By Kimberley Sander SGV – The Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Station will be participating in this year’s Special Olympics Torch Run. On Monday morning, June 3, they will receive the torch from Industry Station officers around 9:30am, and proudly run and bike their way into the Special Olympics Lanterman Development Center. They will pass the torch to Pomona Police Officers around 11 a.m. Walnut/Diamond Bar officers will also proudly enjoy celebrating with the Special Olympic participants at the center. The Wichita Police Department in Kansas created the run back in 1981 as a way to involve officers in the community. Since its inception, the Torch Run has grown to include over 142,000 law enforcement officers running in more than 125 events in 48 countries. Most importantly, they have raised over $414 million for the Special Olympics worldwide. Pomona Valley officers helped contribute to the nearly $1.2 million raised in Southern California last year alone. The Special Olympics organization of Pomona Valley offers year-round programs and physical fitness competitions for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Programs like the Special Olympics help to develop fitness and motor skills, and instill self-confidence and a positive self image. For more information on this year’s Torch Run and the Special Olympics of Southern California, visit http://www.sosc.org. Lanterman Development Center Central Program Services is located at 3530 W. Pomona Blvd. Pomona, CA 91769.

Staff Reports For 17 years, Miguel and Macrina Gutierrez’s Whittier, Calif., home was occupied by only themselves and two cats. On July 30 of last year, that occupancy status increased, dramatically! As Miguel recalls, on that fateful Monday, “We became a family.” While the Gutierrez’s became a foster/adoptive family of five, literally overnight, their path toward parenthood actually spanned several years. Wed in 1995, the couple set their sights from the start on having children. It was soon discovered, however, that Macrina – who works at a Montebello elementary school as an early intervention specialist – had a medical problem that would make conceiving naturally difficult. Several years were then spent pursuing infertility avenues, including in vitro fertilization, with no success. Then, a chance conversation pointed to another avenue. Miguel, who works at UPS, was talking with a coworker about his and Macrina’s struggle to start a family. The coworker told Miguel that his wife works at a local agency, Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services, and that they have adoption and foster-family programs. Miguel, who is now 44, was extremely excited and thought to himself: “Now is the time. If we’re going to do something, we need to get moving.” Although she didn’t share Miguel’s immediate enthusiasm, Macrina, 46, agreed to attend a Hathaway-Sycamores Foster Parent Orientation. Because the Gutierrez’s overall goal was to have a permanent family, their first question was: Can fostering a child lead to adoption? The answer was a resounding “yes.” In fact, the Gutierrez’s learned that there are currently more than 56,000 children in California’s foster care system, with over 13,000 needing an adoptive home. Nationally, there are some 382,000 youngsters in foster care, with about 104,000 available for adoption. Sensing that foster/adoption was the right path to pursue, Miguel and Macrina began the process to become certified foster parents. From the first class on, Miguel was impressed with Hathaway-Sycamores’ program. “They are so thorough, helpful, open, and honest. They answer all of your questions, and are with you every step of the way.” Those steps included training, a home inspection and a home study, which is an in-depth interview of each applicant’s motivation to become a foster/adoptive parent and their history. Commenting on Hathaway-Sycamores’ program, Macrina says, “They really prepare you well for being a foster parent. They had guest speakers, educational movies, and you had the chance to talk with actual foster parents.” With Hathaway-Sycamores’ guidance, Miguel and Macrina received their foster and adoptive parent certification on July 9, 2012. Just 21 days later, on July 30, 2012, Miguel and Macrina became foster “Mom and Dad”. The couple hadn’t planned on becoming a family of five, but when they learned the siblings’ story, they instantly became committed to keeping the trio together because their young lives already had been so difficult. The oldest girl, now 6, and her brother, who is almost 4, had been in four foster placements over the last three years. The youngest, a 2-year old toddler girl, had been in foster care since she was four-months old. All had been removed as a result of parental substance abuse and domestic violence. While Miguel admits that overnight parenthood was “a big shock and a big change,” he adds, “Hathaway-Sycamores’ support made the transition very smooth. You can literally call them for help any time of the day or night”. And that support doesn’t end when the children walk through your door. While all three youngsters are truly thriving, the oldest is struggling with memories of early childhood trauma. To help her navigate these painful recollections, Hathaway-Sycamores home-based services provides weekly in-home therapy to the little girl. While the Gutierrez’s have only been a family of five for just short of one year, Macrina observes, “Now, we couldn’t imagine life without them.” She has also learned, “Being a parent isn’t just about giving birth. It’s about taking care of the children and showing them that they’re loved.” Miguel shares similar sentiments. “I can’t imagine our lives any other way,” he says. “They’ve made such a difference in our lives, and we’ve made a difference in their lives. They tell us they love us and want to be with us forever.” Miguel and Macrina also want the sibling trio to be with them forever, and have been identified by the court as the prospective adoptive home for the children. There is a pressing need for foster families who are willing to care for a child temporarily, and for foster/adoption families who want to provide a forever home for a child. Foster families come in many forms of race, lifestyle, income and education levels; full-time employees or retirees; home-owners or renters. The crucial requirement is that you’re dedicated to helping a child in need. It’s also important to know that Hathaway-Sycamores trains, certifies, supervises, and supports its foster families, including weekly social worker visits, along with virtually any home-based services that are needed. Anyone who has ever considered opening their heart and home to a foster child is urged to contact Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services at 1-888-24-FAMILY ((888) 243-2645), e-mail VirginiaMontoya@hathaway-sycamores.org; or learn more by visiting http://www.hathaway-sycamores.org.

