Category Archives: The Weekly News

USATF Pulls Olympic Trials From Mt. SAC

Staff Reports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

City of Eastvale Appoints New Assistant City Manager

By Anthony Saude

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

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

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

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

Photo: diamondbarca.gov

By Anthony Saude

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stuck on the 405

By Mark Hopper

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pastor Mark Hopper

Efree Church of Diamond Bar

3255 South Diamond Bar Blvd

909-594-7604

Sunday Services: 9:00 & 10:45 AM

Efreedb.org

 

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

with Avocado Crema and Cilantro

 

By Hello Fresh

 

Cooking Time: 40 mins

Servings: 4

Nutrition: 860 Calories

Ingredients:

 

  • Sweet Potatoes- 4
  • Yellow Onion- 1
  • Cilantro- 1/4 oz
  • Garlic- 4 cloves
  • Black Beans- 13.4 oz
  • Lime- 2
  • Flour Tortillas- 12
  • Honey- 1 oz
  • Cumin- 2 tsp
  • Avocado- 2
  • Sour Cream- 8 tbsp

 

 

1  ROAST SWEET POTATOES.    Wash and dry all produce. Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut sweet potatoes into ½-inch cubes. Toss on a baking sheet with 1 TBSP olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in oven until tender and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

 

2  PREP.    Meanwhile, halve, peel, and dice onion. Pick cilantro leaves from stems; discard stems. Mince or grate garlic. Drain and rinse half the beans from the box (use the rest as you like). Zest ½ tsp zest from lime, then cut into halves.

 

3 COOK AROMATICS AND BEANS.  Heat 1 TBSP olive oil in a large pan  over medium heat. Add onion and cook, tossing occasionally, until softened, 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and beans to pan. Cook, tossing, until fragrant and warmed through, 3-4 minutes.

 

4  WARM TORTILLAS AND TOSS FILLING. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven to warm, about 5 minutes. (TIP: Alternatively, wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave on high  until warm, about 30 seconds.) Toss sweet potatoes, honey, cumin, and juice from one lime half into pan with beans and cook until liquid is mostly evaporated, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

 

5  MAKE AVOCADO CREMA.     Halve, pit, and peel avocado. Cut one half into thin slices. Roughly chop other half and place in a medium bowl along with sour cream, juice from remaining lime half, and lime zest.  Mash with a fork until mostly smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

 

6  ASSEMBLE TACOS.     Spread avocado crema onto tortillas, then top each with filling, avocado slices, and cilantro. TIP: Break out the hot sauce if you like it spicy.

Be Who You Want to Become

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

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

By Nancy Stoops

Change is something that doesn’t happen overnight.  Just for a moment I want you to think about who you long to be.  For me I always want to be happy and peaceful.  The way that I work on this is by trying to smile, laugh and appreciate every day and then I am happy.  I also try to do the things that I enjoy and always have some type of adventure planned.  This is a good recipe for happiness for me.  As far as being peaceful, I meditate daily and try not to let things irritate me too badly.  I also must always remind myself that I am only in control of myself and of my responses.  I don’t have the power to control others.  This seems to be an equally good recipe for inner peace.  Now I must keep in mind I am human and that there will be very difficult days that maybe my recipes struggle but must pat myself on my back for tying my best.

Now it’s your turn to think about who you want to be.  Get out a piece of paper and write down one characteristic that you would like to obtain.  My example to help you will be living a healthy life style.  This doesn’t mean a crash diet and working out so hard for a couple of days that you can’t move.  It means that you will eat a well- balanced meal, exercise consistently, drink lots of water, get plenty of rest, quit smoking, learn to drink alcohol in moderation, and manage your stress daily.  This plan may differ for each individual because it will need to be balanced around the demands of each individual’s lives.  My point is we eventually become what we do and how we behave!!!!

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.  You may purchase Nancy’s books Live Heal and Grow and Midnight the Therapy Dog at Amazon.com.

OurWeeklyNews.com Complete Edition 5.05.18

The 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: 2018-05-05-WeeklyNews

Looking For a Job at a Cannabis Store?

Photo Courtesy: wikimedia commons

Protect Yourself & Know Your Rights

 

Staff Reports

Questions to Ask When Seeking a Job at a Cannabis Store

The Los Angeles County Office of Cannabis Management, the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, and the City of Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation are working together to alert job seekers to the potential risks and hazards of working in an unlicensed cannabis store.

