Category Archives: The Weekly News

Ramona Students Going To Race Track To Learn STEM

Courtesy of CVUSD

CHINO– Ramona Junior High students will be among 500 eighth graders from 17 middle schools in San Bernardino and Riverside counties to attend the seventh annual Auto Club Speedway STEM Day on March 18 as part of the Auto Club 400 Weekend in Fontana.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are foundations of the motorsports industry.
The students will have an opportunity to do hands-on math and engineering exercises with student volunteers from local colleges and universities, as well as interact with exhibitors.
Students will be introduced to several speakers, including Sprint Cup driver Aric Almirola of Richard Petty Motorsports.
The students will also receive a pair of reserved grandstand tickets to the Auto Club 400 race that will take place March 20 at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana.

How To Knock Out Sugar For National Nutrition Month

By Brittany Thomas

Type “sugar” and “culprit” into your favorite search engine and you’ll find no shortage of health reasons to knock sugar out of your diet.

For example, three authors argue in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that, despite ample exercise, too much sugar consumption can still leave you fat. That’s in addition to new studies published earlier this year that indicate too much sugar triggers brain defects, liver disease and breast cancer.

“The toxicity of excessive sugar consumption is well-documented, yet it’s so prevalent in our packaged foods that we may be digesting it without knowing it,” says nutritionist and juicing pioneer Cherie Calbom, who is known as “The Juice Lady.”

But with vigilance you can ditch the sugar in your diet, says Calbom, who tackles the subject in her newest book, “The Juice Lady’s Sugar Knockout,” and she offers her Sugar Addiction Quiz atwww.juiceladycherie.com/Juice/the-sugar-knockout. She says March, which is National Nutrition Month, is the perfect time to start. A few ways to begin include.

  • Pick the right day to start.A birthday or celebration dinner is not the best time to commit to a new diet. You’ll eventually develop the willpower to navigate through special events, but it’s not a good idea to start with an unusual challenge.
    • Go cold turkey.Studies show sugar is as addictive as cocaine and heroin, so it’s not something you can ease into or pursue in half measures. If you eat a little less to gradually eliminate it from your diet, you’ll keep getting triggered into wanting more sweets. You have to completely let it go.
    • Scrutinize every label. We are naturally inclined to crave sugar, which is why manufacturers try to smuggle it into their products. The only way to root out sugar in all its forms – soups, condiments, breads, etc. – is to read grocery labels carefully. The sooner sugar is mentioned, the more that’s in there.
    • Make emergency snack packs. Whether shopping, traveling or at work, you don’t want to be caught hungry without a healthy option. Plummeting blood-sugar levels will make it that much harder to resist sugar-laden treats. Nuts and seeds, veggie sticks, turkey jerky and apples are among the healthy options.
    • Take time to de-stress. Stress causes spikes in cortisol, a hormone that makes you irrationally hungry, leaving you susceptible to sugar-laden snacks. When stressed, take a long, deep breath in for five seconds, hold, and then let it out to a count of five. Deep breathing is said to activate your vagus nerve, which properly regulates metabolism.

“There is much more you can do to break sugar addiction,” Calbom says. “It’s very doable, but you must commit to it!”

About Cherie Calbom, MSN (a.k.a. The Juice Lady)

Cherie Calbom holds a Master of Science degree in whole foods nutrition from Bastyr University. Known as “The Juice Lady” (www.juiceladycherie.com) for her work with juicing and health, she is author of 31 books, with millions of copies sold worldwide. No stranger to healthy diet trends, Cherie joined George Foreman as nutritional spokesperson in the Knockout the Fat phenomena that forever changed grilling in America.

Murder Suspect Found Guilty in 2013 Case

 

Photo courtesy: Chino Police Department

Photo courtesy: Chino Police Department

Courtesy of the City of Chino

CHINO– Nearly two and a-half years after the cold-blooded murder of a Check ‘n Go employee, the shooter, Jorge Cisneros, was found guilty of first-degree murder and second-degree robbery.

On November 15, 2013 at approximately 1:24 p.m., two suspects entered the Check ‘n Go located at 12083 Central Avenue and shot and killed 24-year-old Vanessa Martinez of Riverside. Within 24 hours, Chino Police Investigators and SWAT team members located and arrested two suspects in the cities of Ontario and Pomona.

Jorge Esteban Cisneros, a 43 year-old resident of Ontario, was identified as the shooter during the commission of the crime. He was found guilty Thursday, March 17, 2016 in a San Bernardino Court.

David Mendez, a 29-year-old Pomona resident was convicted in 2015 of first-degree murder and second-degree robbery. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Cisneros’ sentencing hearing is pending.

If you have information regarding this case please contact Detective Acuna at 909-334-3016 or facuna@chinopd.org.

