Category Archives: News By City

Future Scientists!

Photo courtesy: Kelli Gile Forty-Walnut High seniors were presented with white coats and honor medallions at the completion of the IBCC-PLTW program.

Photo courtesy: Kelli Gile
Forty-Walnut High seniors were presented with white coats and honor medallions at the completion of the IBCC-PLTW program.

First WHS graduating class receives white coats during ceremony

Walnut—Forty-eight Walnut High School (WHS) seniors are charting a course to careers in the medical field.

The teens were presented with white lab coats and honor medallions during a ceremony marking the completion of the International Baccalaureate Career-Related/Project Lead the Way (IBCC-PLTW) Biomedical Sciences Program on April 26.

“We’re very proud of their accomplishments!” said Instructional Dean Barbie Cole. “These amazing students displayed knowledge, ability, and aptitude in the area of biomedical science.”

Walnut High is the only school in the state to offer both IBCC with the PLTW Biomedical Sciences program as its career-related component.

Students signed up for the new program three years ago as sophomores interested in becoming pharmacists, family doctors, and neuroscientists and quickly became immersed in building DNA double-helix models.

Teachers facilitated the inquiry-based PLTW classes while students tackled real world “CSI” style investigative and collaborative work.

In addition, they explored different medical intervention strategies of the past, present, and future including the invention of prosthetic limbs and personalized medicine for patients.

“The engaging curriculum, student enthusiasm, and a special sense of community have allowed this program to be successful,” said teacher Chiara Morgan.

To earn personalized lab coats, students were required to complete four biomedical science courses and two IB Diploma courses, a special Approaches to Learning course, numerous service projects, and a written reflective project.

“This is definitely a very exciting day!” said senior Kaitlyn Fujii, who credits the PLTW program’s labs and practical applications for solidifying her interest in psychology.

“I didn’t know what to expect, but I liked the classes and coursework. It helped me find a direction.”

Students researched numerous careers, logging education requirements and job duties in journals during the course of the program.

“It gave me a taste of every type of career in the medical field,” said classmate Tiffany Casarez. “Now I’m going to study biology and hope to become a pediatrician.”

She believes the pre-med class benefitted from more hands-on learning than other graduating seniors. “We’ve already experienced half the labs from the first two years in college.”

“I felt like this was an amazing program for someone like me who wanted to go into the medical field,” said Emilio Triguero, age 17.

“The hands-on training, labs, and volunteer experience really made it possible for me to utilize my dream of becoming a doctor.”

While volunteering in 2nd floor surgery at Inter-Community Hospital in Covina, Triguero gained “front row” experiences working alongside doctors and nurses.

“I thought I’d just be cleaning trash cans (which I did), but they also taught me how to do vitals and about hierarchy in the workplace.”

He’ll be studying at UC Riverside in the fall. “When I applied for colleges, they asked if I had contacts – and I did!”

Walnut High became one of only 32 IBCC schools in the country and four in the state after completing an extensive application and authorization process in 2013.

“Our students have done some pretty remarkable things in these classes,” Cole added.

Backyard Pool Safety

pool-safety-for-kidsCity of Diamond Bar

Diamond Bar – A backyard swimming pool can provide hours of summer fun for families, but without proper safety measures in place, it can also pose a danger to young children.

According to statistics kept by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States and approximately one in five people who die from drowning are age 14 and younger.

Also, for every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency care for nonfatal injuries that result in severe brain damage and long-term disabilities such as memory problems, learning disabilities, and permanent vegetative state.

To help prevent a pool-related death or injury, backyard pool owners are urged to ensure that they have in place the following layers of protection:

  • A self-closing and locking fence enclosing the pool area, clear of ladders or other furniture that can be used by children to climb over.
  • A responsible adult with swimming experience and trained in CPR and other lifesaving techniques always supervising children in or near the pool.
  • Visible and quickly accessible water rescue equipment, such as a rescue hook pole and life buoy, as well as a list of emergency phone numbers, a wireless phone and CPR instructions.

A three-minute video on pool safety produced by the City in collaboration with the Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Team is available for on demand viewing on the City’s website at www.diamondbarca.gov/videos , and on the City’s official YouTube Page www.youtube.com/diamondbarca by entering “pool safety” into the search channel bar.

