September 2009 Archives

POMONA - Landon Djannie didn't like the special lights and lenses that Jasmine Yumori was using to examine his eyes.

Yumori patiently worked with the 11-month-old, cooing and praising him when he kept still long enough to have a good look in his eyes.

Yumori, a doctor of optometry and a professor in the field at the recently opened College of Optometry at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, was being watched carefully by four of her students.

"Landon's eyes look good," Yumori said as Pomona resident Kyla Djannie sat with her son in her lap.

Landon was one of more than a dozen children under 12 months who had their eyes examined recently at the Prototypes facilities on East Arrow Highway in Pomona.

The exams brought together Western University and Prototypes to offer the free service to mothers participating in the Black Infant Health and the San Gabriel Best Babies Collaborative programs.

Stacy Powell, Prototypes program manager, said the exams were a pilot project.

Powell learned recently the university was looking to work with a community group.

"It was, hey, we have clients and you have a service. Let's see how we can work collaboratively," she said.

Offering the exams had a dual purpose.

It was a way of making sure the children didn't have any vision problems but if one was discovered it allow the mothers and organization to catch long before a child enters school. Unattended a vision problem can affect academic performance, Powell said.

In addition, the exams let the mothers know the babies should be tested at an early age, she said.

"Hopefully we're planting seeds here," Powell said.

Landon's mother said her son was born prematurely and was told early on he would need regular vision screening to ensure he didn't develop problems linked to the early birth.

Being able to have the check up done at Prototypes was far better than in a doctors office, Djannie said.

"It's an environment he knows and is familiar with. It's not frightening and sterile," she said.

For the optometry students this was a way to learn about the vision problems that can affect very young children. It was also a way to learn how to distract or keep children's attention so they can complete an exam.

Students watched their professor and then repeated the exams. Other times the students carried out the exam first and then were checked by Yumori.

The students watched their professor in action and also helped her out.

They used a different set of optometric equipment - a green dinosaur emitting light from its mouth, a purple, giggling Toucan bird, a plastic, battery powered sphere with a spinning ring of colorful lights, and a pink stuffed animal - to help the children focus their vision.

First year optometry student Christine Pham of Claremont has provided vision exams to elementary school children as part of her training.

Working with babies requires a different approach than working with adults or older children, she said.

"You have to change your voice and change your method of administering that test," Pham said.

Dong Suk, a first year optometry student living in Pomona, said he volunteered to offer the baby vision exams.

Even though the vision exams came in the midst of preparing for mid-terms he welcomed the experience.

"It's very rewarding," Suk said enthusiastically. "It kind of keeps me grounded and shows me why I'm in this profession."

POMONA - For some, the 7-Eleven on Towne Avenue, north of the 10 Freeway, has been a model business with clean surroundings and a vigilant operator.

To others, the business is stable but would become an eyesore if it sold beer and wine.

A majority of the City Council earlier this week determined that the store's operator, Manjit Singh, has been a responsible businessman and granted a conditional-use permit that allows the convenience store to sell beer and wine.

By a 5-2 vote, council members overturned a decision the Planning Commission made in May to deny the permit.

Council members Paula Lantz and Cristina Carrizosa voted in opposition.

Before the vote, a long line of supporters and opponents of the permit went before the council members to make their case.

Supporters included business people, fellow convenience store operators, customers and neighbors.

Opponents included members of neighboring churches and area residents.

The city has a large number of licenses authorizing establishments to sell alcoholic beverages and needs to work on reducing those figures, Pomona resident Bernardo Rosa said.

Rosa is director of Community Wellness Partnership and works to reduce young people's exposure to substances such as alcohol.

He added that "No matter who you give a license to and no matter who runs" the business, the sale of alcoholic beverages will have a negative effect on the neighborhood.

Supporters disagreed.

Pomona resident Ron Vander Mollen said most people agree Singh's store is a clean, well-run operation.

Vander Mollen challenged opponents "to take that energy and turn it against the liquor store around the corner."

He was referencing a nearby liquor store that has been a source of problems for the area.

Vander Mollen said that during the two years he served on the Planning Commission he heard frequently from people seeking such permits. Many had poorly maintained properties and little concern for the neighborhoods where they operated.

"None of them had proven themselves a great neighbor," he said. "I see a guy like Manjit Singh with all the qualities we looked for."

Neighborhood resident Patrick Kelly said he is a customer of the 7-Eleven, which also has a gas station, but had concerns about the store being authorized to sell alcoholic beverages.

"Alcohol, gasoline and the proximity to the freeway" are a bad combination, he said.

Councilman Steve Atchley said he understood the concerns of those on both sides of the issue, but "In the case of this particular applicant, I find I am able to support it fully."

Councilwoman Paula Lantz said she knows of three Neighborhood Watch groups in the city that have concerns about the manner in which other convenience stores have operated and how they act as magnets for pan handling and other nuisances.

"Manjit operates the store, right now," Lantz said. "He's the franchisee. He could be gone the next day, next month or next year."

Councilman Freddie Rodriguez said he would be concerned if the permit was being requested for a store in a high-crime area and if it was one that generated a large volume of calls for police services.

However, none of those factors exist, Rodriguez said.

Council members granted the permit with a series of conditions, including one that requires the property owner to ensure that future tenants are given the conditions the permit was granted under, according to a city staff report.

Future tenants will have to sign a document in which they state they are aware of the conditions and commit to operating under them. If any conditions are violated, then the property owner as well as the tenant will be held responsible, according to the report.

POMONA - Nine months after taking the helm of the Pomona Police Department on an interim basis, David Keetle has been appointed the city's new police chief.