 

Great Places to See Southern California in Bloom this Spring

Photo courtesy: sandiego.org Anza-Borrego State Park

Photo courtesy: sandiego.org
Anza-Borrego State Park

Courtesy of the State of California

 

This spring bloom promises to be one of the best in years. After weeks of drinking in fresh rainwater, California’s sunny landscapes are beginning to burst with colorful wildflowers.

Here are just six of the many places in California that will inspire you to get outdoors and smell the roses – not to mention the poppies, daffodils, tulips and more.

  1. Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve

The Antelope Valley is the ultimate place to spot the state flower, the California Poppy, in the wild. Located just 75 miles north of Los Angeles, this state-protected reserve boasts a carpet of bright orange blooms each spring, as well as owl’s clover, lupine, goldfields, cream cups and coreopsis. Visitors can typically enjoy the visual bounty from mid- February through late May along eight miles of trails overlooking rolling hills. Trail benches make great vantage points to spot other wildlife, such as singing meadowlarks, lizards zipping across the trail, gophers and maybe even a coyote.

  1. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Some of Mother Nature’s most spectacular floral shows in the West take place each spring at the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park – California’s largest state park, encompassing over 600,000 acres in San Diego’s East County. Following winter rains, the dry and rugged landscape is magically transformed into a kaleidoscope of wildflowers, from tiny bursts of color no larger than the head of a pin to towering ocotillos with fiery spines of scarlet blossoms. The displays promise to be especially vibrant sometime during March and April after Southern California’s recent winter rains. Visitors will also enjoy seeing the multitude of butterflies that are drawn to this spectacular floral pageant. Guests can call the Park’s 24-hour “Wildflower Hotline” for updates.

  1. Channel Islands National Park

This isolated national park off the coast of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties is known as the “Galapagos Islands of North America,” featuring unique animals, plants and archeological resources found nowhere else on Earth. The islands are home to an astonishing 775 species of plants, many of which blanket the fields with colors each spring. To help visitors make sense of the abundant blooms, the park publishes flower guide each year. One of the most popular, the brilliant yellow coreopsis flowers, usually peak between late January through March and are best seen on Santa Barbara, Anacapa and San Miguel Islands. Sometimes the colors are so vivid they can be seen from the shore! San Miguel also boasts lupine and poppies, while Anacapa features vibrant red paintbrush and island morning glory. Santa Barbara Island, home to a colony of elephant seals, also blossoms with lavender chicory and pale yellow cream cups. While taking in Mother Nature’s rainbow of flowers in the spring, park visitors can also enjoy spotting western gulls and other seabirds begin nesting on the islands, as well as newborn California sea lions and northern fur seals.

  1. Death Valley National Park

If you’re visiting Southern California soon, don’t miss a rare and epic “super bloom” of abundant wildflowers at Death Valley National Park. Only under perfect conditions do wildflowers paint the desert with hues of gold, purple, pink and white. Thanks to heavy rains this fall and early winter, the park’s stark and arid landscapes are giving birth to Desert Gold, Golden Evening Primrose, Gravel Ghost, Bigelow Monkeyflower and Desert Five-Spot along the lower elevations and foothills, and are likely to hang around until late March or early April.

  1. Figueroa Mountain Recreation Area

Nothing says “spring” like a field of wild sunflowers, and one of the best places to enjoy them and other fantastic flower displays is Figueroa Mountain in Santa Barbara County. Late March brings forth early blooming specimens such as purple shooting stars. Later arrivals on the mountain include chocolate lilies and the scarlet Indian paintbrush. The open grassland areas support a profusion of species, including goldfields, sky lupine, California poppies and more.

  1. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

After the winter rains, flowers spring up in this beautiful coastal park in Orange County. The park features 40 miles of trails that wind through oak and sycamore woodlands and lead hikers up and down hills and canyons – some of which offer great views of the Pacific Ocean. At each elevation, visitors have the opportunity to view different varieties of native plants and flowers such as wild hyacinth, morning glories, popcorn flowers and southern sun cups. Coastal sage scrub provides a year-round home for the endangered California gnatcatcher.

Golf with Your Local Sheriffs in Chino Hills

By Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Booster Club

 

CHINO HILLS – The Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Booster Club will host a golf tournament in honor of the sheriff department’s 150 volunteers next month.
The tournament will begin at 11:30 a.m. April 4 at the Western Hills Country Club, 1800 Carbon Canyon Rd., in Chino Hills. A luncheon will immediately follow the tournament.