To obtain a copy of the City’s fencing standards for installing a new pool or spa, visitwww.diamondbarca.gov/poolstandards or call the Building & Safety Division at 909.839.7020.

 

Walnut Student Wins ‘Missing Children’s Day’ Poster Contest

Photo courtesy: Kelli Gile Walnut Elementary student Michael Wu is the big winner in a National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest.

Photo courtesy: Kelli Gile Walnut Elementary student Michael Wu is the big winner in a National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest.

By Kelli Gile

Walnut–Walnut Elementary fifth grader Michael Wu has been named the grand prize winner in the National Missing Children’s Day poster contest.

The talented 11-year-old’s entry in the “Bring Our Missing Children Home” competition depicts the silhouette of a young boy hugging his teddy bear.

“It shows that the child feels lonely and he wants to be back home,” Michael explained.

The annual competition is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice to create awareness and promote child safety.

Michael was named the 1st place winner in California. His original artwork was then submitted for the national judging.

“It feels awesome!” the soft-spoken student said about receiving the national award.

Teacher Seema Bagai was happily “shocked” after learning the news that her student took the top prize.

“I am thrilled for Michael and can’t wait to celebrate with him in Washington D.C. later this month!”

Michael learned about the contest from his mom, Wendy, an art teacher at the school.  He quickly decided to pull out his paint brushes for a good cause.

“I wanted to help find missing children!”

Michael used colored pencils in shades of brown to bring life to the cuddly teddy bear.  To achieve a splattered shadow around the outline of the child, he flicked dark green paint from an old toothbrush.

Michael, along with his parents, and teacher have been awarded a trip to Washington D.C. to be recognized during the National Missing Children’s Day ceremony on May 25. This ceremony honors the heroic and exemplary efforts of agencies, organizations, and individuals to protect children.

The young artist also took 1st place in the fifth grade category of the Walnut Valley Water District 2016 Water Awareness Month Poster Contest. Michael is a back-to-back winner and his entire class will be visiting the Three Valleys Municipal Water District Miramar Treatment Plant for a tour and pizza lunch.

Full Closure of Southbound 71

By Shelli Lombardo

 

The California Department of Transportation will close all southbound lanes of State Route 71 (SR-71) between Euclid Avenue and the Riverside County line from 8 p.m. Friday, May 20, 2016 to 5 a.m., Saturday, May 21, 2016.

Maintenance crews are repairing and/or replacing concrete slabs in the number one and two lanes of southbound SR-71. Northbound lanes will remain open.

The southbound detour is as follows: use eastbound SR-60 to the southbound I-15 to westbound SR-91 or use SR-60 as an alternate route into and out of Los Angeles and Orange County.

Thank you for your patience as Caltrans works to improve your commute.

To stay on top of roadwork in the Inland Empire go to http://www.caltrans8.info and sign up for commuter alerts. View traffic conditions at http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov.

DB Community Hero Award

Staff Reports

Diamond Bar- The City of Diamond Bar is looking for nominees for their Community Hero Award. This award is given to a community member who has “dedicated his or her spare time volunteering for an organization or who has performed other acts of kindness to improve the lives of others within the community,” according to the City of Diamond Bar. The award can be given to a senior, adult or a youth in the community.

The winner will be recognized for their volunteer service at this year’s Diamond Bar Day at the Fair on September 15. The winner will receive free admission to the fair and be “honored with a special reception, parade, and awards presentation,” according to the City of Diamond Bar.

To nominate someone, you can download the form by visitingwww.diamondbarca.gov/fair. Hard-copy forms are also available at Diamond Bar City Hall (21810 Copley Drive), Diamond Bar Library (21800 Copley Drive), and the Diamond Bar Center (1600 Grand Avenue). The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, July 1.

Questions regarding this Community Hero award recognition program may be directed to Fairplex Community Relations Coordinator, Shanell Fuquay, by email at fuquay@fairplex.com or phone at 909.865.4075.

