The Weekly News covers community news for Chino, Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, Walnut, Rowland Heights and surrounding areas of San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire. Click this link to access the complete issue in PDF format: 2016-dec-24-weekly
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OurWeeklyNews.com Complete Edition 12.17.16
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The Weekly News covers community news for Chino, Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, Walnut, Rowland Heights and surrounding areas of San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire. Click this link to access the complete issue in PDF format: 2016-dec-17-weekly-full
4th Of July Celebrations Near You
By Racine Guajardo
Looking for a local Independence Day Celebration? Here are lists of local events you may attend!
Chino- On Saturday, July 2, City of Chino and Chino Girls Fastpitch present “Chino Fireworks Spectacular” at Ruben S. Ayala Park, 14225 Central Avenue.
The event starts at 3 p.m. and ends at 9:30 p.m. Included will be carnival rides and games, a food court, a performance by The Answer, Military recognition, and end with a firework showing starting at approximately 9 p.m.
For more information about this event, you may visit http://www.cityofchino.org/events or call (909) 334-3258.
Chino Hills- The City of Chino Hills invites you on June 29 to attend the Independence Celebration at Veterans Park, 14877 Eucalyptus Avenue.
The event will be held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. including free activities, live tribute band, concession booths, carnival games, face painting, arts and crafts, live entertainment, balloon artists and giveaways.
Diamond Bar- Diamond Bar High School, 21400 Pathfinder Rd., will be hosting a 4th of July Blast!
This event will start at 5 p.m. with a musical performance by the band, Cold Duck; followed by a firework show that will start promptly at 9 p.m. Parking and admission are free. You may bring a picnic dinner or purchase concessions from local non-profit vendors.
If you have any questions about the event, you may email atarazon@diamondbarca.gov or call (909) 839-7070.
Walnut- City of Walnut will be celebrating on 4th of July at Suzanne Park, 625 Suzanne Rd.
The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with activities such as face painting, pie eating contest, and food trucks. The firework show will start at approximately 9 p.m.
For more information, contact The Walnut Community Services Department at (909) 598-5605.
Click It Or Ticket In Chino
Staff Reports
Chino– In an effort to save lives through increased seat belt use, Chino Police Department will participate in the national Click It or Ticket campaign. With Memorial Day Holiday being one of the busiest weekends to travel, the educational enforcement period was held between May 23rd and June 5th, 2016.
Chino Police Chief, Karen Comstock states, “Time after time, we see the deadly results that come from drivers and passengers refusing to wear a seat belt.” Comstock also states, “Wearing a seat belt is one of the most important steps in increasing survivability in a crash, our job is to stop those who are not buckled up, and to keep them from repeating this potentially deadly mistake.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released some research from 2014; nearly half of the 21,022 passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes nationally was unrestrained. In 2015, research showed that almost 50 percent of occupants of fatal crashes nationwide are not restrained. In other states, fatal crashes due to being unrestrained were at a high of 70 percent. Nationwide, law enforcement agencies are joining the Click It or Ticket campaign to emphasize “Coast to Coast” seat belt safety in all 50 states.
Recent facts highlight the need for increased education, awareness and enforcement, and awareness of seat belt use. Rhonda Craft, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety, states “We want to make sure that people are buckling up to keep themselves and their families safe.”
For information on the Click It or Ticket campaign, you may visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot. Additional information regarding traffic enforcement and education programs, you may contact the Traffic Services Unit at (909) 334-3073.
Local Festival In Chino
Staff Reports
Chino – The sounds of laughing children, whooshing rides, live entertainment and the savory smell of delicious fair foods will soon carry throughout the school grounds at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church. It’s the Annual Festival you don’t want to miss! St. Margaret Mary Parish will be holding their Annual Parish Festival from June 3 to June 5. The festival will take place at 12686 Central Ave. in Chino. Admission and parking is free.