“Thousands of hours are donated annually by our department’s volunteers, explorers, reserves and disaster communication specialists,” Captain Jeff Scroggin said.  “From vacation checks and traffic control to color guard and keeping disaster communication equipment ready in case of emergency, these are a few of the many services they provide the community.”
Prizes for the longest drive, closest to the pin and hole-in-one will be awarded during the luncheon. The cost for a single player is $100. Sponsorship opportunities are available.
Platinum sponsor – $3,000- Includes 16 players/four teams, recognition during the awards luncheon, repeated advertising of your company in Our Weekly newspaper and during the tournament, name placement on event signage and a recognition certificate from the Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Booster Club.
Gold sponsor – $2,000- Includes 8 players/two teams, recognition in Our Weekly newspaper, recognition during the awards luncheon, name placement on event signage and a recognition certificate from the Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Booster Club.
Silver sponsor – $1,000-Includes one team of four players and a recognition certificate from the Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Booster Club.
Other sponsorship opportunities include: beverage cart for $1,000, hole-in-one sponsor for $500, goodie bag sponsor for $500, closest-to-the-pin sponsor for $400, and tee sign sponsorship for $100.
Captain Scroggin encourages community members to join this fun and meaningful tournament to continue to help provide the needed uniforms and equipment to the people who volunteer their time to improve the service and security to the cities of Walnut and Diamond Bar, and the unincorporated communities of Rowland Heights, Covina Hills and West Covina.

For information and reservations, contact Sgt. Mark Saldecke, volunteer coordinator, at (909) 595-2264, mcsaldec@lasd.org or Gil Rivera, booster club member at (909) 967-4525, GRiveraEmail@gmail.com.

Chino Man Fires at Officers, Sets Home on Fire

Courtesy of the Chino Police Department

Courtesy of the Chino Police Department

Staff Reports

 

CHINO– A man who was about to be evicted from a rental property in Chino barricaded himself in his home after shooting at police officers and was later found dead.

Around 8:20 a.m. March 9, Chino Police officers approached the home in the 11400 block of Santa Anita with the landlord in order to serve an eviction notice, when the man inside the home began shooting at the officers.

“Upon our officers arrival … an unknown subject came to the front of the location and fired upon the officers,” Police Captain Wes Simmons said. “The officers did return fire, and they did deploy chemical agents on the house.”

Neighborhood residents were evacuated for several hours.  The house became fully engulfed in flames after officers deployed non-incendiary chemical agents into the home.  Officers do not believe that the chemicals started the fire.

Monica Gutierrez, spokeswoman for the city of Chino, said that police learned later that the man had planned to set the house on fire and commit suicide. His remains were retrieved from the home on Thursday.

The owner of the home had been trying to evict the man for several months.

Chino Valley Fire was able to knock down the flames, but the house is a complete loss.  The suspect remains unidentified.

No officers, fire personnel or citizens were injured during the incident.

 

CarMax Crash Fugitive Sought

Photo courtesy: San Bernardino County Sheriff Fugitive Alex Demetro sought

Photo courtesy: San Bernardino County Sheriff
Fugitive Alex Demetro sought

Staff Reports

SAN BERNARDINO-  A Union City, CA  man charged with killing a CarMax salesman has been declared a fugitive.

Alex Demetro, 28, allegedly crashed a Corvette into a tree during a test drive around 12:45 p.m., February 23, on Mercedes Lane in Ontario.  Witnesses told police that the driver was traveling at a high rate of speed, possibly as high as 70 mph, when he lost control of the car and crashed.

After the collision, 43-year-old Warren Smale of Montclair, a CarMax employee, was taken to a hospital in critical condition.  He was later pronounced dead as a result of his injuries. Smale had worked at the CarMax dealership since October 2013, and was the first CarMax employee to die during a test drive, according to the company.   He grew up in Pennsylvania and moved to California to find a good job.

Demetro was released from jail February 24 after posting $100,000 bail.

On March 7, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office charged Demetro with one count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, one count of driving while under the influence of a drug causing injury, and one count of driving when privilege suspended or revoked with priors.  When Demetro did not show up for his court hearing, a warrant for his arrest was issued.

The case is currently under investigation by the Ontario Police Department.  If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Alex Demetro, please contact Ontario Police Officer Brian Olivo at (909) 395-4646 or callers wishing to remain anonymous can dial WeTip at (800) 78-CRIME.

