Tag Archives: Corona

Ex-Volunteer Coach At Corona, Eastvale Schools Accused Of Sexually Abusing Teen Girls

By Anthony Saude

Corona – Draper Mitchell has been arrested by Corona Police Department for suspicion of felony sexual misconduct with three teenage girls. According to the Police department they believe that there are still more young ladies out there that haven’t come forward at this time.

Mitchell a part owner of Player’s Edge basketball gym in Corona was also a volunteer basketball coach at Santiago High School in Corona and Roosevelt High School in Eastvale. It is believed he used all of these avenues to meet his victims, Corona police said in a news release. It was reported by the police that they are still searching for more victims. Corona-Norco Unified School District officials told police that Mitchell hasn’t volunteered at either school this year. None of the allegations being investigated took place on school grounds according to reports by the police.

A 15 year-old made allegations against Mitchell in 2010 but that case was suspended because of a lack of evidence the police reported. This most recent investigation had been going on for 4 months before Mitchell was arrested on the last day of November. Mitchell was booked on suspicion of committing lewd and lascivious acts on a child, oral copulation with a minor, sexual penetration with a minor and two counts of annoying or molesting children.

Jail records show that Mitchell was able to post his $90,000 bail and was released the next day Friday December 1. A 17 year old girl that worked at Player’s Edge reported that he had been having “sexually explicit” conservations with her according to the police. A different 17 year old told police that she also quit working at players edge because Mitchell had committed sexual battery against her. The other allegation was from another girl, whose age has not been released, said Mitchell and her had “engaged in a sex act” in Eastvale.

Detectives are asking anyone who was a victim of Mitchell or has any information related to the investigation to contact Detective John Garcia at 951-739-4858 or John.Garcia@CoronaCA.gov.

 

Corona Man Charged With Murder

Photo courtesy: Corona PD

By Anthony Saude

Corona – On Thanksgiving Day Corona Police Officers responded to a family disturbance call that involved an assault with a deadly weapon in the 1700 block of Rainbow Ridge on the west side of the City of Corona.

The Corona Fire Department paramedics were dispatched to the scene and found 64 year old Corona resident Lidia Urrutia unconscious with life threatening injuries. The victim was transported to a local trauma center via ambulance. The result of the injuries left Lidia with no brain function and she was pronounced dead on Sunday, November 26.

Gilberto Urrutia Perez a 45 year old male was visiting his mother from San Bernardino for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Following up on some information, officers from Corona Police arrested Perez at Brentwood Park in the City of Corona in connection with the crime without incident. “On Tuesday November 28 Perez has been charged with 1 count of homicide and 1 count of cruelty to an elder or dependant adult”, said Detective Andy Bryant of the Corona Police Department. Court records show his bail has been set at $1 million and his arraignment is scheduled for November 29. Detective Bryant said, “t the investigation is still ongoing and there aren’t any outstanding suspects at this time”. If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact Detective Jurado at 951-279-3628 or via email at jesse.jurado@corona.gov. For inquiries relating to the filed criminal case, please contact Riverside County District Attorney Public Information Officer John Hall at 951-955-8662 or via email at johnhall@rivcoda.org.

 

Corona Pd Receives $75,000 Grant

By Marissa Mitchell

Corona, CA – Corona Police Department recently received $75,000 in grant money for traffic enforcement and crash prevention, resulting in some crackdown on impaired drivers.

The Corona Department has been given the money from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a year-long programs. This program will consist of special enforcements, particularly in the case of impaired drivers, and public awareness efforts to prevent traffic-related deaths and injuries.

The $75,000 will be used to keep roadways safe. OTS Director Rhonda Craft states, “Unsafe behaviors account for 94 percent of traffic crashes. This grant emphasizes the two most effective ways to change behaviors – education and enforcement. The Corona Police Department, with assistance from the Office of Traffic Safety, will use these tools to help keep the City of Corona streets safe.”