7 DBHS Seniors Receive National Merit Scholarships

By Kelli Gile

 

Diamond Bar—Seven Diamond Bar High School (DBHS) seniors have won prestigious $2,500 scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Congratulations to the following DBHS students: Eric T. Chen, Charlene L. Hsu, Jung Hyun Kim, Hsuan-Te Sun, Jonathan Sun, Crystal Tin-Tin Chang, and Margaret Wang.

The 2,500 Merit Scholar designees around the country were chosen from a talented pool of more than 15,000 finalists in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program, according to a May 11 release from the non-profit corporation.

National Merit Scholarship winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

They were judged on their academic record, scores from two standardized tests, contributions and leadership in school and community activities, an essay, and a recommendation written by a high school official.

The competition for the 2016 scholarships started in October 2014, when more than 1.5 million juniors applied for the 7,500 scholarships, which will have a total value of more than $33 million.

Robbery Suspects Entice Police Pursuit

By Michael Armijo

Chino– Four male suspects were taken into custody for stealing food from patrons at a local restaurant after a brief Police pursuit, according to the Chino Police Department.

Last Wednesday at around 4 p.m., four suspects in a black Hyundai Elantra pulled up to a Yogi’s Burgers on Central Ave in Chino. Two suspects exited the vehicle and used physical force to steal food from two restaurant patrons. Police responded to the robbery call and located the vehicle at Euclid and Philadelphia St. Two suspects fled northbound on foot and were immediately taken into custody. The remaining two in the Hyundai fled westbound on Philadelphia St., leading Chino police officers on a short vehicle pursuit.

The pursuit ended when the Hyundai crashed into a white Chrysler passenger vehicle that was stopped at the light in the westbound lanes of Philadelphia St and Mountain Ave. After colliding with the Chrysler, they then hit a street light.

The two remaining suspects fled on foot but were quickly apprehended by Chino Police. One suspect was on Mountain Ave. and the other was hiding in a yard nearby. Three suspects are juveniles: two are 16 and one is 17. The fourth suspect is 18-years-old. The name of the adult was not yet released.

The Chrysler that was hit by the suspects was driven by a 77-year-old Ontario resident. The vehicle has substantial damage and the driver was transported by ambulance to a local hospital to be treated for minor injuries. She was soon released.

The Ontario Police Department responded to the accident as well and is handling the investigation. Philadelphia was closed for a few hours and the robbery investigation is ongoing. Anyone who witnessed any of the events is asked to call the Chino Police Department at 909.628.1234.

Litigation Threat Changes Eastvale Elections

By Raymond Mendoza

Eastvale– Changes are in store for Eastvale for the upcoming November elections, as the Eastvale City Council recently voted to change its “at-large” system of city council elections to “by district” – meaning that council members must be elected from certain geographic areas within the city.

While the vote was 3-0 in favor of the change during the latest council meeting on April 27 (Councilmember Adam Rush was absent) the council members noted their decision was only made to appease litigation threats made by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

According to Attorney Betsy Martin, the City of Eastvale received a letter from the group in April stating that they would sue the city if Eastvale did not switch to “by district” elections in time for the November 2016 election. The group claimed that the City of Eastvale’s current election system is violating the California Voting Rights Act of 2002.

According to a statement issued by the city, Eastvale is not the only city being threatened with litigation. Inland Empire cities such as Rancho Cucamonga, Wildomar, Hesperia, Chino and Upland all received the same demands regarding by-district elections.

“We recommend that you do (change to “by district” elections),” said Martin. “No city has ever successful defended a voting rights challenge.”

Martin went on to discuss how the California Voting Rights Act of 2002 is intended to ensure that “protected groups” – such as minority races – have their voting rights protected. Martin mentioned that the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund was alerted due to the efforts of an unknown Eastvale community member.

“Rather than spend a lot of money on fighting something that will certainly be a losing proposition, we suggest you go forward and draw your own districts as rapidly as possible,” said Martin.

During the June 2010 Eastvale incorporation election, 54 percent of the voters were in favor of “at-large” elections – which allowed anyone who lives within the city to run for city council. “By district” only received 27 percent of the votes.

Council Member Clint Lorimore voiced his distaste for the election changes, stating that breaking the city into districts would accomplish very little since there is no major racial divide from one area of Eastvale to the next.