Mayor Elliott Rothman made the announcement at the start of Monday night's City Council meeting after informing those in attendance the council voted 6-0, with Councilwoman Cristina Carrizosa abstaining.

"Dave Keetle is our new police chief," Rothman said. "Ladies and gentlemen, join me in welcoming the new chief of the city of Pomona."

Keetle, who had been assistant chief since September 2006, took over as interim chief in December following the retirement of former chief Joe Romero.

The newly named chief did not comment at the meeting. He was out of town for a training session on Tuesday, and unavailable for comment.

City Manager Linda Lowry said Tuesday that Keetle is a self-starter who has already begun taking steps to improve areas of the Police Department.

"Dave is the consummate professional," Lowry said, adding his experience and education have all prepared him for this new phase of his career.

Keetle, 54, is a Pomona native who started his career as a member of the Monrovia Police Department in 1981, according to a statement from the city.

In 1984 Keetle moved to the Pomona Police Department where he has served as a canine officer and a founding member of the Special Weapons and Tactics team before going on to become the team's commander.

He played a key role in bringing back the department's helicopter bureau.

Keetle has associate's degrees in liberal arts and administration of justice and a bachelor's degree in business administration. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Senior Management Institute for Police.

He is a member of the San Gabriel Valley Police Chiefs Association, the Los Angeles County Police Chiefs Association and is involved with various organizations including serving as a member of the board of directors of YMCA of Pomona Valley.

During the last nine month Keetle has shown he's the right person for the job, Lowry said.

"He's sincere, he's reliable, focused and genuine. I think he has the respect of the community, the department, the council and me," Lowry said.

Keetle is interested in making the department "the best it can be," she said.

Addressing the city's budget created the delay in appointing a new chief, said Rothman Tuesday.

However, that time gave the City Council a chance to "see how (Keetle) did and he did fine," Rothman said.

"He's good, he's tough and is going to be tough on crime. His men look up to him," Rothman said.

POMONA - For months the city and representatives of Angelo's Pizzeria worked to develop a proposal modifying the business's conditional use permit.

This week City Council members opted to hold an evidenciary hearing and then determine how to deal with concerns linked to activities at the business.

Council members on Monday scheduled the hearing for 6 p.m. Oct. 7 in City Hall.

The East Second Street business was granted a conditional use permit in 2007 that gave it authorization to serve alcohol and have entertainment, Assistant City Attorney Andrew Jared said at this week's council meeting.

Over time changes occurred at the business including attracting crowds that exceeded its capacity, reports semi-nude go-go dancers performed there and other complaints, he said.

As late as last month Pomona police responded to a fight at the establishment that required more than a dozen officers, according to a city staff report.

The city brought its concerns to the attention of the property owner in late February with a notice of correction, Jared said.

Negotiations to address the issues began in June which resulted in a proposal city staff presented to City Council members Monday

The proposal contained "a set of conditions Mr. (Jason) Abboud felt could live by," Jared said, referring to the owner of the business.

However, those were "not necessarily staff's preferences," he said.

Among the recommendations was improving security and changing the hours of operation, a city staff report said.

Stuart Miller, lawyer for Abboud, said a series of personnel changes have been made at the business that has already started to produce positive results.

Among the changes made was bringing in a new security manager.

"City staff is well justified but the areas of concern can be resolved," Miller said.

During this week's meeting supporters and opponents of the business brought their comments to the council.

One supporter, Oleena Davis, said she lives on the floor above the business.

"I really don't see a reason to revoke" the permit, she said, adding what that part of the street needs is more activity.

Opponents urged council members to examine the situation carefully since the business doesn't resemble what it started out as.

"When did this become a club? It was Angelo's Pizza," said Pomona resident Hank Fung.

Councilwoman Paula Lantz said she realized the business had made some changes but that wasn't until recently following the fight at the business.

"All of a sudden the light goes on," she said.

Councilman Freddie Rodriguez said the city needs to act.

"My biggest concern is that if we don't do something about this it could lead to a death," Rodriguez said.

At the October hearing the council will function as a panel of judges and both sides will present evidence, Jared said.

The council will be able to address the concerns using the recommendations offered by the city's staff or they can add to it or take from it, he said.

"When they hear the evidence they can take whatever action they deem is appropriate," Jared said.

Council members will be able to modify, suspend and or revoke the business's conditional use permit, he said.

Councilman Steve Atchley said Tuesday the hearing process could be a long one.

The process will be "expensive and time-consuming," Atchley said.

It still may be possible to work out an agreement that doesn't require the extensive hearing process, he said.

Mayor Elliott Rothman said Tuesday there will be work ahead for the council.

"There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed," he said. "But you want to look at the entire case."

Board members of the Pomona Unified School District will meet Tuesday behind closed doors to select a group of candidates they would like to interview for the post of superintendent of
schools.

The special meeting will begin at 8 a.m in the Board Room Annex found
in the district Education Center, 800 S. Garey Ave.

Board members are expected to select six to eight people from the
pool of applicants, said Jim Huge, the consultant
working with the school district on the search.

Huge will contact the applicants to make sure they are still
interested in the position and to give the applicants time to contact
officials where they are currently employed time to inform them they
are being asked to take part in the interview process, Huge said.

The identities of the interviewees will be revealed shortly before
the interviews with school board members, residents of the district
and other members of the public. The meetings are scheduled for Oct.
6 and 7.

POMONA - Take a large party drawing young people from hither and yon, mix in underage drinking and unruly behavior and the formula can lead to tragic events.

For this reason members of the Pomona Youth and Family Master Plan Community Board recently voted to send a letter to Pomona City Council members asking they consider drafting and adopting a social host ordinance.

More than 20 cities in the state have adopted such ordinances, said Rev. Rick DeBruyne, pastor or Lincoln Avenue Community Church and a member of the community board.