Sex Offender Compliance Check

Courtesy of San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department

SAN BERNARDINO– For the past 45 days, detectives from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Crimes Against Children detail have continued to verify the residency status of sex offenders within the county of San Bernardino. San Bernardino County currently has over 5,000 registered sex offenders residing throughout the various cities in San Bernardino County. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has a 98 % compliance rate of all sex offenders registered with the Sheriff’s Department.
As of February 2016, there are 192 active Failure to Register warrants for subjects who have not registered, and are out of compliance with their Sex Offender registration requirements. 133 of these warrants are Felony warrants; 59 of these are misdemeanor warrants. Detectives are currently working with the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office to ensure that all of the felony warrants in the system are approved for nationwide extradition. At this time, over 40 warrants have been approved for nationwide extradition, and additional approvals are pending.
Through investigation, detectives learned that 7 of those wanted subjects were deceased. An additional 9 were found to be living in other States.
In the past 45 days, Detectives from the Crimes Against Children Detail also conducted over 30 investigations into the compliance status of various sex offenders within the Inland Empire. As a result of those investigations, 13 sex offenders were arrested for various charges to include; possession of drugs, forgery, failing to register as a sex offender, and for violating the terms of their parole & probation.
Charlie Sanders (44) and John Mason (42) both of San Bernardino, were arrested for possession of a controlled substance and parole violation.
Anthony Jefferson (30) of San Bernardino, was arrested for Forgery, Possession of a fake CA driver’s license, and parole violation.
With the assistance of Deputies from the Sheriff’s Central Station, Travis Wright (64) of Devore, was arrested for a Felony Indecent Exposure Warrant; stemming from a case that occurred in Orange County.
John Arrey (59) of Yucaipa, Benny Goodman (46) and Robert White (53), both of Highland, Michael Murillo (27) and Ronnie Fernandez (42), both of Redlands, Edward Brodie (58) of Rialto, William Hoover (51) of Rancho Cucamonga, and Antonio Higareda (20) and Justin Lutton (28), both of San Bernardino, were all arrested for failing to register as sex offenders.
Additional investigations are in the process and more arrests are imminent. Detectives are also collaborating with officers from the San Bernardino County Probation Department and agents from the California Department of Corrections to ensure the subjects on parole & probation are following their sex offender registration requirements. Detectives will continue to monitor the registered sex offenders within the County of San Bernardino to ensure their compliance.
Anyone with information about sex offenders who may be out of compliance is urged to contact the Specialized Investigations – Crimes Against Children Detail at (909) 387-3615. If you choose to remain anonymous, call WeTip at 1-800-78-CRIME.

Who Wants Bundt Cake?

By Gel Delos Santos, Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce

 

CHINO HILLS-Esther and Charles Cuellar are the new owners of a franchise called Nothing Bundt Cakes. They currently have one location in West Covina, and they will be opening a second location, in Chino Hills, on April 8, 2016.  Esther is an experienced franchiser who has worked in restaurants for 25 years, and she has always been passionate about having a business that has to do with food.  She currently owns two other franchises: Yogurtland and Jersey Mike’s.  There is something about the culture behind the franchise business that she really likes and enjoys.

She is very excited about her new franchise.  When asked why she chose cakes, she said

“Cakes are so easy for people to get hooked on!”  She chose to open a Chino Hills location so that she can be rooted in the Chino Valley, creating relationships that will keep her business open and help her be part of the community for a long time.  Furthermore, giving back to the community is very important to her, so she is partnering with the Let It Be Foundation, which helps families care for their sick children.  When the restaurant opens on April 8, it will be a Benefit Day, which means that 20% of all sales that day will be donated to the Let It Be Foundation.

Come and join the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce for Nothing Bundt Cakes’ ribbon cutting on Friday, April 8, 2016, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  This will be followed by a Grand Opening the next day, Saturday, April 9, when the first 50 customers purchasing a Bundt cake will receive a card for a free Bundtlet every month for a whole year.  Nothing Bundt Cakes will be open every day:  Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce proudly welcomes Nothing Bundt Cakes to the Chino Valley community.

High School Hockey Team Makes Playoffs

Photo courtesy: Chino Valley Flames Chino Valley Flames Hockey Team

Photo courtesy: Chino Valley Flames
Chino Valley Flames Hockey Team

Staff Reports

CHINO VALLEY– The Chino Valley Flames Hockey Team, part of the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League, made it to the 2nd round of playoffs in their first year as a high school hockey team.

The Flames are made up of 18 high-school aged boys (and one girl) from several Chino Valley high schools: nine players from Chino Hills High School, five from Ayala, one from Don Lugo, one from Chino and three from outside of the CVUSD district.

Several well-known schools have teams that are part of the Ducks high school league, including Servite, Orange Lutheran, St John Bosco, Mater Dei and Santa Margarita.

The underdog Flames were in 11th place going into the playoffs, but won their first game with a major upset against Bishop Amat.  They lost their 2nd round game in overtime against the #3 seeded Edison Chargers.

This young team had an outstanding first season playing bigger and older kids as well as teams that have been established for years.

If you are a hockey fan, know a hockey fan or support young adults becoming actively involved with a sport, you can follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@ChinoValleyHockey) to see what awesome things are yet to come!

Straight Talk With Danice

Danice Akiyoshi

Danice Akiyoshi

My husband keeps volunteering me!

