Again And Again

By Michael Armijo

As I sit here and admire how beautiful life is, I thank God for allowing me the opportunity to better my life with sheer desire, hope, vision, and good will. It’s different when I travel to my childhood home and remember where I came from. The horrid demons of failure, fear, neglect, and abuse creep into the corner of my soul, reminding me of a life without confidence, communication, understanding, and forgiveness.
It saddens me when I remember the bouts of depression, the bouts of anger and frustration. I remember seeing visions of irresponsibility and disregard for life, which made me feel that being normal was a long way away. The vision of cheating the system, denying help to others, and creating false loyalty by betrayal, were all every day visions that haunted all of us who were exposed.
In reflection, I believe we have the opportunity to provide a loving arena for our children and a stable life for our loved ones. As someone who has survived a dysfunctional home, as someone who holds the battle scars deep inside the soul with the visions of a painful war far within the mind, I remind parents to live up to their responsibilities.
As children, we depend on you to provide a consistently loving environment where a child will feel cherished, where a child will develop a strong and confident feeling about himself and his identity. We rely on you to give us the necessary tools to be productive and insightful. We need you to stand before us, and when you cannot, explain how pressure can sometimes overcome a simple human being. We do not expect you to run from your problems or your anxieties by abusing alcohol, prescription or illegal drugs; this is how you teach us to not deal with life’s anxieties and pressures. We do not expect you to lose your temper and mistreat us. But if you do, we expect an explanation and an immediate apology. Otherwise we’ll carry those memories and emotions and they could haunt us for the rest of our lives.
It’s no fun treading through life as though you’re a thousand pounds too heavy, and a hundred points too stupid. It not fair to give us false identities because you’re too insensitive to seek help for your insecurities and your lack of parental guidance. We expect you to fix your problems before you bring us into the world. And if you do not, fix them while we are here. Fix them in front of us, explain, and be honest. Or we will one day find out the truth about our lives and the truth about who you really are.
You do have the opportunity to give us enlightening answers before we ask those confronting questions. And you have the ability to avoid those questions by being open and honest while making an effort to be a better person. Your attempts to fix yourself will allow you some vindication and will allow us to feel better about who you really are.
My philosophies reach out like child’s embrace, although I am physically an adult. But I, or WE, as there are many of us who are labeled “adult children,” still hold childlike emotions because of the lack of guidance we received in our adolescence. And for the lack of communication and vision that we experienced we stay victims. But as each day gets better, we try to correct ourselves into being a better people, continually fighting to reach a realm that I call “normal.” And as we become victorious from each battle we can’t seem to avoid, deep in our hearts we know it’s a war that we may never win.
Today I travel through life and look forward to the bright sunny rays of light that come from our vivid sun. Today I will keep repeating to myself the many wonders of our subtle and kind human compassion to life. And I will constantly remember our commitment to humanity to ensure our mental safety for ourselves and for our children. Because again and again I will try to reiterate the message that each and every one of us do make a difference in this glorious world we call Earth, and in this magnificent time that we call life.

Friends Of The DB Library Host Wine Soiree And Auction

Staff Reports

 

DIAMOND BAR-  The Friends of the Diamond Bar Library will be hosting a Wine Soiree and Benefit Auction on Sunday, April 24, at the Diamond Bar Center.  The annual soirée is an institution in Diamond Bar and is a great way to meet new and old friends and neighbors.

This festive and exciting event will feature delicious food from local restaurants, great wine, music, entertainment, raffles and exciting book, silent and live auctions.  Each year the Soirée is full of entertaining surprises:  this year look for the Total Wine and More table with interesting and delicious French wines being poured by Total Wine and More.  Tasty beer will be poured by Innovation Brew Works from Cal Poly.  Some of the great restaurant food hosts this year include Albertsons Market, Aljibani Halal Market, Buca de Beppo, Chili’s Grill and Bar, Claro’s Italian Restaurant, Del Taco, Diamond Palace, Got Taco Party?, Graber Olive House, It’s A Grind, Jeseca Creations, Julie’s Café, Mandarin Taste Restaurant, NiNi Bakery, Round Table Pizza, The Noodle, and The Whole Enchilada.  Visit them in person and thank them for their support for literacy in our community.

The Diamond Bar Community Library manager announced recently that the Diamond Bar Library is second out of all 86 libraries within the Los Angeles County library system for circulation, with 460,000 volumes moving in and out of the library each year.  Additionally, the Diamond Bar Library ranks eighth in total monthly patronage with a gate count of over 22,000 visitors per month.  The Diamond Bar Friends of the Library dedicates its time and energy to supporting this invaluable community institution.

With the support of the community,  the Friends gave the Diamond Bar Library over $30,000 in 2015, for much-needed materials, programs, books, magazines, etc. that would not have been possible without the Wine Soirée and our non-profit bookstores, Basically BOOKS.