“I want to express my frustration with this process,” Lorimore said. “I believe that we in Eastvale are a homogenous community. We’re not broken into specific areas where one ethnicity lives. It is not going to be helpful, in my opinion, for our city to do this.”

To push these changes ahead at an accelerated rate, city officials hired the National Demographics Corporation to study the city’s population and prepare draft plans for the proposed districts that also meet legal requirements. The draft of proposed districts will be available to the public this month on the city’s website and residents are also encouraged to voice their opinions concerning the new districts during its upcoming public hearings on May 11, May 25, and June 8.17

Chino School Raises Funds For Foster Children

Staff Reports

 

Chino– Last month, Borba Elementary School students raised $1,700 to help purchase duffel bags that foster children can use to carry their belongings. The students raised the funds in just two weeks.

Foster youth are in need of the duffel bags because they are usually provided with trash bags to carry their personal items when they are placed in a foster home or agency. Borba Elementary started the fundraiser after partnering with Together We Rise, a local non-profit group that assists foster youth. “Borba students and staff members also discussed the ‘Character Counts’ trait of caring in April as part of the fundraising effort,” according to a Corona Norco Unified School District announcement.

Representatives from Bienvenidos Foster Care Agency in Montclair will be accepting the donation on Friday, May 20 at 9 a.m. The donation ceremony will take place at Borba Elementary in Chino. “Representing the school in the donation ceremony will be members of Borba’s Safe School Ambassadors, a student-run anti-bullying group,” say Corona Norco Unified School District officials.

 

Girls Soccer Team Named Champions

Photo courtesy: Empire Soccer Club Congratulations to Empire Soccer Club’s SC G00 team who were named SCNPL Champions.

Photo courtesy: Empire Soccer Club
Congratulations to Empire Soccer Club’s SC G00 team who were named SCNPL Champions.

Staff Reports

Eastvale –Empire Soccer Club’s SC G00 team were announced as the Southern California National Premier League (SCNPL) Champions last month and will heading to the SCNPL finals.

The team went undefeated during their soccer season and won the GU15 league by 1 point. They had an overall record of five wins, zero losses, and two ties.

They were never scored on during their season because goalkeeper, Shelby Jimenez, had a clean sheet in every game, according to Empire Soccer Club.

They also have a hidden talent on their team, Alexis Gomez, who played for FC Man United G00 last season and won last year’s GU14 SCNPL. Gomez’ team last year represented Southern California in Indianapolis at the 2015 NPL Finals, according to Empire Soccer Club’s Facebook page.

As the winners of SCNPL, Empire’s SC G00 team is invited to the US Club Soccer National Premier League (NPL) Finals that is scheduled for July 14-18, in Aurora, CO. If you would like to help send the team to Colorado, you can visit their GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/2vhn6d52.

To view the other SCNPL competitors, visit http://www.nationalpremierleague.com/.

 

Eastvale Appoints New Councilmember

Photo courtesy: City of Eastvale Richard “Dickie” Simmons was sworn in at the Eastvale City Council meeting on May 11.

Photo courtesy: City of Eastvale
Richard “Dickie” Simmons was sworn in at the Eastvale City Council meeting on May 11.

By Michael Armijo

Eastvale – Richard “Dickie” Simmons was appointed as the newest Eastvale City Council member on May 11.

After Council members interviewed 10 candidates in order to fill Councilman William “Bill” Link’s vacant seat, Simmons was appointed with a 4-0 vote and was sworn in immediately.

Simmons, 67, is a community activist and volunteer that served as a field deputy for the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors for 17 years. Simmons also served in the U.S. Marine Corps and with the Los Angeles Police Department. However, Dickie is well known for his presence in the Inland Empire. He moved to Eastvale in 2002 and was so active in the Eastvale community that he was known as “Mr. Eastvale”.

With the resignation of Link in March, the Eastvale City Council opened up the “appointee process” last month. Link resigned because he moved out of the city, according to City Hall.

“The appointee will serve until this November 8th election,” said Mayor Ike Bootsma. “Then voters can choose a new city council member to serve the final two years of Bill’s (Link) term.”

This is the third time in 5½ years that the council appointed someone to replace a council member who resigned.