Such an ordinance wouldn't affect family gathering or children's parties, he said.

What such local laws do is provide a way to deal with properties that are regularly the site of large scale parties that are a nuisance, DeBruyne said.

"It's really just an attempt to give the police department another tool so where there is a party with underage drinking or is getting out of hand to confront it," DeBruyne said.

The focus of such ordinances are property owners or the renters of the property where the parties take place, he said.

People who fail to control activities on their property can then be subject to civil penalties, he said.

Youth and Family Services Manager Andrea Rico said she will be drafting a letter which will be presented to the community board for review and approval.

Once approved it will the be forwarded to the City Council, mayor and city manager along with a staff report explaining the social host ordinance concept.

When the matter would go to the council has not yet been determined, she said.

POMONA - Long-time Pomona resident Milo Rodich was remembered Friday as a passionate man who fought for what he believed and always sought what was best for the city.

Rodich, 74, died Aug. 27 at Mt. San Antonio Gardens of heart problems following several months of poor health, said his sister, Nadine Yuhasz.

"He was a very passionate person. He loved people, loved life and lived life to the fullest," his sister said.

"He was a very hard working individual who was passionate about making a difference in the world," she said.

Rodich was a tireless advocate for city taxpayers who would point out wasteful government spending and ineffective leadership.

An observer of city government, Rodich was prepared to step up to the speakers' podium when he saw something that was detrimental to Pomona.

"He was a council watcher but generally backed up what he had to say with facts," said Pat Newton, another longtime resident who worked with him to oppose the establishment of a card club in the city in the 1990s.

When Rodich took on an issue he invested all his energy in it, research it and spoke on the topic with solid facts backing his argument, Newton said.

He used the same energy to recruit others.

"He was a community organizer par excellence," Newton said.

In opposing the card club Rodich "took the time and made time" to walk countless miles gathering signatures and support for the cause, she said.

"He was a very passionate man and worked very, very hard on those thing in which he believed in," Newton said.

Pomona resident Virginia Madrigal said over the years there were issues she and Rodich agreed on and others they did not such as the card club matter.

"We agreed to disagree," Madrigal said. "But we always respected each other."

Rodich was involved in various civic issues over the years including opposing the creation of a materials recycling facility in the mid 1990s. In 2002 he put an initiative on the ballot seeking a gradual reduction of the city's utility tax and the general sanitation fee leading to its elimination.

At one point he sought political office, entering the November 2000 race for mayor of Pomona challenging then Mayor Eddie Cortez unsuccessfully.

Councilman Steve Atchley said he met Rodich during his mayoral campaign.

Atchley's parents hosted a Rodich campaign event. Atchley said he remembers his eloquence.

That eloquence would sometimes come up in the City Council chambers.

"He'd come up and thunder at you like Moses on a mountain," Atchley said. "He could draw blood with his tongue."

Mayor Elliott Rothman, who at times was the target of Rodich's attention, said Rodich was "a community activist" who had the good of the city in mind.

"He did a lot of good for the city," Rothman said.

Rodich's passion and drive were not limited to civic causes, his sister said.

Rodich was a native of Aliquippa, Pa., and the fourth of 10 children born to Milos and Mildred Rodich.

As a boy he was just as energetic as he was as an adult, Yuhasz said.

"He was a leader in the neighborhood," she said.

At home "he wanted all the kids to do the best they could and be the best," Yuhasz said.

He also made sure his siblings followed the right path.

"He was the disciplinary...He made sure we were righteous," she said.

Rodich worked his way through Penn State University where he earned a degree in industrial management and relations, Yuhasz said.

He continued his education taking courses in public administration at the University of Pittsburgh.

A man of many talents, Rodich went on to work in various fields holding upper management positions with major companies including Disney and US Steel, Yuhasz said. He worked in marketing and also worked in real estate.

Rodich was living in Northern California working as a manager for the San Jose Chamber of Commerce and left that in 1964 to become the executive director of the United Way of Pomona Valley, his sister said.

He left Pomona moved away for a period and later returned, Yuhasz said.

Yuhasz said her brother was optimistic, energetic and a life long learner.

Yuhasz said she will miss her brother's caring nature, his ever present positive attitude and quick wit.

To Yuhasz Rodich was more than a brother.

"He was like my father. He was my friend," she said.

Rodich was preceded in death by his wife Alice Rodich, his parents and a brother George Rodich,

He is survived by two step children, Lani Cordero of Santa Barbara and Will Bowen of San Diego, eight siblings, Dorothy Goydich, Daniel Rodich and Steve Rodich of Aliquippa, Pa.; Eli Rodich of Moon Township, Pa.; Art Rodich of Sun Lakes, Arizona; Joanne Cercone and Sarah Nenadovich of Beaver Pa.; and Nadine Yuhasz of Glendale, Arizona; and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and great, great nieces and nephews.

After a seven-week break, the Pomona City Council will meet Monday to deal with an assortment of issues, including the matter of appointing a new police chief.

The council will have a special meeting behind closed doors to discuss a public employee appointment involving the chief.

The meeting is at 5 p.m.

Earlier this summer, City Manager Linda Lowry proposed appointing Acting Police Chief David Keetle to serve as the department's new police chief.

Keetle has been serving as acting chief since former Chief Joe Romero retired in December.

Those wishing to offer their opinions on what qualities the next Pomona Unified School District superintendent should have will be able to do so Monday.

Two meetings will be offered Monday at the Lorbeer Middle School gym, 501 Diamond Bar Blvd., Diamond Bar.

The first session will begin at 4:30 p.m. and is open to district personnel.

The second session begins at 6:30 p.m. and is open to the public.

