Parents and community members of Hacienda La Puente Unified School District launched an effort to remove Board of Trustee Vice President Nancy Loera earlier this year, contending they were not feeling properly represented. After review by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office, the recall was halted, but the group plans to try again. Loera represents Area 2, which includes schools that will be closed as part of the district’s reconfiguration plan amid declining enrollment. Loera has declined to issue a statement about the recall bid or respond to accusations made by it ..read more

POMONA — A man was convicted Monday of the baseball bat murders of his 65-year-old mother and his 73-year-old stepfather at the family’s Hacienda Heights home. Jurors deliberated for just over an hour before finding Nelson Fermin Garibay, now 47, guilty of first-degree murder for the Jan. 11, 2021, killings of Irma Garibay and Mario Flores-Romero at their home in the 14400 block of Marwood Street. The panel also found true the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, along with convicting him of an attempted murder charge involving his brother, who survived the attack. The jury is ..read more

Incumbent Rep. Linda Sánchez appears to have taken a comfortable lead in the 38th congressional district race Tuesday night. The first round of votes released by the Orange County Registrar of Voters and L.A. County Clerk/Registrar-Recorder shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5, put the 11-term Democrat from Whittier well ahead of the pack and Eric Ching, a Republican from Walnut, in second place. Pastor John Sarega and entrepreneur Robert Zhang Ochoa are also vying for the seat. Results will be updated regularly until the counting is complete. The top two vote-getters in th ..read more

A year after the shooting death of Bishop David O’Connell, the motive behind the shooting of the popular priest remains a mystery, as the case grinds through the legal system. Sheriff’s Department officials said homicide detectives continue to work with the Los Angeles County D.A.’s Office on the case as it moves through the courts. And the case remains under investigation, even as it moves close to a court date in March. On Feb. 18, 2023, O’Connell, 69, was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in the bedroom of his Hacienda Heights home. The shooting, just days after a mass shooting in Mon ..read more

Homeowners were reeling Tuesday in Hacienda Heights after a mudslide damaged three homes and displaced seven residents, authorities said. Amid this week’s intense rain storms, the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to a report of a mudslide in the 2800 block of Antisana Place at around 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday. Firefighters arrived and found that the mudslide was actually located in the 3100 block of Gotera Drive, where mud had pummeled into several homes at the base of a hill. Wendy Barron, 51-year-old loan officer who lives in the neighborhood, said that a large amount of mud broke thr ..read more

There’s a bit of a rematch happening in California’s 38th congressional district. Rep. Linda Sánchez, a Democrat from Whittier who is serving her 11th term, is being challenged by Walnut City Councilmember Eric Ching, pastor John Sarega and entrepreneur Robert Zhang Ochoa. She faced Ching and Sarega in the midterm election in 2022. Voter Guide Series Editor’s Note: This story is part of a series breaking down each of the six congressional races in 2024 in Orange County. We explore the districts and candidates’ platforms. For more, check out our comprehensive voter guide here. Sánchez’s seat is ..read more

  A Noise Within presents “Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol” on various dates through Dec. 24 in Pasadena. (Photo by Craig Schwartz/courtesy of A Noise Within)   Here is a sampling of things to do in the greater San Gabriel Valley area, Dec. 15-22.   The Hot Rod Power Tour West, by Motor Trend, returns to the West Coast after almost 30 years. Catch all the drag racing, autocross and entertainment for car fans, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 15. Tickets $10. Irwindale Speedway, 500 Speedway Drive. irwindalespeedway.com. Details and purchase tickets: tinyurl.com/44fjjxy5 Los Angeles Coun ..read more

A plan to relieve traffic in the San Gabriel Valley, along with providing faster connections to Long Beach and Orange County, includes proposals for seven bus rapid transit (BRT) projects that prioritize bus travel on existing thoroughfares, according to a new study. The San Gabriel Valley Transit Study, sponsored by the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments and LA Metro, looked at the area between the 60 and 10 freeways and was released at workshops on Nov. 28 and Nov. 29. It proposes either fully dedicated BRT lanes or “bus only” lanes with traffic signal priorities over automobiles ..read more

At least one home was evacuated in a Hacienda Heights neighborhood on Monday, Nov. 27, after a sinkhole formed near a residential intersection, authorities said. A car is seen in the mud after a water main break in Hacienda Heights on Monday. (Photo by OC HAWK) A crew cleans up mud after a water main break in Hacienda Heights on Monday. (Photo by OC HAWK) A car is seen in the mud after a water main break in Hacienda Heights on Monday. (Photo by OC HAWK) Water flows in Hacienda Heights on Monday after a water line broke and a sinkhole was created. (Photo by Tony Velasco C20N/Key ..read more

Change is coming to students and their families in the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District. The district’s Board of Education in a 3-2 vote approved a plan aimed at addressing declining enrollment which includes the closing of four schools. The decision came despite major opposition from students and their families who packed a marathon meeting on Thursday night, Nov. 9, standing against the closure. The Hacienda La Puente Unified School District Board of Education approved a plan to close four schools, as part of a reconfiguration plan aimed at addressing declining enrollment. (Photo b ..read more