Staff Reports LA County – The Memorial Day Weekend Anti-DUI crackdown has resulted in a significant number of DUI arrests from local routine traffic enforcement and special “Avoid the 100 DUI” campaign, overnight in Los Angeles County. From 12:01 a.m. on Fri. May 24, through midnight on Sat. May 25, officers representing 100 county law enforcement agencies have arrested about 529 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This number may increase due to some agencies that have yet to report their arrests. All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by impaired drivers. Alcohol impaired deaths make up the largest number of vehicle fatalities, with 31 percent of all vehicle fatalities caused by a drunk driver. The LA County Sheriff’s Department objective is to send out a clear message by advocating “Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest” to those who are considering driving a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol and/or drugs. In an effort to reduce the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol involved crashes, DUI checkpoints are conducted to identify offenders and get them off the street, as well as educate the public on the dangers of impaired driving. A DUI checkpoint is an effective and proven method in lowering alcohol related traffic deaths. By publicizing these enforcement and education efforts, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and others experts believe motorists can be deterred from drinking and driving. Statewide, overall traffic deaths have declined 23 percent from 3,995 in 2007 to 3,081 in 2009 and total traffic fatalities are at their lowest level in six decades. DUI deaths have declined from 1,132 in 2007 to 950 in 2009, which is a decrease of over 16 percent. Law enforcement officials are continuing DUI efforts throughout the county and region. CHP throughout the state also had all available officers patrolling freeways and county roads during the Memorial Day weekend. “Saving lives, reducing injuries, traffic collisions and property damage is important work,” said Sheriff Lee Baca in a press release. “Every life is a life worth saving and we will do our utmost to help keep the public safe.” Police, Sheriff and the CHP encourage all motorists to help make your community safer: Report Drunk Drivers – Call 911. As a driver, plan ahead with these TIPS: – Arrange rides home for your friends, family, co-workers and yourself before the drinking begins – Identify and provide free non-alcoholic drinks or other promotional items to the Designated Driver – Party hosts and servers must limit drinks to your guests or patrons. Don’t serve more than one or two over several hours. – Cut back on the amount of drinks you plan to bring to the party – and provide plenty of food. Before you drive under the influence, also remember that the high cost of a first time DUI conviction could cost someone anywhere between $6,000 to $10,000 when all the potential fines, fees, classes, lawyers, work days missed, and increased insurance for years to come have been factored in. The LA County Sheriff’s Department encourages sober designated drivers. Funding for “Avoid the 100 DUI” program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Avoid programs, named for the number of police agencies in each county in California, will also concentrate crackdowns on the Independence Day holiday period as well as the 18-Day August/Labor Day period. In recognition that the summer season is among the deadliest time of the year, law enforcement agencies throughout the county will be making every effort to arrest drunk drivers before another life is lost.

City of Diamond Bar Diamond Bar – The City of Diamond Bar has completed the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) to the 2008-2014 Housing Element of the General Plan, and it is now available for public review and comment. The public is invited to submit written comments regarding the environmental findings presented in the DEIR during the 45-day review period. Comments must be received by 5:30pm on July 8, 2013 in order to be considered. Hard copies of the DEIR and its appendices are also available for review at Diamond Bar City Hall (21810 Copley Drive, 2nd Floor, Diamond Bar, CA 91765) as well as at the Diamond Bar Community Library (21810 Copley Drive, 1st Floor, Diamond Bar, CA 91765) during normal business hours. The Housing Element is a component of the City’s General Plan, which is required by California law; sets forth guiding policies for its future development. This plan includes five other elements: Land Use, Circulation, Resource Management, Public Health & Safety, and Public Services & Facilities. The Housing Element provides an overarching statement of City policies and programs to maintain and improve existing housing, and accommodate new housing development needed to meet the City’s fair share of the state’s population growth. Although the implementation of the Housing Element would designate specific sites where multi-family housing could be developed in the future, there is no specific development projects associated with the proposed rezoning effort at this time. For more information, contact Senior Planner Grace Lee by phone 909.839.7032 or email glee@diamondbarca.gov. To view the DEIR, please visit http://www.diamondbarca.gov/housingelement.

By Sarah Armijo One of our Facebook Giveaway winners, CHRISSY BERRY LIDDICOTE, picked up her prize donated by Tequila 88!! The winner had the option of picking between a bottle of Tequila 88, valued at $52, or a $25 gift card to Applebee’s restaurant. All Chrissy had to do was LIKE our Weekly News Facebook page (www.facebook.com/TheWeeklyNews), and JOIN our event and she won a free prize! The winner was picked and announced in a video message on Facebook and was published in The Weekly News, the Eastvale Community News and the Community News. The winner was also checked for proper identification indicating she was at least 21 years of age, before she was able to claim her Tequila 88 bottle. Tequila 88 is crafted by using the most innovative fermentation and distillation techniques in the industry, a process so intricately detailed that it could do no less than to create the ultimate flavor-palette to arouse your taste buds. Tequila 88 is perfectly balanced with the elements of cooked agave flavor and its sweet aroma, a modern touch on a classic spirit, according to their website. For more information about Tequila 88, go to http://www.tequila88.com or call (909) 786-1071. You may also email Tequila 88 at info@tequila88.com for further details. Our next Facebook Giveaway will be announced shortly, so make sure to LIKE our Weekly News Facebook page (www.facebook.com/TheWeeklyNews) and keep an eye out for our next Facebook Giveaway prize posting. For more information about our Facebook Giveaways, please call (909) 464-1200 or message us on our Facebook page.