Tickets for the event are $60 per person, and are available at the following Diamond Bar locations:  Midas Auto Service Experts, 796 N. Diamond Bar Boulevard; Diamond Bar Library, 21800 Copley Drive; and Basically BOOKS, 23447 Golden Springs Drive.  Advertisements are also available in the annual program.  A unique souvenir wine glass and program are included with each ticket.  Tickets and program information are also available at  www.dblibraryfriends.org.  For more information call Kathleen Newe at 909 629-2711.

Advanced Improvements Provides Comfort For Your Home

2014-03-advanced-solar-300x250-01Staff Reports

 

SoCal – Advanced Improvements is an expert in air conditioning and heating, water heating, water filtration, and solar power.  For over 20 years, they have been providing eco-friendly, energy saving home and office comfort solutions for Riverside, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego and Los Angeles counties.

Advanced Improvements’ mission is to build top quality home and office improvement projects on time, with exemplary customer service, and within your budget.  Right now, Advanced Improvements is offering specials and discounts on a variety of their products.

Solar:  Whether you’re looking to go completely off the power grid, or just reduce your carbon footprint, Advanced Improvements can help by providing you with solar solutions.  They offer both solar electric (photovoltaic) and solar thermal (solar water heating) technologies.  The average solar system pays for itself in as little as four years.  When you fit your home for solar, you can receive up to 30% in tax credits, and Advanced Improvements has 2.99% financing options available for solar upgrades (OAC).

Water Heating:  Advanced Improvements carries a full line of different models and types of water heaters.  They offer everything from traditional tanks and tankless, to the new hybrids and eco-friendly solar water heaters.  Advanced Improvements specializes in tankless water heaters, claiming the title of the largest tankless water heater installation company in the nation.  They have installed over 10,000 tankless water heaters over the last ten years.  Take advantage of their $500 discount coupon on a Rheem Tankless Water Heater, or $100 discount on a Rheem Tank Water Heater.

Water Filtration: Advanced Improvements offers water filtration systems that protect against hardness elements, iron, rust, sediment, and a variety of other substances that may be present in your water.  Their systems are high flow and low maintenance machines that are designed for optimum performance.  Ask about their $500 discount coupon for Anti-Scale and Carbon Water Filtration systems.

Heating and Air:  Advanced Improvements has trained professionals that provide expert analyses, top quality equipment, and skilled installation or repair of your heating and air conditioning equipment.  They can give your home a heating or cooling system that is not only reliable, but efficient.  They also offer heat pumps, gas furnaces, package units, air handlers, and cooling coils.  Their current heating special will allow you to get $1,500 off in factory rebates for qualifying systems.  Also, ask about their $75 special for a winter tune-up for your current system.

Go Green:  You can GO GREEN with Advanced Improvements, as they provide eco-friendly, energy saving, green products for your home and business.  They can help you go completely independent with solar power, replace your heating and cooling system with a new high-efficiency unit, or lower your energy usage by installing a tankless water heater.

Advanced Improvements stands behind their products and services and is committed to excellence.  They are also committed to the community.  Owners Jason and Athena Hayes have lived in Eastvale for over seven years, and as homeowners, they love to see Eastvale flourish. Advanced Improvements has been the platinum sponsor for the Eastvale Community Foundation’s Annual Golf Tournaments, and they will continue to invest in the City and support its growth.  Make sure to ask about their $500 discount coupon for Eastvale residents only.

Make your home or business comfortable today with Advanced Improvements (Contractor State License Board #947761).  Their office is located at 1200 North Barsten Way, in Anaheim, and they can be reached at (888) 698-8859.  Visit their website at www.AdvancedIMP.com.

More Students Qualify For Diplomas

Courtesy of Corona Norco Unified

 

Corona/Norco– On October 7, 2015, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 172, suspending the administration of the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) as a condition of receiving a diploma of graduation or a condition of graduation from high school. The bill provides for the granting of a diploma of graduation from high school to any pupil who completed grade 12 during the years in which the CAHSEE was in effect, and has met all applicable graduation requirements other than the passage of the high school exit examination. With the passage of this bill, the effective date of granting the diploma can be no earlier than January 1, 2016.

Please assist us in spreading the word and notifying former CNUSD students who may be eligible to receive their high school diplomas. The Corona-Norco Unified School District staff is committed to granting high school diplomas to all eligible persons. We are currently in the process of reviewing transcripts to verify that all graduation requirements of the senior year when you were enrolled.

If you or someone that you know are eligible to receive a Corona-Norco Unified School District high school diploma, submit it either online, or in person to the CNUSD Student Services Office, located at 2820 Clark Avenue, Norco, CA 92860. After the high school transcript is evaluated, and it is determined that you have fulfilled all graduation requirements, you will be notified and mailed the diploma to the address you provide. If you have questions, please call the Student Services office at 951-736-5111.