Employees and the public can also participate in the community comment process by filling out a questionnaire available in English and Spanish at www.pusd.org.

Go to "superintendent search" and then click on "Superintendent search 2009 questionnaire."

Comments collected at the meetings and through the questionnaires will be provided to school board members and used as they go through applications and begin selecting applicants to be interviewed for the post.

Representatives of a north Pomona convenience store will go before the Pomona City Council on Monday evening with a request that it overturn a Planning Commission decision denying a permit to sell beer and wine.

Representatives for the 7-Eleven store at 2055 N. Towne Ave. went before the city's Planning Commission in late May where they sought a conditional-use permit that would have authorized the sale of beer and wine, according to a city staff report.

The request was denied.

Some residents have opposed the store's request because the business is close to schools and churches.

City administrators are recommending the council members uphold the decision of the Planning Commission, according to the report.

Council members have the option of denying the permit or they can grant the permit with conditions, according to the report.

The hearing will take place during the open portion of the City Council meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. at Pomona City Hall, 505 S. Garey Ave.

Pomona City Council members will conduct a public hearing Monday evening involving the modification, suspension or revocation of a downtown business's conditional-use permit.

The hearing involves Angelo's Pizzeria, which is in the 100 block of East Second Street in the city's downtown.

Representatives of the city have been working with property owner Jason Abboud to address various concerns, according to a staff report.

Of concern are issues such as a rise in requests for police service after the business was granted a liquor license.

The city also has concerns tied to large numbers of people gathering at the business and reports that scantily dressed go-go dancers have performed at the establishment

Abboud has denied these activities have taken place.

City administrators are recommending a series of changes to address concerns.

Council members are expected to hold the public hearing and then vote on a proposal to make modifications to the establishment's conditional-use permit, according to a staff report.

The hearing will be during the open portion of the council meeting at 7 p.m.

A proposal to increase dog license fees in Pomona will go before the City Council on Monday evening.

The proposal calls for increasing fees for spayed and neutered dogs from $10 to $35 a year and increasing the fees from $45 to $65 annually for those unspayed and unneutered, a city staff report said.

A public hearing on the matter will take place Monday night followed by a vote of the City Council.

The fee increase is needed to cover a more than $300,000 rise in the city's contract with the Inland Valley Humane Society for animal control services, according to the report.

The city allocated $434,458 in the 2009-10 budget for animal control services, the report said.

The city's share of animal control and animal shelter costs are estimated at $1.4million, and the projected revenues in license fees and other services fees, without an increase, are estimated to be $700,000, leaving a gap of about $303,000, according to the report.

Fall and the start of a new school year will be part of the theme for the Sept. 26 Family Fun Days at the Cal Poly Pomona Downtown Center, 300 W. Second St.

Activities will be from 1 to 4 p.m.

Family Fun Days offers various activities centered around the arts for children and their families for free.

Snacks, face painting and community wellness resources are all part of the free afternoon of activities.

Every child who attends Family Fun Days receives a free book.

For information on the program and activities, send an e-mail to Jonnie Owens at jjowens@csupomona.edu or call (909) 869-4689

For information in Spanish, call (909) 469-0080.

Inland Valley Hope Partners on Oct. 11 will hold the 36th annual Walk for the Hungry.

The fundraiser will support the organization's four food pantries in Ontario, Pomona, San Dimas and Claremont, according to Inland Valley Hope Partners.

In addition to the pantries, funds raised will benefit the organization's family residential emergency shelter and a weekly farmers market organized in Pomona.

The economic downturn has prompted families who used to have greater financial stability prior to the recession to seek assistance from Inland Valley Hope Partners.

Registration for the 5K walk begins at noon at Chaffey High School, 1245 N. Euclid Ave. in Ontario. The walk begins at 1 p.m.

The family-oriented event will include music, face painting and balloons as part of the afternoon's activities.

Admission to the event is free, but canned food donations will be accepted and sent to pantries for distribution to needy families.

Inland Valley Hope Partners serves families in Chino, Chino Hills, Claremont, Diamond Bar, La Verne, Montclair, Mt. Baldy, Ontario, Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga, San Dimas, Upland and Walnut.

For information on the event, send an e-mail to Fran Robertson at franr@hope-partners.com or call her at (909) 622-3806.

People interested in history and genealogy are invited to listen to a talk entitled "The Inland Empire and the Old Spanish Trail" at the Pomona Public Library.

John H. Gallegos will offer the free talk at 2 p.m. Oct. 10 in the library's conference room, 625 S. Garey Ave.

The talk is organized by the Pomona Valley Genealogical Society.

For information on the talk and other activities, call (909) 646-9216.

A third meeting day has been scheduled so Pomona Unified School District residents can provide comments related to the search for a new superintendent.

They can give opinions on what qualities the next superintendent should have.

The additional meeting is scheduled for Wednesday in the gym of Palomares Middle School, 2211 N. Orange Grove Ave.

Meetings will also take place Thursday at the Fremont Middle School gym, 725 W. Franklin Ave., Pomona and Sept. 21 at the Lorbeer Middle School gym, 501 Diamond Bar Blvd., Diamond Bar.

Each meeting day will have two sessions.

The first session of the afternoon will begin at 4:30 p.m. District personnel are invited to attend that session.

Sessions starting at 6:30 p.m. are open to all members of the public.

Meetings are expected to last an hour and will be led by Jim Huge, a consultant carrying out the search for a new superintendent.

People wishing to report certain crimes that occur in the city can now do so online, the Pomona Police Department announced last week.

The public can use the online reporting system to file reports for crimes such as minor thefts, to report lost property, harassing phone calls, vehicle tampering and vandalism, according to a statement from the department.

The service is available in English and Spanish.

