer Affairs)A build up of 0.42 inches of dirt on a heating or cooling coil can result in a decrease in efficiency of 21% (EPA)9 out of 10 heating, ventilating, air conditioning systems failures are caused by dust and dirt (Louisiana Coop Extension Service)Many people have allergic reactions to pollen, bacteria, dust mites, mold, and animal dander. Allergies including hay fever and asthma affect 41 million Americans or about one out of six people.The air inside your home is usually 10 times dirtier that it is outside. Major health issues can arise if you don’t make sure your equipment gets an A+ rating from the guys at Total Care Heating and Air. Servicing all of Southern California you can reach them at 844-438-8682 or request an estimate on the website https://www.totalcarehvac.com/ call them first, you won’t be disappointed. Their address is 2867 Sampson Ave, Corona CA 92879

  • Air Quality Facts

Diamond Bar Sprouts Opens

By Anthony Saude

Diamond Bar – Sprouts long awaited Grand Opening is finally here, on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 the doors officially opened to the public. Sprouts is dedicated to making healthy living for less a staple in the in our communities and families. So, grab your reusable bags, prepare your shopping list and get ready for incredible values on farm-fresh produce, natural and organic meats, barrels of bulk food and specially priced grocery items. We’re making healthy living for less a staple in your community! The stores have natural and organic products alongside a lot of your familiar favorites. There are barrels full of grains, nuts and candy at bulk prices. Fresh fruits and vegetables abound, stop by the meat and seafood departments and pick up your main course. On those busy days you can stop by the deli on your way home and pick up something for the family. Don’t forget dessert at the Bakery, the kids will love you for it. Have a question about our natural meats? Just ask one of our trained butchers for a tour through our Old Tyme Butcher Shop, where we cut your meat any way you want it. Get More with the Sprouts Mobile App. Download the Sprouts mobile app to discover the Checkout Challenge rewards program, and explore a rotating selection of digital coupons that take our great prices to the next level. Click here to learn more. Stay in the Know and Save!Stock up on savings by signing up for our newsletters at Sprouts.com. We’ll keep you up to date on the latest mobile coupons, specials, recipes, health tips and upcoming events at Sprouts! Click here to sign up.Facebook Fan ExclusivesVisit us on Facebook for store updates, grand opening details and recipes. Click here to like Sprouts on Facebook.

Ontario Woman Killed By Chino Driver

By Marissa Mitchell

Chino – On Sunday night, October 8, a woman was struck and killed by a car at Francis Avenue and Central Avenue in Chino. Misti Ann Lucas, a 44-year-old woman from Ontario, was pronounced dead at the scene. The collision occurred at 6:49 p.m. at the intersection between the two Chino cross-streets, stated police spokeswoman Monica Gutierrez. Investigators were quickly at the scene. It was reported that 51-year-old Darron Williams was driving a 1994 Honda when the car and pedestrian crashed as the woman stepped onto the crosswalk. The intersection of Central and Francis was closed off for three-and-a-half hours post-collision.“Mr. Williams remained at the scene of the collision and is cooperating with investigators,” declared Gutierrez. “Investigators do not suspect alcohol or drugs are involved in this fatal collision. The cause of the collision is still under investigation,” she stated.Anyone with information may call Cpl. Scott Trosper at 909-334-3153.

 

Eastvale Crime Recap: September 2017

INCIDENT: ANNIVERSARY OF UNSOLVED FATAL HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT

WHEN: 9/6/2017

WHERE: Limonite Avenue between Lucretia Avenue and Wineville Avenue, Jurupa Valley

 

ORIGINAL INCIDIENT: On Tuesday, September 6, 2016, at 2:06 a.m., deputies from the Jurupa Valley Police Department responded to the area of Limonite Avenue and Lucretia Avenue, in reference to a reported traffic collision.  Deputies arrived on scene within minutes, along with personnel from Cal Fire, and located a deceased male in the roadway. The investigation revealed the decedent, whom is a resident of Jurupa Valley, was riding his bicycle westbound on Limonite Avenue when he was struck from behind by a vehicle.  The vehicle did not stop and fled the scene.  Limonite Avenue between Lucretia Avenue and Wineville Avenue, was closed for seven hours due to the investigation.  The name of the deceased male is being withheld until the next of kin can be notified. Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Deputy Ditfurth of the Jurupa Valley Station Traffic Team at (951) 955-2600.