Going Gluten Free

Courtesy of Food Matters

Many people realize they have a sensitivity to gluten when they eat a food containing it, because afterwards they will experience aches and pains, headaches, lethargy, irritability, acne, and digestive discomforts such as bloating or gas.
Changing to a gluten-free lifestyle can seem overwhelming, but if you’re ready to make a commitment to your health and cut gluten out of your life completely, here are some suggestions that will help:

  • Roast, grill or slow cook meats to have on hand throughout the week-healthy meats are perfect to always have on hand in the fridge, pre-cooked and chopped up so you can quickly whip up a meal;
  • Have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables on hand– go to local farmers markets on the weekend and stock your fridge with fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables. You can pre-cut vegetables and store in containers- wrap them with a moist tea towel to extend the freshness. Excess fruit can be easily chopped and frozen in small ziplock bags to be added to smoothies or made into purees or jams;
  • Utilize your oven and slow cooker– a slow cooker can be handy when you have little to no time to make dinner. Put your meat, veggies and stock into the slow cooker and leave it on while you’re at work, and you will come home to a dinner that only needs to be plated up. The leftovers can be eaten for breakfast or taken to work the next day;
  • Use gluten-free flour alternative-keep nut and seed flours (almond, hazelnut, sunflower seed meal, etc.) on hand and store them in the freezer to extend the shelf life and deter them from going rancid. You can also use coconut, buckwheat, arrowroot, tapioca and banana flours;
  • Shop smarter-Learn to navigate the supermarket aisles and aim to shop in mainly the perimeter where all the fresh foods are kept;.
  • Become a label reading expert-avoid refined and processed packaged foods and stick to whole, fresh and seasonal food. If you do purchase something in a package, avoid anything with an ingredient list that looks like a chemical laboratory. Dubious ingredients you don’t recognize, more often than not, will contain gluten;
  • Vary your diet-when you first begin, you may be scared to branch out and try new things. Don’t be afraid to have fun and get creative in the kitchen. The internet is brimming with healthy gluten-free meal, snack and drink inspirations;
  • Stock your kitchen well-make sure you have your pantry stocked with the basics, such as turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, pepper, Himalayan salt, coconut oil, olive and nut oils, nuts, seeds, dried fruits and coconut, rice, quinoa and buckwheat. Make sure your fridge is packed and ready with basics like homemade pesto which can be added to plain meats and salads for extra flavor. Lastly, try growing a garden or a small patch where you can plant your own leafy greens and herbs;
  • Become informed-if you’re a parent, you have a job to educate your children about wholesome real foods and why it is important for them to not consume food which has been manipulated, refined and overly processed. Become informed and educated about food and don’t be cajoled by advertising and marketing- many times you will find that it can be misleading.

Walnut Animal Licensing Enforcement

Courtesy of the City of Walnut

WALNUT– Officers from the County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) will be conducting field licensing enforcement in the City of Walnut beginning April 20th, 2016. Field enforcement efforts are designed to ensure that residents’ dogs and cats are in compliance with mandatory licensing requirements. Additionally, California law requires that all dogs over the age of four months be vaccinated against rabies and licensed. Securing a dog or cat license is essential to assisting animal control agencies if a pet becomes lost.

The licensing fees for City residents are as follows:

  • Unaltered dog- $72
  • Altered dog- $27
  • Altered dog belonging to a senior citizen (60+) – $9.50
  • Unaltered cat- $10
  • Altered cat- $5
  • Penalty fee- Equal to the license fee

Residents not in compliance will be subject to license fees, delinquency charges, and a $40 field enforcement fee (to offset the cost of the field services.)  In order to avoid penalties, be sure your pet is licensed.

 

You can secure a new license by printing the application online at http://www.animalcare.lacounty.gov and mailing it to Department of Animal Care 12440 E. Imperial Hwy Suite 603 Norwalk CA 90650 or by visiting your local County animal care center. Residents may also renew online if their pet’s license is not delinquent at our website: http://www.animalcare.lacounty.gov. Information on licensing fees can also be found on the website.

 

DACC offers low-cost vaccination/microchips clinics (microchips are now $15, which includes an AVID registration) and low-cost assistance (for individuals who qualify) for spay and neuter surgeries. Please visit our website or stop by your local County of Los Angeles animal care center for more information about these services.

Did You Know?

Photo courtesy of chinohillsstatepark.org

Photo courtesy of chinohillsstatepark.org

Earth Day Volunteers Wanted

Staff Reports

 

Volunteers are needed at select California state parks on Saturday, April 16, 2016 for the 18th Annual California State Parks Foundation’s (CSPF) Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup.

Since its inception in 1998, CSPF’s Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup program has resulted in 81,670 participants contributing more than 334,000 volunteer hours to park maintenance and improvements.

