Search autocomplete is currently not responding The City of Chino Hills 2025 Spring “In the Hills” brochure is now available and includes information on City news Registration for spring classes begins on Tuesday Take a look at some of the Major Construction Projects in Chino Hills that could result in some impacts within our ever-growing community  Stay up-to-date with the latest information Read More... Use Citizen Request Tracker to notify us about a general concern Visitors can also log in to check on the progress of existing… Visitors can also log in to check on the progress of existing… Chino Valley Fire District will conduct a three-day wildland fire training exercise on May 5 in the area of Butterfield Ranch Road and Hunters Hill in Chino Hills.Residents can .. The City of Chino Hills Summer "In the Hills" brochure is now available and includes information on City news Registration for summer classes and programs begins on Tuesday The City of Chino Hills invites the community to get a behind-the-scenes look and learn more about the services provided by the Public Works Department during an Open House event on Tuesday The City of Chino Hills is performing routine annual turf maintenance and renovation at the Vila Borba Dog Park The large dog side of the park is closed for renovation and is expected to reopen by Friday The program takes place across the street from Ruben S We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at couriersupport@prescottaz.com or call us at 928-445-3333 California schools spend millions on police officers What California can learn from Texas about bilingual education Are California schools becoming more vulnerable to measles Pandemic-era push to ‘build solutions’ must continue How earning a college degree put four California men on a path from prison to new lives | Documentary  Patrick Acuña’s journey from prison to UC Irvine | Video rising risk: Vaccination rates down in California Five Years Later: Covid’s Lasting Impact on Education Calling the cops: Policing in California schools Black teachers: How to recruit them and make them stay Lessons in Higher Education: California and Beyond Five years after Covid: Innovations that are driving results The Chino Valley Unified School District has plans to send the Trump administration a letter requesting that it intervene on matters concerning transgender athletes following a unanimous vote from the school board, according to Spectrum News “The Chino Valley Unified School District is committed to protecting girls’ sports, ensuring parental rights and following federal law,” the agenda item states “We urge immediate federal intervention to prevent further harm to female athletes Chino Valley Unified also plans to file a claim with the U.S Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights A rally was held in response outside of Chino Valley Unified’s board meeting with many expressing their support for transgender students John Fensterwald, Diana Lambert, Emma Gallegos, And Zaidee Stavely The president’s initial budget for fiscal 2025 preserves Title I and funding for students with disabilities but eviscerates other decades-old programs for underserved students Da’Shay Templeton Physical fitness isn’t just a health issue — it’s tied to academic success And too many schools aren't focused on that Su Jin Jez Millions of potential college-goers would benefit if California created a council to assist people in accessing programs that could help them realize their dreams Karen D'Souza For arts students who lost so much as fires swept through the Los Angeles area in January a new musical instrument is a big step back toward normalcy Stay ahead of the latest developments on education in California and nationally from early childhood to college and beyond Sign up for EdSource’s no-cost daily email Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More CHINO, Calif. — The Chino Valley Unified School District Board unanimously voted to send a letter to the Trump administration asking them to intervene on California protections for transgender student athletes The district will also submit a claim to the Office of Civil Rights over this issue California became the first state in the nation to pass a law protecting transgender student rights ensures transgender students can participate in the gender-based programs and activities that align with their own gender identity this is now at odds with the current Title IX policy under President Donald Trump Title IX is a federal law implemented in 1972 prohibiting sex-based discrimination in educational institutions or programs that receive federal funding Trump’s administration specifies that those Title IX protections and funding are on the basis of biological sex Several people against the school board’s move held a rally outside the Chino Valley district’s office on Thursday Rally-goers shared concerns over the possible impact this would have on the well-being of transgender students The National Day of Prayer will be celebrated in both Chino and Chino Hills on Thursday The theme is “Pour Out to the God of Hope and Be Filled” based on Romans 15:13 Calvary Chapel Chino Valley is one of the organizers of the event to be held at noon on the front lawn of City Hall The gathering will include small group prayer for leaders Calvary Chapel Chino Valley will also have a 7 p.m for the congregation to gather and seek the Lord on behalf of the nation Dessert and coffee will follow the service the Day of Prayer is returning to Chino Hills at the Chino Hills Community Center gazebo Several pastors will lead in prayer for the government Pastor Dennis Hostetler of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills accepted a proclamation during Tuesday’s city council meeting and invited the community to the gathering President Ronald Reagan recognized the first Thursday of May each year as National Day of Prayer there are no recent results for popular videos Would you like to receive our breaking news news This is the exact replica of our weekly printed paper Would you like to receive our news updates Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: — The Anderson Union High School District is well known for its opposition of California's SAFETY act a law designed to protect LGBTQ students from being outed to their parents alongside the Chino Valley Unified School District argues that the act infringes on parental rights Anderson Union High School District filed a lawsuit against the state claiming the Safety Act violates parental rights by allowing students to conceal their sexual orientation or identity The case is currently pending a judge's decision according to lawyers from the Liberty Justice Center the Chino Valley Unified School District recently concluded a similar legal battle The state of California did not appeal a court decision that upheld Chino Valley's authority to notify parents when their children request changes to their official or unofficial records The Liberty Justice Center has declared a victory for parental rights although admitted that both sides of this legal battle had separate wins and losses senior legal counsel at Liberty Justice Center says "The win looks like Chino Valley being able to notify parents in a roundabout way but still being able to know about when their child changes their records and keeping parents involved in their children's lives." not everyone agrees with parent notification policies at school expressed concerns about the implications for teachers "There's so many moving parts to how do you force a teacher to do that," Stevens said "What disciplinary action happens to a teacher for not doing that The policy has to then include what happens to a teacher or staff member who doesn't follow that policy." The legal battle began in August 2023 when Attorney General Rob Bonta sued to prevent schools from forcibly outing students regarding pronoun and name changes the Superior Court of California required Chino Valley Unified School District to update its policy The revised policy maintains the district's requirement to notify parents within three days after a child's request for a record change but removed language that required staff to notify parents when a student uses a different name or facilities that differ from their sex at birth The court argued that this part of the policy violated the U.S Constitution's Equal Protection Clause and was discriminatory Chino Valley Unified School District will continue to use its revised parental notification policy the Anderson Union High School District's case with the Liberty Justice Center awaits a judge's decision CHINO, Calif. — In July 2023, the traditionally quiet school board meetings at the Chino Valley Unified School District turned rowdy as people packed into the room voicing their opinion on the "parental notification policy" passed.  The policy required school staff to notify parents within three days if their student requested to change their name or pronouns or access to facilities or sports programs that did not align with the gender on their birth certificates.  It immediately created outrage among many parents like Kristi Hirst who has three children in the school district.  "If the people pushing these policies really cared about kids we would be talking about it very differently," said Hirst.  who grew up in Chino and was a public school teacher at the district for years says the policy was a direct attack on transgender students.  The issue caught the attention of the California Attorney General Rob Bonta's office which filed a lawsuit against the school district claiming the policy violated student’s civil and constitutional rights.  the judge blocked portions of the policy through a preliminary injunction The order said the policy had violated the state's equal protection clause and discriminated against transgender students.  But not all parents were against the policy was disappointed to see the policy blocked.  "It is mind-boggling how they would try so hard just to prevent parents for just knowing everything about the kids He says the policy is meant to ensure parents are in the know over their children's life But many who were against the policy argued students who are transgender should have a say over when they feel safe to tell their parents Avila and many others disagree — and say the school has a responsibility to inform parents of any changes.  the board ultimately voted to remove the notification policy as a result of the judge's block through a preliminary injunction The state attorney’s office claimed victory putting out a statement that read in part;  consistent with our previously secured preliminary injunction reaffirms this obligation by ensuring no child becomes a target again by blocking Chino Valley Unified from ever adopting another forced outing policy," said Bonta "Let this decision send a clear message to other school districts that have passed or are contemplating similar policies: discriminatory policies will not be tolerated in our educational institutions I urge all school districts to take note and ensure every student can enjoy their right to learn and thrive in a school environment that promotes safety In response, the ruling prompted the board to rewrite the policy. The new version does not mention gender but still requires parents are notified of any official change to their student’s record.  which is why those in favor of the original language like Avila are also claiming victory.  The outcome is if a child wants to be considered or called by a different name or any kind of changes to their to the information that gets flagged and the parents get notified," said Avila What matters is the parents have parental rights." saying the lawsuit was not only hurtful to students but also a waste of taxpayer money "He's ruled that parents can have access to the students records That's always been a right that parents have had the lawsuit didn’t change anything," said Hirst Additionally, as these policies were being adopted by various school districts across the state, Hirst's nonprofit Our Schools USA was working with legislators to pass a law banning parental-notification policies. That bill, called the SAFETY Act Although Avila disagrees with the SAFETY Act he says he is content with the policy that the district has now landed on after the litigation.  that's fine with me because I know that the policy that we have in Chino Unified stands," said Avila It brings an end to a costly legal battle that Hirst hopes doesn’t repeat.  "Looking forward where we're headed as a country where we're likely facing a lot of cuts to education I think this was reckless," Hirst said An injunction put in place by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2018 that bans invocations at Chino Valley School Board meetings and other entities in its jurisdiction will be challenged by the board The board voted in closed session at its Feb 20 meeting to authorize Advocates for Faith and Freedom to challenge the prayer lawsuit on behalf of the district The lawsuit will be filed in the next week or two legal counsel for Advocates for Faith and Freedom Supreme Court decision in 2022 overruled the “Lemon Test” that was used by the 9th Circuit in the school district lawsuit “The school district is taking a position that the injunction was based on invalid law in light of the Kennedy vs Bremerton School District decision,” she said Washington who prayed on the field after football games was within his First Amendment rights to do so “The court needs to look at whether invocations before meetings are in line with history and tradition,” Ms the Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a lawsuit against the school board calling out James Na and Andrew (Andrés) Cruz for proselytizing and praying during school board meetings The court ruled in 2016 in favor of Freedom From Religion and the district appealed several times The next step would have been an appeal to the U.S the school board adopted a policy forbidding board members to proselytize when acting in their official capacities and when speaking on behalf of the district The policy also states that they shall be neutral towards religion and/or non-religion Calvary Chapel Chino Hills stated it would fund the school district’s legal case if the board continued to appeal to the U.S but a new board majority voted to end the legal appeals in 2018 the school district had to pay $350,000 in legal fees School Board President Sonja Shaw said the board majority knew that terminating the lawsuit would financially devastate the district due to the terms of the agreement and still proceeded to end it “The board majority’s reckless and indefensible decision breached the contract plunging the district into financial liability,” she said Shaw said the Freedom From Religion Foundation has a history of targeting school districts with intimidation tactics “Suing the district was another glaring example of their overreach,” she said Shaw said religious freedom is a foundational pillar of the nation “We cannot and will not allow activist groups to bully us into silence,” she said “Standing up for our constitutional rights is imperative.” When the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the district which previously held scheduled invocations changed directions to allow religious leaders the