By Sarah Armijo Walnut/Diamond Bar – The Walnut Valley Unified School District has joined the efforts of the Sheriff’s Booster Club by co-hosting the 2nd Annual Variety Show, being held next Sat. May 4. The show will be held at Walnut High School, beginning at 6 pm. “We are honored to help the efforts of the Sheriff’s Department and the Booster Club,” said WVUSD Superintendent Dr. Dean Conklin. “Since 100% of the money raised goes towards the local station, we are pleased it ultimately helps our community directly.” Local dance, karate, singing and performance groups will be showcasing their talent at this exciting community event, which will be held at the Walnut High School Performing Arts Theater located at 400 Pierre Road, Walnut, 91789. Tickets for this show are $11 and all proceeds go to the Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff Booster Club, a non-profit organization that fundraises for items that are currently not on the LA County Sheriff Department’s budget. Some of the beneficiaries of the Booster Club fundraising efforts are the Sheriff’s Reserves, Sheriff’s Explorers, and the Sheriff’s Civilian Volunteers. Tickets are available online at http://www.seatyourself.biz/sheriff or are available at the door. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone and placed on “will call” by calling (909) 464-1200. Before, during and after the shows, Pomona’s RAW Artist of the Year, Mathew Sanchez, will be showcasing his work in the lobby. All his work will be available for viewing and purchase. Z Ultimate Self Defense Studio in Walnut will also have a table in the lobby at this show. Some of the participants that will be participating at this show are DanceCorner in Rowland Heights, Diamond Bar resident Etha Clemens, Karen’s Kids of Rowland Heights, young singer Terrah Xtreme, the MTM Band, Z Ultimate in Walnut, a Diamond Bar band and a performance by Emma Aragon and Paulina Tinana. If you are interested in being a sponsor that will also be promoted and honored at this event, please contact call Michael at (951) 264-8163 or Gil Rivera at (909) 967-4525. For more information about this event, go to the event page located on the ABC Public Relations Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/abcpr1997. You may also contact Gil Rivera of http://www.sellyourcasa.com at (909) 967-4525 or Michael of ABC Public Relations at (951) 264-8163. “We hope many of you will continue to support our local schools and our local Sheriff’s Department by purchasing a ticket online at http://www.seatyourself.biz/sheriff or at the door on May 4th,” added Dr. Conklin.

By Michael Armijo Walnut-Diamond Bar – At last Wednesday’s Volunteer Recognition Dinner, seven honorees received awards and recognition for their hard work, dedication, and service to the Walnut Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Station. “This room is filled with volunteers and it’s a great feeling to see so many of you here tonight,” said newly appointed Walnut Sheriff Captain Jeff Scroggin. “You all are great watchpersons and good stewards to our community.” The annual event, which was held at the LA Royal Vista Country Club this year, is hosted by the Walnut Sheriff Booster Club, which holds annual fundraisers to support the volunteers, explorers, and reserve deputies. “By your volunteerism, if you place it into numbers, you have donated over $280,000 worth of service,” said the evening’s host, Gil Rivera, of http://www.sellyourcasa.com. A number so large, that it amazed the crowd. Rivera is also a board member on the Sheriff Booster Club. Those who were honored were: Station Volunteer of the Year – Tim Boktor; Walnut Volunteer of the Year – Lynda Woodstra; Diamond Bar Volunteer of the Year – Jorge Torres; Rowland Heights Volunteer of the Year – Frank Duquite; Reserve Deputy of the Year – Ed Boktor; Explorer of the Year – Philine Tran; and Disaster Communications Services Volunteer of the Year – Joe Almada. “Our annual fundraising efforts support the many items that are NOT on the LA County Sheriff’s budget,” said Booster Club President Dr. Jeffry Lowe, a Chiropractor at Lowe’s Chiropractic in Diamond Bar. “Our next fundraiser is our annual Variety Show, next Sat., May 4 at Walnut High School, beginning at 6 pm. If you cannot attend, at least purchase a ticket. 100% goes towards the station. The site for our ticket website is http://www.seatyourself.biz/sheriff.” The money raised goes towards Sheriff Reserve Officers needs, Volunteer supplies, and Explorer fees and costs, according to Dr. Lowe.

By Andrew Hoover Eastvale – Eastvale has collaborated with the sheriff dept. to help catch criminals through its new Persons Of Interest program. Crime prevention cannot be achieved by the police alone, according to a City of Eastvale news release. The Eastvale Police Dept. has established a 24 hour crime tip line dedicated to allowing the public to report information that might help the police track and find persons of interest, which may possibly be witnesses and/or suspects. The tip line is designed to be anonymous because the community is often afraid to report crime information or identify photographs of suspects/witnesses because they fear reprisal from the person they are reporting. This hotline will give members of our community the ability to provide confidential information to their police department and at the same time make our community safer. “The first day it was released we identified one of the persons of interest, so it’s already working,” said Michele Nissen the Public Information Officer of Eastvale. The Persons Of Interest program can be found on the city of Eastvale’s website by going to City Hall, then Police Department, then “Persons Of Interest”. From there, residents can see case numbers, a Brief Description of the case, and a picture of the person of interest. The Persons Of Interest tip line is (951) 955-2650 and residents as well as local citizens of the surrounding area, are urged to contact that number with any information they can give on any of the cases.

