SEE PAGE 3 for invasive giant african snails at lax
ANAHEIM PRESS
MONDAY, JULY 21, 2014 - JULY 27, 2014
anaheimpress.com
SEE PAGE 2 for tiger woods learning center VOLUME 1, NO. 12
Double shooting on 91 Freeway results Police seek in critical wounding help in by Vickie Vértiz identifying On July 14, police were investigating a possible double supect(s) who shooting on the 91 Freeway in Anaheim on Monday night. The Orange County Register vandalized reported that fire officials confirmed the call coming in at trees at 8:06 p.m., regarding an incident at the 91 Freeway near the Ronald 57 Freeway. Police are now asking for help to find the person or Reagan Park people responsible for opening fire on a family of four inside a vehicle on the 91 Freeway in Anaheim the previous night, killing a father and leaving one other man wounded. KTLA reported that, when emergency staff arrived at the scene of the accident, two men had been shot inside a white Ford F-150, one of them fatally wounded, according to a release. The man who was fatally shot was identified as Agustin Villegas, 32, of Anaheim, police said. He was in the sitting in the passenger seat of the
Augustin Villega -Courtesy Photo
truck. The driver was identified as a 42-year-old cousin of Agustin. He was wounded, but survived and was taken to a hospital. Police said he was expected to survive. According to Anaheim police, two other young men, teenagers ages 13 and 15, were
in the backseat of the truck during the shooting, but were not injured. They were the sons of Villegas and his cousin, who was the driver of the vehicle. Police said that a preliminary investigation discovered that the F-150 was driving Please see page 2
Immigration crisis: Obama requests billions in aid by Jennifer schlueter According to the Department of Homeland Security, 57,000 Central American children, mostly from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, have crossed the US boarder since October. This number is twice as high as the number of the same period from the previous year and ten times as high as the number of 2009. The children that survive the dangerous journey are fleeing from poverty and crime in their countries, hoping to have a better life here, or to reunite
with parts of their family who are already in the US. Some parents send their children because they believe rumors that their kids will be allowed to stay in the US once they crossed the border. In 2008, former President George W. Bush signed the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act – a law to fight child/sex trafficking. Whereas Mexicans or Canadians are simply sent back across the border, this bill grants Central American kids a court
hearing to determine whether they are allowed to stay or not. Due to the enormous number of immigrants, and thus, court cases, the children often have to wait years on the decision – years that they spend in processing facilities of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Some children do not even show up in court. Two weeks ago, protestors in Murietta attempted to block migrant children and families Please see page 4
On July 13, 2014 around 7 a.m., Anaheim Police were called to Ronald Reagan Park – 945 South Weir Canyon Road – to investigate a vandalism of City trees. In the overnight hours, July 12, 2014 to July 13, 2014, an unknown suspect(s) cut down 13 trees of varied maturity. The trees appeared to have been chopped with an axe and were left at the scene. The damage is still being tallied, but is estimated to be in the thousands of dollars. The motive for the vandalism is still under investigation. Although occurrences of this type of vandalism are rare in our City parks, incidents like this underscore the need for our residents and visitors to be our eyes and ears. If you See Something, Say Something. When you witness suspicious activity in our parks, or elsewhere, contact the police immediately. This can be accomplished by calling 9-1-1 for emergent situations or (714) 765-1900 for non-emergencies. We want to hear from you and hopefully thwart further acts of vandalism to our parks. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS, or www.occrimestoppers.org , or text OCCS plus your tip to CRIMES (274637). You may remain anonymous.