opportunity to speak during the public comments portion of the meeting Fleischer said Advocates for Faith and Freedom is not charging the district for its services Advocates for Faith and Freedom is a non-profit legal firm that protects religious liberties in the courts Your browser is ancient! Upgrade to a different browser or install Google Chrome Frame to experience this site Press Contact: Robert Gonzalez Email: rgonzalez@teamsters1932.org Calif.) – Teamsters at Chino Valley Fire District have voted to ratify a new contract marking a significant win for the dedicated workers who ensure the community’s safety and support fire protection efforts This ratification comes on the heels of an organized mobilization by Chino Valley Fire District Teamsters who stood united with Chino Valley firefighters at a recent Fire Board meeting to advocate for fair and equitable contract terms The contract demonstrates dedication to the workers and the essential services they provide to the Chino Valley region by increasing the workers’ cafeteria plan we pushed for a fair contract and better medical benefits but management showed no interest in fairness bringing our concerns directly to management and attended every board meeting,” said Jason Rivera a member of the Chino Valley Fire District “When the district’s offer fell short Chino Valley Fire District Teamsters unanimously rejected it and spoke out with strength and the solidarity and support of our fellow brothers and sisters and hosted community BBQs to inform the public about the true purpose of unions.” “The unity shown by Chino Valley Fire Teamsters is a extraordinary reminder of what worker power truly means,” said Randy Korgan “This triumph is proof that when workers fight But make no mistake — the fight carries on and we’re determined to keep pushing forward by signing up our members for D.R.I.V.E There are forces out there working tirelessly to strip away our members’ rights and we must stay united to defend their jobs and the future well-being of the communities we serve we will keep fighting for what’s right — for our members This ratified contract sets a precedent for future negotiations and reinforces the power of collective action within the Chino Valley Fire District workforce Local 1932 remains committed to supporting all Teamsters in their ongoing efforts to protect the well-being and security of the community they serve Teamsters Local 1932 represents more than 15,000 workers across the Inland Empire. For more information, visit teamsters1932.org San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge Michael Sachs ruled Monday that Chino Valley Unified School District cannot enforce its policy to disclose students’ gender identities to parents, according to Bay Area Reporter There had been a temporary restraining order against the policy since last September Chino Valley Unified had passed the policy in July 2023 requiring schools to inform parents if students asked to be referred to with other names or pronouns at school California Attorney General Rob Bonta celebrated the decision reaffirms this obligation by ensuring no child becomes a target again by blocking Chino Valley Unified from ever adopting another forced outing policy,” he wrote in a statement “Let this decision send a clear message to other school districts that have passed or are contemplating similar policies: discriminatory policies will not be tolerated in our educational institutions.” Chino Valley Unified board President Sonja Shaw told Bay Area Reporter that “The ruling against Chino Valley Unified School District is not a victory for families — it’s another dangerous step toward government overreach into our lives Parents have a right to know what’s happening with their children especially when it concerns life-altering decisions.” A gay student at the Chino Valley Unified School District claims he has been bullied for over a year, physically injured and called out shamed by marching band administrators. He attributes that to the adoption of anti-LGBT policies that percolated through various districts in the region, the San Francisco Chronicle reported A 17-year-old high school senior who wished to remain anonymous and his mother have filed complaints with the district that have been mostly substantiated by an investigation conducted by the district Chino Valley Unified was one of the first California districts to adopt a parental-notification policy which requires school administrators to notify parents if a student shows signs of being transgender “We don’t know who we can turn to,” the student And there’s nothing worse than feeling alone in a world that’s out to hate you from Day 1.” The student’s mother filed a Title IX complaint and claimed her son had been discriminated against because of his sexuality The district substantiated her claims that her son had been targeted by the band director and claimed to have responded the mother said she is pursuing legal options District administrators told the Chronicle that they could not comment on the individual case “CVUSD administrators and the district staff promptly respond to and investigate all complaints received in order to ensure students are provided with a safe environment,” Andi Johnston The Chino Valley Unified School District school board president said the bullying had been dealt with by school administrators at Ayala High School “We have always fostered an environment where children thrive and parents are involved in their well-being,” Shaw said in a text message “Those who truly know me understand my commitment to fostering an open and supportive environment where parents and schools work together to ensure the best outcomes for our kids.” have claimed problems persist with the bullying of LGBTQ+ students — and that the negative behavior is supported by the school board it trickles down to the community,” Kristi Hirst a Chino Valley parent who founded Our Schools USA “This is not a site-level problem — this is a problem at the district level.” High winds topple a large tree Wednesday morning onto northbound Eucalyptus Avenue in the College Park area of Chino Work crews remove a tree Wednesday afternoon after it fell onto a house in the 13600 block of Cypress Avenue Fierce winds with gusts of more than 60 miles an hour blew through the Chino Valley this week and sending dirt and debris across roads making for treacherous driving conditions Approximately six houses on Canon Lane in Carbon Canyon have been without water or have had very low water pressure since 4 p.m in addition to the power shutoff which occurred early that morning due to Southern California Edison’s “Public Safety Power Shutoffs” (PSPS) power was restored to almost all areas of Chino Hills except for Carbon Canyon but the homes on Canon Lane were still without water said water has to be pumped for houses that are high up on the hillsides the water cannot be pumped up the hill,” he said He said there is no way water can be pumped uphill without a hookup to a generator “The Public Works Department is working on finding a solution to the problem,” he said “I really encourage people in the canyon to get a generator because this will happen quite often as the wind events continue throughout the year,” he said City spokeswoman Nicole Freeman said the homes on Canon Lane rely on a pump that operates entirely on electrical power the current pump does not have the capability to connect to a generator and has been inoperable since SCE cut power during the PSPS events,” she said “We are in the process of developing a project to resolve this problem and ensure that similar disruptions do not occur in the future,” Ms said crews are working to restore power as quickly as they safely can “Every line has to be inspected before we can re-energize,” he said it is dangerous to turn it back on unless we inspect it because of the potential for debris in the line that came from the wind.” Mr Monford said the reason for the PSPS is because of the hazard of airborne debris “It’s going to take some time to get all the power back on but the crews are in the field restoring power,” he said “We are not discussing restoration times.” SCE cut off power to several neighborhoods including the Oak Ridge area and Butterfield due to high wind conditions and the increased risk of wildfires Chino Hills High School and Oak Ridge Elementary School were included in the cutoff Power was restored to both schools Thursday afternoon Chino Valley School District spokesperson Andi Johnston said generators were delivered to Chino Hills High to power pivotal services including Baseline League boys and girls basketball and boys and girls soccer games scheduled for Wednesday were postponed and will be made up on Monday A large tree in the 13600 block of Cypress Avenue toppled onto the roof of a garage which sustained damage A large tree fell and blocked the road on Eucalyptus Avenue near the Chaffey College Chino campus Many smaller trees also toppled and were removed A fallen tree blocked Sapphire Road at Onyx Road and was quickly removed by Chino Hills crews Chino Hills responded to about 30 wind-related service requests Eight traffic signals were without power but have now been restored SCE responded to three reports of wires down Wednesday and one in the 11600 block of Central Avenue or sign up for a new account to continue reading We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content THIS SERVICE IS THE EXACT REPLICA OF OUR NEWSPAPER  - PAGE BY PAGE AS IF IT WERE IN YOUR HANDS Get Started in accessing our paid content at no additional fee for the duration of your membership. To signup for a new membership please click here. no promotional deals were found matching that code Below are candidate profiles for the Chino Valley Fire District in Districts 1 Incumbent Harvey Luth is running unopposed in District 2 which encompasses the northwest area of Chino District 4 incumbent John DeMonaco is being challenged by Chino Hills resident Andrew Romaine The District 4 area includes portions of Chino and Chino Hills District 1 incumbent Sarah Ramos-Evinger is running unopposed She did not respond to the Champion’s request to provide a candidate profile Residence and age: Chino Hills for 32 years Education: Associate’s degree in fire science earned the Executive Fire Officer title from the National Fire Academy Community involvement: Member of Chino American Legion Why I am running: I am running for re-election because I enjoy giving back to my community and protecting the public including four terms on the Chino Valley Fire Board of Directors I served for 33 years as a firefighter serving in all ranks including fire chief My experience and education allows me to make sound decisions that provide our community with the best service possible Maintain a balanced budget that includes reducing pension liabilities and opening and staffing the new Fire Station 68 in Chino Hills that will provide the absolute best fire and medical services This includes bringing the Chino Valley new ambulance transportation provided by our personnel Provide a fire safe community that protects our residents especially those homes within our wildland interface I’m committed to educating and informing our residents about how to protect themselves We also have to limit our fire exposures through defensible spaces and weed abatement Residence and age: Chino Hills for 25 years Education: Associate’s degree from Fullerton College California State Fire Marshal Certification for Firefighter I & II Community involvement: I volunteered for several years as a youth sports coach and have attended and participated in numerous community events throughout my years as a resident to stay connected and informed Why I am running: I am running to continue my career of providing service to the community While living in Chino Hills and working for another city I had tremendous respect and admiration for our Fire District and now would love to be a part of it The Fire District is at a juncture to be able to provide in-house ambulance services which would greatly enhance the service provided to our citizens and I feel my experience will help make that successfully happen as well as living in this community for the last 25 years will allow me to help direct our Fire District to even greater places A pivotal issue that the district is facing is EMS ambulance transportation I will continue facilitating the partnership with ConFire to not only provide state of the art 911 dispatching but allow for an in-house ambulance transport component that this district needs Coming from a fire agency that provided our own ambulance transport I saw firsthand the positive impact this has for patient care and outcome and rapid ambulance transportation to a higher care facility is paramount to our citizens’ wellbeing in an emergency situation The process for the new station was started in late 2020 with the land swap completed in early 2022 the Division 4 area has experienced growth and needs the services a new station will provide the new Fire Station 68 has had many delays and its completion needs to be made a priority to better serve the community I am a former Chino Community Services Commissioner and Planning Commissioner I am a member of Chino Kiwanis (for 31 years) Why am I running: I believe it is important to give back and serve our community when we are able Serving on the Fire Board for the past seven years has provided me with a great way to give back and provide good oversight to our Fire District and the important work they do to serve and protect us I am proud of the work we do and the people we employ and I want to stay involved to ensure we continue to meet the high expectations we have for our organization and our people and meet your needs and expectations as well Fire and emergency medical service is expensive A poorly run fire district with poor financial management would not be able to meet your needs It is critical we properly budget and plan for the future to ensure your fire district is able to meet the needs of our community today and tomorrow That includes how we invest in our people with training and equipment With long lead times to produce fire vehicles and rising costs it is more important than ever to properly manage the financial resources you provide us Reviewing our standard of coverage to ensure we have stations people and equipment properly deployed to serve the community This includes the building and operation of our newest station This station will benefit the cities of Chino Chino Hills and surrounding county areas and enhance our ability to respond when called on Reviewing standard of coverage also ensures we are properly staffed and trained to meet the growing needs of our community (Incumbent Harvey Luth is running unopposed in District 2.) mother of Christopher Hughes who was killed by Kevin Cooper is flanked by Chino Mayor Eunice Ulloa (left) and Chino Hills Mayor Cynthia Moran at a press conference at Chino City Hall in protest of death row inmates transferred to the California Institution for Men In back is Chino Hills Councilman Brian Johsz the Chino Valley 4 Palestine group recites slogans during the Chino Hills State of the City event at the Community Center the deputies declared an unlawful assembly and ordered the group to disperse An elementary instructional coach holds a “no