State parks continue to suffer from chronic underfunding, and that has resulted in overdue maintenance projects and the elimination of many education programs for kids, reduced staffing and curtailed operating hours.

Businesses and individuals are sought to help restore the beauty and glory of California’s state parks.  Trail and campground improvements, trash cleanup, tree planting and restoring wildlife habitats are just some of the projects planned for Earth Day.

Volunteers are needed at the following parks across Southern California:

  • Bolsa Chica State Beach
  • Carpinteria State Beach
  • Chino Hills State Park
  • Crystal Cove State Park
  • Doheny State Beach
  • San Onofre State Beach
  • Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park
  • Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area

If you enjoy volunteering outdoors and want to make a difference in our state parks, visit http://www.calparks.org/help/earth-day/ or call 1-888-98-PARKS.

 

Volunteens Needed For Summer

Courtesy of the City of Chino Hills

Chino Hills – The City of Chino Hills Recreation Division is looking for enthusiastic teens, ages 13 to 16 years old, to volunteer this summer. Volunteens will assist in the City’s Aquatics, Summer Day Camp, Mobile Recreation, and Special Events programs.

The summer 2016 program will begin the week of June 20th and end the week of August 12th. A mandatory training will be scheduled the week of June 13th for selected applicants.

Volunteens must be certified in First Aid and CPR prior to June 20th. Volunteens that successfully complete the program will receive a certificate of appreciation, a letter of recommendation, and recognition at the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting.

Applications for the Volunteen program will be available beginning Monday, April 11th until the first 80 applications are received. They are available online starting April 11th at http://www.chinohills.org/Volunteens at City Hall, 14000 City Center Drive; and at the Chino Hills Community Center, 14250 Peyton Drive.

All completed applications MUST be submitted to the Community Services Department at City Hall. Of the 80 applications accepted, up to 50 teens will be selected for the program. For more information, please call (909) 364-2700.

K9 Claud Receives Vest

Photo Courtesy of Corona PD

Photo Courtesy of Corona PD

Courtesy of the Corona Police Dept.

CORONA– Corona Police Department’s K9 “Claud” has received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. The vest was sponsored by Hausman Family Foundation of CA and is embroidered with the sentiment “This gift of protection provided by the Hausman Family Foundation”.
Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c(3) charity located in East Taunton, MA. whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs in law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. The non-profit was established in 2009 to assist law enforcement agencies with this potentially lifesaving body armor for their four-legged K9 officers. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provided over 1,700 protective vests, in 49 states, through private and corporate donations, at a cost of over 1.6 million dollars. All vests are custom made in the USA by Armor Express in Central Lake, MI.
The program is open to dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies who are certified and at least 20 months of age. New K9 graduates, as well as K9s with expired vests, are eligible to participate.
The donation to provide one protective vest for one law enforcement K9 is $1,050. Each vest has a value between $1,795 – $2,234, a five-year warranty and an average weight of 4-5 lbs. There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States.

For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call 508-824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts tax-deductible donations of any denomination at www.vik9s.org or mailed to P.O. Box 9 East Taunton, MA 02718.

 

CVUSD’s Annual Festival Of The Arts

Photo credit: CVUSD

Photo credit: CVUSD
Young artists enjoy the exhibits

Courtesy of Chino Valley Unified School District

 

Chino – Art work by hundreds of Chino Valley Unified School District students was on display to the community March 22 and 23 at Magnolia Junior High in Chino during the District’s annual Festival of the Arts.
Among the projects were ceramics, paintings, pencil and crayon drawings, cartoons, sculptures, and craft art.
Magnolia Junior High and Briggs Fundamental School junior high students provided music during the opening ceremony. Eagle Canyon Elementary’s Petit Advanced Band Ensemble performed two numbers during the closing ceremony. Eagle Canyon’s Drama Club also performed “The Surfer and the Shark”, a play written by retired teacher John Payne and showcasing hits of The Beach Boys.
Guests received a museum quality program that was designed by Troy Ingram, coordinator of the District’s Innovation and Creative Services department. Set against a background of rust colored leaf imprints, the program included featured photos of the works of student artists and their comments about their artistic journey. The program also included the names of schools, students and classes participating in the Festival of the Arts.
Coordinators of the event were Chris Andreas, Rosalia Arroyo, Andrea Baerga, Dan Cahill, Cindy Dawson, Kathleen Douglass, April Faucher, Rose Garcia, Mary Green, Denise Gumaer, Tricia Hernandez, Jeanne King, Eileen Kostyk, John Lee, Pam Lee, Elizabeth Lorusso, Rhonda Martello, Shirley Meredith, Zoe Pacela, Gerson Renderos, Albert Reyes, Andrea Riley, Sergio Robleto, Angela Trunske, Wendy Villegas, Kim Walker, Flory Welsh, Terry Wharton, Bob Whitmore, Anne Whyte, and Tracy Young.