 

UPDATE: One year later, this fatal hit-and-run traffic collision remains unsolved. In the early morning hours, of Tuesday, September 6, 2016, Forrest Holmes, a resident of Jurupa Valley, was riding his bicycle westbound on Limonite Avenue when a vehicle struck him from behind then immediately fled the scene. As part of their investigation, the Jurupa Valley Traffic Team obtained video surveillance from a nearby store. The video showed Holmes riding his bicycle westbound on Limonite Avenue, then seconds later, a white, or light colored sedan is seen driving at a high rate of speed, also westbound Limonite Avenue in the same lane of traffic as Holmes was riding his bicycle in.  To date, the involved vehicle and driver have not been identified, and there are no new leads in this case.  The Jurupa Valley Traffic Team is hoping to solve this case with the help from the public. They are asking for someone to come forward with a credible tip, or to admit they were the driver of the vehicle that night. Anyone with information about the traffic collision is again being asked to contact Deputy Ditfurth #3988 at the Jurupa Valley Police Station Traffic Division at 951-955-2600, or may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

 

 

INCIDENT: INDOOR MARIJUANA CULTIVATION/ THEFT OF UTILITIES

WHEN: 9/6/2017

WHERE: 1200 Block of Columbia, Eastvale

DETAILS: On September 6, 2017, at 3:00 PM, patrol deputies assigned to the city of Eastvale were summoned to a residence in the 12000 block of Columbia, Eastvale, reference a possible possession of stolen property investigation.  While at the residence, they located evidence of an illegal, indoor marijuana grow. The Eastvale Special Enforcement Team was notified and a search warrant was granted for the location. Members of the Jurupa Valley Station’s Special Enforcement Team, served the search warrant around 7:20 PM. Evidence of illegal marijuana cultivation along with an electrical bypass to steal electricity were located inside of the residence. There were no persons at the location during the investigation. Over 1600 marijuana plants were located inside the residence. The investigation is on-going. Anyone with further information regarding this case is urged to contact Deputy Kiley Hansen at the Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s Station, (951) 955-2600.

INCIDENT: AT RISK MISSING PERSON

WHEN: 9/6/2017

WHERE: 3700 Block of Quartz Canyon Rd., Jurupa Valley

DETAILS: On September 6, 2017, at 3:08 PM, deputies assigned to the city of Jurupa Valley Police Department were dispatched to the 3700 block of Quartz Canyon, regarding a missing person.  A case worker from the Good Samaritan Hospital in Bakersfield, CA reported 61-year-old Mario Garcia Sanchez had not arrived at his new care facility in Jurupa Valley.  Mr. Sanchez is described as a Hispanic male adult, 5’09” tall, thin build, with a salt and pepper buzzed haircut.  He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, shorts, and black Nike flip flops.  Mr. Sanchez was seen walking in the area on video surveillance, but he never arrived at his destination.  Mr. Sanchez does have some medical issues and he may appear dazed and confused if located.

INCIDENT: SEXUAL BATTERY INVESTIGATION AND ARREST

WHEN: 9/12/2017

WHERE: 1200 Block of Hamner Ave., Norco

DETAILS: On Tuesday, September 12, 2017, at 3:52 p.m., deputies from the Norco Sheriff’s Office responded to a business in the 1200 block of Hamner Avenue, in the City of Norco. Upon arrival, deputies learned an adult male suspect had sexually assaulted two adult females and one juvenile. All three incidents occurred inside of the business, while the victims were shopping. The suspect was able to flee the location prior to the arrival of the deputies. Store security camera footage captured the suspect on video.  On Saturday, September 16, 2017, about 3:57 p.m., deputies were advised the suspect had returned to the business and left after being inside the store for several minutes. Deputies were able to develop investigative leads that led to the identification and location of the suspect. On Sunday, September 17, deputies contacted the suspect at his residence in the city of Eastvale. The suspect was identified as Miguel Muro, age 30. The suspect was subsequently arrested for several counts of sexual battery and booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center. The Norco Sheriff’s Office is concerned there may be additional victims who might have been assaulted by the same suspect. They are encouraged to contact Deputy Robertson of the Norco Sheriff’s Office at 270-5673. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

