SPORTS/10
ARTS&LIVING/5
Down to the final outs now
Too much metal?
Over 25,000 readers weekly n Thursday, May 9, 2013 n www.ggjournal.com n Vol. 31, No. 37 n Phone: 714-539-6018 n Fax: 714-539-6079
FIRST LOOK: IMMERSION EDUCATION
Bao Nguyen backs study in Vietnamese
By Marilyn Lewis Tortolano Garden Grove Journal
A presentation on a proposal to offer “immersion” classes in Vietnamese attracted both support and questions at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education. Gabriela Mafi, assistant superintendent of secondary education, and Sara Wescott, assistant superintendent of elementary education, made a report to the board of their attendance at a public forum Saturday in Santa Ana on the subject. In response to a request from board member Lan Nguyen to discuss the challenges and assets of teaching curriculum largely in Vietnamese, Mafi said that the plan could “enrich the culture and language.” On the other side of the ledger she cited a variety of concerns, including issues related to the recruitment of faculty, the costs and the availability of facilities. “We in Garden Grove take the time to be as informed as
Ex-Stanton cop pleads guilty; gets year in jail
BOB AND WEAVE
n GARDEN GROVE SCHOOL BOARD
“We in Garden Grove take the time to be as informed as possible.” possible,” she said. Additionally, she suggested that the community be surveyed and options explored. Mafi will assume the duties of superintendent in July. The plan was promoted by board member Bao Nguyen, who argued that the immersion plan would “provide students with an advantage in the global economy. In Europe, business employees know three languages; we know one. “That’s a little embarrassing for us,” he said. Learning another language would “give our students an edge.” Immersion is a process by which students are taught primarily or partly in a foreign language. Two versions were discussed Tuesday night. The 90:10 model would begin in kindergarten with students being instructed in Vietnamese for 90 percent of the day. Each year the amount of English taught is increased until this is a 50-50 balance in sixth grade. The 50:50 model would Continued on page 2
JOURNAL PHOTO
It was a Cinco de Mayo event with punch Sunday at Garden Grove Boxing, 10632 Garden Grove Blvd., which hosted a boxing show under the auspices of USA Boxing, Inc.’s Southern California Association. Twenty bouts of three rounds were held for fighters of both sexes ranging in age from 10 years old to 24. Above, Karia Rodriguez (red trunks), 12, jabs Ashley Arce, also 12. Rodriguez represented the local gym; Arce was from OC Boxing Fitness. Additional photo on page two.
Dragging death trial underway The trial of two suspects charged in the death of a woman in the aftermath of a faked drug transaction in Westminster is underway this week. Christopher Dai-Chi Yu and Lynn Ai Quach are standing trial in the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana for the March 10, 2010 death of Tuyet Thi Huynh. Authorities say the defendants arranged to meet the victim in Russell Paris Park in Westminster for the sale of narcotics at 11:30 p.m. Huynh approached the defen-
dant’s car holding cash. Quach allegedly grabbed the cash from the woman’s hand, but the purse became entangled onto the car. The vehicle sped away, with Huynh dragged for a mile before she fell. A witness stopped to render aid and call 911. In the meantime, Huynh’s boyfriend, who was parked nearby, gave chase in his car and went in pursuit of the defendants’ vehicle and also called 911. Yu allegedly shot at
the trailing vehicle. A passing Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy saw the two speeding vehicles and stopped the defendant’s car and detained the occupants. The two were later arrested by officers from the Westminster Police Department. Huynh was taken to a nearby hospital where she was later pronounced dead due to head trauma from being dragged and falling from the car.
Stanton, foundation shed light on a homelessness cure Of all the cultural phenomenons of the last 20 years, one of the most perplexing and persistent problems is that of the homeless. And yet, at a recent meeting of the Stanton City Council, Mayor David Shawver proclaimed that “Stanton has eliminated its homelessness problem.” Through a partnership between the Illumination Foundation and Stanton, more than 242 families in the city have been placed into housing, 89 adults given help in finding work and 87 people have received medical care including mental health and addictions services. “The City of Stanton came to us about 18 months ago,” said Katie Rootlieb, communications director for Illumination. “There were a lot of homeless congregating in parks and other public spaces.” In response, the Foundation opened an office in Stanton and has
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What to expect in the Journal for the next issue and beyond . . . .
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“There were a lot of homeless congregating in parks and other public spaces.” worked to educate, house and treat the homeless and what’s called “the unstably-housed community.” The latter term refers to people who might move from a motel to a car to a park as money gets tighter. “A typical example would be a family that lives in a motel room for three weeks until they run out of money,” said Rootlieb. In combination with the Foundation, Stanton has “developed programs and tools such as city ordinances to assist a population that is in need of assistance,” said Stanton City Manager James Box. “I am very proud to say this proactive approach is working.” One related effect of curbing homeless may be a reduction in crime
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Help sought in finding GG robber
A MODEL PROGRAM of coping with homelessness has been established in Stanton.
COMING UP: Coverage of Garden Grove and Stanton city council meetings and Westminster school board ... CIF spring playoff action in baseball, softball and more .... Jim Tortolano takes a swim in “immersion” programs
FIVE-DAY WEATHER
By Jim Tortolano Garden Grove Journal
A former Stanton police officer working as an unlicensed private investigator was convicted last week of fraud and sentenced to four years in prison. The sentence pronounced last Thursday in Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Kevin Michael Sianez, 56, of Fountain Valley was stayed and he was ordered to serve one year in the Orange County Jail and make monthly restitution payments of $5000 until he fulfills the total losses of over $187,000 due his KEVIN SIANEZ clients. Sianez, who also worked previously for the Santa Ana Police Department, pleaded guilty to 17 felony counts of grand theft by false pretense, 11 felony counts of fraudulently using an access card, four felony counts of possession of a firearm by a felony (stemming from a 1988 conviction for stalking), six felony counts of obtaining services through false representation and one felony count each of perjury by declaration, computer access and fraud and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person. He also pleaded guilty to three related misdemeanors. Sianez was accused of working as a “private eye” without a license through KMS Investigations from November 2005 and June 2010, as well as Fore-Front and 4Front Investigations. Authorities claim that Sianez led people to believe he had a nationwide organization when he in reality worked out of a small suite in Santa Ana with fewer than five employees, who were primarily family members. He was further accused of
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Police are seeking the public’s help in finding a man accused of an armed robbery in Garden Grove under the cloak of a personal ad. According to police, the victim placed an advertisement on Tuesday. A man responded to the ad the same day, sending a photo of himself and agreed to meet. When he arrived at the home in the 13000 block of Blue Spruce Avenue the suspect had a gun and robbed the victim.
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