By Sarah Armijo Walnut – The Walnut City Council approved the $16 million budget plan for 2013-14 and the five-year Capital Improvement Program at the last City Council Meeting on Wednesday night. The Walnut City Council approved the annual operating budget plan and the program with a vote of 5-0. The Capital Improvement Program includes a little over $1.4 million for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. The council approved the plan after a study session of the budget on May 8. At the study session, City Manager Wishner provided an overview of the revenues and expenditures, the impacts of the budget, and various projects, which were all outlined in a set of slides provided to the City Council. Wishner explained that the process of preparing the budget begins in January of each year and in May, staff presents a final budget for adoption. Wishner was extremely pleased to present a balanced budget. Projected revenues totaled $16,091,290 and expenditures totaled $16,063,100. Wishner stated that the upcoming budget impacts were: the 2014 City Council Elect (this is budgeted bi-annually); the Sheriff Contract Increase of 5%; the on-going transfer of expense from Lighting and Open Space Maintenance District (LOSMD) to the General Fund (direct and overhead costs are included); the General Fund Loan to LOSMD (tree trimming, water, maintenance of slopes); storm drains; and Meadowpass Road monitoring and maintenance. Also, this year’s budget mirrors last year’s budget, which means no services were cut. The City Council praised their staff for their hard work on keeping the Walnut budget balanced. They also encourage residents to “Shop Walnut” to help boost revenues. One percent of all sales tax collected in the City goes towards the City Budget. Here is a breakdown of the budget revenues and expenditures, according to the Walnut City Council minutes: Budget Revenues: – Restricted Revenue Applied (Gas Tax, Propositions A & C transportation restricted resources): $4,230,370 – Non-Restricted Revenue (General Fund revenue consisting of property and sales tax): $10,501,850 – General Fund Loan to LOSMD: $104,400 – Restricted Fund Balance Applied (amounts not spent and carried over to the next fiscal year): $358,800 – Facility Maintenance Fund Applied (funds City facilities): $619,600 – Walnut Housing Authority: $276,270 Total: $16,091,290 Budget Expenditures: – Personnel: $4,656,660 – Operations: $11,033,990 – Capital Outlay: $372,450 Total: $16,063,100 Here is a breakdown of the 2013-2014 Capital Projects: -Trail Projects: $100,000 -Street Resurfacing: $675,000 -Slurry Seal Projects: $650,000 Total: $1,425,000

Staff Reports Diamond Bar – The arraignment for a former Community Club treasurer that was charged with grand theft and forgery has been postponed. The charges stem from the misappropriation of funds from the Castle Rock Community Club, a non-profit organization created to raise funds and enhance opportunities for students attending Castle Rock Elementary School, according to an LA County Sheriff news release. Lisa May, also known as Lisa Haygood, appeared in Pomona Superior Court last week to formally hear her charges and enter a plea, but her attorney, Albert Perez, Jr., asked that the arraignment be postponed to give him more time to prepare for the case. Specifically, Perez asked for the arraignment to be postponed to June 13 so he can go over financial documents in evidence. May agreed to the postponement, according to local reports. May, 55, was previously a volunteer as Castle Rock’s Community Club treasurer. An investigation had determined that May took $39,651 from the Community Club’s fund by forging checks numerous times. The release stated that the theft occurred over a 6 year period and was discovered in June of 2011. Since then, detectives sifted through a paper trail of bank records, checks and receipts which culminated in the case being presented to the D.A. for filing consideration. Detectives from Walnut/Diamond Bar Station filed a felony complaint with the District Attorney charging May with six felony counts including Grand Theft and Forgery. A felony warrant was issued for May’s arrest and she was taken into custody on March 5, 2013. May was also known as the AYSO Regional Commissioner. However, no reports of any missing money from AYSO have been reported. May remains on a bail of $120,000.