impasse” sign during a teachers’ rally in February outside school district headquarters prior to the board meeting Chino Hills Public Works crews install a sign stating that no trucks over four axles are allowed on Carbon Canyon Road The long-awaited ban was the result of a decade of efforts and collaboration between two cities: Brea and Chino Hills and two Caltrans districts: District 8 and District 12 Chino Valley Fire District firefighters attend to the wreckage of a Lockheed 12A plane that crashed about 200 yards from the Chino Airport runway including the chief operating officer of the Yanks Air Museum Frank Wright and pilot Michael Gilles Costco gas station opens at Crossroads Marketplace in Chino Hills with 32 fueling positions and 16 pumps compared to the 12 fueling positions and six pumps at the previous location in the same center on Peyton Drive at the 71 Freeway The City of Chino seal is placed on the bridge over the 60 Freeway at Central Avenue as part of a major project that widened the ramps added general-purpose lanes and carpool lanes A driver of a Daniel’s Tire Service truck plows through the front door of the Santa Fe Pharmacy on Central Avenue at Riverside Drive after having a seizure The two employees inside the pharmacy were not injured and the driver was taken to the hospital The Chino Valley was impacted in profound and often unexpected ways by news coming out of the state and the nation during 2024 A look back at the last 12 months reveals a cascade of events that hit the communities of Chino and Chino Hills when local jurisdictions had to fight deal with or accept challenging situations the City of Chino was already in the thick of a campaign to convince voters to approve a 1 percent sales tax increase (from 7.75 to 8.75) due to millions of dollars in unfunded infrastructure projects and neighborhood improvements owed to aging systems and the exponential growth in The Preserve that strained city coffers Officials breathed a sigh of relief when the measure passed in March that will generate $28 million annually Chino’s success prompted the City of Chino Hills to drop hints that it would like to pursue a similar ballot measure Providing relief to the city and the school district Legacy Academy opened its doors with 806 students in The Preserve the second K-8 school in the former dairyland Both are designated year-round to cope with the growing number of students The impacts of state mandates began to manifest itself in the community when a 298 apartment complex on 8.26 acres with only one parking stall per unit was approved by the City of Chino on its newly-created affordable housing overlay at the northeast corner of Ramona Avenue and Chino Hills Parkway east of the Christmas tree lot/pumpkin patch Chino’s housing element remained out of compliance all year as the city struggled with concerns about “by-right” approval for affordable housing projects in mixed-use areas and the new overlays which did not work out as expected The city finally threw up its hands and submitted the housing element to the state’s standards the city chose the overflow parking lot next to Community Park to build its first 100 percent affordable housing complex for seniors that will include 50 apartments Fifty percent will be for low income and 50 percent for very low income The location is north of the Caballero Ranch across from the Community Park Chino was also impacted by the state’s decision to shut down death row at San Quentin and transfer dozens of condemned inmates to the California Institution for Men in Chino Despite holding a joint press conference with the City of Chino Hills and submitting petitions and letters to Sacramento the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation did not budge The Israel-Gaza war in all its strife and contention landed front and center at Chino Hills council meetings in January when supporters of Palestine asked for a cease-fire resolution and attended each meeting for one year as well as protesting at the State of the City speech-language pathologists and others had to claw their way to receive a fair wage and more time to focus on teaching without being saddled by paperwork Inroads were made but the special education department needs more attention The school district fought back for most of the year when the state sued the district over its parental notification policy that would require parents to  be notified if their child identifies as transgender The district hired Liberty Justice Center that has been working on behalf of the school district on a pro-bono basis Culture wars were battled at school board meetings for most of the year We hope you benefit from this retrospection of 2024 in the Chino Valley •A new fire station in Chino Hills is officially approved by the city for the intersection of Pipeline Avenue and Soquel Canyon Parkway The facility will be geared towards wildfire protection including a separate building for Safe Refuge for initial attack wildland fire crews •A power pole in Carbon Canyon is struck twice in three weeks causing traffic tie-ups and the Chino Hills Police Department for poor communication The Police Department changes its protocol to ensure residents who live within the canyon can return to their homes if it is safe •The Sleepy Hollow Community Center is one of seven properties owned by the City of Chino Hills deemed unnecessary for public use and can be sold as surplus land for private purposes The city hopes to build a new community center for Sleepy Hollow residents in the space where the old Party House Liquor was located •The City of Chino holds town meetings on a proposed sales tax measure that will appear on the March 5 ballot increasing the city’s sales tax from 7.75 to 8.75 percent The increase would generate $28 million annually that would go towards $260 million in unfunded infrastructure projects and neighborhood improvements •The long-standing Rite Aid on Chino Hills Parkway and Pipeline Avenue will close its doors as part of the chain’s latest batch of store closures due to Chapter 11 bankruptcy filed in October 2023 The store was previously a Thrifty drug store and was purchased by Rite Aid in 1996 •The Israel-Gaza war is brought to the Chino Hills City Council meeting when approximately 50 residents ask for a cease-fire resolution City Attorney Mark Hensley said international issues such as the calling for a cease-fire are not in the city’s jurisdiction •A group led by Chino Hills resident John Bruner called “Term Limiters” asks the city council to impose term limits on itself by placing the matter on a future agenda in hopes of a ballot measure in November Mayor Cynthia Moran accepts an invitation to speak at its meeting and agrees to place the matter on a future agenda •One of the first affordable housing projects is proposed in the City of Chino’s newly created affordable housing overlay at the northeast corner of Ramona Avenue and Chino Hills Parkway east of Frosty’s Christmas Tree lot/Pumpkin Patch The plan calls for 298 apartments on 8.26 acres Only one parking stall is assigned per unit and a second parking stall will be allocated on a first come first-served basis for two-bedroom units that have a second car •A new program in Chino Hills allows residents to pay for the trimming of trees in city-owned areas ahead of scheduled maintenance The program will be a pilot program to gauge public interest due to a high volume of requests from residents to trim city-owned trees near their properties and other members of the Associated Chino Teachers Union gather at the Chino Valley School Board meeting to ask for fair wages lighter caseloads for speech language pathologists and less paperwork for special education teachers Union members began “working to the contract” on Jan limiting work duties to only those covered by the collective bargaining agreement Parks and Recreation Commission approves the naming of a future park in the Preserve after former Chino Councilmember Glenn Duncan The name “Glenn Duncan Town Center Park” is suggested by Lewis Operating Company as a part of its Town Center block project that will include the second Preserve school •More than nine inches of rain soaked the Chino Valley from Feb 10 in torrential downpours that flooded streets and created large potholes on Euclid Avenue causing damage to three vehicles •Chino councilmembers refuse to approve the city’s housing plan over state provisions that would allow 100 percent residential projects in mixed-use overlay zones possibly eliminating critical retail centers The council agrees to place the matter on the agenda to study the plan further before deciding •A park in the Preserve will be named “Glenn E Duncan Park” after former Chino Councilmember Glenn Duncan The council agreed to remove the words “Town Center” from the name at the suggestion of Councilman Marc Lucio •An Ontario Christian High School senior is charged with five counts of attempted murder and one count of attempted credible threats on an alleged plan to carry out a “Columbine-type” shooting at his school and enters a not guilty plea Feb 15 in the West Valley Superior Court House in Rancho Cucamonga •More than 50 speakers from a group called “Chino Valley 4 Palestinian Liberation” ask the Chino Hills City Council for a cease-fire resolution regarding the Israel-Gaza war •Don Lugo High students enroll in free construction classes through Baldy View Regional Occupational Program and build a snack bar for the softball field and lockers for the girls’ softball team •After listening to 18 speakers discuss the pros and cons of term limits the Chino Hills City Council will not place the item on the November ballot Mayor Cynthia Moran agreed to put the matter on an agenda after a group called “Term Limiters,” formed by resident John Bruner asked the council to impose term limits on itself by placing the matter on a future agenda in hopes of a ballot measure in November •The Associated Chino Teachers Union declares an impasse in contract negotiations with the Chino Valley Unified School District after talks stall Negotiations began last spring with ACT asking for fair wage increases resources for special education programs including reduced class size and caseload support for speech-language pathologists The Public Employees Relations Board will assign a mediator to work between the district and union to attempt brokering a settlement the City of Chino’s one-percent sales tax increase ballot initiative will appear on the ballot for the Presidential Primary Election on March 5 City officials have been speaking to civic groups and hosting town meetings to promote the measure which is expected to generate $28 million per year and will remain in place until voters wish to terminate the tax through a ballot initiative •After months of debate over pickleball versus roller sports at the Grand Avenue Park roller hockey rink in Chino Hills the council votes to give both sports their own separate play areas on the rink with their own surfacing Pickleball players will have up to five courts with permanent nets and Prison City Roller Derby and roller sports will have their own section on a modified-size court •A new Andy’s Burgers opens across the street from the original Chino location at the corner of Wright Avenue and Riverside Drive The Sotiropoulos family plans to remodel and rent out the previous location •The Chino Hills City Council chooses Related California to build senior apartments that will be the first 100 percent affordable housing development at the southwest corner of Peyton Drive and Eucalyptus Avenue where the overflow parking lot for Community Park is located the city council dropped Related due to an impasse in negotiations and went with C & C Development •Chino’s housing element remains out of compliance when the city council chooses to table approval of the housing plan to an indefinite future date over concerns about by-right approval for affordable housing projects in mixed-use areas A state law known as the “Builders Remedy” allows developers to build high-density projects anywhere in the city with by-right approval from the council if the city’s housing plan is out of compliance •Chino Hills law enforcement begins wearing body cameras that will capture both video and audio evidence when interacting with the public Widely used by state and local law enforcement agencies for many years the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is one of the last agencies in Southern California to implement the cameras Cost is $6.5 million for the approximately 2,000 cameras that will be deployed over the next five years •It was a shocking moment at a Chino Hills City Council meeting when City Manager Benjamin Montgomery announces that a video with disturbing imagery was going to be shown at the request of a speaker calling for a cease-fire resolution on Palestine and that any person who did not wish to see it should leave the chambers requested by Paul Gonzales of Pomona as part of his presentation included the precursor to a suicide that took place in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington Airman Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire to protest the Israel-Gaza war The video shows the 25-year-old airman walking to the embassy stating that he was about to engage in an extreme protest and poured gasoline on his head •More than 900 people got up early for the 5:45 a.m Chino Valley Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast at the NFI Industries warehouse where featured speaker Michael Franzese kept the crowd mesmerized with his stories about being a part of the Colombo crime family and operating illegal rackets •Chino Hills resident Steve Elie is named the 2023 Fred L which recognizes significant contributions to the Chino Valley Fire District •Chino voters approve the city’s Measure V ballot initiative 62.23 percent to 37.77 percent residents will see their sales tax increase by one percent •Chino Hills resident Suket Dayal is named to the San Bernardino County Planning Commission by Fourth District Supervisor Curt Hagman He replaces Chino Hills resident Melissa Demirci who steps down to join the Chino Hills Planning Commission •A 10-acre site at the corner of Mountain and Merrimack avenues in the College Park neighborhood won’t be used for high-density housing and a promised public elementary school won’t be built either has expressed interest over the last few years in building high-density housing on the site but the council said it does not plan on changing the zoning for residential use •Chaffey College students and College Park residents will have food options within walking distance with construction of the mixed-use project “The Campus at College Park” moving ahead this year The 7.54-acre property east of the roundabout at Oaks and Eucalyptus avenues will be subdivided into two parcels with one containing three two-story commercial buildings and the other as the new site for Gateway Karis Church The Chino City Council unanimously approved the parcel map and subdivision improvement agreement which includes gutter •The City of Chino identifies five retail centers with vacancies and aging storefronts that need to be revitalized: the Chino Town Square To create a plan for these older shopping centers the city retained Kosmont Companies for $35,000 in 2023 The real estate services firm