Through this system people will have the ability to file reports when it's most convenient for them, the statement said.

People using the system will be able to print a temporary copy of the report once it is completed.

The online report will be reviewed by police personnel. Once approved, a return email will be sent to the filer with a copy of the final report provided for free.

Reports filed online will be processed, investigated, included in department statistics and  crime analysis just as those filed by police personnel, the statement said.

The Web-based reporting system is also expected to free up officers so that they are able to spend more time on patrol and responding to calls for service.

By offering such a system the department is attempting to meet the needs of residents seeking to conduct police related business on the Internet, the statement said.

The Web-based crime reporting service can be accessed by going to http://www.ci.pomona.ca.us/CopLogic/start-report.html or by going to the city's home page - www.ci.pomona.ca.us - and clicking on the Online Citizen Reporting icon.

The recently restored Fox Theater along with five vintage homes will be featured in Pomona Heritage's 25th annual Home Tour on Oct. 18.

Tour participants will see homes representing three architectural styles, according to a statement from Pomona Heritage.

Docents will take visitors through the Fox and offer information on the history and restoration of the Art Deco theater.

Home tour tickets will be sold at the Pomona Ebell Museum of History, 585 E. Holt Ave., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the day of the tour.

The tour starting point will be the Ebell.

Homes on the tour and the Fox will open their doors at 11 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.

Boxed lunches will be sold at the Ebell by the Historical Society of Pomona Valley.

Tickets can be purchased in advance for $20 each at the Ebell; Frantz Cleaners, 1490 N. Garey Ave.; the UPS Store, 101 W. Mission Blvd., Suite 110; and The Garden, 845 N. Garey Ave.

Tickets can be purchased on-line by going to pomonaheritage.org.

Tickets will be $25 the day of the tour.

Ticket proceeds will benefit Pomona Heritage's programs including its annual Old Home Restoration Workshop and the Historic Restoration Grants.

For additional information go to pomonaheritage.org or call (909) 238-8553.

Race car simulators, real race cars and the Batmobile are all part of the exhibits visitors will find in the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum on the grounds of Fairplex.

Various kid-friendly displays are available at the museum which for the first time is participating in the Fair Kids Discovery Club Field Trip Program with the L.A. County Fair, according to a statement from the Museum.

The displays include various pieces isuch as racing cars, the John Force Funny Car Simulator and the Batmobile used in the television series "Batman" which aired on ABC in 1966, the statement said.

Admission to the museum is $1 with paid L.A. County Fair admission.

To reach Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum use Fairplex Gate 1 at 1101 W. McKinley Ave.

Museum information is available at http://www.museum.nhra.com or by calling (909) 622-2133.

Information on the L.A. County Fair is available at www.fairplex.com.

Donating blood can lead to a free day of fun at the L.A. County Fair.

The fair and the American Red Cross have partnered to sponsor a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Sheraton Suites Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave.

Those who give blood will receive a free ticket to the fair. The ticket will be good for admission on any weekday during the run of the fair, according to a statement from the fair.

In addition to the fair ticket, donors will receive a $10 gift card to Mimi's restaurant courtesy of the American Red Cross.

The fair will be closed on the day of the blood drive.

Blood donation appointments can be made by going to www.givelife.org and entering the sponsor name Fairplex.

Blood donation guidelines are available on the American Red Cross Web site at www.redcross.org.

Donating blood takes about an hour with the actual blood collection process taking about 10 minutes, the statement said.

POMONA - Some people exchanged vows Wednesday and some large companies released products to take advantage of a date some considered lucky.

Those events were all planned.

The arrival of three babies - all about 9 pounds - on 9-9-09 at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center was never planned for that day.

Jaeline Alonso-Dimas of Pomona was born at 5:13 a.m. She weighed in at 9 pounds, 10 ounces.

Arcadio Alvarez Jr. of Ontario arrived at 12:03 p.m. He weighed 9 pounds, 8 ounces.

Cadence Grace Luu of Ontario weighted exactly 9 pounds when she arrived at 3:18 p.m.

In some cultures, such as the Chinese, nine is a lucky number second only to 8, according to LiveScience.com.

It is a number linked to long life because its pronounciation resembles the word meaning long lasting.

Vanessa Luu, Cadence's mother, said she and her husband Vinh Luu were originally told the baby would arrive later this month.

"The original due date was the 15th. Then it changed to the 10th. We thought we actually could have her on 9/9," she said.

The Luus have experience with special numbers. They were married on July 7, 2007 - or 7-7-07.

"The wedding we planned. This wasn't as planned," Luu said.

Jaeline's mother said she wasn't expecting her daughter to arrive until this weekend.

"I'd been given the 13th (as a delivery date) but she came ahead of time," Angelica Dimas said in Spanish.

It wasn't until after Jaeline was born that her family noticed all the nines.

"I hadn't taken (the date) into account until my husband and mother-in-law started talking about it," Dimas said.

While the two girls where in a hurry to come into the world, Arcadio Jr. was running a little behind schedule.

"He was actually due on the 3rd," his mother Amanda Hawley said.

Then, on Tuesday evening, the contractions began, Hawley said.

Arcadio Jr's mother said her son's birthday won't go unnoticed, a thought the girls mothers expressed as well.

"It's cool! I'm not going to forget it, that's for sure," Hawley said.

To move closer to creating more peaceful and united communities, members of various houses of worship have organized a series of activities ranging from the spiritual to the cultural.

The events are all part of "11 Days of Global Unity: A Season of Interfaith Celebration" that begins today - Sept. 11, "The day when fear started" - and concluding Sept. 21 for the United Nations International Day of Peace, said the Rev. Jan Chase of Unity Church of Pomona.