 

INCIDENT: WANTED GANG MEMBER IN POSSESSION OF FIREARM AND DRUGS

WHEN: 9/21/2017

WHERE: Dirt Field near 34th St. and Wallace St., Jurupa Valley

DETAILS: On September 21, 2017, about 1:45 PM, members of the Riverside County Sheriff Department’s Region 7 Gang Task Force contacted a Hispanic male adult living in an abandoned motorhome in a dirt field near 34th Street and Wallace Street in Jurupa Valley. Task Force officers recognized the male as 29 year-old Jurupa Valley resident Miguel Angel Aguilar. Task Force officers also recognized Aguilar as being a member of a criminal street gang. Aguilar was also being sought for an active PRCS or Post Release Community Supervision felony warrant and an additional felony warrant for vehicle theft.  Task Force officers conducted a probation search of the motorhome and located a loaded firearm and methamphetamine. Aguilar was arrested and later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for the following charges:

  • Felon in possession of a firearm
  • Felon in possession of drugs with a loaded firearm
  • Gang member in possession of a loaded and unregistered firearm
  • Felon in possession of ammunition
  • Under the influence of methamphetamine while armed
  • Two outstanding felony warrants

 

INCIDENT: INDOOR MARIJUANA CULTIVATION, THEFT OF UTILITIES, POSSESSION OF UNREGISTERED FIREARM

WHEN: 9/21/2017

WHERE: 6400 Block of Emerald Downs, Eastvale

DETAILS: On September 21, 2017, at 4:00 PM, members of the Jurupa Valley Station’s Special Enforcement Team served a search warrant in the 6400 block of Emerald Downs in the city of Eastvale. Evidence of illegal marijuana cultivation along with an electrical bypass to steal electricity were located inside of the residence. The following suspects were arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for cultivation of marijuana, possession of cocaine, theft of utilities and possession of an unregistered firearm:

  • Yong Heng Huang, 20-year-old resident of Eastvale
  • Jia Jun Li, 20-year-old resident of Eastvale
  • Jing Feng Ma, 20-year-old resident of Eastvale
  • Da Yi Xiong, 21-year-old resident of Pasadena

 

 

Don’t Laugh

By Mark Hopper

 

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

 

Pastor Mark Hopper

Efree Church of Diamond Bar

3255 South Diamond Bar Blvd

909-594-7604

Sunday Services: 9:00 & 10:45 AM

Efreedb.org

 

Candlelight Vigil

Photo by Will and Darlene Stickles

The Candle light vigil was held on October 5, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. in the Eleanor Roosevelt High School front parking lot.  The vigil was heartfelt and well attended. Many people shared experiences, offered condolences, and gave respect to those who have passed during this terrible tragedy.

Eastvale Community News Complete Edition October 2017

The Eastvale Community News covers local news for Eastvale, Norco,  Corona, and Chino. Click the following link to access the complete issue in pdf format: EastvaleNews.10-2017

Chino Resident Wins Bravery Award

Photo courtesy: T. Evanson

By Anthony Saude

Chino– California Partnership to end domestic violence is a coalition that represents survivors, organizations, advocates and allied individuals working to support survivors of domestic violence has an annual awards reception in Fresno California.

This year they honored Tracy Evanson, a Chino resident and the founder of Healed Women Heal, with the Bravery Award at the reception.

The soft and bright sunlight was beaming through the kitchen window, the aroma of fresh coffee filling the room reminded Tracy that “he” would be up soon. Suddenly the relaxing sounds of morning were interrupted by anxiety. She looked around the room sure she had left some bread crumbs or coffee grounds on the counter. Her mind racing asking herself were the drawers shut all the way, was the floor clean enough, did I make too much noise with the coffee? She was on high alert because even though she couldn’t see anything she had done wrong, she knew all too well that didn’t mean he wouldn’t.

