Category Archives: The Weekly News

Diamond Bar Students Make Their Mark

Courtesy: Kelli Gile
Dot Day! Quail Summit Elementary third graders, shown with teacher Criss Sykes, create artwork inspired by Kandinsky’s Squares with Concentric Rings watercolor

By Kelli Gile

DIAMOND BAR – Quail Summit Elementary took a spot-on approach to promoting creativity, art, and collaboration during Dot Day held September 14.

“It’s a day where we celebrate making a mark in this word, believing in yourself, and others,” said elementary learning specialist Leann Legind.

The annual event was inspired by the book The Dot by Peter H. Reynoldsabout a caring teacher who dares a doubting student to trust in her own abilities by being brave enough to “make her mark.”

What begins with a small dot on a piece of paper inspires people around the world to discover the power and potential of creativity in all they do.

“Dot Day is about not fearing creativity, but rather embracing it,” said Principal Frances Weissenberger.

In the past few years, Dot Day has become an international celebration with over 13 million students in 178 countries participating each September.

“Students were so excited to create art on this special day!” Legind said.

The children and staff members arrived at school decked out in polka dot clothing, hats, socks and headbands, with dotted t-shirts and jeans, and even a few spotted faces.

Teachers read The Dot to their students and classrooms created canvas dot art to be featured in a unique gallery.

The Quail Summit youngsters joined an outdoor collaborative art project throughout the day by painting designs on pink, purple, blue, green, green, yellow, orange, and red circles.

Each grade level also had the opportunity to learn about famous artists such as Wassily Kandinsky who created the Squares with Concentric Rings watercolor in 1913.

Third graders in Criss Sykes class painted their own Kandinsky-inspired masterpieces.

“Dot Day inspired me because anyone can draw anything if their heart wants to,” Macie Marquez shared.

“Even simple things can be art and art doesn’t have to be perfect. It teaches us to persevere and never quit,” added classmate Ian Xia.

“We connected the dots at Quail Summit to inspire creative teaching and learning!” Legind said.

33 WVUSD Students Named National Merit Semifinalists

By Kelli Gile

Walnut – Thirty-three Walnut Valley USD seniors from Diamond Bar and Walnut High Schools have been distinguished as 2019 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.

Congratulations to the following teens who have been recognized for demonstrating exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies:

Diamond Bar High: Grace Ge, Samantha Hong, Wesley Ip, Christine Lee, Ryan Li, Amy Miyahara, Isaac No, Ashley Pang, Phoebe Scaccia, Andrew Seo, Alice Wang, Yuwen Wang, Keith Wong, Ted Yarmoski, Timothy Yeh, Angela Zhang, Catherine Zhang, and Christine Zhou.

Walnut High: Angela Cao, Jeremy Chang, Ashley Chen, Flora Jin, Karen Liu, Amy Lo, Dylan Song, Jordin Wang, Justin Wang, Christopher Yang, Michelle Yee, Tiffany Yeh, Brandon Young, Alice Zhang, and Angela Zhu.

“We are extremely proud of these 33 seniors for receiving this nationwide honor!” said Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor.

“This level of success is a testament to the caliber of educational experience they are receiving at our high schools each and every day.”
More than 1.6 million students entered the Merit Program as juniors by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

High scorers were designated semifinalists, representing less than 1% of the state’s graduating class.

In total, just over 16,000 talented seniors qualified nationwide.

These students will continue to compete for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships that will be offered in the spring.

The WVUSD senior scholars will advance to the finalist level upon completion of additional requirements.

They must maintain an outstanding academic record throughout their senior year, be endorsed and recommended by their principal, submit SAT scores that confirm their earlier qualifying test, and complete an essay and scholarship application detailing their leadership and community activities.

The 2019 National Merit Scholarships will be awarded beginning in April and concluding in July.

Draft Environmental Impact Report Available

City Of Eastvale

Eastvale – This notice is hereby given that the City of Eastvale has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which is being distributed for public review pursuant to the California Public Resources Code and the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (CEQA Guidelines). The City is the Lead Agency for the proposed project.

Project Title: Project No. PLN18-20026 – The Merge Retail and Light Industrial Development by Orbis Real Estate Partners [SCH No. 2018061065]

Project Location: The Project is located in the City of Eastvale, and within Riverside County, California. Specifically, it is located at the northeasterly corner of Limonite Avenue and Archibald Avenue.

Project Description: The proposed Project would involve the development of a commercial/retail and light industrial center on an approximately 26.28-acre site. The proposed entitlements are as follows:

CEQA Compliance/EIR Certification. The City must certify the EIR prior to, or concurrent with, any approval of the Project.