The number of persons killed on roadways fell a record decade low in 2010, but since then it has risen almost 17 percent across the state, with 3,429 fatalities in the year 2015. Most notable is the climb of pedestrian and bicycle fatalities, now comprising nearly 25 percent of all traffic deaths. This has raised concerns of distracted driving and drug-impaired driving.

The grant funding will provide an avenue to combat distracted and impaired driving, as well as the problem of speeding and crashes at intersections.

“The rise in impaired drivers is very concerning,” declared Chief of Police Michael Abel. “The Corona Police Department is dedicated to reducing the amount of impaired drivers by education through our Drive 4 Life program, proactive enforcement operations, and our community outreach,” he continued.

The grant money presented will fund educational programs, DUI/DWI checkpoints, DUI saturation patrols, bicycle/pedestrian safety enforcement, motorcycle safety enforcement, distracted driving enforcement, Seat belt and child safety seat enforcement, and speeding/red light/stop sign enforcement.

Although alcohol remains the worst offender of DUI cases and crashes, the Corona PD will be supporting the effort of the OTS to increase awareness that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.”

Prescription medications and marijuana can impair the driver alone as a substance, or in combination with alcohol, resulting in a DUI or DWI arrest.

 

 

Corona Life Pregnancy Center

Photo Courtesy of Anthony Saude

By Anthony Saude

Corona – It had been a full month now, she was late, and this was a much more serious “late” than missing homeroom class. She didn’t have a job or money; she had just graduated high school and was accepted to the college of her choice. Her and her boyfriend weren’t serious and decided that they wouldn’t continue the relationship when they went away to college. So she decided, on her own, to end this without telling anybody about it. Desperate and hopeless she looked up what she thought was an organization that would give her what she wanted. Instead she found a place that would help her navigate through all her options so she could make an informed decision. They confirmed her suspicions, she was pregnant. She and one of the counselors had a good cry and then a great talk. The information they gave her and the help they offered allowed her to make an informed decision. Today, because of that decision her daughter will be bringing the grandchildren to visit for the weekend. She looks up and thanks God that she is able to look into her grandson’s eyes at all. She has never forgotten the people at Corona Life Medical Clinic for showing love and compassion at the time she needed it most. She did get what she really wanted after all. Make the best decision for her and her family.

Corona life Services (CLS) is a non-profit organization located in Corona California has been open for business for the last 20 years helping women, men, and families understand the value and sanctity of all human life from the moment of conception. CLS provides physical, emotional and spiritual support for women and men with unplanned pregnancies.

Christi Bush, the outreach director said, “Most of the people we help bring a lot of guilt, shame and hopelessness with them to our office”. “It can be even worse for the Christian because they have been taught that not only abortion is a sin, but so was the premarital sex that got them here”. “We will ask the prospective parents tough questions that doctors simply don’t ask” says Christi. “For example, has there been any sexual abuse in the family and will your parents REALLY kill you” added Christi. That is why we provide support and counseling to show them there are options even though there may be some anger and emotional pain to navigate first” said Christi.

Kathy Ray the Chairman of CLS said, “In 2017 CLS has been reclassified from a services center to a medical clinic”. “The process was long and very intense; it took several years to accomplish said Kathy”. What does this classification mean to the public? “We are now able to perform Ultra sounds and give pregnancy tests” said Mrs. Ray. She added, “These services by law can only be administered by a registered nurse so now we have 3 paid RN’s and 1 volunteer RN so we always have one on site”. “We let them see their baby on the ultrasound monitor; at an abortion clinic it is policy not to show the parents the screen”.

There are 6 paid staff members and 20 volunteers that make this place run. In the past only women and families could take advantage of the counseling services. This year they have now expanded it to include counseling services for the fathers as well. Parenting classes for the new parents are available to better prepare them to use the tools a parent will need for a job that simply doesn’t come with a owner’s manual.