offers financial advisory the Chino Hills City Council adopts two measures that effectively rules out any further calls for a cease-fire in the Israel-Gaza war Facing a larger and more vocal crowd at each meeting since January the city council put on the brakes by going back to its original policy adopted in the early 1990s that public comments be restricted to city business matters only The council also votes to not allow city audio and visual equipment to be used during the public comments portion of the meeting The policy was enacted after residents began requesting that footage from the war be shown at meetings •The Chino Valley School Board votes 4-1 to change its parental notification policy by removing any mention of gender in response to a judge’s recent rulings in California vs Board member Don Bridge voted against the new policy stating that he didn’t think it was any better than the previous one that he also opposed The updated policy eliminates language requiring staff to notify parents when a student asks to use a restroom or pronouns that differ from their gender at birth the revised policy states that schools must notify parents if any student changes their official or unofficial record in any way •Chino Valley Fire District board members approve a five percent increase for themselves per meeting over a two-year period The current stipend is $175 per meeting and will go up to $183.86 beginning July 1 The vote was 4-1 with board member John DeMonaco opposed DeMonaco said he typically votes no for any pay increase •The Chino Hills Parks and Recreation Commission votes to name the show arena at McCoy Equestrian Center after Arabian horseman Bill Hughes The equestrian center is located at 14280 Peyton Drive was known by members of the horse community as a true gentleman •Waste Management begins using smart cameras located in trash trucks to monitor trash Waste Management spokesperson Glenda Chavez makes a presentation to the city council to announce that the cameras will monitor both contamination and overfill The word “contamination” is used when the wrong materials find their way into recycling or organics carts •Vietnam veterans of the Chino Hills 55+ Club receive a proclamation from the city council the same night a man from the Chino Valley 4 Palestine group holds the American flag upside down in the back of council chambers two of them engage in a verbal altercation with Paul Gonzales of Pomona a United States Air Force veteran of 5½ years Gonzales to put the flag away or they would take matters in their own hands which resulted in Mr Gonzales calling upon a deputy for intervention •Three years after construction begins on the Central Avenue and 60 Freeway interchange to relieve congestion and improve freeway ramps the project is approaching an expected completion date The interchange improvements are a collaboration with the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority •The Chino City Council approves a $2,400 per year contract with Hinderliter deLlamas and Associates (HdL Companies) for the administration of the Measure V one percent sales tax increase and a total of $175,000 to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to administer Measure V •The City of Chino Hills extends the contract with Social Work Action Group (SWAG) for another year in the amount of $265,000 to serve the handful of homeless people who have been identified as living in the city The funds are coming from the American Rescue Plan Act •The vacant buildings where Stein Mart and Sport Chalet flourished long ago are demolished at the Crossroads Marketplace on Peyton Drive east of the 71 Freeway in Chino Hills to allow the construction of the new Costco gas station •Chino American Legion Post 299 celebrates its 100th anniversary with a gala event at the Legion Hall The post was organized in 1924 by Elmer Carl Jertberg who was the first commander as well as grandchildren and numerous relatives •The City of Chino Hills announces that in addition to a splash pad it will build a community center at Pinehurst Park in the Butterfield area with $8.5 million from Supervisor Curt Hagman’s office and $2.3 million from Community Facilities District 9 •Chino Valley looks to the sky to view a rare solar eclipse on April 8 The next one won’t happen until August 2044 •The Chino Planning Commission will expand by two members to represent the northern sphere of influence (SOI) and the southern SOI in case their area of residence is annexed and they have to step down to be replaced by another commissioner •A new street sign called Legion Way is placed at the Central Avenue entrance to the Chino Post 299 American Legion to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the post •State Attorney General Rob Bonta files a motion for final judgment against the Chino Valley School Board to ensure that the board does not reinstate its rescinded parental notification policy where the school must inform parents if their students ask to be identified as transgender He said he took action because the district continues to make “anti-trans” comments •A 7-acre park to be built in The Preserve will be named the “Stueve Family Park” after a longtime dairy family in Chino whose Alta Dena Dairy once operated on the site •Chino Hills Councilman Peter Rogers asks for a re-visit of the Nov 2023 resolution condemning antisemitism adopted by the city after the Oct Rogers said he wished to make the language more equitable because the council may have been short-sighted by not thinking through what it meant to the whole community •The Chino Hills State of the City address is disrupted by about 25 protestors in support of Palestine who marched into the foyer of the Community Center chanting Deputies from the Chino Hills Police Station cleared out the crowd from the building and the protesters continued their chants outside until the event ended social media users have been asking when the bloom of colorful poppies and other wildflowers will begin Inland Empire District Multimedia Coordinator Garrett Fuhrman said the weather conditions were not ideal this year with sporadic rain and cooler temperatures •Chino Valley public officials call on the State of California and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to remove the 39 death row inmates transferred from San Quentin to the California Institution of Men (CIM) The remarks were made during a press conference at Chino City Hall mother of Christopher Hughes who was killed by escaped CIM inmate Kevin Cooper in 1983 Hughes said the community needs to wake up and realize that the condemned inmates will be part of the general population at the prison which is less than a half mile away from the nearest house •Former Chino Councilmember Glenn Duncan is inducted into the Chino Hall of Fame at the May 7 council meeting president of the Chino Valley Historical Society presented his family with the framed award after years of contributing to the Chino community he attended over 600 meetings before retiring in 2017 He played active roles in the Chino Valley YMCA and received Chino’s Spirit of Achievement award in 2023 •The annual Corn Feed Run Car Show hosted by Chino Kiwanis Club features over 1,000 registered vehicles displayed along Central Avenue in front of City Hall A cruise route allowed car enthusiasts to show off gleaming classic cars The event raised $60,000 for senior and youth charities in Chino •The grand re-opening of Crossroads Park at Chino Hills Parkway and Carbon Canyon Road is celebrated after six months of renovations to create the first inclusive playground in Chino Hills The playground features large scale musical instruments transfer areas for wheelchair movement and accessible pathways •A traffic signal at the intersection of Fern and Eucalyptus avenues in Chino is approved by the Chino City Council •After months of pressure from Chino Valley 4 Palestinian Liberation supporters calling for a cease-fire resolution the Chino Hills City Council adds language to its Nov 14 resolution denouncing antisemitism to include Palestinians and other groups The changes were not embraced by the organization The council voted 4-1 with Councilman Art Bennett opposed stating that the resolution divides Chino Hills which values all races •Torrey Pines Park in Chino Hills is transformed into a sunny nature-themed park complete with colorful “Shadow Play Flowers,” orange and white “pod steppers,” bright orange and blue play structures •The City of Chino retains CityGreen Consulting for technical assistance in organic recycling compliance for commercial properties The city is complying with Senate Bill 1383 and multi-family complexes to recycle organic waste CityGreen will work with the city and Waste Management to help businesses find what size organic container they need and provide education on food waste contamination •The Chino City Council approves 12 new positions including four with the Police Department and eight staff positions for a total of $2.66 million carved out from the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget The positions will fulfill promises to the community that Measure V funds will be used for public safety a ballot initiative increasing Chino’s sales tax by one percent •Pickleball courts at Vellano Park in Chino Hills are left without light after vandals removed copper wiring from the light poles surrounding the courts •The snow-topped Sierra Nevadas will supply billions of gallons of water to the Inland Empire for storage in the Chino Basin the Inland Empire Utilities Agency and Chino Basin Water Conservation District said in a joint press release Communities served by the Chino Basin include Chino which depend on the aquifer for more than 50 percent of their water supply •Graduation ceremonies for the 2024 classes of Don Lugo and Chino Hills high schools return to the Toyota Arena in Ontario for the first time since 2019 the Associated Chino Teachers (ACT) receives the raise it was hoping for—an 8.22 percent increase for the 2023-24 school year The board also approved a 7.16 percent raise for the California School Employee Association (CSEA Chino Chapter 102) The chapter opted to allocate 1.18 percent toward longevity increases that kick in when an employee completes 10 years of service and beyond in five-year increments •The Chino Valley Unified School District has a new headquarters to call home with increased parking and a larger board room 60,000-square-foot administration building is at 13461 Ramona Ave •Chino Valley Fire and City of Chino Hills officials hold a ceremony at Fire Station 68 at Soquel Canyon Parkway at Pipeline Avenue in Chino Hills •Chino Hills Public Works crews install signs at the entrance to Carbon Canyon Road while Brea Public Works crews at the same time Brea installed signs at the Valencia end stating that semi-trucks and vehicles with more than four axles are forbidden from using the state highway •Complaints from business owners regarding the recently built median on Kimball Avenue limiting access to the AM/PM retail center at Euclid Avenue and the Chino Airport hangar are heard by the Chino Council that approves the construction of two left turn pockets on Kimball This will allow motorists heading west on Kimball a direct left turn to the retail center and drivers heading east a left turn to hangar businesses such as Threshold Aviation is being paid for almost entirely by San Bernardino County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in the amount of $314,324 The remaining $4,999 will come from the city’s general fund •After incidents of homeless people sleeping on the grounds of Chino City Hall and on the balconies and stairwells of the Carolyn Owens Community Center the Chino City Council imposes a curfew on downtown properties to prevent encampments •A budget workshop in Chino Hills council chambers reveals that although the fiscal year 2024-25 budget is balanced with a healthy reserve fund the financial impacts from increased inflation and a flattening revenue are getting harder to ignore City Manager Benjamin Montgomery told the city council that cities are being impacted by the same economic issues that are hitting households and it is time to have a conversation with the public to find out if a sales tax would be palatable Montgomery said a 1 percent sales tax would bring in $10.5 to $11 million a year •A gaping hole could be seen in the middle of Ramona Avenue in Chino after city-hired contractors damaged a waterline while repairing potholes Ramona was closed for several weeks at Marigold Avenue between Chino and Schaefer avenues during the repairs •A resolution opposing changes to Title IX a federal law prohibiting discrimination in education programs on the basis of sex was supported by the Chino Valley School Board 4-1 known as “Title 9,” states that “no person in the United States shall or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” The school board’s one-page resolution states that Title IX was written to protect from discrimination on the basis of sex It also states that the board “fundamentally opposes” the changes because they attempt to supplant the definition of sex with gender identity and threaten the safety and privacy of women and girls •Acting Warden Travis Pennington of the California Institution for Men (CIM) apologizes to the citizens advisory committee on the way residents found out about the condemned inmate transfer from San Quentin Warden Pennington was referring to an April 9 meeting when a bombshell was dropped that death row inmates from San Quentin State Prison were being transferred to CIM and some had already arrived •A World War II-era plane crashes at Chino Airport shortly after takeoff including the chief operating officer of the Yanks Air Museum The plane erupts into flames after the crash which took place about 200 yards from the runway and about 200 yards from the airport’s fencing on the west side of the airport at Euclid Avenue were demonstrating a twin-engine Lockheed 12A Electra Junior as part of an event at the Yanks Air Museum called “Pops and Props,” the day before Father’s Day when the crash occurred •The Chino Police Department announces a proposal for a $4 million helicopter program as part of a master-planned substation at the Chino Airport to accommodate the growth in the Preserve and College Park The program would include the cost of the helicopter The proposal is approved by the City Council in November •The Chino Valley Unified School District’s lawsuit against the Chino Development Corporation (Lewis Operating Corporation) over development impact fees related to Cal Aero Preserve Academy is settled in the amount of $2.4 million •Supporters of the Chino Valley 4 Palestinian Liberation organization ask the city to divest from a $2.5 million Caterpillar bond in its investment portfolio on the grounds that the company is involved with war crimes They also asked the council to adopt an ethical divestment policy to ensure the city is not doing business with companies that are complicit in internationally recognized war crimes such as genocide •Lewis Development Corporation constructs a sidewalk and crosswalk at West Preserve Loop and Pine Avenue that allows children living north of Pine to walk to the new Legacy Academy K-8 school when it opens in the Preserve after the city raised concerns that students living north