The St. Margaret Mary Festival has been an important part of the Chino community since 1982. The Parish Festival Committee is dedicated to bringing together families and friends with three fun-filled days of entertainment and family fun activities. Get your heart pumping in the obstacle course bounce house, enjoy live music, from top local entertainers including, 80z All Stars, The Sam Morrison Band, Smooth Touch, and mariachi on Sunday.
Enjoy delicious (and sometimes messy) food competitions, carnival rides, BINGO, and games. Come and enjoy all your favorite fried, grilled, sweet and savory carnival foods. Every year, the festival offers world foods including, American, Mexican, Italian, and Filipino. New additions to the food booths are Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour and a Fry Booth. Alongside the montage of tasty foods; adults can relax in the Anheuser-Busch Beer Garden situated near the entertainment.
Father Michael Miller extends an invitation to all Chino Valley community members to attend the annual celebration. “St. Margaret Mary’s festival is altogether a joyous time to rejoice and celebrate in the spirit of community. Come and enjoy!” said Miller. Waylynn Senn, Principal of St. Margaret Mary Catholic School, also says to bring the entire family. “Every year brings more activities and entertainment for festival goers to enjoy and memories to treasure for years to come. Share in the excitement of faith, family, and community!”
The annual festival of St. Margaret Mary Parish would not be possible without the support of the following sponsors, MK Smith Chevrolet; Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour; San Antonio Winery; Direct TV; Orange County Jumpers; Forest Lawn; and GSV Transportation. Additionally, contributions from sponsors and individuals will also be supporting Isaiah’s Rock Food Ministry and Chino Neighborhood House.
Robbery Suspects Entice Police Pursuit
By Michael Armijo
Chino– Four male suspects were taken into custody for stealing food from patrons at a local restaurant after a brief Police pursuit, according to the Chino Police Department.
Last Wednesday at around 4 p.m., four suspects in a black Hyundai Elantra pulled up to a Yogi’s Burgers on Central Ave in Chino. Two suspects exited the vehicle and used physical force to steal food from two restaurant patrons. Police responded to the robbery call and located the vehicle at Euclid and Philadelphia St. Two suspects fled northbound on foot and were immediately taken into custody. The remaining two in the Hyundai fled westbound on Philadelphia St., leading Chino police officers on a short vehicle pursuit.
The pursuit ended when the Hyundai crashed into a white Chrysler passenger vehicle that was stopped at the light in the westbound lanes of Philadelphia St and Mountain Ave. After colliding with the Chrysler, they then hit a street light.
The two remaining suspects fled on foot but were quickly apprehended by Chino Police. One suspect was on Mountain Ave. and the other was hiding in a yard nearby. Three suspects are juveniles: two are 16 and one is 17. The fourth suspect is 18-years-old. The name of the adult was not yet released.
The Chrysler that was hit by the suspects was driven by a 77-year-old Ontario resident. The vehicle has substantial damage and the driver was transported by ambulance to a local hospital to be treated for minor injuries. She was soon released.
The Ontario Police Department responded to the accident as well and is handling the investigation. Philadelphia was closed for a few hours and the robbery investigation is ongoing. Anyone who witnessed any of the events is asked to call the Chino Police Department at 909.628.1234.
Chino School Raises Funds For Foster Children
Staff Reports
Chino– Last month, Borba Elementary School students raised $1,700 to help purchase duffel bags that foster children can use to carry their belongings. The students raised the funds in just two weeks.
Foster youth are in need of the duffel bags because they are usually provided with trash bags to carry their personal items when they are placed in a foster home or agency. Borba Elementary started the fundraiser after partnering with Together We Rise, a local non-profit group that assists foster youth. “Borba students and staff members also discussed the ‘Character Counts’ trait of caring in April as part of the fundraising effort,” according to a Corona Norco Unified School District announcement.