There is a rewards program for new parents to purchase clothing, bottles, and diapers and just about anything you would need for a new born baby. They can earn reward points towards the merchandise by doing a number of things. The rewards program is based on the honor system parents can earn those points by going to a counseling session, finding a job, reading their bible or taking a parenting class just to name a few.

The clinic has extended their hours of operation to stay open later on Thursdays and for the first time in the 20 year history they will now be open on Fridays. CLS is the only prolife medical center in a 20-30 mile radius.

As of September 30, 2017 CLS has had 891 visitors, administered 315 pregnancy test and 231 ultrasounds resulting in 79 saved babies. During that same time 333 of those visitors were believers, 531 were presented the Gospel and 33 of them accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

CLS has two major fundraising events per year, a dinner banquet and the Walk For Life event that was held on October 7 at Corona City Park. This year the event had the highest participation in the history of the event, over $53,000 raised. It takes a village to pull off an event of this size and the local community and churches did not disappoint again this year. Over the years the competition between individuals and organizations in the area to see who can raise the most money has become a fierce, loving, friendly rivalry. Each church/organization has a team made up of individuals wearing the same shirts so they can be identified with their church or organization. There are recognition awards given out to the top 3 organizations/churches and this year top honors went to New Beginnings Church, Calvary Chapel Corona and Olive Branch Community Church. The top individual honors went to Marlene Weyhgandt. The event was beautiful to see and inspiring to watch the love and dedication displayed by all the volunteers, organizers and the individuals participating.

Corona Life Services

623 N Main St, Corona, CA 92880

To contact, or donate, to Corona Life Services call (951) 272-3670 or go to website: http://www.clspregnancy.com/

Burglary Suspect Arrested

Staff Reports

Corona – The arrest of a burglary suspect in Corona leads to the recovery of a mass of potentially stolen property and firearms.

On Monday, October 23, 2017, a residential burglary occurred in the 2300 block of Talbot Circle in the City of Corona. The victim of the burglary had security camera video that captured images of the suspect in the home. After the victim posted the video on social media websites, the Corona Police Department received numerous tips from concerned citizens on the identity of the suspect.

Corona Police detectives, working with the information from the public, identified 46-year-old Riverside resident Michael Cohan as a potential suspect. Corona detectives located Cohan in the 10800 block of Magnolia Avenue in the City of Riverside at about 7:30 a.m. today. Cohan, who was armed with a loaded handgun at the time of his arrest, was taken into custody for suspicion of residential burglary, possession of stolen property, possession of a concealed firearm, and conspiracy. He was transported and booked at the Corona Police Department jail facility, and bail has been set at $500,000.

Cohan’s female companion, 48-year-old Riverside resident Melissa Dillion, was also arrested for suspicion of possession of stolen property. Detectives served a search warrant associated with this case at a hotel in the 10500 block of Magnolia Avenue in the City of Riverside where they recovered a substantial amount of property from Cohan’s motel room. More than eight large plastic containers full of potentially stolen property including jewelry, watches, handbags, a specialty guitar, baseball cards, and other collectibles were recovered at the hotel. A secondary search warrant for a local storage facility resulted in the recovery of several additional firearms and other potential stolen property.

In the days to come, investigators will be releasing photographs of property that was recovered as a result of this investigation and may have been taken in other theft-related incidents. The Corona Police Department will provide a link to a photographic catalog of property that citizens can view in order to determine if any of the property belongs to them.

More details on this process and how property may be returned to the rightful owners will be announced once the property is cataloged and photographed. The investigation is ongoing and no additional details are available for release at this time.