Staff Reports Diamond Bar – The arraignment for a “Bank Burglary Crew”, a crew of five men, who allegedly robbed banks by entering through the rooftops, was postponed on Monday. Laurentiu Penescu, 38, Lucian Isaia, 32, Alceu Andreis, 44, Dean Andrew Muniz, 45, and Daniel Soto, 36, were scheduled to appear at Pomona Superior Court to formally hear the charges against them and enter a plea, but the arraignment for all of them was postponed to June 24. Sheriff’s Major Crimes Detectives arrested the five men in April after the suspects cut a hole in the roof of a Citibank off Diamond Bar Blvd. and Grand Ave. The crew of burglars used ladders to climb to the top of different banks where they would then cut a hole into the roof of the banks with power tools, allowing them access to the cement vault. The suspects would use walkie-talkies to stay in contact with another suspect, who acted as the team lookout. Each suspect wore identical outfits including identical shoes. They also traveled in a van with a missing license plate. The Sheriff’s Detectives started the investigation with a bank burglary in August 2011, and investigated the crew for a year. They believe they are responsible for at least three similar bank jobs in the Diamond Bar and Rowland Heights area, according to a LA County Sheriff news release. On April 5, detectives watched the burglars operate at the Citibank in Diamond Bar under the cover of darkness. When the burglars left the bank, deputies followed and arrested the crew. Evidence from the arrest were recovered, which included a portion of the banks roof, roofing material, two way radios, tools, gloves and ski masks. After the arrests, sixty Sheriff’s Deputies served search warrants at seven residences in Banning, Beaumont, Yucaipa, Fontana and Riverside, to gather additional evidence and search for the proceeds from the prior burglaries. Investigators seized 12 high end vehicles, a 24 foot power boat, seven Ducati motorcycles, several firearms, and jewelry from the locations. Detectives also recovered approximately $30,000 dollars during the search. But, the majority of the money is still missing. “We’re talking a lot of money, about 6 million dollars in total,” said Sheriff Lee Baca at a press conference on April 10 when talking about how much the suspects had stolen in total during the year. Yucaipa resident Penescu, Beaumont resident Isaia, Banning resident Andreis, Fontana resident Muniz, and Riverside resident Soto were all booked at the Walnut Sheriff’s Station. They are all being held on a bail amount of $500,000 dollars, except for Soto, who has a bail amount of $3 million dollars. The suspects were charged with several counts of burglary, conspiracy, grand theft and vandalism. “One will ask why is this crime considered a burglary and not a robbery? A robbery involves force or fear and this is a burglary because they entered the roof with an intent to steal,” said Baca after the arrest. “This is one of the most sophisticated and well organized operations that we have ever come across.” Andrew Hoover contributed to this story.

By Kimberley Sander San Gabriel Valley – The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department hosted its 36th Annual Memorial Torch Relay Run throughout the San Gabriel Valley from May 17 – 19. This special event was established back in 1976 to honor the memory of fallen peace officers in Los Angeles County. This year’s participants ran in honor of Deputy Constable Charles De Moranville, Deputy Harry S. Guard, and Deputy Emma Benson, of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; and Chief Henry P. Tracy of the Pomona Police Department. These brave officers were killed in the line of duty between 1909 and 1919. The relay run consisted of 56 legs of four to ten miles each, travelling a circuit of mainland Sheriff Stations covering over 300 miles. This year’s relay began at Monterey Park headquarters on Friday, May 17, and concluded at the Altadena station on Sunday, May 19, with the Memorial Torch being passed at each station. Sheriff’s Deputies from Walnut, San Dimas and City of Industry stations joined other deputies from around the county to make up the nearly 2,000 participants. Deputy Aaron Scheller of the Walnut Sheriff’s Station, who ran an eight and a half mile leg said, “For everyone in law enforcement, it is important to remember the sacrifices made in the line of duty. It is a day to ponder how important our jobs are. We could have our names on a t-shirt some day, and we need to honor those that have given their lives in service.“ The Walnut Deputies received the torch from Pomona deputies, and delivered it to the Industry station. Story Contributions by George Ogden.

By Michael Armijo Diamond Bar – After a Supreme Court ruling determined that cities can ban medical marijuana dispensaries, many dispensaries were forced to close. But Diamond Bar’s 2006 ordinance allows one in the city, so one will remain for now. The ordinance allows a single medical marijuana dispensary to operate within city limits. The sole dispensary, Farm Assist Caregivers, was the fortunate one. This move, back in 2006 when many dispensaries fought cities to remain open, was a novel idea when laws were unclear and lawsuits were filed. Considering the laws have changed, the city may readdress the seven-year-old ordinance. California’s Proposition 215 and Senate Bill SB420 allowed individuals to use marijuana for medicinal purposes and issued patient identification cards to differentiate themselves from drug users and patients. The lingering question had asked: “do cities have the right to ban the facilities?” This was answered when the Supreme Court unanimously agreed on Monday that cities can prohibit dispensaries while state law allows medical marijuana patients the right to use the controlled substance. Confusing, but the end result is that many cities have closed down the facilities. According to online reports, there hasn’t been any problems with the sole dispensary in Diamond Bar and the Mayor is considering a revamp of the ordinance. As of early May, there were no plans to revamp the current ordinance. Local cities that have banned dispensaries and have been closing them down include Ontario, Riverside, and Upland.

Photo by Kelli Gile
The WVUSD Board of Trustees approved Dr. Robert Taylor as the new superintendent.

By Kelli Gile Walnut —The Walnut Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees has approved Dr. Robert P. Taylor as the new superintendent of the 14,700-student district. Dr. Taylor was confirmed with a unanimous 5-0 vote during the May 15 Regular Board Meeting. He will officially begin duties on July 1, 2013, bringing more than 20 years of leadership and experience in education. The Board of Trustees hired an executive search firm to spearhead the selection process for a new superintendent. The firm facilitated stakeholder meetings and a survey to gather input to ensure a math of candidate background and district expectations. Board members, school officials, and bargaining unit leaders conducted a validation visit to the Corona-Norco Unified School District on May 6, 2013. “The Board unanimously feels that Dr. Taylor is an outstanding choice for superintendent. We feel that he will bring leadership skills and genuine care for people that will serve our students, staff and community as well,” said Board President Helen Hall. “I am excited and humbled to have this opportunity to work in such an outstanding district,” Dr. Taylor said at the meeting. Dr. Taylor currently serves as the Deputy Superintendent of the Corona-Norco Unified School District. He began his administrative career in the Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District. Dr. Taylor has also served as Assistant Superintendent, Administrative Director of K-12 Education, Principal, Assistant Principal, and Teacher. Dr. Taylor is an Adjunct Professor of Education at the University of California, Irvine. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in English from the University of Redlands, a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Azusa Pacific University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Azusa Pacific University. Dr. Taylor will succeed Superintendent Dr. Dean S. Conklin, who, after almost 15 years of service to the Walnut Valley Unified School District, will retire in June 2013. Dr. Taylor and his wife Tamara have three children.

