SEE PAGE 3 FOR california #1 in after school programs
ANAHEIM PRESS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 - NOVEMBER 2, 2014
anaheimpress.com
SEE PAGE 3 for Aquaponics farm for anaheim VOLUME 1, NO. 26
No more race-based lockdowns in Cali- Drunken fornia prisons driver by jennifer schlueter sentenced for killing two friends
Center, online at www.anaheim.net/veterans, offers information and resources such as the Military Banner program, the Veterans Memorial Burial Flag Flying Program, and others, states the program web site. The web site also shares information about housing and employment assistance for veterans and their families. The website gives “exist-
A drunken driver was convicted and sentenced today to nine years and four months in state prison for killing two friends by crashing into a light pole after losing control of his vehicle. Ryan Manuel Hernandez, 24, Anaheim, was found guilty in a court trial of two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without gross negligence. At approximately 2:00 a.m. on Feb. 10, 2012, Ryan Hernandez drove under the influence of alcohol after a night of drinking at a bar in Fullerton to celebrate friend Jose Zuniga’s 24th birthday. He drove while impaired on La Mirada Boulevard in Buena Park with Jose Zuniga in the front passenger seat and 22-year-olds Everado Zuniga and Jose Hernandez in the back seat. Ryan Hernandez struck a raised median while attempting to change lanes, losing control of his vehicle, and crashing into a light pole. Everado Zuniga and Jose Hernandez were trapped in the back seat of the car and pronounced dead at the scene. Jose Zuniga refused medical attention. When contacted at the scene by officers from the Buena Park Police Department (BPPD), Ryan Hernandez displayed objective signs of alcohol intoxication including bloodshot and watery eyes and emitting a strong odor of alcohol. The defendant was transported to the hospital to be treated for a sprained arm and was released to the custody of BPPD. During the sentencing today, the mother of Jose Hernandez
Please see page 4
Please see page 2
California High Desert State Prison, where a race-based lockdown called for a civil rights law suit - Courtesy Photo
In 2006, African American inmates of the California High Desert State Prison had been locked down for 14 months deprived
from outdoor exercise, rehabilitation programs, and prison jobs after two guards had been attacked by prisoners. The lockdown was
solely based on race and unjustly included inmates who didn’t take Please see page 2
Veterans to be honored at city event by Vickie Vértiz At a commemorative ceremony on Saturday, November 8 at the Veterans Monument in downtown Anaheim, The City of Anaheim will honor our veterans this coming month. The public event will take place from 10:00 to 11:15 a.m. Everyone is welcome to attend. However, people can always pay their respects to our veterans at the monument at any time. The person leading the event is Councilwoman Lucille
Kring. The event will feature music, a color guard presentation, guest speakers, and patriotic musical tributes. The Anaheim Veterans Monument is at the corner of Anaheim Boulevard and Broadway. But this event is not the only way the city honors our veterans. The city provides a thorough set of services for them once they come home and while they are active military members. The Veterans Resource
2 | OCTOBER 27, 2014 - NOVEMBER 2, 2014
Immigration official Anaheim and Renewable Farms partner to build an sentenced to 30 months in prison for soliciting bribes Aquaponics farm The City of Anaheim is fish waste from fish tanks to to approve applications partnering with Renewable fertilize plants that are grown Farms to develop a food sup- in gravel instead of dirt. After ply system for local non-profits the plants have absorbed the for citizenship and businesses, as well as de- nutrients, the water is looped velop a youth training and edu- back into the fish tank creating and green card cation program through an in- a zero- waste irrigation system novative agricultural program called Aquaponics. This collaboration aligns with the City’s focus on “prevention” projects to expand life experiences and opportunities in the lives of the city’s older youth (ages 13-17). Under the guidance of Renewable Farms, youth participating in Anaheim’s Project S.A.Y. (Support Anaheim’s Youth) will receive opportunities to learn employable skills, on-the-job training, hands-on education, and volunteer service. Renewable Farms will expand youth training and education to local schools, with the goal to serve 150 youth during a full one-year cycle. To support this valuable program, the City will provide a portion of land in central Anaheim for the Aquaponics Farm. Aquaponics is a zero-waste food production system that integrates raising aquatic animals such as fish (aquaculture) with the practice of cultivating fruit, vegetables and herbs in water (hydroponics). This unique farming method uses
that is both self –sustaining and environmentally friendly. Established in 2008, Renewable Farms is a private company that works with individuals and businesses to grow food through this environmentally-friendly, sustainable agriculture with a farming concept. The company strives to help create opportunities through ecologically-responsible farms. In addition to the United States, Renewable Farms has successfully built Aquaponics farms in Mexico, Kenya, Chile, Thailand, and Haiti to help feed underprivileged populations. This project will positively highlight an innovative method of raising crops while saving water and bring distinctive advantages to City of Anaheim residents. Anaheim residents and other individuals interested are invited to visit Anaheim Aquaponics Farm Kickstarter to get involved in the creation of this project. For more information on the City of Anaheim, please visit www.anaheim.net.