 

Total Care Heating And Air

By Anthony Saude

Corona– Total Care Heating and Air (TCHA) is more than just a catchy slogan, “Your wife is HOT, show her you care fix the air”, they are a full service plumbing, heating and air conditioning company. TCHA is a family owned business that has been open for the past 29 years. Four generations of tradesman are here to help with all your air conditioning and heating and plumbing needs. They pride themselves in providing superior service and customer relationships. At TCHA you can expect prompt and courteous service 6 days, a week and emergency service on Sundays.  Whether it is a new installation or a repair for your current equipment TCHA is the right AC company for the job. Plumbing has been in the family since the 1940’s and great pride is taken in that fact at the office by everyone. Their featured services include Air Conditioning, Heating, Duct Cleaning and Plumbing. Living in the Inland Empire can be very hot and people tend to put things off until they are broken, which of course is when the A/C companies are extremely busy. TCHA has a preventative maintenance plan that was created to help customers avoid the huge repair bills that dirty or inadequate equipment ultimately cost you. When the time comes to replace costly equipment, and it will, the financial burden can be too much for the customer to pay all at once. This is why TCHA offers Electric & Gas Industries Association (EGIA) Financing Program, a program developed by contractors, for Contractors. Historically the process a contractor had to use for a homeowner to get financed was labor intensive and very confusing. EGIA has put together what they believe is the simplest application processes in the history of the industry. They have made it possible for contractors to get approval for a reasonable payment while they are still in the home with the customer.  Indoor Air Quality Facts:The average 6 room house collects 40 pounds of dust a year (Discover Magazine)Air ducts have more germs than a chicken coop (American Lung Association)EPA claims indoor air has been found to be up to 70% more polluted than outdoor air (EPA)Children are more likely than adults to be affected by polluted indoor air (Dept. of Consumer Affairs)A build up of 0.42 inches of dirt on a heating or cooling coil can result in a decrease in efficiency of 21% (EPA)9 out of 10 heating, ventilating, air conditioning systems failures are caused by dust and dirt (Louisiana Coop Extension Service)Many people have allergic reactions to pollen, bacteria, dust mites, mold, and animal dander. Allergies including hay fever and asthma affect 41 million Americans or about one out of six people.The air inside your home is usually 10 times dirtier that it is outside. Major health issues can arise if you don’t make sure your equipment gets an A+ rating from the guys at Total Care Heating and Air. Servicing all of Southern California you can reach them at 844-438-8682 or request an estimate on the website https://www.totalcarehvac.com/ call them first, you won’t be disappointed. Their address is 2867 Sampson Ave, Corona CA 92879

  • Air Quality Facts

Bank Robbery Investigation Leads to Animal Cruelty Case

By Mireya De la Paz

Corona –  A man was arrested by the Corona Police Department on Wednesday July 26, 2017 for bank robbery in Corona, California.

72-year-old Robert Bustamante Flores threatened a teller of the Western Bank on 1050 W. Sixth Street in Corona July 20, 2017. Flores was suspected of robbery when he went to the police department and police were suspicious and got a search warrant. Corona police searched his home to look for evidence specifically among the robbery.

They found about 26 dogs living in his home in the 100 block N. Vincentia Avenue. Flores began to tell the police that he lived in the garage while the dogs lived inside the home. Corona Animal Control was given permission to search the home and found a total of 35 dogs and 7 small puppies.

Animal Control Officer Bill Sellers explained how he had never seen anything like it and how it was the worst call he had ever received.  They had to put one of the dogs to sleep due to his severe wounds while most of the dogs were found with multiple diseases. They explained the home as “destroyed” with demolished furniture and animal waste left on the floors. The dogs were all allegedly neglected and were not being properly fed and hydrated. Thankfully, Corona Animal Shelter was able to take all 36 dogs and are currently being taken care of and supervised. Flores was arrested for the charge of Robbery and his bail is $30,000 while the animal cruelty investigation is still ongoing.

 

 

IE News: Information Sought For Stabbing

Photo courtesy: Corona Police Department The suspect’s vehicle is believed to be a solid light/medium colored late 1990’s Toyota sedan, as pictured above.

Photo courtesy: Corona Police Department
The suspect’s vehicle is believed to be a solid light/medium colored late 1990’s Toyota sedan, as pictured above.