General Plan Amendment on 10.8 acres to change the land use designation from Light Industrial (LI) to Commercial Retail (CR) to facilitate a proposed change of zone (see below).

Change of Zone on 10.8 acres from Heavy Agricultural (A-2) to General Commercial (C-1/C-P); and on 15.4 acres from Heavy Agricultural (A‐2) to Industrial Park (I‐P).

Major Development Review for the development of 71,100 square feet of commercial retail buildings and 336,501 square feet of light industrial/warehouse buildings.

Tentative Parcel Map to subdivide the 15.4 acres of land with the LI zone into eight (8) parcels, and to subdivide the 10.8 acres of land with the CR zone into between eight (8) and ten (10) parcels plus common area.

Conditional Use Permits for the sale of alcohol for off-site consumption, and for drive-throughs including restaurants, car washes, and a drugstore pick-up window.

Variance to Eastvale Municipal Code Section 120.05.040 to allow for landscape reductions/modifications consistent with Riverside County Airport Land Use Commission recommendations.

Government Code Section 65962.5: The Project site is not located on a site which is included in a list of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to Government Code Section 65962.5. As part of the Project Phase I ESA, a search of selected government databases was conducted using the EDR Radius Report environmental database report system. The Project site does not appear on a list of hazardous materials sites compiled by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) or the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) pursuant to Government Code Section 65962.5.

Environmental Topics Evaluated: The Draft EIR examines the potential impacts generated by the proposed project in relation to the following environmental topics: Land Use and Planning; Transportation/Traffic; Air Quality; Global Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Noise; Geology and Soils; Hazards and Hazardous Materials; Hydrology and Water Quality; Cultural Resources/Tribal Resources; and Public Services and Utilities.

Significant Environmental Impacts: Based on the analysis in the Draft EIR, the Project would have significant and unavoidable impacts to air quality, GHG emissions, and traffic and circulation, as identified below and described in detail in DEIR Sections 4.3, 4.4, and 4.2, respectively.

Air Quality:

NOx Regional Threshold Exceedance (Operational-Source)

Contributions to Non-Attainment Conditions

AQMP Inconsistency

GHG Emissions:

Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

SCAQMD MTCO2e Threshold Exceedance

Traffic:

Existing, Opening Year, and Horizon Year Intersection and Roadway Segment Level of Service (LOS) ImpactsHorizon Year Freeway Ramp Merge/Diverge Areas LOS Impacts

Horizon Year Freeway Ramp Merge/Diverge Areas LOS Impacts

Reviewing Locations: The Draft EIR can be accessed on the City website at: http://www.eastvaleca.gov/city-hall/planning/environmental-documents.

Copies of the Draft EIR are available for review at the following locations during regular business hours:

Eastvale City Hall, 12363 Limonite Ave., Suite 910, Eastvale, CA 91752; Monday – Thursday, 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.; (951) 703-4421.

Eastvale Library, 7447 Scholar Way, Eastvale, CA 92880; Monday – Wednesday 3:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This branch is closed Friday and Sunday; (951) 703-4421.

Riverside County Clerk, 2720 Gateway Drive, Riverside, CA 92507; Monday – Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., (951) 486-7000.

Public Comment Period: The Draft EIR and its technical studies are available for the CEQA required 45-day public review and comment period from Tuesday, September 18, 2018 through Friday, November 2, 2018.

Written comments on the Draft EIR and technical studies must be received no later than 4:30 pm on Friday, November 2, 2018. Please submit comments to:

Eric Norris, Planning Director

Planning Department

City of Eastvale

12363 Limonite Avenue, Suite 910

Eastvale, CA 91752

Email: enorris@eastvaleca.gov

5 Tips to Bring Your Home’s Wi-Fi ‘Dead Zones’ to life

By StatePoint

Whether it’s to stream a movie from the bedroom or lock the front door using smart home technology, you’ve likely come to expect Wi-Fi to reach every corner of your house. The reality is that there are certain locations in many homes where Internet-connected devices and smartphones are unable to receive a steady Wi-Fi signal (or any signal at all) from the router. These sad places are called “dead zones.”

“Dead zones typically include bathrooms, second and third story bedrooms, attics, basements, garages and back patios — and they can drive everyone in the house absolutely crazy,” says Jeff Parker, the “Wi-Fi Guru,” and editor of the Milo Wi-Fi Blog, a source for practical advice, new products, and leading-edge technology dedicated to enhancing the Wi-Fi experience.