Representatives from Bienvenidos Foster Care Agency in Montclair will be accepting the donation on Friday, May 20 at 9 a.m. The donation ceremony will take place at Borba Elementary in Chino. “Representing the school in the donation ceremony will be members of Borba’s Safe School Ambassadors, a student-run anti-bullying group,” say Corona Norco Unified School District officials.
Calling All Food and Retail Vendors
Staff Reports
Chino– The City of Chino is seeking food and retail vendors for their annual “Fireworks Spectacular: A Salute to Our Armed Forces Heroes” event on Saturday, July 2, at Ayala Park.
This popular event is held in conjunction with the Chino Girls Fastpitch Milkcan Softball Tournament.
Last year’s Fireworks Spectacular brought approximately 8,000 people to Ayala Park. However, more people are expected to attend now that Ayala Park will also be the host to the Mobile Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall from June 30 – July 5.
Requests for a retail vendor application can also be made by calling the Chino Senior Center at 909.334.3271 or by calling the Neighborhood Activity Center at 909.334.3260. The deadline to submit a food vendor application is Saturday, May 21, at 1 p.m.
All applications to be a retail vendor will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis at the Chino Senior Center, 13170 Central Avenue, until all spots are filled or until June 24, 2016.
For more information, please contact the Chino Community Services Department at 909.334.3258 or email communityservices@cityofchino.org.
Chino PD Seeking Owner Property
City of Chino
Chino – Chino PD is looking to find the owner of a bicycle that was collected as found property in December of 2015. The item is described as an orange Jet 9 “Niner” model bicycle.
Per civil and department regulations, information about the item must be published, after a 90 day hold, giving a seven day response period from the time of publication, in attempt to find the owner before releasing it to the individual who turned it in.
If you believe you are the owner of this item, and have documentation to prove so, or may have information regarding ownership of the item, please contact the Chino PD Evidence Unit at (909) 334-3078 – reference case number 15-11550.
Historic Airplanes Filled The Sky At Chino Airshow
Staff Reports
Chino– Over 30,000 people came by the Planes of Fame Air Museum for their Planes of Fame Airshow on April 29 to May 1. The event was held at the Chino Airport, located at 7000 Merrill Avenue in Chino.
The event celebrated the 75th Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor, where they recognized the history, contributions, and sacrifices of our veterans.
This year’s airshow featured nearly 50 historic aircraft, performing for the community’s enjoyment. Performers included: U.S.A.F. F-16 Viper Demo Team and Heritage Flight, Sean D. Tucker Team Oracle Aerobatics, Texas Flying Legends, Sea Fury Aerobatics by Sanders Aeronautics, Rob Harrison and the Tumbling Bear, Gregory Colyer T-33, Granley Yak Aerobatic Team, Jelly Belly Airplane, John Collver’s AT-6 Aerobatics, and over 40 WWII aircraft including the B-25 Mitchell, P-47 Thunderbolt, and P-51 Mustang. In addition to many other fantastic airplanes that performed, there was also a special panel discussion with honored veterans. Lastly, there were Military vehicles, a ‘Kids Zone’, food, drinks and vendors!
Visit www.planesoffame.org to see what the museum will be hosting their next airshow!
Collision Results In Motorcyclist Death
Staff Reports
Chino – A motorcyclist was killed last week when it collided with a vehicle that allegedly made a left hand turn in front of the cyclist.
Last Wednesday, at around 3:45 in the afternoon, the Chino Police Department responded to an injury traffic collision at the 59020 block of Riverside Drive, near Oaks Drive.
An investigation concluded that a Nissan Altima was traveling westbound and made a left turn in front of a 1998 Yamaha motorcycle that was traveling eastbound. The motorcycle struck the Nissan that was turning into an apartment complex on Riverside Drive.
The motorcyclist, Ryan Colwell, 19, of Ontario, suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to an area hospital. During surgery, he succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the Nissan, Veronica Jimenez, 42, of Chino, suffered minor injuries. Jimenez was released after being treated by Chino Valley Fire Department personnel at the scene.