The council decided not to hold a special election because it would cost taxpayers over $60,000 to do so, according to City Hall. The earliest an election could take place would be August, so it makes sense to wait until the general election in November.

All appointees were required to be registered voters living in Eastvale. Each candidate gave a two-minute statement and was asked predetermined questions.

For more information, please sign onto www.eastvaleca.gov.

This article was updated by Eastvale News staff.

Calling All Food and Retail Vendors

Staff Reports

Chino– The City of Chino is seeking food and retail vendors for their annual “Fireworks Spectacular: A Salute to Our Armed Forces Heroes” event on Saturday, July 2, at Ayala Park.

This popular event is held in conjunction with the Chino Girls Fastpitch Milkcan Softball Tournament.

Last year’s Fireworks Spectacular brought approximately 8,000 people to Ayala Park. However, more people are expected to attend now that Ayala Park will also be the host to the Mobile Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall from June 30 – July 5.

Requests for a retail vendor application can also be made by calling the Chino Senior Center at 909.334.3271 or by calling the Neighborhood Activity Center at 909.334.3260.  The deadline to submit a food vendor application is Saturday, May 21, at 1 p.m.

All applications to be a retail vendor will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis at the Chino Senior Center, 13170 Central Avenue, until all spots are filled or until June 24, 2016.

For more information, please contact the Chino Community Services Department at 909.334.3258 or email communityservices@cityofchino.org.

 

Teacher Appreciation Dinner

Pastor Mark Hopper

Pastor Mark Hopper

By Pastor Mark Hopper

 

I have shared before about a special dinner that we do at our church each year. We call it our “Teacher Appreciation Dinner”.

When our children were young, my wife and I would invite their school teachers to come to our home for dinner.  This was one way we could get to know each teacher better and to express our thanks to them for helping our children learn.

After we moved to California, we got the idea to expand our effort by encouraging all of the children in our church to invite their teachers to come for dinner.  We have been doing this annually for over 20 years.

Each child is encouraged to invite their teacher to come to the dinner.  Parents are also invited to come.  This way the teacher, the student, and the parents are able to enjoy a nice dinner together.  Public school, private school and home school teachers are all welcome. We also extend an invitation to school principals and local superintendents.

We realize that this is an extracurricular activity for all of these educators and some are unable to attend.  But, we have found that parents, teachers, and students always love this event.

At the dinner, students give their teacher a small gift.  In addition, we usually have a game for students, parents, and teachers to play together.  Speed Scrabble and Paper Bag Charades have been popular in the past.  I don’t know what is planned for this year.

We believe that teachers and parents are partners in the education of our children.  Together they help children to learn and discover the wonders of our universe, the order of mathematics, and the depths of literature.

In the Old Testament, parents are commanded to teach their children well.  In Deuteronomy 6:7, it reads, “…teach your children when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

In addition, children are instructed to listen to their teachers and learn from their wisdom and knowledge.  Jesus said, “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40).

As the school year comes to a close, I hope you will make a special effort to express your thanks to your children’s school teachers.  Teachers deserve our support and appreciation!

If you would like to know more about our annual Teacher Appreciation Dinner on Tuesday, May 17th at 5 p.m., please feel welcome to contact our church office at (909) 594-7604.

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

DB Wine Soirée A Success

By Kathleen Newe

Diamond Bar- Chairs Nancy, Lyons, Rick Rogers and Tony Torng sincerely thank everyone who helped make the 23rd annual Wine Soirée such a resounding success.    Special thanks to Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe and Julie Knabe for leading us this year as Honorary Chairs.  The Diamond Bar Center was buzzing with activity that Sunday afternoon, April 24, as hundreds of people gathered for an exciting afternoon of festivities all focused on our Diamond Bar Library and literacy in our community.  The food tasting was exceptional with generous servings of delicious food offered by Albertsons Market, Aljibani Halal Market, Chili’s Grill and Bar, Claro’s Italian Restaurant, Del Taco, Diamond Palace, Encore Teppan, Got Taco Party?, Graber Olive House, It’s A Grind, Jeseca Creations, Jasmine Mediterranean, Julie’s Café, Mandarin Taste Restaurant, Mr. G’s Pizza, NiNi Bakery, The Noodle, and The Whole Enchilada.  Thanks to Total Wine and More for hosting our first French Wine Tasting Table.  Cal Poly Innovation Brew-Works generously hosted a table of their delicious micro brews.  Visit them is person and thank them for their support for literacy in our community.