Eastvale City Council Recap

By Emily Aguilar

 

EASTVALE– This month’s council meeting began with an experiment. At Mayor Ike Bootsma’s request, the meeting held on Wednesday the 9th began at 7:00 pm rather than 6:30 pm. Bootsma was eager to test two factors as a result of this experiment: one, he wanted to see if the time change would better accommodate the gap between council meetings and budget workshops; and two, he wanted to see how the community would respond to the time change.

Before tending to the schedule change, the meeting began with a closed session, where in which the council discussed the performance evaluation of City Manager Michele Nissen and two conferences with legal counsel regarding an existing litigation and an anticipated litigation.  After the two-hour closed session, a majority of audience members had left. A sense of awkwardness filled the air as the council overlooked the mostly empty seats.

The first item on the agenda was a Public Safety Commission update. Recently, individuals have been racing around Citrus and Scholar during school hours, which has stirred concern in the community. At the Public Safety meeting, citizens addressed not only the speeding, but also vandalism that has been occurring in neighborhoods. One resident pitched the idea of setting up cameras to find the perpetrators. Other concerns, specifically at the high school, are crosswalks and the heavy traffic on the streets. Community residents are looking forward to working with the city and the school in order to help the students be safe.

Next on the agenda was an update on the civic center/library project. Since August 2015, a library subcommittee has sought to build a new library and a city hall. The main discussion on this topic was determining where these new buildings will be located. There are now five possible locations being considered for the new civic center, all of which span from 9 to 16 acres. Before any action is taken, staff requested that the council bring back their contract agreement with the Riverside Economic Development Agency (EDA) to help in choosing, funding, and ultimately purchasing a plot of land to develop the civic center. The EDA has had a positive history with Eastvale developments; for example, they helped choose and purchase the land for the developing Fire Station 31. The council motioned to set up a contract discussion for the next council meeting.

The council quickly approved a construction update on Fire Station 31. Horizons, the current construction team for this project, has been paving, making concrete footings for walls, and establishing building pads. Within the next 6 weeks, city staff will grant the Fire Station Street Improvements bid package to help with further construction. Ultimately, Horizons intends to complete their phase of the 300-task schedule by December 5th. Council received and filed this information.

The council then addressed the outcome to their time change trial. The time change had a negative impact because the closed session, which typically lasts about thirty minutes, ended up lasting two hours. Because the audience was left alone for such a long time, most of them grew impatient and left by the time the council had returned. The council decided to have closed session meetings at the end of the regular 6:30 meetings.

Moving on to Council Communications, Council Member Rush discussed the possibility of distributing newsletters to the city residents in order to pass on information about local events. Mayor Pro Tem Tessari also proposed the idea to see if the city could re-implement creating an infrastructure financing district. If feasible, staff will look into it. The meeting was adjourned to 3 o’clock on Friday.

Two weeks later, on March 23, the meeting began with a series of good-byes and a distribution of recognition awards. Bill Link celebrated his retirement from the council that evening. While receiving a recognition award, Link shared a few affectionate jokes and words with the councilmen, who were “really appreciative of all [his] hard work” over the past two years. Also leaving her position with Eastvale was Code Enforcement Officer Allynn Evans, who would be moving to Texas. Bootsma, a former Texan himself, gave Evans his blessings. The last series of awards were given to two Riverside Police Department officers, Officer Jackson and Officer Merrell, for having effectively responded to an attempted theft and assault case, which ultimately saved the lives of a local couple.

The Community Foundation Update was about preparation for April 5th’s State of the City event. Afterwards, the Public Safety update once again addressed the racing problem off Citrus and Scholar. Residents are concerned for their children’s safety, and the Community Foundation is doing their best to assuage the citizens’ concerns.

The Student Liaison update was delivered by Ayo Banjo, who stated that ERHS was holding an open house event that evening. Also occurring at Roosevelt was the 4th annual Relay for Life Event, expected to be held on April 30th. In other school news, Eastvale Elementary was set to celebrate its 10-year anniversary soon.

During the Public Comments, Linda Cerone took the podium to make two announcements. Her first announcement was an invitation to National Prayer Day, which will be held on May 5th at the Eastvale Community Center. Cerone also encouraged the audience to partake in the Relay for Life event, which is a cancer fundraising event.

Before concluding the meeting, City Manager Michele Nissen briefly announced that ERHS would be holding their Every 15 Minute event on April 5th. She also stated that on Thursday March 24th, the city would begin work with the grant writer they had recently hired. Following Nissen’s topics was an announcement regarding a problem with the CDA Waterline Project. That afternoon it was discovered that a steel plate is interfering with the base waterline. It will most likely stunt progress on the project for the time being. Moving onto the Committee Reports, Lorimore asked council and staff that they prepare to “move forward” in finding someone to fill in Link’s now empty seat. The councilmen agreed to focus on this idea in the next meeting. There was an announcement that there will be a SCAG meeting for District 4 at the Riverside County Administration Center. Bootsma once again invited the audience to visit Roosevelt on April 5th for their Every 15 Minute event, and the meeting was adjourned.

