Los Altos High teacher charged with sex with student

By Ruby Gonzales, Staff Writer

A Los Altos High School chemistry teacher was charged Wednesday for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old student.

District Attorney spokeswoman Sarah Ardalani said three felony counts of lewd acts upon a child were filed against David Park, 37, of Chino Hills.B-pSaNkVEAEnYPl

Investigators alleged he molested the girl after school in a classroom and at his home from September to November 2014.

Wearing a gray T-shirt and with his hands handcuffed behind his back, Park appeared Tuesday afternoon at Pomona Superior Court for an arraignment which was continued to March 9.

Park’s bail was $1 million after deputies arrested him Monday night. The bail for the charges filed is $75,000.

“I think it requires a deviation from $75,000 just for protection of the community,” Commissioner Wade Olson said.

He set bail at $150,000. Olson said if Park is released on bail, he must have no contact with the victim. He reminded Park that there is a protective order.

Park’s father and another relative attended the arraignment. They declined comment.

Read more in Ruby Gonzales story BAIL.

Los Altos teacher accused of having sex with 15-year-old student

Deputies arrested a Los Altos High School biology and chemistry teacher Monday night for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old student on campus after school hours and at his Chino Hills home.

David Park, 37, was booked on suspicion of oral copulation, lewd acts with a child 15 years old and sexual battery. He is expected to be arraigned today at Pomona Superior Court and is being held on $1 million bail.

Hacienda La Puente Unified Superintendent Cindy Parulan-Colfer said a faculty member noticed that the teen seemed very upset Monday afternoon.

The sophomore said she’d been molested by Park since September, according to Lt. Andrew Meyer of the sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau.

Los Altos Principal Cheli McReynolds called the Sheriff’s Industry station.B-pSaNkVEAEnYPl

Sgt. Al Fraijo said detectives discovered written evidence that substantiated the allegations. He didn’t give details on where evidence was found or what kind.

Read more in ARREST.

Los Altos High holds opening day for baseball

Los Altos High School will celebrate the opening day for baseball on Saturday. It has planned a full day of fun activities, including an alumni vs. varsity game at 9:30 a.m. and JV game at 11 a.m.
The biggest event, the annual COW POOP DEEED BINGO begins at noon. Cows will roam a large painted coordinate grid out on the field. The three first poops made where people have purchased those deed spots, win cash prizes.
There will also be food booths, games and a dunk tank

Los Altos High lineman hit by car isn’t Superman

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By Aram Tolegian, Staff Writer

There’s not too many people who can take on a car moving at 30 miles per hour and win. Los Altos High School lineman David Tolmachoff is one of the exceptions.

The experience wasn’t by choice. It certainly provided a scare and lots of pain. Yet the unintended consequences like adding to Tolmachoff’s almost folklorish presence at school have been priceless for his teammates and coaches.

Tolmachoff will get one last chance to add to his legacy Saturday when the two-way standout lineman leads Los Altos against Colony in the CIF-Southern Section Central Division championship.

“We really just keep him around for the entertainment value,” Los Altos head coach Dale Ziola said of Tolmachoff. “But he’s a huge asset to the team. We’re glad he’s on our side and not someone else’s side.”

And yet despite all of the big sacks while playing defense and opening huge holes for running backs while playing offense, the thing Tolmachoff’s coaches and teammates are likely to share are the time he took on a moving car and won.

On May 21, the day after Los Altos’ school year ended. Tolmachoff and teammate David Jimenez were on campus to meet with University of Colorado recruiter Jim Jeffcoat. Following the meeting, Tolmachoff headed home on his bicycle. What happened next could have been tragic.

 

 

“I was right in front of the school, normally I cross (the street) right in the same spot and I guess I didn’t see the car because once I pulled out, there was a (Toyota) Scion and I took it head on,” Tolmachoff said. “After that, I just remember being airlifted and the lights in the hospital. I don’t remember anything beside that.”

Scoreboard: Tolmachoff 1, Scion 0.

Box score: Tolmachoff: Concussion, broken jaw, scrapes, bumps and bruises. Scion: Totaled.

The photo of the dented and cracked Scion are in Ziola’s phone and he shows them as a story prop. Whomever hears the story and sees the picture of the car usually laughs in amazement. But the day of the accident still haunts Ziola.