Staff Reports Assemblyman Curt Hagman’s AB 308 Passes Assembly Appropriations Committee with Bipartisan Support Sacramento— Yesterday, Assemblyman Curt Hagman’s (R- Chino Hills) AB 308 unanimously passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee. “AB 308 is a practical measure ensuring our state’s school facility funds are being utilized within the initial intent,” said Assemblyman Hagman. “This bill encourages sustainability of state dollars and spending efficiencies, which would keep facility funds for facility use,” Hagman added. Assembly Bill 308 authorizes the State Allocation Board to establish a program that requires school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education that sell or lease real property to return the portion of state funds that were provided to purchase, construct, or modernize the property. It is not sound policy to use one-time funds for expenditures that are continuous and ongoing. This bill will provide a disincentive for educational institutions that sell or lease properties that were purchased, constructed or modernized using state funds to use the proceeds from the sale or lease of those funds for general fund purposes. For more information, please visit: http://www.assembly.ca.gov/hagman

Staff Reports Walnut – Sometimes consumers have so many options available that it makes it difficult to choose a company to give your business to. Why not choose a company, such as California Coach Auto Collision and Towing, that believes in giving back to the surrounding communities. Owners Andy and Linda Lujan opened California Coach over 20 years ago. “We sold our house and went out on limb,” Linda said. “We pulled all of our money together and started it when there was nothing in Walnut.” The love for cars and auto repair came from Andy’s father. The two used to work together on cars, Linda said. The family aspect of the business has continued with their son Andrew working as an estimator for the business. Besides the outstanding services and benefits that California Coach offers, such as 24-hour towing, frame and auto repair, free pickup and delivery, and rental cars, Linda said they stay very active in community issues. “We are very involved in our ministry at our church, St. Paul The Apostle Catholic in Chino Hills,” Linda said. Andy also volunteers for inmate services with the County of Los Angeles. “We take social justice very seriously,” Linda said. California Coach also does exclusive collision repair for Diamond Honda of Puente Hills, in the City of Industry. For more info, call (909) 595-9448 or visit them at 22064 Valley Blvd. in Walnut.

By Sarah Armijo Walnut –The 2nd Annual Sheriff Variety Show held last week was a huge success as community members, businesses, and local agencies raised over $3,000 for our local Walnut-Diamond Bar Station. The show was held last Sat., May 4, at Walnut High School, with the Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff Booster Club managing the event. The Walnut Valley Unified School District (WVUSD) also sponsored the event that benefits the entire community. “We are glad that the event was successful, and we are proud to assist when it’s for the betterment of the community,” said WVUSD Superintendent, Dean Conklin. “We have a great relationship with the department and will continue to support whenever possible.” The three major donators to the event are: Don Knabe’s office; the City of Diamond Bar; and Marcos Granda from American Pacific Mortgage. Two other sponsors donated their services for our Variety Show. Passion Florists donated a beautiful flower bouquet that was given to the Variety Show event coordinator, Sarah Armijo. Passion Florists sells a variety of fresh flowers for any occasion. Passion Florists is located at 784 Nogales St. in Walnut and can be reached at (626) 506-8014. Former Diamond Bar Mayor Aileen Ansari and a board member to the Sheriff Booster Club, donated cookies and water for the acts that were waiting for perform. Two Sheriff Booster Club members were also the hilarious MCs for the night. Michael of ABC Public Relations and Gil Rivera of http://www.sellyourcasa.com had the audience rolling before they introduced each act throughout the show. Before and after the event, Mt. SAC student and Pomona’s RAW Visual Artist of the Year, Mathew Sanchez, showcased his artwork in the lobby. Mathew sells a variety of artwork and also does custom work for clients. To view Mathew’s work, go to matsanchez.com or visit his instagram at @visionarts. Email matartistic7@yahoo.com for more information on original canvas and charcoal artwork. Also in the lobby, were representatives from the Z-Ultimate Self Defense Studio in Walnut. Z-Ultimate provides the ultimate martial arts experience for students and their families by providing life changing and character building experiences through world-class personalized martial arts instruction. For more information about Z Ultimate, go to zultimatewalnut.com or call (626) 912-0447. The Dance Corner studio located in Rowland Heights showcased three styles of dances at this event, with performers ranging from toddlers to teenagers. Dance Corner offers classes for all ages at reasonable prices. For more information about Dance Corner, go to rtdancecorner.com or call (909) 967-2365. An up and coming local band, “Penny and the Jets,” was an incredible opening act for our Variety Show. This band featured Alisha Ciorlieri as the singer, Adrian Vega on guitar, Steven Cruz on keys, Bryant Seavy on bass, and Eddie Sanches on the drums. For more information on Penny and the Jets, email Adrian at avega909@yahoo.com. Another amazing act at our event was the “MTM Band” who played in honor of Michael Toshio Miyamoto, a heroic member of the Walnut community. The members of the MTM Band are Jason Adauto, Michael Hanlon, Ellie Ikeda, Addam Rodriguez, and Jared Witcher. For more information on the MTM Band, contact Jason at adautojason@gmail.com. Singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and former “The Voice” contestant, Adanna Duru, returned to our 2nd Annual Variety Show for another great performance. She sang an amazing version of Stay by Rihanna. For more information on Adanna, go to http://www.adannaduru.com. Singing sensation Terrah Xtreme also sang at our Variety Show for the second time. Terrah sang her heart out for two songs, Rolling In The Deep and One and Only. To see 9-year-old Terrah’s performances, go to youtube.com/terrahxtreme. Walnut High School drama students, Emma Aragon and Emi Tsukada, did a hilarious comedy scene at our Variety Show, called “Dissecting the Chicken Joke.” Young adult members of the St. Dennis Contemporary Choir, Lisa Martinez and Natalie Martinez, also performed a duet of two beautiful songs for our event. Members of the Baldwin Park Roadrunner’s Mascot Cheerleading team also performed a few of their cheers for the event. These cheerleaders were also featured in the “Gangnam Style” dance with dancing sensation, Luke Rivera, at the end of the show. The show ended with all the participants dancing to the “Harlem Shake”, which was led by Luke Rivera. If you missed the show, JDC Cine Photos of jdcinephotos.com videotaped the entire show, which is available for purchase. DVDs are available for $30 and Blu-Rays for $35. Orders can be placed by email at jdcinephotos@jdcinephotos.com or through facebook message at http://www.facebook.com/jdcinephotos. We would like to give a special thank you to all our sponsors, our volunteers, our community members and everyone who was involved in our show! Thank you for all your hard work and support!