An immigration service officer with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) who took thousands of dollars in bribes from immigrants who were seeking either citizenship or lawful permanent resident status in the United States was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison. Mai Nhu Nguyen, 48, of Irvine, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton. From 2011 through June 2013, Nguyen solicited and took bribes from Vietnamese immigrants. In one case, Nguyen took $1,000 from
an immigrant seeking a “Green Card” and 200 egg rolls from an immigrant seeking citizenship. Nguyen, who worked at USCIS’s Santa Ana office for approximately eight years and is now on leave, was an immigration service officer with the power to approve or deny applications for immigration benefits that are submitted by immigrants. The case against Nguyen is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General.
No more race-based lockdowns Continued from page 1
part in the incident. According to the Los Angeles Times, another incident concerning a “riot between northern and southern Mexican gangs at Pelican Bay State Prison, resulted in a three-year lockdown” during which prisoners “were denied family visits, issued housing and work assignments and assigned outdoor exercise times all based on race.” Because some gangs are associated with a certain race, these lockdowns happen. Lawyer Rebekah Evenson told CBS that out of 600 annual lockdowns in California prisons, 200 are based
on race. No other state has such race-based policies, reported the Times. Prison officials claim these lockdowns are safety measures, so that they can conduct investigations after violent occasions. Following the incident at the California High Desert State Prison, lawyers for inmates filed a civil rights lawsuit against the unfair lockdown. Out of the resulting settlement, last Wednesday’s decision of California officials to end these lockdowns came forth and ruled them to be unconstitutional because they violate the equal protection granted by the 14th Amendment.
Drunken driver kills two friends Continued from page 1
delivered an emotional impact statement to the court describing how much time she devoted to her son as a single mother, no longer being able to find joy like she used to, and lacking motiva-
tion in life because of the defendant’s actions. Senior Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Walker of the Homicide Unit prosecuted this case.
OCTOBER 27, 2014 - NOVEMBER 2, 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
California ranked #1 in after school programs State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today that California leads the nation in after school programs, placing first among all states in a national survey released Thursday by the Afterschool Alliance. “The good news is, because we have followed through on our long-term commitment to invest in our children, California has the largest network of after school programs in the country,” Torlakson said. “These programs are helping our children learn and stay safe after school, while helping working parents keep their jobs. The challenge is that many more children still need to be served.” Torlakson celebrated California’s number one ranking with students, parents, community leaders, and advocates Thursday in a visit to the after school program at Roy Romer Middle School in North Hollywood. The Alliance gave California its top ranking in the 2014 edition of its “America After 3PM” survey, singling the state out for both strong participation among students and high satisfaction with after school programs among parents. It found that expanded learning participation in California had increased to 25 percent, compared to 19 percent in 2009, with more than 1.6 million students enrolled. The survey also found that 92 percent of California parents were satisfied with the quality of care of their child’s after school program, up from 83 percent in 2009. “Superintendent Torlakson has spearheaded efforts to make California number one in the nation,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “He created a statewide after school initiative within the California Department of Education that has increased quality and access to after school programs across this state. California stands head and shoulders above the rest of the country, not only for the percentage of
students it serves, but for its emphasis on making high-quality after school programs a state priority. From extraordinary STEM programs, to service learning, to its trailblazing literacy programming, California has done an amazing job with afterschool programs.” The Alliance’s report also noted California’s work to emphasize the quality of programs, including Torlakson’s move to create an After School Division within the California Department of Education (CDE) and to develop a strategic plan to build on the state’s investments in expanded learning. The CDE also recently completed development of newQuality Standards for Expanded Learning programs. A teacher and long-time
track and cross-country coach, Torlakson has long been a champion of after school programs. Legislation he authored led to the creation and expansion of these programs. California’s expanded learning programs today reach about 4,500 schools around the state. They are, in large part, funded through voter-approved Proposition 49, which guarantees $550 million annually for the state’s After School Education and Safety Program. California administers another $120 million in federal after school program funds. For more information about expanded learning, visit the CDE After School Division’s California Expanded Learning Programs Facebook Web page.