Chino Police released a statement indicating the cause of the collision is still under investigation. The roadway was closed for over five hours during the investigation by the Chino Traffic Unit.
If you have any information regarding the case, please contact Corporal Trosper:strosper@chinopd.org or (909)334-3153.
Chino Man Among 11 Arrested For Child Porn
Staff Reports
Chino – A Chino man and a former Los Angeles City Fire Department engineer was among 11 who were arrested for allegedly using peer-to-peer file-sharing programs to receive and possess – and, in some cases, distribute – child pornography.
Luis Gutierrez, 49, of Chino, was arrested on Tuesday, April 26 after a three-year investigation called Operation “Wide Net,” which was conducted by the Los Angeles Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Gutierrez was previously indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography obtained through the use of the Ares file-sharing program, according to Thom Mrozek, Public Affairs Officer of the United States Attorney’s Office. Gutierrez was also an engineer with the Los Angeles City Fire Department in 2013 at the time of the alleged offenses, and investigators believe that he used Internet connections at three different fire stations to download the child pornography found on his computer, according to Mrozek.
Gutierrez was among eight indictments filed in United States District Court, in addition to three cases filed by local prosecutors.
Gerald Patrick Beaver, 53, of Cerritos, was also arrested on April 26 after undercover officers allegedly observed him offering to distribute child pornography over the Internet using the Gigatribe file-sharing program. A federal grand jury previously indicted Beaver and charged him with one count of advertising child pornography, two counts of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography, according to US Attorney’s Office. When a search was executed at Beaver’s home, authorities allegedly found more than 6,000 images and more than 400 videos of child pornography on his computer.
According to the US Attorney’s Office, the six other defendants that were arrested as a result of federal indictments obtained as part of Operation Wide Net were:
- Jace Jeanes, 39, of Torrance, is charged with receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography that he allegedly obtained using the BitTorrent file-sharing program. Jeanes allegedly possessed more than 20,000 images and videos of child pornography on computer equipment found during a search of his residence.
- Steven David Lavinsky, 58, of Long Beach, is charged in a three-count indictment with advertising, distributing and possessing child pornography in a case involving the Gigatribe file-sharing program.
- Kenneth Martin Medellin, 55, of Carson, is charged with receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography using the Limewire file-sharing program.
- Antonio Joseph Garcia II, 41, of Upland, is charged with four counts of distributing child pornography, one count of receiving child pornography, and two counts of possessing child pornography. In addition to peer to peer file sharing, Garcia also allegedly sent and received child pornography by e-mail.
- Michael Brian Perry, 37, of Pasadena, is charged in a three-count indictment that accuses him of advertising, distributing and possessing child pornography.
- Curtis Audun Larssen, 33, of Los Angeles, is charged with receipt and possession of child pornography using the Ares file-sharing program.
As part of Operation Wide Net, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has also charged three defendants in Los Angeles Superior Court with possession of child pornography. The three state court defendants include Michael Becerra, 30, of Long Beach; Cristian Carrasco, 23, of Compton; and Andre Desire Loustau, 71, of Van Nuys. They were also taken into custody on April 26.
Previously, prosecutors in the United States Attorney’s Office also charged the following two defendants as part of the Operation Wide Net:
- James Breton Butler, 51, of Sherman Oaks, who has agreed to plead guilty to possession of child pornography, admitting that “he possessed several hundred thousand images of child pornography, as well as more than 20,000 videos of child pornography” obtained through the Ares file-sharing program. In a plea agreement filed yesterday, Butler agreed to plead guilty prior to being indicted. Butler will make his initial appearance in federal court next month.
- David John Gastelum, 53, of Palmdale, was arrested on March 10 after being named in an indictment that charges him with two counts of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography using the Ares file-sharing program. Gastelum has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go on trial on August 9.