So, given today’s basement-to-attic demand for Wi-Fi access, what is the most economical and effective strategy for winning the battle against dead zones in your home? Parker offers five no-cost/low-cost suggestions:

1. Keep your router away from metal. Objects such as mirrors, televisions, appliances or anything large made primarily of metal (i.e. decorative furniture, filing cabinets, even fish tanks!) have the potential to impair your network’s signal strength. If possible, move such items and your router apart.

2. Switch to a less crowded frequency. In living spaces like apartment buildings, too many broadcasting networks can interfere with each other and impact Wi-Fi quality. Because routers broadcast across two wireless frequency bands, 2.4 and 5 GHz, when one is too crowded it acts like a highway packed with cars. The good news is you can usually switch frequencies within your mobile device settings to use the less crowded channel.

3. Reboot regularly. Routers asked to complete many requests, such as handing out multiple IP addresses to different devices and handling large downloads, can end up slowing down because of the heavy workload. You can think of rebooting your router as basically refreshing it and clearing any memory or stalled tasks.

4. Get the latest hardware. If you’re still using that dinosaur router from the early 2000s, it’s probably time for an upgrade. Outfitting your home with a smarter and more advanced router could be the solution to your Wi-Fi woes, especially if your existing router is a very old model with limited capabilities. Internet service providers often provide router upgrades by request for no charge.

5. Consider a distributed mesh Wi-Fi system. For Wi-Fi that reaches farther, consider a mesh Wi-Fi system, which consists of a main router connected to a modem and a series of satellite Wi-Fi distribution modules placed throughout the house. Those from Milo provide a strong uninterrupted signal to every Wi-Fi device in the home, from attic to basement. To learn more, visit milowifi.com or call 1-877-426-6456.

Don’t just live with the dead zones in your home. By taking a few simple steps, you can enjoy a more satisfying Wi-Fi experience.

History 101

September 30, 1955: James Dean Dies

By History.com

On this day in 1955, movie star James Dean dies at age 24 in a car crash on a California highway. Dean was driving his Porsche 550 Spyder, nicknamed “Little Bastard,” headed to a car race in Salinas, California, with his mechanic Rolf Wuetherich, when they were involved in a head-on collision with a car driven by a 23-year-old college student named Donald Turnaspeed. Dean was taken to Paso Robles War Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:59 p.m. Wuetherich, who was thrown from the car, survived the accident and Turnaspeed escaped with minor injuries. No charges were ever filed against him.

James Byron Dean was born February 8, 1931, in Marion, Indiana. He studied drama at the University of California, Los Angeles, before moving to New YorkCity, where he appeared in plays and TV shows and took classes at the Actors Studio with legendary acting coach Lee Strasberg.

Dean rose to stardom in 1955 with his role as Cal Trask in East of Eden. He reportedly beat out Paul Newman for the part. Dean’s performance in the film, based on the John Steinbeck novel, earned him a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. It was the first time in Oscar history that an actor was nominated after his death. The young actor’s next film was “Rebel Without a Cause,” also released in 1955, in which he played a rebellious teen named Jim Stark. The film, which co-starred Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo, turned Dean into the poster boy for disaffected youth and cool. Dean’s final film “Giant,” released in 1956 after his death, was an epic tale of a Texas cattle rancher and his family. Dean starred opposite Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson and was nominated posthumously for a second Oscar for his performance as Jett Rink.

Dean’s success as an actor enabled him to pursue his passion for racing cars and motorcycles. Despite his short life and brief acting career, he endures as a Hollywood icon. He is buried at Park Cemetery in Fairmount, Indiana, where fans continue to flock to his grave every year. People also pay tribute to Dean at a memorial located near the accident site in Cholame, California.

OurWeeklyNews.com Complete Edition 09/29/18

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: ALL.2018-29-09.WeeklyNews

Forget Calorie Counting: New Guidelines for Losing Weight

By StatePoint

For years, the general wisdom was that the only scientifically proven way to shed pounds and inches was to consume fewer calories than one burned each day. Unfortunately, that formula doesn’t work for everybody. Why? Experts say that this is because successful weight loss is associated with a wider range of factors.

“Gaining control of your weight is more complex than the ‘calories in/calories out’ approach that so many dieters subscribe to,” says Margie Adelman, president of Simplipur, a maker of dietary supplements. “Now research shows that powerful factors regulate weight, and that understanding those factors can help you reach your goals.”

According to Adelman, these are clinically proven actions that promote fat loss, which every dieter should know about:

• Rethink your goals. In dieting, your number one goal shouldn’t be to lose pounds but rather to increase your lean body mass. Healthy weight loss is all about burning energy, and the leaner your body mass, the more energy you can burn. It’s by “building lean” that you will lose fat.