By Kelli Gile Walnut — Walnut Valley Unified School District will launch the Hockwalt Resource & Transition Training Center (HARTT Center) for the 2013-14 school year. The HARTT Center serves 18-22 year old students with disabilities who are receiving a Certificate of Completion from high school and have significant needs for support as they transition to adulthood. The HARTT Center aids in the development of a continuum of transition skills based each student’s unique level of ability with the goal of successfully transitioning to adult living. Skills are developed using community-based instruction in addition to classroom instruction. WVUSD is seeking tax-deductible donations from the community for a kitchen that will be set up at the Center on Lemon Avenue in Walnut. Donations of dishes, cookware, silverware, utensils, dishes, placemats and napkins are now being accepted. The District is also looking for local businesses that would be able to provide possible work experience placements. Please contact Judi Koorndyk, Coordinator of Special Education, at jkoorndyk@wvusd.k12.ca.us, if you would like to donate or get information about helping provide work experience for the students.

Staff Reports Southern California -There has been a lot of crime in the area this past month, here is a quick recap of all the events that have gone on. On May 2, two separate incident occured. The first incident occured when an unnamed Industry man was airlifted to the hospital after striking a light post around 12:27 p.m. Fire teams were dispatched to the scene and were able to cut the man from the vehicle at 1:27 p.m.. The driver’s injuries were unspecified. The second incident occured when a man and woman were caught in a string of recent burglaries. The duo was identified as Andrew Martin, 47, and Gloria Quintero, 46, both from Ontario. They were suspected to be involved in over 40 burglaries ranging from Glendora, Azusa, Covina, Diamond Bar, La Verne, Claremont, Chino, Ontario, La Palma and San Bernardino. The duo was finally caught when an officer who viewed the security footage recognized Martin from a recent traffic stop a week earlier. A getaway vehicle was also identified to be a primer gray 1989 Chevy S-10 pickup truck. The two were put on $20,000 bail. On May 3, two more incidents were cited. The first incident occurred at around 9:15 a.m. A broken big rig’s gas tank forced the shutdown of an exit ramp on the 60 Freeway for hours as crews worked to clean the spill, CHP reported. The exit ramp at Garey Ave. off the 60 freeway was shutdown shortly after 10 a.m. and remained shutdown for several hours. The second incident that occured on May 3 was a 15-year-old Diamond Ranch High student was arrested for bringing a firearm onto school grounds. Police were called to investigate at around 12:30 p.m. When deputies arrived on scene, a cooperative effort was enacted between deputies and school officials to do a thorough search of the classroom and detain the student. When officers checked the student’s backpack, they found and recovered an unloaded firearm inside the student’s backpack next to his desk on the classroom floor. It was later determined the firearm in his possession had been reported stolen in 2008, according to a written police report. The student was arrested for possession of a firearm on school grounds, possession of a stolen firearm, and being a minor in possession of a firearm. The student was booked at the Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Station and was transported to the Los Angeles County Probation Department’s Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. The student was not eligible for bail. On May 5, a suspect was attemted to break into a Diamond Bar residence but could not enter. Police attempted to search for the suspect via helicopter and vehicle patrols, but were unable to find the suspect.

Mayor Ike Bootsma delivered the State of the City last month, to a record crowd.

