May 2009 Archives

POMONA - Students, faculty and parents on Sunday will take part in the School of Arts and Enterprise inaugural Visual and Performing Arts Gala and Silent Auction.

The event will be from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Fox Theater, 301 S. Garey Ave.

Tickets, which will be sold at the door, will be $10 for general admission and $25 for VIP admission.

VIP tickets will entitle guests who are 21 years old and older to access the theater's rooftop area for a post-performance mixer.

The semi-formal event is a fundraiser for the charter school's arts programs.

At a time when many schools are cutting or eliminating their arts programs, the School of Arts and Enterprises is committed to offering a wide range of visual and performing arts, while placing an emphasis on academically-challenging work, according to a school news release.

The gala will serve as a showcase for the work of the school's faculty and students as well as parents with artistic backgrounds.

POMONA - A group of students from Pomona Unified School District high schools and adult-education program were recognized and presented $1,000 scholarships at this week's school board meeting.

The scholarships were awarded by the Pomona Administrators, Classified Management and Confidential Employees Association to the students for their academic achievement and involvement in school, civic and other activities.

Honorees were: Rodrigo Angeles of Pomona Adult and Career Education, who was represented by a family member; Christopher Laurel of Diamond Ranch High School; Salvador Zaragoza of Ganesha High School; Jasmine Rojas of Garey High School; Alvaro Aguila of Park West High School; Grace Phan of Pomona High School; Orlando Roybal of Village Academy High School and Mauro Galindo Jr. of the School of Extended Educational Options.

POMONA - The Pomona City Council on Monday will address a proposal to close Monroe Street where it meets Orange Grove Avenue.

Council members will have three options to chose from, according to a city staff report.

The options include:

• Approve a resolution that says closing the street would conform with the city's general plan.

• Direct city personnel to conduct a traffic study and identify the impacts tied to closing the street.

• Deny the request.

Area residents requested the closure due to concerns related to the number of vehicles as well as their speed in the area.

In 2006, public works personnel installed speed humps on Monroe between Orange Grove and McKinley Avenue as well as a stop sign at Monroe and Bradford Street.

The installations did not entirely resolve the problem, according to the report.

The Planning Commission in April rejected the proposal.

Performances of Shakespeare's comedy "As You Like It" will be at the Mt. San Antonio College Studio Theater in June.

Mt. SAC theater program members will perform the play at 8 p.m. June 4-6 and 2 p.m. June 7.

General admission tickets are $12.

Tickets are $9 for seniors, students and children under age 12.

Tickets are available online at www.4tix.org or by calling the Mt. SAC performing arts box office at (909) 468-4050.

POMONA - Chili cooks in the region are being invited to show off their cooking skills by taking part in a chili cook-off fundraising event organized by Los Angeles County Fire Department Explorer Post 15.

Contest judging will be at 2 p.m. June 6 at the Pomona Eagles Lodge, 954 W. Mission Blvd. in Pomona.

The contest is open to members of the business community and other people.

The winning chili recipe will be given the title of "Best Chili Ever."

The cook-off is a fund raiser for the non-profit Explorer Post 15.

Through the Explorer program, Pomona teenagers and young adults interested in careers in firefighting learn about the field.

Funds raised through the cook-off will help pay for training programs, uniforms and equipment for young people enrolled in the program.

Entry fee for the cook-off is $20.

Those interested in signing up for the contest can do so by calling (951) 288-8199 or (909) 629-7540.

People will also be able to sign up for the cook-off up to the day of the event.

Opportunities are also available for vendors interested in having booths at the event.

POMONA - Assemblywoman Norma Torres recognized four area business on Friday during the Small Business of the Year awards luncheon at Kaiser Permanente Palm Court in Fontana.

The luncheon, expected to become an annual event, was a join effort organized by Torres, D-Ontario, state Sen. Gloria Negrete-McLeod, D-Montclair, and Assemblywoman Wilmer Amina Carter, D-Rialto, according to a news release from Torres' office.