of Pine would be unable to walk to school was required to complete the improvements as part of its housing development on the south side of Pine but was still in the entitlement phase with the city •The Holy Transfiguration Coptic Church celebrates its grand opening at 14715 Peyton Drive with an inaugural Divine Liturgy on the Feast of Pentecost while celebrating its 10th anniversary of the founding of the parish at the same time The building is actually the multi-purpose center where church members will worship until the sanctuary is built •Chino High football player Jason Phan dies two days after being pulled from the Chino High School pool after suffering a medical emergency The 14-year-old incoming freshman was an Ontario resident who attended Woodcrest Junior High •Five commercial-grade canopies belonging to the Chino Kiwanis Club are stolen from the trailer stored at the Chino Civic Center The club found out about the incident the day it was preparing for the concert in the park where members sell food and drinks to raise funds for community events •City of Chino finds a way to provide free summer lunches at Monte Vista Park and Liberty Park by partnering with an Eastvale non-profit that contracts with the state Department of Education Nutrition Services after residents complained that the program was cancelled this year Chino had partnered with the school district for the past four years to provide the lunches but the district expanded its program to include 15 schools and said it was not given enough time by the city to seek options for the two parks •The cost for the carbon filtration treatment plant in Chino Hills rises by $2.5 million for a total of $20.5 million due to unforeseen work such as the discovery of an electrical line Funding is coming from a settlement from Dow Chemical Company and Shell Oil for contaminating the city’s drinking supplies and water wells with the chemical 1,2,3-TCP •Chino’s one-cent sales tax increase approved by voters in March is now in effect Residents are seeing an 8.75 percent increase compared to 7.75 with funding from Measure G and developer fees •Pomona attorney and civil rights activist Jaime Gutierrez informs the Chino Hills City Council that he will sue the city if councilmembers continue to restrict the public from exercising their rights of free speech representing individuals with the Chino Valley 4 Palestinian Liberation organization submits a “cease and desist” letter to the city during the council meeting •A Chino man’s body is recovered on a Peruvian mountain after 22 years his body preserved by the ice and freezing temperatures was buried in an avalanche with two friends while scaling the 22,205-foot-high Huascaran Mountain Erskine’s body was found three days after the accident and the third person •Four Ayala Park softball fields will receive a $4.8 million upgrade eight years after Chino Girls Fastpitch approached the Chino City Council about the aging facilities and lack of shade Chang’s chef Jose Pulido receives a Medal of Valor from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department for tackling a gunman who walked into the Chino Hills restaurant’s kitchen and shot a co-worker standing a few feet away •The non-profit Liberty Justice Center files a lawsuit on behalf of the Chino Valley Unified School District against Gov Gavin Newsom after he signed a bill banning schools from informing parents when their child requests a name or pronoun change or to use a restroom for the opposite gender •Long-time Chino resident and civic leader Kevin Cisneroz is named the Champion’s Outstanding Citizen of the Year for 2024 He was recognized at the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce’s installation and awards dinner •The cities of Chino and Ontario prepare to depart from the Inland Valley Humane Society stating that rising costs and a decline in service has prompted the need for a joint powers authority The two cities plan to build a $50 million animal services facility in Ontario near the Chino border called the West End Animal Services Agency The project is expected to go to bid in 2026 •The roller hockey rink is “saved” at Grand Avenue Park in Chino Hills after the city council decides to preserve the rink for roller sports but resurface it for pickleball play The rink will remain in its current configuration as a space for pickleball Roller  sports fans are grateful the rink was preserved but at the time said they were not sure the surface would be skateable •Costs for the design of Pine Avenue increase to $5.4 million due to the requirement of new traffic analysis reports and an abundance of least Bell’s vireo The project will extend Pine from El Prado Road to the 71 Freeway in Chino Hills •The relocated Costco gas station opens at Crossroads Marketplace in Chino Hills with 32 fueling positions and 16 pumps •Eleven mosquito samples collected the week of July 22 in Chino and south Ontario test positive for West Nile Virus The samples in Chino were collected in the vicinity of Central and Chino avenues •Waste Management implements an enforcement program in Chino Hills in which residents will be fined if they overfill their carts or mix organic waste with trash •A pedestrian crosswalk with a traffic control system is installed in Chino Hills on Boys Republic Drive east of Peyton Drive heavily used by Ayala High students and St Paul the Apostle Catholic Church parishioners connects the Chino Hills Government Center to the church •A project that will widen Edison Avenue increases by $2.5 million requiring the relocation and reconstruction of the Ayala Park monument at the southeast corner of Central and Edison avenues The total contract amount is now $16.2 million the Let It Be Foundation announces it will close its doors at the end of December The foundation helps families of children with life-threatening illnesses established the foundation in 2006 after they lost their only daughter A “Let It Be Sunset” gala was held at Yanks Air Museum president of the Alterra neighborhood Homeowner’s Association who died in July at 66 years old is honored during National Night Out in the Alterra community •Community complaints of truck traffic on Chino Avenue has led to Chino Police issuing 400 citations to truck drivers this year A digital message board warning truck drivers of the $250 fine for driving on Chino Avenue was placed across the street from the Chino Hills Animal Hospital •Chino Police receive a $110,153 grant to reduce impaired driving funded by state sales tax revenues from marijuana sales that are used to educate the community on the dangers of impaired driving Police Chief Kevin Mensen said in July the department made 263 driving under the influence arrests last year •A parking crunch is anticipated by city officials at a 516-unit housing project in The Preserve approved by the Chino Planning Commission consisting of two neighborhoods east of West Preserve Loop and north of Pine Avenue Each unit will have a two-car garage to be used for parking only The project will have 120 guest parking spaces and 70 street parking spaces •Chino Hills’ capital improvement program (CIP) budget has been significantly reduced from $16.5 million last fiscal year to $4.6 million this fiscal year City Manager Benjamin Montgomery explained that there is an influx of American Plan Rescue Act funds in the CIP budget for various carryover projects that should be used without using a lot of General Fund money •The California Institution for Men (CIM) in Chino confirms that the lethal electrified fence that surrounds Facility C where the 41 condemned inmates are located was inoperable for several days at the end of July states that when the lethal electrified fence is inoperable for any length of time every tower that surrounds the facility is manned 24/7 until the problem has been resolved The lethal electrified fence was installed in November 2005 Department of Justice opens an investigation into sexual abuse of inmates by correctional officers at the California Institution for Women (CIW) in Chino after 21 women filed a lawsuit alleging violations took place between 2014 and 2020 The 21 inmates allege they were victims of forcible rape and penetration and threats of violence and punishments of abuse during the six-year period •The City of Chino seal is placed on the bridge over the 60 Freeway at Central Avenue as part of a project that includes widening the on-ramps adding general-purpose lanes and carpool lanes and adding design features such as the sun rays and fields and a tractor etched on the bridge wall allowing for an additional left turn lane onto the on-ramps Senior Executive Vice President of Lewis Development Corporation always envisioned The Preserve would be a place for families through focus groups and data collected by builders he learned that half of all Lewis households are made up of singles and couples who do not have any children at home “One of the things we are seeing in The Preserve and we see this in almost all of our communities there are typically more dogs than children,” Mr He also learned that the average age among renters is 41 years old “much older than we would have expected,” he said This fact and many other surprising statistics are shared by the master developer of The Preserve at a workshop on the progress of The Preserve Yates moved to Chino in 1982 and with his wife Rosemary raised their family He was elected in 1992 and served as mayor from 2004 until his retirement in 2016 •The Chino City Council and Chino Hills City Council both pass resolutions to support Proposition 36 5 ballot that increases penalties for certain theft and drug crimes undoing aspects of Proposition 47 that reclassified some drug and theft crimes from felonies to misdemeanors was overwhelmingly approved by voters in November •A church founded in Chino in 1895 came precariously close to shutting its doors two years ago a fact that was not well-known to the community until the Chino United Methodist Church celebrated its 129th anniversary this month co-founder of the Friends of Steve McQueen Car and Motorcycle Show held at the Boys Republic dies at his ranch in Palm Desert at the age of 63 He was the only son and last living child of actor Steve McQueen who spent time at Boys Republic in Chino Hills in 1946 when he was 16 years old •The election for the Monte Vista Water District Board of Directors is cancelled The candidates that were appointed were Sandra Rose of Chino •The little store in Los Serranos located on Descanso Road since at least 1950 The store was first called Lusk’s Los Serranos Market named after Paul Lusk and his wife who lived just down the street then known as “Smith’s Los Serranos Market,” and “Mike’s Market” in the 1980s 6 school shooting in Georgia where two students and two teachers were killed by a 14-year-old boy seven shooting threats and one bomb threat were reported in the Chino Valley Unified School District a 14-year-old Don Lugo High freshman was arrested for sending threats about wanting to shoot people (through a group text chat) and an 11-year-old student at Walnut Elementary School was disciplined after he threatened the school in a social media post •Against a budget backdrop of department cuts and belt tightening the Chino Hills City Council votes itself a 71.5 percent raise upping its current monthly payment of $1,108 per month to $1,900 a month The council jumped on a new law called Senate Bill 329 signed by Gov Newsom that allowed a $792 per month increase based on population Councilmembers also receive $500 per month car allowance more than $1,600 a month for medical insurance •In an effort to accelerate permit processing for infrastructure and drainage projects in the Prado Basin the City of Chino enters into an agreement with the U.S Army Corps of Engineers that allows the Corps to provide the necessary staff and resources to streamline the process The city will pay the Corps $783,254 over the next six years for expedited permits for projects including the Euclid Avenue bridge the widening of Pine between Euclid and Johnson avenues improvements to the intersection of Euclid and Pine •Chino Valley Professional Firefighters Union contributes $77,000 to back newcomer Andrew Romaine in an attempt to oust longtime board member John DeMonaco DeMonaco said the union was making an attempt to control the fire department by buying the election Romaine ended up winning by a narrow margin •Chino City Council approves an ordinance prohibiting homeless individuals from sleeping and storing personal property in public parks to conform to a June U.S Supreme Court ruling that states the Eighth Amendment’s protections against cruel and unusual punishment do not prohibit local governments from enforcing laws banning sleeping and camping on public property •Pickleball fans flock to Grand Avenue Park in Chino Hills when the roller hockey rink is resurfaced to accommodate five pickleball courts the Chino City Council reluctantly adopts a housing element it does not support to comply with the state mandate to build 6,978 housing units by 2029 The city ran into obstacles after it created two overlays which did not redevelop with as many affordable units as anticipated •Chino residents angrily protest a four-story residential project proposed for Euclid and Schaefer avenues in Chino that will include a five-story parking garage with 500 spaces and 18,600 square feet of retail space on 10 acres Residents say the tall buildings will obscure their views and spillover parking will impact their streets residents also learned that a three-acre parcel of land directly north is proposed for three-story apartments •The 99 Cents Only Store in Chino Hills will be replaced by the Boqian Galleria market on the northwest corner of Chino Hills Parkway and Pipeline Avenue •The Chino Planning Commission will grow by two seats to include residents who live in the unincorporated areas known as the sphere of influence One ex-oficio member will represent the northern sphere of influence area and the other will represent the southern sphere of influence area •Chino City Councilmembers give themselves a 118 percent raise The mayor’s monthly compensation will rise from $1,534 to $3,348 and councilmembers’ monthly compensation will increase from $1,281 to $2,796 at the end of December The raise is the result of a new law that allows cities to increase compensation to account for inflation and attract diverse council members The council could have set its salary based on population at $1,900 a month but instead chose to use the formula of a 5 percent raise for each year from the date of the last salary adjustment •Trumark Homes is given permission by the Chino Hills Planning Commission to allow up to 45 occupants in the Shady View development in Butterfield to move in before the traffic signal is built at Twin Knolls Drive and Butterfield Ranch Road and improvements are made to the existing signal at Shady View Drive and Butterfield Ranch Road A supply chain issue is causing the delay in materials needed for the new traffic signal •A new law has made it possible for the City of Chino to purchase the 130-acre Heman G Stark Youth Correctional Facility on Euclid Avenue south of Merrill Avenue that closed in 2010 The city intends to build affordable housing Chino voters must approve the residential units under Measure M