CVUSD Board Members Ordered To Pay Legal Fees

By Carol Heyen

CHINO– Two months after a federal judge ordered Chino Valley Unified School Board members to stop prayer and proselytizing at meetings, the same judge has ordered them to pay over $200,000 in legal fees to the group who sued them.

In 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that local officials may open public meetings with prayers- even explicitly Christian ones- so long as the government agency does not discriminate against minority faiths when choosing who may offer a prayer and the prayer does not coerce participation from nonbelievers.

The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation filed suit against the CVUSD, saying that they have taken this directive much farther than the Constitution allows.   The FFRF, in their November 2014 suit against the district, argued that Board Member James Na “often injects religion into his comments” at the ends of meetings and that [Board President Andrew] Cruz regularly closed meetings with a Bible reading, in addition to the prayers used to open meetings.”

On Feb. 18, U.S. District Judge Jesus Bernal ordered the board to end its years-long tradition of “reciting prayers, Bible readings and proselytizing at board meetings,” saying that it “constitutes unconstitutional government endorsements of religion in violation of Plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights.”

Thursday, March 31, Bernal ordered Chino Valley Unified School Board members James Na, Sylvia Orozco, Andrew Cruz and Irene Hernandez-Blair to pay $202,971 in legal fees to the Freedom From Religion Foundation to cover the legal costs associated with the FFRC’s lawsuit against the board.

Chino Hills Mayor Art Bennett said, “[The ruling is] a chipping away at every right we have. The judge not only outlawed Scripture reading in the course of a meeting, he said the prayer at the start of the meeting is illegal. We’ve got to stand our ground and go forward. It’s a spiritual fight.”

The Board is planning an appeal.

Deputies Arrest Man For Carjacking

Staff Reports

LOMA LINDA- On Wednesday, March 30, 2016, at about 11:30 p.m., sheriff’s deputies received a report of two attempted carjackings in the parking lot of Loma Linda University Medical Center.  During the first carjacking attempt, the suspect unsuccessfully tried to enter a vehicle occupied by a female.  After failing to enter that vehicle, he then approached a second vehicle, also occupied by a female, and tried to enter through the passenger side door. The second female driver sped away through the parking lot, causing the suspect to fall from the vehicle. Upon arrival, deputies located and detained the suspect, Anthony Martinez, 32, of San Bernardino.
During their investigation, they learned that after falling from the second vehicle, Martinez chased the car through the parking lot as the driver attempted to exit the location. Martinez was able to catch the vehicle a second time and tried climbing into the passenger door once again. The driver continued to speed through the parking lot, causing Martinez to fall from the vehicle again. Both victims indicated that Martinez was trying to carjack them while they were in the parking lot. Neither victim knew Martinez, and neither sustained any injuries as a result of the encounters.
Although he fell twice from a moving vehicle, Martinez did not sustain any injuries. He was arrested, transported and booked on three counts of felony attempted carjacking.

Straight Talk with Danice

Danice Akiyoshi

Danice Akiyoshi

“My girlfriend’s feelings have changed”

By Danice Akiyoshi, N.D.

Dear Dr. Danice,

Two months ago my girlfriend got a new job.  I have never seen her happier but she seems to spend less and less time with me.  She goes out after work with her coworkers at least three times a week.  I have not complained yet because she treats me well when we’re together, but I feel like her feelings for me have changed.  How should I bring up the subject?

Thank you,

Bryan

 

Hello Brian,

If I were in your shoes, I would simply ask her if she thinks your relationship needs any adjustments.  I would also work up the courage to ask her if her feelings about being exclusive with you have changed.  If she says no, give her a bit of space to enjoy her new situation for a reasonable amount of time.  If she says she’d like to make some adjustments or changes then ask her to be perfectly clear about the changes she has in mind.  If the changes she mentions are not acceptable to you then it’s time to wish her well and move on, because the part that comes next is rarely pleasant.

Good Luck,

Danice Akiyoshi ND

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

Sheriff’s Golf Tournament A Success

Photo by: Michael Armijo

Photo by: Michael Armijo

By Sarah Sanchez

 

Walnut/Diamond Bar– The Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Booster Club held another great golf tournament on April 4 at the Western Hills Country Club in Chino Hills. The golf tournament took place to honor the Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff Department’s 150 volunteers who give their time to improve the service and security to the cities of Walnut and Diamond Bar, and the unincorporated communities of Rowland Heights, Covina Hills and West Covina.