By participating in the annual Wine Soirée, you know you will have great afternoon with old and new friends and know that all of the proceeds go directly to your local Diamond Bar Library and literacy in our community.  Those attending this great event can feel good that all the fun they are having – the food and wines they taste, the auction and raffle items they win, the music they enjoy – all the proceeds from this will go to improve our quality of life and learning.  The annual Wine Soirée is an institution in Diamond Bar and is a great way to meet new and old friends and neighbors.  If you are interested in participating in next year’s Soirée, contact Rick Rogers at www.dblibraryfriends.org.

With your help the Friends will give over $40,000 this year for much-needed materials, programs, books, magazines, etc. that would not have been possible without the Wine Soirée and our two non-profit bookstores, Basically BOOKS.  The Friends also will be sponsoring Read Together Diamond Bar 2016 with many exciting events planned around our 2016 RTDB selection:  Robert Crais’ Suspect.  Look for information on Read Together Diamond Bar 2016 in the coming months.

WVUSD Trustees Honor School Site Council Leadership

 

Photo courtesy: Kelli Gile The WVUSD Board of Trustees honored School Site Council chairpersons during the April 20 meeting. Shown: Principal Susan Arzola, teacher Jeanette Schaller-South Pointe Middle School, Principal Denise Rendon, parent Jenny Chen – Westhoff Elementary, teacher Kimberly McNeil, Principal Nancy Stingley-Maple Hill Elementary, Principal Joan Perez, parent Kathy Youmans – Collegewood Elementary, Board President Helen Hall, Principal Carolyn Wills, parent Kevin Hoshi – Evergreen Elementary, parent Marcus Lotto, Principal Jeanette Koh –Quail Summit Elementary.

Photo courtesy: Kelli Gile
The WVUSD Board of Trustees honored School Site Council chairpersons during the April 20 meeting. Shown: Principal Susan Arzola, teacher Jeanette Schaller-South Pointe Middle School, Principal Denise Rendon, parent Jenny Chen – Westhoff Elementary, teacher Kimberly McNeil, Principal Nancy Stingley-Maple Hill Elementary, Principal Joan Perez, parent Kathy Youmans – Collegewood Elementary, Board President Helen Hall, Principal Carolyn Wills, parent Kevin Hoshi – Evergreen Elementary, parent Marcus Lotto, Principal Jeanette Koh –Quail Summit Elementary.

By Kelli Gile

Walnut —Walnut Valley Unified School District (WVUSD) Board of Trustees recognized School Site Council leaders during the April 20 meeting.

“Our School Site Council chairpersons generously give their time, dedication, perseverance, and feedback to help make sound decisions for our schools,” said Jackie Brown, director of elementary education and assessment.

Congratulations to the following honorees: Patricia Ponce-Hernandez-Castle Rock Elementary, Fred Davies – Cyrus J. Morris Elementary, Kathy Youmans – Collegewood Elementary, Kevin Hoshi – Evergreen Elementary, Kimberly McNeil – Maple Hill Elementary, Marcus Lotto – Quail Summit Elementary, Angelica Razo – Vejar Elementary, Araceli Simeon – Walnut Elementary, Jenny Chen – Westhoff Elementary, Enoch Choi – Chaparral Middle School, Jeanette Schaller – South Pointe Middle School, and Marlene Soto – Suzanne Middle School.

School Site Council members are elected by parents and staff members. During meetings, the chairperson, a parent or teacher at the school, leads discussions with the principal to review instructional programs and budgets, school data, and help develop goals and action plans that align with budgets to help students achieve.

The valued community liaisons also lend their expertise and input as part of the team that develops School Site Plans which are approved annually by the Board of Trustees.

“From the bottom of our hearts, we so very much appreciate the work of our School Site Council chairpersons,” Brown added.