which calls for an election when commercial land is proposed for houses is surprised to learn that the agency subsidizes rides on OmniRide Omnitrans states that outlying communities such as Chino Hills and Chino have less demand making it more expensive and less efficient to operate bus service •A chicken slaughterhouse in Chino called Wing Lee Farms on Yorba Avenue reaches a sewer discharge agreement with the city and the Inland Empire Utilities Agency after it was learned that the plant’s grease interceptors were routinely at or exceeding their maximum volume and occasionally at risk of overflowing It was also learned that the slaughterhouse was processing 13,000 to 15,000 chickens a day even though its permit issued in 2002 allowed a daily maximum amount of 2,500 •A driver of a Daniel’s Tire Service truck plows through the front door of the Santa Fe Pharmacy on Central Avenue at Riverside Drive after having a seizure •Praise Chapel Chino Valley is prohibited from selling fireworks for the next three years after the City of Chino determined the church improperly stored fireworks that were left over from its booth on July 4 •Chino’s non-compliant housing element is put on hold for another two weeks after dismayed residents pressure the City Council on Nov 5 to postpone approval of the housing element to the Nov Councilman Curtis Burton votes against the decision stating that if the housing element is not passed the city could face up to $50,000 per month in fines from the state or the builder’s remedy where developers can force a project if the city has a non-compliant housing plan and Trustee Area 1 challenger John Cervantes win their respective seats on the school board by healthy margins •Backed by more than $77,000 from the Chino Valley Professional Firefighters’ Union challenger Andrew Romaine wins the Area 4 seat on the fire board ousting longtime incumbent John DeMonaco by a narrow margin •Art Bennett wins the race for the Chino Hills City Council District 3 defeating challengers Jim Gallagher and Tyler Francis Shields •Chino Mayor Eunice Ulloa trounces opponent Paul Rodriguez by an almost 3 to 1 margin in the Chino mayoral race District 1 incumbent Chris Flores and District 4 incumbent Karen Comstock ran unopposed •Eleven Chino schools are either locked down or forced to shelter in place after the Chino Police Department receives a call from someone at 12:56 p.m demanding money or he would “shoot up” Don Lugo High School Investigators later determined the call was a hoax and referred to the incident as “swatting,” which is an action of making a hoax phone call to report a serious crime that results in SWAT teams responding to an address the governing body of the 2,500-acre undeveloped cattle ranch called “Tres Hermanos” on both sides of Grand Avenue in Chino Hills and Diamond Bar will meet in the City of Industry for the next two years beginning in January “rotates” among the three participating agencies •A bloodhound named Scout joins the Chino Police Department’s K-9 unit to track down escaped inmates and to assist in search and rescue missions The department began researching bloodhounds following the transfer of condemned inmates to the California Institution for Men in April •The City of Chino Hills attorney’s office warns the owner of two abandoned buildings on Carbon Canyon Road that were once used as apartments that the use is no longer legal The buildings have not been occupied since 2019 when eight residents were evicted after the city “red-tagged” the properties for health and safety issues created by the landlord •The Chino Police Department will be able to patrol the skies after the City Council gives the green light to add a $4 million helicopter program it had been proposing for a few years The $3.7 million helicopter will be deployed from a hangar where the future substation will be located at Chino Airport Operating costs are expected to be $640,000 annually for maintenance Leasing the hangar will cost about $9,000 per month the Chino City Council approves the housing element—despite “not liking it” as Councilman Marc Lucio stated—to comply with state mandates that require the city to build 6,978 residential units with 3,397 as affordable housing Chino resident Bob Nigg asked the council to change the housing plan regarding building height and density and self-storage facilities permitted in mixed-use overlays Nigg spoke on behalf of residents concerned with a proposed four-story housing development on Euclid and Schaefer avenues with 273 units that includes a five-story parking garage and a 143,000 square-foot storage facility •Art Bennett is selected by his colleagues to become the mayor of the City of Chino Hills Sarah Ramos-Evinger is selected to become the president of Chino Valley Fire District board of directors and Sonja Shaw is named president of the Chino Valley Unified School District board for the third consecutive year •Chino Councilman Curtis Burton is selected by his colleagues to become the mayor pro tem of Chino •A three-story school and a five-story parking structure proposed by Calvary Chapel Chino Hills on its 12-acre campus is narrowly approved by the Chino Planning Commission in a 4-3 vote and Vincent Lopez voted against the project •Union-backed Chino Hills resident Andrew Romaine wins election to the Chino Valley Fire District Area 4 board seat narrowly beating longtime incumbent John DeMonaco by 101 votes •Chino Community Children’s Theatre celebrates its 40th anniversary all year long and receives a donation of $20,000 from the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce Leadership Collaborative for student scholarships and audiovisual equipment •Two weeks after being forced to withdraw from the CIF-Southern Section cross country championships because of a reporting error by school administrators the boys and girls teams at Ayala High School receive funds from the school district to compete at the Running Lanes XC championships in Alabama on Dec •A Taoist temple and campus proposed on a 9.5-acre lot on Benson Avenue north of Philadelphia Street is narrowly approved by the Chino Planning Commission by a 4-3 vote Lopez seconded the motion made by Commissioner Steve Lewis to approve the project •The City of Chino Hills is still working with the owner of a custom house being built at the S curves in Carbon Canyon to resolve problems related to retaining walls that were not built according to the plans approved by the city The property owner began construction in 2021 but was directed to resubmit his engineering plans to correct issues related to grading and the retaining walls •A 20,394-square-foot indoor sports facility providing private court rentals is approved by the Chino Planning Commission Ranch Sports Facility will occupy a new warehouse at 16067 Euclid Ave •A group of 40 people protesting the plight of Gaza residents stage a procession on Peyton Drive to the Chino Hills government center carrying flags banners and playing Christmas music 30 minutes before the Chino Hills Boat Parade begins Home > California Court Upholds Part of Chino Valley School District’s Parental Notification Policy (Tampa Free Press)—The Superior Court of California ruled on Monday in the California v upholding a preliminary injunction that prevents the district from enforcing parts of its old parental notification policy This policy required staff to notify parents if a student requested to use a name or facilities that differed from their sex at birth the court also determined that the part of the policy requiring staff to notify parents about changes to their minor child’s official or unofficial records is constitutional and should not be blocked This legal battle began in August 2023 when Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a temporary restraining order against the district The Liberty Justice Center subsequently stepped in to defend the policy removing the language requiring staff to notify parents about name The updated policy still requires notification for changes to official or unofficial records The recent court ruling pertains to the district’s old policy “We are disappointed in the Court’s decision on sections 1.a and 1.b of Chino Valley’s old parental notification policy and intend to appeal the ruling But we are pleased that the Court rightly ruled that the District’s policy does not infringe on minor students’ privacy rights and that schools may inform parents of changes to their children’s records,” said Emily Rae Senior Counsel at the Liberty Justice Center “We look forward to the next steps in this lawsuit and will continue to fight for California families at no cost to taxpayers.” © Copyright 2025, Liberty Justice Center. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy Disclaimer: The materials contained in this website are for informational purposes and are not to be considered advertising or legal advice This information is not intended to create and receipt of it does not constitute or create an attorney-client relationship between the Liberty Justice Center and/or any lawyer with LJC with any reader or recipient of this information and LJC does not make any assertion regarding available attorneys in your jurisdiction Do not send us confidential information until you speak with us and receive authorization to do so 2024 Annual Report Chino Valley Ranchers' hilarious new egg commercial drops this laugh-out-loud campaign is a bold reminder that eggs are the ultimate on-the-go snack—perfect for pockets (sort of) In Pocket Sized Protein viewers crash a high school reunion where one guest takes his love for eggs to a questionable new level As he casually slips hard-boiled eggs into his jacket pockets What unfolds next is a perfect blend of humor and pure absurdity—all in the name of showcasing eggs as the original portable protein Our goal is always to make ads that don't just sell eggs "Our goal is always to make ads that don't just sell eggs, but make people laugh, share, and remember us," said Chris Nichols, CEO of Chino Valley Ranchers "We want to prove that food marketing doesn't have to be boring—because let's be real people love to laugh just as much as they love great eggs." The commercial was brought to life by an incredible production team Director of Photography Keith Leman captured every hilarious moment with cinematic precision The production featured a talented cast including Sara Alavi The spot was filmed at Iron Wolf Ranch & Distillery whose team graciously opened their doors to create the perfect backdrop for the chaos Chino Valley Ranchers' CEO even made a surprise cameo as his alter ego keeping the party going both on and off-camera Pocket Sized Protein isn't just about eggs—it's about having fun Chino Valley Ranchers has built its reputation on bold With past commercials gaining millions of views and capturing audiences with their humor and originality, Pocket Sized Protein proves that taking chances pays off Check out Pocket Sized Protein now and see why eggs are the ultimate on-the-go protein—no pocket required Watch Pocket Sized Protein Chino Valley Ranchers is a family-owned and operated company dedicated to producing organic and pasture-raised eggs of the highest quality Committed to sustainable farming and animal welfare Chino Valley Ranchers has been a trusted name in the industry for over 70 years For Media Inquiries, Please Contact:Alex RibblePresident, Big Chief Creative Media [email protected](714) 794-2226 Do not sell or share my personal information: Print At Senator Ruben S students this semester complained of broken air conditioners and bathroom sinks a ceiling leak that dripped into a bucket by a teacher’s desk as rats scurried across the floor school administrators dealt with a different in-classroom issue: the appearance of 4-by-6-inch rainbow-pattern note cards imprinted with the phrase “safe space.” Some teachers saw the cards as a way to show support to LGBTQ+ students But school leaders said they went against a district ban on non-American flags The incident reflects the ongoing tensions inside the Chino Valley Unified School District 37 miles east of downtown Los Angeles where a conservative board has for two years faced both praise and scorn as a relentless fighter in education culture wars book bans and other polices that involve LGBTQ+ students In a politically mixed county that voted for President Biden by more than 10 points in 2020 the school board faces its own referendum on Tuesday when three of the five seats are open in election that could flip the conservative majority During the months leading up to the election the school board has robustly moved forward with its agenda and politics Over the summer, the state enacted a law that prohibits schools from mandating that teachers notify families about student gender identity changes. California A San Bernardino Superior Court judge issued a temporary restraining order Wednesday halting Chino Valley Unified’s controversial new policy requiring schools to notify parents if students identify as gender-nonconforming But in the latest salvo, the Chino board last month approved a “no deception” policy that requires all employees to “be truthful and honest and not misrepresent either directly or by omission,” to parents Opponents say the rule is another attempt to circumvent the new state law on parental notification and is overly expansive Supporters say it is meant to force dishonest educators to be transparent with parents on all matters although they are vague about what deceptions they believe to have taken place The new Chino regulation does not apply if disclosure is prohibited by law Last November, the board also approved a rule requiring school libraries to pull books if any district resident complains they are “sexually obscene.” The board then decides whether they should be permanently banned Board members said they did not know how many books have been removed in total the board had banned rainbow pride flags in district classrooms allowing for only government and military flags “It boggles my mind what goes on in this district,” said Donald Bridge history and government teacher who is the lone dissenter on the Chino Valley board and finishing out his last term “We want to teach students and give them a better education But we seem to be focused on everything but that.” Parental notification policies and laws — also called “forced outing” measures by LGBTQ+ advocates — have passed in eight states, and many more local school districts across the U.S., according to the Movement Advancement Project But the debates have unfolded in every state A win in California looks really good for them because if you can win in liberal California you can win anywhere,” said Maurice Cunningham a retired professor from the University of Massachusetts at Boston who has studied conservative activism in education A new national study from the Institute for Democracy Education and Access at UCLA found that of 467 public school superintendents in 46 states who were surveyed said their districts have seen “moderate to high levels” of conflict on topics ranging from COVID-related measures to race and LGBTQ+ issues The study estimated that public schools spent $3.2 billion in the 2023-24 school year on costs stemming from such conflicts The tab included legal fees and increased security and communications workloads to respond