Tracy lived through nine years of physical, mental and emotional abuse from the one person that promised to love her forever. During her nightmare she had left more than a few times and not just for a day or two either. She had rented apartments on 2 separate occasions and was gone for over a year and a half one of those times. There was intensive counseling, training and countless tears and a belief that true change had taken place in her husband only to be disappointed again. “The last time I left I never looked back again” said Tracy. “I have two daughters and I wanted them to grow up knowing what a healthy relationship should look like.

Talking with Tracy Evanson today there isn’t any outside evidence that she lived in fear of upsetting the man she called “husband” for nine years. She has two college degrees, one a Masters in Human Behavior and speaks with the confidence one would expect from a professional woman with 2 college degrees. The outside had to be rebuilt from the inside, what you see today has been rebuilt and reinforced into the strong, confidant, independent ministry leader you see before you.

In 2013 after Tracy decided to get out of her marriage and stay out this time she started the non-profit organization, Healed Women Heal. Her hope is to “creat a solid group in the community to come together to be a voiced for the silent crime of domestic violence and teen dating violence and bring awareness to the community”. “It is all about awareness, Tracy said, too many people don’t understand that there are different types of domestic abuse”. “Most people only associate violence with domestic abuse but physical isn’t the only type and quite often the violence come after the emotional, and verbal abuse wears you down”.

In the beginning I only wanted to help the victims of domestic violence, I had no interest in fixing the perpetrators. Then she was asked to speak at a mens prison, she declined. God wouldn’t let her off of the hook about this for some reason and finally she accepted the invitation. That showed me a whole new side of the problem Tracy said. A lot of these men were abused themselves and didn’t even recognize their actions as abuse”. It helped me see that it is much harder to work with a broken person than it is to educate to prevent the abuse from happening. Like she said awareness through education is the key.

You can contact Tracy at any of the links below:

Tracy Evanson

www.healedwomenheal.org

healedwomenheal@gmail.com


www.meetup.com/Healed-Women-Heal.

909.815.7815

Chino Rotary Club

Photo by: Mike Armijo

The Chino Rotary Club donated $500 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Empire/ Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County this afternoon at our weekly meeting. We also learned how Big Brothers Big Sisters is helping to change the lives of youths in our community. What do you know about Big Brothers Big Sisters?

Walnut High Celebrates New Tennis Courts

By Kelli Gile

WALNUT, CA— Walnut High students, teachers, staff, and district officials recently gathered during a tennis court grand reopening celebration.Over the summer, the courts were resurfaced, and playing surfaces painted a blue hue – the signature color of the U.S. Open – with grey around the outside. The project also included installation of new fencing with wind screens, nets, sound system, and lighting.  Players and coaches said they were ready to kick off the new season in the upgraded facility at the August 29 ceremony. “This is going to get my kids fired up to play some even better tennis!” said head coach Lee Shiomoto, who has been a part of the program for 15 years. “It’s been exciting to see the courts get resurfaced,” said senior Lauren Ao, who said her team members now feel proud to host other schools during tournaments.“It was really run-down, and now the courts are nice and clean!” added senior Sara Santos.The boys and girls tennis programs have a winning tradition, clinching numerous all-league awards, league championships, and an undefeated season last fall. Last year, the girls team competed in the CIF finals, and doubles players Santos and Vivian Lee earned their second consecutive Hacienda League MVP honor.

Man With A Gun

By Anthony Saude

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

Walnut Valley USD Board Honors Outstanding Student, Parent

By Kelli Gile

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Chino Hills Files Lawsuit Over Tres Hermanos Decision

By Anthony Saude

Chino Hills – Tres Hermanos is a small cattle ranch had at one-time been the private hunting grounds for generations of wealthy Los Angeles scions, including the late Los Angeles Times Publisher Harry Chandler. The land was purchased by City of Industry’s Industry redevelopment agency in 1978, before the state shut down such entities and put the land up for sale. When the state shut down redevelopment agencies like the city’s that bought the ranch in 1978 it put the property up for sale. City Of Industry leaders have been trying to buy back the ranch ever since, their plan, add it to the city’s adjacent Tonner Canyon holdings and use it to build a large solar energy farm.

