Category Archives: SGV-IE Community News

Walnut: Winter Solstice Concert Ushers Hope For New Beginnings

Staff Reports

Walnut – The St. Lorenzo Ruiz Choir took center stage at the much anticipated “Winter Solstice” concert on Saturday, Dec. 28 at 8 p.m. at the St. Lorenzo Ruiz Catholic Church, 747 Meadowpass Rd. in Walnut. This concert featured the special participation of the Walnut Valley Symphony Orchestra and Master Chorale and a distinguished guest performer, Msgr. Joseph Brennan, Los Angeles Archdiocese’s Moderator of the Curia/Vicar General.

Proceeds from the concert will go towards the renovation of the Vellucci Hall, the Faith Formation Programs, the Typhoon Haiyan Relief Operations, and the Building Fund. Dr. Nové Deypalan, Music Director, conducted the choir.

Fr. Tony P. Astudillo, Pastor of St. Lorenzo Ruiz Church, was excited to share this joyous occasion and celebrate Christmas with family and friends in unity, harmonized in beautiful Christmas carols and ‘fa-la-la’s.

 

Diamond Bar Council Corner: Willow Heights

By Raymond Mendoza

Diamond Bar – Diamond Bar’s City Council met for its final regular meeting of December, which brought an end to drawn-out talks about Willow Heights and the flood control channel covering.

Council members started with various presentations starting with Jeffrey Scroggin, captain for the Walnut/Diamond Bar sheriff’s station, reporting on the state of police affairs in the city.

“Historically Diamond Bar has been one of the safest communities in all of Southern California,” Scroggins said. “For 2013 Diamond Bar has seen a 5.37 percent decrease in part one crimes as compared to 2012.”

Part one crimes, according to the FBI.gov website, includes criminal homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

Combating crime has also been aided with the recently approved “Report for Reward” program, which rewards Diamond Bar residents for providing information that eventually leads to arrests concerning burglaries.

Citizen Barbara DeCarbo was thanked for her services to the city and was recognized as the first recipient of the “Report for Reward” program.

Krystal Spindler, editor, and Kristen Khoury, layout and graphic design, were also recognized by the council for their outstanding work at Windmill Magazine; a publication that has been in existence for 52 years.

Mr. G’s Pizzeria and Pasta, located at 27267 S. Diamond Bar Blvd, was awarded a City Tile and named the Business of the Month and recognized for their long-standing presence in the community.

Council members then unanimously approved all items on the consent calendar which included the approval of minutes for Dec. 3 City Council meeting, the Oct. 24 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, Planning Commission meetings for Oct. 22 and Nov. 12, a check register dated Nov. 28 through Dec. 11 totaling $455,518.75, approval the adjourning of City Council meetings from Jan 7, 2014 through Jan 21, 2014, adopting ordinance no. 14 (2013) concerning a Diamond Bar municipal code relating to urban storm water mitigation plan, and a reprogramming of $20,000 in contingency funds from the Diamond Bar Center remodel project to the Diamond Bar Center maintenance and operation budget.

With consideration from David Doyle, assistant City Manager, the City Council then approved the community development block grant program, which includes the total amount of $231,291 in funds.

The major topic for the night was item 8 for council consideration, concerning the Willow Heights development.

Community Development Director Greg Gubman then outlined the possible resolution options for the Willow Heights development concerns, dealing with the coverage of a flood control channel.

Applicant Lennar Homes, the company in charge of the construction of the Willow Heights houses, with cooperation with the City of Diamond Bar and city manager, came to an agreement that Lennar Homes would not cover the flood control channel and would contribute $700,000 to the City’s Parks and Facility Development Fund.

“Staff recommends approval of this proposed contribution in lieu of covering the channel in order to avoid the uncertainty related to seeking a channel covering permit through the LA county public works department flood control district,” Gubman said.

The City Council then approved the vesting tentative tract and development review and tree permit for Willow Heights, with the addendum of accepting the $700,000 toward the Parks and Facility Development Fund.

The final item for council consideration was confirming appointments of specific representatives to the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, which was approved unanimously.