Through the 11 days, people will be afforded opportunities to gain a better understanding of other cultures and religious traditions, said Chase, coordinator of the activities in the Inland Valley.

Using talks, religious gatherings, music, food and films, barriers that divide can be torn down allowing people to get to know each other one-on-one, Chase said.

"It's a connection on a more personal level," she said.

As people learn about each other they begin to relate to each other, Chase said.

"When you feel a deeper connection the fears dissolve," she said.

Through this interaction, people can see the things they have in common, including a desire for peace and unity within their neighborhoods and beyond, Chase said.

Some of the interfaith activities offer a time for prayer and reflection while others provide participants a means to learn about other cultures.

As part of the activities, two films will be screened.

One is "Pray the Devil Back to Hell" a film about a group of Liberian women who demand peace for their country. The film will be screened at Unity Church.

The film is "a call to all of us for what we know is right," Chase said.

A second film is being presented by the Claremont United Church of Christ. The documentary "Constantine's Sword" looks at different times in history when Christianity has played a role in war and violence, said David Moore, member of Claremont United Church of Christ.

"It has to do with social justice and separation of church and state," Moore said.

Among the activities Chase and others are looking forward to is the "Interfaith Walk for Unity and Peace" on Sunday evening. The walk begins at Claremont Presbyterian Church, continues to Temple Beth Israel and ends at the Claremont Islamic Center. The temple and the mosque are both in Pomona.

Pomona is fortunate to have the diversity it has, Chase said.

"Not (many) communities have a richness that Pomona has," she said. "That gives us an advantage instead of a disadvantage."

The visit to the Islamic Center will come at the end of the day when its members break the daily fast, which is part of the holy month of Ramadan observances for those people of the Muslim faith.

Members of the Islamic Center are looking forward to having guests that evening, youth adviser Ahmed Soboh said.

In the past, the center has participated in similar walks that have served to create a greater understanding among participants, he said.

"It breaks a lot of misconceptions and fears," said Soboh, adding that on such visits people find they have more in common than they thought.

During a previous event, a member of the mosque was wearing a T-shirt that read "I love Jesus," Soboh recalled.

A visiting church member was surprised, he said.

"Yes, we do love Jesus," Soboh said.

A federal lawsuit has been filed against the city and police on behalf of more than 50 members of the Pomona Habla/Pomona Speaks coalition and others involving an August 2008 meeting where a dispute erupted between them and off-duty police officers.

Attorney Luis Carrillo filed the suit last week in U.S. Central District Court.

The suit names the city, retired Pomona Police Chief Joe Romero, 14 members of the Police Department and 10 unnamed officers. Unspecified damages are being sought.

The city received the suit last week.

"We're evaluating it and are not going to comment on an ongoing legal matter," said Mark Gluba, assistant to the city manager, on Tuesday.

In the suit, Carrillo claims his clients' First Amendment rights to assembly, free speech to redress grievances and exercise of religious freedom were violated along with violation of the their Fourteenth Amendment right to due process.

The suit centers around an Aug. 21, 2008 meeting at the Centro Promesa de Dios on West Second Street in downtown.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the city's use of traffic checkpoints and to gather suggestions from the public on possible solutions to address the matter.

A heated verbal dispute ensued between off-duty Pomona police officers and members of the public.

Plaintiff and coalition member Angela Sanbrano said the outbursts prompted many in attendance to leave.

"They were visibly scared and afraid violence would break out," Sanbrano said.

The presence of the officers and the behavior was a form of intimidation, she said.

"In a democratic society this should not happen."

In the lawsuit, Carrillo said the city "ratified" the officers' civil rights violations in addition to showing "a deliberate indifference to the violation of civil rights."

Carrillo said he waited until this point to file the federal case to see if the results of an independent investigation order by the city into the matter would be presented to the public.

The investigation, however, is not likely to have "any teeth" to it, Carrillo said.

The investigation "has not been completed at this time" but the city anticipates it will be completed shortly, Gluba said.

Just how much of the results will be released is difficult to say at this time since police personnel matters are protected by state law, Gluba said.

Pursuing this matter is necessary, Carrillo said.

"We don't want Pomona to be turned into another Mississippi town," he said.

Carrillo said the legal case will probably a long one.

"The city is going to dig in its heels," he said. "They are going to try to justify the unjustifiable. Ultimately, they'll have to face a jury."

Irma Santana, one of the plaintiffs, said she attended last year's meeting with the idea that a discussion could take place and potential solutions to the checkpoint matter could be generated.

"I was there to be of support," she said in Spanish. Instead "what I saw was injustice."

Santana said she stayed for the entire meeting but left disappointed and upset that the purpose of the meeting wasn't realized.

As people look for strategies to keep themselves from coming down with swine flu, hospitals too are developing plans so personnel don't become vulnerable to H1N1 influenza.

Promotions, public education and other measures to get employees inoculated have been used in the fight against regular flu, said Louise Broomfield, director of environmental safety and emergency preparedness at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center.

Similar strategies will be used for H1N1 influenza, she said.

The hospital will try to make it "as convenient and accessible as possible" for hospital personnel to have a swine flu shot, she said.

That means offering it at employee safety fairs and at every available opportunity, Broomfield said.

Although the H1N1 vaccine is not expected to be available for several weeks hospitals plan to use strategies that have been successful to get staff inoculated during a regular flu season.

Kaiser Permanente medical centers in Ontario and Fontana hold large employee health events to offer flu vaccinations, said Jennifer Resch-Silvestri, spokeswoman for Kaiser Permanente, San Bernardino County.

Senior executives have set the example for employees by being vaccinated, she said.

Flu vaccines are also provide with the help of roaming flu vaccine carts that go to individual departments and even staff meetings to offer the inoculation, Resch-Silvestri said.