For over a year, City Of Industry, a city of about 200 residents spent well over $1 million on leases, reimbursement and studies to determine the cost of building a huge solar power facility. Public records show the company, San Gabriel Valley Water and Power LLC, is managed by Ambient Communities, a San Diego-based residential and commercial developer. The scope of the project had previously been unreported and caught elected officials, nearby homeowners and conservationists who have been monitoring similar proposals for the Ranch off guard.

The latest in this 40 year saga, The City of Chino Hills will file a lawsuit against the City of Industry over its purchase of Tres Hermanos Ranch. The oversight board governing the sale of the land, the State Department of Finance, and the agency that replaced the Industry redevelopment agency .The City of Industry has been less than forthcoming with its intentions, Chino Hills City staff had to file multiple public records requests just to be able analyze thousands of pages before they uncovered proposal documents for a 444-watt solar farm.

The oversight board, a state-created panel, was given the task of selling off Tres Hermanos Ranch temporarily stopped meeting on the issue when they discovered that the City of Industry had been working on a multimillion-dollar solar farm on more than 2000 acres of the undeveloped ranch. The panel members stated that they could consider other offers that are submitted when they resume the meetings. Housing development builders, Contra GH America and Hoffman reportedly both had an offer on the table of approximately $100 million at the time the panel stopped meeting.

It seemed like a lot of fuss over a relatively small ranch especially land that the City of Industry has now purchased not only once but twice.

When the panel reconvened the meetings the only offer left on the table was the City of Industry’s for $41.65 million less than half of the other offers. The other two developers mysteriously dropped out of the bidding and Industry’s offer, being the highest bidder, was accepted. The difference in the price that Chino Hills and Diamond Bar had thought the land would sell for was now cut by nearly 60%. They cities could lose millions on just the sales tax on the purchase alone. That is to say nothing of the amount of property tax revenue will be lost if homes are not built on it.

Developers interested in buying the land had proposed as many as 10,000 homes. Chino Hills’ general plan would allow a maximum of 675 houses, and Diamond Bar’s general plan would allow about 500 homes maximum, that would be a total of 1,175 homes in the two cities combined. Jim Gallagher, a spokesman for the grass-roots group Save Tres Hermanos Ranch said “the residents I have talked to have almost all said they don’t want more homes built in the area”.  “Senator Josh Newman D-Brea, 29 district, who is the chair for Save Coyote Hills in Fullerton is helping us with this situation as well”. “He has brokered a couple of meetings between Chino Hills and Diamond Bar. He has one scheduled with the City of Industry.”

“I did some research and a 2015 report shows it takes 4 acres of land to produce 1 megawatt of solar power for crystal panels and 6 acres if thin film panels are used for the project”. Paul Phillips the city manager of City of Industry “assured me that the pan for the Solar farm was for 1000-1500 acres only and the rest open spaces”.“I don’t have the exact math in front of me right now but it is a lot more than that”. “I am all for green energy and if Industry can use less panels and make it unobtrusive we are all in; but the numbers aren’t adding up. “The residents think that it will look like the solar mirror farm in Las Vegas” said Gallagher. “That is the picture both cities, Chino Hills and Diamond Bar are painting for them for obvious monetary reasons.

Gallagher said that “he feels one of the motivators for the lawsuit was the lack of transparency from Industry about the solar farm”. “I don’t think the City of Industry was required to inform anybody what they might do with the land if it was their land until the purchase was made” said Gallagher. When Industry won the bid they submitted the proposal with their research that is what was legally required. “The only thing that the lawsuit does for “Save Tres Hermanos” is it may slow down the lawsuit some and that would us more time to fight”.

That is a big chunk of change to both Diamond Bar and Chino Hills on the taxes of the sale the cities will be losing. Then there are the property taxes that both cities would lose annually if no houses get built within their city limits. In the end it is all about the money in this situation.

Diamond Bar Restaurant Week

By Mireya De La Paz

 

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

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

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

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

For more information go to www.dbrestaurantweek.com.