Torres' honorees were the UPS store in Pomona's downtown, which is owned and operated by Andre Robinson; Darafeev Furniture of Chino; Cagle's Appliance Center in Ontario; and Edward Jones Investments of Chino.

"I'm excited to co-host this event with Senator Negrete-McLeod and Assemblymember Carter in recognizing the contributions that small businesses do for our communities. Small businesses are the backbone of California's economy," Torres said.

POMONA - With the superintendent of the Pomona Unified School District nominated for a federal education post in the Obama administration, school board members are preparing to find her replacement.

At this week's board meeting, counsel Kasey Haws announced an item would appear on the June 23 meeting agenda to discuss the selection of a successor for Superintendent Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana.

Board President Andrew Wong said Thursday Melendez de Santa Ana must still be formally nominated and go through a Senate hearing process over her nomination as assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education.

The job would make her a principal adviser to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
While that happens, the board will begin discussion on the steps it must take should Melendez de Santa Ana be approved for that position.

Wong said he wants a search for a replacement that involves plenty of community involvement.

"I want to make sure we have as much community input as we can," he said.

Board member John Avila said when Melendez de Santa Ana took over one of the things she was asked to do was to engage the community.

She made a commitment to working with the community and has tapped into the community's energy and willingness to become involved in education, Avila said.

With that has come greater input from the community.

"We are now at a point where we are comfortable" with receiving input, he said.

For Melendez de Santa Ana and for the board, it has been very important "to have the district be open and very transparent," said board member Steve Lustro.

POMONA -- A doctor and a forensic crime scene investigator seemingly don't have much in common -- but they do.

The common link is that their work involves a great deal of science.

Doctors, crime scene investigators, scientists from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, teachers and other people will showcase their work on Saturday at the second annual Nancy McCracken Science, Math, Service Learning and Arts Expo.
The free event at Fairplex will include a variety of science and art exhibits produced by Pomona Unified School District students.

In putting together the expo, organizers had two goals in mind, said Sarah Ross, chairwoman of the Pomona Youth and Family Master Plan Community Board's Promoting Academic Achievement Task Force.

On one hand, "We're hoping to raise (students') interest in education and math and science," Ross said. "Secondly, we want families to spend more time together."

The expo makes it possible to work on both goals, she said.

Families will find something that interests every member regardless of age, she said.

After weeks of speculation, President Barack Obama on Tuesday said he will nominate Federal Appeals Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court making her the first person of Latino heritage to serve on that body if her nomination is confirmed.

Sotomayor, 54, would take the seat being left open by retiring Justice David Souter.

Observers and scholars of the Supreme Court say Sotomayor will be approved for the post although he will face tough question from Republicans.

In a prepared statement Rep. David Dreier, R-San Dimas, said: "Judge Sotomayor's nomination is the latest chapter in a great American story. She deserves a fair and thorough hearing in the U.S. Senate, and I am confident she will receive one."

Sotomayor was born in the south Bronx in New York. Her father died when she was young child and her mother worked two jobs to raise Sotomayor and her brother.

She overcame obstacles and went on to graduate from Princeton University and Yale Law School. She was a commercial litigator, a federal district judge nominated by George H.W. Bush and is now an appellate judge nominated by Bill Clinton.

POMONA - After taking questions on the closure of Mission Boulevard and the effects of construction at Mission and the 71 Freeway, city Public Works representatives have scheduled another meeting.

The next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Westmont Community Center, 1808 W. Ninth St.

At that meeting Public Works representatives will have answers to the questions posed by residents living near the construction zone and the operators of nearby businesses.

Through this and possibly more meetings "we'll be trying to work out these issues on an on-going" basis, Tim D'Zmura, Pomona's public works director, said late last week.

A recent meeting meant to share information on the project drew more than 45 people, some of them residents and some business people.

CLAREMONT - The Human Relations Council of Pomona Valley will honor a Pomona resident with its top award during the organization's annual recognition dinner on Sunday.