to misinformation “The topics that school boards have focused on have shifted, going from a fairly narrow focus on teaching and learning about race and racism in 2021 to increasingly attacks related to LGBT+ student rights,” said John Rogers, a professor at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, who co-authored the report. Conservatives and right-wing agitators are waging a well-coordinated, anti-LGBTQ+ culture war in local school districts across California. His research found that 50% of superintendents said they had been subject to harassment last school year over cultural conflicts, and roughly 10% had seen related threats of violence or property vandalism. In the Chino Valley district, legal costs have soared — totaling more than $1.2 million last school year, more than double the annual total in 2022. The district says that the Chicago-based Liberty Justice Center, a conservative legal firm, is representing it for free in its legal battles with the state. Sonja Shaw, the board president, blames the teachers union for increased administrative and legal spending. “They are wasting money and time of our staff,” she said, citing union complaints over new board policies and accusations that she has violated state law over open meetings. In TV interviews, public events and from the school board dais, Shaw speaks against “woke indoctrination” of students. During a board meeting last year, she said non-binary and transgender students could use the help of “non-affirming” parents to “get better.” A parent to two public school teens, she was an outspoken critic of the board during pandemic school closures before winning her seat in Nov. 2022. She says she is not anti-LGBTQ+ and faces opposition because she is “Christian and loves Jesus.” On the “safe space” rainbow cards, Shaw said: “I don’t get this mindset of us telling students that we are safe as a district or we are safe as teachers but your parents are not.” Regarding the “no deception” rule, Shaw said it has “nothing to do with parental notification” about transgender teens. Instead, she called the policy a “statement of philosophy.” “All we are saying here is let us make decisions for our community,” Shaw said. “What goes in L.A. may not go here. Let us have local control. If our community doesn’t like it, they will let us know.” As board president of Chino Valley Unified, Sonja Shaw has catapulted from soccer mom to the face of California’s parental rights movement. She’d say it’s part of God’s plan. The community’s response — by the way of votes — will be known next week. In the three board seats up for election, it’s become a contest of liberals vs. conservatives. Candidates in each race are speaking against the district’s current direction. Incumbents in two races are promoting board positions. The Associated Chino Teachers union has endorsed candidates opposed to parental notification and other LGBTQ+-related policies. Such issues have also become contentious on schools boards in Temecula, Redlands, Murietta and Riverside, which are also facing elections. The California Teachers Assn., in which the Chino union is a chapter, has become increasingly involved supporting more liberal-leaning candidates, including at a teachers rally held last week outside a Temecula shopping center. In Chino Valley, Shaw’s seat isn’t up for two years. Two years ago, when voters elected Shaw and another conservative board member, Jon Monroe, Shaw won by 317 votes and Monroe by 1,055. A little more than 10,000 ballots were cast in each race. The area, while more conservative than Los Angeles County, is not a GOP stronghold. In 2020, Joe Biden won the precinct where the district building is located by 19 points. But in several nearby precincts, Donald Trump won by close to 10 points. Temecula school board President Joseph Komrosky, a religious conservative, lost a recall vote, officials announced Thursday. In the Chino Valley district, 26,000 students are spread over 34 schools. About 55% are Hispanic, while roughly 26% are Asian American, 11% white and 3.7% Black. Students interviewed from multiple high schools in Chino Valley say they are growing increasingly concerned. At a board meeting this month over the “no deception” policy, dozens showed up with parents and hand-held rainbow flags to register their protest. Jeremiah, a senior at Ayala High School, was one of them. During the public comment period, he urged the board “to stop peddling lies that weaponize parents’ care for their children against teachers.” In an interview, Jeremiah, who is gay and did not use his last name because he feared retribution for speaking out, said he felt a shift the past two years toward less tolerance for LGBTQ+ students. Jeremiah, a senior at Ayala High School in Chino Hills, on Oct. 31, 2024. He is the founder of Chino Valley Students 4 Change, a group organizing to oppose school board policies on LGBTQ+ students. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) “I grew up in a family that is loving of me,” he said. “But that is not the case for other students and their families.” Some Chino Valley students went further, saying the school board stances have created an increasingly hostile environment for LGBTQ+ teens and supportive teachers. They spoke of a September incident at Ayala, where anti-gay insults were hurled at the leader of the campus LGBTQ+ group during a school-wide club recruitment event. A student flipped over a table, causing the LGBTQ+ club leader to hit his head on a planter. Police were notified of the alleged bullying attack. Shaw has expressed concern over the incident. “I reject that our district’s policies have created an unsafe environment for students,” Shaw said. “Bullying of any kind is unacceptable.” Last month, the district put the teacher who advises the club under leave for “unprofessional conduct.” The allegations are unclear. Shaw confirmed the leave but would not elaborate. The teacher and her union also declined. Pro-LGBTQ+ parent activists are accusing the district of retaliation against an outspoken board critic. During the October board meeting, another district student told the board she felt her “rights were being stripped away.” She said her high school had other issues that were more important, like broken air conditioners and bad Wi-Fi. The student, who said her name was Akeel, did not say which school she attended. The new law shields teachers from retaliation for supporting transgender students and prohibits school policies that require “forced disclosure” of youth gender decisions to their families. Amanda Swager, a chemistry teacher at Chino High School who said they were intersex, said “these sideshows, these resolutions do absolutely nothing.” Students and teachers who attended the board meeting last month were overwhelmingly against the board and its policies. But parents, including a contingent from the Calvary Chapel Chino Hills megachurch that has backed conservative board members, came out to support the “no-deception” policy. Misty Startup, a parent of a Chino Hills High School sophomore, said she was pleased board leaders worked against “lies by unions and their candidates.” Startup, a nurse, said in an interview that the district was wrongly painted as anti-LGBTQ+. “If a child is worried about their sexual orientation, gender or having suicidal thoughts, the response should always be ‘let’s talk with your parents,’” Startup said in an interview. “Not, ‘oh, don’t tell your parents, they might not be supportive.’” “The story here is parents who love their kids and want the best for them,” she said. “People twist it into homophobia and racism.” Kristi Hirst, who co-founded the liberal-leaning education advocacy group Our Schools USA, was also present. “They’re obsessed with being able to out kids,” Hirst, a parent of three children in the system and a former district teacher, said of the board in an interview. “This is literally their entire focus of the last two years. We can only hope that, come the election, things change.” World & Nation Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map On July 16, the Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit challenging California Assembly Bill 1955 (AB 1955) newly-enacted legislation that would prohibit schools from adopting parental notification policies State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond joined the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus to propose AB 1955 legislation prohibiting parental notification policies across California AB 1955 aims to prohibit schools from adopting parental notification policies that require school administrators to inform parents if their children ask to be referred to by a name or pronouns that differ from their gender at birth or to access sex-segregated school programs or bathrooms for the opposite gender AB 1955 would also overturn existing parental notification policies and strengthen policies that require school employees to keep secrets from parents Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law the Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit to challenge the legislation and defend Californian parents’ rights The Liberty Justice Center’s lawsuit—filed on behalf of the Chino Valley Unified School District and several Californian parents with children in the state’s public school system—asks the Court to bar California from implementing AB 1955 because the legislation violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments as well as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) are also too young to make life-altering decisions about their expressed gender identity without their parents’ knowledge But that is precisely what AB 1955 enables—with potentially devastating consequences for children too young to fully comprehend them,” said Emily Rae “School officials do not have the right to keep secrets from parents but parents do have a constitutional right to know what their minor children are doing at school Parents are the legal guardians of their children We will continue to defend parents’ rights and children’s well-being by challenging invasive laws like AB 1955 in court Newsom was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California on July 16 We urgently need YOUR help to protect parental rights The government shouldn’t be forcing schools to keep secrets from parents We are representing the Chino Valley Unified School District and parents free of charge Help us defend parents’ rights and children’s well-being in court Emily Rae is a Senior Counsel at the Liberty Justice Center where she litigates cases to protect individual liberties Noelle Daniel is a staff attorney at Liberty Justice Center where she assists in cases to protect the rights to free speech and other Constitutional rights in courts across the country in the news Press Releases case documents Tampa Free Press California Court to Hear Arguments in Lawsuit Defending Parents’ Rights December 19 2024 (Tampa Free Press)—The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California will hear oral arguments today in Chino Valley Unified School District v a pivotal case challenging legislation that bans parental notification policies in schools statewide Liberty Justice Center Senior Counsel Emily Rae will present arguments opposing.. (Orange County Lawyers)—The Orange County Board of Education has joined a lawsuit against the state of California that challenges AB 1955 known as the Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth (SAFETY) Act policies that previously required school officials to inform parents about their child’s.. (Chino Valley Champion)—The Orange County Board of Education and the Anderson Union High School District in Northern California have voted to join the Chino Valley Unified School District in its lawsuit challenging AB 1955 which is legislation that would ban schools from informing parents when their child.. (Southern California Record)—The Orange County Board of Education and a far northern California school district have joined their names to a lawsuit challenging a new California state law that challengers say can be used by public schools and teachers to block parents from knowing if their children are transitioning gender... (The Center Square)—The Orange County Board of Education representing the third most-populated county in California and Anderson Union High School District voted to join a lawsuit against AB 1955 a law that bans K-12 schools from notifying parents of students’ gender change requests (Fox 11 Los Angeles)—A Southern California school district filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Gov Gavin Newsom and the state challenging Assembly Bill 1955 which prohibits schools from notifying parents of their child’s gender identification change The law bans school rules requiring teachers and other staff to disclose a student’s gender.. (Northern California Record)—The raging legal dispute over whether public school teachers can block parents from knowing if their children have adopted a transgender identity at school continues to intensify as a San Bernardino County school district has joined with parents and public interest legal organization to challenge a new California.. (The Center Square)—California parents and a school district filed a joint federal lawsuit against the state over its new ban on public schools notifying parents of students’ gender change requests entrepreneur Elon Musk announced he is moving the headquarters of X challenging a new law that prohibits California school districts from notifying parents of a child’s gender identification change (CBS News)—A school district in Southern California is suing Gov Gavin Newsom over the new state law that will prohibit public schools from being required to notify parents when their children change gender identities The lawsuit filed Tuesday by the Chino Valley Unified School District alleges that Assembly Bill 1955.. 