2 | JULY 21, 2014 - JULY 27, 2014
Tiger Woods Learning Center to host children from military families Tiger Woods Foundation Summer Academy provides week of STEM learning The Tiger Woods Learning Center will welcome 130 students, ages 11-13, for its fourth annual Summer Academy. During the week-long camp, participants will explore the world of science, technology, engineering and math through classes ranging from video game design to robotics and zoology, as well as an introduction to the game of golf. In all, students will receive 18 hours of STEM instruction along with three enrichment workshops for the week. The Summer Academy, hosted at the 14-acre Tiger Woods Learning Center in Southern California, will have 112 children from military families at the day and overnight summer camp. In addition, the camp will welcome students from the Tiger Woods Learning Center campuses in Florida and Washington, D.C., as well as young people from 19 states and Taiwan. Military branches represented include Air Force, Army, Marines, National Guard and Navy. Thanks to
generous Summer Academy sponsors, military and learning center students will attend the week-long camp on a tuition scholarship. “The Summer Academy provides a unique opportunity for new and familiar students to see another side of the Tiger Woods Learning Center experience,” Kathy Bihr, Ed.D., Tiger Woods Foundation vice president of programs and education said. “This program allows students to hone professional skills and we’re proud to pay homage to military families by giving their children this wonderful experience.” Taught by year-round, full-time instructors, attendees can choose between a variety of classes that include designing video games, building velocity racers and robots, exploring options for renewing energy through “green” choices and food science, and even discovering the psychology and physiology of their Please see page 4
Anaheim’s hotel industry commits $25,000 for Police K9 monuments The City of Anaheim announced the Anaheim/Orange County Hotel Industry has committed an initial contribution of $25,000 for Police K9 monuments to be placed at Anaheim’s future La Palma and Olive Hills dog parks. The Anaheim City Council recently approved a $25,000 loan to the Kash For K9s committee, through the Anaheim Community Foundation. However, the Hotel Industry offered to assume that responsibility, thereby eliminating any need for the City to contribute, leaving this as a purely community, grassroots effort. “My thanks to the Anaheim/ Orange County Hotel Industry for their thoughtfulness in helping the
City create the K9 monuments. The pieces are works of art that will be enjoyed by our residents and visitors to Anaheim’s future dog parks,” said Mayor Pro Tem Kris Murray. “The Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau appreciates all who serve to keep Anaheim’s residents, businesses and visitors safe,” said Jay Burress, CEO of the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau. “It is our pleasure to assist the Kash For K9s volunteers and we look forward to this continued relationship which serves to honor our canine friends.” La Palma Dog Park is scheduled to open fall 2014, and the Olive Hills Dog Park in spring 2015.
91 freeway shooting Continued from page 1
west on the 91 Freeway when the front windshield shattered from gunfire, as reported by KTLA. Presently, it is not known how many shots were fired, and whether they came from another vehicle on the freeway, or if the shots were fired from nearby roads. “At this point we have no evidence to support that this was a car-to-car shooting, or if the shooting happened from someone standing on the side of the freeway,” police Lieutenant Bob Dunn from Anaheim said. “We do know that obviously some sort of shooting occurred, but how that happened, we’re still investigating.” Somehow, the injured Villegas managed to drive the truck to a section on the highway where he could stop safely and helped his son dial 911. For several hours afterwards, the tragic shooting shut down the entire westbound side of the 91 Freeway at Kraemer Boulevard as Anaheim police
and the California Highway Patrol investigated the event. Police are now asking for the help of the public in finding the shooter or shooters. Police confirmed that Villegas, who was the sole economic provider for his family of a wife and four children, had no criminal ties. Authorities are still searching for a motive in his killing and the shooting in general. Reyna Villegas, the wife of Agustin Villegas, has organized a crowd-funding effort to cover funeral costs. Supporters can visit https://www.giveforward. com/fundraiser/sx35/agustinvillega-s-funeral-fund?utm_ source=facebook . The family asserts that “any little bit helps.” They have raised approximately $1,200 toward a $12,000 goal. The campaign will continue for 92 days. People with information on the shooting are asked to call Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-847-6227 or text “OCCS” and a tip to 274637.
JULY 21, 2014 - JULY 27, 2014 | 3
hlr media EDITORIAL
editor@anaheimpress.com
Editor
Jennifer Schlueter
Publisher HLR Media
Advertising
advertising@hlrmedia.com
Submissions:
Please send all press releases to: editor@anaheimpress.com HLR Media, LLC .All contents herein are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any manner, either in whole or in part, without the express written consent of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed in this paper are not necessarily that of the management and staff at HLR Media, LLC
950 N Tustin Ave Anaheim CA 92807
Phone: (626) 386-3457 Fax: (626) 600-4452
Alhambra PRESS
Baldwin Park
INDEPENDENT
INDEPENDENT
CBP intercepts 67 extremely invasive giant African snails at LAX Live mollusks arriving from Nigeria were destined for Los Angeles area
U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) inspected an air cargo shipment declared as 67 live snails. Accompanying paperwork described them as Achatina Fulica for human consumption. They arrived from Lagos, Nigeria in two plastic basket packages weighing slightly more than 35 pounds in total and were destined for San Dimas, California. After submitting an urgent sample to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plant Protection and Quarantine entomologists, their acting national mollusk specialist in Washington, D.C., identified them as Giant African Snails - scientifically known as Archachatina (Calachatina) marginata var. ovum (Pfeiffer) (Achatinidae). CBP received notification of this on July 7. Native to Africa, their other commonly known names are Giant African Land Snail, West African Snail, West African Land Snail, Banana Rasp Snail, and Margie. “This significant interception of Giant African Snails is the first time this pest has been encountered in such large quantity and as a consumption entry by CBP in Los Angeles. It exemplifies how CBP agriculture specialists protect our nation’s agriculture from the introduction of threatening foreign pests, plants and diseases,” said Todd C. Owen, CBP director of field operations in Los Angeles. USDA emphasized the importance of safeguarding this shipment of one of the most extremely damaging snail species. Thereafter, CBP transferred the shipment to USDA’s local Plant Inspection Station for final disposition.