By Danice Akiyoshi, N.D.

Dear Dr. Akiyoshi:

I am a helpful, nice person, but I’m tired of my husband volunteering my time for everything.  If our neighbor throws her back out, he volunteers me to make dinner for them for three days.  If someone in the carpool can’t make it, he volunteers me to take their place.  If someone is having a refrigerator delivered, he says I would be more than happy to wait at their home for the delivery man. If his family needs anything, he volunteers me.  He feels free to do this because I have my own little business. I do medical billing and I work from my computer at home.  He thinks I can just pack up my work and cart it around anywhere.  Because of these constant interruptions, I am often up until midnight trying to finish my work.  He doesn’t know this because he’s in bed at 9:30.  I don’t mind helping people, but I’d like to do it on my own schedule, not his.  How should I approach this?

-Pamela F.

 

Dear Pamela:

It sounds to me like your husband doesn’t take your work very seriously.  I don’t know enough of the story, but I wonder if he under values the financial contribution you bring to the household.  Or perhaps he struggles with his own self esteem and wants to be a people pleaser.  Unfortunately, this is at your expense, not his.  To get to the bottom of it, why don’t you ask him if he’s fine with you putting your business on hold, as well as the money it brings into the household (slight sarcasm)? Explain that then you will be free to do all of these errands he keeps setting up for you.  If he says the family needs the money, this gives you an opening to ask him to respect your business as if it were actually important to the family.  If you’d like a more direct approach – which I always like best – advise him that he is no longer free to offer your time or services without your permission.  It really is just a matter of respect.  Let me know if you need additional assistance with boosting up your personal power.

-Danice Akiyoshi, N.D.

Danice Akiyoshi is a Naturopathic Doctor and the head of Candid Coaching Service. She offers personal coaching services relating to all types of issues and concerns. This is a letter she received from an anonymous reader. To send a question to Danice, email her at straighttalk@candidcoachingservices.com. You can also visit her website at http://www.candidcoachingservices.com.

Join Us For Our March Mixer!

ABCPR-March-2016-Mixer-WEBStaff Reports

 

CHINO– Join us for the Chino Valley Chamber March Mixer hosted by ABC Public Relations and Armijo Newspapers. Don’t miss out on this fun business mixer on March 24.

We will have FREE food, drinks, and giveaways. One of the prizes that will be raffled off will be a tablet, in addition to other prizes donated by located businesses. The mixer will also be a great opportunity to market your business with other Chino Valley Chamber Members and community members.

If you would like to sponsor one of our raffle prizes, your business will be featured in our newspaper, along with a picture of you and the winner. Please contact us at (909) 464-1200 if you are interested in being a sponsor.

The Business Mixer will be held from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at ABC Public Relation’s office, located at 14144 Central Ave. Ste. H, Chino CA 91710. The office is right across the street from Ayala Park and our building is behind the 14122 Central Avenue building.

Please RSVP by calling (909) 464-1200 or emailing RSVP@anapr.com. We hope to see you there!

 

Celebrate The Lunar New Year At Mandarin Taste

See their ad in this issue of the Weekly News for coupons and specials. For more information, call (909) 861-1819 or just stop by their location at 23391 E. Golden Springs Drive, in Diamond Bar.

Mandarin Taste is located at 23391 E. Golden Springs Drive, in Diamond Bar. For reservations, call (909) 861-1819. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Staff Reports

 

Diamond Bar – Kick off the Year of the Monkey at Diamond Bar’s most authentic Chinese restaurant, Mandarin Taste. For over 32 years, Mandarin Taste has brought quality service and traditional Chinese cuisine to the Diamond Bar community.

The restaurant has thrived because of the many mouth-watering dishes it serves and the family-friendly atmosphere that keeps people coming back for more. Skip slaving over the stove all day, or cooking after a long day at the office. Mandarin Taste hopes to make every day less stressful and more enjoyable for you while you feast and share memories with your loved ones.

From Peking duck and Hunan lamb to customer-favorites pork fried rice, wonton soup and orange-flavored chicken, guests will definitely feel lucky getting their grub on at Mandarin Taste. There’s an abundance of tasty food options to satisfy every palate.

The restaurant’s owners and staff want everyone who comes to their establishment to relax and enjoy themselves over the delectable food.

“We’re like a family restaurant,” said restaurant manager Chi Young, when describing the feeling that customers get when visiting the long-lasting eatery.

“People are always smiling [here],” said Young.

The restaurant holds a very popular champagne brunch on Sundays.  The champagne is all-you-can-drink and freshly made California rolls, made by a Japanese master chef, have been added to the menu.  All-you-can-eat buffets are available as well.