“Those who are looking for work at a cannabis store or dispensary should know that many of these stores are unlicensed and are operating illegally under state and local law,” said Joseph Nicchitta, Cannabis Management Officer at LA County’s Office of Cannabis Management. “If you work at an illegal store, you could be physically unsafe. Our inspectors and law enforcement have observed unpermitted electrical wiring, exits that are blocked in case of a fire, and other dangerous conditions at illegal stores.”

Since recreational cannabis became legal statewide in January 2018, regulators have also begun receiving complaints from workers about unfair labor practices and possible violations, including wage theft and unsafe working conditions.

“We have begun to receive complaints from workers at illegal cannabis stores involving wage theft, sexual harassment, and unacceptable working conditions,” added Los Angeles County’s Department of Consumer and Business Affairs Director Brian J. Stiger. “Prospective employees should ask questions and educate themselves about the realities of the cannabis industry before they decide to sign up for a job.”

“With cannabis legalization comes market expansion and new employment opportunities. I urge job seekers to ask if the business has both the state and local licenses to operate and to check out the cannabis store’s business practices before starting a job,” said Cat Packer, the Executive Director and General Manager of LA City’s Department of Cannabis Regulation.

Legal cannabis businesses CANNOT hire anyone under the legal age of 21. In addition to meeting the age requirement, LA County and LA City regulators urge job seekers to ask the following questions:

What to Ask When Seeking Cannabis Employment

Can I see your state and local license? Ask to see both the store’s state and local license and check with the state and local licensing agencies to make sure the store has the proper license. Cannabis must be purchased from a licensed retail source with dual licensure in good standing with both state and local regulators. As of today, cannabis businesses are still prohibited in the unincorporated areas of L.A. County.

When will I receive my pay stub? You should always receive a pay stub— even if you are paid in cash. The paystub must include deductions, pay rates, and hours. When you are first hired, the employer must give you an initial compensation disclosure that gives information about your pay rate. It is also against the law to ask a retail employee to work for free on a probationary period longer than two hours.

What should I do if the authorities show up? It should be a warning sign if your employer instructs you never to open the door for law enforcement, fire fighters, or other city or county inspectors. A licensed and legal business is routinely inspected by government employees.

What time does the business close? All legal cannabis stores close at 10 p.m. in California. You should not be working in a retail sales position after 10 p.m. because the law makes it illegal to sell between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs’ Wage Enforcement Program investigates violations of the County’s Minimum Wage Ordinances for those employees who work in the unincorporated areas of the County. If your employer does not pay you the mandated minimum wage, you can file a complaint online at the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs website, via phone at (800) 593-8222, or email at wagehelp@dcba.lacounty.gov. The Department can also help you understand your rights under the County’s minimum wage laws, investigate alleged violations of the law by your employer, and help you get the wages that are owed to you. These services are free of charge and the Department will not ask or report your immigration status.

 

 

Getting Girls Interested in STEAM Subjects

By StatePoint

Science, art and math are becoming increasingly important school subjects to embrace. Here are five ways to ensure your girls get interested and stay interested in these critical subjects through the years.

  1. Get involved early. Setting a foundation of math, science and the arts is essential to getting young children, especially girls, interested in continued learning. Encourage them from a young age to participate in hands-on science, arts and math activities, and those with an interest or aptitude in these subjects will continue to pursue these paths as they learn and grow.
  2. Find practical applications. Science, art and math are an integral part of everyday life. Finding the practical applications as you go about your day, demonstrates for children of all ages how important these subjects really are in life. Use the weather report as an opportunity to discuss meteorology. Bake with your daughter and work on figuring out measurements for doubling recipes. On the road? Have your daughter calculate the distance from your current location to your destination, as well as the amount of gasoline you’ll need to get there. Seeing math, science, and art in the world will help keep kids engaged.
  3. Provide intuitive tools. Intuitive learning tools can foster a better understanding of a subject and make learning easier, encouraging students to continue their studies with enthusiasm. For example, Casio’s fx-CG50 PRIZM Graphing Calculator will support students and educators of math through middle school and high school, and into college. With Natural Textbook Display and an intuitive icon-based menu, students will find the calculator easy-to-use. Plus, its brand new 3D Graph Drawing and improved catalog function allows for greater engagement and real-life application in the mathematics classroom.
  4. Encourage group and club participation. From outdoor education clubs that focus on environmental science to math competition leagues, support and encourage girls and young women to join special groups that focus on math, science and art — both in and out of school. For example, robotics clubs have been growing in communities across the nation and foster an understanding of key math and science functions.
  5. Make it fun. Get girls interested in science, math and the arts by making it fun and enjoyable. Kids won’t even realize they are learning if they are having a good time while doing so. For example, music students can try out the LK-265 keyboard from Casio, which includes a Dance Music Mode, letting musicians create and remix electronic dance music quickly and easily. Select from 50 styles of EDM, and use the lower keys to choose different variations of drum beats, bass lines, and synth parts. Its lighted keys show you how to play your favorite songs which users can download from MIDI files. Or, connect your device’s headphone output to the LK-265’s audio input, and explore an endless library of music.