By Andrew Hoover Eastvale – Eastvale residents have raised concerns about the amount of dogs running around the city without a leash or an owner. “It’s a big problem,” Eastvale Mayor Ike Bootsma said in a recent interview. “It seems as though people feel that when animal control isn’t around, they can let their dogs run free.” Most of the incidents occur after 5 p.m. when animal control agents can’t respond, according to the City. Animal control’s policy is to only respond to emergencies, like a dog attack, after 5 p.m. However, the City may authorize the City Manager to call out Animal Control services on a non-emergency basis, at a two hour minimum of $82 per hour. Eastvale does have a leash law within the city and fines aren’t cheap. According to Animal Control, the fine for dog owners who let their dogs run loose is $119 for a first offense. Mayor Ike Bootsma said that he would like to have animal services rotate its patrols between daytime, evenings and weekends. “Most of the stray dogs are out in the evenings and on weekends when animal control is not out here,” he said. At the City Council meeting of January 9, 2012, the City Council requested an update of the contract with the County of Riverside for Animal Control and Field Services. The City entered into an agreement with the County for Animal Control and Field Services effective July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2014. The agreement specifies a basic level of service and also provides for additional services at the discretion of the City including Animal Control Sweeps, Shot Clinics, and Licensing Services. To date, the City has not requested nor paid for these additional services. The service agreement with animal control calls for a half-time animal control officer and animal shelter services at a flat rate of $138 per day. The officer is in Eastvale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., for a total of 20 hours per week. So far, 11 dogs have been reported to be lost or found on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/eastvalecommunitynews). However, there is a possibility that more go unnoticed, which could be a cause of dogs being off their leash.

Photo Courtesy: Eastvae Chamber of Commerce
Members of the Eastvale City Council, Eastvale City Staff and Eastvale Chamber Members at the 2012 State of the City.

Staff Reports Eastvale – The Eastvale Chamber of Commerce has geared up for the second annual State of the City this Tues., April 9 at the Eastvale Community Center, starting at 6:30 p.m. The event is FREE and open to all residents and business owners, but you must register to guarantee a seat. The State of the City consists of representatives from the chamber, city, businesses and residents of Eastvale. It’s an opportunity to share with Eastvale residents, businesses, and community leaders the future of the City of Eastvale. The event will feature a dessert reception and a formal program. Mayor Bootsma will deliver the State of the City address, providing insights on local development and progress as well as the impact of the current state and regional economy. “I am looking forward to presenting this year’s State of the City Address on behalf of the City of Eastvale,” said Mayor Ike Bootsma. “2012 was an immensely successful year, despite the many challenges we had faced. I am confident that 2013 will be even better still. It’s an exciting time in Eastvale and I am proud and honored to be a part of this great City.” “We’re excited to be able to again host the State of the City,” stated Chamber Board Chairman Jorge Razo. “This is just proof that the Chamber and City are accomplishing great things and succeeding together.” The Event Sponsor, Waste Management, has continuously supported the Chamber and the City over the past 3 years. Additional Sponsorship opportunities of various levels are available by contacting the Eastvale Chamber of Commerce. “This is going to be a wonderful event, and we are pleased that there is now a Community Center where we can hold the event,” stated committee chairman Daniella McClister. “When it came to choosing a location, the committee had no doubt that it should be held at the Eastvale Community Center. This is an event for the community and now that construction for the center is completed, holding it there makes the most sense, and it gives the community another chance to view the beautiful facility.” The Eastvale Chamber of Commerce advocates and represents business interests and issues affecting the community. The Chamber provides an environment which fosters a proactive working partnership among all levels of the government and community organizations. This partnership allows Eastvale to achieve a healthy local economy and quality of life. The Eastvale Chamber provides a wide range of community and member services. To get involved with the Eastvale Chamber, please visit: http://www.eastvalechamberofcommerce.org or call the Chamber at (951) 768-6000.