2024 Annual Report A pet owner in Chino Valley asked for help after a puppy was attacked by a mountain lion It happened on Jan. 31, according to a GoFundMe post organized by Christi Vorhies who was attacked during an evening out in their yard taking a photo of our beautiful sunset about 50 yards away when the lion attacked," read the GoFundMe account His owner heard the screaming of Hunter and ran toward him to see a mountain lion on top of the dog with Hunter's head in its mouth The owners rushed Hunter to Yavapai Emergency Animal Hospital where they identified Hunter had suffered significant injuries and bone fractures to his face Hunter also sustained an injury that caused his eye to pop out of its socket when the mountain lion bit down on his head Despite undergoing surgery to remove his eye on Wednesday and go "potty" while resting with a soft cone according to the latest GoFundMe update on Thursday "We are blessed that he's still here and giving us kisses and wagging his little stump tail We just love him so much," read an update on Wednesday the fundraiser generated $5,230 of a $6,000 goal Owners warned: 'Fast-acting poison' suspected in deaths of more than 30 animals in Tucson, including pets Below are candidate profiles for the Chino Valley School Board where there are three seats up for grabs: Trustee Area 1 Trustee Area 1 generally includes the northeast area of Chino and western Ontario including Chino High School Candidates are John Cervantes and Eric Shamp Trustee Area 2 is generally bounded by Schaefer Avenue on the south Garrett Beau McFarland and Paul Michael Griffin Trustee Area 5 governs the southern areas of Chino and Chino Hills including the Fairfield Ranch and Butterfield Ranch communities Candidates are incumbent James Na and Bobby Omari This election will mark the first time the entire board will be under the new trustee area system Residence and age: Chino since 1990; age 57 Occupation: Retired Chino Police Department officer Education: Attended Rio Hondo College and Coastline Community College Community involvement: DARE officer and school resource officer developed emergency plans for schools and educational forums for parents on issues like substance abuse and online safety Organized the Chino Police Department Summer Youth Camp to mentor students and promote leadership skills Actively involved in the Chino American Little League Founder and manager of Chino Crush Baseball Why I am running: I am running to help the district continue to excel and elevate from good to great and commitment to the Chino Valley community and district along with the leadership needed for this vital role Education: I am committed to pursuing educational excellence by prioritizing fundamental skills such as reading alongside the arts and vocational training I aim to prepare students for both college and careers by advocating for an academically rigorous Safety: Ensuring a secure and safe campus environment is essential for student learning I will support comprehensive training for all staff I also believe in fostering transparency by encouraging parental engagement ensuring that parents are informed and actively involved in decision-making processes Occupation: Youth non-profit executive for United Friends of the Children Education: Master’s degree in business administration bachelor’s degree in Biblical studies and youth ministry Community involvement: Flag football coach school site council for Townsend Junior High Why I am running: I am running because our community and our students deserve the highest degree of professional skill Strong school boards have members representing a broad range of skills and experience the district does not have a board member with an advanced business degree and executive experience In times of significant financial pressures—like our state and district are in now—the importance of a high-quality board cannot be overstated I am the only candidate in Trustee Area 1 that has the endorsement of the Association of Chino Teachers Chino teachers believe in my vision and goals for our district—which have been shaped by over 17 years working in the non-profit sector My career has centered on data-driven decisions and compassionate leadership focused on improving the educational outcomes and successful transitions to young adulthood for our most vulnerable young people: foster youth unhoused young adults and those impacted by the juvenile justice system Student success: The primary job of a school district is to 1) increase what students know and 2) improve their ability to achieve success when they leave Chino Valley Unified Our younger students must master the fundamentals of reading and arithmetic that will serve as the foundation for future learning Cultivating grit and a “growth mindset” as students get older will ensure they can persist through challenging curriculum and the social-emotional struggles that come with adolescence in high school we need to resource and empower our young adults with a vision and goals for life after they graduate focused on post-secondary education at colleges and universities and trade certification and apprenticeship programs School safety and culture: Providing safe campuses and an authentically positive and supportive environment for all students to thrive must be a priority for the district I advocate for a multi-pronged approach to achieve this vision The investment in school resource officers and partnership with the Chino Police Department is a must—especially considering the threat of potential violence on campuses Investments in counseling and evidence-based support programs will encourage our school district to lead with compassion and concern for students and families who are struggling welcoming parental involvement and creating strong parent/teacher/administrative partnerships will bring connection and encourage our students to discover Psychology; Single Subject Credential – Biology; Azusa Pacific University - Library Management Sciences (LMS) certification School Site Council; Delegate Assembly for CSBA Why I am running: I am running for re-election to ensure that parental rights remain at the forefront of our education system guaranteeing that parents are the primary decision-makers in their children’s education and well-being My commitment to fiscal responsibility and strong leadership has allowed our district to thrive without budget deficits while also making significant investments in infrastructure and student safety Our district has received 23 positive financial audits since 2013 a testament to our sound fiscal management and dedication to transparent governance I am dedicated to protecting our community from government overreach and maintaining the high standards of education that our district is known for Protecting parental rights: It is crucial to defend the role of parents in making decisions about their children’s education and well-being I am committed to opposing any attempts to diminish parental authority and will work to ensure that our district remains a strong advocate for family involvement in education Ensuring educational excellence and safety: Maintaining a safe and effective learning environment is essential I will continue to focus on providing the resources needed for both academic achievement and extracurricular success while also ensuring fiscal responsibility and accountability within our schools moved from Trustee Area 5 to Trustee Area 2 after the map was approved that established districts Cruz did not respond to the Champion’s question as to why he moved.) Occupation: high school history/government teacher and a Master of Science in Education degree with a concentration in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Community involvement: Program coordinator in local secondary and higher education institutions involved husband of a public school teacher in the Chino Valley Unified School District Why I am running: I believe that public education and the teachers who serve within it are the bedrock of our democracy I am committed to using my experience as an educator to restore our district’s focus on quality ensuring classrooms have the resources they need and all students and families feel supported and have the tools to thrive in school and in their lives as citizens Advocating for and ensuring the provision of adequate resources materials and programs to support the academic and transparency to the board of education These two priorities are connected and when prioritized will provide a strong foundation to make our public schools the best they can be As a board member I will work to ensure every public-school dollar is invested in the real needs of our students Because an effective learning environment requires students and teachers to feel safe I will work to: ensure access to mental health resources and student wellness centers eliminate forced outing and provide resources for LGBTQIA+ students encourage Dual Language Immersion programs ensure better pay and working conditions in partnership with our teachers and classified staff unions to prevent attrition and draw qualified educators to the district improve transparency and dialogue so that educators are heard and respected by the board of education provide conference periods for special ed teachers to allow for needed preparation time inclusive education designed to support the needs and futures of all students Residence and age: lifelong Chino resident Don Lugo High math teacher for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years Community involvement: Member of Chino Valley Community Church Why I am running: I’m running because we can protect girls’ sports and implement policies that restrict boys from entering girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms without resorting to lawsuits I want to use the limited funds we have to support and protect our children not pay lawyers for a small interest group’s special interests who want to use our tax dollars instead of their own money and I intend to return the favor through due diligence and service to ensure we continue to have a great education for all our future generations We must teach our kids the importance of accepting one another and loving one another Our current board majority claim to be followers of Christ but without this central value they deny the grace of Christ We can protect girls’ sports and keep boys from entering girls’ locker rooms and restrooms without denying the rights of transgender students While our understanding of transgenderism is still evolving we do know transgenderism happens because of either a genetically caused syndrome or from a structural incongruence in the brain and policies need to treat our transgender students the same way we treat other students with other medical conditions There are procedures we can use to keep parents informed without violating state laws and costing the district over a million dollars in legal fees that would be better served funding our kids’ education but only if we refuse to listen to the fearmongering rhetoric of our current board majority Area 2 schools are expected to make sacrifices for the Area 4 and Area 5 schools when it comes to financial decisions graduations are back at the Toyota Arena in Ontario rather than at our school campuses The district projects to increase revenue for the district through ticket sales Ayala made north of $15,000 and Chino Hills High north of $20,000 but Don Lugo lost $10,000 because we could not sell enough tickets This is because the affluence of Area 4 and Area 5 can afford to buy tickets for extended families while Don Lugo families were greatly restricted Why are we asking the parents of a Title I school to help pay for their child’s education especially when we see that money going to the more affluent schools in our district Community involvement: Board member San Bernardino County Senior and Disabled Fund; former member of GATE Parent Association and former president of Baldy View Regional Occupation Program and Friends of the James Thalman Library I have gratefully been serving as your board member since 2008 I am committed to providing an award-winning education for our students in a secure safe learning environment where all students learn and grow I strongly believe in honoring common sense parental rights I voted to remove pornographic materials from school libraries and to oppose males in girls-only athletic programs as well as in locker rooms City of residence and age: Chino Hills since 2003; age 33 Occupation: Educational software designer/developer and businessman Education: Chino Hills High School graduate; A.S in Computer Information Systems and Web Development from Chaffey College Community involvement: City of Chino Hills summer program youth volunteer supporter of Chino Hills High booster club contributing supporter of the HOPE Program in Chino Valley volunteer of various Inland Empire charities such as the Reindeer Romp 5K run-walk in Ontario Why I am running: As a proud product of the Chino Valley Unified School District my wife and I are looking forward to raising our family here in this community that we both love and grew up in I am running for school board to ensure students have even better opportunities for growth and education than I was afforded and community members to find innovative solutions and use academic best practices to prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow We need a renewed focus on education instead of the board’s current focus on political distractions which are only serving to divide our community We all have a shared responsibility for our children’s future and our community’s success Focus on education: All children deserve a high-quality education that fully prepares them for a bright future in a changing world—and it begins in the classroom and faculty to ensure all students have the resources to learn and succeed in a productive and safe classroom We need to prioritize smaller class sizes and fewer combo classes both of which are linked to greater student success This will also help to recruit good teachers which is desperately needed due to our district’s current teacher shortage Our district is spending far too many of our taxpayer dollars in legal fees instead of investing in education a pattern that I will work tirelessly to reverse Improving career pathways and innovation: All students should have the freedom to learn and have access to opportunity through education in all shapes and forms and invest in programs in which students discover purpose in their education and develop the fundamental skills they need to succeed and thrive I will use my expertise in technology to help drive much-needed innovation in our school district where students are empowered to chart their own path and contribute meaningfully to society vocational programs or partnering with local businesses for apprenticeships and internships all students deserve a wide range of career pathways when they graduate from CVUSD Kim Sao is the new director of finance for the City of Chino She is relieving Deputy Finance Director Nadyne Lowry who served as interim director for six months after Rob Burns retired in August 2024 Sao has 30 years of experience in municipal finance previously serving as the finance director for the City of Paramount She holds a master’s degree in public administration and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Management from California State University Chino Hills Maintenance and Operations Manager Sean O’Connor has retired from the city after 25 years He was recognized with a city tile at the Feb O’Connor began his career in 1999 as a parks and open space supervisor and was promoted to maintenance and operations manager six years later He oversaw 60 employees who maintain the city’s 44 parks and 3,000 acres of open space O’Connor received the American Public Works Association Award for establishing the weed abatement program to include grazing sheep and goats that reduced fire danger in the open space He was known for his ability to work seamlessly across all departments his willingness to help and address problems head-on “It’s hard to believe I reached this point I never thought I would live to be 60 years old O’Connor shared that he had a couple of bouts with cancer and a bone marrow transplant at one point in his life “I feel so grateful to be here and I enjoyed working with all of you,” he said “The Public Works Department works tirelessly 24 hours a day to get the work done a 5-year-old kindergarten student at Loving Savior of the Hills in Chino Hills recently broke the record in her grade by reading at level 4 and will likely finish level 6 by the end of the school year is the daughter of Ayala High School teachers Adam and Alexis Sjol