After City Council member comments, the Diamond Bar City Council meeting was officially adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

 

Walnut Council Nomination Period Open

Staff Reports
Walnut – The nomination period is now open for two seats for the Walnut City Council General Municipal Election set for Tuesday, April 8, 2014.
Two seats are up for reelection for a full term of four years. These two seats are currently held by Councilwoman Mary Su and Councilman Bob Pacheco. Pacheco was appointed this past July to fill former Mayor Tom King’s seat after he announced his retirement.
The City Clerk will issue nomination papers and candidate handbooks during this nomination period to potential candidates and will be available to guide candidates through the election process, according to City of Walnut officials. The nomination period closes on Monday, Jan. 14, 2014.
If no one or only one person is nominated for an elective office, appointment to the elective office may be made as prescribed by § 10229, Elections Code of the State of California, according to the City of Walnut.
The election process can be explained in a few simple steps. A City of Walnut news release states that the first step is forming a volunteer based Voting Rights Act Group. The Group will advise the City on effectively providing election material, information, and assistance to limited English proficient voters. In addition, Group members and their organizations will help disseminate election information and encourage resident participation in City elections. The news release also states that the City of Walnut is required to provide election material and outreach in the following languages: Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Spanish, and Tagalog. Residents with an interest in serving on this group should call the City Clerk’s office at (909) 595-7543, ext. 311.
The City Clerk’s office will then mail sample ballot pamphlets containing a facsimile ballot and polling place information to all registered City voters, and will also issue ballots to vote-by-mail ballot registered voters.
After election results are final, the City Clerk then administers the oath of office to each Council Member at the second Council meeting in April.
Voter registration is available from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk at http://www.lavote.net or by calling 1-800-815-2666. Voter registration forms can also be picked up at City Hall, the Walnut Library, and local post office.

The WVUSD Chinese American Parents Association will Host Annual Christmas Party

The Walnut Valley Unified School District’s Chinese American Parents Association (WVUSD-CAPA) will host its annual Christmas Party celebration for Walnut Seniors this coming Tuesday, December 17.

Walnut Council Member and WVUSD-CAPA Chairperson Mary Su said, “It is my honor and privilege to host this important event for Walnut’s Seniors again this year.  Every year we invite 50 to 60 kindergarten students to perform Christmas songs, which of course our Seniors always love, and every Walnut Senior who attends also receives a bag of handsome Christmas gifts from WVUSD-CAPA.”

This year’s Christmas Party for Walnut’s Seniors will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 17th at the Walnut Senior Citizens Center, 21215 La Puente Road, Walnut. This year Los Angeles County Fire Fighters will also be joining with Walnut’s Seniors for this wonderful holiday celebration.

Oswalt Academy Named Distinguished

RUSD

Walnut – For the fifth consecutive year, Stanley G. Oswalt Academy is pleased to announce that it has been named an “Apple Distinguished School” for 2013-2014. Oswalt Academy was recognized for this achievement at the December 10th Rowland Unified School District Board of Education Meeting. Oswalt Academy, a K-8 International Baccalaureate® (IB) World School, joins a select class of institutions that Apple is recognizing as exemplary learning environments.
“The Oswalt family is proud to receive the honor of Apple Distinguished School once again. The 1:1 laptop program has completely changed the way students learn and through the hard work of our teachers and students and integration of technology we are proud to say we have helped students grow into successful 21st century learners,” said Oswalt Principal Kevin Despard.
Oswalt Academy has more than 500 one-to-one laptops in grades 5 – 8 that are parent funded and in use daily. The school has continued to expand its technology-infused learning in grades K-4 with the use of more than 200 iPod Touches in the classrooms. Academic achievement is evidenced by the school’s API score reaching 919 this year.
The Apple Distinguished School designation is reserved for schools like Oswalt that integrate Apple technology in education and showcase visionary leadership in creating successful 21st Century teaching and learning environments. Since initiating the Laptop for Learning program in 2008, Oswalt has transformed the school into a digital learning haven that has garnered remarkable results in closing the achievement gap in math and literacy. “We are also proud that our school has achieved a statewide rank of 10 out of 10. The statewide rank compares an individual school’s API to all of the schools in its grade level statewide. This achievement has resulted in part due to the dynamic learning that is taking place utilizing technology for students 24/7,” said Despard.
Oswalt Academy is for students in grades K – 8, and is located at 19501 Shadow Oak Drive in Walnut. For more information, visit http://www.oswaltacademy.org or contact Principal Kevin Despard at (626) 810-4109.