By Daniella McClister Eastvale – With Spring in full swing, so is the Eastvale Chamber of Commerce. We hope that you will join us on April 9th at the Eastvale Community Center for our 2nd Annual State of the City Address. There will be a dessert reception, display tables from our sponsors, giveaways, and a presentation by our Mayor, Ike Bootsma. The State of the City is a FREE event beginning at 6:30 pm and is sure to be an event you won’t want to miss. In the future, the chamber is working on a Business Expo for May and a “City of Eastvale Night” partnering with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and the City of Eastvale on July 12th. The Chamber of Commerce continues to grow as they embark on their 3rd year of incorporation. This past month was the highest amount of new members to join the Chamber in two years. The Eastvale Chamber of Commerce continues to promote businesses in the community and wants to thank all chamber members for continuing to support us throughout the years.

By Andrew Hoover Eastvale – Recent drug raids in Eastvale have helped uncover a drug trafficking ring spanning through the Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. On Mar. 20, 2013, the DEA and multiple police forces including the Riverside Police Department, had issued search warrants for 26 houses. 15 of the 26 houses were industrial sized grow houses featuring full hydroponic growing equipment, as well as stolen electricity obtained with a sophisticated electrical bypass of the utility meters. When the DEA conducted the raids, authorities seized more than $250k in cash, 7 guns including an assault rifle, and more than 8k marijuana plants. These raids were conducted after the first marijuana grow houses were found in Eastvale last year. On Feb. 10, 2012, the DEA and officers with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant on Cedar Creek Road in Eastvale, when they discovered a residence that had been completely converted into a sophisticated marijuana grow house. During the search, they seized more than 1,800 marijuana plants and more than 50 pounds of processed marijuana. There was a sophisticated electrical bypass system that was used to divert from the meter the electricity used to power the ballasts and lights to grow the marijuana plants. In November 2012, another search was conducted at a residence on Bluebell Street in Eastvale, where authorities discovered that the entire residence had been converted into industrial-sized marijuana grow with 857 marijuana plants. Approximately 43 pounds of marijuana were found inside the residence. After these houses were found, an investigation occured that lead to the 26 house raids last month and the arrest of 10 out of 11 people. Among these arrests was the ring leader of the marijuana trafficking ring Raymond Lam, 42 of Arcadia, who also used the name “Nam A Lam”, who is accused of being the leader of the organization and overseeing the acquisition of residences that were converted into full scale, industrial-type grow houses, which included 1000-2000 plants per house. The others were the lieutenants of the operation which included Simon Lam, 32 of Arcadia; Ken Ho also known as “Ken Lam”, 33 of Arcadia; San S. Voong, also known as Chen Sheng Wang , 35 of Arcadia; Phieu Tran, 35 of El Monte; Augustine Bazan Camacho, 41 of Pomona who was allegedly a veteran “plant tender” who was responsible for maintaining many of the grow houses; Thanh Van Phu, 33 of El Monte; and Luc Kai Phoung, also known as “Wong Fong,” “Al Fong“ and “Na Na,” 50, of Rosemead, who allegedly built the electrical and utility meter by-pass systems used at the grow houses, and Li Ya Si, 42, of Temple City. The eleventh suspect, Andy Tran, 39 of Monterey Park, who used several aliases including “Long Kim Tank”, was allegedly a top lieutenant of Lam, is a fugitive and currently being sought by authorities. The narcotics conspiracy charge in the indictment carries a statutory maximum penalty of life and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in a federal prison.

By: Andrew Hoover Chino Hills – The City of Chino Hills has recently been under fire due to the encroachment notices it has been sending out these last few years, which caused a lawsuit and several city meetings regarding the issue. Encroachment is a term which implies “advance beyond proper limits,” meaning the boundary lines for the city and homes. Each home is built within its own boundary area that contains a certain square footage limit between them and the cities protected open space. The protection of these open space areas has led to the rural atmosphere that resident’s treasure, according to the city’s website. Chino Hills has been handing out encroachment notices since early 2010, after recently switching to digitally recording its boundaries in 2008. This new system has allowed officials to see the exact boundary line and what houses are built over city property. Over 200 homes throughout the city have been identified as building over city property and more are expected to be found. Most of the homes that have been identified have already handed in plans and drawings for their home improvements, resulting in a permit from the city prior to the digital recording of boundary lines. Many of the residents who have appeared at the City Council Meetings have voiced their concerns on the matter explaining that they have submitted the proper paperwork stating what they were to build, as well as plans and drawings for landscaping, and even obtained the proper permits by the city. Kim and Mike Denton, a family and residents of Chino Hills, responded to the encroachment notices with a lawsuit. The Dentons had moved into their home in 1995 due to the lush and lavish backyard featuring palm trees, a pool, a spa, and a beautiful view of the hills that was left by the previous owner. However, their paradise became a nightmare when they were slapped with an encroachment notice from the city explaining to them that their backyard was encroaching upon city property and they must remove parts of it, including electricity, irrigation, fencing, and part of their pool. Further details on the lawsuit were unable to be obtained until the lawsuit finalizes.