• De-stress. Stress triggers a “fight or flight” response, during which the body produces adrenaline that mobilizes stored fuel so you can run away or pick up a stick and fight. That fuel is stolen from muscles and organs, tearing down lean body mass, as well as leaving energy in the bloodstream that the body converts to fat if it’s not used.

To bust stress, first recognize its source and takes steps to manage it. Before going to bed, try relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises. Take a walk or do jumping jacks; find a way to discharge the nervous energy pumped into your bloodstream, so it won’t be stored as fat while you sleep.

• Sleep well. Jealously guard sleep time and don’t let anything interfere with it. The deep sleep states are when anabolic processes take over to build lean body mass, so high-quality, undisturbed sleep is essential. Your bedroom should be cool, dark and quiet. If you need white noise, make sure that it’s constant and not irritating.

• Get exercise and make it fun. Exercise builds lean body mass, so get plenty of it. But make sure it’s something fun so you’ll enjoy it and keep up the habit.

• Eat right. Low carb diets like the Paleo Diet, which feature a wide variety of protein sources, fruits, veggies and healthy fats, have the best profile for losing body fat while building lean body tissue and are much healthier than low-calorie diets. Remember that lean body tissue is made from protein, so if you want to “build the lean” eat plenty of protein. You may also want to consider incorporating a dietary supplement into your routine, such as Lean 2.0 Weight Management, which supports fat loss and helps you increase lean body mass by working directly with your metabolism.

For more information, visit http://www.getlean2now.com or call (800) 809-8351 for more information.

To get serious about weight loss and reduce body fat, move beyond the old way of thinking. For best results, incorporate dieting principles based on new scientific research.

Sweet ‘N’ Smoky Chicken Cutlets

with Cherry Ancho Barbecue Sauce, Green Beans, and Pineapple Rice

By Hello Fresh

Cooking Time: 30 mins

Servings: 4

Nutrition: 640 Calories

Ingredients:

Chicken Cutlets- 20 oz
Ancho Chili Powder- 2 tsp
Scallions- 4
Pineapple- 8 oz
Thai Chili- 1
Basmati Rice- 1 cup
Sweet and Smoky Barbecue Seasoning- 2 tbsp
Cherry Jam- 4 tbsp
White Wine Vinegar- 5 tsp
Green Beans- 12 oz
Chicken Stock Concentrates- 2

1 PREP Wash and dry all produce. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Season all over with salt, pepper, and half the chili powder (1 packet). Trim, then thinly slice scallions, separating greens and whites. Drain pineapple over a small bowl, reserving juice. Halve Thai chili lengthwise, then thinly slice. TIP: Remove the ribs and seeds for less heat and wash your hands after handling.

2 COOK RICE Melt 2 tbsp butter in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add pineapple chunks and scallion whites. Cook, tossing occasionally, until just softened, about 1 minute. Stir in rice, 1¾ cups water, and salt and pepper. Let come to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook until tender, 12-15 minutes, then let stand off heat, covered, for about 5 minutes.

3 COOK CHICKEN. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat (we used nonstick). Add chicken and cook until browned on bottom, 5-6 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on other side, 3-4 minutes more. Meanwhile, add barbecue seasoning, jam, remaining chili powder, 1 tsp sugar, and vinegar to pineapple juice in bowl and stir to combine.

4 COOK GREEN BEANS Place green beans in a medium microwave-safe bowl with 2 TBSP water. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in wrap. Microwave on high until tender but still bright green and a little crisp, 2-3 minutes. Drain and toss with 2 TBSP butter. Season with salt and pepper.

5 MAKE SAUCE. Once chicken is browned on both sides, add jam mixture and stock concentrates to same pan. Flip chicken to coat all over. Let jam and stock mixture simmer until thick and glaze-like, 1-2 minutes. (TIP: It’s ready when it coats the back of a spoon.) Remove pan from heat and add 1 TBSP butter, stirring to melt. Season with salt and pepper.

6 PLATE AND SERVE. Fluff rice with a fork, the divide between plates along with chicken and green beans. Drizzle any remaining glaze in pan over chicken. Garnish with scallion greens. Sprinkle Thai chili over chicken (to taste—leave it off the kids’ plates).

Stuck in Your Home?

Nef Cortez

By Nef Cortez

One of the factors driving California housing prices higher is that there are many people stuck in their homes because they cannot afford to sell the home where they live and move to another comparable one, or even one of lesser value. A large number of Californians purchased their homes more than 3o years ago, and their homes have appreciated in value substantially since then.