 

Chino PD Seeking Owner Property

City of Chino

Chino – Chino PD is looking to find the owner of a bicycle that was collected as found property in December of 2015. The item is described as an orange Jet 9 “Niner” model bicycle.

Per civil and department regulations, information about the item must be published, after a 90 day hold, giving a seven day response period from the time of publication, in attempt to find the owner before releasing it to the individual who turned it in.

If you believe you are the owner of this item, and have documentation to prove so, or may have information regarding ownership of the item, please contact the Chino PD Evidence Unit at (909) 334-3078 – reference case number 15-11550.

Mt. SAC Forensics Team Takes Second at Nationals

By Mike Taylor

Walnut–– The Mt. San Antonio College Forensics Team took second place overall at the 2016 Phi Rho Pi National Tournament held recently in Costa Mesa, with students winning five gold medals, seven silver medals, and 12 bronze medals. More than 500 students from 64 colleges throughout the nation competed.
Mt. SAC’s Jacqueline Yu (Walnut) won first place overall and the Bovero Top Speaker Award as the outstanding speaker at the national competition, winning gold medals in informative speaking, after dinner speaking, and communication analysis, and a silver medal in the impromptu speaking competition.
Joey Fontana of Diamond Bar won a gold medal in informative speaking and a silver medal in persuasive speaking. Sarina Wang of Hacienda Heights won a gold medal in informative speaking and a bronze medal in debate.
Azzaam Siddiqi of Walnut won a silver medal in impromptu speaking and a bronze medal in informative speaking. Christopher Robles of La Puente won silver in poetry interpretation and bronze in programmed oral interpretation. Amy Jajieh of Menifee won silver in persuasive speaking and bronze in dramatic interpretation. Matthew Rodriguez of Rio Rancho, NM won silver in persuasive speaking, and bronze as part of a parliamentary debate team. Tiffany Pla of Claremont won silver in extemporaneous speaking, a bronze in persuasive speaking, and a bronze as part of a parliamentary debate team.

Matthew Dowling of Norco won bronze in extemporaneous speaking and bronze as part of a parliamentary debate team. Anthony Flores of Baldwin Park won bronze in the prose competition. Kai Vibar of Walnut won bronze in programmed oral interpretation and bronze as part of a duo interpretation team. Lastly, Alexandria Romero of Chino won bronze in dramatic interpretation and bronze as part of a duo interpretation team.

The team is coached by faculty members Roxan Arntson, Danny Cantrell, and Roger Willis-Raymondo. Since 1994, Mt. SAC has won nine community college national titles and has placed among the top 10 in university-level competition four times.

Swingin’ the Night Away!

Photo courtesy: Kelli Gile Walnut High students paired up with local seniors for a Lindy Hop dance lesson. Shown: Freshman Brian Duran teaches community member Leann Curren some new steps.

Photo courtesy: Kelli Gile
Walnut High students paired up with local seniors for a Lindy Hop dance lesson. Shown: Freshman Brian Duran teaches community member Leann Curren some new steps.

Walnut teens and local seniors come together at Big Band dance

 

 By Kelli Gile

Walnut—The Walnut High School Swing Club and Jazz Band joined the fun during the Swinging Good Times dinner and dance at the Walnut Senior Center on April 22.

High school musicians took to the stage to perform a set of 1930-40’s swing-era music including “Not What” and “Sing Sing Sing.”

Senior Ryan Maidment, who plays trumpet in the group, took the lead organizing the ensemble, selecting music, and scheduling rehearsals for the special performance.

“I love jazz completely and listen to it all the time!” he said.

The teens said they were a little nervous, but excited to be a part of the service project with senior citizens.

“It’s definitely not like anything I’ve seen before,” Maidment said. “It’s been fun!” added electric bass player Matthew Distante.

The multi-generational social dance was the brainchild of English teacher Jennifer Maletz.

“I’m taking a class in community leadership, and we have to create a project that meant something to us. I was a dancer and band singer, so I know that this is a great opportunity to bridge the gap between generations through music and dance,” she said.

A dozen members of the school’s Swing Club showed off their skills performing a Shim Sham Shimmy dance routine.

The girls wore black and white polka dot dresses and the smartly dressed boys donned tuxedo shirts and bow ties for the event. Not the typical Friday night attire for teens.