The council's 15th annual Community Volunteer Recognition and Celebration Dinner will be at 5 p.m. Sunday at Taylor Hall, 1775 N. Indian Hill Blvd.

The council's Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Zennie Cummings, a resident of Pomona who for many years has given her time to efforts dedicated to increasing racial equity and unity among residents of the region.

In addition to Cummings several other Pomona residents will be recognized for their volunteer efforts and commitment to a variety of non-profits, community- and faith-based groups.

Those being recognized:

- Claremont resident Anne Koegel of the Peace with Justice Center of Pomona Valley

- Pomona resident Primo and Melba Castro of the Pomona-Inland Valley Martin Luther King Jr. Project

- Claremont resident Alice Kuch and Ontario resident Mickey Ridgeway of the Claremont Center for Spiritual Living

- Pomona resident Rev. Marty Alexander of Shield of Faith Christian Center

- Michael Brandon, Angelique Heilig and Dean Taylor of Western University of Health Sciences

- Pomona residents Joohee Sohn and Sonya Stewart of the Pomona Youth Advisory Council

- Pomona resident Cheryl Kostenbader of the Human Relations Council of Pomona Valley

Tickets, at $35,are still available for purchase today and Sunday. For ticket information call (909) 218-0988.

POMONA - Tickets to Kaboom!, Fairplex's annual Fourth of July celebration, are now on sale.

Kaboom! is among the biggest fireworks show in the region. The event includes a monster truck and extreme motocross show.

Reserved seating tickets for the event are $19.50. Trackside bleacher seats cost $17.50 and general seating tickets are $14. Children 2 years of age and younger are free.

Tickets can be purchased at Fairplex's Green Gate which near Gate 1 on McKinley Avenue until July 4 or until they are sold out. The Green Gate box office is open from noon to 7 p.m. weekdays.

On June 20, 21, 27 and 28 the box office will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Ticket orders can be placed by calling (800) 745-3000.

Tickets can also be purchased online by going to http://www.ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster locations.

For additional Kaboom! information go to http://www.fairplex.com/ or call (909) 623-3111.

POMONA - Applications are being accepted for those interested in participating in the Pomona Police Department's Citizen's Police Academy.

Through the 10-week course residents will learn about the operations of the police department including those of patrol, investigations, forensics, canine, narcotics and traffic units from those handling such duties.

Hands-on activities will be part of the course giving participants a feel for the duties police personnel carry out as part of their jobs.

The academy will meet on Wednesdays from 9 to 11:30 a.m. with the first meeting scheduled for June 17.

Space in the Citizen's Police Academy is limited. Deadline to submit applications is June 5.

For applications or to learn more about it the program call the department's crime prevention unit at (909) 620-2318.

POMONA - Science experiments, demonstrations and a portable planetarium show will be part of the 2nd annual Nancy McCracken Science, Math, Service Learning & Arts Expo on May 30.

The free event is open to the public and offers attendees a chance to see a variety of engaging science displays and activities.

One of the expo features will be the Sky Dome Planetarium Shows which take place inside an giant inflatable planetarium.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Building 8 of Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave.
Entrance will be at Gate 3 on McKinley.

POMONA - A proposed ordinance that would regulate the possession of alcoholic beverages in public places will go before the City Council for a final vote Monday.

City Council members gave preliminary approval to the proposed ordinance at its April 20 meeting.

If approved the ordinance would make it an infraction to have an open alcoholic beverage container in public places and in city buildings.

Alcoholic beverages would be permitted on private property, such as homes, and in places with licenses from the state Department of Alcohol Beverage Control or a special event permit.

The proposal resulted from complaints the Police Department receives about people consuming alcoholic beverages in parking lots next to entertainment establishments, according to a city staff report.

POMONA - A proposed ordinance that would update the city's water conservation regulations will go before city leaders Monday.

At their May 4 meeting, council members opened a public hearing but opted to continue the item to Monday's meeting and take testimony at that time.

If approved, a series of water conservation requirements would become permanent.

Here is a partial list of proposed requirements:

- No watering from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. except if it is done by hand.