Mandarin Taste also serves traditional and specialty cocktails. Join them during Happy Hour, held Monday through Friday, 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. If customers can’t come in to enjoy the pleasant ambience, they have the option to order food for carryout. Share the love and give your family and friends Mandarin Taste gift certificates, available year round!

For more information, please call (909) 861-1819, or just stop by their location at 23391 E. Golden Springs Drive, Diamond Bar.

Facilities Master Plan Meetings Scheduled

Courtesy of CVUSD

 

CHINO VALLEY- The third round of CVUSD’s Facilities Master Plan meetings is underway.  Improving schools in the Chino Valley is a long-term investment for our community. Equipping our schools with the latest technology, heightening awareness of school facility safety and incorporating interactive learning environments into existing schools to maintain academic excellence were themes that resounded in group meetings hosted by Superintendent Wayne Joseph at all 35 schools during the fall months. The meetings are part of the Facilities Master Plan (FMP) update process that has been underway since early 2015.

Most of our schools were built decades ago, with some built in the 1950’s, and they need basic health and safety improvements. The Facilities Master Plan will allow the district to identify long-term facility needs based on demographics, facility assessment, and the district’s educational goals and then develop strategies to address these needs in a comprehensive manner. The FMP process will conclude with the production of a document that will outline facility needs into the foreseeable future for all of the district’s existing schools and district support sites. The last FMP was completed in 2009.

Per current state guidelines, a school is eligible for a complete modernization when it reaches 25-years-old. The state traditionally provides a portion of the funds for the modernization, however there are two requirements that school districts must meet to obtain those funds. The district must provide their own matching funds and they must have the Division of the State Architect (DSA) approved final plans to qualify for the state funds. The process to obtain the funds is very competitive, as districts throughout the state are all hoping to tap into the funds. In fact, those funds have been totally expended over the past six years, due to the state’s economic downturn, which makes competition fiercer than in previous years.

While we have been able to make repairs and upgrades to some of our schools, additional health and safety and other facility improvements are still needed.  The four tenets of the Master Plan are:

  • To build something that does not currently exist to address education needs;
  • Renovate/Repair existing facilities;
  • Complete improvements to the grounds such as play fields, black top surfaces or drop off and pick up routes;
  • Improve technology and update furniture.

Plan to join the conversation and provide important input on the priorities for our schools!

Meetings have already been conducted with school principals, and then again with the school’s instructional/support staff, and now it is the community’s turn.

Find your school and the meeting date and time on the list below.

Upcoming meetings in March:
• March 2 – Canyon Hills Jr. High at 9:30 a.m.
• March 3 – Walnut Elementaryat 8:30 a.m.
• March 9 – Eagle Canyon Elementaryat 8:30 a.m.
• March 9 – Adult School at 10:30 a.m.
• March 10 – Butterfield Ranch Elementaryat 9:00 a.m.
• March 14 – Anna Borba Elementaryat 8:30 a.m.
• March 14 – Don Lugo High Schoolat 3:00 p.m.
• March 16 – Rolling Ridge Elementaryat 10:30 a.m.
• March 16 – Rhodes Elementary at 6:30 p.m.
• March 17 – Dickey Elementaryat 8:15 a.m.
• March 17 – Briggs Fundamentalat noon

Meetings will also be taking place in April and May:

  • April 4 – Chino High School Library at 6:00 p.m.
    • April 5 – Hidden Trials Elementaryat 9:00 a.m.
    • April 6 – Cortez Elementaryat 6:00 p.m.
    • April 7 – Ramona Junior High  at 9:00 a.m.
    • April 8 – Townsend Junior High at 2:30 p.m.
    • April 12 – Country Springs Elementaryat 8:30 a.m.
    • April 12 – Chino Hills High School at 5:00 p.m.
    • April 13 – Litel Elementary at 9:00 a.m.
    • April 14 – Wickman Elementaryat 12:30 p.m.
    • April 14 – Dickson Elementaryat 3:30 p.m.
    • April 15 – Marshall at 8:50 a.m.
    • April 18 – Glenmeade Elementary at 8:30 a.m.
    • April 20 – Magnolia Jr. Highat 10:00 a.m.
    • April 21 – Liberty Elementaryat 9:00 a.m.
    • April 25 – Cattle Elementary at 2:30 p.m.
    • April 26 – Ayala High School MPR at 2:30 p.m.
    • April 28 – Woodcrest Jr. Highat 9:00 a.m.
    • April 28 – Cal Aero Academy at 12:30 p.m.
    • April 29 – Oak Ridge Elementaryat 9:00 a.m.
    • May 9 – Chaparral Elementaryat 8:30 a.m.
    • May 11 – Newman Elementaryat 8:45 a.m.
    • May 17 – Buena Vista High School at 9:00 a.m.