By starting early and making it fun to integrate these key subjects into their daily lives, you can help girls develop a lifelong love of science, art and math, which can help them in school and, later, in the workplace.

 

Mt. SAC to Honor Twenty Students of Distinction

By Anthony Saude

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Asparagus Recipe

with Lime Aioli, Egg & Green Onion

 

By Clark’s Nutrition/ California Asparagus Commission

 

Cooking Time: 3 mins

Servings: 6

Nutrition: 220 Calories

Ingredients:

 

  • Lrg. Asparagus (trimmed, salt as needed)- 1.5 lbs.
  • Mayonnaise- 1/2 cup
  • Olive Oil- 2 tbs
  • Water- 2 tbs
  • Fresh Lime Juice- 1 tbs
  • Clove of Garlic (finely chopped)- 1 Large
  • Hard Cooked Eggs (roughly chopped)- 2
  • Green Onion (thinly sliced)- 3 tbs

 

This tasty salad works well as a light main dish for brunch, lunch, or as a festive spring side dish.

 

Directions:

 

Put asparagus into a large skillet of salted, boiling water. Boil until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain well; spread on paper towel to cool.

Meanwhile, to make aioli, mix mayonnaise with olive oil, water, lime juice, and garlic; reserve. Over a piece of wax paper or paper towel, force egg through a sieve with the back of a wooden spoon, making sure to scrape off the egg that clings to the underside of the sieve.

Arrange asparagus on a platter, then drizzle with reserve aioli. Sprinkle with egg, then green onion. Lightly season with salt.

The Final Four

By Mark Hopper

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pastor Mark Hopper

Efree Church of Diamond Bar

3255 South Diamond Bar Blvd

909-594-7604

Sunday Services: 9:00 & 10:45 Am

Efreedb.org

 

DB Community Photo Contest

City of Diamond Bar

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Child Abuse Suspect Faces 140 Years In Prison

By Anthony Saude

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Boomerang Buyers Re-enter Market

Nef Cortez

By Nef Cortez

“Boomerang Buyers”, homeowners that lost their homes through foreclosure or were forced to sell their homes as “Short Sales”, are re-entering the market.  The peak of foreclosure notice filings-bank repossessions, scheduled auctions, and default notices-occurred in 2010, passing the 2,870,000 mark. It surpassed the previous year’s record number of 2,300,000 filings.  The total number of filings since the mortgage meltdown begin to hit the housing market in 2005 stands at more than 19,000,000.

Homeowners that lost their home typically are required to wait 7 years before they would qualify for any of the Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), as well as the Housing and Urban Developments’ FHA program loans.

With approximately one third of all filings in 2010 having led to an actual bank repossession, at least 700,000 homeowners who lost their homes are now able to qualify for loans, based solely on that criteria. There are an additional 500,000 that also went through a short sale and would also now qualify for these government sponsored programs.  They need to have repaired their credit by establishing a good payment history since their repossession distressed sale in order to qualify in the now existing tighter credit environment.

This pool of more than 1,000,000 buyers, which represents close to 20% of the total number of home sales in the US this past year, will provide a further upward push on home prices by being able to compete with the already existing pool of homebuyers. This pool of buyers will continue to grow as those who lost their homes through foreclosure after the peak in 2010 also begin to re-enter the home buying market.

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

 

Walnut City Sheriff Department Chinese Program

Staff Reports

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

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

Diamond Bar Man Dies In Fatal Accident

Photo: insidesocal.com
A man died after his vehicle rolled down an emabankment about 700 on Angeles Crest Highway in the forest just north of La Canada Flintridge

By Anthony Saude

DIAMOND BAR —A Diamond Bar man was killed in tragic automobile accident authorities said. The Los Angeles County Coroner identified the victim as George McCreary Jr., age 64 of Diamond Bar. He had been driving late on Tuesday night near the Mt. Wilson area in the Altadena area when he lost control of his vehicle and went tumbling down a steep embankment.

According to the California Highway Patrol, “The crash was reported at 8:15 p.m. on Mt. Wilson Red Box Road.” According reports, Coroner’s spokesman Ed winter said that the paramedics pronounced McCreary dead at the scene.

