Walnut Valley Women’s Club to light holiday tree

On Sunday, December 7, 2014, at 6:30 p.m., the Walnut Valley Women’s Club invites the community to attend the annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony which will be held at Fire Station 61, on the corner of La Puente Road and Lemon Avenue.

As we celebrate our 50 years in federation this year, we named Jeanne Burgh the honored tree lighter. She is the Club’s longest Walnut resident who is currently a member of the Walnut Valley Women’s Club.

Enjoy the holiday music of our little ones and teens and meet Santa who will arrive at 7:00 p.m.

At this 23rd year anniversary celebration, the Club is grateful to the community for its sponsorship of the Scholarship Tree of Lights.

 

Walnut Council crashes Mt. SAC board meeting

By Steve Scauzillo, Staff Writer

For the first time in history, the City Council held part of its meeting Wednesday night in front of the Mount San Antonio College board as a kind of visual protest against the college’s plan to build a five-story parking structure adjacent to Walnut homes.

With city staff in tow, all five City Council members drove from Walnut City Hall, where their meeting began, to Founder’s Hall in the center of the Mt. SAC campus, filled out white comment cards and were called one by one to address the college board face-to-face over an issue that is dividing the two institutions.

All five, along with about 20 community members, urged the Board of Trustees to halt plans to build a five-story parking garage abutting dozens of Timberline homes along Mountaineer Road and instead relocate the structure elsewhere on the large campus.

The tense drama included numerous threats of litigation from some City Council members and attorneys with the neighborhood group, United Walnut Taxpayers, if the project was not relocated.

Councilman Eric Ching reminded the trustees the city a few years ago took on Ed Roski, who proposed an NFL stadium in nearby Industry, in court. “Is that what you want?” he said.

The odd arrangement came about after Mt. SAC’s Board of Trustees refused to meet with the City Council in joint session or with a board majority. Members of both groups met informally twice but with no resolution.

Read more in Steve Scauzillo’s story GARAGE.

Ryan Seacrest visits Diamond Bar High tomorrow

Please join American Idol’s Ryan Seacrest, The Grammy Foundation, KIIS FM, and the Ford Motor Company to celebrate Diamond Bar High School’ Steve Acciani being named a national semifinalist for the Grammy Music Educator Award on Tuesday, November 11.

Come and help support the Diamond Bar High School Music Program!

Diamond Bar High School will be participating in the Ford Motor Company’s Drive 4 UR School national test drive program to help raise money for the school’s outstanding music program.

GRAMMY Foundation Honorary Chair Ryan Seacrest will be on hand to join members of the Diamond Bar community who participate and support DBHS by test-driving a new Ford vehicle.

For every person over 18 who test-drives at this one-day event, Ford Motor Company and Fairway Ford will donate $20, up to $6,000, to Diamond Bar’s music education program.

The event will also feature all 700 DBHS instrumental music students performing, and be hosted by KIIS FM.

The event will take place on Tuesday, November 11, from 11:00am until 5:00pm, with Ryan Seacrest expected to join the celebration from 1pm until 3pm.

Food trucks will be on hand, so come spend some time enjoying an afternoon out with the community.

Diamond Bar High School is located at 21400 E. Pathfinder Road in Diamond Bar.

Caltrans lists closings for 60 Freeway paving project

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will close portions of SR-60 from the San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) to the Orange Freeway (SR-57) separation, as part of a pavement rehabilitation project.  Closures are as follows and subject to change.

 Monday, November 10, through Friday, November 14

Eastbound SR-60

  • 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. – Up to three lanes between I-605 & Azusa Avenue
  • 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. – High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane CLOSEDbetween I-605 & Azusa Avenue

Westbound SR-60

  • 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. – Up to three lanes between southbound SR-57 & Azusa Avenue
  • 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. – HOV lane CLOSED between southbound SR-57 & Azusa Avenue

 Friday, November 14, through Saturday, November 15

Eastbound SR-60

  • 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.   – Up to three lanes between I-605 & Azusa Avenue
  • 7 p.m. to 9 a.m.     – Seventh Avenue on-ramp CLOSED
  • 12 a.m. to 8 a.m.   – HOV lane CLOSED between Seventh Avenue & Hacienda Boulevard
  • 11 p.m. to 11 a.m. – Connector from north- and southbound I-605 to eastbound SR-60 CLOSED