Many of these homeowners (and Diamond Bar has its’ share) have been able to stay in their homes because of Prop 13. Since California voters approved passage of Prop 13 on June 6, 1978, a homeowner in the state is able to have their real estate property taxes on their home capped where the tax rate cannot increase more than 2 percent annually. (The effective tax rate cap is a result of the property re-assessment being capped at 2 % annually).

Without Prop 13, many “longtime” homeowners would not be able to stay in their homes because of annual property value re-assessments, and therefore, increases in their property taxes. A homeowner who purchased their home for $100,000 in 1980, for example, would have had property taxes (based on Prop 13) of $1,000 annually, or about $83 per month, with a maximum increase of about $1.70 per month annually. Without the benefit of Prop 13 limits, that homeowner would have a home now worth approximately $750,000, and consequently, much higher property taxes. Assuming the 1% cap (without the annual 2% cap on property re-assessment), this homeowner would be paying at least $7,500 in taxes annually, or approximately $625 per month.

The obvious benefit of lower property taxes and maintenance of affordable payments for homeowners who purchase many years ago is now constricting or inhibiting their ability to move to more appropriate housing. The restriction is the cost of increased property taxes based on the sale of one’s residence, and the purchase of another. There are a few counties in the state of California that allow for the transfer of the lower tax base for a homeowner 55 years or older, under Proposition 90, from one county in the state to another. Out of 58 counties in the State of California, only 8? Have approved it for their counties.

Proposition 5 in this years November election proposes to equalize Prop 90 across the entire state. A homeowner otherwise qualified for Prop 90 benefits would not be limited to only one of the 8 counties that have approved it, but be free to move to any of the 58 counties in the State of California and be able to receive the benefits of Proper 90.

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 www.nefcortez.com. Please feel free to email any questions regarding real estate.

Bullying

Melody Kraemer-Autism Mom

The other day I woke up with a heavy heart. My son got bullied while he was at school. No matter how much we try to protect our children we just can’t always be there with them.

Now my son is not one to sit back and take someone beating him up or kicking him while he is down, he will try and defend himself. On this particular day, he spits on a kid to protect himself from being bully.

He got in trouble, not in a lot of trouble, but he did get in trouble. He used “bodily fluid” to defend himself.

He was angry over this; more than angry he was livid. He did not understand how in self-defense he was the one in trouble. Explaining to my autism child sometimes is like talking to a brick wall, his mind is black and white with no grey area.

The “bully” to my understanding got sent to the office, sent home with a note, and a phone call to the parents. He was also not allowed to play on the same playground as the class during recess.

When I picked up my son that day he broke down in front of me and just cried hard, as a mom my heart broke for him. I calmly listened to him; his hurt and anger were off the charts. I talked to him and tried my best to calm him down. All he could think about was how he was going to get revenge.

Autism thinking can be so perplexing at times and can be narrow-minded with no room for understanding.

It took me most of the day to explain that we don’t get revenge on people.

Though his anger grew and he still didn’t understand the concept why he got in trouble for defending himself. Honestly, I still have a small issue understating it myself.

He was told by the school any time that anyone attempts to bully him or anyone he needs to go to an adult. I told him if there is no way he could get out of the situation and get to an adult he has every right to defend himself even if it meant spitting. He may get in trouble but I said if he felt that was the only way out of his situation he has to do what he has to do.

I have a 0% tolerance for bullying I will not tolerate my son or any other child to be bullied.

I can’t talk to every child, I can’t speak to every child who bullies, but I can and will talk to my child about bullying.

Gustavo Villalobos for commercial burglary

By Anthony Saude
Chino Hills – On August 15, at approximately 7:49 a.m., deputies from the Chino Hills Station responded to the report of a commercial burglary at Derenzis & Associates located at 5857 Pine Ave. The suspects used a pry bare to gain entry into the building by removing a window. The suspects made off with laptop worth $1200.00 during the burglary. The entire crime was captured on by a video surveillance camera. A thorough investigation led to Villalobos being identified as one of the suspects.

On September 6, Chino Hills Police detectives secured an arrest warrant for Villalobos and a search warrant for his residence.

On September 12, the search warrant was served at Villalobos’ residence and he was arrested. During the search it was discovered that Villalobos was in possession of approximately $30,000 worth of stolen/recovered property. The stolen property has been linked to burglaries in the cities of Brea, Chino, Upland and Pomona. Villalobos was booked for commercial burglary and possession of known stolen property, with a $100,000 bail and a no bail Parole hold. Villalobos is being held at West Valley Detention Center.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Detective Del Rio at the Chino Hills Police/Sheriff’s Station at (909) 364-2000. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or you may leave information on the We-Tip Hotline at http://www.wetip.com

Case number: 221802606
Contact: Detective Michelle Del Rio