“Vacation Hold” Burglars Plead Not Guilty

Staff Reports SGV – Eight people were arrested for their alleged involvement in a residential burglary ring that targeted Los Angeles Times subscribers, whose names were on stolen “Vacation Hold” lists. The ring is accused of stealing an estimated $1 million in electronics and other items in the burglaries that took place in Diamond Bar, Walnut, Hacienda Heights, Chino Hills, West Covina, Arcadia, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Redlands and Ontario. The 14 burglaries occurred between December 2011 and November 2012. All suspects pleaded not guilty to charges. All eight defendants, as follows, are charged with multiple counts of burglary, along with two counts each of conspiracy to commit a crime: Randal Joseph Whitmore, 44; Duane Vantuinen, 52; Joshua Ray Box, 44; Lorraine Marlene Vasquez, 41; Cory Mulligan, 22; Brian Thomas Duran, 42; Margaret Mary Susan High, 29; and Edwin Lynn Valentine, 53. The investigation began when Whitmore was stopped for a traffic violation on June 24, 2012. Police discovered stolen property and Los Angeles Times Vacation Hold lists inside the vehicle. The lists gave the suspected burglars the names and addresses, as well as the dates that the subscribers would be out of town and suspending paper deliveries. The suspects are in custody with bail amounts ranging from $1.6 million to $2.6 million. They were expected in court on December 10 for their pre-trial hearing at Pomona Superior Court. According to the District Attorney’s Office, if convicted of all charges, each one faces at least 20 years in state prison.

Walnut Council Corner: Proposed Six-Home Development

By Ariel Carmona Jr. Walnut – The Walnut City Council held their regular meeting this past week. After hearing a testimony from a developer and from neighbors opposing a proposed land subdivision, the council voted 5-0 to send the item back to city staff and for the city planning commission to review proposed amendments on the subdivision of the existing property totaling more than five acres. The bulk of the city council’s latest meeting on Dec. 11 was dedicated to a public hearing on the appeal of the planning commission’s approval of a recent request to subdivide two existing lots into six on a property located west of Silver Valley Trail and southeast of Cantel Place within the rural overlay zoning districts of the City. Key to neighboring property owners’ opposition to the proposed subdivision is the preservation of the woodlands, the protection of existing Black Oak trees, and alleged insufficient buffering between the new street and the existing residential properties on Cofer Court. According to data provided by the City, it was noted by the Planning Commission at their Nov. 6 meeting that all of the proposed lots would be accessed from a newly constructed street (Sunny Brook Trail) that would run perpendicular to Silver Valley Trail. Resident Carol Coy, a 27-year resident whose property lies adjacent to the proposed subdivision, said she believed the community development department erred in recommending approval and the City Planning Commission. She said the commission should not have approved the tentative tract map. “The developer was supposed to be required to demonstrate that it was legally feasible to build on the proposed sub-devised sites before approval and this was not done,” said Coy, adding that the City of Walnut, oak and walnut tree preservation ordinance, and city code require the preservation of all healthy oak and walnut trees, unless compelling reasons exist justifying the removal of the trees. Coy said the ordinance was adopted in order to preserve Walnut’s remaining heritage trees. Neighbors said the subdivision includes at least three walnut trees, including 10 Southern Californian Oak trees subject to the ordinance. “By its design, it cannot be built without removing or relocating some and maybe most of these trees, trees must be removed due to the current access road location, grading and driveway design,” said Coy. “The developer did not provide any reason for this design,” she added. Coy also said other developers in Walnut were required to provide adequate and appropriate buffers between their projects and existing zones. “If a Trail or other buffer is not added along the south boundary, the wall included by the planning commission would be acceptable.” Walnut resident Richard Worth told the council he retained the services of an Alhambra based engineer to propose amendments to the proposal from developer Handaja Harijanto. Hariajanto said he believed at least one of the trees was damaged by recent fires and said he was frustrated by the ongoing process, urging the council to approve the Planning Commission’s decision. “We have so many options, we’ve been discussing for many years,” said Harijanto, who was praised by the council for making many existing concessions to appease residents’ concerns. “It takes at least 80 years to grow a mature Black Walnut tree and only four foot and under saplings transplant well. These are mature trees, since our city was named after Walnut trees, the developer should be required to incorporate the trees into the development plan, not just mow over them,” said resident Linda Wolford. City Attorney Michael Montgomery said the council had little choice but to send the issue back to the planning commission due to state regulations. “You gotta send it back. These are not minor adjustments, these are grade elevations, changes to the street, prohibition against tree removals, these are major, and staff has to look at it first. We don’t even know of the proposed amendments are legal under our code.” “The state legislature said the planning commission has the primary responsibility to approve subdivisions, the only reason the council is involved is if there’s a right to appeal, but the decision making body is the planning commission,” said Montgomery. In other council actions, the council approved an emergency ordinance to amend its municipal code dealing with its building codes so that they would comply with county and state mandated updates, and they approved a 1.33 percent rate increase for solid waste collection effective in the new year. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Walnut City Council is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 21201 La Puente Road.