Over the past three years, Operation Wide Net has resulted in a total of more than 80 defendants being prosecuted for child pornography offenses and the execution of over 100 federal and state search warrants in the Los Angeles area.
“Today’s announcement illustrates the prevalence of this crime and law enforcement actions should send a message that peer-to-peer networks do not shield criminals from prosecution,” said Jim Struyk, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
“File-sharing software has become increasingly popular with collectors and producers of child pornography because they mistakenly believe the technology shields them and their reprehensible criminal acts from detection,” said Mark Selby, acting special agent in charge for HSI Los Angeles. “But as today’s arrests make clear, cyberspace affords these predators no refuge from justice. HSI, together with its law enforcement partners, will continue to use every tool and resource at our disposal to pursue those who prey on and wantonly exploit the most vulnerable among us.”
The charge of advertising child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years, according to the US Attorney’s Office. Distribution of child pornography and receipt of child pornography each carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 or 20 years in federal prison, depending on the nature of the images the defendant possessed.
In addition, President Barack Obama has declared April 2016 as National Child Abuse Prevention Month, during which “we recommit to giving every child a chance to succeed and to ensuring that every child grows up in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment that is free from abuse and neglect.”
Last month, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch released the 2016 National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction (http://go.usa.gov/cuWMR). The strategy provides a comprehensive threat assessment of the nature and scope of the current dangers facing our nation’s children, including child pornography offenses, sextortion and live-streaming of child sexual abuse, child sex trafficking, child sex tourism and sex offense registry violations.
Fatal Traffic Collision In Chino
Photo courtesy: Google Images
Courtesy City of Chino
Chino– A man suffered fatal injuries and another was airlifted with serious injuries after being hit by a vehicle while performing work on Edison Ave. The fatal traffic collision took place on Wednesday, April 13.
At approximately 4:12 p.m., Officers responded to an injury traffic collision in the 5900 block of Edison Ave. The collision involved a 2011 Toyota Yaris and a 2006 Ford F550 work truck with a warning signal trailer attached.
A preliminary investigation determined that the Toyota, driven by Bobby Bustos, 26 of Corona, was traveling eastbound in the 5900 block of Edison Ave. when he collided into the signal trailer. The trailer was stopped in the Eastbound lane of Edison Ave.
At the time of the collision, the two victims, performing work duties for a landscaping company, were in the process of attaching the trailer to the truck. Due to the collision, both victims were pinned between the trailer and the truck.
Jose Chicas, 31 of Ontario, died instantly at the scene. The other male victim suffered severe, but non-life threatening injuries and was airlifted to a local hospital for treatment. Bustos was uninjured.
During the investigation, Edison Ave. was closed for approximately six hours between Oaks Ave. and Magnolia Ave. The cause of the collision is still under investigation.
Please contact Chino PD, Traffic Unit, Corporal Trosper if you have any information regarding the case: strosper@chinopd.org or (909) 334-3153.
Planes of Fame Air Museum
By Carol Heyen
CHINO-The Planes of Fame Air Museum is a treat for young and old alike. Its collection of planes is sure to thrill aircraft aficionados and anyone interested in military history.
The Planes of Fame Air Museum was founded in 1957 by Edward Maloney. It is the oldest independently operated aviation museum in the United States. Located at the historic Cal Aero Field in Chino, the museum is open to the public.
It is the mission of Planes of Fame Air Museum to preserve aviation history, inspire interest in aviation, educate the public, and honor aviation pioneers and veterans. The Museum sponsors regular events in the form of inspirational experiences, educational presentations, flight demonstrations, and air shows in fulfillment of this mission.
The museum collection spans the history of manned flight from the Wright Flyer of 1903 (replica) to the space age Apollo Capsule. Over 150 aircraft and displays are available for you to peruse. Many of the aircraft are flyable, including the P-51 Mustang, F4U Corsair, P-47 Thunderbolt, P-40 Warhawk, B-25 Mitchell, P-38 Lightning, F-86 Sabre & Russian Mig 15. Several of the aircraft displayed are rare and some are the sole remaining flying examples of their type.