“Thousands of hours are donated annually by our department’s volunteers, explorers, reserves and disaster communication specialists,” Captain Jeff Scroggin. The golf tournament was held to provide the needed uniforms and equipment to these volunteers.

Sheriff Booster Club President, Gilbert Rivera, said that the golf tournament had a great community participation. There were a total of 127 golfers, which is the largest number of participants that they have ever had, according to Rivera. There were also 26 volunteers in attendance from the volunteer division of the Sheriff’s Department.

Diamond Bar community member and Efree Church Pastor, Mark Hopper, said he enjoyed seeing the many Deputies that participated in the golf tournament and the Cadets from the Deputy Explorer program that came out.

“It was a very nice event. It was well-organized, well-attended, and there were a lot of prizes,” said Hopper. He was even happy that his team received a trophy. He laughed that the trophy was for “Best Effort” though.

Rivera said their top priority for this year’s golf tournament was to make it a fun and successful event for the participants. They had a variety of games including a putting contest, longest drive contest, straightest drive contest, and even a marshmallow contest, where they had to hit a marshmallow off of a tee. Rivera said they wanted to include games that everyone could participant in, no matter what skill level they were at.

The price to participate in the golf tournament was only $100, which is a very affordable rate for a private golf course. The participants received lunch, dinner, goodie bags donated by Waste Management, and an opportunity to win the many raffle prizes that were donated from different businesses in the community.

Sponsors included American Pacific Mortgage, City of Diamond Bar, City of Walnut, Coca Cola, Diamond Country Escrow, Furniture of America, James & Emma Farmer, Jinza Teriyaki Restaurant, Kaiser Permanente, LA County Professional Peace Officers Assn., Lemon Creek Tires Inc., Miller Coors Brewery, PPOA Federal Credit Union, Supervisor Don Knabe, Walnut Plaza, and Wilshire Bank. Kaiser Permanente’s group even won first place in the tournament!

The Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Booster Club would like to thank all the sponsors and all the people who volunteered their time and effort to help put on a great event.

Rivera said that they are so glad it was a successful event and they are looking forward to next year’s event. Follow the Walnut Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Booster Club Facebook page to stay updated on when the next tournament will take place!

Man Sentenced In Stolen Identity Tax Refund Scheme

Courtesy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office

HACIENDA HEIGHTS– A Hacienda Heights man already serving a 27-month prison term for fraudulently seeking tax refunds has been sentenced in a second case to an additional two years in federal prison for his role in another scheme that used stolen identities to seek more than $2.6 million in false tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service.

Adel Cotton, 63, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison by United States District Court Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald, who ordered that 27 months be served concurrently with the prior case.

Adel Cotton pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States by obtaining the payment of false claims, namely tax refunds.

Adel Cotton’s son and co-defendant – Heber Cotton, 39, of Los Angeles – pleaded guilty in November to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Heber Cotton is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Fitzgerald on June 6, at which time he will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Fitzgerald ordered Adel Cotton to pay $725,294 in restitution to the IRS.

According to Adel Cotton’s plea agreement, beginning in December 2008 and continuing through March 2010, the Cottons caused at least 275 fraudulent income tax returns to be filed with the IRS. Those fraudulent returns sought income tax refunds totaling more than $2.6 million.

Adel Cotton obtained names and Social Security numbers of individuals without their knowledge and consent, and with the help of others, prepared false W-2 forms (IRS Wage and Tax Statements) in the names of the identity theft victims.  These forms reported false employment and income information, as well as false tax withholding amounts. Using the falsified information reported on the Forms W-2, Adel Cotton and others prepared fraudulent individual income tax returns claiming false tax refunds. The tax returns were filed without the knowledge or consent of the identity theft victims.

“This case is the latest involving stolen identity refund fraud, which victimizes both the United States and the individuals who have had their identities stolen,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “Individual victims of this type of fraud typically have to devote significant time and resources recovering their tax refund and protecting their identities from future fraud.”

In his plea agreement, Adel Cotton admitted that he and his son directed the IRS to mail the fraudulent refunds to addresses they controlled. The defendants then worked with two unidentified co-conspirators to deposit the refund checks using bank accounts opened in the names of the identity theft victims.

In the prior case, Adel Cotton was one of 53 people convicted in relation to the “Old Quest” tax refund scheme that fraudulently sought more than $250 million in tax refunds.