Staff Reports

Corona– The Corona Police Department is still searching for information regarding a stabbing that took place at the Corona City Park a few months ago. The Police Department recently sent out a news release requesting the public’s assistance in identifying a vehicle that may have been involved in the stabbing death of Barnabas William “Will” Crites, 18.

On February 26, 2016 at approximately 8:43 p.m., Barnabas William Crites was assaulted near the City Park skate park located at 930 E. Sixth St., Corona, and later died from his injuries, according to the Corona Police Department. The suspect’s vehicle is believed to be a solid light/medium colored late 1990’s Toyota sedan. The suspect’s vehicle was captured leaving the scene in a surveillance video from the area.

Detectives hope someone may recognize the vehicle in the surveillance photograph to assist in the investigation. If you have any information we ask that you please contact Senior Detective Dan Bloomfield at 951-817-5767. If you wish to remain anonymous, contact the Corona Police Department Tip-line at 951-817-5873.

Photo courtesy: Corona Police Department A picture of the suspect's car leaving the scene.

Photo courtesy: Corona Police Department
A picture of the suspect’s car leaving the scene.

Lincoln Avenue On-Ramp Will Be Two Lanes

Courtesy of RCTC

CORONA– As part of the Riverside County Transportation Commission’s (RCTC) 91 Project, the westbound 91 Lincoln Avenue on-ramp will be reconfigured from three lanes to two general purpose lanes through the end of 2016. The ramp meter will be turned off during this time.

The reconfiguration will allow crews to work on the new westbound 91 Lincoln Avenue on-ramp that will connect directly from the Lincoln Avenue bridge.

For questions, please call the helpline at 877-770-9191, or visit http://www.sr91project.info.  Please allow extra travel time to access this ramp, especially during morning peak commute hours.

IE News: Youth Takes Unique Approach to Leadership

Photo courtesy: Doug Gaehle

Photo courtesy: Doug Gaehle

4-H proven to empower area youth through life skill development

By Doug Gaehle

CORONA– It’s no secret that today’s youth feel pressure. Pressure to excel in school, to go to college, to get a job, etc. How they overcome those pressures is a true testament to their character. Take Corona native Aidan Longridge for example.

Aidan, 17, credits his enrollment in 4-H, the nation’s largest youth organization, to helping him overcome adversity and build confidence along the way. The life skills taught through 4-H helped Aidan learn to work with others, overcome challenges and complete jobs once he started them.

Aidan took advantage of the breadth of programs 4-H offers, from science and agriculture to business and creative arts.

“I enrolled in 4-H after my mom received a recommendation to join from a family friend,” said Aidan, a member of the Alvord Aggies 4-H club. “I’ve always had a passion for speaking in front of people and through my years in 4-H I’ve had many opportunities to get involved in projects that have made me more confident in myself and my abilities as a speaker.”

Aidan started in 4-H when he was 5 years old, and since then has participated in the communications project.

Today, Aidan is involved in communication, chess, drama and leadership projects as well as part of a national home school speech and debate league.

“Joining a speech and debate league was a direct result of the confidence and experience I gained through my 4-H projects,” said Aidan.

America needs more true leaders focused on today’s challenges, as well as the issues of tomorrow. A recent survey by National 4-H Council found that 71 percent of today’s youth view leadership as something they can practice improve over time. But those same youth need supportive adults to help them along the way.

4-H brings a community together to grow true leaders in today’s youth – helping build confidence, teamwork, curiosity and resilience.

“My advisor Heather Bean has been a positive impact on my 4-H experience,” said Aidan. “In addition to valuable life skills, 4-H teaches you about building character, problem solving, fostering friendships and to keep challenging yourself.”

Any child can grow with 4-H, an organization that has something for every interest. But 4-H is always looking for adult volunteers and funding to help expand their reach and empower young people through doing. To find out more about helping 4-H in your area, contact your local extension office or visit 4H.org. Or, visit www.ca4hfoundation.org to make a donation to the California 4-H Foundation.