- Washing down hard or paved surfaces would be banned. The exception would be if washing down surfaces is for health and safety reasons.

- Running irrigation systems would be limit to 15 minutes.

- Car wash establishments would be barred from installing non-recirculating car wash systems. Such businesses would have until 2011 to retrofit systems.

- Guests at hotels would have the option of forgo having their linens laundered on a daily basis.

PASADENA -- Ivy Yen will use her master's degree in nursing training to provide health care to people in underserved countries.

With his doctor of nursing practice degree Lance Wilcher will continue educating future nurses. He'll also work to develop policies and help patients access the care they need.

Although their career paths are different Yen and Wilcher have something in common. They are among the 67 men and women who graduated Thursday from Western University of Health Sciences College of Graduate Nursing in ceremony held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

The nursing graduates weren't the only ones taking part in the morning commencement. Also taking part in the ceremony were physician assistants and physical therapists who graduated from the university's College of Allied Health Professions.

Wilcher was among the first 14 students to earn a doctor of nursing practice degree at Western University.

The class includes nurses who are moving up into management as administrators as well as educators. They are the future leaders in health care, said Karen Hanford, dean of the College of Graduate Nursing.

Yen is among the enthusiastic new nurses joining a profession that continues to be in need of more people among its ranks.

POMONA -- Parents are not supposed to bury their children.

A child's death may come from illness, accident, injury or street violence.

But whatever the reason, a mother and her family can find themselves enveloped by grief, Pomona resident Ethel Gardner said.

Helping these mothers and their families requires a community effort. The Million Mothers March, which will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at Ganesha Park, 1575 N. Garey Ave., is designed to help empower mothers and families and offer a way to begin the healing process.

"There are mothers that are suffering so badly over the loss of children that they are not functioning as citizens of humans," event organizer Gardner said.

"It's going to take the community to rally around them."

At about 10:15 a.m. participants will leave the park and head to the Pomona Civic Center Plaza, 505 S. Garey Ave.

At the plaza, there will be a balloon launch that will symbolize a new beginning and the release of the pain that burdens families, Gardner said.

After the walk, participants will take buses back to Ganesha Park where they will find counselors from various organizations such as House of Ruth, Tri-City Mental Health, faith-based groups and others.

All will be prepared to offer assistance, Gardner said.

POMONA - After listening to the concerns of business people worried about a planned closure of Mission Boulevard near the 71 Freeway, City Council members are expect to get an update today on how to address those concerns.

Mayor Elliott Rothman asked that city administrators provide an update at special budget study session beginning at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall, 505 S. Garey Ave.

About 10 speakers that included operators of several businesses near the intersection attended Monday night's meeting asking the street be kept open during construction of a $40 million interchange.

Public Works Director Tim D'Zmura said Tuesday he and others in his department work working on multiple items related to the project.

"We are aggressively working on issues raised by business owners and trying to address their concerns," he said.

Among the problems speakers noted was a lack of information on the project.

People who do business at Pomona City Hall on Fridays will soon be losing that option.

As a way to reduce costs, City Hall will close Fridays.

Beginning May 11 City Hall will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, said Mark Gluba, assistant to the city manager.

The plan calls for eliminating Friday hours until July 2010.

The Pomona Police Department and the Pomona Public Library hours will remain the same.

POMONA - With a mixture of American folk, Latin American children's songs and some pop and rock, Jose-Luis Orozco had more than 800 Philadelphia Elementary School students dancing in place and singing along in front of the campus Monday morning.

Students weren't the only ones dancing.

"Do you want your teachers to sing and dance?" he asked.

"Yes," the students answered back in unison.

Before long Orozco had a group of teachers of teachers and a school staff dancing the "Macarena."

For those in need of a little help with the dance moves Orozco offered some help. Every move was tied to a month of the year.

Other songs had connections to math concepts and history lessons. Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" was sung in both English and Spanish.

Through it all Orozco had a message of encouragement for the students about to start taking important standardized tests.