The local seniors were then invited onto the dance floor for a beginning Lindy Hop lesson to the classic Big Band music.

“If you want to learn some basics of swing – please come and pair up with one of our Swing Club members,” Maidment announced.

The teens quickly partnered with the eager seniors.

The 20-minute tutorial included the quick turn, tuck turn, spin out, and Charleston moves, according to junior Patrick Stephanoff. “You can learn it in a night, but it takes longer to master,” he said.

Walnut resident Leann Curren was one of the first to take the dance floor to learn steps from freshman Brian Duran.

“I love to dance! I’ve been married almost 48 years, but my husband doesn’t dance,” Curren said. So, she took up line dancing about a year ago at the Walnut Senior Center.

“You don’t need a partner!”

“This has been great!” said Richard Pena after taking a spin on the dance floor. His group of retired friends attend ballroom dances that feature the rumba, foxtrot, salsa, cha cha, and waltz.

“I’ve done the West Coast Swing, but never tried the Lindy Hop. It brings back memories!” he added.

The Walnut High Swing Club members are passionate about jazz and it showed as they seamlessly quick-stepped and twirled to the familiar sounds of Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and more.

“I’ve danced a lot of different genres, but I really like swing the most,” said junior Chelsea “Cat” Tuason.

“I enjoy the fact that it gives me a chance to meet new people!” said 18-year-old Brion Robles.

“There’s dance at school, but it’s modern and it’s very hip-hoppy,” added senior Riley Herms, who has been a member of the after-school club for three years. “It’s neat doing something fancier!”

“I think that sometimes we end up being segmented by our ages and not mingling,” Maletz said. “Here in Walnut High School, we have an amazing group of dancers who enjoy music from a very different generation, so there’s a bridge of music and dance that can create a connection within the community.”

“I am so proud of the students and the effort they put in. The event exceeded my expectations for connection and fun!” Maletz said.

Historic Airplanes Filled The Sky At Chino Airshow

Staff Reports

Chino– Over 30,000 people came by the Planes of Fame Air Museum for their Planes of Fame Airshow on April 29 to May 1. The event was held at the Chino Airport, located at 7000 Merrill Avenue in Chino.

The event celebrated the 75th Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor, where they recognized the history, contributions, and sacrifices of our veterans.

This year’s airshow featured nearly 50 historic aircraft, performing for the community’s enjoyment. Performers included: U.S.A.F. F-16 Viper Demo Team and Heritage Flight, Sean D. Tucker Team Oracle Aerobatics, Texas Flying Legends, Sea Fury Aerobatics by Sanders Aeronautics, Rob Harrison and the Tumbling Bear, Gregory Colyer T-33, Granley Yak Aerobatic Team, Jelly Belly Airplane, John Collver’s AT-6 Aerobatics, and over 40 WWII aircraft including the B-25 Mitchell, P-47 Thunderbolt, and P-51 Mustang. In addition to many other fantastic airplanes that performed, there was also a special panel discussion with honored veterans. Lastly, there were Military vehicles, a ‘Kids Zone’, food, drinks and vendors!

Visit www.planesoffame.org to see what the museum will be hosting their next airshow!

Two Arrested For Mail Theft And Drug Possession

Staff Reports

Chino Hills – The Chino Hills Police Department arrested two people last week for mail theft and drug possession.

At about 3 a.m. on Thurs., April 28, deputies from the Chino Hills Police Department observed a white Mercedes Benz driving “aimlessly around” in the area of Peyton Drive an Olympic View. Olympic View is two blocks north of Grand Ave.

The occupants of the vehicle, identified as Tasean Holt, 19, and Martin Guevara, 36, were questioned by deputies after they were seen parking in the driveway of an unknown residence. When deputies approached the car, mail was sitting in plain view, which allegedly belonged to a residence in the 13000 block of Emerald Way in the city of Chino Hills. Guevara was also in possession of suspected methamphetamine.

Both suspects were arrested for mail theft and drug possession and were booked into the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

Anyone with additional information, please contact Deputy Chris Bassett at the Chino Hills Police Station at (909) 364-2000, and refer to Case # 221601431. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call WeTip at 800 78-CRIME.