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.

Santiago Student Perfect in Art

Courtesy of CVUSD

CORONA– Sarah Ki, a junior at Santiago High School, earned perfect scores and every point possible on her AP Studio Art Drawing Exam taken last year. Sarah was one of 16 students among 4.5 million high students in the world who earned every point possible.

The AP Exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, where a 5 is equivalent to a grade of A in the corresponding college course. On top of her score of 5, Sarah was one of 16 students in the world to earn every point possible on the AP Studio Art Drawing Portfolio Exam, receiving the maximum score on each portion of the exam.

“I was simply exalted!” said AP visual art teacher Carlotta Maggi. “AP Studio Art readers actually judge up to a 6 for excellence and high quality and original artwork. So Sarah earned straight 6’s and could be eligible to represent the College Board on the website. Sarah was also competing as a sophomore when she submitted her work, probably being the first student in our school district ever to have earned this well deserved honor for fine art! I am so proud of all her hard work, dedication and original talent!”

“This outstanding accomplishment is a direct reflection of the top quality education being offered at Santiago High School.” wrote Trevor Packer, senior vice president of AP and Instruction at the College Board. “We applaud Sarah’s hard work and the AP teacher responsible for engaging students and enabling them to excel in a college-level course.”

Sarah Ki is also a 4.87 GPA Scholar Athlete at Santiago High.  She was the Big VIII League golf champion her freshman year.

 

Local Football Coach Honored

Photo Courtesy of CNUSD Centennial Football Coach Named Coach of the Year

Photo Courtesy of CNUSD
Centennial Football Coach Named Coach of the Year

By Sara Cipollone

CORONA – Centennial High School football Coach Matt Logan has been honored for his work and accomplishments with the school’s football team.

USA Today has named Coach Logan the ALL-USA Football Coach of the Year. Coach Matt Logan stated that the best advice he has been given was from Coach Bruce Rollinson, before his first CIF championship game. Robinson told him “Don’t be happy just to be here. Go out and win the thing.” Logan took this advice to heart and has passed on this competitive spirit to his team, telling them “We may get beat, but we always compete.”

This competitive nature has helped Coach Logan garner a very successful coaching career, coaching the Centennial Huskies to a 14-1 season, the No. 7 spot in the final Super 25 football rankings, a second consecutive Pac-5 title and a runner-up finish in state Open Division. According to USA Today, his teams have won 10 CIF Southern Section titles since 2000. He won his 200th game this season against Orange Lutheran, and in 19 seasons Logan has an overall record of 211-46.

The coach said that his secret weapon to winning so much is consistency with the staff. He told USA Today that most of his coaches have been there for seven or eight years, and two coaches have been there since day one.

Whether it’s consistent staff, competitive drive, or just a great amount of skill, this coach is doing something right. Congratulations to Coach Matt Logan, USA Today ALL-USA Football Coach of the Year.

 

Orange Grove Teacher Named State Finalist

Photo Courtesy of CNUSD Orange Grove Teacher Jessica Fuller poses with her award

Photo Courtesy of CNUSD
Orange Grove Teacher Jessica Fuller poses with her award

By Linda Hawkins, CNUSD

CORONA– Congratulations to Orange Grove teacher, Jessica Fuller, for being named the California League of High School’s (CLHS) Region 10 state finalist at the awards dinner on Thursday, January 21.  Jessica, along with 10 other finalists, was recognized by CLHS as “Educators of the Year” for Region 10, which includes Riverside, Inyo, Mono, and San Bernardino Counties.

The CLHS “Educator of the Year” award is given annually to ten educators, representing regions throughout California, who exemplify educational excellence and have made significant efforts to implement elements of educational reform in high schools.  Each nominee selected as the representative for their region will be honored at the CLHS Annual Conference in Sacramento, California the weekend of February 26-28, 2016.  One of the regional nominees will be announced as CLHS Educator of the Year at the conference.  Nominees selected may be teachers, administrators, counselors, or other certified personnel.  After being introduced, each finalist gave a brief speech which was scored by a panel of judges.  The Regional Representative was announced at the conclusion of the event and was invited to participate in the CLHS in Sacrament for the state’s Educator of the Year award in February.