By Andrew Hoover Eastvale – The City of Eastvale held its Second Annual State of the City Address on the night of April 9, 2013 to give a public update on Eastvale and how quickly it’s growing. The Eastvale State of the City, hosted by the Eastvale Chamber of Commerce, began the event with a speech by Jorge Razo, Chairman of the Board Chamber of Commerce. See Jorge’s entire speech on page 13. The speech was followed by the Showing of the Colors performed by the Jurupa Valley Station Explorer post #880, pledge of allegiance, and a beautiful rendition of the Star Spangled banner sung by Abbey Horan of Roosevelt High School. After a quick presentation of the sponsors, Dignitaries, and Board of Directors, Jeff DeGrandpre took the stage. “Why Eastvale?” Jeff asked the crowd. “Well, Eastvale has great schools,” Jeff stated. Jeff went on to explain that Eastvale also has well maintained parks and is a safe place to raise a family. DeGrandpre explained that Eastvale is the fastest growing city in the Riverside County and the fifth fastest growing city in the State of California. He also pointed out that Eastvale has the highest median household income in Riverside County at $115,025. Jeff expanded on that by adding that Eastvale has absolutely no city debt, passed a balanced budget, and has a healthy reserve. Jeff finished up his speech by adding that Eastvale’s sales tax that it earned by consumers in Eastvale grew by 49.58% from 2011 to 2012 and is still growing. Eastvale’s Mayor Ike Bootsma gave his speech next. After a brief introduction of the new businesses in Eastvale, Bootsma went on to the core of the address. “We have wonderful schools in Eastvale, which we are so proud of. Corona Norco Unified School District is the largest district in Riverside County and now the 9th largest district in the State of California, serving over 55,000 students in the cities of Eastvale, Corona and Norco,” said Bootsma. Bootsma also showed the Academic Performance Index, which measures how well students are learning. Out of 1000 points, Eastvale Elementary School topped out at 911 API points with the lowest being 812 API points at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. “We are proud to have 2 California Distinguished Schools in the City of Eastvale: Clara Barton Elementary and Harada Elementary. In addition, the School District has been nominated twice for the prestigious Eli Broad Award which is one of the highest honors a school district can achieve,” said Bootsma. After an introduction of the City Council and staff members, Bootsma stated Eastvale’s planned projects for 2013, which included the widening of Hamner Ave. near Citrus for the Silverlakes Project underway; widening of Schleisman Ave. between Hellman and The Enclave; coordinating the tear down of the old cell tower in the middle of Schleisman Rd. which is not a city project; the repavement of Hellman Ave.; develop a Bikeway Master Plan and Truck Route Study; and continue efforts to seek funding from regional, state, and federal agencies to fund additional infrastructure improvements. Bootsma wrapped up the State of the City Address with Eastvale’s City Plan. “The City Council is working on developing a five-year strategic plan as a guiding document for providing leadership and identifying the priorities and direction of the City. This will include the development of a Mission Statement, Vision Statement, and identify the City’s Core Values. The plan will provide an organizational strategy that outlines five-year goals and objectives for the City, as well as outlines how the City can successfully reach these goals.”

By Andrew Hoover Eastvale – Eastvale City Council members have recently held a crossfire about the Las Vegas International Conference of Shopping (ICN) Centers in May of last year. At the City Council Meeting on March 27, a motion was called to decide who would be attending the next International Convention of Shopping Centers (ICSC) RECON conference in Las Vegas again. When a motion was made to have Mayor Ike Bootsma and Mayor Pro-tem Adam Rush go instead of Jeff DeGrandpre and Kelly Howell, DeGrandpre was the first to speak up about it. DeGrandpre stated at this City Council meeting that he did not agree with the way money was utilized during the last event, which was held last year in Las Vegas. “I was at the Ontario Airport Monday morning, not Sunday night. Monday morning heading out there, a lady from the County came up to me … I had my shirt on that said Mayor City of Eastvale, and she said, ‘I’m glad to see somebody from the City of Eastvale is finally coming because nobody was there from the Eastvale the night before’,” stated DeGrandpre. “That upset me a little bit. So, I mean, after all, some people went out Saturday, they came with spouses, it was a nice little vacation there.” DeGrandpre went on to further state his side of the conference by making allegations such as, the booth being empty each time he visited it, and how certain developers who are already in the City of Eastvale were being met. He further stated that it “was a waste of tax payer money.” DeGrandpre was also upset with the developers that Kelly Howell and Michele Nissen met with. “I’m looking at the report from last year and these folks went to places like In-N-Out, Steak and Shake, a bakery, Hickory Farms, Jersey Mike’s, Brunswick Bowling. This is not the purpose of this conference, this conference is not to get another sub shop here in Eastvale, it is to get the development underway, and the developers then go out and get the people that then lease space from them,” said DeGrandpre. “My idea of going to this conference, and I already actually have a couple of appointments set, is to get the big developers in here with millions of dollars to get it going, not to go get another dry cleaners. Sorry, that’s just a waste of money.” Kelly Howell was next to retort back stating that DeGrandpre’s allegations of the trip being a vacation was untrue. “I do like to discount and I disagree with you, regarding the comments you made about going with spouses and making a vacation of it, because that’s completely untrue and unnecessary,” stated Howell. According to a document sent to last year’s City Manager, Robert Van Nort, Howell and Nissen visited 31 retailers and developers during that time, which accounted for the booth being empty from time to time due to lucrative business opportunities and meetings being made. Some of the developers and retailers being met with included In-N-Out, Jersey Mikes which opened recently in September of 2012, the U.S Postal Service, and Brunswick Bowling. At the most recent City Council meeting on April 10, Brian Nissen, the husband of Eastvale Public Information Officer Michele Nissen, and local community activist, Richard “Dickie” Simmons, attended the meeting, where both stated that were appalled at the allegations that were made at the last city meeting. Brian Nissen defied DeGrandpre’s notion that they “had a nice little vacation” at tax payer expense. “This is an outright lie,” Brian Nissen said. “I did not attend the convention.” Dickie Simmons pointed out that meeting with developers is city business, and that council should refrain from such meetings. DeGrandpre then defended himself stating that “at no time did I say they misused money.” However, he felt the $7,700 that council members voted to use for marketing materials “was kind of wasteful.” “I may have gone off the rails,” DeGrandpre added. At the April council meeting, Kelly Howell provided documents clearly stating every expense made at the conference. She wanted to show her side of the story, as well as allow the public to clearly view the amounts spent by each member as well as a memorandum of the event detailing the business and developers that were met with at the conference. According to a memo to then City Manager Bob Van Nort, last year in May, the Eastvale City Council visited the ICSC RECON in Las Vegas to allow them to get better acquainted with new developers for the City, make new connections with new developers, and introduce the City of Eastvale to a larger market of individuals and make our cities presence known. ICSC RECON is the world’s largest real estate exhibit and convention where approximately 30,000 industry professionals attend with hundreds of exhibitors. Councilman DeGrandpre and Councilwoman Kelly Howell attended ICSC RECON last year, as well as City staff member Michele Nissen. The total amount that Eastvale tax payer money was spent during that trip was $7,761.26, which covered travel for the event, lodging, pavilion fee, give-a ways, pamphlets, as well as other misc items such as phone and food, which was all necessary toward the conference trip itself.