These pests are a very serious threat to our agriculture, natural ecosystem, public health and economy. They can consume more than 500 types of plants and, if vegetables or fruits are not available, will even eat the paint and stucco off of houses. They can be carriers of several parasites which are harmful to humans, one of which can lead to meningitis. Being one of the world’s largest land snails, these mollusks can reach up to about eight inches long, about five inches in diameter and may
live up to 10 years. Suggested preventative measures include strict quarantine to prevent introduction and further spread. CBP: U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
Long Beach Office 3780 Kilroy Airport Way Suite 360 Long Beach, CA 90806 Ph. (562) 472-0071 Fx. (562) 689-0071 Los Angeles Office 5701 South Eastern Avenue Suite 100 Los Angeles, CA 90040 Ph. (323) 727-1144 Fx. (323) 727-9198 www.heger-industrial.com Lic. #00814086
4 | JULY 21, 2014 - JULY 27, 2014
FCC votes to expand internet access for schools and libraries State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson applauded a ruling by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Friday that marks a major step toward preparing students for the global economy by expanding Internet access for schools and libraries. The FCC voted today to modernize the E-rate program and boost support for wireless connectivity for schools and libraries. This action is designed to expand wireless access, make Erate dollars go further, and deliver faster, simpler, and more efficient applications and other processes. Known formally as the federal Schools and Libraries Program, E-rate established a surcharge on long-distance telephone bills in 1997 that provides discounts to assist schools and libraries in obtaining affordable telecommunications and Internet access. “Our schools, society, and economy thrive on interconnectivity,” Torlakson said. “Today’s action will not only help narrow the digital divide among students, but also help us reach and teach every child so they will be prepared for the world that awaits them.” Torlakson has championed efforts to update E-rate. In March 2012, he convened his Education Technology Task Force to bring 21st century tools into California's classrooms so that no child is left offline. He has also brought together other state superintendents via the Council of Chief State
-Photo by Terry Miller
School Officers (CCSSO) to work together on this issue. Last September, Torlakson went to Washington, D.C., to push for increased federal assistance to provide broadband access for all students and schools across California. While there, he co-chaired the CCSSO's Digital Learning Task Force to discuss and meet with members of the FCC, the White House, and the U.S. Department of Education. He also met with U.S. Senators to discuss E-rate. In June of last year, President Barack Obama proposed modernizing the E-rate program as part of his ConnectED initiative, which Torlakson at the time called "a huge step in the right direction." The FCC opened a public comment period soon afterward. Torlakson encouraged local superintendents and other education stakeholders across California to
weigh in, and the California Department of Education also submitted its comments. Among the state's priorities are expanding the program; making it easier to apply for and receive funding; ensuring the flexibility to take advantage of future technologies; distributing funding according to highest-priority needs; and allowing for adequate bandwidth to support wireless access as schools continue moving toward a one-to-one computer ratio. For more information on today’s vote, visit the Federal Communications Commission’s Web site. For information on how the state uses the Schools and Libraries Program and the California Teleconnect Fund to provide telecommunications discounts to ¬-schools in the state, visit the California Department of Education’s E-rate Web page.
Tiger Woods Learning Center Continued from page 2
favorite animals. Students will spend the week utilizing technology and skills necessary for professional careers in these topics. Meanwhile, golf classes will focus on elements of beginning golf, video swing analysis and the science of making golf clubs. Campers will stay overnight at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center, a 210-acre outdoor facility located in the hills overlooking Irvine Regional Park. It is complete with comfortable bunkhouses, swimming pools and a lodge-style dining hall, and offers outdoor activities such as archery, zip-lining, hiking and building campfires under the stars. As an added bonus, all campers will spend a day at Disneyland and participate in activities related to the park’s worldclass attractions, specifically how science plays a role in running the “Happiest Place on Earth.” The Tiger Woods Learning Center collaborates with the Military Child Education Coalition, National Military Family Association, several national military bases and local non-profit agencies to provide scholarships for children to attend the Summer Academy. For more information, please visit the Tiger Woods Foundation Summer Academy website.
Immigration crisis Continued from page 1
from entering processing facilities. The Obama administration requested $3.7 billion on Tuesday, July 8, to increase the number of border patrol official, judges, and detention centers, and to improve the living conditions of the refugee children while waiting on their hearings. Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers says that the White House
will not approve Obama’s request: “It’s too much money.” He adds: “There are pieces of it that need to be dealt with immediately and that’s what we’re working on.” Democrat Rep. Luis Gutierrez declares: “I plan to support the president’s budget request but we must make sure that we do not short-circuit justice for the children. They get their day in court as the law mandates.”