The Planes of Fame Air Museum also hosts Living History Flying Days, which are held on the first Saturday of each month. These events are great for families to attend. A different featured airplane will fly for each event. Upcoming Living History Days will feature the Douglas SBD Dauntless on June 4, the North American P-51 Mustang on July 2, and the Vought F4U-1A Corsair on August 6.
The Planes of Fame Air Show, which has been held at the Cal Aero Field for 18 years, and was chosen “Best Air Show of 2015” by Aviation Magazine, will be held April 29th through May 1st at Chino Airport. It’s Fun for the whole family.
Enjoy the day watching aviation history take to the skies over Chino. See famous planes
and demonstration teams take to the air such as the U.S Air Force F-16 Viper, Sean D Tucker and Team Oracle Aerobatics, Jelly Belly Aerobatics plus many other extreme aerial demonstrations. Over 50 historic aircraft will be performing for your enjoyment including B-25s, P-47s, and P-51 Mustangs!
There will be static displays of historic aircraft, military vehicles, a Kids Zone and a vendor marketplace where you will find plenty of food and beverages for sale.
Experience the Afterburner Twilight Show Friday Noon-8 p.m. Gates open Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m. Parking is Free. Tickets are $25, and kids 11 and under are Free.
For information and tickets, go to planesoffame.org.
The Planes of Fame Museum is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization that has grown for the past 57 years through donations. You can find the museum at 7000 Merrill Avenue, #17, in Chino. For more info please call 909-597-3722 or visit: planesoffame.org.
Chino Mayor Says Farewell
Photo courtesy of City of Chino
Chino Mayor Yates
Staff Reports
Chino – Chino Mayor Dennis Yates will be saying farewell at this year’s Chino State of the City since he will be retiring this year at the end of his term.
Mayor Yates has been a member of the Chino City Council since 1992 and has served as a Council Member from 1992 to 2004. During those years, he has served as the Mayor Pro Tem for two years and then as Mayor in 2004. He was reelected as Mayor three different after that and is currently serving his third four-year term.
Mayor Yates will be bidding farewell at the Chino Annual State of the City Address on Wednesday, April 27 from 11:20 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will be held at the Chaffey Chino Community Center located at 5890 College Park Ave., in Chino.
This year’s theme is Chino-At Your Service, which will highlight the local agencies, organizations and people that work tirelessly to provide services that enhance the quality of life in Chino, according to a City news release.
Tickets are available at the Chino Chamber of Commerce for $40. Please make a check payable to the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce. Presenting and Table Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For further information, please contact the Chamber at 909-627-6177.
Many Win At Chamber Mixer
By Araceli Hernandez
Chino – The Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce March Mixer was a fun-filled event with food, karaoke, great prizes, and networking. The mixer was held on March 24 at ABC Public Relations and Armijo News, located at 14144 Central Ave., Ste. H, in Chino.
After members of the community ate and mingled, Zeb Welborn, Chino Valley Chamber Chairman of the Board, welcomed the crowd and announced the Chino Valley Chamber ambassadors in attendance. Other government officials were also in attendance, including City of Chino Public Information Officer Monica Gutierrez, and Supervisor Curt Hagman representatives Karen Haughey and Melissa Compani. In addition, members of local businesses from Chino, Eastvale, Diamond Bar, and Walnut also stopped by the mixer.
Business owners and community members gathered outside to network while listening to music by Bobby’s Mobile DJ Show. Some Chino Chamber members even had the courage to sing karaoke in front of the crowd.
Many local businesses contributed to the mixer by providing services and prizes. All chairs and tables were provided by Koki’s Bouncers in Eastvale. There was also a wide selection of prizes that were donated, including a bread and treat basket by Great Harvest Bread Co.; a Car Care Service gift certificate from Gabriel’s Automotive; a goodie basket from Marcia McBean of Chino Commercial Bank; a gift basket from Loretta Szudy of Legal Document Services; a well-dressed screwdriver kit from The Bountiful Baskets; a dessert basket by Gift Baskets by Rita; a Starbucks gift card; and Girl Scout cookies.