"We make it as easy and convenient to receive flu vaccines," she said.

The result is an 80 percent vaccination rate, Resch-Silvestri said.

During 2008-2009 flu season 44 percent of Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center's staff were inoculated, said Kathy Perkins, hospital spokeswoman.

Vaccination is not mandatory and industry standards consider a 30 percent inoculation rate good, she said.

At San Antonio Community Hospital in Upland 49 percent of its staff received the flu vaccine last year, said hospital spokeswoman Wendy Richardson.

Part of the hospital's strategy involves going to staff members with the vaccine instead of waiting for them to seek it out, administrators said.

In busy departments a healthcare professional working there is designated to vaccinate personnel at the employee's convenience, said Karen Drinkwine, the hospital's director of epidemiology.

"We feel that will increase our participation level," said Lynn Kelly, the hospital's vice president of human resources.

Some concerns exist among the population that a swine flu vaccine may have side effects.

To address such concerns San Antonio's highly respected infectious disease specialist, Dr. Sohan Bassi, will be available to answer questions, Drinkwine said.

In years when unusual flu strains develop, people tend to be more interested in being vaccinated, Broomfield said.

"With H1N1 people are going to be looking at being vaccinated more than with the regular flu," she said. "The workforce is going to take it more seriously than the regular flu."

She predicts the same will be true for those working in the healthcare field.

So far hospitals are still waiting for notification from federal and county health officials as to when the swine flu vaccine will be available.

Because there is a question as to how much vaccine will be available, the Pomona hospital will have a priority list to determine which of their 2,000 employees must have the vaccine, Broomfield said.

The decision-making process will take into account what staff members have greater chances of being exposed to the H1N1 flu, she said.

Staff working with patients would have priority over those who do not, Broomfield said.

At this point it is still not known how strong or weak the swine flu strain will be this season.

Either way it will probably drive up the number of people seeking care this season, Broomfield said.

If H1N1 turns out to be strong, hospitals can expect a jump in in-patient populations, and a mild version "will cause a challenge with numbers."

People concerned they may have the flu will probably rush to emergency rooms to be checked out resulting in large numbers seeking care, Broomfield said.

In the past the hospital has had spikes in emergency room visits when uncommon health conditions surface and people feared having contracted it, she said.

Controlling such situations can be done if the media helps educate the public about H1N1 influenza, Broomfield said.

Whether swine flu turns out to be mild or strong, hospitals will be ready, Kelly said.

"You have plans for additional resources," she said.

Tony Cerda Park will serve as the site for the Jornalero and Native Community Picnic today.

The free cultural event begins at 11 a.m. at the park on the southwest corner of Grand and Park avenues and concludes at 3 p.m.

Native American dancers along dancers performing traditional indigenous dances of Mexico will be among the participants, according to information from organizers.

West African drummers, indigenous art demonstrations, arts and crafts, traditional Mexican foods along with information booths will be part of the event.

Games and children's activities will be offered during the event which is being sponsored by a group of organizations.

Among the sponsoring organizations are the Center for California Cultural and Social Issues at Pitzer College, the School of Community and Global Health at Claremont Graduate University, the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center, also referred to as the Pomona Day Labor Center, the Fernando Pedraza Community Coalition, Tatalejos, and the Coastanoan Rumsen Tribe.

The cultures of Central America will be showcased this weekend as part of activities at the L.A. County Fair, which opens today.

Folkloric dancers and musicians representing Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama will be performing throughout the weekend at Fairplex's Plaza de Las Americas.

La Casa de la Cultura de Guatemala, (the Home of Culture of Guatemala), has organized its cultural festival, Una Guatemala por Conocer (A Guatemala to be Known), at the fair.

More than 60 Guatemalan artisans will display hand-made crafts and textiles from across Guatemala, according to a statement from La Casa de la Cultura.

La Casa de la Cultura will also name Assemblywoman Norma Torres, D-Ontario, an honorary guest of the festival. Torres is a native of Guatemala.

Opening ceremonies for the Central American activities are scheduled for 2 p.m. today and are expected to be attended by Torres and the counsel generals of the different Central American countries, the statement said.

For information on Fair activities go to www.lacountyfair.com.

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center has been awarded more than $51,000 for its family practice residency training program, the state announced this week.

The $51,615 award comes from the state Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development through its Song-Brown Program.

A total of 27 health facilities from around the state received awards ranging from $206,460 to $51,615, the state agency said in a statement.

The awards are given to family practice training programs involved in preparing physicians, family nurse practitioners, physician assistants and registered nurses who will be working in California, the statement said.

More than half of the family practice doctors trained in Song-Brown funded programs go on to work in underserved communities after completing their training, according to the statement.

The funds for the awards come from annual fees paid by health facilities, the statement said.

A Lincoln Elementary School teacher is among 20 winners of Wal-Mart's "Write to Change the Classroom" essay program.

Melissa Galvan will receive $4,000 worth of school supplies for her classroom plus an additional $4,000 to be used for school supplies for the entire school, according to a statement released by Wal-Mart representatives.

In her essay Galvan wrote: "Every school day I am blessed to walk into my classroom and be charged with educating my students."

"Receiving these materials will help enrich the lives and learning of my students and would be a blessed gift," Galvan continued.

The company's essay program is open to teachers, parents and students who write about the school supply needs they encounter, the statement said.

The inspiration for the program was an eighth-grader who wrote to her congressman explaining the basic school supply needs she and her classmates were facing and asked the legislator for help.

"Many teachers are unable to provide the essentials - books, paper and pencils - for their students this year. We wanted to help," said Kimberly Sentovich, vice president and regional general manager of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in California.