Westbound SR-60

  • 12 a.m. to 4 a.m.   – Up to three lanes between southbound SR-57 & Azusa Avenue
  • 10 p.m. to 11 a.m. – Fairway Drive and Old Brea Canyon Road on-ramps CLOSED
  • 12 a.m. to 8 a.m.   – HOV lane CLOSED between southbound SR-57 & Nogales Street
  • 11 p.m. to 10 a.m. – Connector from north- and southbound SR-57 to westbound SR-60 CLOSED

Detours will be posted. New pavement will improve mobility and enhance safety for motorists.  Flatiron West Inc. is the contractor on this $121.5 million project which is expected to complete late 2014.

Hollingworth celebrates 50th with family festival in West Covina

Hollingworth Elementary will celebrate its 50th anniversary today with a Golden Harvest Celebration from 4:30 to 7 p.m. today in West Covina.

Rowland Unified families and alumni, as well as community members, are invited to enjoy food trucks, games, music and a petting zoo.

Parking is available on surrounding streets and at Telesis Academy.

Local Congressmen see onslaught of anti-Obama bills

The mostly Democractic Southern California caucus, fresh from celebrating easy victories in safe districts, were bracing themselves Wednesday for an onslaught of anti-Obama bills that could for the first time come to fruition in the U.S. Senate.

After a mid-term election that gave the Republicans control of the Senate to add to their control of the House of Representatives, local members expect to see bills calling for repeal of the Affordable Care Act and weakening of environmental regulations to get through both legislative bodies.

However, some said the Republicans, led by next Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, really don’t want to shoot down Obamacare because it would leave millions of constituents without health care, an outcome that could backfire.

As such, they expect more gamesmanship in which bills are moved forward but won’t make it past the 60-vote requirement to deflect a filibuster. Or certain bills may pass if Republicans get some Democrats to sign on, but these will not become law because they will be vetoed by the president.

“There will be a lot of pressure on the GOP leadership to have symbolic votes for their base. It is something they feel they have to do,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, whose district stretches from West Hollywood to Pasadena.

Environmental groups expect the flurry of anti-environment bills present in the House for almost three years to become a blizzard now that the Senate has reportedly chosen Sen. James Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, to head the Environment and Public Works Committee.

Inhofe does not believe in a human impact on climate change and once compared the U.S. Environmental Protection agency to the gestapo.

Read more in Steve Scauzillo’s story ELECTION.

Mt. SAC holds community volunteer fair today

The Mt. San Antonio College Student Life Office will hold a Community Volunteer Fair for local organizations that would like to recruit student volunteers on Thursday, Nov. 6, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Student Life Center patio area, building 9C. 

The fair provides an opportunity for students to engage in public service, obtain hands-on learning experiences, and make a difference in the community.

Some of the organizations that will participate in this year’s event include the AmeriCorps, Covina Public Library, Inland Empire United Way, House of Ruth, Inland Valley Hope Partners, Just Us 4 Youth, Parent’s Place Family Resource & Empowerment Center, Rowland Unified School District Family Resource Center, Think Together, VITAS Innovative Hospice Care, and more. 

Business leaders help students connect to future

Business and community leaders will help high school senior students learn how to “network” and practice their presentations skills tomorrow at the unique “Connections to the Future” luncheon event.

Organized and facilitated by senior students in the Career Certification Program at both Nogales and Rowland High Schools, the event teaches students professional networking and employment skills as they interact with business leaders.

Community participants enjoy a complimentary luncheon and will hear from keynote speaker Henry DiCarlo, Meteorologist for the KTLA-TV Morning News.

The theme of the event will be “It’s All About Communication.”  The event is tomorrowNovember 6 from 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Rowland High School. The Connections to the Future event highlights the award-winningCareer Certification Program of the Rowland Unified School District.

The program prepares high school students for college and the workforce with real-world experience in six different industry pathways: Arts & Communications, Business, Family & Consumer Sciences, Health & Medical Services, Public & Human Services, and Technology. Students complete courses and an internship in their field of interest. For more information, visit http://careerpathways.rowland.k12.ca.us

For more information about Rowland Unified, the community can download the free Mobile App for iOS and Android phones/devices that has news, school calendars, a safety Tip Line, high school sports news for Nogales and Rowland High Schools, and helpful parent and District resources. Visitwww.RowlandSchools.org or call (626) 965-2541.