Becoming Who We’re Intended To Be

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

Nancy Stoops M.A., M.F.T Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

By Nancy Stoops, M.A.M.F.T.

 

I believe we are all born with incredible potential to be our best.  I think that there is a plan for us and our lives when we are born.  Within that plan for us is an interpretation of how we will be at our absolute personal best.  My goal for myself has always been to keep growing and functioning at my optimum level every day.  I believe that if I do this, I will grow into the person I’m intended to be.  This is my way of honoring my life and my Creator.

Life isn’t always an easy thing and will throw many curve balls our way.  Having lost one brother to suicide, another to murder and a father to pancreatic cancer has taught me how vulnerable we all are.  It has also made me feel so very blessed to still be alive and well.  I don’t just want to go through my life living to die; instead I have always died to live.  I want to be my best so that I can experience my life fully.  I live my life very passionately and want to feel all of it.

Examining the pieces of yourself that get in the way of being who you are intended to be is very hard work.   It’s even harder work to have the courage to let go of these dysfunctional parts of ourselves.  Most of these dysfunctional pieces have been part of us for years and serve some dysfunctional purpose that we have grown to rely on.  It’s learning to let go of these dysfunctional pieces that will allow us to become who we are intended to be.  This gut-wrenching but very worthwhile personal work can lead us into total inner peace and contentment!

This article was written by Nancy Stoops M.A., M.F.T.  Nancy is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.  She has a private practice in Diamond Bar and is currently accepting new clients; she is also a motivational speaker who can inspire your employees or group members.  Nancy runs free family support groups, a group on loss for seniors, and groups on how to manage anger.    For more information about any of these services feel free to contact her at (909)229-0727.  You may e-mail Nancy at nancyjstoops@verizon.net. Nancy’s books Live Heal and Grow and Midnight the Therapy Dog are for sale at Amazon.com.

 

Diamond Bar: Easter Egg Hunt

Courtesy of the City of Diamond Bar

 

DIAMOND BAR – The City of Diamond Bar and the Diamond Bar Breakfast Lions Club are again teaming up to host their popular annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 26.

The fun begins at 8:30 a.m. with a pancake breakfast organized by the Fire Explorers Post 19 (nominal fee applies), followed by the free egg hunt at 10:00 a.m., featuring thousands of treat-filled plastic eggs.

Hunting areas will be divided into six areas based on age groups, with parental assistance allowed for the youngest attendees.  Photo packages with the Easter Bunny will be available for purchase, starting at $10.  Please be advised that only cash will be accepted as a form of payment for the pancake breakfast and photo packages.

Children need to bring their own baskets for the egg collection. Pantera Park is located at 738 Pantera Drive in Diamond Bar.

For more information, call the City’s Recreation Services Division at 909.839.7070 or visit www.diamondbarca.gov/EEH.

History 101

History 101- 1953 OscarsFirst Academy Awards Telecast

Courtesy of History.com

Thursday, March 19, 1953, proved to be a historic date, because for the first time, audiences were able to sit in their living rooms and watch as the movie world’s most prestigious honors, the Academy Awards, are given out at the RKO Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California.

Organized in May 1927, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was envisioned as a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the film industry. The first Academy Awards were handed out in May 1929, in a ceremony and banquet held in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The level of suspense was nonexistent, however, as the winners had already been announced several months earlier. For the next 10 years, the Academy gave the names of the winners to the newspapers for publication at 11 p.m. on the night of the awards ceremony; this changed after one paper broke the tacit agreement and published the results in the evening edition, available before the ceremony began. A sealed envelope system began the next year, and endures to this day, making Oscar night Hollywood’s most anticipated event of the year.

Public interest in the Oscars was high from the beginning, and from the second year on the ceremony was covered in a live radio broadcast. The year 1953 marked the first time that the Academy Awards were broadcast on the fledgling medium of television. The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) TV network carried the 25th annual awards ceremony live from Hollywood’s RKO Pantages Theatre. Bob Hope was the master of ceremonies, while Fredric March, a two-time Academy Award winner for Best Actor (for 1932’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and 1946’s The Best Years of Our Lives), presented the awards. The statuette for Best Picture went to Cecil B. DeMille’s The Greatest Show on Earth, while John Ford won Best Director for The Quiet Man. Winners in the top two acting categories were Gary Cooper (High Noon) and Shirley Booth (Come Back, Little Sheba).

Hope, a star of stage and screen who tirelessly performed in United Service Organization (USO) shows for American troops during World War II, would become a mainstay of the new TV medium. He was also the most venerated Academy Awards host, playing MC no fewer than 18 times between 1939 and 1977. NBC broadcast the Oscars until 1961, when the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) took over for the next decade, including the first awards broadcast in color in 1966. Although NBC briefly regained the show in the early 1970s, ABC came out on top again in 1976 and has broadcast every Academy Awards show since. The network is under contract to continue showing the Oscars until 2014.