A Special Birthday- Part 2

By Mark Hopper

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

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

Pastor Mark Hopper

Efree Church of Diamond Bar

3255 South Diamond Bar Blvd

909-594-7604

Sunday Services: 9:00 & 10:45 AM

Efreedb.org

Corona Fire Evacuees Allowed To Return to Homes

By Anthony Saude

 

Inland Empire – Firefighters from Riverside and Orange counties are battling a brush fire that began Monday afternoon on the shoulder of the eastbound 91 Freeway near the Riverside-Orange county line. After four days of battling the fire, heat and wind in the hills above a Corona neighborhood the fire officials have increased the containment report to 45% as of Thursday morning.

Authorities received a report of the fire shortly before 1 pm on September 24 that a fire was burning in east Anaheim just west of the Green River Road exit. About 1900 firefighters, police and personnel have been attacking the wind-driven flames with hoses ont the ground and dropping water from aircraft overhead.  The over 1500 residents that were evacuated in the Corona area have been cleared to return to their homes as of September 26. Coronits, John Adams, Prado View, Eisenhower and Franklin elementary schools; and Cesar Cahavez Academy and Citrus Hills Intermediate School of CNUSD are still closed as of Wednesday.

Firefighters are continuing to build and reinforce the fire line, mop up hot spots and patrol the fire perimeter”, all according to a news release from the Orange County Fire Authority. Even though the fire hasn’t gotten any larger they have fire authorities have not updated to full containment. Historically until there is a physical line, some sort of break that will keep the fire from spreading has been built all around the fire. Firefighters would prefer to err on the side of caution before claiming full containment.

There haven’t been any injuries reported to date due to the fire and only one home was damaged and the trailer of a semi-truck was destroyed.

Although their neighborhoods were burning and the future of their homes were uncertain the residents had nothing but praises for the hard work and diligence the firefighters and all personnel responsible for their protection. Fire trucks in almost every driveway to protect the homes, dozens were saved thanks to the efforts of these community heroes. A unified command was composed of the Anaheim, Corona, and Los Angeles County fire departments, the OCFA, U.S. Forest Service and Cal Fire.

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors declared a local emergency Tuesday for the Canyon Fire that order will increases stat and federal assistance in the firefight. The cause of the fire is still unknown at this time.

https://www.coronaca.gov/government/departments-divisions/fire-department/canyon-fire-update will give you current updates about the fire and Corona roads and school information.

Facebook activated its “safety check” feature for users in the vicinity of the fire as a way to “check on friends or mark yourself safe,” according to the social media platform.

 

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

WVUSD

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Community Events September – November

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

 

Diamond Bar Restaurant Week 

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

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

 

Walnut Family Fun Festival

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

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Suzanne Park – 625 Suzanne Rd, Walnut CA

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

 

Chino Hills Wine Walk

October 14, 2017

Presented by the Chino Hills Community Foundation

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

Youth Basketball League-Register Now!

City of Norco

Is your child a basketball hopeful? Register her or him for the 2017-2018 Youth Basketball Season.  Register now!.

  • Pee Wee League (Co-ed):  Boys/Girls born 2012 & 2013
  • Instructional League (co-ed): Boys/Girls born 2010 & 2011
    Registration deadline for Pee Wee and Instructional has passed. 

For Ages 8-13 for “C”,”B”, “A” Divisions.

  • Boys and Girls “C” born 2008/2009
    (Boys and Girls born in 2007 and in the 4th grade are eligible-proof required)
  • Boys and Girls “B” born 2006/2007
    (Boys and Girls born in 2005 and in the 6th grade are eligible-proof required)
  • Boys and Girls “A” born 2004/2005
    (Boys and Girls born in 2003 and in the 8th grade are eligible-proof required)
    Registration deadline for Divisional leagues is Thursday, November 2, 2017.

    Registration Fees are $100 resident / $110 non-resident per participant. All games are held at Riley Gymnasium located at 3950 Acacia Ave, Norco 92860. NO REFUNDS issued after last day of registration. Please register at Parks and Recreation office at 2870 Clark Ave., Norco, CA Monday-Thursday, 10:00am to 3:00pm.
    For more information please contact  Emendez@ci.norco.ca.us