Our grand prizes were a $165 razor scooter donated by The Shop Pro Scooter Lab, and an Android Tablet donated by ABC Public Relations.
Congratulations to all the prize winners: Jeff Feather of Forest Lawn, William Yu of AVIS, Kyle Schneider of IEShineOn.com, Marilyn Taylor of The Bountiful Basket, Karen Kaplan of DamselINDEFENSE, Michael Lujan of New York Life, Zeb Welborn of Welborn Media, Suzanne Burt of Real Time Pain Relief, and Tom Haughey of Haughey Insurance. The scooter winner was Raziel Fuentebella Arcega of LNR Promotions and the tablet winner was Scott Flatten of World Financial Insurance Agency, Inc.
“Thank you to everyone who came out to the Chino Valley Chamber mixer. It was a great event and we were happy to host the March Mixer. Also, thank you to all the sponsors that donated prizes,” said Michael Armijo, President of ABC Public Relations.
Jeff Feather won a bread and treat basket donated by Great Harvest Bread Co. Visit their website at http://www.greatharvest.com.
William Yu won a Car Care Service gift card donated by Gabriel’s Automotive. Visit their website at http://www.gabrielsauto.com.
Kyle Schneider won a Starbucks gift card provided by ABC Public Relations. Visit their website at http://www.anapr.com.
Linda Ragland with a beautiful basket donated by Gift Baskets by Rita. Call Rita at (909) 354-9610.
Karen Kaplan won a goodie basket donated by Marcia McBean of Chino Commercial Bank. Call Marcia at (909) 230-7600.
Michael Lujan won a well-dressed screwdriver kit donated by Marilyn Taylor of The Bountiful Basket. Visit her website at http://www.thebountifulbasket.net.
Loretta Szudy of Legal Document Services gives winner Zeb Welborn the gift basket she donated. Call Loretta at (909) 223-8515.
Suzanne Burt won a box of Girl Scout cookies, which she shared with fellow colleagues at the mixer.
Raziel Fuentebella Arcega gave her daughter the $165 razor scooter she won that was donated by The Shop Pro Scooter Lab. Visit their website at http://www.shopproscooterlab.com.
Scott Flatten won the Android Tablet donated by ABC Public Relations. Visit their website at http://www.abcpublicrelations.com.
CVUSD’s Annual Festival Of The Arts
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.
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.
Chino PD Request Assistance In Finding 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.
Bounce, Jump, Run, and Pedal at Healthy Family Day in Chino
Courtesy of the City of Chino
CHINO, CA – The City of Chino and the Chino Valley YMCA invite the public to bounce, run, jump, and pedal their way to better health at the Annual Healthy Family Day on Saturday, April 2, 2016. The event is held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at Ruben S. Ayala Park, 5665 Edison Avenue, near the YMCA.
This free, community event is packed with activities and information to motivate and teach families how to live a healthy life. New this year is a 7-mile bike ride at 9:30 a.m. For those who want more of a challenge, there is also a 15-mile bike ride, departing at 7:30 a.m. The rides are hosted by the Chino Police Department and BOBIE’S Cycling Group. All participants must wear a helmet and can sign-up at healthychino.eventbrite.com.
The event also features:
- Kids’ activity stations
- Fitness demonstrations
- Health, fitness, and nutrition information
- Healthy Chino’s Rock-the-Bike interactive exhibit
- Obstacle course
- Bicycle safety tips
- Entertainment
- Water and environmental information
- Food, contests, and more
For more information, contact the City of Chino at 909.334.3258; Chino Valley YMCA at 909.597.7445; or visit healthychino.com and weymca.org.
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