 

Two Tea Cups

Pastor Mark Hopper

Pastor Mark Hopper

By Mark Hopper

 

Having a cup of tea is one of my wife’s favorite things. She enjoys a warm cup of tea on a cold winter’s night at home. She enjoys going out with friends to a local tea shop.  She also enjoys taking our daughters and our grandchildren out to a special Tea Party.  The grandkids get special sandwiches and desserts along with a variety of flavored tea, and they love having Tea Parties with Grammy at our house, too.

Enjoying a cup of tea and collecting tea cups are a big deal in our family.

Recently, one of our daughters, who lives out of the area, sent my wife a package.  In the box was a beautiful tea cup and a note.

Her note explained that while she was out shopping, she saw this tea cup and thought of her mother. Our daughter knew that my wife already had plenty of tea cups, but she bought this one to let her mother know she was thinking of her.

Our daughter went on to explain that she had actually purchased two tea cups.  One was for herself and one was for her mother.   Even though they don’t live nearby, my wife and our daughter would have matching tea cups to share.

In her note she wrote, “I got a matching tea cup for me – just like yours, so when I drink out of it, I will be praying for you and you can be praying for me.”

These matching tea cups are a tangible reminder of the bond that is shared by a mother and her daughter.

You may share something similar with a friend or loved one.  Some people have matching bracelets.  Others have one-half of a charm or necklace, with their friend or loved one having the other half.

In the Bible, there are many examples of visual, tangible reminders that God provided to remind his people of his love.  In the Christian Faith, we share a piece of bread and a small cup of juice to remind us of the Last Supper that Jesus shared with His disciples.  The bread is a reminder of His body that was nailed to the Cross and the cup is a reminder of His blood that was shed at His crucifixion.

In the Jewish faith, they share several items of food including unleavened bread and cups of wine as they remember the Passover recorded in Exodus.  These are tangible and visible reminders of God’s love and care.

I wonder if you have something on your shelf or in your cupboard that is a helpful reminder of someone’s love or concern for you?  Is there someone in your family or at your place of work that would be encouraged by a thoughtful gift from you?

Two tea cups can be a timely reminder that you are thinking of others and they are thinking of you!

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 visithttp://www.efreedb.org

OurWeeklyNews.com Complete Edition 3.19.16

2016-Mar19-Weekly-COVERThe Weekly News covers community news for Chino, Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, Walnut, Rowland Heights and surrounding areas of San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire. Click this link to access the complete issue in PDF format: 2016-Mar19-Weekly-WEB

Changing For The Right Reasons

By Sarah Sanchez

 

A common issue that comes up in relationships is changing your habits or personality for your significant other. This situation came up for me when my husband and I were dating.

Back when my husband was my boyfriend, I claimed to be a woman of God and I constantly nagged my husband for not going to church with me.

But one day, my husband said something that changed my life forever. He said that I had no right to tell him what to do because I was being a hypocrite, pretending to be a Christian on Sundays when I was really partying on the weekends. He also called me out on my relationship immaturity because I would consistently flirt or talk with people I previously dated.

It was at that moment that I decided to change my life for one sole reason: to prove him wrong! I was very stubborn and prideful back then and I was not going to take this guy calling me a hypocrite. So I changed my life for him.

I stopped flirting with other guys, going out to party, nagging him about church, and I pretty much fought every instinct I originally had. Life was great for a while, but then I eventually became very angry at him because I was sacrificing so much of my life for him, and I wasn’t receiving any praise for my sacrifices.

Later, I realized I handled this whole situation all wrong. First, my husband never told me to change for him, he was simply calling me out for not practicing what I was preaching. I was preaching to him that I was a Christian woman and that I was faithful to our relationship. However, my actions were not saying the same thing.

Deep down I knew that I didn’t want to be that hypocritical girl that I was. I wanted to actually live a Christian life and I wanted to be faithful in an adult relationship. I wanted to practice what I was preaching. My husband was just the first person to actually call me out and hold me accountable for my actions. So I decided that the only way I could change my life for who I wanted to be and for who God intended me to be… was that I had to want to change for myself.

It was a lot easier when I changed my mindset to that idea. Think of it as being told you have to eat healthy versus actually wanting to eat healthy. It’s easier to do it when you want to.

After I changed my mindset, I made a list of the traits and qualities I wanted to have. Then, I made decisions in my life based on that list and those goals. For example, if I wanted to live a life of honesty, I would think twice when I had an opportunity to lie. It took me a while to consistently think this way but I am a living example that it is possible to completely change your habits.

I found that this new way of living was ultimately better for my relationship, for my spiritual life, and for my well-being; all because I wanted to change.