Congratulations to Jessica on this very well deserved recognition.  She is an incredible teacher who goes above and beyond every day to ensure the success of her students.

Former ERHS Students Sign with NFL

Photo Courtesy of CNUSD ERHS Alumni celebrate their NFL signing (L-R: Superintendent Michael Lin, Austin Hill, Tyler Slavin, Josh Mitchell, and ERHS Principal Jeremy Goins.)

Photo Courtesy of CNUSD
ERHS Alumni celebrate their NFL signing (L-R: Superintendent Michael Lin, Austin Hill, Tyler Slavin, Josh Mitchell, and ERHS Principal Jeremy Goins.)

Courtesy of CNUSD

EASTVALE– Gleaming smiles and new NFL hats were proudly worn by three former Eleanor Roosevelt High School students from the class of 2010, all of whom have signed with teams in the NFL. Austin Hill signed with the Seattle Seahawks, Josh Mitchell with the Indianapolis Colts and Tyler Slavin with the St. Louis Rams.  This marks a significant moment for Roosevelt High School, its football program and the entire CNUSD community. Josh, Austin and Tyler are Eleanor Roosevelt High School’s first athletes to play in the NFL.

During the students’ football career at ERHS, all three players made First Team All-League.  Austin Hill was awarded Riverside County Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player.

The three Roosevelt Alumni were the first graduating class to attend Roosevelt all four years. “When Austin, Josh and Tyler joined the football team, Roosevelt HS football stadium was still under construction, causing them to practice at Harada Park and go to Auburndale Intermediate for weightlifting”, recalls Coach Stacy.

“I am honored to have coached them and it is an honor that they have turned out to be such great young men,” said former ERHS Football coach, Coach Stacy.

36 Students Compete in District Spelling Bee

Photo courtesy: CNUSD Aisha Randhawa of Garretson Elementary spells out her winning word to claim the District’s Spelling Bee title.

Photo courtesy: CNUSD
Aisha Randhawa of Garretson Elementary spells out her winning word to claim the District’s Spelling Bee title.

Courtesy of CNUSD

Corona – The Annual District Spelling Bee brought together the best spellers grades 4-8 to compete at Santiago High School for the District Spelling Bee title. 36 schools, elementary and intermediate, were represented.

Contestants held strong for the first few rounds, but by Round 5, the field whittled down to 18. The dictionary opened up into words with foreign words and the field dropped down to 11 by Round 6.

By Round 9, the spelling bee came down to two students, Max Chen from Citrus Hill Intermediate and Aisha Randhawa from Garretson Elementary.

Aisha defended her title by correctly spelling “effluent”, earning the right to represent the district in the Riverside County Spelling Bee Feb. 23 in Moreno Valley.

Corona-Norco Unified School District K-12 Teacher Job Fair

By Nicole Leiva

On Saturday, Jan. 30, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Corona-Norco Unified School District held a job fair to recruit teachers for kindergarten through high school. When the district announced the event, they advised teachers to visit EdJoin.org to complete an application before attending the fair.  Those who completed their applications on EdJoin.org were given numbers that allowed them admittance to the fair before those who had not yet completed their applications online.

Throughout the morning, teachers arrived every few minutes and joined an already lengthy line. Attendees made up a diverse pool; both experienced teachers and new, young teachers came from various parts of Southern California.

One woman is finishing her schooling in Idaho, and wants to come home to Southern California and teach arts in high school.  Another teacher, from Los Angeles, has taught 6th grade for fifteen years. She came to the job fair to compare pay wages. A teacher from the Inland Empire, with ten years of experience teaching math, wanted to consider her options with Corona-Norco Unified.