By: Andrew Hoover Eastvale – Several upscale communities like Walnut, Diamond Bar, Chino Hills, and Eastvale have been targets for “marijuana grow houses.” Just recently, the Sheriff Dept. has released a statement indicating that over 17 houses have been uncovered in a 20 mile radius since Jan 2013. A “Marijuana grow house” is typically a house located in a suburban area that is industrialized to grow and distribute Marijuana. This process includes bypassing the electrical meter by way of expensive and high grade electrical equipment or leading a wire to the power line before the meter. The houses must be maintained at a certain temperature as well to ensure the crops growth. Due to this, the houses can posses the ability to create an immediate fire hazard with all the electricity being generated through amateur wiring. However, fire hazards aren’t the only downside to grow houses. Most of the time, growers are involved in gang activity which brings the threat of violent crime into your neighborhood. Grow houses can also cause property values to drop which can put a strain on homeowners in the area. According to the DEA and FBI, marijuana is a multi-billion dollar industry which includes profits made from the “legal” dispensaries across the states that have legalized it for medical purposes. Grow house owner’s supply to every market as well as including the medical marijuana dispensaries and the current black market, making marijuana an incredibly lucrative crop and one of the most easily accessible drugs. Eastvale has been home to multiple grow house incidents. The most notable were the raids that happened in March, which led to the uncovering of a large marijuana grow operation that spanned from multiple cities including Eastvale, Walnut, and Diamond Bar. In April, four more grow houses were spotted in Eastvale. The first was on April 10 at 1:45 P.M. on the 6300 block of La Mesa St., where deputies seized over 600 marijuana plants, one pound of processed marijuana, digital scales and packaging material. The next grow house was raided on April 16 at 11 pm on the 6900 Block of Rapids Dr. Deputies seized over 1100 marijuana plants, one pound of processed marijuana, digital scales and packaging material. The last and most recent houses were discovered on April 24. The houses were located on the 6400 block of Harrow St. and 13000 block of Running Deer Cir. The first warrant was served at around 4 pm on Harrow Street, where deputies seized over 850 marijuana plants, a half-pound of processed marijuana, digital scales and packaging material. Additionally, electricity was being bypassed around the meter, causing a serious fire hazard and resulting in approximately $3000 a month in stolen electricity. The second warrant was served on Running Deer Circle at around 6 pm when deputies seized over 600 marijuana plants, digital scales and packaging material and estimated that around $4,000 worth of electricity had been bypassed around the meter. Eastvale police and the Riverside Sheriff Dept. has recently released a statement giving tips on how to spot a grow house, Some of these tips include looking out for windows that are covered from the interior, lights and televisions on timers, subjects moving in commercial grade electrical equipment during the late night or early morning hours, no signs of normal residential occupation, and the smell of marijuana emitting from the home. It’s also advised to never approach someone who you may think is operating a grow house for your own safety, as owners are usually criminals involved in some form of gang activity and do not want anybody interfering with their operation. If you or someone you know suspects a home of being a grow house, you are strongly advised to call calling Deputy Javier Morando at the Jurupa Valley Station at (951) 955-2600 or the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s dispatch center at (951)776-1099.

Staff Reports Eastvale – In an effort to reach out to the city residents as well as the businesses, the Eastvale Chamber of Commerce has taken advantage of the donated space the Eastvale Community News has offered by making the page their official newsletter. The paper will be sent out to all Chamber members as well. “As a fairly new chamber, we’ve decided to utilize the space given to us by the Eastvale Community News and mail copies to our members, informing them of the upcoming events and chamber news,” said Eastvale President Jorge Razo. “Most chambers only mail the information to other members, we will be reaching residents AND chamber members, with pictures, highlights, and other information.” Razo also noted that there will be changes to the format, with business member highlights, listings, and pictures. The mailing begins this month, changes go into effect in the June 2013 edition.