McCreary was driving his Ford southbound on Mt. Wilson Red Box Road when, for unknown reasons, it veered to the right up onto a raised curb and smashed into a metal guardrail, traveled down a steep embankment, and slammed into several large trees on the way down, CHP reports said.

The Ford eventually stopped its descent laying on its right side against a large tree.

The vehicle eventually came to a rest on its right side against a large tree.

 

Magnolia Junior High Turns 50

By Anthony Saude

Chino – Magnolia Junior High of Chino celebrated its Golden Anniversary on April 13 with food, games, a presentation and special performances.

The school first opened in September of 1967 with more than 350 students enrolled. Walnut Avenue Elementary was also new and was bursting at the seams. It was decided that one of its fifth grade classes would transfer to Magnolia.

Nine years later construction was completed and in the same year, the school was rededicated.

Ramona Elementary vice Principal Victor Paulson, was named the school’s first principal and served loyally until he was promoted to Chino High principal. Then Dick Meyer who came from Arizona was named the new principal at Magnolia.

Klaas Weis, the wife of a dairy man and a mother, was the first ever parent-teacher organization president.

The celebration was rich with quality speakers which included current Magnolia principal Matt McCain and former principal John Miller, now the principal at Chino High.

Chino city councilman Gary George, retired physical education teacher Bob Dyer, and Bruce Warner, a teacher of Magnolia from the day the school opened until his retirement also spoke.

The school’s alumni band prepared a special musical performance just for the event.

Sean Jenkins, the school’s band instructor of 26 years, put together a community band comprised of former Magnolia students.

Most of the 40 band members were students of Chino High School, older alumni and a few advanced band students at the school also joined in.

Mr. Jenkins, is also an associate director of the USC school marching band, he said the band culture at Magnolia was set by, Perry Hal his predecessor as the school’s band director from 1992-2002. Mr. Hall’s position at Magnolia was filled by Mr. Jenkins when Hall left to teach at the high school. There are 113 students in the band and color guard program today  at Magnolia, this includes the advanced band members.

“Feedback from competition judges is that our students play better than many high schools,” Mr. Jenkins said.

Gaylen Roe, has spent all of her 28 years as a teacher at the school in the same classroom, said students there benefit from the collaborative teaching environment that has been created at the school.

Mrs. Roe will be retiring in June. She teaches an elective life skills class, that some of the older people used to know as home economics. Magnolia’s culinary arts program feeds into the culinary and hospitality academy offered at Chino High.

Magnolia currently has 659 students of which 73 percent are from low-income households.

Parent volunteer Elena Gomez-Lecaro said the school is connected by family generations and supportive community members.

The general feeling of the residents is that Magnolia is one of the best junior high schools in the community.

More Than 2,900 Marijuana Plants In Grow House

Staff Reports

Pomona – On Monday, April 23rd at approximately 5:30pm, Pomona Police Department dispatched Patrol Officers to a report of trespassers in the 1400 block of N. Garey Ave.

Upon entering the supposed vacant building, Officers located and arrested the 4 trespassers, Quan Zeng Xue 61, Zhang, Wu, 51, Zhang, Chen, 44, and Zhang, Chen Qiang , 41. They were all booked into the Pomona City jail for a 11358 H/S Cultivation of Marijuana. Also discovered was a 23 room fully functional Marijuana grow operation containing more than 2,900 Marijuana plants in various stages of maturity. The grow operation used top of the line systems for lighting, air conditioning, fans, exhaust blowers and air-filtering systems that control the climate inside the buildings and the odor of Marijuana outside the buildings.

the Marijuana plants were removed from the building and booked into evidence with the assistance of the Pomona Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit and Homeless Encampment Action Response Team (HEART),

 

 

Boy Hit By SUV in Diamond Bar

By Anthony Saude

Diamond Bar -A nine-year-old boy was riding his scooter was struck by a sport-utility vehicle in Diamond Bar on Wednesday night, April 25. He suffered a broken jaw and minor internal injuries after he hit Wednesday night, deputies said.

As a precaution, a helicopter flew the child to the hospital.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s Detective David Timberlake said the Diamond Bar boy was in stable condition at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. The crash occurred just before 6 p.m. in a gated community in the 21100 block of Willow Heights Drive.

Timberlake said a Diamond Bar man was driving along the street between 8 to 10 mph. The boy was riding his scooter in his drive way when he went down the driveway and into the street right into the path of the SUV, the detective said.

The injured boy was taken to Diamond Bar High School where he waited for the helicopter to arrive to take him to the hospital. The driver of the vehicle was not arrested but the investigation is ongoing.