First Light

By Mark Hopper

We have a tradition at our house that we pull out all the Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving. The next Pastor Mark Hopper Diamond Bartwo days are busy setting up the Christmas tree and decorating the house for the holidays.
My wife does most of the work. She loves this time of year. She loves putting out all of her decorations that have been stored away for the past 12 months.
In addition to all the work inside the house, it is my job to put the Christmas lights up on the outside of the house.
I am pleased to report that we were the first house on our block to have our outdoor Christmas lights up this year. However, I am not pleased to report that so far, we are the only house with Christmas lights on our house.
It seems to me that there are fewer and fewer houses with outdoor Christmas decorations these days. Maybe it is due to the economy. Maybe people are just trying to save electricity. Maybe it is just an old fashioned idea that people don’t care about any more.
Some people complain that they have to decorate their house. It is a lot of work and take a lot of time. But, don’t grumble that you have to decorate your house, be thankful you have a house to decorate!
Personally, I love the Christmas season. After all, we are celebrating the birth of Christ. In addition, Christmas gives us the opportunity to share gifts with loved one and friends.
Don’t wait any longer. Pull down those boxes in the garage and get out those Christmas decorations. Help brighten your neighborhood with some Christmas decorations this year.
You will be glad you did and your neighbors will be glad too!
Pastor Mark Hopper
Evangelical Free Church of Diamond Bar 3255 South Diamond Bar Blvd (909) 594-7604 Sunday Services: 9:00 & 10:45 AM Christmas Eve Services: 4:00 & 6:00 PM website: http://www.efreedb.org.

Mark Hopper

New DB Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem

Diamond Bar Mayor Carol Herrera 2014

Mayor Carol Herrera

 

Carol Herrera was voted to the appointment of Mayor for a one-year term, her fifth time serving in this capacity.  She was first elected to the Diamond Bar City Council in 1995, and has also served as Mayor Pro-Tem.  Herrera is also the first Latina Mayor and has the longest tenure of service in Diamond Bar’s history.  She and her husband, Art, a retired LASD commander, have three children.

Diamond Bar Mayor-Pro Tem Steve Tye

Mayor Pro-Tem Steve Tye

 

Steve Tye was selected as Mayor Pro-Tem.  This is his second time serving in this capacity.  Tye has also served as Mayor and was first elected to the council in 2005.  He and his wife, Patricia, have three children. Elected and sworn in to the City Council for the first time is Nancy A. Lyons.  She previously served as Trustee of the Walnut Valley Unified School District from 2005 to 2013.

Ling-Ling Chang was also elected to the Council, but was absent from the meeting and will be sworn in at a later date.  Chang, in her second term, was first elected in 2009 and served as Diamond Bar mayor in 2012.

The December 3 meeting also included a special presentation to outgoing Mayor Pro-Tem, Ron Everett, who served on the council from 2007 to 2013.

 

Walnut: Local Woman Goes To Trial for Murder

STAFF REPORTS

Walnut – A woman accused of fatally stabbing her estranged husband is scheduled for trial in Pomona Superior Court, beginning January 28, 2014.

Socorro Mora, 45, of Walnut, has been charged with murdering George Mora, 47, in his home back in October of 2011. Deputies responding at that time to a domestic violence call on the 21600 block of Brookside Court in Walnut, found George inside the home, dead from multiple stabbings.

Socorro was found in front of the home, where George lived with the couple’s four children (who were not home at the time). She was apparently injured from stab wounds. It was not clear how she received the injuries, but she was treated at a local hospital before being charged and booked into the regional detention center in Lynwood. She has remained there on $5 million bail.

Socorro and George Mora had been married since 1993, but had separated in September 2011. Ironically, George reportedly obtained a restraining order against his estranged wife, just three weeks before he was killed.

There have been multiple postponements leading up to the scheduling of a trial date. Socorro is charged not only with murder, but felony complaints of increasing violence, animal cruelty (from stabbing and killing the family dog in a previous incident), and domestic violence. She has pleaded not guilty.

Weekly News 11-30-2013

The Weekly News 11-30-13