The investigation into Adel and Heber Cotton was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 

The Approval Addiction

Mark Lee NewBy Pastor Mark Lee
Last month, a satirical video of Ben Affleck created a buzz when it was posted online. The short clip spotlighting the Batman vs. Superman star’s melancholic response to his movie’s negative reviews quickly went viral. Millions of viewers were drawn to “Sad Ben Affleck” because it comically combines images of the actor’s downtrodden expression with the sorrowful strains of a popular song. Of course, the video’s appeal also stems from the fact that everyone understands the disappointment that comes with disapproval.
The disease to please infects us all. Whether you are a mother cooking a meal, an employee preparing a report, or a pastor preaching a sermon, everyone enjoys receiving positive feedback. In the same vein, it can be extremely disheartening to invest your time and effort into something only to receive less-than-stellar reviews (Right, Ben Affleck?) While the need for approval can drive us to accomplish great things, it can also have negative results. Anxiety, fear of failure, avoidance, and exhaustion can occur when we work hard to please others.
An acquaintance recently explained her absence from social media by stating, “I realized I was looking for approval in all the wrong places.” This statement is universally true. In our quest to receive “likes” from the world, we often fail to question whether our actions would be pleasing to God.
2 Timothy 2:15 instructs, you must “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” Doing so may not turn Batman’s frown upside down, but it could sure help me!

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, M.A.M.F.T.

 

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 that makes me feel happy.

I also try to do things that I enjoy and I always have some type of adventure planned.  This is a good recipe for happiness for me.  As far as for being peaceful, I meditate daily and try not to let things irritate me too much.  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 a good recipe for inner peace.  Now, I must keep in mind that I am human and that there will be difficult days.  I must pat myself on my back for trying my best even if some days are worse than others.

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 lifestyle.  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.

The happiness plan will differ for each individual because it needs to be balanced around the demands of each person’s life.  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 (909229-0727.  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.

Chino PD Request Assistance In Finding Scam Suspects

Photo courtesy: Chino P.D. Police looking for two lottery scam suspects

Photo courtesy: Chino P.D.
Police looking for two lottery scam suspects

Courtesy of Chino P.D.

 

CHINO– Chino Police are requesting help in identifying and locating two suspects who scammed a 65-year-old victim out of $20,000.  It is believed that they may have victimized others using a similar scam.

Officers were able to obtain surveillance footage photos of the two suspects just before they approached the female victim inside of Burlington Coat Factory, located at 5517 Philadelphia Street, on Monday, March 7, 2016.  At approximately 3 p.m., it is alleged that the unknown female and male suspects conned the victim into leaving with them in a vehicle described as a 4-door maroon sedan.  The female suspect claimed to have won a large sum of money playing the lottery, but said she needed assistance to claim it as she did not have identification.  She asked for $20,000 in collateral in exchange for large return on her investment from the lottery winnings.  The victim agreed and was driven to a bank in Corona to withdraw the funds.  The suspects then drove to the Stater Bros. grocery store at 6989 Schaefer Avenue, where the victim had previously dropped off her car.  They then fled with the victim’s money.

 

Suspect descriptions:

Suspect 1:  Hispanic female adult, approximately 45 years old, 160 lbs, 5’6” with long black hair.  Last seen wearing a gray sweater and dark pants.

Suspect 2:  Hispanic male adult, approximately 45 years old, 180 lbs, 5’9” with shoulder length black hair and a moustache, last seen wearing a long-sleeved checkered shirt, blue jeans and a tan “Ford” hat.

 

If you have any information regarding this case, please contact Detective McArdle at 909-334-3039, or jmcardle@chinopd.org.

History 101

Photo courtesy: civilwar.com Robert E. Lee surrendering at Appamattox Court House

Photo courtesy: civilwar.com
Robert E. Lee surrendering at Appamattox Court House

Robert E. Lee Surrenders

Courtesy of History.com

On April 9, 1865, at Appomattox, Virginia, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrenders his 28,000 troops to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the American Civil War. Forced to abandon the Confederate capital of Richmond, blocked from joining the surviving Confederate force in North Carolina, and harassed constantly by Union cavalry, Lee had no other option.

In retreating from the Union army’s Appomattox Campaign, the Army of Northern Virginia had stumbled through the Virginia countryside stripped of food and supplies. At one point, Union cavalry forces under General Philip Sheridan had actually outrun Lee’s army, blocking their retreat and taking 6,000 prisoners at Sayler’s Creek. Desertions were mounting daily, and by April 8, the Confederates were surrounded with no possibility of escape. On April 9, Lee sent a message to Grant announcing his willingness to surrender. The two generals met in the parlor of the Wilmer McLean home at one o’clock in the afternoon.

Lee and Grant, both holding the highest rank in their respective armies, had known each other slightly during the Mexican War and exchanged awkward personal inquiries. Characteristically, Grant arrived in his muddy field uniform while Lee had turned out in full dress attire, complete with sash and sword. Lee asked for the terms, and Grant hurriedly wrote them out. All officers and men were to be pardoned, and they would be sent home with their private property–most importantly, the horses, which could be used for a late spring planting. Officers would keep their side arms, and Lee’s starving men would be given Union rations.

Shushing a band that had begun to play in celebration, General Grant told his officers, “The war is over. The Rebels are our countrymen again.” Although scattered resistance continued for several weeks, for all practical purposes the Civil War had come to an end.