In judging the essays, need, creativity and the effect the school supplies would have on the campus where considered, the statement said.

The judging panel consisted of four teachers from around the country who were recognized by their states for their outstanding work as teachers.

The fifth member of the panel was Ty'Sheoma Bethea, the eighth-grader who wrote her congressman, the statement said.

Western University of Health Sciences announced this week it has surpassed the two-thirds mark in its capital campaign drive which has a goal of raising $35 million by 2012.

So far the institution has raised more than $27 million, the University said in a statement.

The university is trying to raise the $35 million for the institution's expansion by 2012, the year the institution will celebrate its 35th anniversary, the statement said.

Funds raised through the six-year campaign will be used to equip and furnish the University's Health Education Center and Patient Care Center which are under construction and are expected to open in early 2010, the statement said.

The Health Education Center will be home to the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, the College of Dental Medicine, the College of Optometry and the College of Podiatric Medicine.

The Patient Care Center will accommodate a pharmacy, outpatient clinics for osteopathic and podiatric medicine.

The building will have small groups where students from different disciplines will be able to meet and learn to work as a team to address their patients medical needs.

As part of the construction project a 600-car parking structure is also being built.

This is the largest construction and renovation effort the university has ever taken on, the statement said.

The campaign has drawn about 2,300 contributions, some of them quite sizable.

Among the largest gifts is one made from physicians Daljit and Elaine Sarkaria of Orange who pledged $5.1 million with a part going to a lectureship, the statement said.

Corporate donors have also participated in the fund raising effort including Banfield, the Pet Hospital and its parent company Mars, Inc.

The companies played a major role in the founding and construction of the College of Veterinary Medicine which opened in 2003.

Banfield and Mars have donated more than $7.6 million since the college opened, the statement said.

The artistic ability of two hair stylists will be in the spotlight next Saturday during a hair and fashion show at Aladdin Jr., 296 W. Second St. in downtown.

The stylists are two new members of Savoie Hair, also located downtown.

Look for a futuristic theme in the show that will include the participation of 20 models, according to a statement from the salon.

Plenty of music will be part of the event, which begins at 8 p.m.

Admission is free to the event being held as part of this month's Second Saturday Art Walk activities.

Visitors should consider arriving early since space is limited.

Information: (909) 865-6500

POMONA -- The bishop for the San Gabriel region of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on Wednesday visited Pomona Valley Catholic Middle School students and blessed their new school.

Bishop Gabino Zavala stopped by the school on its second day of operation, Principal Adela Solis said.

The co-ed middle school is on part of the all-girl Pomona Catholic High School campus. The schools are operated separately.

Zavala, who celebrated Mass attended by the two student bodies, told youths during the religious service the new arrangement was a first for the archdiocese and probably will not be the last, Solis said.

The arrangement is a new model, said Kevin Baxter, superintendent of elementary schools for the archdiocese.

"We're really interested to see how it works out," Baxter said.

The middle school program will be monitored closely and, depending on how successful it is, could potentially be replicated in other parts of the archdiocese, Baxter said.

For the 63 middle schoolers who make up the new institution's student body the start of classes has been exciting, Solis said.

When the students arrived Tuesday, "they were just thrilled," she said. "All of them came prepared."

Parents were also enthusiastic, as many took time to attend the first day of class with their children, Solis said.

As part of Tuesday's activities, teachers took students and parents on a tour of their campus.
For the middle schoolers, part of the excitement involved having lockers for the first time, Solis said.

Students came to school with accessories such as shelves and baskets along with pictures to decorate their lockers, she said.

LOS ANGELES - A Superior Court judge on Tuesday
said Pomona school board member Andrew Wong can't call himself a teacher in election information or on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Judge James Chalfant ordered Wong be identified on the ballot as a "school board member, Pomona Unified School District."

"I believe that is a valid ballot title," Chalfant said in court.

Three Pomona residents who are also teachers in the district along with the Associated Pomona Teachers sought the court action.

Dean Logan, Los Angeles County's registrar-recorder/county clerk, was named as a respondent in the case and Wong was named an interested party.

Petitioners sought legal action after noticing the use of the term "teacher" in describing Wong in county election materials.

In court documents the teachers said Wong, who works as a lawyer, should be identified as a "lawyer" or "attorney" instead of as a "teacher/school board member."

Tyra Weis, one of the petitioners and president of teachers union, said, after the hearing, legal action was pursued because they believed Wong's description was misleading.

She said many people serve in "a teaching role" although that is not their occupation or what they trained to do in life. The judge's decision brings with it "recognition and respect for the profession." 

Wong, a licensed attorney and a partner in the Los Angeles office of the law firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, said the ballot title the judge selected was one of his choices when he filed nomination documents with the county.

He said the teachers' action was politically motivated and could have been addressed with a phone call.

"Had they contacted me we would have avoided the time and energy" and the use of the court's time, Wong said.

What teachers have tried to do is "get a monopoly" involving the use of the term teacher "and strengthen their political clout," he said.

Weis said that after noticing Wong's use of "teacher" she and fellow petitioners researched the matter and found legal action was their only option.

The action was taken without seeking political gain, she said.

"It was not done with a plan that would be gaining anything other than an informed electorate," Weis said.

Wong said using the term teacher "helped describe something that I had done."
In the past Wong has said part of his work has involved offering continuing education training to lawyers in his firm.

In a tentative decision Chalfant issued prior to Tuesday's court session, he said, "Wong's principal profession . . . was as an attorney, not teacher, and the word 'teacher' is misleading in his ballot designation."

The fact that Wong used the designation "Educator/Lawyer" on the ballot when he ran in 2005 is "irrelevant" because the job title involves the candidate's occupation for the past year, even though it was misleading, Chalfant wrote.