Read more in Aram Tolegian’s story LINEMAN.

Community Christmas Concert on Dec. 13 in Hacienda Heights

The 14th Annual Community Christmas Concert will be held Saturday, Dec. 13,  at 7:30 p.m. in Hacienda Heights.

The concert will be held at Saint John Vianney Catholic Community Center at 1345 Turnbull Canyon Road. It will be produced by Michael Gribschaw, Director of Music at the church.

Eight choirs will perform including: St. John Vianney Adult Choir – Christine Leong Brydges, Director; St. John VIanney Children’s Choir – Christine Leong Brydges, Director; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Eric W. Bladh, Director; Saint Matthews United Methodist Church – Elaine Ono, Director; Los Altos High School – Jeffrey Fahey, Director; Wilson High School – De John Brown, Director; Mesa Robles Middle School – Amanda  C. Benavides, Director and Los Angeles Philharmonic Choir – Hui-Chen Lee, Director.

Audience will participate by singing Christmas Carols.The choirs will combine to sing the “Hallelujah Chorus” from the “Messiah”, under the direction of Christine Leong Brydges.

The concert is free to the public and refreshments will be served after the concert.

A free will offering will be taken for the East San Gabriel Coalition for the Homeless. In 2013, $3,020 was raised for the coalition.

Newton Knights show Goodwill in Hacienda Heights

From Newton Middle School

“Newton Middle School Knights DO GOOD for the Hacienda Heights community!  NMS students have a long history of high academic achievement but also of demonstrating a sense of pride and responsibility to their local community.

It’s not uncommon to see middle school kids donning Newton Knights spirit shirts marching up and down the major boulevards picking up trash on weekends, combing through nearby beaches clearing litter, and hosting canned food and toy drives near the holidays to support underprivileged families and kids.

This month, Newton has partnered with Goodwill Southern California to support the great work that the organization does to enhance the quality of life for individual with disabilities, U.S. Veterans, and local troubled youth by assisting them to become productive and self-sufficient through education, training, and job opportunities.

To promote this important purpose, students have set the goal of filling 20 large bins with donated goods to be given to the Goodwill!  Students will collect all kinds of items including artwork, bedspreads, CDs and DVDs, clothing, shoes, accessories, computers, cookware, small appliances, holiday decorations, sporting goods, and much more.

The Hacienda Heights community can help by bringing donations to Newton Middle School between November 12th-November 15th.  The last chance to make donations is Saturday, November 15th by 2:00 pm.

Come by, and turn your discards into someone’s treasure!  For more information, contact Principal Angela Lin at 626-933-2401.”

 

Hacienda La Puente Unified OKs design work on high school football fields

Los Altos High players scrambles for a first down.

Los Altos High players scrambles for a first down.

The Hacienda La Puente Unified School Board has taken the first step toward getting new artificial turf at three high schools, as well as a new swimming pool at La Puente High. The board voted to add the projects to its priority list and begin design work on the $23 million proposals.

“It was a great day because this is long overdue,” said Board President Gino Kwok after the meeting. “It’s a watershed moment because its important to our students.”

Members of the boosters club from all four high schools packed the board meeting.

“We had 26 speakers comment about the poor shape of our fields and the La Puente pool,” noted board member Penny Fraumeni. “They complained about strained and broken ankles suffered from gopher holes on the football fields.”

La Puente High already has artificial turf on its football field and track. But the original swimming pool is full of cracks, which leaks up to six inches of water every day, according to Fraumeni.

“We keep wasting taxpayers’ money trying to fix that old pool,” Fraumeni explained. “We could have put that money toward a new swimming pool.”

The new board member ran on a platform calling for a new football stadium at Wilson High School. After the election, she said she realized the district couldn’t afford a new stadium.

“So I worked with board member Kwok, who thought we can could afford to replace the football fields and tracks,” Fraumeni said.

Kwok said they fought to get the projects added to the priority list. He said board member Anthony Duarte expressed serious concerns about paying for the projects.

“I’m for replacing the fields and the swimming pool,” agreed Duarte. “But I also want to know how we’re going to pay for it.”