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Scholars at Orange Grove Middle School in Hacienda Heights got a snow day today, even though we might reach record temperatures.
Principal Alejandro Rojas reported the snow day is a reward for students who have a 2.80 GPA or higher.
"We have a company coming out to build a 100 ft sled run for the students. It should be fun," Rojas said.
John Huang looks at the world with an artist's eye. He sees shapes and colors that the rest of us normally miss.
Then he faithfully reproduces his vision via the artist's palette, giving us a slightly altered impression of reality that makes the viewer stop and think about the world around them.
It's all even more impressive that Huang is a 9-year-old student in the fourth grade at Shelyn Elementary School in Rowland Heights.
And the young artist is sharing his vision with the rest of the community via a display of his artwork at the Rowland Heights Public Library at 1850 Nogales St. It will remain through mid-February.
Read the complete story in the Rowland Heights Highlander.
A musical storytime will be held every Thursday in the Hacienda Heights Library. The free activity will be from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Kids will be introduced to singing and choral music, as well as some music theory, ear training, rhythmic exercises, and vocal exercises. There will also be an art activity.
The library is at 16010 La Monde St. For more information, call Kathia Ibacache at (626) 968-0356.
Low-income families from Palm and Kwis elementary schools in Hacienda Heights can receive a helping hand this Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Palm campus at 14740 E. Palm Ave.
The event is called FIESTA, Family Incentives Equals Students Taking Action. Families are asked to help their children reach a 98 percent attendance record for the school year.
Sponsored by Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, the event is coordinated by New Horizons Caregivers Group and its Executive Director Cathy Jamieson.
More than 50,000 pounds of grocery products will be distributed, with each family receiving about $250 worth of groceries. The families qualify by having children on the Title I free breakfast and lunch programs.
More than 100 volunteers will assist in the distribution.Contributors include Heart of Compass Distribution, Kiwanis Club of La Puente Industry, Latin American Bible Institute, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District and its adult education campuses.
For more information about the nonprofit New Horizons Caregiver Group, visit www.nhcg.org.
Thousands attended the Chinese New Year's services at the Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights on Jan. 26. See our story and photo gallery of the gala event in the Rowland Heights Highlander.
State Senator Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) announces the availability of applications for the 2009-10 California Senate Fellows program.
The program provides college graduates the opportunity to become full-time Senate staff members at the State Capitol in Sacramento for 11 months beginning in October 2009.
Fellows are assigned to the committee staff of a senator and also participate in seminars with officials.
The fellowship program is operated jointly by the California State Senate and the Center for California Studies at Cal State Sacramento.
A five week orientation at the beginning of the program provides background and training.
Fellows are paid a stipend and given health care. They also earn 12 units of graduate credit for the academic portion of the program.
An applicant must be at least 20 years of age and a graduate of a four-year college or university by Sept. 1.
Applications may be requested from Senator Huff's district office in Glendora by calling (626) 914-5046 or the program office at (916) 278-7693. The deadline is Feb. 25.
Eighteen Fellows will be selected in May.
Hacienda La Puente Adult School offers a free Tai Chi class at its Dibble Campus, 1600 Pontenova Ave., Hacienda Heights.
The class runs from 7 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday. For information, call (626) 933-8303.
The Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights will host the annual Chinese New Year's services. Thousands are expected to attend, so shuttle services have been set up to carry people to the temple at 3456 S. Glenmark Drive. Just look for the signs on Hacienda Boulevard.
On Sunday, Jan. 25, a New Year's Eve Dharma Service will be held at 7:30 p.m.
The Lunar New Year begins with a pilgrimage at 5 a.m. This will be followed by the Thousand Buddha Dharma Service at 10:30 a.m. Chinese cultural performances will be held from 12:30 p.m. on
The Festival of Light and Peace runs Monday through Feb. 9.
Rowland Recreation Department will offer classes in karate, Chinese martial arts and ice skating.
Registration is under way for all classes, which start the week of Jan. 26.
The karate and Chinese martial arts classes both run for eight weeks. All ice skating courses are six weeks long. Ice skating classes are open to children and adults.
For information, visit http://recreation.rowland.k12.ca.us/
Hacienda Heights Little League is accepting 2009 season sign-ups from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24 and 31, at Hacienda Heights Baseball Complex, 16949 E. Wedgeworth Drive in Hacienda Heights.
Tryouts are scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 31. For information, call Robert Hernandez at (626) 336-5460 or visit www.eteamz.com/hhlittleleague.
The Hacienda Heights Kiwanis Club will hold its annual pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24.
The big feed takes place in the Vons Shopping Center at 2122 S. Hacienda Blvd. Breakfast is only $3.
Help the local club members raise money for many community services, including scholarships and the Fourth of July parade.
The Winter Shelter for the East San Gabriel Valley Coalition for the Homeless is now open at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Hacienda Heights through Feb. 1.
The community can help the homeless by donating new socks and underwear, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, combs, toothbrushes and breakfast bars.