One attendee, who moved to the Inland Empire from Kentucky, taught high school math and English and led school activities at her last school.  She said, “I really love teaching and seeing the students thrive and that is why I am here today!”

A young male teacher who attended has great passion for teaching special education in high school, which he has done for two years. He proudly stated, “I love teaching special education and would be happy teaching at-risk students as well.” This young, incredibly positive teacher has the potential to change many young lives for the better.

The success of this job fair can be credited to Administrative Director Glen Gonsalves and all the staff that made this happen. Mr. Glen Gonsalves said “this was an exciting job fair and really pleased to see all these people.” Additionally, he said “this was a great way to showcase the District as a great place to teach and work…” Glen and his staff didn’t anticipate the amount of interest in their district and the teaching positions, and were happy to see the fair was such a success.

Assemblyman Linder Introduces the Transparency in Government Act

Staff Reports

CORONA – An open and transparent government is the premise for Assemblymember Eric Linder’s (R-Corona) newly introduced bill, AB 1707. The new bill will strengthen the California Public Records Act (PRA), increase transparency and promote clarity to help the public adequately understand the activities of state and local agencies, according to a press release issued by Linder’s office.

“Sacramento’s first priority should always be to foster transparency with those it represents,” said Linder.  “This bill will ensure that Californians have access to the information they need to review and provide oversight of their government.”

AB 1707 will require agencies subject to this act to include in their responses to requests for public records the name of documents withheld, and the exemptions that apply to each document. This change became necessary due to concerns that some agencies’ responses are too vague for applicants to understand why requests were rejected or if exempt documents even exist.

“Californian’s should fully understand why an agency rejects their requests for public records. Government should always be taking steps towards increasing transparency and helping constituents understand the daily business conducted by the numerous agencies in California” said Assemblymember Linder.

Assembly Member Eric Linder, R-Corona, represents the 60th Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes the communities of Corona, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Norco, & Riverside.

 

Man Dies after being Hit by Train

Courtesy of Google Images

Courtesy of Google Images

Staff Reports

CORONA– On Jan. 22 at about 1:55 p.m., Corona Police Officers responded to a train versus pedestrian collision in the 100 block of North McKinley Avenue. Through investigation, officers determined that 19-year-old Anthony McRea of Riverside was walking northbound on McKinley with his girlfriend. As they approached the railroad tracks just south of Sampson, they stopped for an eastbound train travelling on the north set of tracks. The crossing arms were down, lights flashing, and alarms sounding.

As the end of the train passed, McRea stepped out in front of a train travelling westbound on the south set of tracks. The train struck McRea, killing him instantly.

According to the Delaware Undergraduate Student Congress and the CSX Corporation, more people are killed in pedestrian/train accidents than airplane crashes in the United States each year. Here are some tips for staying safe around railroad tracks:

• Remember, trains may be closer than they appear. It is very difficult to accurately judge the distance and speed of an oncoming train.
• Trains are wider than they appear; most trains extend three feet on either side of the track.
• The force of a train hitting a car is comparable to the force of a car running over a soda can.
• Most trains will not be able to stop if something is in their way, so remember to never cross the guardrails. They are there for your safety.

Corona: Police K-9 Retires

Courtesy of the Corona Police Dept.

Spike the K-9 RetiresAfter four and a half years of dedicated service to the citizens of Corona, Corona Police Department’s K9 Spike retires.
Spike is an eight-year-old Belgian Malinois, who was not only trained for patrol duties but was also cross- trained to detect the odor of narcotics. During Spike’s tenure, he found and apprehended several suspects, and he also had several narcotic finds which included the seizure of heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana. When not fighting crime, he participated in over 100 public demonstrations at schools, hospitals, and community groups.
Spike’s handler, Corporal Chad Fountain, is a 15-year veteran who was recently promoted in July of 2015. Corporal Fountain was able to purchase Spike from the city and bring him home for retirement, where he will live out the remainder of his life with the Fountain family.