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 | OCTOBER 27, 2014 - NOVEMBER 2, 2014
Brad Pitt turns to more serious, contemplative work in Fury By Michael James Gonzalez The topic of World War II battles might sound dull for many, as it is arguably the most written about topic and most depicted on film than any other world war. Writer/Director David Ayer, however, has produced one of the most original and exciting new films in recent war movie history with Fury, a gritty action drama set deep in Nazi Germany a few months before the end of the war where Don “War Daddy” Collier, played by Brad Pitt, leads his tank crew against merciless and desperate Nazi forces who outnumber them. Ayer—who is known for highconcept, high action movies like The Fast and the Furious, Training Day, and End of Watch—wrote what is no doubt his most sophisticated screenplay to date with Fury. While there are plenty of explosions and gunfire to satisfy the most ardent action-movie fans, it
is the relationship of the tank crew and how they individually and internally cope with the carnage, the death, the utter destruction of war that keeps us interested. We begin as the four-man tank crew—which includes Shia LeBeouf, Jon Bernthal, and Michael Pena—is on a temporary and much needed respite from battle after one of their gunners has just been killed. Norman, a child-like, enlisted typist with no battle experience is assigned as the new gunner. He’s played by Percy Jackson’s Logan Lerman. Not surprisingly, Norman is immediately despised by the crew—who have been together since the North African Campaign several years earlier—for his innocence and lack of experience. The wise and battleweary “War Daddy,” however, understands that their survival is predicated on trust, and he therefore assumes responsi-
bility for coaching Norman, through some painful teachable moments, to become a warrior. A bond between all of the men is forged and strengthened after much loss and devastation. On a mission to hold off a vital German supply route, an entire tank platoon of Allies is obliterated and only Fury—the nickname of our protagonists’ tank—remains functional but immobile after running over a landmine. With a parade of a few hundred SS soldiers marching toward the only surviving tank crew, the men are faced with the choice of either hiding in the German forest to wait for reinforcements, or fight to the death. All of the performances in this film are bold and raw with emotion albeit restrained. Brad Pitt convincingly embodies the strong, silent, battlehardened commander, and the respect and reverence he was no doubt given on set by his
fellow actors is quite palpable on screen. Ayer purposefully steers clear of the fast-cut, steadicam shooting style that has now been overused in other films to heighten war sequences and instead uses slow tracking shots and still, wide frames which effectively juxtapose the beauty of the German countryside with the ugliness of human misery, a style which keeps the tension alive while giving us a sense of calm before the storm. This is Ayer’s second collaboration with cinematographer Roman Vasyanov who diminishes the film’s color palate to make vivid the grayish mood of the narrative. It is beautifully photographed but retains the grit and harshness of the disrupted landscapes. The film is a tightly woven two hour thriller that hangs on knife’s edge and has real potential to go down as a classic war film. Only time will tell, however.
Veterans to be honored at city event Continued from page 1
ing and returning veterans […] online access to earned benefits and connections with important local resources for employment, housing, education, health care, daily living, and
much more.” Important programs include the annual job fairs hosted by the Anaheim Workforce Investment Board. They feature centralized employ-
ment services for veterans. The County of Orange Veterans Service Office completes free benefit claims counseling and referral assistance, not only to veterans, but also their dependents and survivors. One notable resource is the Anaheim Housing Authority, which prioritizes veterans who live or work in Anaheim, and provides a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) for housing help. Also, veterans currently on the waiting list are given preference. If a veteran is already without a home, a Voucher Set-Aside Preference is given to them if they live or worked in Anaheim. Additionally, the Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Voucher Program combines the HCV Programs with case
management and clinical services by the VA. Another important location for services is the Anaheim One-Stop System Satellite Employment Development Department, located at 2450 East Lincoln Avenue. At that location, the city website reports that a representative from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, also known as the VA, is available to “facilitate comprehensive services to veterans and provide referral services for all program and activities are offered through” that office. To access more in-depth resources, you can go to the following web site: http://www.anaheim.net/ images/veterans/Veterans_Resource_Directory.pdf