Rio Hondo College - No Class Cuts! Holding the line.- Whittier Daily News

Community college, CSU chancellors predict more cuts and higher fees - Whittier Daily News

Rio Hondo College is one of the ONLY community colleges in California that has NOT cut classes, furloughed employees, laid-off faculty & staff, nor cut services and programs. Why? We saved reserves, practiced fiscal discipline, and kept our administration lean as the impending budget crises approached. The crisis was no secret but we had to prepare, we did and now we are able to offer more classes and services than most community colleges.

We are fairing very well compared to other community colleges, local schools and cities. Little Lake School District laid-off a great amount teachers and staff, increased class size, cut programs and services, and increased the cost of children’s school lunches. The City of Santa Ana has cut so many employees and residential services that they have even cannibalized their Community Developed Department seizing funds to pay debt.

At Rio Hondo College, due to our fiscal preparedness and responsibility, we were able to hire 13 faculty and 35 staff in 2011 to serve students. In addition, our $300 million dollar building program has employed over 300 local skilled-workers and professionals to build our new facilities.

Things may get tougher, but we will be diligent, prudent and discilpined in the coming budget cycles. It comes down to our mission, serve students.

VINDICATED - DISMISSED

Im an Outdoorsman and being in the Outdoors is a great part of my life and soul.

In 2010, I was accused of carrying a “switchblade”, and having an unpaid speeding ticket, upon my return from a backpacking/camping trip after having dinner at Maggie’s Pub in Santa Fe Springs.

In July 2010, the traffic ticket was paid and the case on “suspicion of carrying a switchblade” was dismissed by the presiding Superior Court Judge. At that proceeding, the District Attorney (DA) moved to dismiss the case and stated that he had inspected the knife in question and said that it was clearly not a “switchblade” and was instead a legal folded camping knife. The Judge agreed and granted a dismissal stating that “the Whittier Police Department has NO Business redefining State Law on what is a “switchblade” and what’s a legal folded camping knife”. I was Vindicated!

It has been a long tradition in my family to commune in nature. The camping knife is a great part of my outdoors ethos. As an American, I don’t see why I need to change that.

The California Penal Code Section 653k is very clear on what is a “switchblade” and what its not. The code states a ““Switchblade knife” does not include a knife that opens with one had utilizing thumb pressure applied solely to the blade of the knife or a thumb stud attached to the blade…” The Law is very clear, there is no ambiguity. I just don’t see how the Whittier Police officer could have misinterpreted the law. It makes me wonder.

I have since returned to my hiking, camping, backpacking and the outdoors lifestyle.

However, my political opponents continue to portray me as a “switchblade carrying cholo”. Two have promised to play the dirtiest campaign yet seen in our community.

I can’t stop them and they know thier wrong. That’s politics and I will do what I do best: fight for justice and be resilient.

Light Rail Plan Hijacking by San Gabriel Valley Cities - Wrong!

The Whittier Daily News ran an article today on certain San Gabriel Valley cities attempting to hijack the long planned east-side county light rail route.

It's a selfish act to derail established plans to run the proposed light rail from downtown Los Angeles thru East LA, Montebello, and Pico Rivera to Whittier and unincorporated Whittier.

People in the current plan do not have adequate access to rapid public transportation like the people in San Gabriel Valley.

The San Gabriel Valley cities have the El Monte/South El Monte Transit Center hub that many transportation agencies use and provide access for residents in local cities to Los Angeles and to the Inland Empire. The transportation access at El Monte provides long range and short range bus service. More importantly, the San Gabriel Valley hub in El Monte currently provides rapid freeway flier access to Downtown Los Angeles and to the inland empire along the 10 freeway.

Detouring the current plan to serve the underserved communities of Whittier, Unincorporated Whittier, and Pico Rivera and Montebello further limits rapid transit and further diminishes access for people in these communities.

It’s selfish for cities in San Gabriel Valley to get another Transit Center.

The current plan must stay and the cities in San Gabriel Valley need to share rapid transit access to other areas of east county of Los Angeles.