El Monte Union State of the District Features Success Stories, Challenges
Lizeth Delgado Joins Century 21 Village in Sierra Madre
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Southern California High School Students in Spotlight The Music Center’s 30th Annual Celebration Honors Talent
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he Music Center named 113 of Southern California’s most talented high school students as semifinalists in The Music Center’s 30th annual Spotlight (Spotlight) program, a free nationallyacclaimed scholarship and arts training program for teens. Now celebrating its 30th year, Spotlight has transformed the lives of more than 45,000 students across Southern California since its launch in 1988. An important part of The Music Center’s fundamental support for arts education, Spotlight is more than a competition. The program provides opportunities for Southern California high school students to acquire the skills they need to pursue their dreams in the performing arts, ranging from the development of performance abilities in numerous genres, to roles in arts management, along with valuable college preparedness and workforce readiness skills. The Music Center named semifinalists in each of seven categories, including acting, ballet, non-classical dance, classical voice, non-classical voice, classical instrumental and jazz instrumental. “As a pathway to both artistic and personal growth, Spotlight encourages students to strive for their personal best,” said Jeri Gaile, director of The Music Center’s Spotlight program. “Students who participate in Spotlight have access to personal-
ized training and mentorship opportunities that instill self-confidence, elevate self-esteem and prepare them to excel in life, no matter their future pursuits.” Approximately 1,450 participants auditioned for Spotlight this year, with students representing more than 300 schools, 200 cities and seven counties. Semifinalists receive a rare opportunity to attend a special master class in their genre with highly regarded artists, who share their expertise on performance technique, training and professional life. Students receive feedback on their performances, offering them a rich learning experience. Each semifinalist will audition again The Music Center’s Spotlight/Semifinalists Announced before a new panel of judges, who will then select the top two finalist performers in each category for a total of 14 Grand Prize Finalists. Judges will also name an Honorable Mention in each category. The Grand Prize Finalists will perform at The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall in the Spotlight Grand Finale Performance on June 5, 2018. For more information about The Music Center’s Spotlight program, visit musiccenter.org/spotlight or join the conversation on facebook.com/spotlightawards. See attached for a complete list of semifinalists.
12-year-old San Bernardino Student Threatens Local School On Thursday, March 1, 2018, Chino Hills deputies responded to Townsend Junior High School to investigate threatening statements a 12-year-old student made. The incident was reported to law enforcement during after school hours. When law enforcement learned about the incident, it did not pose an immediate threat to students, faculty or staff. Dur-
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ing the investigation, deputies and detectives learned several students heard the suspect state he was going to “Shoot up the school.” Law enforcement contacted the victims, witnesses and family members, who believed the student would carry out the threat. Students were concerned for See Page 3
Traffic Collision Leads To DUI Arrest In Riverside On Thursday, March 1, 2018, at approximately 6:42 PM, officers from the Palm Desert Police Department responded to a four-vehicle traffic collision in the 73-000 block of Tumbleweed Ln., Palm Desert. It was determined the driver, Tamara Cooperstien, 50 years of Palm Desert, was travelling eastbound on
Tumbleweed Ln. when she collided with a parked vehicle. Parties involved did not sustain any injuries as a result of the collision, but during the investigation it was determined that Cooperstien showed symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol. Cooperstien was arrested See Page 2
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Long Beach City Council Supports Modernization of 710 The Los Angeles Metro Board of Directors voted unanimously, 11-0, in favor of Alternative 5C, a motion that will modernize the I-710 South Corridor Project improving safety in and out of America's largest ports: The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Included in this action were amending motions, 5.1 and 5.2, which include a focus on a zero emissions corridor and expediting early action projects. The addition of a future general purpose lane must come back to the board for future approval once the early action projects are completed. Motions 5C was supported by Mayor Robert Garcia, Long Beach City Council 710 Oversight Committee and the Port of Long Beach. Within Long Beach, the I-710 spans from the 91 freeway/710 interchange to the shoemaker bridge in Downtown Long Beach. The growth of the communities along the I-710 corridor and the increase in the number of trucks and cars have resulted in significant traffic delays and severe impacts on air quality, over the past five decades. Those most impacted are the vulnerable communities living along the corridor. The environmental studies for the I-710 South Corridor Project started in 2008 to address significant traffic congestion and safety issues resulting from increasing traffic volumes and infrastructure deficiencies. Los Angeles Metro, in partnership with Caltrans, Gateway Cities Council of Govern-
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Anaheim PD Seeks Public’s Help Anaheim Police Department need the public to help identify a robbery suspect. The suspec is descirbed as a white male adult, mid-twenties, average build, 5-08 to 5-10, blonde short hair, wearing a dark jacket and dark colored back pack. Around 6:00 am on a Sunday morning in mid-
February, the suspect, who was recorded by video, was seen stealing property from an unlocked vehicle in a driveway in the 200 block of N Plantation Place. The loss was electronic items, hunting supplies and gifts. Anyone with information is urged to contact Orange County Crime Stoppers at www.occrimestoppers.org or 855-TIP-OCCS.