Donations may be brought to the Corpus Christi Center at 1345 Turnbull Canyon Road.
St. John Vianney Outreach Coordinator Carol Lazarovits and Deacon Dick Noon and his wife Pat are chairpersons for the program at this location.
Mesa Robles School in Hacienda Heights will hold its eighth annual "Jump Rope for Heart" fundraiser on Friday. Students will raise money for the American Heart Association.
This is the 30th anniversary of the national Jump Rope for Heart, which engages elementary students in a physical activity while raising money to support lifesaving heart and stroke research and education.
Since 1978, Jump Rope for Heart had raised more than $703 million for the fight against heart disease and stroke.
There is an educational component as well. The students learn healthy heart habits including a proper diet and exercise. The American Heart Association had an assembly on Jan. 16, bringing materials and jump ropes.
Ken Cooper will offer an architectural painting workshop on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 7 and 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Homestead Museum in Industry.
The workshop includes a lecture, walk-through of the historic site, one-on-one tutorials and demonstrations of watercolor techniques. Artists will have the opportunity to create their own masterpiece.
Participants will need the following materials: watercolor paints (cakes or tubes), watercolor brushes (at least two with good points), water jars, a minimum of one sheet of watercolor paper (up to 22 in. x 30 in.), drawing pencils and erasers, straight edges (including a 45° triangle), surface for the mixing of paint, drawing board, and a digital camera (if possible)
Space is limited to a dozen artists, so reservations are recommended.
Workshop fees for both days are $40 for adults and $30 for students, teachers, and seniors.
Bring your own lunch, or order a box lunch for a small fee.
To register, or for more information, call (626) 968-8492.
The Homestead Museum is located at 15415 East Don Julian Road in the City of Industry.
Friends of the Rowland Heights Library will hold a book sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
The annual event raises money for the library's many great events. It is also used to buy new material for the local branch of the Los Angeles County Library system.
Rowland Library is at 1850 Nogales St. in Rowland Heights.
Next time you're at the Rowland Heights Library, check out the new art display by 9-year-old John Huang, a fourth grade student of Shelyn Elementary School in Rowland Heights.
His mother Susan said John showed his special talent in drawing when he was only 4-years-old.
John has had his work "The Blue Dark Sea" published in the children's magazine "Highlights" in January 2008. Read about the young artist in an upcoming edition of the Rowland Heights Highlander.
With the New Year, it's time to get in shape and eat healthier.
Carolyn Rosas Park Fitness Center offers free diet and exercise classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Instructor Camilo Ramirez teaches the course on how to eat nutritious foods. Exercise enhances overall health.
Classes are ongoing, so drop by for these organized fitness work-outs with weights and exercise equipment. Children 8 years old and up are taught from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m., with adult classes from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The center is at 18500 Farjardo St., Rowland Heights. For information, call (626) 854 -5557.
Teens from Hacienda and Rowland Heights spent a week at the YMCA Camp in Big Bear courtesy of the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department. The kids had a great time snowboarding, sledding and snowman making.
They also used the high rope course, above, and got a chance to try their hand at archery and riflery.
Learn about their great winter vacation at the Hacienda Heights Highlander.
A representative from Verizon will discuss the installation of Verizon's Fios program in Rowland Heights at the next meeting of the Community Coordinating Council.
The meeting will be held 7 p.m. on Monday at Pathfinder Park, 18150 E. Pathfinder Road in Rowland Heights.
The nonprofit group works to improve life in Rowland Heights. It serves as Rowland Heights' voice to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting. Membership is $10 per year.
For further information, visit www.rhccc.netfirms.com.
Chinese chef Theresa Cheng will present a free cooking demonstration to celebrate Chinese New Year on Saturday, Jan. 10, starting at 1 p.m. in the West Covina Library.
Cheng is a chef, cookbook author and the food designer for Ang Lee's "Eat Drink Man Woman."
West Covina Library is at 1601 West Covina Parkway. For more information, call (626) 962-3541.
Whodunnit? I don't know but you can find out at the library on Friday.
The Friends of the Hacienda Heights Library will sponsor a free screening of a film noir movie from Hollywood's detective genre, which was very popular in the 1940s to 1950s.
The flick will be shown 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 9, in the library.
The library is at 16010 La Monde St. For information, call (626) 968-9356.
It's all Greek to me!
The Rowland Heights Library held a special Enrichment Works event Wednesday afternoon.
"The Voyages of Odysseus" featured Joshua Feiman. The classic play was a little iliad, a lot Odyssey and a lot of interactive fun.
The tween program was for students in grades 6-9.
Buddhist nuns and monks pray during a service celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights on Jan. 4. The big event culminates a busy month of activities that included a mass ordination of monks from around the world and Whittier College presenting an honorary doctorate to the order's founder, the Venerable Master Hsing Yun.
Read the whole story in the Hacienda Heights Highlander.